Wednesday, December 2, 2015 - The Daily Cardinal

University of Wisconsin-Madison

‘Gotham’ combines crime & drama

Since 1892 dailycardinal.com

Wednesday, December 2, 2015

l

+ARTS, page 3

Border Battle +SPORTS, page 8

Tenure policy criticized for failing standards

By Lucas Sczygelski THE DAILY CARDINAL

The proposed tenure policy for UW System faculty fails to meet industry standards, according to the American Association of University Professors as detailed in a letter sent to the group tasked with creating new tenure protections.

Previously the lone state with tenure protections explicitly written into state law, Gov. Scott Walker eliminated the statute from

Wisconsin law in July, arguing the move “modernizes the concept of tenure protection.”

In exchange, the legislation authorized the governor-appointed UW Board of Regents to set new tenure protections. The board’s special task force met Monday to discuss proposed faculty layoff and post tenure review policies.

They said they hope to have the tenure policy approved before the end of 2015.

The president of the UW-Madison

chapter of the AAUP, associate professor David Vanness, criticized the proposal for streamlining the process for eliminating programs and faculty and leaving tenured faculty powerless in the face of poor performance reviews.

“The proposed policy wouldn’t allow a faculty member to challenge a negative review through the well established and necessary process of grievance,” Vanness

tenure page 2

GOP proposal to alter property right laws

By Annie Schoenfeldt THE DAILY CARDINAL

Rights of property owners would be expanded to have a larger degree of control over areas of land on or near waterways under a package of proposals from Republican lawmakers.

State Sen. Frank Lasee, R-DePere, and state Rep. Adam Jarchow, R-Balsam Lake, released a property rights package plan Monday. The two bills would lessen the power government agency regulations have over private property owners.

The private property proposal would affect navigable waters, artificial water bodies and wetlands. Specifically, the bill package would reduce regulations of dry lake beds, ditches and man-made waterways, as well as increasing transparency about the actions

local governments take that would affect private lands and buildings.

Lasee and Jarchow emphasized the need to remain competitive with other states in the use of natural resources.

“In Wisconsin, we have seen an increasing number of homeowners and job creators mired in court battles over permit and regulatory disputes because Wisconsin statutes are unclear and our regulatory environment remains uncertain,” the legislators said in a memo seeking co-sponsorship. “Wisconsin can and should do better.”

The proposals would place limitations on the state Department of Natural Resources, including reducing its ability to qualify land as an area of scientific value.

Additionally, the bill will give exemptions for having to obtain

a permit for discharging hazardous waste or toxic substances into wetlands.

Under current law, the state of Wisconsin holds legal rights to navigable waters in trust for public purposes, which has traditionally meant ownership of lake beds up to the ordinary high-water mark.

The bill would change this provision to broaden rights of private property owners to include property near rivers.

The bill aims to strip away many of the complications private property owners face when they make developments to their property.

“How can Wisconsin be open for business when every time a job creator applies for a permit they wind up in court because Wisconsin laws aren’t clear enough?” Lasee said in a statement. “We can do better.”

New ramen noodles restaurant to open on Gilman Street

By Katie Scheidt THE DAILY CARDINAL

Ramen Kid, a new Japanese restaurant serving authentic ramen dishes, is set to open near campus this month.

According to owner Akira Ishikawa, the restaurant will serve a variety of meat- and vegetable- based ramen dishes.

For each ramen dish, customers will have a variety of noodle choices, including egg, tomato and spinach noodles.

On top of the ramen dishes, Ramen Kid’s menu offers several hibachi dishes as well as a number of side dishes such as spicy edamame, pork bun, gyoza and shumai.

Ishikawa says he wants Ramen Kid’s menu to grow as time goes on, stating that he will “gradually add more [authen-

ramen page 2

KATIE SCHEIDT/THE DAILY CARDINAL

Ramen Kid will open at the former location of Lava Lounge, a tiki bar that closed over a year ago on the 400 block of Gilman Street.

LEAH VOSKUIL/THE DAILY CARDINAL

“This American Life” reporter Alex Blumberg tells students and community members the value of emotion in audio stories.

Podcast host tells his entrepreneurial story

By Sammy Gibbons THE DAILY CARDINAL

CEO and radio journalist Alex Blumberg explained his courageous decision to begin his podcast network as part of the Distinguished Lecture Series Tuesday at the Memorial Union.

Blumberg formerly reported for the National Public Radio program “This American Life.”

He also co-produced the program, along with another show, “Planet Money.” He has won every major broadcast journalism award, including the George Polk Award in Radio Reporting.

Blumberg discussed his transition from being a journalist at a nonprofit radio station to developing his own forprofit business.

He left radio journalism to pursue his independent audio career with hopes to make more money, and launched Gimlet Media, a podcast business that hosts three narrative journalism shows: “StartUp,” “Reply All” and “Mystery Show.”

Blumberg realized there was a market for audio stories.

With no business background or education, he partnered with Matt Lieber and began to pitch his company idea, documenting the journey in his series “StartUp.” The experi-

ence taught him to tell stories in innovative ways.

“Audio wraps you in a narrative that takes on a life of its own,” Blumberg said. “It pulls you in and it makes you want to hear what comes next.”

“That’s a reason to start something. You have no idea where it’s going to take you.”

Alex Blumberg CEO Gimlet Media

Audio is the most honest form of media, according to the entrepreneur. He said that there is distinct emotion in voices that are not apparent in television or print. Listeners can gain emotional understandings quickly. Blumberg shared several clips from the various shows he has worked on to exhibit this concept.

“As it’s happening on tape you hear them admit the truth, and it’s like a chord resolving,” Blumberg said. “There’s something incredibly satisfying about hearing it.”

podcast page 2

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

news 2

l

Wednesday, December 2, 2015

dailycardinal.com

Local mental health leader wins city leadership award The longtime head of the local very excited about his selection,” Journey Mental Health Center Erlanger’s mother, Pam, said in won a public service a statement. “His genaward Monday. tle, respectful approach William Greer, who to problem solving and has worked as president community building and CEO of the nationaltruly honor Jeff’s legacy.” ly recognized treatment Greer is an active clinic, received the honor member of 100 Black at a Common Council Men of Madison, Inc. and meeting Tuesday. works in various support The Jeffrey Clay programs.

GREER Erlanger Civility and “It is always very Public Discourse Award honors humbling to honor Jeff’s memthe late chair of the Commission ory with this award and I think on People with Disabilities.

Bill Greer is an excellent choice,” Erlanger passed away in Madison Mayor Paul Soglin said 2007, and the city created the in a Tuesday statement. “He has award to model his model of worked with providers, policy public discourse. makers, and clients for 40 years “After reading the applica- with respect and integrity. He tion nominating Bill and hear- embodies Jeff’s passion for speaking incredible anecdotes about ing out for the disenfranchised.” his work - and his style, we are —Negassi Tesfamichael

Man robbed near Capitol Square EMILY BUCK/CARDINAL FILE PHOTO

Gov. Scott Walker was the target of a lawsuit brought by advocacy group Wisconsin Jobs Now that alleged his administation needed to do more to raise the state’s minimum wage.

Judge dismisses minimum wage lawsuit against governor

By Lilly Price THE DAILY CARDINAL

A Dane County judge dismissed Tuesday a 2014 lawsuit against Gov. Scott Walker’s administration that attempted to raise the state’s minimum wage.

The lawsuit, brought by liberal labor group Wisconsin Jobs Now, alleged the state was “failing to secure reasonable comfort, reasonable physical well-being, decency, and moral well being,” according to the original petition.

Dane County Circuit Court Judge Rhonda Lanford gave no reason in dismissing the lawsuit.

Plaintiffs included individuals

directly affected by the current $7.25 an hour minimum wage and the liberal labor group. The petition aimed to confront Walker on the issue in the 2014 election.

At the time, Wisconsin’s state law declared the minimum wage can not be lower than the living wage, the income necessary to maintain a normal standard of living, which is $10.13 an hour.

Citizens were encouraged to file a formal complaint to force a state review of the minimum wage. The state must then “investigate and determine whether there is reasonable cause to believe that the wages paid to any

employee is not a living wage,” as said in the original petition.

The workers filed some of the formal complaints that were later rejected by Walker’s labor department. The lawsuit against the governor was filed following the rejection.

The original lawsuit also included complaints about the living wage being insufficient in securing employees reasonable living standards and welfare. In July, the living wage was repealed by lawmakers as part of the state budget.

Lisa Lucas, spokesperson for Wisconsin Jobs Now, stated that plaintiffs are not considering an appeal at this time.

Madison police are looking for three suspects in a robbery that occurred late Monday night.

A 21-year-old Madison man ran into two of the three suspects near the intersection of East Mifflin Street and North Butler Street just before 9 p.m., only steps away from the north corner of the Capitol Square, according to an incident report by Madison Police Department Sergeant Jamar Gary.

Police said one of the two suspects grabbed the victim and pulled him to the ground from behind.

According to the report, the two suspects went through the victim’s pockets and stole his wallet and cell phone. Police also said the third suspect met up with the rest of the robbers shortly after the incident.

Police described the male suspects as black and in their 20s.

No arrests have been made yet.

tenure from page 1

ments to the current proposal are necessary for the UW System to compete with peer institutions and maintain its prestige.

“I hope they will be responsive,” Vanness said. “Not being in accordance with AAUP guidelines will put us far below our peers and we would stand out as a place where academic freedom is in jeopardy, and that is terrible for recruitment of new faculty and ultimately not in the best interest of the state.”

argued. “That is basic academic due process and it’s necessary to protect academic freedom.”

The Board of Regents has shown few signs of being swayed by faculty complaints, with Regent President Regina Millner explaining after Monday’s meeting, “at no point did ... I ever say this would be lock-step with AAUP.” According to Vanness, amend-

Bill would block state funding for Milwaukee streetcar State Rep. Jesse Kremer, R-Kewaskum, has no desire for a streetcar in Milwaukee.

Under a bill Kremer circulated Tuesday, the state could not use transportation funding to support a streetcar in Milwaukee’s Historic Third Ward. The project has been touted by Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett and others as a way to

boost the city’s economy.

The state is currently not projected to fund any part of the project and Kremer said such aid is unnecessary.

“I am not convinced that a $123.9 million, 2.5 mile streetcar will be sustainable,” Kremer said in a statement. “I do not feel that taxpayers outside of the City of Milwaukee should be responsible

ramen from page 1

a tiki bar that closed over a year ago. Ishikawa said he does not plan to do much remodeling to the building.

Ishikawa noted Ramen Kid will have a significant appeal to students, especially considering its affordable prices and convenient location, which is just blocks away from campus.

Ishikawa said he hopes Ramen Kid will provide a brand new eating experience for students, noting a lack of authentic Japanese cuisine in the area.

“There’s no right type of ramen available in Wisconsin [or] the Madison area,” he said. “So we want to try to introduce that [kind of food] to students.”

tic] dishes” a few months after the restaurant opens.

Additionally, Ramen Kid plans to offer beer and wine to customers, though the restaurant will not have a bar or serve hard liquor. Madison’s Common Council approved Ishikawa’s application for a liquor license during its Tuesday meeting.

Ishikawa, who also owns Karaoke Kid on University Avenue, will own the establishment on the 400 block of Gilman Street in partnership with Weiche Lo, a native of Taiwan and owner of a security systems company.

Ramen Kid will open in the former location of Lava Lounge,

for any future operational costs that may arise.”

A spokesperson for Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, R-Rochester, told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel he supports the measure.

“Speaker Vos supports the bill as it protects state taxpayers from runaway costs associated with the Milwaukee streetcar project,” said spokesperson Kit Beyer.

podcast from page 1 Blumberg advised that recording conversations and anything else that will add to a story is important. He has taped numerous personal occurrences which have often been used in his work.

He spoke of how his podcast business has exceeded all expectations. He believes the company has taken podcasts and journalism in a whole different direction that he could have never predicted.

“That’s a reason to start something,” Blumberg said.

“You have no idea where it’s going to take you.”

WILL CHIZEK/CARDINAL FILE PHOTO

Many have criticized the UW System Board of Regents’ proposed tenure policy for not protecting academic freedom and due process.

dailycardinal.com

By Collin Schmidt THE DAILY CARDINAL

John Borger was born in Miami, Fla., and raised himself on the stage through producing house music. With years of hard work under his belt, he popped up in the EDM scene under the DJ name Borgeous. After realizing his true calling, Borgeous moved to Los Angeles to take full advantage of the nightlife. With his immersion into the clubs throughout Los Angeles, he emerged into the music industry in early 2011.

Borgeous started his career by working with artists like Taylor Bird and The Cataracs, and has been on the rise ever since. His releases “Rags to Riches” and “AGGRO” launched his career in 2013, and he went on to collaborate with the Canadian electronic music duo DVBBS. After their release of “Tsunami” in 2013, the song became the most-played tune of the Tomorrowland music festival and hit No. 1 on the iTunes electronic music chart in 15 countries.

Soon after, Borgeous was signed

by Spinnin’ Records and started touring the nation.

Following this success, he continued to reach higher and higher, and in 2014 Borgeous released “Invincible” and “Wildfire,” both which were in the top 10 on Billboard’s Dance Radio Chart.

Borgeous began working with artists such as Ariana Grande, Afrojack and Lights. SiriusXM then gave him a residency for his weekly podcast, “House of Borgeous.” He gained a lot of recognition and is now listed in DJ Mag’s Top 100 DJs. Earlier this year he released “This Could Be Love (feat. Delaney Jane)” with Sean Frank, and “Zero Gravity” with Lights, which peaked at No.5 on iTunes Dance Charts.

He has crafted his own style of house music and is almost finished with his first full album. We have been lucky to have him perform in Madison multiple times in the past years, so you won’t want to miss the show this Friday, Dec. 4 at Liquid.

Wednesday, December 2, 2015

l

arts Borgeous drops

by Liquid Friday

3

PHOTO COURTESY OF CREATIVE COMMONS

“Gotham,” which premiered last fall, focuses on the life and hardships of detective James Gordon.

‘Gotham’ breaks the crime-drama mold

By Denzel Taylor THE DAILY CARDINAL

“Gotham” has aired for over a year, having premiered on Fox September 2014. The Batman origin series, featuring the adventures of detective James Gordon before his comic book fame as commissioner, has recently entered its second season, and continues to entertain superhero fans on streaming websites like Hulu and Netflix. I’ve heard so much good news about the series from friends, co-workers and random strangers on the bus that I decided to check out the show for myself over Thanksgiving weekend.

As today’s age of streaming compels in nearly all of us with a computer and a couch to do, I spent hours binging on the entire first half of the first season of “Gotham”. The series is fantastic. I applaud producer Danny Cannon’s successful sense of realism of the comic book world, similar to that of Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight trilogy. The ever-grey sky, plain, solid color suits and constant gang violence set the depressing tone of a crime-stricken, corrupted city, where no one in their right mind

should live. My mind couldn’t help but wander to thoughts of popular detective shows like “Criminal Minds” and “Law & Order” when detective Gordon runs through puzzle after puzzle and catches criminal after criminal.

While I watched, I couldn’t get over my response to particular details with regards to the serie’s sense of comic book realism. Two details stand out. I’ve gathered that part of the premise of the series is that the law enforcement, businesses and city government are terribly corrupt and the people, especially children on the streets, are heavily manipulated through a system that keeps them down.

This theme sounds like experiences of people of color in real life.

Yet, I laugh that I have only seen one minority kid so far, and I am already halfway through season one. While this doesn’t seem very realistic to me, perhaps Cannon made the choice to show a bunch of white kids manipulated by the law enforcement system to prevent fuss from minority communities.

Well, this black guy is fussing, so sorry, not sorry.

Besides the lack of minor-

ity representation, my other issue regards one secondary character in particular: Selena Kyle, also known as Cat. Just as all of the other children in the show, Selena lives on the streets, robbing people to survive and sneaking around fire escapes, back alleys and in and out of sewers. Still, with all of this activity and lack of a home, the character always looks put-together. Her hair looks like it’s been professionally done, her black clothes always look so shiny and her face and hands are always so damn clean. I would think her appearance would be a little more dishevelled. But no, Selena looks like any regular, cared-for rebellious preteen.

“Gotham” offers a refreshing perspective, showing many famous comic book characters developing into their grand personas. The show reminds me of Smallville, the series about Superman’s origin and journey to the cape and flight, though without Smallville’s subtlety. I recommend anyone who hasn’t watched it and who enjoys the comics to begin their walk through the crime of “Gotham.”

RECORD ROUTINE PHOTO COURTESY OF VANESSA LOVETT/MSO PR

John Borger, under the stage name Borgeous, returns to Madison Friday to excite the crowd with his electronic tracks.

TORRES soars through sophomore release ALBUM REVIEW

Sprinter TORRES

By Paul Blazevich THE DAILY CARDINAL

In the wake of their highly praised sophomore album Sprinter that was released May 5th, Mackenzie Scott and her band TORRES will perform at the High Noon Saloon Jan. 14 as part of the FRZN Festival.

TORRES’ eponymous freshman album was critically acclaimed and, thus far, this second project is no different. Landing somewhere between punk, singer-songwriter and rock, Scott has created a sound that can only be classified by your streaming service or record store of choice as “alternative.”

The first track on Sprinter perfectly displays this amalgamation of musical styles. The first minute of “Strange Hellos” is a slow

acoustic guitar ballad, crashing into a rolling percussion line with low punk vocals. The bridge introduces the rock influence, with its sustained guitar and bass rhythm, ending in screamed vocals of interpersonal pain. “New Skin” brings these three characteristics together into a slowly progressing kaleidoscope, moving from soft lyrics and acoustic guitar to a late-night alternative rock jam to intense, reverberating punk.

Listening may become increasingly confusing with the third song, as TORRES provides an atmospheric letter of distress on “Son, You Are No Island.”

Moving into “A Proper Polish Welcome,” Scott dares the listener to stay aboard. While the former creates a prominent discomfort, the latter is a beautiful display of vocal ability, storytelling and electronic production.

TORRES returns to punk and rock influences on the title track, yet slows the tempo to convey a lackadaisical feeling. “Cowboy Guilt” is scarily similar to the harmonies and echoes of Animal Collective, and “Ferris Wheel” could easily be sped up and placed

on a new Lana Del Rey album without anyone noticing.

“The Harshest Light” is the last grasp at life on Sprinter, begging the listener for help, yet relinquishing hope for comfort and happiness. TORRES ends this second LP with an eight-minute, near-spoken word epic poem about family troubles and the hopelessness inherent in human existence. “The Exchange” is a testament to Mackenzie Scott’s versatility; just when one final punk explosion was expected to send off the album, a sob story brings the audience to their knees.

Whether or not Mackenzie Scott grew up listening to Smashing Pumpkins, Sonic Youth and The Velvet Underground, the similarities are audible and influence apparent. Bouncing from genre to genre typically hurts an album’s playability from beginning to end, but Sprinter only benefits from this diverse array of grooves.

TORRES tells the listener a story, not only with lyrics but with these different musical movements from verse to chorus to bridge.

Grade: B

science 4

l

Wednesday, December 2, 2015

An independent student newspaper, serving the University of Wisconsin-Madison community since 1892 Volume 125, Issue 50

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

News and Editorial

edit@dailycardinal.com Editor-in-Chief James Dayton

Managing Editor Emily Gerber

News Team News Manager Adelina Yankova Campus Editor Bri Maas College Editor Ellie Herman City Editor Negassi Tesfamichael State Editor Andrew Hahn Associate News Editor Laura Grulke Features Editor Gilly McBride Opinion Editors Sergey Fedossov • Cal Weber Editorial Board Chair Conor Murphy Arts Editors Allison Garcia • Conor Murphy Sports Editors Jake Powers • Zach Rastall Almanac Editors Dylan Anderson • Liam Hutchison Photo Editors Will Chizek • Kaitlyn Veto Graphics Editors Bethany Dahl • Yi Jiang Multimedia Editors Steven Rybeck • Jen Wagman Science Editor Sai-Suma Samudrala Life & Style Editor McKenna Gramoll Special Pages Editors Kerry Huth • Justine Jones Copy Chiefs Theda Berry • Ellie Borstad John Joutras • Sam Wagner Social Media Manager Madison Schiller

Business and Advertising business@dailycardinal.com Business Manager Andrew Hahm Advertising Manager Corissa Pennow Marketing Director Victoria Fok

The Daily Cardinal is a nonprofit organization run by its staff members and elected editors. It receives no funds from the university. Operating revenue is generated from advertising and subscription sales.

The Daily Cardinal is published weekdays and distributed at the University of WisconsinMadison and its surrounding community with a circulation of 10,000.

Capital Newspapers, Inc. is the Cardinal’s printer. The Daily Cardinal is printed on recycled paper. The Cardinal is a member of the Associated Collegiate Press and the Wisconsin Newspaper Association.

All copy, photographs and graphics appearing in The Daily Cardinal are the sole property of the Cardinal and may not be reproduced without written permission of the editor in chief.

The Daily Cardinal accepts advertising representing a wide range of views. This acceptance does not imply agreement with the views expressed. The Cardinal reserves the right to reject advertisements judged offensive based on imagery, wording or both.

Complaints: News and editorial complaints should be presented to the editor in chief.

Business and advertising complaints should be presented to the business manager.

Letters Policy: Letters must be word processed and must include contact information. No anonymous letters will be printed. All letters to the editor will be printed at the discretion of The Daily Cardinal. Letters may be sent to opinion@ dailycardinal.com.

Editorial Board Dylan Anderson • Theda Berry James Dayton • Sergey Fedossov Emily Gerber • Max Lenz Conor Murphy • Cal Weber

Board of Directors Herman Baumann, President Phil Brinkman • James Dayton Victoria Fok • Emily Gerber Andrew Hahm • Janet Larson Don Miner • Corissa Pennow Nancy Sandy • Jennifer Sereno Jason Stein • Jim Thackray Tina Zavoral

© 2015, The Daily Cardinal Media Corporation

For the record Corrections or clarifications?

Call The Daily Cardinal office at 608-262-8000 or send an email to edit@dailycardinal.com.

dailycardinal.com

Rocks reveal an oxygenated ocean earlier than assumed

By Julie Spitzer The Daily Cardinal

The oceans of the Archean were nothing like today’s vast blue pools. In fact, these oceans lacked free oxygen. Until recently, it was thought the oceans’ water columns were uniformly anoxic until the Great Oxidation Event, which occurred 2.42.2 billion years ago. However, researchers at UW-Madison have discovered evidence of free oxygen in Earth’s shallow oceans much earlier.

Professor Clark Johnson and assistant scientist Aaron Satkoski, both in the Geoscience Department, studied the Manzimnyama Banded Iron Formations from the Barberton greenstone belt in South Africa, collected by collaborators at the University of Johannesburg from a drill core project, and determined that shallow oceans became oxygenated earlier than scientists previously believed.

The study, published in Earth and Planetary Science Letters and funded by NASA, indicates that oxygen evolved in the ocean prior to 3.2 billion years ago.

“Previously people thought ... oxygenic photosynthesis evolved just at the time that the oxygen

rose in the atmosphere. We now know that that’s not true; it first evolved in the oceans, oxygenated the oceans, and then only later to evolve as atmospheric oxygen,” said Johnson.

Inductively coupled plasma mass spectroscopy (ICP-MS) was used make such discoveries, by measuring the rock’s composition regarding iron and uranium. Satkoski, the lead author of the study, explains that both uranium and iron are redox-sensitive, meaning they react differently depending on how much oxygen is present.

Satkoski analyzed the compositions of the rocks comparatively by analyzing different rock localities, shallow and deep, and comparing them to each other to conclude that the free oxygen first appeared in the shallow oceans and likely spread.

“The iron isotopes in the shallows [parts of the ocean] were quite different than they were in the deep [parts of the ocean] and the signatures were that of a higher amount of oxidation, so more oxidation went into forming the shallow water samples than in the deep water samples,” said Satkoski.

“The uranium concentra-

tions were higher in the shallow samples than they were in the deeper samples. That’s important because uranium is only mobile and moving around in the environment … so it takes oxygen to make uranium be there in the water column …

With the more uranium in the shallow parts of the basin, that tells us more oxygen was present in the shallow parts of the water column,” said Satkoski.

Additionally, this indicates that bacteria must have evolved earlier and these organisms were able to photosynthesize in the light zones of the shallow oceans. The bacteria left a chemical signature in the rocks; no microfossils were preserved.

In fact, microfossils are very rare. Chemical signatures allow for a wider scope of analyses as they can explain what is occurring metabolically.

“Animal life cannot evolve, which has a high energy demand for aerobic respiration, until there’s free oxygen in the atmosphere. So the evolution of oxygenic photosynthesis in the atmosphere was a necessary precursor to animal evolution and… these results push back that evolutionary break-

through really far back, 3.2 billion years,” said Johnson.

The question remains as to why animal evolution was so delayed from the time the oceans started to become oxygenated. The answer may just be that it took a lot longer than scientists originally believed.

“If you create oxygen in the environment, a lot of that will be taken up by reduced minerals like iron,” said Johnson.

“It’s only after you essentially consume all the reduced components by bonding it with oxygen that oxygen can actually rise in the atmosphere … it just took a long time to consume that oxygen before animal life.”

NASA is interested in the research in order to apply it to other planets.

“If Earth is representative of what other planets might do, that you might sit for billions of years in a microbial world, even if you’ve created oxygen and you could potentially create a high energy supply for animals, there’s lots of complex reasons why we might sit for billions of years ... if we go to another planet and look for life, chances are it might be microbial life,” said Johnson.

Extending the boundaries of modern chemistry

By Jordan Gaal the daily cardinal

Chemistry is everywhere. It makes up everything. The universe is buzzing with an imperceptible world of lively, vivacious molecules. It is the driving force the keeps everything together. Chemists are approaching new frontiers in a world that is mind-bendingly smaller than imaginable.

Brian Esselman is an avid chemistry professor and researcher at UW-Madison. Esselman’s research is out of this world. Literally. The chemistry that sparks his interest is extraterrestrial space dust.

Esselman becomes visibly excited when talking about Pyridazine, which sounds like the complex name of a prescription drug advertised on late-night TV. Pyridazine is actually a peculiar chemical, and better yet, most likely found in space.

Esselman wants to know Pyridazine’s precise structure.

Once he knows everything there is to know about it, it will be that much easier to find in dense celestial gas clouds. Pyridazine contains a certain atom called nitrogen.

If nitrogen sounds familiar, it should—it makes up 78 percent of the Earth’s atmosphere. And according to Esselman’s calculations, it could be quite abundant outside of Earth too.

The world is made of atoms such as carbon and nitrogen.

Atoms are small: if every atom in a grapefruit was enlarged to the size of a blueberry, the grapefruit would be the size of the Earth.

Together, atoms attach to each other by bonding, which allows groups of atoms to create molecules.

Just like Legos connect to create more complicated structures, atoms attach and form structures as well.

They are the building blocks of life.

It’s as simple as that.

“Chemistry is about structure, all of the reactivity we see is based on structure. So of course it’s important,” said Esselman.

These structures of atoms can tell scientists about other chemicals. “All of the physical properties of chemicals are based on their structure,” said Esselman. “More precisely we understand the structure of the molecules the more we understand their reactivity, the better we know their physical properties.” However, this is not an easy task.

“Structure determinations take months to years, it’s not a trivial thing where you just walk up, put the substance in there and go ‘oh look, there’s the structure.’”

Esselman and other chemists use a complicated method called “rotational spectroscopy.” There is one recognizable word in that piece of jargon: rotational. In order to measure the size of an atom it must spin around in the gaseous state. Unlike atoms in solid or liquid states, gas atoms have the freedom to move.

The rotation of every molecule and every atom is unique. It can be used to determine the mass, or size, of the atom. When chemists understand how big or small the atoms are, they can determine how far apart they are. This gives them the length of the bond. All of this comes together when the structure of the molecule is discovered.

“All of the things you can measure that are real about molecules come from some form of spectroscopy. We make measurements of

molecules using spectroscopy,” said Esselman as he gazed at his one-of-a-kind rotational spectroscopy machine.

The apparatus is something straight out of Dr. Frankenstein’s very own laboratory. It occupies the space of an entire room, tucked away in the fifth floor of the Chemistry Department.

This massive mammoth of an instrument can only be described as organized chaos. To the left sits a 5-foot metal box with flashing lights and numerous knobs with wires leading to a maze of glass tubes.

The room is filled with an ever-soslight buzz.

A large pipe sits in the middle of the jumble and quickly draws the eye. An uninformed individual stumbling upon this lab would most likely mistake it for a Doc Brown experiment gone haywire.

All of this to determine the structure of an atom.

The atom, as a gas, snakes its way through a series of glass tubes, piping and other complicated systems.

The results are displayed on an unassuming computer on the desk in the front of the room. This is after it has been analyzed by the many other information systems.

After all is said and done and after intricate mathematical equations are utilized, Esselman has a precise chemical structure. This data is extremely useful for other chemists. “This helps computational chemists benchmark what they are doing. We provide the real data to compare it to,” said Esselman.

This precise chemical structure determination is used to aid in determining the structure of the molecules in space through pow-

jordan gaal/the daily cardinal

Esselman’s research reveals atoms’ chemical structures. erful telescopes. After determining Pyridazine, the data will be used to search for it in the skies.

Uncovering space molecules might not be a pressing matter to everyone. “In terms of ‘Can you put it in a bottle and sell it to somebody?’

Not really, it doesn’t have an important industrial or practical application,” Esselman said.

He gave his own reason, which might elicit a chuckle from the average organic chemistry student: “Who wouldn’t want to know more about a molecule?”

Esselman’s research tests the bounds of human discovery. It delves into a world unknown for centuries. “It’s pushing the frontier of knowledge, which is pretty important.”

opinion

Wednesday, December 2, 2015 5

dailycardinal.com

l

America needs to think about its coffee JACK KELLY Opinion Columnist

B

efore we dive headfirst into this endeavor, I must give you one warning: I am not a coffee drinker, I have never been a coffee drinker and I most likely will never be a coffee drinker. I have no bone to pick with coffee drinkers, and I myself quite enjoy the smell of the coffee aisle at your local grocery store. However, the following information may leave you reconsidering drinking your daily latte.

Brazil. Vietnam. Ethiopia.

Three countries that are located on three different continents.

Each nation has its own language, culture, social system, geography, etc. However, they have at least one commonality. And this is something that I am guessing most of you, our readers, never would have considered. This commonality is coffee.

Brazil, Vietnam and Ethiopia respectively are three of the largest coffee-producing nations in the world. They are all major players in

the world coffee market, which in recent years has had a retail value of over $50 billion. Five companies (Kraft, Nestlé, Proctor & Gamble, Sara Lee and Tchibo) control half the coffee market, a market that happens to be the second most traded commodity worldwide as of 2014. Eighty percent of the world’s coffee is produced by 25 million smallholder farmers, ones that are often exploited by a major company.

This exploitation is something that I find unacceptable. The aforementioned coffee farmers often live in rural and poor communities that rely on coffee as their primary source of income. It is estimated that these coffee farmers receive only 7-10 percent of the retail price of coffee sold in supermarkets.

When coffee prices fall below the cost of production, these farmers may face challenges in supplying for their families.

There are also several other factors that hurt the everyday coffee farmer. Global commodity prices, free market economic poli-

cies, adverse weather and shifting market shares are all things that may contribute to the fluctuation of coffee prices. If the global market pushes for a lower price, coffee farmers could earn as little as 1-3 percent of the retail price. This lack of price stability is something that leads to yet another unethical practice in the coffee industry, child labor.

I am personally appalled by the concept of child labor. I am a strong believer that the job of a child should be to go to school and receive an education, not work in the fields or a factory from a young age. However, this is just the case in the coffee industry. When the price of coffee drops, farmers often have to withhold their children from school to have them work on the family farm, or to hire them out as casual laborers to help earn wages for the family. The fact that children are kept from an education, and have to work from a young age is one that leaves me wondering how coffee companies can live with

themselves while they consciously exploit their own suppliers.

On a typical day in a Guatemala, a coffee picker is required to pick a daily quota of almost 100 pounds.

Often they bring their children along to help them fulfill this quota.

These children are not technically employees, so they receive no labor protections. Like their parents, they are exposed to hazardous working conditions. They work in intense heat, are required to carry heavy loads, and work with dangerous tools as well as pesticides. They have to endure poor living conditions as well, for many of these children belong to families of migrant workers. Often these workers live in crowded and temporary accommodations without drinking water or electricity. Working hours are commonly more than legal limits, and the families earn far less than minimum wage.

The horrors that coffee farmers face are ones that I cannot even imagine. I recognize that coffee is a major world commodity, but I

could not bring myself to support an industry that relies so heavily on the exploitation of its workers.

I, like many others, did not know of the importance of coffee to the world economy, and I certainly was not aware of the horrors that come with a product that is consumed in the form of an estimated 1.6 billion cups a day. I hope that this information has been eye-opening to you as our readers. I believe that we must join the cause to stop the exploitation of coffee farmers. Next time you buy coffee at the grocery store, run your favorite brand through the Shop Ethical database and put it back on the shelf if it fails the test.

And I would like to leave you with just one final question: Do you still want that cup of joe?

Jack Kelly is a freshman planning on majoring in journalism and strategic communications. Are you an avid coffee drinker? Does this column change your opinion on your coffee of choice? Please send all comments, questions and concerns to opinion@dailycardinal.com.

COURTESY OF FLICKR

Coffee is becoming a part of America’s everyday routine with over 83 percent of adults drinking coffee in the U.S. That averages to about 587 million cups a day.

Stores should follow REI and close their doors on Thanksgiving SAMANTHA WILCOX Opinion Columnist

F

amilies across the country gather at the Thanksgiving table every year, heads bowed and hands joined, taking a moment in their hectic lives to be thankful for the things they have in life. However, this tone of humility and thankfulness is quickly overridden by the sales and chaos of Black Friday.

Many stores take advantage of the official holiday season kickoff by offering insane deals and doorbusters for eager shoppers lined up outside for hours.

However, one company decided to take the road less traveled.

The insane profits that can be made on such a large shopping day have companies clamoring to increase their window of opportunity, with sales being slowly pushed back into the actual day of Thanksgiving. This year, Macy’s started their sale as early as 5 p.m. in the evening Thanksgiving day.

However, one company decided to take the road less traveled. When outdoor retailer Recreational Equipment, Inc.,

or REI, announced their Opt Outside campaign, they notified consumers that they would be closing the doors of their brickand-mortar stores for the busiest shopping day of the year to allow their employees to enjoy the day with family.

By allowing employees to spend the day with their families instead of at work, REI sends the message that the well-being of their shoppers and employees is more of a priority than their profits. This is a refreshing sentiment from a corporation, when so often the potential dollar signs get in the way of the big picture.

What good is a holiday where togetherness and thankfulness are championed if family members are ripped from the Thanksgiving table to man the cashier line at a store ravaged by bargain-crazed shoppers?

REI did not go unrewarded for its brave stance this past weekend. While their brickand-mortar locations were closed, its website remained live, attracting 25 percent more visitors and business that it had just last year according to Geek Wire. When a company shows compassion for the well-being of others and not simply its bottom line, people will respond to that in the company’s favor.

Nobody wants to shop at a store where they do not feel valued.

But is REI’s decision to close

its doors this Black Friday more than a moral stance?

This tone of humility and thankfulness is quickly overridden by the sales and chaos of Black Friday.

Online shopping during the Thanksgiving weekend may be the wave of the future. While many websites have been boasting Cyber Monday sales for

years, this year websites noticed an overall bump of 25 percent more shoppers on Black Friday, according to Adobe Info.

If people can get the same deals from the comfort of their home that they can get in a store, it is an easy choice to make.

By shopping online, families can remain together over the holiday weekend instead of fighting the crowds to get their hands on the next iPhone.

Overall, Thanksgiving is just that—a day where we should be able to give thanks for the things we have and not think about the things we need to have. While many people view Black Friday

as a time to get deals, they do not understand that there are people who are sacrificing time with their families and loved ones to get their paycheck. By taking a stand in the face of what is normal, REI might open the doors for more stores to acknowledge the madness of Black Friday.

And who knows, they might see a bump in their website traffic as a reward.

Samantha is a freshman planning on majoring in communication arts and journalism. Did you go Black Friday shopping? How do you feel about stores that open on Thanksgiving? Email us at opinion@dailycardinal.com.

COURTESY OF WIKI COMMONS

REI chose to close its doors on Thanksgiving as a part of its Opt Outside campaign. Instead, they kept their online sales open which resulted in a 25 percent increase in online sales compared to the previous year.

opinion 6

l

Wednesday, December 2, 2015

dailycardinal.com

Students need to stop stressing during finals TOM RADEMACHER Opinion Columnist

W

ith Thanksgiving break now over, it is crunch time at the University of WisconsinMadison. As students, we are bombarded with opinions and ideas of how to best study for finals, write papers and succeed in general. We are told to “Plan ahead!” “Start early!” “Get plenty of sleep!” “Eat healthy!” and “Exercise!” This advice can be very useful, but only the most talented of individuals are capable of consistently doing all of these things. Additionally, even if you precisely follow all of this advice you are still not guaranteed success, and frankly, I am sick of hearing these same things all the time. I think it is quite clear that certain people are more easily stressed out than others, and that at certain times even the calmest of people can be overwhelmed by anxiety. I think of the standard advice as very effective stress prevention, but not efficient stress reduction. At this time of year, I think it is safe to say that most people are feeling at least a small amount of anxiety, and, therefore, the standard advice won’t be of much value.

Finals can be a stressful time for everone involved.

That is why I propose the best way to succeed at the end of the year is to stop freaking out! Yes, you got that right. Stop freaking out. It might sound simple and obvious, but I think it is often overlooked. If the standard advice fails us and we become stressed and start freaking out,

then we must resort to other efforts to stop worrying.

The standard advice for success is flawed. It is generally based on suggestions to plan ahead, start early, get enough sleep, eat well and exercise. But what happens if we are unable to do these? None of them matters if a person is overcome by stress and anxiety. Although it is important to regularly try these typical methods, stress and anxiety (signs that you are freaking out!) can prevent you from planning ahead or starting early, leave you feeling tired, make you crave McDonald’s and keep you stuck on the couch all day. In short, stress can sap you of the motivation to start and the belief and hope that you are capable of succeeding. If you are the kind of person who has the motivation to start and the belief you can succeed then even though I am sick of hearing about it, I encourage you to follow the standard advice because it can help you be productive. If you currently lack the motivation to start and/or the belief that you can succeed, then you must first stop freaking out before doing anything else. Reduce your level of stress and anxiety to a manageable point, and then proceed to the standard advice.

In order to reduce your “freak out level” from an overwhelming 9 or 10 to a manageable 3 or 4, you must do your best to pinpoint what is causing your stress. This can often be difficult and inaccurate, but it is a great place to start. Ask yourself: Is a specific class stressing me out?

Are any exams particularly worrisome? Is my obnoxious roommate being especially annoying?

If you can locate what is causing your stress, then take steps to fix it. If you can’t pinpoint what is bothering you or you don’t know how to fix it, then talk things over with family and friends

or see a counselor through University Health Services.

There is nothing wrong with seeking help from a professional. Mental health is an overlooked, underappreciated and stigmatized part of our society, but it is arguably the most important part of our health and well-being. Seek out help if you are unable to lower your stress to a manageable point. Once stress has been corralled and neutralized, then maintain that level as best as possible by adhering to the usual advice.

I could not possibly count the amount of times that I have heard students freaking out on campus about upcoming assignments whether it’s studying for exams, writing papers, preparing for labs or making presentations. Many students overexaggerate the importance of small assignments and put off the large ones because of an inability of knowing how to start. I have a tendency to do these exact things. If I have a big assignment coming up, I often do my lesser important work first to clear my head and tie up loose ends. This, I believe, is a good thing for me to do. However, it stems from an inner anxiety I have for starting large assignments, which is not a good thing. I have to tell myself not to freak out and to just start chipping away at my work. If I allow myself to be overcome by the complexity and time commitment of an assignment, I start worrying and can’t focus.

I believe that I am not alone, and these exact issues affect other people as well. By worrying too much about something that needs to get done, it will never actually get done effectively. Lower your stress by putting yourself in the mindset that nothing is too difficult or complicated to finish or prepare for.

Finals can be a stressful time for everyone involved.

Professors’ and TAs’ workloads are increasing, and students have a seemingly insurmountable pile of homework to complete. By planning ahead, starting early, getting enough sleep, eating well and exercising it is possible to avoid getting too stressed out. However, if these methods fail you and you feel overwhelmed by stress, pinpoint what is causing your stress and take steps to remove it. If this fails, talk to a professional to receive help.

The end of the semester is challenging but not impossible.

Remember that winter break is right around the corner.

Tom is a junior majoring in history and psychology. How do you feel about finals week?

Do you have a stressful exam week coming up? Do you agree with Tom on how to reduce stress? Let us know what you think. Please send all comments, questions and concerns to opinion@dailycardinal.com.

COURTESY OF CREATIVE COMMONS

Climate change is becoming an increasingly urgent topic.

Climate change resembles a cancer SUZANNE O’CONNELL Letter to the Editor

A

s an environmental educator, I struggle with explaining the urgency of global climate change. One way of communicating this to students, I have found, is to liken climate change to a cancer. And as the Paris climate meeting approaches we need to address this cancer.

The climate change debate often focuses on the burning of fossil fuels and the resulting rapid increase of greenhouse gases, especially carbon dioxide, in the atmosphere and ocean. What is not made clear, is that it isn’t just that we are introducing these gases, it is the rate at which we are doing so that is truly disastrous.

This is how climate change resembles a cancer. What’s dangerous about cancer isn’t the process itself — cell reproduction is normal and essential. What’s harmful with cancer is the vastly accelerated rate of cell growth. The same is true about the accelerated rate of increasing greenhouse gases.

Climate has changed before, and Earth has been warmer in the past.

Fifty million years ago there were no polar ice caps and beech trees flourished on Antartica. As recently as 3.5 million years ago camels inhabited the Canadian Arctic.

Although we don’t have direct greenhouse gas measurements from those periods, we know carbon-dioxide levels were also higher millions of years ago. From Antarctic ice cores we do have direct atmospheric gas measurements of Earth’s more recent history. For the last 800,000 years, these cores reveal, atmospheric carbondioxide levels have varied between about 170 parts per million and 290 ppm. Atmospheric carbon dioxide rose and fell in parallel with the rising and falling temperatures that brought us ice ages and interglacial periods such as our own.

But these carbon-dioxide changes occurred over thousands, even tens of thousands of years.

In the last 100 years, though, we have increased atmospheric carbon dioxide by almost as much as the difference between a glacial and interglacial atmosphere.

Cancer progresses at different rates in different patients and requires different treatments.

Once diagnosed, however, aggressive measures are taken to stop the process. And the earlier treatment starts, the better the prognosis. Why aren’t we taking the same aggressive measures to limit our greenhouse gas production?

Because it’s too difficult or too costly? The same might be said for cancer treatment, yet most people take the aggressive option.

Maybe we are failing to take action because just as in the early stages of cancer, the early stages of global warming aren’t too obvious.

Not yet. Few people, if any, wake up one morning knowing they have cancer. There are analyses and tests to be conducted first.

We’ve already done that work with regard to our climate, we have those analyses and tests. We know that air, land and ocean temperatures are rising. The warming ocean and melting ice contribute to sea level rise.

Our wait-and-see attitude makes as much sense as waiting to see if the cancer spreads before undergoing treatment. What will a few degrees of warming do to a planet? To a human body?

This is where, the analogy breaks down. The rise of greenhouse gases are not going to kill our planet like a cancer kills a human being. Over thousands of years Earth has shown a remarkable ability to adapt to climatic changes. In the process of adaptation, however, many species become extinct. Ours could join them.

The changes have already begun.

Earth is warming. This is an inescapable fact of physics. Although Earth receives energy from the sun, it is when the energy is reflected back into the atmosphere and interacts with a greenhouse gas that it actually warms us. If you shoot a marble into a circle full of marbles, you have a much better chance of hitting a marble than if you are shooting at a single marble.

By increasing greenhouse gases, we are in effect adding more marbles and increasing the likelihood that reflected energy will strike a greenhouse gas molecule and increase the warmth.

The more molecules, the more energy, the more warmth.

Again it might not seem urgent.

I find energy a difficult concept to understand and the units, Joules or calories or BTUs, are not easy to visualize. The destructive effects of energy — a hurricane, an earthquake or an explosion — are easier to grasp.

So visualize this: the extra energy we are adding to the atmosphere because of the increase in greenhouse gases is equal to the energy that would be released by the explosion of four Hiroshima bombs every second.

The human toll from atomic explosions and cancer is known.

Why aren’t we taking action to save human lives by reducing our fossil fuel consumption? The Paris climate negotiations and the EPA’s Clean Power Plan are important international and national steps toward this goal. We need aggressive action to counteract this climate cancer before it causes irreparable harm to humans. Time is running out.

Suzanne O’Connell is a professor at Wesleyan University. Email us at opinion@dailycardinal.com.

comics dailycardinal.com

Wednesday, December 2, 2015 • 7

Man breaks into metals shop, forges sword.

Today’s Sudoku

Future Freaks

By Joel Cryer graphics@dailycardinal.com

© Puzzles by Pappocom

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

Eatin’ Cake Classic

By Dylan Moriarty graphics@dailycardinal.com

Today’s Crossword Puzzle

Subversion

ACROSS 1 Warning shouts in golf 6 Mark down drastically 11 PC brain 14 Kind of cabinet 15 Yukon garment 16 Acorn’s source 17 Regardless of the consequences 19 Bird of the past 20 Like finger-paint 21 Rods’ partners 23 Division into factions 26 Oft-stubbed item 27 Plays the killjoy 28 Bad luck 30 C aravan member 31 Code name?

32 Cleopatra’s snake 35 Winning serves 36 “Here ___ trouble!”

37 Asian cuisine choice 38 Where Goldilocks was found 39 Portion of a broadcast 40 Uses digits?

41 “Hooray!”

43 Mozart composition 44 Fall collection?

46 47 48 50 51 57 58 59 60

61 62

Poorly made More sick Not yet a fire Item in a lobster restaurant Just deserts Part of IOU Type of legend or sprawl With mouth wide open It goes through withdrawals Avian baby deliverer Exclude from practice

DOWN 1 Broadcast watchdog letters 2 “And what have we here?”

3 ___ shot (drummer’s quickie) 4 180 deg. from WSW 5 Plank producer 6 Writer’s cramp, e.g.

7 Back muscles, in brief 8 West Point athletes 9 Calypso relative 10 Fun rural diversion 11 Reach the critical point 12 Sao ___, Brazil 13 Authoritative proclamation 18 Name on a green toy truck 22 Feature of many a prima

donna 23 NASA milieu 24 Chris Rock or Kevin Hart product 25 Beats a hasty retreat 26 Workplace honcho 27 Wound covering 28 Kin of “bro” and “dude” 29 Two-tone treat 31 Pie a la ___ 33 Unlike fresh water 34 Galileo’s birthplace 36 The four in a quart 37 Watch the bar or goal 39 Short synopses 40 Dr. Scholl’s product 42 “___ got an idea!”

43 Send overseas 44 Gadhafi ruled it, once 45 “The Waste Land” poet T.S. 46 Moved like a coward 48 Boss on a shield 49 Within earshot 52 Leftover tidbit 53 Kind of limit 54 Capture, as a burglar 55 IRS calculator?

56 Suffix with “ballad” or “mountain”

By Tom Taagen graphics@dailycardinal.com

Sports Sports Hockey’s finest meet in Border Battle wednesday, december 2, 2015 Dailycardinal.com DailyCardinal.com

Wisconsin-Minnesota rivalry has become a perennial display of women’s hockey powerhouses Story by Jessi Schoville and Ryan Weinkauf

T

he Wisconsin-Minnesota rivalry is always big, no matter the sport. But the Border Battle takes on a new level of meaning when it comes to women’s hockey. The Wisconsin and Minnesota women’s hockey teams are two of the strongest programs in the country every year, and that has led to their rivalry becoming extremely important, as it has often been the determining factor in conference and national championships.

Assistant coach Jackie Friesen was also a player for the Badgers from 2001-’05, so as someone who has been around the program for a long time, she understands how much this rivalry means to Wisconsin.

“The rivalry dates back to the beginning of the program,” Friesen said. “Anytime you play [Minnesota] I think the team is a little bit more excited, it’s an intense rivalry so you really want to take it to them, and obviously if you can get a win it’s pretty special.”

Wisconsin and Minnesota have two of the most successful hockey programs for both men and women alike. Both universities thrive in the frozen Midwest each winter, pummeling opponents. The women’s program at each respective school is especially impressive, having combined for four of the last five national titles, all the while producing 21 representatives in the past two Olympics. The two squads have combined to post dominant statistics in in all areas of women’s hockey. The Badgers take on the Golden Gophers this Friday and Saturday but, unfortunately, recent history is not on the Badgers’ side. Since Wisconsin won the national championship in the 2010-’11 season, they have posted a record of 1-16-2 against Minnesota, with the lone win coming back in Oct. 2011.

Minnesota has established this impressive run by finding the net with more frequency. Despite the two squads having nearly identical penalty minutes per game, shots per game and saves per game, Minnesota has scored nearly an entire goal more per outing.

This is more than likely the result of greater puck movement, which is demonstrated by Minnesota averaging 7.4 assists per game versus Wisconsin’s 5.8 in the same time frame.

While most of those losses have been in the regular season, three of the losses in particular were tough to swallow, as they came on hockey’s biggest stage: the Frozen Four.

In the 2011-’12 season, Wisconsin, the reigning national champion, found itself in the championship game once again, this time against familiar foe Minnesota. The Badgers went down 2-0 early, but were able to mount a comeback and level the

score before a Minnesota penalty put them in the lead permanently. Wisconsin outshot Minnesota 44-25, including 20 shots in the final period alone, but Minnesota took home the title.

Wisconsin met Minnesota in the semifinal of the Frozen Four in the 2013-’14 season, and the game had even more swings than the last playoff meeting between the two schools. Wisconsin led 1-0 at the end of the first and 3-2 at the end of the second, but a late surge from Minnesota propelled them past Wisconsin 5-3, ending the Badgers’ championship hopes for the second time in three years. Then-junior forward Brittany Ammerman, now graduated, expressed the team’s disappointment to UWBadgers. com after the game.

“Obviously it wasn’t enough,” Ammerman said. “We put our hearts out there, and we just couldn’t get bounces our way.”

Just last year, the Badgers again faced off against Minnesota in the semifinal. The Badgers drew blood first with a goal scored early in the second by then-freshman forward Annie Pankowski, but Minnesota answered with three of their own in the second to make it 3-1.

Despite again outshooting the Gophers 35-23, Wisconsin finished off its season with a loss to Minnesota for the third time in four years.

emily buck/cardinal file photo

Junior forward Sarah Nurse has yet to topple Minnesota during her tenure with Wisconsin.

Friesen had to deal with some big losses to Minnesota in her playing days, and she also expressed her disappointment with those games.

“Definitely frustrating,” Frieson said. “You want to beat them, especially in the big games, and we’ve been so close and just a couple bounces here and there kept us off of that.”

The frustration Wisconsin has had to deal with these last few

years against Minnesota have given the players no shortage of motivation to finally overcome the Gophers.

Senior defenseman Courtney Burke, no stranger to these games, fully agrees the team is highly motivated to beat Minnesota. “[The losses to Minnesota] for sure do, it’s a rivalry weekend so no matter what we are going to get up for these games more than usual,” Burke said.

Wisconsin vs. Minnesota 2010-’15 By the Numbers Wisconsin

Minnesota

wins

152

173

Losses

32

20

Ties

12

11

Win %

78 percent

85 percent

Goals/Game

3.8

4.5

Assists/Game

5.8

7.4

Game

7.8

7.7

Shots/Game

37.6

38.1

Saves/Game

21.9

22

Olympians

12

9

4

5

2

3

Appearances

4

3

National Titles

1

3

Penalty Minutes/

NCAA Tournament Appearances Conference championships Frozen Four

Head coach Mark Johnson is experienced in the animosity between the two squads, having coached for the Badgers for the past 13 years, as well as coaching seven Badgers and three Gophers in the 2010 Olympics.

Mark was also a player under his father, UW legend Bob Johnson, for three seasons at UW, when he won a National Championship in 1977. With all that familiarity with the Border Battle, Johnson also understands the energy surrounding this rivalry, in women’s or men’s hockey.

“There are some weekends you’re scratching your head and trying to figure out what you can do to motivate your team because you’re playing XYZ that weekend,” Johnson said. “History tells me as a player, when I played against the Gophers, it didn’t take you much to get you motivated.”

The biggest success Wisconsin has had against Minnesota was in the 2005-’06 season, when it defeated Minnesota in the championship to earn the first title in program history. Friesen was no longer a player that year, but was still involved with the team as an undergraduate assistant coach.

“To beat anyone on the biggest stage is pretty awesome, but to beat the cross-border rival was fantastic,” Friesen said. “I’ll definitely remember that for the rest of my life.”

There is still a lot of season left for the Badgers, regardless of what happens this weekend against Minnesota. But history shows beating Minnesota is a sign that Wisconsin has what it takes to compete for a national championship, as the Badgers are 8-3-3 against the Gophers in the three seasons they won the championship combined, a much better record than in any of the seasons that ended in disappointment.

Junior forward Sarah Nurse, who has been heavily involved in the Border Battle since she got here, said that defeating the Gophers would really help with the Badgers’ mindset for the rest of the season.

“We beat the Gophers, who can top us now?”