Gotta Have It

By wpengine | November 29, 2001

It’s the week after Black Friday, and all is well in the house of shopping. The American economy is in slow motion, so this year more than ever it’s our civic duty to contribute to national consumer confidence and get out there and shop. Thus, I begin my annual holiday gift-guide.

Player-Hater

Okay, so somewhere between 1985 and 2001, video gaming became mainstream … an accepted pasttime. No longer just associated with pale, introverted people wearing suspenders, video games are cool, and this winter brings two ultimate machines: the Microsoft X-Box and the Nintendo Game Cube. I won’t discuss the merits of these machines, but needless to say if you’ve ever had an interest in either Toadstools or Gridiron, these machines are the Xanadu of gaming. The trick here is trying to get your hands on them since both are selling out in many retailers — including Best-Buy and K-mart. (Gamecube, $299. X-Box, $399)

Pump up the Volume

Ah, the Discman … so 1999. This year if you are going to get an audio product under your tree you want something truly digital. The HP Dec (Digital Entertainment Center) 100 is the “Tivo” for audio. The machine stores up to 750 CDs — which if you know computers is 40 gigabytes of MP3’s. The machine is amazing, allowing you to catalog on your television screen and even “rip” MP3s from the built-in CD player. This is a true jukebox for the digital home. The problem with this machine is because it’s so powerful (CD player and burner in one), it costs a pretty penny. At $1000, this gadget is pricey, but definitely next generation and what future audio systems will look like. Early adopters are sure to want one.

For those on the road (and with a Macintosh computer), the Apple iPod is the best portable MP3 player on the market. The unit is the size of a deck of cards, weighs just ounces, and is the best-looking machine around. At this size you get 5 gigabytes of storage (1000 songs) and a battery that will allow you to listen for ten hours. (HP DEC 100, $1000, Apple iPod $329 w/student discount)

Tickets Please

I know that my years in college are near an end, so for the holidays why not try and take a trip to someplace you have always wanted to go? My suggestion would be to check out the 2002 Olympics in Salt Lake City. Starting the first week of February, this is going to be the greatest place to celebrate the American spirit with the Olympics in our own backyard. Tickets for the event are still on sale at www.saltlake2002.com and range from $50 to $5000 dollars.

My other choice “college retreat” is to the old bayou, to attend Mardi Gras (one week before our spring break) or the Jazz Fest (April 26th-May 4th). Both of these events are ultimate parties. It doesn’t really matter where you stay (try the Holiday Inn) but tickets will run you around $400 for a roundtrip. (www.cheaptickets.com)

Toys

There are always those little “chachkis” (a phrase of my grandmother) that are fun to both give and receive. The 80s haven’t left and Rubik’s Cube is a great gift for our nostalgic friends (http://www.hessport.com, $9.99). The movie-buff is probably the easiest person to shop for because you can get them a great nostalgic poster (www.allposters.com) or their very own movie memorabilia — including the new “Wilson” Wilson Volleyball as seen in the Tom Hank’s film Cast Away (www.allvolleyball.com). Those in search of making their apartments a little more “real” should try shopping at MTV when they auction off the Real World Season 10 memorabilia on December 1st (http://www.mtv.com/onair/realworld/season10/auction/). You can get computer desks, pillows, and mirrors from the hit show. Even the large media corporations are having auctions for items, including Fox (www.foxauctionarmerica.org), which is auctioning off memorabilia and other special Fox-related items.

‘Tis the Season

Finally, during this time of the year (especially this year) it would be nice if you could give to those in need. Placing donations for any number of charities from helping out the homeless to the numerous September 11th funds is the best kind of giving for the Holiday Season. The Red Cross offers donations online (www.red-cross.com) and they are now committed to directing your money to your directed cause, or try the Salvation Army (www.salvation-army.com). This is probably the best ‘feel good’ gift you can give. Have a happy.

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Diagnostic Lab Joins In Bioterrorism Fight

By wpengine November 30, 2001

The Cornell Veterinary College Diagnostic Laboratory is joining in the fight against bioterrorism, particularly against susceptible animals. In her visit to campus last week, Sen. Hillary Clinton (D.-N.Y.) described the College of Veterinary Medicine Diagnostic Laboratory as a component of Cornell that makes it a leader in “food production and science research.” The Diagnostic Laboratory, which focuses on improving the health of food, companion, zoo and other animals, “also seeks to prevent communicable diseases or conditions that have an impact on human health,” according to the website. It handles 700,000 laboratory procedures and consultations annually. The lab’s two main functions are surveillance of animal populations and detection of “spontaneous,” naturally occurring disease in animals, said Prof. Pat McDonough, acting director of bacteriology at the lab. McDonough, along with Prof. Martin Wiedmann, food science, have “been asked to act as resources” to Clinton’s staff, McDonough said. They recently provided background information for a bill the senator composed. The laboratory, which has been testing for anthrax in animal populations for years, has increased its surveillance activities in the past couple of months. “We are in the position of ‘using’ the animal populations as a surveillance tool for the entry of infectious agents we don’t normally encounter,” said Prof. Edward Dubovi, associate director for laboratory operations at the Diagnostic Laboratory. Dubovi noted how a couple of years ago birds and crows were mysteriously dying, which signaled a potential risk to human health. West Nile virus was determined to be the cause of the birds’ deaths, and in the past two years, the Diagnostic Laboratory has increased its capabilities for dealing with the virus. In recent months, the lab has received a multitude of phone calls from animal owners inquiring about their pets’ risk of developing anthrax. Dubovi explained that anthrax occurs naturally in some animal populations, such as cattle and other ruminants, who have a low threshold for the disease. “[Anthrax is] a bacterium that exists in soil,” Dubovi said, noting that risk of exposure to cattle and deer increases when the soil becomes dry and wind picks up the anthrax spores. Some areas of the United States, such as the midwest, are “endemic” areas where anthrax typically occurs in deer or cattle populations. Texas, for example, has lost many animals to anthrax. McDonough said that California also has some endemic areas. If an anthrax case appears in the animal population in an endemic areas, it is most likely not due to bioterrorism, McDonough said. He noted, though, that central New York is not an endemic area. “The last known case that we know about in terms of anthrax in cattle [in New York State] was in 1984,” Dubovi added. Carnivores, such as humans, dogs and cats, are not at a great risk for contracting the disease. However, after CNN news reported that cats are susceptible to anthrax, numerous cat owners called the lab with concerns that their pets were at higher risk for developing anthrax. In response, McDonough and other researchers published a fact sheet on dogs’ and cats’ disease risks. The Diagnostic Laboratory tested cultures from several search-and-rescue and bomb-sniffing dogs from New York City, as well as a few politicians’ dogs from Washington, D.C., McDonough said. All the results came back negative for anthrax. It’s a “very unlikely event” that a dog would develop anthrax, Dubovi said. Due to enhanced surveillance systems since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s main diagnostic lab in Ames, Iowa, has asked Cornell’s Diagnostic Laboratory to test animal samples in the northeast region. “So we became an unofficial part of the federal system,” Dubovi said. “In terms of the Northeast, we’re the most comprehensive type of diagnostic lab.” Veterinarians in the field who see suspicious cases or want to confirm their diagnoses can send cultures to the Cornell lab, which will then evaluate the samples and identify the disease. The Diagnostic Laboratory has denied numerous requests to do environmental tests. In the last few months, however, administrators at the Cornell Diagnostic Laboratory have worked with Cornell Environmental Health and Safety to creating protocols for testing samples of anthrax. “The diagnostic lab is represented in the University’s Emergency Operations Center,” Garcia-Rivera said. “We have been working together with the Diagnostic Laboratory as well as [the Cornell] police in developing new procedures and protocols, so the Diagnostic Laboratory can be of assistance in handling environmental samples that do not meet [investigative] criteria,” Garcia-Rivera said. The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s definition of a “crime scene” includes human exposure to a powder, accompanied by a threatening letter or phone call. If suspicious materials meet those criteria, they are sent to the State Department of Health lab in Albany, which is certified to handle such cases. The anthrax scares at Warren Hall and Uris Library this fall did meet the “investigative criteria that warranted submission of such samples to the Department of Health lab in Albany,” said Andy Garcia-Rivera, director of Cornell Environmental Health and Safety. Just last week, the Diagnostic Laboratory received authorization to test non-crime scene materials, should they be discovered on the Cornell campus. The protocol outlines procedures for containment. In the event of a widespread anthrax outbreak, however, “the current facilities [at Cornell] aren’t adequate to handle the problem,” Dubovi said. As of now, “We can work with small amounts of material,” he added. In light of the recent anthrax scares, labs throughout the nation are constructing new facilities that are better able to handle an outbreak, Dubovi said. “There’s an absolute need for a new facility,” he said. The lab’s capabilities are limited by its facilities. The facility was built in 1975, and according to Dubovi it is 30 years behind the current technology. The Diagnostic Laboratory has a deficit of “biocontainment laboratories,” as well as a lack of funds. The lab’s request for state funding in 1990 was denied. “We’re fighting a funding problem,” Dubovi said, adding that the veterinary system “is usually last at the table for consideration” of public health funds. He said the lab needs direct state or federal funding. “The animal systems out there become an important part of the public health surveillance system,” Dubovi added. Archived article by Heather Schroeder
Students React To New Law on Cell Phone Use

By wpengine November 30, 2001

A New York state law prohibiting the use of a cell phone while driving will be put into effect tomorrow. Classifying cell phone communication as an interference to driving, state law officials hope that this new legislation will reduce a driver’s distractions and decrease vehicle-related casualties. According to the New York State Police, offenders of this new legislation will be subject to fines as high as $100, not including additional court fees. While many students have both cell phones and cars, many students interviewed by The Sun appear to be generally receptive to the law, and agree with the motives behind it: the simultaneous use of a cell phone and navigation of a moving vehicle is a dangerous and potentially fatal combination. “I think it’s a good idea,” Joanna Eng ’05 said. Identifying the physical distractions that a cell phone conversation creates for a driver, she added, “People shouldn’t be driving around while having conversations on cell phones, especially since they hold the cell phone in their hand,” she said. Along with the physical interference afforded by cell phones, many students identify the equally dangerous mental distraction that they cause. “I just have a feeling that using a phone while driving completely takes your mind off the road,” Jeff Ballins ’05 said. Tom Klose ’02 agreed. “I’ve noticed [that] people who are using phones and driving at the same time tend to be less aware drivers,” he said. Students supporting the law also indicated that they would act in accordance with it. “I wouldn’t want to use [a cell phone] while driving anyways,” Eng said. Other students, however, are opposed to the law’s implementation and consider the legislation a nuisance. “I think it sucks,” Yu Ishinara ’05 said. But he adds, “There’s an easy solution: use an earpiece [instead of a cell phone].” Christopher Wong ’05 added, “I think it is a decent idea but a waste of funds and time. We’ve got real problems in the world.” Kate Wilkinson ’02 suggests simply pulling over to the side of the road if a phone call is necessary to avoid carelessness while in motion. “If you think the call is going to be [that] important, find the next place to pull over and answer it. If it’s important enough to answer, it’s important enough to give your undivided attention to,” she said. Ballins said, “I usually just pull over if I have to use [a cell phone] anyway, but that’s also the law of ‘The Mom.'”Archived article by Ellen Miller