Antitrust Survey
Danny Sokol is conducting a survey of private practitioners for an empirical project examining how antitrust law shapes compliance. The survey is here.
More Milton Friedman Institute Commentary
While much has been said about the recent Milton Friedman Institute scuffle at the University of Chicago (including here at TOTM here), Chicago GSB Professor John Cochrane’s scathing comments on the original Protest letter have stirred up some additional commentary worth reading. In particular, Craig Newmark (who adds the new fact that apparently the Protest ... More Milton Friedman Institute Commentary
The Price of Merger Approval and Triple Federal Enforcement
Geoff and Thom (see the comments) continue to have the Whole Foods litigation covered. I don’t and can’t have anything to add to their comments about the particulars of the litigation. I will note, playing off my previous post on bad case law out there looking to be overturned, that there is significant demand for ... The Price of Merger Approval and Triple Federal Enforcement
New NIE Book Available
New Institutional Economics: A Guidebook (Brousseau and Glachant eds., CUP 2008) is available. HT: Peter Klein. This looks like a wonderful collection of papers and a must-have resource for those interested in NIE, law and economics, or institutions more generally.
The Demise of Property Rights Has Been Greatly Exaggerated …
My colleague Tom Hazlett (George Mason University) has a characteristically thoughtful and provocative column in the Financial Times on the recent Clearwire joint venture and what it tells us about the “innovation commons” and current public policy debates such as network neutrality, spectrum property rights, and municipal wi-fi. Here’s an excerpt: Clearwire-Sprint-Intel-Google-Comcast-TimeWarner-McCaw blasts away barriers ... The Demise of Property Rights Has Been Greatly Exaggerated …
What is the Worst Antitrust Decision That is Good Law?
There’s been a bit of discussion about the “most destructive” decision that is good law around the blogs, e.g. here and here, in response to John McCain’s criticism of Boumedine calling it “one of the worst decisions in the history of this country.” The line of discussion led me to think about the titular question. ... What is the Worst Antitrust Decision That is Good Law?
Public Comments in FTC v. N-Data Decision
Available here.
Autism Misinformation Continues
First from McCain, who first claimed that there was “strong evidence of a link between vaccines and autism” and now has since revised his position acknowledging that there is no scientific evidence supporting such a link and emphasized his support for autism research. See also Overlawyered, and here, and here. Obama has made similar ... Autism Misinformation Continues
A $66.5 Million Math Error?
Wow…: GSA officials were asked recently to reassess the total cost of donated items in what the agency called a routine audit. “In doing so, it was determined that some of the unit costs were ‘eaches’ and others were ‘for-case’ lots. The final adjustments reveal there was a significant overstatement in the total asset valuation,” ... A $66.5 Million Math Error?
Recommended Antitrust Reading for the Next Administration
The August issue of the Antitrust Source will feature several short contributions from lawyers, judges, professors, and economists in the antitrust community suggesting some recommended reading (a book, scholarly article, or judicial opinion) for the transition team members of the new administration. A preview of my submission appears below the fold:
Bainbridge on Diversity at UCI Law School
Professor Bainbridge sees an interesting tension in the successful initial hiring at the UCI Law faculty: Liberals like Chemerinsky say that affirmative action is necessary so that a school can “look like” the community it serves. In this case, however, it seems to be okay with just about everybody that Chemerinsky’s law school doesn’t reflect ... Bainbridge on Diversity at UCI Law School
The Filesharing Debate Gets Ugly
David Glenn brings us the latest in the filesharing dispute. HT: Peter Klein, who says sensible things about the newest, and ugliest piece of the controversy: Strumpf suggests that Liebowitz is pressing the issue so zealously because Liebowitz’s center at UT-Dallas receives funding from the RIAA and “other commercial interests,” a charge I find shockingly ... The Filesharing Debate Gets Ugly
