Thursday, September 23, 2021 - The Daily Cardinal

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Thursday, September 23, 2021

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The trek back to normalcy during pandemic An independent student newspaper, serving the University of Wisconsin-Madison community since 1892 Volume 131, Issue 5

By Molly Schiff STAFF WRITER

Time stood still for one year

to balance their schoolwork and a social life. Now imagine: all of this change coupled with spend-

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JEFF MILLER/UW-MADISON ARCHIVES

Freshman, sophomores, and juniors are all adjusting going back to in-person.

and a half. For most students, class just became something to entertain themselves for a few hours per day. Doing the bare minimum had never been easier than it was last year in the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Some students went from turning on their computer and muting the Zoom to do other things during class to a full-fledged return to in-person instruction, and this has been an adjustment for many UW-Madison students.

For the fall 2021 semester, UW-Madison planned a return to mostly in-person instruction, due to a high campus vaccination rate.

Students are required to keep their masks on for the duration of their time spent in the classroom.

For some, that could mean up to three to four hours straight in a science lab wearing a mask.

“I definitely deal with a lot of mask fatigue. It’s really hard to focus and keep up the same energy I’m used to having, especially with the hot weather right now,” said first-year student Sophia Krekler.

First-years starting at UW-Madison face a major adjustment upon entering college, even when not factoring COVID-19 into the equation.

Many students find it difficult

ing nearly half of their high school years doing class on your couch, with minimal opportunities for social interaction due to most gatherings’ cancellations.

“It’s also been a super big adjustment back to normal because I was home doing online school for my entire senior year and now have to sit through hours of lectures and labs when I’ve been so used to sitting on my couch doing Zoom,” Krekler said. “I feel like it’s a lot harder to adjust to being a college student since I missed out on such an important year of high school.”

college path thus far. They ended their senior year of high school online, and made the adjustment to college life without ever stepping foot in a single lecture hall.

For some of them, this is their first year even living on campus.

In many ways, they are facing a lot of the same challenges as the first year students.

While the university has worked to get as many students back in the physical classroom as possible, there is not enough space to accomodate for a complete, COVID-safe re-entrance to in-person instruction. The solution to this is to have some classes remain online.

Many students are spending their semester in a hybrid mode of instruction; that is, having some classes in person and some online. In many ways, this could

fall 2021 semester. With the challenges and adjustments that have resulted through the pandemic, masks have created a very interesting issue for UW-Madison third-year student Connor Monroe.

“Personally, wearing masks sucks for me because they irritate my beard,” said Monroe.

Monroe recalls acclimating to Zoom classes and has been working on his path back to a normal college schedule. While going back to normal is exciting for the third-years, who experienced life at UW-Madison before the pandemic hit, Monroe noted that there are definitely nuances to readjusting to society.

“The overall transition has been hard because online classes and whatnot made me lazy,” Monroe said. “I was so used to

COURTESY OF FLIKR

“I feel like it’s a lot harder to adjust to being a college student since I missed out on such an important year of high school.”

Sophia Krekler Freshman UW student

UW-Madison sophomores have also faced a nontraditional

Masked instruction has put a strain on all of is, but it is arguably better than online. ease students into the journey back to a regular school routine.

“So far the transition has been a good one for me just because I still have two online classes and three in person ones. So it has made it easier to transition from being completely online since March of 2020 to going back in person,” said UW-Madison second-year Hallie Fass.

Juniors are going from full normalcy to COVID-19 college during the 2020-21 school year to semi-normal going into the

just doing work when it was due and now I have to get myself up to go to class and pay attention.”

While the transition back is not something that has been easy for students, many are excited for life to finally get back to it’s typical beat.

“I definitely enjoy my inperson classes a lot more than my online ones,” said Fass. “I was very nervous to go back in person.

“But it was definitely time to go back to reality.”

Committee is space for students to voice concerns

By Madeleine Afonso STAFF WRITER

Associated Students of Madison hosted the first Shared Governance Committee meeting of the semester on campus Tuesday. The committee seeks to bring together the university and city committees to discuss student and campus-related issues.

The meeting was attended by undergraduate and graduate representatives of various campus committees, like Housing and Dining and the Advisory Board for the Dean of Students. The role of students at these meetings is to develop, review and recommend student life services and policies.

They also bring up committeebased and campus-wide problems and concerns and represent student interests.

In Wisconsin, it is the legal right of students to have a say in policies and decisions that affect student life on campus.

“This is the only effective way where all of the different members of the committees can have a broad understanding of where the campus is at so they can make educated decisions,” said Shared Governance Chair Reez Bailey.

The main issue brought up at Tuesday’s meeting was the switch to all-you-can-eat dining at the central dining halls, Gordon Avenue Market and Four Lakes Market. Concerns included student affordability within dining plans, elimination of trays and smaller portions.

Shared Governance is one of several overarching committees open to all students, others being Sustainability, Campus Relations, Legislative Affairs and Equity and Inclusion. Shared Governance is the broadest, as it is made up of all the different individual committees, ranging from the Campus Transportation Committee to Recreation and Wellbeing.

“Every issue on campus touches a lot of different areas,” Shared Governance Campaign Director Emma Cline said. “There is no one issue that is going to be individual; it will touch all different parts of student life and that’s the beauty of the shared [governance] bodies — they’re all interconnected and cross over each other.”

As chair and campaign director, respectively, Bailey and Cline facilitate the Shared Governance meetings. Their role is to connect students and committees to the right decision-makers and bodies that can help with their efforts, and act as liaisons between committees.

“A lot of the newer members of committees don’t know of the resources available to them and it’s important that they’re made aware,” Bailey said. “Only students can provide that unique perspective and we want to make sure that they’re empowered to do that.”

Although the majority of attendees were part of committees, the meetings are open to all students.

“If [students] don’t like something that’s going on on campus, our meetings are open, they can come and voice that concern and we will get everybody in that room working hard to address it,” Bailey said.

Shared Governance meets every Tuesday at 5:15 p.m. in the Caucus Room of the Student Activity Center at 333 East Campus Mall.

COURTESY OF KATIE SCHEIDT

ASM is always willing to hear troubles.

sports UW set to face Notre Dame, Coan 4 Thursday, September 23, 2021

By Cole Wozniack THE DAILY CARDINAL

Fresh off a week of rest, the 18th-ranked Wisconsin Badgers (1-1) will take the field Saturday morning against the 12th-ranked Notre Dame Fighting Irish (3-0). Although this is officially a home game for Wisconsin, it will take place at Soldier Field, which happens to be 58 miles closer to South Bend than it is to Madison. Thus, both fan bases are likely to be well represented — and well hydrated — for the 11 a.m. kickoff.

Leading the Fighting Irish is a familiar face in quarterback Jack Coan, who has enjoyed an excellent start to his days in navy and gold.

The senior quarterback has completed 63.3% of his passes for 828 yards and eight touchdowns thus far in 2021.

He’s averaged a respectable 8.4 yards per attempt while throwing only two interceptions. Three games is a small sample size, but Coan’s numbers are strikingly similar to his 2019 campaign with Wisconsin when he completed 69.6% of his throws and averaged 8.0 yards per attempt with an 18:5 touchdown-to-interception ratio.

Coan discussed his decision to transfer to Notre Dame in an April press conference, alluding to the starting role being available on the Fighting Irish. “It was really tough for me, but I just felt like it was time for me to move on and go to a place where I thought there would be a good opportunity for me,” said the New York native.

Of course, Coan was competing with Graham Mertz for the starting job last year before suffering a foot inju-

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ry in early October, and remained in a backup role once healthy. Coan also applauded the less run-heavy approach employed by Notre Dame coach Brian Kelly.

“Here, it’s a little less huddling, a little faster paced,” Kelly said. “And yeah, probably a little more balanced as far as passing and running the ball.”

Coan’s 2019 unit was a run-heavy one, partially due to Wisconsin’s offensive philosophy, and partially due to the jaw-dropping excellence of running back Jonathan Taylor. Notre Dame’s offense is certainly more balanced in that regard, having attempted 81 runs and 98 passes to this point. Tailback Kyren Williams has led the way with 211 yards and a pair of touchdowns while averaging 4.6 yards per carry.

Still, Coan’s passing

“Here, it’s a little less huddling, a little faster paced. And yeah, probably a little more balanced as far as passing and running the ball.”

offense will undoubtedly be the main attraction this Saturday, especially against a Wisconsin defense that’s held opponents to 1.8 yards per carry and 66 total rushing yards. Coan’s wealth of receiving options includes tight end Michael Mayer (17 receptions, 206 yards), wideouts Kevin Austin Jr. (eight receptions, 154 yards) and Avery Davis (eight receptions, 149 yards), and the

aforementioned Williams, who’s been a weapon out of the backfield with 155 yards on 11 grabs. The lack of an elite, high-volume pass catcher in Wisconsin’s 2019 offense forced Coan to spread the ball around to several targets, and he appears to have brought that same mentality to South Bend.

Defensively, Notre Dame has been unremarkable through three games, although a large chunk of the yardage they’ve allowed came in their season-opening, 41-38 overtime victory against Florida State. In total, the Fighting Irish have yielded 437 yards on the ground (4.2 per attempt) and 698 through the air. They’ve allowed nearly 27 points per game, and unranked Toledo managed 29 points in their Sept. 11 showdown.

Wisconsin coach Paul Chryst figures to frequent the running game, specifically with junior Chez Mellusi, who totaled 265 yards on 51 attempts, and should be well-rested after the twoweek hiatus. Running backs Isaac Guerendo and Jalen Berger will get their share of carries as well, but if the first two games are any indication, the starting job is Mellusi’s to lose.

No player will be under more pressure in this earlyseason matchup than Mertz, whose every throw — good and bad — will prompt comparisons to Coan on the opposite sideline. Chryst committed to Mertz as Wisconsin’s quarterback before the abbreviated 2020 season, but the early returns have been uninspiring, if not concerning. Apart from his 20-for-21, five-touch-

down debut against Illinois last October, the now-sophomore has failed to lead a consistent passing attack andhas thrown for nine scores with seven interceptions. In a blowout victory over Michigan in September of 2019, the Badger student section pleaded for

more skepticism than hope, and his 2020 performance against Illinois, impressive as it was, is a distant memory with fans now back in the stands and a full schedule on tap for the Badgers.

Whether it goes well or terribly for him, Saturday morning

SIMON FARBER/THE DAILY CARDINAL

Jack Coan (left) and Graham Mertz (right) walk onto the field for the 2020 Rose Bowl Game. Coan and Mertz will be coming out of different tunnels on Saturday in Chicago.

Mertz, then a true freshman, to get some snaps. A four-star recruit, Mertz had come to Madison with massive expectations and widespread anticipation. Two years later, he’s viewed with

at Soldier Field will arguably be the most important game of Mertz’s young college career as he stares across at his former mentor on Saturday in Chicago’s Soldier Field.

Iribarren, Akindele lead the way past UW-Milwaukee

By J.J Post THE DAILY CARDINAL

The Wisconsin men’s soccer team notched their third win of the season last night, taking down Milwaukee at home by a score of 2-0.

Iñaki Iribarren led the way for the Badgers at McClimon, scoring both goals off setups from Andrew Akindele in the 3rd and 55th minutes, respectively. The Spanish midfielder’s first score came off a corner kick set play, as Akindele whipped in the ball and Iribarren, standing tall at 6’2”, powered home a header to give Wisconsin an early lead. Iribarren then put away the game for good with his second-half goal, as Zach Klancnik lobbed a ball across the face of the goal after a cross from Akindele, and Iribarren poked it home to give the Badgers two goals in one game for the first time through their first 11 games of the season.

The win sets up Wisconsin nicely for the bulk of their

in-conference schedule that they’ll face in the coming weeks, starting with a showdown against Rutgers in Piscataway, New Jersey, this Friday. Rutgers has gotten off to a torrid hot start this season, as they opened their own Big Ten schedule unbeaten before taking down nationally-ranked (and presumed B1G favorite) Indiana on the road in Bloomington.

Now holding an impressive 7-0-1 record and fresh off yet another victory over Penn, Rutgers should have plenty of momentum heading into their clash with the Badgers, especially as they look to defend their highest national ranking in years.

Friday’s game — and the following match against Maryland — should reveal a lot about this Badger team.

Managing just two conference wins last year and going winless in their first six games this season hadn’t inspired much confidence for Bucky, but their recent form has

been much better motivating. Over the past two weeks, Wisconsin has gotten wins against Butler and an underrated Marquette team before tying a quality in-conference foe in Michigan State this past Friday, to indicate the Badgers were much better than their initial record showed.

Forward Nico Rosamilia has led the way in just his freshman year for the Scarlet Knights, leading the team in goals, with three, and adding an assist. Fullback Thomas DeVizio and forward Ola Maeland have also provided vital production on the banks, with each chipping in a goal and a team-high four assists.

Catch the Badgers taking on Rutgers at 6 p.m. on the Big Ten Network+, as Wisconsin looks to move to 4-2-3, while the Scarlet Knights hope to advance to 8-0-1.

If you’re interested in writing for the Daily Cardinal Sports desk, email us at sports@dailycardinal.com

UW ATHLETICS/WISCONSIN ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS

Iñaki Iribarren fist pumps after scoring a goal against UW-Milwaukee on Tuesday night at the McClimon Memorial

science I just think they’re neat: Rusty-patched bumblebees dailycardinal.com

By JULIA WIESSING STAFF WRITER

Look! There! No, there! It’s right under your nose!

Ok... not really, but they may as well be. Named for the brownish-red stripe on their back, the rusty patched bumblebee is a fuzzy, charismatic and woefully endangered little bumblebee that can be found right in your backyard.

In days past, the rusty patched bumblebee’s range extended far to the northeast, into northern Maine and parts of Canada. However, due to a mixture of climate change and urban development, it mostly resides in the Midwest.

In Wisconsin, the rusty patched bumblebee has made its home in Dane County, which has documented more sightings of these bumbling buddies than anywhere else in the state. You can even find them right here in Madison at the University of WisconsinMadison Arboretum, where they spend their days foraging in Curtis Prairie.

Maybe you’re not quite sold on this bee. After all, there are over 250 species of bumblebees in the world, twenty of which we can find all throughout Wisconsin. Why take the time and effort to ensure the survival of this one rare species?

However, protecting the rusty patched bumblebee

Thursday, September 23, 2021

means a lot more than just saving one insect.

In order to help our bumbling neighbors, we have to preserve where they live and work. By protecting the grasslands and prairies that these bees reside in, we are conserving countless species of native flowers, grasses and trees. And, when we save these habitats, we also help their bumblebee friends, the other twenty species that call Wisconsin home. This includes the frigid bumblebee, the brown-belted bumblebee, and the tricolored bumblebee.

Protecting the rusty patched bumblebee doesn’t just help plants and insects, however. Other species of concern, such as the pickerel frog, the prairie deer mouse and three species of bats thrive in these grassland habitats.

By providing a home for the rusty-patched bumblebee, we would also be protecting these threatened species.

Most of us can’t convert our backyards into native prairies; most of us living in Madison don’t even have backyards. But there are still ways for us to preserve our endangered neighbours.

One of the simplest ways to do so is reporting when you see a rusty patched bumblebee! Reporting these bumblebees to Bumblebee Watch, using their website or their

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JEFF MILLER / UW MADISON

The rusty-patched bumblebee is new to Wisconsin, and seems to be enjoying Dane County.

IOS app, helps researchers and conservationists know where they should be directing resources.

Another simple way to help out our endangered friends is planting native flowers and grasses! Even if you don’t have a lot of space, a small pot or planter of native flowers on your balcony, porch

or windowsill gives the rusty patched bumblebee a spot to forage and rest if they are flying through the city.

The rusty patched bumblebees are our cute new neighbors, and helping them means helping our native environment and the species that call Wisconsin home. We can all do a little bit to make a big

difference in the lives of the rusty patched bumblebee, from pointing them out when we see them to planting the native flowers that they rely on. And at the end of the day, I just think they’re neat.

Have something you think is neat? Email us at: science@dailycardinal.com

STEM Major Spotlight: Environmental Sciences field immediately. There’s also many opportunities available for internships.

Zdroik is interested in air quality/pollution, renewable energy and conservation/sustainability.

He believes that the major is a great option for students interested in working to create a more sustainable future.

“I think the biggest thing for me is getting into a career that promotes sustainability in any way because of the huge and important role it plays in any aspect of environmental science and day to day life,” Zdroik said.

Those interested in majoring in Environmental Sciences can look at the undergraduate guide for more details about the requirements and outcomes:

By EMILY ROHLOFF SCIENCE EDITOR

Are you interested in sustainability, environmental science, research, conservation and more? Try looking into the Environmental Science major offered here at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Andrew Zdroik, a third year student in the College of Letters & Science Environmental Sciences program describes the program as being distinctive from other STEM majors in that students have “an opportunity to study all the major sciences — chemistry, biology, physics — while also learning about things like ecology, geology and environmental policy.”

The major exists both in the College of L&S, within the Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences, and in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, within the Department of Soil Science.

The program retains the same core values no matter which college you pick, both promoting critical thinking and emphasizing environmental problem solving in service to society. However, the college you pick can affect the general education credits required as the L&S school offers the option of either a Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science

BRYCE RICHTER / UW MADISON

Science Hall, once home to a morgue, now houses many Environmental Sciences classes. degree, yet CALS only offers a Bachelor of Science degree for the program.

No matter the college students pick, the major is very hands-on and has a wide reach. “The most interesting part of the major is learning about how the environment around us operates and how

every living organism on earth has an impact,” Zdroik said.

In addition to the core science classes, including chemistry, physics, calculus, etc., Zdroik explained that there’s room for exploration of fields such as weather, earth science and air pollution.

Students with a degree in

Environmental Sciences have a plethora of career paths available to them — including becoming an environmental scientist, researcher, zoologist, conservationist and many other options. Graduate school is not required for most employment, so recent graduates are able to go out in the

h t t p s : //g u i d e.w i s c .e d u / undergraduate/letters-science/atmospheric-oceanic-sciences/environmental-sciences-bs/

want to write for the science desk? visit www.dailycardinal.com/ page/join-the-flock

arts Japanese Breakfast, understudy Luna Li rock Majestic with pure joy l

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Thursday, September 23, 2021

By Seamus Roher ARTS EDITOR

Fresh off her breakthrough album “Jubilee,” there was little question Michelle Zauner and her entourage that makes up Japanese Breakfast would bring the energy on a Saturday night in Madison.

The Majestic wasn’t just energized, however. The audience soaked up every note of the performance, hanging on every syllable that came from Zauner’s microphone. It was a lot of emotions wrapped up into one night, from the excitement of Japanese Breakfast to tour fresh off an album to the excitement of the crowd to be back at a live performance.

Luna Li got the evening started, and she couldn’t have been a better precursor to the main act. Li’s music, at least live, sounds like a more experimental Japanese Breakfast. A Toronto native, she mixes the bright pop sound Japanese Breakfast fans became familiar with on “Jubilee” with a more instrumental-focused approach.

Li knows how to captivate a crowd, even one in which she likely had few die-hard fans. She sang, played violin and electric guitar, the latter of which had a beautiful butterfly design on the body. Li looked elated for her whole set, but she radiated intense joy when she played her soaring lead guitar melodies at the climax of songs.

Late in her set, addressing the crowd, Li talked about her relationship with Zauner and told a story about seeing Japanese Breakfast live several years ago.

Li and Zauner are both partially Korean, and Li described how

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it was “the first time (she) felt represented on stage.” That elicited a chorus of cheers from the audience and was a powerful

part followed the tracklist order of the album. It was a true test of fandom for the crowd, but there were plenty of audience mem-

SEAMUS ROHER/THE DAILY CARDINAL

Japanese breakfast brought the energy with a variety of sounds. moment even before the main act came on.

When Japanese Breakfast finally did take the stage, they were welcomed with open arms from the Majestic crowd.

During nearly every break between songs, someone in the audience shrieked some ardent praise, usually directed at Michelle. Zauner is clearly someone who loves engaging with her audience. She got lost telling a Madison restaurant Yelp story, then realizing she had digressed, and said “This song is about a completely unrelated matter” and instantly got back to her setlist.

Japanese Breakfast played all of “Jubilee,” and for the most

bers in the front that knew every word. Zauner and her band fed off that energy and used it to elevate their performance. The show was a textbook example of the complementary energy dynamic between a performer and the crowd.

Towards the end of the show, Japanese Breakfast threw in some of their most popular material, not off of “Jubilee.”

The crowd rejoiced at the opening strums of the dreamy, atmospheric “Road Head” from 2016’s “Soft Sounds From Another Planet.” Not long after that was “Everybody Wants to Love You,” an essential Japanese Breakfast track that displays their knack for catchy

melodies that tug at your heartstrings. The performance of that song was particularly interesting as well. On the recording, the first line of the chorus is so far in the background you can barely hear it. It blends into the mix like an instrumental track.

Performed live, it was the drummer imprecisely shouting the lyrics from the back of the stage to create the same effect. It was a smart decision that recreated the recorded sound but also strengthened the performance by adding a new voice.

Another element that strengthened the performance was the variety of instruments used and the sounds produced.

Luna Li set the bar high by shredding on the violin before Japanese Breakfast even graced the stage, and when they did they kept the diversity going.

Zauner kept a saxophonist and a violin player on stage her whole set. While “Jubilee” does call on those instruments on a few songs, they had contributing roles on every track, creating a denser, brighter sound.

Japanese Breakfast concluded their set — before the obligatory two-song encore — with “Posing For Cars,” a seven-odd minute ballad, and the last track on the album. As the song builds and builds, so did the energy of the performers, which was likewise reflected by the crowd. The show gave the sense that it could keep going all night long. The band could keep playing, and the audience would gladly stay and watch. For fans of Japanese Breakfast, Luna Li and the joy of live music in general, Saturday night at the Majestic was a treat.

Final grade: A+

SEAMUS ROHRER/THE DAILY CARDINAL

SEAMUS ROHRER/THE DAILY CARDINAL

Luna Li and her butterfly guitar.

Waxahatchee brings peaceful ambience to the Sylvee

By Emily Knepple SENIOR STAFF WRITER

There is a lot of anxiety amid the return to live shows.

How does one socially distance in a pit of hundreds of people? Do you need to sing along if no one can tell?

And is it really the safest, most comforting feeling knowing you are sweating alongside total strangers at the end...errrr...in the middle of a plaguing pandemic?

Before my return to the Sylvee this Friday, I wondered how the night would play out. I love the Madison music scene, and I missed it dearly. I woke up on Friday with pre-show jitters just because I had longed for the feeling of being back on the east side of Madison.

Indie singer-songwriter Katie Crutchfield, known to listeners as Waxahatchee, headlined a show this past weekend, touring her fifth studio album “Saint Cloud” that dropped in March 2020. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Waxahatchee was forced to put an anticipated tour on hold; rescheduled dates began Sept. 2.

“Saint Cloud” tells a story about Crutchfield nearly reaching rock-bottom, only to lift herself up through her journey with sobriety. The music itself is a hybrid of brooding indie and hopeful Americana, the latter tapping into her Alabama roots. Nothing about the music itself is complicated, the lyrics are paired with often simple guitar melodies. “Saint Cloud” is an intriguing album because even as it captures dark topics, the lights continue to shine through all the tracks.

I was first introduced to Waxahatchee by my dad.

He used to tell me about an artist he saw a few times

at small, intimate venues in New York City — always raving about her voice. Fast forward almost a year and a half later, I scored a ticket to her show and got to tell him that it was finally happening at one of my favorite venues.

The Sylvee is great because it welcomes people with all different types of expectations. I went to the show alone and knew that I was not looking to be right up front, pushed up against the barricade. However, some people were in fact right at the front of the barricade, while others were scattered throughout, with several staying a level-up, by the bar. I always appreciate the venue because I know that I can have the same, solid time anywhere inside.

Right away, I was reintroduced to the pleasant surprise of finding a new artist to fawn over.

Opener Kate Kirby quickly established a calm, soothing energy that would continue throughout both her and Waxahatchee’s set. A Nashville native, Kirby got the audience excited to hear live music again. With songs like “Cold Dry Place,” “Portals” and an Alex G cover to close, her set proved to produce new fans — myself included.

With roses wrapped on microphone stands and a sweet, cloud-filled blue sky backdrop, Waxahatchee took the stage with “Oxbow,” an honest song that sets the tone of an album all about transparency. Between bouts of songs, Waxahatchee took the time to thank the audience for their support. She also voiced her love for the state of Wisconsin and reminisced on how well Madison has treated her. She sounded like

a native, announcing that “this set is dedicated to Giannis Antetokounmpo.”

Crutchfield’s stage presence is similar to that of her music. She radiated like an angel in her white dress, matching a sober story told throughout all 11 tracks.

During her set, I could not help but think about my dad. How he would make such a point to tell me about her voice. I always figured she was a decent performer with a solid voice. On songs like “Lilacs” and “Fire,” her voice was isolated, soaring through the room as heads bopped and hands clapped. I finally understood what he was talking about. Crutchfield’s voice is as chilling as it is raw and pairs nicely with goosebumps.

Throughout the show, I maneuvered around. I watched a few songs from the pit and then others from the outskirts. Waxahatchee’s performance aligned well with my night of introspection. Standing alone in the Sylvee, any nerves I had about what would play out disappeared. The audience managed to respect each other’s personal space, and the crowd echoed the calmness carried out by the set.

My first show back at the Sylvee only got me more excited for the upcoming concert season. Seeing “Saint Cloud” live, as well as pleasing my dad, was an all-around success. If you get the chance to see Waxahatchee or Kirby live, do yourself a favor and go!

Final Grade: A Interested in writitng for the arts section? Email seamus.rohrer@dailycardinal.com or rpearla@ dailycardinal.com

opinion Our silent world needs transcendentalism dailycardinal.com

By ABDULLAH MAREI STAFF WRITER

What would a silent world sound like? Perhaps a world void of any form of communication, shackled by empty words, numb from stillness, dismantled from literature. Or perchance a world whose ears are simply deaf to the voices of those in need.

Both universes reflect our current reality as we become deaf to the world’s devastating global issues.

This past July, the world experienced the hottest month in history. In multiple parts of the world, such as in Turkey, rampant wildfires devastated the country for days on end, taking the lives of civilians and brave firefighters.

The uncontrollable blazes have already taken eight lives, displaced thousands of residents and torn through acres of vegetation.

Across the Mediterranean, the intense heatwave has escalated into colossal mayhem — emerging rampant wildfires are tearing through Greece, Italy and parts of North Africa.

All of this devastation is fueled by climate change, which further devastates the environment by releasing immense tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) into the air.

In the United States, fires have pervaded the West Coast, setting Davis, California, aflame. The pollution caused by fires nationwide has degraded the air quality in several cities in the United States, even in Madison, Wisconsin.

The Wisconsin Department of

Thursday, September 23, 2021

Natural Resources issued advisories to the public, explaining that fine particle pollution could restrict people from participating in long-term activities outdoors.

Coupled with the suffocating pollution, Wisconsin has also seen an increase of around 2.0 degrees Fahrenheit due to global warming and national wildfires.

For these reasons, the world direly needs to open its ears to the potency of language and the revolutionary prowess of activism through the simple act of speaking up. Borrowing from 19th-century literature, modernday society can benefit tremendously from the philosophy of transcendentalism — a belief that underscores the divinity of nature and its connection to humans, serving as a potential eyeopener for the public.

Transcendentalism could also serve as a potential solution to a myriad of contemporary problems. This ideology shows the importance of nature, individualism and nonconformity.

Transcendentalist figures such as Ralph Waldo Emerson, Henry David Thoreau and Walt Whitman go on to elucidate this idea of universal connectivity by insinuating that we are not only connected to each other, but to nature as well.

For example, in the sixth section “Song of Myself,” Whitman describes grass as a child, saying “Or I guess the grass is itself a child, the produced babe of the vegetation.” As such, Whitman

formulates nature as a holy entity that sees no discrimination and no inequality. In essence, nature is embodied as something humane and communicative to allow the reader to be linked to it — even more than that, to transcend past the physical constraints of the body and be bound to nature.

Chiefly, it is this patronizing language towards nature that

have pushed newer generations to realize the importance of language.

To illustrate, there has been a 12% increase in poetry being consumed by millennials as of 2019.

Correspondingly, the sight of people reaching out to poetry, books and language at a time of critical change demonstrates the urgency of such writers, like Whitman and other transcendentalists.

IRENA CLARKOWSKI/UW MADISON ARCHIVES

seems to be foreign to modern rhetoric; a rhetoric that has allowed tactlessness to kill off all forms of environmental vivacity with the rapid increase of hurricanes, such as hurricane Harvey and the overflow of the Mississippi River.

Accordingly, natural disasters have instigated people against climate change in a movement now titled “Global Climate Strike.”

Concurrently, such circumstances

Ultimately, all transcendental literature reinforces the idea of protecting nature for the sake of continuity. In light of this, nature is regarded as a sacramental figure that must be protected, and with more people reaching out to language and poetry, they are again able to hear the euphonious hum of nature calling to them for help.

It seems as though the divinity of individualism resembles that of nature, and thus, should be

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treated with equal weight. By the same token, individualism, much like the value of nature, has subsided to uncomfortable lows.

In the current age of technology and marketing, people are bombarded with advertisements on a daily basis. To emphasize this, media advertising spending was estimated at 240.7 billion U.S. dollars in 2019, up from 223.7 billion.

On a larger scale, this means that there is a steady rise in advertising, or better yet, manipulation, to force people towards materialism and consumerism.

Simultaneously, individualistic innovations appear to be in decline. While we are in an age of technology where everyone can voice their opinions, how many of those opinions can be considered those of an individual, rather than of simply the masses?

Transcendentalist writing demonstrates the true force of language. This, in turn, inspires people to not be passively shaped by the world, but to actively shape it. It instills a level of responsibi lity within readers: it’s time to break the silence.

Abdullah Marei is a junior studying psychology. Do you agree that transcendentalism is the key to raising climate change activism? Send all comments to opinion@dailycardinal.com.

Passport Power: How a Passport Perpetuates Rascism

By ANUPRAS MOHAPATRA SENIOR STAFF WRITER

In recent weeks, our news feeds have been inundated with reports about the situation in Afghanistan.

Thousands of Afghans, many of whom helped western forces during their offensive against the Taliban, fled the country they called home after the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan.

Military bases in the U.S. — such as Fort McCoy here in Wisconsin — have taken in thousands of refugees.

In a heartwarming display of care, Wisconsinites have pitched in with fabric supplies for the refugees, to let them weave their clothes and feel comfortable adjusting to their new lives.

However, the response to the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan hasn’t been all positive. There have been multiple tweets from conservative Twitter accounts suggesting that the refugees — who left everything behind merely to survive — are dangerous. Some implied they are a threat to the “Judeo-Christian way of life.”

The kind of rhetoric portrays all refugees as savvy villains, excited to wreak havoc in the country, despite that simply not being the case.

This is a harmful, but unfortunately, persistent practice in recent history.

Rhetoric in the form of tweets alone could still be chalked off as noise. After all, even the noblest and most humanitarian of operations will have its detractors. But when there are tangible consequences of this kind of rhetoric, it becomes hard to ignore and not question.

One such tangible consequence is the disparity in passport power.

Passport power denotes the number of countries a passport holder can

travel to, with little to no difficulty. An American passport stands tall as one of the most powerful in the world, allowing visa-free/visa on arrival travel to 187 countries. This means U.S. passport holders can travel to these countries and face little to no scrutiny at the border. However, not every passport is built the same.

Looking at the opposite end of the scale, an Afghan passport is the weakest in the world, allowing visa-free/visa on arrival travel to a paltry 26 countries. Other countries with similarly weak passports include Iraq, Syria and Yemen. A combination of geopolitics and rhetoric-inspired caution most likely dictates this disparity in passport power. But this raises a question: Is this disparity fair?

In 2017, Gambian and Afghan students were denied visas to attend a global robotics contest. No reason was given. The notorious “Muslim ban,” introduced in 2017 and overturned this year, is yet another example. Is it fair that the average American is welcomed around the world, while even an accomplished Afghan is refused entry? Should countries paint all citizens of another country with a broad brush and refuse them entry simply because of the passport they hold?

In my opinion, this isn’t fair by any means. The disparity in passport power seems to present some populations as more desirable and welcome than others. It is inherently racist and xenophobic.

Does this mean people should be allowed into any country willy-nilly?

In an ideal world, I wouldn’t mind it, but in reality, security concerns are not unreasonable. Although, choos-

ing to scrutinize the entry of some nationals while warmly welcoming other nationals is like punishing

someone for a crime they did not commit. Refugees pouring in from countries with weak passports don’t deserve dehumanizing scrutiny when threats already linger within the borders of the scrutineers. Bright minds from such countries do not deserve to be deprived of opportunities that they have earned, simply because they committed the “crime” of being born in a country seen as a threat.

A person who is a legitimate security threat does not warrant entry into any country, but the process to

determine such threats should be uniform and non-discriminatory.

Contrary to the rhetoric, terrorism

The world today simply cannot have second and third class citizens.

We must do better.

PHOTO COURTESY OF CREATIVE COMMONS

isn’t partial to any single country, therefore denying entry to those from “undesirable” nations isn’t as productive as it may seem.

The countries now extending Afghan refugees a warm welcome are doing the right thing. The foundation of humanity is built upon helping those who need it most. However, such humanitarian efforts see cruel backlash, which raises valuable points about the disparity between circumstances of different people in the world.

Anupras is a junior studying Computer Science and Journalism. Do you think passport power disparity is inherently racist and xenophobic? Are there second and third class world citizens? Send all comments to opinion@ dailycardinal.com

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Thursday, September 23, 2021

Lila

By Nicholas Rawling ALMANAC EDITOR

Last weekend my little sister and I saw a dead cat on the side of the road. We were driving home from campus on our way to our parents’ house to visit, do laundry and eat a home-cooked meal when we saw it. It was blotched black and white, laying down as if it was only sleeping. But it was just a foot off the road, unmoving, on top of a piece of cardboard.

We saw it almost at the same time, and when we did we both gasped and then looked at each other, both knowing exactly what the other was thinking without having to say a word. We’ve both always had an affinity for animals of all shapes and sizes, so seeing this dead cat obviously upset us.

But what upset us much more was that seeing this dead cat reminded us that our own cat, Lila, who’s on her ninth life and is going to die soon.

When we arrived home she was there to greet us, along with our mom, dad, little sister and our two dogs. She is a senior lady; she’s lived with us for 15 years now. We’re not 100% sure exactly how old she is though, because we didn’t get her the way one would normally get a cat.

In fact, it’s probably more accurate to say that she ‘got’ us. Back when my family lived in Appleton and I was only six and my little sisters only four and one, Lila was

a vagabond in our upper-crust neighborhood, finding shelter where she could and terrorizing families of rabbits so she could eat.

Eventually she took a particular liking to our home and became a frequent visitor because my mom left 2% milk out on our porch in a dog bowl so she could have something to drink.

One day, when my dad and my little sisters went on a walk around the block, she spotted us, and because she recognized our faces or our scent or maybe was just lonely, she followed us 1/2 a mile back to our home. My sisters and I begged and begged to keep her. She didn’t have a collar after all, so she didn’t belong to anyone else, we said. My dad didn’t want to keep the cat and didn’t budge.

But that didn’t stop us from begging to keep the cat, and it didn’t stop her from visiting regularly to drink a bowl of milk.

Shortly after the day she followed us home, Lila did something spectacular that made her a part of our family. Somehow she had been pregnant with a litter of kittens that whole time without us noticing it. There were five in all, three little short-haired black kittens and two slightly larger orange kittens, one with short hair and one with long, fluffy hair. And after she delivered them, probably under a tree somewhere, she carried each of them by the scruffs of their necks to our garage, one-byone, and began to nurse them.

My little sisters and I reacted the only way little kids can be

dailycardinal.com expected to when an entire litter of baby kittens is brought to their house. We wanted to play with the kittens and name them and keep them. This was the best day ever.

There was no way we were going to keep all five kittens though, so my mom helped Lila take care of them, and she fed them and treated them for worms until they were old enough to go live with their own families. But after this episode, there was absolutely no way my mom wasn’t going to keep Lila. The homeless cat had proven herself to be a caring mother, which, in the eyes of my mom, is the most virtuous thing one can possibly be. She had made up her mind that we were going to keep Lila; Lila had trusted us with her kittens, her babies, and how could we possibly betray that trust? There was nothing my dad could do but give in.

So since that day Lila has been a part of our family. We got her spayed so that she couldn’t have any more kittens, we kept her safe from the elements and we started feeding her fancy wet cat food for every meal because that’s her favorite. For the rest of the time we lived in Appleton, and since we moved to Madison, Lila would spend her days terrorizing families of rabbits and birds, and her nights cuddling with us and purring and swatting us when we didn’t give her ample attention.

Since I left for college though, Lila has gone outside less and less.

She walks crooked now because she has a bad back, she doesn’t

PHOTO COURTESY OF NICOLE RAWLING

spend very much time awake and she very often looks confused.

We can’t put her down though, according to my mom, as long as she is still enjoying life, even a little bit. We must carry her around when she wants to come downstairs or go back upstairs, we must bring her her fancy wet cat food because she won’t eat anything else, we must go outside with her every once in a while because she still likes the grass and the breeze and we must bathe her because she can’t clean herself anymore.

Because she still likes to cuddle with all of us, and because she was still there to greet my sister and I when we got home, traumatized from seeing the dead cat on the

side of the road. ******* Today, 358 days after I wrote this essay, my sisters and my parents and I made the upsetting but ultimately correct decision to have a vet come out to our home and help Lila to end her life peacefully. She was not enjoying life anymore, and it was clear that the only thing keeping her alive was stubbornness; the stubbornness so strong it took the vet 3 doses of pentobarbital to overcome. I will think of Lila for the rest of my life, but today I wonder about the cat on the side of the road, asking the same question my sister wondered aloud the moment we saw it: “I wonder where its family is.”

tion ban will leave a significant mark on the state’s history. The state curriculum tends to remove any topics involving Texas doing anything remotely wrong,

but pro-choice advocates can rest assured knowing that the state will likely cut education out of the budget entirely anytime now anyway.

Texas’ economic growth attributed to sharp increase in hanger sales

By Mackenzie Moore ALMANAC CONTRIBUTOR

The Texas state legislature caused an uproar on Sept. 1 after passing a bill that bans abortions after about six weeks of pregnancy, often before pregnancy is noticed. This caused pushback from major companies such as GoDaddy, Lyft, Bumble, Match and Uber.

However, the economic ramifications of this have been made irrelevant by the skyrocketing hanger sales since the bill’s passing.

While wood is generally considered to be the best material for hangers due to its sturdiness, almost all of the new orders have

been for wire hangers — good news for a state that consistently ranks top five in U.S. steel production. With hanger sales greatly surpassing those of clothing, many citizens are calling the apparently unprompted increase a “gift from God.” However, there’s yet another strange twist to this development; out of the entire state, the address that has received the most wire hangers has been the Texas State Capitol building.

“We’re not quite sure why there’s so much demand for wire hangers at the Capitol building,” said a representative for the Texasbased Tyler Steel Company. “I bet it’s just a classic case of our elected

leaders looking out for their constituents — the little guy.”

The Texas Medical Association opposes the new law, but state doctors have had difficulty finding time to fight it due to a 500% increase in women falling down staircases.

“It’s really a strange thing,” said Dr. Richard Frey. “Typically, this sort of accident occurs with elderly people. For some reason, in the last couple of weeks, most of the patients have been women and girls from the ages of 12 to 50. And we’re not talking about stumbles down the front stoop; it’s more like one, even two flights of stairs,” Dr. Frey clarified.

For better or worse, the abor-

PHOTO COURTESY OF FLICKR

Norm MacDonald welcomed to Heaven, immediately sent to Hell

By Mackenzie Moore ALMANAC CONTRIBUTOR

The comedy world was saddened on Sept. 14 to learn of the passing of stand-up and Saturday Night Live great Norm MacDonald following his battle with cancer. However, family, friends and fans can rest assured that MacDonald has already settled into the afterlife.

Following a welcome orientation, Heaven’s new inhabitants were reportedly invited to ask God any question they wanted. Despite

being an all-knowing being, the Lord failed to remember that it’s never a good idea to give MacDonald free reign.

“Alright, tell me this — the Immaculate Conception,” began MacDonald. “The Bible says that an angel visited Mary and told her that she would carry and give birth to Jesus Christ, ya know, a gift from God. Given that God and Jesus are the same being, this leaves us with two options. Number one — the story was made up and the Holy Mother lied to Joseph and cheated

on him with some other dirty carpenter. Alternatively, number two, Mary got impregnated by her own son. So here’s the question — was Mary into incest, or just a garden variety lying whore?”

God, being caught off guard for the first time since around 30 A.D., stammered for a moment before telling Norm to “go to Hell.”

Despite being known for choosing to actively disobey commands, the comedian agreed, stating that “Carlin and Pryor are probably down there making s’mores with

PHOTO COURTESY OF CREATIVE COMMONS

Satan anyway.”

As of the last update, it is believed that MacDonald has not yet

caused much trouble in his new home, causing the notoriously fiery landscape to freeze over.

We’re always looking for more funny and insightful writers with fresh takes on topics ranging from the UW campus to international news. We accept and encourage creative submissions as well! Any and all submissions are more than welcome. You can send your submissions and any comments or questions to almanac@dailycardinal.com. All articles featured in Almanac are creative, satirical and/or entirely fictional pieces. They are fully intended as such and should not be taken seriously as news.