Dear all,
our last week is upon us. As we close down for the summer, I'll try and make sure there is a post a day. I also highly encourage everyone to share a reflection from the summer, here and on other blogs.
peace.
Monday, July 25, 2011
Sunday, July 17, 2011
Friday, July 15, 2011
JustChildren Wiffleball
JustChildren folks love kids -- and kids' games. Today, we decided to use our lunch to go outside and play a childhood favorite: wiffleball. Lance, Cari and Priscilla of JustChildren showed up, along with Neal from Immigrant Advocacy, Thom and Kate from CVLAS Cville (YES! they do exist!) and Randy from Civil Advocacy. (Sorry, Randy is not pictured). We had fun, showing off our fancy pitches, and feeling like giants, squashing little tiny balls with a puny little bat. All in all, an average day for the JustChildren experience.
[EDIT: the pictures look a lot better bigger. Click on them to see them in all their crystal clear cell phone-camera-based glory]
Neal is ready to play!
The dugout is cheering everyone on... (from left to right -- Kate (CVLAS), Priscilla, Neal, Cari)
Starting my swing a little late. Thom was really bringing the heat. Apparently, I was playing with a rubber bat.
A hit! (The ball is in the top left) (Please ignore my lackluster form)
Good times were had by all. Except for Priscilla, who didn't get to play because of a nasty ankle injury. :( Get better Priscilla!
[EDIT: the pictures look a lot better bigger. Click on them to see them in all their crystal clear cell phone-camera-based glory]
Neal is ready to play!
The dugout is cheering everyone on... (from left to right -- Kate (CVLAS), Priscilla, Neal, Cari)
Starting my swing a little late. Thom was really bringing the heat. Apparently, I was playing with a rubber bat.
A hit! (The ball is in the top left) (Please ignore my lackluster form)
Good times were had by all. Except for Priscilla, who didn't get to play because of a nasty ankle injury. :( Get better Priscilla!
Monday, July 11, 2011
JustChildren in the News
How much do we have to tell a teacher if a kid commits a crime?
Lisa Bennett of JustChildren Richmond answered some questions for this story on takepart.com. Worth a read, especially if you're into juvenile justice and education issues.
Lisa Bennett of JustChildren Richmond answered some questions for this story on takepart.com. Worth a read, especially if you're into juvenile justice and education issues.
Friday, July 8, 2011
Legal Aid work is exhausting
Ok, so I have to preface this with: these people do a ton of work, and work way over hours. But every now and then, trying to run a legal aid office with a handful of attorneys and a handful of interns is just too much. Let this be a warning to you: LEGAL AID WORK IS TIRING. But we enjoy it. Perhaps we'd enjoy it more with a siesta.
[PICTURES REMOVED AT THE REQUEST OF INTERESTED PARTIES]
[PICTURES REMOVED AT THE REQUEST OF INTERESTED PARTIES]
Friday, June 24, 2011
Bowling Night
Grand Master Attorney, Civil Advocacy, Order of the Third Degree, Mr. John Conover Esq. requested that boilermate Randy Barr organize a bowling outing for the interns and staff. Last night, Randy succeeded in his assignment, bringing together attorneys John Conover, Claire Curry, Tim Freilich, and our very own Crystal Shin to bowl with legal aid interns from LAJC and CVLAS (plus a few others).
Randy deserves credit for organizing a high quality evening: pizza, beer, bowling and friends (ahem, "networking") is a treat that we rarely get to enjoy.
Crystal had great form, unfortunately I only grabbed this photo of her patiently awaiting a strike.
Fellow bunker soldier Cari was also pretty awesome. Can she pick up the spare?
Si, se puede!
Eventually, John challenged the interns to a Staff v. Interns bowl-o-rama. John hand picked the intern team -- two boilerfolk (Randy and Madison) and two bunker soldiers (Priscilla and Neal). I'm still working on getting the videos of the event to load, but here's an image to sum it all up. Note: Interns are on the right, Randy's amazing score is on the bottom right. The score totals are on the bottom, bottom right.
Better luck next time staff! Er, I mean, it was a pleasure bowling with you guys! Please give us jobs in the future.
Randy deserves credit for organizing a high quality evening: pizza, beer, bowling and friends (ahem, "networking") is a treat that we rarely get to enjoy.
Crystal had great form, unfortunately I only grabbed this photo of her patiently awaiting a strike.
Fellow bunker soldier Cari was also pretty awesome. Can she pick up the spare?
Si, se puede!
Eventually, John challenged the interns to a Staff v. Interns bowl-o-rama. John hand picked the intern team -- two boilerfolk (Randy and Madison) and two bunker soldiers (Priscilla and Neal). I'm still working on getting the videos of the event to load, but here's an image to sum it all up. Note: Interns are on the right, Randy's amazing score is on the bottom right. The score totals are on the bottom, bottom right.
Better luck next time staff! Er, I mean, it was a pleasure bowling with you guys! Please give us jobs in the future.
Thursday, June 23, 2011
Accomplishment and Frustration
ハッパタイの「やった！」
中村ヒロの「やった！」
やった (read: Yatta), roughly translated is "I/we did it!"
We've definitely got the "やった！" vibe going on here.
We finished a brief for an upcoming hearing. The brief was a major undertaking, and was composed through the major contributions of basically everyone at JustChildren. We hope for a favorable outcome of course, but it's good to just have it done. I can't speak for anyone else on the team, but I know that I am really excited about getting together a genuine document that will be filed with a court after hours and hours of work. We're kind of beaming with a sense of accomplishment. :)
However, at the same time I was introduced to some of the court documents that end up getting filed against our clients. While we regularly file 25+ page, thoroughly researched briefs, our clients sometimes appear to be up against one or two page, double-spaced gigantic-margin memos, complete with spelling and grammatical errors. ... and sometimes our clients lose. It is frustrating to know that our clients can be defeated with such minimal effort. I hope for a different outcome this time, but I am worried.
This process has also presented an opportunity to reflect on our profession: in the academic setting, 25+ pages of well-argued, thoroughly researched work would hopefully get a better grade than 150 sort-of words jumbled together, sans-citation, sans-spell check. But it's not about grades anymore, but about outcome. And, in a moment of uncomfortable candor: I don't know how to adjust my expectations to a system that doesn't necessarily reward an excellent product.
Thoughts in the comments.
Just because I can't leave a post on a downer, here's some blurbs from Australian morning television.
First, apparently they didn't have the foresight to realize that if you need a translator for your joke, its doomed to fail. (#awkwardalert)
Second, they have a lot of fun on that show, talking about home invaders. (#itjustgetsbetterasitkeepsongoing)
中村ヒロの「やった！」
やった (read: Yatta), roughly translated is "I/we did it!"
We've definitely got the "やった！" vibe going on here.
We finished a brief for an upcoming hearing. The brief was a major undertaking, and was composed through the major contributions of basically everyone at JustChildren. We hope for a favorable outcome of course, but it's good to just have it done. I can't speak for anyone else on the team, but I know that I am really excited about getting together a genuine document that will be filed with a court after hours and hours of work. We're kind of beaming with a sense of accomplishment. :)
However, at the same time I was introduced to some of the court documents that end up getting filed against our clients. While we regularly file 25+ page, thoroughly researched briefs, our clients sometimes appear to be up against one or two page, double-spaced gigantic-margin memos, complete with spelling and grammatical errors. ... and sometimes our clients lose. It is frustrating to know that our clients can be defeated with such minimal effort. I hope for a different outcome this time, but I am worried.
This process has also presented an opportunity to reflect on our profession: in the academic setting, 25+ pages of well-argued, thoroughly researched work would hopefully get a better grade than 150 sort-of words jumbled together, sans-citation, sans-spell check. But it's not about grades anymore, but about outcome. And, in a moment of uncomfortable candor: I don't know how to adjust my expectations to a system that doesn't necessarily reward an excellent product.
Thoughts in the comments.
Just because I can't leave a post on a downer, here's some blurbs from Australian morning television.
First, apparently they didn't have the foresight to realize that if you need a translator for your joke, its doomed to fail. (#awkwardalert)
Second, they have a lot of fun on that show, talking about home invaders. (#itjustgetsbetterasitkeepsongoing)
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
Missiles and Mastheads
1) I will be updating the Masthead (and maybe the name?!) for our blog. Same url, different feel. Maybe tonight.
2) Anthony doesn't like listening to people. So, sometimes you have to throw things at him. And sometimes those things miss.
2) Anthony doesn't like listening to people. So, sometimes you have to throw things at him. And sometimes those things miss.
Thursday, June 16, 2011
Thursday Update
A brief survey of the legal aid blog world:
CVLAS Richmond is reporting that LAJC and CVLAS got a pretty cool grant from the Charlottesville Area Community Foundation.
Maybe we can use that money to buy people some happiness. Priscilla, our resident law-intern-by-day-CPA-by-night, is currently calculating how much happiness $50k can buy. According to Princeton, we are $25k short of the $75k needed for deep, personal satisfaction.
LAJC Boiler Room has our sports coverage, which you won't want to miss. Turns out Mr. Murashige can hang with the Sharklord. In racquetball at least.
Dirty South has some pretty cool coverage of the actual work that legal aid interns do. Well, at least, the work that we would do with a third-year practice license.
And Bunker Room has... motivational videos. We actually do work, we promise.
Keep your eyes out for a user by the name "BoilerMaster-BunkerBuster" who may or may not be the LAJC Executive Director aka "the big boss man." Moderately well-known fact: Big boss man traces some of his roots to AppalReD, the Appalachian Research and Defense Fund. AppalReD is a very cool organization -- I got to work there for a week this past spring. I highly recommend the Alternative Spring Break Trip to their Prestonsburg, KY office if you get a chance. (If you're not UVa Law, try setting up an ASB trip of your own to help out -- lots of other schools went there as well).
We're looking for blogs from all the other LAJC and CVLAS offices. Anybody know where they are?
Also, Boiler Room is looking for the login information for the old boiler room site. Does anybody out there know who worked as an intern in LAJC last summer?
In other news, NY Post has some informative headlines for today's news. "Weiner Pulls Out," "Weiner Wraps it Up" etc. Also, there's a page where you can vote on the best Weiner headlines. If you feel like being a thirteen-year old boy, I suggest heading over there.
Keep going strong. We're doing good work.
CVLAS Richmond is reporting that LAJC and CVLAS got a pretty cool grant from the Charlottesville Area Community Foundation.
Maybe we can use that money to buy people some happiness. Priscilla, our resident law-intern-by-day-CPA-by-night, is currently calculating how much happiness $50k can buy. According to Princeton, we are $25k short of the $75k needed for deep, personal satisfaction.
LAJC Boiler Room has our sports coverage, which you won't want to miss. Turns out Mr. Murashige can hang with the Sharklord. In racquetball at least.
Dirty South has some pretty cool coverage of the actual work that legal aid interns do. Well, at least, the work that we would do with a third-year practice license.
And Bunker Room has... motivational videos. We actually do work, we promise.
Keep your eyes out for a user by the name "BoilerMaster-BunkerBuster" who may or may not be the LAJC Executive Director aka "the big boss man." Moderately well-known fact: Big boss man traces some of his roots to AppalReD, the Appalachian Research and Defense Fund. AppalReD is a very cool organization -- I got to work there for a week this past spring. I highly recommend the Alternative Spring Break Trip to their Prestonsburg, KY office if you get a chance. (If you're not UVa Law, try setting up an ASB trip of your own to help out -- lots of other schools went there as well).
We're looking for blogs from all the other LAJC and CVLAS offices. Anybody know where they are?
Also, Boiler Room is looking for the login information for the old boiler room site. Does anybody out there know who worked as an intern in LAJC last summer?
In other news, NY Post has some informative headlines for today's news. "Weiner Pulls Out," "Weiner Wraps it Up" etc. Also, there's a page where you can vote on the best Weiner headlines. If you feel like being a thirteen-year old boy, I suggest heading over there.
Keep going strong. We're doing good work.
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
Thumbs up, you can do it!
Grades are trickling out in the next couple days.
OGI bidding is up.
Our assignments are getting longer, and more substantial. But, you just need to remember this: you can do it.
Don't believe me? Listen to this kid (who could end up being a dictator later in life -- he has the delivery down).
You should commit that to memory. If memorizing songs is easier for you, then the folks who do AutoTune the News have come to your aid. (I expect a rousing rendition tomorrow).
OGI bidding is up.
Our assignments are getting longer, and more substantial. But, you just need to remember this: you can do it.
Don't believe me? Listen to this kid (who could end up being a dictator later in life -- he has the delivery down).
You should commit that to memory. If memorizing songs is easier for you, then the folks who do AutoTune the News have come to your aid. (I expect a rousing rendition tomorrow).
Monday, June 13, 2011
Dependent on Technology
During a Bunker Room contact info sharing session, the following conversation took place:
Bunker-ite A: Geez, I don't get signal down here, I'll have to e-mail you my phone number.
Bunker-ite B: ... or you could just tell me...
It's that kind of day.
Bunker-ite A: Geez, I don't get signal down here, I'll have to e-mail you my phone number.
Bunker-ite B: ... or you could just tell me...
It's that kind of day.
Saturday, June 11, 2011
Weekend Update
Good luck to Boiler Room's Ms. Nebraska and friends as they run through a grueling mud course dressed as Supreme Court Justices. Legal Aid interns: now getting down and dirty with the law 6 days a week.
Friday, June 10, 2011
Link Up!
CVLAS Richmond, CVLAS Petersburg and LAJC Boilerroom all have new blogs. You can get at them from our sidebar. But don't bother spending too much time on them -- you might miss something interesting at the Lonely Island.
Thursday, June 9, 2011
The Lonely Island fights Oppression!
The Bunker Room is helping fight injustice left and right. People are talking about us.
Read all about it below:
http://www2.timesdispatch.com/news/2011/jun/09/TDMET01-board-probes-change-at-juvenile-centers-ar-1095437/
and http://www2.timesdispatch.com/news/2011/jun/08/tdmain01-juvenile-justice-policy-disputed-ar-1092679/
and http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/va-juvenile-justice-board-votes-to-protect-gay-youth-from-discrimination-over-ags-objection/2011/06/08/AGVRhDMH_story.html
Read all about it below:
http://www2.timesdispatch.com/news/2011/jun/09/TDMET01-board-probes-change-at-juvenile-centers-ar-1095437/
and http://www2.timesdispatch.com/news/2011/jun/08/tdmain01-juvenile-justice-policy-disputed-ar-1092679/
and http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/va-juvenile-justice-board-votes-to-protect-gay-youth-from-discrimination-over-ags-objection/2011/06/08/AGVRhDMH_story.html
In Other News
This post is all about cool hats. Here is a cool hat, engaged in lively demonstration:
Here is a cool hat hanging out with all its friends:
I'm just going to leave this here.
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
A Glimpse into the Hardworking Life of "Who's My Daddy"
A hardworking staffer at LAJC comes into the bunker for pressing technological advice:
LAJC staff: "Hey, I'm buried enough, so you can come over to help me out"
Who's My Daddy: "Yeah, just give me five minutes. I'm talking to my sister"
LAJC staff: "Hey, I'm buried enough, so you can come over to help me out"
Who's My Daddy: "Yeah, just give me five minutes. I'm talking to my sister"
A sausage fest plus a married woman
Sorry for the lack of posts in recent days. The diligent soldiers of the bunker have been working diligently for justice and everything. Meanwhile, boilerpeeps were nowhere to be found this morning.
Anyhow, there are lots of guys in the bunker room. And one married woman. This leads to a lot of pent up aggression.
Yesterday it manifested as a day-long footsy game between Neal "my 'shoes' are size 13" Modi and Priscilla "Your feet are beyond the median line, and if you touch me one more time, I swear..." Ochu-Arthus.
How will it manifest today?
In other news, we're supposed to get a new intern. We just want friends. And possibly a balance for the excessive testosterone contained in the room.
Anyhow, there are lots of guys in the bunker room. And one married woman. This leads to a lot of pent up aggression.
Yesterday it manifested as a day-long footsy game between Neal "my 'shoes' are size 13" Modi and Priscilla "Your feet are beyond the median line, and if you touch me one more time, I swear..." Ochu-Arthus.
How will it manifest today?
In other news, we're supposed to get a new intern. We just want friends. And possibly a balance for the excessive testosterone contained in the room.
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
Every breath you take, every move you make...
I'll be watching you. - the Police
Lesson learned: If you encroach on the bunker, we will monitor you.
I have no idea what these boilerfolk are doing, but they've been doing it for hours.
Lesson learned: If you encroach on the bunker, we will monitor you.
I have no idea what these boilerfolk are doing, but they've been doing it for hours.
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Trust me, I'm an undergraduate
Anthony: The skit is going to be horrible. Unless it isn't.
Neal "the Undergraduate" Modi: Don't worry guys, it's going to be awesome. I've done this before.
Lance: What, a skit?
Neal: yeah, it's all under control.
Neal "the Undergraduate" Modi: Don't worry guys, it's going to be awesome. I've done this before.
Lance: What, a skit?
Neal: yeah, it's all under control.
Lance Gets an Image
So Lance doesn't get away without a picture in the directory.
Introducing...
Lance Yukio "L.Y.M. aka 'Loves Your Mother' " Murashige
Mother-loving good.
Introducing...
Lance Yukio "L.Y.M. aka 'Loves Your Mother' " Murashige
Mother-loving good.
New Additions with Photo Directory
Two new additions!
Neal "the Undergraduate" Modi
And Anthony "Who's My Daddy?" Gulotta
These folks join Priscilla "Ochu - Arthas" Ochu-Arthus.
(Ochu)
(Arthas)
And me (not pictured).
Friday, May 27, 2011
A day in video similes
For a variety of reasons, today after work I felt like:
This is what they said working at legal aid would be like:
Turns out, its more like:
Enjoyable and awesome, but fast-paced and hair-raising.
Non-sequitor:
Today I learned that Priscilla used to be the captain of her salsa dance team. I found a video of her here:
This is what they said working at legal aid would be like:
Turns out, its more like:
Enjoyable and awesome, but fast-paced and hair-raising.
Non-sequitor:
Today I learned that Priscilla used to be the captain of her salsa dance team. I found a video of her here:
Thursday, May 26, 2011
New summer, new bloggers
The bunker currently has two lonely soldiers, Lance and Priscilla. After tomorrow, we lose the cheerful support of Katie Ryan. Next week we'll be without Crystal's energy. And the immigration project folks are largely MIA.
So, the blog title mirrors the vibe of the room: we are so ronery.
Perhaps we will end up just like Kim Jong-Il and spend spend a lot of time looking at things as a result of our isolation.
Or perhaps, we will end up being more like our namesake, and occasionally take a humorous boat trip to our brothers and sisters in the boiler room.
In any event, the Lonely Island crew of 2 is actually really excited to work this summer with JustChildren. We've already been given exciting opportunities, and if you stay tuned, you just might get to hear about some of them.
In other news:
1) the "bunker 2" have beaten the "boiler 6+" in getting the blog going. There won't even be a rivalry if you all don't get your act together.
2) follow us on twitter, @cvillebunker.
[EDIT: I couldn't get to sleep, so I thought I'd expand this post a little.]
Kim Jong-Il, fast facts:
1) Film fanatic, and author of "On the Art of the Cinema" (available at amazon.com)
2) Avid golfer, achieves the super-human feat of three or four holes-in-one per round
3) One of Kim Jong-Il's many titles: "Highest Incarnation of the Revolutionary Comradely Love"
My above comments aside, this annual display is fascinating and impressive.
So, the blog title mirrors the vibe of the room: we are so ronery.
Perhaps we will end up just like Kim Jong-Il and spend spend a lot of time looking at things as a result of our isolation.
Or perhaps, we will end up being more like our namesake, and occasionally take a humorous boat trip to our brothers and sisters in the boiler room.
In any event, the Lonely Island crew of 2 is actually really excited to work this summer with JustChildren. We've already been given exciting opportunities, and if you stay tuned, you just might get to hear about some of them.
In other news:
1) the "bunker 2" have beaten the "boiler 6+" in getting the blog going. There won't even be a rivalry if you all don't get your act together.
2) follow us on twitter, @cvillebunker.
[EDIT: I couldn't get to sleep, so I thought I'd expand this post a little.]
Kim Jong-Il, fast facts:
1) Film fanatic, and author of "On the Art of the Cinema" (available at amazon.com)
2) Avid golfer, achieves the super-human feat of three or four holes-in-one per round
3) One of Kim Jong-Il's many titles: "Highest Incarnation of the Revolutionary Comradely Love"
My above comments aside, this annual display is fascinating and impressive.
Friday, April 29, 2011
Have a Great Summer!!!
Hello new LAJC interns!!!
Just wanted to wish you guys a very fun summer in the Bunker Room! We all had an absolute blast last summer! Then again, our skit from last summer probably illustrates that better than we could by saying it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vX8sTs-BSrA.
Have a great summer!
Bunker Room Interns, Summer 2010
Just wanted to wish you guys a very fun summer in the Bunker Room! We all had an absolute blast last summer! Then again, our skit from last summer probably illustrates that better than we could by saying it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vX8sTs-BSrA.
Have a great summer!
Bunker Room Interns, Summer 2010
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