Tuesday, April 1, 2008
dominator - Definition from the Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary
dominator - Definition from the Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary
Dominator defined by Merriam Webster
"dominator"
Etymology:
Latin dominatus, past participle of dominari, from dominus master; akin to Latin domus house — more at dome
Date:
1611
transitive verb1: rule, control
— dom·i·na·tive \-ˌnā-tiv\ adjective
Dominator (roller coaster)
Monday, March 10, 2008
Birdsall Law Offices, S.C. - Lawyer Website Goes Live
Birdsall Law Offices, S.C. is a criminal defense law firm located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, with a law office in Green Bay, Wisconsin. Their new site, www.birdsall-law.com, went live today! Congratulations!
Just a few words about the Birdsall Law firm.
Both of the criminal defense lawyers represent people on any criminal charge.
Attorney John Birdsall defends people against every type of criminal charge, including the serious stuff like sexual assault, drug possession & selling, and porn, and violent crimes such as battery and murder.
Attorney Thedore J. Perlick-Molinari, better known as "TJ", focuses on drunk driving offenses. He just won a hearing for a refusal charge. And he also defends people against other crimes, such as battery, theft.
Friday, February 1, 2008
Who Created The Net?
Did Al Gore Develop The Internet?
Al Gore was instrumental in backing legislation that permitted commercial communications to flow over the government sponsored backbones in the United States. Al Gore envisioned the vital impact that the commercial sector could realize through Internet communications. If he had not backed and pushed through the legislation that allowed the NSF to grow, it is possible that the Internet would have been detained many years and many current electronic communications and commerce exchanges would not exist. It was through Gore's legislation that the commercial sector in the United States grew on the Internet.
From that legislation, Pack and Radio, Pack and Satellite, and ARPANET were developed to further develop and test each of the radio transmissions, mobile-type transmissions and wire transmissions respectively. In 1979, the first tests were conducted successfully (at 100 kilobits per second =). VoIP was tested at that time over a 50 kilobits communication stream through what could be described as compressed methods. The three bands were combined in 1977.
In part, those tests, the original foundation of the net, and the net today carry a common thread that is often called Net Neutrality - freedom of use, speech, commerce and interactivity.
^.com^
Helpful links:
ICANN
IPv4
IPv6
Saturday, January 5, 2008
CS3 Sharing Violation
Have you received a "sharing violation" with CS3?
If so, here are a couple of things to check out.
First, CS3 provides automatic synchronization, so check first to see if you are synchronizing on the fly, and if so, disable synchronization until you correct the sharing violation issue. It may not be the cause, but it can be problematic. Also check your server setup; if you are running a testing server, then your current site or page may be trying to access the test server, and a failure will create a sharing violation. If that doesn't work, go next.
Next, you might try minimizing your screens to look for an alert. In every occurrence of a sharing violation that I have seen, the culprit was the temporary file, which is created because of leftover's in memory (on scratch) when you move from one file to another. Cancel the action. Test. If that doesn't work, go next.
Next, go into site management, and reveal all hidden files. Then look for a TMP file. These are the result of the above paragraph. They are duplicate files created when the first item occurs or when you have multiple sites open (there may be other situations that cause the temporary files to be created, but these two are predominate). Delete the temporary files. Test. If that doesn't work, go next.
Next, clear cache. If that doesn't work, reboot. CS3 creates its own conflicts...
^.com^
Monday, December 31, 2007
Who Is On The Net?
The World Is Online
Asia - about 460 million (12%) of the population and growing quickly.
Europe - About 338 million (42%) of the population.
North America - about 235 million (71%) of the population.
Latin America - about 116 million (21%).
Middle East - about 34 million (17%).
Oceania - 19 million (55%)
Africa - 44 million (5%)
Total - about 1.25 million (19%) of the world is online.
Source - Google, 2007.
As we bid 2007 good-bye and bring in 2008, the numbers above are noteworthy. Regardless of your location, the Internet either is or will play a major role in your marketing scheme. For law firms in the United States, it is an integral part of marketing plans and strategies. Whether you rely on PEW Standard statistics or those above, over 70% of the U.S.A. is online.
^.com^
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
BLOGS - Their Effectiveness & Potential For Malpractice
According to an article in Wisconsin Lawyer by Thomas J. Watson (Wisconsin Lawyers Mutual Insurance Co., Madison) in an interview with Tracey Wood, (Van Wagner & Wood) Attorney at Law and BLOGGER (Wisconsin Criminal Laws & Wisconsin Drunk Driving Laws) and Dan Pinnington (Lawyers' Professional Indemnity Co. in Toronto), BLOGS provide effective marketing communications, but they also are a potential for malpractice. That article is summarized below.
BLOGS
- 10 million + Americans have a BLOG
- Readership up by 50% in past 10 years
- Informs current clients, attracts potential clients, markets legal services
- Gen X'ers [people aged 28-42] and Millennials [people aged 27 or younger] judge attorneys by their web presence
- Madison lawyer Tracey Wood has a blog, and she agrees with Pinnington. "Our blogs have helped us establish more of a presence on the Internet. People do not look for attorneys in the yellow pages anymore - they find them through referrals and Internet searches."
- Attorney Wood receives referrals from her website and BLOG regularly
- Spend the time to post to it regularly
- BLOG establishes expertise in a particular area of law if that lawyer puts up content that is current, informative, and insightful
RISKS
The article provides the following categorization of BLOGS: information or advisory formats, and makes the following assessments.
- Advisory BLOGS give legal advice and risk establishing an attorney-client relationship; conversely, informational BLOGS add a voice to online information devoid of legal advice
- Law firms should avoid advisory BLOGS
- Law firms should avoid BLOGGING in any environment that seeks to establish itself as an authority
- "Many blogs have the comment feature turned off to avoid spam comments or other inappropriate replies being posted." Wood says, "In our blogs, we try to give a general overview of a certain area of law, or alert readers to interesting issues in our field."
- Disclaimers are a must - include both notice that no attorney-client relationship is established and no legal advice is being or is intended to be given
WALKING & CROSSING THE MALPRACTICE LINE
The article provides:
- Canadian insurance underwriter, Pinnington says, "I think it could be argued that referring a client to information posted on your blog post could be construed as providing `advice' from the blog." (See last note below).
- Do not dispense legal advice.
- Do not create any lawyer-client relationships.
- Do not breach any current client confidences.
- Do not make a false or misleading communication about your services.
- Treat your blog like any other form of communication to clients or potential clients.
- Assume your blog is a form of advertising or marketing, and follow the Wisconsin Supreme Court rules governing lawyer advertising and marketing.
ADDITIONAL COMMENTARY
- Wisconsin websites and BLOGS fall under the rules of advertising (Wisconsin Supreme Court Rules 20:7.1, 7.2, 7.3, and 7.4)
- Seek out information regarding client communications on the web in the state of Wisconsin
- If you market into another state, the general rule of thumb is that the ethics rules of that state apply to you whether you are licensed in that state (NY specifically states same)
- Webmasters should not include states in any of the meta data or content (unless unavoidable) that would indicate a desire to market into a state in which the firm does not do business - natural exceptions to the rule would be those associated with a lawyer's credentials such as law schools, prior employment, and prior practices
- Google Webmaster Tools provides a means by which webmasters can localize a website for search purposes
- Pinnington's comments regarding directing people to information on the Internet (where he states that same could be construed as giving advice from that source [if a lawyer directs a potential or current client to their website or BLOG]) may need some clarification. In almost all situations, the lawyers' website or BLOG information is derived from some other source (for example, the Wisconsin Justice Department, CCAP, or a county court clerk's website). A lawyer's website often serves as a convenient repository of link to frequently referenced facts, links to other websites (such as is often found on a resources or law library page), or the attorney's credentials. In those instances, it would be easier and natural for a lawyer to refer a client to their website, and directly to that information ("just click on 'whatever'"). As well, attorneys often publish printed newsletters, and place those on their sites, subsequently referring a client to that article. We believe that Mr. Pinnington meant to refer to the types of articles that claim to be an authority on a subject and seek to dispense legal advice therefrom, or to articles posted by a channel that means to establish itself as an authority in some regard; with that, we concur. Therefore, if the channel in which you BLOG is a recognized authority or referenced by other online mediums as such, then you may be walking that thin line.... or crossing it. We note that Attorney Tracey Wood's BLOGS are posted on her website, which establishes itself as a piece of advertising, and on BLOGGER, which does not establish itself as authoritative on any matter... looks safe to us.
^.com^
Tuesday, December 11, 2007
Tort Alert - Keep Those Websites Updated
Law Firms Have Been Sued For Failing To Update Websites!
According to Larry Bodine, a well known law marketing expert, in May 2006, a Berlin, Connecticut law firm sued his previous employer, a New Haven, Connecticut law firm for failure to update a website that listed a previous employee as one of the members of the firm. The employee, Robert Murphy, had begun his own law firm. However, his previous employer failed to remove his listing as an attorney with the firm. Murphy claimed damages and won.
The same premise could apply to any website that is relied upon for information about a professional, a company, or a service. If you manage any type of professional organization, or any organization that holds itself out to be an expert in any area, then you run the risk of being sued by an employee that leaves your employment especially if that employee goes into competition with you or in a competing line of work.
Law firms be aware - if one of your associates or partners leaves your employment, you should immediately update your website accordingly.
^.com^
Monday, December 10, 2007
Matt Cutts Says Subdomains Being Cut?
According to reports from the Las Vegas PubCon (now, I really wish I would have went), Matt Cutts said that Google will treat sub domains and sub directories in the same fashion - only 2 total URL's from a domain in any set of search results, so the days of 3 or 4 or more spots in the results will vanish.
Why is this a bad thing?
If it is true that Matt's statement can be interpreted literally, then it will mean that companies will need to buy more domain names, then build more websites, which they host on more web servers, and hire more folks to manage the more domains and more websites. Hmmm... being that is what we do, why would we think that this is a bad thing??!?!?
The Power Of A Subdomain
The power of a sub domain cannot be understated. It is through the use of sub domains that companies are able to brand diverse product lines under one global heading, segregate marketing channels under a single identity, or organize an otherwise nearly unmanageable organizational identity for multiples of departments.
So what will it mean if the subdomain searchability goes away as is noted in Search Engine Land's BLOG? http://searchengineland.com/071207-090257.php
From a marketing standpoint, the implications will be horrifying. We will loose the ability to unfold an umbrella marketing plan to cover more unique specific markets for our end users. We will loose the economic opportunity to manifest multiples of product lines under a single domain. And we will loose search engine marketing ranking for previously separated domain specifications.
From a technical standpoint, it will cause an ever increasing issue for domain names, which are already being bought up by the droves by domain resellers here and abroad. But moreover, it will make a current IP-restricted world the victims to those who already hold IP blocks.
From a Neutrality standpoint, it will only serve to drive the forces of already overly zealous monopoly-hungering corporate world ISP's beyond the limits of control.
What is Google thinking??
My crystal ball is oblique. =) The unveiling is yet to occur. My guess is that it will not eliminate the use of subdomains any more than the limits on directories limit the use of directories. If subdomains are used properly, they sub-divide a website into product lines, topics, attributes, services, or whatever other division is needed to make the user experience more friendly. When they are used improperly, they seek to leverage a site up in the rankings or product multiples of results to the same website by using a subdomain as a landing page. So, my guess would be that Google is seeking to define its results better, and hopefully select those URL's which more specifically represent the results of the actual search. More to come on this one...
^.com^
Net Neutrality
Net Neutrality - The Basis of The Internet
Net Nuetrality is a much larger pandora's box than simple control over commerce because it is the basis on which communications are and can continue to be transferred. The Internet transfers information without interpretation - i.e. neutral. A set of rules established in the 70's still exists today and because of its founding fathers' visions (Al wasn't part of those talks), it is built for substantial growth. Those rules allow for communications to be picked up from one location and transferred across communication mediums (wires, radio, sattellite, etc.) to another location. During its travels, the information is wrapped up in a blanket to prevent it from being interpreted; those blanket-wrapped communication bundles are called packets. The packets are dropped off at their destination, and interpreted by a tool - this process is referred to as client side activity because you (the client) have a tool that acts to interpret the information that was sent to you.
Internet transfers work similar to your snail mail. Your mail deliver person picks up your mail from the PO, reads the address, and delivers it to your door in sunshine, sleet or rain. Provided the mail person is not removed from his or her intended route, the mail goes through; a deviation in the routing can cause a delay in delivery or loss of mail.
Simularly, that is precisely how the net handles your communications, and despite any hiccups, Internet communications are delivered to their Internet address.
An ISP - Internet Service Provider - facilitatea that process by managing servers connected to the Internet. The Internet has two main backbones in the United States - one in the west and the other in the east, just like the electrical system in the US, and in fact reliant on it. Many web servers are connected directly to the Internet on the main backbone, while others are connected to another server that is connected to the Internet directly. Previously, whether a server was on the main backbone or on a connector mattered in regards to the ability of that server to provide bandwidth to its users. Today, those discrepancies are far less meaningful in the United States; rather, the differences are more obvious to country location than city location, or to the method of connection by the end client (you, the web surfer) and whether you use dial-up or broadband than they are to whether you are directly on the main backbone or off of it by one or three connections because the throughput has so dramatically improved. The ISP's recieve packets of information, read the address, and deliver it to your address.
If ISP's develop software to interpret the packets, then the process becomes dependant on the recieving software's ability to read the packet that was sent, as well as the sending software's ability to send a packet that can be read. If those types of restrictions exist, then communication outside of the ISP is limited or revoked.
That is the basis of net neutrality - Net Neutrality seeks to keep all communications from one end to another end neutral so that all persons can access, send and receive communications without interpretation. The reason that so many ISP's are up in arms about Net Neutrality is because they either want to control communications so as to restrict what you can read, see, send and receive or they are at the other end of the argument and want no restrictions placed on any net communications. Restriction will undoubtedly limit communications. Any restriction would impact the way the net operates, and it is believed (and probably true) that the ISP's that want restrictions want to create a commerce stream of their own which excludes other ISP access.
Neutrally yours,
^.com^
Saturday, December 8, 2007
Second Life? What Happened To The First One?
What is Second Life?
Second life is an experiment open to whomever wishes to partake. In essence, it allows people to go through the exercise of assessing and resolving a problem and forming solutions to test their outcomes. It is a form of social networking designed to look at financial problems, but has grown into many other fields including legal analysis, jury trial, jury selection, and a host of other adjudication processes.
http://secondlife.com/
If you have time, check it out and let us know what you think.
^.com^
Wednesday, December 5, 2007
Lawyers That BLOG in Wisconsin
Wisconsin Blogs by Wisconsin Attorneys
Wisconsin Criminal Laws - Comments about Wisconsin law by Attorney Chris Van Wagner, Van Wagner & Wood, Madison Wisconsin
Wisconsin Drunk Driving Laws - Comments about DUI defense and DUI laws in Wisconsin by Attorney Tracey Wood, Van Wagner & Wood, Madison Wisconsin
Presumption of Innocence - Freestyle, comments on Wisconsin laws by Attorney John Birdsall and Attorney T.J. Perlick-Molinari, Birdsall Law Offices, S.C., Milwaukee and Green Bay, Wisconsin
Deliberations - Jury selection and discussions about jury deliberations. Deliberations is written by Anne Reed, a trial lawyer and jury consultant in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
Monday, December 3, 2007
IP Blocks
What is an IP Block?
An IP is an Internet Protocol - and easiest to think of as a set of rules by which the Internet operates. The acronym IP is widely known among Internet mail and web hosts (usually just called "hosts"), and is usually associated with the "address". An IP address is an address on the Internet. Theoretically, it is said that every website has its own unique IP address. That isn't exactly accurate. What is accurate is that every IP address on the web is unique, but more than one website can share a single IP address (called virtual hosting, shared hosting, and just hosting).
Can a certain IP address be blocked on the net? Yes, any IP address can be blocked at the firewall of a server and thus prevented access by users attempting to see that website from the specific IP address.
Is blocking an IP foolproof? No. A user can simply go to another IP address and access the site if that IP address is not blocked.
Who blocks IP's? Typically, server administrators perform the actual block of an IP address by entering a block command into the server's net files that says, if IP X comes to visit, block him. However, you can also block IP addresses at the domain level by inserting coding in the web server files. If you insert the incorrect coding, you can block more than just one IP; in fact, you can block all visitors including search engines.
Why would a person want to block an IP address from their website? There are many reasons why people opt to block a particular IP address from access to their website. The most common is spam or virus attacks. Blocking an IP is rarely successful in those situations because of the nature of the attacks - the attacks are usually handled by a program (usually a script) and not a person, although a person wrote the program and executed it. A person who does that sort of thing is guilty of criminal harassment, and can be charged with a misdemeanor or a felony, depending on the nature of the harassment and the extent of damages.
^.com^
Saturday, December 1, 2007
Viewpoints
All of the opinions expressed here are mere ramblings and instant thoughts in reaction to some other catalyst on the net or nothing at all... and only the opinion of the poster.
Thursday, November 29, 2007
Pay Pal - Is it spam?
Is that message that you received from paypal.com actually a piece of spam?
Here is how to determine whether PayPal email's are spam:
First, Paypal messages ALWAYS include your name - the name you use in your PayPal account. Spam usually does not use your name.
Second, if it includes your name and you still question it, do not follow the links within the e-mail; rather, type them into the browser URL. Those links will ALWAYS begin with HTTPS:// because all PayPal website activity is handled on a secure layer - HTTPS.
To see a larger image, visit PayPal Verified.
The URL (address) begins with HTTPS, and the PayPal icon is displayed to the far left of the address.
Another method for determining if an email that says it is from PayPal is actually from PayPal is to read the headers of the email. If it is truly from PayPal, it will say that it is from PayPal.
Headers of an email are similar to a shipping log - they contain the address of original, the route the email traveled if it was sent to another location before arriving at your inbox, and the message's unique identification number. To read the headers of the e-mail, right click on the email (before you open it) and click on "options" or "properties". If it is from paypal, it will state an address, then @paypal.com.
^.com^
Saturday, November 24, 2007
Vertical Integration - Vertically Integrated
What is vertical integration? And what does it mean to you?
An organization is said to be vertically integrated when it either owns or forms alliances with its "upstream" and "downstream" vendors and distributors, from point of origin to point of sale, and in some instances through the point of reselling. To become vertically integrated, a supplier, wholesaler, or distributor usually purchases one or more of its suppliers or one or more of its distributors. The more points of distribution or suppliers owned by a single entity or group of commonly held legal entities, the more vertically integrated the company is said to be.
Vertical integration is not a new concept, it has in fact been at the heart of marketing theory (and the American economy) for decades. I recall my grandmother telling me a story about vertical integration when she proclaimed Henry Ford a "brilliant man who funded his suppliers, built his distributors, and lobbied to replace horse trails with horseless wagon two-tracks".
Ten years ago, companies formed "strategic alliances", which were for all intents and purposes a more glorified name for a vertical integration through a selection process for preferred vendors, a "tying" of selected vendors, and pricing points for gross amounts of business allocated into those companies who were privileged to be a strategic partner.
No, vertical integration is not a new concept. Just last month, Google bought yet another company along its vertical path.
Vertical integration has its upside, as well as its downside. To its benefit, it provides the means by which a product begins as a tree in the forest and ends as the box end on a saltine cracker box having integrated along the way its many counter-partners not the least of which were the mills in Munising, Michigan, the press rollers in Green Bay, Wisconsin, the glue factory in Appleton, Wisconsin, and the printing press in Neenah, Wisconsin.
It is at the moment when one of those links is severed, when the product is imported rather than manufactured in the United States, or when the entire process is outsourced that the U.S. economy begins a fatal deterioration. Or perhaps that statement should be made in the past tense.
The manner in which the term "vertical integration" is used in politics today refers to a political movement of integration from the White House to the corner store. If it becomes anything near the powerhouse of homeland security and the right to ease drop with judicial review, then it likely will have the same benefits as the current or past political managers have seen/done.
However, if the term "vertical integration" is meant to infer growth in privatization in the United States, then perhaps it might be an answer to a problem that is yet - according to Greenspan - still unfolding.
Before you veto vertical integration, consider its roots, and what it meant to the U.S. a mere ten years ago. At that time, it meant the Kimberly-Clark's of the U.S. were forming alliances with providers in the U.S., not outside of the U.S. It meant GM engaging in labor talks without labor unions (forgive me Father - he was a Union Steward) for the purpose of forming alliances between the people "on the field" (i.e. blue collar workers) and the people in the boxes (i.e. the managers) without penalties. It meant streamlining production, cutting costs, reasonable profits, and a product produced by and for residents of the United States.
Before you veto integration along the vertical production of goods, look about your surroundings and count the number of manufacturers in the United States, ask what the gross domestic product ran over the past ten years - then compare it to that of Germany.
Vertical integration is not a four letter word. It is the means by which the United States may privatize its production. Why? You ask, do I use the term "privatize"? Because production in the United States is not privatized any longer; it is internationalized. Privatization means ownership by the inhabitants of the country, rather than its government. But what is difference between the means of production upon which a country thrives - and survives - being owned by an international - and non-US - company and it being controlled by a government that redistributes the wealth back to the multitudes? When production becomes internationalized, when imported goods exceed exported goods, when the economy goes global, so does poverty. And folks: poverty expands into wealth like heated molecules into frigid air.
Perhaps it is time for companies in the United States to form alliances and to build their nationalized strength - that is vertical integration at its best.
And what does vertical integration mean to you? After all, you cannot buy a court (or at least you shouldn't be doing that sort of stuff), and you cannot buy your advertising agent, but you can form alliances with those who "serve" you and with those you "serve" to better the process through which you achieve your firm's goals. As was true of strategic alliances ten years ago, it means being accountable to your upstream, as well as your downstream. It means taking responsibility for outcomes. Business is never "just business".
^.com^
Tuesday, November 13, 2007
3 Steps To Get Rid of Spam
Three steps to get rid of spam!
- Set up a rule for spam in your e-mail program. It is really easy to do. Step-by-step instructions guide you through the process.
- Download the free trial version of CA - Computer Associates - AntiSpam AntiVirus program. Try it for 30 days free.
- Get a cold beer... you just got back 3 hours of your day.
CA Handles SPAM
CA is Computer Associates. CA handles spam wonderfully well! We highly recommend it.
Without hesitation, we recommend Computer Associates.
How to get it - Get Computer Associates Anti-Spam, Anti-Virus Plus program now. Note - even if you have a firewall on your network, this program will work with it. It does not interfere with the firewall applications or hardwired firewall box. Rather, it handles email after it arrives in your e-mail program.
Others We've Tried & What We Think
- Trend Micro - Good, but not as good as CA. We got hacked while using it. We actually liked the trial version better than the full version.
- Norton - Good, but not as good as CA. Aside from being lesser than CA, we were not impressed with being inundated by spam during our trial version when in fact we did not have that much spam before the trial version.
- Adaware - Good for cleaning up spyware, but it does nothing for spam.
The Spam Rule
Taking on the spam battle is like going to war and not knowing who the enemy really is!
For a very easy to follow, straight-forward set of instructions to set up a rule in your Outlook program to direct spam to the deleted folder, rather than the inbox, see
OUTLOOK RULE - SET IT UP - EASY TO DO - REDIRECT SPAM TO THE DELETED FOLDER
Monday, November 12, 2007
Dear Spammers:
While the world may be focused on the latest political agenda, people whose businesses rely on the web are screaming, "I'VE GOT SPAM! GET RID OF MY SPAM! I HATE SPAM!"
If you would like to voice your opinion about spam, post a blog note here... click on COMMENTS.
We are happy to contribute right away!
^.com^
