Author archives

Record Labels Hit Internet Archive With New $400m+ Copyright Lawsuit

Torrent Freak – “Record labels including UMG, Capitol and Sony have filed a copyright infringement lawsuit in the United States targeting Internet Archive and founder Brewster Kale, among others. Filed in Manhattan federal court late Friday, the complaint alleges infringement of 2,749 works, recorded by deceased artists, including Frank Sinatra, Billie Holiday, Louis Armstrong and …

Subjects: Copyright, Courts, Internet, Legal Research, Libraries

Google Maps 5 more examples of how the app has lost its way

Fast Company, Michael Grothaus: “Last week I wrote a piece highlighting how Google Maps has become a bit of an eyesore in recent years. While Google Maps’ data on businesses and other points of interest is second to none, using the map to navigate has become a challenge, mainly due to excess visual clutter. Since …

Subjects: Internet, Knowledge Management, Search Engines, Transportation

The Sweep and Force of Section Three

Baude, William and Paulsen, Michael Stokes, The Sweep and Force of Section Three (August 9, 2023). University of Pennsylvania Law Review, Vol. 172, 2024, Available at SSRN “Section Three of the Fourteenth Amendment forbids holding office by former office holders who then participate in insurrection or rebellion. Because of a range of misperceptions and mistaken …

Subjects: Congress, Government Documents, Legal Research

Clarence Thomas’ 38 Vacations

ProPublica continues its stellar investigative reporting on SCOTUS and the Money Train – The Other Billionaires Who Have Treated the Supreme Court Justice to Luxury Travel. “During his three decades on the Supreme Court, Clarence Thomas has enjoyed steady access to a lifestyle most Americans can only imagine. A cadre of industry titans and ultrawealthy …

Subjects: Congress, Courts, Economy, Financial System, Freedom of Information, Government Documents, Legal Research

Artificial Intelligence and the Practice of Law Part 1

Murray, Michael D., Artificial Intelligence and the Practice of Law Part 1: Lawyers Must be Professional and Responsible Supervisors of AI (June 14, 2023). Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=4478588 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.4478588  – This article discusses the benefits and challenges of using artificial intelligence (AI) systems to assist lawyers in legal practice. It argues that at present …

Subjects: AI, E-Records, Internet, Knowledge Management, Legal Research, Privacy

2023 National Book Festival

Library of Congress: “Join us in the nation’s capital at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center on Saturday, August 12, from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. (doors open at 8:30 a.m.). If you can’t join us in Washington, D.C. for a day of free talks and activities, several programs will be livestreamed, and video of …

Subjects: Libraries

Your Phone Isn’t Spying on You to Show You Ads (It’s Worse Than That)

Lifehacker: “…What data your phone is actually collecting. Instead of eavesdropping and storing your voice as many assume, your apps, phone, watch, game system, computer, and probably your oven are greedily collecting every data point they possibly can, including but not limited to your: Location information (both through your device’s location settings and IP address) …

Subjects: E-Records, Internet, Privacy, Search Engines

Congress.gov New, Tip, and Top August 2023

In Custodia Legis – August 2023 – Browse back to the First Congress: “In July, Robert shared news about the new treaty document email alerts. He also shared that we added Browse pages back to the 43rd Congress that included the Bound Congressional Record. We have done a lot of work over the recent months …

Subjects: Congress, Government Documents, Knowledge Management, Legal Research, Legislation, Libraries

Colleges Spend Like There’s No Tomorrow. ‘These Places Are Just Devouring Money.’

WSJ (free to read): “The nation’s best-known public universities have been on an unfettered spending spree. Over the past two decades, they erected new skylines comprising snazzy academic buildings and dorms. They poured money into big-time sports programs and hired layers of administrators.  Then they passed the bill along to students. The University of Kentucky …

Subjects: Economy, Education, Financial System