Opinion

Saturday Morning Super Heroes: Ninja Turtles or Power Rangers?

Jenna Bromberg  —  Mar 9, 2007

Deckhead:

Vs.

Body:

When I was teeny, I’d wake up on Saturday mornings to find my older brother already parked in front of the TV watching Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. I’d pour myself some cereal and sit down next to him, scowling as I chewed my Trix for the duration of the episode. I would have changed the channel if I hadn’t learned my lesson that time I unplugged his Super Nintendo and he tore the heads off of all my Barbies and threw them in the pool. I yearned to watch something with bright colors (ever notice how dark and dreary the colors in the TMNT series are?) and a female character that was slightly less lame than the mom-jean-clad, tragically-permed April. I figured I might just have to wait for the major networks to find out I was a superhero myself so they could make a show about me.

O.J. and C.U.

Mar 9, 2007

Body:

Heroes and Villains is not usually the type of undercover organization that gets giddy when it comes to sensationalism. A tough day of vigorously patrolling the news wires typically ends with a pint of dark brown ale, a couple of smokes on the veranda, a laugh or two with the bros, a warm fire and nice session in front of the telly watching Dancing with the Stars reruns before our moms tell us we have to go to bed.

The Republic Which Stands for What?

Jeremy Siegman  —  Mar 9, 2007

Deckhead:

Cosmology on the Rocks

Body:

I sometimes walk by Barton Hall and get this sinking but proud feeling that ROTC is the most important thing on this campus. The rest of us are nice people. And we used to say the Pledge of Allegiance in grade school, but maybe something didn’t click. “And to the republic for which it stands,” sounded cute. But that line seems to have left a burning question unanswered. That question is climbing down from somewhere far away, somewhere purposeful. It’s screaming, in objective, journalistic tones from the front page every day, and in the rising casualties the articles report. It screams, “And what does that republic stand for?”

El Presidente Numero 1

Carlos Maycotte  —  Mar 8, 2007

Deckhead:

Tequila Sunrise

Body:

Thank you. Thank you.

Seriously. Thank you so much.

OK.

Thank you for that wonderful ovation. Yes, both of you. Thank you.

It is with great pride that I announce today, on the eight day of March in the year of our Lord Two Thousand and Seven, that I will be running in next year’s El Presidente race.

For Terri

Mark Coombs  —  Mar 8, 2007

Deckhead:

If You Can Keep It

Body:

I don’t have a living will — and, if you’re like most college students, I bet that you don’t, either.

There should be no better inspiration for each and every one of us to get one, however, than the woman at the heart of a story that took America on a political and emotional rollercoaster ride about this time two years ago.

Free to Choose?

Ari Rabkin  —  Mar 8, 2007

Deckhead:

Between the Lines

Body:

Both major political parties in America have something of a bad name these days, and one often hears laments that there isn’t a viable “centrist” third party. One perennial candidate for the post is the Libertarian Party. A quick Facebook search shows nearly as many self-identified libertarians as conservatives at Cornell.

Planning for the Future

Mar 8, 2007

Body:

Provost Biddy Martin may not have made the cut for the Harvard presidency, but she certainly passed with flying colors at Cornell’s Academic State of the University address yesterday evening. In what would prove to be a familial gathering of trustees, professors, staff and a handful of students, Martin showed the foresight and honesty of an administrator with a remarkably strong pulse on the University.

A Splendid Noche

Missy Kurzweil  —  Mar 8, 2007

Deckhead:

Don't Miss Out

Body:

Some people don’t like to mix business with pleasure, but I’ve never been one of those people. Therefore, I went on a date with my Cornell Daily Sun editor last Saturday night.

This strapping, Spanish-speaking Associate Editor (who shall remain nameless) has recently ended his term as such. Now he is just a regular Joe, but last week he was still technically my boss — which, I’ll admit, made our date all the more thrilling. For months I’ve watched this guy critique my writing, slash my grammatically-incorrect prose with red ink and crush my last ounce of dignity. But then, at the brink of his retirement, he offered me the chance to strike back by critiquing him. It was just too good; I couldn’t pass up the opportunity.

The Brooklyn Hereafter

Erin Geld  —  Mar 7, 2007

Deckhead:

The Sampling

Body:

I was pretty lucky — most of my ’06 friends moved to New York after graduation. Better, most of them moved to Brooklyn. “Pretty close,” I thought. “I can just jump on a Shortline Bus any weekend and hang out with them. Brooklyn is cool!” I had long seen myself living in Brooklyn after graduation. It would be necessary to check out my new home.

Thou Shalt Not Cornell

Behzad Varamini  —  Mar 7, 2007

Deckhead:

Gain Through Loss

Body:

What was I going to give up for Lent this year? As it turns out, I don’t watch a lot of TV, I can’t stand those trashy celebrity magazines and I’m not even that big into chocolate.

In making my decision this year, I spent a lot of time focusing on what activities and habits seemed to really suck the life out of me, taking up my time and energy and leaving me depleted. What in my life could I omit so that I would have more time to reflect on my blessings and my purpose?

Hello