Comrades or Foes: Did the Russians Break the Law or New Ground for the First Amendment?

This Article discusses the recent decision by the United States Federal Government to indict more than a dozen Russian nationals for conspiracy to defraud the United States of America. The Government accused the Russians of staging protests, distributing false propaganda, and spreading political messages and ideologies online in an effort to affect the outcome of the 2016 Presidential Election. We argue that while the Defendants violated several other laws, the majority of the acts the Government classifies as a conspiracy to defraud the United States should not be considered criminal. Rather, these acts are protected political speech under the First Amendment of the United States Constitution because the Russians engaged in conduct that is crucial to political discourse in a Democracy and which the Founding Fathers intended to protect. Therefore, prosecution of the Russian Defendants on that basis should cease

Discussion of: A statistical analysis of multiple temperature proxies: Are reconstructions of surface temperatures over the last 1000 years reliable?

Discussion of "A statistical analysis of multiple temperature proxies: Are reconstructions of surface temperatures over the last 1000 years reliable?" by B.B. McShane and A.J. Wyner [arXiv:1104.4002]Comment: Published in at http://dx.doi.org/10.1214/10-AOAS398J the Annals of Applied Statistics (http://www.imstat.org/aoas/) by the Institute of Mathematical Statistics (http://www.imstat.org

Development of an unsteady aerodynamic analysis for finite-deflection subsonic cascades

An unsteady potential flow analysis, which accounts for the effects of blade geometry and steady turning, was developed to predict aerodynamic forces and moments associated with free vibration or flutter phenomena in the fan, compressor, or turbine stages of modern jet engines. Based on the assumption of small amplitude blade motions, the unsteady flow is governed by linear equations with variable coefficients which depend on the underlying steady low. These equations were approximated using difference expressions determined from an implicit least squares development and applicable on arbitrary grids. The resulting linear system of algebraic equations is block tridiagonal, which permits an efficient, direct (i.e., noniterative) solution. The solution procedure was extended to treat blades with rounded or blunt edges at incidence relative to the inlet flow

What’s up with prefrontal cortex? : A commentary on John-Dylan Haynes

The prefrontal cortex is perhaps one of the most intriguing areas of the brain, and considered by many to be involved in a whole battery of higher cognitive functions. However, evidence for a direct involvement in conscious perception, although often postulated, remains inconclusive. In his paper, John-Dylan Haynes presents results from experiments using multivariate decoding techniques on human functional magnetic resonance imaging data that speak against the assertion that prefrontal cortex broadcasts the contents of consciousness throughout the brain. I consider potential reasons for these null results, as well as where else we may look for the neural correlates of consciousness. Specifically, I propose that conscious perception arises when distributed neurons are bound into coherent assemblies —a process that does not require relay through specific brain areas

The Implications of Marijuana Legalization on the Prevalence and Severity of Schizophrenia

The article discusses how regulation is vital to protect the small proportion of the population that will develop schizophrenia from marijuana use. Topics discussed include marijuana\u27s effects on a user\u27s psyche; triggers and symptoms of schizophrenia; and need to legalize marijuana for people who are at least twenty-five years old or who have been cleared by a psychologist

When Congress Passes the Buck: How Russia’s Invasion of Ukraine Exposed Flaws in Granting the President Sanctioning Powers

The United States (U.S.) Constitution provides few limitations on endowing the Executive Branch with powers to govern foreign trade, which was initially granted to the Legislature. In a world where global trade dominates, the power over foreign trade can be more important than the power over domestic matters. Leaving unrestrained trade authority to the Executive Branch may cause hazards for Americans and foreigners alike. Russia’s war in Ukraine demonstrates the flaws in permitting the Executive Branch to unilaterally sanction foreign states. This Article demonstrates how reactive Executive Branch policies infringed on the welfare and safety of American citizens and foreigners alike

Who Watches the Watchmen? Character and Fitness Panels and the Onerous Demands Imposed on Bar Applicants

This Article discusses the onerous requirements that state bars sometimes impose on bar applicants to prove good moral character despite the vague definition of the term and the apparently limitless amount of evidence that a character and fitness panel can rely on to deny or delay admission. We present recent examples of decisions that beg the question of whether state bars are really preventing the entry of the unethical into the profession or simply screening out applicants that panelists dislike. We also discuss at least one potential problem highlighted within the process by COVID-19. This Article argues that while most bar applicants pass the character and fitness portion of their bar application without problems, history shows that the potential for arbitrary decisions is so high that this potential should be eliminated. The changes we propose should come either voluntarily, as state bars appropriately adjust their rules to notify applicants of what conduct is truly prohibited, or via a ruling from the Supreme Court of the United States, which has already established some constitutional requirements for the process that have apparently been forgotten

The Alarming Legality of Security Manipulation Through Shareholder Proposals

Shareholder proposals attract attention from scholars in finance and economics because they present an opportunity to study both quasidemocratic decision-making at the corporate level and the impact of this decision-making on firm outcomes. These studies capture the effect of various proposals but rarely address whether regulations should allow many of them in the first place due to the possibility of stock price manipulation. Recent changes to shareholder proposal rules, adopted in September 2020, sought to address the potential for exploitation that some proposals create (but ultimately failed to do so). This Article shows the potential for apparently legal stock price manipulation if shareholder proposals remain relatively unregulated. We propose improvements to decrease this risk of stock price manipulation, which should help the government prosecute the offenders