Life

OUTSIDE THE MAINSTREAM | The NCAA is Anything but Abnormal

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This week, many people criticized the NCAA for its treatment of college basketball players. LeBron James called the NCAA “corrupt.” Stan Van Gundy, the coach of the Charlotte Hornets, remarked that they there were the “worst organization” and labeled their actions as “racist.” This criticism emerged after a report revealed that dozens of players had been paid and given loans as compensation for their play. This violated NCAA policy, which does not permit players to receive any compensation outside of athletic scholarship and stipends. These NBA players and coaches who voiced their criticisms believe the system unfairly benefits administrators and universities, since the NCAA and the colleges obtain a gigantic revenue stream from college sports, especially basketball and football. These sports have a huge concentration of black players, often from poorer backgrounds, who are robbed of fair payment.

Campus

OUTSIDE THE MAINSTREAM | Stop Listening to College Rankings

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Western culture loves to rank everything. From foods to sport teams to cities, we obsess over figuring out the best thing, the second best thing, and so on. One of the more interesting ranking systems is that of colleges. Every year, U.S. News and World Report publishes its popular list of the “best colleges” in the country., which means that a lot of people read and absorb these rankings,yet what actually goes into them? Why are they important?

Politics

OUTSIDE THE MAINSTREAM | The Legacy of the Tet Offensive

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It is difficult to grapple with our complex understanding of the past. Sometimes we remember an event. Sometimes, at the very same time, we forget it. Late January 2018 marks the fiftieth anniversary of the Tet Offensive. During this battle in the Vietnam War, the North Vietnamese launched a full attack on many Southern cities.

Campus

OUTSIDE THE MAINSTREAM | The Time to Support Cornell’s Graduate Students Is Now

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 Last spring’s union election campaign may have ended with a disappointing result for the collective rights of Cornell’s graduate students, but Cornell Graduate Students United (CGSU) has continued to fight. In the past weeks, members of CGSU have been asking fellow graduate students at Cornell to vote about the future of their organizing strategy and the possibility of another election attempt. A secondary election attempt could make sense in this case. It is certainly not unprecedented; many unions, in all manner of industries, have had numerous elections before achieving recognition. In addition, graduate student turnover and the slim margin of defeat of the union in the election could mean a stronger possibility of a different outcome if a re-vote occurs.

Ithaca Week

ITHACA WEEK | The Little Apple

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If Ithaca possessed a “spirit food,” it would be the apple. After living in Ithaca for the past three years, I have consumed way too many apples in solid, liquid, and in-between forms. In their own subtle way, I feel as if apples define Ithaca just as much as the gorges or the freezing cold winters. In light of this, here are the three most “apple-ly” things in Ithaca that you should definitely check out if you haven’t already:

The Apple Harvest Festival

The Apple Harvest Festival represents Ithaca’s celebration to its inner-self. Apple-themed commodities, quirky street art and products, and random carnival-esque food stands fill the streets of the Commons. Some of the apple concoctions may seem a little dangerous at first glance; for instance, when I first saw a stand giving out samples of apple curry at Apple Fest last year, I felt a knot from in my throat.

Campus

OUTSIDE THE MAINSTREAM | The Legacy of Cornell’s Campus

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People know Ithaca for its beauty. When I first visited Cornell in the summer of 2014, I was struck by the seemingly endless verdant grass on the Arts Quad and the sea of trees that surround the school. Unless you grew up around waterfalls, nothing really prepares you for walking to class amongst the sight of our monstrous gorges, where thousands of gallons of water tumble down every second. The natural beauty of Cornell’s campus probably affected my decision to apply; when it’s not freezing cold, the bright greens and blossoming bushes express warmth and exuberance all over the landscape. While looking at this nature, we only think of it in terms of wilderness—of untouched beauty, far from the civilization of Cornell.

Politics

OUTSIDE THE MAINSTREAM | 5 New Executive Orders, Graded by Me

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In the first weeks of his term, Trump issued a great many executive orders that have caused a lot of outcry and hurt a lot of people. He tried to ban Muslims from coming to the United States, raised border security and cut down financial regulations. Of course, the media grew disinterested, but the parade of executive orders continued.  For your convenience, I have selected five executive orders you probably never heard about and graded them according to my own imaginary criteria. Executive Order 1: Providing an Order of Succession within the Department of Justice
Date issued: January 24th
Description: This executive order focuses on so-called “Transnational Criminal Organizations,” which are basically cartels or violent groups similar to them.

Entertainment

OUTSIDE THE MAINSTREAM | Should We Really Be Watching The Lion King?

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When I was a kid, millions of other children and I watched the movie The Lion King, but I did not think really about what the movie meant. I can recall being engrossed in the characters and, to this day, I can repeat the choruses to Hakuna Matata,” “I Just Can’t Wait to Be King” and “Be Prepared,” even though I probably haven’t heard those songs in twelve years. Of course, as we know, that does not mean the movie didn’t have a message. Filmmakers, writers and editors bake political and cultural messages into their works, even if they do not attempt to or specifically state they don’t. These messages filter into the minds of their audiences, shaping their worldview and perspective on reality.

Politics

OUTSIDE THE MAINSTREAM | Tales of Democracy

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We tell tales of democracy: tales of a system in which all receive equal voice. Representation exists on all levels and if you speak, your voice will be heard. Yet, in many ways, when taking a closer look, these tales become myths. On Friday, a district court in Texas ruled that several districts in the state had been illegally gerrymandered. The court found that state lawmakers participated in discriminatory districting, violating the Civil Rights Act and the Equal Protection Clause of The Constitution.

Politics

OUTSIDE THE MAINSTREAM | Trump’s War with the Media

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Last week, Donald Trump did something that broke decades of history and infuriated much of the media. It was also one of the least surprising decisions of his presidency. When Trump prevented several media outlets from attending a private White House briefing with Sean Spicer, he simply followed through on a campaign promise. After all, Trump engages in a self-declared “running war” with the media. In order to win his war, he seeks to limit the effectiveness of certain publications in covering him by cutting off their access and delegitimizing their sources.