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NSF funds UW under-ice South Pole telescope By Kayla Johnson The Daily Cardinal
At the South Pole, buried approximately 2,400 meters in an Antarctic ice sheet, is a telescope—a cubic kilometer in volume—operated by researchers from UW-Madison. The National Science Foundation recently signed a $34.5 million agreement with the university to pay for the operation of the telescope and the IceCube Neutrino Observatory. The NSF award will allow the researchers to bring data from the South Pole to Madison, use it for physics analysis and then distribute the data to collaborators. Scientists from Germany, Belgium and Sweden contributed to the construction of the observatory and more than 250 scientists from around the world analyze the obser-
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vatory’s data. The focus of the research is neutrinos, which are smaller than a single atom, have no electrical charge and can pass through large, solid objects such as earth. The telescope detects when neutrinos collide with ice molecules and allows researchers to determine the direction the neutrino came from and its energy, according to IceCube project director Jim Yeck. Yeck said although the research is mainly “basic science,” it may provide breakthroughs in other scientific areas. “It’s a discovery tool,” Yeck said. “We are looking to identify point sources for high-energy neutrinos, but if history is any guide, we are as south pole page 2
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Los Angeles based, indie-rock duo, No Age, performed at the Majestic Theater Monday night.
Walker receives $600k from retired citizens
Danny Marchewka/the daily cardinal
Architect Matthew Alderman presents plans for the renovation of the St. Paul Catholic Center.
Committee hears proposal for St. Paul Catholic Center, approves new UW ice arena By Maggie DeGroot The Daily Cardinal
Making their rounds to several city committees, officials with the St. Paul Catholic Student Center and Residential College at UW-Madison presented plans for the proposed redevelopment of the center to the Plan Commission Monday. The plans for the proposed $45 million center would include the redevelopment of the current center at 723 State Street. The proposed 14-story space would include a residence hall for up to 175 people and would include a
chapel that could seat up to 500 worshippers. Father Eric Nielsen, St. Paul’s director, said he hopes the center will be a place where students can develop friendships. One of the project’s architects, Matthew Alderman said he aims to have the building’s architecture reflect the program while relating well to the neighborhood. “The building would contribute to the urbanism of the neighborhood surrounding it,” Alderman said. Attorney Ron Trachtenberg, who also represents the project,
said the proposed plans for the building would serve as a unique institution in the upper Midwest and help re-create Madison. Committee member Tim Gruber said he personally likes and supports tall buildings, which are a better use of the land. He also said this may be a significant issue the officials may face as they seek approval of the plans. The committee members also approved to amend the Kohl Center’s planned unit development, which would allow planning page 2
The Wisconsin Democracy Campaign announced Monday Governor-elect Scott Walker will hold “welcome back parties” for retired Midwest residents to encourage them to return to Wisconsin. Walker said he would offer tax cuts to attract retired people to Wisconsin from states such as Florida and Arizona. This may be an attempt to expand the number of retired campaign contributors in the state, The Wisconsin Democracy Campaign said in a statement. Walker was given nearly $600,000 in campaign contributions from retirees between January 2009 and September 2010. Democratic
Gubernatorial Candidate and Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett received about $220,000 from retirees. Republican gubernatorial candidates have received more funds than Democrats since the 1994 election, the statement said. In 2006 and 2009, both Republican and Democratic retirees contributed significantly more than previous years. Before 2006, Republican and Democratic retiree funding was at a similar level, but Republican retirees have since expanded the gap by consistently raising more money than Democrats. walker page 2
Architect firm selected to design new UW-Madison School of Music Representatives from the Division of State Facilities, UW System, UW-Madison School of Music and other campus offices have selected an architect firm to design the new School of Music performance center. The firm, Holzman Moss Bottino Architecture, is from New York City, but has a Wisconsin based firm, Strang Inc. The representatives chose the firm out of four finalists after viewing a presentation by each. The performance center will feature rehearsal rooms and two concert halls, which will sit 350 and 800 people.
Holzman Moss Bottino Architecture specializes in designing civic, cultural and academic buildings. The firm has designed over 30 student life facilities since its founding in 1935. Some of the firm’s works include the Georgetown University Performing Arts Center, the American Ballet Theater in New York and Middlebury College Center for the Arts. Local projects include the design of the American Players Theatre in Spring Green, WI and the renovation of the Mineral Point Opera House.
“…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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News and Editorial edit@dailycardinal.com Editor in Chief Emma Roller Managing Editor Todd Stevens Campus Editor Kayla Johnson City Editor Maggie DeGroot State Editor Ariel Shapiro Enterprise Editor Alison Dirr Associate News Editor Beth Pickhard Senior News Reporters Jamie Stark Ashley Davis Opinion Editors Dan Tollefson Samantha Witthuhn Editorial Board Chair Hannah Furfaro Arts Editors Jacqueline O’Reilly Jon Mitchell Sports Editors Mark Bennett Parker Gabriel Page Two Editor Victoria Statz Life & Style Editor Stephanie Rywak Features Editor Madeline Anderson Photo Editors Danny Marchewka Ben Pierson Graphics Editors Caitlin Kirihara Natasha Soglin Multimedia Editors Eddy Cevilla Briana Nava Page Designers Claire Silverstein Joy Shin Copy Chiefs Anna Jeon Margaret Raimann Nico Savidge Kyle Sparks Copy Editors Jacob Pearce, Duwayne Sparks
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Board of Directors Jason Stein, President Emma Roller • Cole Wenzel Samuel Todd Stevens • Mara Greenwald Vince Filak • Janet Larson Alex Kusters • Jenny Sereno Chris Drosner • Melissa Anderson Ron Luskin • Joan Herzing
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Giving thanks across the globe v. Thanksgiving
Volume 120, Issue 60
2142 Vilas Communication Hall 821 University Avenue Madison, Wis., 53706-1497 (608) 262-8000 l fax (608) 262-8100
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s we enter the commercialized orgy that is the holiday season, it’s important to think about the concept of giving thanks. Giving thanks is the gift that keeps on giving. Think about it. Unless you’re a complete asshole, whenever you get a gift, you give thanks, even if you don’t have jackdiddly to give back in return. Of course, I wouldn’t be writing any of this if ThanksGIVING wasn’t right around the corner. I wrote giving in capital letters because I’ve always been baffled by why we emphasize that half of the word. Why not
THANKSgiving? It would technically make more sense seeing as we’re giving thanks for all sorts of things, or at least pretending to. Anyway, I searched Thanksgiving on Wikipedia the other day, and the first thing I saw was that Canada celebrates it too. Wouldn’t ya know it, “America’s Hat” went and stole our holiday from us … bastards. Canada might be in America, but it isn’t America! There’s a reason the pilgrims sat down with the natives and fed them monotheism and dead animals from their own backyards—so that WE could be the only country to give thanks for these types of things. I say we scramble the jets and take back our God given right to give thanks one burning hockey stadium and dead caribou at a time. If other countries followed Canada’s lead and celebrated Thanksgiving, it would be
a catastrophe. Why, you ask? Because other countries just don’t know how to “do Thanksgiving.” France: Instead of thanking their lucky stars for their friends to the west with regard to certain world wars and their outcomes, France will be content simply in giving thanks for being better than everybody. Obviously there would have to be coffee, croissants, women with thick locks of armpit hair and long skinny moustaches to give Thanksgiving a distinctly French feel. Everyone would be talking about how great the fancy French food is, when in reality they’d just want some goddamn turkey and mashed potatoes. Ireland: Food-wise, Ireland would probably be closest to the U.S. holiday as it gets. After saying their prayers and giving thanks for either being free of those damned Catholics or
Overture model moves forward The private model plan for the Overture Center moved forward as Madison’s Board of Estimates recommended the adoption of the plan for the Common Council Monday. The alternative plan would include having the private Overture Development Corporation or 201 State Foundation, the proposed nonprofit operator of the center, take ownership of the performing arts center. Ald. Mark Clear, Dist. 19, said in a memo sent last week he will offer a substitute resolution which would have the city turn down ownership of the center, but would offer a $2 million annual grant. This grant would provide financial assistance and longterm maintenance if a non-profit
organization leases the building from the city. Ald. Jed Sanborn, Dist. 1, said Common Council should have a long-term goal rather than a shortterm goal. He said the proposed plan could not accomplish much in helping the Overture succeed for a long period of time. Clear, who first proposed the private model, said he hadn’t envisioned the plan as a short term solution. He said its hard to tell what will be deemed appropriate in several years. Ald. Mike Verveer, Dist. 4, said he would not be able to support the motion because the proposed plan for the center is taking a step backward. “I hope we get to a place where
I can support a clear future for the Overture Center,” Verveer said. Satya Rhodes-Conway also said she did not feel comfortable voting for what was proposed at the meeting. She said her main concern is how the Overture employees will be treated. “I’m looking for something I can say yes to, but I haven’t yet,” RhodesConway said. Board members also voted to adopt the purchase of auto dealer Don Miller’s 7.76 acres on East Washington Avenue using a land banking fund. Mayor Dave Cieslewicz previously announced the proposal of purchasing the land in order to break it into smaller parcels for redevelopment.
DPI proposes $326 million in new funding The Department of Public Instruction announced increased funding and alternatives for a proposal to alter Wisconsin’s school finance system Monday. Under the original proposal, $900 million in property tax credits would go towards education, while attempting to keep property taxes down. In the first year, $3,000 in general aid funds would be allocated to each student in the school system. During the following year, aid would increase by 2 percent of the total DPI budget.
An additional $326.5 million should be granted for general aid funds, DPI said in a statement. Adding more state funding for schools makes property taxes more likely to stay the same, according to Director of the Legislative Fiscal Bureau, Bob Lang. The DPI released two scenarios that refine their original plan. The first scenario would give 235 more school districts aid while 190 districts would get less. The second scenario would give
235 more districts aid while allowing 190 districts to retain their current funds. An additional $71.4 million would be required to keep the 190 districts with the same amount of funding they have under the current financing model. Estimates from the DPI are reasonable had they been applied to 2010 to 2011, the Legislative Fiscal Bureau said in a statement. The bureau said it will be tough to increase K-12 funding because the state’s general education fund is in need of assistance.
walker from page 1
south pole from page 1
planning from page 1
Republican candidates for state legislature also earned more in campaign donations than their Democratic opponents. Retirees from both parties gave a total of $1.2 million to legislative candidates from January 2009 to September 2010, the statement said. This is more funding than any other special interest or occupational group contributed. —Beth Pickhard
likely to discover things we are not looking for as what we are looking for.” Yeck said the award is recognition that the university was successful with the construction and is believed to be successful with the operation stage as well. “It’s a clear recognition that UW has the talent and the capabilities to take on large complex science projects,” Yeck said.
construction for the new UW-Madison ice hockey and swimming facility. The La Bahn Arena, named after UW-Madison alumnus Charles La Bahn, will serve as a practice facility for the men’s and women’s hockey teams. The $27.9 million arena will also host the women’s hockey team’s home games. Ald. Mike Verveer, Dist. 4, said the project has received approvals all the way along the city process and does not predict the project should face problems getting final approval. “The UW Athletic Department has openly talked about their desire to build such a facility for well over a decade,” Verveer said. The plan will be up for final approval from the city at Common Council on Nov. 30.
Short attention span? Short attention span? Short attention span?
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Protestant swine, (depending on their North/South status), the potato binge would officially begin. Unfortunately, the unprecedented potato consumption would probably cause a second devastating potato blight and spike Irish immigration into the United States, finally easing some of the pressure off of the Mexicans. Israel: I’m sure Israel would have plenty of thanks to give for their wonderful neighbors. Unfortunately, because three quarters of the country is in the army or on the lookout for incoming missiles, the strictly nonpork meals would have to be parachuted to families across the country. From another country and celebrate thanksgiving? Well fucking stop! E-mail Andrew at aplahr@wisc.edu, to defend your county’s case if you feel you can’t desist, even though your argument will inevitably crash and burn.
Madison man punches women Madison Police arrested a 44-yearold Madison man after he punched two women in the face near the intersection of West Mifflin Street and State Street early Saturday morning. The suspect, Jeffrey Harris, is facing charges on two counts of battery, including one count of substantial battery, according to a police report. The 26-year-old victim told Madison police she thought the suspect used a derogatory word for females. The woman confronted Harris about it and he allegedly hit her in the face. The victim’s friend, a 25-year-old woman, then followed the suspect. Harris punched the woman in the face, causing her to fall to the ground, police said. The 25-year-old victim was taken to a hospital, where she received stitches to close a head wound. “A 30-year-old Madison man, who witnessed the attacked, chased after the suspect and pulled him to the pavement,” Madison Police Department spokesperson Joel DeSpain said in a statement. The suspect remained pinned down on North Carroll Street until police placed him in handcuffs.
Eagon will not run for re-election UW-Madison student Ald. Bryon Eagon, Dist. 8, announced Monday he will be running for re-election in the spring. The UW-Madison senior has decided to join Teach For America and is moving to New York City next year instead of running for a second two-year term on the Madison Common Council. Eagon said he hopes the next representative for District 8 will work on issues important to both the campus and downtown community. “It is my plan to support a candidate who will use this position to shape local policy and achieve tangible results, not fight ideological battles or fulfill personal ambitions,” Eagon said in a statement. Ald. Mike Verveer, Dist. 4, said he really admires Eagon’s sense of public service, which he will be able to continue doing through Teach For America. “I know I speak for the entire City Council when I say that Bryon will be missed,” Verveer said. UW-Madison Student Kyle Szarzynski announced last week he will run for the seat.
opinion TSA strips away our rights dailycardinal.com/opinion
Lydia statz opinion columnist
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e r e’s s o m e a d v i c e for all the Badgers out there getting on a plane to head home for Thanksgiving: Get ready to abandon your civil rights at the security line. The Transportation Security Administration has gone just a little bit too far this time by implementing security measures that obviously infringe on our Fourth Amendment rights. Any passenger in a U.S. airport can now randomly be selected to go through a full-body scanner to search for concealed weapons or explosives. In addition to unsettling concerns over the radiation they emit, they produce near-naked pictures that leave little to the imagination of the TSA agents monitoring the screens. Anyone concerned about their privacy or potential health risks can opt-out of the scanning, but will consequently be subjected to a new kind of “pat-down” to check for potential threats concealed under clothing. I’m all for preventing terrorist attacks, but when the government decides air travelers should be forced to give up their civil liberties in the name of perceived safety, we’ve gone too far. The Fourth Amendment protects all citizens against “unreasonable search or seizure without probable
cause,” and even under the loosest interpretation it’s tough to see how these new security measures fit within those boundaries. Since when does trying to get to grandma’s for the holidays constitute “probably cause” for a search? President Barack Obama finally spoke out about the new regulations this weekend, responding to growing concern and outrage over the procedures. He said though he understands passengers’ frustrations, the measures are necessary in order to protect ourselves from the newest terrorist attack methods. There are two major issues I would like to point out in his statement. First, I find it very hard to believe he “understands” at all what the average American goes through in the airport security line. Most members of congressare exempt from the regulations, and are ushered right past throngs of average citizens. And I doubt the President has been through normal airport security in quite a few years. Secondly, these new procedures are in response to the failed Christmas day bombing of 2009 and not actually based on any new intelligence about terrorist technology. The TSA is at least one step behind the enemy, not leading the way as they would like you to believe. Aside from assertions that the scanners are ineffective, the new security measures are just downright humiliating. Images from full-body scanners have already been leaked over the Internet. Multiple breast
cancer survivors have been forced to remove their prosthetic breasts to allow TSA agents to examine them. A bladder cancer survivor was left covered in his own urine after a patdown dislodged his urostomy bag, leaking all over his clothing. There’s even a YouTube video of a young boy supposedly being strip-searched in the airport. So far the only response from the TSA has been to say if citizens don’t agree with the procedures, then they can choose not to fly. It’s a good theory, but something tells me millions of business people, vacationers and people with family on the other side of the country would disagree. There is something we can do to show the government just what we think about the way they protect our safety, however. This Wednesday— one of the biggest travel days of the year—is National Opt-Out Day. This Internet campaign urges anyone traveling that day to opt-out of the body scanners, and subject yourself to a pat-down. Some are even urging passengers to wear kilts, commando style, or to strip down to their underwear upon entering the security line. I hope the braver among those of you flying home for the weekend will participate in this movement, and show the government they can at least expect a fight when they take away our rights. Lydia Statz is a junior majoring in international studies and journalism. Please send all feedback to opinion@dailycardinal.com.
State needs more money for education Sam Witthuhn opinion columnist
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ids can be cruel. Not only will they proudly point out your flaws with ease, but their three-second attention span makes them forget what they said before you have the chance to make a desperate comeback. And while you may have a little extra arm fat than the average individual, talking sense into children requires continual effort and determination. Students who have tutored in K-12 schools know the struggles that come with teaching more than anyone. I believe I speak for the majority of volunteers when I say additional resources, assistants and teachers are needed to adequately target the individual learning requirements of all students. Federal and state deficits have grown to a level worthy of absorbing funds that should be allocated toward education. According to a recent Badger Herald article by Ryan Rainey, state aid was cut by 8 percent for education this year, a decrease from the 15 percent that was cut the year before. The lack of money for public school districts is a problem, but viable solutions have yet to help overworked teachers and under-taught students. Wisconsin School Superintendent Tony Evers released a plan that may save teachers some hair pulling Monday. The new Department of Public Instruction plan suggests reallocating $900 million in tax credits—primarily from property taxes. Although the 2 percent budget increase ups the education budget by
$25 million, taxpayers will not feel the burden of additional education expenses. Instead, the money comes from preexisting resources, granting $3,000 per student across Wisconsin. While the financial aspect of Evers’ strategy deserves praise, the fact that it targets districts based in communities dealing with poverty deserves the real recognition. Schools in Milwaukee, Racine and many other communities constantly struggle with students living in lowto no-income families. And kids who deal with outside stress are less likely to be motivated—making it difficult for teachers with limited resources to reach out to troubled students. According to a study conducted by Rutgers University and the Education Law Center, Wisconsin was given a C grade for providing school districts comprised of poorer students with materials needed for quality education. Evers understands this problem. While all school districts across Wisconsin will receive funding from his plan, areas like Milwaukee and Racine are expected to qualify for increased funds of about 20 percent due to their many underprivileged students. Teachers will receive additional aid to combat specific problems in the classroom, helping them meet the needs of individual students. The plan finances special and high-cost education as well as bilingual and student achievement programs designed to promote going above and beyond. This win-win nature of the new DPI plan contrasts with Governorelect Scott Walker’s views on educational reform. Throughout his campaign, Walker’s suggestions to improve education relied heavily on “turnaround contracts,” agreements that rate administrative officials and classroom teachers based on student
achievement levels, and putting the government into risky territory. Formulating evaluations based on student performance is a completely backwards method. If students are failing to meet learning requirements it is because the government is failing to provide school districts with proper aid to hire additional staff and buy necessary classroom materials. Walker continues to suggest that if schools repeatedly fail to meet education levels, then shutting down parts of the district and enrolling students elsewhere is the next possible solution. But this idea only seeks to cram more students into packed classrooms that already lack the resources needed to patrol it. If the state is serious about doing away with poor education practices, then it needs to start by disassociating school districts with poor monetary standards. The only way students and teachers can be expected to excel is if they are provided with the tools necessary to do so. The cliché is true; students are the future. Building a system in which Wisconsin’s K-12 school districts can prosper is going to take extra money. If Evers’ plan covers proper budget maneuvering that results in additional state funding without burdening Wisconsin taxpayers, then Walker needs to take the strategy seriously. He needs to focus his attention on supporting its passage rather than remaining silent on the matter. But judging by his history as Governorelect, it’s more likely he’ll just attempt to transfer the stimulus money set aside for high-speed rail toward education and then we’ll really see what the word “boondoggle” means. Sam Witthuhn is a junior majoring in journalism and political science. Please send all feedback to opinion@dailycardinal.com.
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
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No more Afghan war Mike kujak opinion columnist
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his Saturday, President Barack Obama used his final press conference before leaving the NATO summit to cement his intention to have the United States remain in Afghanistan until at least 2014. This announcement was disturbing for several reasons and confirms the sad truth that, even though the war in Afghanistan is a lost cause, politicians will continue the exploit our soldiers for political or economical gain. First, the announcement came just days after Afghan President Hamid Karzai urged the U.S. to start withdrawing immediately from his country. Karzai argues that the United States needs to withdraw and stop its night raids on Afghan citizens’ homes because it helps the Taliban’s efforts more than it harms them. The newest International Council on Security and Development polls claim that about 92 percent of young Afghan men in Kandahar and Helmand provinces know nothing about Sept. 11. Another 43 percent can’t find anything good to say about democracy, either. These disturbing numbers supports the ever-growing belief that any war efforts made by the U.S. Army will be rejected by the majority of Afghan citizens and their government and will be a horrible waste of taxpayers’ money.
Any war efforts made by the U.S. Army will be rejected by the majority of Afghan citizens and their government.
Furthermore, the announcement is even more disturbing because just a year ago at a U.S. Military Academy in New York, Obama announced that the U.S. would begin withdrawing troops from Afghanistan in July of 2011. Three more years might not sound like a lot in the “forever war” but wait until you see its price tag: You’ll wave goodbye to another estimated $125 billion dollars of taxes. Perhaps the most puzzling aspects of this increased withdrawal strategy is the action that occurred just days before it. Last Friday, President Obama started sending in U.S. tanks into Afghanistan. Actually, the tanks look eerily similar to the Soviet Army tanks that occupied Afghanistan 25 years ago. It looks like we’re starting to use a few military strategies from the old Soviet playbook. One of the most powerful images towards the end of the Cold War was the Soviet tanks rolling out of Afghanistan. America had quietly equipped the Afghan people with the weapons they needed to defeat Russian tanks and helicopters that were killing civilian Afghans every day. It’s a tragic irony that the civilians we helped save from the Soviet Army just 25 years ago are now being killed or subjected to dangerous night raids by our own U.S. government.
A new Quinnipiac poll found 50 percent of American voters think the U.S. should not be involved in Afghanistan, this being the first time so many voters have opposed the war. So, why are we continuing a war when the majority of U.S. voters, the Afghan people and their government want us to leave? Why are we following in the Soviet Union’s footsteps? The sad reality is a mixture of two reasons. First, military and oil contractors are some of the most powerful lobbyists in Washington and they love the idea of a never-ending war because it leads to never ending profits. You can almost hear the shouts of glee after the President’s announcement from the headquarters of companies such as Bechtel and Halliburton as they undoubtedly will be first in line to reach into the pockets of the American tax payer to collect billions. The second reason for the increased deadline is a political one: The problem of admitting our mistake. Our government’s foreign policy has become a demented game where neither team wants to play with a kid who doesn’t follow the rules; even if the rules are absurdly dangerous and unethical. Presidents Obama, Bush or any after the Cold War couldn’t stop the military contractors even if they wanted to. The lobbyists fund the elections and have a great deal of influence on who has power at the end of the day. It’d be near impossible to win the presidency without their blessing. The president may claim that it’s a frustrating but necessary action to increase the deadline to 2014. By “necessary” he actually means necessary to his re-election in 2012. Cutting the military budget or showing signs of abandoning the war is simply off limits in today’s two-party system. At the end of the day, President Obama has to make a very hard decision: Who will be the last soldier to die for a mistake? A decision like that will haunt you, maybe even break you. Unfortunately, those are the kind of decisions that you have to make as the leader of a country. If you can’t make them, why worry about securing your second term in office? Why wait to pass it off to the next guy if the time in-between is going to lead to more deaths? The president needs to stop worrying about the 2012 election or the industrial military complex’s quarterly profits and start thinking about the first soldier’s life that he’s going to save with his decision. The day he makes that decision is the day we can start to believe in the change that he promised us two years ago. Mike Kujak is a sophomore intending to major in journalism. We welcome all feedback. Please send responses to opinion@dailycardinal.com.
arts
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Tuesday, November 23, 2010
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Part 2 of 2
The Weather Duo Photo Courtesy The Weather DUo
Using pedals, knobs and other doo-hickeys, Madison’s Pat Reinholz and Ben Willis morph their classical instrumentations radically. These two, who play cello and upright bass, respectively, compose The Weather Duo, a self-described “post-contemporary electro-acoustic ensemble.” Depending on the moment, you might hear whales moaning, tree branches cracking under the weight of the wind or lightning bolts punching a crater through a field. And sometimes those actual details are as much a surprise to the songwriters as they are to the listeners. Most of what Reinholz and Willis perform live are improvisations, or more appropriately, variations on a theme. They start with an idea and let it evolve organically, allowing each song whatever gestation period it requires. They each hang their creativity in a balance between them, and let gravity decide which way the pendulum falls. And that can take a while. They approach songwriting like a floating seed—they don’t know where they’re going, but they’ll know when they get there. The Weather Duo is not just painting a picture of geographical beauty; they’re creating an experience. More recently, they’ve had help. Of late the twosome have added a third member, Anna Weisling, to assist their live setup. But instead of another classical instrument, Weisling adds weight to the Duo’s more visceral aspects by projecting video too back up their performances. The films make the tangible portions of the Duo’s setup more textured and the abstract components more structured. And while Reinholz and Willis fiddle around with composition and rhythm, Weisling matches them step for step, distorting and manipulating her films in a similarly improvisational way. Together, they tap into nature’s most primitive beauty through mankind’s most advanced technology. At worst, it sounds esoteric; at best, it’s majestic. ––Kyle Sparks
The Count
The Count wants to play at your bar mitzvah. The band advertises their going rates for Jewish celebrations as “mediocre,” but guarantees “Hava Nagila” will be played. And although the announcement was in jest, the Count has taken an alternative approach at booking shows. “It’s hard to get gigs around here,” guitarist Ben Schapiro said. “Especially if you aren’t 21 and can’t play at bars. We’ve been playing at house parties a lot.” Despite this difficulty, Schapiro said he and his bandmates are having fun just playing music. The Count recently finished recording a seven-song EP titled Four Triplets, which contains a bit of musical wordplay, as four triplets is an impossibility. Schapiro takes the album title to what bassist Liam Moore described as “another level.” “It’s also sexy. That’s why I like it,” Schapiro said. “’Cause triplets, when they’re girls, are sexy. And if there’s four sets of triplets...” Even though written descriptions can never quite do a band justice, the Count’s eclectic sound is best outlined through each member’s influences. Drummer Will Rose cites “fast, technical, hard drummers” like Jon Theodore, former drummer for the Mars Volta, as giving the Count part of its jazz-rock vibe. Moore names Beethoven and Victor Wooten as principal shapers of his style, while Schapiro’s delicate-yet-powerful fretwork brings jazz musicians like John Coltrane to mind. The newest addition to the group, vocalist Brittany Lumley, brings a burning, emotion-filled layer of singing influenced by Ella Fitzgerald to round out the Count’s sound. The Count’s lineup may have been recently finalized, but each member is no stranger to the musical world. Rose creates hip-hop music under the name Wilrose with Milwaukee-based music producer Haywyre. Lumley sings for the Black Music Ensemble, has her own solo work and creates folk music with Martin Potter, a member of another band Schapiro is in, Dirty Jive. —Nate Gessner
Bakerseis Photo Courtesy Bakerseis
Consisting of UW-Madison seniors Dustin “Baker” Bui and Robert “Seis” Sixsmith, Bakerseis (formerly Baker VI) seem immune to the senior slump. While staying on top of their studies in strategic communication, the hip-hop duo has spent the last few months writing, recording and mixing a handful of new tracks including “Gatorade Shower” and “Face The Music,” releasing the latter last week. With only a limited bank of resources (a Macbook and a mic), the strength of Bakerseis’ music lies more in their rapping than it does in any studio mastery. “He’s tricky, he’s metaphoric,” Sixsmith said in reference to Bui’s style. “You won’t catch his lyrics the first time … you’ll catch them the second time, maybe the third time.” While Bui described Sixsmith’s lyrics as “raw,” it’s clear from listening to Bakerseis that their vocal and lyrical styles compliment one another very well. Equally intriguing are the eclectic samples that lay the groundwork for Bakerseis tracks. From the classic Camp Randall Stadium thumper “Jump Around” to Andrew Bird’s more serene “Oh, No,” Bakerseis’ samples reflect the many influences the duo have, as well as the dexterity of the lyrics that accompany them. That said, their formula is nothing fancy. “I basically try to sample what I’m interested in,” Bui said. Bakerseis had the opportunity to perform last month at The High Drive in Champaign, Illinois. “It was all experience for us,” Sixsmith said of their first performance away from the Memorial Union. While their schoolwork remains Bakerseis’ top priority for now, they remain optimistic about the band’s potential. One of Bakerseis’ songs, “Half Full,” features a chorus with the line, “Bakerseis is going places.” And that might just be the truth. ––Jon Mitchell
Terrior Bute
Made up of two synthesizers and one drummer, Terrior Bute sounds like an awful idea. Dance punk has undergone too many iterations for most Americans already, and the world will do just fine with only one Matt & Kim, thanks. Yet the Madison (via Milwaukee and Chicago) trio manage to wrestle a divide out of the hackneyed synth circus to sound progressive. Everything about Terrior Bute feels borne of the future. Their narratives may as well take place in intergalactic shopping malls, and their synths often sound like flying cars gliding by to deliver pizzas or on their way to a skatepark—for hoverboards. But the real quality that separates Terrior Bute from their myriad synth-punk brethren is their ability to invoke very human elements from the most non-human machinery. Ryan Coogan and Jeff Graupner pound their synths with ferocious immediacy, stirring up a mothership of entropy that is only wrangled together by Henry Chern’s riotous drumming. Graupner’s synthesizer was once a keytar; but if you’ve been lucky enough to witness one of the group’s maddeningly infrequent, hyper-spastic live sets, you can probably guess why he made the switch. They are what Devo might have been had Mark Mothersbaugh gone to high school in the middle of the ’00s punk/ska resurgence. Terrior Bute’s modus operandi is summed up pretty well on “Bumps in the Night,” off their debut LP, Return to Astro Castle, as Graupner sings, “Rock ’n’ roll is taking control.” They avoid the pitfalls of other synth-punk acts by treating their keys as an ends, not an inescapable means in their prog-punk songwork. They plan to release a short EP toward the end of this year, and after last year’s Realm Dwellers, it’s fair to expect another space-age thrill ride. So if you don’t care about the future, don’t bother listening—your totally hip grandkids will just figure it out for themselves. ––Kyle Sparks
photo courtesy roc-a-fella
With Fantasy, Kanye West releases an album to match his “Monster” ego.
Kanye’s hard work pays off on brilliant ‘fantasy’ By Aimee Katz
“Hell of a Life” complement Kanye’s anthemic lyrics. The outro of the song If you haven’t already noticed, sums up Kanye’s prerogative of doing Kanye West back. After a long two whatever he wants: “I think I fell in years of patiently waiting for him to love with a porn star / And got married release a new album, we have My in a bathroom / Honeymoon on the Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy as a dance floor / And got divorced by the whole. I say that because it’s quite pos- end of the night / That’s one hell of a sible you’ve already heard all the songs life.” He asks for judgment, though it’s on this new album. It doesn’t matter, entirely clear that West has no reservathough. Listening to the full album is tions about disregarding the status quo to bask in the brilliance of the com- when it comes to living his life. Opening with “Dark Fantasy,” plete production. My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy Kanye had no choice but to close is sheer excess and glamour. One his album just as dramatically with can’t help but notice the diversity of “Who Will Survive in America?” Bon sounds involved in each track, how Iver makes his second appearance on this track (the first many words are in CD REVIEW being in “Power”), the album title, how with one minute of many album covers a capella singing in have been released, the beginning. The the soirée of friends music then breaks and guest artists feainto an ensemble of tured; the list goes tribal-like sounds, on. The size of West’s only to blend into ego is pretty out in My Beautiful Dark Gil Scott-Heron’s the open; it is more Twisted Fantasy “Comment #1.” than clear that he Kanye West The spoken word tried very, very hard with this album. All this work paid piece is followed by a simple round off because, really, My Beautiful Dark of claps. There should have been an overwhelming ovation for the album. Twisted Fantasy is too good. Simply put, this album provides a The album begins powerfully with the track “Dark Fantasy,” which also lot to analyze: Producers, guests and opens West’s noir film “Runaway.” even the faces of Kanye West himself. Once the beat kicks in, you’re auto- The music is extremely relevant to matically drawn to the sparkle and today’s generation because West identisexiness of the album as a whole. fies with a need to be well received and “Dark Fantasy” is a type of spoken liked, as do most. We should never word piece, with West speaking of his settle for less. Kanye has already told himself that past and how he found “bravery in he thinks he’s the best. What we know, his bravado.” however, is that Kanye is the best. His evolution of hip-hop to an entirely West does anything he wants, and new genre of music is more than judging by this album, what he apparent on My Beautiful Dark Twisted wants is to warp the music world Fantasy. His perfectionism and egotistiinto something completely new. cal tendencies force him to produce something he knows no one else can. Scrutinize and think what you “All of the Lights (Interlude)” is a want about Kanye West, he’ll never beautiful string compilation, leading care. Kanye does anything he wants, horns and intense percussion to “All and judging by this album, what he of the Lights,” which features a total wants to do is warp the music world of eleven artists. I’m not the biggest into something completely new. On Rihanna fan, but her efforts are the his track “Gorgeous” he even makes an most evident. Elton John also seizes allusion to this attitude: “Is hip hop / some of the spotlight on the piano, just a euphemism for a new religion / making for one of the more powerful the soul music for the slaves / that the collaborations on the album. youth is missing?” Though this album “Monster” lies in the middle of the features the talents of many other artalbum, and it has been changed slight- ists, West’s distinct genius is the definily since its G.O.O.D. Friday release. tive highlight of each track. The track’s provocative beat embodies My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy a strong message from Kanye: everyone is the domination of Kanye in the knows he is a monster. Bluntly, Nicki musical world, and he invites us to join Minaj’s verse is just insane. She speaks on “Power”: “The clock’s tickin’ / I just in a number of different accents and count the hours / Stop trippin’ / I’m speeds, messing a little with your mind trippin’ off the power / ’Til then, fuck and topping her performance on the that / The world’s ours.” That said, let’s track’s summer release. have one toast of many to Kanye West The instrumentation and beat of and one of the best albums of the year.
THE DAILY CARDINAL
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REVENGE OF THE TURKEYS!
Evil Bird
production in 2001. Forty-three million turkeys were produced.
dailycardinal.com/comics
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
Today’s Sudoku
Good for something. Minnesota led the United States in turkey
By Caitlin Kirihara kirihara@wisc.edu
© Puzzles by Pappocom
Graph Giraffe Classic
By Yosef Lerner graphics@dailycardinal.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.
Eatin’ Cake
By Dylan Moriarty eatincake@gmail.com
Today’s Crossword Puzzle
Crustaches
By Patrick Remington premington@wisc.edu
By Oliver Buchino buchino@wisc.edu
Hot Sauce Answer key available at www.dailycardinal.com In the Tool Box
ACROSS 1 Red Riding Hood’s nemesis 5 Greek writer of fables 10 Not drooping 14 Ab follower on the Hebrew calendar 15 Dance that originated in Cuba 16 Indian princess 17 Boris and Lon’s contemporary 18 Genetic attribute 19 Soprano’s solo 20 Attempts a quick escape 23 Legendary soul-seller 24 Plant once used as a laxative 25 Ballpoint insert 28 Does something 30 Chapters of history 31 Happen as a consequence 33 Quilting event 36 Finishes a four-man race 40 Trevino of the links 41 Excessively enthusiastic 42 Step in a chess game 43 It may be hard to resist 44 Poked fun at
6 4 49 51 57 58 59 60 61 2 6 63 4 6 65
Completely ridiculous Embarrassing episode Dismounts perfectly A or B, on a cassette Sharpener Heavy horse cart Nights before events Indian state bordering Bhutan Dubai leader Thomas Hardy’s Durbeyfield “Superbad” extras Have the chutzpah
DOWN 1 Sergeant Friday portrayer 2 Bar at the dinner table, perhaps 3 Temporary calm 4 Sole, e.g. 5 Dodger descriptor 6 Modern Old World money 7 Hurt a little 8 News item that often includes a person’s age 9 It may be worn in the woods 10 Off-season moves 11 Brother of Moses 12 Strike force? 13 Pageant crown 21 Mineo in movies
2 2 25 26 27 28 29 31 32 33 34 5 3 37 38 39 43 4 4 45 46 7 4 48 49 0 5 52 53 4 5 55 56
Glyceride, for one Nonfiction, e.g. Seaside raptor Meet head-on Pale-looking Pool player’s stick To be, in Latin Unnamed degree Shapeless movie monster Wasp’s nest site, perhaps Gazed upon Man-eating monsters Toupee Traveling with soldiers, as journalists Word introducing an alternative Makes more bombs Place to stay the night Miniature photo, maybe Too trusting Staff assistants Word with “common” or “horse” Unsullied Definitely not this Extinguisher attachment “___ la Douce” (film) Dipilatory brand “Did ___ and gimble in the wabe” (“Jabberwocky”)
Washington and the Bear
By Derek Sandberg kalarooka@gmail.com
sports
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Men’s Basketball
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
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Women’s Hockey
Nation’s premier rivalry to be renewed this weekend By Nico Savidge the daily cardinal
Matt Marheiene/cardinal file photo
Senior guard Jon Leuer, who managed just 10 points Saturday against UNLV, will need to step it up this week in the Old Spice Classic if the Badgers are to find some success against quality opponents.
Badgers look to rebound after tough UNLV loss at ‘Classic’ By Max Sternberg the daily cardinal
Coming off a disappointing loss at UNLV Saturday, the Wisconsin men’s basketball team is set to head down to Orlando, Fla., to open the Old Spice Classic Thursday afternoon. Now unranked after the season’s first defeat, a a victory in the tournament would be huge as the Badgers try to get a few quality wins over the course of a fairly benign non-conference schedule. While last year’s third-place finish in a loaded Maui Invitational got UW back into the conversation as a top team on national stage, third-place probably won’t be enough in this year’s old spice classic, a normally strong holiday tournament that just happens to have caught a few programs on the wrong year. In addition to Wisconsin’s first opponent, MAAC member Manhattan, the field includes big name programs Texas A&M, Cal,
Notre Dame and Boston College, with Temple and Georgia rounding out the eight-team bracket. Among these eight, however only Temple is currently ranked among the top 25. But while the weak field means that nothing short of first place will do much to boost the Badger non-conference resume´, it also gives Wisconsin an opportunity to face some strong programs that are certainly beatable. Unlike Maui last year, a tourney title is not out of the realm of possibility, and an Old Spice Classic title is always a boost to that all-important profile come tournament selection time in March. Putting first things first, the Badgers must shed the disappointment of last weekend’s Vegas rendezvous and put up a quality performance against Manhattan. After finishing 11-20 last season, and still struggling to replace AllMAAC guard Rico Pickett, the Jaspers are a young, inexperienced team who present UW with a per-
fect opportunity to get back into their winning ways. That said, Manhattan comes into the tournament having beaten a solid Penn team last Wednesday and is another team that can get hot quickly, shooting just under 45 percent from the field so far this season. Should they win, it would be either Boston College or Texas A&M. Both prominent programs are having down years, and this match-up will be pivotal as the Badgers have yet to beat a high major this year and have only North Carolina State and Marquette left on their non-conference slate after this weekend. Though BC is clearly having a down year, having already lost at home to Yale, Texas A&M may be a dark horse contender in the competitive Big 12 conference race and a win over the Aggies would look great on the resume´ in the spring. The other side of the bracket appears to be more competitive on paper. Temple will face a good Cal team coming off a commanding victory over New Mexico Saturday while Notre Dame and Georgia both need quality wins of their own to get back into the national conversation. After coming up a bucket shy in Las Vegas and now having the opportunity to pick up two muchneeded high major wins, the Old Spice Classic is truly make-orbreak chance for the non-conference portion of the UW season.
evans from page 8 that even Derek Jeter can be subject to Yankee hardball, the harsh reality that the the team willing to pay more for somebody else’s free agents than their own. To the Yankees, this is what Jeter is: an aging shortstop that will be 37 next season, whose usefulness in the field has decreased significantly in the past few years (don’t let those Gold Gloves fool you) and, who is coming off his worst statistical season at the plate of his career. So even though Jeter has meant so much to the Yankees over the years, he is looking to match the annual salary of his last contract,
In women’s college hockey, rivalries do not get much bigger— or more important— than the one between Wisconsin and Minnesota-Duluth. Since the start of the NCAA’s women’s hockey national championship 10 years ago, either the Badgers or the Bulldogs have won it eight times, with Duluth adding its fifth title last year. As a result, the path to a national title often includes a matchup between the two teams late in the postseason. When the teams meet Friday and Sunday, then, No. 1 Wisconsin and the No. 3 Bulldogs, will in all likelihood, be previewing even more meaningful games to come this spring. “The games we’ve played over the past five or six years certainly helps create a rivalry,” Wisconsin head coach Mark Johnson said. “We’ve matched up quite a bit in the past five years, and the team that’s won it has carried the hardware.” According to Johnson, the Badgers and Bulldogs’ rivalry comes from the similarity in the teams’ players, more specifically the fact that they are some of the best in the world. “Their teams are well-coached, they’ve got good players, they’ve got elite players, they’ve got international players,” he said. “You look at our teams from the past seven years you can say a lot of the same things.” Although it never found its
goal-scoring ability lacking, the Wisconsin offense has plenty of confidence after a series in which the Badgers outscored non-conference opponent Robert Morris 14-2. Freshman forward Brittany Ammerman said that is something the team will look to carry over against Duluth. “We’re a very deep team offensively so we don’t have too many problems putting the puck in the net,” she said. “But if everyone’s connecting and doing the little things right, then we’re going to be great offensively.” Ammerman’s sister, Brooke Ammerman, had trouble finding the back of the net early in the season but has seemed to get her scoring ability in recent weeks, posting a hat trick in the first period of Wisconsin’s series-opening win over Robert Morris. Brooke Ammerman said the nature of the goals she scored was reassuring. “They were goals that don’t always go in, so it makes me think that my scoring touch is back a bit,” she said. Wisconsin will also benefit from playing on their home ice against the Bulldogs. Johnson said having the Thanksgiving series in Madison means the team will get to enjoy the holiday with family and not on the road. “Having a Thanksgiving weekend when you don’t have to travel is an added bonus,” he said. “Hockey doesn’t do holidays very well, so having an opportunity to be at home and stay at home is a bonus.”
Danny marchewka/cardinal file photo
Brooke Ammerman recorded a hat trick for the Badgers Friday. and the Yankees know that no one else will pay anywhere near that much for the caliber of player Jeter is right now. So why should they? Jeter is expecting the Yankees to pay for the “intangibles,” the “total contribution to the franchise” that Jeter has given the Yankees and that his worth needs to be measured in more than just stats. In the end that “total contribution to the franchise” is the trump card in this type of situation. If the Yankees don’t want the PR nightmare of letting a beloved icon walk away, such as the one the Packers had to deal with in the Favre saga, they will pay Jeter what he wants, which will be drastically more than
he deserves or what any other team would even consider paying. Jeter will get paid because he is Derek Jeter and because of how much he means to the New York Yankee franchise. Granted, there will probably be some compromise, but if the salary remains around the same Jeter will be happy and the Yankees can sign him without too much buyers regret. The two sides are still far apart, but there is no reason to believe Jeter’s situation with the Yankees will get anywhere near the ugliness of the Favre-Packers fiasco, and that’s good news for everyone. Is Jeter worth it? Send Ryan your thoughts at rmevans2@wisc.edu.
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dailycardinal.com/sports
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
Men’s Football
Women’s Volleyball
A world of differences
Norway native Julie Mikaelsen adjusts to a new life at UW By Stephanie Richter the daily cardinal
danny marchewka/the daily cardinal
Montee Ball has amassed 701 yards and 13 touchdowns in 2010.
Badgers welcome NU in regular season finale By Ted Porath the daily cardinal
Bret Bielema handed out personal honors on the offensive and defensive ends Monday during his weekly press conference, while also looking ahead to the Badgers’ contest this Saturday against Northwestern. Bielema awarded the offensive Most Valuable Player from Saturday’s game to the players who don’t get all the stats but make the running game what it is: The offensive line, tight ends and fullback crops. “Those guys really enabled us to do what we did in the second half and be able to close that game out the way we did,” Bielema said. Others who received recognition were freshman running back James White and senior tight end Lance Kendricks. White carried the ball 23 times for 181 yards and two touchdowns, and for his performance White received the title of Big Ten Freshman Player of the Week for the fourth time this year. His running mate, sophomore Montee Ball, added 173 yards of his own against Michigan, with four touchdowns. “The guy is really continuing to get better every game that he’s been out there,” Bielema said of White. Kendricks, who has caught 35 passes for 547 yards and four touchdowns, is one of the three finalists for the Mackey Award, which is given to the best tight end in the country. “[The Mackey Award] is something special for him, and hopefully he can close this out and be able to win that award,” Bielema said of Kendricks.
This next game is the Badgers’ senior day, and Bielema acknowledged that it will difficult for him emotionally to see his first group of recruits play their last home game. “They really deserve a very special sendoff. They’ve sacrificed a bunch, been through transition here and have really been the leading voices and leading personalities,” Bielema said. “Every one of those kids has got a story … everyone of them you could write a pretty neat chapter on and it’d make a great book. I can’t ask for a better group to start the core foundation with.” Bielema, most importantly now though, is ready to focus on Northwestern. The Wildcats (3-4 Big Ten, 7-4 overall) come into this week’s contest having lost their last game against Illinois, 48-27. Additionally, Northwestern will be playing without their starting quarterback Dan Persa, who tore his Achilles’ tendon in the Wildcat’s win over Iowa. Bielema acknowledged, however, that Northwestern is a team that has beat them in the past and could do so again. “Last year they showed that they could line up and play toe to toe with us,” Bielema said. “They’re very physical and very smart.” The Badgers (6-1, 10-1) are currently in a three-way tie for first place in the Big Ten with Michigan State and Ohio State, and if the Badgers can beat Northwestern, they can almost assure themselves of a BCS bowl berth. This will be no easy task, however, with Wisconsin and the Wildcats splitting the wins evenly between them since 1984.
Wisconsin Men’s Cross Country places third in NCAA National Championships The Wisconsin men’s cross country team, fresh off the program’s twelfth straight Big Ten Championship, ran to a third place finish Monday in the NCAA National Championship. The Badgers finished with a team total 223 points, just 30 off the pace of second-place Florida State, but well behind champion Oklahoma State, who finished with a miniscule 73 points. Wisconsin was anchored by a pair of sophomores, Ahmed Mohammed and Darling Maverick, who finished tenth and elevneth place, respectfully. In his final race as a Badger, senior Landon Peacock, the 2010 Big Ten individual champion, clocked in with the third best time for Wisconsin and seventeenth place overall.
Time management. Making new friends. Moving away from home. Doing your own laundry. Cooking for yourself. The pressures of life as a college freshman can be daunting. Now imagine doing these things thousands of miles away from home and not being able to say “Hvourdån gar det” in everyday conversation. These are the challenges that volleyball player Julie Mikaelsen has had to adjust to, and that doesn’t even take into account her responsibilities on the volleyball court. The lefty rightside hitter has been a real spark for the Badgers this season, recording an impressive 21 kills in one game and being named Big Ten Freshman of the Week in early November. Mikaelsen, a native of Askim, Norway, population 14,472, has an impressive résume from her highschool days, helping her club team in 2010 to the Elite Championship and has been a member of the Norwegian Junior National Team since 2006. So the big question is: Why Wisconsin? “I had some people that knew some people here, and they told me that there are nice people here and that they believe in the team,” Mikaelsen said. Her national and high school coaches were in contact with Wisconsin assistant coach Colleen Bayer, so Mikaelsen knew she was in good hands. When asked about the biggest change from Norway to Wisconsin, it was hard for Julie to pinpoint one thing in particular. “The game is so much faster,” she said. “Of course we speak English all the time.” The language hasn’t been a huge barrier for Mikaelsen however, having since she spoke it often back home. “But to not speak Norwegian all the time is a challenge, and that is how I see it: As a challenge,” she said. The freshman definitely knows
Lorenzo zemella/the daily cardinal
In 25 matches this season, freshman Julie Mikaelsen has posted an impressive 175 kills along with 15 service aces. that this opportunity is a great one for her. She didn’t have too hard of a time deciding to leave her friends and family in Norway because she said that she would have regretted it and would have kept wondering about what would have happened if she said no to Wisconsin. “I don’t miss it too much, I see this as a challenge instead of thinking too much about what I miss at home,” Mikaelsen said. And what about the food? She barely hesitated as she said, “I never eat McDonald’s food, like ever.” Mikaelsen said Americans eat much more fast food than Norwegians do, and she misses her home-cooked meals. But apparently sophomore
player Kirby Toon’s mom has some great cooking skills, and has helped her discover food in Wisconsin. Mikaelsen’s biggest dream is to play in the Olympics in beach volleyball, since she has played in the Youth Olympics with her best friend from home. Even though the freshman’s major is undecided major, her dream job would be something sports-orientated, possibly nutrition. Mikaelsen is obviously an extremely passionate individual, and hopes to contribute as a team and to a successful season on the court. And if anything she has done so far is an indication, that passion is sure to take the Badgers far for seasons to come.
Big names cause big headaches for franchises Ryan Evans compelling evandence
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eams dealing with aging franchise icons is always a delicate situation, and there is the distinct possibility that it could turn ugly somewhere during the process. We all saw this happen a few summers ago after Brett Favre retired for the first time after the 2007 season. He eventually waffled and wanted to come back, expecting his starting job to be waiting for him in Green Bay. Unfortunately for him, the Packers had moved on to Aaron Rodgers (a move that has worked out quite well if you ask me) and the Packers weren’t going to allow Favre to strong-arm his way back in the fold. As we all know, things got ugly and eventually resulted in a messy divorce when Favre was traded to the Jets. Favre wasn’t able to realize that his worth to the team maybe wasn’t
as big as he thought it was. And who could blame him? For years in Green Bay he was told he was a savior; everyone talked up the Legend of Brett Favre. He was irreplaceable, a living legend. So when it seemed the Packers were telling him they didn’t need him anymore, it was a confusing thing to hear. How could the Packers turn their backs on a franchise legend?
Farve wasn’t able to realize that his worth to the team wasn’t as big as he thought. And who could blame him?
A similar situation is starting to arise in the Bronx, as the New York Yankees seem to be content in playing hardball with their free agent shortstop and face of the franchise, Derek Jeter. With Jeter, the Yankees are facing a very similar situation as the Packers did with Favre. Jeter is an
aging superstar who may be overvaluing his worth, except in Jeter’s case the overvaluing he and his agent are doing is in dollars. Before the 2001 season Jeter signed a 10-year, $189 million contract with the Yankees, which made him the second highest paid athlete behind only then Texas Rangers shortstop Alex Rodriguez. This offseason, that contract expired, exposing Jeter to free agency. All season, Jeter’s free agency was almost an after thought in some minds. I mean, there is no way Jeter leaves the Yankees, right? He is spoken of as the embodiment of everything that is good about baseball. The quintessential Yankee. An equal among names in Yankee lore like Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Joe DiMaggio and Mickey Mantle. Well, so far, Jeter’s free agency is proving to be much more tumultuous than anyone would have expected, and seems to have the possibility of turning ugly Thus far we have found out evans page 7