Way Back Machine

Ever find a link to the purrrrrfect Web site, only to discover that the link no longer works? The very clever humans at the Internet Archive have, for quite a number of years now, been keeping track of old Web pages. All you need is the URL (web address) of the page. Copy and paste it into the box at http://www.archive.org/ and if it is available in the Way Back Machine, then you will find the page. This really works!! A nod to Mr. Peabody, even if he is canine.

Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat

Study Break!

A hidden treasure on Long Island is the Planting Fields Arboretum. They are holding their annual Summer Festival from June 19-August 27th. This means FABULOUS outdoor concerts (such as Seal, George Benson and John Hiatt) on this opulent former estate located in the heart of Long Island's "Gold Coast". Check out the schedule.

They are also hosting the North Fork Bank Jazz Festival. Click here for details.

This is a wonderful way to clear your head. Pack a blanket and picnic and feel like you are in Tanglewood, without leaving Nassau County!
Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat

Bar Exam Tips

The Practising Law Institute or PLI has collected a number of links to presentations of experts on the bar exam. They assembled it all into a free page to help students get ready for the bar exam.

Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat

It was a dark and stormy night

Think this phrase was made famous by Snoopy? No, it is the first sentence to a book written by an early 19th century novelist. This is the entire sentence.

"It was a dark and stormy night; the rain fell in torrents--except at occasional intervals, when it was checked by a violent gust of wind which swept up the streets (for it is in London that our scene lies), rattling along the housetops, and fiercely agitating the scanty flame of the lamps that struggled against the darkness."
--Edward George Bulwer-Lytton, Paul Clifford (1830)

In honor of this bad writing the Bulwer-Lytton Fiction Contest was created. Each year writers compete for the wretched writing award. The website host a collection of winners and dishonorable mentions. Let's be happy that Snoopy used the original and not some of these.

The bone-chilling scream split the warm summer night in two, the first half being before the scream when it was fairly balmy and calm and pleasant for those who hadn't heard the scream at all, but not calm or balmy or even very nice for those who did hear the scream, discounting the little period of time during the actual scream itself when your ears might have been hearing it but your brain wasn't reacting yet to let you know. --Patricia E. Presutti, Lewiston, New York (1986 Winner)

Take a break from studying and read some of the entries. They should at least make you smile.



Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat

Expanded Reference Librarian Hours

For those of you who have questions on the off hours - part-time evening students take note - we have expanded our evening and weekend Reference hours. On Monday-Thursday evenings until 9pm and Saturdays, 10am-6pm, you will see some new faces at the Reference desk. Dan and Helena have agreed to help us this summer to provide you with assistance with any of your research or reference questions. They are both knowledgeable and experienced legal reference librarians - and have met my exacting requirements on being feline friendly!

Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat

Specialty Search Engine-Science

If you're looking for accurate, authoritative scientific information using the web, an excellent starting point is Scirus, a science-only specialized or "vertical" search engine from Elsevier. Combining a webcrawler that focuses only on web sites with scientific content, such as university web sites and author homepages, with the publisher Elsevier's massive scientific information resources drawn from thousands of journals and books, Scirus offers a hybrid service that is second to none. To get an idea of the range of scientific content Scirus covers, click here .

Scirus also includes a news feed with the latest science headlines.

Trust the Ernster, this is THE PLACE for science-specific results on the web. Specialized search engines are one way to get better information faster, so you can hit the beach!



Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat

Email mistakes

There are many common mistakes that you can make in your emails that can aggravate your readers. And since you will probably all start spending much more time emailing school and work associates as time goes on this will become even more important. How to Lose Friends and Alienate People with Email is a list of these common mistakes.

Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat

CSI Effect

The April 25, 2005 U.S. News & World Report (on the Library's magazine rack) has an article on what is called the "CSI Effect", or in other words the effect that television shows are having on American juries and their decision making. It turns out that some of the forensic science on the show is not - how shall I say this - well, it's not real. This is a problem for you - the trial attorney - since the juries seem to expect that the science they see on television be used for their trial and are disappointed when it is not. For further discussion of what this means for the lawyer, see this on llrx.

The llrx article also discusses The National Clearinghouse for Science, Technology and the Law at Stetson University College of Law. The Clearinghouse is a work in progress, but they already have a database for the current status of the science in several areas. Useful for the attorney, but also fun to discover if what you see on TV is really possible.

Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat

Curling up with a Good Book

As a Virtual Cat, comprised of bits and bytes, you might think I have little use for paper and ink. You would be most mistaken. Remember, I am first and foremost a LIBRARY feline and as such, have a vested interest in bricks, mortar, and most especially books! But, I am not the only one (well, maybe the only virtual cat) who still maintains that one chief pleasure in life is curling up with a good book. If you do not want to take my word for it, see yesterday's editorial from the New York Times - Yes, Obi Wan, There Still Are Books .

Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat

Nassau County Property Records

Public Information in Nassau County has gotten pretty high tech. Take a look at the Nassau County Department of Assessment's Land Records Viewer. Pick "property search" from the top of the page. You can search by section lot & block if you know it, by address, or even by map location. You will find photos of the property in question, assessed value, area maps, tax maps, comparable sale information, and much, much more. Enjoy the fruits of my (and maybe your) tax dollars. This site is a keeper!
Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat