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Thursday, December 4, 2008

Panel stresses need for more AIDS education

Let it snow

By Estephany Escobar THE DAILY CARDINAL

LORENZO ZEMELLA/THE DAILY CARDINAL

Nick Groth (left), Justin Palm (center) and Katrine Colton (right) sled down Observatory Hill on dining hall trays. Two more inches of snow are expected to fall Friday evening.

The UW-Madison Student Global Aids Campaign chapter held a panel discussion on HIV global perspectives and social implications for students and faculty members Wednesday, where speakers focused on their experiences and involvement with organizations fighting against HIV. “I became personally infected [with HIV], so I had my own perspective fighting against the virus … I ended up retiring from chiropractic and devoted what energy I had for volunteering, advocacy work, getting

out the word,” said panelist Tim Lapp, board member of the AIDS Network. Susan Gold, a nurse at UW Hospital, said she first volunteered at Nyumbani, and then worked in a project that focused on teaching HIV positive adolescence about reproductive health. “The kids in Kenya are like all the kids around the world, they just want to know … I was not to tell them what to do but to tell them the facts,” Gold said. “The children I talked to were HIV positive, and they had panel page 3

Student Council votes unanimously for installation of new constitution By Rory Linnane THE DAILY CARDINAL

The Associated Students of Madison voted in favor of a new constitution Wednesday night in a unanimous 22-0 vote. ASM passed only one amendment to the constitution Wednesday night prior to the vote.

The draft constitution required a three-fourths vote by senators to remove the president, vice president and justices. Members voted to lessen the requirement to twothirds. “I thought we would have had more disagreement,” said Jeff Wright, chair of the ASM Constitutional

DANNY MARCHEWKA/THE DAILY CARDINAL

Associated Students of Madison Chair Brittany Weigand conducts the Student Council meeting Wednesday night.

Committee, which drafted the document. “But, I’m pleased that people are excited about what this is going to do for the student body.” Some members said ASM should put off the vote until students were more educated and more voices were heard. But other members argued there have been many opportunities, including 15 listening sessions. “When is enough, enough?” Ben Carter, member of the Constitutional Committee said. “If we don’t do this now, we waste momentum; we bleed the process out and we die.” ASM voted to have a special election in February for the student body to vote on the constitution. Although the Student Elections Commission chair may veto the special election, Wright said there would be enough votes to override it. Aside from drafting the constitution, the Constitutional Committee asm page 3

Graduates struggle to balance old vs. new job seeking tactics By Audrey Buchanan THE DAILY CARDINAL

It is up in the air whether handwritten cover letters or digital portfolios will help graduating students clinch a job. However, Madison business professionals said finding a balance between using both old and new media seems to be a key component in the process.

Sheri Rice Bentley, director of public relations and communications specialist at Madison-based advertisement agency Knupp & Watson, said students should understand when and how to specify media with different audiences. In using new digital media, Rice Bentley said society is communicating more informally than

ever before. “When was the last time you wrote a cover letter, or a handwritten thank you note?” she asked. According to Rice Bentley, the “old fashioned” forms of communication required an element of graceful writing and style the jobs page 4

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Panel members discussed the need for education about HIV and AIDS among young members around the world.

Wisconsin drops in 2008 national health ranking By Hannah Furfaro THE DAILY CARDINAL

Wisconsin dropped from 12th to 17th in the 2008 edition of America’s Health Rankings, which ranks each state based on its overall health quality. The United Health Foundation, the American Public Health Association and the Partnership for Prevention conducted the study that was released Wednesday. In 2007, Wisconsin was ranked 12th in the nation based on the state’s clinical care, public health policy, environment and the personal behaviors of Wisconsin residents. “Why Wisconsin has dropped is not that we had a decline in measures but that we haven’t had any progress,” said Sarah Van Orman, executive director of University Health Services.

According to Scott Becher, spokesperson for state Rep. Steve Wieckert, R-Appleton, the state Assembly will be looking at reforming Wisconsin’s health policy, particularly in regard to childhood obesity, in January. Since 1990, the prevalence of obesity in the state increased by 124 percent. About 20 percent of the adult population in Wisconsin falls into the category of binge drinkers, according to the study. Becher noted there has been signiﬁcant coverage about Wisconsin’s culture “as it relates to alcohol” over the past six months. “There’s been a concerted effort to eliminate … basically the kind of atmosphere that causes binge drinking to develop,” Becher said. “UW-Madison has been very active on that.” health page 3

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

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Thursday, December 4, 2008

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Top 10 countdown shakes numerical nerves

Volume 118, Issue 68

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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 Charles Brace Danny Marchewka

Business and Advertising business@dailycardinal.com Business Manager Babu Gounder Assistant Business Manager Alex Kusters Advertising Manager Sheila Phillips Eric Harris, Dan Hawk Web Directors Account Executives Katie Brown Natalie Kemp, Tom Shield Accounts Receivable Manager Cole Wenzel Marketing Director Andrew Gilbertson Assistant Marketing Director Perris Aufmuth Archivist Erin Schmidtke The Daily Cardinal is published weekdays and distributed at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and its surrounding community with a circulation of 10,000. The Daily Cardinal is a nonproﬁt organization run by its staff members and elected editors. It receives no funds from the university. Operating revenue is generated from advertising and subscription sales. Capital Newspapers, Inc. is the Cardinal’s printer. The Daily Cardinal is printed on recycled paper. The Cardinal is a member of the Associated Collegiate Press and the Wisconsin Newspaper Association. All copy, photographs and graphics appearing in The Daily Cardinal are the sole property of the Cardinal and may not be reproduced without written permission of the editor in chief. The Daily Cardinal accepts advertising representing a wide range of views. This acceptance does not imply agreement with the views expressed. The Cardinal reserves the right to reject advertisements judged offensive based on imagery, wording or both. Complaints: News and editorial complaints should be presented to the editor in chief. Business and advertising complaints should be presented to the business manager. Letters Policy: Letters must be typewritten, double-spaced and no longer than 200 words, including contact information. Letters may be sent to letters@dailycardinal.com.

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

MATT HUNZIKER his dark matterials

s 2008 comes to a close and 2009 appears just over the horizon, it’s time once again to offer our insights and criticism on this year’s Top 10. With all that’s transpired since January 1st, big changes were expected for our rankings. For many people, then, the similarity of this year’s list to last may be surprising. 10: Although often seen as being in a vulnerable position because of its regular place at the bottom of this list, 10 has shown itself to be remarkably well rounded, year after year. The past 12 months were no different for this perennial workhorse, with critics lauding its accessibility and versatility. An early review by the New York Times helped to crystallize this assessment, calling 10 “indispensable,” and citing its popularity with all manner

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of people, “from enthusiastic children to experienced professionals, many of whom still use it on a daily basis.” 9: Supporters of 9 may be disappointed with its return to the lower end of these rankings (the results of last year’s tally, which placed it between 5 and 6, have been widely disputed), but nonaphiles can still find plenty to celebrate this year, with a late rally making up for an underwhelming spring and putting 9 in a strong position to move up in the standings next year. 8: A fervent cult following helps to earn 8 a place on this list every year, despite the fact that it is still not widely known among the general public. Early predictions that “8 would be this year’s 7” proved to be mostly hype, but its influence outside of hip, art-house culture is becoming harder to deny with each passing month. In a few more years, 8 may even fulfill Andy Warhol’s once controversial prediction that “[8] will be everywhere someday; they’ll even be teaching kids about it in school.” 7: Sources as varied as youth style magazine Teen Vogue and elite British magazine The Economist have dismissed 7 as being outdated, with the latter publication deriding the number’s strong religious significance as

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Third Coast Beer’s label brandishes a very bold claim: The beer is “truly quaffable.” Since this desk has years of experience quaffing beer, making it an authority on beer quaffability, we decided to put this Bell’s offering to the test. Upon first quaff, the flavor was as hoppy as advertised, but really stops short of anything else, giving the impression of a watered down IPA. One must ask how much quaffing can be done with hoppy ale? It is a question that has plagued quaffing enthusiasts for centuries. The taste is eerily familiar, and it’s not a coincidence that echoes another brew from Bell. The Two Hearted Ale is the doppelganger, with a bit more hops—it’s an IPA after all—and better richness. The Two Hearted

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which is one reason why we’ve made it our “Number to Watch” for 2009. 3: More than any other entry on this list, 3 succeeded in rising from almost total obscurity to seize headlines in 2008. It faced a small backlash among loyalists after signing to a lucrative endorsement contract with Apple in August, but even so, calling 3 the “Breakout Number of the Year” feels like an understatement. Everyone should know this number. 2: Despite relentless scrutiny in the tabloids surrounding its alleged drug addiction and a public meltdown on the set of “Meet the Press” prior to Tim Russert’s untimely demise, 2 set box office and electoral records this year, becoming both Broadway’s longest-running musical and Arkansas’ longest-serving state representative. 1: Few will be surprised by our first-place finisher. 1 was predicted to have a banner year all the way back in January, and even with the sluggish economy, it continues to serve as “the very definition of success,” in the words of the Wall Street Journal. It has often been said that it’s lonely at the top, and in 2008, as in previous years, 1 is—once again—loneliest of all. E-mail Matt with your Top 10 of 2008 at hunziker@wisc.edu.

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Board of Directors

“out of touch with today’s rapidly liberalising culture.” It is these very qualities, however, which ensure 7 remains just as relevant and controversial as when it ﬁrst appeared on this list. 6: Despite continued criticism from James Dobson and other religious conservatives alleging that 6 is inherently satanic, 2008 was another strong year for the smallest of perfect numbers, which not only ﬁnished just behind its usual rival, 5, but also put to rest any lingering suspicions that it may have had reason to fear 7. 5: In a year when what seemed like the whole literary world gathered around to sing its praises, 5 has become practically synonymous with good taste. Rave reviews from the likes of the New Yorker and the Los Angeles Times Book Review are now taken for granted. In September, postmodern author Don DeLillo famously stated that, “At this point, it’s impossible to imagine living in a world without 5, much less writing in one.” 4: After the tragic fall from grace last June upon the announcement it was facing federal racketeering charges, few people could have foreseen 4’s heroic recovery. Yet 4 was virtually inescapable for anyone who tuned in to ESPN’s SportsCenter this fall,

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

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is not meant to be quaffed, so Third Coast has some explaining to do. The diminished bitterness does something for quaffability, but not enough. On top of everything, a six-pack is priced with premium beers at about $10. Not only does Third Coast falsely advertise its marginal quaffability, but it’s not good enough to rationalize the price hike. If you’re looking for something cheap and quaffable, get some Schlitz, easily the most quaffable beer to come across the desk.

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Thursday, December 4, 2008

Google, Inc., ofﬁcially opens Madison ofﬁce

“[Its proximity to the university] demonstrates how important the university is to the long-term economic health of this state.” Jim Doyle governor Wisconsin

Teens arrested on State Street after Metro bus scuffle Madison Police arrested two Fitchburg teenagers Tuesday after an argument between passengers on a Madison Metro bus became heated. According to a police report, the bus driver stopped the vehicle in the 400 block of State Street around 1 p.m. because of a fight happening in the back of the bus. A 53-year-old woman told police the scuffle began after she asked for someone to give up a seat when a man using a cane boarded the bus and two teens began yelling at her to mind her own business. After exchanging words, the victim said she took out her camera to photograph the teens in hopes of reporting them, according to police. One teen took the camera and threw it on the floor, cutting the victim’s finger in the process, and the teens then exited the bus when the driver stopped. Police arrested Tyrea Louise Cherry and Rosalind Marie Harrison, both 17, after locating them walking on State Street. Officers discovered a knife in one teen’s bag and a large hammer in the other’s bag. Each teen is tentatively charged with disorderly conduct and carrying a concealed weapon, and Cherry also faces a battery charge in the incident.

Students to take part in campus arts competition

Google, Inc., officially opened its new office in Madison Wednesday and local politicians were in attendance to welcome the company to Wisconsin. Gov. Jim Doyle, as well as U.S. Rep. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis., UWMadison Chancellor Biddy Martin and James Laudon, who is to co-head the office, celebrated its opening. Google also hosted an open house for its new lab, which will focus on designing hardware and software. The search engine company from California announced in April its plans to build an engineering office in Madison at 301 South Blount St.

The Madison office will be the Internet giant’s first office in Wisconsin. Doyle said Google opened this ofﬁce in Madison because of its location next to the UW-Madison campus and the state’s talented workforce. He also said continuing to invest in education will be important for the future of the state’s economy. “[Its proximity to the university] demonstrates how important the university is to the long-term economic health of this state,” Doyle said. Google already has Madison and UW connections, such as its Google Book Project in collaboration with university libraries. Doyle said Google’s arrival in Madison is a boon to Wisconsin’s economy, particularly in light of the current economic situation. —Justin Eells

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Michael Johnson, co-founder of Student Progressive Dane and a student at Madison Area Technical College, is running for the District 8 seat on Madison’s Common Council in this spring’s election.

MATC student begins campaign for position as District 8 alder By Callie Rathburn THE DAILY CARDINAL

Madison Area Technical College student and community activist Michael Johnson ofﬁcially kicked off his campaign to run for Madison’s District 8 alder Wednesday night in Science Hall. Johnson said he is “an advocate who can take his experience from the streets to the halls of power to ensure a more equitable community for all Madison residents.” Johnson said he plans to focus on four areas in his campaign: tenant rights, social justice, economic justice and environmental responsibility. He hopes to work on issues in Madison such as domestic partner beneﬁts, public safety, “green” transportation and buildings, responsibility of local businesses and safety of workers. Johnson said he wants to create

a “safe environment for students to live and learn.” Johnson hopes to follow the current District 8 alder, UW-Madison senior Eli Judge, by being accessible to the student body and all district residents. He feels his biggest obstacle will be getting students involved. Johnson said he plans to go door to door to make sure students know and understand his campaign. Dane County District 5 Supervisor Wyndham Manning introduced Johnson and said he is hopeful Johnson will be his ally. Manning said Johnson “shares [his] passion, enthusiasm and dedication for moving Madison forward.” Chynna Haas, Johnson’s campaign treasurer, echoed Manning’s support for Johnson. “I felt it was time that we had someone who was willing to bridge that gap between stu-

health from page 1

asm

Van Orman said the UWMadison School of Medicine and Public Health will begin a project in January to examine drinking in Wisconsin. The study indicated Wisconsin’s rate of uninsured has decreased to 8.5 percent. According to Becher, Wisconsin has one of the lowest rates of uninsured residents, helped by Gov. Jim Doyle’s Badger Care Plus, a plan that grants health insurance to all Wisconsin children. Other areas of improvement in Wisconsin health include a decrease in smoking prevalence to 6 percent as well as an overall decrease in occupational fatalities. “Wisconsin has always tried to be a leader in health care and will continue to be a leader in health care,” Becher said.

has been working on bylaws. “The constitution tells the ‘what’ of the government, and the bylaws tell the ‘how,’” Chair of Student Services Finance Committee and committee member Kurt Gosselin explained. Bylaws will be made public before students vote on the constitution in February, but will not be on that ballot. Next year’s student government will have to approve the bylaws before they go in effect. At a Constitutional Committee meeting Sunday, the committee decided to move appointments for the financial committee into bylaws. The committee also debated whether the constitution should require a minimum amount of

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dent activism and actually getting legislative change through,” Haas said. “The activist community on our campus is phenomenal … Michael is very passionate and committed to that work [and will be able] to take it into what the city council is doing.” Johnson is currently in the MATC transfer program and planning on majoring in political science and social work at UWMadison, and he has also been active in the Madison community. He is co-founder of Student Progressive Dane, which uses political activism to mobilize students on key community issues. He has worked in immigrant communities and addressed concerns for tenant rights and the homeless. “The district deserves a progressive activist who can be aggressive and be strong,” Johnson said. time to notify affected groups ahead of changes to the financial code. The committee decided not to include such language in the constitution, but to include a two-month time requirement within the text of the financial code. With the timeline in bylaws, the two-month requirement is easier to change than if it were in the constitution. This worried many student groups who came before ASM Wednesday and asked Student Council to put the two-month timeline in the constitution. Student representatives of GSSF groups threatened to mobilize voters to vote down the constitution without the two-month guarantee. However, after some debate, members voted down the amendment and decided it would remain in bylaws.

UW-Madison students can look forward to having the opportunity of participating in a campus arts competition within the upcoming months. The UW-Madison Arts Institute is organizing the event through the Arts Enterprise program, which is a series of activities that teach the strategic skills artists need to take leadership in a creative economy, according to its website. Directors are asking entrants to present proposals that will result in an arts event, exhibition, series or project. The winner of the New Arts Venture Challenge will receive $2,000 and the runner-up will receive $500. The deadline for submitting an Intent to Compete form is Jan. 5, 2009. Stephanie Jutt, director of the UW-Madison Initiative for Arts Enterprise will host an informational session about the competition Dec. 9 from 6 to 6:30 p.m. The session will take place in the Capital Café in Grainger Hall. Organizers are encouraging participants to attend the session, as new information about the competition will be released. The portfolios of those who are selected for the ﬁnal round will be evaluated for both the written proposal and an oral presentation. The announcement of ﬁnal round contestants will be made Jan. 26 and the winner will be announced Feb. 1. —Erin Banco

panel from page 1 been born like that ... and the [interesting thing] is that the very act of being born can kill them.” Lapp said one of the hardest experiences he endured was when he had to listen to a lecture about HIV at his work office. In the meeting, the question was asked what would happen if a fellow chiropractor was infected with HIV. “The immediate general consensus was that they would take away the license of the chiropractor who was infected and all I could think was, ‘Am I going to feel safe telling anybody [that I am infected]?’” According to Nicholas Makau, project manager of the Nyumbani Village in Kenya, the biggest problem with AIDS is the misconception that HIV can spread only through sex. “[There is] ignorance from nearly every person,” he said. “I am not saying they are not linked, but blaming AIDS with sex is not totally accurate.” Caitlin Becker, a UWMadison senior, said it is important for students to realize the importance of keeping the pandemic in mind and to try to help as much as possible. “One person can make a difference,” she said. “I know that sounds very unrealistic, but I can name at least 15 people off the top of my head who have made a difference in a community.”

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Thursday, December 4, 2008

Housing committee looks into more stringent ﬁre alarm rules By Abby Sears THE DAILY CARDINAL

Madison’s Housing Committee heard more details Wednesday of a newly proposed ordinance calling for stricter fire alarm requirements in city homes created a year after a fatal fire killed a UW-La Crosse student visiting Madison. The ordinance was originally introduced to the Common Council Nov. 18, one year after a late-night fire killed Peter Talen, who was staying at his brother’s Madison home on Bedford Street. Ed Ruckriegel of the Madison Fire Department said 23-yearold Talen was one of seven fire fatalities in residential properties within the city last year, a number of which involved faulty fire alarms in the homes. “There were six alarms in the home—and the one in the basement was the only one that worked,” Ruckriegel said of the

jobs from page 1 more informal new mediums lack. However, she said it is important for upcoming graduates to research and understand new forms of digital media as potential junior employees, specifically Twitter, RSS feeds and Web 2.0.

“Students should be cultivating their professional persona from the get-go.”

Sheri Rice Bentley public relations director communications specialist Knupp & Watson

“It’s an area where your youth can be perceived as an advantage,” Rice-Bentley said. “Take advantage of that.” Steve Van Dinter, regional director of media relations and public affairs for St. Mary’s Healthcare of Wisconsin, echoed Rice-Bentley’s advice. “Organizations from giant corporations to local businesses are clamoring to find out how to use the latest in social media and other digital technologies,” Van Dinter said. “They don’t want to be the last organization to adopt these tools. The more graduates understand about how all of these things work, the more valuable they will be to a future employer.” According to the two experts, setting up a personal blog or website may be a good way to showcase skills and personal experience. “It shows that you understand some of the newer technologies and that you aren’t afraid to use them,” Van Dinter said. However, Rice Bentley cautions students against using inappropriate blog content. “[It] is fine as long as it’s clean and clever, not ranting and overly personal. Showcase your good writing skills, not your party lifestyle,” she said. As distinguishing as these new media can be, both advisors remind students of the importance of traditional methods.

home where Talen died. The proposed ordinance, which would go into effect in August 2009, aims to discontinue the use of traditional smoke alarms with removable batteries and replace them with detectors that have a 10-year lithium battery sealed inside the device. Ruckriegel said landlords would be the ones to install the detectors, but tenant would be the ones responsible for keeping the devices up and could face citations if building inspectors discover alarms that have been tampered with. Committee chairman Tom Hirsch asked about the cost of the lithium-battery smoke detectors, and Ruckriegel said he was able to find the newer alarms for prices as low as $8.42. For a onetime payment that lasts 10 years, Ruckriegel said the newer alarms are cheaper and less of a hassle than ones requiring new batteries

twice a year. Another goal of the ordinance would be to increase fire safety education. According to Ruckriegel, landlords would be required to either direct their tenants to fire safety information on the Internet or include literature on the subject in leasing materials. Madison’s chief building inspector George Hank said many other communities across the state have talked to the Wisconsin Department of Commerce indicating interest in implementing a similar ordinance. “There may be some movement to try to make this statewide,” Hank said. Ultimately, the committee decided to refer the ordinance to the Landlords and Tenant Issues Subcommittee for further discussion. The subcommittee will likely address the fire alarm ordinance at their January meeting.

“I’d use new media to help but don’t rely exclusively on these mediums,” Rice Bentley said. “Think of those pieces as supplements, not a substitution for the real meat of a well-crafted résumé.” As a general caveat, both experts urge undergraduate students to be cautious of posting potentially damaging personal content on the Internet. “Chances are the company you’re applying to knows how to search for people on these social networking sites. While you may have your profile locked down, if your profile picture shows you doing something questionable it may lessen your chances of getting that job,” Van Dinter said. Rice Bentley insists balancing traditional professionalism will get you ahead, even in the digital age. “Students should be cultivating their professional persona from the get-go,” she said. “That means learning how to dress, eat in public, speak with higher-ups, make small talk and socialize with clients while remaining professional.” Rice Bentley and Van Dinter said their number one piece of advice for students was to stray from talking excessively about what they could gain from a particular position. “Don’t forget to focus on what you can bring to an employer, not what you wish to gain,” Rice Bentley said. “In this situation it’s not about you, it’s all about them.” Many university career services offer workshops for students to gain tips on applying for jobs. The College of Letters & Science Career Services, for example, works to help students develop a job search strategy, connect with potential employers and produce résumé s and cover letters, according to its website. In a letter on the site, L&S Career Services Director Leslie Kohlberg tells students despite the current financial crisis, job opportunities are still available. “Current conditions may require you to be more flexible in your job search. But remember that persistence, determination and optimism play a major role in any individual’s success,” she wrote.

Holiday networking could mean unwrapping a new job: Job counselors consistently advise students that networking is the number one way to get hired. Many professional groups in Madison meet at least once a month for either social or informational events, and will be hosting upcoming holiday networking parties. The best-known local networking groups are: Accelerate Madison: Networking and business support. (acceleratemadison.org)

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Rep. Black to chair state Assembly Natural Resources Committee Assembly Speaker-elect Mike Sheridan, D-Janesville, appointed state Rep. Spencer Black, D-Madison, as the chair of the Assembly Natural Resources Committee Wednesday. “I am confident he will work to pass common sense conservation legislation that will benefit BLACK both our environment and our economy,” Sheridan said in a statement. Black served as chair of the committee from 1987 to 1994

Visit dailycardinal.com Win an iPod. That’s right, it’s that simple. In the spirit of the holiday season, we’re giving away more than $2000 in prizes to UW-Madison students. To enter, just visit dailycardinal.com/contest and give us your name, e-mail and student ID number. Winners will be announced in next Thursday’s Fall Finals Issue. PRIZES INCLUDE: • Courtside tickets to the Milwaukee Bucks vs. Sacramento Kings on January 24, 2008 (2 sets of two tickets) • 8GB iPod Touch (1 winner) • Ski/Snowboard Lift Ticket to Cascade Mountain (10 winners) • Snow Tubing Ticket to Cascade Mountain (10 winners) • $25 Gift Certificate to the University Book Store (2 winners) • $25 Gift Certificate to the DoIT Tech Store (1 winner) • $25 Gift Certificate to Ragstock (1 winner) • $5 Gift Certificate to Potbellys (10 winners) • $5 Gift Certificate to Madtown Munchies (5 winners) • Sconnie Sweatshirt from Underground Printing (1 winner)

Ad 2 Madison: Advertising professionals between the ages of 18 and 32. (ad2madison.org) Design Madison Creative and design. (designmadison.com) Greater Madison Area Society for Human Resource Management (gmasrm.org) High Tech Happy Hour (hthh.org) Madison Toastmasters Club (madisonclub1. freetoasthost.com) Madison Area Growth MAGNET—Focused on leadership (madisonmagnet.org) Public Relations Society of America, Madison Chapter (prsamadison.org) UW Letters and Science Career Services (lssaa.wisc.edu/careers/ events/events.html) Check out InBusiness Magazine’s extensive list of local organizations at: www.inbusinessmagazine. com/calendar/networking

and has long been one of the state Legislature’s leading environmental advocates, once serving as a conservation representative for the Sierra Club. “Two of the top priorities of the committee will be improving water quality in our lakes, rivers and streams and taking action to address global warming,” Black said in a statement. Black said he hopes to foster bipartisan solutions to environmental issues as chair of the committee in the next Legislative session that begins in January. When he previously chaired the committee, according to Black, issues were not voted on along party lines.

The Daily Cardinal. In the giving spirit since 1892.

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Thursday, December 4, 2008 • 5

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Big Oil’s new strategy BP official argues for a solution to carbon emissions that may be too good to be true By Nina Gehan THE DAILY CARDINAL

STEPHANIE MOEBIUS/THE DAILY CARDINAL

Food that’s gone bad may be more than just unpleasant; depending on what bacteria the food carries, it could make anyone who eats it seriously ill, or even kill them.

Attack of the killer leftovers Plan on enjoying holiday leftovers? Be careful, waiting too long could be a matter of life or death By Mary Sagstetter THE DAILY CARDINAL

Black, slimy lettuce, fuzzy tomatoes and putrid meat are sometimes a common sight in a dorm refrigerator—a place that somehow manages to conceal leftovers in its endless drawers and shelves. With a tight budget, students might choose to trim away the unruly spots on the questionable food instead of buying fresher food. Yet these foul sights and smells are “nature’s way of telling you not to eat it,” according to Kathleen Glass, a researcher at the UWMadison Food Research Institute. Consuming rotten food can be easily prevented with simple acts, such as washing produce and thoroughly cooking meat. Neglecting these precautions might cause some unwelcome consequences. “It is estimated that about 76 million food-borne illnesses occur in the U.S. annually ... of those illnesses about 325,000 are hospitalized cases and of these people there are about 5,000 deaths,” Glass said. “So, this is something that we are concerned about in the food industry.” Disease-causing bacteria, or pathogens, are bacteria that cause illnesses and intoxication. For example, the notorious E. coli 0157:H7 can grow in colonies in the body, which can damage cells. People who ingest this strain of E.Coli could have long term effects, such as kidney damage, leading to a kidney transplant or dialysis. Intoxication is another harmful impact of disease-causing bacteria. This condition occurs when the bacteria create toxins in the food, then someone eats it and gets sick. For example, Staphylococcus aureus, a pathogenic bacterium, creates a toxin and causes the person to

have “two-bucket disease.” “Some of us have probably had an illness to some degree and didn’t realize it,” Glass said. “Some of us probably had the norovirus, threw up for 24 hours, and then [went] on with our lives.” She said bacteria cannot be seen with the naked eye and people need to understand it can live everywhere, from the foodprocessing plant to their kitchen counters. “You probably heard that they are so small that a billion of them can ﬁt on a head of a pin—millions of cells within that teeny tiny area,” Glass said. “It is estimated that about 76 million food-borne illnesses occur in the U.S. annually ... of these people there are about 5,000 deaths.” Kathleen Glass associate director Food Research Institute

To make them visible, bacteria samples are taken from food products and grown on nutrient jell-o, or agar, in petri dishes. “Little cities” or colonies of many bacteria can be seen on the agar like a lump of yellow yogurt. Glass said if people could see the bacteria, then there wouldn’t be cases of foodborne illnesses. For example, in the past, the recall of hamburger has been due to the normally invisible presence of E. coli 0157:H7. “You can’t tell you have E. Coli in the beef,” Glass said. “So we need to know how to protect ourselves.” However, it is possible for people to minimize risk, especially if they are immunodeﬁcient or have chronic illnesses. First, it is important to prevent recontamination and to kill the pathogens.

Second, it is important for farmers to avoid contaminated water and use properly composted manure. Properly composting manure means ensuring the compost is not raw and has set long enough in 50-degree temperatures, eliminating any pathogenic health risk. Glass said organic farmers who use composted manure need to be trained and educated to make sure the compost is properly made. “Regardless if the product is organic or traditional, the guidelines apply,” Glass said. Finally, temperature and oxygen are huge factors in preventing the growth of pathogens. For example, bacteria grow rapidly in the 70 to 135-degree range. The ideal temperature for your refrigerator to inhibit rapid growth is 40 degrees and below. Glass said everyone needs to have a thermometer in their refrigerator, so you can know how the temperature varies from top to bottom and from left to right. According to Glass, even though consumers are distant from food processing, they still have responsibilities. “As the consumer, you are the last link in the chain,” Glass said. She said it is important to wash your food, read the labels and to avoid putting prepared, but not ready-to-eat foods in the microwave. She said it is important not to microwave such food because microwaves tend to cook the food unevenly and thus create a high probability of disease-causing bacteria surviving. Since getting sick is deﬁnitely not worth saving a few dollars of grocery money, Glass offered one ﬁnal piece of advice for students during these last hectic weeks of the semester: “When in doubt, throw it out.”

We all gasped when she said it. Everyone looked up. Patricia Wright, vice president of external affairs for Blue Planet America and president of the BP Foundation, repeated herself to my journalism class to make sure we all understood: “With carbon capture and storage, we can reduce CO2 emissions by 90 percent and begin to solve one of our most serious energy problems.” Could it be possible that we had found a solution to carbon dioxide emissions in the past few years but I’d been too busy to hear about it? What Wright had in mind could mean major improvement for the environment. Six billion tons of CO2 are released each year into the atmosphere from power stations, chemical plants and steel foundries, and these emissions cause our Earth to heat up at an alarming speed. Carbon capture and storage (CCS) is a process through which CO2 emissions from large point sources like these can be captured, transported and stored away in deep sea or geological formations, rather than released in the atmosphere. And Wright is right about the fact that it would reduce the CO2 emissions from these plants by 90 percent.

We can’t keep storing everything we don’t want to deal with in the depths of the Earth and think it will disappear.

Sounds like a miracle solution. But what Wright did not tell us is that CO2 capture, compression and transportation is actually very costly to the environment and to our wallets. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s air-emission estimates of plants designed with CCS technology show that while CO2 emission drops, fuel use and emission of other air pollutants increases signiﬁcantly, consistently outweighing the beneﬁts. Once CO2 is captured from point sources like power plants, it has to be stored or used in some way. Proposed ideas for storage include the ocean deep and geological formations below the

Earth’s surface. But storing CO2 in the ocean carries a large risk of ocean acidification with potentially disastrous effects on oceanic ecosystems. And according to an IPCC report, storing CO2 in deep geological formations is not a viable long-term plan. Maximum capacity for underground storage units has been estimated by the IPCC as 2000 Gigatonnes (Gt) of CO2, far from enough when humans produce about 30Gt of CO2 each year. Plus, we can’t keep storing everything we don’t want to deal with (trash, nuclear waste, CO2) in the depths of the Earth and think it will disappear. There’s always the risk of a leak. CO2 is potentially lethal, and concentrations above 7 to 10 percent cause unconsciousness and death. Even a small leak of concentrated CO2 gas to the surface could kill millions of people. The real hope for CCS technology isn’t necessarily for citizens, plant owners or the environment at this point; it’s for large oil companies like BP that have their best interest in mind. And though when Wright spoke about CCS’s environmental benefits her concern seemed genuine, it was also the result of 25 years of experience in public relations for big oil companies like Amoco and BP. With dwindling reserves, access to more oil is always the first priority for a big oil industry. CCS technology has a lot of potential to help oil industries tap into unused resources through a process known as Enhanced Oil Recovery. In EOR, gases such as CO2 are injected beneath otherwise inaccessible oil reserves, creating a sort of aerosol that pushes out the petrol. Combined with storage, the technology could yield important benefits for energy industries. This may be why one of BP’s strategies is to acquire mature oil fields in proximity to BP-owned point sources. With CCS technology, CO2 could be captured and transported from polluting BP power plants to oil fields where it could be used in EOR projects to acquire more oil. One way to get this done is to follow BP Strategy Recommendations and gain public support for CCS through awareness about global warming: “As the profile and risks of the climate change issue increases, public opinion will demand a solution ... and government will have to foot the bill.”

KYLE BURSAW/THE DAILY CARDINAL

Are gas companies like BP trying to lead the charge for alternative fuels, or just be looking out for the bottom line?

featuresbusiness 6 Thursday, December 4, 2008

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Minding their own business With or without help, young entrepreneurs will dream big. But for non-School of Business students at UW, are there enough resources available to realize that dream? Story by Claire Wiese

tarting a business is never an easy task, with all the details involving lawyers, managers, consultants, and pursuing a market for your product. But when starting that business during or right out of college, this undertaking can be even more complicated and difficult. Troy Vosseller and Ben Fiechtner, co-founders of Sconnie Nation, started their apparel-manufacturing company on their dorm floor in Kronshage Hall in the spring of 2004. Brainstorming led to the brand name “Sconnie,” and after starting with $600 and selling t-shirts out of boxes, their fledgling company turned into “an original apparel manufacturer that sells unique Wisconsin items” at a full store on State Street, Vosseler said. Joan Gillman, director of Special Industry Programs for the UWMadison School of Business, said that when starting a business, “If you have a great idea and a great plan, it doesn’t really matter whether you are 16 or 60.” However, college students depend on their universities for guidance, and would probably expect support systems to help as they prepare to graduate. Vosseller and Fiechtner, as well as the founders of another alumni start-up, StudyBlue.com, had

to face the challenge of starting their respective businesses mostly on their own, without university support. Recently, UW-Madison implemented non-business school resources for budding entrepreneurs. Despite this new resource, students from outside of the UW-Madison School of Business continue to find it difficult to utilize university-sided opportunities. “We would speak to a lot of professors and ask different questions, or go to the Small Business Development Center, which is housed in Grainger, and all of these people kind of looked at us with a ‘deer in the headlights’ look,” Vosseller said, adding that at the time, the university’s entrepreneurial programs were either nonexistent or hard to find. Because of the disparity in services, Vosseller said he and Fiechtner had to learn to do all of the “leg work” on their own, like researching and opening business bank accounts. But a lot has changed since then, both on campus and within the UWMadison School of Business itself, especially in regard to entrepreneurship. Ray Aldag, executive director of the Weinert Center for Entrepreneurship, said the university has many opportunities for those who want to start their own businesses. The Weinert Center offers courses in fields such as entrepreneurial management and

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venture creation. In addition to the Weinert Center, the university created a “Residential Learning Community” in Sellery Hall for students interested in entrepreneurship. Business incubators are also available, and a $5 million grant from the Kauffman Foundation will help to encourage entrepreneurship across the state. According to Aldag, other resources include MERLIN Mentors (an organization that provides students with mentors in entrepreneurship), business plan access for start-up companies, and opportunities and evidence provided by the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation. “Through our courses, mentoring and other resources, we try to help ensure that our students’ start-ups are successful,” Aldag said. “Many of our student start-ups are doing very well.” Gillman said UW-Madison has

“tons” of programs available to students, including the Entrepreneurship Club, as well as tools for students interested in free enterprise. She emphasized the fact that many students not majoring in business take advantage of these programs. Even though Vosseller and Fiechtner founded Sconnie Nation before the wave of mass entrepreneurial assistance through the university, others have found it difficult to either find or utilize what UWMadison has to offer as well. The founders of StudyBlue.com also had trouble finding university assistance. StudyBlue.com, formerly TheClassConnection.com, is “the world’s first and biggest academic network where students can go to create, share, organize, and learn from academic content,” according to co-founder Chris Klundt. Klundt, who graduated in 2005, started StudyBlue.com with coWisconsin alum Dave Sargent in 2006. According to Klundt, UW-Madison falls behind other universities and colleges when it comes to helping startup businesses by students and alumni that are not involved in the business

school. He also said UW-Madison is not keeping up with “schools like Stanford, MIT and Harvard—schools that UW-Madison should be on the same plane with, with computer startups especially.” He also said that a “network backbone of entrepreneurship” would have been a helpful resource to tap into. Troy Vosseller and Chris Klundt were not business majors, and therefore missed the opportunities within the School of Business. Even with this lack of support, Vosseller said he does not hold a grudge against the university. He said with or without the university’s help, it is still possible for a student or alumni start-up business to be successful. “I wish some of those resources were there [when we started], but it kind of speaks to the entrepreneurial spirit that both my partner and I had in navigating those uncharted waters on our own, without help,” Vosseler said. “These are extremely exciting and promising times for entrepreneurship,” Aldag said. “Entrepreneurship will be increasingly important, and increasingly appreciated in dealing with today’s economical woes.”

UW-Madison Entrepreneurship Resources: Small Business Incubators • Centers that assist new Madison businesses in developing and expanding • Not directly affiliated with UW-Madison School of Business, so helpful for students choosing a major outside of the UWMadison School of Business • Provide affordable space, technical assistance and resource matching for new companies • Some of the Madison area Small Business Incubators include: o The MGE Innovation Center provides office space, laboratories, conference rooms and equipment for new companies. o The Madison Enterprise Center provides cheap space and technical assistance o Main Street Industries allows its tenants to share its resources and provides technical assistance o Genesis Enterprise Center provides business assistance and conference rooms • Small Business Incubators are one of the resources for students interested in entrepreneurship -Source: School of Business, Small Business Incubators. Entrepreneurial Residential Learning Community • Not directly affiliated with UW-Madison School of Business, so helpful for students choosing a major outside of the UWMadison School of Business • Located in Sellery Hall • Opportunity to meet other students interested in starting businesses • Membership requires a 3-credit ERLC seminar on entrepreneurship offered in Sellery Hall • Opportunity to meet UW-Madison faculty, local business owners and local government officials • Offers tours of Madison area companies

featuresfood C ffee pours out j lt of health beneﬁts dailycardinal.com/food

By Maggy Donaldson THE DAILY CARDINAL

Coffee has long been both the vice and savior of millions. College students often turn to a cup o’ joe or a Starbucks grande Mocha Frappuccino for an energy jolt when cramming for midterms, and the addiction usually lasts a lifetime. Madison is a haven for coffee lovers, with dozens of coffee shops and countless other outlets. Throughout the past few decades, health professionals demonized coffee because of alleged adverse health effects. Caffeine, a known stimulant, was said to increase blood pressure, thus increasing risk of hypertension and heart disease. Experts also accused coffee of causing a decrease in bone density, increasing the odds of fractures and breaks. In the past, some associated coffee with increased cancer risk, though no conclusive studies have been done. So what is a sleep-deprived college student to do? With exams and research papers looming, not to mention jobs, applications and the occasional hangover, does one really need to avoid the invigorating goodness that is a steaming mug of brew?

Thursday, December 4, 2008

Recent studies suggest no. Coffee does not pose any serious health risks, and apparently may even provide health beneﬁts. According to the Harvard Health Letter, released by the Harvard Medical School, results from long-term studies show coffee may not increase the risk of high blood pressure over time. The New York Times recently reported on Iowa Women’s Health Study providing evidence that drinking one to three cups a day may actually reduce risk, with 24 percent of the study participants lowering their odds of developing cardiovascular disease. No need to fear bone loss, either, as no major effects on calcium absorption or excretion have been discovered. Adding a few tablespoons of milk to the drink can easily combat any adverse effects on bone health, says Dr. Robert Heaney of Creighton University. Even though no studies have provided irrefutable evidence linking coffee consumption to cancer, some studies claim it could actually reduce risk. According to the Associated Press, a Japanese study of over 90,000 people found that people who drank coffee daily or nearly every day have half the

liver cancer risk of those who never drink coffee. Additionally, coffee consumption does not appear to have any connection to the development of pancreatic, kidney or breast cancer, dismissing earlier concerns. The Journal of the American Medical Association concluded last year that habitually drinking coffee might decrease risk of developing Type II diabetes. As of now, the exact reasons are unknown, but many believe it stems from antioxidants present in the coffee bean. These antioxidants are responsible for keeping cell damage at bay. Chlorogenic acid probably plays a key role as well, as it has been proven to decrease glucose concentrations in animals. Caffeine in coffee also raises resting metabolic rate, which could have an effect on lowering blood sugar, preventing diabetes. However, no evidence has linked coffee consumption to weight loss, despite modest increases in metabolism. Weight gain may actually occur in those who regularly drink sugary coffee drinks topped with foam, whipped cream and chocolate shavings.

Baristas and novices alike know the most important reasons to take a coffee break include mood enhancement, increased energy and improved ability to concentrate. “I love coffee,” UW-Madison sophomore Ruth Ohlrogge said. “I probably drink about two cups a day, and I notice that I feel more alert when I drink it. I get headaches if I don’t.” UW-Madison sophomore Laurel Tiedemann, on the other hand, found coffee to be more hurtful than helpful. “I kind of weaned myself off,” Tiedemann said. “I just get jittery and anxious when I drink it. I’m getting more sleep now.” Nonetheless, disease prevention does not seem to be reason enough to start. “The evidence is that for most people without speciﬁc conditions, coffee is not detrimental to health,” says Dr. Rob Van Dam in the Harvard Health Letter. Although people shouldn’t increase their coffee intake to lower their risk of disease, Van Dam doesn’t think people need to avoid it completely. “If people enjoy drinking it, it’s

comforting to know that they don’t have to be afraid of negative health effects,” he says. Coffee does not seem to pose any serious risks, and may even provide some beneﬁts, but Tiedemann plans to continue living a caffeine-free lifestyle. “Sometimes if I’m really tired and need to study I drink coffee, but otherwise I try to avoid it,” she said. “I don’t think I’ll ever drink it regularly, but on occasion I guess it can’t be that bad.”

Big Red’s Steaks serves up mediocre classic By Sara Barreau THE DAILY CARDINAL

Big Red’s Steaks, 610 University Avenue, serves up a traditional Philadelphia cheesesteak with ingredients brought in from Philly. The history of this sandwich, combined with the good-spirited competition over who makes it the best, is reason enough to order one up. Just try not to raise the bar too high. This cheesesteak has some major potential, but it doesn’t quite deliver the amount of ﬂavor a great cheesesteak should. The steak is tender and tasty, but the authentic Italian roll is a little dry. Big Red’s website says an authentic cheesesteak should be dripping in grease. Unfortunately, it isn’t. Add American cheese, provolone or cheese whiz for a gooey topping that tickles the taste buds. Other toppings include peppers, caramelized onions and mushrooms. The onions are delicious and add a great deal of ﬂavor. The peppers are, sadly, banana peppers from a can or jar. Fresh bell peppers on a grill would be a much nicer addition. Likewise, the mushrooms seem to come from a can and don’t add to the authenticity of the sandwich. Maybe this is what an authentic cheesesteak is supposed to taste like. If so, Philly can have their cheesesteak and eat it, too.

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY LORENZO ZEMELLA

When life hands Ariel a fridge full of tomatoes, she makes a salad ARIEL KRAUT sweet-n-sour kraut

hey say when life gives you lemons, you need to make lemonade. Well, this past week, no lemons came my way. Instead, I got tomatoes. It’s a funny story actually. A few weeks ago, I got a craving for some delicious, right-off-the-vine, plump tomatoes. Each week, I order my groceries online from Sentry on the Go, so I went to their website to see what my options were. I chose the ones I wanted, but when I had to enter the quantity, I was a little confused. It said that there were three or four tomatoes per vine, so I ordered two under the assumption that I would get six or eight tomatoes. When my groceries came, I rum-

maged through my bags only to discover that I had just two tomatoes to my name. It was so sad. The next week, I ordered some more food. This time, I attempted to outsmart the online grocery system, and I typed “4” in the quantity box, thinking that I would indeed get four tomatoes. This seemed logical to me at the time, since the last time I ordered two I got two. Oh, how wrong I was. The day my food was supposed to arrive, I stepped out of the elevator, happy to be home from class. I saw my neighbor at the end of the hallway. “You should make salsa with all those tomatoes,” she yelled over to me. Needless to say, I was curious as to what she meant. I knew my groceries came while I was gone, but receiving an abnormal amount of tomatoes was the least of my expectations. I nervously opened my refrigerator and shrieked in horror. Tomatoes were taking over the entire appliance!

They were literally everywhere. I tried to contain them to one produce drawer, but they fought me at all costs. I was forced to surrender my entire designated shelf to the 16 tomatoes that now belonged to me. What really killed me was that Sentry was getting the last laugh here. The masters of grocery may have ignored the obvious question: why would a student need 16 tomatoes, maybe she meant four. Still, I wasn’t about to let them ruin my week. Now that I had four whole vines of tomatoes, I felt a little lost. This was way too much for any normal person to handle, and something had to be done. However, in any standard lemon-to-lemonade situation, there is a lesson to be learned. And I’m going to be honest, I did learn some great lessons from my extreme tomato excess. Lesson No. 1: I learned to be more in touch with my culture. I’m not a very adventurous cook, and the microwave is usually my best

friend. But with all of these tomatoes, I ﬁgured I could make some delectable Israeli salad. I called my mom up for the recipe, and it turned out that some Mediterranean ﬂavor is just what I needed. This lemony goodness was a great way to connect myself with the Jewish homeland, and I was proud that I tried something new. Lesson No. 2: I learned what it means to be less wasteful. I was determined to use up all of these tomatoes if it was the last thing I did. I chopped them into my pasta, made tons of salads and sliced them up for snacks. I made sure I was as green as possible and did not let any of these precious vegetables end up in the garbage. I am now prepared for any food supply shortage that comes my way since I’m well versed in using all of a food’s parts. Lesson No. 3: I learned it is impossible to throw your tomatoes at others. In a sorry attempt, I tried to send tomatoes home with anyone

who set foot into my apartment. The tomatoes became a makeshift parting gift, like the losers get on “The Newlywed Game.” Sadly, there were no takers for this unbelievably rare prize. I learned that like our lemons, we cannot pass our tomatoes onto our friends—we’ve got to learn how to deal with our own problems. All in all, my tomatoes taught me a lot about responsibility. Although they were a burden, and they still are since I’m only halfway done with them, I enjoyed all of the learning experiences I endured on my quest to get rid of them. It was also a great conversation starter. So in conclusion, when life chucks some tomatoes at you like you’re a bad comedian in a seedy comedy club, make some tomato juice. If you feel like life is handing you nothing but Thanksgiving leftovers, ask Ariel for some tips to dish them out by e-mailing her at akraut@wisc.edu.

opinion 8

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Thursday, December 4, 2008

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

reconsider union south redesign

s members of the Wisconsin Union finalize design and budget plans for the new Union South project, the full scale of the project is becoming increasingly apparent. While using 40 percent of the university’s overall Master Plan budget, the new Union South design and plan has grandiose features, including a complete renovation of Orchard Street and an area to accommodate a future hypothetical train platform. Student segregated fees will account for up to 58 percent of the total cost of the project, according to the Wisconsin Union Initiative website. In the current climate of budget cuts and penny pinching, it would be prudent for those involved in the Union South redesign to save students money by scaling down some of the frivolities of the design. More importantly, students should not have to assume any of the financial burden that the Orchard Street renovation assumes. The Orchard Street area adjacent to Dayton Street would house a farmer’s market available to the public. While students would benefit from having these vendors available, they should not have to pay for it. The origi-

nal student ballot for the Union Initiative did not suggest at all having outdoor areas like those described on Orchard Street. The planners should either bind themselves to what the students voted for, a new building, or not use seg fees to pay for any of the outdoor areas not directly related to the services Union South provides.

It would be prudent to save students money by scaling down some of the frivolities of the design.

This editorial board supported the Union initiative under the assumption that the redesign would improve the building’s energy efficiency, upgrade technology and increase meeting space available to students. Although the Union South redesign is generally impressive and will appropriately accompany the spectacle of the new Center for Discovery across Johnson Street, the frivolous proposals in discussion must be shelved or funded by something other than student seg fees.

Restore the middle class ideal during recesssion JOSEPH KOSS opinion columnist

t’s official. The year 2008 has been officially declared a year of recession. On Friday, the National Bureau of Economic Research officially announced that the United States has been in an economic recession since December 2007. Funny, because as recent as late July, the White House explicitly stated, “we have avoided a recession.” The announcement resulted in a 680 point plunge in the Dow and a 9 percent loss in both the S&P and the NASDAQ indexes—erasing almost all the gains the market experienced over Thanksgiving break. At 12 months, the current contraction is already the longest since 1982, a 16-month slump that ended in November of that year, and exceeds the postwar average of 10 months. And while regional definitions of recession differ, the economies of both Europe and Japan fell into a slump in the second quarter of this year, making it the first simultaneous recession in all three regions during the post-WWII era. This year has also seen a loss of 1.2 million jobs through October, with a projected 325,000 more losses in November. Unemployment rates rose to 6.5 percent, the highest level in 14 years, according to Labor Department statistics. More than half the job losses have been in the last three months and many analysts now expect unem-

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ployment will reach 8 percent by the middle of next year. Earlier this summer, Paul Krugman of the New York Times predicted a prolonged L-shaped recession. To conceptualize this pattern, imagine an L balancing on the center point, with the short end depicting a precipitous decline and the long stem representing a prolonged recovery. Such a prediction came in opposition to the V-like pattern, suggesting a sharp decline followed by a quick recovery— which is supposed to be the norm in this “new economy.” If the current recession lasts a mere 5 months longer, which would be consistent with Fed and private forecasts, it would become the longest since the Great Depression. It is instructive and important to try to digest the full meaning of this extremely bleak outlook of our current collective path as a nation. For over 20 years we have mortgaged the long-term stability of our economy and our national well-being. In place of sound policy, tempered enthusiasm and pragmatic judgment, we embarked on a period of “irrational exuberance” not seen since the 1920s. Yet, despite all of the blatant, obnoxious problems currently within our purview, we seem to be falling into the same pitfall of ignoring our antecedents and instead looking for the ﬁrst scapegoat or magic pill within reach. Our current clusterfuck is not a result of any one oversight, deregulation, party or President, and our salvation will not be found in a $700 billion ﬁnancial bailout, $35 billion automotive bailout, $700 billion stimulus package or a prophetic presidential candidate. Instead, we need to start asking ourselves serious questions about how we view the role of government in our daily lives—from jobs to education, from public infrastructure to national defense. One of the most basic truths is that most of the working class is consciously, or rather deliberately, out of touch with its government. For many, all they want out of it is for their money, taxes and government institutions to work in ways that make life easiest and most ignorant

of anyone else’s needs. This egocentric style of living is becoming increasingly difficult, as the middle class continues to get squeezed. Along with job-loss numbers, it was also reported that only 32 percent of all unemployed people were drawing state benefit checks in October because of restricted eligibility for part-time workers and those employed long enough to qualify. More than half of all unemployed people drew benefits in the 1950s, and about 45 percent received state checks during the last recession in 2001. Shouldn’t we expect more? This summer, The New York Times documented the fall of “The Wage That Meant Middle Class,” referring to the percentage of the workforce making $20 an hour, which decreased from 23 percent in 1979 to 18 percent now. Taking into account inflation, $20 translates to $60 now, so not only did the actual number of people go down, but that bloc’s wages are worth a third of what they once were. Now merely add in the rising cost of health care because of inflation, and you see something depressing, disturbing and disgusting: Where the middle class emerged as the American ideal after the second world war, it is now in danger of phasing out. Since when did the middle class ideal extend beyond the neighborhood of economic contentment? In response, we need to ask if corporations exist merely to make enormous sums of money for a very few, or if their real purpose is to provide a living wage to the millions of Americans fostering the middle class ideal. Violent restructuring of our current miasma is not feasible, nor the answer, but acknowledging our systemic problems and establishing goals is within our capability. We must resurrect the American middle class to a lifestyle where individual wants do not take precedence over needs. I can only hope, regardless of the next few years, that this notion does not become overly optimistic or overly generous. I would like to remain optimistic, and eventually realistic. Joseph Koss is a junior majoring in secondary education in social studies. Please send responses to opinion@dailycardinal.com.

NUMBERS DON’T LIE: WORLDWIDE STOCK EXCHANGE LOSSES

680

Points the Dow dropped after the National Bureau of Economic Research announced an economic recession in the U.S.

Percent Paris and Frankfurt’s Benchmark Index dropped.

5.2

Percent London’s Financial Times Stock Exchange Index dropped.

DEADLINE: Dec. 15

4.6

Percent the Japanese stock market index, the Nikkei 225 Index dropped. Source: The Wall Street Journal

arts

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Thursday, December 4, 2008

What’s new Tom-cat? Jones’ age delivers little maturity to latest By Emma Roller

and “Never,” songs that sport the bitter tone of Motown wanTom Jones lives a life of adver- nabes through bursts of strings sity. How does one continue pro- and witchy backup vocals. ducing music for a career known The album decelerates less premainly for its significance to the dictably than expected over the fictional life of Carlton Banks? course of the final three songs. Despite sporting a massive dis- Although “The Hitter” is a textcography and more youth-ori- book ballad, Jones’ sharp growls ented songs, such as 1999’s “Sex blend equal parts Waits and Bomb,” Jones’ Springsteen to CD REVIEW tryst with popumake it the stronlarity has been gest song on the fickle at best. In album. Next, on 24 Hours, Jones’ “Seen That Face,” latest and 30th Jones inexplicably sounds more full-length album, like a spaced-out the crooner shows Bowie than any his perfected orga24 Hours nization of studio of the soul greats Tom Jones musician accomhe tries to imitate paniment but throughout the falls short trying to galvanize his rest of the album. career yet again. The eponymous track reveals His first track, ironically titled unexpected depth with the help “I’m Alive,” is a promising start of subtler strings and a shuffling, to the album. After the passably funerary beat. It ends with the energetic guitar and horn intro, line, “I had one more minute 24 Jones’ voice rips through like a hours ago.” Here, the sense of lion teaching his grandchildren urgency Jones has been trying to how to roar with dentures. cover up over the course of the On “We Got Love,” Jones album is finally exposed. reverts to his characteristically 24 Hours presents a kind of smooth lady-persuading vocals, temptation different from the but the accompaniment of echo- vixens of Jones’ past work: the ing strings and a just-tolerable Siren call of progress in the face bossa nova beat keep up the pace. of obsolescence. It’s not unusual. And no matter how much Jones tries to associate himself with the Stax Records period, the canned backing vocals and horns on “Give A Little Love” take away any credibility of Motown roots. After the cheese-oozing, tranceinducing plea, “The Road,” “In Style and Rhythm” snaps the album back to its original upbeat tempo but adds a twist with shuffling drums, forced-funk keyboards and sci-fi sound effects. Next is “Sugar Daddy,” which Jones readily admits is a joke song. When a singer is 68, a line like “I’ve got sexual ambition” tends to be less titillating than viscerally shocking to its listeners. Jones makes up for it, though, with the line, “Holy Schmoly! / I’m a oneman army / Yeah, a one man mob / I’m the McDaddy / You don’t PHOTO COURTESY S-CURVE RECORDS send a boy to do a man’s job.” No matter how much boast- Now, 43 years since his ﬁrst ing Jones can fit into a rhyme album release, Tom Jones’ latscheme, he shows his age and a est isn’t exactly putting the bit more maturity on “Seasons” “sex” in sexagenarian. THE DAILY CARDINAL

PHOTO COURTESY NEW LINE CINEMA

Along with Reese Witherspoon and the always-outrageous Vince Vaughn, “Four Christmases’” sports an ensemble cast that, despite its lack of quailty screen time, still sparkles like a Christmas tree ornaments.

Merry-less ‘Christmases’

The ﬂippantly funny Vince Vaughn and Reese Witherspoon pair up for a Christmas you wouldn’t wish on anyone. By Stephanie Oyer THE DAILY CARDINAL

“Four Christmases” is not your typical cheery holiday flick. Directed by Seth Gordon, it is a refreshingly lean comedy with a star-studded cast. Although the film starts out a little slow, Reese Witherspoon and Vince Vaughn make a nauseatingly perfect couple, and the movie provides a dose of light-hearted comedic entertainment. “Christmases” focuses on Kate (Witherspoon) and Brad (Vaughn), a blissful unmarried couple living in San Francisco who have shrewdly estranged themselves from their divorced parents, going as far as fabricating community service projects to shirk family celebrations every holiday. This year, to skip out on their family Christmases, the couple tell their divorced parents they will be breast-feeding orphans in Guatemala this Christmas, though their actual plan entails couples massages and a snorkeling excursion in Fiji. However, bad weather, a delayed flight and an impromptu news interview on TV squashes

the couple’s plans. Instead, they are forced to attend four family celebrations, all in one day. The family-packed day begins at Brad’s father’s (Robert Duvall) house, where Kate meets Brad’s professional wrestler brothers (Tim McGraw and Jon Favreau) who continually tackle Brad to the ground. The brothers seem borderline mute, though, and the movie could have beneﬁtted from a little more action from Jon Favreau.

‘Christmases’ is ripe with awkward family moments and embarrassing childhood stories.

The couple next visits Kate’s mom (Mary Steenburgen) who is dating the local evangelical pastor. After some awkward baby spit-up and a spontaneous Christmas pageant, the pair head over to Brad’s mother’s (Sissy Spacek) before ﬁnal-

ly winding down with a visit to Kate’s father (Jon Voight). “Christmases” is ripe with awkward family moments and embarrassing childhood stories that will makes audiences wince at times and laugh out loud in empathy at others. Introducing signiﬁcant others to your family is not always a fun thing (the main characters are borderline miserable for the entire 86 minutes), and “Christmases” capitalizes on this social discomfort with lots of comedy. Although the script is nothing astounding and could have beneﬁtted from more action from Voight, Spacek and Favreau, all of the characters serve to add a different component to the well-balanced comedic relief. Witherspoon’s subtle wit provides a surprisingly fresh counter to Vaughn’s ridiculous humor. For any fan of Vaughn’s bumbling humor who can relate to the sometimes all-too familiar embarrassing family interaction on the holidays, “Four Christmases” serves as a stress-free, good-humored holiday entertainment package. Grade: AB

Video games tend to make for ‘Payne’-ful ﬁlm adaptations KEVIN SLANE citizen slane

ack in October, Mark Wahlberg starred in the movie adaptation of the popular video game “Max Payne.” It was the story of a man doublecrossed and out for redemption, a plot that seemed perfect for adaptation. With Wahlberg providing the star power and video game fans providing the hypothetical box office revenue, the film seemed destined to be a hit. Unfortunately, the film’s producers forgot one of Hollywood’s cardinal rules: Video games are never successful as films.

“But Kevin,” you say, scratching your head, perplexed, “there must be some film that breaks the mold.” Without going into much detail, the simple answer is no. The closest exceptions to the rule are the “Tomb Raider” and “Resident Evil” movies, which can be easily explained by the sexy starlets playing leading roles in the films. Although critics slammed both films, “Tomb Raider” still made $274 million, managing to capitalize on millions of horny preteens who were willing to shell out six bucks to see Angelina Jolie slip into Lara Croft’s form-fitting, gray tank top. Likewise, “Resident Evil,” though based on one of the most successful video game franchises ever, probably owes more of its popularity to its star, Mila Jovovich, who wasn’t too hard on the eyes either, taking occa-

sional breaks from killing zombies to inexplicably dress in skimpy outfits. Beyond the aforementioned, T&A-heavy films, though, video games have not adapted well to films. Who can forget the “Super Mario Bros.” movie from the early ’90s? Well, everyone, actually. Who doesn’t remember sitting with friends watching Freddie Prinze Jr. fly his jet to glory in “Wing Commander?” Actually, statistics show that only three people ever saw “Wing Commander,” and they were all in the film. “Fatal Fury?” Pass. “Street Fighter?” Collegehumor.com did it better on a shoestring budget 13 years later. “Mortal Kombat?” Scorpion beckoned with his calls of “Get over here!” but no one heeded his call. At least no filmmakers have been asinine enough to continue mak-

ing these adaptations after suffering through one flop. Oh wait, I forgot about Uwe Boll, the much-maligned master of video game-to-film flops.

The ﬁlm’s producers forgot one of Hollywood’s cardinal rules: Video games are never successful as ﬁlms.

Boll has made “Alone in the Dark,” “House of the Dead,” “BloodRayne,” “In the Name of the King: A Dungeon Siege Tale” and “Postal,” with many others in the works. Boll utilizes a German tax shelter which encourages ﬁlm investors by giving them a 100 percent tax break on their investment. This

means that no matter how many times Boll loses money on his films (every time thus far), he can still make more and not go broke. Perhaps someday a good director will invest in a video game series and finally break the curse. The next chance for success is next February, when “Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun Li” hits theaters. Somehow the fact that it stars Black Eyed Peas’ singer Taboo as Vega doesn’t inspire much confidence, but hey, a video game fanatic can dream. If Disney can turn an amusement park ride into one of the most lucrative film franchises in history, I have faith someone will eventually break this curse too. Think these adaptations could be saved if Spielberg just signed on for “Zelda”? Send your dream adaptations to Kevin at kevslane@gmail.com.

comics 10

Most intense biological clock ever. A female ferret will die if it goes into heat and cannot ﬁnd a mate. dailycardinal.com/comics

Thursday, December 4, 2008

Brain Freeze

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 MOVE ALONG ACROSS

1 Easy hoop for a center 6 Cat scratch sources 11 Doberman sound 14 Informed 15 Member of a clone 16 Milne marsupial 17 Opie, at the lake, sometimes 19 Do sum math? 20 Makes tea the oldfashioned way 21 Amid the waves 23 Sweet-talked 26 Uses, as a mattress 27 Keenness of mind 28 Stop, as a liquid ﬂow (Var.) 30 “Ready or not, here I ___!” 31 When many workers return to the ofﬁce 32 Frequently, in poesy 35 Abstract sculptor Jean 36 Under, at the hospital 38 Single layer 39 “By the time I count to three” follower 40 TV beatnik Maynard G. ___ 41 Box for practice 42 Acts as king 44 Straight man? 46 Vehicle stickers

48 Lengths of service 49 Asteroids game company 50 Become tiresome to 52 “Ay, there’s the ___” 53 Favorite 58 “... ___ the cows come home” 59 Harding in 1994 headlines 60 Davis of “The Fly” 61 Boston-to-Nantucket dir. 62 Popeye’s creator E.C. 63 Businessman Perot DOWN

1 What a steamroller steamrolls 2 “Sands of ___ Jima” 3 Source of campaign spending 4 Annoying 5 Big name in chocolate 6 Reacted to a tearjerker 7 Certain Arctic Circle native 8 Big concert equipment 9 Itsy-bitsy 10 Like a baby’s peas 11 Aesop’s loafer 12 The bucking stops here 13 Japanese ﬁlm monster 18 Sharp as a tack 22 Sleuth, slangily

23 Chocolate-yielding tree 24 Cheek pouch morsel 25 It’ll help you get started 26 Broderick’s co-star in “The Producers” 28 Drives the point home? 29 “Daddy Day Care” extras 31 Yemen’s Gulf of ___ 33 Disabled vehicle alert 34 Amateurs 36 Mountain climbers, of a sort 37 Units of work 41 Major upset 43 “In one ___ and out the other” 44 Berlin mister 45 Just the right amount 46 Pub diversion 47 Notions holders 48 Golden Horde member 50 Karloff’s Chinese sleuth 51 Grammy winner for “A Day Without Rain” 54 Sturgeon output 55 “Chosen one” played by Keanu 56 Winning trio? 57 Dorm overseers, for short

Awkward Turtle

By Meg Anderson anderson4@wisc.edu

sports

dailycardinal.com/sports

Thursday, December 4, 2008

Men’s and Women’s Swimming

Wisconsin hopes to make a splash at Texas Invitational By Adam Loferski THE DAILY CARDINAL

The Wisconsin men’s and women’s swimming teams traveled Wednesday to Austin, Texas, to compete in the Texas Invitational, arguably their biggest meet of the season thus far. The meet, which begins Thursday, will be a true test for both teams. For the men, the season thus far has been one of give and take. After a dominating performance in their first meet against UWMilwaukee, the Badger men lost their next two dual meets against Iowa and No. 3 Arizona. After that short losing skid, the team bounced back against Big Ten opponent Northwestern. The Badgers put up a commanding performance, winning 12 of the 16 events. In many ways, the outcome of the Texas Invitational could greatly affect team morale for the rest of the season. Both of their losses this season have come on the road at dual meets. However, they will not be alone in hostile waters this week, as a total of eight teams will be competing in the invitational.

prevost from page 12 and sophomore forward Mallory Deluce on one of Wisconsin’s top lines, the freshman recorded a trio of assists in last Friday’s game against Minnesota State, including one on the game-winning goal. Prévost’s eight goals this year are also good for fourth most on the team. As the season has progressed, Prévost’s teammates have noticed her skills as well. “The other day, to stay onsides,

This should take some pressure off the Badger swimmers as the outcome will not be a straightforward win/loss scenario. “This meet is important to us,” Wisconsin men’s and women’s swimming head coach Eric Hansen said. “It’s our first really focused meet of the year, and we expect to be at our best.” While standout swimmers such as seniors Scott Rice and Kyle Sorenson may lead the team in experience, success in Texas will ultimately depend on a strong team effort. However, with the Badgers’ young freshman talent, working as a team should hardly be an issue. The road to Texas has been a different one for the women of Badger swimming. In dual meets, the Badgers have gone 3-1, with that only loss coming against No. 1 Arizona. Unlike the men, the women competed in an invitational early this season and took home fourth place. Despite their success this season, the Texas Invitational will still be a big test for the lady Badgers. To compete well in Texas, the women will have to stick with the

approach they’ve used all season, team work. Whether it is through relays or individual events, every Badger finds some way to contribute in every meet. As they usually do, the 200-yard medley relay team of sophomore Maggie Meyer, freshman Ashley Wanland, senior Christine Zwiegers and Beckie Thompson must jump start the Badgers in Texas. “It will give us a good indication of where we’re at,” Hansen said. “We don’t want to be at our best for the season at this meet, but it’s the prelude to our big training trip in January and our preparations for the NCAAs.” While the men may rely on senior leadership and freshman talent and the women may rely on allaround dominating performance, both teams also have another advantage on their side, their new suits. This week, both the men and women’s team will be sporting new BlueSeventy Nero suits. The design is similar to the one Michael Phelps wore in the 2008 Summer Olympics. Five world records were broken in November by swimmers wearing the Nero. With both teams coming off

she did a full-out split on the ice,” Duggan said. “You can tell she’s a martial arts specialist. I think she has a little extra edge from being in a [combat sport].” Aside from that physical edge, Prévost admits that taekwondo gives her a mental advantage when the puck drops. “International competition has taught me to stay focused,” Prévost said. “It helps me out, and it carries over to hockey.” More than anything, her teammates see Prévost’s work ethic

paying off at the rink. “She’s a great player. She battles hard,” Duggan said. “She’s a workhorse out there, and I think that comes from a lot of [her training] and what she’s been taught in taekwondo.” Despite all of her success, Prévost has tried to keep some of her accomplishments in martial arts under wraps, adding that some of her teammates are probably unaware that she is a fourthdegree black belt. “I didn’t know that she was actually a fourth-degree black belt until a couple of weeks ago,” Duggan said. “We’ve been making her show us some kicks in the locker room. There’s a video of her knocking some girl out. It’s pretty cool.” Prévost said that her proudest moment in taekwondo came when she represented Canada at the 2005 Junior Pan-American Taekwondo Championship. Earning a silver medal in individual competition, she helped the Canadian women to the overall team title. “I lost by one point in the finals, so that was kind of a bummer,” Prévost said. “But it was definitely a highlight.” As the Badgers look to make another deep postseason run this year, Prévost knows her experience on an international stage will come in handy. “Getting mentally focused for the big games is deﬁnitely easier,” she said. “You get [the same] mentality when you’re going into international [taekwondo] competition.” Though juggling multiple sports was never a problem growing up, playing college hockey has forced taekwondo to take a backseat for Prévost. “I’m actually [hoping] to join a club here soon, just on my off time,” she said. “I kind of miss it.”

KYLE BURSAW/CARDINAL FILE PHOTO

UW freshman forward Carolyne Prévost said her fourth-degree black belt skills in taekwondo have made her quicker and more agile on the ice.

basketball from page 12 Defensively, Virginia Tech senior guard Laura Haskins has earned a team-high 16 steals and has pulled in an impressive 29

total rebounds in the team’s first six games. “Every game is the biggest game of the year … We’re not going to make excuses, we’re going to get it done,” Wisconsin head

coach Lisa Stone said. “They’re tired right now. We’ll have a light walk-through tomorrow and get ready for Virginia Tech.” Last year’s Challenge ended in the favor of the ACC as it topped

PHOTO COURTESY UWBADGERS.COM

Wisconsin sophomore backstroker Jesse Stipek and the Badgers will be competing in the Texas Invitational, which kicks off today. big wins against Northwestern and sporting new suits, the men and women of Badger swimming have high hopes entering the Texan water. However, they will

protection from page 12 eye. However, while the Michael Vicks of the world get their just desserts, a majority of the players in the NFL just want to live normal lives. Take, for example, Houston Texans defensive back Dunta Robinson. In September of last year, Robinson was robbed at gunpoint in his own home. The 26year-old recently spoke to ESPN about his horrifying experience. “It was a Saturday. I’m watching college football on my couch. I look up, and guys are barging into my house, pushing guns in my face,” Robinson said. “I’m young. I have money. I have what they want. I deﬁnitely felt targeted, just like everyone in my position is a target.” For Jacksonville running back Fred Taylor, it is the lack of safety and perhaps hypocrisy on the part of the NFL that led him to owning a gun. “League ofﬁcials tell us we need to take measures to protect ourselves. But the NFL says we can’t have guns in the facility, even in the parking lot,” Taylor said to ESPN. “Crooks know this. They can just sit back and wait for us to drive off, knowing we won’t have anything in our vehicle from point A to point B.”

With Taylor’s death and Burress’ recent trouble it is clear that something needs to be done.

While most think it is the job of the NFL to protect its players— something that athletes obviously feel the league isn’t doing—it is the Big Ten 8-3. Wisconsin picked up one of the losses as it dropped its road game to Virginia 84-60. The last time the Hokies and the Badgers met was in the

have to be at their best to overcome the tough competition that awaits them down South. —uwbadgers.com contributed to this report. the responsibility of the players to act with humility and not ﬂaunt their position in society, especially in this time of economic crisis.

There are many people out there who do notice such athletes, and their intent is anything but honorable.

“Right now, who is better to target than an athlete? Bankers are losing jobs. Real estate gurus are losing jobs,” said Redskins running back Clinton Portis. “Wall Street is losing jobs. Lots of people getting humble, but an athlete’s money is constant.” The fact remains: Many players are turning to guns as a means for protection, and while they have a right to do so, there seems to be a good amount of paranoia involved as well. So what is the proper solution? How do cases like this end better? There is no viable solution and one can only hope that players with guns use them responsibly. “I would never use a weapon in the wrong way or look for trouble. But I’ll tell you this: I will protect my house,” Robinson said. “My gun deﬁnitely makes me feel a little safer.” It is a hot topic and the debate will never be settled, but at least in the cases of these athletes and many others, owning a gun—and using it responsibly—has finally given them the security they need. Do you think professional athletes are more likely to be targets of criminal acts because they are in the national spotlight? E-mail your thoughts to Nate at ncarey@wisc.edu. 1998 NCAA tournament when Virginia Tech upset the then-No. 24 Wisconsin squad 75-54. Tipoff will be at 6 p.m. at the Kohl Center and will be broadcast on bigtennetwork.com.

sports 12

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Thursday, December 4, 2008

NFL players possess guns for safety reasons

Women’s Hockey

NATE CAREY sports magnate

ANNA STONEHOUSE/CARDINAL FILE PHOTO

little over a year has passed since the unfortunate death of Washington Redskins’ strong safety Sean Taylor to a fatal gunshot wound. Most know the story, but for those who don’t, Taylor was recuperating from a football injury in his Palmetto Bay, Fla., home when an armed robber shot him in the leg, hitting his femoral artery. A day later, on Nov. 27, 2007, Taylor died at a local hospital. Taylor’s death sent a sobering effect throughout the NFL, and it is regrettable it took the death of an extremely talented football player to open both players’ and the public’s eyes to the other side of sports.

Wisconsin freshman forward Carolyne Prévost has eight goals and seven assists this season for the Badgers.

Prévost throws it down By Brandon Storlie THE DAILY CARDINAL

Undefeated through 18 games, the Wisconsin women’s hockey team has been doing major damage to both the stat sheets and the record books this season. But one particular Badger packs a punch both on and off the ice. In addition to mixing it up for her country on both the national and international ice surfac-

es, freshman forward Carolyne Prévost has been known to throw down on occasion—literally. A native of Sarnia, Ont., Prévost is a fourth-degree black belt in taekwondo, winning four Canadian national titles before coming to the UW. Though not an overly physical player, Prévost is well aware of the advantage taekwondo has given her on the ice.

“Taekwondo [involves] a lot of footwork,” she said. “It actually made me a better hockey player. It’s so much [about] speed and agility [that] it carried over to the ice.” That speed and agility is paying statistical dividends for Prévost this season. Playing beside junior forward Meghan Duggan prevost page 11

It is the responsibility of the players to act with humility and not ﬂaunt their position in society.

The fact is that professional athletes not only bathe in the spotlight on Sundays, but are easily picked out among the masses in everyday life. Everyone has had the experience of it, walking to class and spotting your favorite basket-

ball or football player, and most of you probably haven’t thought much of it at all. However, there are many people out there who do notice such athletes, and their intent is anything but honorable. Plaxico Burress, the star wide receiver of the New York Giants, was suspended Tuesday for the rest of the season after he accidentally shot himself in the leg last weekend at a Manhattan nightclub.

The fact remains: many players are turning to guns as a means for protection.

Burress is now facing three years in state prison for each of two counts of illegal weapons possession. While Burress should and will be prosecuted for illegally carrying a weapon, the fact remains that NFL players have to be able to protect themselves, although hopefully guns aren’t the only answer or option to which these athletes have to turn. But with Taylor’s death and Burress’ recent trouble it is clear that something needs to be done. Most players who get in trouble either in gun ﬁghts or bar brawls seem to have caused the trouble in the ﬁrst place, and are generally perceived that way in the public protection page 11

Women’s Basketball

Wisconsin hopes to extend win streak tonight as it hosts Virginia Tech By Alex Lugo THE DAILY CARDINAL

After an exciting 71-69 doubleovertime win over the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee earlier this week, the Wisconsin women’s basketball team (6-1) will host Virginia Tech in the Big Ten/ ACC Challenge Thursday night in hopes of extending its winning streak to six. Although the Hokies (5-1) have maintained solid defense so far this season, limiting their opponents to 56.5 points per game and just 37.1 percent shooting from the field, the Badgers will look to keep their offense as sharp as in the overtime against Milwaukee. “I feel like we wear Wisconsin really well on our chest and we fight for it every single day,” freshman guard Jade Davis said. “We all have each other’s back … At the end, everyone was in there rebounding and doing what they

had to do to get that win.” Wisconsin sophomore guard Alyssa Karel leads Wisconsin’s offense with an average of 12.4 points per game, and scored 11 against UW-Milwaukee. Sophomore forward Tara Steinbauer also added 11 while junior guard Rae Lin D’Alie led the team with eight rebounds. The offense has also shown signs of improvement protecting the ball, allowing only 16 turnovers Tuesday. “I’m really proud of the team,” said junior forward Mariah Dunham, who scored a teamhigh 16 against UW-Milwaukee. “I’ve never been on a team that’s focused so much on the team. We’re all together like coach Stone said, it doesn’t matter who starts, it doesn’t matter who plays. As long as we get the win.” Coming off wins against Baylor, Villanova and Central Florida at the Paradise Jam Tournament last

week, the Badgers will face a strong Virginia Tech offense. “Every game is the biggest game of the year ... We’re not going to make excuses, we’re going to get it done.” Lisa Stone head coach UW Women’s Basketball

Virginia Tech is led by junior guard Lindsay Biggs, who averages 13.2 points per game. She has gone 10-of-25 from beyond the arc this season and has 23 assists. Junior forward Utahya Drye is averaging 6.2 rebounds per game for the Hokies and has also handed out 19 assists through six games. Drye has already hit double figures scoring five times. basketball page 11

Player of the week: TRÉVON HUGHES

HUGHES

Sport: Basketball Position: Guard Year: Junior Points: 97 Assists: 15

Hughes leads UW in scoring and registered 12 points against Virginia Tech Monday night, hitting the game-winning shot. He also led the Badgers with 16 points against UWMilwaukee Saturday.

KYLE BURSAW/THE DAILY CARDINAL

Wisconsin junior guard Teah Gant and the Badgers hope to extend their winning streak to six games in their game against Virginia Tech tonight.

Player of the week: ALYSSA KAREL

KAREL

Sport: Basketball Position: Guard Year: Sophomore Points: 87 Assists: 36

Karel registered a team-high 15 points and hit the game-winning shot as the team rallied past then-No. 6 Baylor and earned the Paradise Jam title. Karel also contributed 11 points when the Badgers defeated UW-Milwaukee Tuesday.