Saturday, September 19, 2009

Prescriptions

One of the best sources for keeping up with health care reform issues and related legislation is the New York Times blog, Prescriptions. Here you can read the latest legislative developments and access full-text Congressional documents, statistics, interviews, and comparative health system information. This site combines currency with a wide range of information from diverse sources. The "Health Care Navigator" section features links to other blogs, statements of advocacy groups on opposing sides of health care reform issues, and articles from a cross-section of the media, in addition to budgetary and other background information.



Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat

Friday, September 18, 2009

House of Lords

After hundreds of years, the House of Lords will no longer exercise authority as the court of last resort in the United Kingdom. According to www.parliament.uk,

"[t]he final appeal hearings and judgments of the House of Lords took place on 30 July 2009. The judicial role of the House of Lords as the highest appeal court in the UK has ended.

From 1 October 2009, the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom assumes jurisdiction on points of law for all civil law cases in the UK and all criminal cases in England and Wales and Northern Ireland."

Final House of Lords judgments include decisions on assisted suicide and royalties for the song "A Whiter Shade of Pale".




Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat

Thursday, September 17, 2009

EDGAR Tutorial

According to its Web page (linked from the Securities and Exchange Commission’s home page), “EDGAR, the Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis, and Retrieval system, performs automated collection, validation, indexing, acceptance, and forwarding of submissions by companies and others who are required by law to file forms with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)”.

Here is a link to a tutorial that explains how to navigate this most useful database.


Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat

Wednesday, September 16, 2009

Trac Immigration

Trac Immigration is a website that provides information about federal immigration enforcement. It provides immigration reports, collects government studies, and provides statistics about immigration enforcement.
Trac Immigration also includes a glossary of words and phrases helpful to those researching immigration issues.


Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat

Tuesday, September 15, 2009

Paper Writing Resources Workshops

The 1st presentation of the Paper Writing Resources workshop was a success and the workshop will be repeated on the following dates:

Wednesday, 9/16 : room 243 from 1 PM to 2 PM
Monday, 9/21 : room 243 from 1 PM to 2 PM
Wednesday 9/23 : room 243 from 12 noon to 1 PM

The workshop is an overview of resources you want to consider when researching a scholarly paper with some research tips thrown in at appropriate moments. Lexis, Westlaw and google are included but the focus is on other resources and how you can move from one to another for a comprehensive research strategy.

It is not necessary to register or sign up. You may bring your lunch.

Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat

Monday, September 14, 2009

The Library of Congress's Reports on the Right of Habeas Corpus in 13 Countries

"The right to challenge one’s arrest or detention is now incorporated in international human rights standards." The law Librarian Blog reports that The Library of Congress published a report analyzing the right of habeas corpus in thirteen countries. Click here to view the reports.


Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat

Sunday, September 13, 2009

Best Oath Ever?

The subject of oaths and alternative oaths can make for an interesting evidence class. But the 19th century Burmese oath linked at Lowering the Bar is much better than any oaths modern Americans have attempted to use in court. It is almost 400 words long, it is filled with statements like "In the midst of not speaking truth, may I be taken with vomiting clotted black blood, and suddenly die before the assembled people," it lists various animals that should attack the untruthful, and it ends with a tea ceremony.



Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat