Tuesday, April 28, 2009 - The Daily Cardinal by The Daily Cardinal

POLAR BEARS FIGHTING TO SURVIVE But UW’s ‘Polar Bear’ has found a new home playing in Germany

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Uproar about vaccine side effects threaten our children’s well being

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Tuesday, April 28, 2009

University, state brace for swine ﬂu threat By Megan Kozelek THE DAILY CARDINAL

The latest international health scare, the swine flu, has begun to spread through the United States,

Swine ﬂu facts -40 cases in U.S., no deaths -26 cases in Mexico, seven deaths -symptoms similar to regular seasonal inﬂuenza -cannot be transmitted by eating pork products -before 2005, typically one human infection every one-to-two years Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

with the number of reported cases mounting, but it has yet to hit Wisconsin. According to Seth Boffeli, communications director for the state Department of Health Services, there have been no positive cases for the swine ﬂu in Wisconsin so far. Ten Wisconsin residents have undergone tests for it, but the results were negative. “It's important to recognize that we don’t have an actual pandemic right now, we’re still in that preparation phase,” said Sarah Van Orman, director of University Health Services. According to Van Orman, UHS has an existing influenza plan for the campus. Each unit of the plan depends on what might happen during a pandemic. Most of Monday was spent in the communication and education phase.

Bofelli says that this is a mutated form of the swine flu, which normally only affects pigs. It has now spread to humans with some of the same genetic characteristics as the human flu. The disease originated in Mexico, a popular spring break destination. However, UW students who traveled there for spring break between March 14 and 21 would have experienced symptoms already if they contracted the flu, according to Boffeli. As of press time, there were a total of 40 cases reported in the United States. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention breakdown is seven cases in California, two cases in Kansas, 28 cases in New York City, one case in Ohio and two cases in Texas. swine ﬂu page 3

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University Health Services, which has an existing muli-unit plan for ﬂu outbreaks, is focused on informing UW students about the swine ﬂu.

ASM suggests change at address By Rory Linnane THE DAILY CARDINAL

Associated Students of Madison members urged the newly elected Student Council to improve outreach and legislative affairs at the State of ASM address Monday. Brittany Wiegand, ASM chair, said this year’s Student Council had many leaders who pushed outreach efforts, and urged next year’s council to take those efforts further by informing students about ASM and

improving recruitment drives. “[Outreach] is just something we’d never considered before this year,” she said. “We’d never talk about ways that we outreach to our constituents when we’d make decisions.” Representatives also encouraged the next council to focus more on lobbying efforts at the Capitol to protect the university’s interests. “Our legislative affairs were a little lacking this year,” Sheka said. “That needs to improve through campus-

wide collaboration.” According to Wiegand, one reason ASM lobbying efforts were unsuccessful is because ASM lacked a legislative affairs committee chair for half the year. ASM members also reviewed the year’s successes. Wiegand said one major success was the constitution initiative, which drew in a 15 percent voter turnout but failed to pass. asm page 3

Compose yourself ISABEL ALVAREZ/THE DAILY CARDINAL

The LED lights will be replacing the lights along Wisconsin Highway 30 in November as part of the East Washington Reconstruction Act.

Madison plans to light streets with energy efﬁcient LEDs By Lauren Piscione THE DAILY CARDINAL

In a pilot program to utilize energy-efﬁcient technology, the city of Madison will be installing 20 LED lights along Wisconsin Highway 30. Dan Dettmann, Madison traffic operations engineer, said these lights are the last phase of the East Washington Avenue Reconstruction Plan. “The lights could save 40 percent in energy costs,” Dan Dettman told The Capital Times. “Today we use a lot of high pressure sodium vapor,” Dettman said. “LED is a little more energy efﬁcient; however, it’s so new that there are certainly a lot of questions about

how well it’s going to perform and how long it’s going to last.” The idea is that the LED lights will be more efﬁcient from an energy standpoint and longer lasting than traditional lighting. “Long lasting is a relative term,” Dettman said. “The LED lights are said to last up to 50,000 hours; however, when you integrate them into a ﬁxture, a lot of other components have to go right over time for the lights to work correctly.” Among the concerns about the effectiveness of the LED lights are the costs. The upfront investment is tremendous, with one LED streetlighting page 3

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James Carrano conducts during the Masters Singers Concert at Mills Concert Hall on Monday.

“…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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Tuesday, April 28, 2009

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Art fair teaches lessons, brings conﬁdence

Volume 118, Issue 139

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News and Editorial edit@dailycardinal.com Alex Morrell Editor in Chief Gabe Ubatuba Managing Editor Erin Banco Campus Editor Rachel Holzman City Editor Megan Orear State Editor Charles Brace Enterprise Editor Caitlin Gath Associate News Editor Nick Dmytrenko Opinion Editors Jon Spike Kevin Slane Arts Editors Justin Stephani Ben Breiner Sports Editors Crystal Crowns Diana Savage Features Editor Sara Barreau Food Editor Bill Andrews Science Editor Kyle Bursaw Photo Editors Lorenzo Zemella Amy Gifﬁn Graphics Editors Jenny Peek Kate Manegold Copy Chiefs Emma Roller Jake Victor Hope Carmichael Copy Editors Kevin Mack, Lydia Statz

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

KIERA WIATRAK taking kiera business

“

don’t want to do this,” my mom whined from the front seat. “Did you say something?” “I’m nervous. What if people don’t like them?” “How did I get here? What time is it?” I looked at my watch. It was 7 a.m. and I was on my way to Temple Israel in the suburbs of Detroit, where my mom grew up, on a Sunday morning. My mom had flown in from Tennessee for the synagogue’s art fair. She was showing framed fabric collages and tallitot—Jewish prayer shawls— that she designed and created using an array of fabrics and textures. Although she’d been doing this for years for family, this was her first time going public, and she was terrified. “They’re all going to say, ‘What is she even doing here? She’s not an artist.’” “I remember going to bed at two and now I’m driving. What the hell? Did you drug me or something?” “I know what I’m going to do! I’m

going to tell them that you made them. You’re young and cute and they’ll react much better to you.” “Mom, that’s ridiculous.” It was ridiculous. Whatever artistic talent she has she did not courteously pass along to me. I can hardly match my clothes in the morning, and am pretty sure that mauve is a fungus. Lucky for me, though, she forgot all about her brilliant idea once my grandma and my aunt Julie arrived to help us set up. The vast majority of my aunt’s anecdotes start out with, “So I was on the toilet when...” and my grandma is probably the only 80-year-old woman who uses Youtube to ﬁnd videos of birds dancing to Ray Charles. I decided to wake up with a chai latte from a cart set up in the lobby from a man who looked to be in his late 50s. “Why hello there! We have biscuits this morning for only 50 cents apiece.” “No thanks, just the chai for me.” “Oh,” he said looking me up and down disappointedly. “Are you on like a diet or something?” Before I had a chance to answer, a woman tapped me on the shoulder and handed me a bar of soap. “Special for you, my dear,” she said. When I returned with my latte in one hand and soap in the other I grimaced at my mom and said, “Apparently I’m

A couple of hours later, after my mom sold a few pieces and I reluctantly accepted three more gratuitous bars of soap, an older woman walked by with her husband. “This looks like wallpaper,” she huffed. I looked at my mom nervously. This was what she was afraid of all morning. But to my relief, she started laughing. “Did you hear that? Wallpaper. Ha!” That’s when I finally understood what it was about, this Detroit community that allowed so many people to go from completely self-conscious to 100-percent confident in a matter of hours. From bathroom stories, dancing birds, soiled beverages, diets and wallpaper, everyone is just so crazy that you can feel normal doing things you wouldn’t dare to do elsewhere. I returned to Madison Sunday evening knowing a little bit more about my mother, and a little bit more of where I came from. For the last two years I’ve been exaggerating my life for your entertainment, but next week, for my last column, I’m going to tell the truth... about everything. If you have any questions about me or anything I’ve written, no matter how personal or offensive they may be, that you’d like answered in my final column, e-mail me at wiatrak@wisc.edu.

Life is hard. The Deer Cardinal is here to help. Deer Cardinal, How can I be sure he can’t read through my poker face? —Stephanie F. Mum mum mum Monamaloola Steph! You’ve come the right bird. The Daily Ca-Ca knows all there is to know about bluffin’ with your muffin, and not lying but just stunnin’ with some loveglue-gunning. But I realize that stuff doesn’t come naturally to everyone. Whether you’re at a house party or the dance floor at Frida’s, all you need to know is that if you’re out to get him hot, show him what you got. And that

means you should ﬂash this dude your boobs a few times and then show him all the money in your wallet. But remember that while luck and intuition play the cards with Spades to start, after he’s been hooked you have to play the one that’s on his heart. So give him a titty-twister or two when he’s not expecting it. He should have no idea what to make of you by that point, so that’s a good time to whip out your poker face. If he talks to you, just stare at him with a blank look and don’t say anything. If all goes well, by the end of the night you will get to love nobody.

Be one of the fi ve Apply for a Page 2 columnist position Corrections or clarifications? Call The Daily Cardinal office at 608-262-8000 or send an e-mail to edit@dailycardinal.com.

fat and smelly,” I replied. “My Diet Coke tastes like gum,” my aunt Julie chimed in. “What?” “It’s like Mom spit out her gum in here or something,” she said. “Mom?” aunt Julie yelled across the room. “Did you spit out your gum in the Diet Coke?” “Yeah. Sorry, I forgot,” my grandma yelled back. About 30 minutes later, we finished setting up and the show opened to the public. To my relief, people loved my mom’s stuff, and she managed to sell over $1,000 worth of merchandise. The thing that impressed me the most, though, was she was never ready to sacrifice her integrity for the sake of a sale. A few people came by and asked if she would custom make a tallit with fabric they picked out. She agreed to custom make them along with a theme of their choice, but she refused to let them pick out the fabric. She wouldn’t be able to design them as effectively, she said, if she were restricted in the fabrics she could use. At that moment I wished I had her courage not to sell out. If someone offered me hundreds of dollars to forge a piece reflecting on, say, reflections of a gay Episcopalian man, I can’t say I wouldn’t accept.

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It’s easy, just write three 600-word sample columns and e-mail them to features@dailycardinal.com.

Deadline: May 1

Deer Cardinal, Should I be worried about swine flu? —Rachel C. Deer Rachel, Its not the swine flu that should have you worried; it’s the cause of the swine flu. Swine flu is a combination of bird, human, and swine diseases into one new deadly virus. What, you may ask, can cause this combination? Al Gore warned you, but you wouldn’t listen. The answer, of course, is ManBearPig. He’s out there. What did you expect? The ex-vice president told you about

global warming and ManBearPig, and now the world is about to pay for ignoring his warnings. ManBearPig is out there and he is the cause of Swine Flu. So should you be worried about swine ﬂu? The answer is no, you should be worried about ManBearPig. Got a question for the Deer Cardinal? Email deercardinal@dailycardinal.com.

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Tuesday, April 28, 2009

Group wants faculty retention money to go toward ﬁnancial aid By Megan Orear THE DAILY CARDINAL

A union consisting of faculty from several UW System campuses is pushing for state money set aside to retain and recruit quality faculty to instead be spent on student financial aid. In his 2009-’11 budget, Gov. Jim Doyle set aside $15 million for UW System schools to use for salary increase in order to retain or recruit talented faculty and staff. Numerous studies have shown UW salaries are among the lowest in the nation compared to peer institutions. The Association of University of Wisconsin Professionals, a faculty union, released a resolution Monday in support of UW-La Crosse Chancellor Joe Gow’s proposal to reallocate the $15 million into funding for student financial aid. “Right now, with the very difficult economic times we find our-

selves in, families need additional assistance with the cost of students going to the university, and part of that is the fact that tuition keeps going up,” TAUWP President Mark Evenson said. According to Evenson, the $15 million “star fund” is allocated by people who do not have the academic credentials to do so. He said the money does not address the real issue of faculty retention, but rather contributes to a “bloated bureaucracy” at universities. UW System Spokesperson David Giroux said the fund comes with very strict limitations and is only meant to retain and recruit faculty and staff who might receive better salary offers at different universities. “It is very much a safety net … it’s not meant to ﬁx all of our problems, but when an institution is going to lose a person who will

create a huge gap in that institution, they might have the resources to keep that one person,” Giroux said. He added Doyle set aside a lot of money in the budget for ﬁnancial aid, and in comparison, a moderate amount for faculty and staff retention. He said both ﬁnancial aid and quality faculty are important to students, but it is impossible to make a value judgment between the two. Louise Robbins, UW-Madison professor of library and information studies, is president of Public Representation Organization of the Faculty Senate, a UW-Madison faculty organization. She said affordability for students is a concern, but the $15 million fund is the only way for the university to offer competitive salaries. “This is the faculty’s only way to be assured of any sort of resources for recruitment and retention,” she said.

Man arrested for grabbing and hitting woman Saturday A Milwaukee man was arrested early Saturday morning after he reportedly grabbed a woman’s buttocks and punched her in the face. According to a police report, the 22-year-old victim was walking into a parking lot with her friends

asm from page 1 Although ASM members were pleased with the turnout, Representative Johnny Tackett said ASM should continue to increase student awareness. “I don’t like to hang my hat on that,” he said. “We still have a long way to go.” Wiegand also listed the creation of a press ofﬁce, an image redesign and new internal legislation as successes. Several ASM Grassroots Committee chairs spoke about their individual

lighting from page 1 light costing up to $12,000, which is two to three times more than a traditional light. “We’re just buying a few fixtures from probably two companies,” Dettman said. “Cost is a concern, but we want to have something in place to see how well they perform and whether there are any particular problems.” Madison’s green push began in 2003. A $4.2 million energy bill passed that year has already installed LED traffic signals and has purchased five hybrid buses. The state of the economy today has put major pressure on the city council to conserve costs while still finding more energy efficient ways to run the city. Dan Thompson, executive director of the League of Wisconsin Municipalities, told The Capital Times that this a “nervous time” for municipal governments. “There is enormous interest in finding more energy efficient ways to do things,” Thompson said. Thompson, however, predicted that over the next couple of years, municipalities will be forced to “hunker down” due to the economy, and limit spending on big green projects. Though taking a fiscal leap, Madison believes going green is the

in the 400 block of N. Frances Street when a group of men began to follow them. One of the men grabbed the woman’s rear end, and when the victim turned around to slap the offender, he punched her in the face before she could do so. The suspect, Juan R. Moore,

22, was located and arrested by officers shortly after the incident. Moore is tentatively charged with Battery and Fourth Degree Sexual Assault. The victim complained of pain to her left eye area but was not seriously injured.

committees' accomplishments. Adam Sheka, Shared Governance chair, said he reshaped the Shared Governance committee to work better with the administration by training students in non-adversarial and professional discussion. “It’s not telling the administration, ‘You’re wrong.’ It’s saying ‘This is what we think is better,” he said. “When we’re not so combative, they’re more willing to listen to us.” Chris Tiernan, Academic Affairs chair, said his committee streamlined

the Textbook Swap, pushed for domestic partner benefits for UW employees, analyzed the efficiency of campus libraries and began efforts to alleviate waitlists in the Spanish department. Steven Olikara, Diversity Committee chair, said his committee focused on redefining diversity on campus to include all students. The current ASM session representatives officially end their session on Thursday, and the newly elected officials will begin the next session on Friday.

right thing to do, despite the high costs in the short term. Since 2006, Mayor Dave Cieslewicz, as well as other Wisconsin

mayors, signed a nationwide climate protection agreement to reduce greenhouse gas emissions locally. However, the LED street lighting will not begin

news

WAA announces Outreach Excellence Award recipient The Wisconsin Alumni Association chose Richard Hartel, a UW-Madison food science professor, to receive the 2009 Ken and Linda Ciriacks Alumni Outreach Excellence Award, Monday. The $2,500 award is named after Ken and Linda Ciriacks for their active involvement at UW-Madison as alumni. It acknowledges professors who exceed their job expectations by supporting WAA and providing opportunities to alumni programs. Aside from teaching various food engineering classes for undergraduates, Hartel is the coordinator of the UW-Madison two-week resident class on Candy Science and

Technology and is a regular speaker at many alumni events, like the Founders Day celebration and Spring Day on Campus. “We’re proud to ofﬁcially recognize Rich Hartel for his incredible ability to engage with alumni of all ages,” WAA president and CEO Paula Bonner said in a statement. “His knowledge of Candy Science is unparalleled, and his talks always draw a crowd.” Hartel, who joined the UWMadison faculty in 1986, also recently received the Harold Macy 2009 Food Science and Technology Award from the Minnesota Institute of Food Technologists.

Stolen liquor causes battery on State St. A Madison man was taken to the hospital after trying to stop a perpetrator who had just stolen a bottle of alcohol from a State Street liquor store Sunday night. According to a police report, Madison police were called after notiﬁcation that a man had been battered. Witnesses reported the man fell unconscious but police arrived on the scene to ﬁnd he had just awoken after suffering a head injury. The 44-year-old victim told police he had confronted a man who was running down State Street with a bottle of vodka. According to police, the vodka came from Badger Liquor, 402 State St., where

swine ﬂu from page 1 Transmission of the swine flu, according to the CDC, is generally from pig to person, and then from person to person like that of a human flu virus, through coughing and sneezing. Everyday actions a person can take to avoid contracting the virus include the usual defenses against inﬂuenza viruses, such as covering your nose and mouth when until after construction resumes. “Installation will begin around November, and, like any new technology in the next few years, there will be

the suspect was banned from. After the store clerk refused to sell him alcohol, the man put $11 on the counter and ran off with the liquor, which sells for nearly $15. The victim said he heard the clerk yell that the man had just taken the alcohol and tried to stop him. The victim then grabbed the bottle from the suspect but was pushed to the ground and hit his head on the pavement. The suspect is described as a white male, in his 50’s, long gray or light brown hair, 6'2''-6'4'', 250300 lbs., some missing teeth, wearing a green and white plaid shirt, and shorts. coughing and sneezing, washing your hands often and trying and avoid anyone who is already sick, according to the CDC. Doyle said in a statement everyone should remain calm. “We are in regular contact with health officials across our state and nation, and new information will be provided as it becomes available,” he said. —Kelsey Gunderson contributed to this report. many improvements,” Dettman said. “There are going to be vast improvements in how they are made and prices will drop signiﬁcantly.”

featuresscience

4 • Tuesday, April 28, 2009

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Today, on a very special... Question Answered

Our science gurus take on life’s mysteries

Don’t kill babies with vaccine fears By Bill Andrews THE DAILY CARDINAL

Q: What’s all this I’ve been hearing about vaccines causing autism? Are they actually dangerous?

AMY GIFFIN/THE DAILY CARDINAL

Recent investigations by UW scientists indicate Columbus’ crew may be more racially diverse than previously believed.

Toothy treasures change history

Teeth of Columbus’ crew indicate unexpected origins

By Jigyasa Jyotika THE DAILY CARDINAL

Dead men tell no tales. As it turns out, though, their teeth might. Chemicals found in the teeth of the crew of Christopher Columbus’ 1492 voyage to America may reveal new insights about their origins, according to scientists at the University of Wisconsin-Madison in a recent study. “[It is] not deﬁnitive that these crew members were of African origin, but evidence suggests that it is likely.” James Burton zoology and anthropology scientist UW-Madison

Evidence found in the remains at the crew’s burial site in La Isabela, Dominican Republic, suggests crew members previously thought to be exclusively of European or Hispanic origin may also have included Africans. “[It is] not definitive that these crew members were of African origin, but evidence suggests that it is likely,” said James Burton, a scientist in the departments of zoology and anthropology at UW-Madison. UW-Madison anthropology professor Douglas Price leads the project in collaboration with James Burton and professor Vara Tiesler of the Autonomous University of the Yucatan in Mexico. They examined isotopes of carbon molecules, nitrogen and a chemical called strontium in the teeth of the crew’s remains because these easily detected chemicals are also found in food and soil nutrients, and can determine highly precise childhood diet and geographical information. “What you eat as a baby gets incorporated permanently into

your enamel, because enamel is only formed once using the nutrients eaten during childhood, so examining enamel is like getting a sneak peek at the person’s diet,” Burton said. “Nutrients in the soil that enter into the food chain also leave a permanent footprint in the enamel,” he added. The group found that the carbon, nitrogen and strontium isotopes from the teeth of some of the crew most closely resemble soil and diet types only found in Africa. Bones and teeth are among the hardest substances in the body because of calcium deposits, and can remain intact for thousands of years after death. But while bones only tell the story of the shape and size of the skeleton, teeth reveal more critical information. The soil type of a place depends on the type of bedrock and remains the same for thousands of years. Soil types differ significantly between continents, and differences are easily identifiable among Europe, America and Africa today. “It is an exciting discovery because it links us to the voyagers who discovered America.” James Burton zoology and anthropology scientist UW-Madison

The research group plans to study the dental modification and skeletal shape of the bodies of the crew next to further confirm its current findings. “It is an exciting discovery because it links us to the voyagers who discovered America, and their places of origin will have a socio-cultural impact on society,” Burton said.

A: What you’ve been hearing, most likely, was more evidence of the complete lack of a connection between the two. In February a special court designed speciﬁcally to compensate parents for the occasional side effects vaccines can produce (albeit extremely rarely) threw out three pivotal cases claiming vaccinecaused autism caused by vaccines.

Scientiﬁc studies and papers prove the lack of a link between autism and vaccines.

George L. Hastings, Jr., one of the judges (or Special Masters, as they are called in these vaccines-only trials) wrote, “The overall weight of the evidence is overwhelmingly contrary to the petitioners’ causation theories.” He called the supposed evidence “unpersuasive on many different points” and the physicians who advised the plaintiffs guilty of “gross medical misjudgment.” Remember, this is no scientist or pharmaceutical hack, it’s an outside observer not trained in science, and the standards for proof in these cases is considerably less than traditional court cases. On top of that, Andrew Wakefield, the godfather of the movement and the first to find “scientific” evidence of a connection, was thoroughly discredited the same month. Not only did investigations by he Times of London prove he falsified his data, it also turned out he had massive conflicts of interest. All this, of course, is in addition to over a decade’s worth of reams of scientific studies and papers proving the lack of a link between autism and vaccines. The link arises from several anecdotes of parents watching their child develop autistic symptoms shortly after being vaccinated. While at one point the fear of a link between the two may have made sense, the overwhelming evidence against such a link suggests it may simply be that the onset of autism symptoms coincides with the typical age of first vaccinations. Unfortunately, there’s a chance what you heard was instead last week’s high-profile endorsement of these spurious claims on a highprofile Web site: Jim Carrey’s “The Judgment on Vaccines Is In???” on The Huffington Post. Carrey, the

funnyman behind Bruce Almighty, The Mask and Ace Ventura, has come out with equally vocal girlfriend Jenny McCarthy in this antivaccination cause célèbre, and The Hufﬁngton Post has in the past run numerous stories supporting these lies. Carrey’s claims range from simple misstated facts to blatant lies. He suggests that, since the special courts only technically ruled on three cases out of 5,000, the jury is still out on all those other cases. This, however, ignores the fact that those three cases were chosen specifically as the most credible–the strongest cases supporting a link between autism and vaccines–and they were summarily thrown out by the Special Masters. What Carrey calls “a huge leap of logic,” the idea that all vaccines can be assumed not to cause autism, is in fact a scientiﬁc and now legal consensus by a huge majority. You may wonder why your question is being answered so somberly: it’s because this is serious stuff. People die because of these false claims. Little kids and babies die because of such celebrity pseudoscience. Failing to vaccinate a child not only puts him or her at risk of potentially lethal diseases, but everyone around him or her as well (including those too young or ineligible to receive vaccines themselves). I am not exaggerating

when I write that people like Jim Carrey and Jenny McCarthy cause the deaths of children. Of course, they don’t see it that way. These anti-vaxxers, as scientists call them, think they are protecting children and their families from the pain of awful side effects like autism. Some, like the parents of stricken children trying to ensure the same doesn’t happen to others, are understandable and if not quite commendable, at least sympathetic. The most vocal contingent, which includes several actors and pundits but almost no scientists or doctors, led to moderate successes last year, decreasing the vaccination rate substantially in some places. As a result, preventable ﬂu and measles outbreaks took place in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

I am not exaggerating when I write that people like Jim Carrey and Jenny McCarthy cause the deaths of children.

Vaccinations are unbelievably safe. It’s a scientiﬁc certainty that they don’t cause autism, and failing to keep your kids immunized causes children to die. Campaigning against vaccines is campaigning for disease and death.

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY JACOB ELA/CARDINAL FILE PHOTO

Although small risks do exist, widespread fears that vaccines cause autism have lead to a drop in immunization rates, and thus deaths.

arts

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Tuesday, April 28, 2009

What makes music creative? DALE MUNDT croco-dale rock

PHOTO COURTESY WALT DISNEY STUDIOS MOTION PICTURES PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY DANNY MARCHEWKA/THE DAILY CARDINAL

Disney’s “Earth” follows the lives of families of elephants, polar bears and humpback whales as they attempt to survive nature’s trials.

Nature on display in new ‘Earth’ By Meg Anderson THE DAILY CARDINAL

Disney has a way of tugging at your heartstrings. From “Lady and the Tramp” to “WALL-E,” their movies get me every time. So when I was dished up a big helping of baby ducklings in the new movie “Earth,” I was delighted to be back in this adorable, fuzzy world. This one, however, is different than its Disney predecessors. The documentary “Earth” embarks on an ambitious journey to show viewers the majesty of our planet. Following three animal families on their quests for increasingly scarce resources, the ﬁlm attempts to show viewers how climate change is affecting life on Earth in real and serious ways. Each animal family hails from one of the planet’s many climates: A polar bear and its cubs scaveng-

ing the Arctic, a humpback whale and its offspring journey to distant seas in search of krill, and a herd of elephants hunt for water. As each family faces hardship, narrator James Earl Jones subtly stresses that these troubles are the direct consequences of global warming. If the film is trying to trigger environmentalist sentiments in its viewers, the cinematography alone will send you to the phone to organize neighborhood carpools and composting sites. Usually a photograph doesn’t do the real place justice, but in the case of “Earth,” the high-definition footage makes you wonder if the real place really does the photograph justice. Does an elephant really have that many wrinkles, or is it just the magic of Disney-Pixar animation? Do expect to be awed by the film’s flawless and captivating pho-

tography, but don’t expect to be surprised. A significant portion of the footage has been recycled from the “Planet Earth” television series. If you remember a newborn polar bear cub sliding helplessly on arctic ice, a great white shark flying through the air with a seal in its jaws, or a wolf chasing down a caribou calf, you essentially have already seen this movie. Although reused, the footage in “Earth” is newly arranged in a manner that shapes the main theme of climate change so that it is apparent to all audience members, young and old. The arrangement also puts the lengthy television series into concise, kid-friendly terms. The film is a brief 96 minutes, rushing through the earth’s extreme climates as if desperately trying to keep its younger viewers’ captive attention. “Earth” sugarcoats nature’s more difficult

topics by stating, for example, that a starving polar bear has given up in its search for food, implying its death but never actually stating or showing it. Death is not the only glossedover subject. Climate change is undoubtedly alluded to in each story, but the issue is never fully traced back to humans. We seem to be completely unrelated to the creatures on screen. These are wild, untouched animals roaming the remote ends of the world, far away from where we are. Yes, “Earth” is pretty, but the real planet earth is pretty and free. When it comes down to it, this is a ﬁlm that certainly practices what it faintly preaches. Complicated and controversial moral message? Previously used footage? Reduce. Reuse. Recycle. Grade: B

Night with ‘Flight’ the height of comedic delight By Justin Stephani THE DAILY CARDINAL

Jokes about whales using cell phones, songs performed in cardboard robot costumes and minute-long theatric fades to end songs are what make the Flight of the Conchords more than just a musical act. Renowned for their self-titled HBO series, FOtC is composed of New Zealanders Bret McKenzie and Jemaine Clement. When the two Kiwis took the stage at the Overture Center Sunday night following comedian Eugene Mirman, the atmosphere did not change gears at all. Their entrance made it clear they were here to entertain, as they sang “Too Many Dicks on the Danceﬂoor” while robotically walking out in silver jumpsuits and silver cardboard helmets with antennas. Then, before you have a chance to question why they performed that song as non-gendered robots, they frantically took off their costumes under the dimmed lights, adding a punchline where normal bands take a second to regroup. They are comedians as well as

musicians, which is what keeps their shows constantly entertaining. And they truly hit their stride when combining the two. The most impressive example of this was Bret’s freestyle ﬂow in “Mutha’uckas.” This rhythmically challenging lyrical banter was stellar before it eventually became a satire on edited rap songs consisting of gaps, grunts and yelling out the names of different fruits. “Albi the Racist Dragon” highlighted the storytelling strength the duo possesses. This story carries the moral lessons and literary mechanisms found in “How the Grinch Stole Christmas,” only they put their own modern stamp on it, leaving the audience roaring with laughter as they resolve the main character’s racism with their patented awkwardness. Then they seamlessly ﬂow into a couple minutes of comedy between songs, and soon you’re following their dialogues and stories both within and outside of their songs. It soon becomes clear that Bret and Jemaine are as much a two-man show as they are a

musical act. They even have extended interactions with the audience. When asked to take off his cardigan, Jemaine acquiesced, while relating a band rule to listen to any commands from the audience. Following this rule, they responded instantaneously to a “Freebird” request as if they were waiting for it, however, they did draw the line when Bret was asked to take his pants off, but the decision was not made without thorough deliberation. The closing number was grand in both its opening dialogue and its musical ﬂamboyance. What seemed to be a simple opening anecdote about an acid trip slowly became a lengthy story. Bret recalled a “Back to the Future” plotline where he had jammed with David Bowie using a “Bowie Made Easy” guitar book to give Bowie his own song ideas from the future. And Jemaine ended up crying in a bathroom with one Tina Turner from the future and one from the past. It was a great story. Eventually they broke into an epic, extended version of “Bowie,” with bonus Bowie-esque interludes

of jamming. And the punchline of the song came when the duo feigned correspondence with Bowie through his nipple antennae. This number stands as a microcosm of their act. They can warm up audiences with their comedy bits before each song. Then they rock out to awkward lyrics that maintain their dry sense of humor. Finally, they combine the two elements to create a running joke throughout each song. A unique combination of talents that lend them a description even more incredible than their talents: A comedy act containing such talented musicians and songwriters, they work their routine through their instruments, and it works every time.

Today on the Web Read The Daily Cardinal’s interview with opening act and all-around funnyman Eugene Mirman.

was talking with a co-worker the other day about the importance of friends. Aside from providing companionship, sharing experiences, and talking to that girl’s angry friend at the bar, a true friend is someone who will tell you when you’re being stupid. Something like answering a phone call from your ex, or drunk dialing your mom, or deciding that your rap name will be spelled like “Florida” but pronounced like “ﬂow rider.” Everybody needs a friend who will stop you and say “I love you, man, but ‘Flo Rida’ is a stupid fucking stage name.” But, whatever Flo Rida lacks in true friends, he makes up for in samples of European dance music. Flo Rida’s songs “Right Round” and “Sugar,” both singles from his newest album, “R.O.O.T.S.,” feature cuts from Dead or Alive’s 1984 hit, “You Spin Me Round (Like a Record)” and Eiffel 65’s “Blue (Da Ba Dee),” respectively. This isn’t especially new or shocking. Sampling has always been a part of hip-hop, from the Sugar Hill Gang to Vanilla Ice. Although Flo Rida isn’t the ﬁrst to feature a cut so prominently, I’m wondering if it might be part of a larger trend in music of reevaluating what creativity in music actually looks like. An obvious example of this is the growing popularity of Girl Talk. His multi-layered combinations of vocals and beats from disparate sources not only makes for a damn good dance party, it challenges some obvious assumptions about originality. Is Girl Talk making music if he never actually produces any original material? Can you be a musician when your only instrument is a laptop? Other artists are simply trying to build a more collaborative music community. Jay-Z has been involved, directly and indirectly, in some interesting collaborations. His 2003 The Black Album was mixed together with instrumentals from the Beatles’ White Album by Danger Mouse to make The Grey Album. This sparked not only a legal battle with EMI over the rights to the Beatles’ music, but also a series of color-themed Jay-Z mash-up albums. This year’s Grammys also featured Jay-Z collaborating with Chris Martin for a performance of Coldplay’s “Lost,” perhaps sparking the popular mashup album Viva La Hova by Mick Boogie and Terry Urban. But what do these different examples highlight? The common feature is that all of these artists change the context of the music in order to make it more meaningful, more relevant, or perhaps simply more interesting. When Girl Talk lays Biggie vocals over Elton John piano, or when CSS sings Grizzly Bear’s “Friends,” the music takes into account both the value of the original song and the meaning represented by the change in context. So maybe Flo Rida isn’t just a bad stage name. Maybe it’s a re-contexualization of the 400-year history of our nation’s 27th state. With phonetically incorrect spelling. Want to rap under the name Ark N. Saw? E-mail Dale potential hooks at dpmundt@wisc.edu.

comics 6

Couch Potato. In Roman society, the couch was referred to as the ‘triclinum’ and usually graced the dining room. Three couches were arranged around a low table, where the men would recline while eating. The women sat in chairs. dailycardinal.com/comics

Tuesday, April 28, 2009

Puddles

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

safe word

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

“Ymnx nxs’y bmjwj N ufwpji rd hfw!” Quote from Eurotrip Yesterday’s Code:

“Are you crying? Are you crying? ARE YOU CRYING? There’s no crying! THERE’S NO CRYING IN BASEBALL!”

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 WATER BEARERS ACROSS

1 City non-Muslims may not enter 6 Slightly cracked 10 Hollywood blues? 14 Aerosol targets 15 Wedding reception sight 16 End in ___ (require extra play) 17 Monstrous giants 18 Meal with mutton 20 Blind alley, e.g. 22 Historic Maryland fort 23 1.0567 liquid quarts 24 Again, on sheet music 25 Whispered call 27 Dangerous gas 29 One of 16 in a cup (Abbr.) 33 Gandalf portrayer McKellen 34 Comic canine 35 Garden ﬂower 37 Beauty contest prize 39 “My Name is Earl” airer 41 Singer Rimes 42 Capital that replaced Istanbul 44 Word with “horse” or “human” 46 Garﬁeld or Morris

47 Watch part 48 Fabric pattern 50 Biathlon gear 51 Tuber that can be candied 52 Abhorrence 54 Highlight 58 Bureaucratic runaround 61 1990s campaigner 63 German pistol 64 Paul of oldies 65 Eye desirously 66 Susan Lucci role 67 Superpower that dissolved in the 1990s 68 Network signal 69 Knocks to the canvas DOWN

1 Music may set it 2 Good thing to have in a competition 3 Brightly banded slitherer 4 It generates a lot of interest 5 Trait on the plus side 6 Harmful downfall 7 “The Bell ___” (Sylvia Plath book) 8 Like some limbs of the impatient 9 Cancel, as a law 10 Do some high-tech

surgery 11 Memo abbreviation 12 “Take a long walk off a short ___!” 13 Like a golf course in the morning 19 A Cabinet dept. 21 Bully’s prey, traditionally 25 They can be full of falafel 26 New Orleans athlete 28 Actress Winger 29 “T” in “GWTW” 30 Sorcery 31 Six-Day War battleground 32 Suit part 34 Low-tech propeller 36 Steak go-with 38 Zodiac creature 40 Frolicked 43 Informed about 45 Hand over 49 Come forth 50 Put in stitches? 51 “Uh-huh” 53 Ran in neutral 54 German Mrs. 55 Many, many millennia 56 Seeks permission 57 Russian Revolution victim 59 Eight dry quarts 60 Historic periods 62 Grand ___ Opry

Frugal Gnome

By Lindsey Heinz and Emily Villwock lheinz@wisc.edu

dailycardinal.com/news

Tuesday, April 28, 2009

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

plan 2008: where to go from here

ast week, students and UW campus leaders came together for a forum titled “In the Wake: Plan 2008.” In this particular instance, a “wake” seems a fitting word to call it, considering Plan 2008 collapsed under its own high expectations. Forum leaders cited many different factors in the disappointment that was Plan 2008. Damon Williams, vice provost for diversity and climate, claimed that Plan 2008 discouraged other diversity efforts with its uber-specific goals. Associated Students of Madison Diversity Chair Steven Olikara believes UW-Madison did not market itself well to students of diverse backgrounds.

It is time for Martin to expand upon what aspects of Plan 2008 she endorses and what should get the axe.

When we discussed Plan 2008 and where the university will go in terms of addressing diversity, Chancellor Biddy Martin said she needed more time to analyze the ten-year project and assess what her strategy would be. With less than a month remaining in Martin’s second semester as chancellor, it is time for more in-depth commentary. In her inaugural address to students, Martin was vague in her deliberation on Plan 2008, saying, “We should focus our resources on the [programs that work] and create new ones where old ones have failed.” It is time for Martin to expand on what aspects of Plan 2008 she will endorse and what should get the axe. One aspect of Plan 2008 (that comprises a large portion of the plan’s budget) was expanding the PEOPLE Program, an opportunity for minority students to apply for a

full scholarship if they meet certain academic goals. The program gives incentives to students who may not normally have the opportunity to receive a quality college education, and gives middle and high school students the chance to be ﬁrst-generation college graduates. According to a study done with the 1999-2002 students admitted into the program, 94 percent attended higher education, with 67 percent attending UW-Madison or another UW System school. In addition, of those who moved on to UW-Madison, 79 percent achieved a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher. Martin must continue to fund the PEOPLE program and reach out to Wisconsin’s secondary schools, encouraging the state’s diverse student population to become the ﬁrst in their family to attend college. Martin must also look at her Madison Initiative in terms of diversity. The PEOPLE program’s guidelines included provisions for ten additional hires annually in UW-Madison faculty and two additional positions annually in staff, aiming at diversifying those on the university payroll. If Martin is interested in faculty retention and recruitment, she must also show that UW-Madison is a place for teachers and staff of diverse backgrounds, using the additional funds from increased tuition to recruit a diverse array of professors, staffers and teaching assistants. Martin’s own introduction as UW-Madison’s chancellor was a powerful statement for diversity in the university’s staff. Her own unique background provides an effective basis for prospective students and professors to see the ideals UW-Madison wishes to represent. Martin has had more than enough time to start deliberating on the issues of diversity, and it’s time for a more comprehensive plan. The Madison Initiative is a good start to addressing socioeconomic concerns. Now let’s hear the equivalent of a “Plan 2019” from Martin.

opinion

Reﬂecting on ﬁve years of the UW experience TOM HART opinion columnist

monumental decision was laid out in front of me in the form of two acceptance letters. I sat pen in hand on that fateful May morning, poised to decide my collegiate future. The choice was difficult. Two Big Ten rivals: Wisconsin or Illinois? After 15 minutes of feverish introspection, I put the pen to the paper and signed my acceptance letter for the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Exposure to different modes of thinking betters us as individuals.

I understood that this single penstroke would open a door to a new path for the next four years of my life, but I would not fully comprehend the gravity of that decision until several years later. Now, today, as I sit at my laptop and the five-year anniversary of that morning swiftly approaches, I can confidently assert that the decision I made five years ago was the best decision I have ever made. However, my initial reasoning for making this decision was not the same one that drove me to sign my letter of intent. As I neared the end of my

senior year of high school, I was more concerned with the fun factor that is so often associated with college. Although I would like to think of myself as unerring, this was not the best method of reasoning. Yes, Wisconsin has a great academic reputation, but at the time, I was more interested in fulﬁlling the common high school graduation party mantra that “college was the best four years of my life.” Even though I can safely say that the past five (not four) years have been the best of my life, it is not because my college experience was fun. It is because of the positive formative impact it has had on the person I am today. The UW-Madison experience made me into a better human being. Allow me to elaborate. Although the courses I took over the years did improve my intelligence, I do not attribute my personal growth solely to the academic realm. The UW-Madison experience is far more than that. The factor that had the most profound impact on my personal development was the community on this campus. The students I met throughout my time here in Madison exposed me to a wealth of diverse backgrounds that were absent in high school. The UW melting pot combines the down-to-earth, tell-it-like-it-is rationale of rural upbringings with the fast-paced, fashion-focused mindsets of the urban exiles. This rare combination of lifestyles from two very different ends of the spectrum allows UW students to gain a better understanding of the blood that runs

through American society. Madison’s environment is also a major contributor to the formative process. The social activism seen during the 1960s may have declined over the years, but it has not faded into obscurity. It lives on under the guise of neighborhood co-ops, protests on Capitol Square, Distinguished Lecture Series speakers and the crazed rants of Library Mall radicals.

The factor that had the most profound impact on my personal development was the community on this campus.

Once more, if there is one lesson I have learned here in Madison, it is the fact that exposure to different modes of thinking betters us as individuals. If there is one piece of advice I could give to those students who find themselves fortunate enough to continue their collegiate experience, it would be to keep your eyes and ears open to the people and places that surround you. Observe a rally on Capitol Square, visit your local co-op, attend a DLS lecture and immerse yourself in the atmosphere of a summer night on the terrace. Because for far too many of us, graduation will bring with it a return to the monotony of a uniform life. Tom Hart is a senior majoring in history. Please send responses to opinion@dailycardinal.com.

Colleges need to focus less on students’ exam scores when making admission decisions By Patrick Johnson THE DAILY CARDINAL

Colleges face the unfortunate reality that they cannot accept every student that applies, which effectually creates a competition for the seats the college can offer. In any competition, the participants can only hope for an equal opportunity to compete. Recently, the University of California school system has revised their admission process by dropping the requirement that applicants take two SAT II subject tests, and have lowered the number of automatic acceptances based on grades and standardized test scores (to take effect at the start of the 2012 school year). The school board made the changes in hopes of creating a more dynamic range of applicants by eliminating the costs of the SAT subject tests and test preparation, as well as opening additional seats to students that bring a more diverse set of skills than grades and test scores alone can represent. However, some AsianAmerican representatives feel that these changes are unfair to AsianAmerican student particularly because it will theoretically lower their numbers in the school system—currently, Asian-American

students represent around 40-50 percent of the California school system student body.

A person is much more than what they accomplish the morning of a test or through an academic career.

The question of minority representation in schools is certainly a topic worthy of revision, but the changes made by the UC School Board address a much broader topic: complete students. The schools are redefining the competition of the admissions process by eliminating some of the extra costs and examining students full profiles before accepting them. These changes are not meant to punish students but rather to ensure that students have an equal opportunity to present their case to the college. Although the removal of the SAT II subject tests and their costs is helpful to students experiencing ﬁnancial hardships, it pales in comparison to the lowering of automatic acceptances. Students that are

accepted solely based on their grades and standardized tests scores slip past the rigorous examination into their background, which allows such students to hide deficiencies they may have in any other aspects—things that students with slightly lower test scores are unable to demonstrate. For students that do not meet the automatic acceptance numbers, this change is not a redeeming alteration but a fair shot to compete. A person is much more than what they accomplish the morning of a test or throughout an academic career. Rather, a person is the culmination of what they have done, whether that includes extra-curricular activities, work, grades, tests or any such combination. The Asian-American representatives against the change are falsely accusing the UC school system of targeting AsianAmerican students; clearly a school system that has such a high proportion of Asian-American students has no problem admitting students with diverse backgrounds. Representatives should realize new admissions standards seek to redefine the competitive field for college applicants to avoid accepting students only on the criteria of excellence in one area of life. Patrick Johnson is a freshman majoring in philosophy and english. Please send responses to opinion@dailycardinal.com.

sports 'Polar Bear' breaks ice overseas 8

dailycardinal.com/sports

Tuesday, April 28, 2009

By Ben Breiner

ANDY VAN SISTINE sistine’s chapel

THE DAILY CARDINAL

To say that Brian Butch’s first year out of college has featured some traveling might be a bit of an understatement. After all, the 6'11" Appleton native has been to Orlando, Memphis, China and Germany, all in the hope of purusing a career in professional basketball. Butch ended his career at UW 13 months ago and led the Badgers to the Sweet 16 his senior year. One week later, he was plunged into the process of turning pro. “I played in an All-Star game at the Final Four, and then the weekend after that was [the Portsmouth Invitational Tournament],” Butch said. “As soon as school got over with, I went down and started training and working out for the draft.” The next few months saw him pick an agent, finish up his studies and receive his master’s degree. Butch showcased his skill to a number of NBA teams, including Boston and Memphis, but went undrafted. He did, however, use the weekend of the draft to take a break and return to Appleton. “Draft night was, it was just one of those nights that you sit around, you watch,” Butch said. “It was nice to come home and we actually kind of had a cookout, just so I could see my family and my relatives, because I hadn’t had a chance to see them because I was so busy prior to that.” Undaunted, Butch played for Memphis’ summer league team, but when he was not invited to an NBA training camp, his attention turned overseas. “The first time when I figured [out that I was going to go overseas] was when my first agent, he was telling me that I’d get into a training camp,” Butch said. “And as things kept on unfolding I realized that a lot of what he was telling me wasn’t true. At that point I kind of realized that, you’d have to go overseas and play.” Playing basketball in foreign leagues has become a popular option for players who finish their time in U.S. colleges. Former Badgers Mike Wilkinson, Zach Morley, Michael Flowers and Greg Stiemsma are just a few Wisconsin graduates who are making a living playing the game they love across the pond. Butch did drop his first agent, and in November joined the Jiangsu Dragons of the Chinese Basketball association. He played only two games, however, before he was let go. The experience taught him a lesson about the gap between college and professional basketball.

Drafted Badgers bring UW program prestige

MATTHEW WISNIEWSKI/CARDINAL FILE PHOTO

Former Badger Brian Butch has represented UW well across the U.S. and in Europe by competing in Memphis, Orlando, China and Germany. “You quickly find out and learn that this is a business now,” Butch said. “As fast as you get somewhere they can let you go, you learn that very quickly. But also, for me at least, it was an opportunity to take in some things and see some things as well as playing basketball in different parts of the world.” But the first rejection did not deter Butch. Less than a month later he was in Germany, and after tryouts with two different teams, he signed with the Giants of Nördlingen, a town in Bavaria. In Germany, there came a bevy of new challenges. He was joining a team that had been playing together for the whole season, on which most of the players already had their defined roles. “That by far was the toughest thing I’ve had to do as far as basketball goes, I’d have to say ever,” Butch said. “You have a team with all these [players] who have worked together for a while. They have their little niches, they’ve played as a team. And to be thrown into it, it’s definitely a tough thing to do, but I’m glad that I did it because, like I said, it’s a business and

it happens a lot.” Butch said the team provided him a car and apartment but that he is without some of the amenities he enjoyed in Madison. “There’s deﬁnitely a lot of things that you take for granted when you’re in college,” Butch said. “Just the little things, like you have to bring your own water to practice, you have to tape your own ankles at times. Some teams don’t have trainers.” Adapting to life in Germany took a few weeks for Butch, but he was helped by advice from American teammates and ﬁnding a surprising number of English speakers. Despite hearing stories of American players who put down roots and raised families in foreign countries, Butch is not giving up on the hope of an NBA future. “I think the goal is of course always to get back to the U.S.A. and play in the NBA. I think that’s everyone’s dream still,” he said. “But if that doesn’t work out, a lot of people over here make a lot of good money and a good living playing basketball overseas, and I think people underestimate that as well, too.”

ll things considered, I guess you could say the 2009 NFL Draft went as well as it could have gone for the Wisconsin football program. After all, the 2008 football season was nothing short of frustrating, what with a 7-6 overall record, a paltry 3-5 Big Ten record, and an embarrassing bowl game that fans would prefer to erase from their memories. The Badgers were hardly a team to highlight in terms of talent and production. That being said, a big kudos has to go out to Matt Shaughnessy, DeAndre Levy, Kraig Urbik and Travis Beckum for not only getting drafted, but for all going in the third round. They made the program proud, as Wisconsin was one of just five Big Ten schools to send four or more players to the NFL. All of them certainly deserved to go, based on the performances they gave every Saturday in the last four football seasons. It was, admittedly, a bit of a surprise to see both Shaughnessy and Levy go so high. Perhaps because of the team’s sub-par season, neither one was ranked in the top 10 at his position heading into the draft. In fact, Levy was ranked well below guys like Kaluka Maiava from USC and Tyrone McKenzie from South Florida by a number of reputable sources, but was still picked up by the Lions earlier than either of them. A big congratulations to him, as his play-making ability must been exactly what Detroit was looking for to strengthen their linebacking corps. Similarly, it was nice to see Shaughnessy picked before the likes of Lawrence Sidbury from Richmond and Brandon Williams from Texas Tech, who were of comparable value but were not picked until the fourth round. It was not a surprise to see Beckum go relatively high, though it was quite disappointing he did not go higher. You have to figure that the guy was just a victim of bad luck. How else would you describe the situation of an All-American who was already a potential first round pick and one of the school’s greatest tight ends at the end of his junior year before fracturing his fibula and ending his college career in the thick of conference play this year? Go figure, a stellar guy who thought he would benefit from another year at school would

have been better off leaving early. Now he has his work cut out for him—with Kevin Boss and Darcy Johnson established at tight end for the Giants, he will have to fight for playing time. Nonetheless, he is sure to make the final roster come September and haul in a nice chunk of change to boot. Urbik’s selection was pleasing in that his toughness and durability paid off in the long-run. He started 50 games for Wisconsin and had AllBig Ten and All-American accolades by the end of his college career. As fate would have it, he gets rewarded with a roster spot with the defending Super Bowl champion Steelers and likely will have a fairly sizable contract too. When all was said and done, however, the list of guys whose names did not come up this weekend turned out to be equally as intriguing as the list of third round draftees. Among them were Jonathan Casillas, Allen Langford and Andy Kemp. All three had admirable careers as Badgers and were certainly all draft material— Casillas could have even cracked the second round. One would have to figure that those guys had personal plans other than life in the NFL, and best of luck to them if that is the case. If they simply went undrafted, though, NFL teams would be wise to get these guys as free agents in a hurry. There were two more players of note who were both absent from the final draft results. P.J. Hill, of course, forfeited his hopes of making an NFL roster when he literally hit the wall. It was a serious disappointment to Badger fans and fitting punishment for driving drunk. Allan Evridge, on the other hand, was clean but simply did not make the cut. Fortunately, there is hope for him if he wishes to continue his football career. He could follow in the footsteps of former Badger quarterback Tyler Donovan, who had a roster spot with the Edmonton Eskimos in Canada before returning home to Wisconsin to join the Milwaukee Iron in the Arena Football League 2. The guy can play, just not with the pros. So, despite the season ending on a sour note, Badger football finished the year on a positive one. Four draft picks before the start of the fourth round is good for the program and good for fan morale. Congratulations Matt, DeAndre, Kraig and Travis—you have made Wisconsin proud. What are your thoughts on this years NFL draft? Talk to Andy about it by emailing him at avansistine@wisc.edu.

Wisconsin Spring Badger Bits Softball The UW softball team lost both of its games against No. 9 Michigan Saturday at Goodman Diamond. The Badgers (3-13 Big Ten, 13-35 overall) lost the first game of the double-header 10-0 after the Wolverines scored all ten of their runs in the final three innings of the game. UW senior Leah Vanevenhoven pitched 5.1 innings, allowing five runs on six hits and striking out three. Vanevenhoven also led the Badgers with two hits in game one. Michigan (10-2, 35-9) won the rain-shortened second game 5-0 after

holding the Badgers to just one hit, provided by UW sophomore centerfielder Jennifer Krueger. UW only managed four base runners in five innings and struck out seven times. The game was originally postponed until Sunday after heavy rains hit Madison in the middle of the sixth inning, but overnight rain left the field unplayable. Wisconsin’s next game will be Wednesday at 4 p.m. against Northern Illinois. Women’s Golf The Wisconsin women’s golf team ended its 2009 season Sunday

with an eighth place finish at the Big Ten Championship in West Lafayette, Ind. Junior Molly Schemm shot a final round 76 to finish in a tie for 15th at +30 for the Badgers, who posted a 4-round team score of 1,275. Purdue hosted the tournament and won the team event with a score of 1,209. The Boilermakers were led by individual co-champions Maria Hernandez and MaudeAimee LeBlanc, who both finished at +9 overall. UW sophomore Carly Werwie and junior Kelsey Verbeten tied for

18th at +31 after shooting 76 and 80, respectively, in Sunday’s fourth and final round. Junior Ann Marie Sztukowski tied for 51st at +44 and senior Isabel Alvarez finished at +46 in a tie for 54th to round out the top five for Wisconsin. The tournament was held at the Kampen Course at the Birck Boilermaker Golf Complex Men’s Soccer The Wisconsin men’s soccer team’s exhibition matches at the annual Wisconsin Cup were canceled this weekend because of thunderstorms in

the Milwaukee area. The Badgers were scheduled to face Marquette and either UWMilwaukee or UW-Green Bay. Make-up games have not yet been announced as of Monday. Wisconsin is 2-0-2 for its spring schedule after beating UWMilwaukee and Loyola (Ill.) and tying Illinois Chicago and Western Illinois in games earlier this month. The Wisconsin Cup games were scheduled to be played at Marquette’s Valley Fields. —compiled by Justin Dean