Weekend, September 26-28, 2008 - The Daily Cardinal

Wisconsin hopes to ride winning streak right through Ann Arbor in Big Ten opener

“Frozen River” brings desperation of poverty to life ARTS

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By Abby Sears THE DAILY CARDINAL

KYLE BURSAW/THE DAILY CARDINAL

Nani Agbeli, a guest in African Dance Performance, dances during the improvisation section of the class Thursday in Lathrop Hall.

Judge rules UW not required to finance religious groups THE DAILY CARDINAL

UW-Madison can give money to religious student organizations, but is also allowed to deny funding to the groups, according to a federal district judge’s ruling Wednesday.

Judge Lynn Adelman ruled in favor of UW-Madison in a lawsuit filed by the Roman Catholic Foundation in September 2007, saying student religious groups could receive funding from the General Student Services Fund, but that the university can deny them money.

The university denied RCF’s request for university funding for its activities in the 2006-’07 and 2007’08 school years. In response, the group argued the refusal was a violation of First Amendment rights—the

freedom of religious expression.

Though previous decisions had been ruled in RCF’s favor, Adelman said Wednesday the decision to deny funding for activities like prayer and worship was constitutionally permissible.

David Hacker of the Alliance Defense Fund, the Christian legal group that represented RCF, said the decision threatens religious organizations at UW-Madison.

“Religious groups are in danger at this point, and have been for a while, of not receiving funding and equal treatment by the university,” Hacker said.

Student organizations can receive money from the General Student funding page 3

Inmate awaiting trial on homicide charges attempts suicide in county jail

By Abby Sears THE DAILY CARDINAL

A 20-year-old male inmate facing homicide charges attempted suicide by trying to hang himself in the shower of the Dane County Jail early Thursday, the Sheriff’s Office said.

A deputy was able to free the inmate from Stillwater, Minn., from the jail-issued uniform pants he attempted to hang himself with after another inmate alerted the

Weekend, September 26-28, 2008

Violent robberies target students, officials say

Guest atten-dance

By Nico Savidge

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BIG BLUE vs. BIG RED

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University of Wisconsin-Madison

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deputy to the situation around 5:24 a.m. The Sheriff’s Office said the inmate who attempted suicide was conscious and alert at the time of the rescue.

The inmate was transported to UW Hospital by the Madison Fire Rescue for evaluation and then returned to the jail. The inmate is now being housed in segregation suicide attempt page 3

City and university officials teamed up Thursday and urged Madison residents to be on high alert after a string of violent robberies in the downtown area.

Madison Police Department South District Captain Jim Wheeler said police from Madison, Fitchburg and UW-Madison are joining forces to track down a pair of criminals they believe are responsible for more than a dozen robberies since March.

MPD Lt. Joe Balles said the central district has actually seen a drop in robberies since a serious spike of robberies in 2006. In the first eight months of this year there have been 37 robberies in the central district compared to 79 at the same time in 2006. Balles said it is the violence involved in recent robberies that has police concerned.

Wheeler said many of the incidents have occurred South of Regent Street and student-frequented locations in the downtown area, such as a Laundromat on Mound Street and Bascom Hill.

“UW students and staff members have been the victim of many of these assaults,” Wheeler said, citing as examples one student who was shot in the leg and another who was pistol-whipped.

Dean of Students Lori Berquam applauded students for their increased awareness in light of recent crime. While walking in the campus area with University of Wisconsin Police Chief Susan Riseling last Friday from 1:30

a.m. to 4 a.m., Berquam said she observed many people taking active safety precautions such as walking in groups of friends.

“UW students and staff members have been the victim of many of these assaults.”

Jim Wheeler south district captain Madison Police Department

“I want to thank our UWMadison students for their diligence and for their awareness both reacting to this current string of incidents and also the follow up to the Brittany Zimmermann murder last spring,” she said.

Despite the positive changes she saw among students, Berquam said she also noticed too many doors and windows left unlocked and opened, leaving many people vulnerable to crime. She emphasized a “24/7” approach to safety and encouraged students to remain alert around the clock.

In the meantime, both city and university officials remain dedicated to finding the people responsible for the recent violent robberies. Wheeler said police believe the perpetrators are two black males, one of whom is typically armed with a gun, however sometimes the presence of the weapon is only indicated and not seen.

Anyone with information regarding the robberies is urged to call Madison Area Crime Stoppers at 608-266-6014.

JAMIE MCMAHON/THE DAILY CARDINAL

Dean of Students Lori Berquam said students should always be aware of their personal safety, especially after recent robberies.

Police urge students to track safety University and city police departments detail crime threats

By Jack Zeller THE DAILY CARDINAL

Members of the city and university police departments addressed a group of Madison residents Thursday in the Memorial Union in an effort to increase awareness about safety and crime prevention measures.

Madison Police Central District Captain Mary Schauf spoke at the meeting and outlined some of the major crime threats students and campus-area residents face.

Schauf said some of the most common crimes committed in the downtown area are alcohol-related or “easy burglaries,” meaning home or apartment burglary cases in which the perpetrator does not have to

force entry and can enter through an unlocked door or window. According to Schauf, these types of theft can be prevented with common sense and attentiveness.

“If we could just get 30 percent more of those people to lock those doors and windows, now when [burglars] go into the tower apartment building, it doesn’t look like someone just trying to open a door—now they’ve got to kick the door or break the window,” Schauf said. “Up goes the chance of apprehension.”

Schauf also stressed the importance of residents not hesitating to call the police when they see suspicious behavior.

“If you see something … and it just doesn’t look right, we need a call,” she said. “The reality is people don’t call ... The time to call is when you see that person go through the window.”

Ald. Eli Judge, District 8, said

while the students may have heard this message before, it is important to continue discussing safety issues.

Judge said students have a lot of power in determining their personal safety.

“If you see something ... and it just doesn’t look right, we need a call.”

Mary Schauf central district captain Madison Police Department

“Its really a massive priority, something that the student population has in the past and can focus on more now, when it comes to the little things,” he said. “It’s those personal choices that are really going to turn the tide on a lot of this.”

“…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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Weekend, September 26-28, 2008

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

Love in la-la land not easy for David, class

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WEEKEND: partly cloudy hi 78º / lo 49º

DAVID HOTTINGER it’s getting hottinger ne day in class (though I can’t recall which), I drifted into a certain daydream which I am quite positive every man who has been alive and bored at the same time has entertained at some point in his life ... or perhaps just me.

It’s the one where nuclear fallout or some other Will-Smithian disaster has just occurred outside (the details of which are not too important), trapping me and the rest of my classmates (thanks to the zombies in the hallways) for the rest of the foreseeable future in some Spartan classroom in Humanities, let us say. (A variant of the scenario involves scientists, a space station and a flesh-eating plague, but the end result is the same.)

As the tragic yet oddly intriguing truth dawns on those of us in the room

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that we may never again see the outside world, that our loved ones will have to be shoddily replaced by either some hussy from the suburbs of Chicago or some weirdo from Wauwatosa, the class eagerly drops whatever topic the TA had been prodding us with like a rock to begin overhauling the little learning community we had into a functioning society of survivors.

It takes about 10 minutes of pacing around and raising and lowering of arms before everyone is sufficiently convinced that their cell phones will not get any service, so the actual society-building business is somewhat delayed. The TA’s authority has been subverted by an onset of raging hysteria, and in the confusion of the first moments an alpha male has yet to emerge, so initially things are quite democratic. As everyone happened to bring bagged lunches that day, it is decided that we are set regarding the food, and naturally everyone, without a word, senses the next order of business is to partner off into mating pairs to ensure successful population

replacement, should the situation of the first order of business change.

At this point in the daydream (which is really the whole point of it in the first place), I scan the room to select my Eve, which, back in the daydream, I coolly lock eyes with (she was thinking the same thing) and give her my best “how ’bout it?” shrug.

Unfortunately, the guy sitting closest to her was also thinking the same thing (it’s an economics discussion—slim pickings), and it becomes clear she has another suitor. Immediately, our animal instincts take hold, and my rival and I stand, click our ballpoint pens into write/impale mode and begin to slowly circle each other within the ring of foaming spectators that has quickly formed around us, while our prize wears a detached look about her and watches on. Things escalate quickly (as they usually do in daydreams), and the crowd is sent into a mad frenzy of cries and howls when I decapitate my foe with a desk to the head. I am immediately proclaimed dictator for life, and life in the classroom society of

room 2611 passes peacefully (and wellpopulated) under my reign, until I lose interest in my constructed universe and abandon it to doodle on a newspaper until the 11:50 bell sounds.

Some would say it’s obvious I did not learn anything passing class in such a manner. But as a matter of fact, I did, you priggish simpleton. And you know what? I even feel benevolent enough to pass it on: For those who find themselves in a similar situation, or to be technical, put themselves in such a situation, when you practice that little “how ‘bout it” shrug, make sure the person isn’t looking back at you, because they usually have no idea what’s going on inside your head, and trying to explain things afterward sort of gets a little tricky. I guess the moral here, if there is one, is fight the zombies first, because then you’ll probably start doodling way before you get the chance to look like a total creep. But that’s just me.

Have you survived a similar situation? E-mail David at dhottinger@wisc.edu.

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

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Weekend, September 26-28, 2008

Family allowed to inherit, even if they assisted man in suicide

By Claire Wiese THE DAILY CARDINAL

A Wisconsin Appeals Court ruled Thursday to uphold a decision allowing the family of a Wisconsin man to inherit his estate, even though they allegedly assisted in his suicide.

Edward Schunk of Stanley, Wis., suffered from non-Hodgkins Lymphoma and died from a self-inflicted shotgun wound in January 2006.

Schunk’s estate, valued at almost $500,000, was set to go to his wife and daughter, Linda and Megan Schunk.

Five of Edward’s other children, who were to inherit nothing, challenged the will, alleging that Linda and Megan assisted in Edward’s death by providing the shotgun and should therefore not inherit anything.

In Wisconsin, it is a felony to assist another in committing suicide, and if found guilty, one can face up to six years in prison.

However, the court ruled Thursday that Schunk was responsible for his own death.

“Providing Edward with a loaded shotgun did not deprive him of his life,” Judge Margaret Vergeront wrote in the case ruling. “He deprived himself of life by shooting himself with the shotgun.”

Howard Erlanger, UW-Madison law professor, said assisted suicide is not clearly defined by law, especially when details are ambiguous.

Susan Armacost, legislative director of Wisconsin Right to Life, said the courts can prohibit someone from

NEWS IN BRIEF Many Wis. residents disagree with bailout plan, according to recent poll Results of a recent poll reveal many Wisconsin residents disagree with the federal government’s plan to use $700 billion of taxpayer money to bail out financial institutions during the current financial crisis.

The poll was conducted Sept.

22-23 on 600 likely Wisconsin voters, of which 37 percent identified themselves as Democrats, 32 percent as Republicans and 31 percent as Independents.

Of all respondents to the poll, conducted by the group Research 2000, 61 percent said they disap-

prove of the bailout plan.

In addition, 75 percent of Democrats and 79 percent of Republicans think taxpayer money should not be used to protect financial companies.

The Wisconsin Assembly Democrats announced in a statement Thursday that fixing the economy will be their top priority in the next legislative session.

They outlined a plan to keep jobs in Wisconsin, ease the tax burden on middle class families and invest in renewable energy.

UW alumni chapters to compete in football season food drive Wisconsin Alumni Association chapters across the country will compete to receive donations during Bucky’s All American Alumni Food Drive.

The food drive will take place at WAA Badger football game viewings, starting with Saturday’s game against the Michigan Wolverines and ending Nov. 15 against the Minnesota Gophers.

Cash donations can also be made as an alternative to donating food.

The chapter with the largest amount of weekly donations at the end of the season will receive a variety of prizes.

Paula Bonner, CEO and WAA

president, said the food drive is a great opportunity for alumni to socialize and contribute at the same time.

“Badgers can get together to watch some great Big Ten football while making a difference for their area food banks,” she said in a statement.

UW-Madison alumni in the area are encouraged to participate by donating non-perishable foods at 650 N. Lake Street starting Sept. 26. Local donations will benefit the Allied Partners Food Pantry, Goodman Atwood Community Center Food Pantry and The River Food Pantry.

Suggestive beer pong display at U. Square Walgreens stirs controversy An aisle display at the new Walgreens in University Square is causing some controversy.

Dean of Students Lori Berquam said Thursday a display with pingpong balls and plastic cups is marketing an image of binge drinking on campus.

“My first reaction was a little bit of disappointment and disbelief ... that Solo cups and a six pack of pingpong balls are together on the same end-cap,” she said.

Berquam said concerned parents alerted her to the products’ placement last weekend. She said

she is concerned about the image it sends to students, especially with University Health Services and the Student Activities Center moving into the building by the end of the year.

“This campus struggles enough with the image that it’s battling in terms of where it falls on the drinking scale, and these types of messages really don’t help us at all,” she said.

Berquam said she tried to contact the store’s manager, but resorted to leaving her business card when the manager was unavailable.

receiving an inheritance, but only in cases where there is “intentional killing.”

When asked what impact this ruling will have on Wisconsin, Pro-Life Wisconsin Director Peggy Hammil said it sets a precedent of financially rewarding those who assist in the suicide of their family members rather than holding them accountable.

Armacost said the law needs to change and eliminate the incentive to assist in suicides.

“It’s kind of like a go-ahead for citizens, giving them a financial motive to kill someone in their family,” Armacost said. “We realize that something has to be done to correct that loophole and the law, even though we have the law that prohibits assisted suicide

funding from page 1 Services Fund, which is made up of segregated fees—money paid by all students in addition to tuition—if they present a budget and the university approves it.

Hacker said the university withheld money for “any form of prayer, worship, or proselytizing,” but worship and prayer were only a part of RCF activities. He said RCF was denied funding because university officials feared it would violate the establishment clause of the First Amendment.

Amy Toburen, director of communications for UW-Madison, said in an e-mail the decision is not final, but the university will “continue to contemplate the potential positives and negatives of the decision as it applies to the university and its segregate fee process.”

RCF Chair Brad Lipinski had no comment on the ruling, but a member of the foundation said they will examine how it will affect the organization.

suicide attempt from page 1 under suicide watch.

At the time of the suicide attempt, the inmate was being housed in a special needs portion of the jail. Dane County Sheriff’s public information officer Elise Schaffer said inmates can be placed in special needs cells, which are closer to deputies, for a variety of reasons ranging from mental health problems to other medical needs.

Due to Sheriff’s Office policy, Schaffer could not confirm if the inmate was 20-year-old Adam Peterson of Stillwater, Minn., who is currently awaiting trial on first-degree intentional homicide charges in the death of Joel Marino Jan. 28. Officials at UW Hospital confirmed Peterson was discharged from the hospital but would not reveal when.

Marino was found stabbed in an alley on South Park Street and later died at UW Hospital in January.

DNA found on a cap, backpack and knife at the crime scene led Madison Police detectives to Peterson, a former UW-Madison student, after a fivemonth investigation.

Police said they flagged Peterson’s behavior as suspicious after he reported his laptop stolen in January and again in February. Eventually, police checked on Peterson at his West Main Street apartment after his roommates called police with concerns.

Peterson is being held on a $1 million cash bail and his trial is scheduled to begin in January 2009.

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Week of events to celebrate energy initiative’s success

By Ashley Davis THE DAILY CARDINAL

To celebrate the achievements of the We Conserve energy initiative, the university will host weeklong festivities beginning Friday.

The We Conserve campaign began in April 2006 and has since been dedicated to the integration of lifelong community consciousness of energy conservation. The initiative strives for efficient systems, informed community members, realistic expectations and responsible actions.

A kickoff concert at the Memorial Union Terrace Friday will start the weeklong celebration. Concert artists include You Oughta Know, Pearl Snap Saturday, Polydream and Roster McCabe.

Faramarz Vakili, program director and associate director of the physical plant administration, said the goal of the campaign is to instill the spirit of environmental stewardship.

“We need [students’] help to develop and implement effective and sustainable energy conservation measures for our campus, and to make

smart energy use a conscious part of our daily responsibilities, decisions, activities and lifestyles,” he said.

Within the past two years, We Conserve has implemented projects to reduce consumption by $4.6 million a year and reduce carbon-dioxide emission in the environment by over 37,000 tons a year.

UW-Madison is taking part in the effort by remodeling several buildings to accommodate energy conservation.

Renovations to Engineering Hall and Chamberlin Hall’s $3.7 million energy upgrade yield annual savings of approximately $1.6 million.

Vakili said he hopes the conservation week will be more than just an annual event.

“This is a lifelong habit … as a university community we should hold everyone accountable for this goal,” he said.

Other events during the week include Smart Transportation Day, a “Why Conserve” Forum and a Recycling Day. The events offer tips for greener rooms, campus recycling and a light-bulb exchange.

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Weekend, September 26-28, 2008

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

madison must join drinking debate

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re any of you 18- to 21-yearolds planning to consume alcohol tonight? Over 130 colleges across the nation are willing to discuss whether you should be allowed to drink legally. There is one notable exception from that list of colleges: UW-Madison.

This list, better known as the Amethyst Initiative, demands “an informed and dispassionate public debate over the effects of the 21year-old drinking age” aimed at solving the binge-drinking issue buzzing around campuses across America.

Officials at UW-Madison, however, are avoiding a commitment to the initiative.

“I think before I would personally want to take any stance on that I would really want to get into the research and decide whether I believe dropping the drinking age would diminish abusive drinking,” UW System President Kevin Reilly told the Capital Times.

UW-Madison officials have pointed to the new changes at chancellor as a central reason for not taking a stance at this point. UW Chancellor Carolyn “Biddy” Martin’s former

employer, Cornell University, has yet to sign the Amethyst Initiative.

The university’s sidestepping of this major issue can only be seen as a wasted opportunity to explore and debate the issue of lowering the drinking age to 18—a step, some believe, that may curb unhealthy drinking habits and eliminate the campus divide between “of age” and “underage” students.

UW-Madison annually ranks in the top 10 of nearly every major collegiate drinking poll in The Princeton Review, and Wisconsin routinely ranks high nationally in underage drinking. So why won’t UW-Madison officials simply join the initiative? Even if they do not agree with the proposed change, UW-Madison officials could consult with other colleges on why they are against it.

UW-Madison must join the Amethyst Initiative to give their perspective, as a school battling a culture of heavy alcohol consumption, regardless of what research needs to be done first. The initiative is a debate, not a contract. As of now, their logic for not joining is tipsy at best.

McCain dodges debate, strips people of issues

By Tom Hart THE DAILY CARDINAL

T

he McCain campaign made another strategic move this week on the campaign trail.

In Republican Presidential nominee John McCain’s latest decision, the presidential candidate announced he will not participate in the first presidential debate tonight unless Congress strikes a deal for the economic bailout plan. Give me a break.

The arrival of McCain’s camp in Washington D.C. will only distract Congress from passing this bill. An infusion of presidential politics will hamper bipartisan efforts to get the bill hammered through. This decision also puts the Democratic party in a tough situation. If a bill is somehow passed, the McCain campaign will be sure to pounce on the opportunity to let people know that nothing was solved until the Republican presidential nominee came to the rescue. Democrats should not prolong the bill’s passing because of McCain’s arrival, but the way partisan politics have overtaken Washington in the last 10 years, the decision to do so would not be surprising.

Why would the McCain campaign choose to postpone the debate anyway?

There are a few reasons. A new NBC News-Wall Street Journal opinion poll

has shown that the American public believes Democratic Presidential nominee Barack Obama would do a better job at improving the economy than McCain by a 46 to 34 percent margin. McCain needs to shore up public opinion before confidence in his economic intelligence falls even lower.

He is attempting to do so by appearing to take action on an important economic issue rather than speaking his thoughts directly to the public.

I, for one, am suspicious of the action: What good will come of this move—other than stirring up more partisan politics? U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer, D-NY, had a very poignant quote on the situation: “It’s as if, you know, you’re in the middle of drawing an amazing painting and someone else comes in and says, ‘Hey, come in, let me throw my brush marks on there.’ It just doesn’t make sense.”

Another possible motivation behind the debate postponement threat lies in the fact that a replacement debate would take the place of the vice presidential debate between vice presidential hopefuls Joe Biden and Sarah Palin. The first vice presidential debate would be postponed indefinitely, thus keeping Palin out of the media spotlight even further into the campaign season. Her highly scripted appearances and exclusion

from interviews has left the public clueless about her ability. The McCain campaign apparently does not have faith in her ability to handle tough questions and this ploy provides more evidence of that belief.

A debate is what the American public needs right now. The entire campaign season has been filled with fluffy rhetoric, personal attacks and photo opportunities. We do not need more of the same. The first debate is set to focus on foreign policy issues, and what McCain really should have done if he wanted to be an honorable politician was demand the central topic be the economy. The American public needs to hear what each candidate has to say on the issues in a one-onone environment. Simply hearing news that one of the candidates is returning to Washington to participate in abstract debates that realistically will not reach the ears of the majority of Americans continues to prolong the inevitable questions that need answering. Who are these candidates? What do they have to say? If the McCain campaign has their way, both of these questions will remain unanswered.

Tom Hart is a senior majoring in political science and English. Please send responses to opinion@dailycardinal.com.

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Weekend, September 26-28, 2008

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Now Playing Madison This week The Daily Cardinal sat down with Madison reggae outfit Natty Nation.

How would you describe your sound?: I’d call it modern reggae with elements of hip-hop and rock.

You’re releasing your first studio album in five years this weekend. How will it stand out from past albums?: It is reggae but sonically it compares to some hip-hop stuff. ...

A lot of Eastern philosophy has had an influence on me, especially for this album. It’s called Reincarnation, and it’s kind of a play on words because the music is kind of a reincarnation as well.

PHOTO COURTESY SONY PICTURES CLASSICS

Silver-screen veteran Melissa Leo shines as Ray Eddy, the troubled mother of two, looking desperately for a way out of poverty in the critically acclaimed new drama “Frozen River.”

‘Frozen’ gritty, real rave

By Justin Eells THE DAILY CARDINAL

“Frozen River,” a film about two women’s struggles and their unlikely alliance in a human smuggling ring, is a very real story—a human experience.

The film is a story of two women living in poverty in New York state during a Christmas season that is anything but joyous. Ray Eddy (Melissa Leo) is a mother of two who works a thankless retail job and needs to find cash quickly, or she will lose the down payment on her new double-wide trailer home.

One day, while searching for her vagrant, gambling-addicted husband, she encounters a Mohawk woman named Lila (Misty Upham) driving her husband’s abandoned car and follows her back onto a reservation.

Instead of returning the car, Lila shows Ray how to use it to make quick cash smuggling illegal aliens across the icy St. Lawrence River from Canada. The two women clash, yet manage to tolerate one another in the name of desperation. Through all of this, audiences slowly learn about Ray’s 15-year-old son’s small-time criminal exploits selling stolen credit card numbers, and Lila’s 1-year-old son, whom Lila’s mother-in-law has taken from her. In one scene, Ray and her sons eat popcorn and Tang for dinner because Ray does not have money to buy food.

In a series of hostile encounters, police chases and close calls, the audience sympathizes with both of these women. The audience wants to see Ray get the home and feels Lila’s pain over her son and her inability to work. The audience

sees two people who, though different on the surface, understand one another on a much deeper level, living on the cusp of starvation, trying to make ends meet.

Although the plot is based on a situation unfamiliar to most, Leo and Upham’s performances make it seem both familiar and real. The audience sees into the lives of these characters and gets to know them.

Everything comes at a price in this story. Nobody wins and nobody loses. The story ends, things work themselves out and life goes on.

There are no good guys or bad guys, there are only real, relatable people.

The story shows audiences humanity and the effects of poverty and desperation on the human experience. This is not a happy or sad story, but a real story.

Grade: AB

Old Crows hit big with new album

By Justin Dean

warm, controlled harmonica that radiates through otherwise somber In their first two albums, Old songs gives the album an intimate Crow Medicine Show invoke the glow the previous two lack. feeling of pre-World War I jug The shift is exemplified by the bands, playing foot stomping licks band’s decision to replace Gillian throughout the night for the small Welch’s studio sidekick David price of moonshine and smiles Rawlings with legendary pop-rock from pretty little ladies. But in producer Don Was, known best for their latest album, Tennessee Pusher, his work with Bob Dylan and the the band matures and alters their Rolling Stones. formula for success. Offering an One constant throughout the intimate but melancholy portrayal album is the concept of hitting of the gloom of America’s past and the road and traveling to places present, while adding a touch of unknown, a theme that echoes rock ’n’ roll to their sound that both the changing nature of already occupies a OCMS’s music CD REVIEW common ground and their dedication to touring the between bluegrass, country, playing folk and country live shows and fesgenres. tivals. This theme, Known best for with the heavy their hits “Wagon Dylan/Stones Wheel” and “I influence, shines Hear Them All,” Tennessee Pusher on the second track OCMS veer from Old Crow “Highway Halo,” a traditional blueMedicine Show grass numbers that song about hitting employ bumpy vocals and wild the road for “the great unknown.” harmonica to focus on original It features a harmonica and organ melodies that maintain a deep combo that could easily be missouthern tone but add the smooth taken for Dylan and Richard Manuel on The Basement Tapes. edge of classic rock.

In Tennessee Pusher, singer-song- Secor’s poignant vocals drive the writer Ketch Secor still croons about song as he sings of “Goin’ where hard times in small-town southern I do not know / One eye on the America, but does so with deeper open road.” lyrics and a darker tone. The use of Although the tone throughout THE DAILY CARDINAL

the first two tracks is lighthearted and fun, the bulk of the tracks that follow confront the dark issues of drug abuse, death and loneliness.

In “Methamphetamine,” Secor explores the drug epidemic sweeping across small towns in America’s heartland, where “The river flows with dusty, cold disease.” The song is backed by chilling chord progressions, occasionally offset by tender harmonica solos that accentuate the somber sentiment in Secor’s vocals.

The most passionate of the tracks is “Motel in Memphis,” a moving ballad about the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. The tribute ends with the sad sound of Secor’s fiddle slowly coming to rest.

Interrupting the gloom are the lighthearted bluegrass numbers “Humdinger” and “Mary’s Kitchen” as well as the more peaceful “Next Go ’Round” and “Crazy Eyes.”

And, in typical OCMS fashion, Tennessee Pusher ends with a bang in “Caroline,” a merry bluegrass tune that defiantly states “Heart broken / Hard times / Never got us down.”

OCMS took a risk in varying their style for Tennessee Pusher, but the infusion of rock into their already unique style makes for an enjoyable listen and a bright future for the boys from Nashville.

Is there anything else you could see yourself doing right now?: Not really because I was a musician from when I was 3, 4 or 5 years old, I took to the drums right away ... Rhythm has always been in me so there’s nothing else that I really have a passion for other than music and helping humanity ... and that’s my purpose with the music.

What’s your favorite place to chill with friends in Madison?: Probably the Union Terrace You can see Natty Nation play their CD release show 7 p.m. this Saturday at High Noon Saloon. Tickets are $10 in advance and $12 at the door.

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comics

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OJ didn’t do it.

Strawberries contain more Vitamin C than oranges. dailycardinal.com/comics

Weekend, September 26-27, 2008

Thurgood Jenkins.

Today’s Sudoku

Anthro-Apology

By Eric Wigdahl wigdahl@wisc.edu

© Puzzles by Pappocom

Angel Hair Pasta

By Todd Stevens ststevens@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.

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 JINGLE ALL THE WAY ACROSS 1 Member of the lowest Hindu caste 6 Self-descriptive letters 10 They come with balances due 14 Story of Achilles 15 Best possible price 16 Bible book before Nehemiah 17 Busch Gardens locale 18 One on the Mohs scale 19 Fence materials?

20 180 deg. from WSW 21 Tidy sum, slangily 24 Compound in fireworks 26 Calling 27 Richard III’s request 29 Acting Field 31 Strauss of jeans 32 Institution in Philly 34 “___ Vadis” 37 Word of grace 39 Belt maker’s tool 40 Henley Royal Regatta craft 42 Word with “night” or “right” 43 Household expenses 46 Five-digit extension American dogwood 48 “Norma” and “Turandot” 50 Attack 53 Chin dimple 54 Jukebox forerunner

57 60 61 62 64 65 66

Wolf chicken, e.g.

Like some confessions Gulf north of Somalia Stevedore’s burden “Pull it,” in proofreading Animal that gives milk More green around the gills 67 Draining effect?

68 Demonstrates fallibility 69 Arrange in tiers

DOWN 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 22 23 25 27 28 29

Put in position ___ Bator (Mongolian capital) Ned Buntline effort Sheet opening?

Changes to handle new conditions Second photo in a testimonial ad Shin-kicker Shot of booze Be green, in a way Bloody Mary Upper atmosphere layer Bagpipe sound Deity with goat’s hooves Swamp thing Gloomy covers Bit of eye makeup Jessica of Hollywood It has a fire down below?

Ninja Turtle’s hangout

30 Shaft under the floorboard 33 Don’t leave the leaves 34 Like some reports 35 Bone featuring the radial notch 36 Make no longer made 38 Sleeping girl Brothers hit 41 Cook-off figure 44 Sack 45 Company with a horse in its logo 47 Sharpshooter Annie 49 Tentatively schedule (with “in”) 50 Cathode’s counterpart 51 Became a dad 52 Burn with hot liquid 53 They fill the bill (and this puzzle’s theme) 55 Breath mint target 56 Highly prized 58 Writer-critic James 59 Pressure unit 63 Chef’s “in the style of”

A Fine Dutch Hobby

By Matt Riley mriley2@wisc.edu

The Daily Code a 1

b 2

Crack me

c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26

“Y vuub xecu, mxud Y’c sxybbydw ekjiytu myjx jxu fuefbu Y adem.”

Of A Revolution lyric Start with one-letter words and words with apostrophes, find out how many places the alphabet has shifted, then use that knowledge to decipher the code.

Yesterday’s Code:

“Every book is a children’s book if the kid can read.”

sports UW excited for Big Blue dailycardinal.com/sports

Spread of new offense makes UW a rare breed BEN BREINER all about the benjamins

F

or Big Blue, it’s a whole new ballgame.

When the Badgers play Michigan Saturday, they will face one of the biggest trends, and perhaps biggest fads, in college football today.

That would be the spread offense, and specifically the variation run by Michigan coach Rich Rodriguez.

Michigan has long been the bastion of strong-armed, statuesque quarterbacks, powerful runners and the slow, plodding brand of offense that has been used to characterize the Big Ten. This viewpoint, however, belies the fact that the spread is already a common feature throughout the conference.

The Purdue Boilermakers have run Joe Tiller’s “basketball on grass” passing spread for well over a decade, while Northwestern has featured a more run-oriented attack since the late 90’s.

By 2005, spread offenses had nearly become ubiquitous in the Big Ten as the Buckeyes and Penn State both used it to win BCS bowls.

The spread offense itself is an umbrella term for offenses that run

a majority of their plays out of the shotgun formation, usually sending out more than two wide-receivers. There are all different kinds of spreads: from Texas Tech, which replaces many runs with short passes, to West Virginia, which ran on over 70 percent of its plays over the last three years.

When Michigan made the change, it became the ninth Big Ten team to use some spread offense, leaving only Iowa and the Badgers.

Wisconsin has had a strange, and often unsuccessful, history when it comes to the spread.

Northwestern rolled up more than 500 yards of offense on a 2000 Badger squad that had title aspirations. This same wide-open Northwestern attack derailed a 5-0 Badger start in 2005 with 51 points, while last season’s team was first beat by Illinois’ optionheavy spread.

On the other hand, the Badgers have been historically successful against Purdue, especially against some of their more hyped up teams.

The national perspective usually comes back to the age-old stereotypes about the Big Ten and particularly the Badgers: too slow, not enough athletes, and defenses that cannot adapt to the new way football is played.

All these critics, however, forget that for one brief moment the Badgers attempted to spread the field.

It was in the 1998 Outback Bowl against Georgia.

They broke out the shotgun, spread the field. The problem was that Mike Samuel was running the show, and receivers like Tony Simmons and Donald Hayes don’t really put fear in the hearts of defenders.

The change also meant that Ron Dayne was taken out of his traditional role of running straight at the defense and powering over tacklers. He was held to 36 yards on just 14 carries.

When the dust settled, Georgia won 33-6. Whether the loss was due to the offense or the bevy on NFL talent on Georgia (star players Hines Ward, Champ Bailey and Marcus Stroud all suited up for Georgia that day) the Badgers have not relied on the shotgun since that game.

The final question is what the conference’s shift to spread means for the current Badger team, and the answer could be positive. The spread challenges teams in terms of lateral spread, which leads to smaller, quicker players.

Against the power-running game plan Wisconsin employs, these small players could be at a disadvantage.

Although Saturday’s game will be billed as a clash between the past and the future, the Badgers will be out to prove that old school is still in.

Think Wisconsin should just run the spread? Tell Ben at breiner@wisc.edu.

Ready, set, drop the puck There will be a piece missing to the Wisconsin women’s hockey team’s season opener against Quinnipiac University Friday at the Kohl Center. For the first time in three seasons, there will not be a banner drop before the opening faceoff unveiling Wisconsin’s newest national championship.

The Badgers enter this season as the defending national runner-up after a 40 loss to Minnesota-Duluth in the title game, so this season is instead about regaining the national championship, not defending it.

“I think the players might be a little bit hungrier,” Wisconsin head coach Mark Johnson said. “When you do come a little bit short of your goal, I think you come back with a little bit more hunger.”

Although Wisconsin began practice just six days ago, with an opponent like Quinnipiac, who finished 5-24-5 last season and was outscored 141-57 throughout its campaign, the Badgers should receive valuable game experience without risking a loss this early in the season.

There is reason for optimism in Madison. The Badgers return nine of their top 10 scorers from last season, though they lose their second best scorer in terms of points per game with forward Jinelle Zaugg, who finished out her eligibility last season.

“We bring a lot of kids back from last year’s team. We have a lot of kids back on the blue line, obviously our goaltending situation is similar to what it was last year, and up front we’ve got some depth,” Johnson said. “Our younger players are good, and so as

they get more experience and gain confidence, it should make our team that much stronger.”

The three freshmen, forwards Brooke Ammerman and Carolyne Prevost and defender Brittany Haverstock, are all highly touted recruits and should further complete this Badger team.

Captaining the squad will be senior center Erika Lawler, a Massachusetts native, who will have some extra motivation this season because the Frozen Four will be played in Boston.

“It would be awesome to end in Boston, make it to the Frozen Four, but we don’t want to get too ahead of ourselves, one step at a time, and that’s how we’ve done it every year,” Lawler said.

It’s difficult to not get ahead of oneself when examining the goaltending situation. Senior netminder Jessie Vetter has the strongest resume in college hockey of any goaltender (three Frozen Four appearances and two national championships), and she is confident the Badgers can have another successful run this season.

“We’re always excited to get back, especially when you’re coming off a loss to Duluth,” Vetter said. “We lost some good players but we have some really good freshman coming in, and everyone looked good [in the Red/White scrimmage], so we’ll just see how the season goes, and I think it’s going to be pretty good.”

Fans can see the new and old Badger skaters Friday and Saturday at 7 p.m. at the Kohl Center.

—Eric Levine

OUT ON A LIMB Jamie and Al Leaders Supreme

Since Michigan is often successful in limiting the Badger running game, senior quarterback Allan Evridge could play an even bigger role.

JACOB ELA/CARDINAL FILE PHOTO

Kyle and Lorenzo Photo Editors

DANNY MARCHEWKA/THE DAILY CARDINAL

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Senior forward Erika Lawler will bear the captain’s C this season and will likely return to her role of centering the team’s top line.

Gabe, Jill and Jake Copy Chiefs

backer Jonathan Casillas to the starting lineup against Fresno State finally gave the Badgers a complete defensive roster. Considering Casillas’ talent and the level that fellow senior linebacker and team captain DeAndre Levy has been playing at this season, the two should once again team up to wreak havoc on the Big Ten. Wisconsin’s one glaring concern is its inability to win on the road against Michigan. The Badgers are 2-16 versus the Wolverines in Big Ten season openers, and will try to start a new trend Saturday.

“The biggest thing we have in front of us is an opportunity to go play Michigan at the Big House in an environment, in a stadium, that is storied in college football,” Bielema said.

The game is at 2:30 p.m., and will be broadcast on ABC.

Jon and Mark Opinion Editors

The No. 8 Wisconsin football team opens its Big Ten season Saturday on the road at Ann Arbor, Mich., against the Michigan Wolverines, and should be well rested after a bye week.

The Badgers (3-0) are led offensively by senior quarterback Allan Evridge and junior running back P.J. Hill. Senior tight end Travis Beckum returned to the lineup against Fresno State, catching four passes for 51 yards, and is expected to once again be the main target in Wisconsin’s aerial attack.

Wisconsin will have a lot riding on the success of the running game, as Michigan’s defensive front four present a unique challenge to UW, especially considering Hill’s less-thanspectacular numbers against quality opponents on the road.

“I’ve heard the staff bring up, you know, P.J. Hill’s rushing numbers versus certain opponents in his twoyear career going into this season,” Bielema said. “I think that’s probably why, in Fresno State, you might have saw P.J. Hill, even though it wasn’t his most productive numbers, may have played his best game as a college football player here at Wisconsin last week versus Fresno State.”

The success of the running game may depend on the Badgers’ ability to pass, something UW has been working on a lot lately.

“In the secondary they are going to challenge us,” wide receiver coach DelVaughn Alexander said. “They are going to try and get a win there at home and get those fans involved, so it’s important for us to make plays, that we are consistent and that we understand what our job is first—and that should take care of a lot of different things.”

With such a stellar defensive line, it will be imperative that Wisconsin control the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball.

Michigan has had its troubles

holding onto the football, but when it has, freshman running back Sam McGuffie has proven he has the talent to be dangerous for any opposing defense. McGuffie leads the Wolverines with 241 yards on 50 carries, and is the biggest playmaker on a Wolverine squad that is unusually lacking this season.

Bielema is not counting Michigan out of this game, or the Big Ten season in general despite the period of transition they are currently in.

“Rich is very intuitive, very intelligent,” he said. “He’s got the Michigan background and support that he needs to have, from a standpoint of getting any staff that he wanted in there. So he’s been able to do some things long-term-wise that should be able to benefit them.”

On the defensive side for Wisconsin, the return of senior line-

Mario and Scott Game Day Editors

THE DAILY CARDINAL

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Ben and Crystal Sports Editors

By Nate Carey

Weekend, September 26-28, 2008

No. 8 Wisconsin at Michigan

UW

UW

UW

UW

UW

UW

No.24 TCU at No.2 Oklahoma

OKLA

OKLA

OKLA

OKLA

OKLA

OKLA

No.8 Alabama at No.3 Georgia

ALA

UGA

UGA

UGA

UGA

UGA

No.22 Illinois at No.12 Penn State

PSU

PSU

PSU

PSU

PSU

PSU

Washington at Dallas

DAL

DAL

DAL

DAL

DAL

DAL

Atlanta at Carolina

ATL

CAR

CAR

CAR

CAR

ATL

Green Bay at Tampa Bay

GB

GB

GB

GB

TB

GB

4-3 16-5

5-2 17-4

5-2 18-3

5-2 17-4

3-4 13-8

5-2 15-6

Last Week Overall

8 Weekend, September 26-28, 2008 l

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