There has been plenty of press on how the tracks we leave online are going to haunt us – or at least stay with us – for ever. Much has been written, including at this site, about how the vast wealth of information that gets into the cybersphere puts a complete picture of our lives, good and bad, right out in public. The CBC was running a story yesterday about a Privacy Commissioner report warning that young people, as a result of posting too much information online, are being fired and missing out on job interviews and academic opportunities. . . . [more]

Google Street View has finally gone live in Canada. According to the CBC story, Street View is available now in “much of the Greater Toronto Area and in Vancouver and the surrounding area, north to Whistler and east to Chilliwack, B.C. . . . Hamilton, Ont., Kitchener and Waterloo, Ont., Ottawa, Windsor, Calgary, Canmore, Banff and Lake Louise, Montreal and the surrounding area, Quebec City, and Halifax.”

Let the privacy complaints begin! . . . [more]

. . . pretty much.

Amazon announced today that Kindle now comes in an international version that will be released on October 19. For US$279 you get the e-book reader and the ability to download books with “international wireless.”

Except that it is still unavailable in Canada.

Cape Verde (the next country on the dropdown list), yes.

But Canada, no. All of which makes my refusal to buy one on aesthetic grounds kind of meaningless. Sigh.

Clearly this is the result of an inability to strike the necessary deals with copyright groups in this country. It would be good to . . . [more]

Industry Canada has published a new version of its Canadian Consumer Handbook. It is actually quite a good summary of things that the average consumer should know, including how to complain to a vendor, various scams to be aware of, cellphones, charities, collection agencies, fraud, digital TV, door to door sales, gift cards, misleading advertising, telemarketing and travel. It also has a long list of contact information for various organizations.

Lawyers might find it useful to share with clients having those particular issues, and as a resource for contact information. . . . [more]

There is no practical obstacle whatever now to the creation of an efficient index to all human knowledge, ideas and achievements, to the creation, that is, of a complete planetary memory for all mankind. And not simply an index; the direct reproduction of the thing itself can be summoned to any properly prepared spot. . . This in itself is a fact of tremendous significance. It foreshadows a real intellectual unification of our race. The whole human memory can be, and probably in a short time will be, made accessible to every individual. And what is also of very great

The Ontario government passed Bill 118 last April and recently announced that it will come into force on October 26. The government has indicated that there will be a three-month period of education following which tickets will be handed out starting on February 1, 2010.

While some other provinces were quicker off the mark, Ontario’s legislation seems to have garnered the most media and other attention. Employer’s are busy drafting and distributing policies to their workforce and educating them on what the law means.

While the legislation will (or should) change the way people behave behind the wheel, we should . . . [more]

Email lists still exist.

One of the first — if not the first — social media on the internet, they’re still enjoyed by people who like to find their information in their inbox. Though perhaps their number is not what it was when Eric J. Heels compiled his 1996 catalog of Law-related Resources on the Internet.

The International Law Librarians List is of interest because, unlike many, it has a publicly accessible and searchable web archive, which makes it a potentially valuable research tool, of course, and also a source of interesting information if you’re just browsing.

For . . . [more]

(This article comes from the latest issue of LAWPRO’s new Webzine and magazine.)

Almost every day LAWPRO receives calls and emails from lawyers who are acting on files that are possible or obvious frauds. The types of sham matters targeting lawyers range from collections and commercial loans to real estate and mortgage transactions.

Based on feedback, we believe that lawyers and law office staff are generally more aware of the red flags that warn of potential fraud. Lawyers are more often identifying and stopping frauds targeting them.

However, these calls also tell us that several recurring misconceptions are preventing . . . [more]

One of the most enjoyable aspects about working with clients outside the Canadian market is getting exposed to new areas of the law. This was the case when I started working with McClanahan Myers Espey LLP and was introduced to Mike Myers. Mike has a unique expertise, uncovering corporate life insurance policies where the company (and not the family) are the beneficiaries. The practice is more commonly referred to as dead peasants’ insurance or Janitors Insurance, and Mike works on behalf of the families. He is also one of a select few to have a successful track record in . . . [more]

This week was all about looking out vs looking in … navel gazing vs naval gazing, if you will. Let’s spiral in:

Starting all the way in India, we noted concerns that acquisition of Indian companies could lead to higher prices for generic drugs but speculated about some offsetting goo.

Also in India, a story about Glenmark Pharmaceuticals showed how they turned reliable revenue streams into a remarkable focus on innovation, something Canada needs to do as well in the coming years.

A little closer to home, a short article I wrote for Counsel to Counsel Magazine got me . . . [more]

David Bilinsky mentioned it in passing back in August: there are calls for increased civility amongst lawyers. On September 24th, the Law Society of Upper Canada announced Civility Complaints Protocols Established.

According to the press release,

The [Civility Complaints] protocols provide a procedure for trial judges and justices of the peace to refer incidents of misconduct to the Law Society. They also provide for a new process whereby judges can request that lawyers receive mentoring from a panel of senior members of the bar. The mentor will meet with the lawyer to discuss the conduct in question

Allow me this short shameless plug for my latest endeavour. If you’re looking for an entertaining diversion from the high-stress practice of law, head on over to Precedent Magazine where you can read my first entry in a monthly travel column, cheekily entitled The Crime Traveller. This week, I bring you the adventures of summer in Alaska. . . . [more]