Monday, November 8, 2010 - The Daily Cardinal by The Daily Cardinal

BADGERS BRING HOME VICTORIES FOR SOUVENIRS Football, men’s and women’s hockey return home from road trips with key wins

University of Wisconsin-Madison

Complete campus coverage since 1892

dailycardinal.com

Biddy connects with students while in China By Molly Reppen The Daily Cardinal

Chancellor Biddy Martin, who was in Beijing, China, spoke Friday with 14 UW-Madison students from the Grand Strategy Programs, a policy-making student group, through the university’s new Cisco-Telepresence video-conferencing system. Martin spoke about her week-long trip to China and mentioned how China and Wisconsin are similar. “The similarities between the state of Wisconsin and the provinces that we learned more about by meeting the heads of the provinces are really striking,” Martin said. “Everything from agriculture, to interests, to biomass and alternate energy sources, the value of education and the dairy business is relatable.”

PAGE 8

Monday, November 8, 2010

Festival of sights

Chinese universities have become very interested in different international universities, particularly UW-Madison, according to Martin. “The Wisconsin Idea, and the relationship between the state and UW-Madison, is turning out to be fascinating for the people of China.” Biddy Martin chancellor UW-Madison

“The Wisconsin Idea, and the relationship between the state and UW-Madison, is turning out to be fascinating for the people of China,” conference page 3

Sen. Mark Miller named Minority Leader After losing key party figures in the recent election, state Senate Democrats named current Joint Finance Committee co-chair Sen. Mark Miller, D-Monona, as their leader for the upcoming legislative session. Miller was first elected to the state Senate in 2004, before MILLER which he served in the state Assembly for three terms. He also chairs the Senate Committee on the Environment and the Select Committee on Clean Energy. After spending the last two years in control of both cham-

SPORTS

bers, Democratic lawmakers will face major changes in the next session as the minority party. Current Senate Majority leader Russ Decker, D-Wausau, was among the 14 Democratic legislators ousted in the election. Miller lamented the loss of so many lawmakers in a statement, and praised the work they achieved over the last two years. “Now we look to the future,” Miller said in a statement. “Senate Democrats stand ready and willing to work on a bipartisan basis with the incoming legislative majorities and administration to continue creating well paying jobs in Wisconsin, improving education and strengthening our communities.”

Ben Pierson/the daily cardinal

Students celebrated Diwali with fireworks at Memorial Union. The event was part of “Diwali Night,” held by the Indian Graduate Students Association.

New York Governor-elect requests Wisconsin’s high-speed rail funds By Ariel Shapiro The Daily Cardinal

With the future of Wisconsin’s high-speed rail line in limbo, New York Governorelect Andrew Cuomo is asking the federal government to redirect the funding to his own state. C u o m o wrote a letCUOMO ter to U.S. Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood requesting the funding to

connect cities like Toronto, Montreal and New York City. “High-speed rail could be the 21st century Erie Canal for New York state and help rebuild Upstate New York’s economy.” Andrew Cuomo governor-elect New York

“High-speed rail could be the 21st century Erie Canal for New York state and help rebuild Upstate New York’s economy,” Cuomo wrote. “Now is

the moment to build.” Cuomo said unlike in states like Wisconsin and Ohio, where incoming administrations are preventing the implementation of federal rail projects, his administration would see the project through. Although Gov. Jim Doyle is a supporter of the high-speed rail line, he asked the Wisconsin Department of Transportation to stop construction on the project Thursday. The unexpected motion came less than a week after his administration signed an under-the-radar deal with the federal government rail line page 3

Lisa Link Peace Park officially re-opened By Taylor Harvey The Daily Cardinal

Ben Pierson/the daily cardinal

The Lisa Link Peace Park underwent a $1.1 million renovation. The park now features a new green space and visitor’s center.

Madison residents and city officials attended the official reopening of the Lisa Link Peace Park located at 400 State St. Saturday morning. The park, dedicated to Madison activist Elizabeth Link, “adds uniqueness and value to the Madison park system,” Madison Park Department member Steve Doniger said. “[The park] offers an urban oasis, it’s a place that has some green space on State” said Doniger. Owner of Smooth Transitions and former member of the Lisa Link Peace Park commit-

tee Carolyn Peckham said she wanted the park to be a place where people could enjoy the new green space.

“[The park] offers an urban oasis, it’s a place that has some green space on State.” Steve Doniger member Madison Park Department

“The park lends itself easily to performances, informal gatherings, and a place where people can simply enjoy the sun,”

Peckham said. The implementation of an ATM was a controversial aspect of the park’s design. The park’s panhandlers were heavily affected because of a Madison ordinance prohibiting panhandling within 50 feet of an ATM. Event attendee Diane Kuidera, of Madison, said the ATM extracts social settings for people who are disadvantaged. “The city is under serving a large population by taking away their social network” said Kuidera. Doniger said anyone can use the park even though panhanpeace park page 3

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

page two

tODAY: sunny hi 61º / lo 40º

2 • Monday, November 8, 2010

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

Stephanie lindholm ‘holm free

News and Editorial edit@dailycardinal.com Editor in Chief Emma Roller Managing Editor Todd Stevens Campus Editor Kayla Johnson City Editor Maggie DeGroot State Editor Ariel Shapiro Enterprise Editor Alison Dirr Associate News Editor Beth Pickhard Senior News Reporters Jamie Stark Ashley Davis Opinion Editors Dan Tollefson Samantha Witthuhn Editorial Board Chair Hannah Furfaro Arts Editors Jacqueline O’Reilly Jon Mitchell Sports Editors Mark Bennett Parker Gabriel Page Two Editor Victoria Statz Life & Style Editor Stephanie Rywak Features Editor Madeline Anderson Photo Editors Danny Marchewka Ben Pierson Graphics Editors Caitlin Kirihara Natasha Soglin Multimedia Editors Eddy Cevilla Briana Nava Page Designers Claire Silverstein Joy Shin Copy Chiefs Anna Jeon Margaret Raimann Nico Savidge Kyle Sparks Copy Editors Bui Yan Bonny Tai

Business and Advertising business@dailycardinal.com Business Manager Cole Wenzel Advertising Manager Mara Greenwald Accounts Receivable Manager Michael Cronin Billing Manager Lizzie Breckenfelder Senior Account Executive Taylor Grubbs Account Executive Alyssa Flemmer Dan Kaplan Rick Maturo Nick Bruno Carly Ettinger Matt Jablon Graphic Designer Jaime Flynn Web Director Eric Harris Marketing Director Erica Rykal Public Relations Manager Becky Tucci Events Manager Bill Clifford Art Director Jaime Flynn Copywriters Dustin Bui Bob Sixsmith 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. The Daily Cardinal is published weekdays and distributed at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and its surrounding community with a circulation of 10,000. 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 word processed and must include contact information. No anonymous letters will be printed. All letters to the editor will be printed at the discretion of The Daily Cardinal. Letters may be sent to opinion@dailycardinal.com.

lmost every week, I wake up with a plethora of e-mails from my professors, all titled “IMPORTANT: PLEASE READ!” These e-mails are rarely important, which is why I rarely read them. Most of the time, I ignore these e-mails because they make me feel like Tommy Pickles the day he forget the screwdriver. This is an example of a typical “important” e-mail: Dear Students, I have a few concerns I’d like to address. It’s important that you read the following information carefully. I’m noticing a significant decline in grades after your midterm last Tuesday. I’m disappointed to announce that the highest grade received was only a 67. It’s important to note that your exams in this class will not be curved under any circumstances, so doing well is imperative. I understand that the exams in this class are quite daunting, but it’s important that you do well, because the skills and material we cover in this class are skills that you will use in your future career, whatever path you choose. I’ve compiled some study tips for future exams: —Be sure to read all assigned readings, rather than just skimming through important titles and headlines. —Watch all the video blogs posted to the course website. It’s

Editorial Board Hannah Furfaro • Miles Kellerman Emma Roller • Nico Savidge S. Todd Stevens • Dan Tollefson Samantha Witthuhn

Board of Directors Jason Stein, President Emma Roller • Cole Wenzel Samuel Todd Stevens • Mara Greenwald Vince Filak • Janet Larson Alex Kusters • Jenny Sereno Chris Drosner • Melissa Anderson Ron Luskin • Joan Herzing

Write a guest column for Page

For the record Corrections or clarifications? Call The Daily Cardinal office at 608-262-8000 or send an e-mail to edit@dailycardinal.com.

dailycardinal.com/page-two

Important: Read this or risk your pathetic future

Volume 120, Issue 49

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

tueSDAY: clear hi 63º / lo 43º

Two! E-mail vstatz@wisc.edu for more information!

unacceptable to not have watched these videos before the exam. —Be sure you’re aware of current issues that are relevant to this class, whether they are addressed in lecture or not. All current events are fair game. —Attend lecture religiously. The best way to learn the material is to come to lecture.

I ignore these e-mails because they make me feel like Tommy Pickles the day he forgot his screwdriver.

—Finally, if you have questions on any materials covered in lecture, remember to upload your questions to the Learn@UW forum, rather than flooding my inbox with e-mails. Happy studies! HP (Helpful Professor) But when I read the e-mail in the morning (for once) while I was laying a little foggy-headed in bed, this is what I saw: Hey Idiots, You are all really fucking stupid. Don’t even think about deleting/ignoring/skimming this e-mail or you’re going to fail the rest of the class. Everyone failed the midterm because I’m a total prick who writes tests that are obviously impossible to pass and deny curves to satisfy my sad, spiteful existence. I’m way too

lazy and pompous to write a new, potentially passable exam, so I’m going to continue to copy random questions from past professors’ exams, whether or not I even remotely mentioned the subject in lecture. I realize that I’m a shiftless, unqualified son-of-a-bitch, but seriously—you’re all complete morons and if you don’t learn the enormous amount of bullshit required for this class, you’ll be a failure in life and still be living in your parent’s basement at 35. Here’s the dummy-guide to this class, since you’re all a bunch of halfwits and can’t possibly figure it out for yourselves: —Make sure you thoroughly analyze all 63 of the single-spaced, size six-and-a-half font, doublesided, 40-page scholarly articles and memorize any and all quotes for the ridiculously idiotic “Important Quotes” section of the exam. —Oh yeah, don’t forget that you have five-to-six hours of video tutorials on the course web site that are due tomorrow. Disregard the fact that I’m telling you just now, the day before.

Don’t even think about deleting/ignoring/skimming this e-mail or you’re going to fail the rest of the class.

—On top of the unbelievably large amount of homework and essays I assign you, the unpassable tests I write, your four other classes and possibly the job you work every morning from 6 a.m. to noon, don’t

forget to watch CNN and read the New York Times every single day, because everything in the fucking world is applicable to my exams. —Get your over-extended asses out of those twin-sized beds and drag yourself through the blizzard to my completely pointless lecture where I talk about my recent divorce and make really awkward sexual jokes. —Finally, it’s absolutely acceptable for me to flood your inbox with long, annoying grievances. But NEVER e-mail me questions about lecture material or class requirements. Instead, I suggest you spend 45 minutes searching the poorly constructed question forum on the Learn@UW website for the answer. If you still can’t find it (because your brain is smaller than a rat’s), THEN is it acceptable to post a new entry to the forum. I probably won’t respond to the thread though, because I haven’t logged into Learn@UW since the first day of class when I posted that really cheesy welcome message. Sucks to be you! FP (Fucking Professor) It made me want to write my professors an e-mail containing bullshit just like I described above and see how motivated it makes them feel about the class. But alas, it was Sunday “morning” and I probably had only slept five hours, even though morning means 2 p.m. So, I trashed the e-mail and forgot about the “motivational” threats. Why? Because those e-mails are pure fucking garbage. You probably get these e-mails too, so send possible rebuttal suggestions to slindholm@wisc.edu.

dailycardinal.com/news

Monday, November 8, 2010

Madison Metro bus driver ‘shookup’ after hit-and-run

rail line

A Madison Metro driver was “shookup” after a pickup truck hit the rear of the bus on East Washington Avenue early Sunday morning. According to the police incident report, the pickup truck hit the bus with “a great deal of force.”

to lock in federal funding for the project, which drew heavy criticism from Republicans statewide. Wisconsin Governor-elect Scott Walker said in a statement he would do everything in his power as governor to take legal action against the train project. In the last gubernatorial debate,

conference from page 1 Martin said. “I don’t believe there’s a counterpart in China.” UW-Madison history professor Jeremi Suri asked the chancellor how people in China have reacted to the recent United States elections, specifically the Wisconsin elections and candidates. “The provincial governors were very interested in the Wisconsin elections, specifically because Governor Doyle has vis-

At the time of the hit-and-run the bus had no passengers, police said. A witness told police the male suspect ran from the scene after the accident. The 56-year-old bus driver was not injured, police said. “The MPD has identified a possible suspect, but he has not been locatited [China] several times and they wanted to know the possible impact of change in the administration in the state,” Martin said. The event served not only to connect Martin with students on her trip, but also to unveil the new video-conferencing device at the Bascom Hill Telepresence Classroom in the Education Building. Another teleconferencing system was installed in the new Wisconsin Institutes for Discovery building that will open Dec. 2.

ed,” Madison Police Department spokesperson Joel DeSpain said in a statement. The suspect is said to be caucasian, in his early 20s, 5'11" and around 140 pounds with a thin build. He was wearing all black clothing at the time of the incident.

from page 1

news

Tom Barrett, Milwaukee Mayor and former Democratic candidate for governor, warned the funds allocated to Wisconsin would be redirected to another state if Walker refused to build the rail line. As the numbers stand, New York will receive $151 million for rail construction from the federal government, a fraction of the $810 million originally allotted to Wisconsin.

peace park from page 1 dling is not permitted. “The ATM serves as a social agency that accommodates all guests,” Doniger said. Tom Link, son of Lisa Link, was present at the re-opening of the park. He gave a short speech about his mother’s life and the role peace plays in having faith in the goodness of humanity.

Natasha Soglin/daily cardinal File graphic

opinion Government should keep hands off video games 4

dailycardinal.com/opinion

Monday, November 8, 2010

lydia statz opinion columnist

emember the countless hours you spent in the basement as a child playing “Mortal Kombat,” “GoldenEye 007” and in your later years the “Call of Duty” series? Nearly every student in our generation has experience with at least one of these, but a new California law seeks to stop minors from accessing these violent games.

It is highly unlikely this law will even be effective in keeping the games out of children’s hands.

Five years ago, California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger signed into law a bill that would prevent violent video games from being sold to minors. According to this law, a violent game includes any

“in which the range of options available to a player includes killing, maiming, dismembering or sexually assaulting an image of a human being in a way that is ‘patently offensive,’ appeals to minors’ ‘deviant or morbid interests’ and lacks ‘serious literary, artistic, political or scientific value.’” Pretty definitive. Although the California law is several years old at this point, it has never taken legal effect because it has been deemed unconstitutional in every level of federal court so far. Now, the Supreme Court has heard the case and is finally expected to rule on it next year. This isn’t the first time older generations have worried about the media corrupting the youth. Today, we’re constantly reminded that violent video games ultimately spawn violent adolescents, just as a half century ago it was rock ’n’ roll that was going to turn the country’s youth into devil-worshipping fornicators. After all, did you see the way Elvis was shaking his hips? The reality is this: Psychologists have yet to offer definitive proof that playing a violent game increases other violent tendencies in children. For every study that concludes virtual violence

view Cardinal View editorials represent The Daily Cardinal’s organizational opinion. Each editorial is crafted independent of news coverage.

CAMPUS SERVICE FUND SHOULD PASS In the next few weeks, members of Associated Students of Madison Student Council will cast an important vote on a new funding model for financing services provided to UW students. The Campus Service Fund, proposed by Student Services Finance Committee Chair Matt Manes, aims to provide a more cost-efficient method for financing essential campus services.

That’s why the CSF needs to pass—to ensure that we, as a student body, are provided for regardless of arbitrary reports.

We urge the members of Student Council to vote in favor of Manes’ proposal. At its core, the CSF is a mechanism for ASM to declare a service important enough to guarantee that it is provided to students. Currently, essential services such as sexual assault education or tutoring are provided through registered student organizations like PAVE and GUTS, which apply for funding through the General Student Services Fund. However, as seen in the past

with other student organizations like the Campus Women’s Center last year and WISPIRG more recently, tight reporting standards and strict eligibility criteria hamper many groups’ access to funding while questionably favoring others. In the case of essential services like tutoring, legal advising and sexual assault assistance, we cannot afford to let an overbearing system get in the way of financial support. That’s why the CSF needs to pass—to ensure that we, as a student body, are provided for regardless of arbitrary reports. From both a democratic and a fiscal standpoint, the operating procedure of CSF is sound. The process is cohesive—it requires input and approval from each branch of student government before ultimately deciding whether or not to provide funding for a proposed service. From there, a Procurement Board is formed that hammers out the best method for funding in terms of cost and feasibility. Either ASM itself can provide the service, select student organizations can be considered for the proposal and enter a bidding process, or it can be provided by an outside group contracted through the university. If a service is eventually funded through

leads to an increased crime rate, there is another, equally reliable research team that says they have found no link between the two. Until video game violence is proven to be more harmful than that found in movies, television or even books, there’s no reason to subject it to any higher standards of regulation.

We already have measures in place to prevent children from playing games that are inappropriate for their age level.

Without getting into some of the murky details of First Amendment, let me just spell out several reasons why this law doesn’t hold up under the microscope, and also why the Supreme Court should—and most likely will—strike it from the books. First, it is highly unlikely this law will even be effective in keeping the games out of children’s hands. I would guess that most video games purchased for minors are done so by parents anyway. Anyone over the age of 18 can still purchase these games,

CSF, it must eventually undergo re-evaluation after its first three years of existence, then every two years after to ensure that it is still a critical service worthy of providing for students. Recently, some students have spokent out against the CSF because they feel as though the process is being rushed and that it has the potential to detract from GSSF groups’ funding or eliminate some entirely. But the facts speak for themselves. The idea behind CSF has been an ongoing, albeit slow, process with roots in SSFC for years. Furthermore, Manes has made a concerted effort over the last few weeks to gather input from students through town hall meetings and open forums. If students choose not to voice concerns, that is their prerogative; but it’s

Editorial Cartoon

and likely will continue doing so. Whether it comes as a gift from a parent or from sweet-talking an older sibling into buying it for you, it’s highly doubtful that children and teens will find it any harder to get their hands on that violent video game they’re looking for. Additionally, we already have measures in place to prevent children from playing games that are inappropriate for their age level. The Entertainment Software Rating Board rates each video game submitted to it (which includes nearly all new titles) with an age-appropriate label in order to inform parents and other prospective purchasers about the violent or sexual content of each game. Instead of increased regulation, what we really need is more education. If more parents were aware of these ratings and what they mean, they would have the necessary tools to decide what is appropriate for their own children without the government legally telling them what’s best for their families. And lastly, contrary to popular belief, the industry itself is not entirely amoral. A lead designer at Epic Games, noted for the “Gears of War” trilogy, has said that the company is always

conscious of when the violence becomes a bit too extreme and they need to tone it down a bit. There have been games that have been criticized within the industry as being tastelessly violent, and they haven’t sold well because of it. Hardcore gamers are drawn more to well-done, entertaining games, not necessarily the most violent ones.

wrong to think that the campus is being duped overnight.

otherwise, dismantling groups is not the ultimate goal of CSF. Instead, the goal is to make the best funding decisions possible. After all, it is through student segregated fees in tuition that these services receive funding, so it is to our advantage to make sure they are as efficient as possible. Similar to the GSSF, the services still need to meet rigorous standards to warrant CSF funding. But the CSF will provide a more cost-efficient and streamlined funding method while removing human error from temporarily halting financial support for a crucial campus service. From a student perspective, the CSF model outperforms GSSF at nearly every level, and we hope Student Council takes that into account when they continue discussions Wednesday.

From both a democratic and a fiscal standpoint, the operating procedure of CSF is sound.

The CSF is rational, calculated and efficient. It would not operate under viewpoint neutrality like GSSF currently does, and will provide funding for critical services regardless of a group’s ability to fill out forms. Ultimately, the CSF will operate at a higher level than the GSSF. Although many student organizations would have you believe

While it’s certainly reasonable to protect children from gratuitous violence, that responsibility should lie with parents, not the government.

Video games are not the enemy, and while it’s certainly reasonable to protect children from gratuitous violence, that responsibility should lie with parents, not the government. Besides, our generation has spent countless hours stabbing, beating and shooting enemies before we became adults, and so far we seem to be doing just fine. Lydia Statz is a junior majoring in journalism and international studies. Please send feedback to opinion@dailycardinal.com.

By John Liesveld opinion@dailycardinal.com

arts

dailycardinal.com/arts

Monday, November 8, 2010

Few ‘killers’ on Green’s latest By Jeremy Gartzke

is more serious and features a less whiney tone than “Fuck You!” does, Three albums into his solo career, “Wildflower” is one of the album’s Cee Lo Green is on the tip of every- more underrated tracks. one’s tongues. Whether or not he can The second single, “Old stay there, however, is a question that Fashioned,” is a slow, soulful jam in The Lady Killer addresses. The lead which Green’s signature vocal style is single for this record, “Fuck You!” was absent. The song is produced well, but leaked to huge viral success, creating it just lacks the freshness of the other enormous buzz around the album. But tracks and sounds exactly as its title as genius as “Fuck You!” is, the rest of suggests. This is easily the weakest track the album lacks this initial punch. on the album, and it raises questions as That doesn’t mean the rest of the to why it was released as a single. record isn’t worth listening to, though. The cover of the Band of Horses With “The Lady Killer Theme song “No One’s Gonna Love You” (Intro),” Green sets up a new per- is intriguing, but it ultimately feels sona that he uses for the entirety of like filler on this 14-track album. the album. Instead of the usual rap/ Considering that the song is to be hip-hop fare he offered with Gnarls released on a split 7" single that also Barkley, he portrays a smooth-talking features a Band of Horses cover of player with a soulful voice that should Green’s “Georgia,” it feels like an melt ladies’ hearts. unneccessary inclusion on an already “Bright Lights, Bigger City” is lengthy album. a straightforward song about the Aside from “Fuck You!,” the only virtues of Saturday song with hit potenCD REVIEW nights. With a stactial on the record is cato intro and a fanalso the fourth single tastic bass line, this to be released, “It’s song was written OK.” Lyrically, “It’s specifically with the OK” doesn’t stray dance floor in mind. from the formula Unfortunately, this of “Fuck You!,” utisong just isn’t memlizing humor and The Lady Killer orable, and as soon heartfelt lamentaCee Lo Green as it’s over you’ve tions for the end of forgotten about it. a relationship. With The aforementioned “Fuck full-bodied instrumentation and an You!” absolutely spoils this album. overtly positive message, this song is Combining a soulful sound and ridiculously catchy. sentiment everyone can relate to, With a few tweaks, The Lady Killer Green hits the nail on the head. could’ve been one of the year’s best pop With first-rate production from The records. Tracks such as “Satisfied,” “I Smeezingtons and contributions from Want You” and “Cry Baby” exemplify Bruno Mars’ production and writing the stellar production and classy writteam, this track is solid gold––not to ing that made “Fuck You!” so undenimention the single’s fabulous video. ably successful, but overall the album The quirky humor of not only the falls short of the sky-high expectations lyrics, but Green’s gospel-like vocal set by “Fuck You!” performance as well, makes this track At the end of the day, The Lady the absolute standout of this album. Killer still gets me to dance more than Cymbal rolls, piano and vocals the average pop record would, but carry the listener into the next track, there’s just too much filler for me to “Wildflower.” While this song fully endorse this album.

The Daily Cardinal

Photo courtesy LEgendary Pictures

Counterparts Robert Downey Jr. and Zach Galifianakis struggle across the country in “Due Date.”

Despite some laughs, no need to save this ‘date’ By Todd Stevens The Daily Cardinal

You’re in Atlanta. Your wife is in Los Angeles and will be giving birth to your first child in a week. Getting to such an important event should be as simple as catching a crosscountry flight, right? Not if you are Robert Downey Jr. and you live in a Hollywood buddy road movie. In that case, you will somehow end up on the federal no-fly list, be forced to drive across the country with Zach Galifianakis and end up getting into numerous bizarre and life-jeopardizing events along the way. This is life in the movie “Due Date.” The biggest names of presentday Hollywood are all on board for “Due Date,” with America’s current favorite leading man in Downey Jr., last year’s breakout comedian in Galifianakis and the director who brought Galifianakis to fame in “The Hangover,” Todd Phillips. It even brings back the road movie, one of the film industry’s tried and true formulas. “Due Date” has all of the pieces together to be a surefire hit, but not necessarily all of the pieces fit. And while it doesn’t exactly fire on all cylinders, it does work well enough to be fairly enjoyable. Much of the movie’s success is owed to Downey Jr., as “Due Date” proves him to be one of the most effective comic foils working today. With a character as offkilter as Galifianakis’ to counterbalance, “Due Date” desperately

needed a very relatable core to keep the film grounded. Downey Jr. is able to do just that with his persistently perturbed temperament, and his ability to keep his reactions to various obscene situations in proportion without ever losing the audience’s sympathy.

“Due Date” has all of the pieces together to be a surefire hit, but not necessarily all of the pieces fit.

Galifianakis is a different story, however. What made a classic buddy road comedy like “Planes, Trains and Automobiles” so successful was that its wacky sidekick, in that instance played by John Candy, was still a very baffoonish character, but he was still relatable to the outside world. Candy’s character was the kind of person we run into at airports every day. Galifianakis is not. That’s not to say that Galifianakis isn’t funny. He does the best he can with the material he was given. Unfortunately, what Phillips gave Galifianakis is a basic retread of either material he has already done in “The Hangover” or material that he is ill-suited for. Many shots from “The Hangover” and “Due Date” are almost exactly the same if you

switch in a French bulldog for Carlos the baby. And the moments where Galifianakis and Downey Jr. try to connect are never quite believable, as at no point does “Due Date” provide any reason that Downey Jr. should like Galifianakis––at most he could only pity him. Much of the blame for this lies with Phillips, who despite helming massive comedy hits like “The Hangover” and “Old School” has not shown himself to be a terribly talented filmmaker. Both of those films relied on a simple concept and a quality cast, which for the most part was enough. But at any point where more was demanded of Phillips he would come up short, leading to gags that felt disjointed, supporting characters (particularly wives and love interests) who were never fleshed out, and rushed conclusions. “Due Date” suffers from all the same flaws, suggesting that Phillips’ biggest problem may be an inability to learn from his mistakes. But thankfully for “Due Date,” just enough of the gags work. Cameos from comic pros like Danny McBride and Jamie Foxx are much appreciated, and they prevent Downey Jr. from having to shoulder all the weight of the film. So while “Due Date” will never be mistaken for road movie classics, it still brings enough chuckles from the chaotic lives of fictional travelers to make the real lives of viewers just a bit funnier.

Viral Videos of the Week Search terms: Fainting Goat Kittens

These adorable kittens have the rare genetic disorder most often seen in fainting goats. Throughout the video we see two sweet little kittens tense up and fall, over and over again. Tragically, the video’s success will outlive the kittens themselves, as they’ve died since the video’s posting. Apparently not all cats have nine lives.

Photo courtesy elektra records

Following the success of Gnarls Barkley and the single “Fuck You!,” Cee Lo Green’s third solo record falls slighty short of its high expectations.

Be the first to correctly answer this question and win 2 FREE TICKETS to the LOTUS concert this Friday!

Search terms: Baracka Flacka Flames

In this parody we see our president in a little different setting. From smoking blunts to hard-core raps, “President Obama” holds nothing back. The impersonater doesn’t exactly have the same look as our president, but what will really get you laughing are the spot on vocals.

What year was this Lotus album released? Send your response to arts@dailycardinal.com.

comics 6

Beauty School dropout. Nine U.S. presidents did not graduate college. For the record, neither did Wisconsin governor-elect Scott Walker.

dailycardinal.com/comics

Monday, November 8, 2010

An elephant in the room

Today’s Sudoku

Evil Bird

By Caitlin Kirihara kirihara@wisc.edu

Branching Out

By Brendan Sullivan bsullivan3@wisc.edu

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

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

Eatin’ Cake

By Dylan Moriarty eatincake@gmail.com

Crustaches

By Patrick Remington premington@wisc.edu

Today’s Crossword Puzzle

First in Twenty

By Angel Lee alee23@wisc.edu

Answer key available at www.dailycardinal.com

TWICE AS NICE ACROSS 1 Sings with a closed mouth 5 Procedure parts 10 Nile reptiles 14 Popular cookie 15 Lowest deck 16 In ___ of (as a replacement for) 17 Washington city 19 Actress Bancroft 20 L.A.-to-NYC dir. 21 Asks on bended knee 22 Pagoda instruments 24 Statement from Pinocchio 25 Mr. in Bombay 26 Auto body support 28 Catch, as a dogie 30 Dressing container 32 Commitment to pay 33 Angel or Saint, e.g. 35 Tate treasures 36 Hostels 37 Teenager’s occupation 40 Tough situation 42 Sailor’s “Help!” 43 It comes out of a pen 44 Eustachian tube locale 45 Whiskered romper 47 Works at a keyboard 51 Doesn’t work, fashionwise

53 Words that will deﬁnitely get you a kiss 55 European high spot 56 Antonym for “adore” 57 Dutch dairy product 58 Apple-cider gal 59 Word with “teen” or “matinee” 60 German spa 63 Flag 64 Tennis legend Chris 65 Dawn’s opposite 66 Pass the breaking point 67 Not sparse 68 Chooses (with “for”) 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

DOWN Thurston on “Gilligan’s Island” Astronomy muse Wild scufﬂes Costa del ___ (Spanish region) Seed distributor Deeply distressing Some architectural add-ons Vote seeker, casually Food that’s twirled before eaten Thicke and Rickman Storied New York prison Money for retirement

13 Take to court 18 Suck up, like a sponge 23 Nosebag tidbit 26 Short and not so sweet 27 Prefix with “pend” 29 Bit of bickering 31 Increase, as a bet 34 Pearl diver’s destination 36 Like a squid’s squirt 37 South Pacific resort island 38 Pink elephant spotters 39 Lay to rest, in a way (Var.) 40 Moderately dry, as champagne 41 “Have Gun Will Travel” hero 45 “So that’s your secret!” 46 Bus fillers 48 Settled, as bills 49 Like Bart, among the Simpson siblings 50 Paddles 52 Haul (Var.) 54 “The Divine Comedy” writer 57 Utopia of Genesis 59 “___ show time!” 61 Pennsylvania in D.C., e.g. 62 Brouhaha

Washington and the Bear

By Derek Sandberg kalarooka@gmail.com

sports

dailycardinal.com/sports

Men’s Basketball

Monday, November 8, 2010

Men’s Soccer

UW shows balance, unveils freshmen in exhibition victory By Max Sternberg the daily cardinal

In front of a crowd of over 17,000, the UW men’s basketball team opened up its 2010-’11 campaign Saturday as 11 players scored en route to a 84-59 victory over UW-LaCrosse. Despite returning three starters and twelve letter-winners, the focus throughout the pre-season has been on filling the gaps left by the departure of graduated guards Jason Bohannon and Trevon Hughes. Although Jordan Taylor is a lock to fill one of the vacated guard positions, the exhibition opener was an opportunity for the coaching staff to get an idea of what they have in their arsenal in trying to fill that final spot in

the starting lineup. “I wanted to try and get a look at a lot of people,” coach Bo Ryan said after the game. “So [the exhibition game] served its purpose.” Amongs the potential candidates for that final starting job, senior Tim Jarmusz was put in the starting lineup Saturday,and finished with five points and five rebounds in just 16 minutes. “He didn’t need to get a lot of minutes because he’s had more experience,” Ryan explained. “Tim was solid.” With junior Rob Wilson limited to just five minutes due to a strained hamstring, freshman Josh Gasser got an opportunity to get into the mix. He played 20 minutes, scored nine points, grabbed four rebounds and looked nothing like a freshman

Matt marheine/the daily cardinal

Senior Jon Leuer led Wisconsin with a double-double Saturday against UW-LaCrosse. Leuer is a preseason all conference pick.

in his first college action “[It] doesn’t surprise me that he walked on the court and never changed expressions,” Ryan said. “He’s the kind of player people are going to enjoy seeing around here for four years. He’s a player.” While the focus in the exhibition opener was obviously on the backcourt, the veteran frontcourt was as solid as expected. Senior Jon Leuer came out strong, putting up 11 points in the first half and 15 overall in a double-double that also included 10 rebounds and two assists in just 27 minutes. Leuer used his size advantage to lead a Wisconsin charge inside that helped the Badgers outscore LaCrosse 32-0 in the paint. “Our guards and even our big guys did a good job of looking inside,” Leuer said. Fellow senior Keaton Nankivil started off cold, missing his first two shots before recovering to finish six for nine from the floor for 15 points to go along with three rebounds and two assists in 22 minutes of action. The domination inside by Wisconsin led to 15 offensive rebounds, softening the blow especially as the Badgers struggled from the field early on. “A lot of it is just aggression early on, that’s one thing the coaches really try pound in our heads,” Nankivil said. “It’s a loose ball every time, and when we have players like Mike [Bruesiwitz] and Jon who can really hit the glass hard, and Ryan Evans did a good job tonight. At the same time I think it’s going to get a little harder down the road when sizes and that kind of stuff equal out.” With the regular season looming less than a week away and just one more exhibition contest remaining, the Badgers still have many questions yet to be answered. Still, with a Bo Ryan-coached team, early season questions are nothing new.

UW upsets No. 24 Northwestern in five-set thriller By Stephanie Richter the daily cardinal

The Wisconsin volleyball team (4-10 Big Ten, 15-10 overall) was able to get its first win over a ranked opponent this weekend, as they upset No. 24 Northwestern (7-7, 17-8) in an exciting five-set match. Freshman right-side hitter Julie Mikaelsen led the offense for the Badgers once again, as she recorded a career-high 19 kills and posted a team-high .372 hitting percentage in the match. Senior outside hitter Allison Wack also stepped it up for the offense, finishing the night with 16 kills. Eight of the kills came in the fifth set, in which the Badgers came back from a 9-6 deficit. Sophomore middle blocker Alexis Mitchell also recorded double digit kills, as she racked up 14 and was not far behind Mikaelsen with a .370 hitting percentage. Sophomore outside hitter Bailey Reshel added 11 kills to Wisconsin’s total 69 kills. Junior setter Janelle Gabrielsen put up an impressive 58 assists and added two blocks to the Badgers’ effort. Defensively, senior libero Kim Kuzma had another outstanding

performance, recording a matchhigh 28 digs. Wisconsin started slow, dropping the first set to the Wildcats 25-16. The Badgers came back in the second set, overcoming 11 ties and competitive play to even the match. Gabrielsen put away the set with a kill and a 25-22 win. The third set began again with two ties, but Mikaelsen took over the set and generated a 4-0 run to give the Badgers a 7-3 lead. The rest of the set was all Wisconsin, and they coasted to 25-17 win. The Wildcats did not go down without a fight, as they came out in the fourth set and staked an early 9-2 advantage. Northwestern was able to stretch their lead to 14-4 before the Badgers started to rally back and pull within four points at 20-16. Despite a late run from Wisconsin, kills from graduate student middle blocker Sabel Moffett and red-shirt sophomore outside hitter Madalyn Shalter gave Northwestern the 25-21 win. Moffett led the Wildcats, as she recorded a match-high 27 kills, five blocks and a stunning .524 hitting percentage. The momentum from the

fourth set pushed the Wildcats into the fifth with an early 9-6 lead. Mitchell sparked a 6-3 Wisconsin run with three kills and tied the set at 12-12. The last set had seven ties after the initial tie at 12. The Badgers served for their match point at 15-14, but the Wildcats came back to serve for their own match point twice. Wack was the determining factor in the fifth set, as she contributed three kills in the last four points to finish off the Badgers upset. Wisconsin continues their season on the road this weekend, playing Penn State and Ohio State. —uwbadgers.com contributed to this report

matt marheine/the daily cardinal

Senior Aaron Nichols scored the only goal against Penn State with a penalty kick conversion in the first half. It was his final game in Madison.

Badgers close out regular season with a 1-0 victory By Matthew Kleist the daily cardinal

The regular season for the Badger men’s soccer team (1-4-1 Big Ten, 4-12-2 overall) ended Saturday night. Hosting the Nittany Lions of Penn State (2-3-1 Big Ten, 11-6-1), the Badgers looked to close out the season on a positive note. In a game that favored the Nittany Lions on paper, it was the Badgers who came out on top, downing No. 22 Penn State 1-0 and earning the first Big Ten win of the season. Attacking the Badgers with dangerous, sustained pushes, the Nittany Lions clearly out-played Wisconsin early on. The Penn State attack peaked when they were awarded a penalty kick on a controversial call. PSU superstar Corey Hertzog took the kick and despite the near automatic nature of a PK off the foot of such a tremendous player, the experienced striker was bested by Wisconsin’s freshman keeper Max Jentsch. “I just had to focus,” Jentsch said. “Luckily he shot it right down the middle and I got my legs to it.” Giving up the penalty kick seemed to awaken the Badger offense. Attacking in the 27th minute, freshman forward Chris Prince battled for the ball near the Penn State endline. The Nittany Lion defender sent Prince to the ground inside the box, giving the Badgers their own chance at a penalty kick.

UW head coach John Trask selected senior defenseman Aaron Nichols to take the kick. “We don’t really tell the players who is going to take the penalty kicks,” Trask said. “It’s a vibe within the team. Players have to feel it and, no question that Aaron felt it.” Putting the ball in the upper left corner of the net, Nichols drove the shot home to give the Badgers the one-goal lead. “It’s a great feeling,” Nichols said. “You want to go out with a good memory. I think that was the best way to end my career here.” Nichols’ penalty-kick goal was all the Badgers needed to earn the victory, but the win did not come without its tense moments. Penn State came out firing on all cylinders in the second half. The Nittany Lions brought the ball into the Wisconsin box on multiple occasions, ripping shots that sailed just wide of the net. Sensing that their time was running out, Penn State was desperate to net a goal. The Nittany Lions were given a free kick just 20 yards from the goal. On a kick that curved over and around the defense, Jentsch was forced to make an excellent save on the ball to preserve the one goal lead. Riding on the solid play of Jentsch, the Badgers held on to win their first Big Ten game of the year. “I don’t think you could have written it any better,” Jentsch said.

sports 8

dailycardinal.com/sports

Monday, November 8, 2010

Football

‘D’ leads 8-1 Badgers past Boilermakers Turnover barrage fuels dominating second half By Parker Gabriel the daily cardinal

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind.—Coming off its bye week, No. 7 Wisconsin (4-1 Big Ten, 8-1 overall) turned in a half-full performance in a half-hostile environment, but used three second half interceptions to beat Purdue (2-3, 4-5) 34-13 in West Lafayette, Ind. The Badger offense struggled mightily from the start, as senior quarterback Scott Tolzien threw an interception in Purdue territory on the opening possession and junior kicker Philip Welch missed a field goal later in the first quarter. In the first half UW totaled just 126 yards. Purdue looked on its way to capturing a 14-0 lead in the second quarer when sophomore linebacker Mike Taylor forced the first of four Purdue turnovers when he stripped the ball from Boilermaker wide receiver Antavian Edison after a catch deep in UW territory. Junior cornerback Antonio Fenelus scooped up the ball and returned it 48 yards to the Purdue 27 yard line, setting up a Welch field goal. The return only started a huge day for Fenelus, who also had an interception return for a touchdown in the fourth quarter that put UW up 34-13 and ended all doubt about the outcome. “I haven’t been in the endzone since

high school,” Fenelus said. “So that felt really great.” Freshman Boilermaker quarterback Sean Robinson executed Purdue’s spread offense effectively for the first 30 minutes, but each of his three second half interceptions came deep in his own territory. Following the three turnovers aside Fenelus’ touchdown, Wisconsin took over deep in Purdue territory, beginning drives at the Boilermaker 27, 18 and 14. “The scoring percentages when you start getting into that sort of yardage go way up,” senior left guard John Moffitt said. “That’s what it’s all about, and the defense really played well today.” Wisconsin did not have its best day offensively, but outscored Purdue 28-3 in the second half to avoid a catastrophic loss. Head coach Bret Bielema and his staff planned on being without freshman running back James White, but also lost junior John Clay to a leg injury and sophomore center Peter Konz, who re-aggravated a previous ankle injury. In the stead of White and Clay, sophomore Montee Ball continued his re-emergence in the Badger backfield. The St. Louis, Mo., native carried the ball 21 times for 127 yards and two touchdowns and ran exceptionally well in the second half. “It’s so nice to have three backs that can do that,” Moffitt said. “Running the football here is not easy … but Montee definitely stepped up.” Ball’s performance is the second straight

Michael carney/the exponent

UW cornerback Antonio Fenelus returned a fumble 48 yards in the first half and an interception 31 yards for a touchdown in the second half of the Badgers’ 34-14 win. road game in which he has been thrust into action, after playing a key part in UW’s 31-30 victory over Iowa on Oct. 23. Despite the distance from Madison, one could almost mistake Ross-Ade Stadium as a Badger-friendly environment. The announced

crowd of 45,227 appeared a generous bet and much of the south end of the stadium arrived clad in red. The Badgers return to action next Saturday in a true home game as they welcome the Indiana Hoosiers to Camp Randall Stadium.

High-scoring games highlight Border Battle weekend on ice Men’s Hockey By Ryan Evans the daily cardinal

MINNEAPOLIS—Going into a hostile environment like Mariucci Arena is never an easy task for any team. The building was at playoff-type intensity for most of the weekend’s action, but a young Wisconsin team proved to be undaunted, taking three points from the Gophers in their own barn. Led by a strong showing from their younger players, Wisconsin won in convincing fashion Friday by a score of 6-0 before coming away with a hard-fought 3-3 tie in Saturday’s series finale. In Friday’s series opener the Badgers came with their A game and took advantage of a Minnesota team that didn’t look ready to play. Freshman forward Michael Mersch opened the scoring for the Badgers just before the first intermission after collecting his own rebound for the third time and putting the puck over the left shoulder of Minnesota goaltender Alex Kangas. That goal opened the floodgates. Sophomore forward Derek Lee started a second period scoring barrage after freshman Mark Zengerle found him in front of the net with a pass from behind the goal. Junior forward Jordy Murray followed that with a goal on a similar play with sophomore forward Craig Smith. Mersch added his second goal of the game and Zengerle also scored to wrap up the second period for the Badgers. In the third period, freshman forward Tyler Barnes added a goal on a nice wraparound to close out the scoring for the Badgers. Senior goaltender Scott Gudmanson turned away 24 shots for his second shutout of the season. Wisconsin’s freshmen were a key part of the game, scoring four goals as well as adding four assists in the 6-0 victory. “They are a big part of our team and they put up big numbers tonight,” UW head coach Mike Eaves said of his freshmen. “If they continue to play like that we have a chance to be successful.” On Saturday, it was the Gophers who came out playing inspired hockey. Minnesota junior forward Taylor Matson scored on a 2-on-1 for Minnesota, coming down the left side and sniping the top right corner for the game’s first goal.

Graphic by Dylan moriarty

Minnesota extended the lead to two when senior Jacob Cepis tallied a power-play goal. Down two goals, Wisconsin responded. After an outlet pass from senior goaltender Brett Bennett, Zengerle found sophomore defender Justin Schultz at the point to put it past Gopher goaltender Kent Patterson and cut the Minnesota lead in half. The Badgers would tie the game in the second period when Jordy Murray tapped the puck in on the right post. However, Minnesota regained the lead, again on the power play, when senior defenseman Cade Fairchild found senior forward Jay Barriball at the point. Barriball beat a screened Bennett for the 3-2 Minnesota lead. Again, the Badgers found an answer. After a grueling, physical third period, the Badgers would again battle back to tie the game with about two minutes left in regulation when Murray was able to poke the puck from under Patterson’s pads after a scramble in front of the goal. Despite a flurry of Wisconsin chances in the overtime period, the game would end in a 3-3 tie. “To come into this building and take three our of four points, and tonight, battle back twice from being down, really shows a lot of heart out of this group,” Eaves said.

Women’s Hockey By Nico Savidge the daily cardinal

MINNEAPOLIS—Eight games into the season, the Wisconsin women’s hockey team had faced little adversity. Sure, there were tough games against top-10 teams like Ohio State, and some goaltenders had good nights, but unlike the rest of the WCHA they had yet to experience their first loss. That changed Friday night as the Badger defense and goaltending faltered in a 7-5 loss to No. 8 Minnesota at Ridder Arena. But Wisconsin was quick to atone for those mistakes the next day, stifling the Gopher offense on its way to a 5-0 win, salvaging a split and getting the team back on track heading into a bye week. “We can’t give up seven goals if we’re going to give ourselves a chance to win,” head coach Mark Johnson said Friday. The Badger defense seemed overmatched in the series opener, often losing battles to loose pucks, and as a result giving up a season-high seven goals. “They were skating us really hard, they were beating us on the bluelines,” sopho-

more defenseman Saige Pacholok said. Wisconsin’s goaltending was just as shaky in its first road game of the season, allowing those seven goals on 22 Gopher shots. Freshman goaltender Alex Rigsby started Friday, but after a first period in which she struggled to control and see shots and let in three goals, Johnson replaced her with sophomore Becca Ruegsegger. Ruegsegger had trouble as well, allowing the next four Minnesota tallies. The Badger offense tried to keep the team in Friday’s game throughout the second period, but whenever Wisconsin scored the Gophers stopped their momentum with another goal. “Every time we got ourselves within a distance to make a game of it, they responded with goals,” Johnson said. “As much energy as we expended, when those goals happen it takes a little bit of life out of the sail.” After her bad start Friday, Johnson said he spent part of Saturday morning’s practice working one-on-one with Rigsby, shooting at her to help Rigsby see the puck better and be calmer the next time she stepped on the ice. The result was her second shutout of the season, in which she looked much more at home in her net. “You don’t know how a freshman is going to react in a hostile environment against Minnesota,” he said. “The next time she’s in a similar situation she’s certainly going to be more comfortable, as she was today.” “I felt a lot different today,” Rigsby said Saturday. “I figured the worst was out of the way and I was a lot more calm and relaxed.” One constant through both games was the Badger offense, which put up ten goals over the course of the series against sophomore Minnesota goaltender Noora Raty, who had allowed just three in her previous five starts. Raty faced pressure from the Badger forwards all weekend, and was clearly frustrated by the end of the series. Junior forward Hilary Knight scored three goals in the series, including two Saturday afternoon from seemingly impossible angles to beat Raty on the near post. “I saw she wasn’t on the post and just shot it right there,” Knight said. “I think she was anticipating a pass across so I got lucky on that one.”