Moritz Legal Information Blog

Google is tracking the flu. The google.org: Flu Trends website claims that certain search terms are good indicators of flu activity. "Google Flu Trends uses aggregated Google search data to estimate flu activity in your state up to two weeks faster than traditional flu surveillance systems." In a nutshell, the theory is that people who have the flu symptoms will use google to search for flu-related information. Google says that "[a]cross each of the nine surveillance regions of the United States, we were able to accurately estimate current flu levels one to two weeks faster than published CDC reports." This is an interesting application of Google Trends .

Time has released its list of the 50 Best Inventions 2008 . The #1 invention for 2008 is the "Retail DNA Test." The "$399 saliva test that estimates your predisposition for more than 90 traits and conditions ranging from baldness to blindness." Other notables on the list include a Camera for the Blind , Facebook for Spies , Shadowless Skyscraper , and, of course, Direct-to-Web Supervillain Musical .

The American Association of Law Libraries announces the first annual Morris L. Cohen Student Essay Contest. Currently enrolled students attending graduate programs in library science, law, history, or related subjects are eligible to enter the competition. Papers may be on any topic related to legal history, rare law books, or legal archives. Papers must be submitted by April 15, 2009. More information is available at: http://www.aallnet.org/sis/lhrb/Cohenessayprocapp.pdf .

The Christian Science Monitor has recently announced that it will "become the first nationally circulated newspaper to replace its daily edition with its website". From Georgetown Due Process Blog .