Virtual Library Cat's Eye View

PolicyArchive Launched

noreply@blogger.com (Ernster the Virtual Library Cat) — Sat, 19 Jul 2008 15:21:00 +0000

PolicyArchive, billed as the "nation's first free, comprehensive, online archive of public policy research," became available yesterday. With over 12,000 policy documents from over 220 think tanks, PolicyArchive hopes to become the world's largest online repository of public policy research, reaching up to 20,000 documents by the end of 2008. The product of a partnership between the nonprofit Center for Governmental Studies and the Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis University Library, Policy Archive brings together documents from a wide array of respected policy research institutes and government sources, such the Aspen Institute, RAND, the Cato Institute, the Congressional Research Service, and the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. Arranged by topic, such as health, energy, and justice, the reports and other documents are also keyword searchable and browseable by author, funder, and publisher. PolicyArchive is a great new resource for law students and faculty.

Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat

Legal Anagrams

noreply@blogger.com (Ernster the Virtual Library Cat) — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 17:03:00 +0000

As many of you know, an anagram is a word whose letters may be rearranged to form another word. For instance, “time” may become “item”, with its letters suitably rearranged. Here are some amusing anagrams created from the phrase “the legal profession”, courtesy of the Anagram Genius site:

*Large if not hopeless

*Posh liars on fee gelt

*Profile those angles

* Pleasing fools there

*Oops! All-nighter fees.

Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat

Dickens And The Law

noreply@blogger.com (Ernster the Virtual Library Cat) — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 17:19:00 +0000

Next to Shakespeare, the English-language author who is perhaps most famous for his characters’ observations about the law is Charles Dickens. This page offers an amusing and interesting assortment of Dickens’ characters’ law-related ruminations.

May you never be embroiled in a modern-day Jarndyce v. Jarndyce!

Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat

Free Online Courses

noreply@blogger.com (Ernster the Virtual Library Cat) — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 22:13:00 +0000

You may know that universities such as Harvard, MIT and Berkeley have been offering free classes online via iTunes, YouTube and more. Open Culture has made them easier to find by providing a list of free online courses offered by several universities. If you are looking for educational podcasts or videos, this is a great place to start.

Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat

60 Gadgets in 60 minutes

noreply@blogger.com (Ernster the Virtual Library Cat) — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 14:00:00 +0000

Techie fun can be found at 60 Gadgets in 60 minutes. Some of the gadgets are silly and others cutting edge, but it is a good way to get a quick overview of current technological innovation.

Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat

Laptop Distraction

noreply@blogger.com (Ernster the Virtual Library Cat) — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 21:51:00 +0000

Do you sometimes find yourself playing games during class, rather than taking notes? Apparently members of certain foreign parliaments have the same problem.

Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat

If You Think Law School Is Hard . . .

noreply@blogger.com (Ernster the Virtual Library Cat) — Sun, 29 Jun 2008 22:56:00 +0000

. . . just try being waterboarded. Artist Steve Powers is looking for 50 attorneys to waterboard for five seconds, because attorneys are "qualified to impartially describe the experience." There is no word on whether Steve Powers is related to Fran Powers, who ran to become the nominee of the Libertarian Party for the congressional seat representing Staten Island. (Fran's father, Frank Powers, who had been the Republican Party's choice for that seat, sadly died last week.)

Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat

Saturday's Virtual Silence

noreply@blogger.com (Ernster the Virtual Library Cat) — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 16:54:00 +0000

Just a reminder to everyone - tomorrow (Saturday, June 28) all of us with Virtual voices will be silenced. The infrastructure necessary for my existence (routers, switches and other gizmos) are being upgraded and replaced. This means there will be no network access. In other words if you are physically in the Law School - no email or IM, no internet, no Library catalog or databases and no Virtual Library Cat!!

Enjoy your quiet day. I will be back as per usual on Sunday.

Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat

Shakespeare’s Legal Puns

noreply@blogger.com (Ernster the Virtual Library Cat) — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 17:30:00 +0000

The Bard is well known for his characters’ comments apropos of all things legal. This Time magazine article from 1964 offers an amusing overview of Shakespeare’s wittier references to the law.

Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat

LaterLoop: A new bookmarking service

noreply@blogger.com (Ernster the Virtual Library Cat) — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 21:37:00 +0000

What makes LaterLoop stand out from other bookmarking services is that LaterLoop has a desktop version that allows you to view saved websites offline, and the mobile version that provides mobile access to your saved websites. LaterLoop also lets you share your saved sites with public profile options and RSS feeds.

Extra! 5 ways to use LaterLoop.

Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat

World Values Survey

noreply@blogger.com (Ernster the Virtual Library Cat) — Sun, 22 Jun 2008 03:50:00 +0000

For those interested in what social scientists have learned about changing values and beliefs in 80 countries around the world over the last 25 years, the World Values Survey provides a wealth of information. Based on data from four "waves" of surveys representing the demographics and views of participants in 1981-1984, 1985-1993, 1994-1999, and 2000-2004, the web site describes the findings and the changes that have occurred in human values, life perceptions and expectations, and national identity across generations and with increased economic development. The web site presents the work of the World Values Survey Association, a nonprofit global network of social scientists. Much of the data, summarized in the "Findings" section of the website, is presented in charts and maps, including a cultural map of the world.

Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat

More on Words

noreply@blogger.com (Ernster the Virtual Library Cat) — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 16:18:00 +0000

There are times when I just cannot find the right word beyond the good all purpose "meow". When that happens, I go to Thesaurus.com . Using this site has improved my writing and helped me to become a more erudite feline.

Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat

Fun With Palindromes

noreply@blogger.com (Ernster the Virtual Library Cat) — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 17:01:00 +0000

Palindromes are words or sentences that read the same way both backward and forward. The famous line attributed to Napoleon, “Able was I ere I saw Elba”, and “A man, a plan, a canal, Panama”, are fairly well-known examples. Many more odd and intriguing instances of these linguistic peculiarities are available at this site.

Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat

Loving Day

noreply@blogger.com (Ernster the Virtual Library Cat) — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 00:15:00 +0000

Did you know that June 12 was Loving Day? Loving Day is an educational community project commemorating Loving v. Virginia (1967), the landmark Supreme Court decision that banned restrictions on interracial marriage. Although it's too late to join in on the Loving Day Celebrations, it's not too late to learn about the Supreme Court decision. The Loving Day web site has a map showing where and when interracial marriages were illegal (it looks like it was never illegal in New York); a list of court cases dealing with the regulation of interracial marriage; and a resources page.

Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat

Nassau County

noreply@blogger.com (Ernster the Virtual Library Cat) — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 15:32:00 +0000

Did you know our very own Nassau County has a great web site for accessing local law? My favorite page is the Accessing Government, where you can find the Nassau County Administrative Code and Charter as well as links to other localities' websites and ordinances. These local laws are what effective us everyday, from parking regulations to issues regarding your favorite furry beasts.

Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat

Advice For Future Litigators

noreply@blogger.com (Ernster the Virtual Library Cat) — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 17:05:00 +0000

When you conduct your first jury trial, make certain that your jurors are paying attention to the court proceedings, instead of, say, doing crossword puzzles, or playing Sudoku.

Think I’m exaggerating? Then read this news story from Australia, where a jury in a lengthy and expensive criminal trial was recently discharged for doing just what I mention, above!

Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat

The Civil Rights Digital Library

noreply@blogger.com (Ernster the Virtual Library Cat) — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 00:49:00 +0000

The Civil Rights Digital Library is a wonderful source of information on the civil rights movement. In addition to offering an archive of historical news footage, the web site acts as a portal to related civil rights digital collections. You can browse the site by event, persons, places and topics.

I looked for information on the Montgomery Bus Boycott and found film footage, audio files, historical newspaper articles, and a number of photographs.

Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat

Beat the Heat

noreply@blogger.com (Ernster the Virtual Library Cat) — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 21:37:00 +0000

Studying in the air conditioned library helps, but there are other tips to help cope with the hot weather.

1. OK, this one should be obvious. Drink lots of water. Avoid caffeine, alcohol or drinks with a high sugar content.

2. Wear loose light colored clothing. Light colors actually help reflect the heat.

3. Avoid strenuous activity during the sun's peak hours, 11 am to 4 pm.

4. Wear a hat when outside.

5. For these tips and more check out: NYC Hazards, Extreme Heat & Your Health

Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat

Summer Associate Writing Tips

noreply@blogger.com (Ernster the Virtual Library Cat) — Sun, 08 Jun 2008 22:23:00 +0000

This article in the National Law Journal offers tips to help summer associates write better, but these tips could also be helpful to any law students or new attorneys. For anyone receiving a writing assignment from a lawyer, #3 is particularly helpful--it reminds us that attorneys sometimes accidentally leave out key information when giving a writing assignment and that the person receiving the assignment should ask for the missing information before beginning.

Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat

Survey on Status of Women in Law Firms

noreply@blogger.com (Ernster the Virtual Library Cat) — Sat, 07 Jun 2008 21:57:00 +0000

Law students interested in the status of women attorneys, particularly in law firm practice, should not overlook the 2007 Survey of the Status of Women in Law Firms. Results of the survey are compiled and published by the National Association of Women Lawyers (NAWL), an independent organization affiliated with the American Bar Association. The NAWL survey is the only national study that annually tracks the professional progress of women in law firms by providing a comparative view of the careers of men and women lawyers at all levels of private practice. Check it out.

Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat

10 Essential Legal Web sites

noreply@blogger.com (Ernster the Virtual Library Cat) — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 20:30:00 +0000

For some new places to find legal information on the web, look at 10 Essential Legal Web sites for Litigators . Some you should recognize, but others, such as ZoomInfo, for information on companies and people, is a new one for me.

Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat

Cosmic Collisions!

noreply@blogger.com (Ernster the Virtual Library Cat) — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 17:08:00 +0000

Nothing puts the smaller-scale activities that take place in the "human aquarium", be they Bar examinations or presidential politics, into perspective quite like images of the greater cosmos, courtesy of the Hubble telescope.

In particular, these photographs of cosmic collisions are intriguing on many levels, not least of which is the contrast between the immense power of the collisions and the glacial (by human standards) time scale at which they occur.

Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat

Human Rights Watch International Film Festival

noreply@blogger.com (Ernster the Virtual Library Cat) — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 00:37:00 +0000

The 2008 Human Rights Watch Film Festival will be screening at the Walter Reade Theater at Lincoln Center from June 12-26. This festival features works that "help to put a human face on threats to individual freedom and dignity, and celebrate the power of the human spirit and intellect to prevail." Films are selected on the basis of artistic merit and human rights content. This year's program features films from several countries addressing a broad range of issues such as access to health care, civil war and human trafficking

Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat

Looks like it will be Obama

noreply@blogger.com (Ernster the Virtual Library Cat) — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 21:28:00 +0000

News sources are reporting that Barack Obama is likely to become the presumptive Democratic nominee for President this evening. The contest between Senator Clinton and Senator Obama for the nomination has made for an interesting primary.

Please remember that Hofstra University is hosting a Presidential debate October 15, 2008. Educate '08: Dialogue, Democracy and the ’08 Debates, is an unprecedented educational effort that will engage not only students and faculty but also the public in a year-long series of conferences, events and lectures about the 2008 election, politics and presidential history.

Part of the Law Library's efforts for Educate '08 are the series of Displays that focus on the election and various issues.

Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat

Searchmash

noreply@blogger.com (Ernster the Virtual Library Cat) — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 15:52:00 +0000

If you would like to know whether your search results are available in other formats, try Searchmash a website operated by Google, Inc. Searchmash displays your Web results by URL and clusters other results by format type, such as blogs, videos and images.

Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat