Artists often ignore the legalities involved in exhibiting or publishing their original works, to their detriment. It is essential to protect your rights to the work you have created, and to ensure that you are paid a fair price for your labours. If you wish to retain your ownership interest and copyright in the work, you need to establish those rights and then protect and preserve them.
You remember the old adage - the only things in life that are certain are death and taxes. I assume you pay your taxes every year. But have you addressed the other part of that equation? Or are you one of those people who are putting it off because you don't want to face the certainty of your own mortality? Almost three-quarters of North American adults have not made a Will. That's a frightening statistic, when you consider the consequences of dying intestate (without a Will), and the costs that your loved ones will incur to administer your estate.
There are a few very important legal documents that everyone should prepare to ensure that their wishes are followed and that their loved ones are taken care of. One of these is a Power of Attorney. A Power of Attorney makes sure that your wishes are followed in the here and now, while you’re still alive, but can’t, for some reason, execute them yourself.
Every business needs a mission statement, to serve as a blueprint for business planning and decision-making. A mission statement that clearly states the business' purpose and goals will inspire your people to pull together as a team to accomplish that purpose, and will give management and stakeholders a means of measuring its success.
Law offices must hold all information respecting client matters in strictest confidence unless disclosure is (i) required by law, (ii) authorized by the client, or (iii) demanded by court order. This restriction extends not only to the lawyers, but to all law students, paralegals, administrators and office staff. Every client has the right to confidentiality, and every lawyer has a duty to ensure it.
Oh yes. It's that time of year. No matter how much we wish it would just blow off to somebody else's corner of the world, for the next few months much of the northern hemisphere will have to deal with snow, sleet, ice, slush and cold temperatures, so we might as well just bite the bullet and deal with it.
The first rule of Winter is, if the weather’s bad, STAY OFF THE ROADS. Stay indoors where it’s warm – don’t put yourself or your family at risk. But if you feel you absolutely must go out there, then follow these simple rules which will increase your chances of getting back home safely and frostbite-free.
Wear several layers of loose fitting, lightweight clothing. This traps air pockets between the layers which, when warmed by your body heat, are your best protection against the cold.
Wear mittens instead of gloves. Or better yet, have both with you. Take off the mittens and put on the gloves to perform tasks where you need finger dexterity, such as filling a tire. Bare fingers can get frostbite from handling the metal end of the air hose. (I speak from experience.)
Your ears, like fingers and toes, are very susceptible to frostbite. Wear a toque, wool cap, hood, or warm scarf that you can wrap around your head to cover your ears.
Down-filled clothing, fur (real or fake), wool and fleece all insulate and retain heat well. They also shed moisture, which is important because wet clothing can freeze, forming a layer of ice which reduces body temperature and makes it difficult to move.
The strain from cold temperatures and heavy labor such as shoveling, pushing a car, or walking in deep snow may cause a heart attack in older and less physically fit individuals. If you must undertake strenuous activity, take many rest breaks and keep as warm as you can. Go indoors for your breaks, if at all possible.
Image by H. Cuthill.
