Terms of Service

O.K., we are lawyers or soon to be.  So, that means we read all of those web sites' endless Terms of Service, right?  In a word, NOT!  Now, there is a web site, appropriately named Terms of Service, which summarizes and rates many of the most frequently accessed web sites.

So, if you are checking out the new iPhone 5, check out Apple's Terms of Service.  If this is a  legal issue that interests you, join their working group.  They are looking for legal help.

Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat

Ten Search Engines To Explore The Invisible Web

There are a plethora of databases that contain Deep Web content; i.e., Web content that is normally inaccessible via general search engine queries. Here is a list of ten search engines that will help you to navigate this "vasty deep".


Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat

Arizona Supreme Court Rules 1st Amendment Protects Tattoos

The WSJ reported that the Arizona Supreme Court issued a unanimous ruling on Friday that tattooing is a form of free speech with full protection under the U.S. and state constitutions. 

“Its decision Friday came in a case in which a lower court ruled that cities can no longer use long-established regulations to block where certain types of businesses can locate.”  The Court stopped short of forcing Mesa, Ariz., City Council to allow tattoo artists to open a parlor.  

Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat

Pondering a New Tablet?

If you are in the market for a tablet, check out the the pros and cons of 10 available tablets here: http://bit.ly/THHtqI.

The new Apple iPad came out on top when compared to its competitors, according to Laptop Mag's website.  They list 5 tablets they recommend you buy (and 5 tablets you should avoid). Don't make a costly mistake.  Check out their list before you buy!

Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat

C-SPAN | Campaign 2012

Miss a convention speech?  Want to hear what the candidates are saying at campaign rallies?  Campaign 2012 at C-SPAN is an excellent source for campaign videos and electoral news in general. 

Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat

Past Convention Coverage

Had enough coverage of the 2012 political conventions?  Party nominating conventions have a long and colorful past in American politics--going back to 1831 and the first national convention, held by the short-lived Anti-Masonic Party.  The New York Times has put it all together in a retrospective page of highlights and slide shows from past Democratic and Republican conventions, enhanced by contemporary  articles from the Times covering 100 years of presidential nominations from 1896 to 1996.  Included are a photo essay on the tumultuous Democratic National Convention of 1968, convened amidst police-protester clashes in Chicago; accounts of Ronald Reagan's historic nomination in 1980, and vintage photos of candidates and delegates in earlier times of war, prosperity, financial crisis, and social change. 

Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat

Politics and Predictions

So the last couple of weeks have been full of politics.  All of the hoopla aiming to affect a future event - the election in November.  Want to see the odds of a particular outcome on Nov. 6?  Or how about the odds that we will get a Category 3 hurricane this season?  Check out Intrade.com .

Intrade is a prediction market. A prediction market allows you - and everybody else -  to make predictions on the outcome of hundreds of real-world events. By using this form of crowd-sourcing, prediction markets find the probability of something happening - a predefined, uncertain future event. 

To see the details on how it works and how you can participate, see How it Works.

Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat

Lap Dancing A Tax-Exempt Art Form?

The burning legal issue of the week: Is lap dancing an art form that is exempt from New York State tax? The Court of Appeals is about to decide that very issue. Read more here.

Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat

Christian Louboutin Seeing Red - In A Good Way

Christian Louboutin’s signature “China red”-soled shoes will continue to “pop.” “On Wednesday, the United States Court of Appeals for theSecond Circuit held that Christian Louboutin had a valid and enforceable trademark for the use of red outsoles, but only when the rest of the shoe was painted in a contrasting color. Judge José A. Cabranes, writing for a unanimous three-judge panel, characterized that look as having “the requisite ‘distinctiveness’ to merit protection.”
The ruling, written by Judge Cabranes states that it was “the contrast between the sole and the upper that causes the sole to ‘pop’ and to distinguish its creator.” Judges Chester J. Straub and Debra A. Livingston joined the opinion.”

Click here to read more about this red-hot issue.

Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat

ABC News App streams election coverage to you!

Do you want more coverage of the upcoming Democratice National Convention?  Did you get everything you wanted to know about the just finished Republican National Convention?  ABC News' mobile app has extended coverage than that which is found on traditional news sources. And YouTube is getting in on the act with an Elections Hub that brings together multiple news sources.

"ABC News has upgraded its iPad app to deliver extensive elections coverage from the conventions and presidential debates leading up to the elections in November.

The app will provide a continuous news flow this week of the Democratic National Convention, including three live streams for mobile and desktop.

Politics is more interactive than ever. It’s hard to miss a beat from the campaign trail as media channels use social networks and political apps for continuous coverage. For example, YouTube launched an Elections Hub, an online one-stop-shop for elections coverage, this year. The hub features content from ABC News, Al Jazeera English, The New York Times and other media."

(Read more here at Mashable: http://on.mash.to/R5aImk)

Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat