My Poor Blog

It must feel neglected, especially with it's pretty new layout and all. Poor, poor blog.

I've been on the run, lately, which is my usual state of affairs in the summer. We've been travelling on the weekend, and trying to catch up with household affairs during the week. I love summer for this reason. Lots of fun, lots of activity, and lots of happy exhaustion!

Anyhoo - work has been busy as well. The real estate files are piling up with alarming speed, I guess the busy season for buying houses is upon us.

Not much time right now to write, as we're on our way to Calgary, but just wanted to check in. Soon ... I'll sit down and write. Just waiting for a rainy day.

NEW LOOK

I've been wanting to change up the look of the 'ol blog for quite awhile, but didn't have the time to code it myself, and I wasn't really in love with any of the templates that had been available.

Yay for Blogger's new Template Designer. I love it.

May tweak some aspects of it in the days to come, but I'm feeling fresh (and frisky ... but don't tell anyone, hahahahahaha).

Format Changes

I've just discovered Blogger's new Design editor ... watch for a new look for the Blog soon! EXCITING!

Stealth Post

I usually try not to post at work, but I found this link, and thought it worthy of sharing:

Essential Law Library List
Put out by the Alberta Law Society Libraries

Awesome. Must now construct a wish list.

More Copyright Commentary

Richard Stobbe of Brownlee's Intellectual Property Law in Canada Blog
Copyright Reform in Canada

Cameron Hutchison at the U of A Faculty of Law Blog
The Good, the Bad & the Ugly of Bill C-32 The Copyright Modernization Act

Grammar Girl Calls Me Out

The recent post at Grammar Girl: How to Eliminate Adverbs

My frequent offence ... highlighted by the quote from this article below:

Now for a brief list of very, very useless adverbs: the ones often used carelessly as intensifiers. You really should cut these out: “extremely,” “definitely,” “truly,” “very,” and “really.” You can totally use them in dialogue though, especially if your characters are surfers. Otherwise, avoid them mightily.

Now ... to re-write my basic cover letter.

One More Thing to Think About ...

... regardless of whether an office is paperless:

e-records should be treated same as paper
@ SLAW

SCC Rules on Bail Hearings

Supreme Court confirms publication bans on bail hearings
@ the Edmonton Journal

Lawyers’ Ethical Responsibilities Relating to Metadata — Slaw

Lawyers’ Ethical Responsibilities Relating to Metadata — Slaw

Very interesting point, something that we should all keep in mind!

The Long Awaited Copyright Changes

This is the current version, first reading at Parliament was yesterday:
http://www2.parl.gc.ca/HousePublications/Publication.aspx?Docid=4580265&file=4


The Michael Geist Take


CBC News - Technology & Science - Copyright bill would ban breaking digital locks


Will write my take on it all when I get a chance to actually process all of the information.

"Learning the Robes" Poll @ the Precedent

So, after monitoring the poll over at the Precedent, 63 responses later and it looks like most people buy their legal robes at:

DSR Harcourts Limited/Westminster Regalia
Products


I'm wondering, though, if this is mostly due to the Precedent's readership being in Ontario, and these specific Robe Makers being in Toronto?

In fact, all of the options are in Ontario, except for Gaspard, which is in Winnipeg, and which nobody has chosen as an option on the poll.

Hmmmm.

Also, 63 responses isn't that overwhelming.

Looks like I may need to keep looking for information to help me make my decision.