Raising ticket prices to cushion budget insufficient solution, unfair to students OPINION
University of Wisconsin-Madison
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NANKIVIL, BADGERS READY FOR REMATCH
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Badgers hope big men repeat performance tonight against Boilermakers
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Thursday, January 28, 2010
State to get over $800M for rail line By Ariel Shapiro and Hannah Furfaro The Daily Cardinal
BY THE NUMBERS
2.91 3.23
24.4 26.7
Average UW-Madison GPA in fall 1988-’89 semester
Average ACT score of incoming freshmen in fall 1988-’89 semester
Average UW-Madison GPA in fall 2008-’09 semester
Average ACT score of incoming freshmen in fall 2008-’09 semester
photo illustration by Isabel Álvarez/the daily cardinal
Higher GPAs raise grade inflation concerns at UW By Jessica Feld The Daily Cardinal
A recent report argues that a trend toward higher grades at UW-Madison is the result of lowered classroom standards over the past 15 years. Between 1990 and 2007, UW-Madison students’ average grade point average increased by .25 points, making today’s average GPA over 3.2, according to a report released by former Duke University professor Stuart Rojstaczer. Rojstaczer said in his report the increasing costs of attending a public university increase the pressure on faculty to reward students with higher grades. With increases in tuition, he said, professors continue to lower grading standards and simplify class content to ensure students remain satisfied. Former UW-Madison Chancellor John Wiley said he believes an increasingly competitive admission process, not the lowering of classroom standards, explains UW-Madison’s grade increases. “Today we get 25,000 applications, and we can only admit about half of those students,” Wiley said. “That means we have to be more selective ... so we’ve got better prepared and higher performing students than we used to have.” The 2009 freshman class marked the admission office’s most selective year to date, with the average ACT score at 28, the highest ever, according to the UW-Madison
2008-’09 Data Digest. “I don’t think it’s right or fair or good public policy to take in basically the top 10 percent of our high schools and then flunk out a bunch of them,” Wiley said. “I think it’s logical and understandable that students today are getting higher grades.” According to Rojstaczer, however, competitive admission standards do not explain the higher grades. “Such quantitative efforts are of dubious worth, because even the organization that administers the SAT test, the College Board, is unable to show that SAT scores are a good predictor of college GPA,” Rojstaczer said in the report. Aaron Brower, vice provost for teaching and learning, said he thinks it is clear students’ grades continue to increase but the reasons behind the increase are unknown. “It’s hard to know whether grades are going up because students are knowing more or grades are going up because of grade inflation,” Brower said. While the reasons behind grade increases continue to be debated, Wiley said the numbers do not trouble him. “[We could] rack up the difficulty of the homework, the tests and the material,” Wiley said. “But is that a good thing to do? Is that our purpose as a public institution? Our purpose is to produce more degrees, not to produce more failures.”
Wisconsin is set to receive over $800 million in federal funds for a high-speed rail line that will connect Madison to Milwaukee and other large Midwest cities, according to a statement from the White House. The statement said the majority of the funds will be used to upgrade 80 miles of track between Madison and Milwaukee, with rail service expected between the two cities by 2013. According to the Wisconsin State Journal, $13 million of the funds will be used to improve infrastructure along the Milwaukee-Chicago corridor. The long-term aim of the project
is to span approximately 441 miles with improved track and to connect the Twin Cities to Madison, Milwaukee and Chicago. The entire federal grant is $823 million, which will fund the Madison-MilwaukeeChicago improvements and include nearly $1 million to study a proposed high-speed rail line between Madison and the Twin Cities, according to the WSJ. According to the White House, the new trains will travel at up to 110 mph. Part of the funds will also go toward updating train stations. According to the statement, the improvements and long-term vision of the project aim to reduce travel time for passengers and save energy.
In his State of the State Address Tuesday night, Doyle mentioned the possibility of the rail line and said, “With the Obama administration’s support, Wisconsin is poised to be the nation’s leader in highspeed rail manufacturing.” In his speech on the subject last April, President Barack Obama said he is particularly invested in a high-speed rail system for the Midwest and said the rail line is “something close to my heart.” “Building a new system of high-speed rail in America will be faster, cheaper and easier than building more freeways or adding to an already overburdened aviation system, and everybody stands to benefit,” Obama said.
Obama calls for compromise, health-care reform By Alison Dirr The Daily Cardinal
In his State of the Union Address Wednesday, President Barack Obama called for mobilization of his party and appealed to Republicans for compromise on health-care reform. “Despite our hardships, our union is strong,” Obama said. “In this new decade, it’s time the American people get a government that matches their decency, that embodies their strength.” Obama focused on the struggling middle class and said families are strapped for cash for a number of reasons. He said American families want to see an improving economy, more jobs and lower college costs. In response to these issues, he outlined a new bill that would dis-
tribute $30 million in repaid bank bailout funds to small businesses. Obama also promised to help students pay off college loans by guaranteeing students their debt will be forgiven after 20 years. Obama also said he plans to pull all troops out of Iraq by this summer. Gov. Robert McDonnell of Virginia gave the Republican State of the Union Response and said he did not approve of what he perceived as “big government” initiatives. “The circumstances of our time demand that we reconsider and restore the proper, limited role of government at every level,” McDonnell said. Obama outlined specifics of health-care reform plans and said he wanted members of Congress to work together to find a solution.
“We are closer than ever to bringing more security to the lives of so many Americans,” Obama said. “Here’s what I ask of Congress, though: Do not walk away from reform.” Obama also proposed a spending freeze for three years beginning in 2011. Obama cited spending during the Bush administration as the cause of today’s financial problems and said cutting discretionary government spending is the answer to improving the economy. Obama acknowledged that his administration made mistakes in its first year but urged all Americans to move forward together. “A new year has come,” Obama said. “Let’s seize this moment to start anew, to carry the dream forward and to strengthen our union once more.”
UW-Madison pushes University Avenue vending proposal By Maggie DeGroot The Daily Cardinal
Discussion was heated Wednesday night at the Vending Oversight Committee meeting as members debated a review draft for the proposed University Avenue vending area. Madison Street Vending Coordinator Warren Hansen, who headed the project, said he has observed the area many times to measure where stands would be. Eight specific locations were discussed at the meeting, including a space between Park Street and Brooks Street in front of Grainger Hall. Although most members of the committee seemed content with the project, committee member Rosemary Lee was not. Lee said she had reservations because the proposal had been created at the suggestion of UW-Madison officials. She said the university has no right to tell vendors where they can and cannot operate. Ald. Mike Verveer, District 4, brought up the issue of exclusive
use during the Mifflin Street Block Party. The proposed vending area would include the 400 and 500
blocks of West Mifflin Street. Verveer suggested the sponsors vending page 3
STEPHANIE MOEBIUS/the daily cardinal
Vending Oversight Committee member Rosemary Lee expressed concerns about the University Avenue vending area proposal.
“…the great state University of Wisconsin should ever encourage that continual and fearless sifting and winnowing by which alone the truth can be found.”
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Thursday, January 28, 2010
An independent student newspaper, serving the University of Wisconsin-Madison community since 1892
Jon quits writing, starts loving... HARD
Volume 119, Issue 75
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News and Editorial edit@dailycardinal.com Editor in Chief Charles Brace Managing Editor Ryan Hebel Campus Editor Kelsey Gunderson City Editor Grace Urban State Editor Hannah Furfaro Enterprise Editor Hannah McClung Associate News Editor Ashley Davis Senior News Reporters Alison Dirr Ariel Shapiro Robert Taylor Opinion Editor Anthony Cefali Todd Stevens Arts Editors Katie Foran-McHale Jacqueline O’Reilly Sports Editors Scott Kellogg Nico Savidge Page Two Editor Kevin Slane Features Editor Madeline Anderson Life and Style Editor Ben Pierson Photo Editors Isabel Álvarez Danny Marchewka Graphics Editors Caitlin Kirihara Natasha Soglin Multimedia Editor Jenny Peek Copy Chiefs Anna Jeon Kyle Sparks Justin Stephani Jake VIctor Copy Editors Sam Berg, Caitlin Furin
Business and Advertising
jon spike academic misjonduct
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here comes a time in every Page Two columnist’s life when he has to step up and do the right thing. Granted, I’ve failed to step up at these crucial times or just flat-out denied being in the wrong in the previous five instances, but now I’m going to finally take responsibility and make wrongs right. Let’s just say there have been some... “unprofessional” issues between myself and my editor, and I’ll be going away for a while. To where, I will not say. I think my letter of resignation says it well enough: Dear Editor (who shall remain nameless to protect anonymity, but if you really want to know, I’ll post her name on my blog in a half hour). After the events that have transpired between us this semester, I’m afraid I have no choice but to sub-
mit my letter of resignation, effective immediately. Don’t pretend like you don’t know what this is about. Since before I can remember, there has been an incalculable amount of sexual tension between us. I mean, you’re a promiscuous pig-tailed redhead who has tight shirts and loose morals. And me... I’m a 400-pound outcast on disability leave who spends his time playing World of Warcraft and pooping in a bedpan because the bathroom is too far away. We’re from two different worlds. Also, I like strange pornography in which bald women serve me sushi in the nude. In the best interest of the newspaper, I feel it would be best if we parted ways. Though, at times I fantasize about just what our lives would be like if we acted upon our urges. I imagine one steamy editing session in which I “accidentally” spill my jumbo-sized Slurpee on your low-cut top. You sensually wipe up the stain slowly using one of your red braids, then stick it seductively into your mouth to suck the icy residue off of the hair follicles. Our eyes meet, and
business@dailycardinal.com Business Manager Cole Wenzel Advertising Manager Katie Brown Billing Manager Mindy Cummings Senior Account Executive Ana Devcic Account Executives Mara Greenwald Kristen Lindsay, D.J. Nogalski Sarah Schupanitz Graphic Designer Mara Greenwald Web Director Eric Harris Marketing Director Mia Beeson Archivist Erin Schmidtke The Daily Cardinal is published weekdays and distributed at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and its surrounding community with a circulation of 10,000. The Daily Cardinal is a nonprofit organization run by its staff members and elected editors. It receives no funds from the university. Operating revenue is generated from advertising and subscription sales. Capital Newspapers, Inc. is the Cardinal’s printer. The Daily Cardinal is printed on recycled paper. The Cardinal is a member of the Associated Collegiate Press and the Wisconsin Newspaper Association. All copy, photographs and graphics appearing in The Daily Cardinal are the sole property of the Cardinal and may not be reproduced without written permission of the editor in chief. The Daily Cardinal accepts advertising representing a wide range of views. This acceptance does not imply agreement with the views expressed. The Cardinal reserves the right to reject advertisements judged offensive based on imagery, wording or both. Complaints: News and editorial complaints should be presented to the editor in chief. Business and advertising complaints should be presented to the business manager. Letters Policy: Letters must be typewritten, double-spaced and no longer than 200 words, including contact information. Letters may be sent to letters@dailycardinal.com.
Editorial Board
Riley’s now offers wine tote bags for customers purchasing 6 bottles, or more, of any wine we have in stock! They are durable, reusable, and
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37-month love bender. After the numerous court hearings and a vicious custody battle, we set out again on our strange love odyssey. We fashion strange dolls out of the hair we’ve collected from each other over the past few months, using them to put on adult-only puppet shows told in a made-up language that no one else understands. Soon we take our act to the subways of New York, only to find that the existing hobo and transient puppet shows are managed and performed much better than ours. After a brief stint in rehab, we return to Madison bitter and penniless, begging The Daily Cardinal to take us back... and also pay for the numerous tickets we’ve accumulated during our grand love journey. Eventually, our story will be turned into a failed Page Two column that will be roundly rejected by all editors. But someday, my love, our story will be told! Do you think this entire story is gross hyperbole and never happened? Complain to someone other than Jon at spike@wisc.edu.
New Glarus Brewing Company Cabin Fever
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then our thighs meet. Before you know it, we’re travelling across the country in a motor home, purchased on a whim after we agree to sell all of our worldly possessions. Our magical mystery love tour takes us to strange and whimsical places across the lower 48 states, stopping at landmarks such as the World’s Largest Ant Farm and the Human Garbage Disposal. Along the way, you give birth to nine kids so we can name them after each planet in the solar system. Then a friendly hobo at a gas station informs us that Pluto is no longer considered a planet, so we leave our youngest child with $10 on the side of the road and tell him to get a job. After a brief stint in the Peace Corps, you and I take a winter off to live among the penguins in the Antarctic. Then we get permanent tattoos professing our love for each other in areas that have no business being tattooed in the first place. Finally, we realize we’ve neglected all of those children we made, and we frantically rush back to Reno to find out where social services placed them during our
New Beer Thursday
Charles Brace Anthony Cefali Kathy Dittrich Ryan Hebel Nico Savidge Jamie Stark Justin Stephani Todd Stevens l
friDAY: partly sunny hi 17º / lo 5º
What: Daily Cardinal kickoff meeting When: 4 p.m. Friday, January 29 Where: 2195 Vilas Hall
New Glarus Brewing Company already has enough of a rabid following in Madison. And after the search and seizure of dozens of cases of Spotted Cow at a Badger bar in New York City, it’s obvious the rest of the nation wants to join in. Lucky for us Wisconsinites, we get to enjoy New Glarus all for ourselves; and they’ve rewarded us with another hit, their seasonal Honey Bock, oddly titled Cabin Fever. Cabin Fever is a sweet lager, with the “honey” in Honey Bock being the flavor of note. The beer’s flavor is evenly spread throughout, with a variety of grains and a slight hint of hops mixed with the traditional lager taste. Despite only packing a six percent alcohol by volume, this beer definitely warms you up. And New Glarus recognizes that,
saying on the label that this beer evokes home fires and sipping away the chill on quiet evenings with friends and family. Perhaps Cabin Fever’s only fault is how light it is. Finishing one may give you a slight buzz, but your palate will show nary a trace. Still, if there was ever a beer for quiet evenings up north with a storm raging outside, Cabin Fever is the one.
New Glarus Brewery Cabin Fever Bock $7.99 at Riley’s Wines of the World
dailycardinal.com/news
City parking fines may increase beginning in mid-February Students may find themselves paying more in parking fines beginning next month. According to the Wisconsin State Journal, approximately 40 percent of parking tickets between $20 and $100 would increase by $5 per ticket if the
city’s plan goes into effect. However, the fine increases would not affect tickets issued for many common parking violations, including expired parking meters and snow emergency parking violations. City budget analyst Dan
Bohrod told the Wisconsin State Journal the parking fine increase would generate about $200,000 this year if enacted. The increase is expected to take place in February, pending Common Council approval at its meeting Feb. 2.
Year of Humanities events to continue into spring semester The UW-Madison 2009-’10 Year of Humanities will continue on campus this semester with events beginning as early as next week. The program, which began last fall, was created to raise awareness of the humanities departments at UW-Madison and to celebrate several milestones of humanities organizations on campus, such as the 50th anniversary
of the Institute for Research in the Humanities. “The first semester went well. We had a good turnout at the events and a good balance of public and academic programs,” said Steven Nadler, co-chair of the council in charge of planning the Year of Humanities. “There are even more high-profile public events this semester.”
The first event scheduled for this semester is a panel discussion titled “Humanities in the 21st Century,” which will include several national humanities scholars, including Chancellor Biddy Martin, and will take place Feb. 3. Students can visit humanities. wisc.edu/yearofhumanities for information about upcoming Year of Humanities events.
Poster children
isabel Álvarez/the daily cardinal
Students peruse the opportunities at the Student Organization Fair in Memorial Union’s Great Hall Wednesday evening.
vending from page 1 of the block party could have exclusive use of those spots to earn money to pay for event costs like security or insurance. Another committee member, Tori Pettaway, said she liked the proposed plans and felt they would be a good compromise between locations preferred by vendors and where the university wanted to see vendors. Pettaway went on to explain that she wants vending areas to be “safe for students, faculty and those who are traveling the sidewalks.” Another major issue brought up at the meeting was whether the Vending Oversight Committee should consider requiring background checks for street vendor applicants. Lee argued that background checks would require the city to absorb the cost. She said this would put an “unfair burden” on those performing the background checks as well as the vendors. The committee decided to drop the issue unless it becomes a major concern in the future.
Thursday, January 28, 2010
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BEN TURPIN opinion columnist
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dailycardinal.com/opinion
Thursday, January 28, 2009
ld. Mike Verveer, District 4, may have summed it up best when he said, “I believe it’s a solution in search of a problem.” Madison Mayor Dave Cieslewicz has revised his proposal that would prohibit bar owners and their employees from drinking while they serve alcohol so that it doesn’t include entertainers (who are technically independent contractors) or those involved in sampling for quality purposes. However, said sampling would likely be limited to an indeterminate number of drinks per shift. Still, at least one revision was essential for this proposed ordinance if it was going appear plausible at all. But the question still remains: Why did Cieslewicz and Ald. Michael Schumacher, District 18 propose this ordinance in the first place? Exactly what problem is it supposed to solve? Apparently the city of Madison is facing an epidemic of drunken bartenders. That seems to have been Schumacher’s (hotly contested) view, at least at the time he co-sponsored the proposal. According to him, bartenders in the area have been “stretching the envelope.” However, he is no longer sponsoring the proposal, so perhaps that is not his position any more. What is the public opinion when it comes to bartenders, owners and other employees drinking while they serve alcohol? Popular culture has made its ruling already. It is a relatively common practice for a friendly patron to buy a bartender an occasional drink or for a bartender to simply have one. In the rare situation this custom is abused, just about any business in the world, be it a bar, restaurant or anything else, has an unspoken, and likely written, rule about getting drunk at work: It is not tolerated. Additionally, in that instance an existing Madison ordinance has been violated. In reality, this proposed ordinance does not seem to be aimed at addressing any legitimate problem at all. Its roots have been traced back to an incident that happened during this past football season involving an intoxicated driver who was on her way to work and frustrated with the gameday traffic. Allegedly, she ignored the instructions of two police officers and ended up hitting one and running over the other’s foot. Why did this incident relate to laws governing bar employee conduct rather than to those govern-
ing drivers? She happened to be a sales representative for an alcohol company. This proposal is just a misdirected, knee-jerk reaction to a non issue. There are plenty of laws that cover circumstances like those of this woman––she was cited on a handful of charges by all three police jurisdictions involved. Would Cieslewicz’s proposed ordinance have been applicable to her situation? Unless I am grossly misinformed about what it entails, the answer is a resounding “No.” Another question that needs to be asked about this would-be ordinance is how on earth it would be enforced in any serious way? This would presumably involve some of the city’s police officers––who had previously been spending their nights fighting real crime––being forced to spend their time giving breathalyzers to bartenders instead. The police departments do not need their jobs or budgets politicized any more than they already have been. This proposal is a textbook example of an unwarranted attack on an industry that, like it or not, is and always will be a major part of this community. Business owners are the ones who are taking on the risks associated with owning and operating their businesses, and they’re doing it in Wisconsin despite the already less-than-friendly tax and regulatory climate. If patrons don’t like the rules at a particular business, they have the right to go somewhere else. If business owners don’t like the government stepping on their toes, they’re eventually going to leave the city or state for greener pastures, of which there are plenty at this point. And they’ll be taking the jobs their businesses had created along with them. Cieslewicz’s proposed ordinance is redundant and bewilderingly unnecessary. In practice it will be yet another waste of already overstretched police resources that should be deployed in the direction of real crimes. But worst of all, it will be just one more reason for a potential business owner to reconsider setting up shop in Madison. There may be one advantage to an ordinance like this one, though. If enough businesses––and subsequently jobs––are driven away from Madison, perhaps the chances of someone in a bar having both the financial means and the good spirits to buy his or her bartender a drink will drop. And then maybe, finally, we will be free of the drunken bartender problem that has been plaguing us so mercilessly. Ben Turpin is a junior majoring in psychology. Please send all feedback to opinion@dailycardinal.com.
view Cardinal View editorials represent The Daily Cardinal’s organizational opinion. Each editorial is crafted independent of news coverage.
give students a break on tickets
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ast Tuesday, UW Associate Athletic Director John Jentz told the Athletic Department’s Finance, Facilities and Operations Committee that, in order to supplement $60 million in lost revenue, ticket prices for Wisconsin sporting events could increase in the next year. This is bad news for all Badger fans as the sports they love will become more expensive at a time when, given the economic downturn, many cannot afford it. But raising the cost of tickets on students, a group that shells out more than any other, is even more heinous. Raising the cost of tickets for students will have a large, detrimental effect on fans for comparatively little positive impact on the Athletic Department’s budget. Non-student fans often complain about the steep discounts many students receive on season ticket packages compared to those paid by alumni or casual fans, but what they fail to consider is the amount of money students pay just to have access to those tickets. Students shell out thousands of dollars to attend this university, and along with a world-class education they should also expect to receive cheaper access to its sporting events. But while other Big Ten schools give students free tickets, UW-Madison insists on charging students everincreasing costs to watch our teams. The problem is that the Athletic Department realizes they can charge whatever they want for student tickets, and we will still pack the stands. Students paid $130 for sea-
Check out our commentary on the State of the Union address at The Daily Cardinal’s opinion blog: “The Soapbox” at dailycardinal. com
ISABEL ÁLVAREZ/THE DAILY CARDINAL
Bartenders like Matt Hill will only be able to pour for the customers under the mayor’s new proposal.
son football tickets last year but if the cost increased to $150, how many students would pass on a season at Camp Randall Stadium? What if the cost was $200? $300? No matter the cost, students’ season tickets for the revenue sports of football, men’s basketball and men’s hockey will always have a market that will pay anything. But just because the Athletic Department can charge whatever they want for student tickets does not mean they should. If the Athletic Department is facing a $60 million deficit and truly has exhausted all options other than raising ticket costs, there is no way simple price increases for student tickets could raise that much money. For example, rais-
ing football ticket prices by 50 percent for students would result in a gain of less than $1 million. If Barry Alvarez can find $59 million elsewhere, you would think he could twist the boosters arms enough to get a few extra dollars from them and spare the Badgers’ most important and die-hard fans, the students. The Wisconsin Athletic Department must realize that the student section is not like other groups of fans at a Badger game. Students are loudest and most infamous group of Wisconsin fans in any building, we already to our part to make sure our athletic programs are successful. We should not be first door the Athletic Department knocks on when it comes begging for cash.
arts
dailycardinal.com/arts
Thursday, January 28, 2010
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‘Turn of the Screw’ a must-see By Katie Foran-McHale THE DAILY CARDINAL
Emotional turmoil and chaos reign in Madison Opera’s production of Benjamin Britten’s “The Turn of the Screw,” playing in the Playhouse at the Overture Center this weekend.
Jarringly lingering in oddly beautiful discordance, the production is not one to miss.
PHOTO COURTESY JOAN MARCUS
In the penultimate stop on the national tour, Adam Pascal reprises his role as Roger in Madison’s presentation of the smash-hit ‘Rent.’
Go ‘Out Tonight’ and see ‘Rent’ By Lauren Fuller THE DAILY CARDINAL
A little more than a year after its Broadway run came to a close, the revolutionary rock opera “Rent” is being performed at Madison’s Overture Center. The cast features three of its original members from its first appearance off-Broadway: Anthony Rapp, Adam Pascal and soloist Gwen Stewart. “I feel extremely lucky to be able to come back for this tour and do this again. Every step of the way with the show has been a surprise,” Pascal said. “And this was one more surprise, to have the opportunity to come back and ... go out with a bang.” “Rent” made its debut in 1994 at the New York Theatre Workshop. “Things were so crazy back then, we couldn’t really enjoy performing the show in the way you can now ... when there is a lot less baggage to accompany the performances,” Pascal said. The baggage, Pascal explained, came from being in a new show to being “thrust into these positions of notoriety.” On top of that, Jonathan Larson, who wrote the music, lyrics and the book, died suddenly of an aortic aneurysm the night before the show’s first performance. “Rent” sticks out like a sore thumb in Larson’s portfolio. It’s edgy, controversial, provocative, sexual and alternative, covering hot-button topics, including homosexuality, HIV/ AIDS and homelessness. Taking place in the artistic, avant garde Alphabet City in the East Village of New York City, “Rent” follows a group of friends who live in the experiencing love, loss, disease, poverty and survival together. After 14 years on stage, “Rent” continues to deliver a unique emotional experience. Pascal and Rapp still shine in their roles as Roger and Mark. Performing with energy, enthusiasm and emotion, their passion for the show remains vibrant. Their veteran experience has added a level of comfort both on stage and to their characters that allows the audience to become engrossed in the story. Their chemistry is electrifying, and their camaraderie is clearly genuine. The argument the pair have when Roger leaves to travel to Sante Fe,
N.M., is so charged, you can feel the insults and daggers they are throwing at each other. And when Pascal and Rapp unite to sing “You’re What You Own,” as a reconciliation song, they are in perfect harmony. “Without You,” Pascal’s duet with Lawson, is one of the most memorable songs in the musical. Their voices twine together in such a complex harmony that you will be left with goose bumps and a longing for the person you love. The score is also unconventional. It ranges from up-beat, energetic, numbers like “Out Tonight” to heartwrenching songs like “I’ll Cover You (Reprise),” in which McElroy laments his lost love. Composed of highly charged rock songs and ballads, the music captivates the audience. The powerful effects of the score are amplified by the immensely talented 15-member cast. When Stewart soars over the rest of the cast in “Seasons of Love,” you cannot help but sit on the edge of your seat in amazement. For those who have seen “Rent” before, it is impossible not to hum or lip-synch the songs. The pit orchestra is surprisingly simple and small, especially considering its large and full sound. It resembles a rock band in most of its instrumentation, including electric piano, bass, guitar and drums. The orchestra rocks hard, yet is still able to blend in with the overall performance and adapt to the needs of the performers. Thematically, “Rent” poses the question of what to do with the time we are allotted on earth. What do you do when you know your time is limited? Do you, as one of the most powerful songs in the show suggests, live like there’s “No Day But Today,” or do you protect yourself emotionally from any further pain? “‘The success of ‘Rent’ comes from its ability to connect with the audience, said Pascal. “You can only hope what you do connects ... but you can never be sure until you get out there and do it.” “Rent” performances will continue through Sunday, Jan. 31. Student rush tickets are available for $25 two hours before each performance. Specific show times and ticket information are listed at www.overturecenter.com.
Based on the novella by Henry James, “Turn of the Screw” examines the life of The Governess (Grammy-nominated soprano Caroline Worra), who is sent to watch over two children, Flora (Jennifer DeMain) and Miles (Alistair Sewell). The three have remarkably little conflict until The Governess makes a most disturbing discovery in the spectral presence of Peter Quint (Gregory Schmidt), an evil man who did despicable things to Miles. He also caused the death of a previous governess, Miss Jessel (Jamie Van Eyck). Battles ensue between the living and dead, the possessed and the unpossessed. Jarringly lingering in oddly beautiful discordance, the production is not one to miss. Both Madison Opera veterans and newcomers give vocal performances with remarkable precision and emotional vigor. Sewell, an 8th grader at Jefferson
Middle School, gives a pseudoangelic performance in the arialike “Malo,” and the pure tone of his voice in the penultimate and final scenes is absolutely haunting. DeMain, a senior at Edgewood High School, sings an outstanding solo in the scene titled “The Lake.” But it’s Worra’s show all along. Her incredible enunciation makes the display of the libretto seem unnecessary, and the way she approaches melodic climaxes by way of phrasing and melodic contour is tremendously moving. Britten’s score is altogether unsettling. Oftentimes when a melodic idea is introduced, it’s by multiple instruments in sinisterly discordant intervals with underlying pedal tones from the low strings. But this constant uneasiness and musical irresolution echoes and compliments the emotions on stage perfectly. A playful flute/clarinet duet might represent the curiosity of the children, muted French horns might accentuate The Governess’ anguish in the appearance of the ghosts. Orchestral fills effectively illustrate inner-conflict when a pause in the recitative occurs. Interaction between the singers and the orchestra begin as early as the prologue, when piano and drum solos attempt to respond to the curious introduction. The few times the score manages to reach musical resolution, it remains restless in harmonic and melodic structure, which adds to the eeriness of it all. Members of the
Madison Symphony Orchestra, under the direction of John DeMain, took the ever-changing meter and irresolution in stride with impeccable intonation and phrasing. The Overture Center’s Playhouse is a perfect setting for the show. Its acoustics are unmatched, and the proximity of the performers and the audience makes for an intimate venue. The minimal set—a scrim separating the orchestra from singers and occasionally background from foreground action, and a sinewy curtain that can imitate wind and hide ghosts—adds to the intimacy and eeriness of the production. In the opening scene, The Prologue describes the opera as a “curious story,” and Madison Opera effectively conveys this message in a powerful manner.
But this constant uneasiness and musical irresolution echoes and complements the emotions on stage perfectly.
“Turn of the Screw” runs Thursday through Sunday. The Friday, Saturday and Sunday performances are sold out, but tickets are still available for tonight’s performance at 7:30 p.m. in the Overture Center’s Playhouse. $52 tickets are available to students with ID for $20. Visit www.overturecenter.com for more information.
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State of the Show-Off Address. President James Garfield could write Greek with one hand while simultaneously writing Latin with the other. dailycardinal.com/comics
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Trust Your Instincts
Today’s Sudoku
Evil Bird
By Caitlin Kirihara kirihara@wisc.edu
© Puzzles by Pappocom
Ludicrous Linguistics
By Celia Donnelly donnelly.celia@gmail.com
Solution, tips and computer program available at www.sudoku.com.
Fill in the grid so that every row, every column and every 3x3 box contains the digits 1 through 9. The Graph Giraffe Classic
by Yosef Lerner
Sid and Phil Classic
By Alex Lewein alex@sidandphil.com
Today’s Crossword Puzzle
Ambulance Moonpants
Charlie and Boomer
By Taylor Nye taylor_e_a@yahoo.co.uk
By Natasha Soglin soglin@wisc.edu
Answer key available at www.dailycardinal.com
Quipster ACROSS 1 One attracted to a flame 5 Flower garden plots 9 Church brothers and sisters 14 “Do as I say” 15 Word for 9-Across 16 Participate in a shouting match 17 “Cheers” habitue 18 Bigwig’s ride 19 Certain subatomic particles 20 Newburgs at Wimbledon? 23 Eeyore’s outburst 24 D.C. dealmaker 25 Protagonists 28 “Sack” lead-in 30 Aron Trask’s brother in “East of Eden” 33 Hunter of the skies 34 Dates frequently 35 ___-fly pie 36 Goalies who drive players? 39 Plays for a sucker 40 Word that gets under a grammarian’s skin 41 Babble 42 Terre’s counterpart 43 Boots one
44 One might be picked at a concert 45 “All in favor” word 46 Actor Baldwin of “The Departed” 47 Crooked lawyers looking for photoops? 54 Pesto ingredient 55 Far from shallow 56 “... deliver us from ___” 57 Cordial flavoring 58 Asian nursemaid 59 Words before “trap” 60 Bread machine add-in 61 USNA students 62 Hardly a large diamond DOWN 1 ___ Blanc (highest peak in the Alps) 2 English horn relative 3 Fork-tailed gull-like bird 4 Church staples 5 Corkwood trees 6 Poet Dickinson 7 “Graphic” opening 8 Belittling sort 9 Wi-Fi device 10 Disney’s little mermaid 11 “Young Frankenstein” flunky
2 Wine casks 1 13 Fist-pumper’s cry 21 Sherlock’s lady friend 22 Involuntary jerk 25 Sound of boredom 26 Irregular, as leaf edges 27 Chef’s utensil 28 Laments audibly 29 Unmixed, as a drink 30 Get an A dishonestly 31 Circulatory system trunk 32 Habitual failure 34 ___-crazy (restless) 35 Most authoritarian 37 More maneuverable at sea 38 Gushes forth (Var.) 43 Shoelace hole 44 Relief carvings 45 Somewhat off 46 In first place 47 Hobbler’s support 48 Bangladesh’s location 49 Ant who sings 50 “___-Charmed Life” 51 “How can I ___ thank you?” 52 Time-honored practice 53 Have ‘em rolling in the aisles 54 Howl like a hound by Henry Quarters
Washington and the Bear
By Derek Sandberg kalarooka@gmail.com
sports
dailycardinal.com/sports
Men’s Basketball
Pair of ranked teams to clash in West Lafayette By Scott Kellogg the daily cardinal
Since junior forward Jon Leuer went down with a wrist injury over two weeks ago, Wisconsin has done more than stay afloat. The Badgers are 3-1 without Leuer and have risen to second place in the Big Ten. But tonight brings Wisconsin’s greatest test without Leuer, as the No. 16 Badgers (62 Big Ten, 16-4 overall) travel to West Lafayette for a critical matchup with No. 12 Purdue (43, 16-3). This is the second meeting between the two teams this season, with Wisconsin taking the previous game in Madison, 73-66. The first clash between the two was the contest in which Leuer hurt his wrist. Leuer remained in the game with the injury, but was ineffective and has been sidelined ever since.
Much has changed for the Boilermakers since they entered the Kohl Center Jan. 9 with a No. 4 ranking and an unblemished record. After falling to the Badgers, Purdue then dropped its next two contests to Ohio State and Northwestern. The Boilermakers recovered with back-to-back wins against Michigan and Illinois. But even with a current two-game winning streak, Purdue remains 2.5 games behind 8-0 Michigan State, thus needing tonight’s game badly if it still hopes to catch the Spartans. Wisconsin, even without Leuer, also has its sights set on the Big Ten regular season crown. The Badgers have sustained their success without Leuer up to this point, relying on senior guard Trevon Hughes for consistent offensive production while seeing several other sources step up at
Isabel Álvarez/the daily cardinal
Junior forward Keaton Nankivil turned in an efficient shooting performance against Penn State after battling inconsistency.
different times to provide a lift. Against Purdue earlier this season, with an unproductive Leuer, senior guard Jason Bohannon and sophomore guard Jordan Taylor combined for 43 points. Against Northwestern, Bohannon scored a game-high 19 points and against Michigan, sophomore forward Rob Wilson burst onto the scene with 13 much-needed points in a comeback victory. A positive trend for the Badgers’ role players this season has been their ability to turn in solid performances after unproductive games. Junior forward Keaton Nankivil shot 3-of-11 from the field and 1for-7 from behind the arc against Michigan, but then shot 7-of-9 from the field and 3-for-4 from long distance the next game against Penn State. “As a shooter you have to have a short memory,” associate head coach Greg Gard said. “You have to just go to the next one ... You’ve got to remember the makes, you’ve got to forget the misses.” The Badgers’ overall offensive output has not taken much of a hit in terms of points per game this season. Even without Leuer, the Badgers still have a chance to get down low for easy baskets by using the dribble instead of the pass. “There are two ways to touch the post,” Gard said. “One is via the pass, which everyone thinks is throwing it to the big guy, and the other one is touching it through the dribble.” The Boilermakers can look to several players to produce offensively. Junior guard E’Twaun Moore scores a team-high 17.5 points per game, which ranks fourth in the conference. But Purdue’s most dangerous offensive tool may be junior forward Robbie Hummel. Standing 6'8", Hummel can hurt teams from inside and outside. In the two teams’ first meeting, Wisconsin contained Hummel well, holding the forward to 3of-13 shooting. UW hopes to replicate that effort tonight. The game tips off at 6 p.m. and can be seen on ESPN.
Thursday, January 28, 2010
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Women’s Basketball
lorenzo zemella/the daily cardinal
Junior guard Alyssa Karel scored a game-high 15 points in UW’s last game against Penn State, but shot only 5-of-16 from the field.
UW preps for Hoosiers By Mark Bennett the daily cardinal
The Wisconsin women’s basketball team is coming off a muchneeded one-week hiatus. This mental and physical break is well-deserved following a tough loss against Penn State at home last Thursday, a game that carried with it a lot of opportunity and emotion. “Our bye weekend came at a very good time,” head coach Lisa Stone said. “We had this weekend off to refresh and recharge, and we’re looking forward to having very purposeful practices in preparation for Indiana.” The Badgers enter play tonight on the road against Indiana carrying a 5-4 Big Ten record (15-5 overall) and hold a tie for third place in the conference. The Hoosiers sit at 4-5 in conference play (11-9 overall) and are coming off a 70-56 defeat at the hands of Michigan. Leading Indiana this season has been junior guard Jori Davis. This year, Davis is averaging 17.2 points per game and over 6.5 rebounds per contest. Additionally, Marshfield, Wis., native and senior guard Jamie Braun is averaging 12 points and nearly 6 rebounds per game for the Hoosiers. For Wisconsin, junior guard Alyssa Karel continues to lead the team in scoring, averaging just under 14 points per game this season. Karel is the only Badger averaging double figures in scoring this year. However, Karel’s normally hot hands have cooled off recently
though Stone shows no concern for the slump. “I like the balance that we have and when we all play well together,” Stone said. “I’m not concerned about that at all with Alyssa. What I’d like to do is get more people and more production out of others.” While scoring has been an issue as of late for the Badgers (the team ranks at the bottom of the Big Ten in offense), Wisconsin has had no trouble handling the game at the defensive end. Wisconsin currently sits atop the conference in scoring defense and continues to rank high among national leaders in the category. From the beginning of the season, Stone emphasized the importance of defense. After ending the 2008-’09 campaign ranked 39th in defense nationally, Wisconsin has been listed as high as ninth best in the country this season. “I’m very pleased with our defense. That’s who we are,” Stone said. “We are a defensive team with a mentality of servanthood and we hope that that carries over on the offensive end.” As the Badgers enter Bloomington tonight to start the second half of the Big Ten season, the team remains both confident and focused on improvement. “[We] still have lots of things to work on yet,” Stone said. “We’re excited to be sitting right now in third place, but we’ve got a lot of work to do ahead of us.”
With electric atmosphere, students should storm court without criticism Ben breiner boom goes the breinamite
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hey are some of the smuggest words that can ever be uttered in the world of college sports. “Act like you’ve been there before.” Any time fans storm a field or court after a big win, it happens. The naysayers bemoan how fans of a somewhat successful team (say, Wisconsin for example) can get overwhelmed by the emotion of a close game against another good team and cascade headlong onto the field of play. Recently CBSSports.com’s Gregg
Doyel penned the manifesto for this movement, and in some sense he was correct when he pointed out that celebration in sports has become watered down and a bit too commonplace (looking at the Miami sideline during the Champs Sports Bowl, it would be hard to disagree). But in another, perhaps more important sense, Doyel is dead wrong. We have not been there before. College student sections are ever-changing, as new fans enroll and old ones graduate. Sure, the Badgers have won three conference titles since Bo Ryan took the helm, but the current students were only around for one of them in 2008. After clinching that, the Grateful Red did indeed rush the court, but some would probably say, “They
blew out Penn State and had two other titles in the previous seven years, what’s the big deal?”
Rushing the field/court is an experience that anyone who follows college sports avidly should experience at least once in their life.
Each generation of Badger fans should not be constrained by the fact that their predecessors enjoyed the thrill of rushing a court. There is something wonderful about feeling the buzz in the crowd and holding back at the edge of the sideline until those final
seconds tick down. I have been a veteran of three rushings as a spectator (two at Cal Golden Bear football games and one at the Duke basketball game this season) and been on the field when fans spilled out onto the turf at several UW road games. From that, I can definitively say that rushing the field/court is an experience that anyone who follows college sports avidly should experience at least once in their life. Look at the benefits of each approach. Rushing means an adrenaline high and that giddy feeling of walking through the mob as chants like “we’re No. 1” or “Rose Bowl, Rose Bowl” ring out. Hanging back gives that smug satisfaction of thinking, “this is a big win and it’s what we expect.” There is little joy in being proud of
your own too-high standards. Now this is not condoning rushings that are absolutely nonsensical. Indiana students should not have rushed after beating unranked Minnesota in basketball. It would be hard to ever justify rushing for fans of a top-15 team, unless there are extenuating circumstances (dramatic rivalry win, taking down an especially strong No. 1 team or clinching a league title). But the general rule of thumb should center on the feel in the arena. If there is that buzz and electricity in the air, why fight it? Take stock of the situation, to make sure it’s not completely inappropriate. But when in doubt, take the court. Are you against court storming? Email Ben at breiner@wisc.edu.
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Thursday, January 28, 2010
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