Stories from The Sun

Red Rower's Run Stops Short of Podium

Allie Perez — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 17:02:33 -0400

A former Cornell rower’s run at an Olympic medal came to an end this morning as Ken Jurkowski '03 finished fifth in his men’s single sculls semifinal heat at Shunyi Olympic Rowing-Canoeing Park with a time of 7:11.52. There is, however, still one more chance for a former Cornell athlete to take the podium in Beijing.

Jen Kaido '03 — the last Cornell representative at these Summer Games — will race in Sunday’s women's quadruple sculling final at 6:30 a.m. EST. The other elite crews competing against the U.S. will be Australia, Germany, Great Britain, Ukraine and host country China. In the Kaido’s semifinal yesterday, the American women finished second to a German squad that led for the entire race.

Red Rowers Roll in Beijing

Allie Perez — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 03:05:11 -0400

Two former Cornell rowers — both of whom left Cayuga’s waters five years ago and are now first-time Olympians — have advanced into the later rounds of competition of the 2008 Summer Games in Beijing.

With a time of 6:53.26, Ken Jurkowski ’03 cracked the top-3 in his quarterfinal race early yesterday morning. Jurkowski, the lone single sculler on the American team, will race in the men’s single scull semifinals tomorrow at 4 a.m. EST, while Jen Kaido ’03 and the other three members of the U.S. women’s quadruple sculls crew rowed their way to a second-place finish in their quarterfinal race at 4:50 a.m. EST early this morning. The women's final time trailed leader Germany's by less the four seconds.

Music Makes Us Lose Control?

Justine Fields — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 20:00:59 -0400

Alcohol.edu needs to add a new section because music has now been linked to alcohol intake. Results from a new study show that bar-going, loud-music-listening drinkers could be more likely to hug the toilet the next morning. Research done on the effect of music and alcohol consumption found that loud music leads to more alcohol consumption in less time.

Nicolas Guéguen, professor of Behavioral Sciences, at the Université de Bretagne-Sud in France led the study that observed forty 18-25 year-old males at two different bars in Western France. The results are currently in press and will be published in the October issue of Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research.

Carshare Program Fosters Sustainable Transportation in Ithaca

Alex Berg — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 10:19:32 -0400

Imagine if one car on the road could take the place of 15. There would be less pollution, less traffic, fewer accidents and subdued road rage. Finding a parking spot would be like shopping in a fully-stocked store, and the cost of gas would drop in keeping with a reduced market demand. Thanks to Ithaca Carshare, a program that launched on June 25 with similar goals in mind, such a utopian vision could become a reality.

The program, which enables members to rent shared cars by the hour — 24 hours a day, seven days a week — is part of a growing network of independent car-sharing organizations across the country, many of which were formed in response to rising gas prices and environmental concerns.

Weathering the storm: Design's take on print journalism's decline

Munier Salem — Sat, 09 Aug 2008 15:55:34 -0400

News Editor Ben Eisen’s '10 recent post on the survival of print journalism in The Sun's From the Editors blog represents a huge concern flowing through the newspaper industry right now: can print survive alongside web based news.

Stormy Waters: Charting The Sun’s Place in the Journalism Industry

Ben Eisen — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 23:53:15 -0400

Anyone who’s followed the media industry in the slightest knows that print journalism isn’t what it once was. With the internet making news so much easier to obtain, print editions are getting slimmed down, reporters are getting laid off and editors are quitting. Plus, the advent of blogging — which some consider grass-roots journalism while others call it the downfall of legitimate news — means that regular people are breaking news as opposed to institutionalized media outlets. Lastly, print advertising is down because websites like Craigslist cut down on the need to post ads in a newspaper. So, the world is scrambling to find the next big thing that will save the newspaper business, but no one really knows what it is yet. That’s my take anyway.

Detroit Mayor Ordered Jailed After Bond Violation

The Associated Press — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 13:42:31 -0400

DETROIT (AP) — A judge ordered Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick to jail Thursday for violating the terms of his bond in his perjury case, a decision the judge said he would have made for any "John Six-Pack" defendant before him.

The mayor, who is accused of lying under oath in a civil case and faces eight felony counts, made a trip across the Detroit river to Windsor, Ontario, on city business last month without informing the court in advance, leading the county prosecutor's office to request Kilpatrick be punished.

Only minutes earlier, the mayor offered an apology to the court, telling District Court Judge Ronald Giles that for seven months, "I've been living in an incredible state of pressure and scrutiny."

US Seeks at Least 30 Years for bin Laden Driver

The Associated Press — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 13:37:58 -0400

GUANTANAMO BAY NAVAL BASE, Cuba (AP) — Salim Hamdan pleaded with a military jury to spare him from a life in prison, apologizing Thursday for the "innocent people" who died in the Sept. 11 attacks and saying he worked as Osama bin Laden's driver only because he needed a job.

Prosecutors asked for a sentence of no less than 30 years, asking the six Pentagon-appointed jurors to make an example of him.

The jury convicted Hamdan, a Yemeni man with a fourth-grade education, of aiding terrorism by chauffeuring bin Laden around Afghanistan at the time of the 2001 attacks. But Hamdan said he merely had a "relationship of respect" with bin Laden, as would any other employee.

Sun Correspondent Goes to Grassroots Festival, Forgets Why

Jared Kraminitz — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 18:11:58 -0400

For those of you Cornellians unfortunate enough to have high-powered internships in Manhattan, D.C. or wherever you may be, let me assure you that you've been missing out on a shit-ton of fun here in sunny Ithaca (as difficult as it is to believe the words "sunny" and "Ithaca" side-by-side, it's true). The Grassroots Festival in Trumansburg was just the latest event that made me happy I've stayed up here, away from the hustle and bustle of real life. Unfortunately, your unreliable correspondent has less in the way of specific details than he would like — Grassroots is a BYOB affair and he's never been given to doing anything in half measures, particularly when it comes to bringing beer.

Bush: North Korea Has Work to Verify Denuclearization

The Associated Press — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 00:01:06 -0400

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — President Bush said Wednesday that North Korea has much to do before the U.S. can remove it from the terror blacklist, but expressed hope that its pariah status as a member of the "axis of evil" could some day be a thing of the past.

Pyongyang expects Bush to remove it from the U.S. list of terror-sponsoring countries as soon as next weekend, as promised when the North blew up its nuclear reactor cooling tower in June. But Bush, speaking at a news conference with South Korean President Lee Myung-bak, said North Korea must first agree to international terms for verifying its dismantlement efforts.

"I don't know whether or not they're going to give up their weapons," Bush said. "I really don't know. I don't think either of us knows."

FBI Used Aggressive Tactics in Anthrax Probe

The Associated Press — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 23:57:22 -0400

WASHINGTON (AP) — Before killing himself last week, Army scientist Bruce Ivins told friends that government agents had stalked him and his family for months, offered his son $2.5 million to rat him out and tried to turn his hospitalized daughter against him with photographs of dead anthrax victims.

The pressure on Ivins was extreme, a high-risk strategy that has failed the FBI before. The government was determined to find the villain in the 2001 anthrax attacks; it was too many years without a solution to the case that shocked and terrified a post-9/11 nation.

Insert Eclipse Pun Here

Carol Zou — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 23:09:32 -0400

A few days ago, I received the email of doom from our resident newsroom god, John C. Schroeder ’74.

“Who is going to make the dummy pages [for the Eclipse supplement]?”

A little piece of me died as I said ‘goodbye’ to my summer and ‘hello’ to redesigning The Sun’s magazine-style weekend supplement, Eclipse. It wasn’t until I sat down at my laptop and opened up Quark 7, our publishing software, that I began to feel a bit of excitement at the task before me. The Eclipse redesign, while daunting, basically gave me carte blanche to indulge my wildest creative fantasies about white space and sans-serif fonts. What more could a graphic designer want?

Monuments to the New, New China

Rob Coniglio — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 18:53:26 -0400

When I look through both American and Chinese history, I see a common thread in our shared pre-occupation with monuments. Americans have the countless presidential monuments in D.C. as well as war memorials, not to mention our grand public works projects such as the Hoover Dam and Interstate Highway System that represent our belief in power and hope for America.

Cornell Names New Vice Provost for Equity and Inclusion

Jasmine Marcus — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 16:16:18 -0400

On July 15, Elizabeth A. "Beta" Mannix, the Ann Whitney Olin Professor of Management at Cornell University's Johnson Graduate School of Management and the Robert S. Harrison Director of the University's Institute for Social Sciences, became Cornell’s vice provost for equity and inclusion.

The position is a one-year transitional post as the vice provost for diversity and faculty development spot becomes the future vice provost for diversity and chief diversity officer spot. Robert L. Harris, the former vice provost for diversity and faculty development, said Mannix’s role will include supervising the University’s diversity initiatives. These include the summer institute for diversity, the Breaking Bread program and the University Diversity Committee Working Group.

City of Ithaca Pledges to Overhaul Contaminated Gun Factory Site

Molly OToole — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 00:35:51 -0400

On May 30, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation announced a final resolution for the Ithaca Gun Factory Site, closing a long and precarious chapter in the City of Ithaca’s history. However, many Ithacans feel the future of the site may still be up in the air.

The DEC — in cooperation with Mayor Carolyn Peterson, the City of Ithaca, developers Frost Travis, owner Wally Diehl and a previous pledge by the state — has authored a plan to dissolve the old Ithaca Gun Factory, which has been left stagnating above the rushing waters of Ithaca Falls for the past 125 years.

Movie Review: Entertainment @ It's Best

Daniel Fipphen — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 00:00:00 -0400

As the Piano Man himself once said, “only the good die young.” Just don’t tell that to Eileen Hall, Stan Goldman, Fred Knittle or any of the other twenty-three members of the Young @ Heart chorus. Under the gritty leadership of band director Bob Cilman, these 80 year-olds sing everything from Sonic Youth to James Brown. And although they have toured Europe and performed for royalty, Young @ Heart’s time in the spotlight truly arrived in their self-entitled documentary, in which the group prepares for a performance in their hometown of Northampton, Massachusetts. Bursting with life and uplifting in every way, Young @ Heart is a cinematic treat that … well … only comes around once in a lifetime.

Movie Review: It Was a Dark and Stormy (and Overrated) Knight

Peter Finocchiaro — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 20:28:33 -0400

I might not be the most popular guy in the room after this statement, but given the insane amount of hype surrounding The Dark Knight I feel compelled to speak my mind. No matter how many people seem to share the conviction that the new Batman sequel is “THE BEST MOVIE EVERRRR,” I would have to argue that the film — honestly, plain and simple — just ain’t that good.

Looking for Change in All the Wrong Places

Gavin Michael Arnall — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 17:35:30 -0400

As my friend and I pulled up to the Bonnaroo security checkpoint, I heard a whistle and was confronted by a guy in a neon concert shirt apologetically telling me that my “number had come up.” Evidently, I had won a chance to have my car searched, not by concert security, but by Tennessee’s finest. By entering the festival grounds, I had consented to the agenda of sunburned cops with nothing better to do than to harass music enthusiasts. I didn’t receive one of the 124 citations the police handed out throughout the weekend; I just got manhandled a little bit before I went to see Stephen Marley.

Counting Down the Days to “New Beijing, New Olympics”

Rob Coniglio — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 13:55:36 -0400

The Olympics open in twelve days. You could say that Beijing is putting the final touches on what it hopes will be a masterpiece, a sign of China’s rising power and ascension to an important global position. Yet these preparations have cut widely and deeply into the daily lives of those who live in and around Beijing.

Bush OKs Execution of Army Death Row Prisoner

The Associated Press — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 19:27:34 -0400

WASHINGTON (AP) – President Bush on Monday approved the execution of an Army private, administration officials said. It was the first time in over a half-century that a president has affirmed a death sentence for a member of the U.S. military.

With his signature from the Oval Office, Bush said yes to the military's request to execute Ronald A. Gray, said the officials, who revealed his decision only on grounds of anonymity. Gray had had been convicted in connection with a spree of four murders and eight rapes in the Fayetteville, N.C., area over eight months in the late 1980s while stationed at Fort Bragg.

Dear George Clinton: Bring Back the Funk, Please

Sydney Arkin — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 11:36:41 -0400

July 2, 1979: the day that Funk died. According to the legend (courtesy of The Mighty Boosh), Funk is actually a living creature, fallen to Earth from another planet. Discovered by Bootsy Collins, the Funk was milked, which was turned into a Funky milkshake and consumed by Bootsy, bringing himself some Funk and transforming him into the funk-master he became. Funk’s death was a tragic accident — while Parliament was touring, George Clinton knocked it off the mothership.

George Clinton is responsible for the death of Funk. Supposedly.

I don’t believe that Funk is dead. I, in fact, witnessed the funkiness of George Clinton and the P-Funk All Stars at BB King’s a few weeks ago and have concluded that George, in fact, kidnapped the Funk for his own selfish needs.

Ithacans’ Visit to Charlottesville Puts City in Context of Other College Towns

Ben Eisen — Sun, 27 Jul 2008 23:37:08 -0400

Correction Appended

From Ithaca Hours to the Ithaca Commons, no one can deny that the city Cornell calls home has its fair share of quirks. But the question of how unique Ithaca really is has surfaced recently with the city’s comparison to other college towns.

Last month, a delegation from the Ithaca Downtown Partnership took a trip to Charlottesville, where they observed the town, met with public officials and brought back a wealth of information on how the two cities compare. The trip was part of an effort to develop a 10-year master plan for downtown Ithaca.

Protesters Rally Against Immigration Raid in Iowa

The Associated Press — Sun, 27 Jul 2008 22:22:17 -0400

POSTVILLE, Iowa (AP) — About a thousand protesters descended on a small town in northeastern Iowa on Sunday, decrying the raid of a meatpacking plant that arrested nearly 400 residents and calling for a change in federal immigration policies.

Postville, a town with about 2,200 residents, was pushed to the forefront of a national debate when federal immigration officials raided Agriprocessors — the nation's biggest kosher meatpacking plant — in May in the largest raid of its kind in the United States. Most of those arrested were Guatemalan and Mexican nationals who lived in the area.

Myanmar Farmers Back at Work, But Outlook is Bleak

The Associated Press — Sun, 27 Jul 2008 22:17:05 -0400

THOME GWE, Myanmar (AP) — Ko Nyi Thaut lost six of his children and all his possessions when Cyclone Nargis hit Myanmar three months ago. But the 53-year-old farmer still has his rice fields. The surprise, say aid workers, is how quickly he and others have gone back to work.

The broader food outlook, however, is bleak.

Like tens of thousands of farmers, Ko Nyi Thaut labors from dawn to dusk preparing his flood-ravaged Irrawaddy delta land for a crop that should have been planted a month ago.

"If the weather is good and we are lucky, I think we could get about two-thirds of what we had before," he said.

"It would not have been enough for my family if we still had 11 people. But the cyclone killed six of my children, so maybe we will have enough rice for the family now."

A Conspiracy Theorist in Design

Munier Salem — Sun, 27 Jul 2008 17:45:42 -0400

I’ve always been a bit of a conspiracy theorist. Okay, so perhaps not in the “Who shot JFK?/Where were the air craft carriers for Pearl Harbor?” sort of way… more like in the “CNN is the mouth piece of corporate America” sort of way… So when I stumbled upon an interesting little anomaly in Cornell’s Comprehensive Master Plan, involving a bit of photo-shopping, my first thought was “hold the presses”. My second thought was “well, no one’s updated CMYK in a while…”

Obama…Citizen of the World or President?

Lee Blum — Sat, 26 Jul 2008 23:04:34 -0400

Barack Obama’s whirlwind tour of the world gave me the same feelings I experienced after viewing The Dark Night. The movie left me entertained, intrigued and somewhat curious. But as I got in to my car I realized that nothing in the world or my life had changed other than the fact that I just spent $30 on a trip to the movies. Oddly enough these emotions were the same ones I had after listening to Sen. Obama speak in Berlin, Germany (except it did not cost me $30). It was enjoyable to listen to and provided some good Kodak moments, but nothing in the world changed as a result.

Eleven New Members Bound for Cornell Hall of Fame

Keenan Weatherford — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 08:26:48 -0400

Five All-Americans and an Olympic medalist highlight the Cornell Athletic Hall of Fame’s class of 2008. Eleven new members will be inducted into the Hall on Nov. 7.

The medalist in the class is John Nunn ’64, a varsity heavyweight rower on the 1962 and 1963 crews that won IRA titles who won a bronze medal as the stroke of the double scull in the 1968 Olympic Games. The 1963 crew — undefeated in U.S. collegiate competition — upset the world champion Ratzeburg Club of West Germany on the way to the finals of the Eastern Sprint championships.

The All-Americans who will be inducted are John Griffin ’79, lacrosse; Cari Hills ’98 women’s lacrosse and field hockey; Glen Mueller ’72, lacrosse; Mike Raich ’88, football; and Kate Walker ’97, women’s track and field.

Obama's West Bank Trip Raises Hope, Skepticism

The Associated Press — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 08:24:47 -0400

RAMALLAH, West Bank (AP) — Barack Obama's trip to the West Bank on Wednesday appeared to generate some goodwill among Palestinians, though deep skepticism about U.S. policy remains.

Obama, the presumptive Democratic nominee, met with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas Wednesday for an hour under heavy security at Abbas' West Bank government headquarters.

Like people elsewhere in the region, Palestinians are fascinated with the U.S. presidential campaign. The success of a black candidate may also have helped improve the tarnished U.S. image in the eyes of some.

Wael Hamad, a 35-year-old mechanic from Ramallah, said he expected Obama to be more understanding of Palestinian suffering because of the hardships suffered by blacks in the United States.

Hurricane Dolly Bears Down on Texas-Mexico Coast

The Associated Press — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 08:22:06 -0400

BROWNSVILLE, Texas (AP) — Rain started to fall along the Gulf Coast as Hurricane Dolly closed in on towns straddling the Texas-Mexico border, packing 85 mph winds that could strengthen when it hits land later Wednesday.

The Category 1 hurricane was expected to dump up to 15 inches of rain, threatening flooding that could breach levees in the heavily populated Rio Grande valley.

Dolly was upgraded from a tropical storm Tuesday afternoon, and sustained winds have strengthened to about 85 mph. At 7 a.m. EDT Wednesday, the storm's center was about 55 miles east of Brownsville, moving northwest at about 8 mph.

The National Hurricane Center said Dolly could approach Category 2 strength, meaning wind speeds of at least 96 mph, when it reaches the coastline later Wednesday.

The Sun Also Rises…at The Times?

Emily Cohn — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 01:15:44 -0400

Amidst the hustle and bustle of New York City’s Times Square stands a 52-story building that houses what many would consider to be the nation’s bastion of journalistic excellence: The New York Times. Though the new home to The New York Times has since made headlines for its Modernist structure that beckoned a few dare devils to scale its façade of ceramic rods, the building’s architecture pales in comparison to what brews inside its glass walls.

ESPN Names Wittman One of the Best Collegiate Shooters

Keenan Weatherford — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 00:00:00 -0400

Junior forward Ryan Wittman was named the No. 10 shooter in the nation by Fran Fraschilla, an analyst with ESPN and former head coach of St. John’s and New Mexico.

Wittman led the team in scoring throughout the 2007-08 campaign that saw the Red cruise undefeated through Ivy League play before falling to Stanford in the NCAA tournament. He finished with 424 points for 15.1 points per game, good for fourth in the Ivy League.

Donahue Trades Red For Red, White and Blue

Allie Perez — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 00:00:00 -0400

With the Fourth of July fireworks still a day away, some of the nation’s most talented young basketball players were immersed in red, white and blue a little early. Wearing blue and white jerseys with “USA” emblazoned across the chest, they were fighting in our Nation’s Capital for a chance to represent their country on the world stage.

On the practice court of the Verizon Center in Washington, D.C., the teens had gathered for the third and final day of the 2008 USA Basketball Men’s U18 National Team Trials. Fourteen remained in the running for spots on the 12-man roster selected by the USA Basketball Men’s Collegiate Committee.

RJD2 to Rock the Arts Quad During Orientation ... for FREE

Lauren Herget — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 19:30:42 -0400

... And we're back! Welcome once again to the big show, Cornell. Prop up your feet; make yourself comfortable and ready for a new school year. Could I get you anything? A mineral water with a spritz of lime? A foot massage?

I do regret to say, dear readers, serving is not my strong suit, but how about I serve you a free show on the Arts Quad instead? You will forget all about your parched palate and your hurting high arches when you hear RJD2's fine beats rip across the quad, Saturday, August 30.

Provost's Office Reorganizes in Wake of Departures

Jimmy Crowell — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 21:32:49 -0400

As the Cornell community says goodbye to Biddy Martin, the longest serving provost in the University’s history, the Office of the Provost welcomes an addition and a few vacancies.

As the search for the next provost is being conducted, David Harris, deputy provost and vice-provost for social sciences, will act as interim provost. No one has else been named to serve as deputy provost or vice provost for social sciences in the interim period, and Harris will continue to carry out his duties. In addition, an opening remains for the position of vice provost for diversity and chief diversity officer.

Consumer Prices Jump 1.1 Percent in June

The Associated Press — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 11:04:28 -0400

WASHINGTON (AP) – Consumer prices shot up in June at the second fastest pace in 26 years with two-thirds of the surge blamed on soaring energy prices.

The Labor Department reported that consumer prices jumped 1.1 percent last month, much worse than had been expected. Energy prices rocketed upward by 6.6 percent, reflecting big gains for gasoline, home heating oil and natural gas.

The big rise in prices cut deeply into consumers' earning power with average weekly wages, after adjusting for inflation, dropping by 0.9 percent in June, the biggest monthly decline since 1984.

The 1.1 percent June price increase was the second largest monthly advance in the past 26 years, surpassed only by a 1.3 percent gain in September 2005 from a jolt to energy costs after Hurricane Katrina.

Teens Gone Wild? More Like MSNBC Producers Gone Clueless

Julie Block — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 00:00:00 -0400

If you’ve read my stuff before, you know I tend to comment on the lighter side of things. You know: theatre, music, cleavage, television, the occasional Ugg boot … It’s rare that I find something disturbing enough to change my tone, especially when I’m at the freakin’ gym, running in place like a gerbil. But when I do, the serious comes out.

Israel Cabinet OKs Prisoner Swap With Hezbollah

The Associated Press — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 13:19:49 -0400

JERUSALEM (AP) — Israel's Cabinet on Tuesday overwhelmingly approved an emotionally charged deal to trade a Lebanese militant convicted of killing three people for two Israeli soldiers captured by Hezbollah guerrillas and believed to be dead.

The swap is due to take place on Wednesday under U.N. supervision at a seaside border crossing.

Hezbollah has given no evidence that Ehud Goldwasser and Eldad Regev are alive, and has not allowed the Red Cross to see them since they were captured in a July 2006 cross-border raid. Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert told his Cabinet last month that Israel believes the men did not survive.

Bernanke: Economy Faces 'Numerous Difficulties'

The Associated Press — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 13:15:53 -0400

WASHINGTON (AP) — Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke told Congress Tuesday the fragile economy is facing "numerous difficulties" despite the Fed's aggressive interest rate reductions and other fortifying steps.

At the same time, Bernanke, testifying before the Senate Banking Committee, sounded another warning that rising prices for energy and food are elevating inflation risks. This problem looms even as officials try to cope with persistent strains in financial markets, rising joblessness and housing problems.

Obama Tells NAACP Blacks Must Take Responsibility

The Associated Press — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 22:07:27 -0400

CINCINNATI (AP) — Democrat Barack Obama received a prideful welcome from the annual NAACP convention Monday night, but in a stirring speech to the nation's oldest civil rights organization, he nonetheless insisted blacks must show greater responsibility for improving their own lives.

The man who could become the first black president urged Washington to provide more education and economic assistance. He called on corporate America to exercise greater social responsibility. But he also received his most lusty applause as he urged blacks to demand more of themselves.

Bush Lifts Oil Drilling Ban, Wants Congress to Act

The Associated Press — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 22:03:16 -0400

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Bush on Monday lifted an executive ban on offshore oil drilling and challenged Congress to follow suit, aiming to turn the enormous public frustration about gasoline prices into political leverage. Democratic lawmakers rejected Bush's plan as a symbolic stunt.

With gas prices topping $4.10 a gallon nationally, Bush made his most assertive move to extend oil exploration, an energy priority of his presidency. By lifting the executive prohibition against coastal drilling, Bush rescinded a White House policy that his own father put in place in 1990.

The move will have no practical effect unless Congress acts, too. Both executive and legislative bans must be lifted before offshore exploration can happen.

Obsessed With Success?

Laura Temel — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 00:00:00 -0400

Freshmen, I just want to say one word to you — just one word: ‘two-year plans.’ There’s a great future in two-year plans. Think about it. I will concede that ‘two-year plans’ is in fact three words, but the point is still there.

Albeit less exciting than “plastics” (if the above reference is not clear, I have a tendency to cite life advice from The Graduate), two-year plans are a healthy alternative to Cornell’s all-too-common ten-year plan syndrome.

I all too frequently find myself in discussions that revolve around the painfully careful execution of post-collegiate decisions. Cornellians have bowed to an omnipresent pressure to conquer our 20s in order to live a fruitful 30s.

Get Smart

Mon, 14 Jul 2008 00:00:00 -0400

The moment of truth is upon you. Four weeks from now, mom and dad will unload your last suitcase from the family minivan and bid goodbye in a tearful scene on North Campus. You’ll oblige mom with the requisite one-armed hug, painfully aware of all the witnesses to your moment of un-cool. And then they’ll be gone, mom, dad and the minivan, and you’ll be left to face that intimidating challenge they call college on your own. Welcome to independence.

As the parentals drive out of Ithaca, heavy of heart but lighter of luggage, you may ask yourself if you have what it takes to navigate this campus. Not to worry: you won’t be the only one.

Chasing Corpanga: Relationships on Campus

Shannan Scarselletta — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 00:00:00 -0400

During my childhood, I was lucky enough to watch one of the most beautiful relationships unfold before my eyes. It filled me with such hope that perhaps I, too, could find love in kindergarten with the boy next door: a true love that would last through the trials of puberty and eventually lead to a wonderful marriage. I spent many silent dinners with my parents in awe of the tried-and-true relationship before me. Every day, I thank God and basic cable for introducing me and my generation to the unflinching devotion of history’s most passionate lovers: Corey and Topanga.

Keep Your Eyes Peeled

David Wittenberg — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 00:00:00 -0400

I’m not going to tell you about how to get along with your roommate or pick classes or decide which set of plastic drawers to get at Wal Mart. I’m not going to tell you anything any other college freshman in the country would understand.

Over the past three years, as a reporter, writer and editor for The Sun, I’ve gotten to know Ithaca and Cornell in a way few do. Amid the bustle and chaos of university life, it was my job and privilege, every so often, to step back and observe.

Cornell and Ithaca Connect

Sun Staff — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 00:00:00 -0400

Unique Dynamic Gives Obama Upper Hand in Tompkins

Ithaca’s “10 square miles surrounded by reality” seemed to encompass the whole of Tompkins County on Super Tuesday when Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) soundly defeated Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.) in the county’s Democratic primary. But the question remains: how?

Despite losses in every other county throughout the state, Obama finished with a nearly 17-point lead over home-stater Clinton in Tompkins. Across the rest of New York, Clinton received 57 percent of the Democratic vote, while Obama was awarded only 40 percent.

Coach Trades Red For the Stars and Stripes in Capital

Allie Perez — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 00:00:00 -0400

On the practice court of the Verizon Center in Washington, D.C., the teens had gathered for the third and final day of the 2008 USA Basketball Men’s U-18 National Team Trials. Fourteen remained in the running for spots on the 12-man roster selected by the USA Basketball Men’s Collegiate Committee.

Ithaca is Gorges

Donial Dastgir — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 00:00:00 -0400

Walk around Cornell’s campus and you’re bound to see a slogan — be it on shirts, on light poles or on cars — which proclaims “Ithaca is Gorges.” The gorges in Ithaca are a large part of life at Cornell — whether it be trudging over the suspension bridge to get to class or diving into the gorge to swim.

Swimming in Cascadilla and Fall Creek Gorges — both of which pass through Cornell’s campus — is a longstanding tradition at Cornell. People can often be found in the gorges during the warmer months, swimming or relaxing and enjoying the scenery. Gorge jumping in particular, is consistently ranked one of the things any Cornell student must do before the graduate.

Welcome to the Show

Julie Block and Peter Finocchiaro — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 00:00:00 -0400

A recently released preview for an upcoming teen comedy presents the following scenario:

Hordes of college students file into an enormous frat house, inside of which partygoers find a full bar, Chinese lanterns hanging from the ceiling and a fire pit. At one end of the room, a famous rock-and-roll band is performing on stage; dispersed throughout, girls are pole dancing on platforms; and, even though the party is undoubtedly a wicked rager, everyone seems to enjoy a surprising amount of personal space. One character revels in the festivities, exclaiming, “This is insane!” His companion — obviously more versed in the ways of the world — retorts, “No, dude. This is college!”

Cornell Crystal Ball: Previewing 2008-09

Sun Staff — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 00:00:00 -0400

Men’s Basketball

The reigning Ivy League champs will attempt to defend their title during the 2008-09 season. The Red’s chances look good, as the team will return every player from their championship season except forward Jason Hartford ’08.

The Red will look to ride a potent offense orchestrated by junior point guard Louis Dale, the Ivy League Player of the Year and an AP selection for honorable mention All-American, and anchored by senior Jeff Foote in the post and junior Ryan Wittman on the perimeter.

Football

In his four years at Cornell, head coach Jim Knowles ’87 has made Schoellkopf Field a stronghold impregnable to opponents — the Red has gone 16-5 at home under Knowles.

The Cornell Daily Sun's City Guide

Ben Eisen — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 00:00:00 -0400

From the outside, it’s hard to understand the allure of the city Cornell calls home. But Ithaca, with all its quirks and eccentricities, has tons of opportunities for exploring, playing and having fun. So, here’s a guide of the best Ithaca has to offer.

The heart of downtown Ithaca is called the Commons. Three city blocks in the center of downtown that were made into a pedestriana mall in the 1970s, the Ithaca Commons now has tons of stores and restaurants worth trying. Retail options range from jewelry stores to bookstores to head shops, with everything in between. And restaurants, some of which are on the Commons and some extend around the corner to Aurora Street, serve up a diverse mix of foods.