tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26909208617237755192023-11-16T06:07:45.728-05:00A New MaterialismAn attempt to express the complexities of our time, while pursuing the adventure of living lightly upon the earth.Codyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11446501095831085195noreply@blogger.comBlogger59125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2690920861723775519.post-11579257345832757052011-12-18T01:05:00.000-05:002011-12-18T01:52:25.225-05:00The story of a lazy man<iframe width="400" height="240" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/vc7byJV0jVY" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
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I came home to find my sister lying on her face in living room. When I walked up the steps, I could only see the top of her head, hair splayed out in front. Blood had soaked into the carpet by then and I wondered if she had drowned in it or died from the gunshot instead.<br />
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The paramedics had been swift and arrived two hours after being called. Their lights were bouncing off the apartments next door like a lopsided disco ball decked out for the 4th of July. My brother called the police when the shooting started, but they hung up when he gave our address. I told him it had been worth a shot. Last week, the cops had showed up when Danny's mom was stabbed over by CVS.<br />
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After they took her body away, a man in a pinstripe suit squatted next to me. I looked up from the blood crusted carpet and found his face. He reached his hand out to my shoulder, smiled, and said, "You're not doing well in school and I think it's because you have no work ethic. I want you to come to school early tomorrow and scrub the toilets in the locker rooms before class."Codyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11446501095831085195noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2690920861723775519.post-9594315399674367042011-10-02T13:17:00.000-04:002011-10-02T13:17:45.542-04:00Declaration of the Occupation of New York City<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #373737; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 15px; font-weight: 300; line-height: 24px;"></span><br />
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<i>Reposted from <a href="http://nycga.cc/">here</a>.</i></div>
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As we gather together in solidarity to express a feeling of mass injustice, we must not lose sight of what brought us together. We write so that all people who feel wronged by the corporate forces of the world can know that we are your allies.</div>
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As one people, united, we acknowledge the reality: that the future of the human race requires the cooperation of its members; that our system must protect our rights, and upon corruption of that system, it is up to the individuals to protect their own rights, and those of their neighbors; that a democratic government derives its just power from the people, but corporations do not seek consent to extract wealth from the people and the Earth; and that no true democracy is attainable when the process is determined by economic power. We come to you at a time when corporations, which place profit over people, self-interest over justice, and oppression over equality, run our governments. We have peaceably assembled here, as is our right, to let these facts be known.</div>
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They have taken our houses through an illegal foreclosure process, despite not having the original mortgage.</div>
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They have taken bailouts from taxpayers with impunity, and continue to give Executives exorbitant bonuses.</div>
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They have perpetuated inequality and discrimination in the workplace based on age, the color of one’s skin, sex, gender identity and sexual orientation.</div>
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They have poisoned the food supply through negligence, and undermined the farming system through monopolization.</div>
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They have profited off of the torture, confinement, and cruel treatment of countless animals, and actively hide these practices.</div>
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They have continuously sought to strip employees of the right to negotiate for better pay and safer working conditions.</div>
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They have held students hostage with tens of thousands of dollars of debt on education, which is itself a human right.</div>
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They have consistently outsourced labor and used that outsourcing as leverage to cut workers’ healthcare and pay.</div>
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They have influenced the courts to achieve the same rights as people, with none of the culpability or responsibility.</div>
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They have spent millions of dollars on legal teams that look for ways to get them out of contracts in regards to health insurance.</div>
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They have sold our privacy as a commodity.</div>
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They have used the military and police force to prevent freedom of the press. They have deliberately declined to recall faulty products endangering lives in pursuit of profit.</div>
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They determine economic policy, despite the catastrophic failures their policies have produced and continue to produce.</div>
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They have donated large sums of money to politicians, who are responsible for regulating them.</div>
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They continue to block alternate forms of energy to keep us dependent on oil.</div>
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They continue to block generic forms of medicine that could save people’s lives or provide relief in order to protect investments that have already turned a substantial profit.</div>
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They have purposely covered up oil spills, accidents, faulty bookkeeping, and inactive ingredients in pursuit of profit.</div>
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They purposefully keep people misinformed and fearful through their control of the media.</div>
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They have accepted private contracts to murder prisoners even when presented with serious doubts about their guilt.</div>
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They have perpetuated colonialism at home and abroad. They have participated in the torture and murder of innocent civilians overseas.</div>
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They continue to create weapons of mass destruction in order to receive government contracts. *</div>
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To the people of the world,</div>
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We, the New York City General Assembly occupying Wall Street in Liberty Square, urge you to assert your power.</div>
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Exercise your right to peaceably assemble; occupy public space; create a process to address the problems we face, and generate solutions accessible to everyone.</div>
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To all communities that take action and form groups in the spirit of direct democracy, we offer support, documentation, and all of the resources at our disposal.</div>
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Join us and make your voices heard!</div>
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<em style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">*These grievances are not all-inclusive.</em></div>
Codyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11446501095831085195noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2690920861723775519.post-29488129357080178232011-07-31T12:11:00.021-04:002011-07-31T19:09:18.330-04:00Hyperbole is not possible<div style="text-align: center;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfpYFiWmOu9jL7LXx-oaGUy4_yT_Ga-EWFmkgZwlq0HUb0pxxFRIkYdRNjSc5pDLZ2kNU4gYz7JrgPENeMa3vmeifE4S2jEM8Mb1TcjeXsAOjBJ05aJYPWdBjQewCAktOaXsZcQXYy4DQI/s1600/CRW_6093.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfpYFiWmOu9jL7LXx-oaGUy4_yT_Ga-EWFmkgZwlq0HUb0pxxFRIkYdRNjSc5pDLZ2kNU4gYz7JrgPENeMa3vmeifE4S2jEM8Mb1TcjeXsAOjBJ05aJYPWdBjQewCAktOaXsZcQXYy4DQI/s400/CRW_6093.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My favorite sign from the Rally to Restore Sanity and/or Fear</td></tr>
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<div style="text-align: center;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">WAR IS PEACE</div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">FREEDOM IS SLAVERY</div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">IGNORANCE IS STRENGTH.</div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">-George Orwell, <i>1984</i></div></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
When I was visiting Berkeley, I mispronounced <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyperbole">hyperbole</a>. You know: <i>hyper-bowl </i>instead of <i>hyper-bowl-lee. </i>It was embarrassing mostly because the person I was talking to insisted on correcting me. It's one of those words that I mispronounced in my head the first time I read it, and now I can't cure myself.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Theoretically, there is a point where hyperbole is no longer possible. There is a point where no matter how scathing (or praising, but that doesn't apply here) your language, it's still understatement. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">In 2004, Dick Cheney said, "Deficits don't matter." In 2009 and 2010, Republicans manufactured a social movement fueled by outrage over the deficit (though it should be noted that this outrage took a short break in late 2010, while the GOP negotiated the extension of the Bush Tax Cuts for the wealthy). </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Now, during a fabricated crisis over the debt ceiling, Congressional Republicans have taken our country to a new level of recklessness and intellectual dishonesty so astounding I've given up attempting to describe it.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://fivethirtyeight.com/">Fivethirtyeight.com</a> has had some great coverage of the crisis, but I want to paraphrase a reader's comment as he dissects Charles' Krauthammer's recent article. Essentially, Fivethirtyeight reader, "Nick," pointed out that the GOP blaming the Democrats for the economic situation we're in is like a "murderer framing a paramedic." He continues:<br />
<blockquote>[Now,] <span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Republicans seem to have gone even further - they're trying to destroy the corpse to rule out any post mortem. </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Krauthammer seems to be saying that their "golden opportunity" lies in sitting back and watching a downgrade wreak havoc on the economy.</span></span> </blockquote><blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Maybe they're bitter Obama had a well timed financial collapse during the last election. If they get him thrown out of office on the same tide of public sentiment that scuttled McCain then it will be a sick reflection of politics in America - you can ruin the economy over eight years and then intentionally sink it again to regain power. Never has there been a truer picture of a nation so intent on directing its own decline. </span></span></blockquote>(And Mitch McConnell has <a href="http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/40007802/ns/politics-decision_2010/t/gop-leaders-top-goal-make-obama--term-president/">said </a>as much)<br />
<br />
During the last few days, I've talked with several respectable people about the debt ceiling debates. They don't seem worried: "It's just Congress going through its typical process of getting anything done."<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">There is no doubt that what we're seeing is political theater at its worst, but I don't share in the overall nonchalance. At this point, the GOP has pushed the debate to a situation where any outcome will be negative.<br />
<br />
There are three possible outcomes: 1) default, 2) pass a compromise, or 3) Obama uses the 14th Amendment to declare the debt ceiling itself unconstitutional and simply ignore it. Options 1 and 2 aren't great politically or economically and option 3 would cause significant political backlash.<br />
<br />
While the problems with defaulting as a country are self-evident, a compromise is not significantly better. Any compromise with Republicans will involve making cuts to government programs such as higher education as well as programs that support the working class, the poor, and other vulnerable populations. These will have a decidedly negative effect on the economy; education is the chief driver of economic mobility and the working class is the chief driver of consumer spending (which is the chief driver of our economy).<br />
<br />
This morning, it looks like option 2 is most likely. In this case, the compromise would actually be farther to the right than the initial GOP proposal. Part of this situation is the media's fault. "Liberal" MSNBC discussed the differences between Boehner's plan and Reid's plan, but failed to mentioned that both filled the prescription the GOP spelled out in the beginning of this debate: all cuts and no taxes. The Democrats have capitulated to the GOP on every front, but aren't getting any credit (or blame) for it in the main-stream media.<br />
<br />
Perhaps the most astounding aspect of the debt debate is that the position of Congressional Republicans (and now the current compromise bill) is actually farther to the right than what the average <b>Republican</b> voter wants. Nate Silver discusses that <a href="http://fivethirtyeight.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/07/13/house-republicans-no-tax-stance-far-outside-political-mainstream/">here</a>.<br />
<br />
From a policy standpoint, the 14th Amendment option as discussed by many and advocated by the more progressive wing of the Democratic party would probably be the best option. It doesn't cut spending, but it would afford us the opportunity to avoid harmful cuts in favor of raising some taxes and making cuts that won't damage the economy (<a href="http://livinglightlyupontheearth.blogspot.com/2010/08/two-solutions-to-defense-department.html">cutting defense spending</a>). It's also worth noting that since ratings agencies have threatened to downgrade the U.S. if we don't address the debt, swift cuts/tax increases must accompany this option.</div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
At some point in my study of politics and current affairs, I would have rendered more hyperbolic judgement of the Grand Old Party. But at this point, I'm stuck with understatement.<br />
<br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">RICH IS POOR<br />
GREED IS GOOD</div><div style="text-align: center;">CORRUPTION IS JUST</div><div style="text-align: center;">-GOP, <i>2011</i></div>Codyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11446501095831085195noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2690920861723775519.post-5954645403967985992011-05-03T21:47:00.001-04:002011-05-03T22:03:23.463-04:00I'm going to Berkeley<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYS1OKevTtx67gdMgPqhOSZMF69i5_drtfqL6xVNmV4T7fO3rgB87ZlchgZr4xenC2sLktL0Jr2VwsDd55W5WYaBAf5Z9sTGwW_oM-HDH08OmcvWoAXNs_OXySkbOA_YPzs_Xwrv5xIcJS/s1600/Berkeley+Shirt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYS1OKevTtx67gdMgPqhOSZMF69i5_drtfqL6xVNmV4T7fO3rgB87ZlchgZr4xenC2sLktL0Jr2VwsDd55W5WYaBAf5Z9sTGwW_oM-HDH08OmcvWoAXNs_OXySkbOA_YPzs_Xwrv5xIcJS/s320/Berkeley+Shirt.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My new favorite t-shirt</td></tr>
</tbody></table>I'm trying to avoid being like Labron James as I announce where I'll be attending law school. So, I won't be appearing on ESPN to talk about how much I hate Cleveland. That's a start... plus I'm pretty ambivalent about Cleveland.<br />
<br />
I'm going to Berkeley. It's not the most practical decision, but I believe Berkeley is the place I will be most inspired. It's the place where I'll be best able to learn the law, be involved in the community, engage in making the world a better place, and spend time with our Creator's creation.<br />
<br />
Many of my other options were agonizing to turn down. But after much prayer and deliberation, I am at peace with the decision. And I'm very excited.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioDzOPN5YwfovAZkA4CFP24qdyDhmx9TRCrrnfmbEoIMfl1dvW6X1hYP_jtc1c71kegG6k_7h5HpP6alvm9T-ZO8lKm8W6f7L91m3ewq30NCELxcwggCY42Cw32lDOtqknG6KPU1LFd9iG/s1600/Berkeley+Tree.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioDzOPN5YwfovAZkA4CFP24qdyDhmx9TRCrrnfmbEoIMfl1dvW6X1hYP_jtc1c71kegG6k_7h5HpP6alvm9T-ZO8lKm8W6f7L91m3ewq30NCELxcwggCY42Cw32lDOtqknG6KPU1LFd9iG/s400/Berkeley+Tree.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>Codyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11446501095831085195noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2690920861723775519.post-31870572161585546132011-05-01T15:33:00.036-04:002011-05-02T22:50:27.841-04:00University of Washington School of Law<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDGuEy1v12bMH7oQB_MD7fPRf0J5HErO2mPo8hF8MtdzDMZRSi2P6GteGLBIbM-CSIpcpWhk39q_7WKIukaZILFBPMeUMkJ0Kf-a7no0Olj-jo45orQ8hI3hH_0F8lkpEd5a3kdoTgo3ru/s1600/_MG_0444.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDGuEy1v12bMH7oQB_MD7fPRf0J5HErO2mPo8hF8MtdzDMZRSi2P6GteGLBIbM-CSIpcpWhk39q_7WKIukaZILFBPMeUMkJ0Kf-a7no0Olj-jo45orQ8hI3hH_0F8lkpEd5a3kdoTgo3ru/s400/_MG_0444.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><i>Note: click on any picture to enlarge.</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><b>Location: </b>Seattle, WA</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><b>U.S. News and World Report Rank:</b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"> 30</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><b>What they like to talk about: </b>not really sure actually–PNW excellence?</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><b>Pros:</b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"> one of the most renowned universities in the world (not up to Cal standards, but still impressive)</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;">, my home state, in the market where I want to work, significantly cheaper, Seattle easygoingness, local lay prestige</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><b> </b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><b>Cons:</b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"> lowest ranked law school still alive in my decision making, largely limited to region, low national prestige, non-T10 syndrome (though they are a little insulated from this by being the best in the Pacific Northwest)</span><br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;">The first words in my notes: What a law building! It's like the pleasant antithesis to Michigan's architecture–modern, airy, light, it seems like most of the common area is glass or vibrant white. Are they trying to channel light into dark and rainy Seattle?</span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaWqItNispqazogMjs4l8KbGeoKUtZ-Pg1axz72DZoBYR9mbCTv7npGe75zr14ca6cfeUAIIo2-38K2upGgpNJ_Z6BBmQn7cGAYnhYT83OOM3oypC-N7t2KyLnR4E7P6CxyJaG91MynSMt/s1600/_MG_0410.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaWqItNispqazogMjs4l8KbGeoKUtZ-Pg1axz72DZoBYR9mbCTv7npGe75zr14ca6cfeUAIIo2-38K2upGgpNJ_Z6BBmQn7cGAYnhYT83OOM3oypC-N7t2KyLnR4E7P6CxyJaG91MynSMt/s400/_MG_0410.jpg" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Library</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4c-ayWZ5wKgHGRMXKFk58ShGalddurUuxAtsMhzC9jdK_QVXUrTK3lh0v2hKXLO-189ouQiI-M3-_PJqtZUwA5oQKUbiE25DXpHwGvYNarSQFSb5QqJOyDgIAjpFo5-3AVgTJhFG9IaPS/s1600/_MG_0413.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4c-ayWZ5wKgHGRMXKFk58ShGalddurUuxAtsMhzC9jdK_QVXUrTK3lh0v2hKXLO-189ouQiI-M3-_PJqtZUwA5oQKUbiE25DXpHwGvYNarSQFSb5QqJOyDgIAjpFo5-3AVgTJhFG9IaPS/s400/_MG_0413.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia3pger5E9FKJVNRLrOPCPGBAqMvKTvQLOfF4jlpyGb83TxXbKAExTCeqX2hEbumGnNIZLTaetl6WlV-FfJqGdICUhwCUlCrbvyOpKDvQ1Ea2E_vYCSFB-Ovc6fxV6N4aTDKyvLxppUM7X/s1600/_MG_0432.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia3pger5E9FKJVNRLrOPCPGBAqMvKTvQLOfF4jlpyGb83TxXbKAExTCeqX2hEbumGnNIZLTaetl6WlV-FfJqGdICUhwCUlCrbvyOpKDvQ1Ea2E_vYCSFB-Ovc6fxV6N4aTDKyvLxppUM7X/s400/_MG_0432.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;">Indeed they are and they succeeded marvelously. Even so, the classrooms are surprisingly dark considering how brilliant the common areas are. And similar to Minnesota, UW employs concentric squares of tables in their classrooms–though they execute it much better than Minnesota.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtulPGeH2mJsBFkfp-H4tuJoOcxkW0cqpamsKV4E2d0XmDAHRdpLuS4rNoTZlPDySJL6KzM_Sn2Yy1KZMGWkpGi-vaaMqOCQUqGG0ErDwkuyOhMUM0RKHK9eihReE1IUSx1KfEIbxGUJ65/s1600/_MG_0484.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtulPGeH2mJsBFkfp-H4tuJoOcxkW0cqpamsKV4E2d0XmDAHRdpLuS4rNoTZlPDySJL6KzM_Sn2Yy1KZMGWkpGi-vaaMqOCQUqGG0ErDwkuyOhMUM0RKHK9eihReE1IUSx1KfEIbxGUJ65/s400/_MG_0484.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Classroom (though not the one I went to class in)</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;">The class I visited was quite a delight (I was even called on–though it was only because I know who <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theodore_Olson">Ted Olson</a> is and nobody else in the class seemed to). There was a good vibe (lots of jovial conversations) before class and the teacher knew almost everyone by their first names (despite it being only the third week of class). The teacher also made sure the class gave a resounding "good morning," which I thought was a good indication of the friendly and laid-back atmosphere.</span><br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;">The law school as a whole feels (not surprisingly) very "Seattle." It's pretty urban hip, but has a little of Michigan's "undergrad" feel, tempered by some commuter vibe. It's the city after all and Seattle is one of the hippest cities in America.</span><br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;">The non-T10 syndrome was alive and well and I want to add another symptom to the list: being indecorously ostentatious with their verbiage. They use big words when they don't need to. Words like "formalist" and "textualist" abounded during class and while it was clear what they were saying, they could have used simpler language. I once read that when a lawyer starts using big words, you know he doesn't know what he's talking about. This holds true for people in general.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0py0oJXw5Ii7Cr1T-FWBVEw0tyIt1MRN_ZtBD_LvuYnX_XwwEFjN3KT35EEciGgOMPufy_uvVu_3LyQ_ZXbyPuhyLHatOdyarY34ULApsJWDyp1E0m5-u9nopP6b6DriHKRX7fgi7ZrRR/s1600/_MG_0464.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0py0oJXw5Ii7Cr1T-FWBVEw0tyIt1MRN_ZtBD_LvuYnX_XwwEFjN3KT35EEciGgOMPufy_uvVu_3LyQ_ZXbyPuhyLHatOdyarY34ULApsJWDyp1E0m5-u9nopP6b6DriHKRX7fgi7ZrRR/s400/_MG_0464.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUCcF1nEXCfyQbpeGbiD9zwnUj11JfU-3VJ0xMgVyTRdCyK8PWJ3WLgRYC0iW6mt70-G7USRcGBL1j6SF4nmcoHdB5bNaDcqvG41uebEasVj0MqRLZ8ykDEF3AVMZi8yqesxvs2NOiZxDZ/s1600/_MG_0505.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUCcF1nEXCfyQbpeGbiD9zwnUj11JfU-3VJ0xMgVyTRdCyK8PWJ3WLgRYC0iW6mt70-G7USRcGBL1j6SF4nmcoHdB5bNaDcqvG41uebEasVj0MqRLZ8ykDEF3AVMZi8yqesxvs2NOiZxDZ/s400/_MG_0505.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG8PFrtfnlBCMu4CeZyhbmmqviTRUWrVNw4PJDXGodz0LSxgGyU6epaZUMXBWKHHVdnCI40Gj7oLDKEzMHmFDkaxwp1e1CrnNwOnBDW2ndFyMIvWQiVCZgAR9j1OxVFqXV6T8dPCcgWXk4/s1600/_MG_0568.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG8PFrtfnlBCMu4CeZyhbmmqviTRUWrVNw4PJDXGodz0LSxgGyU6epaZUMXBWKHHVdnCI40Gj7oLDKEzMHmFDkaxwp1e1CrnNwOnBDW2ndFyMIvWQiVCZgAR9j1OxVFqXV6T8dPCcgWXk4/s400/_MG_0568.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;">Seattle architecture is an interesting beast. They're really concerned with delivering light to every part of the building despite the fact that the clouds are trying to do the opposite. The UW law building does some amazing things with the little light that spills through the clouds and the law library feels delightfully airy. I could think well there.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilU9Clgfwjb1bJQ36QimUelAkxYNZWaCqPWUq_1_fk9oVEUh1WJi5WvJsuynbqMIPpgVDHYmKwodgGySQEPEEK0akccWPgeIy4jJdXyJUGcjR8RrWQO17aNRhCFYR2bn01BmqKm3dBp1-P/s1600/_MG_0608.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilU9Clgfwjb1bJQ36QimUelAkxYNZWaCqPWUq_1_fk9oVEUh1WJi5WvJsuynbqMIPpgVDHYmKwodgGySQEPEEK0akccWPgeIy4jJdXyJUGcjR8RrWQO17aNRhCFYR2bn01BmqKm3dBp1-P/s400/_MG_0608.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOAoS6UtzxtO1SHieZrfsfjsYOGvE7FZaHip4OHAVRG-1MflSZM3uBP3rRAW1Kl3fvNG6jaGRjQkyu-vBNRxuYfO3W_DKAHHKW6diQTNeQ9x30__Tp4GXxZzgWnK3BnG3LZ3YzTCE0DlXp/s1600/_MG_0625.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOAoS6UtzxtO1SHieZrfsfjsYOGvE7FZaHip4OHAVRG-1MflSZM3uBP3rRAW1Kl3fvNG6jaGRjQkyu-vBNRxuYfO3W_DKAHHKW6diQTNeQ9x30__Tp4GXxZzgWnK3BnG3LZ3YzTCE0DlXp/s400/_MG_0625.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFgyVxfTLbxBcz_ntjL4zK7AALWpZ1gc8w34FOkPe8H-WSN_-jKPR_ThxRQ7OAfaF_FSinn8PEYW-CCW3SJDI-iaQVEudvGTzDqZfKHlrBiHP9kCA4witYWvbyYefx79zSl8JwmRF2VKNw/s1600/_MG_0674.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFgyVxfTLbxBcz_ntjL4zK7AALWpZ1gc8w34FOkPe8H-WSN_-jKPR_ThxRQ7OAfaF_FSinn8PEYW-CCW3SJDI-iaQVEudvGTzDqZfKHlrBiHP9kCA4witYWvbyYefx79zSl8JwmRF2VKNw/s400/_MG_0674.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"> For a variety of reasons UW was, by far, the most difficult school to withdraw from. Both practically and emotionally it was a great choice.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;">But, I withdrew yesterday.</span>Codyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11446501095831085195noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2690920861723775519.post-4778814138670204952011-04-27T20:25:00.013-04:002011-04-27T22:36:22.100-04:00University of California Davis School of Law<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxlJFfbYuXJMgr_BFs0NrbdjMa6iPbUAU718YvwmKnAt_3V6TDt-WJTcKk6HN7lpz1_mVWBwPecIyCBfkyUtPh5X1Ik6Mnt6_ASV2rlwatLsxVoINeiHKmIVkYQG_FpJGubAUZzl6Glocp/s1600/_MG_0347.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxlJFfbYuXJMgr_BFs0NrbdjMa6iPbUAU718YvwmKnAt_3V6TDt-WJTcKk6HN7lpz1_mVWBwPecIyCBfkyUtPh5X1Ik6Mnt6_ASV2rlwatLsxVoINeiHKmIVkYQG_FpJGubAUZzl6Glocp/s400/_MG_0347.jpg" width="400" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><i>Note: click on any picture to enlarge.</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><b>Location: </b>Davis, CA</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><b>U.S. News and World Report Rank:</b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"> 23</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><b>What they like to talk about: </b>N/A</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><b>Pros:</b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"> I love Davis</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><b>Cons:</b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"> fairly good law school in market over-saturated by better schools</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"> </span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;">I didn't spend much time at Davis Law... and this post will reflect that. Having said that, Davis is near and dear to my heart.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;">I was born in Woodland, CA, which is about 20 minutes directly north of Davis. For the first 5 years of my life, I lived in Davis and loved every second of it. Davis is the bicycle capitol of the world (along with several other places) and the community is tight-knit to boot. Obviously, the University of California Davis is world famous, but it also has some really cool progressive things going on... like <a href="http://daviswiki.org/the_domes">The Domes</a>.</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;">On my way to Berkeley, I stopped in Davis to eat PinkBerry and visit Davis Law. </span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZnCxcjtIAkg8-TIC7hxoGg8d_xIbPMzU3fK36TeddTFlVwxamXStEX4xzL57s_5uLjyDEjqN75K2oGVFGzKS-EsNuSNHMUxOvySQgzW2ogz6fzwEM_C6v8AifrLTK4q0asSk7DxVrQv8O/s1600/0410111120.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZnCxcjtIAkg8-TIC7hxoGg8d_xIbPMzU3fK36TeddTFlVwxamXStEX4xzL57s_5uLjyDEjqN75K2oGVFGzKS-EsNuSNHMUxOvySQgzW2ogz6fzwEM_C6v8AifrLTK4q0asSk7DxVrQv8O/s320/0410111120.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;">I should point out that King Hall (the Davis Law building) is a bit underwhelming. Half the building had been renovated and the other half is like walking through the eighties (which I actually enjoyed, but that's beside the point). </span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2nDkfXd3aPP0uYHHRykQfb30Rps6gFUOzfOoBSt6j9ygb72kYceE0Iz4o-bcLPY2UA3nXoQqmvaNEzPbdCg6E8eikg3YmO-z0C2oOe3IpUOVN5mvS7tGQbvFammVJ_RosVDimmEKustCJ/s1600/_MG_0001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2nDkfXd3aPP0uYHHRykQfb30Rps6gFUOzfOoBSt6j9ygb72kYceE0Iz4o-bcLPY2UA3nXoQqmvaNEzPbdCg6E8eikg3YmO-z0C2oOe3IpUOVN5mvS7tGQbvFammVJ_RosVDimmEKustCJ/s400/_MG_0001.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Renovated classroom</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCxgdPYYSye0YFsw0eQlowD9sS8l8zh0aw9YyzZm1epp2STWEmm6du4eOyIgxvKTyxOzOslh8gMJOM21lwBkv7O14ZOBuoATsV6WG2OCqA-K56qjIjd7gcZZmHH3g0RcD3Rp1vqnGymn9r/s1600/_MG_0006.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCxgdPYYSye0YFsw0eQlowD9sS8l8zh0aw9YyzZm1epp2STWEmm6du4eOyIgxvKTyxOzOslh8gMJOM21lwBkv7O14ZOBuoATsV6WG2OCqA-K56qjIjd7gcZZmHH3g0RcD3Rp1vqnGymn9r/s400/_MG_0006.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">80s classroom</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijt0ktrxQVbp6zuTZwFV4j58n1DU4W2Y8DKVZ0C84eZOnDZT28j8ufkMaxUKDj_wWroAd66T0Xe7POkuynVBWpKJb0ZkibmF0lVQEFAO_qEBg0kvXwaY1Bj-VAy9bUzFRLj54d-5UIdux6/s1600/_MG_0016.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijt0ktrxQVbp6zuTZwFV4j58n1DU4W2Y8DKVZ0C84eZOnDZT28j8ufkMaxUKDj_wWroAd66T0Xe7POkuynVBWpKJb0ZkibmF0lVQEFAO_qEBg0kvXwaY1Bj-VAy9bUzFRLj54d-5UIdux6/s400/_MG_0016.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQdIESIfVTH_diMxWec4DWnqIstgBlUPALrD1wM5BxoXTNP70BpZ1s8REr0MFkTdKod7P_tdOJzq6CY264XFGb6y5KtUP2NP9pVVnqZEtjneKpQSz6C20dEx6i6c0U2otTwEblVCuLLGJT/s1600/_MG_0358.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQdIESIfVTH_diMxWec4DWnqIstgBlUPALrD1wM5BxoXTNP70BpZ1s8REr0MFkTdKod7P_tdOJzq6CY264XFGb6y5KtUP2NP9pVVnqZEtjneKpQSz6C20dEx6i6c0U2otTwEblVCuLLGJT/s400/_MG_0358.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Library</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVLxAIn7-vjsrnCBJn3NeA9obVuZklKfTB6IwblO1T5WuU4GIVTXxJ6MxlJCyRbDM-gzK5CtwQMLVoYcUvH2FG3NjPEXYKsJusEQGDHIIO24spd6UBNjkvf3gnJMZtySFwh3xk5CZFZDBW/s1600/_MG_0359.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVLxAIn7-vjsrnCBJn3NeA9obVuZklKfTB6IwblO1T5WuU4GIVTXxJ6MxlJCyRbDM-gzK5CtwQMLVoYcUvH2FG3NjPEXYKsJusEQGDHIIO24spd6UBNjkvf3gnJMZtySFwh3xk5CZFZDBW/s400/_MG_0359.jpg" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Library</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ7oMLK6xgC87Ot_ZcjnET5bKnP_zHE4WpGYP_MhLbidGViMjUr1FsL2curN-oaxojlezZ3BbLm0LuhZpo9wXXlmd-aC9aU05g7elKuAfS3VSYW-YVaGt0OL00GVx0v67ymvSA5lLgXNSB/s1600/_MG_0370.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ7oMLK6xgC87Ot_ZcjnET5bKnP_zHE4WpGYP_MhLbidGViMjUr1FsL2curN-oaxojlezZ3BbLm0LuhZpo9wXXlmd-aC9aU05g7elKuAfS3VSYW-YVaGt0OL00GVx0v67ymvSA5lLgXNSB/s400/_MG_0370.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1wG4cKY3xbcgCoaAaYUeQ6RBHuI_pCDggvvVURptaF3e72nUidUhCwHGLET7env4YvWRHz-syAEOebG8sccSIEV1ILSaa4eqbRN3qCgP5GnMJMUhIY-m1PKzOxdWlusg2pF0y6WkbArND/s1600/_MG_0373.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1wG4cKY3xbcgCoaAaYUeQ6RBHuI_pCDggvvVURptaF3e72nUidUhCwHGLET7env4YvWRHz-syAEOebG8sccSIEV1ILSaa4eqbRN3qCgP5GnMJMUhIY-m1PKzOxdWlusg2pF0y6WkbArND/s400/_MG_0373.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMK6uWCiPlXniaLCEoyn6qlyMHyyRhep5KCIvBXB_KDW3QqPO37cjOs9xg0pq7lqU2IAQoqMB5GPvvVBADwL4VKaaBCmDaO4HoNELICZlrz_H0eG4-m4KnNtw7_ajG0VLB1Zf0DBPIbZvP/s1600/_MG_0352.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMK6uWCiPlXniaLCEoyn6qlyMHyyRhep5KCIvBXB_KDW3QqPO37cjOs9xg0pq7lqU2IAQoqMB5GPvvVBADwL4VKaaBCmDaO4HoNELICZlrz_H0eG4-m4KnNtw7_ajG0VLB1Zf0DBPIbZvP/s400/_MG_0352.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;">Regardless</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;">, the natural surroundings</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><i>almost</i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"> make up for it. There is a creek that runs past the law school and forms a small lake. A fantastic bike path runs along the creek and I could imagine many a sunny afternoon spent peddling along and feeding ducks (because in my imagination, I miraculously have no homework).</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP9e2hRecEg8ejqsl0rF34C3lx7TxTtljqs26TyVxs_7vI-spEdnyphJacpMqYDgEr5YwfCFR8CBnIb4eAtqRKpVKPUJBm8SgFUhcL-EFBiKUEgu1LMhOZksanWrQC83nJGLn3tSSvKEce/s1600/_MG_0382.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP9e2hRecEg8ejqsl0rF34C3lx7TxTtljqs26TyVxs_7vI-spEdnyphJacpMqYDgEr5YwfCFR8CBnIb4eAtqRKpVKPUJBm8SgFUhcL-EFBiKUEgu1LMhOZksanWrQC83nJGLn3tSSvKEce/s400/_MG_0382.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOWqYaDrdQANNzbyb64jrXsSEiaxYnu9C5danWf82JZi1IphwAqMwdmy5xm4pQyacCYkUxWrRpMaLRk5wnreDI6aySJ582CaDLvYMLkyzCTuERFiqYWeQ9-xpt92tkhXBK9wo5-yhoTk66/s1600/_MG_0391.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOWqYaDrdQANNzbyb64jrXsSEiaxYnu9C5danWf82JZi1IphwAqMwdmy5xm4pQyacCYkUxWrRpMaLRk5wnreDI6aySJ582CaDLvYMLkyzCTuERFiqYWeQ9-xpt92tkhXBK9wo5-yhoTk66/s400/_MG_0391.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXMTG67tdAdJ33WmYze5l169IcyjqD_l_mFekX5eOoK-cVJL8pjsx8Otq1ef3yVAkMjI2UvxnrUbFfrsgfSPqQTd8RAz3TNNcRAcnlqQMhxVRNte6Uwd4OF1p5oQFz9tpaFnUqy-UBWms_/s1600/_MG_0395.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXMTG67tdAdJ33WmYze5l169IcyjqD_l_mFekX5eOoK-cVJL8pjsx8Otq1ef3yVAkMjI2UvxnrUbFfrsgfSPqQTd8RAz3TNNcRAcnlqQMhxVRNte6Uwd4OF1p5oQFz9tpaFnUqy-UBWms_/s400/_MG_0395.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW93LFCpmsOqHXdT7jYzdtE-ycO92C7uIxoSa0H8IWet1VlpgXZ3Xmd2MDVz60M5GGrLejxKqaOuf-6cmh7qh4ahpIg7b5oqidu9AKrE-BJ2u419-YUVDFdNEF3AMSJGaTpeSlA2QbMbTS/s1600/_MG_0407.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW93LFCpmsOqHXdT7jYzdtE-ycO92C7uIxoSa0H8IWet1VlpgXZ3Xmd2MDVz60M5GGrLejxKqaOuf-6cmh7qh4ahpIg7b5oqidu9AKrE-BJ2u419-YUVDFdNEF3AMSJGaTpeSlA2QbMbTS/s400/_MG_0407.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;">Unfortunately for Davis, just down the road resides Berkeley Law and Stanford Law. These two California powerhouses insure that Davis's employment prospects are limited to Sacramento and northern California (undoubtably the best part of the state, but still, one likes to have options). <i>Disclaimer: the part about Davis grads only getting jobs in Sacramento and extreme northern California is not meant to be a factual statement. It is a metaphor that I'm using to say: "I could go to Davis and love it, but I would have an easier time getting a job to pay off my massive law school debt if I went somewhere else."</i> </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;">I withdrew last week.</span>Codyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11446501095831085195noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2690920861723775519.post-70338270873960238322011-04-21T01:24:00.053-04:002011-04-22T13:22:00.511-04:00University of California Berkeley Law School<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG_Oo3lYq9g9skpPoQRtBqq5b98uIX60FhefAQr98HQ3tiFU-Upt8Ow-LlMcDOsnZP0eoGGKYQUzK-gFEAyyuftX5yO3QAT-FGlPvAkuKehpY-7NqG7GFHDJ2u6DHmRPkjIbOUfpPWQJpv/s1600/_MG_0054.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG_Oo3lYq9g9skpPoQRtBqq5b98uIX60FhefAQr98HQ3tiFU-Upt8Ow-LlMcDOsnZP0eoGGKYQUzK-gFEAyyuftX5yO3QAT-FGlPvAkuKehpY-7NqG7GFHDJ2u6DHmRPkjIbOUfpPWQJpv/s400/_MG_0054.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><i>Note: click on any picture to enlarge.</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><b>Location: </b>Berkeley, CA</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><b>U.S. News and World Report Rank:</b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"> 9</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><b>What they like to talk about: </b>making the world a better place</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><b>Pros:</b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"> one of the most renowned universities in the world</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;">, has the most top-10 academic departments of any U.S. university, public institution mission, confident, lots of lay prestige, bay area weather, driven students<br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><b>Cons:</b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"> California budget crisis, cost, urban setting, driven students</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;">When I first started studying for the LSAT, my goal was to earn a score that would get me into Berkeley. The radical heritage of the university attracted me because I wanted to attend a law school where my fellow students cared about making the world a better place. After my visit, I can say that Berkeley certainly fits that bill.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"> </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEaVw54tezNKn1y0MMCKozMuhrEth7FyqCXfvTJe7meTBI2Yx0yU30oflDk4FnIRsTCXLTFbsIGqdieqnfTcOD9BTjov2U8kJ_AZ7TiEhaCHx6iYOEu-eCkrGGUU5UcK8f6T4_oHRfiRO-/s1600/_MG_0071.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEaVw54tezNKn1y0MMCKozMuhrEth7FyqCXfvTJe7meTBI2Yx0yU30oflDk4FnIRsTCXLTFbsIGqdieqnfTcOD9BTjov2U8kJ_AZ7TiEhaCHx6iYOEu-eCkrGGUU5UcK8f6T4_oHRfiRO-/s400/_MG_0071.jpg" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">hallway</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitKGMqPM9gQG2O1nk6nBLuwrxrMgl7KaRD09pYd4oAHUbhvEtOsr3jS-wejvMVM9LLtjiabpFyug7Dni39fW91iX03hMEaYeefn93WsAMRWwqVnNPiLNK6YO1B52y2pWSumFg7ceXKT676/s1600/_MG_0073.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitKGMqPM9gQG2O1nk6nBLuwrxrMgl7KaRD09pYd4oAHUbhvEtOsr3jS-wejvMVM9LLtjiabpFyug7Dni39fW91iX03hMEaYeefn93WsAMRWwqVnNPiLNK6YO1B52y2pWSumFg7ceXKT676/s400/_MG_0073.jpg" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Berkeley Law library</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUMDK235zjUhAtUX65g7LxeXz-U4pGyTc02-oR2YFeFK3VVmak3uSsLX110VGEgJP2Wv_sodmR2D6BpEQHr-aKplm-_FjOpGO9bTqxGtSnTJew3xs8f6SwB3ZTsubQb0X84LDXYlXDB5RY/s1600/_MG_0075.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUMDK235zjUhAtUX65g7LxeXz-U4pGyTc02-oR2YFeFK3VVmak3uSsLX110VGEgJP2Wv_sodmR2D6BpEQHr-aKplm-_FjOpGO9bTqxGtSnTJew3xs8f6SwB3ZTsubQb0X84LDXYlXDB5RY/s400/_MG_0075.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Classroom</td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;">One of the most important things to note is that out of all the admitted students I talked to, only one was coming straight from undergrad. He felt like he was the odd man out... and he was. Overwhelmingly, the students at Berkeley law have been working for several years, are excited and invested in their work, and are attending law school to make them better at it. This makes for an extremely motivated student body who are serious about becoming effective lawyers. To top it off, virtually all of those I talked to were involved in work that makes the world a better place. A group of people more motivated to do good you could not find anywhere.</span><br />
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One practical effect of this is that Berkeley students are really active in clinical programs. At other law schools, clinics are reserved for 2Ls and 3Ls. But when the clinical craze hit, Berkeley 1Ls would have none of it. They organized student-run clinics, which have now become central to what Berkeley does in its local community. No doubt this insistence on hands-on experience stems from the fact that Berkeley 1Ls are used to "real-world experience," but I like the attitude that they aren't willing to sit back and let the 2Ls and 3Ls have all the fun.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6QYbTQnDcCHFNW7dIAI1bcwQO78pAhD-6hGp4dwqxtjzm3oS2RH0_Tzw8UcQ9wKpUcpYXbtapQK2RArdQqlx8b9MIfGNqXhkJgu75saMXAxXKNgQFC6kNHg6FI1C0BnbjEz7UQzgCaPAl/s1600/_MG_0040.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6QYbTQnDcCHFNW7dIAI1bcwQO78pAhD-6hGp4dwqxtjzm3oS2RH0_Tzw8UcQ9wKpUcpYXbtapQK2RArdQqlx8b9MIfGNqXhkJgu75saMXAxXKNgQFC6kNHg6FI1C0BnbjEz7UQzgCaPAl/s400/_MG_0040.jpg" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Berkeley bell town</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6O9P0MsiCPWT0091BqTDRlmAJiIqgDmV50OEQYW7UbyseIDvhk-7KoJSD0gX5GnBW8i0-Ey_9O6XkIDfX8Xmu0qWZx5w6yS38rLA5EDjGnnGgFkQjmUsVCR1ZvCdw0LtV9S-w_fg1bdxh/s1600/_MG_0239.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6O9P0MsiCPWT0091BqTDRlmAJiIqgDmV50OEQYW7UbyseIDvhk-7KoJSD0gX5GnBW8i0-Ey_9O6XkIDfX8Xmu0qWZx5w6yS38rLA5EDjGnnGgFkQjmUsVCR1ZvCdw0LtV9S-w_fg1bdxh/s400/_MG_0239.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSxuw8eCwhuXGbccc0XNFOPj8hNSrI8lqEQsRmqpuAT_N5V8beKP1V_fdu02XCbgSeZSeMRI8l0iCgnE1Ks72V8gXkV1Awilt9E4oLAJmCiaBmwvICxXnvr_bZX8FwG-EDa8eKR-i2XDMy/s1600/_MG_0273.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSxuw8eCwhuXGbccc0XNFOPj8hNSrI8lqEQsRmqpuAT_N5V8beKP1V_fdu02XCbgSeZSeMRI8l0iCgnE1Ks72V8gXkV1Awilt9E4oLAJmCiaBmwvICxXnvr_bZX8FwG-EDa8eKR-i2XDMy/s400/_MG_0273.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;">Because of their driven nature, Berkeley Law students seem a little insular. They're focused on their goals rather than on the law community itself. This is both positive and negative. At Michigan, I really enjoyed the feeling of community that was organized around the institution itself (it felt a little like undergrad). Michigan students enjoy cultivating their learning experience with other members of their learning community even if those others don't have the same interests and goals. At Berkeley, there is a sense of community, but the communities are organized around specific efforts, they are external to the law school itself.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;">In my notebook, I wrote: "Boalt is simultaneously jovial but preoccupied with professionalism. They are a happy and friendly community, but Michigan is a <u>closer</u> community." If studying at Michigan is like attending a close-knit college, studying at Berkeley is like working at a self-actualized public interest law firm.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;">While at Michigan I was prepared for any hint of pretentiousness, I realized that Berkeley is really the place that suffers from it (though when compared with some other law schools, none of my prospects suffer from it). Berkeley is home to the "liberal intelligentsia" and it feels like it. Pretentious might be a strong word for it, but Berkeley is confident in it's intellectual bona fides. And honestly, it should be.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbwq5kn4GZeHW7bw6EmX0eo0CSlqiB38zVLzxa5xMzppM7WPpe-XYygURD5m1ZVufPGHLRks8ami69cgLZ-_pzkhBf8KbUJSe78odYaXVCTh4dMNhGeinDBldQVNjeDj_47G90pqVQ4FmN/s1600/_MG_0019.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbwq5kn4GZeHW7bw6EmX0eo0CSlqiB38zVLzxa5xMzppM7WPpe-XYygURD5m1ZVufPGHLRks8ami69cgLZ-_pzkhBf8KbUJSe78odYaXVCTh4dMNhGeinDBldQVNjeDj_47G90pqVQ4FmN/s400/_MG_0019.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Berkeley Law</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOIFlC5IRlxae2z82Tqiz_XlWEcvAmJA8srsyuQfBlEl9dQgVwePt0XpuCdRxT9BrbXzx-aKHPXXQLbYXwd9Cu62FkIAF6KdA3D_TFqiYvMEdU7yVGZZHyBJ0H0C-XPytMBE_9-0lAa46s/s1600/_MG_0029.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOIFlC5IRlxae2z82Tqiz_XlWEcvAmJA8srsyuQfBlEl9dQgVwePt0XpuCdRxT9BrbXzx-aKHPXXQLbYXwd9Cu62FkIAF6KdA3D_TFqiYvMEdU7yVGZZHyBJ0H0C-XPytMBE_9-0lAa46s/s400/_MG_0029.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjyUThggMxdlt6YSx_L3aCIoOjAkPxuxOjxMTAZjkJmVxxGNRt2WbnjlyuCNuf7jbWrx3d3Bc_X2eTwomO-nlA7u6O7NoKgfZ6JmM4oO93W6RmFEhhFR_qWqxxnSFEzJrn05CFGdvLbut2/s1600/_MG_0051.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjyUThggMxdlt6YSx_L3aCIoOjAkPxuxOjxMTAZjkJmVxxGNRt2WbnjlyuCNuf7jbWrx3d3Bc_X2eTwomO-nlA7u6O7NoKgfZ6JmM4oO93W6RmFEhhFR_qWqxxnSFEzJrn05CFGdvLbut2/s400/_MG_0051.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9B_k7VatI8_aZuLDnZ5mOaYpWJ8jYgGLTG3bd9JzwVNEEznqHtnhAfKIGairJOt9HeS5NLcnr5oL_JOR_znqaDFfecNLcV6W2uiejpk4RvMFmHmWg5iCL0uoqVLmwFXKeKISy0I872hf-/s1600/_MG_0286.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9B_k7VatI8_aZuLDnZ5mOaYpWJ8jYgGLTG3bd9JzwVNEEznqHtnhAfKIGairJOt9HeS5NLcnr5oL_JOR_znqaDFfecNLcV6W2uiejpk4RvMFmHmWg5iCL0uoqVLmwFXKeKISy0I872hf-/s400/_MG_0286.jpg" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Berkeley campus</td></tr>
</tbody></table><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;">But Berkeley is confident for different reasons as well. I didn't realize until I was doing research on law schools that UC Berkeley is one of the best universities in the world (anywhere from 8th to 2nd in the world depending on the source-<a href="http://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/world-university-rankings/2010-2011/top-200.html">here</a>, <a href="http://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/world-university-rankings/2010-2011/reputation-rankings.html">here</a>, or <a href="http://www.arwu.org/ARWU2010.jsp">here</a>). Moreover, I learned that out of all U.S. universities, Berkeley has the most departments ranked in the top-10 in their fields.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"> </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;">The way Berkeley's confidence came across during my visit was refreshing. They didn't try to "sell" us on Berkeley Law. They simply told us about their excellence. The Dean, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christopher_Edley,_Jr.">Christopher Edley, Jr.</a>, spoke to us on the first day despite having broken his ribs several days before. His talk was the most moving part of my entire trip west.</span><br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;">He spoke about the unique mission of a public law school. That as a society we had come together to form a place of learning that would create great leaders. That Berkeley Law was committed to the public interest and the public good.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiei5l14Mx3lW4sUKQP-zi-uHuhY5wxAGba5eRLlaW9o0pGf01ToaNVGaO78DvuumLVmKJxVRfMxqCXJ0WqB3xNhbcNIYPLs4dzqzsYXOQsuikQHp-tCeV0ooMqV9lC7C41SI9Ki0WQWe3K/s1600/_MG_0131.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiei5l14Mx3lW4sUKQP-zi-uHuhY5wxAGba5eRLlaW9o0pGf01ToaNVGaO78DvuumLVmKJxVRfMxqCXJ0WqB3xNhbcNIYPLs4dzqzsYXOQsuikQHp-tCeV0ooMqV9lC7C41SI9Ki0WQWe3K/s400/_MG_0131.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8Sv8r-eXejlLSDxTmS5GkNNFd9ZSNCaWRU75Z-8lXQR3SdbLIHZWyhv-y42zY5Q7pOMzVnOGmxv0maQqGjwMTu9PyYTDfjyi3VlO_emD7KQP6yVsKArvj96Hc-xoMiUTT80SnQhV7qXYu/s1600/_MG_0162.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8Sv8r-eXejlLSDxTmS5GkNNFd9ZSNCaWRU75Z-8lXQR3SdbLIHZWyhv-y42zY5Q7pOMzVnOGmxv0maQqGjwMTu9PyYTDfjyi3VlO_emD7KQP6yVsKArvj96Hc-xoMiUTT80SnQhV7qXYu/s400/_MG_0162.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtx-eq_-xf_CEsv539YnNaaPDj7WIeHwgA3kQH1XwTL7w3zzaOCaZOZBxDVPMCx2hj1qNYt9lBltaVixzz86bSdKAS1RxuvnPGaNmQgddwCOcNIZ7QSM4XIiVF7SrPRiOdEGc1jrM1Bu-B/s1600/_MG_0164.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtx-eq_-xf_CEsv539YnNaaPDj7WIeHwgA3kQH1XwTL7w3zzaOCaZOZBxDVPMCx2hj1qNYt9lBltaVixzz86bSdKAS1RxuvnPGaNmQgddwCOcNIZ7QSM4XIiVF7SrPRiOdEGc1jrM1Bu-B/s400/_MG_0164.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-Hp_APAZUrJalGI32ulkUQlwBFUHwTz5Q82j6ero5ywbFRaYYhxf64KWKWeARZmyfJNuB21fLksig27EJcz_mN0ZWjgg46J74YEIUre-xq8uy-QR2wCqUGTYt77JtQ7rNQWUKcC41LKQX/s1600/_MG_0172.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-Hp_APAZUrJalGI32ulkUQlwBFUHwTz5Q82j6ero5ywbFRaYYhxf64KWKWeARZmyfJNuB21fLksig27EJcz_mN0ZWjgg46J74YEIUre-xq8uy-QR2wCqUGTYt77JtQ7rNQWUKcC41LKQX/s400/_MG_0172.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg91LVWmEYALYJdny-gwCtAstg26whCJkQA1Zg99dE63PDPuIcAnwIfe-G62Lbf0wtoWKmMiS6YWBTqC5f7UFI-n9km0oYGMkSIzcs5St9HDIXp_GkbzXzWmYGL-4w2uz2TlbhkXZphJR1g/s1600/_MG_0268.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg91LVWmEYALYJdny-gwCtAstg26whCJkQA1Zg99dE63PDPuIcAnwIfe-G62Lbf0wtoWKmMiS6YWBTqC5f7UFI-n9km0oYGMkSIzcs5St9HDIXp_GkbzXzWmYGL-4w2uz2TlbhkXZphJR1g/s400/_MG_0268.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;">I was unprepared for the extraordinary beauty of Berkeley's campus. I was under the impression that Michigan was going to be the campus that took everyone's breath away (and it did), but Berkeley did too in a different way. At Michigan the revivalist Gothic architecture stood as a testament to the creative genius of whomever had built it. But at Berkeley, nature served as the architect and there is no better designer than God.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"> </span><br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;">It's not that the buildings were underwhelming, they were spectacular, but the redwood grove and the eucalyptus trees that dotted campus helped me remember that the best human efforts are easily outdone by our Creator.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFBvfvc0mPZwQK0vDRgDAjShJvWPVZFWp7HWlqdfvfqRWz8OGaYnpB-o54Hdi5gJz0fRNu8HqV19finLhMZw7IGF6oU4Mvx_VJEIygP__tNkqzMCaepd3nnoLD7GLq7B4h22B8C0V7NJ9t/s1600/_MG_0116.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFBvfvc0mPZwQK0vDRgDAjShJvWPVZFWp7HWlqdfvfqRWz8OGaYnpB-o54Hdi5gJz0fRNu8HqV19finLhMZw7IGF6oU4Mvx_VJEIygP__tNkqzMCaepd3nnoLD7GLq7B4h22B8C0V7NJ9t/s400/_MG_0116.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc6U0yWZG204WLdCdgLIBEv41b5C-nnYW0p3tBZRdkrfkzq8s77BSoqLuFmwoZN8L05ye7IlhbtbiklMkOdb90LR0Y99FKbCjNII9I9UGJ1F4qVbf6wJW2vRSwbi-0QZNIpFDDRZyYqX1W/s1600/_MG_0127.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc6U0yWZG204WLdCdgLIBEv41b5C-nnYW0p3tBZRdkrfkzq8s77BSoqLuFmwoZN8L05ye7IlhbtbiklMkOdb90LR0Y99FKbCjNII9I9UGJ1F4qVbf6wJW2vRSwbi-0QZNIpFDDRZyYqX1W/s400/_MG_0127.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxm1YlLsvYXzk9suos4aPnKRjYo8vj2W33GxkYNHmE5iBT9hZQSmLq35gN_cLsA6crMkWWX_U6BFUSRLlrAtIxKuGH2BPN2gH6Xftd9Jil818NMmjqXKtRbwNEGi55R94NyrU1dWcVaii_/s1600/_MG_0202.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxm1YlLsvYXzk9suos4aPnKRjYo8vj2W33GxkYNHmE5iBT9hZQSmLq35gN_cLsA6crMkWWX_U6BFUSRLlrAtIxKuGH2BPN2gH6Xftd9Jil818NMmjqXKtRbwNEGi55R94NyrU1dWcVaii_/s400/_MG_0202.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;">I'm struggling with the weight of my decision as I write this. I asked Berkeley to match one of my other scholarships (they have a program for this), but I got word today that they won't be doing that. Now I must decide if Berkeley is worth taking on substantially more debt than other top schools (e.g. Michigan).</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeVyOGfuxzZVktvfpHOlRrThA4Kosasq4YCu6Jwe2UWupO8tRiNWGK0TXXNiBvq_11_Bi4J7lgr2-uyzUsMR6cv29NWSuW7acWoNk3VP0xx7OTHEt0N0Z7rjT6v3k6osCG66Y30Wqumh9x/s1600/_MG_0212.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeVyOGfuxzZVktvfpHOlRrThA4Kosasq4YCu6Jwe2UWupO8tRiNWGK0TXXNiBvq_11_Bi4J7lgr2-uyzUsMR6cv29NWSuW7acWoNk3VP0xx7OTHEt0N0Z7rjT6v3k6osCG66Y30Wqumh9x/s400/_MG_0212.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Codyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11446501095831085195noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2690920861723775519.post-67998437691362474472011-04-18T15:00:00.000-04:002011-04-18T15:00:04.668-04:00University of Colorado Law School<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghkgT55lq3p6fLxPBLCGf4cEsUJZdPloVRqys_t-4HQhqQbvYr7wvwJlkknma4rW6Kvpg9r36BV57hcxVNZoR_GY5ZCJhl38JUca1Jnyks6sjDfS_RbEalu5UF9fGsA5Aj2j6zYVuu3y3H/s1600/_MG_9777.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghkgT55lq3p6fLxPBLCGf4cEsUJZdPloVRqys_t-4HQhqQbvYr7wvwJlkknma4rW6Kvpg9r36BV57hcxVNZoR_GY5ZCJhl38JUca1Jnyks6sjDfS_RbEalu5UF9fGsA5Aj2j6zYVuu3y3H/s400/_MG_9777.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><i>Note: click on any picture to enlarge.</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><b>Location: </b>Boulder, Co</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><b>U.S. News and World Report Rank:</b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"> 47</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><b>What they like to talk about: </b>N/A</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><b>Pros:</b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"> Boulder, enthusiasm for Boulder, the mountains, the architecture</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><b>Cons:</b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"> lack of lay prestige (again), lack of national prestige, non-T10 syndrome</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; line-height: normal;"><br />
</span></span>Colorado's Boulder campus is stunning. I could stop here and just show you pictures the rest of the way. When I set foot on campus, it was 77 degrees, sunny, and the architecture against the backdrop of the mountains made a good case for Colorado Law. I dearly wanted to attend Colorado Law for a solid 56 hours... and then I arrived in Berkeley (and that's another story).</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlHkrhEpNz7-7nRSWkBV49m3WoPNhfog0O8zTNhasc368tRPX0tIHVSGFujvl834fCgrwDBMONmfXh2twXFWxII8JOcNQR8oo13rAdNwCFZ2GApkVCQOaSZ8scn3ATe6eKPnRToRUgikK9/s1600/_MG_9768.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlHkrhEpNz7-7nRSWkBV49m3WoPNhfog0O8zTNhasc368tRPX0tIHVSGFujvl834fCgrwDBMONmfXh2twXFWxII8JOcNQR8oo13rAdNwCFZ2GApkVCQOaSZ8scn3ATe6eKPnRToRUgikK9/s400/_MG_9768.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Boulder Mountains</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJnNJsGnyfKyz5RQ585qkPZd9bivQALo7Jxta8zJDfqpcNaweIRwY3UZTfIIrxT3QjerUZJchFK_c5rtcl_lxdgpyVHUFuNljoKLSCRPDFJWQ2g3WaOvhb7yXN0nPryNBPFsp7T4i8SoCv/s1600/_MG_9903.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJnNJsGnyfKyz5RQ585qkPZd9bivQALo7Jxta8zJDfqpcNaweIRwY3UZTfIIrxT3QjerUZJchFK_c5rtcl_lxdgpyVHUFuNljoKLSCRPDFJWQ2g3WaOvhb7yXN0nPryNBPFsp7T4i8SoCv/s400/_MG_9903.jpg" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Stadium</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimnCgfTDMlQ6-OXpG8pODJhFCaydNJJeo4hKlVJTmLzJ1W3-ui6AXGXeJdo9oK8dbun_QV3WCqCSl9D2Jf3C7ruKUw34xj1uquUGM-JtDml8A1icOtX2iXTGLvsC3q_jufRtGRW_83_miQ/s1600/_MG_9907.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimnCgfTDMlQ6-OXpG8pODJhFCaydNJJeo4hKlVJTmLzJ1W3-ui6AXGXeJdo9oK8dbun_QV3WCqCSl9D2Jf3C7ruKUw34xj1uquUGM-JtDml8A1icOtX2iXTGLvsC3q_jufRtGRW_83_miQ/s400/_MG_9907.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gym</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBWNtM2Aujr-mn5XYhMmq78xqoWZZ7_D4TcUWQFr3DCs2tBlr-QNuFEl8RUOh59RkBvgGFry_vCJKcyTIiJB2GGxVoNaoT2CWBC77kVIl_Ke05XqpjcS4B-GwLrm7tyuBXVAbZa1fqTNaa/s1600/_MG_9918.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBWNtM2Aujr-mn5XYhMmq78xqoWZZ7_D4TcUWQFr3DCs2tBlr-QNuFEl8RUOh59RkBvgGFry_vCJKcyTIiJB2GGxVoNaoT2CWBC77kVIl_Ke05XqpjcS4B-GwLrm7tyuBXVAbZa1fqTNaa/s400/_MG_9918.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; line-height: normal;"><br />
</span></span>What's striking about the architecture is that it's completely consistent throughout the entire campus. Even the stadium is constructed with the distinctive southwestern flair.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; line-height: normal;"><br />
</span></span>It's hard to beat Boulder for a place to live if you like the outdoors. The student body is rife with enthusiasm for where they live and that enthusiasm translates into a cordial spirit. The students are easygoing and seemingly pretty comfortable in their own skin.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; line-height: normal;"><br />
</span></span>The class I visited wasn't super interesting (they were going over rules of evidence on a powerpoint), but there were windows so I could look out and wish I was outside in the sunshine (something I imagine many law students feel when they're in class).</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipe1Y1bx3t8Ja6gvckVW41hDvMR2uN08Yb_gIG142OmBc7WtN2xQtRIsJWpVS5fpSjEJa3SRikD74roPn3Y2Ukk4tgiYn0IPn_eILG992I_f7zaOvJ4sqiv9-GxZ8rGvWUKifN2RxTkRQH/s1600/_MG_9794.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipe1Y1bx3t8Ja6gvckVW41hDvMR2uN08Yb_gIG142OmBc7WtN2xQtRIsJWpVS5fpSjEJa3SRikD74roPn3Y2Ukk4tgiYn0IPn_eILG992I_f7zaOvJ4sqiv9-GxZ8rGvWUKifN2RxTkRQH/s400/_MG_9794.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Classroom</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNT6sqncGOErQq3PmmheG8ofA3JyhIV0nvQr8Re4wBsUVhVZp67yD0JOoVYurR9XT9eQvroakr4r5yjsAPrXd02gLcr23UUQXEQXoadBNjsy0vi0-Y8lM0qcIc7VaxykNOou5zFdgC9rXW/s1600/_MG_9811.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNT6sqncGOErQq3PmmheG8ofA3JyhIV0nvQr8Re4wBsUVhVZp67yD0JOoVYurR9XT9eQvroakr4r5yjsAPrXd02gLcr23UUQXEQXoadBNjsy0vi0-Y8lM0qcIc7VaxykNOou5zFdgC9rXW/s400/_MG_9811.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Library</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRkfK6uzVe4NnDoKMEJ-YZd3Syihar_pzNYJFD9sUybdCqjwEJTS0_2y8C9i3bSv1lwIx4EcuyaBBSfZaN-XGOuhyphenhyphenW3x01jOEc_wjtlcXvDnC44C2FFNeedwUwmy3dAQGabCONY7oPO-0m/s1600/_MG_9787.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRkfK6uzVe4NnDoKMEJ-YZd3Syihar_pzNYJFD9sUybdCqjwEJTS0_2y8C9i3bSv1lwIx4EcuyaBBSfZaN-XGOuhyphenhyphenW3x01jOEc_wjtlcXvDnC44C2FFNeedwUwmy3dAQGabCONY7oPO-0m/s400/_MG_9787.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;">So why won't I be attending Colorado Law? At 47th, Colorado is the lowest ranked law school I was accepted to. In this instance, that means it will be much harder to get a job in the PNW with a Colorado degree than with a degree from a top ten school or the University of Washington. Plus, as I discussed in my post about Minnesota, the non-T10 syndrome makes for a more stressful and lower quality law school experience. </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghuXvOcNjO4C61DogA75KNWSmfflTsuwm3hiOFQAgCRsQC7uRkPLFl48MM99NSzwo8EjhXRJK4ISJk7kcWxMk-e3cmZWj4yTYkgpmoAhhShk8v-3eNHtd25mRDhvzKVH8kKtcwRnrdF3BL/s1600/_MG_9973.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghuXvOcNjO4C61DogA75KNWSmfflTsuwm3hiOFQAgCRsQC7uRkPLFl48MM99NSzwo8EjhXRJK4ISJk7kcWxMk-e3cmZWj4yTYkgpmoAhhShk8v-3eNHtd25mRDhvzKVH8kKtcwRnrdF3BL/s400/_MG_9973.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;">I slept up in the mountains my night in Boulder. Apparently there were some great tent sites just across this bridge. However, because I arrived at the trailhead at 1am, finding a place for a tent proved rather difficult and I ended up sleeping in my car.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcsfOxN_W-ZKt6ou_RRBZq4ODgf3_hJUtjPOKaoDchl6GlGaMMYu2CubJ-BKyQuQ6ayVlr0iuO0GJrhiChjAYyjRFYg8PozM4gp8uYq-q9CCWwMUToiXDGB_BXQoi-2tpJzxuuOx7pHRst/s1600/_MG_9939.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcsfOxN_W-ZKt6ou_RRBZq4ODgf3_hJUtjPOKaoDchl6GlGaMMYu2CubJ-BKyQuQ6ayVlr0iuO0GJrhiChjAYyjRFYg8PozM4gp8uYq-q9CCWwMUToiXDGB_BXQoi-2tpJzxuuOx7pHRst/s400/_MG_9939.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;">I withdrew my application last week.</span></span>Codyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11446501095831085195noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2690920861723775519.post-90570686592235843352011-04-12T23:59:00.007-04:002011-04-13T13:54:20.178-04:00University of Minnesota Law School<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipze2FqEenx_-DdUfXNi056La1YTEo6d9VVbJOk6onaq600S3ZlDxbW2Q9X8998eX6j4HUfT8QURssENpYJO-s4FMNrSYA8LOtE7qPVdzW6YKWdnQRtkd65NBzD04LOxgLC2tVN8a6IvDR/s1600/_MG_9672.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipze2FqEenx_-DdUfXNi056La1YTEo6d9VVbJOk6onaq600S3ZlDxbW2Q9X8998eX6j4HUfT8QURssENpYJO-s4FMNrSYA8LOtE7qPVdzW6YKWdnQRtkd65NBzD04LOxgLC2tVN8a6IvDR/s400/_MG_9672.jpg" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The centerpiece of main campus</td></tr>
</tbody></table><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><i>Note: click on any picture to enlarge.</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><b>Location: </b>Minneapolis, MN</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><b>U.S. News and World Report Rank:</b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"> 20</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><b>What they like to talk about: </b>having national prestige, great clinics</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><b>Pros:</b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"> excellent bar passage and job placement, nice people, great clinics</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><b>Cons:</b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"> It's cold there, lack of lay prestige (again), lack of national prestige, commuter campus feel, urban feel, lack of enthusiasm, non-T10 syndrome, oversubscribed clinics</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; font-style: normal; line-height: normal;"><br />
</span></span>Note: </i></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><i>I also want to give a disclaimer here that I did not get the level of exposure at Minnesota that I did at Virginia, Michigan, or Berkeley. I visited a class, got a tour of the law school from a member of the admissions staff, and poked around a lot by myself.</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; line-height: normal;"><br />
</span></span>Minnesota Law was a disappointment. I'll just say it right away. I wanted to like Minnesota so badly; they offered me a full-tuition scholarship, I have family ties to Minnesota, and </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><a href="http://www.top-law-schools.com/minnesota-law-school.html">TLS</a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"> describes Minnesota Law as "an ideal law school." But it wasn't meant to be. </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2QNIrEEOi7lkjBLto6oLQo-QozYO1oqDFOARQ7v8i9RW0cOo-_HezlXmElBwugIok24cJd_GuZmD4r578W9x22aQJaIczeghzlUdhv3dvzniMymv-DPDeGEAIpp4_AIbQUunchLOkbQ_-/s1600/_MG_9619.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2QNIrEEOi7lkjBLto6oLQo-QozYO1oqDFOARQ7v8i9RW0cOo-_HezlXmElBwugIok24cJd_GuZmD4r578W9x22aQJaIczeghzlUdhv3dvzniMymv-DPDeGEAIpp4_AIbQUunchLOkbQ_-/s400/_MG_9619.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFhqTO40vmldHGObp8ZxjgYHq9KLbOtdvy3KLly4YwVXnmKyol40xO9vJDs8PsJNHdrXlCHRHzAtmVpssiea7bf9I08lM6FfU1DbfJodhVorT7o4UHhqYyCVWxGBGUTvPCOz5j6dH1TLBZ/s1600/_MG_9636.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFhqTO40vmldHGObp8ZxjgYHq9KLbOtdvy3KLly4YwVXnmKyol40xO9vJDs8PsJNHdrXlCHRHzAtmVpssiea7bf9I08lM6FfU1DbfJodhVorT7o4UHhqYyCVWxGBGUTvPCOz5j6dH1TLBZ/s400/_MG_9636.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looking west across the river toward the law school</td></tr>
</tbody></table><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;">First off, there was a confluence of circumstances that didn't help: the weather was not great (overcast and rainy), someone had just demolished a building next door, the law school seemed to be in a "less than ideal" part of town, and the constitutional law class we were supposed to visit was cancelled so we visited a class about corporate mergers instead. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiosp5Ret1k70A0sU0jW1nug6aL-BqCu0sTDkW2MxjlZibzWI4WCL9Y8ikp_kAtEzpeFHIDEbSM4dmWsvY8QHYGz7VwhXJkMq_KPw9jkBQbHNRFOS87gnIdsv02YEMkSq51miWcKCIUNbh/s1600/_MG_9584.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiosp5Ret1k70A0sU0jW1nug6aL-BqCu0sTDkW2MxjlZibzWI4WCL9Y8ikp_kAtEzpeFHIDEbSM4dmWsvY8QHYGz7VwhXJkMq_KPw9jkBQbHNRFOS87gnIdsv02YEMkSq51miWcKCIUNbh/s400/_MG_9584.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Minnesota Law building</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIVOQSECP2127jRRDZp9l1awCPeF8meqcWab4nmrGLp0AL05RDnSI0ZkMLmaKGexefmRlX_B8cWkElEnEOoKHYvLu55k9TRjYUwZLHpv_JRbjf2lNkRignUNAuA1IQ6zoqma7NpaTf1006/s1600/_MG_9565.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIVOQSECP2127jRRDZp9l1awCPeF8meqcWab4nmrGLp0AL05RDnSI0ZkMLmaKGexefmRlX_B8cWkElEnEOoKHYvLu55k9TRjYUwZLHpv_JRbjf2lNkRignUNAuA1IQ6zoqma7NpaTf1006/s400/_MG_9565.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Common area</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWyE-2bx4A98eI7rxXUSGRDUzCESR2CcDaDOrallbN3nNfopOx-P2aKrWTkIFT7kyA7UNLsQmjbfrl82aEVYuuNRGrixGa9C_W_ce09Yuv6cefjZN14yOCxi0e0JhozyXMxlOsCs7wRdH7/s1600/_MG_9567.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWyE-2bx4A98eI7rxXUSGRDUzCESR2CcDaDOrallbN3nNfopOx-P2aKrWTkIFT7kyA7UNLsQmjbfrl82aEVYuuNRGrixGa9C_W_ce09Yuv6cefjZN14yOCxi0e0JhozyXMxlOsCs7wRdH7/s400/_MG_9567.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hallway outside classrooms</td></tr>
</tbody></table><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;">On top of that, the Minnesota Law building is straight-up ugly, inside and out. The outside seemed angular and uncomfortable, while the inside seemed dark and cramped. In my notes, I wrote that the law building was "very utilitarian feeling and yet completely confusing to a visitor." There are nicer things to say about the Minn Law building. Frankly, it does have a practical feel; very midwest, very working class. But that feeling also translates into a stern environment that I imagine isn't a really great place to think. </span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMY_TA5Hq_1ntRt9HKM-u4Q12Na79BCIkbLpRxUOhB4Uyba483dvqMP9-xrwL2GgzdkBbSHgtnLghKOx_bAWENDoCn7qH0qGpxsuEox_RHoGeJ3gJUhpSBj9z5DOEw7rbMVJwKaiY6blyf/s1600/_MG_9700.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMY_TA5Hq_1ntRt9HKM-u4Q12Na79BCIkbLpRxUOhB4Uyba483dvqMP9-xrwL2GgzdkBbSHgtnLghKOx_bAWENDoCn7qH0qGpxsuEox_RHoGeJ3gJUhpSBj9z5DOEw7rbMVJwKaiY6blyf/s400/_MG_9700.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsJkRJZJaMVkQaPSIwoQR_OKX6ONtdP4pu-uCYf1S9jTUlXo53QuE1MWZE_qcxrHujIivo_ZomB7kXfzsPEYXfJpr6alvUvBukiHXCsXoMjIV8_1OIz6NCa7N-ZgA-7HIuD9TfhwmvV9CO/s1600/_MG_9702.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsJkRJZJaMVkQaPSIwoQR_OKX6ONtdP4pu-uCYf1S9jTUlXo53QuE1MWZE_qcxrHujIivo_ZomB7kXfzsPEYXfJpr6alvUvBukiHXCsXoMjIV8_1OIz6NCa7N-ZgA-7HIuD9TfhwmvV9CO/s400/_MG_9702.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;">The classrooms, with their desks in concentric squares, are unique and distinctive. At worst, the classrooms feel cramped and unnatural. At best, they display an urban seriousness that indicates both a no-frills attitude and astute concentration. I don't think I can say enough about how disappointed I was with the law building. After coming from Michigan where the architecture was breathtaking, Minnesota's architecture just seemed boring. </span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh03KXJi0CPh7meFdR-fJAzjokfWvRyVQq_ebh98I0pvR0SAZg5uy255YBmUEt4D9p992X3a45pfv4egF_qByyT1CDDPKdHOBh-ixgdNYWOoM9hRWwpPZzt7usSxHZ0xMFeOq0AvwxMRhMk/s1600/_MG_9708.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh03KXJi0CPh7meFdR-fJAzjokfWvRyVQq_ebh98I0pvR0SAZg5uy255YBmUEt4D9p992X3a45pfv4egF_qByyT1CDDPKdHOBh-ixgdNYWOoM9hRWwpPZzt7usSxHZ0xMFeOq0AvwxMRhMk/s400/_MG_9708.jpg" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Library reading room</td></tr>
</tbody></table><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;">If only they had stuck with the old law building (though it may look boring, it's located adjacent to the main campus and is in the same spirit), I would be more enthusiastic about Minnesota Law.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVFCiUS6W9198c0CWaPzNRdoETtAdlGs2RPEhMzoiSWtqqq85uZ1HGyfZLybBNJHpZOO82fRgs5V8_xxG-RZL4IPnOrjfb_-E31seC3kat-1Xbvmdh7UIE4vH2bFN951uIzxWBJ56rteHG/s1600/_MG_9680.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVFCiUS6W9198c0CWaPzNRdoETtAdlGs2RPEhMzoiSWtqqq85uZ1HGyfZLybBNJHpZOO82fRgs5V8_xxG-RZL4IPnOrjfb_-E31seC3kat-1Xbvmdh7UIE4vH2bFN951uIzxWBJ56rteHG/s400/_MG_9680.jpg" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The old law building</td></tr>
</tbody></table><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;">The main campus was impressive to say the least. I had no idea the University of Minnesota was quite this visually overwhelming, but I was quite inspired by my visit. If only that feeling had crossed the river to the law building. </span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGMhG2XZ6jGekEujLnmWwQ97gIVTK3MMho26qEovlQFKGItB7dW2V7-UUVVc2zT8D12M_1AvuZ8CNIzLDTGZ8aEMoN4FIFTbzlM-r6xmbOKBOaFAy1nBSBiWnkDZqbjTXxD3LBEV-NWold/s1600/_MG_9569.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGMhG2XZ6jGekEujLnmWwQ97gIVTK3MMho26qEovlQFKGItB7dW2V7-UUVVc2zT8D12M_1AvuZ8CNIzLDTGZ8aEMoN4FIFTbzlM-r6xmbOKBOaFAy1nBSBiWnkDZqbjTXxD3LBEV-NWold/s400/_MG_9569.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The bridge going to the main campus from the law school</td></tr>
</tbody></table><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;">The buildings on main campus have the distinct feel of WWII era architecture–massive, blocky, and serious. Because I am inspired by Greek and Roman architecture, I really dig these buildings.</span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyjiDEjE_7Ep97JL0OeDR2R-JW6OjrGuo-DBvzBYU3vcUG2RvC_YY5YBDSZ0lhxOnfDMsslarcdMPOPe_p8YfEg9XF_7O0ZWWLoAfCVzLWqroqkwve45l-uPGpSQ38BxUc-lMQbqoULCoR/s1600/_MG_9620.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyjiDEjE_7Ep97JL0OeDR2R-JW6OjrGuo-DBvzBYU3vcUG2RvC_YY5YBDSZ0lhxOnfDMsslarcdMPOPe_p8YfEg9XF_7O0ZWWLoAfCVzLWqroqkwve45l-uPGpSQ38BxUc-lMQbqoULCoR/s400/_MG_9620.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVA5813kwzY1oUXE_ySA7-hHfcWbI9VhCjTWLY7dfO7St3irgdcytwt8HwGPmNB6I7kMi0Q9v1f7EG7bNo9HuiCtza1sm9M8JBkdvMg367230T6JZxfVJNqNmVMxsgIGTOqfyz0EZe37Bf/s1600/_MG_9639.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVA5813kwzY1oUXE_ySA7-hHfcWbI9VhCjTWLY7dfO7St3irgdcytwt8HwGPmNB6I7kMi0Q9v1f7EG7bNo9HuiCtza1sm9M8JBkdvMg367230T6JZxfVJNqNmVMxsgIGTOqfyz0EZe37Bf/s400/_MG_9639.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm4QbNxYrTs8_xMfiq1HhwJ-J4OOvVAZoAfk8ZM9g20NIMxvOcdq2Yl9QhIkztgnbJeZtDW4evvhB1GVgVHTMR_-1TrrXqHpgzlqevxggmszW9aNwSRtOpbblLYso1uYU4lL8YGaYrMwi0/s1600/_MG_9646.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm4QbNxYrTs8_xMfiq1HhwJ-J4OOvVAZoAfk8ZM9g20NIMxvOcdq2Yl9QhIkztgnbJeZtDW4evvhB1GVgVHTMR_-1TrrXqHpgzlqevxggmszW9aNwSRtOpbblLYso1uYU4lL8YGaYrMwi0/s400/_MG_9646.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0YujmqemB-2utO0tAIf82nVNV1pSN3TQTAYibF8YhvMh2KVk0wFqrAEXMaZgEP0Ok-3n1OeMm9SoLweHAiGm97Hkt1SuUn0J9nmqtUaNN2pbJorLbZ7Zc_qOOcWGIOTaQqSAyoez1UGC8/s1600/_MG_9655.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0YujmqemB-2utO0tAIf82nVNV1pSN3TQTAYibF8YhvMh2KVk0wFqrAEXMaZgEP0Ok-3n1OeMm9SoLweHAiGm97Hkt1SuUn0J9nmqtUaNN2pbJorLbZ7Zc_qOOcWGIOTaQqSAyoez1UGC8/s400/_MG_9655.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheGO6D2p6vI4wP421mp7tthvyctJvU6RM_NkKKxTVGqM6ZAeP9h0KiQIElxKJKgCk53D-ZuKLibqJ0F7j_yKFCMN_Xb1IUOB4XumsOqRAZSjWGB5rU-Q1lPfaHQ3PhUnKu0ozE1TOt-eg7/s1600/_MG_9666.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheGO6D2p6vI4wP421mp7tthvyctJvU6RM_NkKKxTVGqM6ZAeP9h0KiQIElxKJKgCk53D-ZuKLibqJ0F7j_yKFCMN_Xb1IUOB4XumsOqRAZSjWGB5rU-Q1lPfaHQ3PhUnKu0ozE1TOt-eg7/s400/_MG_9666.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyyilkgQZaZfZa9a1gcDZGrx5jVJ8eG5uxe3nOhP7AUl4dMlh3KZ_oGqOIG5MOuAA2k1JpVwjZIGGfXFM19zK3syw6dEEMo__T9-unCa8HwE25zGUhOb0bNOoY2KSrv_KIA24Rl__MeQg6/s1600/_MG_9673.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyyilkgQZaZfZa9a1gcDZGrx5jVJ8eG5uxe3nOhP7AUl4dMlh3KZ_oGqOIG5MOuAA2k1JpVwjZIGGfXFM19zK3syw6dEEMo__T9-unCa8HwE25zGUhOb0bNOoY2KSrv_KIA24Rl__MeQg6/s400/_MG_9673.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;">You gotta love those Grecian pillars (see how I got carried away with pictures of them?).</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><br />
</span></span>Pros and Cons Summary: </b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;">Minnesota is a great law school. It's just not so great if it's viewed beside the schools I've already reviewed. Nobody will dispute that Minnesota has great bar passage and employment rates; they'll simply point out that these statistics are referring to the midwest. The bottom-line is really that Minnesota is a great regional school. This brings us to their most significant weakness. When I asked Seattle attorneys about Minnesota, they didn't have much to say because they didn't know about the school. And that's the problem. Despite Minnesota insisting that they have national reach, they don't (at least compared to the other schools I'm considering). However, they are recognized nationally in the area of clinics. Unfortunately, their clinical programs are "oversubscribed" (their words) and therefore you "might not get in the clinic you want." Oops.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; line-height: normal;"><br />
</span></span>My real concerns stem from something else: I'm calling it the </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><b>non-T10 syndrome</b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;">. T10 refers to the top 10 law schools as defined by </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><a href="http://grad-schools.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-law-schools/law-rankings">US News and World Report</a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;">. I've noticed something about non-T10 schools (and the opposite phenomenon at T10 schools). At non-T10 schools, the students and faculty seem to have a chip on their collective shoulder. Professors work harder to be "tough" and embarrass students in class to make sure they "know their stuff." Students are deliberate about being a "hardcore studiers" (probably because they have to achieve a higher class rank</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"> to get a good job). At T10 schools, the people are more comfortable and eager to truly think about what a particular case means rather than worrying about whether they'll be called on to recite the facts of the case (etc., etc., etc., you get the picture).</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; line-height: normal;"><br />
</span></span>It's possible that this "syndrome" could very well be a figment of my imagination. I can think of a lot of scenarios where that's true. Nonetheless, I'm pretty confident about the idea and intend on taking it into account when I decide on a school.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; line-height: normal;"><br />
</span></span>I withdrew my application from Minnesota Law last Friday.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"></span></span>Codyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11446501095831085195noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2690920861723775519.post-44345558488631690722011-04-06T00:57:00.181-04:002011-04-13T14:50:24.512-04:00The University of Michigan Law School<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0JdJ9s8pG8y0X7X1Bm78VA8kdaBOvMGrlwgJUEZyMipGGZ0NpxXLeCpNqRNtBEP84RG7NpSd63Zpnd3uwZQW_c16WHABwOauu7kIf5heyQn0gAnAWQeZXYerJAJsGuh5VVNjVH2J4MYx5/s1600/_MG_9352.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0JdJ9s8pG8y0X7X1Bm78VA8kdaBOvMGrlwgJUEZyMipGGZ0NpxXLeCpNqRNtBEP84RG7NpSd63Zpnd3uwZQW_c16WHABwOauu7kIf5heyQn0gAnAWQeZXYerJAJsGuh5VVNjVH2J4MYx5/s400/_MG_9352.jpg" width="265" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The famous reading room</td></tr>
</tbody></table><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><i>Note: click on any picture to enlarge.</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><b>Location: </b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;">Ann Arbor, MI</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><b>U.S. News and World Report Rank:</b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"> 7</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><b>What they like to talk about: </b>being collegial (anti-pomp/competition), wide geographic distribution of graduates, academic excellence, happiness</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><b>Pros:</b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"> Ann Arbor, the architecture makes your brain 10x more powerful, highly ranked, well-respected in the PNW (according to attorneys in Seattle)</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><b>Cons:</b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"> It's cold there, lack of lay prestige (again)</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; line-height: normal;"><br />
</span></span>Michigan represents a school that is well-rounded and a compelling option for almost every career path. It has the feeling of an institution that is scholarly, confident, and easy-going. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; line-height: normal;"><br />
</span></span>If the best law school was determined by the impressiveness of architecture, Michigan would win hands-down</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;">. That's the first thing you notice</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"> when you step on campus: Revivalist Gothic architecture that can take your breath away–I dearly wish my pictures could do it justice.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp46uJA3-rn4xKlb8Nlkpn79-noT4fvHqgWD2L1MPPOzzzqTISFvxgVEQnBCqQvjB8MLwc7n52k6INul6RuhcVRHIdEYexupo9ZFE633t7Xc822LNvOHtaSDckQkN1tkpyxKGs7FMmXx7M/s1600/_MG_9434.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp46uJA3-rn4xKlb8Nlkpn79-noT4fvHqgWD2L1MPPOzzzqTISFvxgVEQnBCqQvjB8MLwc7n52k6INul6RuhcVRHIdEYexupo9ZFE633t7Xc822LNvOHtaSDckQkN1tkpyxKGs7FMmXx7M/s400/_MG_9434.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looking through the north gate</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7oot-WwuHsc8w_xmSTYaJrVB13iXKSMs7bOfl-eHhqki1pJCfgibQmY-BmCucyWZtyEQvt42BulOWNnXQiWDDO7kqTB4upY9yo0f5ZcOKIZzDjd3hosmbisWXwjB80Ln-o6aIgazZsQN9/s1600/_MG_9514.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7oot-WwuHsc8w_xmSTYaJrVB13iXKSMs7bOfl-eHhqki1pJCfgibQmY-BmCucyWZtyEQvt42BulOWNnXQiWDDO7kqTB4upY9yo0f5ZcOKIZzDjd3hosmbisWXwjB80Ln-o6aIgazZsQN9/s400/_MG_9514.jpg" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lawyers Club north gate</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuoQhm_YNHZ1k3huCV84tjgS1ss4QZgP_BB-YobwYoTwdjmrXfU8GJ9IwJK6hS1HOl8T9tad8YLBS2yKq5tULU1XxJcHav5YjfHF7kPSeThxdtxkjMI_1T53TjwGLwFzyN2DpRJYQnABue/s1600/_MG_9449.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuoQhm_YNHZ1k3huCV84tjgS1ss4QZgP_BB-YobwYoTwdjmrXfU8GJ9IwJK6hS1HOl8T9tad8YLBS2yKq5tULU1XxJcHav5YjfHF7kPSeThxdtxkjMI_1T53TjwGLwFzyN2DpRJYQnABue/s400/_MG_9449.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Library reading room</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnFB6yjBgSV7RWVwgtFZ_MKxG4i1W6UD6wfnNgrGGkfKGgsu7s3ImXuAEItZ5strbDxS0kDizPxlkxjnhOZIpgQQsiOmWU9M0C_HFuvdrJFnbUrwiidCxn6fx5o3enN0dmxJiX37OJBUbQ/s1600/_MG_9524.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnFB6yjBgSV7RWVwgtFZ_MKxG4i1W6UD6wfnNgrGGkfKGgsu7s3ImXuAEItZ5strbDxS0kDizPxlkxjnhOZIpgQQsiOmWU9M0C_HFuvdrJFnbUrwiidCxn6fx5o3enN0dmxJiX37OJBUbQ/s400/_MG_9524.jpg" width="265" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Library reading room from the east</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0NbSdtODXH1txZPDc7cYFLrRzCWqCmWykhdoOBX3wFcUWu4uX2ONh3IQaG2U8_7ZfaJUA_lkf5iV7vU8d18eVJ1Abta8IcNOAV3LSLyGONfvkVNIKLQ_O8YUv27CB7oY8LVIaaBCKhuLf/s1600/_MG_9533.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0NbSdtODXH1txZPDc7cYFLrRzCWqCmWykhdoOBX3wFcUWu4uX2ONh3IQaG2U8_7ZfaJUA_lkf5iV7vU8d18eVJ1Abta8IcNOAV3LSLyGONfvkVNIKLQ_O8YUv27CB7oY8LVIaaBCKhuLf/s400/_MG_9533.jpg" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A typical hallway</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3qnIctYJAR6P_MeYTnD7T-3ekU_kKVQiGnCCS5Kufmye4lBnS5o8k2THnAx4kX2gh7s5uSUHdI7LMXjlqJxystS7GJqTHhyRJlzT0FGlTxXaEH21DlebXO0Q0TblzJLLIXnAklB60mBPL/s1600/_MG_9520.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3qnIctYJAR6P_MeYTnD7T-3ekU_kKVQiGnCCS5Kufmye4lBnS5o8k2THnAx4kX2gh7s5uSUHdI7LMXjlqJxystS7GJqTHhyRJlzT0FGlTxXaEH21DlebXO0Q0TblzJLLIXnAklB60mBPL/s400/_MG_9520.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;">It should be noted that I didn't like Michigan initially. There seemed to be a presumptuousness seeping out from the ornate reading room. I suppose the architecture could do that to a person, but ultimately I found the opposite to be true: Michigan is pretty relaxed (they must have said "collegial" 127,346 times over the course of the weekend).</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; line-height: normal;"><br />
</span></span>It was interesting being able to finally compare law schools. Throughout the weekend, comparisons between Michigan and Virginia were running through my mind. The two schools are extremely similar. Both are in small towns (Charlottesville is about a third the size of Ann Arbor, which I would actually classify as a small </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><b>city</b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;">). Both are top ten schools and know it. Both also know that there are schools in the top ten that are better than they are–mostly the typical Yale, Harvard, and Stanford, but also, Columbia, Chicago, and NYU (though I personally would never give these last three a second thought). Both have friendly students–though Virginia's are markedly friendlier. Both are incredibly proud of their institution as a whole. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; line-height: normal;"><br />
</span></span>And here is where we come to the difference between Virginia and Michigan. They are both proud, but their pride has very different sources (at least according to the vibes I was picking up). Virginia gets it's pride from long-standing "Southern honor." They have an honor code on campus (you can leave your laptop unattended and not worry about it, etc.) and this attitude of honor pervades the institution (<b>Note:</b> a current Virginia student made a good comment on my facebook. He noted that Virginia's pride is also derived from student happiness and the fact that their alumni contribute to the school at a rate of 51%, which is more than any other law school.). Michigan is proud because of its academic excellence (the university as a whole is also one of the best in the world). Both are really great reasons to be proud of one's institution. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNXk6XPkJY7ankePstBaOr2kBqtwatdvcu_vqYyhQL4q18M_rGgZTIaVKDJynmO3ZsUsKukV5gaM0oyzIlvOGw_yqnBVgmlGbWjuyCsU936s3uPrLooeAtwwt3aT-AqBtQ612m1D3Nc7H0/s1600/_MG_9378.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNXk6XPkJY7ankePstBaOr2kBqtwatdvcu_vqYyhQL4q18M_rGgZTIaVKDJynmO3ZsUsKukV5gaM0oyzIlvOGw_yqnBVgmlGbWjuyCsU936s3uPrLooeAtwwt3aT-AqBtQ612m1D3Nc7H0/s400/_MG_9378.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Main campus</td></tr>
</tbody></table><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;">Another notable difference had to do with the architecture. While Virginia's main campus was more impressive than the law school (and thematically consistent), Michigan's law school is far more architecturally impressive than Michigan's main campus. While Michigan's main campus is still great looking, it suffers from what I've been calling "architectural schizophrenia." There are many different kinds of architectural themes on Michigan's main campus, whereas the law school maintains its revivalist gothic throughout.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFxxnHEhio54E00llU9ylDfjgXYKZl3RLYxAT2Wh6oVZuvqJp61w4YAPb9b0VTEx86pRAMmJUQ_CAdWMZwqvbD_OHUyScMWWi6rGzAc0GVaSfBCYehENBmGj37wpm5RkW99IRlj6qHBCmD/s1600/_MG_9353.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFxxnHEhio54E00llU9ylDfjgXYKZl3RLYxAT2Wh6oVZuvqJp61w4YAPb9b0VTEx86pRAMmJUQ_CAdWMZwqvbD_OHUyScMWWi6rGzAc0GVaSfBCYehENBmGj37wpm5RkW99IRlj6qHBCmD/s400/_MG_9353.jpg" width="265" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzfOvGsqJrIn-gaG8HZDmjKE0vjUS3Wu0oLyXpy8STGdSnDczBHHF0orqrECdqyrTh4tPqEr2a_DtY4usjopLHRiG1rObN-zk_oAR5flyaprrh6anHu6kEuDHW8Oo2POhBQIQ2X0ESvz68/s1600/_MG_9408.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzfOvGsqJrIn-gaG8HZDmjKE0vjUS3Wu0oLyXpy8STGdSnDczBHHF0orqrECdqyrTh4tPqEr2a_DtY4usjopLHRiG1rObN-zk_oAR5flyaprrh6anHu6kEuDHW8Oo2POhBQIQ2X0ESvz68/s400/_MG_9408.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioQbgxUuq12pdZJ8y1dRBkrBNn0qtPEhtF3_VtsRtx5TmfG-ccA5z70z3HFM7OCSzqIQpxRbS5w-HKim68TM5xeuDfdk7HwXCQ22U6DTbIQXoqoRug8QfOAbVLR9Nk20aXYdIn2eu0qGBc/s1600/_MG_9428.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioQbgxUuq12pdZJ8y1dRBkrBNn0qtPEhtF3_VtsRtx5TmfG-ccA5z70z3HFM7OCSzqIQpxRbS5w-HKim68TM5xeuDfdk7HwXCQ22U6DTbIQXoqoRug8QfOAbVLR9Nk20aXYdIn2eu0qGBc/s400/_MG_9428.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; font-style: normal; line-height: normal;"><br />
</span></span>Note: the second portion of this review is being written in Oregon after visits to Minnesota Law, Colorado Law, Berkeley Law, and Davis Law.</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; line-height: normal;"><br />
</span></span>Michigan has the sense of fun and camaraderie that is usually associated with undergrad. Unlike Georgetown (and Minnesota and Berkeley) which has the feeling of a commuter campus (actually that's not fair to Berkeley–but I'll talk about that when I review Berkeley), Michigan has a more communal atmosphere which is accentuated by Ann Arbor. Something that helps: 50% of the entering class lives together in the Lawyers Club.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx_yKGZcFDkk3YgUtbx1jwdTq3xzwBzVT0MdkqsSoufZDFkZ-Qh27PLVvENP9oTvEoQyecKDcgZlc2dW5Ohxnx66kfO4Fa8uR50c2eLTVHaijh0pPs87CZJlC2EGF75Og2R_6gXfx_9rX2/s1600/_MG_9446.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx_yKGZcFDkk3YgUtbx1jwdTq3xzwBzVT0MdkqsSoufZDFkZ-Qh27PLVvENP9oTvEoQyecKDcgZlc2dW5Ohxnx66kfO4Fa8uR50c2eLTVHaijh0pPs87CZJlC2EGF75Og2R_6gXfx_9rX2/s400/_MG_9446.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Lawyers Club boarders the law quad on three sides</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoFs3RuZHB1F6aXbx9ZJNtx3hc0kX98GA_iArpUY7Q10tubrrY8sEsM3CtfN0FNaS2enhpSHHxBg4Yaa-DG1qz7YaJyl8KDBk0MeBMVDBzgeaDP2f2nVpb5GLG5beFz4SO8UZm_MRAjF9O/s1600/_MG_9515.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoFs3RuZHB1F6aXbx9ZJNtx3hc0kX98GA_iArpUY7Q10tubrrY8sEsM3CtfN0FNaS2enhpSHHxBg4Yaa-DG1qz7YaJyl8KDBk0MeBMVDBzgeaDP2f2nVpb5GLG5beFz4SO8UZm_MRAjF9O/s400/_MG_9515.jpg" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lawyers Club dining room</td></tr>
</tbody></table><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;">Living in the Lawyers Club comes with a meal plan that is administered in the dining room (and is also why I won't be living there if I go to Michigan). The great strength is that living in the Lawyers Club makes you even more integrated in the law community (and it's a 10 second walk to class).</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; line-height: normal;"><br />
</span></span>I think Michigan is a place I could feel comfortable, but still be committed to solving social problems (the Dean even emphasized solving social problems in his welcoming talk). A healthy attitude of social activism tempered by midwest practicality makes for a compelling combination.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><br />
</span></span>Pros and Cons Summary:</b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"> The cons first since they are few. Michigan is cold. This is especially acute since I'm considering Berkeley. While the Bay Area isn't always the picture of sunshine and warmth, it is if you compare it to Michigan. Second, Michigan suffers from a lack of lay prestige. In the Pacific Northwest, folks aren't going to know it's a better school than the University of Washington. However, attorneys in Seattle are quite impressed with Michigan and have told me that it would place much better than UVA.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; line-height: normal;"><br />
</span></span>The pros are many. People tend to undervalue architecture. Your physical environment determines much about the way you think and feel. Michigan has great architecture and I really think it's good for the brain. For instance, check out the library. It's underground, but there's a huge skylight that's cut into the ground and provides wonderful light three stories deep.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpcdLSde2MiMk5w74eLHRj1KsucqQcdR3xynOjJK2K4kkQdR-QkexKB3_j3iu9HdFQLTwCLWiDji5Quz8SNdP121Zji4R9MpLA-sAuHbb14qMe-vC1nErRuRTLM8flKcFdaEVYymKVBSW9/s1600/_MG_9345.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpcdLSde2MiMk5w74eLHRj1KsucqQcdR3xynOjJK2K4kkQdR-QkexKB3_j3iu9HdFQLTwCLWiDji5Quz8SNdP121Zji4R9MpLA-sAuHbb14qMe-vC1nErRuRTLM8flKcFdaEVYymKVBSW9/s320/_MG_9345.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4S50DJxmZWXPj2m_zu9YnwDQq6p3dr-_saSTnuq5U2h1Fx4QzfSVM1anXpSQXN3U9u2d70krDGXknmhIQBEQ8te0Fds7WH1tTlNDEiTY_yMPOgOmnwWlFl9fYt8rGJrR8rrRLMlLZgnPp/s1600/_MG_9343.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4S50DJxmZWXPj2m_zu9YnwDQq6p3dr-_saSTnuq5U2h1Fx4QzfSVM1anXpSQXN3U9u2d70krDGXknmhIQBEQ8te0Fds7WH1tTlNDEiTY_yMPOgOmnwWlFl9fYt8rGJrR8rrRLMlLZgnPp/s320/_MG_9343.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;">The classrooms are equally as impressive and well-lit.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvmMspnUJx9xYDn2xJxjRJd-mbAr_ykhT1eq3MiU9NVHEjpxZ1fPmhHFjsToiJFC6PvWPdNAh2jHmb44BS9bzXd3z3LaSx2gRc-dpitu5BKYLHzm2DeQUfbGNN2BB9LMNTCTMucotoJuTL/s1600/_MG_9338.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvmMspnUJx9xYDn2xJxjRJd-mbAr_ykhT1eq3MiU9NVHEjpxZ1fPmhHFjsToiJFC6PvWPdNAh2jHmb44BS9bzXd3z3LaSx2gRc-dpitu5BKYLHzm2DeQUfbGNN2BB9LMNTCTMucotoJuTL/s400/_MG_9338.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjsXuqy93UHhIZGWEY8TubF2nLUnti2WPeSB0nfsSzCsZGW_1any1r0N67vpmSJMAKoXnEb9kZTVKJQeFdrjzGmj0FyLn9O8dtVrHFXJKyWz4w22DXIbShRfQe4RlMUI8RTdZ996DUReGG/s1600/_MG_9363.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjsXuqy93UHhIZGWEY8TubF2nLUnti2WPeSB0nfsSzCsZGW_1any1r0N67vpmSJMAKoXnEb9kZTVKJQeFdrjzGmj0FyLn9O8dtVrHFXJKyWz4w22DXIbShRfQe4RlMUI8RTdZ996DUReGG/s400/_MG_9363.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;">It goes without saying (at this point in the post) that Michigan is one of the best law schools in the country. Not only does it have great job placement in every market, but professors and students participate in truly great scholarship. Lastly, Ann Arbor is a communal town and the law community is equally close-knit. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; line-height: normal;"><br />
</span></span>The best part of Ann Arbor:</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcDAqwvj9FqQhUpG-eYdW39ZSdMbzbZADjjDNw7Y9CwYuhru_IpBw6IFlYBzr9v9hJtHE7uShrVUkl7FA7Fi9stG7nN5FKp-BDiQ0uZ18ubcmIdKj4TCMHR8AeO-ZPYJS4VC63pDPllPKR/s1600/_MG_9535.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcDAqwvj9FqQhUpG-eYdW39ZSdMbzbZADjjDNw7Y9CwYuhru_IpBw6IFlYBzr9v9hJtHE7uShrVUkl7FA7Fi9stG7nN5FKp-BDiQ0uZ18ubcmIdKj4TCMHR8AeO-ZPYJS4VC63pDPllPKR/s400/_MG_9535.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;">And the worst:</span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPdjj6V2EmBdj57HzF4hCLCixjBPge5IvHJqGzOc-0rJoPswUOrXqeougrqsnkru_ApZDLp0XbsVhhB9ynQaTn1zIA-GwO2TzTIsRsHuzkQTsxqaknrsmUlKAT3UJlsMDZFoapf7mgHUt1/s1600/_MG_9537.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPdjj6V2EmBdj57HzF4hCLCixjBPge5IvHJqGzOc-0rJoPswUOrXqeougrqsnkru_ApZDLp0XbsVhhB9ynQaTn1zIA-GwO2TzTIsRsHuzkQTsxqaknrsmUlKAT3UJlsMDZFoapf7mgHUt1/s400/_MG_9537.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;">Luckily, nobody obeys this prohibition and there were plenty of dogs roaming the market.</span></span>Codyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11446501095831085195noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2690920861723775519.post-33649583331247387212011-04-01T23:30:00.001-04:002011-04-01T23:47:26.631-04:00Duke University School of Law<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqaddgu0wJYHG91envb1ENAZmV3rVgxwlx0oS2ewPfkb7LXTNzS9YCkrtArtlsj-d-DcO9rBYgROesl7Ox_Thap5oTg4dsoNbBBzhupHDnryECggTsiT4Th5KMrdJLrMOk0dtj6_Uw8tjv/s1600/_MG_9136.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqaddgu0wJYHG91envb1ENAZmV3rVgxwlx0oS2ewPfkb7LXTNzS9YCkrtArtlsj-d-DcO9rBYgROesl7Ox_Thap5oTg4dsoNbBBzhupHDnryECggTsiT4Th5KMrdJLrMOk0dtj6_Uw8tjv/s400/_MG_9136.jpg" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Cathedral</td></tr>
</tbody></table><i>Note: click on any picture to enlarge.</i><br />
<b>Location:</b> Durham, NC<br />
<b>U.S. News and World Report Rank:</b> 11<br />
<br />
I cannot review Duke Law the way I did with Virginia. I toured Duke during the weekend and didn't speak with anyone at the law school or the main university (in other words, this will be short). Regardless, I did get an overall impression that was not what I anticipated.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgut2yQkyLfs9Gy96o0Mu5WiMA1BJpyAfcPwPCeZ5hCR-jJidcjK4weJraGA8_jYEtO1Yc2xJlVxhTFP1sS9WBOZbn-aA4-WICbS-uINGdZ19QIjgqRJqHdNVbc4Kq68vOh1bLHVFYFsHDs/s1600/_MG_9063.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgut2yQkyLfs9Gy96o0Mu5WiMA1BJpyAfcPwPCeZ5hCR-jJidcjK4weJraGA8_jYEtO1Yc2xJlVxhTFP1sS9WBOZbn-aA4-WICbS-uINGdZ19QIjgqRJqHdNVbc4Kq68vOh1bLHVFYFsHDs/s400/_MG_9063.jpg" width="265" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Inside the Cathedral</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Duke's main campus reminded me of the European universities I've visited (mainly Oxford and Cambridge). The architecture was simply stunning.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk_xHi6xKNKcwq4_NIxjZniX9dfPYyVAn93Wao_YQ4lTXhrgYoE9GONVfmqJts266cwwErc-HHxKZ1EZucJAsYiZV1oxAPXEDlNLgKUfhyJyP3FtAGL3eOSQrMIMPwDspl4BX5ZJhKZPVN/s1600/_MG_9131.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk_xHi6xKNKcwq4_NIxjZniX9dfPYyVAn93Wao_YQ4lTXhrgYoE9GONVfmqJts266cwwErc-HHxKZ1EZucJAsYiZV1oxAPXEDlNLgKUfhyJyP3FtAGL3eOSQrMIMPwDspl4BX5ZJhKZPVN/s400/_MG_9131.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2hRWp5xRnYYZDMy6N4PAb7eV3hjS_KqxILoewC9cAMkLvDL0yOuYt9KW4I58yz-BqbBSdxquZWtLJQBE6ZY4GtKUgOQsdRLLWEg_NGEJ2CNCaRcKNaVhDluG83tUIeJvD6eAbpWRfmxUx/s1600/_MG_9093.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2hRWp5xRnYYZDMy6N4PAb7eV3hjS_KqxILoewC9cAMkLvDL0yOuYt9KW4I58yz-BqbBSdxquZWtLJQBE6ZY4GtKUgOQsdRLLWEg_NGEJ2CNCaRcKNaVhDluG83tUIeJvD6eAbpWRfmxUx/s400/_MG_9093.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHMmBT6wn_HAWpSDueoPPDzrpiquA5J2tm3bVCMfoxUW1WO9UrSQLUhMGZuXdTOtOSL7G6EuVoXW8tyrjnP4XYorvyvDZYdlgv6f0ErnaRYKydBpqjr342sqxfR_MJlvYXKVjGASP8b7GU/s1600/_MG_9107.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHMmBT6wn_HAWpSDueoPPDzrpiquA5J2tm3bVCMfoxUW1WO9UrSQLUhMGZuXdTOtOSL7G6EuVoXW8tyrjnP4XYorvyvDZYdlgv6f0ErnaRYKydBpqjr342sqxfR_MJlvYXKVjGASP8b7GU/s400/_MG_9107.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghVOMnf4Mn4YipC2AGZ1tUyhbHdN1ZdU6l3GyrSVfLyvSgTg18LxC99LMcMq3AbShyphenhyphenP9YxXS5w_YY4fVK-do_DHSoRtE39L3P6SQgrLyff_2bjXOWR9a9Mfnv1FoHVf11ZlKSEivMt83zJ/s1600/_MG_9143.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghVOMnf4Mn4YipC2AGZ1tUyhbHdN1ZdU6l3GyrSVfLyvSgTg18LxC99LMcMq3AbShyphenhyphenP9YxXS5w_YY4fVK-do_DHSoRtE39L3P6SQgrLyff_2bjXOWR9a9Mfnv1FoHVf11ZlKSEivMt83zJ/s400/_MG_9143.jpg" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In case you didn't notice: there's a Cathedral</td></tr>
</tbody></table>There was a distinct feeling of pride on campus (could have been due to the fact that they hadn't lost in the NCAA tournament yet?). Maybe it's difficult to not let all that gothic architecture go to your head, who knows.<br />
<br />
The City of Durham was nice. It was large enough to provide thorough entertainment, but small enough to not feel smoggy and gross (a la Los Angeles–no offense).<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyxrWIWpAJU1ReiQpoYw-6ZsGH9UePyrcxoCJ0n53HGuu00izwMEf0G9hl4BrZ1uxR6yPhKsxZW5jgl3ZoluWV-5L0ZF1gaeumcr_ye_axIiVP-XGwgPhqabpqOc3pJl_bxQLsd06zMlwL/s1600/_MG_9042.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyxrWIWpAJU1ReiQpoYw-6ZsGH9UePyrcxoCJ0n53HGuu00izwMEf0G9hl4BrZ1uxR6yPhKsxZW5jgl3ZoluWV-5L0ZF1gaeumcr_ye_axIiVP-XGwgPhqabpqOc3pJl_bxQLsd06zMlwL/s400/_MG_9042.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Law School</td></tr>
</tbody></table><b>The Law School </b>itself was quite small. Since they have an extremely small student body (a really good thing), this was to be expected, but I was still a little surprised at how small the law building was. To be frank, I didn't like the lay-out of the law school building. It felt cramped and confined. Something like a super small (but also swanky) community college.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglGp28GDImg5HH0KB0XwqpgRQIEIcrYEh17ae7HK6uRSk5v_tg7DkuQo7PBhHeCnuPVvcYK1Wg06i1GcvtcLRsgpZMqkBvetBoz_ycE-u7foe4gJJpdIaqmql1TDbXw9GkKvbmwBNeQTQE/s1600/_MG_9187.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglGp28GDImg5HH0KB0XwqpgRQIEIcrYEh17ae7HK6uRSk5v_tg7DkuQo7PBhHeCnuPVvcYK1Wg06i1GcvtcLRsgpZMqkBvetBoz_ycE-u7foe4gJJpdIaqmql1TDbXw9GkKvbmwBNeQTQE/s400/_MG_9187.jpg" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The main entrance</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4SupgjYIkfg2s5kFamWtxWzUnvPR0_IDiATbI5FtWlJUEMZdTCkFH9a0t6TWsxpz3Ql2Urg_Lbvpr_GLSkW-pPK-6ngHhWBy74K9rlaet_Fh5Z65HIHiwg24qwQXrUek9ALb4bz3PRIvA/s1600/_MG_9013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4SupgjYIkfg2s5kFamWtxWzUnvPR0_IDiATbI5FtWlJUEMZdTCkFH9a0t6TWsxpz3Ql2Urg_Lbvpr_GLSkW-pPK-6ngHhWBy74K9rlaet_Fh5Z65HIHiwg24qwQXrUek9ALb4bz3PRIvA/s400/_MG_9013.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Common area</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKwb3JCuRixzrgHQvnE9HO8oWRUJQyUmfQwmmeGvgVc_4i2gCPR8__DS9q0U1j_l8uiQNvYvwIlsc3bih1r4ulvRCxsj9lTSZrkSISmSGpP1JzSsXirlu-K1xVGLo_BWolbPTvMXocVNWL/s1600/_MG_9019.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKwb3JCuRixzrgHQvnE9HO8oWRUJQyUmfQwmmeGvgVc_4i2gCPR8__DS9q0U1j_l8uiQNvYvwIlsc3bih1r4ulvRCxsj9lTSZrkSISmSGpP1JzSsXirlu-K1xVGLo_BWolbPTvMXocVNWL/s400/_MG_9019.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Large classroom</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9eYgzsNsf37onWwo8QtLK7mPMBOK81mjek6HTJk8M7cST28D_hd2Dqj-goIjyZ4LxAwuRSQfAc8_MhJFYEHqWcjmt0qCVjYEvx7WpmT_jVTsX0P8hErY0DN2jlBcbtVcBEiaEZgWUurLR/s1600/_MG_9023.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9eYgzsNsf37onWwo8QtLK7mPMBOK81mjek6HTJk8M7cST28D_hd2Dqj-goIjyZ4LxAwuRSQfAc8_MhJFYEHqWcjmt0qCVjYEvx7WpmT_jVTsX0P8hErY0DN2jlBcbtVcBEiaEZgWUurLR/s400/_MG_9023.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Small class room</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJoahE9iP9HTQMzHnLZwqzE2nVfzHujm-0aQZ0NDLCo77ysVQMqMpCHx0FChWPFZvwvOnA_7Zs7MiAueGuJLo8OjNj6qNa5_iO_yRWIk20vsraBsRXbThsTN5iQKVxFoMoLXci8r_HE6xY/s1600/_MG_9033.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJoahE9iP9HTQMzHnLZwqzE2nVfzHujm-0aQZ0NDLCo77ysVQMqMpCHx0FChWPFZvwvOnA_7Zs7MiAueGuJLo8OjNj6qNa5_iO_yRWIk20vsraBsRXbThsTN5iQKVxFoMoLXci8r_HE6xY/s400/_MG_9033.jpg" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Library reading room</td></tr>
</tbody></table>However, the overall bad vibe of the building is probably nullified by its greatest strength: <b>natural light. </b>Duke seems to have gone above and beyond the typical call of duty for a law school to provide its students with natural light. As you can see from the pictures, there really isn't a place in the school that doesn't have it (even the library reading room!). So, if you thought I didn't like the building, ignore that last paragraph and read this one instead. Natural light is Duke's savior.<br />
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The impression I got from the students is that they take their studies seriously. Duke is a big feeder school for corporate law and that feeling pervaded the school. The students I saw seemed very professional and attentive.<br />
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Ultimately, Duke is a great school. "The Harvard of the South," as it's called, lived up to (and significantly exceeded) my expectations. Duke's employment statistics are off the charts and they've got great lay prestige (basketball?). If I get off the wait-list, they will be on my list to consider.<br />
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Let's talk about lay prestige (I talked about this a little bit in my post about Virginia, but here's more). "Lay prestige" refers to how much respect a law school gets from people who aren't part of the legal profession. Basically, most folks looking at law schools shouldn't care about lay prestige. Though it is nice to wow your seat mate in an airplane with where you're attending law school, it's not going to get you a better job or make your life better (unless your quality of life is determined by how much people who don't know anything about your profession respect your law school). Of course, if you're interested in running for public office, you might want to consider taking lay prestige into account. Since, I'm interested in running for public office in the PNW, I need to think about how voters are going to view my academic career. Mostly, I think voters don't like attorneys and that's the bottom line. Oh well.<br />
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Also, the gardens that adjoin campus are maybe Duke's greatest selling point.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_v7x2OYTueSxeav73CKcixDtYixbzHDrBl5vNqohcWc4gGJ6jwsKbUGVKQ8YfFmS70CgYK-qx5fZuAhULUKqy0jY-Jy3LKkXFt3nyM0emGGEIPKvI-j24dh8rZDmOC208Sp-didpwxVzF/s1600/_MG_9207.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_v7x2OYTueSxeav73CKcixDtYixbzHDrBl5vNqohcWc4gGJ6jwsKbUGVKQ8YfFmS70CgYK-qx5fZuAhULUKqy0jY-Jy3LKkXFt3nyM0emGGEIPKvI-j24dh8rZDmOC208Sp-didpwxVzF/s400/_MG_9207.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Codyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11446501095831085195noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2690920861723775519.post-36255787679000992962011-03-23T12:32:00.004-04:002011-04-01T23:56:44.555-04:00University of Virginia School of Law<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDT6zQ7YGsRTuhFG5E0fGlaQ78g7AjNUI438lijk2454_mfyK8aILEJuhtq2PasQT4mmqJnZslQ_GE_6VSUBGHg0W9SDrqIOpky_87i8s2_vcM_mumx-Rj99X5nbVCXCted2mDTF9YtDy7/s1600/_MG_9001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDT6zQ7YGsRTuhFG5E0fGlaQ78g7AjNUI438lijk2454_mfyK8aILEJuhtq2PasQT4mmqJnZslQ_GE_6VSUBGHg0W9SDrqIOpky_87i8s2_vcM_mumx-Rj99X5nbVCXCted2mDTF9YtDy7/s400/_MG_9001.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Rotunda on main campus</td></tr>
</tbody></table><i>Note: click on any picture to enlarge.</i><br />
<b>Location: </b>Charlottesville, VA<br />
<b>U.S. News and World Report Rank:</b> 9<br />
<b>What they like to talk about: </b>alumni network and quality of life<br />
<b>Pros:</b> Small town, friendly students, killer job placement, national portability, honor code<br />
<b>Cons:</b> Alcohol-soaked campus, low lay prestige (compared to Berkeley or U of Washington in the PNW), politically conservative reputation<br />
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As the first law school I've visited, it's hard to comment on Virginia Law. After I visit Michigan, I'll be able to speak more about comparisons, but since I visited Duke on the weekend, I can't use it as a foil beyond considerations of architecture.<br />
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Prior to my visit, I didn't know that UVA was considered a "<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public_Ivy">Public Ivy</a>."<br />
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<b>Main Campus: </b>The Virginia campus feels very old and renowned in a distinctly American way. As Thomas Jefferson's brainchild, the University of Virginia was meant to be a learning community.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAp7dfE36FLWpPSmLYydLMtwewdqNbNLP4gliP6wZoaY7R2QgkrWUlegF_fQCdqVZcANh8kBEdbIsr6DnZsbAjA20ae31GW_8gwHUxB5KWbK3gZLLpz1dev2TPk9VOVKnElU4y3NlFt1fZ/s1600/_MG_8971.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAp7dfE36FLWpPSmLYydLMtwewdqNbNLP4gliP6wZoaY7R2QgkrWUlegF_fQCdqVZcANh8kBEdbIsr6DnZsbAjA20ae31GW_8gwHUxB5KWbK3gZLLpz1dev2TPk9VOVKnElU4y3NlFt1fZ/s400/_MG_8971.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Range</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
This area, "the Range," formed the center of the learning community.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAvWz43DzZifCR5xYMondbrNXYRX1gcTc3kJ99QVebBL9lyM_mRpSkOwhJN0FwinKBdjqi26GOIAFY4vxVmEK7LQcNxkdoYjFNEQ0gOkTwVtd46SKthuDAHOv1Vw_eAGD2RZpMZKITdtPm/s1600/_MG_8940.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAvWz43DzZifCR5xYMondbrNXYRX1gcTc3kJ99QVebBL9lyM_mRpSkOwhJN0FwinKBdjqi26GOIAFY4vxVmEK7LQcNxkdoYjFNEQ0gOkTwVtd46SKthuDAHOv1Vw_eAGD2RZpMZKITdtPm/s400/_MG_8940.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Lawn</td></tr>
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"The Lawn" in the middle is faced on both sides by living quarters which were originally designed to house professors and students. Professors would hold class in their living rooms and all community members would eat and spend other community time in the Rotunda.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqPDqoWugCI41xwX-ULGBnO5o0Uj6Hn7J4JrJOfxkXAuGGL3wXlhwyWQzaMu_v0KoOUBtKbCqqQRZ7IsNxcFIBd-SUhDi7or9jl5TFE_NZ5syi_3p6VB9HCbC86x4m1bOpPiP89eXN1wmP/s1600/_MG_8951.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqPDqoWugCI41xwX-ULGBnO5o0Uj6Hn7J4JrJOfxkXAuGGL3wXlhwyWQzaMu_v0KoOUBtKbCqqQRZ7IsNxcFIBd-SUhDi7or9jl5TFE_NZ5syi_3p6VB9HCbC86x4m1bOpPiP89eXN1wmP/s400/_MG_8951.jpg" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Living quarters</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCgwASPdTJEJVTn-s4WZprKqKreDc2ApycU8tr8A5xQe9BfeSHUDBJASFzFAY1kqZUKvwDzLSqrSYC9HeHXq5ZnfgXz-FtJ-43FAFEPeblxDAowKoJLwRS7TSiQkgfD5Ai7rTajcnwGTS5/s1600/_MG_8944.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCgwASPdTJEJVTn-s4WZprKqKreDc2ApycU8tr8A5xQe9BfeSHUDBJASFzFAY1kqZUKvwDzLSqrSYC9HeHXq5ZnfgXz-FtJ-43FAFEPeblxDAowKoJLwRS7TSiQkgfD5Ai7rTajcnwGTS5/s400/_MG_8944.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>I might be hard pressed to find a school that likes to talk more about their founder. Often referring to "TJ," students and faculty alike connect the law school and their personal activities to his vision for a learning community.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja-A18PrJcFLkM7BSofIO8H9nSWZf2zVb2uqLcRDrYAhd3h-wNdbZUBLCJhBADQVahM74xbgcnQKYBPVKlNxcrgvZhwrd9I8ynuGnzH90OJFa-vTQg1_IsErjcswleVsqYfC_DhOAcPD-j/s1600/_MG_8892.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja-A18PrJcFLkM7BSofIO8H9nSWZf2zVb2uqLcRDrYAhd3h-wNdbZUBLCJhBADQVahM74xbgcnQKYBPVKlNxcrgvZhwrd9I8ynuGnzH90OJFa-vTQg1_IsErjcswleVsqYfC_DhOAcPD-j/s400/_MG_8892.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">School of Law</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<b>The Law School: </b>It is clear that Virginia Law is proud of their national reputation and firmly believe in the academic and intellectual integrity of their students. Further, the entire university is governed by a student-administered honor code. There were several comments during the open house corolating this honor code to the trust between students. Apparently, students frequently leave their laptops, books, and notes in the library without worry of theft.<br />
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I cannot imagine a more friendly group of students. It was easy to talk to both current students and other admits. They seemed willing to be honest about the school's vices, but also wanted to tell me every wonderful thing about the institution.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfBk13nmP3hKIf7csEYSqm3eU6jgJ3jp60yuNZYD3pIRpLrCYXOrrxy-1dODPj7tz2nceYYCd9y7V0eEG0VwgPjw6AKQ58Ym2vdF0x3TeJSMsOJoQSaphQOCHVSbOtsBdvvqSvr9fDoPC0/s1600/_MG_8905.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfBk13nmP3hKIf7csEYSqm3eU6jgJ3jp60yuNZYD3pIRpLrCYXOrrxy-1dODPj7tz2nceYYCd9y7V0eEG0VwgPjw6AKQ58Ym2vdF0x3TeJSMsOJoQSaphQOCHVSbOtsBdvvqSvr9fDoPC0/s400/_MG_8905.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Law School facing south</td></tr>
</tbody></table>The law school is located on the northern edge of campus and so enjoys both easy access to the main campus and also a level of quiet and seclusion.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjraLQB4miqbLb-w5jLwykrlr-L-JIntCwfpuydZrf7P3jhWR5-OS_JenFe6Xlki3KJOhdxujg9YB1ovEGw9_lqVQAJ1UphWND8q1Xmps6ymCuZqv8Tou48hg1qI0paNqSIk8rTJn93x0Jl/s1600/_MG_8849.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjraLQB4miqbLb-w5jLwykrlr-L-JIntCwfpuydZrf7P3jhWR5-OS_JenFe6Xlki3KJOhdxujg9YB1ovEGw9_lqVQAJ1UphWND8q1Xmps6ymCuZqv8Tou48hg1qI0paNqSIk8rTJn93x0Jl/s400/_MG_8849.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Law courtyard complete with bocce ball</td></tr>
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The interior of the law school seemed light and airy, a easy place to have a clear head for studying. The temperature was pleasant to the point of being completely unnoticeable.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVy1eDri51Ct4uDXvi9Nkglxi4fcRz-whfhyphenhyphenhgSSU_kMrPSiPnPtzyCrFLLY79W6s-bx73Ulervy2Tja8dU3L8LvLdF6x6ZC3MDLn2D-3OvkXG_To0xjWbQ_6ABb89zGR07PRQSWUYxaUH/s1600/_MG_8863+%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVy1eDri51Ct4uDXvi9Nkglxi4fcRz-whfhyphenhyphenhgSSU_kMrPSiPnPtzyCrFLLY79W6s-bx73Ulervy2Tja8dU3L8LvLdF6x6ZC3MDLn2D-3OvkXG_To0xjWbQ_6ABb89zGR07PRQSWUYxaUH/s400/_MG_8863+%25281%2529.jpg" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The reading room in the library</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie_x0hDd8l78MmoXSGQHGkxsbyi0vae8FzppXrM83w8BAIwRFskRrbWqrO3NTp-ttVSXGK0duySfwwcKb4bbEzUZ4qdj4RMRXyTKmRcBvoXVwyqs6TkGZmsafLa9_bLURZbV16-DHjvzYj/s1600/_MG_8878+%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie_x0hDd8l78MmoXSGQHGkxsbyi0vae8FzppXrM83w8BAIwRFskRrbWqrO3NTp-ttVSXGK0duySfwwcKb4bbEzUZ4qdj4RMRXyTKmRcBvoXVwyqs6TkGZmsafLa9_bLURZbV16-DHjvzYj/s400/_MG_8878+%25281%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A typical classroom</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj6FflrgHAnBtrADcYqJly07CdGMhEkWHkIuNxgi-Ij7niYEVPOIML5NMShkInI_qKIosq0HSRRSB46C-wQusVuPmjyj4Pi3oFHYDvWrizBFdREjOk8CMd7N5GDNVadSl1gkGbSZvw4Rdx/s1600/_MG_8880.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj6FflrgHAnBtrADcYqJly07CdGMhEkWHkIuNxgi-Ij7niYEVPOIML5NMShkInI_qKIosq0HSRRSB46C-wQusVuPmjyj4Pi3oFHYDvWrizBFdREjOk8CMd7N5GDNVadSl1gkGbSZvw4Rdx/s400/_MG_8880.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of the main hallways</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjo7b-VhC3IYxkpSDULMtphArfBxLKC8bV3VDXvDwDZ89ZXXTZzV_NREjXsKFfwp35PR3olggX7igqvdr1oo5b661u53HUy0sHslMM807tSghsDklIyDJ9yZshDCJpBkdbx67Diy5D4A_x/s1600/_MG_8883.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjo7b-VhC3IYxkpSDULMtphArfBxLKC8bV3VDXvDwDZ89ZXXTZzV_NREjXsKFfwp35PR3olggX7igqvdr1oo5b661u53HUy0sHslMM807tSghsDklIyDJ9yZshDCJpBkdbx67Diy5D4A_x/s400/_MG_8883.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The hall with all the pictures of former deans</td></tr>
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<b>Pros and Cons Summary: </b>Over the course of my visit, Virginia Law staff focused on communicating their two main strengths as a strong (actually quite rabid) alumni network and a high quality of life. Over 50% of (living) Virginia alumni contribute to the school every year. To put this in context, other nationally-leading schools are happy with percentages in the teens. Further, it became clear from conversations with students that the quality of life was really fantastic. These students were happy... in law school. And that's something they <i>should</i> be bragging about.<br />
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I was a little turned off by the prevalence of alcohol on campus (it plays a central role in many UVA functions), but I was assured that there are plenty of students who abstain and are able to integrate quite well.<br />
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Another concern I have is that Virginia is one of the few schools that is (or has been in the past) tied to a political persuasion (I'll run into the same concern with Berkeley). Historically, UVA has leaned conservative and traditionally places clerks with more conservative judges. I asked many people about this concern (I even was able to question the former general counsel of the Democratic National Committee) and the consensus was that though UVA might be slightly more conservative than the average law school, its extreme conservatism is a thing of the past.<br />
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My last concern is about what I perceive as a lack of "lay prestige" (coupled with questionable portability to the PNW). Frankly, the average person doesn't know that Virginia law is one of the best law schools in the country. Since I want to live and practice in Washington State, I'm most concerned about people there. The Virginia name simply doesn't turn heads like Berkeley or similar schools do. I'm certain the average Washingtonian thinks the University of Washington is a much better law school than Virginia even though the opposite is true. But this concern isn't just about the general population (who really wouldn't come into play unless I was running for office). It is also my concern that UW graduates have a distinct hometown advantage when it comes to job prospects. The real question is how well will a Virginia degree travel to the PNW and match up against a degree from the UW?<br />
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Regardless of my concerns, Virginia is a strong candidate and a school that is a forerunner in my mind. Out of the schools I'm considering, Virginia has the strongest firm placement statistics along with the strongest clerkship statistics. For instance, it is one of the few schools that is regularly represented among the ranks of U.S. Supreme Court clerks (in a later post summarizing my visits, I'll go over the specific employment data for each school). A Virginia degree will carry with it national recognition from those "in the know."<br />
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I've already talked about the honor code and how happy the students are, but the location is equally as desirable (except for being on the East Coast). Charlottesville is a small town (less that 50,000 people) and feels nicely rural, while still maintaining eclectic shops and restaurants (reminds me of Walla Walla in this way).<br />
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Ultimately, I enjoyed my trip to UVA and my visit made me more inclined to attend. I felt like I could make close friends at Virginia (though certainly not as close as my buddies from the West Whitman Estate or the Inner Circle from UCA). Further, during a class visit and a mock class, I caught a glimpse into what law school is really like... and I think I've made the right choice. I'm going to like it.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV38hGLIdYppU_XP0vIwebOY7vDRj0ynHgj26K6oSAlPB8Oif8VE8Xqpw83eP4W8rtINmVbLWUQsvCnMkBGRxQYqQfR8ydlPggTWwJ3pHOYC40_McPjy1OXdTFFdzqjpi6QxlhyqEN5cCl/s1600/_MG_8818.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV38hGLIdYppU_XP0vIwebOY7vDRj0ynHgj26K6oSAlPB8Oif8VE8Xqpw83eP4W8rtINmVbLWUQsvCnMkBGRxQYqQfR8ydlPggTWwJ3pHOYC40_McPjy1OXdTFFdzqjpi6QxlhyqEN5cCl/s400/_MG_8818.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>Codyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11446501095831085195noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2690920861723775519.post-86338196751233736782011-03-21T12:37:00.000-04:002011-03-21T12:37:49.530-04:00The Adventure Begins<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGegtmf_HfKM8bjrb03mMFRtVuC6BEiHq8NoOjpyxPKKt4gp8bGc4vu5wVppNSzpK-Aytd8eVfzIxwD377tZbeG06IVcSH-6GfM0Z7NX_LnHFmDWh2qg8bb5fdM6wxSaRxViB6-JMgILur/s1600/_MG_8782+%25283%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGegtmf_HfKM8bjrb03mMFRtVuC6BEiHq8NoOjpyxPKKt4gp8bGc4vu5wVppNSzpK-Aytd8eVfzIxwD377tZbeG06IVcSH-6GfM0Z7NX_LnHFmDWh2qg8bb5fdM6wxSaRxViB6-JMgILur/s400/_MG_8782+%25283%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">New York</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
Originally my plan called for departure to the University of Virginia (or Duke) today. But, plans change.<br />
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Last week, I called UVA to ask about visiting. They mentioned that the admitted students open house was being held on Friday and asked if I wanted to register. I decided it would be worth it (the $400 travel stipend helped) and I made arrangements to arrive in Charlottesville on Thursday for some pre-event events (class visits, BBQ, etc.).<br />
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On Saturday afternoon I drove down to Durham to visit Duke Law.<br />
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Now, I'm sitting in Alban's kitchen eating granola, raspberries, blueberries, and a banana.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIHgYB_ap8v2WncK7SvjnlcFA30vibz-7MIYWRXDzAR00YGNAHGGX-PFOxORDCGWAf8cYxaW_VYEZDHQJHWsX7o9ZUNqOzPzx0CUXRq-NiKHoHTyxhCEcYgSCkKnnXphQKssXgSpNQcDDD/s1600/_MG_9213.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIHgYB_ap8v2WncK7SvjnlcFA30vibz-7MIYWRXDzAR00YGNAHGGX-PFOxORDCGWAf8cYxaW_VYEZDHQJHWsX7o9ZUNqOzPzx0CUXRq-NiKHoHTyxhCEcYgSCkKnnXphQKssXgSpNQcDDD/s400/_MG_9213.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Breakfast</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
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Here's the revised plan. I'm attending the admitted students weekend/open house events for University of Virginia, University of Michigan, and Berkeley (the three top ten schools). Then I'll be visiting several other schools in between these events for a final schedule of:<br />
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Virginia, Duke, Michigan, Minnesota, Colorado, Berkeley, Davis, and University of Washington. I will not be visiting Georgetown or USC. I've already visited Georgetown twice while I was working in D.C. and Los Angeles doesn't excite me.<br />
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I've taken over 200 pictures each of Virginia and Duke and I hope to have some of those posted along with my reactions to the schools tonight or tomorrow.<br />
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<div style="text-align: left;"></div>I have to say that even though I've visited Harvard before, I am only now realizing why American universities are so internationally recognized. I had no idea our major universities were this impressive.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgElelX-Tt7OgPLVueEMfMFugx6gcYQyFmL7-HND_pyyyZv2kbkg_5NgS2UiZGcV0Bn2eZRMcGBT-c7lmUnnx3xBgONTBaV5ezSfOdITmbxlm9sDmUL7XWElmMWhllaQqgfwQmEjnZoUQEG/s1600/_MG_9116.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgElelX-Tt7OgPLVueEMfMFugx6gcYQyFmL7-HND_pyyyZv2kbkg_5NgS2UiZGcV0Bn2eZRMcGBT-c7lmUnnx3xBgONTBaV5ezSfOdITmbxlm9sDmUL7XWElmMWhllaQqgfwQmEjnZoUQEG/s400/_MG_9116.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A sneak preview of the Duke Cathedral</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Codyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11446501095831085195noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2690920861723775519.post-51155749322031819222011-03-10T22:25:00.006-05:002011-03-11T11:38:29.793-05:00I feel like Jonah after he was spit up on dry land<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVehTSlan_Z1SCliMpepyu6VuIHS8A4YQbJpJc1W8pZRdtc8AUVX3zdv_0n-PjEm2ygmHgyAIme1uRcgXSbP9XZnt8GDiFpd4Yet_aW80aKLZ-6Bog26McBG1o2PwaStgrkzEZ2Hbknv_M/s1600/power+snatch.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVehTSlan_Z1SCliMpepyu6VuIHS8A4YQbJpJc1W8pZRdtc8AUVX3zdv_0n-PjEm2ygmHgyAIme1uRcgXSbP9XZnt8GDiFpd4Yet_aW80aKLZ-6Bog26McBG1o2PwaStgrkzEZ2Hbknv_M/s400/power+snatch.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Crossfit 516 = therapy after months in the fish's belly</td></tr>
</tbody></table>It's time for a personal update.<br />
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I feel like I've been marinating in the belly of a "great fish" for an extended period of time. It's also raining outside. They say the rivers have already begun to swell and overrun their banks. My boss says New Jersey is going to get it bad. I worry less about New Jersey than I should; I worry the dead tree in the front yard will fall over on my car.<br />
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When I started <a href="http://livinglightlyupontheearth.blogspot.com/2010/09/rat-race.html">studying for the LSAT</a>, I didn't really think about what came after. That was probably a good thing. After the LSAT, I launched into applying to law schools. I applied to 13 schools (overkill) and got most of the applications completed and submitted by very early December (I was trying to beat the Christmas rush). So far, I've heard back from 10 of those schools.<br />
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I was rejected by Harvard. I'm not surprised and mostly not disappointed. It would have been fun to at least have the "H-bomb" as an option, but my numbers were low for them and that about completes the story.<br />
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<div style="text-align: left;"></div>I was wait-listed by Duke (I applied to Duke on the last day of their deadline–February 15).<br />
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And I was accepted at Berkeley, Michigan, Virginia, Georgetown, USC, University of Minnesota (after being waitlisted), Davis, University of Washington, and University of Colorado (in order of their <a href="http://www.top-law-schools.com/rankings.html">rankings</a>).<br />
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Lastly, I haven't yet heard back from Stanford and UCLA. That's not a good sign for either of them, but I'm holding out hope.<br />
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In a little over a week, I will depart from my job here in New York and begin a grand adventure west. I'll be visiting most of these schools, so actually instead of west, the first order of business will be south to the University of Virginia and Duke University. I'll be taking pictures and blogging about each school (as a way of processing what I think about them).<br />
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I'm looking forward to the beloved Pacific Northwest.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGul2M1d2SGfXZHV2_wm4srshWX51EzXnieFRuR8z5NJukN-1a2U8bcG_9PBdpOrlr0cTpBeoWmK0af1VsAsaxULgeW1ZYz0oQcl6mGrx0gfYy37R0-ytiXzkUyURDlh_7dBXVEn4dfHd9/s1600/CRW_5678.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGul2M1d2SGfXZHV2_wm4srshWX51EzXnieFRuR8z5NJukN-1a2U8bcG_9PBdpOrlr0cTpBeoWmK0af1VsAsaxULgeW1ZYz0oQcl6mGrx0gfYy37R0-ytiXzkUyURDlh_7dBXVEn4dfHd9/s400/CRW_5678.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsGb6QEg0dJkqlL7ygrQTwXpQW8xnV_Qby7h0MiY7u4VpxrfE93KBAwB_cphXWgAxboC8FbVLArzWG2i0-kTJtP5C-_joiu3uZU6b1U94Zg7Y5IRnaPZRXVHX8H2r74Nsj-PgThMfdXNje/s1600/CRW_5643.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsGb6QEg0dJkqlL7ygrQTwXpQW8xnV_Qby7h0MiY7u4VpxrfE93KBAwB_cphXWgAxboC8FbVLArzWG2i0-kTJtP5C-_joiu3uZU6b1U94Zg7Y5IRnaPZRXVHX8H2r74Nsj-PgThMfdXNje/s400/CRW_5643.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4U5TiAtOLXDPRV2J0uTcR7wEsOiePSHLdMbvWJEIEuBMfDCoyIG5xhQasi0k37LUndCwsoNeQC339USTMyGwdjSTwdW2lqljDmp60Hf5sUm6nSW0mSXu2V9snGRD2g31YOeQw6tjRz1FQ/s1600/CRW_1974.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4U5TiAtOLXDPRV2J0uTcR7wEsOiePSHLdMbvWJEIEuBMfDCoyIG5xhQasi0k37LUndCwsoNeQC339USTMyGwdjSTwdW2lqljDmp60Hf5sUm6nSW0mSXu2V9snGRD2g31YOeQw6tjRz1FQ/s400/CRW_1974.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW4cNuhEx33v8UuQGuAgZtMA9n0qfaKcbFuXYsjGwz9WiJmXmYPV0v4hVG5rSAlRImt9EXbhplJ3GEDDfMTBontjbfDPjq75F4L-TS2Z5MYVyjxFHkXhtfRt1sgpPxIYJ5qmyJWuctntMT/s1600/CRW_1849.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW4cNuhEx33v8UuQGuAgZtMA9n0qfaKcbFuXYsjGwz9WiJmXmYPV0v4hVG5rSAlRImt9EXbhplJ3GEDDfMTBontjbfDPjq75F4L-TS2Z5MYVyjxFHkXhtfRt1sgpPxIYJ5qmyJWuctntMT/s400/CRW_1849.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbg-5YJVg9QWZKc-RzyeNmKmrUii20LlXdJtG39_IXPgO90EL8vl9yMWOA-AV1gxLImRaM1EZqwQaXTBUcOj-HCAHQBBoEpUBOEtIBw2d-Ncr-MHPbzOJiTreyUZGGV6iOdV3Z2H_SuU-T/s1600/CRW_2049.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbg-5YJVg9QWZKc-RzyeNmKmrUii20LlXdJtG39_IXPgO90EL8vl9yMWOA-AV1gxLImRaM1EZqwQaXTBUcOj-HCAHQBBoEpUBOEtIBw2d-Ncr-MHPbzOJiTreyUZGGV6iOdV3Z2H_SuU-T/s400/CRW_2049.jpg" width="265" /></a></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW4cNuhEx33v8UuQGuAgZtMA9n0qfaKcbFuXYsjGwz9WiJmXmYPV0v4hVG5rSAlRImt9EXbhplJ3GEDDfMTBontjbfDPjq75F4L-TS2Z5MYVyjxFHkXhtfRt1sgpPxIYJ5qmyJWuctntMT/s1600/CRW_1849.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbg-5YJVg9QWZKc-RzyeNmKmrUii20LlXdJtG39_IXPgO90EL8vl9yMWOA-AV1gxLImRaM1EZqwQaXTBUcOj-HCAHQBBoEpUBOEtIBw2d-Ncr-MHPbzOJiTreyUZGGV6iOdV3Z2H_SuU-T/s1600/CRW_2049.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW4cNuhEx33v8UuQGuAgZtMA9n0qfaKcbFuXYsjGwz9WiJmXmYPV0v4hVG5rSAlRImt9EXbhplJ3GEDDfMTBontjbfDPjq75F4L-TS2Z5MYVyjxFHkXhtfRt1sgpPxIYJ5qmyJWuctntMT/s1600/CRW_1849.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a>Codyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11446501095831085195noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2690920861723775519.post-16743552165123452392011-03-05T22:32:00.015-05:002011-03-05T22:54:08.593-05:00Let's lower corporate tax rates<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7bFy1ydQFji5RaVHa4JTUEzeGtUxk2sPKPOguvQk7am0FL28vo0U2RxgpKkTI7PXGodHXZaIR1XMLfqCssNwwg-mztTIdaHiRnBgIvcLoqResGRC9xCnoDuCuoXvB4PPtBqDOlsR0X_dQ/s1600/CRW_6095.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7bFy1ydQFji5RaVHa4JTUEzeGtUxk2sPKPOguvQk7am0FL28vo0U2RxgpKkTI7PXGodHXZaIR1XMLfqCssNwwg-mztTIdaHiRnBgIvcLoqResGRC9xCnoDuCuoXvB4PPtBqDOlsR0X_dQ/s400/CRW_6095.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
For the past two decades... no make that forever, conservatives have been concerned about how high our corporate tax rates are. One reason this concern hasn't gotten very much traction is that corporations can easily <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taxation_in_the_United_States#Corporate_income_tax">avoid</a> taxes and therefore corporate taxes make up only a small sliver of our overall tax revenues (another reason for this is that corporations can write off so many of their expenses).<br />
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The main <a href="http://blog.heritage.org/2010/12/15/u-s-to-have-highest-corporate-tax-rate-in-the-world/">complaint</a> of Republicans is that our corporate tax rate is higher than any other developed country. This is true and given that fact, one would wonder how our corporations compete in the international marketplace... until you realize that the countries with lower corporate tax rates also expect more from their companies in terms of employee benefits (minimum of 6 weeks paid vacation every year, phenomenal maternity and paternity leave, shorter work weeks, generous pensions, etc.).<br />
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I've been toying with an idea about U.S. corporate tax rates the past several weeks. It's pretty simple. Let's lower our corporate tax rates substantially. Right now, our top rate is around 40%, while the rest of the developed world is around 26%. I say let's undercut them. Lower our top rate to 25% or 20% or 15%. Then, let's require companies (and we can negotiate about what companies this applies to–for instance, we may want to restrict these requirements to larger companies) to treat workers with more respect. I'm talking a minimum of 6 weeks paid vacation every year, substantial maternity and paternity leave, 32-35 hour work weeks, pensions, quality health care, etc.<br />
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Let's face it. We can go on taxing corporations at the same rate (they can compete just fine) and allowing them to treat workers poorly (in comparison to the rest of the developed world) or we can lower taxes and simply set standards for how workers must be treated.<br />
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Right now, the government acts as a middle man. It taxes companies and then passes this money on to workers in the form of social programs. These social programs are important, but mostly they're treating the symptoms of an abused working class. Why not take the government out of the equation and simply guarantee that companies treat their workers with respect?<br />
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Ultimately, the idea is to reward workers in the most efficient way possible. The working class is the foundation of our national prosperity. A prosperous working class produces a prosperous nation.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq5aHGUkCwr6DJfiyaCj3Ahj5nlTjKBxg6rUUZ2Vn-IWzPeKX5GfChFPfhLPVRM4g6VbvUJz_hXFtMy-KZuWmFgrhga3jFTr3-YQ9VJGIWRCcxBmwWAyPY8zlq5loVXTDukaXVtCYBXqqN/s1600/CRW_6096.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq5aHGUkCwr6DJfiyaCj3Ahj5nlTjKBxg6rUUZ2Vn-IWzPeKX5GfChFPfhLPVRM4g6VbvUJz_hXFtMy-KZuWmFgrhga3jFTr3-YQ9VJGIWRCcxBmwWAyPY8zlq5loVXTDukaXVtCYBXqqN/s400/CRW_6096.jpg" width="265" /></a></div>Codyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11446501095831085195noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2690920861723775519.post-44056627026075768362011-03-03T22:47:00.001-05:002011-03-03T22:54:15.726-05:00What is income tax for? (Part 6)<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="328" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbPrDBFJeX2-vYmDm5LMehMzkKuFIPV9qqwbnMI0GVP6tAzv2VhKig14tufztwpvCBMHCQTm2U7yRBvJOohVCa5tx7KhXfRGpmza9wRz_7cKahCeSAcl4v8vyHUeFPl15exLdC7QdbaK8i/s400/Wealth+distribution.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Money flowing up</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbPrDBFJeX2-vYmDm5LMehMzkKuFIPV9qqwbnMI0GVP6tAzv2VhKig14tufztwpvCBMHCQTm2U7yRBvJOohVCa5tx7KhXfRGpmza9wRz_7cKahCeSAcl4v8vyHUeFPl15exLdC7QdbaK8i/s1600/Wealth+distribution.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><i></i></a></div><br />
From all the rhetoric surrounding the income tax, it's pretty clear there's a lot of confusion over what its purpose is.<br />
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Karl Marx wrote The Communist Manifesto for two reasons. The first half of the book talks about what happens when societies get financially polarized. Marx points out that when the wealthy become super wealthy <b>in relation</b> to everyone else, society gets unstable (e.g. the French Revolution). The working class, upset that they're doing all the backbreaking work and seeing none of the reward, rise up and kill the wealthy, which starts the process over again.<br />
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Marx offered a solution in the second half of his book: communism. Instead of having a financially stratified society, he argued we ought to have an equal one. When the book was published, the wealthy quickly recognized the truth of the first half and were subsequently frightened by Marx's solution. After all, the rich weren't any more eager to voluntarily give up their wealth than they are now.<br />
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So instead of an equal society, the rich decided they would institute a "progressive" society that took a little bit of wealth from the rich (in the form of various kinds of taxes) and used it to appease the working class with "social programs." Our income tax is the modern iteration of this approach.<br />
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There are two statements that I want to briefly deal with. 1) "Half of our population doesn't even pay taxes" and 2) "If we keep taxing the rich so much, pretty soon there won't be any rich people left."<br />
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1) First of all, it's true that something like half our population doesn't pay <b><i><u>income</u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;"> taxes. Everyone pays </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;">payroll <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">taxes (Social Security, Medicaid, Medicare), which actually make up about as much of our tax revenue as income taxes (further, the working class pays far more payroll taxes as a percentage of their income than the wealthy do).</span></span></i></b><br />
<b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><br />
But there's another point here. The wealthy pay most of the income tax... and that's the point of income tax. It's designed to be money coming from the rich that goes to paying for social programs. The fact is that historically, social programs weren't really meant to help the working class, they were meant to </span>protect<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"> the wealthy </span><span class="Apple-style-span">from</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"> the working class. Social programs prevent revolution (lest you think I'm opposed to social programs for this reason... I'm not). </span></span></i></b><br />
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2) The figure at the beginning of this post should answer this point, but I'll take a moment to verbalize it. The rich are getting richer. Not the opposite. Money is being transferred </span><span class="Apple-style-span">to</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"> the wealthy, not </span>from<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"> them. Essentially, our government takes a few thousand dollars from them, while our economic system funnels hundreds of thousands to them. We do this by <a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=KZ-VCFhjGrgC&printsec=frontcover&dq=perfectly+legal&source=bl&ots=oFdFWQ5tGv&sig=kOY3g3vAI5M_CoCJOBofr7CqZfA&hl=en&ei=altwTY32I8Sitgfa6dH2Dg&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=7&ved=0CFEQ6AEwBg#v=onepage&q&f=false">design</a>.</span></span></i></b><br />
<b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><br />
It's time for voters to stop listening to the wealthy and the politicians hired to defend their interests. The working class deserves a share of our national wealth. Next time someone tells you the rich are barely making ends meet, just laugh.</span></span></i></b>Codyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11446501095831085195noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2690920861723775519.post-38001258874726220592011-03-02T22:37:00.004-05:002011-03-02T23:06:18.285-05:00Democracy at Risk (Part 5)This new <i>Story of Stuff</i> video came out on Tuesday. It was a long time coming and I'm excited to share it. It's spot on and couldn't go better with our book.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="244" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/k5kHACjrdEY?rel=0" title="YouTube video player" width="400"></iframe><br />
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Take note of the way she talks about human motivation vs. corporate motivation. It's brilliant and probably the most important part of the video. The fact is individuals are motivated by many things, but when taken in the aggregate (aka. in a corporation) it all drills down to the "profit motive."Codyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11446501095831085195noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2690920861723775519.post-5360677650840377232011-02-23T09:15:00.005-05:002011-02-23T09:34:32.037-05:00The "Haves" are winning (Part 4)Before you look at these graphs/pictures/figures, read my post about <a href="http://livinglightlyupontheearth.blogspot.com/2010/09/freedom-from-equality.html">Freedom vs. Equality</a>. I make the case that you cannot have freedom without equality.<br />
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I think the following figures speak for themselves. The author of our book has been spouting off statistics about inequality in the first portion of the book. These figures show graphically what he's saying and also represent an update to his year 2000 data.<br />
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Enjoy... or cry.<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibZpP2p3sO8NPpW3elDehK3dcPgI0USuyCeDJHACIW00h_juwbWQAWnRo0MTcN0AR43dx4w8q9DEPre3dtJVhqUcWGut1X-jJi7wi8R-LJdkwtCtXudLAUyTMuSJHB8hwYBhNBeeUQDNvU/s1600/Plutocracy+1.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="287" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibZpP2p3sO8NPpW3elDehK3dcPgI0USuyCeDJHACIW00h_juwbWQAWnRo0MTcN0AR43dx4w8q9DEPre3dtJVhqUcWGut1X-jJi7wi8R-LJdkwtCtXudLAUyTMuSJHB8hwYBhNBeeUQDNvU/s400/Plutocracy+1.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Average income per family–distributed by income group</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLKjps4P_dqayyzGmtYNtj-XFxGWwDzAhXgmyHIjxp4jSEhvD08K0mti1cxXuxtSg5pzehnutOZOhyphenhyphenIa26PBysByl6tQXy9PTZeTc4lIFzmURgMOI6-E5y0PbqPzjUhpE-vxAsjP3hKoII/s1600/Plutocracy+2.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLKjps4P_dqayyzGmtYNtj-XFxGWwDzAhXgmyHIjxp4jSEhvD08K0mti1cxXuxtSg5pzehnutOZOhyphenhyphenIa26PBysByl6tQXy9PTZeTc4lIFzmURgMOI6-E5y0PbqPzjUhpE-vxAsjP3hKoII/s400/Plutocracy+2.png" width="362" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Net worth distribution</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYBU1H-5qI85bmFR1vQbAbF38qHvqZMJHuJ9TMA1_cYMxau2ZBKGHdTDUEB8kaUhDVWwTlDlGA6l99b8VGvCHBySv8JvfBGkng45DWuNuU2fjx3hK-NdOHURP_Lb4EBmRGdwZhv-xxnhHe/s1600/Plutocracy+3.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="217" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYBU1H-5qI85bmFR1vQbAbF38qHvqZMJHuJ9TMA1_cYMxau2ZBKGHdTDUEB8kaUhDVWwTlDlGA6l99b8VGvCHBySv8JvfBGkng45DWuNuU2fjx3hK-NdOHURP_Lb4EBmRGdwZhv-xxnhHe/s400/Plutocracy+3.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Change in income since 1979</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi89jjrGsaSLTiRs1_QwXUxJ0eeGxUF2b_m8_vhK83F_zEVc_znB2-b-NeZmZA7QbRbDxU56SD-9Q6T51gQASjz0S5L6_x445gHQV9jND97FY4n3O5xQFUCAqm51Abc1iQUhdpcHzn8dRj6/s1600/Plutocracy+4.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="163" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi89jjrGsaSLTiRs1_QwXUxJ0eeGxUF2b_m8_vhK83F_zEVc_znB2-b-NeZmZA7QbRbDxU56SD-9Q6T51gQASjz0S5L6_x445gHQV9jND97FY4n3O5xQFUCAqm51Abc1iQUhdpcHzn8dRj6/s400/Plutocracy+4.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Poll data on actual vs. perceived vs. desired wealth distribution</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvQsXvO-5CvEe7DPtXxT4qHaxsbeW-wUKqteOWucxNGRH0hE9aCpuEVziun5I3WbfxsUypOTvRXvvJOmGB0CC50jKQDVJ77uvUOEo7Rx4XrKLyZzy5iSQMkQ8js30ZnUfLUvp7STsWf8Gf/s1600/Plutocracy+5.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="181" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvQsXvO-5CvEe7DPtXxT4qHaxsbeW-wUKqteOWucxNGRH0hE9aCpuEVziun5I3WbfxsUypOTvRXvvJOmGB0CC50jKQDVJ77uvUOEo7Rx4XrKLyZzy5iSQMkQ8js30ZnUfLUvp7STsWf8Gf/s400/Plutocracy+5.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Winners and losers for 2007-2009</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7VCA6feJ3app606LJE3HSdYcWHaHQKMMTQqtw002vkDE4zcfhqseXFXbIxF2zZVUw1RTZ_jud01i_MTZSYuHHjG05TYrILIRaLqqszOWeTpU_QOip7Zd1GRZMDRDu9Y7C8fLJGgP-T1C-/s1600/Plutocracy+6.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7VCA6feJ3app606LJE3HSdYcWHaHQKMMTQqtw002vkDE4zcfhqseXFXbIxF2zZVUw1RTZ_jud01i_MTZSYuHHjG05TYrILIRaLqqszOWeTpU_QOip7Zd1GRZMDRDu9Y7C8fLJGgP-T1C-/s400/Plutocracy+6.png" width="365" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">CEO vs. worker pay and historic tax rates for the top bracket</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMKgx98y-UIB8tsft8_p16kS96oiUUUS34Wov-IbIklM3S1DiPUf_b09yPLLO5IVoee9yG3dhP2rw8Q_Ulidd9-XGWGEhQI1LCanZASGO97vcoW29fOHvJxwTKJ787tUGGCXL47Q2UUHpz/s1600/Plutocracy+7.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="227" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMKgx98y-UIB8tsft8_p16kS96oiUUUS34Wov-IbIklM3S1DiPUf_b09yPLLO5IVoee9yG3dhP2rw8Q_Ulidd9-XGWGEhQI1LCanZASGO97vcoW29fOHvJxwTKJ787tUGGCXL47Q2UUHpz/s400/Plutocracy+7.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Share of total tax revenue by source</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
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The final two figures should be taken together with their mutual source at the bottom.<br />
<span id="goog_1279610621"></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsHi-OtDwfaPGJ4JsUT2UiYtGAKU9vmgmWfMUP9rj75DmVQwPE0jP8iqmeCWmr8IQzxWbx0Tr27q5xaemWAHBatdHT-TIkvXUpmYdKAubi5tWmmOOSPZrZl-tIEdF88fQTTk3Y8ZgpkXXP/s1600/Plutocracy+8.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsHi-OtDwfaPGJ4JsUT2UiYtGAKU9vmgmWfMUP9rj75DmVQwPE0jP8iqmeCWmr8IQzxWbx0Tr27q5xaemWAHBatdHT-TIkvXUpmYdKAubi5tWmmOOSPZrZl-tIEdF88fQTTk3Y8ZgpkXXP/s400/Plutocracy+8.png" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZSU3IzB3gPLTjZayfiPpIEWN31znYujfAXaQX1oW1D15HUdwhGWe08SE6wvIQtdhg_wQH5h_0seS6Qd1oGFuo1FKV2RmV_Aw2d4AtZwRZw7KmoYckPYiQOAAQ4S7eKifEdGKACGXUp3Or/s1600/Plutocracy+9.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="290" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZSU3IzB3gPLTjZayfiPpIEWN31znYujfAXaQX1oW1D15HUdwhGWe08SE6wvIQtdhg_wQH5h_0seS6Qd1oGFuo1FKV2RmV_Aw2d4AtZwRZw7KmoYckPYiQOAAQ4S7eKifEdGKACGXUp3Or/s400/Plutocracy+9.png" width="400" /></a></div>I don't know whether I want to elaborate on these figures or not. Reading Gates often makes me feel depressed or angry. That's not really a great response. Fortunately, it also makes me determined to challenge the paradigm that brought our society to this point. That's why I'm going to law school and that's why I'm planning some exciting projects for after I'm out of law school.<br />
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A lot of this discussion seems so timely. The protests in Wisconsin and the rhetoric about cutting the deficit really illuminates who our elected officials pledge allegiance to. I'll give just one example:<br />
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If you listen to the debate around "fixing" Social Security, you'd think that there are only two possible solutions: cut benefits or raise the retirement age. I'd like to offer a third solution that used to be talked about (during the 2008 campaign), but isn't anymore. Raise the Social Security <a href="http://www.ssa.gov/pubs/10003.html">tax cap</a>. Right now, Social Security taxes are only collected on the first $106,800 of a person's income. We can raise that and fix our problem without cutting benefits, raising the retirement age, or burdening lower income workers any more than they already are.<br />
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Why should people who don't benefit (directly) from social security (the rich–they simply don't need it) pay into the system? I'd posit two reasons. First of all, I believe everyone benefits from reducing the number of people in this country who live in dire poverty. Social Security acts as a financial safety mechanism for the older citizens in our society.<br />
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Second, as the wealthiest country in the world, I think we ought to have the common decency to take care of our elderly in at least a marginal way. To fix Social Security by modestly shifting more of the payroll tax burden to the affluent seems to me a largely painless solution.<br />
<br />
Looking at these figures makes the arguments of conservatives during this time of fiscal austerity sound pretty hollow. They're telling us that the only way we're going to balance the budget is to cut programs that provide assistance to or benefit the working class (Social Security, pension plans, collective bargaining rights, etc.), while extending tax breaks for their wealthy friends (like we just did in December). Give me a break. The minimum wage in this country hasn't even come close to rising with inflation (I read something the other day that said it should be somewhere around $15/hour). The working class has worked longer hours for less pay for decades. Look at the third figure, only the top 20% have even seen any increase at all in real after-tax income since 1979. The wealthy make their money off our backs. It's time they pay their dues and give us a break.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Codyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11446501095831085195noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2690920861723775519.post-9055817447585069542011-02-19T22:13:00.001-05:002011-02-19T22:23:00.676-05:00A Perfect Storm (Part 3)No doubt the title of this post is an overused phrase, but I had a week that lends itself to discussing our book (as in: all the things I wanted to blog about converged on a single passage of the book).<br />
<br />
As I posted on the <a href="http://westwhitmanestate.blogspot.com/">Tickle Closet</a>, I found a dead life-form on the train tracks in Albertson, NY. But the point of that post was a realization about how we should spend our internal vigor. To put it simply, this week has made me revisit my basic assumptions about New Yorkers, Americans, and humans in general.<br />
<br />
I took the train to Manhattan this week. I needed to use the Subway to get to Union Square once I arrived at Penn Station, but I assumed there would be signs clearly pointing the way.<br />
<span id="goog_122774523"></span><span id="goog_122774524"></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheUd2PJwiHJsnjWMWxn3I5B9yu4tOD7iOyWE3IY6mSMxWwyocQilAlnpgCllk-JrWSlsJFBnTD8LadFsXyAYYH8Fbo2ZhLg0vvFQgcZfkXayFku7DaZuVJOJSpTb9l_3sox9LZ_oNin0NW/s1600/Penn+Station+Subway.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheUd2PJwiHJsnjWMWxn3I5B9yu4tOD7iOyWE3IY6mSMxWwyocQilAlnpgCllk-JrWSlsJFBnTD8LadFsXyAYYH8Fbo2ZhLg0vvFQgcZfkXayFku7DaZuVJOJSpTb9l_3sox9LZ_oNin0NW/s1600/Penn+Station+Subway.jpg" /></a></div><br />
Instead, what I found when I stepped off the train was that there are certainly signs clearly pointing the way, but that there are two separate lines that service Penn Station and they are on opposite ends of the station. I stood there dismayed. I knew I needed to go downtown, but had no idea which line I ought to take.<br />
<br />
My confusion must have been obvious because a young woman appeared in front of me, "Where do you need to go?" she said. I just stared at her. See, I was suffering from some preconceived notions about people in big cities and New York in particular...<br />
<br />
When I drive to my father's house from where I'm living in Long Island, I cross the Throgs Neck Bridge. The toll for the bridge is $6.50 both ways, which would be enough to make someone grumpy, but the drivers at the toll plaza are unbearable. Every time, the cash line is backed up and there is about a half hour wait.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT1lluv6WRNgArm6kyS8QlxftX3lDlV6iGN3WIQrfhrY3hZ01NmW8VmgUnLi621iDVQJea3GHSvAztBRvJqoh125pQ_M9beLrvFu4NCxFb2vquyPpuyZMOcBaHzZUL5pji4cV2DaLe4xnc/s1600/Throgs+Neck+Toll+Close.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="318" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT1lluv6WRNgArm6kyS8QlxftX3lDlV6iGN3WIQrfhrY3hZ01NmW8VmgUnLi621iDVQJea3GHSvAztBRvJqoh125pQ_M9beLrvFu4NCxFb2vquyPpuyZMOcBaHzZUL5pji4cV2DaLe4xnc/s400/Throgs+Neck+Toll+Close.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
I've been a well-behaved driver recently, so I pull into the back of the line and wait my turn. But, many New York drivers are not so courteous. As you could expect, most of them drive in the faster lanes until right before the toll gate and then try to wedge their way in. After twenty minutes or so of observing this (and realizing that if they wouldn't do that, the line would move faster), I was not in my typical jovial spirit. When it was my turn to deal with these inconsiderate drivers, I maintained a 1-inch gap between my car and the car in front of me, periodically revving my engine for additional intimidation factor. Now, I know my Corolla is already pretty fearsome (just look at it here posing in Bozeman, MT),<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRRULnPF650WN8pp1-33QWwhgCg_jNBfxBfy9r0U04VUsLPKJxAdQGWDcl3FO8ea1tWBXiQPvC08URuDkqLQDCSCw3zZJFU7l844fkVrKa477loOPPOY2_Y4CJfkPqDZQBlIeSH2oao5gG/s1600/IMG_0196.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRRULnPF650WN8pp1-33QWwhgCg_jNBfxBfy9r0U04VUsLPKJxAdQGWDcl3FO8ea1tWBXiQPvC08URuDkqLQDCSCw3zZJFU7l844fkVrKa477loOPPOY2_Y4CJfkPqDZQBlIeSH2oao5gG/s400/IMG_0196.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
but I honestly felt the need to make a particular effort to stare-down the other drivers. Trust me, I won and they gave up. But this experience stayed with me (as did the toll attendant's comment of "They're idiots" when I related my frustration to him). Ultimately, I began to believe something very negative about New Yorkers.<br />
<br />
This was maybe unfair. After all, besides drivers in Wyoming and Montana, what state has divers who are completely loving to each other? Further, the New Yorkers at my <a href="http://www.crossfit516.com/">Crossfit box</a> (yes box, we call them boxes instead of gyms–probably because they're small and square and made of... regular building materials) are some of the kindest people I know.<br />
<br />
To make a long story just as long as it actually is, this is why I was surprised when this young woman accosted me with helpful kindness in Penn Station. I managed to recall for her that I was trying to get to Union Square on the subway. She handed me a subway map out of her purse and gave me detailed directions (later, while I was looking at a larger subway map, a man stopped to make sure I knew where I was going). Before I could fully comprehend her gesture of kindness, her train arrived and she climbed aboard.<br />
<br />
As I studied the map she gave me, I realized she had given me something extremely valuable. Not only had she extended genuine kindness, she had given me a very special subway map she had been keeping since the U.S. Open in 2005.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqy-BKbZ2tEqzetotfkxHtlkBcsduF7qxcwbiDBAEQTXzcO4nZGC4VN5V_fP1rlFHVejWOB3J1ltjD-j3kDzUZKJaFA4mciOYuWU2yXS1_X7l3mcAj22OXLwmX1ZiOVxPS-SpJgDbbqTq6/s1600/Photo+on+2011-02-19+at+11.59.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqy-BKbZ2tEqzetotfkxHtlkBcsduF7qxcwbiDBAEQTXzcO4nZGC4VN5V_fP1rlFHVejWOB3J1ltjD-j3kDzUZKJaFA4mciOYuWU2yXS1_X7l3mcAj22OXLwmX1ZiOVxPS-SpJgDbbqTq6/s400/Photo+on+2011-02-19+at+11.59.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
Further, on the reverse side of the map... you're not going to believe this... she has pasted the exact image of Andy Roddick's personal American Express card!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUC0_Ic00VueEN_LAwnwKlOUj-V0Wk3S4VmFmWPkPUQnOTuRAGq3D7iHTMq_AXPeeKnvEo5PQc-I7P-nPnecqu4lrBi7klApQfF3lyWUl7L5UySKbjz6dH9oXfIv_TwnBFP0nbbmUHIuuE/s1600/Photo+on+2011-02-19+at+12.00.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUC0_Ic00VueEN_LAwnwKlOUj-V0Wk3S4VmFmWPkPUQnOTuRAGq3D7iHTMq_AXPeeKnvEo5PQc-I7P-nPnecqu4lrBi7klApQfF3lyWUl7L5UySKbjz6dH9oXfIv_TwnBFP0nbbmUHIuuE/s400/Photo+on+2011-02-19+at+12.00.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
As you can see, I've mirrored the image to protect his finances.<br />
<br />
Anyway, the point was that she was nice and helpful and essentially restored my faith in the goodness of New Yorkers, the American people, and humans in general (after the 2010 midterms, I had begun to doubt).<br />
<br />
On the first page of the first chapter of our book (sometimes I hate prepositional phrases) Jeff Gates writes:<br />
<blockquote>While self-interest is certain to remain a driving force in the success of free enterprise, democracy has long been animated by a latent generosity that longs to be unlocked. Humankind is predisposed to generosity. (3)</blockquote>This is, undoubtably, one of the most important statements he makes throughout the book. There has long been a debate about whether humans are basically good or basically evil. If left to our own devices, will we be kind to others or will we descend into selfishness and thereby destroy ourselves and others? <i>Note: I'm making a huge assumption here: that selfishness is inherently destructive. If you're a fan of the Bible you probably don't have a problem with that, but if you're a fan of </i><a href="http://www.aynrand.org/site/PageServer?pagename=reg_ar_capitalism"><i>Ayn Rand</i></a><i>, you probably do. Take your pick.</i><br />
<br />
I'd like to suggest that we are both good and evil (though I'm going to try to avoid getting into deep theology here). On one hand we have God and love vying to turn us into kind creatures, but on the other we have Satan (no I don't really mean school here, but school's objective isn't too far from Satan's) and hate encouraging us to succumb to selfishness and greed (is that redundant?).<br />
<br />
Every moment of every day we choose which force we'll comply with. Giving a lost stranger Andy Roddick's credit card. Or cutting in line at the toll both. Take your pick.Codyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11446501095831085195noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2690920861723775519.post-76863986928576607262011-02-11T14:32:00.004-05:002011-02-22T22:05:14.286-05:00Comfortable JesusThe following is a letter I mailed to my U.S. Representative and my two Senators today. I was reading <a href="http://blog.sojo.net/2011/02/10/budget-cuts-and-bad-faith/">this</a> article by Jim Wallis and a link in the article took me to a page where I could <a href="https://secure3.convio.net/sojo/site/Advocacy?cmd=display&page=UserAction&id=387">send this letter</a>. At first glance, the question, "What would Jesus cut?" seemed c<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><em style="font-style: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">liché</span></em></span> and in bad taste. But after thinking about it, I realized it was only that way because we never mean it when we say it (or "What would Jesus do?"). We've made it c<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><em style="font-style: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">liché because we haven't been serious. So, I decided to start taking it seriously and I began by mailing this letter. Join in.</span></em></span><br />
<blockquote>As a person of faith, I believe that the moral test of any society is how it treats its poor and most vulnerable. Our federal budget should reflect our best national values and priorities, so in regard to your upcoming budget vote I ask myself, "What would Jesus cut?"</blockquote><blockquote>As your constituent, I ask you to oppose any budget proposal that increases military spending while cutting domestic and international programs that benefit the poor, especially children. </blockquote><blockquote>Programs we need to invest in during these tough economic times include: </blockquote><blockquote>1. Critical child health and family nutrition programs</blockquote><blockquote>2. Proven work and income supports that lift families out of poverty</blockquote><blockquote>3. Support for education, especially in low-income communities</blockquote><blockquote>4. International aid that directly and literally save lives </blockquote><blockquote>In Great Britain, Prime Minister Cameron made the choice to delay a costly nuclear submarine program, while also increasing life-saving funding for international aid. The U.S. Congress should follow this example. </blockquote><blockquote>Sincerely,</blockquote><blockquote>Cody Lonning</blockquote><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH7x4-vqHbbPz5x_I-U3Pj8Rhf4CYeDMWEXbjbLtvCrTDjyMB5zhsndT-FouG2otdlxyxcsNQFubEwhwdfc9MPYqOP1ebz-BWpN4OSubqt8ZP2Muf6oFlhVS06LahOMSq-xYlWuZo9LyWG/s1600/Photo+on+2011-02-11+at+14.18.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH7x4-vqHbbPz5x_I-U3Pj8Rhf4CYeDMWEXbjbLtvCrTDjyMB5zhsndT-FouG2otdlxyxcsNQFubEwhwdfc9MPYqOP1ebz-BWpN4OSubqt8ZP2Muf6oFlhVS06LahOMSq-xYlWuZo9LyWG/s400/Photo+on+2011-02-11+at+14.18.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Doing my civic duty</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Codyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11446501095831085195noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2690920861723775519.post-6329347076583319132011-02-09T00:59:00.000-05:002011-02-09T00:59:20.047-05:00The Cult of Rationality (Part 2)<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">I wonder how persuasion works. The author of our book, Jeff Gates, goes about persuasion by sheer volume of facts. He piles them on like once he's piled them high enough, opposition will cave under the weight. Will that work?</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">No doubt he's right about the things he says. We <b>do</b> need a "genuinely vibrant democracy" (xi); socioeconomic polarization <b>is</b> out of control (19); and daycare <b>is</b> a significantly bad idea (42). My question is whether factual proof of these things will convince anyone. Let's face it, Fox News is the most watched cable "news" channel (I really truly hope I don't have to explain why that fact is relevant to this discussion). C-Span doesn't have a very high viewership, Fox does.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">At the same time, we're right in the middle of an era when what I call the "cult of rationality" has boomed. In our era, it seems like nothing is more powerful than statistics and other forms of "factual" analysis.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">When I met with the Vice President for Academic Administration at Walla Walla University to discuss the fact that academic credits weren't functioning as they should (it's a long story, but essentially I had a problem with the fact that one or two credit classes often demanded more time than four credit classes), the only thing she wanted to know is if I had statistical evidence of the phenomenon.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">She could have stepped out of her office for five minutes and asked students that passed by, or she could have simply thought about it, but instead we launched into eight months of drumming up proof. Ultimately, "proof" came in two forms: a spreadsheet her office compiled and dozens of emails written by students detailing their experiences. I don't know which one sufficed as proof, but the email campaign certainly got me called into her office for more discussions.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">This is only one example, but let me assure you that my time in the working world (and I suppose the academic as well) has certainly led me to believe that we care (or think we do) about facts and quantifiable evidence. So, how does Glenn Beck remain convincing given that his show is largely devoid of facts?</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Further, if you follow public policy as closely as I do, you know that Congress does not run on logic or facts. The health care debate (which apparently is still ongoing: <a href="http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0211/49104.html">here</a>, <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/08/opinion/08tribe.html?_r=1&ref=opinion">here</a>, and <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/02/08/obama-individual-mandate-health-care_n_820428.html">here</a>) is one of my favorite examples of a policy debate that was almost exclusively conducted outside the realm of reality. Nate Silver is a genius and I read his <a href="http://www.fivethirtyeight.com/">blog</a> daily. During the health care debate he posted about the fact that many people simply <a href="http://www.fivethirtyeight.com/2010/01/health-care-polls-opinion-gap-or.html">did not know</a> what was in the bill. Frankly, opposition to the bill was (and I would argue still is) based substantially on ignorance.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">What does this mean? Well, in my opinion, it means that regardless of our preoccupation with quantifiable facts and statistics, our opinions are largely shaped by something else. Malcolm Gladwell, in <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Blink-Power-Thinking-Without/dp/0316172324">Blink</a></i>, makes some interesting statements about decisions not based on facts and careful thought.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">It may sound here like I'm siding with Glenn Beck. I am not. Nor am I advocating for a society that would reject the "cult of rationality" and live by some other creed. My concern is that Jeff Gates will not be persuasive in the book we're reading. After all, it's over 10 years old and not much has changed the way he wants it too.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">I have a tendency to write using quantifiable facts. The posts I get the best responses from are ones where I don't do that. Live and learn.</div>Codyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11446501095831085195noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2690920861723775519.post-10803882282226841312011-02-02T00:04:00.002-05:002011-02-22T22:05:52.022-05:00Christmas in February (Part 1)<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGztlgjaG2LRjAmvH36pWYqYE0GifEZxY9SvwZTu4IawcLmcNWceHhh9SHyl8lMmXxbCrHbVfN6-p7JNk8iy_3S3TTyRjzx5Nyrlbsot7lmPF3_J0azpS0QkzEfmn__hfw2LMn5io4DS5Z/s1600/David+and+the+book.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGztlgjaG2LRjAmvH36pWYqYE0GifEZxY9SvwZTu4IawcLmcNWceHhh9SHyl8lMmXxbCrHbVfN6-p7JNk8iy_3S3TTyRjzx5Nyrlbsot7lmPF3_J0azpS0QkzEfmn__hfw2LMn5io4DS5Z/s400/David+and+the+book.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">David celebrates his new book</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Last month, I sent some people (including David obviously) copies of <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Democracy-At-Risk-Rescuing-Street/dp/0738204838">Democracy at Risk</a> with the following letter inside:<br />
<blockquote>Around every holiday where gift giving is customary, I find myself in a conundrum. Most of the people I buy gifts for already have more things than they need. It almost seems spiteful to burden them with more, but at the same time I don’t want them to think I’m not appreciative. Given that one of the most pressing challenges our planet faces is our excessive consumption, my reservations about gift giving run much deeper than mere lack of need.</blockquote><blockquote>One of the solutions to this problem is to give books. Books facilitate the deliberate transfer of thoughts. Not stooping to the hasty and shallow banter that so often devalues our language, good books represent the other end of the spectrum. They are thoughtful, cautious, and represent vast amounts of time on the part of the author.</blockquote><blockquote>This year, I’m trying something new. For everyone on my Christmas list I have purchased the same book. I have not read this book and I do not know if it falls into the “good” category (though my research says it does and I surely hope it does). I will be reading this book over the next month and will be blogging about it during the month of February. I hope you will engage in the discussion (livinglightlyupontheearth.blogspot.com).</blockquote><blockquote>I am giving this book to you because I value you. I am giving this book to you because I think you are thoughtful. </blockquote><blockquote>Merry Christmas.</blockquote><i> Note: If you didn't receive one, don't be offended. I had a limited number and I'm really not that great at giving gifts. I hope even if I didn't send you one, you'll join in the discussion.</i><br />
<br />
I was a little nervous about the book initially. It was published in 2000 and the world was a much different place then. It was written at a time when the markets were "booming" and "prosperity" was rampant. Now, after reading some of the way through the book, I think it is ideal.<br />
<br />
It's easy to bemoan the economic problems of today; the economy is bad, people are out of work, etc. It's much more difficult to avoid wishing our economy behaved like it did back in the 90s. Nevertheless, the author gives us a less dreamy picture of the Clinton economy.<br />
<br />
Of course what I like most is his affirmation for an engaged electorate. Howard Zinn said "You can't be neutral on a moving train," and if the trajectory of our politics says anything, it says we must be invested in our democracy.<br />
<br />
Today's post is really just meant to be an introduction. This book's message has the specialty of being transcendent. For that I am thankful. I'll be posting all this month. Chime in.Codyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11446501095831085195noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2690920861723775519.post-84891743264658158062011-01-27T01:00:00.002-05:002011-01-27T01:13:00.819-05:00Stating the obviousI was thinking yesterday.<br />
<br />
Right now we have a system that allows the uber-wealthy to take enormous risks with our economy. When they lose, they are sheltered from the consequences (golden parachute anyone?) and the working class suffers. We need to create a different system where the wealthy are allowed to take enormous risks with their own money, but the working class is protected from the fallout.<br />
<br />
Also:<br />
<br />
In a market-based economy, money determines value in the absolute sense. The United States is an example of a market-based economy. In the United States, 10% of people have most of the money. Therefore, 10% of the people largely determine value.<br />
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Neither of these statements is profound. They are actually rather banal. I just saw them in new light last night. Who would purposely propose and adopt such a system?Codyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11446501095831085195noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2690920861723775519.post-17697034948554336902011-01-26T00:57:00.033-05:002011-02-22T22:07:18.859-05:00The State of the UnionI thought I'd add to the echo chamber on this year's State of the Union Address. There was Obama's speech which ran just over an hour and then two much shorter responses from the GOP. Paul Ryan spoke first with the official Republican response and Michele Bachmann followed with the "Tea Party" response (all three are provided below).<br />
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I'm in kind of a sober political mood right now. Actually I have been since December when Barack capitulated on taxes and renewed the tax cuts for the wealthy. I <a href="http://livinglightlyupontheearth.blogspot.com/2010/11/who-is-for-austerity-now.html">wrote</a> about it in November and started another draft in December, but didn't post it because I thought the tone was much too inflamed.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Tonight, while I'm always excited by something political, I sat down to the speech prepared to be disappointed by a president taking a calculated and misguided tack to the center. The tax cuts were my greatest frustration, but Obama's recent comment about government regulations holding the economy back was additionally irritating (he either missed or completely misunderstood the economic crash in the fall of 2008–too busy campaigning I guess). <br />
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However, tonight's speech transcended more than just my disappointment; it transcended a nation caught up in malice after the midterm elections and horror after the Arizona shootings. I'll be honest, even though I pointedly disagree on some points, I'm excited about what Obama said. He proposed some truly radical and sincere (and specific) solutions.<br />
<blockquote>I challenge you to join me in setting a new goal: by 2035, 80% of America's electricity will come from clean energy sources. </blockquote>Granted, the timeline is too long, the goal too low, and the definition of "clean energy sources" likely too broad, but that kind of rhetoric is exciting and energizing. This sort of leadership renews my faith in the hope Obama talked about in 2008.<br />
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Here are a few more proposals that caught my ear:<br />
<blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Within 25 years, our goal is to give 80% of Americans access to high-speed rail, which could allow you go places in half the time it takes to travel by car. For some trips, it will be faster than flying – without the pat-down. As we speak, routes in California and the Midwest are already underway.</span></blockquote><blockquote>So tonight, I'm asking Democrats and Republicans to simplify the [corporate tax] system. Get rid of the loopholes. Level the playing field. And use the savings to lower the corporate tax rate for the first time in 25 years – without adding to our deficit.</blockquote><blockquote>To help businesses sell more products abroad, we set a goal of doubling our exports by 2014 </blockquote><blockquote>And if we truly care about our deficit, we simply cannot afford a permanent extension of the tax cuts for the wealthiest 2% of Americans. Before we take money away from our schools, or scholarships away from our students, we should ask millionaires to give up their tax break. It's not a matter of punishing their success. It's about promoting America's success </blockquote><blockquote>In fact, the best thing we could do on taxes for all Americans is to simplify the individual tax code. This will be a tough job, but members of both parties have expressed interest in doing this, and I am prepared to join them.</blockquote><blockquote>Let me take this one step further. We shouldn't just give our people a government that's more affordable. We should give them a government that's more competent and efficient. We cannot win the future with a government of the past.... In the coming months, my administration will develop a proposal to merge, consolidate, and reorganize the federal government in a way that best serves the goal of a more competitive America.</blockquote><blockquote>In the coming year, we will also work to rebuild people's faith in the institution of government. Because you deserve to know exactly how and where your tax dollars are being spent, you will be able to go to a website and get that information for the very first time in history. Because you deserve to know when your elected officials are meeting with lobbyists, I ask Congress to do what the White House has already done: put that information online. And because the American people deserve to know that special interests aren't larding up legislation with pet projects, both parties in Congress should know this: if a bill comes to my desk with earmarks inside, I will veto it. </blockquote><blockquote>Starting this year, no American will be forbidden from serving the country they love because of who they love. And with that change, I call on all of our college campuses to open their doors to our military recruiters and the ROTC. It is time to leave behind the divisive battles of the past. It is time to move forward as one nation.</blockquote>This is not a compilation of the things I agreed with. This is a compilation of the things that struck me as particularly significant. To be honest, some things I quote here give me great pause and concern, but the following quote does something to subdue my fears:<br />
<blockquote>I'm willing to eliminate whatever we can honestly afford to do without. But let's make sure that we're not doing it on the backs of our most vulnerable citizens. And let's make sure what we're cutting is really excess weight. Cutting the deficit by gutting our investments in innovation and education is like lightening an overloaded airplane by removing its engine. It may feel like you're flying high at first, but it won't take long before you'll feel the impact.</blockquote>A word cloud might reflect the speech well:<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjamrHkWiyT1Tq8Kw4pRN-zNuCkbQn2GEbA01HI0SN8I9tIAm4qFLsu13XZY6zO5xZyo_5WOJct9BDgPl7BuzyJwwElJ7tTjxQTBIKaLsjb_ro6tw_hyphenhyphentLRfB8JnM_d8wDhegKn7LR0Bmxq/s1600/Obama+2011+State+of+the+Union.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjamrHkWiyT1Tq8Kw4pRN-zNuCkbQn2GEbA01HI0SN8I9tIAm4qFLsu13XZY6zO5xZyo_5WOJct9BDgPl7BuzyJwwElJ7tTjxQTBIKaLsjb_ro6tw_hyphenhyphentLRfB8JnM_d8wDhegKn7LR0Bmxq/s400/Obama+2011+State+of+the+Union.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Obama's word cloud</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
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Ultimately, this speech was one of great optimism and inspiration. It was brave in its policy suggestions and firm in its themes. This speech made me hopeful.<br />
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I'll only spend a few lines on the other two speeches of the night. They are hardly worth that. Both were in stark contrast to the president's speech. Both were accusatory and dark. Both were founded on the politics of fear.<br />
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Interestingly Ryan's tone was more ready to move forward. In that way it was similar to the president's. It was still incredibly negative and no doubt its most important goal was to instill fear of the impending financial doom:<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaWwtMoY4qU5nOOQYmJleP3fmF06fOuk4iPQUebgg66XQ8VRMfsMlbLIo338VL8f8DSqsbB3bAkYKEWZAaJ6YR0Ogg66kQ2cFou42vqYLNfJzu8YGFX1Nd-0vqTMXkkV-Qjd7ltKrE1wqz/s1600/Ryan+2011+State+of+the+Union.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaWwtMoY4qU5nOOQYmJleP3fmF06fOuk4iPQUebgg66XQ8VRMfsMlbLIo338VL8f8DSqsbB3bAkYKEWZAaJ6YR0Ogg66kQ2cFou42vqYLNfJzu8YGFX1Nd-0vqTMXkkV-Qjd7ltKrE1wqz/s400/Ryan+2011+State+of+the+Union.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ryan's word cloud</td></tr>
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Bachmann's, on the other hand, was firmly grounded in the last two years. It sounded as though she hadn't heard any of the hopeful tones of the past several months. In this way, it painted a contrast between a president ready and energized to move forward and a Tea Party that is still boiling mad about first two years of his administration:<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzO4eZQ_Gn9kmQxYC9Ge8rAFJjoKvCGjw-D60j3Kuk2rNVvAe11_HVde9G0K-wdaanL8z0W8nmpkDX_tUyBfSuGmCSz19dwmGeMX18jeL1ZDkxgOAv5vccDSGWGy27cRwbt-hPYUabKxRM/s1600/Bachmann+2011+State+of+the+Union.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="191" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzO4eZQ_Gn9kmQxYC9Ge8rAFJjoKvCGjw-D60j3Kuk2rNVvAe11_HVde9G0K-wdaanL8z0W8nmpkDX_tUyBfSuGmCSz19dwmGeMX18jeL1ZDkxgOAv5vccDSGWGy27cRwbt-hPYUabKxRM/s400/Bachmann+2011+State+of+the+Union.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bachmann's word cloud</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
I guess I'm grateful for the clarity provided by the two themes: past-laden fear or energizing hope. I know which I'm choosing.Codyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11446501095831085195noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2690920861723775519.post-55193635042533144022011-01-10T18:36:00.002-05:002011-01-10T19:05:53.757-05:00Solutions to Heath CareIf you aren't aware of the problems with our health care system, come out from under your rock and blink your eyes in the harsh light of reality. The problems range from high cost (it's going to bankrupt the country eventually) to inaccessibility (not everyone has it) to quality concerns (I wrote about these <a href="http://livinglightlyupontheearth.blogspot.com/2010/08/calling-out-incompetence.html">here</a>). Ultimately, a good organization to familiarize yourself with is the <a href="http://www.commonwealthfund.org/">Commonwealth Fund</a>.<br />
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Today, I'm going to detail my health care plan without going too much into the details of why. The data (much of it from the Commonwealth Fund) will come later.<br />
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The <b>first</b> <b>part</b> of my plan is a single-payer, government-run health care system (socialized much like Canada's). In Canada, the government acts as a massive insurance company and provides everyone with health care <i>insurance</i>. While Canada does not have the best of single-payer systems (England's is better–it provides actual health <i>care</i>–the government employs the doctors and nurses), I think we can overcome the shortcomings of the Canadian system with the second part of my plan.<br />
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But first I want to say a little bit about why we need to move to a Canadian-style system (often referred to as a European-style system). Every other industrialized nation in the world (meaning: besides the United States) has a government-run (socialized) health care system. There is a reason for this: <b>it's better</b>. There is also a reason we don't have it: the people who make money from the status quo are very<b> politically powerful</b>.<br />
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Let's detail (again without going into the data... yet) how a government-run system is better:<br />
1. It's more accessible (health care for everyone is about as accessible as you can get)<br />
2. It's cheaper (we spend more than double, per capita, what socialized health care systems spend)<br />
3. The care is higher quality (by almost every measurement, from life expectancy to surgery success rates to wait times to recovery time to patient satisfaction to medical errors, etc. socialized systems perform better)<br />
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The <b>second part</b> of my plan involves cost-savings and incentives for healthy lifestyles. In addition to socializing health care, my plan would impose a surcharge on those who insist on burdening the health care system through consciously unhealthy lifestyles. For one year, we'd give <b>everyone </b>health care. At the end of one year, we would institute a surcharge for those who insist on adding extra cost to the system: people with a BMI exceeding 30, smokers, people who have received a DUI, etc. We'd still be giving these people health care, but they would be charged for the additional cost their decisions introduce into the system.<br />
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Coupled with that, there would be an appeals process for people required to pay the surcharge. Mostly this would be for people appealing the ruling on BMI. Often very strong people have higher BMI's because muscle is much heavier than fat. Additionally, people may have medical conditions that force them into higher BMIs. For these people, we would make exceptions.<br />
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I think this two-pronged solution would solve our cost problems, inaccessibility, and many quality concerns.Codyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11446501095831085195noreply@blogger.com0