Not if the city’s regulators have anything to say about it, there won’t be. (Ivan Osorio, OpenMarket, Nov. 11; Kelly McParland, National Post, Nov. 11).
Archive for 2008
Had one too many to drink?
Lawyer-directory firm Avvo has an iPhone app by the name of “Last Call” that
allows you to calculate your blood-alcohol level to determine if it’s safe for you to drive after drinking. If not, use Last Call to call a cab. Last Call also provides a list of top local DUI lawyers on Avvo to call for help if you need it.
(h/t Denise Howell). More from Scott Greenfield:
I wonder whether some developer at Avvo field tested the concept at the local bar and grill, numerous times, before declaring it a winner? There are many areas where this app could fail, from inputting error (hey, you’re drunk, right?) to claims of encouraging drunk driving by the false sense of security of knowing that a list of DUI attorneys are only a click away. This is a far cry from “just say no.”
On the other hand, when the cop grabs your iPhone at the time of arrest and sees that you’ve used the application, input information that showed you to be intoxicated and drove anyway, even the best DUI attorney will have his hands full explaining that away. …
If you read the marketing language with care, however, you find this: “Last Call is provided for entertainment purposes only.”
It’s always amusing as well to contrast the marketing with the legal disclaimers, as it would be wrong to expect the app to serve the purpose for which it’s sold. No detrimental reliance here.
Medical malpractice in Saudi Arabia
Peanut allergies
Lively discussion of the policy aspects by commenters at Volokh (Nov. 11).
The Navy wins…
…in the sonar-marine mammal litigation before the Supreme Court, which we’ve covered a lot over the years. (Althouse, WSJ law blog).
Plus, the ultimate in post titles for the case: “Habeas Porpoise“.
“Narcissists with Big Egos Lead Many Law Firms, Consultant Says”
The things you learn about by reading the ABA Journal.
Speaking at UNC today
A reminder to readers in the Raleigh-Durham area that I’ll be speaking at lunchtime today to the Federalist Society chapter at the law school in Chapel Hill, room 4082.
While on the subject of North Carolina, it seems the state’s most famous current politician has started his PR rehab with a talk at Indiana U..
Dog awarded Baylor law degree
Guide dog Skeeter Jones, who has loyally served a student during her time at the school, is the lucky canine. I understand Fark.com claims credit for being first to observe that the honoree may already have genuine ambulance-chasing experience. (LegalBlogWatch, Nov. 11).
Microblog 2008-11-11
- Christopher Hitchens: once utopian electoral buzz wears off, nation’ll face pretty much same set of problems as before [Slate] #
- Business preparing to play defense in D.C. on 3 big battlefronts: labor/empt law, arbitration, preemption [NLJ] #
- Pretty neat, Google Reader now translates foreign-language blogs for you [SearchEngineLand h/t @mike_elgan] #
- @gideonstrumpet it’s one of the “laws” of blogging — very hard to predict beforehand which posts’ll draw the biggest traffic #
- “Lawyer Hausfeld Learned of Firing as Chairman From Note on Seat” [Securities Docket] #
- If transcript “is held face down and shaken, thousands of confusion flakes will drift to the ground like snowflakes” [Lowering the Bar] #
- Jamie Gorelick, mentioned as possible AG pick, would bring baggage [Althouse] #
- GM-Chrysler merger = idea that pair of boozers can fix drinking problem by getting married to each other [McArdle] #
Naked Cowboy vs. Mars suit settles
Ron Coleman has the report. We covered the case in June.