Weekend, April 30-May 2, 2010 - The Daily Cardinal

Striptease at med school ball should focus on viewer consent, not sex industry morals DIRTY BIRD

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POINT/COUNTERPOINT ON HOLD STEADY’S LATEST Heaven or hell? Two Arts writers debate the Hold Steady’s latest venture ARTS

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Weekend, April 30-May 2, 2010

PART 2 OF 2

Northside homicide linked to gangs

By Maggie DeGroot The Daily Cardinal

A 19-year-old Latino man was fatally shot on the north side of Madison, on the 2100 block of Fordem Avenue Wednesday night.

The Madison man was taken to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead.

The victim was said to be affiliated with gangs according to Madison police.

The suspects are also allegedly involved in gang activity.

“We know that the person who is deceased was gang affiliated,” said MPD Chief Information Officer Joel DeSpain.

“The information we are getting from citiSUSPECT zens is that those who were involved were members of a rival gang.”

Ald. Mike Verveer, District 4, said the fact that this is apparently gang related does illustrate some of the problems Madison has with gangs.

“This is an unspeakable tragedy and mostly one that seldom happens in our community, so for a community of our size we enjoy a remarkably low crime rate and that certainly includes homicides,” said Verveer. “The reality is that we really have been very fortunate.”

The area where the victim was shot is not considered downtown or campus Verveer said.

The MPD said they are reaching out to the Latino community. The police said they are concerned about possible retaliatory violence.

“Our intent is to identify and arrest those involved, to prevent future viohomicide page 3

Kyle Bursaw/Cardinal File Photo

Kyle Bursaw/cardinal File Photo

Musicians, such as those featured in the photo on the left, will be performing at the Mifflin Street Block Party Saturday. This year’s block party will feature two live music stages. One of the stages will be a rock stage and the other will be a DJ stage.

It’s all about the live music at Mifflin Street Block Party 2010

By Allison Geyer The Daily Cardinal

The Mifflin Street Block Party is upon us. Tomorrow morning, many students will wake up earlier than they have since football season for one last chance to cut loose before finals.

This year, Mifflin will be all about the music. Event sponsor DCNY Pro has partnered with WSUM student radio and Maximum Ink Music Magazine to bring two live music stages to the event. WSUM is sponsoring a DJ stage at Bassett Street and Mifflin Street and Maximum Ink is sponsoring a rock stage at Bedford Street and Mifflin Street.

Maximum Ink Music Magazine was last involved with the Mifflin Street Block Party in 1994 when business partners Black n’ Tan, Rökker and Phil Meyer ran the 25th anniversary of the party. That year’s event was the largest block party to date, with 31,000 people in attendance.

“For me, the party is close to my heart so

being able to do the stage is an honor and I’m really excited,” said Rökker, who is the publisher of Maximum Ink. “It’s fun to see that the city is allowing people to organize and is loosening up.”

“Part of [last year’s success] was because the police were much more chill and laid back, instead of a zerotolerance approach.”

Mike Verveer alder district 4

The Maximum Ink stage will feature live music from noon to 7:00 p.m. from local favorites like VO5 (a ten-piece 70s disco band), Sexy Esther and the Pretty Mama Sisters (girl-powered indie-pop), The Nod

(laid-back alternative-folk), and headliner Lords of the Trident (face-melting heavy metal, complete with ridiculous costumes).

Also in the lineup is Shinobi Ninja, a “crazy rock band from Brooklyn, New York,” with strong ties to Madison, according to Rökker.

“The drummer and one of the other guys in the band actually graduated from UW in 2005,” said Rökker.

The WSUM stage’s lineup features eight DJs from the radio station and the local scene who will perform from noon to 6:35 p.m. on the corner of Bassett and Mifflin.

Rollin’ Barthes, Chanbycat, JD Woody, Jenniferocious, and M. White of WSUM will be joined by !OYE! and J. Dante of UW’s First wave as well as The Dirty Disco Kidz.

“The DJ stage adds a lot of flavor to the whole experience,” said Gabe Herrera (El Guapo). “A lot of houses always get bands or DJs, but they get noise violations. This way, mifflin page 3

Students rally for safer streets at night to prevent sexual assault in Madison

By Beth Pickhard The Daily Cardinal

UW-Madison students called for an end to sexual assault Thursday during a march on Library Mall and a march to the Capitol.

The rally, which was titled “Take Back the Night” to recognize women who feel unsafe walking on the streets at night, consisted of participants who made their way up State Street to the Capitol while chanting for safety on the streets of Madison. They held a vigil for victims of sexual violence on the steps of the Capitol building.

Lilada Gee, a community member who provides support groups and resources for victims, spoke during the vigil. She said the event allows the healing process to continue for victims of sexual violence.

“You don’t have to be just a victim,” Gee said.

“We’ve been through it, we can heal through it and then we can reclaim our lives.”

In addition to scheduled speakers, victims of sexual assault were encouraged to speak out.

“The speakers that we brought were incredible, but the people who came up and shared their stories, especially the ones who hadn’t shared them before, that’s what this is about,” Tina Treviño-Murphy, program coordinator for the Campus Women’s Center, said.

Treviño-Murphy said the event drew more attention than last year, when only about 40 people attended, because organizers received a rally permit to march down night page 3

Isabel Álvarez/the daily cardinal

Students rallied Thursday on State Street advocating for safer streets in Madison.

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

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SATURDAY: sunny hi 74º / lo 49º dailycardinal.com/page-two

Weekend, April 30- May 2, 2010

Alcohol banned for entire Mifflin weekend

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ANDREW LAHR spare me the lahrcasm

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n a brash and controversial move regarding tomorrow’s Mifflin Street Block Party, the school’s favorite binge-drinking holiday, the city of Madison has banned the sale of alcohol from today through Sunday. The decision, based on the standard fears of arrests, vandalism, deaths and injuries related to mass alcohol consumption, will certainly have severe implications toward the partygoing community. Ned Cheever, 87, of City Hall, one of the people who voted for this year’s drying-out of Mifflin, explained their decision.

“The damned kids of this generation don’t know how spoiled they are these days,” Cheever said.

“I tell ya, when I was in school we’d be lucky to have a Parcheesi board and indoor plumbing to

add spice to our parties. To have a beer alone was a dream come true, and to slam it down your gullet like I’ve seen a few of these hipsters do was a mortal sin.”

Both kegs and cases will not ship to the countless houses lying along the infamous block, locations that rely on multiple kegs and their frothy contents for funfilled chugging, bonging, slamming and of course the resulting and encouraged puke-and-rally.

Now, home-renters are scrambling to muster up any amount of firewater or face the cold reality of a sober party on Mifflin. I caught up with Tim Shankston, a resident of a well-known corner house on Mifflin, sitting on his porch smoking a Marlboro. When asked about his plans for tomorrow, he was far from optimistic.

“Man, we had six kegs ordered.

Do you know how much cash a couple of poor bastards can make off of selling overpriced cups for six kegs at Mifflin?” Shankston said. “Now what the hell are we going to do? I’ve got Twister up

The Dirty Bird

in the closet, and Mike’s got a real nice video-game collection... but it’s just not going to be the same without the puke stains, blackouts and fistfights, you know?”

The question still remains as to how attendance and participation at the yearly event will be affected by the absence of utter inebriation. However appealing the prospect of apple-juice bongs and milk pong sound, the hastily reformatted party games will undoubtedly fail to impress the masses for long.

I swung by the Lakeshore dorms to see how they felt about the new changes to Mifflin.

Unfortunately residents either asked “What’s Mifflin?” or the much more astounding “What’s beer?” The residents of Witte were able to shed a bit more light on the subject. Kristie Jitsberg, recently labeled “fucking crazy” by her friends for her die-hard party shenanigans, was livid.

“Honestly, like, this is sooo bull.

Seriously, like how the hell can they do this shit? Like, I haven’t

had fun in three years without some cheap vodka flowing through my veins, and now, on like my first year here they go and ban alcohol?

Whatever! Anyway, like I heard about this trick I’m tryin’a pull with rubbing alcohol and like a loaf of bread I’m going to try out tomorrow and I’m pretty sure it’s really gunna fuck me up. Take that City Hall, you old coots!”

Only time will tell how the students of Wisconsin and visitors from afar will handle a Mifflin devoid of severe intoxication. Who knows, maybe there will be more arrests, judging by the public outcry. Houses will have to get crafty to draw sober crowds into kegless houses, that’s for sure. I’ll be attending a “Pictionary party” over on 1546 and bringing a pencil and a grin for a real fun-filled time. I’d also highly recommend the crazy-friggin-cake-walk over on 1224 and the face-painting fiesta at 1306.

Have any beer for sale? E-mail Andrew at aplahr@wisc.edu for a top-notch offer.

sex and the student body

Strippers marginalized by black bag ball backlash

ERICA ANDRIST sex columnist

T

hese are the facts. On April 17, a small group of medical students paid an erotic dancer to perform at the Black Bag Ball, a formal event sponsored by the UW Medical Student Association and the Medical Alumni Association. The female dancer performed in the coatroom for several minutes before some other medical students asked her to leave.

Rightfully and unsurprisingly, the media coverage of this year’s Black Bag Ball has been extensive.

In response to much of the media coverage, the students and administration of the UW School of Medicine and Public Health have understandably attempted to dissociate themselves from those students who were directly involved in hiring the dancer for the event. However, I fear the manner in which we have gone about this—amongst ourselves and in print—has not clearly articulated where the fault lies. A brief scan of the media coverage of the Black Bag Ball reveals the following quotations from various SMPH students and administrative officials: “The school said it ‘would never condone future p hysicians degrading women.’”

“We believe that students who are hoping to be physicians should be held to a higher standard.”

“We do not condone these activities and they are not consistent with the values of the school or profession.” “[We are] saddened and embarrassed by the incident.”

Indisputably, the Black Bag Ball was an inappropriate setting for a strip show. Indisputably, those involved in orchestrating the show orchestrated a public sexual act

that was nonconsensual for many, if not most of the students present. Indisputably, apologies and disciplinary action are necessary and expected.

But where we should have faulted the poor judgment of those who hired the dancer to perform at the BBB, we have instead made value-laden statements about erotic dancing as a whole. Where we should have apologized to the individuals who were forced to observe a public sexual act, we have instead demeaned the women and men who choose to engage in legal sexual acts in appropriate settings. Where we should have recognized our failure to create a culture of medicine in which our peers feel they and their boundaries will be respected, we have instead treated a woman—and, by extension, an entire group of people—like a stain on our whitecollared coats.

These statements are especially problematic because we as healthcare providers know that sex workers—a group of people that may be inclusive of, but not limited to, prostitutes, escorts, porn actors, dominatrices and erotic dancers— already experience unique health disparities and barriers to accessing medical care. These barriers range from fear of being arrested because of lack of health insurance to poor treatment at the hands of medical personnel. According to St. James Infirmary, a San Francisco clinic founded by sex workers for sex workers, “When Sex Workers do talk about their work [with physicians], they often find that physicians and other healthcare providers fail to go beyond examining them for sexually transmitted diseases, and even that they do with disrespect.”

For all of these reasons, it is important to be painstakingly aware of ways in which our words may be perceived by the entirety of our

patient population. We must not seek to shift blame or responsibility; we must focus sharply and exclusively on the internal issues this situation has exposed. We must work harder to create a community in which each person respects the safety and well-being of all individuals present on our campus and at our events.

We must recognize that our status as medical students does not prevent us from making unhealthy decisions about alcohol—nor does it give us a free pass for those decisions.

These are the facts. Nonetheless, we have thus far chosen to focus on things like the reputation of SMPH and the alleged effects of erotic dancing on women. All in all, this response has largely served

to patronize and further marginalize a group of already-underserved people. In our efforts to dissociate ourselves from the actions of a few students, we have stood on the backs of some of our most vulnerable patients. This saddens and embarrasses me. This is degrading to women and to all of our patients.

And this is not consistent with the values of our profession.

Erica Andrist is a first-year medical student. The views expressed in this column are exclusively her own and not necessarily reflective of the collective stance of SMPH, its students or its administration.

Next week is Erica’s last column of the year. E-mail her your questions at sex@dailycardinal.com.

dailycardinal.com/news

Lt. Gov. candidates claim pressure from Barrett to drop out

By Cathy Martin The Daily Cardinal

Two lieutenant governor candidates from Milwaukee were pressured to drop out of their races by city Mayor and Democratic gubernatorial candidate Tom Barrett.

Milwaukee Ald. Tony Zielinski, District 14, said he left the race Tuesday after several people, including Barrett’s chief of staff Pat Curly, told him that a ticket with two Milwaukee residents could not win a state election, the Wisconsin State Journal reported.

During a campaign stop Wednesday, Barrett said anyone who would have made such statements to drop out of the race were not from the campaign or mayor’s office and “must have been informal people.”

Curly denied speaking to Zielinski about a possible all-Milwaukee ticket, said the Wisconsin State Journal.

Zielinski identified the others who pressured him as Emmanuel Mamalakis, a Milwaukee computer software company executive

who donated $10,000 to Barrett’s campaign, and Evan Zeppos, a Milwaukee public relations executive and Democratic strategist, neither of whom is employed by the mayor.

After news initially broke of Zielinski’s accusations against the Barrett campaign, State Senator Spencer Coggs, D-Milwaukee, claimed to have also received pressure to drop his bid.

Self-identified Barrett representatives conveyed the same message to him one month ago, the general consultant for Cogg’s campaign, said Coggs’ spokesperson Zak Williams.

Barrett’s campaign communications director, Phil Walzak, said no city official or campaign representative spoke to any lieutenant governor candidates about the race.

Although Williams would not identify exactly who approached Coggs, he said they were not paid by Barrett’s campaign or the city. When the senator reported the “inappropriate” conversations, Barrett told him he did not authorize anyone to speak on his

behalf.

Walzak said Barrett is completely willing to run with someone from the same city because he is confident the public will vote based on the quality of the candidates themselves.

“At the end of the day, Tony’s choice was his own,” Walzak said referring to Zielinski’s decision not to run.

Four democratic lieutenant governor candidates remain in the race: Coggs, Assembly Majority Leader Tom Nelson of Kaukauna, Madison businessman Henry Sanders and Gotham businessman James Schneider.

“I certainly can run with any of the candidates who are currently in the field for lieutenant governor,” Barrett said in a statement. “I know them all, I’ve met them all, I respect them all.”

Williams said Coggs is “the ideal candidate” to run with Barrett and that his strong support in Milwaukee will only help elect the pair.

The Democratic primary is September 14.

Doyle signs education bill about “failing schools” Gov. Jim Doyle signed into law an education reform bill Thursday aimed at helping so-called “failing schools”, focusing specifically on the troubled Milwaukee Public Schools system.

The new law gives greatly expanded powers to the state Superintendent, Tony Evers, including the ability to make struggling districts implement standardized, research based curriculums. It also gives Evers the power to make school boards implement stronger evaluation standards for teachers

and principals in underperforming districts.

“This new law is a comprehensive set of reforms that sets a much needed focus on turning around our struggling schools,” Doyle said in a statement.

The bill specifically cites Milwaukee Public Schools and states that they must also develop alternative ways to earn a diploma for students who previously dropped out of school, along with other stipulations on budgeting and facilities.

The Wisconsin Education

Mashin’ taters since 1892.

Association Council, the state’s largest teachers’ union and a politically powerful lobbying force, supported the legislation, but only after Doyle failed in his earlier attempt to give more control of Milwaukee schools to Mayor Tom Barrett. Barrett is also running for the Democratic nomination for governor.

“This is an example of what can be accomplished when communities, parents, educators and elected leaders work together on behalf of children,” said WEAC President Mary Bell.

Weekend, April 30-May 2, 2010

mifflin from page 1 the music is in a place where everyone can enjoy it.”

Herrera and Patrick Tilley make up the DJ duo Rollin’Barthes and will perform as the openers for the WSUM stage on Saturday. Tilley, who goes by the name DJ Hott Dogg, will spin while wearing an actual hotdog costume, promised Herrera.

Following last year’s successful party, both students and city officials are looking forward to tomorrow’s party.

homicide from page 1 lence,” said DeSpain in the police report.

The suspects were seen fleeing the area in a white, boxy-style and smaller car. The car was described in the police report as having black rims or no hub caps, rust around the rear wheel wells with a small spoiler on the back.

According to the police report, the car contained four Latino

night from page 1 State Street.

“It was a really incredible experience for me to be a part of this when so many people came together,” she said. “It was really powerful to be in that circle in the community.”

Peter Truell, UW-Oshkosh student, who came to Madison to experience the rally, said prior to his engagement with his sexual assault awareness group, he did not realize how much of a cultural issue sexual assault really is.

He added it was encouraging to see other campuses involved in sexual violence awareness.

“We’re trying to prevent this stuff, we’re trying to help, and we’re not the only ones

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“Having a sponsor was a big deal to the police department leadership,” Ald. Mike Verveer, District 4, said. “Part of [last year’s success] was because the police were much more chill and laid back, instead of a zerotolerance approach.”

“I’m optimistic that this year, given the success of last year and given that the police are so pleased with how things went last year, that by doing this bigger and better with our same team of sponsors, this will be a really good weekend,” Verveer said. males and one female.

The primary suspect in the shooting is being described as a white Latino male, approximately 5'8'', 175 pounds with a stocky build and a shaved or bald head. A sketch of the suspect was released in the police incident report.

At the time of press, the victim’s name was not released by the Dane Country Coroner’s Office. doing stuff—we’re not the only ones out there,” he said.

The event was hosted by a coalition of organizations including the Madison Rape Crisis Center, UW-Madison’s Promoting Awareness Victim Empowerment (PAVE) and the Wisconsin Coalition Against Sexual Assault.

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Jaws has competition: Each year, more divers are injured by giant clams than by sharks. dailycardinal.com/comics

Weekend, April 30-May 2, 2010

Staying conscious at Mifflin

Today’s Sudoku

Evil Bird

By Caitlin Kirihara kirihara@wisc.edu

© Puzzles by Pappocom

Ludicrous Linguistics

By Celia Donnelly donnelly.celia@gmail.com

The Graph Giraffe Classic

By Yosef Lerner graphics@dailycardinal.com

Crustaches

By Patrick Remington premington@wisc.edu

Solution, tips and computer program available at www.sudoku.com.

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

Today’s Crossword Puzzle

First in Twenty

By Angel Lee alee23@wisc.edu

Answer key available at www.dailycardinal.com

A TAN-DO ATTITUDE 1 6 11 14 15 16 17 19 20 21 22 23 25 27 31 32 33 34 37 39 42 43 45 47 48 50 52 55

ACROSS Compass point Flood protection Funny ___ (dragster) Habituate (Var.) Rocket’s nose Self starter?

Certain Southeastern Conference mascot School liaison org.

African bloodsucker Boy child Grand, as an adventure Wields an ax Regard highly Pieces of armor for the trunk Place for a peephole Flightless fowl Went fast Nincompoop Take a break Skewers Run-down car Drive-thru lane marking One of Adam’s clan Demographic datum Primordial substance Like some shields Planetary reflection ratios One of Columbus’

three ships 56 Comedic actor Groucho 57 Former NBC owner 59 Corresponds, grammatically 63 Lennon’s bride 64 Olympic prize for third place 66 Detroit-based labor gp.

67 Heart line 68 Increase 69 ___ Tin Tin (TV dog) 70 Clean with a broom 71 The necktie in a Western necktie party 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 18 22

DOWN Carefully arranged Burden of proof Hillbilly Indisputable facts What a famous woman may play on TV Sodom survivor Athena’s shield (Var.) Vitality Made level Always, in sonnets Venomous snake Bit of buffoonery Respond to a stimulus Staircase supports Noteworthy period of

history 24 Kind of son or daughter 26 Plea to the Coast Guard 27 Bird-bill area 28 Sign for the superstitious 29 Earthy color 30 Sound of a perfect basketball shot 35 Trio from the East 36 Gp. that has energy users over a barrel?

38 Fax precursor 40 Certain age 41 Parallel grooves 44 Crimson 46 “Wheel of Fortune” inspiration 49 She married Lindbergh 51 Rio Grande city 52 Love of Paris?

53 Island of central Hawaii 54 Movie’s music 58 Contribution before the deal 60 Taro root 61 Has hash, e.g.

62 Blackthorn plum 64 ___-relief (sculpture style) 65 Vanquish with a ray gun

Washington and the Bear

By Derek Sandberg kalarooka@gmail.com

dailycardinal.com

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Weekend, April 30-May 2, 2010

Big changes needed for cleaner lakes

By Samantha Egelhoff THE GREEN ROOM

I don’t know about you, but I can’t believe summer is just around the corner. I feel like I’m still getting out of my winter slump (or maybe that’s just my junioritis kicking in).

And with the warm weather finally settling in for good, Lake Mendota is open for business. But how safe is the water actually? Do you really know what you’re swimming in?

Whether you’re from Wisconsin or not, farms around here are a familiar thing. The problem begins when farmers use artificial fertilizers on their crops that are grown for food production and cattle feed.

These fertilizers are full of nitrogen and phosphorous, two important nutrients for crops. When these elements are in excess, they can have devastating effects on water systems. After these fertilizers have been absorbed into the soil, rain runoff picks them up and drains straight into our beloved lake. And it’s not just farm fertilizers. It’s from residential lawns, Bascom Hill and urban parks. All the excess phosphorous that is finding its way to

Lake Mendota is screwing with the ecosystem’s balance.

All the excess phosphorous that is finding its way to Lake Mendota is screwing with the ecosystem’s balance.

A direct link has been found between excessive phosphorous and increased algae growth, a process called eutrophication.

Eutrophication causes whole lakes to be swallowed up by cyanobacteria algae. And algae create bigger problems than just being icky to the touch while you’re swimming.

Cyanobacteria cover whatever they find—boats, piers, shorelines—and smell terrible. They also cause problems in the drinking water by changing its taste and odor. And when algae die off, they create an oxygen shortage in the water, killing off many species of fish and bottom-feeding organisms. These

oxygen-poor areas are called dead zones, and they are showing up all over the world in freshwater systems and coastal zones, like the Gulf of Mexico, causing damage to ecosystems and fisheries.

Global warming is just adding more fuel to the fire; algae thrive in warm temperatures. So while other species may die off from intolerance to temperature change, algae will prosper. There are even some strains of algae that are toxic to human beings. In fact, Dane County can claim the first person ever killed by toxic algae, in 2002. Thankfully hardly anyone dies from algal contamination, but serious rashes, hives and throat and eye irritations are common. So please, if you must enjoy Lake Mendota up close and personal, shower off afterward.

You’ll thank me later when you’re the only one without a rash.

Nitrogen plays a role too. While phosphorous is responsible for extreme algae growth, nitrogen has been found to have a role in the greenhouse effect, smog pollution and overgrowth of weedy plants (including invasive species) and have

adverse effects on human health via air and water pollution. So the takehome message is, we can’t just get rid of one or the other. We need to limit the use of both, meaning artificial fertilizers altogether, on farms, residences and public grounds.

The problem isn’t necessarily new phosphorous entering the system anymore, it’s the already existing phosphorous.

Some first steps were taken this past March when Dane County officials wrote up a report calling for the Obama administration to take note of the seriousness of this problem. They are concerned about increasing health issues as the amount of concentrated phosphorous rises in our Madison lake system. Certain fertilizers have been banned, and a program called Yahara CLEAN is in the works. While the increased attention is a beacon of hope

that once again we might experience a safe Mendota, the problem isn’t necessarily new phosphorous entering the system anymore, it’s the already existing phosphorous.

And the cheapest ways to clean up the lake, while poisonous to the algae, are also poisonous to everything else. Whether we’re ever going to be able to solve this problem for good is debatable.

Unfortunately, with the disappearance of our wetlands, nature’s waste treatment plants, the problem may only increase. With no natural barrier between the contaminated runoff and the lake system, there is no other natural stopping point for the excess nutrients.

Nature had a clear design in mind, but humans are about being cheap and efficient, and unfortunately we are seeing the aftermath now. If we want clean water to enjoy for generations to come, we need to make large changes.

Samantha Egelhoff is a junior majoring in zoology with a certificate in environmental studies. We welcome all feedback. Please send responses to opinion@dailycardinal.com.

Squabbling Democrats nominate gubernatorial candidate in Minnesota MATT PAYNE opinion columnist

A

s Scott Walker, Mark Neumann, and Tom Barretteare vying to become the next governor of Wisconsin, an intense political drama is unfolding across the river in Minnesota to replace their governor, Tim Pawlenty.

While many Badgers may not necessarily have an interest in the political climate in Minnesota, the events of last weekend’s Democratic FarmerLabor Party convention speak to a larger problem nationally within the Democratic Party. Since the election of Barack Obama, the Democratic Party has struggled to maintain unity as centrist Democrats quarrel with the far left as to who will maintain control of the party. Last weekend’s Minnesota Democratic Farmer-Labor Party convention confirmed this point.

The DFL convened to officially endorse a gubernatorial candidate to run in the fall, and from the start, turmoil consumed the event. Before the convention even truly began, the DFL couldn’t agree on how to say the Pledge of Allegiance, as it had to be put to a vote. The tumultuous start began a weekend marked by bitter disagreements and angry delegates storming out. By the end of the day, the DFL had endorsed Margaret Anderson Kelliher, but

the real winner was the Minnesota GOP. Although the endorsed candidate will now receive DFL and Democratic National Committee funding and support, she still has three other well-funded, wellknown Democrats to run against in an Aug. 10 primary. The Republicans, on the other hand, who will endorse either state Rep. Tom Emmer or state Rep. Marty Seifert, will be unified going into the summer, while the DFL will continue to be deeply divided until August.

Americans are looking to the revitalized, reinvented Republicans they kicked out only a few years ago.

The race, while interesting to watch from Wisconsin, speaks to a larger issue of Democratic unity across the nation. The Obama campaign caused many independent-leaning Democrats to become deeply engaged in the political process. Now, many of those centrist Democrats who fervently rallied around Obama have since become more or less disengaged with that process, leaving open a vacuum that the far-left element of the Democratic Party is now rapidly filling. Many of these far-left ele-

ments, whose views are entirely out of line with mainstream America, are having a greater say in the party’s inner workings, which could explain why the DFL had to vote on something as simple as saying the Pledge of Allegiance.

As unemployment continues to remain high, our unsustainable national debt continues to increase and questionable Washington practices continue to remain the status quo, many Americans are looking to the revitalized, reinvented Republicans they kicked out only a few years ago. With the promises of transparency, bipartisanship and fiscal responsibility now just empty campaign promises, many of those centrist Democrats who so feverishly supported Obama in 2008 may decide not to show up to vote, as their concerns about the direction of this country have been largely ignored. Many are still asking, Why weren’t the health-care reform negotiations put on C-SPAN? What happened to bills being open online for public debate for at least five days?

Why are taxes going up for people making under $250,000? These are the questions that could be what is behind the biggest issue Democrats are facing this election year.

What’s perhaps most troubling for Democrats this November is the fact that independents are increasingly dissatisfied with the policies and the politics coming out of Washington. A recent Quinnipiac poll among independents put their approval for Obama at just 38

percent, a precipitous fall from when 65 percent of independents supported him at the time of his inauguration. When Democrats promised to unite the country and govern from the center during the campaign, independents were reasonably excited. Once the Democrats took power, however, they took their election as a mandate from the people to govern from the far left despite their promises of bipartisanship and changing the status quo.

Even though the gubernatorial race in Minnesota is just one of many that will play out over the coming weeks and months, it speaks to the larger issues the

Democrats face this November.

Political pundits and analysts are already predicting 2010 will be a good year for Republicans. How good is yet to be determined, but it is clear the coming months will most certainly shape the final tallies. While Democrats continue to fight amongst themselves, a revitalized Republican Party will talk to the American people about the issues that matter to them most and what they plan to do to address them.

Matt Payne is sophomore intending to major in Chinese and economics. We welcome all feedback. Please send responses to opinion@dailycardinal.com.

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by Friday, May 21.

arts Are the Hold Steady really holding steady? dailycardinal.com/arts

Weekend, April 30-May 2, 2010

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Hold Steady’s Heaven ironically hellish

By Kyle Sparks

about “Rock Problems.”

But the rest of the band doesn’t seem During another triumphant stretch of entirely sure-footed either. Their biggersongwork on his band’s latest release, than-Jesus riffs are what extended early Craig Finn repeatedly confides, “Heaven Hold Steady records as far as they did, but is whenever we can get together.” And for they keep trying to tailor themselves to the majority of his rock ’n’ roll tenure he Finn’s barroom vocals. Keyboardist Franz has validated that same sentiment. The Nicolay’s departure certainly didn’t help Hold Steady are nothing if not a com- the process, and his soaring vocals and cirmunal experience, and cus-tent piano are noticeably absent from songs like their history of bringing CD REVIEW “The Weekenders.” spit-covered bar rock to As if a parting gift for an arena-rock scope has those of us nostalgic for repeatedly stretched intimacy to such an expansive their earlier material, the scale that the moments Hold Steady closed Heaven of surreal euphoria often is Whenever with the closest regression to Almost appear truly divine.

Killed Me and Separation But on their latest, Heaven is Sunday’s start-stop riffs.

Heaven is Whenever, the Whenever “Barely Breathing” shows Hold Steady are more pointThe Hold ed toward the sweeping Finn back in the mosh pit, Steady grandiosity of their spacious spilling blood and nearly guitarwork. They’ve lost their nagging voice getting killed. By the time the singer and itch to party, and in doing so, they’ve hands him a pamphlet on Hare Krishna, lost the aspect that made them so relatable. he says, “You gotta be kidding.” Handed Finn’s lyrics existed more in crowds than they the rest of Heaven is Whenever, many of us ever really did on a stage, and that was what are likely to say the same. connected the two and made the fans feel In “Soft in the Center,” Finn explains it intertwined in the songs. all when he says, “You can’t tell people what they want to hear / If you also want to tell the truth.” It’s hard to say which side of the band’s discography represents what we want and which side represents the truth, but it’s They’ve lost their nagging voice fairly obvious that whichever side we’re on and itch to party, and in doing so, now is the side he is intending to stick with. they’ve lost the aspect that made The easy comparison here is Wilco. them so relatable.

For most die-hard fans who have followed the Chicago outfit from as far back as 1995’s A.M., the intensely personal altfolk group’s most recent three albums of And perhaps that’s the most awkward adult-contemporary sound like a band transition period on Heaven is Whenever: out of ideas. Yet, nowadays they’re more Finn’s lyrical perspectives are no longer popular than ever. Craig Finn and Co. our own. He always toed the line between seem to be following a similar trajecconfessional honesty and elaborate story- tory. They’ve already written a handful of telling, but he was always entrenched in canonical records to rally a faithful band the story himself. He was always the cool of supporters, and they can afford to shed uncle who still did drugs and met girls, some hostility without losing too many and he was always the best at retelling the followers. So although it doesn’t deliver stories about them. But this time around, on the surface, if Heaven is Whenever he’s more of a father figure. When he is properly used as the foundation it is does re-enter our perspective, he takes on meant to be, the Hold Steady are poised the paternal responsibility of the volatile to become the next biggest band in the “Hurricane J.” He seems like a storyteller world, even if that means they’re no lonwho might not see any irony in a song ger somebody’s favorite.

THE DAILY CARDINAL

PHOTO COURTESY VAGRANT RECORDS

The Hold Steady found a loyal fanbase with albums like Boys and Girls in America. Their latest, Heaven is Whenever, raises doubts that the band’s sound is what fans fell in love with.

Whenever the Hold Steady release an album, the result is pure Heaven

By Todd Stevens THE DAILY CARDINAL

The Hold Steady have developed such a cult following that they could likely release anything and their Unified Scene, the band’s unofficial fanbase, would worship it on high.

Ever since the band released its seminal sophomore effort Separation Sunday, where Craig Finn revealed himself to be one of the greatest literary lyricists of his generation, the Hold Steady’s devoted fanbase has followed them to every high-octane show, exhibiting a passion disproportionate to its size.

However, in the years since the Hold Steady’s greatest achievement, Boys and Girls in America, they have put their fans’ loyalty to the test. Their last release, 2008’s Stay Positive, was often criticized for not bringing anything new to the table and not improving upon the old. Those criticisms ring a bit hollow, because an album that continues on the path of Boys and Girls in America is hardly a bad thing. But still, fears arose that their newest effort, Heaven is Whenever, would continue this trend of more of the same, despite claims from the band that they were heading in a new direction. To a certain extent, these fears are founded, as Heaven is Whenever is far from a revolution of the Hold Steady’s signature sound, despite the departure of keyboardist Franz Nicolay. But while their sound retains its same form, it has still made room for growth.

Throughout their discography, the Hold Steady have ranged from stark bitterness to ardent romanticism, from the sarcastic detestations of Boys and Girls’ “You Can Make Him Like You” to the redemptive nostalgia of Sunday’s “How a Resurrection Really Feels.” But Heaven is Whenever does not wallow in these extremes.

Instead, it appears that Craig Finn and his bandmates have reached a certain level of acceptance with life, lovers and the world itself.

This is best illustrated in the contrast between the album’s titular song and the album’s

first single, “Hurricane J.” As a song, “Heaven is Whenever” is perhaps the most saccharine love ballad Finn will ever write, but he subverts it immediately afterward in “Hurricane J” by declaring the object of his affection, Jessie, “A pretty good waitress / But Jessie I don’t think I’m the guy.” Finn fully realizes that this relationship is not meant to be, just as he realizes in “Soft in the Center” that “You can’t get every girl / You get the ones you love the best.” But at the same time every single note and word of the title track is completely authentic, underscoring that while the heaven he refers to may have only existed for a moment, it sure was one hell of a moment. It just can’t last. This is not romanticism. This is not cynicism. With Heaven is Whenever, the Hold Steady have found realism.

But while their sound retains its same form, it has still made room for growth.

Yet with all of this emphasis on tonal evolution, there is some variety thrown into the sound, even if it isn’t the huge leap forward alluded to earlier. “Barely Breathing,” perhaps the most appealing song on the album to the snarkier Hold Steady fans, throws in an intriguing clarinet solo out of left field, and “Our Whole Lives” opens with a lead straight out of the “Hot Tub Time Machine” version of the 1980s.

But overall, the sound is still classic Hold Steady—and just like Stay Positive, that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Finn and Co. can still combine their hyperarticulate emoting with their grand rock-star style, and while it may not be a creative height, it keeps them on their highest plateau.

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sports 8

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dailycardinal.com/sports

Weekend, April 30-May 2, 2010

Men’s Tennis

Badgers take on UM in search of first title

By Emma Condon THE DAILY CARDINAL

The Wisconsin men’s tennis team will look for its first ever Big Ten title this weekend, entering Friday as the No. 4 seed in this weekend’s conference tournament in Bloomington, Ind. No. 7 Iowa and No. 9 Northwestern have already won first-round matches, but the Badgers, who finished 18-7 overall and 7-3 in conference, qualified for a first-round bye and will get their first taste of quarterfinal action against Minnesota, a border-battle rematch they were prepared for.

“It was no big surprise,” senior Michael Dierberger said, explaining the squad has known for some time Minnesota would likely be their first obstacle. “They’re a solid team, and we’re going to play top tennis like we did dur-

ing the season. They’re going to be loud and fired up, so we know what to expect.”

The Gophers suffered a 5-2 loss at the hands of the Badgers in their last meeting but lead 5-2 in tournament meetings. Known as a particularly average squad, Minnesota ended its season No. 5 in the Big Ten with a record of 6-4 led by juniors No. 64 Sebastian Gallego and No. 106 Tobias Wernet. It’s only been two weeks since the last time the teams met, but given Wisconsin’s recent performances it seems the lineup has only elevated in the interim.

“We’re improving the whole year, week by week, and I think that every day when we set our goals in practices that really helps as well,” sophomore Patrick Pohlmann said.

“The mentality is that we go in there for winning it and ... we shouldn’t back down.”

LORENZO ZEMELLA/THE DAILY CARDINAL

Senior Michael Dierberger will help lead the Badgers in search of the program’s first conference title in school history.

“We come and we play our best tennis against the best schools, which is really good,” Dierberger added. “We’re peaking now.”

And this year there is a special glimmer for the Badgers’ hopes of a first Big Ten title. Fresh off last weekend’s near upset of the monster Ohio State Buckeyes who have owned the tournament the last five years and had not given up more than one point to any conference foe, the Badgers’ lineup seems to be peaking at just the right moment.

Today Online...

Goloubef leaves one year early Badger men’s hockey defenseman Cody Goloubef signed with the Columbus Blue Jackets Thursday and will forego his senior year with the Badgers to play professionally.

Goloubef had three goals and 11 assists in his junior season with Wisconsin Badgers advance in Big Ten Tournament The Wisconsin women’s tennis team defeated Minnesota 4-0 and will advance to the Big Ten Tournament quarterfinals. The Badgers will face No. 1 seed Michigan tomorrow in Iowa City, Iowa.

Softball

UW falls to No. 25 Irish in five-inning road loss

By Jessica Bell THE DAILY CARDINAL

“We just know that winning a Big Ten title is right there.”

Michael Dierberger Senior UW Men’s Tennis

They have never seemed more secure with their game either, boasting doubles combinations strong enough to pick the doubles point of Ohio State who has denied all other conference foes and three singles holding victories over ranked opponents.

“We just know that winning a Big Ten title is right there. We’ve just got to get past Ohio State in the semis, which we’ve shown we can do,” Dierberger said. “We know the potential of our team, and hopefully it shows in the tournament.”

The ups and downs of the regular season have played out, leaving head coach Greg Van Emburgh and the men eager for the challenge of the conference tournament and hopeful for an NCAA bid the following week.

“As a whole, there’s a few matches that we maybe could have won, but at the end of the day, there’s a couple that maybe we shouldn’t have won,” Van Emburgh said, reflecting on the season. “We’re excited about this weekend, and we’re going to continue to work hard this week in practice and get ready for Minnesota on Friday.”

After celebrating two wins over the North Dakota, the Wisconsin softball team fell to the Notre Dame Fighting Irish Thursday.

The No. 25 Fighting Irish slaughtered the Badgers in five innings, with a final score of 11-3.

Junior outfielder Jennifer Krueger and freshman infielder Molly Spence led Wisconsin with a combined five hits, but the rest of the team went 0-for-13 against Notre Dame.

Notre Dame was first on the scoreboard with two runs, off a double from Pitzenberger to left center field and home run in left field by the Christine Lux. The Fighting Irish sealed their lead in the second inning, scoring six more runs against Wisconsin and widening the score to 8-0. A single by Pitzenberger with bases loaded upped the score to 3-0, and a walk brought in the fourth run of the game. Senior Letty Olivarez came in after four runs as relief for freshman starter Meghan McIntosh, but gave up a grand slam off her first pitch.

The Badgers scored for the first time in the top of the fourth inning.

Krueger led off with her second hit of the game and easily stole second base. Spence followed with a double, scoring Krueger and making the score 8-1.

The bottom of the fourth brought two more runs for Notre Dame.

The Badgers fought back in the fifth inning, scoring two

more runs. Freshman utility Abby Gregory, who started the game for the first time in her career, led off with a walk. Senior infielder Katie Soderberg then hit a groundout to advance Gregory to second.

Krueger and Spence hit backto-back singles, scoring Gregory.

Freshman infielder Shannel Blackshear loaded the bases with a walk, and freshman utility Whitney Massey sacrificed a fly to centerfield, allowing Krueger to cross the plate.

The Fighting Irish added one run in the bottom of the fifth to run rule Wisconsin.

Krueger and Spence both played record-setting games against Notre Dame. Krueger tied her career high in hits, going 3-for-3 in Thursday’s game. She also added two runs to her career high and advanced her title as all-time UW single-season stolen base leader. Spence went 2-of-3 with two RBIs. She set the UW freshman record Thursday for RBI in one year with 33.

The Fighting Irish, who stand at No. 1 in the Big East conference and have a 40-9 overall record, now hold a six-game winning streak.

Wisconsin, at the bottom of the Big Ten standings and holding a record of 16-28, couldn’t break through the streak.

The Badgers return home this weekend to take on the Indiana Hoosiers in a two-game series.

Saturday’s game is set for a 6:05 p.m., while Sunday begins at 1:05 p.m.

—uwbadgers.com contributed to this report.

David Carradine Jokes

Cardinal vows vengeance on Herald foes as papers renew softball rivalry Badger Herald Injury Report The Badger Herald has struggled with injuries all season.

Here’s a breakdown of the players they could be missing on Friday and the reason they’re out: Joey Schroeder: doubtful, hair gel poisoning Ben Voelkel: out three months, still being strangled by Al Morrell Michael Bleach: out indefinitely, being held on terrorism charges in Guantanamo Bay Max Henson: game-time decision, tweaked wrist fistpumping in the press box Joe Nistler: 15-day disabled list, crushed in mosh pit at Incubus concert Jason Smathers: unlikely, botched circumcision Jordan Schelling: out for season, triple bypass (nachos lodged in left ventricle) TC Mask: status unknown, bat-shit crazy

By John Pounder THE DAILY CARDINAL

Holocaust denial, spelling errors, autoerotic asphyxiation.

Those three things, in order, are what define the Badger Herald softball team. This Friday, that team will try to overcome all those hurdles to take down the vaunted Daily Cardinal squad in the papers’ annual face-off at Vilas Park.

In a year already plagued by troubles with complicated issues like whether to read advertisements before running them and how to locate InDesign’s spell-check feature, the Herald’s morale took its hardest blow with the tragic autoerotic asphyxiation death of Kevin Bargnes.

Bargnes had been the paper’s spiritual leader and had been poised to take over as editor-in-chief next semester.

“I loved Kevin, and it will be incredibly tough to move on without him. But I’m glad he died doing what he loved—limiting the flow of air to his brain in an attempt to increase pleasure while masturbating to photos of Ayn Rand,” current Herald Editor-in-Chief Jason Smathers said.

The Herald will also be trying to move on from a humiliating 24-7 defeat in last semester’s CardinalHerald football game. In what has been dubbed “The Massacre on the Grass(acre),” a frustrated and belligerently drunk Herald team viciously tackled Cardinal Gameday Editor Nick Schmitt at the end of the game, leading both benches to clear and nearly inciting a full-scale brawl.

The aggressiveness of last semester’s game has not faded for Cardinal

State Editor Hannah Furfaro, whose roommate Signe Brewster is the Herald’s news content editor.

“Signe? I’m gonna fuckin’ destroy that bitch this Friday. You haven’t seen shit—I’m gonna tear out her spine, piss in her mouth and shit on her chest,” Furfaro roared while pounding her tiny fists on the table and tearing the head off a kitten.

After Bargnes’ untimely death the Herald is warning its staff members to be more careful when carrying out their sexual fantasies. Smathers sent an e-mail to the Herald staff earlier this week urging members to take the proper precautions when indulging in their disturbing habits, specifically requesting that Sports Editor Jordan Schelling use a safe word when attending bondage clubs with the chorizo from the Brewers’ sausage races.