It’s that time of the year again.  No, not your first three day weekend in law school.  Football season is upon us (and when I say football, I mean American football).   For those of you who are looking to unwind after your first couple of weeks in law school, there are some great games on tap in Atlanta this weekend.

TONIGHT, August 30th, your Georgia State Panthers will open up the regular season at the Georgia Dome against South Carolina State.  If you are hanging around school late, definitely head down to the Dome. Kick-off is at 7:30 pm and students get in free with their PantherID.

Friday, August 31st, the North Carolina State Wolfpack (GO PACK!!!) will be taking on the Tennessee Volunteers in the Dome at 7:30 p.m.  This will be the first of two ACC vs. SEC match-ups this weekend.

Saturday, September 1st, the Clemson Tigers will be taking on the Auburn Tigers in the Dome at 7:00 p.m.  This will be the second of two ACC vs. SEC match-ups.

For those of you who saw this post and thought I was talking about proper football aka soccer,  I’ve got just what you need.  Drawings for the UEFA Champions League Group Stages were today, and there are some interesting match-ups in store for us football fans this fall.  The group stages will run from September 18th and 19th through December 4th and 5th.  The groups have been drawn as follows:

• Group A: Porto, Dynamo Kiev, Paris St Germain, Dinamo Zagreb
• Group B: Arsenal, Schalke, Olympiakos, Montpellier
• Group C: AC Milan, Zenit St Petersburg, Anderlecht, Malaga
• Group D: Real Madrid, Manchester City, Ajax, Borussia Dortmund
• Group E: Chelsea, Shakhtar Donetsk, Juventus, FC Nordsjaelland
• Group F: Bayern Munich, Valencia, Lille, BATE Borisov
• Group G: Barcelona, Benfica, Spartak Moscow, Celtic
• Group H: Manchester United, Braga, Galatasaray, CFR Cluj

Look for Group D to be the “Group of Death” this year, matching up the league champions from Spain, England, Netherlands, and Germany.

If none of this perks you up, just remember to take time to have a little fun on what might be your last weekend of freedom this semester.

A recent study by researchers at the University of Toronto has discovered that morning people are happier than night owls.  Based on the responses to the study, those who favored mornings over evenings also reported higher levels of happiness.  Some of this maybe attributed to sleep deprivation.  People who stay up late and want to wake up later may end up having to wake up early anyways, especially if they have a 9-5 job (or Legal Bibliography at 9 a.m on a Friday morning). (Source, Yahoo:  Morning people happier than night owls, says study)

So are you ready to make the commitment to being a morning person?  It’s easy to do if you follow these tips (Source, Yahoo: Great tips for becoming a morning person):

• Slash an hour from your day:  trim down your evening obligations.
• Protein: add a little protein to the most important meal of the day, breakfast.
• Reward Yourself:  build in a few minutes of a reward for not hitting the snooze.  Read, listen to the news, meditate, whatever works for you.
• Pep Talk:  ask yourself what you GET to do today, instead of what you HAVE to do.
• Exercise:  exercise can boost morning energy surge, burn more fat calories, and result in more weight loss than exercising after breakfast.

Flicker photo by SeveStJude

For those of you who love your soda, whether it be Pepsi or Coke, you might be interested in the story bubbling out of New York City.  Recently Mayor Michael Bloomberg (yes, the same Bloomberg in Bloomberg Law) proposed a ban on the sale of sugary beverages over 16 ounces.  The ban would be enforced at city restaurants, delis, movie theaters, and street cars.  (source:  CNN Blog)

Why is this significant?  New York City is already a town where most eating establishments charge for a refill.  Throw on top of that a limit on the size of a soda that can be sold, and soda lovers are in for a rude awakening.  If passed, consumers can forget about that large mega gulp while watching the newest summer thriller or a super-sized cola with your burger and fries. (source:  CNN Blog)

The purpose behind the ban is to combat obesity, which Bloomberg believes has become a nationwide problem.  This is not the first time Bloomberg has caused an uproar regarding his food and health policies.  Bloomberg has a history of health proposals that have stirred a little controversy, such as (source: CNN Blog):

• Exclusion of soda, sports drinks, and other sugary drinks from food stamp eligibility
• Ban outdoor smoking in parks, beaches, marinas, boardwalks, and pedestrian plazas
• Limits on alcohol advertising near schools
• “Salads in Schools” initiative, which provides low-height salad bars to elementary schools
• Calorie information displayed at chain restaurants on menus and menu boards
• Cuts to the amount of salt in packaged and restaurant food by 25% over 5 years
• Ban on trans fat in cooking oils within the city’s 24,000 food establishments

Before you get too rash and decide to take New York City off of your travel list, you should know that the ban would not apply to diet sodas, fruit juices, dairy based drinks, or alcoholic beverages.  Furthermore, the ban will not extend to sugary beverages sold in grocery or convenience stores.  Therefore, you can still get your fix, just not at places where you would be consuming food and drink.  (source:  New York Times article)

Have you ever wondered how a congressman with little or no background in science or military matters can speak so intelligently on these topics during interviews or debates in Congress?  Part of it may be that they have a good speech writer or congressional staff.  Another reason may be that they have read a CRS Report on that topic.

CRS Reports are produced by the Congressional Research Service (CRS), a department within the Library of Congress.  The CRS writes reports that provide policy and legal analysis for members of Congress.  Usually they tackle complex topics and attempt to examine the issue from all sides.

The CRS was originally called the Legislative Reference Service when it was created through legislation in 1914.  Further legislation in 1970 changed its name to Congressional Research Service and expanded its obligations to Congress.  Now each of the reports produced by the CRS are a direct result of congressional directives and guidance.

CRS Reports are perfect for anyone researching a topic of congressional importance because they provide a concise overview of the topic with references to primary authority.  The great thing for law students is that CRS Reports are public information.  The caveat with that though is there is no centralized website where the public can access these reports.  Luckily for you though,  I have included a few places below where you can access CRS Reports and find information about the Congressional Research Service:

• Congressional Research Service Homepage
• ProQuest Congressional – provides access to every CRS report that has been produced (Georgia State Law Only, sign in with MyLaw ID)
• University of North Texas – allows you to search for CRS Reports or browse by topic
• Federation of American Scientists – indexed CRS Reports that addresses national security, foreign policy and related topics
• U.S. Department of State – browse CRS Reports from 1999 – present on foreign policy and relations by date, region, and topic
• University of New Hampshire Franklin Pierce Law Center IP Mall – browse CRS Reports from 1993 – 2011 on intellectual property, cyberlaw and electronic commerce
• University of Maryland Thurgood Marshall Law Library – browse CRS Reports from 1993 – present on homeland security, terrorism, and health law and policy
• National Council for Science and the Environment – search or browse over 2000 CRS Reports on environmental and related topics

So the next time you are trying to impress your friends, dominate trivia night, or start your research paper, give CRS Reports a try.

If you were trapped under a mountain of law outlines all weekend, you probably missed out on a couple of historic events in French and Russian politics.

In a run-off election on Sunday, May 6th, François Hollande defeated incumbent Nicolas Sarkozy for President of the French Republic. Sarkozy’s defeat is significant, considering he was the first French president since 1981 not to win a second term in office. In addition, Hollande is the first Socialist to win the French presidency since the 1980s. Followers of European politics will certainly be paying attention to how Hollande interacts with the rest of the European community, especially German Chancellor Angela Merkel. (Source: Francois Hollande to set France on new course after win, BBC.com)

In Russia, Vladimir Putin was inaugurated as President of Russia on Monday, May 7th. This will be Putin’s third term in office as President. He previously held the office from 2000 – 2008 and was barred from a third term by the Russian Constitution. During his time between presidencies, he acted as Prime Minister from 2008-2012 under President Dmitry Medvedev, a position he also held briefly from 1999 – 2000 under President Boris Yeltsin. Since leaving the presidency, the term lengths where amended from 4 year to 6 years. Because there are no limits on the number of terms, just the number of successive terms, Putin will be eligible to run again in 6 years. If Putin completes his current term of 6 years, he will have been the longest serving Russian leader since Joseph Stalin. (Source: Vladimir Putin inaugurated as Russian president, BBC.com)

When an attorney or law student thinks about estate planning, they might think of wills, future interests, and/or trusts.  People invest in estate planning because they have “assets” or they want to make sure their loved ones are taken care of when the inevitable arises (unless you are a Highlander, in which case you can live forever).

When I think of assets, I think of real or personal property, such as your grandmother’s wedding ring, the family home, or land.  Money and investments are also apart of someone’s assets.  But what about their Facebook or Twitter page?  Would you consider your social media accounts as part of your assets?  If so, who takes control of those assets, when can they take control, and how much control can they have?  That is the question that is beginning to pop up in several state legislatures.

A Nebraska Bill (No.738) that is working it way through the legislature right now would treat social media accounts of a deceased person as “digitial assets.”  This means those accounts could be taken over by a friend or relative, who would then have the option to continue or close the account. (Reference: Washington Post)

Currently, Facebook will put profiles in a “special memorialized state” if they have been informed that a user has died.  Part of the reason they do this is to allow the deceased person’s friends to continue to post on their page.  Additionally, Facebook will also remove a page at the request of the deceased’s family members.  One thing Facebook will not do is provide log-in information (a username and password) to anyone, even the next of kin.  Only in cases where the deceased directed them to do so in a will or by a court decree will Facebook provide log-in information. (Reference: Omaha World-Herald)

So far Oklahoma is the only state that has currently passed “digital assets” legislation.  In addition, the Oregon State Bar Association hopes to propose legislation next year.  With legislation passed in one state already,  one state in the process of reviewing legislation, and another in the process of proposing legislation, one has to wonder if this idea will pick up steam in other state legislatures as well.  (Reference: Governing)

Flickr photo by Jackson Boyle

There is a new “hot” item in town, and its not stereos, Cadillacs, or copper wiring.  Care to take a guess?

If you guessed “Tide” detergent,then you are correct.  Yes Tide, the same stuff that you washed your clothes with this weekend, has apparently become the next big target for the criminal underworld.

News outlets are reporting a “nationwide spike” in Tide theft, including one incident where an individual over the course of 15 months stole $25,000 worth of Tide from a Wal-mart near Minneapolis (Fox News Story).

About now is when you are probably wondering why Tide is such a popular item for thieves?  Yahoo! reports that thieves are selling Tide on the black market to buy drugs.  But why Tide?  Why not iPads, LCD TVs, or Blu-Ray players.  The same report notes that thieves are targeting Tide because: (1) it is one of the most popular brands and is easily recognizable for consumers, (2) it cannot be tracked because it does not have a serial number, and (3) a $10-$20 bottle can still go for $5 – $10 on the streets (Yahoo! Story).

With the thought of laundry detergent being sold on the black market, one can only begin to wonder what could be next.

We are a day away from the 20th Annual PILA Auction.  PILA, The Public Interest Law Association, is a law student organization that focuses on promoting public interest law.  PILA sponsors an auction every year to raise money to assist students who are working in an area of public interest during their summer internships.

Generally students, faculty, alumni, and other distinguished members of the legal community will attend and bid on items donated by the GSU Law Faculty and Staff.  Items can range from cooking lessons, dinner with a professor, or a weekend getaway.  This year the GSU Law Library has sponsored three auction items.  If you are still  undecided on what to bid on at the event, consider the three items below:

1. Law Library Study Room:  Imagine it, your group’s very own study room for the rest of the Spring semester.  No waking up early to place a request online.  Forget about running from class to the Law Library to place a last minute reservation.  Now your group can mosey on in at any hour of the day (as long as the library is open) and plop down in your home away from home.  You still have to turn in the keys after each visit, but let’s be honest, they are safer with us.
2. Lunch with the Law Librarians:   We are not talking PB&J.  Imagine if you will a nice, sophisticated lunch out on the town with your friends and your favorite Law Librarians.  Just think how productive you will be after sinking your teeth into a delicious, cooked to order to meal.  The sky is the limit, but remember we are state employees.  Spoiler Alert: Wraps and Pizza will not be on the menu.
3. Ping Pong:  Dare to dream.  You and your friends vs. Law Librarians in a game of Ping Pong (or if you prefer, Table Tennis).  Recreate your favorite scenes from Forrest Gump or Balls of Fury.  Headbands are not required, but highly suggested.

No, you are not experiencing déjà vu. Once again Eli Manning orchestrated a 4th quarter comeback to beat Tom Brady’s Patriots for the NFL Super Bowl Championship.  Manning also secured the Super Bowl MVP for the second time in his career.

Many people this week will be talking about the game, the legacy of certain players and coaches, and of course, their favorite commercials.  However, all of this may be overshadowed by yet another Super Bowl halftime show controversy.

While different from the infamous “wardrobe malfunction” from Super Bowl XXXVIII, which Patriots also played in, this year’s controversy centered around singer M.I.A. “flipping the bird” during the live broadcast.  While this might seem trivial to some, NBC and the NFL wasted no time issuing apologies for the gestures.  Although it’s unlikely that this incident will be met with the same scrutiny as the “wardrobe malfunction,” one can’t help but wonder what the possible repercussions might be.  It is worth noting that the previous incident was still being litigated until November of 2011, over 7 years after the fact.

David Moa was recently named the new Law Librarian of Congress.  Moa will be the 23rd Law Librarian of Congress, taking over from Roberta Shaffer.  His appointment to the position is effective as of January 4, 2012.

Prior to being appointed to this post, Moa served as the Deputy Law Librarian of Congress since June 2010.   Before his time at the Law Library, Moa held positions at Georgetown University and the international law firm Covington and Burling.

The Law Library of Congress was established by the U.S. Congress in 1832 in order to provide legislators with convenient access to reliable legal materials.  The Law Library’s current collection of over 2.65 million volumes of primary and secondary sources makes it the world’s largest law library.  Most law students are probably familiar with THOMAS, an online resource produced by the Law Library of Congress that allows users to research and track legislation in Congress.

If you would like to find out more information about David Moa and the Law Library of Congress, check out the following sources:

• January 4, 2012 Law Library of Congress News Release
• January 3, 2012 Interview with In Custodia Legis
• Law Library of Congress Homepage
• THOMAS Homepage