Showing results for: “e-books”
The Microsoft-Google Antitrust Wars and Public Choice: There is Too An Argument Against Rival Involvement in Antitrust Enforcement
How should an economist interpret the fact that Microsoft appears to be “behind” recent enforcement actions against Google in the United States and, especially, in Europe? “With skepticism!” Is the answer I suspect many readers will offer upon first glance. There is a long public choice literature, and long history in antitrust itself, that suggests ... The Microsoft-Google Antitrust Wars and Public Choice: There is Too An Argument Against Rival Involvement in Antitrust Enforcement
Some Competing Economics of Copyright and Fashion
In the WSJ, Scott Hemphill (Columbia) and Jeannie Suk (Harvard) defend Charles Schumer’s proposed bill, which would extend copyright protection to fashion design: Sen. Charles Schumer (D., N.Y.) introduced a bill earlier this month that attempts to get around this problem. It prohibits only design copies that are substantially identical. In layman’s terms, a good ... Some Competing Economics of Copyright and Fashion
The future of the Company and the Uncorporation
The Economist has some important recognition of the uncorporation, written by its Schumpeter columnist, who is Adrian Wooldridge. Wooldridge co-wrote with John Micklethwait an important little book called The Company. The article begins, in the spirit of Wooldridge’s book, by noting that “for most of the past 150 years public companies have swept all before ... The future of the Company and the Uncorporation
Top Ten Books in Corporate Governance
(Law Review Editors take note, my recent submission mentioned in the following post, titled: “Defending Against Shareholder Proxy Access: Delaware’s Future Reviewing Company Defenses in the Era of Dodd-Frank” is still in the process of negotiating for a permanent Law Review home, although the expedite process is getting very hot.) After two years of steadily ... Top Ten Books in Corporate Governance
Why Take Antitrust? (Fall 2010 Edition)
In what has become an annual affair, around this time of the year, I like to make the case for law students to take antitrust. Each year, the post is edited and tweaked a little bit. So, without further ado, here is this year’s edition of “Why Take Antitrust?” As the start of the new ... Why Take Antitrust? (Fall 2010 Edition)
The Proposition 8 decision and the law market
This market/business oriented blog will only contribute a few of the zillions of words that will be written on this case. I will, of course, focus on the market aspects – that is, the market for law. I have previously discussed same sex marriage in the context of the U.S. federal system – in a ... The Proposition 8 decision and the law market
Copyright Conundrum
Earlier this year, the US Supreme Court granted a writ of certiorari to Costco in the case of OMEGA SA v. Costco Wholesale Corp. (541 F. 3d 982 (2008)). At issue is whether the ‘first sale doctrine’ of US copyright law (17 U.S.C. § 109(a)), which limits the copyright owner’s ability to restrict distribution of ... Copyright Conundrum
Apple and Amazon E-Book Most Favored Nation Clauses
Connecticut AG Richard Blumenthal has reportedly contacted Apple and Amazon concerning their pricing arrangements with publishers (WSJ, CNN): Mr. Blumenthal said he has sent letters to Amazon and Apple asking them to “meet with his office” to address his concerns that agreements in place may restrict rivals from offering cheaper e-books. For instance, he said, ... Apple and Amazon E-Book Most Favored Nation Clauses
RIP, Earl Thompson
UCLA economist Earl Thompson passed away Thursday. Earl was a beloved figure in the economics department. I came to UCLA a bit late in the game to experience the years when his presence was largest, though I had the pleasure of speaking with him on a number of occasions and he attended a recent talk ... RIP, Earl Thompson
When political preferences masquerade as political necessity
Josh has recently discussed his thoughts about the intellectual trajectory of the newly-minted CFPB and how that intellectual trajectory might influence the selection of the Bureau’s first director–presumed to be either Michale Barr or Elizabeth Warren. His is a brief, dispassionate and intellectually-honest assessment. But given Simon Johnson’s brief, intemperate and intellectually-devoid assessment of the ... When political preferences masquerade as political necessity
Some Links
Intel and FTC settlement talks heat up (WSJ) Connecticut AG Richard Blumenthal leads state AG crusade against Google’s Street View data collection (WSJ) Some good coverage of the FTC Workshop on the future of journalism, i.e. whether and how to save newspapers (here, here and here) Greg Mankiw on crisis economics New antitrust complaint against ... Some Links
Broad preemption and the federal takeover of state law
Last fall Guhan Subramanian, Steve Herscovici and Brian Barbetta (“SHB”) posted a paper claiming that Delaware’s antitakeover statute (Delaware GCL Section 203) was preempted by the Williams Act because it did not leave hostile bidders the “meaningful opportunity for success” required by three 1988 federal district courts which had upheld the Delaware law back in ... Broad preemption and the federal takeover of state law