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Wednesday, February 3, 2010
Controversy prompts UW to make Madison Initiative deliberations public By Ryan Hebel
Nelson Cho/the daily cardinal
The Daily Cardinal
Controversial feminist speaks as part of DLS By Lydia Statz The Daily Cardinal
Former Muslim and feminist speaker Ayaan Hirsi Ali gave a controversial lecture at the Memorial Union Tuesday night as part of the Distinguished Lecture Series. Over a thousand people endured hour-long lines and airport levels of security to attend the highly-anticipated event in which she delivered a message critical of Muslim society and called for increased freedom for Muslim women all over the world. Hirsi Ali said she uses her personal experiences as a former Muslim to form her views on the treatment of Muslim women. Originally from Somalia, she fled to the Netherlands to escape an arranged marriage, and began to question much of what she had been taught. “I had wholeheartedly embraced Islam,” Hirsi Ali says of her teenage years. “And yet, there was this deep part of me that rebelled, and I had questions about things that I had no right to ask questions about.” She said those questions included the topics of modest dress for women and the view of women as the property of their husbands. She cited cases in the Arab world and in the U.S. where violence against women was justified through the Qur’an and Islamic teachings in illustrating her argument. In countries under Islamic rule, Ali said, “It is law to disclude women from rights and freedoms enjoyed by men. Marriage and divorce, testimony in court, dress, inheritance. In these issues, Islam scripture is implicit that women are inferior to men.”
She issued a call to action for all Americans to fight against what she views as a human rights violation, stating the issue is more significant than most people realize. “We must use intelligence and reason to confront what I see as one of the world’s greatest inequalities: the treatment of Muslim women. This inequality is not only a moral tragedy, but is a threat to global peace.” Her speech met resistance from many in the audience. Shouts of “Allahu Akbar” were heard, which means “God is great” in Arabic. Rashid Dar, president of the campus Muslim Student Association, says Ali is not giving an accurate picture of Islam or of Muslims, and fears possible ramifications of her speech. “She’s trying to make it seem like Muslims ignore human rights violations. Well, we don’t. She oversimplifies and that’s at the root of the problem, that’s what can become dangerous for us in America,” Dar said. Hirsi Ali said she thanked the University for providing a forum for free speech, but Dar said he questioned the motivations of bringing such an inflammatory speaker to campus. “Would an anti-Semitic speaker have been brought to this campus? No,” He said. “But we accept Islamophobic speakers because we’re afraid, and she fits the bill for someone who can confirm our fears. “ Many audience members explicitly showed their support or opposition during the lecture, participation which was emblematic of the debate surrounding her visit.
All of us at The Daily Cardinal would like to send our thoughts and prayers to the family and friends of Neha Suri, who passed away Tuesday. A memorial service will be held today at 4:15 p.m. in Lathrop Hall.
One day after refusing to open a Madison Initiative for Undergraduates Oversight Board meeting to the public, university officials reversed their position regarding media access Tuesday. The Oversight Committee is one of two committees responsible for selecting from the 114 proposals submitted by departments and groups across campus, each vying for a piece of the $6.2 million left of the original $10 million Madison Initiative for Undergraduates budget. In a Monday e-mail, University spokesperson John Lucas said the committee did not fall under Wisconsin open records law. The law states that,
with certain exceptions, various government meetings and records must be made available to the public. “Because this committee is advisory to the chancellor and is not a governmental body, it is not subject to open meeting laws,” Lucas said. He referenced a passage on UW-Madison’s Office of Administrative Legal Services website stating that “ad hoc or standing committees created by university officials to advise them as administrators” were not governmental bodies. In a separate section, however, the OALS website states that “campuswide committees (ad hoc or standing) created by resolution or order of the Regents, the faculty or the academic staff” are subject to the law.
It is unclear how the committee was created, but at a May 7, 2009 meeting, the Board of Regents proposed that all MIU’s tuition increases “be evaluated on an annual basis by the Madison Initiative Oversight Board, which will be comprised of students, faculty and staff.” On Tuesday, the university changed its stance. “In the spirit of transparency and openness in which MIU was created, tomorrow’s meeting (at 9 a.m. in 260 Bascom) and all other meetings will be noticed and open,” Lucas said in an e-mail. According to the e-mail, the chancellor will make her final decisions on this round of proposals by February or early March.
Report shows biking industry boosts economy By Hannah Furfaro The Daily Cardinal
Bicycle manufacturing, sales and tourism generate over $1.5 billion annually in Wisconsin, according to a new report conducted by UW-Madison’s Nelson Institute for
Environmental Studies. The report found that the bicycling industry supports approximately 13,193 jobs, and has economic effects on sectors ranging from food and services to health care and the environment.
“People do not realize that bicycling is a big business in Wisconsin,” state Rep. Spencer Black, D-Madison, said of the report in a statement. According to the report, bicycles page 3
City officials raise parking fines, discuss Mendota Ct. apartments By Hannah Shepard The Daily Cardinal
Madison Common Council members voted to increase parking fines Tuesday in addition to discussing a possible new apartment building on Mendota Court. The project would involve the demolition of two Mendota Court apartment buildings to allow construction of a twenty eight-unit
apartment building. The debate surrounding construction of the building focused on two main issues: the starting date of construction, and the lack of available parking surrounding the building. Many residents worry that a summer start date would mean an increased amount of dust and congestion that would prevent them from being able to open their windows
during the day. Residents said they would prefer an autumn start date. Bill White, one of the principle planners for the construction of the Mendota Court apartment building, claims that in the long run, an autumn start date would be worse for the residents of Mendota Court council page 3
This isn’t Sparta!!!!!!!!!
Lorenzo Zemella/the daily cardinal
The No. 16 Badgers men’s basketball team upset No. 5 Michigan State at the Kohl Center Tuesday night.
“…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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An independent student newspaper, serving the University of Wisconsin-Madison community since 1892
TODAY: cloudy hi 28º / lo 19º
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Jillian didn’t start the fire (wait, yes she did)
Volume 119, Issue 79
2142 Vilas Communication Hall 821 University Avenue Madison, Wis., 53706-1497 (608) 262-8000 l fax (608) 262-8100
JILLIAN LEVY one in a jillian
News and Editorial edit@dailycardinal.com Editor in Chief Charles Brace Managing Editor Ryan Hebel Campus Editor Kelsey Gunderson Grace Urban City Editor State Editor Hannah Furfaro Enterprise Editor Hannah McClung Associate News Editor Ashley Davis Senior News Reporters Alison Dirr Ariel Shapiro Robert Taylor Anthony Cefali Opinion Editor Todd Stevens Arts Editors Katie Foran-McHale Jacqueline O’Reilly Sports Editors Scott Kellogg Nico Savidge Kevin Slane Page Two Editor Features Editor Madeline Anderson Ben Pierson Life and Style Editor 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 Jackie Buffo, Haneul Kim, Libby Pappas, Margaret Rao,amm, Victoria Statz, Whitney Steffen
Business and Advertising business@dailycardinal.com Business Manager Cole Wenzel Advertising Manager Katie Brown Accounts Receivable Manager Michael Cronin 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 Charles Brace Anthony Cefali Kathy Dittrich Ryan Hebel Nico Savidge Jamie Stark Todd Stevens Justin Stephani l
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hen I watch movies or read books and hear stories about people who see their lives flash before their eyes, I, like most other reasonable people, think they’re out of their minds (or are on a mind-altering substance that immediately makes the story completely unbelievable and me completely jealous). After this weekend, though, I now know their stories are based on fact. It happened to me. I actually saw my life (in a future tense, not past) projected on the backs of my closed eyelids. The backdrop of this feature film was the smoke detector in my bedroom and my terrified boyfriend’s screams (Please note: this boyfriend is not the same as last semester’s... Variety is the spice of life and I’m kind of a skank). What happened, you ask? I tried to be romantic. I’ve always said I’m not
good at heartfelt or kind gestures, but lighting candles and offering a relaxing massage to Ben, my symbolic ball and chain, seemed like an appropriate way to celebrate our anniversary. Of course, as all happy ending massages go, I passed out halfway through. My boredom-induced sleep coma came about after I realized how much I hate giving backrubs. I’m pretty sure Ben wasn’t even enjoying himself since I was complaining non-stop and kept asking him if we could switch. About four hours into my slumber, I was awoken by an extremely warm, uncomfortable sensation. Since my roommates and I don’t have the financial security to allow for things like heat, I knew something was wrong. Instantly I was aware that something was out of place in my bedroom. Ben was still there, as was my bookshelf, closet, piles and piles of clothing everywhere... so what was different? The smoke alarm seemed to jog my senses, and I realized, normally the plastic drawers next to my bed that house my extensive bra collection and secret diary were not on fire. Once I had identified the problem, I
did what any sane person would do: I freaked out, ignored all of the water bottles and glasses around my bed and began huffing and puffing. And then it happened. As I closed my eyes to extinguish the blaze, the movie began. I saw myself in a wedding dress, graduating from Oxford with a degree in Muggle Studies and lying on the beach at the ripe age of 60 happily watching my skin turn to leather. It was all there. My dream cars, three beautiful weddings (each with a husband richer and hotter than the last and one with the cast of “Glee” substituted for a shitty band), no children... a perfect life of leisure. After my boyfriend successfully managed to rip the smoke detector out of the ceiling, the vision faded and I was left with nothing besides a charred set of plastic drawers and the uncomfortable knowledge that neither of my roommates even came to check to see if I had been incinerated. While the trauma of the event took some time to fade, the scenes of my future life have stayed engrained in my memory. I find myself sitting in class and daydreaming about whether my future will play out like
it did when I set my room on fire. I didn’t see Justin Bieber at any of my weddings. Does this mean my plans to kidnap and seduce him will never come to fruition? And what about my dream of inventing a Ben and Jerry’s flavor that is packed with deliciousness but no calories or fat? The way I see it, there is only one way to learn the full extent of what lies ahead for me: set something else on fire. I mean, it worked like a charm the first time, and that was an accident. If I set something else ablaze—this time, preferably something that isn’t plastic and doesn’t give off toxic fumes—and stand dangerously close, my life is bound to play out in my obviously psychic mind. And don’t worry about my personal safety. After realizing how close I came to causing real damage to the important things in my life like my hair and face (the flames were really that close) I traded in my favorite blankie for a fire extinguisher. Do you have real psychic abilities and are willing to share the secrets of unleashing them with Jillian? E-mail her at jlevy2@wisc.edu, or just use your powers of telepathy. Either or.
the daily cardinal makes fun of you Lauren Devine schmoopy! Year: 2010
Nick Step Baker is my
Hometown: Racine, WI Favorite TV Shows: Arrested Development, Damages, How I Met Your Mother, Seinfeld, Sex And The City, & anything on HGTV. Favorite Books: Anything by David Sedaris Favorite Movies: I don’t pick favorites when it comes to movies because I like virtually everything I see, with the exception of chick flicks because they idealize men. Favorite Music: The Boss
Board of Directors Vince Filak Cole Wenzel Joan Herzing Jason Stein Jeff Smoller Janet Larson Chris Long Charles Brace Katie Brown Benjamin Sayre Jenny Sereno Terry Shelton Melissa Anderson l
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For the record On Monday, Feb. 2, in the article “Assembly speaker admits dating lobbyist,” State Rep. Kelda Helen Roys, D-Madison, was incorrectly listed as being a member of the committee reviewing the bill referenced in the article. It should have stated “Roys, who supports the bill.” The Cardinal regrets the error. On Monday, Feb. 2, in the article “Faculty Senate supports exempting non-state funded staff from furloughs,” it listed the bill as incorrectly being voted on in the next few weeks. It should have stated the bill “may be acted on in the legislative session.” The Cardinal regrets the error. Send corrections via e-mail to edit@dailycardinal.com.
Stupid Fact About Your Hometown: Racine is the proud hometown of legendary pornography actor, director and producer Max Hardcore, who is Emily Devine fights centuries of gender stereotypes by currently serving a 46-month sentence for multiple becoming the first woman to successfully leave the kitchen. obscenity charges! I bet the Racine Feminism Society is thrilled about this piece of Racine history! Most Embarrassing Item: WOOP WOOP WOOP FEMINIST ALERT! FEMINIST ALERT! How dare any film idealize men?! Men are scum who only want sex! I am a strong, independent woman who would never fall for a guy who tracked me down after finding my name in the appendix of a library book or a guy who read to me out of a notebook about past love stories because I have Alzheimer’s. Spoiler alert: Those love stories were about me and that guy, but I couldn’t remember. Oh, but we’ve got you now, feminist extraordinaire. Is that you IRONING in that profile picture? How very un-feminist and stereotypical housewife of you! Missed Opportunities: Wait a second, that’s just a childhood photo of you! Well, shit. We probably could’ve insulted present you a little more had we known that. Ah, well. The photo is still golden. Saving Grace: Okay, it was extremely tough to make fun of you after reading your profile information. Not only do you list “Arrested Development,” “How I Met Your Mother” AND “Seinfeld” in your favorite shows, but you also profess your love for The Boss. The Daily Cardinal has fallen for you and your feminist ways.
Want your Facebook profile to be made fun of? Join the group “The Daily Cardinal Makes Fun of You.”
dailycardinal.com/news
Assembly committee to take up online open records bill Steven Rosenbaum The Daily Cardinal
State Assembly members will take up online public records legislation and other bills in committee Wednesday. One of the more controversial bills involves the Consolidated Court Automation Programs, the online system for public records. The bill would restrict public access to some information online. State Rep. Marlin Schneider, D-Wisconsin Rapids, a sponsor of the bill, said the legislation aims to protect people who are acquitted by the courts by excluding their charges from public view. According to Schneider, though the CCAP shows acquittals in its reports, individuals with online records are sometimes discriminated against because “people don’t look any further than the first page.” “There are literally thousands of people who are being hurt by CCAP [and] being discriminated against in jobs and housing. Many of them have done absolutely nothing wrong,” Schneider said. “This is for the benefit of people who have never been convicted.” Bill Lueders, president of the Wisconsin Freedom of Information Council, said he disagrees. He said he
thinks the new legislation is unnecessary because there are laws already in place protecting people from wrongful discrimination. “I question why we have to remove public [information] as the only solution to keep people from breaking the law. Why don’t we just enforce the law?” Lueders said. Another bill that will begin review in committee regulates higher education credentials. According to bill co-author state Rep. John Townsend, R-Fond du Lac, there are various “diploma mills” in Wisconsin that issue phony degrees. The legislation would standardize rules for educational accreditation. “Often times those [companies] offering that type of service are not accredited and are just really issuing those documents with very little or no academic background,” Townsend said. The bill would allow for prosecution of individuals who produce phony educational documents and those who knowingly use false documents for their own personal or financial profit. “We want to encourage people to get a higher education, but we want to make sure that they are getting one that has substance and that is accredited,” Townsend said.
council from page 1 because the construction would be difficult to finish in the winter months. Many residents of Mendota Court also worry about the availability of parking for the new building because it is such a densely populated area. White reassured residents they would not be forced to sign away their ability to have a car when they sign their lease. “If they want to rent a space offsite, that’s their business,” he said. An additional discussion occurred at the meeting regarding increased penalties for parking violations within Madison. Ald. Bridget Maniaci, District 2, claimed higher penalties for parking violations are not a plausible option, and higher fees will cause a vicious circle. The Committee voted in favor of increasing the penalty ranges for various parking violations.
By Beth Pickhard The Daily Cardinal
Business owners proposed changes to Madison’s Alcohol License Density Ordinance during a city subcommittee meeting Tuesday. The Alcohol License Density Ordinance was established in 2007 and limits the number of alcohol license holders in the downtown area. The ordinance expires in October, but subcommittee members want to modify the ordinance sooner to combat the current economic downturn. According to Central Business Improvement District Executive Director Mary Carbine, property owners only have 365 days to find a new tenant if they would like to retain their alcohol license. “We need an option that takes away a window or time point,” Carbine said. Committee members were also concerned about the restrictions on different alcohol license classifications, such as exceptional circumstances for receiving a license. According to the ordinance,
Wisconsin is a hotspot for bicycle tourism and non-residents spend approximately 6.4 million days a year bicycling in Wisconsin. Taking into account food, lodging and other expenses, nonresident bicyclists generate over $535 million for the state. Arthur Ross, pedestrian-bicycle coordinator for the city of Madison, said tourists like to come to downtown Madison to bike on the city paths and trails. “A lot of people come into Madison either specifically for the bicycling or because they are coming to Madison and are planning to bike here because of the reputation Madison has for being a desirable place to bike,” he said. Ross said reconstruction on University Avenue will make cycling more comfortable for downtown bicyclists, and he said Madison can expect to see some new “experimental bicycle boulevards” on Mifflin Street. “We are seeing more events coming into Madison bicycle-wise. … There’s the new route in Middleton, and I think we will see some other stuff happening in Madison as well,” he said.
Brothers Bar and Grill and UW Regents lawsuit to go to trial April 8 and 9 Trial dates of April 8 and 9 have been set in the longstanding battle between Brothers Bar and Grill and the UW System Board of Regents for the property on which Brothers now resides. Marc and Eric Fortney, owners of Brothers, initially filed the lawsuit in late October last year when the UW Regents asserted its right to seize the property as eminent domain, despite an agreement already made between the Fortney brothers and the university. UW-Madison plans to use the land on 704 University Avenue to construct a new music school and performance facility, in concordance with the Campus Master Plan first outlined in 2005. According to the Brothers website, the Fortneys paid close to $2
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Business owners push for changes to controversial ALDO
bicycles from page 1
Danny Marchewka/the daily cardinal
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
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million for the building when the university first wanted to buy it from its previous owners three years ago. They said the $2.1 million offer the UW Regents put forth under the condemnation process would only cover current mortgage payments, failing to cover relocation or new building costs. The UW Board of Regents maintains the right of condemnation as specified through serving the public interest. In a hearing taking place Tuesday, a decision is expected regarding how much money the university must share from the funds raised for the music school with Brothers’ owners, building’s funds, Mike Wittenwyler, the Fortney’s attorney, told the Wisconsin State Journal in a statement. —Ashley Davis
establishments are considered to be under exceptional circumstances if they are “not a tavern, restaurant, liquor store, convenience store, full-service grocery store, or hotel,” and therefore cannot generate more than 25 percent of their annual gross revenue from the sale of alcohol. Subcommittee member Rick Petri said businesses should be examined on a case-to-case basis. “We need to emphasize getting away from the whole notion of looking at numbers,” he said. According to Carbine, alcohol percentage provisions don’t account for venues that have entertainment built into the cost of drinks. “People tend not to pay separately for entertainment, and this doesn’t represent the cost they pay for a drink,” she said. Petri said the components
of entertainment need to be defined in broad terms, otherwise downtown Madison will lose establishments that attract music and entertainment. “[Language should be proposed] that would give the committee something to discern from a vertical drinking bar,” he said. Ald. Mike Verveer, District 4, emphasized taking immediate action in revising the ordinance. “This is a big deal. It is affecting the economy and entertainment options in the community,” he said. Additionally, members proposed changes to the “sober server” amendment, namely altering the term “intoxicated” to “under the influence.” The amendment currently restrains alcohol vendors from selling alcohol to people who are intoxicated.
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Extra Protein: The average chocolate bar has 8 insects’ legs in it. dailycardinal.com/comics
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
Tolerable
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
First In Twenty
By Taylor Nye taylor_e_a@yahoo.co.uk
By Angel Lee alee23@wisc.edu
Answer key available at www.dailycardinal.com
LO and behold! ACROSS 1 Like some turkey meat 5 It may be shaken in anger 9 Brief guest appearance 14 Bridle attachment 15 Banned apple spray 16 “Better get ___ on” 17 Burrowing bonyplated animal 19 “Table for one” type 20 Sacred music genre 21 Brook catch 23 “On top of that ...” 26 Writer Hemingway 29 Layered pastry 33 Nutlike Chinese fruit 34 They may be gray or restricted 35 Visit for a second time 37 Magazine department 38 Ax 39 ___ four (small teacake) 40 Bittersweet coating 41 Jackson 5 hit of 1970 42 Colorful Indian attire 43 Ball-gown fabric 44 Argentine grasslands
46 By leaps and bounds 48 Play the temptress 49 Twelfth Jewish month 50 Dummkopf 52 Church VIP 57 Ship’s seepage 59 Sport with a goalkeeper 62 Shoelace part 63 Engagement enders? 64 Box-spring support 65 ___ two-shoes 66 Cause for a lawsuit 67 Hangover at home? DOWN 1 Wet blanket 2 “Nautical” prefix 3 What swish shots miss 4 “Sack” lead-in 5 Ribbed silk fabric 6 ___ at ease 7 Erie Canal mule of song 8 Carriage horse’s pace 9 Item counted by a dieter 10 Check information 11 Monaco resort town 12 The apple of Adam’s eye 13 “Love, Reign ___ Me” (hit by The Who)
8 Negotiating goals 1 22 Lease anew 24 Achier 25 Erstwhile 27 Piercing in tone 28 Like members of the nobility 29 Consonants like M and N 30 Fit for farming 31 Small transgression 32 Acorn’s destiny 36 Fiber used to make rugs 39 Toyota model 40 Strauss’ “Ariadne ___ Naxos” 42 Part of SPCA 43 President before Polk 45 Prodded gently 47 Least covered 51 Lamebrain 53 Section under a concha 54 7UP alternative 55 Scandinavian king 56 Thank-you item 57 Lawn mower attachment 58 “Need ___ on?” 60 “And now, without further ___ ...” 61 Craggy prominence
Washington and the Bear
By Derek Sandberg kalarooka@gmail.com
arts ‘When in Rome’ should stay on ‘Holiday’ dailycardinal.com/arts
By Lauren Fuller THE DAILY CARDINAL
A high-powered career woman falls in love with a sports writer in “When in Rome.” Sound familiar? Maybe because the storyline steals plot details from the Hollywood classic “Roman Holiday.” Unlike the original version, though, “When in Rome” is just plain bland. Beth (Kristen Bell) is a highstrung curator at the Guggenheim Museum and who is under extreme pressure to create a flawless exhibit for a members’ gala event that is the ‘must-be at’ occasion of the season. When her sister decides to get married, Beth flies to Rome for a mere 48 hours, where audiences get about 15 minutes of straight-up Italian clichés disguised as vignettes: cobblestone piazza filled with jugglers wearing suspenders, artists painting and students practicing violin. The story even revolves around the Fountain of Love, which supposedly grants wishes to those who toss in a coin.
Unlike the original version, though, “When in Rome” is just plain bland.
Beth is immediately drawn to Nick (Josh Duhamel) because he
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
has a Blackberry with a signal. After vowing to be open to the possibility of falling in love, Beth suddenly discovers Nick midsmooch with a gorgeous Italian woman. Upset and drunk, Beth decides to take a stroll in the Fountain of Love and save others from the disaster that is love by taking four of the coins.
comedic moments to the movie that add a moderate amount of value to the film. Duhamel has a gift for physical comedy that should be utilized in his future roles. Duhamel’s character is an ex-football star whose career ended after being struck by lightning, earning him the nickname of “The Hit.” Throughout the movie, the nickname comes back
to haunt Nick at the most inopportune moments. The audience is completely taken off guard, and you can’t help but double over laughing at his bad luck. On the other hand, there are scenes that are very bizarre and completely disjointed with the rest of the plot, including a brief appearance by Shaquille O’Neal, and a dinner at a sensory depriva-
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tion restaurant where everything is pitch black and the servers wear night vision goggles. Even though the plot and writing may be bland and boring, the chemistry between Bell and Duhamel is the movie’s saving grace. But even then, it’s not that difficult to develop chemistry between two of Hollywood’s most attractive actors.
There are, however, some comedic moments to the movie that add a moderate amount of value to the film.
Instead, a weird series of events commence: Four men who threw the coins that Beth grabbed suddenly stop everything they’re doing and fall in love with her. They start by tracking her down in New York. Nick also begins to pursue her, leading Beth to believe that she took his coin out of the fountain too. Beth is now stalked by a magician (Jon Heder), a painter (Will Arnett), a male model (Dax Shepard), a sausage maker (Danny DeVito) and Nick. The love-struck men try to prove their love to Beth in their own unique and weird ways. It’s obvious that the writers meant for it to be hysterical, but instead it is uncomfortable to the point that you want the movie to end. There are, however, some
PHOTO COURTESY WALT DISNEY PICTURES
Beth (Kristen Bell), taking part in a cliché only found in a stereotypical romantic comedy like ‘When in Rome,’ jumps into a fixture coined the ‘Fountain of Love’ in hopes to save others from her plight.
‘Lost’ season premiere: To spoil or not to spoil, that is the avid fan’s question Caution: if you haven’t seen every episode of “Lost” up ’til last night’s, this article contains POSSIBLE SPOILER ALERTS! MARK RIECHERS jumping the mark
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onday, Feb. 1. Sadly for me, I’m the Jin to your Sun, stuck 48 hours in the past and 24 hours before the “Lost” season six premiere. I’ve got my web
browser open to an article that has been mocking me for at least 12 hours. I check back periodically, hoping that some legal power has demanded that it be banished from the visible realm of the Internet, but alas, to no avail. The page in question? “Part of the ‘Lost’ premiere leaks online.” Damn you AV Club, damn you DarkUFO, damn you all for tempting me with wonderful “Lost”-y goodness.
Here’s the dilemma for most fans of the adventure-turned-sci-fi mindbender drama: If I had my own Orchid Station, I would have used it to move Madison’s Isthmus ahead to tomorrow night way back in May, when the brain-melting finale of season five left me clawing my TV screen for any trace of answers. What happened after Juliet threw a rock at a nuclear warhead on top of a fountain of electro-mag-
netic energy? Who was that dude in black? How does Sawyer stay so pretty in the jungle? Seriously, I look gross after walking up Bascom in April. What is his secret? Anyway, the point is that my unhealthy addiction to “Lost” mysteries could make me do something stupid. Back in May, I would have moved islands or isthmuses for a fix, for a scrap of information on what would happen in this season premiere. Now I have mere hours to wait—giving in to the black soullessness of Internet spoilers will completely undermine my eight months of spoiler sobriety.
I suppose I could have helped by keeping my theories to myself, but “Lost” is just too big to keep to yourself.
PHOTO COURTESY ABC STUDIOS
The temptation to spoil last night’s premiere with an online leak may have been too great for some, but everyone who was patient and waited will be rewarded with today’s epic water cooler discussions.
I’ve faced this beast before. I ruined the discovery of 1970s Dharmaville for myself last year, and before that I looked up who the Oceanic Six were before I even knew that someone would be getting off the Island. But now I’m on the mend— until today. I took a cold shower and thought about baseball, but that damn spoiler video is still up on my screen. Others have miraculously made it work. My roommate, a devoted fan, managed to stay six
episodes behind last season and still never had anything ruined for him. All he had to do was yell “HAVEN’T SEEN IT” any time someone started talking about “Lost” and ran frantically out of the room—easy. I suppose I could have helped by keeping my theories to myself, but “Lost” is just too big to keep to yourself. Hell, for anyone reading this who’s never seen it, I’m spoiling the hell out of the show with each new word. “Lost” fans seem fairly divided over how to handle spoilers and leaks like this. While the offending DarkUFO is famous for calling out twists far before they air, fan database Lostpedia is coded by time zone to make sure U.S. watchers don’t ruin it for the rest of the world without warning. For every fan itching to see what happens next, there is another who would claw the first’s eyes out for ruining it for everyone. I think I’m going to stay on the straight and narrow this time around. The browser window is closed and the spoiler is a distant memory. It’s probably better for my cholesterol or something anyway. I’m sure I’ll get my fill when I catch up to the rest of you on Wednesday morning. Shit, I wonder if that page is still in my browser history... Mark is still in spoiler rehab, so don’t ask him about how the fourth season of Dexter was if you haven’t seen it. Send sponsor offers or your hate for spoiling Lost Seasons 1-5 to mriechers@wisc.edu.
opinion Health-care coverage lacking for students 6
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Wednesday, February 3, 2010
KATHY DITTRICH opinion columnist
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wo days after the Massachusetts special election put health care on the back burner in Washington (that’s assuming it was even on the front burner), Governor Jim Doyle announced a nonstate funded health-care plan for adults without dependants. The BadgerCare Basic program would cost enrolled Wisconsin residents $130 per month and is designed to benefit those 20,000 people currently on the BadgerCare Plus Core waiting list. BadgerCare Basic is another attempt to target the childless, and most often young, adult demographic whose members have been crossing their fingers and walking the streets without insurance for years. Despite Washington’s attempts to demonize childless adults without insurance, accusing them of burdening the system and attributing to Emergency Room expenses, little is being done to
help them get coverage. As students, the debate about “what to do with these freeloaders burdening the health-care system” is of great importance. Especially in today’s job market, a well-paying job with benefits is no guarantee after graduation. As a result, many four-year graduates are continuing their education or settling for hourly work. Those who were fortunate enough to be covered by a parent’s health insurance plan as undergrads are likely to see that coverage expire; and hourly work, more often than not, does not provide full benefits and a 401K. Due to the rising costs, students and young adults just entering the work force cannot afford health care when a doctor’s visit can cost upwards of $60 (a conservative estimate, mind you). The health-care reform bill (i.e. insurance reform) in Washington does not aim to reduce health care costs for individuals without insurance; rather it seeks to mandate insurance coverage, furthering the financial burden of many Americans. While Doyle’s BadgerCare Basic plan could potentially benefit those who currently don’t have the option of purchasing health insurance
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through an employer, the $130 per month price tag still leaves the bare bones coverage out of reach for many Wisconsin residents. Let’s hope that the BadgerCare Plus Core program receives more funding from a sustainable source, allowing it to accept more participants and to support the health care needs of low-income adults in Wisconsin, especially in light of President Obama and Washington’s failure to do so. The proposed federal healthcare bills that were up for vote in both the Senate and the House of Representatives would have mandated insurance coverage for everyone. This would require individuals to purchase insurance coverage, either from a private provider of their choosing or from the government. Citizens that fail to do so would have their wages garnished. Unconstitutionally forcing citizens to purchase government subsidized health insurance from private, for-profit insurance companies does not solve the healthcare problems in this country. Additionally, being forced to have health insurance is not the same as being required to carry car insurance. For one thing, you can choose whether or not to have a car, but choosing citizenship is a little more tricky. Secondly, you only get penalized for not carrying car insurance in the event that you get caught not carrying car insurance; that is to say, the government isn’t going to sic the IRS on you if you fail to carry car insurance. And thirdly, the government isn’t increasing the customer base and increasing the profits of a select insurance provider(s) by mandating car insurance, unlike what would happen if both proposed health reform bills pass. But I’ve digressed. What is of concern here, especially for young adults and students such as ourselves, is access to, or lack there of, affordable health care. BadgerCare Plus Core is a great starting point, but it lacks adequate funding as BadgerCare Basic points out. We need a solution that provides adequate health care for all without bankrupting the government. A $130 per month bare bones health insurance plan isn’t going to accomplish this. First of all, it’s really not that affordable. It makes more sense to save the $130 per month for the one or two doctor’s visits a year most healthy young adults need. And secondly, the coverage is too minimal. During college, medical bills only add to the financial stresses. Helping students find access to affordable health care, not sticking them with more expenses, would support both a student’s physical health and mental growth. As future graduates, current students should be thinking about the financial responsibilities facing them in the not so distant future. Do we want to add mandated health insurance payments to a list of financial commitments that already include student loan repayments? Kathy Dittrich is a senior majoring in English and French. We welcome all feedback. Please send responses to
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
Campus in need of eating disorder support While reading Melissa Grau’s article, it was quite clear to me that she has never sought treatment from University Health Services for an eating disorder. Anyone who has actually taken the courageous step of seeking help, would certainly not be praising UHS for their “outstanding caregiving and counselling.” One would hope that the most fatal mental illness would receive such a response; however, that is not the case at UHS. If you enter UHS counselling services meeting the criteria for anorexia, bulimia, or eating disorder not otherwise specified, they will very kindly show you the door letting you know that they do not treat eating disorders while giving you a list of therapists in the area that do. For someone who is unsure about treatment, that is typically the end of the road. Seeking help for an eating disorder is a terrifying experience, and having a door shut in your face provides little motivation to take that step again. Only one-third of anorexia sufferers and six percent of bulimia sufferers receive help. The statistics for Ed-NOS are not even known because often sufferers do not seek help believing they are not “sick enough” or “thin enough” to have an eating disorder. Furthermore, those who are living with binge eating disorder are the least likely to seek treatment due to the shame associated with it. Eating disorders come in all shapes and sizes, and it is time people realize that. Now, back to that lovely list that UHS supplies. If you are one of the lucky few whose insurance company will actually cover someone on that list, you better be very self-motivated in your recovery because you will have to make time to schedule appointments and travel off campus for them. This is extremely draining for a student taking a full load of courses, participating in extracurriculars and possibly working; thus, it is just another reason to stop bothering with the search for treatment. For the seldom few who persevere, recovery is still a long and bumpy path. I have yet to meet someone who has always been one hundred percent certain about recovery. Most people do not realize that eating disorders are essentially an addiction, just like alcoholism. The temptation to give up and fall back into eating disorder behaviors seems to be always
present, especially when first seeking treatment. Those beginning recovery need a great deal of support. Family and friends may or may not be a wonderful support; regardless, it can be very difficult for them to understand unless they have experienced it. In our society, comments about weight and food are so common that even people with the best intentions can do or say something very harmful to a person in recovery. Support needs to come from a person knowledgeable about eating disorders. Coming to UW-Madison, I thought there was sure to be some support groups available. After contacting someone associated with UHS Healthy Eating Services, I was very shocked and upset to learn that there was absolutely nothing on campus for eating disorder support. I am still confused about why a Healthy Eating Services exists if they do not provide help to those who need it most. I was even more shocked to find out that there was practically nothing in the whole city of Madison. In a place with groups for nearly anything and everything, I could find nothing to provide the support I wanted and needed. With four out of ten Americans suffering or knowing someone who suffers from an eating disorder, I find it difficult to believe that on a campus of over forty thousand I am the only one in need of this support. I have been blessed to find a few others determined in their recovery, and we have built our own support group. Our weekly group meeting is one of the highlights of my week. Living with an eating disorder is very lonely, and for the longest time I felt ashamed. It is so comforting to finally be surrounded by people who relate to what I am feeling. In group, I do not have to hide anything or fear that I will be judged. I do not ever have to worry that my support group will shut a door in my face and say, “sorry, we won’t help you,” like UHS has done to so many suffering with eating disorders. We are fed up (yes, pun intended) with this type of response to our outreach for help. A change needs to happen now before someone loses his or her life to an eating disorder. —Emily Sutter Senior
Today in The Soapbox, The Daily Cardinal’s new opinion blog, Ben Turpin comments on school boards and free speech. Check out more posts online at www.dailycardinal.com and click on “The Soapbox”
sports
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Wednesday, February 3, 2010
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Women’s Basketball
Karel excited for life beyond UW after visit overseas By Mark Bennett THE DAILY CARDINAL
While she’s probably most wellknown for her presence on the basketball court, Wisconsin women’s basketball junior guard Alyssa Karel experienced a whole new arena this past summer. During her break, Karel traveled to South Africa through The International Scholar Laureate Program (ISLP) where she spent two weeks visiting medical facilities and communities, as well as experiencing the culture and learning the history of the country. According to the ISLP website, its aim is to “educate, motivate, and inspire accomplished students through interactive, experiential and engaging programs that encourage high achievers to reach higher.” The program annually sends hundreds of students around the world through educationally oriented business, diplomacy, engineering, medicine and nursing programs. Karel, a first year nursing student, traveled to the African country with a group of other nursing students ranging from their early-20s, to mid40s. Karel said the medical field has always been something that has drawn her attention.
recap from page 8 The Spartans took advantage of the sloppiness. Sophomore forward Delvon Roe hit two consecutive shots and junior guard Durrell Summers, who led the Spartans with 11 points on 4-of-8 shooting, hit a long shot inside the arc to cut the Badgers’ lead down to eight. Nankivil did not match the success he had against the Boilermakers last Thursday, but he did continue his niche of hitting the mid-range jumper. The Spartans compensated for Nankivil’s 3-point threat, opening up the opportunity for high ball screens and guard penetration, which lea to a 24-12 points-in-the-paint advantage for the Badgers. Wisconsin also caught a break when last year’s Big Ten Player of the Year Kalin Lucas rolled his ankle after coming down on Nankivil’s foot. The play led to an easy layup for Bohannon, and after that, the Badgers were clicking on all cylinders and had Michigan State just putting off the inevitable. “We made some adjustments and it just wasn’t the night to do it right,” MSU head coach Tom Izzo said. “And then when [Kalin] Lucas went down it really compounded problems. Wisconsin played awfully well, about as good as I have seen them play all year and that’s a credit to them.”
analysis from page 8 for much of the night, but his squad managed to hold Michigan State’s top inside players, senior Raymar Morgan, sophomore Delvon Roe and sophomore Draymond Green, to just 7-of-16 shooting. That becomes more meaningful since all three of Green’s field goals were jump shots from mid-range. The Spartan’s came to Madison with a penchant for shying away from three point shots and the Badgers hardly gave them room to breathe coming off screens on the outside. Wisconsin players consistently chased the Spartans through their offensive sets, getting a hand up and preventing open perimeter looks.
“Science always interested me,” Karel said. “I like the fact that [nursing] is really patient focused, and you’re around people a lot.” This was not Karel’s first experience abroad. Going into her senior year of high school, the St. Paul, Minn. native traveled to El Salvador. Karel said this experience ignited her interest in helping those in foreign countries. “I saw a lot of things outside my comfort zone [in El Salvador],” Karel said. “It really blew my mind, [there was] a lot of poverty.” In fact, Alyssa is not the only Karel involved in helping the disadvantaged. Her older brother is currently living in New Orleans, working in the lower Ninth Ward as a volunteer coordinator for rebuilding efforts. “He’s an example for me,” Karel said. “My family is also a generous family and they always instilled those beliefs in me.” While in South Africa, Karel visited numerous medical facilities across the developing nation. Her group traveled around to communities, visiting clinics and interacting with the local citizens. Additionally, the group traveled to both private and public hospitals in order to bet-
ter gauge the levels of disparity in the country. According to Karel, while the private facilities sometimes even outpaced those in America, the public hospitals were overcrowded, run down and under-staffed. However, the most rewarding experience for Karel on the trip came while visiting a center home to children and their mothers who were terminally suffering from HIV/ AIDS. The center, run by an American doctor who gave up working in the United States to work with these patients, offers care for the ill while also guaranteeing a home for the children if their mothers are no longer able to care for them. “That kind of thing hits you hard because a lot of the kids there were either born with AIDS or had contracted the virus,” Karel said. “So it was really an eye-opening experience.” Karel’s experiences in South Africa have further developed her interest in foreign medical care. “I think that’s something I definitely am planning to do in the future,” Karel said. Back at home, Karel, who currently leads the Badgers in scoring this season, deals with the rigors of basketball and nursing school, while
KYLE BURSAW/CARDINAL FILE PHOTO
Junior guard Alyssa Karel is scoring 14 points per game this season, the most of anyone on the team. using the lessons she learned this summer in everyday life. “I feel bad a lot because I feel like I can’t really get involved in as much as I want being so busy with basketball,” Karel said. “But I think just the mentality that I took
back... You have a tough game, we just lost to Northwestern [last Sunday] and you’re thinking, ‘what are we going to do now.’ It puts things in perspective. It makes you realize there are more things out there than basketball.”
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Wednesday, February 3, 2010
Men’s Basketball
Wisconsin bulldozes No. 5 MSU RECAP
Lopsided win brings No. 16 UW back into Big Ten title contention
SCOTT KELLOGG the cereal box
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By Nick Schmitt THE DAILY CARDINAL
Well that was definitely easier than expected. With a Kohl Center standing ovation drowning out the Grateful Red’s “Bo owns Izzo” chant, the clock ran out on Michigan State’s chance for a perfect Big Ten season and propelled Wisconsin back into the race for a Big Ten title. The Badgers’ 67-49 rout of No. 5 Michigan State (9-1 Big Ten, 194 overall) not only extended head coach Bo Ryan’s home court perfection against the Spartans to seven games and pushed the Badgers’ overall home winning streak to 18, but also proved to a national audience that this home court dominance is not a fluke. Both teams got off to a cold start in front of a packed Kohl Center crowd. The two 3s, one by sophomore guard Jordan Taylor and one by senior guard Jason Bohannon, got the Badgers off the ground and opened up a 6-1 lead for No. 16 Wisconsin (17-5, 7-3). Soon after, senior guard and frequent leader Trevon Hughes, who has struggled against the Spartans in the past, was notched for his second quick foul that sent him to the bench and ultimately put the game in the hands of Taylor and Bohannon. “I think a lot of guys on our team were confident,” Taylor said. “I think it’s part of coach’s philosophy.” With Hughes on the bench the Badgers built an even greater advantage. Taylor hit his second 3 off a pass from junior forward Keaton Nankivil, extending the lead to 134. And then on Wisconsin’s next possession he kicked the ball out to junior Tim Jarmusz who contributed with a 3 of his own. The Badgers hit a total of six 3s in the first half. It could have been as much as eight but both Bohannon
Sports media hypocritical with discourse
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ISABEL ÁLVAREZ/THE DAILY CARDINAL
Junior forward Keaton Nankivil (left) and freshman forward Ryan Evans (right) and the Badgers shot over 50 percent from the field as they defeated their third top-10 opponent at home this season. and Taylor each hit field goals with their foot on the line. “Some games we can’t buy a bucket early,” Ryan said. “Some games you get on a little run. You just have to stay even-keeled with your players and the players have to stay that way. The players have to believe that if we can get an open look we’re going to shoot it.” By halftime Wisconsin had opened up a 38-23 lead while shooting 55 percent and piling up 10 assists. The sense was if the Badgers could weather a Michigan State run, the game was theirs for the taking. And as it turned out, Wisconsin gave the Spartans their opportunity right away. Hughes, who only played four minutes in the first half, came out, shooting. The problem was he could not seem to find this stroke. He missed two layups and nearly airballed a 3 before settling down and beginning to look to dish the ball. recap page 7
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Sophomore guard Jordan Taylor and the Badgers never trailed the Spartans after taking an early 3-1 lead.
ANALYSIS
Badgers chalk up another marquee win for their resume By Ben Breiner THE DAILY CARDINAL
One could almost think that home wins over top-10 teams and dominating Michigan State outside of East Lansing might lose a bit of their luster with how common it has become for Wisconsin. The No. 16 Badgers’ 67-49 win over No. 5 MSU gave the home team its third Kohl Center triumph against an opponent ranked that high. Despite the achievement, Wisconsin’s players have taken a more even-keeled approach to the big victories. “It’s nice to beat teams like that at home that have a lot of talent, and obviously are really highly touted all the way from one down to nine. But at the same time, it’s just one game” sophomore guard Jordan Taylor said. “We’ve just got to go to the next game, keep trying to get better, can’t dwell on one game.” The crowd on the other hand could not get enough of the home team working over the Spartans, running Bo Ryan’s record against MSU head coach Tom Izzo to 7-0 in Madison. Unpublishable chants rang through the arena as the clock ticked down in the second half. Wisconsin’s offense hummed all night against a Spartan defense that was not at its best according to Izzo. “I thought they ran their swing a lot more than they’ve been running it and yet they’ve added a detention to their game and they run more ball screens now at the end of shot clocks,” Izzo said. “But I thought that was as bad as we’ve played ... we didn’t play very
tough or very aggressive and that was disappointing.” One aspect of that swing, apparent in the middle of the game, was Wisconsin guards being active when they took opponents onto the block. Three Badger guards, Hughes, Taylor and Wilson, took turns taking Spartans down low, often finding success. Although the swing offense often calls for guards to post up their backcourt counterparts, Tuesday night may have been their most assertive game of the season on that front. “They got open a few times,” Ryan said of his guards. “And that always is one phase of the swing that if you can get some action off of that it helps create some other openings too.” Wisconsin finished with 24 points in the paint. Wilson was especially active around the basket, both in the post and getting open off the ball for dump-off passes from driving teammates. The sophomore hit all five of his shots, most coming near the rim. “I’d say five-for-five is a pretty good floor game. A tip-in, a couple power moves, a lay-up around the basket, he’s tough driving into the lane, he’s got that little floater” Ryan said of Wilson, who played sparingly earlier in the year. “He was doing so well for the scout team coaches, I had to take him over to my side because I hate to lose.” Wilson finished with 10 points and four rebounds. The Spartan offense also sputtered, connecting on just over 41 percent of its shots before a slew of quick ones outside of the offense in the final minutes dragged the percentage down even further. Michigan State turned the ball over at crucial times while Wisconsin caused problems in the two most efficient scoring areas on the floor: near the basket and beyond the arc. Ryan threw out smaller players at four of his five positions analysis page 7
couple weeks ago when Charles Woodson was announced as the Defensive Player of the Year, Rex Ryan, the head coach of the New York Jets, was asked about the decision. If Ryan followed the rules of coach speak, he would have told reporters he was hoping his cornerback Darrelle Revis would win the award, but that Charles Woodson is a great player and he respects the decision. Instead, Ryan spoke out, as he declared he would like to congratulate Darrelle Revis voters, rattled off some statistics to support his player and threw in a joke about Woodson’s performance in Green Bay’s wild card contest against Arizona. After this, I had friends tell me (as a Jets fan) how big of a jerk Rex Ryan is, which was understandable but annoying. ESPN.com’s NFC North blogger Kevin Seifert took it a step further, telling his readers they should now root for the Jets to be eliminated from the playoffs. The reaction from the media was typical. Any time a coach or athlete goes outside the realm of boring sports discourse, the public and the media instantly jump down his throat. What this results in is sports figures sticking to dull dialogue. I’ve been covering sports for three years here at Wisconsin, and it is now easy to predict what athletes will tell me when I ask certain questions. If I ask a player if he’s concerned about a big game in a few weeks, he’ll say no because “they’re taking it one game at a time.” If I ask him if any player is playing particularly well right now, he’ll tell me no because “everyone on the team is playing well.” And if I ask if last night’s game against Michigan State was an especially big game, he’ll tell me “no, every game we play is big.” It gets old fast. As a reporter and a fan I’m tired of hearing the same sports rhetoric all the time. And I know everyone else who follows sports feels the same way, including my fellow reporters at the paper. Yet, when players do decide to tell a reporter how he really feels about something, he has to deal with a media and public backlash. The sports media have to learn to embrace figures who aren’t afraid to speak out, even if it means taking jabs at other players, coaches or teams. Covering and following sports would be far more interesting if the norm entailed speaking without fear of the media jumping down athletes’ throats. No longer would I change the channel when athletes go on SportsCenter, or zone out during men’s basketball interviews at the Kohl Center. These athletes and coaches know and think things people like me are dying to hear, but will continue to be restricted as long as reactions such as Seifert’s ensue. It’s time the media ended its double-standard and begins to embrace a more free and easy discourse in sports. Like the monotony of sports rhetoric? E-mail Scott at kellogg2@wisc.edu.