Monday, October 9, 2017 - The Daily Cardinal

University of Wisconsin-Madison

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Monday, October 9, 2017

ART NOUVEAU HOW SOUND IS MADE TATTOOS Regents approve policy to punish student protestors

+SCIENCE, PAGE 3

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By Maggie Chandler COLLEGE NEWS EDITOR

MORGAN WINSTON/THE DAILY CARDINAL

Despite calls from student organizations, Blank said she has no plans to put a plaque on Lincoln recognizing native deaths.

Blank says no to plaque criticizing Abe Lincoln

By Lawrence Andrea CAMPUS NEWS EDITOR

Chancellor Rebecca Blank said she has no plans to answer the Associated Students of Madison’s call to put a plaque on Bascom’s statue of Abraham Lincoln recognizing the president’s role in the deaths of natives.

Blank told The Daily Cardinal last week that the university has “not been very open” to the idea of the plaque.

According to Blank, Lincoln played a “restraining role” in the deaths of 38 Dakota men in 1862. She

said Lincoln refused to agree to a territorial governor’s proposal to sentence 350 natives to death. “[Lincoln] insists on personally weeding through all of this, and he ends up saying ‘I’m only going to take the sentences of those who we have evidence, witness evidence, that they were involved in either killing or raping, and everyone else we are going to dismiss charges on,’” Blank said.

Blank said acknowledging his-

Expulsion and suspension will be handed down to students who disrupt speakers on campus, after the Board of Regents voted in favor of their policy resolution Friday.

The resolution is aimed to “communicate the Board’s commitment to academic freedom and freedom of expression, as well as set expectations for those who violate those freedoms.” A student who protests a controversial speaker now faces the following: An investigation and disciplinary hearing for students who allegedly disrupt a speaker.

A one-semester suspension for students found guilty.

After three incidents, the student would be expelled.

Additionally, if chancellors choose not to suspend a student who disrupts speakers, they will have to provide an explanation for this decision to the Board of Regents. Additionally, the System must annually compile all complaints into a report for the Regents.

“Campuses across the country are wrestling with the question of appropriate behavior of students,” Board of Regents John Behling said. “Through this policy, we inform students and taxpayers that we can provide a worldclass education in an atmosphere where civility, respect and safety is required and expected.”

State Superintendent Tony Evers, and ex-officio regent and the only member not appointed by Gov. Walker, was the only one who voted against the resolution.

The regent policy is similar to the highly controversial Campus Free Speech Act which cleared the state Assembly on near party lines in July and now rests with the state Senate. However many, including Chancellor Rebecca Blank, speculate that the Senate will not take up the bill with a regent policy in place.

The legislation’s champions claim it is necessary for protecting speakers after former Breitbart editor, Ben Shapiro, came to the

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Rare October tornado hits east side

By Gina Heeb CITY NEWS EDITOR

Tornado season in the Midwest ends around July, but this year Madison was an exception to that rule.

For about 10 minutes Saturday night, a tornado ripped through the East Side of the city, hitting parts of both business-heavy East Washington Avenue and surrounding residential neighborhoods alike.

It touched down from 4:58 p.m. to 5:08 p.m., traveling mostly along East Washington Avenue, according to the National Weather Service. The tornado was first spotted near the Dane County Regional Airport and tracked five miles northeast toward Interstate 30/90.

National Weather Service officials classified it as an EF0 — the weakest rating on a scale meteorologists use to rate tornado intensity. Still, the

Food truck worker brandishes gun near UW campus

By Noah Habenstreit ASSOCIATE NEWS EDITOR

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storm wreaked havoc on the area, peeling parts of roofs off of buildings, uprooting trees and scattering debris all around.

Amul Harris, who runs Serieux Clothing on the 3300 block of East Washington Avenue, said his store suffered “substantial” damage from the storm.

“It just came out of nowhere,” Harris said. “I felt like my whole building was shaking. And then it sounded like my roof was getting ready to get pulled off. I walked up to the door to look outside and all I could see was stuff flying everywhere.”

Despite damage to the roof of Serieux Clothing, which is littered with fallen signage, Harris said his store will remain open and operate as usual.

tornado page 2 appeared to point a large rifle at another man early Sunday morning in an incident captured on video by an onlooker. The Madison Police Department is investigating the incident.

The disturbance took place at the corner of North Frances Street

LAURA MAHONEY/THE DAILY CARDINAL

After Republicans took control of both the state Legislature and the governorship, district lines were redrawn in a way that some argue is overly slanted toward the majority party.

As redistricting battle heats up, impact of UW students’ votes may be at stake

By Andy Goldstein SENIOR STAFF WRITER

In November 2012, Wisconsinites went to the polls in the first election since the state Legislature redrew boundaries for the state’s voting districts.

In that election, Republicans received only 47 percent of the vote in state Assembly races, but won more than 60 percent of the and State Street at approximately 1:44 a.m. The suspect, a 31-yearold African-American man who police say was a food cart employee, was not immediately located by police, according to a log of recent MPD calls.

MPD has established “tenta-

chamber’s seats. Democrats, with a majority of the state’s vote, won a much smaller number of seats — only 39 of 99 total.

State legislators redrew Wisconsin’s electoral districts the year before. They packed urban Democratic voters into small, heavily concentrated districts, and spread non-urban Democrats out as widely as possible, disperstive identification” of the man who brandished the gun, the log said.

The other person involved in the incident, the man who had the gun pointed at him, was later arrested.

Police said that after the initial disturbance, the 29-year-old “went on to batter another party nearby.” He

ing their votes into large, strongly Republican districts.

Partisan redistricting — gerrymandering — legislators learned, could be used to change the game.

“It’s pretty much made the Legislature immune to shifts in public views about the two parties,” said UW-Madison professor Barry

redistricting page 2 was taken into custody for battery, obstructing, and a warrant.

Police did not say whether they are certain the gun is real. The incident appeared to disturb passersby, some of whom can be heard screaming in the video footage of the altercation.

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

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Student org expands to advocate for more reproductive rights

By Lawrence Andrea CAMPUS NEWS EDITOR

A UW-Madison student organization is continuing its efforts to make menstrual products more accessible on campus, while also expanding its outreach into reproductive rights advocacy.

According to Jordan Madden, a cofounder of the Accessible Reproductive Healthcare Initiative, his organization was a major catalyst for the recent pilot program that aims to provide free feminine hygiene products for students on campus.

After ARHI members met with Vice Provost of Student Life Lori Berquam and other administrators to discuss the needs of students on campus, the group partnered with the Associated Students of Madison to advance their goal of providing free menstrual products, according to Madden. “[The initiative to provide reproductive resources] has been ours for a while,” Madden said. “We want to make sure ARHI receives credit for their role in this.”

The organization has since expanded its advocacy for repro-

redistricting from page 1 Burden, Director of the Elections Research Center. “It’s essentially locked in a Republican majority for the decade.”

Districts are redrawn every 10 years, after a U.S. Census, to accommodate changes in regional political geography. The last census, released in 2010, put increased pressure on the year’s state races; the party who controlled the government would control the map.

“Republicans won the governorship in Scott Walker, the Assembly and the state Senate, and that was a crucial time because it put them in charge of map-drawing,” Burden said. “They took advantage of that in a way that parties in Wisconsin had not taken advantage of it before.”

In Wisconsin, college campuses are some of the most heavily impacted localities; legislators boxed universities and college towns into small, heavily Democratic districts, surrounded by a sea of larger, reliably Republican ones.

“They say that politicians don’t listen to young people because they don’t vote, but young people don’t vote because they don’t feel that the government represents them,” said Eliana Locke, vice chair of the UW-Madison College Democrats.

“Gerrymandering doesn’t help that.”

Madison, Eau Claire and La Crosse are prime examples of squeezing Democrats into few districts. Each location has more than enough votes to elect a Democratic legislator, while blunting their voters’ overall impact on the state’s partisan power balance.

Sarah Semrad, a UW-La Crosse student and vice chair College Democrats of Wisconsin, says although she feels represented by state Sen. Jennifer Shilling, D-La Crosse, she doesn’t approve of one party having an upper hand.

“We should pick our elected officials, they should not be able to pick us,” Semrad said.

ductive health rights, targeting legislative policy.

“In past years and since the election, there has been an assault on the right to reproductive care and legislative pressure to create strict laws restricting the right to these services [such as abortion],” Madden said.

“Ultimately, I want to engage students in Madison with state and federal legislature to mobilize against attacks on reproductive health rights.”

ARHI has been working with state Rep. Melissa Sargent, D-Madison, on a bill to make menstrual products tax exempt.

Additionally, the organization hopes to direct more attention towards access to abortion and resources for gender nonconforming students.

Madden said that as the group advocates for a broader range of issues, they have had to bring in more members with different areas of expertise.

“We now have a bunch of people who are very knowledgeable on gender and trans issues,” Madden said.

ARHI has created a petition for students demanding UW-Madison offer free menstrual products on campus.

Since 2010, gerrymandering has become a decisive factor in elections across the country.

Democrats held power in six states during the last redistricting cycle, and the district lines they constructed gave them 72 percent of those states’ legislative seats with only 53 percent of the vote.

Republicans, who did exceptionally well in state races in 2010, controlled the process in 17 states, with similarly efficient results.

In other states, such as Iowa, legislators don’t have the authority to redraw district lines. Instead they use either an independent, bipartisan commission or a nonpartisan authority to draw their maps. This is designed to limit partisan influence on the process.

Partisan redistricting has not gone unchallenged, however, as some say it violates the U.S. Constitution.

Wisconsin’s electoral map was struck down by a panel of federal judges last November for being overly partisan. Currently, the maps are being debated in front of the U.S. Supreme Court.

“I think lawmakers and governors around the country are interested in this case regardless of party,” said Gov. Scott Walker after the 2016 election. “They believe the legislative bodies should be drawing the [district] lines, not the courts.”

The court’s decision will likely have huge implications for election law. Either the court will determine a line has been crossed and proper redrawing standards must be set, or they will officially decide there is no constitutional limit to how partisan the redistricting process can be.

“What makes the Wisconsin case special is the degree to which Republicans get an advantage from the map and how durable that advantage seems to be,” Burden said.

How America’s districts look in 2020 — after the next census — will depend entirely on the court’s decision.

free speech from page 1 UW-Madison campus last year.

The lecture was interrupted when protesters and began shouting and attendees shouted back, Shapiro included. On the protestors’ way out, one person flipped off Shapiro and he responded by giving two middle fingers.

UW-Madison Police Department were there; no one was arrested and Shapiro was able to finish his leture.

Blank said she thinks the Shapiro protest is in fact an example of how things could be handled well; the protesters informed event organizers in

advance that they would be protesting for about 15 minutes and then would leave.

Students have also been very vocal about the policy, saying it will chill student speech. UW System Student Representatives released a statement thanking the Board of Regents for welcoming student input ahead of the vote, but criticized them for not giving the University of Wisconsin System authority in implementing the measures and procedure.

“Not only does this allow for greater input of the student body, but also allows for all adaption of this policy to be reviewed and

implemented by the respective institution,” the statement reads.

“Therefore, we would advocate that any further change in policy remain within the mandate of the University of Wisconsin System in the future.”

Additionally, the body was critical of the policy itself calling it “flawed in its ability to create clear standards of implementation.”

“This, in turn, creates ambiguity in regards to the free speech rights of students on university campuses,” the statement reads. “Therefore, we cannot in full faith and confidence, support such a measure.”

GINA HEEB/DAILY CARDINAL

The walls of three of the six stalls at 4 Seasons Car Wash on East Washington Avenue were wiped out after a tornado ripped through the area, affecting a number of local businesses and homes.

GINA HEEB/DAILY CARDINAL

An October tornado, a rare but not unprecedented weather event in the Midwest, hit the east side of Madison Saturday night. The tornado damaged businesses and homes in the immediate area.

tornado from page 1 But getting back to normal immediately after the tornado isn’t going be possible for everyone.

4 Seasons Car Wash, a business down the road, will only be able to operate at 50 percent after last night when the walls of three of its six car wash stalls were wiped out.

“It’s pretty much going to have to be rebuilt,” said 4 Seasons Car Wash owner Bruce Sayles. “I’m just happy that out of everywhere that got dam-

Lincoln from page 1 tory is “incredibly important,” but the Lincoln statue represents the importance of public education.

“Abe is actually here because he was the person who really created public universities in the states throughout this country in a very real way,” Blank said. “I do not see a reason to prominently label [the killings of natives] on the Lincoln statue.”

ASM Chair Katrina Morrison — whose organization passed legislation last October to recognize Columbus Day as Indigenous Peoples Day — supports putting a plaque on the statue. Morrison said that while it is important to “acknowledge Lincoln’s role in

aged, nobody was killed.” While businesses on East Washington Avenue seemed to bear the brunt of the damage, surrounding neighborhoods were also affected.

Matt Mueller, whose property and garage were damaged in the tornado, said Sunday that after spending numerous hours cleaning up the debris around his home, he was only about halfway done.

“My initial reaction was, ‘man, that’s a lot of damage,’” Mueller said.

Mueller said there was sunshine

“almost immediately after” he heard the trees on his property breaking and falling, with one hitting his garage.

Another area resident, Jason Dwars, also recalls how quickly the tornado came and went.

“I had my hand on the doorway to the basement — I was getting ready to go down — but by that time it was already over.”

A tornado hitting Wisconsin in October is uncommon but “not unprecedented,” according to the National Weather Service.

creating land grant institutions,” the university should still recognize “his brutality towards indigenous peoples.”

“We wanted a plaque near Lincoln because we wanted the university to recognize his part in the Dakota 38 massacre,” Morrison said.

“I think that [not putting a plaque on the statue] is a mistake, and I think that the history is irrefutable. It is clear that he played a huge role in the massacre and was killing innocent people for no reason.”

Mariah Skenandore, a co-president of the indigenous student organization Wunk Sheek, disagrees with Blank’s interpretation of Lincoln’s history. Skenandore said UW-Madison’s refusal to put a plaque on the statue represents

their continued oppression of marginalized students.

“They don’t acknowledge the impact that it is having on their students, and I’m impacted by [seeing Lincoln on Bascom Hill] every day,” Skenandore said. “I think the plaque is the least the university can do.”

Skenandore said that although the plaque seems unlikely, Wunk Sheek will continue to push for it.

“If we don’t keep advocating for ourselves, no one is going to advocate for us,” she said.

Wunk Sheek leaders said they will be putting signs on Bascom Monday morning promoting Indigenous Peoples Day. The group will also perform a traditional cleansing practice at the top of Bascom Hill later in the day.

science dailycardinal.com

An independent student newspaper, serving the University of Wisconsin-Madison community since 1892 Volume 127, Issue 12

2142 Vilas Communication Hall 821 University Avenue Madison, Wis., 53706-1497 (608) 262-8000 • fax (608) 262-8100

Monday, October 9, 2017

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UW community unites over jumping worms

News and Editorial edit@dailycardinal.com Editor-in-Chief Managing Editor Andrew Bahl Madeline Heim

News Team News Manager Nina Bertelsen Campus Editor Lawrence Andrea College Editor Maggie Chandler City Editor Gina Heeb State Editor Lilly Price Associate News Editor Noah Habenstreit Features Editor Sammy Gibbons Opinion Editor Madison Schultz • Samantha Wilcox Editorial Board Chair Jack Kelly Arts Editors Ben Golden • Samantha Marz Sports Editors Ethan Levy • Ben Pickman Gameday Editors Ben Blanchard • Bremen Keasey Almanac Editors Ayomide Awosika • Patrick Hoeppner Photo Editors Cameron Lane-Flehinger Brandon Moe Graphics Editors Amira Barre • Laura Mahoney Multimedia Editor Jessica Rieselbach Science Editor Maggie Liu Life & Style Editor Cassie Hurwitz Copy Chiefs Sam Nesovanovic • Haley Sirota Justine Spore • Sydney Widell Copy Editors Dana Brandt • Erin Jordan Social Media Manager Jenna Mytton Special Pages Amileah Sutliff • Yi Wu

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Dear Ms. Scientist, What is synesthesia?

Franz L.

Photo courtesy of UW-Madison

Invasive jumping worms were discovered in the UW Arboretum, pictured above, in the autumn of 2013. Community members and scientists alike are concerned about this issue.

By Lauryn Branham the daily cardinal

Many people throughout the Madison area love to spend time outdoors.

Whether it’s hiking through trails or spending time on the lakes, everyone loves the scenic views the city has to offer. Though the landscape is beautiful, there is more hiding underneath the surface than most people know.

Landscape ecology is the study of ecological processes in the environment and how they differ between ecosystems. It focuses on many different areas of the environment, ranging from the aquatic underworld to the dry deserts of Africa.

Landscape ecologists try to see how different processes affect the variety of parts of these specific landscapes, regardless of whether those changes are for better or for worse.

Not only do landscape ecologists study the physical structures of the land, but they study how these physical differences lead to the wide variety of conditions for plants to grow, how organisms live and thrive in their environments and how they can positively or negatively affect different types of environments.

Carly Ziter, a graduate student in the UW-Madison Landscape Ecology program, has been immersed within the world of biology and ecology for a long time, beginning with her undergraduate degree in Environmental Biology. But Ziter has always been passionate about the environment and its interactions and effects within our society. She is currently researching the effects on jumping worms in our environment — specifically Madison’s. Ziter became particularly interested in how the jumping worms interacted with Madison’s community.

Jumping worms are an invasive species of worms that

were discovered at the UW Arboretum in the fall of 2013, which was shocking because the species is native to East Asian countries — not the midwest. Researchers jumped on this issue and three main questions immediately came to the table: Where is the species spreading within the city, how are they spreading and what can people do about it?

Though the research began with looking at how the worms interact with a particular shrub, it evolved into studying how they were affecting Madison’s ecosystem as a whole.

“Many gardeners talk about their love for earthworms because they eat organic matter such as dead leaves or mulch and turn it into nutrients available for the surrounding plants. Jumping worms do this job a little too well,” Ziter said.

Though the jumping worms produce an abundant amount of nutrients, they release them very quickly and in large quantities. This worries researchers for two reasons: The nutrients eventually wash into the waterways and it changes the structure of the soil itself, producing a soil that resembles dried-up coffee grounds. This affects the plants, though the specific effects on plants or soil organisms is currently unknown.

“We’re really just at the beginning of learning what they might do and what problems they may or may not cause,” Ziter added.

In September of this year, Ziter and her team led a citywide survey of these creatures.

Around 40 volunteers attended the information session held at the Arboretum and contributed to the survey.

“I have been pleasantly surprised by how engaged the Madison community has been in this work,” Ziter commented.

The volunteers’ jobs were to spread across 85 sites around the city and collect samples, determine an estimate of how many worms were within the soil and note the type of habitat the samples and observations came from.

A few weeks ago, the survey concluded and the research team is now beginning to sort through all of their findings. Even though they’re just starting this data evaluation, the community has shown a large amount of support for this endeavour.

These worms are invading people’s gardens and yards, which has begun to worry many of the community members. Madison residents are very keen to understand what exactly the worms are doing and learn about the effects, positive and negative, they are having on their land.

“As a scientist and graduate student, you don’t always get community members approaching you and asking about your work. For me, this has been an interesting experience in that local people will seek me out and want me to come talk to them and educate them about this species,” Ziter added.

Since they’re at the beginning of their research, it presents many opportunities for students and community members to learn about invasive species and how they affect the campus directly.

“The UW Arboretum is a great place to start. They sometimes have student research or internships available for undergraduates. The Lakeshore Preserve has good research opportunities as well,” Ziter said.

Though there is not a large amount of information known about how this invasive species will affect the campus ecosystem, community members can remain calm knowing results are soon to come.

Synesthesia is when people perceive one sense at the same time as another. A famous example of synesthesia is sound-to-color synesthesia, or chromesthesia, where people can both hear the music and automatically “see” colors associated with the different musical notes. Several famous musicians have been reported to have this unique and special ability.

Other people with synesthesia might look at or hear words or letters and associate different colors with them as well.

As of recently, scientists are still stumped as to what exactly the biological reason for synesthesia is. Some scientists think that there might be some sort of crossover or “cross-linking” happening between different types of sensory neurons, which are specialized nerve cells that give us our five senses. Some studies have shown increased activation of the visual cortex (which is a region in the brain that helps process visual stimuli) when people with synesthesia hear words being spoken. Because of this mystery, synesthesia is still a hot research topic.

Dear Ms. Scientist, How is sound made?

Wolfgang M. Sound is made from vibrations, also known as waves. The longer the length of the waves, the lower the pitch it is. The shorter the wavelength is, the higher the pitch it is. However, sound waves also need a physical medium to travel through to reach our ears. The medium is actually what vibrates and carries the sound waves around.

Possible mediums include water, air, and even solids. The requirement for a physical medium is why sound doesn’t travel in space, since space is a vacuum and thus has no physical medium for sound to travel through.

When the sound waves reach our ears, the waves vibrate small bones in our ear. The vibrations reach tiny ear hair cells that change the vibrations into electrical signals for nerves to carry to our brains. How we interpret sound is actually when those signals reach the brain, where the brain helps us understand interpret the sound.

Ask Ms. Scientist is written by Maggie Liu. Burning science question?

Email us at science@dailycardinal.com

comics

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Coca-Cola would be green if coloring wasn’t added to it.

Today’s Sudoku

© Puzzles by Pappocom

Interested in comics, illustration, or graphics?

Branching Out

Email: graphics@dailycardinal.com

By Brendan Sullivan graphics@dailycardinal.com

Fill in the grid so that every row, every column and every 3x3 box contains the digits 1 through 9.

Eatin’ Cake

Today’s Crossword Puzzle

Declaration of Dependence by Frank Lago ACROSS 1 Criticism, informally 5 Sharp changes in direction 9 Talks like Daffy Duck 14 Solitary 15 Egg-shaped 16 Blase feeling 17 Himalayan humanoid 18 Terrible 19 Part of SUV 20 Fixture with six pockets 23 Truth twister 24 __ chi 25 Noisy bike speedway 33 Scarlett of Tara 34 Opposite of ‘neath 35 “Star Trek” navigator 36 Space station until 2001 37 Secondary list of options 41 Meadow male 42 No longer worth debating 44 Used a pew 45 Regal headgear 47 24-hour cash source 51 JFK Library architect

52 Viscount’s superior 53 Declaration apropos to 20-, 25- or 47-Across 60 Big name in printers 61 Off-Broadway award 62 Greek Cupid 64 Tennis great Rafael 65 Wise adviser 66 Like 65-Across 67 Bluish-gray 68 “Knock it off!”

69 Winter drifter DOWN 1 Go by jet 2 Pop singer Lisa 3 Voting “no” 4 Radio host Garrison 5 Aries is part of it 6 Bird collection 7 Teri of “Tootsie” 8 Inuit transport 9 Anne Rice vampire 10 Two by two, as yoked oxen 11 Hoity-toity type 12 Knit with a reverse stitch 13 Venue 21 Turkish coins

22 Far from lenient 25 “Throw __ From the Train” (1987 comedy) 26 Buckeye State sch.

27 Deck for divining 28 Dumas’ “Le __ de MonteCristo” 29 Spike of cinema 30 Ear-related 31 Writer __ Boothe Luce 32 Harold’s movie partner 38 Sprinter Bolt 39 Slugger’s club 40 In __ (unborn) 43 Outer paint layer 46 Malady 48 In a cruel way 49 “Raging Bull” star 50 Begin, as a hobby 53 Cravings 54 Milky gem 55 Meat-grading org.

56 Swampy areas 57 Be up against 58 Shiraz locale 59 For takeout 63 Fix a seam, say

By Dylan Moriarty graphics@dailycardinal.com

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Monday, October 9, 2017

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Iron Quill artist reflects on Art Nouveau tattoos

By Edgar Sanchez TATTOO COLUMNIST

IMAGE COURTESY OF SUPERHEROHYPE

Ryan Gosling and Harrison Ford star in “Blade Runner 2049,” a follow-up to the 1982 original film.

‘Blade Runner 2049’ is better than original through striking visuals, narrative depth

By Samantha Marz ARTS EDITOR

Few films have made such ripples in film debate and the entire sci-fi genre as Ridley Scott’s original “Blade Runner” film. It polarized critics and audiences alike at the time of its 1982 release — hailed for its immersive, captivating visual effects but criticized for its pacing and out-there plot. “Blade Runner” is also notorious for its multiple cuts, with Scott having the most creative control on “The Final Cut.” Having only seen the original once, I can’t say I’ve been swept up in the cult following “Blade Runner” has garnered over time, but its visual scope and philosophical themes give it an enigmatic quality that I still find myself being drawn to. On these levels, its sequel, “Blade Runner 2049,” improves, staying true to the story’s roots while expanding on what made “Blade Runner” a classic.

Scott passes off the directorial baton to Denis Villeneuve for “Blade Runner 2049,” which stars Ryan Gosling as Officer K, a blade runner tasked with tracking down and “retiring” older models of replicants — bioengineered androids that resemble human beings. When K comes across a mysterious clue about the past, his investigation leads him to Rick Deckard (Harrison Ford), a blade runner who went missing after the events of the first film.

Gosling is the standout, playing K with cool stoicism so riveting that when K’s limits are tested, his outbursts of emotion strike hard.

While Ford has a more limited role in the film than I expected, he commits to his 35-year-old role as Deckard, reviving yet another of his classic characters.

Performances across the board fleshed out this world

populated by humans and replicants. Jared Leto now seems to be synonymous with weird, creepy character portrayals, so naturally he does well as Niander Wallace, a replicant manufacturer who equates himself to a god. Ana de Armas humanizes her character Joi, a hologram with whom K is in a relationship. Sylvia Hoeks also provides depth to her portrayal of Luv, one of Wallace’s replicants. There are also a few cameos that offer a nice nod to the original film, propelling the story forward without pandering to the audience.

Perhaps the real stars of the film though are Villeneuve and cinematographer Roger Deakins. I view Villeneuve as a modern-day Hitchcock, masterfully commanding suspense and ramping up tension from scene to scene. This style comes across in many of Villeneuve’s narratives; he goes for a “slow burn” effect, pointedly taking the time to set up his characters and immerse the audience back into this pre-established world. While the pacing does slow down in parts — the film’s runtime is a lengthy 163 minutes — the visual aspect of this film alone is enough to want to keep watching.

This brings us to Deakins.

“Blade Runner 2049” marks Deakins’ third collaboration with Villeneuve, having previously worked on “Prisoners” and “Sicario,” and I think this is some of the best he’s ever shot.

Guided by Villeneuve, Deakins captures a world that feels real, striking and sometimes unsettling. Every single frame in this film is jaw-droppingly beautiful, from character closeups to sweeping landscapes to emphatic cut-ins. The compositions also take inspiration from Kubrick,

emphasizing spatial depth and symmetry. I would be shocked if Deakins doesn’t see some accolades come Oscar season.

The reason that “Blade Runner 2049” surpasses its predecessor in my eyes is because it improves on and dives more deeply into what makes the original a staple in the sci-fi genre. The characters, visuals and themes in “Blade Runner 2049” provoke questions of what it means to be “human.”

However, in fleshing out this world, Villeneuve asks us to dig deeper by making the comparisons between humans and replicants more explicit. One of the characters makes the comment that, “To be born is to have a soul,” and I think this statement provides the driving theme of “Blade Runner 2049.” The whole concept behind “retiring” a replicant presumes that these “machines” are without life, without a soul, so what blade runners do to them isn’t considered murder. But if these replicants can show emotion — as the characters in the film display — perhaps that means they can feel, think and choose autonomously like a human does.

While I don’t think viewers need to see the original “Blade Runner” to understand this film, “Blade Runner 2049” provides more nuance and depth to the story. Villeneuve, much like Scott in 1982, leaves us with these questions by the end of “Blade Runner 2049,” but I think he does so in a way that makes viewing this film more accessible than the original.

These themes, combined with mesmerizing cinematography and well-developed characters, make “Blade Runner 2049” a must-see for people who want to see the craft and precision of filmmaking on full display.

Most tattoo artists gravitate towards a style that is well known and typically popular. From the classic American Traditional to newer styles like Watercolor, these existing genres are the expected responses when asking an artist their preferred art styles. However, this is not always the case, as shown by Iron Quill co-owner Travis Browning and his dedication to a style called Art Nouveau.

Art Nouveau is a grand yet elegant style of art that has manifested itself in a variety of forms, from architecture to tattooing.

Browning credits the origin of this art style to the 19th century artist Alphonse Mucha, saying he first came across the art style around a decade ago. Browning has been tattooing for 13 years and, before he decided to specialize his craft with the Art Nouveau style, he amassed an impressive portfolio composed of vibrant and often large pieces that even dip into a goofy realm of style. Browning and I talked about one of these fun pieces I refer to as “Ninja Hot Dog.” Though he really enjoys creating those types of pieces, Browning said, “There is not enough demand for me to be doing that only as a genre.”

As we shifted the conversation back to Art Nouveau, we discussed the process of growing into this specific art style and what steps were taken to amass potential clientele. For the year that Browning has been trying to grow into an Art Nouveau exclusive tattooist, he first drew the line in the sand by only accepting larger pieces. He noted that larger pieces give him “the freedom to do more, because the detailing in

tattooing is the most limited thing, and larger pieces give me a better pace for prep work.” Browning also utilized social media outlets — notably Pinterest — and slowly took down photos of his pieces that he no longer wanted to make.

Browning describes Art Nouveau’s line work as using muted and very flat colors. He passionately emphasized that “One of the words that describes the lines is just elegance, nothing really hard with it. There are no right angles and not any pointiness. It’s very flowy, and one of the weird ways I describe it is the smell of a pie in a cartoon.”

Feminine centerpieces and natureinspired backgrounds also characterize the style. When asked if he felt any pride for honoring this artist, Browning agreed, because “It’s nice to help [Mucha’s] popularity, because it’s something that is beautiful, that is really hidden. I feel that I am putting something out there that the next person is not. It feels good to know you are putting out quality work and objectively something everyone finds as a quality piece. It feels good.” The last question I had for Browning was whether there were any messages he would like to pass on to readers. He mentioned that there are several other artists within Iron Quill that are also specializing their tattooing in newer, more unique styles. He mentioned thoughtfully that “It’s kind of weird to be at a point where I’m rejecting really good ideas that aren’t quite a perfect fit for me because I know someone else will be more passionate about it. But, part of it is the demand for what I’m doing has been more than I can keep up with for a few years now, so if I don’t pass stuff I’m not passionate with, that becomes my work.”

PHOTO COURTESY OF TRAVIS BROWNING

Browning says Art Nouveau style originated from 19th century art.

almanac Indecent Exposure

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sex and the student body

How to give yourself and your partner an O-face in October As “adults,” sex is one of the only times we truly get to play. The only rule is consent, and the possibilities are endless.

But what about when playing starts to feel more like taking an exam with only one question: How does one achieve orgasm? We might be asking this question about ourselves or our partners — either way it can take the fun right out of fooling around.

Figure out what makes you O-face alone first, talk about it with OOMF before, during or after the deed and remember that there’s so much more to pleasure than orgasm alone.

Anna Welch There are a ton of ways to talk about pleasure and orgasm, but let’s focus on the three main situations these conversations happen in and how to navigate those.

First: Brunch talk. This scenario is best for having a fairly lengthy chat about pleasure/orgasm/sex. Bringing it up over brunch (or in any non-sexual setting) allows for productive conversation without the pressure of performance in the moment.

Remember that whoever starts the conversation sets the tone, so that person should make sure to keep the vibe fun and sexy. Talking about sex is a good thing and only leads to better, hotter experiences, so don’t be embarrassed to bring it up.

Second: Show and tell. Talking about sex outside of the bedroom is great, but it’s not always possible (think one-time hook ups, the right time just hasn’t come up, etc.) Bringing it up in the moment is not only totally okay, but it can also be super sexy.

The general rule of thumb for communicating midbang is always make sure to only reinforce what’s actually working. Meaning, don’t moan, groan or say “yeah, daddy” to something unless it genuinely feels good.

It can be tempting to make sexy sounds to show appreciation, but ultimately this only sends mixed signals and prolongs the chance of orgasm. Take the opportunity to use words, sounds and physical cues to show hunny what gets you going.

For the person doing the pleasuring, try using dirtytalk-esque language to keep things sexy yet educational— this might sound like “does that feel good?” or “tell me how you like it.”

Three: Performance review. Sometimes it’s easier to talk about sex and orgasm right after the fact. “I loved when you did (insert action here), we should do that more,” or “(action) felt amazing, I think if we did that slower it might make me cum.” For this type of sexscussion, it’s crucial to keep the tone affirmative and focused on improvement.

Ayden Prehara While orgasms are by no means the end all be all of sex, it can sometimes be frustrating to feel incapable of getting there with our humans and hook ups, but often times all it takes is a little bit of TL(S)C (Tender Loving Self Care) to get us goin’.

For many, masturbating can feel taboo or unnatural, but let’s start thinking about masturbating as a great time to practice self care; this is a time just for you! Set a sexy scene for yourself: Take a bath, light some candles, find yourself a video, fan fiction, or mental image that really gets you going, and do what feels right.

Sometimes we need a helping hand to find that perfect spot — sex toys are a wonderful way to help us as we explore our bodies. Vibrators, dildos, anal beads and more can all be great ways to help us learn exactly what gets us going. Protip: It’s important to remember that the U.S. has no standards for sex toy production, which means we should be looking for reputable brands to keep our bodies safe!

Consider yourself a sex detective — a sextective if you will. Head to a local feminist sex shop like A Woman’s Touch here in Madison. Here you’ll find quality body safe toys and a comfortable environment with educated employees who can answer any of your burning questions! (And you’ll be supporting a local business! Go you!)

Sometimes the key to masturbation is patience: The first time may not be when we find that magical spot and it could take some practice as you get reacquainted with your body in a new way. Be patient with yourself and your body; soon you’ll be nutting like they do in the big leagues! Being able to know exactly what makes us tick is key to success and allows us to communicate with our partners much more effectively.

Sydney Thomas Before we wrap up, I want to hit you with an encouraging “orgasm isn’t everything” PSA. While yes, everyone loves a good orgasm, try not to let stress and the fear of performing psych you out and put negative pressure on intimate moments with your partners (that performance anxiety will only damage your time spent together).

I think people fear this idea of “ruining” sex, however, that truly isn’t possibly. Every single time we are in the bedroom is a new beginning and while sometimes something may “go wrong” or turn out differently than what we’d hoped for, there will always be another chance. Sex can only get better; we are always learning! And with each sexual encounter, orgasm does not need to be our main goal.

Sometimes we want to try out a new move with our partner, other times we just want to practice our communication. Research shows that around 75 percent of people with vulvas do not orgasm from intercourse alone, so if your partner seems like they haven’t finished once you have, don’t be discouraged! Ask if they would like you to keep focusing on them or if they are content with just being in the moment!

No matter what, we can seek out and find a ton of different pleasurable moments in the bedroom that can heighten arousal and strengthen intimacy (while having fun) but might not necessarily always lead to an orgasm (ever played naked Truth or Dare with a partner…?).

Try to focus less on that end goal and use Miley Cyrus’ “It’s The Climb” motto instead. I bet if you enjoy the journey, the end may pleasantly surprise you. Go explore, communicate, and start having amazing sex!

And that’s it! Remember that knowing your own body and having open and honest conversations with your partner is the best way to have fulfilling sexual experiences with them. You can’t expect them to be able to give you an O-face if you can’t give yourself one!

If you have topic suggestions, or just want some advice, shoot us an email at sex@dailycardinal.com

Were your ideas suppressed as a child? Never had a voice at the dinner table? Older brothers and sisters squashing your every attempt at opinionated banter? The Almanac Desk has your solution. With a twice-weekly publication and a 10,000-unit circulation around Madison, the Almanac is the best place in Wisconsin to convey your ideas. 350-word submissions can be sent to almanac@dailycardinal.com for consideration. Remember — the best way to change things is to write about them and ensure that your friends who matter read it.

Monday, October 9, 2017

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opinion

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Go Big Read author allows politics to get between storytelling JONATHAN ISAAC letter to the editor

O

PHOTO COURTESY CREATIVE COMMONS

Gun violence in the United States can be linked to the excessive amount of firearms in our country.

Thoughts and prayers are simply not enough in wake of the Las Vegas shooting ERIK FRANZE opinion columnist

W

e all know what happened in Las Vegas last Sunday.

I believe that, deep down, we also all know what needs to be done about it to lessen the possibility of such a tragedy occurring again, and again, and again, as it always seems to do.

Acceptance of a problem is the first step to solving it, yet despite this fact, many in our country feel more attached to their firearms than to basic morals.

The gun culture in this country is pervasive, toxic and extremely deadly.

It allows people like Stephen Paddock to commit acts of domestic terrorism and mass murder, who cling to not one or two guns for reasonable purposes like for sustainable sport or recreation, or for the feeling of self-protection, but feel the insane need to own an arsenal of 43 weapons, including assault rifles.

“But as all true activists know, an apology is never enough.”

Like after Orlando, Sandy Hook and so many of these events before, people are taking to social media and conversations in their daily life to offer their thoughts and prayers.

These are great, don’t get me wrong, but they are not enough.

There are integral pieces missing from these discussions.

Inaction is taking the side of the oppressors in life, and prayer and thought have no effect when

not combined with actual efforts.

Many politicians and celebrities, including everyone from Senator Elizabeth Warren to The Daily Show host Trevor Noah have stated that they will not be praying and thinking for the victims of Las Vegas.

“The gun culture in this country is pervasive, toxic and extremely deadly.”

Rather, they will be apologizing and acting.

Apologizing for the needless deaths of 59 individuals and the inaction of a government corrupted by organizations like the National Rifle Association that has allowed this to occur, by sitting idly by.

And acting, by pledging to support new initiatives in Congress and local grassroots efforts to curb gun violence.

Apologizing for a president that is quick to condemn “radical Islamic terrorism” across the globe from the comfort of his plush seat and Twitter account, thus spreading hysteria and Islamophobia, but will not label this massacre as what it is — domestic terrorism.

Apologizing for America’s lethal love affair with rifles, that manifests itself in having more guns per capita than any other nation. We make up about 4 percent of the world’s population and own 42 percent of all civilian firearms. There is something deeply disturbing, and fundamentally unnecessary, about these statistics.

Apologizing for the legal loopholes that permit individuals to obtain guns without universal background checks.

Apologizing for the injustice of police brutality that renders black bodies dispensable in the streets, as increasingly militarized police departments perpetuate racism day in and day out.

Apologizing for the ongoing segregation of America’s cities, where gentrification and white flight create vacuums that decimate communities of color and leave them underfunded, impoverished, and particularly prone to gun violence.

But as all true activists know, an apology is never enough.

What people want, and what people need, are solutions.

The time is overdue to address these missing components of the national conversation, these systemic issues plaguing America.

Certain people will claim that it is all too raw, too fresh of a wound.

But these are the moments in which change can be best harnessed, when emotions are running high and memories are still full of pain, lest we wait too long and slip into the country-wide complacency and ignorance that seems to recur after each incident.

n Monday night, a panel of three UW professors will take the stage to address this year’s Go Big Read, “Hillbilly Elegy.”

J. D. Vance, the author of the book, has declined to attend, despite the fact that he will be speaking at a $125-per-plate dinner hosted by a right-wing think tank in Milwaukee just one week later.

This should tell you all you need to know about the politics of Vance’s memoir.

We should applaud Vance for succeeding against the odds given to him as a young man growing up in poverty in Ohio and Kentucky. But we cannot accept his analysis of what causes everything that is wrong with Appalachia — namely, he argues, “hillbilly culture” and its supposed penchant for violence, aggression, pride-to-afault, and laziness.

The belief that individuals’ bad choices are to blame for their own poverty is not a new narrative, though in the wake of Donald Trump’s election it is enjoying a resurgence.

When Vance writes that the problems of Appalachia “were not created by governments or corporations or anyone else.

We created them, and only we can fix them,” he ignores the decades of mountaintop removal coal mining accelerated by government and corporations that literally crippled entire communities by selling people’s bodies to Big Coal.

He ignores the decimation of social services by a bipartisan government project that has exacerbated the opioid crisis.

He ignores the deindustrialization of the region that has been aided by government and corporations. And on and on.

But Vance doesn’t ignore these because he is unaware. He does so because it fits into his particular worldview — shared by many members of our cultural and political elite—that poor people are to blame for their own poverty.

And increasingly, liberals are inclined to believe this narrative, too. Just peep the Daily Kos article from a month after

the 2016 election: “Be happy for coal miners losing their health insurance. They’re getting exactly what they voted for.”

We know that Trump’s average voter wasn’t “white working class” — a term that the mainstream media has unfairly slandered since the election.

In fact, his supporters were/ are more likely to be affluent and middle-class. And we also know that today’s working class is multiracial, made up of multiple genders and nationalities and many people with a variety of disabilities.

But Hillbilly Elegy is an attempt to explain to the rest of the country why they don’t need to care about Appalachia — if it’s their problem, why should I be tasked with fixing it?

We need solutions that respond to human need, not victim-blaming. We need solutions that improve conditions for the worst-off in our society living under the oppressive regime of the capitalist class.

For students looking for different political answers, the International Socialist Organization is hosting a talk this Thursday on the working class by Sharon Smith — renowned author of Subterranean Fire: The History of Working-Class Radicalism and Women and Socialism.

Smith will counter the myths that Vance puts forward in his memoir, instead analyzing the historic role of workers under American capitalism and identifying their potential to change the world. Rather than focusing blame on those struggling to survive under capitalism, we must point the finger at the system itself.

The talk will take place at 7 p.m. on Thursday evening in Sterling Hall, Room 1313.

Jonathan Isaac is a graduate student in the English Department and a member of the International Socialist Organization. What are your thoughts on Vance’s Hillbilly Elegy? Do you think it is a good choice for the university-wide Go Big Read? Please send any questions, comments or concerns to opinion@dailycardinal.com.

“We make up about 4 percent of the world’s population and own 42 percent of all civilian firearms.”

These solutions are all within our grasp as a nation. We just need to be willing to reach to them, and to each other, not with the barrel of a gun, but with open arms.

What are your thoughts on gun violence in the United States? Are thoughts and prayers not enough in wake of tragedy?

Please send any and all questions, comments or concerns to opinion@dailycardinal.com.

CAMERON LANE-FLEHINGER/THE DAILY CARDINAL

Go Big Read author neglects some sides of poverty in America.

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Monday, October 9, 2017

dailycardinal.com

Men’s Hockey

With gritty performance, UW improves to split weekend series with OSU

By Ethan Levy Sports Editor

After Friday night’s 3-2 loss to Ohio State, head coach Tony Granato said something intriguing about junior forward Ryan Wagner in relation to the rest of his lineup.

“He’s a great example setter. That’s how we have to play. We all have to play like that with his effort and how he competed shift after shift.

“I wish we had more guys jump on the way he plays. I wish our guys would notice that and follow him a little bit more.”

Granato was frustrated in the rest of his lineups’ inability to emulate the two-way, scrappy, fall-intothe-boards-head-first-to-chip-apuck-deep type game that Wagner brought last night.

Tonight, however, the rest of the Badgers did follow Wagner’s lead.

Although the game wasn’t perfectly scripted, No. 12 Wisconsin (1-1 Big Ten, 2-1 overall) made enough hardnosed, Wagner-esque plays to earn a 3-2 victory over the No. 19 Ohio State Buckeyes (1-1, 1-1).

“We did [play a more spirited game]. We got a lot of it,” Granato said. “[Junior forward Jarod] Zirbel and [junior forward Dan] Labosky, two guys we inserted into the lineup tonight, had great energy. That was a much better performance by our forwards. Top to bottom our entire lineup contributed in some way.”

The Badgers’ dedication to playing a more hard-nosed game was most evident with only four seconds remaining in the third. Wisconsin took a 3-0 lead into the game’s final frame, but surrendered two goals just 24 seconds apart with less than 10 minutes to go. OSU didn’t have a lot of looks over the last eight minutes,

but it had an outstanding chance with under five seconds to play off of a Badger penalty and an offensive zone faceoff. Sophomore forward Trent Frederic lost the draw, and Ohio State looked prime to fire the puck on net. Instead, Frederic recovered, and made a sliding block to clear the zone and end the game.

“We were pretty pumped for Freddy,” senior forward captain Cameron Hughes said. “I think four or five of us went out and gave him a big hug. He’s the kind of guy that’s like, ‘well I lost the draw,’ but he made a great play and sealed the game. We need plays like that.” “‘You just make sure it doesn’t go in your net Trent,’ that was the instructions,” Granato said. “There was no way that he was letting that puck get through.”

Although Frederic’s block highlights UW’s greater dedication to doing the ever-impactful little things, junior forward Seamus Malone seemed to spearhead the Badgers’ effort for the majority of the night.

Malone constantly won puck battles, stole the puck off of Buckeye sticks and forechecked hard.

“I just tried my best to work hard out there,” Malone said. “Friday night collectively as a group we didn’t win those puck battles that we needed to, so I thought today we made an emphasis on doing that. Winning puck battles leads to goals.”

The rest of the Badgers also made similar plays. Freshman forward Tarek Baker’s game-winning tally exemplified how doing the little things leads to bigger things. In the defensive zone, Baker quickly got to the point to close on an OSU defender looking to fire on net. He kept his stick on the puck, deflected

the Ohio State shot to the corner and started the breakout. Then, in almost no time, Baker found the puck on his stick again rushing forward and beat Ohio State’s netminder Sean Romeo five-hole for the second consecutive night.

Defensive zone plays like Baker’s are imperative for success. Usually, however, they do not translate to goals as quickly as they did on UW’s third goal. More often, solid defensive plays are impactful for their tendency to thwart momentum and not allow teams to develop an offensive rhythm.

That is exactly what the Wisconsin penalty kill did tonight, as the Buckeyes went zero-for-six on the man advantage.

“A huge factor in the game tonight was how well our penalty killers [played],” Granato said. “I don’t think they got any momentum off their power play.”

According to Granato, against a fast, talented team like Ohio State, hard-nosed, dedicated hockey was necessary. The rest of the Big Ten will be similarly talented, and the Badgers will have to play like they did tonight in order to accumulate consistent success. But, at least for tonight, Wisconsin will be proud that it responded from a sluggish performance in game one this weekend to earn its first conference win of the season.

“I loved our response after giving up two [goals]. Guys wanted to be on the ice. Guys wanted to make the big pays defensively,” Granato said. “There were lots of great performances up and down our roster, and I think it was a pretty complete game for us. We played a really solid hockey game.”

Cameron Lane-Flehinger/the daily cardinal

Head coach Tony Granato was frustrated by his teams’ inibility to play scrappy enough in Wisconsin’s 3-2 loss on Friday. Fortunately for UW, the Badgers responded with a more hard-nosed effort in a 3-2 win Saturday.

100 80

98

60 40 20 0

32

UW overall point differential in each half First: 32 Second: 98

Column

Wisconsin doing enough, need to be better in order to beat elite competition Sebastian van bastelaer

Unopinionated Another week, another second-half surge by the Badgers. A dominant run game and a characteristically strong defense in the second half erased the memories of a generally dismal first 30 minutes and sent UW to its first 5-0 start since 2011. It’s tough to nitpick after a 21-point win on the road in a tough environment that broke Nebraska’s night game winning streak at 20, but there’s still a good deal to improve upon.

Given the remaining slate of games, Wisconsin may be content with the level of play it’s displayed all year. They wouldn’t be blamed — with the exception of Michigan, no other regular season opponent comes close to UW in terms of talent. But if they get complacent, it will come back to haunt them eventually.

Maybe not in the regular season.

But when the Ohio States and Penn States or even, *knocks on wood*, Alabamas of the world come knocking, nothing except a complete performance will do.

The offensive strategy in the second half of Saturday’s game was quintessential Wisconsin.

They realized (finally) that their offensive line was manhandling Nebraska’s once-vaunted “Blackshirt” defense and accordingly relied heavily on Jonathan “Jonny Heisman” Taylor to make something out of it. He delivered. His shiftiness, decisiveness and New-Jersey-state-trackchampion speed were constantly on display. During some runs, I couldn’t help but think about what he’ll be able to do in another year or two in this offense. But in the meantime, I was happy enough seeing him run roughshod over Nebraska, sealing our fifth consecutive win over our “rivals” (if you almost never lose, at what point does it kind of stop being a rivalry?).

The Northwestern and Nebraska games are now in the rearview, and Wisconsin’s prospects for returning to Indianapolis in December look better than ever. Wisconsin now holds the tiebreaker over the Cornhuskers, who still have to play both Ohio State and Penn State. Every other team in the B1G West has at least

two losses in conference play with the exception of Purdue, who will come to Camp Randall next weekend. While the Boilermakers have been a pleasant surprise in returning to better-than-awful status under rookie head coach Jeff Brohm, they’re still a couple years away from being a serious contender within the division (sadly, beating Minnesota yesterday doesn’t mean a whole lot).

With a comfortable cushion atop the division, Wisconsin now gets a particularly cushy slate of games through October and early November. They host Purdue and Maryland (I can confirm that we still need not fear the turtle), then visit Illinois and Indiana.

Those teams’ combined record in conference play is 2-6. None of them rank in the top 40 in overall defense in the country or top 50 against the run.

This is an opportunity, then, to work out the kinks and strive towards putting up more complete performances. The specter of losing a game in the near future has been mostly eliminated with the victories over the Wildcats and Cornhuskers, but this juncture of the season represents a vital crossroads. If Wisconsin continues to play to the level of their opponents, only pulling away when it’s absolutely necessary, it will be doomed to fail in late November and December. If it takes these next four weeks, however, to reaffirm its identity, perfect its run game and build on its pass defense, it can build momentum that may carry it through the rest of the season.

It would be easy for the Badgers to take their feet off the gas pedal as an already easy schedule gets easier. Head coach Paul Chryst has shown in his three seasons, though, that he continues to send the same message to his team regardless of the circumstances (having only one road loss in his entire tenure will vouch for that). Wisconsin can impress the College Football Playoff committee and give itself its best chance of experiencing a dream season if it doesn’t take these opponents lightly. Rather, it should see these games as learning opportunities, some extra reps to help it become a well-oiled machine that can dominate on both sides of the ball and on both sides of halftime. If Wisconsin’ is able to do that, it can be at its very best when it comes time — no offense, Maryland — to play some real opponents.