Articles Posted in March, 2007

Sunday’s (3/25/07) Oregonian had a followup story on the Nicholas Haley trial. Previous posts on this case are here. It’s an interesting case on many levels.

If this isn’t a great note on which to end the week, thanks to Isaac Laquedem’s blog post about SB 916: Senator Gary George Proposes Firing on Fort Sumter. This comment of Isaac’s is the best:

“Not only that, Oregon could have its own currency, along the lines of the knuts, sickles, and galleons in the world of Harry Potter. I envision naming the units after our political leaders and famous stores, with one unit (like the Susan B. Anthony / Sacagawea dollar) celebrating women, all the while including something to amuse the children.For example, we could have as the basic unit the kitz (after former Governor Kitzhaber). Seven kitzes could make one katz (after the former mayor), seven katzes could make one sak, and seven saks could make one wife. Even though it’s not decimal, children could remember the system easily.”

And why not you might ask – reclaim AND create our own currency?

If you have a pet and haven’t yet heard about the pet food recall, well, what can I say other than, start reading about it now. Menu Foods and FDA have updated information. Many of the news stories can be found through your favorite search engine. I recommend Dogpile for this search today.

From this:

“With the rapidly expanding use of the Internet, we believe it is appropriate for Members and Committees to use their web sites to further disseminate CRS products…we encourage you to post CRS products on your web site.” U.S. Senate, Committee on Rules and Administration, June 10, 1998. — (For more information what CRS reports are and the long journey to making them available to the public, see Stephen Young article on LLRX: “CRS Reports“)

To this:

“Carpe Diem, a public High School, is located in a rural community in Oregon. Recently nine students were suspended for the remainder of the school year at Carpe Diem after they refused to remove black headscarves that they were wearing as an anti-war protest. While several of the students were merely wearing black bandannas tied to the top of their heads, five of the students were wearing long scarves in the style of an Islamic holy scarf, or hijab, which covered their entire faces, except for their eyes. “

Read more about the contest at the Oregon State Bar web site.

“The Oregon State Bar’s New Lawyers Division is proud to announce our 2007 High School Essay Contest. The contest is open to all Oregon high school students and three winners will be chosen to receive $500, $350, and $250, respectively for first, second, and third place entries. While teachers are encouraged to incorporate this project into their curriculum, many of our most competitive entries are received from students who engage this project on their own initiative. All entries should be submitted to the Oregon State Bar office at the address below. We wish you all the best of luck.”

I’ve been in need of cheering up lately and for some odd reason this article, “The 10K Mobile Office” from the Law Technology News made me smile and got the wheels turning. (You will need to register (it’s free) to read the whole article, or visit a library that gets the print.) What will please you too is that everyone pretty much agreed that you won’t need $10,000 to become mobile. You could spend $10,000, but you either don’t need to or if you do, you may be paying way too much. Now, will someone please tell me, what am I doing in my libary/office if I can go on the road for about $5,000?

A story in today’s Oregonian, “Proposed state electronics law targets landfills,” reminded me of a virtual reference request I had some time ago (very early in this current Oregon legislative session). I’m not sure you want to plow through my answer (a bit longer than my average blog posting), but if you are so inclined, here it is. (And you’ll also get to see how tricky virtual reference (VR) is, when you don’t have a person in front of you. (VR can make it a lot harder on both the librarian and on the person asking the question. The risk is great that they can get a lot more or a lot less of what they really want and need.)

This VR library patron asked if there was an Oregon equivalent to European RoHS laws:

“A quick search in the Oregon statutes doesn’t reveal one, but deeper research is needed before determining if the answer is yes or no. In real life, the answer to a specific legal question is often “it depends” or “sort of” or variations on those. There may also be legislation in the pipeline (see e.g. 2007 House Bill 2395, in the Oregon Legislature). Would this be of use to you?

I’ve talked in the past about food law (and food AND law) and had the pleasure yesterday of visiting the librarian at the Western Culinary Institute. This is clearly not a job for the “faint of diet” but it will lift your spirits, though in a different way from the previously mentioned Dr. Science, who, by the way, has been known to teach at the Iowa Summer Writing Festival if you are so inclined (Aren’t most lawyers supposed to be frustrated writers? And, as I’ve said before, aren’t most writers? )

During my visit to the WCI library, we did of course talk about law. Nowadays, food IS law, whether you’re starting a restaurant, running a restaurant, working in a restaurant, buying or selling food, and of course eating food. Oh, and don’t forget pet food (oy!) law.

Hmmm, I’m not sure if this post will make you hungry or make you ill.

This story from The Nation, Putting Science in the Dock, (by Barry Yoeman, 3/26/07 print issue) shouldn’t have made me laugh and think of Dr. Science, but it did. (When the going gets tough, the tough start laughing at the absurdity of it all.) It also reminded me how hard it is to explain Law to laypeople and I think Mr. Yoeman did a pretty good job of explaining scientific evidence, Daubert, and onward. Travis McDade, his The Book Thief, did a remarkably good job explaining the federal sentencing guidelines from A to Y (I’m not sure there ever will be a Z, which is not necessarily a bad thing). Reporting and storytelling is tough stuff and I appreciate it immensely when it’s done well.

From the Washington Canadian Embassy web site:

“Members of Inadmissible Classes include those who have been convicted of MINOR OFFENCES (including shoplifting, theft, assault, dangerous driving, unauthorized possession of a firearm, possession of illegal substances, etc.), or of INDICTABLE CRIMINAL OFFENCES (including assault with a deadly weapon, manslaughter, etc.). As well, those who have been convicted of DRIVING WHILE INTOXICATED (DWI) are considered Members of an Inadmissible Class. Driving while under the influence of alcohol is regarded as an extremely serious offence in Canada.

Those who have received TRAFFIC VIOLATIONS (including parking/speeding tickets, etc.) and other minor violations (i.e. littering, etc.) most likely will NOT be prohibited from entering Canada. Similarly, those who have JUVENILE CONVICTIONS (convictions for crimes committed while under age 18) most likely will NOT be prohibited from entering Canada unless they could have been tried as an adult for their offences. “

Read more, here.