Sunday, December 30, 2012

Social Security Has Nothing To Do With The Deficit

Any politician who says you can cut the deficit by cutting Social Security is either stupid, or else thinks you are. Which do you think is more likely? It's a simple fact that the Social Security budget is completely separate from the federal budget that is currently in deficits. You might as well try to fix your family's budget by cutting the budget of someone living next door.

4freeCLE: Your Free CLE Newsletter! December 30, 2012

4freeCLE: Your Free CLE Newsletter!
December 30, 2012
In This Issue
3 Bundles of Free On-Demand Credits
Webcast CLE
In California
In Massachusetts
In Minnesota
In Ohio
Past Issues
Web Conference Outside 
Turn an idle hour into CLE credit with your choice of dozens of free recordings, available to you anytime, on-demand!
Learn more at 4freeCLE's On-Demand Page.
Visit our blog
Top 3 Bundles of 20+ Credits of On-Demand CLE 
Baby Hax0r
On-Demand CLE Can Help You Earn Credits!
In many jurisdictions, attorneys can use free, on-demand recordings to earn CLE credit before year-end. At the request of several Washington State attorneys, 4freeCLE has put together 3 bundles of free, On-Demand CLE eligible for more than 20 credits in that and many other states. Find more on-demand programs at 4freeCLE's List of On-Demand CLE. If you're looking for help with a particular state, contact the publisher - we can help!

Webcast CLE
Share Webcasts With Staff And Colleagues!
Get ready for the new year by calendar a few free programs!
Find more webcasts at 4freeCLE's Web-Based CLE.

McClintock Lecture
Plan Ahead For Your 2013 CLE Campaign!
In-Person CLEs State-by-State

Continuing Legal Education can be a burden or it can be an opportunity, depending on whether you plan ahead to integrate it into your practice and other professional activities. If, as an attorney, you're accustomed to planning other professional activities months in advance, it's not too soon to be planning to CLE campaign as well.

California
Massachusetts
Minnesota
Ohio
Wisconsin
Need More By Year-End?
As the year winds down, many professionals face a need to earn credit quickly at little cost. If this is your situation, email the editor and I'll see if I can locate something helpful. If you are able to use online recordings, you should be able to get much of your need satisfied.
About 4freeCLE
4freeCLE is delivered weekly and will always be free!Please forward to your fellow professionals so they may benefit; if this was forwarded to you, get your own subscription for free by signing up now! 
If you are interested in providing free CLE, contact the editor and I'll be happy to help with publicity. I may also have a few ideas for making your program available more widely, based on what I've learned from reviewing more than 1000 (one thousand) free CLE offerings..

Saturday, December 29, 2012

Mr. Brown Can Moo! Can You?

"Mr. Brown Can Moo! Can You?" is one of the most fun books to read aloud ever!
There isn't really any "plot"; the main character is the titular Mr. Brown, who has not only the ability to make a great many noises, but the will to go around doing so, calmly and seriously! 
What kid doesn't love the idea of a grown-up making silly animal noises? Many will join in the fun as you read it with them. This means learn to read takes place without boredom! 
As with so many of Seuss's works, there is some deep pedagogical stuff going on beneath the playful surface. Take the word "Moo" in the title. Children who know that cows go "moo" don't have to be told that two o's together make an "oooooo" sound; many will see the cow, see the letter M followed by some letters, and unconsciously figure out that this is the sound "Moo"! You can ignore all that if you like. It's a fun book that many children will enjoy having re-read to them until they can read it themselves, and what could be better?

The Amazing Dr. #GOP Explains It All For You!

Are you worried that the good jobs have been shipped to China?
Is it too hard to find things "Made In USA" ... or jobs making them?
Remember the economic collapse in 2008 ... wasn't that something to do with bankers gambling with our money?
Could it be that the millionaires running our economy don't really care about you?
Don't worry! Dr. GOP has the solution to your worries. Just looking into his Hypnotic Spiral and repeat along with him the soothing forumulas.
You'll never be burdened by thinking again!

Friday, December 28, 2012

Free, On-Demand #MCLE For Last-Minute Education

In many jurisdictions, attorneys can use free, on-demand recordings to earn CLE credit before year-end. Here's a selection specifically designed to satisfy Washington State's maximum allowance of 22.5 AV credits per three-year period. It should also be useful for attorneys in many other states; PLI and Lexvid courses in particular are usually accredited in most mandatory CLE states.

1. Ethics

The elusive ethics credit is called by a variety of names in different states, e.g. Professionalism.

2. Any Subject (But Only 2 Credits)

If you want your free CLE to address a particular subject matter, you can find the broadest possible selection from two providers who offer a free program just for registering with them. Programs after the 1st one will cost you, but I just don't see a downside to trying these offers!
  • MCLEz.com: offers one free program (1 credit) just for registering! 
  • NACLE.com: offers one free program (1 credit) just for registering!

3. Subject Matter Potpourri

Here are more than 20 credits from free, On-Demand MCLE accreditted in Washington State and several other states.

Thursday, December 27, 2012

Your Long Internet Essay Really Changed My Mind!

One up side of the internet is that anyone can speak their piece and get an audience of some sort.
One down side is that most of us don't know how to speak persuasively. Piling on more words feels good and doesn't work.
Sure, there are subjects that require a lot of words to express. That's why you go to school for years to learn how to do math and science and stuff. But they have to be the right words, and that takes a lot of time to craft.
Luckily, there are always cats to help explain things!

Monday, December 24, 2012

A new golden era of short form writing

ANSWER: Diapers for the baby, chocolates for the mother, and an order of child support for the missing father. QUESTION: What did the Three Wise Women bring?
the internet is bringing a new golden era of short-form writing, as writers are now rewarded with instant publication, audience, and feedback on the quality of their work. Facebooks statuses alone spawn endless short adventures in fiction or comedy! My little Xmas joke above may have been heard by five or ten people in the old days, but now it's seen by hundreds, and a few give feedback.

Sunday, December 23, 2012

4freeCLE: Your Free CLE Newsletter! December 23, 2012


4freeCLE: Your Free CLE Newsletter!
December 23, 2012
In This Issue
Ethics Credits On-Demand
2 Free CLE On Almost Any Subject
20+ Credits of On-Demand CLE
Webcast CLE
In California
In Massachusetts
In Minnesota
In Ohio
Past Issues
Web Conference Outside 
Turn an idle hour into CLE credit with your choice of dozens of free recordings, available to you anytime, on-demand!
Learn more at 4freeCLE's On-Demand Page.
Visit our blog
Ethics Credits On-Demand 
Alumnoseia
Can You Fulfill Ethics CLE Requirements Right Now,
For Free?
Yes, you can earn ethics credits between now and year-end!

2 Free CLE On Almost Any Subject
Jesse Gammons
Free CLE On Almost Any Legal Subject?
Yes!
If you want free, on-demand CLE and are very picky as to subject matter, you can find the broadest possible selection from two providers who offer a free program just for registering with them. You can find programs on almost any legal subject. Programs after the 1st one will cost you, but I just don't see a downside to trying these offers!
  • MCLEz.com: offers one free program (1 credit) just for registering! 
  • NACLE.com: offers one free program (1 credit) just for registering!

20+ Credits of On-Demand CLE 
Interacting Via Computer
All You Need For On-Demand CLE Is Your Time And The Internet!
Yes, you can earn over 20 credits between now and year-end!
Find more on-demand programs at 4freeCLE's List of On-Demand CLE.

Webcast CLE
Successful Lawyers Plan Ahead For 2013!
Get ready for the new year by calendar a few free programs!
Find more webcasts at 4freeCLE's Web-Based CLE.

In-Person CLEs Let You Network As You Learn!
In-Person CLEs State-by-State

In planning your free CLE calendar for next year, consider your role in the process. Do you take in-person CLEs passively, or do you actively prepare by considering:
  • What do I want to get from this program?
  • Who am I likely to meet there?
  • What impression am I likely to give them of me, my practice, and how we might work together?
  • How can I maximize my use of my time at the CLE with prior preparation both for the formal education and the informal networking?
These are not trick questions; they are the same preparation you would make for any any potential client meeting or networking opportunity. Invest a few minutes of preparation so that when a door opens, you're ready to walk through! 

Massachusetts
Minnesota
Ohio
Need More By Year-End?
As the year winds down, many professionals face a need to earn credit quickly at little cost. If this is your situation, email the editor and I'll see if I can locate something helpful. If you are able to use online recordings, you should be able to get much of your need satisfied.
About 4freeCLE
4freeCLE is delivered weekly and will always be free!Please forward to your fellow professionals so they may benefit; if this was forwarded to you, get your own subscription for free by signing up now! 
If you are interested in providing free CLE, contact the editor and I'll be happy to help with publicity. I may also have a few ideas for making your program available more widely, based on what I've learned from reviewing more than 1000 (one thousand) free CLE offerings..

Friday, December 21, 2012

Merry Catmas And Happy New Purr

When Mother-in-Law called for me to bring my camera, what to my wondering eyes did appear?  It was three puzzled cats, one at a time, with a hat and a beard! Next time, I think I'll give them catnip before we try something like this, but they didn't protest much; they didn't howl or try to scratch, they just made it clear that they wanted the hats off as soon as possible or sooner. I printed a few copies of the picture to distribute as our holiday greeting. It's a silly form of creativity, I suppose, but it's all our own!

Monday, December 17, 2012

Conserving Happiness by Gluing The Tree

Glue, Cannister and Tree
Celebrate A Different Kind of Christmas Story
Last year, I broke the base off a resin Christmas tree with built-in snow globe that, when you wound it up, played a tune while the branches turned. Replacing it probably wouldn't cost much, but I didn't want a replacement; this one had come from my mom. Also it seems wasteful to toss stuff that can be mended. I put the problem off but finally when we hauled out the holiday decor I gifted myself with the problem of how to fix it.
I've had good luck with "Gorilla Glue"; it seems to have most of the virtues of old-school Superglue and few of the disadvantages. But gluing works better when the pieces are clamped together for the glue to cure; how the heck do you clamp a cred to the base?
The solution was to insert the tree into a cardboard oatmeal cylinder. The tips of the tree dug likely into the cardboard to hold its position. I stacked a couple of cans of soup on top, and that proved the force to hold the piece together while the cylinder kept things aligned.
I then let it all sit for a day and cure. The process worked, and the ornament now looks almost new.
I had resisted the impulse to through it away because:
  • It was shiny
  • It moved
  • It played music
  • It was a gift from my mom.
But through this I Learned A Valuable Lesson: a little glue and a little ingenuity can reduce waste and conserve resources. I don't know if that's a traditional Christmas message, but saving an ornament (and a little cash) it may be something to balance against the Gospel Of Consumption.

Beef Stroganoff Soup

Only a little soup left ... want some?

Sunday at Big Al Brewing we had a little soup contest. The mandatory ingrediant was "beef" and there were four entries, ALL of them very tasty! The winner was Kris' Beef Stroganoff soup, and here's the recipe:

Let a handful of dried mushrooms go swimming in a cup of sherry for a day

Get:

  • 1 pound chunk of beef with a bone in it and heavily marbled (noticable fat)
  • 4 medium sized parsnips
  • 1 large sweet Walla Walla onion


Put all the above into cast iron Dutch oven or casserole if you aren't lucky enough to have one.

Cook 4 hours at 300F
Remove from oven
Dredge out bones and gristle
Transfer carmelized veggies and meat to 2nd pot

Add:

  • half cup sherry
  • half tablespoon of marjoram
  • half tablespoon of salt (or to taste)
  • 2 and a half cups water
  • 1 cup sour cream. We used  a Mexican style sour cream from the Savon store in White Center; it has extra flavor!

Simmer for 45 minutes on medium high

You can add a quarter cup of chopped pickles, if you like that in your Stroganoff. We didn't do that this time.

Serve and stand back!


Sunday, December 16, 2012

4freeCLE: Your Free CLE Newsletter! December 16, 2012


4freeCLE: Your Free CLE Newsletter!
December 16, 2012
In This Issue
2012 Webcast CLE
2013 Webcast CLE
On-Demand Recordings
In California
In Massachusetts
In Minnesota
In New York
In Ohio
Past Issues
Web Conference Outside 
Turn an idle hour into CLE credit with your choice of dozens of free recordings, available to you anytime, on-demand!
Learn more at 4freeCLE's On-Demand Page.
Visit our blog
Kychot
Webcast CLEs: Accessible Whereever You Have A Web Connection!
2012 Webcast CLE

Live credit, in many jurisdictions, can be earned in the convenience of your home, office or vacation cabin!
2013 Webcast CLE
Plan Now for 2013!
Why not calendar next year's learning now, to start the year off right!
Find more webcasts at 4freeCLE's Web-Based CLE.

On-Demand CLE 
Computer Lab
Learn What You Need, When You Need It, With On-Demand CLE!
Learn and earn credit on your own schedule!
Find more on-demand programs at 4freeCLE's List of On-Demand CLE.

Lecture
Remember to Bring Business Cards To In-Person CLEs, So You Can Network As You Learn!
In-Person CLEs State-by-State

Most in-person events are great places to meet your colleagues, share experiences and make your interests known. A question prepared ahead of time, if both relevant and succinct,can both address a problem you encounter in practice, and show yourself to the speaker and to the audience as someone worth knowing. A conversation during a break can lead to future opportunities, especially if you are prepared for that conversation!
In-person event are often eligible for credit in multiple states either by application or reciprocity.  
Do you know of an event offering free CLE? Send us information about free CLE and we'll publicize it for free!

Massachusetts
Minnesota
New York
Ohio
Need More By Year-End?
As the year winds down, many professionals face a need to earn credit quickly at little cost. If this is your situation, email the editor and I'll see if I can locate something helpful. If you are able to use online recordings, you should be able to get much of your need satisfied.
About 4freeCLE
4freeCLE is delivered weekly and will always be free!Please forward to your fellow professionals so they may benefit; if this was forwarded to you, get your own subscription for free by signing up now! 
If you are interested in providing free CLE, contact the editor and I'll be happy to help with publicity. I may also have a few ideas for making your program available more widely, based on what I've learned from reviewing more than 1000 (one thousand) free CLE offerings..