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Monday, July 18, 2011
Stink Pit Central: Fourth Tier Dung Pile Thomas M. Cooley Law School Sues Bloggers
As many of you are aware, the "non-profit" corporation and in$TTTTiTTTTuTTTion of "higher educaTTTTion" known as Thomas M. Cooley Law School, Tax ID Number 38-1988915, has sued four bloggers for defamation. For some reason, the commode filed suit in Ingham County Circuit Court.
What's that you say, apologist? Thomas M. Cooley Law Sewer is actually rated as the second-best law school in the country – according to its own ranking scheme?! Let's take a look at the twelfth edition, 2010, guide entitled "Judging the Law Schools."
"An extensive, objective comparison of American law schools by a distinguished jurist and a law school president who challenge the subjectivity of the U.S. News & World Report rankings." [Emphasis mine]
If you head to page 4, you will notice in the foreword, that this 424 page report was put together by Thomas E. Brennan, founder and former president of Thomas M. Cooley Law School, and Don LeDuc, president and dean of Thomas M. Cooley Law School. At least, they disclosed this info. I'm sure that these $elf-intere$ted men were very impartial and objective, in publishing this asinine "study."
Go to page 22 of this PDF, to see where Cooley ranks itself as the 2nd best law school in the land, right behind Harvard! Yeah, sure this is the second most prestigious law school in the U.S. – and Salma Hayek just carved her initials into my back with her fingernails this morning! Now let's take a look at the rankings that employers actually consider when making hiring decisions.
Ranking: The editors at US "News" & World Report do not quite share Cooley's opinion. In fact, the magazine lists Thomas M. Cooley as "Rank Not Published." It failed to make it into the top three tiers, i.e. the vaunted top 144 law schools. As such, it is a filthy, fourth tier pile of hot excrement. What a prestigious institution, huh?!
By the way, the school decided not to hire a Cooley-trained lawyer, for this suit. As you can, see neither of the attorneys named as counsel graduated from TTTThoma$ M. Cooley Law $chool. One earned his law degree from Georgetown University, while the other attorney received his JD from the University of Michigan.
I suppose that it is better to hire attorneys who went to real law schools. Then again, Cooley's rankings scheme rates Georgetown as the third best law school in the land, whereas the University of Michigan Law School is listed as 12th. Perhaps the school was smart (for once) not to hire someone from 30th-rated Stanford or 31st-ranked Duke. By the way, how in the hell is the University of Chicago ranked 5th by US "News" - but listed as 41st best by Brennan and LeDuc?!
Salary Info for LeDuc and Brennan: Head to page 37 of this commode's 2009 IRS Form 990. There you will see that Don LeDuc, dean and president, made $548,067 in TOTAL COMPENSATION - for the 2008 calendar year. The mustachioed LeDuc received $400,000 in base compensation; $75,000 in bonus & incentive compensation; $31,644 in other compensation; $19,160 in deferred compensation; and $22,263 in nontaxable benefits.
Thomas E. Brennan, founder and former president of the law school, somehow "earned" $368,581 in TOTAL COMPENSATION, for the same tax year. Brennan received $329,198 in base compensation; $19,160 in deferred compensation; and $20,223 in nontaxable benefits. (Under his faculty profile, Brennan is listed as founder, president and dean emeritus, and "professor." According to his faculty bio, he is also the chairman of the Thomas M. Cooley Board of Directors.) Do you think that these two men might have a financial stake in preserving the status quo?!?!
Stated Mission and School Financial Info: On page 2 of this tax document, the school states that its mission is to "Prepare graduates for the legal profession with practical legal education as its guiding principle and focus" - under Summary. On the same page, Section A, Part I, line 9, you can see that the school's revenue in 2008 was $96,091,697. Of this amount, $44,769,472 went to salaries, other compensation and employee benefits. This is on Part I, line 15. On Part I, lines 20-22, you will note that this foul pile of waste had $231,587,804 in end of year total assets, balanced by $149,977,265 in liabilities. See how profitable it can be to operate a "non-profit educational institution"?!?!
Business Transactions With Interested Parties/Conflicts of Interest: Go over to page 42, Schedule L, Part IV, to check out some interesting "business transactions." As you can see, "professor" Curt Benson is listed as the husband of Jane Markey, a member of the Board of Directors. How well did he make out?! His "transaction" was in the amount of $168,367 for "salary and benefits received as a faculty member." I guess this poses no conflict of interest.
Furthermore, Daven Danielson, in Desktop Support, is the son of Brent Danielson, a member of the Board of Directors. He brought in $31,522 for "salary and benefits received as a staff member." Lastly, Laura LeDuc, daughter of Don Leduc, president and dean of the law sewer, made $4,576 for "salary and benefits received as a staff member." I remember "law professors" constantly harping on avoiding the appearance of impropriety. I guess that only applies to law students and lawyers, not the faculty. At least, there are no other COIs going on at this school, right? Actually, head to Schedule O, on page 45, where the toilet discloses: "Two members of the Board of Directors are related by marriage."
"With ethics and professionalism at the core of our law school's values, we cannot – and will not – sit back and let anyone circulate defamatory statements about Cooley or the choices our students and alumni made to seek their law degree here," said Brent Danielson, chair of Cooley's board, in an announcement of the suits."
Yes, Thomas M. Cooley Law School is synonymous with professionalism and ethics, isn't it?!?!
Conclusion: In the final analysis, Thomas M. Cooley Law Sewer's reputation is lower than fresh monkey feces. The school administrators and "professors" merely want to keep the gravy train rolling. MANY, if not most, of this dung pit's former students will never practice law. In contrast, the staff and faculty are paid up front, in full. The students, graduates and dropouts are stuck with NON-DISCHARGEABLE debt. Additionally, the school will argue that it is providing a "legal education" - not guaranteeing anyone a job.
112 comments:
Just amazing. Unbelievable. They do want to keep the gravy train rolling and will do so at all costs. Someone recently commented that the higher education scam is the "largest unknown issue" destroying this country. I agree. I hope we can continue to shine the light on it, like this post clearly does. Cooley is a shameless colostomy bag of a "school", as is it's administration.ReplyDelete
- AnonymousJuly 18, 2011 at 6:00 AM
Someone just left a steaming pile of Cooley on the bathroom floor! I'm not cleaning it up!ReplyDelete
- AnonymousJuly 18, 2011 at 6:17 AM
BWAHAHAHA! isn't cooley spanish for '@ss'. Fitting.ReplyDelete
- AnonymousJuly 18, 2011 at 6:17 AM
I normally don't keep up with trivial law school news as I have been practicing for nearly 20 years. Yet, the news of this absurd lawsuit left me in stitches. The Cooley brand carries an irreparable stigma in the legal community that has been universally accepted by other practitioners. Perhaps it gets some respect in Michigan as result of the heavy concentration of alumni there; however, I would not hire someone from Cooley.ReplyDelete
Here is a true story. About 10 years ago, I met a sharp attorney. We worked on some cases together and we started to talk about personal things. The subject of law school came up once. I asked him where he attended law school. His reply was: "I attended law school in Ann Arbor, Michigan." I assumed he went to Michigan. A few weeks later, another colleague approached me and asked why I was working with him. I said why not? His reply was: "Don't you know he went to Cooley?" I was a bit shocked at first, upset and somewhat felt deceived. I continued to work with the guy but felt sorry for him that despite his intelligence, he felt ashamed to identify with Cooley as his alma mater.
The school is a joke. Any law school that buys a stadium and forges a commercial relationship with a TTT AA minor league team such as the Lansing Lugnuts is an embarrassment to the "profession."
- AnonymousJuly 18, 2011 at 6:29 AM
Screw this law school! I know one person who was recently ripped off in attending Cooley after just two semesters. This kid only had a 3.2 GPA from a 4T UGC, and only was able to score 146 on the LSAT. Did this kid really stand a chance in doing well in law school the first place? Of course not.ReplyDelete
This school continually fails to advise its incoming students about its unforgiving grade curve and extremely high attrition rate. If that was not enough, this school admits practically anyone into this school, therefore using its curve and attrition policy to "weed" out its undesirable student body after it gets its tuition (class!). If this school really cared about integrity and academics, this school should at least increase its admittance standards like other better ranked law schools and not set up a certain percentage of its incoming students for failure.
Cooley is so bad that even the dumbass TLS lemmings laugh at them. These are the same bozos who think they will own a ferrari, lambo, luxury yacht, 7 5500+ sq. ft. beachfront properties, a star destroyer, and a learjet, after obtaining their BLS degree.ReplyDelete
- AnonymousJuly 18, 2011 at 7:20 AM
This school is so bad even non-lawyers know what a joke it is. The JD works against one in most nonlaw employment settings. But I will say this. If you go to a normal school, even a TT or TTT, nonlaw employers will at least think, "Why's she applying here for?" or "That's a good school."ReplyDelete
If you walk into a nonlaw job office with a Cooley JD around your neck, the interviewer or HR person will probably laugh at your resume. See the difference?
- AnonymousJuly 18, 2011 at 7:29 AM
Anyone here ever wonder how they would fare against a professional prizefighter in the ring? Cooley takes that question and asks prospective students if the can wonder practicing law against other seasoned attorneys. In the prizefighter case, you may last two minutes before getting knocked out. In cooley's case, you waste a year and drop $40k before your head hits the proverbial canvass. It's sickening how this school admits unqualified candidates to create a false appearance of being highly competitive because of the attrition rate. I would guess that 70% of the kids that get into Cooley could not get in anywhere else because of their featherweight academic and last credentials.ReplyDelete
- AnonymousJuly 18, 2011 at 8:02 AM
6:17..as I 20 yr practitioner myself, I agree with some of what you said, as this lawsuit is pure garbage. Who is advising this shithole of a school? I mean look at the revenue they bring in and the compensation for the top dogs. Why would you rock the boat suing probably judgment proof bloggers. If I ran a business/scam that made that kind of money, I would stay quiet and laugh all the way to the bank while unemployed losers talked smack about me.ReplyDelete
As for your true story, if you were any kind of lawyer, you wouldnt give a rats ass where anyone went to school if they were doing good work. While Cooley might not get you in the door, if the Cooley lawyer was working with you and doing a good job, I would care less where he went. Surely 20 years in, you are not still that shallow.
While I tried like crazy to get in to a good school 20 years or so ago and ended up at a 4th tier crapper that probably is not much better then Cooley, once you get a job and prove yourself, it is almost a badge of honor to show others I am doing well, handle my cases as well as or better then those top tier graduates that I practice with or against.
Law School only gets you in the door and that is why you need to go to a top school if you can. There are many kids who make great lawyers who just have to take different and tougher roads to do well. Once experience is evened out, Ill more often then not take the lower tiered kid. Law is not rocket science. Its all about hard work and personality once you show you can graduate. You just have to ask yourself whether graduating from a bottom school will give you that chance or if you just want the degree to go out on your own. As tough as it was to get started 20 years ago, going to law school is not a decision I would want to make in todays overpriced climate.
- AnonymousJuly 18, 2011 at 8:46 AM
I've commented before on this blog about Cooley grads. I know a few of them in my area. One is now an IT guy for middle tier firm. I remember asking him where he went to school and with a look of despair he indicated Tom Cooley. In any event, he seems to be doing well in his IT role, but he has given up on pursuing law as a career. Another guy I know is a municipal prosecutor. I don't know how he got the job, but I assume he is politically connected. Another Cooley grad I know is a real estate solo just getting by. Plan to make your own way coming out of this school. My last firm had a room for unpaid "Cooley Interns." Every semester they would bring in some Cooley student to work for free and likely for credit. My old firm never did hire any of these guys if that says anything. Bottom line, Cooley has opened a door that they likely will regret opening. We all know the score, only now it will be mainstream news. This school has now brought more negative attention to itself rather than just leaving the disgruntled graduates alone.ReplyDelete
Another blogger sent me this link:ReplyDelete
On January 13, 2011, TTTThoma$ M. Cooley Law $chool president and dean Don LeDuc shared his ideas for Lansing's future, with the Economic Club. Here are his two pet projects: (1) a symphony hall; and (2) an aquarium. Pertaining to the second project, LeDuc feels that an aquarium with both a salt-water emphasis and a freshwater portion that explores the ecology of the Great Lakes would be "the only one of its kind in the Midwest" and would draw tourism to Lansing. Yeah, sure it would – and if I threw in some extra cardio in my morning workout, Lauren Graham would break into my house, throw me onto the bed, and smother me with her breasts.
We all know that Lansing, Michigan would become a thriving metropolis – and top rate tourist destination – if someone were to construct such an aquarium. By the way, Don, do you think that men and women making $32K per year will become regular symphony hall patrons?!
When you have some time, check out Cooley's 5 year assessment. It happens to be 51 pages long. On page 2 of this PDF, you can see what Cooley values.
"The Plan began by defining the mission: "The Mission of the Thomas M. Cooley Law School is to prepare its graduates for entry into the legal profession through an integrated program with practical legal scholarship as its guiding principle and focus."
The preparation for practice mission means that Cooley graduates must: (1) master the basic fundamentals and skills required for the competent practice of law and representation of clients; (2) master the substantive knowledge and skills required for passage of the bar examination and admission to the bar; and (3) understand and embrace the legal, moral, ethical, and professional responsibilities of lawyers.
To carry out this mission, the Plan identified five Vision Statements, each with four components, called vision strategies.
The Thomas M. Cooley Law School's vision for the coming decade is:
1. To become America's largest law school;
2. To remain the best at practice preparation;
3. To continue to be one of the most affordable private law schools;
4. To be a leader in innovation; and
5. To remain a financially strong law school."
How does becoming the largest law school in the country serve the interests of Cooley students and graduates?!?! (The school will argue that this expands the alumni base.) From a practical perspective, how will flooding the market with more TTTT grads help the grads in the oversaturated legal job market?
- AnonymousJuly 18, 2011 at 9:34 AM
This is awesome. I hope this article and accompanying excrement graphic becomes part of the official record of a future cooley suit.
- AnonymousJuly 18, 2011 at 9:54 AM
So the school's total revenue in 2008 was more than $90 million and they are suing what I assume are judgement proof bloggers for $25,000 each? This lawsuit makes Thomas Cooley Law Skool look like an even bigger piece of shit than everyone already thought. Good job. JUst when you thought their reputation couldn't get any lower.ReplyDelete
I love how the first words on the complaint you linked are "Thomas M. Cooley Law School - a nonprofit organization"ReplyDelete
That just redlined by bullshit meter waaaay too early in the day. Engine not warm yet. Ouch.
- AnonymousJuly 18, 2011 at 11:09 AM
$90M to buy aquariums, jumbotrons on a double A mediocre baseball stadium and a symphony hall? Is this a fucking law school or the SIMS (Construction Mogul Edition)? How on earth is the federal government allowing this "school" to suck on the teat for this much and for this long? Nando, please forward this post to Senators Boxer and Grassley. If the ABA refuses to address Cooley's alleged liberal use of stats, perhaps Congress can pass private legislation to get them to SHUT DOWN via denial of federal student loans.ReplyDelete
- AnonymousJuly 18, 2011 at 11:37 AM
^^ I agree. What the fuck is going on here when an allegedly "non-profit" educational organization is buying fucking baseball teams? This is outrageous. I never heard of this allegation before - not that I'm following all the ins and outs of such a crappy law school on a day to day basis. Fact is, the majority of the school's revenue is derived from taxpayers in the form of student loans. I believe this information should be sent to Senator Boxer or Grassley. Nando, I hope you can look back on your efforts in a few years (as well as all the other bloggers, Cryn et al.) and realize you made a big difference in the lives of many people. Keep up the good work.ReplyDelete
- AnonymousJuly 18, 2011 at 12:28 PM
You guys are performing a public service. Sometimes trolls say, 'these blogs are just pointing out stuff that's already out there.' True, but the scam-blogs are putting it all in one place where lemmings can view it. How many others are citing chapter and verse when calling out the schools? I don't see any of these diploma factories posting links to their Tax Documents, do you? Law school applicants go in blind. The schools and the banks know the score. They control the data, for the most part. Is a 22 year old boy or girl in the position to question what the schools put in their brochures and websites? Are these eager, motivated students really going to dig deeper and find out that employment data is based on 23% of respondents at Law School X or Y? Hell no. They are in full "law school mode." Be glad you have these blogs. I didn't have these blogs to look at when I applied to my toilet. If they had been around, maybe I don't end up with $100K in bad debt for a lousy degree.ReplyDelete
- AnonymousJuly 18, 2011 at 12:41 PM
I went to a TTTT. TTTThank goodness it wasn't Cooley. BTW, check out this NYT article.ReplyDelete
- AnonymousJuly 18, 2011 at 12:55 PM
Hey Nando, I think you should start including some higher ranked schools on this blog that have ridiculously high numbers of students. I just read part of the NYT article discussing NYLS, and although it is not a well-ranked school, what astounded me was that it enrolled over 1,500 students. Some of these schools, when one includes part-time, have over 2,000 students enrolled. That's almost 700 students per year being jacked into the economy whereas other schools, like my own - UNH, only have about 150 students graduating per year. BTW - UNH doesn't have a part time program. Some of these schools are big offenders, Cooley being one of them. What's their total enrollment by the way? Anyone care to look that up? Thanks.ReplyDelete
- AnonymousJuly 18, 2011 at 1:00 PM
This school takes in as many students as it can. But hey it's a great profession, eh? How many campuses do these guys have now?ReplyDelete
- AnonymousJuly 18, 2011 at 2:43 PM
More than there are Arby's franchises.ReplyDelete
- AnonymousJuly 18, 2011 at 2:52 PM
A little late for an article from Milwaukee, but some discouraging statistics and information for recent undergrad graduates. Sadder that the graduate featured in the story is considering grad school after not finding employment.ReplyDelete
How many people fall into the law school trap for the same reason - no job prospects after undergrad, so pursuit of more education and more debt must be the solution.
- AnonymousJuly 18, 2011 at 3:58 PM
Maybe they will write folk ballads about this epic law suit.ReplyDelete
Hang down your head Tom Cooley/ Hang down your head and lie/ Hang down your head Tom Cooley/ Your school's a dirty sty.
Somewhat random-I was on a gossip celeb site and was reading about one particular case a celeb had beat. I googled her lawyer and got her profile.It said she graduated NYLS in 2001, and was then hired as an adjunct professor in 2002. Seriously? Is this even real? Granted, she does have trial experience, but all that came after she was hired as a professor, just ONE YEAR out of school, teaching students when just a year before she was a student herself. That is crazyReplyDelete
- AnonymousJuly 18, 2011 at 4:15 PM
I wouldn't attend this rancid waste pile if the school paid me $30K per year and paid my bills. I can't believe people are still applying to this shithole in droves. Desperate souls enter this place.ReplyDelete
I'm sending this link and information about Cooley to all of my congressional contacts today. I am also heading to DC in August, so if I don't receive a response from them by email, I'll bring it up in our meetings.ReplyDelete
- AnonymousJuly 18, 2011 at 5:21 PM
Congressional contacts?
Nando is not the NYT; he found this info while fantasizing about Salma Hayek. This info is not hard to get. It's there for everyone to see.
My point is: DC allows all this to happen not because of ignorance, but because DC is OK with all of this.
Thanks for nailing Cooley once more. Great job!
- AnonymousJuly 18, 2011 at 5:59 PM
"That is crazyReplyDelete
July 18, 2011 4:14 PM"
Sort of. What it actually does is lend further validation to what the scamblogs have been saying: it doesn't take much to be a law professor.
It doesn't.
Can you imagine having a job paying mid-six-figures in which, year after lucrative year, you unfailingly discuss Palsgraf? Can you imagine getting paid to actually do so little of value. On top of that, do it only about six hours a week?!?!?!
Being a law professor is the cushiest job on Earth. That's why these guys, after clerking for a federal judge a couple of years, stay with it forever as a career.
It beats the hell out of actually practicing law.
- AnonymousJuly 18, 2011 at 6:35 PM
Law school is a scam that has more hype than an internet stock from the late nineties. Cooley is cashing in while the its good, when the wheels will fall off this joke we call legal education is beyond me. Demand for law degrees defy the laws of economics. As long as government provides access to credit...it will go on for a long time, it is a near perfect economic crime.ReplyDelete
- AnonymousJuly 18, 2011 at 7:05 PM
More students = More Alumni = More Networking...ReplyDelete
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@Anonymous 5:21 Oh, really?!? You mean to tell me that DC isn't aware of the student lending crisis? Gee. That's SHOCKING, especially when you're telling an ADVOCATE for the INDENTURED EDUCATED CLASS. Thanks! I wasn't aware.ReplyDelete
- AnonymousJuly 18, 2011 at 10:38 PM
So many posts removed by Cryn. Explain the basis, or forever be held in suspicion.ReplyDelete
BTW Cryn, when you go to DC and talk to "congress" please do not be polite and bullshit around. I expect Nando type discussions. These political hacks are an epic joke. Just as much as these Cooley admins making $500k a year.
- AnonymousJuly 19, 2011 at 6:16 AM
C. Cryn Self ImportantReplyDelete
You must be a real down to earth fun person to be around. Enjoy life with 100 cats.
@ 11:09 am and 11:37 am,ReplyDelete
Thomas M. Cooley Law School does not own a baseball team. The school purchased the naming rights to a double A baseball stadium.
On February 23, 2010, Elie Mystal reported the following:
"Okay, the legal economy is in the tank. Recent law graduates are having a tough time finding jobs. Graduates from lower tier law schools are getting squeezed as top tier law students and deferred associates compete for jobs and opportunities. You get the picture.
Now enter Thomas M. Cooley Law School. The school that's ranked 12th by Thomas M. Cooley Law School and is considered fourth tier by everyone else. With over 3,500 full- and part-time students, Cooley gives new meaning to the term "diploma mill." Despite the terrible economy the school is expanding, ensuring that even more law students will know what it feels like to pay off post graduate educational debts with extra shifts at McDonalds.
What is Cooley Law School doing to improve the lot of the students suckered into a 4th tier law school? It's buying the naming rights to a minor league baseball stadium. I'm not joking. Cooley is taking the tuition dollars of its students and buying naming rights. Naming rights. I guess replacing all the desks and lecterns with steaming piles of dung was just a little bit too expensive for the bigwigs at Cooley. Buying naming rights gets the same message across to students."
"The baseball park will be renamed Thomas M. Cooley Law School Stadium in time for the Lugnuts' season opener in April, said James Butler, a member of Cooley's board of directors and the board of commissioners for the Lansing Entertainment and Public Facilities Authority, which runs the ballpark. {...]
[...] Cooley's contract will last at least 10 years, Butler said. He did not know how much the contract is worth.
"We thought it was a good opportunity for us, in reference to being very much a part of the community, and also it would be very good for attraction of new students," Butler said."
The Lansing Lugnuts must be very proud and honored to play in a stadium named after a laughingstock of a law school.
- AnonymousJuly 19, 2011 at 9:32 AM
Cooley is so horrible it makes the Seton Hall Law TOILET seem like Harvard in comparison!ReplyDelete
FYI . . . one of my congressional offices is very interested in this case and thanked me for bringing it to their attention.ReplyDelete
Thanks, Nando!
Furthermore, the information is being passed along to Levin and Stabenow.ReplyDelete
- AnonymousJuly 19, 2011 at 11:09 AM
C. Cryn,ReplyDelete
Thank you. Please also pass along this information to your other 'contacts' including President Obama, Nelson Mandela, Bono, Miss Cleo, and the guy who invented the blue stuff that disinfects combs.
Cooley baseball stadiums, Deans making half a million annually. Man, you can't make this shit up.ReplyDelete
- AnonymousJuly 19, 2011 at 11:34 AM
I would be interested in knowing whether Cooley has a co-op program with the Lansing Lugnut's stadium where it could count its graduates working as beer and peanut vendors as employed for purposes of the employment statistics.ReplyDelete
- AnonymousJuly 19, 2011 at 11:36 AM
turde, don't forget the other stuff:ReplyDelete
hiring close relatives, such as sons and daughters;
hiring a law professor that happens to be married to a board member;
having two board members related by marriage.
Also, the toilet had more than $90M in revenues for one year. Think buying naming rates to a baseball stadium is out of reach for these guys? Look at all the Cooley advertisements in various publications. This school has money to burn.
- AnonymousJuly 19, 2011 at 11:40 AM
C. Cryn,ReplyDelete
Please take your self-serving comments to your blog; don't pollute TTR with your BS.
It's not like Nando uncovered some sort of "Top Secret", "Classified" memo. He merely surfed the net. If this is how it's gonna be --meaning Nando finds some info online, then you relay the info to your "congressional contacts"-- then God save us!
What do you think your DC "contacts" are going to do? Oh yeah, they are probably gonna say: "This is a national emergency... Data suggesting that Cooley is a scam has been published by TTR, along with some nasty feces pictures... It's now or never, we gotta act!"
Awesome work; and better yet, you are one of the few scambloggers actually fighting the establishment tooth and nail. A lot of them (e.g., Cryn) are pure talk and no action.
Thomas M. Cooley Law Sewer is an embarrassment to American "legal education." This school is the butt of jokes on TLS, ATL, JDU and other various websites.ReplyDelete
According to the guy who wrote the Thomas Cooley Weebly article - in a message on JDU - Cooley did not even email him or post a message on his thread. They could have asked him to alter, amend, or remove the post.
"Finally, I would like to add that Cooley has not attempted to contact me even once, either through e-mail or through a blog comment on this post. If they had done so as they claim in James B. Thelan's sworn affidavit as attached to the Complaint, or perhaps even are willing to retract their lawsuit at this early stage, I would consider removing this post altogether."
Apparently, the school prefers to play hardball with a third year law student. The school may ruin this student's career - before it even starts. How is that for integrity and professionalism?!?!
In the end, this fourth tier dung heap showed its priorities when it purchased the naming rights to a minor league baseball stadium. Those with an IQ above 85 understand that corporations purchase such rights, for the advertising value. Perhaps, the commode wants to counteract the negative reviews it constantly receives online.
On September 8, 2008, TLS user "techsource2005" wrote the following:
"ok guys, I know all of us have shared a good laugh regarding "Thomas M. Cooley school of Law" however what I would like to know is if alumni of the school actually hold decent paying jobs as lawyers within the state of Michigan itself."
On February 15, 2009, someone purporting to be a 2nd year female student wrote this scathing review:
"Thomas Cooley Law School is fun and easy until you get your exam grades. They put you on a huge curve. I pulled all classes and grades...results were the same. 3 A's, 5 A-'s, 5 B+, 76B's, 7 B-'s, 12 C+'s, 18 C's, 24 C-'s, 7D+'s, 9 D's, 6 D-'s, 9 F's. They suck your money and will not let you leave. They watch classrooms of students and choose who to weed out. Elevators are monitored closed circuit. I have never been to a campus where all the students complain and hate it. They also say they will never give a dime once they graduate. THE WORST EXPERIENCE OF MY LIFE!!! GO ANYWHERE ELSE! RUNNNNN! I GOT STUCK HERE!"
We can see why the school evidently polices the internet. The school's reputation is awful. By filing suit, now the larger public will be aware of this in$TTTTiTTTTuTTTTion's excrementitious standing, in the academic and legal communities.
- AnonymousJuly 19, 2011 at 12:10 PM
@11:40. Don't beat up on Cryn. Then again I'm a sucker for chicks in animal print bras with bulging Cat Eyes. Raaaaaaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrr!!! Cryn, please post more sexy pics of yourself.ReplyDelete
- AnonymousJuly 19, 2011 at 12:54 PM
I had two LS Professors that taught at Cooley and my LS. Here is the thing; they did it simultaneously!!ReplyDelete
In my three years LS tenure, they never took a semester off to goto Cooley. Given, I don't know about summers. But, they both had homes and families in the area. I guess they went back every few years and taught a course at Cooley. Further, Cooley used their credentials. Yep, Harvard, Yale, and Standford grads on the phantom faculty. In return, the Profs got an extra paycheck. I guess it's safer than the one weekend a month national guard. Does anyone know how those things work???
- AnonymousJuly 19, 2011 at 1:06 PM
At Bar or social functions, I have never heard of Cooley mentioned in anything but a derogatory fashion. Even NYSL and Hofstra grads look down on Cooley. And that is LOW! Even the general public has a bad view of Cooley.ReplyDelete
Lets just put it this way: most people go through life avoiding baggage to lug around after them. If you go to Cooley, then
Cooley will be your baggage. You will have to be both a lawyer and the PR firm for your school. In the +20 years of Cooley's existence, it has been at the bottom of the USNWR rankings. They can't get off the bottom 4th tier in 20 years???
The worst Harvard LS grad is still a Lawyer and a Harvard grad, get it! As Cooley grad at your best you are employed in the legal field. Get it!!
- AnonymousJuly 19, 2011 at 3:24 PM
Cooley was the only school that offered me a full tuition free ride - undoubtedly to boost their rankings since I had straight A's and an awesome LSAT. I was very briefly tempted but something smelled really fishy to me. Nothing is free.ReplyDelete
Thank God I just went to a top ten school and got a prestigious, expensive degree instead.
Now I can and do make high six figures without working in a sweatshop. And I always have that degree behind me that puts almost anyone in their "place" if they try to act superior to me. I would have the opposite of that from Cooley.
- AnonymousJuly 19, 2011 at 3:46 PM
Congratulations, troll.ReplyDelete
- AnonymousJuly 19, 2011 at 6:27 PM
Lighten up on Cryn. I went to her blog when I clicked on her comment after someone pointed out a pic of her in an animal print bra.ReplyDelete
Bar none, she looks fantastic in that photo! I hereby issue the Eleventh Commandment: thou shalt not insult Cryn (unless you're gay)
Not to pay the trolls any mind, but Nando has to check out "Odnan's" thirdtierrealities site; the lunatic has a parable about a "Larry Sanchez" who goes to dental school instead of law....this guy is obsessive.ReplyDelete
- AnonymousJuly 19, 2011 at 8:11 PM
Some of you are missing Cooley's misguided objective with these lawsuits. Yes, on it's face it is stupid to waste your time suing anyone is judgment proof. But this has nothing to do with compensation or being made whole. This has everything to do with flexing muscle. Assuming there is jurisdiction over these defendants, they are now wrapped in full on litigation with a wealthy "non-profit" corporation. My guess is Cooley is trying to stiffle the debate. An it appears to be working. You see, the poor bloggers now have to pay or legal cousel ($thousands) or attempt to handle the suit themselves. Cooley can just harrass them for months during discovery. Cooley won't drop the suit unless the kids sign some sort of gag order. Imagine the case going to trial. Cooley isn't after money; it's after crushing voices. While it can't get $ from these kids, it could bankrupt them. Hopefully they have a tiny bit of brains and can draft a summary judgment motion. That should be about all it takes. Shouldn't be too hard to find a pro Bono willing to go after this shithole. Like all of you, I agree that this is a stupid move by Cooley anyway you look at it. The "school" looks even worse to the public now.ReplyDelete
This comment has been removed by the author.ReplyDelete
This comment has been removed by the author.ReplyDelete
- AnonymousJuly 19, 2011 at 8:27 PM
C. Cryn Johannsen I just discovered the secret to cracking eggs perfectly without the shell getting in the yolk via google! You must alert your sources in Washington DC immediately!ReplyDelete
- AnonymousJuly 19, 2011 at 9:24 PM
The following is an email recently sent by the toilet NYLS to their admitted applicants:ReplyDelete
There is a great deal of information, misinformation, and disinformation about law schools in the media, on the Internet, as well as those in the legal profession. The economic downturn of the past few years has focused tremendous attention on law schools; not all of the reports are correct or in the proper context. Here are some facts to consider while making your decision:
* While the number of persons taking the LSAT and applying for admission to law schools in the US this year has declined from last year, it remains the second largest year on record according to LSAC. The media is definitely overplaying (and short-changing the facts) the drop in interest in law study. This was one of the most competitive years to gain admission to New York Law School as our applications increased by approximately 40% from last year.
* The "angry law grad" movement that has gotten much media attention, most notably by the New York Times, isn't being reported with the full story. What most of these reports, stories, and blogs fail to say is that these angry grads generally did not have clear reasons for going to law school in the first place, did little research on legal hiring and careers before law school, and, most damning, chose their law school based solely or primarily on rankings (like USN&WR) or by name recognition of the law school. By-and-large, they failed to assess their needs and values and focus on outputs of the schools they considered. Don't let that be you.
* New York Law School has the lowest student loan default rate of any law school in the country, less than 1/10th of one percent. This means that our graduates are getting jobs, earning money and able to repay their loans.
* In addition to their overall rankings, USN&WR also ranks various aspects of law schools. Our evening program, which was established in 1904, ranks 44th nationally of the 80 part-time programs ranked. Our Intellectual Property program is ranked 26th nationally. Further, USN&WR ranks NYLS 69th in diversity with more than 30% of our students from underrepresented groups and 12% Latino/Hispanic.
- AnonymousJuly 19, 2011 at 9:47 PM
^That email was covered by Lawschooltransparency.com; it prompted them to file a complaint to the ABA.ReplyDelete
"There is a great deal of information, misinformation, and disinformation about law schools in the media, on the Internet, as well as those in the legal profession."ReplyDelete
There is indeed a great deal of misinformation/disinformation about law schools. Like NYLS's average $160,000 salary they boast about in glossy admissions brochures. Or how 90%+ are employed within 9 months. There is also a good amount of accurate information, like how Cockroach Dean Matasar accepted 171 new students so he wouldn't have to pay higher interest rates on his bonds for a new building.
"New York Law School has the lowest student loan default rate of any law school in the country, less than 1/10th of one percent. This means that our graduates are getting jobs, earning money and able to repay their loans."
Misleading, and bordering on an outright lie. Few, if any, students actually default on their loans. The vast majority are in "non-payment" mode.
"This was one of the most competitive years to gain admission to New York Law School as our applications increased by approximately 40% from last year."
Who gives a fuck. If there are 20 people lined up to jump off a cliff as opposed to 10, does that make suicide a more attractive option?
"What most of these reports, stories, and blogs fail to say is that these angry grads generally did not have clear reasons for going to law school in the first place, did little research on legal hiring and careers before law school, and, most damning, chose their law school based solely or primarily on rankings (like USN&WR) or by name recognition of the law school. By-and-large, they failed to assess their needs and values and focus on outputs of the schools they considered."
Classic straw-man argument. Build your enemy up according to your specifications and then tear them down. The LSAT tests this quite a bit. Of course, with the average LSAT of the accepted NYLS student considered, it's easy to pass off a straw-man on these mouth-breathers.
"Our evening program, which was established in 1904, ranks 44th nationally of the 80 part-time programs ranked. Our Intellectual Property program is ranked 26th nationally. Further, USN&WR ranks NYLS 69th in diversity with more than 30% of our students from underrepresented groups"
WOW. Impressive! Hey guys, I'm the 34th best looking guy in the bar tonight. Guess who I'm going home with? (nobody) And wait, didn't you fuckers just write about how going off USNEWS is a bad thing. Why are you shilling from it now? Law is a winner take all business and being ranked 67th for best bathrooms doesn't cut it.
Notice how there is absolutely zero mention of improved job prospects; nothing like: "We placed X amount of graduates in legal positions, a Y% improvement over last year" The main premise of most scambloggers is that law schools only care about cash. You see it here. NYLS will tell there students anything to get their money. Only after the tuition checks have been cashed does the Dean tell the students "You know guys, you probably won't get a 160k job coming out of Law School"
Also, it's hard to feel sorry for the bozo lemmings who fall for this garbage. Even more amazing is that NYLS gets away with this crap. It's sickening really.ReplyDelete
- AnonymousJuly 20, 2011 at 9:51 AM
Turde, I fell for the selective promotion of US News stats when I was a lemming. I thought: "Wow! I made it into Franklin Pierce Law Center. It's ranked #2 in intellectual property." Only after your graduate do you learn that specialty rankings are meaningless. I went to a NESCAC school (top 5 in the US News ranking) and will never forgive myself for taking a royal shit on my academic record.ReplyDelete
-Stephen FPLC 08
Turde - thanks for posting that NYLS comment. It's great, because it shows how the hard work of the scambloggers is paying off. Keep it up!ReplyDelete
- AnonymousJuly 20, 2011 at 12:16 PM
"strelnikov said...ReplyDelete
Not to pay the trolls any mind, but Nando has to check out "Odnan's" thirdtierrealities site; the lunatic has a parable about a "Larry Sanchez" who goes to dental school instead of law....this guy is obsessive.
July 19, 2011 6:40 PM"
That is interesting that anyone could even attempt to draw a parallel between law and dentistry. Dentistry TOTALLY protects their kids. Dental schools and the ADA refuse outright to participate in the USNWR nonsense, admit no more candidates then the market will allow, and, n fact, insure strict uniformity in the relative quality of dental schools. To the ADA, dentists are dentists, that's it.
There exist, to my knowledge, no "elite" dental schools, for example. Nor "toilet bowl" or lower-tiered dental schools where 75% of the graduating class is considered to have not "networked hard enough."
Also, to the best of my knowledge, there is no dental equivalent of a Justice Scalia, who basically tells kids outright (being the filthy pig that he is) that if you are NOT IVy, he is NOT interested in you.
A bizarre and highly entertaining attempt at analogy, I am sure, between law and dentistry, which couldn't be less similar.
- AnonymousJuly 20, 2011 at 12:35 PM
TEXAS A&M considers a LAW SCHOOLReplyDelete
You see guys... all the effort should be directed towards DISBARRING the ABA. Change is only going to come when the ABA is no longer in charge of accrediting law schools, and, for that to happen, we need to organize.
- AnonymousJuly 20, 2011 at 1:02 PM
I'm sorry. I couldn't be a dentist and stick my fingers in people's mouths all day.ReplyDelete
- AnonymousJuly 20, 2011 at 1:06 PM
This, in my view, would be like Nazi prison guards suing holocaust victims for contribution at the Nuremberg trials. I mean, give me a fucking break. Someone introduce Cooley to the First Amendment.ReplyDelete
- AnonymousJuly 20, 2011 at 1:10 PM
This is undoubtedly Stockholm Syndrome. I work with a kid who is intent on attending a third tier and refuses to take advice as he is CONVINCED he can transfer out to a low tier 2 school and then get a biglaw job. He will not accept any advice so I don't waste my breath. Law School Obsession Syndrome is real and studies should be performed as to same.ReplyDelete
- AnonymousJuly 20, 2011 at 1:10 PM
"I'm sorry. I couldn't be a dentist and stick my fingers in people's mouths all day.ReplyDelete
July 20, 2011 1:02 PM"
Exactly, Dentistry is tough work.
- AnonymousJuly 20, 2011 at 1:13 PM
" Law School Obsession Syndrome is real and studies should be performed as to same.ReplyDelete
July 20, 2011 1:10 PM"
Indeed. Some of these kids THINK they really want to be lawyers, and I'm sure some really do. They just need to know that ONLY First Year counts for anything, and his delusions of transferring for prestige purposes will not work. The putrid stench of a TTT First Year will remain.
- AnonymousJuly 20, 2011 at 1:35 PM
C. CrynReplyDelete
Anyone can have congressional "contacts", just by calling an office. I was a case worker for my congressman back in the day - so I know a little about how the offices worked. Most of the time, we would deep six stuff that was meaningless or "out there". We got a lot of kooks that wanted the Government to bail them out of some mess they had gotten themselves into, be it excessive debt or what have you. This issue may strike them the same way.
I hope you get results of some kind, and I hope there is momentum, but don't get your hopes up.
- AnonymousJuly 20, 2011 at 3:22 PM
Yes, but I also noticed that Cooley is suing a law firm for trying to piece together a class action suit against the school.ReplyDelete
I find it interesting that Cooley selected those four particular blogger/commenters for their defamation suit. I'm going to ignore the blog for a minute and wonder aloud why they specifically focused on those commenters. Whoever these people are, they acted like they knew something concrete about their student loan actions...whether they did or not is another matter.
So, with that in mind, what if the point of the lawsuit is simply to find out the identity of who is writing this stuff on the Huffington Post? After all, unless they set some sort of trap, they are SOL as finding out the identity on their own. They need a court order to get the websites to turn over that information, and the only way they can do it is by suing these people.
That way, if they find out that it is a member of the Cooley staff, they can fire them.
What if they simply wanted to sue the blogger to fix jurisdiction in Michigan, where they feel like they can receive a favorable advantage? After all, they can be 98% certain that this person still lives in the state based upon what they wrote. The rest of them may be located out of state and would have a better argument for moving it into federal court.
Of course, the other theory I have is that they figure that if they sue potential plaintiffs first that the people who would join the class action suit would become scared and drop off.
- AnonymousJuly 20, 2011 at 4:54 PM
I am currently a Cooley student, and I am not here to defend the school, nor am I here to offer any other opinions. Instead, I will share a TRUE story and let you form your own opinions. I know that I am opening the door to you making a mockery of me as well. This is fine with me. Here's the story:ReplyDelete
I noticed that some of my classmates that got very good grades did not sit in the same room as everyone else for the final exams. I learned that they were "accommodated" which meant they received extra time in a special room. So I went to a meeting to learn about the accommodation process, and how students get this privilege.
After the meeting I made an appointment with "Person 1" at something called the "Academic Resources Center." I explained to Person 1 that I get nervous sometimes during exams and haven't always done as well as I would like. Person 1 gave me a list of psychologists and told me that Cooley does not endorse any of them, but Person 1 kept pointing at and suggesting one in particular.
The next day, I called "Dr. A's" office and said the following, "I'm interested in getting some testing done..." Dr. A's receptionist immediately interrupted me and asked, "Are you a Cooley student looking for accommodations testing?" Again, this is all FACT.
I replied, "yes," and she immediately scheduled a battery of tests the next day. I asked about price and it was much less than any other psychologists in the area (or even on the list Cooley provided.) When I walked into his office, they had a "Cooley tests" packet already waiting for me, and the only other person in the waiting room was another Cooley student.
To be clear, when I took the battery of tests, I did NOT make a single dishonest statement, nor did I make any intentionally misleading statements. I told the truth and tried to solve the "IQ puzzle" questions as best I could.
A few days later, I received a phone call and some paperwork to take back to the appropriate authorities at Cooley. I spoke with a person at Cooley about the results, and then received an email the next day stating that I would receive "accommodations" on my final exams.
That's it. That's all I had to do. I was referred to a guy, and I didn't lie or cheat to get him to provide the necessary documentation. I just had to answer the questions and I told him the truth about exams making me nervous.
The rest of this is my opinion and I do not claim anything I am writing from this point forward to be factually accurate. These statements are personal opinions only and nothing more.
For some time in Florida, there are many doctors that run "pain management" clinics that are basically "pill mills." People addicted to opiates line up at the door long before they open, then they go in and the doctor(s) write a script for oxycodone or some other opiate, even though the "patient" clearly has needle scars from their addiction. Many of them conveniently have a pharmacy that dispenses the drugs right there.
My opinion, is that for some reason, this experience seemed like a psychological version of one of those pill mills...
To Anonymous Cooley Victim @ 4:54ReplyDelete
No shit. All schools do that kind of scam. There were heaps of kids who overplayed "special needs" to get 2 or 3 times the amount of time to do the exact same exam or get ridiculous exemptions.
As a society, we've turned characteristics into conditions and personalities into disorders. Come get your pills come get your pills!
- AnonymousJuly 20, 2011 at 7:25 PM
Hey Nando:ReplyDelete
I think I'm up and running again with a PC.
Does anybody know that I can juggle 3 paintbrushes (No kidding)
It is just as worthwhile as going to Law School.
Also: @ Turde: Change your name back to the old one. I don't know why, but I like the old name better.
Anyway, for now it is me, Painterguy, posting as Anon, which seems to only work, since my new PC has issues with my blogger account, which I will work out.
- AnonymousJuly 20, 2011 at 7:49 PM
WSJ: Academia's Crisis of IrrelevanceReplyDelete
"As more students question rising college costs, professors defend useless research and their lack of teaching."
- AnonymousJuly 21, 2011 at 6:59 AM
The ABA responds to Sen. Grassley's letter (via WSJ):ReplyDelete
"ABA to Senator Grassley: We Share Your Concerns about Law Schools"
An excerpt: "The gist of the ABA's response, to our eyes, is: Don't worry, we're paying close enough attention to law schools. Given the hue and cry about law schools in recent years, we're guessing some may not find this response satisfactory."
You see guys. The source of all problems here is the ABA; we gotta get rid of it. There won't be a solution or long-lasting chance UNTIL the ABA is gone.
- AnonymousJuly 21, 2011 at 8:08 AM
@Demosthenes and 4:54:ReplyDelete
Allowing some students additional time in taking tests is not completely new. If a child (operative word here is "child") suffers from anxiety and panic attacks (which BTW is a **real** psychological condition which left untreated can wreck havoc on one's life), schools will allow the student some additional time (usually an additional 15-30 min allowed) to complete standardize tests. This basically is designed for the student not to work under such pressure, and allow the student to train himself to work along with a clock. Now this is all fine and good granted if the child is receiving additional assistance to effectively deal with anxiety and/or panic disorder. Extra time allowed still does not save a student's ass if that student lacks intellectual capacity, or didn't study.
As far as Cooley in allowing some of its students extra time to complete tests, that really is doing a disservice to the student. Law itself is intense and you are always subject to deadlines. This field is not for you if you suffer from anxiety or panic disorder to the point that under pressure you will break down, zone out, and lose your memory while under pressure. While I have no problem with elementary or even HS students being provided with extra time if that student suffers from a real psychological condition, you still have to train yourself to be able to work under pressure and deal with your disorder. If these students in Cooley require extra time, well perhaps law is the wrong field for them. I can't imagine the opposing party in a civil suit, or a judge allowing an attorney some extra time to respond, or extra time to file. If anything, Cooley is not really helping these students out if they breakdown under pressure to perform under the clock. Everyday working in law is very much like taking an exam in that you have to meet deadlines, be able to perform, and have the ability to switch gears quickly.
- AnonymousJuly 21, 2011 at 8:12 AM
ATL story about the ABA's response to Sen. Grassley:ReplyDelete
"ABA Claims It Lacks Authority To Stop Proliferation Of Law Schools. And Claims It Doesn't Matter Anyway."
- AnonymousJuly 21, 2011 at 8:25 AM
"You see guys. The source of all problems here is the ABA; we gotta get rid of it. There won't be a solution or long-lasting chance UNTIL the ABA is gone."ReplyDelete
Could not have said this better myself. It continually astounds me what a money hunger, power hungry machine the damn ABA turned out to be. Over the past 30 years the ABA allowed way to many law schools to open. Not only that, the ABA also created the role of the paralegal. Initially the paralegal was supposed to support the attorney to help offset costs for the clients. Here's the clincher though: with some state bar associations in not allowing paralegals some further responsibilities and perhaps additional licensing, it forces anyone who wants a serious career in law to run off to law school. I'm not claiming that a paralegal has the sufficient training to represent someone in a civil suit in which the damages are several thousand dollars, or a criminal defense/prosecution, M&A's, complex litigation, corporate realty, and complex contracts and licensing. However do you really need a JD to perform a residential closing? Do you really need a JD to write a Will which the assets fall well below $250K, or handle matters in which both parties agree and just need their stuff filed on record? Do you really need to spend $500 per hour if someone owes you $50,000? C'mon, we all know the answer. At least encourage people to be paralegals first before running off to law school. These kids who graduate college and go immediately into law school have no clue what to do when they graduate. Law firms and corporate counsel don't want to be bothered in training anymore.
- AnonymousJuly 21, 2011 at 9:08 AM
"Grassley Says ABA Must Review Law School AccreditationReplyDelete
July 21 (Bloomberg) -- Senator Charles Grassley talks with Bloomberg Law's Lee Pacchia about his request for information from the American Bar Association on its accreditation process for law schools and the current negotiations to raise the federal debt ceiling. (/Bloomberg)"
Video of the interview:
You gotta do a story about the Grassley v. ABA; and please, don't be show any mercy towards the ABA when you do so.
- AnonymousJuly 21, 2011 at 3:52 PM
A cooley law degree is a fucking joke. They can accommodate you all they want and you can graduate with a four point fucking five and it won't matter. the place is a joke. eom.ReplyDelete
I am going to post my College Transcript on my blog, which was or is, overall, pretty awful.
I will try to Post it this weekend.
But I feel that in light of the Cooley story, my history may, somehow help Rockstar.
In other words: Way back then, I had cobbled together a sort of rambling, if not wild College Degree from a local Commuter 4 year private College, with high academic spots, and some disturbing low spots, and then, later on, Touro said: OK! We accept you! You Future Lawyer You!
Just another Idea of mine, and ever faithful to Rockstar and Kurzon Strauss and D. (My Hero)
- AnonymousJuly 22, 2011 at 7:06 AM
Rockstar failed out of Cooley. Academic failure from this bastion of higher learning. He then went to an unaccredited school, and is in his third year there. Fuck him. He was upset about not being bright enough to hack it at Cooley, which is saying something, and then created a website to get his ass sued. Fuck him again.ReplyDelete
- AnonymousJuly 22, 2011 at 11:28 AM
LOL^ ur a fucking moron and clearly dont have reading comprehension skills beyond the fourth grade. he destroyed cooley academically and got out the first chance he could. stop talking shit on the internet faggot.ReplyDelete
- AnonymousJuly 22, 2011 at 2:01 PM
Who will you be roasting next? I hope it's the ABA again.
- AnonymousJuly 22, 2011 at 4:53 PM
Ask Rockstar where he goes to school. Ask him what his grades were. It's all in the facts. Ask him. I will wait. Taps fingers...get back to me.ReplyDelete
- AnonymousJuly 22, 2011 at 5:28 PM
Who is Rockstar?ReplyDelete
- AnonymousJuly 22, 2011 at 9:27 PM
Cooley is a putrid piece of shit law school. Bottom line. Anyone who defends this shithole needs their head examined. (And yes I am also referring to the cunts who are paid to write good things about this place.)ReplyDelete
- AnonymousJuly 23, 2011 at 8:27 AM
Rockstar is a guy that will never practice law. Cooley is not putrid. Cooley is the second best law school in the nation. Read the fucking brochures, douche.ReplyDelete
- AnonymousJuly 23, 2011 at 11:36 AM
"Cooley is the second best law school in the nation. Read the fucking brochures, douche."ReplyDelete
Doesn't Cooley pass out its brochures on the Las Vegas strip alongside the other people who hand out those titty bar tickets?
- AnonymousJuly 23, 2011 at 1:32 PM
Just some food for thought from the Austrian School of Economics.ReplyDelete
- AnonymousJuly 23, 2011 at 2:51 PM
"Cooley is the second best law school in the nation. Read the fucking brochures, douche.ReplyDelete
July 23, 2011 8:27 AM"
As satire, and as a send-up of many 0L lemminghs-to-be, excellently done.
As far as LeDuc and his mustache go...ReplyDelete
Yeah, mustaches are vaguely problematic in some contexts, as in: A person in a leadership capacity seems a bit cheezy....maybe....maybe not, depending on the time and context and circumstances.
Teddy Roosevelt is OK. Geraldo Rivera...well...OK, since it is a broad and bold mustache on a broader face.
Or maybe I am completely wrong, and mustaches are all good and have always been so.
But anyway, I did write a story about a Painter with a mustache here:
And my new New Jersey (spanking spoiled) kid friend will have a lot to say I'm sure after he reads it.
Ho! Hummm!
Hello, bitch. How is life in Battle Creek, cockroach?!
Time Visitor Session
Jul 23 2011 8:24am 126.96.36.199 5 actions 2m 50s
Jul 22 2011 4:45pm 220.127.116.11 3 actions 7m 45s
Jul 22 2011 6:56am 18.104.22.168 3 actions 9m 30s
Jul 20 2011 11:27pm 126.96.36.199 1 action 8m 39s
We can see that the pussy from Battle Creek, Michigan is responsible for the 7:06 am and 4:53 pm comments on July 22, 2011, as well as the 8:27 am comment this morning. What stake do YOU have in the lawsuit regarding TTTT Cooley and Rockstar05?!?!
At 7:06 am, the dung beetle typed the following nonsense:
"Rockstar failed out of Cooley. Academic failure from this bastion of higher learning. He then went to an unaccredited school, and is in his third year there."
Do you have proof that Rockstar failed out of Cooley, you piece of waste?! Back up your claims with some actual facts - or keep your mouth shut, bitch. Provide some proof to back up your assertions. We know that you don't
I remember in the original post on Thomas M. Cooley Law School Scam-Blog, where the guy mentioned that he transferred out of that fourth tier in$TTTTiTTTTTuTTTTion. He is apparently a law student at a higher-ranked school. (Unless, of course, you truly believe that this foul dung heap is the second-best law school in the land.)
"Rockstar is a guy that will never practice law."
Apparently, TTTThoma$ M. Cooley Law $chool is seeking to make sure that Rockstar never practices law. The toilet took in more than $96 million in revenue, for 2008. The sewage pit has the largest enrollment, of any law school in the nation.
The following is irrefutable:
(1) Thomas M. Cooley Law Sewer has a terrible reputation;
(2) Cooley dean and president Don LeDuc received $548,067 in TOTAL COMPENSATION - for the 2008 calendar year;
(3) The school received $96,091,697 in revenue for the 2008 tax year;
(4) This fourth tier dung pile had $231,587,804 in end of year total assets, balanced by $149,977,265 in liabilities, according to the school's 2009 IRS Form 990; and
(5) The school is suing four bloggers for $25,000 each in Ingham County Circuit Court.
In light of all this, it appears that the school wants to shut down dissent, and ruin someone's potential legal career - BEFORE it even starts. How is that for integrity and ethics?!?!
- AnonymousJuly 23, 2011 at 6:02 PM
cooley is shittier than shit.ReplyDelete
- AnonymousJuly 23, 2011 at 6:59 PM
I went up against a Cooley lawyer in court once. Judge gave him an extra 20 minutes to complete his closing argument and told him to take his time without even a request. Have not seen him since.ReplyDelete
Now I understand.
- AnonymousJuly 23, 2011 at 7:27 PM
Interesting, is one of Cooley's minions is slandering/libeling "rockstar"? They seem to want to destroy his reputation and harass him with lawsuits.ReplyDelete
Does Cooley Law believe in the First Amendment that its Con law professors teach? Seems not.
If Cooley ever had any credibility, it is gone now.
- AnonymousJuly 23, 2011 at 7:49 PM
Tom Cooley Law School is a shithole of epic proportions. This school is basically an asshole's asshole. The end.ReplyDelete
So many posts removed by Cryn. Explain the basis, or forever be held in suspicion.ReplyDelete
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- AnonymousJuly 29, 2011 at 1:09 PM
It's so cute how Nando finds out where we live then tells the world and shows how much we've visited this little blog, as if that changes things, or somehow hurts us.ReplyDelete
We are delivering a powerful blow to this blog. Next we shall move on and destroy Demosthenes of America!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The World Traveling Law Student
- AnonymousJuly 29, 2011 at 1:11 PM
JDpainterguy spouts:ReplyDelete
I am going to post my College Transcript on my blog, which was or is, overall, pretty awful.
I will try to Post it this weekend."
Yet where is it? Where is this transcript at? You are all words but nothing to back them up. This is a solid blow to the credibility of these blogs. Nando, get your mascot to put his transcript up or tell him to not talk about it. Control your minions or you will never win this war.
- AnonymousJuly 29, 2011 at 2:50 PM
"We are delivering a powerful blow to this blog. Next we shall move on and destroy Demosthenes of America!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!ReplyDelete
The World Traveling Law Student
July 29, 2011 1:09 PM"
You are obsessed with this blog to the point of spending most of your life here. You need to see someone about that.
Get a girlfriend, son.
- AnonymousNovember 30, 2011 at 9:58 AM
Did you know that Professor Hicks is married to Marybeth Hicks. She is the daughter of the founder Tom Brennan. Talk about nepotism. He makes close to 200,000 dollars. Brennan son is a professor at Cooley Law School. His whole family is on the payroll.
- AnonymousNovember 30, 2011 at 10:02 AM
The founders son William Brennan is a Cooley graduate. He was forced to retire as a judge in East Lansing. He was strong arming attorneys to make donations to his campaigns. He was forced out of office. Talk about ethics the Brennans don't have any when it comes to money.ReplyDelete
- AnonymousJanuary 10, 2012 at 7:25 AM
Tom Brennan is nothing but a crook. They flunk out out of staters and Michigan residents pass with flying colors. He is afraid that discovery in the lawsuit will lead to an indictment. Brennan should be in jail along with his sons.
To the commenter above,ReplyDelete
Can you back up your statement, with some facts? A while back, someone tried to post a comment alleging that this toilet bowl "flunks out of state students." I did not publish it, because I wanted to make sure that the claim was truthful.
Feel free to post on this entry again, but furnish some links to articles, reports or admissions, which prove your assertions. For instance, why would a law school pass in-state residents "with flying colors"? ABA law schools typically employ a forced grading curve, especially in first year courses. What would any law school gain by showing favoritism to in-state students?! Keep in mind that "law professors" supposedly use blind grading. Thank you.
- AnonymousJanuary 11, 2012 at 8:29 AM
I am responding to your request. Do you really think they grade anonymously? They know who they are going to flunk out before the student arrives. Typically out of staters are in Lansing. They only want your money. They figure that no one will start any trouble and they will not get caught. The ABA knows all about Brennan. He has five law schools. The new one in Florida is near his winter residence. I commend you for exposing Brennan and his scam. Did you know that Tom Brennan was forced to resign from the Michigan Supreme Court? He was forced out for Conflict of Interest in 1973. The same fate his son was involved in as a judge in Ingham County. Yeah the same place they filed suit against you. The Brennans are hiding behind the law. They have many relatives which they do not disclose like Palmer and Honest Nussbaumer. They are married to Brennan family members. Follow the money and financial aid. You will see there is more to it. Like the credit unions that Brennan owns in Lansing. Keep up the good work.
Cooley Insider
@ the commenter above,ReplyDelete
I don't believe that "professors" - at most law schools - grade anonymously. That is evident in my last comment: "Keep in mind that "law professors" supposedly use blind grading."
Thank you for responding to my request. If true, then this is serious business. As such, I cannot simply accept the charges at face value. You have provided some info to back up your claims, and I will look into this matter further.
- AnonymousJanuary 17, 2012 at 8:45 AM
Cooley insider is right. John Brennan the founder's son teaches property at Cooley. Professor Hicks is married to Mary Beth Brennan. I wonder if they disclosed this as required under law? Also, they want you to use a credit union here in Lansing. You can get a credit card with Cooley on it. Does Brennan own this bank?
- AnonymousMarch 9, 2012 at 3:21 AM
My StoryReplyDelete
I attended Cooley in the 80's. Everyone knew what a crook the founder Tom Brennan was and still is to this day. His cronies have ruined many lives. I stayed for one semester and left. I had a nervous breakdown and was hosptialized. Three years later I won 9 million dollars in the lottery. I have more than doubled that through investments. I donated $500,000 to my undergraduate and graduate schools. I wouldn't send the shit out of my ass to Cooley Law School. I am glad that I left. How the ABA allows people like Tom Brennan to get away with fraud is unreal. Good luck Rockstar. Stick it up Brennans ass he deserves it.
To the person who keeps trying to comment that she had an affair with a Cooley "professor" - and that he paid for an abortion:ReplyDelete
Email me with details, or keep your mouth shut. If you continue to make such accusations, without ANY proof, then I will forward your IP to Cooley's administrators.
I'm sure that the bastards will expend resources to find you.
By the way, I recognize that these comments may have been posted by a Cooley employee, looking to initiate a suit. If that is the case, then go jump in front of traffic.


text:
India's 10 Fastest Growing Companies
Bangalore: Lot of companies are emerging up in India and slowly growing with addition of new entrepreneurial ventures. Some make it big, some slug behind. Let's take a look at the fastest growing companies in India.
Jindal Steel & Power
Jindal Steel and Power Limited (JSPL) is an Indian steel and energy company based in New Delhi, India and a division of Jindal Group conglomerate. Its annual turnover of over US$4 billion, Jindal Steel & Power Limited (JSPL) is a part of about $12 billion diversified O. P. Jindal Group. The company produces steel and power through backward integration from its own captive coal and iron-ore mines. However, in terms of tonnage, it is the third largest steel producer in India. The company manufactures and sells sponge iron, mild steel slabs, ferro chrome, iron ore, mild steel, structural, hot rolled plates and coils and coal based sponge iron plant. The company is also involved in power generation.
Adani Ports
Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone Limited (APSEZ) is India's largest private multi-port operator. APSEZ is a part of the Adani Group, a global integrated infrastructure player. The company (earlier known as Mundra Port & Special Economic Zone Ltd) changed its name to "Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone Limited" effective January 06, 2012. It has its presence in India's largest multi-product special economic zone, at the Mundra port. It is banking on multiplying traffic on India's major ports in the coming years. Adani Port & Special Economic Zone Limited was conferred with the Gateway Awards of Excellence – Ports & Shipping 2012 in the "Private Port of the Year" category.
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text:
Studio HyHy
My very first newspaper! I wanted to create a portfolio which is for one not on the screen, and two: is unusual and tactile and fun to hold. So a newspaper was a perfect fit. It contains work from the last couple of years.
Use this URL to share this newspaper on the web.
Does this newspaper contain offensive or adult material? Please let us know


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It all began four years ago with a shared vision of partnership and potential. USF Sarasota-Manatee and Mote Marine Laboratory joined together to create unprecedented opportunities for local students of higher education to prepare them for careers in highly valued Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) disciplines and a range of Life Sciences. On Thursday, Oct. 17 USFSM and Mote cut the ribbon on the recently completed teaching labs that are now in use at Mote, and ushered in a new era of science and general education offerings that are part of USFSM's transition to a full, four-year undergraduate program.
As the construction manager on the project, Willis A. Smith Construction oversaw the build-out of the 4,600-square-foot space that includes a biology lab, chemistry lab and student teaching area. Designed by Fawley Bryant, each lab has 26 individual student stations that are served by laboratory gas and fume snorkels. There are full teaching stations in each lab with ample storage cabinets and laboratory filtered water. Also included was a lab prep area that serves both labs and features subzero freezers, autoclaves, incubators and student safety stations.
At the ribbon cutting, USFSM thanked the individual donors, foundations, friends and supporters that provided the $1.5 million for construction and lab equipment.
The university also announced the launch of its new B.S. in biology, effective fall 2014. This offering is unique for the Sarasota-Manatee community because of its small class sizes, inclusion of Mote's world-class, professional researchers as courtesy faculty and an emphasis on inquiry-based teaching, where science is taught as it is really done. USFSM designed this program to provide a private university education in a public university setting.
The partnership with Mote also opens doors for faculty mentoring, internships and undergraduate research that integrates teaching concepts and skills with scientific practice in a way normally reserved for graduate programs.
"Right now, with no biology degree like this offered by any public institution in our area, the majority of new local high school graduates and transfer students must leave our community to obtain their education, and many never return," said Dr. Arthur Guilford, regional chancellor of USFSM. "This is the most universal of the undergraduate science degrees in the College of Arts & Sciences, and will give students a foundation to build upon that complements whatever lab or research career they wish to pursue."
Dr. Bonnie Jones, regional vice chancellor for academic and student affairs added, "By offering this degree, USFSM is improving the quantity and quality of scholarship and research and providing students with a competitive edge for work in the growing life sciences, health professions and biotechnology industries throughout Florida and nationwide. The hope is that graduates will want to stay and work locally and positively impact our economic growth."
"The next generation of scientists holds the key to our future, both for developing the economy and for sustaining the natural environments we all depend on," said Dr. Michael P. Crosby, President and CEO of Mote Marine Laboratory. "As an independent laboratory that has nurtured rising stars of marine science for nearly 60 years, Mote has much to offer the students entering the USFSM degree program. Our scientists are out there every day working to solve real-world issues facing our oceans, and by teaching this new generation of students, Mote researchers are passing along their own experience, ingenuity and passion."
Dr. Jane Rose, dean of the College of Arts & Sciences, and the architect of USFSM's general education and science programs, looked back at the four-year history of the university's progress and growth through development of the B.S. in biology, and the Mote partnership. She praised the success of the laboratory build-out and noted that already, freshmen are benefitting from the Mote labs' exciting setting and equipment, where they are learning to solve problems and develop a creative approach to science.
The biology degree program is the first research program in science at USFSM and officially starts in the fall semester of 2014. New students may apply for admission to the program now, and current students may declare biology as a major at any time. For more information, contact Admissions at 941-359-4330.


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In this new photo, Rihanna is showing off some much longer strands with some blunt mid-forehead bangs.
RiRi is obviously feeling the long-haired look lately as she recently showed off some much straighter locks during her "Diamond Ball" charity event last week.
We love her with pretty much any hairstyle (seriously, with a face like that, could ANYTHING possibly look bad?) but we think the long hair is a fun change and it looks really good on her.
Do you guys like Rihanna's longer locks or do you miss her shorter style?
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Gallery | Celeb Hair: Short vs. Long


text: Lostinspace 1 Posted April 23, 2014 Hi I have a 2.0L diesel on an 11 plate. Very good car, done 86k miles and no problems until some weeks ago when starting from cold first thing the morning. It fires ok and for several seconds runs well but then develops a "misfire" and runs very lumpy. If you try an get the engine to clear by gently pressing the throttle it may run worse or even stall. After maybe 2/3 minutes the problem will apparently clear and drive on 4 cylinders but with a prnounced rattle when accelarating. As the engine warms up so the rattle will disappear. Fuel consumption and performance is good when warm/hot. If car is left for hours during the rest of the day the problem will not appear until the following morning. Left car in garage last night so it was warmer by 4 degees and problem was no where near so bad. Is there a temperature sensor that controls the cold start for example? Any other ideas please? Mike Share this post Link to post Share on other sites


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'See You Tonight' by Scotty McCreery
From the label: In 2010, American fell in love at first sight with McCreery, then a shy 17-year-old boy with a wide smile, preternaturally deep voice and a love of faith, family and his hometown of Garner, N.C.. But that boyish image is merely a fond memory now that he's turning 20. While the core of who he is and what he stands for remains the same, his strong voice has deepened as he has grown into a seasoned, confident performer who is in full control of every aspect of his career. His impressive evolution is immediately evident on his second studio album, "See You Tonight," which artfully captures who he is now, both as an artist and a man.
"I really want this to be an album that people can listen to and say, 'Oh, that is Scotty,' and it really be me," he says. "I am proud of the first record and crazy thankful for it, but we didn't have a lot of time to make it. For this record, we took our time and wanted to make it as much me as possible. We've got some cool songs, some fun songs, some make-you-think songs. It's really true to who I am."


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As far as colonial cities in Mexico go, Campeche is easily one of the most beautiful. Buildings of saturated pastel hues line the streets that appear to be cleaned regularly. Like Antigua in Guatemala, Campeche's downtown area attracts visitors from around the globe. The history and architecture of this town are its main selling points, with plenty of restaurants and a large and inviting central zocolo that add to the appeal.
While certainly a tourist town, now named a UNESCO Heritage site, Campeche still feels separated from the main tourist trail though Mexico… from places like Merida, Tulum, or Palenque. If you've grown weary of towns that are tourist-populated, Campeche can be a welcomed place to relax for a few days: restaurants and bars aren't over-crowded, and neither are hostels. Though without a beach, you're still on the Gulf, and Campeche has a beautiful walking and biking path that follows the coastline. The baluartes in the fort that surrounds the City Center are now home to Museums and Markets, and in certain areas you can walk atop the city wall as well.
One downfall is that Campeche is located right on the Gulf and there are markets with fresh seafood to be had, but finding a hostel with a suitable kitchen (more than hot plates) was a challenge. The tourism industry here seems more centered around the fancy-hotel and high-end restaurant crowd. Though still, you can find something for every budget if you're willing to look. And since our first visit, we've sought out a few dorms in Campeche where it's still affordable to sleep solo. These hostels generally offer private rooms as well, though often at the same price as you can find in the lower-end "hotels" (around P$250).
Finally, Campeche is a great base for visiting a number of ruins in the State, ruins that are also off the beaten path, and thus less crowded as well. If you are interested in visiting any nearby ruins, the museums in Campeche are a great place to begin your adventure.
Take me back to MEXICO // Take me HOME


text:
The COP_OWR_2.7z file you have requested: Modifications / Original Weapons Renewal / STALKER: Call of Pripyat Mod - Original Weapons Renewal 2 - 287.99mb is not available. Perhaps try browsing all files for the game S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Call of Pripyat and upload any files you want to share or are missing. This is the only information we could locate:
The main aim of this mod is to change almost all original weapons models to HQ versions. The second release of the Call of Pripyat Original Weapons Renewal mod.
We recommend you return to the download list and browse the links from there. If the problem persists, contact us with the details.


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february 20, 2009 – santuario de san antonio
le pavillion
the following video is shot entirely in high definition. well…since we are getting a lot of people signing up our hd package as of late, i needed to know how it feels like doing it on the day. i wish i could say that everything went smooth as expected but it didn't…and since i wanted to come up with a lot of stuff, try to put in a lot of things, well, i panicked a little (or maybe a lot) and i thought to myself "how the hell am i gonna do this without an assistant outside the country?" i'll find out the answer to that later. for now, i'll just be thankful that i got through with this video.
chad and knelle is one of the nicest couple that we had. unlike the traditional couple's entrance at the reception, the night began with the dance. they got the prom night theme goin' on and since it was the closest thing to me being in a prom (i've never been in an actual prom before and i always wanted to be in one), i cherished the moment. turn on vimeo's hd for optimum viewing experience! =)


text: On Tue, 15 May 2001, Tracy Di Marco White wrote: > I've been playing with ripit.pl for a while, and have been looking at > packaging it up. It's got a few too many options, it allows you to > use cdparanoia, cdd, tosha, cdda2wav to rip CDs, I'm going to depend > on cdparanoia. It uses bladeenc, lame or gogo to encode from ripped > files to mp3s, I'm going to depend on lame. I don't know if this You might want to have RIPIT_USE_XXXX conditional options in the Makefile. > should be i386 only, I guess I'll assume if none of the depends are > i386 only, this shouldn't be, which means I'll need to set the default > ripping device to /dev/rcd0d on i386 and /dev/rcd0c on other platforms? > You can set it based on the output of `sysctl -n kern.rawpartition` > It uses xmcd's cda to get information from cddb/freedb, and I don't see > that we have something simpler to get this information, so it will also > depend on that. If there are simpler ways to get information from > cddb/freedb (and get the CD id), I'd like to know. > > The question I'm not sure how to choose is where it will put mp3's and > where it rips them to. It rips the CD, then encodes it in one > directory, based off of another directory. I'm not sure what to use, > /usr/pkg/share/mp3 doesn't seem right, as mp3s are not text files. > What kind of default should it have? > /usr/pkg/share contains data files that are CPU/arch independent, I think mp3s probably qualify :) Can it read config from /usr/pkg/etc/ripit.conf and ~/.ripit.conf? (or be extended to do so :) -- David/absolute -- www.netbsd.org: No hype required --


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Waggle Working On New Freemium Title Loot Lust, Spin Gem (iPhone) Goes For Free!
One of our favourite indie games on the iPhone, Spin Gem (screenshot below, read the review here), is now available for free on the iTunes App Store as developer Waggle is celebrating the upcoming release of a new freemium title in a high fantasy universe setting. Titled Loot Lust, the game is set in Vale, where Castle Galathorn was abandoned 600 years ago after bloody infighting between 5 potential heirs.
The five heirs struck an accord, which has been honoured over the centuries and became the status quo, until The Dark Council seized upon a rare planetary alignment to combine enormous tidal gravitational forces with their own fell magicks to break a demonic force to the surface of Vale.
There are a choice of 48 unique player characters with unique skills. There are 5 realms and 42 areas to explore and 5 dungeons brimming with great loot. Team up and go raiding with a group? Help the guild masters to complete quests? Free roam adventure anywhere you're strong enough to explore or even recruit others and form your own clan! Loot Lust is a brand new IP developed specially for iPhone and iPad.
Explore the 5 realms of Vale, make and break deals with the overlords. Find artefacts, treasure, and weapons. Survive battles with wolves and gangs of brigands in Hilmerton, to Sand Burrowers and Witchdoctors of Bleached Bone Beach. Play from a varied set of character styles including Soul Gardener, Headhunter, Dreadcloak or Cutpurse.
Fulfil your path to power and your lust for loot… and bring your friends! In the mean time, download Spin Gem for free: https://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/spin-gem/id467428948?mt=8&ign-mpt=uo%3D4Powered by Sidelines
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Waggle Working On New Freemium Title Loot Lust, Spin Gem (iPhone) Goes For Free!: One of our favourite indie gam… http://t.co/osWfyiCu
Waggle Working On New Freemium Title Loot Lust, Spin Gem (iPhone) Goes For Free! http://t.co/w9AQQG2G


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Dave's Proudest Day"How was your daughter's wedding, Dave?"
His craggy face lit up, split with a gummy grin, dark eyes a-sparkle beneath his bushy brows.
"Ah, Dex, it was grouse. Real grouse."
His use of the archaic Australian colloquialism for 'excellent' was the first I had heard in years.
"Tammy looked real beautiful, with her dress and flowers and that... it was just grouse."
I smile now as I recall his humble pride.
"And did you have a dance with her, mate?"
He scoffed.
"Nah, Dex. I went to the wedding at the church, and I had some afternoon tea and that there. But I never went to the what's it called? The reception.
"My Missus' family was all there, so I wasn't allowed to go along. It was written down on my parole papers that I wasn't allowed to go within 100 metres of her family. I never even talked to them.
"Yeah, no... I never had a dance with her."
Dave didn't have the chance to lead his daughter down the aisle to give her away, either. That privilege was reserved for his late wife's brother, who'd been a kind of father figure to Tammy while Dave served his long cruel stint in gaol.
"I've got a photo, Dex. Have a look..."
It shows Dave, proud and happy, his face radiating pure joy, and his pretty daughter, standing together outside the ivy-clad church. The frills on her wedding dress and her big bouquet fail to hide the evidence of her advanced pregnancy.
His tattooed hand trembled as he held the photo up for me to see.
"She's lovely, Dave."
"She's beautiful, Dex. She turned out real good."
"You look pretty sharp yourself, mate."
Dave had a long look at the photograph, and slowly shook his head.
"She turned out real good," he repeated, as though wondering how such a result were possible.
"All my time in gaol I kept a photo of her when she was three," he explained. "And now I've got one of her on her wedding day..."
And I could tell that Dave was thinking –as I was- about all that time in between those two snap-frozen moments, and all the photo opportunities he'd missed.
amberdextrous 51-55, M 3 Responses 5 Jun 28, 2010
Every single moment with our children is so precious. Every single moment counts. This day for Dave and his daughter counts big time. It is stories like this one that make me realise just how much we can mean to someone.
Awww =')

How beautiful ! Life is so incredibly amazing, sometimes I just can't believe it.

Ahh Dave is such a cutie. Sweet, gentle soul.
Welcome back :)

This is beautiful and so sad


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One of cricket's enduring mysteries is its ability to produce two consecutive days of such polar opposites.
The hosts were not so much skittled as crushed by Derbyshire on the first morning, and the question as play began on Wednesday was how quickly the visitors could wrap up victory.
But Somerset emerged from the pavilion a different team, clawing themselves back by displaying the application and graft so lacking in their first innings.
By forging a slim lead of 36, with six wickets in tact, the hosts have not only made a contest of this game, but set up an intriguing finale to a tense relegation battle.
The contrast on Wednesday was remarkable. Marcus Trescothick (57), James Hildreth (81) and Nick Compton (64 not out) at first watched, glanced and deflected, then later cut, drove and pulled around the ground the same bowlers who had tormented them 24 hours before.
Derbyshire, however, fought unrelentingly and may even claim to have had the last laugh, when an unlikely bowling hero emerged in the shape of Shivnarine Chanderpaul.
How much the West Indian's dismissal of Craig Kieswetter to his occasional leg-spin with the last ball of the day will change the complexion of the game remains to be seen.
But it was a blot on an otherwise clinical day's work for Somerset.
Derbyshire will feel if they can remove him quickly on Thursday, they will be back on track for victory.
Somerset had grasped the initiative early, as the visitors, resuming on 220 for five, lost four quick wickets for 36 runs, with three scalps for the indefatigable Alfonso Thomas.
However the last-wicket partnership of Tim Groenewald and Mark Footitt refused to be rolled over, adding what could be a crucial 42 runs, and extending Derbyshire's first innings lead to 195.
Within five hours Somerset had cancelled out that lead for the loss of only three wickets, and in the early evening sun suddenly anything seemed possible.
One factor removed from the equation at least was a question over the pitch. Bill Hughes, an England and Wales Cricket Board inspector, gave the wicket the all clear at tea.
The significant turn and bounce may still be the deciding factor, and Derbyshire will be disappointed their main spinner, David Wainwright, has had little impact.
Unfair as it is to compare him to an Indian Test spinner, the contrast with Somerset's Piyush Chawla, who finished with five for 111, was stark.
The result of this match will lie with whether Somerset's remaining batsmen can give their starring spinner a total to defend.


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Oskaloosa City Council says it will investigate lack of police reports
by Dennis Sharkey
The Oskaloosa City Police Department has little to show in records of activity which is now being looked at by the City Council.
Last month the Independent made a records request with Oskaloosa City Clerk Patty Hamm for all of the standard offense reports for the year 2011 and all reports that have been filed this year.
Hamm provided the Independent with a total of five Kansas Standard Offense Reports. Two of the five reports were filed in early 2011. The other three reports were filed this year. All of the reports were filed by police officer Paul Bollinger.
In contrast the Jefferson County Sheriff's Department has filed hundreds of reports from activity within the city limits of Oskaloosa.
In this week's county sheriff's report officers responded to three reports of theft, four reports of a disturbance, two reports of criminal damage to property and a reported battery in the city of Oskaloosa.
Attempts to contact Oskaloosa Police Chief Rick Jones were unsuccessful. A message was delivered to Jones on Monday but as of press time he had not responded.
City Attorney Mike Hayes said city standard offense reports are only for misdemeanors and that the city has no jurisdiction over felonies or juvenile offenses.
Jones works full-time as a Sheriff's Department deputy and is considered a part-time police chief. Some council members said Jones' work could be overlapping.
Last year the Independent reported on a lack of city court activity. From the period of January 2011 through June 2011 the city court processed four cases with one of the cases beging a carryover from the prior year.
This reporter presented other information to the council on opinions, concerns and issues that have been expressed to the Independent in private conversations in person, via the phone or through letters about various concerns with the city including the police department. The council was told that all individuals want to remain anonymous because of a fear of retaliation.
The reaction by council members was mixed. Councilwoman Kathy Griffin said she has been confronted by citizens with similar stories wanting to remain private as well.
Councilman Gary Bryant, who was running the meeting in the absence of Mayor Mike Paavola, said he was having a hard time seeing a problem. He said if citizens have an issue they need to bring it before the council.
"Obviously there's nothing we can do about it unless somebody comes and says something," Bryant said.
Bryant said the council could check into the reports and wanted to move the meeting along but was stopped by Councilwoman Emily Malsbury.
"I want to hear what he has to say," Malsbury said.
It was reiterated that the citizens wanted to remain private because of a fear. This reporter told the council that Jones has made it known through channels that the Independent should steer clear of him.
Bryant asked this reporter if the feeling was that a threat was being made. The Independent takes no stance on Jones' comments to other Sheriff's deputies but felt the information should factor in with the rest of what was being presented.
Bryant accused this reporter of having a personal ax to grind.
"The problem I'm having right now is it seems there's a personal thing going on," Bryant said. "You're making some allegations. If you want to put it into the legal realm go ahead and put it in the legal realm.
"You're giving us second hand information," Bryant added. "I wouldn't consider it facts."
Griffin disagreed with Bryant and said the issue should be looked at.
"I still think it's something we should look at whether it's second hand or it's a citizen coming in here," Griffin said.
Bryant was asked about comments Jones allegedly made to Paavola after Councilman John Norman and Malsbury paid a visit to Jones. Paavola reported at the next meeting that Jones was upset by the visit. Bryant said he didn't believe the incident factors into the issues either.
"That's what was in the paper," Bryant said. "That's what was reported at the meeting. I don't know that I think that's an issue on competency or whether or not the fellow is doing his job or not."
The discussion lasted about 10 minutes of the meeting that went on for nearly four hours.
"I think we've kicked this thing around enough," Bryant said
The Sheriff's Department files KSORs for a number of offenses from misdemeanor offenses to felonies. Reports are also filed when officers are sent on a call but do not have a respondent. Such calls would involve taking a report, checking on a report of a prowler or suspicious activity, animal calls or a lost or stolen tag. Some vehicle accidents also have reports filed.
Until a meeting last month Jones had not attended an Oskaloosa City Council meeting in 20 months. No written activity report has been presented to the council in the last two plus years.
In other actions:
• The council instructed Hayes to begin work on a lease for the city's police department. Last month the city closed on the sale of the old Harvey's Hardware building to the Jefferson County Memorial Hospital Foundation. The hospital is opening a pharmacy in the building and will not be using the back and basement portion of the building. The hospital has offered the space to the city for $1 annually for the police department.
Short URL: http://www.jeffcountynews.com/?p=12780


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H.I. Latifee
Economist H.I. Latifee spent 1968 through 1973 wandering the eastern hills of Bangladesh trying to figure out why the poor stayed poor. Toward the end, he was joined by fellow economist Muhammad Yunus. Their conclusion: a lack of affordable capital, and hence a lack of entrepreneurship and jobs. Nowadays, Latifee, 60, spends more time on planes, jetting around Asia as managing director of Grameen Trust, the international arm of Grameen Bank, the nonprofit microcredit agency he and Yunus founded in 1983.
Latifee's mission is to duplicate the Dhaka-based bank's success in Bangladesh around the world. He has set up 105 Grameen clones from Burma to Bosnia. They make closely supervised loans, usually of less than $100, to people at the bottom of society to expand such businesses as handicrafts and food-vending.
Latifee argues Grameen's tiny loans do more good than the billions lent by the International Monetary Fund. In the Asia crisis, he says, the IMF "provided support without targeting the poor." With Grameen, that's never an issue.


text:
Union Army Checked Marker, S-25
Here the Army of the James, moving on Petersburg, May 9, 1864, was checked by the Confederate defenses on the creek and turned northward.
Marker Information:Year On Marker: 1927
Geographic Location: Chesterfield County
Physical Description of Location: Bermuda, VA 23834. Located on Jefferson Davis Hwy (Hwy 1), 0.2 miles south of the intersection of Jefferson Davis Hwy (Hwy 1) and Huguenot Road (Rt 147). Marker is on the left when traveling south on Jefferson Davis Hwy (Hwy 1).
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