Where There's Smoke . . .

To those studying for the bar, remember, things could be even worse. As stressful as the bar exam may be, let's keep things civil in the Deane Library and not set it on fire.



Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat

Cool tool - Drop Box

Do you ever wish you can access a file from your laptop when you are using another computer? There is a cool tool on the web called Drop Box . When you sign up for a free account, you can sync your files online and across computers. This way you have only one copy of a file that is automatically synced when you update it. This tool also allows you to easily share files and photos.



Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat

Wiki Sky—A Virtual Planetarium

The recent anniversary of the first Moon landing reminds us that Summer is an ideal time for outdoor star-gazing. Virtual star-gazing, however, can be interesting, too. See Wiki Sky, for instance. In this free virtual planetarium, you will discover all sorts of interesting information about, and images of, the night sky. Just click the “getting started” link at the top of the page and see for yourself.

Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat

One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.

Monday, July 20th 2009 was the 40 year anniversary of the Apollo 11 landing on the moon. Some of us older folk remember watching it live on television. It was a time when space exploration was new and exciting. NASA has organized a web page celebrating the event. The site includes restored videos of the moonwalk and a link to google moon so you can explore the landing area.


Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat

Paperback Swap

Do you have a lot of paperbacks at home? Do you love reading, but find that storing all those books is taking up too much space? You might want to try PaperBack Swap.

PaperBack Swap is an online group that allows you to swap your books with other members. All you need to do is create an account and post a list of books that you want to swap with other members (this process is fast and easy as you need only to enter the ISBN numbers). Once you do this, you are given 2 credits which you can use to "order" 2 books from other members. When another member requests a book from your list, you are notified by e-mail and are given the person's address and wrapper which you can use to wrap and mail the book. You get one credit for every books you send out.

It's a pretty convenient way to swap books and is an excellent way to enhance your summer reading. All you need to pay for is postage!




Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat

Sports Labor Law

This might provide a nice short break for anyone who is now studying for the bar but finding it impossible to stop thinking about law--even while taking a break to watch baseball highlights.

David Cone testified at Sonia Sotomayor's confirmation hearings last week (transcript here) and he also happened to throw out the first pitch at Yankee Stadium yesterday (a still-devastating curve). Cone was invited to testify on Sotomayor's behalf because he was a representative of the Major League Baseball Players Association when Sotomayor resolved baseball's most recent major labor dispute, in 1994. Here, Prof. Ilya Somin from George Mason, who also testified Thursday, mentions that Cone was a successful litigant who was testifying on behalf of a judge who made a decision in his favor.

In fact, the Supreme Court recently granted cert. in American Needle v. National Football League, which could significantly change labor relations in American professional sports, and some see Sotomayor as a potential disruption to the NFL's apparent plan to obtain antitrust exemption for all major sports leagues through that case. (Good analysis of the case is here from a practical perspective, and here from a legal perspective.)



Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat