Julian Ku provides interesting new and older observations and compilations on the subject he calls whale wars. The subject is back on his current radar because of recent 9th Circuit action on papers seeking injunctions to block an NGO from interfering with whaling ships. Or should that be viewed as recent efforts to block whalers from interfering in the lives of whales. Either way, it’s interesting. #LawandPolitics #Media

Spin and sound bites. Powerful tools when used well. Consider a recent JP Morgan example. A class action suit nailed the bank for cheating service members on their mortgages because it failed to apply various applicable rules specific to service members. In court recently, JP Morgan admitted its failure, and "thanked" the class action lawyers. But last summer, JP Morgan’s testimony to Congress did not highlight the class action and instead reads as if JP Morgan found and fix

It ‘s Independence Day for those of us in the US. This seems a good day tor a post on transparency and televsion in Supreme Court’s around the world. Stimulated by confirmation hearings in the US, here’s an interesting National Law Journal article by Aaron S. Bayer that summarizes the status of television use in various supreme courts around the world. Mr. Bayer is a well-known US appellate lawyer. As we prepare to celebrate Independence Day in the US, the small excerpt set

Remember when the words in use were "weed killer" or "herbicide" ? A news article from Brazil makes repeated use of a loaded new term: agrotoxins.The article has a definite view. It bemoans Brazil’s continued use of large amounts of asbestos, and various pesticides banned in the EU and elsewhere. The counter names/words? "Crop protection chemicals," as used here by a trade group apparently associated with the manufacturers of the chemical products. #LawandPolitics #Media

When disaster strikes, credibility is key, as explained by Levick Communications. BP survived the "perp walk" to Congress, but today’s NYT article on the disaster indicates the possibility that BP may be on the brink of a costly mistake. That mistake could rock its stock price, which already is down about 20%. The possible mistake ? The NYT article this morning by Justin Gillis contains information consistent with its title: Giant Plumes of Oil Found Forming Under Gulf

Today, media spin is everywhere as industries, governments, and NGO’s go back and forth on regulatory issues in a wide range of contexts. When one thinks back on the media ploys and activities of the tobacco industry, there are obvious history lessons to be learned and applied. When it comes to regulatory issues involving science, it is difficult to take comfort from regulations built around bullet points. In the world of toxic torts, the media battles and stories continue.