From Lawstudent.tv 15/01/09:
This quirky video was compiled by a US law student who took shots of himself every 30 seconds throughout the day. Give or take a few I guess.
I can certainly sympathise with the moment he banged his knee and also how tediously long the property lecture seemed.
Oh that takes me back!
Although, I’m doing a lot of research at the outset, I think the ‘planning’ stage for assignments has been lost – it’s somehow merged into the research and writing stages. On the LLb I used to force myself to take the time to write a coherent plan and would refer to it throughout the writing process. On the LLM, though, I’ve found myself doing this less and less. And when I do produce a plan, I seem much more inclined to veer off at tangents and not refer to the plan again. Not good.
I think modern technology is partly to blame. I’ve found myself relying heavily on writing key phrases as reminders or key elements of my paper straight into Word or Onenote (if I’ve used that in the research process). That used to be reserved for refining arguments part way through an essay. Now, though, I’m using this as my actual essay plan.
Because it’s so easy to manipulate and amend these ‘digital’ plans, I refer to them less than I would a plan roughed out on paper. Writing essays on the fly can be much more efficient than the old fashioned ways but, left unchecked, I think it can result in bad habits too. Perhaps I should make more use of mind mapping software, or simply force myself to get that pen and notepad before I touch the keyboard? On that subject, I think I should flag-up a recent great find - Mindmeister. This seems an excellent mind-mapping solution that keeps your plans in the cloud which you can even share with others. Best of all, it’s free.
The level of study affects things also. I think at this level of academia, the essay content can change dramatically during the writing process. It’s not feasible to aim to finish the research stage entirely before writing; there’s just too much material and too many nuances to that material for that to be possible. The whole cohort has been continually assured that this is ‘normal’ for LLM students as the material being dealt with is extremely complex and multi-faceted. And because of this, it’s natural for opinions to evolve during the process and to form a rigid thesis at the outset will necessarily exclude the inclusion of key refinements in the paper.
Comforting as this might be, it doesn’t help me much right now. I think a much more disciplined approach might be in order.
I found this tragically funny anecdote over at the Times in an interview with their ‘Lawyer of the Week’:
What was your worst day as a lawyer?
I was due to give a closing speech at Harrow Crown Court. As I got out of my car, I dropped the papers, stooped to pick them up, my glasses slipped off and I stepped on them. The only other pair I had were very large tinted sunglasses. I sought permission to address the jury wearing them, hoping the judge would refuse. He agreed. Despite my best efforts, the jury convicted.
Oh boy. Can you imagine it?
Anyone who’s had experience with printing can surely relate to this. The printer in the video looks suspiciously like an HP Deskjet 930. I had one of those beasts and it gave me no end of trouble.
Cracking video though! :-)
In the run-up to the end of term, I had to complete an IT law paper, a Corporate Governance paper, a presentation for Corporate Governance and my dissertation synopsis. This was on top of the preparation required for seminars (though, I’d turned the revs down on that front for the final few weeks). Thankfully, I just about managed to get it all covered, although I had to take a rain check on the two remaining company law lectures.
I have two IT law papers to complete, yet another one for Corp Gov and then, thank God, that’s it – except for the two exams and dreaded dissertation. On that note, I did opt for a title concerning the regulatory issues plaguing virtual worlds – pretty much exactly as I had intended from last October. In essence, it concerns examining the role criminal law can play. In the last week of term, I also scheduled a second last-minute dissertation meeting with the unit leader who gave my dissertation synopsis a resounding thumbs-up so I can relax somewhat on that front until the exams are over.
So Easter is looking like a busy period for the Michael. I’m hoping to pick up some overtime at work in the next couple of weeks which would bring a much welcome boost to my finances. I’ve also got to help out a former employer with a couple of projects in the next 3 weeks or so and, it’s just dawned on me, prepare for that final company law seminar in the first week back. After next month, I’ll be able to happily report that my tuition fees are fully paid and I don’t intend shelling out for any more courses in the foreseeable future.
Perhaps most importantly, I also need to find time to get out and buy Quantum of Solace on DVD.
The Internet giant Google has been forced to remove dozens of images from Street View, its controversial mapping service, after complaints from users who felt it breached their privacy.
After launching in Britain on Thursday the service, which gives 360-degree three-dimensional views of 25 of Britain's biggest cities, immediately drew criticism from people objecting to invasions of privacy and offensive imagery.
Among the images pulled within the first 24 hours – even though faces were blurred – are a man vomiting on the pavement in Shoreditch High Street, east London, another man in shorts and T-shirt entering a sex shop in Soho, and a man being arrested behind a security cordon in Camden, north London.
"When we launched the service, we explained how importantly we take the service and explained how easy it is to remove pictures. We have received a few removals in the past 24 hours but less than expected," he said. "The tools are there for users to remove pictures they are not happy with. We are pleased the tools we developed are working well."
Okay. I don’t ‘get’ the problem here. Google seem to have taken a wholly proportionate and responsible approach, balancing the need for the usefulness of the service to continue while respecting people’s ‘right’ to privacy – such as it is. On the face of it, there doesn’t seem to be much difference between being snapped by the ‘Google car’ and inadvertently being caught in the frame of someone’s holiday shot on a street somewhere. Let’s remember, the chances of you being caught on camera by the ‘Google Car’ are relatively miniscule and even then, the likelihood that you’re recognisable is even less. In the unlikely event that you are – and you have a problem with it – Google offer a means of resolving the problem by obscuring your identity. So, seriously: what more can they do?
For my money, I think there’s a certain amount of truth behind the notion that a person will only be bothered about this kind of thing if they were somewhere (or doing something) they shouldn’t have been.
From Outlaw.com 19/03/09:
A privacy campaigner will launch a legal challenge to Google's Street View service, which was launched today. Simon Davies of Privacy International says that he will pursue "a test case" against Google.
"There still hasn't been a formal complaint put to the Information Commissioner, but we will [file one] now on the basis of prior consent being needed for this service," said Davies. "I think there is something of a test case in this. We are arguing that a line has to be drawn to empower the individual to make a conscious decision whether to allow his or her images on to such a system."
The UK's privacy watchdog the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) endorsed the service last summer.
"We are satisfied that Google is putting in place adequate safeguards to avoid any risk to the privacy or safety of individuals, including the blurring of vehicle registration marks and the faces of anyone included in Street View images," said an ICO statement.
Err, yes, Simon Davies. Good luck with that.
- “are all cameras actually speed cameras” ….Probably not! For instance, I’ve got an old Polaroid somewhere that I’m pretty sure isn’t one.
- “blog my struggle to get a training contract” Oh come on! Chin up and all that.
- “is l.p.c a qualification in its own right” Just stop it! I don’t want this can of worms opened again.
- “company law topics for dessertation” Oh boy. Your ‘dessertation’, eh? Hmm… good luck with that one.
- “is the iphone good for law students” I don’t know. Is it? Either way, surely you’ve got something better to spend you money on.
And my absolute favourite:
- “what did charlotte dymond say as she died” I don’t know… Ouch?
**—UPDATE—**
After ‘going to press’ I came across another couple of keyword brarmers. I’m still trying to figure out why there are so many rich pickings at the moment.
- “sex in looe” I’m no huge fan of Looe, granted, but this search just seems to defile an innocent Cornish town. Shame on you, you ‘smutty Googler’. Or maybe they meant 'sex in lieu’. The question then, of course, becomes, ‘in lieu of what?’
- “dissitation and breach of confidence and human rights article 8 and 10” OK, at the risk of stating the obvious, the fact you’re struggling with spelling ‘dissertation’ doesn’t bode too well for the prospects of you turning in a killer paper! Far be it for me to ‘diss’ you though. Or is that ‘dissit’?
- “the law on cameras in the toilet” Oh honestly!
