Conrad Black — An Absence of Actual Malice. An American's point of view: Sitting in Canada looking out over Lake Huron, without the benefit or hindrance of TV, it has been interesting to observe the fallout from the Conrad Black trial in Chicago in the Canadian papers.

The "Bong Hits 4 Jesus" decision last month by the Supreme Court probably does not signal that Texas school children must check their free speech rights at the schoolhouse door. School administrators should be prepared to give wide berth to students engaging in political speech.

Our roving media attorney writes a monthly column — republished here by permission — on his travels and his sports-related musings for SportsTravel magazine. This month's topic: The best sports week of the year, and "what the sports gods giveth, they also taketh away."