Using “smart” devices are not so smart: a recap of the 2016 AALL Annual Conference and Meeting

Written on July 22, 2016.

Do you own a Fitbit? For those who are unfamiliar, is a physical activity device that records your physical condition, how many miles you walked, your blood pressure and other personal stuff like that. Now supposed you were in an accident suing for millions saying that you couldn’t work or get out of bed. Imagine, then, if opposing counsel were to serve you with a subpoena demanding that you turn your Fitbit over for examination (to prove that you, are in fact, unable to move around). Think...

Taffy Pull

Written on January 28, 2016.

In today’s news is the story of a guy whom the Feds really wanted to nail to the proverbial wall. See, once upon a time Dennis Mahon of the White Aryan Resistance of Arizona planted a pipe bomb at an office in Scottsdale, Arizona. Not just any office, mind you. No, this office was a “Diversity” office. What in blazes is a “Diversity” office? Well, as it turns out it was Scottsdale’s answer to bringing in tourism to its fair city. Just so we’re clear,...

Oldies But Goodies – Revisited

Written on August 27, 2015.

About a year ago, I blogged about a wonderful little book we received at the Riverside County Law Library in Indio. It was an updated copy of “The Constitutions of California and The United States”. Ref. KFC 679 .U55. Well, this 2013-14 edition has now been updated once again with the 2015-16 edition. Why do I mention this again? Couple of reasons – First, as I mentioned in my previous blog of the same name, this book contains a chronological stroll through some of the most important documents...

This Day in History- The Civil Rights Act of 1964

Written on July 2, 2015.

In an effort to eliminate the rampant discrimination against African Americans and other people of color, President Linden B. Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act of 1964 on July 2nd. Hailed as a landmark piece of legislation, this act prohibited discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. Its purpose was to eliminate the unequal application of voter registration requirements, as well as to eliminate segregation within schools and public facilities. The power of this...

Celebrating the Magna Carta

Written on April 23, 2015.

Be honest. What do you remember about the Magna Carta? Before conducting a little research, all I remembered was that: It was a document; It guaranteed some sort of rights (I wasn’t sure which ones); and It hailed from Britain. That was it: My repertoire included 3 whole facts about the Magna Carta. I imagine most people, at least in the US, know about the same regarding that auspicious document. Should we care? Well, that is a question we must...

This Day in History- The Federal Reserve Act

Written on December 23, 2014.

Woodrow Wilson must have had the phrase “money makes the world go around” in mind when he signed the Federal Reserve Act on December 23rd, 1913. This act created the Federal Reserve with twelve private regional banks, and gave the system the ability to issue Federal Reserve notes. The implementation of this act allowed the United States dollar to go international, as well as allowed the government to regulate inflation of the dollar. Since this act was signed, the responsibilities of the Federal...

Privacy in the Library: what you need to know

Written on December 16, 2014.

In this world of internet hackers and identity thieves, privacy has become an important issue. I learned privacy basics that go beyond our digital ID, medical records, personal and financial information in a recent Webinar sponsored by the American Association of Law Libraries (“AALL”) on November 6, of 2014. Presenters’ Sarah Lamdan of City University of New York School of Law, and Rachel Gordon, Access Services Librarian of Mercer University School of Law discussed the development...

Is it a bird? A plane? NO!…It’s a DRONE!

Written on October 1, 2014.

Have you ever wondered what a UAS (unmanned aircraft systems) is? Commonly known as “drones,” they come in all shapes and sizes and some of them even resemble small radio controlled airplanes. Drones have commercial and military application and, yes, some have even more sinister uses. They have been used in war zones to kill enemy combatants and even American citizens abroad aiding terrorist organizations. As you can imagine, their use has not been without controversy. Their acquisition...

Fandom and the art of speaking well

Written on August 13, 2014.

A few weeks ago, I had the pleasure of hearing the esteemed lawyer, legal thinker and professor, Dean Erwin Chimerinsky, speaks at the monthly Desert Bar Association luncheon. I’ve been a fan of Dean Chimerinsky since I used his treatise, Constitutional Law: Principle and Policies, for the second semester of Constitutional Law. It was the best student aid I ever used. Given my fandom, I was excited to hear the Dean ( at University of California, Irvine law school) review the US Supreme Court...

Tag: constitution