This week two female alumnae are making headlines for all the wrong reasons.
First up is “nut rage” Cho Hyun-ah ’99. This Hotelie and Korean Airline executive received a 1-year prison sentence in her native South Korea earlier this week after being found guilty of violating aviation law. Cho made headlines in December when she forced a Korean Airlines airplane at JFK International Airport in New York City return to its gate and ordered the chief flight attendant off because he had served her nuts in a bag instead of on a plate. What was a blip on the radar in American media became a huge scandal in South Korea, mainly due to the fact that Cho is the daughter of the CEO of Korean Airlines and because she was accused of trying to bribe the attendant so that he remain silent. Cho profusely apologized for her conduct, but she learned the hard way: Once you leave the Cornell bubble your actions have consequences.
Next up is Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg ’54. During the State of the Union it appeared Ginsburg, who is 81, was dozing off as the President delivered his speech. Supreme Court Justices traditionally sit stoic throughout the duration of the speech, neither applauding nor making evident facial expressions. Today, Ginsburg admitted she “was not 100 percent sober” during the State of the Union, having had some wine at a dinner before the event. This is the not the first time Justice Ginsburg has been caught catching some shut-eye during the State of the Union—she did it in 2010 too.
Keep it up Cornell alumni!
