Dear Reader,
A few further facts about Dragon Day, our Spring Ritual: -Dragon Day was started by Willard Straight (the man behind the building), was called Architects Day, and was a university-wide celebration.
        -This year is the 100th anniversary of Dragon Day.
        -The Phoenix Society, an engineering group, has in recent years tried to become more a part of the Dragon festivities (building their own rather than destroying the dragon).  Last year they actually built a giant phoenix that shot things at the dragon!
        -Rival T-shirts were sold last year by the engineers and the architects. See you there!

Uncle Ezra   

Dear TTB,
There are rural areas that have not had or may not have the infrastructure to handle touch-tone pulses.  Trumansburg, just 7 miles north of Ithaca, converted two years ago.   Residents may have had button phones, but the phones would convert the button pulse to a rotary pulse.   It is also surprising to young folks to hear that older folks haven't chosen to join the techno-world when it is available. ( Only 15% of people over 65 use computers regularly.) People who grew up in a world with gentler time demands found rotary phones and snail mail to be sufficient.  If they retired before the advent of faster modes of communication, they did not have the need to retool themselves.  Believe it or not, there are even some people who love the ambience of antique technology and prefer 1940's black rotary phones and the feel of a fountain pen scratching on linen stationary. There is something comforting in feeling childhood memories revived by a simple act of dialing a phone.  Some people have rotary phones in their mountain cabins or lakeside cottages where they live a simpler life.  I couldn't find any numbers for you, but I sense from your tone that it was more of a rhetorical question.

Uncle Ezra   

Dear Potential Customer,
In addition to the very many clever ways companies have of finding out about you, have you seen the ads on campus for "marketing representatives?"  Sometimes these jobs may be asking people to "make contacts" or "develop lists...client bases...client pools" or you may enter a contest or submit a form on which you unwittingly give your information to a company.  Your email address alone would give away your Cornell affiliation.  We wish we could protect you from unnecessary mail bombardment that purports to have some connection to Cornell, and we could save a few forests at the same time.  (See also related question on finding information about people in this posting.)

Uncle Ezra   

Dear Dan,
Sometimes it's "the question behind the question" that's most important, and part of my job is to decide when that's the case.  For the question at hand, I felt that the interpersonal issues of dealing with strangers were weightier than the technical issues of information access.  I suppose neither of us can know for sure if that answer met the writer's needs or expectations.
        Since you do seem concerned with that latter topic, check out www.epic.org, the Electronic Privacy Information Center, a public interest research center in Washington, D.C. It was established in 1994 to focus public attention on emerging civil liberties issues and to protect privacy, the First Amendment, and constitutional values. A book entitled "Get the Facts On Anyone" by Dennis King discusses finding "missing people," getting background from court records, financial information, newspaper searches, investigating cults and tracking down small businesses.

Uncle Ezra   

Dear American-to-be,
The Durland Alternatives Library in Anabel Taylor Hall has a good book entitled "How to Become a United States Citizen" by Sally Abel Schreuder.  You might find more recent books on the web.  For forms and applications, go to the Immigration and Naturalization Service webside (http://www.ins.usdoj.gov/graphics/formsfee/index.htm). Sooner or later you'll end up at the Buffalo District Office (in the Federal Center at 130 Delaware Avenue, Buffalo, NY, 14202), their sub office in Albany, or a satellite office in Rochester or Syracuse. Details about these offices can be found at:
        http://www.ins.usdoj.gov/graphics/fieldoffices/buffalo/index.htm (If you don't live in Ithaca, the site lists all US offices.)
        You must be at least 18 years old, lawfully admitted to the US for permanent residency, have 5 years residence or 3 if married to a citizen, show good character, believe in the principles of the US Constitution, not have been a member of the Communist Party in the last 10 years nor have broken any immigration laws.  You must read, write and speak English and take an oath to give up your foreign allegiance.
        Once you fill out the forms it may take about a year to process them.  You can spend that time learning American history and Citizenship for your test.  When everything is in order, you will have your final hearing, a group Citizenship Ceremony in Buffalo and you will get a Certificate. Then, you can vote, get jobs, ease immigration for your relatives, get an American passport, and run for public office.

Uncle Ezra   

Dear To-Light,
I have learned a lot from your question and from my sources who helped me respond to you.  There seems to be a "Humanistic Hinduism" that allows you to practice more flexibly within the present-day culture.
        "There are many implications for Hindus marrying people of other religions, however, they are usually not related to religion or how a person in this situation practices it.  It is not true that a woman's religious identity comes only from her husband.  It comes from her beliefs and upbringing just like it does for a man," explains my source.
        Caste is a very complicated issue, with a complicated and much debated history these days.  The Vedas (most ancient literature of Hinduism) have theorized a set of 4 'varnas' or general social classes, but this is not particularly the same thing as caste, a phenomenon which appears to have arisen later in India's history. Caste is described in an essay on castes, the 'Manu Smruti'.  "This book was actually 'inserted' into Hinduism by the British after they modified it" my source explains. There are many hundreds of castes, associated with occupation, and which have tended to regulate intermarriage and commensality and the place in the village in which one was to live. That latter was mostly lost when people moved to cities, and to an increasing extent all three were lost when people move into modern lives.
        These days, people of the same caste tend to share the same social class, the same language, (but not necessarily,) the same religious practices more or less, the same diet, and the same 'lifestyle' more or less; but, since this is India, there are as many exceptions as there are examples of these general claims.  There were many many dozens of different sorts of Brahmin subcastes in different parts of India.
        "Caste has no formal foundation in [Hinduism], and hence your argument is right.  Hinduism is a way of life.  In fact, the name is a mispronunciation of Sindhu which was what the Arabs call the people who lived near the river Sindhu.  The name we call it is 'Sanatana Dharma' or all pervading truth.  A Hindu is defined by the lifestyle (s)he leads and the beliefs that person carries.  In addition, if you read the 'Mahabharat', you will see that Lord Krishna criticizes Arjun when Arjun insults Karan because he is the son of a chariot driver. He tells Arjun that a person's caste is determined by what he is capable of and wants to do, not by his birth."
        You may need to talk with a counselor who can discuss intermarriage issues from a basis in personal experience as a westernized Hindu Brahmin.  This is harder to find than one might think, actually, since Hindus are so varied and contextually differed. It is not as simple as consulting the local rabbi or catholic priest. You may find literature on Americans of different  faiths who decide to get married, mostly generated for Christian - Jewish marriages, but the ideas of dialogue, creating a shared space, how to plan for raising children in two faiths or one, and so on, may be similar. You might find sources to consult in the diasporic community, perhaps available on the web. There are not a lot of strict rules to worry about, most likely, just a general feeling of not having a clearly defined identity, and perhaps losing it further by intermarrying.
        Have you consulted your parents?  They might offer a more conservative opinion, they might be opposed to the inter-faith marriage idea to begin with, or they might be open to the new possibilities. If you were a Brahmin Hindu girl growing up in a village in India in any period before the present, your marriage would be arranged, and it would be arranged with a suitable boy from the same general background; hence most of these questions would not arise.
        Are you being urged to convert? Do you have a set of specific beliefs that are being challenged? Do you think of your Hinduism as a general set of approaches to life that are entirely or at least partially assimilable to life with a Christian husband?  If your "Hinduism" amounts mostly to cultural things such as liking to wear saris occasionally and watch Hindi movies occasionally and a liking for Indian food and music, there does not seem to present a religious conflict.
        Again, all of these things are in flux in the modern world, and the texts themselves do not lay down absolute moral laws so much as contextualized modes of behavior.

Uncle Ezra   

Dear No Car,
Any car insurance agency would be glad to answer your question and does so on their websites.  Your coverage depends on your car (the older it is, the less you need to insure it for), and you can choose from these basic options: 1) Bodily injury liability coverage that pays for bodily injury or death resulting from an accident for which you are at fault and provides you with a legal defense, 2) Property damage liability that provides you with protection if your car accidentally damages another's property, and it also provides you with a legal defense, 3) Medical payments, no-fault, or personal injury coverage that usually pays the medical expenses of the driver and passengers in your car incurred as a result of a covered accident regardless of fault (in some states, compensation for lost wages may be included), 4)  Uninsured motorist coverage that pays for your injuries and, in some circumstances, certain property damage caused by an uninsured or a hit-and-run driver (in some cases, underinsured motorist coverage is also included), for cases in which the at-fault driver has insufficient insurance, 5) Comprehensive physical damage coverage that pays for damage to your car from theft, vandalism, flood, fire, or other covered perils, and 6) Collision coverage that pays for damage to your car when it hits or is hit by another car or object.
        In addition to these basic coverages, you can add Emergency Road Service, including towing, Rental reimbursement, and Mechanical breakdown insurance.
        You, your resident spouse, and all non-excluded resident relatives are covered.
        Are you covered or is the car covered?   Liability coverages protect policyholders when they are legally liable  for injury or damage to the property of others while driving an insured vehicle. This includes your operation of vehicles owned and insured by others, although ordinarily your policy would be excess in these situations. Collision and comprehensive coverages deal with damage to the insured vehicle.
        When you rent a car anywhere in the U.S., Canada or U.S. possessions, your policy will extend certain coverages to your rented car. Your liability coverage policy will carry over to your rental car if it is rented for less than 30 days.   Physical damage coverages usually carry over as well, but variances exist, depending on the state, coverage carried and the policy involved.
        Are you covered while driving someone else's car?  In most cases, the other person's liability coverage would provide the primary coverage for both you and the car, but your policy would provide liability coverage if costs exceeded the limits of  the first policy.
        The best insurance is fully aware driving, knowing the skills and the manners required to be on the road with other drivers, and knowing that other drivers may not have that insurance.

Uncle Ezra   

Dear Any Field,
Your point is well-taken, but I believe Cornell tries to fulfill that dream in spirit if not in letters (i.e. degrees).  The College of Human Ecology never had an MSW degree, however there was a small BSW degree in place for about 25 years.  That program was eliminated in 1998 when the Department of Policy Analysis and Management was formed, with the last social work students graduated in 2000. The BSW program was very small, graduating perhaps only 10 or 12 students per year.
        The Associate Dean in Human Ecology, Jennifer Gerner, who is also a PAM Professor, told me that "since this is not an entry level degree, and since our students with undergraduate degrees in Human Development often are interested in MSW's and do quite well in such programs there seemed to be little lost by eliminating this very small program.  In addition, with welfare reform and other major policy changes it became clear that social workers need a much different background in the twenty-first century than they might have several decades ago.  They need to be able to examine policy in a rigorous analytic way.  They also need to be prepared to manage non-profit agencies.  These are skills we could provide our undergraduates in Policy Analysis and Management."
        Because there are several large and well respected MSW programs in New York State, including ones at Syracuse University, SUNY Albany, and SUNY Binghamton,  the SUNY system and the NYS Dept. of Education may not have welcomed yet another program at Cornell.  You see further territorial definitions with teaching degrees, offered at SUNY Cortland but not at Cornell,  nursing degrees through Binghamton or TC3, and other Clinical and Health Sciences (Speech Therapy, Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Recreation and Sports Sciences), offered at Ithaca College but not at Cornell.

Uncle Ezra   

Dear Traveler,
If you sign an on campus contract and you go on Study Abroad you would be released.  You would have to go in to the Housing office and show proof you are going on the program and complete some forms.
        Off campus is a different story.  Most landlords prefer not to do short-terms leases.  You could sublet your room or apartment but you may not be able to find someone at the rent you are paying.  Pam Zinder in the housing office at 201 Robert Purcell Community Center can talk to you about this.

Uncle Ezra   

Dear Foregoing,
The law regarding dead bodies respects some, but not all religious beliefs, by vesting primary control of dead bodies in the hands of relatives, but their rights are constrained by health considerations, and other social concerns. For instance, a religion may redefine 'murder' as 'sacrifice', but that wouldn't make it legal.
        The state regulates what can be done with dead bodies and by whom.  For instance, one cannot bury someone in the backyard.  Only a person licensed by the state to dispose of dead bodies could embalm, bury, cremate, etc.   Second, state laws provide who has the right to "dispose" of a dead body, usually the next of kin, and whether there must be an autopsy.   In effect, a "dead body" requires a legal response.  You are supposed to call the police if one happens upon a dead body, so that the appropriate inquiries can be made. The likelihood of someone having legal access to a dead body in order to eat it is highly improbable.
        You may be interested in a course such as Anthropology 102: The Comparison of Cultures or Anthro 200: Cultural Diversity and Contemporary Issues or an upper level course that examines how legal practices are shaped culturally and how they shape culture.

Uncle Ezra   

Dear L,
I am continually amazed at the knowledge of the librarians I ask for help -- the way they surf around information cyberspace is admirable.  Library careers attract many more men now, too. And a visit to the new Tompkins County Library will show you how the buildings change into Information Community Centers.  Thanks for sharing the history with us.

Uncle Ezra   

Dear Options,
Gently let go of what doesn't work, but don't tear yourself up over the situation.  You want to come out of this more whole, with no regrets for the road not taken.  "Is this love?"  There are as many kinds of love as there are stars in the sky or grains of sand on the beach, each as beautiful as the other in its own way.  If you must choose one, choose wisely, and choose well, and live well and wisely with your choice.
        To feel peaceful and happy around someone can be very reassuring, but don't "compare" it to a relationship in a different stage. Was there a time when you felt happy inside with BF#1, and is it possible that you will move into argument stage with BF#2 down the road? Arguments are not a bad thing.  Any relationship that deepens moves into a stage of defining boundaries and getting to know the more and the less agreeable parts of someone else.  My favorite elderly couples (married over 50 years) are those who have agreed to disagree, even make an art form of it in a positive way.  "You say po-tay-to, I say po-tah-to,"  do you know that song about whether differences are reconcilable in a love affair?
        You have been careful not to jump carelessly into the next relationship.  Sustainable attraction can be a good sign that you are beyond an infatuation stage and there is more to a relationship than immediate convenience. One comparison you can make is 5 years versus 50 -- you are deciding who you might potentially be with for the next 50 years, so don't hold yourself hostage to a 5-year investment that is offering you diminishing returns with no hope for improvement.
        Your sense of loyalty and duty should extend to communicating your thoughts and changing feelings to BF#1.  How would you feel if he told you he had been considering and had decided on another relationship without involving you in the process?  To be fair, you need to let him know what doesn't work and what you need to make a deeper commitment.  If he can't give that, then you can mutually decide to end things.  If you want to explore options, say that to him.  There will be much less bitterness if you include him in on the process.  Parting is  eased by a sense of choice and fairness, as opposed to feeling shoved out.
        This isn't so much an either/or question as it is a deeper one for you about how you want to create your life. Toward that end, I suggest that you make a list of what you want in a relationship (how do you want to be treated?  how do you want to be able to care for your partner?), where you want to see yourself in 5 or 10 years, and what values you most cherish (e.g. how does your partner prioritize his own decisions?).  Prioritize these items in order to see what your decision is more clearly.  Take good care of yourself as you move through these difficult decisions to firmer ground.

Uncle Ezra   

Dear Amazed,
James S. Clarke, Cornell's Chief Investment Office, recalls that "during the period in question, Cornell did not have any direct investments in South Africa.  We did have investments in U.S. companies which did business in South Africa.  A policy of selective divestment was adopted, which meant that we kept our investments in companies whose presence in South Africa was felt to be of benefit to all South Africans e.g. companies with non-discriminatory labor policies, etc. Companies not meeting certain standards were divested. When apartheid was eliminated, Cornell's divestment policy was also eliminated."  One side of the argument was that complete divestment would hurt even the people we wanted to help.  Those were very troubled times, and the decisions were made only with very careful weighing of what is known and possible consequences of actions taken.
        Yes, we had lots of protests...peaceful and pointed.  It provided a good forum for the entire campus to understand what Cornell was doing or not.  Also, it was not just students -- faculty and staff, as well, community people participated.  In this way, awareness was raised concerning apartheid and divestment, with a very broad effect.

Uncle Ezra   

Dear Globalized,
You have made an excellent point.  I am reminded of the "Black is Beautiful" movement in the 1960's that attempted to reverse negative cultural stereotypes and instill pride in non-white persons. We've come a long way, but we still have a long way to go.  I'm glad you're not apathetic, and I think you will find you are in good company. Interestingly, the very word "American" is coming to mean much more than "Nordic" although it takes a while for the reality to reach the media.  In some developing countries, they are still watching "Little House on the Prairie" which forms their images of "America"!

Uncle Ezra   

Dear Sleepwalker,
I'm sorry you feel that Cornell does not care about your safety. If you check the Ezra archives, you will find other explanations of the policies and procedures used by personnel to keep walkways as safe as possible.  When it is continually snowing, "as possible" allows for greater leeway.
        Ultimately, you are responsible for your own safety by wearing adequate foot gear in the winter, in the same way that you wear warm clothing.  You can also plan for shorter or less frequent trips, and allow yourself more time when the walks are icy.
        On a lighter note, Elmira College, whose colors are purple and gold, uses special purple salt on their walks in the winter!  And I have heard that at SUNY Oswego the students have had tunnels through the snow from building to building in years of great accumulation!

Uncle Ezra