“Consumer Reports” product reviews ONLINE, FREE — REALLY!
(The Secret: Your Public Library)
I have promised to post this information regularly until I stop meeting perfectly intelligent people (who regularly and frequently use their public library) who don’t know they can search online, free, from home, the product reviews from Consumer Reports:
If you’ve never, ever researched the law, I recommend you start at the beginning and work your way up:
1) This quick online (and PDF) guide from AALL LISP is an excellent starting point: How to Research a Legal Problem: A Guide for Non-Lawyers
2) Next, if you are brave enough, move on to the hard-core books on legal research, many of which you can find at your local libraries, including books from Nolo Press and HALT, both of which have excellent legal research guides, online and in print.
Please see update at the November 26, 2010, Bankruptcy post.
The Oregon State Bar (OSB) Debtor-Creditor Section has some useful links for the average person at their Consumer web page.
It includes information on their Bankruptcy Clinic. Even though the web page does not seem to have been updated since 2007, I know for a fact that they have a 2008 schedule of these clinics, so give them a call, through their Legal Aid Services of Oregon partners.
Humbling, and oh, so funny ….
my blog ranking now at Alexa dot com: 8,983,3417
To put this into perspective (and I’m nothing if not perspect):
The Portland Tribune’s 6/12/08 article, by Steve Law, on urban renewal areas, When Will They End?, was an astonishingly good read. (Law librarians are admittedly wonkish, but still, if you want to know what an urban renewal district is, this story was riveting, and kept me occupied the length of a long morning commute (including fellow passengers who also seemed interested (maybe morning commuters are also a wonky and an alert bunch :-))
Excerpt:
“… Under Oregon’s system, cities and counties create an urban renewal district, and “freeze” the property taxes in the district going to schools and other local governments. Any property taxes derived from new development or rising property value go to urban renewal authorities….” (full story)
Seized-property measure in doubt: Votes too close to call, so a recount may decide issue, by Peter Wong • Statesman Journal:
“With fewer than 600 votes separating passage from failure, the state Elections Division has ordered a hand recount of the ballots cast in the May 20 primary for a statewide measure allowing police to retain some proceeds from seized property….” (full story)
Previous post here, with link to full text of Measure 53.
Yes, Virginia, you can trademark a font (no, not a fount, at least not this kind of fount).
See story at BlueOregon and What The FOnt? The Great GOrdOn Smith LOgO Mystery (at DuckSportNews).
More:
* From the Oregonian 6/6/08 Newsflash: Recount likely for Ore. Measure 53, civil forfeitures:
“SALEM, Ore. (AP) — A recount is likely for Measure 53, the statewide ballot measure to change civil forfeiture laws on property seized by police in Oregon.
As of Friday, Measure 53 was passing by 861 votes out of 975,000.
New rules for Oregon Driver Licenses and IDs from DMV:
“As of July 1, 2008, all applicants for driver licenses, instruction permits and ID cards – including renewals and replacements – must provide proof that they are citizens of the United States or are in the country legally, in addition to other requirements…” (link)
Scientific American reports on:
Blogging–It’s Good for You: The therapeutic value of blogging becomes a focus of study, by Jessica Wapner:
“Self-medication may be the reason the blogosphere has taken off. Scientists (and writers) have long known about the therapeutic benefits of writing about personal experiences, thoughts and feelings. But besides serving as a stress-coping mechanism, expressive writing produces many physiological benefits. Research shows that it improves memory and sleep, boosts immune cell activity and reduces viral load in AIDS patients, and even speeds healing after surgery. A study in the February issue of the Oncologist reports that cancer patients who engaged in expressive writing just before treatment felt markedly better, mentally and physically, as compared with patients who did not….” (link to full story)
