Saturday, August 31, 2013

Shedding Your Pants In Your Garden

The shorts and the steps
This weekend I solved a couple of minor problems by shedding my pants in my backyard. I would encourage you to do the same, but before you to anything rash ... or depending on the plants in your yard, give you a rash ... read on ...
An old pair of jeans was looking pretty ratty, so I cut the legs off. It's not a pair of garden shorts, not really suitable for wearing anywhere, but good enough for a sunny day of messing in the dirty. But what, my thrift mind said, should I do with the cut-off legs?
One can make all sorts of bags out of them by sewing the cut edge together and adding a drawstring to the hem. But I didn't especially need something like that, and am not really experienced in sewing.
I had another problem. I had built a step for my shed out of 2x4s salvaged from my neighbor's basement remodel. The step worked fine but I realized that grass would soon be growing between the boards. 
Then it hit me: to lay down the legs as a weed barrier! In the past, we've used barrier cloth purchased for that purpose, as in the underlayer of our Ecogrid patio. It's not very expensive, but jeans would function just as well. From an esthetics standpoint it's not really a problem since a thin layer of soil can cover the barrier.
The result worked fine: my stair is protected from weeds growing up, and the legs have gone on to a useful existence without being wasted!
(Kris tells me that newspaper also works fine as weed barrier. I'll try that next time!)

Wednesday, August 28, 2013

Seattle Underground Tour and Us

While cleaning out a box of papers, I came across this souvenir photo from when Kris and I took the Seattle Underground Tour.
The date on the photo is April 15, 2007. I'm sort of sitting on a bit of the wall so that I'm the same height as she is.
The tour was fun and informal and not overly prettied up. I hope it stays that way!

Tuesday, August 27, 2013

You're In Science!

Today I went to the University of Washington Medical Center to participate as a health control in a study involving kidney function.
I like to do studies; I don't have the head for science but I'm glad to be part of it. I find lots of studies to join in on the web and would recommend them to anyone who isn't scared by a blood draw. Here's a bunch.
Today's study was about kidney function. Kidneys are very important, if you like to keep on living and one of the ways they study how your kidneys are working is to take a urine sample. So after about an hour of filling out questionaires and having my blood drawn and various other measurements and tests, it was time to wrap things up with The Final Cup. 
"Anything else you'd like to ask?" said the Research Assistant, a cheerful middle-aged lady.
"Yes," I said. The room was on an upper floor, far from the tastefully decorated hospital area. Most of the furniture was slightly worn - stury and clean, but not new. But on top of the highest cabinet was a square candle in a jar, flanked by two tea lights. "What's that about?"
Her co-worker snickered and turned away. The RA laughed and explained.
You understand, sometimes we have to collect urine over the course of several days. When subjects are at home, they have to store the stuff and bring it in ; we recommend refrigerating it of course, because the chemicals break down at room temperature. However we were totally sure how they all break down.
So we got a large enough sample, at set it out at room temperature. We checked it every hour, then at wider intervals, to see how it changed chemically. After three days we had enough data and could end the experiment.
The only way to survive such a thing is scented candles. LOTS of scented candles.
Science is awesome, and sometimes a little scary, but it can also be as funny as heck! 

Monday, August 26, 2013

Patty the Dog Cloud Lady

Every evening about an hour before dusk, Patty who we call the "Dog Cloud Lady" walks her four or five small rescue dogs around the neighborhood.
She's a fixture of our neighborhood!

Sunday, August 25, 2013

4freeCLE: Free CLE Webcasts & Events! August 25, 2013

4freeCLE: 
Free CLE Webcasts & Events!     
August 25, 2013
In This Issue
All CLE State-by-State
Alabama
Alaska
Arkansas
California
Colorado
Delaware
District of Columbia
Florida
Georgia
Hawaii
Idaho
Illinois
Indiana
Iowa
Kansas
Kentucky
Louisiana
Maine
Minnesota
Mississippi
Missouri
Montana
Nebraska
Nevada
New Hampshire
New Jersey
New Mexico
New York
North Carolina
North Dakota
Ohio
Oklahoma
Oregon
Pennsylvania
Rhode Island
South Carolina
Tennessee
Texas
Utah
Vermont
Virgin Islands
Virgina
Washington
West Virginia
Wisconsin
Wyoming
Other States
Archive

By Dean A. Strang
Published by University of Wisconsin Press
"In engaging prose and with a terrific eye for detail, Strang gives us the full story of a fascinating-and almost forgotten-moment of conflict from Milwaukee's past. His book explores debates over civil liberties and terrorism, immigration and radicalism as they were lived and fought over a century ago."
 
This is the Kindle Edition, so that by using the free "Kindle App", you can be reading this book on your computer or smartphone ... or even having it read aloud to you ... within a minute or two!
 




This program gives attorneys the tools to identify and eliminate bias in the legal profession.
The speaker, San Diego County Deputy District Attorney 
Wendy L. Patrick
, highlights the legal and ethical authorities that deal with bias, paying particular attention to various federal anti-discrimination statutes as well as the California Rules of Professional Conduct. 

This recording is sponsored by Lexvid. 

Learn More Now!
How to Start and Build a Law Practice
by Jay Foonberg
Kindle Edition ~ Read Instantly! 




 
Poetic Justice: Legal Humor In Verse
by J D DuPuy 
Paperback




All Webcast CLE
Webcasts Bring CLE To You!
This sections lists free CLE webcasts regardless of state of accreditation. In many cases, if the sponsor has not applied for credit in your state, you may be able to apply for credit through your state's credit-granting authority. For the list for CLEs granted credit in your particular state(s), whether in-person or webcast, see below.

CLE State-by-State
Keep On Learning!
Each of these programs can earn you credit, at no cost, in the state in which it is listed. Starting this this issue, we're listing in-person programs and webcasts together, for your convenience!
In some cases, the programs require that attorneys attending apply for credit via reciprocity or other rules; check with the credit-granting authority in your state.

Alabama

Alaska

Arkansas

California

Colorado

Delaware

District of Columbia

Florida

Georgia

Hawaii

Idaho

Illinois

Indiana

Iowa

Kansas

Kentucky

Louisiana

Maine

Minnesota

Mississippi

Missouri

Montana

Nebraska

Nevada

New Hampshire

New Jersey

New Mexico

New York

North Carolina

North Dakota

Ohio

Oklahoma

Oregon

Pennsylvania

Rhode Island

South Carolina

Tennessee

Texas

Utah

Vermont

Virgin Islands

Virginia

Washington 

West Virginia

Wisconsin

Wyoming

Other States
According the the ABA, the following states have no mandatory CLE requirement: 
  • Connecticut 
  • District of Columbia 
  • Maryland 
  • Massachusetts 
  • Michigan 
  • South Dakota.
Attorneys there may still find CLE programs substantively useful, but I have not focused on finding free resources for those states in the absence of a requirement.
 

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