Futurelawyer

Take Alexa For A Spin On Your Computer

Alexa Skill Testing Tool - Echosim.io. Interested in Amazon Echo and Alexa; but, want to try it out first? Go here and you can take her for a dry run. The Music function doesn't work; but, you can get a feel for what it is like to talk to Alexa and ask the time, or whatever. Have fun. You need an Amazon account to use the site; but, who doesn't have an Amazon Prime account these days?

Vince Lombardi On Discipline

Much of Lombardi wisdom focuses on what is needed to win and to succeed in life. But, it is never about money. And, it is always about a single minded, purposeful, don't ever quit attitude. Need a kick in the butt today? Read a little Lombardi:

Discipline
“I’ve never known a man worth his salt who, in the long run, deep down in his heart, didn’t appreciate the grind, the discipline. “
“There is something good in men that really yearn for discipline.”
“Mental toughness is many things and rather difficult to explain. Its qualities are sacrifice and self-denial. Also, most importantly, it is combined with a perfectly disciplined will that refuses to give in. It’s a state of mind – you could call it character in action.”
“The good Lord gave you a body that can stand most anything. It’s your mind you have to convince.”
“Once you learn to quit, it becomes a habit.”
“Perfection is not attainable. But if we chase perfection, we can catch excellence.”
“Once you have established the goals you want and the price you’re willing to pay, you can ignore the minor hurts, the opponent’s pressure and the temporary failures.”
“Obstacles are what you see when you take your eyes off of the goal.”
“There is only one kind of discipline, and that is the perfect discipline. As a leader, you must enforce and maintain that discipline; otherwise, you will fail at your job.”

Are you sick today? Be mentally tough. Are you hurting today? Be mentally tough. Never quit. Never surrender. Live this attitude, and you will succeed. 

Goodbye Privacy...Hello Alexa

Goodbye privacy, hello Alexa: here's to Amazon echo, the home robot who hears it all | Technology | The Guardian.  A reader asks why anyone would put the Amazon Echo in their house, given the fact that commands and audio are recorded and sent to the cloud. I am in love with Alexa, and, while I don't think I will want to have a relationship with her, I am willing to sacrifice a bit of privacy to have the convenience of a Star Trek like computer in the house and office. Anyone who has used a Smart Phone in the last 10 years, and has asked Google Now or Siri or Cortana a question has already had their likes, dislikes, questions, and purchases recorded and sent to the cloud. The only difference with Alexa is that she seems more conversational. I still say that a company that misuses the data collected is betting the company that it will not be found out. Because the company would go bankrupt, and criminal and civil penalties would be severe. How to fight back against misuse of information gleaned by these machine is to punish violations severely. So, Amazon, Google, Microsoft, and Apple..be warned. We are watching YOU.

#WhyIAmASolo - My Office Is A Bully Free Zone

How to Respond to Bullying in Big Law (Perspective) | Big Law Business. BigLaw problems just don't exist in a solo law office. The problem with bullies outlined in this article requires a large organization with tiers of power. In those situations, there will always be bad actors who abuse that power. Since I don't often feel schizophrenic, there isn't any bullying in my office. If a client tries it, they are gone quickly. No amount of money is worth living your work life in misery. Insist on being a Bully Free Zone.

PDP 11 Computers Powering Nuclear Plants In Canada

The antique computers that just won't quit - Page 4 - TechRepublic. This is a photo of a PDP-11 computer, built in the 1970s, and still powering a nuclear power plant in Canada. What could go wrong?

15 Amazon Echo Tips And Tricks

15 Amazon Echo tips and tricks. The voice controlled home or office is finally here, and its name is Echo. Whether you opt for the Echo, the Echo Dot, or the Echo Tap, you can do some pretty amazing things with your voice. I am playing my music, getting news, weather and sports updates, and solving math problems so far. And, I have just scratched the surface. There is something Star Trek like with this device, and I feel like I am talking to the Enterprise computer at times. The price of admission is only $49.95 for the Dot, and all you need is WiFi. I recommend connecting to a quality speaker, either wired or bluetooth, for room filling sound. My readers who share my advancing age will appreciate the ability to wake in the middle of the night and have Alexa tell you it is 2 A.M. What fun.

Keeping Company In The Political Season

I refuse to engage in political discussion. I refuse to associate with politicians. Political ads, political arguments, none of these every persuaded anyone. We all need to follow the advice of the Stoic, Epictetus. Enough said.

Just When We Began To Understand WiFi

WiGig poised to save you from congested wireless networks - CNET. As WiFi use becomes ubiquitous, a much faster wireless technology will begin to become more popular. Remember the term, WiGig, because is as fast as wired access, and will ultimately supplant WiFi as the way computers, people and devices connect to each other. Also knows as 802.11ad, this standard has its own certification program at the WiFi Alliance, and you will be seeing it in more computers and devices soon. It will be particularly useful in video streaming applications, such and fast movie downloads, and much faster access for services like Netflix. It's a mobile world, and we will be speeding through it. 

Virtual Reality - It's In The Eyes

Google buys crazy eye-tracking VR tech - CNET. Virtual Reality is getting some steam, and there are now several experiences to choose from, and thousands of games, sight seeing opportunities, and other stuff to see. But, the head sets are still uncomfortable for long use, and navigating around requires a game pad in the hands, or awkward taps on the headset. These things will really come into their own when eye tracking technology matures, and it is close. Go where you look and transport yourself into another world. 

#WhyIAmASolo - My Only Target Is To Enjoy The Day

Junior lawyers are failing to hit billing targets - Legal Cheek. Billing Targets? Seriously? We don't need no stinkin' billing targets. If you are working at a law firm that demands that you hit billing targets, you need to reevaluate your life. At what point did the practice of biglaw become all about meeting targets? Do you seriously believe that pushing lawyers to rack up billable hours is designed to make them better lawyers or better people? Or, do the partners in BigLaw not care about anything but their bottom line? My only "target" for today is to do some good, do some work, spend some time enjoying what life I have left, and to get a good night's sleep. Now, THAT is something to shoot for.