Associate Life Survey: Darn Kids (and Kittens)
Over the last several weeks, we’ve run quite a few ATL / Lateral Link surveys about summer associate issues like assignments, offers, and, of course, lunch.
But no matter what the survey topic, two debates have consistently emerged in the comments:
1) Are summer associates an appropriate use of firm resources and associate time?
2) Are the LOLcat pictures accompanying the surveys absolutely awesome, or really annoying?
Of course, it’s not that surprising to see summer associates and LOLcats — two creatures linked by their youth, their frequent proximity to food, their occasional fluffy nature, and, alas, their occasional misspellings — prompting relatively parallel debates among ATL readers (especially since those similarities prompted the use of LOLcats as pictures for the summer associate surveys).
And now that the summer programs are over and the on-campus interview season has begun, both debates are in full swing.
On the substantive front, a number of firms are heavily weighing the impact of summer programs on firm resources (like cash), and many are now narrowing their on-campus recruiting or even scrapping summer programs altogether in some offices, as Kash covered over here.
Meanwhile, on the fluffier front, the LOLcat debate also surged last week. Check out some of the funnier comments, and take today’s survey, after the jump.
After simmering for months, the great LOLcat debate finally erupted into a thread of vicious anti-cat calls and anti-anti-cat calls, and even a call for anti-cat polling:
[10] What is with all the god damn cat photos? It’s what the secretaries (before they were fired) used to look at and laugh. What happens when the cat photos run out? Surely there’s no endless supply of retarded cat photos? Please?
Elie…your first task should be to phase out the cat photos.
[12] 4, 10 - Why do you get so worked up about the stupid cat photos? Do you really have so much undirected rage that you need to rant about something this pointless in blog comments? I personally think your posts protesting the cats are hilarious and make the cat photos worthwhile even though I otherwise wouldn’t care one way or the other.
[14] 12 - Why do you get so worked up about the comments criticizing the stupid cat photos? Do you really have so much undirected rage that you need to rant about something this pointless in blog comments?
[16] 14 - Yes.12
[17] Love the cats
[18] hate the cats. cant the site do a poll here?
Um, ok.
Today’s ATL / Lateral Link survey will gauge your views on both summer associates and LOLcats.
On the substantive front, we’ll find out who thinks their summer programs were too big — and this will probably be the last survey about summer programs until next year.
On the fluffy front, we’ll find out just what kind of person hates kittens — and your responses may make this the last post involving LOLcat pics …
Update: This survey is now closed. Click here for the results.
—
Justin Bernold is a Director at Lateral Link, the sponsor of this survey.
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Comments
First (again).
Keep the cats please.
Utterly. Completely. POINTLESS.
2: If you would like to see more cats, there are plenty of LOLcat pictures elsewhere on the web. Your desire to keep them is misplaced. Would you expect your workplace to keep a stack of vintage t-shirts, or can you see more of those at home?
retarded
-B1L
love the cats! keep em
Dude, that cat's got some pricey taste in rifles - he's shooting off an AICS chassis. I'm assuming it's a 308, but please let us know what the action is - Remmy 700, GAP Templar, Surgeon or Nesika ? And what glass is he using ? Leupold ? Nightforce ? S&B US Optics ? FFP or not ? Inquiring minds want to know.
As an animal lover, I think that the cat photos are demeaning to cats. These comical pictures encourage frivolous, playful attitudes toward our feline brethren, which ultimately results in hundreds of hilarious cat-related accidents each year. Respecting cats calls for representations that show that they are serious animals with serious goals, rather than playthings.
Can we have more moderation? There are inappropriate comments in this thread.
7 - Max????
Can someone please elaborate on whether ATL is within the letter and/or spirit of the law of copyright in utilizing the LOL cats? Discuss. Thank you.
8 is right. These pictures also encourage our nation's young people to misspell words in hilariously adorable ways.
7 was not Max. This is Max. Max suspects from the size of the partially obscured mag box that it's a .50 BMG or perhaps a .408 chey tac. However, the action and optics questions remain open.
I hope that kitty turns 8 into pink mist.
8 - What kind of serious goals do cats attempt to achieve? Playing with yarn? Catching that laser pointer light spot?
Seven--I like where you're going. I think the cat is shooting a .308 Kelby Stolle Panda Action with a Krieger tactical barrel. I can't tell, but I bet he's got a 1:11 twist rate, shooting a 168 gr. boattail hollowpoint. His optics look like Nightforce, but he could use an upgrade to US Optics. Notice he does not have his bipod depolyed and he's not shooting off a front sand bag on a plunging fire shot. Pure bush leage, but at least he's got both eyes open.
Could be a 300 Win Mag or a 338 Lapua too. But, let's get real here - I doubt a kitten, no matter how well trained, could consistently handle the recoil of one of those bigger cartridges.
Fuzzy's paw positioning is pretty amateurish, too, although I like that he's using that wall. Can't believe you didn't mention that (or the scope rings), 7/16.
For that rig, Fuzzy must work at Wachtel.
LOLpenguins please. penguins are so cool looking.
15: you're missing the point. When people assume that cats are comical creatures, a viewpoint that's encouraged by excessive lolcat viewing, then they're inclined to engage in reckless and hilarious cat-related antics. These antics put their cats, however hilarious, in serious jeopardy of life and limb.
16, you can't see it, but he actually looks to be slung up. I bet he's got one of those Tactical Intervention Slip Cuffs; it's just invisible from the angle of this picture. I don't see a bipod in the photo, but I think I can make out a quick release swivel.
All I can say is will someone PLEASE get this kitty a Harris with a Podlok ? HELLO ? I mean it's not as if Midway doesn't have them on sale just about every other week.
Max, 16 - you think he reloads ? I wonder if he's using Scenars or SMKs ?
Kitty does need a Harris. Kitty does not reload because cats only accept USPS and, IIRC, USPS doesn't do ORM-D.
21--it's me 16. He reloads fer sure. No self respecting Cat sniper is shooting off-the-shelf factory NATO crap--even if it's Blackhills. He's got those bottails juiced up to 3,800 fps. I'll give the little guy a pass if he really is slung up, but he should be shooting off a Harris. Do you think he has a drag-bag?
Max here. (Not 16.) Think about it: Fuzzy has a built-in ghille.
LOLcats suck
At least the ones on this blog
www.ihasahotdog.com
He probably does have a drag bag, it's just not visible in the pic. And good point about the ghillie. But if he's hitting 3,800 out of a 308, he either needs to recalibrate his chronny or pray to Cat Jesus whenever he pulls the trigger.
I do like the stuffed toy as a rear rest. I wonder who his spotter is ? Perhaps a pointer puppy behind one of those military issue Leupy's ?
Lolcartz r in yur furmz, lowering yur profitz pur partnur.
28 I like you.
I LOVE the cats!!! PLEASE KEEP THE CATS!!
Another vote for keeping the cats. Sadly, they are one of the more reliable sources of humor on this blog.
As to those whining about the effects of lolcats on cat owner behavior... get over it. Morons will be morons, and the rest of the pictures come from slightly kooky cat owners who don't abuse their pets.
please keep the cats
Keep the cats!