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!

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.

• Alternative Fee Arrangements & Pro Bono Service. 0.5 ethics credits. By Lexvid.
• Current Developments in Conflicts of Interest. 1 ethics credit. By Lexvid.  
• Emerging Trends in Legal Ethics and Professionalism. 2 ethics credits in several states. By Attorney Registration & Disciplinary Commission of the Supreme Court of Illinois.
• Getting In, Getting Out, Getting Paid: Fee Agreements, Withdrawal as Counsel, and Fee Arbitrations. 2 ethics credits. By Lexvid. 
• Substance Abuse & the Legal Profession. 1 ethics credit. By Lexvid. 

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.

• Advocating for Veterans: the Basics on Benefits, Discharge Upgrades & Cultural Competency. 6 credits. By Practising Law Institute. 
• Bankruptcy, Mortgages and Foreclosure: What Bankruptcy Can and Can't Do for Borrowers in Distress. 3.25 credits. By Practising Law Institute.
• Blogging and Tweets: Social Networking in the Workplace. 1 credit. By Lexvid.
• Can Content Survive Online? 1 credit. By Intellectual Property Colloquium. 
• Chapter 11 Reorganizations: A General Overview of Bankruptcy and Bankruptcy Terminology. 1 credit. By Lexvid. 
• Derivative Work. 1 credit. By Intellectual Property Colloquium. 
• Hot Topics in Commercial Leasing. 1.5 credits. By Lexvid. 
• Immigration Straight Talk: What Employers Really Need to Know About I-9's, ICE, & E-Verify. 1 credit. By Lexvid.
• Mediation Panel Discussion. 2 credits. By Lexvid. 
• Open Source Exposure via Your Software Supply Chain. 1 credit. By Black Duck. 
• Privacy in a Networked World. 1 credit. By Intellectual Property Colloquium.
• Shepard Fairey v. Associated Press. 1 credit. By Intellectual Property Colloquium.
• Tax, Credit and Other Financial Consequences of Foreclosures, Short Sales and Mortgage Loan Principal Forgiveness. 3.25 credits. By Practising Law Institute. 

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!

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.

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  On-Demand Recordings   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. Ethics Credits On-Demand  Can You Fulfill Ethics CLE Requirements Right Now, For Free? Yes, you can earn ethics credits between now and year-end! Alternative Fee Arrangements & Pro Bono Service. 0.5 ethics credits. By Lexvid. Current Developments in Conflicts of Interest. 1 ethics credit. By Lexvid.   Emerging Trends in Legal Ethics and Professionalism. 2 ethics credits in several states. By Attorney Registration & Disciplinary Commission of the Supreme Court of Illinois. Getting In, Getting Out, Getting Paid: Fee Agreements, Withdrawal as Counsel, and Fee Arbitrations. 2 ethics credits. By Lexvid.  Substance Abuse & the Legal Profession. 1 ethics credit. By Lexvid.  2 Free CLE On Almost Any Subject 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  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! Advocating for Veterans: the Basics on Benefits, Discharge Upgrades & Cultural Competency. 6 credits. By Practising Law Institute.  Bankruptcy, Mortgages and Foreclosure: What Bankruptcy Can and Can't Do for Borrowers in Distress. 3.25 credits. By Practising Law Institute. Blogging and Tweets: Social Networking in the Workplace. 1 credit. By Lexvid. Can Content Survive Online? 1 credit. By Intellectual Property Colloquium.  Chapter 11 Reorganizations: A General Overview of Bankruptcy and Bankruptcy Terminology. 1 credit. By Lexvid.  Derivative Work. 1 credit. By Intellectual Property Colloquium.  Hot Topics in Commercial Leasing. 1.5 credits. By Lexvid.  Immigration Straight Talk: What Employers Really Need to Know About I-9's, ICE, & E-Verify. 1 credit. By Lexvid. Mediation Panel Discussion. 2 credits. By Lexvid.  Open Source Exposure via Your Software Supply Chain. 1 credit. By Black Duck.  Privacy in a Networked World. 1 credit. By Intellectual Property Colloquium. Shepard Fairey v. Associated Press. 1 credit. By Intellectual Property Colloquium. Tax, Credit and Other Financial Consequences of Foreclosures, Short Sales and Mortgage Loan Principal Forgiveness. 3.25 credits. By Practising Law Institute.  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! January 9: The Eighth Amendment and the Mentally Ill on Death Row. Also presented in-person (Cleveland). By Case Western Reserve School of Law. January 9: Five Legal Liability Issues for Schools. Key issues related to safety and security problems in elementary, middle and high schools. By TASA Group. January 16: Protecting Your Company...Wage & Hour Law 2013. Wage and hour litigation is the fastest growing category within employment law today. By LexisNexis.  January 18: Social Media Ethics for Lawyers.Ethical violations from online activities. By Attorney Protective.  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!  California January 15/San Francisco: Introduction to Landlord Tenant Training. By Bar Association of San Francisco (BASF) . January 15/San Francisco: Housing Negotiation Project Training. By BASF. January 16/San Francisco: Introduction to Family Law Training. By BASF. Massachusetts January 14/Boston: VLP Training - Unemployment Insurance Appeals. By Volunteer Lawyers Program.   Minnesota January 9/Minneapolis: Volunteer Lawyers Network (VLN) New Volunteer Orientation. By VLN. Ohio January 9/Cleveland: The Eighth Amendment and the Mentally Ill on Death Row. Also webcast. By CWU.  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..