http://www.thecornellian.comThe latest articles from the The Cornellian.http://www.thecornellian.com/archives/viewarticle.php?viewID=1309When we ponder the end of the world, we might imagine pop-culture depictions of Mayan predictions or devastating climate change. Rarely do we seriously consider the bright, annihilating flash of nuclear catastrophe, despite the fact that more than 21,000 nuclear warheads remain in the world today. But the threat posed by nuclear weapons is more dangerous than ever, and awareness of that threat is returning to public dialogue. Many factors have contributed to this shift in public attention, such as the increasing likelihood of nuclear terrorism and heightened anxieties about the ambitions of countries like Iran and North Korea. It was also brought about by the efforts of Global Zero, the international movement for the elimination of nuclear weapons. Thanks to Global Zero – and the student leaders who have taken the campaign to their campuses and communities – world leaders are once again turning their attention to the nuclear question. Jennifer Knox2009-02-09http://www.thecornellian.com/archives/viewarticle.php?viewID=1310I’m not prone to rage. However, it is safe to say that during a stroll across campus (enjoying the unusually nice weather of finals week), I experienced a fleeting moment of rage. I quickly settled back into the simmering disgust I have been nursing for several weeks. The sight that upset me? A Miller Lite can in the grass by the Amphitheater. I had already seen one that day, plus one Busch can and one Keystone. This is not intended to be a tirade against littering. This is a jeremiad about not caring.Cate LiaBraaten2009-02-09http://www.thecornellian.com/archives/viewarticle.php?viewID=1311It seems that whenever the question of musical tastes comes up, no one mentions classical. And if it is mentioned, I almost have to ask, “Do you consider the Beatles or Led Zeppelin classical?” Classical music (the real kind) appears to be more difficult to get into. Just for the record, I do enjoy plenty of modern music, but compared with popular modern music, the melodies in classical music are much more complex. Modern music often picks a simple, short and catchy tune to use whenever the singer is going on about… whatever it is. Only a few things are really happening at a time. With the melodies of classical music, there is constant progress and though the motif returns, it is often a variation using a different set of notes, tempo or key. And this is before adding the harmony, which many modern songwriters have just plain forgotten about. Forgive me for the use of metaphor, but imagine the melody and harmony to be partners in a dance, they work in tandem and the harmony allows the melody to shine more brightly. Without the harmony, the melody is just standing by itself, doing a jig in the corner. I won’t say that metaphorical jigs are uninteresting, but it isn’t captivating in the way that the melody and harmony together are. The complexity and forethought present in the melodies, the harmonies and the interaction between them lends classical music a richness that leaves much of modern music feeling very two-dimensional and flimsy.David Miller2009-02-09http://www.thecornellian.com/archives/viewarticle.php?viewID=1312In order to demonstrate these theoretical objections, we will apply an ideal libertarian government to the issue of child abuse. Child abuse is one of the more complicated issues for a libertarian government to address for several reasons. Questions such as what actually constitutes child abuse, and hence, harm, are important. Other factors include what steps government can take to address the abuse, and to what extent the government is permitted in invading individuals’ lives to prevent the abuse. Perhaps, most importantly: is a government allowed to address child abuse proactively rather than retroactively?Neil McCray2009-02-09http://www.thecornellian.com/archives/viewarticle.php?viewID=1313In the last issue of the Cornellian, Mr. Neil McCray (14) wrote an article denouncing Libertarian government. By and large, it was about the supposed logical impossibility of a libertarian government, rather than any argument based on practicality or morality. Mr. McCray essentially argues that there is an inevitable conflict between security and liberty that a libertarian government would find impossible to reconcile. Because this argument is based on theory, any response should address the theoretical possibility of a completely free society, rather than the practical or political problems involved with transitioning to such a society. Tom Kirk2009-02-09http://www.thecornellian.com/archives/viewarticle.php?viewID=1314As a Cornell student, you are most likely required to have a meal plan, so this affects you. For the four years that I have been here, I have never had a say in who was serving my food, despite my required meal plan. Now, as Cornell is considering contract proposals from four food-service companies, students finally have an opportunity to influence the future of food at this college. These companies have already been on campus distributing student surveys and will continue to be present to design contract proposals that will be most likely to gain campus support and win the bid. This is where you have a chance to tell these companies what you want to see in the dining hall for the rest of your time at Cornell.Laura Lindsay2009-02-09http://www.thecornellian.com/archives/viewarticle.php?viewID=1315High school debate has been prevalent across the country for years now. The National Forensics League (NFL) sanctions tournaments in many different debate events centered on philosophy, public policy and current events. High school debate is an important activity. The critical thinking,writing skills and confidence in public speaking are valuable skills, all of which can benefit students in college and later on in life. However, the current way that high school debate is structured is flawed. In order for students to get the most out of high school debate, the NFL-sanctioned events known as Policy and Lincoln Douglas need to be restructured.James Hoeffgen2009-02-09http://www.thecornellian.com/archives/viewarticle.php?viewID=1316Cornell is making drastic changes in the coming years. One of the biggest changes will be that starting next year, the 2012-13 academic year, Cornell will be switching from a nine-block academic year to an eight-block academic year. This change to eight blocks also sparked Cornell to change the number of required credits to graduate from 32 to 31. The switch to 31 credits involved many people. Chair of the Committee on Academic Affairs, Joseph Molleur, stated, “This proposal was drafted by the Academic Regulations Subcommittee and then approved by the Academic Affairs Committee and finally the full faculty.” Eleanor Cotton2009-02-09http://www.thecornellian.com/archives/viewarticle.php?viewID=1317Late last month, U.S. News and World Report published their annual list of “America’s Best Colleges.” U.S. News and World Report has been publishing the list since 1983 ,and is thought by many to be the best of the best when it comes to college rankings. Although there is always some amount of competition among colleges to be in the top of the list, some colleges take the competition so seriously that they pay students to retake exams and/or fudge the actual exam scores.Olivia Cotton2009-02-09http://www.thecornellian.com/archives/viewarticle.php?viewID=1318The inclusion of Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close in the Best Picture category during this year’s Academy Awards nominations was one of the ceremony’s greatest shocks to me. While the Tom Hanks/Sandra Bullock 9/11 drama is unquestionably a heartfelt movie, I have personal doubts that it should be considered for an Academy Award.Matt Jones2009-02-09