2011.11.29 by The Badger Herald

THE UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN’S INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWSPAPER SINCE 1969 Volume XLIII, Issue 58

Tuesday, November 29, 2011

www.badgerherald.com

ARTS |

PREVIEW

An a cappella Christmas

UW MadHatters to perform annual winter show at Orpheum this weekend. | 6

NEWS | CITY LIFE

OPINION | COLUMN

While city bars took down signs concerning a controversial entry policy, officials worry the discriminatory attitude lives on. | 3

We already have too many mouths to feed. Social programs need a revamp for current Wisconsinites. | 4

Criminalize abortions?

Recall effort hits milestone More than 300,000 signatures gathered; GOP says campaign merely distraction Mike Kujak State Reporter

Leah Linscheid Deputy State Editor The effort to recall Gov. Scott Walker has gathered more than 300,000 signatures since it began 14 days ago, United Wisconsin announced Monday evening. According to an email to its volunteers, United Wisconsin collected more than 300,000 signatures to

recall Walker in the 14 days since the recall effort began. The email said this milestone amounted to more than 1,040 signatures an hour. The organization still has 46 days to collect signatures to recall Walker. United Wisconsin spokesperson Meagan Mahaffey expressed the organization’s excitement about reaching the milestone. “This is a very clear example of the motivation and, frankly, the real energy that people have to recall Walker, and I think it’s reflective of other information we’ve seen over the last couple of days,” Mahaffey said. According to

Mahaffey, counties that strongly supported Walker during his election have “enthusiastically” supported his recall. Mahaffey added that Pierce County, historically very conservative, had gathered more than 4,000 signatures to recall Walker. Wisconsin Republican Party spokesperson Ben Sparks said in a statement on Monday the Democratic effort to recall Walker is merely a “baseless power-grab,” and the Republicans would continue to focus on Wisconsin families and job creation. Mahaffey also

RECALL, page 3

Progress of Recall Walker signature drive Just two weeks ago, Wisconsin liberals began their campaign to get 540,208 valid signatures to recall Walker and Lt. Gov. Rebecca Kleefisch. They’ve made it past the halfway mark ahead of schedule.

Current and projected number of signatures by 6 days

100,000

(deadline)

by 60 days (deadline)

RECEIVED

300,000

by 14 days

by 60 days

RECEIVED

REQUIRED

540,208

PREDICTED

750,000

SOURCE: United Wisconsin

Red ribbon!

University of Wisconsin students gathered on Bascom Hill Monday to form a red ribbon, the symbol for HIV awareness. Dec. 1 marks the day of world AIDS/HIV awareness — a disease which affects many regardless of race, gender or sexual orientation. Malory Goldin The Badger Herald Malory Goldin The Badger Herald

Malory Goldin The Badger Herald file photo

Rep. Kelda Helen Roys, D-Madison, speaks during the Assembly last February. Roys is an opponent of the Republican petition for redistricting.

Dems to fight against GOP redistricting lines lawsuit Leah Linscheid Deputy State Editor Democrats are planning to fight a Republican lawsuit filed in the state Supreme Court which would utilize the redistricting lines approved earlier this year for potential recall elections next year. The Democratic Party will file a motion today to intervene in the lawsuit on behalf of recall committees across the state, according to Democratic Party of Wisconsin spokesperson Graeme Zielinski A group of Republicans filed a petition with the state Supreme Court on Nov. 21 asking the court

LAWSUIT, page 2

CRIME in Petition tries to squelch Edgewater’s final hope Brief NOLAND HALL Burglary University of Wisconsin police officers responded to a report of a suspect making an attempt to steal a video projector from a classroom inside Noland Hall Saturday, a UWPD statement said. The suspect told officers he was in the building to use the restroom, but then admitted to urinating outside once he left the building. He was detained and a UWPD evidence technician reviewed the area. The technician came to the conclusion that he had been inside the classroom, according to the statement. UWPD Lieutenant Mark Silbernagel said the suspect may have been involved in numerous property crimes on campus. “There have been several property crimes on campus — these are by far the most common crimes we see,” he said.

A courthouse employee called the Dane County Communications Center and informed them that there was a man holding a gun to a woman’s head, the statement said.

An alarm inside the building was activated and the Dane County Bailiffs responded to the alarm. The outside doors were locked and the entire building was placed on lockdown. Further investigation revealed the woman’s husband had sent her a text message with a photo of himself holding a gun to his own head, the statement said. He was in his home, not inside the courthouse. Madison police immediately went to the suspect’s home and arrested him.

WEST JOHNSON STREET Weapons Violation

Lockdown

A 57-year old Madison man was taken to the hospital and treated for non-lifethreatening knife wounds Thursday, an MPD report said.

The Dane County Courthouse was briefly on lockdown Monday after a woman inside the building received a cell phone threat, a Dane County Sheriff’s Office statement said.

The man was sustained the injuries while visiting the apartment of a 23-yearold woman, who was an acquaintance of the man, according to the report. The victim claimed her attack

DANE COUNTY COURTHOUSE

came out of nowhere, but the suspect said she acted in self-defense.

According to the report, the man sustained two puncture wounds to his torso and several cuts on his face.

CATALPA CIRCLE Heroin Overdose Madison police responded Friday after a Madison man collapsed while behind the wheel in a parking lot, an MPD report said.

Hotel opponent seeks to destroy any legal recourse Ally Boutelle City Editor

Although a recent City Council vote all but killed the Edgewater Hotel redevelopment project, a leading Edgewater opponent has filed a petition in an attempt to

ensure that the concept will never become a reality. Fred Mohs, a Mansion Hill neighborhood resident and attorney, said he has filed a petition asking the Wisconsin Supreme Court to appeal the Wisconsin Court of Appeals’ decision to reject an anti-Edgewater lawsuit he filed. Mohs has previously filed other lawsuits with

the intent of delaying or preventing the Edgewater project. Ald. Mark Clear, District 19, one of Edgewater’s leading proponents, said the petition was a last-ditch attempt to ensure the project is truly over. “Fred wants to be very sure that the project is completely dead,” he

EDGEWATER, page 3

When police arrived, the suspect’s lips were blue and his breathing had stopped, the report said. Officers and Madison Fire Department paramedics revived him and he was taken to a local hospital. The suspect was arrested on charges of Heroin Possession, Bail Jumping, Operating While Intoxicated (his second offense) and Operating While Revoked, the report said.

FRONTAGE ROAD Gang Fight Four teenage males were arrested Friday night after several callers reported a fight involving between 30 and 50 teens taking place on the street and in a parking lot, an MPD report said. The citizens told police that some of the teenagers were The Badger Herald file photo

CRIME, page 2

The Badger Herald | News | Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Events today 2-7 p.m. UW-Madison Fall K-12 Recruitment Fair Varsity Hall, Union South

7 p.m. UW Russian Folk Orchestra 1418 Van Hise Hall

TODAY

TOMORROW

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

37 24

43 30

39 25

31 25

38 29

mostly cloudy

sunny

cloudy

sunny

rain/snow

Walker unyielding on issuing pardons Governor taking applications for appeals, but unlike previous gubernatorial administrations, will not grant any Mitchell Hermann

Events tomorrow 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Red Cross Blood Drive Southeast Recreational Facility (SERF)

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News Reporter Gov. Scott Walker is taking a hard stance against the practice of granting pardons, with some on the left concerned that taking a stance against pardons in general could prevent convicts involved in poorly executed trials from seeking justice. Walker recently announced he will not be granting gubernatorial pardons, Walker’s spokesperson Cullen Werwie said in a statement. According to an executive clemency statement from the governor’s office, a pardon is an act of official forgiveness that restores rights lost due to conviction. Any convicted felon in the state may apply for a pardon if it has been eight years or more since they completed their sentence.

Pardons are a way to ensure justice, and should at least be considered by the governor, Rep. Kelda Helen Roys, D-Madison, said. The governor’s office will still accept applications for pardons, but, according to Werwie’s statement, the administration does not plan to grant any pardons. “Our legal team reviews pardon requests to see if there are any extenuating circumstances, however we have no plan to pardon anyone at this time,” the statement said. Werwie did not respond to calls or emails regarding whether the governor would grant pardons at any time during his term. He also did not comment on if the governor would grant commutation or reprieve to anyone. “It is something of last resort for many convicted offenders. It is one failsafe if there has been a

“Past governors did exercise their power to pardon certain individuals. I think it’s odd for this governor to say he won’t pardon anybody, and that he’s proud of that. If someone’s innocent, certainly they should be entitled to have some review,” Heck said. Mike Mikalsen, spokesperson for Rep. Stephen Nass, R-Whitewater, said Walker has not pardoned anyone during his first 11 months in office largely because his administration has had to deal with more urgent priorities, particularly balancing the budget, reforming the collective bargaining process and working with state businesses to create more jobs. Nass, he said, would support the governor’s constitutional power to grant a pardon once he deems a case fit.

miscarriage of justice. It is very difficult to win a postconviction decision,” Roys said. The statement said citizens who receive a pardon can regain their rights to possess firearms, hold public office, sit on a jury, and receive various licenses. Pardon applications are normally reviewed by the governor on a case-by-case basis, usually toward the end of his term. Pardons are then granted to those who have shown they were wrongly convicted, or to those who have paid their debt to society and become a functioning member of their community, Jay Heck, executive director of Common Cause in Wisconsin, said. Heck said Walker will be the first Wisconsin governor — Republican or Democrat — to not grant pardons.

The lack of pardons in Walker’s first 11 months as governor does not mean he will not grant any during his term, Mikalsen said, but rather that up to this point the governor has not found an application for pardon to be of greater priority than those problems which face Wisconsinites who have not committed a crime. Roys said she was also surprised the governor announced he would not grant pardons. Both Heck and Roys see the governor’s decision to not grant pardons as something that will hurt justice in Wisconsin, and may hurt his campaign going into the recall election. “I just can’t imagine that that’s going to appeal to too many people besides the real hard right wing, who declares no mercy for anybody. It isn’t very Wisconsin-like,” Heck said.

SSFC passes new process to pinpoint, fund services Legislation must pass Student Council; critics say may steal groups’ autonomy Katie Caron Campus Reporter Members of student government passed legislation for a new process to obtain funds for student services during a meeting Monday after a heated debate between committee members. Student Services Finance Committee Chair Sarah Neibart, who authored the legislation for the Campus Services Process, presented it for the committee to debate and amend. She explained the CSP will constitute a process by which contracts for specific services will be bid for, emphasizing it does not focus on groups but on soliciting bids for a specific service needed on campus. Neibart said if members of Student Council deem a service lacking on campus, they will propose legislation which — if passed — will go to SSFC for the funds to be itemized and assessed.

CRIME, from 1 armed with bats and sticks and that there was a large potential for injury. The participants ran when police arrived, but four were arrested. Officers believe most of those involved were gang affiliated, the report said.

GETTLE AVENUE Residential Burglary An elderly West Side couple was approached by unwanted solicitors Saturday, who told the couple they needed their trees

After the legislation is passed, a “procurement board” made up of student government representatives will serve as an objective third party to oversee the bidding and contracting process. “Student Council originally decides what service is missing, and the procurement board decides how it is going to be implemented and in what ways the service will be brought to campus,” she said. “SSFC only checks the monetary amount.” A main point of debate regarding the CSP centered on whether the legislation should allow student organizations to bid to provide a service. Rep. David Vines voiced concern that doing so would allow a General Student Services Fund group that lost funding in an area to sidestep the GSSF process to lobby Student Council to get their funds on the agenda. “As long as we include RSOs in this process, it will be clouded up in this lobbying and politicking,” he said. “My concern is not the legal language, but how it will be implemented.” Neibart disagreed and

trimmed, an MPD report said. The suspects’ motive became apparent when the wife discovered she was missing multiple pieces of jewelry. According to the report, the victims now believe a third person entered the home and stole the valuables while the couple was speaking with the two men. The couple also noticed a dark SUV parked across the street from their home, which officers now believe was connected to the crime.

said she felt excluding RSOs would be a disservice, and the option to go through the CSP should be available to everyone on campus. Rep. Tia Nowack also spoke out against the legislation, saying she felt the CSP would make student groups lose autonomy with Student Council telling them what to do. Rep. Laura Checovich said she was in favor of the legislation because the budgets created through the CSP would be controlled by SSFC and because she felt it could coexist with the GSSF since a group could not go through both processes. After more debate, Neibart said she felt she should clarify that the CSP is not a solution to the current situation regarding Wisconsin Public Interest Research Group’s funding as it attempts to gain contract status. She said it is rather a process by which Student Council can see what services are lacking on campus and fund them. Main amendments to the legislation included disallowing members of SSFC appointed by

Tom Zionkowski The Badger Herald

Rep. Tia Nowack spoke out against the Campus Services Process during Monday night’s meeting, arguing council has too much say in the services groups provide. Student Council to propose CSP legislation, as well as making clear that GSSF groups will not relinquish their status by applying for a CSP bid. SSFC also passed the Wisconsin Student Lobby budget of $44,959.68 during the meeting. Student Judiciary also

LAWSUIT, from 1 to appoint a panel of three circuit court judges to hear their argument that new districts should be used for any recall elections that would take place next year. The petition also asked that the high court take original jurisdiction in the case, should there be a dispute concerning the validity of the redistricting statute enacted this summer. “The Republican Supreme Court suit seeks to undo the recent actions of the Legislature and move to what they see as a friendlier venue the legal questions arising over state Senate recall lines,” Zielinski said in a press release. The redistricting lines decided upon this summer were scheduled to go into effect Nov. 1, 2012, according to Reid

Magney, spokesperson for the Government Accountability Board. Rep. Kelda Helen Roys, D-Madison, said Republicans included this date in the original redistricting statute. The lawsuit alleges Republican efforts to save their own jobs instead of focusing on creating jobs for Wisconsin citizens, Roys said. “While refusing to put struggling Wisconsinites back to work, they’ve focused on gaming the system nonstop to protect their own jobs,” Roys said. “Here we have yet another trick to try to circumvent the law to give Republicans an unfair advantage in the election, because they have to insulate themselves from being held accountable by voters.” Jay Heck, Executive Director of Common Cause in Wisconsin, said the lawsuit to implement the new redistricting lines earlier than Nov. 1 would be difficult to win because it would be a direct violation of the redistricting law passed by Republicans during the summer. Heck said using the new redistricting lines would be more advantageous to Republicans because it would make it easier for them to win potential recall elections in certain districts. Heck said the

presented its budget for the next fiscal year, and SSFC will reach a decision during its next meeting. The committee also tabled its decision on the Associated Students of Madison Internal Budget until Jan. 23 to allow more time for members to speak with council members.

redistricting would not affect a recall election against Gov. Scott Walker, but would affect potential elections against four Republican senators. Efforts to recall Sen. Van Wanggaard, R-Racine, Sen. Terry Moulton, R-Chippewa Falls, Sen. Scott Fitzgerald, R-Juneau and Sen. Pam Galloway, R-Wausau, are currently underway. If these senators lost their recall elections, Democrats would gain control of the Senate, Heck said. Heck said allowing the new districts to be used for recall elections would confuse voters and give Republicans an advantage in those elections. “It would be an abuse of power to change these districts now rather than in November, and it would confuse voters completely,” Heck said. “Most voters wouldn’t know what election they vote in. It is going to be complicated enough with the voter ID bill. Some voters would be potentially disenfranchised if they aren’t able to vote in the district they’re in now, but that is, of course, what the Republicans want.” The court has not yet accepted or denied the Republicans’ petition. According to Supreme Court Information Officer Tom Sheehan, there is no time frame for the court to take action on the petition.

The Badger Herald | News | Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Spirit of bar policies may linger Commission fears discriminatory practices, while officially ended, point to larger issue in city Dan Niepow News Reporter Although certain campus-area bars have ended their controversial entrance policies, members of the city’s Equal Opportunities Commission met Monday express their continued concerns about the issue and its discriminatory and possibly racial implications. Two bars on University Avenue — Wando’s and Johnny O’s Sports Lounge — recently decided to remove signs which stated that state-issued IDs were no longer acceptable forms of age validation for entry. Brian Benford, vice president of the EOC, said he was glad these signs had been removed, but still expressed concern about the situation. “I don’t think that this is a done deal,” he said. “This is just one piece of it.

There are perceptions out there among many people in the public that this is a larger issue.” Coco Bustamante, president of the commission, expressed similar concerns. She also said the removal of the signs didn’t necessarily mean that the policies had ended. She hoped members of the EOC would continue to explore the issue more deeply to ensure that bar owners had indeed terminated these practices. Bustamante also expressed contentment with the work of citizens and bloggers in bringing about awareness of the issue. She said that this level of participation was effective in bringing about change. “It’s great to see that political activism can work and can reverse something,” she said. EOC secretary John

Quinlan agreed with Bustamante’s claims. He too felt that local activism was essential in changing these policies. “It didn’t take necessarily a legal hearing … it was just the fact that there were enough people willing to raise the issue,” he said. Benford said the EOC had created a subcommittee to further analyze how this specific incident was resolved in the hopes of implementing similar methods in the future. The EOC also discussed ways to prevent other discriminatory practices, including educational programs for bar owners and further intervention on the part of the city. “It may just be a genuine matter that public education is the remedy,” Benford said. “These were folks that didn’t intend to blatantly discriminate,

but once they were told what the effects were there was a response and things moved on.” He added he hopes this sort of education could be applied to help eliminate discriminatory practices elsewhere in the city. Like Bustamante, he said the policies could still be in effect even though the signs had been removed. “We don’t know absolutely for sure that this isn’t still occurring,” Benford said. “We want to make sure that there are measures in place to make sure that it isn’t happening if at all possible.” Benford said he hoped the members of the EOC would become more vigilant in seeking out discriminatory practices instead of waiting for complaints to be filed. The EOC also discussed the potential impact of voter ID legislation in

John Lemmon The Badger Herald

Equal Opportunities Commission Secretary John Quinlan said he was pleased with the awareness local bloggers and activists raised about the bars’ former policies. Madison. Bustamante mentioned how the University of Wisconsin planned to issue a new student ID that would

conform to the new law. “The expense is greater, but at least they will have a valid ID for voting,” she said.

ASM 2012 lobbying to focus on housing, financial aid Reps. hope UW issues make it to state level Hannah Filipak News Reporter Members of student government laid out the main priorities they want to lobby for at the state level, including housing and better financial aid, during a meeting Monday. The Legislative Affairs Committee meeting mainly focused on brainstorming ideas on what student issues to bring forth to legislators this coming year. Ideas discussed by the committee ranged from the way academic

RECALL, from 1 commented on Walker ’s television advertisements aimed at defending himself against a potential recall election. “He took to the airwaves about this recall election and he’s spending millions of millions of dollars on TV to defend his record, but these results in the first 12 [14] days clearly show people aren’t buying it and they’re ready to take Wisconsin back,” Mahaffey said. Since recall efforts began, both the Wisconsin GOP and One Wisconsin Now have dedicated websites to tracking the petition process in order to track the fairness of the recall process. Since the launch of the Wisconsin GOP’s Recall Integrity Center two weeks ago, Sparks released a statement

EDGEWATER, from 1 said. “While this is almost literally another nail in the coffin, Fred’s the one holding the hammer.” Despite Mohs’ efforts, the Edgewater project appeared to be moving forward rapidly until several weeks ago. Shortly after Mohs’ lawsuit was thrown out, Edgewater developer Robert Dunn announced he had secured private funding for the project. At this month’s city budget deliberations, however, City Council backed Mayor Paul Soglin and decided to reduce the city’s tax incremental financing of the project from the proposed $16 million to $3.3 million, essentially killing the project. Despite the project coming to a close, Mohs said his lawsuit has greater implications for the city than just the Edgewater. He said Dunn told the city that because the hotel required extensive

misconduct is reviewed to the sustainability of college campus buildings. Also raised was the possibility of lobbying for tenant rights, as members agreed that housing is a human right for everyone. The current agenda is set to include college affordability with tuition being tied to the Wisconsin Higher Education Grant, more work-study as a form of financial aid and addressing of the responsible action policy. The current responsible action policy at the University of Wisconsin lets students call 911 to help someone they feel may be suffering from alcohol poisoning without fearing punishment, according to a

statement from UW issued earlier this year. Responsible action at a statewide level is one issue committee chair Hannah Somers expressed excitement about. “It’s kind of cool because responsible action is kind of out of nowhere,” she said. College affordability was the second most supported idea, due to concerns over the slow rise in tuition. Rep. Lauren Simanovsky said this was a concern she understood all too well. “[College affordability is] something that regardless will affect you,” she said. Financial aid through work-study was the final issue mentioned, but garnered enough votes to

containing photos submitted to the website of people who appeared to have signed the same petition multiple times. One Wisconsin Now, an progressive organizing group, issued a $10,000 reward last Tuesday for anyone with reports of alleged plans to illegally destroy recall petitions. The group also released a memorandum on petitioner rights in order to educate the public about the petitioning process. One Wisconsin Now Executive Director Scot Ross said they have not yet given the $10,000 reward to anyone for revealing petition fraud, but several individuals have alerted the group about ongoing problems. “The people have been terrific. They’ve said they didn’t want any of our reward funds, they just wanted

to make sure we have this information,” Ross said. Ross said individuals do not need a form of identification to sign or circulate a petition. He also said individuals do not need to be a registered voter or member of a political party to circulate petitions. In an email to The Badger Herald, Wisconsin GOP spokesperson Nicole Larson didn’t comment on any of the recent events at the GOP’s Recall Integrity Center but did speak to the numbers on economic growth. Larson said Walker has accomplished several goals during his time in office, including balancing a $3.6 billion budget deficit and improving Wisconsin’s economic climate by creating nearly 20,000 new jobs.

rehabilitation and construction, it posed a “hardship” that would justify taking liberties with city policies. Mohs, however, said he feels that claiming “hardship” to allow flexibility with the rules must first require status as the building’s owner. “The ordinance requires serious hardship for the owner,” he said. “Bob Dunn is not the owner. That is our objection, that the city attorney took what we believe is an aggressive approach and said someone who applies for the exception is the same as the owner.” Clear disagreed with Mohs, saying that in the city’s eyes, there is no distinction between owner and developer. “The courts have rejected [that argument] twice now,” Clear said. “The Council’s interpretation of the ordinance is that the concept of owner was meant to include a potential owner or developer, because one

can’t develop unless they own.” Mohs argued that allowing an outsider to claim hardship would make it easy for real estate developers to take options on properties in historic districts, thus diminishing and compromising historic areas. Were developers allowed to do so, he said, the rules of the landmarks district would need to be bent to accommodate the financial needs of developers who are unconcerned with the preservation of the city’s history rather than protecting landmark owners. “That provisional was meant to give some relief to people, particularly when the landmarks ordinance was enacted,” he said. “It wasn’t meant to apply to just anyone who took an option. It wouldn’t have said owner if they meant anyone.” Representatives from the city attorney’s office were unavailable for comment.

be an idea which will be lobbied for. Following Minnesota’s example of a state-funded work study program to employ those with financial needs, committee member Sam Seering said this issue should be brought up on state level. “There currently is federal work study [in Minnesota],” Seering said. “The federal government gives the money to the university to employ students who have financial needs.” Somers also touched on voter ID, a topic which has been circulating in the committee for some time. She said the university had decided to make voting identification

cards as a second Wiscard rather than tamper with the current ones students possess. She also referenced the vote coalitions week coming up. The Voter Coalition’s goal is to inform students on the changes happening in voting laws and to get people to think about how to vote in the upcoming elections in general, Somers said. The coalition’s kickoff meeting will be held in the Legislative Affairs room at 7:30 p.m. Thursday. Somers said they hope to get a political science professor to come and speak on the voting changes. In addition, Rep. Libby Wick-Bander introduced a

topic pertaining to financial aid she happened upon after reading a front-page article in the weekend paper. “People who need financial aid more aren’t getting the money they need because it is going to [lure] wealthy families to come and spend money at the universities,” she said. “It’s being spread out among people who don’t need it.” Wick-Bander added although she was not sure if this was a problem at UW, she wanted to make sure this was on the committee’s radar. Other subjects touched on briefly were the Mifflin Survey Analysis and the Campaign Tuition Project.

Opinion

Editorial Page Editor Allegra Dimperio oped@badgerherald.com

The Badger Herald | Opinion | Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Pardon hardline disservices citizens Personhood bill Taylor Nye Editorial Page Content Editor Most actions Gov. Scott Walker takes, I attribute to two things: Either he is trying to cut the budget or is generally misinformed about his actions. Or, most likely, it’s some combination of the two. However, there’s one recent move I think Walker actually planned on. Appleton’s Post-Crescent reported that Walker has not granted any pardons so far in office and has no plans to do so in the future. This brazen strategy may be nothing more than a public relations tactic for the unpopular governor to look tough on crime. However, as is the trend in this administration, it is to the detriment of Wisconsin citizens. No governor in recent history — whether Democrat or Republican — has refused to hand down any pardons. Furthermore, Walker dismissed the Pardon Advisory Board, which has been in place since Republican Gov. Lee Sherman Dreyfus

created it in 1980. Walker spokesperson Cullen Werwie assured constituents that Walker could still convene the board in the future, and that Walker’s legal team is now handling the pardons. The team, which is relatively small and already handling other business, is now tasked with hundreds of pardon applications. Walker’s track record of no new pardons so far pales in comparison to the 177 pardons Doyle passed in his last year in office. Secretary of State Doug LaFollette is the custodian of pardon records and views them as “a legitimate way for people to analyze the record of people and the potential of them to be rehabilitated and become productive citizens.” Some behaviors previously considered illegal have been overturned. For example, one of the first sentences Doyle overturned was the 1958 felony conviction of a man who went to jail for having sex with another man. Homosexuality was illegal then, and it is certainly deserving of a pardon now. Other pardons are important for those who committed petty crimes in their youth but now look to have a fulfilling and law-abiding life. Convictions undoubtedly close doors, and doing time

does not always clear up a felony’s long-reaching ramifications, as former felons try to live a normal life. According to Werwie, though, Walker “believes these decisions are best left up to the courts.” The courts, however, cannot deal with the fact that those convicted of minor drug crimes in the 1990s now cannot receive federal aid for school, or that Roland Rybarczyk, convicted of riding in a stolen car in 1965, now cannot own a gun for hunting. Only a pardon can right these wrongs, but with Walker in office, there are no pardons to be had. It can’t have been a money saving technique, since surely the small board didn’t require much in the way of salaries, and fat could have been trimmed elsewhere to keep the only pardon reviewers in the state. Nor could it have been that Walker was generally unaware about granting pardons. How could he be? With the pardon application still on his website and no pardon review board to go over the materials, his office must be swamped by requests. Between slashing cuts to schools, undermining collective bargaining rights, assaulting health care and failing to create significant jobs, it’s a wonder Walker’s approval

rating is still counted in positive integers. The man’s got to do something to gain a little support. So when you’re down in the numbers, what else is there to do but try to look tough on crime? This is exactly what Walker is trying now, by having effectively dissolved the only legislative body that considers pardons. These tactics are a measured risk. In Walker’s mind, he’ll succeed if he gains a precious few approval points or changes the mind of a few voters. He’ll think he’s failed if the public ignores the gesture. In reality, though, failing to grant pardons fails us all. Even if Walker thinks his strategy has worked, he’s failed his duties as a governor by not using his powers to grant pardons. As reported by the PostCrescent, Professor David Littig of University of Wisconsin-Green Bay said it best when he called this move “the neglect of a constitutional duty of a governor.” Walker is breaking a long-standing tradition by dismissing the board and ignoring applications, for no other reason than personal gain. Taylor Nye (tenye@wisc. edu) is a junior majoring in human evolutionary biology, archaeology and Latin American studies.

6-year-old’s felony charges overzealous Adam Ruechel Guest Columnist I can’t imagine sixyear-olds get a lot of mail. Why would they need to? And in addition to the danger of being hit by a moving vehicle, they aren’t even tall enough to retrieve it from the box. However, a young boy in Grant County recently got some interesting mail when he received an official summons by Grant County District Attorney Lisa Riniker, bringing a first-degree sexual assault charge against him after he played “doctor” with two five-year-old friends. For a game, a first grader has been brought up on felony sex charges. This obviously must be some sort of a joke, right? I mean where are his parents, and why aren’t they all over the news speaking on behalf of their son? Oh wait, that’s right — it’s currently illegal for them do so. Furthermore, Riniker also had a letter for his parents, who had no trouble in opening the mailbox to find a gag order — which they can hang on the refrigerator next to their son’s court summons and his latest art project.

It seems that when the parents of the boy (referred to as “D” to protect his identity) expressed an interest to contact WISCTV, the CBS News affiliate in Madison, Riniker quickly sought a gag order for them, prohibiting them from legally discussing any aspect of their young son’s case. Not named in the DA’s gag order, however, were the attorney’s arguing on behalf of D’s parents in the federal lawsuit they are now filing against Riniker, Grant County and Grant County Social Services. Representing the sixyear-old and his parents, attorneys Christopher Cooper and David Sigale claim that a game between three children should have been handled between parents — not the law. The attorneys are asking for approximately $12 million in damages from Riniker and the two codefendants, citing they are prepared to present evidence that “D” has been psychologically harmed by the court proceedings and is terrified of going to jail. Cooper and Sigale also continue to question the validity of the charges. In an interview with WISCTV Cooper said, “[The

boy] says he didn’t do it, and the little girl says he didn’t do it. The little girl says he touched the back of one of her buttocks.” The suit also contests that in spite of “D’s” claim that he was touched wrongly by the five-year-old, that child faced no charges because the other is the child of a prominent Grant County official. When asked to justify her actions, Riniker said, “the Legislature could have put an age restriction in the statute. … The [L]egislature did no such thing.” Ah yes, because when the great state of Wisconsin wrote such a statue, they did so to ensure that district attorneys would be able to charge six-year-olds as felons. To indicate a six-yearold is criminally guilty of anything is absurd; to actively promote such a position is genuinely preposterous. A charge of first-degree sexual assault is not something to be taken lightly in any situation, but here it has been applied to a young boy who has already been traumatized and will be forced to deal with this experience for the remainder of his life.

The lawsuit also alleges that Riniker wants “D” and his parents to sign a consent decree admitting some level of guilt, something Cooper said his clients vehemently oppose. In all likelihood, this will mandate “D’s” registration as a sexual offender upon his 18th birthday. Imagine for a moment that upon his eighteenth birthday, he must tell his all his neighbors that he was charged with first-degree sexual assault twelve years ago — for playing “doctor.” When is enough enough? Riniker’s actions crossed the line when she accused a six-year old child with a felony and forbade his parents to discuss it with anyone. A courtroom is no place for a young child to be reprimanded for matters that are beyond their comprehension. Instead of summoning the child to a witness stand, this should be used as a moment to impress upon the child the error of their ways, so they can learn. This way, they will grow into a responsible young adult, not a felon. Adam Ruechel (aruechel@ wisc.edu) is a sophomore majoring in biology.

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Herald unclear on special sessions In response to the 11/28 column “Wisconsinites not the only things not working,” whether or not you agree with the special session on jobs, please verify the information you put into your column. This is the second time in two weeks The Badger Herald has confused

the special session on jobs with bills passed during the regular Fall session. Castle doctrine, concealed carry, sex education, etc., all carry the title SB# while September Special Session bills carry the title SE1SB# (which only pertain to job related bills). I

understand knocking the content of some of the bills, but at least appear informed when you try to make a point. Christopher Epping (cepping@ wisc.edu) majors in economics and political science.

irresponsible Allegra Dimperio Editorial Page Editor When the world’s population reached seven billion earlier this month, it came with the realization that overpopulation may be a very real threat. On a planet with limited resources and huge income disparities, adding more people inevitably means adding more hunger, more pollution and more expenses. Yet Republicans seem to be hellbent on increasing the US population, consequences be damned. A recently proposed amendment to the state constitution seeks to define the beginning of life as the moment of conception, effectively making abortion illegal. Rep. Andre Jacque, R-Bellevue, has pushed the “personhood” amendment despite the fact that similar legislation in ultraconservative Mississippi was recently voted down by the state’s citizens. While the amendment’s definition of a person as “a human being in any stage of development” makes it clear that abortion of any kind would be illegal, it could also be interpreted to outlaw contraceptives, birth control, stem cell research and even in vitro fertilization. Should any of these interpretations be upheld, all hell will break loose. It is impossible to know how many more births there would be if contraceptives or birth control were outlawed, but considering that 84 percent of women used a contraceptive during premarital sex between 2005 and 2008, the number is sure to be astounding. The numbers on abortion, the least popular form of birth control, should put things in perspective. In the U.S., about 1 in 5 pregnancies result in abortion. Were all states to pass amendments similar to those proposed in Wisconsin and Mississippi, there would be roughly 1.3 million more births each year. Under the proposed amendment, some of these births would have been the result of rape and some would result in the death of the mother. Rep. Jacque has made it clear there would be no abortions, no exceptions. The U.S. cannot handle 1.3 million more babies a year. It can barely handle the people it has now. The Occupy Wall Street movement illustrated the widening income gap,

but the recent collapse of the deficit talks means that mandated cuts to Medicaid, Medicare and Social Security will turn the gap into a gaping abyss. Yet Republicans feel that those cuts to welfare were not deep enough. Gov. Scott Walker has pledged to slash $554 million from Medicaid, a move that would leave 65,000 people uninsured. The state’s unemployment rate was 7.7 percent in October, the same rate as in October 2010. Roughly 827,000 Wisconsinites rely on food stamps, and there are many more whom the state can’t afford to feed. For many state residents, just getting by is a challenge. Yet instead of ensuring that Wisconsin residents have a good life, Republicans like Rep. Jacque would rather ensure more Wisconsin residents have life, period. Protecting the lives of all people is an admirable thing, but there is a huge logical flaw when you have to literally change the definition of “people” to do so. Issues like abortion are rarely thought of in rational or logical terms, and for many it may seem crass to think of populations in economic terms. But those who staunchly oppose abortion must be reminded of the context in which abortions take place. Preventing an abortion may save the life of a child from the outset, but it does absolutely nothing for the child after they are born. Forty-two percent of women who have abortions have incomes below the poverty level, but those who fought so hard to make sure that baby was born simply fade out of the picture, not sticking around to see if the child is fed, loved or safe. Many of those who fought so hard for that birth are also fighting hard to make sure their tax dollars don’t go to feed or provide health care for that child. We cannot seek to ban abortion while simultaneously cutting welfare. We cannot seek to ban abortion when 925 million people in the world live in hunger. We cannot seek to ban abortion when over a billion children already live in poverty. Jacque’s proposed amendment is simply irresponsible in a time where we cannot take care of the people we already have. It is only by looking past ideology that we can begin to truly “save” lives. Allegra Dimperio (adimperio@ badgerherald.com) is a junior majoring in journalism.

THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE BITCHY A roundup of some of the more thought-provoking (or thoughtless) comments left on badgerherald.com In response to the 11/28 column:

The non-candidacy of Russ Feingold Guest

Always lead with a reference to your own boner. Always. In response to the 11/28 column:

The non-candidacy of Russ Feingold llcthecableguy

if [Feingold] DOESN’T get into the the race, it will be for one reason: He doesn’t think he can win it. 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

Like Regular Paper, But With Jokes Noah J. Yuenkel comics@badgerherald.com

The Badger Herald | Comics | Tuesday, November 29, 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: Pulped wood product

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: Import handmade papyrus

MOUSELY & FLOYD

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 }

ehmandeff@badgerherald.com

MADCAPS

HERALD COMICS 1

madcaps@badgerherald.com

MOLLY MALONEY

PRESENTS 5

21 24 28

pascle@badgerherald.com

57 61

random@badgerherald.com

32 38

ERICA LOPPNOW

RANDOM DOODLES

RYAN PAGELOW

BUNI

Puzzle by C.W. Stewart

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 Nurses at the bar 5 “Pipe down!” 9 Derive logically 14 Bad child’s stocking ﬁller 15 Indiana/ Kentucky border river 16 Sound from a stable 17 Kendrick of “Up in the Air” 18 ___ contendere 19 North Dakota city 20 Time in the title of a 1965 Wilson Pickett hit 23 Skedaddles 24 Trial ﬁg. 25 Doo-woppers ___ Na Na 28 TV oilmanturnedprivate eye 33 Doll’s cry 37 Aussie

bounder 38 Friars Club event 39 Multipledwelling buildings 43 Chop ﬁnely 44 Light bulb inventor’s inits. 45 Light carriage 46 Droopyeared dog 50 Small bill 51 ___-wolf 52 Perform better than 57 Question that follows “O Brother” in ﬁlm … and a hint to this puzzle’s theme 61 Grotto isle of Italy 64 Grotto color at 61-Across 65 Java servers 66 Say “#%@!” 67 Calls upon 68 20-0 baseball score, say 69 Ill-suited

70 “___ we forget …” 71 Keeps after taxes Down 1 Con jobs 2 Greek column style 3 Bamboomunching critter 4 Way of looking at things 5 ___ Kong 6 “We’re in trouble!” 7 Delta deposit 8 Commotion 9 Yet to happen, at law 10 In the vicinity 11 Douglas ___ 12 Cadbury confection 13 Letter before sigma 21 Suﬃx in poli sci 22 Ear-related preﬁx 25 Squirrel away

Get today’s puzzle solutions at badgerherald.com

CROSSWORD

35 Parson’s home 36 Circle segments 40 Vacation 25 26 27 souvenir wear 41 Letter after sigma 42 Old biddy 47 Everyday article 48 Like some teas 54 55 56 49 Part of a pointillist painting 53 Driver’s one-eighty 54 Severe pang 55 Glazed or powdered item 26 Minor 56 Gives the prophet boot of the Old 57 Cylindrical Testament 27 Prone to sandwich ﬁdgeting 58 Threat29 Prepare for ending word combat 59 Razor-billed 30 Tip of a boot birds 31 Scout’s rider 60 Take ﬁve of early TV 61 CBS drama 32 ___-chef with DNA (kitchen’s testing number two) 62 Bristle on 33 Cuban musibarley cal form 63 Split ___ 34 Bee-related Rocky the Herald Comics Raccoon™

Five days later and I’m still ﬁnding leftover turkey in my fur. I’m not complaining — saves a walk to the refrigerator.

ArtsEtc.

ArtsEtc. Editor Sarah Witman arts@badgerherald.com

The Badger Herald | Arts | Tuesday, November 29, 2011

AV Club ‘Oﬃce’ writer engages in class, online Myles McNutt works as UW TA, critic for national culture review site Lin Weeks ArtsEtc. Content Editor Myles McNutt won’t say exactly when “The Office” began to go downhill. He won’t express, as some might, the idea that a show shot in semi-documentary style may be doomed by its own form the longer it drags on. He won’t circle a date in July 2010 when Steve Carrell announced that his days with the show were numbered. And he won’t pinpoint a specific character, or an interminable plot device, or even a certain interminable garden party as the point where the popular NBC comedy finally sold its soul. He won’t do that, because that is not his style. As a Ph.D. student at the University of Wisconsin currently working toward his doctorate in Communications Arts with a focus on Media & Cultural Studies, McNutt comes from an academic background that insists on considering the form and structure as well as content. And as a TV critic for nationally recognized culture compendium and The Onion affiliate The AV Club, McNutt has a more nuanced theory about why the once indispensable Thursday night program now regularly garners a collective frustrated sigh. “I think it’s been gradual, I think it’s been a process of writing turnover, I think it’s been a process of — especially this season in particular — it’s a question of locating what happened when Steve Carrell left and how do we understand that. And what was their choice, what was their move in that direction,” he said. But neither will he forget the past. The

show has struggled, McNutt explained, because of its slow march away from what once made it good. There’s a sharp contrast between recent episodes and the show at its formidable best, and that makes the newer material just look weaker. “I think there are some people that might sort of argue, ‘Well, accept that this is the show now, and just evaluate it based on that. But, it used to be something more than that.’ … But I never feel like I’m complaining about the same thing. I never feel like I’m writing the exact same review. And I really want to like the show. People kind of don’t see that,” McNutt said. “But what is coming out as negative criticism is frustration more than anything.” When McNutt says “out,” it sounds like “owoot,” betraying a hint of a Canadian accent that had, until that slip, been absent from his interview. Originally from Nova Scotia, McNutt completed his undergrad and masters degree in Canada. It was in his third year of college that he started a blog in a communication arts class. “I was bored sitting in lecture, frankly, and I said, ‘I want to start a blog in this course.’ And I thought I could use it like a brand building technique,” McNutt said. The question arose immediately thereafter: What to write about? McNutt gravitated toward TV criticism in part thanks to the popularity of several shows with serialized perspectives which were on air at the time, like “Lost,” “Grey’s Anatomy” and “Heroes”. “When I go back and look at those early posts, the things I was writing on the blog, some of it is just incomprehensible to me. It’s like, ‘what was I thinking?’” he laughed. “But at the same time, it was an attempt at engagement.”

The idea of engagement is extremely important to McNutt. It’s the rationalization behind his decision to write his AV Club reviews in first person, and also what drives him to jump into the comments section on a weekly basis, even answering negative feedback to his work that others might dismiss as typical Internet trolling. McNutt hopes to foster a conversational environment between himself and his readers, a form of communication he sees as nearly essential due to the weekly, episodic, constantly evolving nature of TV criticism. But he’s caught flack for what some see as an overly intellectual approach to reviewing. McNutt shrugged off these accusations of “pretension,” attributing them to his background and a misunderstanding of what criticism is. He told the story of a comment he received early in his run as a reviewer for “The Office.” “It was from a UWMadison student who suggested that they were in biology and they were sick and tired of these arts wankers taking all of our research money and just circle-jerking all the time. And that, in the process of that, everyone should basically, you know, just burn them to the ground.” The sentiment must have fallen on deaf ears; McNutt said he hopes to continue on with academia, and eventually become a teacher and contribute original research to the field. As a TA for Intro to Television, he models his lessons after the pursuit of engagement he seeks in his criticism. “I’ve learned a lot teaching,” he said. “I want to be engaged with students in the same way; I want them to feel as though there is this dialogue taking place. So it’s been a real thrill, as much as school can be a thrill. I think it’s kind of reached that level for me.”

Photo courtesy of UW MadHatters

The song stylings of one of Madison’s premier a cappella groups are just one part of their appeal; ticket buyers for this weekend’s show should also expect to see a well-developed and humorous repartee between members in addition to familiar tunes of all stripes.

MadHatters suit up for winter Orpheum show Campus a cappella group all set to perform ‘stylized holiday concert’ Amanda Connors ArtsEtc. Reporter Listen up, Madison — Friday and Saturday nights (Dec. 2 and 3), the University of Wisconsin MadHatters are performing at the Orpheum Theater at 8 p.m. The premier men’s a cappella group at UW has put together roughly an hour and a half of all types of music, including Christmas, country, rock and the blues. The MadHatters are well known on the UW campus, but they also perform around Madison and beyond. Alex Yant, a new member of the MadHatters, described the group as “a magical group of sixteen beautiful, handsome gentlemen.” He added, “In all seriousness, in the end, we’re just a bunch of guys that like to have fun, but we’re determined to make a good product for the people to whom we perform.” The MadHatters can often be found sporadically performing in random venues such as dorms, dining halls and coffee houses, but they only have a few big concerts every year. This is one of them. According to Yant, the Orpheum seats seventeen hundred people and, judging from the dwindling

number of tickets remaining, the performance will be to a sold out house. The MadHatters will be performing many of the songs in their current repertoire, such as “Tossing and Turning,” “Ain’t no Sunshine” and “Not over You.” They will also be performing Christmas music like “Little Saint Nick,” “Blue Christmas” and “Wisconsin Christmas,” a song written by an older member of the MadHatters, David Redick. “I would say it’s not overwhelmingly Christmas, but it’s our Madhatters fun take on a stylized holiday concert and you know, us being just us,” Yant said. “A lot of it is just spontaneous, off the cuff. You really get a feel for the guys and you know how to work off of each other … I think the group is really fun in that respect because a lot of it is spontaneous. But there might be a few surprises in terms of who shows up onstage. … There’s definitely some surprises for people to look forward to.” The group will also be selling their CDs at the concert. The MadHatters have five CDs out: Cheer On Tap, Random Play, Not For Credit, Friday After Class and State Street. Cheer On Tap is the group’s Christmas album and includes some of the songs featured in the upcoming concert. Yant said he recommends Random Play. “That is my personal favorite. It has a lot of

good stuff, especially the “Swallowed in the Sea” rendition by us, originally done by Coldplay. That’s one of my favorite MadHatter songs,” he said. Because the group performs in dorms and dining halls on campus, it is sometimes difficult to know when and where the MadHatters are performing. Yant recommends following the MadHatters’ Twitter and Facebook. The group actively updates these, so fans can follow them and catch a gig or two here or there. The smaller gigs are exciting, but the upcoming concert should not be missed. “There’s going to be lights, there’s going to be dancing, there’s going to be action, and there’s going to be a lot of ridiculous humor. We cooked up a few more surprises in terms of videos as well that we are going to share and a few other skits,” Yant said. “It will be fun. I don’t say this lightly. It should be an unforgettable night. … It’s MadHatters Christmas, which makes it infinitely better than normal Christmas.” Tickets can be bought on the MadHatters website, www. uwmadhatters.com, or from a MadHatters member. If bought online, student tickets are $16 and adult tickets are $22, with a $5 surcharge. If bought from a MadHatter, student tickets are $15 and adult tickets are $20.

THE BADGER HERALD PRESENTS LOW-FAT TUESDAY

How the drink stole Christmas: Avoid empty calories this season Rachel Werts Low-fat Tuesday Columnist The holiday season is finally upon us: a time for seasonal celebrations filled to the brim with tempting treats and concoctions. But before you start coming up with your game plan to avoid Grandma’s peppermint bonbons this year, maybe you should rethink where the bulk of your holiday calories are really coming from: your drinks. The majority of beverages we consume contribute empty calories to our diet. This means they are high in calories, but very low in nutrients. In fact, milk is considered to be the only truly nutrient dense liquid out there. So what are these low-nutrient beverages doing for us? They’re adding unnecessary calories or displacing

calories from nutrient rich sources. Between holiday treats like party punches, sweetened cocktails, eggnog and hot cocoa, it can be hard to keep track of how many calories you’re really consuming at each celebration. However, after reading this article, you can better prepare yourself to keep your seasonal sipping in check. Just as at the popular ugly sweater parties on campus, it’s easy to spot the biggest contributor to the celebratory calorie count: alcohol. Just a few beers or shots of liquor can equate to an entire meal calorie-wise. Three beers pack about 440 calories (about 25 percent of the calories needed in a day) and contributes less than five percent of any of your essential vitamins and minerals. In comparison, a plain ham and cheese sandwich provides you with 20 grams of protein, and essential vitamins and minerals like calcium and iron, for nearly 100 fewer calories.

So instead of beer, you choose a simple soda at your next holiday get together, thinking you’re avoiding all negative consequences. Yet just because a drink is alcohol free doesn’t mean it is necessarily a healthy choice. Just two cans of nondiet soda have about 270 calories (13.5 percent of a 2,000 calorie diet) with no nutritional benefit. Choosing diet soda, which contains zero calories, won’t add any healthful nutrients to your diet, but it won’t add any unwanted calories. However, too much of any soda (just like Mom told you) isn’t good for your dental health. So what about those milk-based holiday delights? Everyone needs their dose of calcium, right? The benefits of the calcium in drinks like hot cocoa and eggnog, however, is outweighed by their high sugar and fat content. Just 8 fluid ounces of eggnog packs 345 calories with about 50 percent of those calories coming from fat.

Your favorite medium cup of Starbucks hot chocolate, though it packs 45 percent of your daily calcium requirement, also contributes 370 calories with almost 40 percent of those being from fat. It’s easy to get boggled by all of these numbers, and even easier to give into all of these seasonal temptations! So the number one thing you need to remember about making the right choices this holiday season is moderation. Holiday beverages are fine as long as they remain something special that you enjoy only once in a while. You can drink and be merry and avoid adding on countless calories this winter, if you simply remember to enjoy all things in moderation. If you are curious about the nutrient content of your favorite foods and drinks, check out the USDA’s nutrient calculator at http://www.nal.usda. gov/fnic/foodcomp/ search/ or write your question to the column at wisconsin.dnc@gmail. com.

RECIPE OF THE WEEK Spiced Cranberry Punch (serves 6) CRANBERRY SYRUP: 2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries 2 cups water 2 tablespoons honey

PUNCH: 1 cup water 1/4 cup honey 3 sticks (2 inches each) cinnamon 1 teaspoon whole cloves 1 1/2 cups pineapple juice 1/2 cup lemon juice (2 to 3 lemons) 4 cups sparkling water pineapple slices and lemon slices pierced with whole cloves for garnish (optional)

DIRECTIONS 1. To make the cranberry syrup: In a medium saucepan, combine the cranberries and water, bring to a low boil and cook until the berries pop, about 5 minutes. 2. Set a sieve over a bowl and pour the mixture into the sieve, pressing with the back of a spoon to extract all the juice. Discard the pulp. (You should have about 2 cups juice.) 3. Return the juice to the saucepan, add the honey and simmer for 10 minutes. Do not let boil and do not overcook or the cranberry syrup will jell. Store in the refrigerator. 4. To make the punch: In a medium saucepan, combine the water, honey, cinnamon and cloves. Bring to a boil and continue to boil gently for five minutes. Discard the cinnamon and cloves. Transfer to a large bowl and let cool. 5. Add the cranberry syrup, pineapple juice and lemon juice to the honey mixture and chill until serving time. 6. Just before serving, pour the punch over ice in a punch bowl and add the sparkling water. If desired, garnish with pineapple and lemon slices.

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

The Badger Herald | Classifieds | Tuesday, November 29, 2011

EMPLOYMENT

FOR RENT

!Bartending! $300/day potential. No experience neccesary. Training available. 800-965-6520 ext. 120

Apartments and houses all around campus available for Fall 2012. Many include porches, basements, and your own yard. See addresses, prices, pictures Earn $100-$3200/ month to and layouts at tallardapartments. drive our cars with ads. www. com, or call 250-0202! Owner FreeCarJobs.com managed with 24 hour staffing. STUDENTPAYOUTS.COM. BEST LOCATION HOUSES 1 Paid Survey. Takers Needed in block to Kohl Center/SERF. 3, Madison. 100% Free to Join. 4, 6, 7, 8 bedroom locations, Click on Surveys. parking available. Visit MADISONCAMPUSRENTALS.COM

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

Classifieds

FOR RENT

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

PARKING

Beat the snow, secure winter parking before it’s gone. Parking near Kohl Center, Vilas, and Camp Randall. Prices starting at $49/month. Call Tallard Apartments at 608-250-0202. See Large 3 bedroom with room for parking maps on our website at 5 near Engineering and stadium. tallardapartments.com Remodeled bathroom with free parking, central air, dishwasher and more. $1795-1895. 608235-5931

PARKING

Downtown/ campus, heated/ underground parking $150/ month at the Embassy Apts. Parking also available for $90/ month at 435 W. Johnson. Call 609-256-7368 or stop by the Embassy office.

tHe

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Grades: Receivers, o-line shine in rout UW offense racks up 450 yards in 45-7 win against PSU; defense surrenders just 1 score Kelly Erickson Associate Sports Editor Every week, Herald Sports will look back at the most recent Wisconsin football game and assign grades to each position group on a scale of zero to five. Here is a look at how the University of Wisconsin thrashed Penn State 45-7 for the Big Ten Leaders Division title. Quarterbacks — 5 out of 5 Russell Wilson put on a show in his senior day game. He completed 19 of his 29 passes for 186 yards and two touchdowns. As always, he displayed his ability to move out of the pocket and pick up yards with his feet, running for 36 yards on seven carries. He averaged 5.1 yards per run, better than sophomore running back James White. Wilson was able to blow up a Penn State defense ranked No. 8 in scoring defense and frequently touted as one of the best in the Big Ten and help the Badgers score 45 points.

HUGHES, from 8 it was looking for Oct. 22: a win that hurt Wisconsin bad. Losing to a Hail Mary is painful stuff, especially when you are playing a team that has already tortured you before. Did the Spartans satisfy their hunger for revenge in October? Can they muster up the same kind of motivation again? Considering how they last defeated the Badgers,

REVENGE, from 8 yards (5.4 per carry) and only allowed two sacks against the Nittany Lions’ vaunted defensive line. Monday, Bielema did not rule out that Konz would return to action against Michigan State Saturday. “There is a chance for Peter Konz this week,”

Running Backs — 4.5 out of 5 Junior Montee Ball has seemingly become unstoppable. Ball rushed for four touchdowns and 156 yards on 25 carries. Ball did not lose a single yard in the game and averaged 6.2 yards per carry. Sophomore James White also saw a considerable amount of carries with 16 for 73 yards. He averaged 4.6 yards per carry and was responsible for one of the Badgers’ few mistakes in the game. With 1:04 left in the game, White fumbled on Wisconsin’s own 38yard line, giving Penn State one final chance to cut the lead to something more respectable than a 38-point margin. Tight Ends — 3 out of 5 Once again, the tight ends had a quite day. Jacob Pedersen had one reception for three yards. They did have some solid blocking, giving Wilson what seemed like days in the pocket. Otherwise, they were not a major factor in the game. Wide Receivers — 5 out of 5 Nick Toon honored his father, Al Toon, by wearing No. 87 and had

would they maybe want to play someone else? I will give the Spartans the benefit of the doubt. Mark Dantonio and his staff have proven to be thorough motivators before.

a five-reception, 42-yard, one-touchdown game. But it was Jared Abbrederis who led UW’s receiving corps. Abbrederis had seven catches for 93 yards and, most notably, a touchdown in the first quarter that tied the game at seven. From that point on, the Badgers never looked back, and Penn State never saw the end zone again. Offensive Line — 4.5 out of 5 The offensive line was essentially a brick wall Saturday. Going against one of the Big Ten’s best defensive lines, the Badgers protected Wilson well, giving him time to throw and space to run. However, Wilson was still sacked twice. UW’s o-line also gave Ball the space to run, making key blocks to let him run up the middle as he is known to do. While center Peter Konz was still sidelined with an ankle injury, the o-line proved why it is one of the best in the nation, playing at a high level even without its leader. Defensive Line — 4.5 out of 5 The defensive line gave a strong yet quiet

dominate. Personnel still counts for something, and these two teams match up well. Wisconsin just might have a little more drive, is all.

And a special note before I leave it at that — this is not meant to suggest that the Badgers are clearly prepared to

Elliot is a senior majoring in journalism. Do you think Wisconsin’s intangibles are better prepared than Michigan State’s? Let him know by tweeting @ BHeraldSports or @ elliothughes12.

Bielema said. “It just depends on how the week goes for him.” Bielema also said redshirt sophomore linebacker Ethan Armstrong, who was taken off the field by an ambulance after spending several minutes on the field in the second quarter Saturday, will not be

available this week, but he could play in UW’s bowl game. Trainers initially feared Armstrong might have reaggravated a hip issue that has been bothering him throughout the season, though all tests taken Saturday night were negative. Armstrong is facing surgeries in the offseason, however.

Edge: Push

Stephanie Moebius The Badger Herald

Jared Abbrederis had seven catches Saturday for 93 yards. Abbrederis scored UW’s first touchdown of the game on a 21-yard pass from Wilson. performance. The line allowed Penn State 114 yards rushing and was able to get pressure on PSU quarterbacks Matt McGloin and Rob Bolden, who combined for only 11 completed passes on 25 attempts and 119 passing yards. Linebackers — 4.5 out of 5 Mike Taylor and Chris Borland led the Badgers defense once again with seven and six tackles, respectively. But it was Conor O’Neill who had

TAR HEELS, from 8 the Tar Heels in both their transitional game and their ability to get to the line. Carolina averages 28 free throws a game, compared to Wisconsin’s mere 9.7, and when considering North Carolina’s fast-paced approach to the game, Ryan said he knows he has to prepare his defense to protect not just the rim in transition, but also the arc. Basically, the message comes down to the fact that Wisconsin cannot forget to protect any particular area of the court when hurrying down the floor with North Carolina’s offense. “The idea is to get

a notable night from the linebacking corps with six tackles and a forced fumble and recovery.

secondary was solid, underlined by an early interception by safety Shelton Johnson.

Secondary — 4.5 out of 5 The secondary was responsible for the Badgers’ major mistake of the game. Safety Aaron Henry and cornerback Antonio Fenelus had a miscommunication that allowed Penn State’s Curtis Drake to get wide open behind Wisconsin’s defense. It was PSU’s lone touchdown of the game. Otherwise the

Specialists — 5 out of 5 On UW’s five punts, the Badgers forced fumbles on four of them and recovered each one, which was an essential game changer for UW. Punter Brad Nortman averaged 40.6 yards on each of his punts, continuing his stellar season, and kicker Philip Welch averaged 57.1 yards on eight kickoffs.

back, protect the rim and then protect against shooters, and that takes five guys,” Ryan said. “You definitely want to be in a five-on-five game with them. If you’re in an open area of threeon-three, Carolina wins three-on-three. “Carolina [can] beat anybody in the country three-on-three, four-onfour. Five-on-five is your best chance.” Wednesday also marks the beginning of a difficult four-day stretch for Wisconsin, as the team will be forced to fly back from North Carolina early Thursday morning and will have to regroup in time for a Saturday afternoon tipoff with in-state rival and No. 16 Marquette at

the Kohl Center. Due to the nature of the Big Ten/ ACC Challenge — a coordinated effort involving all of the conferences’ schools — scheduling this portion of the non-conference season was out of Ryan’s hands, and his team will be forced to take it as it comes. “You have to go the night that they [Big Ten/ACC Challenge] say, and then with the Marquette game, we always try to get it to be a weekend game when a lot of people can attend and a lot of people can get in to it,” Ryan said. “So those are the two we have this week, and we’ll see what we can do.”

Sports Editor Mike Fiammetta sports@badgerherald.com

The Badger Herald | Sports | Tuesday, November 29, 2011

MSU revenge not a factor

SPORTS

Badgers avoiding popular story lines; Konz has “a chance” to return to action Saturday Mike Fiammetta Sports Editor The first ever Big Ten Championship Game trophy is up for grabs, but do not tell Bret Bielema. At his weekly Monday press conference, Wisconsin’s head coach said that while the Badgers are preparing for an undeniably different road experience, they are treating it just like any other regular season game away from Camp Randall Stadium. After a 45-7 win over Penn State Saturday, Wisconsin boosted its home record to 7-0 this season, a perfect record for the second consecutive year as its two losses came on the road. When the Badgers take the Lucas Oil Stadium field Saturday night, the expected 50-50 split between UW and MSU fans might render the atmosphere neutral, but Wisconsin’s troubles away from home likely will still linger. “It’s a little bit of a different road experience, but we’re kind of treating it as a regular in-season road game,” Bielema said. “Our kids are very excited. After they won the game

on Saturday and they knew they were going to play in the [Big Ten Championship] Game and have an opportunity to earn another opportunity, if they’re able to take care of business against Michigan State, to be in position to hopefully go to the Rose Bowl is something that’s pretty unique.” “Revenge factor” not at play for Bielema If both teams wanted, Saturday could become an exhibition for several instances of revenge. Michigan State may still be hurting from being left out of a BCS bowl last season by way of a threeway tie, which Wisconsin broke by way of its higher BCS ranking. The Badgers, meanwhile, suffered their first loss of 2011 at Spartan Stadium Oct. 22 on a lastsecond 44-yard Hail Mary that still remains one of the highlights of the college football season. Yet, at least outwardly, Bielema made clear the Badgers have other goals at mind — namely, a Big Ten title. “I think our kids want to play a game where they can play a four-quarter

Stephanie Moebius The Badger Herald

Russell Wilson completed 19 of 29 passing attempts Saturday for 186 yards and two touchdowns. He also picked up 36 yards on the ground on seven attempts, 5.1 yards per carry. game and hopefully have success,” Bielema said. “I don’t get in to the revenge factor, really, at all.” Konz has “a chance” to play, Armstrong out After redshirt junior

center Peter Konz dislocated his left ankle Nov. 12 at Minnesota, he immediately held out hopes of returning for the Big Ten Championship Game. In his place, the Badgers first turned

to redshirt sophomore Ryan Groy at center the following week. But after Groy snapped the football over quarterback Russell Wilson’s head, Groy was swapped with redshirt sophomore left guard

Travis Frederick. Since then, Wisconsin’s offensive line has largely been stabilized. Against Penn State Saturday, the Badgers rushed for 264

REVENGE, page 7

Badgers prep for Tar Heels After 6 straight wins, Wisconsin eyes hotly anticipated meeting with North Carolina Elliot Hughes Sports Content Editor The University of Wisconsin men’s basketball team may have won the Chicago Invitational Challenge just days ago, but during head coach Bo Ryan’s weekly press conference Monday, all anybody cared to talk about was a different challenge. For the 2011 Big Ten/ ACC Challenge, No. 7 Wisconsin is preparing to hit the road to brave the Dean Smith Center and tussle with No. 5 North Carolina. The matchup serves as one of the most highly Stephanie Moebius The Badger Herald anticipated games on the Despite winning the Chicago Invitational Challenge, head coach Bo Ryan and the Badgers’ schedule this Wisconsin Badgers now face a difficult week against North Carolina and Marquette. season, as some of the

nation’s highest profile players will go toe-to-toe. “How about that?” Ryan asked, marveling at the idea of UW point guard Jordan Taylor going up against UNC’s Kendall Marshall. “Those two guys, they understand the game, they understand what the team needs, and they bring that every night when they go on the floor.” “Yeah, I think that’s going to be interesting, but there’s a lot more to the game. But, that will be a challenge within the Challenge.” The tournament Wisconsin won last weekend has not been completely forgotten, however. The Badgers

earned some serious credibility over the Thanksgiving weekend after defeating Bradley 66-43 and Brigham Young 73-56 to come away as tournament champions. Wisconsin shot 42.4 and 50.9 percent from the field, respectively, in those two games and now stand at 6-0 on the year. That convinced voters to give Wisconsin access to the top 10 in both polls, climbing from No. 11 to No. 7 in the ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll and No. 9 in the AP Top 25. The Tar Heels, on the other hand, tripped up last weekend. Previously ranked No. 1, North Carolina fell to NevadaLas Vegas 90-80 in the Continental Tire Las

Vegas Invitational, sending the Tar Heels down the polls some, but not far. Despite the Tar Heels now sporting a blemished 5-1 mark, Ryan said he does not anticipate that making too much of a difference in their effort against the Badgers Wednesday night. “North Carolina isn’t any different than when they went out to Vegas,” he said. “Probably a little ornerier maybe now, but they were going to play hard against us no matter whether that game was on the left-hand side or the right-hand side.” Ryan said he recognizes the threat presented by

TAR HEELS, page 7

Intangibles on Bucky’s side heading to Indy Elliot Hughes Look Hughe’s Laughing Now You know you have a great game coming when 1) some sort of championship is on the line, 2) your opponent is the best possible team you could face and 3) there is no other team you would rather play against for that championship. Given all the on-field storylines this year, the best possible matchup the Big Ten could have hoped for in its inaugural championship game is happening: Wisconsin and Michigan State. There is no sharing this time — the winner takes the whole pie. We can sit here and talk over the schematics of this game all we want, pinpoint the crucial individual matchups, predict the tactics of both

teams’ offensive and defensive coordinators and stress which players need to do this and that better than the last time. And while I am game to talk anything regarding this rematch, I do enjoy reserving myself to simpler things in predicting the outcome of any given sporting match. Rather than fidget over personnel and stratagems, momentum and motivation are two factors that remain constant in every sporting event, and they are two factors I often consider first and foremost. A team can win without its leader at quarterback and a team can win in the winter months without a traditional ground game. Conventional wisdom on personnel matters can be fickle. It is all about getting down to the very nature of the game — intangibles. That is what’s key. Watch a game and consider what each play can do for momentum, and you will likely know who’s going down and who’s raising the trophy

above their heads before long. So who is rocking the pregame intangibles for Saturday? Follow me to find the answer.

After these past two seasons, the Badgers have become a team well-acquainted with the big stage. Picking up speed Both the Badgers and the Spartans enter Saturday’s battle royale on four-game winning streaks, good for a combined 8-0 in the month of November, so who is peaking at a higher rate entering this game? Michigan State started slow with a feeble 31-24 win over lowly Minnesota but has since picked up speed with a 16-point win over Iowa, a 55-3 devastation of Indiana and an impressive showing in a meaningless affair with Northwestern.

Wisconsin, meanwhile, has been completely blowing teams away, for the most part. The Badgers stuttered against Illinois, scoring their lowest point total on the year (28) but still won by 11. They have also slugged Purdue and Minnesota with a combined score of 10430, and now Wisconsin enters the title game after ripping apart Penn State in every meaningful statistical category despite the Nittany Lions having just as much to play for as the Badgers. Neither team faced a difficult November to begin with, but the opponents Wisconsin have faced are a collective 14-18 while Michigan State’s are just 9-23, and the Badgers have produced wider margins. Edge: Wisconsin Butterflies aflutter This section is actually less about choking and more about rising to the occasion. Athletes of this level are generally well-

prepared mentally to step into a big game and perform. I do not know if I have ever seen a team or player completely crumble due to the pressure surrounding a game, but I believe butterflies can still prevent someone from having a memorable night. This is something not too often said of Wisconsin, but after these past two seasons the Badgers have become a team well acquainted with the big stage. Wisconsin toppled No. 1 Ohio State last year with all of sports nation watching and followed that up with another mega-win on the road versus Iowa. The Badgers have also experienced a Rose Bowl (lost, but still experienced) and a game against Nebraska which, again, had all of sports nation watching. Michigan State has not won a bowl game since 2001 and has not even appeared in a prestigious one (that of a BCS bowl) since before I was born.

Until it played Wisconsin earlier this season, Michigan State had not played a top-10 ranked team since 2009. The Spartans won that game against the Badgers, sure. But this is a grander stage, one the Badgers have had more practice on. Edge: Wisconsin Chip on the shoulder What was intriguing about the match-up between these two teams back in October was that both had grounds to hold a grudge over the other. That will carry over to the Big Ten Championship Game, but the grudges have evolved some. For Wisconsin to lose to Michigan State on the road two years in a row and to lose in the fashion it did back in October, you have to think that there is nobody else the Badgers would prefer to play in all of college football right now than the Spartans. Michigan State got what

HUGHES, page 7