02 20 14 entire issue lo res

The Corne¬ Daily Sun

Cornell Profs Weigh In

By ZOE FERGUSON Sun Staff Writer

The Agricultural Act of 2014 which includes changes to agricultural policies such as restrictions in the food aid budget and changes in crop insurance has elicited var ying opinions from Cornell professors and professionals in the field since President Barack Obama signed it on Feb 7

Prof Andre w Novakovic, agricultural economics, defended the bill’s ne w policies regarding food aid and crop insurance

Food aid programs represent 80 percent of the Agricultural Act’s projected cost, Novakovic said The Ne w York Times repor ted that the bill is projected to cut $8 billion from the national food stamp program over the next decade

Though some have expressed disappointment over the decreased funding towards food aid, Novakovic said these cuts are intended to better American food aid and make it “harder to misuse” the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or food stamps

“Individuals who qualify for food stamps retain access to them, but for some the automatic eligibility previously conferred will no longer be

C.U. Leads Ivies in Number Of Peace Corps Alumni City O f cials Issue Flood Warning

By ASHLEY COLLIS-BURGESS Sun Contributor

Topping all Ivy League schools,

C o r n e l l r a n k e d f i f t h n a t i o n a l l y among medium-sized universities in having the highest number of alumni who ser ve in the Peace Corps, according to the University

There are currently 29 Cornell alumni volunteers ser ving around

t h e w o r l d , according to a

U n i v e r s i t y p re s s re l e a s e

It h a c a i s a l s o the metropoli-

t a n a re a w i t h

t h e h i g h e s t n u m b e r o f

Pe a c e C o r p s volunteers per capita, according to a D e c e m b e r Un i v e r s i t y p re s s release

The University’s relatively high number of volunteers is due to the d i v e r s e e d u c a t i o n a l b a c k g r o u n d and specific skills of the student body, which are “directly applicable

t o Pe a c e C o r p s s e r v i c e , ” s a i d

Patrick Starr, Cornell’s Peace Corps coordinator

“ The conjunction of courses of study in the agricultural school and

v a r i o u s i n t e r n

t i o n a l l y f o c u s e d majors lend themselves ver y well to

Peace Corps ser vice,” Starr said “And the Peace Corps is a great way to launch a career in many of these fields ”

Evan Delahanty ’07, a former Peace Corps volunteer, said he is not surprised by the number of volunteers who hail from Cornell

“Cornell produces a lot of Peace Corps volunteers because it is a good school that attracts people with well-rounde d

ambitions outside the classic career

kind of practical

their own futures that the Peace Corps is ideal for ” Delahanty, who served in a small

country of Suriname in 2012, said he joined the organization due to his strong aptitude for service He completed multiple projects while abroad, which ranged from assisting a local youth group to stimulating renewable energy

“I joined the Peace Corps because I felt like I had more

By SLOANE GRINSPOON Sun Staff Writer

The City of Ithaca has advised residents to remain alert for signs of flooding over the next few weeks as temperatures fluctuate

Temperatures are expected to melt existing snow this week, and the Ithaca area could receive up to 75 inches of rain, according to a city press release

Through Saturday of this week, temperatures are predicted to remain in the 30s and 4 0 s , a c c o rd i n g t

We

Ser vice Next week, however, temperatures are predicted to drop into the twenties and single digits, leading to an influx of ice

On Wednesday, the NWS issued a haz-

ardous weather outlook, which advised residents of central New York, southeastern New York and nor theastern Pennsylvania to be aware of localized ice jams flooding from rivers as a result of snowmelt and rain over the next week

This would not be the first time ice jams would affect Ithacans

On Jan 7, Ithaca Mayor Svante Myrick ’09 declared a local state of emergency after ice j a m s c a u

y streets, when the Cascadilla Gorge completely froze, causing various road closures, The Sun previously reported

Flooding, however, has not been the only

Bronfenbrenner Center for Translational Research Talks at 12: David DuBois

Noon - 1 p m , Ten-Eck Room, Nevin Welcome Center, Cornell Plantations

C U Music: Midday Music at Lincoln

12:30 - 1:15 p m , B20 Lincoln Hall

Smart Money Moves 12:30 - 1:30 p m , 226 Weill Hall

Student Assembly Meeting

4:45 - 6 p m , Memorial Room, Willard Straight Hall

Seminar With Priscilla Wald of Duke University 10 - Noon, 258 Goldwin Smith Hall

Anthropology Colloquium:

“Anthropology, Racialization and Popular Culture”

3:30 - 5:30 p m , 215 McGraw Hall

Center for Applied Mathematics Colloquium: Oliver Desjardins

3:30 p m , 655 Frank H T Rhodes Hall

The Grandmaster : Dinner, Movie and Discussion 5 p m , 3330 Carol Tatkon Center

Schoolhouse Rock Live! 7 - 8 p m , Risley Theatre Tomorrow

EGG DONOR NEEDED

PUPIL POETRY

We are an Ivy League couple seeking the help of a special woman who is a healthy, Caucasian, with highest percentile ACT/SAT scores, tall, slender, dark to light blonde hair, blue eyes, and under the age of 28

Please contact our representative at: info@aperfectmatch com Or call 1-800-264-8828

$20,000+ compensation and all expenses paid

This year, the Cornell Plantations will expand its interpretive displays booklets, signs and panels that provide information on its garden exhibits using a $20,000 grant received in December

T h e m o n e y c o m e s f r o m t h e St a n l e y Sm i t h Horticultural Trust, a foundation that “issues grants in support education and research in ornamental horticulture, ” according to the Trust’s website

Organizations must first meet the Trust’s “funding interests and eligibility requirements” in order to be considered for a grant, the website said The Trust awarded grants “totaling $690,000 to 42 organizations” in 2012

The Trust also awarded the Plantations with the $20,000 grant in 2012, which helped install six new interpretive signs and an audio tour in the F R Newman Arboretum, according to Sarah Fiorello, interpretation coordinator for the Plantations

T h e m o n e y r e c e i v e d t h i s y e a r w i l l a l l ow t h e

Plantations to complete installation of the signs outlined in their 2009 Interpretive Master Plan, which includes interpretive weatherproof booklets and outdoor panels, which will be installed in the Botanical Garden, Fiorello said

The rest of the money which must be used in 2014 will be used to “design and fabricate six outdoor interpretive panels,” Fiorello said

Six new panels will be erected at key entrances to the W i n t e r G a rd e n , Yo u n g Fl ow e r G a rd e n , C o n i f e r Collection and Rhododendron Collection, according to

Fiorello One panel will also be placed near the A D White House Garden

“[ The panels will] provide visitors with an over view of the meaning behind each garden,” Fiorello said “ We envision that this information will provide visitors with a deeper appreciation of the garden and help them get the most out of their exploration of the garden ”

In addition to the six panels, the grant also allows Cornell Plantations to design and install eight interpretive booklets in the Flower Garden The booklets are compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act and weather resistant, according to a press release from the Plantations

“ The purpose of these booklets is for visitors to gain an appreciation for the importance of ornamental plants,

C o l u m b i a H o s t s E n g i n e e r i n g W e e k

C o l u m b i a Un i ve r s i t y w i l l c e l eb r a t e t h e o f f i c i a l k i c k o f f o f t h e

S c h o o l o f En g i n e e r i n g a n d Ap

a r d C r i m s o n r e p o r t e d

We d n e s d a y A n a l g o r i t h m t h e n

d e t e r m i n e d c o m p a t i b l e m a t c h e s o n

Va l e n t i n e ’ s Da y m o r n i n g f o r s t u -

d e n t s w h o p a r t i c i p a t e d b a s e d o n

t h e i r a n s we r s t o t h e s u r ve y

‘Food

not just as beautiful garden elements, but as truly significant cultural icons,” Fiorello said

Seven of the booklets will feature flowers depending on which ones are in season, according to Fiorello These books will contain information about how each plant has been depicted in art, ritual and religion throughout the world They will interchange as the flowers bloom

The eighth booklet will remain in the garden all season and ser ve as an “overall introduction” to the “language of flowers,” according to Fiorello

“By understanding a bit more about the meaning behind each garden, [visitors] can take a closer look at their surroundings,” she said

Hubs’ Improve Local Economy, C.U. Study Shows

methodology for assessing the impact of food hubs, which had not previously existed, according to Schmit

In response to an increased demand for locally sourced food, “food hubs” local networks for distributing produce have become more common in the region, which can serve as links between farmers

according to a Cornell study

Ac

Pro

medium-scale farmers have faced barriers in distributing a sufficient amount of produce because farmer’s markets such as the Cornell Farmers’ Market do not address a wide enough audience

“There’s renewed interest in the types of organizations that can aggregate, market and distribute products from a number of producers,” he said “So we ’ re seeing more financing and public policy attention towards developing food hubs ”

Schmit who worked with Becca Jablonski grad and David Kay M S ’93

published in December the results of a three-year study on the local economic impact of food hubs

The study focused on New York food hub Regional Access as part of their assessment, and the researchers inter viewed producers and consumers across New York with whom the hub interacted with According to Jablonski, the researchers found that food hubs can improve local economies, which benefit farmers and customers alike

“ Fa r m e r s ove r w h e l m i n g l y re p o r t e d that they can sell more products because of food hubs,” Jablonski said “We talked to over 300 business customers and individual households, and they reported that they had better access to local food So overall it improved the picture ”

The goal of the study was to develop a

“What we wanted to do was develop a framework for evaluation of [food hubs] with particular attention to the economic multiplier impacts and impacts on communities,” he said

Food hubs did have a negative effect on distributors of nonlocal food for every dollar sale made by food hubs, 11 cents were lost to other distributors the overall effect on local economies was positive, Jablonski said

“As a farmer selling to a food hub you now have to plant more acreage In order to plant that acreage you have to buy more seeds, you ’ re getting more labor probably too, and you ’ re paying those laborers wages and those wages are spent then in the local economy, ” Jablonski said “So think about all of that additional spending, all of that economic impact that occurs because of these additional sales ”

The study did not assess whether farmers ’ market sales were offset by food hub sales, Jablonski said Farmers’ markets do not qualify as food hubs because they serve as a central location where customers go to buy produce rather than transporting and distributing goods to customers

Jacob Miller ’14, co-president of the Cornell Farmers’ Market, said he believed that farmers’ markets are still extremely valuable despite reaching a smaller consumer base than food hubs do

“There’s so much passion that exists in a farmer’s market that I [don’t] necessarily feel that I’ve been exposed to [in other contexts],” Miller said

Peace Corps Provides Unique Life E xperience, Alumni

mm u n i t i e s , ” s h e s a i d St o e r m e r a d d e d t h a t s h e w a s a b l e t o g a i n l i f e e x p e r i

LINCOLN, Neb (AP) A Nebraska judge on Wednesday struck down a law that allowed the Keystone XL pipeline to proceed through the state, a victor y for opponents who have tried to b l o c k t h e p r o j e c t t h a t w o u l d carr y oil from Canada to Texas refineries

L a n c a s t e r C o u n t y Ju d g e Stephanie Stacy issued a ruling that invalidated Nebraska Gov Dave Heineman’s approval of the route Stacy agreed with opponents ’ arguments that the law

p a s s e d i n 2 0 1 2 i m p r o p e r l y a l l ow e d He i n e m a n t o g i v e C a l g a r y - b a s e d Tr a n s C a n a d a C o r p t h e p ow e r t o f o r c e landowners to sell their property for the project Stacy said the d e c i s i o n t o g i v e Tr a n s C a n a d a eminent domain powers should have been made by the Nebraska Pu b l i c Se r v i c e C o m m i s s i o n , w h i c h re g u

d other utilities

A spokeswoman for Nebraska Attorney General Jon Bruning said the state will appeal the ruling Heineman said he supports the decision to appeal “ This is an important issue for the State of Nebraska,” he said Stacy’s decision could cause m o r e d e l a y s i n f i n i s h i n g t h e p i p e l i n e , w h i c h i s c r i t i c a l i n

C a n

growing oil sands production It also comes amid increased concerns about the dangers of using

trains to transport crude oil after some high-profile accidents including a fier y explosion in North Dakota last month and an explosion that killed 47 people in Canada last year

pointed and disagreed with the decision, which came in a lawsuit filed by three Nebraska landowners who oppose the pipeline The company planned to review the ruling before deciding how to proceed

“ Tr

C

o believe strongly in Keystone XL and the benefits it would provide to Americans thousands of jobs and a secure supply of crude oil from a trusted neighbor in Canada,” said spokesman Shawn Howard

Foes say the pipeline would carr y “dirty oil” that contributes to global warming and are also concerned about a possible spill

The proposed pipeline route would cross through Montana, So u t h D a

s , Oklahoma and Texas, which have already approved their segments, and company officials have previously argued that cutting through Nebraska was the most direct, practical way to transport the oil A reroute around Nebraska could bring more states into the mix and would lead to further expensive delays

Fo r t h e Ne b r a s k a Pu b l i c Ser vice Commission to act, state lawmakers may have to pass a new pipeline-sitting law If they do, it’s not yet clear how long the five-member PSC might take on the issue or whether it would approve the pipeline Staff members were still reviewing the ruli n g We d n e s d a y, s a i d A n g e l a Melton, the commission’s attorney

Dave Domina, the landowners ’ attorney, said in a statement t h a t t h e r u l

TransCanada has “ no approved route in Nebraska ” “ TransCanada is not authorized to condemn the property a

The pipeline project is at standstill in this state, ” he said The Keystone XL would carr y 830,000 barrels of oil daily from

refineries In its latest environmental analysis, the U S State D

environmental objections to the $7 billion pipeline Opponents d i

i n e threatens ground- and sur face water and would disrupt soil in the Nebraska Sandhills, a region of grass-covered dunes used as ranchland

S plit O p inion s

n 2014 Fa r m B i l l

AGRICULTURE

Continued from page 1

available,” Novakovic said He added that the bill addresses loopholes in the system, so that people cannot rely on their existing eligibility to get food stamps

Prof Harry de Gorter, applied economics and management, criticized the augmented crop insurance program, though he did not comment on the changes in food aid

One of the policy’s provisions would eliminate $5 billion in crop subsidies for farmers and replace these subsidies with an insurance program that would help farmers only when needed, The New York Times reported

“The bill provides for a supplemental crop insurance program that will distort production decisions,” de Gorter said

According to Novakovic, specialty products industries which includes the dairy industry will see new special programs like the Dairy Product Donation Program, which will help provide dairy to lowincome populations if dairy production is too low

Novakovic said these changes represent continuing support to specialty products industries and improved insurance systems de Gorter, however, said he believes the bill indicates a return to less effective farm policies

“U S farm policy is in danger of reverting to a more interventionist stance with regard to farmers’ decisions about plant[ing] major field crops, ” de Gorter said He added that the elimination of direct payments to farmers was “laudable,” but he said he disagreed with the proposed system of target prices

Novakovic said the contents of the Agricultural Act are “ more in the domain of evolutionary change, [rather than] revolutionary ”

He also cited several changes in the bill that serve to “enhance” existing programs, saying that the “basic framework” of American agriculture and food policy is sustained, if not improved, by the farm bill

Steve Ammerman, New York Farm Bureau public affairs manager, said that the farm bill is “ a far-reaching bill for New York agriculture ”

“[The bill is] an investment into New York’s diverse agricultural community,” Ammerman said “It will have a positive impact for farmers by giving them greater certainty as to what the farm policy is in this country ”

As new programs that will allow states to invest into many areas of agriculture, including farmers’ market development and assistance for local farms are instituted, “people will notice,” Ammerman said

De Gorter, however, said the alterations in the bill, particularly in crop insurance, would invite “distortions” in producers’ incentives

These “distortions,” he said, encourage farmers to plant according to government payment programs rather than market signals He said the farm bill has “implications” for not only U S agribusiness, but international trade and the environment

The bill will be up for revision in 2018, according to Novakovic

Zoe Ferguson can be reached at zferguson@cornellsun com

Slips Increase Due to Ice

WEATHER

Continued from page 1

concern for Ithaca residents

According to WHCU, an Ithaca news and radio station, as of 8 p m Wednesday in Tompkins County there are over 3,000 power outages, many of which are in the town of Lansing

Prior to this week’s temperatures, this winter has been particularly harsh, according to Lt Tommy Basher, public information officer for the Ithaca Fire Department

“It seems like it has been a brutal winter It hasn’t been the worst that we ’ ve had, but it’s been bad,” Basher said

“ We’ve had worse temperatures, and a higher rate of snowfall for sure, ” Basher said “All these things together will cause more accidents ”

According to Basher, the car accidents have been predominantly caused by drivers following other drivers too closely, or driving too quickly on slick winter roads

Basher said, however, the accidents have not been particularly bad, with most of them being fender benders or cars drifting off the roads

“[The weather] is just part of living in upstate New York,” Basher said “We all just need to slow down a little ”

The Ithaca Journal reported Wednesday that the Tompkins County 911 emergency center has reported increased slips on the ice, as well as car accidents on country roads

Sloane Grinspoon can be reached at sgrinspoon@cornellsun com

HANK BAO ’14

Business Manager

LIZ CAMUTI ’14

Associate Editor

ANDY LEVINE ’14

Web Editor

RACHEL ELLICOTT ’15 Blogs Editor

DAVID MARTEN ’14

SHAILEE SHAH 14

Editor EMMA COURT ’15

Editor CAROLINE FLAX ’15

SAM BROMER ’16

& Entertainment Editor

SARAH COHEN 15

BRYAN CHAN 15

SCOTT CHIUSANO 15 Assistant Sports Editor

MEGAN ZHOU 15 Assistant Design Editor

Independent Since 1880

131ST EDITORIAL BOARD

REBECCA HARRIS ’14 Editor in Chief AKANE OTANI ’14

Editor AUSTIN KANG ’15

Manager

VELASCO ’15

ALEX REHBERG ’16

REBECCA COOMBES ’14

ZACHARY ZAHOS 15

BORNFELD 15

LEE 14

CRUZ 15

RAMSDEN 14

BERMAN 16

COOPER ’15

HANNAH KIM ’14

WORKING ON TODAY ’ S SUN

EDITORS IN TRAINING

EDITOR IN CHIEF Caroline Flax 15

MANAGING EDITOR Tyler Alicea ’16

ASSOCIATE EDITOR Lianne Bornfeld ’15

NIGHT EDITOR Connor Archard ’15 Sonya Rhu 16

EDITOR Kaitlyn Tiffany 15

DESKERS Noah Rankin 16 Annie Bui 16

EDITOR Sloane Grinspoon 17 SPORTS EDITOR Scott Chiusano ’15 ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR Anna Fasman ’16 Sydney Altschuler ’16

DESIGN EDITOR Elizabeth Sowers 15

DESIGN DESKER Samantha Briggs 16

DINING EDITOR Kay Xiao 16 PROOFER Emma Court 15

Editorial

A Call to Increase Access to Internships

BROWN UNIVERSITY ANNOUNCED LAST MONTH that starting this summer, its administration will provide select students with funding to complete one internship or research experience during their undergraduate career By 2018, Brown plans to expand the program to all students receiving need-based aid At a time when employers strongly emphasize summer work experience, we commend Brown’s ambitious but worthwhile attempts to alleviate the financial pressures that prevent many students from accepting unpaid internships While we laud Cornell’s current efforts including academic programs and scholarships we believe that the University could expand its existing programs and create other opportunities to make unpaid internships more accessible to students who qualify for financial aid

While contending with a lack of compensation, unpaid interns must nonetheless bear the full costs of housing, travel and other living expenses for the summer For many students who receive need-based aid, this is simply unfeasible In an Oct 23 editorial, we condemned unpaid internships, which put lower-income students at a distinct disadvantage compared to their wealthier peers While we maintain that interns should receive fair payment for their work, unpaid internships are still a reality in today’s job market Until compliance with the guidelines set forth by the U S Department of Labor in the Fair Labor Standards Act becomes the norm, the burden must fall on Cornell to fight for equal opportunities for all students In addition to the benefit conferred upon students, the University stands to gain from ensuring its graduates will be competitive in the job market

At Cornell, certain scholarship programs offered by the University provide stipends for students who undertake internships in certain fields For example, the Chaim and Ida Miller Award has, in the past, helped students in the School of Industrial and Labor Relations pay for certain expenses that would have “otherwise been prohibitive” to taking an unpaid internship Additionally, the Harrop and Ruth Freeman Fellowship is available to students studying peace and conflict studies who pursue unpaid internships For many of these programs, however, demonstrated financial need is not a requirement for eligibility and it should be While there are other programs that will relieve some students of the Summer Expected Savings requirement associated with their financial aid packages, availability for these tuition breaks is described as “limited” and “first-come, first-serve ” We believe that these programs are effective for those who can access them, but we urge the University to follow Brown’s lead and work toward expanding this support to more of the student body

We recognize that Cornell’s funding is not unlimited, and that there are, at any given time, a number of services worthy of receiving additional University resources We would not recommend that the University finance summer work experiences by drawing funding away from traditional academic financial aid But given the growing importance of internships as a key component of the undergraduate experience, Cornell should target its fundraising efforts at creating and supporting programs that can help make these opportunities accessible to all students

Nicholas Kaasik | Public Editor

A Call to Increa se Investigative Journali sm

While the editors and reporters of The Sun continue their neverending work seeking to better the quality of the newspaper, going for ward, their efforts should focus on improving The Sun’s capacity for in-depth reporting As my column previously called for in 2012, The Sun should focus more on going beyond talking points and press releases: It should continue developing its capacity for investigative journalism

The pride and purpose of independent media organizations is to offer, when appropriate, a dissenting view: They may ask difficult questions and ser ve their essential role as watchdogs on behalf of their readership The Sun’s masthead prominently displays the phrase “Independent Since 1880 ” The Sun should give more meaning to this proc l a i m e d i n d e p e n d e n c e by d e ve l o p i n g a greater capacity for conducti n g i n ve s t i g ative reporting It doesn’t really matter if The Su n i s i n d ep e n d e n t i f their reporting

i s l i m i t e d t o f a i t h f

The Sun should begin expanding its indepth reporting by asking “why” more often Asking “why” should become a central part of the paper ’ s news coverage Often, the answer will be simple, uncontroversial and unworthy of further investigation or reporting Still, failing to ask “why” may result in dire consequences, leaving The Sun ignorant to key opportunities for investigation or, when appropriate, muckraking In short, “why” is the most important question an independent media organization could ever ask

The editorial board of The Sun should also consider establishing an investigative reporting series, perhaps in a similar vein to The Ithaca Journal’s “Spotlight” exclusive reports that focus on in-depth reporting A regular series dedicated to investigative pieces would encourage The Sun to approp r i a t e l y attend to its

The Sun should focus more on going beyond talking points and press releases: It should continue developing its capacity for investigative journalism.

press releases It would be a shame if this is where the newspaper ’ s reporting ended

In d e p e n d e n c e i s a p owe r f u l , c e n t r a l characteristic of a great newspaper The freedom to ser ve as a voice for the student body, not as an agent of the University, is one of the defining differences between The Su n a n d p u b l i c a t i o n s l i k e t h e C o r n e l l

Chronicle This distinction loses much of its significance, however, if The Sun’s coverage is limited to the reiteration of information issued by the Cornell Division of University Communications It is easy for me, as the Public Editor of The Sun, to call for investigative journalism from the sidelines The much more difficult task is, of course, developing a capacity for a n d a c t u a l l y c o n d u c t i n g s u c h i n - d e p t h reporting Quality investigative journalism may feel like (and may be) a high demand for a student newspaper staffed and run by volunteers However, implementing more investigative journalism is a task important enough to The Sun’s readership to warrant pursuing Watchdog journalism is a powerful tool that can improve our communities by holding those in power accountable to their actions, and there is no reason that this student paper shouldn’t provide this crucial ser vice to the Cornell community

lighter, as it is with some

h e “Spotlight” reports, The Sun would still stand to gain from training that investigative muscle, preparing itself for future stories with greater potential for in-depth exploration

Whether or not The Sun creates an investigative reporting series, it is important that the paper continues to ask “why ” Asking difficult questions and following up until adequate answers are received, or reporting on why the paper was unable to obtain a satisfactor y answer, is a major way in which The Sun must differentiate itself from the Cornell Chronicle and other all-

University officials Improving The Sun’s in-depth reporting will not only create a lasting positive legacy for the editorial board and the newspaper, but it will also benefit the entire Cornell community by ensuring that The Sun ser ves as a watchdog for all of us I implore the editorial board to make this one of their prime contributions to our fair alma mater

Nicholas Kaasik is a third year in the Cornell Law School and The Sun’s Public Editor He may be reached at nek43@cornell edu The Public Editor s column appears periodically this semester

Eric Pesner | Dems Discuss

Creatin g a Problem to S olve a ‘Problem’

If you listen to standard Republican talking points, you might think that elections in this countr y are stolen all the time Republicans harp on fanciful tales of people voting multiple times, the dead casting ballots and fictional citizens being registered to vote But is voter fraud an actual problem in the United States?

In 2005, Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott launched an investigation of what he called a voter fraud “epidemic” in his state Concluding his investigation in 2008, he found that only 26 prosecutable cases of fraud occurred during the three year period of scrutiny And in a second Texas investigation of voter fraud, conducted between 2008 and 2010, only five cases of fraudulent activity were discovered of the 13 million votes cast during the same time interval Not exactly an epidemic Such is the case throughout the country

Still, despite the small number of voter fraud incidents that have been uncovered, the Republican Party still proposes the introduction of voter identification laws, which would stipulate that voters would need to show photo identification before being able to cast their ballots This is not to mention that the majority of voter fraud cases Abbott prosecuted was committed through absentee ballots: Rarely malicious, these cases were mostly the result of simple mistakes in completing

absentee voter forms And in any case, the proposed voter identification laws wouldn’t prevent these errors anyway, because the laws only affect in-person voting

Not only are these laws inadequate for preventing the minuscule cases of voter fraud that actually do occur, but they also impede Americans’ ability to exercise their right to vote by hindering legitimate voters without valid photo

i d e n t i f i c a t i o n such as a driver’s license or passport According to a 2006 study conducting by New York University, 11 percent of American adults have no photo identification This may include anyone from college students living outside their home states to a group of nuns living in a retirement home

1 6 percent drop in voter turnout Effectually disincentivizing Americans to vote by instituting hoops to jump through, these laws decrease legitimate voting at a rate that far outpaces that of voter fraud

Not only are these laws inadequate for preventing the uscule cases of voter fraud, ... t they also impede Americans’ ability to exercise their right to vote

One option for voters without valid photo identification is to procure state-issued identification from a government office However, this can prove costly, time-consuming or even impossible for some poor, rural and elderly voters The other option is to simply not vote

In fact, a 2011 Harvard study concluded that voter identification laws are associated with a

While these laws are a burden to everyone, they prove to be more cumbersome for certain demographic groups While only 8 percent of white voters don’t have photo identification, 25 percent of black voters don’t, according to the American Civil Liberties Union It isn’t any coincidence that R e p u b l i c a n s are passing these laws that disproportionately affect black voters –– a predominantly Democratic voting bloc

In addition to passing voter identification laws, Republicans are pushing other crackdowns on voting rights such as reducing early voting periods, banning early voting on Sundays and pushing forward the cutoff for registration Black voters, who are more likely to vote early, register late and lack photo identification, may be more greatly inhibited by these provisions For example, a popular

THROWDOWN

THURSDAYS

Julius Kairey | Always Right

Opractice among some black voters is to head directly from church to polling places on Sundays, a custom which would be rendered impossible under these new laws Clearly, these laws are not solely about preventing voter fraud –– they are deliberate attempts to make it harder for Democrats to vote

In addition to targeting non-white voters, these laws take aim at young voters as well The end of teenager pre-registration in North Carolina disenfranchised those who turn 18 years old shortly before Election Day And in Texas, student identification cards can ’ t be used as voter identification

Republicans claim that voter identification laws are solely intended to prevent voter fraud –– a nearly non-existent problem that, in any case, these laws do little to prevent However, because Republicans seek to pass other voting restrictions in addition to voter identification laws, we can see that their true intent is to simply impede the legitimate voting of Democratic-leaning Americans The Republican Party is underhandedly attempting to gain an undue advantage at the ballot box These laws make a mockery of the American electoral system and should be eliminated

To ID or Not to ID: The Ballot Box Question

ver the past several years, a number of states have added a new requirement that a government issued photo identification be presented at the ballot box in order to vote These laws protect the integrity of the ballot box by requiring that a voter prove that he or she is the voter whose name appears in the voter roll In all states that have enacted this requirement, free voter identifications are available to those who are registered to vote

Despite the availability of cost-free identifications, a number of criticisms have been leveled against voter identification laws These criticisms usually fall into three categories The first school of thought deems such laws unnecessary, the second posits that even if there were an identifiable problem, voter identification laws don’t solve it and the third contends that voter identification laws are discriminatory in that they aim to reduce the turnout of certain groups for partisan reasons I will address each in turn

Opponents of voter identification laws point to the lack of successful prosecutions for voter fraud as proof that it is a made-up problem But voter fraud is understandably hard to detect The voters who are most susceptible to fraud –– those who do not turn out to vote –– are also the least likely to find out that someone voted in their name Furthermore, with voter rolls in such disarray that, according to a Pew Research Center Study, 1 8 million dead people are registered to vote, is it surprising that it is difficult to find evidence of people voting fraudulently?

be skeptical that elections reflect the true will of the electorate That skepticism is compounded by frequent media reports that voter rolls across the nation include many noncitizens and presently incarcerated felons It is no wonder that a majority of Americans support voter identification laws in nearly every poll commissioned on the subject

Do voter identification laws completely solve these problems? Unfortunately, no Efforts to remove ineligible voters from the rolls must also be a priority But reducing the likelihood of false impersonation is a good start to reform We shouldn’t let the imperfect be the enemy of the good

Voter identification laws also serv important purpose beyond preven instances of fraud; they increase public’s confidence in the integrit of elections.

Even given that difficulty, however, cases of voter fraud are not unheard of One hundred seventy-seven people were convicted of voter fraud in Minnesota’s prominent 2008 Senate race between Norm Coleman and Al Franken Nor is the problem isolated to one region: When New York City’s Department of Investigation decided to see how difficult it would be for 63 of their agents to vote in the names of other people, 61 of them succeeded in committing fraud

Voter identification laws also serve an important purpose beyond preventing instances of fraud; they increase the public’s confidence in the integrity of elections When verification of someone ’ s identity is based solely on whether a poll worker believes two signatures are a rough match, people are likely to

voter identification makes you worry that these laws will disenfranchise voters en masse, recall the Supreme Court’s 2008 decision in Crawford v Marion County Election Board, in which Justice John Paul Stevens wrote that the burden on the right to vote imposed by such laws was so minimal as to be constitutionally permissible It is also important to bear in mind that identification requirements are sometimes waived for those who vote absentee or by mail, further weakening the argument that voters will be shut out from having their voices heard

But opponents of voter identification requirements make a final, more serious charge They allege that voter identification laws are merely attempts by Republicans to disenfranchise constituencies that tend to vote Democratic These laws, they say, are inherently discriminatory –– even reminiscent of the Jim Crow era

Critics are certainly correct when they say that some groups have higher rates of photo identification possession than other groups But that alone does not prove that this is unacceptable discrimination for partisan gain for three reasons

The first reason is that the groups that have lowers rates of photo identification possession do not all have Democratic leanings While it is true that racial minorities, who tend to vote for Democrats, are somewhat less likely to presently posses valid photo identification, the same is true of elderly voters, who tend to vote Republican That alone is enough to cast doubt on the idea that these laws are politically motivated If the fact that even some discrepancies exist in who possesses

Secondly, if the critics are right that requiring an identification to vote is discriminatory, why aren ’ t identification requirements in other contexts similarly discriminatory? By the logic of the opposition, requiring an identification to board an airplane, purchase alcohol or even obtain prescription cold medicine, discriminates against racial minorities Sure, you may not have a constitutional right to those things, but does that make discrimination permissible? If Attorney General Eric Holder is willing to discriminate when it comes to who gets to enter the Justice Department building by requiring identification, why shouldn’t he let states come to their own conclusions about whether the potential benefits of voter identification laws outweigh their allegedly pernicious impacts?

Finally, recent history shows how racial minorities have not been significantly prevented from voting by these laws African Americans and Hispanics both showed a near-record turnout in the 2008 and 2012 Presidential election, even in states that had recently instituted identification requirements Apparently, minorities are not as incapable of obtaining free photo identification as many would have us believe

The movement to institute this requirement in jurisdictions across the country represents a good-faith effort to limit voting to legal voters Contrary to what critics may say, voter identification laws are not solutions in search of problems

Julius

Your source for good food

By KAY XIAO

Hai Hong Impresses With Its Assortment of Dim Sum Classics

Sun Dining Staff Writer

Dim Sum delights as one of the most delicious and interest-

i n g t y

choose from, the Cantonese vers i o n o f Sp a n

taste ever ything and indulge

Traditionally ser ved with hot tea during br unch time, the petite

and restaurants

cities and small t o w n s a l i

, i n c l u d i n g o u r

v e r y o w n

It h a c a Sn u g -

g l e d i n t h e

h e a r t o f C o l -

l e g e t ow n , H a i

Ho n g s e r v e s fresh dim sum ever y weekend

f r o m 1 1 a m to 3 p m Fa n s o f more recogniz-

a b l e s e l e c t i o n s of dim-sum–steamed pork buns and vegetable spring rolls just to name a fe w may let some of the more exciting and lesser known dishes slip through the

c r a c k s W h i l e a c o m f o r t a b l e selection may suffice for a mundane Sunday br unch in Cornell’s dining halls, the daring diner seeking a less conventional culinar y experience should venture

to tr y some of the tasty eats described here

TARO PIES

The contrast of textures and unusual combination of flavors in ever y taro pie make for a complex yet easily enjoyable dish Ever y bite of these golden puffs reveals a delicious layer of warm taro wrapped around a savor y shitake mushroom and pork filling underneath a cr unchy fried o u t e r s h e l l Soft, crisp and savor y, taro pies a r e a f a v o r i t e dim sum selection

ROASTED PORK BUNS

A dim sum m e a l i s n e v e r complete without an order of b u n s W h i l e H a i Ho n g o f f e r s m a n

types, the roast-

are by far the best Known in

the fluffy steamed buns envelop

B B Q pork center With the per fect sweet and salty ratio, the warm buns showcase perfectly the comfort of Cantonese cuisine

CHICKEN FEET

Even the boldest food enthusiast may not find chicken feet

appetizing While the reluctance

seasoned dish may provide an u n e x p

i n g and enjoyable experience Comprised of wrinkled skin and soft and che wy tendons, the braised chicken feet are deep fried They are then heavily marinated with a mixture of oyster sauce, soy sauce, chili peppers and other ingredients, providing an intense explosion upon first bite

, s h i t a k

m u s h ro o m s a n d s p r i n k l i n g o f C h i n e s e s a u s a g e , e a c h s l i c e – s l i g h t l y b row

d o n t h e e d g e s – re ve a l s a s t a rc h y t e x t u re a n d a b r i n y f l a vo r t h a t s o m e m a y f i n d u n f a m i l i a r W h i l e t h e

f l a vo r c o m b i n a t i o n s e e m s a l i t t l e

b i z a r re , t h e i n g re d i e n t s c u l m i -

n a t e i n a p e r f e c t l y s e a s o n e d

s t a r c h y s l i c e o f t u r n i p f i l l e d

b l i s s

S T E A M E D G LU T I N O U S R I C E

W I T H C H I C K E N

Rice in some way, shape or form is essential to any authentic

C h i n e s e m e a l W h i l e I h a v e loved plain white rice, it can get a delicious makeover with classic twists, which include variations of congee (rice porridge), rice

n o o d l e s , a n d s t i c k y g l u t i n o u s rice At Hai Hong, the steamed glutinous rice with chicken takes top prize Lo mei gee, as it is called in Cantonese, consists of sticky rice with tender chicken

a n d C h i n e s e s a u s a g e w r a p p e d tightly in a lotus leaf Flavored with chicken and soy sauce and

infused with a hint of tea like flavor from the lotus wrap, this fragrant dish is rice made the way it was meant to be

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Isaiah Rashad is certainly not a household name (yet), but his debut E P Cilvia Demo hints at a young rapper who is ready to turn himself into one Signed last summer by Top Dawg Entertainment (the L A -based label that houses Kendrick Lamar, Schoolboy Q and Ab Soul) Rashad was largely a mystery even to the most dedicated and thorough of hip-hop fans But on Cilvia, the Tennessee-born Rashad exhibits a new voice that was obviously raised on the best of Southern rap While the guest list is sparse, consisting mostly of a few appearances by his TDE mates, Rashad comfortably holds down the 14-track project and delivers a surprisingly smooth, thoughtful and enjoyable album

The most obvious comparison for Rashad and Cilvia is going to be Kendrick and Section 80 However, I find that this tape sits closer to Ab Soul’s less-heralded Longterm Mentality Both tapes demonstrate young rappers just coming into their own There are moments of uncertainty songs that the mature rapper will certainly look back and laugh at but the promise of an artist who possesses cognizance of his surroundings and fantastic lyrical and rhythmic dexterity is present on both Rashad and Soul have similar styles too; they rap confidently, but a little quieter, playing with rhythms and dropping numerous references in metaphor-heavy rap Both also effectively mix the boastful joviality of rap with their deep thoughts, saving their tapes from being the exasperating sermons of J Cole

One of the most impressive aspects of the album is how effectively Rashad flicks between flows and style He

It is the nature of music composed with machines and technology to possess similar sounds, similar to the that way manufactured goods are all identical Thus, in digital genres like electronic, it is essential to avoid a mass-produced sound Today, tools and software for music manipulation and production can be downloaded onto your average 21-year-old Daft-Punk-wannabe’s sticker-decorated Macbook This has perhaps democratized the industry, but it has also flooded YouTube and SoundCloud with infinite pulsing, beeping, bopping and droning homemade electronic mush This abyss of generic, B-grade electronic music makes it a competitive industry, in which risk and creativity are essential Voices, Phantogram’s second studio album, does not entirely fail in this respect, but it certainly is not pushing the envelope or bashing down any artistic walls The album grinds, vibrates and pulses with a sinister, industrial theme Amid all the buzz and machinery, this album does not quite find its groove; its inconsistencies in lyricism, rhythm and beat weaken the album and create a disconnect between the listener and the Greenwich Village duo, blurring their artistic intent Some tracks are

is not subtle about it either: “West Savannah” pays homage to ’90s Outkast, while “Brad Jordan” shows love for Scarface (Brad Jordan is Scarface’s real name) Master P and Webbie also get song title shout-outs While Rashad’s influences are easy to trace, you never feel like he is stealing other rapper ’ s styles Instead, akin to Chicago’s Chance the Rapper, all of these styles blend together effortlessly into a distinct sound It is an incredible achievement, especially at such a young age At this point in his career, Kendrick was still trying to make himself into the second coming of Lil Wayne

Album production is handled by a group of 10 producers, most of whom are pretty much total unknowns Nonetheless, they produce beats that serve their role well, combining a slow Southern sound with quiet piano loops to provide an ideal template for the pensive rapper to work It is a refreshing reflection of classic Southern beats compared to the assaultive post-Lex Luger trap beats currently emanating from Atlanta I do look forward to seeing Rashad getting top flight beats hand-made, but for an initial E P these are as good as any rapper can ask for

The actual subject matter of the album is very personal the distor ted 90-second introduction “Hereditary” sets the tone, with Rashad chanting, “My daddy taught me how to drink my pain away / My daddy taught me how to lease somebody ” Rashad’s father, who abandoned him at three, is referenced several times as a source of pain and difficulty In “Cilvia Demo,” Rashad wonders if his newborn son will look at him the same way that he looked at his father It is one of the strongest

cuts and it showcases his very capable singing on the hook along with his prodigious rhyming (“The hung soul a rapper goes rapping those wrapping woes up / Defying foes, lying toes, weapons on tuck”)

Demonstrating his flexibility, Rashad has a three track highlight reel juxtaposing songs about weed, race and love “R I P Kevin Miller” is a Southern rap referenceheavy track built around a catchy hook of “We live for weed and money, ” and it is followed by “Ronnie Drake,” which focuses on the death, crime and discrimination that pervade black communities Finally, the Outkast homage “West Savannah” sees Isaiah singing about falling in love while listening to Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik Not many artists have the range to rap/sing so thoughtfully on such distinct subjects

The final track, “Shot You Down,” is a remix of a song Rashad had released last fall and features Jay Rock and Schoolboy Q All three artists give excellent verses, with Schoolboy taking the cake in reflecting on his growth from felon to rap star and talking about the much delayed Oxymoron As good as it is though, I think it is a shame that Schoolboy gets the last verse on the album

Given how personal and impressive Cilvia Demo was, Rashad merited the finishing note Regardless, with such a profound debut E P , I have no doubt that Isaiah Rashad will have his voice heard again soon

aloof to the point of being boring and others are more engaging, danceable and urgent, but their disparities make the album feel a little cluttered and off-balanced Phantogram has slowed down, become more dark, droning and gentle, a turn away from their first, more dynamic album Eyelid Movies There is little real experimentation or risk on Voices, which is essential for a relatively new artist like Phantogram’s heralded sophomore album As far as electronica semi-rock goes, it is inoffensive, yet the whining vocals and pulsing breathy beats are often pleasant There are several haunting moments, lyrical successes and Sarah Barthel’s vocals shine as always, but over all, it would not be terribly difficult for this album to get mistaken by non-connoisseurs of electronica (such as myself ) for musical pulp

Thematically, the album jumps around The first several tracks are brooding, spacey and paranoid, playing with sanity, reality and illusion The piece then gets a little crisper and brighter, varying track to track, from screechy melodies to lighter love songs “Nothing But Trouble,” a soft buzzing song to go insane to, includes the eerie standout line, “they’re eating all my shotgun

smiles ” Later, the catchier “Fall In Love” becomes guilty-pleasure grotesque: “ Love, it cut a hole into your eyes now you ’ re burning alive ” Lyrically, Phantogram can ’ t seem to find a consistent theme Other songs have an indie softness about them that confuses and disconnects the album In “Never Going Home,” a track that steps away from Voices industrial grind, Josh Carter repeats the romantic refrain, “If this is love, I’m never going home,” creating a perfect blurry song for summer nights “Bill Murray,” a quirkily-titled, dreamy ballad about loneliness and loss, apparently intended to conjure the image of a forlorn Bill Murray, also falls along these lines

One deeply redeeming quality that pervades the album is the ethereal wail of Sarah Barthel’s vocals Soulful and synthy, sometimes howling and sometimes hauntingly soft, she distinguishes the album from homemade electronic mush In one surprising moment, probably my favorite of the whole album, “Blackout Days” drops from echoey buzzing to a sweet piano interlude, during which the lights go out, the machines turn off and we can really hear Barthel’s voice Transparent, quiet clarity is not what someone listening to Phantogram (or electronic in general) is looking for, but the moment of silence and voice that breaks the continuous grind and churn is truly lovely

All in all, Voices does have some stand-out bits and pieces Barthel’s vocals, an engaging industrial drone, surprising acoustic moments, a good love song here and a wailing urgent track there An avid folk fan who generally shies from electronic or techno, a few songs will definitely make my morning walk-to-class playlist, but unfortunately, it does not hold together cohesively enough to add up to a whole that is greater than the sum of its parts

El l i e G ou l d i n g

“G ood nes s G rac i ous ”

By Caitlan Sussman

Known as “England’s Sweetheart,” pop darling Ellie Goulding has shown wonderful versatility throughout her career from her heartfelt and sentimental cover of Elton John s “Your Song, to the more recent powerful and hypnotic single “Burn ”

In her latest single, “Goodness Gracious,” Goulding draws on the power of Burn” while still maintaining the light and airy quality present in all of her work A collaboration with Fun frontman Nate Ruess (co-writer of Ke$ha’s “Die Young”), this is the third single released from Goulding’s 2013 album Halcyon Days Although Russ mostly takes a background role in Goodness Gracious,” his impactful melodic sense and lyricism perfectly balance Goulding’s raw but charming presence

Goulding channels her inner L A girl in this track in the music video she appears dressed in various sequined or neon outfits and the video opens with a view of the iconic Sunset Boulevard palm trees The catchy refrain and lively dance beat make the single sound less like classic Goulding and more akin to pop princesses like Katy Perry Complemented by a textured synth-pop background, Goulding’s sugary, fairy-like voice shines through the track, floating over the tropical texture as she sings about a love that she just can ’ t shake

Caitlan Sussman is a sophomore in the College of Arts and Sciences She can be reached at cms447@cornell edu

T o d d T er j e

“D el o rea n D yna m i t e”

By Kai Sam Ng

Todd Terje initially made a splash with the excellent “Inspector Norse” in 2012 The bouncy Balearic beat of that track represents a quirky spin on the space disco soundscapes that fellow Norwegian musician Lindstrøm effortlessly churns out The follow-up track, “Strandbar,” showed Terje experimenting with house sounds to create a rougher sound and “Delorean Dynamite,” a highlight cut from his debut album It’s Album Time (April 2014), shows Terje bringing that experimentation to its conclusion Terje pulls out all the stops a chugging and groaning bass, pitch shifts, Ibizan synths Then in the middle of the song he reveals one more ace up his sleeve: a funky guitar riff that is his best hook since “Inspector Norse ” Terje continues to delight in his own weird, eccentric, and endearing way

Si s y p h u s “Al c oho l ”

By James Rainis

Sufjan Stevens may still be intrinsically associated with the tweeness of his since-abandoned 50 States project and his songwriterly preoccupation with Christmas, but let’s not forget the apocalyptic synthetic orchestras that dominated Stevens’s last full-length, Age of Adz With Sisyphus, his collaboration with alt-rapper Serengeti and producer Son Lux, Stevens returns to that darker-edged sound On “Alcohol,” Serengeti deftly rides a swaggering, squelching beat with an assonance-happy flow that reads more like the paranoid ramblings of an escapee from a militant Alcoholics Anonymous compound than the transcript of a traditional booze-obsessed rap song Its twitchiness is compelling enough, but the track really sinks into its own with the two-and-a-half minute coda, which sees the chaos resolve into a sea of twinkling bells, amorphous vocals and that ever-persistent drum cadence Whatever Sisyphus has in mind for its March debut LP, let’s hope that it is less a rehash of “Chicago” and more lyrics like “suck on your dick with the devil’s integrity ”

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

C hi l d bi rt h

“I O nl y F uck ed You a s a Jo ke”

By Alice Anichkin

We’ve all been there, right? “I Only Fucked You As A Joke” is a hilarious punk anthem from Childbirth, a newborn band hailing from Washington The album, It’s a Girl!, can only be purchased in digital form for five dollars, hinting at the group ’ s relative obscurity The song sounds like a forgotten track from the Bloodhound Gang, with a yelping chorus line a hook that is a repetition of the title and garage rock beat If the title wasn ’ t indicative enough, the song is about a one-night stand that would preferably be forgotten It comes from the perspective of a woman, who prays she is not pregnant and definitely does not want to be your girlfriend

While the lyrics are hardly poetic (“You’re not that cool and you look like a troll”), the beat is extremely catchy, to the point where you might find yourself tapping along well after it is done, and perhaps even muttering the chorus The beauty of “I Only Fucked You As A Joke” is that it hasn’t been edited and muddled with synth Instead, the song delivers a crisp mix of electric guitar and drums that is devilishly good The song is only a minute and forty-five seconds, which is disappointing, but makes it perfect for constant repeat

Alice Anichkin is a sophomore in the School of Industrial Labor Relations She can be reached at aa652@cornell edu

Homeless Selfies: Pop Culture, Class and the Internet

Af t e r s p e n d i n g a n u n d e r w h e l m i n g evening at Dunbar’s last week (this is the part where I tr y to pretend that I totally go out to all these nightspots that all the kids are getting “wasted” and “rachet” at), I attempted to introduce some friends to the brilliance of the silly and hyper-referential FX spy comedy Archer Something about the show’s charm was lost in translation: even these people who tolerate my slavish pop-culture obsession and penchant for making in-jokes directed only at myself were finding the show’s absurd banter a little disorienting

Like NBC’s Community, Archer rewards listeners who excel at a particularly arcane brand of the “spot-that-reference ” game In the episodes I insisted they trudge through, there were jokes involving Mu p p e t p r o f e s s o r Bu n s e n Honeydew, the genetic aging disease Progeria, professional lacrosse and various types of pornography that are probably best explained by Sun sexperts Donny J or Amy O (on alternating Thursdays)

listicles to humor-about-ever ything conglomerate Cracked) that reward such an idiot-savant-like accumulation of pop culture minutia However, I always took such a mindset to be a harmless symptom of the insatiably curious Those who share a love for this type of humor are nerds, but without the intellectual elitism One-upsmanship in this field is self-consciously frivolous After all, why take any serious pride or satisfaction in knowing a fact that anybody could just Google if it ever became imperative that they know it?

In an article on Vice that documented the rise of kids on the Internet taking Instagram selfies with homeless people (for

To say the least, it’s a little alienating It is a show tailor-made for us Internet seekers, whose fer vent link-chasing, Wikipedia wandering and unhealthy compulsion to Google the answers to the most trivial of questions on our phones, has turned us into sponges saturated with useless factoids Archer, Community and other referencebased humor provide one of the few outlets (aside from Trivial Pursuit and contributing

the Twitter-savvy, I highly encourage you to follow @Vice-is-Hip; it hilariously parodies Vice’s tendency towards sensationalistic, bizarre headlines), I came across a phrase that made me take pause: “ too poor for pop culture ” Its author was D Watkins, an adjunct professor at Mar yland’s Coppin State University, who, in a piece for Salon, wrote of the severity of American income

inequality by pointing out how certain facets of popular culture are only available to those who can afford to partake in it To illustrate his point, he talks about having to explain what a selfie that ubiquitous pastime of us idle smartphone addicts, newly coined dictionar y word and occasional indulgence of President Barack Obama actually is to one of his friends His description obliterates reams of ornately constructed think pieces with its bluntness: it is “when a stupid person flicks themselves and looks at it ”

In an inter view, Watkins admits that he wasn ’ t aiming to crucify pop culture, but to encourage conversation about the class inequality that keeps people from experiencing it In my music columns, I talk about the deterioration of a true mainstream since so many people are getting their music from alternative sources Same goes with ever ything else: I assumed that the diverse sources of information were helping to tear down the traditional concept of an American monoculture

I couldn’t be more wrong Instead, a new monoculture has emerged, one that is driven not by important world news filtered through a handful of large television networks but viral videos, memes and series of GIFs being repackaged by content aggregators competing for ad revenue And a significant portion of the American population is locked out of it: in a 2013 sur vey from the Pew Research Center, it was found that 15 percent of Americans about one out of seven do not use the Internet at all This is not necessarily a tragedy of sorts

the Internet has turned me into the sort of insufferable person who has to digress from a serious point in order to tell people about an amusing Twitter account but represents a huge disparity between how people of different financial backgrounds are experiencing the world at-large Be real: I dare you to name one of your college friends who does not get a significant portion of all their entertainment, news and communication from the screen of a laptop or smartphone

You can ’ t, and that is why things like selfies with the homeless are so profoundly sad Like schoolyard bullies torturing black sheep with inside jokes they will never be let in on, people (almost exclusively young people) are taunting a disadvantaged group of people who may not even have a clue about the medium they are being mocked in This is not to say that we are obligated to deactivate our Netflix accounts or resist using our smartphones to find out who won the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year Award in 1997 (it’s Knickerbocker fanfavorite John Starks), but it is important for us to ground our experiences and lifestyles in the reality of this economic climate

The Internet grants its users a great deal of power, but, the more people abuse its power for purposes of objectification, the closer we get to the Danger Zone

James R ainis is a senior in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences He can be reached at jrainis@cor nellsun com Ir re s p o n s i b l e L i s t e n i n g r uns alter nate Thursdays this semester

1

Men, Women

Bring Home Wins for Red Over Weekend

Continued from page 16

s e c o n d c h u k k e r, a l l ow i n g t h e teams to go into the second half with an overall score of 12-3 in Cornell’s favor

B

Senior Car ter Loftus replaced

began The Red kept its lead throughout the third chukker,

t h o u g h

Hu

o keep up with Cornell, the Red did not relinquish its lead The match ended in Cornell’s favor, w i t h a f i n a l s c o r e o f 2 4 - 7 Feldman scored 12 goals, Stieg tallied nine and Bilodeau added one

According to Senior Captain Nik Feldman, the match pre-

d

regional-playoffs at UConn in March

“It was a great outing for us Despite having trouble playing

o

UConn, we met the challenge well playing in a tough competitor ' s arena We're now comfor table and ver y well prepared to p l a y o

U

“Emerson and Car ter did ver y well executing their roles, and if Nick plays the same game next round at UConn, we'll blow out the competition ” Overall, both teams are looking for ward to matches against the University of Virginia on Feb 28

Elani Cohen can be reached at ecohen@cornellsun com

for men a nd wom en on Monday’s from 2–6p m

Red Takes Two Wins, Falls to Minnesota

Villalonga helps secure victor y over Oklahoma

By ANNA FASMAN Sun Staff Wr ter

This weekend, the Cornell men ’ s wrestling team competed against Virginia Tech, Oklahoma and Minnesota in National Duals While the Red was able to earn two consecutive victories, it fell to No 1 Minnesota on Monday afternoon, 24-15, despite a hard fought match

In its match against Virginia Tech, Cornell dominated, 34-0, not only securing a match against Oklahoma the next day, but also improving its record to 11-0 The Red was able to win its first seven matches by decision and ultimately swept the dual for the second time this season

However, the team was not able to earn as definitive of a victor y the next day against Oklahoma, barely cranking out a last minute win thanks to senior Chris Villalonga Villalonga found himself needing to win his match in order to advance his team, and was able to pull out an overtime win in one of the most high pressure duals of the season He came face to face with returning NCAA champion, Kendric Maple, who had defeated him earlier in the year, yet he was able to keep calm and wrestle with poise and tenacity Villalonga said he did not let the pressure get to him as he stepped onto the mat

“I tried not to focus on anything else [such as] team score while I was in the match When you get distracted that's when mistakes are made,” he said “Our coaches always tell us to do our own individual jobs and the rest will take care of itself So I tr y to just stay calm and levelheaded and focus on what I can control”

The Red values mentally tough players and looks to recruit wrestlers who won ’ t crack under pressure, accord-

ing to head coach Robert Koll

“Chris has wrestled with a great deal of poise and confidence all season, so I felt good about his chances going into the Oklahoma bout As far as keeping our athletes calm under pressure, I always refer back to our mantra of working hard to recruit athletes who are calm under pressure, ” Koll said

With a score of, 23-20, the Red moved on to wrestle No 1 Minnesota later that same afternoon However, Cornell was unable to pull out the same sort of last minute victor y, and fell to the Golden Gophers, 24-15 Despite an impressive win from sophomore Nahshon Garrett and three other exciting victories from freshmen Dylan Palacio and Gabe Dean and junior Jacob Aiken-Phillips, the Red also suffered some key losses, leaving them unable to recover Koll explained that National Duals are some of the

toughest matches all season Not only does the Red compete against some of the best teams in the countr y, but it does so hour after hour for days in a row

“It's like having your biggest match of the year, ever y couple hours You have wrestlers who are going to get upset or score major upsets, and you have to get them ready to do it all over again in a short period of time,” he said

While this sort of unique situation leaves wrestlers tired and struggling to perform at their full capacities, Koll was still able to coach the team to success throughout the weekend, even with the Red’s first loss of the season “ The teams that do well in this environment are the teams comprised of individuals who can control their emotions,” Koll said

Hortelano-Roig Break s Spanish Record in 200M

Hortelano-Roig said “It was pretty amazing to see a PR come up on the scoreboard, 0 34 seconds faster than my previous best ”

p

3:38 48, besting the former Cornell record and logging the third best indoor time in Ivy League histor y “ We went into the race excited and fired up because it was a great opportunity where we would be competing with several competitive schools,” Wilkinson said “ [ A ] m a j o r i t y o f t h e m [are] in the Big 10 conference not only did we break the nine-year-old school record, [but] we

w e re a l s o c o m p e t i t i v e with some of the best

s c h o o l s i n Di v i s i o n I Track and Field ”

Hortelano has even higher hopes for the rest of the season

“In preparation for the HEPS, I've run a 45 4 400 split and am confident that I'm ready to run a 1:00 in the 500 It's the only sprint event that I haven't won at HEPS, and I see it as unfinished business," he said

Bruno Hortelano-Roig

The second women ’ s 4X400, composed of sophomore Rochelle Forbes, junior Emily Woodford, Katie Woodford and senior Ryan Woolley, ran 3:49 41, also an ECAC qualifying time

The Distance Medley Relay, featuring Emily Woodford, Woolley, sophomore Claire DeVoe and junior Corey Dowe, clocked in at 12:02 39, an ECAC qualifier as well Senior Emmy Shearer and sophomore Kristen Niedrach also had ECAC qualifying finishes in the mile, placing sixth and fourteenth, respectively

The No 16 Cornell men ’ s team had a solid meet as well Hortelano-Roig placed second in the 200, running 20 84, an IC4A qualification, an Ivy League record and a Spanish record, earning a No 8ranking in the NCAA

“Before seeing my time, I knew it had been a successful race, and seeing such a fast time confirmed my feelings about it,”

Hortelano later joined s o p h o m o re s Ma x Hairston, Larr y Gibson and junior Hong Cho in the men ’ s 4X400 in setting a new school record and a No 2 all-time Ivy

earning fourth place and a n I C 4 A q

Gibson went on to earn IC4A qualifiers in the 60 hurdles and the 200, respectively, both improving their Cornell rankings

On the field, senior Montez Blair won the high jump with 7’1 75’, as senior Tommy Butler trailed close behind in third, jumping 6’9 75’’ In the shot, junior Stephen Mozia placed second with an IC4A qualifying 62’2 5’’

The long distance runners also logged their fair share of ECAC qualifications

Ithaca College this weekend at the Bomber Invitational The women left with nearly 20 Top-5 finishes and five event wins The men took the top spot in four events and p o s t e

mances Fo

clocked in at 50 42 in the 400 followed by f

Freshman Wynn Curtis championed the 500 with a time of 1:06 79, and freshman Mark Tedder set a facility record and IC4A qualification in the 1000, with junior Kieran Kinnare finishing second, securing his first IC4A qualifier Freshmen Justin Love also competed well, winning the high jump with 6'6 25"

For the women ’ s field squad, sophomore Camr yn Goodman posted a season best in the shot put, throwing 42-8 ¾ for the win, while junior Eve Bishop placed first in the pole vault, clearing 11-4 ½ The women ’ s track team had event wins in the 60 hurdles, the mile and the 1000 Senior Zaakirah Daniels ran 8 85 in the 60 hurdles, with junior Mina Amick-Alexis coming in close behind her Juniors Bori

To z s e r, Ma r i a n n a C o l l a rd a n d Sy d Williams took the top three spots in the mile, while freshmen Kathleen Naeher, D e l p h

respectively

Next up for the Red is the Marc Deneault Memorial Invitational, the last Ba r t

re

Senior co-captain Rachel Sorna ran ninth with 9:32 06 in the 3000 and 16:52 97 for sixth in the 5000 Sophomore Maggi Szpak also had an ECAC qualifying performance in the 5000 The 300 found E C AC q u a

Caroline Kellner, DeVoe and senior Devin McMahon

The Red also travelled to compete at

n Saturday Cornell will then head to the Indoor Heps at Dartmouth on March 1

The Corne¬ Daily Sun

Spor ts

Men’s, Women’s Polo Find Success O ver Weekend

By ELANI COHEN Sun Staff Wr ter

This weekend, both polo teams were successful in their matches The women ’ s team finished with a win against the West Shore Polo club this Saturday at home Center Likewise, the men ’ s team was victorious in its match against the Connecticut Huskies in Storrs, Conn on Sunday

With a current record of 11-2, the Cornell women ’ s polo team went into the weekend with confidence The match began with sophomores Devin Cox and Anna Winslow starting for the Red Sophomore Elena Wicker stepped in as a starter for senior Kailey Eldredge, who was in England playing for the collegiate All-Star team Both squads showed strength as the teams had back-and-forth goals throughout the first chukker Cornell pulled through, however, ending the first chukker in the lead, 4-3 During the second chukker, the foe from the West Shore Polo club rallied to cut down the deficit The squad managed to get four quick goals, but the Red was able to hold the lead

The teams went into the second half with an overall score of 8-7 in Cornell’s favor Freshman Emma Eldredge replaced Wicker in the second half The third chukker was a tough one, but Cornell managed to stay on top

By the beginning of the fourth chukker, the score was, 13-9 The West Shore Polo club was determined to win during the fourth chukker, netting quick goals However, Cornell was able to keep the advantage and the match ended, 15-12, in its favor It was a great offensive display for Cornell; Winslow scored six, Cox had five, Eldredge

had three and Wicker scored two Similiar to the women, the men ’ s team also went into its match feeling prepared to take on the Huskies Junior Ni c k St i e g , a l o n g w i t h s e n i o r s Ni k

Emerson Bilodeau, began the match as starters for the Red Though the first chukker started with the Huskies

Red Finishes S econd Against Temple, Earns Best Team Score of the Season

By TUCKER MAGGIO-HUCEK Sun Staff Wr ter

One week before the Ivy League Classic, Cornell gymnastics posted its best team score of the season The Red finished in second with a 191 925, just shor t of first place, while Temple claimed the top spot at the Shelli Calloway Invitational with a 192 325 In addition to scoring a team high, the Red had two gymnasts win first place in bars and vault respectively

Senior captain Lexi Schupp spoke about the team finding its rhythm in competition

“Now that we are in the middle of

our season, the team has really started to put ever ything together Our performance at Towson proved that we have high skill quality and are now able to perform on ever y event, ”she said

Despite scoring a point higher on the beam this week, the event hurt the Red’s chances to catch Temple Junior Maia Vernacchia was the only Top-5 finisher for Cornell, with her score of 9 675 on the beam earning a tie for fifth place

Vernacchia was the only member of the Red to finish in the Top-10 spots

Ye t a g a i n , t h e Red shone on the

second last week, improved her score to a 9 750 and was able to take first place Schupp was not far behind her

rounded out the top three with a 9 700

On the floor event, the Red had two freshmen finish in top spots Freshman Krystin Chiellini scored a 9 725, tying for the second highest score at the m e e t Mo l o t s k y joined her freshman teammate in the top f i ve , e a r n i n g a 9 700 Sophomore

“This was a great meet. ... We have proven that we are a talented, capable team.” L e x i S c h u p p

event as a team and having three Top-5 finishers With a lineup that has seen success for most of the season, the women continued their run of form Schupp won the bars event for the second meet in a row with a 9 800, closely followed by freshman Elana Molotsky, the third place finisher with a 9 725 In a tie for f o u r t h p l a c e w a s s e n i o r Me l a n i e

Jorgensen, whose routine earned her a 9 700 The trio of Schupp, Molotsky and Jorgensen continued to shine for the Red, having finished in the top three spots on the bars last week at the Big Red Invitational

Rivaling the high scores of the bars lineup, the women on vault also won the event and swept the top three spots Sophomores Alicia Bair and Sara Schupp had success yet again this week, and continued to lead the Red on vault Bair, who finished in

in the lead, the Red increased its aggression and closed the first chukker with a 6-3 lead Cornell was able to shut out all of the Huskies’ opportunities to score during the

routine also scored a 9 700, leaving her and Molotsky tied for fourth place

Despite falling just short of Temple and struggling on the beam again, Schupp said she felt the meet was successful

“I think that this was a great meet and a great performance to have the week before Ivies, because we have proven that we are a talented, capable team, ” she said T h i s w e e k , t h e Re d

t o Providence to take part in the Ivy League Classic Last year, the Red finished second in the classic behind Brow n Howe ve

team is ready for the challenge

“ There is a great, unified energy in the gym and I think that we are all excited to get to compete for that Ivy title,”she said

Maggio-Hucek can be reached at Tmaggio-hucek@cornellsun

By LISA AWAITEY Sun Staff Writer

The Red track and field squad took its talent to Geneva, Ohio o n Fr i d a y a n d Saturday to compete in the SPIRE invitationa l T

showing for the Re

teams breaking Top-10 school records, while competing against several Big 10 teams The women ' s team racked up a total of 15 ECAC qualifications, with the 4X400 team breaking a nine-year-old school record The men finished the meet with nineteen IC4A qualifi-