Wednesday, February 4, 2009 - The Daily Cardinal by The Daily Cardinal

‘TAKEN’ FOR A RIDE: clichés plague thriller Improbable and clumsy, Liam Neeson’s new flick is more Clouseau than Bourne ARTS

University of Wisconsin-Madison

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FOUR-YEAR PHENOMS: Angie Keseley and Erika Lawler make one last championship run for the women’s hockey team. SPORTS

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Wednesday, February 4, 2009

Ensuring campus safety Police, ASM and students take steps to prevent crime at UW

JACOB ELA/CARDINAL FILE PHOTO

SAFEwalkers escort a UW-Madison student home at night.

t was early Tuesday morning, and he was sleeping. It was an average day—nothing seemed unusual or out of the ordinary. He was not causing a commotion or even the slightest disturbance. And yet, when he awoke, there was a man standing above him, knife in hand, demanding money. This UW-Madison student fortunately did not sustain any injuries, but his perpetrator remains at large. When senseless acts such as these happen so close

to home, it is hard not to wonder what the university, the police and the rest of the Madison community are doing to ensure they do not happen again. According to UWPD Sgt. Jason Whitney, crime and safety issues are always being addressed. “We work very closely with the administration and key departments on campus,” Whitney said. “We have weekly, monthly, daily communication. We’re all focused on the main goal of keeping the university a safe place to work and learn.” Troy Ruland, the newly appointed SAFE supervisor, agrees with Whitney. After beginning in December, Ruland has recognized a level of heightened awareness

toward safety. “I believe there are many safe- guards in place that the campus provides and educational opportunities available for students, faculty, staff and guests,” he said. “Like all urban campuses, safety is an important and necessary component.” That necessary component often comes in the form of SAFEwalkers. “[SAFEwalkers] do regular rounds throughout campus during their shift,” Ruland said. “This includes staging at locations of high student density and riding the campus bus routes routinely.” safety page 4

Lawmakers wary of stimulus distribution By Jessica Feld THE DAILY CARDINAL

With an estimated $4.3 billion of the federal economic-stimulus bill allotted to Wisconsin, state lawmakers are insisting on legislative oversight of expenditures made by Gov. Jim Doyle’s administration. In a WisPolitics statement, state Sen. Tim Carpenter, DMilwaukee, described oversight as an essential responsibility of all lawmakers. “A dollar misspent is a lost opportunity,” Carpenter said. “As legislators, it is our responsibility to ensure that the funds are spent wisely, on programs and projects that will put Wisconsinites to work and provide us with the services needed in these troubled times.”

Carrie Lynch, spokesperson for Senate Majority Leader Russ Decker, D-Schoﬁeld, said Democrats are in favor of targeting money toward infrastructure projects because they provide instate jobs to Wisconsin residents. To assist in decisions about the allocation of federal stimulus money, Doyle developed the Office of Recovery and Reinvestment. According to Carla Vigue, spokesperson for Doyle, he and the ofﬁce are considering a long list of projects that have been determined to be “trouble-ready.” “The governor is going to be looking at the list, determining how to move forward and how to spend the money in a way stimulus page 3

Regents to receive annual growth report By Hannah McClung THE DAILY CARDINAL

The Growth Agenda for Wisconsin will take precedence at the UW System Board of Regents’ meeting this week as members discuss the document’s proposed “action steps.” The regents established the Growth Agenda in response to Advantage Wisconsin, the strategic planning process that works to “improve Wisconsin’s competitive edge, nationally and globally,” according to the Growth Agenda document. “The overall Growth Agenda is not just to set a budget initiative, but an overall plan of economy development and job growth,” UW System spokesperson David Giroux said.

According to Giroux, several of the 11 action steps are already occurring because of shared goals with other existing programs adopted by the UW System. “[The action steps] are not budget updates of budget-funded initiatives,” Giroux said. “They are a separate set of things that are largely self-funded.” According to Giroux, several of the action steps relate back to initiatives funded in the last biennial budget, but the programs are not the same. The “Transforming research into leading-edge jobs and economic vitality for Wisconsin” step plans to form collaborations with industries to encourage undergraduate regents page 3

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Mayor Dave Cieslewicz led debate over Acacia’s house renovations at the Common Council meeting Tuesday.

City Council disagrees on Acacia renovations By Amy Rosenfeld THE DAILY CARDINAL

The Common Council motioned to place the discussion of UWMadison’s Acacia fraternity house renovations on ﬁle to be discussed at a later date Tuesday night at a City Council meeting. The initial renovation proposal consisted of remodeling the existing Acacia house, located at 222 Langdon St., and converting the backyard parking lot into a new 16-unit apartment building. The contractors, Alexander Company, will now have time to revise the plans for renovation before the

proposal is discussed again at a later date. Many residents who oppose the construction spoke about their reservations at the meeting. Opponents of the plan believe the remodeling to be a hazard to the well-being of the neighborhood. After hearing from many residents of Langdon Street about their reasons for opposing the plans, Ald. Brenda Konkel, District 2, was discouraged from voting in favor of the reconstruction project. “In the end, when you add all that up, I can’t find a way to support this project,” Konkel said.

“What I heard from the people in this area tonight is important to me.” Ald. Michael Schumacher, District 18, was in favor of the renovation proposal. “Getting rid of types of places such as Dumpsters and parking lots is desirable and ultimately ﬁts into the Madison community.” Goals of increasing density and having a “welcoming neighborhood” were in conﬂict throughout the discussion. This debate prevented the Common Council from making a decision on the renovations to the Acacia house.

“…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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Ashley’s new crush turned her into Lohan

Volume 118, Issue 85

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News and Editorial edit@dailycardinal.com Editor in Chief Alex Morrell Managing Editor Gabe Ubatuba Campus Editor Erin Banco Rachel Holzman City Editor State Editor Megan Orear Charles Brace Enterprise Editor Associate News Editor Caitlin Gath Opinion Editor Jon Spike Arts Editors Kevin Slane Justin Stephani Sports Editors Ben Breiner Crystal Crowns Features Editor Diana Savage Food Editor Sara Barreau Science Editor Bill Andrews Photo Editors Kyle Bursaw Lorenzo Zemella Graphics Editors Amy Gifﬁn Jenny Peek Copy Chiefs Kate Manegold Emma Roller Jake Victor Copy Editors Jennifer Bobeck Danny Marchewka, Sarah Padway Caitin Sachs, Todd Stevens Alicia Williams

Business and Advertising business@dailycardinal.com Business Manager Alex Kusters Billing Manager Mindy Cummings Advertising Manager Sheila Phillips Eric Harris, Dan Hawk Web Directors Account Executives Katie Brown Ana Devcic, 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 Dave Heller Alex Morrell Jon Spike Gabe Ubatuba Hannah Young l

ASHLEY SPENCER back that ash up

n a particularly lonely Saturday night, I decided to text my female soul mate, since I am not involved with any men who are actually alive. A few minutes later I was in her car, and later sleeping on her couch. The next morning we got breakfast and nearly held hands in the car, as we both leaned in to change the radio station. It was then I realized I was in love with a girl, mostly because she is more or less a blond version of me. My dad, who is now reading this at work, just terriﬁed at the image of me now sporting long armpit hair and a short new haircut, will probably blame this on the fact that I go to a liberal university, where he assumes we all have nasty, free-love hippie sex when we’re not advocating for the legalization of marijuana, and, gasp, women’s rights. Daddy, do not worry. I am not a lesbian. I love men too much, and could

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never, you know, do that to a woman. And beyond the whole anatomical physical thing, I love being treated like shit and never getting called, which is why I’m sticking with men. I have no desire to cup a woman’s boob, unless it’s to politely assist her in performing a breast exam. I have no desire to see a naked one, in fact, when I do see that one odd naked girl in the gym locker room, I feel queasy and wonder why her nipples are so small. I’ve developed girl crushes on several smart, beautiful, accomplished women, women that I aspire to be like. These women range in age—one’s a professor, another is the aforementioned Megan, who I consider to literally be me in another woman’s body, and I’m hopelessly in love with her. Another, a redhead, allures me with her hair that resembles, well, yeah, my own. But usually the hetero-girl crush is the desire to emulate the positive qualities of another female while simultaneously getting closer to her. But like some relationships, things can get sour. That’s why I am going to tell you about my ﬁrst girl crush. It was on a

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girl at my day camp in fourth grade, who was the polar opposite of me, so let’s call her Grace. Grace wore cute clothes from Limited Too everyday. I wore oversized Bulls jerseys past my knees and basketball T-shirts still dirty with sweat. She had a dainty backbone that popped out of her back when she hunched over in our circle for lunch. I had my baby fat and an inability to do any of the arts and crafts. Most importantly, every 4th grade boy at our camp was dying to tag her in our capture the ﬂag games. While the boys fought over me, it was for their sports teams. Since I was the most athletic girl at camp, which wasn’t saying much, at least I wouldn’t screw up their games. When I went back to school that fall, I had a bit of an identity crisis and bought some ﬂared jeans. “How about some Bulls jerseys?” My mom asked me during back-toschool shopping. “I want to go to Limited Too,” I said while dragging my feet in the Sports Authority kid’s section. “Why?”

“Because I am a girl.” The ﬁrst time I wore lipstick, Grace made fun of me. She terrorized me when she caught me one day with my ﬂy open at a school assembly. And then she tried to steal my older, sixth -grade boyfriend. It didn’t work. The last time I saw Grace, over the summer, she was wearing a belly Tshirt at a dive bar, never having left to go to school. This made me feel better about being a man as a child. Obviously my taste in women has gotten better with age, and I’ve formed healthy relationships with women who do not make fun of my choice of cosmetics or still try to steal my current sixth-grade boyfriends. And that brings me to my current girl crush—who accepts me for who I am, a girl with no clear future and a propensity to watch entire seasons of TV shows in one sitting. My girls let me be a man when I want to and are right along side me, burping loud after our beer. If you’re a smart female seeking a female friend to boss around and dare to moon the Topper’s staff, e-mail aaspencer@wisc.edu.

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Wednesday, February 4, 2009

CAN counter-recruits Marine Corps at fair By Estephany Escobar THE DAILY CARDINAL

Members of the UW-Madison Campus Antiwar Network tried to dissuade students from joining the U.S. Marines and the U.S. Army at a career fair in the Kohl Center Tuesday. CAN, an organization that opposes all forms of war, made its presence visible at the career fair by holding signs near the U.S. Marines and Army recruitment booths. Their main goal was to approach people interested in joining any military branch and inform them about the negative aspects of war. Nathan Maney, a UWMadison freshman and member of CAN, said the group wanted to use counter-recruitment tactics to educate students. “[Our goal is to] intercept people talking to the Marines or a military branch and try to convince them of our arguments why they shouldn’t go [to] war.”

In contrast, Matthew Grabowski, a U.S. Marine Corps selection officer, emphasized that the recruiters attended the career fair to provide information and not to force anyone to join. “We don’t force anything upon anybody, we are just about the information given and facilitating the process of them applying to the … program,” he said. Grabowski said the U.S. Marines find the most candidates from Wisconsin at UW-Madison. “The majority of our applicants are from UW-Madison … We actually find the most highly qualified candidates from Madison both physically and academically,” he said. Grabowski did not believe the CAN presence affected students’ position toward the Marines either way. “If those people were swayed by these protesters, they wouldn’t belong in the program in the first place,” he said. Jonah Zinn, a UW-Madison

THE DAILY CARDINAL

According to campaign ﬁnance reports ﬁled Monday, Dane County Executive Kathleen Falk raised more than eight times as much as her challenger, Nancy Mistele, in the second half of 2008. Falk raised over $136,000 for her re-election campaign in the second half of 2008, compared to $16,270 for Mistele, who began

campaigning in December. Election Day is April 7, and the candidates have been working to generate support and funding. According to the campaign ﬁnance reports, Falk had raised a overall total of more than $215,000 as of the end of the latest reporting period on Dec. 31. Almost half of the total was raised from 938 individuals. Melissa Mulliken, Falk’s campaign manager, said it is impor-

Campus groups to engage in monthlong celebration of black history By Grace Kim THE DAILY CARDINAL

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Members of the Campus Antiwar Network tried to discourage students from joining the military at a career fair at the Kohl Center Tuesday. freshman and CAN member, said if its efforts fail and the war in Iraq drags on, CAN will continue pushing to make its voice heard. “We are going to keep holding pro-

tests, putting pressure on our ofﬁcials and anyone that is contributing to the war effort,” he said. “Our ultimate goal would be to push Obama to get troops out as soon as possible,” he said.

Campaign ﬁnance reports show Falk’s ﬁnancial advantage By Rebecca Holland

news

tant to note that the flood of support came in spite of hard economic times. “Our donors have all been very generous, and we are very appreciative,” Mulliken said. The average contribution was $129, with three-quarters of donors giving $100 or less. “They give in small increments and we have many of them, and that’s the kind of widespread, strong

stimulus from page 1 that will put people to work very quickly,” Vigue said. Despite Doyle’s expressed dedication to the employment of state residents, Republican lawmakers are skeptical that the federal money will be used appropriately. “We believe Gov. Doyle is going to be using a good deal of this money to balance his budget and not to create jobs,” Jim Bender, spokesperson for state Rep. Jeff Fitzgerald, R-Horicon, said.

regents from page 1 research, according to the UW System Growth Agenda for Wisconsin. “[This step] ties back to a recent report by the Wisconsin Technology Council that talks about the real-world value in dollar terms of academic research and development,” Giroux said. Giroux said the “Expanding the UW-Madison Connections Program” step is already underway. According to the agenda, the step allows students to start their degree program at one of the

support you want,” Mulliken said. Nancy Mistele, who announced she was running in mid-November but did not officially start campaigning until December, received an average of $247 from 66 contributors. Though significantly behind at this stage in the campaign, Jon Horne, Mistele’s campaign manager, is confident there will be time to catch up. He said the next campaign filings in midFebruary should show more backing. Portions of the stimulus bill will likely affect the state budget in areas of medical assistance and educational funding. According to Bender, however, some Republicans believe the discretionary money will be used to solve the state budget deficit rather than solving issues of unemployment. “Money is supposed to go to create jobs. There are areas of the budget where we need to reduce spending and not rely on plugging in one-time federal money,” he said. other four-year colleges in Wisconsin and then transfer to UW-Madison. “The program has already drawn interest from other fouryear campuses,” he said. According to Giroux, other important items on the agenda include the possible approval by the Education Committee of a new bachelor of science degree in personal finance at UW-Madison and the Nursing Education Task Force Report. The UW System Board of Regents will meet Feb. 5 and 6 on the UW-Madison campus.

UW-Madison organizations are working to organize Black History Month celebrations to commemorate legendary African-American leaders. Leaders from the National Society of Black EngineersWisconsin Black Engineers Student Society wanted to organize Black History Month events that reveal more than contemporary views of black culture. “I would like people to know that it’s not all about black history, but it is about history,” Mia McKinney, programs chair of NSBE, said. “I want people to be aware of things that we went through other than slavery ... not just the modern-day outlook of the African-American.” Events including guest speakers, discussions and movie nights will take place on campus in honor of Black History Month. “Instead of having regular black history poster boards and mediocre stuff that people have seen hundreds and thousands of times, we are doing something about black health awareness and soul food dinners where there will be … all types of other cultural foods,” McKinney said. Ashley Johnson, assistant programs chair and secretary of NSOBE, said this year’s celebration is not special just because of President Obama’s election, but it is still significant that he won. “The [election] has shown the African-American community that we can succeed and overcome any difficulty that is placed in front of us,” she said. “I feel that it opened a lot of people’s eyes to actually celebrate what Black History Month is meant for.” According to McKinney, although some have compared President Obama to Martin Luther King Jr., it is disrespectful to compare the two African-American leaders. “They both have contributed great things to the society, but they are from two different rooms,” she said. “I feel like a lot of their dreams are similar … but I don’t like when people try to compare them because they are two different people with two different ways to impact the world.” For more details about Black History Month events, visit www.news.wisc.edu.

featuressafety 4

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Wednesday, February 4, 2009

Ensuring campus safety With numerous thefts, murders and sexual assaults on campus, police and downtown residents are doing all they can to protect the community. But staying safe is not always up to them. Sometimes it comes down to personal responsibility. Graphics by Jenny Peek

safety from page 1 In addition to SAFE programs offered through UW Transportation Services, Associated Students of Madison is also attempting to incorporate programs into the university that directly affect campus safety. ASM recently appointed UW-Madison senior Sol Grosskopf the position of Campus Safety Initiatives Coordinator to plan and execute all campus safety efforts. Job duties of the new coordinator include reinitiating the successful Neighborhood Watch program and to work with SAFE on how to improve its services. “This person will work to coordinate efforts on campus in order to make them more �accessible to students,” Brittany Wiegand, Chair of

ASM, emphasized. Although the UWPD and other university programs appear to be doing their best to ensure a safe environment, sometimes students cannot help but feel uneasy. “I generally feel safe in well-lit areas when it isn’t too dark, but there are many times when I have to remain in meetings late and I do not feel comfortable walking home,” Wiegand said. Just two months ago, a student was held at gunpoint on Langdon St. while walking back to her residence. Although she remained unharmed, her two assailants left with her laptop computer and cash. According to Cpt. Mary Schauf of the MPD, downtown Madison is an urban environment and being mindful is a must.

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Even though the Madison Police Department has patrols on the streets 24/7, safety begins with the individual and everyone has his or her part to play. Jenn Watanabe, a UW-Madison senior, shared this sentiment. “At night I try to avoid side streets and darker areas. I like to take busy, well-lit streets when I can,” she said. UW-Madison junior Page Mieritz uses caution as well when walking home alone. “When leaving the library after 10:30 p.m. I always take routes home that have more trafﬁc or are lighted better,” she said. “I also make sure I never listen to music when walking home, just in case anything were to happen, I would be able to hear it.” Locking the door to your residence whether you’re there or not are basic things that are easy to do. If there are multiple residents it is unwise to be courteous and leave the door unlocked. Schauf cautioned that too often this leads to convenience burglaries. “If they know doors will be unlocked, [unwanted visitors] go right there,” she said. Schauf also stressed the hours when it is best to travel the city with a buddy, noting that crimes for Downtown spike between the hours of 12 to 3 a.m. This is also the time for the most physical and sexual assaults, which are mostly acquaintancerelated and alcohol-involved in Madison. “The time for a person to need a buddy is when you lose your ability to function on your own,” Schauf advised. “If you’re going to a party and you’re going to get trashed, have someone to watch your back. Have someone with you.” However, several sexual assaults during

fall 2008 proved that sometimes it is best for students to walk outside with friends even if they are sober. Two assaults on E. Washington St. and N. Henry St. left victims feeling ill at ease.

“The time for a person to need a buddy, is when you lose your ability to function on your own.” Mary Schauf captain Madison Police Department

Many students love to entertain, so Schauf offered up certain precautions when throwing house parties. “The best thing to do is invite people you know,” she said. “Would you invite a burglar, a thief, a predator? Too often people think, ‘I’m just inviting students, this is all good,’ but there are students who have been convicted of these things.” When in doubt, Joel Plant, assistant to Madison Mayor Dave Cieslewicz, advises to defer to students and officials. “Rely on each other and get to know one another, the people around you,” he said. And although 2008 brought an unusually high number of homicides to the Madison area, Plant said historically it is a safe city. “There’s always a desire to draw a trend or conclusion, and in most cases it’s inaccurate to do that. Our crime rates in a specific population are as low as or comparable to other cities.”

arts

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Wednesday, February 4, 2009

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Liam Neeson is the latest actor to take his shot at being an action hero in “Taken,” only the plot development falters after the characters are developed, leaving his satisfying acting job and the refreshing cinematography unable to keep this cliche of an action ﬁlm aﬂoat.

Too much brawn, not enough brain by Mark Riechers THE DAILY CARDINAL

At around 9 a.m. local time, Albanian human traffickers, looking for new merchandise for their prostitution business, abduct two American girls traveling in France. One of those girls frightfully describes what is happening over the phone as her father listens in horror at home in the U.S.

Furthermore, the ﬁlm depends on every cliche of the genre.

That father happens to be Bryan Mills (Liam Neeson), and according to his sources within the intelligence community, he has 96 hours to find his daughter Kim (Maggie Grace, “Lost”)

before he never sees her again. From the creative team behind the “Transporter” franchise, “Taken” has all the elements of a great thriller with a gritty backdrop, fully equipped with a modern damsel in distress and a hero willing to do anything to save her. So why, in this serious thriller, is the action less like a Jason Bourne movie and more like an Inspector Clouseau one? It’s certainly not the fault of the actors. Liam Neeson brings all the intensity and narrative power we’ve come to expect from him, while Maggie Grace plays his daughter like a 12-year-old hopped up on sugar and Red Bull. Nevertheless, it is extremely unsettling to think of a league of pimps selling her because of the innocence she conveys. But once the principle story is out of the way and the characters are established, the film devolves into a 90-minute rundown, as the retired spy works his way

up the ladder of dirt bags, using the subtlety of his fists and the occasional electroshock torture to determine whom to beat up next. At times, Mills even walks down a crowded street to find the next name on his list, then without a

second thought knocks their face into a car window, only afterward bothering to ask, “Have you seen my daughter?” Furthermore, the film depends on every cliche of the genre. Endless streams of hapless hench-

men stare intently at the wall they are guarding, only to drop like a bag of bricks with a quick pinch to the shoulder. Mills is retired, yet seems to have held onto his “Spy-Mart” membership card, which provides ample supplies of counteractive psychotic drugs, satellite phones, wiretaps and loads of foreign cash. With this advantage, he always manages to be one step ahead of the bumbling Parisian agents. On a technical level, the film fares far better. Subscribing to the shaky camera school of Bourne and its ilk, the camera work lends an air of realism to the more improbable moments on screen. The action scenes are as ridiculous as the story, but are still fun to watch. In one scene, Mills tears through a construction site’s fortress of prostitution in his bulletproof SUV, splattering mud all over a pursuing jeep, which runs into a steam shovel positioned perfectly to slice both the car and its passengers in two. Then, for good measure, Mills runs right through an office trailer, which explodes in excessive, propanefueled glory. Whether or not it was the film’s intention, you will laugh at this one. Still, the whole experience is oddly cathartic. If you are tired of stuffy, art-house fare and need some explosive, simplistic relief, look no further. GRADE: C-

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Maggie Grace steps away from “Lost” and “Law & Order” to make an appearance on the big screen, where her childlike innocence plays well off of Neeson’s gritty determination, proving she is a fully capable actress.

NBC suffers at the ﬁrst and only Season Fin-Ali Awards ALI ROTHSCHILD season ﬁn-ali

e’re all aware that the Oscars mark the dénouement of the movie season, but such a definitive moment is not as clear for television. With the Emmys in September, Golden Globe and SAG awards in January, TV seasons start and stop whenever they please—so how are we supposed to know the final word? Answer: right here and now. Ladies and gentleman, the first annual, 2009 Season Fin-Ali Awards (SFAAs). The categories for winners: Proof That There’s Still Good Reality TV Out There — “Survivor” After the ﬁrst few seasons, “Survivor” lost many of its viewers. The formula got old, the players got annoying and Jeff Probst became as big a tool as Ryan Seacrest. But for

those few loyal fans still watching, “Survivor” recently became kind of good again. In its 17th installment, “Survivor: Gabon”, the players were strategic and the underdogs found a way to overthrow the big alliance, which was what made the show great in the old days. Now that Rob and Amber have somewhat faded from memory, “Survivor” is safe to watch again. Best Guest Star on a Show That Hasn’t Yet Aired — Jon Hamm on “30 Rock” Put TV’s biggest forces of 2008 together and how can it possibly go wrong? Watch this Thursday! Best Season Finale — “Meditations in an Emergency”, “Mad Men” After a darker, more turbulent second season, all the character arcs and plot lines came to a head against the backdrop of the Cuban Missile Crisis. Great drama and awesome acting from Elizabeth Moss, Vincent Kartheiser and John Hamm made for the best hour of TV drama this year.

The Biggest Winner is... — “American Idol” It’s not television’s best or most innovative show, but you’ve got to admire the consistency and success of the highest-rated show on television. The reason: audition week. Last week’s auditions from the talented to the laughable made it really hard to turn off the TV. It’s proof that as sophisticated as audiences have become, slapstick and the American dream will always win out—don’t expect to see AI go anywhere in the next decade.

It will take a miracle to bring “The Ofﬁce” back to its glory days.

The categories for losers: Show that got the biggest head from all of its Golden Globes/Emmys — “30 Rock” Tina Fey thinks just because she’s the funniest, most likable

female in the biz, she can just use her hit show to showcase guest stars and forgo any regular plot lines. Well, maybe she can, but not for much longer. Kenneth, Tracy and Jenna are all becoming caricatures, and Liz and Jack’s adoption/CEO plotlines are fading from view. I pray “30 Rock” doesn’t go the way of “The Office.” Show hit hardest by Obama’s presidency — SNL Sure, the presidential campaign material was brilliant. Sure, “Jizz In My Pants” is my ringtone. Sure, the current cast boasts a number of talented, funny individuals. But after Obama was elected and SNL realized there was nothing more to mock, all that’s left are the tired Macgruber sketches and Kenan Thompson being really unfunny all the time. Most overrated Best Actor on a TV show — Hugh Laurie on “House” This is the same argument I use for Mary Louise Parker

on “Weeds”—while both are outstanding actors and deserve copious awards for their work, these particular roles are emotionally stilted and rarely go through any changes on their respective shows. Hugh Laurie is talented, but once you’ve seen one episode, you’ve seen them all. The Biggest Loser is... — “The Ofﬁce” It’s becoming hard to watch. Steve Carell remains the only bright spot in what was once the funniest show on TV. Between killing a perfectly good plotline by dropping Holly, making Dwight go out of character with an annoying love-triangle and Pam and Jim getting painfully old, it will take a miracle to bring “The Ofﬁce” (and NBC, judging from my list of losers) back to its glory days. Do you think the Jim and Pam storyline will never get old and Jeff Probst has been too old to host a reality show since his second season of Survivor? E-mail Ali at rothschild@wisc.edu.

comics 6

Bust out those dancing shoes. In August 1983, Peter Stewart of Birmingham, UK, set a world record by disco dancing for 408 hours. dailycardinal.com/comics

Wednesday, February 4, 2009

Amos

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

Emilio Estevez

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 alex@sidandphil.com

“Nk’y yu yzavoj. Nk cgzinkj ‘Znk Hxkgqlgyz Irah’ gtj jkiojkj zu zgvk noy uct hazz inkkqy zumkznkx.” Quote from Gilmore Girls Yesterday’s Code:

“The first rule of eye makeup is that you can never wear enough blue eye shadow.”

Today’s Crossword Puzzle

The Graph Giraffe

Evil Bird

By Yosef Lerner ilerner@wisc.edu

By Caitlin Kirihara kirihara@wisc.edu

Answer key available at www.dailycardinal.com NOW PLAYING

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“Dick Tracy” gal Mil. training class “A likely story!” Eye nerve Geometry calculations Matter of selfinterest? Delaying strategy Set aﬂame One sup- porting a habit? Company that merged with Time Warner Goes ballistic Big game? Leather cleaner Assaults olfactorily It comes before a dropped name Lincoln, for one It may whiz past ne’s knees Chaplin prop Vietnamese holiday Archivist’s material Lively dance Sought damages from Begs Guthrie Center founder ___ Moines, Iowa Polio ﬁghter Albert

55 Gracious winners, e.g. 59 Elvis‚ daughter ___ Marie 60 Open, in a way 61 Tire support 63 One way to make a bough break 64 They may be ripped or crunched 65 Virginia shipbuilding center 69 “The Facts of Life” actress Charlotte 70 Challenged 71 Assistant who handles letters 72 Many SAT takers 73 Use an IBM Selectric, e.g. 74 Vanquish

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Part of a Steve Martin ﬁlm title Shoulder adornment Bugs Bunny, according to Bugs Bunny Kennel order Sweater style End of some e-mail addresses Japanese ceremonial drink Bedouin transporter Lend a hand

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Stir up Popular nightclub KGB counterpart Waterless Discouraging words It’s in the heart of Jerusalem? Read quickly Reader of secret messages Unhearing Winter transports Old gold coin Bit of brandy Wings on buildings Overhaul Sit-down occasion Jacksonville team Jail cell feature Women’s lip applications Site of the Eisenhower Library Renounces Responds harshly to Horace work, e.g. Walked Hourglass ﬁller Fabric fold Business letter addressee, perhaps “I want my ___!” (‘80s slogan) Like some humor Zing Collar

Frugal Gnome

By Lindsey Heinz and Emily Villwock lheinz@wisc.edu

opinion dailycardinal.com/opinion

Wednesday, February 4, 2009

Bush administration demands prosecution By Kevin Mack THE DAILY CARDINAL

President Barack Obama has vowed to close the U.S. detention center at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. He has also signed an executive order banning the “harsh interrogation techniques” employed there and elsewhere in the U.S.-led Global War on Terror, bringing the United States back in line with international law, U.S. law, the U.S. Constitution, the Geneva Conventions and the Army Field Manual. Despite the assertions of the Bush administration and its supporters claiming these “tactics” are necessary for our security, these changes are two big steps in the right direction. However, important questions remain.

However, this “war” is no more likely to end than is the “war on crime.”

First is the question of what to do with the detainees. It is almost certain that several of these men are dangerous people who will, if released, try to harm the United States. Some may have even felt that way before being incarcerated. The first task will be to determine which prisoners are to be released outright, which are to be tried for acts that were committed in violation of U.S. or international law and, most problematically, which ones are “enemy combatants,” whose “crime” is to be on the other side in a war. What to do with these men? In a traditional war, prisoners are held until they are either swapped for their counterparts or until the war ends. However, this “war” is no more likely to end than is the “war on crime.” Also, these POWs are not just soldiers, they are ideologues committed to waging war against the U.S. (and they don’t feel pity, pain or remorse, and they absolutely will not stop). So, do we just detain them forever? Where? On what grounds? That they hate us?

The torture, we were told, would yield valuable intelligence—as if that would even justify it.

Second, how do we move forward without dealing with the abuses of the recent past? For seven-plus years “we” acted as if the rules don’t apply to us. The protections set forth in the Geneva Conventions were “quaint.” “Enemy combatants” have no rights; not even the right to prisoner-of-war status. Techniques which had been recognized as torture were redefined by the Bush administration lawyers as merely “harsh.” Perhaps most egregiously, detainees

were not allowed any of the basic rights of criminal defendants; not the right to counsel, not the right to know charges against them (often times there were no specific charges) and, most important, no right to be brought before a judge and compel the arresting agency to state its reasons for the arrest and detention. And for what? The torture, we were told, would yield valuable intelligence—as if that would even justify it. Unfortunately, as interrogation experts have repeatedly told us since this became an issue, techniques which are designed to “break” someone do not yield reliable information. These techniques are good for one thing only—forcing confessions. The North Koreans used these techniques on American POWs during the Korean War and the North Vietnamese did likewise. Their aim was to extract confessions for propaganda purposes. Is that what we were actually after? So it seems. The lack of evidence against any of these detainees is apparent. They can’t even come up with formal charges against most of them, much less a prosecutable case. So somebody decided that forced confessions would serve for evidence. Unfortunately in this scenario, even Bush-appointed judges wouldn’t allow this “evidence” to be presented.

When people violate our laws, they are prosecuted and, if convicted, punished. This applies to everybody.

The denial of any traditional rights of the accused was meant to ensure that nobody would ever know just what was going on there. If they don’t have to bring the prisoners before a judge, they don’t have to come up with charges until later, after the “confession” has been wrung out of the “terrorist.” Simple, no? So, what to do? We purport to be a nation of laws, do we not? When people violate our laws, they are prosecuted and, if convicted, punished. This applies to everybody. If there is reasonable suspicion to believe that laws were broken in this case (there is), then an investigation should be launched and the evidence should be followed wherever it shall lead. There is little doubt that it will lead all the way to the top level of the Bush administration. If we do not proceed with an investigation and subsequent prosecution, what exactly will we be saying? That we believe in the rule of law, except when we don’t? That no one is above the law, except the people that are? That when the President does it or orders someone else to do it it’s not illegal? Can we afford to say any one of these things? No. Kevin Mack is a junior majoring in history and political science. Please send responses to opinion@dailycardinal.com.

SARAH HAMILTON/THE DAILY CARDINAL

Parental duties shifted to public institutions SEAN MCMASTER opinion columnist I had the pleasure of visiting with my grandparents two weeks back when the topic of disparities in generational responsibility was broached. Now, I have always been fascinated by this topic, constantly inquiring about methods to increase societal responsibility. Does it start with family values or fiscal competency? What happened to the solid nuclear family where life lessons were taught and reinforced within the family? The traditional family unit and individual accountability is disappearing in the United States through the removal of familial responsibility and creation of an entitlement complex. We learn the basic concepts of right and wrong in childhood, as this is the time when human beings are the most impressionable. Therefore, it is extremely important that these lessons are passed from one generation to the next. In order to guarantee this, lessons inherently taught by parents generations ago are becoming the responsibility of teachers, and these lessons are to begin even earlier in life. From financial responsibility to sex education beginning in kindergarten, the training of the youth in respect to social norms is shifting. The rationale in pursuing such action is to ensure that no child leaves school without skills necessary for a productive life. However, this not only undermines the functionality of society but also burdens educators, a group that is already under compensated for their work. I foresee two major pitfalls. 1) What guarantees that this information is being disseminated to the youth? From speaking to and observing educators in action, it seems to me that teachers already have plenty to fit into a typical school day without this added load. 2) Also, if the end goal is to create a more socially educated and responsible community, then this model defeats itself. It removes responsibility from the hands of parents and places it into those of a second party, much like handing your child off to an orga-

nization to teach him the mandated life skills of which the most important is responsibility. This only teaches younger generations that they can be increasingly hands-off when raising and educating their own children. As a result, subsequent generations become less and less responsible in their actions as parents and ultimately as a society. The erosion of societal responsibility has been occurring for generations. For example, the average divorce rate is about 50 percent of marriages in the U.S. as compared to European countries, where the rate is merely a fraction of this. Similarly, out of all the cultures around the world, America possesses the greatest entitlement complex, resulting in the perception that one need not earn and work for something if he “deserves it.” This is contrary to the American Dream, which implies that one works through struggle and strife to receive that which he has earned. The phrase, “Keeping up with the Joneses,” coined in 1913, only further perpetuates the disillusionment that is the entitlement complex. This complex can initiate a deviation from living within one’s own means as is demonstrated by the rampant abuse of credit in

the American consumer culture. Demonstrating the early indoctrination to debt, a study in 2004 stated that “76 percent of undergraduates have credit cards, and the average undergrad has $2,200 in credit card debt (in addition to) almost $20,000 in student debt.” In many aspects, European countries have the correct mind-frame; the focus is much less on the consumption and possession of material goods. Children are raised on the philosophy of working hard, an element I think is lacking in the upbringing of many Americans. How can we once again instill the most fundamental of values into American culture? Or, and this is the overarching question, how can we reverse the generational trend and ultimately increase individual responsibility? Is there even a means to accomplish this? One might argue that the current ﬁnancial crisis could be a model to our generation and generations to come on how to at least be ﬁscally responsible. For the sake of future generations, I hope this is so. Sean McMaster is a junior majoring in biochemistry and mathematics. Please send responses to opinion@dailycardinal.com.

LETTER TO THE EDITOR: Support new clinic We must applaud the consciousness and compassion of the health-care providers and professionals who took initiative in making sure abortion services remain available and accessible to women in South Central Wisconsin. We must also thank Meriter Hospital and the UW Medical Foundation for already voting to provide second-trimester abortion care at their Madison Surgery Center. The ﬁnal vote of the UW Hospital and Clinic’s Authority Board is scheduled for this Wednesday. As a community, we must urge the vote in support of women’s health and safety. Only 1 percent of abortions in Wisconsin happen after the 20th

week of pregnancy; however, the accessibility of this procedure is crucial. Ninety-seven percent of rural counties in the United States have no abortion provider, therefore women are already traveling, taking days off work, ﬁnding childcare and a place to stay when they are vulnerable and making one of the most difﬁcult decisions of their lives. Let’s ensure that this procedure can take place as close to home as possible, in a safe medical setting like our very own Madison Surgery Center. —Sara Eskrich Senior, UW-Madison Majors- Political Science and Gender and Women’s Studies

sports 8

dailycardinal.com/sports

Wednesday, February 4, 2009

Women’s Hockey

Men’s Basketball

Taylor steps up Matt Fox THE DAILY CARDINAL

PHOTOS BY DANNY MARCHEWKA/THE DAILY CARDINAL

Senior forwards Erika Lawler (left) and Angie Keseley (right) have accrued over 270 points as Badgers.

Senior duo together from the start By Brandon Storlie THE DAILY CARDINAL

Four years. On paper, it seems like a long time. But in collegiate athletics, it is gone in the blink of an eye. Players come and go and teams rebuild, forced to deal with the ever-revolving door of graduations and commitment signings. For a pair of forwards on the Wisconsin women’s hockey team, however, the last four years have been a model of consistency. Seniors Angie Keseley and Erika Lawler have lined up next to each other in nearly every game of their collegiate careers. They have skated together, through both elation and disappointment, as part of the most successful class in the history of Wisconsin women’s hockey. “I’m just really comfortable with her,” Lawler said of Keseley. “We always joke about how we’ve been together since day one and never separated really, ever.” The pair has been dynamic from the start. Keseley scored a class-leading 33 points her freshman year, with Lawler one assist behind. On the way to Wisconsin’s ﬁrst-ever national championship, both played on an all-freshman line responsible for the game-winning goals in each of the team’s ﬁrst two NCAA tournament games. “Being freshmen, we didn’t know what it was like playing in the Frozen

Four,” Lawler said. “We just went out there every shift and didn’t have any expectations. [We] just went out there, tried as hard as we could [and did] what we could for the team.” The attitude has not changed, and neither has the production. Lawler leads the team this year with 31 assists, and Keseley is not far behind with 24. All told, the two seniors play on a line responsible for 57 of Wisconsin’s 147 goals this season. According to Lawler, the pair’s laid-back approach is a large part of what has kept them together. “The best part about Angie and I is that we don’t get mad at each other if we make mistakes,” she said. “We know that they’re going to happen. We just try to take it one shift at a time.”

“We always joke about how we’ve been together since day one and never separated.” Angie Keseley senior forward Wisconsin women’s hockey

The pair’s relationship off the ice is also a big factor in their on-ice chemistry. “[Erika and I] are just great friends,” Keseley said. “We’re really close off the ice, which I think really

contributes to playing well together on the ice.” Sophomore forward Hilary Knight has picked up on that chemistry, too. The Badgers’ leading goal scorer this season, Knight has played on the same line with Lawler and Keseley for her entire collegiate career. “They had been playing together, [so] it was easier just to adapt to their game,” Knight said. “They welcomed me with open arms.” Entering the final month of the regular season, Lawler and Keseley cannot help but feel their careers at the UW beginning to wind down. “It makes me a little sad to think about it,” Lawler said. “It flies by. Since it’s the second half, I have thought about it. You can’t avoid it. It’s reality.” Even with their careers at Wisconsin coming to an end, Lawler and Keseley sense there is some unfinished business for the Badgers. As part of a class that won national titles in each of its first two seasons, both forwards know there is really only one way to close out their final campaign for the Cardinal and White. “It goes to show that you really do have to leave everything out there,” Lawler said of Wisconsin’s loss to Minnesota-Duluth in the NCAA championship game last March. “All of us right now are just focused on leaving on a positive note and doing what we can to make this season last as long as we can.”

Wisconsin freshman guard Jordan Taylor didn’t get to this point by some coincidence. At 6'1" and 190 lbs., Taylor was never known as a physically imposing figure. But Taylor also says his smaller frame gave him motivation to be more aggressive and prove that he could still compete. The hard work has certainly paid off, as Taylor has already made many positive impressions in just his first year at UW. Assistant coach Gary Close has seen terrific, steady development from Taylor over the course of the season. “The thing I like about him is he wants to be a great player, he wants to improve, he’s constantly trying to get better and he has,” said Close. “He’s really given us a lift in some of the games and I think the sky’s the limit. He’s a good leader, he’s tough, he’s competitive, he wants to win and he’s got some physical skills as well.” As if the adjustment to his first year playing basketball at the college level wasn’t enough, Taylor also plays point guard, a demanding position that can ill-afford many mistakes. But Taylor has not backed down from the challenge, showing maturity for his age. “I’m trying to be a leader even though I’m one of the younger guys,” said Taylor. “Point guards are supposed to do that no matter how old you are. I’m just trying to stay confident for the next game, be efficient when I’m out there and do what I can to help the team the rest of the season.” Taylor was a star at Benilde-St. Margaret High School in nearby St. Louis Park, Minn. Taylor progressed steadily throughout high school and saved his best for last in his senior season, when he averaged 22.3 points and 7.1 assists per game and won a Minnesota state Class AAA title. For these accomplishments, Taylor was named Minnesota’s Mr. Basketball. This year, Taylor received limited playing time at the beginning of the conference season, exceeding ten minutes just once in Wisconsin’s first four Big Ten games. But in the Badgers’ last four contests, the coaching staff has shown greater trust in Taylor, who has averaged more than 20 minutes per game. During this stretch, Taylor racked up 22 points and 11 assists and committed just four turnovers. Close said that Taylor’s play—particularly during practice—has earned

this increased playing time. “He’s gotten to the point now where he demands minutes because he’s playing at a high level,” said Close. “He’s a very intelligent player—he knows what we’re asking for him, what we expect of him and then he produces. That’s the bottom line—you’ve got to produce to get on the floor.” Taylor has also shown a great deal of confidence during this stretch. On Jan. 21 against Iowa, Taylor hit a game-tying three-pointer at the buzzer to send the game into overtime. And in last week’s matchup against Purdue, Taylor took several crucial shots in the game’s final minutes. Senior guard Joe Krabbenhoft is glad this confidence has translated into success for Taylor. “It’s great to see Jordan out there doing successful things because he’s really been doing it all year,” Krabbenhoft said. “It was just a matter of time before he started getting that confidence out on the court in front of 17,000 people. Now that he has, he’s really helping this team in so many ways.” Taylor has already achieved a tremendous amount in his freshman season. The experience so far has not only been a positive one for Taylor, but for his teammates as well. “I love playing with Jordan Taylor,” Krabbenhoft said. “The only thing I regret was that we were born three years apart, because he would’ve been a great player to play with for four years. I’m lucky enough to have him for this long.”

LORENZO ZEMELLA/THE DAILY CARDINAL

Freshman guard Jordan Taylor has raised his level of play in the Badgers’ last four games.

From the pool to the pipe: Phelps setting poor example and risking endorsements CRYSTAL CROWNS the crystal ball

hen I ﬁrst became aware of Michael Phelps’ photograph with a bong in a British tabloid, I did not know what to think. I kept wondering if the stress of being so successful at such a young age caused Phelps to rebel, but then realized that acts such as these are simply unacceptable when you have a positive image to maintain. I’m sure most sports fans know of Phelps, but just in case, here is a brief rundown of his most impressive accomplishments as an Olympic swimmer: Phelps won 14 career gold medals, with eight coming from the

2008 Olympic Games in Beijing. Both of these numbers are Olympic records. Oh, and speaking of records, he also held seven world records in swimming at the end of 2008. The photograph with the pipe may have been taken months ago, during the swim off-season, but Phelps needs to understand that people are watching his every move. Any little mistake like this could cost him millions in endorsements. One would think brands like AT&T, VISA, Kellogg’s, Mazda and Subway would frown upon Phelps’ slight mishap with the marijuana pipe. Athletes in the past engaged in similar activities or held similar reputations, and they were dropped by endorsers in the blink of an eye. I certainly would not offer an endorsement contract to a man who was engaging in illegal or promiscuous activity, especially if he is supposed to be a role model for chil-

dren and athletes across the globe. It appears as though Phelps and his marketing agency are not refuting the validity of the photograph. However, the substance being used remains uncertain. Phelps has never tested positive for any illegal substance, so it is not fair to jump to conclusions. This being said, it is also not acceptable for Phelps to engage in activities that could negatively affect his reputation, considering children need a man like him to idolize. One would think Phelps learned his lesson and understands what it means to be a role model making a public apology back in 2004 when he pleaded guilty for drunken driving at the age of 19. There are very few professional athletes and Olympians who have inspired the Americans the way Phelps has, and even though he is only 23 years old,

it is important for him to act with great maturity. In an interview with the New York Times, Phelps said, “I engaged in behavior which was regrettable and demonstrated bad judgment … and despite the successes I’ve had in the pool, I acted in a youthful and inappropriate way, not in a manner people have come to expect from me.” But is an admission of wrongdoing and an apology good enough? Isn’t the harm already done? It is impressive that Phelps has acknowledged his mistake and stated that it won’t happen again, but getting himself tangled up in this situation could easily have been avoided. It’s really quite simple. If Phelps wanted to play with a marijuana pipe, he should have done it in the privacy of his own home and not at a party where he could be photographed.

People often make mistakes. Nobody’s perfect. But the stakes are much higher for Phelps compared to most other individuals, especially after being the topic of discussion throughout the entire Olympic Games which wrapped up just months ago. Phelps is an amazing swimmer and U.S. fans will hopefully be cheering for him in the 2012 Olympics, but until then he really needs to keep his nose clean. As a young, successful athlete, every choice he makes will be examined under a microscope. The little things build around an individual’s image, and those little things are what people sometimes accidentally let slip away from them. Perhaps Phelps should think about that in the future. Are you wondering if Phelps consumes 12,000 calories of food when he gets the munchies? Discuss that with Crystal at crowns@dailycardinal.com