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Word of the WeekNamaste

A conventional Hindu expression on meeting or parting, used by the speaker usually while holding the palms together

vertically in front of the bosom, frequently a part of yoga practice.

Recent attacks on campus encourage self

defense awareness

Turkey Trot draws crowd of all ages The best o� ense is a good defense

So he thinks he can dance

T hu r s d ay, D e ce m b e r 2 , 2010 12 Pa g e s S i n g l e Co p i e s Fr e ew w w.t h e racq u e t . n e t

According to the audience at Central High School last Saturday, UW-La Crosse psychology profes-sor Ryan McKelley can dance, and pretty well too.

McKelley teamed up with Tay-lor Olson, a junior from Aquinas High School in La Crosse’s version of Dancing with the Stars Saturday, Nov. 27 at Central High School. � e duo won the competition with a perfect score of 30 in the danc-

ing portion with a Michael Jackson themed performance.

Dancing with the La Crosse Stars is a competitive fundrais-ing event put on annually by the American Red Cross.   � e idea of this dancing competition is for people to donate money to sup-port the American Red Cross by voting for the couple they want to see win.  One dollar is equal to one vote, and the couple with the most money at the end typically wins the competition, although the dancing is important too.

McKelley and Olson raised over

$10,000. � e event raised a record $79,666 total, almost $35,000 more than last year. � e team of Howes Diamond Jewelers owner Dan Howes and dancer Alana Hess, raised the most money individually with $17,600

� e � � h annual event drew a sellout crowd of over 850 people.

McKelley was asked if he wanted to participate in the competition, and since his neighbor had partici-pated in it the year before and had

UW-L professor wins local dancing competition, helps raise $80,000 for Red Cross

By Katie Tucker and Teresa Turner

City Editor and Staff ReporterCity Editor and Staff Reporter

Please see DANCE, page 5

By KC PowersStaff Reporter

Olson and McKelleyPhoto Courtesy of DWTLCS

Wisconsin drivers had until the end of November to legally send text messages while driving. On Dec. 1, a new state law went into ef-fect, cell phones out of the hands of motorists.

In May, legislators alongside Governor Jim Doyle signed a bill banning texting while driving. And now doing so can get you a big ticket.

Despite some texters insisting it only takes a second to send mes-sages, law enforcement o� cers say a second is all you need to cause something catastrophic.

"If you are going 65 mph, you are traveling 95 feet per second," said Sergeant Lorie Floyd of the State Patrol's West Salem o� ce." At this speed, if you travel three seconds with your eyes o� the road you would have traveled the length of a football � eld. In just a moment a lot can happen."

It seems most UW-La Crosse

drivers also agree with the govern-ment decision to ban sending mo-bile messages while driving.

“I think it’s a good thing to not have drivers text while they are driving. By having steep penalties for texting, some accidents could be prevented,” senior Sarah Horst-mann said.

“� e ban makes sense. If you have to text a really long message while driving, it’s safer just to call the person,” junior Tate Randall said.

Texting will fall under primary

enforcement, which means o� cers can stop a driver for tex-ting without citing any other violations.

According to the new law, � rst-time violators face � nes of $20 to $400 and having four points deducted o� their driving records, the same penalty for driving 20 miles per hour above the speed lim-it. Second-time violators face � nes of $200 to $800.

Wisconsin is the 25th state to

pass some sort of texting ban. � e National Highway Tra� c

Safety Administration said 6,000 deaths and 500,000 injuries were blamed on distracted driving, in-cluding text messaging in 2008.

By Paige RiceRacquet StaffRacquet Staff

So he thinks he can dance

a perfect score of 30 in the danc-

Texting ban e� ective Dec. 1InTEXTicated driving now illegal

By Katie TuckerCity Editor

In 2000, Miss Congeniality’s Gracy Loo Freebush taught her best form of self defense known as S.I.N.G (solar plexus, instep, nose, and groin). � is refers to the four vulnerable points to hit someone who’s attacking you.

With the recent increase in crime rate near and on campus, it’s imperative to known how to defend yourself against an attacker who is not in possession of a weapon.

Self defense is a form of attack that allows you to get away from a dangerous situation safely and quickly. � ere are many forms of self defense in both tools and ac-tions.

Pepper spray is one of the most common forms of equipment. Wis-consin law states that anyone over the age of 18 can posses pepper spray. � e spray is comprised of OC or Oleoresin Capsicum, which is a mixture of various hot peppers that act as an in� ammatory.

Once the attacker is sprayed by the victim two things will happen. First the attacker’s eyes will auto-matically close. � en they will start to be engaged in a coughing and wheezing � t that will eventually drop them to their knees. � ese two e� ects will allow the victim time to get to a safe area.

Other than pepper spray, your actions can be just as e� ective when used properly. Self defense does not require great mastery such as mar-tial arts. It is simply a systematic way of hitting the right spot at the right time.

� e most sensitive part to attack is the groin. However, a swi� kick or hit to the groin is only e� ective when it has the element of surprise on its side.

� ere are two popular ways to perform a groin attack. One is to hold the attacker on shoulders and swi� ly kick the knee up to the groin fast and hard. If the attackers legs, are not spread and you cannot get your knee up between their legs the next best thing is a quick grab or hit

Please see DEFENSE, page 5

Katie Tucker � e Racquet

Paige Rice � e Racquet

Left: 2,500 registered runners begin the 5K race on Nov. 20, at the annual Turkey Trot. Top Right: Runners and Walkers cross the � nish line at the UW-L Veterans Memorial Stadium. Bottom Right: Festive runners sport non-traditional attire in the UW-L REC after the race.

Gilmore

KaWai Hui � e Racquet KaWai Hui � e Racquet

RacqueTThe University of Wisconsin - La Crosse

� e annual Turkey Trot brought students, commu-nity and alumni to UW-La Crosse on Nov. 20.

UW-L alumna Lois (Schmaltz) Gilmore re-turned to her alma mater to give credit to the UW-L community. “Twenty years ago, I never would have thought I’d be running in this race,” Gilmore said, “I still have this drive at 80 years old to stay active be-cause of what I took away from UW-L.”

Gilmore was one of 2,500 people registered for the 5K race hosted by UW-L’s REC. Pro� ts from the race went to several organizations in-cluding the Physical Activity

Please see TROT, page 4

The best o� ense is 12 Pa g e s S i n g l e Co p i e s Fr e e

Turkey Trot draws crowd of all agesT hu r s d ay, D e ce m b e r 2 , 2010 w w w.t h e racq u e t . n e t

Turkey Trot draws crowd of all ages The best o� ense is w w w.t h e racq u e t . n e t

Turkey Trot draws crowd of all ages

acqueTThe University of Wisconsin - La Crosse

The best o� ense is 12 Pa g e s S i n g l e Co p i e s Fr e e12 Pa g e s S i n g l e Co p i e s Fr e ew w w.t h e racq u e t . n e t

acqueTurkey Trot draws crowd of all ages

w w w.t h e racq u e t . n e t

From the EditorsDERAILED.

Page 6

Loko no morePage 5

Twelfth Night PreviewPage 5

Shop for the holidays on the cheapPage 9

Every now and then, we like to get out of the office and do random interviews. This week, The Racquet interviewed several students. Our Question:

In La Crosse, hundreds of children and adults have inadequate clothing to protect them from the harsh Wisconsin winter. Stu-dents can dig out those winter coats and mit-tens that they never seem to wear and donate them to people who need help staying warm this cold winter season.

� e Organization for Campus Women (OCW) is hosting a coat and mitten drive from Nov. 10 to Dec. 10. Donation boxes are located around campus with the OCW coat drive � yer on them.

� e donated coats and mittens will be sent to the Salvation Army and the New Horizons Women Shelter. OCW has worked with these organizations before.

� e Salvation Army is an international movement that is a part of the universal Christian Church. � ey provide meal pro-grams, a food pantry, a local thri� store and help raise money for the needy.

New Horizons provides services to vic-tims of domestic violence, sexual assault and harassment. All of their services are free, so they don’t receive a revenue from charging fees. � ey rely on the caring and generous community in order to continue reaching out to so many in crisis.

Last year there was such a need for coats, donations ran out by early December. OCW is hoping to be able to replenish the donations to help New Horizons get through the holi-day season.

� e OCW is also hosting a food drive from Dec. 10 until Jan. 19.

� e donated food will � rst be o� ered to the UW-L Helping Our Own food pantry. � ey encourage students, faculty and sta� to donate non-perishable food items or personal care items. � e most needed items are soup, pasta sauce, noodles, cereal, breakfast items,

CampusNewsPage 2 Thursday, DECEMBER 2, 2010

Lauren SeidlNews Editornews@theracquet.net

Give warmthOCW hosts coat, mitten, food drive

By Heather GageStaff ReporterStaff Reporter

dried meals and basic hygiene items like soap and shampoo.

� e food pantry is located in the Leader-ship and Involvement Center, 221 Cartwright Center. UW-L's Student Involvement Center provides students with free food items � ve days a week. So far this year the program has received a lot of attention from students, which has led to some shortages on the shelves.

If the OCW is fortunate enough to receive more food than the pantry can handle, they will donate the excess to WAFER.

People who come to WAFER receive three to four days worth of food. Over 1,200 households come to WAFER each month. � ey also provide food packages for seniors who are unable to travel to pick up food.

Final words of wisdom

Along with the holiday season comes one of the most dreaded times of the year for col-lege students: � nal exams. Many students are still focusing on completing papers, giving presentations and taking the last tests of the semester, but � nal exams are right around the corner. Academic Specialist Charlene Holler o� ered advice to students gearing up to take these cumulative headaches.

Start earlyBegin to study as soon as possible. Don’t

set up camp at the library or lock yourself in your room, but start looking over materials for at least a few minutes each day. � is is the most e� ective way to study, according to Hol-ler. She said students should lay out a study plan and look at their materials as a whole rather than isolated bits of material.

While studying, students should not only think about the information they’ve learned, but they should also think about how they can apply it to real world situations. As students we should be building foundations for our fu-tures, not memorizing facts to earn a decent grade.

Build concentrationLike sports and most things we strive to

exceed at, studying requires practice. You can’t expect to go from spending 20 minutes preparing for tests all semester to pulling an all-nighter at the library use that time suc-cessfully.

Holler o� en gives students concentration exercises, having them write down what time they start studying, what time it is every time their mind wanders and what their mind wanders to. Yes, for most of us this slip of pa-per would � ll up quickly, so Holler gave a few tips on how to have focused study sessions.

She suggests asking questions before studying to hone in on what you need to know. Studying the hardest material � rst is also bene� cial, especially if it is early in the day or at a time when you are most alert. Hol-ler also said that students can recall informa-tion better during the test if they learned the material in a similar atmosphere. So studying

in the library is probably the best option.

Vary techniquesReading over notes quietly may be the

most convenient way to study, but it isn’t the most bene� cial, according to Holler. She sug-gests using di� erent senses during study ses-sions, including redrawing diagrams, study-ing with a friend, � lling out maps or even reading out loud.

Di� erent types of studying may depend on which subject you’re studying for. Note cards are especially useful in foreign language classes, as well as listening to and speaking the language. Reworking problems is one of the best ways to study for math. Review sessions are highly bene� cial for all subjects, even if you didn’t take time to study before or come up with questions. Just listening to questions other students have can be helpful. Having an open discussion with others on the material will also deepen your understanding of it.

Take the testWhile studying is over half of the battle,

students shouldn’t forget that they need brain power to actually take the exam. Staying up all night may seem like a good idea, but sleep deprivation has been proven detrimental to exam scores.

Holler suggests that students get a full night’s sleep before the exam and have a nu-tritious breakfast the morning of, not just caf-feine. Students will have the best mind-set to take an exam if they are well-prepared for it and get to class early.

It is also helpful for students to have a pre-exam routine, such as deep breathing, clos-ing their eyes or repeating a positive phrase. According to Holler, taking an exam can be thought of as a performance or a race; it’s good to be con� dent and have a positive atti-tude, but it’s also good to feel nervous because it helps build focus.

By following this advice, hopefully you will be able to not just survive � nals, but earn a grade worthy of printing o� of D2L and hanging on your mini fridge. Good luck!

For more techniques on how to prepare for exams, go to the Counseling and Testing Cen-ter, located in 170 Morris Hall.

Academic Specialist gives advice on preparing for exams

By Lauren SeidlNews Editor

“There is often no other way to remem-ber material than to repeatedly go over particulars. The reviewing process should begin as soon as you learn new material. Always tie the new material into what you already know. If you look for patterns and relationships, the learning of the new ma-

terial will be easier. Then review brie� y, but frequently. Several short reviews done daily, or even every other day, will be much more e� ective than hours of study weeks from your exposure to the information. It is all about working smarter, not longer.”

-Charlene Holler, Academic Specialist

FROM THE EXPERT:

Every now and then we like to get out of the o� ce and do random interviews. This week The Racquet interviewed several students.

Our Question:How do you plan on studying for � nal exams

this semester?“I usually just study in my room three days before the exam for a couple of hours

every day.” -Krista Roob, Sophomore

“I want to start studying about two weeks ahead of time. I’ll probably � nd some place in the library to study.”

-Yang Liu, Junior

“I plan to make a schedule, but honestly I’m probably going to cram.” -Emily Stacken, Sophomore

“I only have one exam this semester, the rest are papers. So I plan on writing all of my exams.”

-Cate Urbas, Senior

“I’m probably just going to review old exams. Teachers usually repeat similar questions.” -Jon Kriescher, Senior

THE FACTSWhat: Coat and Mitten

DriveWhere: Donation bins around campus, OCWWhen: Now through

Dec. 10

Hosted by The Organization for

Campus Women

Emily Stacken, Sophomore

A $3,000 personal debt could threaten the future of Gracie’s, the much-loved Greek res-taurant near campus.

Robert Gaunky, an employee with ties to UW-La Crosse and Western Technical Col-lege, spoke on Gracie’s behalf at the Nov. 17 Student Senate meeting. “I would ask for this body to stand in favor of Gracie’s [and] please help support it,” he said, alleging that the business faces a legally ambiguous debt issue and is being discriminated against.

“Even if this is legally right, it’s ethically wrong,” Gaunky said.

What’s at issue here is the owner’s, Gracie Kozidis’s, $3,000 personal debt.

It’s been di� cult for Kozidisto pay o� the debt as a small business owner with a limited personal income. � ough the restaurant is classi� ed as a “limited liability company,” a business organization intended to shield the owners from being held personally liable for their business debts, the La Crosse County Sheri� ’s Department says it’s part of their re-sponsibility to reclaim money owed.

According to Gaunky, Sheri� ’s Depart-ment personnel have entered the restaurant twice, on Nov. 8 and Nov. 15, and taken mon-ey from the cash register.

A� er the � rst incident, the restaurant had to close early because there were no longer enough bills to complete transactions, and during the second incident, there were four tables being served while the deputy went into the register, Gaunky said.

La Crosse County Sheri� Steve Helgeson con� rmed that a court order was issued that

enables sheri� ’s deputies to seize the busi-ness’s assets. Dino Kozidis, Gracie’s son and employee, explained that she had a court date in Milwaukee to discuss her debt, but was un-able to leave the business. “Interest keeps ac-cruing until she’ll never be able to pay it [and] she doesn’t understand the technicalities of the law,” he said.

Helgeson said the circumstances of the debt were explained to Kozidis, and con-� rmed that she was given the option to set up a payment plan to repay the money she owes. She did not take the opportunity, Helgeson said.

Dino Kozidis feels that because Gracie is a non-citizen and lacks a full understanding of the law, she lacks the power to stop the sheri� from taking from the register or to pursue al-ternate legal action.

“� ere’s also this intimidation factor…[Sheri� ’s Department personnel] took from the register in front of customers,” Kozidis said.

Gracie Kozidis also spoke about the situ-ation, saying that the business was already barely getting by and they need every dollar in their register. “I’m very upset, very de-pressed, scared…if I close my business down, how am I supposed to pay [the creditors?]”

“We don’t want to have to do these things,” Helgeson said. It’s in everyone’s best interests to help the debtor and lender work out a pay-ment plan, he said. But he added that collect-ing debt owed by one party to another is part of the responsibility of the Sheri� ’s Depart-ment per the Wisconsin constitution.

� e Student Senate did not take action on the issue.

Page 3Thursday, DECEMBER 2, 2010 CampusNews

enables sheri� ’s deputies to seize the busi-ness’s assets. Dino Kozidis, Gracie’s son and employee, explained that she had a court date in Milwaukee to discuss her debt, but was un-able to leave the business. “Interest keeps ac-cruing until she’ll never be able to pay it [and] she doesn’t understand the technicalities of

Helgeson said the circumstances of the debt were explained to Kozidis, and con-� rmed that she was given the option to set up a payment plan to repay the money she owes. She did not take the opportunity, Helgeson

Dino Kozidis feels that because Gracie is a non-citizen and lacks a full understanding of the law, she lacks the power to stop the sheri� from taking from the register or to pursue al-

“� ere’s also this intimidation factor…[Sheri� ’s Department personnel] took from the register in front of customers,” Kozidis

Gracie Kozidis also spoke about the situ-ation, saying that the business was already barely getting by and they need every dollar in their register. “I’m very upset, very de-pressed, scared…if I close my business down,

“We don’t want to have to do these things,” Helgeson said. It’s in everyone’s best interests to help the debtor and lender work out a pay-ment plan, he said. But he added that collect-ing debt owed by one party to another is part of the responsibility of the Sheri� ’s Depart-

� e Student Senate did not take action on

Students at UW-La Crosse have long wanted increased hours at Murphy Library. � ey also asked for additional online li-brary resources for completing assign-ments and conducting information re-search.

� is year, those requests are being im-plemented, thanks to student dollars al-located through the UW-L Academic Ini-tiatives Oversight Committee.� e library is open later on weeknights and also has additional weekend hours. Several new online information resources are avail-able, too, including online journals, data-bases, and reference works.

To help students learn about and � nd these resources, the library has a new “Student Funded Library Resources” website, with links to the resources, de-scriptions, background information and more. � e website also o� ers opportu-nities for students to provide feedback about the various student-funded re-sources using a rating system, comment boxes, and quick polls.

In addition to being on the new webpage, these resources are integrated throughout the library website in library guides, database lists and other subject-speci� c pages.

Take a look at the new “Student Fund-ed Library Resources” web page and use the integrated tools to let the library know how you value these resources. Find the page featured on the library home page or go directly to http:// http://libguides.uwlax.edu/studentfunded.

New Website for Student-Funded

Resources

StudyLab 101

A column contributed byUW-L’s Murphy Library

Debt threatens popular Greek eatery

In a college town,a business that doesn’t adver-tise to students might as well

just lock its doors for good.• Increase name recognition

on a campus of 10,000• Attract student patrons to

your business• Gain that ever-crucial edge

over your competition

Contact sales@theracquet.net

and grab this market by the...books.

All St r Lanes

Now Hiring Bartenders - Call Daron at 608-788-7827

Mondays @ 6pm

Buck Nights$1 Games, Shoes,

Beer, Burgers, and Fries

ThursdaysImport Night$2 Import Beers,

25 cent wings, 3 Games for $5shoes included

Fridays@ 9pm

Karaoke

By Gretchen ZishkaStaff ReporterStaff Reporter

CAMPUS CALENDAR

12/06

12/03

12/04

12/04

Twelfth Night (play). 7:30 p.m. Toland Theatre, Center for Arts. Student tickets $4 with id.

Swinging Yultide (concert). 7:30 p.m. Valhalla, Cartwright Center.

UW-L Wrestling 2x4 Duals. 9:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. Mitchell Hall.

Rainbow Graduation. 5:00 p.m. - 6:30 p.m. For more information visit the pride center.

12/17

12/07

12/16

12/11

Theatre Auditions for Dirty Rotten Scoundrels. 6:00 - 10:00 p.m. Toland Theatre, Center for Arts.

Study Day. All day, University Wide.

Festival of Carols. 3:00 p.m. Valhalla, Cart-wright Center.

Finals Begin. 7:45 a.m. University Wide.

Governor-elect Scott Walker has pri-oritized derailing the construction of a train route between Milwaukee and Madison when he and a republican state legislature take of-� ce in January. Following the Republican’s victory last month, Governor Jim Doyle or-dered contractors to stop any construction of the line, which would have been paid for with $863 million authorized through the Ameri-can Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

Putting that project in limbo has severely decreased the chances of a line that would connect Milwaukee and the Twin Cities in Minnesota via Madison, but an Environ-mental Impact Study remains underway, conducted in a joint e� ort between the Min-nesota and Wisconsin Departments of Trans-portation. Funding for the EIS came from a $600,000 grant issued by the Federal Railroad Administration.

Administrators of that study presented in-formation to area residents at an open forum Nov. 30. Public invovlement is a fundamental part of any EIS, as stipulated in the National Environmental Policy Act . Similar forums will be held at locations in Minnesota and Wisconsin this week.

Once completed, the study will point to which track route would yield the greatest economic and environmental bene� ts at the lowest impact. It will take into account which communities have the most need for pas-senger rail access. Locally, that has become a question of whether the tracks will move

through Eau Claire or La Crosse on the way to Minneapolis.

Proponents of proposed project tout bene� ts that come from giving travellers more options, such as decongested airports and highways, especially during peak travel times. � is in turn lowers aggregate carbon emissions. Economically, construction of the rail lines and trains would mean a temporary infusion of jobs into area economies.

Loco for locomotivesMinnesota EIS stays on track

By Racquet StaffBy Racquet Staff

BY THE NUMBERSFederal stimulus money allocated to Wisconsin

for a train route between Milwaukee and Madison

Federal money granted to study the impact of a train

route to connect Minneapolis with

Milwaukee

Size of the Republican majority in the Wisconsin State legislature devoted to derailing the Milwaukee-

Madison project

Public forums to answer questions and present

information about the EIS

$863MILLION

THOUSAND$600

27

6

OUR VIEW: A letter from the editors about the Milwaukee/Madison project on page 6

CityNewsPage 4 Thursday,DECEMBER 2, 2010

Home is where the heat is

Your guide to keeping your home heating energy e� cient this winter

Weird world happenings

Prison Smuggler56-year-old Donald Denney and his im-

prisoned son had a plan. � ey plotted to have Donald smuggle in a golf ball-sized chunk of black tar heroin for the son to sell in the prison for an estimated $22,000. � e plan consisted of Donald Denney � nding a woman to smuggle the drugs into the prison in her anus, then transfer the drugs to her mouth and then give the son a deep kiss and pass the drugs over to his mouth in the pro-cess, then he would swallow it and retrieve the heroin a� er it passed through his body.

� e only problem was that they could not � nd a woman willing to do it who had a clean record and whose visit would be approved by prison o� cials. Instead of scrapping the plan, Donald decided to go through with it, only he would be giv-ing his son a deep kiss instead of someone else. Fortunately, the FBI heard of the plan over the monitored phone call and put Den-ney through a strip-search, discovering the drugs peaking out of his anus. He was then arrested and charged with possessing hero-in with intent to distribute. [9/21/2010

www.thesmokinggun.com]

Buy one, get one...Sheep In Israel, ahead of the Islamic festival

of sacri� ce Eid al-Adha, an electrics good shop was o� ering a deal where if a customer bought a refrigerator or something more than 1,000 Shekels, that customer could then help themselves to a sheep penned up

outside. � e new owners of the sheep would most likely slaughter them as part of Eid al-Adha to mark Prophet Abraham’s willingness to sacri� ce his son for God. � is unique o� er drew a lot of controversy, and the government animal welfare inspectors halted the promo-tion. � e surviving sheep were taken to an animal shelter. [11/15/2010 news.sky.com]

Anger ManagementA Wisconsin man was charged with reck-

less endangerment a� er shooting his televi-sion then turning the gun on his wife. Ste-ven Cowan was watching “Dancing with the Stars” and became so enraged with Bristol Palin’s dancing that he decided to blast a hole through his television with a shotgun. His reason for shooting? He was fed up with poli-tics and did not think that Bristol Palin was a very good dancer. Cowan’s wife escaped un-scathed, but shaken. [11/18/2010 news.sky.com]

Buried AliveA German pensioner, who closed up the

entrance to his cellar with bricks, stood back to admire his handiwork a� er � nishing only to realize that he had bricked himself into his cellar. Not knowing what to do, the Ger-man senior citizen camped out in the cellar for several days. A� er a while, he resolved to knock down a wall in order to free himself, but he chose to demolish his neighbor’s wall instead of the one he put up. � e neighbor heard the drilling noises and called the police, who were waiting for the pensioner when he � nally made his great escape. [11/25/2010 news.yahoo.com]

By Teresa TurnerStaff ReporterStaff Reporter

Keeping up with the high costs of energy has become even more di� cult with the cur-rent state of the economy, but a few help-ful hints can save time, money and energy throughout the year, not just during the win-ter months of heating.

� e Coulee Community Action Program (CAP) has combined e� orts with XCEL En-ergy and La Crosse County Human Services to create programs available to those in need, primarily based on income, but they also have winterization kits available to almost anyone who is able to pick one up.

� e kits include plastic window wrap, HE � uorescent light bulbs, window caulking, blankets, water heater wraps and electric ce-ramic heaters for anyone who has temporarily lost their heat source. � e La Crosse CAP of-� ce is located at 2101 Victory St., across from the State O� ce Building on South Ave., and those with questions can call 608-782-4877.

CAP also created the Wisconsin Home Energy Assistance Program (WHEAP) de-signed to further reduce energy losses and costs.

Renters or owners must � rst apply for the Energy Assistance Program. � ey can pick up applications on the main � oor of the La Crosse County Building, 300 N. 4th St., La Crosse.

� e Energy Assistance Program helps renters and homeowners pay the high costs of heating through state subsidized funding, which is paid directly to XCEL Energy ac-counts by the state.

Once eligibility is determined, a client can request a winterization inspection of their property, with owners consent if rent-

ing, from CAP. � e inspections take up to three hours

and determine how much energy a particular home is using and how much energy is being lost.

If the property meets criteria for winter-ization, CAP will provide the homeowner with a list of items the program will repair or replace.

Typically, they will replace furnaces that are less than 80% e� cient, old refrigerators, LED light bulbs, old gas pipes that may have small leaks, broken windows and they will also insulate areas losing energy if needed.

Only 500 WHEAP grants are allowed each year in a four county area, but the process is relatively simple and the bene� ts are great.

XCEL Energy has provided a list of sixty useful suggestions on their Web site, www.xcelenergy.com, to help everyone save. A few are listed below.

Following these simple and inexpensive tips can greatly reduce energy loss and high heating costs particularly in larger, older rented homes where owners may not be aware of repairs or maintenance items requiring attention. Students are encouraged to take advantage of the aforementioned pro-grams.

By Jill Bagniefski Staff ReporterStaff Reporter

A UW-L student huddles by the radiator to stay warm. Don’t be like her and steal heat, keep your apartment warm and energy e� cient this winter by using simple tips like covering windows and repairing improperly closing doors.

Katie Tucker � e Racquet

Mentoring Program for Child with Disabili-ties Program, UW-L Multicultural Student Scholarship, and UW-L REC Sports.

Overall winners of the race included Abe Wengel with a time of 16:03.91 in the Men’s Division, and Sara Frederickson with a time of 16:05.51 in the Women’s Division.

� e 16th annual 5K had runners partici-pate from age two to 80. � e course began on campus and had runners proceed through the Hixon Marsh Trails.

Next year’s race is set to take place on Nov. 19, 2011.

Trotters raise money for local organizationsFrom TROT, page 1

› SUGGESTIONS › Seal all leaks on ducts with mastic tape or aerosol sealant

› Replace furnace, air conditioning or water pump � lters monthly depend-ing on season

› Keep inside doors open to improve circulation

› Repair leaking faucets and choose low� ow shower heads

› Insulate water heater and hot water pipes and set water heater to 120 degrees

› Clean refrigerator coils

› Dry laundry loads back-to-back and clean lint trap after each use

› Turn o� lights and lower thermostat when leaving house for long periods of time

› Install compact � uorescent light bulbs

› Install window coverings or plastic wrap to insulate and seal all drafts

› Caulk all gaps around pipes, vents, plumbing and wiring

Katie TuckerCity Editorcity@theracquet.net

Page 5CityNewsThursday, DECEMBER 2 2010

Loko no moreFDA issues warning letters to makers of ca� einated alcoholic drinks,

including locally brewed Four LokoBy Katie Tucker

City EditorCity Editor

› To learn more about self defense classes o� ered in the area contact university police at 789-9000

won, he agreed to be a dancer. McKelley did not go into practice with absolutely no dancing experience under his belt; he had taken a few ballroom dancing classes pre-viously and dancing had been a hobby for about 15 years, though he had not danced very much recently.

� e “stars” of the Dancing with the La Crosse Stars are paired up with profes-sional dancers from a local studio.  McKel-ley’s partner, Olson is a dancer from Misty’s Dance Unlimited.  

Olson requested to be paired with McK-elley a� er researching the list of potential “stars”. According to McKelly, a� er Olson Googled him she saw that he was active in competitive activities and decided he would be competitive in the competition.

McKelley and Olson decided to do a dance routine to a Michael Jackson melody, which consisted of about forty seconds each of “Billie Jean”, “Smooth Criminal”, and “Bad”.  � ey had eight to ten hours to prac-tice this routine.  Naturally, they decided to include moonwalking and a sparkly white sequin glove to spice up the dance.

“It was hard to say whether or not we

would win. � ere is tough fundraising com-petition,” McKelley said. Last year, the top team set a partner record of over $13,000 raised for the American Red Cross.

McKelley said that he looked forward to “seeing the other couples’ dances.”   He said that a lot of couples were being secretive about their routines, and he was excited to watch the dances that were kept in the dark during the entire rehearsal period.

Every single donation made was greatly appreciated by the dancers as well as the American Red Cross, according to the pro-gram director Cheryl Hancock.   � e dona-tions will go toward running blood drives, disaster relieve, health and safety education and providing services to the U.S. military and their families.

McKelley said that he will post his � nal dance on YouTube a� er the competition for everyone to see if they could not make it or want to watch it again.

Local stars shine at Red Cross fundraiserFrom DANCE, page 1

Many ca� einated alcoholic drinks such as Four Loko, Joose, Moonshot and Core will be completely o� store shelves in Wisconsin by Dec. 13 in accordance with a warning issued by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in late November.

� e FDA issued warning letters to four companies, including Phusion Projects, the maker of Four Loko, that the ca� eine in their drinks was an unsafe food additive. � e let-ters, which resulted from a year-long review by the FDA, stated that the companies had 15 days to either reformulate their products or face possible seizure under federal law.

According to the FDA Web site, Phu-sion Projects and United Brands Co., maker of Joose, are no longer shipping products to their retailers. Charge Beverages and New Century Brewing are also no longer produc-ing their alcoholic energy drinks.

In the past, City Brewery of La Crosse has brewed the Four Loko beverages, but a company spokesperson could not discuss the speci� cs of its operations. Phusion Projects has promised on their Web site to introduce a reformulated, ca� eine free version of Four Loko in the future, but City Brewery could not comment on whether or not they are brewing a reformulated drink.

Nov. 18 was the last day area stores could legally order products like Four Loko for store inventory. � e � ght against Four Loko has led many consumers, especially college -aged ones, to stock up.

One Kwik Trip employee said that because of the high demand of the products in fear of a ban, a double order was placed on the last day they could order. “People were walking out of here with cases of the drinks. It was re-ally something,” she said.

One 24-ounce can of Four Loko has been compared to drinking � ve or six beers and two cups of co� ee. � e combination of caf-

feine and alcohol can lead to a "wide-awake drunk" phenomenon, a condition that can make it di� cult for people to realize how in-toxicated they are. As a result, they consume far more alcohol than they would otherwise drink without passing out.

Popular drinks like Four Loko came under FDA scrutiny a� er they were blamed for an increase in alcohol related hospitalizations in college students. Dozens of college students in Washington and New Jersey were rushed

to emergency rooms a� er consuming the al-cohol. Fatal car crashes and even deaths have been blamed on the drinks.

One can of Four Lokos has 12 percent volume by alcohol, meaning for every liquid ounce in the beverage, 12 percent of it is alco-hol. In comparison, a can of Keystone Light has an alcohol content volume of 4.2 percent.

Despite the high alcohol content, many feel the government ban of the drinks is tak-ing it too far.

“It’s a consumer’s conscious decision to drink, even if it has contradicting in-gredients such as stimulants and depres-sants. Other hard liquors have much higher proofs, and they aren’t being banned,” stu-dent Alex Davis said.

Associated Press contributed to this story

MyEaglesNest.NET

“It was hard to say whether or not we

cohol. Fatal car crashes and even deaths have

One can of Four Lokos has 12 percent volume by alcohol, meaning for every liquid

hol. In comparison, a can of Keystone Light has an alcohol content volume of 4.2 percent.

Despite the high alcohol content, many

“It’s a consumer’s conscious decision

sants. Other hard liquors have much higher

The FDA warned Phusion Projects, makers of the Four Loko beverage that they must re-formulate their ca� einated alcoholic drinks, or face product seizure after studies showed the added ca� eine was an unsafe food additive. Many stores have already pulled the drink from store shelves.

to the groin with a closed � st. If the attacker grasps your body from

the front, the simplest way that allows for little e� ort is to press your thumbs on his eyes. When done as hard as possible it is very e� ective. Dig into the eyes sockets with as much force as possible. � is may sound disturbing, but remember your life may be at stake here. � e sharp pain is bound to deter the attacker for just enough to get away.

Another great point of attack is the feet. � ey are rarely a concern for an attacker, and will be bound to catch the assailant o� guard. Stomp as hard as possible on the toes or top of the foot. � is will cause a re-� ex in the attacker to let go giving you free room to make a break.

If attacked from the side, strike the throat aiming for that Adam’s apple with you elbow. � is will cause severe pain and is extremely e� cient. You can also com-bine this with a groin kick or foot stomp to push back your attacker even more.

More goes into self defense than good moves; it’s all about intelligence. Avoiding situations that would get you in a dan-gerous position is the best but not always possible. When attacked improvise, call as much attention to yourself as possible: yell-ing, screaming, and using items you have on you as weapons are all helpful.

UW-La Crosse o� ers many programs teaching self defense that are o� ered through the University Police periodically. You can call (608)-789-9000 with ques-tions. Services on campus including the University Police and the Violence Preven-tion O� ce.

O� cials urge students to learn self defense

From DEFENSE, page 1

› To watch Professor McKelley’s win-ning dance search rmckelley on YouTube

Katie Tucker � e Racquet

› SELF DEFENSE IN A BACKPACK › Pens and Pencils

› Roll of Quarters

› Bobby pins

› Keys on a chain

› Whistle

Find us at www.theracquet.net or on

Page 6

ViewpointThursday, december 2, 2010� e voice of the campus community is printed here

You can’t be heard if you don’t speak up!Send your letter for The Open Forum to

viewpoint@theracquet.net today!

There will be no catharsis on Sunday, Dec. 19, just a collective muttering: “let’s just get this over with so I can study.”

Commencement is supposed to mark the end of college. Like a grand opening ceremony, its pomp and circumstance clearly notes the completion of a long trudge through academia.

But not at UW-L. Here, com-mencement is in the middle of fi nals on Sunday, Dec. 19, and the last fi nal is Wednesday Dec. 22. In fact, the bulk of the academic bludgeoning that is fi nals week isn’t until the ap-parently meaningless affair is over.

So instead of actually being the end of this chapter of our lives, com-mencement will for many of us be followed by re-opening those books and cramming Sunday night.

With all the pageantry and plan-

ning one could hope for, including bringing in the camcorder-toting grandparents who insist their grand-kid walks the stage rather than study, commencement’s not a brief fl ing. The time we spend dealing with it could be better spent preparing for the three fi nals we still have during the upcoming week.

Without a doubt, they will mail us our degrees after confi rming we didn’t fail our post-commencement fi nals. But with a purely ceremonial occasion like commencement, the symbolism should at least represent some substance. Since it doesn’t really mark the end of anything, the whole balloon defl ates, and the empty envelope we’ll be handed on the stage in place of a real degree is the only thing at commencement that will have any, albeit ironic, meaning.

O� the Record...

Hannah HendersonViewpoint Editor

viewpoint@theracquet.net

DERAILED.

5 bedroom. Now renting for next school year. June 1.� ree blocks from UW-L ,774 N 22 St. No pets. $310 per person.

plus utilities, o� street parking, laundry, large o� ce can be used as a bedroom, separate heat controls,

have larger units also. 608-792-7319.

TheRacqueT

EDITORIAL BOARDKelli Ponce | Editor in Chiefkponce@theracquet.netJake Gietman | Publisher jgeitman@theracquet.netLauren Seidl | News Editor news@theracquet.netKatie Tucker | City Editorcity@theracquet.netAlex Witt | Features Editor features@theracquet.netAllen Knappenberger | Projects Editor aknappenberger@theracquet.netIsaac Lindahl | Sports Editor sports@theracquet.netTaylor Fagerburg | Multimedia Editor photo@theracquet.netHannah Henderson | Viewpoint Editor viewpoint@theracquet.netMegan Fallon | Online Editor online@theracquet.netChris Rochester | Editorial Consultantcrochester@theracquet.net

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The Racquet

FROM THE EDITORS

Everyone knows the faster you do something the better. It’s the Ameri-can way.

But when it comes to taking exams there seems to be a common misconception that there is no ben-e� t to speed. I’ve even been in some classes where professors even en-couraged students to take their time, and to read questions carefully. I � nd this type of behavior very unsettling and I believe it is time I address the issue especially with � nals looming. Whenever you step into a classroom to take an exam, the only thing you should be worrying about is how quickly you can � nish.

� ere are several easy steps you can take to ensure speedy comple-tion. First, when dealing with mul-tiple choice questions always choose the � rst correct answer you see and move on. Second, always trust your gut; you have no time for second guessing.

� ird, don’t check your answers. If you accidentally missed a question or a whole page that’s too bad, there’s

no going back.At this point you’re probably

thinking, “Why the hell would I do any of this? It’ll just make me do worse on my tests.” You’re absolutely right, I can almost guarantee selling out for speed will lower your score by half a letter grade. You’ll end up missing several of the easiest ques-tions on the test and you’ll feel like a complete idiot because of it.

So why try to be � rst? Because gosh darn it, it impresses people. It makes you feel superior and it gets people talking. Nothing else can really compare to the feeling you get when you breeze through that calc or chem � nal in twenty minutes. As you walk to the front of the class to hand it in, you get to see the look of shock on your professor’s face when they realize you didn’t just get up to ask a question, but instead have just made their precious little test your beotch.

On your way out you’re graced by other students’ longing stares and murmurs. Sometimes you can make out the whispers, other times you can’t, but they’re always the same. All you need to do is smile and nod as you leave. Your dominance is unmatched; you own them.

By Ethan PetersAssociate ReporterAssociate Reporter

Finishing � nals, fast

Train project casually ignores economics for misguided environmentalism

TESTING OUT

� e federal government recently bestowed a great gi� upon the resi-dents of Wisconsin: A sum of cash in excess of $800,000,000 (that’s a lot of zeroes!) to be used toward build-ing a “high-speed” train, which will travel between Milwaukee and Madison. � is “free” money was the fourth largest amount given among all states with only California, Florida and Illinois net-ting more. � is would be a good time to mention that historically speaking rail projects almost always cost more than projected.

� e project would have enough funds to establish a train line with speeds of up to 79 miles per hour, but when considering three various stops along the route, a trip from Madison to Milwaukee crawls in at around 58 miles per hour. Interstate 94, which follows the same route, has an obvious speed advantage.

It also costs approximately $15 or less in fuel for a vehicle to make this trip on the highway. A ticket to ride the train will come with a he� y charge of approximately $25. � e face price on the ticket does not include the $125 in costs to Wis-consin taxpayers for each person riding the railway when consider-ing maintenance and operation costs along with government estimates of the expected number of users.

� ere is also a public transporta-tion alternative to keeping personal vehicles o� the road called Badger Bus. � is company is a privately-owned enterprise, which has six di� erent buses currently making the trek along the proposed “high-speed” rail route. � e fare is $17.50 and the bus makes the trip between Madi-son and Milwaukee in ten minutes less than the proposed train would traverse that distance. When con-sidering government estimates, the presence of this railway only relieves 2.6 percent of cars and trucks from

the interstate. A large-scale project such as this

will undoubtedly create some short-term construction jobs. If the plan in place goes through, the job numbers will peak at over 4,000 temporary

jobs in 2012. � ese jobs are short lived and eventually around 55 per-manent positions will be o� ered to operate and

maintain the route according to the federal government’s projections.

Considering all these cost impli-cations maybe this proposed route is meant as a long-term environmental initiative. State estimates suggest that carbon emissions could be reduced by around 7,000 tons as a result of this project. � is equates to a price tag of $9,700 per ton of CO2 saved. Carbon o� set credits cost between $6-28 for each ton. � is looks to be a very cost ine� ective way to save the earth.

Furthermore, a 2010 study by Berkeley – Berkeley! – says that high-speed rail lines must run for 71 years with at least half occupancy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to a point that o� sets emissions created constructing the train line.

� is doesn’t account for the greenhouse gas produced by the diesel engines in the trains during that time period. It’s quite obvious that environmen-tal bene� ts from the “high-speed”

rail will not be seen for a very long time.

If this money is not used for “high-speed” rail it will need to be returned to the federal government. Good. All the costs that come along with this project in the long run make it irresponsible to spend the money for the sake of spending it. Maybe a good alternative would be to fund a dozen new bus lines for Badger Bus at a fraction of the cost.

Let’s join the majority of Wiscon-sinites who oppose this initiative.

Classi� eds

A ticket to ride the train will come with a hefty charge of

approximately $25 ... This does not include the $125 in costs to Wisconsin taxpayers

If this money is not used for “high-speed” rail it will need to be returned to the federal

government. Good.

MUASA:

“Dude, come on shave.” A friend of Dan Rosenblatt uttered these words in a plea to get him to shave his beard during the 2008-2009 school year. What this friend didn’t know was that Rosenblatt was holding a program for the organization Men United Against Sexual Assault, or MUASA, to raise money for a women’s shelter.

Based on their Web site http://www.uwlax.edu/muasa/who_we_are.htm, MUASA is, “an organization of men and women on campus that deal speci� cally with educating oth-ers and ourselves about the root causes and social norms sur-rounding sexual assault.” � e group has been prevalent on campus for years but lost support and members early in 2000.

� eir mission, “is primarily invested in the concept that it is necessary to empower men to understand that ending sexual violence is an issue that is paramount in their pursuit to end all forms of violence primarily sexual assault. We there-fore call ourselves Men United Against Sexual Assault, not to exclude women from the goals of our organization or from our membership, but to empower men to realize how impor-tant their role is in ending violence against women.”

Being a group devoted to making men and women aware of sexual assault seemed to lose interest among its followers but quickly turned around during the 2006-2007 school year. For three years there were � ve members that kept the group alive with a few � oaters upping the total to eight. Now, MUASA has over 20 regular attendees each week. Originally thought of as just a men’s group, MUASA soon turned the corner when con-tinual female interest and involvement swayed the university to make them a co-ed organization. � is act would help the group become well rounded and even more developed.

President and four-year member, Dan Rosenblatt, was one man who helped restore MUASA as an active, participating organization on campus. As a sophomore he decided to grow out his beard. Many of his friends commented on it and one

even said, “Nice beard man. Keep it going.” One friend, how-ever, thought it wasn’t the best-looking thing in the world and told Dan, “ Dude, come on shave.” � is sparked a creative idea in Dan. What if he took donations for growing or shaving his beard and gave the money to a women’s shelter in need? Dan did just this and called the program Shave-It or Save-It.

MUASA participates in more community activities than just Shave-It or Save-It. In the past they have done two date auctions and received over $2,000, which went to another women’s shelter. � ey also ran a FACES campaign where prestigious local � gures came out and gave quotes to support MUASA’s cause and to stand up against unjust treatment and sexual misconduct.

MUASA has generously donated their time in the past to helping out with Safety On Our Sidewalks. “Our goal is to help out in the community by supporting SOS and providing a safe walk home for anyone in need. We also wear our t-shirts when we volunteer in order to spread the word that men do stand out against sexual assault and others can too,” said Rosenblatt.

� e big ticket to their success is getting involved in programs in the Residence Halls and giving classroom pre-sentations. � e p r e s e n t a t i o n s usually consist of who they are, their goals as a group, introductions of their members, and a statement of why they are members of MUASA. Each pre-sentation concludes with an invitation to the class or hall to attend the next meeting.

A great program to watch for this spring is a cell phone drive. MUASA is going to host a day where anyone can bring in an old cell phone they are not using, with its charger, and hand it to a MUASA member. � ese old phones won’t be re-cycled but will be put to use right away. “Women’s shelters distribute them to women to use in emergency situations for calling 911 if they need help. It can stop assaults and save lives,” said Rosenblatt.

MUASA isn’t all business. � ey o� en hold social events outside of their weekly meetings to bond and hang out with each other. A few events they’ve done have been going to see Toy Story 3, taking a walk downtown to the farmer’s market, and random game nights. � e members aren’t just members; they’re friends too.

A typical meeting for this group involves an icebreaker, an introduction to new comers, and then following an agenda. � e agenda holds upcoming events, classroom presenta-tions, fundraisers, social events, an educational piece, current events, and time for open discussion. “Meetings have a laid back, relaxed atmosphere. Everyone’s opinions are welcome and highly valued,” said Rosenblatt

MUASA meets at 7 p.m. every other Wednesday in room 342 of Cartwright Center. “If you know a male or female who has experienced sexual assault, have a mother, sister, female-

friend, or may one day have a daughter, I would strongly rec-ommend joining MUASA,” said Rosenblatt.

He adds,“ No one wants sexual assault to happen to them or their loved ones, but unfortunately, statistical reality is that it will. We can change those odds. Prevention starts today.”

Over 500 UW-La Crosse students participated in Matt Vo-gel’s “Facebook Fast.” � e Facebook Fast was an experiment conducted entirely by Vogel and � ve of his students. It began

on Wednesday, Nov. 10 at 10 p.m., ending the following week. Although many individuals use the social network as a com-munication method to family members and distant friends, the web-based interface consumes time management skills and face-to-face communication.

Although Facebook is a valuable connection resource, Vogel and the students are aware of how interruptive social networking sites are because they aid procrastination, kill privacy, and increase time spent online that would otherwise be used for homework. � e process was believed to provide “insight into how and why we utilize certain things the way we do.”

According to Vogel, the idea of the fast began on Facebook itself. Matt commented on a status in regards to it, thinking it was a brilliant idea. And, it furthered. It was coined by � ve seniors as a communications studies class project. With Vo-

gel’s help, they were able to o� er the fast to the entire student body. � e project began with a survey with questions encom-passing everything from how many times a day someone logs on to facebook to how long they typically spend when they are on it. Average responses usually were between three and four times per day. � erefore, assuming the average student logs on to Facebook for an hour each time, they lose four hours a day of valuable time, the equivalent of 28 hours or more than two days per week.

� e fast provided individuals the ability to regain the time lost from Facebook, devote more focus to their studies and concentrate on the ever-dreaded face-to-face contact. Glob-ally, there are 500 million active users on Facebook—nearly 7.46 percent of the world’s population. On average, 50 per-cent of all users are online everyday. Users will spend over 700 billion minutes online, which is equivalent to over 486.1 million days. Statistics show Facebook is a fast growing ad-diction.

On day seven of the fast, participants were asked to com-plete a � nal survey. Ironically, nearly 100 more students than originally anticipated completed the survey. Almost all of the participants were able to devote more time to studying. How-ever, most of the participants also felt detached from friends and family. Most were able to complete the fast with hardly ever visiting the site, but were enthusiastic about being active users again.

� e fast ended, Wednesday November 17th at 10 p.m., af-ter an hour long meeting in Vahalla.

Facebook provides information about friends, family, and even random people at users’ � nger tips. Imagine going a week without it. Many were unable to recall birthdays, events, or respond to important wall posts. Listening to participants recount memories prior to Facebook’s popularity rise, it is as-sumed the study habits, face-to-face contact, exercise time, sleep hours, and new internet resources all increased. De-spite the support for the fast, Vogel is unsure if another will be implemented anytime in the near future. � at doesn’t mean a personal, family/friend, or even residence hall based fast can’t happen. According to most of those attending the concluding meeting, the fast would be most applicable and desired during � nals or midterm weeks.

A� er participating, users ditched Facebook as homep-age, accessibility on mobile devices, and are no longer always signed in. � ey � nd themselves using Facebook for less time during the day and devoting more time to study and exercise habits. Without the fast many have agreed, most wouldn’t be aware of the will power they have or the ample amount of free time accessible without hours spent online. Vogel’s Facebook fast provided, as promised, “insight into how and why we uti-lize certain things the way we do.”

Page 7Thursday, December 2, 2010

LifeEtc.

A weeklong ast

By Olivia MercerAssociate ReporterAssociate Reporter

Vogel, students challenge facebook addicts to kick the

habit

By Allen KnappenbergerFeatures Projects EditorFeatures Projects Editor

Giving “no shave” a new meaning

Beards bring more than just strange looks

Dan Rosenblatt, above, sports a t-shirt with MUASA’s motto, “got consent?” MUASA meets every other Wednes-day at 7 p.m. in 342 Cartwright.

Contributed by Dan Rosenblatt

Vogel

A UW-La Crosse student takes a break from studying to check Facebook. Matt Vogel challenged students to give up Facebook for one week.

Katie Tucker � e Racquet

What if he took donations for growing or shaving his beard and gave the money to a women’s shelter in need?

What does it mean to be a well-rounded college student? Does it mean doing well in school, having a social life, all while maintain-ing a healthy lifestyle and stereotypical “good” body image?

For one UW-La Crosse student, it means a whole lot more than all of that. In the spring of 2011, UW-L Communications Studies major and the Racquet’s features editor, Alex Witt, will embark on a journey to support a cause he became familiar with just six short months ago.

Over the past summer Witt became involved with the Wis-consin chapter of the National Multiple Sclerosis society by vol-unteering to become the chapter’s communications intern. But his experience went far beyond what he thought to be a typical internship.

In his four months working on various proj-ects, Witt was able to gain a deeper connection with a cause he previously was unfamiliar with. It wasn’t long a� er he started working there that one of Witt’s long-time high school friends informed him of his MS diagnosis the previous year.

A� er being struck by this gut wrenching news, Witt made it his personal mission to take the disease head-on. � roughout his intern-ship, Witt took every possible opportunity to volunteer for chapter events, and this spring will take the word volunteer to a whole new level.

Saturday, April 16, La Crosse will host its version of the annual Walk MS event. Each year thousands of walkers hit the streets of cities all over Wisconsin to walk toward a cure for the devastating disease that a� ects nearly 10,000

of the state’s residents. Outside of La Crosse, walks are held in Mil-waukee, Appleton, Eau Claire, Madison, She-boygan, and Wausau, among others. � is year, there will even be a “Virtual Walk” op-tion where people can build their own groups and fundraising goals to walk in a location of

their choice. � e true story behind Witt’s newly found

passion to � nd a cure for MS will be found in La Crosse come April. Witt has recently chal-lenged himself to create a model for a UW-L fundraiser for years to come. “I want to get this

thing big,” said Witt. “I know that there are enough people up here that would become as attached to the cause as I did.”

But he also admits that getting the fundraiser o� the ground won’t be easy.

� e preliminary stages are currently in motion, but as of now, he only has a few people that have shown in-terest helping with the event. “Ideally, we will have a giant

UW-L team with branches for people to team up against MS for their friends,” said Witt.

As far as goals are concerned, the UW-L se-nior is still unsure of a speci� c number, but says that he will know more by the end of the year. “It will be di� cult to get students to donate a lot of their hard earned money, but time is just as important,” said Witt. “If 100 students can raise just $100 in pledges, UW-L would have a contribution of $10,000.”

Registration for the Walk MS is easy. Just log on to www.wisms.org or call 262-369-4400 to sign up as a team or individually.

If you are interested in helping Witt with his cause or would like more information on chap-ter events, he can be contacted at witt.alex@uwlax.edu. He will begin putting his team and UW-L goals together come early January.

With the change of season comes the change of scenery at Riverside Park as thousands of volun-teers join together to set up and operate the Rotary Lights display. � ey wouldn’t have much to set up if it weren’t for Leo Chaput, a Rotary Lights member who designs and builds the lighted animations that are seen throughout the park.

Chaput’s work planning and constructing starts in October, but he spends rainy days throughout the year in the workshop � xing or recycling retired ani-mations. He explains that an animation will need to be modi� ed a� er about � ve years, but that they can last for almost ten.

Chaput has been a member a� er he retired in 2002 and is currently working on his thirty-fourth anima-tion, a Packer player. He creates approximately three animations every year, and can spend up to three full weeks to complete just one. He donates all of his time, skill, and e� ort.

“When you retire, you � nd yourself doing a lot of things you’ve always wanted to do, a lot of which are volunteer opportunities,” says Chaput. His � rst ani-mation was a � re-breathing dragon that was 12 feet tall and 32 feet long. To this day it is still one of his favorite displays.

All of the magic happens in the Rotary Lights workshop on Market Street. � e � rst step in manu-facturing an animated light display is to draw it with chalk on the cement � oor. � en, metal rods are bent and welded together to create the frame for the lights. � e animation comes to life when lights are strung

through colored tubing and then fastened to the frame with zip ties.

Chaput doesn’t have to put these projects together all by himself. Last year, roughly 2800 volunteers as-sisted in the set up of the Rotary Lights. Organiza-tions on campus and in the community send volun-teers, and over 70 groups will be on the roll call this year.

Chaput feels that the respect for the Rotary Lights comes from the numerous volunteers who work on the project.

“When you think of the holidays in La Crosse, you think of the Rotary Lights,” says UW-La Crosse Com-munication Club o� cer Caitlin Fitzpatrick.

Communication Club is just one of the many or-ganizations that dedicates time each year to volunteer in the construction of the display. � e club requires members to participate in two service projects each semester, and has already made an appearance at the park to aid in the setup.

Leo Chaput strongly believes in passing on his skills. “I want to teach others so that Rotary Lights can keep going bright,” he says. He frequently works around the schedules of the participating groups to show them what needs to be done for each animation.

� e Rotary Lights saves a huge chunk of money by Chaput’s volunteering. To purchase a single animated display would cost around $20,000. � e donation of his talent and time slashes the cost of the displays considerably, which makes attendance to this winter wonderland in the park free to the public.

� e only request made of attendees is to bring a nonperishable food item to contribute. � e Rotary Lights will also gladly accept strings of lights, whether working or broken. � ey can be dropped o� at the workshop or by the Rotary Lights trailer at Riverside Park. A few years ago, Chaput and another commu-nity member collaborated to make a Rotary Lights coloring book, which can be purchased for $5 at the park.

Visitors can see Santa Claus and live reindeer each night, and a live nativity scene on the weekends. � e park will be available for viewing until the end of Jan-uary from 5 p.m. until 10 p.m.

Page 8LifeEtc.

Thursday, December 2, 2010

Want to get involved? The Racquet is hiring for 2011 Spring semester!

-Features Beat Reporter-Copyeditor

Apply today at www.theracquet.net or e-mail editor@theracquet.net for

a position on our spring crew.

Alex WittFeatures Editorawitt@theracquet.net

By Ashley AtkinsonStaff ReporterStaff Reporter

Shining brightRotary club member

donates talent and time to keep the event moving

Leo Chaput gets ready to bring his work to life for the Annual Rotary Lights display. The lights are open to the public from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. on weekends through Dec. 31.

Ashley Atkinson � e Racquet

By Allen KnappenbergerFeatures Projects EditorFeatures Projects Editor

Stepping for Sclerosis

An upbeat performance of big band and vocal jazz holiday favorites

Satu rday, Dec. 4, 20107:30 p.m. | Valhalla, Cartwright Center-Gunning Addition

UW-La Crosse

A great date or family event — Expect a visit from Santa!Limited cabaret table seatingOne show only — Order now!

Tickets: Reserved $20 | General admission $10 adult/$5 student(suggested donation)

A sellout every year!

with The Great River Big BandUW-L Instrumental & Vocal Jazz Ensembles

La Crosse Jazz Combo

For tickets, information and to request disability accommodationscall 785.8415 or stop by 145 Center for the Arts,UW-La Crosse

Major credit cards accepted.

A great holiday gift!

Racquet editor fundraises for

Multiple Sclerosis event

CONTACT › To register for the walk:

www.wisms.org or call 262-369-4400

› To volunteer: e-mail witt.alex@uwlax.edu

� ere is a magical quality in stunning someone special with a thoughtful holiday gi� . But a great gi� isn’t necessarily about how much it costs. Local businesses are do-ing their best to help the � ght against the � nancial slide during the holiday season. � ese � ve area shops o� er gi� s that will surely make someone smile without burning a hole in your wallet.

Generous Earth Pottery is an ideal place to visit if you wish to put a personal touch on holiday gi� s this year. Customers can go into the store to design and hand-paint their own pottery. “It’s a nice gi� because students have

made it themselves,” said owner Karen Bressi.

 Generous Earth also provides pre-made pottery in almost any shape you can think of. Small items like tea cups, ornaments, and shot glasses typically cost consumers about $10.00. Other-wise large platters, bowls and vases sell for around $20.

� e materials are provided for you to design however you please. � ere are always helpful sta� members avail-able to aid in the process. Visit the store during shop hours on weekends or by appointment during the week to cre-ate your gi� . � e store is located at 221 Pearl Street downtown.

Lark, a clothing boutique in down-town La Crosse, o� ers artisan jewelry and accessories. In particular, they car-ry a line of beautiful scarves perfect for the colder days that seem to be upon us. Andrea Fisher, store owner, appre-ciates the fact that she can contribute to those looking for unique gi� s. “� e neck warmers are great little gi� s. � ey’re di� erent and you won’t � nd

them in the mall or a department store,” said Fisher.

“� ese scarves keep you warm without the bulk,” said Fisher. � e neck warmers are handmade in a variety of colors and patterns created by local designers.

  All scarves are made from velvet and are a special, short crossover-button design. � ere is an array of colors, patterns and de-signs, all of which sell for $25. � e store is located at 319 Main Street downtown.

River City Hobbies carries popular “trade paperbacks” from almost any era imaginable. For those of you wondering what trade pa-perbacks are, they are compilations of comic book series into one larger book.

 Some of the popular books contain origi-nal storylines to popular movies such as Sin City, Watchmen, and V for Vendetta. Other popular storylines include Fables and Walk-ing Dead have been made into TV shows.

  All of stories make great gi� ideas, but collecting the complete series of a comic book can be di� cult and expensive. Trade paperbacks are an easy and inexpensive way to read the complete story. � e cost of one book varies, but generally is $10 to $15. River

City Hobbies is located at 313 Main Street in downtown.

Barnes and Noble  bookseller carries the three newest popular � ction books for the season. Michael Connelly’s  � e Reversal, John Grisham’s  � e Confession, and James Patterson’s Cross� re. � e three titles current-ly retail for $28 each.  Barnes and Noble  is located at the Valley View Mall in Onalaska.

Legends Sports, a sports memorabilia store, carries gear to please any fanatic. Col-lege and Pro teams are represented with ban-ners, mugs, glasses, � ags and gi� s are found typically cost around $10.

 � e shop o� ers “legendary deals,” espe-cially framed playing cards of famous Green Bay Packer players like Brett Favre and Jim Taylor. � ese cards vary in price, but almost always are in stock for about $5. � ey also carry Green Bay Packer banners and posters featuring current players like Donald Driver, Greg Jennings, or Charles Woodson for $10.

 If you have a sports fan on your list this holiday season, this fan-fare shop presents a great opportunity without leaving you in � -nancial despair. Legends Sports is located in the Valley View Mall in Onalaska.

Page 9LifeEtc.

Thursday, December 2, 2010

Bang for your buckLocal stores

off er aff ordable holiday gift

ideasBy Philippe Meister

Associate ReporterAssociate Reporter

River City Hobbies carries some of the most famous “trade paperbacks” one can � nd, at af-fordable prices. They include popular story lines like V for Vendetta and Watchmen.

Contributed by River City Hobbies

Allen KnappenbergerFeatures Projects Editor

+/– Props to spur of the moment shopping trips to the dells. Drops to spending way too much money.

+/– Props to eating at Erbert and Gerbets. Drops to shoving the cookies for sale down my shirt instead of paying for them.

+/– Props to Polito’s Pizza. Drops to the last UW-L football game of the season. Drops for them losing it.

+/– Props to going out for the $6 wristbands. Drops to seemingly “forgetting” every-thing that I did while I was wearing it.

+/– Props to free beer at Brother’s. Drops to it being Keystone Light.

+/– Props to knowing the bouncer at a bar. Double props to him for giving my friend’s ID back.

+/– Props to bringing my birthday flask out with me. Drops to Bronson Bombkamp stealing it from me.

+/– Props to professors who give take home exams. Drops to waiting until the day before it’s due to start working on it.

+/– Props to fist-pumping all the way from Tomah to La Crosse. Drops to not being able to move my arms the next day.

+/– Props to Patti Mendez-Smith visiting this weekend and double-fisting drinks at Brother’s with us!

Send us your best Props and Drops to features@theracquet.net or post them on our discussion tab at facebook.com/theracquet.

Generous Earth Pottery allows customers to come in and design their own pottery items. The store is open on weekends or by appointment most weekdays.

Contributed by Creative Earth

+/- Props to � anksgiving break. Drops to not doing anything all break and having a ton of homework to do before � nals

+/- Props to the punching game at Brothers. Drops to Mickey Boyle losing to three girls.

+/- Props to ending night at Politios. Drops to eating two slices of pizza.

+/- Props to Krista Flynn shooting a huge 8 pointer. Drop to it being � � een degrees out all day.

+/- Props to the Turkey Trot. Drops to being hungover.

+/- Props to the safe ride bus drivers for putting up with all of us obnoxious kids.

+/- Props to anyone who worked Black Friday. Drops to all the rude shoppers.

+/- Props to seeing old friend over break. Drops to not spending enough time

with the fam.

+/- Props to graduating in three weeks. Drops to not having a job yet.

+/- Props to graduating. Drops to having two exams a� er graduation.

+/- Props to take home exams. Drops to my professor giving me a C and not giving any feedback.

-/- Drops to realizing I have $100 in my bank account that has to last me the rest of the semester. Double drops to not having a job over break.

+/- Props to my English Professor for cancelling class on Wednesday. Drops to having to go to my night class at 5:30 p.m.

-/- Drops to getting 4 hours of sleep. Double drops to feeling exhausted all day every day.

+/- Props to having three � anksgivings. Drops to gaining 10 pounds.

Page 10 thursday, December 2, 2010

Spotlight

You’ve still got time to apply for a

Summer JobThe office of Residence Life has summer positions available for

Resident Assistants, Conference Assistants, Assistant Housekeepers, Facility Specialist Assistants, & Work Crew

Providing Competitive Wages, including a free shared Room with Air Conditioning

For more information, please attend an

Information MeetingJanuary 30th, 9pm-10pm, 259 Cartwright Center

Applications and Job Descriptions are available at:http://www.uwlax.edu/ResLife/html/sumpro.html

Applicants are required to sign-up for an interview upon submitting applicationApplications are due by Wednesday, February 9, 4pm to the Office Of Residence Life - 103 Whitney Center

Questions?Contact Paul Rifkin @ rifkin.paul@uwlax.edu or 785-8971

� e Swinging Yuletide Concert is just around the corner to kick o� the holiday sea-

son. � is annual event will begin at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 4, in Valhalla, Cart-wright Center.

UW-L’s vocal and jazz ensembles will be joined by � e Great River Big Band and the La Crosse Jazz Quartet for a program includ-ing selections from Kenton’s Christmas collection and new arrangements from Gordon Goodwin’s Big Phat Band.  � ey

will also be performing portions of Duke El-lington’s adaptation of the “Nutcracker Suite” and Claude � ornhill’s “Snowfall.”

Continuous music will reverberate the sounds of the season from both sides of the room. Don’t be surprised to see eight rein-deer parked outside as Santa Claus is expect-ed to make a guest appearance.  � ere will also be a beverage service o� ering a variety of beer, wines, and other refreshments.

Dr. Greg Balfany is the Director of Jazz Studies at UW-L. He directs and plays with the Great River Big Band, as well as with his quartet, � e La Crosse Jazz Quartet.  He was signi� cant in the inception of a Swing-ing Yuletide and was responsible for the collaboration between the UWL bands, � e Great River Big Band, and � e La Crosse Jazz Quartet.

“� e concert was created to generate

funds for the UW-L jazz band,” said Balfany. “It sold out immediately.  I was astonished and it has sold out every year a� er.”

Tickets are a suggested donation of $5 for students and $10 for others or reserved tick-ets are available for $20. Seating is cabaret style and is limited and because of the annual success of this concert, it is expected to sell out once again so purchasing tickets early is suggested.       

“� e program is attended by 440 people,” said Balfany.  “Swinging Yuletide is attended mostly by people college-aged and up and is also a great family event.”

For tickets or more information, contact the UW-L Music Listening Lab in 145 Center for the Arts or at 608-785-8415.

By Emily KingAssociate ReporterAssociate Reporter

Twel� h Night, one of Shakespeare’s most beloved plays, complete with a modern twist will be performed in the Toland � eater here at UW-La Crosse Dec. 3-5 and 9-12. Director Walter Elder has incorporated his passion for Shakespeare and his overall love for the arts to create a relatable and ascetically appealing show for all. UW-L tends to do a Shakespear-ian show about every other year, which pro-vides students with a broad range of knowl-edge for the theatrical arts.

� e cast has been hard at work for the bet-terment of the production. Getting a grasp on Shakespearian plays is di� cult for even the best of the best, and shouldering it on college students seems unbearable. , Elder couldn’t help but beam with pride when he discussed the accomplishments of his cast. “� is show asks a lot of them, but they are rising to the occasion,” said Elder.

Much of the audience’s level of under-standing comes from the actors themselves. How they present the lines and the story is how they make it accessible and relatable to the audience members. Each character in the show has their own journey, or “strong, emotional character arc,” said Elder. It takes strong actors to ful� ll this task and you can only expect the best from these student ac-tors.

“� e clothes are contemporary, but there is no updated language.” Elder agrees with many other directors that by changing the Shakespearian language, you change the original vision, and the true beauty of the play. Many audience members choose not to attend shows with Shakespearian language for the seemingly daunting task of under-standing the plays content. Elder described the � rst few minutes of watching any show by

Shakespeare as “moving from a bright light into a darkened room.” You’re entire frame of reference needs to be altered; typically this only takes the duration of the � rst few scenes. But arriving to the show with an open-mind is crucial to enjoying the show and absorbing it for all of its worth. Arriving with a small amount of knowledge for the content of the show can help to keep your mind open.

Tickets for the show are $4 for students and can be obtained at the box o� ce in Cen-ter for the Arts or by calling 608-785-8522.

By Meghan O’ConnorAssociate ReporterAssociate Reporter

Annual concert turns on UW-L’s holiday spirit

Shakesperian delight to be performed at UW-L

Balfany

A SWINGING YULETIDEWhat: Annual holiday concert

Who: Open to anyone

When: Saturday, Dec. 4, 7:30 p.m.

Where: Valhalla, Cartwright Center

Cost: $10 for students

$20 for general population

For tickets or more information on the event, contact the UW-L Music

Listening Lab in Center for the Arts Room 145 or at 608-785-8415

TWELFTH NIGHTWhat: UW-L performance of

Shakespeare’s play

Who: Open to anyone

When: Dec. 9-11 & Dec. 3-4, 7:30 p.m.

Dec. 5 & 12, 2:00 p.m.

Where: Valhalla, Cartwright Center

Cost: $4 for UW-L Students

$10 for other students, senior

citizens, children

$12 general public

For tickets or more information on the event, contact the box o� ce in Center for the Arts at

608-785-8522

Page 11Thursday, December 2, 2010

CampusSportsEagles score � rst

home win of seasonRunning game is key to UW’s success

FREAKY FAST DELIVERY!

LACROSSE312 PEARL ST. ~ 608.784.4142

1420 LOSEY BLVD. ~ 608.788.2229

ONALASKA9432 STATE HWY. 16 ~ 608.781.4240

MONEY CAN BUY YOU LOVEJIMMY JOHN’S SANDWICH DELIVERY!

Build your resume by writing sports articles for The RacqueT.

We’re looking for passionate sports lovers who can get the behind-the-scenes stats and quotes on any sporting event. No experience required but strong writing skills

are smiled upon. Please e-mail racqueteditor@uwlax.edu for more information.

� e smell of popcorn, the roar of the fans, and the squeaking of shoes on the court, are all sure signs that it’s basketball season again.

� e UW-La Crosse men’s basketball team beat Viterbo in their home opener on Nov. 23 with a 70-57 win in the 22nd Annual Alumni Cup Game. � is put the Eagles overall record at 2-2 keeping them in the hunt for a conference title early.

A� er a 71-64 loss to Trinity International University (Ill.) on Saturday, Nov. 20 in the champion-ship game of the Bethel University Tip-O� Tournament, the Eagles came out hungry for another win against their rival.

� e game was close in the early minutes, but UW-L’s Braden Tice and Tony Mane helped the team pull away by each hitting a shot from beyond the arc. At one point the Eagles were up by eighteen. However, the V-Hawks reduced the lead to 34-21 just before hal� ime.

Head coach Ken Koelbl seemed to make some good hal� ime adjustments with his team, because once the Eagles took the court in the second half, there was no chance for Viterbo to come back.

Je� Heiden was on � re in the

second half. A� er a dry spell in the � rst half, he came out hungry in the second and led the team with 16 points, nine of which came from three-point shots alone.

Mane led UW-L overall with 21 points. Cory Degner and Jordan Rumpel each added 8 points for the Eagles while Al Chery led the team in rebounds with 8.

One thing Coach Koelbl was not happy with was the how care-less his team was with not only the ball but also their play.

� e team had 13 total turnovers and three technical fouls. Al Chery received a technical for hanging on the rim a� er a stellar dunk. Cody Degner and Tony Mane also both received technical fouls for taunting.

On the brighter side, UW-L shot 64 percent from the line, and made 30 of their 68 shots from the � oor. Six of them came from three-point range.

� e Eagles have looked promis-ing so far this season. � ey are averaging 73.5 points per game, shooting 45.6 percent from the � eld, including 42.2 percent from three point range, and 66.5 percent from the line.

UW-L returns to action Friday, Nov. 26 facing second-ranked Randolph-Macon College (Va.) in the Wabash College (Ind.) Tourna-ment. Tip-o� is scheduled for 5 p.m.

� e UW-La Crosse men’s wres-tling team had their home opener Nov. 24 winning 40-4 over the UW-Whitewater Warhawks.

� e match was great to watch, as it was a near clean-sweep of every weight class. If it weren’t for the 5-15 loss by 197-pounder John Poppie to Whitewater’s 7th ranked Adam Latella, the Eagles would have had a perfect match.

Poppie’s loss was followed by UW-L’s heavyweight Billy Mayer beating James Zarate of White-water 9-4 making the score 3-4 in favor of the Warhawks.

� e next match gave La Crosse a 9-4 lead a� er 125-pounder Albie McKinney pinned Jed Wilson in the � rst period. � at gave the Eagles the spark they needed and the next two matches ended in falls as well.

Adam Sheley (133) pinned his opponent in the � rst period, fol-lowed by Bebeto Yewah pinning his challenger in the second period.

� e Eagles didn’t stop there.

Matt Mauseth (149) went on to beat Whitewater’s Kegan Arthur in the third period.

With La Crosse sitting at a com-fortable 24-4 lead, 157-pounder Ryan Farwell beat his opponent with a decision of 9-2.

Next up was 5th ranked Cory Ferguson who defended his rank by pinning his opponent Adam Zeh within a matter of seconds.

Scott Gi� ord (174) and Mitch Artist (184) � nished out the match with two decisions of 9-7 and 5-3 respectively.

UW-L returns to action Sat-urday Dec. 4 at the Holiday Inn Express in La Crosse starting at 9 a.m.

O� to a great start Eagles take home opener 40-4

Photo Courtesy of UW-L Athletics

By Isaac LindahlSports Editor

� e national championship appears to be a match-up between Oregon’s wacky, no-huddle o� ense and Auburn’s own wacky, no-huddle o� ense. � e no-huddle and spread systems are the new rave of college football. � ese o� enses are the social equivalent of the man wearing the Hollister T-shirt and North Face jacket. � e Wisconsin Badgers’ season has not followed these trends so closely.

If Oregon and Auburn are the pretty boys in Hollister and North Face, then UW is the big smelly man in the Carhartt jacket with a “what are you looking at?” expres-sion on his face.

Although new trends have start-ed to appear in college football, the Badgers do not seem to care. Like in years past, they are winning on a power running game. In a tribute to this traditional brand of football, we take a closer look at the Badger o� ense.

Speaking of big smelly men, no group should be given more credit for UW’s success this season than the o� ensive line. As a unit, these guys are a � ve-headed steamroller. With an average size of 6’5’’, 320 pounds, the line has been the main reason the Badgers have averaged

over � ve yards per carry along with allowing only 12 sacks all season. � ey are arguably the best in the NCAA and attracting the attention of NFL scouts.

While many teams have been using smaller, more agile lineman for their spread o� enses, UW is still recruiting big, burly men to bust defenses open for their pro-style running game. Seniors Gabe Carimi and John Mo� tt will be early-round picks in this upcoming dra� .

However, you can’t have power-running without the running back. For years UW has made household names of many backs over the years. But this season has done more. � is year’s team has made three di� erent running backs highlight reel members over the course of the season.

John Clay, Montee Ball, and James White have all posted double-digit touchdowns. � ey have also made life di� cult for defensive coordinators by making them prepare for three distinct styles.

Despite being injured the last

several weeks, Clay has continued to run like an angry bull, taking every yard the Badgers’ o� ensive-line has given him and then smash-ing ahead for a few more of his own. He has spent the last several weeks on the sideline, but he will be healthy when the Badgers face TCU in the Rose Bowl, and will once again play a key role.

In the meantime, the Badgers have done well without him. Mon-tee Ball has averaged over three touchdowns per game in Clay’s absence. Not bad for a sophomore who started the year as an un-known 3rd-string back.

� e youth movement does not end with Ball either. In what may be college’s most talented back� eld, true freshman James White may be the most gi� ed of them all. Posting an impressive seven yards per carry average, White could be a Heis-man candidate in the next couple of years.

Say what you want about the Badgers and their reluctance to change. Call them boring, old-fashioned, even stubborn. � ey probably won’t care. � e game has changed and so will the Badgers, in their respective ways.

As long as the running backs stay talented and the linemen are still enormous, the Badgers will do what they have done for decades. Run the ball, and run it well.

By Isaac LindahlSports EditorSports Editor

Basketball beats Viterbo 70-57By Ryan Pomerening

Senior Reporter

Badgers � nish on top in Big Ten

Clay

Isaac LindahlSports Editorsports@theracquet.net

Page 12 GrinBin Thursday December 2, 2010

Sudoku

Sudoku

This Week’s Solution

WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/

THERACQUETDon’t miss out on everyone’s favorite, Props’n Drops. This week they can be found on Page 10.