1L And 2L Outlines

Here.

Latest Quiz Making The Rounds

Wackiness: 138/100
Rationality: 124/100
Constructiveness: 70/100
Leadership: 100/100

You are a WRCL--Wacky Rational Constructive Leader. This makes you a golden god. People gravitate to you, and you make them feel good. You are smart, charismatic, and interesting. You may be too sensitive to others reactions, especially criticism. Your self-opinion and mood depends greatly on those around you.

You think fast and have a smart mouth, is a hoot to your friends and razorwire to your enemies. You hold a grudge like a brass ring. You crackle.

Although you have a leader's personality, you often choose not to lead, as leaders stray too far from their audience. You probably weren't very popular in high school--the joke's on them!

You may be a rock star.

Quote This

"I could stay there for days. In fact, I was there for daze." - Andrea

Amsterdam Trip

Annie, Armen and I went to Amsterdam while Brian went off to Paris. I'm not allowed to mention what Annie and Armen did or didn't do in Amsterdam so I'm going to treat this post as if they weren't there and it was just me.

I had left my BritRail pass at Fitzwilliam's but the guy checking for tickets told me it was alright as I feigned searching for it. Just another thing I can get away with I suppose. The departing flight out of Stansted to Amsterdam was late, which was fine by me since it gave me a chance to do some of the 60 page reading for the next Sports Law class. It was a quick flight, less than an hour spent on the plane.

After taking the wrong hotel shuttle - Dorint Sofitel and Dorint Novotel are different - and then dropping off my bags at the right hotel I went to another hotel to have dinner since it was the only thing in the area that was open. The place was a recreated 50's American Diner. Luckily, there was a USA Today paper to keep me company.

I woke up refreshed the next day but didn't get out of the hotel until a few hours later because of people who didn't do anything in Amsterdam, didn't wake up until much later. After I took the train into the center of Amsterdam, I had lunch and then bought myself a Canal Bus pass to tour Amsterdam. It was a good idea since it hit all of the major tourist destinations and it gave you a tour of the canals as well. I got off at the museums stop and visited the Rijksmuseum where, inter alia, I saw this. Next up was the Van Gogh Museum where this was displayed alongside this with this in the next room and this on the same floor. Annie, who wasn't there but if she was, picked up an Almond Blossoms umbrella and some magnets to stick on the fridge. That was it for the museums.

I ended up walking around trying to find the Red Light District but Armen, who wasn't there but if he were, couldn't lead the way even after having asked for directions a few times. Who knew it was so hard to get answered the question, "Where are the prostitutes?" So I walked the city of Amsterdam stumbling upon the sights by chance. Finally, we I made it to the Red Light District.

So basically, the women are behind windows or glass doors and those without the curtain shut closed are available for their services. After asking one of the ladies - asked and only asked, not charged - I found out that 50 euros gets you 15 minutes. And what do those 15 mintues get you? "A fuck and a suck" I was told and everything else too, which includes snuggling I suppose, Brian. By the way, a word of caution, if you go down certain alleyways, though they appear otherwise, they're not women. At the urging of people who were not there I took in a peep show for 2 euros. It was lame. The women behind the glass doors were putting on much better shows to attract customers. Also, it might interest a reader or two or three of mine to know that I found a Thai Massage place there.

After semi-experiencing the Red Light District, we... I mean I... decided to seek out a place that Andrea had suggested, The Grasshpper. So yeah, this being my first time trying to get high I was told by a certain somebody who wasn't there that I wasn't doing it right if I wasn't coughing it back up. Being so advised, I took a long drag on it and tried to swallow the smoke. Much coughing ensued. Now I'm pretty certain it was trying to swallow the smoke rather than the cough I already had from whatever illness struck me last week and has decided to stay with me. I just smoked a single joint - the cheap stuff of course, I mean being a neophyte, how was I to tell the difference between the good stuff and the cheap stuff? - and unlike that Clinton fellow I inhaled, but I'm pretty sure I didn't get high. How do I know this? I still found Armen and Annie to be more annoying than amusing afterwards. On our way back to the hotel we picked up for ourselves a few space cakes. I decided to save mine for the train ride to Brussels.

Quote This

"Are you going to sleep with a prostitute?" - Annie

Want Snacks With That Night Vision?

Maybe I can convince Annie to go to a "coffee shop" with me in Amsterdam with the following info.

We knew it gave people the munchies and made them giggle. Now researchers claim to have found a new property in cannabis - it helps us see in the dark.

Observer columnist Sue Arnold, who suffers from retinitis pigmentosa and is officially registered blind. She noticed several years ago that drawing on strong Jamaican skunk suddenly and temporarily enabled her to see things clearly.

But Ms Arnold has since warned of side-effects that could impede night-time navigation.

"Only trouble was," she said, "I couldn't stand up."

If You're a Cheap Flaming Lib

Go here.

Another International Kissing Day

Has passed without me as a celebrant. Go here for more.

This Weekend

Brian just left for Paris and I'll be leaving for Amsterdam with Armen and Annie soon enough. I just checked the weather and rain is the forcast for the entire weekend in Amsterdam. I'll be back Sunday with all the details.

Night At The Baron of Beef

Four orders of chicken nachos that were no good; I had the House Combo, which was decent, an extra cold Guinness, and shared four pitchers of Red Bull, vodka and ice - lots of ice. We sat out in the beer garden, it was cold, it rained heavily, everyone got wet, didn't get the wooden spoon. Best of all we were approached by a drunk Englishman who admonished us for not drinking an English drink. But he did recommend another pub though he wouldn't go so far as to divulge where all the good looking women were to be found.

Cambridge Program Thus Far

I received the following email from the captain of the Dream Team blawg of law students.

Mr. Soller,

I notice you're at Cambridge nowadays-- for the summer? for longer? As you've
no doubt discovered, it isn't the most happening place, although the best
ethnic food is down Mill Rd., and the buses/trains to London aren't
prohibitively expensive.

Anyway, just thought I'd drop you a line and ask how you're enjoying it; I was
there last fall before I decided to cut my study-abroad period short. It was
definitely an experience.

Best,
Will Baude
Crescat Sententia.

As always I'm honored everytime someone from a higher-tiered blog decides to drop in and take a look. But for the life of me, I can't understand why anyone outside of my circle of friends or those outside of SWLAW would take a look.

Anyway, as far as the summer abroad program I'm participating in, that ends the end of this month, it's been slow going thus far. As Mr. Baude wrote, it's not the most happening place. You can do the whole town in one or two days. That would be taking a guided tour of the place, walking/biking around the town, and punting the river Cam. Outside of that the only thing to do here is sample the many pubs. Not much fun to be had in Cambridge. But it is an experience and the three day weekends along with the Britrail pass affords me many opportunities to travel, which I have unfortunately been unable to take complete advantage of because of classes. Hopefully things start picking up this weekend.

The Internet Situation Here

4 computers to serve not only those in the SWLAW program, which number 40, but also the other programs here at Fitzwilliams College. So there's usually a line of people waiting to use these things which means I'm not only rushed when blogging but also a bit guilty posting to this thing. So expect the frequency and the quality to be even worse than usual for the next month.

The Women Of England Catalogued

The inspiration for the following ranking system came from our punting tour guide who said this, "There are only three things you need to know about Cambridge 1) the weather here is rubbish, 2) the wine here tastes like vinegar, and 3) the women here are ok but only ok."

Cambridge - any woman in England who looks ok - there are definitely women in Cambridge who are not "Cambridge".

Oxford - better than ok - though this may be debatable, it's only debatable to the point that some idiot would argue that USC is better than UCLA.

London - since the city is somewhere in between Cambridge and Oxford the women we call London are better than those called Cambridge but not as good as Oxford.

Heathrow - the best looking girls, called so because Heathrow is the way out of England and back home.

Brian and I are so clever and homesick.

Question Of The Night

Quote This

"Everything mixes well with White." - Ryan

Quote This

"We just saw a version of Stonehenge." - Brian

Brian Is Going To Kill Me

For this. And it's going to be a double homicide. Ain't that right Sean Paul?

UPDATE: By the way, Brian's rating is obviously skewed on that site so let's start afresh by ranking him in my comment's section on a scale of 1-10 with a 10 being hot and a 1 being a not.

Quote This

"Get a fucking clue." - Brian

Tap Dancing Klan

It was the only part of Jerry Springer - The Opera performed at the Cambridge Theatre that was entertaining. The Brits think otherwise.

The World Premiere received unprecedented rave reviews, standing ovations from critics and the public alike. Since its beginning at Battersea Arts Centre three years ago, the hit show has gone from strength to strength, its run having already been extended twice.

I thought a few of the performances were good but the material was trash. Annie came out thinking the Brits have a different sense of humor than us but I look at it as another manifestation of anti-American sentiment. The night in London was a very expensive one and not worth a single pence of it. We had dinner before the opera at TGIF - they call it "The American Restraunt" - and the prices here are double what they are back in the States. After the opera we split up for a short time and tried to catch Armen and Annie at the Tower of London but were unable to do so. But at least I got to see the outside of the Tower of London.

Today, we went to Harrod's for lunch. Their celebrated food hall is nothing but a glorified cross between a mall food court and a farmer's market. We didn't even have lunch in the food hall instead we had it at Mo's Diner were the food again was overpriced and the service was terrible. We did a bit of shopping and then Brian and I made our way back to Cambridge with Annie and Armen staying to see a few of the sights.

A Very British Day

It consisted of punting down the river Cam, enjoying tea time, catching some of Wimbledon on tv, and having curry for dinner.

It's All A Ploy By Southwestern

Being here at Fitzwilliams College makes me really appreciate the facilities at Southwestern.

Quote This

"Why would [Andy Roddick} move from Mandy Moore to Wayne?" - Annie

Quote This

"Curry would be good if it weren't spicy." - Annie

A Quick Quiz

As they made their long way from Sir Isaac Newton's to Pure, which two girls from Section B ducked into an alleyway to squat and pee, after Brian and Wayne had finished their business between the trash bins, only to have a cyclist pass by? Of course, I'm too much the gentleman to say who the two were. But I'm not so much the gentleman that I won't say who it wasn't. It wasn't Ingrid, Annie, Kate, or Yanna.

The Bus Ride Into Cambridge

A few of us delayed the departure of the bus by about twenty minutes. This was so because as we were standing in line to purchase our tickets we were told that we could and should just pay the bus driver instead. The thing is, the bus driver didn't have change so he told us to go back to the ticket office. Of course, we first had to convince him to not leave without us, which wasn't so hard since he had already loaded on our luggage. At the ticket office, as we were approaching to the head of the line, two of the three cashiers decided to either go on break or call it a day. Then they hasseled us to get our tickets quickly so that the bus can finally depart. As if that wasn't enough it took close to four hours to make the 60 mile trip from the station to Cambridge and that was with the bus driver missing a stop, which elicited many "bloody hells" directed towards the bus driver.

The Flight

The flight departed over an hour late. It was 10 and a half hours nonstop. Starsky and Hutch was one of three in flight movies and they also showed a British sitcom that wasn't funny at all and an episode of That 70's Show which was hilarious in contrast. The British couple seated next to me, in an indication of just how bad the food is in Britain, scarfed down with delight the airplane food while I struggled with it. And that was the uneventful flight.

I Really Should Be Packing

But I couldn't resist responding to this comment.

First of all, thanks for the sympathy. Now let's see if we can come to some understanding of my school's GPA policy by talking it out some more.

One of the justifications for the curve is that for a period of time graduates of my school were passing the bar at a very low rate when they first took it - though most were said to have passed it the second time around. A panel was commissioned to look into it and they came up with this 2.2 - 2.4 GPA curve. Apparently there was a correlation between grades and passing the bar.

With a curve this low I see one or two things happening - tell me if there's more - 1) a certain number of people are going to have to have failing grades and/or 2) a majority of the students are going to have to have mediocore grades. Now I have no problem with failing students who deserve to fail a class but I do have a problem when students who have mostly middling grades because of the curve might be forced out of school because they have had done poorly in a class or two. And I think that's what happens when you have a curve - 2.3 - that's so close to the cutoff - 2.0. It could be happenning to a friend of mine who was at a Cum. 1.98 GPA before the final grade came in. If that were his final GPA, he would be forced out of law school because he's below the 2.0 cutoff even though he's only 0.32 - that's less than a third of a grade people! - off the curve where most SWLAW students are bunched around.

And yes, with such a curve, it makes it difficult for a majority of SWLAW students to find a decent job in the legal profession even if the school does send out a letter with our transcripts explaining the curve. That's what pisses off most students but it's those certain students who are forced out of law school - students I believe who could pass the bar - because of the curve that gets to me the most.

Now they do call it a soft curve, in that the professor can always petition to raise - or lower - the curve for a particular class but the petitions rarely, if ever they have, bumped it up significantly above the 2.4 mark.

The whole thing doesn't seem right. Can someone else make sense of it for me?

About As Sappy As I Get

Final grade came in so I'm posting them now instead of later and giving you the same choices as before.

Let's see those grades.

Or

Let's see those educating wood figures instead.

By the way, keep in mind, my law school is on a 2.3 GPA curve. So don't think less of me than you already do if you do check out my grades.

Also, it should go without saying but I'll say it anyway. Whatever shortcomings my grades reflect are my own and not of the support I received throughout the semester without which I would have done much worse. So a thanks goes out to Brian, a lifesaver who shared more outlines than I care to recall; Annie, who helped me with Property and Civ Pro on the whiteboard; and Bunny, Rita, Sean, Arpineh, and Trini for participating and offering their insights in group study sessions - I hope you all did better than I did.

I've only refered to the last week of studying for finals, but I'd also like to thank them, and Macy, for providing me with the more enjoyable experiences - only a small portion chronicled here - of going through that first year of law school that on balance made it not only bearable but dare I say it, fun. One should only hope for more of those experiences. But with friends like you I know with certainty that many more of those experiences will come to be shared and pass into happy memories in not only the next two years but beyond our stay in law school. I love you all, take care, and I'll see you when I see you.

Next Post To Be From Cambridge

I leave Sunday evening, from now until then I have plenty to do so post #800 will have to wait until after then.

Bolt Action, Laser Sighted, Electrically Controlled

It's "the most advanced, automated, fastest loading" of it's kind. Yes, it's a gun, and yes, it uses uncut french fries as ammo, and yes, I'm going to put one up to my head if that final grade doesn't come in soon. (link via Biting Tongue)

Yet Another Reason To Love My School

The GPA's online have changed - so far everyone's has changed for the worse - but the final grade has yet to be posted. So the hope is that the school made a math error that it just corrected rather than the final GPA's having been posted ahead of the final grade. It's all completely maddening.

UPDATE: I'm being informed that the GPA's haven't changed. Apparently, they're now reporting the GPA's up to 1/1000 of a point rather than 1/100 of a point. Thanks for the scare Southwestern.

What stupid celebrity are you destined to kill?
Name
Birthdate
You killed
With a
On	March 13, 2013
Created with the ORIGINAL MemeGen!

Still Waiting For Civ Pro Grade

I'm not so sure that this would be worse.

Just Thinking Of The Neighboring Women

I wonder if the Trader Joe's that recently opened down the street carries this. If not, a request might be made.

My Grades Explained

A German sociologist Werner Habermehl says regular sex can help university students pass exams and get better grades.

Habermehl from the University of Hamburg said he and his team had tested students before and after sex.

They found that regular sexual activity significantly increased mental capability, but they found celibate students found it harder to make the grade.

As well as decreasing the length of time needed to complete a course, students with a healthy sex life also received better marks, said Habermehl.

Knowing this, I wonder if I could get financial aid to cover trips to the Thai massage parlor.

Civ Pro Grade Still Not In

Did Prof. Civ Pro II forget to turn in grades before leaving for Argentina?

Maybe Licking A Flag Pole Isn't Such A Good Idea

Favorable Dicta links to this story:

A British stripper had to quit her job because the pole she danced around gave her a rash.

Quote This

"You may as well go lick a flag pole." - Annie

Final Grade Should Be In Today

And the fate of a buddy of mine will be partially decided. The funny/sad thing about it all is that this guy is doing competent work for a lawyer this summer, which is more than what most students from Southwestern can say. It's not right at all but my buddy could be the poster boy of what's wrong with the 2.2-2.4 curve at Southwestern. Let's all hope he gets that C+.

Random AIM Conversation

Xann: i found all kinds of things
Bruin7089: What kinds of things?
Xann: lots and lots of feminine products
Xann: the strangest thing
Xann: it's like i'm some sort of tampon squirrel
Bruin7089: nice
Xann: hiding my sticks until the time of the month
Xann: they were everywhere
Xann: i have a huge pile of them
Xann: i don't think i'll need to purchase any for awhile

Six Legal Bloggers

Answer the question, "If you had the power to change five things about the practice of law, what would you change?" Answers here, here, here, here, here, and here.

When Justice Kennedy Visits

Southwestern to commemorate the new courtoom I'll be kissing ass for a job as a Supreme Court law clerk.

The intense annual competition to lure elite Supreme Court law clerks to top law firms is reaching record heights this year, with some firms offering jaw-dropping hiring bonuses of $150,000 or more.

These bonuses, added to base salaries in the third-year associate range, make it likely that some of the Court's 35 law clerks this term will be paid upward of $300,000 the first year they leave their justice's chambers. By contrast, Chief Justice William Rehnquist is paid $203,000 a year, and associate justices make $194,300.

Another Alternative To Match.Com

From Single Republican.Com:

Conservative American singles, are you frustrated with huge mainstream dating sites? Tired of sifting through thousands of profiles only to find liberals that don't really share your viewpoints on important issues? Well you've come to the right place!

We are dedicated to helping conservatives like yourself meet their perfect soulmate. Join now and start meeting other conservative singles today!

"...Despite the liberals you've been dating, there is hope out there." - Rush Limbaugh

Hell, even if I weren't a Republican I'd consider dating a GOP babe.

Where's Shaq Going?

First of all, I don't think Shaq is going anywhere but it's fun to think about and it gives me an excuse to take a break from my reading so here it goes.

Shaq probably has only three more good years left in him, he has a huge salary, and the Lakers are not going to take just anyone for him. Any team wanting him has to be thinking that by adding him they're going to be competing for the NBA championship next year and the two years after that. No team is going to start a rebuilding process around Shaq, he's just too old for that. That would narrow the number of teams down to most of this year's playoff teams. Now most, if not all, of those teams don't have the salary cap room to add Shaq to their rosters. But I don't know the intricacies of the salary cap so I'll just leave it at that for now. Those teams are also going to have to be able to give up enough talent for Shaq and still keep enough talent around Shaq to compete for a title. So there's no way Shaq is going to the T'wolves because the only player of worth to the Lakers on that team is Garnett and there's just no way that's going to happen.

Taking all of that into consideration, it would seem that the Mavericks, Pacers, Kings, and Grizzlies have the best shot of landing Shaq. Shaq and T-Mac have talked about meeting up in Dallas and the Mavs have an owner in Mark Cuban's who has a history of taking on salaries. The Lakers should demand Nowitzki and someone else but the rumors have it that the Mavs are not going to move him for anyone but there's still some combination of Walker, Nash, Jamison, and Finley to consider taking. The Pacers have some good young talent to part with like Harrington, Bender, and Artest. Adding Shaq to the other O'Neal would give the Wallaces a run for their money. The Kings would probably have to give up Webber or Miller along with Peja or one of their point guards. The Grizzlies, with Jerry West, could possibly get away with trading the Pau Gasol straight up for Shaq.

Anyway, enough of what I think and my procrastination.

Quote This

"That's why they have the Logic Games section on the LSATs, so you know how to play out the different possible games in choosing classes." - The Serious Law Student

Before I Forget

Congratulations to my sister for making it a trifecta and participating in the most boring graduation ceremony I've attended. I guess you can't expect much from the mathematics department. Also, to any who happen upon this site, a happy Father's Day to you with a special thanks to those who brought hot chicks unto this world.

Good News For My Summer

It's not the only reason to stay in Britain and visit France and Spain but it's the only reason I need to stay away from Germany.

British women are the least hairy in Europe.

But their German counterparts are the hairiest, according to a survey by razor manufacturer Wilkinson.

A Europe-wide study from the company looked at the hair-removal habits of 1,000 women.

The survey found British girls are the ones who undertake the most hair removal, with more than 93% saying they use razors before wearing skirts and shorts for the summer.

Germans fell way behind with just 40% saying they regularly shaved. This however shows an improvement of seven per cent from studies carried out two years ago.

Spanish women ranked just behind the British with 82% preferring the smooth to the natural look. French and Italian ladies lay in the middle - but with more shaving than not.

Nothing on the Netherlands.

Rose Is A Genius

And I'm an idiot.

we do know a couple of things that stimulate brain cell production. One of them, of course is anti-depressants.... But there are many other ways of stimulating the production and some of them are pretty damned interesting. One is if you put an animal on a wheel and let it run ad libitum and they run up to about 10 kilometres overnight, they make about twice as many neurones.

The other thing is that certain molecules produced during sex also appear to be highly stimulatory of neuronal production.

So running a lot, which Rose does, or having sex, I do neither, produces brain cells. Too bad the just honeymooned Bunny couldn't have delayed her finals until now.

Planning for Spain

The Fiesta and the bullrun occur every year from July 6th through July 14th. The "chupinazo" (opening ceremonies) is on July 6th at 12 noon. The running of the bulls takes place every morning at 8am from July 7th through July 14th.

From here.

cuyaz: YOu know what will be in spain while we are there
Bruin7089: What?
cuyaz: Running of the bulls
cuyaz: I am not sure I would run with the bulls though
Bruin7089: Why not?
cuyaz: Don't want to die
Bruin7089: It's like 7 people out of a few hundred who die
Bruin7089: those are good odds
cuyaz: True
Bruin7089: YOu don't even have to get close to the bulls
Bruin7089: We should do it.
Bruin7089: With me running in front of you.
cuyaz: Okay, I will give it some thought
cuyaz: It is one of those things you have to do in your life
Bruin7089: you run, you hop off to the side and watch
Bruin7089: not that hard
cuyaz: Or you run, a bull gores you and you have two places to shit out of now
Bruin7089: I think it's overrated unless you happen to be one of the few who are gored.
Bruin7089: Three places
cuyaz: This is true
Bruin7089: Less time on the john.
cuyaz: More time in the hospital
Bruin7089: and your health insurance that you signed up for kicks in
cuyaz: I wonder if my insurance I just bought will over me
Bruin7089: It's probably in the fine print/boilerplate

Quote This

"but now that i think about it i either way its either a cause for celebration which entails a lot of drinking or a depressing time which requires a lot of drinking, either way it looks like i'm getting hammered" - Rizbang (on the final grade coming in tonight)

There Is So

"[It] can be a viable full- / part-time business."
"[It] is especially suitable for those living on fixed or limited income or who can't keep livestock of any other kind."
"[It] is one of the most sustainable micro livestock enterprise that lends itself to urban and suburban settings."

Annie and Brian know what it is.

All True But The Umbrella Part

How to make a Soller

Ingredients: 1 part success 1 part crazyiness 1 part instinct

Method: Layer ingredientes in a shot glass. Add a little cocktail umbrella and a dash of emotion

How to make a Southwestern Law Student

Ingredients: 5 parts anger 5 parts silliness 1 part empathy

Method: Combine in a tall glass half filled with crushed ice. Add a little lustfulness if desired!

How to make a Top Ten% Law Student

Ingredients: 3 parts competetiveness 1 part arrogance 5 parts ego

Method: Layer ingredientes in a shot glass. Serve with a slice of curiosity and a pinch of salt. Yum!

Username:

Personality cocktail
From Go-Quiz.com

I Too Can Be Sexy If I Try... Or Don't Try... Or Try Without Appearing To Try... Huh?

A couple of posts at The Volokh Conspiracy that I found interesting especially after last night's discussions with Brian, Trini, and Kate. First, from a friend of Prof. Volokh's:

I think almost any man can be sexy, can become a good flirt, can learn to attract women, if he is truly willing to. Like most social skills, the general principles aren't that mysterious, and are quantifiable if you pay attention.

But most men don't really want to be sexy; they want sexy to be them. I don't mean to man-bash, men are one of my favorite genders, but it's such a waste of resources. Like you, I know tons of great women. They're (list of all the good adjectives), and people want to be around them.

I think it's particularly true that most men can learn to be sexy, since women are more forgiving about looks, which are less changeable . . . . Maybe it's easier for women to cultivate appeal, since we're sort of more raised with the idea of adapting ourselves, rather than just "being," but men can do it.

And I know a fair number of (good adjectives) single men, but [it's generally] also clear why they're single. They don't listen, and won't; they won't get a real job; they're boring but don't want to acknowlege it or do anything about it. Hey, if that shirt was "in" when they were in high school, no need to see if any ads/mannequins/humans under 60 wear it today.

I don't have a single female friend who hasn't asked herself, "What am I doing wrong?" and been totally open -- often too open, in a self-blame-y way -- to the answer, and to changing the answer, often with great success. But I almost never find that men ask that question, or are even willing to hear the answer, let alone do anything about it. Instead, single men in my experience behave as if the only life possibilities are being the way they are, or acting. The idea of growth and change don't make the radar.

Of course some men welcome growth and change. But those men grew and changed, or were pretty cool to start with, and are usually -- not always, but usually -- hooked up. . . .

A former student responded:

As a man who is intimately concerned with what makes a man sexy, I can say that your friend Marilyn got it only partially right. Yes, boorish manners and a bad shirt can completely remove a man from the running. Yes, attention to the civilities of the day can give even the most aesthetically challenged man a shot at scoring a mate. . . .

[But] I find it is often a man's resoluteness in the face of what I shall call here adversity that makes him sexy. It is his adamantine surety of place as he strides into a room that makes him noticed. Were he to be engaged in the constant questioning of himself that Marilyn suggests, I reckon it might be more difficult for him to pull this off.

As an example, I offer what an observer of gay male culture might call the fetishization of the straight man. It is not that he, the straight man, is so much more attractive or well dressed than a gay man. Quite often the opposite is true, with the average gay man perhaps being better groomed and tailored than the average straight man. Rather it is the sheer *effortlessness* with which an attractive straight man can achieve his attractiveness that makes him sexy; his insouciance wins the day.

Gay men simply try too hard, often attempting to look perfect, which always fails and leaves him looking simply . . . false, stilted, fabricated. The straight man (the metrosexual and Marilyn's dream men aside) rarely goes to this length, and it is the imperfection in his appearance that gives it the veracity of the virile....

"[I]t is self-confidence that yields sex appeal, not constant self-awareness and adjustment."

Prof. Volokh writes:

Very interesting -- I hadn't thought of it this way; I suspect that many women's perspective, conscious or not, is much like the gay man's perspective that Geoffrey describes.

Of course, this means that one needs to adjust oneself so successfully that it looks like one isn't trying to adjust oneself at all. The same is probably true for women, at least in some measure: The best makeup is the makeup that's so good that it looks like you aren't wearing any makeup.

But naturally this sort of self-improvement is much harder than the self-improvement Marilyn originally wrote me about -- and the self-improvement she described might yield less payoff than one might at first think. So maybe the "I'll just be me" slobs she describes are (sometimes) being more rational than we gave them credit for being.

Enough analysis already, someone give me the conclusion, or a bright line rule at least, to resolve the issue of what to do to be a sexy man. Eh, whatever, I can always blame women for my failure to be a sexy man as one puts it:

[T]he real source of male slovenliness: women. If women weren't so damn forgiving of slobbiness, if they weren't prepared to look for the diamond buried in the rough of a man's beer-belly, men might have to shape up a little. The only reason gay men are - on the whole - better turned out than straight men is because they have to appeal to other shallow, beauty-obsessed males to get laid, find a mate, etc. The corollary, of course, are lesbians. Now there are many glamorous lesbiterians, but even the most enthusiastic Sapphic-lover will have to concede that many are not exactly, shall we say, stylish. The reason? They don't have to be to attract other women; and since women find monogamy easier, they also slide into the I'm-married-so-what-the-hell-have-another-pretzel syndrome. When straight women really do insist on only dating hot guys, men will shape up. Until then, it's hopeless.

As Brian put it, "women are sucky."

Quote This

"I like kissing and you cannot kiss with Lefty." - Brian

When Lawyers Date

Link from JD2B:

On June 5, you agreed to accept dinner, paid for in full, by me, based on your stated offer that we would go out again. In that you have ignored all overtures to said follow up meeting, you are hereby considered in breach of contract.

To that end, you are being invoiced for 50% of the cost of the dinner, pursuant to the offer. For the record, the offer presented you with the option of not going out again and paying for half of the dinner, or going out again and not paying at all. You accepted these terms, choosing to go out again, as stated above, but have since failed to deliver your end of the agreement. In that this was merely a promise to meet, and not a promise to marry, the agreement is binding under New York law and does not require a written agreement (i.e. statute of frauds).

Furthermore, this is absolutely not a joke.

Your share is 50% of $74.51 which is a total of $37.25. Payment in full is expected within 30 days

My life is rated PG.
What is your life rated?

Oh To Be Young Again

A year younger and I would have saved $102.50 on my BritRail pass, a 25% discount.

Don't Ever Listen To A Poll

I caved in and checked my grades, not good. I'll post them when I receive them all, which should be by the end of this week. For now, I'm too depressed to do any more posting for the day. Catch you all later.

UPDATE: Torts grade is in, not what I expected and that's not a good thing.

Hubie Umber Would Have Appreciated This

Link via Favorable Dicta - who also happens to be having schnitzel today:

The state is posting billboards with messages such as "Isn't she a little young?" as part of a campaign to dissuade men from having sex with underage girls.

In 1999 and 2000 in Virginia, men over 18 were responsible for 219 births involving girls who were 13 and 14, the department said.

Messages such as "Isn't she a little young?" and "Sex with a minor, don't go there" also appear on posters, coasters and napkins in bars, restaurants and stores in five cities.

Property Grade Is In

Torts and Civ Pro are left. I should know all of my grades by next Monday.

My Fellow Southwestern Students, We Are Not The Peers...

Of those at Duke, Stanford, or any other of the law schools to my knowledge. But I think we all knew that already.

In an attempt to bring its assessment policies more in line with those of its peers, the School of Law will implement a new grading system, raising the median for certain classes from 3.1 to 3.3 grade points and lowering the maximum possible score from 4.5 to 4.3.

The change, however, is not expected to have a significant impact on students' transcripts, since the new median will only apply to classes of 40 or more students; furthermore, only 5 percent of any class may receive above a 4.0.

At the same time, there was concern that the students' abilities were not accurately represented, as many other schools use higher medians to set grading curves--Stanford Law School, for instance, sets its median at 3.4. Consequently, many feared that Duke students would not be as competitive as job applicants from peer institutions.

Many law schools, such as those at Harvard University and the University of Chicago, have scrapped the 4.3 scale entirely. Harvard follows an 8-point system, and the University of Chicago uses a system with points ranging from 157 to 185. After reviewing such alternatives, Duke opted for a more traditional scale.

"We thought it was more helpful to use an established system rather than an alien one," Newman said. "Employers have to make very quick judgments, and grades seem to be very important in that process."

Although grading system changes often raise questions about the potential for grade inflation, administrators said the changes are not significant enough to warrant such concern.

"We essentially fine-tuned our system to reflect what peer schools are already doing," McLauglin said. "We are not leading the pack to simply benefit our students."

So are there any other law schools out there with a 2.3 median GPA?

Lakers vs. Pistons

Can someone please tell Kobe to stop settling for jumpers, to attack the rim instead, and maybe then the disparity in free throws will end.

If For Some Reason You're Not Sure Whether You're A Summer Associate Or Not...

Read DG's list.

More On Billable Hours

Seriously, keeping track of billable hours - and meeting a set number of billable hours - has got to be the worst thing about being a lawyer.

Lawyers aren't so lucky. If you're tussling with a statute and your eyes glaze over, the length of time spent glazed isn't billable. If that same cute little hummingbird -- there he is again! hi, hummingbird! -- hovers in the tree outside your office window and waves hello, the time you spend smiling at him is not billable. In the time it takes to get up, go to the bathroom, get a cup of coffee or glass of water, and return to your desk, you've just squandered 0.1 billable hours.

Summer associates are not pressured to bill, but we're not stupid, either. This is the time to acclimate, to become adept at nickel-and-diming your workday to an extent unprecedented even for people like me who've done it before. I guess thinking in six-minute quanta becomes intuitive with sufficient practice....

Yet it amazes me that people can bill in tenths of an hour, log thousands of those six-minute increments every month, shackle their attention spans and obsess and skip workouts and not be doing it for the love.

Read the whole thing.

A Possible Useful Resource For Some Of Us This Summer

A Sports Law blog.

AnnaLynne: Born at 7:17pm on June 6, measuring 8lbs. and 21 1/4 inches.

You're Prufrock and Other Observations!

by T.S. Eliot

Though you are very short and often overshadowed, your voice is poetic
and lyrical. Dark and brooding, you see the world as a hopeless effort of people trying
to impress other people. Though you make reference to almost everything, you've really
heard enough about Michelangelo. You measure out your life with coffee spoons.


Take the Book Quiz
at the Blue Pyramid.

Paper, Fireworks, The Great Wall...

and the padded bra?

Archeologists have dug up a 1,000-year-old padded bra in China.

The gold-coloured bra was found in an ancient tomb being excavated in Inner Mongolia's Aohan region.

Archeologist Shao Guotian said the bra belonged to a wealthy woman from China's Liao dynasty period.

He told local newspapers the bra was made of fine silk with shoulder straps and back strings.

Is there any doubt that the padded bra would have been invented by Asians? Excluding from consideration, Brian's mom and sister.

One Reason I Need A Girlfriend

Of 500 men and women drivers tested, 65% of men were found to change their driving style when a woman was sitting next to them - 44% saying it was because they tried to drive more safely.

Well that and the whole getting brain in the rental thing.

World's Filthiest Joke

Link via Taunting Happy Fun Ball:

Some of the biggest stars in world comedy have worked together to put the world's filthiest joke to film. The joke, known as the "Aristocrats" is one of the longest running in-jokes in the standup comedy industry, being passed amoungst comedians backstage for years. The joke, which is not really funny (which is part of the joke - you see), is about a family auditioning for a talent show using the most obscene behaviour possible.

Eddie Izzard, Billy Connolly, Chris Rock, Robin Williams and the makers of South Park are among the comedians who have recorded versions of the joke for the film which is to be shown at the Edinburgh Fringe later this year.

Here's the Southpark version, which is said to not even be among the top 5 dirtiest.

This Is Why I Don't Check My Grades Until They're All In

The following are from three consecutive posts at Not for Sheep. If I had been checking my grades, you could be certain that every one of my posts from then until now would have concerned grades and I, not her, would be the cyber drama queen of the legal world.

This is going to sound really dumb (and overblown), but I am scared about tomorrow.

First grades are posted tomorrow and not only do I feel constantly nauseous, but I can't stop this weepiness. Or blogging about it and being the cyber drama queen of the legal world.
During first semester, I learned the value of a good cry: crying is just how I release my stress.
Right now, crying is not relieving my stress.

In undergrad, my biggest worry was to get an A- in a course. In hindsight, such worries appear futile and shallow. These days, I'm worried that I bombed Property and torched Crim Law and quite possibly, got sacked by Legal Writing, especially after the oral argument.

And...

3 out of 5 grades are in.

The test I totally blew off and panicked on--did very well. Like, eye-poppingly good.

The test for which I studied my butt off--passed... but I am extremely disappointed in my grade. I killed myself studying for that thing...!

And...

As I worry and fret about my grades while consuming cheese puffs by the gross, I figure that if my legal career doesn't pan out, I'll just become a landscaper or something. A grotesquely obese landscaper with a craving for cheese puffs who quotes Marbury, reads sci-fi, and ponders the boundaries of probable cause when pulled over in a car whose windows are not tinted.

Hot or Not

Brian and Sean are going by the names of deli77 and frenchdip24 on Hot or Not. Find them, send me the links to their respective pics, and win the first ever no-prize award of the month.

By the way, someone come up with a good sandwich name for me.

or...

Welcome Pervs

Looking over my stats for this blog I was surprised to see that so far I've had about 4 times as many first time visitors than I usually have. Following is a list of how some people from my past 100 visitors have found this site (search engine and search terms).

Google alia travel
Google alia travel
Google alia travel
Google inter alia
Google phil jackson knockers
Google phil jackson knockers
Google phil jackson boobs june 7
Google phil jackson boobs june 7
Google anthony j. lindhorst
Google anthony j. lindhorst
Google phil jackson change seats
Google phil jackson june 6 boobs
Google anthony j. lindhorst
Google anthony j. lindhorst
Google st thomas university women genetic infidelity
Google anthony j. lindhorst
Google inter alia
Yahoo ! 0.4 shirts laker shirt
Yahoo ! phil jackson boobs
Yahoo ! phil jackson boobs
Yahoo ! phil jackson boobs

Now really, who wants to see Phil Jackson's boobs? And why are there so many of these people out there? The second most popular search that brings people to this blog is the guy who added his own special sauce to sandwiches.

Final Results Of "Who Will Marry Next" Poll

Annie 10.4%

Brian 17.9%

Macy 9%

Rita 38.8%

Sean 0%

Wayne 11.9%

None, they will only have each other as poor substitutes for spouses. 11.9%

Thank you to those who participated, especially to all those who know nothing about any of us and those who were able to vote more than once. One question, why no love for Sean Paul?

By the way, all those who voted for me, feel free to send an email with pic.

Congratulations

A list here and here of those with blogs who have graduated from law school this year.

See what Care Bear you are.

Some Good News Is Right

Link from Sean Paul:

The ratio of lawyers in California per thousand people in the state now nearly approximates the national average following a decade in which California clearly had an oversupply of attorneys.

That finding — a major conclusion drawn by RAND in an assessment of future workforce needs for California lawyers through the year 2015 — bodes well for employment of California attorneys following a turbulent few decades when the U.S. experienced an unprecedented explosion in the number of lawyers per capita, with California leading the way.

First, the labor market appears to have adapted to changing demand in the recent past through adjustments in wages and number of hours worked. Lawyers also are more able and willing to move in and out of the profession in response to changing demand, a fact evident at the bar as lawyers move from active to inactive status.

Second, law schools currently do not expect to increase their enrollments in the coming decade, and third, law firms certainly are not expanding their hiring as rapidly as in the booming ’80s. These trends, along with an expected expansion in California’s economy that opens other alternatives to graduate school and/or law school, are expected, according to researchers, to maintain equilibrium between supply and demand.

Lakers vs. Pistons

Luke Walton is awesome, why couldn't Rose have dated him?

I'll Be Doing A Little Extracurricular Reading This Summer

Yahoo! News:

In a bid to lure men in Britain away from TV soccer games and into book shops, publisher Penguin Books will send out a sexy model to offer 1,000-pound ($1,837) prizes to males spotted reading a selected title.

The publicity ploy, launched Monday, aims to boost sales among men, who on average buy fewer books than women.

Penguin's so-called Good Booking Girl will canvass the streets this month for men older than 16 years reading versions of Nick Hornby's "31 Songs" that bear a special cover sticker.

A different title will be chosen each month.

At the same time, Penguin, a unit of Pearson Plc, released results of a poll in which 85 percent of women said a man could increase his chances of getting a date by talking about a favorite book.

Here's the reading list.

"It's to sex up the book industry, which probably needs it, but also to address the more serious issue that reading has fallen off the radar of younger men," said Neil Griffiths, author of Penguin-published "Betrayal in Naples."

Or maybe it's just to sell more of their books, from Penguin's website:

What women really want is a man with a Penguin. You may not even need to read it, just bend the covers, let it stick out of your pocket and the book will do the talking!

I'm Luscious

W	Wired
A	Arty
Y	Young
N	Natural
E	Elitist
F	Famous
O	Overwhelming
N	Naughty
A	Adventurous
C	Controversial
I	Intense
E	Extreme
R	Refreshing
S	Secretive
O	Odd
L	Luscious
L	Lucky
E	Exhausting
R	Revolutionary

Name / Username:

Name Acronym Generator
From Go-Quiz.com

I'm Using This Excuse

From Ananova:

Some people may be genetically programmed to be unfaithful, a scientist claims.

Professor Tim Spector, of the Twin Research Unit at St Thomas's Hospital, London, says sutdies of twins suggest a genetic component to infidelity.

If one of a pair of women twins has a history of infidelity, the chances her sister will also stray are about 55 per cent, he claims.

And the tendendy for the pair to be either faithful of unfaithful is strongest in identical twins, who have the same genes, he says.

In general he claims the proportion of women as a whole who are unfaithful to their partners is around 23 per cent.

I'm leaving out the part about the environment playing a role of course.

Also from Ananova and a reason to make your own lunch:

A former cook at an Illinois restaurant has been ordered to stand trial after putting his semen in sandwiches.

Police said that Anthony J. Lindhorst, of Waterloo, Illinois, deliberately contaminated food on at least two occasions by putting his semen into honey-mustard dressing.

Random AIM Conversation

fliplic1ous: did u know annette had the baby?
Bruin7089: duh
fliplic1ous: HOW COME I DONT KNOW THIS!
Bruin7089: I don't know!
fliplic1ous: pshh nice family
Bruin7089: Pshhh
Bruin7089: nice cousin
Bruin7089: not informed
fliplic1ous: lol
Bruin7089: so what's going on with you?
Bruin7089: are you having a baby soon?
fliplic1ous: helll nooo
Bruin7089: well why the hell not?
Bruin7089: using protection?
Bruin7089: or on the pill?
fliplic1ous: because im 17 you retard
fliplic1ous: im not having sex! geez.
Bruin7089: 17 year olds can have babies
Bruin7089: you retard
fliplic1ous: yeah but im not going around having sex
Bruin7089: well the virgin mary didn't have sex
Bruin7089: and you see what happened there
fliplic1ous: hahah
fliplic1ous: hahaahaha i dont think im the next virgin mary
Bruin7089: of course not
Bruin7089: you're the first virgin lindsey

The "Who Will Be Next To Marry Poll?"

In an obvious attempt to not win the poll, Annie, has taken to campainging for Rita.

So It Wasn't Just Me & My Sex-Obsessed Mind

PTI mentioned the set of knockers that graced television sets across the nation every time coach Phil Jackson was shown posing Zen-like on the Lakers' bench. Apparently, someone had the boobs change seats.

Happy Birthday!

My cousin Annette gave birth to a girl last night. More details later.

UPDATE: The birth reminds me of this post by transmogriflaw.

Carmen Electra Reminds Me Of Law School

It's wrong. She mentioned pet kinkajous as hostess of TV You Weren't Meant To See on VH1.

That Should Show Them

Bunny and Ellisen had considered a July 24 wedding date - the whole 24/7 thing - but decided against it because it was J-Lo's birthdate. Apparently, J-Lo got word of this slight and decided to show the Turner's how Jenny from the block gets even.

Bunny's Wedding Today!

Which means she is soon to come off the IR.

New Poll

Bunny's wedding is tomorrow, which brings up the question of who among my set of law school friends, myself included, will be next? For your handicapping purposes:

Annie - the only one among the field currently in a relationship and it's been a long-term one.
Brian - says he has one more year to get over the ex and is attracted to women already with boyfriends.
Macy - coming off a long-term relationship but is currently sharing custody of a dog with said ex.
Rita - man in her sights with the possibility of an arranged marriage to another man being considered.
Sean - attracted to skinny bitches, no shortage in L.A. of those.
Myself - lonely enough to have put up a profile on Match.com, but not lonely enough - yet - to have included a pic.

So there's the field of early to mid-twenty year old friends who have finished their first year of law school. Who among them, if any, will be the next to experience marital bliss? The poll will decide.

Bunny's Pre-Wedding Dinner And Poles

Didn't have that much to drink last night. Not enough to even crash at Brian's let alone get it on with Patrick. The drink at Brian's and the drink at Miyagi's balanced out to about two drinks, which was more than enough to get me tipsy and then some on my empty stomach. I started sobering up in the middle of dessert, which was green tea ice cream served in a fried wonton bowl - the highlight of the meal. Before dessert, on Sean's suggestion, I was stuffing multiple pieces of sushi into my mouth and attempted to shout out "chubby bunny" - link says I could've died, good thing I used raw fish instead of marshmallows. I didn't succeed but did manage to get a few laughs. If I had known that I didn't have to eat what I had stuffed in, I may have tried stuffing in a couple more.

After dinner we made our way to The Body Shop and I'm not talking about a place to get my car fixed but rather a place where they actually had poles. The link to The Body Shop includes this prediction made at least a couple of years ago.

No need to rush out there. It's nice and the location is HOT. I predict that they will eventually have the best looking nude dancers there.

Don't ask that guy for any help with picks for tomorrow - take a 9, 6 exacta for the Belmont. The waitress along with the "bartender" - no alcohol served in the place - gave us a hard time about how many of us had to pay for water when we are all too willing to have them charge us whatever it took. Our waitress then had the gall to ask for a tip to which Sean responded by placing one of the expensive water bottles back on her tray.

A special thanks to Brian for paying for the top half.

I Want This

The only thing it's missing is D-Fish's shot.

This List Is Making The Rounds

The 100 Worst Porn Movie Titles

Something To Do With My Time

Summer reading material for the program in Cambridge just came in.

UPDATE: FIRST IMPRESSIONS

The topics for International Entertainment Law look dry. The first half of International Sports Law looks interesting but the second half doesn't. Hopefully, I'm only one-thirds right.

The Definitive Guide To Traveling On A Single Carry-On-Sized Bag

Go for it Annie.

There's A Job For Every Tier

Just received explicit permission to disregard the boilerplate. I think I summed it up well but to make sure I didn't get any of it wrong, or place anything out of context, here's the email I received.

Wayne,

I saw your blog discussing your school and job prospects, and I thought I'd just send you a quick email. I was quoted in the NY Times article regarding "leading a lucrative and satisfying life" in Los Angeles, but I think the reporter didn't use my words in the proper context.

90% of my comments was actually regarding the inability of law students to see their career as successful unless they work for the really huge law firms. I speak with law students and attorneys constantly, and very few of the attorneys who practice at the largest, national firms actually enjoy their work. However, the attorneys who see smaller firms (anywhere from 2-25 attorneys or so) as good possibilities will be happier in the long run, and perfectly successful. You may not make $150K your first year out, but you make decent money and have a life outside the firm. I know plenty of grads from 3rd and 4th tier law schools who have great careers.

I don't know when you graduate (or if you just did), but what I would suggest is this: put all your effort towards the Bar Exam, and once you get your positive results, look for a job then. It will save you frustration and depression, because it is hard for many law firms to hire grads until they're immediately useful (e.g., after you're admitted or at least after you've passed).

At any rate, if you have any career questions, I'd be happy to answer them - feel free to send me an email.

Regards,

Adam Heath Avitable

Lost Amid Yesterday's Celebration Of National Donut Day

Was Annie's birthday. A belated happy birthday to the source of many, many, many, many, many, many, Quote This'sss.

Spring Grades

Contracts, which was our last final, came in recently. That leaves me waiting for Civ Pro, Property and Torts before I look at my grades in their entirety.