Thursday, January 22, 2009 - The Daily Cardinal by The Daily Cardinal

FAMILY MIXER: When parents drink with students on visits, does it exacerbate the binge-drinking problem? FEATURES

University of Wisconsin-Madison

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BUSY BANKS TALKS LIFE, ACTING IN HOLLYWOOD Rising star Elizabeth Banks’ comedic timing has her busier than ever on the big screen.

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By Grace Urban THE DAILY CARDINAL

LORENZO ZEMELLA THE DAILY CARDINAL

Box truck ignites near WID construction site THE DAILY CARDINAL

The Madison Fire Department responded to a call from the Wisconsin Institutes for Discovery construction site on campus Wednesday morning after a truck containing waterproofing materials lit on fire and caused traffic problems on University Avenue. The incident took place at 11:35 a.m. at the construction site at 333 �N. Orchard St., near University Avenue. According to a statement released by the Madison Fire Department, the estimated damage to the truck is approximately $70,000. Traffic started forming at the site and trailed back to East Campus Mall.

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Thursday, January 22, 2009

State may see billions in beneﬁts from federal economic stimulus bill

Madison firefighters extinguished flames from a construction truck on the corner of Orchard Street and University Avenue Wednesday morning.

By Beth Pickhard

ARTS

Officers cleared the traffic shortly after the incident occurred, but some students said they had to get off their buses and walk to class. “When firefighters arrived from station four they observed the truck with a �lot of fire coming from the vehicle,” said Lt. Bradley Olson of the Madison Fire Investigation Division. According to Bernadette Galvez, officer of public information for the �MFD, firefighters saw flames over 10 feet high when they �arrived. Construction workers warned the firefighters of hazardous materials in the back of the �truck such as propane, gasoline and various waterproofing materials. Olson said the officials were effi-

cient in attending to the situation. “They were essentially told that there were hazardous chemicals inside,” he said. “They asked for some additional resources and they were able to extinguish the fire within 10 minutes of their arrival.” The officials who responded to the situation determined no one �was injured in the incident, and the cause is currently unknown. “From our perspective, we’re going to try and find out how the fire started,” Olson said. Madison Fire Investigators are currently investigating the incident in collaboration with the UW Police Department.

Since Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives released a draft of the economic stimulus package last week, there has been increasing speculation regarding its potential effect on Wisconsin and higher education. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Bill of 2009 is an attempt to “keep the recession from turning into a depression,” said Ellis Brachman, spokesperson for U.S. Rep. David Obey, D-Wis. Obey is the chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, which released the stimulus proposal. State Budget Director Dave Schmiedicke estimated Tuesday that Wisconsin could receive about $2.5 billion of the stimulus money. The House’s bill would include total spending of $825 billion. “We will see some changes [to the bill], but it will probably stay mostly the same,” Brachman said. In the draft, $79 billion is included in the package as state ﬁscal relief to prevent “cutbacks to key services,” $39 billion of which will go to school districts and public colleges and universities. In addition, the package includes $15.6 billion to increase the maximum Pell Grant, a form of need-based ﬁnancial aid, by $500

and includes $6 billion to improve infrastructure at universities. Any specifics attached to the bill by the federal government will alter exactly how the package will affect the UW System. UW System spokesperson David Giroux said it is too soon to speculate exactly how much money the system will receive, but added, “The most important news for students is people are talking seriously about financial aid.” Although there is no denying the stimulus will help fill in the projected $5.4 billion state budget deficit for the 2009-’11 biennium, the bill is not in its final form, and the question of exactly how much money Wisconsin will receive remains open. “I think the most important part of the package is the level of money being spread across the states,” said state Rep. Mark Pocan, D-Madison, co-chair of the Joint Committee on Finance. Jim Bender, spokesperson for state Rep. Jeff Fitzgerald, RHoricon, said a problem with the bill is it is simply postponing the budget problem. “The downside is that it’s a one time influx of cash,” Bender said. “If we don’t adjust spending, we will be creating a hole in the next budget.”

Standing for immigration reform

ASM sets date for student vote on constitution By Rory Linnane THE DAILY CARDINAL

UW-Madison students will have the opportunity to vote on a new Associated Students of Madison constitution Feb. 17-18, pending approval by the ASM Student Judiciary. The Constitutional Committee and Student Election Committee previously worked together to set a date. Constitutional Committee chair Jeffrey Wright said they originally set two dates for ﬁnancial reasons, but he would try to secure a third. Students have organized multiple get-out-the-vote efforts. The SEC plans to assign ASM representatives to oversee get-out-the-vote efforts in speciﬁc sections of campus. The ASM Outreach Committee is also working on educating students about the constitution and encouraging them to vote. According to Wright, these efforts use ASM funds to operate, but do not encourage a “yes” vote on the constitution.

Students for ASM Reform, an organization made up of members of student organizations and ASM members, will be encouraging a “yes” vote but will not use ASM funds. According to Wright, there are no designated leaders of the organization, but meetings are held weekly and collectively. The organization will focus on off-campus voters. “It’s a target population often missed,” Student Services Finance Committee chair Kurt Gosselin said. Wright said Students for ASM Reform is working to build endorsements and will go door to door to encourage students to vote for the constitution. “On the days of [the vote], we’re going to be foot soldiers off campus, turning out the vote,” Wright said. The group will also encourage “yes” votes on campus. Gosselin said ASM is not allowed to do so in the residence halls because of housing non-partisan campaigning rules.

At the ASM meeting, Wright encouraged members to educate students about the constitution. “The vast majority of students certainly have not read the constitution,” he said. “Reach out to your constituents. That’s your duty, and this is easily the most important thing that we’re going to be doing this year.” ASM members continue to work on bylaws for the constitution, and Wright said they plan to bring those that are completed to the Student Council at their next meeting. Academic Affairs Chair Chris Tiernan said at the meeting this year’s ASM Book Swap saved students over $10,000. According to Tiernan, students turned in 626 books, and over half of them were sold at 70 percent of the price at which the University Book Store would have sold them. Former ASM Chief Justice Sol Grosskopf was elected Campus Safety Initiative Coordinator by a vote of 11-0-7 at Wednesday’s meeting.

CHARLIE BAKER/THE DAILY CARDINAL

Alex Gillis, co-founder of the Immigrant Workers Union, speaks in front of the state Capitol as part of the kickoff of the 100 Days for Immigration Reform campaign. The press conference was held by the IWU, which plans to educate communities about immigration and work toward new immigration-reform legislation.

“…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, January 22, 2009

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MATT HUNZIKER his dark matterials

riends, brothers and sisters, hello and welcome to the new year. It’s an honor and a pleasure to be standing here before you this morning, just a few days after we celebrated the memory of a great man, a man who, in sharing his dream with this nation, helped bring it closer to reality. I’d like to begin today by admitting that, growing up, I never fully appreciated the importance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, that I mostly just looked forward to having another day off of school. Recently, though, I realized that that great man reminded me of someone else, someone from our own time, with an uncommon vision of his own. The person who I’m talking about, my fellow citizens, is me. Understand, my intent isn’t to compare the two of us as people. I

Board of Directors Vince Filak Alex Kusters Mikhail Hanson Nik Hawkins Dave Heller Janet Larson Chris Long Alex Morrell Sheila Phillips Benjamin Sayre Jenny Sereno Terry Shelton Jeff Smoller Jason Stein

By Ryan Hebel THE DAILY CARDINAL

UW-Madison junior Mark Woulf unveiled his platform for Madison’s District 8 alder race last night in the Humanities Building, focusing on underage-drinking policies, studenttenant rights and green energy. Woulf, 20, said his number-one issue is student safety, especially regarding underage drinking. He also wants to make sure Madison police deal with the issue realistically. “We’re not going to prevent underage drinking ... What we need to do now is look for ways to keep the students safe when they drink,” Woulf

DoIT ofﬁcials warn students of scam WiscMail messages

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haven’t dedicated my life to the cause of civil rights, nor am I a religious man. And as far as sit-ins go, I’ve never organized so much as a dinner reservation [pause for laugh]. No, I only make this point because I too have a dream, one that I’d like to share with you. I know that it might sound a little farfetched or idealistic, but that’s never stopped any of history’s greatest dreamers, and I’m not going to let it stop this one. My friends, I have a dream that one day, people will be judged, not by the color of their skin or the content of their character, but instead by the magnetic chip that is surgically implanted into their brain stem at birth. Speaking of dreams, this has always been one of my favorite times of year. People begin this month with newfound resolve and optimism. They resolve to be better people, to live harmoniously with their neighbors. They are optimistic about the future and hope for a better tomorrow, perhaps one in which I will preside over all of you as The Puppet Master, benevolent and immortal, maintaining order and

brotherhood by administering incapacitating bursts of psychic pain. As I approached the podium earlier, I saw this kind of optimism on the faces of all of you. But as I look over the crowd now, I also see doubt, and maybe even confusion. Let me just say that I share your feelings. Our country and its citizens, and indeed, people all over the world, are undergoing tough times right now. Many Americans have lost their jobs, and all of us know someone who has been directly affected by this recession, or by the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. In times like these it can be difﬁcult to hope for better, but hope we must [bang ﬁst on podium for emphasis here]. For if we are ever going to see a future of peace—in which prejudice and strife are no more than unpleasant memories, waiting to be deleted by government PsychSquadrons, then we must all work together to make this a reality. One of this nation’s greatest ideas is something we all call the “American dream,” the idea that, with all of our

individual hopes and aspirations, we can share one greater dream together as a country. If we asked around right now, I’m sure we’d hear different dreams from everyone. Maybe you dream of one day raising a family. Maybe you dream of an omnipresent shadow government with access to sophisticated methods of mind control or that, years from now, you might retire and be converted into a form of lowcost rocket fuel. And maybe, just maybe, you want your children, and your children’s children, to have that same opportunity. Whatever that dream is, keep it alive. No matter how difﬁcult times may get, dream a little dream. And never lose hope that one day, maybe not too long from now, all of us will come together—not just as citizens of the United States of America, but as citizens of the OneState. And on that day, ladies and gentlemen, we will all be united in living the same dream. My dream. Does anyone have any questions? E-mail Matt at hunziker@wisc.edu

Woulf directs platform toward students

Editorial Board Dave Heller Alex Morrell Jon Spike Gabe Ubatuba Hannah Young

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The 21st-century ‘I Have a Dream’ speech

Volume 118, Issue 76

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Members of UW-Madison’s Division of Information Technology are asking students to be aware of potential WiscMail scams. The DoIT ofﬁce posted a link on the main WiscMail page Tuesday reminding students not to trust e-mails asking for passwords and login names. Brian Rust, director of communications for DoIT, said the office sees dozens of scams each week and it is impossible to determine the exact number. “Scammers are far more sophisticated now than they were,” Rust said. “Messages are targeted to individuals rather than groups.” According to Rust, it is hard to detect whether someone has broken into an individual’s account. “We monitor suspicious activity. But if an individual turns over their NetID and password, and we find out about it, we close [the individual’s] access until the password is changed,” he said. DoIT is urging students to be on the lookout for potential scam emails and Facebook viruses. For questions or concerns, contact DoIT at 264-3648.

said. According to Woulf, one major problem is that underage students have nowhere to go on weekends, which leads to binge drinking at house parties and in residence halls. “Bars must open their doors to 18- to 20-yearolds,” Woulf said. WOULF Woulf said he would encourage bar owners to buy entertainment licenses, so they could

permit minors without serving them alcohol, and bring in live entertainment to attract them. Although the licenses cost $250 per year, Woulf said bar owners could charge cover fees and make up the loss. Woulf also spoke about studenttenant rights and proposed setting a new mandatory date for renewing leases so students could wait until after winter break to consider re-signing. “We’re forced to tell a lot of apartment buildings … whether or not we’re returning in October. That’s ridiculous,” Woulf said.

Woulf said he would also like to create a small claims court specifically for tenants and landlords to settle disputes over security deposits, property damage and maintenancerelated issues. “Basically what I’m fighting against is the outrageous fines and fees that come out of these very tedious leases,” Woulf said. Woulf joins Bryon Eagon, Katrina Flores and Jacob Schmidt as candidates for the District 8 alder position. The current alder, Eli Judge, will be leaving the position this spring.

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Thursday, January 22, 2009

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

theater closing a sad inevitability

s a result of the difficult economic times, the Madison Repertory Theatre may take its final bow at the end of January. Unless the professional theater company can raise $50,000 before the start of February, the 40year-old company will be forced to close its doors.

Rather than donating to keep three shows around a few more days, give your extra cash to a charity.

The recent plea for funds follows what has already been a difficult time for the Repertory Theatre. Six of the 13 employees have already been let go due to budget constraints. Still, the company would like to finish its final three shows. “In the end, the theater is for the community ... we want to do shows,” said Repertory

Executive Committee Member Jon Furlow. As unfortunate as it is to say, the Madison Repertory Theatre is yet another casualty of fine arts that cannot withstand the recession. Even though Mayor Dave Cieslewicz may receive a large amount of funds for public projects, financing the Theatre would not create enough jobs or fit a necessary function to receive city financing. Barring a large-scale donation from a major philanthropist, the Madison Repertory Theatre looks to be on its way out. Rather than donating to keep three shows around a few more days or weeks, give your extra cash to a charity that supports others who are struggling during the economic recession. Although the arts should not be ignored completely, the recession demands us to pick our battles carefully. The Madison Repertory Theatre brough excellent performances to Madisonians for 40 years. Hopefully it will be revived through a private beneficiary in the near future.

The armed groups that are perpetuating the violence generate over $100 million each year by trading in the following three minerals: tin, tungsten and tantalum. Each one of these minerals is required in the manufacturing of our electronic products. Tin is used as a solder on circuit boards inside cell phones and laptops and 10 percent of tin ore comes from the eastern Congo. Tungsten is used to make cell phones and Blackberries vibrate, and it is a growing source of income for armed groups. Lastly, tantalum is used to store electricity in iPods, digital cameras and cell phones, and 15 percent comes from the Congo.

Inauguration odyssey reveals grand message JOE KOSS opinion columnist

awoke Monday thinking it was going to be like most Mondays. I had a full day planned and slept in a little longer than I had wanted. I had went to bed thre previous night reading “The Alchemist,” a book by Brazilian author Paulo Coelho, and tried to get my mind off a girl currently on a research grant in Brazil. I ended up being enveloped, reading 100 pages into the book before I fell asleep. The book is about omens and following your “Personal Legend.” I went to bed dreaming about ideas of personal legends. Before I got going the next day, I did my regular routine of scouting The New York Times and reading an academic blog I like. A post got my attention. On Sunday, Pete Seeger sang, along with his cousin and Bruce Springsteen, Woody Guthrie’s great American ballad “This Land is Your Land.” However, instead of censoring the last stanza due to its political nature, Pete, at 89 years of age, and barely singing, suddenly got a grin from ear to ear, and loudly, proudly, belted out this verse:

LETTER TO THE EDITOR: Stand against tech companies to save Congo The ongoing conflict in the eastern Congo is undeniably the deadliest since WWII. Over 5.4 million people have died as a result of the ongoing war; upwards of 200,000 women have been raped and sexually tortured, and the violence is worsening today. Every month, 45,000 more Congolese—half of them children—die from hunger, preventable disease and other consequences of violence and displacement. This is a war over resources, over minerals that are used in almost every electronic device in the world. Products we all use on a daily basis—cell phones, laptops, digital cameras and iPods—are part of what is fueling this conflict.

As consumers of these products, we can make it our responsibility to ensure that the manufacturers do not use conflict minerals. The beginning steps of this process are to write letters, e-mails and/or send faxes to the biggest buyers of these minerals—major electronics companies—and demand better. For templates and more information, please visit www. raisehopeforcongo.org or helpthecongo.blogspot.com. Thank you for your time, —Erika Kramer Majoring in Sociology/ Communication Arts UW-Madison student

“In the squares of the city—In the shadow of the steeple / Near the relief ofﬁce—I see my people / And some are grumblin’ and some are wonderin’ / If this land’s still made for you and me.” The sight and words stayed with me as I began my day. Suddenly, I realized Woody was talking to me, telling me to heed this omen. I thought, “Why am I not in Washington, D.C?” It was 12:30 p.m. After calling a friend, we loaded up my temperamental ‘92 and made the mad dash on mostly Hwy 80, 14 hours and 850 miles away, fueled by a sense of adventure, purpose and boyish chutzpah.

After calling a friend, we loaded up my temperamental ‘92 and made the mad dash, fueled by a sense of adventure, purpose and boyish chutzpah.

We left at 3:30 p.m. By 8:30 a.m. the following morning we were two of over two million people converging on Library Mall. It is hard to describe the scene. The general Library Mall area stretches from the Capitol building on one end to the Lincoln Memorial on the other. The reﬂection pool and other monuments to presidents and wars scatter the landscape. The area is almost 2.5 miles long and half a mile wide. It was ﬁlled with people shoulder to shoulder, all on the same pilgrimage. We came from places far and wide. We came for reasons we maybe didn’t quite know of. But we came and we stood in the cold for hours to hear the swearing-in of a new president. President Obama’s words rang with conviction this cold January day: “Our challenges may be new. The instruments with which we meet them may be new. But those values upon which our success depends—hard work and honesty, courage and fair play, tolerance and

curiosity, loyalty and patriotism— these things are old. These things are true ... This is the meaning of our liberty and our creed—why men and women and children of every race and every faith can join in celebration across this magniﬁcent Mall, and why a man whose father less than sixty years ago might not have been served at a local restaurant can now stand before you to take a most sacred oath.” Could we have come for those short 15 minutes, where President Obama laid out our problems and challenged us to meet them with courage and determination? I can’t help but think no. I could have heard those words on TV. Why did two men, on a whim, drive almost 14 hours through the night to witness this event? I slept less than a total of six hours and spent roughly 12 hours actually in Washington D.C. I still don’t know why. Flanked by monuments to the great men of American history: Washington, Lincoln, Jefferson and FDR; and by somber tributes to the fallen heroes of our longest wars: World War II, Korea and Vietnam, I know I felt something on that mall. A palpable feeling, a hope that, with luck, will spring eternal. I felt the progress start toward being one nation again— Indivisible, with Liberty and Justice for All. A land for you and me. I don’t know how “The Alchemist” ends; I haven’t ﬁnished it yet. I have no doubt President Obama is following his personal legend. And maybe I learned something about mine these past two days. But I have a sneaking suspicion that it ends much like it started, with a boy taking two stones, one black, one white, one representing yes, one representing no, and realizing that each decision in life provides a choice, and it is up to us to make the most of it. Joe Koss is a junior majoring in secondary education in social studies. Please send responses to opinion@dailycardinal.com.

featuresstudent life 4

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Thursday, January 22, 2009

Cheers for the entire family Students on campus may consider drinking a set part of their leisure time. But when visiting parents drink with their kids, is it harmless, good-natured fun, or does it perpetuate Wisconsin’s binge drinking problem further? Story by David Hottinger

arents and binge drinking. Probably two aspects of life most students like to keep separated. But in the hazy twilight between youth and adulthood, and particularly in Wisconsin, the two often mix in surprising, sometimes humorous ways. Father and son reconnect over a shared love of Schlitz and towering beer bongs. The state of Wisconsin, UWMadison in particular, catches a lot of ﬂak for its habit of tipping the elbow, as evidenced by the invectives appearing in local newspapers. It is commonly agreed alcohol consumption is a problem, albeit a usually enjoyable one. Many experts opine that adding parents into the equation only exacerbates problem-drinking habits by providing students with mom and pop’s seal of approval. However, for those who feel drinking is a part of life in Wisconsin, parental participation is necessary to teach ﬁrst-time sippers responsible drinking behavior.

Graphics by Joanna Mooney

In many states, Wisconsin included, it is legal for children under the age of 21 to consume alcohol at home with their parents. But the Badger State takes things a step further. Chapter 125, Section 7 of Wisconsin statutory law makes it unlawful for anyone under 21 years of age to possess or consume alcoholic beverages on licensed premises “unless accompanied by a parent, guardian, or spouse who has attainted the legal drinking age.” For underage UW-Madison students, this has traditionally been taken to mean that when the parents come to town for a visit, drinks, in addition to dinner, are on them. UW-Madison junior Abbey Otteson ﬁrst heard of this clause shortly after arriving in town her freshman year. Ever since, when her parents visit her from the Twin Cities they will typically treat her to a beer if they are out at a restaurant. “My dad is originally from Wisconsin,” Otteson said. “So every year they’ll come down for a football game or two. My dad really gets

into it.” Badger fan status and legal permissibility notwithstanding, what Otteson’s parents do not get into is the gameday binge drinking scene. This, in turn, serves to temper Otteson’s gameday drinking. “My dad might have a beer or two at the tailgate,” Otteson said. “But they’re not very heavy drinkers. Usually, when my parents come it’s the one game I don’t drink [before].” Otteson may not be alone in curbing her suds consumption when her parents come to town. However, for born-and-bred Wisconsinites, it’s often a different story. Residents of the state have long been known for their beer-drinking tradition, perpetuated in part by long, cold winters. And although a casual Pabst here and there may be harmless, there is a reason it is sold in packs of 30 in Wisconsin. According to a Nov. 16, 2008 New York Times article, Wisconsin has led the nation in binge drinking

ever since the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention began surveying the practice 10 years ago. Add in some lenient drinking laws, and it may amount to a recipe for alcohol-induced disaster. “When there’s a pervasive statewide culture connecting drinking to virtually every leisure activity, coupled with lenient laws concerning consequences of drinking, then it’s no surprise that the state and the university have the highest drinking rates and binge drinking rates in the country,” said Aaron Brower, a UWMadison professor of social work. Brower, who studies alcohol use on college campuses, believes when children are allowed into bars to see their parents drink heavily with them, it serves to perpetuate drinking culture. “When kids see adults overdrink and then act stupid, they emulate that,” he said. “The law in Wisconsin that allows underage students to drink with parents in bars only encourages the expectation to drink, as if drinking is simply ‘what you do’ when you go out.” On a campus where the question of “Are you going out tonight?” often equates to “Are you drinking tonight?” drinking in excess is very much ‘what you do.’ The university’s administration has long tried to combat the school reputation as a party (read: drinking) campus. Understandably, such efforts are met by students with scorn, yet often the school ofﬁcials have students’, and the state’s, best interests in mind. Although everyone may be expected to go a little wild in college, the worry in Wisconsin is that such behavior will not end at graduation. According to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, Wisconsin drivers are more likely to drive drunk than any other drivers in the nation and receive what some consider inexcusably light penalties for it. Likewise, Wisconsin has the highest number of drunk-driving deaths per capita. But Wisconsin natives contend the state gets a bad rap. At least that is how sophomore Mollie Riley feels. Riley, now 20, had her ﬁrst drink with her mom at a Green Bay bar when she was 17, but rather than creating problems, she thinks it helped her learn to drink responsibly. “No one should wait [to drink] until they are 21 and then go all out and die,” Riley said. Although

she agrees drinking is ‘what you do’ when out in Wisconsin, Riley said it is important therefore that children are introduced to drinking culture under the watchful eye of a parent and not some hormonestricken undergraduate with ulterior motives. “When my mom comes in town, we’ll go out and I’ll have maybe three drinks, casually,” Riley explained. “We’re not out there getting drunk or anything.” Riley admits she drinks more when her mom is not around, but she credits her mother with setting a good example for how to drink responsibly. An interesting aspect of the Wisconsin law allowing underaged drinking with parents is that it does not set a lower bound. In practice, the state leaves it up to the bartender’s discretion to serve a minor or not. However, an even grayer area of the law is its application to those between the ages of 18 and 21. “Technically, if you are 18 or older, you don’t have a legal guardian,” UWPD Sgt. Erik Pearce said. According to Pearce, those between the ages of 18 and 21 are “not necessarily covered by the clause” just because they are with their parents. “But even that is complicated if you are a student and still listed as a dependent,” he continued. What’s more, Wisconsin law defines “accompanied” as something more than the parent or guardian simply being in the same establishment as their child. Pearce, who is regularly on duty at Camp Randall on gameday, said the legal haziness works in everyone’s favor. “If you’re not acting like an idiot, we’ll usually let you be,” Pearce said. “We just never want a situation where the officer’s hands are tied.” And while that often means collegeaged minors are able to drink with parents, it also means that officers have the ability to crack down on ‘idiots,’ if need be. It is a philosophical matter whether the onus is on the parents or the state to educate young citizens. Drinking, like any other activity, can be done both responsibly and irresponsibly. If the goal is to encourage the former, then people must learn how to drink, and like any other activity this should be expected to take some practice. In Mollie Riley’s words, “You don’t learn to just by turning 21,” nor by facing harsher penalties for drinking violations for that

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Actress Elizabeth Banks discusses a variety of topics, including her life as one of the busiest women in Hollywood and a change in acting style for her newest ﬁlm By Danny Gottleib THE DAILY CARDINAL

You may know Elizabeth Banks from the summer hit “Zack and Miri Make a Porno.” Or you may know her as Laura Bush in “W.” Or as the girlfriend in “Role Models.” Or from the cult comedy hit “Wainy Days.” Or from the upcoming thriller “The Uninvited.” In fact, Elizabeth Banks has done so much in the past year that you actually would have had to go out of your way to see a movie she wasn’t in during 2008. “I feel like a gypsy,” Banks said about her insane work ethic. “I feel like I belong in the circus. I’m just living out of bags, place to place to place.” In “The Uninvited,” her next ﬁlm, she plays an evil stepmother who may or may not have a murderous past. “I have to say I really relished being bad. It was very fun to be a villain,” Banks said. Although she is currently stretching her dramatic chops with movies like “The Uninvited” and “W.,” Banks is more well-known as the drop-dead gorgeous girl with even better comedic timing from hits such as “The 40 Year-Old Virgin” and “Wet Hot American Summer.” “I love working with David [Wain] and Paul [Rudd] and Seth Rogen ... We just have a great rapport with each other on set,” she said, explaining her preference for comedic movies. “It’s our job to laugh on the sets of comedies ... They’re more fun to make.” This isn’t to suggest that Banks exclusively prefers to make comedies, as evidenced by “The Uninvited.” She described her character as a mix of three of her favorite femmes fatales: “I based it on Glenn Close in ‘Fatal Attraction,’ I based it on Rebecca De Mornay in ‘Hand That Rocks the Cradle,’ and a little bit of Sharon

Stone in ‘Basic Instinct.’” Although the movie could just be written off as yet another Asian horror remake, Banks emphasized that the movie is much deeper than classic thrillers. “There’s a whole sense of spiritual“I developed a funny bone in order to get attention and make it through my shitty life in high school.” Elizabeth Banks actress

ity in Asian horror that is not endemic in our culture ... The Asian movies get to draw on this crazy mythology and the warrior culture and thousands of years of spiritual questions.” Clearly, Banks is more than just a pretty face. “I wasn’t always this goodlooking. I’m deﬁnitely getting better with age,” she joked. “I have the appearance of a winner, but I really feel like a loser on

the inside, and that adds a lot to my comedy. There are a lot of pretty girls who don’t have to develop their funny bone because they’re beautiful. I developed my funny bone in order to get attention and make it through my shitty life in high school.” As for 2009, Banks isn’t planning on slowing down anytime soon. She just started a production company with her husband. “As an actor, I’m the last person to get involved in a project,” she explained. “As a producer, I get to be involved from the very beginning of the storytelling process.” She also may be reprising her role as secretary Betty Brant in the ‘Spiderman’ series, although she insisted, “I’m the last person that they call.” For now, Banks seems satisﬁed with her booming career. “I feel I have a lot of choices,” she said, proud of the fact that Hollywood has not found a role in which to typecast her. “The Uninvited” is in theaters starting Jan. 30, and after that, Banks will probably appear in most movies you see this year.

PHOTO COURTESY DREAMWORKS SKG

Elizabeth Banks was able to take a break from her comedic roles by playing a villain in her upcoming ﬁlm, “The Uninvited.”

Thursday, January 22, 2009

New album ‘Collective’ success By Alex Conrad

“Summertime Clothes” and “Bluish,” among others, reveal Tare’s Animal C o l l e c t i ve’s bottled enthusiasm and melodic playMerriweather Post Pavilion begins fulness. On previous albums, the two with what has become the band’s had difficulty finding a balance—one trademark introduction: a con- person’s songs would overshadow the vulsive flush of sound at once other’s. Merriweather Post Pavilion, machined and organic, falling though, allows each member’s songs back slowly onto to complement the a straightforward other’s across the CD REVIEW beat, and eventualbum. ally introducing Listening to the featherweight Animal Collective harmonies of in the past felt Avey Tare (Dave like walking into a Portner) and bazaar: A bunch of Panda Bear (Noah different things that Lennox). This is didn’t fit together Mayweather Post no surprise, but for were thrown into a Pavilion Animal Collective big heap. This musiAnimal cal confusion has the orthodox is so Collective come to characterize radical that they walk a tightrope between discor- Animal Collective, and it is exactly dance and perfection. why most fans, myself included, like The band has abandoned the the band. sprawling mysticism of Sung Tongs, The asymmetry of “Daily and some fans may be disillusioned Routine” shows this reputation the by their increasing tendency toward best, as a beautiful song crafted around the electronic, but Merriweather Post an organ sample turns into a slow Pavilion feels like the logical conclu- drone, reminiscent of Sung Tongs. sion of their eclectic experiments—the The rest of the album is unified in a final point of evolution where various way that an Animal Collective album influences have been shaped into a has never been before. When Animal complete picture. Collective songs start coming in The album’s first song, “In The crystal clear, it is different, but not Flowers,” sets Tare’s ponderous vocal necessarily a bad thing. lines against the backdrop of a loomSure, some songs on Merriweather ing acoustic guitar, watery synthesizers Post Pavilion are forgettable. “Lion and background vocals soaked in delay. in a Coma” is yet another examThe song has the busiest drumming ple of Tare being a little too posiever heard from Animal Collective, but tive. “Brother Sport” sounds like it is soon replaced with the repetitive a Vampire Weekend song, but, to throb of a kick drum à la Berlin mini- Animal Collective’s credit, the song mal techno; this transition perhaps is better structured than any Vampire best shows the array of divergent influ- Weekend song. ences the band successfully combines, Animal Collective is a tribute to as well as their tendency to delicately the biological: The music is fraught cross the line between the organic and with sounds of flowing water, chirping the electronic. crickets and different textures scraping Animal Collective has had prob- against each other. The music paints lems reconciling the different musical pictures in the imagination of the directions the two singers have taken. variety and complexity of life on Earth, The single from Merriweather Post and can fill the listener—if he or she is Pavilion, “My Girls,” bears the paw willing—with awe that life exists at all. prints of Bear; his poppy simplicity, This album is recommended to those sincere vocals and dramatic structur- who like going on trips in the woods ing are throwbacks to his solo album, and to those who want a soundtrack Person Pitch. for sunrises. THE DAILY CARDINAL

No ‘Doubt’ about it: Streep and Hoffman shine in new ﬁlm By Mary Chen THE DAILY CARDINAL

“Doubt” is a film adaptation of the Pulitzer Prize-winning play of the same name written and directed by author John Patrick Shanley. A deeply psychological fictional drama, its main driving force is the intricately-layered bouts of dialogue between the main characters. Sister Aloysius and Father Flynn, played by Meryl Streep and Philip Seymour Hoffman, respectively, engage in tense verbal exchanges that conceal an underlying web of unspoken controversy. As the title suggests, the film is a dissection of human suspicion, our internal compass that wavers between doubt and certainty. Among “Doubt’s” major questions are these: On what do we base our judgments? How much evidence do we require to hold on to our convictions? Does certainty and therefore faith have anything to do with truth? The film is an experiment that pits vastly differing worldviews against each other in the airtight, oppressively rendered in the setting of The Bronx’s St. Nicholas Catholic parish in 1964. Sister Aloysius, incited by the concerned observations of eighth-grade teacher Sister James (Amy Adams)

that Father Flynn was paying “too much attention” to young AfricanAmerican student Donald Muller, embarks on a relentless crusade to expose him. The ambiguity of the situation, as

The audience is left helpless as to whom or even what to put their faith in.

the alleged sexual misconduct is not shown on screen, never conﬁrmed or denied outright, creates a maddeningly ambivalent perspective. The audience is left helpless as to whom or even what to place their faith in. Yet, what makes the movie so much more than a suspense drama lies in the fact that whether Father Flynn is guilty does not matter. The mystery is simply a catalyst for psychological drama as the play ponders the different ways people deal with uncertainty, how we foster our moral beliefs and worldviews against a deeply inconsistent, muddled world.

Each of the main characters embodies a disparate attitude and belief system. Father Flynn strives for a more emotionally-open community, while Sister Aloysius is the epitome of a strict, terrifying schoolmistress who adheres to principles and spares no sympathy or compassion in her persecution of those she regards as corrupt. Sister James, the onlooker, represents those who rely on simplicity and cannot acknowledge the gravity of the problem. The complexity of the situation increases when Donald’s mother is introduced, played by Viola Davis in one of the film’s most intense scenes. Her reasoning for the matter to be left alone, the possibility that Donald is actually better off under Flynn’s wing, adds new questions and yet another facet to the film’s already diverse themes. Such ideas include, besides the question of faith, power struggles between men and women, conflict between tradition and progression and the nature of authority. By the end of the film, after a deeply impassioned confrontation between Aloysius and Flynn, the audience is no more enlightened about the

truth or the fairness of Sister Aloysius’ unwavering and potentially groundless resolution to bring down the priest. We are left to reﬂect on the implications of Aloysius’ ﬁnal words and our own desire and willingness to overlook or stretch the truth for

the sake of certainty. Despite the unresolved ending, the visual and thematic richness of the ﬁlm, combined with Oscar-worthy performances, make “Doubt” an ultimately satisfying experience. Grade: A.

PHOTO COURTESY MIRAMAX FILMS

Philip Seymour Hoffman confronts Amy Adams about her concerns and doubts in a pivotal scene in John Patrick Shanley’s new ﬁlm.

comics 6

Over-the-counter crap, literally. The ﬁrst known contraceptive was crocodile dung, used by Egyptians in 2000 B.C. dailycardinal.com/comics

Thursday, January 22, 2009

Keg Stand

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. The Daily Code

School Boy

a b c d e f g h i

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

Sid and Phil

By Alex Lewein lewein@wisc.edu

The Graph Giraffe

By Yosef Lerner ilerner@wisc.edu

“R ngynlcnm cqn Axlth Vxdwcjrwb cx kn j urccun axltrna cqjw cqrb.” Quote from Dumb and Dumber Yesterday’s Code:

“And they said no we can’t and we said yes we can.”

Today’s Crossword Puzzle

Evil Bird Answer key available at www.dailycardinal.com DECIDING THE EASIEST WAY

1 5 10 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 23 24 28 29 33 34 36 37 41 42 43 46 47 50 52

ACROSS

Junior’s ammunition In good ___ Small annoyance Injured Masonry, for one Irritate Soprano’s song, sometimes Fabled moralist Distinctive ﬂair Popular lullaby Place for putting balls Printing mistake A cricket has one below each front leg joint Irish historical site Bull foe Maryland’s state bird Therefore Inexpensive missile Instrument with 46 strings Predatory insect Greek who got too much sun Ofﬁcial emblem It could be sprayed in the kitchen Pianolike percussion instrument Many human

sculptures 54 Part of a swimming stroke 58 When Brutus struck 61 British Gold Coast, today 62 Out where the air is salty 63 Car for test-driving 64 Montmartre matriarchs 65 Small ﬁshing hole 66 Curved line connecting musical notes 67 Licorice-ﬂavored seed 68 Antonym for “out of” 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 21 22 25 26

DOWN

Accusation Goddess of the dawn Department store employee Amount bet Impale Deuce taker Adroitness Clay brick Split, so to speak Fuzzy topics Zippo In the manner of End of a ring count Cavern Hip male friend Graceful seabird Sudden desire

27 Barnyard bellow 30 One of the four elements, in alchemy 31 Annoying word to a cell phone user 32 Alternate identity 34 The mighty to the meek, historically 35 Another graceful seabird 37 Rate of movement 38 Kazakhstan sea 39 Link between home and school 40 Cheerful ditties 41 Sound following a shot? 44 NCAA powerhouse 45 Sign of disgrace 47 Place to ﬁnd pen pals? 48 Upward movement 49 Gilbert and Sullivan emperor 51 More than pale 53 Giraffelike beast 55 Indian woman’s garment 56 A good deal of binary code 57 Tear down,in Dover 58 They’re checked at the door 59 Tierra-Fuego bridge 60 Ratite bird

By Caitlin Kirihara kirihara@wisc.edu

sports

dailycardinal.com/sports

Thursday, January 22, 2009

Women’s Basketball

UW hopes to break .500 in Big Ten play at Penn State

By Nick Schmitt THE DAILY CARDINAL

The Lady Badgers are quietly putting together one of the best seasons in Wisconsin women’s basketball history. At 14-5 they are off to the best start under coach Lisa Stone and are building a solid resume for the NCAA tournament. The Badgers have already pulled off a ten-game winning streak this season, including a win over then-No. 6 Baylor in the Paradise Jam ﬁnal. Over the winter break, the Lady Badgers were busy with the start of the Big Ten schedule. They defeated Minnesota, Michigan and swept the season series against Illinois, ﬁnish-

ing them off last Sunday. Heading into the Bryce Jordan Center tonight to face Penn State, the Badgers have a 4-4 record in conference play, and with a win they will be a game away from equaling their overall win total from last season. The loss of last year’s leading scorer, Jolene Anderson, has caused a shift in the distribution of scoring this year. Sophomore guard Alyssa Karel leads the team, averaging 13.2 points, and is the only Badger averaging double digits. Karel is lightsout from behind the arc, shooting almost 40 percent, and also leads the team with 34 three-point ﬁeld goals made. She is a big reason why

Wisconsin is second in the Big Ten behind Minnesota in three-point ﬁeld goal percentage at 36.6. Following the game against Illinois, UW head coach Lisa Stone was very happy with the Badgers’ performance on both sides of the ball. “Defensively we were solid,” Stone said. “We took care of the basketball. We found scoring from a lot of people and I sure liked the way Alyssa [Karel] came out to start the game. She was on ﬁre and it was just an outstanding performance by our entire team.” The Badgers will be challenged by the aggressive defense of Penn State. The Nittany Lions lead the Big

Women’s Hockey

Badgers face culture-shock to chase dreams By Brandon Storlie THE DAILY CARDINAL

Playing college hockey means the realization of a childhood dream for many student athletes. In some cases, the realization of that dream comes with a giant helping of culture shock. For three members of the Wisconsin women’s hockey team, the opportunity to play college hockey came with a price—having to move across the country to play the sport they love. “I just knew that I had to go somewhere up north to play with more competitive girls,” said UW junior forward Kyla Sanders, a Fort Myers, Fla., native. To do that, Sanders spent two years at the North American Hockey Academy in Stowe, Vt. She shared Offensive Player of the Year honors her first year at NAHA and won the award again for the 2005-’06 season, tallying 34 goals and 32 assists.

The Floridian knew that staying in her home state was never a realistic option. “[The sport] is pretty small right now,” Sanders said. “When I come out here, people are like, ‘oh, you’re from Florida.’ They don’t even know we have ice in Florida.” “There’s no professional team out here, and the [UW] fans are still crazier than any professional team I’ve ever seen.” Kelly Nash sophomore forward UW Women’s Hockey

On the west coast, Wisconsin sophomore forward Kelly Nash and sophomore defender Olivia Jakiel faced a similar problem. “I always knew that I couldn’t pursue college hockey in California because they don’t

DANNY MARCHEWKA/THE DAILY CARDINAL

UW junior forward Kyla Sanders, a Florida native, became a Badger because she wanted to play where hockey is extremely competitive.

have any teams out there,” said Jakiel, a defender from Santa Clarita, Calif. “I knew that I had to come out here.” For the Californians, hockey was a co-ed sport. “We had one girls team from the southern California area, so we had to play in a boys’ league all season long,” Nash said. “I think it helped a lot of us out.” Nash, a Bonita, Calif., native who played with Jakiel on the California Selects before committing to Wisconsin, was named her team’s Forward of the Year in 2003, 2005 and 2006. She also led the team in points in 2005 on the way to the USA Hockey Girls’ U-16 National Championship. Even after playing in all 41 games during her freshman campaign and making appearances on the Badgers’ top line this season, Nash says there is still one aspect of her game that gives away her California roots. “I think people can tell I played roller hockey before I played ice,” she said. “My skating is just not the same as everyone else’s. I think it was beneﬁcial for me that I played roller hockey because of the stickhandling and everything, but my skating is a little off.” Though the sport has taken them far from home, hockey started out as a family affair for all three Badgers. “I was a tomboy growing up, so I just did whatever my brother was doing,” Nash said. “I played all the sports he did. He started playing roller hockey and so did I, and I just stuck with it. It ended up being a good choice, I guess.” Jakiel, whose brothers Andy and Steve play junior and collegiate hockey, respectively, had similar experiences. “[My brothers] started playing ice hockey a little bit before I did,” she said. “At that age, you just want to follow in your older siblings’ footsteps.” When it came time to commit to a collegiate program, the choice for all three was easy. “[Wisconsin] was the No. 1 team, so it was hard to say ‘no’,” Nash said. “It was an easy decision to come here when they asked me to.” More than anything, the cultural differences surrounding the sport still stand out. “Everyone’s really into [hockey] here,” Jakiel said. “I mean, we have our fans [in California], but there’s no professional team out here, and the fans are still crazier than any professional team I’ve ever seen.”

Ten in steals, averaging over nine per game, but Wisconsin holds the edge defensively as they lead the conference in scoring defense, only allowing 54.2 points a game, which is good enough for 21st in the nation. The game at Penn State will be the ﬁrst since the beginning of the semester, and Stone thinks the team is ready to get back into their normal schedule. “I think our players have enjoyed the month off as far as classes go, but getting back into a regular routine will be nice,” Stone said. “Going to Penn State, we found a way to get [a win] last year and we hope to carry that on.” Along with Karel, the Badgers

hope to continue to get production from junior guard Teah Gant. She had a season-high 17 points against a tough Minnesota team and added 11 points with six rebounds against the Illini Sunday. “Teah [Gant] just gets better all the time. She’s got a calmness about her offensively and she’s got a tenacity defensively with her length that really is very valuable to us,” Stone said. Following the game against Penn State, Wisconsin will head to Michigan State to face the Spartans Jan. 25 before returning home to battle Purdue Jan. 29. —uwbadgers.com contributed to this report.

sports 8

dailycardinal.com/sports

Thursday, January 22, 2009

Men’s Basketball

Wisconsin: 3-3 Big Ten (12-6 overall) Iowa: 2-4 Big Ten (12-7 overall)

Up next for UW: @ Illinois TV: ESPN When: Saturday, 3 p.m.

Badgers pick up overtime loss in Iowa

By Ben Breiner THE DAILY CARDINAL

CHAMPAIGN, Ill.—Within the span of five minutes, the Wisconsin Badgers were treated

to a burst of joy and the anguish of defeat. Wisconsin freshman guard Jordan Taylor drained a 3-pointer, his ﬁrst as a collegiate player, from

KYLE BURSAW/THE DAILY CARDINAL

Wisconsin freshman guard Jordan Taylor attempted a lay-up late in the game but was denied by Iowa freshman guard Aaron Fuller.

far beyond the arc to tie Iowa as the second half buzzer sounded. Wisconsin, however, could not maintain its momentum, falling 73-69 to the Hawkeyes and extending their current losing streak to three games. “We had the lead early, I mean we were up six or seven early in the second half,” Wisconsin junior guard Jason Bohannon said. “We just didn’t push it back over that hump to 10 points plus. As a team we need to learn how to fix that.” In the extra period, Wisconsin only managed to shoot 33 percent from the field, while the Hawkeyes hit all their shots and five-of-six free throws. Overall Iowa took 35 free throws to the Badgers’ 10, a factor Wisconsin coach Bo Ryan drew attention to after the game. Iowa also managed to generate a number of open outside shots, and as the night progressed, became more and more proficient at hitting them. The first half was close throughout, with five ties and four lead changes. The Badgers managed a higher shooting percentage than Iowa, but missed all seven 3-pointers they took and only reached the free-throw line three times. After the break, however, a series of runs defined the contest. First, Wisconsin strung together nine straight points but the Hawkeyes crawled back into the game. Iowa was then ignited by an unusual series of events. Taylor stole the ball and was going in for a lay-up but Iowa freshman guard Aaron Fuller came flying in to pin

College football playoffs would fail to determine the proper champion BEN BREINER boom goes the breinamite

hen the 2008 college football season came to a close, the familiar chant of “Playoffs, playoffs,” rose loudly from overzealous fans, angry columnists and a number of coaches. With the way the season ended, how could it not? USC strengthened its position as one of the most talented and best big game teams in the country (those small games against bad teams are an ignored issue, but that’s another story).

Now all we have are a bunch of half-baked playoff dream scenarios which simply will not cut it.

Utah won every game it played, crushed Alabama and showed that only 70 of 119 Football Championship subdivision teams could actually win a national title. Texas showed that it was slightly better than national punching bag Ohio State, but since it was a few plays away from winning a conference that ﬂopped in the bowls, it also deserved a shot.

Oh, and there was Florida, which won everyone’s favorite conference, the SEC, and actually lifted the crystal football in Miami. The arguments seemed sound until the NFL postseason rolled around and suddenly a playoff system seemed a little iffy as a method of determining a champion. Logically, a champion is the team that ﬁnishes ahead of everyone else based on whatever system and rules are in place. Many instill more meaning in the word (abstractions of glory and dominance), so just relying on the rules in place falls short. In the NFL, however, fans just witnessed the 9-7 Arizona Cardinals play the 9-6-1 Philadelphia Eagles for the right to go to the Super Bowl. Is this really, as many like to say, settling it on the ﬁeld? The NBA and NHL avoid this issue with exceedingly long playoffs. Major League Baseball somewhat avoids the problem, but teams with 85 and 83 wins have snuck their way to World Series titles. The Eagles stumbled their way through 2008, losing to a number of mediocre teams, putting up just three points in a crucial late season game and even earning a tie against the pathetically awful Cincinnati Bengal squad. Yet they drew a few favorable matchups and were everso-close to the title game. And now to the Cardinals. This is a team that went 9-7, a mediocre record to begin with, and played in the NFC West. They swept the Rams, Niners and Seahawks, so two-thirds of

their wins literally came from sweeping those three terrible teams. And yet, that pathetic squad needs just one lone win to win the title. This is the system that can save college football? What does this system give us? It shows us who the winner of a second single-elimination season is, but not much else.

[The Cardinals] swept the Rams, Niners and Seahawks, so two-thirds of their wins literally came from sweeping those three horrible teams.

In the imprecise world of college football, this idea of an awful team that wins a few games and is somehow crowned champion will not stand. The sport is too rich with discussion and argument. Fans would ﬁnd this fault (and probably a few more) and the whole campaign for a playoff will produce nothing. There is some answer to give college football a sense of certainty at season’s end, but we’ve yet to ﬁnd a system that will deliver that. Now all we have are a bunch of half-baked playoff dream scenarios which simply will not cut it. Do you think college football should have playoffs instead of bowl games? Let Ben know what you think by e-mailing him at breiner@wisc.edu.

the shot on the backboard. Taylor was knocked down on the play, and Ryan was given a technical foul for his response to the play. “I didn’t jump up, I didn’t get out of the box,” Ryan said. “I just signaled to my coaches and pointed back, saying, ‘could you believe that he wasn’t fouled,’ and I’ll go to bat for a player in that situation any time.” That sparked a 9-3 run that gave Iowa a 56-51 lead with just 46 seconds to go in the game. The Badgers were not done, however, pulling to 57-60, aided by a missed free throw from freshman Iowa guard Matt Gatens, who entered the game shooting 97 percent from the charity stripe. Then came Taylor’s game tying shot. “I ﬁgured they would be hounding [Bohannon] just because of what he can do,” Taylor said. “I got open, I saw them switch and I thought I

could make a play.” Taylor entered the game with five minutes just after starting point guard Trévon Hughes committed his third turnover of the game, and remained on the floor until the final buzzer sounded. During those last ten minutes, Taylor ran the offense and registered at least one number his coach was more than satisfied with. “No turnovers, the last ten minutes he was on the floor we did not turn the ball over,” Ryan said of his guard’s play. The three-game losing streak is Wisconsin’s first since 2006 when it closed the season with four consecutive losses. The game did feature senior forward Kevin Gullikson’s first career start for the Badgers. “Kevin earned the opportunity and did a good job with it,” Ryan said. “I was pleased with his reads … what Kevin brings is the knowledge of movement, decision making and post feed and things like that.”