Tuesday, February 10, 2015 - The Daily Cardinal

University of Wisconsin-Madison

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Tuesday, February 10, 2015

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State files to defend 2011 voter ID law

Student group to lobby against biennial budget

By Laura Grulke THE DAILY CARDINAL

The Legislative Affairs Committee met Monday to prepare a response to Gov. Scott Walker’s budget bill, encouraging members to meet with local legislators to voice their demands for change.

L e g i sl at ive Affairs Committee Chair Tom Gierok spoke about the proposed budget changes for UW-Madison and what the administration is likely to do if the bill is passed later this year. This included a possible increase in out-ofstate tuition as well as a reduction in staff and other areas.

“I think there’s a great chance we could change something.”

Tom Gierok committee chair Legislative Affairs

The committee focused on Chancellor Rebecca Blank’s speech from last Thursday to spark the conversation, echoing her mentality that Walker’s proposed cuts are too large for

the university to handle.

Gierok used UW-Green Bay’s operating budget as an analogy for the budget cuts UW-Madison faces, saying their budget is half of what this university is expected to lose.

“It would be like cutting Green Bay twice,” Gierok said.

But members expressed hope in combating the budget bill before legislators have the chance to pass it. Gierok said there has been a bit of bipartisan dissent for the bill, noting there are some members of the republican party who agree the cuts are too big for the university to manage.

Government Relations Advisor Michael Moscicke spoke to the committee about the best practices for speaking with legislators to advocate for change. Moscicke prompted members to send emails to their local legislators to begin their campaigns, beginning with requests for low-pressure visits.

The intention is to work up to high-pressure meetings that get to the root of what members want to change about the budget bill. Moscicke said persistence is required in getting these types of meetings.

C o m m it t e e m e mb e r

By Andrew Bahl THE DAILY CARDINAL

EMILY BUCK/THE DAILY CARDINAL

Legislative Affairs Chair Tom Gierok speaks to members about the proposed budget and how to advocate for change.

Morgan Rae enthusiastically confirmed this idea, saying she once went through a onemonth sequence of phone calls before getting a meeting with a legislator.

Gierok said he believes there is a high possibility for the budget bill to change

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law page 3

Plan Commission approves large construction projects

Chancellor Blank to hold forums on proposed cuts UW-Madison Chancellor Rebecca Blank will host a series of forums this week to discuss Gov. Scott Walker’s proposed cuts to the UW System budget.

At the forums, Blank will provide an update on the budget proposal, which includes cutting $300 million from the UW System over the next two years, $86 million of which will come from UW-Madison. She encourages students, staff and community members to attend the talks to learn how the reductions will affect the university.

“As a state agency we are willing to do our part to solve the state’s fiscal shortfall, but $300 million is too much,” Blank said in a press release last week. “A two-year cut of that magnitude would result in employee layoffs and cuts

before it passes because there are so many people who are weary of the cuts and want to do something about it, including people inside and outside the university.

“I think there’s a great chance we could change something,” Gierok said.

The Wisconsin Department of Justice asked the U.S Supreme Court Monday to refrain from taking up a challenge to the state’s voter ID law.

While the law has survived numerous legal challenges, the Supreme Court stepped in to halt its implementation in advance of the November 2014 primary elections.

State Attorney General Brad Schimel argued in the brief the law does not place an undue burden on the minority of the population who do not have the requisite ID and that it upholds the integrity of the election process.

“In Wisconsin, as everywhere, the overwhelming majority of voters already have qualifying ID,” Schimel said in the brief.

“For those who lack ID, obtaining one and bringing it to the polling place is generally no more of a burden than the process of voting itself.”

The high court upheld a similar law in Indiana in 2008, a fact which the DOJ used as justification for requesting the Wisconsin law be upheld.

“The Seventh Circuit correctly found that Wisconsin’s law is

By Dana Kampa THE DAILY CARDINAL

EMILY BUCK/CARDINAL FILE PHOTO

Chancellor Rebecca Blank will hold a series of talks this week to keep the community informed about proposed budget cuts.

Blayre Turnbull

Small-town star has a senior night to remember

+ SPORTS, page 8

Two construction projects presented at a Madison Plan Commission meeting Monday generated controversy, including an 80-unit apartment and a 10-story hotel.

The 164-room hotel at 202 East Washington Ave. and 15 North Webster St. was referred at a Sept.

22 Plan Commission meeting.

“This project represents over 24 months of work and collaboration with a lot of different groups … the design is really befitting of the location,” Josh Wilcox, Gary Brink & Associates vice president and senior project manager, said.

Ald. Ledell Zellers, District 2, originally moved to place the project on file because although she thought the project was better, it didn’t justify the additional height and encroached on Frank Lloyd

Wright’s Lamp House.

The motion to approve eventually passed on a divided vote.

“We hope to include as many people in this process, representing as many different perspectives, as possible.”

Bill Fruhling principle planner Downtown Plan

Designer Ulian Kissiov then presented plans for an apartment at 617 Jupiter Drive and 610 Hercules Trail looks like one building but functions as two.

However, residents said the two-driveway design would worsen heavily trafficked roads.

commission page 3

+ ARTS, page 5

Take a ‘little mini vacation’ with The Expendables

“…the great state University of Wisconsin should ever encourage that continual and fearless sifting and winnowing by which alone the truth can be found.”

almanac 2

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tODAY: snow

hi 28º / lo 25º

hi 30º / lo 3º

Tuesday, February 10, 2015

An independent student newspaper, serving the University of Wisconsin-Madison community since 1892 Volume 124, Issue 63

2142 Vilas Communication Hall 821 University Avenue Madison, Wis., 53706-1497 (608) 262-8000 • fax (608) 262-8100

An Almanad for the new smartphone app Papplia

News and Editorial Editor-in-Chief Jack Casey

Managing Editor Jonah Beleckis

News Team News Manager Adelina Yankova Campus Editor Bri Maas College Editor Ellie Herman City Editors Irene Burski, Dana Kampa State Editor Andrew Hahn Associate News Editor Laura Grulke Features Editor Gilly McBride Opinion Editors Max Lenz • Cullen Voss Editorial Board Chair Haley Henschel Arts Editors Allison Garcia • Conor Murphy Sports Editors Jack Baer • Jim Dayton Almanac Editors Dylan Anderson • Andy Holsteen Photo Editors Emily Buck • Thomas Yonash Associate Photo Editor Will Chizek Graphics Editor Cameron Graff Multimedia Editor Ian Zangs Science Editor Danielle Smith Life & Style Editor Claire Satterfield Special Pages Editor Haley Henschel Copy Chiefs Theda Berry • Kara Evenson Jessie Rodgers • Paige Villiard Copy Editors Andrew Edstrom • Caroline Utter Casey Donart • John Joutras Social Media Manager Madison Schiller

Business and Advertising business@dailycardinal.com Business Manager Brett Bachman Advertising Manager Corissa Pennow Marketing Director Victoria Fok

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.

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Editorial Board Jack Casey • Jonah Beleckis Haley Henschel • Cullen Voss Max Lenz • Michael Penn Kayla Schmidt l

Board of Directors Herman Baumann, President Jack Casey • Jonah Beleckis Jennifer Sereno • Stephen DiTullio Brett Bachman • Janet Larson Don Miner • Phil Brinkman Jason Stein • Nancy Sandy Corissa Pennow • Victoria Fok Tina Zavoral

© 2015, The Daily Cardinal Media Corporation ISSN 0011-5398

For the record In yesterday’s article about the Pulse Point app, Bryan Coats was called a City of Madison EMT. He is a Town of Madison EMT. The Daily Cardinal regrets this error.

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Please download my app

edit@dailycardinal.com

Wednesday: snow

andy Holsteen app guru

T

ake out your smartphone and download my app. Trust me when I say it will be the best decision you make today.

The app is called Papplia and it’s changing the way we interact with our smartphones. You see, most apps provide users only temporary engagement. Whether it’s a game, a service or just something random, all apps eventually lose their novelty.

Or they are only useful for a short time, like when you’re ordering a pizza.

But what if there were an app that could be used all the time? That app is Papplia.

That $0.99 to download my app, which, by the way, you should do right now, goes a long way my friends.

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So you’re probably wondering what exactly Papplia does. To tell you the truth, it

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does a lot of things. The main function, however, is to make your smartphone excrete a noise that sounds sort of like someone saying “Pap,” in a soft, coy voice, at random intervals ranging from 30 minutes to 12 hours.

Papplia completes its function regardless of considerations such as whether you’re sleeping or if your phone’s on vibrate. It will always say the word “Pap” in the same voice,

Get Out of Detox Free You just woke up in the hospital? The last thing you remember is running from an ambulance? Just hand this to a nurse when they come to rotate your I.V. fluids. *Not accepted at St. Agnes in Fond du Lac.

at the same volume. The only way to make it stop is by turning your phone all the way off and placing it in a patented Papplia sleep tent, which can be purchased from the Papplia app store for $69.99.

Papplia can only be removed from your smartphone device by either purchasing a new smartphone (something we all love) or by paying a $99.97 removal surcharge. Because of this, you may feel emotions such as anger, frustration and rage.

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The Papplia brand is truly trying to break the mold when it comes to how we interact with apps. In fact, don’t think of Papplia as just a brand; think of Papplia as a way of life. You will become who you have always wanted to be if you just let a little Papplia into your life.

Papplia: The Always App. Moving Forward, Always...

Full Name UW ID Number Political Affiliation Date Pickup Time Address Fries with that?

On this day in history...

1862—A Union flotilla destroys most of the Confederate Mosquito Fleet, which took a full season to rehatch.

1942—The first ever gold record is awarded for the album “Chatanooga Choo Choo.” It’s responsible for such classics as “How Can a Clam Cram in a Clean Cream Can?” and “I Scream, You Scream, We All Scream For Ice Cream!”

1954—Psychic healer Dwight Eisenhower warns against U.S. intervention in Vietnam. At least he got to say “I told you so.”

1996—The supercomputer Deep Blue defeats Garry Kasparov in a six-game chess match, marking the end of the Cold War. 2009—Satellites Iridium 33 and Kosmos-2251 crash in orbit, causing a massive thermo-nuclear explosion that will completely obliterate Earth on Jan. 25, 2017.

news dailycardinal.com

Tuesday, February 10, 2015 3

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Walker hops across pond to promote Wisconsin business Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker arrived in London Monday to promote Wisconsin business overseas during a four-day trade mission.

Walker is scheduled to meet with a number of United Kingdom employers and government officials while touring several factories. He also plans to deliver a speech at the Chatham House, a prestigious British think tank for international affairs.

“The aim of the overseas trip is to attract international investors and business that will help create jobs and expand business operations in Wisconsin,” Walker said in a Monday statement.

The trip will focus on companies looking to expand in the U.S. in the next 12 to 36 months.

“This week, I look forward to meeting with business and government leaders to trout the many benefits of doing business in Wisconsin, including our strong economic climate and outstanding workforce,” Walker said in a statement.

The trade mission trip garnered criticism from the Democrats, who accused Walker of using taxpayers’ money to promote his presidential campaign.

“This trip might be a taxpayer-funded campaign to bolster his credibility on for-

eign policy, but the governor is still accountable for the mess he’s created in Wisconsin,” Democratic Party of Wisconsin Chair Mike Tate said in a press release Monday.

Democrats also compared the London trade mission trip to past events where Walker has used public funds as a vehicle for selfpromotion, such as his 2004 Harley Davidson ride across the state.

New Jersey Gov. and Republican presidential hopeful Chris Christie also recently completed a trip to the United Kingdom, for which he drew similar criticism for promoting himself at the expense of his state.

—Eric Cummings

Madison police, fire departments present new hires, transparent disciplinary system Fire and police officials concentrated on an updated disciplinary system and new hires in a Madison Police and Fire Department Commissioners meeting Monday.

The fire department had several recent promotions of new firefighters from their probationary period, Assistant Chief Michael Popovich said. He said two firefighters would be joining with previous medical experience and will be activated as medics right away.

In addition, several other firefighters, including Lieutenant Sean Murray and Lieutenant Kevin Sherry, are being recommended to commissioners for

potential promotions.

Madison Police Department Public Information Officer Joel DeSpain is helping the fire department interview candidates for someone to fill a similar role at the department.

MPD is also in the process of training and hiring new officers.

The “pre-service academy” phase is coming to an end, but trainees will continue to learn skills with the Madison Police Training Center through May. The 2014 Pre-Service Academy class consisted of 15 positions selected from over 1,000 applicants, according to a release.

In addition to the current class moving forward, MPD

expects a brand new academy with a class of 25 to begin training shortly.

MPD has recently implemented a new “police matrix” type of disciplinary system within the department. Chief Mike Koval said the matrix creates a “more transparent way to handle police discipline.”

“I want us to be known by the code of conduct,” Koval said about the department’s view on disciplinary action.

The matrix lays out varying degrees of offenses, with more serious actions like falsifying records resulting in heavier disciplinary action.

—Laura Pasqualone

DANA KAMPA/THE DAILY CARDINAL

Ald. Ledell Zellers, District 2, said the continual encroachment of shadows on Lamp House is the “death of a thousand cuts.”

commission from page 1 “Parking is definitely important, but safety is too,” Hercules Trail resident Renee Disch said.

Traffic Specialist Scott Langer said the number of cars in the area would likely increase by 24 at peak hours, but any issues with speeding residents mentioned would not be altered much.

The design passed with one dissenting vote.

The Commission also unanimously approved further action for the Downtown Plan, adopted in 2012. In a few months, the plan will begin looking holistically at the State Street and Capitol Square area, evaluating every-

law from page 1

EMILY BUCK/THE DAILY CARDINAL

Chief Mike Koval explained a new “police matrix” in a meeting with Madison Fire Department and Madison Police Department as a new, more transparent way of approaching police discipline.

Fire north of Lake Mendota causes $10,000 in damages The Madison Fire Department responded to a house fire north of Lake Mendota, which caused an estimated $10,000 in damages Sunday, according to an incident report.

Firefighters rushed to 4102 Green Ave., noting visible smoke and flames emerging from the residence.

After quickly searching the house, firefighters reported that all residents had left the home, and they began putting out the flames.

The crew checked the building with a ladder and then opened up the chimney space from the outside. Another fire engine assisted inside of the residence by pulling off the dry-

wall on the ceiling and walls to check for additional hidden fire.

The fire was located and successfully extinguished, according to the report.

The crew remained on scene to seal off the building and prevent further damage from harsh outdoor elements.

The cause of the fire has not yet been released.

constitutional because it is materially the same as the law that this Court upheld in [Indiana],” the state’s request said.

The filing of the brief shouldn’t come as a surprise and likely will not substantially influence the Supreme Court, according to UW-Madison Political Science professor Barry Burden.

“The Supreme Court doesn’t need any additional materials at this point,” Burden said. “The attorney general did what he had to do but they had all the materials they needed from the previous federal cases.”

Plaintiffs in the Wisconsin case have argued the law

forum from page 1 to programs around campus. As the budget moves through the legislative process, I intend to keep our campus community and governance groups informed.”

Blank will hold three discussions this week: Wednesday from 11 p.m.-12 a.m. at the Health Sciences Learning Center Room 1306, Thursday from 2:30-3:30 p.m. in Union South’s Varsity Hall and Friday from 9-10 a.m.

thing from bus routes to affordability over the next few years.

Bill Fruhling, a principle planner, said he hopes students will make their needs heard for this.

“We hope to include as many people in this process, representing as many different perspectives, as possible,” Fruhling said.

“State Street is a special place in the city, and we have to make sure to stay on top of things.”

Commissioners also placed the UW-Madison School of Music Performance project on the consent agenda. Chair Ken Opin said it was “remarkable” such a large project passed without comment, which he attributed to good planning and beautiful design. disenfranchises too many Wisconsinites, citing a federal court ruling estimating up to 9 percent of all registered voters lack the necessary ID to vote under the law.

Because of this argument, Burden believes there are substantial differences between the Wisconsin and Indiana cases, although he acknowledges it is difficult to predict whether the justices will decide to hear the case.

“Wisconsin’s case is different,” Burden said. “It’s a Voting Rights Act case about whether racial or ethnic groups are affected by the law. Here there is a pretty big evidentiary record to look at because it has been put on the ground.” at the Ebling Auditorium in Microbial Sciences.

Additional forums focused more heavily on undergraduate and graduate student issues will be held later this month.

All UW System staff may attend the sessions without loss of pay, according to the release.

A live-stream of the Thursday and Friday sessions will be available at www.budget.wisc.edu.

—Jane Roberts

arts Madison hosts Wizard World Comic Con l

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Tuesday, February 10, 2015

By Alex Lovendahl THe Daily Cardinal

Months away from GeekCon, Madison finally has a spring fan convention of its own. The Wizard World Comic Con came through Madison this past weekend, bringing a slew of vendors and celebrities into the Alliant Energy Center convention hall. Walking in, a young girl called out to her father, “You’re breaking the law! You can’t be both Superman and Batman!” It set the tone for a sweet event.

I’ve been to the Wizard World’s home event in Chicago, their largest event; in fact, I was effectively given an all-access tour by my childhood friend Jeff Wexler, who would go on to be the director for the convention’s film festival, beginning just last year. Luckily for you, readers, the convention did not bring the film festival to Madison, so my wholly compromised coverage is down a target. But the previous experience did offer some insight into the nature of Wizard World, giving me an edge in navigating their floor.

Wizard World is primarily a convention for geek fandom. “Wizard” refers to a magazine that grew into popularity in the ‘90s, that being “Wizard Entertainment.” “Wizard” highlighted gift guides in geek culture, along with reviews of films, comics, anime and video games.

The magazine gained enough traction to lead to the convention.

The Madison convention currently hosts a handful of the mainstays of its kin. A vendor area offers collectibles that otherwise might be hard to find or covered with additional expense.

An artist’s gallery allows fans to interact with artists and purchase prints of their work, with some offering an opportunity to hire for commissions. A gaming area is dedicated to tabletop games, offering a Magic: The Gathering tournament as well as an extensive library of every board game you won’t find in a cabinet alongside Monopoly.

One quick aside on the vendor area: We’re at an interesting

impasse in fandom mementos. The mainstream plush, figure and collectible market seems to have dissipated as media becomes more and more disparate. Additionally, massproduced generic figures (specifically, Pop! Vinyl Figures are ubiquitous) remove a lot of the fun of finding your favorite character as a memento to take home. Meanwhile, online retailers like Etsy and Pinterest offer new ways to bring your favorite fiction into your home, with a more personal touch. There’s still plenty to enjoy at the con! I don’t mean to say things are dire as of yet. But it’ll be something to watch as years go by. Maybe vendors will start to blur with the artist corner.

The most infamous draw is probably the celebrity meet and greets. Actors like Ernie Hudson, Jason Mewes, Billy Dee Williams and William Shatner offer fans a chance to chat, take photos and sign autographs. It’s a procedure foreign to many of us who don’t regularly follow convention culture, but there is certainly appeal to meeting your heroes, even for a brief time. Notably, my previous Wizard World experience involved being carted around to spend a few extra minutes with actors from Clerks, the Star Wars prequels, Illinois ex-Governor Rod Blagojevich and a brief encounter with a Adam West and Burt Ward. The takeaway has to be that these people are, well, pretty nice and good at meeting their fans. The most bizarre element is probably the evaluation of who deserves a long line and who doesn’t; to meet Bruce Campbell in his smoking jacket would be an hour wait and forty dollars for an autograph. Lou Ferrigno and James Marsters were never surrounded by more than two or three people. Each smiled and seemed friendly.

Perhaps more interesting and rewarding was meeting with the artists. Certainly amiable and there simply to meet people, I got to have a great conversation with animation artist zzyzzyy about our new favorite series “Hunter x Hunter,” as well

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Savannah Strauss/the daily cardinal

The attendees dressed up in their best cosplay for the competition held on Saturday night. as a conversation about women in comics in the ‘90s and the current state of romance and western comics with Barbara Kaalberg, who’s working with Charlton Comics to revive the style. Offering more than just a memento, these are artists like any others, looking to share the love they have for their medium (though you can get some good posters from them, too).

Perhaps the only frustrating thing about Wizard World’s first year is that there wasn’t a whole lot else to do. A panel or two, run by fans, artists or guests (including game developers from Madison’s own Raven Software and Marvel Comics head Rob Liefeld) would

come every couple hours, and the show floor held an inflatable zombie shooting range next to its gaming area. A couple parties took fans out near the South Transfer Point after the convention for drinks, convenient for me and not a single other UW student. Saturday night also offered a cosplay contest, the purest convention experience.

Otherwise, the attendees were left to wander the vendor areas, take pictures of cosplayers and with celebrities and try to strike up a game of “Ticket to Ride.” Other conventions have offered fan meet-ups, video game tournaments and play areas, the aforementioned film festival and worked with community

fan groups to bring events to life.

Heck, even a larger space for fans to gather and relax would help; even with the first year’s lighter attendance, there wasn’t a ton of room to breathe during the more popular Saturday event.

It’s Wizard World’s first year in Madison, meaning there’s certainly time to develop relationships and create new opportunities for fans to gather. Right now, they already have a great foundation, gathering a strong contingent of vendors, celebrities and artists to host engaging panels and to attract the crowds. In its current state, Wizard World is a great day trip; next year, I’d love to see them make it a great weekend.

Julianna Barwick brings soothing music to Der Rathskeller

By Sean Reichard THe Daily Cardinal

There was something unreal about seeing Julianna Barwick do her sound check in Der Rathskeller Friday night. She didn’t do any “check one, check two” routine, no onomatopoeias were uttered.

Instead, she held notes into the microphone, like angelic offerings.

Using the console in front of her, she piled vocal on vocal and with some sort of switch, set the sounds into a loop.

Then, she stepped away. She walked off the stage, from one side to the next, listening to herself sing. Barwick talked to the people behind the soundboard while her voice emanated through the hall. It was, in my experience, unprecedented.

Barwick has been making music since 2009 and has cultivated a nice patch in ambient music, focusing primarily on voice. Her works are atmospheric, inasmuch as the strains of her voice (and others) waft through the mix, lash and

luxuriate like the wheeling currents above.

There are other elements (electronic beeps and clattering drums stutter through “Prizewinning,” for instance, off her 2011 album The Magic Place, and her latest album, 2013’s Nepenthe, added more strings and piano), but what distinguishes her songs is the airiness of the vocals.

You might think, at first, that her music is too entrenched in ambient music to make sense live. But rather than play the part of studio rat, Barwick brings herself out and with her array of sound technologies, makes magic.

The venue was made up rather nicely for the concert. Tables/chairs were rearranged about half an hour before opener Muuny went on, and the lights were strategically darkened to create ambiance for the performers. Red light, shining from the top of the pillars where the arches started or stopped, spread over the brick patterning nicely.

Der Rathskeller, of course,

draws a mixed crowd, and there were plenty of people there who hadn’t come to see Barwick perform, but she didn’t preclude anyone from enjoying the space either.

This reviewer confesses he got a hot dog while Barwick was weaving her way through Nepenthe standout “One Half.” Reader, both song and dog were damn fine.

Muuny is an artist who works in a similar vein as Barwick. The loops he makes aren’t of his voice but bits of music. The effect is eerie. At the very start of his set, he set off something stertorous and rumbling, like electronic breathing. The music was reminiscent of Oneohtrix Point Never’s work circa Replica.

For the most part he didn’t sing.

And when he did sing (like on the last song) his voice was made so low it sounded almost demonic; in fact, it sounded similar to Ezra Koenig’s vocals on songs like “Step” and “Diane Young.”

On the whole, the crowd seemed to enjoy Muuny’s set, in particular Barwick, who hopped around Der

Rathskeller with a beer in hand— it’s no surprise that Barwick would take advantage of the beer selection in the Stiftskeller, since she collaborated with Dogfish Head Brewery last summer to make a limited release beer, “Rosabi.”

For the most part, Barwick styled her set around Nepenthe tracks, sometimes working through two or three before the audience was able to get in any applause.

Each time, there was a bit of a jolt that ran through Barwick, almost as if she was still surprised that people were coming to see her perform. But why wouldn’t they? Her music’s like a balm.

Even as, truth be told, I felt myself sagging in my chair a bit (the show started at 8 p.m. and didn’t end until 10:30 p.m.), I still felt the music’s soothing effect work over me. It was worth the mild discomfort.

“Nepenthe” is a Greek word that means “not-sorrow,” but more figuratively functions as a “drug of forgetfulness.” It’s referenced in “The

Odyssey” and “The Raven,” among other works. It’s like the brownout biscuit from “Octopus Pie.” Taking Nepenthe is usually interpreted as inducing oneself with amnesia, similar to drinking the waters of the Lethe. Nepenthe was apparently inspired by a death in Barwick’s family, which would make the title apt for her.

But neither Nepenthe nor Nepenthe, I think, is about forgetting entirely. Drink from the Lethe and you forget everything. Neither is it an analgesic, or a pain-remover. Nepenthe is a means of leavening sorrow, of removing its onus.

Something more mystical, more rare and in truth more desirable than amnesia. That’s what Barwick brought to Der Rathskeller.

And as an added bonus, she closed her set with two winners from The Magic Place, both at the request of the audience: “White Flag” (a song that sounds like a heavenly chorus on record and was dutifully replicated live) and “Prizewinning.”

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Tuesday, February 10, 2015

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The Expendables will bring summertime to Madison

By Bobby Vanderwist THE DAILY CARDINAL

Congratulations, Madison.

We’ve made it to February, which means another daunting winter is well underway, and I like to think that it’ll only be a matter of weeks before the temperatures start to climb above freezing. But let’s not get ahead of ourselves—the sidewalks are still frozen, the temperatures are still brutal and we could all use a little taste of summertime. This Wednesday, The Majestic Theater will be home to the best possible remedy for wintertime blues: the Winter Blackout tour, featuring The Expendables and Ballyhoo!, two of the hottest reggae rock bands on the scene.

I spoke with drummer Adam Patterson of The Expendables about the tour and their new album Sand in the Sky, released last month on Stoopid Records. “It took us, like, five years to complete this thing,” Patterson said about the album, which merges such a wide range of musical styles that to label it a “reggae album” would be an understatement. “I don’t know that we purposely went out to write in a different style. It takes a lot of time to grow as a musician, and I think it reflects upon that.”

The Expendables got their start in Santa Cruz, Calif., over a decade ago and have gone on to tour with some of the biggest names in the genre, including Slightly Stoopid and 311. “There was definitely a different underground scene that shaped who we are. In Santa Cruz there was a big reggae scene and a big punk scene. That’s how we got our sound, by playing both,” Patterson said about the band’s early days. “It’s hard for any scene to stay underground now that you can get your music out to anybody around the world. We used to have to pass out CDs on the streets, and you don’t have to do that anymore.

The CDs have become a promotional tool to sell tickets to shows, rather than a money-maker. We sell way more shirts than CDs, which is weird, but it’s all part of the times.”

But through changing times, whether the band is headlining their own tour or opening for the reggae giants that came before

them, The Expendables’ mission is simple: “Any time we play, we try to give people a couple hours out of their week to have fun and party, drink, smoke, whatever you do,” Patterson said. “It’s a little minivacation from reality. That’s what we’re hoping for, at least.”

“I grew up liking all different kinds of music. I like it all, like anyone else,” Patterson told me regarding the band’s eclectic style, namedropping influential bands that ranged from Sublime to NOFX to Pantera. The Expendables are even entertaining the idea of releasing a split-EP by themselves, featuring one-half reggae and one-half metal music. “We kind of have our own recording studio now, so those weird in-between albums are more of a possibility,” Patterson said. “We did our acoustic album, we could do a cover album and maybe even a metal-reggae split. I like doing little weird things like that, that are kind of off-the-wall and really fun.”

Uniting West Coast and East Coast sounds, The Expendables are joined by Maryland natives Ballyhoo! on the Winter Blackout tour. Ballyhoo! are a personal favorite of mine. I can’t believe that five years have passed since I first saw them play live, because I remember it like it was yesterday. It was a cold winter night in 2010, I was a high school sophomore in suburban Cleveland, and it was one of the first times my young, naive ska band had gotten the chance to open for a band who we didn’t know personally.

Each year since then, my summer playlists have been dominated by Ballyhoo!’s fusion of reggae and punk rock energy. Frontman Howi Spangler is a seriously talented singer, guitarist and songwriter, instilling much more in the band’s sound than their label as a “reggae rock” band may prescribe.

Whether you’re a fan of reggae, punk, hard rock or simply a fan of having a great time, the Winter Blackout tour has something for you. Forget about the loss of feeling in your toes long enough to come out to The Majestic Wednesday.

The Expendables and Ballyhoo! are ready to bring us a precious taste of summertime to hold us over until the snow melts.

COURTESY OF MSOPR.COM

The Expendables will be coming to The Majestic Wednesday, Feb. 11, for a concert meant to raise students out of the winter slump. Tickets are on sale online and at the door.

Minor changes in ‘Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft’ alter gameplay ALEX LOVENDAHL all love

I

t’s been a year since I downloaded the beta client for Blizzard Entertainment’s card game, “Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft,” based upon the MMORPG that stole lives before it. To quickly summarize, it’s a game quite like Magic: The Gathering, in which two players build decks of disparate types and work to eliminate each other.

The mechanics are simple, but the cards are numerous, allowing depth and long-term variety beyond the game’s simple randomly drawn card system.

The game maintains interest in spite of its roots. The Warcraft franchise is perhaps one of the most obnoxious and meme-ridden series in existence; nearly every piece of voice acting is grating, much of the art is hideous and the music dulls in comparison to

most video games. “Hearthstone” survives these aesthetic elements by being responsive and satisfying in its own inherent qualities.

Small elements, like the way a card looks as it’s being played, give the game a cinematic edge over its paper counterparts.

Purporting to be “free to play,” “Hearthstone” is less viable to play for free than “Candy Crush Saga” or “Kim Kardashian: Hollywood.” A player is set to compete by spending $25 on the “Curse of Naxxramas” expansion alongside perhaps $5 or $10 in packs. That’s still $5 less than most budget titles on consoles, so I’m willing to defend that as not exploitative, but maybe they really should consider requiring players to buy the expansion to begin at this point.

Seeing the way these cards interact is the reason to endure “Hearthstone’s” more distressing elements. In the world of

video games, it’s most comparable to fighting games. The game is a series of choices that begin before the match does, when the player chooses one of the game’s nine classes (including archetypes like Mage, Paladin and Druid) and constructs their deck. In practice, the goal is to make choices that protect yourself and force your opponent to make worse choices. Fighting games, like “Super Smash Bros.” and “Street Fighter,” operate similarly but require welltrained reflexes to execute with expertise. Even strategy games like “StarCraft” or online battle games like “League of Legends” force the players to operate while measuring their “actions per minute” in order to play competitively. “Hearthstone” removes this speed, making for a more accessible high-level experience.

“Hearthstone” has issued only a handful of balance changes over

the year it’s been released; apart from two expansions that introduced several new cards, only seven cards have been altered since it officially launched in April. The most recent of these was what seems like a simple change; the “Undertaker” card, released in August, was altered so that its effect would no longer grant it extra health. This, temporarily, has led to the removal of this card from most competitive decks entirely, despite its previous place as one of the most commonly used cards in the game. But what is more interesting is how its removal has changed the role of other cards.

The “Undertaker” was best as an early game card, costing next to no resources and growing over time. With it gone for now, slower strategies have more viability, meaning the responses one has to plan are completely different.

This kind of shift is what ulti-

mately leads players to stand by “Hearthstone.” Despite being a game regularly derided as “pay to win” (it’s not, so long as you’re willing to spend money on what equates to a starter set in other card games) and overly random, it is a game whose play swings wildly with the smallest changes. In essence, it’s not the broad strokes that can be painted in an overview, but the nuances of how the game shifts from session to session, the experimentation required to remain successful, and the intuition that comes from standing by the game for some time that make it a rewarding experience. If that sounds like a defense, it probably is one. I’m still getting over being embarrassed by the way every single player avatar seems to sarcastically sneer the words “Well played” in each and every game.

What games have you been playing lately? Let Alex know at alexlovendahl@gmail.com

opinion 6

l

Tuesday, February 10, 2015

dailycardinal.com

The Internet is what we make of it Jacinta Tian Guest Columnist

W

hat a fabulous way to begin the month of February with the 2015 Super Bowl. Whether you were shouting for the Seahawks or the Patriots, you probably all noticed the huge advertising campaign that has been a tradition to the game for the past few decades. This year the ads were especially popular, and the commercial slots were sold out two months before the game even began.

With a $4 million price tag for 30 seconds of air time but only catching a glimpse of a company’s product, we might ask: Is it worthwhile? Or is it even beneficial for the public? Or simply entertaining?

Furthermore, Coca-Cola does a great job incorporating different minority groups in the cyberbullying discourse.

Even before the game, the Internet was a battlefield for big corporations to raise awareness of their campaigns.

This reminded me of the 2014 “Old Spice” tactic of not buying the actual ad space during the game; instead it bought the top ad space from Google, which allowed it to appear on the first page when a Google user searched for Super Bowl ads. This smart move not only saved the company millions of dollars, it also fooled the public that “Old Spice” was in fact in the game and won the company widespread popularity and news coverage. This year,

prior to the game, Coca-Cola released a series of preview ads that caught my attention.

The main theme linking the series of commercials is cyberbullying­—a very serious yet relatable issue that most of us have experienced. In fact, researchers Sameer Hinduja (Florida Atlantic University) and Justin Patchin (University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire) have found, among 2,000 middle school students in 2008, about 10 percent of students have experienced cyberbullying in the previous 30 days and 17 percent had experienced it at least once in their lifetime.

That is to say, one-in-six people have recieved threatening and intimidating words from someone they may not have even encountered. The study also shows that older children who are Internet users are more likely to be affected by cyberbullying than younger children. Yet our emotional stability that increases with age does not seem to counter the harm a text message can do to us. When we look at the bigger picture, things are even worse.

The National Crime Prevention Council reported in 2011 that half of American teens think cyberbullying is a serious issue for them.

The Internet is supposed to connect people, not break bonds. Fortunately, CocaCola’s ads disseminate the idea of attributing positivity online through its two statements—“The Internet is what we make it” and “It is our world web.” The company also aims to spread the power of happiness as it has always done in its recent advertisements with #MakeItHappy.

Unlike most other companies,

personal examples are a major element to Coca-Cola’s persuasive message.

Danica Patrick, the first female NASCAR driver to win a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series pole in 2013 and the highest finish ever by a woman in the 2009 Indianapolis 500, was also used by Coca-Cola to demonstrate how famous people are also targets of hate speech. We may be familiar with those scenes in television dramas, especially when envy plays a part, but the prevalence in real life is concerning.

60

seconds. The length of Coca-Cola’s Super Bowl commerical. Costing them $8 million.

10

Percent of students in a study reported being cyberbullied in the last 30 days.

17

Percent of students who have experienced cyberbullying at least once in their life.

With such a great female role model can be both a model and compete with men in the male-dominated arena of NASCAR, should we not use her as an example to encourage ourselves to chase our dreams despite what others may say? Should we not prove that women are as capable as men? Should we not realize the possibility of co-existence of multiple social roles with-

out sacrificing any aspect of our identity? Yet, some of us are adding to the burden of others, when they have done nothing wrong but to be their true self.

Furthermore, Coca-Cola does a great job incorporating different minority groups in the cyberbullying discourse.

Homosexuals, racial minorities and children from lower socio-economic background are all included in this series.

Simple features such as the way people dress, their sexuality and their ethnicity can all be triggering elements of hate speech, which inspired, rather bitterly, Trisha Prabhu to invent the app Rethink.

Rethink sends an alert encouraging people to rethink their actions before they send out words that have negative connotations.

Although it is rather unlikely those people who most frequently participate in cyberbullying will download such an app, it nevertheless can reinforce positivity even among the few users who do download it. Then through proper discourse and social influence, we hope the habit of rethinking written word can become a culture, a social norm or something your friends would encourage you to do. This chain reaction can be proven by Albert Bandura’s social learning theory, where he predicts the norms we learn do not come from explicit learning but from the social environment, which includes mimicking what your peers do. If social encouragement and stronger friendship bonds are the positive outcome, then more and more of us can realize that hate speech not only harms

the other person but, ultimately, it prevents you from enjoying the happy moments in life.

It is what Michael Sam did, in response to hateful remarks from a bigot, that should serve as the guide to handling Internet hate. Sam responded saying, “though you hate me so much I still love you.” Sam’s response stopped another spill out of aimless hate speeches.

We should also look up to Robby Novak, the Kid President, to embrace every hateful message with a smile just like what he is known to do in his YouTube videos. Then with these kinds of responses we are able to prevent the spread of cyberbullying or intensify the battle online. Gradually this norm shall spread and prevent even triggering hate speeches, which Coca-Cola does a great job in delivering such a message, that together we can make the Internet a happy place.

The Internet is supposed to connect people, not break bonds.

All in all, this series of CocaCola ads has stepped away from the effort of big corporations to catch the audience’s eyes by meaningless dramatic storylines.

Rather, the message it delivers is worth the $4 million even if it touches just a little part of every audience member’s heart.

Do you agree with Jacinta?

We’d like to hear your perspective. Please send all feedback to opinion@daily cardinal.com.

State Rep. Taylor details dangers of Walker’s budget Rep. Chris Taylor Letter to the Editor

C

an you imagine UW-Madison after it has been decimated by Governor Walker’s budget cuts?

Neither can I. That’s why as a member of the Joint Finance Committee that will be considering Gov. Walker’s state budget, I am committed to creating economic opportunities for Wisconsinites and ensuring our children have a chance to succeed.

Unfortunately, Governor Walker’s proposed budget does just the opposite by continuing his failed economic agenda that created the $2.2 billion Walker deficit.

While many other states are enjoying budget surpluses and investing in their children, Governor Walker is one of only a handful of governor’s who proposes some of the most dramatic cuts to public education in the country.

Governor Walker is using the Walker deficit as an excuse to cut one of the jewels of our state, our UW System. Though he retreated on his attempt to amend the Wisconsin idea, the

system will suffer, at a minimum, at least a $300 million dollar cut on the heels of his prior irresponsible $250 million cut.

Governor Walker’s proposed decimation of our world-class university system will hurt our economy, Wisconsin families and our children.

I look forward to getting to work to craft a budget that works for the people of Wisconsin by creating opportunities for families that will help our children succeed.

This is economically shortsighted during the sluggish Walker economy. The UW System is a powerful economic engine, contributing more than $15 billion to our economy. The UW helps create not only the jobs of today, but the jobs of tomorrow. Many career opportunities Wisconsin students have after graduation come from the UW. According

to the Managing Director of Madison’s University Research Park, “Dane County is creating 73% of the net new jobs in Wisconsin, and that is all being driven by UW-Madison and companies in the technology ecosystem that surround the university.” Not only does the UW System educate our kids, it provides them with high quality employment opportunities that will keep them in our state and prevent “brain drain.”

Already we are hearing that top researchers previously recruited to Madison are no longer coming because of Walker’s stark budget, according to press accounts. Many faculty members combine to secure over $1 billion in research funding each year, which is invested back into our community. The best and the brightest faculty are not going to come to a struggling system. We should strive to continue the UW’s greatness.

Not accept mediocrity.

Governor Walker’s UW cuts will hurt our children’s future and their ability to access a quality, affordable UW educa-

tion. The UW is ranked among the top 50 schools nationwide

by US News and World Report amongst many institutions that charge more than $40,000 a year in tuition, nearly four times the cost of tuition at UW-Madison. In just a few short years, Governor Walker’s budget proposal will likely raise the cost of tuition and increase the percentage of students from elsewhere. This could price out many Wisconsin students.

Governor Walker is using the Walker deficit as an excuse to cut one of the jewels of our state, our UW system.

Wisconsin’s families work hard to give their kids a bright future by scrimping and saving to send their kids to college.

We should make it easier for parents to afford a world-class institution like UW-Madison.

Obtaining a quality education is part of the American dream. In Wisconsin that dream is still possible because of our UW System. Our budget should create economic opportunities for Wisconsin families. We need to give a raise to Wisconsin families. And we need to give our kids the opportunity to access the education and training they need to succeed and compete in a 21st Century economy. We need to help Wisconsin families achieve the American Dream, not put it out of reach.

I look forward to getting to work to craft a budget that works for the people of Wisconsin by creating opportunities for families that will help our children succeed.

Chris Taylor is a representative from Wisconsin’s 76th Assembly District. Do you agree with her view of Gov. Walker’s proposed budget? Is there anything she may have overlooked? We’d like to hear from you. Please send all feedback to opinion@dailycardinal.com.

comics

dailycardinal.com Today’s Sudoku

Tuesday, February 10, 2015 • 7

Bro do you even listen to doom metal Future Freaks

By Joel Cryer jcryer@wisc.edu

© Puzzles by Pappocom

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.

Angel Hair Pasta Classic

By Todd Stevens graphics@dailycardinal.com

Today’s Crossword Puzzle

Sid and Phil Classic

The Graph Giraffe Classic

BLACKER THE BERRY

ACROSS 1 Gal’s guy, slangily 6 Enjoyed a fine meal 11 Worker who serves a queen 14 Letter through a filter 15 Turn on the dramatics 16 “___ be an honor” 17 Some nice soaks 19 Blossom 20 Did one-third of a triathlon 21 Dr. Sabin studied it 23 It goes around the world 27 ___ dog (zesty frankfurter) 29 Cedar tree 30 Sinks 33 Hot, glowing coal 34 Birthplace of Charles de Gaulle 35 Pod occupant 36 Turns on the waterworks 37 Jazz variation 38 Fake bedding item?

39 Full of trickery 40 Half a sawbuck 41 Engraved fabric 42 Held, as a dissolved substance 44 Ringlet producer 45 Corpulent

46 Sheens 47 Get-up-and-go 49 “Arf!” or “Woof!”

50 Pub pitcherful 51 Tall plant with tiny white or pink flowers 58 Lancelot’s title 59 Foaming at the mouth 60 Licoricelike flavor 61 Call to the Coast Guard 62 Preoperative delivery of old 63 Part-time employees, for short DOWN 1 Black History mo.

2 Bird in a herd 3 Certain retriever, briefly 4 “Ad” add-on 5 Dream team pick 6 Exclude from practice 7 Muslim chief 8 “___ too shabby” 9 Suffix on ordinal numbers 10 Be unable to stand 11 Lover of books 12 Vanity case for milady 13 Edible root of the taro

18 Still life subject, perhaps 22 Prehistoric 23 Texas oil city 24 Shape anew 25 Early Frank Sinatra fans 26 Bad day for Caesar 27 Use a crayon 28 Endangered one’s cry 30 Was compatible 31 Eyeglass ___ (optometry patient) 32 Identifiers 34 Flood embankment 37 Babies’ protectors 38 Work with mail 40 Comped thing 41 Marsh denizen 43 Belt’s relative 44 Street part 46 High-tech surgery tool 47 Kind of production 48 Miscellany 49 Computer file measure 52 It may be modern 53 Cry of contempt 54 Ship’s dir., sometimes 55 Deadeye’s forte 56 1/6 of an ounce (Abbr.)

57 “___ just one of the guys”

Twenty Pound Baby Classic

By Alex Lewein graphics@dailycardinal.com

By Yosef Lerner graphics@dailycardinal.com

By Stephen Tyler Conrad graphics@dailycardinal.com

Sports

tuesday, february 10, 2015 DailyCardinal.com

Women’s Hockey

Captain grows from small-town origins

By Bobby Ehrlich the daily cardinal

It was a chilly night in Madison, Wis., a perfect evening for hockey.

The Badgers were honoring the seniors that had donned the red and white for the past four years. The seniors’ families were in town and emotions filled the LaBahn Arena as each player was announced.

The puck dropped and captain Blayre Turnbull turned in a performance for the ages, notching three power play goals for her first career hat trick. It was a culmination of the hard work that Turnbull has put in since she came to Madison, a fitting reward for the effort she gives day in and day out.

Turnbull grew up in tiny Stellarton, Nova Scotia, a town that is home to just 4,485 people. It has coal mining origins, dating back to the 1790s, that are still prevalent in the city today. But Stellarton is also known for something else: hockey.

The Wikipedia page for the town lists three notable people.

One author, one war hero and one hockey player. That hockey player is

Blayre Turnbull’s younger brother, Brent Turnbull.

The Turnbulls are a family with hockey in their blood, which Blayre credited for having an impact on her as a child.

“A lot of people in my family have played hockey,” Turnbull said.

“My dad played hockey growing up, he coached hockey, my mom’s family was big hockey fans, so I think it had a really big influence on me wanting to play.”

Throughout her childhood, Blayre’s father, Ron Turnbull, was her coach and mentor. Not only did he coach Blayre, but he coached Brent as well. In fact, the two siblings played together until the age of ten. Brent, who is just one year younger than Blayre, plays hockey at St. Francis Xavier University in Nova Scotia. Blayre credited her father for being a huge part of her early hockey career.

“He taught me basically the essentials about the game. He taught me how to skate, how to shoot, how to play forward,” Turnbull said.

betsy osterberger/cardinal file photo

Turnbull comes from a hockey family in a small Nova Scotia town.

After developing her skills in Stellarton, Turnbull decided to move to Faribault, Minn. to attend Shattuck-St. Mary’s High School, an elite hockey academy. The school has produced a multitude of hockey greats like Sidney Crosby, Ryan Malone, Zach Parise and Jonathan Toews, to name a few. The program was rigorous; Turnbull would often wake up at the crack of dawn to practice at 6:30 in the morning.

“Everyone is there for the same reason and that’s to become a better hockey player, I think that had a huge influence on my hockey career,” Turnbull said.

After graduating from ShattuckSt. Mary’s, Turnbull decided to continue her career at Wisconsin, where she played a role right away in her freshman year.

She appeared in 34 games, found the back of the net seven times and earned a +11 plus/minus rating and was named the team’s Rookie of the Year. The Badgers would win the WCHA that year and reach the national championship, where they fell to border rival Minnesota.

Turnbull continued to climb the ladder at Wisconsin, turning in a fantastic junior season where she scored 40 points and led the team in assists. The Badgers reached the Frozen Four where they were again defeated by Minnesota, this time in the semifinals.

After that season, Turnbull was named the captain of the Badgers.

Her leadership has been instrumental in the success of No. 3 Wisconsin, as she continues pushing each player to be their best.

Senior forward Karley Sylvester is Turnbull’s linemate, who leads the team in points with 32, assists with 20, and plus/minus with a +26 mark. Senior Katy Josephs is the final member of the veteran line that has been the spark plug for the Badgers. This is all orchestrated by

betsy osterberger/cardinal file photo

Blayre Turnbull has been an integral part of UW’s success. the captain and her guidance.

“Her dedication is amazing, she comes to the rink every day ready to work, ready to give it her all,” said Sylvester. “She definitely gives that impression to the rest of the team and the rest of the team can build off that. I think she’s also very vocal in that aspect. Just all around a really good leader.”

The Badgers are compiling another elite season, currently posting a 22-4-4 overall mark and a 17-4-3 conference mark, though it may be difficult to win a conference title at this point, as Wisconsin sits five points behind arch enemy Minnesota. But, with the way the Badgers are playing, demolishing Top 10 teams, a national title is certainly a realistic goal. The senior leadership, with Turnbull at the helm, will have to be the ones to step up in the postseason.

The Badgers are catching fire at the right time, as they picked up five points in a series with No. 6 Minnesota Duluth. After Turnbull scored her first career hat trick on Senior Night, the second game of the series, head coach Mark Johnson praised her impact

on the squad.

“You need good leadership. If you have good leadership, you generally end up with good chemistry and you put those things together and that’s a good way to start with any group,” Johnson said. “Blayre has been around, she’s been mentored by some of the kids that have graduated and they’ve passed the torch to her and she’s done a great job for us.”

As Wisconsin finishes out the regular season, the team will make a push for the conference title and then turn toward postseason play. The Badgers have all the pieces for a deep playoff run, but perennial foe Minnesota looms large. After losing to Minnesota late in the postseason two out of the last three years, Turnbull and the rest of her fellow seniors will certainly be playing with a vengeance and a desire to send the Gophers packing.

And maybe if she leads her team to a national title, she will be placed on that short list of notable people from the small town of Stellarton, Nova Scotia.

Peering down the best of the rest in the Big Ten conference Rushad Machhi breaking shad

I

f it is not already clear that Wisconsin is the best team in the Big Ten, then it’s time to get your head out of the snow. But despite the name, there are still 13 other teams in the conference!

Behind the first place Badgers, who sit pretty at 9-1 in conference play, is a glut of four 7-4 teams.

Ohio State, Maryland, Indiana and Purdue all have identical conference records, but only one can truly emerge as the true runnerup (unless there is an un-American tie of course).

If a conglomerate of second place teams is a bit overwhelming, do not fret; here’s a breakdown of each of the four teams and how they rank directly below the Badgers.

Starting in reverse order with:

4. Indiana (7-4 conference, 17-7 overall)

Few teams have embodied the phrase “live and die by the three” than these Hoosiers. Take

for example Indiana’s gorgeous 89-70 rout of Maryland where it caught fire and hit 15-22 from deep. However, two games later, that fire was cruelly doused in Purdue’s 83-67 thrashing of the Hoosiers, where they only struck 4-19 triples.

Relying on the three is fine if that team has solid foundations in other parts of the game, especially defense. Sadly, Indiana seems to have no such foundation on that side of the ball, where it resides in the Big Ten cellar for both scoring defense and defensive field goal percentage.

While the Hoosiers do hit the long ball at nearly a 40 percent clip, if a cold shooting night comes along as it did against Purdue, Indiana most likely does not stand a chance.

3. Purdue (7-4, 15-9)

Just when the Boilermakers appeared to have figured it out and were on the cusp of making a run to grab sole possession of second place, they laid an egg at Minnesota.

Before that loss however, Purdue had been riding a quietly great defense with three solid wins over Iowa, Indiana and Ohio State.

Anchored by a pair of behemoth rim protectors in junior A.J. Hammons and freshman Isaac Haas, Purdue leads the Big Ten in field goal defense at 39 percent.

The team also has a nice efficient offense, ranking in as the fourth best shooting team to prop up a +2.3 scoring margin.

However, the aforementioned loss to Minnesota, as well as home losses to North Florida and Gardner-Webb (yes, those are real schools), just do not allow me to trust them. Fool me once, shame on Purdue, fool me twice, third place.

by three solid players in guards Dez Wells, Melo Trimble and forward Jake Layman. Trimble has been especially impressive, leading the team in both points and rebounds as a freshman. However, the Terps just don’t have any overall stats that pop out, except for one, and that is their negative conference scoring margin of -1.1 points per game.

While that is most likely a product of recent blowout losses, good teams don’t have those kinds of overall deficits. If Maryland wants to recoup some of their old hype, it better do something fast.

2. Maryland (7-4, 19-5)

1. Ohio State (7-4, 18-6)

The Terps rode an amazing wave of hype coming into the Big Ten season after posting a remarkable non-conference record, highlighted by a great win over Iowa State on a neutral court. Sadly for Maryland, it has fallen back to earth in conference play, especially recently where it’s lost three of five, with all of the losses coming by double digits.

Since conference play began, Maryland has looked just plain average, with their best wins coming at home over Purdue and Michigan State. The Terps are led

After back to back demolitions of Indiana and Maryland just a couple weeks ago, the tiniest bead of sweat began to form on my brow out of fear of the Buckeyes.

However, just like all of the teams above them, Ohio State’s maddening inconsistency allowed me to rest easy, as it dropped its next game to Purdue. Still, Ohio State is real, and their rise can be directly correlated with the rise of freshman phenom D’Angelo Russell.

The Louisville native announced his arrival as an explosive do-it-all

guard with his first triple double on Sunday in a blowout of Rutgers.

The likely Top 5 NBA pick appears to have no weaknesses in his game, shooting a tidy 48 percent from the field as well as 44.5 percent from deep. He also adds 5.9 rebounds and 5.4 assists to his team high 19.5 points per game.

While Russell has been phenomenal, he certainly is not a one man team. Upperclassmen Shannon Scott, Amir Williams and Sam Thompson are all having fine seasons, as well as sophomore sharpshooter Marc Loving, who knocks down over 50 percent of his threes. Sitting behind the Badgers in scoring margin are these Buckeyes at 6.7 points per game.

With the talent Ohio State possesses, suddenly the season finale trip to Columbus doesn’t look as easy for Wisconsin. However, with the stranglehold the Badgers have on first place (knock on wood), it appears the only effect that game will have on the big picture is tourney seeding.

Think any other teams could catch the Badgers? Email Rushad at machhi@wisc.edu and discuss.