Dear Charitable and Private,
It seems that many people at Cornell (and other workplaces as well) share your views that charitable donations should be a private affair. Obviously, you two and PCWPC are not miserly, but simply want to preserve the true, anonymous spirit of giving.
        Keith Kennedy, United Way Campaign Chair for Cornell, tells me that my original answer to PCWPC was not completely accurate.  Department representatives ARE instructed to get all the cards back for the sake of United Way's (not Cornell's) record-keeping.
        So I called Melissa Siegel at United Way and asked her why they need the cards.  She answered that of course there is no legal requirement for anyone to complete a card.  The only reason United Way staff seek to get back ALL cards is that, as the campaign progresses, they attempt to contact everyone in the community with information and to solicit donations. Returned cards serve as a benchmark as to who has already responded with a contribution or a "thanks-but- no-thanks", and saves you from further requests which would come your way if no one knew you'd already made your choice.  If you are concerned about your co-workers looking over your shoulder, you can send the card to the United Way in a sealed envelope.
        Even so, you may feel that the direct appeal encroaches on your free-will giving.  If the very fact that you are pursued by United Way until you respond (one way or another) bothers you, you can write or call Melissa Siegel about the overall style of the campaign (United Way Office of Tompkins County, 313 N. Aurora Street, 272-6286).  I think you'll find her to be open to comments and suggestions -- and judging from the letters I've gotten and conversations I've had about this issue, there are lots of people out there with a lot to say.

Uncle Ezra   

Dear New Boy,
I took your request to an expert -- Tom Young of CIT User Services. Here's what he said:


        "To the best of my knowledge, most of the Macintoshes in CIT public sites can print to an ImageWriter in one of two ways:   If the Macs are on an AppleTalk network, there will be one or more ImageWriters attached to the network and available for printing from all Macs on the network. Otherwise, every group of four Macs share an ImageWriter, via a switch box which allows the group to alternate who can print.
        "I think this is a fairly reasonable situation.  Not everyone needs to print all the time.  Providing an ImageWriter for every public Mac would be dreadfully expensive -- we do offer printing to ImageWriters as a free service. In addition, an ImageWriter next to every machine would take up so much space that there would have to be considerably fewer Macs available in the sites!
        "If you feel there is a particular site where there are insufficient printing resources to meet the demand, let us know and we'll see what can be done.
        "Thank you." -- Tom Young (255-1006)
        Thank you, too...

Uncle Ezra   

Dear Nephew,
In "A History of Cornell", Morris Bishop writes that the New York State legislature authorized in 1914 the building of Drill Hall (renamed Barton after Colonel Frank A. Barton '91, our WWI commandant) as an armory and a training ground for WWI soldiers-to-be.  As for the U-Halls, Ann Shumate, Associate Director of Residence Life, says they were built in the 1950's. Before that, Cornell had only fraternities, Mennen-Lyon-McFaddin and Class of 1917 Hall for housing men.  Veterans' benefits led to an increase in the number of male students at Cornell; Cornell built the U-Halls to relieve the housing crunch.

Uncle Ezra   

Dear TT2B,
I checked with Residence Life and verified that next year's townhouse cost will be $3236.00 for rent and utilities.  Thanks for the information!

Uncle Ezra   

Dear Stuck,
How exasperating to feel that you got duped into sinking money into an apparently useless pass!  I say "apparently" because, with different luck, you might have found your idle pass serving you worthily. I shared your woes with Judy Eckard at the Traffic Bureau, who told me that Public Safety has been understaffed for quite awhile, and therefore can only do spot checks on permits.  She can see why you feel cheated after paying $25 for your pass and then watching others sneak through campus by trusting the sporadic enforcement of rules.  But the Public Safety officers do hope to catch off-guard offenders who lack the appropriate permits.
        According to Cornell's Traffic Rules and Regulations, you do in fact need the Gate Pass for your H.S.B. friend to drop you all off (unless you have a Central Permit).  So the pass acts somewhat like a "Get Out of Jail Free" card in the game of Monopoly, providing little tangible good until you Go To Jail or, in your case, get stopped for a spot check.
        Between being honest and being ecologically conscious, you and your friends have a lot going for you, which the drivers you see "cheating" may lack.  Personally, I give higher praise to an honesty that doesn't seem to pay off than to a dishonesty that does.

Uncle Ezra   

Dear Fried,
If misery loves company, you'll be glad to know you're not the only one unhappy about sweltering in 145 and 165. It seems a number of other students and professors have voiced complaints about the heat in those rooms. And yes, it's a "Sage-esque" problem. Olin Hall is centrally heated and the main steamline runs right down the back of both rooms. In addition, the pipes are poorly insulated.  In order to keep the building at a stable temperature, the heat must be set at a level that turns 145 and 165 into a sauna.  (The fact that there are no windows in these rooms doesn't help matters.)
        I did speak to Jeff Lallas, project coordinator for several Engineering College buildings.  He said he'd look into the problem to see if anything could be done, so there may be some hope. If there is no relief in a week or so, you can call him at 255-8766 to follow up further.
        In the meantime (I can't believe I'm going to write this, since at this very moment the temperature is in the single digits outside), you may want to bring a thermos of icewater or cold juice to keep you cool and awake.

Uncle Ezra   

Dear Expert,
Congratulations on winning the "Quest"...you are in a select group. The place to pick up your T-Shirt is indeed on the third floor of Gannett. You need to go through the CGSS (Contraception, Gynecology and Sexuality Service) waiting room to the Health Education Office on the right-hand side of the hallway, where you will find your prize waiting for you. For more information call the Health Education Office at 255-4782. By the way, you need not fear walking through the CGSS waiting room! CGSS has facilities and information for men and women. Both can get check-ups or information about fertility, birth control, relationships, and other issues related to sexuality.

Uncle Ezra   

Hi there.  I am a TA in the Engineering College,
and since they have made the Snee/Kimball/Thurston/Bard/Hollister parking lot one which requires a permit from 5 to 10pm, I have to seek a parking spot somewhere in the wilds of C-town. Now, I TA a lab which meets on Wed. evenings.  Would someone at the University be willing to give a permit to me so I could park in the lot on the evenings I have to teach? Who would I speak to?  As a TA, I CANNOT afford to buy one!

                                                         pmTA

Uncle Ezra   

Down and Myopic Dave,
I got both of your letters, and have tried to answer as quickly as possible.  This is a serious concern and I'm glad you're checking out ways to help yourself.
        First of all, the definition of legal blindness, and the point where you could get federal aid, is eyesight of 20/200. This means that what the normal person can see at 200 feet, you can only see at 20 feet. According to the Dept. of Motor Vehicles in Albany, in order to drive, you must have vision that is better than 20/70.
        As for taking care of the health of your eyes, most important is to find yourself a good eye doctor (or two, for second opinions) you can trust and who can advise you. Check with friends and coworkers for suggestions. Or look through the yellow pages under Optometrists or Opthalmologists. You'll need an eye exam to assess your status.  It may be that corrective lenses could improve your vision.
        I also discovered a program called orthokeratology.  Since I have no experience with it, this is not an endorsement, but you might want to check it out.  With this procedure, one is fitted with a series of hard contact lenses which gradually change the shape of the cornea and can bring about improved vision.  It is possible that one could reach the point where wearing the contact lenses for a period of time and then removing them would enable one to see clearly without them.  This process is very individual and its success depends on the state of the eyes to begin with.  For more information or a free consultation, you can call Dr. Burton Markowitz at 257-1066.
        If you're interested in eye exercises or visual training, Dr. Larry Wallace can help. The program involves exercise to strengthen eye muscles and other strategies for improving or stabilizing your vision.  (He told me about a book called "The Bates System of Better Eyesight Without Glasses." Is this the one you referred to?) The initial visit costs $50.00 and subsequent visits are 80% covered by insurance in most cases. For information, you can call his office at 277-4749.
        There are options out there for you, and as this Uncle is not an eye specialist, I can only steer you toward people who are.  The decisions are up to you. Good luck.                                        Uncle Ezra



Dear

Uncle Ezra   

Dear Needing Dates,
Maybe the two of you could get together!  As far as Saturday goes, it's pretty short notice, but you may still have time if you ask fast. And ASK is the advice I have for both of you.  Have you had your eye on someone special but been afraid to ask?  Now is the time to do it. Nothing ventured, nothing gained.  The worst that could happen is that the person will say no. And maybe you will even hear a YES! If the person of your romantic dreams isn't available, ask someone who is, or has the potential to be, a friend. Have a wonderful time.




        And if by chance you don't manage to find a date for this particular formal, you can still make the evening special by doing something else you enjoy, either by yourself or with friends.  And don't let this put you off from trying for the next formal.  Cultivate friendships, which may or may not turn to romance.  And maybe next time all you need do is simply ask sooner.  Good luck!

Uncle Ezra   

Dear Peeved,
I'm afraid this isn't going to be the answer you want to hear. Beyond getting on a waiting list, there's not much more you can do with any certainty. Talking to the professor can sometimes help. If you are a senior you may be able to get priority over others; if you are not, you may have a chance to take the course another semester. Some people have been known to attend a class, making themselves visible, and then handing the professor an add-drop form later in the term and hoping for the best. However, this strategy is obviously risky!  In general, some persistence may pay off, particularly if you show genuine interest, in person.  But since you can't count on the outcome, make sure you have your other bases covered so you're not left course-less.

Uncle Ezra