Post 3-14-2011

inside News | page 2 Who’s the B.O.S.S.?

How Be On the Safe Side operates How “Shared Governance” works (in pictures) The Student-Run Independent Newspaper at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee

Monday, March 14, 2011

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Volume | Issue 2

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Campus forum on state cuts Fear and apprehension spreads across campus

By Steve Garrison Staff writer news@uwmpost.com

Interim Chancellor Mike Lovell was called upon to take a stance against Gov. Scott Walker’s budget proposals Wednesday afternoon at the all-campus budget forum where campus officials fielded questions and concerns from upset faculty, students, graduate assistants, and community members.

UW-Milwaukee staff and students raised concerns over the proposal’s impact, including a 5.5 percent tuition hike, educator and graduate assistant salary and benefit cuts, the status of retirement and pension funds, and UW-Madison’s proposed separation from the UW System.

UWM Men’s basketball to play Northwestern in NIT opener

Campus officials tried to field questions and alleviate concern while also encouraging UWM faculty and students to express their frustration over the politically divisive issue in an appropriate and respectful manner.

The meeting became heated as the people in attendance opened up about the economic hardships they face because of the proposed budget cuts, and questioned the Board of Regents willingness to discuss the concrete impact the proposal would have if passed.

One speaker became agitated and said he was “astounded” that campus officials could not produce a concrete amount that salaries would need to be raised at UWM to

See FORUM page 3

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Interim Chancellor Lovell joins SA Pres. Romero-Boeck and others to share information on the new Wisconsin budget. Post Photo by Mike La Count

Unplanned theatrics Perch: More for in Peck play Milwaukee than Protestors occupation of Friday fi sh fry PSOA continues during play

By Aaron Knapp Special to the Post news@uwmpost.com

UWM’s theater building in the central quad was the unlikely venue for two very different performances last weekend: a political drama and a spiritual drama.

Although the groups had different methods, messages and concerns, which sometimes put them at odds, the students of both performances (the cast and crew of The Last Days of Judas Iscariot and the protestors sleeping in the theater building to demonstrate against state budget proposals) shared the space.

Both called on people to set aside what they know about an issue and look it at it from a new, hopefully enlightening perspective.

“At its best, political action is a theatrical event to make the audience reconsider,” said Rebecca Holderness, director of The Last

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Days of Judas Iscariot. “[The play and the protest are] similar in that way, just one is about the spiritual and one is about the political.”

UWM students have been sleeping in the theater building since Students for a Democratic Society led a walk out on March 2 in protest of Gov. Scott Walker’s proposals to cut funding from education and to weaken public-sector collective bargaining in Wisconsin.

Students continued to sleep in the lobby of the theater building through the performances of The Last Days of Judas Iscariot, March 9-13, but the students moved their supplies upstairs for several hours before and after the performances.

“There have been some theater students who are frustrated with us, understandably,” said demonstrating student Megan Gibb. “I’m sure it’s very annoying for them that they’ve been

See JUDAS page 2

Sports | page

Scientist at Great Lakes WATER Institute patents fish spawning process

By Chris Flood Special to The Post news@uwmpost.com

Senior Scientist at UWMilwaukee’s School of Freshwater Sciences, Fred Binkowski, is in the process of patenting a yellow perch-spawning method to a company who remains unnamed at this time.

In February, Binkowski was awarded by the United States Patent Office for his research on the spawning process of yellow perch. He found a solution to increase the population of the diminishing lake fish, who are always in high demand for Wisconsin’s Friday night fish fries.

Binkowski has referred to the new spawning method as a breakthrough economically and scientifically, as it could help mend broken communities, satisfy the demand for perch in Wisconsin and place Milwaukee and UWM on

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the cutting-edge of water sciences and aquaculture. However, some students are torn about integrating the technology in Milwaukee.

Binkowski, who has done extensive work in aquaculture technologies, recently partnered with Brian Thompson – president of the UWM Research Association – to commercialize this new technology.

When asked about the patent and his research, Binkowski said they are “in the process of negotiating, as it is being sold to a private party … there’s nothing to report.”

Concerned about discussing the patent while still in negotiations, Binkowski directed questioning towards his patent partner, Thompson.

“Fred Binkowski has been integral to the patent process and a true partner with us as we’ve worked on commercializing this technology,” Thompson said.

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Editorial | page 15 PRELLWITZ: Compact car trends at auto show HOLMES: Cuts to school budgets harm the nation

“The patent is being licensed to a company that we believe will be in a good position to make use of the technology.

The name of the company is not currently public.”

While conducting research at UWM’s Great Lakes WATER Institute, Binkowski discovered that changing the water temperature and photoperiod of the perch’s tanks created the ability to spawn the fish year round, not just in April and May. Binkowski said the discovery was “a significant benefit for the developing urban aquaculture industry,” because of its economic efficiency, profit potential and ability to raise fresh fish in urban areas.

Perch can be spawned in cities, in places like abandoned factories. This has led to Binkowski’s partnership with food movement organizations such as Sweet Water

See PERCH page 6

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2 March 14, 2011

The UWM Post

News Briefs

Federal judge rules against Assange associates Editor in Chief Kurt Raether

Editorial Editor Jackie Dreyer

Business Manager Simon Bouwman

Managing Editor Lindsey Millard

Production Editor Josh Evert

Advertising Manager Stephanie Fisher

News Editors Mike La Count

Multimedia Editor Sierra Riesberg

Advertising Designer Josh Evert

Zach Erdmann

Puzzle Editor Jonas Wittke

Distribution Patrick Quast

Copy Editors Sarah Hanneken

Alek Shumaker

Special Projects Editor Jonathan Anderson Fringe Editor Dustin Zarnikow Asst. Fringe Editors Steven Franz Patrice Vnük

Caitlin PenzeyMoog

Board of Directors Kurt Raether

Derek De Vinney

Simon Bouwman

Web Editor Kody Schafer

Sports Editor Jeremy Lubus

Phone: (414) 229-45 Fax: (414) 229-45 9 post@uwmpost.com www.uwmpost.com

Josh Evert Zach Erdmann Dustin Zarnikow

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Suite EG 0 Milwaukee, WI 53211

Union Box UWM P.O. Box 413 Milwaukee, WI 53201

THE UWM POST has a circulation of 10,000 and is distributed on campus and throughout the surrounding communities.

The first copy is free, additional copies $. 5 each. The UWM Post, Inc. is a registered student organization at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and an independent nonstock corporation. All submissions become the property of The UWM Post, Inc. The UWM Post is published Mondays in the fall and spring semesters, except during spring break and exam periods. The UWM Post also publishes once in late summer.

The UWM Post is written and edited by students of the University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee and they are solely responsible for its editorial policy and content. The University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee is not liable for debts incurred by the publisher. The UWM Post is not an official publication of UWM.

The First Amendment Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.

In a federal court ruling Judge Theresa Buchanan ruled in favor of a government order that required three individuals associated with Julian Assange to hand over their Twitter account information.

A member of the Icelandic Parliament, a Dutch hacker, and a U.S. computer programmer have been identified as part of the U.S.’s criminal investigation of Wikileaks. The federal orders did not mention anything about messages but rather they sought to obtain internet protocol (IP) addresses and account details. Lawyers from the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) are representing the three and plan to appeal the ruling.

is a member of:

A newspaper editor with the Adams County Free Press in Corning, Iowa has committed to consume nothing but water and his homemade beer for the 40 days of Lent. After reading about Franciscan monks who nourished themselves during Lent with nothing but beer, J. Wilson decided this year he would walk their path. In preparation he has brewed his own Lent beer. High in carbohydrates, Wilson will consume four pints daily which will provide him with a total of 1,200 calories. In anticipation he said he has been gaining weight since Thanksgiving and a doctor will be monitoring throughout Lent. Wilson said it’s not about getting drunk, it’s about his curiosity in the Franciscan monks. He said, “I want to educate beer-people about god and god-people about beer.”

Gaga takes on the breast ice Publishing of Repair Bill cream in London delayed Earlier this month, a frozen treat parlor in London began offering ice cream made of breast milk called “Baby Gaga.” Shortly after, shop owner Matt O’Connor received a notice from Lady Gaga’s lawyers informing him the singer planned to sue over its name. O’Connor said the singer has threatened to bankrupt him and has made threats to him personally. He maintains the name was not inspired by Lady Gaga but rather was only in reference to babies, which until now have been the primary consumers of human breast milk. After the ice cream’s release O’Connor also received some trouble from the Westminster Council which had concerns regarding public health. It has since been approved by the Council, being deemed completely safe to consume.

Events

Wisconsin’s Secretary of State Doug La Follette may be the next obstacle for the Budget Repair Bill. Passed into law by Gov. Scott Walker last Friday, the bill then moves to the Office of the Secretary of State for publication. La Follette, a Democrat, said he believes he should wait a few days before having it printed in the official state newspaper, the Wisconsin State Journal. In a press conference, Walker stated in the past it has been custom for a bill to be published the next business day following its signage and he hopes that tradition continues. This would mean the Repair Bill would be published Monday, March 14. Legally the Secretary of State’s office has 10 days to publish. La Follette says with all of the legal questions regarding the bill’s passage in the state Senate, it would be best to let it get sorted out.

Monday, March 14

Wednesday, March 16

The Newman Center, located on Downer and Linnwood Avenues, is presenting “The Human Experience” at 7 p.m.

Explore an environmentally friendly art medium, Mud Art, from 3 to 7 p.m. in the Adventure Center.

Tuesday, March 15

Thursday, March 17

Experimental Tuesday will feature a Netherlandsbased research group, Telcosystems, which uses live audio/video performances to explore the relationship between programmed numeric logic and the human perception of this behavior at 7 p.m. in the Union Theatre.

The anonymous group of feminists known as Guerilla Girls will be in the UWM Union Ballroom East at 7 p.m.

Police Reports The UWM Post

A righteous bender

On March 12 at 4:10 p.m. a female called Cambridge Hall security saying that she was going to blow up the building. Police officers did a floor by floor search finding nothing. They were able to get in contact with the woman who said the call was supposed to be a prank intended for her son.

On March 12 at 6:51 p.m. a student who caused a disturbance at La Piazza checked in at Cambridge Hall and then fled.

On March 12 at 8:21 p.m. there was an anonymous report of five to seven students drinking underage in Cambridge Hall. Two suspected rooms were quiet but a noisy room on the third

JUDAS

Continued from page 1 working so hard and we’re here.”

While walking into the theater building last weekend, it was clear how the performers and protestors had compromised. Although the protestors had cleared their supplies from the lobby, dozens of posters adorning every window and nearly every space on the walls with direct and sometimes catchy criticisms of Walker and calls to action made their presence known.

However, the cast and crew were not interested in making the audience consider politics.

So, in an effort to clear their minds, the audience was guided into the auditorium not through the traditional lobby but downstairs through the backstage area where the performers could decorate in their own fashion.

“This show had a very specific idea about how

BE WARNED Starting April 1, spring street-sweeping laws go into effect. Watch where you park on the first and third Fridays of every month. floor yielded five drunk underage students who were issued citations.

On March 12 at 11:45 p.m. an improvised explosive device was found outside Purin Hall.

No one was hurt and no damage was done. The police collected evidence and an investigation is ongoing.

On March 13 at 12:51 a.m. a man walking down the street carrying a white pole used by snow plow drivers to see the sidewalk was stopped by police. The man was underage and drunk. Due to a report of an armed robbery in the area he was let go with a warning.

you entered into the show, how you entered into the theater and what that journey was like,” said Holderness. “The patrons of the show need to be able to come without necessarily feeling embattled with the protestors.”

For this show set in purgatory, the audience walked through a concrete-gray, cold passageway and across a courtroom strewn with papers and filing cabinets and an obtusely large judge’s bench to get to their seats. In this courtroom, the audience watched as Mother Theresa, Sigmund Freud, Satan and others testified on whether Judas Iscariot deserved to be damned for betraying Jesus.

While some students connected politics and Scott Walker to some of the themes of The Last Days of Judas Iscariot, the show was designed to be open to many interpretations with no clear verdict.

“For me the play is much more about a personal spiritual journey,” said Holderness. “I don’t connect Scott Walker and Judas.”

March 14, 2011

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UWM goes nuclear ‘How I learned to stop worrying and give up the bomb’

By Zach Brooke Staff Writer news@uwmpost.com

It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to understand the worst-case scenario of nuclear warfare. Creating a world where disarmament is possible, however, may take nothing less than a small army of highly skilled diplomats and the trust of a brave world.

On Tuesday evening in UWMilwaukee’s Union Ballroom, President Barack Obama’s Special Representative for Nuclear Nonproliferation, Ambassador Susan Burk, discussed the administration’s initial accomplishments and current challenges in realizing Obama’s vision.

During a speech in Prague Obama said, “I state clearly and with conviction America’s commitment to seek the peace and security of a world without nuclear weapons.” Burk’s talk marked the latest installment of the Great Decisions Lecture Series hosted by the Institute of World Affairs.

“The past two years have seen important progress in achieving the vision articulated by President Obama in Prague … but a lot more needs to be done,” said Burk. Nuclear dangers are mounting, but the United States, working with allies and partners, is responding,” she said.

So far, that response appears to be incremental but clear.

In February, the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START) between the U.S. and Russia went into effect. START limits the number of nuclear

warheads each country has to 1,550, a 30-percent reduction from previous agreements.

According to Burk, “When fully implemented, it will result in the lowest number of deployed nuclear warheads since the 1950s.”

The agreement between the two countries was announced days before the 2010 Nuclear Security Summit, which Burk calls “the largest gathering of world leaders hosted by the United States since the founding of the United Nations.”

“I state clearly and with conviction America’s commitment to seek the peace and security of a world without nuclear weapons.” – President Obama

Prior to this summit, Obama also released the 2010 Nuclear Posture Review (NPR), a periodic reassessment of the role of nuclear weapons in U.S. security strategy. Burk said the 2010 NPR “reduced the role nuclear weapons played in U.S. security strategy and sets us on a path to lower numbers of these weapons.”

The momentum generated by those developments continued into May at the 2010 Review Conference for the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation

of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), where members approved a final document for first time in 10 years. Adopted in 1970, the NPT is made up of 189 states and serves as the chief mechanism for international cooperation in the areas of nonproliferation, disarmament, and the peaceful use of nuclear technology.

“This was the first time we’ve had a consensus in 10 years, so it was seen as a significant accomplishment. And the fact that we have this action-orientated agenda that was balanced across the three pillars was also seen as a singular accomplishment,” Burk said.

While these actions have indeed pushed us closer to meeting Obama’s stated goals, Burk also acknowledged at least two obstacles that are not easily overcome: Iran and North Korea.

“Our efforts to strengthen the [NPT] will fall short if some states are able to violate their international legal obligations with impunity in pursuit of a nuclear weapons capability,” she said, adding, “It’s critical that both countries live up to their obligations and when they do not, that there be consequences.”

Presently, the nature and application of these consequences are fuzzy at best beyond maintaining the status quo. However, the isolation of the two countries from the world stage, coupled with the combined weight of recent proliferation agreements, is a testament to current global commitment to stepping back from the brink.

FORUM

Continued from page stay competitive.

“I feel more frustrated than you do, probably, in some ways, because how do I manage, and how do we manage, a process that in certain ways is outside our control in terms of the political debate” Johannes Britz, Provost and Vice Chancellor of Academic Affairs, said.

This is the fourth all-campus forum hosted by Lovell, and the first since Walker proposed his 2011-13 state budget proposal.

“The patent is being licensed to a company that we believe will be in a good position to make use of the technology. The name of the company is not currently public.” Brian Thompson, UWM Research Foundation President The forum, held in the Union Ballroom, drew an estimated 400 attendees, according to officials.

Campus officials opened the forum by discussing the known effects the budget proposal would have on the UW System.

Walker’s proposal calls for a $250 million cut in taxpayer funding for the UW System in the 2011-13 biennium, with $125 million in funding being cut from UWMadison, and all other campuses (including UWM) expecting $120.2 million in cuts.

UWM is expected to lose $27 million, or a 22.4 percent reduction, in tax payer funding.

Several items have also been dropped from the UWM Growth Agenda budget, in-

cluding $10 million earmarked for research purposes and financial support for the School of Public Health and the School of Freshwater Science.

A two percent pay plan increase was also dropped from the budget.

“I do not foresee a high number of layoffs, if it will happen, based on the current budget scenario,” Britz said.

The floor was then opened for discussion, with several attendees gathering around microphones placed throughout the assembly.

Andrew Anastasia, a graduate teacher’s assistant, discussed the dire economic conditions TA’s face working for UWM, estimating that for the number of hours he works, he roughly makes $68 dollars a week.

Also, through his contract, the Department of English will not allow him take on a second job to make ends meet.

“Why should you continue to get my labor at $68 dollars a week?” Anastasia asked officials.

Anastasia then challenged Lovell to stand in solidarity with staff and students, a challenge also offered by Stan Yasaitis, Chief Steward of the local 82 American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees.

Anastasia added that the nationwide competitiveness without collective bargaining isn’t sustainable.

Lovell said that when he makes a statement, he wants to be sure that it will have the maximum benefit, not only benefitting the campus, but the faculty as well.

“One thing that I have to be very careful of, in my position, is not getting too emotional,” Lovell said. “I go and I hear the impact this has on real people on our campus and it is not good for me to be angry … because I am the one making all the decisions.”

4 March 14, 2011

The UWM Post

By Zach Erdmann News Editor news@uwmpost.com

WI State Statute § 36.09 is where the powers and responsibilities of shared governance are explained.

1. Board of Regents • Establish long term goals for the UW System • Manage all large grants and loans given out by the UW System • Write mission statements and academic curricula for UW System students 2. President of UW System • Maintain day-to-day operations of system • Compiles and recommends budgets for all institutions 3. The Chancellors • Design curricula and degree requirements • Establishing grading policies • Set requirements for hiring and achieving tenure 4. Faculty • The right to immediate governance of the institution • Primary responsibility in academic activities and faculty personnel issues • The right to self-organize how they choose (the faculty senate) 5. Students • “The students of each institution or campus subject to the responsibilities and powers of the board, the president, the chancellor and the faculty shall be active participants in the immediate governance of and policy development for such institutions.

As such, students shall have primary responsibility for the formulation and review of policies concerning student life, services and interests. Students in consultation with the chancellor and subject to the final confirmation of the board shall have the responsibility for the disposition of those student fees which constitute substantial support for campus student activities. The students of each institution or campus shall have the right to organize themselves in a manner they determine and to select their representatives to participate in institutional governance.” Emphasis added.

Shared governance breakdown One of the notable elements of higher education in Wisconsin is the notion of shared governance. All universities in the UW System are mandated by state law to grant an equal part of the governance of that institution to students, faculty and academic staff. Within that delineation, both students and faculty are guaranteed the right to self-organize and self-represent. This is where the Student Association and the faculty senate derive their power. However, students are also guaranteed the right to make policies concerning student life, service, and interests.

To this end, there over 100 committees that students can join that formulate policy on decisions ranging from Union office allocation to managing parking on campus.

Shared Governance Director Mike Ludwig is the student appointee in

charge of approving committee applicants. He said, “It’s been a pretty problem free process, although I have gotten a few complaints. Usually, ‘Why is this taking so long?’ or ‘Have you forgotten about me?’” He reminded students that the process takes a long time because of the checks and balances put in place between the Student Association and the Dean of Students’ Office. According the Ludwig, the total process can take between a few weeks and a month.

Ludwig also encouraged students to get involved in committees. Many of them are ineffective because they lack the numbers to reach quorum.

But he warns students that want to get involved that they actually have to attend the meetings they sign up for. One of his largest problems is trying to remove students who won’t attend committee meetings.

Partial list of committees s

ee • Associate Vice Chancellor for Student it t mm , o ov Affairs Search and Screen Committee f c t ion e dg r a to lis plic /sha l l p e • Dean of Students Advisory Committee u n a t iv ef t h it a e c u • Environmental Sustainability Committee iew ubm u/e x v s ed To nd m. a • Union Policy Board .u w sa t i • Athletic Board Committee v is • Physical Environmental Committee • Academic Misconduct Hearing Committee • Student Labor Oversight Committee • Awards & Recognition Committee • Black and Gold Committee ( of PSOA, Lubar, Nursing)

March 14, 2011

uwmpost.com

Housing shuttle Trials and working out kinks tribulations UWM’s newest dorm boosts ridership

By Joshua Kuck Special to the Post news@uwmpost.com

With nearly 1,300 students living in UW-Milwaukee’s three off-campus housing locations, a reliable shuttle service plays a crucial role in the academic success of many students.

However, many students find the shuttle service lacks dependability.

On the average day, there are a total of eight University Housing shuttles running continuously. Two of these busses are used for Kenilworth Apartments, and six are reserved for RiverView and Cambridge residence halls.

According to Erika Stark, UWM shuttle supervisor and Residential Account Manager, Kenilworth students should have a shuttle every ten minutes while RiverView and Cambridge students typically should have a shuttle every six minutes. However, this has not been the case for the Cambridge and RiverView students who say they wait, on average, anywhere from 15 to 20 minutes for a shuttle.

Stark said that while the university would like their timing to be accurate all the time, there are certain aspects of driving that are out of their control, such as unpleasant weather and traffic.

The shuttle service is a work in progress but has been substantially improved since its initial implementation.

Stark said that “when RiverView opened back in 2008, there was just one shuttle constantly running, and the wait time was about 30 minutes. Last year wait time decreased to 15 minutes, and this year we are down to about six minutes.”

This improvement has been attributed to the additional shuttles University Housing has added.

Many students have noticed the new digital signs that have been installed by every University shuttle stop, yet some have also become frustrated with their inaccuracies.

These signs are part of a new GPS system that University Housing is adopting. Soon to be installed, each shuttle will have a GPS that will be updated by the drivers.

This will give students a more accurate outlook of the shuttles’ arrival times. Because this system is not fully installed yet, some of the timing on the signs will be temporarily inaccurate.

In addition to the GPS, University Housing is working on setting up a service called NextBus. By using satellite technology, NextBus will allow students to accurately

track when the next shuttle will be at their stop. This service would be especially useful when weather is undesirable and shuttles may be running late. Students will be able to access shuttle timing online or via text message.

Another complaint that many students have in regards to the shuttle service is overcrowding during times of high use. Some have suggested that more shuttles be used during these times; however, Stark believes this would cause the shuttles to “bunch up” and result in increased wait times.

There are currently no plans to reduce regular overcrowding, but Stark has said that “during times when we can predict [high usage], we have asked for more drivers to come work the route.”

Although there are some technological upgrades in the works, the University Housing shuttle service has still failed to satisfy some of their users.

Students still share concerns regarding the timeliness and overall reliability of the shuttle service.

If students have any comments regarding their University Housing shuttle experience, Stark suggests they utilize the University Housing Facebook page or call any of the desks at any the housing locations.

Dorm shuttles are standing-room only during peak hours.

Post Photo by Austin McDowell

of B.O.S.S.

Shuttle operator details the service’s capacities and limitations

A B.O.S.S. van waits outside the Union for a pickup.

Post Photo by Sierra Riesberg

By Jon Gorski Staff Writer news@uwmpost.com

According to the B.O.S.S. website, since September of 2009 there have been over 229,000 students transported to various locations around the Eastside via the service.

Since its inception in 2000, the Be On the Safe Side program has provided a transportation system to students of UW-Milwaukee. Its hours of operation are 6 p.m. until 2 a.m.

Sunday through Wednesday, and 6 p.m. until 4 a.m. Thursday through Saturday.

Anthony Gomez, the Student Services Coordinator at UWM, is currently in charge of the B.O.S.S. system. While stating that the people employed by the system are doing the absolute best they can to improve B.O.S.S. and keep it as efficient as possible, he said there are some issues that occasionally hinder the reliability of the service.

The most prominent among these, according to Gomez, is weather conditions at the time of transportation requests. He says that when it is extremely cold outside or when there is a ghastly winter storm, students will request the service more than if it was a warm, clear night.

The large boundaries are also an obstacle in providing fast and expedient service. B.O.S.S. runs on a north-south boundary of Hampton Road and Brady Street, and an east-west boundary of 7th Street. to Lake Drive.

On top of the large area covered

by B.O.S.S., Gomez says that the crunch times for the service often back up their phone lines.

Over the years, as UWM has become less of a commuter school and more resident students wish to have a slice of the Eastside life, and the demand for rides has increased

dramatically.

The phone system used by B.O.S.S. is a third-party vendor outside of the UWM phone organization. Gomez admitted there have been some problems with functionality, though he said they also handle over 400 calls per night, more than most radio stations take during contests.

Despite the fact that the system can be overwhelmed at times, Gomez said, is unacceptable and they are working on the issues in order to better manage the magnitude of calls received nightly.

The service is funded through student segregated fees appropriated by the Student Association. Gomez says that the SA has been helpful and understanding of their needs as the climate of UWM evolves.

There are currently 12 shuttles driven by 64 total student employees at B.O.S.S., and on an average night they will drive for a combined total of 88 hours.

In order to become a driver at the program, students must have had a driver’s license for at least three years. Applicants who meet this initial qualification are further assessed by the Office of Risk Management, where a decision on each applicant is then made.

In response to criticisms of the service, Gomez says that if B.O.S.S. is “not being criticized, it’s not being utilized.” There has been unprecedented demand, and as such, the service will likely encounter problems at times.

According to Gomez, everyone at B.O.S.S. wants the service to be as good as its users want it to be, but on occasion factors out of their control hinder its performance. He laments that the criticisms of the service often overshadow its successes, as people often criticize the holdups more loudly than they appreciate the rides.

6 March 14, 2011

The UWM Post

Another notch in Orion’s belt

Couple gets engaged at UWM Planetarium

By Matthew Karwoski Special to the Post news@uwmpost.com

G O T H I C

Y O R E

P A T A R E R A N A B E D T I C S G H M I N L E L A R B E E R

E A G L L E E D S U T P E R E E D O U C E S

V A M P O P A H S

C I R C A U N I T E

C R E E K

F E V E R

P R E Y S

M O N T Y

M E A T I T C H L A T E E

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list lite sell silk sill silt site skill skit

slit stile still tell tike tile till

This week’s Goduku solution

D O M I L N E OM U E R D S E M A A T S E A

This week’s In-Word solution

This week’s crossword solution S T E A H E L L A X I O P A T T E N E C U R S A P E P P S T E E E R A S T O R P D A T A I D O L G O N E

Puzzle solutions

Try your hand at this week’s puzzles, turn to page 19

This week’s Sudoku solution

On Friday, Feb. 25 the UWMilwaukee planetarium held its regular Friday Night Show at 7 p.m. As the lights dimmed for the “Celebrating Hubble,” everything seemed ordinary. The audience had no idea what was in store for them.

The crowd reveled at the slides being presented when suddenly something unexpected appeared on the planetarium projector.

Instead of the stars the audience was expecting, the unassuming slide read simply: “Stephanie Puente, I love you to the end of the universe and back. Will you marry me?”

The audience clapped and cheered as Puente accepted the flattering proposal.

All of this was the plan of Sebastien Cherney, a geometry teacher who resides in Chicago.

He and his now-fiancé Puente, who works at a cytogenetics lab in Rosemont, Ill., made the drive all the way to Milwaukee for the special evening.

The couple met at Marquette University four years ago during a dance class. “It was my freshman year, it was her sophomore year. They were doing these dance classes at the beginning, and I was coming in and a big group of people were going, ‘Oh

PERCH

Continued from page 1

Organics and Growing Power, the urban farm that provides fresh food to poor urban areas.

Organizations like Sweet Water have discovered that the accessibility of closed-down manufacturing buildings in Milwaukee make them key venues for space that can be converted to spawn yellow perch directly in the city.

Other possible benefits of urban aquaculture in Milwaukee are the potential for job creation, the ability to provide poor communities with fresh food and eliminate the costs and energy that come with long-distance transportation by keeping the source of the fish local.

Thompson believes the benefit of the new technology is providing a sustainable service that is energy and economically efficient for companies who use it. “This technology can ultimately lead to lower cost of production for the licensee,” he said.

Binkowski’s research was unknown to UWM students Katie Hartig and Alyssa Russo, but upon explanation both came to different conclusions about perch spawned in the city.

Hartig, a senior in the College of Letters and Science, believed it

yeah, we’re gonna do this, you should sign up,’ and I was like ‘OK, I’ll go if everyone else is going.’ And when I showed up, everyone else that said they were going to be there was gone,” Cherney said.

Luckily Puente had come with some of her friends, and they convinced him to stay. They even ended up dancing together on that fateful evening and have been close ever since.

In choosing the perfect proposal setting, Cherney had no problem deciding where to go.

Cherney said he used to come to the UWM Manfred Olson Planetarium with his parents and grandparents. “This was the place to go.”

Cherney brought Puente there for their first date.

“At the time, I wasn’t sure what was the best way to approach it.

I thought the planetarium was this hidden gem that most of the other people at Marquette didn’t know about. So I could bring her over here, and it’d be something special,” Cherney.

The night of the proposal also marked exactly four years of their relationship.

When asked about her emotions after the proposal, Puente responded, “I’m the happiest girl in the world!”

Needless to say, Cherney and Puente are now the happiest couple in the galaxy.

would be beneficial to implement this technology in a recessiontorn urban environment. “I think the welfare of our communities would be positively impacted by the ability to produce these fish right at home,” she said.

Russo, a junior in the School of Education, argues that fish farms border on animal cruelty.

Fish breeding has been a concern of animal rights organization PETA which has said raising fish in tanks causes mental illness and force fish to live in their own excrement.

Russo believes it can be beneficial, but as a new industry, applying standards is what needs to be done.

“I don’t believe in any animal abuse, especially for a purpose like bettering a food economy,” Russo said. “Negotiating some sort of standards for the industry would probably be my resolution.”

Although Binkowski did not answer questions regarding the patent process, Thompson spoke on behalf of his patent partner in regards to the overall experience- so far.

“Patenting is a lot of work – reviewing drafts, responding to office actions from the patent office, etc. We couldn’t do it without the inventor, and I can tell you Fred has been a pleasure to work with,” he said.

March 14, 2011

uwmpost.com

UWM to play Bracketology 101 A must-read before filling out your brackets Northwestern in NIT

By Shawn Kumar Columnist sports@uwmpost.com

Jeter, Williams and Hill earn honors

Senior Anthony Hill and coach Rob Jeter dejected after their loss to Butler. Post Photo by Austin McDowell

By Jeremy Lubus Sports Editor sports@uwmpost.com

As Milwaukee watched Butler celebrate on their home floor, one thing was still clear: Milwaukee’s season is not over, and because of their tremendous second-half run which captured a share of the Horizon League title, they will be heading to the National Invitational Tournament.

The second half the season that saw the Panthers win nine straight league games didn’t go totally unnoticed. Head Coach Rob Jeter earned coach-of-theyear honors and collected his 100th win when UW-Milwaukee edged out Youngstown State in overtime to clinch a share of the title. Senior Anthony Hill, whose only Division I scholarship offer was from Milwaukee, earned a spot on the Horizon League first-team all-conference.

Junior Kaylon Williams also earned a spot in the league’s All-Newcomer Team. Williams played his freshman season at Evansville before transferring to Midwest power junior college Kirkwood. After a stellar season there he accepted the invitation to join the Panthers.

He has been critical to the Panther’s postseason success along with the powerful play of Hill.

Hill was one of five members voted by the media to the Horizon League All-Tournament team. Butler senior Matt Howard

won the tournament MVP. The Milwaukee men’s basketball team was riding their biggest high in years. But as they soared past the clouds, the Butler Bulldogs sent them crashing back down. We were hoping they could quickly gather themselves, but Butler just wouldn’t let that happen.

Milwaukee simply picked the worst time to have an off game in front of the 10,437 Milwaukee faithful that packed the U.S. Cellular Arena last Tuesday.

The crowd was excited and energetic; playing in that environment might have heightened the Panther’s nerves and led to an awful first-half shooting percentage of only 21 percent.

“First of all, we want to say thanks to the city, to our fans, for really coming out and supporting this group,” Jeter said.

“It’s been an incredible journey for us as a team to arrive at this destination right now. And I am so proud of our young men for making the commitment to really care about each other.”

At this point last season, Jeter and the Panthers were hoping to receive an invitation to a postseason tournament, but they never got the call. But this year is different; Milwaukee had a great season, and success in the NIT is just as important for the program and school to grow athletically and academically. Their national exposure in the NIT should help open a few eyes across the country, hopefully leading to future talented recruits.

As the majority of Americans will spend this week secretly filling out their brackets, there are several important tips and trends you should think about before declaring a champion of this year’s March Madness.

A lot of money can be invested in this tournament, so it is wise to do the research.

Fortunately, I have done some for you.

A winning team balances a lot more things than just scoring; you need to consider defense, size, experience, number of upperclassmen, buzzerbeating shooters, and a big name coach. The concept of a young team and one-and-done stars having the ability to win a championship is a complete fabrication. It never happens.

The only time it did was when freshman phenom Carmelo Anthony led Syracuse to a title in 2003. Since then, the teams that win are always characterized by their veteran roster and ability to spread the ball.

Let’s take a look at the past winners from 2004 to 2010: The teams were UConn, UNC (twice), Florida (twice), Kansas, and Duke. The important thing to notice is that there isn’t one superstar that commands the rosters, and most people will be able to name multiple players from each team. All have their niches that helped them

win the tournament in years past, and all of the above themes and elements were fulfilled in the equation.

Looking at this year and keeping to the essential theme of balance (since there’s no Carmelo Anthony-equivalent around this year), only four teams seem likely to win in my mind. One of these teams will win the tournament, barring a twist of fate.

Also, there are four teams to keep in mind that will not win, despite great records and players. These teams are temping to write in as champs, but consider the following: Teams that WON’T win: Duke – The defending champions were the favorite this year until their most prolific freshman Kyrie Irving went down with an injury. The Blue Devils didn’t finish the year strong, losing two of three.

Although a great coach, size, and experience are all there, the team’s athleticism is lacking, especially with the loss of Irving, who will be sorely missed in the tournament.

Pittsburgh ­ – Although the team has a very impressive 27-4 overall record playing in the Big East, Pittsburgh is lacking someone who is capable of taking over when things get tough. There are three players that score over 10 points per game, and a big-name coach

in Jamie Dixon, but there’s just no one available for that clutch shot. Pittsburgh is undersized compared to most teams (their best big man is 6’6”). Also, the four-guard play works in the Big East but not in the tournament. Look for Pitt to lose near the Elite Eight.

Notre Dame – They have three players that score over 10 points per game. The team is very well balanced and has tons of experience, with six seniors splitting most of the minutes. They have a clutch player in Ben Hansbrough who can take over games when necessary. The only problems with the Irish are the expectations and the coach. The team was unranked in the preseason and picked to finish seventh in the Big East – not fourth in the country. Also, the coach is virtually unknown to the public, which is somewhat of a concern. Every team that has won in the last decade has had a legendary coach at the helm.

I wouldn’t buy into the Notre Dame hype.

BYU – The Cougars were primed for a Final Four run with the player-of-year candidate Jimmer Fredette. After the loss of their leading rebounder and second-best scorer, Brandon Davies, from “The Bang heard around the world,” it effectively ended their chances at

See BRACKETS page

Spring not so sunny Pitching woes raise eyebrows

By Kris Gilson Staff Writer Sports@uwmpost.com

Spring Training is usually just a tool for pitchers to make sure their arms are in shape for the grueling 162game schedule that awaits them.

Many pitchers just like to get their work in and be done with it. With that said, should we have any worries about the Brewers’ starters so far in Arizona?

With all due respect to Randy Wolf, he seemed lost after two Cactus League starts. In just three innings, he gave up eight hits, four walks, and a whopping 10 earned runs, good for a 30.00 Earned Run Average.

While many could blame a small sample size for the

bad numbers, many fans will hope his control problems don’t continue into the season. Wolf has never been a model for control pitchers, and his 87 walks last season were a career-high.

But he had a terrific second half of the season, including a 1.47 ERA in five September starts. The hope is that he can avoid the early season control issues again and live up to his $30 million contract in 2011. He’s a fantastic starter if he can.

By now, we all know Zack Greinke broke a rib playing pickup basketball last month and will be out for the first couple weeks of the season.

Many fans have tagged this as an excuse if the Brewers get off to a poor start but I’m here to tell you that there’s nothing to worry about. Despite

the preexisting injury, he had allowed just one earned run in 3.1 innings, covering two starts. And given that he was in pain through those two starts, we can discount the stats. His injury isn’t arm-related, and that’s all that matters. Once he’s able to return from the disabled list, he’ll look like the Greinke of old: mowing down the opposition on a regular basis.

The other three projected starters (Yovani Gallardo, Shaun Marcum, and Chris Narveson) have all looked great. As long as they get through the Cactus League schedule without any arm issues, we’re looking at one heck of a rotation, one that no other team wants to face in a three-game series. So hang on, Milwaukee, baseball is almost back.

v

March 14, 2010

The UWM Post

The pursuit of crappiness Why tanking this season will hurt the Bucks’ big picture

By Tony Atkins Special to the Post Sports@uwmpost.com

It has been said all too often. Statements like “throw this season away and let’s get a good player,” and “we are one ‘star’ away from winning” have been tossed around in sports circles in town.

This has been going on for years within the Milwaukee Bucks fan base, and now is the time for the struggling Bucks to make a move.

It would be easy for the Bucks to give up now; however, the better option for the long term may be for the team to give it their all and go as far as they can.

A commonly used strategy for roster-building by losing or rebuilding franchises has been to deliberately lose games or “tank” the season for a greater chance of landing a higher draft pick.

However, just because you lost enough games doesn’t mean that you’re going to get that top-five pick. Even if you

do get in good draft position doesn’t necessarily mean that you’re going to get the right player for a winning organization, and the Bucks already would know that from their experiment with Joe Alexander.

The most important reason for the Bucks to try to keep winning is that it is important for their young star Brandon Jennings. It is vital that he knows that the Bucks are committed to winning. If he feels that the team isn’t committed to winning, he might not buy into the team, which can potentially create an environment where coach Scott Skiles would be in danger of not being able to get through to the players.

The Bucks are a really balanced, creatively designed basketball club that is talented in the back and frontcourt. The problem here is that the team hasn’t been consistently healthy throughout the season.

Drew Gooden posted a respectable 15 points per game last year with the Los Angeles

Clippers, and his presence in our depleted frontcourt is showing. Andrew Bogut dealt with injuries as well earlier this season when Gooden was healthy. The complete, healthy Bucks team hasn’t taken the floor since the preseason as the laundry list of injuries grows.

Finally, the Bucks are in the thick of things in the playoff race, trailing the Indiana Pacers by a game and a half right now for the eighth seed in a horrid Eastern Conference.

The Pacers are currently on a five-game skid and are looking like they don’t want anything to do with the playoffs.

The Bucks need to continue winning to continue energizing their fan base by clinching consecutive postseason berths for the first time in seven years.

According to a press release by the Bucks organization, the team attendance is down and the Bucks are ranked 24th in home attendance. This is perhaps due to the disappointing season. The Milwaukee Bucks must win now. Their city and their fans deserve better.

Women’s basketball wrap-up and awards

By Alex Wendland Special to the Post Sports@uwmpost.com

The Panther Women’s Basketball season came to an end at Wright State on Wednesday as the Panthers fell to the Raiders 63-58.

It was UW-Milwaukee’s second straight game against the Raiders, both ending in losses.

The Panther’s performance improved vastly over the last week, however, with Lindsay Laur achieving a double-double with 17 points and 13 rebounds in her final game.

The Panthers entered the season in an odd situation with a very strong freshman class while one of the best players in recent Panther history began her senior year. The freshmen came up huge down the stretch and the Horizon League responded with awards for the new Panthers.

Angela Rodriguez earned the Newcomer of the Year award as well as a spot on the All-Newcomer team. Joining Rodriguez on the All-Newcomer team was Courtney Lindfors.

Lindfors made her presence felt often, especially on the defensive end and was responsible for over one third of the Panthers’ blocks, with 31 on the season.

Laur, on the other hand, was named to the First Team AllHorizon League team. Laur averaged a double-double in conference play this season and led the Panthers in points arebounds, and shot a staggering 92.8 per-

cent from the free throw line.

As a final wrap up for the Panthers this season, I’ll be handing out a number of prestigious awards that have been voted on by me. And so without further ado…

POTY (Panther of the Year) To Lindsay Laur for her steadfast leadership and fantastic consistency not just in this season, but throughout her entire career at UWM. Laur started all 30 games for the Panthers and led the team in points, rebounds, assists, and was second on the team in steals.

Her leadership cannot be overstated in the development of the aforementioned Rodriguez and Lindfors, as well as their fellow newcomer Kimee Chandler.

While Laur will be missed next season, I take this time to thank Lindsay for her contributions to the women’s basketball team and Panther athletics as a whole.

Newcomer of the Year To Angela Rodriguez for her immediate impact and command of the floor at all times.

She is one of the most promising freshman players I’ve seen come to UWM. She makes every possession exciting, and was second only to Laur in assists this season. Along with her ability to spread the floor and find the open scorer, Rodriguez is a pure sharpshooter. She was the top guard in the state as a high school senior and was expected to be a points contributor right

away. She was second on the team in three-point percentage but took ­ – and made – far and away the most attempts on the team.

What many did not expect, however, was her immediate leadership which is evident at all times she’s on the floor. The Panthers will look to her for years to come to replace both Laur’s leadership and production.

Most Intriuging Panther To Courtney Lindfors for her post presence and her potential with Rodriguez feeding her down low for the next three years.

Lindfors made herself known in her second collegiate game as she exploded against Chicago State with 35 points; it would be a season high for any Panther player.

Lindfors was also the Panthers’ best defensive stopper with a combined steals and blocks total of 50, which narrowly edged out Laur for the highest total on the team. Combining her skills with her length will cause fits for opposing teams throughout her career.

While the Panthers will certainly miss Lindsay Laur in the coming seasons, their foundation is set for the future. The Panthers already have one of the best point guards in the conference, and she just finished her freshman year. With Rodriguez’s innate ability to distribute and the presence of a six-foot-four scoring machine, the Panthers are poised to put the Horizon League on notice.

Larry Sanders was sent to a D-League team.

Image courtesy of mysanantonio.com

BRACKETS

Continued from page history. After Davies left the team, BYU lost to New Mexico, giving up their No. 1 seed and essentially their hope for a Final Four run.

Teams that CAN win UNC – This team wasn’t the most consistent this year, but it’s how you finish the season that counts. UNC won the ACC conference and is looking very strong as of late, beating rival Duke by 14 points.

The Tar Heels have a legendary coach in Roy Williams and great experience on the floor with seven-foot Tyler Zeller and John Henson. Freshman sensation Harrison Barnes has quickly become the guy to take over games with unparalleled confidence. UNC may not be the best team, but they are definitely the most dangerous. Choose the Tar Heels to go far to separate yourself from other brackets in your pool.

Florida – The Gators are my dark horse in the tournament this year. Playing in the weak SEC doesn’t give them the national exposure that other teams get, but Florida has many of the elements needed for a title run. They have a championship coach, a roster dominated by upperclassmen, four players that score 10 or more points a game, nice size up front, and a guy that can take charge late in the game: Erving Walker. The team just lacks big-game mentality playing in the SEC. The Gators played the Buckeyes and lost by 18 at home, though it was only the second game of the

season. However, since then Florida has really been on a tear and playing some great consistent basketball. No one will have the Gators going far, but I see them as a potential Final Four team.

Kansas – Yes, yes, Kansas always lets you down every year, but they are still one of the best teams. They have stayed near the top of the Associated Press poll the entire year and have a championship coach in Bill Self. The Morris twins dominate, scoring a combined 30.8 points per contest. Their size and experience alone will help them advance far in the tournament.

Tyrel Reed, a senior, is the guy that can take over games when late. The team only had two losses the entire season and finished very strong. This looks like the year they will get further and avoid their trademark early exit.

Ohio State – The No. 1 team for much of the season, OSU is the clear favorite for this year’s title. With only two loses the entire season to top programs on the road, OSU is poised for a championship run. They have a great coach in Thad Matta and four upperclassmen, including sharpshooter Jon Diebler, captain David Lighty and the always-clutch William Buford. Freshman phenom Jared Sullinger has been impossible to contain the whole season, and with four players scoring over 10 points, the balance is strong, not to mention great from beyond the arc. The only knock on the team may be lack of depth, but with such a great starting five, nothing looks like it will stop them from cutting the nets down in 2011.

fringe

10 March 14, 2011

The UWM Post

Imperial Walker invasion!

IFIHADAHIFI takes on Walker

By Dustin Zarnikow fringe Editor fringe@uwmpost.com

Local noise-rock outfit IFIHADAHIFI has been around town for quite a while. They’ve received praise from Pitchfork and a handful of other publications for their debut album Ones and Zeroes, as well as their sophomore album No Karma. They are currently preparing the release of their EP Nada Surf (a jab at the band Nada Surf who titled their 2010 release If I Had A Hi Fi).

Recently the band released a single entitled “Imperial Walker” – a name referencing the Star Wars protest signs common on the Madison battlefront – and has taken a stance on the ongoing budget repair bill mayhem.

The single has attracted quite a bit of attention from local media, and even national media – receiving a satirical review from The National Review.

The single is available for purchase online, and all proceeds are being donated to the Russ Feingold Progressives United PAC. The Post had a chance to sit down with drummer DJ Hostettler (Dr. Awkward) and bassist Chris Van Gompel (Yale Delay) for a little chat (the whole band uses palindrome monikers as stage-names).

Post: Tell me a bit about how the “Imperial Walker” song came to creation.

Awkward: We had been writing the music for a while; we’re pretty slow song writers and we’re pretty fierce self editors, so it would take us a long time to – Delay: Unless you give us a goal. (Laughs) Give us a goal and we’ll hit it.

Awkward: But we had been working on the music for a couple months already, and then the protests hit. The entire time I’m just kind of sitting at work, watching everything that’s going on and friends of mine who either didn’t work during the day or were calling in sick to go to Madison are calling me like, ‘here’s what’s going on, you guys should all really be here too.’ And I’m like, this is really frustrating cause I’m stuck at work while all this amazing stuff is going down.

And, eventually that weekend I was able to get out there for the first time. […] That Thursday we finished band practice and I was driving down to Blackbird to hang out and I was thinking about the song we were working on and I was like ‘oh shit!

I could write protest lyrics to it about everything that’s going on!’

Then I was thinking, well we wouldn’t want to just put that out there and seem like we were just trying to capitalize on everything, so what can we do? So our friend Brent Gohde, during the Packers season, organized a couple fundraisers called the Vick Payback and the Roethlisberger Payback, where every time Michael Vick got sacked he donated 10 bucks to the Humane Society, and every time Roethlisberger got sacked he donated 10 bucks to a women’s abuse shelter. […] I was like, what would you suggest, Mr. King of the Fundraisers, (laughs) what would be a good charity for this? And he was like, ‘well, Progressives United is the hot thing now ’cause Russ [Feingold] just started that.’

And I was like, ‘oh yeah, that’s brilliant!’

So I e-mailed the other guys

to see what they thought, and they were all OK with it as long as it didn’t cost us too much money – which it didn’t ’cause the next day I managed to secure a studio donated while Shane [Hochstetler] was out of town with Call me Lightning and he found Nick [Elert] from Northless to engineer for us ’cause he’s engineered there before, and another friend of ours, Dan, offered to help out and it just all came together really easily.

Delay: Within a day.

Post: Express Milwaukee was quoted as saying “IFIHADAHIFI has written the first entry in what might be a new genre: ‘Rock Against Walker.’” Seems a bit sensationalized, but it seems music has been a big part of this protest, on a roots level as well as a national scale, with big names like Tom Morello flocking to Madison. Have there been other local bands getting involved?

Delay: Well the first thing is, we’re not really a political band.

We wrote one political song and we’ve been writing songs for 10 years, so what that tells us is basically we got pissed off enough to do something. So, you know, I guess musicians are gonna follow their whim, and if they want to do that, that’s great, and if they don’t … who am I to judge?

Awkward: The only [band] I’m aware of locally is a local hip-hop singer named Melissa Czarnik, she kind of did the same thing – just did a quickie – put it together as fast as she could and put it up on YouTube.

It’s a good song, it was up on YouTube a couple days before we recorded ours and I put it up on our Facebook. […] What’s funny is that I did find another song today recorded by a hiphop artist in Pittsburgh, Jasiri X, and he apparently does this hip-hop news website, where all his hip-hop songs are him rapping over the local [news].

But right now from what I can tell the score is hip-hop: two, rock: one. I think you see more overtly political lyrics in hip-

Local noise-rock outfit IFIHADAHIFI rocking live in San Fransisco.

Image Courtesy of Shannon Corr. hop these days than you do rock.

Delay: One person can do a track, whereas if you’re in a rock band you need the consent of everybody else.

Awkward: So yeah, one of our friends [Daniel James] from The Daniel James Gang had posted something on his Facebook saying, ‘hey would anybody be interested in putting together a rock against Walker compilation together?’ And I was like, ‘already got our song recorded!’ (laughs). But then a bunch of people were saying on the thread that they’re not really into writing political songs.

And I kind of, I empathize with that for sure, cause like I said this is the first one in like 10 or 11 years that we’ve done, and, I think our philosophy has always been write about something that other bands aren’t writing about, and do something different. We have kind of a not-super-hard-lined ‘no love songs’ rule – we pretty much shy away from them cause other people can do them way better (laughs).

Delay: I’m not writing “Solitary Man.” Neil did it way better than I could.

Awkward: And, you know, the political thing, it’s been kind of similar. I can think of one song that I’d written in the history in a band before this one, that is vaguely politically related, which is a song called “Defenestrate Me” which is the opening track on Fame By Proxy, and that one, the lyrics vaguely refer to George Bush, but, it could be extrapolated to mean anything – this is much more direct than anything we’ve ever done.

Post: Do you plan to take this further, or write more political songs in the future?

Delay: Let me tell you something about this band. We don’t plan (laughs). We early on decided that we were never gonna – I mean look at us – we’re never gonna make a lot of money do-

ing what we do. There’s a trade that goes on there, when you realize you’re not going to make any money, you just say ‘fuck it’ and do what you want.

Awkward: Yeah, I mean If you’re gonna approach it from the maximum-rock-and-roll viewpoint of, you know, purity and whatnot, it’s probably the purest way you can approach your art, if I’m gonna be pretentious and say that.

Post: I saw you performed this track at Quenchers in Chicago.

Have you performed it in Madison yet? What is the next step for you as far as music and protest – any protest shows in planning?

Awkward: I imagine it will be in the set for a few months now because it’s new and we’re so excited to play it, and I would imagine the next time we play in Madison I can almost guarantee we’ll play it there. I’ve had a couple people on our Facebook page suggesting ‘you guys should come out and play at the capitol!’

And I’m thinking, ‘find me a generator!’ I don’t know if we had any specific plan beyond: get the song out there, raise money for Russ Feingold, and ruffle a couple feathers. Which apparently since the National Review wrote about it: Mission Accomplished! (laughs).

Post: And how about the National Review online. Care to comment on that tidbit of hilarity?

Delay: Yeah, actually I do.

Have you ever seen the movie The Filth and the Fury? There’s a part in it – it’s all about the Sex Pistols – Johnny Rotten basically said, ‘I can’t explain why it happened, I just know it should have happened – or, it happened because it should have.’ And he says, ‘and being in a band is mostly a horrible experience. It’s boring, you’re around four guys that stink –

See IFIHADAHIFI page 14

fringe

uwmpost.com

March 14, 2011 11

An Irish party in third class

Milwaukee’s own Atlantic Wave will be performing at Paddy’s Pub March 17. Image Courtesy of Atlantic Wave.

Where to find live Irish music on St. Patrick’s Day

By Dustin Zarnikow fringe Editor fringe@uwmpost.com

Looking for something to do on a Milwaukee St. Patrick’s Day besides handing off your dignity wearing a giant green hat like an ignoramus and drinking bullshit green Miller beer until you puke? You’re in luck because there’s a handful of live music – both national and local – right here in Milwaukee to entertain you in a more traditional Irish fashion. Aye, it be true laddie. An’ you might even find a real Irish beer to accompany your day for ol’ St. Patty himself. Sláinte.

The Tossers Take the Irish spark of Flogging Molly, roll it together with the softer Irish folk of The Dubliners and the drunken debauchery of Shane Macgowan (minus the teeth) of the Pogues and you end up with the Tossers. The Chicago-based seven-piece has been around for a wee bit ­­­– formed in the early ’90s – and will have you jigging out your Irish cheer in no time at all. The shameless lyrics and quick-pickin’ mandolin of Tony Duggins sit well alongside Rebecca Manthe’s fiddle, Aaron Duggins’ tin whistle and Dan Shaw’s concertina, leaving no doubt that they’ve held steadfast to their Celtic sound over the last decade.

The Tossers will perform at 7:30 p.m. on March 17 at Turner Hall Ballroom alongside The Reverend Peyton’s Big Damn Band and The Danglers.

Gaelic Storm If you’re looking for something a bit more classically

Irish-folk sounding, you may want to catch Gaelic Storm.

Those of you who are familiar with the band may not immediately recognize members Patrick Murphy and Peter Purvis who shaved their heads on-stage last Wednesday in Green Bay as part of the St. Baldrick’s Foundation childhood cancer research fundraiser. But rest assured, they will still stomp out a hell of a good jig. The Celtic-folk quintet is about one-fifth Irish (Patrick Murphy being the only real Irishman), which gives them about onefifth more Irish content than the Tossers, but just as much Irish spirit. Ah yes, don’t let the laid-back nature fool you, a Gaelic Storm show will likely supply you with about as many stouts and as much knee-slapping drinking spirit as you can handle, and the gang will likely join in on the fun. Catch them on St. Pat’s – just in time to catch some live bit off their latest appropriately-Irish-titled album, Cabbage.

Gaelic Storm will perform at 8 p.m. on March 17 at the Pabst Theater.

Atlantic Wave It seems the trend of this article is working on a modern-to-traditional plane, which makes it fitting that Atlantic Wave falls directly beneath Gaelic Storm. This Milwaukee-based Celtic quartet performs a handful of originals along with a second handful of traditional Irish folk tunes straight from the Emerald Isle. If you’re looking to expand on your horizons, fear not lad, they’ll cover a bit of Scotland and Cape Breton as well between their two albums, Craic’d!

and The Angel’s Share. Barry Houlehen leads the band as guitarist and vocalist with the calming voice of a classic storyteller alongside his old chum John Karr on the mandolin-like bouzouki and Irish Bodhran drum. And you can’t go wrong with the two incendiary fiddle players – Kaitlin Hahn and Ed Paloucek – guaranteeing a hootenanny of a good time. I challenge you to sit through their show without stomping your foot at least once.

Atlantic Wave will be performing at 7 p.m. on March 17 at Paddy’s Pub. Frogwater Probably the most calmnatured and least rowdy of the bunch, Frogwater consists mainly of John and Susan Nicholson, a Milwaukee duo known for their passion for classic Irish and Scottish music. Their eclectic repertoire is certainly not limited to Ireland and Scotland alone – they’ve also been known for blues, bluegrass and other world-music genres. They’ve achieved a WAMI (Wisconsin Area Music Industry) award for best bluegrass band, and are up for nomination again this year. Frogwater is as lively as they are talented, and will surely keep their crowd entertained, playing four shows throughout St. Pat’s.

Frogwater will be performing on March 17 at 10 a.m. until 1 p.m. at The Black Rose; 2 until 4 p.m. at Slim’s; 4:307 p.m. at Trinity Three Irish Pubs; 10 p.m. until 1:30 a.m. at The County Clare.

Milwaukeean duo Frogwater will be performing at various venues throughout Milwaukee all day March 17.

Image Courtesy of Frogwater.com

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12 March 14, 2011

The UWM Post

For Boston: an ode to the Irish Dropkick Murphys’ Going Out In Style

By Dustin Zarnikow fringe Editor fringe@uwmpost.com

It’s been about 15 years since the founding of the Bostonbased Celtic rockers Dropkick Murphys, and the time passed has aged them well. While the Dropkick Murphys may not be everyone’s cup of tea, they’ve undoubtedly brought their fair share of contribution to the essence of Irish-American culture.

Over their decade-and-ahalf run, thus far the band has survived their fair share of lineup changes (bassist/ vocalist Ken Casey being the sole original member), toured extensively all over the world and produced seven studio albums, not to mention wrote the Boston Red Sox’ anthem.

They’ve been working hard, and it is apparent on their seventh studio album.

Upon first glance at the title of their March 1 release, Going Out In Style, one may be tempted to assume the Murphys were throwing in the towel, but I wouldn’t start counting your chips just yet.

The boys from Boston took the same classical Irish story telling style that put 2007’s The Meanest of Times in the Rolling Stone Top 50 Albums of the Year and employed it again but with a new twist on Going Out In Style – a concept album serving as a collection of stories forming one large story celebrating the life of a pseudo-fictional character, Cornelius Larkin.

The character represents a collection of history from the band members’ lives – some real, some fictional – making up one larger biographical take of an Irish immigrant and his life’s ventures.

The Irish-anthem-rock sound remains and takes a running leap at the top of the album with “Hang ‘em High” ­– a battle cry reminiscent of 2006’s Woody Guthrie inspired “Shipping Up To Boston,” which appeared on Scorcese’s The Departed – followed by the title track “Going Out In Style,” the true celebration of Larkins’ own departure.

But the album isn’t all Al Barr’s growling scream accompanied by the full-band backups, as is common in their

stronger, Irish-anthem-style pieces (Well, most of it is.) But there does exist a few softer folk-inspired sing-alongs that often inspire pals in the crowd to throw an arm over the others shoulder and raise a glass to the Murphys. “Cruel” recollects the tragedy of lost family, laden with tin-whistle and a soft bagpipe finish, and “1953,” an ode to shared love, told through the voice of Larkin.

Although the album carries the spark and flare of Dropkicks’ past albums, don’t expect to be smacked across the face with an instantaneous hit like Sing Loud Sing Proud! ’s “Boys on the Docks,” The Warriors Code’s “I’m Shipping Up To Boston,” or The Meanest of Times’ “The State of Massachusetts.” But read a little deeper into the Irish/Americana sentiment of this album and you’re likely to be treated to a classic Murphys’ tale of trial and triumph as you’re sailed off on the voyage of Larkins’ life – a historically influenced album that will be easily adapted into their famous Boston St. Patrick’s Day performances.

Lupe Fiasco’s third studio album released March 8th by Atlantic Records. Image Courtesy of CultureBully.com

Writing with light

Lupe Fiasco’s Lasers

By Steven Franz Asst. fringe Editor fringe@uwmpost.com

The Boston legends gear up for another St. Patricks Day celebration in their home city with their latest release Going Out In Style. Image Courtesy of DropkickMurphys.com

Lupe Fiasco was so intent on ending his hip-hop career after three albums that he all but promised it in the closing seconds of “Fighters,” the second-to-last song on 2007’s The Cool.

That theoretical album, to be titled L.U.P.End, was what the Chicago emcee put all of his immediate thought after The Cool’s release, and he reiterated his Jay-Z-like desire to go out young and on top many times over the course of the ensuing tour. But his contract with Atlantic Records prevented him from ending his career after only three LPs, and so it was unhappily back to square one for Lupe.

It’s difficult to tell which tracks on this album, if any, were intended to appear on L.U.P.End, but one thing is for certain: the messy, unfocused, label-imposed writing and recording sessions are directly reflected in the helter-skelter content and lack of intellectual focus on Lasers.

This is an album that Lupe Fiasco obviously did not want to make, which is mostly why it feels so frothy and empty; very few of Lasers’ tracks are as well-defined as Fiasco’s previous output. For the first time in his career he resorts to pop radio clichés onto which he lays down rhymes that often seem bored and drained.

Whereas Food & Liquor and especially The Cool were able to

weave Fiasco’s positive-thinking manifestos into engrossingly witty narratives and presciently biting bits of cultural satire, Lasers instead finds him simply stating what he thinks without really investing creative effort into how he facilitates his opinions.

Consequently his riffs on politics and culture, instead of being acerbic and subversive like Food & Liquor’s “Daydreamin,” are trite and preachy. Take “Words I Never Said,” which lays Fiasco’s views about everything from the War on Terror to Glenn Beck and Obama almost embarrassingly bluntly.

Where Lasers does find its drive and focus, however, is in the frequent assaults that Fiasco levels against Atlantic Records.

And if his other opinions are hurt for being so barefaced and plain, the digs he takes at his record company are viciously biting for much the same reason.

If The Cool was a fictional cautionary tale about the dangers of notoriety, Lasers is the mission statement of a man who never really wanted fame to begin with and rejects it out of hand.

On “The Show Goes On,” a Modest Mouse-sampling track that almost salvages the whole album single-handedly, he raps, “They treat you like a slave/ Put chains all on your soul and put whips up on your back/ They be lyin’ through they teeth, hope you slip up off your path.” If that’s not a powerfully righteous dig at Atlantic, I don’t know what is.

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uwmpost.com

March 14, 2011 13

Do Not Enter

Gaspar Noe’s baffling magnum opus

Daniel Day Lewis in the 1997 flick The Boxer.

Image Courtesy of Mspotmovies.com

Ireland on film Just in time for St. Patrick’s Day

By Casey Buchanan Staff Writer fringe@uwmpost.com

With St. Patty’s Day on the horizon, one can be sure that there will be plenty of Tullamore Dew and Guinness in stock at the pubs. So to gear yourself up for the holiday that will no doubt require a day or two to recover from, here are some Irish movies that should get your blood boiling a healthy bright green.

The Boxer One of Daniel Day Lewis’s overlooked performances of the ’90s, this film centers around Danny Flynn, who has just done a 14-year stint in an Irish prison and who is battleweary from the fighting going on in Northern Ireland. Much of the film centers on Lewis trying to maintain a boxing gym while simultaneously dealing with serious conflicts with members of the Irish Republican Army.

Gangs of New York Gangs of New York again features Lewis in one of the most badass roles of his career as Bill the butcher. The Martin Scorsese epic masterpiece centers on the true story of the turf wars between Irish immigrants and native-born citizens that went on in a preCivil War New York City slum known as the Five Points.

This film is significant for jettisoning Leonardo DiCaprio’s career from teenage heartthrob to the rough-and-tumble stealer of dreams we know him as today.

The Departed Another Scorsese joint, this film centers on the Irish mafia and the control they had over key parts of Boston.

DiCaprio stars in this film alongside Matt Damon, Alec Baldwin, and Mark Wahlberg.

With a star-studded cast like that, it’s pretty amazing that Jack Nicholson was able to steal the thunder from all those younger guys and totally make the movie his own.

Even though Nicholson was well into his 70s during filming, his persona never runs cold.

Barry Lyndon This film is about an Irish peasant who, through the course of his life, enters into the British aristocracy.

Stanley Kubrick directed but upon its release in 1975 it did not garner much praise from the critics. It is now considered one of Kubrick’s most brilliant films and one of the best pieces of cinema of all time. Barry Lyndon is a long one though, roughly threeand-a-half hours long. Clear your schedule.

The Secret of Kells This movie was nominated for Best Animated Feature Film at the 2010 Academy Awards. The plot centers on the fictionalized creation of the Book of Kells, today considered one of Ireland’s most precious religious works in the history of the country.

The animation is very unique and the colors are so vibrant they burst off the screen. I recommend watching it on a very large HD television.

Image courtesy of Wild Bunch Distribution

By Steven Franz Asst. fringe Editor fringe@uwmpost.com

There reached a point about halfway through Gasper Noe’s Enter the Void where I was rendered almost incapable of thinking critically about it.

That’s not to say the film, which played at the UWMilwaukee Union Theatre last weekend and is available streaming on Netflix, is without meaning. It’s obvious that Noe, a master provocateur and one of the most intellectual hacks working today, has loaded the film with as much signification as he possibly could. All of it is trite, paper-thin, and often laughably immature.

It’s just that somewhere between the close-up of the aborted fetus, the sex club in which everyone’s genitalia emits mysterious light, and the 10,000th point-of-view shot soaring over Tokyo, it strikes one just how magnificently silly and positively stupid Enter the Void actually is.

Apparently the culmination of Gaspar Noe’s entire career (he used the financial success of his 2003 cult shock-fest Irreversible as the launching point for this film), Enter the Void is an experiment in style and middle-school metaphysical philosophy.

It begins with strobing, electronica-driven, headache-inducing credits that are impossible to read (and that Kanye West notably repeated beat-forbeat in his video for “All of the Lights,” which might as well have been a subtitle for Enter the Void) and doesn’t change much from there. It is without a doubt a very beautiful film, but Noe invests far more energy into making it look like a hallucinogenic fever dream than he does in writing, plotting, or, for that matter, directing.

The entire film is shot in the nauseating first-person point of view of Oscar (Nathaniel Brown), a small-time drug hustler transplanted to Tokyo after the death of his parents in a car crash during his youth.

After making enough money from his drug deals to afford a plane ticket for his sister (Paz de la Huerta), she joins him in the city, becomes a stripper to afford her living expenses, and dissolves into much the same drug trade as he.

All of this is retold as flashbacks that the dead Oscar’s spirit experiences after being shot and killed by the police (trust me, this is not a spoiler), and all of it is boring, boring, boring. Neither de la Huerta nor Brown seems capable of any personality whatsoever; both

are laughably wooden and are far less charismatic than the five-minute reenacted drug hallucination with which Noe begins the film for no apparent reason.

It is rather amazing that Enter the Void, which is largely an experiment in sensual assault, could be so spectacularly dull.

Tracking in at just under three hours in length, the film is naturally interminable, a problem that is exacerbated by the fact that every shot is about four times longer than it needs to be, and several shots and images are so needlessly repeated that it’s arguable Enter the Void should be half its length.

Outside of Noe’s preteen perception of Tibetan theology and the disturbing Oedipal fantasy at the film’s core (which is never contextualized into a larger meaning), the film seems to be communicating nothing of value beyond how pretty it looks and how shocking it is.

But when your movie climaxes with an insanely ridiculous point-of-view shot of sex from inside a vagina – and I swear to you I am not making that up – it’s tough to take it seriously as anything other than an expensive, cartoonish, three-hour waste of everybody’s time.

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14 March 14, 2011

Nickelodeon’s Rango takes animation and runs with it

Johnny Depp stars as the title lizard in the entertaining and adult/kid-appropriate animated film Rango. Image Courtesy of CoppellStudentMedia.com

By Melissa Shaw Staff Writer fringe@uwmpost.com

In a time when animated films are thriving, Nickelodeon’s release of Rango, directed by Gore Verbinski, raises the bar for standards in animated entertainment.

Complete with adult humor and mild cuss words such as “hell” and “damn,” the film reaches a place that adults can appreciate and one that children might not understand at times.

Already a top contender for next year’s best-animated film of the year, Rango, like many other animated films, has reminded us why animation is a great vacation from real-life movies; it allows the imagination to run wild.

A nod to classic western tales, Rango is complete with a hero, Sheriff Rango, (voiced by Johnny Depp), the fair maiden Miss Beans, (voiced by a southern accented Isla Fischer), and the villain Mayor of Dirt (voiced by Ned

Beatty).

The story of Rango begins with a caged lizard begging the question: “Who am I?” After being tossed into the desert, he walks his way from modern living to the lawless 19th century town of Dirt, where he is met by drunken characters of the gunslinging west. As the new sheriff in town, Rango’s mission is to help find water before the town and the townspeople’s hope dry up.

Perhaps because the film is a product of Nickelodeon (rather than Disney/Pixar), it was able to show drunken jackrabbits, smoking Gila monsters, a naked Barbie torso – as well as briefly mention lesbians and prostate exams. For this reason, the film received a PG rating, which may have parents concerned about bringing their young children to see it.

As for the animation, such beautifully crafted work puts Rango at the top of its genre.

Pixar has done some amazing things with animation: however,

the effects done for Rango by the company Industrial Light and Magic were awe-inspiring. This 2D marvel makes you wonder why the gimmicks of 3D film are so hyped up.

What made the animation so life-like were the variations in textures of the characters and settings. The panned out views were incredible, but when closeups appeared, it was as if the little critters were completely real, not animated.

Rango looked like such a real lizard that you could practically feel the dryness of his scaly skin. The drunken rats and rabbits were so disgustingly dirty and matted down that you could imagine their stench. Every hair, scale, thread, dust particle, water bead, and wood grain was clearly visible.

Even if you aren’t into animated films, go see Rango. You’ll probably change your mind and want to see where the future of animation is headed.

The UWM Post

IFIHADAHIFI Continued from page 10

who you don’t like very much – it’s mostly horrible. But it was all worth it because we pissed the right people off.’

And he basically summed up all there is to say about that.

Plain and simple.

Awkward: It was hilarious.

It was a very condescending, sneering, lets-laugh-at-theliberals-that-think-they-canchange-the-world, and he kind of attributed a lot more ambition to the song than there actually was. His whole opening paragraph about Woodstock ended the Vietnam War, and Bruce Springsteen put John Kerry in office or whatever.

Obviously Scott Walker is not going to hear our song and get all [hurt] and pull the bill from the table. I mean, come on… (laughs). I mean, it was hilarious – we got a couple trolling posts on some of our YouTube clips about it. I mean, whatever. [They’re] giving us more attention about it. I can look at our Bandcamp stats and point out that as of today about 190 to 200 clickthroughs have come to our Bandcamp page just from that article (laughs).

Post: Do you think the state should recall “Imperial Walker”?

Awkward: Absolutely.

(Laughs) 100 percent yes.

Have you been to Madison at all yet?

Post: Unfortunately I’ve been there once thus far, but it was fairly mellow by the time I got out there.

Awkward: I don’t know if you’ve saw any of the signs but there have been plenty of signs that read like ‘Republicans Ashamed of Walker,’ or like signs that say ‘I voted for Walker and I’m sorry.’ There are a lot of people right now in the state that feel like they voted him in under false pretenses. If that is not a great case for recall action, I don’t know what is. I think a lot of conservatives that are still holding to the anti-union line have been saying ‘that’s just sour grapes’ and you know, ‘we won the election, get over it.’ But the recall process is there for a reason; it’s a check on power. And if you feel like the person that you put into office is not performing the tasks that you put them in there to do, that’s what that is for, and I think that there are a lot of Republicans, conservatives, ahh…

Delay: People who are not party affiliated.

Awkward: Yeah. Who may have voted for him and now are like oh shit… That’s what that’s for.

Post: Do you think Feingold should run for Governor?

Delay: Depends if he wants to be governor, really. If he wants it, I’ll vote for him, I’ll tell you that.

Awkward: Actually even if he doesn’t want it, that would make him a better candidate in my book. You know what they say, ‘the best candidates for political office don’t want it.’ But my friend Abby, when

I was out there the first week that they had [the protest], was holding a sign that said ‘Feingold for President 2012,’ and everybody was really into it. I would vote for him in a heartbeat – he’s the closest thing I have to a political hero.

Post: What do you guys do for day jobs?

Delay: Work in advertising.

Awkward: I work at a gaming website for kids that has a global warming theme to it.

Post: Interesting. What kind of gaming?

Awkward: Like virtual world, kind of like Club Penguin or Web Kinz where you get a little character where you can walk around and chat with other kids and play games in the little virtual world-type environment.

Post: You’re both non-state, non-unionized workers, correct?

Delay: Yeah, but I have to confess, my mom worked for a union for 35 years.

Awkward: My dad worked for a union at his metal plant.

Post: Is the Walker budget repair bill affecting your life, or do you have any insight on less obvious people that his cuts may affect?

Delay: Anybody in a band has friends who are schoolteachers. Plain and simple, I have tons of friends who are schoolteachers. You know?

And they’re taking a 500-dollar cut a month? And these people are not – I’ve seen the kind of cars they drive…

Awkward: Yeah (Laughs).

Delay: I mean, they’re not raking in any more money than I am, I can tell you that.

It’s just wrong. It’s wrong to take that much money out of somebody’s pocket just like that (snaps fingers).

Post: I’d assume due to the “Imperial Walker” title that you guys are Star Wars fans.

Who’s your favorite Star Wars character?

Delay: Greedo just has the head action going on. Like, check that dome out! It’s nuts.

I gotta go with Greedo man.

Awkward: Wedge Antilles.

Post: Who’s that?

Delay: He’s not a Star Wars geek at all… (laughing) Awkward: The only X-wing pilot other than Luke to survive all the movies. (Delay making strange mock-nerd sounds in the background…)

Post: Oh yeah, Wedge! The Antilles part threw me off… never heard the last name.

Favorite planet?

Delay: I always like the Mos Eisley Cantina, just because it seemed like a place we would play.

Awkward: I don’t know if it counts anymore, but one of my earliest Internet handles when I was first on the Internet and chatting with people was Myrkr, – [taken] from a book from the Timothy Zahn Heir to the Empire books – that’s a planet from those books.

Delay: (Laughing) Yeah… He’s not a geek.

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uwmpost.com

March 14, 2011 15

Three local poets offer lively words on a Friday night

By Dustin Zarnikow fringe Editor fringe@uwmpost.com

Many may consider poetry to be something of a dying art these days, but there are still signs of life – sometimes particularly bright ones.

It takes special attention and a good eye to find them, especially on a local level, but there are those in the community who are doing their part to find those glowing embers and blow a little oxygen on them to get the fire going.

It seems to be working too, as local poets have been building up what is beginning to look like a comeback for the traditional art. Local bookstores like Downer Avenue’s Boswell Book Company and River West’s Woodland Pattern host poetry readings from local artists. Even radio stations have been getting involved, and of course there’s the magic of the Internet allowing for popular niche blogs.

Last Friday night Boswell Book Company hosted the first of a series of poetry readings, which, throughout the spring, will feature words from local poets. The evening turned out to be a pleasant and lively experience as Derrick Harriell, Ed Makowski and Nick Demske pleased eager ears with oftentimes comedic wit.

Derrick Harriell, first on the stand, delivered a handful of selections from his debut-collection titled Cotton, which read like semi-autobiographical anecdotes surrounding himself and his family and their migration from Tuscaloosa, Ala., to our own Milwaukee, Wis. Harriell, who has presented his work all around the country, has had his work published in numerous publications, and is a dissertator and instructor in UW-Milwaukee’s English department, insightfully delivered with a powerful voice to an eager audience.

“This is the one where Uncle Red and Uncle Danny lose an eye.

The one where Aunt Rose is a drunken ornament dangling from the chandelier.

Ten dollars will get you a red plastic cup, and one record request, But you better know what you’re doing Cousin Marvin don’t play no bullshit.

And if the singer didn’t have a process, it’s best you keep your mouth closed…”

– Excerpt from Harriell’s reading from Cotton.

Ed Makowski’s nonchalant nature and often dryly-sarcastic expressions place emphasis on his good-natured personality: a warm feature that places you at the forefront of his visions as he reads them, allow-

ing you to quickly relate. As an author under the pen name Eddie Kilowatt, he has a witty knack for uncovering some of life’s less-obvious humors and puts meaning to moments often times overlooked, commonly employing clever rhetorical jaunts. He commonly contributes to Milwaukee’s Lake Effect on NPR station 89.7 WUWM, has had poetry from his collection Manifest Density included in Best New Poetry 2006, and won the Carma Writer’s Award for his book Carrying a Knife in to the Gunfight.

“Sun reemerges sending snow banks receding down sewer grates.

Looking down the alley, the blanket lifted, sun revealing and ripening, the past six months are indiscretions, dreams forever frozen.”

– Makowski’s reading of “Alley Spring” Silver-tongued Nick Demske unleashes a passionate whirlwind of hilarity when he places his pen to the paper. Using classical styles and a mastery of idioms and language he poses inquisitive thoughts and paints engaging reflections of himself, race, gender, sexuality, society, and much more.

Demske delivers with sometimes raging emotion, almost always flanked by quirky, highlyamusing humor. Demske was selected as Poets and Writers Magazine’s Debut Writers to Watch, and co-founded the monthly performance series Bonk! Held at the Racine Arts Council building.

“Generosity makes me uncomfortable.

Their disfigurements make them collectable.

I am in love with you or someone not unlike you.

Everyone and their mom must go.

Go demagnetize your moral compass, Go prepay after dark, sanguine.

If everybody were handicapped, we’d treat everybody like handicapped people.

If I paid taxes, I could write this off on my taxes.

The defendant pleads guiltier than you or I could imagine your honor!

There’s snow in my mailbox, But it too will melt.

Nick Demske, you have kissed two girls in your life, and one has since become a faggot, The other died on impact!

Ah life! You hander of lemons, Never foreseeing their juice would quench your proprius lacerations thus!”

– Nick Demske’s reading of “Half-full Bedpan”

Poet Ed Makowski delivers words of subtle comedic wit at the podium at Downer Ave. Boswell Book Company. Post Photo by Dustin Zarnikow

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16 March 14, 2011

The UWM Post

The Future of video games and movies

By Tom Kosiec Staff Writer fringe@uwmpost.com

Video games based on movies typically suck. In order to make the most money possible, game developers release games around the same time that the movie hits theaters, which generally results in a poorly designed game that feels like it has been rushed to the market (Iron Man 2, for example).

However, there have been a few rare instances where movie tie-in games turned out to be quite good. Most notably are the first two games based on the Lord of the Rings trilogy, Spider-Man 2, and the Chronicles of Riddick: Escape from Butcher Bay, all of which put many movie-based games to shame.

Still, often times the best games based on movies are the ones that come out after the film. For instance, the Nintendo 64 classic GoldenEye 007 bene-

fited from a longer development time and went on to become one of the most successful video games ever.

Telltale, a development team best known for their point-andclick-style episodic adventure games like Sam and Max, are taking a similar approach with their first movie-based titles.

So far they’ve been successful. Their current project, a five-part episodic game based on Robert Zemeckis’ Back to the Future Trilogy, has received critical acclaim and is their most profitable game to date. The developers at Telltale partnered with Bob Gale, the co-creator and co-writer of the Back to the Future Trilogy, to craft a story that takes place after the third film.

Without giving too much away, you take on the role of Marty McFly (voiced by A.J. LoCascio, who sounds remarkably similar to Michael J. Fox) on an adventure to find Doctor

Emmett Lathrop “Doc” Brown (Christopher Lloyd is back). In addition to stellar voice acting, the game’s captivating music, cartoonish graphics, and cinematic presentation make players feel like they are part of the film’s universe.

During your adventure, you explore the film’s iconic Hill Valley setting and use the tricked-out DeLorean DMC 12 to travel to new locations not seen in the film. Gameplay consists of talking to characters through dialogue trees and solving puzzles by interacting with objects in the environment. Although replay value is limited, you can go back and choose new dialogue choices that impact the story in small ways.

The Back to the Future episodes are available for PC, Mac, PS3, and the iPad. (Xbox 360 owners don’t get any love.) So far, the first two episodes are available now with the remaining three sets to be released be-

fore June. You can purchase the episodes individually or own the whole season for $24.99.

Telltale’s other big moviebased episodic game is Jurassic Park. Like Back to the Future, Jurassic Park is very cinematic, and it complements the film’s universe nicely. The graphics are photorealistic, a departure from the cartoonish art style seen in many Telltale games.

The plot takes place during the original 1993 Jurassic Park film and shortly after. You play as Gerry Harding, the veterinarian who treated the injured triceratops in the first film. Other characters confirmed so far are Harding’s daughter Ness and a mysterious woman named Nima.

Unlike Telltale’s previous adventure games, Jurassic Park changes up the typical adventure-game format. For the first time in a Telltale game, your character can die. The death scenes are both gruesome and

The Madame of Madam Chino

By Patrice Vnuk Asst. fringe Editor fringe@uwmpost.com

Milwaukee’s resident DoIt-Yourself extraordinaire, Vanessa Devaki Andrew, is the talent behind the brand Madam Chino and many other projects throughout the city. The Post recently had a chance to ask the Madam about fashion, crafting and the art of thrift shopping.

The Post: You’ve carved a great niche for what you do in the community by integrating fashion and art. Have you always wanted to do something like this, or did you find it in a different way?

Vanessa Devaki Andrew: When I look back at being a child hiding in a hamper sorting colored paper pretending I was a secretary, it all makes sense. This would have been insightful for me when I was so worried about what I would “be” when I graduated. I’m still myself!

Creativity is a general field that applies itself innumerably in all other fields by encouraging problem solving skills. Beyond specializations, my interest in creativity has strength-

ened my efficacy in problem solving, and guided me to discover the many parallels in various media by simply using the Principals of Art, Elements of Design, Design Synectics and self-determination (D.I.Y.). I enjoy knowing that if I spend the time to grapple long enough, I will learn something and make up that time by becoming more efficient in the future.

Fashion is a utilitarian art, which makes it more practical and accessible than other forms of visual art. Originally fashion conflicted with my moral agenda, but I realized it can help people if it makes them feel beautiful in their own bodies, and it helps the planet if it repurposes materials.

from noon to 6 p.m. on the 3rd floor of the Milwaukee Fortress at 100A E Pleasant Street. It is also a gallery space with handpicked handmade consignments by other local people.

Post: How would you describe your store, Madam Chino’s Look Nook?

Andrew: The Look Nook is the physical presence for what would otherwise be my three virtual shops: Print (Penny Spencer Ink!), Handmade (Madam Chino’s LOOK NOOK), and Vintage/Supplies (Rigattiere). It is a part of a portable installation that I take to markets, and a brick and mortar showroom that is open once a week on Saturdays

Post: Do you think the Milwaukee area is a good home for your store, or might you move or expand in the future?

Andrew: I like Milwaukee because it’s affordable and I can go at the pace of my own biorhythms. The Internet is perfect for transcending a lack of key seasonal markets from

Post: How did you come up with the name “Madam Chino”?

Is there a story behind it?

Andrew: The first shirt I ever tailored was a teal T-shirt from Value Village on 3rd Street and North Avenue, with white velveteen iron-on cursive letters that read “Madam Chino.” I wore it a lot. Chino references a basic common fabric, so I thought it was perfect. When I Googled it and didn’t find anyone, I decided I should carry on the name.

my remote showroom. However, my business is not just retail but education. Unfortunately with the major budget cuts in both education and in the arts (from half a million to a mere $22,000 in the arts) I fear many teaching opportunities are dissolving for all people working at the community level.

Post: How do you find your vintage items (unless it’s a secret), and how do you decide whether to leave them as they are or to add your own personal touch?

Andrew: I thrift because it’s smart. Reusing is better than recycling because it doesn’t take more energy to reproduce a new object. Upcycling is sort of a cross between the two, and developed as a term for taking something and making it better. Some things are already perfect; these are gleaned and admired. Often I reuse the perfect parts of imperfect garments to reconstruct new and better pieces. If I work from my own patterns to cut

comical; you may find yourself purposely killing your character over and over again just to see a T-Rex devour him limb by limb. To avoid death you must quickly press buttons on screen when prompted (think Heavy Rain or Resident Evil 4 quick time events).

The other big new change is how you play the game. You don’t control your onscreen character; instead, you control the camera to interact with characters and the environment. This makes the game feel like a rollercoaster where you’re on rails, which may make the game too linear for some. (It’s too early to tell if the whole game will be like this though.)

Jurassic Park releases this April for PC, Mac, 360, and PS3.

An iPad version is not confirmed yet. The cost to own all five episodes is $29.99, and like Back to the Future, the episodes come out on a monthly or bimonthly basis.

yardage, I use rescued fabrics.

Post: How is Milwaukee’s reception to your handmade and craft items? Is there a good demand for it?

Andrew: The market has changed a lot since I started. Major stores like Gap and J.Crew were mall-based and more traditional, so individuality was a major concern on a consumer level. Currently, major stores like H & M, American Apparel, Forever 21 and Urban Outfitters appeal to a more diverse audience. One-of-a-kind is not as important to consumers because they are being offered many styles, traditional and non-traditional combined. Adapting to markets by creating affordable price points is crucial to “buy time” for making what you really love.

Post: You teach a sewing class at the UWM Studio Arts and Crafts Centre called “No-Sweat Sewing.” How did you get into that, and can you tell us a little about it?

Andrew: I started teaching at the UWM [Studio Arts and Craft Centre] as a college student of-

See CHINO page 1

Do-It-Yourself Fashion Designer Vanessa Andrews working in her shop, The Look Nook, in Brewers Hill. Post Photo by Sierra Riesberg

fringe

uwmpost.com

March 14, 2011 17

Miltown Kings preview Drag king troupe is a local gem

By Lindsey Hinkel Special to the Post fringe@uwmpost.com

The Inked!! art show premiered March 11 at the BYO Studio Lounge. Post Photo by Justin Hamilton

A little culture with your beer?

Drinks and Drawings at BYO’s “Inked!!”

By Justin Hamilton Special to the Post fringe@uwmpost.com

With its most recent exhibition, “Inked!!,” Bayview’s BYO studio lounge puts the spotlight on various artists working in the illustrative arts. Illustration, or graphic drawing in general, is often a genre of art overlooked by the typical gallery world, given that it falls somewhere between fine art and graphic design.

That dilemma presents the show’s biggest strength and weakness: pulling from all corners of the field, including pen and ink drawings, comic art, concert flyers and sketchbook pages.

It’s an admirable, and mostly successful goal to collect such eclectic pieces in one spot, but ultimately the quality of work is widely varied, leaving mixed impressions at the end of Friday night’s opening reception.

The exhibition makes a great first impression, putting the strongest work up front and setting a good tone. Anyone who frequents Riverwest’s Art Bar will instantly recognize the work of local painter Jeremy Lowther. His vibrant and whimsical paintings of subjects both animal and human are wisely hung in a scattershot fashion across several wall panels.

The informal arrangement, complete with a few thrift store frames and crooked alignment, really help establish a play-

ful aesthetic for the show as a whole and reasonable pricing reinforces the idea that this is art for everyone to enjoy.

Another standout, whose work I viewed for the first time, is Steph Davies. She presents a cohesive body of work focused on birds that plays a nice counterpoint to Lowther’s style.

Davies’s beautiful pen and ink drawings invite close inspection and reward the viewer with unique detail in every feather or knot on a branch. The fowls often flow from canvas to canvas, working both as individually cropped compositions and a cohesive whole, a touch that really makes her segment of the show seem purposeful and exhibition-specific.

It is unfortunate that this thoughtfulness doesn’t pervade the entire show however. The work occupying the center of the gallery suffers from a lack of unity, breaking the flow of the show a bit. This is especially unfortunate because much of the work is just as deserving of attention as the front of the house fare.

The work of Steve Wierth deserves notice here regardless, however. His style recalls 1980’s skateboard and metal culture perfectly, with a collection of self-contained compositions depicting zombie-like ghouls, fantastic creatures, and a general abundance of slime and puss-soaked imagery that goes great with a beer in hand.

All that would be even more

awesome if only a little more thought went into hanging presentation. Whereas Davies’s and Lowther’s presentations come across purposeful and in tune with their subjects, Wierth’s arrangement seems arbitrary.

Clustered walls are fine in a relaxed exhibition, but the relative sameness in size and color of his work leaves the viewer with little guidance through the collection. This lack of attention is made more apparent by neighboring drawings that are ripped straight from a notebook, resulting in a look that’s a little more sloppy than casual.

Ultimately though, BYO is successful in its showing and should serve as a good model to build other shows of this type off of. The bar/gallery atmosphere presents a uniquely casual setting that really suites illustration’s lively attitude and the amount of contributing artists gives each section of the lounge a unique feel.

Milwaukee could use a few more showings like “Inked!!” and I’m sure nobody would complain about a little more art with their booze either.

Inked runs March 10- April 10 at BYO studio lunge, 2246 S. Kinnickinnic Ave., and features the work of anthony e. brandl, Matt Chic, Steph Davies, Tim Demeter, Ruth Alison Donovan, Jeremy Lowther, Christopher MacDonald, Pamela Mazone, Allison Alexander Westbrook IV, Steve Wierth, Zak Worth.

Looking for a great way to kick off spring break? Stop by the Miramar Theater on Friday, March 19 and check out Milwaukee’s resident drag king troupe, the Miltown Kings, in their “Immaculate Erection” show.

The troupe has been performing around Milwaukee since they formed in late 2003. Prior to the Miltown Kings’ entrance onto the Milwaukee drag scene, audiences looking to see a live drag king show had to travel to Chicago.

The “founding fathers” of the group said they “wanted to provide a space where drag kings could work together here in the city,” according to Leo Long, a current member of the troupe.

The founding fathers performed their first show at Walker’s Pint, at their annual Scorpio Party. By the end of 2004, just over a year after their first performance, the Miltown Kings had performed 24 shows. “The city and the troupe were hooked on drag,” Long said.

The troupe found their home at the bSide, a smaller venue in Walker’s Point. The Kings credit their growth and success to the support of the bSide. Eventually, the Kings outgrew that space, and moved into their current home, the Miramar Theater on Oakland Avenue in the Upper East Side.

Over the years, the Kings

have had a rotating cast.

Currently, the troupe stands at 13 members. They pride themselves on being a feminist-based troupe. There is no one leader of the group; rather, decisions are made jointly and democratically.

All performers also help with the behind-the-scenes work. A couple of guest performers are featured at each show.

Since 2003, the Miltown Kings have performed at venues across Milwaukee. They have put on shows in bars, colleges, hotel conference rooms and even churches.

The talented performers have also gone on the road, performing in several different states and in Canada.

The Miltown Kings put on a great show, integrating musical numbers with comedy. The banter of the hosts keeps the audience laughing, and the talented performers captivate the audience with creative musical numbers.

Long describes the shows as “a little of everything – live singing, political commentary, general sexiness and a ton of over-the-top silliness.”

All Miltown Kings shows are 18 and up, “’cause we’re naughty,” Long explains.

The Kings’ next show is this Friday, March 19 at the Miramar Theater on Oakland Avenue. There is a $7 cover and the doors open at 9 p.m.

Connect with the Kings on Facebook at www.facebook. com/miltownkings.

fringe

18 March 14, 2011

CHINO

Continued from page 16 fering both Watercolor and Illustration. I started sewing and got involved with a lot of community organizations teaching sewing to kids.

About five years ago the Craft Centre bought machines and invited me aboard. Over the coarse I have used my original art degree in Painting and Drawing to construct narrative educational comic “YOU-torials” on a variety of topics including basic sewing, t-shirt reclamation, patternmaking/draping and accessories/ embellishments, which I self-publish under Penny Spencer Ink, and use in my classes. The five-week workshop course covers all of these topics. Please check out the Craft Centre website for more info on all the awesome opportunities.

Post: Is there anything new you’re working on that we can look forward to soon?

Andrew: In celebration of Earth Week, UWM will be hosting “Earth Day Runway with Madam Chino and Friends” in the UWM Union Concourse Wednesday, April 20 at both high noon and 12:30 pm. The show features the Madam Chino Spring 2011 Men’s and Women’s Collections, in addition to the works of the students participating in “No Sweat Sewing” classes.

LOOK NOOK is hosting a two-month Amigurumi Gallery Show, featuring the small anthropomorphic crocheted animals of local artists and high school students from May until June. Find Madam Chino’s LOOK NOOK on Facebook or follow the blog at www.madamchino. blogspot.com for upcoming details and future events.

The UWM Post

Bye Bye Liver

Drinking games turned pro

By Heather Markovich Special to the Post fringe@uwmpost.com

For fans of the Milwaukee ComedySportz scene, adding a few drinks to the experience is an extra bonus. But for audiences attending Bye Bye Liver, drinking is all part of the game.

The drinking play Bye Bye Liver was created by The Pub Theater Company, based in Chicago. The show started its run in Milwaukee just a year ago and also takes the stage in Chicago, Toronto, St. Louis and the Twin Cities.

Chock-full of debaucheryladen, politically incorrect, offthe-wall wit and hysterics, the show is anything but clean, and with an age rating of 21-plus at the door, the drinks can continue flowing while the laughs get raunchier by the minute.

Set in the imaginary Frank’s Bar, each Liver sketch takes a finer comedic look at subjects such as alcohol and partying, but focuses more on what happens when those two are mixed together: bad choices. Audience members are first introduced to a couple celebrating their

three-year anniversary at the bar, and each time the bartender “freezes” time, the girlfriend’s reactions to different types of alcohol placed in front of her give way to escalating levels of hostility towards her boyfriend.

The drinks keep flowing as the sketches continue: a sketch about a guy who has just been dumped; a Rocky-esque parody about picking up girls at a nightclub; the hilarious banter in a line outside a men’s bathroom. It goes on.

Even in the time between sketches, there’s no lull in the entertainment. The cast asks the audience to participate in an array of drinking games, including: “Never have I ever,” “Name that tune,” “Would you rather,” and joint “Socials.”

“The spine of the show is how relatable it is,” said Director of Theater Operations Josh Dunkin, who plays the bartender in the show. “The experiences the characters are having are experiences anyone out in the crowd may have had or could have in their life.”

But the ability to relate doesn’t end there. It’s a two-way street – the show itself is dynamic,

feeding off the audience.

“It’s a rush, watching people laugh so hard they cry, having the time of their life,” said cast member Cynthia Kmak. “It allows me to be crazy. To feed off their energy.”

The Liver cast consists of only about five members, most of whose theater careers originated in the Milwaukee area. “[We] are like a family,” said cast member Adam Gilmore.

“These guys are great. They make it easy to do this night after night.”

Audiences beware, though: Drinks during the show are not free. And with an admission price of $12 per person, the bill can add up.

“People come to ComedySportz to have a good time, and with this show they will,” said cast member Robby McGhee.

“It really is Milwaukee’s best -kept secret,” said Dunkin.

Bye Bye Liver hits the stage at 9:30 p.m. every Saturday night at ComedySportz, 420 South First Street. For tickets call 414312-4388 or visit www.byebyeliver.com/milwaukee.

Empathy and the almighty dollar

By Sarah Hanneken Staff Writer fringe@uwmpost.com

What a weird and wonderful world we live in today. I recently sat down to a 45-minute video chat with the lovely and enlightened Mariana Tosca, a prominent actress and animal activist who’s been rattling cages in the L.A. area for years.

Befittingly, our dogs joined in the conversation about halfway through after hearing one another bark through the computer speakers. This little anecdote appropriately sums up the general consensus reached by the end of the interview: Humanity has come such a long way technologically and empathetically. We no longer need to exploit other species for our own survival. At last we can let down our psychological defense mechanisms and view them as our equals – because they are.

The Post: How did you initially become involved in animal advocacy? Were you a vegan who decided to take it to the next level, or were you the animal advocate who recognized that campaigning on behalf of certain species while eating and exploiting others was unjustifiable?

Mariana Tosca: I have been a vegetarian since I was six. I attended my first protest when I was 20. It was an anti-fur protest in San Francisco. I had always had an affinity for any an-

imal, for all other beings, and I remember I was just walking through Union Square that day and someone shoved a blow horn in my hand and said, ‘Say something!’ I had never done anything like it before, and I just felt so liberated. I felt like I had really stumbled upon what I was supposed to be doing.

Now, I’ve always been lactose intolerant, so I never consumed dairy to begin with, but I did eat eggs. I always thought “free-range” chickens were living happy lives running around, and it wasn’t until seven years ago that I realized this was not the case. It really only took one conversation, a few sentences from someone explain how my assumption wasn’t consistent with reality, and I was like “Okay. Done.” I refuse to be one of those people who is given a fact and then just complacently ignores it. I refuse to be one of those people.

It’s unfortunate that the majority of people are just content with the status quo; they just want to go about their lives, not being shaken into motivation or galvanized into taking action. … We can’t just live our whole lives with blinders on.

Post: Yes, to choose to live that way seems highly irresponsible, even selfish, since it is our decisions as consumers that really drives all of the animal industries. So, aside from attending protests or petitioning corporations, how can we most

effectively end the torture and exploitation of animals in these various industries?

Tosca: I would say that the single most powerful tool that any person has is their dollar.

That is their strongest vote. I’ve seen many people who have the knowledge and compassion but don’t necessarily have the activism drive, and too often they just back down from doing anything at all. But even if you don’t want to attend a single protest or engage in any form of animal activism at all, that’s okay.

The most important thing is to be really conscious about what you are spending your money on.

If you’re spending your money at a circus that features animal acts, you can be sure your dollars are directly contributing to the animal abuse and torture that goes into “training” them. If you spend money on a product that was tested on animals, then you are clearly making a choice to fund those painful experiments. You are directly contributing to those brutal and unnecessary tests, whether you are in there holding a scalpel yourself or not.

Other areas in which our decisions as consumers directly affect the fate of individual animals include food, fashion and pets. There are many things most people don’t know about these markets.

To read the rest of this article, visit uwmpost.com

March 14, 2011 19

uwmpost.com

Fancy a peek?

New browser-history-sharing websites go too far

By Jackie Dreyer Editorial Editor editorial@uwmpost.com

With the way most Internet browsers are set up these days, typing in a URL address can bring up a number of previous searches or sites you’ve visited that you may not want a friend, family member or significant other seeing (cough * engagement ring searches, pornography * cough).

But a new wave of websites is coming to town, and they’re toting a shocking new service.

Websites like Dscover.me, Sitesimon.com and Voyurl. com allow users to sign up to share their browsing history in its entirety on the sites.

Talk about transparency.

“It’s ok to look,” reads Voyurl.com’s tongue-in-cheek slogan. Dscover.me’s founders developed their website “because they were old college friends and wanted a way to better share common interests, from shopping finds to tech news, while living in different parts of the country,” according to The New York Times. But the idea of sharing one’s entire browser history is a bit mortifying to me, as it dangerously toes the line between one’s public and private life online.

Foursquare – a social networking site that allows users to “check in” at venues via mobile applications, text messages and online – gives a highly personal look into one’s daily happenings.

Anyone can see the bars you were at the night before and the coffee shop where you’re nursing your hangover at the following morning. Yet the important thing to point out is that you, the user, are actively choosing to show people what you’re doing. (Facebook has a similar feature now, too.)

Would you really want your friends to see that you’ve been Googling yeast infections?

Wanting to share with friends, family and colleagues the latest site you’ve been window-shopping at or the menu of a new restaurant in town, as Dscover. me’s founders seem to want,

See TRANSPARENCY page 20

Watch the US crumble Cuts to public education are a curse to the nation

By Brian Holmes Staff Writer editorial@uwmpost.com

Wisconsin is not the only state fighting to keep public education alive. Students, teachers and their supporters are protesting across the nation.

In South Dakota, a 6.6-percent cut to public education has been proposed. Detroit is considering putting up to 60 children in a single classroom. Our very own governor has confirmed a $900-million cut in public education aid, including chops to financial aid. And that’s not the last of it.

America cannot afford to let this happen. Over the past three or four decades, our nation’s international education ranking has been slipping dramatically. In a 2009 ranking by the Program for International Student Assessment, U.S.

15-year-olds came in 25th out of 34 countries in mathematics, 17th in science and 14th in reading. For one of the wealthiest country in the world, these statistics are atrocious and embarrassing.

Considering these results – and, if nothing else, the fear of other countries greatly eclipsing the U.S. in education levels – one would think that plans would be underway to counteract these statistics. Yet our nation is amidst an epidemic of cuts to publiceducation funding, an assault chiefly lead by members of the Republican party.

In direct contrast, China has once again vowed to increase their spending on education in 2012, according to China Daily. “The country’s spending on education has topped the list of fiscal expenditures,” said

See EDUCATION page 20

Shifty Looks

Do good things really come in small packages?

Greater Milwaukee Auto Show provides insight into new world of compact cars

By John Prellwitz Automotive Columnist editorial@uwmpost.com

Since moving to Milwaukee, the transition from February to March has become an exciting time for me. Not only is spring break just a few weeks away, but this time of year marks the week-long Greater Milwaukee Auto Show. The show provides attendees with hands-on access to current and upcoming models as well as a close-up look at exotics rarely seen ’round these parts.

As much as I love to touch, smell and (maybe if there weren’t so many witnesses) taste performance cars well beyond my budget, I approached the show from a slightly different perspective this year.

Instead of focusing on six-figure supercars (which hadn’t changed much since last year), my curiosity was piqued by the latest offerings in the efficient small-car segment. With fuel prices on the rise once again, these cars likely represent the future of transportation for many Americans, and I wanted to see what’s in store for us, for better or for worse.

First on my list was the Fiat 500. This little hatch salvages the dignity of the reluctant compact-buyer with a cutebut-classy exterior that exudes cheerful optimism. The interior is reminiscent of the 1950s with a large body-color panel spanning the dashboard, but it’s filled with all the amenities of much larger cars. The 500’s estimated 30-40 mpg isn’t particularly impressive for its diminutive size, but its short wheelbase should appeal to Eastsiders fighting for street parking.

Next up was the long-anticipated Chevy Volt. Electric vehicles (EVs) and hybrids don’t exactly set my heart racing, and until now, they have provided lackluster fuel savings.

But the Volt seems like the right step in an inevitable direction. When fully charged from a standard home outlet, the Volt can travel up to 40 miles on electric power. Once the battery’s depleted, the car automatically switches to traditional internal combustion. Its styling is unmistakably “EV,” but unlike the Prius’ holier-than-thou dorkiness, the Volt is actually kind of cool.

“Small and efficient” doesn’t have to compromise fun or utility.

(Yes, the Prius was at the show. No, I didn’t look at it.)

Noticeably missing from the show was the Nissan Leaf.

This pure EV is expected to travel 70 to 100 miles per charge, but lacks a gas engine to extend range should the driver miscalculate travel time. Considering that a full recharge can take seven hours, the Leaf isn’t the ideal road-tripper, but Nissan will offer a “quick charger” that can do the job in 30 minutes.

Regular “quick charges” will severely shorten the battery’s overall lifespan, however. The Leaf’s styling is unique and polarizing. Its swooping rear fenders and large headlights

that span the length of the hood give the Leaf an insectlike appearance.

The other compacts at the show lacked flashy technology and classic Italian design, but the sheer number of new models shows that manufacturers expect demand in this segment to continue to rise.

Domestic manufacturers are finally taking a cue from the European playbook with the styling of their smaller cars, whose designs might now become an additional selling point for the vehicles instead of just their wallet-friendly prices. The new Ford Fiesta does this particularly well, with strong lines that are edgy but clean. In a reversal of roles, the new VW Jetta is a little too plain.

With a cough and light tap on my shoulder, the MINI Clubman S politely reminded me that “small and efficient” doesn’t have to compromise fun or utility. The Clubman’s extended wheelbase and third door allowed my sixfoot roommate to enter the backseat with ease and still have sufficient legroom – even when seated behind my other six-foot roommate.

Despite being the most performance-orientated of the group, the Clubman still pulls down a reasonable 36 mpg on the highway.

For this reason, I nominate the Clubman as the lightweight champion of the Greater Milwaukee Auto Show.

The Clubman shares the ageless design and efficiency of the Fiat 500 without compromising space, and it provides consistent performance without having to worry about the state of its battery. It’s the mullet of the car world: all serious, efficient commuting five days a week, but turns into a back-roads party animal on the weekend.

20 September 13, 2010

The UWM Post

TRANSPARENCY Continued from page 19

is understandable. But in my mind, that’s what Facebook and Twitter are for – sharing online links to your “friends” or “followers” in the hope that they will open them up on their computer and appreciate them, too.

When thinking about these browser-history-sharing sites, what if you recently did a Google search of highly personal medical symptoms that you have been experiencing?

For instance, do you really want your friends to see that you’ve been Googling yeast infections?

I had to read and reread The New York Time’s article on browser-history-sharing sites, and it feels like risky business; these sites are treading murky waters. The developers of these three sites “say they take privacy very seriously; [the websites’] success

EDUCATION

Continued from page 19

Ding Xuedong, China’s Vice Minister of Finance. What’s wrong with this picture?

President Barack Obama has been pleading with Republicans to rethink their massive cuts, which ultimately undermine the future of the U.S. “Even as we find ways to cut spending, we cannot cut back on job-creating investments like education,” he said last week in a speech given at TechBoston Academy.

Republicans steadfastly continue to say that our nation is broke, that our states are broke, and that “everything is on the table” (or cutting board). Meanwhile, America’s wealthy corporations and Wall Street fat cats continue to get unwarranted tax breaks, exempting them from the sacrifice that much of the rest of society is making.

We must remain hopeful, however, that the Democrats will do everything they can to stop this malicious attack on public education by the recent influx of conservative extremists in government.

will ultimately be predicated on trust.” Yet trust is something to be earned, not just given out willy-nilly.

Perhaps this new genre of websites will drive people to have a higher awareness of how they use the Internet, and in general, I’m all for a society developing a greater consciousness of its actions.

Nevertheless, all I can foresee coming from this development is disaster: countless fights between friends, family and romantic partners, which (dare I say it?) could lead to the dissolution of relationships of all kinds.

Maybe I have it wrong.

Maybe I’m being a prude about all of this. Maybe this is a blessing in disguise – an advance towards ultimate accountability. Says web-sharing site Gawker, “… think of all the time you’d save, not having to scramble to ‘clear browsing data’ every time your girlfriend wanted to check her e-mail on your laptop.”

Public institutions are what sustain this country. Without access to education and financial aid, the future looks dim indeed. While it is true that our budget needs to be deflated, education is an essential investment, not an expendable luxury.

Public institutions are what sustain this country. Without access to education and financial aid, the future looks dim indeed.

While other nations like Korea, China, Germany and India became big players on the global stage, the U.S. is dwindling. Our nation is not the unmatched superpower it once was; our influence and dominance can no longer compete internationally.

Saving public education is our only chance to maintain the status our nation seems to be taking for granted.

uwmpost.com

September 13, 2010 21

22 March 14, 2011

PRIMAL URGES

The UWM Post

PRIMALURGES@UWMPOST.COM

ANDREW MEGOW

Pet of the Week Snuggles This is Snuggles. Her owner got her from a friend, who found her as a stray, and they’ve been best friends since.

Almost a year ago, she got very sick. She stopped eating, and didn’t sound or look as good and she normally did. Snuggles was diagnosed with advanced kidney disease and wasn’t expected to survive the weekend.

CORPORATE HORROR

JOSEPH KUENZLE

For a while. Snuggles was given her IV fluids twice daily, once in the morning before school and once at night before bed. She wasn’t exactly happy about this, but she was getting better, so her owner wasn’t about to let her argue. Now Snuggles only needs the fluids once a day.

She loves to play with red toys, lay in the sun, and steal her owner’s pillow at night.

She’s probably more lively than she was before she got sick, and that’s saying something, because as kidney disease in cats is nearly impossible to come back from.

Send us photos of your pet, with its name and a little about them to petoftheweek@uwmpost.com.

March 14, 2011 2

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Sudoku

INSTRUCTIONS: Fill in the squares so that every row, every column, and every x box contains the numbers 1 through 9 exactly once.

©2011 Jonas Wittke

Solution found on page 4

THE UWM POST CROSSWORD ACROSS 1 Lieu 6 Paste made from 10-Across 10 Animal food?

14 Greetings!

15 Region 16 Scratch this 17 Proposition taken to be self-evident 18 Called 19 Deceased 20 “Lady Marmalade” singer (2 wds.)

23 Vane direction 24 Actor Beatty 25 Ball holder 26 Ref 29 Sunday newspaper section 31 Giver 33 ____ Minor (Little Dipper) 36 “Good grief!”

37 Lying on the back 38 Peanuts character (2 wds.)

41 Horses 42 Jeans brand 43 Attention getters 44 Wipe out 45 Bright reflections 47 Craggy hill 48 Mr. Zedong 50 Scarlet 51 Ozone depleting compound, for short 54 Bart Simpson’s aunt (2 wds.)

57 Info 60 Footwear 61 Serve turkey from the bird 62 Word after Billy or American 63 Irish name for Ireland 64 Host 65 Passed 66 Maple genus 67 Word before plug or interest

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

23

24

34

25 30

35 39

44

59

and every x box contains the following letters exactly once: O, T, A, S, I, E, H, N, L. One row or column will reveal a hidden word!

26

27

28

51

52

53

32

46

49

54 58

INSTRUCTIONS: Fill in the squares so that every row, every column,

43

45 48

Godoku

40 42

47

13

37

41

57

31

36

38

12

22

29 33

11

50 55

56

60

61

62

63

64

65

66

67

Jonas Wittke, 2011

DOWN 1 Square, for one 2 Houston dweller 3 High society 4 Tons (2 wds.)

5 Tile with dots 6 Framework 7 Breed of horse 8 Doctrines 9 One better than a birdie 10 5280 feet 11 Terminal abbr.

12 Play part 13 Familiar article 21 Certain nocturnal primates 22 Preceded (with “to”; 2 wds.)

26 Bring together 27 First name in deal making 28 Hunts (with “on”) 29 Superhero accessories

30 “Relax!”

32 Large marine fish 33 Sad 34 “In,” again 35 Pointed weapon 37 Music system 39 Swelling 40 Non-alcoholic brew (hyph.)

45 Medieval architecture style 46 Brings out 49 On the briny (2 wds.)

51 Approximately, as in dates 52 Controlled hyperthermia 53 Small stream 54 Deficient in color 55 Time past 56 Improvise 57 Use a shovel 58 Bother 59 Large weight unit solution found on page 4

©2011 Jonas Wittke

Solution found on page 4

In-word

THIS WEEK’S IN-WORD: SKILLET

INSTRUCTIONS: Find as many words as possible using only the letters

from this week’s IN-WORD. Words must be four or more letters long.

Slang words, proper nouns, and contractions are not permitted. Only one form of a verb is permitted. Words that become four or more letters by the addition of “s” are not permitted.

Can you find 2 or more words in “SKILLET?”

©2011 Jonas Wittke

Solution found on page 4

24 March 14, 2011

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