Washington Post – “Leaders of the federal judiciary are working to block bipartisan legislation designed to create a national database of court records that would provide free access to case documents. Backers of the bill, who are pressing for a House vote in the coming days, envision a streamlined, user-friendly system that would allow citizens to search for court documents and dockets without having to pay. Under the current system, users pay 10 cents per page to view the public records through the service known as PACER, an acronym for Public Access to Court Electronic Records. “Everyone wants to have a system that is technologically first class and free,” said Rep. Hank Johnson (D-Ga.), a sponsor of the legislation with Rep. Douglas A. Collins (R-Ga.). A modern system, he said, “is more efficient and brings more transparency into the equation and is easier on the pocketbooks of regular people.”…
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Daily Archives: December 6, 2020
Documenting Global Travel Restrictions and Airline Policies
Center for Data Innovation – “The United Nations World Food Program has documented the country-level travel restrictions and airline policies that are in place due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The dataset includes information such as which airlines are resuming domestic and international flight operations and which countries require self-isolation and a certificate that shows an… Continue Reading
Medical history from the year you were born
“Medicine is ever-evolving on a daily basis. Keeping track of the changes can be an almost-full-time job. Stacker looked at a number of medical journals and media sources to discover the biggest breakthroughs the year you were born, from 1921 to the current day. From diseases that have been around for decades, such as diabetes and… Continue Reading
The 5 Biggest Lessons We’ve Learned About How Coronavirus Spreads on Campus
Chronicle of Higher Education – “When colleges shifted operations online in the spring because of Covid-19, so much remained in question. How did the new coronavirus spread? What were its ill effects? Could colleges open for in-person instruction in the 2020-21 academic year, and what would happen if they did? As the fall term comes… Continue Reading
What if you’ve already had Covid-19 — do you still need a vaccine?
The New York Times – Experts tackle questions about vaccine immunity. “…Which produces a stronger immune response: a natural infection or a vaccine? The short answer: We don’t know. But Covid-19 vaccines have predictably prevented illness, and they are a far safer bet, experts said. Vaccines for some pathogens, like pneumococcal bacteria, induce better immunity… Continue Reading
As libraries fight for access to e-books, a new copyright champion emerges
Fortune – “A long running battle over copyright has flared up again, and Lila Bailey is at the center of it. A personable 43-year-old with degrees in philosophy and law, Bailey is the chief lawyer for the Internet Archive, a non-profit facing a major lawsuit from big publishers over how it lends out e-books. “This… Continue Reading
The best places to download free audiobooks in 2020
Good E-Reader – “There is no shortage of online retailers that allow you to subscribe and download audiobooks. Some of the most popular are Audible, Scribd, and Storytel. What if you are on a budget or do not want to pay for audiobooks? There is plenty of options to download them for free. You can… Continue Reading
Can employers require employees to get a vaccine?
Jena McGregor, Employers start preparing for the coronavirus vaccine with a question: Can we require it?, Wash. Post (Dec. 2, 2020) Locally, Steve Calandrillo was interviewed by a King 5 reporter: Tony Black, Could employers in Washington [state] require employees to get a coronavirus vaccine?, KING-TV (Dec. 3, 2020) Abigail Hess – Can your employer require… Continue Reading
Find Your Place in the Vaccine Line
The New York Times – “A vaccine may be around the corner, but how long will it be until you get the shot? Health officials are considering vaccine timelines that give some Americans priority over others. If you’re a healthy American, you may wait many months for your turn. To put this in perspective, we… Continue Reading
How 700 Epidemiologists Are Living Now, and What They Think Is Next
The New York Times – “…Even with coronavirus vaccines on the way, many epidemiologists do not expect their lives to return to pre-pandemic normal until most Americans are vaccinated. In the meantime, most have eased up on some precautions — now going to the grocery store or seeing friends outdoors, for example — but are… Continue Reading
ABA Legal Fact Check explores legal ramifications of lawyers filing frivolous lawsuits
“With the campaign and allies of President Donald J. Trump filing several dozen unsuccessful lawsuits related to the Nov. 3 election, a new ABA Legal Fact Check released today examines whether lawyers working on the president’s behalf could face sanctions for filing frivolous claims or professional misconduct. Lawyers are officers of the court and must… Continue Reading
Amazon Publishing in Talks to Offer E-books to Public Libraries
Publishers Weekly – The potential deal would be a breakthrough moment in the library e-book market as Amazon currently does not make its digital content available to libraries. It would also be a major coup for the Digital Public Library of America’s upstart e-book platform and its SimplyE library reading app…Such an agreement would be… Continue Reading
