by Troy Mueller

As the thrill of a new school year wanes and emotional equilibrium begins to droop into exhaustion and anxiety, efficiency becomes a focus for any law student. Outlines, study groups,case briefs, practice exams, and review sessions are being employed alongside trips to the library, writing center, professors’ offices, career center, and other functions. To imagine the law student as I have, pick an animal that flourishes in a large group (like a herd animal). Analogize your individual situation to that animal’s community as a whole, then put that community near the river on a hot day and rattle off some common law before the lions show up.

There are a variety of methods employed in the art of time management. Some people use planners, others, the zodiac. Most use a combination of tricks and charts, but regardless of style, it’s hard to know what’s best until you’ve tried them all. Mnemonic devices are a fun way to quickly memorize material that you can recall for years and years, but why not expand on it? Here’s another way to study for classes that may not be as obvious.

MAKE PLAYLISTS.

As long as Southwestern is a commuter school, you’ll be losing time in LA traffic trying to get back to your books. Why not throw together a couple relevant tracks for that light at Vermont and Wilshire? There are lots of easy ways to acquire music and at least as many devices to listen to it. Spin ‘em (or pop in those ear buds, depending on your financial situation) and squeeze precious minutes into your study schedule where there were none before.

For example:

Civil Procedure.

California Long Arm Statute - Michelle Branch, “Everywhere”*

14th Amendment Due Process Clause - Talking Heads, “Don’t Worry About the Government”

Minimum Contacts - Brandy, “Sitting up in my Room”

Purposeful Availment - Gary Numan, “Cars”

Purposeful Availment with Intentional Torts - The Modern Lovers, “Pablo Picasso”

Purposeful Availment with the Internet - Shalamar, “Right in the Socket”

Purposeful Availment with Business Relations - Michael Jackson, “Off the Wall”

Purposeful Availment with Stream of Commerce - Pizzicato Five, “The Night is Still Young”

Citizenship - Luther Vandross, “A House is Not a Home”

*subject to limitation

If you don’t like popular syncretic music of the 70’s, 80’s, and 90’s, apply whatever your tastes are. In fact, you could be even more categorical. Many present and future interests problems resemble math equations when written in shorthand. What’s more mathematical than the traditional music of the west? (Classical, not Rawhide) Here’s an example (in order of ascending snobbery).

Property

Acquisition by Capture - Claude Debussy, “Prelude a L’apres-midi d’un Faune”

Subject to Condition Subsequent - Wolfgang A. Mozart, “Don Giovanni”

Adverse Possession - Arnold Schoenberg, “Suite for Piano”

Rules Against Perpetuities - Ludwig Von Beethoven, (piano sonata in C) Opus 111

Vested Remainder Interests - Frederic Chopin …

Los Angeles Lakers star player Kobe Byrant, number 24. Photo courtesy of Guitar Zero via Flickr.

By Troy Mueller

By many standards, last year’s NBA season was a success. In the face of the economic downturn, the NBA’s second winningest franchise – and second wealthiest – won another championship. In addition to the benefits afforded by a title in the major market of Los Angeles, the NBA finals turned out some of its strongest ratings in years. This is partly due to the panoply of highly skilled and well-marketed athletes that were successful enough to make it to playoffs. Additionally, if one is to look at current media projections, interest in the NBA has steadily increased since the early part of the decade when arrogance and thuggery seemed to have polarized much of its demographic.

To the extent that the NBA was able to shrug off that stigma, one must give credit to the players who have acted, willingly or not, as positive figures in the league. Programs such as Basketball without Borders and NBA Cares have been particularly successful in evincing a civility between a sport that is uniquely individual and a community, that is both connected to and distanced from it. In many respects, the league is rebuilding, or perhaps recovering, without the basketball grittiness of the ‘80s or surplusage of the ‘90s. Strangely, and I think contrary to what many people have argued, it seems the league is becoming less idealistic. Standing unequivocally upon this threshold is the Los Angeles Lakers.

Los Angeles is hardly a market for realism. As a center of the entertainment industry, Los Angeles is markedly concerned with aspiration and potential. As such, here are reasons why the Lakers winning a championship is bad for Los Angeles.

No. 1: The Lakers winning the NBA championship has made life hard for coaches. Currently, middle-schoolers all over Los Angeles are heaving three-pointers from much too far away. This is particularly popular with bench players, as their game may be limited where their range is not. Also many children have taken to looking like a ferret, which has seen a strong increase in LA since the NBA finals. As a coach this is frustrating. Giving an inspired speech about commitment and hard work is difficult when all the players have their new game face on. Further, it is embarrassing to be the only one smiling in the team photo.

No. 2: Interest in the Lakers has developed an arm-sleeve market in Los Angeles, but has taken focus away from the ever-important ankle-support market. Led by Kobe Bryant, an interest increase in sliding, spinning, and twirling has subsequently caused an increase in tripping, stumbling, and falling among the basketball laity. Current trends suggest that formerly adequate athletic-wear will not be sufficient to mitigate the potential increase in lower leg injuries resulting from the Lakers championship run.

No. 3: LA is a popular destination on the West Coast. People come from many other states to avail themselves of LA’s large job market, active city life, and pleasant climate. Inadvertently, these pilgrims also commonly become basketball converts. Many proud Clippers families have watched their children turn to the Lakers, but more commonly it is the Blazers, Suns, and former Sonics fans whose conversion deprives the city of its basketball diversity.

This diversity is needed in order to maintain a competitive climate.

Quid Pro Podium: Jordan Still One Upping Kobe.

The Lakers are confused. They won, but it was limited. But is the city in conflict with the direction of the league? I want the good old days back too but how can you have it back. When Jordan takes the podium and tells the league how good he is, we all realize that the feeling was fleeting. sun-bleached out of a 5in thick red fischer price rim or deflated somewhere behind your old bike in the shed. To begin anew is

The city wants largess, but the team is merely convincing. The Lakers are nearest to this when Kobe Bryant eclipses the 50 point mark, but even there the inspiration is lost. Amare Stoudamire, whose game is far less impressive and even then the game looks unorganized. When the Lakers lose, the city gains. Potential for victory, drawing upon

Kobe has made a name for himself as a player with a typically I began by saying the Lakers contributed to the success of the last season, but now I want to talk about why that’s not good. As this is public interest month, I think it only fair to discuss the social forays, misgivings, and the like which the Lakers have brought to the city of Los Angeles.

Above all, Kobe Bryant got a little more acclaim which paradoxically seems to generate less interest in making comparisons to Michael Jordan than does his failed attempts at accolades.

Kobe Bryant has done some amazing things. Kobe Bryant looks to maturing (at 31).

Jordan enters the hall of fame this week as part of a truly remarkable entering class