Hurricane Law?

We all know that Hurricane Katrina and its aftermath have changed lives and national politics. Did you know that there is a blog devoted to tracking how hurricanes Katrina and Rita and the recovery effort are also changing the face of the law? Hurricane Law Blog, published by the law firm of McGlinchey Stafford, PLLC, provides a “single online destination for hurricane-related developments in this rapidly-evolving legal landscape.” The Gulf Coast firm maintains the blog as a searchable up-to-date repository for news and information about hurricane-related legislation, litigation, federal and state regulatory issues, opinion and commentary. Hurricane Law Blog is a great way to keep up with post-Katrina legal developments in many key areas, including financial services, insurance, real estate, environmental, government contracts, health care and employment.
Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat

Does History Repeat Itself?

Wondering if anything interesting happened on this date in history? There are several different websites to check out for events in past years. Try The Free Dictionary, On This Day from the N.Y. Times, or Today in History from Yahoo News.

Today in History (from The Free Dictionary) . . .
"John T. Scopes, a Tennessee biology teacher, was tried for violating the Butler Act, a 1925 state law banning the teaching of evolution. This so-called "Monkey Trial" became a flashpoint for debate among religious scholars and scientists as well as the general public. Scopes was found guilty and fined $100, though the verdict was later reversed. Despite the outcry stemming from the case, the Butler Act was not repealed until 1967." For more background on the Scopes trial, see http://encyclopedia.thefreedictionary.com/Scopes+Trial


Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat

Devilish Diversion

Fans of the old Bugs Bunny cartoons may recall an inarticulate character that embodies chaos, indiscipline, and anarchy--in a word, the very antithesis of law and order--known as the Tasmanian Devil. The real Devil, however, is a very different beast from his cartoon counterpart, and a most interesting one. Those who are curious about this creature will find more information here.

I like them because they are natural enemies of dogs. ;-)

Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat

Barbeque!

Too hot to cook? So, barbeque! I realize that barbeque is a style of cooking, but it is more fun and somehow seems cooler than turning on the oven. For everything you need to know about grilling over an open flame check out the Barbecue Bible website. Equipment, recipes and common sense advice are easy to find and understand. So if you don't have your grill out already, take it out now and barbeque!

Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat

Wex - quick, reliable, legal reference

Many of us have done a quick search on Wikipedia to get a fact, date or rough idea on a topic. Wex, a similar new website provided by our friends at the Legal Information Institute, is

"A collaboratively built, freely available legal dictionary and encyclopedia. Much of the material that appears in Wex was originally developed for the LII's 'Law about...' pages, to which Wex is the successor. "

Like Wikipedia, Wex has multiple contributors, although there is a selection process in order to maintain quality and prevent vandalism.

Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat