The #LegalHack Movement -or- The HomeBrew Computer Club of the Legal Industry

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#Legal Hacking is a Movement.
This is what Robert Richards from Legal Informatics Blog declared back in 2012.  It turned out to be a very accurate prediction. The rise of the legal hack movement is among the most interesting developments in our industry — with significant growth coming in the second half of 2013.

Thousands of individuals in the #LegalHack movement are coming together across the globe to connect, discuss and try solve persistent problems that plague both the legal industry and public sector / judiciary.   The past months alone have featured more than 10 events in locations such as Washington, DC, Palo Alto, San Francisco, Bologna, Brasila,  London, Geneva, Ottawa, Brooklyn, Paris, etc.  RC Richards has been compiling a list here.

Additionally, there are law+technology meetup events taking place in locations such as Seattle, Cincinnati,  Austin, Los Angeles, etc.

While certainly not a silver bullet for all problems, technology can potentially help alleviate some of the persistent issues in both the private and public sector including firm efficiency, access to justice, better courts and a better justice system, more effective regulation, perhaps a less dysfunctional congress (well – that might be impossible) …

I should just note for those of you not familiar with this fact – “hacking” has multiple meanings.  The context in play here is the positive sense of the word -> developing creative solutions to particular problems that exist in the world (rather than say committing crime using a computer).  So the well know site Lifehacker (which helps me all of the time) is devoted to hacking your life in order to make it easier.

For the legal industry, this looks a lot like the HomeBrew Computer Club (circa about 1976)!

R Boot Camp – Part 1 in Quantitative Methods for Lawyers (Professor Daniel Martin Katz)

Today we start our R Boot Camp in Quantitative Methods for Lawyers.

It should be fun! 🙂

In total, there will be three set of slides in this multi-day bootcamp designed to introduce students to the logic of R, the basic roadblocks such as loading data and cleaning data, loading various R packages, running basic commands, shifting out of default command settings, plotting data, conducting statistical tests, etc. Later in the course we will use R for regression analysis, etc.

For anyone who might be interested, the Full Course Page including all slidedecks is located here. For help on the installation of R and the RStudio IDE please check out my Loading R/RStudio Bonus Module.

Leica M Review (M as in Milestone)

The new Leica M is the most innovative and versatile M, which has spawned the modern M system. It combines decades of experience with the rangefinder system with cutting-edge digital technology: It has a newly developed, high-resolution CMOS full frame sensor that achieves together with its high-performance processor and the legendary M lenses outstanding image results. With live view, video and new additional focusing methods, it is the M, for all who want to give up anything that modern camera technology offers.

With live view, video and new additional focusing methods, it is the M, for all who want to give up anything that modern camera technology offers.

It has a newly developed, high-resolution CMOS full frame sensor that achieves together with its high-performance processor and the legendary M lenses outstanding image results.

Splash-proof camera housing

Based on the experience of our engineers in the construction of the new Leica M camera bodies is uncompromisingly designed for maximum stability and strength. Your deck and its floor covers are milled from blocks of brass. Your all-metal housing is closed and consists of a high-strength magnesium alloy.

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Splash-proof camera body – htt://leica-camera.com

All new features of the Leica M at a glance

Together with the new sensor, the Leica Maestro processor ensures that the vision of the Leica M sets new standards in terms of speed. At top speed he prepares for the coming from the sensor image data and generates image files.Even complex calculations he performs at extremely high speed. Thanks to the energy-saving processor and the electronic image sensor convinced the new lithium-ion battery (1800 mAh) Leica M with a particularly long term.

  1. Maximum picture quality through newly developed LEICA MAX CMOS sensor
  2. New applications with electronic viewfinder and Live View
  3. Simple, high precision focusing with Live View Focus and Focus Peaking
  4. Fully digital format for Leica R lenses, the Leica R Adapter M
  5. Extended sensitivity range up to ISO 6400

As we increasingly move past the point of sufficiency, manufacturers will continue to try filling ever-smaller niches. It becomes more about something you like/ want to use more than something you need. Is there room for one in your arsenal? Only you can answer that.

Running Of The Bulls Festival

A fighting bull stands alone surrounded by a crowd of runners on the second day of the San Fermin Running Of The Bulls festival in Pamplona, Spain (photo by Pablo Blazquez Dominguez). Four people have been injured so far in the nine day festival that takes over the whole town.

The idea for the event came to Rob Dickens and his business partner as they were looking for ways to expand their 20-employee Boston business beyond its Rugged Maniac obstacle course, a five-kilometer run-slide-climb-slip-stumble-swim trek that has expanded to 20 markets nationwide.

We wanted to do something unique that nobody else was doing

Since records began in 1924, 13 people have been killed during Pamplona’s bull run. Many of those who run are full of bravado (and/or drink), and have little idea of what they’re doing.

The Running of the Bulls

El Encierro, the running of the bulls from their corrals to the bullring for the afternoon bullfight, takes place in Pamplona, every morning during Sanfermines. Six bulls are let loose from the Coralillos de Santo Domingo to charge across the square of the same name (a good vantage point).

People on balconies watch runners Pedro Armestre/AFP
People on balconies watch runners – Pedro Armestre/AFP

Every year, the Festival of San Fermin, including the “Running of the Bulls”, attracts thousands of visitors to Pamplona, Spain. Lasting nine days, the festival kicks off with massive crowds at the Chupinazo in Pamplona town square, followed by a carnival, fireworks, the running of the bulls, and many bullfights. Held since 1591, San Fermin remains a popular, if also dangerous and controversial, event — dozens of people were injured this year.

The Big Picture

A fighting bull stands alone surrounded by a crowd of runners on the second day of the San Fermin Running Of The Bulls festival in Pamplona, Spain (photo by Pablo Blazquez Dominguez). Four people have been injured so far in the nine day festival that takes over the whole town.

  1. A third rocket goes off when all the bulls have made it to the ring, and a final one when they have been rounded up in the stalls.
  2. They can become isolated from the herd and are then always dangerous.
  3. A very treacherous stretch comes towards the end, where Calle de la Estafeta slopes down into the final turn to Plaza de Toros.

The 2006 event passed without serious injury to any of the runners, but with even greater demands on the authorities, including 145 fire alarm call outs and four stray cats collected; no stray bulls reported. For dedicated Encierro news check out www.sanfermin.com

Jawbone Up Fitness Rubber Band Review

A review gallery post with full width featured image enabled. Anyone who bought one of Jawbone’s much-hyped Up fitness bands last year found themselves an unwitting participant in a beta test. The brand-new platform promised to get you up and exercising, help you sleep and eat better, and make you more stylish to boot — and we liked it. But there were some missing features, and some overly simple software for the device.

And then the Up started breaking. Weeks and months after being purchased, our review unit and many others simply stopped taking charges or turning on. Jawbone acknowledged the fault, offered its buyers a no-questions-asked refund (even if you just didn’t like the thing, you could return it), and went back to the drawing board.

Are you dealing in calories and carbohydrates, or points and badges?

I wear my watch almost everywhere, but I take it off when I sit at my laptop. It’s just uncomfortable having the band scratching and scraping around the palmrest, and it forces me to perch my arms awkwardly above the keyboard. That’s not a problem for my watch, which doesn’t need to be worn all the time, but I had to take off the Up as well because it caused the same problems.

Tracking your life

The Up tracks three things: activity, sleeping, and eating. The first is simple, requiring only that you wear the bracelet. Its engine turns the motion of your wrist into calories burned, steps walked, and active versus inactive time.

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UP by Jawbone http://jawbone.com/up

The Up’s vibrating motor is used for two different alarm features, both of which I’ve come to love. When you’re sleeping at night, you can set your alarm, and the Up will rouse you up to 30 minutes before that time based on when you’re in lighter sleep and will wake up feeling better.

Wrap-up

I’ve now lived with both the $99.99 Jawbone Up and $99.95 Fitbit Ultra fitness devices so you’re probably wondering which I would recommend? So am I, honestly.

The Street That Changed our Minds About Streets

Full width featured post generally considered the most beautiful post in the Caribbean, Cartagena in Colombia grew unimaginably wealthy as the port through which the looted gold of the new world sailed eastwards to Imperial Spain.

Turns out we have, with the likes of Sir Francis Drake (one man’s privateer is another man’s pirate) plundering the city as far back as 1586. In subsequent years, particularly those of the late 20th Century, Colombia was famous for other exports: mountains of pure cocaine, left-wing guerrilla ideology and “magic realism” from the pen of Gabriel Garcia Marquez.

Remember at all times that while you are seeing the world, the world will see you.

These childhood friends have overcome some serious setbacks — guitarist and vocalist Adam Haworth Stephens was in not one but two road accidents last year — so this new album’s a bit of a boon. With buddy Tyson Vogel, he certainly sounds glad to be alive on a boisterous folk-rock album that shows two mild-looking men can, like The Black Keys, make a hell of a noise.

The Bloom and The Blight
Two Gallants

Why now?

July sees concerts on the beaches and events in the bullring and yet more excuses to party thanks to the Summer Festival. Alternatively, the literary/arty Hay Festival Cartagena de Indias rolls into town each January. Wales or Colombia, Wales or Colombia?  The sound smacks of the KoL’s brand of macho melancholy, while Brown’s voice lends a rockabilly twang.

For all her extraordinary talent and work ethic, Bly’s appearance was decidedly unremarkable — a fact that shouldn’t matter, but one that would be repeatedly remarked upon by her critics and commentators, something we’ve made sad little progress on in discussing women’s professional, intellectual, and creative merit more than a century later.

Delevingne Photoshoot We Love

Full width gallery post without sidebar. The other, more subdued Delevingne is most certainly a Woman We Love. None of the fireworks, all of the heat. No wonder the fashion industry has been so dismayed by news that Poppy Delevingne has left these shores and headed Stateside to take up residence in Fergie’s New York pad

Besides being known for his work for the Storm modeling agency, it is followed by fashion blogs and lifestyle, as it has a very distinctive style, blending both the natural beauty of your garment over the season IN .

Selected for the 1932 campaign, where Chanel celebrates the 80th anniversary of its online Bijoux.

Educated at the liberal £26,000-a-year Bedales School in Hampshire, she was talent-spotted by Storm model agency founder Sarah Doukas (who also ‘discovered’ Kate Moss at the age of 14), whose daughter was in the same class as Poppy’s sister. Poppy did her first magazine shoots at 16, then, after A-levels and a gap year spent travelling, found herself the toast of the town.

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Poppy Delevingne: Fashion’s it girl

The other, more subdued Delevingne is most certainly a Woman We Love. None of the fireworks, all of the heat. No wonder the fashion industry has been so dismayed by news that Poppy Delevingne has left these shores and headed Stateside to take up residence in Fergie’s New York pad.

Fashion’s It Girl

Nowadays Pandora works in the private-shopping department of London retail emporium Selfridges. The fashion plate still has her wardrobe from the ’70s and ’80s, though it’s been kept under lock and key from her daughters since she noticed a few things missing.

This fun-loving British transplant is blooming on Manhattan’s party circuit.

Still, it’s clear where Delevingne inherited her nonchalant sense of style — the one that enables her to throw a leather bomber over a sundress for a polo match at Governors Island or swan without a second thought into a charity gala in a Chanel jumpsuit. Her style has also been influenced by a couple of years in New York. She’s updated her English-magpie ways, now cleverly mixing quirky bits and bobs with sleeker hard-edged pieces.

Silent by Admiral Tech

With a unique combination of technologies from traditional crafts and sstyle Princess, the new 98 Motor Yacht is a yacht for long range which requires his presence His main deck includes a gantry front axle and a seating area , an alternative space for entertaining docked to the rear . For sports water, there is a swim platform electrohydraulic for the launch and recovery of a jet-ski, or simply for use as a swimming or dip.

Its interior is beautifully furnished and finished to the highest standard Panoramic windows provide light and a wonderful panoramic setting. 

The large garage can accommodate a jet ski , which can be lifted using the crane flybridge The flybridge can be specified with a hardtop with optional integrated roof opening that allows the crane to be row , freeing the aft deck space as additional furniture for freestanding. 

Distinctive Lines

The Princess 60 is a vessel that provides pleasure to the helmsman whose sleek lines hide a large amount of housing. It has three cabins with ensuite bathroom, a main deck and many wide open spaces to enjoy relaxation, conversation between friends or pleasure of the walk.

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The main living area is beautifully designed and decorated, bright and airy thanks to large windows wrap through which the sun penetrates freely. The layout of the U-shaped sofa, coffee table and sofa opposite was chosen to invite the convivial meetings, a separate dining area is housed elsewhere.

  1.  Two sun beds are provided in addition to the spacious deck
  2. The aft cabin option, also with ensuite bathroom, has two berths for crew or visiting guests.
  3. Yacht designed and built with extreme attention

On the same deck there is the fully equipped kitchen, fridge / freezer and a large dishwasher, all of which can be separated from the living room by a sliding glass partition.

Yacht Specifications Overview

Model Azimut Princess (above) Princess
Year 2007 2003 2006
Engine 2 x 1360 hp 2 x 865 hp 2 x 500 hp
Cabins 3 4 2
Price $ 4.000 / day $ 3.800 / day $ 3.500 / day

 

Yacht designed and built with extreme attention, the Princess 60 combines exceptional resistance to sea water cruising opportunities and facilities to accommodate family and friends.

Marshall’s speaker has a retro feel

He is the rockers among mobile musicians: the Marshall Hanwell , a speaker in the style of famous guitar amplifiers, which is also known by the great stages of the world.

Smart phones, MP3 players, etc. are very down to earth connected only by jacks. No Bluetooth, no docking, no frills.The plugging the supplied cable with its gold-plated connectors into a headphone jack as well as very reminiscent of connecting an electric guitar.

The speaker’s sound is rich, clean, and endowed with Marshall’s characteristic electronic crunch.

The controls are reduced to the bare minimum. Only a toggle switch for dressing and stable knobs for volume and tone – and which is sensational: Extremely clean highs, powerful bass, even if you turn right! And with its 100 watts of Hanwell is extremely loud. Since it is better to invite the neighbors equal to the party.

No frills

Stanmore , the new speaker system, the manufacturer will fit perfectly into theMarshall family one. The vinyl casing, gold trim, Mashall logo and classic Boxenbespannstoff represent the typical vintage look: The ingredients from the Stanmore already a rock’n’roll classics to make. Whether on tour or in everyday life, powerful sound and compatibility make the Stanmore into an optimal, so the manufacture.

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The three typical, Marshall-style controls for volume, bass, treble and a switch to flip on and off the Stan Mores, located on the top of the unit. Through the included 3.5mm spiral cable, which has the appearance of a typical guitar cable, virtually any music source to the powered speakers can be connected.

CLASSIC MARSHALL DESIGN DETAILS

The Stanmore features a classic Marshall design, with a vintage-looking front fret, gold-coloured metal details, and that iconic script logo. So it will never look out of place amid the rest of your Marshall collection.

Can be beyond even via Bluetooth with aptX technology or the two other connections ( RCA input / optical input ) connect directly to their sources.Thanks to the high quality components Stanmore intended to provide a detailed sound across the entire frequency range without sacrificing quality. The sound is punchy, without losing detail, and very clear and powerful to penetrate the entire spectrum from Stanmore.

Rush Trailer Everyone’s Driven by Something

Two-time Oscar winner Ron Howard takes the daunting task of covering the nearly decade-long rival between British Formula 1 racer James Hunt (Chris Hemsworth) and Austria’s Niki Lauda’s (Daniel Brühl) race to become world champions. From tracks in Italy to Japan, press rooms to extravagant parties, Hunt and Lauda risked death, fortune and fame in the 1970s and became international sensations in the process. With an undeniably effective immediacy, “Rush” is a solid, but rather cold, biopic about two equally detached personalities.

Rush has flown under the radar, delivering a visually exciting first preview seemingly out of nowhere.

Composer Hans Zimmer expectedly delivers a rousing singular theme that plays double-duty with solo cello highlighting the insular determination of both drivers before chug-a-lugging into full-on pounding race mode competing with squealing tires and booming PA announcements.

“Rush” is not the epic drama is could have been, but it is certainly watchable and mostly enjoyable, but like an impeccably crafted Formula 1 race car, is fast, glistening with style but ultimately just a cold piece of polished metal.