Wednesday, March 11, 2009 - The Daily Cardinal by The Daily Cardinal

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Wednesday, March 11, 2009

Low-income housing may lose tax breaks By Rebecca Holland THE DAILY CARDINAL

Rulings enforcing stricter laws on property tax exemptions pose a serious threat to nonprofit housing in Madison, and by December 2009 more than 1,000 housing units could lose the exemptions that have kept their rent low. Previously, a 1983 state law permitted a range of property tax exemptions for benevolent institutions like low-income housing providers. However, a 2003 state Supreme Court ruling and later Dane County cases interpreted the law more strictly. Now exemptions are only allowed for properties that

use rental income for building maintenance. For years, many housing providers used rent income to cover expenses such as insurance, mortgage payments, social and health services for residents with disabilities and a number of other operating expenses outside of physical maintenance. Howard Mandeville, executive director of Movin’ Out, one of Madison’s low-income housing providers, said those who must cover the hole between what rental income can legally cover and their total expenses are left with few options. housing page 3

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Dean of Students Lori Berquam directs questions from the audience to panelists at a forum held to address sexual assaults on campus Tuesday. The forum was open to all of the UW-Madison community.

Forum urges student dialogue on sex assault By Rory Linnane THE DAILY CARDINAL

Over 50 UW-Madison community members attended a forum about sexual assault on campus Tuesday. Dean of Students Lori Berquam hosted the discussion as a reaction to stories The Badger Herald ran about alleged sexual assaults on campus. However, as intended, the forum broadened its focus to all sexual assaults on campus, only touching briefly on the published allegations. Ally Cruickshank, chair of Promoting Awareness Victim Empowerment, said the recent allegations published in The Badger Herald brought extra attention to an issue that had always existed more quietly on campus.

“This is something that occurs much more often than people like to think,” she said. “I think the particular allegations were so uncomfortable because it’s so close to home. You get drunk, you hook up with people.”

“This is something that occurs much more often than people like to think.” Ally Cruickshank chair Promoting Awareness Victim Empowerment

Panelists said students can prevent sexual assaults by opening a dialogue among peers.

“You have to light a fire under yourself to have these conversations with other people,” Cruickshank said. “We need to change things that are simple and small, because they mushroom up into this huge issue.” Panelists also said it is important for the university to unite to change the campus atmosphere concerning sexual assault. “The things that are really going to challenge masculinity and identity issues are about personal change,” Kelly Anderson, director of the Rape Crisis Center, said. “An online module isn’t going to change 15 years of learning what it means to be a man in this society, but it will show what we stand for as a campus.” forum page 3

Poll: Doyle holds slim lead over potential GOP candidates By Jessica Feld THE DAILY CARDINAL

Wisconsin’s gubernatorial race in 2010 may be a close election, according to a poll released Tuesday. The poll, funded by the conservative think-tank MacIver Institute for Public Policy, surveyed 500 likely voters statewide on issues concerning the 2010 election as well as the state Supreme Court election April 7. Results suggest voters are equally divided between the incumbent Gov. Jim Doyle and each of the two potential Republican candidates, former Congressman Mark Neumann and Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker.

In a race between Walker and Doyle, 50 percent of respondents said they would vote for Doyle, while 43 percent said they would support Walker. The numbers were similar for a contest between Neumann and Doyle, with 49 percent reporting in favor of Doyle and 42 percent for Neumann. All three possible candidates have yet to officially announce if they are running. According to Mike McCabe, director of the non-partisan advocacy group the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign, it is too early to name a Republican candidate. “Currently, candidates are testing the waters and primarily communicating with party faith-

ful,” McCabe said. Although 45 percent of voters polled said they are undecided in the race for Supreme Court justice, incumbent candidate Chief Justice Shirley Abrahamson emerged as the leader, receiving 43 percent of the vote while challenger Jefferson County Judge Randy Koschnick DOYLE received 13 percent. Because the first TV advertisements for the court race only poll page 3

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More than 1,000 affordable housing units in Madison could lose the tax exemptions that have kept their rents low.

Housing director reacts to resignation of house fellows By Caitlin Gath THE DAILY CARDINAL

The Associate Director of Housing responded Tuesday to the resignation of house fellows across the UW-Madison campus. Kay Reuter-Krohn said over the course of the current school year, four house fellows have resigned. During the ’07-’08 school year, three house fellows resigned, which she said is in the ballpark for most resignations. “It’s not so unusual to have

students resign if something changes in their life and they can’t do the job that is expected of them,” she said. “House fellow jobs are pretty demanding. They’re 24 hours a day, seven days a week.” According to Reuter-Krohn, house fellows are in a position where they get paid every two weeks. If they choose to resign from the position, part of their compensation is the room they fellows page 3

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

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Wednesday, March 11, 2009

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

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Volume 118, Issue 110

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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 Editors 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 Jennifer Bobeck Caitlin Sachs, Todd Stevens

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

Editorial Board Nick Dmytrenko Dave Heller Alex Morrell Frances Provine Jon Spike Gabe Ubatuba l

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ASHLEY SPENCER back that ash up

‘‘

ell, what kind of bathing suit are you getting?” my mom asked me on the phone, my eyes still sandy with sleep, as I was walked late to my “History of Rome” class, late because I had decided to get coffee. It was only early morning, and already my mom felt the need to discuss spring break bathing suit shopping, the only kind of shopping girls don’t actually enjoy with their usual unrestricted squeals of excitement, as they pick up and examine a pair of delightfully glittery heels. “I don’t know. I haven’t thought about it,” I said. “Listen, let me call you b—” “Because I was going to go to Lucille’s and look around for you since you’re so busy. You need a suit before the trip.” Just like it sounds, this store is a boutique for old ladies, hous-

For the record The March 10 story “House fellows resign, leave students baffled” incorrectly stated an anonymous house fellow said his supervisers said his drinking on Halloween night was “the wrong move.” This was only an assumption made by residents. The Daily Cardinal regrets the error. Corrections or clarifications? Call The Daily Cardinal office at 608262-8000 or send an e-mail to edit@dailycardinal.com.

ing the kind of bathing suits one might wear if they were 90 or had unfortunate luck of having a body with an unusual hunchback and droopy boobs associated with old age. It’s the type of place where old women work and feel no qualms about walking in on a shopper who’s trying things on completely naked. After having a 70-year-old go to second base with me, I no longer felt the need to visit that store for anything. Ever. Again. “Mom, it’s OK, I will ﬁnd time to look for my own bathing suit.” “Are you sure? Because I just got myself a suit there and it’s totally cute, it’s got these—” “Sorry, got to go,” I said, hanging up on her before her chance to reply. It’s times like these when I feel so annoyed at even those I love most that I wish I had a severe drug problem so I could block out every annoying nuisance—from my overbearing mother to my budgetobsessed father to all the cute men who ignore me. But drugs aren’t an option when you don’t have a real job or a trust fund that can afford

the luxury of purchasing narcotics. For those who are poor, we are forced to turn to entertainment, and if you’re really poor or really nerdy and don’t have a TV, there are books. Yes, I have a TV, but since the conclusion of “The Bachelor,” I found few programs that I haven’t already watched. So, I like to read books because it allows me to put in characters from my real life, like my sex-a-licious professor or the cute guy who scoops ice cream at the Union. I’ve always been a voracious reader; even when I was little, I couldn’t sit through a breakfast without reading every word on back of the Cinnamon Toast Crunch box. And, even today, if I can do something where I can be reading at the same time, I will do it. I still often read while eating, marking my pages with red-sauce fingerprints, crumbs wedged in the spine. No one ever said reading never gets dirty. Each morning, when I blow-dry my hair, I hold a book with my free hand. Sometimes I set it on the counter, using a random deodorant or perfume spritzer to keep one

side of the pages down. If that sounds hard, it’s because it is. But without using my precious time during my grooming routine, I wouldn’t be able to finish my reading and read books about things I’ve always wanted to do, like live in the wilderness, take a road trip across the country and befriend a slurry of drunks or screw one of my most debonair teachers, something I’d hoped would happen before my impending graduation. But you can only escape from the realities of the world for so long before you realize you’ve been completely avoiding the present. I can’t escape prying phone calls from my mother or the fact that my pale skin will be burnt to a crisp on my looming family vacation. But when I go to Target to look for some piece of shit swimsuit, I’ll bring my book just in case I need to escape the ﬂimsy bikini tops and seek solace in the pants of my favorite imaginary professor. If you read Ashley’s column to escape your pathetic life, you should see a therapist or e-mail aaspencer@wisc.edu.

the daily cardinal makes fun of you Jennifer Timm http://www.you-

tube.com/watch?v=FzRH3iTQPrk&feature=r elated. on Sunday

Year: Wisconsin ’10 Field: Rehabilitation Psychology, PrePhysical Therapy Friends: 278 Groups: 28

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

Favorite Quotations subject matter progression: 1. Breast cheese, 2. Vagina, 3. Vagina, 4. God, 5. Love

Despite being a ﬁrst-round draft choice, forcing the Brett Favre trade and taking his number, Timm is considered one of the least effective female quarterbacks currently playing in the NFL.

Most Embarrassing Item: When Jennifer tries to make us go to rehab, we’ll say, “No, no, no!” She might know her stuff, but all the jokes about muff make us think, “Whoa, whoa, whoa...” She might worship in God’s house, but does He like her potty mouth? If she wants to be a physical therapist, up she must grow, grow, grow. Stupid Fact About Your Hometown [New Holstein, Wis.]: The Black Hol’s website advertises the “New” Aquatic Center. (Kind of like “City” of New Holstein.) The tagline is “Pool Together...Live the Dream.” Can we add on “Feel the rhythm, feel the ride, get on up, it’s New Holstein time”? Missed Opportunity: “Bubba Sparks once asked me for directions to a strip joint in Milwaukee, that’s a true story actually.” Wow! Was that just his way of saying he’d found you, Ms. New Booty? Did you get it together and bring it back to him? More details, please! Saving Grace: “I tried to drop down and get my eagle on once but I threw my back out.” You probably deserve a Purple Heart for that. We will always give due honor to all those casualties of the noble campaign to fulﬁll Nelly’s vision of a better world.

Want your Facebook proﬁle to be made fun of? Join the group “The Daily Cardinal Makes Fun of You.”

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Wednesday, March 11, 2009

news

Student talk show to debut on Big Ten Network A student talk show produced by UW-Madison’s University Communications will debut nationally Thursday on the Big Ten Network. “In My Humble Opinion” is regularly hosted by ﬁve students in a roundtable format and is always unscripted. Topics of interest usually include politics, entertainment, sports and student life, each told from the perspective of a college student. Thursday’s program will debate

the stress of college academics balanced amid a lively social life, but future episodes will be expected to cover racial diversity, social media, relationships, college money issues and various generational differences.

UW-Madison senior Andreall Moore, one of ﬁve hosts on the show,

said the program is usually very raw. “It’s a little like what you might see on ‘The View,’ with our own freshness,” she said in a statement. Beginning Tuesday, April 7, “IMHO” will be given a regular weekly timeslot on the Big Ten Network. It is set to run through July. Thursday’s program will air at 4 p.m. For more information on “IMHO,” students are encouraged to visit the show’s Facebook page.

Armed ‘parka bandit’ robs ﬁfth gas station since March 2 A man who robbed the Clark gas station Monday is said to be responsible for a string of armed robberies in the Madison area, earning him the name “parka bandit.” This is the second robbery in less than a week at the Clark gas station located at 1129 S. Park St. According to a police report, the suspect entered the gas station

around 4:45 p.m. and demanded money from the store clerk. The employee gave the robber an undisclosed amount of money after he reportedly announced he had a weapon. The suspect matches the description of a person who has committed other armed robberies on the east and south side of the

city. In each instance, the man has announced he has a handgun or has shown one. The “parka bandit” is believed to be responsible for ﬁve gas station robberies since March 2. He is described as a male, wearing a black hooded puffy coat reaching mid-thigh. He is said to be around 5'8'' to 5'10''.

Wis. population becoming less Christian, survey shows The results of a new survey reveal a decrease in the amount of Wisconsin residents who identify themselves as Christian. The American Religious Identification Survey 2008, conducted by Trinity College between February and November of last year, found that 29 percent of Wisconsinites identiﬁed as Catholic in 2008 compared to 39

housing from page 1 “They’ve got us kind of in a corner,” Mandeville said. Colossal fundraising is one option, and another is to pay property taxes and give up exemptions. The second option would force providers to increase rent, but because of restrictions in the subsidies they obtain from the state and city, even that would not cover the cost of taxes. The last option is to sell their buildings, or otherwise confront foreclosure. Mandeville said that with no source of income to cover those other costs and no margin that would allow Movin’ Out to pay property taxes, the business

fellows from page 1 are living in, so they are no longer able to live there. Reuter-Krohn also said cash is given to house fellows for their food accounts so they are able to eat in the cafeteria with their residents. “If they are no longer working that’s pro-rated for the days that they work, and then they only get paid for their actual days of work,” she said. The third UW-Madison student to resign from a university house fellow position this year, who chose

poll from page 1 recently surfaced, lack of information could be to blame for the majority of undecided voters in the Supreme Court election, said Heather Colburn, campaign manager for Abrahamson. “TV [advertisements are] an important part of targeting basically all voters in Wisconsin

percent in 1990. Wisconsin’s Catholic population is still proportionately higher than the national average of 25 percent. The amount of “other Christians” dropped from 52 to 49 percent in the state. The amount of people who practice non-Christian religions has risen, but still only makes up 4 percent of the state’s population,

the survey found. According to the survey, the amount of Wisconsinites who declare no religious afﬁliation rose from 6 percent in 1990 to 15 percent in 2008. Although Americans have been historically reluctant to identify themselves as atheist or agnostic, this stigma seems to be diminishing, the study said.

would cease. “Some of the most vulnerable citizens would not have the stable or affordable housing they have now,” Mandeville said. “They’d have to find something else that would no doubt be more expensive and probably not as desirable.” City Assessor Michael Kurth said the city had no options on the issue. He told The Capital Times that the city had to defend itself as challenges arose from those it had denied exemptions. “We hoped to have some clarifying legislation prior to any court cases, but we had one filed against us, and we had to try to prepare a case,” Kurth said. After one case was ﬁled, the city

had to prepare a list of all properties that fell under similar conditions. Although the rulings could tax over 1,000 housing units, some think an effort to collect taxes would actually cost money. The purpose of subsidies and tax exemptions is to create motivation for nonprofit housing in tough areas. In turn, as these nonprofits come into neighborhoods, police calls, building inspections and other city services go down. “It would be a serious problem for the individuals, but also a serious problem for our community,” Mandeville said. “We don’t need to add to the number of homeless people who are on the streets now.”

to remain anonymous, said he is not completely happy with how his situation was handled.

The former employee said he

is happy to move on, but also feels there should be changes made within housing policies. “I feel like the whole house fellow thing should be self-run, and there’s no reason for a resident life coordinator position,” he said. In response to rumors that he was in trouble for drinking on Halloween night, the former house fellow said his residents were under the assumption he was of legal age to drink, and his superiors simply said it was “the wrong move.”

because not a lot of people know who their Supreme Court justices are,” Colburn said. UW professor of political science Charles Franklin also attributed a lack of information to Koschnick’s minimal support. “[The Supreme Court race] is a non-partisan race, and the trouble is that Koschnick is not known,” Franklin said, adding

that Koschnick’s low percentage just shows voters are not familiar with his stances on issues. In addition, the poll reported a 52 percent approval rating for Doyle. According to the survey, Doyle’s strongest support comes from northern and western Wisconsin, while his lowest approval comes from southeastern Wisconsin.

“It’s not so unusual to have students resign if something changes in their life and they can’t do the job that is expected of them.” Kay Reuter-Krohn associate director UW Housing

NICK KOGOS/THE DAILY CARDINAL

State Rep. Peter Barca, D-Kenosha speaks to students about policy during a legislative panel Tuesday at Memorial Union.

Lawmakers promote civic engagement By Grace Kim THE DAILY CARDINAL

Students were encouraged to discuss local issues with Wisconsin state lawmakers at the College Democrats of Madison annual state panel held Tuesday. The panel was composed of members of the state Assembly, including Assistant Majority Leader Donna Seidel, D-Wausau, Chair of the Corrections and Courts Committee Rep. Joseph Parisi, D-Madison, Rep. Peter Barca, D-Kenosha, Rep. Mike Sheridan, D-Janesville and Assembly Majority Leader Tom Nelson, D-Kaukauna. The assembly members focused on the future of Wisconsin legislation before giving students an opportunity to ask the panel questions. Sheridan promised UWMadison will continue to focus on quality education despite the economic crisis and the loss of several professors and researchers. Increasing the number of women leaders in politics was a key issue Seidel hopes to focus on this year. “I have a real responsibility for women in Wisconsin to say that I helped or mentored people to help women come forward in positions to be in offices that are city, state or national,” Seidel said. “It is really a time for a legislature, certainly [in] Wisconsin and across the country, to have

forum from page 1 Sol Grosskopf, safety coordinator for the Associated Students of Madison, urged students to give input to student organizations that address sexual assault. “Students are the best resource we have on campus,” he said. “Students know the areas on campus that need more help. They know individuals that need help. They need to tell organizations on campus what differences should be made.” The U.S. Department of Justice and the Ofﬁce on Violence Against

strong representation of women,” Seidel said. Members said another challenge they will face is instituting universal health care statewide. Seidel said state representatives hope insurance companies will cover unmarried adults until age 27 and will support lower income individuals.

“It is really a time for a legiislature ... to have strong representation of women.” Donna Seidel assistant majority leader state assembly

“We all come from the blue collar backgrounds, and the only reason I’m sitting here is that people I have never met before came for me and made an investments that were necessary to turn my life around,” Parisi said. UW-Madison senior and political science major Scott Resnick said the panel was a great opportunity to interact with leaders and ask questions about legislative policies. “I’m excited to see the great things that are going to come,” Resnick said. “It’s a different mentality and it’s a different leadership that will bode well for Wisconsin’s future and how we are going to get out of [the] economic crisis.” Women awarded UW-Madison a three-year $300,000 grant earlier this year. Carmen Hotvedt, violence prevention specialist for University Health Services who is directing the distribution of grant funds, said one of its main goals is to address sexual assaults. “I don’t expect this to be the last time we talk about sexual assault and violence,” Berquam said. “I hope you will take what you heard here today and engage your roommates and housemates in talking about this issue.”

opinion 4

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Wednesday, March 11, 2009

view

Editorial Cartoon

By John D. Liesveld opinion@dailycardinal.com

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

preventing majors by adding minors

ccording to the UWMadison’s mission statement, this school’s goal is to create an environment where students can “realize their highest potential of intellectual, physical and human development.” Yet lately, the dean of the College of Letters and Science has suggested the only reason students attend this university is to help their attractiveness in the job market and any learning that goes beyond this purpose should be limited by placing a cap on the number of majors students can have.

Administration should not have the authority to decidewhich students deserve certain classes.

The respectable logic behind this suggestion is that students with three or four majors hog resources from those who have only one and therefore rely on getting seats in the same classes to graduate. Although it is obviously beneﬁcial for the university to make it as easy as possible for pupils to get the requirements they need to graduate, the idea of limiting

majors undermines the purpose of education. This encompasses general enrichment of knowledge as well as graduating and job searches. Furthermore, to limit the amount of classes a student wishes to take (and is willing to pay for) on the behalf of other students raises questions of entitlement and bureaucratic meddling. Administrators should not have the authority to pass judgment on which students deserve certain classes and which do not. Instead of focusing on imposing a major cap, the university should provide a comprehensive minor program for students with diverse interests. Such a program would allow students to focus on more than one subject while taking up less university resources. Implementing this program would also dissuade students who would otherwise double or triple major from doing so. Although it seems logical to discourage superﬂuous use of university resources when it is only for the purpose of an unproven advantage in the job market, it is absurd for the university to act in a way that places limits on students’ academic and intellectual aspirations. Offering minors is a way to expand options for students while possibly reducing the strain on classes--capping majors only restricts options.

Student rights in the biennial budget By Summer Wilken UNITED COUNCIL

Currently, the state Legislature is deciding how much state funding to allocate to the University of Wisconsin System – including setting tuition and financial aid. Because of Wisconsin’s budget deficit, the Legislature is slashing budgets in a number of programs, and higher education is one of the key targets for cuts. Students, now more than ever, need to fight for their voices to be heard in this budget to make sure that they do not bear the burden of the economic recession. Tuition is still unaffordable for Wisconsin families, and financial aid has failed to keep up. In a recent study by the National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education, Wisconsin received an “F” in affordability, partially due to the low state investment in need based financial aid. The rising cost of college forces many students to take on multiple jobs while attending school and most graduate with thousands of dollars of debt. According to the UW System Office of Budget and Planning, 67 percent of resident undergraduate students who completed their degree in the academic year of 2006-’07 had student loan debt averaging $21,104. The Board of Regents’ recent announcement to not increase

tuition for students whose families’ incomes are at or below the median for Wisconsin is a step in the right direction; however, unless our Legislature significantly reinvests in our public institutions, the UW System will continue to fall short of its purpose of providing education for a population that is fully representative of Wisconsin. As a member of United Council of UW Students, I am gathering petition signatures to bring to the Joint Committee on Finance to demonstrate students’ demands, which include increased financial aid, affordable tuition and competitive faculty and staff salaries and benefits packages. United Council will also be hosting an informational session about the biennial this Wednesday at 6 p.m. in 1651 Humanities.

Students need to ﬁght for their voices to be heard to make sure they do not bear the burden of the recession.

To show your support and to fight for the quality of your education, visit www.unitedcouncil. net and sign the petition. Summer Wilken is a junior majoring in English and ann intern for the United Council.

Automakers must join together or risk death SEAN MCMASTER opinion columnist

rom porkulus spending and financial bailouts to saving the American automobile industry, the federal government has racked up over $2.306 trillion in bailout money over the past year. If you divided this payment equally among the 156.3 million American taxpayers, you discover that the average American would pay approximately $14,754 to the federal government in hopes of stabilizing and improving the national economy. This is an astounding figure equal to nearly four semesters of in-state tuition and segregated fees here at UW-Madison. Let’s take a look at where a portion of this superfluous spending is being directed: saving the American automobile industry, specifically the Big Three.

If the federal government is going to continue providing loans, why not give the money as an incentive to collaborate?

Who are the Big Three? The news has talked a lot about these three companies. Actually, the term “Big Three” depends on the country to which you are referring. In the United States, the Big Three are General Motors, Ford and Chrysler. These three companies approached the federal government at the end of last year for loans to keep their respective companies out of bankruptcy. In the end, the only two companies that accepted the initial federal aid were GM and Chrysler, which received $9.4 billion and $4

billion respectively. Ford opted out of federal aid to avoid the restrictions placed on the funds. These restrictions included the creation of a short- and long-term comprehensive plan to ensure the company’s longevity. Each plan had to be presented before Congress and get approved before the company received any additional aid. Both GM and Chrysler submitted their restructuring plans in midFebruary with added requests for federal aid. This would bring the American taxpayers’ bill to $39 billion if the request were granted. According to these plans, the earliest that the Big Three would possibly even begin to show a profit would be in 2010. In light of this fact, many economists and financial auditors suspect that even with additional aid, the outlook for the Big Three is bleak. Looking at it from a historical perspective, the United Kingdom experienced a similar situation about three decades ago with the former British Leyland Automobile Company. Before eventually going bankrupt in 1975, British Leyland managed to receive $16.5 billion in aid from the British government. It seems that the United States might have its own British Leyland on its hands. A contributing cause of the Big Three’s current state is the United Auto Worker union. The union has been squeezing the collective throats of the Big Three, and as a result, the UAW finds itself lobbying its members right out of their jobs. For example, the average UAW worker pockets $50 per hour in wages and benefits, compared to $28 per hour for workers at U.S. factories operated by foreign automobile companies. Because of the heightened upfront costs of manufacturing, the domestic automobile industry’s competitiveness with foreign manufacturers becomes greatly inhibited. Therefore, two prominent problems have presented themselves: 1) The Big Three are not going to be profitable for the foreseeable future, and with the current exception of

Ford, the federal government will continue to provide loans to keep each company “solvent,” and 2) The Big Three are at a signiﬁcant competitive disadvantage to other companies in the industry.

This model would allow the three companies to pool resources, cutting costs far more quickly.

If the federal government is going to continue providing loans, why not give the money as an incentive for the Big Three to collaborate on certain programs? Better yet, why not propose consolidating all three companies into an “American Automobile Corporation?” This model would allow the three companies to pool resources, cutting costs far more quickly together than in isolation, while permitting the individual companies to continue honoring their commitments to retired workers. This would also increase the likelihood that the domestic automobile industry will become proﬁtable by 2010. In addition to these obvious beneﬁts, a consolidation into a single company would alleviate the current contracts to the UAW, which are currently suffocating the industry. This would allow the industry to renegotiate contracts with the UAW, decreasing the upfront costs of manufacturing and ultimately increasing the domestic automobile industry’s competitiveness. In today’s economy, the following nationalistic motto could hold true for many industries, with particular pertinence to the Big Three: “United we stand, divided we fall.” Sean McMaster is a junior majoring in biochemistry and mathematics. Please send responses to opinion@dailycardinal.com.

arts

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Wednesday, March 11, 2009

Young readers need quantity over quality FRANCES PROVINE a fran for all seasons

PHOTO COURTESY BILL SITZMANN

ometimes when I consider why reading has been a big part of my life, I think of “The Catcher in the Rye.” Even though it came out more than 50 years ago, it’s still relevant to adolescents everywhere. It certainly was to me when I read it at 13 and found that it harmonized perfectly with my sense of angst and feelings that I had the most developed bullshit detector in the class.

Cursive struck a successful chord six years ago with The Ugly Organ, but since then the lineup has undergone a makeover both stylistically and with personnel, leaving them with an unproven sound.

Sloppy style for Cursive By Kyle Sparks THE DAILY CARDINAL

Cursive’s breakout album, 2003’s The Ugly Organ, marked a stark change in approach from their debut, 1997’s Such Blinding Stars for Starving Eyes. The manic instrumentation beneath frantic wails of old became a more controlled chaos, focused on thematic elements and presentation as much as angst and rebellion. Their new release, Mama, I’m Swollen, marks the farthest point from their beginning yet. At times droning, Mama misses the mark Cursive had established for themselves as the darlings of literate post-hardcore. Thematically, Mama, I’m Swollen follows the path of JeanJacques Rousseau’s ideas of man in the state of nature. Rousseau claimed that the epiphany of time (among others) effectively destroyed any hope for humans to be truly happy, and on “From the Hips,” lead singer Tim Kasher agrees, singing “I hate this damn enlightenment / We were better off as animals.” The fact that the thesis of the album sits in “From the Hips” is especially appropriate because that’s the one track the rest of the album tries to live up to. At the

onset, it sounds like Kasher’s time working on his solo/side project The Good Life wore him thin. But while Kasher groans about how intelligence makes everything around you intolerable, the music crescendos to meet a stirring Kasher screaming, “And I wish that we had never talked / Our hips said it all.” This is the Cursive everybody wants to hear.

CD REVIEW

Mama, I’m Swollen Cursive Although the rest of the album does its best to leap from the same bridge, it usually just falls flat on its face. Kasher advances his take on the benefits of mindlessness on “Donkeys” when he says, “We may be donkeys, but at least we have a tale to tell.” Despite their efforts to make the song sound interesting through sheer volume, it’s still boring. Mama isn’t a total failure, however. In addition to “From the Hips,”

“Mama, I’m Satan” and “What Have I Done?” recapture the dissonant guitars and driving melodies that made Cursive so good to begin with and Kasher’s signature lyrics that set Cursive apart. But as personal as Kasher makes his lyrics, it’s a mistake to refer to Cursive without recognizing the contributions of everyone else. Songs like “Caveman” highlight the departure of drummer Clint Schnase. In the track, where a rousing time-signature change could completely turn over a promising verse into chorus, the transition sputters in place, waiting too long to do something useful before deciding just to end instead. That’s not to suggest that the current lineup is less capable, but perhaps afforded less creative control in the songwriting process. Mama, I’m Swollen is a disappointment mainly because it’s not clever enough. Neither musically ambitious nor astutely layered, Mama, I’m Swollen is the highly anticipated opus that rushed its way through an unrealized concept. There are enough bright spots to assure old fans that Cursive still has the potential to return to form, but the five or more songs of filler can’t help but disappoint.

When it comes to children’s books, getting people interested is what counts.

In reality, though, reading became a part of my life, and becomes a part of the lives of so many others, much earlier than this. It begins with children’s books, like “The Phantom Tollbooth” or “The Little Prince.” These are books of fantasy our parents might have read to us when we were little, or that we first turned the pages of ourselves when someone showed us how the library worked in fourth grade. I remember going up to the school librarian when I was little and asking if there were any good books about dragons, yet thinking about any dragons outside of the “Lord of the Rings” trilogy makes me cringe today. Even though I read a lot then, there are barely any connections between my tastes as a child and my tastes now. Like a WSUM DJ who listened to Smash Mouth in middle school, my tastes have grown along with my body, and I consider “The Catcher in the Rye” the point where they went through puberty and I became a reading adult. Through my years of bad

taste, however, I did develop something else that stays with me until this day: an avid love of reading. Some critics make moves to defend children’s books as good and proper literature, citing novels like “Maniac Magee,” which may be a kids’ book but still moves readers young and old better than “Anna Karenina.” Although this is commendable, I don’t think it really gets to the point. Although children’s books may or may not be considered “good” by the adults who rarely read them, the real significance of them is that they represent a doorway to literature for young people growing interested in the rest of the world. I still have about 20 books from the “Goosebumps” series in my bookshelf at home, and don’t even get me started on “The Baby-sitters Club.” No matter how hilariously awful those choose-your-own endings were, they got me to ditch some of my prized Nickelodeon-watching time for the written word. I hate it when book snobs sneer at Harry Potter for exactly this reason. No matter how badly they think J.K. Rowling’s books are written, if these people cared at all about the survival of literature they should worship Harry Potter for introducing reading to kids at the age when they are most likely to develop other hobbies. Obviously quality is important in literature, but when it comes to children’s books, getting people interested is what counts. In an age where most kids entertain themselves with video games, children’s books are more important than ever in the intellectual development of the younger generation. Kids may start out with “Goosebumps,” but eventually their solid reading habits just may lead them to “The Catcher in the Rye.” Are you a typical student whose taste in books never graduated from “Goosebumps?” E-mail Frances listing the reasons why you hate reading at provine@wisc.edu.

Propagandhi spread social message with new ‘supporting cast’ By Mario Puig THE DAILY CARDINAL

Truthfully, Propagandhi would prefer to have people hear their message rather than their music. Sure, they like to rock, but they also like to envision the end of oppression and inequality. That means Propagandhi don’t sing about bubblegum and holding hands, and there’s a fair amount of ranting throughout their performances. But to be clear, Propagandhi is nothing like your stereotypical leftist political-punk band. Don’t go writing these guys off as another Anti-Flag. The music is powerful, not lame. The messages are educated and built on logic, as opposed to childish and built from cheap angst. Although the band’s message never changed, their actual recordings have displayed a drastic evolution since they debuted with How to Clean Everything in 1993. The

main reason for this change was the presence, and then departure, of bassist John Samson.

CD REVIEW

Supporting Caste Propagandhi Samson, who eventually created the Weakerthans, was more of an indie-poet sort. Lead singer, guitarist and seemingly the driving force of the band, Chris Hannah was a thrash-metal enthusiast with major shredding ability. Both Hannah and Samson are two of the best lyricists of any musical era, and it’s a bit of a shock to consider they were in the

same band. Along with drummer Jord Samolesky, the three combined to make a hardcore punk sound that often gets unrightfully lumped in with NOFX and the skate-punk scene. Samson’s departure after Less Talk, More Rock marked a shift toward Hannah’s thrash inclinations. Hannah dropped his sneering punk vocals for a cleaner style, revealing a surprisingly powerful singing ability. Hardcore punk veteran Todd Kowalski, of I-Spy, took over for Samson and played an increased singer-songwriter role through the band’s next three albums, including their most recent. Supporting Caste is the clever name of the band’s latest masterpiece. All their albums are great, but with their latest they’ve outdone themselves. The ﬁrst song, “Night Letters,” is a Kowalski track, where the improved drumming immediately

stands out. Samolesky’s work with polyrhythmic arrangements and tricky time signatures deﬁnitely adds something to the sound. This track is heavier and more technically advanced than typical Propagandhi.

Although the band’s message never changed, their actual recordings have displayed a drastic evolution.

Hannah’s best song on the album must be “Human(e) Meat.” That belligerent suspicion rising within you is correct. Propagandhi are animal-rights proponents—vegans, more specifically. “Human(e) Meat” details the more glorious aspects of animal dissection and consumption.

Knowing entirely too well that selfish impulse tends to suffocate logic, Hannah ends with an appeal to health: “Post-vegetarian I must submit to you, respectfully / be careful what kind of world you wish for / Someday it may come knocking on your door.” Kowalski’s best song, “Incalculable Effects,” is also the highlight of the album. The lyrics illustrate with concision the crushing weight of child poverty and its derivative, the practice of compensating for one’s lack of agency with a chemical addiction. The music sounds like a brilliant blend of High on Fire and Propagandhi’s last album, Potemkin City Limits. This review would need to be at least twice as long to effectively document the depth of each track on this album. All that can really be said is that this band is something else, and they’ve set the bar for 2009 very, very high.

comics 6

Pangea? The name of all the continents end with the same letter that they start with. dailycardinal.com/comics

Wednesday, March 11, 2009

Awkwardness

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

Fly-swatter

a b c d e f g h i

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

“Miyagi: ‘Vxuhrks: gzzozajk.’ Daniel: ‘Tu znk vxuhrks oy, O’s mkzzotm se gyy qoiqkj kbkxe uznkx jge, zngz’y znk vxuhrks.” The Karate Kid quote Yesterday’s Code:

“You are what we call a two bagger. That means I wear a bag on my head, just in case the one on you breaks.”

Today’s Crossword Puzzle

The Graph Giraffe

Evil Bird Classic

By Yosef Lerner ilerner@wisc.edu

By Caitlin Kirihara kirihara@wisc.edu

Answer key available at www.dailycardinal.com GREEN THUMB

1 6 10 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 24 26 27 29 30 31 34 39 41 42 43 44 46 47 49

ACROSS

Still up for grabs FBI agt. Portly president Cathedral city near Florence Declaim wildly Dilly-dallying “That’ll teach you!” look “Pretty Maids all in ___” Timely beneﬁt “Curse you, ___ Baron!” Stop at the outset Elevator innovator Otis Old West tales Kind of saw or tire Colonial insect Love deity Very light tan Operat- ing room substance, once Make a bust? Van Gogh’s loss It’s full of holes Lugs around First word in many letters Biblical utopia Orangutan, e.g. Displaced person

51 Historic Harlem theater 55 “Seinfeld” friend 57 Celeste Holm musical 59 Woman, objectively 62 Smoky mist 63 Glossary entry 64 Semi- conductor device 66 Command for silence, in court (Var.) 67 Brainstorm result 68 Basketball Hall-ofFamer Baylor 69 Units of 100 ergs per gram 70 Sleepover beds, maybe 71 Bowler’s button 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

DOWN

Nation in Dec. 1991 news Unbeatable baccarat hand Removed unwanted elements Snake eye? Land chronicled by C.S. Lewis Economics textbook feature “West Side Story” song Shake- speare’s river “Danke Schoen”

10 11 12 13 22 23 25 27 28 29 32 33 35 36 37 38 40 45 48 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 58 60 61 65

singer Wayne “Seven Years in ___” Baked brick building Bakery staple Works the garden ___ of Wight Finds intolerable Tough cotton thread Take a breather With the bow, in music Surrounding glow Formally hand over Canadian Arctic explorer John Promotional link Creatures with sharp bristles Lasting beginning? It’s put before Descartes Sacred song Do some mothering Kind of justice Weather forecast word More than dislike ___ Del Rey Flowed slowly Rich soil deposit Bittern relative Succotash beans Change the decor of Entertaining Adams Lessor amount ___-de-France

Twenty Pound Baby

By Stephen Tyler Conrad stconrad@wisc.edu

sports

dailycardinal.com/sports

tourney from page 8 either of the opponents it could face first on Friday. No. 4 Wisconsin (10-8, 1911) Despite a six-game losing streak and a 2-2 run to close the season, the Badgers still landed in position for a first-round tournament bye, which should be yet another reminder to the rest of the Big Ten: Bo Ryan’s ball clubs always find ways to win. Wisconsin does not have a single player among the conference’s 12 best scorers or assist leaders, but it has have the second-best scoring defense and best rebounding defense in the league. The defense is anchored by senior forward Joe Krabbenhoft, who has been averaging 6.7 boards per game. No. 5 Ohio State (10-8, 209) For a team that started the season 9-0 with wins against Butler, Miami and the thenformidable Fighting Irish, Ohio State went on to accrue a mediocre conference season. However, the Buckeyes have possibly the most consistent player in the conference in sophomore guardforward Evan Turner, a unanimous first-team All-Big Ten selection earlier this week. No. 6 Penn State (10-8, 2110) The biggest surprise of the season, Penn State, would guarantee its first NCAA tournament bid in eight years with two wins this weekend. Perhaps the biggest surprise of all is that they are led in scoring and assists by a second-year man. Sophomore guard Taylor Battle averages a Big Ten best 17.3 points per game and has led the Nittany Lions past all but two conference opponents this season— Wisconsin and Ohio State. No. 7 Michigan (9-9, 19-12) Wins against Duke, UCLA, Illinois and Purdue do not mean much when you lose seven out of nine during the thick of conference play. Sophomore guard Manny Harris and junior forward DeShawn Sims average better than 30 points and 14 rebounds per game combined, but an inconsistent defense will likely prevent them from moving past the second round. No. 8 Minnesota (9-9, 21-9) Head coach Tubby Smith got the Golden Gophers off to an astounding 15-1 start, but, just like everyone else in the Big Ten, could not get a groove going in conference play. Minnesota’s last big win came at the end of January when it defeated Illinois. A deep and experienced bench— all but two players average 10 or more minutes per game—is Minnesota’s greatest advantage heading into the tournament. No. 9 Northwestern (8-10, 17-12) Not even the Big East’s ninthplace team is as impressive as Northwestern, which has shown it can beat tough teams—Flordia State, Michigan State and Purdue—but still let far too many games wind up in the loss column. Senior guard Craig Moore has been the team’s secret weapon, lethal from beyond the arc on a number of occasions this year, and must be on top of

Wednesday, March 11, 2009

hockey from page 8

his game if they are to rack up wins this weekend. No. 10 Iowa (5-13, 15-16) The Hawkeyes are the first team on the Big Ten’s list that does not stand a chance of an at-large bid Sunday and lacks the tenacity to win the fourin-a-row that would earn entry through the conference tournament. Though four of its starters average better than 10 points per game, Iowa is marred by the fact that even the hapless Hoosiers have beaten them in conference play. However, if last year’s Illinois team taught us anything, Iowa should not be without hope despite a sub-.500 record. No. 11 Indiana (1-17, 6-24) What makes Indiana potentially dangerous—despite an otherwise dreadful season—is how good their freshmen are getting. Given how close the Hoosiers’ games against Penn State and Michigan State were in the closing weeks of conference play, solid play from freshman guard Verdell Jones III and freshman forward Tom Pritchard may get them a win when it matters the most.

ISABEL ALVAREZ/THE DAILY CARDINAL

Sophomore guard Trévon Hughes leads the Badgers in assists and steals per game while providing strong defense and scoring.

holes” at Badger games. For instance, when my friend decided to lie across four chairs at a hockey game and get some shut-eye, it was totally acceptable for me to start chanting the asshole cheer at her. By the time she ﬁnally realized she was the subject of the chant, she quickly wiped the drool from her upper lip and was energized for the remainder of the game. Was I wrong for waking her up in an embarrassing way? No. It is socially unacceptable to sleep through a hockey game in the student section, and she certainly learned that the hard way. Furthermore, according to the student section, Sue (Sioux) is a whore’s name. Although I disagree with this statement because I have an Aunt Sue, who is definitely not a whore by any means, it is still interesting to know what the Wisconsin students think. You may not agree with everything you learn at Badger games, but it’s always good to keep an open mind. Did you ever learn anything from one of Wisconsin’s many student sections? If so, tell Crystal about it by e-mailing her at crowns@wisc.edu.

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sports 8

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Wednesday, March 11, 2009

Men’s Basketball

And now the second season begins Thursday marks start of Big Ten tournament By Andy Van Sistine THE DAILY CARDINAL

It took until late in the evening Sunday for the whole picture to develop, but this year’s Big Ten tournament seeding took an interesting twist in Wisconsin’s favor. Thanks to Iowa’s upset over the Nittany Lions and Minnesota’s slip-up against Michigan in The Barn, the Badgers, who entered the day in sixth place, earned a No. 4 seed in the conference tournament. Despite having the same conference record, Wisconsin surpasses Ohio State and Penn State in the bracket because of its 3-0 record over both teams this season. Nonetheless, the streaky play and number of upsets that so many of the teams in the Big Ten have experienced this season make seeding an insignificant factor. Rather, the fact that nearly every team in the conference has shown it has the potential to win the tournament and earn the automatic bid to the NCAA tournament will have the whole nation keeping a watchful eye on the events in Indianapolis this weekend.

PHOTOS BY DANNY MARCHEWKA, KYLE BURSAW, BRAD FEDIE, ISABEL ALVAREZ AND LORENZO ZEMELLA/CARDINAL FILE PHOTOS

Student section provides odd, if useless, knowledge CRYSTAL CROWNS the crystal ball

ver the past four years, I have learned many different lessons when attending sporting events on the UW-Madison campus. Although I have a strong knowledge of sports, being a fan in the Wisconsin student section taught me many things I never expected to know. Most of this information is not essential in everyday life, but you never know when it will come in handy. For instance, I had no idea what a sieve was before attending my ﬁrst men’s hockey game freshman year. A sieve is basically a strainer that lets some things pass through. In this case, the goalie for the opposing team is a sieve because he lets the puck get past him when the Badgers score. With this knowledge, if I am ever in a kitchen or in a dirt pit and someone asks me for a sieve, I won’t stare at them with confusion. Besides calling the opposing team’s goalie a “sieve,” he is also referred to as a “funnel,” a “vacuum” or a “black hole.” Prior to attending hockey games, however, I knew all of these deﬁnitions. They all suck the puck into the goal, which ultimately emphasizes the literal “suckiness” of the goalie. Another word I learned at Badger hockey games is “sodomy.” If a person ever comes up to me on the street and

asks me what the act of sodomy is, I am conﬁdent I can give them the right answer based on my understanding of a Wisconsin cheer, “[Opposing goalie] likes the sodomy, sodomy, sodomy. [Opposing goalie] likes the sodomy; he takes it in the rear.” After chanting these few sentences multiple times, it’s kind of hard to forget what that word means.

Hockey games are kind of like sex education class, so if you slept through your high school health course, the student second should get you up to speed.

People who do not know their sex lingo could deﬁnitely beneﬁt from sitting in the Kohl Center’s student section for a game. While there, you will learn that an orgy requires teamwork... among other things. Sure, you may never engage in these activities, but it doesn’t hurt to know what they mean. Hockey games are kind of like a sex education class, so if you slept through your high school health course, the student section should get you up to speed. Besides wearing the wrong color shirt or a uniform that shows support for the opposing team, I learned there are other reasons to call people “asshockey page 7

No. 1 Michigan State (15-3 Big Ten, 25-5 overall) The regular season conference champions this year may have secured their place in the NCAA

bracket, but two of their three Big Ten losses this season—at home to Penn State and Northwestern— leave many questioning whether Michigan State can walk away with a tournament title. But as the team with the best scoring offense and rebounding offense in the league, you can bet they will pull out a win if they hit 70 points in any game. No. 2 Illinois (11-7, 23-8) Another beneficiary of last minute parity in the Big Ten, Illinois leaped over Purdue in the conference standings thanks to a two-game skid at the finish by the Boilermakers and a season sweep by the Illini. Since the 10-1 streak the team had in December and January, Illinois has been relatively inconsistent. Top-scoring sophomores Demetri McCamey and Mike Davis have been either hot or cold as of late, combining for as few as nine points or as many as 37 in some games in the last three weeks. No. 3 Purdue (11-7, 22-9) Despite playing well enough to stay amidst the nation’s top 25 all season, Purdue has picked the worst time to fall into a slump. The Boilermakers lost three of their last four and even gave up a home loss to Northwestern a week ago. But with three players averaging better than 12 points per game and a Big Ten best +10.3 scoring margin, Purdue brings a better offense to the court than tourney page 7

Join the Team Ever dreamed of covering your favorite Badgers sports team? Make it happen. Join The Daily Cardinal sports staff and make your dreams a reality. For more information, e-mail sports@dailycardinal.com