Huge de-stressor in a small package

Posted on 12/19/2015 by Emma Louise Stillings

On December 4th I went to the Rose Common Room in a terrible mood, stressed out of my mind about my upcoming papers, and just generally not ready to do anything but binge Jessica Jones and eat ice cream.

However, the puppies turned my mood around 180. They were high energy and clearly just wanted to be loved and pet. I am more of a cat person, I’ll be honest, but the dogs were just what I needed.

The dogs trainers were equally friendly! I asked many questions about what the dogs were trained to do and was astounded by the answers. Guide dogs are used to help fetch things for the disabled, see any dangers that might be present for those who are blind, and can even smell rising heart rate for those who have heart problems! Plus they’re just too darn cute.

I hope that in the future these dogs will be just as loved by their owners and the world creates a more streamline and less expensive training program to make the guide dogs more available to any who need them.

The King Without a Crown at the State Street Theater

Posted on 12/11/2015 by Ramon Guadalupe

I’m still surprised that I watched Matisyahu in concert at Ithaca. I haven’t heard about this artist in years. When I was in high school he came out with his major hit called King Without a Crown. This song was major, especially in New York City in 2005.

Matisyahu was extremely popular for two reasons. The first is that his music is dope. The second was that prior to this I’m pretty sure not too many people heard an Orthodox Jewish man sing reggae as if he was born in Kingston.

Being a Jewish man living in Crown Heights Brooklyn, NY prior to his success, the Big Apple found another reason to love his music. Of course I had to attend this concert not only to listen to some dope rhythms but also to represent Brooklyn.

I really didn’t know what to expect from the concert. I had not listened to his music in years and even when I did it was pretty much that one song. I also didn’t take the time to listen to any current music of his. I was surprised to see how entertaining his performance was. Honestly, I only intended to stay for a few songs. I ended up staying for the entire concert, plus the encore performance he gave after the crowd cheered him back on to the stage.

His music has a great sound to it. I can’t forget to shoutout the band that he brought because they were on point. During the solos for drummers and guitarists, Matisyahu would dance around doing what I called “crazy legs.’ I can’t really describe it in words, but he basically jumped around while swinging his long legs. It was fun to watch, I’m not going to lie.

I took some videos, but my phone isn’t letting me upload them. In the meantime, enjoy the photos below.

^^The concert was held at the State Street Theater, which is right across the street from the Ithaca Commons. You must watch a show at this place before you graduate. It’s a beautiful theater. The usher told me that it was opened during the 1920s and originally was a car showroom. The theater tends to bring some low-key big name acts every now and then.

^^This is just a photo of the band that opened up for Matisyahu. I can’t remember the name of the band. They were pretty decent.

Sadness + Dogs

Posted on 12/09/2015 by Allison

I remember last semester we had 7 or 8 therapy dogs come in at Appel after dinner, and when I got there I had an old fluffy one to myself. Its trainer told me that dogs need to take breaks after these kind of “events”, that they get overwhelmed by our energy, the way we smell- he explained some science behind it but I just remember feeling extremely guilty. I don’t know how rational ‘dogs can take our sadness from us and need to rest’ sounds but that’s what it feels like. As someone that’s been dealing with mental health issues for a few years and who has her own kind of therapy dog at home, it’s overwhelming, but overwhelming in a great way, when doing these kind of self-care events because finally, as students we can admit that we’re not OK.

I’d love more events like this, not just before finals or once or twice a semester. And I think these events can have more impact than they currently do. Now they stand as just a small break, not a solution but a band-aid to the stressful environment of Cornell, and to the larger campus-wide mental health issue we keep ignoring.

Guiding I’s and Guiding Us

Posted on 12/08/2015 by Patrick Loi

Last week, the organization Guiding Eyes led a puppy petting event, in which they spoke briefly about the Guiding Eyes program, and brought in some of those trained dogs to play with students. The Guiding Eyes presentation was very informative, detailing how the puppies are specifically bred for the program, and how extensive the training process is. The puppies start their training when they are only a few months old, and have to go through multiple rounds of tests before they are qualified to help patients in the program. It definitely sounds like a difficult task to train those dogs in not only obedience, discipline, and responsiveness, but also in empathy, and sensing the owner’s needs. Training takes years and tens of thousands of dollars. The presenter also showed us some interesting tricks to manipulate the dogs to discipline. It was nice to hear about the rigor of the training program and the lives of some of these dogs.

The only complaint I have about this event was that there were not that many dogs for all the people who showed up. There was a massive turnout for the event, so it would be nice if everyone had a chance to participate.

Questions That Need Answers

Posted on 11/23/2015 by Adora

Why is there are dispassionate amount of self-defense classes for women? Do men need self-defense classes? Are there self-defense classes for men? Does this world teach men how to defend themselves? Is there a need to teach women’s self defense because our society lacks the tools and resources for women to learn?

Men are provided self-defense tactics since birth. From an early age, men are encouraged to lean in; while women are taught to pull back in situations that call for action. Additionally, confidence is instilled. Even as children, boys already embody stereotypes of the male persona and claim to be “stronger” and “faster” than girls, even when there is little to no difference. Simply, the fact that boys have more interaction with violence (through video games, and products marketed through media as “male toys”), has given men an advantage when it comes to protecting themselves. Overall, childhood gave boys experiences in which they could act; childhood offered girls the opposite. It is no surprise to me that as young women start becoming more independent, they realize their inability to protect themselves and live in perpetual fear.

As a child, I was always advised to protect myself. Suggestions included, not to be alone or not to invite sexual predators but never told how to do that. So did that mean I was expected to not leave my house or not wear clothing of my choice? To me those options always seemed more like a punishment rather than caring advice. Never was I encouraged to play action games or told I was the “strongest” person. I was told to be confident in my looks, confidence in my intelligence. While those are qualities one should be confident in, assurance in those qualities have left my vulnerable in many ways.

So here I am standing in a circle trying to acquire self-defense skills by watching two woman demonstrate moves called “tiger” and “deer.” In a room predominately filled with women and a few men, instructed by older women, I see that I’m not the only one who struggles with this.

Like the women in the room, I live in fear. This fear has propelled us to take a class to address this fear. Yet, I wonder if the correct treatment is self-defense classes. It doesn’t address the issue at hand. It may lessen the culture of fear that impacts women in their college years to retired aged women but it does not fix this problem, which touches women across various ages groups. The fear is that rape is called “the most underreported violent crime in America.” The fear is that the percentage of rapists who are never incarcerated is 97 percent. The fear is that assaults by strangers is 14 percent.

Therefore, its reasonable to assume that women know their actors. I wonder how the use of self-defense class can even begin to address this.? Is here even time or space to perform one of these moves when your boyfriend has violated your boundaries? Is it even possible to use the “palm to head” strategy when it’s your brother, father, professor, pastor, or neighbor? Self-defense preaches the idea that those who want to hurt me will only do it a deserted alley late at night in an uninhibited part of town. Self-defense tells a narrative that my attacker will try to physically harm me, when his goal might be psychological or emotional.

Sadly enough, I already know this. I’m sure the teaching instructors know this. But for the time being, I will continue to practice my moves and the instructors will continue holding class. But I hope that we, women and men, can come together to rectify the larger issue – a society where women live in fear of harm.

Give me coffee

Posted on 11/22/2015 by Nana

Last week I had the pleasure of learning more about coffee from the leaders of Gimme! coffee based in Ithaca, NY. I remember the first time I visited their flagship store in town. It was a small little boutique I went with one of my good friends. I like the street corner location and simplistic vibe that the flagship gave off. From my first impression I was very smitten by Gimme! coffee.

When I heard that people from Gimme! were coming to Rose to present and ask questions I knew I had to be there.I learned a lot about how their coffee is sourced. I learned that the company sends an employee to Central America to meet with one of the farmers in which they source their coffee from. The company strives to source free trade and ethically grown coffee. The company strives to have a close relationship with the farmers in which they source from so that they can create an effective symbiotic relationship. The company does a lot to ensure that the farmers that they source from a running under appropriate regulations and are advancing they equipment and technique to better meet their future needs. By helping those farmers Gimme! is really helping themselves. It is just that initial investment that sets the tone. It was great learning more about the actually crop and business aspect of the company.

I was unaware that there were coffee making competitions and that during those events the most popular coffees of the times tend to dominate the scene. I found it interesting learning how intensely people study and prepare for this contest of a lifetime. I was so happy that I learned about this hidden side of the coffee industry.

Self Defense

Posted on 11/22/2015 by Isaiah Brilhante

Last week Friday, I attended the Rose Scholars Self Defense Workshop taught by Kathleen Garrity. Prior to the event, I had no idea what to expect. I had never taken a self defense class before and had no knowledge of self defense. Obviously I have seen fighting in movies and TV but I know that those stunts scenes are highly dramatized and nothing like fighting in real life. However, since I have never been in a fight before, fight scenes from movies and TV were the only experiences I had.

At the event, we were taught some basic strikes and self defense moves. All of the strikes and moves we learned always ended with a push or back step in order to create space between you and your attacker. It was amazing how you can incorporate a push after almost every strike and I think this highlights the main goal of self defense. Your goal is not to win the fight but rather to try and discourage an attacker and try to get away. I also learned that shouting when striking is very important for power. I always thought that when people are shouting when they are fighting in TV and movies, that it is mainly done for drama. However, after watching some people break boards at the workshop just by shouting while striking, it was clear to me that the shouts have a serious impact on the power of the strike.

Overall, I really enjoyed this workshop. I mainly attend the Rose Cafe events because of my schedule so this workshop was a nice change of pace. It was fun to not only attended a more hands on, physically active event, but it was also nice to learn a very important skill. In no way am I proficient in self defense after attending the workshop but I do know what my goals are if I am ever in a bad situation which will help me to not panic.

“That’s Art”

Posted on 11/21/2015 by Tim Rodriguez

What is art? Where can we find it? Is it hiding? If so, where? Is art an illusion of the mind? Is it a living organism? If not, is it a non-living organism? Is it a portrait drawn with a collection of crayon? Perhaps a smiley face made inside your soggy Cheerios on a Saturday morning? Is it maybe even a statue of GRF Antonio made out of Play-Doh? Questions abound, though answers are few. That said, if my grandma is correct, then art is in the eye of the beholder.

In my opinion, art is everywhere. It’s in the air we breathe, it’s in the nature that surrounds us, and it’s in the problem sets that keep us awake every night. Art is everywhere and we should cherish it with our entire being every hour on the hour until we can cherish no more.

This last Thursday, the Rose Scholars had an amazing opportunity to contribute more to the world of art through linoleum printing. What is linoleum printing? Why had I never heard of it prior to this experience? Was it hiding from me all these years? If so, why? Why am I asking so many questions? Perhaps it is because I am on my third cup of coffee and am feeling super jittery. Anyway, back to linoleum printing.

Linoleum printing is a multi-step process that requires diligence, vision, stamina, and band-aids (for sharp blades are involved). The various steps of linoleum printing include carving designs in the linoleum with specialized carving blades, applying a layer of printing ink with a brayer, and then pressing the linoleum against a thinly sliced sheet of tree matter (i.e. paper). Once I had finished this last step, I was able to finally see the fruit of my labor and, I’ll tell you, it was as if I had temporarily channeled the creative capacity of both Vincent van Gogh and Leonardo da Vinci. When I asked a Johnson official if it could be placed on display in the museum, however, I was to my surprise told “no.” It was at that point that I realized that my linoleum print was not as impressive as I had initially thought and could definitely use some work. Nevertheless, I held my head high and ran straight home to put my linoleum print on my wall.

To this day, it hangs proudly on my wall amidst my impressive collection of paintings that I have purchased over the years from various distributors like Target, Walmart, and Amazon.com. There are rumors floating around that I may host an art appreciation night at my apartment soon to showcase my art to the art lovers of Ithaca. If the rumors are true, there may or may not be wine and cheese.

That is all.

The Smell of Great Coffee

Posted on 11/21/2015 by Gianna Buccellato

So I don’t really enjoy black coffee. I’m the girl you make fun of at Starbucks because I’m getting pumps of chocolate, vanilla, or whatever they have to add sugar to it. The bitterness of black coffee is just too much for my tastebuds to handle and if I want to enjoy it I have to add sugar to mask it.

Though I can’t say I enjoyed the taste of gimme! coffee black on its own, I can say that I immediately could smell the difference between their coffee and just regular watered down coffee. I had no idea that I could smell a cup of coffee and actually remind me of blueberries (I’m not joking one of their blends smelled just like a blueberry). Each one’s smell was different and so much deeper and stronger than your average cup of coffee. I bet I would’ve even tasted the difference even if I loaded it with cream and sugar. I definitely want to go there in the future and give them a fair chance. I’ll try not to pump some artificial flavoring syrup in there so that I can enjoy the natural flavors of their coffee, but I definitely need some sugar to enjoy it more.

Alligator Bags

Posted on 11/21/2015 by Alana

Dope follows many the many ‘slippery slopes’ that surround Malcolm’s life during his time applying to college, specifically Harvard. His geeky life transforms after a sticky interaction with a drug dealer.

In one scene of the movie, Malcolm and his friends go to this sketchy thug for a Bit Coin-cash transaction. The sketchy thug places two alligator bags in front of Malcolm and tells him to guess which one is real and which is fake.

Malcolm responds confusedly, “They both look the same.” The thug corrects him and says, “It doesn’t matter.” Why?

Because if someone saw a black teenager from the hood carrying around an alligator bag, they are most likely going to assume it’s fake. If a white person was carrying around the same bag, they are going to assume it’s real.

Behind all of the comedy, drugs, and 90’s cultural references, Dope depicts realities that minorities in the United States face, and in light of everything happening at Mizzou, Yale, and Ithaca College, I think this film is both important and relevant.

If you haven’t seen this movie, please do.

Some Things Stay the Same

Posted on 11/20/2015 by Anna-Katharina von Krauland

Last Wednesday I attended the talk given by Gregory Sloan, whose focus is in space research. Sloan presented his ideas about how the trial of Galileo was more than an issue of innovative scientific ideas being repressed by the traditional thinkings of the church. Rather, he argued that this controversy was far more complex and stems from the natural human instinct to work in one’s best interest, which is a theme that is as relevant today as it was in Galileo’s time, though it tends to manifest itself in other forms.

It’s a well-known fact that Galileo pushed the limitations of contemporary science to a controversial extent with his creative use of the newly-invented telescope, meticulous observations, and audacity to publicize his views despite the dangers in doing so. It is also known that the Pope was enraged by Galileo’s radical theories that directly contradicted scripture. However, Sloan proposed the idea that religion was merely the backdrop to the issue. More central was the fact that Galileo was trying to undermine a centuries-old perception of ourselves in regard to the universe. Despite the evidence in favor of Galileo’s findings, people stubbornly wanted to hold on to the comfort to what they had believed in their whole lives.

This same concept is seen everywhere, from the initial backlash on the topic of climate change, to the denial that cigarette smoking is detrimental to one’s health. Whether the context is religious or financial, the motivation is the same. Namely, a strong interest to protect the status quo.

I think that this talk provoked several interesting questions that I had never before considered. I would have liked to hear more about Sloan’s own research, but overall the talk was quite enjoyable.

The Hands that Fight As Well

Posted on 11/15/2015 by Leticia Collado

Sitting in a cinema, watching a documentary about underdogs winning a fight against corporations, I couldn’t help but think of all those that didn’t have the (few, but still crucial) resources that were offered to them (largely, if not all, coming from white people willing to help). I couldn’t help but think that people of color cannot win unless we have some white people that are well-intentioned. In America, brown and black people cannot fight for rights and get them, unless they have access to the resources that are made abundantly available to white people. This documentary can possibly create an image that “if you fight hard enough, you will get what you want”, creates an false sense of meritocracy – which is simply not true in America. Without the help of white people willing to help, the system wouldn’t of cared about what undocumented, people of color had to say about their working conditions. This documentary has the risk of turning into a single underdog story.

Overall, the film was great and shines light on the working conditions of undocumented workers. It is important to create laws and policies to protect ALL people regardless of immigration status.

The power of (not) procrastinating

Posted on 11/13/2015 by Gomez

Let’s face it. Cornell is hard, and it can also be very stressful. As a transfer student, adjusting to the academic rigor has been quite a challenge. I decided to take some helpful tips from the Tatkon center when I saw that I needed help. Since I have my Organic Chemistry prelim in less than 5 days, I put these to the test. These are the five tips I find the most helpful.

1. Write stuff down and make lists!

I know sometimes it can be tedious to write things down. However, I can promise you that nothing brings more personal satisfaction than waking up in the morning, writing down all the things you need to accomplish in the day, and then going to bed knowing you accomplished all you needed to do.

2. Don’t watch netflix/go out until you have accomplished the academic goals on your list

This is my golden rule. Sometimes I am tempted to go hang out with friends, but I know I have to read Ch.10, so I have to cross that off my list.

The downside of living in our technological age is the constant distractions……netflix, twitter, instagram… I can’t keep up! This brings me to my next helpful tip.

3. When you study, put that phone away!!

Studies have shown that every time you look at your phone, you take away 10 minutes of your study time. The “Do not Disturb” options on iphones is a great tool. Or, you can take the road less traveled like I did and downgrade that iPhone to a flip phone and see how much more productive you will become!

4. Go to office hours!

Getting to know your professors and talking to them is not only helpful but also, motivational.

5. Study Groups!!

Getting together with a group not only great for making friends, but, you can also learn new things and view the material from a different angle. It also avoids that “I think I’m just gonna stay in my dorm and study” situation….yeah right, we all know that if you stay in your dorm, you’re going to watch netflix. So get out of your dorm, go to the library, and make that study group happen!!

For more information on how to work more efficiently, get more sleep, prepare better for prelims, and manage distractions, go to the Tatkon Center.

How does Cornell dining soar above the rest? Still waiting for real answers

Posted on 11/12/2015 by Nana

Last Wednesday I had the pleasure of hearing the head of Cornell dining explain the strives that the for profit business has gone through to accommodate the needs of students. Funny enough two days prior to the Rose house event I went to a round table on food where the head of Cornell dining, professors, and students gathered to have an honest dialog about what is going wrong and right with Cornell dining. My best friend presented at the round table so I am unapologetically biased. There are so many politics and greater bureaucracy that goes into having cornell dining soar above the rest.

I was surprised to learn that the Rose house chef goes through various processes to determine what is palatable to Cornell students. I was surprised to hear that he sometimes looks through the dish disposal line to see what students did and did not enjoy. I was not surprised to learn that before Cornell the chef worked at the Ritz Carlton. The way he described the artsy of his work was so delicate, yet riveting. He explained to us that he only spoke French while in the kitchen and other anomalies that I did not expect.

Who would’ve known that there is so much that goes into running Cornell dining. It is more than just an overpriced meal plan there is so much more to it.

Taste of Home

Posted on 11/11/2015 by Cindy Huang

Food is quite possibly the greatest source of pleasure in life. Even as young infants, humans learn to adapt their tastes in food to provide for better experiences; throwing tantrums at bitter foods while reaching towards more palatable sweet delicacies. With multicultural traditions marking distinct food styles, the possible combinations of foods are endless. However, though people often go on foodie adventures in constant search of the best cuisine, whether it be fusion or exotic, the general consensus seems to be that no other foods can compare to nice hearty home cooked meals. Especially for students at Cornell, whose diversity ranges from townies to international students from all over the world, it’s difficult to accommodate one’s taste buds in an entirely new environment It’s difficult to assimilate to a whole new enclosed campus setting, something so drastically different than one’s comfortable life at home. However, that’s the main goal and aim of Cornell dining, now voted the number one best college food in New York State. Their proactive efforts at trying to provide the most healthy, nutritious, and well-balanced meals for students are always geared in ways to expand the range of cultural foods provided, from having Asian night at Becker or even Greek night at Rose. Not only do they cater to a wide variety of tastes, but they do so while maintaining their nutritional values – just check out those amazing trillium salads.

In addition, they are equally matched by their strive for maintaining great working conditions. Implementing high livable wages with benefit packages to all workers allows for more motivated employees dedicated to concocting new ideas to counteract food industry related dilemmas. For example, food waste is huge concern for numerous dining halls so efforts are made so increase composting efforts and well as managing food operations so that production is more efficient at fulfilling higher demanded foods.

Though it’s often disregarded and taken for granted, the food production system within Cornell University certainly has it perks, from not only providing amazingly appetizing foods (especially those lavish house dinners on west) but also making strenuous efforts at making it the most diverse and comforting thing on campus. The only main concern that we have to worry about it now is conserving our BRBs.

Boxes

Posted on 11/10/2015 by JLawl

This was second discussion based Rose Scholars event and it was hosted by a group of students who were taking IDP (Intergroup Dialogue Project). As a student taking IDP as well (in the Sexuality discussion however), I could see many aspects that reflected my own IDP group. Because of this, there were certainly parts where I was satisfied and dissatisfied about.

The issues we talked about were he stereotypes and expectations of the genders on either ends of the gender binary (ie. male and female). Because I am a person who enjoys listening to other people’s stories and experiences more so than to talk about my own, I was happy that there were students who enjoyed sharing.

Having gone to an all-girls school since the third grade, I feel that I did not experience as much of the gender socialization as many other students. Because all my classes had 100% girls, I never felt deterred from STEM field. In fact, I enjoyed STEM fields much more than I did with liberal arts. To me in high school, the notion that boys were encouraged to pursue STEM fields, while women, liberal arts, seemed like a myth to me.Hearing experiences of other students gave me a glimpse of what other students have gone through because of their gender.

Despite enjoying the discussion and the acceptance of other students who were attending, the workshop was not what I expected. When I heard of “Break the Box”, I thought that we would address and challenge the gender binary (ie. focus on the fact that gender is a spectrum, instead of a distinct binary). As a result, I had to spend the beginning of the discussion on readjusting my mindset. I feel that the discussion may have ignored those who are gender non-conforming. However, I do appreciate that a couple of the other students in the discussion did address this fact, making me feel like I was not the only one with that thought.

All in all, I wish that the even was longer so more topics about gender could have been covered.

Sustainable Dining

Posted on 11/10/2015 by Braxton Guinn

Early on in the semester it was near impossible to notice the rationing of meat that was occurring in West Campus dinning halls. I had figured it had to do with limiting the consumption of meats, in favor of less environmentally impactful vegetable crops, but before Wednesday’s Café that was no more than an assumption on my part. This was one of several topics that were brought up on November 4th by, or to, Rose House Chef Daniel Czebiniak, and Associate Director of Cornell West Campus Dining Paul Muscente.

Muscente explained that the reduction in sizes, and amounts (regulated by student employees, not your typical all-you-can-eat style) were part of a larger push to “bring vegetables to the center of the plate” and moving proteins to the side in an attempt to encourage Cornellians to eat healthier, and to help curb the environmental impact of the operation while reducing food waste. On the topic of food waste, I found it comforting that Chef Daniel consistently watches the excess food coming off the plate belt, noting what student’s aren’t eating, and taking that into consideration when ordering produce and planning future meals.

I can only imagine how difficult it is to coordinate a dining system like West Campus’s, where everyone living there has an unlimited meal plan and therefore can easily and without consequence move from one dining hall to another. This was brought up by Muscente after a comment was made that one of the other dining halls on West was loosing money, and that dining was trying to entice students to go there in an attempt to try to level out the number of students per night across the five dining halls. The Associate Director stated that though the reasoning behind the statement was false, they do wish to see each dining hall seeing an equivalent number of visits, but that doesn’t always happen, and the houses bring that into account when determining menus, and the amount of portions cooked on particular nights. He brought up Rose’s popular Taco Tuesdays as an example, saying that in response to a large number of students flocking to Rose on that evening, other houses may decide to reduce the amount of food they produce that evening, so there is less waste at the end of the day.

I found Czebiniak and Muscente to be very receptive of student’s questions, comments, and recommendations, and felt they made a genuine effort to make sure a particular student was satisfied with the response they received before moving on to others. I believe it reiterated how central students are to Dining’s success, and they do take seriously student’s comments and suggestions.

Good Eats

Posted on 11/08/2015 by Julissa Marie Andrade

I never realized how much thought and planning went into feeding the college students here at Cornell University but this was emphasized after Chef Daniel and Paul Muscente explained some of the initiatives and day-to-day efforts that go into Cornell Dining’s program.

One thing that really impressed me was the fact that they were actively seeking any input from the students, and that they were extremely receptive to prior suggestions. One student thought it would be advantageous to put the cookies far away from the fruits because they were easy to grab on the way out. I immediately saw Chef Daniel write down the suggestion. This past week, I noticed that the cookie plate moved. It was clear that Chef Daniel and Mr. Muscante are invested in the students. Moreover, it was important to me to hear how willing they were to work with students with allergies, given that I have several.

I am happy to know that I am in good hands when it comes to my food. These two people made it obvious that the food is high quality, fresh, and tasting good.

Grab Your Paintbrush, We’re Painting the Town

Posted on 11/08/2015 by Emma Louise Stillings

Because of Saturday, I can’t walk around Ithaca the same way. Because of Saturday, I find myself fascinated by the electrical boxes and parking garages. Because of Saturday, I love the public murals of Ithaca.

I joined the art walk from West to the Commons, stopping frequently to admire the artwork around town. Once you notice the art, you notice the art – and it’s gorgeous. My favorite piece was the flowers painted on the parking garage in Collegetown (I would definitely recommend a visit!)

The tour guide was from the Public Art Commission and he was fantastic. Funny, engaging, and interested in what we felt the art represented and what we would like to see in town. I could tell he genuinely cared so much about spreading art around the city. The walk was beautiful and I would definitely recommend everyone to keep their eyes peeled for the beauty all around them!

Below are some of my other favorite pieces (try to guess the locations!)

From Tables to Fitzgerald

Posted on 11/07/2015 by Gomez

Before I went on the Flora Rosa tour, I didn’t even know the Rare Manuscript Collection in Olin existed. From ancient tablets to books signed by F. Scott Fitzgerald, the variety and history of this collection is magnificent.

Here is some of the highlights shown to us during the collection:

-A rare book with all of Shakespeare’s plays, which was last sold for 5.8 million!

-A copy of a document with Abraham Lincoln’s signature on it.

-A copy of Charlotte’s web signed by author who is Cornell Alumni!

-An admissions recommendation to Cornell by Mark Twain! (The person got the job) (How could they not?)

Overall, I would say that the experience was an educational and interesting one. I would definitely recommend a visit!

The Paradox of Technology

Posted on 11/05/2015 by Julissa Marie Andrade

While watching the beautiful documentary Fragile Legacy, I noticed an interesting theme that spoke to an interesting paradox of technology. First, these beautiful glass figures represent the meticulous craftsmanship of the people that worked endlessly to create a near perfect replica of the sea critters. This was in the 1800s however, and they were stored away and forgotten for some time. Then, when they were rediscovered, they were able to be restored using today’s technologies to repair them to what they once were. Thus, technology saves us this time.

However, humanity’s use of technology has become detrimental to the environment, causing global temperatures and carbon dioxide levels to rapidly increase, warming the oceans, and directly damaging marine ecosystems. Clearly this is a negative side effect of living in the modern world.

On the other hand, we have developed ways to encourage the regrowth of the marine systems we damaged, which mitigates the issue a bit. There are Marine Protected Areas that allow sea creatures to refresh their populations and continue to live undisturbed. Moreover, using advanced technology, a scientist was able to diagnose the reason for the depletion of starfish quickly. This diagnosis would not have been possible without the sophisticated tools scientists use today.

Yet, we still continue to pollute the environment with no regard for the long-term consequences. It is easier to find the root of the problem and attempt to resolve it. There has to be some sort of widespread change, which has become clear to me after taking oceanography, and attending some of the Rose House events.

Modern technology creates a paradox in which it is detrimental to humanity as a whole, while at the same time facilitating us in making large leaps. Perhaps, as an economist would suggest, some of these particular detriments to humanity may warrant a cost-benefit analysis.

Menus of Change at Cornell Dining

Posted on 11/05/2015 by Ilana Kotliar

Today’s Becker-Rose Cafe focused on a topic that directly affects all of us students: food at Cornell. Chef Daniel and Paul Muscente provided us an inside perspective on why Cornell Dining is the way it is and new programs that have recently been installed. There are many initiatives within the Dining system that are under the umbrella of a larger “Menus of Change” program whose general goal is to promote healthy eating and increase sustainability.

One specific produce goal is to serve 10% more fruits and vegetables. This is a great aim and all of the great dressings, veggies, and salad toppings offered on West campus definitely promote healthy eating in this respect. However, it would likely further this goal to have an increased variety of fruits and vegetables available. I aways look forward to those infrequent nights when the dining halls serve strawberries and avocados, which always seem to be in high demand. They are perhaps more expensive to purchase, but as Chef Daniel pointed out, less resources go into preparing them (as opposed to preparing a chicken dish, for example) and they are very good for you!

The initiative to offer infused water as a healthier alternative to soda is also something that I personally take advantage of. This seems to be the perfect solution to the “healthy vs tasty” dilemma because the fruits inside the water add a bit of flavor. On a side note related to beverages, the apple cider offered at dining halls is very delicious and it is very nice that the cider is available to students for some time after “apple season” typically ends.

A slightly more controversial implication of “Menus of Change” is the rationing of protein dishes at the dining halls. According to Mr. Muscente and Chef Daniel, the goal of this is two-fold: to promote a plate that is half veggies, one-fourth starch, and one-fourth protein and also to reduce waste. However, despite Mr. Muscente’s claim that if a student wants more he/she can simply ask the server for more, in my personal experience this has not been the case. Rationing proteins has left many students feeling frustrated and with the sentiment that they are not truly having the “all-you-care-to-eat” dining experience that they are paying for. Moreover, taking extra trips to get another ration, and sometimes waiting on line for it, takes extra time, which busy Cornellians may not always have to spare. Perhaps the rationing is a good idea, but further research needs to be done to determine the correct amount to ration.

Although there is still potential for improvement, Cornell Dining clearly “towers above the rest” and I am looking forward to seeing what exciting new ideas they will implement in the future!

The Power of Art

Posted on 11/03/2015 by Ben

When I think of glass, it’s usually in relation to a window or a cold beverage. Attending Drew Harvell’s talk on the Blaschka glass sculptures last week definitively changed that perspective! I never imagined that glass could be so intricately worked into such exquisite art. The sheer craftsmanship of the Blaschka glass collection of marine creatures is astounding, and its beauty is only rivaled by that of the creatures it represents.

The presentation was bittersweet. On one hand, the fact that numerous species easily found 150 years ago are now extinct or endangered is a sobering thought: as discussed, global warming has facilitated (if not caused) the decline of many marine species, and the problem is only getting worse. The plight of the ochre starfish across the globe is representative of the vagaries of an ocean too warm. Will humanity be willing to dramatically alter its comfort-seeking lifestyle to support marine life? It seems doubtful.

On the other hand, however, I was inspired by the ability of art to renew a passion for nature. As museum patrons view and students study the beautiful sculptures, they are motivated to be more conscious of the natural world around them, and even take steps to support its well-being. I find it interesting how art can touch the human heart and inspire us to works of both passion and responsibility. It seems that humans are most effective to address issues when their heads and their hearts are aligned. Although the Blaschka family may not have done any direct ecological work, their amazing creations serve as champions of the ecosystem they represent.

A Fragile Balance

Posted on 11/02/2015 by Rachel Giorgio

As a biology major, I really, really enjoyed professor Harvell’s talk at this week’s Becker/Rose Cafe. With nothing but glass figurines as her guide, she travelled the world in hopes of identifying the organisms that served as models for Cornell’s breath-taking Blaschka glass collection, and learning more about the changes in marine biodiversity over the last century.

Professor Harvell also spoke a great deal about her efforts to identify the pathogen currently ravaging sea star populations up and down the west coast, which raised some good questions about our part in wildlife conservation.

It was suggested by a fellow student that perhaps it iss not our place to interfere with the plight of the sea stars, and the more I think about it, the more I think I agree with him. I have a feeling people are going to eat me alive for saying that, so let me clarify: The fact of the matter is that species have come and gone long before humans evolved on this Earth, and I’d venture to say that Mother Nature has been doing a pretty good job. Fighting against natural selection is an incredible uphill battle, and I think conservation efforts can turn into a money pit very, very quickly.

Let it be known that I am NOT saying that we should continue dumping raw sewage into the oceans, hunting endangered animals, and cutting down the rainforests – shame on us for letting that happen in the first place. If wildlife is suffering as a direct result of our actions, I believe we are obligated to to try to remedy the situation. BUT, while a noble thought, it’s very naïve to believe that we can save every animal, regardless of the source of their plight. As hard as it is, we need to pick our battles.

Let me know what you guys think, and, in the meantime, please enjoy this adorable picture of a nudibranch.

You’re welcome.

Into the Hood!

Posted on 11/01/2015 by Ramon Guadalupe

Everyone has to participate in Into the Streets at least once during their Cornell career. Into the Streets is basically one day of service that is done during the Fall semester.

I always wondered what kind of difference one day of service can truly make.

For that reason, I never participated until this year because in the past I thought I was a bit too involved with community service. I used to work at the Southside Community Center (an after school center) which is similar to GIAC in many ways. I have tutored kids with the PSC’s Reach Program at the Ithaca Youth Bureau, and one year my frat hosted an entire indoor Carnival at Southside. Fun times.

This semester I took a different approach. I decided I won’t participate in any community service during the semester (to focus on better grades, and a full time job offer) except for Into the Streets.

Here’s what one day of service can do:

^Just one of my small piles of leaves. This was only my second time raking, ever. I’ve lived in a high rise in NYC my entire life. We just don’t have enough space in Brooklyn to rake anymore.

^End result: About 10 full bags of yard junk filled. We ran out of bags, so I’d say we did a pretty good job.

Doesn’t really look like much right? I didn’t think so either at first, but after speaking with the coordinator at GIAC, she explained to us how much that really helped. GIAC (Greater Ithaca Activities Center) has been around for many years and plays a pivotal role for many low-income families in the community. The center offers many programs such as tutoring, ESL, boxing classes, guidance for parents, etc. It was pretty impressive to hear about the many different services they offer, and to see how large the building is.

GIAC has way more funding than Southside does, however GIAC’s budget is really limited in terms of maintenance. They haven’t been able to fund consistent yard work, so what we did in just a few hours alleviated the pressure that their few maintenance workers face (I think the coordinator said that there are only three maintenance workers). The Rose House group pulled all of the weeds around the premises, and raked as much as we could.

There’s one thing I learned about myself at this event. Landscaping is hard work that I am not built for in this life 🙂

Mr. Marshall Curry

Posted on 10/29/2015 by Cynthia Fang

Dinner with Marshall Curry was a spectacular event, filled with his anecdote on how he came to where he is today. He seemed to have discovered his love for filmmaking accidentally, with no real clear path of what he wanted to become in life or what he wanted to do after college. After his first film, Street Fight, which took him many trials and errors, for which got nominated for an Academy Award, he continued his newfound love of making documentaries. His large variety in films is credited to the fact that his ideas come to him and his opportunities to film comes randomly. He said that his film on the Earth Liberation Front came to him when his wife had told him that someone from her workplace had been arrested for terrorism, and when he heard it the first thing he wanted to do was make a film on it.

Having dinner with someone so accomplished, yet so humble, inspired me to look at life more calmly and let opportunities come to me. It made me learn not to freak out over small things that happen and to work hard to get to where I want.

Helping the Ithaca Community

Posted on 10/28/2015 by sv324

This past Saturday I participated in the Into the Streets Event and helped racking and clearing the yards for the Greater Ithaca Activities Center. My biggest motivation for this event was to have the time to do service in the community for Ithaca. In high school and even in my club GlobeMed at Cornell, community service was emphasized as a way to understand the community better which surprisingly being a student in the town, I do not know much about it.

The nice thing that the GRFs did were that they asked the secretary at the Center to explain what the center did. It was very touching to see the programs that were created to establish a stable source of knowledge and help for the youths that really need help in Ithaca. It is nice to think that our work of cleaning yards would be going to having kids coming in the next week and seeing a better kept facility outside. Even though it was hard labor, it was worth doing it for the kids at the youth programs.

Also, I enjoyed my time in the service activity making some new friends and learning more about people living at Rose this year and for next year!

Learning about the Inspiration behind Marshall Curry

Posted on 10/28/2015 by sv324

This dinner was an insightful time in my Rose Scholar experience. It was my first time in having dinner with a guest speaker for the Rose Scholars. It was great to see the personal story of what it took for him to be where he is. I always find those type of discovery stories encouraging and adding to my dream to become a prominent scientist in the world. It amazed me in how much hard work he took to get to his position as an award winning director of documentaries and how technology history had shaped his career as well.

Mr. Curry had started at a small working in a radio station and realized over time that he was interested in making a story of sorts and wished to put the skills he gained to take a documentary. His most important documentary was made on an election that had powerful characters and made the documentary successful. Mr. Curry had shared that he had filmed his documentary with a small camera and no other fancy equipment. He thought that his film would be shown to his family and few friends but never imagined it being shown at a prominent film festival. His passion for documentaries had no expectations for rewards and it was more like they followed him.

I have seen some documentaries and like it how the stories are real in that every emotion you feel as the viewer is more or less the emotions captured in the character at the time. Documentaries take an unique angle on giving the honest stories of people in their adventures. This was almost the same thoughts that Mr. Curry supported in his talk over dinner and could be seen in his documentary that he is working on a guy who traveled to find his manhood.

A reiteration of Cory Booker

Posted on 10/27/2015 by Nana

Last week I had the pleasure to watch a screening of Street Fight by Marshall Curry. I was so excited to watch this documentary because I have been keeping tabs on Cory Booker since middle school. I thought I know almost everything about his public life, but I failed to realize that Booker lost the first time he ran for mayor of Newark and the significance of that election. I’m telling you I thought I knew everything from his time at Stanford, Yale, and even the fact that he dated Oprah’s best friend, Gayle King. All I knew was that Booker is a polarizing political figure, and at one point he was mayor of Newark, and that he could potentially run for president in the distant future.

The documentary revealed the vices of the American political system on a local scale. It even looked in to the social dynamics of Newark and how that impacted the election. Booker’s opponent Sly James grew up in the poor side of Newark and had been in public office since the 1970’s, whereas Booker grew up in the suburbs went to an ivy league school and had no experience in office. It seemed like the first time Booker ran for office the people of Newark did not think that he cared about the city, it was as if he was not the real deal. Booker was so passionate about making changes for the city. In my opinion Booker did a lot to prove that he was committed to making a better Newark by living in public housing, going door to door to meet voters, and by connecting to voters on a genuine level.

It was such a pleasure to have Marshall Curry himself there to answer questions afterwards. I remember asking him a specific question along the lines of how did the Newark election parallel that of Bill de Blasio’s tale of two cities? For some reason toward the end of this documentary all I could think of was Bill de Blasio’s election and his tale of two cities slogan. Curry eloquently explained the distant parallels and the obvious differences. The whole experience was refreshing. All in all I really enjoy watching documentaries in order to fulfill my weekly requirement.

Try something at least once

Posted on 10/25/2015 by ORE95

During the informative, and very interesting dinner conversation, Mr. Marshall Curry had many pieces of wisdom to impart to us, however, one piece of advice particularly resonated with me. Mr. Curry told us to try something that you are interested in at least once, even if it seems almost impossible to accomplish. In his example, he was very interested in producing a documentary although he had little to no experience in doing so. Furthermore, many people who aspire to produce documentaries put in lots of time, money, and effort, only to see a low payoff. Thus, for Mr. Curry, producing a documentary was a risky move but he tried anyways because he did not want to look back 30 years later and regret not trying, and asking himself “what if”. Mr. Curry started filming the local election of Cory Booker and got hours and hours of film, but the editors and publishers refused to help him edit and publish his film. So, he had to teach himself how to edit and structure the film. Through all of these hardships, Mr. Curry was able to eventually get his documentary published and screened, and even got an Academy Award nomination!

Getting pumped for self-care!

Posted on 10/25/2015 by Kaela Noble

There was something strangely satisfying about pulling out fistfuls of pumpkin goop during the self-care workshop last Saturday. I honestly went into it with a pretty bad attitude; I was planning on leaving early because it seemed like a waste of my time when I had prelims to study for. However, once the carving started, I gladly stayed the full hour and a half. It felt nice to focus all of my energy on cutting open a pumpkin rather than on trying to remember what happens when an alkene reacts with a molecule of mercury acetate. It was also an awesome opportunity to meet other Rose scholars and get excited for Halloween with them.

At a school as stressful as Cornell it’s pretty surprising that events like this aren’t more common. Cornell should hold a biweekly arts and crafts session or something, because every season here is prelim season.

Have a fun and safe Halloween everyone!

Carving the Stress Away

Posted on 10/24/2015 by Amanda Laban

The self-care workshop last Saturday involved a topic relevant to every Cornell student….STRESS! Balancing prelims, assignments for other classes, extracurriculars and a social life, stress is bound to make an appearance in your life somehow. Honestly, I didn’t really plan on going to the workshop, I figured I would reduce the stress in my life by starting to study for my prelim later in the week instead. It was ironic, but I would up going to the self-care workshop in the Rose library and I am sooo happy I did!
GRF Sarah had some great tips about dealing with stress like exercising, socializing and using mental health resources on campus. During the week, I found myself using a lot of these tips to deal with the stress from my prelim except that I vented more to my roommate and best friend than a counselor. Finally what better way to deal with stress than carving a pumpkin!!! I only carved one other pumpkin in my life before and I found it so difficult so my dad wound up taking an electric saw and cutting the pumpkin for me. (So I guess I never really carved a pumpkin before!) It was really nice just taking time out of my day to relax, talk to other Rose scholars and carve a really cool pumpkin (see the picture below)! I found it carving the pumpkin to be much easier than the last time I tried and I think my pumpkin carving skills speak for themselves with the picture attached. Overall, I loved the workshop and I got to take the pumpkin back to my suite to decorate our common room for Halloween. Unfortunately, the pumpkin started to mold and decompose in our living room so I had to throw it out about five days later but at least the self-care tips are staying with me for longer.

Domestic Violence Has Many Voices…They Aren’t The Same

Posted on 10/24/2015 by Emony Robertson

During Cornell’s Mental Health Awareness Week, I attended two events that focused on Domestic Violence Awareness, typically celebrated in the month of October.

The first event I attended was hosted by sororities in the Multicultural Greek Letter Council – women of color. The second event was hosted by the Cornell’s Women Resource Center and the Voices of Planned Parenthood – predominantly white women. The feel of each event, the dialogue, the tone, and the topics were very reflective of those in the room.

Perhaps I identified more with one group than the other, but it that doesn’t change the significance of having these conversations, how efficient these conversations should be, and the hoped for outcomes. With Domestic Violence, these conversations should be fluid, conscientious of the many identities that are affected, and ways to make these spaces seem open. All in all, domestic violence is too touchy of a topic, and I believe that it is the job of the facilitator to address the many voices affected, in order to create a safe and aware environment.

The Complexities of Environmental Terrorism

Posted on 10/22/2015 by Anna-Katharina von Krauland

If a Tree Falls: A Story of the Earth Liberation Front, a documentary that focuses on one man’s experience with extreme environmental activism and the subsequent legal proceedings that occurred as a result of his acts of “eco-terrorism,” is a brilliant film that raises multiple thought-provoking questions about the way we interact with the environment, the extent to which we are willing to stand by our values, and the way the same action can be viewed in so many ways by different people who admit that events are much more complex than they sometimes initially seem.

Besides being adeptly crafted to tell an intriguing history, this film really goes beyond the realm of story-telling in successfully making the audience think about how we, as a society, define terrorism, and how the current legal system seems to punish those who arguably least deserve to be punished, while letting others off free in exchange for information. It makes people think about how there isn’t one right approach to a problem, and that even individuals that seem to be clearly on one side of an issue have the capacity to sympathize to a surprising extent with others who hold conflicting beliefs. One striking example of this was a brief interview with a lumberjack in the Northwest, who openly acknowledged that he has no issue with cutting down trees. Though this seems crass, he goes on to explain that ninety-five percent of Old Growth forests have been cut down in the United States, and that when activists try to protect the remaining five percent, he doesn’t see this as being extreme. Extreme is cutting down all the trees. This really puts into perspective the extent and severity of the damage that we’ve inflicted on the natural environment. It forces us to think about our priorities and suddenly turns “radical environmentalists” into benign humanitarians. Equally as shocking were the scenes that showed peaceful protests wherein hundreds gathered to voice their political opinions, only to be met with police brutality. One scene showed a woman being held down by a police officer as he forced pepper spray into her eyes while she begged him to stop hurting her and told him that all she wanted was to protect the trees. These scenes were extremely powerful as they illustrated an aspect of the story that elucidated the way in which the lines between “good and evil” are really a matter of perspective and can be seen as blurry at best.

Walking into the theater, I was hopeful that I would enjoy this movie and perhaps learn a few new things. I didn’t expect to be blown away by all the intricate and fascinating questions raised by this film. Being able to ask the filmmaker, Marshall Curry, himself about the film afterwards was an added perk that added depth to my understanding of some aspects of the movie. If you didn’t have the opportunity to attend this screening, I would absolutely recommend that you find this movie to watch on your own-it’s definitely worth the time!

Memories of Sweet Salad

Posted on 10/22/2015 by Justice

At the Love Your Body event, the first thing we talked about was how our favorite foods and their tastes affect the way we feel. The discussion was enlightening because I realized that people have very different sentiments regarding foods and the memories they evoke. One person said he loved pasta and that the tomato sauce reminded him of the fact that he used to hate tomatoes when he was a child, but was forced to eat pasta anyway. The speaker said that fruit cake brings forth memories of her mother’s concern for her weight. She said that she was a stout kid, so her mother always gave her fruit cake for her birthday as a healthy alternative to standard birthday cakes. Another person said that his favorite Indian chicken dish reminded him of his home and heritage in India. I talked about the pomegranate Waldorf salad that my uncle always makes. The salad reminds me of the relationship my uncle and I have and my first introduction to the delicious pomegranate seed. For me, the fruit in the salad invokes cheerfulness while the walnuts give an earthy, homey feel. Food can be something we eat as a means to survive, but it can also elicit all sorts of memories. I appreciated how the definition of “body” was broadened to encapsulate senses, emotions, and thoughts as well.

Advice from a film maker

Posted on 10/21/2015 by Charlotte

This evening, I went to the Dinner Conversation with Marshall Curry, a documentary film maker who has won awards at film festivals and was nominated for an Oscar. I love watching movies and I have always been amazed by documentaries in particular because the film maker does not have complete control of what happens like in other genres of movies, but they instead have to be willing to change their plan entirely based on the footage they get.

I found Mr. Curry’s story very inspiring. He had wanted to make documentaries for a while, but he always thought of being a documentary maker as unrealistic of a goal as being the quarterback of a professional football team. Finally, he told himself he would just give it a try, so he took a leave of absence from work and set about making his first film, Street Fight. Never having made a film before or gone to film school, Mr. Curry bought a camera and started filming. After shooting 200 hours of video, he took a weekend class on using editing software and then single-handedly edited the 200 hours down to 120 minutes and formed a cohesive story. He then worked with a professional to get it down to 82 minutes. It was with this first documentary that he was nominated for an Oscar.

While I do not intend to make documentaries in the future, some of the lessons Marshall Curry has learned through his experience with film making can apply to anyone. First of all, he told us that anything you make is not going to perfect the first time and you can’t expect it to be. Just put down your ideas and then use iterative improvement until you’re satisfied. And secondly, it is important to be comfortable with failure, because it is through failure that you improve your skills.

Marshall Curry shared a fascinating story about his path to becoming a film maker and the skills he has learned along the way. I am very glad I attended this dinner conversation.

Marshall Curry on Documentary Filmmaking

Posted on 10/20/2015 by TBS

Marshall Curry, two-time Academy Award nominated documentary filmmaker, joined us for dinner. Here are trailers of two of his movies:

There were two main questions I would have liked to ask, given more time:

Does Mr. Curry believe that he would have stuck with documentary filmmaking had his films not been so immediately successful (winning awards in festivals such as Tribeca and earning Oscar nominations)? I can easily imagine numerous other aspiring filmmakers going through a similar struggle to make a movie and then feeling dejected if their movie does not receive high acclaim. I would have liked to ask Mr. Curry how much of his success he attributes to the luck of the first film he ever made being so well-received and how much of of it he believes comes from pure talent and determination.

Mr. Curry mentioned that in two of his films, Mistaken for Strangers and Point and Shoot, he chose to use the footage in a way the subject of the film didn’t intend. I would have liked to ask him what terms and conditions a documentary filmmaker agrees upon with his/her subjects at the outset. I was also interested to learn how the subjects felt about his editorial decisions.

Holistic and Honest

Posted on 10/17/2015 by Allison

The panel cleared up a lot of the confusions I had with environmental concerns, a topic seemingly so broad that it’s difficult to come up with a starting talking point in any discussion. Discourse is mostly summarized by the sentiment “global warning is a Bad Thing” and is never laid out in detail about other forms of energy or other sides of the debate about nonrenewable/renewable energy and nonwestern/western policies. Environmental concerns are more than worrying about fossil fuels, but about the effects of all energy consumption, in forms of costs and health. We talked about nuclear energy, and the gray areas of its benefits and disadvantages, and didn’t come to a concrete side. I didn’t know there was a potential of nuclear energy to be renewable (in its waste), and I wasn’t aware of the regulations that go along with each national nuclear energy processes, that also make it more difficult to use and improve.

A really interesting point that was brought up was the issue of capitalism and the natural push towards deregulation of industries, which has lead and is leading to more issues with energy (e.g fracking). Republicans push for the “free market”, to let the market run itself, but economic studies have shown that the free market only works in some instances, it is not in fact the rule.

I appreciated that the three professors admitted to the gray area of environmental policy, that there aren’t definite answers to whether or not renewable or nonrenewable sources of energy are better than others, it’s all about weighing the pros and cons for individual cases, which, like most issues, are subjective.

Pondering the Environmental Crisis

Posted on 10/17/2015 by sv324

resonated with some of the topics that were discussed in my Ethics and Environment class. It was great to have the panelists themselves ask us the first question in what are our biggest environmental concern was. Sometimes, we don’t think much about the environment and the current possible events that are happening in our natural surroundings as we are leading our busy lives.

A main concern was global warming, which is an issue that has always been roaming around the news about climate change but has not seemed like an imminent threat. It is a good thing that now the recent democratic debate has brought global warming into the spotlight for more people to be educated about this realization of how much harm it can do. It is an improvement from previous political grounds. Another issue that was brought up was fracking, which was defined as the release of chemicals from the pipes running underground. It was interesting that I never thought before that fracking was not common around the world and that it was defined because we had people from different areas around the world. However, the panelists were common in one aspect that New York state and Ithaca in particular booming with environmental activism was very opposed to companies doing any fracking here.

Overall, I liked the set-up of the whole panel because it stimulated a more relaxed discussion about the environmental problems which are increasingly becoming and should become worries for society.

The Frank story of Amy Winehouse

Posted on 10/16/2015 by Nana

Last week I had the pleasure of watching Amy a documentary about the late Amy Winehouse. That night before I had pulled an all nighter and then proceeded to go to events through out the day. Luckily I had enough time to squeeze in an hour nap before the documentary started. The documentary was so dynamic that I did not want it to end, just like Amy’s life.

The documentary took us all the way back to the beginnings of Amy’s career. It was so fascinating to see how her relationships with men shaped her behavior and eventually her actions. There was so much about Amy that I did not know until I watched the documentary.

The parts of the documentary that stuck out the most to me was when Amy was interacting with her family and friends. Just seeing her outside of the spotlight behaving as any daughter, friend, and partner would carry on. In those moments I forgot about her battle with alcoholism, bulimia,and drugs. I even forgot about the media’s fascination with her lifestyle.

The most touching parts of the documentary were when you could feel the love that Amy had for her x-husband and her father. Even though those relationships were deeply unstable it felt like a dynamic that could be seen outside of hollywood. Amy’s love of music was contagious. You could just tell how passionate she was about her craft early on all the way to the end. I enjoyed the part where Amy records a song with her idol, Tony Bennett. She was behaving like a little school girl. She really did not want to mess up or waste his time, and she even wanted to call her dad and tell him. The documentary really showed me that she was just like everybody else.

Amy Winehouse – behind the name

Posted on 10/15/2015 by Anna Canning

While watching the documentary, I was struck by how intensely personal her work was. Before seeing the film I was vaguely acquainted with Amy Winehouse – I knew a couple of songs from Back to Black (Tears Dry on Their Own, Rehab, and You Know that I’m No Good), I recognized her distinctive style in music and fashion, and, lastly, I heard about her death when it happened. Her persona, her upbringing, her journey to stardom and its impact on her life were things I had never learned about or given any thought.

When I gained insights into all of these aspects of her through the documentary, her songs (her lyrics, really) fell into a whole new light. The nonchalant defiance of Rehab is much more difficult to accept knowing the tumultuous events of Amy’s life that inspired the song, and the toll such events ultimately took on her. Lines like “if my Daddy thinks I’m fine”, which are unconcerned and almost playful at first, are painful to the listener who has watched the Amy’s father leave her when she is young, only to return to her later on when she becomes successful, more as a manager than a parent, and goad her into taking on a destructively heavy load. The intense and unstable relationship between Amy and Blake also heightens the impact of songs like Tears Dry on Their Own.

When thinking about Amy’s public persona and private life, there’s no getting around the tragedy that the former helped to cause for the latter. Amy states in the movie that she doesn’t want to be famous, it would drive her mad (or something to that effect). Unfortunately, she had less choice in the matter than that. Amy suffered a great deal on account of her celebrity; it’s sad and frustrating to watch her go down that path.

The Failings of International Criminal Law

Posted on 10/15/2015 by Nisma

Last Wednesday, I attended Professor Ohlin’s talk about International Criminal Law. Professor Ohlin discussed the bombing of the Doctors Without Borders hospital in Afghanistan and whether this was a case that could be argued in court. While morally we may believe that any innocent life lost in a military strike puts that military’s government at fault, it is generally accepted that collateral damage is a part of war. As long as the amount of people killed is not proportional to the value of the military strike then said actions are lawful. However, it seems impossible to argue such a case because I’m not sure how one could go about measuring the value of a military strike in comparison to the loss of human lives. As Professor Ohlins pointed out, this is why such cases are rarely taken as lawyers prefer to take on cases where it’s clear that there was no value at all in the military attack.

This means that war criminals are rarely brought to justice. I was particularly struck by the manner in which South Africa protected the president of Sudan, Omar Al-Bashir, while there was a warrant out for his arrest. South Africa also faced no punishment for failing to bring Al-Bashir into custody. It was also unsettling to see how easy it is for big powers such as the U.S. to evade accountability due to the veto power in the U.N. Security Council as well as the fact that we are not part of the International Criminal Court. There need to be checks in place to ensure justice especially because the U.S. has so much power and maintains a global presence.

War Crimes & Justice

Posted on 10/15/2015 by Albert

With the recent hospital bombing in Afghanistan, issues dealing war crimes are brought to light. But what specifically is a ‘war crime’? Isn’t killing involved in war? When is it applicable to say that a country or a leader has committed a war crime since war typically involves casualties among armed forces?

At the Becker Rose Cafe, Professor Ohlin of the Cornell Law School gave a short information session pertaining to war politics as well as his opinions on current events. He started off by detailing the ‘rules’ of war, which are generally understood amongst all powers in conflict. While battle will result in deaths, the combat should, in no way, hurt innocent civilians, injured soldiers (who are beyond the point of service), or medical facilities. There is extra emphasis on hospitals because they are a safe zone since they are typically associated with recovery or healing for people who are suffering. However, if the injuring of civilians occurs as collateral damage, it is perfectly legal. But what does collateral damage mean? If, for instance, a building in destroyed and debris falls onto passing civilians, then this act cannot be deemed a war crime.

Another issue that officials have to deal with when observing these cases is the proportion of civilian deaths when compared to that of soldier deaths. But since these numbers are often hard to calculate, a lot of courts choose not to try these cases unless it is a major event. The bombing of the Doctors Without Borders hospital in Afghanistan, for example, is one such case and the United States has yet to provide a full debriefing as to what had actually happened before bombing the local hospital. In addition, it is important to note that this unfortunate event happened on a national scale and is part of the reason why further investigation will be conducted to determine if this could actually be categorized as a war crime.

If the problem persisted internationally as seen in Syria, the case is much harder to handle. Much of these issues will be sent to the International Criminal Court, which is a coalition formed from numerous countries. With the current system, if any one of the participating countries vetoes to receive a case, the issue is immediately dispelled and not even glanced at. But from news reports, it is apparent that the civilians of Syria are being killed left and right while Russia is conducting covert, illegal activities in the country. While the reports of criminal activity in Syria may be sent over to the International Criminal Court, Professor Ohlin mentioned that Russia will, without a doubt, veto this case.

Even with a political organization, the world seems to be unable to deal with international war crimes through its failure to effectively implement its resources. With such weaknesses, is it not necessary to revise international political law as well as search for solutions that brings war crimes to an end?

What will YOU do for the environment?

Posted on 10/15/2015 by Ben

Tonight I attended the Environmental Panel Becker/Rose Cafe Discussion. Professors David Wolfe, Greg Poe, and Shanjun Li led an interactive discussion concerning some current environmental issues and policies. They made it clear that the “common man” has an important role to play in the issue, as we can engage in more sustainable everyday practices, and agitate for environmental change on the political level. As Cornell students especially, it is our responsibility to be informed of environmentally responsible policies and technologies that can affect our options and the options of those around us. Leaving Cornell, we will have the opportunity to influence those in our respective spheres with regard to these things. Also, as an engineer, I have the opportunity to develop skills that can be put to the task in designing improved sustainability technologies.

The question that I want to ask everyone who may read this is: what are you willing to do – or even what are you willing to sacrifice – for the benefit of the environment? Everyday choices have an impact. Would you be slightly inconvenienced by taking the time to turn off the tap whenever you don’t need it, or turn lights off each time you leave a room? Would you be willing to modify your schedule more intensively to bike to the store and to work instead of drive? Would you be willing to pay more money for sustainably-sourced products and locally grown foods? Would you give up McDonalds burgers because of the obscene amounts of water it takes, and methane it creates to produce the ground beef? I find it easy to point fingers at big industry and politicians for causing pollution and hindering environmental responsibility, without recognizing that my consumption and lifestyle cause significant amounts of pollution. So, how serious are you about environmental health, really? What are you willing to DO about it? Your actions prove how much you want to see changes made.

The Righteous Sin?

Posted on 10/13/2015 by Alexander Perez

On October 3rd, the United States unleashed an airstrike on a Doctors Without Borders hospital in Afghanistan. Dozens of innocent civilians were either killed or injured. Professor Ohlin posed the question, “Was this a war crime?” The answer, according to international criminal law, would depend on several factors. Was this a blatant attack on unarmed civilians? Was there a military target involved? If there was a military target, what was its value?

The concept of “collateral damage” is one of the most salient tragedies of war. This is why I can come to agree with the statement, “In war, no one ever truly wins.” I am puzzled as to how one assigns value to a military target. Would it not always be in the best interest of the assailant to simply label their military target as one with high value? Are other parties involved in this decision? This issue seems to be far from just black and white. I can not definitively answer Professor Ohlin’s original question, as I would require further information from the investigations at hand. In any case, the United States must be held accountable for any wrongdoing. The U.S should not escape punishment just because we see ourselves as the “force for good in the world.”

College Planning Seminar

Posted on 10/09/2015 by 2009txt

On Wednesday night I went to the Rose cafe event titled: How to Succeed in College and Beyond: Preparing for The Future after Graduation by professor Dan Schwarz. There was nice snacks before the talk began and a lot of people were there. I was particularly interested in this topic because I am struggling on finding balance in studying and socializing recently. Also I start to feel the pressure of job searching so I thought it would be great to hear some advice.

Although Professor Schwarz teaches English, his approach to college planning is very practical and specific. Here are some points that I learned

Don’t to afraid to talk to professors during office hours. This helps form bond and could possibly lead to future possibilities
Start looking for job early, ideally from sophomore. Summer is a good time to try internship and junior summer intern may lead to full time return offer.
Take computer science and economics courses. I think it is very interesting that he brings this up since this is usually the talk from STEM or business people. I would do some research on what this professor has researched when I got free time.

To be honest, I have heard all these advice before. It is good that the professor sum it up. However, I wish there were more advice on mind set and motivation stuff, like how to make decisions when you are stuck on which subject to major in or which club to pick. Because I always face these kind of choices and I am still trying to find an effective thinking method to solve it quick. And also, although I think learning practical stuff in useful and realistic, time should be spent more on the stuff that you like so that you can get better in that area everyday. I have been stuck on this problem. What do you guys think?

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Posted on 10/05/2015 by Justice

“Yah mahn, like, this is totally next level stuff — you don’t even know.” This is the mentality I felt I was faced with at the Made in Chicago concert. Any person who pulled pleasure from tonight’s painfully pitiful performance is a paragon of a proudly pretentious, pontificating pot-smoker. As a jazz drummer, I can tell you it sucked. Any five people can go on stage and strike various strings or plastics and blow into some metals or woods, but I guess I’m supposed to believe that it takes true masters to do it fast. All the players were doing was soloing over each other. When one got more vociferous than the rest, the next had to assert his dissonant dominance. There was even a concerted effort to rid the pieces of any modicum of musicality. Whenever two musicians accidentally banged out something melodious, the other actors made sure to squeak a little louder and bury it in a cacophony of chaos to remind the damning duo why they were there. That being said, I don’t think these musicians aren’t practiced; they’ve just been practicing the wrong things recently. Jack DeJohnette has played with all the greats of jazz, and I like a lot of his earlier work: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2QTf8Yjn7Hk. His new stuff is not up to snuff and, frankly, is enervating. I was waiting for the performers to start playing the Rick Roll music after I actually saw the piano player and one of the saxophonists fall asleep during the madness. They must just be growing weary and senile in their old age as the youngest was 71. Their minds have probably congealed into putty if that’s the best they can come up with nowadays. Lastly, I don’t understand how avant-garde jazz constitutes jazz music. Just because the band uses an upright bass and saxophones and improvises doesn’t mean the sound it makes is anything like jazz. It was nothing like jazz. You might say I just don’t get it. You’d be right.

Waking up to a Genocide

Posted on 09/29/2015 by Ben

Last Wednesday I attended the Becker/Rose Cafe Series and heard Professor Eric Cheyfitz speak about the past and ongoing plight of American Indians. To say that they have been “mistreated” by the United States would be a gross understatement. I was appalled to hear of the systematic genocide and ethnic cleansing that our nation has wrought on Indian people groups, from preemptive war to mass slaughter to withholding vaccinations to forcing assimilation to denying Indian political and legal authority. Doctor Cheyfitz made it abundantly clear that the US has had no qualms blatantly reneging on treaties with Indian Nations and denying them the authority and resources needed to maintain health and safety in their territories.

I find two things especially enraging about what we as a nation have done to Indians. First off, we rarely talk about the enormity of past atrocities, such as the Wounded Knee massacre of Indian women and children or the forced assimilation of the Dawes Severalty act. In US History classes we often admit that the US has occasionally been on the wrong side of history: slavery was heinous, and the Vietnam Conflict extremely damaging to all involved. However, history classes never come close to describing what we have done to the Indians as genocide. Even worse, the genocide is still happening! I had no idea that we continue to leverage Indians to assimilate by keeping their societies as impoverished and dangerous. The US has done a great job of propagating the myth that Indian peoples are a thing of the past, swept away by the advances of modern society.

Confronted with these truths, I’m deeply impressed by the resilience of the Indian peoples, as they seek to maintain their culture in the face of great opposition and suffering. I am also convicted. How can I just sit here while a such a beautiful people group bears the force of ethnic cleansing by the most powerful superpower in the world? Now that I know the injustice that is going on, I have the choice to do something about it, or support it by my indifference. Fortunately, Cornell has an American Indian Program which fosters Indian community, and is engaged in service events such as tutoring Indian high school students in Lafayette, NY. I’m excited to explore these opportunities!

Image over Substance: A Collapse of Values

Posted on 09/26/2015 by Addison Underwood

When I first began to explore Cornell, I felt a sense of comfort. The juxtaposition of the underprivileged with the quirky, character riddled town transported me back to my own city. Although the culture of campus felt alien, the people foreign, the familiarity that the town provided, allowed me the chance to meld into life here in Ithaca. The people were genuine and layered; they had tales of struggles more akin to my own. Last Friday I was able to find a similar slice of home while still being reminded of the clash that was occurring.

For the first time I wandered over to the orchards and instantly felt cocooned by the remnants of my far flung home. The apples carried me back to Washington and the orchards reminded me of my family farm. However just as the transplanted of myself at Cornell jolted me so did a revelation revealed by our guide. The apples grown in the orchards were treated with pesticide. Although my friends found this to me expected I was taken aback. I had allowed the image that Cornell indirectly portrayed to shape my thoughts. The dairy produced at Cornell, the sense of liberalism, the fresh veggie and fruit punch cards, among other things had swayed me to believe that Cornell was more progressive and natural than the reality showed. The idea of the “perfect apple” began to appear and yet I saw it’s imperfections.

Later we were to learn that a small section of the orchard did contain organic apples. Our group trekked over to their small corner of the world and I felt more at peace. There was a nostalgia with these apples. They looked real, authentic, perhaps blemished and lacking the “perfection” but as they should be. Their value wasn’t in their appearance, or reputation but rather in their content, taste, feel. The bruises and fragility of their skin showed their character the same way the wrinkles in an old man’s face does. The proportion of these apples to the others made me feel sad. Yet I felt hope when our guide explained that the past year they had brought in wild honey bees instead of farmed ones to pollinate the crops. Perhaps going back to the simplicity of older times proved to have its own value, one that offered an alternate view where the colony collapse of our generation might be avoided. It seemed to me that the battered Ithaca apples might have an advantage to the “perfect” Cornell apples. After all the thing that is valued can take many forms, just like apples can.

Absorbing Knowledge & Food

Posted on 09/26/2015 by Amanda Laban

There is a militant connotation that comes with the word “feminism.” Being a feminist does not mean you are an angrily opinion woman who hates men. It means you support equal rights for women. It was nice to sit down with other students and discuss feminism and address some of the stereotypes. We mentioned how certain celebrities address feminism, but they are sure to make the distinction that they are not radical feminists so that they maintain their fan base for marketing purposes. Katy Perry said, while accepting an award for 2012 Woman of the Year, “I am not a feminist, but I do believe in the strength of women.” Isn’t that what feminism is?

In conclusion, I really enjoyed having an intellectual conversation about this topic with so many well-educated students. I met so many great people and I would definitely recommend that everyone stops by one Thursday from 6 to 7:30 in the Rose Common Room!

Prof Schwartz: Coming Full Circle

Posted on 09/23/2015 by Patrick Loi

I remember the first Rose/Becker Cafe Series I ever attended last year featured Prof Schwartz in Prof Blalock’s apartment. Almost all of the scholars crammed inside Prof Blalock’s living room, huddled around Prof Schwartz as he gave out his words of wisdom. His talk was one of the first talks I’ve heard here, and I thought his advice was extremely fitting for kickstarting the new year. I wrote last year that his advice was useful, applicable, but nothing new we haven’t heard before: study hard, prepare for the future early, take advantage of internship opportunities, keep on moving forward, make meaningful connections with professors, and challenge yourself by taking on new experiences outside your comfort zone. His sentiments definitely ring true, and they’re definitely strong, wise words we should strive to follow and remember as we take on this new year.

After attending his talk this year, I found many similar themes in his talks between the years. The ideas of the 3 R’s (resilience, resourcefulness, and resolve) and “time is time” and “find your own niche” resonate again and again. On one hand, I’m thinking “yep, I’ve heard this so many times before,” but on the other hand, it’s interesting to look around the room and see new Rose scholars looking and listening to Prof Schwartz earnestly, trying to soak in every syllable of advice. I remember how I felt when I first listened to him last year. I felt apprehensive, concerned, and eager all at the same time as a new transfer student. I felt that yes, ideally a great student would do everything he said, but his advice was easier said than done. But then I think back to how I have changed in the past year; his advice about finding a niche, and becoming involved, and getting to know professors didn’t seem so foreign the second time around. Through the past year, I worked as an undergrad researcher, a student advisor, and I even run a peer mentorship program to make research accessible to new students, and I found myself giving similar advice as Prof Schwartz did to new students who are now in my old shoes last year.

I was really glad I was able to hear Prof Schwartz speak again, and it was especially valuable to hear him a full year later. It’s like that feeling of not fully appreciating your parents’ words of wisdom until you’ve grown older yourself and can look back on your experiences. It’s like “aha, they were right all along!” Listening to him really made me reflect on how I’ve changed in the past year; I’m glad the new Rose scholars this year got to hear him as the first speaker of the Rose/Becker Cafe Series and I’m excited to see what changes this upcoming year brings!

Tips on How to Succeed in College and Beyond?

Posted on 09/22/2015 by Emma Louise Stillings

On Wednesday, September 16th, I listened as Dan Schwartz, a professor in the Cornell English Department, told the us students How To Succeed In College. But did he really?

I found the advice he gave very general and not truly helpful at all. He had advice for each of the individual grades, yet for sophomores he simply said “Focus on academics. Focus on getting involved. Focus on internships sometimes soon.” He sounds like every generic college brochure I’ve ever read.

Maybe I’m a bit biased – I have two older sisters who frequently, and without much prompting, give me advice. They frequently tell me about what they did in college, although they remain quiet about their own mistakes.

So perhaps I know more than the average sophomore – But truly I don’t think so.

I appreciate that Mr. Schwartz took time to help us with college, yet I don’t think he really accomplished anything at all. His speech should be aimed at high school kids about to enter college – I felt he was trying sell us on college. Yet we all attend college. A relatively good college. Why should he attempt to impress upon me the benefits of college when I know what benefits it offers me.

In short, while Mr. Schwartz was an engaging speaker who I could tell genuinely wanted to help us, his lecture was not extremely helpful.

A Guide to Undergraduate Career and Life after Cornell

Posted on 09/19/2015 by sv324

Sometimes as we go through our undergraduate years at Cornell, we do not think about the many opportunities that we could utilize to maybe pursue our goals after college. Professor Schwarz was able to clearly convey to me what I should be thinking for my future as a junior. When I was a freshman, I did not know what to do as far concerning my career after undergraduate. I did not know how helpful it was to go to TA office hours and develop interactions with professors until my sophomore year. Furthermore, I feel like I did explore many opportunities as in extracurricular activities but sometimes got overwhelmed with it. Thus, I agree with Professor Schwarz that freshmen should be concerned with getting used to the Cornell environment first and then delve to more extracurricular activities tailored to your career interest in sophomore year. That was the ideal time for me to get involved in science research at a lab since i was interested in being a researcher with my engineering degree. Professor Schwarz is again extremely correct in using your junior and senior years to be the times to plan for any type of graduate school or job experience that will aid for a job or later graduate school.

I feel like this talk was helpful in showing me somewhat a certain way i should follow to reach some level of success. At least it did point me to right directions in the future. No one really tells you a certain recipe to follow for your dreams so it is really up to you and the advice of others such as Professor Schwarz to show you the way to what you want to achieve.

Everyone Finds a Place and Everyone Makes a Space

Posted on 09/18/2015 by Ore Afon

As a fitness monitor at Cornell Fitness Centers, I actually had the pleasure of spotting Professor Schwarz almost every week at the Teagle gym, and I can honestly say I’ve never seen a gentleman as old as himself (74, as he often reminded me) bench press as much weight as he regularly did (175 pounds–his own body weight!) Because of our weekly interaction in the weight room, I grew fond of Professor Schwarz and all the new bits of random, but interesting information, he would bring in with him every Tuesday. So as you can imagine, it pleased me a lot to hear that he was going to be the speaker in the Rose/Becker Cafe this past Wednesday.

The talk that he gave about succeeding while in college came at a really good time–for me, at least. He gave the audience several tips that he knew would help us, as college students, make our post-secondary education experience the best one possible. One thing in particular that he mentioned, that I’d actually been trying to figure out whether or not I wanted to pursue, was studying abroad. “Do it,” I remember him saying. “Just do it; it will be one of the best experiences of your life, and you won’t regret it.” Though not many pre-med students actually do study abroad, I’ve had an interest in it since I was still in high school, and hearing Professor Schwarz explain what a good time he had during his time abroad more or less solidified my desire to do so, as well.

Another thing that really stood out to me was his “three R’s: resilience, resourcefulness and resolve.” I felt that there was no other way to list three of the major themes necessary to succeed in school, especially at one like ours. And even though the semester has only just begun, I’ve already felt myself burning out–falling into the “sophomore slump,” I guess–and this particular piece of advice didn’t fall onto deaf ears; in fact, I felt it was just what I needed to remind myself that no, school isn’t easy, but if I put forth the work, give in the time and set my mind to it, it won’t be half as bad as I think.

Additionally, near the end of his talk, Professor Schwarz gave five quick bullet points for us to remember: do something fun everyday, stay physical, take care of yourself emotionally, keep a journal, and laugh a lot. I won’t lie, I thought these points were fairly cliche, but nevertheless, they still encouraged me the way I’m sure he meant them to do. Then, as he was preparing to take questions, he reminded us that “everyone finds a place, and everyone makes a space,” a friendly phrase meaning that all students at Cornell will eventually find where they belong and have a positive influence somewhere in our school. Overall, hearing Professor Schwarz speak was definitely inspirational, and I’m especially glad he recognized me as his “favorite Teagle spotter.”

Requirements for Blog Posts

Posted on 08/30/2015 by Jarrett Anthony

1. ONE-WEEK DEADLINE. Your post must be published within one week of the event in order to fulfill the blogging requirement for that week.

2. CATEGORIZE! You must select the category from list of categories at the rights side of the “Add New Post” page to indicate the event you are blogging about . Uncategorized posts may not count towards the requirement.

3. Give your post a UNIQUE TITLE that reflects your point. DO NOT USE THE TITLE OF THE EVENT as the title of your post!

4. DO NOT SUMMARIZE! Your post should reflect your own unique take on what you experienced. In other words, don’t tell other Scholars what you did. Tell them what you thought about what you did.

5. COMMENT REQUIREMENT. Each Scholar is required to submit five comments regarding other participants’ posts over the course of each semester. That’s 10 comments total for the entire academic year.