Thursday, October 8, 2009 - The Daily Cardinal

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Opinion columnists get heated debating the site selection for the 2016 Olympics OPINION

University of Wisconsin-Madison

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SPANIARD LOOKS TO MAKE MOST OF FINAL YEAR Senior Pablo Delgado seeks successes both in the classroom and on the pitch

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Thursday, October 8, 2009

Mental health staff shortages raise concerns Counseling Services’ recommendation of one full-time counselor per 1,000 to 1,500 students. According to an August 2008 UW System report on mental health counseling presented to the Board of Regents, the system’s average ratio was one counselor per By Ryan Hebel 2,140 students. UW-Milwaukee’s THE DAILY CARDINAL ratio was twice that, with one counMental health care received selor for every 4,289 students. small funding boosts throughout “There are any number of the UW System in 2009, though [UW-Milwaukee students] who every university still fell short of ... have enormous stresses in their recommended lives, somestaffing ratios. times balancing In 2006, the a job, a family average ratio and university OUR AILING nationwide was life,” state Rep. HEALTH CARE one counselor Jon Richards, SYSTEM per 1,698 stuD-Milwaukee, A collaborative reporting project of dents, according said. “It’s trouAll Together Now, Madison, WI • ATNMadison.org to the National bling to see Survey of Counseling Center such a huge gap with mental Directors. The same survey found health care at UWM.” 83 percent of counseling direcSince the report, UWtors had grown concerned about Milwaukee Counseling Director the effects of substandard mental Paul Dupont said his staff added health care, especially regarding stu- the equivalent of almost two dent suicides and campus violence. full-time counselors, though UW-Madison’s University their ratio is still more than Health Services executive direc- twice the IACS standard. tor, Sarah Van Orman, said these UW-Parkside, UW-Platteville, incidents, though serious, are not UW-Whitewater and UW-Eau the most frequent threats of poor Claire also fell below the system mental health care. average and have added about “There are hundreds and hun- five counselors since. The regents’ dreds [of students] nationally who report recommended hiring 30 don’t create an act of violence, but counselors to meet the IACS ... they drop out of school and they standard, a $3 million investment lose their education,” she said. UW System spokesperson David UW-Madison’s roughly 28 Giroux said was “worthwhile” but counselors offered the system’s currently infeasible. best ratio, barely beating the counselors page 3 International Association of

Poor counselor ratios in UW System highlight third part of mental health series

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David Maynard, a representative from Freakfest producer Frank Productions, spoke at a meeting Wednesday about plans for this year’s event.

Madison officials praise Freakfest improvements By Beth Pickhard THE DAILY CARDINAL

Freakfest, Madison’s annual Halloween celebration, has undergone some dramatic changes in recent years, and according to several city officials, those changes have been for the better. Madison officials and several State Street merchants discussed details of the event during a meeting hosted by Madison’s Business Improvement District Wednesday. Joel Plant, neighborhood liaison for Mayor Dave Cieslewicz, said the event has increased security, reduced property damage and decreased public

costs over the last few years. “Perhaps most importantly ... the public cost of the event has fallen through the floor,” he said. “Our outof-pocket costs, the costs that we spend to rent the fencing and set up the event, are down 41 percent, and our personnel costs are down almost 25 percent.” Plant also stressed the importance of Freakfest’s improved image and its appeal for entertainment and food venues. “In 2006, no one, and understandably so, wanted to have anything to do with Freakfest,” he said. “Now we

Successful business students offer tips, advice for hopefuls By Ellen Molina THE DAILY CARDINAL

The UW-Madison Office of Corporate Relations hosted a panel of successful student entrepreneurs Wednesday to offer advice to UWMadison business hopefuls. Four former and current UWMadison students discussed their love for athletics and how they were able to turn their passion into successful businesses while maintaining academic and extracurricular responsibilities. A question-and-answer session following the introductions gave students interested in the fields insight on how the four students were able to succeed. According to Kara Kabellis, a former UW-Madison soccer player with a degree in political science who started her own T-shirt business in 2009, the key is patience. “It takes a lot of time and effort, but it’s definitely worth it in the end,” she said.

Michael Garson, a junior in the UW-Madison School of Business who co-founded Badger Trips, said he believes the best advice is to start as soon as possible. “Do it now, do it tomorrow,” he said. “Start getting your resources as soon as possible, and don’t let anyone tell you you can’t do it.” Garson’s company provides transportation and hotel accommodations for UW-Madison away games. He emphasized the importance of networking. He said his business is based on making strong connections and having “good people skills” for negotiating contracts. Travis Blomberg, a junior majoring in political science, also spoke at Wednesday’s event. Blomberg created the Striped Officiating Agency, an organization that provides officials for careers page 3

have the BID and other agencies and organizations coming forward and saying, ‘How can we partner and be part of the Halloween weekend?’ This is a huge indicator of success.” This year, Badger football and hockey games also fall on Oct. 31, and according to Plant, they will draw a larger crowd to Freakfest. “The [football] crowd comes downtown and populates the area all day long,” he said. “And as we can imagine, it brings a little bit of the older crowd, especially freakfest page 3

Madison

Rx

Browser’s castle

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Shoppers browse at the Friends of the University of Wisconsin-Madison Library used book sale at Memorial Library Wednesday. The sale is the largest used book sale in Wisconsin and continues through Saturday.

“…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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News and Editorial edit@dailycardinal.com Editor in Chief Charles Brace Managing Editor Justin Stephani Campus Editor Kelsey Gunderson Caitlin Gath City Editor State Editor Hannah Furfaro Enterprise Editor Ryan Hebel Associate News Editor Grace Urban Opinion Editors Anthony Cefali Todd Stevens Editorial Board Editor Qi Gu Arts Editors Kevin Slane Kyle Sparks Sports Editors Scott Kellogg Nico Savidge Features Editor Diana Savage Food Editor Sara Barreau Science Editor Jigyasa Jyotika Photo Editors Isabel Alvarez Danny Marchewka Graphics Editors Amy Giffin Jenny Peek Copy Chiefs Kate Manegold Emma Roller Jake Victor Copy Editors Carly Pearce

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For the record In the October 5, 2009 article “Proposal aims to reinstate Union Design Committee” it stated Tyler Junger said “he recommends joining the “Wisconsin Union Building Project 200910” Facebook group or reading the Union Building Project blog at unionbuildingproject. wordpress.com.” It should state “Union officials recommend.” The Cardinal regrets the error.

THURSDAY: p.m. showers hi 47º / lo 33º dailycardinal.com/page-two

Belittling others best cure for depression

Volume 119, Issue 27

2142 Vilas Communication Hall 821 University Avenue Madison, Wis., 53706-1497

TODAY: cloudy hi 56º / lo 44º

JON SPIKE academic misjonduct

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as your life gotten so pathetic that the only bright spot to your day was looking down into the toilet and realizing you just shit in the shape of the first letter of your name? Is your existence so sad that you spend one day out of the week writing a Page 2 column about how your ex-girlfriend is a two-timing whore? These problems clearly aren’t mine, but a close friend of mine (we’ll call him Jon S. to preserve anonymity) recently expressed these concerns and said he’s a bit down in the dumps. And how can’t he be? The guy sounds pathetic. Anyhoo, I’ve got some surefire ways to fight back against any sort of depression. Enjoy! Sometimes the best way to feel better about your problems is to vent about them in a public forum. Here’s my personal favorite venting spot: open mic

night at Memorial Union. Sure, I know the vast majority of us aren’t comedic geniuses, but anyone can step up to the plate during Open Mic. Not myself, but the friend of mine who was down in the dumps got up onstage, unleashed a 20-minute tirade about his ex-girlfriend Sherry, then darted off into the sunset when the crowd turned on him. No harm, no foul. Sure, he completely wasted 20 minutes of the audience’s lives, but now he feels relieved enough to talk about it in my Page 2 column. I mean his Page 2 column... Being better than other people at unimportant tasks is always a perfect way to perk someone up. I find the best place to show off your superiority is on elementary school playgrounds. Find the nearest recess period in session, take a football away from a second-grader and chuck that thing as far as it will go (preferably over the roof of the school). The kids will bask in the awe of your athletic brilliance, and you’ll suddenly feel like you are unique and special in some way. If this idea fails, you could also just shove one of the kids and run. Picking on someone smaller

than you is also another guaranteed way to improve self-confidence and fight depression. Sign up for volunteer work. No, don’t actually do the volunteer work, silly. Just sign up. After you’ve gotten your name on the docket, never return any of their calls. However, if you’re talking to your friends about good things you’re doing for the world, you can bring up all of the volunteer work you’ve signed up for. If they ask for details about what exactly you do, just run. Or just say, “I do it for the children.” Be sure not to bring up that second-grader you shoved on the playground, though. It might give you away. Go to a sporting event and heckle the same player for the entire game. This one may seem a bit obvious and easy, but it’s surprisingly effective at making people feel better about themselves. Plus, you get the rare chance of crushing some 6’5’’, 250-pound man’s soul without fear of him crushing your sternum! Score! I prefer to start by making inappropriate comments about his family members, or even suggesting that the mole on his neck

may be the early warning signs of melanoma. That’ll get him rattled! Then I finish off the evening by throwing a small infant at said athlete right as he’s about to make a big play. I love the pain of the choice: Help the team or save the baby. No matter which one he chooses, he’ll be questioning his decision for the rest of his life. Meanwhile, you’ll feel better that you’re not that guy. You know, that guy who plays sports for a living and is a hero to many people and is knee-deep in attractive women trying to declothe him. If none of these methods work for you, just keep one valuable lesson in mind: At least you’re not me. I mean, I just watched helplessly as my exgirlfriend Sherry cheated on me with my roommate. And then I stood idly by as she slept with my other roommate. And then my third roommate... and then my father. And then after my parents’ divorce, my stepfather slept with her... You know what, just disregard this entire column. I’ve lost the will to live. Seriously, have you slept with Jon’s ex-girlfriend Sherry? Don’t tell him at spike@wisc.edu. It will crush him.

New Beer Thursday New Belgium Brewery hoptober With the arrival of October comes the arrivals of seasonal fall brews. Also with October is the advent of Octoberfest, a chance for Germans to celebrate culture and for everyone else to get drunk. Na t u r a l l y, breweries everywhere attempt to capitalize on the drinking culture by releasing a

series of Octoberfest-style beers. New Belgium (Fat Tire, 1554, etc.) has joined the party with their newest beer, puntastically named Hoptober. Although the October element isn’t entirely evident in the beer, New Belguim maintains their reputation with another great brew. Just don’t serve it to a horde of beer-swilling Krauts at a bratwurst-eating contest. Hoptober, an American blonde ale, packs a punch with a six percent alcohol content. The beer is a clear, golden color, and for all intents and purposes, has the appearance of a classic ale. The first sip shows why the beer is named Hoptober, as it packs plenty of sweet, malty hops. The aftertaste brings out the fruity elements and leaves a citrus-filled feeling in your mouth. The light hint of fruit makes the beer eminently drinkable, lending Hoptober a fun

flavor that could easily be enjoyed in warmer months. Overall, the only detracting element from Hoptober may be its inability to stand out. It’s the kind of beer that you could bring a sixer of to a party any day, and people would never say a critical word about it. However, it’s not the type of beer you’d write home to your folks about, raving about its perfect blend of grassy hops and hoppy goodness. Essentially, Hoptober is like the “Zoolander” of beers. No one is going to ask you to change the channel when it’s on TV, but no one is going to camp out in costumes to see a midnight showing of it.

• Hoptober • $7.99 at Riley’s Wines of the World


news

FREE DEPRESSION SCREENINGS FOR NATIONAL DEPRESSION SCREENING DAY Meriter Hospital: Noon to 5 p.m. Call 417-8446 to schedule an appointment. UW Hospital: 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Go to the ‘H’ elevator lobby on the first floor. Thursday, October 8, 2009

MPD officer shoots suspected robber The Madison Police Department is investigating a death after an officer shot and killed a man on the city’s south side. Around 5 p.m. Wednesday, MPD was called to Cousins Subs, 1124 S. Park St., after an armed robbery was reported, according to a police report. The suspect allegedly entered Cousins, showed a handgun, demanded money and fled the scene on foot with an undisclosed amount of cash. According to the report, the officer at the scene located a man similar in appearance to the suspect at the corner of Whittier and Lakeside Streets. The

officer and the suspect struggled until the officer had to use “deadly force” against him, according to the report. Officers attempted to resuscitate the suspect, but he was pronounced dead at the scene. The officer was treated at a hospital for minor injuries. The Dane County District Attorney’s Office will review the case, and until a review is made, the officer will be placed on leave. MPD Chief Noble Wray said in the report that a preliminary investigation has suggested the officer was justified in using deadly force. According to the report, MPD has not used deadly force since 2007.

Bill would require mental health parity State Sen. Dave Hansen, DGreen Bay, and State Rep. Sandy Pasch, D-Whitefish Bay, introduced the Wisconsin Mental Health and Substance Abuse Parity Act to lawmakers Wednesday. The bill would require all group health plans to provide mental health care and substance abuse disorder coverage at the same level as medical and surgical coverage. The bill would extend the federal Wellstone-Domenici Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act, which took effect Saturday. The federal law applies to group health plans offered by employers with 51 or more employees and requires mental health and substance abuse parity. “We’re trying to mirror exactly what [the Wellstone-Domenici Act] did ... [but] fill the gap for small businesses with 50 or less employees who offer health insurance,” Hansen said. According to Hansen, some are apprehensive about the cost

counselors from page 1 Giroux said though the programs are valuable, an expansion of that size is unrealistic under current budget constraints. Staffing is just one area where UW schools could use aid, according to UW-Madison Director of Counseling Dennis Christoffersen. “We’ve got three hospitals with inpatient psychiatric units. Other communities don’t have one. They have to travel 50 miles to get to the one psychiatric hospital,” he said. “Talk about disrupting a student’s life.” Christoffersen added UWMadison offers one of the shortest wait times and is the only system school offering a 24/7 crisis hotline, though others direct students to

freakfest from page 1 earlier in the night, which we’ve found to be very beneficial.” Although much of the logistics of Freakfest will remain the same, Cpt. Mary Schauf of the Madison Police Department said there would be minor changes to the entrance and exit gates. According to Schauf,

careers from page 1 sporting events. Erin Byrd, a UW-Madison MBA student and a former starter on the volleyball team, began her business, Mission Volleyball, in 2007. The organization hosts volleyball camps for children across the country.

involved. However, he said the bill would provide governmental savings in the long run. “I’ve been a true believer from the beginning that if you have early intervention you prevent major and bigger problems from happening,” he said. “And it’s a lot less expensive fixing a problem before it becomes a huge problem.” According to the National Institute of Mental Health, one in four adults suffers from a diagnosable mental disorder in a given year. “Mental illnesses are the most stigmatized, underfunded and undertreated illnesses, and I believe this legislation will effectively address this problem in the state,” Pasch said in a statement. Hansen said he is optimistic the bill will be well-received, especially given that Democrats hold a majority in both houses of the state Legislature. Pasch said he believes the bill will pass in 2010. —Grace Urban community crisis numbers. As for UW colleges, the report noted that only three of 13 even provided counseling services, according to the regents’ report. Van Orman said all UW System health care is funded through tuition and segregated fees, so it is unlikely the state Legislature will step in, and Gov. Jim Doyle took $237,000 from UHS’ reserve fund this summer to help plug the budget gap. Van Orman said the cut will probably alter UHS’ budget request next year, which may mean higher segregated fees. “It’s more likely that increased resources would come from basically students saying, ‘I’m willing to pay more tuition and fees to support this,’” Van Orman said. there will be entrances on the corners of Dayton Street and Carroll Street, and the Capitol Square will serve as an additional exit. David Maynard, a spokesperson for Freakfest producer Frank Productions, said the main stage on the Capitol Square would be moved back toward the Capitol to provide additional space. Byrd emphasized the idea of going with your instinct. “If you feel there’s an opportunity out there, there’s a good chance there is,” she said. All four speakers agreed that great professional success comes from a balance of hard work and a desire to follow what you are passionate about.

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Report gives UW-Madison a ‘B’ in campus sustainability efforts By Kelsey Gunderson THE DAILY CARDINAL

UW-Madison earned a ‘B’ on the Sustainable Endowments Institute’s annual College Sustainability Report Card released Wednesday. The report, which surveyed 332 universities across the United States, is a comparative study that evaluates various aspects of campus sustainability, including administration, climate change and energy, food and recycling, student involvement and transportation. The report scored UW-Madison the highest in the areas of transportation, administration and food and recycling, highlighting the Associated Students of Madison’s free bus pass service and the University Housing and Union food services.

“Currently, 68 percent of the campus community commutes via environmentally preferable transportation,” the report said. The report also mentioned the UW-Madison We Conserve program, a campuswide initiative to make the campus more energy efficient, citing the program’s efforts to educate the UW-Madison community about environmental issues. According to We Conserve project manager James Harrod, the main goal of the program is to create partnerships with student organizations and departments on campus to eventually reduce UW-Madison’s energy consumption by 20 percent by 2010. “I think we’re definitely going down the right road, and we’ve had some great accomplishments so far,”

he said, mentioning that the program helps save UW-Madison almost $5 million per year in energy costs. Harrod said the We Conserve recycling program overhauled several university buildings to sort out the trash and recycling facilities, which so far has helped reduce UW-Madison waste by about 9 percent. He said the program is trying to encourage more students to think about these sustainability issues, adding that the program aims to cover a wide spectrum of issues from water conservation to smart transportation. “This is such a great institution,” he said. “We want to get all these students who are the leaders of tomorrow thinking about this.” To view the complete results of the report, visit greenreportcard.org.

Wisconsin Innocence Project receives federal grant for research on wrongful convictions The Wisconsin Innocence Project recently received part of a federal grant to study the Wisconsin prison system to potentially free wrongly convicted prisoners. The nonprofit organization operates through the UW-Madison Law School. Keith Findley, a clinical law professor at UW-Madison who is involved with WIP, said the federal government is providing the $647,000 grant because it has “recognized how important it is to make sure that we only have guilty people in prison and has recognized the ability of DNA evidence to exonerate convicted people.” The primary goal of the grant is to identify convicted individuals in

Wisconsin who may benefit from new DNA testing technology and to attempt to exonerate them if new evidence points to innocence. WIP says it has exonerated nine people since its creation in 1998. The National Institute of Justice, a branch of the U.S. Department of Justice, awarded the grant. The majority of the grant money will go to WIP, with some going to the Office of Justice Assistance and the State Crime Laboratory to cover the costs of DNA testing that result from WIP’s work. “Our office is committed to not only helping law enforcement, but to improving the overall justice system,” OJA spokesperson Tami Jackson said.

“I think [the project] is a positive way to see where we are in terms of wrongfully convicting folks or how well the system is working.” —Steven Rosenbaum


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opinion DUELING COLUMNISTS: THE OLYMPICS dailycardinal.com/opinion

Thursday, October 8, 2009

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Brazil’s enthusiam makes Rio more deserving of the games QI GU opinion columnist

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hen Jacques Rogge announced Rio de Janeiro as the host city of the 2016 Olympics, President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva burst into tears. President Obama was on his flight back to D.C. And you, were in shock. Well, there are probably a thousand reasons to support the Windy City. Chicago was in good shape throughout the two-year bidding marathon. Granted, America has hosted the most summer games among all countries, totaling four. But the last time it favored the Midwest was in 1904 with St. Louis. Most of all, Chicago, as the Olympic Judo Medalist Bob Berland claimed, is “the heart of America.” Now, let it be the heart of the world.

That was the theme of Chicago’s bid campaign. In its video promo, you learn about the city’s glorious past along the banks of the river and its promising future of Millennium Park. The metropolis was eager to present its signature skyline to every passerby. But amid the glamour of Chicago, you lose track of the real message it should have conveyed. Yes, Chicago is a wonderful city for tourism. But which candidate city isn’t? Take two minutes to watch Rio’s promo. The moment you tune in, you’ll be captivated by the “marvelous city” and its passion for life. Tapping your feet in time to the music, you find yourself synchronized with Rio’s racing pulses. Passion defines the national character of Brazilians. Even low-income families would squeeze out a few meals every day for four years, just to make that holy trip to the World Cup. This time, in the bid for Olympic Games, Rio’s fervor reaps the world’s favor. As Rio de Janeiro wins the 2016

bid, an eighty-year-old Brazilian Olympic dream has come true. The city started bidding for the Olympics in 1936. This commitment to 2016 was already their fourth attempt. In comparison, Chicago hadn’t given serious thought about hosting the Olympics until 2007. When news of failure swept through Millennium Park, we saw people open their mouths in disbelief. But the disappointed crowd represents only part of Chicago’s opinion. Shortly before IOC’s voting, a Chicago Tribune-WGN poll showed that barely half of Chicago residents supported the games, compared with other candidate cities’ eighty percent support. For many citizens hurt by the economy, the Olympics obviously weren’t one of their priorities. Given a lack of updated venues, Chicago would have to shoulder a huge financial burden if selected. Even though competition for hosting the Olympics has hardly cooled off in recent years, the games themselves

aren’t a cash cow at all. Although in the 1996 Atlanta games, Peter Ueberroth saved the Olympics with commercialism, host cities still find themselves in financial struggles after the event. For a developing powerhouse like Brazil, the Olympic Games carry much more significance than mere box office sales. Besides Copacabana and the slums, the country remains largely unknown to the rest of the world. The Olympics’ premiere in South America will not just greatly boost the national pride of Brazilians, but update Brazil’s international image as well. For people from Rio, the Olympics simply mean more. On hearing of Chicago’s loss, most supporters switched to another channel swiftly. Some went on to accuse IOC of carrying a bias. They argue that antiAmerican sentiment killed Chicago’s bid. But for some IOC members it is the American patriotism that could make them feel uncomfortable. When Obama said “we know how to put out big events,” he probably meant noth-

ing other than promoting Chicago as a candidate city. But the stress on “we” may make it sound different to IOC members: Are you saying other cities don’t know how to do that? John Miller, a former Republican representative simply commented on the bid: “Nobody likes us? Who cares?” Miller could readily turn off his TV and start humming “tomorrow is another day.” But as a country eager for international recognition, Brazil couldn’t wait more. From lagging behind Doha to overwhelmingly winning the bid, the country elegantly demonstrated its potential and will of progress. Right after the news hit Brazil, people began to shower themselves in tears of happiness. And as Brazilian as it sounds, another Rio carnival came in advance. Congratulations, Rio! See you in 2016! Qi Gu is a junior majoring in journalism. Please send responses to opinion@dailycardinal.com.

Rejection of Chicago unjustified JAMIE STARK opinion columnist

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opefully the Euro-centric, commie-infested, elitist International Olympic Committee gets what’s coming to ‘em. The committee’s October 2 decision to bequeath the 2016 Summer Olympics to flighty Rio de Janeiro and more consequentially, deny the 2016 Summer Olympics to Chicago, was blatantly offensive. I projectile vomited all over the orange Chicago 2016 gear in my apartment upon hearing that the one real city in the Midwest was out of the running. The majority of the news sources I perused prior to last Friday’s Great Denial were, by pure chance, American news outlets. Perhaps we were mislead by a mildly-pro American bias that included incessant descriptions of Chicago as “the frontrunner.” Some outlets may have implied, “America is riding a wave of renewed international popularity to the Olympics,” and that Chicago would be the “perfect backdrop for Michael Phelps’ chiseled torso.” The fact that every country seemed the frontrunner in their own news sphere doesn’t take the sting out of this outrageous loss. How could they hand over the 2012 games to London when Tony Blair lobbies the committee, then deny the U.S. of A. when Barack Obama argues politely and eloquently? The conceited committee allowed Madrid to make it to the second round; they love Europe and they aren’t ashamed. Spaniard Juan Antonio Samaranch, former President of the International Olympic Committee, begged the committee prior to voting, “I know that I am very near the end of my time... I am, as you know 89 years old. May I ask you to consider granting my country the honor and also the duty to organize the games in 2016.” His elitist European associates let Spain sneak through to the final round. Chicago was a shoe-in—we should have won by default. Rio isn’t prepared and already has the FIFA World Cup in 2014. Why do they get the two biggest shin-digs in the world within

seven hundred days? According to my wall map, Madrid is about two inches from London, who already has the 2012 summer games. And the only other city, Tokyo, wasn’t even a competitor. Their hotel rooms are almost literally stacked coffin-beds. Someone explain how they were going to build arenas in that burgeoning metropolis. We were going to build our stuff on an island in Lake Michigan. It would have been epic, like Chicago’s 1893 World’s Fair or anything Coach Ditka does. Do you have any idea how bad ass the Olympics would be in America this time? Oprah could rile up that city in seconds flat. President Obama, it’s time to drop the hammer, Captain America style. Rio doesn’t affect the globe, at least not like the Stars and Stripes. America runs this little thing called “The Free World.” Despite the fact that we take out loans to do it, America funds roughly half of all that makes the world function. If we aren’t doing so hot, the world isn’t doing so hot. We need the boost the Olympics would bring. House Republican Minority Leader John Boehner torched Obama’s efforts to improve American morale and the economy. Boehner claimed it was irresponsible for Obama to visit Copenhagen for a few hours, where he also met Gen. Stanley McChrystal, commander of the U.S. forces in Afghanistan, who was in nearby London at the time. Obama is currently reviewing the U.S.’s involvement in the war in Afghanistan. Imagine the Republicans’ reaction if Obama had not gone—“he should have fought for it, we could have had the Olympics! He hates America!” Conservative lazybones organization “Americans for Prosperity” literally cheered and applauded at a Reaganthemed conference in Virginia after hearing Chicago lost the 2016 bid. Jon Stewart reacted most appropriately. “For anyone keeping score, conservatives hate Obama more than they love America.” The Olympic Committee’s gross failure to choose Chicago is yet another example of Europe telling us Americans what we can and cannot do. You know what I say? Screw those commies. Let’s have our own goddamn Olympics right here where we want

them, American style. Why wait till 2016? Al Roker predicted great weather for next summer. Start up the backhoes, Mayor Daley, you’re getting your Olympics after all. Except we’ll call them “the United States of Olympia.” UW-Madison will still get those brand new Lakeshore dorms to house the athletes. Madison will be the bike hub. Chicago will finally get a new train system. Milwaukee might actually have people stay for a few days. Us Americans have the U.N. in New York, everyone loves our president and people respect our culture, from our Constitution to “The Hills.” We deserve the Olympics. Or even better: The United States of Olympia. If there’s one lesson we should all learn from this Olympic debacle, it’s that America can always be number one, as long as we make up our own competition. Jamie Stark is a sophomore intending to major in journalism and political science. Please send responses to opinion@dailycardinal.com.

GRAPHIC BY NATASHA SOGLIN/THE DAILY CARDINAL


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GOING TO THE CHAPEL OF LOVE. Approximately 100,000 people get married in Las Vegas each year. dailycardinal.com/comics

Thursday, October 8, 2009

Thursday Fun Day

Today’s Sudoku

Evil Bird

By Caitlin Kirihara kirihara@wisc.edu

Angel Hair Pasta

By Todd Stevens ststevens@wisc.edu

Sid and Phil

By Alex Lewein alex@sidandphil.com

© Puzzles by Pappocom

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

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

Today’s Crossword Puzzle

The Graph Giraffe

Charlie and Boomer

By Yosef Lerner ilerner@wisc.edu

By Natasha Soglin soglin@wisc.edu

Answer key available at www.dailycardinal.com

RED, NO WHITE, AND BLUE 1 6 11 14 15 16 17 19 20 21 22 24 25 27 31 36 38 39 40 43 44 45 46 49

ACROSS Inspire, as with feelings Daisylike fall flower Major airport Palin’s prey “What hath God wrought!” sender Bed-in participant with Lennon Overwrought writing Casino gaming area Observes Converge The evidence of things not seen, per the Bible It may fly in a fight Asian weight Upper ___ (Burkina Faso, once) Changes residency in a big way Wax-winged youth of myth Santa ___, El Salvador Floor-length skirt Likely wallflower Fleece hunter’s boat Carry-___(luggage type) Abide Arils “Cheep” homes?

50 Contemporary of Agatha and Dashiell 51 One of two definitive responses 53 Rotten or contemptible 56 Caffeine source, often 58 Baby wipes additive 62 Cafeteria coffeepot 63 Traditional Christmas dessert 66 Mainlander’s memento 67 Sacred scroll 68 Capital of Bangladesh, old-style 69 Fish eaten with bagels 70 Admits customers 71 Arboreally cornered 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 18

DOWN Mischievous moppets Disdainful grimace Make weary by being dull Snail-mail org. Anago, in Japanese cuisine Electrical current unit Sight for ___ eyes Emulating a horse It makes a tale stale? Mary Jane Pueblo people Soldier’s assignment Opposite of neither Avian Australian

23 24 26 27 28 29 30 32 33 34 35 37 41 42 47 48 52 53 54 55 57 58 59 60 61 64 65

Apple pie order Deity with goat legs Century plant Some charge cards Yellow artist’s pigment (Var.) Expansive Certain electron tubes Minister’s house Ankle bone Use, as power Browsers’ destinations Drinker’s toast Lacking confidence Bed and breakfasts Puzzling prefix for “gram” Slender, graceful women Dijon water Conversational gap Twist-apart snack Computer operating system Tip of the Arabian Peninsula The month following Shevat External parasites “Measure twice, cut ___” “Gracious!” Take a bough? Banned insecticide letters

You Can Run

By Derek Sandberg kalarooka@gmail.com


arts

dailycardinal.com/arts

Thursday, October 8, 2009

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‘Beavers’ gives a new take on old philosophy By Michelle Langer THE DAILY CARDINAL

PHOTO COURTESY WALT DISNEY STUDIOS MOTION PICTURES

Despite an all-star cast and a classic Christmas tale, “A Christmas Carol” has the potential to disappoint some viewers.

Children’s books as movies: the next big film movement? KEVIN SLANE dr. slanelove

I

f you’re like any other hipster out there, you’re already excited beyond compare about the upcoming movie release of “Where the Wild Things Are.” Everyone’s favorite childhood book about independence, rebellion and imagination is sure to be one of the biggest releases of the fall. With indie darling Spike Jonze (“Adaptation,” “Being John Malkovich”) directing and hipster queen Karen O writing the soundtrack, even the most ardent counter-culture types have anointed “Where the Wild Things Are” a success.

Classic children’s books as movies may be the next big film trend.

With “Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs” already making big money and films like Wes Anderson’s “Fantastic Mr. Fox,” Robert Zemeckis’ “A Christmas Carol” and Tim Burton’s “Alice in Wonderland” all set to debut in the next six months, classic children’s books as movies may be the next big film trend. We’ve already seen waves of adaptation movements, like the rush of superheroes being adapted to film occurring this decade. Like any other movement, the superheroes had their highs (“The Dark Knight,” “Spiderman”) and their lows (“Elektra,” “Ghost Rider”). The question is, what films in the next round of children’s books will be great, and which will be the next “The Cat in the Hat”? With that in mind, I’m going to look at the three aforementioned movies set to debut in a few months, while reserving my thoughts on “Where the Wild Things Are” for my review the Monday after the film comes out. 1. “A Christmas Carol” I’d like to think this movie

will be good. The Muppet version of Charles Dickens’ classic tale is one of my Christmas favorites. But history is stacked against this film. First of all, director Robert Zemeckis has already tried (and failed) in the Christmas story adaptation department with 2004’s “The Polar Express.” It had Tom Hanks, featured motion capture animation and was based on a time-honored classic. Unfortunately, it captured none of the hand-drawn wonder of the book, instead feeling oddly mechanical. Couple that with Jim Carrey (who already ruined another Christmas classic with “How the Grinch Stole Christmas”) playing four different roles, and you’ve got a recipe for disaster. 2. “Fantastic Mr. Fox” Many of Roald Dahl’s classic children’s tales have already been adapted well for the silver screen, and Wes Anderson has a proven track record as a competent (some would argue brilliant) director. Anderson fans will be happy to see the same cast he uses in each of his films in animated form (Bill Murray, Adrien Brody, Owen Wilson, Jason Schwartzman), and will like the classic stop-motion animation technique. It’s clear Anderson put a lot of love into this film, and as long as he retains some of the darker elements of Dahl’s tales, the film should be a success. 3. “Alice in Wonderland” Tim Burton already jumped into the literary adaptation genre awhile back, and the results were mixed. “Sleepy Hollow” was a strange, unfortunate mess while “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” was a triumph, one that trumped the original 1971 film adaptation. As usual, Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter and Christopher Lee will be on hand, as the Mad Hatter the Red Queen and the Jabberwock respectively. Burton’s films are always dark, and Lewis Carroll’s original novels are no different. Burton has been on a hot streak as of late, so expect “Alice in Wonderland” to be a success, but certainly a departure from Disney’s lighthearted original. Do you look ahead to anything Johnny Depp is in? E-mail Kevin so you guys can giggle about it like little schoolgirls at kevslane@gmail.com.

On Saturday, Oct. 3, University Theatre opened this year’s production of their theatre for youth program, “Revolt of the Beavers.” The show began as a Communismfor-kids production in 1937 by Oscar Saul and Lou Lantz as part of Franklin Roosevelt’s Federal Theatre Project. Directors JohnStuart Fauquet and Pete Rydberg updated the script to include references to items such as the iPod, Wii and an interesting addition of the song “Let’s Get it Started” by the Black Eyed Peas. The show begins with siblings Michael and Hannah (Joshua David Atkins and Kelsey Davison) in the woods discussing family difficulties with regard to their father’s unemployment. Then, as they wish on a four-leaf clover to be free, Windy (Chris Morrison) takes them to Beaverland where the evil beaver chief (Liz Foster-Shaner) is ruling over the beavers with an iron fist. One of the show’s higlights is the camraderie exhibited by the four worker beavers in the production (Lauren Hoeft, Marsha Maly, Blake Henderson, and Ashley McHose). Their relationship to one another seems genuine, and they do an excellent job remaining as the “beavers” throughout the run, reacting and remaining in character while onstage even when the focus is not on them. The one difficulty with the characters is the accents that they take on, which add little to the show, if

anything. While the sibling relationship between Atkins and Davison seems, for the most part, to be real, they seem to have difficulty keeping time with each other. This may have been partly due to opening-day nerves, but their reactions were off or completely different from one another. Davison also seems to have a difficult time remaining in character when she is not speaking, which is especially clear when she anticipates and reacts too early. They both bring the young quality to their respective characters, making Hannah bossy and a little arrogant, while Michael has a touch of naiveté that made his tall figure seem much more childish on stage.

Whether students see this show for a class or just because they love the theatre, everyone will get a laugh.

Morrison brought a unique quality to the character of Windy, making him not only a witty character but also adding this wisdom almost as if he were a mentor to young Michael and Hannah. Foster-Shaner allows herself to fully embrace the character of the beaver chief and does so quite well. The chief may be a woman, but she is just as burly and strong as any man would be.

Joe Varga’s set is just Dr. Seuss enough to be the perfect place for Beaverland. The whimsical colors and hint of irony with the Beaverland/ Hollywood sign were just enough to give the parents in the audience a quick chuckle while not distracting from the overall plotline. Ari Lebowitz made the beavers just human enough for the actors to be able to move freely, while still giving the audience a vision of what working beavers might actually wear. The beaver chief ’s robot suit was a funny mix of “Robot Chicken” and “The Jetsons” robot Rosie. The shoes added were a nice touch. Overall, this show may have been intended for children, but it entertains the whole way through. Even the children in the audience won’t move for the entire hour, other than maybe to make brief comments to their parents like “Wow!” Whether the students in the audience see this show for a class or just because they love the theatre, everyone will get a laugh.

Revolt of the Beavers where: University Theatre, Vilas Hall when: Friday & Saturday Oct. 9-10, 7 p.m., Saturday & Sunday Oct. 10-11, 2 p.m. cost: $12 for UW students, $14 general admission.


sports 8

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dailycardinal.com/sports

Thursday, October 8, 2009

Men’s Soccer

Delgado brings Spanish flair to Badgers By Parker Gabriel THE DAILY CARDINAL

Wisconsin senior midfielder Pablo Delgado is certainly not the only Real Madrid fan here on campus. Replica jerseys of the Spanish super-team can be spotted on the backs of students at any given time. Many of them even bear the name of Delgado’s favorite player, Brazilian midfielder Kaká. However, there is one detail that separates Delgado from most, if not all, of the Real fans in Madison. He grew up two blocks from the club’s stadium, Estadio Santiago Bernabeu, in the heart of Madrid. The soccer atmosphere in Spain trumps the football atmosphere in the U.S., and Delgado, like so many other kids in Madrid, had dreams of playing professionally. He played on club teams that won tournaments and national championships. He had the chance to play in the COTIF International Tournament twice. However, professional teams start scouting kids at very young ages, which means that playing high-level soccer, even for a teenager, can become a full-time commitment. Achieving a bal-

ance between school and sport is nearly impossible, but Delgado was not ready to give up either. “In Spain, you either play soccer or you study, you cannot do both at the same time,” Delgado said. “I realized that I needed to get a degree, so when I saw that you could do both here I thought it would be a great idea.” “[Delgado] can make that final pass, he is sophisticated [with the ball, and] he can slot that threaded needle on the run.” Todd Yeagley head coach UW men’s soccer

Naturally, the transition from Spain to the United States took some time, especially on the soccer field. Delgado, who grew up playing a wide-open, technical style of soccer, took a redshirt his first year on campus to prepare for the physicality of Big Ten play. While many prefer to watch the grace and style the Europeans play the game with, Delgado still appreciates what the American version of the game has taught him.

“I have gotten much better here, especially my defensive game,” Delgado said. “Here, you cannot take a break, that is not the case in Madrid.” As a redshirt freshman, Delgado appeared in all 19 contests for the Badgers, and garnered Big Ten All-Freshman team honors. Last year, as a junior, Delgado led Wisconsin in assists, tallying four on the season. So far in his career, Delgado has registered five goals and six assists for a total of 16 points. This year, he takes a large number of the Badgers’ set piece shots and serves as a creative playmaker for the offense. “Pablo is a difference maker for us,” Wisconsin head coach Todd Yeagley said. “He can make that final pass, he is sophisticated [with the ball, and] he can slot that threaded needle on the run.” Delgado does not have any specific post-graduation plans as of yet, but the business major would like to continue gaining experience in other cultures and possibly continue playing soccer. However, he thinks that the academic balance he originally sought in the U.S. will pay off for him as well.

ISABEL ÁLVAREZ/CARDINAL FILE PHOTO

Senior midfielder Pablo Delgado has enjoyed the transition from the technical style of soccer in Spain to a more physical one here. “The good thing about being here is that you get a degree from a really good school, so you have both options,” Delgado said.

If his playing career at Wisconsin is any indication, this Madrid-kid-turned-Badger will find the best one and run with it.

Bielema, Badgers at their best when flying below the radar BEN BREINER boom goes the breinamite With how much Badgers fans have played the “no respect” card this week, Rodney Dangerfield should be in line for some serious royalties. When the team debuted as No.25 and 26 in the USA Today and AP polls, many among the Wisconsin faithful took it as an affront, pointing out how an undefeated UW squad sat behind at least 12 one- or two-loss teams. But focusing on this aspect is a complete waste of time. National respect, at least in terms of mid-year rankings, is not particularly important for the fate of a college football team. Unless the team is left out of the national title game (probably doesn’t apply to Wisconsin) or an odd situation like 2004 where rankings decided who went to the Rose Bowl, it really has no effect on the team’s postseason plans. All non-BCS bowls are slotted with conference affiliations, meaning that Big Ten bowls have a selection order to take Big Ten teams (those bowls include Capitol One, Outback and Champs Sports Bowl who get picks two through five of conference teams). Unless they win the Big Ten, the Badgers would have to finish 14th or better in the final BCS standings to be eligible for one of four at-large BCS bids (in reality it’s usually three since a non-BCS conference team usually automatically qualifies). The final BCS standings are, however, a long way off. In truth, midseason rankings are really just a way to hype up the weekend’s games. “No. 9 Ohio State against No. 19 Wisconsin” would sound a lot cooler than “No. 9 Ohio State against Wisconsin.” Furthermore, having that high ranking brings with it more expectations. If those are not met, it tends to

reflect even more poorly on the team. Badger fans need look no further than recent history. The team was ranked in the top seven in 2007 and top 15 in 2008. It finished both years unranked and was considered a disappointment by fans in both instances (the same thing also happened in 2001, 2002 and 2003). 2005 and 2006 stand as a contrast, where the Badgers clawed from outside the preseason polls to rankings of No. 15 and No. 5 at the end of those respective years. The team seems to respond better when it starts on the outside and has to move its way up. In fact, since 1994, the Badgers have been ranked in the preseason 12 times and have only finished three of those years with a higher ranking (the Rose Bowl seasons in 1998/1999 and 2004 where the team began at No.21 rose No. 4 before crashing down to No.17). Head coach Bret Bielema may have summed it up best in his press conference Monday, when he said, “I think our team is a team that likes to gain respect rather than lose respect.” And there’s the key to the whole damn thing. The last two seasons Wisconsin has always been losing respect, and losing a lot of it. This year, they still have not done that much to earn it back. The Badgers’ schedule thus far has been fine—not good, not awful—just fine. The best win is probably against a middling Gopher team; Michigan State is 2-3 with one big win, and Fresno is 1-3 (though their three losses are all to good teams). Being 5-0 against that slate is not exactly a huge accomplishment. It’s a good one, but it isn’t hard evidence that the team deserves much national admiration. If the team beats Ohio State, then it will have earned that respect. If it beats Iowa, then it can earn national attention and praise. Some may wish that Wisconsin

was like Florida State, Michigan and Notre Dame, who get ranked after even the ugliest early season win. But in truth, it’s probably better this way, since it’s far more enjoyable to

see a team come together and earn its accolades rather than see an overhyped and overrated squad come crashing down from a lofty pre- or midseason perch.

Think the Badgers are clearly a top20 team and that the lack of respect is simply an affront to its undefeated record? Tell Ben about ESPN’s slights toward the team at breiner@wisc.edu.


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