The Mishpat-Update #2

Welcome to the second issue of the weekly Mishpat-Update, Law on the net from http://mishpat.net

This newsletter is sent only to subscribers. If you no longer wish to receive the Mishapt-Update follow the unsubscribe instructions at the bottom of this message.

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In this issue:

1. What's new
2. Suggesting sites and our award
3. Cyberlaw Books
4. Global Strategist game
5. Internet course for Lawyers.
6. Contributors wanted
7. Cyberlaw News

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1. What's new
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The main change to Mishpat-Net this week was a new mail administration software. After the total crash of the mailing script last week, resulting in some of you receiving several copies of the first issue while others didn't get it at all. Our new software seems to be working well and I believe those startup problems are over. If you didn't yet get last week's issue send a blank email to mailto:update1@mishpat.net and an autoresponder will send you a copy.

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2. Suggestions and Awards
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As the web grows rapidly, it becomes harder for researchers to find information online. In order to give our visitors high quality information we frequently update our database. One of the most important methods of finding legal resources to add to the database are your suggestions. If you would like to suggest a site click the "Suggest a site" link at the bottom of every page on the Mishpat-Net guide http://mishpat.net or go directly to the suggestion form at http://mishpat.net/admin/suggest.html (anyone can recommend any site).

If you run a law related web site you can submit it to the Mishpat Award. The Mishpat Award for top legal sites is given every month to up to five law related web sites selected by the Mishpat-Net staff. The award winners will be listed in a special section on the web site, and will be reviewed in the Mishpat-Update newsletter. The competition is new so we will announce the first winners at the end of March 1999.
If you run a web site be sure to submit your site at http://mishpat.net/awards/apply.html (winners will be given a special HTML code to place the award on their site).

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3. Cyberlaw Books
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In next issue of the Mishpat-Update we will publish our first cyberlaw book review. The reviews will also be available at our cyberlaw bookstore (in association with Amazon.com) at http://mishpat.net/books/cyberlaw.html

If you want to write a review about a book, send it to mailto:comments@mishpat.netand we will publish it (with attribution to the writer) in this newsletter and on our web site if it meets our editorial standards.

Our cyberlaw bookstore currently lists 15 books offered at a 10%-30% discount from Amazon.com. You can find it at http://mishpat.net/books/cyberlaw.html

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4. Global Strategist
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Global Strategist is the unique GLOBAL investment game in which players learn about global investing, winning real cash prizes in the process. Unlike other investment games, Global Strategist players construct portfolios by selecting combinations of over 40 of the world's leading stock markets, rather than individual stocks.

I tried this game and the rules are simple - just decide what percentage of your virtual portfolio you want to invest in Australian bonds french stocks etc. and watch how the real markets effect your profile.

To join the fun (free games available) just click the Global Strategist banner on the bottom of our homage http://mishpat.net a new window will open and all you have to do is join (FREE) and play the game.

Have Fun!!!

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5. Internet Course for Israeli Lawyers
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Since many of you are Israeli, I'll take this opportunity to tell you about a new 16 hours Internet course designed to meet lawyers needs that we are starting together with Maytad Ltd. It will cover topics such as using E-mail effectively, online legal research, law related discussion groups, legal cyberspace issues and more. The course will take place in Haifa, starting Friday 9th of April.

For further details call Maytad Ltd. 04-8344311 (Israel)

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6. Contributors wanted
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In a couple of weeks we will start publishing short articles about cyberlaw and internet for lawyers. If you would like your article (400-1200 words) published here, send it to mailto:articles@mishpat.net

All the articles that will be published will include the author's details and a link to his site (if available).

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7. Cyberlaw Updates
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Each week the Mishpat-Update brings you the latest news about online and computer law, with links to the full reports available on the web.

A hebrew version, updated biweekly is available at: http://mishpat.net/cyberlaw-update/heb.html

* Intel's settlement with the FTC *
Intel Corp. and the FTC reached a last minute settlement of government antitrust charges. Although both Intel and the FTC are keeping the settlement details confidential until the full commission votes on it, Intel apparently agreed to give in to the government's demands that it stop withholding chip specifications from companies embroiled in unrelated intellectual property disputes. Intergraph, one of the companies central to the case, said it will continue to pursue its own legal action against Intel.
http://www.lawnewsnetwork.com/stories/mar/e030999i.html
http://www.news.com/News/Item/0%2C4%2C33423%2C00.html?dd.ne.txt.0308.02

* Journalist sentenced for possessing child porn *
Larry Matthews argued that he obtained the material during a news investigation about the online trade of child pornography. He pleaded guilty in order to appeal a ruling that he couldn't use the First Amendment as a defense to the charges. The case carries freedom of press implications because the outcome could prevent journalists from researching illegal material on or off the Net.
http://www.news.com/News/Item/0,4,33457,00.html?st.ne.fd.mdh

* Microsoft v. Privacy *
Microsoft Corporation moved to defuse a potentially explosive privacy issue, saying it would modify a feature of its Windows 98 operating system that has been quietly used to create a vast data base of personal information about computer users. Microsoft has given an entirely new meaning to GUI by including within Windows 98 a Globally Unique Identifier. The GUI creates a unique number, embeds it in documents created on the computer, and transmits it together with information including the owner's name, address, phone number, etc. to MS through the registration wizard. MS is surprised, and assures that the GUI was only intended to forestall system conflicts, but acknowledges that the information may have made its way into a MS database. http://www.nytimes.com/library/tech/99/03/biztech/articles/07soft.html (Free subscription to New York Times required)
http://www.news.com/News/Item/0%2C4%2C33451%2C00.html?dd.ne.txt.0308.03

* Abortion clinic filed suit against America Online and others *
Florida abortion clinic has filed suit on its own behalf and on behalf of a reputed class of plaintiffs consisting of the clinic's patients, patient companions, staff, physicians, invitees, owners and independent contractors against defendants including America Online, Inc., Compuserve, Inc., TML Information Services, Inc. and anti-abortion activists Women's Legal Action Coalition, Christians for Life and a number of individual activists. The complaint alleges that anti-abortion activists used information available via Compuserve and TML Information Services to obtain names and addresses based on license plate numbers of cars driven to the clinic. The activists then allegedly used the information to send the car owners letters and, in some cases, allegedly used the information to harass individuals.
A copy of the complaint is available at
http://www.forerunner.com/fyi/pc1-4-99.htm

* Amazon's Law suits *
Amazon.com has filed a countersuit to answer Wal-Mart's charges of misappropriation of trade secrets after the online bookseller lured away several executives.
http://www.news.com/News/Item/0%2C4%2C33491%2C00.html?dd.ne.txt.0309.09
Bookstore in North Carolina, dropped a lawsuit alleging violation of antitrust laws and unfair competition by Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble, and Borders.
http://www.news.com/News/Item/0%2C4%2C33389%2C00.html?dd.ne.txt.0305.04

* Another Hate Mail Case *
Prosecutors in Los Angeles reportedly have filed civil rights charges against Kingman Quon of Corona, California accusing the 22 year old man of sending e-mail death threats to 100 hispanic people. The messages reportedly included profanities and wild accusations that the Hispanic community is abusing affirmative action to obtain unfair advantages. The e-mail allegedly threatened to kill them all.
http://www.nytimes.com/library/tech/99/01/cyber/articles/29mail.html
(Free subscription to New York Times required)

* Hacking into Chinese railway computers *
Chinese authorities reportedly have arrested fifty one people for buying inexpensive train tickets, allegedly hacking into the railway's computerized reservation system to upgrade the tickets to more expensive tickets and then reselling the tickets.

* Microsoft wants DOJ to investigate U.S. airlines *
While Microsoft is fighting it's own antitrust battle with the DOJ (details below), Microsoft's Net based travel services group, and other online travel agencies are jointly filing a complaint against the airlines with the Justice Department. The filing will ask the DOJ to look at the anti competitive practices of airlines in the way they are trying to control the sale of airline tickets over the Internet.
http://www.news.com/News/Item/0%2C4%2C33568%2C00.html?dd.ne.txt.0310.04

* More stories from the Microsoft trial *
Are Microsoft and the government exploring ways to settle the lawsuit? http://www.news.com/News/Item/0%2C4%2C33446%2C00.html?dd.ne.txt.0309.12 Microsoft Corp. senior counsel William Neukom dumps Million in Stock
http://www.lawnewsnetwork.com/stories/mar/e030899aa.html

If you know of any cyberlaw updates please send them to mailto:news@mishpat.net

This is all for this time,
see you next week

Yedidya M. Melchior
Editor

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