Friday, August 30, 2024

The Muse And The Man

"In Xanadu did Kublai Khan..."
Coleridge's quill writes swiftly on,
Upon his paper visions pour,
Till The Man From Porlock knocks the door.

"Good sir," he cries, "I seek your ear,
A matter pressing, urgent, near."
Coleridge sighs, his dream does fade,
As Porlock's Man his tale conveyed.

The visions lost, the magic gone,
The poet's muse, now withdrawn,
Yet in the story of that night,
The Man From Porlock and his blight

Broke the creative writing trance,
But left this tale of happenstance,
A reminder that the fleeting Muse
Will come and go just as she choose.

If only on that fateful day,
The poet said, "Just Go Away!"

Sunday, August 18, 2024

Prank Memory: SYSTEM CRASH

WAY-BACK-WHEN: 

Coding an inventory management system for the company that sold Cabbage Patch dolls, I slipped in a line that said if this was our test system (not production) and it was April Fools' Day, then the company name was "SYSTEM CRASH". 

No one could see this but the coders while we were testing things. Once a year, we all got a good laugh and forgot about it until next year ...

 ...until management made the not-unreasonable decision to use the test system for end-user training.

 Chaos ensued.

Monday, August 05, 2024

500 Postcards = 4 Pounds = 1 banana high

I like doing get-out-the-vote postcards for the Environmental Voter Project, partly because they do so much with data to see what works. Last night I completed my batch of 500 (with an assist from friends Andrea, Cindy and her daughter). That's 4 pounds or 1 banana tall!





 

Thursday, August 01, 2024

Free CLE August 2024+

 Here’s this month’s Free CLE Webinar calendar for you to use and share with your colleagues - freely! 

As always, every listing is free but not every one is approved for credit everywhere; you may be able to self-apply for credit in your jurisdiction.
Let me know if you find a problem or - even better! - new programs to list. 

---

August Free CLE

Monday, July 29, 2024

Rudi Foster Goes To Her Forever Home

 


Foster  Report

Rudi Foster (real name unknown) is a sweet grey tabby, likely female, perhaps 6-12 months old, and weighing about 9 pounds.

Origin: She approached a neighbor asking for food. She had no collar, chip, or “lost” announcement on the West Seattle Blog or Nextdoor. The neighbor cared for She but it became apparent She needed to find a permanent home. She stayed with me in my guest room for a few weeks. She seemed content to explore my house, but did get outside once and was gone for a few days. I found her under a bush and she came without coaxing.

Medical History: Unknown. No chip.

Appetite: Good. She prefers wet food and plenty of it. I have not seen her drink, but the water level in her glass has gone down.

Litterbox: She has always used the litterbox. It was filled with wood pellet litter; I don’t know how she would be with clay.

Play: She has enthusiastically chased the laser dot and a shoelace.

Sociality:

  • She is very friendly with humans. She meows when she sees a human, marches up to get petted, and enjoys sleeping on or next to a human.
  • She has been deeply suspicious of other cats. Whenever my two home cats look at her, she would hiss and eventually go hide. She has not attacked anyone.

She has been a pleasure to foster! I hope she and her new family have much joy together. Contact me anytime if there is any problem.

Warmly,
Randy Winn
206-446-4667
rewinn2003@yahoo.com

July 29, 2024

 

Sunday, July 07, 2024

The Frogs Who Wanted a King

The Frogs Who Wanted a King
Once upon a time, the frogs in a pond felt they needed a bold and energetic leader to rule over them. "Great Zeus," they prayed, "send us a king!"
Zeus looked down from the Court of Olympus and replied, "You see that log there? That is your king!"
The frogs complained, "But King Log is boring! We want an energetic king willing to take bold actions!"
Zeus shrugged and said, "Fine. Here is a stork. You are now ruled by King Stork."
King Stork looked at the pond full of tasty frogs and smiled. First, he ate the brown frogs, then the gay frogs, and soon, he was devouring frogs left and right - all across the spectrum.
He said, "When you're King, they let you do it."
The remaining frogs cried out, "Save us!" but it was too late. As they were being eaten, they realized their mistake and lamented, "We should have stuck with King Log, but he was not entertaining."

Friday, July 05, 2024

A hell of a lot easier than Omaha Beach

The GOP hugs Trump as their man,
He's got quite the record, like no one else can:
A liar, a felon, a conman and more,
He cheats on his taxes, his wife, and golf score.
He dreamt of dictatorship "just for a while",
When he loses a vote, a coup is his style.

The Dems, on the other hand, fret and they stew,
About ol' Joe Biden and what they should do.
Their leadership fears that their prospects are grim,
In a tizzy, they scramble, in worry, they swim.

But on every street and in every city,
The Trump Supreme Court is not looking pretty:
No rights for women? Bribes are okay?
A President can commit any crime every day?

No patriot will take this, not for a minute,
We don't like politics, but now we are in it.
So turn off your programs of dragons and elves,
No one will save us except for ourselves.

Remember our praise for the Greatest Generation?
Now it's our turn to act to save our great nation.
Take time every day a new voter to reach—
It's a hell of a lot easier than Omaha Beach.

Wednesday, July 03, 2024

Free CLE Webinars July 2024+

 Dear friends and colleagues - 


Hello and Happy July 4th - formerly Independence Day, but the name may be retired now that we have resumed rulership by an Executive immune from criminal prosecution. Apparently, not everyone thinks George III was all that bad. Boo Tories!

This is your free calendar of free CLE webinars, free for you to share freely. If I appear to overuse the word “free”, it’s just that I need to use up the stock while it still has meaning.

No programs were found for the 1st week of July, likely due to the holiday.

Congratulations to the Minnesota State Law Library on being the first to schedule a program on “Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondo”. We may expect other programs to emerge in reaction to the rapid disassembly of formerly settled law (didn’t “stare decisis” always make you suspicious? It’s from a bloody foreign language, mate!). If you spot any new webinars, pass them on for me to add to http://4freeCLE.blogspot.com.

If you intend to continue practicing what was called “law” but is now more the “whim of the current top bench”, I suggest that you invest time in defending the rule of law at the ballot box - it is the only way and I feel we are still a majority who disapprove of kings.

In the meantime, may this calendar serve you, your colleagues, and your clients.

---

July Free CLE

**July 8:**
* Legal Practice Technology for Transactional Attorneys. By Dechert. https://4freecle.blogspot.com/2024/06/july-8-legal-practice-technology-for.html 

**July 9:**
* Legal Tech Tips, Gadgets and Services That Actually Save You Time. By Clio. https://4freecle.blogspot.com/2024/06/july-9-legal-tech-tips-gadgets-and.html 
* PERM 101: When, Why, and How to Sponsor an Employee for the Labor Certification Process. By Cozen O'Connor. https://4freecle.blogspot.com/2024/06/july-9-perm-101-when-why-and-how-to.html 
* Marijuana in the Workplace: An Update and a Look Forward. By LexisNexis. https://4freecle.blogspot.com/2024/07/july-9-marijuana-in-workplace-update.html 

**July 10:**
* From Paper to Pixels: The Evolution of Digital Technologies. By Veritext. https://4freecle.blogspot.com/2024/01/july-10-from-paper-to-pixels-evolution.html 

**July 11:**
* Buyer Broker Agreements and Mortgage Lending; What Everyone Needs To Know. By CES. https://4freecle.blogspot.com/2024/04/july-11-buyer-broker-agreements-and.html 
* Navigating Compliance: Understanding the EPA TSCA PFAS Reporting Rule and its Impact on Businesses. By Perrin. https://4freecle.blogspot.com/2024/07/july-11-navigating-compliance.html 

**July 12:**
* Immigrant Children & SIJ Relief: Accessing Benefits & Resources. By WSBA. https://4freecle.blogspot.com/2024/07/july-12-immigrant-children-sij-relief.html 

**July 16:**
* Renewable Energy Developments in the U.S. By LexisNexis. https://4freecle.blogspot.com/2024/06/july-16-renewable-energy-developments.html 
* New Day, New Tools: Risk Management Considerations When Using AI-Enabled Tools in Law Practice. By WSBA. https://4freecle.blogspot.com/2024/07/july-16-new-day-new-tools-risk.html 

**July 17:**
* Improving Outcomes for Families with Structured Co-Parenting Communication. By Washington County Law Library. https://4freecle.blogspot.com/2024/06/july-17-improving-outcomes-for-families.html 
* Navigating The Startup Ecosystem: A Comprehensive Guide To Launching And Growing Your Business. By Alameda County Law Library. https://4freecle.blogspot.com/2024/06/july-17-navigating-startup-ecosystem.html 
* How to Build a Modern, Streamlined Law Practice. By LEAP. https://4freecle.blogspot.com/2024/07/july-17-how-to-build-modern-streamlined.html 
* Conflicts, Contracts & Costs: Tuning Up Your Office Systems, Client Relationships & Operating Documents. By LawPay. https://4freecle.blogspot.com/2024/07/july-17-conflicts-contracts-costs.html 

**July 18:**
* HIPAA - Understanding Enforcement, Penalties & Research Strategies. By LexisNexis. https://4freecle.blogspot.com/2024/06/july-18-hipaa-understanding-enforcement.html 
* The Ethics of Law Firm Communication: How to Avoid a Grievance. By Smokeball. https://4freecle.blogspot.com/2024/06/july-18-ethics-of-law-firm.html 
* Collecting Difficult Stuff: Considerations for Social Media and Third-party Application Collection & Emerging Applications to Consider for Collection. By Cozen O'Connor. https://4freecle.blogspot.com/2024/06/july-18-collecting-difficult-stuff.html 
* Courts and Researchers are Increasingly Focused on Genomics in Mass Tort Cancer Cases. By Perrin. https://4freecle.blogspot.com/2024/07/july-18-courts-and-researchers-are.html 

**July 19:**
* Diving Deeper into Legal Research Potential: Advanced Online Legal Research Concepts. By LexisNexis. https://4freecle.blogspot.com/2024/07/july-19-diving-deeper-into-legal.html 

**July 23:**

**July 24:**
* Screening for Crimmigration Issues: Navigating the Intersection of Criminal and Immigration Defense. By Washington County Law Library. https://4freecle.blogspot.com/2024/06/july-24-screening-for-crimmigration.html 

**July 25:**
* Practical Issues in Subrogation Claims: Efficiently Advancing Claims & Quantifying Your Damages. By Cozen O'Connor. https://4freecle.blogspot.com/2024/06/july-25-practical-issues-in-subrogation.html 
* A Handy Primer on Drafting and Updating Employee Handbooks. By LexisNexis. https://4freecle.blogspot.com/2024/06/july-25-handy-primer-on-drafting-and.html 
* Litigating Third-Party Funded Construction Disputes: Recent Trends, Defense Strategies, and Managing Negotiations. By Perrin. https://4freecle.blogspot.com/2024/04/july-25-litigating-third-party-funded.html 
* Estimating Large Losses: When Does Xactimate Become the Wrong Tool. By Pete Fowler Construction Services. https://4freecle.blogspot.com/2024/07/july-25-estimating-large-losses-when.html 

**July 30:**
* Medicare Updates And The Inflation Reduction Act Of 2022. By Alameda County Law Library. https://4freecle.blogspot.com/2024/06/july-30-medicare-updates-and-inflation.html 
* Technology and the Legal Practitioner: Ethical Concerns & Best Practices. By LexisNexis. https://4freecle.blogspot.com/2024/06/july-30-technology-and-legal.html 
* Defective Notices to Appear. By ABA Children's Immigration Law Academy (CILA). https://4freecle.blogspot.com/2024/06/july-30-defective-notices-to-appear.html 
* Legal Issues Affecting Farm Workers & Agricultural Employers. By WSBA. https://4freecle.blogspot.com/2024/07/july-30-legal-issues-affecting-farm.html 

**July 31:**
* Leveraging Technology to Prepare Briefs with Greater Efficiency and Accuracy. By LexisNexis. https://4freecle.blogspot.com/2024/02/july-31-leveraging-technology-to.html 

---

August Free CLE

**August 1:**
* The Corporate Transparency Act. By LexisNexis. https://4freecle.blogspot.com/2024/06/august-1-corporate-transparency-act.html 

**August 6:**
* Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondo. By Minnesota State Law Library. https://4freecle.blogspot.com/2024/07/august-6-loper-bright-enterprises-v.html 
* Developments for Web3, Blockchain, AI, and Beyond. By WSBA. https://4freecle.blogspot.com/2024/07/august-6-developments-for-web3.html 

**August 7:**
* Legal Accounting 101: Essential Financial Tips for Long-term Success. By Clio. https://4freecle.blogspot.com/2024/06/august-7-legal-accounting-101-essential.html 

**August 8:**
* Mastering Microsoft Excel and Outlook: Tips and Tricks for Legal Professionals. By Smokeball. https://4freecle.blogspot.com/2024/06/august-8-mastering-microsoft-excel-and.html 
* Patent Prosecution: Practice, Strategy & Analytics. By LexisNexis. https://4freecle.blogspot.com/2024/06/august-8-patent-prosecution-practice.html 

**August 13:**

**August 14:**
* Balancing Artificial Intelligence Innovations, Best Practices, and Ethics in Legal Proceedings. By Veritext. https://4freecle.blogspot.com/2024/04/august-14-balancing-artificial.html 

**August 20:**
* Healthcare Liens in Personal Injury Cases: Strategies for Negotiating and Reducing Liens. By LexisNexis. https://4freecle.blogspot.com/2024/06/august-20-healthcare-liens.html 

**August 21:**
* Tech-Enhanced Discovery: The Role of AI and Predictive Coding in Modern Litigation. By Veritext. https://4freecle.blogspot.com/2024/06/august-21-tech-enhanced-discovery.html 
* Innovations in Family Law Practice: Leveraging Technology to Better Serve Clients. By Smokeball. https://4freecle.blogspot.com/2024/06/august-21-innovations-in-family-law.html 

**August 22:**
* Navigating Employment Disputes in a Remote Work Era: Legal Challenges and Solutions. By Cozen O'Connor. https://4freecle.blogspot.com/2024/06/august-22-navigating-employment.html 
* Environmental Law Update: Key Regulatory Changes and Compliance Tips. By Perrin. https://4freecle.blogspot.com/2024/06/august-22-environmental-law-update.html 

**August 23:**
* Cybersecurity for Law Firms: Protecting Client Data in a Digital Age. By LexisNexis. https://4freecle.blogspot.com/2024/06/august-23-cybersecurity-for-law-firms.html 

**August 27:**
* Ethics in Legal Marketing: Ensuring Compliance with Advertising Rules. By WSBA. https://4freecle.blogspot.com/2024/07/august-27-ethics-in-legal-marketing.html 
* Cross-Border Legal Issues: Managing International Transactions and Disputes. By LexisNexis. https://4freecle.blogspot.com/2024/06/august-27-cross-border-legal-issues.html 

**August 28:**
* Advanced Legal Writing: Techniques for Persuasive and Clear Briefs. By LexisNexis. https://4freecle.blogspot.com/2024/06/august-28-advanced-legal-writing.html 

**August 29:**
* The Impact of Recent Supreme Court Decisions on Corporate Law. By Perrin. https://4freecle.blogspot.com/2024/06/august-29-impact-of-recent-supreme.html 
* Legal Project Management: Best Practices for Efficient Case Handling. By LawPay. https://4freecle.blogspot.com/2024/07/august-29-legal-project-management.html 

**August 30:**
* Data Privacy and Protection: Navigating Compliance in an Era of Increasing Regulation. By LexisNexis. https://4freecle.blogspot.com/2024/06/august-30-data-privacy-and-protection.html 

September Free CLE

**September 5:**
* Credit Scoring, Fixing Credit and Mortgages. By CES. https://4freecle.blogspot.com/2024/05/august-1-civil-rightsfair-housing.html 

**September 10:**
* Rule 20 and the Minnesota State Competency Attainment Board. By Minnesota State Law Library. https://4freecle.blogspot.com/2024/04/september-10-rule-20-and-minnesota.html 

**September 12:**
* AI for Law Firms: Abuses and Uses (with Examples!). By Smokeball. https://4freecle.blogspot.com/2024/06/september-12-ai-for-law-firms-abuses.html 

**September 18:**
* Let’s Get Technical: Data Security Ethics for Law Firms. By Veritext. https://4freecle.blogspot.com/2024/04/september-18-lets-get-technical-data.html 
* Research Skills for Litigators. By LexisNexis. https://4freecle.blogspot.com/2024/07/september-18-research-skills-for.html 

**September 20:**
* Supercharge Labor & Employment Legal Research & Writing. By LexisNexis. https://4freecle.blogspot.com/2024/07/september-20-supercharge-labor.html 

**September 25:**
* Leveraging Technology to Prepare Briefs with Greater Efficiency and Accuracy. By LexisNexis. https://4freecle.blogspot.com/2024/03/september-25-leveraging-technology.html 
* Research Skills for IP Litigation. By LexisNexis. https://4freecle.blogspot.com/2024/07/september-25-research-skills-for-ip.html 

**September 26:**
* The Basics of Insurance for Construction and Legal Professionals. By Pete Fowler Construction Services. https://4freecle.blogspot.com/2024/07/september-26-basics-of-insurance-for.html

**September 27:**
* Research & Drafting Techniques for Corporate Law. By LexisNexis. https://4freecle.blogspot.com/2024/07/september-27-research-drafting.html 

October Free CLE

**October 3:**
* 13 Spooky Mortgage Issues That Can Cause Halloween Nightmares on a Purchase. By CES. https://4freecle.blogspot.com/2024/05/october-3-13-spooky-mortgage-issues.html 

**October 9:**
* Social Media – Discovery, Ethics, Evidence & Sanctions. By Veritext. https://4freecle.blogspot.com/2024/07/october-9-social-media-discovery-ethics.html 

**October 17:**
* Improving Law Firm Operations with Streamlined Policies and Practices. By Smokeball. https://4freecle.blogspot.com/2024/06/october-17-improving-law-firm.html 

**October 24:**
* Evaluating & Estimating Water Damage Restoration and Mold Claims Webinar. By Pete Fowler Construction Services. https://4freecle.blogspot.com/2024/07/october-24-evaluating-estimating-water.html 

**October 30:**
* Leveraging Technology to Prepare Briefs with Greater Efficiency and Accuracy. By LexisNexis. https://4freecle.blogspot.com/2024/07/october-30-leveraging-technology-to.html 

November Free CLE

**November 13:**
* Complex Cases Simplified: Gaining Logistical Control from Calendaring to Courtroom. By Veritext. https://4freecle.blogspot.com/2024/07/november-13-complex-cases-simplified.html 

**November 27:**
* Leveraging Technology to Prepare Briefs with Greater Efficiency and Accuracy. By LexisNexis. https://4freecle.blogspot.com/2024/07/november-27-leveraging-technology-to.html 

December Free CLE

**December 11:**
* Leveraging Technology to Prepare Briefs with Greater Efficiency and Accuracy. By LexisNexis. https://4freecle.blogspot.com/2024/07/december-11-leveraging-technology-to.html 

---

We’re in this together.

Warmly,

Randy Winn 
Postcards for Democracy - West Seattle:
https://www.postcards4democracy.org/