How Does Your Beach Rate?

Sooner or later this summer--even if it's after the Bar exam for some of them--most humans will head to the beach.  But what kind of water are you running into?  Find out how your local or vacation beach rates by taking a look at "Testing the Waters 2013:  A Guide to Water Quality at Vacation Beaches."  This guide and report on beach water quality on the East and West coasts and around the Great Lakes is prepared annually by the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), a well-known environmental advocacy organization.  It includes a chart rating 200 of the nation's popular beaches, including a sampling of favorites in Nassau County and New York City, based on their water quality, monitoring frequency, and notification practices.  In addition, you can find information about the data used in the report and the most common pollution sources,  data for both rated and unrated beaches, and special coverage of the Great Lakes. Check it out before you dive in. 

Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat

Fun with Tech

One of my favorite places to keep up with my virtual colleagues and technology generally is with David Pogue.  He is a technology columnist for the New York times and Pogue's Posts - the Times' technology blog.  He reviews tech gadgets, tools and site - all with a sense of humor and in language you humans can understand.  His latest State of the Art Column reviews Wearable Devices that Nudge You To Health .

Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat

Unusual U.S. Government Publications, Part Five: Bureau of Education Home Reading Courses

Once upon a time—beginning during the World War One era, and extending into the 1920’s, to be precise--your federal government would grade you on your reading of Dante’s Inferno, among other works. Those who successfully completed the program received a certificate.

All this was part of the Bureau of Education Home Reading Courses of the time. See an example here (scroll down to read more about the program).

Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat

New Summer Hours!

Begginng July 1, 3013 and ending Aug. 11, 2013 the Hostra Law Library will have the following hours:

Monday -Thursday: 8am - 6pm
Friday 8am - 5pm
Saturday 10am - 6pm
Sunday 10am -6pm

 Remember to Plan Accordingly! Happy Summer!!!

Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat

ConSource: The Constitutional Sources Project

From the ConSource "About" page:

The mission of The Constitutional Sources Project is to increase understanding, facilitate research, and encourage discussion of the U.S. Constitution by connecting individuals — including students, teachers, lawyers and judges — with the documentary history of its creation, ratification, and amendment.

The countless letters, speeches, and journals of the Framers and later Amenders of the Constitution are housed in hundreds of libraries, archives, and private collections throughout the United States and Europe. These documents together embody the “best” history of our Constitution and its amendment over time. Yet many of these documents are virtually inaccessible to most of us, whether a fourth grader or a Supreme Court Justice. Even diligent researchers cannot gain access to all of them. As a result, far too many Americans lack an understanding of the ideas that influenced the Framers, many of which still lie at the root of current conversations and debates concerning our government and our laws.

To address this lack of access, ConSource.org is building the preeminent online resource for constitutional research and education. Continually expanding in scope, it provides free public access to what is fast becoming the world’s most comprehensive online library of source documents related to the U.S. Constitution.
Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat