epitaxial ulrike: January 2012

Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Stocks headed for best January since 1997 (AP)

NEW YORK ? The stock market appeared headed Tuesday for its best January finish since 1997. Stocks climbed because of hopes that Greece was finally close to resolving its debt problem, then lost ground after an unexpected drop in consumer confidence.

The Dow Jones industrial average was down two points at 12,652 just before 10:30 a.m. EST. The Standard & Poor's 500 was up less than a point at 1,313. The Nasdaq composite index was up two 2,814.

For the month, the S&P 500 is up 4.5 percent. That would be its best performance to start a year since 1997, when the S&P gained 6.1 percent. Last year, the market added 2.3 percent in the first month.

Meeting in Brussels, European leaders said a final debt deal for Greece could be completed in coming days, together with a euro130 billion bailout package designed to save the country from a potentially disastrous bankruptcy.

Greece is negotiating with investors who bought its government bonds. They are expected to swap their bonds for new ones with half the face value, plus a lower interest rate and longer term of maturity. In all, investors would lose about 70 percent.

A large majority of countries in the European Union agreed late Monday to sign a treaty designed to stop overspending. Europe's debt problems remain the main worry in the markets.

Investors are increasingly worried that Portugal may need a similar deal with its private creditors. European leaders insist the Greek reduction is a one-time event. Portugal's borrowing costs have risen to record highs.

Back home in the United States, investors have enjoyed a steady climb through January amid signs of an improving economy. Unemployment has fallen from a 10 percent peak in October 2009 to 8.5 percent.

The Dow had been up 66 points in morning trading, but it lost the gains after the Conference Board reported that its consumer confidence index fell to 61.1 in January, down from 64.8 in December. Economists had expected 68.

There were also signs that the housing market continues to struggle. Home prices fell in November for a third straight month in in 19 of the 20 cities tracked by the S&P/Case-Shiller index. The biggest declines were in Atlanta, Chicago and Detroit.

Among stocks making big moves:

? Mattel Inc. soared 6 percent because of strong demand for Barbie and Monster High dolls during the holidays. That boosted Mattel's fourth-quarter profit by a better-than-expected 14 percent. The company also raised its dividend.

? U.S. Steel Corp. gained 4 percent after it reported strong demand for pipes from the oil industry from October through December. The company was also optimistic about this quarter.

? Agriculture conglomerate Archer Daniels Midland declined 4 percent after it reported an 89 percent drop in quarterly net income. The company said its results were weighed down by weakness in oilseeds, corn processing and agricultural services.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/stocks/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120131/ap_on_bi_st_ma_re/us_wall_street

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Gingrich: Romney 'carpet bombing' rival with ads

RETRANSMISSION FOR IMPROVED TONING - Republican presidential candidate former House Speaker Newt Gingrich gestures during the Orange County Lincoln Day Dinner at Rosen Shingle Creek, Saturday, Jan. 28, 2012, in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

Republican presidential candidate former House Speaker Newt Gingrich speaks during the Orange County Lincoln Day Dinner at Rosen Shingle Creek, Saturday, Jan. 28, 2012, in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) ? Newt Gingrich says Republican presidential rival Mitt Romney "has a basic policy of carpet bombing his opponent" and that the "old establishment" in the party is trying to block Gingrich's path to nomination.

Gingrich tells "Fox News Sunday" that Romney has done little to bolster his own campaign and instead has focused on attacking his competitors. The former House speaker says conservatives should rally behind one candidate and punish Romney's negativity.

Gingrich and Romney are in a fierce contest in Florida, which has its primary on Tuesday.

Gingrich is campaigning as the most viable conservative and casts Romney as a "Massachusetts moderate."

Gingrich is being far outspent, including one ad that highlights his resignation from Congress amid ethics allegations. Gingrich says Romney is "running an ad that is factually false."

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/89ae8247abe8493fae24405546e9a1aa/Article_2012-01-29-Gingrich/id-eae642a38a4c4fe8a2398b9e1551ac8e

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Monday, January 30, 2012

Video: Axelrod handicaps 2012 campaign

A Second Take on Meeting the Press: From an up-close look at Rachel Maddow's sneakers to an in-depth look at Jon Krakauer's latest book ? it's all fair game in our "Meet the Press: Take Two" web extra. Log on Sundays to see David Gregory's post-show conversations with leading newsmakers, authors and roundtable guests. Videos are available on-demand by 12 p.m. ET on Sundays.

Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3032608/vp/46181315#46181315

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Sunday, January 29, 2012

Legal Resources - The Journalist's Toolbox

Tips for Uncovering Sealed Cases

USCourts.gov: Journalist's Guide to the Federal Courts

CourtReference.com
Offers state-by-state links to online court record search services at trial courts and government agencies. Find court locations, other legal services offered and more.

Court Records Blog
Part of CourtReference.org's site, this blog covers some of the basics of court records, understanding documents, how a court room works, etc.

Free Public Records Directory
Free state court resources.

MegaLaw.com
A meta-search engine that scans law sites.

Meta-Index for U.S. Legal Research

World Law
A comprehensive legal search tool. It gives you multiple ways to search legal opinions, legislation, law libraries, etc.

USACops.com
Handy image map links you to local law enforcement agencies. Great for sourcing out-of-state.

ExpertPages.com
A legal site that lists more than 140 expert witnesses on litigation issues. Can be helpful for sourcing stories on various topics, which are listed alphabetically.

Law Library of Congress
Links galore to research, other law centers, collections databases, reading room, bibliographies, etc.

Violence Policy Center
A libertarian public interest law firm offers several free legal resources off its site.

Institute for Justice
A libertarian public interest law firm offers several free legal resources off its site.

ElectionLawBlog.com
Run by a Loyola Law School professor.

Sunshine Week Open Meetings
Events the week of March 12 promote open records.

Oyez: U.S. Supreme Court Multimedia Database
Hundreds of hours of audio materials delivered through a free player available from Real.com as well as summaries of cases before the court, organized by year.

2007 FBI Uniform Crime Report
Look up crimes by state, classification, population group, etc.

2006 FBI Violent Crimes Statistics
Review nationally, by region, state, county, city, universities, etc.

2005 FBI Uniform Crime Report

2004 FBI Uniform Crime Report

Law and Policy Institutions
This site provides access for legal and legislative information. In addition to domestic legal topics, this site provides information on significant international treaties, journals and legal databases etc.

USLegalForms.com
Database has more than 36,000 documents written to comply with the laws of each of the 50 states.

State-by-State Guide to Shield Laws
Poynter site offers image map for easy search.

National District Attorneys Association

Sports Law Blog

Ranchers and Cattlemen Action Legal Fund
R-CALF site offers industry info., links, contacts and an FAQ.

Institute for Justice
A libertarian public interest law firm offers several free legal resources off its site.

On the Issues: Rehnquist Decisions

U.S. Courts

Findlaw.com: 9-11 Legal Cases
A full listing of the civil and criminal cases. A valuable resource!

A Guide to the U.S. Federal Legal System: Web-Based Publicly Accessible Sources

UScourts.gov
A good starting page for research on federal courts.

Pacer's U.S. Courts
Search district and bankruptcy courts.

Federal Courts Finder
Image map guide to courts from Emory University.

Department of Justice: Office of Solicitor General
Search government briefs filed with the United States Supreme Court.

Supreme Court Collection
A database of upcoming Supreme Court cases compiled by Cornell Univeristy.

Syllabi of Current U.S. Supreme Court Decisions

On the Docket
A database of upcoming Supreme Court cases.

CNN.com: Supreme Court Candidate Bios

C-SPAN Judiciary and Supreme Court Resources

Yahoo!: Supreme Court Nominees

PBS Newshour: Supreme Court Candidates
Full of quotes from politicos on who should be named.

PollingReport.com: Supreme Court Candidates
Full of quotes from politicos on who should be named.

LLRX.com: Debunking Copyright Myths

Supreme Court Historical Society

Law.com's Supreme Court Monitor

On the Issues: Rehnquist Decisions

Federal Circuit Courts of Appeals
Links to the full-text opinions of all 11 U.S. Circuit Courts of Appeals.

Federal Laws and Regulations
The National Archives and Records Administration has a database of public laws, presidential orders and more.

Center for Information, Law and Policy
Information on federal and state courts.

JudgePedia.org
A great election resource that tracks state supreme courts, their elections and news on judges.

National Center for State Courts: Listing of Courts
Links to state appellate, circuit and county courts Web sites organized by states.

Junk FAX Laws by State

360Degrees.org: The U.S. Criminal Justice System
Perspectives on the U.S. justice system.

Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press
Several tools for journalists needing legal resources.

Legal Directories

LawCrawler
Powered by Google, the Web?s best search engine, it hunts down anything legal online.

Old Bailey Online: History Site
From the famous British courthouse, this online database covers more than 22,000 trials dating between 1714 and 1759. Read the actual transcripts from historic proceedings, view the original documents, etc.

Lawyer Locator
Search a free database of legal experts.

Federal Judicial Center: Judge Bios
Search federal court judge bios, past and present.

Attorney Finder

International Center for Not-For-Profit Law Directory
The International Center for Not-For-Profit Law has a searchable directory of legal documents, court cases, reports, and other civil society resources from countries around the world. ICNL's Online Library currently contains 2,300 resources from 144 countries in 37 languages. The center is an international not-for-profit organization that promotes an enabling legal environment for civil society, freedom of association, and public participation around the world.

Lawyers.com
Look up a lawyer's credentials.

USLegalForms.com
Database has more than 36,000 documents written to comply with the laws of each of the 50 states.

State-by-State Guide to Shield Laws
Poynter site offers image map for easy search.

American Law Sources Online (ALSO)
This site provides "a comprehensive, uniform, and useful compilation of links to all online sources of American law."

LegalSurvival.com
A comprehensive source of legal information, tools and news covering 30 topics. The site features a newsletter, forms, FAQs, checklists, bookstore, legal plans, Find an Attorney, attorney marketing services and helpful links.

Internet Legal Research Guide
More than 4,000 sites from 238 countries, this site lists law firms, legal experts, journals and more.

WhoRepresents.com: Agent Database
A great shortcut for sourcing, enter celebrity names into the database and get the managers or agents who represents them.

Westlaw.com

Global Legal Information Network
Part of the Library of Congress, this site features hundreds of legal links and resources.

Digital Journalist's Legal Guide
From the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press.

The Law Engine
A free site with dozens of legal resources.

Counsel.net
A collection of chat rooms and discussion groups for lawyers, legal resources and job boards.

All Law
Search engine and legal directory that has state resources.

FairContracts.org
What have you agreed to today? This site goes over fine print in contracts that many of us never even read.

Finding Law-Related Resources
Dozens of global law links.

Student Press Law Center: Classroom Resources
Presentations, handouts, online quizzes and more. Great tools for teaching the First Amendment.

Medical Privacy State Laws

Legal Transcript Library, Inc.
A legal research tool for medical defense attorneys containing thousands of transcripts of medical expert testimony.

The Avalon Project
Yale Law School site that offers digital documents relevant to the fields of Law, History, Economics, Politics, Diplomacy and Government.

Expert-Testimony.com

Yahoo! Law Directory

Bankruptcy Law
A directory of state, national and international bankruptcy laws.

National Association of Drug Court Professionals

Electronic Law Library
Targeted to small business owners, but it has a lot of helpful research for anyone.

ElectionLawBlog.com
Run by a Loyola Law School professor.

HG Law Directory
Search more than 500 law directories worldwide.

Strategic Research Investigative Services
Specializes in discrete, sophisticated, and cost-effective fact-finding for law firms, corporations, governments, news organizations and individuals.

Class Action Database
A collection of class action lawsuits broken down by topics.

BRB Public Records online.
A huge sites with links to free and pay public records sites.

Cornell University: Legal Information Institute
Links, libraries, constitutions, codes, legal opinions and some legal news.

Campus Safety and Security Data Analysis Cutting Tool
Analyze college campus crime statistics with this resource from the Office of Postsecondary Education, part of the U.S. Department of Education.

Prairie Net: Full-Text State Statutes and Legislation

Law Library Resource Xchange

Fagan Finder
A great search tool that added several new features in May 2002. Journalists will be especially interested in the search engines, reference, news and law sections.

Registered Patent Attorneys and Agents
Contact information for more than 25,000 attorneys.

Jaffe Legal News Service
The JLNS is a free weekly email tipsheet with sources and story ideas from some of the top law firms in North America and the UK. Each issue has a section providing expert commentary on some of the key issues of the day, an area where by-lined articles written by some of the top legal experts on North America and the UK are available for free, and a wire-like service that lists law firm press releases. Each e-mail also features a link to a form where reporters can request help with specific stories.

TVSpy's Agent List
Includes client names, companies and agent contact information.

Legal Databases, Documents and Statistics

Bureau of Justice Statistics

State Laws Database
Searchable index of state laws and legislation for all 50 states.

WHO@ (Working to Halt Online Abuse)
Resources, stats, facts and protection tips about online stalking.

Gender Law Library

National Women's Law Center
Blog, health care, expert sources, information center and recent publications on issues.

Covering Crime and Justice: A Guide for Journalists

National Lesbian and Gay Law Association

National Asian American Bar Association

SmallTownMisfit
Colorful crime news stories from a roundup of police blotters throughout the nation.

Dumb Laws Database
Titled: Big Government. Small Brains. Dumb Laws. A collection of silly laws in the United States and othe countries. Good for news feature writing.

FBI 2004 Uniform Crime Report

Findforms.com
A database of thousands of free legal forms.

Cornell University State Laws Database
Look up laws by industry/topic.

Legacy Tobacco Documents Library
A great database from Cal-San Francisco that contains 11.2 million fully searchable documents from the1930s to the 1990s -- previously secret stuff from tobacco industry files obtained as part of the Minnesota AG and Blue Cross lawsuit settled in 1998.

Legacy Drug Industry Document Archive
More than 2,500 documents from drug companies about industry-sponsored clinical trials, publication of study results, pricing, marketing, relations with physicians and involvement in continuing medical education.

Sunshine Week Open Meetings
Events the week of March 12 promote open records.

Info - Encyclopedia and Reference Resource
Browse articles in all areas of topics within Earth & Environment, History, Literature & Arts, Health & Medicine, People, Philosophy & Religion, Places, Plants & Animals, Science & Technology, Social Science, Law, Sports, Everyday Life, and more. Includes Country Studies and North America Gazetteer.

Jury Verdict Research
A for-profit company that maintains a database of nearly 200,000 verdicts and settlements resulting from personal injury claims.

ABA Administrative Procedures Database ABA Administrative Procedures Database
This site "is designed to facilitate the exchange of information about federal and state administrative law among legislators, lawyers, hearing officers, judges, and citizens. (It) contains links to federal and state Administrative Procedure Acts (APA), reform proposals, and organizational and other resources."

North America's Largest Class Action Law Site
Lots of pending class actions and class action settlements. Updated daily. Also offers ability to register for possible class actions.

Catalaw
Organizes legal and government sites into a basic catalog.

Supreme Court Preview
The Supreme Court forwards its briefs to the American Bar Association as they are filed. This site makes them available to the public for free.

State Sex Offender Registries
Thirty-four states have them, but many are under review for accuracy.

Bureau of Justice Statistics Jail Population Study
Study: More than 6.5 million adults were jailed, on probation or on parole at the end of last year, a record-high number that represents 3.1 p of the country's total population or 1 of every 32 adults. Look up your state.

LexisWeb Legal Search Engine

LawCommerce.com Recommended Law Database
A list of sites you can use to look up federal and state laws. A great shortcut..

FBI Crime Statistics: 2001 Summary
Also available as a full-text document.

University of Tennessee: Legal Information
A set of helpful journalism and law links from professor Dorothy Bowles.

Legal Associations and Organizations

American Bar Association

American Bar Association Lawinfo.org

American Civil Liberties Union
Material on FOI and Sunshine laws.

Association of Trial Lawyers of America Links Page
Dozens of great links to law schools, law organizations, attorney referral sites and more.

National Board of Trial Advocacy

The Innocence Project
A searchable database of states offering projects to free wrongfully accused prisoners through DNA and other evidence. Run by the Cardozo School of Law in NYC.

National Center for State Courts

National District Attorneys Association

National Center for State Courts
Readers First is an E.W. Scripps initiative for readership-builders in all departments of newspapers.

SPJ Legal Advocacy
Legal defense fund, annual report, other resources.

National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty
Statistics on the homeless, links, public policy, child abuse, health, job training, minimum wage and more.

Institute for Justice
A law firm site with helpful online resources.

National Court Reporters Association (NCRA)

National Women's Law Center
A great resource with tips, research and news stories on a variety of topics, including sexual harassment, athletics, women in the military and more.

Ranchers and Cattlemen Action Legal Fund
R-CALF site offers industry info., links, contacts and an FAQ.

National Resources Defense Council
Environmental issues

Student Press Law Center
Legal issues facing high school and college students.

Lambda Legal Defense and Education Fund

Police Executive Research Forum
News page, free document library, sources.

Center for Identity Management and Information Protection
Part of Utica College, the site offers a media center, research projects and can connect you with expert sources.

Identity Theft Resource Center
A nonprofit organization dedicated exclusively to the understanding and prevention of identity theft. Site includes a media page and a resource library.

PhotoEnforced.com
Allows users to upload locations of photo-enforced traffic lights around the country.

National Campaign to Stop Red Light Running

U.S. Public Interest Research Groups
Transportation, healthcare, money and politics, media reform, tax and budget, law, higher education and environmental issues.

Child Welfare Information Gateway
A service of the Children's Bureau, Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Has sections on abuse, library search, statistics, online catalog, adoption information and more.

Law Journals and News

Legal Journals Online
A listing of hundreds of journals from all over the world.

National Law Journal

Findlaw.com
Legal publications and state/local bar association information.

Findlaw News

VineLink: Who's in Jail/Prison
Use this image map to select a state, then sort through the listed jails and prisons to track who's in jail and who is about to be released. A great resource.

National Center for State Courts
Research, newsletter, links to other organizations.

NPR: Justice Talking
Debates, polls, resources on justice issues.

The Business Lawyer
An online business law magazine from the American Bar Association.

National Law Journal: Survey of the 250 Largest Law Firms
Contact information for more than 25,000 attorneys.

University Law Review: Search Law Journals
Links, listings and search.

States with Sex-Offender Registries

In the News
Blog by a forensic psychologist about psychology and the law.

The Jurist: Terrorism Law & Policy Guide
The legal education and information portal at the University of Pittsburgh School of Law, has posted an online guide to Terrorism Law & Policy. The guide features breaking news, U.S. policy documents, Executive Orders and federal legislation, academic commentary and an extensive bibliography.

Truth in Justice
A private investigations site with several recent case studies, news stories, trend pieces, related links, a discussion forum and more. A great resource.

Sports Law Blog

Law.com Newswire
Updated several times a day with great stories.

Nolo.com
A super legal site.

CNN.com's Law Page
Several good trend pieces, some breaking news.

Medical Liability Monitor
A monthly online publication on trends and issues in medical malpractice.

LLRX.com
Bills itself as "the premier free web-zine on research and technology related issues for the legal community.

LLRX.com 9-11 Legal Site

Jeff Flax's Super Legal Links Page

JustInfo Newsletter
An online newsletter sponsored by the U.S. Department of Justice.

Government Sites

SEC Law
Securities legal resource includes message boards, links to other sites, bookstore and more.

U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
The official government site has a myriad of resources, including a way to track the status of patents and trademarks pending.

Library of Congress: A Century of Law Making
Annals of the House and Senate, bills and resolutions.

Library of Congress: Religion and the Government
Takes effect October 2002.

Cyberspace Law

Electronic Frontier Foundation: Legal Guide for Bloggers

LegalTech

Cyberspace Law and Regulation

UCLA Cyberspace Law and Policy

Intellectual Property and Technology Forum
Boston College Law School site offers current news and in-depth articles on intellectual property and technology law.

Publishing Law Center
Links and articles on intellectual property and legal issues..

TechnoLawyer Community
Free subscriptions to TechnoRelease Tuesdays.

Treatment Advocacy Center
Studies on mental illness, treatments, and various laws and legal interpretations.

Copyright Law

Internet Law Library
A free collection of articles, statutes, cases and resources on Internet issues such as copyright law, trademark law, domain name law, cookies, data retrieval, etc.

U.S. Copyright Office

GigaLaw.com

Miscellaneous Sites

FBI Uniform Crime Report (.pdf)
The site features an image map that helps locate stats from major cities. Sort stats by type of crime, too.

2007 FBI Uniform Crime Report
Look up crimes by state, classification, population group, etc.

Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press: Juvenile Hearings
Guidelines on access to juvenile courts.

Criminal Justice Links
Florida State University School of Criminology and Criminal Justice.

TheSmokingGun.com
Tips for filing FOIAs, "Document of the Week."

The Stanford University School of Law
The school's site has full-text complaints, summaries and briefs on securities class action complaints.

60 Sites in 60 Minutes
A site full of legal research tools on one page.

IRE and NICAR: Legal Databases
There is a fee for the legal databases.

U.S. DOT: Fatal Accident Reporting System Database
This links to details and samples of the data. NICAR charges for the full database. The data covers 1975-2001 and contains information on automobile accidents on public U.S. roads that resulted in the death of one or more people within 30 days of the accident.

Law and Policy Institutions Guide
A great collection of legal and legislative information.

PI Newslink
A blog for private investigators/researchers.

DogBiteLaw.com
Developed by an attorney specializing in dog bites, this is an extensive research site for dog bite victims, dog owners, parents, journalists and others. Covers topics such as the legal rights of victims, how to protect children, and other aspects of the dog bite epidemic.

Cool Sites for Lawyers

PBS Frontline: Criminal Justice
A collection of companion Web sites on various crime, legal system and justice topics.

Tobacco Links
Dozens of links in alphabetical order about pro and anti-smoking, farming, etc.

Law Library of Congress
Law guides, databases and historical documents back to 1774.

PoliceForum.org
Site features cops from large jurisdictions and has done lots of stuff on police shootings, etc.

Criminal Justice Journalists

The Lindbergh Case

Campus Sex Crimes Prevention Act
Takes effect October 2002.

Stanford University: Prison Experiment
An online tour of a 1971 psychology experiment on California college students sent to prison. Photos, video, background. Interesting research.

LLRX: Clustering With Search Engines

LLRX: Latest Links
An archive of reviews of legal sites.

MyLemon.com
The site contains an informative guide to the lemon law as well as answers to frequently asked questions. Focuses on New Jersey and Pennsylvania law, but it has helpful resources for anyone.

Purportal.com
This site can quickly assist you in sorting the myths from the half-truths and the actual facts. The site consists of database search engines to check keywords from e-mails you have received, the latest headlines on hoaxes, special reports on 9-11 misinformation, and links to official and commercial sites on fraud, hoaxes and scams.

LLRX.com: 9-11-2001 Related News and Legal/Legislative Resources
This site is updated daily.

Newsaic
Legal issues behind TV shows.

LemonLaw.com
Laws on auto purchasing.

Overlawyered.com
This site chronicles the high cost of the legal system.

Police Foundation Research Brief: Catching Career Criminals

The Florida Medical Malpractice Web Site
Focuses on medical malpractice matters, primarily from a Florida perspective, but also contains info of more national interest. Handy for looking up malpractice information about doctors.

JusticeLink

LawMall
A collection of legal links for lawyers and people not associated with the legal system.

Web Journal of Current Legal Issues
Site from the UK.

Capital Defense Network
The ultimate resource for federal death penalty defense practitioners.

CivicMind.com
Civic resources for lawyers and journalists.

Equal Justice Network
An information source for lawyers and advocates involved in providing legal assistance to low-income people.

Military Law and Justice

ProCon: Sports and Drugs

IJ.org Media Links
Links to stories and cases of national and local interest. Great place to look for offbeat trend stories. Also has a media center, other links.

CrimeLynx.com
Legal resource center with expert links, policy and research links.

National Coalition Against Censorship

National Center for State Courts

American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers

Benedict Copyright Site

CyberLaw Encylopedia: Copyright Law

Crash Course in Copyright Law

Intellectual Property Primer

Sports Law Links
Some great resources from Professor Walter T. Champion, Jr., author of Fundamentals of Sports Law and Sports Law in a Nutshell.

Multimedia and Entertainment Law Online News (MELON)

Medicine Malpractice Links
Part of the Electric Law Library.

Index of State Malpractice Laws

Malpractice Litigation News

SafeShopping.org: Tips
Tips on online shopping safety tips from the American Bar Association.

Dog Bite Law Center

ElderWeb.com
This site offers legal, insurance and medical advice (regional and national) for people facing elder-care options.

Mother Jones.com Prisons Study

Lemon Law America
Lists legal rights for car buyers.

Chicago Council of Lawyers
Evaluations of judicial candidates and much more.

Oklahoma State Court Network
Search legal files from divorces, civil, criminal and every document filed at the court clerk by date. You can search by last name, first name, case number.

NRA: State Gun Laws
Use this image map to check gun laws state by state.

CrimeLibrary.com
CourtTV site with news stories, backgrounding, etc.

National Assn. of Legal Professionals
Resource center, studies on employment, etc.

Law Library of Congress
Links galore to research, other law centers, collections databases, reading room, bibliographies, etc.

Insurance Information Institute
Public safety, crime and other stats.

USACops.com
Handy image map links you to local law enforcement agencies. Great for sourcing out-of-state.

ExpertPages.com
A legal site that lists more than 140 expert witnesses on litigation issues. Can be helpful for sourcing stories on various topics, which are listed alphabetically.

Automated Access to Court Electronic Records
Provider of United States bankruptcy data to attorneys, lenders, employers and individuals. Has a helpful press center with statistics, news and trends.

NFL Player Arrests 2000-Present
List compiled by the San Diego Tribune and published in May 2007. Great for reference.

Courts and Law Coverage Beat Guide
From the Knight Center for Specialized Journalism. Simply go to the website and page click on "Learn more" on the "New Resource" box.

Substance Abuse Mental Health Services Administration
Has several helpful resources, including a blood alcohol content calculator.

Tips for Uncovering Sealed Cases

FBI Violent Crimes Statistics 2006
Review nationally, by region, state, county, city, universities, etc.

Death Penalty Information Center
Opposes capital punishment.

Federal Hate Crime Legislation

DocStoc
Free business forms and legal templates.

TopClassActions.com
Search through top class-action lawsuits. Includes an RSS news feed.

Brennan Center for Justice

National Council on Crime and Delinquency
"The oldest criminal justice research organization in America, NCCD promotes effective, humane, fair, and economically sound solutions to family, community, and justice problems. The organization conducts research, promotes reform initiatives, and seeks to work with individuals, public and private organizations, and the media to prevent and reduce crime and delinquency."

American Library Association: Notable First Amendment Court Cases

Knight Center Beat Guide: Courts & the Law

Center on Wrongful Convictions
Northwestern University School of Law site about a group freeing prisoners wrongfully accused of serious crimes. Includes resources, experts, news and events page and bios of many of the people freed.

Electronic Frontier Foundation: Legal Guide for Bloggers

Podcasting Legal Guide

Stanford Law School Center for Internet and Society

Findlaw Cases and Codes
Look up case summaries, jurisdictions, historical documents, etc.

E-Justice Blog

Knight Center: A Beat Guide to: Courts and the Law
From the Knight Center for Specialized Journalism at the University of Maryland.

Cornell: Courts Federal Law Materials and Judicial Opinions

Cornell Law: State Courts Opinions

National Runaway Switchboard
Media page and expert sources on the topic.

National Legal Aid & Defenders Association

Cyberjournalist.net: Legal Issues
Feed of stories and blog posts on web legals issues, etc.

Poynter: Tips for Covering Mass Shootings
Track who is tweeting a site or blog.

Sunshineweek.org

Legal Information Institute: First Amendment Overview

Federal Citizens' Information Center: Privacy Resources

Electronic Frontier Foundation
Technology/civil rights site. Great for finding cases against the FCC and the record industry.

Citizen Media Law Project Legal Guide
Search by keyword or state-by-state map.

World Intellectual Property Organization

Global Legal Information Network
A public government database of official texts of laws, regulations, judicial decisions, and other complementary legal sources contributed by governmental agencies and international organizations. These GLIN members contribute the full texts of their published documents to the database in their original languages. Each document is accompanied by a summary in English and, in many cases in additional languages, plus subject terms selected from the multilingual index to GLIN. All summaries are available to the public, and public access to full texts is also available for most jurisdictions.

BlogInsurance FAQ
Stream video straight from your cell phone.

Library of Congress: Sonia Sotomayor Resources
Articles and books by her, congressional documents, cases and web resources by the Supreme Court nominee.

Chicago Law Blog
Chicago Tribune blog on legal issues in the city.

Source: http://www.journaliststoolbox.org/archive/2012/01/legal-resources-1.html

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Ex-Boston Mayor White, led in turbulent '70s, dies (AP)

BOSTON ? Kevin H. White, a four-term mayor who led Boston through years of racial violence and economic stagnation and was credited with putting the city on a path to prosperity, has died. He was 82.

White, who had been diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease in 2003, died Friday night at his Beacon Hill home surrounded by his family, said George Regan, a family spokesman and friend.

"He was a man who built Boston into the world-class city it is today," said Regan, who called his loss "devastating."

White, a white Irish Catholic from a family of politicians, is credited with revitalizing Boston's downtown and seeing the city through court-ordered busing, but he ended his tenure in 1983 under a cloud of ethics suspicions.

The Democrat was elected Massachusetts secretary of state three times before running for mayor for the first time in 1967 against antibusing activist Louise Day Hicks. He defeated her with support from the black community and liberals.

After losing a 1970 bid for governor, White was re-elected mayor in 1971, again defeating Hicks. He won again narrowly in 1975 and 1979.

White was considered as a vice presidential running mate to U.S. Sen. George McGovern of South Dakota in 1972 but was passed over for U.S. Sen. Thomas Eagleton of Missouri, who was later cast aside for R. Sargent Shriver Jr.

After U.S. District Court Judge W. Arthur Garrity ordered busing to desegregate public schools in 1974, White protected schoolchildren from ensuing violence with federal and state assistance during the period of crisis and in 1976 led a march of 30,000 to protest racial violence.

White was never totally comfortable with busing, however, and called Garrity's plan "too severe."

"I wish I knew a way to have taught Garrity or convinced Garrity to be more generous ... or softer in his implementation of that order," White said after his time as mayor.

U.S. Sen. John Kerry of Massachusetts, a fellow Democrat, said White "knew how to wisely wield the power of the mayor's office for the public good."

"For 16 years," Kerry said in a statement, "the mayor shepherded the city through the turbulence of the late '60s and mid-'70s and in the process ushered in the remarkable city we know today."

Current Mayor Thomas Menino, also a Democrat, praised White for his contributions to the city.

"Mayor Kevin White was a great friend and a great leader who left a lasting mark of hope and inspiration on the City of Boston," he said in a statement. "He will be sorely missed."

White's first two terms were known for his Little City Halls in the city's far-flung neighborhoods that gave power to ethnic and racial minorities, but he consolidated his power in his final two terms.

White closed the Little City Halls and instead used a network of ward lieutenants who rewarded the mayor's supporters with city jobs and contracts.

Seven mayoral aides were eventually indicted on fraud and extortion charges. His one-time budget director and an official of the Boston Redevelopment Authority were convicted of fraudulently obtaining city pensions. A deputy commissioner was convicted of tax evasion for failing to report money that prosecutors said he gained from bribes.

White was never implicated. The State Ethics Commission, however, conducted a 10-month investigation that found "reasonable cause" that White had violated conflict-of-interest laws.

The city also wallowed in a financial crisis in the later years of his tenure that led to layoffs of police officers and firefighters and the shutdown of some stations.

The crises were exploited by his critics, who called him King Kevin, and he dropped out of the 1983 mayoral race, eventually won by Raymond Flynn.

"It's no secret that Kevin and I were rivals for many years," Flynn said in a statement. "But underneath that sometimes heated rivalry, rooted in different priorities, was a mutual respect. Kevin and I shared a deep love for this complex, fascinating city of Boston."

A liberal reformer, White appealed to a cross-section of society, including the young.

Once, when the Rolling Stones were arrested on the way to Boston, the mayor released them into his own custody.

"The Stones have been busted, but I have sprung them!" he told an audience at Boston Garden.

While the busing crisis stained Boston's image, White was also credited with revitalizing the city's downtown, especially the shops and restaurants of Quincy Market, which remains one of the city's top tourist attractions. He thought the downtown renaissance would make Boston a "world-class city."

A statue of White was unveiled near Quincy Market in 2006.

Gov. Deval Patrick, a Democrat, said White's stewardship created "a path to prosperity for the city."

White's father and maternal grandfather had been Boston City Council presidents. In 1956, he married Kathryn Galvin, the daughter of another City Council president. He was educated at Tabor Academy, Williams College, Boston College Law School and the Harvard Graduate School of Public Administration.

After handing over the office to Flynn in 1984, White accepted a position at Boston University as a professor of communications and public management.

While mayor in 1970, White had major surgery to remove two-thirds of his stomach. He suffered a heart attack in 2001 while at a Florida restaurant and spent several days in a hospital when he had a pacemaker implanted.

He is survived by his wife of 55 years, Kathyrn Galvin White, five children and several grandchildren.

___

Associated Press Writer Sylvia Wingfield contributed to this report.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/us/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120128/ap_on_re_us/us_obit_kevin_white

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Saturday, January 28, 2012

Funny How That Works (Theagitator)

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Fear shrouds election race in Manipur, India's dark jewel

By Frank Jack Daniel

IMPHAL, India (Reuters) - Thrown face down in an open drain by a grenade blast, Maisnam Ratan's bloodied corpse was the latest reminder of the lingering insurgency in India's isolated, far-eastern state of Manipur, which elects a state legislature on Saturday.

Manipur, which neighbours Myanmar, is called the Jewel of India for its paddy fields, lakes and green hills. But it has been plagued for decades by a low-intensity war, blamed by authorities on rebels sheltering in Myanmar as well as a stream of drugs and guns seeping through the porous border.

At night, the run-down capital, Imphal, is often lit only by candles and burning garbage because of a chronic electricity shortage. Fearful of threats by rebels who see India as a colonial power, cinemas do not show Bollywood movies and cable television blocks out programmes in Hindi, the country's most widely spoken language.

Ratan was visiting the house of a senior politician from the ruling Congress party on Sunday when the blast went off. It was a relatively small explosion, but tore open his leg and ripped chunks from a wall where long ago somebody had neatly written: "We want peace and harmony."

Neither seems likely in the near future.

Manipur has the highest rates of HIV and drug addiction in the country and young people are migrating in droves.

India's policy-makers are loath to loosen the emergency shoot-to-kill powers imposed in 1958 in Manipur and other northeastern states for fear of giving oxygen to rebel movements in a region that also borders Bangladesh and China.

Perhaps for the same reason, and despite a drop-off in violence that has killed 3,000 in a decade, India has dallied on plans to turn Manipur into a serious trading corridor with Southeast Asia and Myanmar, which is shaking off decades of isolation and welcoming new investment. ? Continued...

Source: http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/AFRICAWorldNews/~3/m7Q0ubTu9rM/idAFTRE80Q0DK20120127

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Friday, January 27, 2012

Australian PM stumbles before rowdy protest crowd

Australia's Prime Minister Julia Gillard, second from left, is escorted out for safety by body guards and police through a crowd of rowdy protesters following a ceremony to mark Australia's national day in Canberra, Australia, Thursday Jan. 26, 2012. Some 200 supporters of indigenous rights surrounded a Canberra restaurant and banged its windows on Thursday while Gillard and opposition leader Tony Abbott were inside officiating at an award ceremony. (AP Photo/Lukas Coch) AUSTRALIA OUT

Prime Minister Julia Gillard is escorted out for safety by body guards and police through a crowd of rowdy protesters following a ceremony to mark Australia's national day in Canberra, Australia, Thursday Jan. 26, 2012. Some 200 supporters of indigenous rights surrounded a Canberra restaurant and banged its windows on Thursday while Gillard and opposition leader Tony Abbott were inside officiating at an award ceremony. (AP Photo/Lukas Coch) AUSTRALIA OUT

Prime Minister Julia Gillard, second from left, is escorted out for safety by body guards and police through a crowd of rowdy protesters following a ceremony to mark Australia's national day in Canberra, Australia, Thursday Jan. 26, 2012. Some 200 supporters of indigenous rights surrounded a Canberra restaurant and banged its windows on Thursday while Gillard and opposition leader Tony Abbott were inside officiating at an award ceremony. (AP Photo/Lukas Coch) AUSTRALIA OUT

CANBERRA, Australia (AP) ? Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard stumbled and was caught by a security guard as riot police helped her force a path through a crowd of rowdy protesters following a ceremony to mark Australia's national day Thursday.

She appeared distressed as she was pulled away from the protesters but was unharmed. She later remarked that she was made of "pretty tough stuff" and commended police for their actions.

Some 200 supporters of indigenous rights had surrounded a Canberra restaurant and banged its windows while Gillard and opposition leader Tony Abbott were inside officiating at an award ceremony.

Around 50 police escorted the political leaders from a side door to a car. Gillard stumbled, losing a shoe. Her personal security guard wrapped his arms around her and supported her to the waiting car, shielding her from the angry crowd.

The protesters had been demonstrating for indigenous rights nearby at the so-called Aboriginal Tent Embassy, a ramshackle collection of tents and temporary shelters in the national capital that is a center point of protests against Australia Day.

Australia Day marks the arrival of the first fleet of British colonists in Sydney on Jan. 26, 1788. Many Aborigines call it Invasion Day because the land was settled without a treaty with traditional owners.

Abbott appeared to be the target of protesters, who chanted "shame" and "racist" outside the restaurant.

The Tent Embassy celebrated its 40th anniversary on Thursday. Abbott had earlier angered indigenous activists by saying it was time the embassy "moved on."

Gillard was unharmed and later hosted another Australia Day function for foreign ambassadors at her official residence.

"The only thing that angers me is that it distracted from such a wonderful event," Gillard told reporters.

"I am made of pretty tough stuff and the police did a great job," she added.

Reaction from protesters afterward was mixed, with some saying police assaulted them and that Gillard and Abbott were never in danger. They also made conflicting claims over who had Gillard's shoe ? a Midas high-heeled blue suede ? and if it would be returned.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2012-01-26-AS-Australia-Indigenous-Protest/id-086f072bf19546c7a6051b1564ab050c

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Newt Gingrich mocks Romney for his ?self deport? immigration plan (The Ticket)

Gingrich slammed Romney in an interview with Jorge Ramos. (AP)

Newt Gingrich Wednesday criticized Mitt Romney's suggestion that illegal immigrants should deport themselves as an "Obama-level" fantasy that is inhumane. In an interview with Univision's Jorge Ramos, Gingrich laughed when asked about Romney's plan. "He certainly shows no humanity for the people who are already here," Gingrich said.

During Monday's debate, Romney said he would not round up and deport the country's estimated 11 million illegal immigrants. Instead, he would encourage them to voluntarily return to their home countries by more strictly enforcing laws that forbid them from working. "The answer is self-deportation, which is people decide they can do better by going home because they can't find work here because they don't have legal documentation to allow them to work here," he said.

The idea is not new. Kansas secretary of state and anti-illegal immigration activist Kris Kobach, who recently endorsed Romney, has written about how state and local politicians can mandate increased enforcement of immigration laws in an effort to get illegal immigrants to leave out of fear. Kobach writes model immigration legislation for other states. His laws, including Arizona's SB1070 and Alabama's version of it last year, have drawn suits from the federal government, which says the states are interfering with the federal government's control over immigration.

Unlike Romney, Gingrich has said he supports a limited path to legalization for immigrants who have lived in the country for decades and have strong ties to their communities. Both candidates say they would veto the Dream Act, a bill that would allow people who were brought to the country as children to earn legal status if they join the military or go to college. They support a military-only path to citizenship for this group.

In Florida, about 10 percent of registered Republican voters are Latino.

Other popular Yahoo! News stories:

??In State of the Union, Obama warns of inequality
??Gingrich slams Obama's 'sad' State of the Union
??Yahoo audience reacts: 63% say Obama made case for second term

Want more of our best political stories? Visit?The Ticket or connect with us?on Facebook, follow uson Twitter, or add us?on Tumblr.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/gop/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/yblog_theticket/20120125/el_yblog_theticket/newt-gingrich-mocks-romney-for-his-self-deport-immigration-plan

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Thursday, January 26, 2012

The Engadget Show 29: Red Cameras, MakerBot and the coolest gadgets of CES 2012

Consider this one last hurrah for CES 2012. Sure, we've happily left the Las Vegas Convention Center in the rear view mirror of the magical mystery Engadget trailer, but there's still plenty to talk about. We kick things off with a recap of Apple's textbook announcement, discussing what implications the move might have for the industry, before taking you on a tour of the Engadget CES trailer and stage.

Next up, with got a pile of the Consumer Electronic Show's hottest devices on the gadget table, including the HTC Titan II, Acer Aspire S5, HP Envy 14 Spectre, Pantech Element and Burst, Nokia Lumia 900, Samsung Galaxy Note, Sony Xperia S and the $79 Ainovo Novo7 Paladin -- one of which will find its way into a tank of water.

We also take you on a tour of the CES show floor and get some serious hands-on time with the new Red Scarlet camera. MakerBot's Bre Pettis joins us on stage to discuss the company's new Replicator 3D printer and we close things out with a performance by NYC's Ducky and a few of her dancer pals.

Hosts: Tim Stevens, Brian Heater, Darren Murph
Special guests: Bre Pettis, Richard Lai, Richard Lawler
Producer: Guy Streit
Director: Michelle Stahl
Executive Producers: Joshua Fruhlinger, Brian Heater and Michael Rubens
Music by: Ducky

Download the Show: The Engadget Show - 029 (HD) / The Engadget Show - 029 (iPod / iPhone / Zune formatted) / The Engadget Show - 029 (Small)

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The Engadget Show 29: Red Cameras, MakerBot and the coolest gadgets of CES 2012 originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 25 Jan 2012 12:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/1AGjifrtInA/

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Simon Sheaf: The State of the Union: Obama's Strategies

With the eyes of the political world currently focused on the Space Coast in the great state of Florida, Obama will have to bring the eyes of the world away from the campaign trail and to the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives as he delivers the State of the Union tonight. It won't be easy (Mitt Romney is already planning both a prebuttal and a rebuttal) but Obama has to try to get things done in Washington with the cloud of a tight election later in 2012. So, what is to be expected from Obama tonight?

1. Lots of big, grandiose rhetoric. This is a hallmark of most presidential speeches but the man who won the hearts of millions of Americans with five words ("Yes we can," "Hope," and "Change") seems to have brought it to a whole new level.

2. Big Ideas, without overloading on the specifics. Obama doesn't want to bore the whole country to death, but he also has to prove that he actually has a plan. Finding the right balance of idea vs. specifics can be difficult sometimes.

3. Watch the aisle divide. Okay, not technically something that Obama is expected to do, but it's always fun to watch which party stands up to clap for which parts of the speech. I wouldn't expect to see a lot of standing ovations from the GOP side, but hey, anything's possible.

That said, don't get too worked up about what is said in the State of the Union. There is a lot of legislative battling to be done yet...

Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/simon-sheaf/what-teens-should-watch-o_b_1229541.html

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Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Halle Berry's Ex Investigated for Child Endangerment

Gabriel Aubry, the father of Halle Berry's 3-year-old daughter Nahla, is being investigated for child endangerment over an incident involving Nahla and her nanny.

Source: http://www.ivillage.com/gabriel-aubry-investigated-child-endangerment/1-a-421504?dst=iv%3AiVillage%3Agabriel-aubry-investigated-child-endangerment-421504

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Putin foe could be barred from Russian election (Reuters)

MOSCOW (Reuters) ? Russian liberal opposition leader Grigory Yavlinsky could be barred from running against Vladimir Putin in a presidential election after officials said Monday there were problems with his registration as a candidate.

Opinion polls show Yavlinsky has no chance of winning the March 4 election but the refusal to let him run would be a slap in the face for leaders of protests by tens of thousands of demonstrators demanding fair elections and political reform.

Central Election Commission officials told Russian news agencies there were errors in about a quarter of the 2 million signatures of support Yavlinsky had submitted as a requirement to enter the election, much higher than the permitted amount.

A final decision on his candidacy is expected to be announced by the commission later this week or next.

Reducing the number of candidates could improve Putin's chances of winning the election in the first round, avoiding a run-off he would face if he does not receive at least 50 percent of the votes cast.

"This is a totally political decision," Yavlinsky, 59, told a news conference, a view shared by other opposition leaders and representatives of the Yabloko party he co-founded.

Yabloko leader Sergei Mitrokhin wrote in a blog: "Putin will decide this matter himself."

Mitrokhin suggested Putin did not want Yavlinsky to run because it could take votes from billionaire Mikhail Prokhorov, a liberal contender who he said was backed by Putin.

Mitrokhin also indicated that Yabloko representatives would be unable to monitor the election if Yavlinsky, who has twice run for president and lost, did not take part.

Election officials said Monday Prokhorov's candidacy had been confirmed after he submitted enough signatures.

PUTIN FACES CRITICISM

As independent candidates, Prokhorov and Yavlinsky had to collect 2 million signatures. Candidates from parties in parliament, such as Communist Gennady Zyuganov and nationalist Vladimir Zhirinovsky, did not have to meet this requirement.

Prokhorov, whose assets in an $18-billion business empire include the New Jersey Nets, has dismissed rivals' allegations that he is a Kremlin tool who has been allowed to run to split the opposition and give the election an air of legitimacy.

Putin, 59, was president for eight years from 2000 and ushered his ally, Dmitry Medvedev, into the post in 2008 because the constitution barred him from a third successive term. Putin became prime minister but remained Russia's dominant leader.

Opinion polls suggest Putin will easily win the election but his image has been dented by unusually large protests in Russia since a parliamentary election on December 4 which independent monitors say was slanted to favor his United Russia party.

Tens of thousands of people have taken part in protests since then, mainly in Moscow and St Petersburg, to demand the election be rerun, the election commission chief dismissed and more opposition parties registered.

Human Rights Watch, an international rights monitor, said in its annual report released Sunday that Putin's decision to run for a six-year, third term as president cast a shadow over prospects for political reforms.

It also said pro-government parties had benefited from "disproportionate access to media and abuse of administrative resources."

(Editing by Janet Lawrence)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/russia/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20120123/ts_nm/us_russia_yavlinsky

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Tuesday, January 24, 2012

Review + giveaway: iCooly PhoneStand for iPhone

“Pairing the latest in Apple iPhone hardware with a 1980s style telephone handset, iCooly certainly demands attention even if its form sometimes overwhelms its function.” The iCooly PhoneStand is an

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheIphoneBlog/~3/QScsIKx6cdA/story01.htm

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Video: Nat Gas Spikes

Chesapeake will cut nat gas production, sending prices higher. Dennis Gartman, founder of the Gartman Letter, weighs in.

Monday, January 23, 2012

AP IMPACT: Meth fills hospitals with burn patients

This photo provided Jan. 10, 2012, by the Franklin County Sheriff?s Department shows firefighters battling a blaze from a shake-and-bake meth lab explosion Jan. 29, 2010, at a house in Union, Mo. The crude new method of making methamphetamine, by combining raw and unstable ingredients in a 2-liter soda bottle, poses a risk even to Americans who never get anywhere near the drug: It is filling hospitals with thousands of uninsured burn patients requiring millions of dollars in advanced treatment _ a burden so costly that it?s contributing to the closure of some burn units. (AP Photo/Franklin County Sheriff?s Department )

This photo provided Jan. 10, 2012, by the Franklin County Sheriff?s Department shows shake-and-bake meth ingredients found at house that burned from a meth lab explosion Jan. 29, 2010, in Union, Mo. The crude new method of making methamphetamine, by combining raw and unstable ingredients in a 2-liter soda bottle, poses a risk even to Americans who never get anywhere near the drug: It is filling hospitals with thousands of uninsured burn patients requiring millions of dollars in advanced treatment _ a burden so costly that it?s contributing to the closure of some burn units. (AP Photo/Franklin County Sheriff?s Department )

This dashboard police video photo provided Jan. 17, 2012, by the Tennessee Methamphetamine Task Force shows what authorities say is a mobile shake-and-bake meth lab vehicle burning in August, 2011, in Clarksville, Tenn. The crude new method of making methamphetamine, by combining raw and unstable ingredients in a 2-liter soda bottle, poses a risk even to Americans who never get anywhere near the drug: It is filling hospitals with thousands of uninsured burn patients requiring millions of dollars in advanced treatment _ a burden so costly that it?s contributing to the closure of some burn units. (AP Photo/Tennessee Methamphetamine Task Force)

This photo provided Jan. 19, 2012, by the Tennessee Methamphetamine Task Force shows shows the interior of a home in Clarksville, Tenn., damaged by a shake-and-bake meth lab explosion in December, 2011. The crude new method of making methamphetamine, by combining raw and unstable ingredients in a 2-liter soda bottle, poses a risk even to Americans who never get anywhere near the drug: It is filling hospitals with thousands of uninsured burn patients requiring millions of dollars in advanced treatment _ a burden so costly that it?s contributing to the closure of some burn units. (AP Photo/Tennessee Methamphetamine Task Force, Jesse Reynolds)

This photo provided Jan. 17, 2012, by the Tennessee Methamphetamine Task Force shows the aftermath what authorities say is a mobile shake-and-bake meth lab vehicle that burned in August, 2011, in Clarksville, Tenn. The crude new method of making methamphetamine, by combining raw and unstable ingredients in a 2-liter soda bottle, poses a risk even to Americans who never get anywhere near the drug: It is filling hospitals with thousands of uninsured burn patients requiring millions of dollars in advanced treatment _ a burden so costly that it?s contributing to the closure of some burn units. (AP Photo/Tennessee Methamphetamine Task Force)

ST. LOUIS (AP) ? A crude new method of making methamphetamine poses a risk even to Americans who never get anywhere near the drug: It is filling hospitals with thousands of uninsured burn patients requiring millions of dollars in advanced treatment ? a burden so costly that it's contributing to the closure of some burn units.

So-called shake-and-bake meth is produced by combining raw, unstable ingredients in a 2-liter soda bottle. But if the person mixing the noxious brew makes the slightest error, such as removing the cap too soon or accidentally perforating the plastic, the concoction can explode, searing flesh and causing permanent disfigurement, blindness or even death.

An Associated Press survey of key hospitals in the nation's most active meth states showed that up to a third of patients in some burn units were hurt while making meth, and most were uninsured. The average treatment costs $6,000 per day. And the average meth patient's hospital stay costs $130,000 ? 60 percent more than other burn patients, according to a study by doctors at a burn center in Kalamazoo, Mich.

The influx of patients is overwhelming hospitals and becoming a major factor in the closure of some burn wards. At least seven burn units across the nation have shut down over the past six years, partly due to consolidation but also because of the cost of treating uninsured patients, many of whom are connected to methamphetamine.

Burn experts agree the annual cost to taxpayers is well into the tens if not hundreds of millions of dollars, although it is impossible to determine a more accurate number because so many meth users lie about the cause of their burns.

Larger meth labs have been bursting into flame for years, usually in basements, backyard sheds or other private spaces. But those were fires that people could usually escape. Using the shake-and-bake method, drugmakers typically hold the flammable concoction up close, causing burns from the waist to the face.

"You're holding a flame-thrower in your hands," said Jason Grellner of the Franklin County, Mo., Sheriff's Department.

Also known as the "one-pot" approach, the method is popular because it uses less pseudoephedrine ? a common component in some cold and allergy pills. It also yields meth in minutes rather than hours, and it's cheaper and easier to conceal. Meth cooks can carry all the ingredients in a backpack and mix them in a bathroom stall or the seat of a car.

The improvised system first emerged several years ago, partly in response to attempts by many states to limit or forbid over-the-counter access to pseudoephedrine. Since then, the shake-and-bake recipe has spread to become the method of choice.

By 2010, about 80 percent of labs busted by the federal Drug Enforcement Administration were using shake-and-bake recipes, said Pat Johnakin, a DEA agent specializing in meth.

So instead of a large lab that supplies many users, there are now more people making meth for their personal use. The consequences are showing up in emergency rooms and burn wards.

"From what we see on the medical side, that's the primary reason the numbers seem to be going up: greater numbers of producers making smaller batches," said Dr. Michael Smock, director of the burn unit at Mercy Hospital St. Louis.

It's impossible to know precisely how many people are burned while making shake-and-bake meth. Some avoid medical treatment, and no one keeps exact track of those who go to the hospital. But many burn centers in the nation's most active meth-producing states report sharp spikes in the number of patients linked to meth. And experts say the trend goes well beyond those facilities, easily involving thousands of drug users.

The director of the burn center at Vanderbilt University in Tennessee, the state that led the nation in meth lab seizures in 2010, said meth injuries are doubly damaging because patients often suffer thermal burn from the explosion, as well as chemical burns. And the medical challenge is compounded by patients' addictions.

"You're not judgmental in this kind of work, but you see it day after day," said Vanderbilt's Dr. Jeffrey Guy. "We've had patients say, 'I'm going out for a smoke,' and they come back all jacked up. It's clear they went out and did meth again."

Few people burned by meth will admit it.

"We get a lot of people who have strange stories," said Dr. David Greenhalgh, past president of the American Burn Association and director of the burn center at the University of California, Davis. "They'll say they were working on the carburetor at 2 or 3 in the morning and things blew up. So we don't know for sure, but 25 to 35 percent of our patients are meth-positive when we check them."

Guy cited a similar percentage at Vanderbilt, which operates the largest burn unit in Tennessee. He said the lies can come with a big price because the chemicals used in meth-making are often as dangerous as the burns themselves.

He recalled the case of a woman who arrived with facial burns that she said were caused by a toaster. As a result, she didn't tell doctors that meth-making chemicals got into her eyes, delaying treatment.

"Now she's probably going to be blind because she wasn't honest about it," Guy said.

In Indiana, about three-quarters of meth busts now involve shake-and-bake. And injuries are rising sharply, mostly because of burns, said Niki Crawford of the Indiana State Police Meth Suppression Team.

Indiana had 89 meth-related injuries during the 10-year period ending in 2009. The state has had 70 in the last 23 months, mostly from shake-and-bake labs, Crawford said.

What's more, meth-related burns often sear some of the body's most sensitive areas ? the face and hands.

"I don't think a lot of these patients will be able to re-enter society, said Dr. Lucy Wibbenmeyer of the burn center at the University of Iowa. "They'll need rehab therapy, occupational therapy, which is very expensive."

Researchers at the University of Iowa found that people burned while making meth typically have longer hospital stays and more expensive bills than other burn patients ? bills that are frequently absorbed by the hospital since a vast majority of the meth-makers lack insurance.

Medicaid provides reimbursement for many patients lacking private insurance, but experts say it amounts to pennies on the dollar.

Doctors at Bronson Methodist Hospital in Kalamazoo, Mich., performed a five-year study of meth patients in the early 2000s, then a follow-up study in 2009-2010. Their investigation concurred with the Iowa findings. The Kalamazoo study also found that meth burn victims were more likely to suffer damage to the lungs and windpipe, spent more time on ventilators and needed surgery more often.

That report also found that only about 10 percent of meth patients had private insurance coverage, compared with 59 percent of other patients. And in many cases, their injuries leave them unable to work.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/3d281c11a96b4ad082fe88aa0db04305/Article_2012-01-23-Meth-Severe%20Burns/id-c0bd910f1f04435a8092acd8534b2a00

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