Wednesday, October 29, 2008 - The Daily Cardinal by The Daily Cardinal

OPINION

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Professors wrong in attaching university’s name to “Support Bill Ayers” signatures

University of Wisconsin-Madison

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Wednesday, October 29, 2008

Madison retains title as state’s ‘liberal bubble’ By Claire Wiese THE DAILY CARDINAL

Former Wisconsin Gov. Lee Dreyfus once called the city of Madison “30 square miles surrounded by reality” in reference to its predominantly liberal atmosphere. His remarks are commonly used to describe Madison’s ethos today. While experts predict Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama will win big in Madison, the rest of the state does not have such a liberal voting record. Dhavan Shah, UW-Madison professor of journalism and mass communication, thinks Dreyfus’ idea has become part of Madison’s culture, and is “pretty well hewn into the fabric of conversation.” However, according to Shah, Madison is not completely permeated with liberalism. “[Madison’s liberalism] is not nearly as ubiquitous as people might

imagine,” Shah explained. “There’s a sizable portion, including among the student body, that would consider themselves conservative.” Charles Franklin, UW-Madison political science professor, echoed Shah’s statements, and said he believes Madison’s liberal attitudes are in line with other major cities across the country. “Every academic town or every capital city is often seen as being isolated in one way or another from the rest of the state,” Franklin said. “I think it’s worth it to recognize that it is not uniformly so. There’s a minority, but certainly a non-trivial minority of conservatives in the area.” Lucas Moench, a UW-Madison sophomore who identiﬁes himself as a Republican, said even though Madison is a liberal place, conservative havens are also available. “I’m in College Republicans, which is a nice group of like-minded

individuals. It gives me a foundation and friends that believe in the same things I do,” Moench said. While many Madison residents take a liberal stance on policies, they may be surprised when the rest of the state does not share attitudes that are popular in Madison. Lindsay Miller, a UW-Madison senior, was surprised at how the rest of the state did not share Madison residents’ opposition to the proposed marriage amendment in the 2006 elections. She said Wisconsin’s passing of the gay marriage ban revealed just how much of the state is conservative. “I was very surprised to see how many conservatives there actually were, and how much that contrasted with the city itself,” Miller said. According to Shah, the degree of polarization between Madison and the rest of Wisconsin may be exaggerated in many people’s minds. “I’m sure there are misperceptions in both directions,” Shah said. “People out of state probably assume Madison is

more liberal than it actually is. People in Madison probably assume that the rest of the state is more conservative than it actually is.” Franklin also said political leanings throughout Wisconsin range from

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liberal to conservative, and everywhere in between. “It depends on where you are. bubble page 3

UWPD seeks man who ejaculated on student in Humanities building

KRIS UGARRIZA/THE DAILY CARDINAL

The Mifﬂin Street Block Party is the model of an alternative to Freakfest that students are hoping to begin Saturday night.

Students looking to bring Halloween to Mifﬂin Street By Anna Bukowski THE DAILY CARDINAL

A group of UW-Madison students are organizing a Mifﬂin Street block party for Halloween this Saturday in an effort to provide an alternative to the Freakfest festivities on State Street and revive old traditions. The block party’s purpose is to provide an event similar to the Halloween of past years, according to Alex Kaufer, UW-Madison student and co-organizer of the party. Freakfest 2008 marks the third consecutive year that the city has gated and charged admission to State Street in an attempt to control the Halloween festivities that had caused riots and chaos in previous years. As

city regulations increased, Kaufer said he and other students saw an increasing need for a place where people have the freedom to “party how they want.” The organizers said the Halloween party would be similar to the Mifflin Street Block Party, which held its 40th annual celebration in May. While police do patrol the spring Mifflin Street Block Party, there is no admission charge or formal organization of the event by the city. Proponents of the Mifflin Halloween party said the event will offer a less regulated and cheaper option for partygoers this weekend. mifflin page 3

A female UW-Madison student reported having semen dropped on her Monday afternoon in the Humanities Building, according to ﬂiers posted Tuesday on the building’s entrances. According to the ﬂiers, labeled “Badger Watch Crime Alert,” the student was studying between the Morphy and Eastman Recital Halls around 3:10 p.m. when semen reportedly dropped from the third-level balcony above. The building’s facilities manager, Justin Richardson, said the student

was unsure of what had fallen and worried about a cut on her hand getting contaminated. He said she went to the emergency room, where they conﬁrmed that it was semen that had fallen. The victim said she did not see who the perpetrator was. “The goal [of the ﬂiers] is to let everyone know as soon as possible that this happened, with the main goal being that anyone who might have seen any strange behavior or a stranger in the building at that time that day

would come forward right away with information,” Richardson said. The ﬂiers said the balcony is accessible from the outside and from inside the Mills Concert Hall and Morphy and Eastman Recital Halls. Police are asking for anyone who saw suspicious activity in the area between 2 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. to contact the University of Wisconsin Police Department at (608) 264-2677 or at its ofﬁce at 1429 Monroe St. —Rory Linnane

Voter turnout already reaching record high for absentee ballots By Jessica Feld THE DAILY CARDINAL

An unprecedented number of absentee ballots have already been cast in Madison, an indication of the record voter turnout expected for the Nov. 4 elections. Out of the 21,251 issued absentee ballots in Madison, 9,350 had been cast as of Tuesday, according to Madison City Clerk Maribeth WitzelBehl. Since early voting opened Oct. 13, about 800 people have visited the clerk’s office each day to cast their vote, and the office receives up to 1,000 absentee ballot requests by mail each day, according to Witzel-Behl. With the increase in absentee voters, the city clerk’s office is preparing for a large voter turnout on Election Day. The clerk’s office has encouraged voters to pre-register to vote in order

to shorten lines at polling places on Nov. 4. According to Witzel-Behl, 31,706 people have pre-registered to vote since April, which is a dramatic increase from the 13,997 that pre-registered in 2006 during the same time period. The Government Accountability Board has prepared 35,000 trained poll workers throughout the state for a large voter turnout, and local election ofﬁcials have ordered extra ballots, according to a statement. To ensure a smooth voting experience, the GAB and the clerk’s ofﬁce encourage voters to prepare before heading to their polling place. “Wisconsin has a long history of fair and open elections,” GAB director Kevin Kennedy said in a statement. “But taking a few minutes to check over their materials and rights before leaving the house can save voters time and frustration at the polling place.”

Voting Information Registration: Register at the polls or in advance at the City Clerk’s ofﬁce with proof of residence. Acceptable proof of residence: Utility bill Paycheck/bank statement Valid and current WI ID UW ID (For students living in dorms) Early voting: City County Building (210 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.) Mon-Thu 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Fri 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Sat 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Nov. 3rd 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

“…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, October 29, 2008

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News and Editorial edit@dailycardinal.com Editor in Chief Alex Morrell Managing Editor Jamie McMahon News Editor Amanda Hoffstrom Campus Editor Erin Banco City Editor Abby Sears State Editor Megan Orear Opinion Editors Jon Spike Mark Thompson Arts Editors Emma Condon Ryan Hebel Sports Editors Ben Breiner Crystal Crowns Features Editor Sarah Nance Food Editor Marly Schuman Science Editor Bill Andrews Photo Editors Kyle Bursaw Lorenzo Zemella Graphics Editors Meg Anderson Matt Riley Copy Chiefs Jillian Levy Gabe Ubatuba Jake Victor Copy Editors Danny Marchewka Soly Moustafa, Kevin Slane Todd Stevens

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Editorial Board Nate Carey Dave Heller Jillian Levy Jamie McMahon Alex Morrell Jon Spike Mark Thompson Hannah Young l

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THURSDAY: sunny hi 60º / lo 43º dailycardinal.com/pagetwo

If life gets hard, contemplate family of 19

Volume 118, Issue 42

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

TODAY: mostly sunny hi 52º / lo 32º

ASHLEY SPENCER back that ash up

y version of hell used to be an eternally cheese-less existence in a blistering Mexican desert with no sunscreen, water or amusing tour guide with a thick moustache. That’s until I watched a “17 Kids and Counting” marathon. In case you’re not familiar with this show, TLC chronicles the lives of Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar, high school sweethearts raising 17 children whose names all start with “J”—from the oldest, Joshua, to baby Jennifer. I feel bad for the kid who got stuck with Jedidiah. I mean, really—he’s never going to be as popular as Jason and Justin, and he’ll probably be a slow reader. By the way, Duggars, I’m pretty sure spelling Jinger with a “J” raises the probability that she’ll become a stripper. Because these two parents hump like rabbits and most likely don’t believe in a little plastic thing called a condom,

they are expecting another gift from God, and will probably name it is something like Jambajuicejesusjaja. At ﬁrst glance, they may nauseate you with the apple-cheeked smiles and the feel-good family fun they manage to have every episode. Throwup will bubble in your throat as you watch the children do their chores in each of their “jurisdictions,” which the Duggers assign so each kiddie knows his or her responsibilities. In the Spencer family house, you don’t get a “jurisdiction.” You get death threats, brawls over dirty bathrooms and a request from your mom to have family psychiatrist sessions led by your dog Mini. You don’t do any chores until your mom has a nervous breakdown, calls you a “worthless piece of shit” and hides your car keys in a place you’d never look, like the cabinet she keeps all the cleaning supplies in. That’s one of the worst parts about this show: seeing a family of 17, clad in clothing reminiscent of the Amish, function better than your own small family ever could, even while washing their monthly 200 loads of laundry. And while their hunky-dory fam-

ily shit is certainly hard to digest, their dating rules are perhaps the most extreme departure from normality. Duggar children are encouraged to go on chaperoned dates and save their first kiss until marriage. The kids refer to these guidelines as the “courtship rituals,” a term I haven’t heard since my freshman anthropology class. The oldest son, Joshua, 20, is engaged and has yet to kiss his fiancée, a fact I find sadly adorable. Josh says one of the things that attracted him most to Anna was that she reminded him of his mother. Weird. See, when I get married, I hope my husband will be like my father to a healthy extent—he’ll probably own a fourdoor car, have an equal liking for beer and biking, and have a decent personality (when he’s not watching the prices of his stocks tumble). But unlike my dad, he’ll be able to change light bulbs and have a full head of thick hair and a fondness for the arts—and Dad, if you’re reading this, your Hooters calendar is still in no way artsy. At first glance, the Duggar family’s old-fashioned views on dating, family and fashion itself seem all wrong—

kind of like an underfed Wisconsin girl. But then, if you really watch and look past their unﬂattering cardboard-color skirts, you might wonder if maybe they’re the ones getting it right in a totally corrupt world. I know Josh Duggar has never gotten an e-mail informing him that his make-out friend has a girlfriend he didn’t know existed. I’m pretty sure he doesn’t have any embarrassing photos of him on Mifﬂin biting a guy dressed as a giant hotdog. But even after thinking about it that way, I couldn’t imagine doing anything differently. For the moment, I’m having fun just living my life like T.I. and Rihanna, because I’ll have all the time in the world when I reach 80 to become boring and sexless enough to repent for my sins. It’s always good to see the other side of something, even if it’s something you hardly understand or relate to at all. You’ll feel inspired and might even consider being fat, sweaty and pregnant for 135 months of your life. Do you worship a higher power? Tell Ashley about your fanaticism—whether it’s for Jesus Christ or Perez Hilton—at aaspencer@wisc.edu.

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Wednesday, October 29, 2008

Pending agreement to boost Google digital books initiative By Hannah McClung THE DAILY CARDINAL

Author and publisher rights advocacy groups reached an agreement with Google Tuesday to make the digitized resources of the Google Book Project more accessible to the campus and national audiences. The Authors Guild and the Association of American Publishers sued Google in 2005, citing violations of copyright law in the company’s digital book initiative. The Google Book Project pairs Google and several university research libraries, including those at UWMadison, University of Michigan, Stanford University and Harvard University. “Most Big Ten campuses have some involvement,” said Ken Frazier, director of the UW-Madison General Library System. He said the pending settlement between Google and the

Authors Guild and Association of American Publishers would clarify some issues being disputed about unrestricted access to the content. Frazier went on to say the ultimate goal is to digitize 500,000 volumes from UW-Madison to make content more available to everyone. According to an e-mail sent Tuesday to library faculty and staff, the proposed lawsuit settlement covers in copyright books, online viewing of the books, providing services for people with print disabilities and creating new research centers. “By Google and the plaintiffs clarifying the copyright disagreements that they’ve had, it exposes more public domain material for a wider audience,” said Ed Van Gemert, deputy director of UWMadison Libraries. According to Van Gemert, the agreement leaves the university with

a library digital copy of the content, which enables the library system to continue the preservation of its electronic content. “That’s important as we move forward in time,” he said. Google will also provide an institutional subscription to all the digitized content within the next two years. Frazier said there will be a workstation at every stand-alone library on campus providing access to the digitized resources. Although the university will have to evaluate the cost and value of the subscription, Van Gemert said, “We think that having access to all of the millions and millions of content will be useful.” According to the faculty and staff e-mail, the project on campus is a collaborative effort between UWMadison Libraries, the Wisconsin Historical Society and Google.

Rachel Holzman THE DAILY CARDINAL

After record-breaking snowfall hit Madison hard last winter, the Common Council voted Tuesday to approve an ordinance that doubles parking fines during snow emergencies in order to more efficiently allow for snow removal. Ald. Mike Verveer, District 4, said the ordinance will increase the ticket for parking violations during snow emergencies to $60 citywide, up from previous fines of $30 in the downtown area and $20 outside downtown. George Dreckmann, spokesman for City of Madison Street Division, said that many times last winter the city was unable to plow to the curb because of people not moving their vehicles. The fine increase aims to discourage people from parking on the street during snowstorms to allow for plowing, and vehicles not complying could be towed by the city. Ald. Brenda Konkel, District 2, voted against the ordinance, arguing that the penalties might be too harsh for Madison residents struggling to accommodate their vehicles during the winter months. “I don’t think it’s fair to double the fines and suddenly start towing

CHARLIE BAKER/CARDINAL FILE PHOTO

After record-breaking snowfall congested Madison streets last winter, the city hopes to make roads cleaner and safer this year. both at the same time,” Konkel said. “I think that towing was a signiﬁcant increase for people who live in the area who essentially don’t have a lot of options of where they’re going to put their cars.” Konkel did, however, applaud another facet of the ordinance that would work to increase notiﬁcation of snow emergencies and winter parking regulations. Dreckmann said one of the most innovative new techniques the city plans to use is a text message alert system informing Madison resi-

Wilco members to join Feingold, Baldwin at ‘Concert for Change’ Members of the band Wilco will play a free “Concert for Change” in support of Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama Saturday at the Wisconsin Union Theater. Jeff Tweedy, John Stirratt and Pat Sansone – three of Wilco’s six band members – will be on hand to perform and lead a march to the city clerk’s ofﬁce to vote early. U.S. Sen. Russ Feingold, DWis., and U.S. Rep. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis., will join Wilco members at the event to discuss

why they support Obama’s policies over McCain’s in the upcoming election. Doors to the event open at 11 a.m. and the concert will begin at noon. Tickets to the event are free but required and can be picked up ahead of time at the Campaign for Change ofﬁce at 216 N. Henry St. or on Wednesday from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. during the Downtown Farmer’s Market on the 100 block of Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard in front of the Risser Building.

bubble from page 1

Political theorists have projected Madison going to Obama, but it is only one part of the state. Whether Wisconsin goes red or blue on Nov. 4 is still unclear. However, one thing we can count on is a high political involvement of the citizens of Madison, regardless of their partisan ideologies.

Obviously, the suburban counties around Milwaukee are extremely conservative and very Republican. As you go up north, some of that is pretty conservative, but some of it is also somewhat libertarian. In some cases, progressive,” Franklin said.

dents of snow emergencies. Ald. Eli Judge, District 8, said alders are also trying to better inform students of winter weather updates through the Facebook group “Madison Snow Emergency News.” Overall, a majority of the council supported the components of the ordinance in hopes of a safer and easier winter season. “Hopefully it won’t snow a hundred inches this year,” said Ald. Marsha Rummel, District 6. “But if it does, we’ll be ready.”

mifflin from page 1 Xiyang Chen, UW-Madison student and co-organizer of the event, said he and his fellow organizers “strongly feel the need for an alternative place [on Halloween].” Chen said he is frustrated with the entertainment provided at Freakfest, particularly headlining band O.A.R. He said the band choice does not “necessarily fit the taste of everyone.” Organizers are using chalk advertisements, paper fliers and Facebook publicity to attract partygoers to the event. Chen said many houses on Mifflin Street often throw parties on Halloween, and the block party will serve as a cooperative, communal event. Chen said he has attended Freakfest for the past three years, but hopes the new Halloween party on Mifflin Street will offer a “better sense of community” and set a precedent for future years so that “people come together” for an annual Mifflin Halloween.

Blow it out your glass

DANNY MARCHEWKA/THE DAILY CARDINAL

Mini course instructor Cindy Parmer makes a glass bead in the Memorial Union Craft Shop Tuesday evening.

Haunted campus walking tour displays history of UW buildings, ghost stories By Cassie Holman THE DAILY CARDINAL

Council votes to double winter parking ﬁnes

news

On a chilly fall Tuesday night, UW-Madison students and community members gathered at Memorial Union for a haunted campus walking tour, put on as part of Wisconsin Union Directorate’s Shriek Week. “I’ve always loved the spooky part of Halloween,” said Madisson Delaney, a UW-Madison freshman. “I heard ‘ghost stories’ and I was up for it.” Hoofer Council President Kyle Olsen, whose organization coordinated the events, said he expected a great success. Elise Gorchels, vice president of Salty Trips for Hoofers SCUBA, guided the tour. Eager for some eerie tales, the group zipped their coats and trekked up Bascom Hill to the first stop, North Hall. North Hall Built in 1851, North Hall is the university’s oldest building. In 1889, stories circulated about an eerie figure roaming through the building’s halls. After fielding students’ concerns, university President John Bascom formed a committee to tackle the issue. The poltergeist, it turns out, was nothing more than a white sheet draped over a student. Today, people report seeing a welldressed man walking the halls alone or

standing next to a custodian. Sources claim it is the spirit of a political science professor who died of a heart attack in 1956. Bascom Hall Honest Abe guards the doors of this old building. According to Golchels, two men—William Nelson, who died of typhoid fever, and Samuel Warren, who died of a lightning bolt strike while constructing the Capitol—were buried beneath the statue. Although construction surrounding Abe prevented a peek Tuesday, Golchels said two brass markers signify the graves of the two men. Science Hall “If any of you have ever heard of any stories about the university being haunted, it has probably been about Science Hall,” Golchels said. It has a bit of a morbid history. Bodies were moved from the loading zone to the attic—which housed a cadaver lab—using a pulley system, Golchels said. Objects are often moved around and eerie noises are heard throughout the building. “Typical, creepy ghost stuff,” she said. In 1974, someone supposedly found a foot and human leg bones in the attic. Golchels said sources were not sure how they got there.

Homecoming Blood Drive successful in collecting over 400 pints of blood More than 400 pints of blood were collected at the Homecoming Blood Drive held at the Red Gym over the weekend—a higher amount than expected. According to Sarah Stevermer, communications and public relations specialist for the American Red Cross, students were instrumental in the event’s success. “It was very exciting. More people came out to donate than we thought,” Stevermer said. “Students were the ones who came out and donated. They are the reason that the blood drive was so successful.” According to UW-Madison student Alex Kumin, one of the event coordinators, the purpose of the campaign was to support the Madison area blood banks and to spread awareness of blood donation. “The drive was a success in the number of donations we received and the number of volunteers who came to help out,” Kumin said.

According Stevermer, 438 pints of blood were collected by the drive’s completion. She said each pint of blood can help up to three patients and students’ donations from homecoming could help more than 1,300 patients in need. The blood collected will help local patients before helping patients around the country through Red Cross’ national inventory system. In addition to the Homecoming Blood Drive, the American Red Cross holds several annual blood drives on campus throughout the year. Students can also donate by visiting Young Blood Donor Center located in Union South. “Every two seconds someone in America needs blood. It is necessary to keep the blood banks stocked so that they can be prepared to supply the surrounding hospitals with blood for transfusions,” Kumin said. —Grace Kim

opinion 4

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Wednesday, October 29, 2008

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

ayers petition discredits policy

ast week, more than 40 UWMadison affiliated employees have signed an online petition to “Support Bill Ayers” and his academic achievements. Bill Ayers, a 20-year professor at the University of Illinois at Chicago, has become a central issue in the presidential election for his associations with Democratic candidate Barack Obama and involvement with the terrorist organization, the Weather Underground. The Obama campaign has taken steps to distance itself from Ayers and his alleged acts of terrorism during the Vietnam War. The petition calls for all citizens, in particular scholars and teachers, to support Ayers for his exemplary scholarship, teaching and service. As of Oct. 28, the petition has received 4,090 signatures online, a majority of which affiliate with a university or college. More than 40 names on the petition listed an alignment to the University of Wisconsin-Madison. The UW System has very strict rules regarding professors’ political campaign activities at UW-Madison. A portion of the rules regarding campaign activity includes “promoting action on issues which have become highly identified as dividing issues between the candidates.” The restrictions also state the only time university employees are allowed to list their official job title is when it is evident that their personal opinion or endorsement

is intended to reflect that of the university. According to UW System policy, university employees may only engage in political campaign activities as a private citizen on private time with private resources. The UW System code makes it strikingly obvious that the state has taken many measures to create a clear schism between the university and all political campaign activity. The “Support Bill Ayers” petition violates UW System policy by affiliating university employees with an issue, in this case the relationship between Barack Obama and Bill Ayers, that has become a dividing issue between the candidates. Although university employees should not be limited in their ability to act as private citizens, signing a petition using their UW-Madison employment as credibility is in direct violation of UW System policy. The university should take steps to remove its name from a petition that associates its employees with a controversial figure in the 2008 presidential election. Other signatures on the petition are listed with no affiliation at all––UW-Madison employees could have voiced their opinions without using the university’s name. Those who have signed should have UW-Madison removed from their endorsement and face repercussions for future political activity that is in apparent violation of UW System policy.

Remember Bush’s fear tactics before election DAN JOSEPHSON opinion columnist

he ultimate reason this presidential election is one of such great value revolves around the events of the last eight years, and how we as a nation will recover. Although it is within the tradition of the United States to overcome such circumstances, the last two presidential terms have not lived up to such expectations. Instead, they utilized the tool of fear—a misleading, overwhelming blanket the American people were swept under—in truth bringing them closer to the real horrors of American failure.

The administration had an agenda to protect us, and if we were not with them, we were with the terrorists.

This sadistic strategy began a week after Sept. 11, with the introduction of the Patriot Act, a lengthy document that included countless infringements on the civil liberties of Americans without any respect to maintaining checks and balances, elements

that have shaped this country since the writing of the Federalist Papers. Because of the level of vulnerability felt in light of Sept. 11, the government’s actions came under little if any scrutiny, leading President Bush to sign the Patriot Act into law on Oct. 26, 2001. Very soon after the Patriot Act’s signing, the nation was hastily introduced to the Bush Doctrine, opening the door for aerial bombings of Afghanistan as well as the opportunity to do the same to any nation we felt harbored terrorists. Had this tool of fear been used by the Clinton administration, we would have bombed Michigan for harboring the infamous Timothy McVeigh. We soon forgot our principles, steadily sinking into the Bush administration’s pool of intimidation without regard for the actual problems that needed to be addressed to protect us from such future attacks. These actions were followed by the acceptance of the Iraq Resolution, a compilation of lies including the inappropriate link of Iraq to 9/11. The world watched as President Bush changed our reason for being in Iraq a minimum of three different times. His rationale was accepted and regarded as a means to overcome the fear of terrorism, but through this blurry vision of panic and trepidation, our government was steering us away from any means of relevant protection. It did not matter that the economic gap was growing, that we were headed in a direction that has now brought us to an unemployment rate of over 6 percent. This was all negligible in the face of the War on Terror the administration was mishandling. They had an agenda to protect us, and if we were not with them, we were with the terrorists. This wave of stigma and divisiveness is now higher above us

than ever, and it is up to us, the American people, to prevent it from crashing down on our country. The policies of the McCainPalin ticket are the same as its predecessors.

If we once again give in to fear, we will remain under a dark current of stubbornness and irrationality.

They are already instilling fear into this term’s voters, with false portrayals of Obama taxing America and surrendering in Iraq. They are scared to change the tax policies of this country, of modifying the structure of health care, of gluing together the shattered pieces of the American dream. Fear puts us at risk of not only continuing political corruption and misjudgment, but of creating an even scarier United States than we have seen since the Bush administration took office. We are at a point of making history—the only question lies in what kind. If we once again give in to fear, we will remain under a dark current of stubbornness and irrationality. Should we overcome this false sense of dubiousness, we will succeed with this country’s true traditions by ending an unjust war, focusing on the true threats of terrorism, giving tax breaks to the people who need them, protecting our civil liberties and creating a more positive economy for the everyday citizen. Do not let fear sway you away from choosing the Obama ticket, for it will only give you a true stigma to worry about: four more years of George W. Bush’s policies. Dan Josephson is a senior majoring in political science and legal studies. Please send responses to opinion@dailycardinal.com.

arts

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Wednesday, October 29, 2008

‘White People’ prefer not to purchase books By Alex Kuskowski

white people stuff as everything from Apple, to irony, to dogs. Christian Lander, author After a while it can get a little of the new controversial book pretentious because who doesn’t “Stuff White People Like: The enjoy “The Simpsons,” books or Definitive Guide to the Taste of cheese? Maybe white people only Millions,” knows white people enjoy it on a weird level for the can be difficult to understand. superiority factor, as Lander sugThey all have “unique” tastes, gests, or maybe Lander is ascribing things that yet every other BOOK REVIEW are easy to like to “cool” white a single race. person agrees The book with everything they do. itself is an Farmers’ maroutgrowth of kets, food coLanders’ muchops and Trader visited blog by Joe’s bank on the same name. the need of To get an idea of white people what the book is “Stuff White People Like” to be “organic” like before buying, visit stuffand “original,” but if they all go, how can they whitepeoplelike.com. Having many say they are truly better than of the same listed items, the blog format gives each thing a link, but everyone else? If you’ve never understood the book begins without an index. these and the many other upper- The structure ends up leaving the middle-class white phenomena reader at a loss as to whether they (why ARE ’80s nights so popu- should read it straight through or lar?), then this book is for you. search for a certain white person Lander’s guide is the defini- thing to look up. Often the book tive book for learning how to feels as if it’s just been copied and exploit all the weaknesses white pasted into a sellable format, and people don’t even know they if read straight through it gets have, particularly the whites repetitive. from a single section of uppermiddle-class American society. They are a crafty and confusing subset of humanity, and learning how to deal directly with them [White people] are a crafty is key. and confusing subset of In the approximately 200humanity. page book, the things that white people apparently enjoy are listed from one to 150. The reader can look up everything from T-shirts This book purposefully tries to non-motorized boating, what it has to do with white people to offend and guide the reader and how to take advantage of to a better understanding of all white people. It’s hilarious and their love of it. This can come in handy even bitingly clever—in small doses. if you are a white person. Why Although Lander has an amushave you always had a secret love ing encyclopedic-type guide in of kitchen gadgets or premium “Stuff White People Like,” it’s juice? With this book, there is an probably better to check out his blog. It has the same amount easy way to find out. The problem may now be of giggles but without the $14 that it’s too easy. Lander lists price tag. THE DAILY CARDINAL

PHOTO COURTESY METROPOLIS RECORDS

Once reliable for at least one half of an energetic and funky album, Flashy fails to follow through, leaving fans with a mostly empty effort from the pompous lead singer Dick Valentine and Electric Six.

Electric Six short-fuses By Ben Pierson

hints that Flashy could be another smash hit, but as the album rolls on Electric Six have released some it gives the odd feeling of misplaced funky tunes in the last five years, maturity. The band’s childish sexualiand on Tuesday the band released ty and egoism are still as omnipresent their fifth studio album, Flashy. Led as ever, but somehow the wildness by singer Dick Valentine and his seems to be hiding. It sounds over pompous voice, the band are known produced and, at times, like Creed for genre-defying dance tracks and if they were abducted by over-sexed aliens—especially on “Your Heat Is tongue-in-cheek lyrics. They came out swinging on their Rising.” The result can be sickening. The album still has good 2003 debut Fire. The songs “Danger! moments, but it’s High Voltage,” CD REVIEW nowhere near as “Gay Bar” and endearing as Fire. It “Nuclear War” are is slower, and the almost impossible self-serving charm not to dance to like of yesteryear has a maniac. turned into borFire brought ing, disjointed commercial and mock megalomacritical success. Flashy nia. “Watching Evil It was a true senElectric Six sation, but even Empires Fall Apart” among the thrilling is almost ballad-like, classics there were some solid duds. setting up Valentine as a powerful The album progressively got worse, emperor of love. Smoky saxophones and the last song, “Synthesizer,” was play in the background, sheathing a dry, mopey mess. the song in pseudo-mystery. This half-assed pattern follows Flashy has little to offer in conon all their albums. They typically tinuity. Immediately after the put the good songs up front and smooth ending notes of “Watching the end of the album is mediocre at Evil Empires Fall Apart,” “Graphic best. Flashy is no exception, but in Designer” intrudes on whatever feelcomparison to their debut, the fire ings the last song produced with noisy jumpiness. It then commits the has burnt out a bit. “Gay Bar Part Two” opens the cardinal sin: cheaply fading out into album with a chunky rocker and a slower-paced, less memorable tune. THE DAILY CARDINAL

Perhaps Electric Six is unfamiliar with the concept of ﬂow. Their latest release starts with a promise of excitement but ends with a dead drop. The closer, “Making Progress,” is a mid-album song tacked on to the end. Laden with lazy vocoder singing and a lame techno beat, this song of utmost unimportance ends and, after a few seconds of silence, the listener feels cheated. “What, was that really the end? Do I even care? Why do I feel so dirty? Did I just waste nearly an hour of my life listening to this?” The saddest part about this album is that the band is trying to take themselves seriously. Through the image of Valentine’s ego, the band mocks the plastic ways of the modern age, seemingly saying that our culture and our people are fake. As ﬁne as these ideas may be, who is going to listen to what a guy who calls himself “the dance commander” says when he’s too busy boring them with his sappy, un-danceable music. The electricity in Electric Six has been lost, or at least diminished, perhaps due in part to the ideals. If Dick Valentine wants to parody the vanity of our society he should just come up with a new band not drag down the once-great but increasingly mediocre name of Electric Six.

Fall show lineups disappoint, at least ‘The Hills’ survives to absorb hatred ALI ROTHSCHILD season ﬁn-ali

delayed writing about this fall’s crop of new shows, mostly because this season’s premieres have been so sporadic. But finally, with Thursday’s premiere of “30 Rock,” just about the entire fall schedule will be set for your viewing pleasure. So how have the new shows been faring? Well, for the most part, they’re doing terribly. But it’s still early, and who’s to say there’s no such thing as a firstseason slump? After last season’s writers’ strike and with election and World Series coverage to distract us, the networks are hoping we will be a little forgiving until TV Land goes back to normal. So here’s how this season’s rookies have been shaping up.

NBC’s new comedy “Kath & Kim” continues the trend of international shows adapting for America. Molly Shannon and Selma Blair make a pretty fierce comedic duo in the American version of the Australian hit, and the ratings so far have been good.

So how have the new shows been faring? Well, for the most part, they’re doing terribly.

The question is, can there be too much of a good thing? Even if “Kath and Kim” generate moderate success, it will still most likely be overshadowed by NBC’s premier comedies, “The Office” and “30 Rock.” For even better international comedies, check out the U.K.’s “Little Britain USA”

and “Gavin and Stacey” on HBO and BBC America, respectively. The CW’s “90210” has been pretty awful. Fans of the original will be disappointed, and it’s nothing new for those who didn’t watch the series in the ’90s. Same goes for “Privileged.” Please do not watch that show. If we keep watching lifestyles of the rich, hot and brainless, they will keep making these god-awful programs. “Gossip Girl” is fine, but I still await the day when television natural selection fills the networks and weeds out the likes of Lauren Conrad and Lo Boswhatever from “The Hills” forever. The jury’s still out on “Fringe,” which has probably generated the most buzz out of any new show this season. Promo lines like “From the mind of J.J. Abrams” likely had everyone peeing their pants waiting for another “Lost”type success, but “Fringe” is looking more like a serialized “X-Files.” After a rough start,

ratings have been up for “Fringe,” making it this season’s only solid network success.

If we keep watching lifestyles of the rich, hot and brainless, they will keep making these godawful programs.

“True Blood,” HBO and Alan Ball’s brainchild based on Charlaine Harris’ novels about vampires in the South, is one of the bigger disappointments of the season, not because it’s particularly bad but because it has yet to reach “Six Feet Under” expectations. This is silly because nothing will ever reach those expectations—“Six Feet Under” is the best TV show to happen to the world. So the consensus is to keep watching and see where

it goes. HBO ordered a second season, despite mixed reviews, so it may stand a chance. But if by the end of the season we’re still wondering where it’s going, like HBO’s other recent bomb, “John From Cincinnati,” “True Blood” won’t last long. “Eleventh Hour,” “Do Not Disturb” (cancelled) and “Knight Rider” (renewed for a full season despite mediocre ratings) are all doing relatively poorly, both critically and ratings-wise. “Life on Mars” has had modest success, recently coming in third behind ABC’s most popular shows “Ugly Betty” and “Grey’s Anatomy,” and may find a more permanent place on the schedule. So watch on, as long as it’s not “Privileged.” And go Tampa Bay! If you hold a great amount of contempt toward Lauren Conrad and “90210” haters or are rich, hot and brainless, tell Ali you want to be her friend and e-mail her at rothchild@wisc.edu.

comics 6

Do you have to wear orange, too? In Cleveland, Ohio, it is illegal to catch mice without a hunting license. dailycardinal.com/comics

Wednesday, October 29, 2008

Unicycling up Bascom

Today’s Sudoku

Anthro-Apology

By Eric Wigdahl wigdahl@wisc.edu

Angel Hair Pasta

By Toss 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. The Daily Code

Snap Crackle Pop

a b c d e f g h i

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26

Sid and Phil

By Alex Lewein lewein@wisc.edu

The Graph Giraffe

By Yosef Lerner ilerner@wisc.edu

“Lhyao Khf: aol vusf khf vm aol flhy dolyl ilpun hisl av ohjrf-zhjr dpss nla fvb shpk. ” Jon Stewart quote Yesterday’s Code:

“Your choice is who you choose to be, and if you’re causin’ no harm than you’re alright with me.”

Today’s Crossword Puzzle

Evil Bird

By Caitlin Kirihara kirihara@wisc.edu

Answer key available at www.dailycardinal.com IT’S A ZOO ACROSS 1 State capital on Budd Inlet 8 In the thick of 14 Pays what is due 16 Detective played by Peter Lorre 17 Quick hands artist 19 Soft drink speciﬁcation 20 Manhattan ending? 21 Emergency room imperative 22 Something to doff 24 Lush sound 27 Space aliens, for short 28 Mucks about 34 They may arouse you 35 They’re blue, in rhyme 37 Carmela portrayer on “The Sopranos” 38 Tractor-trailer combo 39 Polite interruption 41 Stately shade-giver 44 Lauder and Chandler 46 Has a promising future 48 French pronoun 50 “This ___ recording” 51 My ___, Vietnam 52 Preﬁx with “gon” or “hedron” 54 Yokum family adjective 56 Pool table topper 60 Akira Kurosawa classic 65 Depart’s opposite

66 Prevents entry, as to a crime scene 67 Renter 68 Start of a plane trip DOWN 1 They may be polar (Abbr.) 2 Singer who’s an actress 3 California’s Santa ___ Valley 4 ___-en-scene (stage setting) 5 Teacher’s favorite 6 “It ___” (dramatic selfintroduction) 7 Tax checks? 8 “___ making myself clear?” 9 Mohawk-sporting actor 10 “___ helpless as a kitten up a tree ...” 11 Attended to a ﬁnal detail 12 Type of weasel 13 Civil wrongs 15 Mosh ___ (rock concert area) 18 Baseball’s Iron Horse 22 Do a sewing task 23 Sorrowful cries 25 Perfect test paper marking 26 ___-de-sac 28 Sallie ___ (loan org.) 29 Ye-Shoppe link

30 Like games that go into overtime 31 Krispy ___ Doughnuts 32 “___ to a Kill” (Bond ﬁlm) 33 Under, in poetry 36 Spotted 38 eBay transaction, perhaps 40 Where the Knicks play, initially 42 ___ chi (martial art form) 43 B&O et al. 44 Seventh letter of the Greek alphabet 45 ___-ﬁ 47 “Ready when you are!” 48 Wreck beyond repair 49 Yellowish earth tone 53 Auction caveat 55 The elected 56 Melt together 57 Switch addition? 58 ___ Records (comedy label) 59 Minor quarrel 61 Time of anticipation 62 Neckline cut 63 Traveler’s discount gp. 64 “I Have a Dream” monogram

Awkward Turtle

By Meg Anderson anderson4@wisc.edu

sports

dailycardinal.com/sports

Wednesday, October 29, 2008

Wisconsin men’s soccer travels to Northern Illinois By Scott Kellogg THE DAILY CARDINAL

The Wisconsin men’s soccer team will hit the road Wednesday to face Northern Illinois in DeKalb in one of two non-conference battles before the Badgers begin postseason play. Despite a 1-4-1 record in the Big Ten, the Badgers are riding a two game winning streak and sitting at No. 31 in the Ratings Percentage Index. Successful results in the next two games and in the conference tournament could propel Wisconsin to the NCAA Tournament. “These two [contests] are very, very important games,” head coach Jeff Rohrman said. “Both of these games have big implications for the postseason.” Northern Illinois is 8-3-4 this season and 3-1-1 in the MidAmerican Conference. The Huskies are coming off a 1-0 win over Bowling Green. “Northern Illinois is one of the top teams in the region,” Rohrman said. “If you extend the rankings out to 30, they’re right there. It would be

a great win if we could get it.” Wisconsin routed Northern Illinois last season in Madison with a 4-0 victory, but wins in DeKalb have eluded the Badgers. Wisconsin has lost its last five games against the Huskies on the road. “Last year we were fortunate to get a couple goals early [against them],” Rohrman said. “They play high-energy, high-pace soccer [and have] very good wide players that can attack one versus one.” Northern Illinois’ fast-paced style is amplified by its artificial-surface playing field at the Huskie Soccer Complex. “It’s going to be faster than we’re used to,” Rohrman said. “[But] we’ll always get a pure bounce. There’s never a question mark on the ball.” Wisconsin, despite the tough task ahead, should remain confident because of the excellent team and individual play they have gotten lately. The Badgers defeated UWGreen Bay on Oct. 20, two days after falling at Ohio State.

“On a very quick turnaround, the guys showed great resiliency in coming back and playing a com-

plete game,” Rohrman said. Six days later, Wisconsin beat Penn State 4-1 for its ﬁrst and only confer-

NICK KOGOS/THE DAILY CARDINAL

Wisconsin junior forward Brandon Miller led the Badgers’ offensive drive against Penn State Sunday by registering an assist and a goal.

ence win. The Nittany Lions took a 1-0 lead into halftime, but Wisconsin came out strong in the second half. “We were hoping to get a tie at halftime but we responded well in the second half,” Rohrman said. The Badgers will look to receive more offensive ﬁrepower from senior forward Victor Diaz, whose four points last week earned him Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week honors. “The way we’re playing now really suits [Diaz],” Rohrman said. “He’s bringing guys into play, getting guys involved.” The Badgers will also rely on junior forward Scott Lorenz, who tallied a goal against Penn State. Lorenz leads the squad with eight goals and 19 points. Freshman midfielder Brad Horton leads the Huskies with six goals this season. Senior midﬁelder Drew Jeskey and junior forward Ben Thomas have added three goals for a Northern Illinois team that has outscored its opponents this year 24-16.

UW women’s golf ﬁnishes seventh in Edwin Watts-Palmetto Intercollegiate By Justin Dean THE DAILY CARDINAL

PHOTO COURTESY UWBADGERS.COM

UW junior Kelsey Verbeten ﬁnished the tournament with 236 strokes.

volleyball from page 8 “We’ve watched a lot of film, and we’re just really excited to get back out there and show people what we’re made of.” Behind Jeffers’ nine kills, the Badgers ran a balanced offensive attack earlier this month at Welsh-Ryan Arena. Wisconsin owns the series 42-25 and has not lost to Northwestern in Madison since 1986. Jeffers has been a steady senior captain for Wisconsin, leading the team with a .268 hitting percentage while averaging 2.35 kills and 0.95 blocks per set in conference play this season. Dolgner got back into form against Indiana, recording her sixth double-double of the season with 12 digs and a team-high 16 kills. Dolgner leads the team with

world series from page 8 Although other teams may come from larger markets, you would think people would rather watch two underdogs ﬁght for such a high honor. These teams are expected to have less talent to work with because they don’t have as much money to offer their players. Therefore, these franchises must overcome their wealthier competitors by playing with passion. This passion is what makes games interesting for spectators, yet people don’t seem to care very much about the two unlikely teams battling in the World Series this year. Besides, with the current econo-

The women’s golf team completed the fall part of its season Tuesday with a seventh-place finish at the threeround 2008 Edwin Watts-Palmetto Intercollegiate in Kiawah Island, S.C. Fueled by matching 75s by junior Kelsey Verbeten and sophomore Carly Werwie, the Badgers only trailed East Tennessee State by four strokes after ending the first round in fourth place at 303. The first round marked the only round of the tournament in which all five members of the team broke 80. But after tournament officials suspended the second round Monday 3.03 kills per set in Big Ten play. Sophomore libero Kim Kuzma has played solid defense for the Badgers, ranking sixth in the Big Ten with 4.26 digs per set. Kuzma dug up a career-high 26 attacks last Sunday against the Hoosiers. Although the Badgers stressed defense in last weekend’s series against top-ranked Penn State and Indiana, a faltering offense has recently been Wisconsin’s demise. UW hit just .133 against the Lions and .146 against the Hoosiers. “I think it’s just mental toughness, just coming out with fight and desire to play well, to not let the ball touch the ground, just to go after everything,” Jeffers said. “It’s all about attitude.” The first serve of the Northwestern match is set for 7 p.m. and will appear live on the Big Ten Network. my so dreadful, people are expected to be spending more time indoors, using television as their main form of cheap entertainment. The three other major professional sports championship games this year have drawn in higher television ratings than in 2007, including the Super Bowl, the Stanley Cup finals and the NBA finals. The World Series has not been as fortunate. One lingering question remains: What can the MLB do to avoid this problem of low viewership in the future when these ratings were so unexpected and when no one cause can be pinpointed? If you have any answers for Crystal, e-mail her at crowns@wisc.edu.

night because of darkness, the Badgers couldn’t replicate their first-round success and finished with a total score of 934 (303-317-314). Freshman Jessie Gerry’s two sub80 rounds led the way for the No. 69 Badgers, who finished 27 strokes behind the champion, Georgia State. Gerry, a Madison native, opened the tournament shooting 77 and 75 in her first two rounds before ending with an 80, good for a total of 232 and a tie for 20th place. The individual champion finished eight strokes ahead at 224. The respectable finish caps off an impressive start to a promising collegiate career for Gerry, who won the

Badger Invitational in September and finished 20th earlier this month at Purdue’s Lady Northern Invitational. Werwie ended the first round tied at 15th after matching her season best with 75, but struggled in round two with an 82 before ending strong with a 76. Werwie finished tied for 23rd at 233, her best tournament finish and 54-hole score of the season. After her opening round 75, Verbeten labored throughout the rest of the event, shooting 80 and 81 in the final two rounds. The junior from Green Bay ended the tournament tied for 34th with a three-round total of 236.

Senior Isabel Alvarez and freshman Ellie Arkin finished tied for 37th at 237. Alvarez shot a consistent 78-8079, while Arkin followed a first round 76 with an 82 and a 79. The Badger’s up and down fall half of the season was highlighted by a first-place finish in the Badger Invitational at University Ridge and a fourth-place finish in the Iowa Invitational at Finkbine Golf Course in Iowa City. The Badgers will not play again until Feb. 1 when they travel to Peoria, Ariz., for the Westbrook Cup. —uwbadgers.com contributed to this report.

sports Badgers prepare for conference title race 8

dailycardinal.com/sports

Wednesday, October 29, 2008

By Andy Van Sistine THE DAILY CARDINAL

Losing the top two scorers from the record-setting 2007 squad, last year’s Wisconsin men’s basketball team was not projected to achieve much in the way of national recognition and conference supremacy. But a dedicated batch of talent led by then-seniors Brian Butch, Greg Stiemsma, Tanner Bronson and Michael Flowers defied expectations and led the Badgers to a 2008 Big Ten title and a trip to the Sweet 16 in March. Now, as the new season approaches and the team copes with the loss of two starters to graduation, Wisconsin faces similar challenges in replacing some of its starting personnel and making a legitimate run for another conference title and playoff berth—a position that the players are all too familiar with and are ready to take on. “It’s funny, a year ago today [people] were saying we lost maybe the best player in the country, and I think we rebounded OK from it,” senior guard Joe Krabbenhoft said. “We got ourselves a Big Ten [championship] ring. We’re going to try to do the same this year. It’s going to take more than just one guy to fill a Greg Stiemsma’s spot or a Brian Butch’s spot, but, by committee, I think we’re going to be alright.” Picked in the preseason polls to finish third in the Big Ten behind Purdue

and Michigan State, the Badgers have their work cut out for them. Both conference foes have considerable talent returning to their teams, including senior centers Goran Suton and Marquis Gray for the Spartans and Big Ten preseason player of the year sophomore forward Robbie Hummel for the Boilermakers. Purdue, the favorite to take the conference championship, lost no starters from last year’s team that was runner-up in the Big Ten title race—something UW head coach Bo Ryan acknowledges gives them a the clear advantage as the year takes off. “You look at experience, and you have to say Michigan State and Purdue with returning players [rank highest],” Ryan said. “I think we might’ve broken the mold a little bit this past year in that we lost [Alando] Tucker and [Kammron]Taylor as far as scorers [and won the conference]. But it might’ve been a year where you can say we stole one from that standpoint … I think Michigan State and Purdue, with what they have returning, that’s a good position to be in.” “Every year, we’re never ﬁrst in the polls,” senior forward Marcus Landry added. “For us, it doesn’t mean anything, but as a team we have to step up and really match up with those guys. We played against [them] before. They know what we’re capable of, we know what they’re capable of, so we really just

have to play to the best of our abilities, because they’re great teams.” However, teams typically in the bottom of the Big Ten in recent years could also pose as formidable threats to Wisconsin in the latter part of the season. In a press conference at Big Ten basketball media day on Sunday, both Michigan State head coach Tom Izzo and Illinois head coach Bruce Webber recognized that Northwestern, Penn State and Michigan all have teams that are as good as they have ever been in a number of years. Particularly, the addition of freshman centers Luka Mirkovic and Kyle Rowley at Northwestern, who both hover at the 7-foot mark, make the Wildcats’ conference competitiveness difficult to predict. Wisconsin has a number of strengths to bring to the table as well. In particular, Ryan has a 173-60 record since coming to Wisconsin in 2001 and has never once missed getting to an NCAA tournament as head coach. On the court, Landry was selected for the Big Ten Preseason All-Conference team and leads all returning players from last year in field goals with 146 and blocks with 27. Sophomore forward Keaton Nankivil is said to have made tremendous strides in the offseason and will be looked upon to help fill the voids left by Stiemsma and Butch.

BRAD FEDIE/CARDINAL FILE PHOTO

Wisconsin junior guard Trevon Hughes, who averaged 11.2 points per game last season, is the Badgers’ returning lead scorer. Junior guards Trevon Hughes and Jason Bohannon are proven talents who will likely ﬁnd themselves in starting roles this year, while Krabbenhoft, the Badgers’ best rebounder from last season, will be looked upon to serve as the backbone leader of a relatively young team.

“I think the teams around this league know when they see Wisconsin on the schedule that they’re going to have to tighten up their shoes a little bit, because we’re going to bring it and that’s just the kind of reputation we want,” Krabbenhoft said. Krabbenhoft said.

Weekend World Series ratings reach a surprising new low CRYSTAL CROWNS the crystal ball

LORENZO ZEMELLA/THE DAILY CARDINAL

Wisconsin sophomore libero Kim Kuzma posted total 31 digs this weekend against Penn State and Indiana.

UW volleyball hosts Northwestern By Jay Messar THE DAILY CARDINAL

The No. 25 Wisconsin volleyball team will look to get back on track tonight as it hosts the Northwestern Wildcats in a midweek Big Ten showdown. Wisconsin (4-6 Big Ten, 14-8 overall) is coming off four straight conference losses and its worst Big Ten record since 1995. Although the team morale was down following a pair of disappointing 0-2 weekends, the team is looking to use tonight’s matchup to get back into the groove. “I think everybody has really changed their mindset,” senior

middle hitter Audra Jeffers said. “It doesn’t feel good to lose. So I think it’s just a matter of staying mentally tough and really coming in and believing in each other and ourselves, and just making sure we don’t lose that team aspect.” Northwestern (1-9, 7-14) has also had a rough year thus far in the Big Ten, dropping several close matches. The Wildcats suffered a 3-1 loss at home to Wisconsin in early October. The Wildcats are led by senior middle hitter Chelsy Hyser, who averages 2.77 kills per set. Sophomore middle hitter Sabel

Moffett leads the team in blocks per set with 1.08 and hitting percentage with .312, while adding 2.57 kills per set. “They run a really fast slide with their middles,” Jeffers said. “They also bring in one of their right side hitters to hit a two ball in the middle. We had trouble defending that last time so that’s something we’re really looking to stop this time around.” “We played them once before, so we kind of know what they bring to the table,” junior outside hitter Brittney Dolgner said. volleyball page 7

elevision ratings have indicated that the 2008 World Series contest between the Philadelphia Phillies and the Tampa Bay Rays has brought in the fewest amount of viewers in years. Game 3, broadcasted by Fox Saturday night, ranked among the lowest ever in viewership of a World Series game with only 7.3 million people tuned in. According to Entertainment Weekly, ABC’s Saturday night college football game between No. 3 Penn State and No. 13 Ohio State scored more viewers with 9.4 million. The 13-6 final score sums up the intense battle that ended in the Nittany Lions’ favor, and though both of these Big Ten teams are nationally ranked, it is still surprising that this matchup got more viewers than an MLB championship game. Wisconsin also had trouble gaining attention from people Saturday, which was especially noticeable when its students were unable to ﬁll the stands. Then again, the Badgers have been struggling this season and their contest with Illinois isn’t really comparable to a World Series game. The hour-and-a-half rain delay Saturday night may have slightly contributed to the drop in viewership for the World Series game, but it’s surprising that it reached such a low number, especially when this nation claims to pride itself so heavily on baseball. Besides, isn’t rain supposed to make the game more interesting?

CBS’ “60 Minutes” and ABC’s “Desperate Housewives” brought in more viewers this weekend than Game 3 with 12.5 and 15.6 million viewers, respectively. Both of these shows aired on Sunday night, however. That being said, Sunday’s Game 4 improved for the World Series, bringing in 16 million viewers. This matchup aired right after the exciting NFL game between the New York Giants, last year’s Super Bowl champions, and the Pittsburgh Steelers. However, this rating is still 21 percent lower than last year’s Game 4 between the Boston Red Sox and the Colorado Rockies.

Do people simply not care unless big market teams like the Red Sox or Yankees are taking the ﬁeld?

The World Series does not appear to excite the nation right now, even though the two teams playing for the trophy are expected to make the series more interesting than recent years. Both the Phillies and the Rays are working with a team salary of less than $100 million. Furthermore, the 11-year-old Rays franchise has the second lowest amount of money to pay its athletes in the entire MLB with less than $44 million. This presents baseball fans with a few questions. Why is the World Series this year bringing in fewer viewers? Do people simply not care unless big market teams like the Red Sox or Yankees are taking the ﬁeld? world series page 7