Wednesday, March 24, 2010 - The Daily Cardinal by The Daily Cardinal

New film ‘The Maid’ serves up great acting, powerful character study ARTS

University of Wisconsin-Madison

PAGE 5

OFFENSE KEY TO UW’S FROZEN FOUR FUTURE Despite high-powered offense, UW defense must shine to keep title dreams alive SPORTS

Complete campus coverage since 1892

dailycardinal.com

Students clash over passage of health-care bill By Kelsey Gunderson The Daily Cardinal

After the passage of the $940 billion health-care bill supported by President Barack Obama Sunday, the UW-Madison campus community continues to discuss the potential impacts the legislation will have on students. The bill, which is projected by the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office to increase coverage for more than 32 million Americans, was officially signed into law Tuesday. While several UW-Madison student organizations celebrated

PAGE 8

Wednesday, March 24, 2010

Smoke signals

the passage of the bill, others said they are disappointed and believe Congress can do better. “[The bill] is not going to make anyone’s health care better, it’s just going to take away certain benefits from others while giving mediocre health care to most Americans,” Crystal Lee, chair of UW-Madison College Republicans, said. The health-care bill also included the Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act, which is expected to invest about $50 bilhealth care page 3

lorenzo zemella/the daily cardinal

Advocates of medicinal marijuana rallied Tuesday in front of the state Capitol to support bills in the state Legislature that would allow doctors to prescribe marijuana to patients.

Rules on corporate election ads changed Board says it can no longer enforce century-old caps on donations By Cathy Martin The Daily Cardinal

Although the state Government Accountability Board will begin allowing unlimited corporate election spending in accordance with a recent U.S. Supreme Court decision, it announced measures to maximize campaign finance transparency at a meeting Tuesday. The board voted unani-

mously to require corporations and interest groups to register as political committees, place disclaimers on their advertising and report their spending and fundraising. GAB spokesperson Reid Magney said these changes would allow the public to make more informed decisions. The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in January that restrict-

ing corporate spending in campaigns is unconstitutional. The decision invalidated Wisconsin’s law, in effect since 1905, that prohibits companies from contributing to candidates or buying election ads. According to Mike McCabe, executive director of the governcampaigns page 3

SLAC asks Martin to cut Nike contract after labor violations By Kayla Johnson The Daily Cardinal

Recent reports reveal that Nike, a UW-Madison licensee, violated several workers’ rights laws in India and Honduras. The Workers Rights Consortium, an organization that monitors workers’ rights among apparel manufacturers, released a report March 4 indicating Nike did not comply with minimum wage laws in Bangalore, India. According to a release from the UW-Madison Student Labor Action Coalition, Nike’s wage

violation has resulted in $10.5 million being withheld from 125,000 garment workers. SLAC said they want Chancellor Biddy Martin to cut the university’s contract with Nike immediately. SLAC member Beth Huang said continuing the contract reflects negatively on the university. “It is horrible that the University of Wisconsin continues to do business with a morally destitute company such as Nike,” nike page 3

Residents concerned about filling out their 2010 census forms can now receive additional assistance from the city of Madison. The city has set up more than 30 locations throughout Madison, including one at Memorial Union, to assist citizens with filling out their forms and provide language assistance for those who need it. The United States census is taken every 10 years and determines how much representation each area receives in city, state and federal governments in addition to determining federal funding. Mayor Dave Cieslewicz said he estimates Madison loses about $1,000 in federal funding for every eligible Madison citizen who does not fill out the form.

“That could mean less money than we deserve and need for schools, human service programs and public infrastructure,” he wrote in his blog. Although many students still cite their parents’ address as their permanent residence, it is important that they fill out their census form when they receive it in the mail, according to Brian Grady of the Madison Department of Planning and Development. Cieslewicz said it would not take long—it only took him 182 seconds at a news conference Monday. Assistance sites will be available until April 19. —Grace Urban

Photo illustration by Isabel Álvarez

Madison sets up census assistance centers throughout city caitlin kirihara/the daily cardinal

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

page two 2

TODAY: partly sunny hi 57º / lo 33º

dailycardinal.com/page-two

Wednesday, March 24, 2010

An independent student newspaper, serving the University of Wisconsin-Madison community since 1892

Campus ﬁgures face off in Madison Madness

Volume 119, Issue 114

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

News and Editorial edit@dailycardinal.com Editor in Chief Charles Brace Managing Editor Ryan Hebel Campus Editor Kelsey Gunderson Grace Urban City Editor State Editor Hannah Furfaro Enterprise Editor Hannah McClung Associate News Editor Ashley Davis Senior News Reporters Alison Dirr Ariel Shapiro Robert Taylor Anthony Cefali Opinion Editors Todd Stevens Arts Editors Katie Foran-McHale Jacqueline O’Reilly Sports Editors Scott Kellogg Nico Savidge Kevin Slane Page Two Editor Features Editor Madeline Anderson Ben Pierson Life and Style Editor Photo Editors Isabel Álvarez Danny Marchewka Graphics Editors Caitlin Kirihara Natasha Soglin Multimedia Editor Jenny Peek Editorial Board Chair Jamie Stark Copy Chiefs Anna Jeon Kyle Sparks Justin Stephani Jake VIctor Copy Editors Kathleen Brosnan, Jacklyn Buffo Margaret Raimann, Lisa Robleski, Liz Van Deslunt

JON SPIKE academic misjonduct

oday marks the beginning of an exciting time in the sporting world. It’s a time of Sweet Sixteen matchups, ruined brackets and round-the-clock score checking to see how your picks performed. No, silly, I’m not talking about the NCAA Basketball Tournament. I’m talking about the 2010 Madison Notables Fight to the Death Tournament! Featuring 16 of Madison’s most well-known ﬁgures, each will battle in various Madison locales until there is one bloodied, battered champion left. I’ve included my bracket and analysis below for your viewing pleasure. Enjoy! Bascom Hill Regional #1 Biddy Martin vs. #4 Scanner Dan #2 Lori Berquam vs. #3 The Five Guys

Business and Advertising business@dailycardinal.com Business Manager Cole Wenzel Advertising Manager Katie Brown Accounts Receivable Manager Michael Cronin Billing Manager Mindy Cummings Senior Account Executive Ana Devcic Account Executives Mara Greenwald Kristen Lindsay, D.J. Nogalski Graphic Designer Mara Greenwald Web Director Eric Harris Marketing Director Mia Beeson Archivist Erin Schmidtke The Daily Cardinal is published weekdays and distributed at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and its surrounding community with a circulation of 10,000. The Daily Cardinal is a nonproﬁt organization run by its staff members and elected editors. It receives no funds from the university. Operating revenue is generated from advertising and subscription sales. Capital Newspapers, Inc. is the Cardinal’s printer. The Daily Cardinal is printed on recycled paper. The Cardinal is a member of the Associated Collegiate Press and the Wisconsin Newspaper Association. All copy, photographs and graphics appearing in The Daily Cardinal are the sole property of the Cardinal and may not be reproduced without written permission of the editor in chief. The Daily Cardinal accepts advertising representing a wide range of views. This acceptance does not imply agreement with the views expressed. The Cardinal reserves the right to reject advertisements judged offensive based on imagery, wording or both. Complaints: News and editorial complaints should be presented to the editor in chief. Business and advertising complaints should be presented to the business manager. Letters Policy: Letters must be typewritten, double-spaced and no longer than 200 words, including contact information. Letters may be sent to letters@dailycardinal.com.

Editorial Board Charles Brace Anthony Cefali Kathy Dittrich Ryan Hebel Nico Savidge Jamie Stark Todd Stevens Justin Stephani l

THURSDAY: cloudy hi 58º / lo 28º

Matchup to Watch: Talk about an upset in the making! Chancellor Biddy Martin takes on a feisty, up-and-coming transient with a passion for babbling incoherently and listening to his police scanner. If Martin doesn’t allow herself to be distracted by Scanner Dan’s random outbursts and public urination, she will be a threat to take the tournament. Potential Matchup to Watch: Wouldn’t Bascom Hill be bedlam if Lori Berquam were to escape the dangerous burger boys from Five Guys and face Biddy Martin in the Elite Eight? Berquam would need to use her quickness, as Martin would likely use her linebacker frame to physically dominate the interior. Cinderella Team: We’re sticking with Scanner Dan. The long-shot fourth seed comes into the tournament on a hot streak, having won his way into the dance by wrestling Bookie, the University Bookstore mascot, in Library Mall. Look for the Scan-master to make a surprise run to the Final Four.

Matchup to Watch: Although watching Athletic Director Barry Alvarez try to solve the orange-clad Piccolo-playing man outside of University Bookstore would be fascinating, we’re going with Nitty Gritty owner Marsh Shapiro butting heads with Mayor Dave Cieslewicz. Mayor Dave has the political firepower to bury Shapiro, but the Birthday King of Madison might use a power-hour push in the second half to upset the run-and-gun Mayor. Potential Matchup to Watch: How classic would it be to see Mayor Dave facing off against Piccolo Guy, who likely has better approval ratings than Mr. Cieslewicz right now. With superior IQ and distracting orange jumpsuit, Piccolo Guy might have the attributes to piccolo his way right into the finals. Cinderella Team: Shapiro may not be the trendy pick to make it out of this regional, but the State Street location will definitely play in his favor. Even if Shapiro has to face top-seeded Alvarez in the Elite Eight, Shapiro may be the slight favorite with a strong Saturday night crowd lined up outside the Nitty and a bevy of famous friends. Camp Randall Regional #1 Bo Ryan vs. #4 That Guy at Toppers #2 Bret Bielema vs. #3 Ron Dayne Matchup to Watch: Don’t make me choose! The most intriguing has to be former Badger legend Ron Dayne

going up against the coach he never worked with in Bret Bielema. Does Bielema pull a P.J. Hill and try to call out the much-maligned runner during a press conference? Does Dayne return to Heisman form and gallop over the former defensive end? That’s why it’s called March Madness! Potential Matchup to Watch: How ironic would it be if Dayne, who likely built up his girth from Toppers, faced that drunk guy I always see at Toppers every Saturday night? Dayne would be the favorite on paper, but don’t think for a second it wouldn’t be a classic matchup. Cinderella Team: Gotta go with That Guy at Toppers. With his hilarious drunken screaming and penchant for eating orders of Toppers Stix, he could catch ﬁre and win four games in a row or crash and burn immediately. Either way, it’ll be exciting to watch! Memorial Union Regional #1 Bucky vs. #4 Brat Man #2 Mike Leckrone vs. #3 Bryon Eagon Matchup to Watch: Easy choice here. Who can resist the mascot face-off, with UW-Madison’s own Buckingham U. Badger taking on State Street Brats’ foul-mouthed Brat Man. Although it’s hard to imagine anyone knocking off top-seeded Bucky, Brat Man’s dirty jokes and army of bartenders may give the push-up-prone Badger a run for his money. Potential Matchup to Watch: Memorial Union may violate some ﬁre

codes with a capacity crowd if Bucky and Band Director Mike Leckrone survive their first-round matchups. Leckrone and Bucky, great friends and co-workers outside of the tournament, would be a high-scoring deathmatch, hands down. Cinderella Team: Don’t count out City Ald. Bryon Eagon, District 8, a sneakily quick diplomat with a mean right cross. He could make some noise with a big first-round upset, and don’t be surprised if Eagon is still standing when the Final Four rolls around. Okay, okay, I’ll stop stalling. My final four picks are: Cinderella story Scanner Dan to emerge from the Bascom Hall Regional, Marsh Shapiro to take the State Street Regional, Bo Ryan to escape the difficult Camp Randall Regional and Bucky to run away with the Memorial Union Regional. My crystal ball also tells me that Scanner Dan will continue his magical run into the championship, where he’ll face the tournament-tested Bucky. Finally, in a once-in-a-lifetime Championship, Bucky beats Scanner Dan to death with Paul Bunyan’s axe, standing over the bloody corpse while Scanner Dan curses the Madison Police Department with his dying breath. Hey kids! Cut out this bracket, fill it out and turn it in to The Daily Cardinal’s Office in room 2142 in Vilas Hall! If your bracket scores the most points, you could win a free sandwich from Charley’s on State Street! Seriously, he’ll give you one. Contact Jon at spike@wisc.edu for more information!

Board of Directors Vince Filak Cole Wenzel Joan Herzing Jason Stein Jeff Smoller Janet Larson Chris Long Charles Brace Katie Brown Benjamin Sayre Jenny Sereno Terry Shelton Melissa Anderson l

State Street Regional #1 Barry Alvarez vs. #4 Piccolo Guy #2 Mayor Dave vs. #3 Marsh Shapiro

Forget the Madness, Opening Day is coming! JILLIAN LEVY one in a jillian

For the record The March 22 article “District 5 candidates debate county issues” misrepresented candidate Analiese Eicher’s environmental policy proposals. The article should have read, “Eicher said that, if elected, she would work to apply for grants through the Clean Water Act to fund manure digestors for Dane County. Eicher also said she would work to continue improving the county’s project to turn its food waste into energy.” The Cardinal regrets the error.

thleticism is not really my thing. I can’t run fast. I can’t catch. And throwing isn’t really my strong point either. In high school I was a swimmer—a good one, thank you very much—because swimming is the only sport that doesn’t require any one of the three previously mentioned talents. And I was a cheerleader. But that had more to do with wanting access to both the football and basketball teams on a daily basis. Nor am I really into watching most sports. Don’t get me wrong, my favorite thing about my four years in Madison is Badger football games on Saturday mornings; I just don’t enjoy staring at a TV for ten hours every

Sunday watching ten to twenty men chase an inflated ball (regardless of the shape) around, knocking each other down in the process. With the March Madness madness in full-swing, it’s hard to turn on a TV and not hear something about one basketball team or another. And since my bracket is already trashed (thanks a lot, Kansas), I find myself growing increasingly sick of it. Combined with Frozen Four anticipation and non-stop babble about the upcoming World Cup in South Africa, I feel myself going into an uninteresting-sports overload. Yet, just in the nick of time, my saving grace arrives. The day when the gods smile upon Earth, the clouds part and the first pitch is thrown. MLB Opening Day. I’ve been having wet dreams about April 4th since the deciding game of last year’s disappointing World Series. (Note: My hatred for the Yankees is only surpassed by my sentiments toward both the Twins

and Cubs.) Baseball fans are the most devoted of all sports fans. And that’s not a personal opinion; it’s a fact. The Major League Baseball season begins the ﬁrst week in April and continues through October. For those of you who can’t manage the math, that equals seven months of beer, sweat, tears and devotion. That’s 162 games per team, spanning 214 days—nearly two-thirds of the year. No other fans have so many stats to track, games to watch or players to follow. Each non-playoff NBA team only plays 82 games during its season and the NFL season only has 16 regularseason games. That’s amateur hour. I’ll make concessions when I have to, and I’ll admit that NFL fans brave some awful weather. But suffering through the snow is just as uncomfortable as sitting in sweltering 100-degree weather while your thighs suction themselves to hot bleacher seats. I’ve left ass prints on baseball stadium seats

across the Midwest and lost a large amount of leg flesh in the process. No other sport offers exciting midgame entertainment as wonderful as a Sausage Race, fireworks displays or a cheerleading squad that performs on top of the opposing team’s dugout, in the case of the Florida Marlins. Other added bonuses to the baseball season: getting tan while enjoying the game, trash talking and basking in the glory that is a nice ass in a pair of tight baseball pants. As a girl who is constantly on the prowl for the best looking ass, nearly all of my candidates are men at bat. As the weather continues to look more and more spring-like, I can feel my anticipation growing. Ten more days ’til the first pitch of the best seven months of the year... Bring on the baseball and butts. Want to invite Jillian to sit in your box seats at Miller Park? E-mail her at jlevy2@wisc.edu.

dailycardinal.com/news

CRIME IN BRIEF MPD arrests man for drug possession A drug investigation by the Madison Police Department led to the arrest Friday of a 26-yearold Madison man on charges of possession and intent to deliver marijuana and other drugs. According to the report, the Central District Community Policing Team entered 937 E. Johnson St. with a search warrant and seized more than

4 ounces of psilocybin mushrooms and over 17 ounces of marijuana from the apartment. Police said the suspect, John Decrosta, was also found in possession of hydrocodone pills. Charges are still pending on that issue, but Decrosta has been charged with possession and intent to deliver THC, a felony, and possession and intent to deliver psilocybin.

Man robbed at knifepoint downtown A 22-year-old Madison man was robbed at knifepoint Sunday evening, according to the Madison Police Department. Police said Kenneth Welch Pendleton, a 46-year-old Madison resident, came to the victim’s door Sunday demanding money. According to the incident report, the victim had been providing Pendleton with a bus pass and money since last month.

According to the victim, Pendleton continued to ask him for money and when the victim finally refused, Pendleton confronted him with a knife. The victim then withdrew funds from an ATM for the suspect and contacted police. MPD officers located Pendleton on the 500 block of State Street at approximately 9:30 p.m. and arrested him.

Assembly member’s job safe for now An Assembly committee failed Tuesday to decide what punishment, if any, state Rep. Jeffrey Wood, I-Chippewa Falls, should receive after he was charged three times for driving while intoxicated. The committee voted along party lines, with the three Democrats voting for a reprimand and the three Republicans voting for Wood’s expulsion. State Rep. Joan Ballweg, R-Markesan, said she thinks Wood has “failed to meet the norm” of remaining faithful to his duties as a state lawmaker.

health care from page 1 lion into financial aid for students. “It is going to impact a lot of students right now on campus, because it’s providing better access to college. It’s a great thing for everybody,” Wisconsin Student Public Interest Research Group Chair Scott Thompson said. According to Molly Rivera, chair of UW-Madison College Democrats, the current health-care system has limited the opportunity for students to receive coverage. “In the past we haven’t been able to get health coverage in our age group, and now if we don’t get a job right away we can stay under our parent’s health-insurance plan,” she said.

“Now if we don’t get a job right away we can stay under our parent’s health-insurance plan.” Molly Rivera chair UW-Madison College Democrats

Wisconsin recently established an emergency rule allowing residents to remain on their parent’s insurance until the age of 27, but the federal bill extends similar benefits to all Americans until to the age of 26.

According to state Rep. Mary Hubler, D-Rice Lake, it would be an “embarrassment” to the Legislature to expel Wood if later he were found not guilty or his charges were dropped. During the committee meeting, Wood said a new crime lab report shows he was within acceptable limits for some prescription drugs he was taking during the time of his September arrest. He said he was confident his charges would be reduced to inattentive driving because of these new findings. Lee said she expects the bill to negatively affect students in the future. She said once students graduate and begin finding jobs she expects them to see large tax increases and rationing of health care.

“[The bill] is not going to make anyone’s health care better.”

Crystal Lee chair UW-Madison College Republicans

“As our generation continues to find jobs I think they will see exactly where their money is going and eventually see that it’s completely unnecessary,” Lee said. According to Lee, health care is a major issue facing the United States today, but she said Obama and Congress did not find the best solution. “I think everyone agrees, whether you’re a Democrat or a Republican, that health care is a problem and we need to reform it,” she said. “But Republicans chose to cycle in reform and work with insurance companies to get people health care rather than rationing the health care and spreading it to everyone within this one huge bill.”

nike from page 1 Huang said. “It has been shown that Nike has violated workers’ rights over and over. The university cannot stand for this by letting the Nike swoosh sit alongside Bucky the Badger.” The WRC released another report March 16 that detailed failures by Nike’s Hugger and Vision Tech factories in Honduras to make payments to the national health-care

campaigns from page 1 ment watchdog group Wisconsin Democracy Campaign, the board is trying to make the best of a “disastrous” federal ruling and hold corporations accountable as much as possible. “[The board’s steps] are very important countermeasures to the Supreme Court ruling, and it helps repair some of the damage that was done,” McCabe said. But Mike Wittenwyler, an attorney who works with groups that run political advertising, said corporations will continue to sponsor advertising despite the obligatory disclaimers and will not increase their spending in a struggling economy. Magney, however, suggested companies may not put in as

Wednesday, March 24, 2010

news

system. Because of the lack of payment, workers were denied access to health care they were legally entitled to, according to the WRC. In December 2009, Martin gave Nike a four-month deadline to make improvements in its treatment of workers before UW-Madison would sever their contract with Nike. Nike replied to Martin stating they were making improvements through job training for previous

employees, according to Huang. However, Huang said she believes Nike is not truly making progress with workers’ rights. “It is very evident that these job trainings are a way to ... say that they are making progress when there really is no true progress being made,” Huang said. According to Huang, SLAC plans to organize more actions to raise campus awareness of the Nike violations.

much money as some people expect because they would risk alienating customers. “If a corporation would pay for an ad criticizing a popular politician ... people who support that politician may decide to stop buying the company’s product in protest,” Magney said. The board’s decision requires disclaimers on “issue ads.” McCabe said interest groups have been able to avoid disclosure by running ads that address pre-election politics without explicitly advocating for a certain candidate. He said the board closed “the single biggest loophole in Wisconsin’s campaign finance law.” Wittenwyler criticized this phrasing and said the board did nothing to prevent groups from

getting their message out. “[‘Loophole’] is a fascinating way to describe people speaking up on issues they care about, that it’s a loophole that we have the First Amendment,” Wittenwyler said.

“[The board’s steps] are very important countermeasures to the Supreme Court ruling.” Mike McCabe executive director Wisconsin Democracy Campaign

The board’s measures will automatically become law if the state Legislature does not take action to block them by the beginning of May.

4 Wednesday, March 24, 2010 l

dailycardinal.com

mar

MAKE IT A SPRINGBREAK

DoIT

GEEK

eading for South Beach or Padre Island or Negril for spring break?

SPEAK

Wherever you’re going, make it memorable . . . in a good way. There are the basics: Don’t drink the water (at least in some places), don’t drink too much of the other stuff (in all places), pack plenty of sunblock, and be extra careful around ATMs. And, don’t forget the technology essentials:

1. Bring your cellphone and laptop home: Some people go where you go, just to steal your

stuff. Cable locks and GPSs can help, but common sense is best for preventing theft. At the airport, don’t put your laptop through the security line first; keep it close to you. In the coffee shop, ask two friends to watch your computer while you’re getting another latté. Don’t leave your cell sitting on the bar while you turn around to check out the scene. In your hotel room, hide your laptop. (See www. cio.wisc.edu/security/initiatives/preventTheft.aspx)

2. Protect your personal identity:

When you’re done with the machine at the Internet café, LOG OFF. You don’t want the next guy in line to do what you just did with your credit card account.

3. Password smarts: Make sure your password

is secure before you leave Madison. Then, change it again when you return, in case someone shoulder-surfed it in Cancun or you’ve used a computer equipped with a keystroke logger. For passwords to avoid, see www. nytimes.com/2010/01/21/technology/21password. html For more on safe passwords, see www.cio. wisc.edu/security/secure/passwords.aspx

4. Ruin the party for wireless sniffers:

Wireless connections are very convenient and notoriously insecure. Wireless does not equal anonymous. If you use wireless, use the WiscVPN service so other people can’t snoop on what your laptop is sending. (See www.doit.wisc.edu/network/vpn)

a Tip?❈ ❈ ❈ a You call that a

❊

Want a legit and legal way to get your music fix? Web sites like Pandora and last.fm stream relatively commercial-free music based on your personal tastes. Simply log in, tell them what music you like, and you’ll have your own personalized radio station in no time! And it’s FREE! So what do you do if you want to download a song (or an album) that you find on one of these sites? Try iTunes or Amazon MP3. Most tracks are only a buck per song, and full MP3 albums will often be MUCH cheaper than buying them in the store.

, ❈ ❈ ❊

5. Thumb drive stays home: It probably

has personal information that a thief would love to have. And it’s really easy to lose. So don’t bring it.

6. Beware of cellphone cameras: Because everybody has one, you’re always on stage. If you’re out making mischief, someone might be capturing it.

to REMEMBER

est

kept

ecrets

o you know how much Course Guide

sites, and credits along with Gen-Ed, breadth

can help you prepare to enroll for

and level. You can get section details and

summer and fall classes? The Course

see designations and notes, along with

Guide tab on My UW-Madison provides a

textbook and exam information. Just click

searchable and browseable online catalog

on a specific section to link to your Student

of active courses. Use it as a complement

Center and select the class for enroll-

to the Schedule of Classes to thoroughly

ment. You can also use Course Guide’s Plan

research courses and

Courses feature to create lists of courses

make plans for upcoming semesters

you are interested in taking in the future.

before you meet with your advisor. Send your feedback and ideas to Course Guide now has keyword search. The search results display title, subject, course number, description, prerequi-

courseguide@em.wisc.edu

the Tech Just don’t call me “grease monkey”

7. Don’t tell the world you’re vulnerable: The following Facebook posts are invitations

to robbery or something worse: “I leave for six days in Puerto Vallarta on March 27!!!” or “We’ll all be at the tiki bar from 3 to 6.” or “It’s 2 in the morning and I’m wasted. Going back to the hotel.” It’s OK to tell your friends, but check your Facebook profile to make sure that only friends can see your messages.

For more tips on safe and happy traveling, see goflorida.about. com/od/planningyourtrip/a/springbrksafety.htm Have fun!

Edge

garage openings the plant has, the faster it can take in and spit out cars. So, you can think of the speed of your computer’s processor as the number of garage doors the auto plant has.

Next, the memory. After the cars leave the plant, they need some place to go — the bigger the highway, the more cars that can come and by Mr. Franklin, go at once. Memory (or RAM) is like a highway the world's smartest chimpanzee for your computer. The more RAM you have, the more lanes. One gigabyte of RAM is like a fourlane highway; two gigabytes is like eight lanes. ll computer users should know about the three basic parts of their comFinally, the hard drive is like a parking garage. puter: the CPU, the memory (or RAM), and It’s where the highway ends or begins, dependthe hard drive. Why these? Because they are ing on where the car is going. The more instrumental in determining your computer’s gigabytes of space on your hard drive, the speed, and the memory and hard drive are more parking levels in your garage, and the the easiest parts on a computer to upgrade. more cars you can store at any given time. To explain, I’ll use an analogy that works for my dad (not a “computer guy”). Think of the This analogy seems to work for all the car CPU as a car factory. New cars ship out from guys and gals out there. Maybe I’ll think the plant all the time, and the old, busted cars up some cooking analogies next! come in for repair or disassembly. The more

❊

Disgruntled Computer

❈❊Technician ❈❊ ,

Q :

Is my computer still under warranty? How do I know?

Almost all computers come with a one-year warranty, so if your computer is less than a year old, you should be covered. If your computer is more than a year old, you can check your status online. For Dell computers, go to http:// support.dell.com and click on “Warranty status” on the side. Enter your service tag (this should be on the back or bottom of your computer), and you can view your warranty. Dell has three different types of warranties. If your status says anything about a “depot,” you must send the machine to Dell for hardware repairs. DoIT cannot do warranty repairs on a Dell “depot” warranty. If your status says “complete care,” then just about everything is covered, including physical damage to the computer. If you see a status of anything else (“next day support” or the like), you have the regular warranty that covers hardware repair, but does not include physical damage to the machine. For Apple computers, find the serial number of your computer (Apple button  about this Mac  more info), and enter it at https://selfsolve.apple. com Apple’s three-year extended warranty, called “Applecare,” does not cover physical damage to the computer. You can extend Apple and Dell warranties while the machine is still under warranty, but not after. So if you want extended coverage, make sure you pick it up before your one-year warranty expires!

arts

dailycardinal.com/arts

Wednesday, March 24, 2010

Alex dubs poetry the perfect pre-break lit prescription ALEX KUSKOWSKI the big bookowski

PHOTO COURTESY ELEPHANT EYE FILMS

Raquel (Catalina Saavedra), a self-conscious and passive-aggressive maid, breaks the fourth wall and shares her quiet desperation with the audience as she resents the family that employs her.

Dark dynamics in ‘Maid’ By Todd Stevens THE DAILY CARDINAL

As we are introduced to Raquel, the titular character of “The Maid,” she is sitting alone in the nook of a kitchen, eating in silence as the family she works for puts the finishing touches on a birthday celebration. As their stifled laughs echo over the kitchen counter, Raquel looks up and for a moment stares directly into the camera, breaking the fourth wall and momentarily sharing with the audience all of the oddly affectionate animosity she feels for her employers. This shot encapsulates everything about “The Maid,” a Chilean film from director Sebastián Silva. Through his examination of Raquel, played with a pulsating passive-aggressiveness by Catalina Saavedra, Silva examines just what it means to be family—and not all of it is positive. Through Silva’s lens, Raquel is depicted as holding a spot in a sort of family purgatory. The family clearly loves Raquel, especially the mother Pilar (Claudia Celedón), but she is far from being an equal member of the household. This breeds a sizable amount of insecurity in Raquel, who is determined to hold on to whatever secure position she can, despite the

fact that she seems to hold nothing but contempt for her job and the family. So naturally, Raquel becomes paranoid when the family tries to hire a new maid to ease her workload, and she starts acting like an old dog who was just introduced to the family’s new, hellishly adorable puppy. All of this is ﬁtting, because the family generally treats Raquel like a pet, and the family dynamics are akin to those of a wolf pack—not the kind Zack Galiﬁnakis espouses about in his soliloquy from “The Hangover.” Raquel jockeys constantly to make sure that no one other than Pilar and her husband are ever above her on the familial totem pole. She hides snacks from the family’s oldest daughter as a means of punishment for challenging (and implicitly usurping) Raquel’s authority. When Pilar brings in new maids, Raquel resorts to the most childish antics possible, such as locking them out of the house any time she gets the opportunity. This may come off as just a torturous exercise in detestable human relations if not for Saavedra’s performance. Raquel could have been depicted as simply a neurotic mess of a human being, hell-bent on ruining the lives of everybody around her. But Saavedra

imbues her with enough insecurity to make her relatable and even empathetic, even though it isn’t entirely clear why she feels such a connection to this family. Saavedra’s performance is hardly subtle, but she commits to it so much that her emotions practically vibrate off the screen. It definitely helps that her every expression absolutely drips with wrath and vitriol, and she probably has the best cinematic sneer this side of Cruella De Vil. Yet even with all of the not-so-secret contempt bubbling up under Raquel’s skin, Saavedra makes it understandable why the family not only keeps her employed but actually likes her. By the end of “The Maid,” there is a bit of hope that Raquel has evolved beyond her petty positioning for attention. However, it is still unclear whether she has evolved beyond her second-class status in the family. In a less nuanced film, this may be acceptable, but because of Saavedra’s performance in “The Maid” it is devastating. Silva has created a portrait of family dynamics that is unflinching in its criticism, yet resigned to the status quo; and while at times difficult to watch, it is a considerably notable cinematic achievement.

‘Fantasy’ displays visual brilliance By Ashley Glowinski

wanting to learn more about each one’s captivating personality. Although visually appealing The character Lightning gracwith intense colors and characters, es the cover of “Final Fantasy “Final Fantasy XIII” falls short. XIII,” and she proves to be an This game follows a basic story exceptionally strong female. path and gives the player little For those who have never been control, unlike exposed to any of GAME REVIEW previous “Final the “Final Fantasy” Fantasy” games games, this installment might be that allowed worth a try, even players to venture on side if only to be introduced to Lightning, quests, play mini the other fantasgames and direct tic characters and the beautiful their own experience. “FF XIII” does not offer much world they are a part of. Square Enix, the company that freedom throughout the game, but even the very linear story- created the game, has definitely line is still intriguing and unique outdone themselves with the creenough to draw the player in. ation of “Final Fantasy XIII.” The Upon starting “FF XIII” one can brilliant design of the city Cocoon hardly keep from playing end- and the characters deserves merit. lessly, always anxious to know The female characters are depicted what adventure will unfold in the as strong, thoughtful and independent, and the most compasnext chapter. The characters almost seem tan- sionate character is a middle-aged gible. When the game system is black man. turned off, players despair because The visual design of the game of its great graphics and developed cannot be undermined by the lack personalities of the characters, of freedom. The eye-popping and

THE DAILY CARDINAL

advanced animation compares with that of James Cameron’s “Avatar.” All of the graphics in the game are depicted in breath-taking detail and emotion. The approximately 60 hours of visual gaming is true pleasure for the retinas and irises. As good as the graphics are, at times it feels like there is too much to look at. There is an overwhelming amount of detail for a player’s eyes to process. The overcomplexity can actually prevent a player from taking everything in, and at times players may only have a vague and general sense of what is going on. The game needs to be played multiple times to appreciate the full beauty created, and with such a linear storyline, many players will be hesitant to do so right away. This game feels more like a very long movie than an actual game. Players deserve more freedom than given in “FF XIII.” Still, the storyline is one that is worth checking out, and though it may be hard to take in all at once, the breath-taking visuals are sure to please everyone’s eyes.

ow that we’ve reached the middle of the semester, my friends, I think it’s safe to say that reading for fun is getting more and more difﬁcult. With midterms on the rise and papers being handed out left and right, I’ve noticed a few soldiers in the Reading Army jumping ship. I know that when the class texts pile up, you might be finally rushing out to buy books you were assigned to end weeks ago. Picking up a novel is not the first thing you’d like to do. Obviously, we’ve all been there. Well, not me, but let’s just say I’m a superior being.

Who wouldn’t enjoy poetry that ﬁlls you with a hefty dose of self-righteousness before heading home?

In any case, I’m here to help those with a case of the reading woes. What, the public asks me, can we read in bite-sized chunks? What will keep our interest for more than thirty seconds when we need a break from the allnighters? Or at least these are the questions I believe I would be asked if, you know, more people actually read for fun. After much thought about this theoretical question and imagining some requisite scenes in which I imagined giving prophetic lectures to my adoring fans, I came up with what I think must be my best idea yet. Poetry. Wait! Don’t stop now! I know that it may be difficult for many of you to fathom reading poetry at all, much less for fun. But as the 14th

annual National Poetry Month kicks off next week, I thought I might as well try. I’m not suggesting anyone start with “Beowulf ”—God forbid anyone except Old English TAs read that terrible oppression—but picking up the occasional poem is not as terrible as you might think, and could contain some pretty useful insights.

But for all you science majors out there, just remember that numbers never win any hearts the way words always have.

If you are, say, a dude wishing to woo some chick, or vice versa, the lessons of Andrew Marvell’s “To His Coy Mistress” definitely could come in handy. If you’ve been feeling particularly angsty (and who isn’t when stuck studying with spring break just around the corner?), you can always pick up Phillip Larkin’s book “High Windows.” Who wouldn’t enjoy poetry that fills you with a hefty dose of self-righteousness before heading home? And with lines like “they fuck you up, your mum and dad,” Larkin does just that. For those of you who’ve been through all that and are looking for something new, there’s always the short but amusing, “Eunoia” by Christian Bök. With each chapter dedicated to using one and only one of the five vowels in the English language, it makes for interesting reading for sure. If I still haven’t convinced you to go out and buy a poetry book, so be it. Not everyone can love T.S. Eliot or E.E. Cummings like I do—and though I don’t understand it, I can accept it. But for all you science majors out there, just remember that numbers never win any hearts the way words always have. Need any poetry recommendations for this last leg before spring break? E-mail Alex for suggestions at kuskowski@wisc.edu.

Your Madison Arts Scene March 26-28 Majestic:

3/26: Cowboy Junkies 8:00 PM Seated Show 3/27: Del the Funky Homosapien FREE for 21+, $10 under 21 - 9:00 PM

High Noon:

3/26: Madtown 2 Motown, Subvocal, Orphan Bloom, Thistle and the Thorn 5:00PM / $15 cover / 18 and up / The Cover is a $10-$15 Sliding Scale Suggested Donation, 5:00 PM - 8:00 PM

Orpheum Theatre:

3/26-3/27: “Touch of Evil” - 7:30 PM 3/27: “Touch of Evil” - 7:30 PM

Overture Center:

3/26: Masterworks IV - Ryan Anthony, trumpet, 8:00 PM 3/26: Gladys Knight, Overture Hall 8:00 PM 3/26-3/28: An Enemy of the People, The Playhouse, 8:00 PM (2:00 PM Sun) 3/27: The Four Bitchin’ Babes, Overture Hall, 8:00 PM

University Theatre:

3/26-3/27: The Lady from the Sea, Hemsley Stage, 7:30 PM

comics 6

Brutal Irony: Abraham Lincoln’s son’s life was once saved by John Wilkes Booth’s brother. dailycardinal.com/comics

Wednesday, March 24, 2010

Creating an Imaginary Friend

Today’s Sudoku

Evil Bird

By Caitlin Kirihara kirihara@wisc.edu

Ludicrous Linguistics

By Celia Donnelly donnelly.celia@gmail.com

The Graph Giraffe Classic

By Yosef Lerner graphics@dailycardinal.com

Crustaches

By Patrick Remington premington@wisc.edu

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.

Today’s Crossword Puzzle

First in Twenty

By Angel Lee alee23@wisc.edu

Answer key available at www.dailycardinal.com

HIGH ON LIFE ACROSS 1 Seize 4 It’s attached to the left ventricle 9 Kuwaiti currency 14 “Starpeace” artist Yoko 15 Cut ewe down? 16 Parisian school 17 Ecstatic 20 Two-purpose 21 Glossy fabrics 22 Part of a dock 26 Brief explosive 27 Historic time 30 Bridge authority Culbertson 31 Turner of tunes 33 Like nuclear energy 35 Bert and Ernie’s street 37 Thorn in one’s side 38 Heads of state gettogether 42 Dish describer 43 New Delhi dresses (Var.) 44 Symbols of authority 47 Rock musician Lofgren 48 Where to get “Lost” 51 “You ___ here” (map notation) 52 007 creator Fleming 54 Pip’s love in “Great Expectations”

56 59 60 65 66 67 68 69 70

Soldiers’ weapons Sheep’s cry Hint of the whole Get ___ start (be tardy) Unhealthy emission Romanian monetary unit ___ ﬂush (highest poker hand) What dictionaries help with N.Y. time zone

DOWN Soup strip Kind of report Field of plants? Dangerous coiler “Gotcha!” One who may OK a KO Makes a doily Nirvana attainer Erie Canal’s Clinton Religious image Viking shipmate ___ of the above Purple minus blue Long familiar Sicilian tourist draw Something on the agenda 24 Decree ___ (legal term) 25 Swattable pests 28 Band at a reception? 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 18 19 23

29 Smash from Federer, maybe 32 Middle Eastern capital once called Philadelphia 34 Eastern sashes 35 Self-important 36 Like Halloween sounds 38 Lightly blacken 39 Take advantage of, in a way 40 Seafood choice 41 Litmus ___ 42 Degree held by many a CEO 45 Designer of a famous French tower 46 Tar on deck 48 One of a gene pair 49 Turns the music way up 50 Violin string material, once 53 Jacket named for an Indian 55 Fall back, as the ocean 57 Teeny amount 58 Saline septet 60 Pit goo 61 U.N. agency 62 Actress/director Lupino 63 Part of a gearwheel 64 Naut. heading

Washington and the Bear

By Derek Sandberg kalarooka@gmail.com

opinion Don’t give credence to revisionist histories dailycardinal.com/opinion

MARK BENNETT opinion columnist

ecently, a government has begun to transform and misconstrue history. Textbooks have been re-written to cater to political squabbles instead of facts, and school children are being exposed to the bias of politics instead of the accuracy of history. People have noticed, yet nothing can be done to stop these ludicrous alterations. And which government is this? If you said Russia, you would be correct. However, if you said Texas, you also would have answered accurately. Recently introduced school textbook changes in Russia, focused on the history of the nation from 1900-1945, have begun to shift the ideology and teachings on the former Soviet leader Joseph Stalin. The book justiﬁes Stalin’s terror and destruction as “an instrument of development.” The textbook insists that there were never organized famines in the Soviet countryside, and that Stalin repeatedly acted with the best interest of the Russian people in mind. This history lesson informs students that “it is important to show that Stalin acted in a completely rational way, as the protector of the system and as a consistent supporter of the transformation of the country into an industrial society ... as the leader of a country which was threatened with a big war in the most immediate future.” For a refresher in history: As a leader in the Politburo in the 1930s, Stalin ordered purges that produced consequences ranging from the expulsion of party members to labor-camp sentencing and even death sentences.

Under Stalin, a secret police known as the NKVD troikas held dangerous and deadly powers. The troikas are believed to be responsible for as many as 700,000 deaths among ethnic Poles, Germans, Koreans, and even Americans living in Russia. Additionally, Stalin is reported to have personally signed death sentences for over 40,000 Russian citizens. The most conservative figures estimate that at least three million Russians were murdered under Stalin’s regime. If death tolls resulting from famines exasperated by Stalin’s political and social policies are included, that figure is estimated to possibly exceed over 10 million dead under his reign. Now, Stalin, a man who was himself well-known to have edited textbooks during the communist regime, is being presented as an iconic hero to school children in the ostensibly democratic nation of Russia. Many people in that country, including teachers themselves, have displayed outrage over these alterations. However, it appears that nothing can be done to overrule the authority of Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin and his intentions to re-glorify Stalin. The outrage produced by these blatant political lies in Russia, however, has been recently duplicated over similar concerns in the United States—specifically, Texas. On March 12, ultraconservative leaders within the Texas State Board of Education succeeded in implementing various politically biased changes in state-mandated textbooks. Among the alterations in curriculum is the requirement to cover the Judeo-Christian influences on our country’s founders, as well as the exclusions of numerous names of and references to influential Hispanic figures and also to get students to question the idea of the separation of church and state. The new curriculum also forces a change in reference to the governmental

structure of the United States from a “democratic republic” to a “constitutional republic.” The alterations reach into other studies as well, such as economics, second amendment rights and the use of the religious-based historic period designations B.C. and A.D., instead of B.C.E. and C.E. The changes passed by a 10-5 partisan vote. Politicians on both sides of the political spectrum admit to ﬂaws in the standards in which school curriculum can be changed in Texas, and three Democrats even left the hearings following unresolved frustration. Unfortunately for Russia, a nation struggling in recent years to maintain its standing as a democratic nation, their recent curriculum and textbook alterations likely come as little surprise to many. However, the idea that political bias has begun to enter the curriculum of millions of school children in the United States should produce outrage among the American public. These students in Texas are attending public schools, funded by what should be unbiased government bodies. The education that school children receive across the United States should not change based on the political and ideological biases of their local governments. One nation has begun to glorify a horriﬁc mass murder within their education system, while an American state has voted to favor ideology over facts and unbiased curriculum. While the difference in severity between these two cases might be debatable, both Russia and Texas should be eyed with equal disgrace following their recent decisions to abandon a fair education in favor of shameful politics. Mark Bennett is a freshman intending to major in journalism. We welcome all feedback. Please send all feedback to opinion@dailycardinal.com.

Time for UW to say goodbye to pesticides By Ella Schwierske ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES CLUB

The sun is shining and it appears that winter is finally over. Students are flocking to grassy areas around campus to study in the sweet sunshine. But what are they sitting, lying and playing on? The first thought that may come to mind is probably not pesticides, but it’s true. Every student who is sitting, walking or lying on Bascom Hill is being exposed to pesticides and harmful endocrine disrupters. Many professors and graduates on this very campus have published papers and books warning of the dangers of endocrine disrupters, specifically from lawn chemical use. Professor William Porter is one of them. Many of you may have had him for an introductory science class or perhaps have heard him speak as a guest in another class. Without getting too deep into the science, endocrine disrupters are of concern because they mimic estrogen. The body uptakes them accidentally, which becomes incredibly problematic. Endocrine disrupters are seriously messing up fish and amphibian sex ratios and reproduction, and they are

even starting to mess with human reproductive systems too, as they seep into groundwater and as our exposure to so many of them on a day-to-day basis increases. With this knowledge, UWMadison has the responsibility to modify its behavior. We can no longer accept the use of toxic chemicals on UW grounds. Harvard University has shown that a knowledge-based approach (organic composting) to lawn care offers benefits that cannot be obtained through the traditional product-based methods (spreading chemicals). The Environmental Studies Club has been working hard this past week to pass around a petition to show UW that students care about and demand the university’s use of pesticides be discontinued. We would like to implement Harvard’s successful strategies, which are proven to greatly improve ecological health and save money in the process. This initiative will: 1) Eliminate the use of pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, insecticides and synthetic fertilizers, 2) Provide educational opportunities and raise awareness about endocrine disruption, composting, environmental health, and

organic landscape management, and also will 3) Improve the health of the soil, plants and lake, while at the same time reducing costs. We know pesticides and synthetic fertilizers are bad for us and for our environment, and we know alternative methods that work better and are safer. So why aren’t we using alternative methods yet? Using organic lawn care practices, as shown by Harvard, is better for the grass better for the environment, better for the people who sit on the grass, better for the lake that is next to the grass, and better for our wallets. UW needs to step up and change its practices, as historically it has been a world leader in the environmental movement and has produced many great environmental thinkers. However, they need to listen to what those current thinkers are telling us and warning us about before it is too late. The 40th Anniversary of Earth Day is this April; what better way to celebrate and honor the great Gaylord Nelson than by celebrating a victory over pesticides? Ella Schwierske is a member of the Environmental Studies club. Please send responses to opinion@dailycardinal.com.

Wednesday, March 24, 2010

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

College Democrats endorse Eicher As the College Democrats of Madison, we strive to advance progressive issues that benefit the student population. We work to elect officials at all levels of government who support our agenda and keep in mind the interests of students. It is for these reasons that we are proud to support our fellow student, Analiese Eicher, for Dane County Supervisor in the 5th District. Analiese is currently in her fourth year at UW-Madison. She has worked with many different students from a variety of organizations during this time, from which she has learned the values and concerns of the campus community. However, she did not see adequate attention being given at the county level to the concerns of her peers. It was this desire to give students a strong voice on the County Board that motivated her candidacy. As an organization, we support Analiese because she has shown an incredible dedication to issues that affect us as students, and is whole-heartedly committed to maintaining an open line of communication between herself and the campus community. Analiese will uphold the tradition of fellow student public officials Bryon Eagon and Eli Judge by always being accessible to constituents and advocating tirelessly for student issues. Her pledges to keep in touch with students by holding office hours, frequently updating a blog and a Twitter account, continuing to be an active and involved student, and regularly providing updates about the county government in the school papers show that she is serious about building a close relationship between students and their Supervisor, and further committed to helping the

student population. In addition to Analiese’s dedication to being an accessible representative for the campus community, she has put a focus on the most pressing issues facing her constituents. By speaking passionately on issues such as the environment, campus safety, and accessibility to human services, she makes it clear that she understands the needs of the campus community, and will fight for them on the County Board. Analiese will take pragmatic steps to improve the quality of the air and the lakes so that we can fully utilize our natural resources. She will work closely with the Sheriff ’s department to ensure that the campus community remains safe for everyone. Additionally, Analiese will work to make sure that the resources provided by the county are available to students, and that members of the campus community know how to access them. The outcome of the April 6 election will impact how we as students are represented at the county level for the next two years. This campus needs a representative who will restore the relationship between students and the County Board by being accessible and furthering issues that matter to us. Analiese Eicher is not an activist trying to push her own agenda on the County Board. She is a fellow student who will ﬁght for the UWMadison community. The College Democrats believe Analiese Eicher will represent a strong student voice on the Dane County Board, and we call on our fellow students to do the same. —Evan Giesemann and Maggie Bahrmasel College Democrats of Madison

sports 8

dailycardinal.com/sports

Wednesday, March 24, 2010

Men’s Hockey

West Regional kicks off chase for title tournament crown. The biggest question for Wisconsin is its goaltender spot, which now belongs to junior Scott Gudmandson. At times this season when the Badgers’ play in net has been questioned, UW head coach Mike Eaves has pointed to his goaltending as having been more than serviceable. He felt they just did not quite stand out as much as Wisconsin’s forward or defensive groups, drawing the positive moniker “the worst of the best.” So the Badgers’ hopes may well rely on that prolific scoring talent, as they aim to raise the seventh title banner in school history.

DANNY MARCHEWKA/CARDINAL FILE PHOTO

Wisconsin will count on Hobey Baker Finalist Brendan Smith to lead them in the NCAA playoffs, which kick off Friday against Vermont.

Badgers could face WCHA foes, out-of-conference teams in regionals By Ben Breiner THE DAILY CARDINAL

For the Wisconsin men’s hockey team, the road to the Frozen Four starts here. The Badgers will begin the NCAA tournament against Vermont Friday night at the Xcel Energy Center in St Paul, Minn., knowing that they are four wins away from claiming their seventh national title. There are 15 other teams in the NCAA tournament ﬁeld who also have dreams of emerging from Ford Field with a championship April 10. But before they pack their bags for Detroit the Badgers will have to get through their bracket, the West Regional. Here is a look at Wisconsin and the three other

teams that will try to take their places in the Frozen Four. No. 1 Wisconsin They won the late games to stay close to home, and they may be blessed with the talent and experience to make their first Frozen Four in four years. But Wisconsin’s spot as the favorite in the region will only get them so far. Last year only one top seed even won its opening game, and this tournament can be quite unpredictable (not a surprise when the format is single-elimination hockey games). To that end Wisconsin will rely on a potent offense featuring a pair of Hobey Baker finalists in senior forward Blake Geoffrion and junior defenseman Brendan Smith. That offense chased the WCHA’s best goaltender, Denver’s Marc Cheverie, from their game Saturday, but came up empty the day before against St. Cloud State goalie Mike Lee when Wisconsin still had a chance at the conference

No. 2 St. Cloud State With a regional in Minnesota, it would almost be wrong not to at least include one of the state’s top hockey schools. Filling that role are the Huskies, runner-ups in the WCHA tournament and third-place regular season finishers in the conference. They are more than familiar with the Badgers, having already faced them five times this year. The last meeting came just a week ago when the Huskies snuck out a 2-0 win in the league semi-finals to tip the season series to 3-2 in their favor. St. Cloud is led offensively by senior forward Garrett Roe (who was injured in the game against Wisconsin but is expected to play this weekend) and junior forwards Ryan Lasch and Tony Mosey. That trio has scored 120 points on the year and power a quick-skating attack predicated on well-designed breakouts that produce odd-man rushes. The team relies heavily on skill over brute strength, a quality that makes them more dangerous whenever the defense makes a mistake. After dominating the Badgers, freshman Mike Lee struggled in his last game, giving up four goals in just over 26 minutes to North Dakota in the Final Five championship game. But he should hold onto the job that he split with junior Dan Dunn all season.

Just an hour away from campus, the Huskies will have a good chance to bring another Frozen Four berth back to their hockeycrazed homeland.

side heading into the weekend is momentum. On Jan. 23 they sat at .500 but ripped off 10 wins in their last 13 games, coming just two goals short of an undefeated run.

No. 3 Northern Michigan For Badger fans, these losses still hurt. It was over a year ago when Northern Michigan came into the Kohl Center, inflicted a massive upset on the home team and, when it was all said and done, probably cost the team a tournament spot last year. Now, however, the Wildcats have made it into the dance for the first time since 1999, mostly on the strength of the players who took down Wisconsin last year. Junior forward Mark Olver is a Hobey Baker finalist with the most points and goals in his conference. The team’s power play is humming with a 21.8 percent conversion rate. That unit is run by junior defenseman Erik Gustafsson, the CCHA’s best scoring blueliner, who has been consistently proficient in feeding his team’s scorers throughout his time in Marquette, Mich. Their presence in net is less notable, but senior Brian Stewart does what he needs to in backing the Wildcats’ prolific offense. One key factor on NMU’s

No. 4 Vermont This team is a mystery, wrapped in an enigma, dipped in the gaze of a riddle and topped with bacon. The Catamounts were the last at-large team in the tournament, ﬁnishing in eighth place in their conference. They dismissed one of their best scorers 20 games into the season and have only scored two more goals than they’ve allowed. And somehow they’re still playing. Maybe it has to do with a 6-1 record against a brutal non-conference schedule, but in any case Vermont enters this weekend looking to repeat last year’s surprising run to the Frozen Four. The No. 3 seed in the East Regional in 2009, the Catamounts knocked off Yale and Air Force before eventual-national champion Boston University put them down 5-4 in the national semi-ﬁnals. Senior forwards Brayden Irwin and Colin Vock lead the team with 34 and 28 points respectively, and sophomore goalie Rob Madore has been the team’s top option in net. According to several Wisconsin players, Vermont does feature a number of bigger players, including a fourth line that boasts no player shorter than 6'1".

The rest of the ﬁeld The Midwest Regional is one of three tournaments that will determine who goes to the Frozen Four. These are the matchups for the other three regions, and the 12 teams the Badgers could meet if they make it to Detroit. Midwest—Fort Wayne, Ind. No. 1 Miami (Ohio) vs. No. 4 Alabama-Huntsville No. 2 Bemidji State vs. No. 3 Michigan East—Albany, N.Y. No. 1 Denver vs. No. 4 Rhode Island Institute of Technology No. 2 Cornell vs. No. 3 New Hampshire Northeast—Worcester, Mass. No. 1 Boston College vs. No. 4 Alaska-Fairbanks No. 2 North Dakota vs. No. 3 Yale

Regular season success no cure for postseason disappointments SCOTT KELLOGG the cereal box

fter watching my final Wisconsin basketball game as a student Sunday, I cannot help but feel a sour taste in my mouth. This bitter flavor is not just a product of Cornell blowing by the Badgers in the NCAA Tournament; it stems from season after season of Wisconsin coming up short in the postseason far more often than it should. When the Badgers were announced as a No. 4 seed in the NCAA Tournament, it marked the third time they received a topfour seed in the last three years. Yet Wisconsin has only one Sweet Sixteen appearance to show for it. When the Badgers fell to

Cornell, it meant they had been knocked out by a team in the Mountain West, the Atlantic 10, the Southern Conference and the Ivy League in the last four years. And after falling in a lopsided contest, it marked the second time in three years UW has been eliminated by 15 points or more. With the exception of No. 5-seed Florida State last season, Wisconsin has not beaten a team seeded higher than No. 13 in the last four years. I realize there are some good mid-major squads out there, but there is a very unsatisfying sentiment when the Badgers consistently fall to teams such as these. I can live with Wisconsin falling to a talented Kentucky team in the Sweet Sixteen (even though I would have liked Wisconsin’s chances), but when the Badgers lose to mid-majors consistently, even though these are quality teams, it just doesn’t sit well.

Senior students who have been following Wisconsin for the last four years should be frustrated with when and how the Badgers are dropping out of the NCAA Tournament each year.

When the Badgers lose to mid-majors consistently, even though these are quality teams, it just doesn’t sit well.

After seasons ending in disappointment, coaches, players, fans and the media attempt to point to the positives. After falling to Cornell, head coach Bo Ryan talked about how UW handled a tough schedule well and beat Duke. In 2008 Wisconsin won the Big Ten regular season championship, and after losing to

UNLV in 2007, Ryan discussed how the overall product was still impressive, with Wisconsin having achieved a No. 1 ranking in the regular season. I don’t intend to take too much away from these achievements, but they are harped on too heavily. These are nice moments, memories players and fans can cherish. But they do not substitute for success in the NCAAs, which is by far the most important part of any team’s season. Do you think Duke cares right now that it lost to Wisconsin as it prepares for the Sweet Sixteen? Do you think Kansas is relishing its regular-season No. 1 ranking right now after losing to Northern Iowa Saturday? Do you think Florida cared about not winning the regular-season SEC Championship when it was cutting down the nets after beating UCLA for the NCAA title? Comparing Wisconsin to teams

like these may seem unfair. But remember, Wisconsin has been ranked in the top-20 consistently over the last four years (with perhaps the exception of last season) in a league with 347 schools. UW may not be on the highest plane of college basketball with Duke and Kansas, but it is right there, and the standard to judge the Badgers should fit that. When I look back at this Wisconsin team and how I followed them as a student, I’ll have some positives to draw on, but they do not come close to appeasing my expectations. Wisconsin is a very good basketball program, and it should not have to be deﬁned by regular-season accomplishments. The Badgers can do better in the NCAAs. But until they do, I’ll still have this empty feeling. Can you take solace in Wisconsin’s solid regular season or are you frustrated too? E-mail Scott at kellogg2@wisc.edu.