Thursday, February 19, 2009 - The Daily Cardinal

A NIGHT AT THE OSCARS: WHO WILL WIN?

Find out who will walk away with a golden statue this weekend, and who will get snubbed ARTS University of Wisconsin-Madison

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Sweatin’ the small stuff: Small costs for UW students add up to an expensive education FEATURES

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Thursday, February 19, 2009

GOP lawmakers gauge budget By Megan Orear THE DAILY CARDINAL

KRIS UGARIZZA/CARDINAL FILE PHOTO

Students take a break from class and enjoy the festivities at the annual Wisconsin Alumni Student Board’s All Campus Party last spring. WASB received full funding for the event Wednesday.

All Campus Party receives funding By Rory Linnane THE DAILY CARDINAL

The Associated Students of Madison granted the Wisconsin Alumni Student Board over $40,000 Wednesday for the All Campus Party. “It’s more than just a performance,” ASM Representative Johnny Tackett said. “It involves cultural experiences, and it’s an alcohol-free event. It’s really a good event for us representing

the University of Wisconsin and representing the state.” The funds will come from ASM’s Event Grant Fund. Of the fund, $29,650 will go toward hiring musical acts. Student Council debated granting an extra $25,000 to afford higherend performers, but the motion failed in a tie vote. “I don’t think it’s ﬁscally responsible for us to throw more money into a performance,”

Carl Fergus, the new chair of the Student Services Finance Committee, said. “It’s nice to go to, but it’s not educational.” WASB will also receive funds from corporate sponsors. ASM also voted Wednesday to sponsor the Domestic Partner Beneﬁts Day of Action March 25 to encourage UW-Madison to offer domestic-partner beneﬁts. party page 3

ASM constitution endures harsh feedback By Andrea Carlson THE DAILY CARDINAL

Student leaders went head to head in a debate over the best way to reform the Associated Students of Madison constitution Wednesday at Memorial Union. Jeff Wright, ASM Constitutional Committee Chair, and Chynna Haas, President of the Working Class Student Union, answered predetermined questions before taking questions from the audi-

ence at the end of the debate. Subjects of contention included the use and distribution of UW-Madison’s segregated fees. The “Vote No” and “Vote Yes” coalitions also expressed concern about the best way to reform the ASM constitution. Wright, who was arguing in favor of ASM reform, said he believes the new constitution represents an improvement to the current system of government. According to Wright, ASM

has been having participation issues due to the disenfranchisement of half the members of the student council. “There isn’t much coordination between the leadership and those that are elected,” Wright said. Wright described three main tasks ASM is expected to accomplish: appointing shared-governance committee members,

Governor Jim Doyle’s inclusion of tax increases and non-ﬁscal related policies in the budget introduced Tuesday is drawing criticism from Republican lawmakers. His budget proposal calls for an income tax increase for individuals earning over $300,000 a year, in addition to a 75-cent increase in the cigarette tax and a tax on oil companies’ proﬁts. “The amount of taxes being raised outnumber the amount of cuts to government spending,” said state Sen. Neal Kedzie, R-Elkhorn. Mike Mikalsen, spokesperson for state Rep. Steve Nass, R-Whitewater, said a proposed $1.4 billion in tax increases aimed at businesses will

Budget breakdown $2.2 billion in cuts to state agencies, $174 million cut to UW System Elimination of ﬁlm tax incentive program Early release of inmates 75-cent cigarette tax raise Statewide smoking ban Tuition freeze for modest income students Domestic partner registry 1 percent tax increase on incomes over $300,000 Interstate corporation tax

result in a “guaranteed loss of jobs.” Kedzie said the 1 percent, across the board cut in spending for state agencies Doyle proposed is “a step in the right direction,” but all the issues that do not focus on fiscal policy should not be included in the budget. “We’ve got domestic partnerships, prevailing wage law, red light traffic cameras, primary seatbelt enforcement, statewide smoking ban–these are things that don’t belong in a budget bill, these are issues that should be debated individually,” Kedzie said. State Sen. Fred Risser, D-Madison, defended the smoking ban, saying it would save billions of dollars in health-care costs for smokers, most of which are picked up by taxpayers. According to Mikalsen, Nass has always opposed putting policy in the budget because it cheats the public out of the opportunity to testify on the issues. Mikalsen said the $1.74 million cut in UW System funding was within the expected range, but warned that losses to the system will likely be offset by a 5- to 6-percent tuition increase. Doyle proposed freezing tuition for UW System students whose household incomes fall under $60,000 a year, a move state Rep. Robin Vos, R-Racine, criticized. “If you’re successful, your parents are doing better, you’re going to end up paying much higher [tuition] than the person sitting next to you in class,” Vos said. According to Risser, the 2009-’11 budget is going to be difficult to pass. “It looks like at this point in time the Republicans are just going to vote as a block against the budget … The Democrats have to put together a coalition to pass it,” he said, adding it could be difficult because Democrats hold a slim majority in both houses.

Lady of the Lake

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Ruling allows Wisconsin judges to declare open partisanship By Charles Brace THE DAILY CARDINAL

A court ruling released Wednesday allowed Wisconsin judges to identify with a political party, with potentially far-reaching consequences for the state’s judiciary. U.S. District Court Judge Barbara Crabb ruled judges should be allowed to identify with a party, directly ask for donations and endorse lawmakers in partisan ofﬁces. In the 65-page opinion, Crabb said rules banning those practices violate judges’ First Amendment rights, and the government should be hesitant of “limiting the discussions that candidates may have

with the public.” The state Supreme Court election will be held April 7. Milwaukee County Circuit Court Judge John Siefert, who sued the state because he wanted to remain a member of the Democratic Party, said the ruling will help future judicial elections. “I certainly agree we have a strong interest in a fair and open-minded judiciary,” he said, but added, “I don’t see how speaking out on issues or belonging to the Democratic party in any way compromises my neutrality as a judge.” Siefert said this ruling allows judges to raise money directly and allow

the public to make a more informed decision about a candidate. In the decision, Crabb said greater public financing might be necessary for more impartial judicial elections, and Siefert said such measures are needed to prevent the influence of wealthy special interests. Mike McCabe, executive director of the government watchdog group Wisconsin Democracy Campaign, said the decision does nothing to restore public faith or confidence in judicial elections. judges page 4

ISABEL ALVAREZ/THE DAILY CARDINAL

The Statue of Liberty reappears on Lake Mendota as part of the Hoofers Winter Carnival after a 32-year hiatus.

“…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, February 19, 2009

An independent student newspaper, serving the University of Wisconsin-Madison community since 1892

TODAY: snow hi 18º / lo 8º

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Put your fate in their fearless feet feet ate, Mr. doctor Yao. Respond with your own account numbers to receive these funds. yes, yes, yes. I’ll go and ﬁnd out right now. thank you, angels. With regards, Blince T. Hodges

Volume 118, Issue 96

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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 Nick Dmytrenko 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 Teresa Floberg Megan Kozelek, Frances Provine Mario Puig

Business and Advertising business@dailycardinal.com Business Manager Alex Kusters Advertising Manager Sheila Phillips Mindy Cummings Billing Manager Accounts Receivable Manager Cole Wenzel Account Executives Katie Brown Ana Devcic, Natalie Kemp Tom Shield Eric Harris, Dan Hawk Web Directors 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.

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FRIDAY: ﬂurries hi 24º / lo 15º

MATT HUNZIKER his dark matterials Inbox:

From: Anthonio Netherlands Subject: R prices best? DO you!

From: Albatross R. Bailey Sent: February 18th, 2009 3:24am To: hunziker@wisc.edu Subject: secretSECRET (clisk!) Dear American Student, The business of trusting is important, yes!? Before he was executed by his government, our “associate” the Honorable Mr. Yao began a SECRET account with my bank. Minister Yao’s SECRET account has now 80 million United States dollars. trembling, she said. our hands were like timid, timid birds. Before he was executed by his government, Professor Yao told us that you were business, and so I am writing to you to offer 20 per-cent (%) of his SECRET account to help us move this money out of the country. Clisk here for to more information regarding our “late” associ-

Dear American Student, Have you forgotten our mutual friends, time and prosperity? My colleague knows you and said you would have interest in this [clisk here]. It is much to think about, certainly? Or did you know that you could make 400 United States dollars an hour for just inches a day! put your fate in their fearless feet feet. Respond with your account numbers to receive this special offer! Call me Ishmael. With regards, Emil St. Barnabus From: Lincoln W. Bismarck Subject: Repent! savings 4 now Dear A. S., Well, you haven’t responded – not to

claim your free ringtone, not to receive your online account summary and certainly not to redeem your e-coupon for $100 worth of name brand Pro2ac. Of course, I can’t say I’m surprised that you’re ignoring me. (Find big beautiful women in your area! clisk here.) In fact if you’re like everybody else, this message is probably just sitting unread in your junk mail folder. a hymn of democratic youth. because this cocktail fosters vulgarity and dark forces. Anyway, if you do get this message just... send me one back with your account numbers. It’d be nice to hear from somebody. With regards, Hamlet Q. Shakespeare From: David D. Danielson Subject: free gum? I love you! Dear A. S., To be honest, I don’t even really remember how I got into this line of work. I mean, I didn’t wake up one morning and say, “You know, I’d really like to spend my life offering strangers 100% real medical diplomas and absolute satisfaction [clisk here].” I guess I never received much encouragement

New Beer Thursday

From: Englebert Dungaroo Subject: crimson crab special local! Dear A. S., So this is the last message you’ll ever get from me. I just put in my notice, and next time this week I’ll be earning 5,000 US dollars a week working from my home or dwelling. (Find out how! [clisk]). Starting on Monday, my colleague Jesus Jones III will be taking over my position. Send him your account numbers [here]. With regards, Dorian Balthus Beardsley Send your account numbers to Matt at hunziker@wisc.edu. the nickotene patch that sleeps!

For the record

New Glarus crack’d wheat Let me know if this sounds familiar: You swore the worst of winter was over. The first tickling of spring tempted you to take the lock off of your trunk full of shorts, tank tops and body oil, but now it’s snowing and you can hardly breathe because your roommate got you sick. The body oil will have to wait. Well, that is certainly the case over here, and because of this a premium beer is in order for New Beer Thursday. Heaven forbid in my depressed state an only mediocre beer comes across the desk. I would undoubtedly grab the bottle and break it over some innocent staff writer’s head. That is why today’s new beer is a product of New Glarus Brewing Co., the local brewery incapable of letting anyone down. The brand new Crack’d Wheat is a hybrid ale mix of a hefeweizen and an American pale ale, and I have to say, all staff writers’ heads are safe. As a fan of both styles of beer, this takes the best of both and brings them into one bottle. The wheat is immediately apparent in what people usually refer to as a “bananaesque” flavor, leading to an infusion of cloves and spice and finishing with the hoppy goodness one would expect from pale ale. This beer has the best after-taste

growing up. Business school was a nightmare and I never completed that online chiropractic course [clisk]. bin gar keine russin, stamm aus litauen, echt deutsch. Oh yeah, and send us your account numbers in order to unlock your free, accurate psychic reading! With regards, T.S. Alfred Prufrock M.D.

of any to come across the desk. While New Glarus’ Dancing Man Wheat hefeweizen is a kick-ass summer brew, this beer mixes the wheaty goodness of that beer with hoppiness that makes this a great beer any time. Before deciding how to rate this beer, I must include a disclaimer. Months ago, New Glarus’ now defunct Alt was reviewed and was given a 4.5 rating. Maybe I was naïve, but that was far and away the best beer thus far, and it should have received a 5-beer rating. Granted, it’s better than Summit’s Octoberfest and the original recipe Schlitz, the other two to receive a 4.5 rating. Well, the Alt was excellent, and Crack’d Wheat isn’t far behind. The ﬁnal scores are 5 for Alt, 4.5 for Crack’d Wheat. New Glarus isn’t sure yet whether this will be seasonally or perennially brewed— it all depends on how it’s received. Well, let this beer critic vote for year-long production, just in case any other bouts of depression suddenly occur.

New Glarus • Crack’d Wheat $7.99 at Riley’s Wines of the World

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

Travel Wholesale, Build a Business, Or Both www.dreamvacationtrips.com

702-682-3788

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Thursday, February 19, 2009

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Legislature passes budget repair bill By Elise Mann THE DAILY CARDINAL

The state Legislature passed Gov. Jim Doyle’s budget adjustment bill Wednesday, which aims to decrease the current budget deﬁcit and create jobs. The Senate passed the bill 18-15 along party lines with no Republican support. After deliberations late into the night, the state Assembly passed it 51-48. “We desperately need to get this economy going again, and this bill will be a start on that.” Spencer Black Representative State Assembly

State Sen. Fred Risser, D-Madison, said this bill, which leaves $400 million of the state’s current $600 million deﬁcit unﬁlled, is only part of the solution to the state’s budget woes. Rebekah Sweeney, spokesperson for Assembly Speaker Mike Sheridan, DJanesville, said this package will send money into our transportation system, which will help improve Wisconsin’s infrastructure while creating jobs in repairing bridges, roads and buildings.

“We know it’s really important to pass this bill to create jobs, boost business and get this economy moving again. We have to take proactive action and act with urgency,” Sweeney said. State Rep. Spencer Black, D-Madison, said he finds the bill important for two main reasons. It will create jobs and close unfair and unnecessary corporate tax loopholes so there will be extra revenue to prevent state services like the universities from being dramatically affected, he said. “We desperately need to get this economy going again, and this bill will be a start on that,” Black said. “It’s the ﬁrst step in what is going to be a long haul.” According to Mike Mikalsen, spokesperson for state Rep. Steve Nass, R-Whitewater, this bill will stimulate jobs only for government workers, but its tax increases will decrease jobs in the private sector. “This bill is a tax increase bill, and what’s worse it doesn’t even solve the current year’s fiscal crisis that a budget repair bill is supposed to deal with,” Mikalsen said. State Sen. Randy Hopper, R-Fond du Lac, said in a statement he opposes the bill because it will deepen Wisconsin’s economic recession by hurting middle class families and putting their jobs in jeopardy.

Buck-ing the trend

BECCA LI/THE DAILY CARDINAL

Samba Brazilian Grill will now extend their hours until 1:30 a.m. Wednesday through Saturday and until 1:00 a.m. Sunday through Tuesday.

Samba opens to bar time By Ryan Hebel THE DAILY CARDINAL

Madison’s late-night bar crowd can start mixing its cocktails with calamari now that the Samba Brazilian Grill will be extending its hours. The Alcohol License Review Committee granted Samba and its conjoined Cabana Room a Class B beer and liquor license Wednesday night. The license will allow the restaurants to remain open until 1:30 a.m. from Wednesday through Saturday and until 1:00 a.m. from Sunday through Tuesday. Previously, Samba had been open until 10 p.m. and

DANNY MARCHEWKA/THE DAILY CARDINAL

Accordionist Buckwheat Zydeco performs at the Memorial Union Wednesday night.

party from page 1 Academic Affairs Chair Chris Tiernan said it would aid in recruiting and attaining professors. ASM Representative Matt Tobelmann added it would also help recruit graduate students looking for employment as teaching assistants. “Rallying behind domestic-partner beneﬁts is long overdue,” ASM Constitutional Committee chair Jeff Wright said. Timothy Fung, ASM Finance Committee chair, urged representatives to get out the vote

debate from page 1 allocating these committees to student groups on campus and serving as a means by which students can effect change. “[The new constitution] will make sure that only the best students are assigned to shared governance committees and not the friends of appointees, which is kind of what happens now,” Wright said. Representing the other side of the debate was Haas, who argued for the denial of the proposed ASM constitution. One of Haas’ chief claims was that

on the proposed new ASM constitution, which students may do so Feb. 23 and 24. “We’ve come here today to perform our version of extreme makeover, ASM edition,” Fung said. “We believe we can change, we can change and we will change. Now is the time to get out the vote and ﬂood the polls like an unstoppable tsunami.” Student Council approved many nominations, but Mary Collins, Nominations Board Chair, announced there are still many openings on Student Council and ASM committees. Students interested in applying can e-mail Collins at mcollins2@wisc.edu. grassroots organizations or subcommittees within ASM should have more power in student council because they are organizing student issues that matter to them. “First and foremost, ASM’s function is to advance student interest on campus on local, state and national issues,” she said. Haas said the new ASM constitution does not address the real problems with the student government, and it concentrates too much power in the hands of the executive branch. Students interested in voting on the new ASM constitution can do so Feb. 23 to 24.

midnight, respectively, but owner Jongyean Lee said she wanted “more ﬂexible hours” to better accommodate her customers. Customers like Edgewood College student Ryan Wolf were pleasantly surprised by the news. “Samba is a good off-State Street place to come to when you kind of want to get away from the undergrad scene,” Wolf said. Wolf praised Samba as having one of Madison’s best and widest selections of beers on tap, with 34 varieties of beer served alongside a variety of wine and cocktails. The Committee passed the

license with little argument, and District 4 alder Mike Verveer pointed to the Samba’s “excellent track record” as a major reason for granting the license. Madison resident Rosemary Lee, who spoke during the meeting, echoed Verveer’s positive sentiments. “Samba is one of the nicer restaurants downtown,” Lee said. “To the best of my knowledge, patrons do not routinely get over-served there.” Samba Brazilian Grill will now be able to capitalize on Madison’s lucrative bar crowd thanks to the extension and its prime location on 240 W. Gilman Street.

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Student book club set to debut next fall

GRACE FLANNERY/THE DAILY CARDINAL

Optometrist John Bonsett-Veal’s ofﬁce on West Washington Avenue will be updated and expanded in the new apartment complex plan approved by the Urban Design Commision Wednesday. The new building is also set to feature a new location for Capital Fitness.

West Washington apartment approved The project is proposed to cost $7.4 million and is set for completion in 2010

By Rachel Holzman THE DAILY CARDINAL

The Urban Design Commission approved the new design of a West Washington apartment complex in a 4-3 vote at the Wednesday

night’s meeting. The ﬁve-story apartment project must now pass through the Plan Commission and the City Council for approval before contractors get the go-ahead. Developers are hoping to receive approval before August, the month in which they hope to begin the project. The apartment complex is set to feature another location for Capital Fitness, which will include a swimming pool, and a new ofﬁce

for optometrist John Bonsett-Veal, which will allow him to expand his practice. The building, first proposed as a nine-story complex in 2005, failed to receive city approval four years ago due to strong opposition from city officials and citizens of the Bassett neighborhood. The complex was scaled down in size to counter claims that the building would not fit in with the smaller residential buildings

in the area. The smaller size of the new design led to more support this time around. Developer Erik Minton and architect David Ferch worked together to restructure the older design into a project more suited toward the community and the surrounding area. The project is proposed to cost around $7.4 million dollars and is set for completion in August of 2010.

Chancellor Biddy Martin has decided to implement a campus-wide book initiative titled “Go Big Read,” set to begin in fall 2009. Students, faculty, staff and alumni are able to participate by reading a selected book and contributing to campus discussions and community events. According to Martin, the goal of the book project is to connect the campus and surrounding Madison community with the intellectual aspects of reading outside of assigned class readings. Martin also hopes her initiative will produce an open line of communication and exchange of ideas between students and alumni. The Go Big Read Steering Committee is comprised of staff from the Ofﬁce of the Chancellor, Ofﬁce of the Provost, UW-Madison Libraries and the Wisconsin Alumni Association, among others. Students are encouraged to get involved and make book suggestions by Friday, March 6. To learn more about Go Big Read and submit suggestions, visit gobigread.wisc.edu.

judges from page 1 Both Siefert and McCabe said neither justice in the April Supreme Court election is likely to declare a party afﬁliation. Many are uneasy, however, about the prospect of judges openly declaring party affiliation. The state Department of Justice is considering an appeal of the ruling. “Eliminating partisanship from the judiciary is the best way to assure that judges remain impartial,” Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen said in a statement.

opinion dailycardinal.com/opinion

Thursday, February 19, 2009

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

good riddance to coal plant

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ast Friday, Gov. Jim Doyle announced the Charter Street Heating Plant will convert from burning coal to biomass by 2012. The plant is run by UW-Madison and is responsible for the heating and cooling of the UW campus. The decision comes after decades of scrutiny from environmental groups including the Sierra Club, WISPIRG and Action for Environmental Justice. In 2007, the plant was found to be in violation of the Clean Air Act, designed to limit U.S. emissions. The Charter Coal Plant, located in the south-central section of campus, has been a black eye for UW-Madison, a university trying to do its best to be a “green” campus. Needless to say, converting the Charter Street Heating Plant from coal to biofuels is a great step for not only Madison, but Dane County and UWMadison as well. Biofuel emissions are much cleaner than coal emissions, and converting the plant will reduce the amount of coal burned locally by 108,800 tons per year.

The plant will also run primarily on switchgrass, a biofuel being touted as the next “miracle crop” for its possibilities as an ethanol source. A new study shows switchgrass ethanol is five times more efficient to produce than corn ethanol, and Wisconsin also has plenty of prairie land in Dane County available for switchgrass harvest. With the switch, local farmers, landowners and state fuel processors will have a new market available for the energyefficient crop. In addition to supporting the Wisconsin economy with the advent of switchgrass fueling, UW-Madison researchers may also be able to perform research on biofuels, opening up further avenues for grants and revenue for the university. Although the switch comes later than desired, we are pleased Doyle took steps to ensure Wisconsin maintains its reputation as a green-minded state, and Dane County and UWMadison can benefit from the economic and research-based opportunities in switchgrass as a biofuel.

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Stimulus bill bipartisan, rushed solution for U.S. By Kristen Wall COLLEGE REPUBLICANS

We are in the midst of one of the largest economic collapses in the history of the United States—one that may soon rival the Great Depression. As a direct result of this collapse, 600,000 jobs are being lost each month. To remedy this situation, President Obama pledged immediate, decisive and effective action in his recently passed $787 billion economic stimulus package. The purpose of this bill, passed by Congress last Friday, is to create jobs for unemployed Americans. To do this, the stimulus bill increases support for new and existing infrastructure programs by funding highways, bridges, schools, health care, scientiﬁc research and a number of other programs. The idea is that this will improve American society and create jobs at the same time by funding worthwhile programs. Inspection of Obama’s plan reveals that it is merely a partisan gimmick with little chance of success. One concern lies in the methods the Administration and Congressional Democrats used to pass the bill, which largely lacked Republican support. The 1,100page document, scheduled to be voted on mid-morning last Friday, was released shortly before mid-

night the night before. As House Minority Leader John Boehner pointed out, this did not provide congress enough time to adequately read and consider what it was they were voting on.

We, as Americans, deserve real change, not Obama’s partisan gimmicks.

More importantly, this late release broke a promise Obama made to the American people to release all legislation for public review at least 48 hours prior to any ﬂoor vote. If indeed this stimulus package was as good as the Administration said it was, why did they act on it so quickly and prevent a meaningful review of the bill? Although Democrats claim quick action was needed so the bill could be implemented as soon as possible, the fact that Obama still had not signed the bill into law several days after passage seems to negate this argument. More importantly than process, however, is the exact content of the bill. In its 1,100 pages, the bill contains numerous appropriations which are not warranted. Many of the infrastructure programs it pro-

vides funding for will not begin for several years. But the point of the stimulus is to provide jobs now. If some of the projects in the stimulus are not providing jobs, then why are they in the bill? Also, many of the appropriations in the bill, such as those for education and health care, represent dramatic changes in the very nature of these programs. But with these signiﬁcant changes hidden in a 1,100 page bill, legislators do not have the ability to hold hearings and debate the warrants of each policy individually. Rather, they must vote on the stimulus bill as a package, increasing the chances that many of these program changes have not had the proper period of review. Although America is indeed on the precipice of total economic disaster and needs a stimulus package desperately, Obama’s attempt at such a package comes up woefully short. We, as Americans, deserve real change, not Obama’s partisan gimmicks. This bill goes to show that the “change” and “bipartisanship” and “cooperation” Obama campaigned on is just empty rhetoric, and once the dust settles, it will become clear that it is just politics as usual. Kristen Wall is a junior majoring in economics and political science. She is the current vice chair of the College Republicans. Please send responses to opinion@dailycardinal.com.

‘The Vagina Monologues’ highlights women’s rights struggles JOE KOSS opinion columnist

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grotesque and morally obnoxious acts of violence against women, but transcendentally it is about human beings in all corners of the world. As Eve wrote recently, “I think if we learn anything in the work we do it is that being able to stand in the center of opposites is what eventually makes us free and compassionate.” Joe Koss is a junior majoring in secondary education in social studies. Please send responses to opinion@dailycardinal.com

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[The play] represents a global movement to end the most grotesque and morally obnoxious acts of violence against women.

The experience led me to a deeper understanding of what it means to be a human being. It wasn’t a call for feminists to unite, it wasn’t about orgasms or vulgar language, but rather a condemnation of past practices and a call for human rights equality. It just so happens that many of the most horriﬁc crimes against human

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I felt somewhat uncomfortable trying to adequately capture what exactly it is about the experience that left such a unique mark upon me and the many others who have seen it. Instead, I asked a cast member to

rights have happened and continue to happen against women. It is a movement that is hard to say no to; it transcends gender, race, religion and politics. The monologues themselves represent individual females’ struggles with their identity, their bodies and how they come to view themselves as women in the disparate places we call home. The play represents something greater, something much bigger: It overtly represents a global movement to end the most

Todd Dr.

I had heard of “The Vagina Monologues” before, and naïvely thought them to be a play about orgasms and vaginas.

violence against women, Ensler promotes a focus on both the local and international issues, creating solidarity amongst women around the world. “As a member of this year’s UWMadison cast, I can attest to the positive impact Ensler has had on a group of 18 women. During our limited rehearsal schedule, time was made for individual presentations on issues afﬂicting women in the United States and around the world. Our director, Sara Lyons, facilitated thoughtful, respectful discussion for two hours every Saturday. We discussed topics such as female genital mutilation, sexual identity, the sexual violence afﬂicted on Bosnian refugees and childbirth (to name a few). We cried, laughed, got angry, offended and occasionally felt proud. As time wore on, our work was affected by these dialogues. Each individual monologue became its own unique cry for activism.”

Fish Hatchery

his Saturday and Sunday the Union Theatre played host to “The Vagina Monologues,” a play by Eve Ensler. The participants stage beneﬁt performances of the show worldwide each year between Feb. 1 and March 31. The play is also the cornerstone of Ensler’s “V-Day” movement. The V stands for Valentine, Vagina and Victory, and is “a global movement to stop violence against women and girls.” I had heard of “The Vagina Monologues” before, and naïvely thought them to be a play about orgasms and vaginas. What I came to learn is the author, the play and the cause are much more incredible than a mere orgasm, though there is a whole monologue devoted to just that (my personal favorite was the unexpected triple orgasm).

try to help explain it. The following is what she had to say: “A few months ago I would not have recognized the name Eve Ensler. I had never seen ‘The Vagina Monologues,’ though I found the play’s title both curious and catchy. What I have come to know over my past four weeks of vagina research, dialogue and rehearsal has led to deeper understanding of what it means to be a woman. “The Vagina Monologues” is not only a play featuring women talking about their vaginas’ experiences. It is part of a broader campaign to stop violence against women; a movement that is reaching some of the most impoverished and politically disenfranchised people in the world today. This year’s spotlight is the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), and the rampant systematic rape of women and girls by armed forces there. “The UW-Madison’s production of ‘The Vagina Monologues,’ sponsored by the Campus Women’s Center, donated 10 percent of its proceeds to Eve Ensler’s work in the DRC. The other 90 percent was given to the Domestic Abuse Intervention Services (DAIS) and the Rape Crisis Center, local organizations working to help victims of violence in the Madison community. As Ensler stated in an interview with Democracy Now host Amy Goodman, ‘violence against women is not a particular African thing or a Congolese thing; we know it’s happening in every country in the world. One out of every three women is violated.’ By allowing local universities and organizations to produce ‘The Vagina Monologues’ as part of a larger, global movement to stop all

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The Academy Awards T

he year 2008 was a year of change in American film. The year began by bringing us one of the most critically acclaimed blockbusters in a long time with “The Dark Knight,” and an animated feature as a legitimate Best Picture contender in Pixar’s kiddie sci-fi masterpiece “WALL-E.” Yet when the smoke cleared and the nominations came out, these two films were nowhere to be seen. Sure, Heath Ledger secured a Best Supporting Actor nomination for “The Dark Knight,” and Andrew Stanton was nominated for Best Original Screenplay for “WALL-E,” but the Best Picture nominees were downright pedestrian. 2008 will be remembered as a year that simply kept the status quo. There were some good movies, even some great ones, but nothing which will make 2008 stand out as a definitive year in cinema. None of us at The Daily Cardinal claim to be clairvoyant, but a few of our resident cinephiles gathered to discuss the major categories and take a stab at the winners. The only way to know for sure is to tune in next Sunday, February 22, at 7 p.m. on ABC and watch for yourself.

Best Picture

Who will win: “Slumdog Millionaire” Who should win: “Slumdog Millionaire” Who was snubbed: “The Wrestler,” “Gran Torino” Everyone loves Danny Boyle’s “Slumdog Millionaire.” The film has 60 awards to its name already, including four Golden Globes and a Screen Actor’s Guild Award. The underdog story of a child of the slums, rising up by using a longshot chance on a game show to find the woman of his dreams has, ironically, become an unstoppable awards juggernaut, trampling anything in its wake. There are a few chinks in the armor though. Despite the high production value, the acting in “Slumdog” is admittedly spotty at times; that’s what comes from using a cast of unknowns. And while the cast as a whole performs admirably, there are other nominees in the category who have stronger performances across the board. Enter Gus Van Sant’s “Milk.” While all the momentum in the film community points to a win for “Slumdog,” “Milk” could nab Best Picture simply on the strength of Sean Penn’s transformative performance alone. The supporting performances by Emile Hirsch and James Franco could also edge out the competition. As for the rest: “Frost/Nixon” and “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” are easy to hate on this year because, in a year of low-budget art house champs, they represent the awards formula of bigbudget Hollywood. Instead, it would have been nice to see Darren Aronofsky’s “The Wrestler” in this category, seeing as it truly was one of the

best and most original ﬁlms of the year. And hell, the crotchety antics of Clint Eastwood in “Gran Torino” deserve a nod more than the overwhelmingly boring cast of “Button” any day. —Mark Riechers

Best Actor

Who will win: Mickey Rourke, “The Wrestler” Who should win: Mickey Rourke, “The Wrestler” Who was snubbed: Clint Eastwood, “Gran Torino” Let’s face it, this competition is only between Rourke and Sean Penn. Penn has been called everything from “stunning” to “transformative” for his turn as Harvey Milk in, well, “Milk,” but Rourke’s comeback story is the very definition of “transformative.” Rourke gives the best performance of the year, hands down. He brings heart and humor to one of the three best movies of the year. From the first shot over Rourke’s shoulder to the very last second of the film, you are completely invested in the character, and no one deserves the Oscar more than him. Possible upsets could come from Frank Langella for “Frost/Nixon” or Richard Jenkins for “The Visitor,” neither of whom has been previously recognized by the Academy for their considerable talent. The only one with no chance is Brad Pitt, who will, along with Angelina, go home empty-handed. If Pitt deserved a nomination this year for anything, it was certainly for “Burn After Reading,” not “Benjamin Button.” And instead of nominating Pitt, why not nominate Colin Farrell for “In Bruges?” The role was easily the best of his career, and it earned him a Golden Globe, so the lack of recognition from the Academy is a large omission. But the largest omission this year by far is Clint Eastwood for “Gran Torino.” Not only would a nomination have honored his half-century acting career in Hollywood, but the film marks perhaps the greatest performance of his life. If anyone deserves recognition from the Academy, it’s Eastwood. California voters may be swayed by the Prop-8 politics associated with “Milk,” but if they’re looking to reward a stunning personal transformation and a deeply moving performance, Rourke will be a very happy man Sunday night. —Danny Gottleib

Best Actress

Who Will Win: Kate Winslet, “The Reader” Who Should Win: Meryl Streep, “Doubt” Who Shouldn’t Be Here: Angelina Jolie, “Changeling” Kate Winslet will probably take home the hardware for her performance as a former SS guard in “The Reader.” A middle-aged man (Ralph Fiennes) remembers an affair he once had as a teenager, discov-

Thursday, February 19, 2009

From “Milk” to “Gran Torino,” The Daily Cardinal makes its Oscar picks

ers its dark secrets and witnesses his lover’s (Winslet) war crimes trial. Although more subdued, Winslet’s performance is nonetheless compelling. She makes Hanna’s emotions plausibly understandable while complementing her straightforward demeanor. After six Academy Award nominations (and losses), it’s finally Winslet’s time to shine. However, the actress most deserving of the award is a woman who has already had more success in awards than any other actress, Meryl Streep. Streep’s performance as the suspicious nun in “Doubt” was a typically flawless performance from the best actress of our generation. Through a few and limited observations, Streep accuses her parish’s priest (Phillip Seymour Hoffman) of sexual abuse with one of the teenage boys attending the parochial school. Streep takes the judgmental nun stereotype to an extreme, but at the same time manages to develop several complex layers to the character, making the story much more heartbreaking. And, in addition to all this, she masters a Bronx accent. One high-profile actress who shouldn’t even be under consideration is Angelina Jolie, for her role as a distraught mother in “Changeling.” When the LAPD reports that her missing son has been found, Jolie discovers that it is not him. The police refuse to admit their mistake, and consequently attempt to make Jolie feel like she has gone insane. Jolie has been celebrated for various films in the past, but this nomination feels like a cop-out. We get it, Clint Eastwood: She has big lips and can fit the 1920s look fairly well. Sadly, even those lips can’t hide the lack of passion in what could have been an extremely emotional role. —Katie Foran-McHale

Best Supporting Actor Who will win: Heath Ledger, “The Dark Knight” Who should win: Heath Ledger “The Dark Knight” Who shouldn’t be here: Robert Downey Jr., “Tropic Thunder” It will be an upset of monumental proportions if Ledger doesn’t win a posthumous Oscar for his dark turn in “The Dark Knight.” Some would argue that Ledger should be considered in the Best Actor category rather than the Supporting category, as his performance far overshadowed Christian Bale’s, but regardless of the category, Ledger deserves to win. He disappeared into the role of “The Joker,” making even the most die-hard Batman fans forget Jack Nicholson’s similarly incredible performance in the 1989 original. He convinced audiences of his utter insanity in the movie, and personiﬁed the new-age kind of darkness director Christopher Nolan intended

to convey in re-inventing the Batman franchise. Sadly, Ledger’s passing robbed us of what would surely have been a great film career. This makes the Academy’s decision even easier, because the only chance they’ll have to reward Ledger is right now. Although it’s about 99.9 percent certain that Ledger will win, both Phillip Seymour Hoffman in “Doubt” and Josh Brolin in “Milk” present a minimal challenge. Hoffman gave a typically brilliant performance and is always a critical darling, and “Doubt” is no exception. Brolin’s turn as killer James White in “Milk” was the perfect foil to Sean Penn’s flamboyant Harvey Milk. I’d even go so far as to say Brolin gave the best performance of the film, and would have a much better chance if “Milk” had come out in a Ledger-less year. As for nominees who don’t belong, I have to wonder what the Academy was thinking by nominating Robert Downey Jr. for “Tropic Thunder.” Although Hollywood always appreciates being made fun of, Downey Jr.’s role wasn’t even the best comedic supporting role in a movie dealing with Hollywood in-jokes. That honor would go to Brad Pitt in “Burn After Reading.” Regardless, the Academy will not ignore the prohibitive favorite. Heath Ledger will win the Oscar, and if he doesn’t, there is no justice in the world. —Kevin Slane

Best Supporting Actress Who will win: Viola Davis, “Doubt” Who should win: Viola Davis, “Doubt” Who got snubbed: Rosemarie DeWitt, “Rachel Getting Married” The category of Best Supporting Actress has often been a wild card on Oscar night, but until Tilda Swinton’s surprise win for her role in “Michael Clayton” last year, the category had been fairly predictable for the past decade. Hopefully the 2009 Academy Awards will continue the trend of shaking up the establishment This year’s frontrunner is Penelope Cruz, vaunted as the favorite for her role as Javier Bardem’s scorned ex-wife in “Vicky Cristina Barcelona.” But despite having the best Vegas odds, Cruz still doesn’t feel like a lock for victory, leaving the door open for an underdog. The biggest star of the group is Amy Adams, nominated for her innocent turn in “Doubt,” though she didn’t have any powerful scenes to show off for the Academy. Taraji P. Henson faces a similar problem with her role in “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button,” and Marisa Tomei, despite her previous history as a Supporting Actress spoiler, just seems like an afterthought for her stripper role in “The Wrestler.” That leaves Viola Davis, who despite only appearing in “Doubt” for one scene, crafts a knock-out performance that was almost unanimously praised. With four acting nominations, it’s unlikely that “Doubt” will leave the ceremony without at least one trophy,

and Davis is the best shot the ﬁlm has. Davis takes Supporting Actress in a well-deserved Cinderella win. Sadly missing from this conversation, however, is Rosemarie DeWitt for her role as the titular character in “Rachel Getting Married.” Anne Hathaway may have gotten to perform all the histrionics and earn all the attention, but it was DeWitt who grounded the ﬁlm in reality. Unfortunately, it seems that reality isn’t something the Academy goes for. —Todd Stevens

Best Director

Who will win: Danny Boyle, “Slumdog Millionaire” Who should win: Gus Van Sant, “Milk” Who was snubbed: Christopher Nolan, “The Dark Knight” In the last 40 years, only six men have failed to follow their Oscar-winning Best Films to Best Director hardware. With “Slumdog Millionaire” looking like 2008’s clear favorite, its director, Danny Boyle, is certainly no underdog for Best Director. Boyle captures the mesmerizing romance of star-crossed lovers from the Mumbai ghettos with beauty and tempo; every shot exhausts the senses while frantic editing and freewheeling cameras keep viewers panting with adrenaline. Breathtaking scenery, an M.I.A.-fused soundtrack and great performances from Bollywood legends and first-time actors make Boyle hard to bet against. Could anyone deserve the title of “Best Director” more? How about Gus Van Sant, who directed not one, but two of 2008’s finest: The blockbuster “Milk” and film-festival sensation “Paranoid Park.” Sant’s “Milk” tackles the hot-button gay rights issue, getting the best from its star-studded cast and humanizing, rather than deifying Harvey Milk. Showing incredible range, Sant’s “Paranoid Park” is “Milk’s” antithesis—a small-yet-potent gem about adolescent numbness and skateboard homicides fused with Elliot Smith and black comedy. Now (*gag) the rest. Ron Howard’s “Frost/ Nixon” is plagued by disjointed, faux-documentary interjections, David Fincher’s “Benjamin Button” is an exercise in eye-lid control and, frankly, Stephen Daldry’s “The Reader” is the worst Best Picture nominee I’ve ever seen. Had the Academy searched beyond its favorite fetishes—the Holocaust and Brad Pitt—it would have realized Christopher Nolan’s “Dark Knight” wasn’t just an action flick, but a rich, social commentary with philosophical undertones and a crossdressing psychopath. Similarly, Turkish up-and-comer Fatih Akin’s “The Edge of Heaven” is 2008’s biggest snub with no nominations, though it features some of the year’s best postmodern storytelling, compelling characters and a scene that makes sharing a joint endto-end look sexy. —Ryan Hebel

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The Academy Awards T

he year 2008 was a year of change in American film. The year began by bringing us one of the most critically acclaimed blockbusters in a long time with “The Dark Knight,” and an animated feature as a legitimate Best Picture contender in Pixar’s kiddie sci-fi masterpiece “WALL-E.” Yet when the smoke cleared and the nominations came out, these two films were nowhere to be seen. Sure, Heath Ledger secured a Best Supporting Actor nomination for “The Dark Knight,” and Andrew Stanton was nominated for Best Original Screenplay for “WALL-E,” but the Best Picture nominees were downright pedestrian. 2008 will be remembered as a year that simply kept the status quo. There were some good movies, even some great ones, but nothing which will make 2008 stand out as a definitive year in cinema. None of us at The Daily Cardinal claim to be clairvoyant, but a few of our resident cinephiles gathered to discuss the major categories and take a stab at the winners. The only way to know for sure is to tune in next Sunday, February 22, at 7 p.m. on ABC and watch for yourself.

Best Picture

Who will win: “Slumdog Millionaire” Who should win: “Slumdog Millionaire” Who was snubbed: “The Wrestler,” “Gran Torino” Everyone loves Danny Boyle’s “Slumdog Millionaire.” The film has 60 awards to its name already, including four Golden Globes and a Screen Actor’s Guild Award. The underdog story of a child of the slums, rising up by using a longshot chance on a game show to find the woman of his dreams has, ironically, become an unstoppable awards juggernaut, trampling anything in its wake. There are a few chinks in the armor though. Despite the high production value, the acting in “Slumdog” is admittedly spotty at times; that’s what comes from using a cast of unknowns. And while the cast as a whole performs admirably, there are other nominees in the category who have stronger performances across the board. Enter Gus Van Sant’s “Milk.” While all the momentum in the film community points to a win for “Slumdog,” “Milk” could nab Best Picture simply on the strength of Sean Penn’s transformative performance alone. The supporting performances by Emile Hirsch and James Franco could also edge out the competition. As for the rest: “Frost/Nixon” and “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” are easy to hate on this year because, in a year of low-budget art house champs, they represent the awards formula of bigbudget Hollywood. Instead, it would have been nice to see Darren Aronofsky’s “The Wrestler” in this category, seeing as it truly was one of the

best and most original ﬁlms of the year. And hell, the crotchety antics of Clint Eastwood in “Gran Torino” deserve a nod more than the overwhelmingly boring cast of “Button” any day. —Mark Riechers

Best Actor

Who will win: Mickey Rourke, “The Wrestler” Who should win: Mickey Rourke, “The Wrestler” Who was snubbed: Clint Eastwood, “Gran Torino” Let’s face it, this competition is only between Rourke and Sean Penn. Penn has been called everything from “stunning” to “transformative” for his turn as Harvey Milk in, well, “Milk,” but Rourke’s comeback story is the very definition of “transformative.” Rourke gives the best performance of the year, hands down. He brings heart and humor to one of the three best movies of the year. From the first shot over Rourke’s shoulder to the very last second of the film, you are completely invested in the character, and no one deserves the Oscar more than him. Possible upsets could come from Frank Langella for “Frost/Nixon” or Richard Jenkins for “The Visitor,” neither of whom has been previously recognized by the Academy for their considerable talent. The only one with no chance is Brad Pitt, who will, along with Angelina, go home empty-handed. If Pitt deserved a nomination this year for anything, it was certainly for “Burn After Reading,” not “Benjamin Button.” And instead of nominating Pitt, why not nominate Colin Farrell for “In Bruges?” The role was easily the best of his career, and it earned him a Golden Globe, so the lack of recognition from the Academy is a large omission. But the largest omission this year by far is Clint Eastwood for “Gran Torino.” Not only would a nomination have honored his half-century acting career in Hollywood, but the film marks perhaps the greatest performance of his life. If anyone deserves recognition from the Academy, it’s Eastwood. California voters may be swayed by the Prop-8 politics associated with “Milk,” but if they’re looking to reward a stunning personal transformation and a deeply moving performance, Rourke will be a very happy man Sunday night. —Danny Gottleib

Best Actress

Who Will Win: Kate Winslet, “The Reader” Who Should Win: Meryl Streep, “Doubt” Who Shouldn’t Be Here: Angelina Jolie, “Changeling” Kate Winslet will probably take home the hardware for her performance as a former SS guard in “The Reader.” A middle-aged man (Ralph Fiennes) remembers an affair he once had as a teenager, discov-

Thursday, February 19, 2009

From “Milk” to “Gran Torino,” The Daily Cardinal makes its Oscar picks

ers its dark secrets and witnesses his lover’s (Winslet) war crimes trial. Although more subdued, Winslet’s performance is nonetheless compelling. She makes Hanna’s emotions plausibly understandable while complementing her straightforward demeanor. After six Academy Award nominations (and losses), it’s finally Winslet’s time to shine. However, the actress most deserving of the award is a woman who has already had more success in awards than any other actress, Meryl Streep. Streep’s performance as the suspicious nun in “Doubt” was a typically flawless performance from the best actress of our generation. Through a few and limited observations, Streep accuses her parish’s priest (Phillip Seymour Hoffman) of sexual abuse with one of the teenage boys attending the parochial school. Streep takes the judgmental nun stereotype to an extreme, but at the same time manages to develop several complex layers to the character, making the story much more heartbreaking. And, in addition to all this, she masters a Bronx accent. One high-profile actress who shouldn’t even be under consideration is Angelina Jolie, for her role as a distraught mother in “Changeling.” When the LAPD reports that her missing son has been found, Jolie discovers that it is not him. The police refuse to admit their mistake, and consequently attempt to make Jolie feel like she has gone insane. Jolie has been celebrated for various films in the past, but this nomination feels like a cop-out. We get it, Clint Eastwood: She has big lips and can fit the 1920s look fairly well. Sadly, even those lips can’t hide the lack of passion in what could have been an extremely emotional role. —Katie Foran-McHale

Best Supporting Actor Who will win: Heath Ledger, “The Dark Knight” Who should win: Heath Ledger “The Dark Knight” Who shouldn’t be here: Robert Downey Jr., “Tropic Thunder” It will be an upset of monumental proportions if Ledger doesn’t win a posthumous Oscar for his dark turn in “The Dark Knight.” Some would argue that Ledger should be considered in the Best Actor category rather than the Supporting category, as his performance far overshadowed Christian Bale’s, but regardless of the category, Ledger deserves to win. He disappeared into the role of “The Joker,” making even the most die-hard Batman fans forget Jack Nicholson’s similarly incredible performance in the 1989 original. He convinced audiences of his utter insanity in the movie, and personiﬁed the new-age kind of darkness director Christopher Nolan intended

to convey in re-inventing the Batman franchise. Sadly, Ledger’s passing robbed us of what would surely have been a great film career. This makes the Academy’s decision even easier, because the only chance they’ll have to reward Ledger is right now. Although it’s about 99.9 percent certain that Ledger will win, both Phillip Seymour Hoffman in “Doubt” and Josh Brolin in “Milk” present a minimal challenge. Hoffman gave a typically brilliant performance and is always a critical darling, and “Doubt” is no exception. Brolin’s turn as killer James White in “Milk” was the perfect foil to Sean Penn’s flamboyant Harvey Milk. I’d even go so far as to say Brolin gave the best performance of the film, and would have a much better chance if “Milk” had come out in a Ledger-less year. As for nominees who don’t belong, I have to wonder what the Academy was thinking by nominating Robert Downey Jr. for “Tropic Thunder.” Although Hollywood always appreciates being made fun of, Downey Jr.’s role wasn’t even the best comedic supporting role in a movie dealing with Hollywood in-jokes. That honor would go to Brad Pitt in “Burn After Reading.” Regardless, the Academy will not ignore the prohibitive favorite. Heath Ledger will win the Oscar, and if he doesn’t, there is no justice in the world. —Kevin Slane

Best Supporting Actress Who will win: Viola Davis, “Doubt” Who should win: Viola Davis, “Doubt” Who got snubbed: Rosemarie DeWitt, “Rachel Getting Married” The category of Best Supporting Actress has often been a wild card on Oscar night, but until Tilda Swinton’s surprise win for her role in “Michael Clayton” last year, the category had been fairly predictable for the past decade. Hopefully the 2009 Academy Awards will continue the trend of shaking up the establishment This year’s frontrunner is Penelope Cruz, vaunted as the favorite for her role as Javier Bardem’s scorned ex-wife in “Vicky Cristina Barcelona.” But despite having the best Vegas odds, Cruz still doesn’t feel like a lock for victory, leaving the door open for an underdog. The biggest star of the group is Amy Adams, nominated for her innocent turn in “Doubt,” though she didn’t have any powerful scenes to show off for the Academy. Taraji P. Henson faces a similar problem with her role in “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button,” and Marisa Tomei, despite her previous history as a Supporting Actress spoiler, just seems like an afterthought for her stripper role in “The Wrestler.” That leaves Viola Davis, who despite only appearing in “Doubt” for one scene, crafts a knock-out performance that was almost unanimously praised. With four acting nominations, it’s unlikely that “Doubt” will leave the ceremony without at least one trophy,

and Davis is the best shot the ﬁlm has. Davis takes Supporting Actress in a well-deserved Cinderella win. Sadly missing from this conversation, however, is Rosemarie DeWitt for her role as the titular character in “Rachel Getting Married.” Anne Hathaway may have gotten to perform all the histrionics and earn all the attention, but it was DeWitt who grounded the ﬁlm in reality. Unfortunately, it seems that reality isn’t something the Academy goes for. —Todd Stevens

Best Director

Who will win: Danny Boyle, “Slumdog Millionaire” Who should win: Gus Van Sant, “Milk” Who was snubbed: Christopher Nolan, “The Dark Knight” In the last 40 years, only six men have failed to follow their Oscar-winning Best Films to Best Director hardware. With “Slumdog Millionaire” looking like 2008’s clear favorite, its director, Danny Boyle, is certainly no underdog for Best Director. Boyle captures the mesmerizing romance of star-crossed lovers from the Mumbai ghettos with beauty and tempo; every shot exhausts the senses while frantic editing and freewheeling cameras keep viewers panting with adrenaline. Breathtaking scenery, an M.I.A.-fused soundtrack and great performances from Bollywood legends and first-time actors make Boyle hard to bet against. Could anyone deserve the title of “Best Director” more? How about Gus Van Sant, who directed not one, but two of 2008’s finest: The blockbuster “Milk” and film-festival sensation “Paranoid Park.” Sant’s “Milk” tackles the hot-button gay rights issue, getting the best from its star-studded cast and humanizing, rather than deifying Harvey Milk. Showing incredible range, Sant’s “Paranoid Park” is “Milk’s” antithesis—a small-yet-potent gem about adolescent numbness and skateboard homicides fused with Elliot Smith and black comedy. Now (*gag) the rest. Ron Howard’s “Frost/ Nixon” is plagued by disjointed, faux-documentary interjections, David Fincher’s “Benjamin Button” is an exercise in eye-lid control and, frankly, Stephen Daldry’s “The Reader” is the worst Best Picture nominee I’ve ever seen. Had the Academy searched beyond its favorite fetishes—the Holocaust and Brad Pitt—it would have realized Christopher Nolan’s “Dark Knight” wasn’t just an action flick, but a rich, social commentary with philosophical undertones and a crossdressing psychopath. Similarly, Turkish up-and-comer Fatih Akin’s “The Edge of Heaven” is 2008’s biggest snub with no nominations, though it features some of the year’s best postmodern storytelling, compelling characters and a scene that makes sharing a joint endto-end look sexy. —Ryan Hebel

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Thursday, February 19, 2009

The hidden costs of an education

Students come to the university familiar with the costs of tuition. But as other costs creep up, students must ﬁnd ways to deal with the unexpected fees. Story by Liana Bratton

U

W-Madison junior James Richardson scoffed when he checked his bank statement after he paid his last tuition bill. He found a total of $4 left in his account. Although frustrated with his depleted funds, he managed to muster a smile. “At least I didn’t get charged an overdraft fee,” he said. But tuition isn’t all of it, he explained. “It’s all the other little expenses that you forget to account for, added onto the big expenses like tuition and housing that make going to school so expensive.” With costs building up, students are left wondering how much an education really costs. The UW-Madison website for finances estimates a little over $19,000 a year for students paying in-state tuition. But, all things considered, that number may not cover it. During the winter months, students lug their clothes and equipment through ice and snow, only to find there are no free places to lock their bags at the gym. The cost to bypass this inconvenience is $20 for an athletic locker. Although a small expense comparatively, athletic lockers are just one of the many expenses that chip away at a student’s paycheck. These fees do not just target the athletically inclined. In fact, it doesn’t seem to discriminate whatsoever. UW-Madison junior Tucker recalls paying $50 for his music locker and another $90 for access to his practice room. Both expenses are mandatory for him and his fellow music students. “The additional price is irritating,” says Tucker. “It seems that the tuition bill should cover some of these expenses.” Professor of chemistry and coauthor of several college textbooks Paul Treichel has seen firsthand the costs of college rise exponentially. Much has changed since he attended UW as an undergraduate. Treichel recalls paying $60 for his first college chemistry book while living off $100 a month. “Of course those were different times, but I had to make a lot of hard choices,” he said. Treichel said that with these

The cost to be a student by the semester

+

Housing: $2,946

Photos by Lorenzo Zemella steep costs, students should consider living a more frugal life as well. “I am surprised by how many students have no hesitation to go out and spend large amounts of money on recreation—drinking beer on the weekends and buying the newest electronic equipment,” Treichel said. Although perplexed by the lavish amounts of money some students spend partying, Treichel admits certain types of expensive spending are often unavoidable. He blamed the bookstores for the high prices students are forced to pay for textbooks. According to Treichel, some of the problem in textbook prices is the resale market, which turns into a scam. “The bookstores make more on the resells than on the new books,” he said. “It’s not because there are more books, it is that they [the bookstores] have a very low price that they pay and a very big markup when they sell [the textbooks] used.” This, he said, is nothing new to students who know the book circulation system leaves the middleman with the cash and students with the bill. Students find themselves coping with skyrocketing expenses and money scams woven into the system. According to UW-Madison freshmen Calli Thompson, it’s about responsibility and detailed planning. Thompson uses a budgeting program on her computer so she can plan her budget for the entire year. Knowing exactly where she spends her money helps her allocate funds efficiently. UW-Madison freshman Deidre Conocholli always puts more of her paycheck into savings than into her checking plan, but explains despite her tight budget, she doesn’t let money limitations prevent her from doing the things that are important to her. “Traveling and studying abroad, I feel, are very important for me to be a well-rounded, balanced student,” she said. “The most important thing to remember is it isn’t impossible to do the things you want to do, you just need to designate an account where you set aside money each

month for those things.” Students also encounter the cost of receiving little money from the bookstore when selling their books back because the particular book version has been upgraded and gone out of print. Professor of art history Barbara Buenger expresses regrets about the added financial burden of upgrading textbook versions, but touched on the benefits upgraded books offer students. She explains that the printing revolution of digitalization has allowed the intricate details of textbook illustrations to be sharper than ever. “It almost makes me want to discard my older books—now we can see so much more than before.” But when the hefty price outweighs the benefits of an upgraded text, the Internet helps art students find material for lower prices. Despite the financial stresses of going to school, Buenger encouraged nothing but determination in her students. “We all know we are in severely troubled times, but this is your time to be at the university, and you have to find the means to accomplish everything you want in these years.” Professor of consumer science Lydia Zepeda understands the financial burdens students are forced to cope with everyday. In an effort to ease these burdens, she chooses paperbacks whenever possible and selects books that will be interesting and valuable to her students. She wants to make sure their initial investment for her class is worthwhile, thus ideally eliminating the re-sell gimmick entirely. She also tries not to upgrade editions. “It’s easier for me and the students to have a book with which I am familiar.” Despite her strategic money management, Thompson is not thrilled with the system. “The government should pay more [of students’ expenses] so that students aren’t burdened with loans years after graduating from college,” Thompson said. “After all, the government should be encouraging kids to go to school, not charging them with years of debt.”

+

Textbooks: $415

+ Student org. membership fees: $35

+ Athletic locker: $20

+ Tuition: $3,784

Total: $8,200

Food: $1,000

featuresscience

Thursday, February 19, 2009 • 9

dailycardinal.com/science

E. coli powered cars? By Mary Sagstetter THE DAILY CARDINAL

AMY GIFFIN/THE DAILY CARDINAL

Science and the global economy As scientists try to combat the world’s problems, funding for research becomes increasingly scarce By Steve Furay THE DAILY CARDINAL

With constant pressure to secure funding, an effective research scientist can’t afford to sit around a lab and merely strive for infinite knowledge. If that was all they ever focused on, funding would soon dry up, leaving potentially groundbreaking projects only half-finished. A successful research scientist is also a fundraiser, subject to economic realities. In the wake of the current global economic crisis, the prospects for many may seem bleak. At this year’s American Association for the Advancement of Science’s annual meeting, held last week in Chicago, the scientific community grappled with the issue of the world’s financial problems and sought new answers.

“We need to rethink how the global economy operates.” Dr. Richard Bissell executive director for policy and global affairs

National Research Council

A fundamental question in the new global economy is how science should be integrated to optimize its benefits to society. The development of scientific research remains an essential way to create economic growth for the future. However, countries face great pressure to sustain their current finances, with limited opportunities to think ahead. “We need to rethink how the global economy operates,” said Dr. Richard Bissell of the National Research Council at a talk titled “Science and Technology Policies and the Changing Global Economy.” With the realities of climate change upon us, scientists will certainly play an enormous role in maintaining the health and prosper-

ity of humanity. Climate change will create a great deal of challenges in many aspects of economic development, including combatting new patterns of disease, engineering a more efficient energy infrastructure and promoting new ways of securing food supplies. But without the funding science so sorely needs, scientific research will be unable to meet any of these challenges. For centuries, much of the global economy was dedicated to the sciences surrounding resource extraction. Technologies have advanced to the point where even the most seemingly impenetrable environments can be exploited with relative economic ease, but today’s environmental realties pressure us to cut our reliance upon these resources. Doing so requires serious investment, and one major concern is few will be able to contribute funds toward developing the next generation of wealthbuilding technologies. A recent article in the New York Times claimed the United States has an “investment deficit disorder,” citing the country’s recent lack of spending on national infrastructure and energy, focusing instead on the business of wealth-building. Instead of making bridges, we were only making money. Funding for research at universities fell victim to this mentality, and many now face an uncertain future with the recent economic collapse. “How do we envision the future of our universities, particularly our research universities? Both the publics and the privates in this country are under severe stress,” Bissell said. “We need to work harder to find what are the outcomes of the educational system that we want to have in terms of science, rather than just observe the past.” Bissell also emphasized the importance of rebuilding the scientific cooperation of the world, as global relations now depend on research and technology’s ability to protect

the health of the environment. “It’s my stance,” Bissell said, “that the research sector could actually provide central hope in a world which is likely to otherwise face rising trade protectionism, additional political military conflicts stemmed by poverty and social discord. If you take surveys around the world of people, you will find that indeed the publics believe that science is an avenue towards a better future.” “If you take surveys around the world of people, you will find that indeed the publics believe that science is an avenue towards a better future.” Dr. Richard Bissell executive director for policy and global affairs

National Research Council

This year’s AAAS meeting was also filled with a message of hope for the future of science as a national priority, particularly in light of President Barack Obama’s inaugural promise: “We will restore science to its rightful place.” The scientific community is about to experience the benefits of this new political era, as the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 promises up to $17 billion in funding for science organizations, including up to $3 billion for the National Science Foundation. Dr. Neal Lane, a former NSF Director, views the stimulus package as incredibly beneficial for the future of science, as he stated in his address at a symposium titled “White House Science Advice for a New Environment.” “The argument that I think that won the day,” Lane said, “was that the investments in science not only create jobs right away, which they do, but they also help address national priorities, like energy, health and climate change, and they pay very handsome future dividends, as many economic studies have shown.”

Bacteria are notorious for making us sick and spoiling our food, yet it seems the bacterium E. coli might soon become a useful ally in conquering CO2 emissions from cars. Tinkering with the DNA of various bacteria, James C. Liao, a professor from the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at UCLA, has produced a biofuel from a strain of E. coli as an alternative to ethanol gasoline. Despite the favorable coverage ethanol has received, it actually has several liabilities. Only a certain type of car is able to guzzle down the 85 percent ethanol gasoline and digest it without problems, and Liao’s discovery would allow the insides of all cars to stay the same. Ethanol also absorbs water from the air and corrodes metal. The production of ethanol also requires 750 megatons of biomass, meaning it has a significant agricultural cost as well. These factors wipe out ethanol’s economic advantage. Fermenting foods has been a common pursuit throughout human history, whether turning barley into beer or culturing cheese. Bacteria can perform these transformations by using enzymes, small proteins that lower the amount of energy needed for a reaction, thus hastening the fermentation process. These enzymes also enable the bacteria to transform biomass into biofuel. “I am sure people would agree that to produce alcohols in this way is easy, but to produce it very efficiently, it is a big challenge,” Liao said. To produce the biofuel efficiently, Liao changed E. coli’s enzymes so they would make an alcohol that produces more energy and will not corrode metal. This different type of biofuel is an alcohol with longer carbon chains, contrasting with ethanol’s two-carbon chain, the source of its undesirable properties. “The four- and five-carbon chains have a high energy content that is almost as high as gasoline,” Liao said. “[The new alcohol] also has no vehicle retrofitting and low production yield.” Theoretically, this type of biofuel sounded very promising, but Liao needed to find a bacterium that could efficiently produce those long-carbon chain alcohols. “In order for this to be a [competitive] biofuel, it needs to be efficient,” Liao said. He needed a bacterium that can grow fast and is easy to manipulate, such as the infamous E. coli. E. coli does not naturally have the right enzymes to transform biomass into a long-chained alcohol. Liao looked through science journals for previous research on bacterial pathways, and he eventually found differ-

ent bacteria with genetic instructions for special enzymes that can make these long-carbon chains. After finding these genetic instructions, Liao said he inserted these genes directly into E. coli. The E. coli could then read the newly inserted instructions and make the special enzymes, which in turn produce the sought-after long-chained alcohols. To test this approach with E. coli, Liao and his team tried to make isopropanol, a simple threecarbon chain alcohol. Just as Liao had hoped, E. coli produced the targeted isopropanol. “This is the first time we could produce isopropanol from E. coli, which isn’t produced by E. coli in the environment,” Liao said. “If you have the right enzymes and strategy, you can convert E. coli to produce the compound you are interested in.” However, the E. coli wasn’t producing the isopropanol very efficiently. Liao and his team then tried “knocking out competing pathways, in order to boost the concentration.” The multiple pathways are like multitasking in a bacterium or cell: each can make many different by-products that can be used for other functions. By eliminating these multitasking steps, the E. coli will only go through one step and focus all its energy to make one by-product, isopropanol. “[This change in the pathways] produced more than the first project, but it still gave a low yield,” Liao said. “So at that point, we did some thinking. Why did this pathway work so poorly in E. coli.? So we went back to the drawing board.” Liao wondered if he could use any other bacterial genes on the E. coli. Again, Liao searched through science journals and found two other bacteria that made alcohols naturally. He cloned the enzymes they used and inserted them into E. coli. This time the E. coli produced isobutanol instead, and much more efficiently, with an 86 percent yield. (A yield of 100 percent would mean the bacteria produced all the possible isobutanol it could.) To see if these types of alcohols would have a potential use in the market, Liao used a Chevy 350 V8 engine to test different mixtures of isobutanol with gasoline. He found that a gasoline mixture consisting of 20 percent isobutanol increased the miles per gallon by five percent. Liao and his research team aren’t stopping there, though. They hope to apply this method to other organisms to turn ordinary matter like cellulose—a plant sugar—and even CO2 into fuel. “All you had to do is find the right enzyme,” Liao said. “If you are able to find the right chemistry and strategy, you can have a great impact.”

KYLE BURSAW/THE DAILY CARDINAL

Environmentally harmful car emissions may become a thing of the past, thanks to a new strain of the bacterium E. coli.

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Sweet dreams! A snail can sleep for three hours straight. dailycardinal.com/comics

Thursday, February 19, 2009

Lonsdaleite

Today’s Sudoku

Anthro-apology

By Eric Wigdahl wigdahl@wisc.edu

Angel Hair Pasta

By Todd Stevens ststevens@wisc.edu

Sid and Phil

By Alex Lewein alex@sidandphil.com

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

Fistful

a b c d e f g h i

j

k

l

m

n

o

p

q

r

s

t

u

v

w

x

y

z

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

“Tbii, vlr’ob qtl mbkfpbp peloq lc x Pexkfx Qtxfk obfjxdfkxqflk yxka!” Quote from Nick and Norah’s Inﬁnite Playlist Yesterday’s Code:

“Yesterday a hurricane had blown away my long red cape. And I, feel satisfied”

Today’s Crossword Puzzle

The Graph Giraffe

Evil Bird Answer key available at www.dailycardinal.com ME TOO

1 5 9 14 15 16 17 19 20 21 23 24 26 27 28 32 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43

ACROSS

Fannie and Ginnie Bay of Fundy wonder High points Disney musical based on an opera Column of a lifetime, brieﬂy Hard cover Constitution addendum Couric on the news “Long Walk to Freedom” autobiographer Not broadcast Roads, brieﬂy Wheels of fortune? Words before “many words” Not exactly ruddy Price and van Gogh Toyota model Tube pasta Aah’s partner Long in Louisiana Verbose Peas, for a shooter, e.g. Spring addressee, for short Wide in the middle Welcome Asian nation

45 Have an evening meal 46 Simplicity 47 Abominable Snowman 49 Snoopy, in his fantasies 52 First name in women’s tennis 55 Supreme chancellor in “The Phantom Menace” 57 Best and brightest 58 Watchful hours? 60 Gauge for ﬁtting rings 61 Fill too full 62 Words after “The doctor” 63 Disreputable 64 McGregor of movies 65 Dispatch 1 2 3 4 5

DOWN

Sirs’ counterparts Draw a bead on Wonderlands It lies on the beach “Laugh-In” comedian Lily 6 Type of metal girder 7 Subway feature 8 Words from Caesar 9 With suspicion 10 Lounge that’s longue 11 Piano student’s ticker 12 “Night” author Wiesel

13 18 22 25

Child’s vehicle Airport annoyance Silly goose Give cash to a scalper, e.g. 27 Sardonic 29 Well-known 500 30 The Oxford Dictionary, for one 31 Ounce of liquor 32 Trendy 33 Distinctive atmosphere 34 Fascinate 35 1969 Arkin ﬁlm 38 Ream 39 Surrealist Jean 41 Where runs are made 42 Deceitfulness 44 Swung for the fences 45 Pollen-bearing organ 48 “Don’t Cry for Me Argentina” musical 49 Come into existence 50 Plant used in cookery and medicine 51 Improve by editing 52 Unkempt state 53 “I cannot tell ___!” 54 Cathedral protuberance 56 Big name in elevators 59 Inﬂamed

By Yosef Lerner ilerner@wisc.edu

By Caitlin Kirihara kirihara@wisc.edu

sports

dailycardinal.com/sports

Thursday, February 19, 2009

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Women’s Basketball

Badgers ready to bounce back against the Hawkeyes By Alex Lugo THE DAILY CARDINAL

With the last half of the season dwindling down, the Wisconsin women’s basketball team will look to earn some last-minute wins as the team travels to Iowa City to play the Hawkeyes Thursday night. On Monday, the Badgers (5-10 Big Ten, 15-11 overall) suffered an overtime 67-61 loss to Indiana, making it their ﬁfth loss out of the last six games. Iowa (9-5, 16-9), who sits in ﬁfth place in the Big Ten Conference, will not be an easy matchup for Wisconsin, as the Hawkeyes have won eight of their last 10 games. “What we have to do is recover our team and get ready for Iowa,” Wisconsin head coach Lisa Stone said after the game against Indiana. “[Iowa] is a great offensive team, and I thought our defense in the last two games has resurrected itself and come back and done a nice job on the boards.”

hoosiers from page 12 senior forward Marcus Landry said Krabbenhoft’s recent play has helped lift the rest of the team. “We go back to the last game, guys were playing good defense, and we’ve got guys like Joe Krabbenhoft who are going to be right there to gobble the ball up,” Landry said. “The guy is playing good defense—if there’s a loose ball, Joe’s going to have it. That’s a part of our success and our defense.” After an extended rest following Saturday’s win over Ohio State, the Badgers will be tested with a busy

Wisconsin has had some trouble coming up with wins in close games, but Iowa has shown great strength this season when the game is on the line. The Hawkeyes gave Ohio State one of its three losses this season and recently came back from a 20-point deﬁcit to pull past Penn State. Iowa also has the second strongest scoring offense in the Big Ten, averaging just over 67 points per game. UW will have to execute a solid defensive performance to slow down the Hawkeyes and pull off a win. Although sophomore guard Alyssa Karel leads the Wisconsin offense, averaging 13 points a game, sophomore forward Tara Steinbauer had a career high 17 points with nine boards against the Hoosiers. Sophomore forward Lin Zastrow contributed 14 with a career-high four assists. Both Zastrow and Karel have performed well against the Hawkeyes this year, as Zastrow netted a team-high 18 weekend that includes Thursday’s road game at Indiana and a quick turnaround before another road battle at Michigan State. Sophomore swingman Tim Jarmusz is conﬁdent the Badgers will be able to overcome the fatigue that goes along with extended travel. “That’s what we’ve been going through all year, and I think you get used to it,” Jarmusz said. “We’ve just got to go in there and take care of business.” Thursday night’s game will begin at 8 p.m. from Assembly Hall in Bloomington, Ind. The contest will be broadcast nationally on ESPN.

points, and Karel scored 11 when the Badgers played Iowa in Dec., 2008. “I like the fact that we are getting some scoring from some other folks instead of just Alyssa [Karel], and I am looking forward to picking up the pieces,” Stone said. In their last meeting against the Hawkeyes, Wisconsin fell short 7363 and had trouble from the ﬁeld, shooting just 24-of-65 for just 36.9 percent. This game snapped their 10 game winning streak and served as a major turning point in Wisconsin’s season. Senior guard Kristi Smith leads Iowa in scoring and is averaging an impressive 13.4 points per game. Smith is ranked ﬁfth in the Big Ten in scoring and scored 13 points for her team the last time the Hawkeyes played Wisconsin. However, it was Iowa senior forward Wendy Ausdemore who gave the Badgers a headache as she scored

stats from page 12 was not on the court at all. There are so many things that a basketball player does that can’t be quantiﬁed. How does one assign value to a great baseline pick that frees a shooter, or playing great man-to-man defense? Iverson averages many assists because the ball is always in his hands, but a big man who initiates a scoring play with a smart pass never gets due credit. The way to view these players is similar to the way scientists see

ANDREW BERNHAGEN/THE DAILY CARDINAL

Wisconsin sophomores Alyssa Karel (left) and Lin Zastrow (right) hope to lead the Badgers to a win at Iowa Thursday night. a game-high 20 points. After Thursday’s matchup, the Badgers only have two chances left for redemption against current conference leaders, Michigan State and Ohio black holes. They can’t actually see the black holes, but they see what is around them. Similarly, players are measured by how the team around them performs when they are on or off the court. If a top scorer’s presence actually makes his team perform worse, that says something about him. There are other useful stats, including the relatively commonsense idea of rebounding percentage. It breaks down how good a team is at getting a rebound when either that team or the opponent

State. Wisconsin fell to both of these teams earlier this season. Tip off for the Badger-Hawkeye game is set for 7 p.m. at the CarverHawkeye Arena. takes a shot. The idea behind it is simple and elegant, and it really shows which team is better. This kind of math has long been accepted by Badger head coach Bo Ryan, who regularly tracks points per possession. Maybe in the past this was the realm of stat geeks, but now advanced basketball numbers have become an essential tool for understanding the game far beyond a boxscore. How important are statistics when determining a player’s value to a team? Tell Ben what you think by emailing him at breiner@wisc.edu.

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dailycardinal.com/sports

Thursday, February 19, 2009

Men’s Basketball

Wisconsin hits the road By Matt Fox THE DAILY CARDINAL

KYLE BURSAW/CARDINAL FILE PHOTO

Wisconsin senior forward Marcus Landry leads the Badgers with 12.9 points per game and has an impressive 30 blocks on the season.

It was almost three weeks ago that the Wisconsin men’s basketball team lost its sixth straight game, a 66-63 defeat at Northwestern. Confidence in the Bo Ryan era was at an alltime low, and the Badgers’ chances of making the NCAA tournament looked slim at best. Needless to say, times have changed. On Thursday night the Badgers (7-6 Big Ten, 16-9 overall) will try to extend their current four-game winning streak in a road matchup with the Indiana Hoosiers. Indiana is having a difficult time in a transitional season. The team lacks experience, as nine out of its 15 players are freshmen. The Hoosiers’ 1-11 Big Ten record is by far the weakest in the conference. But Indiana has still played exceptionally hard under first-year head coach Tom Crean, whom the Badgers are quite familiar with from his tenure

Advanced stats highlight intangibles BEN BREINER boom goes the breinamite

T

he game of baseball has always been one where numbers and statistics play an important role. One batter stands at the plate, one pitcher on the mound, and the action is so infrequent it can easily be charted and broken down. However, for a long time, basketball has not followed that model. Conventional basketball statistics measure what players do with the ball, but not their overall impact on a game. Furthermore, those numbers can be tainted, as players like Allen Iverson or Patrick Ewing sacriﬁced sound defense for gambling on steals and blocks or rebounders abandon getting back on defense in hopes of an offensive rebound. This is not to say that all box score numbers tell us nothing,

but they lack context to say many important things about the player. But now, many fans are turning to a newer brand of statistics to gain a greater understanding about the quality of teams and players. The most important new statistic is called pace, which breaks play down into individual possessions. This is important because many teams play at considerably different paces, and it has a profound effect on final numbers. For example, Wake Forest averages over 81 points per game while the Badgers average around 65. But a closer look at the numbers reveals that the Daemon Deacons average 14 more possessions per game, which means 14 more chances to score, and that the Badgers really run a more efficient offense. By the same token, defensive numbers are deflated by running a slower pace. Wisconsin, which often runs the shot clock to single digits, gives opponents fewer chances to score and naturally gives up fewer points per game.

It may surprise some fans to realize this season that Badger offense actually ranks higher than the defense among Big Ten teams. We can see how teams compare over 100 possessions and get a better barometer of how they measure up to each other. That can also be used to see what percent of a team’s possessions end in turnovers, and undo any of the distorting effects of faster or slower teams. This way of understanding basketball opens up a whole new way to see the impact an individual player has, because everything can be broken down into possessions. Players can also be evaluated in this way by seeing their effect when on or off the court. The New York Times looked at this recently, pointing out that when Shane Battier was on the court, playing against former MVP Kobe Bryant, the Lakers performed worse than they did when Bryant stats page 11

with local rival Marquette. UW assistant coach Gary Close says that the Badgers should expect a big challenge despite Indiana’s subpar record. “This is a really good team in terms of playing on their court and the talent they’ve got,” Close said. “Their record doesn’t show it, but that’s the way this league is this year. I don’t think it’s anything secret, we’re playing a good team on their court and they’re coming after us, playing hard. We can be in for a lot of trouble even if we are ready. They’re very dangerous.” Indiana junior guard Devan Dumes leads the team in scoring with 13.8 points per contest. Freshman forward Tom Pritchard averages 10.6 points per game and is the team’s leading rebounder with 6.7 boards per game. The Badgers have played excellent defense during the win streak and will likely need another strong defensive effort to be successful against Indiana. In Wisconsin’s last

game against Ohio State, the Badgers forced 19 turnovers, resulting in 18 points. Close says Wisconsin’s defense has been crucial and cannot let up against the Hoosiers. “I think we’ve been more consistent down there—we’ve had fewer breakdowns,” Close said. “We’ve made progress in that area and we’ll be tested. They’ve got some guys that can shoot the three, they’ve got some guys that can drive it, and their post guys can be effective. So our defense will be tested at a really tough place to play.” One player who has helped anchor Wisconsin’s defense of late is senior forward Joe Krabbenhoft. On Monday, Krabbenhoft was named Big Ten coPlayer of the Week after his strong performances against both Iowa and Ohio State. He averaged 12.5 points and seven rebounds per outing and also added eight total steals. Wisconsin hoosiers page 11

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