- Would it be 75 when I landed at the airport, just like every other day of the year
- Would my cab driver talk about the crazy Santa Ana winds coming
- Would there be a movie shoot in front of the law firm I was interviewing with
- Would half the lawyers I interviewed with be UCLA alums (go bruins)
- Would I sit on the metrolink by a 50+ year old, 5'10 full-figured woman name Cordie who earned $150 by stripteasing last week
- Would there be fire along the freeway
- Would I get to eat an in-n-out burger outside on a warm October evening
Friday, October 19, 2007
Only In LA...
Thursday, October 18, 2007
Runs in the Family...
In addition to being excited about my interview tomorrow, I am also excited about seeing my brother, who will be home for the Cal v. UCLA game.
Though my brother and I are very different, we do share a love of college football, ABBA, and taking over things. We cannot just join things, we have to go in and conquer. Whereas I spent my college years climbing the ranks of college democrats and student government, my brother became the President of his fraternity. Some people may brush off a fraternity president; however I was quite proud of his tenure. He increased membership, helped get money to revamp their house, and led his chapter to win all these awards. Now as President Emeritus, he is revitalizing alumni relations with events like a tailgate before the game.
A lot of people realize how much they are like their parents as they grow up, I know I have. But now I am also realizing how much I am like my brother. I guess we might be related after all.
Though my brother and I are very different, we do share a love of college football, ABBA, and taking over things. We cannot just join things, we have to go in and conquer. Whereas I spent my college years climbing the ranks of college democrats and student government, my brother became the President of his fraternity. Some people may brush off a fraternity president; however I was quite proud of his tenure. He increased membership, helped get money to revamp their house, and led his chapter to win all these awards. Now as President Emeritus, he is revitalizing alumni relations with events like a tailgate before the game.
A lot of people realize how much they are like their parents as they grow up, I know I have. But now I am also realizing how much I am like my brother. I guess we might be related after all.
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
Shame On You
From experience, many of us know that creative teaching methods are often the most effective. So why not use that philosophy in punishing people too?
When I opened up the LA Times today, I learned that OJ Simpson, Dionne Warwick, and Sinbad are among the biggest tax evaders in California. OJ owes $1.4 million, Dionne owes $2.6 million, and Sinbad owes $2.1 million. You expect it from OJ, the guy's name is Sinbad, but who would have guessed Dionne Warwick?
This news came out because California just released a list of the top 250 tax evaders for the state. Since then, 26 people have paid their tax delinquencies to get off the list with OJ. It actually did work. Public shaming, I love it.
Like the California government, we discussed ways of preventing people from stealing food from our events. Although we were joking, someone did suggest creating a wall of shame by posting pictures of our food stealers. Our advisor also jokingly suggested tasering- but that's so been done at UCLA and Florida.
On a more serious note, all of this did make me think about how the legal system and government can become more creative in punishing people and finding solutions generally. Perhaps public humiliation is not the answer for every crime (though a case could probable be made- people do love their reputations), but I do not think locking everyone up is the answer either.
When I opened up the LA Times today, I learned that OJ Simpson, Dionne Warwick, and Sinbad are among the biggest tax evaders in California. OJ owes $1.4 million, Dionne owes $2.6 million, and Sinbad owes $2.1 million. You expect it from OJ, the guy's name is Sinbad, but who would have guessed Dionne Warwick?
This news came out because California just released a list of the top 250 tax evaders for the state. Since then, 26 people have paid their tax delinquencies to get off the list with OJ. It actually did work. Public shaming, I love it.
Like the California government, we discussed ways of preventing people from stealing food from our events. Although we were joking, someone did suggest creating a wall of shame by posting pictures of our food stealers. Our advisor also jokingly suggested tasering- but that's so been done at UCLA and Florida.
On a more serious note, all of this did make me think about how the legal system and government can become more creative in punishing people and finding solutions generally. Perhaps public humiliation is not the answer for every crime (though a case could probable be made- people do love their reputations), but I do not think locking everyone up is the answer either.
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
Storytime
In Sunday's entry, I promised one of the craziest, sad, and random USAC stories I have ever heard. So here it is, passed on from my UCLA Alumni Dinner Hostess and verified by the ever reliable web...
Once upon a time (in 1988), a guy named Llyod ran for USAC. Lloyd ran with the "Third World Coalition," (today known as Students First!), and won the election. However, he was later disqualified because of academics. Members of the Third World Coalition turned over ballot boxes, riots nearly ensued, and LAPD were all over campus. There were allegations that the disqualification was race motivated because Lloyd was Latino. Ultimately, Lloyd lost his appeals and Mike Meehan, the white "Greek" candidate won.
Fast forward to 2003, and after a long career in local and national politics, Lloyd dies from elective gastric-bypass surgery. (Sorry, the rest of the story is not as depressing).
Meanwhile, Mike Meehan becomes a lawyer, works in the LA District Attorney's Office, and also becomes involved in politics. Years later he moves to Kentucky, comes out of the closet, and opens up a hair salon, Planet Salon, with his partner (turns out he is not the typical white frat guy everyone thought he was).
Mike and his partner want to have a child, so one of their salon customers offers to be a surrogate mother. She ends up being pregnant with quadruplets, which naturally makes the news, and my hostess (along with others) finds out about everything while watching Good Morning America one morning. Her story ended there, and everyone at the dinner was in awe.
When I came home and told the story to my roommate, we of course google'd the whole thing and found out that Mike and his partner have since separated and there was a custody battle for the kids, which Mike eventually won.
The end.
[Note: I really want to hit myself for thinking this, but when I heard this story, one of the first things that popped into my head was "wow, this would be an amazing fact pattern for a law school exam. So many different legal issues."]
Once upon a time (in 1988), a guy named Llyod ran for USAC. Lloyd ran with the "Third World Coalition," (today known as Students First!), and won the election. However, he was later disqualified because of academics. Members of the Third World Coalition turned over ballot boxes, riots nearly ensued, and LAPD were all over campus. There were allegations that the disqualification was race motivated because Lloyd was Latino. Ultimately, Lloyd lost his appeals and Mike Meehan, the white "Greek" candidate won.
Fast forward to 2003, and after a long career in local and national politics, Lloyd dies from elective gastric-bypass surgery. (Sorry, the rest of the story is not as depressing).
Meanwhile, Mike Meehan becomes a lawyer, works in the LA District Attorney's Office, and also becomes involved in politics. Years later he moves to Kentucky, comes out of the closet, and opens up a hair salon, Planet Salon, with his partner (turns out he is not the typical white frat guy everyone thought he was).
Mike and his partner want to have a child, so one of their salon customers offers to be a surrogate mother. She ends up being pregnant with quadruplets, which naturally makes the news, and my hostess (along with others) finds out about everything while watching Good Morning America one morning. Her story ended there, and everyone at the dinner was in awe.
When I came home and told the story to my roommate, we of course google'd the whole thing and found out that Mike and his partner have since separated and there was a custody battle for the kids, which Mike eventually won.
The end.
[Note: I really want to hit myself for thinking this, but when I heard this story, one of the first things that popped into my head was "wow, this would be an amazing fact pattern for a law school exam. So many different legal issues."]
Monday, October 15, 2007
Crunch Time
Well I guess I can tell myself "I told you so." On September 27, I wrote:
Fortunately my preparedness (or you could say paranoia) has mentally and workwise prepared me for this. Moreover, I cannot really complain about anything when most of the work and obligations that will make life a little hectic this next week are all good things.
I will probably be completely exhausted by the end of this week, but being home in California is probably the best way to recuperate from that.
Since my September has been very . . . pleasant . . . I am preparing for the worst in October. I do not foresee anything particular, but I have the feeling that my journal obligations will increase, the speed in my classes will pick up, and hopefully I will be busy with call-back interviews.Alex made fun of me for talking about this "storm" of work, but it finally did hit. Within a few hours today, I found out that I am going to California for a call-back interview this Friday and I got the publication schedule for my comment. That means I have to finish my journal source gathering before I leave (cutting off two days of work), revise my comment before the heavy staff editing begins Wednesday, and oh...do schoolwork.
Fortunately my preparedness (or you could say paranoia) has mentally and workwise prepared me for this. Moreover, I cannot really complain about anything when most of the work and obligations that will make life a little hectic this next week are all good things.
I will probably be completely exhausted by the end of this week, but being home in California is probably the best way to recuperate from that.
Sunday, October 14, 2007
Bruins Bruins Everywhere
Tonight I was supposed to have "Dinner with DC Strangers," an event put on by the UCLA alumni association. However, thanks to the interconnected world of USAC, UCLA's student government, I knew half of the people at my dinner.
In addition to bringing along Alex (my running mate and former council member himself), there was the other VP my year, a recent USAC intern, and the Daily Bruin Editor who oversaw endorsements when I ran. Soon after I arrived, I learned that our hostess was a council member in 1988. Crazy stories about USAC came out, which I will save for tomorrow.
All in all, it was amazing to hear how much UCLA has changed (so many more buildings) and stayed the same (student government, exactly the same).
At the dinner, someone also mentioned that UCLA has the most living alumni. I am not sure how that works out since our school is much smaller than schools like Ohio State, but there do seem to be Bruins everywhere. On Saturday, I ran into a UCLA friend who goes to Syracuse Law at a moot court competition held at my law school.
We're everywhere.
In addition to bringing along Alex (my running mate and former council member himself), there was the other VP my year, a recent USAC intern, and the Daily Bruin Editor who oversaw endorsements when I ran. Soon after I arrived, I learned that our hostess was a council member in 1988. Crazy stories about USAC came out, which I will save for tomorrow.
All in all, it was amazing to hear how much UCLA has changed (so many more buildings) and stayed the same (student government, exactly the same).
At the dinner, someone also mentioned that UCLA has the most living alumni. I am not sure how that works out since our school is much smaller than schools like Ohio State, but there do seem to be Bruins everywhere. On Saturday, I ran into a UCLA friend who goes to Syracuse Law at a moot court competition held at my law school.
We're everywhere.
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