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Local activists discuss the implications of U.S. policies regarding international drone attacks. | Page 3
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Committee Proposes Changes to C-Town Parking
145 properties would be subject to less strict parking regulations under proposal By ZOE FERGUSON Sun Senior Writer
A proposal to change parking laws in Collegetown — which includes provisions to simplify zoning laws that are currently conflicting — will be considered by the Ithaca Planning and Economic Development Committee in early March, according to committee members. Under the proposal, 145 properties to the south and west of central Collegetown would be subject to less strict parking rules, according to City of Ithaca Planner Megan Wilson and Alderperson Seph Murtagh M.A. ’04 Ph.D. ’09 (D-2nd Ward). Wilson said off-street parking requirements outlined in the Collegetown Parking Overlay Zone are in direct conflict with those set forth in the Collegetown Area Form Districts, putting the majority of all Collegetown offstreet parking spots in legal jeopardy. According to Murtagh, repealing CPOZ would remove the requirement that Collegetown developers in these 145 parcels — the only “overlay zone” — must provide one off-street parking space per two residents. Murtagh added that the CPOZ off-street parking requirements are more stringent that those instituted by the new form districts. “This overlay [CPOZ] required that developers in that
MICHAELA BREW / SUN SENIOR PHOTOGRAPHER
Zoning zoo | Rules and regulations of parking in Collegetown may change under a proposal that will be considered by the Planning and Economic Development Committee next month.
area had to provide one parking space for every two residents,” Murtagh said. “It’s pretty stringent standards.” According to Wilson, a major goal of the proposed CPOZ repeal is preservation of “green space” in the East Hill Historic District, where the majority of those 145 properties are located. “The Ithaca Landmarks Preservation Commission has identified green space as a character-defining feature of the East Hill Historic District and has expressed concern about removing green space to accommodate additional parking,” Wilson said. “The repeal of the CPOZ will sup-
Registration Opens for Charter Day Celebration
port efforts to preserve green space in the historic district.” Wilson said the idea to repeal CPOZ originated in 2013, when the Collegetown Zoning Working Group was preparing the new form districts. “Staff and other members of the working group knew this conflict would need to be addressed, and this proposal would eliminate the conflict,” she said. Alderperson Graham Kerslick (D-4th Ward) said CPOZ “needs to be repealed” because it would minimize See PARKING page 5
CAMERON POLLACK / SUN STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Jeffrey Gettleman’94 urges students to ‘study everything’
By RUBIN DANBERG BIGGS
cel classes was difficult, but imporSun Contributor tant. “We really want everyone to have Registration for Charter Day a moment to participate on Monday Weekend events opened Tuesday in recognizing the University’s 150 with over 1,000 tickets already sold, years, its founding mission and according to Mary where its come Opperman, vice from this mispresident of human “We really want everyone to sion,” Opperman resources and one of said. “We wanted the organizers of the have a moment to participate to encourage as on Monday in recognizing the much participaevent. Charter Day tion as possible.” University’s 150 years.” Weekend — which Bill Nye ’77 will run from April and Steve SquyMary Opperman 24 to 27 — is one in res ’78 Ph.D. ’81 a series of yearlong will begin the events celebrating Cornell’s sesqui- Charter Day Weekend celebrations centennial. It will consist of various with a kick-off speech — titled talks, showcases and performances “Cornell and the Joy of Discovery: that will culminate on Charter Day, Any Person, Any Planet” — in with a ceremony commemorating Bailey Hall. Tickets for the speech the signing of the University’s char- are already nearly sold out, accordter in 1865 taking place at 10 a.m. ing to Opperman. However, she Students will not have classes added that overflow seating will be from 8 a.m. to 1:10 p.m. on April available. 27, according to Opperman. She said that the decision to canSee CHARTER DAY page 4
Pulitzer Prize-Winner Talks C.U.Experience By OLIVIA LUTWAK Sun Staff Writer
Pulitzer pride | Jeffrey Gettleman discusses his award-winning journalistic adventures Wednesday.
Pulitzer Prizewinner Jeffrey Gettleman ’94, East Africa bureau chief for The New York Times, discussed his experiences — both as a Cornell student and an international journalist — at the 2015 Krieger Lecture in American Political Culture Wednesday. Gettleman, who focuses most of his reporting on internal conflicts in underdeveloped African nations, said he was “an exceptionally unfocused student” at Cornell, taking classes in a variety of
departments. “I was all over the place ... There’s nothing wrong with that,” Gettleman said. “[Cornell students have] a unique opportunity ... to explore what’s interesting. The minute you walk out of this door when you graduate you’re going to regret everything you didn’t study.” Gettleman said he eventually settled on a philosophy major, and continued to take courses in a variety of disciplines, comparing the course catalogue to a “buffet.” “The golden rule when you show up at See PULITZER page 4
2 THE CORNELL DAILY SUN | Thursday, February 26, 2015
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Wikipedia Editing Workshop 1 - 2 p.m., 106G Olin Library
The Environmental Determinants of Food Security In Madagascar 2:30 - 4 p.m., G08 Uris Hall
Tomorrow Tea and the Taste of Climate Change: A Socio-Ecological Model to Examine Botanical Quality 11:15 a.m. - 12:15 p.m., 404 Plant Science Building CRP Young Alumni Panel 12:20 p.m., 232 Goldwin Smith Hall Introduction to Zotero 3 - 4:30 p.m., 106G Olin Library Examining the Rise of Europe’s Radical Right: Panel Discussion 3 - 5 p.m., 401 Physical Sciences Building Tatkon Center Hot Chocolate Fridays 3 - 5 p.m., Carol Tatkon Center, South Balch Hall
By NICK ACKER ’84
Computer Services and the Department of Residence Life are looking for space to install between 40 and 60 computer terminals in dormitories as early as this fall. Meanwhile, a computer terminal will be ready for student use in Balch Hall beginning later this week as a test of the feasibility of placing terminals in dormitories. Residence Life is looking at three locations for terminals: West Campus, Lower North Campus and Upper North Campus. Priority will be given to West Campus because of the large number of freshmen taking computer science courses there, said Director of Residence Life William P. Paleen. The terminals may go in either the student unions or the dormitories themselves. Paleen said he prefers te residences because terminals there would be more accessible to students. No definite locations have been determined yet because the Computer Services and Residence Life held their first meeting on this subject only last Thursday, Paleen said. If the space can be found, the terminals may be installed over the summer, said Kenneth M. King, vice provost for computing.
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Paleen said he is “very excited at the possibility” of placing terminals in dormitories, adding “We’re certainly going to do our darndedest” to find space for the terminals. In addition, a Cornell fraternity is getting free use of an interactive computer terminal this semester in an experiment to determine if fraternities and sororities may find it worthwhile to lease terminals from Computer Sciences in the future. The fraternity, Alpha Delta Phi, is paying only the cost of the telephone connection, which Geoffrey A. Potter ’84 said will be about $150 for the semester. The terminal will be used for word processing and computing, Potter said, but since there is no printer on the premises, users will have to go to campus facilities for printouts. Currently, any student or campus organization owning a terminal can communicate by telephone with Cornell’s mainframe computer system. King would like to make terminals available for lease to fraternitites, sororities and co-ops. One possibility is that King may have some “partially amortized, but perfectly normal” erminals that he might lease to fraternities or sororities if he can find a mutually acceptable “economic equation.”
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NEWS
University Cornell Top Ivy in Sierra Club’s ‘Coolest Schools’ Cornell topped the list of Ivy League schools listed in environmental group Sierra Club’s Coolest School rankings, according to the Mother Nature Network website. The report cited Cornell’s commitment to achieving carbon neutrality by 2035, its locally sourced dining hall food and the availability of sustainability courses across all of its colleges.
Hotel Society Names Next President The Cornell Hotel Society named Deniz Omurgonulsen its new president, beginning in January, according to a press release from the School of Hotel Administration. Omurgonulsen is the vice president of membership at the Leading Hotels of the World. He “will work closely with other CHS leaders to execute the strategic vision and mission of the society,” according to the press release.
Professors Receive Sloan Fellowship The Alfred P. Sloan Foundation gave three Cornell assistant professors a $50,000 fellowship from to further their research as “the next generation of scientific leaders,” according to the University. The professors come from a variety of departments, including biological statistics, life science and chemistry.
State Taylor Swift Gives $50k To NYC Public Schools Pop music superstar Taylor Swift has reportedly donated $50,000 to New York City public schools, according to MSNBC. While Swift has yet to publicly acknowledge this donation, the NYC Department of Education has confirmed it, the MSNBC report says. In October, Swift pledged to donate all profits from her song, “Welcome to New York,” to NYC public schools.
National
THE CORNELL DAILY SUN | Thursday, February 26, 2015 3
At Discussion, Local Activists Condemn U.S. DroneStrikes By MELVIN LI Sun Staff Writer
CAMERON POLLACK / SUN STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER Local activists spoke about the implications of international drone usage at a dis- Hot topic | Mary Ann Grady-Flores, James Ricks and Rafia Zakaria discuss U.S. drone policies at cussion hosted by the Islamic Alliance for the “Drones and Domination” forum in Goldwin Smith Hall Wednesday. Justice in Goldwin Smith Hall Wednesday. The discussion, titled “Drones and terrorists all around the nation and forcing policies that [the U.S.] is involved in,” Domination,” was hosted by local activists them closer to major urban centers like Ricks said. “We feel that they are illegal. Mary Anne Grady-Flores and James Ricks Karachi. We went to inform the people [in along with journalist Rafia Zakaria. “Mass displacement has essentially pre- Pakistan] that America is not a monolithic Each host spoke briefly about his or her cipitated civil war in Pakistan,” she said. country.” own experiences in the campaign against “The area of terrorist attacks, which in Flores showed video footage of the varithe American drone strikes in Pakistan, 2009 was concentrated in [Northwest ous demonstrations her organization which are believed to Pakistan], essentially has Upstate Drone Action organized at the have killed at least several spread all over the coun- 174th Hancock Air Base, which she said is “The U.S. feels like it try. It’s even worse now.” the largest training center for operators of hundred civilians since 2004, according to the can do things to other President Obama the Reaper drones used in Afghanistan and panelists. ordered 55 drone strikes Pakistan. [countries] that it “In 2011, 75 drone Grady-Flores said she and other peace in Pakistan in 2009, would never tolerate mostly in the federally activists have blocked the entryway to the strikes killed 451-660 people — including 52administered tribal areas base on six occasions since 2011, and itself.” 146 civilians,” Zakaria along the nation’s border Flores was arrested three times while said. “The number of terJames Ricks with Afghanistan, protesting, most recently last July. rorist attacks in Pakistan, Ricks said he and Grady-Flores are according to Zakaria. however, has reached a While President Obama unafraid to represent themselves in trial. three year high at 673 [people].” “When we are at trial we represent ourreduced the number of drone strikes in According to Zakaria, drone strikes 2012 to 48, the number of terrorist attacks selves — we go pro se most of the time,” he became prevalent under the administration in the nation only decreased to 632, she said. “The judges can pretty much just of former President George W. Bush, but said. bully us around … but we help people have intensified since President Barack Ricks, who said he took part in a 2012 understand what our drone policy is — the Obama took office in 2009. anti-drone march in Islamabad, recalled U.S. feels like it can do things to other She added that the increase in drone how delighted the locals were to see [countries] that it would never tolerate strikes has ultimately failed to decrease the Americans campaigning against drone itself.” number of terror attacks in Pakistan. strikes. Instead, she said the strikes have caused a “[Pakistan] is a diverse country, and Melvin Li can be reached at “mass displacement [of people],” scattering there are people who seriously object to the mli@cornellsun.com.
C.U. Campaign Urges Healthier Diets Students and dining hall employees pledge to eat more fruits and vegtables By XINYI CHEN Sun Contributor
Cornell Dining employees and students will pledge to eat five cups of fruits and vegetables every day for five days next month as part of the “Have you had your five?” campaign.
The campaign — which is in its second year — aims to raise awareness for eating fruits and vegetables, according to Matt Henderson ’16, vice president for internal operations for the Student Assembly. Starting Wednesday,
members of the Cornell community could write their names on the fruitshaped pledge cards in campus dining halls and cafes to participate in the challenge, said Michele Lefebvre, director of nutrition management. In addition, dining halls will feature dishes of dif-
In bloom
ESPN Suspends Keith Olbermman ’79 Over Controversial Tweets ESPN suspended anchor Keith Olbermann from hosting his show for the rest of the week following controversial comments made via Twitter regarding a charity event held by Penn State University, according to CBS News. Olbermann apologized Tuesday for his actions via Twitter: “I was stupid and childish and way less mature than the students who did such a great fundraising job,” he tweeted. — Compiled by Andrew Lord amd Rebecca Blair
MICHAELA BREW / SUN SENIOR PHOTOGRAPHER
Photographs of flowers taken by the late Prof. Jim Reveal, plant sciences, are on display in the Mann Library Gallery.
ferently colored vegetables and fruits each week in March. “People, including myself, focus too much on what they shouldn’t eat rather than thinking about what they should,” Henderson said. “This is a problem that’s prevalent even within health conscious communities that all of us need to be more vocal about.” To address this issue, Cornell Dining and the S.A. Dining Committee are highlighting healthy eating options available on campus, according to Henderson. “Many people change their habits when they see all of the healthy options that are incorporated into the University’s food system,” Henderson said. “I think the main issue for Cornell students is the time and convenience factors that tend to favor less healthy and more carbohydrate dense foods.” Lefebvre said she
understands the challenge may be “difficult” for students, but that it is very possible meet, especially given that the U.S. Department of
“People, including myself, focus too much on what they shouldn’t eat rather than thinking about what they should. ” Matt Henderson ’16 Agriculture recommends that adults eat between four to 13 cups of fruits and vegtables daily. “Students are not eating enough fruits and vegetables,” Lefebvre said. “But if you eat one sandwich and its side salad at Café Jennie, along with one apple, you already have two servings, and the ‘FreshTake’ salads usually contains three servings.” Xinyi Chen can be reached at xc85@cornell.edu.
4 THE CORNELL DAILY SUN | Thursday, February 26, 2015
NEWS
Nye’77, Squyres ’78 Ph.D.’81 Gettleman’94 Recounts To Speak at Charter Day Events Time as C.U.Student, Tickets ‘nearly sold out,’ according to event organizers CHARTER DAY
Continued from page 1
In addition to Nye and Squyres’ speech, other Charter Day Weekend events will include the Big Red Birthday Bash, performances from the Cornell Glee Club and Cornell Orchestra and a panel discussion with President David Skorton, Harvard University President Drew Gilpin Faust and past Cornell Presidents Jeffrey S. Lehman ’77 and Hunter R. Rawlings III. Opperman said she hopes the Charter Day Weekend events will showcase the work being undertaken by Cornell alumni and students, as well as give Cornellians a chance to reflect back on the University’s history. “We knew we wanted to spend the weekend highlighting some key global issues and focusing on faculty and alumni who are working in those areas,” Opperman said. “[And the weekend will] showcase Cornell’s involvement among students faculty and alumni in addressing these key issues.” Of the tickets already sold, Opperman said they were bought primarily by alumni, but also said she expects students will begin to buy more tickets as the four-day celebration gets closer.
Several students expressed their excitement for the Charter Day Weekend events. Ming Khan ’18 said she was looking forward to the weekend as an opportunity to celebrate the University. “I think Charter Day is going to allow me to
“I think Charter Day is going to allow me to show my school pride, which is something that I feel like we very rarely remember to do.” Ming Khan ’18 show my school pride, which is something that I feel like we very rarely remember to do,” Khan said. Kavin Lam ’18 also said that he was happy about the celebrations, citing the morning off from classes as “the best part.” Rubin Danberg Biggs can be reached at red243@cornell.edu.
Award-Winning Journalist PULITZER
Continued from page 1
a buffet is that you don’t want to leave hungry,” he said. “I think that’s a decent way of thinking about your options here — take all the classes you want, spread yourself thin.” Gettleman said he spent the summer following his freshman year in East Africa. He explained that he was so captivated by the experience that he then took a full year off to further explore Africa, because Cornell did not yet offer study abroad programs there. Gettleman said he was drawn to Africa because of “the spirit of the people [and] the sense of emotion.” Following his time in Africa, Gettleman said he was awarded the Marshall Scholarship, which allowed him to study at the University of Oxford for two years following graduation. He described Oxford as a “second chance” at finding a career. “By the time I got to graduate school, I didn’t know what I wanted to do with my life, but I knew where I wanted to do it,” he said. Gettleman said he started his journalistic career at the The St. Petersburg Times before eventually writing for The New York Times in Africa. He described his time at his first job as “really good training.” “My instinct was to work for the biggest, baddest place I could, but if I had done that, I would have been fetching coffee,” he said. “Working at a smaller paper, I was given responsibility.” Gettleman won the Pulitzer Prize for International Reporting in 2012, and was labeled a “distinguished example of reporting on international affairs, using any available
journalistic tool.” While dispatched in 2004 to Iraq as a reporter for The Times, Gettleman said he experienced “the worst thing to ever happen to [him].” Traveling in a car with his photographer and translator, Gettleman said he was suddenly cut-off by a van while dozens of men “poppedup” carrying guns and grenades. “Within seconds, we were totally surrounded,” Gettleman said. “I was in a bulletproof car, but it wasn’t that bulletproof.” He said he was told to get out of the car by one gunman, while another released the safety on his gun and pointed it at him. “I thought, ‘This is it.’ I was so helpless,” Gettleman said. “There were no options … there was no place to run. The last thing I thought was, ‘I hope this doesn’t hurt.’” Gettleman said he and the photographer were captured, taken away in a van and questioned for the remainder of the day about the status of their citizenship. Knowing he would be killed if he said he was from America, Gettleman said he lied and told his kidnappers he was a journalist from Greece. By nightfall, he and his photographer were released. “[This incident] is something I’ve never forgotten, and it informs everything I do,” said Gettleman. “A lot of the work I do is inherently risky … As a journalist, I have to be objective, but I don’t have to be neutral. Even though I’ve seen all this crazy stuff in my job so far, I can’t be so neutral that I can’t care and that it doesn’t move me. If it doesn’t move me, then I can’t move anybody.” Olivia Lutwak can be reached at olutwak@cornellsun.com.
THE CORNELL DAILY SUN | Thursday, February 26, 2015 5
NEWS
Zoning Conflicts Prompt Parking Changes Alaska Becomes Third U.S. Planners say reforms will remove most‘stringent’parking laws nitely seen some changes, especially in students.” Decreased parking requirements in certain sections of Ithaca — those with a large public trans“confusion” about parking laws in Collegetown. portation presence, or an overlap between resiKerslick added that he supported the proposal for dential and commercial areas — is important to “encourage development,” Murtagh said. repeal for its environmental purposes. “There are no parking requirements in a number “The goal of the proposal is to support the preservation of green space in the East Hill of zones throughout the city in center commercial Historic District. I strongly support this goal,” areas,” Murtagh said. “We want to encourage develKerslick said. “The new Collegetown Area Form opment in those areas, especially high density develDistricts includes minimum green space require- opment areas. Parking requirements can get in the ments, and I would like to see such a provision way of that.” Wilson said additional implemented in other zones development after the repeal across the city.” “I think [the city] will of CPOZ is “unlikely.” Murtagh said preserving “The majority of the natural spaces is important continue to make changes remaining properties are part of because East Hill is an historic to ensure that people are the East Hill Historic District,” area. Wilson said. “If you reduce the amount using the parking available “Significant new construcof parking that’s required on is not anticipated, and tion site, that means there’s more to the highest degree.” any proposals for new develgreen space,” he said. opment will require review “Because it’s a historic disSeph Murtagh Ph.D. ’09 and approval by the Ithaca trict, I think preservationists Landmarks Preservation would make the argument that large parking lots are incompatible with Commission.” According to Murtagh, the City of Ithaca those goals.” Murtagh added that parking requirements recently hired a parking director, Frank Nagy, to must be compatible with public transportation examine citywide parking “in a systematic way.” “In recent years we’ve made a lot of positive patterns in different areas throughout Ithaca. In places without easy access to public transit, he changes,” Murtagh said, citing increased use of said more off-street parking would be appropriate, parking garages. “I think [the city] will continue while parking requirements should be “eliminat- to make changes to ensure that people are using the parking available to the highest degree possied” in “transit-rich” areas. “Traffic behavior has changed quite a bit, even in ble.” the last ten years,” Murtagh said. “What we’ve seen is that more people tend to be using public trans- Zoe Ferguson can be reached at portation, using cars in fewer numbers. We’ve defi- zferguson@cornellsun.com. PARKING
Continued from page 1
FourWesleyan Students Arrested MIDDLETOWN, Conn. (AP) — They were studying to be doctors and scientists, but police say four Wesleyan University students arrested this week also are known on campus as drug dealers. The four are charged in connection with the distribution of a bad batch of the party drug known as Molly. Authorities said 11 people, including 10 Wesleyan students, some of whom had attended a rave music show Saturday night, went to hospitals for medical attention last week-
end. Eric Lonergan, 22, of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and 20-year-old Rama Agha Al Nakib, a Syrian national, were released Wednesday after posting $50,000 bonds. Zachary Kramer, 21, of Bethesda, Maryland, was freed after posting a $5,000 bond. None of the three, who are all neuroscience majors, entered pleas. The fourth defendant, Andrew Olson, of Atascadero, California, posted bail Tuesday and is due in court March 3. All four have been suspended from Wesleyan.
Talking shop
NATHANIEL BROOKS / THE NEW YORK TIMES
Mayor Bill de Blasio (D-N.Y.) consults with Sherif Soliman, his director of state legislative affairs, in Albany, New York, on Wednesday.
State to Legalize Marijuana
JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) — Alaska on Tuesday became the third U.S. state to legalize the recreational use of marijuana for adults, but it was a subdued milestone. Unlike in Colorado and Washington state, there were no street parties and public smoking displays in Alaska’s biggest cities. But backers of legal pot said the mild reaction was fitting because they are aiming to promote responsible consumption of marijuana as they work with lawmakers during the next few months in preparing its sale. “We wish people would just celebrate in a little less public of a fashion,” said Bruce Schulte, an advocate for legalization. “We want to see this industry thrive in a responsible, regulated fashion, and part of that is responsible consumption.” Placing Alaska in the same category as Washington state
and Colorado with legal marijuana was the goal of the propot coalition that included libertarians, rugged individualists and small-government Republicans who prize the privacy rights enshrined in the Alaska state constitution. Legalization is expected in Washington, D.C., on Thursday. When the public voted last November to legalize marijuana use by adults in private places, voters left many of the details to lawmakers and regulators to sort out. That has left confusion on many matters. The initiative bans smoking in public, but it doesn’t define what that means, and lawmakers left the question to the alcohol regulatory board. There were missteps even as the board decided pot can’t be smoked in places generally accessible to the public, like parks, schools or on the street in Alaska.
OPINION
Paola Muñoz | Midas’ Crumbs
The Corne¬ Daily Sun
Which Lives Matter?
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Editorial
In Support of Centralizing C.U.Policies
IN AN ATTEMPT TO CLARIFY THE RIGHTS Cornellians have on campus, student leaders recommended during a presentation to the University Assembly Tuesday the creation of a resource that could include a campus bill of rights and centralized list of University codes. Policies at Cornell, they argued, are “located all over the place in a disjointed fashion,” citing overlapping codes and confusion as to which authorities hold jurisdiction over varying groups of individuals on campus. In order to foster additional transparency within the University, we at The Sun support the creation of a comprehensive and accessible resource that cultivates a greater understanding of these campus regulations. Currently, a wide range of governing bodies oversee many of the University’s policies, which oftentimes overlap and are ambiguous as to which authority holds jurisdiction. During Tuesday’s presentation, Judicial Codes Counselor Amanda Minikus grad highlighted an account where Cornell Police entered students’ dorm rooms with the assistance of residence hall advisors in 2013 without the students’ prior knowledge. When asking whether R.A.s were authorized to open doors without student consent, the judicial administrator and residence hall directors were unsure, according to Minikus. By creating a clear method of determining which bodies hold authority over groups of individuals on campus and making that information accessible to all, the University will help eliminate confusion that influences the effect these policies have on all Cornellians. Due to the number of authorities creating such policies — including the Board of Trustees, which oversees the Campus Code of Conduct, and the Faculty Senate, which oversees the Code of Academic Integrity — we are concerned over the manner in which the document could be created. To ensure transparency and accessibility, it is imperative that any group responsible for overseeing the formation of such a resource includes students, faculty and staff, rather than just administrators. By involving a wide range of voices, such a group could work to not only create this reference but also provide further input on Cornell’s policies, while a system ran solely by administrators could result in unnecessary bureaucracy. We urge the shared governance groups to incorporate this specification in any resolutions or recommendations made to the administration calling for the centralization of policies and rights across Cornell. We commend those individuals fighting for greater transparency and effective handling of Cornell’s many codes. We further urge the shared governance groups to collaborate with administrators to create an accessible system through which rights and policies are enumerated.
T
his past summer, I was honored against the simultaneously mental and to celebrate the holy month of physical violence perpetrated against Ramadan with my best friend’s them. I can’t even begin to delve into family. On the first day, before the the combinations, the intersectionalimeal, we all sat together on a single ties, of all marginalized populations. couch ready to indulge ourselves shame- Timelessly, we have been made fools by lessly in Bollywood films. While search- the very same culture designed by those ing for the proper channel, my best audacious enough to lay the foundafriend’s brother abruptly paused on Fox tions of a mighty nation upon the endNews. Children, more or less his age, less graves of the people whose land were draped over the arms of young they stole and killed for: “All men are men, running desperately across a clear created equal.” A structure, whose skeleton is quite literally comprised of beach. Instantly, the enclosed living room bones, is not meant to be sustained, space became overwhelmingly oversatu- upon an inherently weak foundation. I’ll admit, there are days when the rated with pain and disbelief. For a mother to witness four children robbed battle feels futile. Perhaps, a healthier of their lives, something else weighed people-to-officer dynamic might finally her down far more than the indignity of develop alongside a proposed purity’s blood shed, carrying faces simi- racial/ethnic diversification of police lar to that of her own children: primi- forces. However, current research tive fear. As idly as we stood by, waiting demonstrates that police departments for our meal to begin, so did the rest of within major cities have already grown the world. We watched, unflinchingly, to be more representative of its region’s the inception of a genocide, loosely overall population, with far more black defined as a “war crime.” As if a and immigrant police officers serving Palestinian child’s blood did not carry within their designated departments the same consistency as ours — as if the than ever before. The overall failure of perpetrators’ hands were not stained. police accountability remains yet to be Like water, their bodies evaporated mitigated. If the infamous Stanford from their families, this world and our Prison Experiment has taught us anything at all, by memories. My nature, humans hands, however, are quick to abanremain perpetually For us to survive, we must don complex unclean. autonomous idenUpon having matter. History has a terrible tities in order my best friend escort me outside stammer, and I can only hope assume the identical identity of a of her home at the that one day the repetitive more pluralistic, end of the meal, I noticed crimson babble stops. There’s a mess simple, organism: the group. blotches splattered everywhere, and not just on Cognitively, these across the back of police reject the her sweater. “Are my friend’s door ... we are premise that they you bleeding?” I poked at the spot, accountable for one another are black, white, latino, asian, held it up to my and we matter as much as woman or man; nose, only to find they become Blue. that it was just you do, too. ketchup. We both Sweeping us turned around, underneath the searching to see if bed doesn’t get rid she might have leaned on something in of the mess. We are multidimensional, the hallway, only to find her front door sentient beings. Our old pain is equally doused in ketchup. “Paola, don’t worry. as complex — a chronic suffering we This happens all the time.” All of the have dragged around, as if they were time. Whose lives matter anyway, when curses rightfully bestowed upon us. I a family is accustomed to having their cannot homogenize my experiences as a home vandalized, as they are accus- universal constant experienced by all tomed to praying. How truly unsettling marginalized people, but I can say that for a reality likes hers to be the norm — if there is one thing that we share in for my friend’s response to be a mere common, between me being a latina habit, accompanied with a shrug. I woman, daughter of immigrants living couldn’t stand to watch her mother go in a low income community and the rest through the motions of picking up her of the population: It is pain. That, and rag, wiping away the mess and just deal- a longing to matter. ing with it — again, and again and While our skins might not be winter again. in complexion, we are summer, and I can’t deal with it anymore. Upon although your hair might be as golden recent events in Palestine, Ferguson, as Midas’ fingers, ours is as dark as the New York City, crimes against LGBT ashes of our ancestors, eyes as obsydian folks, immigrants, Native Americans, as the abysmal truth: We do not matter women, individuals of color and wher- to you all. Forget the political — this is a primever else exploits individuals through standardizing injustice, Dr. King could- itive, human yearning. For us to surn’t have been more right when he said, vive, we must matter. History has a ter“An injustice anywhere is a threat to rible stammer, and I can only hope that justice everywhere.” Again, and again one day the repetitive babble stops. and again. Please tell me that we as a There’s a mess everywhere, and not just people have not become helplessly on my friend’s door. If you desire to desensitized to the images of children make amends towards a people chronisplattered like confetti across the streets cally hurt, but never broken, you must of Gaza, black men and women bat- acknowledge that our blood is as thick tered into either perpetual poverty, as yours, we are accountable for one institutionalized slavery or complete another and we matter as much as you and total annihilation by the same peo- do, too. ple who swore an oath to protect them, immigrants humiliated and consistently Paola Muñoz is a sophomore in the College of deprived of the right to a dream that Human Ecology. She can be reached at never sleeps, LGBT people fighting pmunoz@cornellsun.com. Midas’ Crumbs appears alternate Thursdays this semester.
THE CORNELL DAILY SUN | Thursday, February 26, 2015 7
OPINION
Eric Pesner | Dems Discuss
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The Positives of Celebrity Politics
arlier this month, 114 million Americans watched as the New England Patriots defeated the Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl XLIX. Over onethird of Americans tuned in to this game, the largest television audience in American history. This number completely dwarfs the pitiful 81 million Americans who bothered to vote in the midterm elections last November. It’s a sad state of affairs when more Americans care about the results of a football game or corporate advertising than who controls their own government. Americans are by and large disengaged from American politics at all levels. Only about one-third of Americans can name the member of Congress that represents them, less than the proportion who watched the Super Bowl. The only way to get more Americans engaged in politics is to make politics more interesting. If the Oscars can manage to average 40 million viewers, then there has to be a way to get more people to vote. The only time when people are extraordinarily engaged in politics is when there is an individual who captures the popular imagination and becomes a sort of celebrity figure. This was seen most recently with President Barack Obama when he first ran for President in 2007 and 2008. He attracted the attention of a large group of people normally disengaged from politics:
young people. His youth, vibrancy and mes- and decorated based on a Downton Abbey sage all resonated with the young people who theme. And, despite the public relations came of age in the worst parts of the George nightmare that ensued, people were fascinatW. Bush Administration. And it’s no wonder ed with the fact that a member of Congress that the 2008 election had the highest decided to decorate his office this way. turnout since the 1960s. And this is not the first time Schock has Popular fascination with politicians is garnered attention for non-political activity. nothing new. The best example of the He runs a popular Instagram account, which celebrity of politicians is the way that thousands of people follow to see pictures of America reacted to John F. Kennedy. The him not only engaging with his constituents, media and the American public treated the but surfing while on vacation, lounging by Kennedys like other popular icons, moving the pool and working out. And the media reaction has fashion and mostly been culture in ways that no If politicians were to try to become confused and critical of his other politimore culturally relevant instead ... social media cians could. there could be more interest in presence. Perhaps the Leaving best example what the politicians have to say. aside the of this is the issues with a way in which First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy influenced Congressperson spending taxpayer dollars to the hairstyles of women around the country. decorate their office like Downton Abbey, it It’s hard to imagine political figures having might not be the worst thing for a representhose effects today. There really hasn’t been tative to attract media attention like this. anything in political culture quite like this Most Americans are not engaged with the policy arguments which politicians make on “Camelot Era.” So when politicians make the news for a daily basis. But it might just be possible for things unrelated to politics and policy, it people to pay more attention to politics if catches your eye. For example, earlier this they are already paying attention to their repmonth, Rep. Aaron Schock (R-Ill.) made resentatives. Entertainment can lead to actuheadlines when a Washington Post lifestyle al policy engagement. We can see this, for reporter learned that his office was designed example, in the way in which entertainers
like Jon Stewart can present political issues in an entertaining way. While it seems counterintuitive for members of Congress to try to be celebrities, it might be the only way for the majority of Americans to start to pay serious attention to what politicians are doing. People really care about the lives of the rich and famous, and, while Americans don’t really want their political representatives to be that different from them, they don’t seem particularly interested in who represents them now. There is a good reason that celebrities are constantly mentioned as potential political candidates and some like Arnold Schwarzenegger make the jump. They are treated as serious candidates because they already have a significant following and people are simply interested in what they have to say, despite not having political experience or policy expertise. If politicians were to try to become more culturally relevant instead of simply boring political actors, I think that there could be more interest in what the politicians have to say on all topics. Celebrity politicians might be an out-of-the-box way to make people interested in politics and thus to be more engaged with the governing of the country. Eric Pesner is a senior in the College of Arts and Sciences. He may be reached at erp55@cornell.edu. Dems Discuss appears alternate Thursdays this semester.
THROWDOWN THURSDAYS Julius Kairey | Always Right
I
The Four Causes of Anti-Israelism
f Israel were an Arab country, it would receive near-universal praise as a paragon of justice. Its robust protections of freedom of speech, along with frequent and open elections, would make it the only Arab state in which people have a real say in the operation of their government. Israel would be celebrated as the only gay-friendly state in a region of rampant anti-gay persecution. Its strict prohibition of the traditional practice of honor killings — where women accused of disgracing the family name are murdered by their male relatives — would be lauded as proof of its progressive and egalitarian values. And its modern capitalist economy, driven by a dynamic high-tech sector, would be the model for other Arab nations seeking to lift their people from the depths of poverty. Of course, Israel isn’t an Arab nation, and it is treated according to this double-standard. It is the world’s only majority-Jewish state, and it is surrounded by Arab theocracies, dictatorships and monarchies, each of which have gone to war in a failed bid to end its existence. And yet, Israel’s remarkable history of repeated triumph in the face of seemingly insurmountable adversity receives little sympathy among some “left-wing” segments of communities across the nation. It is not immediately obvious why this is so. Israel’s history reads like a liberal success story. The Jewish people have refused to consent to their exile from the land of Israel, perpetrated by the Romans nearly 2,000 years ago. Rather than submit to oppression and injustice, Jews returned home over the centuries. In the 19th century, this movement for national liberation, called Zionism, sought to establish a modern state in the Jewish national homeland. This place would be a refuge from the forces of bigotry and hatred — a place where Jews from around the world could gather for collective security whenever their lives or livelihoods came under threat. To this day, thousands of Jews migrate to Israel annually — most recently from France — for safety from the resurgence of antiSemitism. But you will not hear any of this from Israel’s detractors. They subject Israel to a constant torrent of demonization, all while applying a moral standard on Israel that is applied to no other country on Earth. Zionism is equated with racism and Israel is called a terrorist state, even the moral equivalent of apartheid South Africa, a country that maintained a total and systematic separation between Whites and non-Whites. These accusations continue in total disregard of the fact that Israel is the only country in the Middle East where Jews and Arabs live
alongside one another in substantial numbers, vote in the same elections and serve together in the same national legislature. While Israel’s actions are put under a microscope — its every flaw magnified to the maximum possible extent — its enemies are given a free pass. Hamas’ brazenly indiscriminate rocket attacks on Israeli cities — which even the Palestinian Authority has called war crimes — are either encouraged as necessary for “resistance,” or dismissed as insignificant. Hamas’ genocidal charter, which calls not just for the destruction of Israel but for the murder of Jews worldwide, is attributed to a harmless overreaction to Israel’s non-existent “occupation” of the Gaza Strip, not to be taken seriously. Where else is the threat of genocide not to be taken seriously? So why can’t Israel get a fair hearing in certain segments of
While Israel’s actions are put under a microscope — its every flaw magnified to the maximum possible extent — its enemies are given a free pass. campus communities and elsewhere? It comes down to Israel’s character. Israel’s first crime is that it is a Western nation. In the minds of Israel’s critics, to be Western is to be suspect, especially when your country is juxtaposed with non-Western nations. Israeli actions are confused with colonialism by those who erroneously insist that, to this day, imperialism drives relations between Western and non-Western peoples. To attack Israel is to give non-Westerners a leg up in these supposedly colonial interactions. Israel’s second offense is that it is pro-American. It is little surprise that Israel’s fiercest opponents are also militant critics of the United States. They deride America’s invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq as modern-day imperialism and look forward to a day when America will be forced to relinquish its superpower status. Because Israel and America have such strong links, Israel is tarred as a mere instrument of America’s supposedly nefarious interests abroad. Bashing Israel is just their way of expressing contempt for the policies of the United
States, and as such serves as an outlet for virulent antiAmericanism. They treat the Jewish State as America in the Middle East. Israel’s third “flaw” is that it is economically and politically successful. To far-left academics, students and activists, success must necessarily come at the expense of others. They adhere to the discredited, primitive notion that development is a zerosum game. If someone becomes rich, someone else must have been made poor as a result. To them, accomplishment is synonymous with an oppressor status. Palestinians serve as the victim in Israel’s success story. As Israel became wealthier — thus supposedly freeing itself from the “oppression” of relative poverty — it increasingly became the villain, the persecutors of the unfortunate Palestinians. Ironically, this perspective degrades the Palestinians by treating them as mere victims rather than historical actors capable of exercising their own judgment and taking control of their own future. And finally, of course, Israel is Jewish. Casting aside all pretense that they could distinguish between anti-Zionism and anti-Semitism, a South African student union recently voted to expel its Jewish students for being Jewish, adding that this expulsion applied especially (but not exclusively) to “Jews who do not support the Palestinian cause.” This typical antiSemitic scapegoating demonstrates that opposition to Israel is often driven by the ancient anti-Semitic belief that Jews ought to be denied the right to self-determination and rendered permanently stateless. Attacking Israel is a convenient way for anti-Semites to target Jews while simultaneously reinforcing their supposedly “progressive,” anti-Zionist label. Whenever I discuss the ongoing vilification of Israel, I am usually met with the same questions: Where are the protests against Israel’s immediate neighbors? Why is there no talk of the repression of gays and women throughout the Middle East, or of modern-day slavery and gender apartheid in Saudi Arabia? And are these self-appointed moralists aware of China’s occupation of Tibet, Russia’s occupation of Ukraine, Turkey’s occupation of Cyprus or Morocco’s occupation of the Western Sahara? The answer? Those countries aren’t Israel. Julius Kairey is a senior in the College of Arts and Sciences. He may be reached at jkairey@cornellsun.com. Always Right appears alternate Thursdays this semester.
8 THE CORNELL DAILY SUN | Thursday, February 26, 2015
DINING GUIDE
The Corne¬ Daily Sun
Dining Guide
Your source for good food
The Coziest Comfort Foods Cold and tired? Pop into one of these dining spots to warm up this winter. couldn’t wait to see what sweet offerings Northstar had to offer. I settled on the chai bread pudding, which proved to be the perfect ending to my meal. The warm bread pudding was topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and a dollop of whipped cream. The cinnamon and spices speckled throughout the pudding, combined with the hot cold combination from the vanilla ice cream, comforted me with each bite. Saigon Kitchen
Although I’m known to crave the steaming, savory bowls of pho from Saigon Kitchen any time of year, this soup is the perfect dish to warm up with during the winter months. With over a dozen varieties to try, and a long menu of other house specialties, there are plenty of options that please every palate. The restaurant offers pho with a base broth of beef, chicken or vegetable. But each time I visit Saigon Kitchen, I without fail order my favorite: The wonton dumpling noodle soup. This chicken brothbased dish comes in a mammoth bowl filled to the brim with the steaming stock, lettuce, fried garlic, skinny egg noodles and succulent pork and shrimp dumplings floating on top. I adore spicy food, so I always make sure to add a healthy dose of the bottled bright red hot sauce found on each table. The combination of tastes is extraordinary and Saigon Kitchen will always be one of my favorite places to find comfort food in Ithaca. CTB
K.K. YU / SUN STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
By CATHERINE ELSAESSER Sun Staff Writer
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ach year, the Spring semester is guaranteed to bring two things: snow and sub-zero temperatures. Yet despite the frostbite and frigid walks home, I can always count on a warm, comforting meal at the end of the day to remind me that Ithaca’s winter will (eventually) end. Over the past snowy weeks, I ventured out to a few of my favorite restaurants in town to enjoy some of the best comfort foods Ithaca has to offer. Northstar House
My first stop on the search for comforting meals was Northstar House. Located on East Falls Street, the restaurant is a quick drive from West Campus. Despite the frosty conditions, my friend and I arrived at the eatery safely and were very pleased with our dinner experience. The relaxed, polished atmosphere and the locally sourced menu makes Northstar one of my favorite places to dine. And when it comes to a comforting meal, the Mac ’n Cheese is perfect. Northstar blends the emotional appeal of this childhood classic with the adult touches of gourmet ingredients. I ordered the “Mac du jour” of the evening, which had the additions of parsnips, carrots, mushrooms and bacon. The radiatore pasta was coated in a white cheese sauce and topped with a crispy, golden brown layer of panko bread crumbs. I happily enjoyed every last bite of that cheesy oval-shaped dish of goodness — even if it was large enough to share. Being a huge fan of desserts, I
It may seem cliché, but Collegetown Bagels was a comforting wakeup call on the snowy, sleepy mornings over February Break. The friendly staff and smell of brewing coffee always puts me in a better mood, and I love sitting down to any one of their bagel breakfast sandwiches. On my recent visit, I ordered the Big Sur on a sesame bagel. The sandwich consisted of steaming eggs, juicy slices of tomato, melty pieces of pepper jack cheese and meaty sausage — all stacked high between the pieces of toasted bagel. I always pair this breakfast delight with a skim vanilla latte, which perfectly blends roasted coffee with a sweet vanilla aroma. So wherever you decide to enjoy your CTB, I guarantee they’ll always comfort you after (or during) a busy week of classes. Catherine Elsaesser can be reached at cae96@cornell.edu.
Coffee Shop Close-Up !
The Shop
Gabriella
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Iced-Ginger Vanilla Latte
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RESTAURANT
HOME OF THE
Pinesburger 1213 Taughannock Blvd.
(Route 89 - 3 miles north of Cass Park) Ithaca, NY 14850
(607) 273-3709
www.glenwoodpines.com
Voted BEST BU RGER in Ithaca! – Ithaca Times Readers Choice
When the grinds are left in the espresso filter. I’m super anal and I know it.
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Anything on the Lake Street Dive Pandora.
RACHAEL CUSICK / SUN STAFF WRITER
The Cornell Sun’s once-a-month glimpse inside your neighborhood coffee shops.
A&E
Thursday, February 26, 2015 | The Corne¬ Daily Sun | 9
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT Drake
TE S T S P I N S new and notable O O music in review O O O O O O OO
If You're Reading This It's Too Late Cash Money
Christopher Stanton Months of turmoil in the Cash Money offices have resulted in Lil Wayne suing former father figure and labelhead Bryan “Birdman” Williams for $51 million and the contractual release of himself, Drake and Nicki Minaj. Amid this ongoing debacle comes the surprise release of Drake’s If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late, a 17-song “retail mixtape” that dropped overnight following a teaser in the form of the short film, “Jungle.” Speculation abounded as to whether the project counts toward Drake’s multi-album deal with Cash Money, a theory that the rapper’s press team has confirmed. It’s unclear then, if Drake released the project as part of a planned escape from the label (something its title seems to imply) or simply as new music to tide over fans until the release of his fourth studio album. Label complications aside, If You’re Reading This succeeds by focusing on the music, with Drake’s OVO crew working to create a cohesive, if slightly redundant, soundscape. The usual suspects of Noah “40” Shebib, Boi-1da and PARTYNEXTDOOR create an ambient, soulful R&B atmosphere for the rolling snares Drake seems to love rapping over. If the drums on “No Tellin’” sound familiar, it is because an almost identical loop runs throughout the track immediately preceding it, “Know Yourself.” Drake even uses the same Ginuwine sample on two different album cuts, reflecting an increasing specificity in the sound he has honed over his last few projects. That being said, the production on If You’re Reading This
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ditches the lush, overly commercial smoothness of 2013’s Nothing Was the Same in favor of sparse, moody instrumentals that drag and crawl behind Drake’s fierce energy. This “DGAF” attitude toward radio-friendly singles is one of the project’s greatest strengths. As an M.C., Drake reaches a new level of mournful aggression on the mixtape, alternating between lamenting the struggles of his own success and daring someone to take his spot at the top, knowing full well that nobody can. He has become the Michael Corleone of Godfather Part II, aware of his position at the helm but paranoid of everyone around him. “I don’t joke with this, Mama / I pull their knife out my back and then cut their throat with it, Mama,” he raps on “You & the 6,” a one-sided phone conversation with his mother that is subtly one of the best songs on the project. The themes of struggling with success and longing for pre-fame “realness” represent nothing new to rap, but the 28 year old wears them the best at the moment. Drake’s raps rarely fail to certify his boasts, as he continues to perfect the staccato flow and quotable lyricism that made “0 to 100/The Catch-Up” arguably the biggest SoundCloud single to date. In an era when Jay Z is too inconsistent for more than an occasional stellar guest verse and Kanye puts foreground music before actual raps, Drake’s dedication to delivering straight bars in spite of his superstar status is refreshing. Unfortunately, Drake still stumbles over cringeworthy punch-
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lines, albeit less frequently than in his Thank Me Later days. More frustratingly, he continually experiments with stunted flows and melodious raps, arbitrarily holding notes and attempting to pass it off as musical just by virtue of it coming out of his own mouth. This tendency is at its most egregious on opener “Legend,” where Drake half raps, half sings the chorus with different notes each time, creating a jarring start and stop effect that comes off as more annoying than innovative. Most of the project’s other weaknesses are condensed into its middle third, where Drake foregrounds his OVO signee PARTYNEXTDOOR in some truly awful songs, “Preach” and “Wednesday Night Interlude,” with the former of failing spectacularly in its attempt at the auto-tuned wailing sound dominating Atlanta at the moment. And although “Used To” was one of the best cuts off Lil Wayne’s recent Sorry 4 the Wait 2, it appears to be on Drake’s mixtape for sheer marketing purposes. Missteps aside, If You’re Reading This adds a new layer of validity to Drake’s boasts and sets expectations high for his next proper album, Views From the 6, due out later this year. Christopher Stanton is a sophomore in the College of Arts and Sciences. He can be reached at cstanton@cornellsun.com.
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
A&E
10 | The Corne¬ Daily Sun | Thursday, February 26, 2015
Ghostface Killah / BADBADNOTGOOD Sour Soul Lex
Stephen Meisel How could it be possible to make a jazz hip-hop album in this day and age without an acknowledgement to the samplebased specters looming over the genre’s existence? How could it be possible to pull out all the stops — the lush strings of a sixties orchestra, the off-kilter grooves, the organs and electric pianos — without staring the ghost of J Dilla in the face? Furthermore, how can you make a journey into this territory without straddling the crater of the dormant volcano we know as Madvillain, perhaps with a hope in your heart to transcend the rules that were set long before you came onto the scene? The easiest answer would be that you can’t. And ironically, no new work of hip-hop displays this fact more than Wu-Tang Clan member Ghostface Killah and Canadian partners-incrime BADBADNOTGOOD’s Sour Soul. Sour Soul is an album whose instrumentation and drive are predicated upon the fact that its backing tracks were recorded by real musicians in a live setting. This is well-worn territory for Ghostface. He has already released two past albums based on the same idea. And amid the postmodern art of sampling that has always dominated the jazz hip-hop aesthetic that received a Joycean level invigoration by one James Dewitt Yancey, this would seem a refreshing concept. After all, The Roots have always been exciting. It would be great to have another take on the jazz in jazz hip-hop that would shift the
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game a little, while still remaining in touch with the genre’s foundations. Ghostface almost got there in the past. The third time should be a charm. However, what the listener gets is a bit less curious. Instead of our fantasies of hip-hop novelty being fulfilled as we might have liked — with BADBADNOTGOOD giving us some erudite jazz over Ghostface’s distinctly riled-up rap tone; the hip-hop geek’s ying to underground rap’s yang — we get a jazz band that mimics the texture, atmosphere and groove (the “stops” I mentioned before) of sample-based hip-hop while simultaneously competing for attention over Ghostface’s deliberate rhythms. This isn’t always a bad thing. There are certainly tracks on Sour Soul that do their job extremely well. “Tone’s Rap” and “Ray Gun” are particular examples of how the interaction between BBNG’s loop-style thinking and Ghostface’s raps can contribute to the unique energy that permeates this album at some of its finer moments. “Ray Gun” has the band performing a Madlib-esque beat, refocusing the groove to what would normally be a transitional moment in most jazz tracks. At the same time, Ghostface teams up with MF DOOM to give a comfortably excellent pair of verses. It is no coincidence that this is the liveliest track on the album. Here, the two acts and their guest are all on the same
page. BBNG is not going to block out Ghostface’s moments with too many layers or too much activity. They’re going to stick to their guns. Ghostface and DOOM are going to work tightly with the material the band provides. Cue the thunderous afterword which allows BADBADNOTGOOD to show off their non-looped jazz skills. Everything is kosher. “Tone’s Rap” provides us with a different take on this dynamic. Although it doesn’t give us the groovy joy of “Ray Gun,” it shows us the ability of BADBADNOTGOOD to bring Ghostface Killah’s emotional side to the forefront. The old master sounds pained on this track. His voice cracks and fades with subtle control. And BBNG tones it down for this one. The Booker T. and the M.G.’s guitar is forsaken for a lethargic tremolo, only accentuating the melancholy found in Ghostface’s performance. Once again, the piece ends with the Canadian backing band showing the listener their own take on the track’s motifs, expounding upon them to make a great piece of instrumental soul. Unfortunately, most of the album misses the mark hit by these two tracks. And one gets the feeling that if actual samples had been used for songs like “Six Degrees” (featuring an absurd flirtation with Cypress Hill territory by the band and Danny Brown) and “Food,” Ghostface’s raps would have been better foregrounded. The energy would have felt stronger. Ghostface and the music behind him wouldn’t have felt so out of touch with each other. It is with sincere regret that I say the main premise of Sour Soul never realizes its full potential. We pick up the album looking for an original idea. We want Ghostface’s verses, which are adequately clever and smooth, if a bit mellowed out and sterilized at certain moments, and BADBADNOTGOOD’s freshness. We get both. But there is often no halfway point. The two acts do very little to meet each other in the middle. And so we are stuck with a few great tracks and lamentations at what could have been. Oh, what could have been. Stephen Meisel is a freshman in the College of Arts and Sciences. He can be reached at spm243@cornell.edu.
Digital Feminists: The Commodified Mystique
find the Internet an unsettling place to be a feminist. Take a scroll through my various newsfeeds, and it would appear to you that my generation is the most feministengaged in history. Feminism is everywhere: on the lips of our celebrities and politicians, in the State of the Union, in Disney movies, on television, in lingerie and beauty product advertisements, on t-shirts and laptop stickers, written in stage lights behind Beyoncé. But mostly, it’s on the Internet: in blog posts, video clips, film and music reviews, photo campaigns and article after think piece after hashtag after listicle after retweet. There are a couple of easily digestible and commonly told narratives of this influx of Internet feminism; it has been called celebrated as a revolutionary “fourth-wave” and condemned as a toxic manifestation of chronic generational, slacktivist apathy. However, it isn’t obvious to me how someone who considers themselves a feminist is to feel about the whole ordeal of digital feminism. As a disclaimer, I am not among those misanthropic cynics who believe the Internet to be the millenial’s original sin: a backwards place of useless deviant indulgence and voyeurism. No, quite the opposite — I am an enduring social media optimist and advocate. I think it’s important. I think social media has the capacity to be an invaluably effective resource of social justice and democracy; to connect local, everyday injustices to global dialogues, to create a space like no other in the universe for open discussion, to offer a voice to the disenfranchised in the conversations that affect them, to allow all people to be critics and whistleblowers and to end the whitewashed, ivy-tower gatekeeping of mainstream media. I am not naive, but I am hopeful. And there is some pretty fantastic stuff to be found in the terabytes of Internet feminism that exist: bell hooks quotes plastered on cover photos, thousands of shares on Chimamanda Adichie TED Talks and Anita Sarkeesian’s video game critiques, YouTube videos of feminist slam poetry performances
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
create an opportunity for the manipulation and reappropriation of feminist expression for existing systems of power. Companies and advertisers have certainly recognized feminism’s commodity potential. At last year’s Fashion Week in Paris, Chanel staged a “protest” in which (overwhelmingly white, cis, traditionally beautiful) models carried megaphones and signs bearing vague, depoliticized slogans like “Free Freedom,” “Be Different” and “Women’s rights are more than alright!” inviting consumers to buy jeans and handbags … in the name of gender equality? While the clothing line had no actual feminist theme, there’s also a special kind of hypocrisy in the appropriation of this language and ideology in the fashion industry, a sector powerfully complicit in the production and perpetuation of normative beauty standards and militantly binary performances of gender and sexuality. Then consider the significant feminist apparel industry: t-shirts with cute cartoons and phrases like “pizza rolls not gender roles,” “feminist as fuck,” “cats against catcalls,” “mermaids against misogyny” and “feminism is the new black.” I am not preaching from some high-brow feminist soapbox, and I don’t believe feminism should be a rare and precious thing or a strictly subdued academic enterprise. But something of the notion of a corporation run by an old white dude who decided to be progressive, Objectivity profiting off of ideas built by Bites marginalized communities, turning powerful politics into nism isn’t in danger of becoming something cute catchphrases, making feminism available of a commodity — a chic brand to accessorize for retail — even if all intentions are good — your Facebook page, frame your profile pic- makes me cringe. Feminism needs to mean something; I’d ture or snarkily tweet about — that can go actually contend that it needs to mean everyjust as rapidly out of style. I fear that demands for lofty, undefined thing. Our generation is gambling with a notions of “empowerment” and “equality” 100-year-old movement, and the stakes are and the endless reiteration of such language high. There’s no question that feminism is may trivialize feminist feminist rhetoric and trendy and trending right now, and more
and articles with titles like “Why Feminists Should Join the Fight for Justice in Ferguson,” “Deconstructing the AllAmerican Fantasy of Saving Sex-workers From Themselves” and “Why Humanism Is Not an Alternative to Feminism.” These are all of that rare breed of Internet content which entertains, without sacrificing substance. However, some of the Internet feminism that I come across makes me just a little bit nervous. Some of the sensation, the click-bait, the articles titled things like “Joseph GordonLevitt made a video about feminism and it’s awesome” and “6 Ways This Was The Most Feminist Super Bowl Ever,” the Rosie the Riveter halloween costumes, the “this is what a feminist looks like” profile pictures, the long-winded posts one’s realization that they’re a feminist and preaching diatribes about misogyny, feel to me just a little bit selfcongratulatory. They reflect a feminism so distilled, so regurgitated that it no longer really makes sense and allows people to adopt a feminist label without ever engaging with the complexities and consequences of feminist ideology and thought. This breed of Internet feminism makes me wonder if perhaps, femi-
Jael Goldfine
than being okay, I think its invaluable. The momentum that feminist ideas and interests have gained via social media, radiating through the pop culture and the Internet at large is extraordinary. A few years ago, feminism had become an isolated academic subculture and there was next to no public discussion of feminist practices and ideology. Internet and social media feminism has forced feminist interests, like rape culture, domestic abuse, the wage gap, Hollywood heteronormativity, prejudiced hiring practices and other forms of institutionalized discrimination into public consciousness and conversation. However, if this has occurred at the cost of the reduction of feminist messages to a viral Internet and and media trend, what have we really gained? What kind of change will we ultimately affect? I realize that it seems I may have wandered into the precarious territory of telling people how to be feminists, and delineating who and what gets to be feminist. This my not my intention, but empowerment and activism are not above scrutiny, and we should be skeptical of what seems counterintuitive to us. For me, this is what bell hooks calls “faux feminism … that does little to re-imagine the world or to build collective movements but instead works to recreate the same old white heteropatriarchy.” Feminist thought and practice is meant to offer plural alternatives, not dogmatic echo chambers. As I witness and participate in in online feminism, I feel my optimism collide with my belief in Audre Lorde’s maxim, “The master’s tools will never dismantle the master’s house.” However, it is my hope and belief in the positive potential energy of the Internet, that, if the problematic out-posts the productive, the self-responsive nature of the Internet can serve as safeguard for itself. The Internet made us all critics: Stay critical. Jael Goldfine is a sophomore in the College of Arts and Sciences. She can be reached at jgoldfine@cornellsun.com. Objectivity Bites appears alternate Thursdays this semester.
THE CORNELL DAILY SUN | Thursday, February 26, 2015 11
Re cyc l e Yo u r Pa p e r To o !
12 THE CORNELL DAILY SUN | Thursday, February 26, 2015
Los Angeles Times Daily Crossword Puzzle Edited by Rich Norris and Joyce Nichols Lewis
ACROSS 1 Explosive sound 5 Outer __ 10 Not even ajar 14 “Born to Die” singer/songwriter Del Rey 15 Stadium divisions 16 Son of Leah 17 “You’re living in the past,” nowadays 20 Flower celebrated in an annual Ottawa festival 21 Move the boat, in a way 22 Painting option 23 Like a typical farmer’s market 25 “Gotcha!” 26 “You can’t go there,” nowadays 32 Peace Nobelist Sakharov 35 Elijah Blue’s mom 36 __ de coeur: impassioned plea 37 “Gone With the Wind” setting 38 “Whew!” 39 Sit a spell 40 The Pac-12’s Beavers 41 Ego 43 Citrine or amethyst 45 “Nobody can go there,” nowadays 48 A Bobbsey twin 49 Stops 53 Early New Zealand settler 56 “Something __, something ...” 58 Bug 59 “Never heard of you,” nowadays 62 Cinch 63 Sci-fi staple 64 Golf shot 65 Breton, e.g. 66 Band tour stop, perhaps 67 Building additions
4 Sauce of southern Italy 5 Norm: Abbr. 6 Capital ENE of Custer 7 Prefix with 5Across 8 Intercollegiate sport 9 Lawyer’s letters 10 Moccasin, for one 11 Man around the Haus 12 Layer in the eye 13 Considerable 18 Posthaste 19 Escort 24 “Here,” on Metro maps 25 “__ to Billie Joe” 27 Act the cynic 28 Coming up short 29 Bakery specialist 30 Before, to a bard 31 Scatterbrain 32 On the highest point of 33 Apollo’s creator 34 Pharmacopeia listing 38 Abbreviation on a lunch menu 39 Splendor
41 Gastropod for a gourmet 42 Geochronological span 43 “¿__ pasa?” 44 Three-time Indy winner Bobby 46 Transported 47 Favored to win 50 “60 Minutes” regular 51 Sri Lankan language
52 What a pedometer counts 53 Catchall file abbr. 54 Archer of “Fatal Attraction” 55 Common face shape 56 Redolence 57 Jiffy __ 60 “Science Friday” radio host Flatow 61 Greek “H”
Sun Sudoku
COMICS AND PUZZLES
Puzzle #
Chandelier Falls From Heaven
CLASSIFIED AD RATES Ads are accepted at The Sun’s office at 139 W. State Street downtown, by phone or e-mail. Deadline: 2:30 p.m. at The Sun’s office on the day preceding publication. Monday’s deadline: Friday, 2:30 p.m. at The Sun’s office.
Standard Rate: $3.40 per day for first 15 words, 32 cents per day per word thereafter. Five or more consecutive insertions, $3.15 per day for first 15 words, 30 cents per day per word thereafter. Commercial Rate: $5.20 per day for first 15 words, 33 cents per day per word thereafter. Five or more consecutive insertions, $5.00 per day for first 15 words, 31 cents per day per word thereafter.
ANSWER TO PREVIOUS PUZZLE:
The Sun is responsible for only one day makegood on ads.
273-3606 classifieds@cornelldailysun.com
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DOWN 1 Olive Oyl pursuer 2 Eagerly consume 3 One with By Robert Fisher degrees? ©2015 Tribune Content Agency, LLC
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14 THE CORNELL DAILY SUN | Thursday, February 26, 2015
SPORTS
NFLCombine Produced Sterile Football Novakovic Returns to
Showings from Winston, Jones show why combine is a useless event ZAKOUR
Continued from page 16
boxing interest. The fight is projected to generate $40 million in ticket sales alone with ringside tickets reportedly carrying a prerequisite of a $250,000 line of credit with the MGM Grand Hotel and Casino. But February madness has a major culprit. The biggest madness is February is the NFL Scouting Combine. No, not in NFL “These guys have Network and played football for all of ESPN’s relentless coverage of the their lives. It’s madness even — although that’s crazy as to think the NFL well — but how much weight it is Combine will tell anygiven. The comthing about these bine has gone from the busy prospects as work of front office personnel “football players.” and scouts to a consumer event. And, because of that, we, as fans, give it far too much weight. Let’s explore, using the classic 40-yard dash. Star prospect and former Florida State quarterback Jameis Winston ran the event in 4.97 seconds. Reigning Heisman trophy winner and former Oregon Ducks gunslinger Marcus Mariota ran it in 4.52 seconds. A 40yard dash could happen in a football game, really. If there’s a seam and a blown coverage, Mariota could be off to the races trying to outrun every defender and reach the end zone. But a 40-yard dash sure doesn’t look like the event the players run at the combine. Picture a long run for a moment. Really think about it. Visualize the play and the cadence of the game. First the line of scrimmage. The quarterback is barking out orders behind his center, pointing out defensive
Cornell in Home Debut
schemes and communicating with his squad. Hike! From a stop, everything comes to motion and a violence ensues. Now picture the combine’s sterile 40-yard dash. The runner contorts into his stance and takes off on his own accord. He then runs, without a helmet, pads, teammates or defenders, in a perfectly straight line. Out of bounds. Does it look like or feel like or behave anything like a football game? No, of course not. The combine is the NFL’s version of the SAT. You need to do well enough to get in, but, ultimately, neither actually predicts how well you’ll do in the NFL or as a college student. They, however, are both easy to compare, contrast, and obsess over. They’re both sterile and watered down versions of the task at hand. In both cases, the tasks you have to do aren’t the same stuff you need to be able to do to succeed. A cornerback out of U.Conn., Bryon Jones, shattered the combine broad jump record and even managed to set the world record in the process. It’s no doubt an impressive athletic achievement. But it’s not football. Watch the video. Jumping as far as you can from a standing position is nothing like a football action. Sure Jones is an explosive athlete and helped his stock with his super-human ups, but it doesn’t tell us anything about Jones, the prospective NFL cornerback. It’s the same way Winston’s 40-yard dash time didn’t tell us anything about his ability to play quarterback or even move around on a football field. Just remember, don’t get caught up in stopwatch times or vertical leaps. The NFL is not a track meet. Just ask the Oakland Raiders how that draft strategy has worked out for them. These guys have played football all of their lives. It’s madness to think the NFL Combine will tell anything about these prospects as “football players.” Stay sane out there. Keep the madness in check until March.
fences. “We’ve been doing lots of flat work and work without stirrups at practice, which I think paid off in my flat class Sunday afternoon,” Hannon said. “Coach has been great with helping me get back into shape after being off nearly all of last semester.” Breen said she felt that it was difficult to determine what the judge was looking for in each class, but was pleased with her performance. “I couldn’t seem to put a handle on who would win each class but I am relieved to have pointed out of my division with a good win,” Breen said. “Calumet, [the horse] I was riding, felt tired but still had enough gas in the engine to get me safely around the course.I have been practicing a lot on my form and coach has been persistently picking in small things to improve on.” The Red will complete its season with a final show at Alfred University this Saturday, before heading into the postseason with regionals, which will also be held at Alfred in March. Although Cornell has a comfortable lead in the region, the team is hoping to end the season on a strong note. “Despite the lead that we have within our region, its still really important that we stay focused and not lose our enthusiasm,” Hannon said. “Alfred has great horses and we've historically been able to do really well there. Hopefully we’ll be able to uphold this win[ning] streak going into and throughout the upcoming post-season competitions.” With the team’s spirit’s up from this weekend’s win, the Red is determined to go out with a bang. “We really want to keep the moral high,” Breen said, “and look forward to finishing strong this weekend.”
John Zakour can be reached at jzakour@cornellsun.com.
Ariel Cooper can be reached at acooper@cornellsun.com.
EQUESTRIAN
Continued from page 16
SPORTS
THE CORNELL DAILY SUN | Thursday, February 26, 2015 15
GILLAM, STEWART START NEW CHAPTER IN CORNELL GOALIE LEGACY Young netminders shine in debuts By JOON LEE Sun Staff Writer
“The best that I could describe is that we’re like brothers.” Golden goalie | In his sophomore season, Mitch Gillam is putting together one of the best seasons ever for a Cornell goalie.
Shutdown in net | Goalie Hayden Stewart became the first
Hayden Stewart
The instruction for the two goaltenders ferences in Canada, Gillam came to Cornell was to do something fun for the camera. to watch his brother Josh, a forward for the Something that would make them laugh for Dartmouth Green at the time, play a playoff the picture. The photo shoot was after a game at Lynah against the Red in the 2008 skills session in Lynah Rink and the team ECAC Tournament. In net for the Red was Scrivens. had already skated off the ice and cracked its “As soon as I saw the crowd and the jokes about its goalies taking part in a photo shoot. As the Zamboni hummed by, laying atmosphere, I was like, that’s it, I’m coming down a new layer of ice on the other side of here. I wanted to play in college,” Gillam the rink, both goaltenders stood near the said. “It was unbelievable.” While Gillam noticed Scrivens’ play, it net, sweating as they carried the weight of was something else about the game experitheir carnelian and white equipment. At that point, they had already taken a ence and the Lynah atmosphere that sealed couple of photos each, but the two of them the deal for him to pursue a collegiate career. “I remember there was a little kid, a little needed to take a photo together that encapsulated their relationship. They stood Spiderman kid,” Gillam said. They [crowd around for a brief moment in time, but, sud- was] just screaming ‘Spiderman!’ and doing the chant and they were playing the song denly, an idea struck. “Let’s do Step Brothers,” said sophomore and [the crowd] was outrageous. It was one goaltender Mitch Gillam as he began to slide of my best experiences watching a hockey game.” towards the crease. When Gillam was old enough to make a On cue, Gillam and freshman goaltender decision about where Hayden Stewart he wanted to attend sprung into position. “They’re polar opposites, school, Cornell assisSuddenly, the two tant coach Topher goaltenders wiped but they play to their Scott ‘08 reached out away their smiles and strengths really well. and eventually offered immediately sprung into character with They’re really close. Closer the young netminder a spot on the team. Gillam and Stewart than you might expect for After remembering playing the roles of the Lynah atmosJohn C. Reilly’s Dale guys competing [for] phere, learning about Doback and Will their position.” the Cornell goalie Ferrell’s Brennan Huff legacy and hearing the respectively, the infaLyle Gregory “Spiderman” chants, mous cinema stepthe decision for brothers who built bunk beds in order to have “extra space to do Gillam was simple. He was taking his talents to Lynah. activities.” For Stewart, the recruitment process Gillam and Stewart, who are roommates on the road, are the two goalies for the Red, unfolded quite differently. The freshman two of many in the storied history of Cornell goalie remembers watching the Los Angeles goaltenders, a legacy that includes the like of Kings on television during the 2013-14 seaKen Dryden ‘69, David LeNeveu ‘05 and son, when he noticed the play of Scrivens in Ben Scrivens ‘10, the starting goaltender of net. During the broadcast, the announcers the National Hockey League’s Edmonton mentioned that Scrivens played college Oilers. Coming into the season, the two hockey at Cornell. The mention of the school sparked intergoaltenders were placed in a position to earn est in Stewart, who had not yet committed the starting goaltender’s job for the Red. While Gillam has since played the major- to play hockey at a school. It wasn’t Scrivens, ity of the minutes in between the pipes, however, that pushed Stewart to research Stewart said that the competition between Schafer’s program. Instead, it was the image the two netminders has not had a negative of Gillam scoring a goal during his collegiate debut, the only goal for a Cornell netminder effect on their relationship. “The best I could describe,” Stewart said, in program history, on television that finally lead Stewart to look into the University. “is that we’re like brothers.” When he eventually got the call from The Recruitment Cornell, Stewart knew Ithaca was where he While Andy Iles ‘14 had his moments of wanted to be. Without even visiting, Stewart greatness during his time at Cornell, committed to the Red. Scrivens represents the last Cornell netmin“I knew from talking to the coaches and der to make a significant impact in the hearing about the culture here that I didn’t NHL. After his time on the slope, Scrivens, need to visit,” Stewart said. “I knew that this an undrafted free agent, signed with the would be the place for me.” Toronto Maple Leafs. Scrivens, an NHL member who didn’t The Technique see a draft, is the perfect role model for In many ways, Gillam and Stewart comGillam and Stewart. Almost prophetically, plement one another. One goalie’s strength is Scrivens’ success at Cornell played a major the other’s weakness. role — albeit in very different fashions — in “They’re polar opposites, but they play to both Gillam and Stewart ending up under their strengths really well,” Gregory said. head coach Mike Schafer ‘86’s tutelage. “They’re really close. Closer than you might As he was trying to figure out whether to expect for guys competing [for] their posiplay in college or in the Ontario Hockey tion.” League, one of the major junior hockey conGillam is on the shorter side for a goal-
Cornell freshman to record a shutout since Ben Scrivens 2006.
tender, standing at six-feet tall. One of eight athletes in the School of Architecture, Gillam plays a style of hockey where rebound control is key. Volunteer assistant coach Lyle Gregory describes Gillam’s game as “heady.” “When [Gillam]’s really dialed in, he’s almost impossible to beat,” Gregory said. “To see him go from already a high level when he came into the year and just bring himself into another tier, it’s really impressive.” Stewart, on the other hand, stands tall with broad shoulders and a full frame. The 6-foot-3 netminder likes to use his size to block the puck. According to Gregory, Stewart’s size allows him to “get his body in front of pucks really well,” which enables him to save pucks through screens. Gregory said that Stewart shows up at 7:30 a.m. at the rink every day, goes on the ice by himself and “works harder than anybody [else]” before returning for practice later that day, untired. “The kid has work ethic like I’ve never seen before,” Gregory said. “He’s raw and the way he works on the intricacies of his game is really quite impressive. He’s able to find the things that he [needs] to work on and focus on them and address those issues with a very hard work ethic.” Instead of using their weaknesses against each other, Gillam and Stewart try to help each other improve. Gillam, who is particular-
ly skilled for a goaltender at puck handling, helps Stewart with the stick. On the flip side, Stewart helps Gillam with getting his body in front of the puck and using his size. During practice, the inner competitor often comes out in both goalies, which only helps further development on the ice. “Sometimes, I’ll see Mitch make a save and I’m like, ‘That’s a great save by Gilly. Now, I’ve got to back him up and make a save,’” Stewart said. “We both know that the other one is going to work as hard as [he] can in practice.” The Outlook
Following the graduation of Iles, Schafer faced the problem of finding a starting goaltender before the season. With two underclassmen leading the way, the issue of finding a consistent presence to protect the Cornell net loomed over the team at the beginning of the season. What once seemed like a problem for Schafer has now become the reason the Red has a chance to win on a nightly basis. With two games left in the season, Gillam ranks at the top of the nation statistically among collegiate goaltenders with a .941 save percentage and a 1.59 goals against average in 23 games. To put those numbers in context, Scrivens’ highest marks while on the hill was a .934 save percentage in his senior year and a 1.81 goals against average during his junior season. For the rest of this story, please visit cornellsun.com.
Joon Lee can be reached at joonlee @cornellsun.com.
JOON LEE / SUN STAFF WRITER
The Corne¬ Daily Sun
EQUESTRIAN SHAILEE SHAH / SUN FILE PHOTO
Galloping to a victory | Senior
Sports
THURSDAY FEBRUARY 26, 2015
16
Equestrian Rides Home With First Place Finish
Madeleine Breen took home top honors in the intermediate fences event, qualifying her to compete in regionals in March.
By ARIEL COOPER Sun Senior Writer
The Cornell equestrian team romped back into the Oxley Equestrian Center on Sunday with a first-place finish at the team’s first home show with new head coach Joanna Novakovic ’03. Tied for first with Ithaca College at 33 points, Cornell solidified its 44-point lead in the regional standings, which means that the Red will likely send a team to compete in Zone finals in April. “Not only did the show go well from an events standpoint, we also were able to tie for the win, which made us virtually untouchable in the regional standings,” Novakovic said in an email to The Sun. Sunday’s show was a first, not only for Novakovic, but also for many of the horses that the team added to its roster this year. The crowds and commotion at the show, coupled with the fact that many of the riders at an Intercollegiate Horse Show Association show are randomly paired with horses that they have
often never ridden, can be a challenge, but said. “She kept her cool throughout the the Red’s new horses seemed to handle day, even with some crazy horses and scary rounds. Coach is cool, calm, and everything in stride. “We had several new horses, some new collect[ed] at all times which fed through to our team and others that are privately to the team as a whole.” Novakovic said she was very pleased owned [and] all of them definitely brought their A-game,” said senior Mary with how the show went. “I was very proud of Beth Hannon. the way the whole team “[Intercollegiate Horse “We’re blessed to have worked together to Show Association] an incredible string of make our home show a shows aren’t always easy for the horses involved horses that put up with big success,” Novakovic said. “The riders were because of the somethis craziness” focused, the horses what chaotic atmosbehaved beautifully and phere and the fact that Mary Beth Hannon were well prepared by they have to truck the team, and everyone around a new and unfamiliar rider in each class. We’re blessed to pitched in to keep the show running have an incredible string of horses that put smoothly.” Hannon and Breen both had strong rides up with this craziness and also work hard during Sunday’s show with Hannon winfor us every day.” As a four-time United States ning her novice flat class and Breen taking Equestrian Federation national champion, first place in intermediate fences. Their wins Novakovic is no stranger to the competi- earned them spots at regionals in March as tion world and was unfazed during her well as the right to compete in higher divifirst home show with the Red, according sions in the future. Hannon can now compete in intermediate flat and Breen in open to senior Madeleine Breen. “I think that this show was very very See EQUESTRIAN page 14 successful as a first show for coach,” Breen
Red Looks to Walk Over Danes to Victory Madness in WOMEN’S LACROSSE
February?
Graap hopes to see team build on season opening win against Temple By JOEL COOPER Sun Staff Writer
The Cornell women’s lacrosse team looks to build on its fine start to the season this weekend when they match up against University of Albany (1-0). The Red (1-0) is coming off of a strong season opener against Temple University, which they won, 17-8, to record the 300th win in program history. Ithaca’s cold weather made for a difficult preseason for Cornell. However, according to head coach Jenny Graap, the Red made the most of the time which led to good improvements for the team all around. “Fortunately our athletes are resilient and motivated,” Graap said. “Credit goes to our captains for orchestrating January practices and our strength coach Erika Travis for training our team in preparation for our spring season.” One of the main focuses for the team remains the integration of the new freshman class. According to freshman midfielder Taylor Reed, the transition was made incredibly easy due to the hard work of the upperclassmen. “When the first practice rolled around we already felt completely part of the team,” Reed said. “It is great going to practice each day and working hard to get ready for that first game.” The results of these efforts manifested themselves in the team’s first game against Temple, when the Red dominated offensively, scoring 11 goals in the opening half. “We did a great job of coming up with draw controls, pushing fast break opportunities and executing our feeds and shots,” said senior midfielder Sarah Hefner. “Defensively, we pressured them into making bad passes and our goalies came up with some great saves that
turned into a quick clear down the field.” The game was called early in the second half with a little over seven minutes remaining on the clock due to amount of snow covering the field. Despite the early ending, the Red featured many excellent individual performances, with the team being led by senior co-captain attacker Lindsay Toppe, the reigning Ivy League Attacker of the Year, who scored five goals and managed one assist. While Cornell faces a much tougher test this weekend at the University of Albany, Graap has confidence in the team’s ability to neutralize the Great Dane’s attacking threats. “The Albany team is disciplined, well-coached and athletic,” Graap said. “Their overall team speed is excellent and they have a good number of weapons in their attacking end. The Big
Red will need to play a solid game at both ends of the field and win the hustle stats, ground balls and draw controls, to earn a victory on Saturday.” Albany has also had a strong start to the season, winning, 21-5, against Quinnipiac. According to Hefner, if the Red can slow down the Great Danes down, Cornell can bring home the win. “Last year when we played them, we struggled defensively to protect our goalies from easy shots, but we're looking to prevent their fast break opportunities this year,” Hefner said. “Coming up with the draw will be critical in dominating possession time so our attack can have ample chances to execute the game plan.” Joel Cooper can be reached at jcooper@cornellsun.com.
A
ty.
lthough March is usually the month set aside for sanctioned madness, February has had its share of insani-
The NBA trade deadline feature roughly a tenth of the league changing jerseys. A blockbuster trade sent the brothers Dragic eastward to the Miami Heat while a more sentimental (and probably inconsequential) deal brought Kevin Garnett back to
John Zakour Point Blank the Minnesota Timberwolves. Oh, and the Philadelphia 76ers continued to strip down their assets and horde draft picks. You thinking they’d actually want to start building something at sometime, but I digress. It remains to be seen actually if the deadline frenzy will change much of anything in the standings. Either way, it’ll be fun to watch. In the world of boxing…wait, boxing? Yes, boxing! The sport’s two biggest stars, Manny Pacquiao and the undefeated Floyd Mayweather finally put aside their differences and agreed to fight. This was a long time coming, probably too long coming. These guys aren’t in their primes anymore. But holy crap, it’s finally happening. This was the fight that has been teased with for years. Boxing will be relevant again for at least one night. For a dying sport, this could the swan song for mainstream
ENOCH NEWKIRK / SUN STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Screaming success | Senior midfielder Sarah Hefner looks to have a strong final year for Cornell after being named second-team All-Ivy for her 2014 season performance.
See ZAKOUR page 14