Non-Sequiturs: 07.06.09
* The move to have a gentleman’s agreement against anonymous internet commenting seems to be gaining steam. Thoughts? We encourage people who want to share their opinions to use avatars of respected character actors or former NBA players. [What About Clients?]
* Senator John Cornyn is getting ready for the Sotomayor confirmation hearings next week. Who’s bringing the popcorn? [U.S. Senator John Cornyn]
* Is Richard Posner right that news aggregation websites such as the Huffington Post siphon traffic from mainstream media sources? One blogger looks at just how much traffic the Huffington Post is able to throw around. [Bloggasm]
* I was on Fox Business today, talking about the University of Miami law school deferral program — and suggesting that prospective Minnesota law students should get slapped in the head. Luckily, my own head did not roll off of my body. [Fox Business]
* Westlaw cares about the environment. [Legal Writing Prof Blog]
* A Courtoon caption contest. I’ll bite. The picture looks like a laid off lawyer offering up his first-born child in order to pay off his law school debts. You know, something that is entirely reasonable given the economy. [Courtoons]
* Apparently, Janet from Three’s Company wants to drive as clumsily as Jack Tripper. [Popsquire]




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That is a great first story. Compelling, and rich.
I dislike gays...
Who's=Who is
Whose =/= Who is
I'm Ron Burgundy, and I know how to link directly to a video.
http://www.foxbusiness.com/video/index.html?playerId=videolandingpage&streamingFormat=FLASH&referralObject=6601099&referralPlaylistId=1292d14d0e3afdcf0b31500afefb92724c08f046
elie's black....that's cool.
Elie, nice job in the Fox interview.
My thoughts on the gentlemen's agreement: I think that two posts by the same blogger on the same blog does not mean that there is a "move" that is "gaining steam."
in the fox news interview elie misses the whole point for why u of miami asked students to defer. it's not because they are looking out for their applicants but instead because they were idiots and let in too many applicants
Elie, you were great! Why the angry Facebook photo when you are so charming in person?
I'm suprised Elie (sic?) didn't fall out of his chair....I thought the editor was a woman.
Joyce DeWitt counts as a celebrity???
Ditto 7. You definitely cited to the same blog last time you shared your thoughts on this, big man. One guy's pet issue =/= movement.
Yeah its great to rail against anonymous comments when your a tenured law proffesor, or a named partner in a law firm. Guess what, unless you say something REALLY bad it will not effect your job security or career prospects. Your right, you have no reason to want to be anonymous. But what about the rest of us? I plan to apply for jobs at least a few more times in my life before I get to a station where I no longer need to worry about a prospective employeer digging up dirt on me. Every post you make on the internet is readily searchible, by anyone, potentially forever. Now if I know my future boss will be evaluating me based on what I said (both the strength of my aurgument, and whether they agree with me) it will chill my speech. Now I would be perfectly willing to say the same things in person, without anonymity, because I know who I am talking too and that it wont be available ten years down the road... If you want to exclude all those without rock solid job security from the discussion go right ahead, but it is the value of the discussion that will be harmed.
I also find it interesting that most of the people who oppose anonymous posting have a name they can trade on to give their statements additional persuasive impact. But really, shouldn't we evaluate what a poster is saying without giving deference to thier intellectual reputation? I think an underlying factor is the fear that all thier hardwork and accomplishments will mean nothing if some anonymous poster comes along and makes a better argument.
Wow. TWO HUGE SURPRISES:
1. Elie loves Fox News.
2. Elie's a dude.
Great interview, Elie!
I didn't watch the video, but it seems to me that Westlaw's practice at my law school of free unlimited printing, but only of Westlaw-formatted pages (which are much less efficient than I could make by copying and pasting in Word), is not exactly green. The always-overflowing recycling bin they provide doesn't count either.
Suggestion: Let us print documents we create, not just Westlaw pages. Mandate front-and-back printing. Or best of all, *encourage people to read off the damn screen, which has Ctrl-F functionality and hyperlinks.* I never understood the fascination with printing.
13 - Did you just emerge from hibernation from inside the cave known as Your Mother's Vagina? If anything, partners need to be more careful than us ditch diggers and garbage collectors. They are an extension of the client, and anything they say necessarily reflects back on their clients.
Elie,
regardless of whether I use my real name, a fictional character from late night 70s television, or as a "guest," the fact is you still suck.
17 - Did you just come to this website from Bizzaro World?
Consider this:
AcelaBob - blabs about layoffs at Pillsbury on the phone before they were supposed to be announced, remains partner
Judge Alex Kozinski - kept poorly secured porn on a personal web server that got hacked and widely distributed, slap on the wrist by an ethics panel
Quinn's "eek"-boy - sends out badly-written firmwide email, gets shitcanned (though ostensibly for failing the bar)
Bingham's Stepford secretary - sends out CHARACTER email, gets shitcanned
Partners & federal judges vs. monkey scribes & hired help. Get the picture?
Wow Elie, great interview.
Joyce sucked harder than a toothless hooker....TRUE STORY
The haters on this blog should really check out Elie's interview. He's actually really good.
Elie, other than you kind of moving around alot (Im not hating I would do the same. It takes work not to), you did a great job.
I think you speak better than you write.
But overall, kick ass job
Elie, you fucking rocked it! Looked sharp also.
Nice job, Elie.
Mr. Mystal, kudos to you and your interview. Your interview echoes exactly what I have been trying to warn young unsuspecting students that see a law degree as a lottery ticket. Law school is a sucker's bet. Most law students and lawyers dream about reaching the level of success I have garnered. It won't happen. The doors have been shut and locked. Find another vocation lest you wish to carry a lifetime debt of non-dischargeable student loans.
Elie - do your thing. Kudos.
26: Get lost. We all know what you did and we don't care what you have to say.
Elie: Nice job.
Good work Elie. I agree with 23 - you do speak better than you write.
Ellie good job. One bit of advice for future tv appearances, keep your head still. You moved your head around a lot. On TV, that's distracting.
Elie - you were great! I'm really impressed. Was that your first tv appearance? Any more scheduled for the future?
BTW is there a reason they omitted where you went to law school? And the fact that you went at all? Seems important...
Nice job, Elie.
That being said, its difficult to make 8 typos when you don't type anything.
Very similar to why its difficult to find America on a map when you don't have a map.
Agree with all others. Great job Elie.
Although I would have asked you far superior questions, such as, "How many donut holes *can* you eat in 12 minutes?" and "Have you had sex with Kashmir? No? Can I have her number?", you did a bang-up job, Elie.
Really nicely done Fox News interview, Elie. Not always a Fox fan--but I liked this programming. I learned things. Lots of people--in and out of the profession--are going to like it. Mere fact it was even conducted tells you scads about the profession right now. Bravo, sir.
Well done, Elie, you rocked!!
Anonymous commenting only produces crap like the Federalist Papers.
16 - stop trying to push your ecofascism on the rest of us. People are finally waking up to the global warming lie.
So it's Eh-lee and not Eeh-lie. Weird, who names their male child Ellie?
good job on Fox Elie! it's only a matter of time before someone makes a bobblehead of you...
Elie, good job on the interview. Work on moving around a little less. And, its OK to talk slower. It looked like you were going too fast and tripped over your words sometimes. Take care of those little things and maybe Fox News or some reputable station like MSNBC will invite you back to the studio.
I had to buy a widescreen to see the Elie interview. You've sure gained a lot of weight since you played Erckel Elie!
Once again I would like to defend anonymous posting. While it does encourage some juvenile comments it also allows for a far more spirited and uncensored debate than would be possible if people could be "outed" for unpopular or politically incorrect comments. I suspect that many people will simply not participate in controversial discussions if we pierce the internet veil. That benefits no one and leaves us with an unrealistic sense of how members of the community really feel about major issues.
Anonymity also depersonalizes an argument, which discourages ad hominem attacks. This is something Elie should understand all too well as his arguments are frequently attacked on the illogical level of personal hostility.
Finally, I'd like to point out that anonymous debates have a proud history in this country harking back to the debates surrounding the American revolution. If it weren't for anonymity people may have never been able to express the arguments for throwing of British oppression. While one hopes that reprisals for dissent are somewhat less harsh today, there are still very real consequences for expressing politically unpopular opinions. Anonymity shields people from this censorship-by-opprobrium effect.
You're very good on television and have a presence. Slow down your speech and don't move around so much, which you could easily fix with a little practice.
I guess 44 has some good points, but I was surprised how good Elie looked on TV. With practice, it'll only get better/easier. Nice job, dude.
I hope Lat doesn't get jealous.
would watch again.
Were the fox reporters pronouncing Elie's name correctly? They were calling him "El-lee", but it looks like his name should be pronounced "E-lie". He never corrected them (which would admittedly make it pretty awkward), but I'd like to think they got his two-syllable first name correct.
Its pronounced Elie, it rhymes with smelly.
Elie-
you were awesome in "Goodburger"
(but not as awesome as me)
-Kel
You're no Fareed Zakaria, but a good showing nonetheless.
Elie, nice Jimmy Fallon head nod to start you off. As for the rest of it, it's called eye contact. Stop staring at the floor or off into space. As for sex appeal, show more cleavage next time.
Elie. Elie had bitch tits.
Also, 37 wins both the thread and the argument.
Elie. Elie had bitch tits.
Also, 37 wins both the thread and the argument.
I've got to hand it to you Elie, you look good on television.
Elie - you were good on t.v. Surprisingly good.........and all this time I thought you were a dope. My bad.
Elie - great job, but I do think you should get tested for epilepsy.
elie, good job on interview!
The ship be sinking...
With all of these stories on shrinking salaries, where is the story about Westlaw cutting costs or reducing client fees?