Wednesday, September 24, 2008 - The Daily Cardinal

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Joseph Koss: Trying to shed ‘light’ on the university and city safety problem OPINION

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University of Wisconsin-Madison

SLOPPY AND TRITE, BUT ‘IGOR’ NOT TERRIBLE Morbid Disney heir to “Nightmare Before Christmas” squanders potential

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Forum leaders stress revision of diversity plan By Beth Pickhard THE DAILY CARDINAL

UW-Madison faculty, staff and students discussed ways to move beyond Plan 2008, the campus’ previous 10year diversity plan, at the ninth annual Diversity Forum at Memorial Union Tuesday. The forum focused on how to create a welcoming, respectful and empowered community for the future. The day-long forum brought together many campus administrators, including College of Letters & Science Dean Gary Sandefur, Wisconsin Union Director Mark Guthier and Provost Patrick Farrell, who introduced the forum’s keynote speaker, Duke University professor Eduardo Bonilla-Silva. “If you care to look back 10 years or more, [we’ve made] really significant strides in diversity of the student body,

staff, faculty … that impact the lives and success of the people who come to this campus,” Farrell said, admitting the campus community is not ideal. “I can’t say that we have always been able to alter the climate as much as we would like. Success doesn’t just happen in this field; it happens because people put a lot of energy into making it happen.” Bonilla-Silva said minority students across the nation still encounter a hostile climate on campus. “[Today’s students] still complain about things we complained about 20 years ago ... the limited number of students, faculty and staff of color, as well as a hostile climate, limited support from staff and a curriculum that is not multicultural and relevant,” he said. diversity page 2

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After survey results suggested many UW-Madison alumni living outside Wisconsin would return to the state, the Wisconsin Alumni Association announced an effort Monday to retain the university’s graduates. The survey came in response to a trend, dubbed the “brain drain,” of UW-Madison alumni leaving Wisconsin to work and live in major metro areas around the country. In partnership with Competitive Wisconsin Inc., the WAA will use a $25,000 grant from the Wisconsin Department of Commerce for mar-

keting efforts to reverse this trend. Bill McCoshen, executive director of Competitive Wisconsin, said the alumni already have a connection to Wisconsin, but the organizations must inform them of the opportunities in the state to attract them back and achieve a “brain gain.” According to the survey, over half the respondents would consider moving back to Wisconsin for the right opportunity. “[Alumni] said they would move [to Wisconsin] for their family and friends and for the good quality of life in Wisconsin,” said Kate Dixon, WAA director of

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Wednesday, September 24, 2008

Cautious optimism

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Alta Charo, a UW-Madison law professor, advocates a spirit of cautious optimism regarding stem-cell research in Tuesday’s keynote speech at the fourth annual World Stem Cell Summit. Charo described several difficulties, including the accessibility of treatment and who will pay for it. Check out Thursday’s Science section for a more in-depth look at Charo’s speech and the conclusion of the summit.

Wis. Alumni Association announces initiative to reverse ‘brain drain’ By Hannah McClung

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media and public relations. When well-educated people live and work in Wisconsin, it leads to a higher per-capita income, which is better for the state of Wisconsin, she said. According to Dixon, the WAA holds Badger Career Expos in different cities in the United States, and more than a dozen Wisconsin companies will be visiting these cities to showcase job opportunities in the state. “[Wisconsin] has a lot of opportunities for people, and the quality of life is second to none,” said brain drain page 2

Free trade agreement

U.S. House of Representatives passes Great Lakes Compact By Jessica Feld THE DAILY CARDINAL

The U.S. House of Representatives passed the Great Lakes Compact Tuesday by a vote of 390 to 25. According to Tyler Schwartz, spokesperson for U.S. Rep. Tom Petri, R-Wis., the compact passed without much opposition. The bill, introduced to Congress in June, provides a legal framework for states and Canadian provinces bordering the Great Lakes to protect the bodies of fresh water. It prevents long-distance water diversions and presents a plan for sustainable water use. Gov. Jim Doyle signed the compact in May, and the U.S. Senate passed it in August. The only remaining step to the compact becoming law is President George Bush’s signature, and he has openly supported the bill. According to Schwartz, it is only a

matter of scheduling before the bill is signed and put into law. Concerns of low water levels have many Great Lakes legislators, including Petri, a member of the Great Lakes Task Force, calling for immediate passage of the compact. “The compact is an absolute necessity to protect our environment and economy. Its passage is a great step forward both for the environment and for the economies of states like Wisconsin,” Petri said in a statement. Protecting the Great Lakes, which contain 90 percent of America’s surface freshwater and supply 30 million Americans with drinking water, has been a longtime project of Wisconsin lawmakers. Doyle said in a statement the lakes are crucial to Wisconsin’s economy. “One of our greatest competitive advantages in a 21st century global economy is our water—water that will help Wisconsin businesses grow and attract new businesses to our state,” Doyle said.

Coroner identifies driver in deadly crash on Midvale, says alcohol was involved

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A large crowd of Mexican-food fans waits in line outside Chipotle on State Street, which offered free burritos and drinks to all customers between 2 and 5 p.m. Tuesday.

Alcohol was a factor in the car crash that killed three UW-Madison students on Midvale Boulevard less than a week before the beginning of fall classes, the Dane County coroner said Tuesday. The crash occurred Aug. 27, when the vehicle carrying Richard Putze, 22, Lindsay Plank, 23, and Daniel Myers, 22, lost control and crashed into a tree at 215 S. Midvale Blvd. around 1:45 a.m. Coroner John Stanley identified the driver of the vehicle as Putze,

who Stanley said had a blood alcohol content of .14 percent at the time of the crash, nearly twice the legal driving limit of .08. He was pronounced dead at the scene. Myers and Plank were transported to UW Hospital, where they later died. Putze and Plank were about to begin their senior year as chemistry majors. Myers, a talented pianist, completed graduation requirements for a degree in music performance during the summer and was not enrolled in fall classes.

“…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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Wednesday, September 24, 2008

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Business and Advertising business@dailycardinal.com Business Manager Babu Gounder Assistant Business Manager Alex Kusters Advertising Manager Sheila Phillips Web Directors Eric Harris, Dan Hawk Account Executives Katie Brown Natalie Kemp, Tom Shield Marketing Director Andrew Gilbertson Assistant Marketing Director Perris Aufmuth 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 letters@dailycardinal.com.

ASHLEY SPENCER back that ash up

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f you’re a girl and you visit Perez Hilton in class, on the toilet, in the morning, after lunch, when you’re watching “90210” or only every 10 minutes, then I’m sure you’ve heard about the DJ AM, Travis Barker plane crash. Obvi. It’s been like, four whole days. The sad thing is, four people actually died. The funny thing is, we would never have heard about that crash if famous people weren’t involved. What I learned from this whole thing is that I know way too much about celebrities, just like the rest of our country’s somewhat apathetic youth. My knowledge rivals Wikipedia. I’m what’s wrong with America. When my friends copied and pasted links to the plane crash story into my IM, they should have known that I had already known for hours. PUHLEASE. I, after all, was their primary news source during the Heath Ledger incident. All of them were informed via emergency text mes-

sage about his death, probably before Mary-Kate even found out she killed one of the last talented people in Hollywood. When talking with my friends this weekend, I started a game. We traced back every link and connection we could between D-JAM (as I fondly refer to him) and the former Blink-182 dude and everyone else in Hollywood. Here’s what I came up with. DJ AM was engaged to Nicole Richie, whose godfather is Michael Jackson, who once “dated” Lisa Marie Presley, who allowed Jackson to very grossly and very publicly make out with her at an MTV Video Music Awards show. Lisa Presley’s daughter used to date Ryan Cabrera, who dated Ashlee Simpson when she had that terrible show, before she got pregnant and had her subsequent shotgun wedding to Pete Wentz, who appeared on “One Tree Hill” with Chad Michael Murray—right after his divorce—who was in the disastrous movie “House of Wax” with Paris Hilton, who used to be BFF with Nicole Richie circa “The Simple Life,” right when everyone found out about her sex tape and her fame really took off. Paris Hilton is seriously dating Benji Madden, one of

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those tatted-up Good Charlotte losers, and Nicole had Joel Madden’s (Hilary Duff’s old flame) baby, Harlow, who was born just a day before Christina Aguilera’s baby, with that fugly looking gnome guy Jordan Bratman. It was Paris Hilton who inadvertently told everyone that Xtina was pregnant at a party before the 2007 VMAs, in which Britney made her shit-tastic “comeback” performance looking like an oversized sausage stuffed into lingerie, before Tommy Lee and Kid Rock got into a fight. A year later, DJ AM and Travis performed at the VMAs, just, like, three weeks ago. OMG. I could go on and talk about Travis’ crazy stripper ex-wife Shayna and their reality show, but it would probably start to nauseate you. In the good ol’ days, things were memorized that had cultural or academic importance. People learned new languages. Fourth-graders memorized state and world capitals. The Hills were just unimpressive common land features, not a national obsession. Before you know it, we’ll be teaching our kids which starlets refuse to wear underwear (Julianna Margulies, the curly haired lady who used to be on “ER,”—the show on TV that’s gone

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at least eight seasons too long—and recently flashed her va-jay-jay). Then, they’ll move on to memorize which celebs have had DUIs and which ones are most likely to pull a Lohan and spontaneously burst into a lesbian. Sometimes I think I’d like to learn a new language, take an art history class or try a new hobby, like sailing. I want to write a novel, be able to label a whole map of the world by memory and name every world leader. But, instead, I’m blessed with the talent of being able to burp the name of every guy Paris has ever slept with. It’s like biting your nails: a bad habit you can’t quit, no matter how much your fingers start to bleed. If I don’t hear who Amy Winehouse hit this weekend, see shirtless photos of Zach Efron, or learn who Sienna Miller is now sleeping with, a little part of me dies. And though I wish I could rise above useless gossip, it’s just something I love. It’s as if celebrities have chosen me. And, even if I do ever finally climb a mountain or read “Ulysses,” I’ll still always be able to tell you who last went into rehab: David Duchovny (for sex). Feed my addiction. Send any celeb stories to aaspencer@wisc.edu.

Wis. attorney general opposes motions to intervene in lawsuit against GAB In response to numerous organizations motioning to be involved in his lawsuit against the Government Accountability Board, Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen announced Tuesday he opposes all intervention. The Republican Party of Wisconsin, the Democratic Party of Wisconsin, Madison Teachers, Inc., the American Federation of TeachersWisconsin and Madison Firefighters Local 311 all motioned to become parties to the lawsuit. According to Van Hollen’s

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THURSDAY: mostly sunny hi 79º / lo 55º

Omnibus Response to Motions for Interventions, private political interests have no role in this case. “Time is of the essence. I am concerned that if motions to intervene are granted, it will only serve to slow down the process,” Van Hollen said in a statement. Van Hollen filed the lawsuit Sept. 10 over the GAB failing to crosscheck voter registration information. The lawsuit has drawn criticism, with some groups claiming it is a partisan effort to disqualify voters.

University Book Store to expand to new location in Milwaukee area

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Dane County Executive Kathleen Falk signs an ordinance that establishes a domestic-partner registry and requires companies contracting with the county to provide equal partner benefits. The Dane County Board passed the ordinance at a meeting Sept. 18.

brain drain from page 1 Tony Hozeny, communications director for the Wisconsin Department of Commerce. According to Hozeny, Wisconsin

diversity from page 1

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

Bonilla-Silva reinforced the importance of student involvement in creating a desired community for the future. “[It] will not be the result of good deeds of enlightened administrators … White students should work alongside minority groups to recast the diversity efforts in Wisconsin,” he said. Teri Balser and Sarah Pfatteicher, co-chairs of a campus re-accredita-

University Book Store plans to open a new store at the Brookfield Square Mall in Brookfield, Wis., Oct. 1. University Book Store opened in 1894 in Madison to provide students with university merchandise, books, gifts and school supplies. Since the opening, the bookstore has expanded to other locations in Wisconsin, including four different venues in Madison and one in Janesville. An employee from the State Street bookstore said directors are currently in the Milwaukee area in preparation for the opening of the

new store. According to The Capital Times, the book store will hold similar apparel and gifts as the other stores, but it will also carry UW-Milwaukee and Marquette University merchandise. Bo Ryan, UW-Madison’s men’s basketball coach, will appear at a book signing for his autobiography, “Bo Ryan: Another Hill to Climb” Thursday at University Book Store’s Hilldale Shopping Center location, 702 N. Midvale Blvd. He will also appear for a signing at the new Brookfield store Oct. 8 from 7 to 8 p.m.

has researched opportunities that are spinning off into new companies leading to “jobs of the future.” “Wisconsin offers competitive housing and utility costs, short commutes to work, recent entrepreneurial

efforts and an excellent educational system,” Hozeny said. UW System spokesperson David Giroux said the university is taking an increasingly direct role in developing job opportunities where graduates can

put their education to use and earn decent salaries. “The question isn’t if people want to come back, the question is whether we can retain that great quality of life,” Giroux said.

tion team, led one of many breakout sessions to discuss ideas to improve campus diversity. Pfatteicher said she thinks activities need to be encouraged for UWMadison staff and students to build a welcoming community. She also said faculty need to go beyond their job descriptions to achieve diversity. In addressing Plan 2008, Chancellor Biddy Martin said she is too new to comment on how to specifically improve future programs.

“I am just at the point of learning what worked and what didn’t work [in Plan 2008],” she said. Martin stressed the university’s role in promoting a welcoming community to achieve diversity throughout the campus. “If we don’t acquire departments and programs that build pools of possible candidates in advance, I don’t think that diversification will actually happen,” she said. “[Diversity] is often made to seem like an institutional

burden rather than an opportunity to be alive to the world, which is how I think about it.” Martin said the word “diversity” is overused and is now academically uninteresting. “[This] results partly from a gap between administrative commitments and processes on one hand and faculty, staff and student expertise on the other,” she said. “The integration of these things is absolutely essential.”


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Wednesday, September 24, 2008

UW survey reveals student interest in online education Study analyzes benefits of using video streaming By Grace Kim THE DAILY CARDINAL

A study from the UW-Madison E-Business Institute (UWEBI) found the majority of undergraduate students strongly prefer onlinelearning study and courses with lecture captures. UWEBI, a campus-wide initiative conducting multidisciplinary research on e-business strategies, conducted a survey of 29,078 UW-Madison students to find their perspective on streaming video lectures in April 2008. Among the survey respondents, 47 percent of undergraduate students had taken at least one online course with lecture captures. According to Kyle Henderson, marketing and communications manager of UW E-Business Consortium, the survey results showed 82 percent of undergraduate students preferred courses with online-lecture options. “There has been a considerable amount of work done in terms of lecture capture, streaming video

lectures,” Henderson said. “The great majority of folks we surveyed found that this is going to be an excellent complement to their course work.” According to the UWEBI study, which was designed by Raj Veeramani, a UW-Madison professor and executive director of UWEBI, 93 percent of students said webcasting lectures is helpful as a way to make up missed classes. According to the student survey, 60 percent of students are willing to pay for streaming content services. Over 50 percent of undergraduate students said they would use the online materials after the end of a course. “I would love to have online lectures in addition to normal lectures,” one of the survey correspondents said. “Focusing on listening and comprehension during class is very important to me and extremely difficult if I am also simultaneously scribbling notes.” Henderson said professors can also benefit from online teaching. “One benefit for the professor is more satisfied students,” he said. “Professors are interested in student learning, and some students said they can learn better with online content at their disposal.”

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Vilas Zoo maintains national accreditation Madison’s Henry Vilas Zoo once again achieved national distinction Tuesday, after the Association of Zoos and Aquariums renewed its status as an accredited zoo. The AZA’s independent Accreditation Commission awarded the Vilas Zoo accreditation for meeting “high standards in every aspect of its operations,” joining a list of 218 zoos and aquariums nationwide. To be accredited by the AZA, a zoo or aquarium must complete a rigorous six-month application process, in which the institution is inspected to determine if it meets the necessary standards in animal care, veterinary medicine, education and conservation.

“The fact that it’s a free zoo … is fantastic. It means it’s supported by the community and it’s really affordable for students to go visit.” Zoo director Jim Hubing said the Vilas Zoo has been accredited by the AZA since the early 1970s and that accreditation sets the

zoo apart from others. “[Accreditation] means that we’ll provide the very best animal care and that we subscribe to all of the breeding recommendations for the species survival plans,” he said. “It is a great accomplishment for everybody here.” —Jack Zeller

“This is a very meaningful achievement.” Steve Feldman representative Association of Zoos and Aquariums

“This is a very meaningful achievement … because we are a sciencebased organization and our standards of animal care and welfare are always rising,” AZA representative Steve Feldman said. Feldman said accredited zoos must undergo the application and inspection process once every five years and that the Vilas Zoo’s ability to maintain those standards without charging admission is impressive.

JACOB ELA/CARDINAL FILE PHOTO

Henry Vilas Zoo in Madison was renewed as a nationally accredited zoo by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums Tuesday.


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Wednesday, September 24, 2008

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

get behind stemcell possibilities

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n Monday, the World Stem Cell Summit met in Madison to both celebrate the advancing field and increase public understanding of the stem-cell industry and its importance. Gov. Jim Doyle gave the keynote address at the summit, where he stressed not only the honor of having Wisconsin host the event but also the importance of Wisconsin’s choice to support stem-cell research. “The battle, in political terms, is really over in this state,” Doyle said. “The people of Wisconsin chose science over religion and politics.” The past eight years, however, have not bred welcome ground for stem-cell research to thrive. President Bush officially declared on Aug. 9, 2001, that he would be setting a limit on stem-cell research. Scientists were allowed federal funding for use on the 21 cell lines created before his speech, effectively crippling the creation of any other embryonic stem cells without private funds. With his impending departure from the White House, stem-cell research has found new legs. Both Barack Obama and John McCain have voted for funding supporting new lines of stem cells in Congress, though both were vetoed by President Bush. Both must continue to push for stem-cell support, as the American public shows more and more support each year. Since 2003, Gallup polls have shown an increasing moral

acceptance toward stem-cell research. The number of people who supported using human embryos for stem-cell research rose from 54 percent in 2003 to 64 percent in 2007, displaying America’s continuing acceptance of this necessary field. As more and more is discovered about stem cells and their regenerative properties, Americans will continue to buy into its possibilities rather than its proposed ethical questionability. There was a clear and bold message at the onset of the World Stem Cell Summit: The future is not too far off. As Thomson claimed, “I wouldn’t be extremely shocked if over my scientific career, scientists find out what causes Parkinson’s to work at preventing it.” The summit, however, also carried another theme. If scientists, politicians and the American public do not perpetuate the pursuit of embryonic stem-cell research, results will be delayed and compromised. Whether it is through your vote, contacting your representative or simply attending the World Stem Cell Summit, let the rest of America know where you stand. Our generation has the chance to directly benefit from the technological possibilities, or at least know our children will someday benefit. We could also debate the ethical implication and block potential funding, delaying any hope of stemcell advancement. Which side will you be on?

Lighting the answer for city’s safety concerns JOSEPH KOSS opinion columnist disturbing rash of violent downtown crimes has shaken our campus and city this past year. University and city officials alike have offered a lot of lip service about ways to crack down on these acts, but, as seems to be the case with so many government institutions these days, no one offers much in the way of actual solutions. We might hear the phrase “crime task force” thrown around, or “downtown safety initiative” waved about, but these always seem to offer little in terms of actual, tangible results. To be fair, task forces and initiatives aren’t inherently bad things; it’s just that they are nebulous by their very nature. They become lines that pad lawmakers and officials’ résumés, but many times fail to deliver any specific answers. Take the recent Campus Safety Meeting held by the Madison Police Department and university officials. Their major solution for increasing campus safety put the burden upon the students to take more responsibility for themselves. Sound advice, thank you for the lecture. After all, they are the resident adults of reason while we remain in our prolonged adolescent fantasy land. That’s exactly the solution that the campus-wide community was really hoping to hear from those entrusted with our personal safety. What has failed to appear in any recent discussion is a step by step, comprehensive plan to address and decrease late night crime in an

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increasingly urban population. We are not trying to solve the worldwide banking crisis. Other cities have been confronted with similar problems, and the smart ones brought out plans that recommended actions that can, one by one, incrementally, moderately or even drastically improve overall safety. Things like, say, improving street lighting. Improving street lighting is an

Addressing street lighting citywide is another proven and cost-effective strategy for campus and city safety.

action by a city, that if researched thoroughly, designed soundly and implemented correctly, can have drastic effects on overall urban safety. Believe it or not, there is actual robust academic literature on this very subject. In one study, researchers studied 13 British and U.S. cities over a 12-month period of time, observing control areas where street lighting remained unchanged and experimental areas with improved street lighting. The overall reduction in crime after improved lighting was 20 percent in experimental areas compared to the control areas. The change was even more drastic in some cities. One city experienced a 26 percent reduction in the experimental area, a 21 percent reduction in the area adjacent the experimental area, but a 12 percent increase in the control area. Another city showed a 43 percent decrease in

Got a burn you’re itching to issue? Melt the competition. The Daily Cardinal is now accepting columnist and staff applications for UW students with a bent for the political and a desire to affect some change. Think your viewpoint is unique or in the minority on this campus? All the better. E-mail writing samples or inquiries to:

opinion@dailycardinal.com or edit@dailycardinal.com

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Improved lighting across campus could effectively curb recent instances of late-night robberies, beatings and muggings.

the experimental area, a 45 percent decrease in the adjacent area, but only a 2 percent decrease in the control area. Other studies have shown the financial benefits of improving street lighting. In Britain, two research projects showed a cost-benefit connection. In one, crimes decreased by 41 percent in the experimental area, compared with a 15 percent decrease in a control area. In the second, crimes decreased by 43 percent in the experimental area and by 45 percent in two adjacent areas, compared with a decrease of only 2 percent in two control areas. In the two cities, the reduction in crimes resulted in financial savings that exceeded financial costs by between 2.4 and 10 times after one year. It was concluded that improved street lighting can be extremely cost-effective. Need I mention that this could also be viewed as a great opportunity for the university to take the lead nationally and apply inventive solar and green technologies in order to solve these problems? Yet, the most interesting conclusion from these studies might be something entirely different. Although in almost every case the experimental area experienced a dramatic decrease in crimes, the studies did not find that night-time crimes decreased any more than day-time crimes. This is a very significant point, because it alludes to the bigger social and community context crime feeds on, and not the purely surveillance/deterrent/ self-responsibility model and so-called environmental measures that have been so mindlessly promoted by university and MPD officials. In fact, most of the data concludes that increasing street lighting plays a larger role in the psyche of the residents, enhancing their community pride and confidence in the affected area, and also increasing informal social control measures. Not recognizing the re-enforcing nature of the relationships people have between their perception of their environment and the actual deterrent methods employed is a glaring flaw of reasoning on the part of both the university and MPD. No one is going to argue that increased lighting will provide physical barriers to crimes. And although lectures about personal responsibility may be needed from time to time, tangible changes to one’s environment, changes that show progress, like improving street lighting, may be more important. They can act as a spark—a spark that begins to reduce crime by changing the perceptions and attitudes and behaviors of both residents and criminals alike. Our campus and city are located on a confined isthmus that would lend itself easily to an wide-ranging and innovative project such as increasing and improving street lighting through solar and other green technologies. Beefing up MPD presence during high crime time can only be part of the solution. Addressing street lighting citywide is another proven and cost-effective strategy that should be part of any future discussion about comprehensive campus and city safety. Joseph Koss is a junior majoring in secondary education in social studies. Please send responses to opinion@dailycardinal.com.


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Celebrating provocative literature, free thinking FRANCES PROVINE a fran for all seasons

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ne week a year, the American Library Association celebrates “Banned Books Week.” The spirit of the week is embodied by the Week’s tagline (yes, it has a tagline), which self-righteously claims, “Free People Read Freely.” Although it is relatively easy to acknowledge the merits of free speech, or at least the dangers of censorship, it is often less simple to grasp the “risks” of letting certain books get published. All one needs to do is watch the scene in “Jesus Camp” where the camp leaders expound the blasphemous and satanic nature of Harry Potter to write off the entire movement to ban books as a farce. If books are completely harmless, however, why are there still such strong movements against them? The very idea of a banned books week got me thinking about the kind of power books can have on social, cultural and political movements. While some books come and go from the litany of controversy, “The Color Purple” and “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings” are both usually in the top 20, along with books and novels exploring gay or feminist themes. Although the explanations for banning them usually espouse a rejection of “explicit content,” it seems that it is at least partially their criticisms against traditional social structures that gets certain books added to the list. Less obvious is whether these aspects of books really have an effect. I think that they do. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t think that a child hearing about two male penguins watching over an egg will make them gay (for

background, see the controversy over the children’s book, “And Tango Makes Three”). But I do think that reading has the ability to open people’s minds and force critical thinking in a way other things don’t. Anyone familiar with Spike Lee knows that he was inspired by “The Autobiography of Malcolm X,” another bannedbook list favorite. Anyone familiar with “The Autobiography of Malcolm X” knows how that book can force people to reach new conclusions about the way the world works. Prominent musicians, directors, politicians, people who inspire thinking beyond a reading audience have read books that change the way they think and interpret society. Although it may be long term, the images books produce have power, both on an individual and macro level. Everybody knows the story of “Uncle Tom’s Cabin,” and how that book helped bring about the end of slavery, or how “The Jungle” prompted new regulations on the meat industry. Although I don’t think most books are as effective in bringing about a reaction (and very few have the effects that their authors intended them to), it is naïve to think that the worries of those concerned with the availability of certain books are completely fantastic. In addition, just because television and movies have become more ubiquitous than they used to be doesn’t mean that books have lost their sway over social consciousness. Even when fewer people are reading, the ideas that books produce can reach a large audience through the actions of those that do. Of course, I still loathe any sort of censorship of books. Indeed, it is their ability to provoke that makes books so important, and so pleasurable. To share your favorite dissident and thought provoking books with Frances, e-mail her at provine@wisc.edu.

PHOTO COURTESY THE WEINSTEIN COMPANY

With his quirky friends Scamper and Brain, “Igor” shows potential as a shining piece of animation, but a lack of originality leaves the feature strangely reminiscent of Tim Burton’s spooky flicks.

‘Igor’ can’t quite cut it By Brandi Stone THE DAILY CARDINAL

Like Frankenstein’s monster, the movie “Igor” looks thrown together at the last minute, borrowing spare parts from clichéd horror movies and held together with weak stitches of original story. The story takes place in the dark and stormy town of Malaria, where the dream job is to be an evil scientist and the worst job is to be an evil scientist’s assistant, positions filled by hunchbacks named Igor. One Igor (voiced by John Cusack) dreams of being a scientist himself, much to the displeasure of the evil science community. But when his evil scientist master accidentally blows himself up, Igor seizes his chance by entering his latest invention—a Frankensteinian monster who is more interested in starting her acting career than being an evil monster (voiced by Molly Shannon)—into the annual Evil Science Fair. The movie shows promise with the monster-genre twist of Igor being more intelligent than the scientist, but the film can’t quite surpass stereotypes. The design for the town of Malaria and its animated characters are a pale imitation of Tim Burton’s “The Nightmare

Before Christmas.” Where Burton excelled with his dark, grimy sets and unique puppet animation, “Igor” falls short with its obvious computer animation that looks flat and overdone, failing to recreate the sinister atmosphere of Halloweentown. The King of Malaria and the monster that Igor creates are obvious references to “The Nightmare Before Christmas” characters the Mayor and Sally, and though this form of computer animation is more updated than Burton’s puppets, it is not nearly as well done.

Like a Frankenstein monster, “Igor” seems to be thrown together at the last minute.

The movie holds one promise, the character Scamper (voiced by Steve Buscemi), a depressed rabbit that tries to repeatedly kill himself but can’t because Igor made him immortal. Scamper’s character was probably created to make the movie appear more morbid, but though

Scamper is highly entertaining for adult audiences, he could make parents uncomfortable with their children watching his constant suicide attempts. Paired with Scamper is Brain (voiced by Sean Hayes), who is nothing more than a brain in a jar on wheel, but the twist is Brain is extremely stupid. When paired with the extremely intelligent Scamper, this duo becomes the most entertaining aspect of the film. It is a shame they are merely secondary characters staged in the background of Igor’s story (like Timon and Pumbaa in “The Lion King”), because they are really what makes the movie flow. Overall, “Igor” had the potential for some great ideas but was sloppily executed. The script appeared to be hastily written and offered nothing more than trite ideas and corny lines, which is such a waste for a stellar voice cast. It is not surprising that Disney would try to recreate the vision of “The Nightmare Before Christmas” for this upcoming generation, but they should have just stuck with the original, because even with all the lightning storms in Malaria, this movie failed to come to life. Grade: C

‘Lakeview Terrace’ overreaches feeble plot, saved by promising performances By Lauren Fuller THE DAILY CARDINAL

Samuel L. Jackson has been dozens of movies and proven himself as an entertainment icon. He has played both heroes and villains with charismatic gusto and rampant enthusiasm, ranging from a fierce Jedi with a purple lightsaber to a badass assassin that quotes Ezekiel 25:17 before the kill. If there is a good reason to see the new release “Lakeview Terrace,” it would be to see Jackson deliver another spectacular performance. In “Lakeview Terrace,” Jackson portrays the primary antagonist Abel Turner with a truly gleeful menace. With an elaborate back-story and many heartbreaking moments allotted to this vicious manipulator, it’s evident the audience is supposed to sympathize with him. Unfortunately, Turner’s descent into madness becomes so psychotic that such sympathy is quickly lost.

PHOTO COURTESY SCREEN GEMS

Samuel L. Jackson shines as racist police officer Abel Turner, though the rest of “Lakeview Terrace” delivers mixed messages. When interracial couple Chris (Patrick Wilson) and Lisa Mattson (Kerry Washington) move to an idyllic suburban neighborhood, they hope for peace, quiet and a fresh start to build a family. What they don’t expect to find is their

racist, sarcastic, ruthless, grammatically correct but politically incorrect next-door neighbor is Turner—who also happens to be a cop. With the law on his side and a sadistic grudge in his heart, Turner sets about antagonizing the

Mattsons with increasingly violent tactics. Having nowhere to turn and an understandable stubbornness, Chris and Lisa fight back with mind games and diversionary methods. Little do they know they’ve unleashed a monster inside the unstable police officer. It is difficult to take sides with “Lakeview’s” characters. Chris Mattson is developed into a whiny, semi-coldhearted and self-centered prick audiences grow to dislike, and by offering us the full spectrum of disgruntled police officer Abel Turner’s life—complete with two children and the stresses of his day job—audiences feel obligated to empathize with this antagonist. Too bad he’s a complete psycho and his ability to think rationally rapidly disappears. “Lakeview Terrace” includes so many unnecessary subplots—racism on the job, in the neighborhood and in families; the battle of male

egos; the problems married couples face and police officers’ immunity to the laws they enforce—the audience practically begs for the drawn-out conclusion. The writers repeatedly pound themes into the viewer’s mind, generating more frustration than character development. Plus, many of the subplots are left unresolved and the abrupt, climatic ending lingers through the rolling credits. “Lakeview Terrace” does provide thrilling moments, good acting and a villain who loves his merciless taunts, but contemplate the real value of the lessons learned and it might negate the fun you’ve had. With a slow beginning and a predictable ending, “Lakeview Terrace” is worthwhile. However, it would probably be better to see this movie during the matinee hours. The extra $3 may not be worth it. Grade: B


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Did he just bite his ear off?

The first sport to be filmed was boxing in 1894. dailycardinal.com/comics

Wednesday, September 24, 2008

Blue Balloon

Today’s Sudoku

Anthro-Apology

By Eric Wigdahl wigdahl@wisc.edu

© Puzzles by Pappocom

By Todd Stevens ststevens@wisc.edu

Angel Hair Pasta

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.

Sid and Phil

By Alex Lewein lewein@wisc.edu

The Graph Giraffe

By Yosef Lerner ilerner@wisc.edu

Today’s Crossword Puzzle

Answer key available at www.dailycardinal.com SLOW DOWN! ACROSS 1 Hoofed it heavily 5 His stuff is all over the place 9 Bundle 14 Anatomical network 15 1, 8 or 27 16 1,000 kilograms 17 Upper pelvic bones 18 Returned to Earth 19 Tetrad times two 20 Start of a warning 23 UN working- conditions agency 24 Something thrown for a loop? 25 College member of a sort 27 Baltimore-toPhiladelphia dir. 28 Common contraction 32 First name at the ’72 Olympics 33 “Cocoon” star Guttenberg 34 Baby bounders 35 Middle of the warning 38 Basic unit of capacitance 40 Udders, e.g. 41 Like a zero 42 Review, as damage neighbors?

47 Supplant 49 Weird and scary 51 Factor considered by the Fed 52 End of the warning 56 Disparager of seniors 58 Bryn ___ 59 Cuzco people 60 Legal setting 61 Pilgrim to Mecca, often 62 Invent, as a word or phrase 63 Bed neatener 64 Agent Young- fellow’s boss 65 Barley beards

DOWN 1

Thing of very little value 2 Advance again 3 Futile 4 Mergers and buyouts 5 Permanently affect for the worse 6 Outstanding example of its kind 7 Ginza fashion accessories 8 Chapel for sailors 9 Biblical weapon 10 “In ___ signo vinces” (Con- stantine’s 11 Gives grounds for 12 Explanatory tool

13 21 22 26 29 30 31 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 42 43 44 45 46 48 50 53 54 55 57

Felt hats Blotto “Well, ___ be!” Drops in temperature “... sat down beside ___” Mother of all matriarchs “Sailing to Byzantium” poet “... and the truth ___ set you free” High-flying clique Participat- ing in a December chore Aid in alumna identification Word with “natural” Pardoned Opposite of the clue above Reynolds film “Stroker ___” Naval recruit Afore this time An essential vitamin Many enclosed cars Following Brooke’s rival on “All My Children” Far from everyday First word of a Carroll work Celestial spheres Haul into court

A Fine Dutch Hobby

By Matt Riley matt.paul.riley@gmail.com

The Daily Code

Crack me

a

b

c

d

1

2

3

4

e

f

g

h

i

j

k

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m

n

o

p

q

r

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5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 “E’i odkllejc wnkqjz bkn okiapdejc pk zk pdwp jk kja sehh hega” Jerry Garcia Quote The Beatles - Theand White Album Start with one-letter words words with apostrophes, find out how many places the alphabet has shifted, then use that knowledge to decipher the code.

Yesterday’s Code:

“That’s what I love about these high school girls, man. I get older, they stay the same age.”


sports

dailycardinal.com/sports

Wednesday, September 24, 2008

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Tennis teams earn mixed results By Scott Kellogg THE DAILY CARDINAL

Both the Wisconsin men’s and women’s tennis teams competed in the Milwaukee Tennis Classic last weekend with varied results. The men’s squad produced substandard results as a whole, winning four of nine doubles matches and just four of 21 singles matches. The women faired considerably better by generating strong team and individual performances. Sophomore Alaina Trgovich stood out for the Badgers by going undefeated in the event. Trgovich excelled in both singles and doubles competition. The transfer from Kentucky began the tournament partnered with freshman Angela Chupa in a doubles match against Texas A&M. The duo’s win was the only Badger victory over Texas A&M in doubles. Later the same day, Trgovich faced off against junior Alice Tunaru. Trgovich defeated Tunaru handily in the first set, 6-2, then clinched the match by edging out Tunaru in a tiebreaker in the second set. On day two of the competition, Wisconsin squared off with Marquette in doubles play. Trgovich paired up with freshman Aleksandra

get a haircut from page 8 caused by the helmet alone. 4. I’m sure fewer little girls will come up to the players on the street and ask them if they can decorate their beautiful braids with beads. 5. Shorter hair would be less likely to get caught in your shoulder pads

Markovic and won their match, 8-5. Later in the day, Wisconsin once again faced Texas A&M, this time in singles. Trgovich won her match in straight sets, this time over sophomore Christi Liles. Trgovich completed her indomitable run Sunday, defeating Marquette sophomore Rachael Hush (6-1, 6-2). She then took the court with Markovic again for doubles, and defeated their opponents from Alabama. Trgovich’s accomplishments in the event earned her runner-up honors based on a points system that evaluated individual play. Sophomore Tiffany Welcher of Alabama was donned in the singles champion. The men’s team didn’t produce a standout like Trgovich over the weekend, nor did it perform particularly well as a team, with average results in the doubles format and poor play in the singles. Wisconsin won one of three doubles series and dropped all three singles series. The Badgers started off on the wrong foot as they dropped all seven singles matches the first morning of competition. Their performance did improve, however, in the afternoon as they won two of the three doubles matches against

Marquette. The two winning pairs were juniors Luke Rassow-Kantor and Michael Dierberger, senior Michael Muskievicz and sophomore Peter Marrack. The Badgers put an end to their winless skid against Northwestern Saturday in doubles play by notching a victory in one of the three matches. Muskievicz and senior Gian Hodgson pulled out the win, 8-1. Wisconsin also picked up some singles victories that day against Ball State, but could not take the series, losing three of the seven matches. Rassow-Kantor, Marrack and freshman Varun Chari were the victors for UW. The Badgers turned around and played Ball State in singles on Sunday morning, but won just one of the three matches. It was Muskievicz and Marrick who came out victorious once again for their second doubles win of the event and the season. The final facet of the event came in singles play against Marquette, the only team the Badgers had previously defeated in a series. But this time the Golden Eagles took the sequence in convincing fashion, winning six of seven matches. Freshman Michael Koval had the lone win for Wisconsin.

Both the men and women will compete in their second events of the fall this weekend, this time at separate locations. The men will participate in the Baylor Invitational in Waco, Texas— another three-day event that starts

Friday. The women will head West to Pacific Palisades, Ca., to partake in the ITA All-American championship. The eight-day event begins Saturday at the Riviera Tennis Club. —uwbadgers.com contributed to this report.

and would allow fans to actually read your name. 6. Imagine being tackled and ripped down to the ground by your hair. Enough said. Playing in the NFL is a fulltime job for these men. I understand that they want to express themselves, but what does long hair really say about you?

And when these gentlemen start putting athletic tape in their hair, what are people supposed to say about that? Imagine showing up to work and seeing one of your male co-workers with dreadlocks and a roll of athletic tape holding his hair back. First, I would ask him why he has his hair in a cast. Then, I would sit

back and wonder how in the world that guy is making so much money when even I can’t take him seriously. The bottom line is that there are fashion trends in the world of athletics. While most of them are short lived, others stay around for far too long. In the case of a football player’s hair, keeping it within a few inches outside of the

helmet is fine. I strongly believe shorter is better, that is as long as you are not referring to the NBA shorts from the 80s. In that case, I’m glad they put on a couple more inches. If you think long hair is a great way for football players to express themselves, e-mail Crystal at crowns@wisc.edu.

LORENZO ZEMELLA/CARDINAL FILE PHOTO

UW junior Luke Rassow-Kantor earned his first singles win of the season Saturday by defeating Ball State’s Eduard Pavia 2-6, 6-1, (14-12).

For more information and a complete list of employers attending, please visit our Web site at www.cals.wisc.edu/students/careerservices


sports Gilreath excels on special teams 8

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dailycardinal.com/sports

Wednesday, September 24, 2008

By Nate Carey THE DAILY CARDINAL

When it comes to Wisconsin Badger football, there are a few things that fans can always expect: offensive linemen tall enough to play forward for the basketball team, a defense ready to blitz the opposition into a coma and a stellar return man on special teams. Past seasons have seen Nick Davis, and most recently Brandon Williams, catch a kick or punt deep in their own endzone, only to watch them run it out and get much farther than the 20-yard line. The 2008 Badgers are no different, as sophomore wide receiver David Gilreath has taken the reigns of the return game and produced incredible numbers in only 16 games. Gilreath has already compiled 1,173 kickoff return yards, which places him fourth on UW’s all-time list. He also holds the school-record for most kickoff return yards in a season (967) and game (189). When it comes to punt returns, Gilreath has returned 30 for a total of 389 yards. But with all of these accomplishments, there is one statistical category that still remains blank: touchdowns. “I feel like I am an assist man, like I’m Steve Nash out there,” Gilreath said. “I just say, ‘You know what P.J. [Hill]? I’ll let you have this one.’ “I think about it all the time. I try not to think about it now, last year I thought about it constantly ... Hopefully I’ll get in there during the next three years.” Despite his inability up to this point to cross the goal line, Gilreath has quickly become a threat at the wide receiver position as well. Last year, Gilreath was somewhat buried on the depth chart, and it was only on special teams where he made his impact. However, in his second season as a Badger, Gilreath has stepped into the starting role opposite fellow sophomore wideouts Kyle Jefferson or Maurice Moore. “It’s kind of a group thing,” wide receiver coach DelVaughn Alexander said. “[They] are all kind of growing at the same pace, and it is the thing that guys do different—like David, he has a special gift to make plays, so he gets

CRYSTAL CROWNS the crystal ball

A

LORENZO ZEMELLA/CARDINAL FILE PHOTO

Wisconsin sophomore wide receiver David Gilreath has stepped up for the offensive and special teams, registering the fourth highest number of receiving yards for the team with 74 and taking the majority of the kick-off and punt returns, his longest being a 63-yard punt return. the opportunity to be a starter. “At the same time, he is still learning the position.” One way of describing Gilreath’s athletic ability is versatile. Not only is he the team’s main punt and kick returner as well as a starting wide receiver, but he has also been known to run the ball as well, mainly on end-arounds and sweeps. Against Fresno State two weeks ago, Gilreath had 140 all-purpose yards, with two punt returns for 27 yards each, three kickoff returns for 82 yards, two carries for 21 yards and one reception for 10 yards. “He is special with the ball,” Alexander said. “It’s just our job to make sure that he has a chance to tough [the ball] and make plays.” But it’s his big-play ability that

fans both this year and last really noticed, and it’s only a matter of time before Gilreath breaks a big one on special teams.

“I feel like I am an assist man, like I’m Steve Nash out there.” David Gilreath wide receiver UW Football

“David has shown those guys on film—the guys in the room who are blocking for him—that he does have the ability to make some big plays,” head coach Bret Bielema said Monday at his weekly press conference.

His play last season earned him a number of honors—including selections to the second-team freshman All-American and first-team freshman All-Big Ten teams by The Sporting News—but Gilreath hasn’t let it go to his head. It is that mentality that has allowed Gilreath to shoot up the ladder in the record books at UW. But don’t get him wrong, that first touchdown will be special for Gilreath. “If [the touchdown is scored] by the student section, I’m going right into the student section and I’m going to take a seat,” Gilreath said jokingly. “Hopefully it will be right before the fourth quarter when the ‘Jump Around’ happens. Maybe if it is on the other side I’ll Lambeau leap ... but no, I’m one to just hand the ball to the ref.”

Wisconsin cross country laces up for Chicago meet By Nico Savidge THE DAILY CARDINAL

The University of Wisconsin men’s cross country team will head to Chicago this weekend to take part in its second meet of the season, the Sean Earl Loyola Lakefront Invitational. Ranked No. 6 nationally by the United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association, the Badgers will try to continue their successful results from earlier in the season. At their last meet in Dekalb, Ill., Wisconsin runners swept the top five positions at the Northern Illinois Huskie Open. Ryan Craven, Ryan Gasper, Elliot Krause and Christian Wagner crossed the line as a team, with fellow Badger Tim Pierie completing the top five. That finish earned Wisconsin a No. 2 rank-

Long hair and the NFL do not mix

ing in the Great Lakes Region by the coaches association. Despite their success two weeks ago, head coach Mick Byrne says he does not see the team doing as well this weekend. Byrne, who replaced former head coach Jerry Schumacher this year, will release the names of Wisconsin’s team at the Loyola meet Wednesday, but says it will be mostly freshman and walk-on runners. “Every meet has a purpose,” Byrne said. “This weekend we’re going to try real hard ... [and] give the young guys an opportunity to wear the uniform.” For Byrne, a successful weekend in Chicago would mean giving young team members a chance to compete at a major meet, while keeping the team’s more experienced athletes—including its three seniors—healthy and ready for tough competitions later in

the year. “They’re the guys that will carry the weight of the team on their shoulders,” Byrne said. “We need to protect them and make sure they don’t get banged up.” Freshman Danny Buechel is one of the young runners getting at shot in Chicago this weekend. Although the team doesn’t expect the same success it had BYRNE at its first meet, Buechel said the Loyola meet is important for the team’s long-term benefit. “I think it’s a great strategy,” Buechel said. “It gives hope for the future by giving younger runners a chance to run in a big meet.”

Buechel said the Badgers’ goal for this weekend’s competition is to “work together and work off each other to finish the best we can as a team.” Saturday will mark the 36th running of the Loyola Lakefront Invitational, which will host 35 colleges, as well as high school and elementary school teams. The Wisconsin men’s team event will start at 11 a.m. Saturday at Montrose Beach on Chicago’s north side. Although the Loyola meet will be more about giving younger runners a shot at competing than going for a dominant win, Byrne said his objective for the season and national finals is the same. “The big goal for our year will be to defend our Big Ten title,” Byrne said. “Last year we were fifth at Nationals; it would be nice to get a podium.”

s I sat comfortably in the living room with my four fabulous roommates Sunday night, it felt painless watching the Packers-Cowboys game and stuffing my face with taco pizza and chips. That is, up until we saw Green Bay cornerback Al Harris collide with teammate linebacker A.J. Hawk in the middle of the first quarter. Suddenly that nice leather couch could not stand up against the hit that even I—a spectator approximately 120 miles away—felt hit me like a ton of rocks. It was such a brutal impact, yet as they showed the replay, I could not help but keep my eyes on the screen. It’s like watching a natural disaster. I knew what was going to happen, but I still could not pull my eyes off the television set. The strange thing is Hawk and Harris probably should have seen each other, but they crashed like two cars traveling on the highway on a dark night without their headlights. True, Hawk had his back to Harris, but it was obvious the two did not just back into one another at full speed. This being said, I also would have no problem seeing a 6'1", 250 pound guy standing in my way. But hey, that’s just me. Two defensive plays later, Harris was back in the action. He brought down Dallas running back Marion Barber III later in the series and felt the pain once again. After that second blow, Harris took a trip to the locker room and did not return. Harris’ injury report came out Monday evening indicating that he may have ruptured his spleen due to internal bleeding. He will probably be getting a second opinion. More importantly for the Packers, if more medical results show his spleen is ruptured, Harris will probably have to enjoy the game of football from the sidelines for the rest of the season. Now, I ask myself, how could a situation like this have been avoided? The answer: a nice hair cut. I feel like a general trend with football players today is that they grow their hair long and think they look good. To tell you the truth, I can’t tell whether they are trying to keep in touch with their feminine side or if they think it looks good to appear to have giant tarantula legs coming out of the bottom of their helmets. In my mind, both Hawk and Harris have needed a hair cut for the past, oh, I don’t know, several years. Here are the reasons why a haircut could do a lot for men playing professional football: 1. Financially, I would think these men would have enough money to take a trip down to the barber shop for a quick trim at least once a year. 2. Some spectators can’t take these football players seriously when they have hair longer than most girls they know ... and wear tight pants. 3. Safety is important, and when playing a sport that requires a strong sense of vision, growing your hair long enough to get in your eyes does not make sense. Besides, I’m sure there is enough vision and neck restriction get a haircut page 7


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