Q: What Are These?

A: They are Nuts & Boalts word clouds, generated by wordle.net.

Overheard Today Outside Boalt Hall:

"If I were a Butts & Noalts commentator I'd write about the plastic bookmarks in the yellow planners. Mine was stuck right in the Honor Code section. I wonder if everyone's was?

. . . I mean, 'Nuts & Boalts.'"

Google on Google (or Why Blogspot Sucks)

The search feature on the title bar of this page sucks, which is pathetic considering blogspot is a Google entity. It only searches main posts but not comments. So when someone wants to know about a particular professor, say Professor Legal Accounting, she can't search the comments. To that end, I finally took five minutes to embed Google site search. You can find it below the archives on the main page. Now you just have to figure out whether to search with or without an asterisk. Figured this would make things easier for people doing research for their fantasy professor drafts.

A haiku for an under-appreciated holiday

From stretch to strike zone,
Maple, ash smash over walls,
Life is sweet again.

PS: N&B is 1500 posts old. Go us!

Self-Promotion Redux

Not to detract from the discussion of Skadden's new website below, but I'd like to shamelessly echo Armen's shameless self-advertisement (those of you in Negotiations this fall probably find that unsurprising.) Please, take a moment to vote for this blog. We got spanked last year, and would rather learn from that experience than repeat it.

Shameless Self-Advertisement

[Update 12/05 (Patrick): I'm taking the extraordinary step of bumping Armen's post to the top, because it's just too important to let slip to the wayside. Let's try to avoid last year's beating.]

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Much like [insert reference to a famous electoral defeat, maybe LA Confidential against Titanic], Nuts & Boalts took a beating at the ballot box last year for the ABA's best blawgs. But the honor of being nominated was good enough. This year, Nuts & Boalts has been nominated again in the student blog category. So please vote by clicking on the link below.

I also want to thank the current crop of Boalties who blog here. Good job. Of course, we all know it's the wit of the anonymous commenters that makes it all worthwhile.

Way to Go Donny Earl!!!

Co-blogger Earl Warren's post on the California cell phone ban for drivers earned an honorable mention in this NYT piece. (Hat tip: Anon 10:47). Good job EW, your countless, thoughtful posts on the Democratic primaries are no match with a mention in the NYT in establishing a liberal bona fides.

This Blog

Is among the Top 100 Law and Lawyer Blogs. (See how annoying it is to start with a to be verb?)

Subtle changes to notice on N&B

In December, Armen threw out the possibility that N&B may seek future advertising revenue in order to maintain the quality of the site. To our surprise, the response was overwhelmingly positive (as seen in comments to the post).

Beginning today, N&B is launching a new paid advertisement service intended to pair our sponsors with relevant web links. You will now see Google-powered "web clips" embedded at the bottom of each future post. Anyone who uses Gmail should already be familiar with this form of advertisement.

On behalf of the entire N&B production staff, I would like to express my hope that this change will improve your experience with our site.

I'd also like to ask that you please be patient as we work through the kinks and embark in this new and exciting direction!

- The N&B Editorial Committee

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[Web Clip] US News and World Report - See our recently released 2009 rankings! Where does your law school rank?

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For more of today's April Fools' Day gags, click here [warning: link is for EXTREME procrastinators only - may zap countless hours from your day].

Should Nuts and Boalts Sell Out?

Tempting.

Shameless Self-Advertisement

As noted by a commenter below, the ABA Journal is taking votes on the Top 100 "blawgs." N&B is nominated in the "JDs in Training" category. Please take a second to vote...repeatedly and unabashedly. I expect a mad dash for the computers in the library. Plus what else do you have to do? Study?

It Isn't Like Biting a Stripper

Following up a bit on E Dub’s earlier post on the U.S. Attorney firings... There is concern that these U.S. attorneys were fired because they refused to bend under the Bush Administration’s political pressure regarding whom to prosecute and how. One of the reasons this is such a big deal is that under normal circumstances U.S. attorneys don’t get fired unless they do something really terrible.

At any given time there are 93 U.S. Attorneys serving in an administration. According to a recent Congressional Research Service report, over the past 25 years, only 54 USAs have left prior to the completion of their four-year terms. Of these 17 left to become Article III judges (not bad), while most of the remainder left to either run for elected office or go into private practice.

According to CRS, here is what happened to the rest:

Two of Reagan’s USAs were fired. One of these disclosed confidential information regarding a pending indictment. Another was dismissed after charging the Justice Department and CIA with blocking an important prosecution – later convicted himself. A third resigned after reportedly accusing his predecessor of drug use, while admitting to using marijuana himself.

Two USAs were apparently pressured to resign under Clinton. Larry Colleton resigned shortly after he was videotaped grabbing Jacksonville television reporter Richard Rose by the throat. Kendall Coffey resigned “amid accusations that he bit a topless dancer on the arm during a visit to an adult club after losing a big drug case.”

So there it is. That is what it takes to get the axe as a U.S. Attorney. Until now.

Blogathon

Yesterday I did my taxes and even accounting for my spring break trip to Australia, I'll have some hefty change left over, so I figured I'd do something nice (for once) with it. Here it is.

Recently 3Ls got an e-mail about our wonderful classmate and my dear friend HH. Her insurance costs are through the roof, and if you want to help, you can donate care of Holly Parrish. Here's where YOU come in:

For $10, I will let any Boaltie (or prospective Boaltie [as determined by the Admissions Office's reliance on your word]), staff, or faculty to post here on N & B for a month. I will of course match that $10, and donate to the worthy cause. At the end of the blogging term of service, the current bloggers (and maybe the readers) will vote on permanent tenured offers to continue N & B. If you are interested, please e-mail me directly at armenaut-at-gmail-dot-com. Females are VERY STRONGLY encouraged to apply. Remember, the more people who sign up, the more money for HH.

Addendum: A lot of people say, "I just can't think of anything to write about." Neither did I when I first started this whole journey. I mean take this gem from August 2004.

A Blog Entry About Law Review Article Titles: An Exercise In Frivolity

Things have gotten a little heated on N&B recently, so I thought I'd brighten the mood with a post we could all have a little fun with... PLUS, bonus finals period procrastination!

I've been doing some research for a paper, and I keep stumbling across unintentionally hilarious law review article titles, almost uniformally abusing the colon as a punctuation mark. Today, for example, I stumbled across 77 Wash. L. R. 1035, better known as "The Socio-Legal Acceptance of New Technologies: A Close Look At Artificial Insemination." This is funny on a few levels, from the juvenile (artificial insemination. hehe.) to the collegiate (a "close look" at artificial insemination... ewww. no thanks.) to the absurd (think of how what precedes the colon relates to what follows).

In any case, I invite our dear readers to submit their favorite law review article titles, preferably but not necessarily involving the colon. In fact, I'll make a contest of it: I'll buy the poster of the winning entry a beverage of his or her choice at the bar review of his or her choice. Entries can range from the oddly funny (see above) to the more clever funny (see "Taking Taking Rights Seriously Seriously" 52 NYU L. Rev. 1265 (1977). Please try to keep them funny funny though, seriously seriously.

And yes, an ancillary humorous benefit of this post was to be able to employ the word colon as many times as possible.

A Funding Program You May Be Unaware Of

I received this notice in email today:

[The annual National Democrat Law Student Convention will soon occur in New York City. Begin making reservations.] "Dean Ortiz's office will reimburse you $100 of the cost of your flight. It'd be great to get some Boalt representation here..."

To me, this raises a number of important questions:

1. The offer appears unlimited. Will the Dean's Office reimburse any and all law students who want to go on vacation?

2. Under what terms does the Dean's Office have hundred-dollar bills lying around to fund student trips? Are there guidelines for any and all clubs to take advantage of this discount?

I'm afraid that the answers to questions 1 and 2b are not "yes", though if they are I will be pleasantly surprised and take back my scurrilous insinuating.

EDIT: As it turns out, the Dean's Office can help subsidize trips to any law-related conference. I did not know that. I hope this will help publicize the opportunity. And as promised, I take back my scurrilous insinuating. I'm glad the Dean's Office makes these trips possible for everyone.

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In other (old) news, if Boalt's website will say nothing on this point, I'd like to congratulate Boalt alum Kenneth Wainstein, formerly U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia, now Assistant Attorney General for National Security.

Bearing $2600 A Week

I've been looking over the list of firms that offered callbacks to Boalties, and it is VERY impressive. And I'm wondering what more I can add there. I'm tempted to put an asterisk next to any firm that is mentioned in the comments. I'm also tempted to bold any firm where a Boaltie has accepted. This last one I'm a bit hesitant about, but I think it would show where we are ending up. Anyway, I'm very proud of all the 2 and 3Ls who've been wowing firms.

The 1Ls have not been forgotten either. Not too long ago you guys were wondering about how to read a dissenting op. Pretty soon you will apply for summer gigs. I or my co-bloggers will have something about that soon. That is all.

This Isn't the Forum for the Cavalier

For a really long time now I've been griping about anonymous posters. Personal insults directed at my classmates, who have shown the dignity and respect to post under their own names, was the last straw. I've disabled and hidden all the comments to Max's post. They were either quintessential law students dying to find out every juicy detail so they can compare themselves to their classmates, other Boalties criticizing said students, or said students showing their true colors with the ad hominems. I've had it. I'm definitely going to be far more heavy handed with moderating comments.

Searching for Bobby Blogger

A commenter to Tom's thread asks:

What will happen to this blog when you graduate?

Great question. I've been thinking about this for some time. E-Dub will of course be around for the next two years, but I did want to add some people. So, Mad J.D., contact me somehow, even if anonymously. Also, any current 1Ls or admits who have committed to Boalt who want to guest blog, let me know. We'll have a fight to the death to determine the next crop of bloggers. But generally, I intend to leave the blog into the hands of other Boalt students.

TPS Cover Reports Memo

I'm passing this along from Holly:

Hi Armen,

Could you get the word out that people should not be discussing exams in the comment section of your blog? We still have students who haven't taken the Tax exam. In fact, for most classes there are students who reschedule so people shouldn't be discussing the exam until after the exam period is over.

Thanks,
Holly

My thoughts: I have no problems complying because Holly and the rest of the Student Services staff are incredibly nice (contra, the fire-breathing dragons at the registrar's office), BUT, I firmly believe discussing the exam either online, or in person, or for that matter using a skywriter is not a violation of the Honor Code, and I reserve the right to change course at a later time. For now, I have to get back to my [censored] take-home.

Allow me to Retort

Rather than forking out the cost of a 200 pack of highlighters at Royal Grounds Cafe for 30 seconds of internet use, I went the cheap route and ignored pretty much everyone for the past week (except for the comment acknowledging the whiney 1Ls). Broadly I want to move discussions of non-CLR stuff here. Those who got (or will be) rejected (or arrested) will need all the personal attention and counseling they can get, so I want to free up those lines of communication.

With that, this isn't my sandbox (alone) but the sandbox of the co-bloggers as well. They're just too cool to kick it in the sandbox as much as I do. But some of the most noted posts have come from them (adderall and gun suits come to mind). I've wanted to emulate the Daily Kos open thread thing for a while but held off because Dean Edley promised a new 20,000 sports arena and an online DB for boalt students. While I suspect that would only add another forum for those who interrupt classes with inane announcements, it still would have basically eliminated the need for open threads. Much like residency apps though, the forum is nowhere near completion (completion time is estimated at 15 minutes after start time based on the productivity of three randomly selected members of BTLJ and/or 1 editor of the same journal).

Residency: Anyone who says "hella" more than once every score should (a) sacrifice his first-born to Boalt/Edley Castle and (b) pay an uber annoying professional fee of $500,000. Due August 15.

Any New Yorker who enjoys every fricken benefit California has to offer but still can't swallow his ego to admit as such should be shot...and then he should proceed through the "hella" steps.

In other news, there were no e-mails from the library this week claiming that Boeing was going to operate 3 jumbo jets outside the main reading room because August was the best time to do so. Things are looking good.