I’ve been telling my family for months about the upcoming Star Trek movie, a reboot that will tell the story about how the Enterprise crew gets together. As one might expect, my non-Trek family was not impressed, at least until they saw the new advertisement shown during yesterday’s Superbowl. Afterwards, nearly everybody was ready to see the movie:
When engaging in legal analysis, avoid being conclusory. As I tell my 1Ls, always follow the advice of Dorothy from the song Follow the Yellow-Brick Road (emphasis added):
If ever, oh ever, a Wiz there was the Wizard of Oz is one because
Because, because, because, because, because
Because of the wonderful things he does.
Always give the “because.” If you state a conclusion (that the Wizard of Oz is a “Wiz”), make sure you give the reasons — i.e., state the issue, rule of law, analysis, and counter-analysis — that support the conclusion. Thus, always make sure you’ve given the “because, because, because.” Why is he a wizard? Because of the wonderful things he does.
Of course, Dorothy’s analysis is still lacking. She says the Wizard of Oz is a Wiz because of the wonderful things he does. What are those things? Explain. Why are those things wonderful? Because . . . . And so on. So Dorothy shows what should be done: always give the “becauses.”
An illustration of what not to do can be found in Monty Python’s classic sketch Argument Clinic. When I was in law school, one of my professors would mock students who engaged in what he called “Monty Python” arguing. In the sketch, Michael Palin buys a five-minute argument. John Cleese, in turn, simply contradicts everything Palin says. Exasperted, Palin argues with Cleese over what is a proper argument:
Palin: An argument is a connected series of statements to establish a definite proposition.
Cleese: No it isn’t.
Palin: Yes it is! It’s isn’t just contradiction.
Cleese: Look, if I argue with you, I must take up a contrary position.
Palin: But it isn’t just saying “No it isn’t.”
Cleese: Yes it is!
Palin: No it isn’t!
Cleese: Yes it is!
Palin: Argument’s an intellectual process. Contradiction is just the automatic gainsaying of anything the other person says.
Cleese: No it isn’t.
Advice part I (life and stress) here.
Advice part II (studying and attitudes) here.
Advice part III (back up your data) here.
Advice part IV (essay exams) here.
Advice part V (conclusory argumentation) here.
Advice part VI (incomplete argumentation) here.
The new Star Trek trailer has had mixed reviews on the internet. Me, I think it’s frakking awesome. Sure, the trailer is mostly action, but that’s ok. It’s is trying to attract an audience beyond the pointy-ears-and-forehead-ridges wearing set, and does so successfully.
Based on watching the trailer (repeatedly) and reading around the web (see fansite TrekMovie for at-times heated commentary), I think that the pic has great potential of combining great action, character development, and big ideas. (Think Wrath of Khan.)
For a list of spoofs and parodies of the new Trek trailer (such as Smallville Trek, etc.), go to TrekMovie.
UPDATE (11/27): AICN has posted a new trailer with an appearance by old Spock played by Leonard Nimoy. I’ve substituted the video for the updated trailer. (H/T to TrekMovie.com.) The older trailer can be found here.
Geek alert: the Large Hadron Collider (“LHC”), making its debut this year, is the world’s largest particle accelerator. Built by CERN (the European Center for Nuclear Research), the LHC is a 27 km particle accelerator near Geneva, running through both France and Switzerland. As noted in the NYT, the LHC “will smash together subatomic particles at a rate just short of the speed of light in search of new forms of matter and new laws of physics.”
Some have objected to the LHC as creating an unnecessary risk of, um, destroying the world, such as by creating a micro black hole that swallows the planet. Several LHC opponents have filed a federal lawsuit seeking delay of its operation, and the government is seeking dismissal. Ultimately, it’s somewhat moot, as the LHC makes it official debut on “Red Button Day,” Sept. 10, about a week after the court hears the motion to dismiss.
Although I love physics, my physics knowledge is more of the “wouldn’t warp travel be really cool” variety. So I don’t know how risky the LHC really is. However, I can say with more confidence that this rap video explaining the operation of the LHC, apparently done by folks connected to CERN, is pretty entertaining (if you’re a physics geek, that is):
Bonus assignment: check out PBS’ program The Elegant Universe, a three-hour miniseries on the development of physics string theory.
H/T on rap vid: SlashDot