UWM Post 2-21-2011 by UWM Post

inside News | page 2 Judy Shepard visits UWM Photo Feature: Zerospace makes the concert experience virtual and global

The Student-Run Independent Newspaper at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee

Monday, February 21, 2011

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Volume 55 | Issue 20

“Solidarity!” UWM students organize in Spaights Plaza

Rufus King students self-organize

Sports | page 9 Injuries threaten Men’s basketball season

KUMAR: Larger bracket wrong direction for NCAA tourney

Rufus King students parade through UWM courtyards. Post photo by Sierra Riesberg

Post photo by Josh Evert By Zach Erdmann Asst. News Editor news@uwmpost.com

This last week, as the Capitol became the seat of heated protests by public employees, cries of “Solidarity!” rang out at rallies and vigils across the state. Thursday, almost a thousand UW-Milwaukee students and faculty members held a walk-out and rally in Spaight’s Plaza. The rally was organized by Students for a Democratic Society at UWM using Facebook

and was held in conjunction with rallies across the UW System. SDS members marched into Spaights at noon on Thursday with a small band in tow, including a banjo and trombone. They quickly set up a large banner and amassed a large crowd of supporters. Students and teachers chanted along with the organizers as the band played. The speakers were mostly student activists with a few professors sharing their stories.

See PROTEST page 3

UW System may lose ﬂagship

Four-mile protest march By Kurt Raether Editor in Chief news@uwmpost.com

On Thursday, Feb. 17, in a day of statewide protest against Governor Scott Walker’s proposed school budget cuts, the spotlight was on the teachers, their unions and the thousands of people protesting in Madison. Closer to home, a group of students from Rufus King High School walked nearly four miles in a self-organized march to UW-Milwaukee’s campus.

“I came to school on Tuesday and realized that 40 of my teachers weren’t at school and they were protesting in Madison,” said Felisha Burgos, one of the students behind the protest. “Since [some] of my teachers are out today, we decided to rally,” she said. The students organized through text messaging, conversations in the lunch room and posters made in the art rooms. They were hesitant at ﬁrst to leave the building on a

See MARCH page 5

Last week it was discovered Gov. Scott Walker’s new budget may include separating UWMadison from the UW System. The Journal Sentinel obtained a memo in which UW-Madison Chancellor Carolyn Martin details her support for pulling UW-Madison out of the UW System. Martin said she hopes is this will give the university more freedom in its self-governance. By becoming a freestanding university, Madison

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will not be subject to the control the state government has over the UW System. “As you know, I have been advocating for greater ﬂexibility to help the state,” Martin’s memo reads. “I appreciate knowing that Governor Scott Walker wants to provide ﬂexibility and intends to propose public-authority status for UW-Madison.” The UW System regents have been lobbying for less control by the state government for a long time. In the past, Martin

See UW-MADISON page 6

Radiohead’s King of Limbs one of the band’s best albums yet Patrice Vnuk’s Fashion Week uide

Editorial | page 19 New facebook relationship statuses reflect more widespread LGBT acceptance Various columnist weigh in on the Walker protests

Capitol rally draws Panthers UWM students and faculty join biggest day of protesting

Walker has plans to remove UW-Madison from UW System By Mike La Count News editor news@uwmpost.com

fringe | page 12

On Saturday, both supporters and dissenters for the bill were congregating around the Capitol. Image courtesy of Lucas PenzeyMoog By Caitlin PenzeyMoog Copy Editor news@uwmpost.com

UW-Milwaukee students joined tens of thousands who gathered at the state Capitol on Saturday

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in the largest protest so far during a week of tumultuous demonstrations against Governor Scott Walker’s proposed budget bill. According to the Madison Police Department there were 60,000 people outside and an-

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other 8,000 inside the Capitol building. Drums, horns, cowbells and even vuvuzelas added to the din as people marched, chanted, sang and generally made a lot of noise. Most people were there to take a stand against Walker’s budget bill, though for the ﬁrst time on Saturday there were Tea Party protestors there to support it. The group that gathered on one side of the Capitol to show favor for the new budget had a couple thousand members, notably smaller than the protesters on the other side and marching around the Capitol Square. Peppered throughout the Capitol and Square were signs reading, “Please remember this is a peaceful protest.” Apprehensions of a clash between protestors were in vain, however; the Tea Partiers held their rally without interrup-

See CAPITOL page 2

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2 February 21, 2011

The UWM Post

News Briefs

Editor in Chief Kurt Raether

Editorial Editor Jackie Dreyer

Business Manager Simon Bouwman

Managing Editor Lindsey Millard

Production Editor Josh Evert

Advertising Manager Stephanie Fisher

News Editors Mike La Count

Multimedia Editor Sierra Riesberg

Advertising Designer Josh Evert

Zach Erdmann

Puzzle Editor Jonas Wittke

Distribution Patrick Quast

Copy Editors Sarah Hanneken

Alek Shumaker

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

Caitlin PenzeyMoog

Board of Directors Kurt Raether

Derek De Vinney

Simon Bouwman

Web Editor Kody Schafer

Zach Erdmann Dustin Zarnikow

Sports Editor Jeremy Lubus

Phone: (414) 229-4578 Fax: (414) 229-4579 post@uwmpost.com www.uwmpost.com

Josh Evert

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THE UWM POST has a circulation of 10,000 and is distributed on campus and throughout the surrounding communities. The first copy is free, additional copies $.75 each. The UWM Post, Inc. is a registered student organization at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and an independent nonstock corporation. All submissions become the property of The UWM Post, Inc. The UWM Post is published Mondays in the fall and spring semesters, except during spring break and exam periods. The UWM Post also publishes once in late summer. The UWM Post is written and edited by students of the University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee and they are solely responsible for its editorial policy and content. The University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee is not liable for debts incurred by the publisher. The UWM Post is not an official publication of UWM.

Mayor Barrett makes pick for County Executive

Clinton pushes Taliban to split from al-Qaeda

Milwaukee mayor Tom Barrett has officially endorsed philanthropist and businessman Chris Abele for Milwaukee County Executive. Barrett praised Abele’s leadership role in nonprofit groups in the county and said he is especially interested in Abele’s plan to move the county economic development office to the same building as the Milwaukee’s Department of City Development. Business developers working only with the county officials have troubled Barrett in the past. While Abele and Barrett believe it will help spur economic policy and facilitate more ease for business developers, Abele’s opponent Jeff Stone sees the move as a superficial plan. Jeff Stone, who took 44 percent in the five-way primary last week, is currently a republican state representative. Abele has never before run for political office but has contributed and campaigned for democrats. Occupancy of the county executive seat, which is officially nonpartisan, will be decided in the April 5 election.

Last week Secretary of State Hillary Clinton issued a warning to the Taliban to break ties with al-Qaeda as pressure on the Islamic group increases before U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan begins. Currently the U.S. is on course to substantially decrease the number of troops in Afghanistan as part of an attempt to have all troops out by 2014. As part of the American effort to secure Afghanistan’s military, economy, and diplomatic relations with Pakistan, the U.S. has been working to create an Afghan-led breakup between the Taliban and al-Qaeda. The Taliban became a high priority target for the U.S. after they helped protect al-Qaeda following the terrorist attacks in 2001. Afghanistan, along with the U.S., has offered to reconcile with any member of the Taliban who is willing to cease fighting with the Kabul government.

Holy rollers stand behind senators The AWOL Wisconsin state senators received support from religious leaders last week during their refusal to vote on changes to state employee contracts. During the 13 Democratic senators’ exodus from Wisconsin, churches and synagogues in Madison, Chicago and Glencoe, Ill. offered facilities for sanctuary. The executive director of a Chicago Interfaith Worker Justice said she had talked with religious organizations across the country offering similar support. However, as of Friday, Feb. 18 no Wisconsin senator has taken any assistance from the religious organizations.

Teacher suspended for honesty Natale Munroe, a Philadelphia high school English teacher, was suspended with pay after a message calling out her students was posted on Facebook. With the intention of only displaying her message to her friends, Munroe’s blog post was stumbled upon by a student who shared it on Facebook. Her message read: “My students are out of control. They are rude, disengaged, lazy whiners. They curse, discuss drugs, talk back, argue for grades, complain about everything, fancy themselves entitled to whatever they desire and are generally just annoying.” Her lawyer has stated he may file a first amendment lawsuit if she is fired.

Events The First Amendment

Monday, Feb. 21

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

The 6th Annual African American Film Festival will be showing Soundtrack for a Revolution, the story of the Civil Rights Movement, at 6:30 p.m. in the Union Theatre.

The UWM Post is a member of:

Wednesday, Feb. 23 From 5 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. the Career Development Center is holding a networking event in conjunction with some of the area’s premier businesses such as WE Energies and the Medical College of Wisconsin in the Union Wisconsin Room. The event is free and open to Letters and Science students.

Terry McMillan, author of Waiting to Exhale and How Stella Got Her Groove Back, will be featured in this semester’s Distinguished Lecture Series at 7 p.m. in the Union Ballroom. Friday, Feb. 25 The Adventure Center is having an overnight ski trip at Granite Peak. The bus leaves at 1 p.m. on Friday and returns at 9 p.m. on Sunday. The cost is $165 for students, which includes transportation, lodging and a two-day lift ticket.

CAPITOL Continued from page 1 tion and then dispersed into smaller groups. The anti-bill protestors upped the ante of their chanting when they were in close proximity to pro-Walker groups and a few people shouted at each other in passing, but those were the only signs of animosity between the opposing sides. Alex Engle, a civil engineering major at UWM, drove with two friends the 90 miles from Milwaukee to Madison on Friday. They spent the night sleeping on the marble ﬂoor at the Capitol and plan to keep protesting until Sunday. He volunteered Saturday morning to don an orange vest and keep the peace as a safety marshal on the Square. “They were calling for volunteers to do it and we’d woken up at seven in the morning in the Capitol, because you can’t really sleep that well there,” Engle said. “So anytime I see Tea Partiers mixing in with the rest I just kind of go stand there and remind

Image courtesy of Lucas PenzeyMoog people that this is non-violent. But no instances have come up so it’s been great.” Madison Police Department spokesman Joel DeSpain said in a statement there were no arrests. Walker’s plan would limit collective bargaining for most state and local government employees, leaving the power to negotiate wages but removing employees’ input on beneﬁts and working conditions. Protestors contend that the bill is not about balancing the budget, but rather an attack on unions. For UWM student Vanessa

Lambrecht, what’s more pressing than the union bargaining rights are the healthcare beneﬁts at stake. “As a social work major this is very important to me because part of the budget is taking away funding for Medicaid and BadgerCare,” she said. Engle and Lambrecht returned to Milwaukee on Sunday, but protests are to continue. Walker has not budged on his proposal and rejected a union oﬀer to accept concessions on Saturday. Democratic state senators are still out of the state, stymieing a vote to pass the bill by preventing quorum.

February 21, 2011 3

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Remembering the past, hopeful for the future Judy Shepard critiques new hate crime act

Founder of the Mathew Shepard Foundation, Judy Shepard served as executive director from 1999 to 2009.Post photo by Zach Erdmann By Zachary Brooke Staff Writer news@uwmpost.com

In the fleeting world of breaking news, Judy Shepard is a reminder of the lasting impact of tragedy long after its exit from the public eye. Like a character out of Greek mythology, she lives in two worlds and is cast in two very different roles. One is that of grieving mother, still reeling over the loss of her gay son, Matthew, the victim of hatebased murder, which occurred over 12 years ago. The other is a fierce advocate of LGBT equality, which remains engaged in the battles of the present. Both roles were on full display Wednesday evening in the Wisconsin room of the Union. In front of a somber black curtain with the same tiny frame and wispy blond hair of her son, Shepard spoke to an audience of around 300 about the power of hate. After a brief video of com-

piled news clips about the murders of her son and James Byrd Jr., who was killed in a race-related hate-crime a few months before Matt Shepard. Judy Shepard began her story by rereading her victim impact statement, which she ﬁrst gave at the sentencing of Russell Henderson, one of the two men convicted of killing her son in October of 1998. “All the hopes and dreams that were Matt’s were killed for $20 and some sick twisted reason known only to his killers,” she said. Yet revisiting the tragedy was only a prelude to the main purpose of the evening, which was advocacy on behalf of hate-crime victims and eradicating the causes of hate and discrimination in society. It’s a goal Shepard adopted soon after her son’s murder captured the attention of the nation, and one that came to partial fruition in 2009 when the Matthew Shepard Act was signed into law by President Barack Obama. The

act expands federal hate-crime law to include crimes motivated by a victim’s sexual orientation or gender identity. On Wednesday, Judy Shepard acknowledged both the importance and limitation of the act. “It’s called the hate crimes prevention act,” she said. “You all know this isn’t going to prevent anything. If law’s prevented stuﬀ we wouldn’t need prisons, right? But what it does is send a message of respect to the nation at large that we understand the gay community is at risk.” According to his mother, Matt’s death has provided protection for others – exactly what he would be doing right now had he survived. “I think he would be the activist that I have become, because that was his goal to make the world a better place. I just think he would be part of the movement to make it right. I think that’s his greatest legacy is [creating] a generation of advocates.”

PROTEST Continued from page 1

Some of the students skipped class to attend, some had their classes excused, and some were there protesting along with their professors. UWM student Jordan Macak said, “I took oﬀ for French and came on down...[My teacher] had an interview today so we had a substitute.” Other students were just drawn to the crowd. “I really don’t have a statement, we just kinda wanted to make these signs to see people’s reactions,” said Andrew Ford. His sign said, “Scott Walker gives great blow-jobs!” As the protest continued, a small group of students began counter-protesting in Spaight’s Plaza as well. Carrying Scott Walker campaign signs above their heads, they were quickly surrounded by the protesting mob, and became the focal point for increasingly hostile

chants. At one point, the students started shouting “asshole” in the face of oppositional protestors. Jacob Zaeske, one of the student counter-protestors said, “If they’re here to voice their opinion, we’re here to voice ours...Myself and a friend I know decided to come out here, and we met a few more Walker supporters, quickly organized, and now we’re being harassed.” One university faculty member, who wished to remain anonymous, said that no matter the reason, it is good to see students showing their support. They said they were proud of any student who skipped class to come to the rally because “if the classes we teach aren’t preparing you to engage in civic responsibility, what’s the point?” The protest concluded with a march to Bolton Hall, where the SDS organizers held a teach-in on labor rights and world democracy for a diminishing crowd.

Post photo by Josh Evert

4 February 21, 2011

The UWM Post

Zerospace

Post photos by Sierra Riesberg Live performers joined musicians from across the country via Skype on Friday night for a zerospace performance at the Peck School of the Arts. Zerospace brought together musicians in Kentucky, Virginia, and other states to reduce the space in which performances can be made. The bottom photo shows the ﬁrst performance of the evening, Deconstruction No. 4, featuring Professor Scott Deal on a bicycle wheel. The musicians played simultaneously over the internet, at times even using an iPhone as a metronome. The event challenged conceptions of traditional performance clichés; in the program, the intermission was simply titled “pause.”

February 21, 2011 5

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Statewide tension spills over to student Senate By Zach Erdmann Asst. News Editor news@uwmpost.com

Moeed Yusuf’s area of work includes Pakistan’s foreign policy, the U.S.Pakistan relationship, nuclear deterrence and non-proliferation.

Yusuf Delivers Speech on Pakistan Beyond the portrayal in media By Jon Gorski Staff Writer news@uwmpost.com

On Tuesday, Feb. 15, Moeed Yusuf gave a distinguished lecture primarily focusing on American-Pakistani relations. A prominent political scientist, Yusuf primarily devotes his attention to South Asian politics and Pakistani policy. Involved heavily in the United States Institute of Peace, he is a prominent figure in relations with the Middle Eastern countries. The United States Institute of Peace (USIP) started in 1984 as a think tank organization by former president Ronald Reagan. Among its goals, the USIP strives to be a bipartisan organization focused on conflict and prevention management. There are four democrats and four republicans on board, and the organization has over 350 staff members positioned in both Baghdad and Kabul. Yusuf is a South Asian adviser to the organization. Among the main points brought up over the lecture was the severe decline of support among Pakistani residents for suicide bombings and Osama Bin Laden. According to a graph produced by Yusuf, over 87 percent of Pakistanis reject the prevalence of suicide bombings. According to Yusuf, the political scene in Pakistan is incredibly divisive between main three factions: the political right, the political left, and the military. He noted the progress made by the country, citing the fact that for the first time in the

country’s history, politicians are working across party lines. Yusuf said unfortunately, however, Pakistan’s scrutinizing media coverage has made any mistake or misfortune out to be a huge ordeal, and it is incredibly bad timing for the country to be under a media spotlight when it’s making strident social and economic progress. On the subject of U.S.Pakistani relations, Yusuf said that for every step forward, there are constantly two steps taken back. The main example that he returned to multiple times over the course of the lecture was the case of Raymond Davis, an American U.S. Embassy employee accused of murdering two Pakistani men. The discrepancy in the case arises between Pakistani oﬃcials’ claims and the claims of Davis himself. Davis concedes that he shot the men, but insists that it was only in self-defense as they attempted to hijack his vehicle. The Pakistanis, on the other hand, claim that it was a cold-blooded murder with no pure motive whatsoever. Because of the shootings, the U.S. has postponed trilateral meetings with Pakistan and Afghanistan as the investigation continues. Yusuf stressed that both the U.S. and Pakistan constantly set up a negative narrative about one another. He explained, Pakistan’s version of the U.S. is warped, just as the Pakistan that the U.S. knows is not the reality of the country. On Pakistani progress, Yusuf says,” The jury is still out on where Pakistan will be in 2020.”

At the Student Association Senate meeting on Sunday night, the tension that has been building statewide bubbled to the surface in a series of small spats about legislation at the end of the two hour meeting. The meeting began with Travis Romero-Boeck’s Presidential report. RomeroBoeck discussed the recently revealed Badger Partnership and what those changes will mean for UW-Milwaukee. “I think [UW-Milwaukee] as we see it and Wisconsin as we know it is going to change in the next few years.” Romero-Boeck quoted the governor saying, “Madison is at bat, UWM is on deck.” Romero-Boeck also spoke on the lingering UPARK issue, announcing that County Supervisor John Weishan had drafted legislation that would enable the county and university to re-open negotiations on a lease of the Lakefront lots. The legislation is currently in the hands of County Supervisor Gerry Broderick, who serves as Chairman of the Parks, Energy and Environment Committee for the County Board. Broderick has to approve the legislation before it can go before the County Board and anything can be decided. Romero-Boeck urged all senators to call Broderick and remind him of the students need for aﬀordable parking.

A series of new legislation was passed at the meeting, beginning with a bill that was backed by activist group Students’ for a Democratic Society (SDS), The March 4th Commemorative Financial Transparency Act. This bill, named for the one year anniversary of a tense protest that led to 15 student arrests, aimed to push for more transparency in UWM Administration. By making the UW System budget “Redbook” available on the UWM homepage and creating a “Financial Transparency Oversight Committee” the bill hopes to bring about a dialogue regarding how UWM operates ﬁnancially. After a brief discussion about the use of the term “wrongful arrest” in the document, the bill passed. The Campus Event Inclusiveness Act was a controversial piece of legislation authored by Senator Alex Kostal. This bill would prevent registered student organizations from holding closed events, or reserving space at events for community members or non-students. The act led to a serious discussion about the nature of free speech and discrimination by political belief. The bill was ultimately tabled after Senator Jesse Dercks brought up that some events are closed for necessary reason, for example a small group discussion with victims of sexual assault. Next, The Gender Inclusive Housing Act was brought be-

fore the senate. This bill was authored by former Senator Vince Trippi and sponsored by Senator Moondancer Drake and addressed the lack of options for gender nonconforming students in University Housing. This bill supported a system-wide proposal for a reassessment of Regent Policy 24-1 on coeducational housing. This bill passed unanimously. The next two bills, In Support of a Unified UW System and the Lakefront UPARK Revival Act were both resolutions supporting the issues mentioned earlier by Romero-Boeck: the fighting of the Badger Partnership and the continuing UPARK struggle. Both passed unanimously. The final bill of the evening was The Workers’ Resolution, also authored by Sen. Kostal. This bill declared solidarity with “the workers of our campus and the state.” The bill led to a large discussion between Senators Kostal, Dercks and Andrew Hastert that began with discussion of the TA’s union and ended (after the Speaker of the Senate corralled discussion to only matters regarding the bill) with a debate about the merits of breaking quorum as a political strategy. The bill went to a vote and Sen. Hastert objected, tabling the bill until at least next meeting. The Senate will reconvene on March at 6 p.m. in the Fireside Lounge.

Post photo by Sierra Riesberg

MARCH Continued from page 1

school day, which is illegal in the state of Wisconsin. “We were a little scared, but once we uniﬁed we just pushed through the main entrance,” Burgos told the Post. “I thought there would be more security to hold us back but the cops escorted us here the whole way. I guess most of them really wanted us to do it. I know that they’re proud of us for standing up for our teachers.” While most of the protest at UWM was centered in Spaights

Plaza, students and residents alike took notice of the blocklong line of high school students waving protest signs and chanting as they marched along Oakland Avenue, turned on Hartford Avenue, and stormed into Bolton Hall. “We are the students, the mighty mighty students,” they yelled. Rufus King Principal Marie Newby-Randle told the Post that school administrators haven’t decided if the students will be punished. “We can’t punish who we can’t identify,” she said. “Our main priority was to keep students safe.” Newby-Randle added,

“These kids feel strongly about issues and that’s a good thing.” Daniel Lesotho, a math teacher at Rufus King, expressed pride that his students are participating in the democratic process, even though they skipped out of his geometry class to do so. “It’s their time to say what they think,” he said. “They will be aﬀected by this bill and just because they aren’t old enough to vote doesn’t mean they don’t have a right to express their opinions.” Caitlin PenzeyMoog contributed to this article.

The UWM Post

6 February 21, 2011

MTV cast speaks on abortion “No Easy Decision’s” Natalia and Katie visit UWM By Brittany Mann Special to the Post news@uwmpost.com

Planned Parenthood and members of the cast of MTV’s show “No Easy Decision” hosted a screening in the Union Ballroom last Wednesday night to talk about abortion. The show is a follow up to “16 and Pregnant” but instead of following teens throughout their pregnancy, “No Easy Decision” is about those who decided to have an abortion. Natalia and Katie, the girls on the show, came to talk about the decisions they went through and how their lives were eﬀected afterwards. According to Planned Parenthood, one in three women will have an abortion in the U.S. by the time they are 45 years old. The show and screening event were created so that people who have been through this can start talking about it more openly, and pregnant teens can have a better understanding of what their options are. “Sometimes it’s the responsible choice and I think sometimes people look at it as though you’re shirking your responsibility and girls need to know that they’re not alone and it’s okay to talk about it,” Natalia said about her decision to have an abortion when she was 17, and to talk about it publicly on MTV. There has been some criticism that the show takes advantage of young girls and exploits them for viewers. “I am not a victim of some industry,” said Natalia; “I want to continue doing advocacy in any way I can.” In the show the girls talk about their experience having an abortion and how they believe it was the right decision for them. Natalia got involved with

the MTV program because she was active in the reproductive rights community. Katie worked for Barack Obama’s campaign and got in touch with some people through her work with the National Abortion Right Action League. “I found out about the show on Thursday and flew to New York that Saturday morning at 6 a.m. to film,” said Katie, pointing out that the show was not very organized and had some weird editing. But Natalia added, “I think the show was received pretty well.” Katie Jesse, a former UWMilwaukee student and Planned Parenthood supporter said, “It was choppy; they brush the surface on like 10 different things, but it’s hard to criticize because they are the only one to have this discussion,” about MTV’s decision to make a show about abortion. After the screening, there was a discussion panel that took questions from the audience and information was given about the statistics of abortion in Wisconsin. There were also sex educators on-site to help with any personal questions from audience members. Katie said she doesn’t understand why some people feel pregnancy is a just punishment for having sex out of marriage. When pressed about their parents’ involvement, Natalia said her mom read her diary to find out about her abortion. There will be similar events later this month in Madison and Green Bay. The show “No Easy Decision” first aired late last year but the full episode can be found on MTV’s website. Jon Gorski contributed to this article.

Natalia’s involvement in reproductive rights got lead her to the MTV program. Katie got worked for the Obama campaign while a member of NARAL. Post photo by Sierra Riesberg

UW-MADISON Continued from page 1 has been advocating for these rights alongside the regents. In her memo, Martin details how the separation will allow for Madison to better secure quality teachers, and business partnerships and manage its ﬁnances. The changes she is hoping for include control over the hiring of all faculty, staﬀ and administration as well as the chancellor, which in the UW System is done by the regents. They will maintain the current exemptions from taxes and funding from the state but transfer all property that is currently controlled by the regents to UW-Madison. Under the proposed changes the university will be able to set its own tuition, something the UW System also wants, but is currently controlled by the state. UW-Madison is also seeking exemptions from releasing records dealing with research and intellectual property. President of the UW System, Kevin Reilly, along with the other regents say they do not believe this is a good idea for the UW System or Madison. In a letter written to Walker, Reilly, along with UW Board

of Regents President Charles Pruitt and Vice President Michael Spector, explained the freedoms requested by Madison are important to all of the UW campuses. David Giroux, executive director for communications and external relations for the UW System, said, “We have been arguing for decades, the university needs freedom from some really cumbersome state laws that dictate how we manage our money, how we purchase our goods and how we build our buildings soon so we can make better use of the scarce resources we have. “We can provide all the administrative and managerial flexibility that all the UW campuses need without splitting up the family,” said Giroux. The regents say by removing UW-Madison it would create a two-tiered university system that the state abandoned 40 years ago “for good reason.” “Those competing systems gave rise to wasteful duplication, unnecessary competition, and conflicts,” the letter goes on to say. “This resulted in higher costs to taxpayers and confusion for the State’s elected leaders who had to weigh competing requests.” Effects of a Madison-less UW System will be felt by every institution but Reilly,

Pruitt and Spector highlighted a few specific impacts to UW-Milwaukee. Costs incurred by the Wisconsin GI Bill that aren’t covered by the state are distributed across the system. This prevents UWM from encoring financial penalties for enrolling more veterans. Without Madison UWM would also become the UW System’s only doctoral campus. “There is nothing to be gained for UW-Milwaukee by separating UW-Madison from the statewide system, but there is much to be lost,” the letter reads. “Given the importance of UWM in solving the myriad problems of the City of Milwaukee and the region’s economic importance to the state, Wisconsin cannot afford to have it weakened this way.” Much will remain uncertain until Walker releases his final budget, which he has decided to do March 1 rather than this week as originally planned. “We are trying to get a good handle on the situation. Until we see the actual language in the state budget it is very difficult to make any accurate assessment of how any changes will impact UWM,” said UWM Interim Chancellor Mike Lovell.

February 21, 2011 7

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UWM’s 10th annual drag show New attendance record for LGBT performance By Lauren Groh Special to the Post news@uwmpost.com

The Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender (LGBT) Center’s 10th annual drag show rocked UW-Milwaukee’s Wisconsin Room on Saturday night. The Union Ballroom has been home to the annual drag show in the past. But this year the LGBT Center’s program coordinator, Warren Scherer decided on the Wisconsin Room because of the high ceilings and theatrical potential. Unfortunately, the Wisconsin Room doesn’t oﬀer that much more space either. But, despite spatial constraints, the show broke another attendance record this year, with over 90 people. Last year, there were about 875 people in attendance. The Wisconsin Room was packed with people of all ages sitting on folding chairs, standing in the back, or sitting on the ﬂoor along the runway. Some were dressed in drag, and others in plain clothes, but all were

cheering and clapping. There were 31 scheduled performances, and the long set list including songs by Lady GaGa, Britney Spears, Keri Hilson, Chris Brown, Rihanna and Adele. Some were solo acts, some were duets, and others were group performances. There were a few rookie queens and kings this year, and several returning veterans. The LGBT Resource Center pays for the drag show every year with their programming budget. The event is free, but donations are encouraged. Funds go to Project Q, a youth program within the Milwaukee LGBT Community Center. “The show is not a fundraiser for UWM’s LGBT Resource Center,” Scherer says. “We’re not here to make money. We’re here to put on a phenomenal show for students.” Desiree Brown, a music student at UWM, performed twice on Saturday night. It was her second year in a UWM drag show, but she also performs with the Brew City Boys at bars

and other venues. Brown’s favorite part of doing drag is the completely different personality she portrays on stage. Brown says before she started doing drag, she was very shy. But, her character, Chaz, is self-assured and goes after what he wants. “[Performing in drag] has given me, as Desi, confidence to be able to do what I want, and not care what other people think about me,” Brown said. “Seeing that transformation that’s affected me as a girl, and putting it towards me in drag is so amazing.” After Brown’s last act, the show was winding down and finished at around 10:30 p.m. The performers were exhausted, but the audience’s excitement and encouragement never waned. “Drag show audiences are the best audiences ever,” Brown says. “Even if you fell flat on your face, they would cheer you on. They would never, ever boo you.”

This week’s Sudoku solution E A S E

T R U E

A R E A

B U L L

C H I L I

A S K E D

H E OR N G K S C H B E L A D C R K A S T W A N

D E S I R E S O N E W A Y

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8 February 21, 2011

The UWM Post

February 21, 2011 9

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Bracket bruiser

Panthers can’t shake rival Green Bay Turnovers cost team upset bid

Hill’s injury a major concern

Freshman Angela Rodriguez looks to score Saturday afternoon. Post photo by Sierra Riesberg By Jeremy Lubus Sports Editor sports@uwmpost.com

There is a reason UWGreen Bay is dominant and is

ranked No. 14 in the country in the latest ESPN/USA Today Coaches poll. They just don’t get rattled, and when you make mistakes they strike without hesitation.

Saturday afternoon was just another prime example at the Klotsche Center as the Milwaukee women’s team fell 77-59. The Panthers committed 23 turnovers resulting in 30 points for the Phoenix. In their previous meeting, Milwaukee struggled to stay close but played light years better. Although Green Bay proved how good they are as they won their 16th-straight game and clinched at least a share of the Horizon League Conference title. Led by senior Lindsay Laur, the Panthers had an upset on their minds when Laur scored a basket to make it only a six-point game at 52-46 with 11:27 remaining in the second half. As the Phoenix have done all season, they just didn’t get rattled.

See WOMEN page 10

Saving the game 96-team bracket wrong direction for NCAA tournament By Shawn Kumar Staff Writer sports@uwmpost.com

Senior Tony Meier scores the game-winning layup on senior night. Post photo by Alison Korth By Jeremy Lubus Sports Editor sports@uwmpost.com

After the biggest win of the conference season last Wednesday against then-first place Valparaiso, one thing remained a concern for the Panthers – well, actually, an enormous concern. Injuries Junior guards Kaylon Williams (shoulder) and Ryan Allen (back) were seriously injured in the team’s 79-76 win over Valpo. Allen fell hard after a dunk and didn’t return. Williams finished the game with a bad shoulder then gave it a go Saturday night in the team’s bracket buster loss at Niagara 80-65. Things got a whole lot worse for the Panthers Saturday night. The one guy the Panthers could least afford to lose, they lost. Senior Anthony Hill would leave the game with a sprained ankle. He was controlling the paint early on before getting

hurt, scoring 19 points in just 26 minutes of action. Senior Tony Meier was limited all night with foul trouble and was held to only five points. Tone Boyle continued his hot streak scoring 16 points and hitting four shots from behind the three-point line. The status of Hill is yet to be fully known. The Panthers travel to play first-place Cleveland State this Thursday, and a win could set them up for a No. 2 seed in the Horizon League Tournament. The Horizon League gives the top two seeds a bye until the semifinals. Milwaukee is still the winner of seven straight in conference play and has a brief window to get healthy before Thursday. Reserve guard Lonnie Boga has been out for several games with a bad ankle as well. After the Valpo game, coach Rob Jeter said he hoped to use the game against Niagara as a time to get healthy but was not so lucky.

See MEN page 10

The NCAA tournament is one of the greatest spectacles in sports. “March Madness” dominates corporate oﬃces, schools, Internet blogs and news reports. It only seems logical to make it last longer, to add more schools and showcase more games on television, right? Wrong. NCAA regular-season college basketball games have the lowest ratings in seven years. The reason behind this is because the tournament has become such a huge event that it is all people look forward to. Since 65 teams have a shot at the championship, what’s the point of watching regular-season games that will likely have little impact on the tournament results? NCAA Vice President Greg Shaheen admitted last April that the committee board has outlined a 96-team bracket. Timetables, revenue sharing and schedules have all been discussed, and it seems just a matter of time before the 96-team bracket is reality. It’s clear that the NCAA is going all in for the tournament; they are banking on the assumption that more money will come due to a larger competition.

Already with the lowest ratings in years, expanding the bracket even further will certainly kill the regular season. On paper, the committee board can probably confirm that a larger bracket will bring in more revenue for the NCAA. However, what cannot be calculated is the impact it will have on the regular season. Attendance will further decrease, TV deals will be less lucrative, and there will surely be fewer viewers and sponsors for these regular-season games. Instead of expanding the NCAA tournament, it should decrease. A 32-team bracket may seem like a bad idea at first, but in the long run it can save the regular season. Teams will be under great pressure the entire year. Every loss will carry more weight and more attention will be paid to each game. Perhaps the excitement for each game could eventually match that of regular-season college football games. Obviously, though, there are gaping differences between the leagues. Nearly 30 games compared to about a dozen; two or more games a week compared to one weekend game day. Clearly, the format of college football is the reason it’s so successful. The fact that there is no playoff in college football makes the reg-

ular season so exciting. If the NCAA wants to save the regular season in basketball, the only way is to increase pressure by decreasing the field. A smaller bracket might also encourage traditional “one-anddone” players to stay longer. If the regular season had more pressure, these star rookies would be under much more scrutiny and have more to prove every game. Currently, after more than 30 games and facing a tournament field of 65 teams, any analyst can see if these rookies have potential in the NBA based on statistics and team performance. However, seeing the stars under more pressure is the best measure of success. The “one-and-done” players will certainly look to prove to the pundits their true worth. By sticking around after their rookie season, these players would definitely help the college game and easily increase ratings and profits for the schools. The NCAA needs to act cautiously as they decide the future of the tournament. In the long run, their plan can really hurt the league. If they keep to their maximum-revenue-based proposal of a 96-team bracket, it would not just be “madness” – it would be insanity.

10 February 21, 2011

The UWM Post

MEN Continued from page 9 Valpo Senior night on Wednesday was capped oﬀ greatly for a trio of seniors. Anthony Hill, Tone Boyle and Tony Meier all played huge roles in the team’s win. Boyle tied a career-high with 28 points. Hill dominated the post with 18 points and 10 rebounds while playing with four fouls for a critical lategame stretch. Then there was Meier. The

senior that does all the little things that never get talked about. He gave all 4,000 plus fans in attendance something to talk about with his gamechanging layup with 47 seconds remaining. He ﬁnished with nine points. Valpo guard Michael Rodgers had two chances to win the game from only a foot away from the basket with seconds remaining. He missed a wide-open layup as well as his attempt to quickly to tip it back in as Milwaukee hung on to win.

Trade deadline preview By Kris Gilson Staff Writer sports@uwmpost.com

Now that the NBA All-Star game has come and gone, the league’s trading deadline looms. Teams have until 3 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 24 to try and find a trade partner and get a deal done. We’ve heard countless rumors thus far, but none larger than a deal involving Denver’s Carmelo Anthony and either the New York Knicks or New Jersey Nets. Rumors have been pretty nonexistent for the Milwaukee Bucks, but that doesn’t mean some sort of deal won’t get done. It’s pretty clear that if the Bucks want to return to the play-offs in 2011, there has to be some sort of roster shakeup. This season’s team just can’t get into any kind of rhythm offensively, as evidenced by a league-worst 42.5 percent field goal rate. And the season isn’t getting any younger – the Bucks will have to increase that number to avoid being a lottery pick in April’s draft. Although the Bucks are just three and a half games out of the Eastern Conference’s eighth seed, it seems like the current roster just doesn’t have what it takes to make a big push. Sure, injuries have obviously been a huge problem all season long, but not being able to hit an open jump shot might be the biggest problem of them all. That’s why we Bucks fans should urge General Manager John Hammond to go out and

find a shooter or two before the trade deadline. So who’s available? And do the Bucks have any trade chips? There were rumors last season between Milwaukee and power forward Troy Murphy, who was with Indiana, but a deal never happened. Murphy was traded to New Jersey during the offseason and immediately struggled to see eye-to-eye with new coach Avery Johnson. Murphy only appeared in 18 games for the Nets this season, and he is clearly on the block. With Drew Gooden out for several more weeks – and probably more games after that as he deals with plantar fasciitis – Murphy makes all the sense in the world for Milwaukee. The Bucks are incredibly thin at power forward and center, and Murphy fits the bill as a big man who can play either position and is a great shooter as well. As with every potential trade in the NBA, player salaries must match to get a deal done. If the Bucks don’t think Michael Redd would be of much help for the rest of the season, they could send him New Jersey’s way for Murphy and guard Sasha Vujacic. The Detroit Pistons are likely in sell mode, and they have a couple interesting pieces from their championship core from a few years back. Tayshaun Prince has expressed his desire to be traded to a contender, and with his contract coming off the books after the season, he’s a potential target for a host of teams. The Bucks aren’t a contender for a

championship this season, but Prince’s efficient scoring would be a welcome addition to the team. Because of Prince’s large salary, Redd would again have to be a part of that deal. A quick look at the Los Angeles Clippers’ roster offers an intriguing possibility for Milwaukee. Forward Brian Cook has an expiring contract and would solid three-point shooting to the team for a small price. If Milwaukee isn’t satisfied with the play of Chris Douglas-Roberts, an even onefor-one swap makes sense for both teams. The Sacramento Kings have a rather crowded frontcourt, and they’d certainly be willing to part with Samuel Dalembert and his expiring $12 million contract. While not a scorer, Dalembert offers a lot on the defensive end as a rebounder and shot blocker. A deal might be hard to come by since the Kings don’t have many high-salaried players to throw in the deal, but Hammond has been known to go out and make something happen. Rumors surrounding the Bucks have been light thus far this season, but expect them to pick up as Thursday’s deadline gets closer. Hammond will be pressured to make something happen as his team slips further and further below .500. Perhaps the NBA’s reigning Executive of the Year can pull a rabbit out of his hat to push the Milwaukee Bucks back into the Eastern Conference play-offs for the second consecutive year.

Post photo by Alison Korth

WOMEN Continued from page 9 Green Bay responded with a 16-3 run to put the game out of sight. The Panthers struggled to slow down Green Bay’s Kayla Tetschlag, who poured in a game-high 25 points. The senior missed only three shots from the ﬁeld. She is the odds-on favorite to be the conference player of the year.

Milwaukee did a fi ne job offensively as Sami Tucker, Anne Breland and Laur all scored in the double digits, leading to the team shooting 47.6 percent for the game (60 percent in the fi rst half). Though outside of their starting five, Milwaukee got no production off the bench. Laur eventually would foul out late in the second half. Milwaukee welcomes Butler to the Klotsche Center Thursday at 7 p.m.

TWEET TWEET OF OF THE THE WEEK WEEK @fortwaynehub Larry Sanders assigned to Fort Wayne of the D-League - The Bucks sent their most recent No. 1 draft pick to the D-League. Puzzling to say the least.

ITTER! THANKS TW Post photo by Alison Korth

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12 February 21, 2011

The UWM Post

Did you hear something? Sounded like Stevie Nicks…

Sat Nite Duets tears up Linneman’s River West Inn at the Muzzle of Bees. Post photo by Josh Evert By Dustin Zarnikow fringe Editor fringe@uwmpost.com

Saturday night at Linneman’s: Some people showed up. Some dudes played some music. Some beers were imbied... Oh you’re still here? Right. Well Saturday night at Linneman’s River West Inn turned out to be saturated with a bit more than just the average shades of dull blue that often haunt these dreary February nights, as the Muzzle of Bees Showcase put on a stand up show. And it just so happens there were a handful of people there to see the colors ﬂy. If you’ve never heard a spoton cover of Fleetwood Mac’s “Dream” sang by a man in a

dive tavern, you’re probably already missing out on most of the good things in life. At ﬁrst listen, Milwaukee band Surgeons in Heat opened up a set that had me pondering whether I was going to dig what they were dishin’. But somewhere around my ﬁfth beer and a fourth of the way into set, I realized I had made a grave misjudgment when things took a turn for the best, and Surgeons had a lot of heads nodding in strong agreement to the groovy soul of “Dream” and about every song following. This may or may not have included their severely catchy tracks “I Wanna Get Up” and falsetto gem “Can’t Do No Right” – you probably should have just been there –

and the crowd applauded sincerely upon the closing their soul-pop crescendo set. Nick Whetro has been at work with his once-solo project, Icarus Himself. Karl Christenson and Brad Kolberg have sprouted as the other two heads on Madison’s growing beast that breathed fire in the faces of those looking for something to warm lost souls. The whir of Whetro’s heavily reverb-laden voice nicely accentuated the outlandish lo-fi synth and ghost-town echo of the six string, most enjoyably on the delightful performance of “Digging Holes” – a flickering little beauty from their 2010 EP Mexico. Speaking of Mexico, two romantic pop-folk sagas titled

“Cadaver Love Song” and “Seen It Coming (Mexico)” inﬂuenced a whimsical lust to tear oﬀ at top speed for the Southwest (not sure if that was just me or if the feeling was mutual among the rest of the clearlypleased crowd). Regardless of personal reaction, it may be safe to say that the now threepiece has matured into a bit of a new sound. The combination of Whetro’s refreshing voice and a bold, idiosyncratic sound makes for a strong dose of an at times trance-like escape. It was appropriate to be rounding the corner to beer eight by the time the Sat. Nite Duets took the show. Don’t get me wrong, this doesn’t mean the six animals on stage can’t write a song – quite the con-

trary. The Duets are something like what the Beastie Boys may have been had they never turned hip-hop. With an odd lyrical wit and a great sense of creativity the group has sculpted a completely original sound that could have you laughing or crying – whichever applies probably depends on the amount of alcohol consumed the night of. Charismatically rocking through “BF Season” and “All Nite Long,” the Duets glowed, and the essence of the closing band felt like party band of the year. The live show can be a bit coarse on the sound, but it’s worth the time spent, and the album is highly recommended.

Surgeons in Heat opens up the evening. Post photo by Josh Evert

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February 21, 2011 13

Drive-By Truckers’ Go-Go Boots By Dustin Zarnikow fringe Editor fringe@uwmpost.com

“It’s The Movie Version. Names were changed, storylines simplified, characters unified and plotlines streamlined. It might have happened. Might even be a true story, but we’re not calling it that. It’s The Movie Version.” – Patterson Hood Social degradation, power struggles, political corruption, murder – these are all words that come to mind when recalling past albums of the Drive-By Truckers, all seeming to piece together a streaming Southern narrative of American life and all of its grit-packed crevices. Go-Go Boots is no different. As the second installment of a two-part production (the first being 2010’s The Big To-Do), the lyrics speak loudly and the music is pieced together to create their most soulful venture yet. While Truckers’ songwriter Patterson Hood calls Go-Go Boots their “noir film” album, all of the albums seem to bond together, serving as smaller acts of a larger, sprawling noir epic.

One would have to admit, though, that subtle changes do exist among the sounds emitted from each album; with time the band has proven that they are fully capable of breaking the hard-to-shake Southern Rock genre label, most notably with their 2006 release A Blessing and a Curse. But GoGo Boots has certainly stayed true to the genre-bending curve. With two Eddie Hinton covers on the album putting the Truckers’ more in touch with the Southern soul legacy of Muscle Shoals, Go-Go Boots has broken into slightly new melodic territory while still holding down their loyalty to Alabama gristly sound and the duality of the Southern thing. Melodies on Hinton’s “Everybody Needs Love” and “Pulaski” feel positively touching with an upbeat country-tavern sound, but there are other gems on the album stained with a darker hue, one that reﬂects the multi-song tales that create the twisted backbone of much of the Truckers’ discography. The two-part murder ballad told through “GoGo Boots” and “The Fireplace Poker” tells the harrowing tale of a well-known reverend who

hires out to have his wife murdered and replace her with a go-go-boot-clad prostitute. As far as their talent for taletelling and recounting true events through well-composed musicianship and seductive lyrics, the Alabama folklore walks tall right alongside the likes of Decoration Day’s “Sink Hole,” Southern Rock Opera’s full-blown recount of Lynyrd Skynyrd/Neil Young history, and the three-part story of Alabama Sheriﬀ Buford Pusser on The Dirty South. If the gritty nature of murder-ballads ain’t your thang, you may ﬁnd more pleasure in the sometimes less-chilling lyrics and soothing sounds humming from the voices of Mike Cooley and Shonna Tucker on tracks like “Where’s Eddie” and “The Weakest Man”; both Cooley and Tucker have helped shape the sound of a group decades in the making. All in all, this “R&B Murder” album (coated nicely once again with the true nature of Wes Freed’s artwork), serves as proof that the Drive-By Truckers aren’t going anywhere anytime soon.

PJ Harvey wants to shake the world By Steven Franz Asst. fringe Editor fringe@uwmpost.com

Polly Jean Harvey, at least, hasn’t forgotten about the state of things. In fact, she wants to make damn certain the rest of the world remembers as well. Her latest album, Let England Shake, is a dark, cynical, forcefully moody treatise on the militant construction and destabilization of the world at large. Harvey’s roots are laid in the angst-ridden alt-rock scene of the early 1990s, and her ﬁrst few classic albums (Dry and Rid of Me among them) drip with the same ominous cynicism that permeates Let England Shake. In that regard Harvey is a stoic ﬁgure of unchanging gloom; even her missteps (including most of her late-’90s material) feature the same bleak attitude toward humanity, even if the quality of the music doesn’t live up to her usual high bar. But there’s nothing in her catalogue, no matter the tone, that takes on the sheer scope of an album like Let England Shake, which functions as both a call to arms and a comment on the incredible violence that has shaped the world around us. And although the album is mostly focused on England (“On Battleship Hill” references a British and French invasion of Turkey during World War II, and Harvey makes explicit reference to the perceived buying

Image courtesy of Island Records and selling of the Thames on “The Last Living Rose”) Harvey’s aspirations are much wider, extending miles and miles east and west of Britain. “Oh America / Oh England,” she writes on “The Glorious Land,” an ironic ode to the marching feet of militarism that invokes the not-so-subtle imagery of martial law and draws her home nation into the wellestablished reservoir of antiAmerican anthems that dotted the last decade. “The Words that Maketh Murder” ﬁrst makes gory, gruesome, detailed reference to any myriad of horrid battles before dissolving into a desperate, unanswerable plea to the very United Nations.

But Let England Shake’s true scope is evident in the musical diversity that Harvey employs on the album – there is a deep, empty quality to her acoustic guitar, and the scant xylophones on the nominal track rattle like so many bones. It’s a far cry from Harvey’s last solo eﬀort, 2007’s atmospheric, piano-ﬁlled White Chalk, let alone from the screaming alternative rock that characterized her early career. Her music is now fully informed by indie rock, and the often-haunting basement vaults of Let England Shake are a testament to both an exceptional artist’s ongoing growth and the dark thematic depths of a woman at odds with the world.

Image courtesy of New West Records

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14 February 21, 2011

The UWM Post

The kings of music Short hand Radiohead’s magnificent Limbs By Steven Franz Asst. fringe Editor fringe@uwmpost.com

Where to begin? As of publication, it’s been over 1,000 days since the North American debut of Radiohead’s last album, 2008’s record companychallenging In Rainbows, but only seven since the very ﬁrst announcement of The King of Limbs’ impending release. That’s not to say the album was rushed, although the close proximity between announcement and release was a carefully fabricated publicity stunt much like allowing listeners to name their price when purchasing In Rainbows. The King of Limbs itself is a year-in-the-making, slowlybuilding, blast-shielded work of inaccessible art into which an immense amount of time and energy was placed. What results is a phenomenal puzzle, Radiohead’s most abstract album since 2001’s Amnesiac and one of their most rewarding. The album is a wall of glitches, reverb and hostile noise. It is quiet, probing and wet: a postrock symphony of minutiae. Electonica wizard Flying Lotus’ inﬂuence on the band is more tangible than ever, to the point where half his excellent 2010 release Cosmogramma feels, in retrospect, like discarded Radiohead B-sides, especially his Thom Yorke-featuring “… And the World Laughs With You.” Even the more pop-oriented aspects of In Rainbows are missing, let alone the driving alt-rock of OK Computer.

for loneliness Oscar-nominated live-action shorts impressively similar

Image courtesy of TBO Records It’s both dense and spare at the same time, like a foggy night in the middle of nowhere. But buried beneath the fuzz and darkness lies a sort of minimalism, and while months and months were poured into constructing the density and abstraction that feels so paramount to the album’s success, the songs themselves, when stripped of their musical screen, are some of the simplest in concept of Radiohead’s long history. The lyrics are bare and short. Even the album as a whole features a rather astonishing brevity; at eight songs and 37 minutes, it’s by far Radiohead’s shortest work, which is certainly not belied by the listening experience. But it’s also one of Radiohead’s most personal creations, especially regarding death, loneliness and loss. In that regard it shares a great deal with the far more accessible In Rainbows,

the political and cultural signiﬁcance of the likes of Hail to the Thief while OK Computer is a phantom, forgotten. “Good Morning Mr. Magpie” culminates with the bare, ironic imagery of a magpie signaling a morning that bears with it a newly tattered soul. And “Give Up the Ghost” is a slow, enigmatic, acoustic meditation on loneliness and letting go. It’s as if the thickness of the album’s sound was purposefully constructed to be a psychological barrier between Thom Yorke’s psyche and the listener. Even his voice is so overly drenched in reverb that his normally barely-audible lyrics become all but indecipherable. Perhaps even the irresistible compulsion to bare one’s soul is not enough to overcome the shame of what it contains, and even blatant, outright revelation has to be concealed just a bit.

By Timothy Sienko Staff Writer fringe@uwmpost.com

Despite a strong field of Best Picture nominees, the feature-length films are not the only entries worth viewing; the short films offer an exciting look at new international filmmakers honing their craft. Each of the five nominees in this year’s live action category play in to the Academy’s taste for emotionally heavy, socially conscious, high-production-value filmmaking. But, these aesthetic choices become broad strokes in the short running times, none of them more than 30 minutes long. While the movies expertly craft big stories into this form, they all feel vague and conceptual. The emotions at play in each piece are interchangeable with the next. The 16year-old cancer patient who wants to experience sex is subject to the same isolation as the Catholic boy who tries find a sin for his first confession, and the 20-something night club singer who becomes a contemporary Cupid. A teenaged Tutsi who is targeted by a band of Hutu guerrillas is superficially very different from the school child who challenges his teacher’s fiancé to a pistol, but both are united by the adult situations they are much too young to handle on their own. The limited palette of this year’s field does not end with the content. The colors employed in each production are symbolically appropriate to the story, constricting the world to corn husk and dirt browns, deep forest greens, the bleached white of concrete and hospitals, and the empty spaces of heavy shadow. The images are beautiful, with

engaging composition and dynamic camera movement that adds to the angst of each movie. The craftsmanship in achieving the atmospheres on display is apparent and laudable. Certainly, these are all short films deserving of their nominations. But the moments of change in turbulent lives cannot all feel so alike. By reducing all of the characters to the lowest common denominator to appeal to the widest audience, these movies lose many beautiful details that could elevate craftsmanship to art. The Confession loses the power of its melodrama by breezing over a would-be climax when a young boy is pushed to the point of killing his best friend. Wish 143 abandons its young, cancer plagued man to an easy realization about the value of sex and friendship before he can make any mistakes or difficult self-discovery. Na Wewe relies on a last-second gimmick of deus ex machina to release him from the murderous grip Hutu guerrillas. The Crush excuses the schoolboy’s death threat because his teacher’s fiancé is not truly in love with her. And the jazzy, black-andwhite New York setting of God of Love relies on the protagonist’s voice-over to clue the audience into his emotional journey that leads him to the acceptance of his destiny to be single. What these movies lack in inventive storytelling, they replace with Oscar-worthy production values. It is clear that each is an argument for the respective filmmaker’s value as a competent and marketable director in the international industry. That is not to say that these craftsmen will never take bold chances, but they must look beyond the Oscars first.

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February 21, 2011 15

Beauty and Brooding in Montreal By Kristin Peterson Special to the Post fringe@uwmpost.com

“We only go around once, my friend,” says writer Boogie to Barney. In the film Barney’s Version, we see the adult life of a Jewish businessman in Montreal from his point of view. In his characteristically vulnerable style, Paul Giamatti plays the lead role as Barney, a man who fails at three marriages to very different Jewish women. Within and in between every marriage, the film bounces back and forth from North America to Italy, dropping eye candy at every moment. Every wife brought heartbreak with which our anti-hero is forced to deal, often with drink. Based on the bestseller written by Mordecai Richler, a Canadian author who died a decade ago, the film begins with an inebriated Barney teasing his ex-wife’s new husband with her nude photos from when she was “in her prime.” Immediately the viewer is begged to dislike him. But with each flashback that shows the betrayals and transformations that have shaped him, the viewer is eased into sympathy. Barney’s father (Dustin Hoffman) patiently helps his son through all issues that arise in life, and the secondary characters truly create the color of the film.

But it is hard to believe that three gorgeous, intelligent women would betroth themselves to the brooding, lustful chain-smoker. Giamatti might not have been the ideal choice for the role of Barney, considering how little charm his drooping eyes lend, but Barney’s third wife Miriam, played by the radiant Rosamund Pike, softens the picture with her quiet grace. Barney’s final marriage is much more sophisticated than the previous two, and the story grows deeper with the two lovers growing closer. Barney’s Version is an idiosyncratic, bitter retelling of a full life of tragedies, and it is asked to compete with the sexy psychothriller Black Swan and the Coen brother’s long-anticipated re-imagining of True Grit, among other films. But Barney’s Version, although equipped with the sympathetic performance of Dustin Hoffman and the candor Giamatti has always provided, is not as flashy or stimulating as recent films. It is more rambling than riveting. But by swerving through Barney’s flashbacks we engage in his only “go around” as a dear friend would instead of as a stranger. This film solders bitter and sweet into a story with heart and truth, a sincere collection of the memories of a flawed man.

Paul giamatti and Dustin Hoffman star in Barney’s Version, directed by Richard J. Lewis Photo Courtesy Lyla Films

New York Fashion Week guide By Patrice Vnuk Asst. fringe Editor fringe@uwmpost.com

The words “New York Fashion Week” can evoke many diﬀerent reactions depending on the person: excitement, dread or pure apathy. While those who know what it is and the sheer magnitude of its extent already have their own opinions, people who are unfamiliar with the infamous week of endless fashion may be surprised. If couture and its culture seem daunting, don’t let the idea of it grow out of proportion. It’s really a great opportunity to see the best of the industry, walking artwork and every now and then some truly hideous clothing. From Feb. 10 to Feb. 17, Mercedes Benz New York Fashion Week (NYFW) hosted designers’ fall and winter 2011 collections in a series of fashion shows, parties, after-parties, after-after-parties and other events that gave all in attendance the chance to show oﬀ how much money and taste

they have. Celebrities, socialites and those high up in the fashion biz always get front row seats at shows, which allows them to be photographed while whispering to a friend. This year, Vanessa Hudgens showed with Chace Crawford of “Gossip Girl,” which probably created a lot of talk and rumors. Fashion Week can be a breeding ground for Hollywood blather and should, therefore, be very important to tabloidreaders and the like. This season, many designers “hit the mark,” meaning their lines received good reviews from critics and blogs. The usuals, like Preen, Tommy Hilﬁger and Alexander Wang, presented impressive collections with brilliant silhouettes and classic fall layering. DKNY surprised audiences with a sophisticated and highfashion aesthetic that it usually lacks,” that is to say, DKNY had clothes that actual humans would want to wear for a change. Much of NYFW happens

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16 February 21, 2011

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The kids are alright Are games like Bulletstorm the problem? By Tom Kosiec Staff Writer fringe@uwmpost.com

If Fox News has its way, Grand Theft Auto may lose its place in the spotlight as the most talkedabout violent video game on the market. On Feb. 8, Fox published an article titled “Is Bulletstorm the Worst Video Game in the World?” criticizing video for contributing to realworld violence and sexual assault. “And with kids as young as nine playing such games, the experts FoxNews.com spoke with were nearly universally worried that video game violence may be reaching a fever pitch,” wrote John Brandon of Fox News. Bulletstorm, published by Electronic Arts, releases Feb. 22 and is a first-person shooter developed by Players Can Fly and Epic Games, the creators of Gears of War. The game is available for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC. The controversy surrounding Bulletstorm comes from the skillshot gameplay that rewards players for executing creative kills on their opponents. Rewards are given for blowing off enemies’ limbs with gunfire, knocking them back into a passing helicopter’s blades, shooting them in the groin or buttocks regions, and dozens of other kinds of kills. Bulletstorm also features abundant profanity, plenty of gore and sexualized names for skill shots such as

“gang bang” and “deep penetration.” There’s nothing wrong with Fox questioning the controversial nature of the game, but several of the facts they’ve reported from interviews with psychologists and professors are inaccurate. To start oﬀ, Fox reports that children as young as nine are the target audience for Bulletstorm and raises concern that teens may be prone to replicate the violent and sexual behavior in real life. Anyone who has seen a commercial for Bulletstorm knows that the game is rated M for Mature by the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) and is not to be sold to anyone under 17. The creators of Bulletstorm purposely made the gameplay comical, and the gratuitous violence is not meant to be taken seriously by anyone. Even EA Vice President of Public Relations Tammy Schachter told Game Informer magazine that the game is never marketed to children. The Fox article goes on to say that sexual scenes in video games have been linked to an increase in the incidence of rape. Fox is not only targeting Bulletstorm (which contains no sexual depictions) but also the ESRB and retailers for failing to prevent sales of violent and sexual video games to minors. Fox claims that harsher punishments need to be enforced against retail-

ers and the ESRB isn’t working. The ESRB is not the problem. Most retailers honor the ESRB rating restrictions and are aware of the consequences of selling to minors. It’s the parents of these young children who voluntarily purchase these violent video games for them and don’t monitor what their kids are exposed to. Video games have never been the root cause of violent crime. The fault lies in the individual who has psychological problems and chooses to recreate the fantasy violence they see in games. Compared to movies and music, the ESRB is one of the best rating systems out there. It’s much easier for kids to get their hands on an Rrated movie or a CD with explicit lyrics than it is a violent video game. Heck, all three major consoles and PCs have parental controls, so what’s stopping adults from preventing their kids from playing violent video games? Video games deserve the right to be protected under the First Amendment the same way other forms of media do. If video games have to be censored then it won’t be long until music and movies will have to do the same. “Much like Tarantino’s Kill Bill or Rodriguez’s Sin City, this game is an expression of creative entertainment for adults,” said Schachter in a response to Game Informer.

An intense screen-shot from Bulletstorm, the controversially violent upcoming release from Electronic Arts.

FASHION Continued from page 15 outside the shows and on the streets. Models and attendees wear their Sunday’s best in hopes of being snapped by photographers and mentioned by fashion journalists. Magazine scouts are as abundant as the empty coﬀee cups, so everyone outside is dressed just as extravagantly as the models on the runway. One of the more interesting sides of NYFW is seeing that the models are not just glassy-eyed clothes hangers and that they can, in fact, dress themselves with some ﬂare and creativity. Of course, constantly receiving free sample clothing can’t hurt one’s fashion sense. No doubt the best part of Fashion

Week is when models fall on the runway. As cruel and insensitive as it may seem, people generally enjoy when a girl stumbles in eightinch platforms. Christian Siriano, of Project Runway fame, had an almost ﬂawless show aside from a model completely wiping out in his Payless collaboration shoes. Another model lost her footing and nearly the top of her dress at the Pamella Roland show. If nothing else about Fashion Week is appealing, seeing almostperfect women in humanizing situations is something that anyone can enjoy. For photos and more complete coverage of NYFW, visit www.mbfashionweek.com and www. thefashionspot.com

Shameless self promotion. uwmpost.com

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Cinematic Titantic: A retrospective Review By Graham Marlowe Staff Writer fringe@uwmpost.com

In the presence of Cinematic Titanic – the inherent, four-yearold shadow of Mystery Science Theater 3000 – everyone sits in the peanut gallery. Literally. The historic, chandeliered Pabst Theatre, then, couldn’t have proved a better setting for the revamped comedy troupe Friday night. Certain kinds of humor are best left to the ’90s, but others, like this, deserve to be rekindled, albeit in new, topically bent packaging. Stripped of their well-known Sci-Fi Channel-embraced punch lines (which once included outof-theater mini-plotlines, robots and mad scientists), the evening served as a 21st-century litmus test for its personnel. In a successful reach towards relevance, creator Joel Hodgson has personalized Cinematic Titanic for ticketbuyers, knowing full well that beyond the show’s cultic sell-out crowds, the majority has not kept up with the show since the days of dial-up Internet. In the heyday of MST3K, the show’s writers were silhouetted on-screen, an anonymous combo of snickering film buffs. They are now silhouettes of themselves: the hosts are at the forefront, not the shtick. Consequently, writer-comedians Frank Conniff, Mary Jo Pehl, J.

Elvis Weinstein and Trace Beaulieu joined Hodgson onstage before the movie-riffing began for short, stand-up comedy bits of their own making. All five were certainly funny, but Conniff stood out. Bieulieu, a former puppeteer, read funny – then not-so-funny – excerpts from a poetry book, Silly Rhymes for Belligerent Children, followed by Pehl, a Gen-X nerd who could (and should?) replace Kathy Griffin. Silent-but-deadly Weinstein performed two well-received bassand-voice Elvis Costello covers, and then made a strange exit. Conniff, who currently hosts a cartoon version of MST3K (“Cartoon Dump”), took his disgruntled, gray-haired fat guy persona to interesting places. Conniff began with a political job, asking the crowd if Wisconsin’s latest political showdown would require “10-percent less jokes” of him. He then went on to tell a story of being pulled over, which concluded with being told “[not to] see the new Adam Sandler movie.” To a delayed set of laughs, he said this was okay, as he’d been “wiping [his] ass digitally” for the past few months, anyway. Then came showtime. The Bmovie of choice was Dynamite Brothers, a martial-arts-meetsblaxploitation film that, in 1974, probably didn’t seem all that farfetched at the height of the “any ridiculous plotline will sell if it includes sex drugs crooked cops

and afros” era of filmmaking. The five now-well-lit faces onstage harkened back to, (though not did rely on) their decades-old tactic, pining away at meaningless social norms, ‘70s-centric cultural artifacts (Weinstein asked where the nearest “shift tightening store” was), and other social, racial and sexist signifiers long thought to have been commonplace in postcountercultural America. Mike Nelson, MST3K’s head writer, once said that topical jokes would age the show; his prediction, especially for modern audiences, has proved wrong. Unlike the annoyingly over-the-top Jackass audiences, the laughs are created in a room of temporary best friends. Nobody falls asleep, nobody loses control, and nobody picks a fight with the plotline. This audience is the right kind of obnoxious – the kind that assures you your money has been well spent but does not impede on what is trying to be said (or should I say “culturally admitted?”). The cast of Cinematic Titanic provides smart humor, even though dim-witted reruns of Asian shows (a la “Wipeout”) have continually resold the concept as brain candy to cable-subscribing American audiences. No one said Cinematic Titanic would be much different than MST3K; the cast just had to stay informed. But that’s exactly what happens: the humor informs you.

The Dairy State rebel Fall Out Boy drummer and UWM alum Andy Hurley talks vegan eats & beats By Sarah Hanneken The Verbal Vegan fringe@uwmpost.com

After graduating from UWMilwaukee with a double major in history and anthropology, Milwaukee native Andy Hurley rocked his way to the cover of Rolling Stone as the drummer for the Grammy-nominated pop-punk group Fall Out Boy. A vegan of 14 years, the tattooed redhead chatted it up with his old college newspaper, discussing his favorite vegan eateries around town as well as issues related to animal liberation and the government’s view of animal activists as “terrorists.” The Post: Growing up in the Dairy State, living amongst brat-loving wearers of foam cheese wedges on their heads while rooting for a football team called the Packers, you weren’t exactly surrounded by a culture that fosters veganism. Do you think growing up in an environment so saturated with icons of animal agriculture makes it more diﬃcult for people to recognize animal exploitation for what it is?

Andy Hurley: I suppose it depends on where in Wisconsin you live and who you associate with. It’s probably easier in larger cities since you come into contact with more people of various lifestyles and beliefs than you would living in rural areas. For me, being part of the punk-rock world as a kid, I was automatically hard-wired to question everything anyway. I was already into Rage Against the Machine and became aware of diﬀerent political issues through them, so animal liberation stuﬀ really resonated with me right away. But there’s no doubt that in our society, and in this state especially, the acceptability of animal exploitation is engrained in us at an early age. Post: Right. But you yourself are a testament to the fact that it’s not impossible to break free of that engrained mindset. Hurley: Oh totally. It’s like joining the civil rights movement living in the South. There’s a lot to overcome psychologically. Post: You went vegan at 16, meaning you had been follow-

ing the diet already in high school and throughout your time at UWM. What kinds of foods did you live oﬀ of as a college student? Hurley: There’s pasta of course. And living on the Eastside I ate a lot of falafel from that place on Oakland, Shahrazad [2847 N. Oakland Ave.], and lot of Thai food. It’s a lot easier now with places like Comet Café [1947 N. Farwell Ave.] and Beans & Barley [1901 E. North Ave.], and other places with a lot of vegan options, but back then that’s pretty much what I lived oﬀ of, a lot of ethnic foods. Post: What are your favorite places to go eat when you’re back home in Milwaukee nowadays? Hurley: I’d say Beans & Barley is my favorite. Their Balsamic Tofu Sandwich is great. Other than that, I’d say EE Sane [1806 N. Farwell Ave.] has my favorite pad thai in the world, Thai Kitchen [2851 N. Oakland Ave.] has the best yellow curry, and Beans & Barley has my favorite vegan pancakes. I’ve heard the National [839 W. National

See HURLEY page 18

Image courtesy of collider.com

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18 February 21, 2011

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Todd Rongstad’s American Runescapes By Graham Marlowe Staff Writer fringe@uwmpost.com

Todd Rongstad makes very suburban assertions about life: People are trustworthy and generally mean well. We shouldn’t have to lock our doors each morning when we leave the house. True love does exist, you just have to find it. You needn’t search far for those things, though. Rongstad’s latest project, American Runescapes, is a decades-long culmination of scholarship and research currently on display at UWMilwaukee, as part of his recent Master’s of Liberal Studies certification. The exhibit finds Rongstad – now in his 40s – juxtaposing old photographs (from 1880’s daguerreotypes to 1960s kodachromes) with modern text (news headlines, magazine clippings and personal poetry) to create a unique cultural message in the process. Collected from thrift stores, antique shops, and other locales, these abandoned photographs – items that were once personal property – allow Rongstad to assign new meaning to them in the digital age. As Rongstad himself puts it, the process finds him “marrying American visual history with contemporary

communications.” While the technique itself is not entirely new, the emotional response is the result of many inspirational links: Harry Smith’s Anthology of American Folk Music, Walter Benjamin’s never-completed “Arcades Project,” and the scholarship of Greil Marcus, to name a few. Bill Owens’ “Suburbia” (1972) accomplished similar visual art goals years ago, except Owens let people tell their own stories with simple captions. In this case, Rongstad tells the stories of those on display, giving new life to those have perished in the photographs themselves. This effect “places us in conversation with the past and present, image and word,” as Rongstad says, “exposing both specific spiritual moment and universal human experience.” In relation to UWM, Rongstad made his debut by videotaping epiphanic moments in the classroom of UWM music historian Martin Jack Rosenblum, who recently pushed a Rock and Roll Certificate program through the college of Letters & Sciences. Rosenblum cites Bob Dylan, “an artist who took raw material [American vernacular music], ignored the rules and made an entirely new body of work” as the most pristine ex-

ample of this approach. “Everything you’ve heard is true,” says a silvery photo of a horse-driven carriage, sulking its way through a ﬂooded pond. “If we’re not supposed to dance, why all this music?” asks another, next to an antebellum portrait of two mischievous daughters that reads, “We love you. You’re perfect. Now change.” Behind the photographs’ sunshine lies life’s deeper pain, by which the suburban inferences about life surface. To further his point, Rongstad broadcasts dusty, sun-baked 78s as a spooky, blues-based backdrop to the sometimes-chilling statements of Americana. It’s as if redemption hides only in the shadowy reverberations of the room’s playback device in the corner. If these descriptions haven’t made Rongstad clear enough, it’s best to stop by Mitchell Hall when you can. One truly needs to see it to believe it. Although there are but a few dozen on display in Mitchell Hall, Rongstad plans to incorporate a digital component to share the more than a thousand as-of-yet unprinted works. “American Runescapes” is on display at Mitchell Hall, Art History Gallery, Room 154, through March 1.

HURLEY Continued from page 17

Ave.] has vegan French toast, although I haven’t had it there yet. And I guess the Palomino in Bay View [2491 S. Superior St.] has vegan mozzarella sticks. It’s awesome you can get all these different foods made vegan now. Post: In previous interviews you have described yourself as an anarcho-primitivist. Could you explain what that is exactly? Hurley: Well, obviously I’m an anarchist – that’s the “anarcho-” part – and a primitivist; I understand that humanity evolved over hundreds of thousands of years as gatherer-hunters before civilization existed. Up until about 10,000 years ago, that’s the way humans lived: in different forms, in different places. There wasn’t one all-encompassing society but different bands of societies responded to their ecosystems and environment in different ways depending on where they lived.

like that have definitely made a difference to relieve suffering. They have celebrity members who care and who will get involved in different campaigns they’re promoting, which helps attract attention to the issue. So I think that’s important, but I don’t think it’s the ultimate answer. It is only dealing with the symptoms of a greater problem, so it definitely shouldn’t end there. There are people out there doing tons of work, even going to jail for it. With the Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act passing in 2006, consider just how insane it is that people who are defending lives in nonviolent ways are going to jail for life! These situations are absolutely absurd nonviolent activists are being labeled as terrorists. The point is, I hope people don’t think that the extent of their responsibility is to donate money to PETA to help lessen the suffering in factories making fucking chicken nuggets for KFC.

Post: Does this philosophy at all play into your decision to follow a vegan lifestyle? Hurley: My choice to be vegan is largely a response to civilization. Even if you buy meat from locally raised, locally butchered animals, it’s not ethical. There is nothing ethical about the commodiﬁcation of life. You can’t be an “ethical butcher” because you’re still taking lives. In our society today, veganism is a civilized response to a civilized problem.

Post: Let’s talk about the ALF. Whether they deserve it or not, their reputation has become one of violence; they are seen as a militant, violent organization. What would you say to that? Do you agree with those type of tactics? Hurley: It’s sad that we live in a culture that’s so materialistic that people view property damage as violence. Essentially, destroying the tools and technology of death and suﬀering – that’s what’s targeted – is considered violence! There’s never been human causalities from the ALF.

Post: Given your strong political (or anti-political) beliefs, how do you feel about large animal organizations like PETA and HSUS, which are basically just large institutions with little governments in and of themselves? Hurley: I deﬁnitely think the most important groups are groups like the Animal Liberation Front (ALF), but I also think PETA and the Humane Society and larger, more bureaucratic groups

Post: Yeah, that would kind of go against the idea of respecting life. Hurley: Exactly. And that’s one of the highest mandates: harm to any sentient being, humans included, is just not part of the tactics of the ALF. And yet damage to laboratories that kill and torture is still somehow seen as violent. People aren’t willing to look past [media hype] and get a clear understanding of the ALF’s actual goals.

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Newcomer Abele rebels Facebook adds two new against partisanship Abele may be exactly relationship Independent what Milwaukee County needs status options By Eric Engelbart Special to the Post editorial@uwmpost.com

A win for LGBT rights By Jackie Dreyer Editorial Editor editorial@uwmpost.com

Starting this past Thursday, Feb. 17, Facebook has added two new relationship status options for users to choose from: “In a civil union” and “In a domestic partnership.” These new alternatives are now available on Facebook in the U.S., as well as in Canada, France, the U.K. and Australia. Back in October 2010, Facebook partnered with the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) and other national LGBT organizations, such as the Human Rights Campaign, to develop the “Network of Support,” an “educational initiative that works to combat anti-LGBT cyberbullying,” said a GLAAD news release. From here, the new relationship status choices were established. No, it’s not a nationwide le-

galization of gay marriage. No, it’s not even a piece of legislature. It may seem like a small step to some, but it’s a step in the right direction. Social media has swept the nation, and Facebook sits at the forefront of that movement. What’s more? Of the total number of Facebook users worldwide, the U.S. represents the largest piece of that pie with 149 million of the 621 million users. That is to say, an immeasurable number of same-sex couples in the states will now be able to show the world their true relationship status, part of their true self, via Facebook. Consider for a moment all the things that exclude same-sex couples – to name a big one, every form that anyone has ever had to fill out that asks for one’s “marital status.” “Today, Facebook sent a clear message in support of gay and lesbian couples to users across the globe,” said GLAAD President Jarrett Barrios in the

See STATUS page 20

On first impression, Chris Abele comes off as a nice guy. He seems like the type of person who’s always “whistling while he works.” Your grandma might refer to him as bright-eyed and bushy-tailed. He’s optimistic and idealistic, and he has a vested interest in bringing positive change to the city of Milwaukee and the rest of the world. Most importantly, after last week’s primary, he’s officially a candidate for Milwaukee County Executive. Abele doesn’t like to be pigeonholed as a Democrat or a Republican. In a recent interview with OnMilwaukee. com, he said he thinks of himself as an independent. His television ads depict him as willing to work with both parties in order to bring about change. Abele seems to have the interests of the people in mind, which is exceedingly rare to find in a politician. Despite his reluctance to be seen as a member of any party, it is evident from Abele’s past donations that

he leans heavily to the left. He is CEO of the Argosy Foundation, which has primarily made donations to causes such as Planned Parenthood, the ACLU, Fair Wisconsin and The Feminist Majority – all of which are associated with Democrats.

Abele seems to have the interest of the people in mind, which is exceedingly rare to find in a politician.

He also donated money to the presidential campaigns of Barack Obama and John Kerry. His refusal to be defined as a Democrat seems to be in an effort to reduce the scrutiny of Milwaukee’s overwhelming glut of rightwing officials. One question to ask about Abele is whether he is an eternal optimist or if he has yet to be subjected to the de-

Scott Walker’s attack on liberty Unfair burden to public employees is shameful By Brain Holmes Staff Writer editorial@uwmpost.com

The state of Wisconsin currently finds itself in a pickle with a $137-million budget shortfall in the fiscal year ending June 30 and an overzealous governor overreaching his power in an attempt to fix it. Governor Scott Walker’s demonization of public workers – which includes teachers, social workers, public university staff and prison guards – is despicable. These individuals are by no means living “high on the hog” to begin with. Attempting to limit their unions’ collective bargaining rights is a crime against liberty. It has become commonplace these days to degrade unions. A century ago, workers had few if any rights – forced to work long grueling hours in dangerous condi-

tions for little pay. For over one hundred years, men and women have fought to gain rights for workers, such as the eight-hour work day and minimum-wage laws. And unions, whether in the private or public sector, have been an important part of fair treatment for American workers. Walker is right that we do need to get the budget under control. However, this should not be at the expense of personal liberties or unfairly put on the shoulders of public workers who educate our children, take away our garbage, and guard our prisons. Many saw a win-win situation when Walker ran for office on his specious promise of balancing the budget without raising taxes. In order to do this, he plans on cutting benefits and union bargaining rights for public workers, most of whom are middle or working class – as well as cutting

programs for society’s most vulnerable and continuing to phase out public transit. Milwaukee’s next county executive will have their work cut out for them to find consistent funding for the Milwaukee County Transit System. Whoever wins the election this spring can rest assured that no help from Madison will be forthcoming. Milwaukee Public Schools are also currently in crisis. Despite recent growth in graduation rates, MPS still lags far behind in testing. According to the Journal Sentinel, in 2008 only 39 percent of MPS tenth graders were proficient or advanced in reading, and a meager 28.7 percent were proficient or advanced in math. This is unacceptable, and something has to be done. This is the future of our city. Teaching is by no means an easy job, especially in schools

located in low-income areas where many parents aren’t involved, street gangs hold principal influence and, at times, one’s life may be in danger. To say that these individuals do not deserve their salary and benefits is ridiculous. It is time to rethink the way public schools are funded. Aside from deterring quality teachers from coming to Wisconsin, Walker also plans to cut state funding for public schools. This will be disastrous for cities like Milwaukee and Racine and put more stress on their meager property taxes. Being funded by property taxes puts poorer communities like Milwaukee at an extreme disadvantage as opposed to wealthier municipalities such as Brookfield or Whitefish Bay. Pulling state funding in an attempt to even out the playing field could spell ruin for poorer districts. Cutting teachers’ benefits

rision of the political system. Being held under the political microscope can potentially take some of the glide out of a person’s stride. Abele was dealt a very good hand from birth; his father, John Abele, is one of the richest men in America, as the cofounder of Boston Scientific – an extremely lucrative medical device company. John Abele is also extremely active in countless non-profit organizations, and “the Abele” doesn’t fall far from the tree. Chris Abele has always used his inherited wealth to work towards improving the common good, actively donating money to an extensive list of nonprofit causes, such as the Boys and Girls Club, Carr Center for Human Rights Policy, Physicians for Human Rights and Women for Women International. Sure, Abele is not a seasoned politician, but he is worldly, unselfish and interested in improving the city for our future generations. It’s probable that in the coming weeks skeptics and pundits will attack him for having a lack of experience, but I, for one, would like to see him get the chance to prove those notions wrong.

and salaries is only going to make the situation worse. Without bargaining power for unions, job security goes out the window and throws workers 10 steps backwards. Although Walker has stated that he will still allow unions the right to negotiate salaries, taking away their right to negotiate benefits is a blatant attempt to weaken and phase out unions. The advantage of Walker’s war against public employees is a supposed $30 million towards the state’s budget deficit, but at what price? That is not to mention some job loss in the private sector, because state workers will have less disposable income. If Walker gets away with this crime against liberty, what’s next? There are other ways to balance the budget, and yes, this may include raising some taxes. However, a balance between tax increases and cuts to funding is a logical choice. Everyone may have to sacrifice something. Nevertheless, isolating one segment of the population – especially one comprised of teachers, prison guards,

See WALKER page 20

The UWM Post

20 February 21, 2011

Shifty Looks

Governor If at ﬁrst you don’t Scott Walker: succeed, use WD-40 Wisconsin’s Repairing your own car saves money and develops a lifetime skill reverse Robin Hood By John Prellwitz Automotive Columnist editorial@uwmpost.com

Wrenching on one’s own car can be simultaneously one of life’s most rewarding pursuits as well as the most frustrating. Along the way you will string curses together in creative ways never before used by man, and in the end when that car fires up and idles smoothly, you will sing praises to the heavens – whether you believe someone’s listening or not. The sense of accomplishment supersedes the discomfort of contorting in various unnatural positions to loosen that last stubborn, rusted bolt. The skinned knuckles, dirt-encrusted nails and aching shoulders are a personal badge of honor equivalent to runner’s high, encouraging you to spend another cold night alone under the dim glow of a trouble light. My own journey as a grease monkey began at the age of 12, changing oil on the family vehicles. The moment of True Enlightenment, however, occurred when I was 14. My dad, though skilled at performing intricate surgery on four-legged critters, was never mechanically inclined. After a fruitless search for the failing starter on our van, he let me have a go. I had no clue how a starter worked, what a flywheel was or that the two had to engage to turn the engine. But from building model cars as a kid, I knew the starter was somewhere alongside the en-

STATUS Continued from page 19 organization’s news release. “By acknowledging the relationships of countless loving and committed same-sex couples in the U.S. and abroad, Facebook has set a new standard of inclusion for social media. As public support for marriage equality continues to grow, we will continue to work for the day when all couples have the opportunity to marry

WALKER Continued from page 19 public university staff, and public hospital workers – is shortsighted and erroneous, only hurting our state in the long run, as quality workers

gine near the transmission. Crawling under the van, I located the starter immediately. I removed two bolts and three wires, reversed the process with the new starter, and in less than twenty minutes had repaired my first car. It was a life-changing occasion that instantly affirmed that my calling lay somewhere in the automotive field. Auto repair doesn’t have to be a moment of self-discovery to be worthwhile. The skills attained can be carried with you for the rest of your life, and the financial savings are substantial. The hourly labor rate of most shops hovers between $80 and $100, and rarely, if ever, is the part being replaced more expensive than the labor involved. I can perform a complete brake job for $120, whereas a shop will charge north of $400. Replacing the head gasket on my old Grand Am is about $200 in parts, but at least $1,200 when taken to a mechanic. All the wires and various parts with strange names can be intimidating to the new doit-yourselfer, but one needn’t jump head-first into a complete engine overhaul. Start with relatively simple tasks, such as changing the oil and spark plugs. Front disc brakes are a good confidence-builder, since they’re a bit more complex but generally straightforward. Buy a vehicle-specific repair manual and follow its instructions. In my experience, Chilton manuals are worth the extra five dollars over Haynes. Join a web forum dedicated to your model of car. Most have an active, enthusiastic and knowledgeable community

who are more than happy to answer questions. Even better, befriend a mechanic, and exchange free labor for their expertise. When the heater core in my Chevy S-10 needed replacing, I went to the family mechanic for advice. He happened to have an identical truck with an identical problem sitting in his shop. He handed me the necessary tools, gave me a few instructions and set me to work. When I got lost, he’d point out the next step. I was then able to repair my own truck unassisted. Avoid unnecessary expenditures on tools. A comprehensive socket-and-wrench set will suffice for most repairs. Specialty tools can be purchased as they become necessary or rented from a parts store. AutoZone loans a variety of unique tools and provides a full reimbursement upon its return. Should you become attached to said tool, they’re happy to let you keep it indefinitely. Scrapes, burns and bruises are inevitable, but make a reasonable effort to keep your body comfortable. Discomfort leads to frustration and impatience – a sure way to break things. A piece of cardboard is cheap insulation from the ground, and a rolling creeper makes moving under the car much easier. If your hair is a little on the long side like mine, consider tying it up. Catching it in the wheels of your creeper or accidently dipping it in spilled motor oil is not an enjoyable experience. As Ms. Frizzle used to say, “Take chances, make mistakes, get messy!”

and have their relationship recognized by their community, both online and off.” Michael Cole-Schwartz, spokesperson for the Human Rights Campaign, and Richard Socarides, president of Equality Matters and gay-rights advisor to the president during the Clinton Administration, were both cited in a Huffington Post article as supporters of the new relationship status options, too. When it comes down to it, same-sex couples deserve so

much more when it comes to equality. The fact that members of the LGBT community are often treated as being less human than heterosexuals is simply unacceptable. Facebook should be commended for proudly standing up as an LGBT ally and taking measures to ensure their inclusion in the social media sphere. Let’s hope this sets a precedent for the other facets of society that continue to exclude and ignore the LGBT community.

flee elsewhere. Whatever the case may be, if one is wealthy and can afford to send their children to private schools and universities, Walker’s plan is a great one. But Wisconsin public universities, such as UW-Milwaukee, are already low-paying institutions for

professors, and this makes it hard to gain and keep quality employees. There is no simple answer to the budget deficit, but it seems the most justified way to solve the issue would be to split the burden across the population, instead of creating scapegoats for political gain.

By Jay Burseth Special to the Post editorial@uwmpost.com

In what has unquestionably been a busy first month and a half for any politician, our new governor has been occupied with taking from the working many and giving to the wealthy few. There is no doubt that Governor Scott Walker came into a budget situation that is less than favorable. However, he has recently implemented a $140 million cut of state revenue by reducing taxes for the wealthiest citizens of Wisconsin in the midst of a budgetary shortfall. So how does our governor propose filling this hole he personally created? By making state employees take a six-percent cut in order to pay for their pensions and increase their personal healthcare costs to almost 13 percent. These actions are taken against the same state workers who were forced in the last two years to take eight unpaid furlough days each year. To be fair, these employees were much better off in the last two years than the Milwaukee County employees, who were obligated to take a whopping 26 unpaid furlough days this past year, under then-County Executive Scott Walker. Meanwhile, Walker has used this statewide budget crisis as a way to push through restrictions on Wisconsin unions. These constraints would deliberately keep their income low and deny them the right of collective bargaining – a workers’ right in the United States since the federal National Labor Relations Act was implemented in 1935 under FDR in order for rights to be maintained during a national economic catastrophe. The Wisconsin Club for Growth has joined in on this harassment of state employ-

ees, stating in an ad that public workers “need to pay their fair share.” It is common knowledge that nurses are overworked, teachers are underpaid, and far too many state employees work for far less than they would if they were in the private sector (university faculty and staff come to mind). Yet Walker and the Club for Growth feel that overworked and underpaid workers who are forced into unpaid furlough days should be legally obligated to “pay” for further tax cuts. The governor’s legislation against state workers should not come as a big surprise. He’s made workers take what totals to over a month of unpaid furlough days in Milwaukee. He’s blocked the construction of high-speed rail, and as a result, blocked the creation of thousands of jobs that would have come with it. And now he’s giving benefits to campaign contributors while making working families foot the bill in the middle of an economic recession. Scott Walker is not ignorant of what he’s doing. And because he knows the people of the state of Wisconsin won’t like this legislation passed and that they will want to let their voices be heard, he said he would call upon the National Guard to fill in for protesting state employees. And he’s doing this in order to push through an agenda against Wisconsin families. Protests and outrage over what is happening to our state should be expected. When these things do happen, we need to do what our governor refuses to do: listen to his constituents. They are our children’s teachers, our nurses, our public university employees and our neighbors. When they are being attacked, we all get hurt. So let’s listen to Wisconsin’s workers.

The UWM Post invites readers to submit Letters to the Editor, as well as perspective pieces, counter-points to previously published pieces, opinions, rants and tauntings. To be eligible for publication, letters and opinion pieces must include the author’s name and contact information. Anonymous submissions will not be accepted. Please submit to The UWM Post office (Union EG80), or via email at letters@uwmpost.com. Please title e-mail correspondence “Letter to the Editor.” The preferred length for letters is 350 words or less. Opinions and perspective pieces should be no longer than 750 words. Deadline for outside submission is Wednesday at noon. The UWM Post reserves the right to edit or reject your submission.

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February 21, 2012 21

The UWM Post

22 February 21, 2011

PRIMAL URGES

ANDREW MEGOW

PRIMALURGES@UWMPOST.COM

Pet of the Week Davinci Davinci is the perfect dog! She loves taking walks in the snow, but is just as content sitting on the couch hanging with her family. If she gets bored, she’ll chase the cats around the house. She loves squeaky toys, and cocks her head back and forth if she hears one on TV or if she hears the words “cheese” or “chicken!” If you met her, she would probably give you a big smile, which scares some people, but she is just happy to meet you!

CORPORATE HORROR

JOSEPH KUENZLE

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

EVENTS } Just Foreign Policy

ANNOUN

all

CEMENTS

Student Organizations

Renewal registration in progress! Training upon is request: Invite us to your meetings! Training is required! The Student Activities Office now offers Choices are becoming limited! student organization training upon request.

Wednesday, February 23, 7:00pm, Union Fireside Lounge For more information contact sandqui2@uwm.edu Sponsored by Jews for Justices, a student organization at UWM.

Anna Baltzer Lecture

Student organization consultants are ready to attend your organization’s meetings to provide training on a variety of topics. www4.uwm.edu/sao/panthersync/renewal.cfm Specifically, organizations are encouraged to for both Sign up for trainingrequest withPantherSync OrgSynctraining Inc. (required officers and members. Training request Friday, February 25, 7:00 pm, Union Ballroom training) should be made at least two weeks prior the For more information contact sandqui2@uwm.edu desired. This allows time to You can withindate the Panthersync system Sponsored by Progressive Students of Milwaukee, a student organization at RSVP from training manage staff schedules and assign a trainer UWM. sign up for your meeting. To make a training request, www.activities.uwm.edu and click on at the Student Activitiesvisit Office, Union 363. Organization Training can complete the Monday, February 28, Union 345 b & c, 7:00pm-9:00pm Monday, September 13 } 1:00pm, 3:00pm or 5:00pm Training Request for Registered Student The officers of the Pagan Student Fellowship will be hosting a discussion on Organization form. You can also access this paganism and what being pagan means to them. All are welcome to come September 14 } 10:30am or 1:00pm Tuesday, form in PantherSync through the “Forms” join the discussion. Please bring an open mind and a willingness to expand your understandings. For more information send an email to tool. Trainings may also be requested by kdrake@uwm.edu. Sponsored by Pagan Student Fellowship, a student emailing activities@uwm.edu. Thursday, February 24, 7:00pm, Union Fireside Lounge For more information contact sandqui2@uwm.edu Sponsored by Jews for Justices, a student organization at UWM.

For details see

Amy Goodman Lecture

Pagan Perspective: Paganism 101

organization at UWM.

funded by

February 21, 2010 23

uwmpost.com

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Sudoku INSTRUCTIONS: Fill in the squares so that every row, every column, and every 3x3 box contains the numbers 1 through 9 exactly once.

Solution found on page 8

THE UWM POST CROSSWORD ACROSS 1 Was sore 6 Love 11 Nest egg letters 14 Comedian Pauly 15 Glass kitchenware 16 Fresh 17 2011 Best Picture Nominee (2 wds., with “The”) 19 Auto 20 Deer relative 21 Unwell 22 Diner 24 Prudent 27 Dropping-into-water sound 28 Chop down 29 Like a new product prototype, maybe 33 Small children 36 Sandwich cookie 37 Die face 38 Web address, for short 39 Computer key 40 Grease 41 Guide 43 ____ Lang Syne 44 Inferno author 46 Pouched racquet sport 48 Each 49 Philosopher Immanuel 50 Stereo components 55 Male glands, for short 57 Crimson 58 Prompt 59 Uncooked 60 2011 Best Picture Nominee (2 wds.) 64 Land of the Free 65 “See ya!” 66 Swiss mathematician 67 Ending for hallow or eight 68 Puppy cries 69 Imperfectly DOWN 1 Posed the question

INSTRUCTIONS: Fill in the squares so that every row, every column, and every 3x3 box contains the following letters exactly once: E, L, A, N, T, C, O, S, B. One row or column will reveal a hidden word!

27 30

Godoku

49 55

56 61

Jonas Wittke, 2011

2 Soup alternative 3 Beeps 4 Work unit 5 Wishes 6 Honeycrisp, for example 7 Tint 8 Miner’s goal 9 Sense organ 10 Breathe out 11 2011 Best Picture Nominee 12 Tush 13 See 69-Across 18 Killed 23 Fling 25 Mr. Guevara 26 Tortoise relatives 30 Require 31 Revise 32 Editor’s mark 33 Male bovine

34 Region 35 2011 Best Picture Nominee (2 wds.) 36 Burden 39 Common neighborhood name 42 “Darn!” 44 Salt water body between Jordan and Israel (2 wds.) 45 Legendary boat 47 Street sign words 48 Contemporary 51 Make flat 52 Famed bacterium 53 Ancient Germanic letters 54 Visionaries 55 Correct 56 Relieve 61 Nothing 62 Blouse, for one 63 Hobo solution found on page 8

Solution found on page 8

In-word

THIS WEEK’S IN-WORD: PRIVACY

INSTRUCTIONS: Find as many words as possible using only the letters from this week’s IN-WORD. Words must be four or more letters long. Slang words, proper nouns, and contractions are not permitted. Only one form of a verb is permitted. Words that become four or more letters by the addition of “s” are not permitted.

Can you find 13 or more words in “PRIVACY?”

Solution found on page 8

24 February 21, 2011

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