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Southern Style

Legislative Struggles Illustrate Health of System

Carl Menzel  —  Nov 2, 2007

Earlier this week, the United States Supreme Court began evaluating the case U.S. v. Williams. While Williams is just one of many cases the Justices will hear during their session, it is arguably the one with the fiercest and most disturbing tenets. The case is a classic battle of government regulation versus the First Amendment. This time, however, the plaintiff is wielding charges of child pornography pandering against the Constitution.

Mind Your Ps and Qs

Carl Menzel  —  Oct 19, 2007

A study attempting to measure the level of non-academic employee satisfaction at Cornell was conducted and reported in The Sun this past September. The study consisted of 277 employees participating in online exercises that were designed to measure their happiness and productivity.

While results have yet to be released, preliminary evidence suggested that results varied between departments. However, one of the underlying university-wide incongruities is the belief that employers offer incentives such as bonuses to boost morale and satisfaction, whereas employees really just want to be able to love their jobs.

Cheerleaders and Deviled Eggs and School Girls, Oh My!

Carl Menzel  —  Oct 5, 2007

Congratulations freshmen — you’re almost at the halfway point in the semester. The point where round one of prelims has come and gone and now midterms are descending upon us. The point where the weather usually drops a good 30 degrees one day only to climb back to shorts weather the following — thus effectively discombobulating your immune system and giving you a never ending sinus cold. But most importantly, we are at the point in the semester where a much needed respite arrives in the form of fall break.

Thompson to the Rescue?

Carl Menzel  —  Sep 7, 2007

Republican Party debate or talk show with Jay Leno? I know, hard choice for me, too. While I would love to be watching a myriad of Republican presidential hopefuls duke it out on national television, Jay Leno’s mug is just too amusing too pass up.

In reality, the reason I chose to watch Leno on Wednesday night was because of his company: Fred Thompson. Thompson, who announced his candidacy on Leno’s show, will be, in my view, the recipient of the Republican Party’s presidential nomination.

Thompson is the only notable candidate that represents the Republican party’s traditional platform: fiscal and social conservativism with hot-button stances such as pro-military, pro-immigration reform and anti-abortion.

I Just Spent $40,000 and All I Got Was This Lousy Speaker

Carl Menzel  —  May 4, 2007

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After four years of hard work, seniors get to celebrate this spring and move on to the next chapter in their lives. And as a send-off, Cornell University has brought in an inspirational, motivational, accomplished convocation speaker to give them advice and impart wisdom on the maturing young adults. Yes, Cornell is proud to present the recently demoted, but still extremely successful and talented teleprompter-reading Soledad O’Brien as this year’s convocation speaker.

Usurping Mediocrity

Carl Menzel  —  Apr 4, 2007

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Second place is the first loser. While this axiom may seem harsh, it conveys the underlying principle that Cornell students, along with aspiring professionals nationwide, work to be the best.

It is no surprise that this mindset materializes in superior education. Our competitive academic culture advocates and glorifies competition such that it engulfs and absorbs one’s lifestyle and actions. The result is an intense race of unyielding ambitions, which fosters students’ appetites for knowledge. This pursuit for knowledge, progress and improvement is interminable if one aspires to obtain, and then maintain, supremacy in one’s social standing and professional career.

Spring Break Ramblings

Carl Menzel  —  Mar 14, 2007

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It’s the most wonderful week of the year. The countdown for Spring Break has begun. Less than three days until the chains are broken from academia for the glorious week of freedom, relaxation and much needed rest. With the warmer weather finally setting in, Spring Break is on the horizon.

Shattering the Southern Stereotype

Carl Menzel  —  Feb 28, 2007

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Welcome to South Carolina. As you cross the border, pull off I-95 to pick up your Bible, Budweiser and Confederate flag. Shed your Lacoste, educated vocabulary and BMW for a wife beater, southern drawl and pick-up truck. And forget about tinted windows and nice rims because all your new truck needs are over-sized tires and a shotgun rack.

The Wrong Role Models

Carl Menzel  —  Feb 14, 2007

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With the 2008 Presidential race heating up, the national media is already elevating some of the less famous candidates to national-celebrity status. For the next year and a half, CNN, Fox News et al will exploit information about these politicians’ backgrounds and scrutinize their every action, word and foible along the campaign trail. Many Americans will soon know more about Senator Clinton than they do about their own grandparents.

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