Futurelawyer

Bored? Create A Collection Of Virtual Backgrounds.

As proof that there is always something fun to do, even when the world is in turmoil, I have a fun Saturday hobby for you. How about creating as many virtual backgrounds as you want? I am now creating a collection of weird and unusual backgrounds, and I have a lot of choices when I have Zoom or other video conferencing sessions. This one is fun. Can you identify it? Don't continue reading this post yet. Look and see if you can identify it. Give up? Okay, here it comes: It is a photo of the inside of a cheese grater. I am definitely joining the group of humans with too much time on their hands.

Garlic - The Safe Vegetable

Though widely used as an herb or spice, garlic is botanically a vegetable. It offers a variety of health benefits and is a particularly pungent ingredient sure to spice up your favorite dish. Unlike other vegetables, it's less commonly cooked on its own or eaten whole. My Italian forebears brought me up with garlic. A lot of garlic. Mom used it in her sauces and soup. Little did we know that it would become the way we keep safe during this pandemic. Eat a lot of garlic. You will have no problem with social distancing. You will ingest anti-inflammatory ingredients that will boost your immune system. Garlic, it's what's for dinner.

Stop Complaining...You Will Be Happier And Will Get Stuff Done

You know who they are. Nothing is ever going the way you want. Everything is a problem. Why can't you do it this way? Whine, complain, and moan about the world. Why me? Does all the complaining ever get anything accomplished? My friends and family get tired of Rule #1. No excuses. An excuse is another way of saying I didn't try hard enough or long enough. As the Stoics say: "...the obstacle is the way". An obstacle is just another problem to be eliminated. What would happen if you stopped complaining? Would the sky fall in? Life is much happier and easier if you realize that stuff happens, and the only way to react is to happily find a way to fix it. Read on, grasshopper:

“Don’t hope that events will turn out the way you want, welcome events in whichever way they happen: this is the path to peace.” —Epictetus, Enchiridion, 8

“Accept the present—all of it. Convince yourself that everything is the gift of the gods.” — Marcus Aurelius, Meditations, 10.1

I hear you. The death of my spouse is a gift from the gods? CoronaVirus is a gift from the gods? Please. But, think about it. You can't stop stuff from happening. What can you do? You can find a way to be happy anyway. The gods dumped on you? Be happy anyway. 

I think I am going to stay in my house or office or car, and be happy today. I think I am going to hop in my little sports car with the new fuel injectors and drive to my office and feed the birds and pick up the mail. 

 

 

Are We Having Soviet Moments?

soviet moment. Michael Wade has some really poignant insights from time to time, and today does not disappoint. He recalls the former Soviet Union, in which a complete absence of retail and other businesses created shortages in which citizens found themselves purchasing scarce items wherever they could find them, even if the quantity or need wasn't yet acute. His Soviet moment came when talking to his wife about the great find he had at the convenience store, where he purchased sugar that would normally be found at the grocery store. When you shut down an economy like the United States, it shouldn't be surprised that we are seeing similar problems. Of course, we should see a return to normalcy in a few weeks. We should, shouldn't we?

Before You Complain About Your Internet Connection, Read This.

It was the mid Nineties. Nobody had an Internet connection. I was laughed at by other lawyers who refused to use email. One of them told me "I have a Quill pen, and that is fine for me". I wrote this from an Internet Cafe in Alaska, after walking around for several hours looking for an Internet connection. So, before you complain about the Internet lifeline that is keeping you sane these days, remember that there was a time when we would all be holed up in our houses going crazier than we are now. Twenty Five years ago, I felt like the Pied Piper.

"FUTURELAWYER
The Wired Vacation-You sent Email from Where? 

(Sometime in 1997)

Well, the FutureLawyer has just returned from a cruise through the Inward Passage in the beautiful State of Alaska, on the M. S. Statendam of the Holland America Line.

I was required to teach Internet and Computer Technology on board to pay my passage. It's a dirty job, but somebody has to do it!

I write this column in SurfCity, the only hard-wired Internet Cafe in Alaska, in Anchorage. I am killing time until I catch a flight back home, and this little Cafe is proof positive that the Internet has created a whole new communications connection between citizens of the world. Part of the column were written while viewing majestic Alpine mountain peaks out of the picture window of the library on the ship. At the foot of a mountain range in Valdez sits the Alyeska Oil Terminal, the southern terminus of the 800 mile Alaskan oil pipeline. It is eerily quiet there, as if the world has stopped for a breather before moving on.

I am happy to report that the Internet is alive and well in the Alaskan wilderness. At each stop along the way, the FutureLawyer began his walking tour with a reconnaissance mission to locate Internet terminals. Frankly, I was dubious about the possibility of finding publicly available Internet access during the 5-8 hour port stays of the cruise ship. Happily, I was in for quite a surprise.

In the 1990's , searching for public Internet terminals is a great way to connect with the locals, and essential for the wired traveler in need of an Internet fix.

Terminals are available in almost every public library now, even in remote areas, and in coffee shops, hotels (even tiny ones), and office supply stores.

In our first stop, in Ketchikan, Alaska, I found "Cyber By The Sea" , an Internet bookstore on the Second Floor of the Salmon Mall, a small two-story structure, 2 blocks from the cruise ship dock.

This little mall is populated by a coffee kiosk, serving Raven Coffee (a wonderful blend of roast that woke me up) and souvenir shops selling Alaskan souvenirs to the tourists, who stream from the cruise ships in search of scrimshaw, Eskimo dolls made by native craftsmen, and all of the other tacky stuff we tend to purchase on vacation.

Cyber by the Sea is a small place, but its 4 terminals are always busy, and the FutureLawyer spent a relaxing hour surfing the net, and checking up on email from home. The total price for the hour was under $5.00, and included access to an analog phone line, so that I could use my own computer for access. The call back to Florida and my local access number there, was free. I was surprised that the lack of a local Alaska access number for my service provider seemed to cause no problems at all.

Cyber by the Sea has its own website, at http://www.cyberbythesea.com. Stop by sometime, and tell them the FutureLawyer sent you.

Our next stop, in Juneau, Alaska, was also interesting. This time, I was trailed by some of the cruise ship computer class, and I felt like the Pied Piper as we struck out through the streets in search of Internet access. We made a few friends along the way, and only occasionally got looks of puzzlement as we requested directions to the nearest public Internet terminal.

Finally, we were directed to Copy Express, a small copy and office equipment store, with several Internet terminals. I gathered my small group around me, and plugged in with my notebook computer to a local phone line. Again, there was no charge for the long distance phone call to my Florida access number for my host provider, but the hour long Internet and email class cost around $13, which was somewhat expensive. I resolved, after carrying the notebook computer with me on the first two forays into the Internet wilderness, that I was going to access my POP mail through HotMail or RocketMail at the next stop. It was apparent that public Internet access is becoming mainstream everywhere, and I was now confident that I could find a terminal anywhere, without having to use my own computer.

Copy Express is located at 200 North Franklin St., Juneau, Alaska.

In our next stop, in Sitka, Alaska, I was disappointed to find that the first Russian Settlement in North America, having been abandoned by the Russian Sea Otter hunters long ago, seemed to be less Internet aware than the other towns. However, I was soon directed to a barber shop, next to the SubWay sandwich shop, 4 blocks into town. My source advised me to go through the barber shop, right by the men getting haircuts among magazines, to a coffee shop in the back.

I was amazed to find two occupied Internet stations in the coffee shop, and further surprised to find the Supervisor of the Ship's Casino (whom I now knew quite well for reasons that should be obvious), with one of the Casino dealers, checking their Email, and happily keeping in touch with family and friends in Australia.

After allowing me to check my email on the station they were using, we had a nice chat about the use of Internet free mail at the HotMail site by many of the cruise ship employees, who spend long months away from home and family, and who find long-distance telephone calls to be prohibitively expensive as a way of maintaining contact with family.

Our last stop, before taking a bus to Anchorage for the flight home, was Valdez, where this column began. My experience at the Valdez Village Inn hotel was memorable.

This little hotel, in the middle of a small town, was perhaps the biggest surprise. The clerk at the desk, when asked directions to the nearest Internet terminal, brightly offered that there was a free Internet terminal in the waiting room, and cheerfully ushered me into a small room, with a coffee maker, a microwave oven, and an old 486 computer, running Windows for WorkGroups 3.1, with NetScape Navigator 2.0.

While the slow connection brought back memories of long waits for web pages before 56kbps modem access, the friendly conversation, and willingness to help, caused me to reflect on the sea change that Internet access is bringing to communications among citizens of our great country. At each stop along my trip, I was heartened by the American spirit, and the new personal connection that the Internet has given to us, as citizens of a shrinking world. This spirit is further exemplified by the proprietors of SurfCity, in Anchorage. SurfCity is state of the art, with a hard wired permanent Internet connection, 9 terminals, and a Sixties coffee shop atmosphere that raises recollections of my college days in the city of New Orleans, Louisiana. We are now in touch with each other in an immensely positive and satisfying way, and the result is an interaction and refreshing idealism that makes us truly brothers and sisters on the planet.

The next time that someone derides the Internet as a haven for criminals and evil persons, remember my experience, and remember that every great advance in communications in our century has ultimately been a wonderful boon to communications among us as human beings.

The Internet naysayers are wrong about the impact of the Internet, and I believe that this revolution is wonderful for America, and that it will bring all of us closer together, as we navigate the virtual world of which we are all becoming a part.

If your ever find yourself in Valdez, Alaska, check in at the Village Inn, or at SurfCity in Anchorage, or Cyber by the Sea in Ketchikan, tell them I sent you. See for yourself what the future looks like, in person. Or, better yet, send them an email.

Richard M. “Rick” Georges is a sole practitioner in St. Petersburg, Florida, and is the immediate past Chair of the Technology Committee of the Florida Bar. He is the author of the column, "Future Lawyer" tm, which is published in Warfield’s Tampa Bay Review and many other publications. He is a member of the Florida Courts Technology Commission by appointment of the Florida Supreme Court and the Law Office Management Advisory Service Advisory Committee of the Florida Bar (LOMAS). He has taught law office management, computer-assisted legal research, and micro-litigation skills at the College level. He has presented seminars and training on all aspects of the use of technology in the legal profession, for local, state and national bar associations, and for may public and private entities. He can be reached via email at rgeorges@futurelawyer.com, or at his home page at http://www.futurelawyer.com."

The FutureLawyer Is Young At Heart

Young Lawyer Division - The Florida Bar. I may be an OLD lawyer; but, I have more in common with the young lawyers of Florida than I do with most of my aged colleagues. We use the Internet and tech and are open minded about new things.The webinars sponsored by the YLD are up to date, and deal with current issues that face all lawyers. Today, at noon, for instance, the Division is sponsoring a webinar on conducting effective Zoom meetings. Forget all the hype recently about security issues with Zoom. Used properly, with password entry and blocking intruders, it is as safe as any conferencing app out there. I am using it for client conferences, and general webinars. It is cheap, easy to use, and full featured. Keep your mind active and you will be young forever.

#PoetryFriday - Spaceman

SPACEMAN

He pushed the envelope,
Put on a white spacesuit,
Trained for years,
Simulated weightlessness in swimming pools,
Took a thousand medical tests,
Waited for his day to ride the candle,
up to the moon
and back.

He left his family
waiting
at the altar
of professional accomplishment.
He wondered whether it was worth it
To see the stars.

The spacecraft
had a million parts,
complex computers,
lights blinking madly,
monster engines
burning fuel and gas,
exploding into the darkness
of a launch pad
built with the sweat of a thousand men and women.

When he got to space,
He brushed his teeth,
looked into the mirror,
slept eight hours,
read a book,
did his work,
and looked out the porthole
at the same stars.

Are We In An Episode Of The Twilight Zone?

Twilight Zone Classic. CBS All Access has released the first season of the new series in black and white, giving it the look and feel of the original series. Why am I writing about it? First, am I the only one who feels like he just woke up in the middle of a Twilight Zone episode about a world wide pandemic? Second, I loved the original series, and, in black and white, with excellent writing and plots, the new series is wonderful. You need to subscribe to CBS All Access; but, at $11 a month for commercial free quality TV, it is a bargain. If you love SciFi, CBS All Access is the place to go. They also have the new Star Trek Discovery, which is the best SciFi on TV. So, come with me into the Twilight Zone, a dimension as vast as space and as timeless as infinity. It is the middle ground between light and shadow, between science and superstition, and it lies between the pit of man's fears and the summit of his knowledge. This is the dimension of imagination. This is the Twilight Zone.

Man Invents SureFire Way To Defuse An Argument With His Wife

Brilliant Tactic By Man To Defuse Argument. I find it hard to believe that no husband has thought of this before. This man has shown the way for all of us, in this brilliant tactic to defuse an argument with your wife. Read and learn, grasshopper:

"Local man Paul Jensen is being heralded as a genius and hero after he got the brilliant idea to defuse an argument with his wife by suggesting that she "calm down."

Paul and Rachel were arguing over finances when the idea came to him to just ask her to relax and settle down a bit. He was baffled that he had never thought of this before, as it's such a surefire tactic. He also couldn't believe no one else had ever tried this in the history of mankind since it's such a great idea.

"Why don't you just relax, babe?" said the man in a stroke of genius. "Calm down. Take a chill pill. Settle down. Take a deep breath. Count to ten. Let's be rational here."

The tactic had the instant and immediate effect of his wife calming down, exactly as he had intended. He knew she had calmed down because she immediately threw a pillow at him and left the room, slamming the door behind her -- instantly ending the argument and all of Paul's worries.

"Slamming the door? Oh, that's just a little inside joke between me and her," he told reporters as things broke in the next room. "When she slams the door, what she's really saying is, 'I love you.' Classic Rachel."

Every husband needs to favorite this page and keep it for a rainy day. Are you listening, grasshopper?

MultCloud - So Many Cloud Drives...So Little Time

Multcloud. Am I the only one who is really tired and confused? No, I am not talking about the CoronaVirus; although, that does make me tired and confused. My Stoic training helps me avoid the consequences of CoronaVirus fatigue. I am talking about trying to remember which cloud drive has which file or image that I need at the moment. Microsoft has OneDrive. Google has Google Drive. Everybody has Dropbox, or whatever other cloud service you are using. What to do? Well, I have discovered a cool app called MultCloud. Free for 30 gigabytes per month, and on sale now for $7.99 a month for 150 gigabytes of transfers a month. You just connect it to all of your cloud drives, and then you can transfer files, sync the files, or just get access to all the files in one cloud location. Call it a cloud for the cloud. I am using it to transfer years worth of documents and files from my personal Google Drive to my new GSuites drive. Fun, fun, fun. You have time. Organize your files.