RT @UCDPoliSci: Congratulations to our colleague Mark Verbitsky (@MVerbs_UCD) who just won a prestigious @UCDLandS College of Letters & Sci….

One (now two) twitter posts for the year. High impact social engagement.

(POL153) @NateWessler of @ACLU joined my @UCDPoliSci class to answer Qs re his experience arguing at SCOTUS (Carpenter v US), 4th Amendment doctrine, future threats to privacy, legislation vs. litigation, law vs nonlaw career advice and more. Video:

Oh, to accept DMs, I need to open up my DMs. I'm very good at this. I think I can now get DMs, but I'll message those who posted.

I annotated a copy of the Dobbs draft opinion for my students, highlighting the main arguments, noting the claims and some problems. If anybody (e.g. former students) wants to skim through the opinion itself, DM me and I'll share the file with you (67 pages).

Are leprechaun traps a new thing? Or is this a common thing for American kids? I never had these. My 5yo daughter made a very simple box but with a diabolical message to lure in overly trusting fae.

Wrapping up 3rd quarter of online teaching. I want to hibernate for a few months but I have Spring "break" to finish grading and prepare a new course. Me right now:

As a Canadian citizen, I am obliged to caveat: .retweets ≠ endorsements of scathingly hilarious points about my official head of state.

It's probably a problem that my only sense of American high schools comes from 90s + 00s media

"As the seminal film Bring It On reminds us, varsity cheer is not a democracy but a cheerocracy. Yet the question remains: is free speech is protected in a cheerocracy?".- Me introducing a case today, coming soon to SCOTUS .

I find it extremely charming that my (California) students unconsciously change "Klansman" to "Klans Member.".

Retroactive new year's resolution

Going high with sopranos and altos:

All in on baritone and bass:

Me, yesterday: social media is a scourge and it will be humanity's doom! ⛈️. Me, today: omfg, people sing sea shanty chains on tiktok?!!. Sharing links in case it can also bring you some🌤️.

Here's the full video with pedantic interludes:

I told my students if the class reached an 80% completion on course evals, I would record a banjo video. They fell short by 1% but I relented. Sharing here in case anybody needs some banjo today:

I challenged my students to make some course relevant memes (con law: separation of powers). Here's my creation based on the topic of judicial supremacy and the political question doctrine. Relevant while everybody watches for judicial intervention in elections.

2020 office decor with new mug from @mijkenijk

Ugh. Today I thought I saw someone I know but dismissed the idea saying, "no, that person is too short." I realize now: 1) it was that person, 2) I've lost all sense of physical reality. In my primary zoom world, everyone is at my eye height, one apparition among many. 🤕.