Wisconsin quarterbacks: Part 2 of 3 Redshirt freshman John Brennan is looking to snap QB competition SPORTS
University of Wisconsin-Madison
l
PAGE 8
SMALL MATERIAL, BIG POTENTIAL Read how nanotechnology is shaping the future SCIENCE + TECHNOLOGY
Complete campus coverage since 1892
l
dailycardinal.com
l
PAGE 4
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Possible Metro bus route changes postponed By Maggie DeGroot The Daily Cardinal
Ben Pierson/the daily cardinal
Following a protest against the New Badger Partnership, Chancellor Biddy Martin addressed concerns with the proposal in an impromptu hour-and-a-half conversation Tuesday in Bascom Hall.
Students protest against, lobby for NBP By Corinne Burgermeister The Daily Cardinal
On Bascom Tuesday, students, staff and members of the community sat down with Chancellor Biddy Martin for over an hour to express their concerns with the New Badger Partnership, while other students met with state lawmakers and staff at the Capitol to show their support for it. The conversation with Martin was an unpredicted conclusion to an approximately 100-person protest organized by the Student Labor Action Coalition, in which they satirically auctioned off the university to demonstrate their concern that big companies will dominate the university if the NBP passes. SLAC member Beth Huang said in most public forums she feels the chancellor listens, but does not take much feedback. However, she said she thought the dynamics of the conversation Tuesday were different than that of Martin’s public forums. “It was clear that she did not completely dominate the discussion,” Huang said. “It was really nice today that we’re able to take more control over the discus-
sion, which allowed us to ask follow-up questions.” The discussion focused on splitting UW-Madison from the UW System and the protestors’ concerns about a decrease in accessibility and affordability. Those present demanded Martin to publically declare opposition against the budget cuts to higher education in the state of Wisconsin, and to guarantee a tuition decrease.
“It was really nice today that we’re able to take more control over the discussion, which allowed us to ask follow-up questions.” Beth Huang member student labor action coalition
Martin said that cuts to the budget and higher education are a “reality we face” and tuition will be higher if the university remains in the System than if it separates. The group Students for the NBP also focused on the themes of college accessibility and
affordability while lobbying in support of the NBP at the State Capitol Tuesday. The group delivered information to all 132 legislative offices and spent time answering questions concerning topics such as tuition increases and transfer students. “Our goal today was to reach out to as many legislators as we could and get them the facts about the NBP and also put a students’ face on support of the NBP, and I think we accomplished both of those,” said Jon Alfuth, a member of Students for the New Badger Partnership. Alfuth said he believes students should support the partnership because fundamentally, it will allow the university to be more flexible and increase quality. Both groups will be very active in the upcoming weeks. Alfuth said it is important to make the voice of students who support the bill heard, and they will continue speaking to spread awareness about the facts behind the proposal. Huang said that some SLAC members will meet with Martin for a follow-up discussion Friday.
After hearing numerous concerns at a public hearing Tuesday, transportation services and the Associated Students of Madison’s bus advisory committee and agreed to postpone the decision to alter bus Routes 81 and 82. With the proposed changes for bus route 81, the route would no longer service the Lakeshore residence hall area. This would leave Route 80 to serve as the area’s only late-night bus provider. Route 80 would run every 40 minutes in comparison to the 15 minutes the Route 81 currently runs. Bus advisory committee member Jo Matzner said the public hearing was set up for the committee to get feedback on the proposed alterations to the routes.
However, after hearing the feedback Tuesday, Matzner said staff felt there needs to be more discussion. “Because we care about campus safety and about everyone’s financial concerns, we want to take more time so we can craft a better solution for the campus community,” Matzner said in an e-mail. During the public hearing, UW-Madison students and staff raised serious concerns about the proposed alterations. UW-Madison Housing Director Paul Evans said he was worried about the convenience and safety of the approximate 2,200 students living in Lakeshore that would be affected by the possible route change. “I’m worried about our invemetro page 3
State rep. speaks out against possible end to Minn. reciprocity State Rep. Jennifer Shilling, D-La Crosse, a member of the Joint Finance Committee, spoke out April 13 against Gov. Scott Walker’s proposal to discontinue the supplementary program between Wisconsin and Minnesota which subsidizes the higher cost of in-state tuition in Minnesota. The Minnesota-Wisconsin Interstate Tuition Reciprocity Supplement Program allows students who attend Minnesota state schools to pay Wisconsin tuition. If this program were cut, the reciprocity program would still remain intact. However, students from Wisconsin would have to pay the Minnesota in-state tuition rate instead of the cheaper Wisconsin in-state tuition rate. Numbers from the Legislative Fiscal Bureau indicate students would pay $1,400 more in tuition
per year to attend U of M-Twin Cities, a 16 percent increase, and $2,200 more to attend U of M-Duluth, a 30 percent increase. In total, this proposal would increase tuition for Wisconsin residents studying in Minnesota by $24 million, according to Shilling. Shilling criticized Walker for making Wisconsin families shoulder a greater burden while providing tax cuts for out-of-state businesses. “We have a strong tradition of working with our neighbors in Minnesota to make higher education more accessible and affordable for students and families but this proposal eliminates years of progress and takes us in the wrong direction,” Shilling said in a statement. Members of the Joint Finance Committee will meet later this week to further discuss the proposal. —Samy Moskol
I LIKE TO MOOVE IT MOOVE IT
UW ranks third-best university on RateMyProfessor.com As students search for classes, many search professors’ names on RateMyProfessor.com hoping to see a big five for overall quality and just maybe a chili pepper as well. UW-Madison ranked third on RateMyProfessor.com, a website for rating and researching professors, which compiles these
ratings to make a list of the highest rated universities each year based on student ratings from the site. University rankings were based on criteria such as location, career opportunities, libraries, food and social life. On a scale from one to five,
the overall school rating for UW-Madison is 4.6. Student happiness and school reputation received a 4.8, and the school received a 4.7 for social activities. The website notes that the ratings are weighted so that university size does not affect the outcome.
Ben Pierson/the daily cardinal
U.S. Rep. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis., viewed the eMOOVE eco-car made by the UW Hybrid Vehicle Team while investigating green initiatives Tuesday.
“…the great state University of Wisconsin should ever encourage that continual and fearless sifting and winnowing by which alone the truth can be found.”
page two 2
l
hi 52º / lo 36º
News and Editorial edit@dailycardinal.com Editor in Chief Emma Roller
Managing Editor Parker Gabriel
News Team Campus Editor Kayla Johnson City Editor Maggie DeGroot State Editor Ariel Shapiro Enterprise Editor Alison Dirr Associate News Editor Scott Girard Senior News Reporter Adam Wollner Opinion Editors Dan Tollefson • Samantha Witthuhn Editorial Board Chair Hannah Furfaro Arts Editors Jeremy Gartzke • Todd Stevens Sports Editors Mark Bennett • Ryan Evans Page Two Editor Victoria Statz Life & Style Editor Stephanie Rywak Features Editor Stephanie Lindholm Photo Editors Ben Pierson • Kathryn Weenig Graphics Editors Dylan Moriarty • Natasha Soglin Multimedia Editors Erin Banco • Eddy Cevilla • Briana Nava Page Designers Claire Silverstein • Joy Shin Copy Chiefs Margaret Raimann • Rachel Schulze Jacqueline O’Reilly • Nico Savidge Copy Editors Jenna Bushnell, Natalie Lewandowski, Duwayne Sparks
Business and Advertising business@dailycardinal.com Business Manager Cole Wenzel Advertising Manager Nick Bruno Senior Account Executive Mara Greenwald Account Executives Matt Jablon • Anna Jeon Mitchell Keuer • Becca Krumholz Emily Rosenbaum • Daniel Rothberg Lizzie Stevenson • Shinong Wang Sun Yoon Web Director Eric Harris Public Relations Manager Becky Tucci Events Manager Bill Clifford Art Directors Jaime Flynn • Claire Silverstein Copywriters Dustin Bui • Bob Sixsmith 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. The Daily Cardinal is published weekdays and distributed at the University of WisconsinMadison and its surrounding community with a circulation of 10,000. 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 word processed and must include contact information. No anonymous letters will be printed. All letters to the editor will be printed at the discretion of The Daily Cardinal. Letters may be sent to opinion@ dailycardinal.com.
Editorial Board Hannah Furfaro • Miles Kellerman Emma Roller • Samuel Todd Stevens Parker Gabriel • Dan Tollefson Samantha Witthuhn • Nico Savidge
Board of Directors Melissa Anderson, President Emma Roller • Cole Wenzel Parker Gabriel • Vince Filak Janet Larson • Nick Bruno Jenny Sereno • Chris Drosner Ron Luskin • Joan Herzing Jason Stein © 2011, The Daily Cardinal Media Corporation ISSN 0011-5398
For the record Corrections or clarifications? Call The Daily Cardinal office at 608-262-8000 or send an e-mail to edit@dailycardinal.com.
hi 47º / lo 36º
Hosting a party? Bad. A family affair? Worse.
Volume 120, Issue 133
2142 Vilas Communication Hall 821 University Avenue Madison, Wis., 53706-1497 (608) 262-8000 • fax (608) 262-8100
thursDAY: chance o’ rain dailycardinal.com/page-two
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
An independent student newspaper, serving the University of Wisconsin-Madison community since 1892
tODAY: chance o’ rain
Kathleen brosnan ’leen back
S
olo cups? Check. Ping-Pong balls? Check. Cases of beer? Check. Ice? Check. Keg? Check. Pigs in a blanket? Check. One of these is not like the other. And yes, the answer is pigs in a blanket—not only because it has a ridiculous name, but also because it isn’t a typical college party essential. That is, except for gatherings held at my house. A year ago, back when I was a young lass at the age of 21, my mom called on a Friday night to ask what I was doing that evening. Whenever my mom wants to know my weekend plans, I answer with caution. I tell the truth, but I don’t offer up too many details. I told her we were hosting a party. She asked what we’d be serving. Me: Beer. Mom: And what else? Me: That’s it. Mom: What do you mean, that’s it? Me: Well I also bought a handle of... Mom: What food will you serve? Me: Food? Nothing. Mom: Kathleen Quinn Brosnan. (Aw crap. She used my full name. What did I do now?) Mom: You can’t host a party and not provide something to eat. Drinking without balancing it with food isn’t healthy. People might get out of hand. People might even get drunk. (Ohhhh, I thought people were coming to stay sober.) Mom: When you host a party it’s your job to make sure people are safe. Just like when you were a lifeguard. You have to make sure… (Is she comparing this 30-person get-together to my high school summer lifeguarding job? This is a stretch.) Long story short, after hearing my mom go on and on about the precautions I must take when hosting a party where there’d be liquor served, (dropping the words “alcohol poisoning,” “death,” “police” and “ambulances”), she basically scared me shitless. Ten minutes later I was waiting in line at Fresh Madison Market with a cart full of mini wiener dogs. So that’s a college party—drink, maybe eat a pig in a blanket or two, make a mess, clean it all up the next morning and you’re done. Hosting a family party is a little more complicated. And by “complicated” I mean “shitty.” My cousins come over all the time unannounced when our house is looking a little blah, and it’s no big deal. But, all of a sudden, once the word “Easter” is thrown out there, our place has to look like Buckingham Palace. The one plus of hosting a family gathering is you get to change into comfy clothes halfway through the party. Everything else blows.
The room that no one even sees The chances of someone going
into my bedroom during a family party are slim. The chances of them lifting up my covers to take a gander at my sheets are even slimmer. But you know what? That doesn’t mean anything to my mom. If I have to use the “hospital-corners” method one more time to put sheets on my bed, I might lose it. What’s that? You don’t know what hospital corners are? Consider yourself lucky. Hospital corners are the most tedious and unnecessary step in making a bed. Polishing our nice silverware Our silverware always looks fine. Actually, scratch that, it looks more than fine. It looks lovely. And you know why it looks lovely and in such good condition? Because it only gets action four times a year, max. Even when the silverware looks good to go, I always get stuck spending two hours re-polishing everything. Last time I checked, no one cares if the fork is shiny. All they care about is that it gets the job done, meaning it successfully transfers food from the plate to the mouth. Ice I thought downing an ice slushee too quickly caused the biggest headaches, but every holiday I’m reminded that there’s worse—hearing my parents worry about the ice situation and continually saying the word “ice.” That, my friend, will cause the biggest headache ever. “Boys, have you gotten the ice?” “Remember, we need seven bags of ice.” “You better get the ice before the store closes.” “Matt, I left a 20 on the kitchen table for you to buy the ice.” “Kevin, are you going with Matt to get the ice?” “Have you cleaned out the coolers for the ice?” “Do you think seven bags of ice is enough?” “Have you gotten the ice?”
“Seriously, have you gotten the ice?”
me in disgust.
Greeting guests Greeting family members can be a real anxiety-ridden experience. Only because with some relatives you aren’t sure if you should hug or shake hands. Guys have it easier. In guy-to-guy interactions, they always shake each other’s hands. The only hug/shake uncertainty happens when dealing with girls. We girls on the other hand have 100 percent uncertainty. We don’t know whether to shake or hug when dealing with either sex. I always like to play it safe by going in for the hug. I’d rather be friendly than be the relative who’s too formal and comes off cold. Well, this backfires way too often. This past Easter I went to go give my cousin’s girlfriend a hug, and she went for the handshake. I got a nice, stiff hand shoved in my collarbone. People don’t recover from these types of these things. We spent the rest of the night taking great pains to avoid each other.
Oh, you’re not finished? Too bad! When my dad calls into the room where the kids table is and asks, “Kathleen, are you almost done eating?” It’s actually code for, “Get going on the pile of dishes in the sink.”
Getting your plate last Guests first. Always. Who invented this rule? I’m blaming it on the British. They’re always putting on the pressure to be proper. Why should my little cousin Johnny get his plate first? While I was refilling everyone’s drinks and taking the garbage out, he was scarfing down artichoke dip in world record time. When it was my turn to get my plate the food wasn’t warm and there wasn’t much left. Later, when I was supposed to be doing the dishes, I was instead covertly standing over a dish of mashed potatoes and scraping the sides to get the last bit. I caught my aunt staring at
After a few more absurd requests I was fuming. I was ready to grab the keys and tell my mom I had to head to the gas station to buy more bags of ice or something. Anything to ditch the work and get out of my house. Instead, I decided that would be really mean, and it was Easter, so I assumed God would really tally this against me. So I stayed and put on a happy face. But I am demanding that next year our family goes out for brunch instead. I’ll even take Old Country Buffet. Do you know why they are called pigs in a blanket? Do you have hosting party horror stories? Please share at kqbrosnan@wisc.edu.
All the in-between and unexpected knick-knacks Are you familiar with Farnsworth Bentley? If not, he’s the guy that worked for Diddy and held his umbrella for him. He basically carried out any of Diddy’s outlandish requests. Well, that’s how I feel whenever we host a family party. Relatives always ask you to do weird and random stuff when they know it’s your house. “Kathleen, you have any socks I can borrow?” “Kathleen, my ankle is a bit sore. Can you fetch me an ice pack? “Kathleen, there aren’t any red jelly beans in this bowl, can you go find me some in another bowl?”
dailycardinal.com/news
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
l
news
3
Bipartisanship on display at JFC hearing Patrick Tricker The Daily Cardinal
As the Joint Finance Committee continued hearings on the biennial budget, there was bipartisan support for a provision ensuring legislative oversight. However, legislators were divided along party lines over child support enforcement with the Republican majority voting to end funding. The committee voted 13-3, with Sen. Robert Jauch, D-Poplar, joining the Republicans to amend part of the budget which would have given the Department of Administration Secretary the authority to eliminate vacant fulltime positions in the state government. Democrats who voted against the provision said they wanted to eliminate it entirely. “We are not going to allow the power grab to happen,” said Co-Chair Sen. Alberta Darling, R-River Hills. “We’re not going to let him [DOA secretary Mike Huebsch] just take it and run. We are going to have legislative oversight.” The JFC also voted along partisan lines to deny funding to child support enforcement programs.
State Rep. Tamara Grigsby, D-Milwaukee, accused Republicans of attacking programs they had even admitted were successful. “This budget is a true tragedy, with the GOP putting special interests first and children last,” Grigsby said in a statement. In response to Democratic legislators’ accusations that Gov. Walker’s budget proposal attacks senior care, two Republican representatives voiced support for the program Tuesday. However, State Rep. Joe Knilans, R-Janesville and state Rep. Roger Rivard, R-Rice Lake, voiced support for SeniorCare, arguing it would remain intact under Walker’s proposed budget. “Some tweaks may be needed to keep the program solvent and running but any reports that it is on the chopping block are absurd and are designed to scare our seniors,” Rivard said in a statement. “The elimination of this successful program would place more of a cost burden on seniors and would devastate the finances of those who rely on fixed incomes to get by, and that is just unacceptable,” Knilans said in a statement.
Ben Pierson/the daily cardinal
UW-Madison students and staff voiced critiques over the possible re-routing of the 81 and 82 bus routes at a public hearing Tuesday.
metro from page 1 ments, students and the safety of that area,” Evans said. There is also a large concern with the future additional residential halls to be built in Lakeshore starting fall 2012, Evans said. The residential hall for fall
By Jack Treacy
The city of Madison came to a new agreement with Trek Bicycle Tuesday to bring a new bike sharing program to Madison. Trek’s B-cycle is a bike sharing program that would allow people to rent bikes at kiosks across the city. Users are able to use a credit card to rent the bike and then drop it off at another location. Trek tentatively plans to provide 350 bikes and 35 kiosks around downtown Madison. The modified contract states the cost to the city will be $1 per year rather, than the originally proposed amount of $100,000 per year, Trek spokesperson Eric Bjorling said. The city agreed to extend the contract with Trek from the pro-
The Madison Initiative for Undergraduates Advising Working Group proposed increased advising services Tuesday, made possible through the allocation of $1.5 million from the MIU. The first recommendation proposed by the committee—improving access to advisors—focuses on increasing the number of advisors to allow easier access to academic and career guidance. “We definitely need more advisors on our campus. Demand outstrips supply when it comes to student-to-advisor ratios,” Annette McDaniel of the Center for the First Year Experience said. According to McDaniel, over $1 million of the $1.5 million set aside to improving advising will be dedicated to hiring 20-24 new full-time academic staff advisor positions, which will be allocated across various schools and colleges. The second recommendation is to create a system for campus-
SHOOTING FOR THE STARS
Matzner said the information about students’ campus bus use was comprised of from Madison Metro. The committee did what they could do with the information they were given despite a lack of support, Matzner said. The committee also received input through public hearing sessions, Matzner said.
MIU committee proposes advising changes
Bike sharing program agreement reached posed three years to five years. The city also said it will not take in any of the profits generated during this contract period. Trek said it will contribute the capital costs of the new bike sharing system, Bjorling said. “We are very excited to bring bike sharing to Madison,” Trek President John Burke said in a statement. According to Madison Mayor Paul Soglin, much needs to be done in the next weeks in order to get the system installed, as Common Council must approve the agreement. “I am confident that as we team up to make this program work, getting the second contract approved can be done expeditiously,” Soglin said in a statement. —Maggie DeGroot
2012 would house 400 students. The hall to be completed in 2013 would house another 150 students, Evans said. Matzner said ASM is not giving enough support to get more students’ input concerning information with issues involving the bus passes and altering routes.
The Daily Cardinal
wide advising leadership and coordination. Currently, according to McDaniel, there are over 200 different departments and services that provide advising on campus. “We definitely need more advisors on our campus. Demand outstrips supply when it comes to student-to-advisor ratios” Annette McDaniel assistant director center for the first year experience
The committee proposed hiring a Director of Undergraduate Advising who will oversee all undergraduate advising and hopefully create centralized leadership within the advising system. The third recommendation is to improve advising-related technology, which would increase accessibility to advising. “Unlike advisors, technology can be available 24/7 to students,”
McDaniel said. The proposal suggests that the Director of Undergraduate Advising be given an annual budget to develop new advisingrelated technologies and better coordination of existing technology resources. The final recommendation was to improve advisor training and assessment. The MIU Advising Working Group said it has recognized a current lack of, and considerable need for, coordinated training for new advisors as well as ongoing development and assessment of experienced advisors. According to Aaron Brower, vice provost for teaching and learning, these recommendations will be sent to the provost and chancellor for final decision. “There are parts of this that we hope to get started soon. We hope that the call for proposals for new advisors can start this summer to get advisors hired by the fall,” Bower said.
Sixth GOP senator to face recall, four Dem senators are safe The recall effort against state senators nearly concluded Tuesday as the recall petition against the sixth Republican senator is expected to be filed this week and the deadline for four Democratic senators expired. State Sen. Robert Cowles, R-Green Bay, will be added to the list of senators to face recall elections. Of eight Republican senators, only Glenn Grothman,
R-West Bend, and Mary Lazich, R-New Berlin, have yet to have recall papers filed against them. Meanwhile, four Democrat state senators are safe from holding recall elections. Organizers against Sen. Lena Taylor, D-Milwaukee, and Sen. Fred Risser, D-Madison, who both represent heavily Democrat districts, failed to turn in signatures by their deadline Monday,.
Two other campaigns against Spencer Coggs, D- Milwaukee, and Mark Miller, D-Monona, missed their Tuesday deadline for turning in recall petitions. The only remaining active recall campaign is against Sen. Julie Lassa, D-Stevens Point, in which signatures must be turned in by May 16. Recall elections will take place during the summer.
Man hit after daring a friend, treated for injuries in morning
Mark Kauzlarich/the daily cardinal
Michael “aechmil” Crump plays his way to another win at the UW Starcraft 2 Club’s Spring Tournament Tuesday.
A 23-year-old Madison man went to a local hospital Friday morning to be treated for injuries after being punched multiple times the night before, according to Madison Police The victim told police he was out downtown drinking Thursday night with a friend and his friend’s roommate, Madison Police Department
spokesperson Joel DeSpain said. “On the way home, there was some dispute and the victim challenged his friend to punch him in the face,” DeSpain said in a statement. “It was a dare.” The victim’s friend then punched the victim, police said. The victim told police another man, who was not offered to
punch the victim, then hit the victim multiple times, sending him to the pavement, DeSpain said. The victim said he didn’t realize how much pain he was in until he was sober the next morning, police said. The victim was treated at a local hospital for facial cuts and a potentially serious eye injury.
science + technology 4
l
dailycardinal.com/science
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Tiny steps toward new technologies By Kristen Klimo The Daily Cardinal
For many Americans the term nanotechnology probably sounds like something right out of a science fiction novel. For others it may be a vague concept. Faculty at UW-Madison’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS) has found a widening gap between the least-educated and most-educated Americans when it comes to this technology. This is somewhat of a problem, since nanotechnology is now found in many everyday items. “From military, to health, to over 1,000 consumer products, nanotechnology has made its way into nearly everything these days,” said Dietram Scheufele, professor at UW-Madison in Life Sciences Communication in CALS. Nanotechnology is another word for microscopic technology. It involves the use of working parts so tiny they can only be compared to atoms and molecules. This allows devices to become extremely small, and is already being put to use in 24 countries worldwide. It also plays a huge role in devices like iPods, cosmetics, automobile parts and
medical technology. While this may seem like a new concept, in reality, nanotechnology has been used for hundreds of years. To make the colors in stained glass, window artists used a precise heating and cooling process in order to make tiny crystals. Today, people are able to look under a microscope and see exactly what is going on. “Nanotechnology itself is not a stand-alone technology; it is more of a size description and an enabling technology,” Scheufele said. When scientists shrink things down to the molecular level, everyday materials start acting differently than they do on a larger scale. The reason for this is that the electrons of an element are squeezed into a space smaller than they prefer. As the volume of the material shrinks, the surface area increases. This means on the nanoscale there is more surface area to carry out reactions. The increased space for reactions is the main reason why the technology has so much potential. If a single piece is attached to eight other pieces rather than only four, the overall product becomes stronger. Now
that we understand why materials behave differently at a small scale, scientists are able to manipulate them in useful ways. Other nanotechnology products are car parts, paints and probably the most common, tennis rackets.
“The future of nanotechnology lies mostly in food and medicine.” Dietram Scheufele professor Life Sciences Communication
Car parts, especially the framework and paint, are examples of nanotechnology’s structural functions. If a car is stabilized by nanotechnology, something that would normally cause a dent wouldn’t leave a trace. If a dent does form it would be able to repair itself quickly. Nanotechnology in paint prevents scratching without losing any of its other properties. Tennis rackets are an example of how nanotechnology can make objects lighter. Nanotechnology helps make small string fibers
without adding weight. This holds promise for military uses by creating a strong, durable material to replace or enhance Kevlar. More bonds to each individual piece of material would make the overall structure stronger without increased weight. So with all this potential, where is nanotechnology headed? “The future for nanotechnology lies mostly in food and medicine,” Scheufele said. Today scientists are experimenting with using nanotechnology for food containers as well as in food itself. Technology would be used to improve containers to keep food fresh longer. If nanotechnology were added to food like milk it could indicate milk has spoiled. If this technology is so important why isn’t there more information out there for the public? Scheufele says the problem lies in the way the information is presented. “The information is out there in science museums, but studies have shown that only four in 10 people with a high school degree ever set foot in one. That drops to one in for people below that level,” Scheufele said. A socioeconomic gap exists
between educated and non-educated people, he said, and this gap is only going to widen over time unless something is done. Scheufele suggests it is more about the science reaching the person, rather than the other way around. “We have this ‘If we build it they will come’ mentality and the studies have shown the flaw in this,” he said. So how can information about nanotechnology become available to the general public? It’s all about finding the right medium and the right message to spread the word. This is extremely important for the future implications of nanotechnology. If half the population does not understand nanotechnology then forward movement is impossible. The key to good communication is finding a way to put the information in a way that it hits home, or at least close to home. “If you were to use baseball as an analogy for someone here they would understand, but for someone in Germany it would be confusing,” said Scheufele. “It’s all about framing.” For more information about nanotechnology visit nanotech. wisc.edu.
Ask Mr. Scientist: Everlasting colds and garlic hands By Michael Leitch The Daily Cardinal
Dear Mr. Scientist: I have this cold whose lasting forever. I thought I was getting over it, but then it came back as strong as ever. Could I have caught another cold while still sick with another one? —Taylor B. While uncommon, it is still very possible to be infected with two different cold viruses at the same time. You are constantly being exposed to infectious agents that do not care
whether or not you are fighting off something else. If you happen to be lucky enough to host two viruses simultaneously, the viruses are able to swap DNA with each other, creating new viral strains. Considering this and the fact that there are over 150 viruses capable of causing a cold, it’s easy to see that finding a cure for the common cold is unlikely to happen. Dear Mr. Scientist: What causes the high-pitched ringing noise every time a television set
is turned on?
—Michael S. The root of that annoying whine is something called a flyback transformer. Cathode ray televisions (the big, bulky kind) work by shooting an electron beam at a phosphoruscoated screen causing it to glow. This thin beam scans across every square inch of the television screen to produce an image, and then scans again and again to create a moving picture. The flyback transformer is responsible for controlling
the rate at which the beam scans right to left across the screen, which is usually around 15 kHz. Humans are capable of hearing sounds with a frequency of 15 kHz, so we are treated with a ringing noise every time a TV is turned on. Dear Mr. Scientist: Every time I cut onions or garlic, the smell stays on my hands for days. I’ve seen these metal bars of soap that are supposed to get these smells off your hands. How does this work? —Julia D.
These bars are made out of stainless steel. How it works (or if it even works) isn’t exactly known, but there is one prevailing theory. Bad odors like garlic, fish, and onions are caused by sulfur containing compounds. Steel is made of various combinations of carbon and iron. The sulfur in the foulsmelling molecules likes to bind to iron, so the molecules transfer from your hands to the steel and are unable break free and produce bad odors.
arts
dailycardinal.com/arts
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
l
5
Melodramatic adaptation holds ‘water,’ but doesn’t really impress By Mike Kujak Senior film writer
photo courtesy Jet life recordings
New Orleans rapper Curren$y is releasing his fifth studio album in two years, a prolific career for such a young performer.
‘Coup’ may propel Curren$y forward By Jay Olle the daily cardinal
“You should be rolling up by now / Locate your lighters.” These are familiar instructions for anyone who has listened to Curren$y and knows of his prolific weed habit. His latest project was released on 4/20, but whether you share his passion or not, there’s plenty to enjoy in Curren$y’s music. Curren$y’s appeal lies in his casual, laid-back, and somewhat goofy persona and rap style. Listening to him provides a window into his self-described “Jet Life,” which is filled with women, weed, old-school American cars and Jordan sneakers, among other things. These topics aren’t revolutionary or new. However, brushing him aside as run of the mill stoner rap is a huge mistake. He has the uncanny ability to take rap clichés and put his own interesting spin on them, spitting everyday tales of living the “Jet Life.” Covert Coup is the product of the emcee’s collaboration with California producer and fellow weed aficionado Alchemist. On Curren$y’s Pilot Talk album series, which were released last year, he collaborated with producer Ski Beats, going into Coup listeners are bound to judge the production against the Pilot Talk series. I know I couldn’t help but do it. Alchemist exceeded my expectations on the project—he is a great man for providing these beats on a free tape. From the bassline on “Blood, Sweat, and Gears” to the spacey feel of “The Type” which contains a stuttering beat that changes speed, this album is chock-full of Alchemist’s trademark sounds. The drum hits are striking, and make the beats on many of these tracks hard-hitting. Songs like “Scottie Pippen” and “Double 07” are among the best on the album. Both feature this sound. “Scottie Pippen” features Freddie Gibbs spitting a verse and showcasing his long-winded style, which injects a street-feel into the track. Beats
like that as well as “Success is My Cologne” provide backdrops that are less laid back than the Pilot Talk series. They really bring out the best in Curren$y; they bring out an intensity that doesn’t always show itself in his rhymes, which are often casual and meandering. The darkness and abstractness of Alchemist’s creations provide a distinct base for Curren$y, and he delivers. Much has been made of Alchemist’s production, but Curren$y brings it on this release. He is far from a newcomer in the rap game, yet his wordplay continues to get sharper. His verses on the opener “BBS” are a prime example. In one line Curren$y talks about cooking all the birds running in circles around him, comparing them to rotisserie chickens. His goofier side also shines through on “Life Instructions.” His opening line, “Paddy cake Paddy cake, I’m baked my man,” cracks me up every time I hear it. The only downside of the album is its brevity. The album clocks in short of half an hour and flies by. Some of the songs are barely over two minutes in length, and songs like “Double 07” could have been that much better as fully realized songs. Covert Coup’s consistency and replay-ability are high, but “Smoke Break” feels like a Pilot Talk throwaway to me and is the only track I would consider skipping. It isn’t bad necessarily, but it’s stuck among the best songs on the album and is easily overshadowed. These are minor complaints, and overall, this is a high-quality release for a free mixtape. The collaboration between Alchemist and Curren$y works extremely well and hopefully will occur again in a lengthier format. This project is just one stop for the prolific Curren$y. who is releasing Muscle Car Chronicles next month. Until then roll up and pour up (if that’s what you do) and enjoy the outstanding Covert Coup.
Adapting a novel to the screen is a tricky business. It’s very easy to lose the magic in translation. That’s why I was surprised to find that the screen adaptation of Sara Gruen’s “Water for Elephants” was as strong and enjoyable as it was. I haven’t read the novel, so I can’t speak to the quality of the adaptation, but I can say the film will satisfy anyone who’s looking for a conventional romantic fairy tale. The film settles for a safe, uninteresting ending, but it’s forgivable because an adequate amount of charm and mysticism are present throughout the rest of the story. The film follows a veterinary student named Jacob Jankowski (Robert Pattinson) who abandons his studies after his parents die in a car accident. Lost and without purpose in the middle of the Great Depression, Jacob decides to walk the train tracks in hope of taking his life in a new direction. In classic fairy tale manner, a magical train rolls around the corner, and Jacob jumps aboard; the story is full-steam ahead. The film doesn’t have many original ideas, but when your movie stars Pattinson and is essentially a mix between “Moulin Rouge” and “The Notebook,” you’re not going to have any trouble keeping at least the females in the audience interested. Gruen is responsible for the majority of the film’s success. Historical fiction is often out of proportion when brought to the big
screen, but Gruen’s story is surprisingly well balanced. She’s able to bring out the magic and wonder of the circus from behind the scenes without going over the top. She manages to create a love triangle without leaning on it to support the story. It takes a certain amount of control over one’s craft to achieve that kind of balance, and Gruen certainly pulls it off, giving the film great source material to draw from. Credit is due to director Francis Lawrence for the film’s successful visual adaptation. In a time of CGI overload, this film actually has an authentic feel to it. Lawrence, whose other works include “Constantine” and “I Am Legend,” has always had a visionary touch but, it was surprising that he could create such a nostalgic atmosphere when most of his other work has been so dark and pessimistic. Part of that nostalgic atmosphere is also due to James Newton Howard’s score, which floats beneath the characters in their more tender moments. It’s a bit oversentimental, but is also reminiscent of classic Hollywood scores like “To Kill a Mockingbird” that are so sweet that you don’t really mind that they’re distracting you from what’s happening on screen. My biggest question going into the film surrounded Pattinson and whether he could carry a film by himself. After seeing all three films in the “Twilight” series so far, I had little to no faith in him. It pains me to say that he actually did
quite a good job. Of course, he isn’t really required to do much heavy lifting here because he plays a sane man at the center of all the craziness. His character has no substantial flaws but doesn’t really need them since the story’s main priority is the journey itself, not the lesson learned at the end. It’s still too early to tell if Pattinson has any substantial talent, but he had a dozen chances to fumble the ball here and never did. The more dangerous and intriguing performances are that of the circus’ “main attractions.” You have the hot-tempered ring leader (Christoph Waltz) and his wife (Reese Witherspoon) who’s always the center of his show. Witherspoon delivers an acceptable portrayal of “the fruit that must not be tasted” and Waltz gives an even better rendition of the brutal master holding the whole show together. Waltz has the most talent and plays the most interesting character in the film, so naturally he outshines the other two lead performances. All the praise I’ve thrown toward the film at this point is of the mildest variety. The film takes a very typical melodrama and makes it just easy enough to swallow. It’s not going to sweep you off your feet, but it’s probably going to lightly lift you off the ground long enough to be satisfied. Is there a certain amount of “hammy-ness” to it? Sure, but a certain amount of ham is good from time to time.
opinion Nuclear power is wasteful 6
l
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
michael podgers opinion columnist
O
ne of the biggest challenges humanity faces in the 21st century is the protection of the environment. With the human population reaching 7 billion people this year, increased consumption of raw materials land and the onset of global warming, ignoring environmental problems is no longer an option. People across the globe need to change the way they live and make huge investments in “green” infrastructure for the future. Energy is and will continue to be an area of contention in the development of a sustainable future. The energy market needs to make a switch from carbon-based energy sources likes coal and natural gas to other alternative energies that don’t produce green house gases. And these sources are finite and may be tapped dry within the next century, after which point no natural gas will be available for millennia. A choice must be made about what alternative to use, and right now there are few to choose from. For commercial energy production, the top two contenders are the combination of renewable solar, wind and nuclear power. These are carbon-free fuel sources that don’t produce green house gases and act as viable solutions to our growing energy needs. However, due to nuclear power’s many negative qualities, it is not worth any future investments, especially with the existence of alternative sources like solar and wind energy. In response to last week’s column “Nuclear energy is worth the investment” by Heather Heggemeier, choosing nuclear power as a clean alternative to fossil fuels is a misconception. It produces industrial waste just like other non-renewable energy sources like coal-burning plants. The waste is highly radioactive and can remain that way for 10,000 years. It is particularly difficult to deal with because the
waste requires very specific conditions to safely be deposited. Most waste is currently kept at the nuclear power plant where it was produced, however, there are efforts to create centralized facilities to deal with the highly sensitive waste. The safety and weakness of nuclear power is another area of concern. Since nuclear power was first used commercially in the late 1950s, the energy source has not proven to be quite as safe as it was projected to be. The incident at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant in the wake of the earthquake this past March is just another addition to the list of dangerous accidents at nuclear plants—a list which already includes the Three Mile Island accident in 1979 and the infamous 1986 calamity at the Chernobyl nuclear plant in the Ukraine that occurred 25 years ago yesterday.
We shouldn’t bother with nuclear power because there are other options that are cleaner, safer and completely renewable.
What happened at Chernobyl epitomizes the dangers of nuclear power. The accident released 400 times more radioactive material than the atomic blast over Hiroshima in 1945, contaminating land with fallout across most of Europe. In addition, a collaborative group of U.N. bodies called the United Nations Scientific Committee of the Effects of Atomic Radiation concluded that there will likely be about 4,000 cancer-related deaths due to radiation release from Chernobyl, with some estimates reaching 5,000 deaths. Aside from the long-term environmental consequences and safety of nuclear power, the costs don’t make for a worthwhile investment. In Heggemeier’s article arguing that nuclear power is worthy of investment, even she concedes that the power source is so costly that despite supporting
the future development of nuclear power, Obama’s administration is unwilling to pay the price. All this considered, the waste that remains for millennia, the real possibility of major disasters and the costs beg the question: Why bother wasting time with nuclear power when there are other options? Well, we shouldn’t bother with nuclear power, because there are other options that are cleaner, safer and completely renewable. It is true that advances in nuclear energy technology, including the possibility of nuclear fusion being used to produce commercial energy, is making nuclear energy safer and resulting in much less waste, but we’re not at the precipice of an energy cornucopia. Although solar and wind power technology has yet to reach its potential, they are fast approaching their environmental peak. In fact, it is clear that both solar and wind power are efficient enough that in many places around the world they are being actively pursued as new sources of energy. In Germany the debate is raging about the future of nuclear power, as Germany is a world leader in renewable energy technology, especially solar power. There are serious efforts to decommission the country’s nuclear power sector in the coming decades. Germany is a perfect example of a country that realizes what is needed to protect the imperiled environment. Energy must be produced by the cleanest sources, which means eliminating nuclear power. However, there is also an understanding that nuclear power is not going to disappear tomorrow and although the continued investments are not worthwhile it plays a role for the time being. The German Environment Minister Norbert Röttgen has described nuclear energy as a bridge energy: For the time being it will prevent the continued emission of greenhouse gases with the aim of transitioning to solar and wind power. Michael Podgers is a freshman majoring in German and art history. Please send all feedback to opinion@dailycardinal.com.
dailycardinal.com/opinion
Voter ID bill aims to disenfranchise students miles kellerman opinion columnist
W
ith finals around the corner and the Mifflin Street Block Party only a couple of days away, a visit to the state Capitol may appear quite inconvenient. After enduring months of heated debate over the budget repair bill, listening to more screaming protesters condemn Gov. Scott Walker is probably low on your list of priorities. However, today’s public forum on the Wisconsin voter ID bill deserves great attention, because it could be the last opportunity for students to voice their opinion against a piece of legislation that is unnecessary, burdensome and undeniably strategic. The voter ID legislation, officially named Assembly Bill 7, would require anyone wishing to vote at the polls or via an absentee ballot to present a Wisconsin drivers license, military license or state identification card with a valid address issued by the Wisconsin Department of Transportation. If voter fraud were a serious problem in Wisconsin, such legislation might appear reasonable. However, those opposed to the bill have continually stressed that the proposed amendments essentially address a non-existent issue. Milwaukee County District Attorney John Chisholm echoed this sentiment in a written testimony, saying the district office has never “found any evidence to support allegations of organized, largescale voter fraud or dissuasion.” The truth is the voter ID bill neither eliminates wide-scale voter fraud nor makes the Wisconsin voting process more legitimate. Rather, it hinders the ability of key demographics to participate in state elections, namely college students, the elderly and impoverished minorities—key areas of opposition to Republican candidates. Walker and company can continue to preach against the evils of illegal voting and immigrants tainting the democratic process, but the legislation’s underlying goal is politically strategic. By requiring a voter identification card, available only at the Department of Transportation and Motor Vehicles, the bill’s passage has the potential to immediately eliminate an enormous percentage of the out-of-state student vote. At UW-Madison that would
include about 29 percent of the student population, or 12,383 eligible voters, according to the UW-Madison website. At Marquette University, where 67 percent of its 11,806 students hail from outside the cheese state, the bill would affect about 7910 potential voters. Voter turnout on campuses is already low, and requiring an additional form of identification would only make the situation worse. Can any out-of-state students be realistically expected to travel to a DMV office to obtain a Wisconsin identification card in order to vote? And for students from Wisconsin, adding an additional barrier to voting would only further dissuade participation and cause unnecessary confusion at the polls. If not rejected, the voter ID bill should at least be altered. There remain enormous issues regarding its cost, implementation and constitutionality. Stevens Point City Clerk John Moe highlighted one of the bill’s most glaring holes: the constricting nature of only three types of ID’s. He asked, “What about a U.S. passport? What about other forms of governmentissued ID’s?” The bill is modeled after a 2005 Indiana voter identification bill, which was approved by the Indiana Supreme Court. However, constitutionality issues remain over the limited forms of Wisconsin-issued identification that would be accepted. UW-Madison has already issued a request for the bill to include student ID’s, a crucial step toward encouraging the student voice. Despite these important questions, state Republicans are intent on getting the bill passed as quickly as possible—a common trend these days. The real goal of voter ID legislation is to discourage votes from Democrat-friendly constituencies. The bill sacrifices the democratic process for a political advantage; it’s a ploy worthy of comparison to logrolling and gerrymandering. Thus I encourage all students, whether for or against the legislation, to take a few minutes out of their daily schedule and voice their opinion at the Capitol today. Passage of the voter ID bill could have enormous consequences for the future of Wisconsin elections, and it directly affects the ability of students to take part in the democratic process. Miles Kellerman is a sophomore majoring in political science. Please send all feedback to opinion@dailycardinal.com.
$1,000 for 1,000 words The Daily Cardinal presents our annual $1,000 for 1,000 words essay contest. To be considered in the runnings simply choose from one of the following prompts and submit a 1,000-word essay. Daily Cardinal 1. What is the dividing line between the public’s right to know and the government’s right to some confidentiality in light of the recent WikiLeaks controversy? 2. How are you coping with the rising costs of tuition for undergraduate and graduate schools, and what are the implications for the country if tuitions keep rising? 3. Is the American Dream dying for our generation? Are you optimistic or pessimistic about your future and the future of the country?
E-mail your essay to edit@dailycardinal.com by Friday, April 29, or if you have any questions about the contest.
comics
Pillow fights weren’t quite as popular back then... Ancient Egyptians slept on pillows made of stone.
7 By Caitlin Kirihara kirihara@wisc.edu
dailycardinal.com/comics
Waltzing with bears
Today’s Sudoku
Evil Bird
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
l
© Puzzles by Pappocom
Eatin’ Cake
By Dylan Moriarty EatinCake@gmail.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 Pipesmokers
By Joseph Diedrich jsdiedrich@wisc.edu
Today’s Crossword Puzzle
The Graph Giraffe Classic
By Yosef Lerner graphics@dailycardinal.com
By Angel Lee alee23@wisc.edu
First in Twenty Answer key available at www.dailycardinal.com garbage in, garbage out
ACROSS 1 Famous name in the cookie business 5 ___ and Span (cleaner brand) 9 Dust crops, e.g. 14 Long-tailed monkey 15 Arm bone 16 “Me, Myself & ___” (Jim Carrey flick) 17 One-eyed Norse deity 18 Dearth 19 Big ray 20 Top dog, so to speak 23 Lewd material 24 Refuel one’s body 25 Pen point 28 Fraser of “The Mummy” 31 Prefix for “night” or “day” 34 “Live” 36 Lend a hand to 37 Fork part 38 “Don’t rush!” 42 Small Federal Reserve notes 43 Drink sold by the yard 44 Equestrian 45 Get married 46 Campus community 49 Vein valuable 50 Evian-les-Bains, e.g.
1 Elephant tooth 5 53 Do a certain household chore 61 In the company of 62 Many, many years 63 Don’t ignore, as signs 64 Squiggle over an N 65 Seed coating 66 Reason for some scholarships 67 Wipe clean 68 Centers of activity 69 “What ___ could go wrong?” DOWN 1 Spin like ___ 2 Modest skirt length 3 Connected to the ear 4 Goes down like the Titanic 5 Gunpowder ingredient 6 Missouri river 7 TV screen-measuring unit 8 Soap bar 9 Ape or monkey 10 ___ & Whitney (airplane engine company) 11 Check for quarters? 12 Penny ___ (lowstakes game) 13 Orbital period 21 Card game for three 22 Principal movie roles
5 Not by a long shot 2 26 Harebrained 27 ___ on a true story 29 Baring more than one’s soul 30 Tool and ___ set 31 Perform incorrectly 32 Lay to rest 33 Farm-machinery mogul 35 The “I” in FWIW 37 Mai ___ (cocktail variety) 39 Former Portuguese territory in China 40 Chicken ___ king 41 Take forcibly 46 Orbital point farthest from Earth 47 Word with “minority” or “cuisine” 48 Granolalike breakfast food 50 Puts in the mail 52 Money of Denmark 53 London art museum 54 Middle Eastern mucka-muck (Var.) 55 Nut with caffeine 56 Blue-green shade 57 Matador’s foe 58 Genesis son 59 Witnesses 60 “The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. ___”
Washington and the Bear
By Derek Sandberg kalarooka@gmail.com
sports 8
l
dailycardinal.com/sports
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Wisconsin quarterbacks part 2 of 3
Brennan attempting to make a name for himself The redshirt freshman hopes to sneak up on his competition
Softball
and steal the starting quarterback job
By Parker Gabriel The Daily Cardinal
No matter what Joe Brennan does in his time at Wisconsin, he probably will not be the most recognizable Badger to hail from New Jersey. A big running back that wore No. 33 and the name “Dayne” on the back of his jersey has that title safely locked down for the foreseeable future. Still, the redshirt freshman moves from spring practice to summer workouts with the
opportunity to impress his teammates and coaches and challenge redshirt sophomore Jon Budmayr for the starting quarterback job sooner rather than later. Following the departure of two-year starter Scott Tolzien, the quarterback competition looked to be wide open even before a lack-luster spring session failed to present an obvious candidate. Ever since redshirt junior quarterback Curt Phillips learned he would miss the entire season—his
Matt Marheine/Cardinal file photo
Joe Brennan faces an uphill climb in his pursuit of the Badgers’ starting quarterback job, but will look to impress coaches this fall.
second in a row—due to another knee injury, the race seems to be down to two horses. True freshman Joel Stave looked good at times, but having full control over offensive coordinator Paul Chryst’s offense just months out of high school is asking a lot of the Whitehall native. That is where Brennan said he feels he has made the most progress this year. He led the scout team offense last season and faced the likes of J.J. Watt, senior safety Aaron Henry and the rest of the Badgers’ defense on a regular basis. “It’s great because I got the chance to look at a team’s No. 1 defense and try to recognize different coverages and pressures and things like that,” the Audobon, N.J. native said. UW head coach Bret Bielema often talks about the difference between the first and second years in camp for young players and the inherent benefits that come with a year under the belt. Brennan has the natural tools—he’s bigger than Budmayr at 6'3''—and he thinks his experience last year and this spring will go a long way towards his cause. “I’ve already been through the process, I already know what to expect as far as the scheduling and stuff,” Brennan said. “I’m really looking to develop, physically and mentally take advantage of the time we have to grow with other teammates.” The first step in that growth came Saturday, as the Badgers concluded spring practice with their annual intrasquad Spring Game. The offense struggled all around, and Brennan had a particularly rough go of it, completing just 4-of-23 passes and tossing two interceptions. Still, Bielema said afterwards that the Spring Game shows very little about how positional battles will develop once fall practice starts and Brennan said he knows he will have to work. “Whenever you play quarterback there’s always going to be tough competition,” he said. With Phillips out of the picture for the year, Budmayr and Brennan will likely see the vast majority of snaps this fall and take on the burden of leadership through the summer workouts. As the younger and less experienced of the two—Budmayr saw game action in three games a year ago and threw a 76-yard touchdown to sophomore wide receiver Jared Abbrederis in the fourth quarter of an 82-20 blowout of Indiana—Brennan will likely have an uphill road to the starting job. That said, almost nobody thought Tolzien would win the starting nod before the 2009 season and Brennan thinks he has a chance to create similar surprise. “I know this is the right fit for me. I’m just trying to show my talents,” he said. “I see myself doing good things here.” Mark Bennett contributed to this report.
Matt Marheine/cardinal File photo
Since returning from a facial fracture injury Mary Massei has been on fire at the plate. She is 6-for-12 the past four games.
Badgers travel to Iowa City for match-up with dangerous Hawkeyes Wisconsin hopes to reverse historical stuggles against Iowa By Hayley Kuepers The Daily Cardinal
The Wisconsin softball team is back on the road Wednesday to face reigning Big Ten Pitcher of the Week Chelsea Lyon and the Iowa Hawkeyes in Iowa City. Although the Badgers (4-8 Big Ten, 24-19 overall) will have their work cut out for them as they face a tough pitching staff and a powerful Iowa (8-4, 26-17) offense, they are optimistic, according to freshman leftfielder Mary Massei. “We’re very confident,” Massei said. “We’re just trying to do the best we can because we want to make it to regionals.” Over the weekend, behind sophomore pitcher Lyon, the Hawkeyes beat first place Michigan with a 4-2 victory Saturday and came within one run of a series sweep on Sunday. In Saturday’s game, Lyon struck out seven Wolverines, while leading her team to its eighth Big Ten win of the season, good enough for third in the conference. In the series finale on Sunday, Iowa freshman Kayla Massey held the Wolverines scoreless through the first six innings, before giving up three runs in the seventh inning. The red-hot leftfielder, Massei is not intimidated by the set of threatening Iowa pitchers. “I just like to stay in the zones in my at bats and know that no pitcher is better than me,” Massei said. “I’m going to just give the best I can.” Since returning last Wednesday, after facial fractures forced her to look on from the dugout for almost a month, Massei has gone 6-for-12 in her last four games. She was a triple shy of hitting for
the cycle in Saturday’s loss. The Badgers enter their midweek road trip to Iowa, following a series split with Illinois over the weekend. The Badgers fell 4-2 in extra innings Saturday before edging the Fighting Illini 2-1 on Sunday in a pitcher’s duel. The key to the Badgers’ recent success has been their ability to find ways to get on the board early. In their last two wins, the Badgers have scored the eventual game winning runs in the first two frames. Freshman shortstop Stephanie Peace highlighted the importance of capitalizing early. “I think it’s a huge deal to score early,” Peace said. “You’ve got to come out and show you’re ready to play right off the bat.” The Badgers will also be going up against history when they face the Hawkeyes in the twin bill today. Iowa possesses a convincing advantage in all-time meetings against Wisconsin. The Hawkeyes lead the series 37-7 and have taken the last six games from the Badgers. Last season, the Hawkeyes humiliated the Badgers at their home field and outscored them by 14 runs in two games. UW freshman pitcher Amanda Najdek is looking forward to grabbing some wins while beginning to balance out the record between the two teams. “I’m excited to get the opportunity to throw against them and shut them down,” Najdek said. Najdek, who has been a key contribution to the Badgers’ pitching staff this season, suffered the tough-luck extra inning loss on Saturday as she pitched her first complete game. The first pitch is slated for 3 p.m. for game one, with game two beginning 30 minutes after the completion of game one.