Last day of the bar. . .

Yesterday was the worst part of the bar exam, yet I don't think I screwed it up too badly, which means that all I have left is the MBE, which I've been performing well enough on that I'm sure that it'll make up for any deficiencies I may have in the essays (hopefully none). My body feels like I've been steamrolled and my mind is a little foggy. . . but I'm going to do it.

But all I can think of now is who the hell eats $180 worth of eggs? Because that's how many I bought in my dream last night.

For those taking the bar (and those who are not). . .

Distract yourself for a few minutes by thinking about this test:

http://www.philosophersnet.com/games/identity.htm

I'll tell you mine if you'll tell me yours in the comments.

Edit: I have posted my answers in the comments, so don't look at the comments until you've done the test!

Edit 2: The thread link where I got this test.

Edit 3: For those of you with trouble, I was able to copy and paste the relevant text, but I did not select all, I only selected up until before the "Recommended Reading" section.

Edit 4: For those of you STILL with trouble, just email your answer to me and I will paste it in with just your first name, or anonymously if you are somehow worried about the internets.

List of thing BARBRI professors were wrong about:

This is a list of things I got wrong in some essays because the answer clearly contradict what the BARBRI professor said in lecture (just a running list, will update). Feel free to add to this list:

(1) You cannot file a motion for summary judgment in Oregon until the night before trial. Summary judgment motions must be filed 45 days before trial.

(2) Apparently if you have a sales contract with the offer at $6 for services, and the buyer accepts but says $5, it's not a different term subject to the knock-out rule but is an additional term.

Look. . . I don't need this stress.

Listening to Prof. Kanter on OPB. . .

Talking about the faith healing verdict in Oregon (sorry I couldn't find a local link) and the constitutional issues of having a specific criminal statute excluding faith healing as a defense to criminal liability for child neglect. Regardless of our feelings over the parents and faith healing, there are some specific First Amendment issues that he raises. Additionally, I think that he makes a good point in reminding us to all remember that criminal law deals with mens rea--as opposed to just negligence in a civil case--for those people who may be upset over the verdict.

Of course, this doesn't mean that I necessarily agree with the verdict. . . but the constitutional issues are very important to consider from a broader perspective. Also, I won't say anything about religion, since I didn't add the tag. I don't have the time or the patience to discuss religion in the careful manner that it needs.

Just got signed up to the Google Voice Beta.

Can't wait to fool around with it when the bar is over next week! I am going to dig:

(1) the voicemail-to-text transcription (even though it's not totally accurate just yet);
(2) different voicemails for different persons;
(3) a new phone number (a virtual work cell phone number, without the cost!);
(4) free U.S. VoIP (I think. . .).

I almost went with a Cambridge, MA number because of nostalgia, but my sense got the better of me.

I can hear someone in my apartment complex playing Rock Band. . .

And it sounds like they're playing drums on easy to "Living on a Prayer. . ."

wow.

Ebony's 1985 prediction of what MJ would look like in 2000

So close!!

http://twitpic.com/ams6l

Is it too soon?

Edit: Read the caption at the bottom of the picture!

Dear BARBRI

When you have a torts question about a pilot and negligence, please remember to use "operation" and not "maintenance" when you are talking about whether he reasonably landed his plane on the ground. When I think of "maintenance," I am thinking about TOOLS. . . TOOLS LIKE BARBRI.

God, a week and a half left. . .

Since one article about race wasn't enough. . .

I thought I'd at least link to this as an example of more Godwin's Law-action regarding race for the purpose of blatant sensationalism. I think articles like this take away from the serious problems that do exist today with institutionalized prejudice in all forms, whether race, alienage, descent, culture, gender, or sexual orientation (I think I got most of the suspect classes here, so my bar preparation seems to going pretty well). This isn't a damn race (pun unintended) for people to out discrimination, and there isn't some sort of scoreboard that's chalking up points for how sensitive you appear to be by crying wolf. This does a disservice to all those people who spend hours of their day experiencing real discrimination first-hand.

Take some time to place things in context and learn how to use your brain. That's really what I want to just shout at these people.

Couching the Gay Pride Movement in Terms of the Civil Rights Movement: Appropriate?

An interesting opinion article by LZ Granderson, a gay, black ESPN commentator, based on his experiences being both gay and black. He implies there is a lack of relativism in comparing the LGBT movement's criticisms of President Obama's lack of decisive action on policies like DADT and repealing DOMA. What's probably most striking is that he likens LGBT comparisons to the civil rights movement in the 1960s to another example of white appropriation of the African-American experience, especially in regards to criticisms of DADT, a relatively recent policy compared to our sordid history of racism.

This is not to say that gay rights are not as important as minority rights, as Granderson expressly makes clear. However, do we do a disservice to hundreds of years of race-based dicrimination by what he implies is a civil rights version of Godwin's Law, or are we instead taking proactive steps to prevent a potential longer-term acceptance of sexual-orientation based discrimination through invocation of the civil rights movement? Do we hold President Obama to a higher standard on LGBT rights because he has adopted a heritage of American relations between blacks and whites--from slavery to more covert institutions of racism today--by virtue of the color of his skin? Should this give him special insight into the ramifications of failing to act decisively, rather than incrementally (if the LGBT community concedes that much)?

One other thing Granderson notes is that being LGBT doesn't similarly give insight into race-based discrimination, anecdotally speaking of the segregation of white and black gays on different floors in a bar in Washington D.C., and the rage-filled flinging of the n-word to blacks in California after Proposition 8 passed because of their disproportional votes in favor of of the measure. Of course, individuals are individuals, with their own particular prejudices, but it is examples like these that really highlight his major premise: invocation and adoption of historical emblems like the civil rights movement should be done with proper consideration and respect of the context and history behind and leading up to those events. Just look at how laughable and incredulous the Republicans are in calling Judge Sonia Sotomayor a racist (although I myself may have now invoked some parallel to Godwin's Law in pointing this out).

Don't get your hair cut with a hoodie on. . .

I had some loose hair strands on my neck. I mean, it's HEAD HAIR, but still gross.

Don't waste my time. . .

Hey, to the person who got 199/200 on the MBE Practice Exam: Die. You waste your money and ours by cheating and screwing up the statistics that people like me rely on to determine our progress. Do you think I like to pay $2800 and get flawed feedback when I have a child and family to worry about? Are you worried that someone is going to look at how you're actually performing and laugh in the basement of the BARBRI offices at how stupid you are, or are you some kind of a grade whore who has to cheat in order to maintain his sense of superiority, but makes sure he has one wrong on his answer sheet so it doesn't look REALLY OBVIOUS that he cheated?

Either way, you are an idiot, because you can't fathom the level of statistical improbability that you would have to ignore for this to occur. You suck.

The Right to Bear NuMchucks?!

Yes... Senator Orrin Hatch somehow trying to tie a case about banning nunchaku in New York to a plot by Judge Sotomayor to destroy our Second Amendment rights. He's clearly in the pocket of the Big Numchuck lobby. Or maybe that's Big Ninja Turtles. . .

Yay for rational basis review!

Edit: Rob didn't get it. Don't quit my day job I guess. . . wait, I'm unemployed!

Topics to Cover (Just a note to self)

Property
Evidence (done)
Contracts/Sales
Constitutional Law (done)
Torts (done)
Criminal Law/Procedure (done)

Wills/Trusts
Civil Procedure
Administrative Law (done)
Business Entities (done)
Secured Transactions (done)
Fed Income Tax
Ethics

Gmail is down, but not other services. . .

Like Blogger! Or Google Reader for that matter. Well, if Rachel or Rob happen to be looking at blogs today, I will just post my email here in outline form:

(1) We want to plan a Korean BBQ dinner w/ Rob Le and Rachel's mom in the next week, if possible.

(2) There is a Hawaiian style grill called Hapa Grill that has been getting good reviews from locals (from Hawaii) and is on the cheaper side of restaurants in PDX catering to transplants (which is hella expensive, trust me). This is an open invite to friends on a future, undetermined trip.

Edit: Oh, and they have some kind of gallery to showcase their menu.

Edit 2: So it turns out it's just not working on Firefox. . . weird.

I did a regression analysis of the MBE exam yesterday. . .

I am like a lame version of Nate Silver. If anyone wants the Excel sheet (which will require you determine how many wrong you have in each subject area in the morning and evening separately), I can send it to you. It did help me out in finding some weak trends in my own work.

Of course, I'd have to really take the time to go into sub-topic analysis. Which I won't.

1 month, 3 computers down.

All bought at different times by me. I am starting to think that I am a walking EMP pulse, but only for things that I own. WTF.

Please tell me this isn't some kind of sign.

Why computer failures totally screw me over. . .

I missed an opportunity to make $200 with little to no work. That's what four hours without a computer will do to you. Sucktastic.

Even I post about adorable kids. . .

Who sing the Megaman 2 and 3 theme songs in a cute Asian way:

Best Prof Ever, Dave?

The sheer awesomeness of my Environmental Liability Insurance Seminar and A paper prof, Dave, is impetus for a variation of "Best Friend Ever" (since I would never presume friendship without his permission, because he is so awesome): the "Best Prof Ever." He's always been very good with feedback and is always available for questions, but what puts the icing on the cake is his very good taste in (1) nerd games and (2) eateries. The latest example of the latter?

He's taking me for a late lunch at BUNK. Now, I know a lot of you already are "down low" with how awesome this place is (not me, apparently), but did you know that Tommy Habetz was a sous-chef at Po, at which Mario Batali was chef-partner?

I didn't think so. . . and Dave tells me that Tommy definitely has the MB's influence in his foods, so I'm psyched. It's as close to the horse's mouth you can get in PDX.

Study Session Reggie

Really an old post, but here is a homemade Reggie that Todd and I made a few days ago.

This is a fried egg, fried chicken, pepper bacon reggie made with wheat french toast. Coma-inducing!

Property. . .OH MY GOD.

The video is nice. . . but having to hear three days of that sharp, whistling hiss is going to really test the limits of my sanity.

Also, was I the only one laughing when she said intestacy and I was thinking "without testes"?