Much like Frankenstein’s Monster, every researcher begins with a kind of linguistic infancy—punching in a few keywords, seeing what comes up, and hoping for the best. This is the “fire bad” stage of searching: simple, direct, but often imprecise. Then comes the next phase—the learning, the refinement, the humanizing process. As we grow more skilled, we start using controlled vocabularies Boolean operators, and Terms & Connectors to sculpt our queries with precision. We might even engage with AI-powered tools or Large Language Models that can parse meaning, context, and nuance—much like Shelley’s creature learning to manipulate words and master the expression of complex human emotion. This increases the specificity and relevance of our results, and we exclaim: “It’s alive. It’s ALIVE!” The feeling can be electric!
Read moreMmmm! Ice cream! For many of us, just the thought of ice cream conjures up memories of frosty sweetness on warm summer nights, the familiar ring from the bells of the ice cream truck as it rolled down the street, and sticky fingers as the melting ice cream dripped down the side of the crispy cone. Lucky for us, ice cream is perfectly legal (and not to mention absolutely delicious!), and we don’t need a special day to celebrate its yumminess (but we can!) In fact, we can celebrate it all month long because July is National Ice Cream Month. Additionally, the third Sunday of July has been designated National Ice Cream Day. This year, the holiday falls on Sunday, July 20.
Read moreIt’s not too difficult a nut to crack, but Texans are nuts about pecans. And who can blame them? A slice of pecan pie with a scoop of Blue Bell’s Homemade Vanilla on top is just about as Texan as one can get. We all know it and so does the Texas Legislature. Through the action of the legislature, the pecan has gained a place of honor in the long list of state symbols. It is represented by the state tree, the state health nut, and, of course, the state pie. So, how does something become a state symbol here in the Lone Star State?
Read moreIt looks like there might be a showdown in Houston as the hometown Coogs take on the National Football League (NFL) over the colors of their alternate uniforms. At the beginning of the 2023 season, the University of Houston Cougars debuted alternate uniforms, sporting familiar shades of light blue, red, and white. The color scheme hearkened back to the halcyon days of the “Luv Ya’ Blue” era of the Houston Oilers. Ordinarily, such nostalgia would be welcome. Hometown fans embraced it, but the NFL pulled out the welcome mat from below the Coogs’ cleats.
Read moreToday, September 8, is National Ampersand Day. In addition to sharing a few fun facts about this squiggly symbol, we will discuss a not-so-recent but still-so-trendy practice in the naming of law firms. Over the last 15 years or so, BigLaw has adopted a more polished, less conventional approach to branding. Instead of the more traditional practice of identifying all named partners in the title of the firm, larger firms have opted for more airy austerity. In 2010, just three Am Law 100 firms officially used a single surname, but in 2023, these abbreviated brands are the rule more than the exception. Shortened names may help build stronger brand identity, as those in favor of the trend like to point out, but these elegant eponyms, according to others, lack a critical element – the ampersand, a most elegant emblem itself.
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