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It’s Happ ening: A statistical take on UW’s redshirt freshman phenom
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TOL STORY
Experience the ‘War & Peace’ miniseries
Soglin condemns state preemption
University launches Zika research
By Miller Jozwiak THE DAILY CARDINAL
Madison Mayor Paul Soglin criticized the state legislature for its preemption of local governments’ authority during a press conference Wednesday morning. Soglin specifically outlined ride-sharing, firearms and online rentals. The press conference comes after the nonpartisan Legislative Fiscal Bureau released a memo stating lawmakers have enacted 99 provisions that represent unfunded mandates or restrict the decision-making power of local governments over the last three legislative terms. “It’s time that we have some respect for local government and stop this trend,” Soglin said, “of greater and greater preemption or in some instances changing the way state laws are administered.” Soglin started by addressing the inability of municipalities to pass firearms control. He specifically referenced last week’s homicide by shooting. “An area where we are preempted by state law and that has to do with firearms,” he said. “Last week we had the sad, tragic death of one of our residents in a situation that clearly ought to be covered by a waiting period, a cooling off period, in regards to the purchase of a firearm.” The Republican legislature removed a law that required a 48-hour waiting period when buying a firearm. The Madison Police Department said Christopher T. O’Kroley confessed last week to shooting Caroline E. Nosal. They
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Legislators approved over 70 bills Tuesday, including a measure that would offer amnesty to victims and witnesses to sexual assault from underage drinking tickets.
State Assembly clears sexual assault bill By Andrew Bahl THE DAILY CARDINAL
The state Assembly approved Tuesday a bill that would eliminate drinking tickets for witnesses and victims of sexual assault on college campuses as part of a day where the body took up over 70 bills. Introduced last month by state Rep. Joan Ballweg, R-Markesan, and state Sen. Jerry Petrowski, R-Marathon, the bill has been supported by sexual assault advocates and university officials, such as UW-Madison
Chancellor Rebecca Blank and the University of Wisconsin Police Department. “This is something that we need to do to find a way to help those victims feel secure in coming forward,” Ballweg said in a public hearing on the bill. “To get rid of that barrier … this will go a long way to help.” The bill has broad bipartisan support and passed the Assembly on a voice vote with no debate. The body also approved a bipartisan measure that would increase compensation for the
wrongly convicted. The bill, authored by state Reps. Dale Kooyenga, R-Brookfield, and Gary Hebl, D-Sun Prairie, and state Sen. Van Wanggaard, R-Racine, would increase the compensation cap to $1 million. Present law only allows for payments of $5,000 a year for a maximum of $25,000. Kooyenga said that while the bill cannot deliver justice to those wrongly convicted of crimes, it
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UW-Madison researchers will begin launching experiments to study the Zika virus, according to a university news release. The virus has remained arcane since its discovery 50 years ago in the Zika forest in Uganda. Previously, Zika was linked with causing flu-like symptoms, such as fever, headache and joint pain. It is now acknowledged to have been under-studied and may be a possible cause of birth defects, such as underdeveloped brains and small heads. With an international outbreak of the Zika virus in Brazil and beyond, public health officials around the world are now worried about Zika’s connection to birth defects. In January the National Institutes of Health gave Zika virus high research priority, and the groundwork underway in UW-Madison has led to NIH support for studies using macaques, monkeys with physiology and immune systems similar to humans. Currently, it is known that Zika is less mutative than influenza viruses but the best immune response after using a vaccine remains unknown. “We strongly suspect Zika infection during pregnancy is associated with birth defects such as microcephaly,” said Thomas Friedrich, a UW-Madison professor of pathobiological sciences. “But we don’t know how strong the link is, or what percentage of women who get infected might give birth to children with birth defects.” The researchers hope to settle public anxiety with definite results from the studies. “People want clear answers, and we want to be able to make clear public health recommendations,” Friedrich said. The studies are expected to yield more information regarding the virus in 12 months.
Committee debates subjecting state athletic association to open records law A bill proposed by state Rep. John Nygren, R-Marinette, that would subject Wisconsin’s high school athletic association to state open records laws received a public hearing Wednesday. The proposal follows searing national criticism of the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association sportsmanship memo sent out this January to ban timehonored chants like “Airball,” “Fundamentals” and “Sieve.” The memo claimed that it was merely clarifying existing rules, yet sparked controversy especially
after a Hilbert High School basketball player was suspended for tweeting “EAT S*** WIAA.” High schoolers showed up to games with duct tape covering their mouths, Fox News’ Todd Starnes declared it “the wussification of Wisconsin” and even comedian Stephen Colbert weighed in saying, “Let’s face it, high school is a savage cult and kids will chant.” Caught up in the hailstorm, WIAA Deputy Director Wade Labecki stood firm maintaining, KAITLYN VETO/THE DAILY CARDINAL
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State legislators are pushing to subject the WIAA to the state’s open records law.
“…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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Cooperative Extension announces restructuring plan The UW-Extension Cooperative Extension division announced a new organizational structure Wednesday to address $3.6 million in budget cuts. The restructuring initiative, called “nEXT Generation,” attempts to be as cost-effective and efficient as possible within its newly given financial boundaries, according to a UW-Extension release. Other goals in the proposal
include updating technological communications, consolidating administration and creating flexible and accessible scheduling appointments. UW-Extension Chancellor Cathy Sandeen said in a media conference call that an estimated 80 positions would be cut from the Cooperative Extension division, beginning late 2016. Cooperative Extension’s rela-
tionship to various counties will evolve as well. The division will reward counties proportionate to how much funding they receive to better connect communities and maintain the Wisconsin Idea, Sandeen said in the release. Sandeen said the division would look carefully at “how we ensure that counties are receiving the level of service according to the
investment that they have made.” The cuts to Cooperative Extension come from a portion of Gov. Scott Walker’s 2015-’17 biennial budget, which resulted in $250 million in cuts to the UW System enacted in July 2015. Sandeen said she is confident that the new plan is inclusive and collaborative in its attempts to adjust to the new financial budget.
“This process has made it clear that the state of Wisconsin depends on Cooperative Extension, and that the people of Wisconsin see tremendous value in our work,” Sandeen said in the release. “We considered every single piece of input, and the directions we’re announcing reflect many of the ideas we’ve heard.” -Ben Golden
Proposal to bar county executives speeds through Legislature despite pushback By Jason Snyder THE DAILY CARDINAL
A Republican effort to ban legislators from concurrently holding office as county executive is moving quickly through the state Legislature, as both houses held a public hearing on the bill Wednesday. The legislation is a response to Winnebago County Executive Mark Harris running for the seat of state Sen. Richard Gudex, R-Fond du Lac, in the 18th district after Gudex announced in November that he is not seeking re-election. State Sen. Scott Fitzgerald, R-Juneau, raised concerns about the excess amount of money that would be taken away from taxpayers every year to pay someone
with an already lucrative salary. “We’re definitely concerned about the double-dipping and want to address it directly, “ Fitzgerald told the Associated Press. Harris is not up for re-election for county executive until April 2017, but would start in the legislature next November if elected senator. Gudex is a supporter of the bill that would prohibit the county executive from simultaneously serving in the legislature. If the bill passes, Harris would be taking more than a 50 percent pay cut to work as a state senator. Harris pointed out that legislators have served as county executives concurrently in the past. He noted that indepen-
dent Bob Ziegelbauer served in the state Assembly while working as Manitowoc County executive from 2006 to 2013. In addition, Paul Farrow was elected as Waukesha County executive while serving as a state senator. He is the only county executive seeking a seat in the legislature and believes his chances are good to win the race. But, he remains concerned about the priorities of the Republicans. “I call it the Mike Harris exclusion bill. It is blatantly political and anti-democratic,” Harris told a meeting of the Dane County Democrats Wednesday. “It’s an annoyance but not an insurmountable problem for me.” An executive session on the bills has not yet been scheduled.
JON YOON/THE DAILY CARDINAL
ASM Chair Madison Laning talked with the Coordinating Council about various initiatives planned for the upcoming semester.
ASM Coordinating Council examines goals, campaigns for the semester By Nina Bertelsen THE DAILY CARDINAL
GREY SATTERFIELD/CARDINAL FILE PHOTO
County officials, such as those from Dane County, would be barred from serving in the state Legislature simultaneously under a bill from Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald, R-Juneau.
soglin from page 1 added he also probably bought the gun the day before. He then added that the legislature’s 2015 ride-sharing law, which replaced local laws, also preempted local government. He claimed the app Uber came into Madison “thumbing their noses at local ordinances and even state statutes.” He said that online rental was
assembly from page 1 does help improve the criminal justice system as a whole. More controversially, the Assembly passed a measure that would change regulations and zoning for land near waterways 57-39. State Reps. Al Ott, R-Forest Junction, Joel Kitchens, R-Sturgeon Bay, Todd Novak, R-Dodgeville, and
also experiencing state preemption. Assembly Bill 583 would disallow local governments from restricting or preventing citizens from renting out their homes, which passed Tuesday. Madison has regulated websites that provide an online shortterm renting platform, such as Airbnb, since 2013. “Preemption in regards to online rentals, which threatens our zoning code and the integ-
rity of our neighborhoods,” Soglin said. “It really is going to create problems for individual families and neighborhoods.” Assembly Resolution 24, which was introduced Tuesday, would require the Committee on Assembly Organization to appoint a committee to review the desirability of imposing restrictions on local governments. The committee would have to be appointed by Monday.
John Murtha, R-Baldwin, joined Democrats in opposing the bill. The measure, introduced by state Rep. Adam Jarchow, R-Balsam Lake, and state Sen. Frank Lasee, R-De Pere, is touted by supporters as a way to decrease government regulation of individual property. “Today is a great day for property owners in the state of
Wisconsin,” Jarchow said. Opponents of the bill argue it degraded environmental standards. “This is like Act 10 for lakes,” state Rep. Cory Mason, D-Racine, said, referring to the controversial 2011 legislation that stripped public sector employees of their rights to collectively bargain. The bills now head to the state Senate for passage.
The Associated Students of Madison Coordinating Council met Wednesday to discuss the group’s upcoming plans for the semester. ASM Chair Madison Laning informed the council about a provision within Faculty Policies and Procedures for a budget committee, which had previously existed at UW-Madison but was discontinued due to “ambiguity” about its function. “It fell apart because there wasn’t a strict enough charge about what it was supposed to do,” Laning explained. The proposed committee would include equal student and faculty representation serving terms as long as four years and will be discussed further this March among UW-Madison governing bodies. Council members also discussed the online voter registration bill that recently passed in Wisconsin state Senate. Laning said the bill would function well for the average Wisconsinite. However, people would need a Wisconsin-issued driver’s license, requiring proof of residency from the city clerk’s
athletic from page 1 “We don’t want to coddle them, but we want to respect ‘em, because we want them to respect us back.” According to the bill’s author, the WIAA receives taxpayer dollars and should be treated as a government entity subject to open records law to ensure transparency and regain public trust. “WIAA has governmental power and should be treated as a
office, if the address on their license is not their current address. “It’s completely not allowing any student to register and vote on campus,” Laning said. “Even if they have a Wisconsin driver’s license like me, it still has their old home address.” Council members discussed drawbacks to the bill, including inaccessibility for people without computers. Equity and Inclusion Committee Chair Mariam Coker also discussed her efforts with Joshua Moon Johnson, director of the UW-Madison Multicultural Student Center, to lessen incidents of hate and violence on campus. Coker said that while it may seem like only a few instances, UW-Madison is a large university and there are still multiple incidents per week. Many cases also go unreported, she added. Coker and Johnson are working to reduce these instances on campus, as well as encourage students who have experienced hate and bias to come forward and report. The council will attend a racial climate talk at Gordon Commons Feb. 24 in place of their next meeting. governmental entity,” Nygren said at the hearing. WIAA Executive Director Dave Anderson protested that his organization was being unfairly singled out and that the bill could upend privacy rights for other nonprofits. “In my opinion this was certainly a knee-jerk response to a social media storm, we acknowledge that, on the sportsmanship memo,” Anderson said. -Lucas Sczygelski
dailycardinal.com
By Kynala Phillips THE DAILY CARDINAL
From Beyoncé and her newest song “Formation” to pioneers like Shirley Chisholm, black women have paved the way for style, politics, culture, education and more since the beginning of time. This column will explore the intersections of being a black woman, specifically on the UW-Madison campus. It is incredibly important to cultivate a safe space for black women to have important conversations about race, representation and the unequivocal magic that is bestowed within all black women. Every other
week this column will present a thought-provoking article that will hopefully spark meaningful conversations and help enrich UW-Madison’s black community. As black women there are topics and issues that pertain to us that don’t typically get addressed by our nonblack women counterparts. As a collective of writers, we will make an effort to celebrate black women through individual highlights, as the “Magician of the week,” and through accepting questions and feedback about what topics and issues we should write about. This column is unique because through the opinions,
stories and interests of many black women on this campus, our goal will be to directly reflect the experience of being a black woman on UW-Madison’s campus. In addition to embracing our similarities, we want to make sure to put an emphasis on showcasing the diversity within our own community. Please take the time to read and indulge in this biweekly column. Through discussing hair, music, art, poetry, fitness and more, we plan to bring as many magicians together as possible through shared and individual experiences that will ultimately affirm the fact that black girls are indeed lit.
Weekend, February 11-14, 2016
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PHOTO COURTESY OF CREATIVE COMMONS
Rihanna works to create timeless music in recent album ANTI.
RECORD ROUTINE
Rihanna explores poetic love in ANTI ALBUM REVIEW
‘War and Peace’ dramatizes love and honor BEN GOLDEN golden age Is a 147-year-old, 1,300-page Russian novel capable of being successfully translated into a four-part TV miniseries? This sounds like a daunting task, however BBC decided to take the chance and interpret the epic work of Leo Tolstoy’s “War & Peace” through the TV medium. The end result proves that their gamble was our gain. BBC clearly understands that the key to a critically acclaimed, classic piece of writing is to invest. The epic scale of production is so impressive that even “Game of Thrones” fans may raise their brows. The costumes electrify the screen amid the backdrop of combat and despair. Scenes are shot on location within true architectural treasures of the world. The elegant camerawork is proportionate to the story’s grandeur. The hauntingly low Russian vocals in the score resonate beautifully in the background amid the self-destruction of the characters, amplifying the perspective and scope of this Tolstoyan drama. The series opens in 1805 St. Petersburg, Russia, when fears of Napoleon’s French invasion are underway. The chronicle is notably more of a character-driven drama than a simple war story. Tolstoy is famous for his large number of characters, and this carries through to the BBC interpretation. Each character has symbolic undertones and intricate layers that the actors wonderfully
bring to life. The gut-wrenching love triangle between characters Natasha, Andrei and Pierre is proven to be the heart of the series. Natasha (Lily James) symbolizes purity with an always-optimistic outlook on life. Andrei (James Norton) embodies war with a torturous death-complex. And Pierre (Paul Dano) is peace, an existentialist constantly seeking pacifism. The acting is at times subtly delicate, and other times brutally severe. For instance, while Andrei is writing a faux-heartfelt letter to his pregnant wife, sister and father, he grimaces to himself, “I would give it all up for a chance at glory.” Yet, once he falls for Natasha, the happiness spreads through him. Love transforms Andrei into a different man than he once was. Natasha is a beacon of purity, hope and naivety shining in a desolate expanse of a bleak future tainted by war. There is a scene in which Natasha and Andrei dance at the immaculate Catherine Palace for the Tsar’s Ball. While watching this exquisite montage, it is easy to feel like you are there with them, swept up in the moment. When Pierre advises Andrei to marry Natasha, the pain, envy and love is evident in Pierre’s eyes. As the story progresses, and the French invade into Russian society, it is apparent that the story has reached its climax. The ending of part three is abrupt and unresolved, invoking the idea of war itself. For the characters of the show, war is a means to an end. Every social barrier, relationship conflict and love tryst, will never be neatly wrapped up by the time you face the enemy on
the front line. War waits for nothing and no one because, at that time, it is bigger than any individual. It is to fight and defend your identity to the last dying breath, even if you have no chance to come out alive. Honoring your name and origin is, for characters like Pierre, a priority above all else. With only one part of the miniseries left, what is unsaid and unresolved feels shocking and disparaging. It leaves a powerful lasting impression as the heavy narrative’s splendor and intricacy come crashing to an abrupt halt. However, each episode covers so much ground that the story manages to find resolution by the finale. The finale presents a touching ending to the impressive story. Every character that is backed into a corner, every mistake that seems undoable and every ambition that seems to be crushed, is masterfully untangled and pieced back together so much so that it feels not only right, but inevitable in retrospect. It is possible that the miniseries does not interpret the novel in a way that is fully satisfactory to true purists of the written story. However, as a simpleton who has not yet read the original, I truly enjoy the TV depiction. The rich and compelling narrative is filled with metaphor and deep thought. It almost motivated me to crack open and leaf through the dense text. Throughout this elaborate tale, the prominent theme that remains is amid war, there is beauty. What does this deep series make you think aboutabout war, love and fighting for honor? Let Ben know at arts@dailycardinal.com.
PHOTO COURTESY OF CREATIVE COMMONS
Tolstoy’s 1869 masterpiece “War and Peace” is depicted excellently in the BBC TV miniseries.
ANTI Rihanna By Francisco Velazquez THE DAILY CARDINAL
Barbados’ beauty makes her return to the music charts with her much anticipated eighth LP, ANTI. After admiring Rihanna from afar for the last several years, it’s safe to say she embodies the duality of a business woman who knows how to party. Take her Instagram page for example, where Rihanna appears to spend a large part of her time on yachts, smoking marijuana or snapping her random car drive. But, what we don’t see is Rihanna signing shoe deals with PUMA and sock deals with Stance. Her social appeal has created a well inviting image. Wouldn’t you want to hang out with RiRi? And still, Rihanna’s new album, ANTI , was finally released on popular musicstreaming website TIDAL Jan. 27 after a three-year gap since her last project, Unapologetic. The promotion was phenomenal; Rihanna’s three singles in 2015 amped her album like no other. (Ironically, none of the three singles made the album.) ANTI’s lyrical content predominantly touches on themes of relationships and explores what it means to be in love, to be hurt, to need someone and to be true to yourself. The album begins with “Consideration” feat. SZA. Here, Rihanna’s sultry Barbadian voice states, “she has to do things her own way.” In correlation with the album title, Rihanna alludes to the fact that she wants to make music that feels timeless. With this album, her goal is to perform these songs 15 years from now. Much of her past singles have been quick hits that tend to last no more than a couple of months on the radio. The detail behind the album cover, a poem in braille, and the use of a picture of her first day of daycare, indicate new beginnings, and this album is definitely the start of something new. ANTI’s lead single, “Work” feat. Drake, takes us back to the dance hall days of the young pop star. Her vocals are meshed,
almost slurred enough to roll off the tongue like ice cream. The song reminds us of summer days, with the sun blazing and living life in the simplest way. However, if you’re really down with #RihannaNAVY like I am, you’ll look up the lyrics. The lyrics suggest a different RiRi, a sensitive and shifting woman, whom we can understand is still willing to love this man as she says, “Who am I to hold your past against you?” Do we want to see the softer Rihanna? Her album does an excellent job of taking us on this journey of self-exploration. Rihanna talks about sex almost as explicitly as she performs it in her music. Some of ANTI’s most memorable tracks are also the most vicious: “Love on the Brain” incorporates the doo-wop jam and heavy vocals of a wounded woman who is fighting a battle with her sanity, only to go into the darkness of a relationship. “It beats me black and blue, but it fucks me so good,” Rihanna belts, her voice aching for something deeper than skin. Her disconnection of “it” sounds like a ghost that won’t leave her. Has anyone ever taken your happiness? Have you taken them back because that’s what pride does when it’s true love? “Kiss It Better,” a personal favorite, explores the rollercoaster that love is. “Man, fuck yo pride, just take it on back,” Rihanna’s vocals carry the years of pain, alluding to the ego associated with stripping yourself of all emotional walls for the one you care for. The growth of Rihanna’s artistry is shown in this album. You can hear the assurance of a woman who explores her self, body, sex life and love journeys. ANTI is well worth the wait and Rihanna continues to remind us why wearing your heart on your sleeve can help us all heal.
Grade: AWhat do you think about Rihanna’s new album? Let Francisco know at arts@dailycardinal.com.
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An independent student newspaper, serving the University of Wisconsin-Madison community since 1892 Volume 125, Issue 59
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The truth in ‘Tiny Glowing Screens’
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People are often much more interested in their smartphones than having a conversation, even while in the presence of others. Thomas rademacher opinion columnist
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or those of you who may not know George Watsky, let me introduce you to him. Watsky is a 29-year-old rapper, writer, performer and lyricist from San Francisco, Calif. He started his performing career as a spoken word poet and was named the Youth Speaks Grand Slam Poetry Champion and the Brave New Voices International Poetry Slam Champion in 2006. Soon after rising to the top of slam poetry, Watsky began making and producing music. He has released four studio albums, four singles and two live albums. His music ranges from deeply meaningful and heartfelt to outrageously silly and provocative. Two of his best songs are easily “Tiny Glowing Screens Part 1” and “Tiny Glowing Screens Part 2.” Both of these have a very relevant message in the world dominated by smartphones in which we live in. Although our smartphones are incredibly useful pieces of technology, we must not let them consume our livelihoods. Using a selection of Watsky’s lyrics, I want to highlight some of the issues with our phones. In “Tiny Glowing Screens” the refrain has a line that goes: “When
the sun burns out we’ll light the world with tiny glowing screens.” The song continues into the first verse where Watsky explains how “it really tastes like chicken when I bite the hand that feeds me.” Here he acknowledges the fact that the internet, and consequently the use of smartphones, has been a big reason for his success. Watsky spends the entire song elaborating on how attached we are to smartphones, but is able to acknowledge that even he depends on them for his success. This is a great illustration as to just how attached we are to our phones because even someone like Watsky who can see a lot of the bad effects of phones still requires them. “I can feel the slow rot,” is another of Watsky’s great lines. Here he demonstrates the loss of brain cells we are enduring from constantly reading from our phones rather than from books or other meaningful material. The problem isn’t only smart phones, it’s tablets and computers as well. More and more people are putting down books and picking up their screens to watch YouTube, read Reddit, play video games or binge on Netflix. Near the very end of the song Watsky asks: “Are we useless?” With the tremendous reliance on our phones, instead of asking what can we do
with our phones, the question is what can we do without them. The answer is that it seems to be less and less. In “Tiny Glowing Screens Part 2” Watsky opens the song with: “There’s 7 billion 46 million people on the planet and most of us have the audacity to think we matter.” He explains how the number of people on the planet is so large, but most of us are very self-centered and see ourselves as being more important than we actually are. He continues by saying, “If we could see the context of the universe in which we exist, and we could see how small each one of us is … is that a world we want to text in?” In this line he puts our smartphone usage into context by presenting the size and scale of the universe as so unimaginably massive and people as so incredibly small in comparison. He explains how if we were better able to realize the vast complexity of where we live, then we wouldn’t be so inclined to waste time on our smartphones. Whenever I walk outside, for any amount of time, in any location, I have a hard time not finding at least one person who is staring at their tiny glowing screen. In today’s world the majority of our country’s population has a smartphone. Even
the most technologically challenged people seem to have one. They are extremely useful pieces of technology that make our lives easier and help us stay better informed, but they are also a physical barrier between people. It is hard to have a meaningful conversation or make a connection with someone when they are absorbed in technology at the same time. As a society, we are ridiculously attached to our smartphones to the point that people seem to rather look at pictures of beautiful places on their phones than to actually go to these beautiful places. Even when people go to wonderful places or do fun things, there is a tendency to stay constantly connected to a tiny glowing screen. Our smartphones do amazing things, but they are no substitute for real experiences or forming real connections. Although our phones are smart in the sense that they can do an extensive number of things, is it really that smart of us to be constantly using them? Do you think that Watsky is making legitimate points in “Tiny Glowing Screens” Parts 1 and 2? Does 21st century society need to begin to unplug from our electronics? Please send all comments and concerns to opinion@ dailycardinal.com.
Religious persecution needs to be stopped Hae rin lee opinion columnist
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ince I can remember, I have been attending church. I was baptised as a child and became confirmed in Christianity when I was a teenager. However, a burning question about my own faith, as well other faiths, has never gone away. I openly embrace my faith, but sometimes find it difficult to conform to certain aspects of it. Starting at a young age, I became very interested in philosophy, but I was warned to not to read the works of German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche because such works are believed to undermine the principles of Christianity. Despite the warnings, I continued to read the works of this so called “sinful” philosopher. Nietzsche is famous for his writings against Christianity. In one of his pieces he stated: “God is dead. God remains dead. And we have killed him. How shall we, murderers of all murderers, console ourselves?” Modern and postmodern societies today have increasingly become atheistic, neglecting religion. It is proof of how corrupted
our world has become. By abandoning sincere faith and beliefs of divinity, it has been revealed that people no longer fear the consequences of committing a sin. Even righteous and moral values seem to have been eliminated by our faithless world. While religion helps us to love others, it also drives us to hate those who differ from our beliefs. Christianity and most other religions fail to tolerate other beliefs and other religions, and are the source of many conflicts. Religion appears to want us
to be violent, a reasoning that many Islamic extremist groups have based their causes off of. They believe their faith is dominant, and that it is their duty to eliminate any opposition to their religious beliefs. But to generalize all Muslims as being dangerous and terrorists is a sin in itself. As a society, how can we conclude that all Muslims are violent, when in a reality it is only a extremely small percentage of extremists. Every day Muslim people are no more or less sinners than everyday Christians, and all too often people
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Religion can be a source of hope as well as a cause of pain.
forget this. A second example of religious persecution is the treatment of LGBT individuals. Their lifestyle may be against your beliefs, but that does not make them wrong or sinful. Homosexuals and transexuals are people that are accepted in the everyday 21st century world. Their persecution is something that needs to be ended. It is wrong to judge them, and attack them because they are being true to themselves. Religion is something that provides hope to billions of people worldwide, each and every day. However, it is also the cause of many issues. I believe that it is time to put an end to this. We as human beings are the only ones that can prevent the persecution of minority groups for not fitting the norms of religion. Rather than attacking them because they are different, address them with the kind side of the church. The one that is welcoming and caring. Do you agree that it is time to end the persecution of certain groups of religions because of religious differences? Send all comments, questions and concerns to opinion@dailycardinal.com.
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‘Enhanced interrogation’ propels Ted Cruz to family game night victory By John Joutras THE DAILY CARDINAL
Texas senator and presidential hopeful Ted Cruz emerged victorious after family game night in the Cruz home Wednesday. The senator’s performance brings his 2016 family game night win streak to six, expanding his untarnished record to 6-0 on the season for the Cruz family’s weekly designated family-fun sessions. In addition to his homegrown
work ethic and naturally competitive spirit, Cruz attributed Wednesday’s win to his careful use of enhanced interrogation during the games. “I don’t condone the widespread use of enhanced interrogation,” Cruz said. “But I am willing to use it in extreme cases, like when I’m down in Battleship and all I have left is my submarine.” Sen. Cruz started slow in demoralizing bouts of Battleship and Go Fish, but made come-
from-behind victories each round through selective employment of enhanced interrogation tactics. The senator reported his eightyear-old daughter (0-6) “cried like a little baby” and “finally learned that papa Cruz is king” after careful application of enhanced interrogation convinced her to reveal the location of her battleships to her jovial-butcompetitive father. During their third game of Go Fish, wife Heidi Cruz (0-6)
questioned her husband’s use of enhanced interrogation tactics. “Ted? Honey? Isn’t waterboarding torture? Ted listen to me, don’t you think waterboarding the kids is a bit much? Just let Care Bear win for once—you’re getting the cards all wet.” Sen. Cruz echoed his Feb. 6 Manchester, N.H., debate sentiments in response. “Don’t worry hon, waterboarding isn’t torture—it’s enhanced interrogation. Torture
would be contrary to the values of human dignity, justice and democracy our nation represents. Waterboarding is carefully mediated and regulated simulated drowning used as an alternative to traditional intelligence gathering methods. Besides, it’ll all be over soon. I just need a pair of kings and I win.” Sen. Cruz hopes to build his streak to seven at the next Cruz family game night, set for Wednesday, Feb. 17 at the regular time.
Corduroy pillows make headlines across the country By C.P. VanValkenburg THE DAILY CARDINAL
The new nationwide trend of corduroy pillows has recently reached the Madison community. Madison citizens can be seen in coffee shops, on bicycles or even strolling down State Street while sporting freshly pressed lines across their cheeks. Designer pillow extraordinaire Kevin Thomas gave Daily Cardinal reporters some insight as to why the trend has caught on so quickly. “It’s fashionable,” Thomas noted, “even though the comfort factor is nonexistent, anyone in the business will tell you that fashion does not equate to comfort.”
Ranging from slip-on pillow cases to limited-edition designs, corduroy pillows have made an impression on the lives (and faces) of the Madison populace. The widespread trend originated from millennial fashion. Popularized as the “Bohemian” style, also known as “Boho,” today’s youth seem to strive to appear like they have just rolled out of bed. Corduroy pillows are the perfect fashion tools for creating such a look. “It’s my dream come true,” Thomas said, “Finally we are incorporating pillows into fashion, and Madison is the perfect city for this trend to really make a dent.”
‘Cam Newton is childish,’ says grown man who watches sports for a living By Jake Skubish THE DAILY CARDINAL
Following Cam Newton’s abrupt exit from a Super Bowl press conference, ESPN anchor Kevin Mendelson, who watches sports for a living, described the Panthers QB’s actions as “childish,” according to multiple sources. Newton left the press conference without an explanation. Mendelson, who is paid large amounts of money to watch full-grown men ram into each other for the entertainment of other full-grown men, was bothered by this move. “I thought it was pretty immature,” said Mendelson, who each Friday adds sound effects to his favorite sports play of the day, for which he is paid six figures. The perceived lack of respect for Mendelson’s profession bothered the reporter, who had some really super important questions to ask.
“I didn’t get a chance to ask him how he felt after reaching the pinnacle of achievement in his sport, only to give a disastrous performance with millions of people watching and walk away defeated,” said Mendelson. “Now we might never know.” After Newton left Mendelson reportedly went to ask Peyton Manning a few questions, but the Broncos QB had already left. “The dedication Manning has is unbelievable,” Mendelson was heard saying. “He has no time for press conferences. He’s probably already planning for next season. I really admire that work ethic.” At press time, multiple reports stated Mendelson had left the press conference to go tape a segment of his hit sports show “SPORTS,” where two anchors decide who is right about a sports controversy by seeing who can yell about it the loudest.
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Republican presidential candidate Ted Cruz continued his dominant family game night showings with precise application of ‘enhanced interrogation’ techniques, namely waterboarding.
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Feature
Together again: High-school teammates reunite at UW Ties to Waukesha Express Swim Team run deep for five talented Wisconsin swimmers Story by Kelly Ward
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hen you’re a Division I athlete, it’s pretty rare to have even a single teammate from your high-school club team on the same college roster. Having five of your teammates come from the same club team? It’s practically unheard of. Women’s swimmers Abby Jagdfeld, Rachel Johnson, Anna Meinholz, Molly Manchon and Madison Tew have been teammates for quite a bit longer than most—in fact, they all swam for coach Blaine Carlson at Waukesha Express since most of them were about nine or 10 years old until they came to college. Carlson and his wife, Laurie, who also coaches Express, are former Badger swimmers themselves who swam in Madison in the early 1990s. These five, along with many others before them, have created a pipeline from Express to Madison. That pipeline has definitely never been this prolific before—there is no other team in NCAA Division I at this time that has five athletes from the same club team. What’s also unique is the variety of backgrounds these five swimmers have. Not one of them shares the same strengths or personality, and they are all a great fit for the UW swim program, which was one major reason head coach
Whitney Hite decided to recruit them all to swim for him. Hite brought in Meinholz, Johnson, Manchon and Tew out of high school, and Jagdfeld hopped on board when she transferred from Purdue this past summer. Meinholz, Tew and Manchon gave a lot of credit to Carlson and his program when they sat down and explained how they got to where they are today. “Blaine especially helped me prepare,” explained Manchon, who also swam for Carlson at Waukesha South High School. “Before I came, they gave me an idea of what practices would be like and I showed him, and he altered some practices for me to help me get ready to swim here.” According to Tew, even though Carlson is a former Badger himself, there was never any pressure from him or any of the other club coaches to choose UW. “I think he was just really proud that we were looking here,” Tew said. Meinholz, a senior, agreed, explaining that “being from Wisconsin, your heart’s kind of in Wisconsin, and there’s so much Badger pride—when you look at the school it’s kind of hard to ignore it. I don’t think [Carlson] ever pushed [going to UW] on any-
one, but he was really proud when we decided to look here.” Hite thinks the connection between the five girls has forged immediate connections and bonded the team faster. “[Having five girls on the team] is just a testament to Blaine and the kind of swimmers he’s producing. I have tremendous respect for him and his program,” Hite said. Since Meinholz and Johnson have been on the team for a few years, the three younger girls have had a unique and much easier transition to college. Having two older teammates they already knew to show them the ropes is definitely an advantage, especially at a school as large as UW. Tew and Manchon both agree; they had a unique transition and it was in no small part to Johnson and Meinholz. “I 100 percent think they helped me,” Manchon said. “I texted Anna so many times before I came, asking for advice. Especially being on the team now, it’s nice having them to be there to guide us if we have any questions, to kind of show us the ropes.” Tew had a bit of a different experience because she did not start swimming for Waukesha Express until 2014—two years after Meinholz and Johnson had left for college. Although she was competing for the New Berlin Swim Club when Meinholz and Johnson were
in high school, the three still got to know each other through mutual friends and the older girls coming home during breaks. “Definitely it was still easy to have someone I knew to go and talk to, and ask for advice,” Tew said. Jagdfeld, who transferred from Purdue prior to the season, has been the younger teammate who has been impacted the most by having her club teammates around at school. “Abby, she’s always been pretty quiet,” Meinholz said of the redshirt sophomore. “Coming to Wisconsin, I noticed that she’s blossomed. She’s much more talkative now and she’s in a happy place. She’s training out of her mind, racing out of her mind, I think she’s doing great.” Manchon said Carlson had a huge impact on Jagdfeld’s transition to Wisconsin as well. “He did help [Abby] a lot with her transition from Purdue, she was obviously very nervous and didn’t know exactly what to do, and I know that he was a very big outlet for her, especially in terms of being comfortable with the team.” The leadership by example from this tight-knit group is one reason Badger fans can get excited about championship season and the upcoming Olympic trials. All of the teammates except for
Madison tew david Stluka/wisconsin athletics
Jagdfeld, who is redshirting this year due to NCAA transfer rules, will be solid contributors in both the individual and relay events. In addition, both Meinholz and Jagdfeld have qualified to swim at the Olympic trials—Meinholz in the 100 and 200-meter breaststroke and Jagdfeld in the 50, 100, 200 and 400-meter freestyle. Hite, when asked to explain the enormous success the five Express alums have had, gave a glowing review. “I know that Blaine and the Express team really value hard work, and they know what that is—that’s so important here,” Hite said.
happ from page 8 At his current pace, Happ will surpass Dekker in his 26th game, Harris and Tucker in his 29th and will become the first Wisconsin freshman to break 300 in his 30th. Now, that 31-game expectation is assuming the Badgers lose in the first round of the Big Ten Tournament and miss out on any postseason play, which is looking increasingly unlikely with their current six-game winning streak. Wisconsin will be expected to win at least one game in the Big Ten Tournament and have a good shot at playing at least one game in the NCAA Tournament, meaning we can project Happ for about 33.5 games. Extrapolate his current pace to that many games and he’s expected to post a cumulative game score of 353.2, shattering the Wisconsin freshman record set by Tucker way back in 2003. Happ’s on-campus hype did not spread far from Madison until the season really got rolling. Prior to the start of this year, there was virtually no mention of Happ from any news outlet outside of Wisconsin. Any excitement surrounding Happ’s debut for UW was overshadowed by a slew of high-upside recruits heading to other Big Ten schools. Despite Happ’s rapid improvement in preparation for his first year on the court, the biggest recruiting news for the Badgers was their failure to land either Henry Ellenson or Diamond Stone, two consensus top-10 recruits from Wisconsin. Ellenson would head to instate rival Marquette, while Stone
jessi schoville/the daily cardinal
Redshirt freshman forward Ethan Happ has quietly put together one of the finest first-year campaigns in Wisconsin history. moved out east to conference rival Maryland after much controversy surrounded his commitment to Wisconsin. Elsewhere in the Big Ten, five-star recruit Caleb Swanigan chose Purdue over Michigan State, while four-star recruits Thomas Bryant and Deyonta Davis headed to Indiana and MSU, respectively. Without much pressure to live up to expectations, Happ has
thrived. Although he is currently second in cumulative game score among Big Ten freshmen, a good bit behind Stone, he has done so in far fewer possessions. Because of Wisconsin’s slow, deliberate pace, Happ has had far fewer opportunities per game to make plays than his counterparts in the Big Ten. In fact, of the top15 Big Ten freshmen in cumulative game score, he’s participated in the fewest team possessions, yet
still ranks second in cumulative game score. When adjusted for team pace, Happ is averaging a game score of 16.1 per 100 possessions, tied with Stone for the lead among freshmen. Happ is also tied for third among underclassmen forwards/ centers and ninth overall among underclassmen (Hayes leads the way at 19.4). What Ethan Happ has been able to do in his first season at
Wisconsin is unprecedented. The numbers he has put up, the skills he’s showcased—it’s simply never been done. Badger fans haven’t been deprived of great big men in recent years; Kaminsky, Jared Berggren, Jason Bohannon, Mike Bruesewitz all had fantastic careers in the Cardinal and White. But with three full years of eligibility left, Happ just might outshine them all.
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Happ hops headfirst into starting lineup After spending one season behind Frank Kaminsky, the redshirt freshman forward has been a force Story by Thomas Valtin-Erwin
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ollowing the departure of two all-time Wisconsin greats in Sam Dekker and Frank Kaminsky, the fate of the program was expected to fall squarely on the shoulders of juniors Nigel Hayes and Bronson Koenig. Redshirt freshman Ethan Happ was considered nothing more than a solid prospect. Both coming off dynamic sophomore seasons when they flashed real potential as superstars, Hayes and Koenig were seen as the future for the Badgers. Koenig has been, at times, a mild disappointment, but he’s also carried the team in dark times, as he kept UW alive against Michigan State, recording a career-high 27 points. Hayes has been phenomenal, averaging 17 points, six rebounds and more than three assists per game. Draftexpress.com pegs him as the 30th-best prospect in college basketball, should he choose to forgo his senior season and head to the NBA. But the brightest light has the been the beacon of hope emanating from Happ, a soft-spoken recruit out of small-town Rockridge High School in Illinois. After spending his redshirt year under the tutelage of Kaminsky, Happ stepped onto the court for the first time after much anticipation to welcome Western Illinois to the Kohl Center. When the referee blew the whistle and tossed the ball in the air, he became just the third freshman to ever start a sea-
son opener under Bo Ryan. Happ’s long-awaited arrival was cut short due to foul trouble, and he finished the game with just four points and three fouls. Two days later, Siena marched onto campus and was promptly walloped, 92-65. But again, Happ fell victim to his own mistakes, recording eight points and four fouls in just 18 minutes. Over the course of the next twoand-a-half months, Happ blew up, averaging 12.4 points, 8.2 rebounds, 1.2 assists, 1.1 blocks and 1.6 steals per game. After playing just the sixthmost minutes on the team through two games, he’s now the bona fide second-best player on the team. “Game score” is a metric developed by Memphis Grizzlies Vice President of Basketball Operations John Hollinger to measure a player’s overall contribution to the game. It takes into account virtually every box score statistic available, and weights them according to their approximate worth. By this measure, Happ’s season has been the best freshman campaign in Wisconsin basketball history. He’s been far better than recent outstanding freshmen like Hayes and Dekker, but that’s only the start of it. Although offensive rebounds, turnovers, fouls and game logs were not all tracked by sports-reference.com until 2009, we can estimate older players’ numbers based on the numbers of more recent players that fit the same mold. Among all Wisconsin freshmen
Men’s Basketball
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from the Bo Ryan era, Alando Tucker and Devin Harris were by far the best. Yet through 32 games, neither broke a cumulative game score of 300 (Tucker finished just shy at 298.2 and
Harris finished at 289.2). Happ currently sits at a total game score of 246.9, already fourth in the Bo Ryan era despite playing just 24 games. Marked on the graph with
a dashed vertical line is the 31-game mark, the amount he’s guaranteed to play should he stay healthy.
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Graphic by Thomas valtin-erwin
Gone bowling: UW takes a break Matt Ferris walk-on, wisconsin
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know I originally wrote that I was going to devote my column this week to Aaron Moesch. As interesting and entertaining as that would have been, it will have to wait for another time. This is because something extremely important happened between our win versus Ohio State and the present moment: team bowling. Now I know what you’re thinking: “What’s so special about bowling? I remember going to the bowling alley during a second-grade field trip and destroying my classmates because I had above average hand-eye coordination and wanted to show off for the cute girl I chased around at recess.” And while that may be true, bowling changes to a new form of competition after puberty. It especially changes when you go bowling with some of the most competitive and athletically gifted humans at this university. The setup last Friday was simple: four teams consisting of four players each playing against one another in a singleelimination tournament. The teams were as follows:
Team One: Van Vliet, Iverson, Moesch and Happ; Team Two: Ferris, Illikainen, Schlundt and Decorah; Team Three: Bax, Hayes, Hill and Pritzl; Team Four: Koenig, Thomas, Showalter/ Brown and Smith. The first round consisted of Team One versus Team Two and Team Three versus Team Four. Winners went on to play each other in the championship, and losers competed in a thirdplace game. I’m not going to give a complete play-by-play of the entire afternoon because A: I don’t remember and B: I don’t know if play-by-plays exist for bowling. Nonetheless, there were a few highlights and takeaways. First and foremost, I’ll play spoiler by saying that Team One won the whole thing. They were not only the most balanced team, but had a strong leader in Moesch and possibly the best overall bowler in Happ. I say “possibly the best overall bowler” because I strongly contest this claim. Ethan scored higher than me over the course of the two games. (He bowled something around 135 and 120.) However, I’m going to be biased and claim myself as the best bowler on the team. Sure, I may have only bowled an 84 in the first game. And sure, second-
grade Matt probably had a higher score on the field trip. But as all athletes say, it’s not how you start but rather how you finish. I finished the day with a 129 in the third-place game, and simple linear mathematics show that had I bowled two more games, I would’ve ended with a whopping 219 in that fourth game. For those counting back home, that score, while absolutely impossible and misleading, would’ve put me in 24th place in the PBA World Championship, according to their website. (Yes, I looked that up.) And if that’s not impressive, I really can’t tell you what is. In all honesty, the bowling trip was an excellent source of team bonding. Once the Big Ten season rolls along, basketball fills almost every day. This gave us a chance to relax and rest our bodies while at the same time working together with one another. Hopefully we have energy to spare and keep our minds out of the gutter as we strike out our next opponents. I’m not sure I framed that correctly. Oh well. Have any thrilling stories of your bowling exploits you want to share with Matt? What have you always wanted to ask the men’s basketball team? Email sports@dailycardinal.com and let Matt know.