Saturday, February 26, 2011

Greatest Documentaries

1. HOOP DREAMS (1994).

A film following the lives of two African-American boys who struggle to become college basketball players on the road to going professional. Documentaries don't come much better than this. Here we have a sincere, compelling look at the lives and ambition of two inner-city basketball hopefuls.

2. THE KING OF KONG (2007).

Diehard video game fans compete to break World Records on classic arcade games. What an unusually, brilliant look at the formidability of gaming nuts. I was hooked by the plight of Steve Wiebe, as he tries to break the world Donkey Kong record.

3. GRIZZLY MAN (2005).

A devastating and heartrending take on grizzly bear activists Timothy Treadwell and Amie Huguenard, who were killed in October of 2003 while living among grizzlies in Alaska. Straight off the bat...wow! I wouldn't go as far as saying I am sympathetic towards Timothy Treadwell; however, his story and apparent ability to tame wild bears is enthralling. A must-see!

4. THE LAST WALTZ (1978).

A film account and presentation of the final concert of The Band. Give me a concert, which features the likes of Bob Dylan, Neil Young, Eric Clapton, Neil Diamond, etc., and which has Martin Scorsese at the helm, any day - truly enjoyable!

5. THE COVE (2009).

Using state-of-the-art equipment, a group of activists, led by renowned dolphin trainer Ric O'Barry, infiltrate a cove near Taijii, Japan to expose both a shocking instance of animal abuse and a serious threat to human health. If you have a weak stomach, I advise you not to watch this; if you can stomach the worst animal cruelty known to man, this is a riveting watch.

6. NIGHT AND FOG (1955).

The history of Nazi Germany's death camps of the Final Solution and the hellish world of dehumanization and death contained inside. If you "enjoy" war films/documentaries as much as I do, and find man's inhumanity towards other men intriguing, it doesn't get better than this gem of a war documentary.

7. IMAGINE: JOHN LENNON (1988).

A biography of the rock music star. There is nothing more to say other than this being a biopic of a true, iconic legend.

8. FESTIVAL EXPRESS (2003).

The filmed account of a large Canadian rock festival train tour. If this film doesn't make you want to buy a guitar, start a band, as well as live during this drug-fuelled bonanza, nothing ever will.

9. ENRON: THE SMARTEST GUYS... (2005).

A documentary about the Enron corporation, its faulty and corrupt business practices, and how they led to its fall. This is a harrowing look at corruption like no other. It is amazing to believe they got away with it for so long.

10. BOWLING FOR COLUMBINE (2002).

Thursday, February 24, 2011

Law Student Jobs - How To Gain Legal Experience While Still In Law School

Becoming an Attorney is a dream for many people and for that we save up diligently for law school at some point of time. Being a law student, jobs can often be easier to look for, however it isnt exactly going through a good law school. Firstly the fee for a course in a good law school can be very high and secondly they can be taxing and arent everybodys cup of tea. For those who may want to take upon law as a profession would want to look at ways to prepare themselves for it.

Law is more about experience than jobs. It can take you ages to understand the intricacies of important laws. Hence it is important for people to gain experience while they study law itself. Law student employment is not uncommon in this day and age and there are agencies that can help you get the right job for you while you are still studying law. For any one studying there is always the option of law student summer jobs which usually employs students during the period of summer and allows them to gain basic experience. The remuneration is on the lower side but these jobs are all about experience and teach you how to refine your knowledge of the subject at a practical level. Legal jobs are usually high paying but basic law student jobs offer you less money but are a wonderful opportunity to refine your skills. At any particular time you will need to ensure that you take every opportunity you get to take up a job to improve your knowledge and understanding of the profession. Moreover it gives you a taste of what to expect at entry level jobs associated with this profession.

The best part about law student jobs is that they are very good for your curriculum vitae, when it comes to improving the job experience section. At a law student summer job you also have a chance to improve your presentation skills and give yourself direction as to which branch of law would you want to become a part of. This is something that you can only understand once you get a proper taste of the experience and see whether you can cope with it or not. Law student jobs are often advertised in abundance or one can also go through consultancy firms to look for such jobs. The important thing is to be sure which firm to work for and whether the position will give you the job experience you desire. You would hardly want to get a job only to realize that you are doing work that will not help you in the future. More than anything else it would be an unnecessary waste of time. However if you just want a general experience, you could simply land any of the legal jobs on offer.

You may have dreamed of going to law school and becoming an attorney, but have put the dream off due to work or family commitments. Part time programs offered by many schools can give you the opportunity to get a legal education while working or managing other responsibilities. There are daytime, evening and online law programs available.