Tuesday, October 27, 2009 - The Daily Cardinal by The Daily Cardinal

Need to think of a Halloween costume quick? Deer Cardinal remedies without reason

FOOD

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You want some cheese with that wine? Local food festival offers the best of both worlds

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Tuesday, October 27, 2009

Lawton out of the 2010 race for governor By Ariel Shapiro The Daily Cardinal

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Dave Maynard of Frank Productions announced Freakfest 2009 details Monday, stressing that event collaborators hope to keep the celebration successful and moving forward.

Officials announce Freakfest details, prepare for popular annual event By Callie Rathburn The Daily Cardinal

Frank Productions and Madison city officials announced details Monday for Madison’s fourthannual Freakfest celebration. The city is prepared for a large crowd of 30,000 to 40,000 people. According to Dave Maynard of Frank Productions, the collaborators have come up with a successful formula for Freakfest over the past three years and want to keep moving forward. “The focus of the event is now entertainment, essentially a very large street party in our central district of State Street,” said mayoral aide Joel Plant,

who supervises the organization of Freakfest. Third Eye Blind will headline the Z104 Amp Stage late Saturday night, with other acts along State Street occurring throughout the evening. “We try and find something for everybody, that’s our goal,” Maynard said. The costume contest will return to Freakfest this year with even bigger prizes, including a STA Travel trip to New Zealand. Budweiser will be working with Union Cab to offer cab rides home. People can go to the Freakfest website ahead of time and print off vouchers for a cab

ride home up to an hour after the event. Plant said although Freakfest has become safer in recent years, all necessary measures are being taken, including police, fire department, paramedics and 110 private event staff. Buses to transport detained citizens will be in place around the event area. A rest process center in the city council building will be ready if needed. “We are preparing for an event like we’ve had in the past year, a safe, fun event,” Plant said. “We are prepared if things go wrong.” freakfest page 3

Lt. Gov. Barbara Lawton dropped out of the 2010 gubernatorial race Monday, citing “very personal” reasons for her decision. “My deep commitment to our state is second only to my commitment to my family,” Lawton said in a letter to supporters. “For very personal reasons, I will not pursue the Democratic nomination for governor in 2010.” Prior to this announcement, Lawton was the only declared Democratic candidate in the race. However, UW- Mad is on political science professor emeritus Dennis Dresang said her absence will not change the race drastically. LAWTON “I don’t think anybody thought that the lieutenant governor had it locked up,” he said. Dresang said this news will not necessarily have much of an effect on the declared Republican candidates, including Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker and former congressman Mark Neumann. “It’s hard to say whether the Republicans should be celebrating or whether or not this is pretty much a non-story for them.” Jill Bader, communications director for Walker’s campaign,

said they “were surprised this morning,” but that they are “continuing to focus on November just as we always have.” Although Lawton cited family reasons for her decision, the Republican Party of Wisconsin released a statement Monday suggesting they believe the cause was political. “Governor Doyle and the White House were successful in derailing Lawton’s candidacy, no doubt paving the way for their handpicked successor in the Democrats’ primary,” the statement said. The RPW would not point to any one person in particular as the “handpicked successor,” but Kristin Ruesch, communications director of the WALKER RPW, said she “wouldn’t be surprised if it was Barrett.” Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett has yet to announce whether he will run for the Democratic nomination, but according to Barrett’s Finance Chair, Stephen Chernof, he will make his decision in one or two weeks. Dresang said that it is not yet clear that Barrett will run. “I think the real question from the start has been ‘What is Tom Barrett going to do?,’” he said. “It has always been wide open for the Democrats, and it still is.”

Officials, students encourage hip-hop studies By Kayla Torgerson The Daily Cardinal

Damon Williams, UW-Madison vice provost for diversity and climate, encouraged students and faculty to consider the creation of a hip-hop studies program during his discussion Monday. The panel asked such questions as what is hip-hop studies, and what would a hip-hop studies program offer that is not already available on campus? Williams said the study of hiphop includes not only listening to or performing hip-hop but also analyzing and discussing the culture as well. He said the audience could show this themselves, asking about their hip-hop participation and experiences and citing that those who have engaged in hip-hop culture and have analyzed it are already playing a part in hip-hop studies.

Katrina Flores, arts and education director for First Wave, a student organization that focuses on involving students in hip-hop culture on campus, said hip-hop studies allows for an interdisciplinary connection between departments because students can study hiphop from a sociological, anthropological or scientific perspective. “You can’t just come in and study somebody’s culture. You have to live it, you have to breathe it and you have to be doing it.” Katrina Flores arts and education director First Wave

“You can’t just come in and study somebody’s culture. You have to live it, you have to breathe it and

you have to be doing it,” she said. Flores added that she is currently working with the UW-Madison physics department to encourage them to do more interdisciplinary research between science and culture. “I struggled with physics ... but if it can relate to my world and if we can be interdisciplinary in that way then there are so many more possibilities for engagement,” she said. Gethsemane Herron, a UW-Madison freshman, said she does not see why UW-Madison wouldn’t have a hip-hop studies program, highlighting its importance in today’s society. “How can we ignore something that has permeated American culture,” Merron said. “I feel like to not have hip-hop studies is to offer hip hop page 3

danny marchewka/the daily cardinal

Vice Provost for Diversity and Climate Damon Williams emphasized the importance of participating in and analyzing hip-hop culture at a disucussion Thursday, which focused on the future of hip-hop studies.

“…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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Tuesday, October 27, 2009

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

TODAY: partly sunny hi 56º / lo 42º

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I can’t stop looking at ‘Casual Encounters’

Volume 119, Issue 40

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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 Kevin Mack

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

Editorial Board Charles Brace Anthony Cefali Qi Gu Jamie Stark Todd Stevens Justin Stephani l

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

WEDNESDAY: partly sunny hi 59º / lo 47º

ERIN KAY VAN PAY hail to the v.p.

asual. Casual. Casual should mean wearing jeans to work on Friday. It should mean the way you act when a cop slowly drives past your suspicious, acid-harboring self on Regent and Jefferson. However, casual should not be related to anything having to do with you pulling tricks via Craigslist. Craigslist’s “Casual Encounters” is a heaven and haven for pervs and skeeves alike in the digital age that post their sexual desires in hopes of being contacted by an M, W, or even T, who can fulfill them with no strings attached. Some of these posts’ explicit yet hilarious descriptions and pictures make me blush, but not in the good way. However, I can’t make myself stop browsing once I’ve seen the first nasty dick pic of

the day. No, my urge to repeatedly see putrid things is far too strong. It has come to the point where I have been told that I’m addicted to “Casual Encounters” on at least three occasions by at least one or two people. If I don’t take care of my addiction soon, I am bound for destruction. I heard a story about this one guy who looked at “Casual Encounters” to such an extent, that one time in the middle of lecture, he blacked out and woke up in the girls’ bathroom of Kollege Klub later that night, with his browser open to a picture of a man wearing what looked to be a diaper. He had no idea how he got there. He went to UW-Stout. What’s even more disturbing is the Craigslist Rehabilitation Center for “Casual Encounters” Abusers (CRC-CEA), located somewhere in the heart of Kansas. I don’t know that much about it, but I do know that they force you to read the local classifieds for hours on end. They even make you contact someone for “NSA

massages” the old way, that is, through that one guy at work’s cousin Steve who used to bartend at the Bamboo Room in the 90’s and knows “a few willing ladies in the area you can page.” Oh god, I feel sick. Using pagers to solicit sex is so... dated. On the other hand, I feel I still have a bit more time to spend on Craigslist before my imminent downward spiral into the grasp of the federal government. For now, I am compiling a list of the best posts I have seen (text only) so that when I get out of rehab/jail I will be able to look back and laugh. My personal favorite has an undeniably catchy title, “2 queen beds in my hotel room, ever fuck a prince? (Downtown, Madison).” No, I have not had the chance yet. The hopeful then begins his erotic plea by enticing the inner desires of every woman, ever. He says, “Let me set the scene for you: I lay you down upon this queen bed...” Stop right there, I am getting

too hot for print journalism. A queen bed? After almost a full year of a Twin XL, I am nearly sold. This man has charisma. After that he says some gross shit, but closes with this endearing gem: “It will be an experience you’ll never forget.” Does this mean I will get a keepsake in the form of painful, oozing bumps? If so, Reply to Sender. Maybe I am opening the doors up for your next addiction. I am so sorry, but the upside is that at least it is not crack. A few early signs of addiction are easy to detect: checking “Casual Encounters” before “FML,” night sweats, inability to complete your Comm. Arts paper, and rickets. Armed with the warning signs, go to your bedroom, close the shades, lock the door, ask your roommate where he will be for the next half hour and pull up Craigslist, because you know you’re looking for “a bj or whatever.” If your real-life, committed relationships with people you know and trust just aren’t cutting it, seek W4M VP at evanpay@wisc.edu.

ASK THE DEER CARDINAL Life is hard. The Deer Cardinal is here to help. Deer Cardinal, This kid from my ﬂoor is a total douche. He plays his music all night, steals my food and never bathes. How can I get him back? -Brian C. Brain, I usually try to offer a host of options for people to try whenever they ask me for advice, but it’s pointless to tell you about multiple pranks when there is really only one answer. Wait for a weekend when this fartknocker goes home. If you know about it in advance, even better. You know those razor-thin ice cube trays in the dorm fridges that barely hold any ice? Convince everyone in your hall to empty their ice trays, and piss in them. Then, once your piss is fully frozen, carefully break the piss puck out (using gloves if necessary), then slide the tiny cubes underneath

the kid’s door. When he gets back, he’s going to be pretty pissed!!!!!!! (You know, because of the urine on his ﬂoor.) Deer Cardinal, I have no idea what to be for Halloween. What is the most creative costume idea you can think of? -Anthony S. Mark Anthony, The possibilities for creative costumes are practically limitless, it would be hard to place the superlative of “most creative” on any single idea. However, to help narrow the process for you, I’ll give you what I think the most common “you thought this was such an original idea but then saw 20 other people on Halloween wearing the exact same thing” costumes are. 1. Max from “Where the Wild

Things Are” Nostalgia can be a powerful force when deciding Halloween costumes. How else do you explain all the old school Nickelodeon costumes every year? But when it comes to Max, every hipster is going to try to be him, not only for the indie cred, but so they can actually wear something warm on Halloween. What could be better than a wolf suit? Other than something legitimately original and creative, of course. 2. Falcon Heene, aka Balloon Boy OMG did you see the news the other day with that kid in the balloon? LMAO! Everyone was all like, OMG get outta dat balloon, LOL! Fast forward to Halloween, and you’re going to ﬁnd about 100 kids who are too cheap and lazy to build a real costume, and simply go buy a balloon and tie it to their back. Straight up, I’m going to pop every balloon boy I see. Being “Deﬂated Mass of Latex Boy” isn’t

so fun, is it pal? 3. Dead celebrities 2009 will be known as the year of dead celebrities. Billy Mays, Michael Jackson, Ed McMahon and so many more unfortunately passed away this year. And to honor our fallen celebrities, college kids everywhere will pass off cheap mockeries of their mannerisms and wardrobe in an attempt at a funny costume. Got a blue polo, a beard and some laundry detergent? Be Billy Mays! Or even better, look up the phrase “too soon” on Google and learn some common decency. Need any last minute costume ideas??? E-mail deercardinal@dailycardinal.com to receive offensive, indecent and overall stellar advice.

wants to hear from you!

$1000 for 1000 words Essay Contest

For the record In the Monday, Oct. 26, 2009 article “Grad school reform still faces criticism” it stated Chancellor Biddy Martin “oversaw Cornell University’s restructuring as provost.” It should have stated “Martin, who said she experienced a similar restructuring as part of the faculty at Cornell.” The Cardinal regrets the error.

The Sixties plus 50: War, racism and sexism ignited campus demonstrations in the decade that began a half-century ago. Space was the new frontier and worries about the earth gave birth to the environmental movement. How far have we come, how far do we have to go in 2010 and beyond?

DEADLINE: Nov. 30, 2009. E-mail editor@dailycardinal.com

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Tuesday, October 27, 2009

news

Board of Estimates discusses amendments, funding issues By Katie Foran-McHale The Daily Cardinal

lorenzo zemella/the daily cardinal

Mayor Dave Cieslewicz was optimistic about the amendments the Board of Estimates made to Madison’s 2010 Executive Operating Budget Monday.

Nineteen amendments to Madison’s 2010 Executive Operating Budget were discussed at the Board of Estimates meeting Monday night. The amendments covered a wide span of funding issues, including alcohol inspectors, a vending monitor, ice skating rinks, community access television, traffic engineering and bus stops, mail notifications concerning ALRC members and health insurance co-pay. One proposed amendment in particular garnered a considerable amount of public support. Eleven representatives—some officially representing WYOU, a Madison public access cable television station, and some individuals of the Madison community—spoke at the meeting in support of an amendment that would grant WYOU $70,000 in restorative funding.

SSFC members approve Vets for Vets budget The Student Services Finance Committee approved the budget for Vets for Vets, a student organization aimed at supporting students who have military experience, at the meeting Thursday. SSFC members unanimously approved their budget of $24,549.60 after making several cuts to the organization’s budget requests for food, equipment and airfare for speakers. Committee members agreed to remain consistent to previous budget decisions and provide the organization only $300 for airfare per speaker. SSFC members also moved to add funding for Vets for Vets’ advertising budget. “I would like to see this group using the advertising money that we’ve given them to reach out to all

students and … to ensure that they can reach out to all students and raise awareness of veterans issues on campus,” Representative Carl Fergus said. “I would like to see this group using the advertising money that we’ve given them to reach out to all students.” Carl Fergus representative Student Services Finance Committee

Fergus added that overall, he felt Vets for Vets’ budget was fiscally responsible and only minor cuts had to be made. Members from the Student Leadership Program also presented

their budget request to SSFC members Thursday, highlighting their need for funds to cover the costs of various programs and conferences that members say are necessary for the organization’s direct services. “We’ve worked really hard over the past couple of years to make each program more directly tailorable to students on campus,” said Stephanie Bergren, SLP financial coordinator. SSFC members also unanimously approved removing former Representative Kyle Szarzynski from the committee for “non-compliance of the SSFC attendance policy.” The committee will make a decision regarding SLP’s budget at Thursday’s meeting and will also hear Promoting Awareness, Victim Empowerment’s budget request. —Kelsey Gunderson

Madison resident Jane Anne Morris was one of several community members expressing support of the proposed amendment. “Institutions like the Central Public Library and WYOU community television promote the gathering, dissemination, discussion and exploration of knowledge and ideas,” she said. Despite this support, the council ultimately decided against the amendment. Restorative funding for public education and community outreach, which will include snow emergency updates to the UW homepage, was approved, while funding for ENACT, a community program that promotes environmental awareness and more sustainable living, was eliminated. Instead of approving an amendment that would delete $10,000 in funding for alcohol inspectors, an alternative was decided upon. The

Alcohol License Review Committee will provide a detailed plan, including position descriptions for alcohol inspectors, before making any funding decisions. One amendment awarded $38,000 in restorative funding for ice rinks for Garner, Goodman, Olbrich, Warner and Westmorland Parks. Additional funding for 200 nearside Madison Metro bus stop signs was also approved in an effort to correct “boarded corners,” in which signage faces motorists, not passengers, making the location somewhat ambiguous. Mayor Dave Cieslewicz said he remained optimistic about the amendments and the overall budget. “There’s a good balance between modest tax increases without any major cuts anywhere … taxpayers will see continuation of services, no pay cuts, and no one will lose their jobs,” he said.

Democrats create job task force Assembly Democrats created a job task force Monday that aims to create partnerships and collect information across the state on how to improve Wisconsin’s economy. The task force includes business and labor leaders who will travel across Wisconsin and assemble information on “obstacles that hinder economic development.” According to a statement, the task force hopes to create a longterm dialogue between workforce leaders to help improve business strategies at companies around the state. “Wisconsin’s Partnership for

hip hop from page 1 an incomplete education.” Williams said hip-hop is a

a Stronger Economy will bring smart, creative people together, no matter their political ideology, to talk about what we can do to keep Wisconsin on the right track as the nation recovers from its worst economic crisis in generations,” Assembly Speaker Mike Sheridan, D-Janesville, said in a statement. Sheridan said the new partnership will help improve current legislative attempts to boost Wisconsin’s economy. The task force includes members of Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce, the AFL-CIO and other businesses. cultural trend that should not be ignored in studies at this university. “Hip hop is a cultural phenomenon … and for me the life of scholarship is about understanding those phenomena, it’s putting truths into the world about those phenomena,” he said. Monday’s discussion panel was part of a campus-wide initiative called Getting Real: The Future of Hip-Hop Studies Scholarship.

freakfest from page 1 Businesses on State Street have become familiar with the Freakfest routine and are confident in the event, according to Mary Carbine, executive director of Madison’s Central Business and Improvement District. Last year Freakfest’s gross cost was around $185,000. The cost of the event has gone down in the past four years, and the city could break even in years to come, Plant said. Some residents are concerned about parking access and street closures. All closures and changes in parking availability go into effect early Saturday evening and can be found on the Freakfest website. Ticket prices remain the same as in 2008, $7 if purchased by Friday and $10 on Saturday. “[Freakfest] has become a safe, fun, exciting, community event, another night that downtown [Madison] is a great destination for entertainment and fun,” Carbine said.

featuresfood

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Tuesday, October 27, 2009

Premiere Madison tasting event a sweet success Artisan cheeses, succulent dishes and sense awakening wines take center stage at Madison Food & Wine Show By Sara Barreau THE DAILY CARDINAL

t was easy to be swept up in the elated atmosphere upon entering the Alliant Energy Center this past weekend, as the 8th annual Madison Food & Wine Show was in full swing. Featuring over 150 exhibitors including wineries, cheese makers and local restaurants and bakeries, this event is Madison’s gourmet tasting event of the year attended by over 6,000 people. This year was no different— the exhibition hall was packed on Saturday with food and wine enthusiasts. Greeted by volunteers upon entering the door, attendees received a free tote filled with various swag and, more importantly, a free wine glass from Wollersheim Winery. The lines of hungry and thirsty people twisted throughout the exhibition hall, eagerly awaiting their next mouth-watering sample, but several exhibitors seemed to draw even larger crowds than the rest. Year after year, Johnny’s Italian Steakhouse is barely able to keep up with the throngs who eagerly await their steak and crab cakes. Though they continue to

be some of the most upscale choices at this event, the quality isn’t always consistent. It’s best to feel this restaurant out during a full dining experience. The Madison Sheraton Hotel stepped up its game this year, featuring a remarkable spread of cheeses, entrée samples and desserts (no entrées on Sunday). The slow-cooked spare ribs with green chilé mashed potatoes were pure comfort food. The ribs were tender and savory, and the mashed potatoes delivered a slow heat that hit at the end.

The slow-cooked spare ribs with green chilé mashed potatoes were pure comfort food.

A newcomer to the show was Daisy Café and Cupcakery, which offered two mouth-watering varieties of cupcakes that were sure to appease any sweet tooth. The vanilla cupcake with raspberry frosting was just sweet enough, the frosting smooth

and a little tart. The chocolate cupcake with mocha frosting was decadent without being too rich. It’s no surprise that Wisconsin is known in part for its artisan cheeses, and the Madison Food & Wine Show showcased the best of the best. Carr Valley Cheese delivers consistent quality year after year, sampling some of its best cheeses, including their Creama Kasa, aged cheddars and Cardona. If their booth didn’t have enough for you, some of the other exhibitors from resorts and shops, such as the Sheraton, were featuring Carr Valley as well. Fromagination was much more prepared this year, with several offerings from their shop, including Green Fields, a semifirm cheese made in Cleveland from whole, raw cows’ milk. BelGioioso had an impressive spread as usual, featuring a variety of ways to serve their cheese, including a mozzerella, basil and prosciutto roll. Sugar Brook Farms displayed a variety of cheese spreads, but the highlight was the tray of gourmet stuffed peppadews from their Kelly’s Kitchen division. Stuffed with a creamy, tangy

DANNY MARCHEWKA/THE DAILY CARDINAL

Weggy Winery had a large assortment of wines to taste from, including their apple wine. Made with estategrown Honey Crisp apples and sweetened with their own honey, this dessert wine is best served chilled.

DANNY MARCHEWKA/THE DAILY CARDINAL

Attendees of the Madison Food & Wine Show enjoyed spicy olives, pickled garlic and ﬁery Bloody Mary’s at the Stump’s Hot Olives stand. blue cheese spread, these sweet peppers exploded with flavor. This three-day extravaganza would have only been half the fun without the tremendous selection of wine and spirits. The selections Michael-David Winery were full-bodied and taste bud popping. Wollersheim Winery featured its crowd pleasers—Prairie Fumé, White Riesling and Sangiovese, to name a few. Attendees received a notebook and pencil upon entering the event to take notes on their favorite wines. They were then able to place orders at the on-site wine cellar to take some bottles home for themselves or as gifts. For those who weren’t into fermented grapes or needed something to wash the red wine film from their teeth, several exhibitors came to the rescue. Capital Brewery and Stella Artois provided beer, while spirits could be found at the Great Lakes Distiller and Travis Hasse’s Original Pie Liquors, which drew in crowds with their apple pie shot fountain. Non-alcoholic options included Sassy Cow Creamery, a local

dairy farm with smooth, velvety chocolate milk and equally appetizing ice cream, among other flavors. And the day was topped off properly with an Italian soda or coffee from Cameron’s Coffee. And when the crowd sought a break from drinking and dining, or simply wanted to sit and relax while they enjoyed a platter full of cheese, the Madison Food & Wine Show did not disappoint. MATC’s culinary arts program provided an opportunity to decorate a personal-sized cake with fondant cutouts and edible-ink pens. The demonstration kitchen featured a dueling chef competition, featuring some of the area’s most amazing chefs in a cooking battle a la Iron Chef. Duels occurred every several hours in a stadium-like atmosphere. The next Madison Food & Wine Show may be 12 months away, but you can visit many of these local restaurants and shops to feast on their wares. You can also purchase most of the wines and beers offered at the show at liquor stores like Fuzzy’s Liquor, Steve’s Wine, Beer & Spirits or Woodman’s.

Claire celebrates October birthday with a ghoul’s night out CLAIRE WIESE chocolate e’claire

appy fall, everyone! Isn’t it good to see the leaves changing and to wear comfy sweaters? I know I love it. However, you may think differently. When one of my good friends thinks of fall, all she can then think of is winter and how nasty Wisconsin can be sometimes. But, until then, why don’t we all enjoy fall and think about all of the lovely food that it brings? So I say “Onward!” in the spirit of the forthcoming holiday season. Like I said, I love fall, espe-

cially because my birthday happens to be exactly three days before Halloween, which this year falls on a Wednesday. If you don’t have a fall birthday, pretend you do and celebrate along with us. First, I’d be hard-pressed to ﬁnd a Badger that didn’t like birthday cake. It seems we’re brought up to love it. Maybe Mom messed up when we were seven and made carrot cake instead of marble, but I’m sure she came around the next year and surprised you with Funfetti. With cake has to come ice cream, or it could just be a regular weekend in my apartment, where we frequently enjoy frosting from a can. Other variations on these staples can include cupcakes and brownies, but I think we can all agree that no birthday can be

complete without a fire hazard on whatever we bake. Secondly, birthdays can signify ‘entitlement,’ and I am sure I will play that card on Wednesday. This basically means that you can go crazy and order whatever you want, whenever you want. Then justify it simply by stating those three magical words, “It’s my birthday!” A friend told me she favors crab legs on her birthday, again, because she can. So go nuts the next time your age goes up a digit. I must make one final addition to this discussion about birthday “food.” I realize that some celebratory items come in the form of “refreshments,” and believe me I’ll be sampling my fair share this year. All I ask is that you take advantage of the quality that is afforded to you on your birthday.

Let your friends buy you that extremely rare microbrew you’ve wanted, instead of more of something cheaper. It’s your birthday. They’ll be willing to make you happy, if just for that one day. It wouldn’t be fair to all of you non-fall birthday peeps to just keep going on this birthday theme. If for some reason you don’t celebrate my birthday, you can enjoy Halloween. After all, you live in Madison, and it’s pretty much standard here. Obviously, Walgreens will be going nuts in the next few days selling bite-sized portions of sugary-filled goodness. With that said, do you ever just get tired of Halloween candy? I know I do. To fix that, why not try putting your own spin on tradi-

tional Halloween treats? One of my personal favorites is anything themed around blood and gore. Truly, I don’t think there’s ever enough of it at Halloween. You could decorate your cake like brains for a zombie party, or tag along with the vampire trends and do something Twilight-esque. Here’s where you can take the birthday advice and just do something because you can. If you want to simply sit on the couch and eat Twix, feel free, but a little creativity can go a long way. To end, I’d like to propose a toast—enjoy your fall birthdays and have a truly frightful Halloween! Don’t moan about turning another year older, plan a monster mash with Claire. Send her your plans at crwiese@wisc.edu.

arts ‘Amelia’ is not cleared for take off dailycardinal.com/arts

By Lauren Fuller THE DAILY CARDINAL

Amelia Earhart was a risk taker. She flew solo over both the Atlantic and Pacific oceans and died trying to fly around the world. Regrettably, “Amelia,” the new film about Earhart’s life, is not able to take off beyond the basic biopic structure. The safe nature that fills the entire production is unfortunate, as the components are there to make a captivating film. The shots of Amelia flying over Africa are gorgeous and all the period details feel spot-on, but the characters feel tired. It is ironic that a film about a woman who fought against the restrictions of society never takes any chances of its own.

While “Amelia” does an admirable job depicting Earhart’s accomplishments, it doesn’t show us who she was outside the cockpit.

Richard Gere does a wonderful job as George Putnam, Amelia’s husband and chief promoter who always came up with new ways to pay for her flying. Gere’s performance captures Putnam’s awe

Tuesday, October 27, 2009

and love for a woman he knows he can never completely have. It is a shame that Hilary Swank is unable to match him. Swank is a good physical match for the character, but she never seems to connect with Earhart as a person, and the script’s dialogue isn’t doing her any favors. She delivers fake and forced lines that are meant to convey Earhart’s passion for flying. While lines like that may have looked brilliant and deep on the page, they fail when delivered on-screen. The one moment when Swank sparkles is during a nighttime flight with Eleanor Roosevelt (Cherry Jones) over Washington D.C. The scenes of these two women who defied the gender roles of their time are truly magical. Roosevelt’s joy when Earhart gives her the wheel is the film’s best moment of excitement, wonder and passion. The other supporting performances are all solid. Ewan McGregor is charismatic, even though he is underused, as Gene Vidal, the other love of Earhart’s life. The movie tiptoes around Earhart’s affair with Vidal, which limits the audience’s connection to Earhart. Without Vidal, or even Putnam, stirring Earhart’s passion, the audience is left wondering what we are supposed to take away

from her character. Director Mira Nair does a great job with the portrayal of Earhart’s failed last leg of her attempted flight around the world. Nair is able to build tension even though we already know how the story ends. Swank’s work in the final

scenes is simple and powerful. However, Nair only briefly, and incompletely, touches on the controversy around how Earhart financed her flights. This was a little known fact about Earhart’s life that could have been very interesting on-screen.

“Amelia” simply never leaves the runway. While it does an admirable job depicting Earhart’s accomplishments, it doesn’t show us who she was outside of the cockpit. We get to know Earhart the pilot, but not Amelia. Grade: C

PHOTO COURTESY FOX SEARCHLIGHT PICTURES

If Hilary Swank had been portraying Gary Busey in “Amelia,” it would have been much more believable than her hollow, emotionless performance as legendary daredevil pilot Amelia Earhart.

Keeping albums under lock a futile endeavor for most bands JUSTIN J. STEPHANI j.j. dilla

arlier this summer, an unforeseen surprise caused Christmas to come early for music geeks everywhere, and it presents two starkly contrasting approaches to the current music market. I was able to get my hands on Eminem’s Relapse and Wilco’s (the album) in the same week, but what made it such an unexpected celebration is the fact that Wilco’s album wasn’t supposed to come out until June, yet it matched Eminem’s May 15 release. This isn’t surprising to hear as most albums leak before their release date. The real surprise is that Relapse was actually released when it was scheduled to. To ensure nobody got their hands on Relapse early, Eminem and Dr. Dre were literally the only two people in the world with the ﬁnal cut of the album until a week or so before it was released. Talk about paranoid. Not even the label executives were aware of what the controversial content may contain. But on a personally owned major label (Aftermath), coming from someone who still cares about album sales, this is what it takes nowadays to keep an album a secret—unless you forego all promotions and put out an album spontaneously like the Raconteurs did last year. Flip that coin and you have Wilco. Wilco (the album) was slated for summer release on June 28. Oops, it leaked May 14, and in reaction to this unfortunate event, Wilco posted a link to download the album from their ofﬁcial website. They actually decided to give it away themselves.

I can think of one small perk: Reports of hundreds of thousands of hits to their website had to reassure them that the masses out there were waiting on their music. To me, that makes Eminem’s tactics pointless. For as close to his chest as he held his ﬁnished product, I still found out about it and got myself a copy in the same way as Wilco’s. Preventing leaks until the album’s ofﬁcial release date doesn’t require more people to buy it, it simply makes more people wait longer for it. In the end, it’s not more money for Eminem, just more headaches. Looking back further, I think

Radiohead’s strategy for In Rainbows has to be the best way of saving yourself the headaches of commercial releases while still managing to make money that loyal fans are willing to spend on your work. It’s a perfect compromise. First, promoting your music on your website and social network pages is easy and free, plus you have complete control over the release process and fans could (or at least I would) avoid sites with secondhand copies. Second, asking fans to pay what they feel appropriate draws artistic sympathy by displaying a disregard for the commercial aspect of the industry, as

PHOTO COURTESY AFTERMATH

I said I’m sorry Mama. I never meant to hurt you. I never meant to make you cry, because tonight, I’m downloading your new album.

well as showing conﬁdence in your work. They just want their music out there to share it with people and are grateful for any listeners. These are the artists I’m willing to pay for, whereas Eminem, who has already sapped the market during more fruitful times, is lucky he’s so talented otherwise his artistic integrity would be completely compromised by his comparatively greedy strategy. Which is why I consider Radiohead’s method the perfect compromise. No unnecessary buildup and an opportunity for the artists to potentially control ALL profits from sales. Yet the market remains in ﬂux as

middlemen like iTunes, Wal-Mart, Amazon, Rhapsody, etc. step in to add a recognizable name to online distribution in return for a sizable portion of the proﬁt. It doesn’t really make sense to me to pay for an album unless the artists are doing it themselves and getting most of the money, but until that becomes the norm, distribution strategies will continue to polarize the industry between the greedy and grateful. Think KFC’s original blend of spices and Coca-Cola’s secret formula are the only secrets that deserve to be known by only two people? Tell Justin about it at jstephani@wisc.edu.

comics 6

Trick or treat. Orange and black are Halloween colors because orange is associated with the Fall harvest and black is associated with darkness and death. dailycardinal.com/comics

Tuesday, October 27, 2009

Candy Apples

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

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

By Yosef Lerner ilerner@wisc.edu

Charlie and Boomer

By Natasha Soglin soglin@wisc.edu

Answer key available at www.dailycardinal.com A Roomy Puzzle ACROSS

1 “... tree falls in the forest and ___ ...” 6 Base of a plant stem 10 Call partner? 14 Tycoon John Jacob 15 Atlas datum 16 Hand lotion ingredient 17 “That’s ___ nonsense!” 18 Predatory insect 20 Career impediment 22 Cut with an ax 23 “___ a bird ...” 24 Island nation southeast of Fiji 28 They run on tracks 31 Fragrant 33 Corrupt 36 “Benevolent” fellow 37 Symbol of the Cold War 41 Astonishment 42 One-time Purina partner 43 Mailer and Rockwell 46 Blind singer Bocelli 50 Analyze ore 51 Play Romeo 53 “The Lord of the Rings” monster 54 Begin lecturing 59 The Trojans’ undoing?

62 Surpass in performance 63 Disdainful grimace 64 Beats a hasty retreat 65 Looks at wolfishly 66 252 wine gallon measures 67 Grassy pastures 68 Boy scout accomplishments 1 2 3 4 5 6

DOWN

Worthless failure Horse farm hand Capital up north “Nay” and “uh-uh” Bobbles at Fenway Military academy enrollee 7 White-flowered iris 8 True and actual 9 Christmas kings 10 City on the Penobscot 11 Busy December worker 12 Subordinate of a gen. 13 A minor, e.g. 19 Aware of 21 Rain-storage tank 25 “Away in a Manger,” for one 26 Aquatic bird 27 “... ___ what you can do for your country” 29 “___ seen enough!” 30 Fountain pen’s tip

31 American soul singer Redding 32 Having toothlike projections 34 Certain untaxed funds 35 ___ in a day’s work 37 “___ company, three’s a ...” 38 Bride’s towel word 39 Earned the crown 40 Word in the name of many duos 41 Trailer for Santa? 44 Dull finishes 45 Indian nanny 47 Dig like a pig 48 Wore away 49 Crossword heading 51 Baffled, befogged and befuddled 52 Game of kings and queens? 55 ‘80-’90s German chancellor 56 “... fifteen miles on the ___ Canal” 57 Famine relief 58 Race down a chute 59 It’s eight hrs. later than PST 60 “Pay you next time!” 61 Disneyland promise

Washington and the Bear

By Derek Sandberg kalarooka@gmail.com

opinion dailycardinal.com/opinion

Tuesday, October 27, 2009

LETTER TO THE EDITOR Tips for renting next year Thank you for your recent editorial ‘Tenant Rights All About Education.’ It’s never been more important, on even more levels than those you mention. Indeed, it was true years ago that if you didn’t sign a lease at your first opportunity you’d be living away from campus and perhaps not in an ideal setting. But times have changed a lot. The housing market has come full circle, and some describe it as even being a renter’s market. With the addition of multiple large buildings in the last several years, and the likelihood of the Mifflin Street neighborhood expanding its number of residents, it’s win-win for students. Sounds great, right? So what’s the problem? Despite the fact that the UWMadison ‘great housing shortage’ is a thing of the distant past, the virtual stampede to sign leases every November continues. Today there are more apartments and houses around campus than there are students to live in them. More options equates to good news for students. The news that rentals around campus are plentiful also forces property owners who may have once been lax about their upkeep to step up their game. If they want to remain competitive, they need to get things fixed, painted, and looking good. The good property owners also know that it costs less to keep tenants than it does to go out and find new ones, which equates to good stuff for student renters too. It’s all good, but as long as the big demand each November to sign leases exists there will always be owners willing to offer a lease to sign at their top dollar price for the longest possible time of commitment well in advance of the lease starting date. If you are renting now, consider staying where you are. Many students don’t move every August. Think of it this way: You already know your landlord and you already know what to expect. Your friends know where to find you. And let’s face it, moving costs money! If where you are now is working for you then consider staying. For the first-year student, signing a lease is perhaps the first individual legal commitment of your life, and it should not be taken lightly. It is a legal contract. Generally speaking, no, you can’t just ‘get out of it’ if you find something else you like better or your friendships change between now and then. You are locked in. That’s it. And for those who find themselves in this position, less than half are able to find someone to take over their spot as a sublet. Don’t fall for the hype or rumors that you have to sign a lease this instant before they’re all gone. Simply put, if you don’t need to make the decision to sign a lease this far ahead, then don’t. Start thinking about it. Ask friends what they are thinking about next year’s living arrangements. Talk about it, but don’t rush to put pen to paper. For the first-year student, make sure you do not want to stay in the residence halls, where everything in the world is provided for you, which allows you to focus on your academics, campus involvement

and activities, which is really why you are here. Living off campus brings independence, but also for some it is the loss of a safety net. Look carefully at what will suit you best at this point in your life and make the decision about where to live thoughtfully. If you choose to live in one of the neighboring campus communities, and you simply want a quality place that is conveniently located nearby, wait until after winter break to begin your serious search. That is when you will have the broadest number of options, and the rent prices start to fall by that time too. Of course there is an exception—if you just have to live at a particular address, at any price, then you should sign a lease at your first opportunity. Over break, talk with your parents and family about the kind of living arrangements you are exploring. Are you considering living alone or with friends? How will this fit into your budget? If you are planning to spend a semester of 2010-2011 studying abroad, you most definitely should wait to sign a lease. Finding a subletter for while you are away is risky business. Not all of them fill—in fact, most do not. Then you are stuck paying rent for the time you are away. Either sign with a place that offers semester leases or wait until as late as May to look for a fall-semester-only lease. Then, you are more likely to be able to negotiate one—as property owners are apt to consider a single semester lease rather than have their place be vacant the entire year. If possible, sign a lease for only the time you are going to be here. Then you can jet off to your new destination—and not look back. And don’t worry! It’s not just the undesirables that will be left. There are plenty of quality rental options close to campus all year round. One last thing—when you’re looking, instead of wading through each of the local rental companies websites one by one and scrolling and scrolling to find the two bedrooms, etc—use the campus resource where all of the vacancies are pooled together. Put in what you want for how much and it creates a list for you. Put in how many bedrooms, rent budget, pet policy, location. Stop sifting. You can find it at www. wisc.edu keyword search: Campus Area Apartments. It’s not just about having the means to assess fines—it is also about students being aware that they can take their time, check places out, and make thoughtful rental choices. So slow down! Be sure! What you commit to, where you live and with who is kind of a big deal. In your article you put out the call for the campus to educate students about renting. As a result, we are already working on organizing a forum in the near future that will speak to first time student renters about tenant rights and responsibilities, housing options, off-campus living safety, and more. Thank you for putting a spotlight on this important issue! —Danielle Tolzmann Program Coordinator Campus Area Housing

Think about meaning of pledge before reciting ANDREW CARPENTER opinion columnist esides those of us who will go on to be teachers, no one really thinks about the pledge of allegiance. But if we really examine the pledge, its wording, how it is used and what it means, we ﬁnd an issue we should be thinking about in great detail. Anyone who said those words, be it one time or every day throughout their schooling, pledged to support a nation “under God.” For a campus that values diversity of opinion and freedom of choice, this is a startling realization. We all gave our allegiance to the idea that our country is guided by the hand of God with his principles inﬂuencing the way we run our state.

We are a democratic nation, and the vast majority of Americans support keeping the pledge the way it is.

For atheists or agnostics, the effect of these words is very dramatic. Should they have to choose between supporting their nation and upholding their beliefs? A small but growing portion of the population ﬁnds this to be an infringement on the separation of church and state. Their argument is especially strong because of the nature of the pledge: it is taught at a very young age and used almost exclusively by our youngest students. Think back to the time when

you ﬁrst said the pledge. Everyone in your class said it without thinking about the meaning. In later grades it wasn’t mandatory but it would be exceptionally strange for someone to sit out. This environment not only negates the purpose of the pledge since we say it mindlessly without deciding if we truly want to give our allegiance, but it creates an environment that is hostile to the liberty of those who do not support America or believe in God. Even so, we are a democratic nation, and the vast majority of Americans support keeping the pledge of allegiance the way it is. Our nation was founded on Christian ideals, and far more than 50 percent of the population believes in a God. The minority who ﬁnd the pledge offensive have the right to their opinion but they do not get to dictate policy. This means that a dramatic restructuring of the pledge of allegiance system, not the Pledge itself, is needed. Students who are too young to understand abstract concepts like God and separation of church and state, or to make an informed decision about pledging allegiance should not do so. In high school students should study the history of the pledge, learn why God has been included and spend time thinking about how students who are not citizens or do not believe in God might feel. They should then decide if they want to pledge their allegiance to a country that may call on them for military service. This process will give the pledge validity and ensure it serves a purpose other than singling out those who do not wish to say it. When students think about what the pledge means, they will realize God does have a place in our government and our nation. They will

also realize that making the choice to pledge their allegiance means they not only support that system but also the liberty of those who have differing opinions. Through open discussion of the topic it will become clear that rather than being unpatriotic or against God, those who do not participate are exercising the rights the pledge supports. Simply ignoring the current system not only misses the point of the American way of life, it goes directly against what we stand for. No one should give their support to the United States mindlessly and no one should be made to feel like less of an American because they do not believe in or support every aspect of our culture.

Those who do not participate are exercising the rights the pledge supports.

The next time you are asked, or in the case of our future teachers, ask someone to say the pledge of allegiance, don’t ask them to recite it. Ask them to think about what they will say and what it means. If they decide to exclude ‘under God’ or not to say anything at all nobody can stop them. Deciding to pledge your allegiance is a personal choice which should actually mean something rather than a group tradition that will be forgotten by the time we get to college. Andrew Carpenter is a senior majoring in communication arts and psychology. We welcome all feedback. Please send responses to opinion@dailycardinal.com.

The ALRC Student Vote Campaign Stats The ALRC is made up of 14 members representing the city of Madison, seven of which are voting members. The groups represented in the ALRC are the Common Council (2 voting seats), the City Clerk (non-voting member), the Tavern League (non-voting member), adult city residents (5 voting members), a UW representative (non-voting member), policy coordinator (non-voting member) and a student advisor (non-voting member). Mission “Serve city’s residents, businesses and visitors by thoroughly and conscientiously reviewing license applications, establishing and maintaining standards, addressing violations, developing alcohol-related policies, and making recommendations to the Common Council.” (ALRC website) Recent decisions -Drove off Scott Acker’s plan to open the Badger Hall of Fame Grill in University Square. The controversy came down to the 900-person capacity and its market as a grill. -The ALRC also suspended the Kollege Klub’s liquor license from Dec. 13 to Jan. 11 because of continued problems with violence, underage drinking and overconsumption. -The Ram Head bar had its liquor license suspended in July for underage drinking allegations that date back to 1999. With last week’s rejection by the Alcohol License Review Committee of District 8 Ald. Bryon Eagon’s proposal to add a student vote to the committee, the issue now moves to the full Common Council on Tuesday, Nov. 3. In the time between now and the upcoming vote, we urge students to get involved in the issue and express their opinions concerning student involvement in city policy. Contact city alders The contact information for all city alders can be found at cityofmadison.com/council. Send an e-mail to city ofﬁcials to let them know your stance on creating a student voting member on the ALRC.

sports 8

dailycardinal.com/sports

Tuesday, October 27, 2009

Football

After bye, Wisconsin gears up for Purdue By Mark Bennett THE DAILY CARDINAL

Bret Bielema made it clear this year’s football team is not at all like the squad from 2008. Last season, following a loss to Ohio State, the Wisconsin football team went on a skid, culminating in a four-game losing streak that nearly took the team out of bowl game contention. This year, after losing to Ohio State and Iowa, the Badgers are in danger of repeating last season’s slide. “I felt last year, there were points when guys just let go on the ﬁeld,” Bielema said. “And I haven’t seen that at all from these guys.” “[Oftentimes] you’re so disappointed in the backto-back losses, you forget you’re a 5-2 team.” Bret Bielema head coach UW football

After being repeatedly asked to draw comparisons between the 2008 and 2009 seasons, Bielema began to show his annoyance with the subject. “We’re in 2009. I’ve talked enough about 2008,” Bielema said. “If you want to keep going back, 2008 was a disappointment/ This is 2009 and I’m excited about this ball club just like I was in week one.” And in 2009, the Badgers’ next focus is Purdue. The Boilermakers enter Camp Randall this week with a 2-2 con-

ference record (3-5 overall). Purdue, however, is coming off two wins in a row, including a marquee victory over Ohio State two weeks ago. But entering this contest, Wisconsin may possess the advantage after having an opportunity to get rested and healthy because of a bye week. “To have the bye week last week probably came at a very good time for us,” Bielema said. “[We had] an opportunity to kind of regroup ourselves.” One Purdue player Wisconsin has been preparing for is junior defensive end Ryan Kerrigan. Kerrigan currently leads the Big Ten with 7.5 sacks, and has collected 12 tackles for a loss in eight games this season. Kerrigan was also a key factor in the Boilermakers’ upset against Ohio State, and picked up both Big Ten and National Defensive Player of the Week honors following the game. In fact, Bielema said Kerrigan reminds him of Wisconsin senior defensive end O’Brien Schofield, who has 16.5 tackles for a loss and 6.5 sacks this season. When asked if playing a football game on Halloween in Madison will affect the mindset of his players, Bielema stressed that this Wisconsin football team is an extremely focused group, and this week, its focus is on beating Purdue. “They’re going to focus in on Saturday and be ready to roll out there,” Bielema said. “Anytime we play in Camp Randall it’s special, no matter if it’s homecoming, Halloween,

LORENZO ZEMELLA/CARDINAL FILE PHOTO

Senior defensive end O’Brien Schofield and the Wisconsin defense will try to shut down a formidable Purdue offense that averages 401 yards and 27.6 points per game. night game, day game. It doesn’t matter, our guys take the task at hand.” This week’s task at hand will be executing against a Purdue team that has a significant amount of confidence following two straight victories. The Badgers, however, remain

confident in their ability get back on track. And despite currently riding a two-game losing streak, they still have an opportunity to finish near the top of the Big Ten. “We’re a 5-2 football team,”

Yankees represent everything wrong with baseball NICO SAVIDGE savidge nation

s I watched the New York Yankees celebrate their Game 6 ALCS victory and trip to the World Series, it ﬁnally hit me why they are the franchise I hate most in all of sports. For years, there has been no team I despise more than the Yankees—more than the college rivals I’ve cheered against like Minnesota or Stanford, more than the Oakland Raiders and certainly more than any other baseball team. Now I see why I hate the Yankees so much: They symbolize everything that is wrong with Major League Baseball, and embody all of the qualities that drew me away from the game in the first place. From terrible owners to inflated payrolls to gaudy stadiums, the Yankees have them all. Let’s start with domineering owner George Steinbrenner. His style of management has already made him a caricature in the minds of many fans, and you would be hard-pressed to find any owner that fans and players hate more than him. With the possible exception of Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban, Oakland Raiders owner Al

Davis or former Cincinnati Reds owner Marge Schott, can you think of an owner who made himself more of a story than the team as much as Steinbrenner has? Steinbrenner’s method of signing players to absurd contracts, making it impossible for smaller teams to compete, is another one of baseball’s issues the Yankees employ.

From terrible oweners to inﬂated payrolls to gaudy stadiums, the Yankees have them all.

You could say I’m just a bitter fan of a “Moneyball” team who is tired of seeing his team’s best players bought up by the Yankees. But they essentially bought their American League Championship this year, and if they win the World Series they will have their inflated payroll to thank for that as well. The Yankees pluck the best players from clubs all around baseball, pulling them away from fans with massive salary offers no one can compete with. I’m not an advocate for a baseball salary cap, but you would be hard pressed to find a better argument in favor of it than the “Evil Empire.” The new Yankee Stadium even

takes those terrible qualities from the field to the stands. I made my view of absurd new stadiums clear a couple of weeks ago, and there is no bigger offender than the Yankees’ new home. After tearing down a shrine to baseball history, they erected a new one bowing down to everything that is wrong about modern baseball stadiums. Of course, there are the nowfamous “Legends Suite” tickets, which cost $1,250 per game— after the Yankees halved the ticket cost when they realized people wouldn’t pay $2,500 for one baseball game, absurd ticket prices aren’t the only terrible thing about the new Yankee Stadium. The stadium is an awful attempt to create a sense of history in a gaudy new park, while the whole building is plastered with obtrusive advertisements. This is by no means a complete list of the Yankees’ terrible attributes—let’s not forget that the Yankees have an admitted steroid user leading their offense, their broadcasters (specifically John Sterling and Suzyn Waldman) are some of the biggest homers in baseball, and their fans are some of the worst in all of sports. People don’t hate the Yankees because they’re jealous of them. Sure, I would love for my team to win 26 World Series titles, or possibly 27 depending on the next couple of weeks, but the real rea-

son people despise the Yankees is because of what they represent. A Republican friend of mine jokes that he likes the Yankees because they represent everything that’s good about big business: they have the most money, so they get the best talent and win world championships at the expense of smaller teams.

After tearing down a shrine to baseball history, they erected a new one bowing down to everything that is wrong about modern baseball stadiums.

He’s right: the Yankees are the sports equivalent of a massive corporation, dominating their competition and stufﬁng their own pockets with championships. Their owner’s style, player acquisitions and even stadium are all part of an homage to the absurd wealth that has so deeply impacted baseball. Teams like the Yankees have caused me to drift further and further from baseball in the past five years, and they embody everything I can’t stand about what the sport has become. Think it’s not the Yankees’ fault because you have to blame the game, not the player? Or are the Yankees just fun to hate? E-mail Nico at savidgewilki@wisc.edu.

Bielema said. “[Oftentimes] you’re so disappointed in the back-toback losses, you forget you’re a 5-2 team.” Game time for Purdue is set for 11 a.m. and will be broadcast on ESPN2.

BADGER BITS Men’s Basketball Wisconsin held its annual Red and White Men’s Basketball Scrimmage Sunday, with White defeating Red, 45-36. Junior forward Keaton Nankivil scored a gamehigh 13 points for White, shooting 5-for-8 from the field, including 2-of3 from 3-point range. White’s senior guard Jason Bohannon and Red’s sophomore forward Rob Wilson each scored 10 points. Bohannon was 4for-10 from the field, and Wilson was 4-for-11. Other notable players in the scrimmage included senior guard Trevon Hughes, who totaled five points and four assists, and junior forward Jon Leuer, who converted only two of 12 field goal attempts. Men’s Soccer Senior defender Eric Conklin received national recognition Monday, being named to College Soccer News’ National Team of the Week. Last week Conklin scored a goal, and was in intergral part of the Badgers’ two shutout wins over Marquette and OSU.