a salty situation
Long time no see
Opinion columnist Nick Fritz advocates for salt alternatives for ridding private grounds of snow +OPINION, page 5 University of Wisconsin-Madison
Wisconsin and Illinois will meet for the first time in three years on Saturday + SPORTS, page 8
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Tuesday, November 15, 2011
MCSC denied funding again, debate ensues By David Klein The Daily Cardinal
The Student Services Finance Committee upheld its decision to deny the Multicultural Student Coalition funding Monday. SSFC denied MCSC eligibility having determined less than 50 percent of the group’s time was spent directly serving students. None of the five SSFC representatives who voted to deny MCSC eligibility decided to change their vote after the appeal. After being denied eligibility, the group submitted a second report of its service hours, which group members said proved MCSC was eligible. “The basis upon which this committee initially voted was incorrect,” said MCSC Diversity Educator Rebecca Pons. But SSFC Rep. Cale Plamann said the finance committee analyzed the information MCSC gave it in an unbiased manner. “I personally applied the definition of ‘educational’ to [MCSC’s] services as they were provided to me,” Plamann said. “The burden of proof is on them.”
MCSC Diversity Educator Nneka Akubeze said SSFC lacks a clear method for determining what constitutes a “direct service.” “Several members of SSFC have clearly shown there is no established standard for determining direct service time,” Akubeze said.
But Neibart said the committee does have a process for determining what direct services are. “We have criteria that establishes what a direct service is, and it is each member’s prerogative to
ssfc page 3
ASM chair presents student government internal budget Associated Students of Madison Chair Allie Gardner presented ASM’s $1.2 million internal budget to SSFC Monday night. The budget sparked debate at last Wednesday’s ASM meeting when some representatives disagreed on the importance of certain items included in it. While some representatives argued the portion of the budget that would fund a commencement speaker would benefit the student body, others said it was unnecessary. The fund is currently earmarked at $1 to be adjusted by SSFC. Among other items, the budget includes funding for student
Mark Kauzlarich/the daily cardinal
ASM Chair Allie Gardner explained the $1.2 million budget. services and over $100,000 on ASM trainings. SSFC will adjust ASM’s budget Monday before it returns to student council for final approval.
Mark Kauzlarich/the daily cardinal
Members of the Multicultural Student Coalition expressed concern and disappointment with SSFC’s ruling Monday.
State Street plans prove divisive By Ben Siegel The Daily Cardinal
The largest hurdle facing the redevelopment of State Street’s 100 block was made explicit at a city meeting Monday: public disapproval of the demolition of six historic and landmarked buildings. In a joint meeting of the Urban Design and Landmarks Commissions, representatives of the Jerry and Pleasant Frautschisponsored project presented their proposal for the buildings bor-
dered by State, N. Fairchild and W. Mifflin Streets. All of the buildings slated for demolition were constructed within the first quarter of the 20th century; several are designated historical landmarks. The 100-block project is designed to do “something special” by contributing to downtown’s “cultural arts district,” according to architect Eric Lawson, referencing the area in the vicinity of the Overture Center, the new Central
Library and the proposed site for a new Veterans Museum and Historical Society building. The presenters believe the project maintains the “fabric and character” of State Street through the reuse of existing facades, but many worry that the proposal does not do enough to retain the historical significance of area. “Historic places are designated because they … contribute a great
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Expert: Recall ‘uphill battle’ for Democrats
Border battle
Packin’ heat
Clad mostly in green and gold, students gathered at Union South Monday to watch the now 9-0 Green Bay Packers trample the Minnesota Vikings 45-7. +Photo by Daven Hines
As Democrats begin gathering signatures Tuesday in hopes of holding a recall election for Gov. Scott Walker, both parties can anticipate a taxing battle to rally constituents in their favor. The Democratic Party of Wisconsin and United Wisconsin, a political action committee, will have 60 days to collect more than 540,000 signatures, which, if obtained, would prompt a recall election of Walker. According to UW-Madison Professor Dietram Scheufele, turnout will be critical for both parties. “If you can’t mobilize large
numbers of people … you just aren’t going to go anywhere,” Scheufele said. Walker supporters will rely on reminding the public of the “successes” he has had while in office. “The Republican strategy has been a very smart one,” Scheufele said. “The groups that support [Walker] rely much more on the idea that there is an incumbent governor that may actually be doing well.” But Democrats will need to rely on rekindling their party’s fervor from the collective bargaining protests through social media and
grassroots campaigning by “making sure that the people who were really angry translate that anger” into participation in the recall effort, Scheufele said. But reminding the public of their anger will be the hardest part, he added. “I don’t really think that it’s going to be as easy as people thought when the demonstrations were taking place,” he said. “We’re far away from that kind of mobilizing sentiment.” For this reason, Scheufele said it will be an “uphill battle.” —Jenna Bushnell
“…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 Enrolling in badger boot camp tODAY: sunny
wednesDAY: mostly sunny
hi 52º / lo 28º
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hi 40º / lo 26º
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
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Kristen Hibbard guest columnist
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et me get this out in the open. Yes, I am from Minnesota originally. And yes, I went to North Dakota for my first two years of undergrad (I know, I know. Sioux’s a girl’s name). But give me some credit, I bleed Green and Gold like all the other Packer fans here, and I chose Wisconsin. Two years late, maybe. But I still chose to come to your school. So get off my back. Are we cool now? Good. So I’ve been here for about three full months, or about 90 days (3 x 30 = 90, thanks, NoDak education). I broke out of my shell, and have been running loose and shell-less since August. I have heard all the wonderful, scary things about this university. I have heard how much people here drink. But most impressively, I have figured out how smart you people are. While trying to match everyone’s intelligence level, BAC and everything in between, it is my goal—my determination— to cram what you lucky ducks experience in four years here into just two. I want everyone to love me, and I expect my
liver and my brain to hate me. So I’ve put myself in what I like to call “Badger Boot Camp.” A-ten-hut!
“Yes, sir, taking the beer bong, sir!”
Drill number one was the oddest for me. I got here before classes started, and you people like to celebrate something called “welcome week.” All I can say is if I am ever going to be welcomed like that again, I swear on oath to never leave. Good lord. The lone wolf I know here deemed it appropriate to wake me up at 8:30 a.m. to drink. His reason? “Because.” I can still taste the morning, and it isn’t good.
“Yes, sir, giving you a quarter, sir!”
Drill number two got easier. Many people have hobbies—as do I. Some like to roller blade, some like to cross-stitch mittens and others enjoy hiking. Me? I am a class-A certified people watcher. People here are weirder than they are in Grand Forks. I live in The Towers on State Street (again, to clarify, I’m from the Midwest and therefore not a coastie). I just live there. It is a new journey each time I walk home. A homeless person in North
Dakota was a student who passed out in the highway and physically could not make it home. A homeless person here is a person who tells me I have a nice butt and asks me for three dollars in quarters.
I want everyone to love me, and I expect my liver and my brain to hate me.
I was in for a challenge. But like any proud soldier, I stared the enemy in the eye and started battling through. Do I enjoy feeling overwhelmed by not understanding a word of what my professors say? Hell no. Do I enjoy studying for four hours for a five-minute quiz? Obviously not. But do I enjoy succeeding and actually feeling like I’m taking something away from this boot camp besides a damaged liver and less loose change in my pocket? Absolutely. I finally understand what all the buzz is about studying. You know what? It actually works. I’m smarter now that I’m here.
“Yes, sir, not giving up, sir!”
“Yes, sir, pulling an allnighter, sir!”
Drill three is the hardest, but for some reason, the most enjoyable. As stated, you people are smart. At North Dakota, I felt like Ken Jennings. Now that I’m here, you all look like Watson. I can honestly say I have studied more so far this semester than my previous two years as a Sioux combined. It took a couple of, umm…uhh…not-so-stellar performances on my calculus and economics exams to realize
I am only a few months (90 days, remember?) into my new journey. I miss my friends every day from home, but strive to make new ones here. I miss Bud Light, but I’m trying to gut down as much Miller Lite as Wisconsinites do. I miss being the smartest on campus, but I yearn to be Watson like everyone else. I’m here for a reason, and I can guarantee I will make the most of it. New to the campus like Kristen and in need of your own badger boot camp training? Interested in training her yourself ? Shoot her an e-mail her at kghibbard@ wisc.edu and get drillin’ soldier.
Pssst... Word on the street is Page Two is lookin’ for some fresh columnists for next semester...
Intrigued? Contact Rebecca Alt and Ariel Shapiro at page2@dailycardinal.com for more information.
Stop farting in the front row Jaime brackeen brax on brax on brax
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y fellow concert fanatics will know what I’m talking about when I say getting to the front row for some shows is no small feat. There’s pushing, some shoving and always the obligatory false apology for cutting in front of someone who’s been standing there way longer than you. It’s either say sorry or receive the finger. Sometimes it’s still the finger. So when I get up there, I want to stay there, damn it. This can be made increasingly difficult when: 1. The overweight men in front of you keep sloshing their beer all over the place (tolerable). 2. These overweight men superfluously continue to clink PBR cans with you after resolving a tiff resulting from point one (annoying, but again, I can deal). 3. One of these dudes keeps dropping ass like a mofo and it sort of makes you want to die
(entirely unacceptable). Seriously, it was like a cloud of mustard gas lingering right around my face and no amount of turning my head the other direction or breathing into my shirt could staunch the putrid odor. We must learn from this incident lest I vom on someone’s back next time. Please, for the love of god, follow these tips next time you plan on camping out center stage: -Save burrito night for another occasion. -Take Beano before consuming your hipster beer of choice. -Wear cologne/perfume (unless it’s Axe in which case I might despise you more). -At least stand in the back where fresh air is more accessible and standing space is less valuable. I promise if you do these things you will find the standard jabbing elbows in your side few and far between at the next event you attend. You might even meet a girl (or guy, because yes, sometimes girls fart too). Just please, PLEASE stop farting in the front row. Tired of suffocating from the rancid odor of a Qdoba bean burrito? Lament with Jaime at jbrackeen@wisc.edu.
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Tuesday, November 15, 2011 3
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Students want Mifflin to continue, survey shows By Anna Duffin The Daily Cardinal
Stephanie Daher/the daily cardinal
The UW-Madison Academic Staff Assembly passed a resolution Monday asking legislators to reduce the additional $65.7 million in cuts recently made to the UW System.
Staff: state cuts to UW unfair By Cheyenne Langkamp The Daily Cardinal
The UW-Madison Academic Staff Assembly passed a resolution Monday calling recent budget cuts to the UW System too large. In October state legislators announced $65.7 million in cuts to the UW System to make up for a lapse of expected state revenue. The UW System accounts for 38 percent of total cuts included in the state’s lapse. About $25 million of these cuts will go to UW-Madison over the next two years. Heather Daniels, chair of the Academic Staff Executive Committee, said the Assembly passed the legislation out of concern that staff members’
workloads would be too heavy if cuts force the university to fire employees. “Offices and departments often lose staff and are unwilling to give up anything that they do,” Daniels said. “So academic staff especially tend to feel the burden of having to do the same with a lot less.” The resolution says cuts to the UW System are disproportionate to cuts to other statefunded agencies. Daniels said not all the agencies affected by the lapse were considered equally. While the state refrained from making cuts that would inhibit the “core mission” of some agencies, Daniels said no cuts to the UW System were excluded by
this criteria. “There was nothing excluded from the UW System, but clearly we cannot teach, you guys cannot learn, we cannot do research without infrastructure,” Daniels said. Vice Chancellor for Administration Darrell Bazzell said there is currently a “major league effort” throughout the university to decrease cuts to the system. Last week, the UW-Madison Faculty Senate passed a resolution advocating for smaller cuts to the UW System. The state Senate is holding a hearing on Tuesday about the lapses at which Chancellor David Ward will testify on behalf of the university.
CRIME IN BRIEF Threatening gestures result in arrest outside Red Shed A Madison man feared for his well-being Sunday night when he was confronted by another man inside the Red Shed who threatened to shoot him. According to police, the victim said the man, who claimed to be from Milwaukee, said he just got out of jail and that he would shoot the victim.
“[The victim] says the suspect then used both hands as pretend guns and began ‘firing’ at him,” Madison Police Department Spokesperson Joel DeSpain said in a statement. “The victim did not know if he had any real weapons.” The bartender asked the suspect to leave and police
arrived when the suspect was still in the entryway, “still raising his hands in the air while pulling nonexistent triggers,” DeSpain said. Police said the suspect tried to flee from officers, but was caught. “He gave a fake name, yelled profanities and struggled during the arrest,” DeSpain said.
Thief attacks one grocer, subdued by another at Copps After attacking his pursuer and fleeing the scene, a Madison youth was arrested Saturday following his attempted theft of two bottles of alcohol. The 17-year-old was pursued by a store employee to the park-
ing lot of Copps Food Center on Park Street, where he was able to push his pursuer to the ground and punch him repeatedly before a second employee reached the two. “[The second employee]
grabbed onto the suspect, who in turn was able to wiggle out of his shirt and coat,” Madison Police Department Spokesperson Joel DeSpain said in a statement. “Officers spotted the topless teen and chased him down.”
Man threatened in Francis Street bar, attacked outside UW-Madison police arrested a man on charges of battery and disorderly conduct outside a N. Frances Street bar Saturday. The 40-year-old suspect, Darnell Montgomery, was arrested on tentative charges after a 22-year-old Janesville
man was knocked unconscious outside the bar early Saturday morning. According to the Madison Police Department’s press release, the victim’s girlfriend said “a couple of men” confronted her and her boyfriend inside the bar, then followed
them out as they left. Once outside, one of the men allegedly punched her boyfriend in the face and knocked him out, according to the release. UW-Madison police officers helped locate the suspect, who was close to the scene.
As of Monday, the results of a student government survey indicate a majority of students want the Mifflin Street Block Party to continue. The Associated Students of Madison Legislative Affairs Committee said they plan to present the results to city officials in discussions about the future of the block party. After an increase in violence was seen at last May’s event, Mayor Paul Soglin and other city officials discussed ending the 42-year old party. The committee sent the survey to UW-Madison students last Thursday to gauge how they feel about the party’s future. Legislative Affairs Committee member Jacob Miller said so far nearly 7,000 students have responded to the survey. “There’s a very strong sentiment they want Mifflin to continue,” Miller said. Miller said two thirds of the students who responded said they plan to attend the block party this year and think Mifflin is a “necessary” event. Thirteen percent said they strongly disagreed that the
block party is necessary. Of those who responded to the survey, 60 percent said they attended last May. Legislative Affairs Chair Hannah Somers said the committee will begin interpreting the results of the survey Thursday. “We are going to analyze the results and then determine as a committee what the student opinion seems to be,” Somers said. “We will also talk to city alders … and see where [the results] can be incorporated into the city decision-making process.”
Students on Mifflin
UW students were surveyed about their opinions on the Mifflin Street Block Party: 7,000: number of responses received over first four days 60: Percent of students who attended Mifflin last May 66: Percent of students who believe Mifflin is a “necessary event”
13: Percent of students who strongly disagree Mifflin is a “necessary event”
Another Dem joins U.S. Senate race Vic Spadaro, former CEO of an Internet service provider, announced Monday he will run as a Democrat for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by current Sen. Herb Kohl. Spadaro, who lives with multiple sclerosis, said he would stand for the elderly and disabled. “I’ve begun to realize that this section of society is not being fairly represented,” Spadaro said in a statement. “The people making the decisions for these people are neither disabled, elderly or even low income, but yet they are telling those that are how to live and how they should
be conducting their lives. Currently, U.S. Rep. Tammy Baldwin, D-Madison, is the only other Democrat to announce her candidacy for the seat and is considered the Democratic front-runner. Former U.S. Representative Mark Neumann, Assembly Speaker Jeff Fitzgerald, R-Horicon, and state Sen. Frank Lasee, R-Bellevue, have officially decided to run for the Republican nomination. Former Gov. Tommy Thompson also began fundraising and campaigning for the seat but has not officially announced his candidacy.
ssfc from page 1
SSFC was limited to only what MCSC mentioned in its appeal.” SSFC Rep. Tia Nowack said losing funding would be detrimental for MCSC. “Our actions will affect MCSC for the rest of this year,” Nowack said. “It will affect them for years to come because they will lose so much from not having funding.” The Student Judiciary will hear MCSC’s appeal for eligibility Tuesday.
formulate an opinion on if the group’s services meet that criteria,” Neibart said. While some SSFC representatives said the committee should consider more than what was included in MCSC’s appeal, SSFC bylaws limited the discussion. “I am always open to discussion,” SSFC Chair Sarah Neibart said. “But this time
landmark from page 1 deal to our sense of place and identity,” said Jason Tisch, executive director of Madison Trust for Historic Preservation. Others were in favor of the project. In describing the condition of one property, Gus Paras, the former owner of 122 State Street, contended that a poorly kept building, landmarked or not, has “nothing to save.” The tenor of the opposition can be explained by the unprecedented nature of the proposal’s designated landmarks demolition, according to Landmarks Commission histo-
rian Stuart Levitan. “This, as far as we can tell, would be the first adversarial demolition of landmarked buildings, where somebody said, ‘Those are existing landmarks; I want to take them down,” he said. As he had done in previous community presentations, Project Manager George Austin affirmed the foundation’s commitment to evaluating and considering concerns with the proposal ahead of any formal land use application, the first of which is slated for a Jan. 4 submission. For more in depth coverage of this meeting and State Street renovations, head to dailycardinal.com.
arts Rihanna’s direction stems from assault 4
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Tuesday, November 15, 2011
Alex Seraphin song of the seraph
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ihanna is the universal pop star. She lives in the upper echelon of fame, that mostly vacated space once occupied by untouchable stars like Elton John and Jimmy Page. The old icons were backed by wheelbarrows of LP and concert ticket dough and were not necessarily expected to engage with masses such as human beings. Before the turn of the century, there were a ton of arena-packing musicians who must have seemed like Norse gods or aliens from the back rows. Though the stars were actually complex human beings like the rest of us, our parents’ need to live vicariously through them made sure that labels helped create and maintain simple plotlines. Thus, the Rolling Stones were the tough guy’s cure for the Beatles. Madonna was the living embodiment of post-puritanical feminism. Michael Jackson sure as hell didn’t knock up that Billie Jean lady (obviously). Today, every artist has a narrative, but the once ubiquitous, simple emotional distance rarely manifests in the stardom. Of
course, this is the exception for for any but a handful of massive major label acts. Members of this select group (Ke$ha, latter-day Eminem, Gaga, etc) lack the humble approachability that even the most wellknown “indie” bands wave like a white flag.
Every artist has a narrative, but the once ubiquitous, simple emotional distance rarely manifests in stardom.
The labels and artists purposefully paint their public personas with broad strokes. Highly archetypal, but vaguely realized, narratives appear, traced by the complex dialogue between officially concocted copy and accidentally leaked paparazzi fodder. Rihanna and her handlers do pop superstardom the right way, keeping the themes big and blunt so that a hundred million cheerleaders and accountants can see their own lives reflected back at them. She tops if off by consistently cutting critically beloved singles backed by hugely confident and stunning videos.
Rihanna’s most recent video “We Found Love” exists in a tradition of druggy, impressionistic cinematic swirl exemplified by Terry Gilliam’s “Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas.” In the video, Rihanna plays a strung-out, radiant firecracker clearly in love with her temperamental boyfriend. The couple spends length of the video in all sorts of strange and wonderful situations. The girl ascends a table for a joyously unprofessional dance at an anonymous fast food dive. The guy drives doughnuts in an empty parking lot. The two lovers embrace and tumble through a surreal, pastoral daylight rave. They cavort in skate parks, casinos, supermarkets and, most prominently, their Christmas light-spangled apartment bedroom. They are always together. Buoyed by the euphoric dance beat written by Scottish DJ Calvin Harris, the video depicts its two characters in a drug and love-fueled reality-distortion field. The director inserts frequent shots of assorted pills, dilating pupils and psychedelic color distortions. At one point, the girl lights what look like roughly 20 joints in her companion’s mouth. At another point, the girl spits up long, brightly colored and immaculate ribbons.
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Even when the video takes a turn for the worse, the chaos of their disintegrating relationship seems like dangerous fun. Sure, the girl passes out on the street. Sure, the couple screams and yells and scratches at one another. All the while, the glorious colors fly by and the pounding beat refuses to relent. Even a potentially unnerving scene in which the guy tattoos “Mine” on the girl over ambiguous cries of protest or pain fails to make a dent in the video’s ecstatic atmosphere.
I have no doubt that a lot of the narrative accurately reflects Rihanna’s personal growth over the last few years.
Ultimately, the two characters in the “We Found Love” video are fictional and elusively sketched. Much of the emotional connection one will form with their situation will inevitably reference Rihanna’s sad history with Chris Brown, especially considering the love and loss opening monologue. Brown’s violent assault on Rihanna in 2009 has become
perhaps the single most prominent factor in Rihanna’s public narrative. Honestly, as a casual fan and reluctant observer of mainstream pop culture gossip, I’d be hard pressed to provide a single additional bit of biographical information on the young woman. Though I recognize the crass nature of the suggestion, I’d argue that the assault has lent direction and purpose to an otherwise bland public persona. After the incident, Rihanna took exactly two albums to elegantly transition from victimhood to self-doubt to strength. Her image as “the survivor” colors all of her work, including the curiously relevant “We Found Love” video. I have no doubt that a lot of the narrative accurately reflects Rihanna’s personal growth over the last few years. I also have no doubt that her personal growth made her and a lot of Island Group executives a whole lot of money. “We Found Love” could be construed as a label or an artist cynically milking a predictable source of artistic legitimacy and cash. Authentic or calculated, it’s a great video. Got an opinion about Rihanna’s work (or her relationships?) Send Alex your thoughts at seraphin@wisc.edu.
It would behoove audiences to stay far, far away from this film By Matthew Honig the daily cardinal
Unfortunately, “J. Edgar”— veteran actor/director Clint Eastwood’s biographical take on the infamous founder of the FBI— falls fall short of its cinematic promise. That’s a shame, considering the immense creative talent responsible for the film. With “J. Edgar,” the typically-competent Eastwood (director of such quality dramatic fare “Unforgiven,” “Million Dollar Baby” and “Gran Torino”) has churned out a biopic that forgoes cinematic ingenuity in favor of old-fashioned photo courtesy warner bros.
On the Skinny
“J.Edgar,” Clint Eastwood’s latest film starring Leonardo DiCaprio is about the life of J. Edgar Hoover. Unfortunately, it’s less than enthralling.
Did it pass? With an overall lackluster acting performance and hackneyed melodrama, we gave this film a D+. However, they do a good job of protraying Hoover’s complicated psyche.
Hollywood melodrama. In standard-biopic form, the film’s sprawling plotline is told in non-chronological order. We begin with an elderly J.Edgar Hoover (Leonardo DiCaprio, hamming it up even more than usual with an overblown accent) dictating his life’s memoirs to a page working in his office. Through use of flashback, the audience is exposed to the various details of this divisive historical figure’s life such as all the presidents he’s worked with, his weight-struggle, his bizarre relationship with his mother (an underused Judi Dench) and-most interestingly—his debatable sexuality. Occasionally, “J. Edgar” succeeds in its attempts at being an intriguing biographical yarn. The best aspect of the flick is that it gives the viewer an in-depth view of the FBI director’s multilayered psychology. It is truly fascinating to see how Hoover’s life behind closed doors influenced his professional demeanor. At the film’s end, all parts come together to neatly show how Hoover became the flamboyant, yet insecure personality that textbooks portray him. The acting in the film—ideally what should have been its biggest strength—is somewhat entertaining, but not really believable. Although he is completely absorbed in his role, DiCaprio’s east-coast accent sounds even more forced than it did in both “Shutter Island” and “The Departed.” Despite his hokey voice-work, Leo nonetheless
manages to occasionally electrify on screen with intense patriotic monologues. There is no denying, however, that he is capable of far better. Overall, the heartthrob’s performance is of daytime soap opera quality. An overly theatrical fistfight between Hoover and his right-hand man Clyde Tolson (Armie Hammer, watchable here but much more entertaining as the Winkelvi in “The Social Network”) came off the screen as laughably cheesy. Such heavy-handed acting is the most glaring downfall in “J. Edgar.” Disappointingly, cliché melodrama plagues much of the movie, especially its drawn-out final half hour. Although “J. Edgar” is blatant Oscar bait, there will assuredly be no awards to be had for Eastwood’s latest. Especially for the deplorable make-up work. DiCaprio and Hammer as old men look less like government agents and much more like zombies out of a George Romero flick. Hammer, in particular, appears horrifyingly inhuman as an aged Tolson. With such a fine pedigree of talent, “J. Edgar” could have been yet another commendable Eastwood effort. Although the film has certain redeeming qualities—namely the psychoanalytical treatment of Hoover—it ultimately falls victim to overacting and trite melodrama. Before trying his hand at another biopic, Eastwood should consider taking a few notes on how Oliver Stone (director of “Nixon,” “JFK” and “The Doors”) better
Just in time to start getting pumped for Thanksgiving break next week, there are a slew of awesome releases coming your way. This is just the beginning of Oscar-and-Emmy-prep season, so be sure to keep an eye out for chances to check these out! In film, audiences can expect the release of “The Descendants,” a film from Alexander Payne starring George Clooney, on Wednesday, Nov. 16. The film has been praised for its balance of tragic, heartwarming drama with humor (and of course, Clooney’s good looks.) “Tyrannosaur,” the film debut of Paddy Considine, concerning the relationship between an unemployed alcoholic and a Christian charity-worker has been commended for its touching portrayal of blue-collar realities in conjunction with human empathy and capacity for love. Of course, if you’re looking for something happier, you can always catch “The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn—Part 1” or “Happy Feet Two,” both being released Friday, Nov. 18. In music, you can catch Chidish Gambino’s latest release, Camp. The album, which has been available to listen to on the NPR website for free, will be released Tuesday, Nov. 15 and has garnered generally favorable reviews for his varied subject matter and his exoneration of hip-hop culture. Drake’s latest album, Take Care, is also being released Tuesday and is a sure hit for any hip-hop fan looking for a good listen. Given an impressive 8.6 in Pitchfork’s “Best New Music,” the album is lauded for its intimate and raw vulnerability and heartbreaking lyricism. Other promising releases dropping Tuesday are Hello Sadness from Los Campesinos!, Get Along by Tegan And Sara, Coco Beware by Caveman and The Papercut Chronicles II from Gym Class Heros (...OK, well that last one’s maybe not so promising).
opinion Salting roads harms the environment dailycardinal.com
Nick Fritz opinion columnist
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f last week’s weather is any indication that winter is finally upon us, then be wary because snow will be piling up any day now. For years, Wisconsin has used salt to keep our streets and highways safe. When salt hits ice, it causes a physical reaction that lowers the freezing point and causes the ice to melt so it is easier to plow. Salt use comes with a hefty financial and environmental price tag. According to Roger Bannerman, a Department of Natural Resources water resources management specialist, “the potential for chloride to damage our water systems is more inevitable than climate change.” Every year, essential bodies of water experience increasing lev-
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
els of chloride. Lake Michigan, for example, has a rising chloride level every year of about 0.1 milligrams per liter due in large part to road salt. While this may not seem like much, it doesn’t take a lot of chloride to cause long-term problems in fish such as reproductive failure and increased disease susceptibility. Local waterways in Milwaukee are experiencing an increase of chloride levels by 2 milligrams per liter every year. This is discouraging because cities like Milwaukee and Madison have carefully monitored systems for controlling the amount of salt used during the winter months. Still, every year chloride levels rise. Where is this excessive salt use coming from? If cities monitor the use of salt used for snow removal, why is more salt used every year? The answer is the private sector. The city of Madison has been cutting salt use since the 1970s. However, there is no formal regulations of the amount
of salt used on private parking lots. According to the Wisconsin Natural Resources Magazine, studies have shown that private parking lots may be receiving twice as much salt as is applied to city streets. All Madison salt trucks have computerized settings that limit the amount of salt poured per mile of roadway. However, private snow removal contractors salt roads with little monitoring at all. What can we do to stop this dooming cycle? Bannerman believes we need to educate people on the negative impacts of salt. Wisconsin simply doesn’t have the resources to be continually monitoring everyone’s salt consumption. The only way to implement change is to put it in the hands of the citizens. Until the public fully understands the gravity of the situation,
there are other things Wisconsin can do to cut down on salt use. The use of sand is another viable option. Sand provides cars with traction but it doesn’t melt snow or ice. There are other problems when it comes to high traffic areas and potential damage to vehicles. However, sand is particularly useful in areas with relatively low traffic volumes and when it is too cold for de-icing agents to work. Increasing sand use in smaller towns should be something cities consider. Another option is to test other de-icers. Currently there are very few other alternatives that are more attractive than salt in terms of environmental safety. Not to mention they are all much more expensive. However, further research and testing in this area could provide Wisconsin with a
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much-needed breakthrough and eventually lead to the next big deicing agent. Finally, managing where ice is dumped is extremely important. Wisconsin has already done away with dumping snow directly into waterways. Most cities have set up sites where snow can be dumped so that contaminants can be released gradually and safely. If any area doesn’t already have this, they should implement them soon. It is very easy to do and makes all the difference to waterways. This winter I implore citizens to be conscious of the amount of salt used on driveways and parking lots. We all know that neighborhood kids can be conned into plowing for less than a cup of coffee, so explore other options before dumping entire buckets of salt on the ground and keep our environment clean. Nick Fritz is a junior majoring in marketing. Please send all feedback to opinion@dailycardinal.com.
Letter: Walker’s policies harmed state, now time for recall Fiona Cahill The Young Progressives
The end of collective bargaining rights for public employee unions. Cuts to public education from kindergarten to college. The passage of a voter ID law
that is one of the most restrictive in the country. These are just a few examples of ways Scott Walker has failed Wisconsin during his brief tenure as governor—reasons why today, Wisconsinites
will begin the process of collecting more than 500,000 signatures to force a recall election. Governor Walker’s policies have hurt workers, minorities, the elderly, the young, low-income families, the
unemployed and women. He has catered to the wealthy and to big business over the individual citizen. In particular, he has shown no inclination to protect some of the most valuable and vulnerable resources of Wisconsin—its students. Make no mistake, students of all ages have been hard-hit under the Walker administration. Children, teachers and parents have been forced to face the results of over $1.5 billion in cuts—the largest cuts to education in the history of Wisconsin. “The biggest cuts were to special education programs, followed by library and media center staff, reading coordinators, programs for at-risk youth and drug and alcohol abuse programs,” found a recent report released by the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction. Across the board, more than half of Wisconsin’s public school students will learn in larger classes, with fewer teachers and fewer courses offered. Assembly Minority Leader Peter Barca called Walker’s cuts to education “simply not a choice Wisconsin’s future can afford.” College students at University of Wisconsin schools, who have long benefitted from a world-class education, keenly feel the effects of a state administration which refuses to put education among its priorities. The Walker administration has cut over $300 million from the system—and at least $125 million will come out of UW-Madison. UW System spokesman David Giroux responded with the reality of the situation: “We do not know how we can take these cuts without negatively affecting the education of our students and the expectations of their families for a quality experience.” Students will be forced to bear the brunt of these costs in higher tuition bills, less financial aid, more student debt, and fewer course offerings with larger class sizes. This morning, as papers are
filed to formally recall Scott Walker, such issues should be foremost in our minds. The reasons to recall Governor Walker are many. They include moral and ethical failures as well as a refusal to listen to the people of Wisconsin. But Walker’s refusal to stand up for the rights of students—particularly, those too young to stand up for themselves at the ballot box—flies in the face of the proud history of Wisconsin’s public education system. We cannot and will not stand for this sheer disregard for Wisconsin’s future, whether it comes in the form of cuts to our education system, laws like Voter ID that unfairly suppress the votes of students and minorities or attempts to end the collective bargaining power of Wisconsin’s workers.
Make no mistake, students of all ages have been hard-hit under the Walker administration.
The Young Progressives are proud to be among those organizations working on the ground to aid in this effort. You will see us around campus, as well as in our office on the third floor of the SAC, collecting signatures to recall Scott Walker and his lieutenant, Rebecca Kleefisch. Add your name to the thousands across the state who will begin signing recall petitions today. Then meet us on Saturday, November 19 on State Street Mall at 11:00 AM to march to Capitol Square, where we will join forces with thousands from around Wisconsin to take back our state. This is not a time for sitting on the sidelines. This is a time to stand up and make your voice heard. Fiona Cahill is the Issues and Candidates Director for The Young Progressives. Please send all feedback to opinion@dailycardinal.com.
comics
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Today’s Sudoku
Koo-koo-kachoo. The walrus’ Latin name, Odobenus rosmarus, means “toothwalking sea cow.” They use their tusks to pull their bulk from the ocean onto pack ice. The process looks like it’s walking on its tusks, hence the name. dailycardinal.com
Seeing a target in today’s puzzle
Evil Bird
By Caitlin Kirihara kirihara@wisc.edu
© 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.
Tanked Life
By Steven Wishau wishau@wisc.edu
Today’s Crossword Puzzle
Caved In
Answer key available at www.dailycardinal.com
GOOD MOVIES ACROSS 1 Jessica of Hollywood 5 Tot’s first word, sometimes 9 Trumpet part 14 Flowerless plant 15 “Don’t leave home without it” card 16 Square footage measures 17 Neglect to include 18 Tour de France, for one 19 Blame bearers 20 “Good Will Hunting” star 23 112.5 degrees away from S 24 One of Columbus’ ships 25 Wharton degree 26 Tub trio of rhyme 27 Taken-back auto 29 ___ in turkey 32 Pouter’s expression 35 “As Good as It Gets” star 37 Put into position 40 Spaghetti recipe phrase 41 Another “Good Will Hunting” star 43 Relaxation’s partner 44 Yoko born in Tokyo 45 Trick
46 Ball belle 48 Zip 49 Use an old-fashioned phone 51 Large primate 54 Another “As Good as It Gets” star 57 Distinguishing feature 59 Milky stone 60 Kind of rock or rain 61 Voluntarily forgo 62 Paul in “Scarface” 63 Just OK 64 Eyeballed amorously 65 This, in Havana 66 Meat and veggie dish DOWN 1 Prefix for “mentioned” 2 Auto seen much too much in an auto shop 3 Payola, e.g. 4 “No” voter 5 Man with a controversial theory 6 At full speed 7 State formally 8 Ice-rink feat 9 Tramp 10 Wavy lines, in comics 11 Grassy pastures 12 Dyeing tank 13 It can turn one into many? 21 One-eighty from SSW
22 Urge forward 26 Disappear, as a snowman 28 Vigorous spirit 29 Thing to hum or whistle 30 Kitchen pests 31 Proofreader’s notation 32 Note from the boss 33 Arabian Sea nation 34 “What have you been ___?” 35 Cannabis plant 36 Parsley, e.g. 38 Compulsively dependent 39 Make watertight, in a way 42 Rex of classical tragedy 46 Ornamental flower 47 “Hold on Tight” rock group 48 Born yesterday 50 “Sorry, got plans” 51 Yachtsman’s neckwear 52 Composure under duress 53 Provide with income 54 Monopoly square 55 Alaskan city 56 Highlands miss 57 Double standard? 58 Joplin composition
Crustaches Classic
By Nick Kryshak nkryshak@wisc.edu
Washington and the Bear
By Patrick Remington graphics@dailycardinal.com
By Derek Sandberg kalarooka@gmail.com
sports
dailycardinal.com
Near-perfect performance earns Wilson Big Ten honor Following a nearly-flawless performance against Minnesota, Wisconsin senior quarterback Russell Wilson was honored by the Big Ten conference as the Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week. Against the Gophers, Wilson completed 16-of-17 passes—including all 13 of his passes in the first half—for 178 yards and four touchdowns, helping the Badgers retain the coveted Paul Bunyan’s Axe for the eighth-consecutive year. Wilson’s 94.1 completion percentage in the game ranks fourth highest in Big Ten history, and his four touchdown tosses made Wilson only the 13th quarterback in the Football Bowl Subdivision to throw for 100 or more touchdowns in his career. Wilson’s performance against Minnesota also improved his
Mark Kauzlarich/the daily cardinal
Russell Wilson only missed on one pass attempt against Minnesota. nation-leading pass efficiency mark to 201.6, well ahead of Colt Brenann’s NCAA record of186.0, set in 2006. This is Wilson’s third offensive player of the week award, tying him with Ron Dayne for secondmost in a single season. By Ryan Evans / The daily cardinal
illinois from page 8 Illini could be a challenge and make preparation for the game slightly more difficult. “They changed both coordinators, offensively and defensively, so they are a considerable different since the we last played them so that presents a challenge,” Bielema said.
“We are in a great situation and we are expected to take care of that. We need to focus on what we can control.” Russell Wilson senior quarterback Wisconsin football
Fortunately, history has been on the Badgers side as Bielema has boasted a 17-2 record for games played after Nov. 1. He attributes that record to
Tuesday, November 15, 2011 the conditioning and the physical mentality entrenched in the minds of his players. “I think our program really tries to understand you can’t have success in the end if you don’t the work up front,” Bielema said. With Penn State losing to Nebraska and Purdue pulling off an upset over Ohio State, the Badgers again control their own destiny in the Leaders Division on the path to the first Big Ten title game in Indianapolis on Dec. 3. If Wisconsin wins the two remaining games on its schedule, then it will find itself in the title game. Wilson said the team simply needs to embrace their current situation and focus on the task at hand. “I believe that things happen for a reason and we have a lot of talent on this team, a great conference to play in,” Wilson said. “We are in a great situation and we are expected to take care of that. We need to focus on what we can control.”
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Last time they met...
Wisconsin and Illinois haven’t played each other since October 20, 2008 at Camp Randall Stadium, a 27-17 Badger victory. John Clay Then-freshman running back John Clay led the way for the Badgers on the ground that day, rushing for 93 yards on 25 carries.
Dustin Sherer Senior quarterback Dustin Sherer accounted for all three Badger touchdowns in the game, throwing for two and rushing for one.
Women’s Basketball
Badgers to renew in-state rivalry with Marquette By Ryan Hill The Daily Cardinal
The Wisconsin women’s basketball team gets yet another chance in less than a week to take down an in-state rival Tuesday, as the Badgers head to Milwaukee yet again to square off against Marquette. The Badgers took down UW-Milwaukee 68-51 in Milwaukee last Friday in their
first game of the regular season. Junior guard Taylor Wurtz led the Badgesr with 17 points and 15 rebounds in that game. After suffering an 80-63 loss to Oral Roberts Sunday at the Kohl Center, Wisconsin looks to regain their confidence by beating Marquette and establishing its dominance of in-state rivals. “It gives us an opportunity to brag a little bit,” first-year
Wisconsin head coach Bobbie Kelsey said of potentially beating Marquette. “It’s nice to say you’re the big dog in the state.” The Badgers were flustered in their two games over the weekend largely because of turnovers. The young Wisconsin team committed a Kohl Center record 31 turnovers in the loss to Oral Roberts. The Badgers were leading 32-30 with less than five
minutes left in the first half, but allowed Oral Roberts to take an 11-2 run to conclude the half. “Oral Roberts is a great team,” Kelsey said. “But we didn’t help ourselves with the turnovers. It was the decision-making by us and we didn’t have to have that many turnovers. We knew it would be a tough game.” Despite the loss Sunday, Wurtz stood out during the game. The 6-foot junior had 15 points and hauled in 15 rebounds despite playing in the guard position. “I’ve not coached a guard, and I’ve been a lot of places, 15 rebounds, that’s pretty impressive,” Kelsey said. The inexperienced Badgers squad will have to bank on Wurtz, not just for rebounds and her scoring ability, but also for her leadership role throughout the season, Kelsey said. “We need some other folks getting some boards as well and doing the things [Wurtz] is doing,” Kelsey said. “But they’re all working hard. She’s definitely a leader in that sense for us.” The Golden Eagles are led by junior forward Sarina Simmons, who had 12 points and 19 rebounds in Marquette’s
season-opening win against Mississippi Valley State on Saturday. The Badgers fell to the Golden Eagles last year at the Kohl Center, but still lead the all-time series 10-8. “Marquette is a very experienced team,” Kelsey said. “They’re young this year but they’re going to be tough and we have to go in their place and try to steal one because we let one go here.” Wisconsin will look to do what it has done best this season against Marquette: rebounding. The Badgers have dominated the boards so far in the young season—outrebounding opponents 96-50 in their two games. Despite losing by 17 to Oral Roberts, the Badgers outrebounded them by 22. Wisconsin has also been troubled by its point guard play. Kelsey thinks the team lacks a true floor general, but that senior Jade Davis and sophomore Morgan Paige have stepped up to share the role together. “We have some good [point guards] coming in,” Kelsey said. “But we’re not going to wait until next year, we have to get it done now.”
Mark Kauzlarich/cardinal file photo
Players like junior guard Taylor Wurtz will step into leadership roles on a young and inexperienced UW roster this season.
Sports
Tuesday november 15, 2011 DailyCardinal.com
Football
Fighting Illini present new challenges Long layoff between meetings, stiff Illinois run defense will test UW in key conference match-up By Michael Tews The Daily Cardinal
The Wisconsin football team (4-2 Big Ten, 8-2 overall) has been running on all cylinders after throttling Minnesota 42-13 to retain possession of Paul Bunyan’s Axe for the eighthstraight year and is looking to carry that momentum into Saturday’s game against Illinois (2-4, 6-4). The team will rely on junior running back Montee Ball, who broke the Big Ten Conference record with his 27th trip to the endzone, and the Heisman hype has continued to escalate. “Montee ball has a lot of talent and its all the tangibles, all the things he does in a leadership aspect which is pretty impressive,” senior quarterback Russell Wilson said. “I’d probably have to vote for Montee because he’s my teammate and they call him Moneyball.” Ball will look to add his total touchdowns and infiltrate the end zone against a Fighting Illini run defense that ranks second best in the conference, holding opponents to a mere 114.9 yards on the ground per contest. Breaking through the Illinois defense may be more difficult as usual this weekend, as the
Badgers will be without starting center junior Peter Konz, who sustained a dislocated ankle in the game against the Gophers. However, head coach Bret Bielema is excited for backup center sophomore Ryan Groy to showcase his talent. “Pete is the best center in college football that ive seen play the game so anytime you lose someone of that caliber it obviously hurts in a certain regard,” Bielema said. “But I’m extremely excited for Ryan. He’s been a very unselfish player, has done really anything for the team and just a good kid who really wants a challenge.” In addition to a stout run defense, Illinois has an aggressive pass rush led by junior defensive end Whitney Mercilus, who leads the nation in sacks. “Mercilus has a knack on the pass rush, bend the corner very well and is very efficient with his hands,” Bielema said. With Mercilus’s pass rushing ability in mind, Wilson discussed his tactics on evading the pass rush and extending plays to keep drives alive. “You have to make sure you are stepping up in the pocket, throwing the ball on time, making sure you are gaining positive
Mark kauzlarich/the daily cardinal
Montee Ball will aim to add to his Big Ten record for touchdowns in a season against an Illinois rush defense that ranks second in the conference, allowing only 114.9 rushing yards per game. gains every single play and go from there,” Wilson said. Wilson will be on the lookout for sophomore tight end Jacob Pederson, who has emerged as a viable target in the redzone and is tied for the most touchdowns by a tight end in the NCAA with eight.
“The advantages he has on linebackers and safeties is something you don’t see to often and I believe he’s one of the best in the country,” Wilson said. The Badgers have not faced the Fighting Illini in over three seasons with the last meet-
ing resulting in a 27-17 win for Wisconsin in 2008 as John Clay made his first career start. Bielema admitted that the long period of time since the Badgers have faced the Fighting Illini
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