Mmmmm...can't wait til July!

Raising the Bar: Even Top Lawyers Fail California Exam

Former Stanford Law Dean Becomes Latest Victim;
A Mayor Tries Four Times

By JAMES BANDLER and NATHAN KOPPEL
Staff Reporters of THE WALL STREET JOURNAL
December 5, 2005; Page A1

Kathleen Sullivan is a noted constitutional scholar who has argued cases before the Supreme Court. Until recently, she was dean of Stanford Law School. In legal circles, she has been talked about as a potential Democratic nominee for the Supreme Court. But Ms. Sullivan recently became the latest prominent victim of California's notoriously difficult bar exam. Last month, the state sent out the results of its July test to 8,343 aspiring and already-practicing lawyers. More than half failed -- including Ms. Sullivan.

Although she is licensed to practice law in New York and Massachusetts, Ms. Sullivan was taking the California exam for the
first time after joining a Los Angeles-based firm as an appellate specialist.

The California bar exam has created misery for thousands of aspiring and practicing lawyers. Former California Gov. Jerry Brown passed on his second try, while former Gov. Pete Wilson needed four attempts. The recently elected mayor of Los Angeles, Antonio R. Villaraigosa, never did pass the bar after failing four times.

But it's unusual for the exam to claim a top-notch constitutional lawyer at the peak of her game. "She is a rock star," says William Urquhart, who last year recruited Ms. Sullivan to join his firm, Quinn Emanuel Urquhart Oliver & Hedges LLP. "Practically every lawyer in the U.S. knows who Kathleen Sullivan is." If anyone should have passed, Mr. Urquhart says, it is Ms. Sullivan. "The problem is not with Kathleen Sullivan, it is with the person who drafted the exam or the person who graded it."

Ms. Sullivan, 50 years old, did not return phone and email messages
seeking comment. Her firm said she wasn't reachable over the weekend because she was at a remote location.

OMFG this sandwich is good

I don't know if you've ever heard my sister talk about the Gardenburger brand meatless riblets (I would link to that, since I'm sure she posted about it, but I'm too lazy to go through her posts and find it), but anyway just ask her what she thinks of them sometime.

I came over to her place one time when she was living a few blocks away from me on the west side of Chicago with Katie Werremeyer, and she was in the middle of a rant about these things. She had actually sat down and written a letter to the company because they were so good. I'm not kidding. This is the same sister that takes pictures of her food in public when it looks good. I do that too, but not in public. Though now I have a camera phone, so I might. She pulls out an actual camera with flash, in front of God and everybody and takes a shot. She'll stand up in the booth if she has to. I love her.

So I've known about these for a while, but tonight something hit me. A few weeks ago I broke down and went to McDonalds. Yes, you read that right. I've been McCrap free since I saw Supersize Me over a year ago. Actually, I hadn't been there for a while before that, so it had been about two years. But I just came out of a night class, had to go shopping because there was nothing at home, and was starving. Plus the McRib was back. Justify, justify, justify - I ate the fuckin thing. It was good.

As soon as I finished it, though, I remembered the Gardenburger rib thingies. DAMNIT, I coulda had one of those! They ARE SO MUCH BETTER THAN THE MCRIB. Plus you don't have all that guilt/wonder about what exactly it was you just ate. It's not real food, you know. It's some sort of pseudomeat shaped to look like it has bones in it. That should bother you. A lot.

What I decided to do, and I finally remembered tonight to do it, is imitate the McRib exactly using Gardenburger riblets. Here's all there is to it: Get the Gardenburger riblets (buy two packages cuz there's only two in there and you will regret not having more in your freezer. Trust me.). Punch a couple holes in the plastic and put it on a plate and microwave it til it's bubblin. Cut the plastic open, slide it out onto the plate, then put a slice of swiss on there. I know, the McRib doesn't have cheese - this is better. I break the cheese longways so it covers the whole ribby. Mike it for 30 more secs. Now slide that onto a hoagie/french/sour dough roll. I put some extra BBQ on there cuz I'm all about the sauce. Use your favorite - the smokier the better cuz the sauce that comes on the ribby is smoky and delicious. Next put some sliced raw onion. Now, the crucial part. Pickles. I used Vlasic Ovals hamburger dill chips. If you don't use the right pickle you'll fuck it up. Go ahead, try Claussen and see if you don't hate it.

That's it. Eat the shit outta that and come back for more. And smile! You're screwing McDonald's out of money!!

Happy birthday to me (and Frank)

Today is my birthday, and it just so happens to be the birthday of Ole Blue Eyes himself as well. I can't think of a better guy to share your birthday with if you're an overly dramatic, somewhat cynical Italian kid who likes to drink whiskey and tends to romanticize things in his head. We were truly born under the same star. Now all I have to do is have a meteoric rise to fame (I never understood that phrase, don't meteors ALWAYS come DOWN?), hit rock bottom in my career and have an even better comeback that proves everyone wrong. Did I mention I romanticize things in my head?

In that spirit, I am not studying in my kitchen today. I don't have an International Entertainment Law final tomorrow that has me looking at flash cards for the next 14 hours. Nope, today it's nighttime. Me and Frank are sittin' in a bar lamenting some lost love with our pal Jack. That's how I wanna spend my birthday this year.

Here's the song we'd sing. If you've got the record, put it on and sing along. Pour yourself a little whiskey and wish me and Frank a happy birthday.



It's quarter to three, there's no one in the place except you and me
So, set 'em up, Joe, I got a little story you oughta know
We're drinkin', my friend, to the end of a brief episode
Make it one for my baby and one more for the road

I got the routine, so drop another nickel in the machine
I'm feelin' so bad, wish you'd make the music pretty and sad
Could tell you a lot, but you've got to be true to your code
So, make it one for my baby and one more for the road

You'd never know it, but buddy I'm a kind of poet
And I got a lot of things to say
And when I'm gloomy, you simply gotta listen to me
Till it's talked away

(bridge)

Well that's how it goes and Joe, I know your gettin' pretty anxious to close
So, thanks for the cheer, I hope you didn't mind my bendin' your ear
Don't let it be said, little Davey can't carry his load
So, make it one for my baby and one more for the road