Wednesday, November 19, 2008 - The Daily Cardinal by The Daily Cardinal

ONLY A SAILOR’S DELIGHT: Disney documentary ‘Morning Light’ not worth it if you’re not a boating enthusiast ARTS PAGE 5 l

University of Wisconsin-Madison

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Wednesday, November 19, 2008

UW professor named to Obama’s transition team By Jessica Feld THE DAILY CARDINAL

DANNY MARCHEWKA/THE DAILY CARDINAL

Bucky Badger was on hand during the 10-year celebration of UW-Madison stem-cell researcher James Thomson’s human embryonic stem cell breakthrough Tuesday at the Overture Center.

Celebration recognizes 10 years of stem cells By Andrea Carlson THE DAILY CARDINAL

University officials celebrated the past 10 years of breakthrough discoveries in the area of stemcell research by James Thomson at the Overture Center for the Arts Tuesday. Thomson, who was named by TIME Magazine as one of the world’s most inﬂuential people in May, is the director of regenerative biology at the Morgridge Institute for Research on campus. He is also a professor at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health. Thomson began his research in Wisconsin by deriving human embryonic stem cells from monkeys, which led to the development of stem cells into primitive blood cells. These cells eventually became red and white blood cells and platelets.

The developments helps current scientists in the fight toward finding treatments and cures for diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. “This research made Wisconsin the birthplace of stem-cell research, with the best and the brightest researchers who continue to lead the world,” Gov. Jim Doyle said in a video to the attendees. Thomson and various other researchers started on the next stage of stem-cell research by using skin cells to create new stem cells. Because of their work, new centers have been established around Wisconsin in which scientists work to find treatments to save lives. According to Doyle, Wisconsin now has 35,000 workers involved in bioscience research and industry, which contribute about $9 billion to the economy of

Wisconsin —$38 billion of which goes toward federal research support for stem cells. “Stem-cell research not only represents the promise to save lives and improve health but its also created new economic opportunity for the state,” Doyle said. In his speech, Thomson addressed the Wisconsin Idea, which serves to better the state through the work of the UW System. Thomson said his job is to attempt to solve problems relating to the health and quality of life for the people of Wisconsin. Thomson said he is proud of the research he has done but does not like to look at the past. “I prefer to look at the next 10 years,” he said. “I think that we have been a key player in [scientiﬁc research] in the past and I’d love to stay in the Wisconsin community.”

University prepares for snowy winter with Snow Action Days By Erin Banco THE DAILY CARDINAL

In light of last year’s record snowfall, university ofﬁcials are beginning preparations for the coming winter. The university’s snow removal efforts will provide clearer sidewalks, walkways, bus stops and parking lots. Snow removal crews have been instructed to clear entrances for the disabled ﬁrst. During a Faculty Senate meeting in April, Associate Vice Chancellor for Facilities Alan Fish, said last winter was “tough” and that the university did not do well with snow removal on some of the snowiest days. With com-

IMAGE COURTESY UNIVERSITY COMMUNICATIONS

plaints from several community members, he said ofﬁcials would benchmark snow removal from schools such as Michigan Tech,

Buffalo and Syracuse. “After last winter, we reached out to the university and sought ideas for how to keep the campus clear and slip-free and studied how other large, snow-belt campuses deal with snow removal,” Fish said in a statement Tuesday. With the ﬁrst big snowfall, university ofﬁcials plan to commence a “Snow Action Day,” which will be announced on the university’s home page to alert the campus community and allow crews to successfully remove snow. However, the initiation of Snow snow page 3

A UW-Madison professor of law and bioethics was appointed to President-elect Barack Obama’s transition team Friday. R. Alta Charo, a prominent university researcher who was previously a member of former President Bill Clinton’s Bioethics Advisory Commission, will serve on Obama’s Health and Human Services team. Charo conﬁrmed her appointment via e-mail, but said she could not provide further comments at this time. Norman Fost, UW-Madison professor of medicine and public health and a colleague of Charo, said her CHARO appointment was because of her nationally and internationally recognized expertise on ethical, legal and policy issues involving health care. According to Fost, Charo is a wellknown advocate for stem-cell research. As chair of a National Academy of Sciences Institute of Medicine committee, she plays a leadership role in writing stem-cell research guidelines. Carl Gulbrandsen, managing director of the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation, which pro-

vides funding for Charo’s research, said her appointment speaks well of the university. “From my perspective, I don’t think they could have chosen anyone better,” Gulbrandsen said. “She’ll do a great job and be a great ambassador for the university.” For decades Charo has been a longstanding supporter of pro-choice policies and has served as an advisor to the Guttmacher Institute, a national organization involved in reproductive rights, Fost said. UW-Madison junior Bryon Eagon, state coordinator of Students for Barack Obama, said he believes Charo’s appointment will provide the new administration with insight to the ethics behind stem-cell research. “Her new position shows that the Obama administration is ready to turn the page on President [George W.] Bush’s neglect to even explore potential life saving medical advances through embryonic stem-cell research,” Eagon said in an e-mail. Despite attention placed on stemcell research, once in ofﬁce, Obama’s number one priority in Health and Human Services will be citizens’ access to health care, Fost said. “[Obama’s] heart is in the direction [of overturning the stem-cell research ban] but it will be a matter of tactics and strategy as to when or if he takes that on,” he said.

Fire victim commemorated by city with new safety ordinance By Anna Bukowski THE DAILY CARDINAL

The family of a UW-La Crosse student killed in a house fire on Bedford Street last year spoke Tuesday to commemorate their son and voice support for a city ordinance that aims to prevent future tragedies. A gathering at a Madison fire station marked the one-year anniversary of the fire that killed Peter Talen, 23, and injured three other UW-Madison students. Ald. Mike Verveer, District 4,

proposed the Peter Talen Memorial Ordinance at the Common Council meeting Tuesday night. Provisions of the ordinance include mandating tamper-resistant ﬁre detectors and requiring 10-year lithium batteries to be installed. Talen’s family, of Plymouth, Wis., said they believe the proposed ordinance can create a safer environment in downtown housing. Talen’s father, Tim, said the ordinance means a “great deal to [his] ordinance page 3

BRAD FEDIE/THE DAILY CARDINAL

The family of Peter Talen, victim of a fatal Madison ﬁre, joined Ald. Mike Verveer, District 4, to introduce a ﬁre-safety ordinance Tuesday.

“…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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TODAY: partly cloudy hi 41º / lo 26º

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Wednesday, November 19, 2008

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Eviction letter to a lingering house guest

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THURSDAY: partly cloudy hi 32º / lo 19º

ASHLEY SPENCER back that ash up

ear Mouse, I didn’t think it would end this way, but I think a smart rodent such as yourself knew that the day would come where I would ask you, no, plead with you, to leave. Frankly, this charade has been going on for far too long and now, our sharing the same house has turned into an awkward dance—I try not to step on you, because truly, you gross me out. I’ve asked you more than once to leave. In fact, I’ve shouted it while coming after you with a spatula, foaming at the mouth, while my roommate looks on standing on top of our leather couch. Remember that time I came at you with a pot of boiling water? And still you escaped, because you are an elusive mouse, a mouse that somehow manages to avoid poisonous traps, the vacuum cleaner and the end of my old softball bat. That’s why I’m only going

For the record

to tell this one more time before I go absolutely bat-shit crazy on your ass: Can you please, please get the fuck out of my house? You have no right to be here. No one invited you in; you don’t pay rent and neither does your dad. I’m trying to be civil, as I believe animals do have some rights beside the right to be sautéed and eaten. But I would really appreciate it if you could stop running through my kitchen, trying to mosey your way into my Smart Start boxes and poop in them. That’s very rude. Please stop surprising me when I’m at home alone watching “True Blood” with my pants off, and please stop showing up at inopportune times when I’m hanging out in the living room with the good-looking boy with blue eyes and a regular bathing schedule. When he sees the jealous look on your face, he knows you’re territorial and this is neither attractive nor impressive to him. I’m not sure why you linger here. I have about four mousetraps trying to kill you. I’d have more traps if I weren’t so poor and, like you, didn’t have an afﬁnity for expensive cheeses. I don’t know how to make it more clear that,

frankly, I’m not interested. Just because I have a hole on the side of my house that my semi-special-ed. landlord won’t patch up, that doesn’t give you the right to enter without permission. When you started coming around at the beginning of the fall, I figured I could easily get rid of you. But you’re not like other mice. You elude peanut butter and poison-ridden traps. And you’re obsessed with me—it’s almost like you’re an old, dead creepy uncle reincarnated into my own little rodent stalker. And I hate you for this. That’s why I tried to run you over with shopping carts, burn you with lighters and try to put you into a bucket and throw you in the laundry machine. But somehow you escape. Not that it all wasn’t fun. You certainly scared the shit out of my friend when you touched the tips of her toes as she slept on my floor. But you’ve stayed past your welcome and I can no longer sit back and let you ruin whatever semblance of a normal life I still have. If you don’t leave me, I will leave you. No, just kidding. I have nowhere to go. I suppose I could probably sleep in my office at the Union, but I’ve

already found a mouse trap in there too, so it would still remind me of you, causing me to almost vomit. Plus, I can’t be near that Fan Din Stir Fry stand for that many days in a row. Just looking at it gives me the shits. If you don’t leave, I vow to kill you—I promise. No longer will I just clean the shit out of the house hoping to starve you. I will come after you with a knife as I crawl on my hands and knees at your level. If you don’t leave, I promise you will regret it. I will call up a good friend I have, Mr. Exterminator, and he’ll do the dirty work for me. It’s easier and less messy than a divorce. I’m giving you until Sunday. You can hang out for a few more days, get your things together and hang out one last time at our ﬁnal Pregame Badger football party. After that ﬁnal send-off, I vow to have your rodent ass dead. Thank you for your time and I am sorry it had to be this way. Sincerely, Ashley Spencer P.S. I put my cereal in the ‘fridge, motherfucker. Help Ashley plot the mouse’s demise; e-mail her at aaspencer@wisc.edu.

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

The best-kept secret about the Dutch is: �� d.

�� You take Dutch language courses at UW-Madison by signing up for “German” 112, or 214. e. What’s the deal with secrets and the Dutch family? Literature in Translation 326 (taught in English).

��

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Wednesday, November 19, 2008

news

False ﬁre alarms continue to sound By Kelsey Gunderson THE DAILY CARDINAL

KYLE BURSAW/THE DAILY CARDINAL

Samantha Crownover, executive director of Bach Dancing & Dynamite Society, talks to students at the Entrepreneurial Deli Tuesday night.

Young professionals share expertise with students and faculty By Cassie Holman THE DAILY CARDINAL

UW-Madison students and young professionals listened to mini-presentations from successful entrepreneurs at the interactive Entrepreneurial Deli Monday as a part of Global Entrepreneurship Week. The free event, sponsored by Madison MAGNET and cosponsored by the UW-Madison Ofﬁce of Corporate Relations, functioned as a “speed-dating” format. Every eight minutes, “Jump Around” signaled participants to hop to the next table of their choice. Doug Bradley, assistant director of marketing and communications for the Ofﬁce of Corporate Relations, said the skill of entrepreneurship can be applied to any major or career. “We want to energize and elevate and broaden the conversation about entrepreneurship on the campus,” Bradley said. “[Anyone] can be an entrepreneur.” Themes of the event catered toward young professionals either in the workforce or those entering it in the future. Ryan Paugh of brazencareerist. com advocated for the use of blogging for networking among young professionals. He said brazencareerist.com, an online blogging community, engages, recruits and connects companies in the corporate world.

snow from page 1 Action Days does not mean university classes are canceled. The website announcement will discourage moped and bicycle travel and ask students to ride the bus to class. Ofﬁcials will implement parking rules in speciﬁc parking lots and some university streets during days of harsh winter conditions. If buses cannot make the trip up Bascom Hill because of ice, signs will be posted near bus stations to inform students. In addition, new winter parking rules are in effect on campus through March 15. Some rules include prohibited parking on Observatory and Linden Drives

“The biggest thing in the corporate world right now is recruiting and retaining and trying to connect with Gen Y,” Paugh said. “And social media is usually the way to do it.” Paugh sparked Mike Osberg’s interest, a UW-Madison senior attendee. Osberg previously blogged while studying abroad and said he was eager to try it again. “I want to go home right now and start,” he said. Rishi Shah, co-founder of ﬂyingcart.com, stressed the importance of social media as a marketing tool to engage consumers. He stressed the endless possibilities of the Internet for entrepreneurs in the global marketplace, citing YouTube videos, Facebook, MySpace and Intrade as examples. UW-Madison seniors Corey Capasso and Nate Lustig utilized the Internet for their business venture, ExchangeHut.com. Although they recently sold the company, the student entrepreneurs dished their “top ten lessons learned as college entrepreneurs” to participants. “Do one thing, and do it well,” Lustig said. “At times we thought too big and instead of staying really focused on what we did well—selling tickets—we added apartment listings, message boards and local business ratings, which took away a lot of valuable time and money.” between 2 and 6 a.m. All limited parking areas will be marked with signs that have the image of a “Shoveling Bucky.” According to a university release, UW-Madison will also use new techniques to melt snow and ice. Facilities crews will spray parts of Bascom Hill and the bridge over Park Street with a solution to melt snow as it falls and prevent the formation of ice. “By taking these steps, we hope to improve our response to snowy weather and keep everyone safe,” Fish said. “We have more than 50 miles of sidewalks, 12 miles of roads and 90 parking lots to deal with. Cooperation will go a long way toward getting the job done.”

False fire alarms in Sellery Hall and Humanities went off Tuesday morning, causing UWMadison students to evacuate both buildings. Sellery Hall residents said the alarm went off around 6:15 a.m. and they waited outside for 15 minutes before they were permitted to re-enter the building. According to Senior Residence Hall Manager Jim Franzone, Tuesday’s alarm was not a planned drill. “It was caused by a potential issue with water pressure and heat buildup,” Franzone said. “It got too hot in the boiler room and set off the alarm.” Several Sellery Hall residents said they thought the alarm was a joke and contemplated going back to bed without evacuating.

“I didn’t think we actually had to leave,” Adelyn Allchin, a Sellery Hall resident said. “A lot of us wanted to stay but my house fellow told us we couldn’t.” Maura Aghjian, another Sellery Hall resident, said though she did not hear of anyone ignoring the alarm, many students did not want to evacuate. “No one really knew what was going on, I heard people saying they didn’t want to leave,” she said. According to Franzone, University Housing officials consistently remind residents that evacuating during fire alarms is mandatory. “We send usual e-mails reminding students to leave when there is a fire drill,” he said. “You never know if it is real or false.” The University of Wisconsin Police Department heavily fines

students who neglect to evacuate the building when an alarm goes off. “We are told we get in big trouble if we don’t leave,” Allchin said. “I think that encourages people to actually evacuate.” According to Franzone, house fellows do not take head counts to make sure every student leaves the building. However, they are aware of students with special needs and ensure their safety during evacuation. At approximately 11:45 a.m., students in the Humanities building evacuated due to what Madison Fire Department said was an unintentional ﬁre alarm. “Dust from [an art room] grinder got into the detectors … and set off the alarm,” said Bernadette Galvez, a Madison Fire Department public information officer.

Panel emphasizes need for reform in state judicial elections By Megan Orear THE DAILY CARDINAL

Speakers at a forum held Tuesday night at the UW-Madison Law School weighed the different options for reforming the way Wisconsin selects its Supreme Court justices. Panel members included state Supreme Court Justices Patrick Crooks and Ann Walsh Bradley, Wisconsin Democracy Campaign Executive Director Mike McCabe and Scott Milfred, the editorial page editor for the Wisconsin State Journal. They expressed concern over the growing inﬂuence of spending by outside interest groups and the increasing partisanship of judicial elections. Speakers were split over the fairest way for Wisconsin to select justices. The state currently elects justices through nonpartisan elections. Crooks said he supports continu-

ing with judicial elections but there is a need for increased public financing of these campaigns and disclosure of contributions from outside groups. McCabe also voiced support of judicial elections but said the races are becoming more “overtly” partisan and campaign contribution lists for judicial candidates look very similar to those of partisan candidates for office. “We are at risk of being in a situation where we will have nonpartisan Supreme Court races in name only,” he said. He said the last two state Supreme Court races were “unrelentingly trashy” and filled with misleading or untruthful messages from interest groups that do not have to disclose their sources of funding. Milfred, however, said he supports merit selection of judges over elections, saying the governor has actually

appointed 33 of the last 50 Supreme Court justices. According to Milfred, the majority of the public currently believes elected justices’ decisions are swayed by campaign contributions but they would have more trust in meritappointed justices. With the most recent Supreme Court election drawing only a 19 percent voter turnout, Crooks said there is a need to encourage voting in these elections. “Frankly 19 percent is something we should all be ashamed of,” Crooks said. Bradley said she hopes lawmakers will address the issue of judicial election reform. “The problem is not a lack of ideas, rather it is a lack of leadership and it is a lack of political will to bring about the necessary reforms,” Bradley said.

City to hold public hearing to discuss bus-fare increase By Lauren Piscione THE DAILY CARDINAL

Metro Transit and Madison’s Transit and Parking Commission will hold a public hearing Nov. 24 to discuss the amount of the bus -fare increase in March 2009. The hearing will take place at 6 p.m. at Monona Terrace. Mick Rusch, Metro marketing specialist, said he expects an interesting mix of reactions from the public. “We do have people that understand our need to raise costs to cover the increased cost of fuel,” Rusch said. “There are others that are concerned about the affordabil-

ity for people to ride the bus.” Ald. Eli Judge, District 8, voted against the fare increase last week. “Given the nature of our current economy, the fact that both students and the lower-middle income population of Madison use [Metro] as their primary, if not only form of transportation, its really essential for us to make sure that method is as accessible as possible,” Judge said. The Transit and Parking Commission has the ability, within the parameters of the set budget, to decide where and how to distribute funds. “The fare increase has already

been approved in the 2009 [operating] budget to add a contingency reserve to guard against future increases in fuel cost and add about $150,000 to be used for additional Metro services,” Rusch said. According to Rusch, the recently passed budget also accounts for an additional marketing position and creates a bus pass program for small employers. “It has been a real tough time, budget wise, for the city of Madison,” he said. “Tough decisions have to be made. The fare increase is one of those ways we need to keep providing our service out there.”

Robbery at Red Letter News, ﬁfth of the year for the store Madison Police responded to a robbery at the Red Letter News early Tuesday morning. According to a police report, the robbery took place around 5 a.m. at the store located at 2528 E. Washington Ave. A store clerk told police the per-

ordinance from page 1 family” and hopes its introduction will “save a life.” Andy Talen, Peter’s brother who was injured in the ﬁre, spoke of the ordinance’s importance. “[Fire dangers are] something we have the technology to correct,” he said. “Hopefully [the

petrator entered the store and indicated he had a weapon, although no weapon was ever seen. The robber reportedly took money from the cash register and ﬂed the scene. According to police, the perpetrator is described as a black male, 6' to 6'2" tall, 240 lbs, wearing a black

hooded sweatshirt, black ski mask and black gloves. This is the ﬁfth time this year that the Red Letter News store was robbed. However, none of the previous descriptions of suspects robbing the store are similar to the description of this suspect.

ordinance] will pass and save some lives.” Peter’s mother, Patty, said she thinks the strict ﬁre detector rules of the ordinance are necessary preventative measures for ﬁre safety. “This is the right thing to do. Lets do it now,” she said. Verveer said the tragedy was one of the “saddest days of the

many years of [his] service” and called the ordinance “a major overhaul of [ﬁre] code.” If passed, he believes it will make a signiﬁcant impact on safety in the community. The ordinance must be passed through committees before it can be voted on by the full City Council in January.

Wednesday, November 19, 2008

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Wednesday, November 19, 2008

‘Do not disturb’ is the norm in America, not worldwide FRANCES PROVINE a fran for all seasons

PHOTO COURTESY WALT DISNEY PICTURES

The beautiful photography of breathtaking ocean scenes is the saving grace of “Morning Light,” infusing much-needed color into the ﬁlm’s homogenous cast of racing hopefuls in Disney’s new documentary.

Yawn on the high seas By Lauren Fuller THE DAILY CARDINAL

In the era of reality television and feature documentaries that scrutinize the very soul and substance of the American nation, a documentary like “Morning Light” feels almost quaint. It’s a movie about a group of young people selected and trained to compete in a biennial sailboat race from Southern California to Hawaii against seasoned pros. No one talks nasty behind anyone’s backs, everyone must compete as a team and the moral is a life lesson through sports and teamwork. This is a ﬁlm from Disney, in fact from Roy E. Disney, the studio’s longtime shareholder, consultant and avid sailor who conceived the idea, sponsored the ﬁlm and even helped train this crew to sail a high-performance 52-foot racing boat. The movie certainly is not without interest: with a photographer aboard, remote-controlled stationary cameras built into the boat, hand-held and night-vision cameras and a chase

boat following the “Morning Light” team, director Mark Monroe achieves remarkable shots in the open sea. But the ﬁlm lacks a compelling reason for anyone other than a sailing enthusiast to watch.

The ﬁlm lacks a compelling reason for anyone other than a sailing enthusiast to watch.

You have no idea why these 15 sailors were recruited. Whatever the process, it produced so many white, chiseled men under age 23 that it’s hard to tell them apart. To be fair, two women made the initial group, though only one was among the 11 selected to sail. The six-month training emphasizes sweat and fatigue but does little to deﬁne character or untangle who’s who among the look-alikes. When

the final group is selected, one man begins to stand out when Jeremy Wilmot of Sydney, who is a natural leader and experienced sailor, is chosen as captain. The trek itself in 2,500 miles of open water has its highs and lows, from the boat hitting a highpressure zone that leaves the crew motionless for hours, to the unbelievable chance meeting in the middle of the sea with a competing boat in the same class. What are the odds? The music, credited to Matter, oversells the excitement, however, and leaves audiences longing for a quiet moment where the boat can simply swish across the water. Still, the photography is amazing. Certainly many formidable challenges were resolved smashingly to create many terrific shots of the crew at work, playing with and then fighting the ocean. Although no one emerges with a distinct personality, the teamwork is admirable. Grade: BC

ost readers would probably agree that reading is a solitary activity. It makes sense: after all, one generally can’t get down at a book reading the same way one can at a concert, and since books are so heavily dependent on individual interpretation, it’s difﬁcult to rally a lot of camaraderie around them like at movie premieres (“Harry Potter” excepted). In some ways, it’s something I really appreciate about reading—the peaceful silence of the room, the escapism of it. I’m not as pressured to stay current on literature the same way I am about music or movies, since most people don’t talk about books the same way they do about television, bands, even YouTube. When someone asks if you’ve read any good books lately, it’s probably to break the silence, not a sincere question. Yet if there’s anything I’ve learned while living abroad, it’s that the isolationism of reading isn’t something that’s completely universal. Although, certainly, readership is diminishing in other countries the same way it is in the United States, people in other countries talk about books in a way that Americans don’t. Of course, people Stateside still discuss literature occasionally, but it’s seen as an elitist activity rather than just an activity. I can’t even count the number of times I’ve mentioned an author or book and gotten a response of “I just don’t have TIME to read,” or the blunt “I don’t read” from people. And it’s a pretty normal answer, unlike “I don’t listen to music” or “I don’t like movies much.” These answers are often accompanied by looks of bewilderment or even condescen-

sion. Now, I understand that some people don’t have the patience for reading, but it sometimes seems like it’s more acceptable to not read in America than to read. I mean, look at who our president has been for eight years. That was why when my Norwegian roommate asked me a series of questions about reading when he saw me looking at “Henderson the Rain King” I was at ﬁrst astonished. Was he testing me? Would he scoff at me for being tasteless if I mentioned that I don’t like a lot of poetry? I admit, even I am often suspicious that people who do read in the States do so to say they enjoy reading, rather than because they really enjoy it (hey, it happens with music, too). But he was genuinely curious, and our conversations about books have always been frank and unpretentious (a word that doesn’t often go hand in hand with literature). The thing that’s strange about the elitism around reading in America, however, is that it’s a place where reading is more accessible than it is just about anywhere else in the world. Books are a lot cheaper in the States than they are in Europe, and literacy is relatively universal (here in South Africa, around 15 percent of people can’t read at all). I mean, we even have Oprah’s Book Club (I guess it’s only okay for people to read if they learn about books from someone on television). I don’t think reading should be the measure of how smart someone is, but can we at least make it expected that when someone gives another person a book for a gift, they will read it within the month, the same way people are expected to listen to CDs they receive within the weekend? Because I’m tired of seeing novels I gave people in 2003 still glossy and untouched on their image-only bookshelves. If you just realized that you still have one of Frances’ books gathering dust on your shelf, let her know at provine@wisc.edu.

Parallels to galactic masterpiece not enough to save ‘Christmas’ By Anthony Cefali THE DAILY CARDINAL

No matter how deep humanity gets into space, it will still remain our greatest mystery. Almost all of the world’s population will never make the trip, so it will always remain an enigma. But there are certain images that space conjures like loneliness, isolation, the infinite, intangible things. In a daring artistic endeavor, psych-pop genius Wayne Coyne of the Flaming Lips switches to the film medium to try explaining existence through a very simple question: What would Christmas be like on Mars? The story of “Christmas on Mars” is simple enough. Fellow Lip Steven Drozd plays the role of the hero Major Syrtis aboard the Spaceship Bethlehem. The film’s cast is composed entirely of Coyne’s siblings, Drozd’s friends and Steve Burns (who hasn’t seen much screen time since “Blue’s Clues”). Syrtis is in charge of putting on a Christmas pageant to usher in the birth of the first child in space, which has been programmed for Christmas Day. The film loosely follows this plot for its duration,

and Coyne’s tendency to meander detracts from its themes. All the asides just make Mars more confusing and less enlightening. The weak character interactions don’t help either. The inexperienced cast aboard the Bethlehem actually further dilutes the story rather than ﬂeshing it out. The time in space has supposedly driven most of the Bethlehem crew into a panicked state, and others into insanity. This puts Syrtis’ pageant in jeopardy and the plot is very clear, but the weak dialogue and jagged character interactions bring down the ﬁlm as a whole. The acting is awkward and the dialogue is sparse and dense. At times it’s even gratuitously profane and, frankly, boring. Even Coyne dressed as a Martian is more yawninducing than interest-piquing. From a director like Stanley Kubrick, character interaction like this could work, but unfortunately, this is Coyne’s first attempt at making a movie and the disjointed dialogue suffocates the strong artistry and atmosphere of the film. Although Coyne’s decision to

keep the plot rolling at a post-office pace detracts from the excitement of space, it makes for a curiously despondent future that feels suspiciously retro. The film was shot in grainy black and white, which gives the feel that the movie is just an accurate adaptation of a vivid radio play. The Mars compound that Syrtis and his fellow astronauts reside in is cold and pseudofuturistic, the complete opposite of Kubrick’s “2001: A Space Odyssey.” Coyne’s reverence for the galactic masterpiece is very clear as he borrows the image of the space baby and utilizes the totalitarian silences that dominated Kubrick’s vision of the great beyond. “Christmas on Mars” is a visual film, and its best moments happen when no one is talking. Coyne’s fondness for vivid imagery and realistic atmosphere ultimately carry the film far beyond the broken dialogue. “Christmas on Mars” builds its foundation on the nativity but is drastically updated for the new millennium. Aboard the Bethlehem, the old world is burning out and the arrival of the child symbolizes a new beginning. The baby offers

PHOTO COURTESY CINEMA PURGATORIO

Wayne Coyne and the rest of the Flaming Lips’ foray into film is certainly original, but falls short of the iconic film it imitates. hope for the future of Syrtis and his crew, and the film ends by underscoring the hopeful future that is central to everything the Flaming Lips have ever created. Coyne is scared about time marching on, but instead of panicking, he embraces it. The film is slow-moving and relies heavily on imagery and

emptiness to get its point across. Aside from a few bursts of brilliant color, the movie is strictly black and white, feeling almost like a space noir. The parallels to Kubrick abound in some absolutely terrifying silences, both of which are actually very strong symbols in the ﬁlm noir. Grade: B

comics 6

Nice Rack The dot over the i or j is called a tittle. dailycardinal.com/comics

Wednesday, November 19, 2008

Conquistador

Today’s Sudoku

Anthro-apology

By Eric Wigdahl wigdahl@wisc.edu

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

Evil Bird

By Caitlin Kirihara kirihara@wisc.edu

Answer key available at www.dailycardinal.com SECOND TO NONE ACROSS

1 Cozy inn, brieﬂy 6 Clue weapon 10 Has the title 14 “___ bad moon rising” (CCR lyric) 15 Word with “exam” or “history” 16 Underlying cause 17 Evasive language 19 Went headlong 20 Little amphibian 21 Muscat’s location 22 Touring car 23 Worked-up state 24 Breaks out 26 Old yarn 30 Bedeck 31 Jelly for germs 32 It’s no free ride 35 It has feathers and ﬂies 36 Legal addendum 38 Predatory shorebird 39 Resort for losers? 40 Rollers with corners 41 Exhausted 42 Unsolicited opinion 46 Does the Wright thing 48 Put on the burner 49 Ransacks 50 Battleship shade 51 Psychic power

54 It may be drawn in the sand 55 Batman and Robin 58 Wing-shaped 59 Hardly illusory 60 Zenith’s opposite 61 “The Laughing Cavalier” artist 62 Ketch cousin 63 Worry for a high heel wearer 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 18 22 23 24 25 26

DOWN

Sit tight Dating from Neither fem. nor masc. Society newbie Hogwash Kind of soup or salad Zagros Mountains locale Bosom buddy Reindeer’s kin Difﬁcult experience Woody, e.g. Astronomical phenomena British carbines Give off, as radiation Traumatize Leave in haste Stropping result Celestial body Very small amounts

27 28 29 33 34 36 37 38 40 41 43 44 45 46 47 50 51 52 53 55 56 57

Finish a scene Not reasonable Weighted down Rhody, in an old song Cleansing vessel “The Vampire Lestat” author Nails down just right Lady Macbeth’s bane Morse code symbols Swinging from side to side Irrigates Slave Mining target Muham- mad’s Almighty Word at an unveiling Chew on a bone Old Norse poetry collection Quarter deck? Opening in a sweater? Dull and lifeless Aye Occasional beeper

The Daily Code i

Like a box of chocolates. u v w x y z

5 6

8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26

“Rob nbokw rkn mywo dbeo. Cro gkc k pyvu csxqob.” Quote from Forest Gump 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:

“My one regret in life is that I am not someone else.”

opinion dailycardinal.com/opinion

Wednesday, November 19, 2008

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

alarm ordinance benefits students

fter the one-year anniversary of the tragic house fire at 123 Bedford street that took the life of UWLaCrosse student Peter Talen, Ald. Mike Verveer, District 4, proposed an ordinance to require stricter fire-alarm guidelines and safeguards in downtown and offcampus student housing. If passed, the ordinance would come into effect in August 2009 and require smoke detectors to have lithium batteries with a ten-year lifespan and feature a silence button rather than battery removal. The ordinance also requires landlords to place fire alarms in every bedroom and be tamper-resistant.

Updating these buildings should not be a burden, but rather a necessary duty for Madison landlords.

“What’s important is to avoid another tragedy. If the ordinance saves one life, it’s worth it,” Verveer said. “There is no price tag on a life.” Although it is unfortunate that measures to improve stu-

dent safety have to come in reaction to tragedies such as last year’s fatal fire and Brittany Zimmermann’s murder in April, at least officials like Verveer are taking appropriate actions in response. In the Bedford street fire a year ago, the smoke alarms were not working properly, and one can only speculate whether working alarms may have saved Talen’s life. However, improvements that do not put the burden on students to be responsible for fire alarm maintenance make for a reasonable and promising ordinance. Landlords should get behind this ordinance despite the extra costs to update their buildings. As bad as extra smoke alarm costs are for their pocketbooks, the stigma of tenant endangerment or death is far more consequential in the end. Students staying in off-campus housing live in predominantly older houses with much looser safety codes. Updating these buildings should not be a burden but rather a necessary duty for Madison landlords. Hopefully, city officials’ future updates will be active measures rather than reactionary safeguards following another campus tragedy.

Doyle’s services needed most in the dairy state DAN JOSEPHSON opinion columnist

hile there has been much excitement surrounding the recent rumors of Gov. Jim Doyle working in President-elect Obama’s cabinet, the idea seems to fall short of not only reality but practicality as well. The likelihood of Obama choosing Doyle for a cabinet position is nothing short of irrational. The lack of reasoning would be if Doyle decided to accept it, due to a variety of federal and state factors. It seems probable that had Obama offered him a position, it

With Obama’s pick of Eric Holder as Attorney General, Doyle’s place is best served elsewhere, speciﬁcally Madison.

would be that of Attorney General. This would be more than a perfect ﬁt for Doyle, considering his relationship with the future president, as well as his twelve-year experience as Wisconsin Attorney General. However, with Obama’s pick of Eric Holder as Attorney General Tuesday, Doyle’s place is best served elsewhere, speciﬁcally in Madison. Despite these accolades and cir-

cumstances, Doyle’s role as governor of Wisconsin seems too valuable to lose, even in the face of presidential employment. The state of Wisconsin currently faces a budget deficit of $3 billion, something that it might have a hard time improving under a sudden change of leadership. Doyle was one of the first key figureheads to endorse Obama—as early as his victory in the Iowa caucuses. One of Doyle’s main reasons for supporting Obama was because of his progressive economic ideals, which seemed like the best option for reshaping our financial war zone of a country. Were Doyle to step down from the Governor’s office, he would, in a way, contradict some of those very ideals by abandoning a state that desperately needs him to salvage its economy. Whether relevant to the budget or not, Doyle has made it appear quite certain he is planning to run for re-election in 2010. There has been no decline in his efforts to raise money. Aside from fundraising implications supporting the notion of Doyle wanting to remain Governor, his weak relationship with Lieutenant Governor Barbara Lawton makes Doyle’s chances of leaving even less plausible. Doyle was always much closer with former Sen. Kevin Shibilski (D-WI), who he in fact supported against Lawton for the Lieutenant Governor race in 2002.

Doyle has made it appear quite certain he is planning to run for re-election in 2010.

Had Shibilski been victorious and became Lieutenant instead of Lawton, Doyle’s likelihood of working under Obama may have been somewhat stronger. He would most likely feel much more comfortable

leaving Wisconsin, even in a state of economic disarray, under the watch of an individual who he supported and has closer ties with. Due to the situation, though, this is not the case. This lack of political familiarity between Doyle and Lawton is conﬁrmed by her statement to not return as Lieutenant Gov. in 2010, a decision that she made last spring. It appears to be in correlation to her quiet relationship with Doyle, considering that she did still express interest in running for governor in 2010 should Doyle not be interested.

Were Doyle to step down from the Governor’s ofﬁce, he would abandon a state that needs him to salvage its economy.

These personal circumstances in combination with the fragility of Wisconsin and its economy are undoubtedly why Doyle was more than hinting toward retaining his current job rather than making plans to serve under Obama. Using phrases such as “I don’t want it” and “It’s not what I want” seem to paint a picture that cannot be interpreted in any other way. The rejection of the position may be tough for many to swallow, considering how superlative a nation under Attorney General Jim Doyle does seem, but the crucial economic status of Wisconsin is far too valuable to put at risk. While this may be a letdown to many, the fact that Doyle will now have a Democratic president to support his actions is something to be more than excited about, considering that it will be the ﬁrst time in his career as governor. Dan Josephson is a senior majoring in political science and legal studies. We welcome your feedback. Please send responses to opinion@dailycardinal.com.

sports Wisconsin cruises past SIU-Edwardsville Wisconsin men’s soccer head coach Jeff Rohrman stepped down Tuesday after holding the position for seven years. He earned a 61-63-12 overall record and went 12-24-6 in Big Ten play while with UW.

dailycardinal.com/sports

Wednesday, November 19, 2008

By Matt Fox THE DAILY CARDINAL

After the Wisconsin basketball team barely squeaked out a victory in its first regular season game, it was looking to make a statement. The Badgers succeeded Tuesday with a commanding 88-58 victory over Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville at the Kohl Center. The Badgers jumped out to a quick start, led by seven early points from junior guard Jason Bohannon. With seven minutes left to play in the ﬁrst half, the Badgers led the Cougars 25-17. They then scored 10 unanswered points, capped by back-to-back 3pointers by sophomore forwards Jon Leuer and Tim Jarmusz. The Badgers took a 40-21 lead into halftime, extended it to 34 points midway through the second half and never looked back. UW head coach Bo Ryan said he was pleased with his team’s disciplined play from the game’s start until the final buzzer.

ISABEL ALVAREZ/THE DAILY CARDINAL

Wisconsin senior forward Marcus Landry scored 15 points for the Badgers Tuesday night against SIU-Edwardsville at the Kohl Center. “Once the game got away from them, we just tried to make sure that we were running our stuff,” Ryan said. “We didn’t care who

was scoring and we never have. I like the fact that we moved the ball, we made hard cuts, we touched the post and we didn’t

get screwy with our decisionmaking. That’s what you look for in games like this. I’m just glad our guys stayed to the task.” Wisconsin took advantage of a fatigued Cougar team that had just ﬁnished three games in three days at the Charleston Classic Tournament. The Cougars were also without their leading scorer and rebounder, freshman forward Mark Yelovich. Junior guard Barry Wellington led the Cougars with 15 points. Leuer sparked the Badgers off the bench with a team-high 19 points and shot 8-of-10 from the field. Leuer was glad that both he and the team were able to find their groove offensively. “I was open in some spots and I was able to get some easy ones right away, which kind of got my rhythm going, and that’s a big part of it—getting your rhythm,” Leuer said. “It was just a fun game to be out there and have everybody being unselfish and I thought we executed really well tonight. “Offensively, we were all mov-

ing, and any play we called, it seemed like it was working. It was good to see that progression as a team.” Senior forward Marcus Landry followed his career-high 23-point performance against Long Beach State with 15 points and five rebounds against the Cougars. Landry also stepped it up on defense Tuesday night, registering a career-high five blocked shots. Landry said he enjoys being able to contribute in whatever way the team needs most. “I guess it’s just about getting back in the groove,” Landry said. “Not really focusing on one thing but trying to establish a couple of things that you know you’re good at. “You have nights to score, you have nights to do whatever, but you have to find ways to get the job done defensively and to help your team out. I think I played okay defensively and I look forward to having more blocks, it’s a fun part of the game.”

Series in Fort Myers is a homecoming for UW’s Sanders By Nick Schmitt THE DAILY CARDINAL

The Wisconsin women’s hockey team is escaping the frigid weather of Madison this weekend and heading to Fort Myers, Fla., to face the University of New Hampshire. The Badgers remain unanimously ranked No. 1 in the nation after their sweep of North Dakota last weekend. The series is a homecoming for junior forward Kyla Sanders, who is from Fort Myers and whose dad is the manager of the Fort Myers Skatium. Paul Hickman, director of women’s hockey operations, and Sanders’ dad successfully worked out a plan to bring the game to Florida. Sanders said she couldn’t be more excited. “It should be a good atmosphere, we should have a lot of fans,” Sanders said. “[My dad] and Paul were talking about it and it’s awesome that it ended up being down there.” Over the last couple years the Lady Badgers have easily been one of the top programs in the country, but one accomplishment they have not yet secured is beating the University of

New Hampshire. In the history of the UW women’s hockey, no team has defeated the Wildcats. In 2005 the Badgers fell to the Wildcats 2-1, and last year they lost two hard-fought games that also ended with New Hampshire winning 2-1. Head coach Mark Johnson informed his team of the history between the two squads, and the Badgers are hoping to clear another hurdle for the program. Senior forward and captain Erika Lawler realizes that the warm weather is a possible distraction, but she is conﬁdent that her team will stay focused. “Our main focus is to go there and play a couple hockey games. We don’t want to get caught up in the vacation aspect of the trip,” said Lawler. “I think what we need to focus on is going out with some speedy ﬁrst periods, some energy, kind of put them back on their heels for a little bit.” Lawler has been impressed with the play of freshman forward Brooke Ammerman. She is second on the team in points and goals scored with 19 and 14, respectively.

“[Ammerman] can score on demand, which is awesome and its vital for big games,” she said. The series will be the third time this season Wisconsin will play a team in the top 10. The Wildcats are No. 3 in the current USCHO.com poll and have an overall record of 7-1-3. Sophomore forward Jenn Wakeﬁeld leads the team in points, accumulating 16 in only nine games. The Badgers have been a dominant team so far this season but are still looking to improve as a unit. Getting complacent with their play may lead the team to plateau, as Johnson believes the Badgers have the potential to play even better that they are now. “I think you stride to challenge yourself, you try to be the best team you’re capable of becoming, that’s what the journey is,” Johnson said. “I like what we’re seeing, I’m seeing improvement each weekend.” With a sweep of the Wildcats, the Lady Badgers could improve their record to 14-0-2, the longest undefeated streak to begin a season in the program’s history.

EMMA VASSEUR/CARDINAL FILE PHOTO

UW junior forward Kyla Sanders and the Badgers are excited to take a trip to Fort Myers, Fla., this weekend to challenge New Hampshire.

NBA players fail to keep their ‘cool’ as intensity heats up on the court CRYSTAL CROWNS the crystal ball

our popular NBA players have recently been flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct after only a few weeks of regular season play. Although some sports fans would find these heated actions a sign of an intense season on the horizon, others may be wondering if players are pushing the limits too far. According to the NBA rulebook, players acting unsportsmanlike has a negative effect on the image of professional basketball. The rule reads: “[Flagrant fouls] consist of acts of deceit, disrespect of officials and profanity. The penalty for such action is a technical foul. Repeated acts shall result in expulsion from the game and a minimum fine of $1,000.” There are two types of flagrant

fouls. A Flagrant 1 penalty is called when a player unnecessarily commits contact against an opponent. A Flagrant 2 penalty occurs when a player unnecessarily and excessively commits contact with an opponent in an unsportsmanlike manner and the offender is ejected immediately from the game. The Commissioner—David Stern—then has the right to penalize the offender by charging him with a fine up to $35,000 and/or suspending him from future games. Thursday night, Denver Nuggets forward Kenyon Martin earned a flagrant foul for intensionally slamming his shoulder into Cleveland forward Anderson Varejao. Martin was ejected from the game because he verbally abused an official after the call. ESPN. com reports that he was fined $20,000 by the NBA Saturday for refusing to leave the court in a timely manner. Although these actions were unsportsmanlike, Nuggets head coach George Karl also had to physically remove Martin from the floor.

Situations like this should never escalate to the point where players need to be escorted off the court, especially at the professional level. All-Star forward Kevin Garnett of the Boston Celtics also got slapped with a penalty by the NBA Monday for his unsportsmanlike display against the Milwaukee Bucks Saturday. Late in the fourth quarter, Garnett tried to block Milwaukee center Andrew Bogut’s shot. As a result, the two tangled as they aggressively went after the ball. The whistle was ﬁnally blown after Bogut’s foot knocked Garnett in the side of the head, at which point Garnett smacked Bogut in the face. Garnett received a one-game suspension and was forced to sit out Tuesday’s home game against the New York Knicks. Bogut also had his foul upgraded to a Flagrant 1 foul for starting the quarrel. The NBA dished out a $25,000 ﬁne to Phoenix Suns center Shaquille O’Neal Monday for his unsportsmanlike behavior the night before. O’Neal

earned himself a Flagrant 2 foul and was automatically ejected from the game when he forcefully struck Detroit Pistons guard Rodney Stuckey as he went in for a lay-up. O’Neal went on to verbally abuse the referee and refused to leave the court in a timely manner as he argued against the call. On top of that ﬁne, he also has to pay $35,000 for his participation in an argument last Wednesday in the Suns’ game against the Houston Rockets. Following this game, O’Neal explained he has never been the type of player to try to take someone out. He said the laws of physics explained why Stuckey, a much smaller player, happened to take the brunt of the hit. He compared himself to a brick wall and said he could not do anything about “the little guy” knocking into him as he went for the ball. Thank you for that science lesson, Mr. O’Neal. It’s too bad people only see you covering your own tail. The “heat of the moment” may have been what triggered the over-

aggressive actions of these players, but professionals need to understand that they are role models in society today. Lashing out and slugging another individual or causing profane arguments, no matter what the circumstance, is not acceptable. Media, in general, have been argued to contain too much violence. But when fans see their favorite players and role models getting into ﬁghts and causing obscene arguments on television, what message do you think they are receiving? Whatever that message is, it can’t be a good one. The NBA is trying to put a halt to these incidents by dishing out ﬁnes and suspensions, yet these problems continue. Maybe if professional sports teams did not pay their athletes so much money, the penalties would seem a bit more severe and players may actually try to avoid the consequences of these unsportsmanlike actions. If you think professional athletes get away with too much, e-mail Crystal at crowns@wisc.edu.