Website of the Week

2007 Website of the Week Archive
2006 Website of the Week Archive
2005 Website of the Week Archive

For the Week Beginning December 29, 2008
www.archive.org/web/web.php - Do you ever need to find old websites? This is a search site that can help. It can be handy in finding pages that may have information you can use against a defendant. This is avery nifty little tool.

For the Week Beginning December 22, 2008
www.twitter.com - This loved and reviled "microblogging" service lets users post off-the-cuff updates for their friends and followers to read. And with its combination of big-name Twitterers like CNN and hundreds of thousands of regular users, Twitter is an unparalleled source for breaking news.

For the Week Beginning December 15, 2008
www.apple.com - I'm sure lots more of our readers have iPods this week than last. If you are new to iPod, this is the place to start. One important bit of information that you'll need later on is that when you send in your iPod for a new battery, you will not get the same iPod back. If you send in your iPod for any kind of service you won't get the same one back. Apple will send you back either a new, used or refurbished unit. Also important to know is that Apple will not transfer any data to the replacement unit. Be sure to back up your data and reload when you get a unit back.

For the Week Beginning December 8, 2008
www.eff.org/bloggers/lg/ - Do you maintain or contribute to a blog or blawg? If the answer is yes, you might find the Electronic Frontier Foundation, Legal Guide for Bloggers Legal Guide for Bloggers a useful resource. It covers the following topics:

Legal Liability Issues

intellectual property
online defamation
Section 230 protection (protection for hosting third party information)
privacy

Bloggers as Journalists

reporters' privilege
access to public records and government meetings

Other issues

election law
labor law
adult material

For related information from the journalist perspective, see the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, www.rcfp.org/.

For the Week Beginning December 1, 2008
www.jumpondeals.com, www.currentcodes.com, and www.couponcabin.com - Black Friday is OVER!!! Running with the crowds the day after Thanksgiving can be exhilarating and fun. I'd rather spend time with family and friends than be part of the frenzy, so I try to do most of my shopping online.
Online retailers often beat the prices you find in stores. Make use of electronic coupons or coupon codes, leading to even better deals. If you've never used coupon codes before, now would be a great time to start.
Major online retailers have coupons at all three sites listed above. They'll help you become a smarter shopper. And who knows, maybe you won't have to venture out to the stores at all this season!

For the Week Beginning November 24, 2008
www.patentlysilly.com - Patently Silly shares the details of numerous patents issued by the U.S. Patent and Trademark office that are well silly (and fun).

For the Week Beginning November 17, 2008
www.traffic-simulation.de/ - When dealing with traffic accident cases, there can be an occasional question about highway design and traffic load and flow. You have to consider whether the traffic may have been a contributing factor in the accident. Now there is a tool that may serve as a model for your underlying assumptions. You have the ability to adjust several variables to see what impact they have on traffic flow. The text is in English, but measurements are in kilometers (to convert, just multiply 1 mile by 1.609 kilometers). This is clearly a starting point, not an end point, in winning your case.

This week's tip courtesy of Bruce Dorner, originally published in "The Internet Lawyer."

For the Week Beginning November 10, 2008
www.thomas.loc.gov - This is one primo website. Keep track of all your Federal Representatives and Senators doings. This site has everything you need to know!

For the Week Beginning November 3, 2008
www.refdesk.com - You won't find a site that has more easily located links to factual information (not necessarily of a legal vein). This site has been offering up newspaper web sites in a particular state or country, an 800 number directory, or your favorite columnist. Although this site has been on the WWW for over ten years, you still won't find another site that has more easily-located links to factual information. Whether you need to find a list of all the newspaper web sites in a particular state or country, an 800 number directory, world ZIP finder, a list of online encyclopedias or dictionaries or any other collection of factual information you might need.

For the Week Beginning October 27, 2008
www.abanet.org/cpr/ - The ABA Center for Professional Responsibility homepage provides free ethics and professionalism resources for lawyers. You can find an online version of the Model Rules of Professional Conduct, links to many ethics and professionalism resources and various reports and studies. ABA Formal Ethics Opinions are available and access to the opinions is free for the first year after their issuance for ABA members. You can also purchase individual opinions for $7.50 each, become a member of the Center for complementary copies of all ethics opinions or take advantage of their ethics opinions subscription service to have them delivered to you as they are issued. For a modest fee when you need the help is their ETHICSearch Research Service where staff lawyers do the research for you.

For the Week Beginning October 20, 2008
www.blogger.com - Blogging is one of the great tools you can use to market your practice to let your visitors know what is new in your business as well as in the legal field. On this website you can create your own blog for free and there is a tutorial available for those that are foreign to setting up or the makeup of a blog.

For the Week Beginning October 13, 2008
www.register.com - This is a web hosting solutions website where you can reserve your own domain name. A web hosting expert will speak with you if you have questions on how to build your website for your practice or business. Of course, there is a small fee attached for this

For the Week Beginning October 6, 2008
www.podcastbunker.com - This is possibly the Web's best source of talk radio for your iPod. Unlike other sites that offer podcasts for downloading, such as www.podcastalley.com and www.ipodder.org (two other good sources in their own right), Podcast Bunker evaluates each feed for audio quality and content and only lists the best stuff. Click the Quick Guide for the full list of recommended programs, plus 30-second previews.

For the Week Beginning September 29, 2008
http://del.icio.us - Do you change computers as often as you change your socks? With this site, you can access your web favorites no matter what computer you happen to be using. Del.icio.us is also available as a browser plug-in. It's fast, it's free and there is no advertising.

For the Week of September 22, 2008
techdailydose.nationaljournal.com - This website are for those interested in the role technology plays in government. From piracy to Net neutrality to online campaigning, this site is a fantastic resource for exploring tech policy inside the Beltway.

For the Week of September 15, 2008
www.lawyermarketing.com - LawyerMarketing.com is one of the many websites that lawyer's can find online marketing tips for their firm. You will find a range of articles that touch on branding, making website visitors into phone calls, defining your niche, how to use your biography as a marketing strategy, and other helpful information.

For the Week of September 8, 2008
www.zipcar.com - If you do not own a car or do not want to put a lot on your car then Zipcar could be for you. The hourly rate fee they charge includes gas and insurance too. Go ahead and experience life in the "green" lane!

For the Week of September 1, 2008
www.slate.com - Slate is a website where you can get good analysis on the top political and cultural stories of the day.

For the Week of August 25, 2008
www.rondee.com - If you are looking to hold a conference call with others without all the attached fees, then this website is the one for you. It has the ability to set up recurring conference calls (weekly, daily, and monthly), record the conference call for participants unable to attend and also send an email to all participants an half hour before the conference call is set to begin for free.

For the Week of August 18, 2008
www.livestrong.com - This website is the next best thing to Weight Watchers online if you want to watch your caloric intake or keeping a food diary to help you lose or maintain your weight. Other features include sharing recipes, a "Dare" page to challenge yourself to better time management, stop drinking/smoking, and to stop procrastination. The best thing about this site is - it is free!!!

For the Week Beginning August 11, 2008
http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/clipart/FX101321031033.aspx?pid=CL100570201033 - Clip art can jazz up your presentations and Microsoft provides a huge selection of photos, drawings and animations for FREE!!

For the Week Beginning August 4, 2008
www.deskdemon.com - This website could be one of the many great sites for administrative assistants to add to their 'Favorites' list. It has the tools and articles that may be of great help such as tips for priortizing your work, making and getting great deals on travel arrangements, business etiquette, networking and so much more.

For the Week Beginning July 28, 2008
www.gabar.org/programs/transition_into_law_practice_program - Also known as the Mentoring Program, the Transition into Law Practice Program will afford every beginning lawyer newly admitted to the State Bar of Georgia with meaningful access to an experienced lawyer equipped to teach the practical skills, seasoned judgment and sensitivity to ethical and professionalism values necessary to practice law in a highly competent manner. Contact Doug Ashworth, director, (douga@gabar.org) for more information.

For the Week Beginning July 21, 2008
www.shrm.org - Society for Human Resource Management. This will be an interesting site for your HR professional or firm administrator.

For the Week Beginning July 14, 2008
www.amanet.org - This website has a list of over 170+ training seminars in 20 subject areas for business professionals that include time management, project management, software programs, finance, administrative and supervisory skills, etc. After completing a course, you also earn a business skills certificate to add to your credentials.

For the Week Beginning July 7, 2008
www.selectminds.com - For fun and profit. This is one website you should have on your list for social networking or to market your practice.

For the Week Beginning June 30, 2008
www.rottentomatoes.com - This is a fun one. If you're a rabid movie fan, or just want a little inside info on what's playing now and in the future, this is a great website. It's got release dates (movies, DVDs, games), synopses and critiques. You can really be in the entertainment "know" with this site!

For the Week Beginning June 23, 2008
www.coachingforchange.com - This website is good resource for those that are struggling with time management. You can find checklists and tips to help you through the process of making your goals a reality. As the author states, "You don't find time - you make time. That takes planning and being proactive."

For the Week Beginning June 16, 2008
www.dead-links.com - This website will give you a report of all the bad or broken links that are on your website.

For the Week Beginning June 9, 2008
www.priceprotectr.com - This website tracks the price of items you bought online and notifies you in case of price-drops so you can request a refund.

For the Week Beginning June 2, 2008
Redaction and PDF Files
www.appligent.com - For those who may not be familiar, redaction is the removal or obscuring of certain text before releasing a document to the public. With paper documents, it is pretty simple. Use a black marker to block out the text; then make a photocopy of it. Redacting PDF documents requires special care. Some feel that placing black boxes over the stuff you want to obscure is good enough; however, it is fairly easy to get behind the black boxes and read the "hidden" information.

There are some really effective PDF redaction tools available from the above website. The
products are not cheap, but if you need to distribute a redacted PDF document, you'll want
to do it right.

For the Week Beginning May 26, 2008
www.wififreespot.com - This website will provide you with a list of locations that provide free wifi service such as vacation rental properties, restaurants, campgrounds, and various hotel chains around the country.

For the Week Beginning May 19, 2008
www.vistaprint.com - Vista Print is offering 250 free business cards! These cards have nice graphics to choose from with a beautiful matte finish.

For the Week Beginning May 12, 2008
www.sba.gov - Free, self-paced online courses for learning how to write a business plan to
financing a venture through the SBA.

For the Week Beginning May 5, 2008
www.bbc.co.uk/languages - Want to learn Spanish (probably Castilian), French, German, and others? It's free online with classes lasting up to 12 weeks. How it works - Your instructor will e-mail you weekly with lessons and learning tips. You do not have to be in the UK to take advantage of this cultural enrichment program offered by the BBC.

For the Week Beginning April 28, 2008
http://www.writingclasses.com/HomePages/indexOnline.php - This website has online writing classes if you are struggling with writing creatively. The courses will help you express your thoughts creatively and effectively to your audience.

For the Week Beginning April 21, 2008
www.majorgeeks.com - Is your PC behaving badly? This site has a collection of free and paid apps and utilities for your PC that have been tested to recover, repair, protect, back-up... the list goes on and on. Sort files by name, date, license, OS or popularity.

For the Week Beginning April 14, 2008
www.stopbadware.org - StopBadWare is like an online neighborhood watch. The site keeps an eye out for malicious Web sites and catalogs sites and applications that have been reported. It has joined with Google to warn users about blacklisted sites before it's too late.

For the Week Beginning April 7, 2008
Three great new resources for learning more about dealing with the important issue of electronic discovery are the following:
EDD Update, www.eddupdate.com
Electronic Discovery Law, www.ediscoverylaw.com
Ride the Lightning, http://ridethelightning.senseient.com/

For the Week Beginning March 31, 2008
www.securityfocus.com - Been wondering why you pay an annual fee to a company like Symantec for up-to-date security software? Take a look at the vendor-neutral information on SecurityFocus (click the Vulnerabilities tab to read about the latest exploits) or read the BugTraq mailing list to see what the professionals are up to.

For the Week Beginning March 24, 2008
http://www.epa.gov/epaoswer/hazwaste/recycle/ecycling/donate.htm - Get rid of your gear the green way. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) website keeps a large list of recycling and donation centers for those that are ready to discard their old computers or electronic equipment.

For the Week Beginning March 17, 2008
www.Linkedln.com - This website are for business professionals and career-minded folks. Employers use it to recruit new talent; employees use it to network with others in their field. When you create a profile, treat it like a resume. You can build your personal contacts list by searching for, reaching out to and adding individuals who work for the same company, went to the same business school or know you from a previous job. The site's search filters help you find experts and contacts by company or industry. Basic accounts are free, but you can pay for premium service that grants you greater access to the network, which now boasts more than 11 million users. There are corporate memberships too, and all 500 of the Fortune 500 companies have signed on.

For the Week Beginning March 11, 2008
www.Zoho.com and www.ThinkFree.com - Both of these websites want to help you be more productive anytime you're online, from any browser-not just when you're sitting at your home or work PC. Each offers its own suite of free, Web-based tools that mimic Microsoft Office programs such as Word, Excel and Power Point. These Office alternatives are also compatible with their Microsoft counterparts, so you can import work from-or export it back to-the mother suite. Another advantage to using a Web-based spreadsheet or word processing app is that you can make your documents available to others to view or edit. Google is also going for a piece of this action with its docs and spreadsheets.

For the Week Beginning March 3, 2008
www.hardtofind800numbers.com - With Hard to Find 800 Numbers, you'll never have to scramble for contact information again. The site organizes companies alphabetically and displays phone numbers and hours of operation.

For the Week Beginning February 25, 2008
www.infectedornot.com - Panda's Infected or Not service offers the excellent (and free)
NanoScan tool to ascertain quickly whether there's malware on your machine, and it also
tracks PC infections around the world. Get the data on both active threats and latent
threats, and find out what percentage of scanned PCs have gunk on them.

For the Week Beginning February 18, 2008
www.dafont.com - This website have almost 7,500 fonts to choose from that are uploaded by various users worldwide. It collects some of the freshest and coolest fonts that you'd ever need.

For the Week Beginning February 11, 2008
www.OldVersion.com - At times we feel that new is not always better when we upgrade some applications. If you are wishing to switch back to the older version of a application - this website has it.

For the Week Beginning February 4, 2008
www.ninjawords.com - This website will give you meaning of a word two-tenths of a second faster than any other dictionary site can get it to you.

For the Week Beginning January 28, 2008
www.yapta.com - Yapta is a travel site built on the little-known airline policy of refunding ticket holders the price difference if the fare drops. Simply enter in your flight info and the price you paid for your tickets, and Yapta will track the ticket price for your flight(s) from that point on. If the fare drops before your trip, it will let you know the price difference and how to claim a refund or vouchers from the airline.

For the Week Beginning January 21, 2008
www.websitegrader.com - Want to find out how effective your blog or Web site is at snaring all-important search traffic and inbound links? Submit your URL (and your competitors' URLs) to Website Grader, which gives you some basic feedback on how your site is doing and in what areas it can improve. It's a free way to get advice on optimizing your site for search engines, which can drastically boost your traffic. Just enter in the URLs and Website Grader will do a quick (but thorough) analysis.

For the Week Beginning January 14, 2008
www.myrateplan.com/cellphones - Which phone? Which service? What coverage? Nothing is easy when it comes to cell phones. Trying to sort out the myriad of choices from each vendor could drive you crazy. Visit this website to sort out the information and make an informed decision.