Dear Uncle Ezra - Questions for Tuesday, June 22, 2004

Dear Bridge-enthusiast,

Typing "Suspension Bridge" into the search box yields many different types of questions and letters, among them this one:

Professor Emeritus William McGuire, one of the Engineers for the Fall Creek Suspension Bridge, was indeed helpful. The first swinging bridge spanning the gorge at the Johnson Museum in 1860, was an aged eyebar-chain suspension structure with a 5 1/2 foot-wide plank walkway, upstream of the current site. Edward Wyckoff, class of 1889 and heir to the typewriter fortune, (as well as being involved in the Ithaca trolley system and a factory distilling a patent medicine from eucalyptus leaves), drew up plans for a new suspension bridge as an engineering course project. Professor Jacoby gave him an F and legend has it Wyckoff withdrew from Cornell. Nonetheless, he financed his bridge, "a fragile-looking creation," which lasted 61 years. This was dismantled in 1977 to make way for a safer 270 foot span with 41 foot towers with a deck of 9-30 foot panels topped with concrete-filled steel grid, 8 feet wide. The stiffening trusses are 4 1/2 feet deep, main cables 2" in diameter strand hanger, 7/8" diameter wire ropes at 30 foot centers. The job of building the bridge was awarded to Bethlehem Steel Company, of Golden Gate and George Washington Bridge fame. McGuire comments: "I doubt that so much high level talent was ever spent on such a small bridge...but I've always thought of it as a fine example of the lifetime attachment to Cornell of our best alumni." Popular reaction to the new bridge concerned aesthetics, mood, safety and money. Its effectiveness as a deterrent to jumping was questioned, and most people thought it the end of the romantic charm of Wyckoff's bridge. People commented: "A few weeks ago one lingered across its light airy openness as an intimate part of the beauty of Fall Creek gorge. Now the serried ranks of close-spaced bars make a prison corridor." McGuire was also an advisor to the originator of the Arecibo telescope.

Uncle Ezra

Dear Recent grad,

I hope that you are enjoying yourself out there in your post-Cornell life. I am glad that the spirit of the Big Red stays with you. Some schools do have specific sports coats, but Cornell does not. Here in the U.S., some schools sell sports coats, and others are given as an award (similar to a letter-sweater); the latter is popular with universities in England. In fact, I've seen some very colorful striped coats for special groups. Although Cornell does not have an official sports coat, when the alumni return to town, I do see more red blazers than usual, and even the occasional pair of red-plaid pants. And during Alumni Reunion weekend each June, each reunion class gets a gift, such as a baseball cap, or T-shirt. This year's highlight was the class of 49's hockey jersey.

Uncle Ezra

Dear CU hoops fan,

Like most retail items, athletic merchandise produced for sale is based on demand. While we support Coaches Donahue and Smith and their teams, there just hasn't been a great enough demand for CU basketball jerseys to produce them for sale. In fact, CU athletic jerseys are not widely available outside of men's ice hockey. I hope that despite not having a jersey, you'll still come out and support the team and others will too. Remember that men's and women's basketball, and all varsity sports, except for men's ice hockey, are free for CU students with their Cornell ID Card.

Uncle Ezra

Dear Hockey fan,

It appears that in this match up, you just scored. If you were to spot check the country of origin of even just a few rosters in the NHL the Canadians dominate by far. Is it any surprise then, that when it's not touring with the winning team for that season, the Stanley Cup resides in the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto, Canada? And oh, if the Stanley Cup could talk, the stories we might hear...

Uncle Ezra

Dear Uncle Ezra,
Are there any cozy comfy hidden places on campus? I know about the browsing library, the big red barn, and the AD White library (and those nice chairs in Olin), but where else are some good, comfy, warm, cozy places to sit and read? Also, do they turn on the fires in the barn and the ivy room in the winter? (How about the browsing library?... wait, are there even fireplaces in there?) Thanks! Wanting to curl up in a comfy chair by a fire and read

Dear wanting to curl up,

Willard Straight has a TV/Music room in the southwest corner, and the International Lounge next to it, both with big comfy chairs. Wear your polarfleece though, since the fireplaces are only for decoration. The Carol Tatkon Center has some decorative fireplaces, cozy chairs and a warm inviting atmosphere. Other than that, you'll have to find someone with a woodstove and offer to cut some firewood in exchange for a seat by their fire. Readers - care to share your secret hideouts?

Uncle Ezra

Dear Scientist,

If you go to Q7 from October 7, 2003 you'll find the longer explaination, the gist of which is that margarine is "plastic" at normal room temperature. The term "plastic" describes margarine’s ability to change shape when pressure is applied. Don't let the rumors worry you - margarine is as safe as most of the food we eat.

Uncle Ezra

Dear Student,

We always welcome good ideas. I've passed your comments on to Hope Mandeville, the Director of the Office of the Assemblies. She says, "Contact Nick Linder (njl7) or Steve Blake (spb28) - either would be glad to meet with you. There are also members representing various constituencies listed on the site (and their email addresses): http://student.assembly.edu." I hope you see some realization of your idea.

Uncle Ezra

Dear Will,

Dear Uncle Ezra began in the fall of 1986. It was the first computer-based counseling service. The service ran as a program on one of Cornell's central mainframe computers,
and you either had to have an account on that computer or else use one of the CUInfo terminals located around campus. Initially Ezra was a Cornell-only service, displaying and receiving information in a pure-text typewriter-like form. Electronic mail wasn't common in those days, and so answers were only available in the regular postings. Over the years, the CUInfo system (which began in 1982 and was the first campus-wide information system) and Dear Uncle Ezra have evolved to take advantage of advancing technology,
including desktop computers, electronic mail, the internet and the web. But the mission of Uncle Ezra, to represent the caring spirit of the Cornell community, has remained unchanged.

Uncle Ezra readers are grateful to Steve Worona, one of Ezra's co-founders, for this explanation, and for his Ezra vision which has served us for so many years since its inception.

Uncle Ezra

Dear Uncle Ezra,
I enrolled in some summer courses at another university. They had a great system where you could look up potential courses by time, professor, and a number of other handy things. I'm trying to figure out my schedule for the spring and it would be great if we had the same kind of system at Cornell. Why don't we have a system like this? Why can't universities "share" this type of technology between each other so all students can benefit? Is there currently any way for me to find which courses are at, say, 11:40 TR other than going through every page of the course roster?

Dear student,

That university's course-searching system definitely sounds useful for figuring out your schedule. It also sounds similar to how the First-Year Writing Seminars are organized. I shared your inquiry regarding course selection with Tracey Thompson in the University Registrar's Office. He explained that Cornell does not have a system like this nor is one in the works. In fact, he has not heard that particular request before. However, they do try to be responsive to students' needs regarding online improvement, as funding and system support is available. A first step is to let the Registrar's Office know of your interest. You may email them at univreg@cornell.edu or by using the feedback tab on Just the Facts. As for sharing technology across schools, it is not always as easy as it seems. There are many student records computer systems out there, some purchased from companies, others that are homegrown. But best practices are shared at conferences and presentations by universities and vendors.

Uncle Ezra

Dear reader,

Dear Uncle Ezra question boxes are not a search engine. You can put this phrase into the archive search,
and perhaps find what you need. If you then have further specific questions, you can write Uncle Ezra a letter asking for what it is that puzzles you. I hope you find what you need.

Uncle Ezra

hiya uncle,
on question 11's response on 2/26/04 the words "and we...take...victory" were far in the right margin-separating them from the rest of the song, yet they jumped out and startled and inspired me at the same time. was this intentional? it was really neat regardless...on another subject, i wish to tell you that my true love and i have found each other(finally!!!). we both could not be happier. life's circle is embracing us and warming us with its safe love. i have applied for admission to the Hotel School for the fall and acceptance would now make me, officially, the happiest man on the planet. well, i hope this letter finds you well, warm and safe and my thoughts are of you often.
with love,
cousin persistance

Dear cousin,

I am happy for you that you have found love in your life. It is a joyful thing that we all deserve to receive, give, work at, and enjoy. The unusual spacing in the "Cornell Victorious" song was in fact, a formatting error that had an unexpected benefit to you! May you find happiness on the road ahead, wherever the academic winds may take you.

Uncle Ezra

Dear Unc,
How are you doing? Since you might not recall my former letter, I better re-introduce myself: I am a sri Lankan who just completed my London A/Ls thiis year. I have already done my SAT I and SAT II scores. I wrote to you, Unc, to ask you whether I will be disadvantaged because i didnt feel good about my SAT II writing, and was worried about my chances of getting in to Cornell (I am also applying for Financial Aid) I got my SAT II scores, and though I got solid scores for Math and Physics (800 and 790 respectively best), I got a mere 670 for writing. Unc, do you think it is enough for me to apply to Cornell? Unc, should I still do TOEFL like you advised me to? I am a bit hesitant about doing TOEFL because it costs 130 dollars, the equivalent to 2 months salary for me. Unc, I met an american Student from Maine, and he told me it was freezing cold in Ithica? Is it true? I have never seen Snow, being born in Saudi Arabia and living in Sri Lanka. Are there any fun snow activites avaliable for students? I hope you reply, Love, H

Dear H,

Nice to hear from you again. Congratulations on your test performance! It is important to know that not all persons are equally skilled in all areas. We each have our strengths and our areas of struggle. Your writing score still sounds pretty good. What kind of writing would be required of you in your major?

You can look for some financial support to pay your TOEFL fee. Try searching the internet for philanthropic educational organizations who might be able to help. Some church groups may provide some help. Who do you know who can guide you in this search?

Yes, Ithaca winters are cold, as California summers are hot. Humans with a positive attitude adjust to new conditions. Many Ithacans learn to enjoy indoor activities from group social gatherings to basketball or swimming or bowling to dancing, and outdoor winter fun like ice skating, sledding, skiing (cross-country and downhill), and ice and snow sculpting. I encourage you to pursue your dream and believe in yourself and your own success.

Best of luck to you.

Uncle Ezra

Dear reader,

You should go to your local library and ask your librarian to help you find resources to satisfy your curiosity. If you can't find these that I list, there may be others of interest to you. My son Alonzo Cornell wrote a biography of me in 1884.

Philip Dorf, The Builder: A Biography of Ezra Cornell, Macmillan, New York, 1952. O.D. Von Engeln, Concerning Cornell, Geography Supply Bureau, Ithaca, New York, 1920. We also use Morris Bishop's A History of Cornell which describes the university in the making, with much about Ezra Cornell and his colleagues.

Uncle Ezra

Dear mom or dad,

I hope by now you've found a resource - the SPCA or a bird group like the Lab of Ornithology would have been your best bets. Sometimes a phone call (and patience to get through to the right person) is more responsive than the internet. You might enjoy the movie "The Birdman of Alcatraz" in which a lifer takes on raising birds, and inspires those around him as it heals them all.

Uncle Ezra

Heyo,
Since graduating from Cornell last spring, I've noticed two strange bird behaviors.  Both coincidentally involve sparrows.

First, last summer I saw a seemingly healthy sparrow intentionally rubbing itself in dust.  It looked like a bird at a birdbath, but this was a pile of dry dirt, not water.

Second, two days ago I saw another sparrow doing the same thing in a parking lot.  However, this time as the sparrow flew away, a bluejay grabbed it out of midair, pulled it to the ground, and pecked it to death!  The struggle went on for 2-3 minutes, before the bluejay grabbed the (deceased) sparrow and carried it off to a nearby tree.

So, I have two questions.  1) Why do birds (maybe just sparrows?) rub themselves in dirt? and 2), are bluejays carnivorous? Should I fear for my life?

Thanks,
Not a Fan of Feral Killer Bluejays

Dear Not a Fan,

There are several reports of bluejay aggression (type it into your search engine), but I don't think you'd be safe prey. Do watch your picnic table, though.

Birds and cats take a bath in dust, as it absorbs the oils in their feathers or fur, and then can be brushed or blown or cleaned off more easily. The oils help repel dirt and water, so you don't have soggy birds. We have oils in our skin, too, but we use soap.

Keep birdwatching. Have you seen http://shaky.50megs.com/bc-funpix2003.html, and other bird camera sites? The world is at your computer screen.

Uncle Ezra

Dear curious,

According to Al Gantert, Director of Physical Education, there was a period of time where men used to go naked for all men's P.E. aquatic activities. It wasn't so much that they were not allowed to wear swimsuits, it was more that not wearing them was just "one of those things." Al is uncertain as to why it was that men did not wear swimsuits, but women always did, or why it was that in the 1970s, men began wearing them. Today you are required to wear your swimsuits -nude is not an option. As for the occasional woman seeing these male swimmers in the nude, it's so long ago, that we can't say whether or not it ever happened, chances are it happened at least once along the way. But remember, it was also at a time before Title IX and so women's participation in sports was much smaller, and their facilities were far more segregated than they are today.

Uncle Ezra

Dear B,

Only your hairdresser knows for sure how to answer this one. But then again, they don't deal with "natural" products, often. Although you may see media images to the contrary, it is not so unusual for young men your age to lose significant amounts of hair. Please remember its what's inside that counts.

Uncle Ezra

Dear Uncle Ezra -

I'm a 6'4",
160 lb. 19-year-old guy.  According to most standards, that makes me pretty skinny, and I am in fact quite scrawny.  Yet it seems that no matter how much I eat, my weight does not seem to change.  What can I do to try to gain weight (preferably muscle), short of joining a gym (which costs a lot of money)?  I've started jogging each day to tone my leg muscles and build endurance, but should I consider buying a set of dumbbells, or should I alter my diet?  Thanks for your help!

Dear 6'4,
Since you are "only" 19, don't worry about your size.  You've put on a lot of height and it may take some time for the rest of you to catch up. Since it's summer, there are plenty of strength-building activities to do - swimming, rowing, jogging, cycling, or yard work or home repair.  What job do you do?  Does it require  a lot of sitting?  Can you help someone who owns a home (an elderly neighbor, parent, grandparent or aunt)?

If you have serious concerns, you can go to a doctor for a medical workup.  When you return to Cornell in the fall, see a fitness trainer in the Wellness program to get professional advice on building muscle.

Have a great summer!

Dear Uncle Ezra,
I need help!  My partner and I have rented a gorgeous apartment in an old building for a year and a half now--size, price, and location are perfect.  The problem?  The roof leaks badly and there are clear signs of mold and mildew in the ceilings, walls, and floors.  By "clear signs" I mean you can smell the mildew, the floor is squooshy and cracking in spots, the walls are stained, and spores are visible in some areas of the ceiling.  I am allergic to mold and I have asthma.

We recently got a new landlord and he has promised to fix the roof, which is a first step, but in the mean time, I have a few questions.  First, if the roof is leaking do we have to pay rent?  Second, how can I determine the severity of the mold and mildew problem?  Can I hire a contractor to come in and assess the mold at the cost of the landlord?  What kind of contractor does this kind of work?

And, third, is this a really serious problem?  I'd rather not move--I can't afford it, among other things--but I am starting to worry that I stay here at great cost to my health.  The hot, damp weather we're having is exacerbating the problem.

Thanks so much for your help!

your sniffly niece

Dear renter,

Mold and mildew do cause health problems, and they can be serious for some. You can find information about these on the web. Then, go to your landlord and try to work out an agreement. Let him know that you will be good tenants and care for the place once it is repaired. If it were your own house, you would book a contractor to fix the problem within a month. Can the landlord do the same, and if not why not?

If the landlord obtained a bank loan, he would have been required to hire a structural inspector to provide certification of good condition. The bank may have given the new landlord a time limit on fixing the property.

If you have access into the attic you will see black under the plywood boards that underlie the roofing. This is bad. If the ceiling and walls have problems, there may be leaking pipes which also need to be repaired immediately. Who pays the water bill? Check with your city offices and with a lawyer if you need to know your rights. The situation you describe in unacceptable, but if you signed a lease, you may have limited power to withhold rent.

I hope you get it all worked out.

Uncle Ezra

Dear Uncle Ezra,

A few years ago,
I got an email about the 100 things every Cornellian should do before he/she graduates. I don't have the list anymore and was wondering if you could tell me where I can find it.

Hi Ez,

A few years ago I remember a list circulating of things all Cornellians should do during their four years here. I want to say it was published by Cornell magazine or some other publication like that. Where could I get a copy of these 99 wonderful things?

-New Alum!

Dear looking for things to do,

A list of the 100 things Cornellians should do before they graduate has been published and updated over the years. This list has been in the Student Handbook, Cornell Magazine, and on various class and university websites. Versions may vary slightly as they are updated over time. Here's the '02 list from the Cornell Infobase server (http://cuinfo.cornell.edu/Campus/Infobase/index.phtml?kindex=856), in no particular order:

- Go to a hockey game, particularly Harvard
- Take CS 100
- Pull an all-nighter
- Walk to the Commons
- Study in the Uris Fishbowl
- Order DP Dough late at night
- Go to a formal
- Sleep out for season hockey tickets or concert tickets
- Go sledding
- Go to the Chimes Halloween party
- Take AIS 100
- Watch the sunset from the top of the Johnson Museum
- Take Psych 101
- Get kissed on the Fall Creek suspension bridge
- At least SEE a cow
- Go to Ben and Jerry's and eat a Vermonster with a bunch of friends
- Visit every major waterfall/state part in Ithaca
- See the brain collection in Uris Hall
- Rush the field at the Homecoming football game (first of senior year)
- Realize that there is a lot to life after Cornell
- Go to the Friends of the Library used book sale
- Climb up to the top of the clock tower for a concert
- Shop at GreenStar
- Spend a summer in Ithaca
- Milk a cow
- Work or sing at Reunion
- Walk around campus (all of it, including the Plantations and through the trails and gorges)
- (now you know who Rulloff's is named after...)
- See the Farmer's Market
- Live through an Ithaca blizzard
- See someone famous speak
- See world class musicians perform
- Go to a big a cappella concert
- Roll down a hill
- Go to a play at the Schwartz Center for the Performing Arts
- Audition for a play at the Schwartz Center for the Performing Arts
- Walk up Libe Slope
- Watch the 4th of July fireworks from Ithaca College
- Road trip to New York City for a weekend with your friends
- Eat at Banfi's
- Dragon Day (try not to get carried away there)

Uncle Ezra