Wednesday, September 18, 2013 - The Daily Cardinal by The Daily Cardinal

Sean’s falling out with Satan One reader’s inability to finish “The Satanic Verses”

There’s more to Miss America than the color of her skin

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Wednesday, September 18, 2013

Senate passes controversial landlord bill By Jack Casey the daily cardinal

Tenants in Madison and across the state could see landlords gain new rights if a controversial bill passed by the state Senate Tuesday were to become a law. Housing organizations and tenant rights advocates have already clashed over the bill, which passed the state Senate 18-15 with every Republican voting in favor of it. Bill supporters argue the legislation would give landlords much needed control in the rental process and streamline statewide landlord laws, while critics have said the bill unfairly targets renters and puts them at risk of increased fees or eviction. Most disagreements have stemmed from provisions, such as those that would allow landlords to evict tenants if a crime was committed on the property without regard to whether the tenant is at fault, and a provision that would allow land-

lords to throw out an evicted tenant’s belongings. However, several amendments proposed and adopted in the state Senate Tuesday represented cooperation between both sides, including one that would allow immediate eviction action if a tenant victimizes another tenant. Ryan Prestil, a student representative with the Associated Students of Madison who focuses on tenant rights, said he is “very concerned” the bill passed and worries the newfound landlord rights will lead many first-time student renters to be taken advantage of when moving off-campus. “A lot of the protections that we have had in Madison are being stripped away at the state level,” Prestil said. “You potentially have people who don’t know what their rights are and that they have protection that they don’t anymore.”

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Burglars rob four homes on Langdon Street

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Alana Nichols is the only female U.S. Paralympian to win medals in both a summer and a winter sport.

Olympians encourage students to persevere By Sarah Olson the daily cardinal

on campus

Paying respect Flags outside The Kohl Center flew at half mast Tuesday in honor of the victims of the recent shootings at the Navy Yard in Washington, D.C. + Photo by Grey Satterfield

Two Olympic athletes encouraged University of Wisconsin-Madison students to “take the lead” in their own personal journeys at a meet-andgreet event Tuesday. Their appearance at the event was part of a national tour that includes stops at nine other campuses. The series is called “It’s Your Race, Take the Lead: Stories from Olympic and Paralympic Athletes,” and is focused on encouraging people to persevere in their own lives. Two-time speed skating gold medalist Shani Davis and Alana Nichols, Paralympic gold medalist in wheelchair basketball and alpine skiing, shared the stories of their past, advice for the present and goals for the future. Davis, who started speed skating when he was six years old, said it was a challenge, and he did not excel right away. It was not until he “took control” of his training and his mindset that he had success. Davis won a gold and a silver medal at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Italy, where he became the first black athlete from any nation to win a gold medal in a winter Olympic sport. “It’s not going to be the easiest sometimes to achieve the things

that we want to achieve or accomplish,” Davis said. “It’s going to be tough.” But according to Davis, success is about not giving up. Nichols, who planned to play college softball on a scholarship, broke her back in a snowboarding accident when she was 17 years old. But when she started playing wheelchair basketball, she said, she realized how much she enjoyed “getting sweaty” and competing. “Before I knew it, it wasn’t about being disabled … it was about me beating the guy next to me,” Nichols said. She said her ability to adapt to challenges has enabled her to achieve her Olympic goals, and she encouraged UW-Madison students to adapt to challenges they face as they begin looking for jobs and applying to graduate schools. “If you can take the lead in your own race and adapt to what life throws at you, I really believe you can be as successful as you want to be,” Nichols said. UW-Madison senior Eric Lucari said he thought both athletes were “really inspiring,” and he felt motivated by Nichols’ dedication and perseverance. “It makes me feel like I need to work that much harder in my own life,” Lucari said.

Police reported a string of four separate residential burglaries on Langdon Street last weekend, according to Madison police. The first burglary was reported on the 200 block of Langdon Street Friday at approximately 5:45 a.m., after residents discovered the break-in, according to Madison Police Department Spokesperson Joel DeSpain. Then, on Saturday morning, three more Langdon Street residents reported burglaries. One occurred on the 200 block, and two on the 100 block, according to the report. The report stated electronics and money were targeted in all four burglaries. In two of the cases, the burglars entered the resi-

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Marijuana fines could increase under new bill The state Senate approved a bill Tuesday that would allow local governments to issue citations for marijuana possession charges if the district attorney declines to pursue charges. Under current legislation, charges of possession for over 25 grams of marijuana are sent to the district attorney’s office and often dismissed, according to a spokesperson for state Rep. Jeremy Thiesfeldt, R-Fond du Lac. The new legislation would empower municipal governments to prosecute an offender if the district attorney drops the possession charges. Local governments could issue fines and place charges on the offender’s record. According to Thiesfeldt’s spokesperson, it has become commonplace for district attorneys to dismiss these charges, leaving the offender with no citation on his or her record. The lack of citations have caused confusion for municipal police departments and have lead to repeat offenders being charged for a first time offense. The bill will now move to the Republican-controlled state Assembly for discussion, where a similar bill is currently pending.

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

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thursday: t-storms

hi 79º / lo 66º

hi 86º / lo 66º

Wednesday, September 18, 2013

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Who cares? We do, apparently michael voloshin voloshin’s commotion

ug. 26, 2013, the day after the MTV Video Music Awards, CNN. com decided to have a story about Miley Cyrus’ twerking over the outcry in Syria. Sept. 1, 2013, the day after the final roster cuts in the NFL, ESPN’s “First Take” decided to start its show about the cut of embattled quarterback Tim Tebow. Every day of the week, Buzzfeed.com runs articles about Zac Efron’s abs. So who cares? Well apparently everybody and nobody. You see, whenever one of these “news” organizations talks about any of these things, there’s a huge public backlash of choosing to cover these topics over seemingly more important ones. However, there has to be a reason they continue to run them or else they would stop. Right? I mean, television networks and websites make money by views, hits and the prospect of advertising. Obviously someone is clicking on these articles and wanting to hear about Tebow, so that they keep running these segments. (But why the fuck do I not

know anyone who cares? Why assuming trout is the most comis it anytime Tebow is even mon fish in the sea, it definitely brought up, people just freak is the blandest) and even though out?) Why is CNN reporting on some of the educated viewing popsomething so cynical and unim- ulation will call it out for being genportant as a white girl disap- erally terrible (please kill the laugh pointing her father? track, legitimately most of those I guess this is my second install- laughs were recorded in the 50s ment of “Welcome to America” and so you’re hearing dead people (coming to CNN soon), in which laugh; it’s time), Lorre and his CBS we have to talk about the smart cronies will continue to rack up the minority and the dumb majority. viewers and advertisement dollars. To prove the point that is But that’s a sitcom. CNN is a coming to me as I write this at reputable (well… sort of) news midnight (hey, I was busy watch- source—ESPN is the leader in ing “Sherlock”), let’s look at “Big sports news —and Buzzfeed has Bang Theory,” America’s No. 1 made more sorority girls say “lol” TV show. America’s No. 1 TV than there are Swedish people in show... Although I know zero Minnesota (that’s an expression… people who watch it. right?). With 26.5 million viewers of each Why would CNN choose new episode (and about 10 million to put the VMAs over Syria as every rerun), “Big Bang Theory” is a a headline? (There are a lot of certified hit even though t h e questions in this article and for jokes are writ- t e n a s that, I’m sorry… or if a 10-year-old am I?). took an advanced The answer nuclear physics to that should course. However, be simple, the great because overlord people care. Chuck And people carL o r r e ing means hits, has found and hits means the perfect advertissetup and foring dollars. mula to conWhat’s a bigtinually bring ger question is why By chrystel Paulson in the trout (I’m do we need to tell them that

we don’t care about this article? Literally every top comment on Buzzfeed is “I don’t care about this.” (Seriously though, if I read another article entitled ‘[Random number] things [enter religion here] girls love’ that is just “Supernatural” GIFs and frozen yogurt jokes I think I will freak.) If you don’t care, why do you feel the need to comment, and moreover, why do you continue reading/watching? Just stop. Skip Bayless and Stephen A. Smith aren’t getting smarter or less yelly, CNN isn’t at the same standards as it once was, and Buzzfeed knows its reader base is the same people who search the web for the right cat GIF to post on their Tumblr about Sailor Moon. These organizations are news-setters, topic-starters and water-cooler conversation creators. What they decide to report on is important whether you care or not. That’s why I watched “Jersey Shore” for three seasons and that’s why you’re going to write a comment about how much you don’t care about what I just wrote about. Who am I kidding, no one comments on Daily Cardinal articles. Will you break Michael’s comment-free streak? Email him at mvoloshin@wisc.edu to make his day!

Madtown by bus: make the 80 your baby Rachel schulze rache jam

re you ever required to travel an exceptionally long distance across campus or around town? Do you have a class at the top of Bascom but don’t feel like walking up a ridiculously large hill to burn only a single Cheeto’s worth of calories? Do you live far from your classes, either off campus or in some remote Lakeshore dorm? Does the thought of walking in the looming zero-degree winter sound like the worst thing ever? Are you just straight-up lazy? If you answered yes to any of these questions, you should consider becoming a regular rider of the Madison Metro Transit System, otherwise known as the bus! Many of my friends tell me they would take the bus around campus and greater Madison if they simply knew how to navigate the system. While the bus system can seem confusing, all you really have to do to figure out which bus to take is to type your location and destination into Google Maps. You can do this on a smart phone or computer. (I’m sure there’s some oldfashioned way of doing this, but it’s probably time consuming and won’t sell you on the system, so better to just not look into that and to take my advice instead.) Despite how easy it is to ride the bus, a lot of my friends refuse to do so because—from what I can gather—there are a bunch of myths about mass transit. Fellow Badgers, as a frequent Madison

Stop by a Daily Cardinal recruitment meeting Friday, Sept. 13 & 27 4 p.m. 2195 Vilas Hall.

Metro passenger, I am here to set the record straight and convert you into a regular rider. The number-one misguided complaint I hear about the bus is that it’s janky and inefficient. While the bus may seem this way, I prefer to view it as large and in charge. Sure, it’s not as a sexy as the beige ’98 Camry I have sitting in front of my mom’s house, but taking the bus is still more efficient than walking, both for cross-campus travel and for offcampus excursions.

rolls around and Madison turns into a giant skating rink. Rather than compete with zippy moped drivers and aggressive pedestrians, hop on the bus and look down as the plebes gravel around Linden at Charter while you plow through the intersection with force and power. Now, in fairness to the haters, the busses have their problems. Sometimes, the buses are late. Sometimes, the 80 is so full that the driver straight-up denies you entry. Sometimes,

“Hop on the bus and look down as the plebes gravel around Linden and Charter.”

When it comes to cross-campus travel, taking the bus can make the difference between arriving to class on time and having to squeeze across a row of your classmates, only to end up wedged in the middle seat of the Ag Hall lecture room. Looking at off-campus trips: It may seem like you’re grounded if you want to stray far from downtown but don’t have a car. Not the case. There are plenty of routes that’ll take you from east to west, north to south and back again. Not only does riding the bus make long trips feasible, it also makes them physically bearable once the weather gets cold. Sure, during the pleasant lateSeptember weather, biking down University seems like a breeze. But just you wait when winter

the bus takes off before you sit down, causing you to spill coffee everywhere, which leaves you both sticky and humiliated. Sometimes, you end up seated next to someone with extra bad BO who really wants to be your friend. But thus is life. So, give the bus a shot. The only truly bad thing that ever happened to me was ending up stranded at the end of the line alone at midnight. Share your thoughts with Rachel at rmschulze@dailycardinal.com or just stop her on the bus.

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Wednesday, September 18, 2013 3

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City approves conversion of historic school into housing By Melissa Howison the daily cardinal

grey satterfield/the daily cardinal

Mayor Paul Soglin expressed his discontent with commercial parking agreements in residential areas at a city Council meeting Tuesday.

Following the city’s approval Tuesday, developers will convert a historic school in the Greenbush neighborhood into apartments and construct an aesthetically similar residence adjacent to it despite a lengthy debate about commercial parking in residential areas. The Alexander Co. is in the final stages of purchasing the Longfellow School, located at 210 S. Brooks St., from Meriter Hospital to transform it into 41 apartments. They also plan to construct a new three-story, 64-unit apartment building next to the school, which was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1996. The property deal includes allowing Meriter Hospital to continue using the premise for

valet parking. Contention arose on the Council floor regarding a condition the Plan Commission attached to the proposal Monday that stipulated if the ownership of Meriter were to change, the hospital would lose its parking rights. Ald. Mike Verveer, District 4, said there have been “rumors” Meriter may be sold soon. Madison Mayor Paul Soglin advised the Council to take the Plan Commission’s amendment one step further by eliminating all Meriter parking connected to the proposal because the “horrid” and illegal practice of commercial parking in residential neighborhoods is one of the reasons downtown Madison has not grown in decades. Soglin said property owners who violate city ordinances by allowing commuters to park in residential lots discourage peo-

Police believe armed robbers targeted victims

Students can give input on Library, State Street malls Students will have the chance to voice their opinions on the redesign of Library Mall Wednesday before a final design is chosen. The two main ideas are a “classic oval design” with an oval sidewalk system similar to the original layout, and a “great lawn concept,” which would have more lawn space and a rectangular sidewalk system. Overall, the goal is to create another important public gathering space, according to a university release. There have already been a series of public meetings held, but with the start of the school year it is time for students, faculty and staff to have the chance to weigh in, Director of Campus Planning and Landscape Architecture Gary Brown said. Students who want to share their opinions on the designs can attend the meeting at 5 p.m. in the Class of 1924 Reception Room on the fourth floor of Memorial Union.

jane thompson/the daily cardinal

New and returning members attend an ASM University Affairs meeting Tuesday. One of the committee’s campaigns this year will focus on preventing and responding to sexual assault.

Students continue work on sexual assault campaign A group of students will continue work on a campaign to address how the university prevents and responds to sexual assault, Associated Students of Madison University Affairs Committee members said at a meeting Tuesday. Natalie Weill, a University of Wisconsin-Madison student working on the campaign, said one goal this year will be to try

to get the university to put segregated fees toward Recreational Sports classes teaching “indepth” self-defense classes. In addition, students said they want to help students by providing instructions on navigating the next steps. “We’d like to make some kind of resource for someone if they’re assaulted, where they know exactly what they want

Police catch thief after stolen bike turns up on Craigslist Madison police officers pulled off a successful sting operation Tuesday to recover a bike stolen this past weekend after receiving a tip from the victim that the bike was for sale on Craigslist, according to a police report. A 26-year-old Madison man reported his $640 Trek bicycle, which was locked to a bike rack on the 30 block of North Mills

ple from renting in those buildings and puts developers who abide by city codes at an economic disadvantage. Ald. Sue Ellingson, District 13, said the property value that the 105 Longfellow apartments will add to her district will make a big difference. She also said arguing over the future status of 30 parking stalls is “inappropriate.” “It’s trivial compared to what we’ve got here,” Ellingson said. “We’ve got a $10 million beautiful new building that’s going to be well-managed versus zero: a dead school and a vacant lot.” The Council approved the Longfellow redesign and the construction of an adjacent residence with the added amendment that Meriter Hospital would maintain parking privileges on the premise, even if the hospital’s ownership were to shift.

Street, was swiped at approximately 7 p.m. Saturday, according to the report. The report said the victim recognized his bike listed on Craigslist, and a distinguishable lock holder underneath the seat affirmed his suspicion the bike was his, so he contacted the Madison Police Department. The victim agreed to meet the online seller near Memorial

Union to buy the bike for $150 knowing he would be accompanied by an officer, according to the report. Sequoyah Branch, 24, who police arrested for theft, tried to tell the officer the bike belonged to her husband, but changed her story when the officer told her the victim had the original manufacturer’s sales tag to prove it was his.

to do,” said UW-Madison student Catie Rutledge, who is also working on the campaign. Weill and Rutledge said they plan on collaborating with other groups on campus who are working on sexual assault and prevention issues. They will also be collaborating with United Council members working on the campaign to change how sexual assault is addressed across the UW System.

tenant from page 1 Wisconsin Housing Alliance Executive Director Ross Kinzler said the bill brings up a concern of “unequal relationships” between tenants and landlords. Kinzler, whose organization supports the bill, said concerns about a lack of tenant power is usually solved in court, where the landlord has

Madison police believe an armed robbery that occurred in a Bassett neighborhood residence Monday was not a random attack, according to a police report. Madison Po l i c e Department spokesperson Joel DeSpain said in the report three men tried to rob an apartment on the 500 block of West Main Street at approximately 5:08 p.m. Two of the men were armed with guns, according to the report. All three men fled when the victims of the burglary called the police, DeSpain said in the report. Police are still investigating the matter. “This does not appear to be a random crime,” DeSpain said in the report.

langdon from page 1 dence through unlocked doors, according to the report. However, in the other two incidents the burglars entered through unlocked windows after screens were cut. the higher burden of proof. “Evictions trials are like wild west justice,” Kinzler said. “Judges make [equity] decisions about whether what happened was beyond the pale. The landlord better come with a lot of evidence.” Kinzler also said critics should remember laws can easily change with the new Legislature. The bill will now go to the state Assembly for consideration.

Poll results show Gov. Scott Walker leads potential Democratic challengers in future governor race A poll released Tuesday reported Gov. Scott Walker is still leading against prospective Democratic candidates in the 2015 gubernatorial race. Public Policy Polling, a Democratic-leaning agency, con-

ducted the poll and surveyed 1,180 Wisconsinites between Sept. 13 and Sept. 16 to compile its results. The poll asked respondents to vote between Walker and four other potential Democratic candidates: state Sen. Kathleen

Vinehout, D-Alma, state Assembly Majority Leader Peter Barca, D-Kenosha, Tom Nelson, the current Outagamie County Executive, and Mary Burke, who sits on the Madison School Board and has ties to

Trek Bicycle. Walker won each matchup by four to seven points. Out of the challengers, Burke and Vinehout received the highest percentage, 18 and 19 percent respectively. Sixty percent of respondents said

they were still unsure about the four challengers. Walker lost each of his hypothetical elections with the college-aged demographic. The poll had a margin of error of 2.9 percent.

science Plants eavesdrop as a means of defense 4

Wednesday, September 18, 2013

By Danielle Smith The Daily Cardinal

Imagine yourself in a situation in which you and everyone surrounding you are being attacked by an unknown predator. You hear signs of chaos all around you and your fight-or-flight instincts are gearing up to protect you from impending doom. You are just about to plan your miraculous

Graphic by TYler wAITE

escape when you notice your feet are stuck planted to the ground, and you are incapable of fleeing the scene. What would you do to protect yourself? While this scenario may seem unlikely for a human to encounter (What, did you forget about the tube of superglue you just smeared on the bottom of your feet?), it is something that a plant may face on a daily basis. The methods in which plants defend themselves from threatening situations vary greatly and are the focus of a study done by scientists at the University of WisconsinMadison in the laboratory of John Orrock and Simon Gilroy. The study is currently under review. “If you’re a plant, one of the things that makes you interesting is that you can’t run away,” Orrock said on his lab’s work. In their study, Orrock and Gilroy examined the defense mechanisms of black mustard plants when introduced in a variety of ways to environments with snail mucus. The snail mucus simulated a threatening signal to the plants

and, according to the study, caused the black mustard plants to become increasingly less palatable the more they were exposed to the mucus over the course of their lifetime. Orrock compared the mustard plant’s reaction to a mouse detecting the presence of a nearby cat by smelling the cat’s urine. “That mouse knows that there’s probably a cat around about to cause great bodily harm to said mouse,” said Orrock, “So that mouse prepares itself for that attack like the mustard plants when they make themselves less palatable after recognizing the snail slime.” The study had several test groups and found the plants that were exposed to the snail mucus multiple times over the course of the study were more prepared for the possibility of a snail attack, as opposed to those who were only exposed while they were seeds. These findings imply the black mustard plants recognized the signs of a snail attack because of a change in their chemical structure from previous experiences. “Amazingly, the molecular

Future of renewable energy looks promising with new solar cells By Nambirajan Rangarajan The Daily Cardinal

You’ve seen them on wristwatches, pocket calculators, traffic signals and maybe even on top of campus buildings— futuristic-looking, sleek panels of metal facing the sun. Solar cells are becoming integral to our lives as the technology used to harness arguably the cleanest energy source available — the sun. Solar cells are made off special materials called semiconductors (such as Silicon). When sunlight shines on these materials, it knocks of electrons within them. By controlling the direction of flow of these electrons, an electric current can be set up in the semiconductor. In a nutshell, this is how solar cells convert the energy of the sun to commercially usable electrical energy. For decades, solar energy has been viewed as a promising candidate in global efforts to reduce pollution and take the pressure off non-renewable sources of energy. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, solar cell users across the planet save 75 million barrels of oil and 35 million tons of gasoline each year. Although the global solar energy generation is growing, its share in the energy market remains quite small, less than one percent. This is mainly due to poor efficiency and robustness of devices that run on solar energy. To improve the commercial viability of devices powered by solar energy, it is essential to improve these parameters of solar cells. Provision of continuous power output and the ability to store energy for future use are important challenges faced by scientists in solar energy production.

“Conventional solar cells do not store energy,” said Hongrui Jiang, a professor in the Electrical Engineering Department at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, whose research group is studying solar cells, solar energy harvesting and storage, among other areas. “Of course, there are other devices, such as capacitors, that can store electricity. But this means we need separate devices for energy conversion and storage,” Jiang said. Combining such devices is known to affect the efficiency of solar devices. Jiang’s group recently developed a much-improved solar cell that combines conversion and storage of energy in a single device. The cell exhibited impressive performance stability over multiple chargingdischarging cycles. The superior performance of this type of solar cell is attributed to the presence of nanocomposites — (materials approximately 100 nanometers in size in at least one dimension of length)—in the cell electrodes. These materials have favorable dielectric properties that aid in energy conversion and possess very high surface area, which improves the energy storage capacity of the cell. “The current storage capacity of our device is less than half that of supercapacitors. So, we are testing new materials to improve this aspect of the device,” Jiang said. Another area that the group is working on is the optimization of the thickness and morphology of the nanocomposites, which could significantly affect electrical properties of the solar cell. Less than a block away from Jiang’s laboratory, assis-

tant professor Michael Arnold and his research group in the Materials Science and Engineering Department have been developing Carbon-based materials that have exceptional properties for next-generation electronics devices. Arnold’s group recently reported the fabrication of novel solar cells that are based on materials known as Carbon nanotubes. Nanotubes are cylindrical tubes of Carbon and a few nanometers wide. To put things in perspective, a strand of human hair is roughly 80,000-100,000 nanometers wide. So, these nanotubes are really small! Carbon nanotubes are easy to prepare, they possess interesting electronic properties and are mechanically robust. So, it is advantageous to use them as components in electronic devices. Although nanotubes have been used previously in electrical applications, their roles have mainly been as passive electrode materials or to aid in electronic conduction. In the solar cells developed by Arnold’s group, the nanotubes drive more than 60 percent of the power conversion. By optimizing the thickness and alignment of the nanotubes, the researchers obtained a power efficiency of 1.02 percent, which is the highest ever reported in a cell. The fact that nanotubes were of uniform size and shape was critical to the results. Although both groups are still optimizing their respective devices, the future looks promising for solar cells. A coordinated research effort involving materials chemists, electrical engineers and device makers is pushing the envelope to develop highly efficient, robust devices powered by solar energy.

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signature of plant paranoia is actually known because of this,” Orrock said. A plant changing its chemical composition to make itself less tasty to herbivores is just one of many ways in which a plant can defend itself from harm. Other methods can include developing thorns or producing tougher leaves that are harder for predators to chew on. “A plant can even defend itself against things that have never even attacked it yet, which is known as the ‘Whispering Tree’ effect,” Orrock said. In this case, plants that are attacked send volatile chemicals into the air that neighboring plants pick up on and use as a cue to go into defensive mode. While these defense mechanisms are capable of increasing a plant’s chance of survival when imposed with the snail’s terror, caterpillars and herbivores, they come at a cost. “These defenses take up a lot of the plant’s energy that could otherwise be going into other plant functions such as growth,”

Orrock said. This is why it is important for a plant to be able to recognize cues of dangers, such as the black mustard plants reacting to the presence of snail slime. If a plant can learn to turn its defense mechanisms on and off based on whether or not the plant is in danger, it can reserve energy for use on its other demands, which maximizesthe plant’s well-being. The next step for Orrock, Gilroy and their lab is a followup study in which they address further questions that have arisen from this first study, such as whether it is the frequency or quantity of slime exposure that impacts the black mustard plant’s palatability. They are also interested in mapping out which genes are turned on or off when a plant’s defense mechanisms are activated. The hope is that they will be able to better understand how plants manage to successfully ward off danger even with the limitations of being rooted to the ground.

Ask Mr. Scientist: Magnetic Fields and Batteries Dear Mr. Scientist, I’ve heard the sun’s magnetic field is going to flip soon. Does this mean doomsday is upon us? —Jason S. Although it may sound scary, the sun’s magnetic north and south poles swapping places is no cause for alarm. This event actually occurs somewhat frequently—(about once every 11 years)—at the peak of each solar cycle. The sun’s magnetic fields weaken, go to zero, then reappear but with opposite polarity. This shift, however, will not have any devastating effects on the earth or its inhabitants, nor will it cause any increase in solar flares, coronal mass ejections, or any other solar events. Dear Mr. Scientist, I see warnings in all sorts of electronic things telling me not to mix old and new batteries, but swapping out just a battery or two seems to work just fine. Is this some sort of marketing ploy? —Tara M. They’re not after your money, it really isn’t a good idea to mix old and new batteries (or rechargeable and disposable ones either). In essence a battery houses a chemical reaction separated into two halves. When a battery is connected to a circuit, electrons flow from one half to the other, and this flow of electrons is used to power the device. The risk is when one battery’s reaction has gone to completion while the other one has not. Depending on the type of batteries involved, the charged one can cause the reaction in the dead one to run in reverse and the battery may overheat, rupture or even explode. Ask Mr. Scientist is written by Michael Leitch. If you have a burning science question you want him to answer, tweet @DC_Science or email it to science@dailycardinal.com.

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Wednesday, September 18, 2013

arts

Literature Columnist

‘Verses’ for all the unreadable books Sean Reichard “quip quo pro”

ast week, on a whim, I decided to start reading “The Satanic Verses” by Salman Rushdie. Though it has never been a book high on my “to read” list, I took the plunge when I chanced upon it in the library stacks. A week later and 300 pages in, I had to put it down. I couldn’t make myself go any further. And it’s not because I didn’t like the book. Au contraire, mes cheris. I liked it a lot. “The Satanic Verses” is funny and spasmodic and propulsive, but it also grinds on you like a pestle. Over a week of reading, that book was an attrition of my attention span. Why is that? “The Satanic Verses” isn’t the only book where I’ve encountered this principle. Every time I try reading a Don DeLillo book, everything grinds to a halt. I feel like I’m forcing my way up from the bottom of the ocean. DeLillo’s ocean. I don’t know whether I’ll ever read a book by Vladmir Nabokov without similar struggles, outside maybe the slim cote-

rie of his accepted classics. What’s happening? Am I just getting older? Am I settling into some manner that could be termed “my ways?” Have I ossified thus? What a (shit or bummer) proposition for someone barely through college. I don’t know if that’s it, though. Instead, I have a theory. To wit: After a certain point, the Reader qua Reader is incapable of assimilating a body of text in a way betokening “interest” or “pleasure,” probably caused by some prejudice or bias that is both arbitrary and unfortunate. The thrill is gone. The question, of course, is finding evidence of this theory in work. Why some books and not others? What’s a probable prognosis for all this? I have my examples, though I’d be hard pressed to explain why I feel that way to another person, especially a Rushdie, DeLillo or Nabokov fan. I know what rattled me about “The Satanic Verses” over the week I spent reading it: the pace. I kept thinking, damn this book is fast. And yet, I felt like I had barely made any headway into it. It was like interminable turbulence on a trans-atlantic flight— and I opted to bail. Now, would it have been better/easier to have picked up

“The Satanic Verses” earlier? When my limbs were sprightly, when my head was clear, when I wasn’t the old man I am today, having to deal with all the sassafrassin’ freshmen walking down the middle of the bike lane in peak traffic—like some SLACKJAWED SHEEP—and all related biz? Probably not. I give young me credit for deciding “Ulysses” was worth spending all of spring break reading and deciding it’s totally not unreasonable to check out 30 books at once and lug them home in a canvas bag for three-fourths of a mile (uphill!). But I can’t gleam from that that I would have enjoyed “The Satanic Verses.” And I don’t think I’ve slowed down, whatever that’s supposed to mean. I do believe, after a certain point, you can’t read certain books. Or you can’t read them in the way that will get you the most enjoyment. Kurt Vonnegut said he never read “Madame Bovary” until he was 40, which, in reason, is one of those texts anyone interested in writing/ reading just picks up. Whether or not he liked “Madame Bovary” is beside the point. He was implying he had missed the window of opportunity for fully

assimilating it, for it to have lasting import in his mind/method. It’s a troubling thought, when you look at the vast swath of books that “should” be read, with no reasonable measure of whether or not you (yes, you) can read them. Even condensed into one of those cat-killing “Books You Must Read Before You Kick The Bucket” tomes, it’s a heady proposition. Of course, the vastness of literature is what makes it so delightful. Perhaps you, reader or writer, will miss out on the chance to read “Lolita” or “The Wings of the Dove” or “The Divine Comedy” the way other people read it—by which I mean reverently, enthusiastically, ecstatically, etc.—but maybe you have your own collection of reverences and ecstasies. It’s a shame to come to a book and not have the means/interest to read it with pleasure and then some, but it’s not the end of everything. If anything, you should take it as an opportunity to see why you’re resistant/ reluctant in the face of a book. Maybe you’ll unknot that resistance. I’m trying. Is there a book you’ve tried and tried to read but you just can’t make it? Tell Sean at sreichard@wisc.edu.

Graphic by Cameron Graff

opinion Nina Davuluri, Miss American Progress 6

Wednesday, September 18, 2013

Veena tripathi opinion columnist

am sure many of you have already heard about the negative backlash against the new Miss America, Nina Davuluri. If you have not, here are some excerpts from Twitter of some things that were said Sunday night, complete with my own sarcastic commentary. “@Sarawhitton: this is America. not India.” My response: Good observation @Sarawhitton, this IS America, not India. Curse those judges for getting that one confused! Someone should have let them know! “ @ s ava n n a h _ d a l e 9 7: Mi s s New York is an Indian.. With all do respect, this is America.” My response: I think you mean, “with all due respect”, @savannah_dale97, but I guess “do respect” works too. Maybe you should try some of that respect thing. “@Not_MissAmerica: More like Miss Terrorist #MissAmerica.” My response: Nice one, @ Not_MissAmerica! Oh, and my personal favorite tweet. “@JAyres15: I swear I’m not racist but this is America.” My response: Guys, she swears she’s not racist! But this IS America! I am just as likely as the next person to admit there are people out there who are either poorly educated (please note any of the above tweets) or don’t have any cool South Asian friends (what a bummer), but the massive outcry on Twitter has been shocking, disgusting, and a sharp reminder that as much as we like to call ourselves a “post-racial society,” the title isn’t warranted. By the looks of it, it won’t be as quick to come as we’d hope. To give you a little background on where I am coming from, I am speaking about this from the perspective of a 20-something, college-educated, South Asian female. My parents immigrated here from Gujarat, India, in the late 1970s as a result of an “educated immigrant” push by the U.S.

government. They decided to come here for the same reason as many of my Caucasian counterparts’ ancestors did: to make a better life for their children. My childhood could easily be described as a blend between all things Indian and American. It was the type of childhood that could have been described by the types of lunches I brought to school, chutney sandwiches, Oreos and inconspicuous juice boxes of “Frooti,” which if you’ve never had one, you are missing out. Do yourself a favor and try it. At that stage in my life, not only was I teased for putting oil in my hair and having two long braids hanging down my back, but I was under the impression that we, as an ethnic group, would never be considered anything but simply outsiders.

Davuluri is a great example of what it means to be a relatable American woman. All of this was exacerbated by 9/11. After 9/11, my family and I saw an immediate backlash against people who looked like us. No longer were we the Indian family on the block, we became the “them” in an “us vs. them” epidemic that spread across the nation and challenged the lives of so many families like our own. There were racist phrases painted on my parents’ cars, derogatory comments from the parents at school, and “random searches” in public airports. It was these events that intuitively shaped my perception that as IndianAmericans, we would never be able to fit in. Our allegiances were questioned because our noses were too big and our skin too tan. In essence, we were just too different. For us, in order to fit in we would need to abandon everything that had been related to our heritage in order to fit some perceived norm of what it means to be American. That’s why Nina Davuluri’s win means so much to our community. For the first time, Indian-Americans are being represented in the mainstream

media not as questionable figures but as Americans who should be considered role models for young girls everywhere. When I was growing up, you would never have seen the day an Indian woman was featured in a magazine or seen on TV, let alone a Miss America beauty pageant. The girl’s talent was a Bollywood dance, her career aspiration is a physician, and she wants to improve Science, T e c h n o l o g y, E n g i n e e r i n g , Mathematics education nationally. She exemplifies beauty, grace and intelligence with a desire to improve her community. Davuluri is a great example of what it means to be a relatable American woman. Before more recent times, the closest thing we had to representation was Dr. Sanjay Gupta. Sure, we had an Indian doctor on the news, but what about our women? Strong, successful and beautiful, our stories were never told, our presence never acknowledged positively. But that’s changing now. With role models such as Mindy Kaling and now Davuluri, we are seeing a shift in the representation and a more diverse depiction of not only South Asians in general, but Indian-American women everywhere. We are seeing our women embraced for their beauty, sense of humor, intellect and grace. But even that comes with a price. The price is what we are seeing now. The concept that an American-born Indian woman is not American enough is a pervasive thought that haunts all the progress that we’ve made as a society. For some odd reason, maybe because our hair is not blonde and our eyes are not blue, we are somehow less American than our next-door neighbors. The point of this piece is simply to say that America is changing. As a nation, we need to understand that there is so much more to an American woman, to Miss America, than the color of her skin and how you pronounce her name. Nina Davuluri is Miss America simply because she embodies what it is to be an American, which is smart, strong, inventive and driven. I’m not saying that everyone

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graphic by Chrystel Paulson

in the United States has these racist opinions of Nina Davuluri. I would go as far as to argue that the majority opinion is quite opposite from the racist remarks we’ve seen from Twitter. I would point to my best friends, my peers and my campus to show just how far we’ve come as a society. But the fact of the matter is, this opinion still persists nationally, and we need to do the best we can to rise above it and change these haunting perceptions that argue someone is inherently American enough

simply because of what she looks like. My two cents for Nina: ignore all the people sippin’ on “haterade,” enjoy the crown and continue to be a role model for girls everywhere. Congratulations, Miss America. Veena is a senior majoring in neurobiology and political science. What do you think about Veena’s perspective on this controversy? Did you see any tweets that were worse than the ones mentioned here? Please send all feedback to opinion@dailycardinal.com.

Those sippin’ on ‘haterade’ Here are some of the offensive tweets Veena pulled from her Twitter feed following Nina Davuluri’s Miss America victory. The Not Miss America account has since been suspended from Twitter.

College costs must be taken more seriously in legislature Alex holland opinion columnist

ast week, state Senate and Assembly Democrats walked down State Street to hear students’ perspectives on the current student loan crisis. The event featured state Sen. Chris Larson, D-Milwaukee, as well as state Sen. Fred Risser, D-Madison, and state Rep. Chris Taylor, DMadison, among several others. I very much appreciate that the democratic leadership took the time to hear student’s stories and thoughts. Nevertheless, as I walked out of the room knowing my voice had been heard, I

could not help but feel unsatisfied. It disappoints me that so much of the dialogue about the student crisis revolves around creating Band-Aid solutions to stitch-worthy problems. For example, this summer Congress passed a student loan bill, which lowered undergraduate rates from 6.8 percent to 3.84 percent and tied the student loan interest rate to the interest rate on 10-year treasury notes. The bill also mandates a cap of 8.25 percent on federal loans. The treasury note interest rate fluctuates, which is especially important as the rate could skyrocket if Congress does not reach a deal to raise the debt ceiling next month.

While the bill lowers rates today, the bill does not address reducing the costs of postsecondary education, which is why students take loans out in the first place. Even worse, the bill will likely leave current high school freshmen paying higher interest rates when they attend college than they would have been should the bill never have been passed. The treasury rate will inevitably rise as the economy continues to improve. This summer, the state Legislature placed a tuition freeze on state tuition. While I do appreciate that my tuition rates will not rise for the rest of my undergraduate career, the

legislature just kicked the can down the road once again. The tuition freeze only lowers my rates on the backs of students who will attend college three, four, five years from now. This bill also fails to substantively lower college costs. The problem before us is complex and by no means in this piece am I attempting to solve this troubling problem. However, our legislators at the national, state and local levels must take this issue more seriously. Issuing nice-sounding press releases and holding listening sessions, while decent starts, are not going to resolve this crisis. A trillion dollar bubble with the ability to crash the

economy demands more. This is where we, as young voters, are important. We should all attend listening sessions to let our legislators know that our votes will go toward the candidates who promote bold and creative solutions to skyrocketing college costs; our votes should go to legislators such as U.S. Rep. Mark Pocan, D-Wis., who proposed a bill in Congress to allow college graduates to refinance their student loans. Alex is a junior majoring in political science, economics and environmental science. How do you feel about the college loan crisis? Please send all feedback to opinion@dailycardinal.com.

comics

Ohm nom nom. The CEO of the charity Food For The Poor is called Robin Mahfood.

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5 4

9 8 6

Artistically Impaired

Coffee Addiction

Today’s Sudoku

Wednesday, September 18, 2013 • 7

6 1 3

6 7 1 3

4 7

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By Alex Pirkey apirkey@wisc.edu

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9 Caved In

2 3

Solution, tips and computer program available at www.sudoku.com.

MEDIUM

MEDIUM Fill in the grid so that every row, every column and # 1 every 3x3 box contains the digits 1 through 9.

You Look Tired Today

7 1

By Haley Henschel henschel@wisc.edu

8 6 6 5 2 4 7 5 4 9 5 8 4 6 1 2 1 4 6 3 2 3 9 7 1

4 6Today’s 2 Crossword Puzzle 5 3 7 9 2 2 7 3 3 4 1 7 8 2 5 1 5 2 6 7 9 5 1 MEDIUM

1 5 5 1nkryshak@wisc.edu By Nick Kryshak 8 4 6 9 1 7 9 7

4 6 3 8

Eatin’ Cake ClassicMEDIUM

#4 By Dylan Moriarty www.EatinCake.com

Answer key available at www.dailycardinal.com

BRAIN MALFUNCTION

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Evil Bird Classic

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24 Jul 05

Sports

WEDNESDAY September 18, 2013 DailyCardinal.com

NFL gains unfair advantage with lack of action against PEDs

Football

with nary a snear if they continue their gridiron magic. Meanwhile, Jeff Bagwell and Mike Piazza have been denied entrance to baseball’s Hall of Fame despite no evidence at all of “extra” help, just whispers by every other sports columnist.

Jack Baer baer necessities

GREY SATTERFIELD/cardinal file photo

Redshirt sophomore running back Melvin Gordon and the Wisconsin rushing attack started the season in historic fashion, coming out of the gate with 1,011 yards in its first three games.

Consistency the main focus in Big Ten opener By Rushad Machhi The Daily Cardinal

After a heartbreaking loss to Arizona State, the Badgers are working to put last week’s confusion in the rearview mirror as all eyes are turned toward the Badgers’ Big Ten opener against Purdue Saturday at Camp Randall. The Badgers’ offense has put up impressive numbers this season and looks to continue that success this weekend against the Boilermakers. The run game has traditionally been a staple in the Badgers’ offense, and this year is no different.

“We just need to be more consistent and keep drives going. Hand in hand with that consistency is avoiding three-and-outs.” Andy Ludwig offensive coordinator Wisconsin football

So far the Badgers’ have compiled 1,011 total rushing yards, second in the FBS, with 7.96 yards per carry, also second in the FBS. Most of that production has come out of the trio of senior James White, redshirt sophomore Melvin Gordon and freshman Corey Clement. Gordon has been especially impressive, with an eye-popping 12.9 yards per carry this year.

He leads the nation with six runs of 30-plus yards. White, the current active rushing leader in the FBS, has been consistent as well with 297 total yards and 6.6 yards per carry. He also has a lot of great history against Purdue, including last season’s offensive explosion. The Badgers ran for a total of 467 yards on the ground, with White gaining 124 yards on just 16 carries. Wisconsin’s three-pronged running attack, however, isn’t overlooking this year’s Boilermaker run defense. “Every run is tough, especially in conference play,” White said. If Purdue does hope to stop the Badgers on the ground, they will have to watch out for Gordon’s jet sweep, a dangerous weapon Wisconsin has already established over the course of its first three games. Against Arizona State, UW ran the play quite successfully, adding to the highlight reel with an 80-yard dash from Gordon for a touchdown. “The blockers do a good job up front,” offensive coordinator Andy Ludwig said. “Then Melvin is an athletic and gifted player.” Badgers’ offensive line coach T.J. Woods thinks his squad passed its test against ASU and is ready for the Boilermakers. “They have a tough front seven and we just have to continue to fight and work,” Woods said.

Purdue boasts a front seven made up of three seniors, three juniors and a sophomore. Purdue has held its own against the run, allowing an average of only 117 yards per game. The Boilermaker pass defense is another story completely, however. It has allowed 373 yards per game through the air, even with veteran senior cornerback Ricardo Allen. “[Allen] has a nose for the ball, and he can make some big plays,” sophomore quarterback Joel Stave said. If there’s one thing the Badgers’ offense wants to focus on, it is consistency. “We just need to be more consistent and keep drives going,” Ludwig said. “Hand in hand with that consistency is avoiding three-and-outs.” Saturday the Badgers failed to make a first down until near the end of the first quarter. “We need to do more on first and second down and be prepared for any kind of third down situation,” Stave said. The Badgers did have six three-and-outs last Saturday, but were fairly efficient on third down, going 8-of-17. Third downs were a weakness for the Boilermakers last Saturday against Notre Dame, while the Fighting Irish converted 11-of-16 of their third downs. It’s a different week but the same story for the Badgers, with a strong defensive opponent for the Badgers’ offense to handle.

esterday night, Chris Davis hit his 51st home run of the season, breaking the Orioles singleIf you ask any casual season home run record. But with this record, he will sports fan which sport has a drug problem, you will also almost certainly hear conget baseball as an answer tinued steroid accusations from nine times out of 10. the dregs of social media, sports talk radio hosts and maybe even an anonymous player. Every great power hitter So what makes the NFL like Davis or Jose Bautista different from the MLB? who unexpectedly pops up in Sure, MLB has the track the foreseeable future will be record, but we launch accusasubject to loaded questions tions at players who were in midand columns that are only dle school when Barry Bonds meant to “start discussion.” was destroying everything. This is because Major Perhaps it’s how the NFL League Baseball has, by a deals with positive tests for PEDs: Chris Davis home run-sized It doesn’t disclose what drug the margin, publicized its war player tested positive for. on performance-enhancThe Seahawks really could ing drugs while the rest of have an Adderall problem. the major American sports Or maybe there has been a leagues, most notably the calculation by every PR firm NFL, have sat idle. tied to an NFL player that if The last two decades of you’re going to test positive for baseball have seen the a PED, Adderall will lead memory of some of the to the least backlash. greatest performances And maybe, just of all time permanentmaybe, the fact that ly corrupted. the NFL does not test for Grandstanding HGH is part of the reacongressional hearson why we don’t hear ings, shady deals any accusations. with HGH dealers In the end, we’re probDAVIS and steadfast procably just in different eras of lamations of clean each league. play shattered by a postive test During training camps, the have led to a skeptical league. NFL conducted a league-wide If you ask any casual population study of HGH use, sports fan which sport has similar to what baseball did a drug problem, you will get in the early 2000s (you might baseball as an answer nine remember the positive tests times out of 10, with cycling of Alex Rodriguez and David likely being the 10th answer. Ortiz leaking). You definitely won’t hear any This will lead to a more mention of football. accurate positive test And why is that? threshold that might Just looking at the someday ramp up the mechanics of the two suspensions to the sports, you can clearly point where the public Number of see football, the sport is forced to see the joke games for a involving the pushing that is the NFL’s curfirst offense of 350-pound beherent HGH policy. MLB PED suspension moths, as the sport If HGH use is as where PEDs are more rampant as anonybeneficial. But it’s mous players’ whisbaseball that comes pers claim, the awkNumber of games for a under fire for the supward questions that second posed infestation. have plagued baseball offense MLB In football, will spill into football. PED you also have the And you never suspension extremely rapid know if they will evenrecoveries of 2012 tually spill into other MVP Ad r i a n sports. They should. Length of Peterson, 2011 After all, Biogenesis ban for the third MLB Defensive Player whistleblower Porter PED offense of the Year Terrell Fischer has said that he Suggs, and now also had clients from the 2012 Rookie of the NBA, NCAA, profesYear Robert Griffin III. sional boxing, tennis and MMA. All these athletes have been But the only sporting body described as having “super- to express any interest in human” recovery times. going after its cheaters? Major Yes, they all get the occa- League Baseball. sional question of a little Think the MLB’s crusade “extra” help, but these ques- against PEDs is futile? Think tions are all waved off with a the culture of drug use in the simple “no.” NFL is a travesty? Let Jack know All of them will probably by sending an email to sports@ waltz into the Hall of Fame dailycardinal.com.

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