2011.11.28 by The Badger Herald

THE UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN’S INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWSPAPER SINCE 1969 Volume XLIII, Issue 57

Monday, November 28, 2011

www.badgerherald.com

NEWS | RECALLS

OPINION | JOBS

ARTS

Rewards for tips on recall crime

Wisconsin came in last for job creation in October. If the Legislature doesn’t get back to work, neither will Wisconsinites. | 4

Become insane with Infected Mushroom

One group mobilizing the recall effort is offering $10,000 for information on citizens destroying petitions. | 2

WISCONSIN

| PREVIEW

Israeli psytrance band to send electronic fans on trippy, trancey, dancey ride . | 6

PENN STATE

Stay tuned: more to come

SEE SPORTS, page 8 Megan McCormick The Badger Herald

Although there’s plenty more football to come, quarterback Russell Wilson (far left), running back Montee Ball (far right) and the rest of the Wisconsin football team had plenty to celebrate after defeating Penn State Saturday for a chance to play in the inaugural Big Ten Championship Game.

8 UW schools get new IDs

Proposal would extend personhood to embryos Amendment to constitution would define unborn as legally human Mike Kujak

Four-year campuses across UW System plan to issue second card for voting law

State Reporter

Selby Rodriguez Campus Editor The Government Accountability Board’s recent approval of another University of Wisconsin System campus’ design for student identification cards that comply with the Voter ID law marks the eighth campus to adopt a plan addressing students affected by the new voting laws. According to UW System spokesperson David Giroux, UW-Stevens Point will be the eighth fouryear UW System campus to provide secondary identification cards to

Matt Hintz The Badger Herald File Photo

Students took part in a recent mock election with the City of Madison as a trial run to practice new voting procedures. Mass deputizations have also been held to register students to vote. students who need them to vote under the law’s provisions. The other UW System campuses that plan to provide ID cards include UW-Madison, UW-Green Bay, UW-Eau Claire, UWLa Crosse, UW-Milwaukee, UW-Whitewater and UWSuperior, Giroux said. “Stevens Point just got their card approved the other day, bringing the

grand total up to eight of the four-year campuses,” Giroux said. “Five of the (remaining) four-year campuses are still in the works.” These cards will include a student’s signature and will expire within two years. Not every student will require an additional ID for voting, as the bill

STUDENT IDs, page 2

In a move that would make all forms of abortion illegal, including in cases of rape and incest, Wisconsin Republicans recently proposed an amendment to the state constitution that would extend the definition of personhood to include embryos. According to the Legislative Reference Bureau’s analysis of the bill, this amendment would change the constitution’s language from “all people are born equally free and independent” to “all people are equally free and independent.” The bill would also change the definition of “person” to include every human being at any stage of development.

The constitutional amendment will require approval by both houses of the Legislature and ratification by the state’s citizens before it could become effective. Mississippi recently attempted to pass a similar amendment in early November, but the proposal was defeated in a vote by its citizens. Ohio, Nevada and California have also filed petitions to include personhood amendments on 2012 ballots. The bill’s author, Rep. Andre Jacque, R-Bellevue, said he and supporters had enlisted attorneys to draft a bill that would serve to protect the unborn, the same purpose as the legislation in Mississippi. “This is really about getting the issue out there and having a discussion,” Jacque said. “Right now there is some division within the pro-life ranks as far as what the best strategy is to proceed with and ensuring protection for the unborn.”

Jacque said he and the other authors of the bill were working on the amendment long before Mississippi’s bill went to a vote. According to Jacque, he did not look at Mississippi’s language while drafting the amendment. Jacque added he hoped to start a dialogue within Wisconsin similar to those introduced in Mississippi. “If you look at Mississippi, it had the support of both the Republican and Democratic gubernatorial candidates on the ballot at the same time,” Jacque said. “So it’s something that can cut across party lines. It’s not something I’m looking at for this current legislative session as much as starting that discussion and building toward the future.” University of Wisconsin political science professor Barry Burden said it is unusual that the legislation would be up for consideration in the state after recently

AMENDMENT, page 3

Legislators reintroduce bill for child sexual abuse victims Legislation would remove age limit for citizens to report assaults Adrianna Viswanatha State Reporter Weeks after sexual abuse allegations embroiled the Penn State campus, Wisconsin legislators are seeking to reintroduce legislation providing broader opportunities for

childhood victims to prosecute their perpetrators in court. At a press conference held Tuesday, Sen. Julie Lassa, D-Stevens Point, and Rep. Sandy Pasch, D-Whitefish Bay, proposed reintroducing the Child Victims Act, which has previously been proposed twice. Lassa said the recent incidents at Penn State University demonstrated the need to act now more than ever. “The Child Victims Act gives us a tool to

help reveal more of these criminals and keep offenders from preying on other innocent children,” Lassa said. Current legislation dictates a victim cannot file for sexual abuse after the age of 35. Lassa said the Child Victims Act would eliminate the age limit and hence allow more victims to have their day in court. John Pilmaier, director of the Wisconsin branch of the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, was also present

at the press conference. Pilmaier said childhood sexual abuse is an epidemic in Wisconsin, just as it is elsewhere in the country. He said the Penn State scandal provided insight on the national scope of the crime. “Statistics show that before their 18th birthday, 1 in 4 girls and 1 in 6 boys will be victims of sexual assault,” he said. Pilmaier said it is clear that existing childhood sexual assault prevention laws are not doing

enough to help keep children safe. The Child Victims Act legislation failed both times it was previously introduced. Pilmaier said the Catholic Church lobbied against the bill’s approval in the past. He said their main argument is the legislation would threaten smaller religious organizations, including local parishes. “They acknowledge that they were guilty, but the expense of bringing restitution to the victims

would be too much for them,” Pilmaier said. Pasch also characterized childhood sexual abuse in Wisconsin as an epidemic, saying the bill would be important for preventing future sexual abuse cases. “This bill would remove arbitrary barriers that prevent victims of these unconscionable acts from receiving the justice they deserve, while helping prevent more children from being

ABUSE, page 2

The Badger Herald | News | Monday, November 28, 2011

Events today 7:30 p.m. Travel adventure film: Colorful Mexico

TODAY

TOMORROW

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

42 30

38 26

sunny

mostly cloudy

41 28

38 22

32 25

partly cloudy

cloudy

sunny

7:30 p.m. Monday Night Football

Group offers $10K for petition crime tips

The Sett Union South

One Wisconsin Now pledges reward for citizens who witness destruction, tampering of recall petitions

Memorial Union

Sean Kirkby

Events tomorrow 8 p.m. Beginner Latin Dance Lessons Canopy Dance Studio 341 State Street

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State Reporter After accusations of groups organizing to destroy recall petitions surfaced, a group mobilizing the recall effort of Gov. Scott Walker has established a reward for information leading to the arrest of anyone responsible for destroying or damaging a recall petition. Progressive organization One Wisconsin Now, a strong supporter of the recall, is offering a $10,000 reward in response to reports of individuals destroying signed recall petitions. The organization will only offer the reward to individuals who report information between Nov. 22 and Jan. 14, or when petitioners are collecting signatures. “We cannot allow

democracy to be threatened by those who would illegally destroy recall petitions with valid signatures on them,” Scot Ross, executive director of One Wisconsin Now, said in a statement. On Nov. 17, the Madison Police Department received a report of a man ripping up a petition containing three signatures, MPD Spokesperson Joel DeSpain said in a police report. If more than one person reports the incident, the reward would go to the first person who reports the incident. If One Wisconsin Now receives multiple reports of petition destruction, they will split the award between the people who give information. However, if the information provided does not lead to an arrest, they will not give out the reward, according to the

statement. In response to possible signature forgery on recall petitions, the Republican Party of Wisconsin has launched the Recall Integrity Center, where citizens can report suspected instances of fraudulent signatures. According to a statement, the Republican Party has received reports of voter fraud and has issued screenshots of Facebook pages in which people claim to have signed the names of family members to petitions or have announced they plan to sign recall petitions twice. “The complete and utter disregard for Wisconsin’s election law by individuals associated with the recall of Governor Walker is increasing by the day,” Benjamin Sparks, GOP spokesperson, said in a statement. “These shameful

tactics on the part of Wisconsin Democrats only highlight the fact that this baseless recall of Governor Walker is nothing more than an attempted power grab on the part of liberal special interests.” Despite these efforts, volunteers continue to collect signatures from Wisconsinites who want to recall Walker on a daily basis, Meagan Mahaffey, spokesperson for United Wisconsin, said in an email to The Badger Herald. “In the first 96 hours, over 105,000 residents signed a petition to recall Scott Walker — a clear indication that Wisconsin is ready to recall,” Mahaffey said. Providing fraudulent information or destroying a recall petition is a felony, Michael Haas, a spokesperson for the Government

Accountability Board, said in an email to The Badger Herald. The maximum sentence is three and a half years in prison and a $10,000 fine. When recall petitions are filed, the board only verifies the petitions’ signatures and dates. They also check to make sure the person who circulated the petition has signed it, Haas said. While the GAB verifies each address is a Wisconsin address in statewide recalls, they do not verify each address. “The information on a petition is presumed to be valid and the burden of proof for any challenge to a signature rests with the individual bringing the challenge,” Haas said. The incumbent officeholder has 10 days to submit a challenge after the petition for recall has been filed, Haas said.

Student startup aims to boost local economy The Madison Fund provides small loans to business owners who lack access to foster financial independence Selby Rodriguez Campus Editor Two University of Wisconsin students teamed up to create the nonprofit Madison Fund in an effort to combat the effects that recent years of economic uncertainty have had on small businesses in the community. Co-founders and co-executive directors Alexander Rosenthal and Andrew Tapper teamed up in the fall of 2010 after Rosenthal approached Tapper to be his partner on the business, which focuses on a microfinance model of loaning. “Microfinance is a remarkable concept,” Tapper said. “It extends credit to those who lack access, creates a strong bond between borrower and lender and fosters community development

STUDENT IDs, from 1 mainly affects out-of-state students or those without drivers licenses. Obtaining a voter student ID card should be an easy process for eligible students on these eight campuses, according to Giroux. “In most cases, these cards are available upon request, and it’s up to students to find out where and when they are available,” Giroux said. “Not everyone will need one of these cards to vote with.” Unlike the other universities issuing new

ABUSE, from 1 subjected to sexual abuse in the future,” Pasch said. Jay Heck, executive director of the watchdog group

by encouraging financial literacy and independence.” Rosenthal said he was inspired by 2006 Nobel Peace Prize winner Muhammad Yunus and his microcredit-providing Grameen Bank when he began to look into similar institutions in the United States. After discovering many of these organizations were student-run, Rosenthal then decided to create his own, embarking on a journey spanning the better part of eight months. Additionally, Rosenthal said his research revealed a large percentage of the Wisconsin population is underbanked and face obstacles when seeking to borrow funds. “People are finding it extremely hard to get credit in this economy and

oftentimes they are simply denied by banks for loans without any other place to go,” he said. “We found this huge demand for very small amounts of capital to start businesses and keep them running.” Rosenthal said a main motivation of the Madison Fund is to help those seeking small loans in the Madison community and its neighboring towns. Tapper said the business’ target clients are low-income entrepreneurs and business owners who are unable to meet traditional bank lending criteria. Both Tapper and Rosenthal said there were no requirements outside of motivation, hard work and commitment for the Fund’s prospective clients. “We expect that we’re going to find a lot of people lacking financial

knowledge, income and with poor credit scores,” Rosenthal said. “We’re ready to work with that.” The Madison Fund currently consists of 11 students working across a variety of fields including marketing, lending and fundraising, he said. Tapper emphasized all of the students working with the business were volunteers and strike the right balance of priorities of keeping the business running while also being students on the UW campus. Rosenthal said he saw the Madison Fund as a hands-on learning experience. “Personally, I have learned far more working for the Madison Fund than I have in any of my classes,” Rosenthal said. “It’s really an inside experience you can’t find

anywhere else.” He added because the Madison Fund was student-run, volunteers have the unique opportunity to run their own projects within the business. Students interested in volunteering for the business can get in touch with Rosenthal and Tapper by using the Fund’s website, Tapper said. “It is a phenomenal chance to make your own changes in the Madison community,” Tapper said. “Meeting with community members and helping them fulfill their dreams is the most rewarding experience I have ever had.” According to the business’ website, the Madison Fund officially extended its first loan on Oct. 1.

cards, Giroux said UWSuperior is redesigning its primary ID cards to comply fully with the new restrictions and reissuing them to students. UW-Superior Student Government Association President Emily Borra said in an email to The Badger Herald that these new identification cards began to be issued this year to incoming students, while older students were given the option of trading in their old cards free of charge. “It’s a pretty slick system,” Borra said. “I’m glad switching over has gone so smoothly for us.”

UW-Whitewater Student Government President Patrick Johnson said in an email to The Badger Herald that the Whitewater campus’ transitioning process has proved timely, effective and smooth thus far. Johnson emphasized the importance of educational outreach surrounding the new voting regulations, saying it is a main component both on campus and across the Whitewater community. “We are pleased as students with how our administration handled this and worked with the student body to see what

was needed,” Johnson said. The costs of the new identification cards fall to each individual institution, Giroux said. Issuing a second ID is less expensive than replacing the smart cards students currently carry, he said. The other five four-year campuses and UW System Colleges are still weighing their options, but they are all working to comply with the regulations in some way to enable students to vote, Giroux said. Any option decided upon must ultimately be approved by the GAB, he

said. Giroux also said the UW System is glad to be aiding students interested in voting. “We think student participation is an important part of the college experience and are trying to do everything we can to help students vote,” Giroux said. Officials on the UW-Madison campus recently announced the university will be providing students with a supplemental ID card in a Nov. 21 release. These will be available in the Union South Wiscard office starting Jan. 23.

Common Cause in Wisconsin, said having an age limit on victims of childhood sexual abuse to file lawsuits is unfair. He said

Republican opposition to trial lawyers instead of church resistance to the legislation may have caused the bill to fail in the past. “I would think

any religious organization would be sympathetic to a victim, no matter how old the victim was,” Heck said. Heck also said it is an important issue

for universities, especially in light of the Penn State allegations. Heck said in a situation such as the one at Penn State, it would be unfair for

victims who are only coming forward now to be prevented from bringing their case to court because of their age. “Especially with the Penn State scandal, there ought to be a more favorable view and understanding of victims of sexual abuse and other forms of abuse,” Heck said.

The Badger Herald | News | Monday, November 28, 2011

CRIME in Brief SPRING STREET

LOGAN’S MADTOWN

Residential Burglary

Battery

A 21-year-old woman was awoken by a rustling sound Wednesday morning when someone reached in through her slightly ajar window, a Madison Police Department report said. The woman typically keeps her laptop computer on a table next to the window, the report said, though it was not there the day of the burglary. She called the police, who responded shortly after 6 a.m. A possible suspect was seen, but the individual ran behind homes in the 300 block of South Mills Street and was not apprehended. This burglary is one of many in the area recently, the report said.

A Verona man was assaulted inside Logan’s Madtown bar last Saturday, a MPD report said. The man, who is of Indian descent, said he turned around to respond to a racial slur. When he did so, his attacker punched him in the temple. The victim was knocked unconscious for 10 to 15 minutes and taken to a local hospital, the report said. Ald. Scott Resnick, District 8, said violence has been a problem in Madison bars but is currently being addressed by city officials. “There is still periodic bar violence,” he said. “In the past eight weeks, though, we’ve seen

better patrols and a decrease in the number of incidents. I would assume this is more of a sporadic incident.”

STATE STREET

the victim had been using the spot all day and not allowing others to panhandle there.

WEST TOWNE MALL

SOUTH GAMMON ROAD

A police report said a West Towne employee tried to prevent three women from entering the Aeropostale store Friday after identifying them as previous shoplifters. The three women ignored her, asking, “What are you going to do about it?” and calling the employee “racist.” The women entered the store and began taking clothes off a display table and throwing them all over the floor of the store, the report said. When the employee threatened to call police, one of the women allegedly punched her in the eye.

Battery

Disturbance Two homeless men had a disagreement Monday that escalated when one of the men threatened the other with a knife, according to a MPD report said. The two men were competing for a panhandling spot on the 500 block of State Street. The 56-year-old man allegedly pulled a knife on the 50-year-old man and threatened to cut him, the report said. The 56-year-old told the arresting officer he pulled the knife because

MPD officers arrested five female Memorial High School students after a fight broke out in the school’s cafeteria, a report said. The five suspects, who ranged in age from 15 to 17, sustained several injuries. The most severe came when one of the girls hit another with a padlock, leaving a gash in her nose. According to the report, the violence stemmed from a disagreement over a boy between two of the girls.

Battery

Student-run health program nets national accolade MEDiC clinics aim to educate students, provide free care through volunteers Hannah Filipiak News Reporter A University of Wisconsin studentrun health program for community outreach and student education recently received an accolade for its volunteer effects with a prestigious award from the White

House. MEDiC, a student-run clinic founded in 1991 at Grace Episcopal Church, received the President’s Volunteer Service Award just one year after the idea was fully implemented at UW, according to a statement from the UW School of Medicine and Public Health. MEDiC clinics provide services such as general medical care, physical therapy, dental and mental health care to people with less than adequate health insurance for free, according to the

MEDiC website said. The program serves the greater Madison area out of seven clinics, spread across a variety of locations, the website said. These locations include the Salvation Army, the Safehaven Mental Health Clinic and the ARC House Clinic. In addition, the statement said the program allows approximately 400 students in health fields to investigate how to overcome the shortcomings of health care across the country

while functioning to serve a need in the community — an example of exercising the Wisconsin Idea in the community. “The MEDiC program exists for two reasons: to help those in need in our city and to enhance the education of UW medical students,” said Sharon Younkin, director of the community service of the school, said in a statement. “This is another example of the Wisconsin Idea in action, and a way to create future doctors who understand the current limits of our

Deadline for Occupy Philly passes Kathy Matheson Associated Press PHILADELPHIA (AP) — A deadline set by the city for Occupy Philadelphia to leave the site where it has camped for some two months passed without scuffles or arrests as police watched nearly 50 demonstrators lock arms and sit at the entrance of Dilworth Plaza. The scene outside City Hall was far different from encampments in other cities where pepper spray, tear gas and police action resulted in the removal of long-situated demonstrators since the movement against economic disparity and greed began with Occupy Wall Street in Manhattan two months ago. Occupy Philadelphia has managed to avoid aggressive confrontations so far, and on Sunday night there was hope the City of Brotherly Love would continue to be largely violence-free. “Right now, we have a peaceful demonstration,” said Philadelphia Police Chief Inspector Joe Sullivan, nearly 45 minutes after the 5 p.m. deadline. Along the steps leading into the plaza, nearly 50 people sat in lines, their arms linked, refusing to leave. A police presence was heavier than usual but no orders to leave had been issued. The mood was upbeat in the hours before the evening deadline, with groups playing music and singing hymns. A few dozen tents remained scattered on the plaza, along with trash, piles of dirty

AMENDMENT , from 1 failing in Mississippi. “It is remarkable that this bill would be introduced in Wisconsin given its recent defeat in Mississippi, a more conservative state,” Burden said. “The Republican majority in the Legislature also vowed

blankets and numerous signs reading, “You can’t evict an idea.” “We can definitely claim a victory,” said Mike Yaroschuk, who was in the process of dismantling his tent. “We’ve opened a lot of minds, hearts and eyes.” Yaroschuk said he was leaving the plaza not because of the cityissued deadline but because of a request by unions whose workers will be involved in the long-planned construction project there in the coming weeks. He said Occupy’s efforts to draw attention to economic inequality and corporate influence on government were more important than its physical location. “This place is not a key battle for me … This is a marathon, not a sprint,” he said. Elsewhere on the East Coast, eight people were arrested in Maine after protesters in the Occupy Augusta encampment in Capitol Park took down their tents and packed their camping gear after being told to get a permit or move their shelters. Protesters pitched tents Oct. 15 as part of the national movement but said Sunday they shouldn’t have to get a permit to exercise their right to assemble. Occupy leaders said a large teepee loaned by the Penobscot Indians and a big all-weather tent would stay up. The Augusta arrests came when police say people jumped a waisthigh, wooden fence on the governor ’s mansion lawn and some climbed a portico to the building and unfurled an Occupy banner. As many as 50 protesters, some holding

signs and beating a drum, gathered near the Blaine House gates. In Los Angeles, another deadline was getting closer, too, for hundreds of demonstrators to abandon their weeksold Occupy Los Angeles protest. Although city officials have told protesters they must leave and take their nearly 500 tents with them by 12:01 a.m. Monday, just a handful were seen packing up Sunday. Instead, some passed out fliers containing the city seal and the words: “By order of Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, this notice terminates your tenancy and requires you to attend the Occupy L.A. Eviction Block Party,” which the fliers’ said was scheduled for 12:01 a.m. Others attended teachins on resistance tactics, including how to stay safe should police begin firing rubber bullets or breaking out tear gas canisters and pepper spray. Back in Philadelphia, Steve Venus was fortifying the area around his tent with abandoned wood pallets left over from those who had already packed up. He said the $50 million construction project, including a planned ice skating rink, was not a good enough reason for Occupy Philadelphia to leave the plaza. Venus, 22, said that by enforcing the deadline, the city was essentially telling Occupy supporters “your issues are not important. The only issue that’s important is the ice skating rink.” On Friday, Mayor

Michael Nutter expressed support for the movement’s ideals but said protesters must make room for the longplanned project, which they were told of when they set up camp Oct. 6. Nutter was out of town Sunday, but his spokesman reiterated that “people are under orders to move.” “We’re monitoring the situation and we expect people to leave immediately,” spokesman Mark McDonald said. Members of the governing body of Occupy Philadelphia, the general assembly, previously approved a move to a plaza across the street after union officials stressed the hundreds of jobs being created by the Dilworth reconstruction. But that vote mistakenly assumed protesters would be able to pitch tents there. Graffiti, lack of sanitation and fire hazards, including smoking in tents, were among the city’s chief concerns at Dilworth, which had about 350 tents at the height of the movement. The encampment also attracted significant numbers of homeless, although the plaza had long been frequented by that population even before the camp was established. The city did issue a permit to an Occupy Philadelphia faction called Reasonable Solutions that planned to continue demonstrating across the street beginning Monday. However, activities are limited to between 9 a.m. and 7 p.m., and no overnight camping is allowed.

to stay away from social issues and to focus on the economy.” Rep. Jacque addressed the criticism of the promise to address economic matters before social issues, saying he can “walk and chew gum at the same time.” According to Jacque, he has around 30 bills

currently working their way through the legislative process. “You can argue that anything that doesn’t relate to whatever legislative ‘box’ you want to create is extraneous,” Jacque said. According to Burden, the bill has a long way to go before the issue appears

on any state ballot, saying it would first have to be approved twice by the Legislature and then by the voters before it would effectively change the constitution. He added the last time this kind of issue was up for debate was with a ban on same-sex marriage in 2006.

health care system.” MEDiC clinics treat approximately 1,800 people per year and more than 50 faculty doctors volunteer their time to help those seeking treatment, the website said. According to the award’s website, the President’s Volunteer Service Award is given to individuals, groups or families who have accomplished a certain amount of volunteer hours over a 12-month period or lifetime. The program works

with more than 80 different leadership organizations and 28,000 certifying organizations to bestow more than 1.5 million awards to deserving groups, the website said. “Now more than ever, volunteers are renewing their commitment to helping others and making new connections that bring us closer together as families, as neighbors, as communities and as a nation,” the President’s Volunteer Service Award website said.

Editorial Page Editor Allegra Dimperio oped@badgerherald.com

The Badger Herald | Opinion | Monday, November 28, 2011

Opinion

Wisconsinites not the only things not working Charles Godfrey Columnist Put it in the books, folks — the Bureau of Labor Statistics recently completed a tally of jobs lost and jobs created in the month of October, and the results are less than reassuring for Wisconsin. The BLS reported that Wisconsin lost 9,700 jobs, more than any other state, coming up dead last in the country for creating jobs. These are raw statistics, not weighted on a per capita basis. To those of us who thought the First Law of Thermodynamics stated jobs could neither be created nor destroyed, all of this fuss about job creation and destruction seems rather confusing. Anyhow, in October, the U.S. added 80,000 jobs, and the unemployment rate fell from a staggering 9.1 percent to a slightly less staggering 9 percent. In Wisconsin, unemployment is hovering at 7.7 percent, though this does not include those who are jobless and no longer looking for work. Wisconsin’s economy, on the other hand, is still stagnant and has yet to show strong signs of recovery from the recession. Even though making Wisconsin attractive to businesses and creating jobs have been two of Gov. Scott Walker’s priorities since his inauguration, little progress has been made by the state economy. A so-called special legislative session focusing “like a laser” on jobs spent more time on concealed carry, castle doctrine laws protecting homeowners who shoot intruders, abstinenceonly sex education and affirmative action. Evidently, none of these initiatives improved employment. October’s statistics show the state moving

in the wrong direction, destroying jobs rather than making them. Unfortunately, public schools have seen some of the worst job losses in the state. Although Walker claimed that the majority of school districts have seen an increase in employment, he neglected to mention the 4,700 school employees who have retired since the budget cuts. A survey conducted by the Wisconsin Association of School District Administrators accounted for retirements and reported a net loss of 3,400 employees. Politifact, a watchdog group based in Florida that partners with the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and fact checks claims such as this for accuracy, rated Walker’s analysis of employment in the school system as “false.” In general, Walker’s job creation plan has focused on making Wisconsin an appealing destination for large businesses with tax breaks, weaker unions and legal immunity from consumer litigation. This top-down approach to economic recovery is reminiscent of trickledown economics, also known as Reaganomics. The ultimate goal is an economic recovery led by leaders of industry and major corporations. It is hoped that if the state makes life easy for these corporations, they will repay this investment by creating jobs and bringing Wisconsin back to full employment. The main issue with Walker’s job creation plan is that it is not working. His mantra of an economic recovery led by the private sector has proved itself to be the pipe dream of fiscally conservative advocates of a small government. State politicians who are counting on the private sector and the “free market” to stabilize itself after a recession like the one Wisconsin went through are washing the problem of unemployment and job losses off of their hands and hoping for trickle-down solutions from a sluggish Wisconsin

economy. A viable road map to economic recovery in Wisconsin would include both macroeconomic solutions such as Walker’s and microeconomic solutions such as the microloan program that University of Wisconsin junior Alex Rosenthal launched this summer. Rosenthal’s non-profit, the Madison Fund, plans to provide at least 10 loans of $1,500 to $3,000 in the next six months. These loans will go to entrepreneurs who are committed to starting a small business but have no source of funding. Rosenthal says that the ultimate goal of the fund is to “create jobs in Madison.” Microloan programs have had great success in developing countries such as Bangladesh. They have not been nearly as prevalent in the U.S., but there is no reason that they will not be just as effective at spurring economic development and creating business opportunities for the unemployed. Wisconsin’s job situation could be greatly improved if politicians took efforts such as the Madison Fund seriously and explored the possibility of implementing similar programs on a larger scale. In order to improve on Wisconsin’s October job losses and deal with an unemployment rate that has not improved since the recession, the state government must deal directly with the unemployed and create jobs in small businesses. To date, Walker’s attempts to create jobs have been limited to big business, and statistics show that this is failing. Wisconsin lost more jobs than any other state in because lawmakers have not been looking for solutions that directly impact unemployed Wisconsin residents. This is an embarrassment for a state government that claims be focusing “like a laser beam” on creating jobs. Charles Godfrey (cwgodfrey@wisc.edu) is a sophomore majoring in math and physics.

Megan McCormick The Badger Herald file photo

Former Senator Russ Feingold smiles during his concession speech last November. That night marked the last day of Feingold’s career in politics — unless he finds himself the candidate to replace Gov. Scott Walker.

The non-candidacy of former Senator Feingold Jake Begun Editor-at-Large Since the kickoff of recall efforts against Gov. Scott Walker on Nov. 15th, I’ve been nothing short of rock hard for the range of Democratic hopefuls looking to steer Wisconsin to port. I mean, you have What’sher-face, Fireman Union Guy, Sen. Guy-fromnear-Madison-whowent-to-Illinois-that-onetime, Rep. Kenosha-guywho-just-kept-yelling-inthe-Assembly and U.S. Reps. Who? and Huh? All is going according to plan — petitioners being well on their way toward the requisite 540,208 signatures required — but with the most prominent and electable Democrat “not running,” recognition of last spring’s star players could prove difficult throughout the rest of the Dairy State. Poor Russ Feingold, having to take his loss to Ron Johnson with such humility, never to enter the realm of politics again. Wink. Even if petitioners

collect enough signatures to trigger a recall election against Walker, we’ll never have the pleasure of seeing one of Wisconsin’s great senators get back into the game, you know, seeing as he said he wink wouldn’t run wink. To really be able to mount a viable run against Walker, he’d need a wide base of support throughout the state and a good record as an elected official to fall back on cough cough wink wink nudge wink cough. You’d need something, some event, some movement to support such a run. You’d need a foil for the candidacy, a bad guy with some serious animosity toward him. The cards are just stacked against our boy Russ. Any rational candidate would at the very least make some appearances at mass gatherings, protests, rallies, something of that sort; these things don‘t just appear out of thin air. Moreover, said candidate would need some real fundraising credibility and power. A political action committee would be ideal. An organization aimed at uniting progressives together or something to that effect,

I can almost see it now. But he’s a former senator, not a goddamned time machine. It was a sad day when I first found out Feingold claimed he would not be running. It was a sadder day still when he said the exact same thing months later. Even sadder when he did it again. But you know something, maybe with all he has going against him, he’ll rise to the challenge. Maybe he’ll drop this whole noncandidacy shtick and give this recall election thing a whirl. Maybe … maybe … well, probably. Not running? Staying out of politics? Focusing on family and a career? To the untrained ear these phrases sound like a man looking to stay out of the spotlight. But like many others who spent days and days lurking around the Capitol in the spring, I know better than to let someone tell me I’m misinformed or a terrible listener. “There will be a new governor in a few months, but it won’t be me.” Classic Russ. Almost sounds like something a candidate would say. Jake Begun (jbegun@ badgerherald.com) is a senior majoring in history and journalism.

Circulation of petition goes against university tenets Josh Turner Guest Columnist Before break, four professors here at the University of Wisconsin knowingly engaged in an illegal activity. That’s right, our leaders, our role models, and those who are supposed to be molding us students into good citizens, have trampled the law under their feet. In a small department meeting with several professors and an administrative assistant, one of the professors circulated a petition to recall Gov. Scott Walker. The professor acknowledged that she knew she was not supposed to do this, but because it was such a small group she

thought it would be okay. None of the professors objected, but rather were completely excited with an opportunity to stick it to Walker. It was not okay. It was highly illegal to circulate a political petition in a government building while these professors were supposed to be working. But more concerning was that this act put the administrative assistant in a very uncomfortable and vulnerable position. The assistant supports Walker and has no desire to recall a governor for taking bold steps to reform large problems. Walker has balanced the state budget in a single biennial budget, given the assistant the freedom to opt out of paying union dues, collapsed WEAC’s

insurance scheme and done a host of other reforms she supports. What makes this act so infuriating is not just the brazen illegal actions, but that the administrative assistant was put in such a horrible position. In a sense, the petition took on the form of a loyalty oath: Are you with us or against us? These professors are the assistant’s superiors. They rank above her, they make more money than she does and they have power over her career. In her position, she was not about to call these professors out. Still, she was faced with the realization that if she did not sign the petition, they would all be aware of her political position. She knows first hand the type of hostility these

professors hold toward Walker. Almost daily, they are in the department office discussing openly how despicable he is. Yet, she could not betray her conscience and sign the petition. She refused and got up and left the room. She failed the loyalty test, and now she is potentially set up to be in a very uncomfortable and hostile situation. Precisely because of situations like this, political activities are not allowed in government workplaces. Apart from the problems the administrative assistant will now have to deal with, this event illustrates issues that exist on our campus. There is no doubt that the predominant political persuasion on campus is

left leaning, and there is nothing inherently wrong with that. People are entitled to hold whatever political views their conscience requires, and for a small percentage, believe it or not, that view happens to support Walker. For a professor to arrogantly assume that this small group shared her views showcases the type of thinking that is becoming an increasing problem on our campus. A thinking that says, “If you don’t think like me, there is something abnormal about you.” Can she rightly assume that her view is so right that everyone in the room believes the same as her? Acts like these do not foster freethinking, and are not in alignment

with some of the main tenets of this university. According to political science professor Donald Downs, cases like these show a lack of intellectual and political diversity on campus that is a hindrance to liberal education. Madison prides itself in being a liberal arts college, a bastion of critical thinking, a university given to the task of sifting and winnowing for the truth. All of us, students and staff, should be allowed, even encouraged, to think individually. We must never allow a view to go unquestioned; no view can be placed as an untouchable orthodoxy. Josh Turner (jnturner@ wisc.edu) is a senior majoring in political science.

Your Opinion · Send your letters to the editor and guest columns to oped@badgerherald.com. Publication is based on space and takes into account relevance and quality. Letters should be sent exclusively to the Herald. Unsigned letters will not be published. All submissions may be edited by the Herald for length and style. Reader feedback on all articles and columns can be posted at badgerherald.com, where all print content is archived.

Comics

Dance, Motherfucker, Dance Noah J. Yuenkel comics@badgerherald.com

The Badger Herald | Comics | Monday, October 28, 2011

WHAT IS THIS

SUDOKU

HERALD COMICS

PRESENTS

U WHITE BREAD & TOAST

toast@badgerherald.com

MIKE BERG

NONSENSE? Complete the grid so that every row, column and 3x3 box contains 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9. What? You still don’t get it? Come, on, really? It’s not calculus or anything. Honestly, if you don’t know how to do a sudoku by now, you’ve probably got more issues than this newspaper.

TWENTY POUND BABY

DIFFICULTY RATING: Imprompu Dance party at 1:30

HERALD COMICS

PRESENTS

baby@badgerherald.com

STEPHEN TYLER CONRAD

YOURMOMETER

LAURA “HOBBES” LEGAULT

C’EST LA MORT

PARAGON

yourmom@badgerherald.com

HOW DO I

KAKURO?

I know, I know. Kakuro. Looks crazy, right? This ain’t no time to panic, friend, so keep it cool and I’ll walk you through. Here’s the low down: each clue tells you what the sum of the numbers to the right or down must add up to. Repeating numbers? Not in this part of town. And that’s that, slick.

paragon@badgerherald.com

The Kakuro Unique Sum Chart Cells Clue 2 3 2 4 2 16 2 17

DIFFICULTY RATING: I SAID IMPROMPTU DANCE PARTY AT 1:30!

REHABILITATING MR. WIGGLES

Possibilities { 1, 2 } { 1, 3 } { 7, 9 } { 8, 9 }

3 3 3 3

6 7 23 24

{ 1, 2, 3 } { 1, 2, 4 } { 6, 8, 9 } { 7, 8, 9 }

4 4 4 4

10 11 29 30

{ 1, 2, 3, 4 } { 1, 2, 3, 5 } { 5, 7, 8, 9 } { 6, 7, 8, 9 }

5 5 5 5

15 16 34 35

{ 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 } { 1, 2, 3, 4, 6 } { 4, 6, 7, 8, 9 } { 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 }

6 6 6 6

21 22 38 39

{ 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 } { 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7 } { 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 } { 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 }

7 7 7 7

28 29 41 42

{ 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 } { 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8 } { 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 } { 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 }

8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8

36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44

{ 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 } { 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9 } { 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9 } { 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9 } { 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9 } { 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 } { 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 } { 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 } { 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 }

www.neilswaab.com

NEIL SWAAB

MADCAPS

HERALD COMICS 1

PRESENTS 5

25 29

37 45

38 46

53 55

39 48

random@badgerherald.com

36 43

ERICA LOPPNOW

35 42

RANDOM DOODLES

pascle@badgerherald.com

18 20

RYAN PAGELOW

BUNI

madcaps@badgerherald.com

MOLLY MALONEY

56 61

Puzzle by Lynn Lempel

PRIMAL URGES

primal@badgerherald.com

ANDREW MEGOW

MODERN CONSERVATIVE MOVEMENT

THE SKY PIRATES

COLLIN LA FLEUR

DENIS HART

mcm@badgerherald.com

skypirate@badgerherald.com

Across 1 Elba or Capri 5 Pleasant, weatherwise 10 Measure of sugar: Abbr. 14 Reduction of sugar intake, e.g. 15 Trojan War epic 16 Pro ___ (proportionately) 17 Where sad trash collectors get together? 19 Savings options for the golden yrs. 20 Stadium area 21 Cow sound 22 Mends, as socks 23 The “P” of PT boat 25 Put to good eﬀect 27 Rock’s ___ Rose 28 Where future motorists get together? 31 Architect I. M. ___ 32 Fencer’s sword

33 End of a student’s e-mail address 34 Living oﬀ the land? 36 Smidgen 38 Org. for a Big Apple cop 42 Sir ___ McKellen 45 Snap up 48 Rousing cry at a ring 49 Where elderly picnickers get together? 53 Hair spiﬀerupper 54 Holey brewing gadget 55 Spa treatment that might include two cucumber slices 57 Group of eight 58 Cries of surprise 61 Arrests 62 Soul singer Redding 63 Where stranded canoeists get

together? 66 Lacking company 67 “I feel the same” 68 Gentleman’s partner 69 Basic work units 70 Colorado skiing town 71 Yankee superslugger, to fans

13 18 22 23 24 26 29

for “The StarSpangled Banner” Got a D or better Wash away, as soil Conked out Elderly Smurf Cut (oﬀ) French tea Spider’s creation Whinny Sites for military ﬂights

CROSSWORD 37 Preﬁx with athlete 39 Boo Boo’s buddy in Jellystone Park 40 “Go right ahead” 41 Texas computer giant started in a dorm room 43 Not much 44 Stanley Cup org. 46 Furry extraterrestrial in a 1980s sitcom 47 Mel with “1,000 voices” 49 Actor Peter of “Becket” 50 Course taken by a plane or missile 51 Dining 52 Gets hitched in haste 56 French president Nicolas Sarkozy’s wife 59 URL starter 60 Pump or loafer 63 “Kill Bill” co-star Thurman 64 Seemingly forever 65 Elizabethan dramatist Thomas

30 Down 1 Coup leader 35 ___ Amin 2 Extra costs of smoking and drinking Rocky the Herald Comics Raccoon™ 3 “Just forget about this” Let’s do 4 Once-poputhis four-day lar anesthetic 5 Oﬀer on weekend eBay thing more 6 Grad often. 7 Chauﬀeurdriven auto Like every 8 Plan, as an weekend. itinerary 9 Fabric amts. 10 Preliminary test 11 Hispanic neighborhood 12 One of four

Get today’s puzzle solutions at badgerherald.com

ArtsEtc. Editor Sarah Witman arts@badgerherald.com

The Badger Herald | Arts | Monday, November 28, 2011

ArtsEtc. ‘Muppets’ pays sub-par tribute Sarah Witman ArtsEtc. Editor

Photo courtesy of Perfecto Records

Erez Eisen and Amit Duvdevani’s act started underground 13 years ago in Israel. Today, the group sits in the top 25 of DJ Mag’s top 100 list and is expected to perform a kaleidoscopic show.

Israeli DJ duo to infect Majestic Electronic, metal, psytrance confluence Infected Mushroom takes trip to Madison Allegra Dimperio ArtsEtc. Writer Infected Mushroom members Amit “Duvdev” Duvdevani and Erez Eisen are not your typical Top 25 DJs. They’re not European, they’re not pretty boys and you would never mistake their music for house. Yet the Israeli duo has been in the electronic scene longer than most of us have even known such a scene existed. “In America, Infected Mushroom is a niche kind of thing,” the group’s lead singer Duvdev said. Although Infected Mushroom may not be a familiar name to newer electronic fans, the group burst onto DJ Mag’s Top 100 list in 2005, eight years after Duvdev and Erez started playing underground trance shows in Haifa, Israel. It was in 1997 that the group formed and created the psychedelic trance genre, something Duvdev describes in this way: “It’s trance, and it’s more hardcore trance, so it’s really fast, 140-145 beats per minute for the dance floor, strong music with some psychedelic sounds.” Today, Infected Mushroom is the biggest thing to come out of Israel and has played hundreds of shows worldwide, the next of which is right here in Madison. The show may

catch those used to the group’s harder metal style of psytrance a bit off guard. “You don’t know what to expect because we don’t know what to expect,” admitted Duvdev from his home in Los Angeles. The producer and performer

The group provides intense lights, glowing inflated mushrooms and visuals that can be described in no other way than trippy. took some time out of a short break in his tour to chat with The Badger Herald. The duo is testing out tracks from their new album, set to come out early next year. The new release will mark a change for the trance group, whose past two albums, The Legend of the Black Shawarma and Vicious Delicious, were decidedly metalinspired. According to Duvdev, the new album “is completely not influenced by heavy metal.” “The album is super electronic compared to the two previous ones,” he said. “This album has more electro, more dubstep, more drum

and bass, glitch hop.” The group took a cue from the American electronic scene and DJs like Skrillex on the album, but a listen to its first single, “Pink Nightmares,” confirms they likely won’t be on MTV anytime soon. When asked if he would identify Infected Mushroom’s music as psytrance, Duvdev replied, “Not anymore.” “I would identify Infected Mushroom as an electronic band because we do everything,” he said. And do everything they do. Past tracks have included everything from entire choirs to acoustic guitars to rapped lyrics, all framed in the context of trance music. While the group is known for pioneering psytrance and bending the boundaries of the genre, today they are even better known for their live performances. While the duo largely digitally produces their tracks in the studio, their live performances feature a full band. Instead of conducting the musical chaos from behind a DJ booth, classically trained pianist Erez pounds at the keyboards and Duvdev takes the mic, performing their sets with the support of a guitarist and drummer. If the spectacle of musicians thrashing at their instruments at 145 beats per minute isn’t

enough to satisfy, the group provides intense lights, glowing inflated mushrooms and visuals that can be described in no other way than trippy. Combined, the audiovisual experience leaves audiences in frenzy. “Performing has the rush from the crowd,” Duvdev said. “The fans give me the power to produce.” The group’s worldwide fan base may explain their long and successful career. Duvdev and Erez average 120 shows a year and have played everywhere from the island of Ibiza, Miami and Australia to Jerusalem and India, two places that rarely invite live acts. While the Madison show will likely not make Duvdev’s list of favorites (it’s hard to top playing in a desert near the Dead Sea or on Fuji Mountain), it is sure to be a heartracing, mind-bending, sweat-dripping crowd pleaser. Duvdev kept mum on the specifics, but did offer a hint for Madison show goers. “Prepare for a lot of surprises in the show for people who follow Infected Mushroom, and for people who don’t, come check us out.” Infected Mushroom will perform at the Majestic Wednesday. Doors open at 8 p.m. and tickets are $25 general admission.

‘The Descendants’ transcendent Sun-kissed drama shines on strength of plot, acting; Oscar nominations seem likely Tim Hadick ArtsEtc. Writer Director Alexander Payne (“Sideways”) seems to be gearing up for another Oscar with the combination of a brilliant script and bold acting from George Clooney (“Up in the Air”) in his new film “The Descendants.” Matt King (Clooney) is forced to pull himself away from his job as a lawyer in Honolulu and pay more attention to his family after his wife falls into a coma from a boating accident. Not only is he busy with work, he is also the trustee over several hundred acres of beautiful Hawaiian land, which his family owns and is pressing him to sell for millions of dollars. As if his wife’s accident isn’t enough stress to deal with, he must reprioritize caring for his two daughters: one a rambunctious 10-yearold, Scottie (introducing Amara Miller), the other a drug and alcohol addicted teen, Alexandra (Shailene Woodley, “The Secret Life of the American Teenager”). But King must also confront a nasty truth about his wife — one that changes everything he thinks about her, himself and his family. The film’s strength comes from its fluidity of dialogue and character interactions. As King meets with family

members to inform them of his wife’s condition, Clooney plays King as if he has known them for years, sparing no heartfelt smile or strong-willed tear. One standout scene has King telling a relative that his wife is doing well, despite receiving horrible news regarding her condition. He puts on a fake but sincere smile and lies, making the audience aware of King’s emotions battling beneath the surface. Clooney’s acting is spot on, creating emotion from even the slightest facial movements. Be it with makeup or naturally, Clooney plays an aging King with graying hair and wrinkles that emphasize an overworked and stressed man trying to keep everything together while his whole perception of the world around him falls apart. Witty, comedic dialogue throughout the movie left the entire audience laughing, with a tone of ease and understanding. Interactions between King and his older daughter Alexandra are some of the funniest as both battle for emotional dominance over the other. The confrontations and casual lines between them never felt out of place or forced for the sake of humor. Scattered throughout the film are slideshows of King’s ancestors, who left his family the land

he is tasked to sell. These scenes often break the emotional tension and bring the audience closer to King, as King himself uses these moments to refocus his priorities. While these scenes do break the flow of the film’s cinematography, they never feel out of place or unwelcome. The beautiful shots of Hawaii in “The Descendants” are almost reason enough to pay for a ticket. Progressing from cityscapes of Honolulu, where King spent most of his time before the accident, to the sun-kissed mountains of Kauai, where the family owns land, Payne filmed every shot on location and with a specific mood-setting purpose. Set to traditional Hawaiian music, one could almost feel the warmth of the Hawaiian sun in the theater. The film’s major flaw comes from its often inconsistent focus on characters. By starting off with strong introductions to main characters — such as showing Alexandra in a drunken state before learning of her mother ’s accident — details regarding personalities are later all but forgotten in favor of witty dialogue. Although interactions between even the most unlikely of characters creates a powerful emotional atmosphere, the actual characters — with the exception of

King — sometimes feel left out in later scenes. Other characters, such as random, distant family members King meets throughout Hawaii, seem thrown in without much reason, given a name and brief back story but never heard from again. While this was probably director Payne’s attempt at portraying a natural, surprise meeting between family members, it seems forced and often out of place. At its heart, “The Descendants” is a tale about coming together as a family. Payne has an excellent ensemble that interacts naturally as a grieving, dysfunctional family reuniting after years of being estranged. Performances by Robert Foster (“Jackie Brown”) and Judy Greer (“Love and Other Drugs”) give the film powerful emotional and comedic interactions that keep the audience’s attention and connects them to the central theme of loss. “The Descendants” is a laugh-out-loud emotional roller coaster that won’t be easily forgotten, thanks to Clooney’s sure to be Oscar-nominated performance and the ability of other stand-out characters to interact with prowess.

THEDESCENDANTS Alexander Payne

Anyone fortunate enough to see “The Muppets” over Thanksgiving break probably laughed and smiled a bit. Depending on personal levels of coolness and composure, they might have cried, too. The emotional roller coaster, though, might not be what Muppet adorers have been searching for. Because this particular roller coaster resides in the theme park of ill fit substitutes. As someone with a prominent Muppet heritage, out of principle I would have liked a new adventure to embark upon — not the same adventures, collectively, I had already taken with the esteemed cast of characters. Seeing the film made me want to look back at this film’s historical context; how it fits into the timeline of Jim Henson’s work with the Muppets. Jim Henson died before I was born, but thankfully that did not stop me from watching and enjoying nearly all films and shows his Muppets appeared in. “Muppets from Space,” one of many posthumous Muppet films, was my favorite movie for a long period of time — before being knocked out by “Gone With the Wind,” if that gives any indication of the caliber of films among which I consider it. And everyone knows the “Star Wars” movies with “puppet Yoda” are far better than those with his CGI counterpart, for that sole reason. Looking back at his achievements, who knew that a puppeteer could garner such a monumental level of fame? Not only was his profession offcamera, but those he directed were not truly on-camera either. The thought is fairly surreal. A common anecdote in my household growing up was how Jim Henson had gotten strep throat and actually died from the infection because he never got it treated. I’m guessing this true story was only told as a parental ploy to go to the doctor, but I remember admiring him for it in a way: He was so dedicated to his work that illness seemed inconsequential. “The Muppet Christmas Carol,” “Muppet Treasure Island,” “The Muppets’ Wizard of Oz” and of course “Muppets from Space” were made by Disney after his death, but all were major successes. They stayed true to Henson’s classics as well as found a way to entertain modern audiences — and not just children. In my older years, I’ve explored some of Henson’s lesser-known creations, like “The Dark Crystal” or “Labyrinth.” Many of these films, from which the typical Kermit and Fozzie Bear brand of Muppets are absent, contain darker content and more mature messages, or so I would like to think. His oeuvre was a great deal more eclectic and diverse than “Sesame Street,” “The Muppet Show” and “Fraggle Rock” episodes may have revealed, though those shows explored themes relatively deep, too, far beyond what their target audience would suggest.

It was probably the lack of this factor in “The Muppets” that was most off-putting. Its superficiality gained some momentum when Jack Black, Whoopie Goldberg and others showed up, but the blandness and meaninglessness of musical numbers had me raising more than a few eyebrows from the start. All but two members of the main characters’ community, “Small Town,” were white, giving off the idea that innocence and quaintness can only be associated with one type of person. Plus, the biggest social challenge faced was “Oh darn, my boyfriend’s kid brother is always hanging around,” which barely scratches the surface of self-identity issues Disney approached in the past with the Muppets, and I imagine Henson would have explored had he made this film. Also, it astounded me how much the film’s creators loved to break the fourth wall. From Chris Cooper’s ironic muttering of “maniacal laugh” whenever his character, the villain Tex Richman, anticipated something particularly dastardly, to the verbal suggestion of rounding up the geographically scattered gang “in a montage,” I felt jolted: Is this a Muppet movie, or a movie about being in a Muppet movie? Overall, I could not shake the powerful feeling that I wanted — needed — to re-watch the other films; that I should be anywhere but that theater, as long as it was where I could be watching “The Muppets Take Manhatten” or “The Great Muppet Caper.” Films of this nature — ones that revisit something old and beloved, like remakes, prequels, adaptations of books, etc. — are generally best judged by how often audience members get a warm, squirmy feeling inside, or just lose it. Funnily enough, Kermit’s rendition of “The Rainbow Connection” didn’t do it for me in “The Muppets” like it has in the past. It was actually an altogether new character, Walter, who brought on the tears. Akin to Dumbledore’s death, circa “Half Blood Prince” midnight showing, I was crying all through his big number: an oddball puppet whistling below a star-strewn ceiling of the Muppet Theater. This film was more of a farce of a Muppet movie than an actual Muppet movie. It was clearly meant to be a tribute, but it really only touched on many aspects of the Muppets’ past; it did not become engrossed in Muppet lore; it did not enhance Muppet culture. The Muppets are not just puppets, they are an entire population made up of completely unique individuals. One of them continues to tell jokes no matter how many tomatoes are thrown his way. Yet another is an alien, but didn’t know it for more than 30 years of life. And several have had to cope with being green all this time; and goodness knows that’s not easy. Perhaps the best way to honor Jim Henson and his Muppets is not to see this movie, but rather revisit the films he actually made in the comfort of one’s home. It’s just a tribute, after all, and, like many tribute bands, it’s not quite on par with the real thing.

To place an ad in Classifieds: Roshni Nedungadi rnedungadi@badgerherald.com 257.4712 ext. 311

The Badger Herald | Classifieds | Monday, November 28, 2011

EMPLOYMENT

FOR RENT

BEST LOCATION HOUSES 1 block to Kohl Center/SERF. 3, 4, 6, 7, 8 bedroom locations, parking available. Visit MADISONCAMPUSRENTALS.COM

!Bartending! $300/day potential. No experience neccesary. Training available. 800-965-6520 ext. 120 Earn $100-$3200/ month to drive our cars with ads. www.FreeCarJobs.com

Campus Housing Fall 2012 all over campus. Call or Text (608) 695-3937.

STUDENTPAYOUTS.COM. Paid Survey. Takers Needed in Madison. 100% Free to Join. Click on Surveys.

Large 10 bedroom house on Langdon Street one block from Memorial Union, ideal 10-12 people. 3 bathrooms, washer/ dryer, dishwasher, parking, huge sundeck on Langdon. You will not find a larger house this close to campus. Call or text for more information or to book a showing. (608) 695-3937 Available for Fall 2012.

FOR RENT Large 3 bedroom with room for 5 near Engineering and stadium. Remodeled bathroom with free parking, central air, dishwasher and more. $1795-1895. 608235-5931 LARGE 3BR FALL. 411 W. Dayton. New kitchen, dishwasher/ microwave, free laundry in apt. New carpet/ hardwood floors, central air, fully furnished, porches. $1400. 835-2637

Classifieds

FOR RENT ALL UTILITIES AND parking included. Large recently remodeled 4 bedroom with room for 5. Great central location with easy access to everything. $1895. 608-235-5931

www.BadgerHerald.com/ShoutOuts

PARKING Downtown/ campus, heated/ underground parking $150/month at the Embassy Apts. Parking also available for $90/month at 435 W. Johnson. Call 609-2567368 or stop by the Embassy office.

WW: I went to a bar in my hometown tonight and saw almost my entire high school graduating class. as everyone else casually stood around and drank beer, my fellow badger friend and I repeatedly took shots and eventually ended up jumping on the bar to dance. after 20 minutes of being extremely

inappropriate, the bartender told us to pay our tab and get the fuck out. we walked out the door after stiﬀing the bartender and my friend proceeded to throw up all over the bouncer and the girl standing next to him. I’VE NEVER BEEN MORE PROUD OF HER AND THE DRINKING HABITS WE LEARNED IN MADISON. winning

WW: going home and my parents making brownies, french silk pie, cupcakes, 2 of my favorite meals, turkey not once but TWICE, and sending me back to school with leftovers. I have never been so well fed in my entire life. GOBBLE GOBBLE

Sports

Despite injuries, Wisconsin sweeps Mercyhurst Kelly Erickson Associate Sports Editor The score may suggest otherwise, but Wisconsin’s 5-2 win and series sweep over Mercyhurst was far from pretty. With the injury bug hitting Wisconsin (7-81, 4-7-1 WCHA) hard, there was no veteran forward on any of its lines. While the other forwards worked through some growing pains against Mercyhurst (6-7-1, 5-1-1 AH), Wisconsin’s offense wasn’t consistent, but still managed 12 goals on the weekend. Passes weren’t connecting and the lines didn’t always look sharp, but head coach Mike Eaves was still pleased with UW’s overall results. “I’m pleased with the outcome, and I think we’re going through ‘OsgoodSchlatters’ — growing pains,” Eaves said. “With having so many young people, every turn that we get to, almost every shift, there are huge things that are going on because every player on the ice is young. They’re going through new

things and we’re asking a lot of them. We’re going in the right direction, but we’re crawling right now.” While the Badgers’ youth had no choice but to lead the offense, it was UW’s lone senior defenseman, Eric Springer, who sealed the win. Kicking off what would be the weekend’s most intense period, sophomore forward Michael Mersch brought the puck up the ice, centered it to Springer in the slot who knocked the puck in for the 3-1 lead 50 seconds into the third period The goal was Springer’s second of his career, ending a 61-game scoreless drought — a drought he knew would take some time to end. “Yes, absolutely,” Springer said with a laugh. “But I’m happy [the goal] came.” With four goals in the third period combined between the two teams — three from the Badgers — tensions were at their highest. Sophomore forward Tyler Barnes scored on the power play with three minutes

REACH, from 8

DOMINATING, from 8

opponent to score more than 27 points, but the Badgers put up 28 in the first half alone. “Forty-five points is a lot of points against a good defense,” Bielema said. “That part is what I wish people would hone in on. [Ball and Wilson] aren’t getting these numbers against teams that aren’t particularly good on defense.”

moment,” Henry said. “It’s a really special time, a very special opportunity and I’m not going to be able to get it back. … It’s just been a fun ride so far and it’s been truly a blessing. I’m just thankful that I had the opportunity to be put in this position to play my last game and go out there and win it at Camp Randall.”

FIAMMETTA, from 8 They finished with four penalties for 35 yards, a stunning number for a team that held the ball for 38:17 of the game — nearly 17 minutes more than its opposition. So as the Badgers approach their longawaited rematch with the Spartans, the team that’s haunted them more so than perhaps any other in recent Big Ten history, they’ll do so playing their best football. As players and coaches, they’ll

say there are things to improve on — namely the aforementioned miscommunications and also third-down defense, a critical area of weakness in the first MSU game. But in their two biggest tests since the pair of Michigan State and Ohio State road trips, Wisconsin won on the road, limited mistakes and took care of business. They were a winning team before these last two games, and now they’re one primed to take advantage of a

left in the game, and Mercyhurst’s Charlie Carkin was not happy about it. As Carkin got in Barnes’ face, sophomore forward Mark Zengerle came in to defend his linemate. Many punches were thrown as several players on both sides joined the fight. As a result, both Zengerle and Carkin were penalized for game misconduct and had to head into the locker rooms early. Overall, the Badgers spent a total of 28 minutes in the box on 10 penalties. Mercyhurst had 12 penalties for 24 minutes. “Any time a weekend goes the way it did, you’ve got to be ready for that,” Springer said. “Guys are upset on the other team, obviously. It’s just something that you’ve got to be prepared for and try to not do anything too stupid out there. We’re just happy we got the win and that’s the most important thing.” But before a rollicking third period even took place, UW looked sluggish and couldn’t establish

But while they’re proud of the work they’ve accomplished in protecting their home turf, the Badgers are looking forward to the rare chance at a rematch with Michigan State. “You don’t often get second chances in life, let alone to have a second chance right here on the football field,” Henry said. “But I think we’re extremely grateful.”

season that once seemed destined to wither under the glare of intensely high expectations. Mike is a senior majoring in journalism. Think UW will win Saturday? Let him know on Twitter @ mikefiammetta and be sure to follow @ BHeraldSports for the latest Badgers news. He’ll also be on the broadcast for WSUM 91.7 FM for live coverage of the Big Ten Championship Game. You can also listen live at wsum.org.

much of an offense in the beginning of the game. “[Mercyhurst] came with a great desire to try and establish themselves,” Eaves said. “So it’s two teams trying to establish their will. We were actually better tonight [than Friday]; you might not have noticed as much because they picked up their level.” Similarly, Wisconsin had a slow start Friday night — which Eaves blamed on too much Thanksgiving turkey — but the Badgers routed the Lakers, 7-2. Wisconsin faced early penalties — specifically a five-minute major by sophomore forward Keegan Meuer for game misconduct — but still generated offense a man down. Mersch and sophomore forward Jefferson Dahl were able to get a shorthanded

goal 1:20 into the five-minute penalty kill. Mersch cleared the puck out from behind the net, straight to Dahl who was waiting in the crease, who knocked it in for the 1-0 lead. Three minutes later, the duo created a two-on-one and Dahl returned the favor, setting up Mersch for a goal, who made it 2-0 for Wisconsin. “We had a little trouble getting going right away,” Dahl said. “But we were talking on the bench that we need to just keep sticking with it, keep fighting and getting the pucks in low and doing the little things. We got a few bounces our way and it started to roll from there.” In the nine-goal game, only two goals came at even strength, both from the Badgers’ top defensemen, Frankie Simonelli and Justin Schultz.

Schultz led the defense, not only scoring two goals and notching two assists for a four-point night, but also in blocking shots. Mercyhurst outshot Wisconsin 26-21, and while freshmen goalie Joel Rumpel was solid between the pipes, the Badgers blocked 14 of the Lakers’ total shots. “One of the harder things we did this game was block shots, line up and get that done,” Eaves said. But it was Zengerle who owned the night. Aside from extending his point streak to 14 games, Zengerle had a five-point night from four assists and one goal. “Every time he’s out there, he’s a threat to score,” Schultz said. “His vision is so good and his skills with the puck are so good that he makes it a threat every time he’s out there.”

Sports Editor Mike Fiammetta sports@badgerherald.com

The Badger Herald | Sports | Monday, November 28, 2011

SPORTS Stephanie Moebius The Badger Herald

Wisconsin running back Montee Ball lunges for one of his four scores Saturday against Penn State. Ball now has 34 touchdowns on the year, second-most in NCAA single-season history, and has scored a touchdown in 12 consecutive games, also an NCAA record.

Wisconsin reaches Big Ten title game GAMER

Badgers hammer Nittany Lions 45-7 to clinch Leaders Division crown Elliot Hughes Sports Content Editor At the end of October, the Wisconsin football team’s hopes and dreams of playing for a conference title in Indianapolis seemed dim, at best. One month later, the Badgers find themselves making reservations for a date with Michigan State in the inaugural Big Ten Championship Game. No. 16 Wisconsin (10-2, 6-2) defeated No. 19 Penn State (9-3, 6-2) 45-7 under a steady stream of rain Saturday at Camp Randall Stadium, clinching the top spot in the Big Ten Leaders Division and a spot in Saturday’s title game. “After those losses, everyone brought it up

and we believed we still had an opportunity,” quarterback Russell Wilson said, referring to losses against Michigan State and Ohio State. “We have great leadership on this team. Guys practiced great from those two losses on, and now we have a great opportunity in front of us playing Michigan State. “It’s truly a blessing to be playing in the inaugural Big Ten championship game. It’s two great teams going after it.” Running back Montee Ball scored four touchdowns and ran for 156 yards on 25 carries. Those touchdowns upped Ball’s season total to 34, the second-highest season total in NCAA history, behind only Barry Sanders’ 39, set in 1988. That performance was complimented well by the man handing Ball his namesake, Wilson, who completed 19 of 29 passes for 186 yards and

two touchdowns. Wilson wowed the audience at Camp Randall all evening long with his feet, too, in eluding sacks and downfield defenders for another 36 yards on the ground. The two offensive standouts, who have both garnered Heisman Trophy considerations this season, have impressed their head coach like nobody else. “These two really are, in my opinion, probably — of course I’m biased, and I understand it and I should be — two of the most complete players at their respective positions that I’ve ever seen play the game,” head coach Bret Bielema said. “They both feed off one another.” Penn State managed to hang around with Wisconsin until late in the second quarter when the Badgers rambled off two touchdowns in the half’s final two minutes to take a 21-point lead at the break. Up 14-7, Ball plunged

into endzone — already his second score of the day — from two yards out with 2:09 remaining in the first half. Linebacker Conor O’Neill then forced and recovered a fumble on the ensuing kickoff, setting up the Wisconsin offense with another chance at Penn State’s 31-yard line. The Badgers took full advantage, scoring six plays later on a four-yard pass from Wilson to wide receiver Nick Toon to establish a 28-7 lead at the break. Toon caught a total of five passes for 42 yards and wore No. 87 in honor of his father and team honorary captain, Al, a former wide receiver for the Badgers. Closing out the half in such a fashion was a lift for the Badgers, who stumbled in the beginning. UW’s offense punted on its first drive and later forced PSU to do the same until running back James White was flagged for

roughing the kicker as the Nittany Lions punted the ball away. The penalty gave the Penn State a first down near midfield, and four plays later, quarterback Matt McGloin found wide receiver Curtis Drake alone downfield for a 44yard touchdown pass. “It was strictly a miscommunication, it was totally my fault,” Henry, who allowed Drake to run free downfield, said. “Antonio [Fenelus] and me, we thought it was one thing, but it was something else. I totally take blame for that.” Henry and the rest of the secondary — as well as the rest of the defense — didn’t allow the Nittany Lions any breaks after that, though. Penn State, who also would have clinched a trip to Indianapolis with a win, was held to just 114 yards rushing and 119 passing for a total of 233, while Wisconsin gained 450 yards.

The Badgers responded with Wilson finding wide receiver Jared Abbrederis on a 21-yard strike with three-and-a-half minutes to go in the first and later claimed the lead when Ball scored from one yard out to begin the second quarter. Abbrederis finished the day leading the team with seven catches for 91 yards. Penn State never struck back in the second half, turning the ball over two more times — totaling four on the day — while Ball scored twice more, from nine and 18 yards away. Kicker Philip Welch capped off the evening with a 44-yard field goal in the fourth quarter. Coming into the game, Penn State ranked third nationally in scoring defense by allowing just 13 points a game. Entering Saturday, the Nittany Lions hadn’t allowed an

perfect season at home. For the second year in a row, the Badgers did not give up a loss at home — something they’re undoubtedly proud of. “Really, we just take pride in playing our hardest in front of our fans,” junior running back Montee Ball said. “Not letting [them] down and ourselves. Everyone wants to win at home and just to finish the season out like this is a great thing, to finish on top and lead into the Big Ten Championship game.” But the Badgers didn’t simply win at home, they completely dominated the opposition — including

a Penn State defense that was expected to give them trouble. Through the seven home games, the Badgers averaged 58.3 points at home, scoring a total of 408 points compared to their opponents’ 82 points. On average, the Wisconsin defense only allowed 11.7 points, giving UW an average margin of victory of 46.6. “This [senior] class deserved to go out on that note,” sophomore linebacker Chris Borland said. “You always have to fight strong on your home turf, and we’ve done that well the last couple of

years,” senior right guard Kevin Zeitler said. Penn State’s 44-yard touchdown pass in the first quarter was only the ninth touchdown scored by the seven visiting teams at Camp Randall this season. Wisconsin, on the other hand, scored 49 touchdowns at home, six of which came Saturday against Penn State. Ball has been responsible for a heavy majority of those touchdowns. Against Penn State, he scored four on the ground and had a hand in 23 of the touchdowns scored at home, whether he was rushing, receiving or even

passing. “I’m proud of myself for embracing the challenges that I did and being able to carry them forward this season,” Ball said. “It’s a great thing that I did, but also a great job by the offensive line and the receivers and the fullbacks and tight ends for blocking.” Simply put, home field advantage has held an extra-special meaning this year for the Badgers. “It’s pretty good,” head coach Bret Bielema said. “I talk about it all the time. Whenever we have a recruit in here, I’ll point and say, ‘Hey, since I’ve been here we’ve lost four

games,’ or whatever it is, however many years I want to go back. It’s just an exceptional place.” In fact, the slimmest margin of victory Wisconsin had at home this season was 31 points, against Nebraska in the Big Ten conference opener, winning 48-17. In his last chance for such a win at Camp Randall, senior safety Aaron Henry just tried to soak it all in before he finally stepped off the field. “I just got out of it actually, I was up there trying to savor the

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SIDEBAR

On Senior Day, UW closes out year with another dominating effort on home field Kelly Erickson Associate Sports Editor Camp Randall Stadium is notorious for its game day atmosphere and the overall difficulty teams face when playing there. So when the Wisconsin football team pummeled Penn State 45-7 for a chance to play in the inaugural Big Ten Championship Game, it also concluded another

DOMINATING, page 7

Bound for Indy, Badgers playing best football Mike Fiammetta Mike’d Up Remember those lateOctober nightmares, courtesy of Michigan State and Ohio State? For the Wisconsin Badgers, now Big Ten Leaders Division champions and one of the two participants in Saturday’s inaugural conference title game, the memories from that pair of last-minute losses never faded. As expected, they were the driving force behind a four-game winning streak that has put them 60 minutes from a second-consecutive Rose Bowl berth.

Along the way, Wisconsin dropped 62 points on a Purdue squad that was the Badgers’ first opponent after the harrowing loss at Ohio State and maintained possession of Paul Bunyan’s Axe for the eighth straight year, but the most prized outcome from UW’s November was much simpler. After seeing their season dramatically transformed at the hands of Michigan State and Ohio State, Wisconsin is now playing its best football at the most crucial moment in the season. Plenty of attention will be heaped upon the Spartans and their own four-game winning streak, the latter half of which featured a pair of games won by a combined 66 points, but those came against Indiana and Northwestern — two

Big Ten bottom-feeders. Meanwhile, Wisconsin enjoyed its first true road victory of the season — a resounding come-frombehind victory at Illinois, which has the nation’s No. 21 scoring defense. Then Saturday, the Badgers trounced the Penn State Nittany Lions, the nation’s No. 8 scoring defense, 45-7. “To go back to four weeks ago, that Sunday after Ohio State, we laid out a plan for these guys to get through the next four weeks,” head coach Bret Bielema said. “If they were able to concentrate on a daily plan, they would get through each week and take the next step forward to get to Indianapolis.” While Lucas Oil Stadium presents a neutral site for the Big Ten Championship Game, the Badgers surely feel

much better having won on the road in Champaign Nov. 19. Sure, the now head coach-less Illini have sputtered to a 0-6 finish after opening the season with six consecutive victories. But once Wisconsin’s noted struggles on the road manifested themselves in the form of a 17-7 halftime deficit, it was same old, same old for UW. Of course, Wisconsin’s defense recovered in the second half, shutting out Illinois’ offense and forcing four turnovers. UW’s offensive line, which allowed two sacks in the first half, also came together to allow quarterback Russell Wilson to complete 10 of his 13 passes for 90 yards and one touchdown, as well as running back Montee Ball to rush for a career-high 224 yards and two touchdowns on 38

carries. Saturday, back at home against Penn State, Wisconsin also mounted a comeback effort — though the Badgers trailed for barely more than five minutes in the first quarter. A miscommunication between safety Aaron Henry and cornerback Antonio Fenelus left PSU wide receiver Curtis Drake wide open behind UW’s defense, resulting in a 44-yard touchdown pass. But once Jared Abbrederis capped a 10play, 76-yard drive with a 21-yard touchdown reception, the Badgers tied the game and never relinquished its share of the lead. Wilson and Ball had a hand in each of Wisconsin’s ensuing scores, as Wilson threw another touchdown pass just

before halftime and Ball tied a career-high with four rushing touchdowns to complement his 156 rushing yards (6.2 per carry). The principal takeaway from the 38-point blowout was obviously Wisconsin’s berth in the Big Ten title game, but the matter in which the rout was constructed might be most beneficial moving forward. Against arguably the toughest Big Ten defense they faced, the Badgers set forth one of their most dominant efforts of the season. UW’s lone turnover came on a James White fumble with 1:04 remaining in the game and the score already at 45-7. Furthermore, through three quarters of play, the Badgers committed just two penalties for 10 yards.

FIAMMETTA, page 7