Surprise, Surprise

Today 1Ls at Boalt Hall found a little surprise on their chairs in the form of drink and verse as they arrived for their morning classes. Small bottles of liquor and a poem (image below) awaited them on their chairs courtesy of the mysterious gun club.

A google search reveals that apparently, the Gun Club is a secret society founded by Earl Warren and friends and referenced in his autobiography.(See: http://alumni.berkeley.edu/news/california-magazine/fall-2012-politics-issue/warren-secrecy) The group is dedicated to drinking, poetry, and apparently smelling the roses.

It is also reported that white boards in the classrooms had GC symbols and the signature EW 14' (possibly indicating a mysterious 3L's initials or possibly because of the Club's apparent affiliation with the Chief and esteemed alumnus of the class of 1914).

Allegedly in the past the Club has been associated with such hi-jinks as planting love letters to Earl Warren and champagne in the study areas of the student center on valentine's day, hiring a look alike of the Dude from the Big Lebowski to give out drink tickets and silently promote the club at student activities fairs and plastering posters with Professor Yoo and the words "I'm sorry for everything" all over the school.

Who are these people and what do they want? Well, according to their poem they want the 1Ls to be kind and smell the roses...I'll drink to that.

Stay Berkeley, my friends.

Bar Review Review

Within law school culture, "Bar Review", in which students explore the local bar scene on Thursday nights (not study for the bar exam), is an important means of socializing, bonding, networking, blowing off steam and dating (?).

At Boalt who plans bar review is a closely guarded secret. Each Weds morning (or Thursday morning when the Bar Review fairy is lazy) flyers simply appear on the bulletin boards (how is everyone too lazy to spot this person?). One can only guess why this individual needs to remain in the shadows but perhaps it makes sense to insulate these folks from political pressures (like a Judge...or Batman). Speculation abounds and popular candidates include: BHSA through a secret committee, C*thy Kw*n, K*m N*tividad, Professor B*rring, Fomer FBI Director Mark Felt (look it up kids), the Gun Club or the beautiful people who plan Bacchus and the wine buses (but then it would be better wouldn't it?). Recently eyes have turned towards the ownership of Thalassa (that would explain why its been there twice in the first four weeks even though there is nowhere to dance).

Regardless of who plans it, controversy has grown in recent weeks as alternative bar reviews have begun to proliferate. Last week a flyer appeared next to the flyer declaring Bar Review at Thalassa suggesting Barclay's instead. "Tired of bars you've already reviewed? Try Barclay's!", read the strongly worded dissent. An additional dissent from La Raza appeared suggesting an alternative bar review bar crawl in Downtown Oakland. 

So what gives? Is Boalt Hall failing to appreciate it's Dark Knight who we need in spite of ourselves? Or should someone else just plan Bar Review since Ch*se is in London for the semester?

Your comments are welcomed.

Stay Berkeley, my friends.

Not enough air to sustain life

It is high time we pay tribute to Dean V*nden H*uvel and her superb all Boalt emails. Yesterday, there was an explosion in a steam tunnel on campus after someone allegedly stole quite a bit of copper pipe (as one 3L posted: dammit Bubbles!) and power went off for hours leading to a cancellation of classes and general sh*tstorm of bureaucratic confusion (public school). Into the fray stepped Dean V*nden H*uvel who has, for years, kept Boalties from trying to outline through earthquakes, getting stuck in traffic on game days, and generally putting their eyes out. This time she really outdid herself. Highlights below:

" After yesterday's power failure and explosion I am convinced that television and movies have inured us to reality. We laugh at the movie audiences in the early 20th century, who ran from the theaters in terror when they first saw trains and horses coming towards them on the screen. And yet there is video of students standing close to yesterday's explosion site, staring at it as if it were a movie. One has to ask, who is crazier: the people in 1917 who immediately got out of the way of a fast moving train, albeit only a film version of a train; or the people who stand staring at the site of an active explosion and fire, apparently unable to comprehend that it's not a made for TV movie? Even in the law school I encountered some students and faculty who resisted leaving the building, despite dark hallways, and UCPD's orders.... 

When law school or campus personnel tell you to leave the building, you need to leave the building.
Remember that when the power fails so does the ventilation system. 

Even if you have enough light to teach, there may not be enough air to sustain life, especially in the three large classrooms. "


Bravo Dean V*nden H*uvel!


One student commented that even in non-emergency situations there is insufficient air to sustain life in the large classrooms and that perhaps, this would be the wake up call needed to rouse the administration from their devotion to the stop gap solution of "propping the doors open." Need I remind him/her...public school.


Additionally, if you refused to leave campus yesterday and are a 3L (or even a 2L) I shake my head at you m'am/sir. I heard the power was on at Free Haus where you belong.

If you are a 1L, I'm really sorry... I know you guys have reading to do and actually do it.


Stay Berkeley my friends.