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Monthly Archives: December 2018

Top 10 most-read legal news stories of 2018

ABA Journal: Top 10 most-read legal news stories of 2018 – “Lawyers busy with research, conferences and other high-concentration tasks sometimes need a break. So it’s no surprise that the most-viewed articles on our website tend toward water-cooler topics, or that readership tends to peak at midmorning and lunch hours. Check out the site’s most-read articles in 2018, with updates on the latest developments…”

The Year in Pictures 2018

The New York Times – “The Year in Pictures 2018” – “News photography is often meant to be consumed instantly, on paper, on our screens, in endless scrolling feeds. It tells us what the world looks like right at a given moment. But it can lose much of its power that way — the power… Continue Reading

OPM Pay & Leave Furlough Guidance

The Washington Post – Everything you need to know about a government shutdown Office of Personnel Management (OPM) human resources guidance for agencies and employees on furloughs. There are two types of furloughs: An administrative furlough is a planned event by an agency which is designed to absorb reductions necessitated by downsizing, reduced funding, lack… Continue Reading

An Elephant’s Personhood on Trial

The Atlantic: “A legal case involving a famous solitary elephant poses a fundamental question about animals’ rights…Until recently, the idea of elephant personhood would have struck legal observers as a joke. Just a few decades ago, most states still treated animal cruelty as a misdemeanor, like public intoxication or driving without insurance. But an increasing… Continue Reading

Our Cellphones Aren’t Safe

Opinion | Our Cellphones Aren’t Safe – The New York Times: “Security flaws threaten our privacy and bank accounts. So why aren’t we fixing them? America’s cellular network is as vital to society as the highway system and power grids. Vulnerabilities in the mobile phone infrastructure threaten not only personal privacy and security, but also… Continue Reading

Half of older U.S. workers are pushed out of longtime jobs before they choose to retire

“A new data analysis by ProPublica and the Urban Institute shows more than half of older U.S. workers are pushed out of longtime jobs before they choose to retire, suffering financial damage that is often irreversible. [h/t Pete Weiss] Many Americans assume that by the time they reach their 50s they’ll have steady work, time… Continue Reading

Measuring the “Filter Bubble”: How Google is influencing what you click

DuckDuckGo Blog: “Over the years, there has been considerable discussion of Google’s “filter bubble” problem. Put simply, it’s the manipulation of your search results based on your personal data. In practice this means links are moved up or down or added to your Google search results, necessitating the filtering of other search results altogether. These… Continue Reading

House Democrats scoop up lawyers to power Trump investigations

CNN Politics: “A recent committee job posting reviewed by CNN asked for legislative counsels with a variety of expertise: “criminal law, immigration law, constitutional law, intellectual property law, commercial and administrative law (including antitrust and bankruptcy), or oversight work.”The House Oversight and Government Reform Committee needs lawyers, too, posting jobs for “executive branch investigative counsel.”… Continue Reading

SCOTUS for law students: President George H.W. Bush’s Supreme Court legacy

SCOTUS blog: “Shortly before his death in 1826, President John Adams was quoted as saying, “My gift of John Marshall to the people of the United States was the proudest act of my life.” Adams was one of the earliest exponents of the view that nominations to the Supreme Court form a very important part… Continue Reading

Opinion – Yes, Bill Barr’s Memo Really is Wrong About Obstruction of Justice

Lawfare, By Daniel J. Hemel, Eric A. Posner: “In a New York Times op-ed last Friday, we wrote that William Barr, who served as attorney general under President George H.W. Bush and has been nominated by President Trump for that post again, had seriously damaged his credibility by sending an unsolicited and poorly reasoned memo… Continue Reading