Dear lost,

I'm sorry for your sister's difficulties, and for the effect on the family.  No one is responsible for another person's behavior.  While your sister is working on the issues that brought her to this dangerous place, you and your family can be supportive to her and to one another.  This doesn't take anything special - just being there in some way.  A phone call, a card, a letter, a gift. Let each other know, either through your words or just through your actions, that you are a family and you will be there, chips fall as they may.  When your sister does her emotional work, she will find a soft landing here.

Your sister's act may have been impulsive or the result of feelings she had been dealing with for a long time. Perhaps it was too painful for her to talk about, or perhaps she felt she didn't want to "burden" you.  If you are open to talking, let her know it is not taboo for you, and that you care about her, and want to listen.

Susan Rose Blauner's How I Stayed Alive When My Brain Was Trying to Kill Me: One Person's Guide to Suicide Prevention is an excellent book with practical suggestions for those who have thought of suicide. Perhaps you could send her the book as a way of saying you want to help. 

You say your parents told you to stop getting yourself upset. It is important that you get support for yourself to handle the inevitable feelings of anger, frustration, loss, betrayal and sadness that you are dealing with.  You can call the Ithaca Suicide Prevention hotline (272-1616) or Cornell's peer counselors 255-EARS or see someone in CAPS at Gannett. It is normal and natural that you worry.  Perhaps you can find ways to ask your parents for some sort of check-in, but not require reassurance they can't yet give. Remember that you are all going this rocky road together, so be kind and gentle to one another, and compassionate to your sister.  You may all be the stronger family for it.

Uncle Ezra   

Dear hockey-loving nephew,

None of the players or coaches (the late Herb Brooks or his assistants) had links to Cornell University as players or coaches here.  However, since 1980, there have been several Cornellians, both men and women that have played for Olympic hockey teams.

For many who were old enough to watch, witnessing the Miracle on Ice and Mike Eruzione's game-winning goal against the USSR is a moment indelibly etched in their mind.  However, many people mistake this semi-final victory for the gold medal game.  The win against the Soviets was the game prior, and the U.S. team actually defeated Finland 4-2 to win the gold medal. 

I hope that you enjoy the new movie "Miracle" about this event.  I wonder where its place in movie history will land?  Somewhere well between Love Story and Slapshot I presume...

Uncle Ezra   

Dear Harveyard,

Cornell does lend many of the videos in the collection to other institutions through interlibrary loan, so you can contact the Interlibrary Loan Department at your current institution. Cornell and "H...ard" regularly lend each other materials from their collections through interlibrary loan.

Uncle Ezra   

Dear admissions inquirer,

No, only a select number of students are invited to transfer to Cornell after being denied freshman admission.  The number varies from year to year.  To learn more about the guaranteed transfer program, your friend should contact the Undergraduate Admissions Office at admissions@cornell.edu.  I hope that in the meantime your friend is enjoying his college experience at another institution. 

Uncle Ezra   

Dear student,

When you have an assignment, it is a good idea to ask the teacher what they expect of you before you begin work.  What you ask here sounds like you need some background in several areas, from experimental social science to the various fields of social science. Your teacher should be able to point you to the resources you need.  I hope you learn  a lot from your work.

Uncle Ezra   

Dear Michael,

That sounds like one for the Honda customer relations - try looking on their website for an address and let us know if you find out!  Or perhaps a "stump the chump" question for those crazy guys on Car Talk (listen online at http://cartalk.com).

Uncle Ezra   

Dear Proud Parent,

Being tapped for Order of Omega means that the honoree has been chosen to become part of this national honor society for Greeks founded in 1959. They are chosen because of their outstanding service to both the campus and Greek community and for being a well-rounded, model student. A committee chooses from a pool of nominations coming from peers, faculty and staff. The students then undergo a public ritual ceremony to remind them of their duty to uphold their own organizations' ritualistic values and to continue their service. Cornell's chapter has a few periodic meetings to dicuss a community service event, they have the occasional social gathering, organize an information panel about the Greek community during First Year Family Weekend, and go on a wine tour in the Spring semester. Order of Omega also has a website to get more detailed information, http://www.orderofomega.org.  Congratulations on this honor!

Uncle Ezra   

Dear career planner,

Cornell Career Services conducts a survey each year of postgraduate activities, including such data as starting salaries, of the graduating class.  They post the results on the web; currently there are four years' worth of the report available at http://www.career.cornell.edu/surveysAndSalary/postgrad.html.  If after looking at these reports you require more detailed information, you may want to get in touch with Susan Lewis, Director of the AAP Career Services Office, at 607/255-4634, or email msl25.

Uncle Ezra   

Dear questions,

There is a history of Willard Straight Hall called The Straight Story which has a pretty detailed section about the Memorial Room.  To answer the first question, it's not clear why it's called the Memorial Room except for the fact that each of the former presidents of Cornell have their name carved in the ceiling beams under a gargoyle.  The room itself is modeled after the University of Toronto's Hart House, the student union at U of T.  The Memorial Room is a smaller version of the Great Hall in Hart House, which is about 3 times the size of the Straight and includes a large wing devoted to athletics (pool, gymnasium, etc.).  But, we feel that WSH has a warmer feel to it due in large part to the smaller scale and extensive use of  wood in the building -- and the light colored stain used on the paneling and flooring.

The original banners when the Straight opened in 1925 depicted the coat of arms of 10 European universities.  In 1990 Sigma Phi fraternity donated the banners that are in the Memorial Room now in honor of their centennial year.  15 banners represented Cornell colleges and 7 represented Cornell.  The room has had many uses over the years, and these changes are described in the Straight Story.

Uncle Ezra   

Dear student,

Congratulations on your forthcoming degree completion.  I hope you have enjoyed your time in Ithaca.  While here, you have had the opportunity to get to know the faculty in your department.   These people would be the best resources for you.  The Graduate Secretary and Graduate Field Representative in the department can tell you what you need.  Generally, you need to find a professor "willing to take you on" and to find funding, either through that faculty member or independently from grants you may help write, or from private philanthropic organizations. 

Another strategy for you would be to work for a few years and get funding from your employer to return and get your PhD.   Hold fast to your dream as you build the steps to reach it!

Uncle Ezra   

Dear student,

Dear Uncle Ezra receives many questions and they are each given the attention they deserve.   As you see,
only 15-20 are posted per week, with many many more being answered via private email.  I sense that you are eager for your answer, and suggest that you use resources available to you, such as going to the library, so that you can find the answer on your own timetable.

Uncle Ezra   

Dear code-breaker,

Are you trying to crack a safe or figure out the probability of someone figuring out your ATM code?  If I understand your question correctly, you are asking for the number of possible arrangements using the numbers 0-9 in the 4 spaces, with digits being used more than once (meaning 1212 would be different from 2121).

Therefore, there are ten possible digits one could choose for the first space, ten possibilities for the second, and the third, and the fourth.  This means that you could have 10x10x10x10 = 10 raised to the 4th power = 10,000 possible numbers, ranging from 0000 to 9999. 

Good luck!

Uncle Ezra   

Dear worries,

Even if you don't want to, it would be best to go to your doctor who is familiar with your case for advice. I hope all is well.

Uncle Ezra   

Dear near the airport,

I wonder if what you are seeing is the Cornell Experimental Ponds facility?  Cornell has a research area consisting of 91 artificial ponds and two reservoirs that are used for replicated experiments in aquatic environments.  To learn more about these ponds, and to see a nifty overhead view of the ponds, visit http://www.eeb.cornell.edu/ponds/index.html.

Uncle Ezra   

Dear student,

Your Cornell staff ID will be your library card. Happy reading.

Uncle Ezra