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Faculty Criticize New Calendar Plan Proposal detrimental to mental health, profs say

By KERRY CLOSE Sun News Editor

At Wednesday’s Faculty Senate meeting, professors slammed the Calendar Committee’s latest proposal to revise the academic calendar, saying the changes could prove detrimental to both the quality of students’ academic experiences and their mental health.

The committee proposed to change the last day of classes –– and thus Slope Day –– to a Wednesday instead of a Friday. Study period, Doyle said, would then run from Thursday through Sunday, and exam week would be shortened from 13 days to eight –– “Shortening the a change Geoffrey Block ’14, atnumber of days large representative for the S.A., said could have adverse conseavailable to take exams is clearly not quences.

“Shortening the number of days a step designed to available to take exams is clearly not a step designed to reduce stureduce student dent stress,” he said. “The concern stress.” [is] that we’re not doing enough to aid student stress. The committee Geoffrey Block ’14 needs to reevaluate.”

The recommended changes also include adding a two-day break between the beginning of the spring semester and spring break, while making no alterations to spring break, Doyle said. These two additional days would likely be added to a weekend three or four weeks into the semester, with no classes on Monday and Tuesday of that week.

C.U.: Fences Gave Police Time to Respond

See CALENDAR page 4

See FENCES page 5

CONNOR ARCHARD / SUN STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

Thurston Avenue bridge | At least four people have been stopped from climbing over fences, including the one pictured above on Thurston Avenue, since the University installed barriers on bridges in the spring of 2010.

By JOSEPH NICZKY Sun Senior Writer

At least four people have been stopped from climbing over the campus fences erected to stop suicides since the University installed the barriers in 2010. While the intentions of the individuals are not known, some administrators said the barriers gave emergency responders time to intervene.

After the deaths of six students by suicide during the 2009-10 academic year — including three by jumping off bridges during the spring of 2010

— the University installed fences on seven bridges on campus in an effort to prevent further suicides.

Since then, there have been at least two instances — one involving a community member and one involving a student — when the barriers have allowed police to respond, according to Tim Marchell ’82, director of mental health initiatives for Gannett Health Services.

“These were both examples of how the barriers that were in place slowed the person down and

After 17 Years of Glee,Choir Director Departs

By NIKKI LEE Sun Contributor

“You suck, and you will never live up to my expectations.”

This is what Prof. Scott Tucker, music, director of choral music at Cornell, says to the Glee Club to push the group to improve, according to Patrick Chamberlain ’13, president of the Glee Club.

“His rehearsal technique with the men is to never compliment us,” Chamberlain said.

“The second he compliments us, we sound

terrible because we start thinking egotistically.

The thing we always tell Professor Tucker to do is to tell us we suck.”

Tucker said that during rehearsal he leads his choral ensembles — comprised of the men in the Glee Club and the women in the Cornell University Chorus — through the music, introducing them to its meaning and getting them to “sing it in a way that is stylistically appropriate and which communicates the deeper musical subtext.” Chamberlain said Tucker understands the human voice so well that he can create a perfect sound with the

CONNOR ARCHARD / SUN STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

The sound of music | Prof. Scott Tucker, music, conducts the Glee Club during a rehearsal at Sage Chapel on Monday.

group, and “he doesn’t stop working with us until he gets exactly what he wants.”

“I’ve never sung with a conductor who knows so much about music or is such an incredible musician,” said Jessica Briggs ’12, former president of the Chorus. “He puts everything he has into conducting us, which makes us want to put everything we have into singing.”

Over the last 17 years, Tucker has pursued excellence for both the Glee Club and Chorus.

The groups’ performance of “A Prairie Home Companion” on National Public Radio in 1997 is one of a plethora of accomplishments he has tucked beneath his belt.

Next year, Tucker will succeed Norman Scribner as the artistic director of the Choral Arts Society, a 170-member amateur chorus in Washington, D.C., that regularly performs with the National Symphony Orchestra. After an extensive evaluation process, which Tucker compared with “being in a fishbowl,” he beat 80 applicants from all over the world to the position.

Tucker’s impending departure has stirred bittersweet feelings in a group of people that, according to Chamberlain, is more like a family than a choir.

“Of course we’re sad to see him go, but mostly we’re so excited and proud of him,” Briggs said. “I think a lot of people are going to want to go to D.C. to see his performances.”

Additionally, Chamberlain said that the post that Tucker is leaving for is “probably as high as one can go in the choral world.”

See TUCKER page 5

News Safety First

The Panhellenic Council unanimously passed a new Medical Amnesty Protocol on Wednesday. | Page 3

Opinion Prepping Prospectives

Will Spencer ’12 gives prospective Cornellians perspective on life on the Hill. | Page 9

Dining Farm-to-Fork

The Sun raves over three restaurants and eateries in Ithaca that offer locally grown foods. | Page 10

Arts Err’body Hates Country

James Rainis ’14 picks apart the genres of music that are a little too grating to the ear. | Page 13

Sports Teeing Up

The golf team gears up for Ivy competition at the upcoming Princeton Invitational tournament. | Page 20

Weather Mostly Sunny HIGH: 57 LOW: 35

2 THE CORNELL DAILY SUN | Thursday, April 12, 2012

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Four more weeks to go

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THE CORNELL DAILY SUN | Thursday, April 12, 2012 3

NEWS

Panhellenic Passes New Medical Amnesty Policy

For art’s sake

By RACHEL RABINOWITZ Sun Staff Writer

The Panhellenic Council unanimously passed its new Panhellenic Medical Amnesty Protocol on Wednesday in an effort to educate sororities about social responsibility in situations involving alcohol. The protocol was the first of its kind for the council, according to Laura Sanders, assistant dean of students and advisor to the Panhellenic Council.

The protocol states that in the event of an emergency, if a member of a sorority chapter calls for medical assistance immediately, the Greek Judicial Board will not penalize that chapter.

“Reciprocally, failure to call for medical assistance in an appropriate manner will be considered an ‘aggravating circumstance’ and may affect the judicial response if violations have occurred,” the protocol states.

The policy also states that although calling for help gives a chapter amnesty from judicial consequences, the council reserves the right to take informal actions to address concerns about the chapter’s behavior — particularly if “a trend of medical emergencies” emerges.

According to Margo Cohen Ristorucci ’13, vice president of judicial affairs and standards for the Panhellenic Council, who is a senior news writer for The Sun, the protocol was

“In creating this protocol, we hope to diminish any fear of seeking medical assistance in times of need.”

Margo Cohen Ristorucci ’13 developed to ensure that sorority women are not afraid to call for help when a member of their chapter is in a medical emergency.

“The safety of our sisters is of the utmost importance,” Cohen Ristorucci said. “In creating this protocol, we hope to diminish any fear of seeking medical assistance in times of need. There should never be a reason not to call for help when someone is in danger.”

According to Cohen Ristorucci, the protocol drew inspiration from the Interfraternity Council’s Medical Amnesty Protocol, the University’s Medical Amnesty policy and New York’s Good Samaritan law. IFC’s Medical Amnesty Protocol uses a three-strike rule, which allows an individual chapter to call for medical assistance up to three times without any judicial penalties. The University’s Medical Amnesty policy offers judicial amnesty for students who make medical assistance calls on behalf of another individual, with no limit on the number of instances for which students can be given amnesty.

Panhellenic’s new protocol also does not enforce a limit like IFC’s “three-strike” rule.

Prior to passing the resolution, Panhellenic was operating under IFC’s protocol. Sanders said it was time for the council to develop its own set of regulations to abide by in an emergency.

“Each council has very different situations that come to the Greek Judicial Board because of the typical violations the members of that council face,” Sanders said. “That [particular] council also decides which sanctions would be meaningful and applicable for that specific case.”

Cohen Ristorucci said she reached out to chapter presidents, risk managers and social chairs to develop a Panhellenic-specific protocol.

“It was really important to me to solicit feedback from leaders in the Panhellenic community, because if the Medical Amnesty Protocol [does] not resonate as meaningful and realistic to them, it is just empty rhetoric,” Cohen Ristorucci said.

Sanders added that the new policy does not necessarily condone illegal or unsafe drinking. Rather, it is meant to emphasize to chapters that getting help for a sister in danger should be their top priority.

According to Hollis Hanley ’13, president of the Panhellenic Council, there is a general consensus among chapters that the council should implement the policy immediately rather than wait until the fall.

In the future, Panhellenic may collaborate with administrators or train chapter members to educate their sisters about medical amnesty, Cohen Ristorucci said.

“Chapters have been identifying women who are Emergency Medical Technicians or interested in safety issues,” she said. “I would love for these women to participate in a pilot ‘Medical Amnesty Advocates’ program, in which trained advocates could offer invaluable advice to their chapters.”

Rachel Rabinowitz can be reached at rrabinowitz@cornellsun.com.

ANDY JOHNSON / SUN CONTRIBUTOR

Local artist Camille Doucet leads a landscape painting workshop overlooking a panoramic view from the Herbert F. Johnson Museum Wednesday.

Org. Raises Awareness About Epilepsy

By TINA AHMADI Sun Contributor

The founders of a student group fighting to raise awareness about epilepsy say their new status as a non-profit will allow them to expand the scope and impact of their organization.

Kaitlin Hardy ’12 and Dan Nicholls ’11, who started FACES in spring 2010, said they are working to open a national office for their group and to spread chapters to other college campuses. FACES — which stands for Facts, Advocacy and Control of Epileptic Seizures — organizes a wide range of activities to both spread awareness about epilepsy and help individuals living with the condition.

“We wanted to erase [misconceptions] and say this is something we can talk about,” Nicholls said.

According to Hardy, non-profit status will enable FACES to apply for grants from sources outside of the University. Grants will allow the group to “get real money to fund our organization,” she said.

“This is what it’s going to take to expand nationally,” Hardy said. “It’s kind of like we’re in the big leagues now.”

Although the organization started with five people, Hardy said, it has since grown to include more than 50 members.

According to Hardy, FACES seeks to give people with epilepsy an equal chance to achieve their goals.

“We want to make sure that people with all disabilities are given the opportunities to succeed,” Hardy said.

Both Hardy and Nicholls battled epilepsy themselves.

Hardy said she began having seizures once or twice a week during her sophomore year at Cornell.

She had to increase the amount of medication she was taking, which caused her stomach lining to deteriorate and made it difficult for her to keep food down.

“I wanted to stay on campus, but I had to go home on medical leave,” Hardy said. “After I went home, I felt better after two or three weeks and the seizures stopped.”

Nicholls began having seizures at about the age of 16. He said that in the early stages, his epilepsy was not yet under control — forcing him to rely heavily on others at an age when he was trying to gain independence.

“The most difficult part of the whole experience was that there was no one to talk to about my frustrations, feelings and health issues [who] could relate to what I was going through,” Nicholls said.

One of the two female Yale University students injured in a U-Haul crash at a November tailgate party for a game between Harvard and Yale is filing a lawsuit, seeking $15,000 in damages, according to The Harvard

These personal challenges, Nicholls and Hardy said, led them to their work with FACES. Beyond their work at Cornell, members of FACES also volunteer at elementary schools, discussing epilepsy and their research, Nicholls said. He said that FACES’ epilepsy education program has been particularly popular among schools in Ithaca. “[Hardy] has been going to these schools and talking about the neuroscience behind [epilepsy],” Nicholls said. “She runs mini-labs now. She shows these kids how it works because it really gets them interested.”

“I really want to get the next generation of advocates excited,” Hardy said.

“This is what it’s going to take to expand nationally. It’s kind of like we’re in the big leagues now.”

Kaitlin Hardy ’12 In a program called Seize the Day, FACES matches students with epilepsy with mentors to help them manage difficulties associated with their condition, such as the side effects of the medication they use to treat epilepsy.

“You can relate to these kids and see them brighten up a little bit when they know they can talk about [their epilepsy], knowing that the person they’re talking to has gone through the same thing,” Nicholls said.

Hardy echoed this sentiment, saying, “We’re taking epilepsy and making it normal.”

Hardy said she often felt uncomfortable discussing her epilepsy with others prior to starting the organization.

“I still feel like there’s a negative stigma about epilepsy, and I don’t know why that should have to happen,” she said.

The organization has not only positively influenced the way the community views epilepsy, but also personally affected Hardy and Nicholls, they said.

“I’m going to be carrying this with me forever outside of Cornell,” Hardy said. “I want this to be a national organization; I want to get people involved; I want to make things better.”

Tina Ahmadi can be reached at tta6@cornell.edu.

Crimson.

Brown University researchers have partnered with Allied Mindstorm, a crowd-sourcing website that enables public “thinkers” to brainstorm ideas in

exchange for a monetary reward, to solicit ideas and develop new technologies, according to The Brown Daily Herald.

— Compiled by Danielle Sochaczevski

4 THE CORNELL DAILY SUN | Thursday, April 12, 2012

Profs: Calendar Changes Will Increase Student Stress CALENDAR

Continued from page 1

Block praised these additional vacation days, calling them “good for mental health.”

However, Prof. Rob Thorne, physics, questioned the necessity of the two-day break, which would likely be in February.

“The break comes far too early,” Thorne said. “After only several weeks of instruction, student stress has not started to mount.”

During February and March, the committee held meetings with a variety of organizations on campus –– including the Student Assembly, the University Assembly, the Employee Assembly, the Faculty Senate and Orientation Week staff –– to solicit their feedback on the Calendar Committee’s suggested changes.

According to committee chair Prof. Jeff Doyle, plant biology, the committee met Tuesday to revise their proposal based on the responses it received.

“What we came up with is in response to all that feedback,” he said.

Still, many faculty members expressed dissatisfaction with the committee’s plans.

Prof. Dick Miller, philosophy, said the latest proposal was “deeply flawed” — particularly due to the addition of long weekends to the calendar, which he said would have a negative impact on introductory courses.

“As I understand it, there is still an increase in the number of short weeks in the proposal,” Miller said. “I think this is very bad … Many introductory courses are taught on the basis of Monday [and] Wednesday lectures [with] Friday discussions. There’s really no time to have an adequate development of a topic … that then makes sense in the discussion section if there is a short week.”

Professors also criticized the proposed shortening of finals week on the basis that it would increase, rather than alleviate, students’

stress levels.

“To say this is a stress-reduction technique strikes me as made up,” said Prof. David Delchamps, electrical and computer engineering.

Prof. Mike Thompson, materials science and engineering, echoed this sentiment.

“I don’t understand how packing all finals into a continuous sequence reduces stress,” he said. “Have you talked to students about that?”

Additionally, in the revised proposal, Senior Week will still be shortened to four days of formal programming –– an adjustment that Matt Koren ’12, co-chair of the Senior Week Committee, said will be “directly proportional to a cut in [Senior Week] events.”

Koren said the Senior Week committee may “bypass the Calendar Committee as a whole” if its concerns are not taken into consideration. He condemned both the committee’s recommendations and its methodology.

“We feel that there is not enough student representation on the committee, and that the faculty on the committee are not receptive to working with Senior Week representatives,” Koren said. “We plan to go straight to the Faculty Senate.”

However, both Block and S.A. President Natalie Raps ’12 expressed their commitment to maintaining Senior Week.

“I definitely like … having as many Senior Week days … as possible,” Raps said. “I think that is one of the biggest concerns of students.”

According to Jay Lee ’14, S.A. transfer atlarge representative, the development of changes to the calendar requires “a more holistic conversation.”

To meet this need, Lee said that he and Dan Kuhr ’13, S.A. Human Ecology representative, created a survey which, among other questions, solicited feedback on the plan’s proposed changes to finals week, Senior Week and spring break.

The survey took into account the responses of 401 participants –– which Lee said were

mostly garnered from a Facebook group to which he invited all of his friends — and showed a lack of student support for shortening both finals week and Senior Week.

However, Lee said that the survey should be conducted on a larger scale to more accurately reflect student opinion.

“Although we had diversity in our data, I personally don’t think 401 students is a sufficient size,” he said. “Dan and I are planning to put this survey, or a modified version of it, in the S.A. monthly email so we can get feedback from [the] entire undergraduate student body.”

Though the Faculty Senate is set to vote on the changes at its next meeting in May, Block emphasized that the Senate should take more time to consider additional feedback from both students and faculty.

“The changes have been moving very quick,” he said. “[Raps] and I want to slow down the process to allow for as much feedback as possible to be taken in. More importantly, just as important, we need to have time to get that feedback and to actually use it.”

Raps agreed that garnering feedback will require more time and effort on the committee’s part.

“Overall, I think it’s a process that’s slowly developing,” she said.

Doyle said that, if necessary, the committee is willing to prolong discussions of the changes.

“We would like to wrap this process up with a vote by the end of the semester,” he said. “We’re still taking comments …

However, I feel no strain about continuing to discuss this.”

Alexandra Kuczynski-Brown contributed reporting to this article.

Kerry Close can be reached at kclose@cornellsun.com.

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THE CORNELL DAILY SUN | Thursday, April 12, 2012 5

NEWS

Choral Director Reflects Univ.Says Barriers Aid Responders On Tenure at Cornell BARRIERS

Continued from page 1

TUCKER

Continued from page 1

“His predecessor, Norman Scribner, is a legend,” Chamberlain said.

Tucker said that he will most miss the students he taught through his “extraordinary” 17 years at Cornell.

“They’re bright; they’re motivated; they’re talented,” Tucker said.

“They’re very much doing music as a release as well as a passion.

There isn’t any routine or boredom for them to doing music.”

According to Tucker, a highlight of his work with the students occurred last year, when the Syracuse Symphony Orchestra folded just two weeks prior to a joint performance with Cornell’s choral ensembles. In under two weeks, the Cornell students produced a successful concert on their own — hiring musicians, finding a concert hall and publicizing the event.

But no single anecdote can adequately describe Tucker’s time here at Cornell. Reflecting on annual domestic tours to performances in places like China and South America, Tucker said, “I can’t even count the memories.”

“[The students] are bright; they’re motivated; they’re talented ... There isn’t any routine or boredom for them to doing music.”

Prof. Scott Tucker According to Chamberlain and Briggs, Tucker leaves behind a powerful legacy in the music he has brought to the choral ensembles.

Both the Glee Club and the Chorus commission artists each year to compose new music for the groups to perform. According to Tucker, the Chorus performs pieces written by female composers — music that offers a woman, protagonist voice in a position of strength.

As for the Glee Club, Tucker’s predecessor preferred a masculine, powerful sound that is traditional to men’s choirs. However, Chamberlain said that Tucker sometimes favored “a balance and a beauty of sound, a purity, crystalline, that’s a little lighter.”

In 2002, Tucker spent a sabbatical in South Africa teaching local choirs how to read musical notation — choirs he said were “very hungry to learn the Western canon of music.”

Tucker’s experience in South Africa “informs all the music that [he makes].” A man he met there taught him by rote a wealth of traditional songs, which Tucker has since incorporated into the choral ensembles’ repertoire.

“I saw firsthand that music is an expression of community. I didn’t really understand that until I was in that really rural community, where everyone came together and sang, expressing who they were to each other and to God,” Tucker said. “All music is like that in some way. Everything expresses relationships. It’s not just abstract sound.”

Tucker said he is satisfied that he is not leaving a “sinking ship.”

Members of the Glee Club and Chorus added that they are confident the transition will be successful, if slow.

“I’m the ultimate optimist,” Tucker said. “I just think the best thing is around the corner, always.”

Nikki Lee can be reached at nsl37@cornell.edu.

enabled bystanders to intervene effectively and summon emergency personnel,” Marchell said.

Two of the incidents took place on the Thurston Avenue bridge and two occurred on the Stewart Avenue Bridge, according to Kathy Zoner, chief of the Cornell University Police Department. Cornell Police intervened in three of the incidents, while a private citizen intervened after seeing someone on the wrong side of the fence in the fourth, Zoner said.

“One of our students saw someone on the other side of the fence and had an extensive conversation [with him or her],” she said.

Zoner added that there may have been other incidents when private citizens or members of the Ithaca Police Department intervened of which she is unaware.

She also stressed that although the four individuals were discovered climbing on the barriers or standing on the other side of the barriers, this does not necessarily mean that they had suicidal intentions.

“All I can say is they were on the wrong side of the fence, or [that] they were trying to go over the fence,” she said.

However, Zoner said that the barriers have likely helped save lives since they were installed.

“It slowed them down to the point where they had to think about what they were headed towards maybe doing and … make a decision that wasn’t as impulsive,” she said.

The high number of bridge-related suicides at Cornell make the barriers a particularly important method of means restriction, according to Marchell.

“The studies that have been done on means restriction on bridges have consistently shown that where they’re employed, the suicides are either eliminated or significantly reduced,” Marchell said.

“With half of the suicides among Cornell students in the past two decades involving jumps from the bridges, it was vital that we take these steps.”

Since the spring of 2010, the University has

recorded one suicide that occurred — the death of Ken Whelan grad in November. Whelan’s death was a suicide, according to Greg Eells, director of counseling and psychological services for Gannett.

Despite noting that there have been no suicides involving jumping from the bridges since the fences were installed, Eells said that it is too early to conclude that the barriers have been effective.

“You need at least a decade, maybe two,” he said.

“Anecdotally, no one has jumped from the bridges since the [fences] have been up.”

Sharon Dittman, associate director for community relations at Gannett, echoed Eells’ sentiments.

“We have to be really cautious when we talk about interpreting suicide data over a short period of time,” Dittman said. “If you look at the three plus years prior to the suicide crisis, we had no suicides; then we had one terrible year. Now, to look at these two years with only one confirmed suicide and ask, ‘Is that directly attributable to what we’ve done?’ It’s very hard to say. To understand epidemiology, rates and trends, we need to take the long view.”

The fences will be replaced this summer with permanent nets, most of which will be under the bridges, The Sun reported in January.

Susan Murphy ’73, vice president for student and academic services, said she considers the city’s approval of the plan to install nets “really extraordinary” progress.

“It’s [after] a 40-year conversation that we finally have an action plan,” Murphy said. “The installation of the nets on the bridges as a form of means restriction is absolutely cutting-edge.”

Eells said that the nets are also representative of the University’s overall emphasis on means restriction over the last two years.

“Our consultants said, ‘That’s the piece that’s missing. If you look at other national comprehensive models around suicide prevention, the one thing that you’re not doing that they all suggest is means restriction,’” Eells said.

Joseph Niczky can be reached at jniczky@cornellsun.com.

www.cornellsun.com

6 THE CORNELL DAILY SUN | Thursday, April 12, 2012

N.Y. Attorney General to Review Potential Wrongful Convictions

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman is establishing a bureau to review potential wrongful convictions and streamline damage claims from those punished for crimes they didn’t commit.

According to the attorney general’s office, the Conviction Review Bureau will work with district attorneys to identify cases in anticipation of possible lawsuits, efficiently resolve claims by those unjustly convicted, review its own investigative and prosecutorial practices to ensure reliability and establish best practices.

“There is only one person who wins when the wrong person is convicted of a crime: the real perpetrator, who remains free to commit more crimes,” Schneiderman said. It is imperative “to maximize accuracy, justice, and reliability in our justice system,” and his office will work with county prosecutors “to address compelling claims of innocence,” he said.

The bureau will be led by Thomas Schellhammer, assistant attorney general and former Manhattan homicide prosecutor, and Blake Zeff, senior adviser to Schneiderman.

Schellhammer will be chief of the bureau and Zeff will be director.

While noting county prosecutors have successfully reinvestigated convictions, like the Central Park jogger case in Manhattan, Schneiderman said there may be others where an outside review helps.

In the jogger case, teenagers who initially confessed in police interrogations to the 1989 rape and severe beating of a woman were later exonerated after DNA evidence and a confession implicated someone else.

Warren County District Attorney Kate Hogan

said prosecutors “have always appreciated the seriousness of post-conviction review,” though prosecutors in 40 of the state’s 62 counties have 10 or fewer attorneys to handle their entire caseload. She welcomed Schneiderman’s help in providing experienced attorneys who will work collaboratively with them to review cases.

Defense attorney Barry Scheck, co-director of the Innocence Project that has used DNA evidence to overturn several convictions, said he hoped prosecutors will take advantage of the program.

In March, the Legislature approved and Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed a measure to require collecting a saliva swab of DNA from everyone convicted of any felony and all but one misdemeanor statewide starting in August. That will approximately double collections for New York’s database of offenders’ genetic material, which is compared against crime scene DNA. According to New York officials, the database has helped identify suspects in 12,000 cases, obtain more than 2,800 convictions and exonerate 27 people wrongly convicted. The new law expands defense access to the databank in efforts to exonerate suspects through pretrial discovery and postconviction applications to judges.

Proposals to require police videotaping of interrogations and “double-blind” photo arrays for witnesses, meant to prevent false confessions and identification errors, were left out of the final bill.

Conviction errors have been expensive. Jeffrey Deskovic won $6.5 million after spending 16 years in prison following his wrongful conviction of a murder in Westchester County. He was released in 2006 after DNA linked the 1989 killing to another man. ‘“

NEW YORK NEWS BRIEFS

Natural Gas Below $2 For First Time in a Decade

NEW YORK (AP) — The price of natural gas has fallen to its lowest level in more than a decade, a remarkable decline for a commodity that not long ago was believed to be in short supply.

The country’s supply of natural gas is growing so fast that analysts worry the country’s underground storage facilities could be full by fall and lead to further price declines.

On Wednesday, the futures price of natural gas fell to $1.984 per 1,000 cubic feet, its lowest level since January 28, 2002, when the price hit $1.91. If the price slides to $1.75, it would be the lowest since March 23, 1999.

Natural gas production has boomed across the country as energy companies employ new drilling techniques to tap previously untouched reserves. The process has raised concerns about water safety, and has been temporarily banned in New York and New Jersey. But where it has been allowed, it has led to increases in drilling, job growth and production.

The falling price of natural gas has been a boon to homes and businesses that use the fuel for heat and appliances, and for manufacturers that use it to power their factories and make chemicals, plastics and other materials. Another benefit: Electricity costs are lower because natural gas is used to generate about a quarter of the nation’s electric power.

From October to March, households spent $868 on average on natural gas, a decline of 17 percent from last winter. Those savings have helped to relieve the burden of rising gasoline prices. Households spent $1,940 on gasoline from October to March, a 7 percent increase from the same period a year ago.

There is so much natural gas being produced — and still in the ground — that drillers, policymakers, economists and natural gas customers are trying to figure out what to do with it. Last year, the U.S. produced an average of 63 billion cubic feet of natural gas per day, a 24 percent increase from 2006. But over that period consumption has grown half as fast.

The low prices are hurting the companies responsible for bringing gas to market. Drilling in many fields is no longer profitable, and the stock prices of natural gas drillers are falling in anticipation of declining profits and scaled-back growth plans. Some of the nation’s biggest natural gas producers, including Chesapeake Energy, ConocoPhillips and Encana Corp., have announced plans to slow down.

Stocks Make a U-Turn, Rising After Big Decline

Ithaca, NY 14850

NEW YORK (AP) — Investors on Wednesday all but forgot the previous day’s burdens and sent stocks soaring. It was a stark turnaround from the day before, when they’d pushed the market into a free-fall on worries about European debt and corporate earnings in the U.S. Those fears about problems festering on both sides of the Atlantic were calmed thanks to a surprising profit from Alcoa and news that borrowing costs in Spain had edged down, a potential sign that investors have more faith — for now, anyway — in that country’s financial health.

The result was a U-turn on Wall Street. The Dow Jones industrial average climbed as much as 129 points in early trading before settling at 12,805.39, up 89.46 points. The previous day, it had lost 214 points, the cap to its biggest and longest losing streak this year.

European markets rose, too. Stocks climbed roughly 1 percent in major capitals, excluding Greece, after losing 2 to 3 percent the day before. Treasury prices fell, signaling that investors are more willing to put money in stocks.

Other U.S. indexes also erased much of the previous day’s losses.

The Standard & Poor’s 500 rose 10.12 points to 1,368.71 after losing 24 points the day before. The Nasdaq composite climbed 25.24 points to 3,016.46 following a 56-point loss Tuesday. “ Alcoa rose more than 6 percent after reporting late Tuesday that it turned a profit in the first three months of the year and handily beat the expectations of Wall Street analysts, who were predicting a loss.

Since Alcoa is the first company in the Dow average to report earnings, its results have a greater ability to move the market compared with companies that report later. More first-quarter results will be released over the next few weeks.

Market watchers were divided over how long the gains would last and whether Alcoa’s profits actually mean anything for the rest of the earnings season.

“I’m not predicting we’re going to have a blowout earnings quarter,” said David Armstrong, managing director of Monument Wealth Management in Alexandria, Va. “But I think if people thought earnings season was going to be bad, they may be pleasantly surprised.”

“One earnings report?” countered Uri Landesman, president of the New York hedge fund Platinum Partners. The boost “will last until the first bad number.”

For Europe as well, investors seemed anxious to latch onto any piece of good news. They were cheered that the rate on Spain’s 10-year bonds dropped slightly after nearing 6 percent on Tuesday. Seven percent is generally considered the rate at which it becomes too expensive for a country to borrow money.

Investors chose, largely, to ignore other signs blaring that problems in Europe are only hibernating and not solved. Spain’s borrowing costs are still dangerously high. Italy sold 12-month bonds but was forced to pay more than double the interest rate it paid last month. Even Germany, whose bonds are considered a safer investment, failed to sell all the 10-year bonds it had intended to.

NATIONAL NEWS BRIEFS

Obama-Romney Showdown Starts Off With a Harsh Tone

MENDENHALL, Pa. (AP) — The 2012 presidential general election has begun. It won’t be pretty.

Tuesday marked Day One, in essence, of the contest between the two virtually certain nominees, Republican Mitt Romney and Democratic President Barack Obama. Rick Santorum’s departure removed the last meaningful bump from Romney’s path to the GOP nomination. Romney and Obama wasted no time in portraying the voters’ choice in dire, sometimes starkly personal terms.

“The campaign started yesterday, the general election campaign,” Romney said Wednesday on Fox News when pressed on how he would counter continued Democratic attacks that he is an out-of-touch rich guy. “It’s a little early in the process.”

With Obama saddled with a still-ailing economy and a divisive health care law, and Romney riding a wave of blistering TV ads, the fall election is unlikely to dwell on “hope,” “change” and other uplifting themes from four years ago. Much of the nation’s ire then was aimed at departing President George W. Bush, and Obama had no extensive record to defend.

The landscape is much different now. Voters face nearly seven months of hard-hitting jabs and counterpunches between the two parties’ standard-bearers.

Romney, the former Massachusetts governor making his second presidential bid, now has to unify his party, build out a general election campaign and start answering big questions like who he will choose as a running mate. He insisted Wednesday that conservatives will unite behind him and said he believes Santorum will campaign with him against Obama. He also suggested he is considering one of his formal rivals for the presidential ticket.

“There’s a large number of people in the Republican party who are extraordinary leaders, including some of those who have run in this last contest with me, and so we’ll go through that list and decide who could potentially become a president if that were necessary,” he told Fox News.

The presumptive nominee attacked Obama with gusto Tuesday in his two public events that followed Santorum’s surprising announcement.

Campaigning in Pennsylvania, where an April 24 GOP primary is suddenly less important than its likely role as a battleground state this fall, Romney portrayed Obama as a weak leader who apologizes for America’s greatness and prefers European-style socialism over robust free enterprise. Obama’s allies call such claims nonsense.

“The right course for America is not to divide America,” Romney told a GOP dinner gathering in Mendenhall, near Philadelphia.

“That’s what he’s doing,” he said of Obama. “His campaign is all about finding Americans to blame and attack, and find someone to tax more, someone who isn’t giving, isn’t paying their fair share.”

He said Obama prefers “a government-centered society.”

Two USC Students from China Fatally Shot Off-Campus LOS ANGELES (AP) — Gunfire shattered the window of the BMW near the University of Southern California campus just after midnight, striking two Chinese graduate students inside.

The driver was able to make it from the car, through the rain, to a house where he pounded on the door pleading for help.

Ying Wu and Ming Qu, who police say were believed to have been dating, were dead by the time they got to the hospital Wednesday morning as police spread out looking for a killer suspected of bungling a carjacking.

The slayings shook the campus, which has a large international student population, and laid bare a parent’s worst nightmare: having their child harmed in a faraway place.

At USC, the international student presence is enormous — it has the largest number of any university in the U.S. Roughly 19 percent of the school’s 38,000 students are from overseas, including 2,500 from China.

And some students said the shooting could be a cautionary tale for others who want to study overseas.

“If parents hear about this in China, it might affect their decision,” said Chrissy Yao, a Chinese-American who moved to the U.S. when she was 10 and is a senior engineering student. “Since two lives were lost, I think concerns will remain for quite a while.”

Police said the shooting occurred around 1 a.m. and may have been a robbery or a carjacking attempt. Witnesses said the car was in the roadway, not at the curb, at the time of the shooting.

Gloria Tigolo lives on the tree-lined street of two-story homes and apartment buildings and said she heard a gunshot. She said she went downstairs but didn’t go outside because it was raining.

Investigators said earlier that several shots were fired at the couple.

Four people have been killed this year in the area, police said, but violent crime in the area is down 20 percent this year. Neighborhood watch signs are posted along the street and police were trying to determine if there are any surveillance cameras in the area.

Tigolo said she would often see Wu, 23, in the neighborhood, wearing dark sunglasses but rarely saw her drive.

Qu managed to get out of the car and run to a nearby home, where he pounded on the door, police Cmdr. Andrew Smith said. It wasn’t known if anyone answered the door before the man collapsed. Qu would have celebrated his 24th birthday on Thursday.

The gunman fled on foot, and no description has been yet released by authorities.

THE CORNELL DAILY SUN | Thursday, April 12, 2012 7

STEPHEN CROWLEY / THE NEW YORK TIMES

The Martin Family | The family of Trayvon Martin, the teenager who was fatally shot by crime watch volunteer George Zimmerman, listened to the prosecutor charge Zimmerman with second-degree murder Wednesday.

Zimmerman Arrest Follows Puzzling Disappearance SANFORD, Fla. (AP) — The neighborhood watch volunteer who shot Trayvon Martin to death had been out of touch and, his ex-lawyer says, “a little bit over the edge” before his arrest on a seconddegree murder charge.

As George Zimmerman turned himself in Wednesday in the Feb. 26 shooting of the unarmed black teen, experts offered this advice: Stop talking.

“My advice to the client would be, ‘Save it for the trial. It can't help you.’” said Roy Kahn, a Miami defense attorney,.

The 28-year-old Sanford man was in custody in Florida after a puzzling disappearance that had his lawyers expressing concern for his health and announcing they couldn’t represent him anymore.

Zimmerman had called special prosecutor Angela Corey, his former lawyers said, had an off-therecord chat with a Fox News Channel host and put up a website asking supporters for money.

“It would not be in a client’s best interest to give any statement before it’s his time to testify at trial,”Kahn said. “For him to give a statement, since he already has given an interview to the police, any additional statement at the State Attorney’s Office would just create the possibility of him creating conflict with his previous statements.”

Zimmerman’s new attorney, Mark O’Mara, said after his client’s arrest Wednesday that Zimmerman “is very concerned about the charges, but he is OK.” “I’m not concerned about his mental well

being,” O'Mara said.

Former lawyers Craig Sonner and Hal Uhrig on Tuesday portrayed Zimmerman as erratic, said he hadn’t returned their calls and texts and was buckling under the pressure that has built in the month since the shooting.

Jack Schafer, a professor at Western Illinois University and a former FBI behavioral analyst, said Zimmerman's behavior shouldn’t cause undue concern. After all, Schafer said, he wasn’t charged with any crime and was free to go wherever he wanted after he spoke to authorities after the shooting.

“If I were him, I’d go somewhere in hiding,” said Schafer. “His life is at risk, not by jurisprudence, but by angry people who are rushing to judgment.”

Leslie Garfield, a Pace University law professor in New York, said Zimmerman’s behavior over the last 48 hours should not affect his prosecution.

“Whatever else goes on behind the scenes before charges aren't really a factor,” she said. “All that should matter is what his intentions were at the time of the shooting.”

Zimmerman showed the strain in his own words on his website, bearing the American flag.

“As a result of the incident and subsequent media coverage, I have been forced to leave my home, my school, my employer, my family and ultimately, my entire life,” he wrote. “This website’s sole purpose is to ensure my supporters they are receiving my full attention without any intermediaries.”

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OPINION

The Corne¬ Daily Sun

C-ing It From The Other Side

Independent Since 1880 130TH EDITORIAL BOARD JUAN FORRER ’13 Editor in Chief

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I

f you’ve ever strolled into a prelim feeling like you’re walking into Pompeii right before Mt. Vesuvius erupted, I feel you. If you’ve ever walked out of the same test feeling like you need a date with your most loyal comrades, Ben and Jerry (or possibly Captain Morgan), I’ve been there and done that too. There were a couple of nights that I even came home and cried (ahem, chemistry). The number of times I’ve legitimately whipped out a can of whoop-ass on a test can be counted on one hand. Most of the time my performance is about average or I just get plain bulldozed.

I wasn’t always like this. I used to

It is some of the best advice that I got as a freshman from the class of 2009 and it made me realize that we as a society put entirely too much stock in grades.

I used to have a superiority complex about C’s. In my mind people who got Cs were almost like lesser life forms. And while that’s a painful truth to admit, it’s basically true. I used to judge people so hard for getting C’s when I would get A’s without even trying. But now that I’m on the flip side of that scenario, it makes it much easier to empathize.

Judging me as a person based solely on what my transcripts say isn’t just

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Casual WTFery

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Improving Study Abroad Experiences

PRESIDENT DAVID SKORTON has issued a promise that no fewer than 50 percent of undergraduates will have an international experience — defined as studying, holding an internship or going on a service trip in a foreign country –– by the time they graduate. We commend President Skorton for recognizing the valuable educational experience that students can gain from going abroad. However, the administration should strive to maximize the quality of study abroad experiences, not just the quantity of them.

Currently, 27 percent of Cornellians go abroad. Many Cornellians spend their time abroad enriching themselves in foreign cultures, perfecting a foreign language or studying at an institution that offers programs Cornell does not. In several of Cornell’s colleges, however, the requirements are less stringent and do not require those studying abroad to have any knowledge of the language of the place where they are studying.

These students will spend time in the company of Americans without ever fully experiencing the culture of the location in which they are studying, using their time abroad more as a vacation than as a learning experience.

Instead of working to increase the number of students studying abroad, the administration should strongly consider altering the requirements of those studying abroad to make the experiences more meaningful. One possible suggestion would be to add a language requirement for study abroad across all of the colleges. In order to make the abroad experience more enriching, students could engage in a meaningful research project or work on a community service project. This will not only broaden the potential for good that these students can perform, but it will also open their eyes to problems around the world. Visiting cultural landmarks is not the beginning or the end of a cultural learning experience abroad.

Finally, we believe that the administration should remember that not all students are truly given the opportunity to study abroad. Cornell offers financial aid opportunities and grants to make going abroad as affordable as possible. Yet, the fact remains that many countries have high costs of living that make abroad trips cost-prohibitive for some. The push to increase the number of students with international experiences should come with a significant financial commitment to make these experiences accessible to all Cornellians.

We commend President Skorton’s goals, but we know that not all international experiences are alike. The administration should do its best to ensure that Cornellians’ experiences abroad are as meaningful and constructive as possible and equally accessible to all students.

overachieve like a mofo in high school. Remember the “Cornell Class of ” Facebook groups that hosted discussion boards where all the prefrosh listed their academic stats like they were still fighting for a spot in the new freshmen class? Let me be the first to raise my hand because I was one of those tools. I proudly listed my 4.56 GPA, top five percent class ranking, 10 AP test scores and a mile-long list of extracurricular activities.

If any of you could see my transcripts now, in which the highest grade is an A- and my GPA is a 2.89, you’d be like, what happened? Well, to put it simply, life happened.

Not in a teen pregnancy or parentsg o t - m u rd e re d - h a v e - t o - s u p p o r t younger-siblings kind of way. I didn’t get knocked up or acquire a full time job, I merely stopped making my grades the primary focus of my life.

This is not to say that I fail to turn in quality work, but simply that I’ve shifted my priorities so that sometimes schoolwork takes a backburner to other things.

I like to justify myself like this.

We’re students, so on most forms where we have to list our occupation, we put Full-time Student. Being a student is literally correlatable to a career.

If you met someone on the street who told you that they routinely got four or five hours of sleep per night because their career path demanded it, you’d probably think they were insane.

Yet I have friends who regularly do this to get work done. I’ve also never met a real-life anyone who pulls allnighters for their job — not to say that this doesn’t happen, but by no means is it as common as it is on a college campus. If these nocturnal habits hit you a little close to home, I have some advice for you: C’s get degrees.

stupid, it’s ignorant. Deborah Liu wrote a column about how she felt that her resume didn’t do her justice in expressing who she was. I would say that the same goes for my transcripts.

Yes I have a D on my transcript. Yes it’s dominated by grades in the B range. But if you think you can accurately predict how well I’m going to do in the future by stamping some alphabet soup on a piece of paper, you are wrong. A’s are not the only way to prove that you have the ability and drive to work hard and succeed at life.

Just look at Mark Zuckerberg.

Stockpile of riches besides, he seems like he’s doing pretty well for himself — and the man is a college dropout.

I try my best to measure my triumphs not by the standards of others (*cough*premeds*cough*), but by my own. If I think I did a good job (and let’s be honest, we all know the difference between turning in crappy work and good work) but I don’t get the grade I feel I deserve, my world does not come crashing down around me. I get back in the saddle and take on another rodeo.

In 10 years I am not going to give a shit about the grade I got on a paper or how I did on a prelim. All that really matters at Cornell in terms of academics is that you leave here with a degree. If C’s are how you get there, all the more power to you. So the next time a prelim violates you in the way that prelims are wont to do, hit me up. My favorite flavor is Phish Food.

Sam Dean is a senior in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. She may be reached at sdean@cornellsun.com. Casual WTFery appears alternate Thursdays this semester.

CORRECTION A news article Wednesday, “Skorton Responds to Affirmative Action Supreme Court Case,” incorrectly linked a portion of a statement made by President David Skorton to his discussion of an affirmative action Supreme Court case. In fact, he was speaking at the time about the University’s handling of Title IX cases.

THE CORNELL DAILY SUN | Thursday, April 12, 2012 9

OPINION

The Problem With Rape as Slang C

ollege students are prone to comparing difficult exams to the criminal act of physical violation.

Now, I’ve had my share of exams. Bad exams.

Catastrophically painful exams. The kind of exams where the back of your head throbs for the entirety of the exam in double consciousness, with one half struggling in vain to remain calm and finish the impossible while the other duly contemplates the repercussions the eminent failure will have on already bleak prospects. But exams akin to rape?

A bit melodramatic, really, that analogy. And vastly repulsive.

must be because it is self evident that rape victims find the frequent comparison of their plight to some biology exam or some other mundane disappointments of daily life a riot.

Language is not literal, especially not slang. I understand that. I understand that when someone calls a traitor a fucking bastard in a violent exchange of words, he is not referencing the nightlife of his nemesis nor questioning the legitimacy of his birth. He is simply calling out his nemesis, an extreme in the category of abhorrent existences. I understand that swear words such as shit and crap do not necessarily undermine the biological importance of fecal matter, which as we all know is very, as the product of crucial digestive functions that exterminate the toxins within. I understand that in much the same manner the way the figuraBetter on Paper tive use of “kill” does not trivialize actual murder, the figurative use of rape should theoretically be similarly innocuous.

Theoretically.

Rape, like all verbs, can be organized into one of two categories: active or passive. As in, raping or being raped.

I can stomach the passive usage of rape, because it tangentially makes sense. The analogy is, you felt grossly violated and victimized by an event that in your world was as terrible as being raped, be it failing a difficult exam or the accidental blast of Bieber in the ear. And you are using rape to highlight the gravity of your disgust with the situation. I’ve grown largely immune to such dysphemistic use of rape.

Patricia Kim

From what I’ve seen, which I realize is not necessarily reflective of general reality, the use of rape as slang has been met with comparatively little discouragement, at least amongst college students. The use of “gay” in the pejorative sense has been actively discouraged in recent years in light of achievements in gay rights activism. “Fag” has become a big no no for the same reason. “Retarded” has always caused that one Miss Goodie Two-Shoes of the group to pipe in and have us think about how offensive it would be to those who actually suffer from mental retardation. But “rape” has been treated with surprisingly cavalier nonchalance in its use as casual slang. I suppose it

But the particular usage of rape that continues to disturb me is the active use, which, without fail, is used positively. Rape, the heinously criminal assault in the literal sense, is used in active slang to express joy, achievement and victory. YouTubers rape the replay button on Adele because they like her music. The home team hopes to rape the visitors at the homecoming game. Cornellians rape that math exam hard after several all nighters. And in the jubilant aftermath, frape a friend’s facebook page as a good joke.

To liken joyful achievement to the perpetration of a highly intimate and graphic crime that continues to victimize too many is simply wrong. And those who use it in such a manner sound crass, insensitive and just plain stupid. And I know I made the completely moronic analogy of the use of rape to the use of kill simply because others make it to advocate the free use of rape in language. But in reality, it is a terrible analogy. Rape is a verb unlike any other. It is a term charged with a powerful emotion for many, denoting a graphic crime, and so it should retain all its gravity. Free from nonsensical analogies and expressions of bravado tacked on by teens with arrested vocabularies.

I don’t know why language develops the way it does, but it often develops as to reflect the worst vices of society. Fear. Homophobia. Callousness towards the sufferings of others. And when it does, let’s at least take the conscientious initiative to keep in check such unflattering developments. After all, language speaks for who we are, literally.

Patricia Kim is a sophomore in the College of Arts and Sciences.

She may be reached at pkim@cornellsun.com. Better on Paper appears alternate Thursdays this semester.

Perspective for the Prospectives H

ello prospective students. Welcome to Cornell, and congratulations on picking up The Sun aka, the best paper in the Ivy League (okay that’s a personal belief, but where else do you get “class acts” like myself writing in the school paper?

Certainly not at Penn). Furthermore, congratulations on making it to the opinion section. Let me introduce you to myself and the other writers this wonderful Thursday.

Opposite me is Sam Dean who you should definitely read if you want a laugh. My column is also kind of funny on good days (seriously though, it’s actually really funny, but unfortunately for you I will have graduated by the time you will be reading The Sun every day. Bummer for you). Also there is the Patricia Kim who I am sure is going to write something with a lot more content than either Sam or I. Anyway, as I was saying, congratulations on making it to Cornell. It is a pretty magical place (not the kind of place with dragons and goblins — I know, I was disappointed too when I first got here — but the kind where it is generally amazing). Since some of you are apparently undecided about enrolling here, I thought I would dedicate this column to convincing you to attend the land of lollipop forests and peanut brittle houses (like Candyland, only better).

First of all, is it really even a question?

Let’s assume you applied to all of the Ivy League schools and you were accepted by all of them. Columbia is out of the running because they are pretty much the worst at sports in the Ivy League. They don’t even have a hockey team. Cross off Yale; they have a lot of grade inflation (you want to work for your grades, right?). Say no to Harvard. It

smells like fish (or at least that’s what I assume since we throw fish at their hockey team). Princeton is in New Jersey … I guess that’s pretty self-explanatory. If you choose Brown you will always be answering the question: “Did you see Hermione in class today?” which is bound to get annoying.

Dartmouth is even more in the middle of nowhere than Cornell. That leaves UPenn.

Penn could be an okay choice I guess, but does Penn have a Hotel School? Nope. So in case you change your mind once you start college and decide you want to make boatloads of money after you graduate working in hospitality and being paid to drink good wine, you should probably just come to Cornell to be safe.

Also, aside from playfully ripping on all the other Ivy League schools (I stress playfully, because I really am kidding) Cornell has many other great things. For instance, we have an enormous campus full of huge hills.

You will never have to worry about gaining the freshman 15 (Did I mention the food here is delicious?) even if you never step foot in the gym once. Sure you may show up to class all sweaty with your feet on fire, but just think of how you are cutting your risk for heart disease.

We also have a town dedicated to college.

Yes, the mysterious Collegetown. You may have only heard rumors — that jungle of restaurants, upperclassmen and liquor — but it does exist. The administration will do anything to keep you away (just like Jiminy Cricket tried to keep Pinocchio out of Toyland, so he doesn’t turn into a donkey), but it is actually a really great place with pretty much anything you may need as a college student and a brand new FroYo place (Does

Dartmouth have one of those? To be honest I have no idea, but let’s go with no).

Also it is important to let you know that we do all in fact know what is going on. I feel like this is necessary to say since there are many prospective students on campus this time of year and they often look confused or lost. Current Cornell students are not lost (well, sometimes we are when it comes to classes) so those people with their parents

useless) acronyms • You will own upwards of 15 items of clothing that say Cornell on them • You will try a lot of amazing things you never thought you would try • You will learn how to deal with stress • You will meet an engineer (they don’t hide away at Cornell like they do at other schools) • You will (with 90 percent certainty)

Will Spencer Tripping Up Stairs that look lost are in fact other prospective students.

Okay put this paper down and look around you. See that. Isn’t it pretty? Cornell’s campus is gorges … (I feel like I sold out writing that, but I think I am just going to leave it). If you haven’t been looking around you and been enthralled by the waterfalls and cliffs and rolling green hills then you are probably from Ithaca.

If you do end up coming to Cornell, here are some things that will undoubtedly happen to you: • • • •

You will become smarter You will learn what it means to be cold You will carry an umbrella at all times You will learn a bunch of awesome (though in the grand scheme of things,

become more preppy • You will put your arm around a random stranger and sway back and forth with them when you hear the Alma-Mater • You will eat at a place known as Nasties and most importantly, • You will think Cornell is the best Ivy League school or just the best school in general.

That was your impromptu lesson about Cornell. Now all that is left to say is this: COME TO CORNELL!!Trust me.

Will Spencer is a senior in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. He may be reached at wspencer@cornellsun.com. Tripping Up Stairs appears alternate Thursdays this semester.

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10 THE CORNELL DAILY SUN | Thursday, April 12, 2012

DINING GUIDE

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Dining Guide

Your source for good food

Critic’s Picks: Best of Farm-to-Fork Eating

By CAROLYN SCHEINBERG Sun Staff Writer

E SALE S

O LOBSTER E

Locally grown foods have become a huge part of daily living here in Ithaca. No longer are the hippies the only ones looking for fresher, healthier, and less traveled produce. The restaurants and eateries we love the most have incorporated this trend into their routine cooking as well, providing their customers with guaranteed satisfaction and the ultimate benefit of healthy living. The farm-to-fork trend has penetrated all walks of the eating world, coming to you in a wide range of delicious options.

THE CLASSIC MARKET: THE ITHACA FARMERS’ MARKET. Everyone loves a farmers’ market, and Ithaca’s is no exception to the rule.

Even if a Saturday morning trip to the farmers’ market doesn’t sound like your thing, I assure you’ll enjoy feeling earthy with the rest of the granola bunch. Blissfully strolling along the waterfront while listening to live music, not to mention the market itself can never disappoint. The Ithaca Farmers’ Market is a cooperative of 150 vendors who promise to source their delicious produce within 30 miles of the market. Providing the freshest offerings veggies, humanely raised

meat, artisan cheeses, wines, baked goods and dozens of Southeast Asian and other international cuisines, the market guarantees a delightful weekend foray and belly full of fresh and healthful nutrition. Not only will your body benefit, but your mood will too, knowing what good you’ve done to support local farmers and vendors.

Probably one of the cooler benefits of the market is that you can speak directly to the people who grow and produce your food, as they are happy to share advice on how best to use their items. The vendors are proud of their products and love sharing their farming secrets with consumers. So, whether you’re dropping in to pick up that night’s dinner greens or spending the morning for some breakfast, the Ithaca Farmers’ Market promises to give you the best.

YOUR FAVORITE BRUNCH PLACE: CARRIAGE HOUSE. No local restaurant serves brunch like the Carriage House, and no one loves brunch more than Cornell students. Not only do we pine for this menu that’s packed with decadent items, from the brie-stuffed French toast, crafted from in-house brioche, fresh local eggs, and served to perfection with local Delevan Farms maple syrup and homemade

EMILY BURKE / SUN SENIOR PHOTOGRAPHER

raspberry coulis, but we reap the benefits of local and regional ingredients used in the omelets, salads and sandwiches. The delectable dishes are based on the availability and quality of ingredients, ensuring optimum health and taste results. Some of the local farms whose products stock the menu include: Stick & Stone, Remembrance Farm, Indian Creed Orchard and Three Swallows Farm. The poultry items on the menu come from humanely raised chickens and the beef for the Carriage House Burger comes from the grass-fed cows of High

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Apart from utilizing local sources, the Carriage House also cares about using the finest ingredients, baking its own breads in its stonedeck oven and whipping up even the most basic sauces (like ketchup and mayonnaise). When dining at the Carriage House, you know that the most love, care and effort have been put into your meal to preserve your happiness and health.

YOUR SHAMELESSLY HEAVY MEAL PLACE: THE PIGGERY. With barely anything that doesn’t come from a pig, The Piggery’s menu boasts the freshest and most delicious pork around with local greens and freshly baked bread to accompany. The Piggery pledges to work by three guiding principles: sustainability, convenience and deliciousness, all words that sing luxury to my ears as I sit down for a meal. The Piggery was founded by two Cornell graduates, who, after some inevitable post-grad soul searching, finally decided to start a pig farm and give us this lovely eatery. They raise heirloom breeds of pigs on pasture, with a focus on minimizing their carbon footprint to create pork dishes that

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are good for people, the land and as much as possible, the pigs. The pork is then turned into charcuterie on their own farm and then made to serve at The Piggery. All of their food can be eaten quickly (because it’s outstandingly tasty) — so that takes care of convenience. The Three Little Pigs are a perfect example of the quality of pork at The Piggery: A pulled pork slider, a pig dog and a carnitas taco.

Each is delectable in its own way: the taco is one of the best tacos around, and the pig dog is my personal favorite hot dog of all time.

Not only does the food deliver with the utmost deliciousness, but the space itself is also sunlightfilled and catered by refreshingly pleasant employees.

Eateries like these are popping up everywhere, and more places are trying to incorporate local ingredients into their menus. Whether or not we truly care about the health benefits or the support for local economies, the local foods movement is making its way into our hearts and into our stomachs.

Carolyn Scheinberg can be reached at cms363@cornell.edu.

THE HEIGHTS CAFÉ and GRILL

– Ithaca Times Readers Choice

Join us Thursday, April, 19th at 5:00 p.m. for a

Wine Tasting

of Ninety+ Rated Wines

$15 per person • No reservations needed Stay for dinner and your $15 is applied to your meal.

3 generations of Lucatellis serving the community

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Bar opens at 4 p.m.

Dinner served Tuesday-Sunday from 5 p.m.

Dine inside or outside on our patio Closed Mondays

Live entertainment in our PIANO LOUNGE Thurs.-Sat. at 6 p.m.

Community Corners • 903 Hanshaw Road, Ithaca, NY 14850 257-4144 • www.heightscafe.com Cocktails, Lunch, Dinner • Private dining room available Reservations suggested

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12 | The Corne¬ Daily Sun | Thursday, April 12, 2012

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT M. Ward A Wasteland Companion Merge Records

BSydney Ramsden It’s hard to answer exactly how Matthew Ward, known by his exceptionally ordinary stage name M. Ward, has acquired an ever-growing fan base over the past 10-plus years. The easy answer would be to owe it all to Zooey Deschanel, his wide-eyed sidekick in the retro pop outfit She & Him. But compared to the adorkable vocalist, Ward is just the shy guy behind her, strumming melodies with the rest of the background group. Maybe it’s his resigned guest spots on Bright Eyes and My Morning Jacket albums, which resulted in the 2009 supergroup Monsters of Folk. Even then, Ward was often in the shadows of his big-name buddies Conor Oberst and Jim James. Whatever the answer is, Ward’s seldom-noticed solo efforts, from 2003’s solemn Transfiguration of Vincent to 2009’s bubbly Hold Time speak for themselves. The meticulously crafted yet effortless guitar work on each of his solo outings, including the latest one, A Wasteland Companion, is so great that it makes us wonder why the hell he wastes so much time with his far inferior contemporaries. After dedicating some years to She & Him and Monsters of Folk, A Wasteland Companion finds Ward back in his element, even though he hasn’t really evolved musically.

If Hold Time found Ward in a particularly cheery mood with tunes so catchy they ended up in beer ads, A Wasteland Companion features Ward as the reluctant celebrity, taking the energy down a notch and shying away from attention. He’s far mellower than in previous solo

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jaunts as evidenced by opener “Clean Slate,” with that lush guitar melody we’ve come to know and love from Ward’s body of work. He practically whispers the words of the song as his falsetto echoes over hushed layers of strings.

It’s almost as if Ward is ashamed of his exemplary talent; even the lead single “Primitive Girl,” a piano-driven retro pop ode, features despondent vocals and deceptively lacks the bounciness its opening notes promise, let alone Ward’s signature instrument. But the title track is perhaps most evocative of Ward’s glaring discomfort; his subdued vocals and isolated strumming over the sound effect of a bustling, impatient crowd let us envision the musician alone on an empty stage with nowhere to hide from the spectators’ eyes.

Ward doesn’t just shy away from the animated pop that pervades his past work, solo and otherwise, by stripping down his sound; on the contrary, he gets quite angry, both at himself and at the fans he has attracted in more recent years with his commercial success. Ward’s fury could not be more evident than on “Me and My Shadow,” a raging tell-off to his public persona that also happens to be the best track on the album. Ward’s voice has never been more commanding and he has never shredded his guitar more ferociously. Unfortunately, this new distortion that Ward explores on “Me and My Shadow” only appears briefly, but his guitar’s violent outburst is a hopeful move in a new direction for the indie folk veteran. On “Watch the Show,” Ward lashes out at the spectators for his appear-

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ances on late night TV; he sardonically demands their attention with an ominous growl, a clear indicator of Ward’s crippling uneasiness with himself and his own talent. But it’s not all gloom and doom on A Wasteland Companion; Deschanel makes a vivacious appearance on the jolly “Sweetheart,” and Ward expresses his secret admiration for his beloved on the rollicking swing tune “I Get Ideas.” The juxtaposition of Ward’s happy and pissedoff moods is questionable; while the different attitudes he evokes on the record result in individually decent songs, they don’t necessarily fit well together on the same album.

It’s difficult to say whether Ward’s attempt to detach himself from the sound that has catapulted him into the public eye makes A Wasteland Companion a better album than his previous ones; while the mood and arrangements are certainly different this time around, they’re not necessarily better and do not exhibit any real growth on Ward’s part. There is nothing bad to say about A Wasteland Companion, but there’s nothing that stands out, either.

The album will neither earn Ward new fans nor shy away his longtime followers. A Wasteland Companion is, for lack of a more descriptive term, just another M. Ward album: the product of an immensely talented musician, thoroughly enjoyable throughout and without an ounce of pretention or gimmick.

Sydney Ramsden is a sophomore in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. She can be reached at sramsden@cornellsun.com.

Chromatics Kill for Love Italians Do It Better

B+

Kai Sam Ng It’s been five long years since we have heard anything from the dark dance synthpop band Chromatics. That’s because the mastermind of the project, Johnny Jewel, has been busy. He released albums from two other music projects (Glass Candy and Desire), formed a label, produced other artists’ work and wrote a score for last year’s Drive that wound up unused (he released it anyway). All that made last year’s announcement of Kill For Love a pleasant surprise, and anticipation built as the band steadily leaked new songs. After many delays from the original January release date, Chromatics posted their album on iTunes last week in a very anti-climactic fashion. It didn’t matter though because the album, all 90 minutes of it, was finally here.

Even though Jewel is responsible for much of Chromatics’ style, it would be unfair to focus on him.

Chromatics is not just Jewel; in fact, he wasn’t even an original member. Although Jewel’s style is readily recognizable in later Chromatics discography, the other band members make their presence clear with their stylistic modifications.

Lead singer Ruth Radelet’s breathy, introverted soft vocals stand in stark contrast to Jewel’s menacing synthesizer.

Guitarist Adam Miller’s riffs penetrate through heavy synth layers characteristic of Jewel’s other music projects.

In earlier albums the other members’ presence was subtle, blending into the background and letting Jewel do his thing.

But something happened in the five long years between Night Drive and Kill for Love, for the latter reveals a surprisingly bold Chromatics at their most stylistically diverse. Album opener “Into the Black” is, of all things, a faithful synth-free cover of Neil Young’s “My My, Hey Hey.” Whether inten-

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

tional or not, such an opener sends a clear message that Chromatics were not the same people five years ago.

Music critics have been slapping the band with the “Italo Disco” label, a subgenre of disco music from Italy in the 80s that died quickly enough to avoid scoring Saturday Night Fever yet slowly enough to influence modern electronic dance. Italo Disco is a misplaced moniker for the band because the subgenre is characterized by, for the lack of a better phrase, fabulous glamour. Chromatics, on the other hand, create bleak, post-punk-inspired atmospheres.

If anything, their music is more like the work New Order made between Ian Curtis’ suicide and the release of “Everything’s Gone Green”: a mixture of very dark postpunk and disco with a heavy emphasis on electronic experimentation.

Such similarity makes itself clear with the title track. The sprawling four-minute track starts off with early New Order-like electronic arpeggios and guitars before dropping off to Radelet’s vocals. “Everybody’s got a secret to hide,” she sings with sad resignation, “Everyone is slipping backwards.” Radelet replicates a broken heart’s cinematic depression and desperation, retreating from the world to cope. She puts a pillow over her face, takes pills to feel all right, and waits for change even though the world stays the same. “But I killed for love,” she consoles herself uneasily, and then repeats it again in a more determined manner as a soaring guitar gives her self-consolation and anthemic quality. It is a preciously brief melody, and it still executes a mood so specific and relatable; all these things put it on a shortlist for one of the best songs of the year.

COURTESY OF ITALIANS DO IT BETTER

The title track may be concise, but the album as a whole is not. Kill For Love is uncannily similar to M83’s Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming: Both have their best song as the second track, have other great moments and have too much filler.

Too often the songs drag out into pointless ambient experimentation that go nowhere and contribute nothing to the album. The worst offender is the 14-minute “No Escape,” an aimless minimal soundscape of found noise that the band didn’t even bother to include in the vinyl. The first half of Kill For Love is concise and screams “top album of the year,” but after “These Streets Will Never Look the Same,” the album drags into instrumentals that are just plain boring and detract from what could have been a comprehensively great album. That the album was already cut down from 37 tracks is troubling in itself. If the album was further whittled down to an hour, cutting out unnecessary songs and elements, the intense buzz surrounding the album’s release would have been wholly justified.

Nevertheless, the filler does not mean that the album is a letdown or that you should avoid it; other great tracks like “The River” and “Back From the Grave” make up for some of the bloat. It’s still one of the better releases of the year so far, and is a great starting point for those who have never heard the band’s music. Chromatics are onto something, but hopefully in the future Johnny Jewel will get better at electronic experimentation and the rest of the band will take an axe to their own songs.

Kai Sam Ng is a sophomore in the College of Arts and Sciences.

He can be reached at kng@cornellsun.com.

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Thursday, April 12, 2012 | The Corne¬ Daily Sun | 13

Genres That Suck

n these column inches, I have managed to praise numerous artists, including Long Island emo world champions Taking Back Sunday, metal gods Iron Maiden, absurdist electro-rappers Die Antwoord, the ubiquitously-heard Carly Rae Jepsen, eternal hype machine victims Arctic Monkeys, introspective ambient savant The Field and even cheese-tastic hard rockers Van Halen. Despite accusations to the contrary, I’ve tried my best to, in financier’s terms, diversify my portfolio. In order to actually be knowledgeable about music, one cannot count an entire genre out due to a need for snobbish exclusionism. Indeed, even Nashville country — a musical style that is often maligned for its slick production and hackneyed songwriting — has contributed a couple of solid tunes to the annals of music history (if you don’t like Toby Keith’s “Red Solo Cup,” there’s something wrong with you).

Despite my idyllic calls for egalitarianism among the constantly warring factions of musicality (okay, please excuse me for watching too much Game of Thrones recently), there are some scenes that just seem a little … off. Artists within these genres appear on blogs seemingly primed for ridicule. Hipster Runoff probably gave them a silly name and they probably evoke a peculiar set of images, but it doesn’t necessarily mean that the music is worthless. Here’s a rundown of some things that caught my eye.

Genre: Electrofolk While electrofolk sounds like the type of genre one would reference in a parody of Pitchfork Media, it’s got a very simple and, admittedly, agreeable aesthetic: a mix of acoustic instruments playing folksy melodies while electronics provide the beat and various flourishes. It’s been stricken with a horrendous name, but it’s far from a throwaway field. Four Tet, a favorite of Radiohead frontman Thom Yorke, is often credited with pioneering the genre with his debut album Pause back in 2001. Owen Pallett, noted string arranger for Arcade Fire and The Last Shadow Puppets, is also deemed part of this genre. The real problem with the name electrofolk (or, alternatively, folktronica) is that it overspecifies what the rest of the world would call “indie rock” or “electronica.” Definitely.

Can I have this music in my library without seeming like an unbearable douche? Yes, but just label it like a sane person would.

Genre: Bouncy House Also known as “donk,” this style of melodic dance music uses bass drums distorted into bouncy-sounding square waves

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CARTOON BY SANTI SLADE ‘14

amid typical techno sounds derived from scenes in Detroit and Scotland to create hardcore rave-ups perfect for taking ecstasy to. Did all that make no sense? Okay, it sounds like what you’d listen to if you were a guido toddler playing in a bouncy house at a rich kid’s birthday party while hopped up on Pixie Stix, except not as fun. The “gabber,” as the bass sound is called, sounds duly antiquated, only 20 years removed from its heyday and, frankly, it probably didn’t sound all that great then. Over it all, British rappers with no sense of flow or lyricism bark orders to “put a donk on it.” It’s as bad as you think it is, but worse.

Can I have this music in my library without seeming like an unbearable douche? Probably not, although it’d probably be good music to play in order to empty out a house party that has gotten out of control.

Genre: K-Pop Chalk up another victory for Western cultural hegemony!

But really, K-Pop songs, aside from the Korean lyrics, sound like the type of productions that make stars out of prepubescent Canadian boys who idolize Usher. The videos and imagery, though, are what make it seem kind of crazy: they feature an array of colors, flashing lights and, most of all, classic choreography. While it’s hard for me to really pinpoint any artist worthy of your attenIrresponsible tion, the nine-member Girls’ Generation seems like a futurisListening tic version of the Spice Girls (as predicted by Blade Runner) and make videos that seem like Gaga-esque pop events. Basically, it’s shameless pop music obsessed with futurism, CGI and choruses with lasers set to kill. All of it surely isn’t amazing, but there are some songs (and videos!) that desperately deserve your attention.

Can I have this music in my library without seeming like an unbearable douche? Totally. Just avoid obsessing over the artists who creepily sexualize adolescence and you’re good to go.

James Rainis

Genre: Witch House A meme gone too far, witch house is the product of a couple of artists (including Pictureplane’s Travis Egedy) jokingly describing what type of house music they played. It got picked up by the blogosphere and from there devolved into a series of thinkpieces about microgenres, marketing and their inherent stupidity. To anyone with a working pair of ears, it just sounds like electronic music with a slightly experimental bent or chillwave (another genre that, despite being ill-defined and applicable to way too many people, has become the Internet’s req-

uisite whipping boy), with darker themes. Some of it is even good: Salem’s dark and heavy electonica sounds apocalyptic in the best way possible. I think we’ll all feel better if we CTRL+F the words “witch house” and replace them with “electronic music.”

Can I have this music in my library without seeming like an unbearable douche? If you label it “witch house,” you are a douche. If not, you’re just a scummy hipster like the rest of us.

Genre: Seapunk It doesn’t sound nautical, save some murky sounding filters, and it most definitely doesn’t sound like punk rock. This is where the whole concept of microgenres jumped the shark.

A group of hipsters making adequate-but-not-incredible electronic music started wearing dolphin t-shirts, dyeing their hair green and posting weird images of waves and Spongebob Squarepants onto their Tumblrs and, all of a sudden, the Internet began to care. The New York Times even wrote a story on it, albeit one that basically came to the conclusion of “What the fuck?” While the music isn’t really that bad, it’s just discomforting to imagine all of it occurring as part of a scene, and you don’t want to inherently approve by listening to it. If someone wanted to come up with a reason to ban hipsters from Williamsburg, this is it.

Can I have this music in my library without seeming like an unbearable douche? Most likely not, unless you and your friends are really into cosplay inspired by The Little Mermaid.

James Rainis is a sophomore in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. He can be reached at jrainis@cornellsun.com.

Irresponsible Listening appears alternate Thursdays this semester.

A Lavish Tribute to a Great American State

first discovered Sufjan Stevens by the kind graces of an episode of The OC, during Johnny’s funeral. I wasn’t particularly sad about the passing of Johnny, but as the gang laid leis by Johnny’s surfboard-tomb, I uncannily found myself moved. The song, what was it? Once I scoured the Internet and found the name and artist (“The Widows In Paradise, For The Fatherless In Ypsilanti”), I was instantly enamored. Ah, that ukulele, and, what’s that now, trumpets? Who thinks of that?

At this point, my eighth grade, Abercrombie-garbed self then unearthed more and more of Sufjan Stevens’ music and was very pleased with what she found. Up until now, my musical tastes had evolved from N*Sync, to Christina Aguilera, to a very strange and long obsession with Good Charlotte. I, thankfully, found the turning point of my musical taste in Sufjan (which I soon learned, was not pronounced “Suff-jan”).

Album after album had its gems, but I was particularly taken with Illinois, which had been released just the summer before this discovery. The combinations of instrumentals were foreign to my provincial ears, the titles were long and fun to memorize, and the lyrics were just so clever.

Appetite thoroughly whetted, I then took on this bear of an album. Not only is there a multitude of songs, but each song has been

crafted into an elaborate, lyrical masterpiece that must be digested patiently. His striking use of unconventional time signatures, dynamics and instrumental passages is subordinate to his mastery of introducing variegated genres, instruments and textures specific to each track. Critics will claim that, musically, Sufjan is highly indebted to artists and composers as varied as Philip Glass, Steve Reich and Stravinsky to Death Cab and The Cure — the latter of which he borrows a saxophone line for use in “Come On! Feel the Illinoise!”

However, the adept way in which he pieces together these influences, so organically and conjunctionally with each other, is where the genius of this album truly lies.

Martha Wydysh This Album Will Change Your Life Song after song of multi-layered avant-classical compositions are carefully balanced with simple, acoustic benedictions on guitar. The truly affecting, falsetto-sung “Oh my God” in “John Wayne Gacy Jr.” instantly gave me chills. “Casmir Pulaski Day” tugged at my heartstrings with its rich banjo and “The Tallest Man, the Broadest Shoulders” was

one of my first ringtones. The buoyant and soothing “Decatur” (the title of which is, marvelously, rhymed with “alligator,” “aviator” and “emancipator”) features one of Sufjan’s most obliging melodies of all time.

“Come On! Feel the Illinoise!” incorporates swirling horns and chimes while mimicking a ska ballad. He tops it off with a real string quartet to complement the contributing Chicago-based children’s choir. Purely instrumental interludes lace the album together in the forms of “A Short Reprise for Mary Todd” (shortened for sanity), the mysterious “To the Workers of the Rock River Valley Region” and another kind nod to string players, “Let’s Hear That String Part Again, Because I Don’t Think They Heard it All the Way Out in Bushnell.”

It wasn’t until after I devoured the music that I read up on the resplendent folklore of the album. Many of the lyrics in Illinois reference persons, places and events related to its eponymous state, paying homage to the rich culture of the American Midwest. “John Wayne Gacy, Jr.” documents the story of the infamous 1970s Chicago-based serial killer, an interesting tidbit I wish I had known before telling a rather demure classmate to give it a listen. However, I was distracted by the alluring piano atop beautiful pulsing guitar riffs. The haunting “Casmir Pulaski Day” is named after an Illinois holiday honoring the Polish-born victor of the Battle of Brandywine. “Concerning the UFO Sighting Near Highland, Illinois” is about a UFO sighting by police officers near

Highland, Illinois. “Come on! Feel the Illinoise!” makes reference to the World’s Columbian Exposition that took place in Chicago in 1893. “They Are Night Zombies!!” refers to various localities of Illinois with the lyrics: “B-U-D-A! Caledonia! S-E-C-O-R! Magnolia! B-I-RD-S! And Kankakee! Evansville and Parker City.”

It helps that this album truly never stops renewing itself with each listen — not only in a musical sense, but also in a literary one.

It is almost as if reading a well-written novel.

Allusions pop out in later listens that I did not spot initially, from Carl Sandburg to Frank Lloyd Wright. And so, listening to this album is never insipid or monotonous, in the same way that my favorite novels get better with each read. It is work of art that truly keeps on giving, so much so that other talented artists wish to breathe new life into it.

Recently, just as I was straying from the path of “real” music and into the realms of house music, as if by some stroke of God, I stumbled upon a rebirth of Illinois, in the form of a mixtape by a so-called DJ. It wasn’t until later that I discovered that the mastermind behind Illin-noise was none other than Donald Glover, under yet another pseudonym. By all means, listen to this chilled-out remix and let yourself relive once more the album that changed my life.

Martha Wydysh is a sophomore in the College of Arts and Sciences. She can be reached at mwydysh@cornellsun.com.

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

14 THE CORNELL DAILY SUN | Thursday, April 12, 2012

Los Angeles Times Daily Crossword Puzzle Edited by Rich Norris and Joyce Nichols Lewis

DOWN 1 River of Tuscany

2 “Joanie Loves Chachi” co-star 3 Hearer of final appeals 4 __Kosh B’Gosh 5 Comeback 6 Go to and fro 7 Post-op program 8 Maine campus town 9 Promotes 10 Immigrant’s subj.

11 Excessive 12 Invasive Japanese vine 13 Prevent legally 18 What ad libbers ignore 22 Overabundance 24 Star 26 “My country, __ ...”

27 Horn, for one 28 Gravy thickener 29 Ringlet 33 With “and” and 40-Across, emissionsreducing method whose first word (this answer) can follow the start of the answers to starred clues

34 Sidle 36 Burger follower 37 “Nessun dorma,” e.g.

38 Combine, as assets 41 Using (up) 44 Fireplace powder 48 Chair on a porch 50 Fake 51 Fan club focuses 52 Towpath locale

53 She’s not for you 54 “What did I do to deserve this?”

55 “Poison” plant 59 Harangue 61 Architectural pier 62 More, to a minimalist 64 Elle, across the Atlantic 65 Bit of a snore?

ANSWER TO PREVIOUS PUZZLE:

Sun Sudoku Fill in the empty cells, one number in each, so that each column, row, and region contains the numbers 1-9 exactly once.

Each number in the solution therefore occurs only once in each of the three “directions,” hence the “single numbers” implied by the puzzle’s name.

(Rules from wikipedia.org/wiki /Sudoku)

Puzzle #420 3

4

5

7

8

9 2 1

2

9

3

8 9

9

8

3 7

2

5 4

2 6

6 8

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xwordeditor@aol.com

04/12/12

4/18/12

By Bill Thompson (c)2012 Tribune Media Services, Inc.

Doonesbury

04/12/12

by Garry Trudeau

cornell sun.com

ACROSS 1 Loathe 6 Poke into 11 “Blue Hawaii” prop 14 Rear 15 Houston hockey team 16 Frat letters 17 *Place for afterdinner courses 19 Banned pesticide 20 Magic show reaction 21 Lots 22 “Omertà” author 23 Mystery writer John Dickson __ 25 *Repress 27 Double-__: puzzle type 30 German pronoun 31 When many Lyon Lions are born 32 Brownish purple 35 Certain commuter’s aid 39 Utter 40 See 33-Down, and word that can precede the end of the answers to starred clues 42 Grinder 43 Uncredited actor 45 Yani Tseng’s org.

46 Home of Miami University 47 Neighbor of Leb. 49 Neverending 51 *Skating exhibitions 56 Fertile Crescent land 57 Musty 58 Butter sources 60 American rival: Abbr.

63 “__ Fine Day”: 1963 hit 64 *Delta’s aptly named monthly 66 Fly the coop 67 Stud 68 Assays 69 Like some looks 70 Put up 71 Sorority letters

COMICS AND PUZZLES

cornellsun .com

Mr. Gnu

by Jorge Cham

cornellsun.co m

Piled Higher and Deeper

Travis Dandro

THE CORNELL DAILY SUN | Thursday, April 12, 2012 15

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16 THE CORNELL DAILY SUN | Thursday, April 12, 2012

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THE CORNELL DAILY SUN | Thursday, April 12, 2012 17

SPORTS

Flyers Beat Penguins in O.T. Knicks Win Crucial

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Jakub Voracek beat Marc-Andre Fleury from in close 2:23 into overtime to give the Philadelphia Flyers a 4-3 comeback victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins on Wednesday night in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference quarterfinal series.

Fleury stopped Matt Read's shot from the corner, but Voracek pounced on the rebound to cap a furious rally from a 3-0 deficit. Daniel Briere scored twice, and Brayden Schenn added a goal in his playoff debut. Ilya Brzygalov settled down after a shaky start to finish with 25 saves.

Sidney Crosby, Tyler Kennedy and Pascal Dupuis scored for the Penguins, and Marc-Andre Fleury stopped 22 shots, but Pittsburgh struggled after dominating the first period.

Game 2 is Friday night in Pittsburgh.

The rivals delivered on their promise to play “whistle-to-whistle” and leave out the rough stuff that highlighted their six regular-season meetings.

The game featured only a handful of penalties and little of the typical animosity.

Crosby missed the playoffs last season while dealing with concussion-like symptoms and the memory of watching from the rafters as the Penguins lost to Tampa Bay in seven games remains fresh.

The former MVP wasted little time making up for lost time. He gave Pittsburgh the lead on his second shift, shaking off a hit Philadelphia defenseman Braydon Coburn in the corner then bouncing to his feet and flipping a rebound over Bryzgalov’s glove 3:43 into the first period.

Kennedy made it 2-0 just over 4 minutes later, his wrist shot from the left circle beating Bryzgalov over his stick.

Philadelphia coach Peter Laviolette called timeout, a maneuver he used successfully 10 days ago after the Flyers fell behind by two goals in the first 5 minutes. It worked April 1, as Philadelphia rallied for a 6-4 victory.

It worked. Just not immediately.

Dupuis gave Pittsburgh a 3-0 advantage with just 37 seconds left before the first intermission, scraping a puck off Bryzgalov’s pads and into the net. The goaltender appeared to have no clue where the puck was on the play.

The Flyers limped to the dressing room but — as they have all season — they rallied.

Philadelphia won 20 games during the season when the opponent scored first, the most in the NHL. The Flyers showcased that resiliency during the final two periods of regulation, clamping down on Crosby and NHL-leading scorer Evgeni Malkin.

Briere gave the Flyers life with a breakaway goal 6:22 into the second period, even though replays showed he was well offside on the play. He brought Philadelphia within a goal with 10:37 left in regulation with a wrist shot from a tough angle that clanged off the far post and in.

Schenn tied it just over 3 minutes later by redirecting a shot by Scott Hartnell and setting up the kind of taut finish expected in perhaps the most competitive first-round series of the playoffs.

NOTES: The Flyers are 3-1 in overtime in Pittsburgh ... The Penguins scratched D Matt Niskanen, who missed the final two games of the regular season with an upper-body injury ... The Penguins are 6-2 in series in which they have homeice advantage during Crosby's career ...

Philadelphia D Marc-Andre Bourdon left the game with an upper-body injury and is day-to-day.

Predators Defeat Red Wings to Take Game One of Playoff Series NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Gabriel Bourque scored two goals in his postseason debut, and the Nashville Predators held onto home-ice advantage by beating Detroit Red Wings 3-2 on Wednesday night to open their Western Conference playoNASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Gabriel Bourque scored two goals in his postseason debut, and the Nashville Predators held onto home-ice advantage by beating Detroit Red Wings 3-2 on Wednesday night to open their Western Conference playoff series.

Game 2 is Friday night in Nashville.

Paul Gaustad scored his first postseason goal, and Pekka Rinne made 35 saves. The Predators started at home after edging Detroit for the No. 4 seed, and they started their third postseason series against their Central Division rival with their first win in the opening game.

Henrik Zetterberg and Tomas Holmstrom scored power-play goals for Detroit. The Red Wings lost center Darren Helm to an upper-body injury in the first period.

Nashville gave Detroit 44 seconds of a 5-on-3 when Ryan Suter was called for slashing at with 3:52 to go. The Predators killed off the 5-on-3, but Holmstrom scored with 2:07 left to give Detroit a chance.

After Holmstrom’s goal, Nashville took its timeout while Detroit coach Mike Babcock pulled Jimmy Howard for the extra attacker. With 22.9 seconds left, Martin Erat went to the box for holding, but the Predators sealed up the victory.

Detroit came in with all the tradition thanks to 11 Stanley

Cups against a Nashville franchise that has been using the Red Wings as its measuring stick since hitting the ice in 1998-99.

Detroit also is the team Nashville has played the most in the postseason with nine of the first 12 games decided by two goals or fewer and the Red Wings taking first-round series in 2004 and 2008.

The Red Wings spent the past few days talking about how they enjoyed the chance to start the postseason on the road for a change.

They came into a sold-out Bridgestone Arena with much less of the Detroit red the Red Wings usually see in Nashville.

The Red Wings held the NHL’s best power play in the regular season scoreless on six chances, which included 1:14 of a 5-on-3 in the first.

It was tied at 1 with Detroit firing away at Rinne, trying to take the lead when when Matt Halischuk shot at the net just after crossing the blue line.

Bourque tipped it into the far corner of the net for a 2-1 lead at 12:29 of the second for a shot Howard had no chance at stopping.

Bourque scored what wound up as the winner at 11:35 with a wrister from the slot off an assist from Patric Hornqvist.

The Predators played without one of their biggest trade acquisitions. Defenseman Hal Gill was scratched because of a lowerbody injury.

But Gaustad scored at 6:59 for a 1-0 lead. Nashville sent Buffalo its first-round pick in June for Gaustad, and he responded by scoring his first postseason goal by throwing the puck toward the crease as he skat-

ed behind the net, and it banked off Detroit defenseman Brad Stuart's left skate past Howard. It also was Gaustad's first goal with Nashville.

Commissioner Gary Bettman was in attendance, and that might be why officials stayed busy calling plenty of penalties with six in the first period alone.

During Nashville’s second power play, Helm dropped a glove on the ice and raced to the locker room.

Nashville outshot Detroit 135 in the first. The Red Wings took the first seven shots of the second and took advantage when defenseman Roman Josi was called for cross-checking at 1:10 of the period. Zetterberg scored at 2:29 of the first, beating Rinne with the goalie sprawled out on his back.

Nashville had a power play of its own on a tripping call on Zetterberg but couldn't manage a shot. The Predators didn't take a shot until Shea Weber nearly nine minutes into the period before Bourque’s redirect put them ahead to stay.

Notes: Nashville also had a franchise-record 25 sellouts during the regular season. ...

Gaustad came in with eight assists in 38 playoff games before scoring his first postseason goal. ... Nashville F Jordin Tootoo, one of three Predators who played in their first playoff against Detroit in 2004, was a healthy scratch. ...

Nashville right wing Brandon Yip had an assist on Gaustad’s goal. He has five points (2 goals, 3 assists) in seven career playoff games. ... Zetterberg’s goal was his 50th in the postseason. He led Detroit with six points against Nashville during the regular season.

To Playoff Dreams

MILWAUKEE (AP) — J.R. Smith hit a 3-pointer for the lead with 1:04 left, and the New York Knicks held on to beat the Milwaukee Bucks 111-107 on Wednesday night in a game that could turn out to be critical to both teams’ playoff hopes.

Carmelo Anthony had 32 points and 10 rebounds, while Tyson Chandler added 19 points for the Knicks, who took a two-game lead on Milwaukee for the No. 8 seed in the Eastern Conference. Smith had 14 points off the bench.

Monta Ellis had 35 points and Brandon Jennings added 22 for the Bucks, who were coming off a 20-point loss to Oklahoma City at home on Monday.

The Bucks had won two of three games with the Knicks before Wednesday, and a win would have given them a head-to-head tiebreaker edge.

Milwaukee led 88-84 going into the fourth quarter, then started the period with a quick 6-2 run to take a 94-86 lead. Ekpe Udoh, the other player the Bucks obtained in last month's trade for Ellis, scored a pair of inside baskets during the run.

With the Knicks’ chances appearing to fade, Anthony drew a technical foul when he slammed the ball on the floor in frustration with 8:53 left in the game. But Jennings missed the foul shot and the Knicks used a scoring spurt to tie it at 99 on a 3-pointer by Smith.

New York then took a 101-99 lead on a pair of free throws by Smith with 3:16 left.

Chandler then picked up his fifth foul, and Udoh hit one of two free throws to cut the lead to one.

Anthony then scored on a rebound of his own miss, and Udoh hit a jumper on the other end.

Udoh then came up with a block on Iman Shumpert, Mike Dunleavy Jr. rebounded a miss on the other end and kicked it out to Ellis, who hit a 3-pointer from the top of the key to give the Bucks a 105-103 lead with 1:45 left.

Anthony hit a turnaround jumper at the other end to tie the game.

Luc Richard Mbah a Moute scored on a putback on the other end for Milwaukee, but Smith hit a wide-open 3-pointer with 1:04 left to give the Knicks a 108-107 lead.

After a miss by Dunleavy, Steve Novak — a former Marquette University standout who knows the Bradley Center rims well — hit a pair of free throws for a 110-107 Knicks lead with 19.4 left.

Brandon Jennings missed a 3-pointer that would have tied the game, and Shumpert was fouled and hit one of two free throws for a four-point lead with 9 seconds left.

The Knicks took advantage of woeful interior defense by the Bucks early on, hitting 11 of their first 12 shots — a lot of them coming on layups. Of the Knicks’ first 30 points of the game, 26 of them came in the paint.

New York shot 77.3 percent from the field in the first quarter and led 36-27 going into the second, but the Bucks came roaring back with a 15-2 run to take the lead. Backup Bucks forward Larry Sanders had a pair of blocks during the run, helping Milwaukee close off the interior on defense.

The teams went into the third quarter tied at 62.

NOTES: Anthony appeared to tweak his right wrist on a play in the second quarter but stayed in the game. ... It was a short night for Milwaukee center Drew Gooden, who is nursing a sore back and played only 5:02. ... A long jumper by Dunleavy in the first quarter was ruled a 3-pointer after a replay review by officials.

18 THE CORNELL DAILY SUN | Thursday, April 12, 2012

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THE CORNELL DAILY SUN | Thursday, April 12, 2012 19

SPORTS

Lavin Ready to Face Foes

Out on a limb

GOLF

Continued from page 20

that the golfers will see this weekend. Lavin has stressed that it is particularly important to prepare this year because the Ivy League teams are evenly matched, and anyone could take the title.

“To prep we had a good weekend of qualifying rounds to put ourselves in pressure situations,” Lavin said. “We’re hoping those rounds, along with the previous weeks’ tournament[s], will put us in a competitive mindset.”

When asked who could potentially have the biggest impact on the team this weekend, Dean and “We just need to go out there and put up Lavin both said that every member of the the scores we are capable of shooting.” team is dangerous and capable of getting a Alex Lavin low score.

The Red sees this tournament as a stepping stone to the Ivy League Championship, which is the ultimate goal for the team this year, according to Dean.

“Our goal every tournament is to come out with a win,” he said. “Our secondary goal this weekend is definitely to come out on top of the Ivy League teams at the tournament. Taking home an Ivy League championship in three weeks is our number one goal and finishing on top of the Ivy League teams this weekend would give us the confidence and motivation to carry our work ethic and performance to championship weekend in three weeks.”

Zach Gaynor can be reached at zgaynor@cornellsun.com.

Bencomo: How Baseball Fosters Family Bonding BENCOMO

Continued from page 20

to? I think that’s part of it, but also because I associate it with family. In fact, baseball, more so than other sports, is often spoken of fondly because of its association with families, especially traditionally with fathers and sons. I wonder if my own attraction to this familial aspect of the game is only because the Dodger game was the first sporting event my dad took me to. I wonder: If he had taken me to a Lakers game or a Rams game, if my primary athletic allegiance would be to basketball or football?

Fathers and sons can play catch, but they can also play one-on-one and throw the ol’ pigskin around.

So is there something to why baseball is more often than other sports characterized as fostering this special relationship between fathers and their children?

Colum McCann recently wrote in The New York Times that when he’s sitting in Yankee Stadium with his son, it feels like it’s not just him sitting with his son, it’s his father sitting with him, too, and his father with him, and so on … He indicates that being there with his children brings him back to his boyhood. I can’t attest to the feelings of sitting in a stadium with my own kids, but baseball does seem to bring me back to my not yet so distant boyhood. I think McCann is right about the familial attachments that baseball seems to evoke and strengthen.

It may be that because baseball has been a mainstream sport in the United States for so much longer than any of the other professional sports, it’s currently conducive to these sorts of inter-generational attachments, yet other sports will eventually catch up. But I think there’s more to it than that. Baseball is a game played outdoors — there’s something special in how the “outdoors” functions as a means to build relationships for families in general and fathers and sons in particular — think of camping, or doing some sort of activity together in the backyard, or a park. Football is played outdoors, but it’s played in huge, impersonal stadiums — concrete bowls — where most fans are distant from the action. Although baseball can also be played in fairly large stadiums, most of the fields are rather smaller and often have much nuance in their layout. The structure of the stadiums, as well as the fact that they are often named “field” or

“park,” suggests the sort of intimacy that may be more conducive to building family ties.

Also, the greater contact between the fans and the players — unhidden by helmets and pads, hitting or throwing balls into the stands, and signing autographs — adds to the intimacy and offers ample opportunity for a father to educate his son about the players. The possibility of conversation also makes baseball ideally suited for fostering familial relations as opposed to other sports. Baseball is played at a slow enough pace that it allows for conversations to take place, whereas the action in basketball and hockey is so rapid fire that it requires much more attentiveness to the game than who you’re with.

My mom’s burgeoning interest in the game and the Dodgers in recent years confirms to me that baseball has some quality conducive to bringing families together. Furthermore, it’s much more affordable to go to games as a family than any of the other major sport. The food has become quite expensive in recent years, but the hot dogs are certainly worth it. I think grilled Dodger Dogs are second only to hot dogs grilled at home.

Perhaps it’s because they’re evocative of backyard summer barbecues.

Incidentally, baseball is played in the summer which is traditionally the time of year (outside of holidays) most often associated with spending time with family.

One final thing that I think makes the Dodgers in particular evocative of a family is Vin Scully. The broadcaster can paint a picture with words like no other. His soothing voice has been a constant presence with the team for as long as most fans can remember (63 years this year, to be exact). Arguably the most beloved Dodger, he’s reminiscent of a grandfather figure. The sport has featured other beloved broadcasters — men such as Harry Kalas, Harry Carey, Jack Buck, Mel Allen, and Ernie Harwell — which testifies to the place that broadcasters can take within a team. Scully was notably absent on opening day given that he’s been struggling with a cold. Here’s hoping that he gets well soon. It just isn’t the same family without him.

Brian Bencomo is a Sun Staff Writer. He can be contacted at bbencomo@cornellsun.com. Out of Left Field appears alternate Thursdays this semester.

MONICA SUH / SUN CONTRIBUTOR

Freshman Quoc-Daniel Nguyen goes out on a limb to win the point in a match against Dartmouth’s Brandon DeBot on March 8 at Reis Tennis Center. Nguyen won the match, 7-6(1), 4-6, 1-0.

Men’s Lacrosse Continues Winning Streak With Victory Over Syracuse More than 4,000 fans headed to Schoellkopf Field on Tuesday afternoon to watch Cornell (9-1, 4-0 Ivy League) host Syracuse (5-5). In a matchup between two of the most powerful offenses in the nation, the first 30 minutes of play seemed lacking. Each team was able to record only three goals in the first half, a far cry from what was expected.

However, the Red fired off two goals at the beginning of the third frame — two at the hands of senior midfielder Roy Lang — kicking off a nine-goal scoring spree, which would secure it a 12-6 win over the visiting Orange.

Improving to 9-1 for the season, Cornell extended its winning streak to seven, as well as its home-game winning streak to 16 games — the best record in the country. Junior attacker/midfielder Max Van Bourgondien recorded a career-high four goals, in addition to an assist, while Lang tallied a hat-trick of his own — his second of the season.

Sophomore net-minder Andrew West made nine saves for the day. Cornell led the Orange in shots, 46-24, ground balls, 39-23, and face-offs, 14-8. Clearing the ball 19-of-21 times, the Red also capitalized on 3-of-5 extra man opportunities, compared to Syracuse only capitalizing on 1-of-5.

At the end of the game, six Cornell players scored goals, with three notching assists. The win also lifted head coach Ben DeLuca’s career record to 23-4, and improved the men’s lacrosse program to 700-444-27 all-time. Cornell has now held opponents to single-digit scoring in seven of nine games for the season.

— Compiled by Lauren Ritter

MONIQUE HALL / SUN CONTRIBUTOR

Honorable mentions | Freshman attacker Matt Donovan now has four Ivy League Rookie of the Week titles to his name.

Donovan Named Rookie of the Week Again Freshman attacker Matt Donovan was named Ivy League Co-Rookie of the Week on Monday along with Brown freshman attacker Nick Piroli. Donovan — a Morristown, N.J., native — has won the Rookie of the Week title three times already this season: on March 5, March 26 and April 2.

He earned his fourth honor this week after racking up two goals and an assist against Harvard on April 7. Donovan’s first goal came at the beginning of the second period, with his assist coming soon after. Both of these points helped Cornell

to take what had been a tight game and turn it into a comfortable 6-1 lead at halftime. His last goal came as the game was drawing to a close, breaking Harvard’s momentum and helping the Red secure a victory.

The 14-10 triumph over the Crimson was crucial for Cornell, who remain undefeated in the Ivy League this season.

Donovan has 12 goals and 12 assists on the season, ranking second on the team with 24 points total.

— Compiled by Dani Abada

The Corne¬ Daily Sun

Sports

THURSDAY APRIL 12, 2012

20

Baseball: It’s a Family Thing I

couldn’t have been happier Tuesday as I began watching the Los Angeles Dodgers home opener. One thing was missing though — I had to call my dad. I called him up to find out if he was watching the game, or so I told him. But the real reason I called him was because I wanted to talk to him for a while as I watched the game.

I remember my first Dodger game very distinctly. I was nine years old. My dad had just received a voucher for tickets as a gift from my older siblings. We chose a game against the Arizona Diamondbacks sometime in May. My mom and an aunt also went with us to that game.

The Dodgers won 4-0, and from then on I was hooked.

TINA CHOU / SUN STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

Ready for rivals | Senior John Dean and the rest of the golf team said they have been waiting for this weekend, which will be the first major showcase of Ivy League talent this season.

GOLF

By ZACH GAYNER

This weekend the Red travels to Springdale Golf Club in Princeton, N.J. to participate in the Princeton Invitational golf tournament. The tournament will feature some of the first competition between the Ivy League teams this season.

“We can count on most of the Ivy League being there,” said senior John Dean. “This is our first tournament of the spring to see how we stack up against the rest of the Ivy League.”

The Red goes into the tournament off of a lackluster performance in the Fireline Towson Invitational tournament, but morale on the team is very high.

“Morale is high; we’re confident,” said senior captain Alex

Out of Left Field

Lavin. “We know we can beat anyone, we just need to go out there and put up the scores we are capable of shooting.”

This course will not be that difficult in relation to the rest of the courses on the team’s schedule, according to Lavin and Dean, but the weather during this season could present some problems when the team tees off.

“The course is generally easy, but the conditions are sure to be tough given how dry our season has been,” Dean said.

“The greens will be quick with significant slope. Good scores will come from leaving the ball on the proper side of the hole to ensure an easy two-putt and a good shot at birdie.”

To combat this, the team put in a lot of preparation in order to simulate these abnormal conditions and the pressure

I remember one of those siblings asking me years later why I liked baseball the most over other sports. Was it because I enjoyed the strategy in the game? Was it that I liked the fact that it’s played outdoors? Well, football involves strategy — all sports do — and it’s also played outdoors as many other sports are. I would say that all sports share certain qualities that probably attract fans such as the thrill of competition, the skill of the participants, the sense of identification with the competitors and the sense of fulfillment you get when your side wins. You can say this about baseball, basketball, football, hockey, or any other sport.

But beyond these qualities, why do some people prefer certain sports over others? Why do I like baseball more than any other sport?

Might it simply be because that first baseball game was the first live sporting event I had been

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Cornell Prepares for Ivy Competition Sun Staff Writer

Brian Bencomo

GYMNASTICS

Veteran Red Squad Heads to Nationals

By REBECCA VELEZ Sun Staff Writer

Twelve members of Cornell’s gymnastics team will travel to Bridgeport, Connecticut this weekend to compete individually in the USAG Women’s Collegiate National Championships.

The event is designated for members of the top eight teams in the country that award seven or fewer scholarships to competing athletes. This year, Penn is the only other Ivy school to send athletes.

Historically Cornell has been very successful at the national level, winning the competition for the first time in 2009. However this year is the first time since 2000 that Cornell has not made it to the competition as a team.

Yet the Red is still confident in its ability to perform this weekend. Of the 12 athletes competing, a majority of the team has had previous experience competing at the national level.

“Having so many people go is exciting for us,” said junior captain Ashley Maher. “There are

some new faces … but 10 of us are all upperclassmen, we’ve all been before.”

Sammy VanderPutten and Maia Vernacchia are the two freshmen competitors for Cornell.

VanderPutten will participate on vault and floor, and Vernacchia on beam.

While maintaining a team atmosphere during training, the gymnasts will also have the opportunity to hone their individual skills at the meet.

“Now it’s more of an individual sport,” said junior captain Sarah Hein. “You really have to show your hardest skills … it’s a different mindset because it’s about individual performance. Because most of us are only doing one or two events, we really have to go out there and give it our all.”

It is expected that the talent on the team will carry some of the athletes through to the final round of competition, according to Hein.

“There are a couple of us who have potential to make finals,” she said. “Any given person that qualified has the opportunity to make

it.”

April 12 is the date of the preliminary rounds, after which the top five in each event will compete on April 14.

Cornell has two defending champions that will be competing this weekend: senior Melanie Standridge on beam, and sophomore Melanie Jorgensen on bars.

Maher will also be competing on bars, and Hein will compete on vault.

“We’ve had a full week of practice [since the last competition],” Hein said. “It’s been time to really focus on the little details. It’s all about perfection … focusing on that one routine and perfecting every little detail.”

According to Maher, the team is coming off of some strong showings late in the season.

“The two best meets of the season were our last two,” she said.

“The energy is really high and everyone is excited. Training has been great, and we’re really able to fine tune things.”

Rebecca Velez can be reached at rvelez@cornellsun.com.

KYLE KULAS / SUN STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

Lone rangers | Junior captain Sarah Hein prepares for the upcoming weekend, where the emphasis shifts to individual performance.