http://www.frontpagemilwaukee.com/site/Viewer.aspx?iid=1024&mname=ArticleGroup FPM INVESTIGATIVE REPORT: FEW MISCONDUCT CASES HEARD AT UW-MILWAUKEE en-us 60 By Cesar A. Rojas August 2009 Of the Frontpage Milwaukee staff Milwaukee – As the Board of Regents considers revisions to expand administrative rules to off-campus misconduct complaints, new official misconduct records reveal UW-Milwaukee handled only 41 cases in the last five years. That is an average of almost seven cases per year. The UW-Milwaukee Office of Student Life misconduct records do not include the total number of incidents handled by other campus departments, which sanction students for rule violations but do not refer these incidents to the dean of students, a recent Front Page Milwaukee investigation found. The rules covering student conduct and conduct on university property, known as Chapter University of Wisconsin System (UWS) 17 and 18 of the State Administrative Code, include nonacademic misconduct that is subject to disciplinary action such as violence, theft, disruption, and intimidation on campus grounds as well as prohibited behavior on campus property. Front Page Milwaukee found: • There were only two cases of expulsion in the five years, although 83 percent of the cases referred to the dean of students’ office were categorized as either “serious danger to the safety of campus members or guests” and “stalking or harassment.” • Of the five-year caseload, 41 percent resulted in probation. Almost 30 percent resulted in suspension. • Not all of the incidents handled by other campus offices were included in the official report produced by the UW-Milwaukee Office of Student Life, even though they are required to submit these numbers, according to the dean of students. • Theft is the most frequent crime on campus, but only two incidents were included in the dean’s report. • Hundreds of misconduct incidents at UWM, according to residence halls and campus police, involved underage drinking, but most of these offenses were not included in the official record in stark contrast to other UW schools, even though students escorted by ambulances from the dorms due to excessive drinking average three times a week. The true number of campus misconduct is difficult to discern, but may number in the hundreds. Front Page Milwaukee found that Residence Halls, Campus Police, Union staff, and the Office of Student Life do not sufficiently coordinate to produce an accurate assessment of overall misconduct incidences at UWM. Heavily redacted records due to the Federal Educational Rights and Privacy Act made it difficult to determine specific sanctions, such as length of probations for certain offenses committed on campus. The investigation into misconduct at different university campuses followed after Front Page Milwaukee submitted open records requests to obtain the number of misconduct incidents handled at several UW System schools, as well as specific offenses for students and sanctions charged against them. Front Page Milwaukee sent requests to several state public and private universities and conducted interviews with staff in the different campus offices that deal directly with misconduct issues on campus, including residence halls, Union security, UWMPD, and the Office of Student Life. Campus police data http://www4.uwm.edu/police/safetywarnings/campuscrimereport/archive/ reports reveal that UWM students have been cited for underage drinking, disorderly conduct in dorms, theft from UWM bookstore, and assault against other students. From May to December last year, the number of cases handled by the campus police involving UWM students is more than double the number the dean reported for the whole year. In December 2008 alone, nine incidents involved UWM students, the total number of incidents tallied in the dean’s record for last year. “I’m not necessarily getting all the records,” said UW-Milwaukee Dean of Students Jim Hill, who oversees misconduct referrals at the Office of Student Life. http://www4.uwm.edu/osl/dean/nonacademic.cfm “Police can give a student a citation and be done with it, the resident hall can sanction a student in the residence hall and be done with it,” said Hill, who said that the campus departments do not currently coordinate when handling misconduct incidents. Detective Sergeant Art Koch, from the University Police Department, said not all cases that his department deals with are referred to the dean of students. “We give hundreds of tickets,” said Koch, who revealed that his department has busted up parties where there would be 80-90 people with tickets. “And there’s too many to be referred to the dean.” But his office is not alone. The University Housing Director Scott Peak and Associate Director of the Union Thomas L. Viel said they will not necessarily refer incidents that they have handled to the dean of students either. “Typically we would be delegated to handle those issues, most issues, by our office,” said Peak, who said residence halls do not handle UWS citations but enforce a housing contract with housing residents. Other Universities Yet, misconduct records retrieved by Front Page Milwaukee from other UW schools reveal much higher numbers of nonacademic misconduct. In contrast, other UW schools reported alcohol incidents to the dean of students’ office. UW-La Crosse totaled 450 complaints for alcohol related incidents alone last year. UW-Madison, the state’s flag ship school, reported over 1,200 cases of non-academic misconduct incidents, and nearly a third happened in the residence halls. UW-Parkside reported a total of 171 cases of nonacademic misconduct, including 64 cases of under-age drinking. UWM reported a total of nine cases of misconduct for 2008. Most of these were the more serious cases faced by other offices. Two of these cases involved stalking or harassment. Seven involved “conduct that constitutes serious danger to the personal safety of a member of the university committee.” At least one of these students, according to a letter sent to the student from the Office of Student Life, was involved with possession of drugs and was sanctioned with probation. Another letter to a student in this category revealed a physical attack against another UWM student which resulted in a year suspension. Other letters from the dean report sexual assault and a violation of a restraining order. Alice Muelhbauer, a senior studying architecture and conservation of environmental science, considers the campus safe generally, but does not agree with the dean’s statistics. “It’s probably higher,” said Muelhbauer. How It Works Incidents referred to the Office of Student Life generally begin with a letter from the dean to schedule a meeting with the dean or another officer to give their account of what happened, and an investigation will begin to see if it falls under UWS. The dean factors other sanctions for the offense before pursuing more action. His office sends a letter to the student outlining his finding and sanction. Student can agree to the decision, or make an appeal. A committee of faculty could be hear the appeal. UWM is on par with other UW schools in the types of sanctions handed out, with hardly any expulsions. Probation sanctions give students one more chance before further action is handed out. Suspensions vary in length, but max at two years, and are system wide. Continued misconduct can lead to expulsion from the UW System. Hill said he handles cases progressively, offering students a chance to modify behavior while giving them a chance to meet their educational goals. And though the Board of Regents is considering expanding UWS to off-campus incidents, most that could be handled on campus by the dean are not. Drugs and Alcohol Koch said underage drinking is a regular state citation that does not fall under UWS 18. He must refer drinking at RiverView and Kenilworth dorms to MPD since they are not in areas controlled by the Board of Regents. “Should they be [referred to the dean]?” asked Koch when told that other schools provide official statistics that include alcohol and drug sanctions. “Maybe they should,” Koch said, but he was unsure how the Office of Student Life would handle the amount of cases. “If it is alcohol related we can put them through an alcohol education class that’s held here,” said Peak, who said ambulances escort highly intoxicated students on average three times per week. University Housing, Office of Student Life, and UWMPD have separate programs called Choices About Responsible Drinking, BASICS, and the Alcohol Deferral Program that try to modify behavior in regards to drinking. ADP will drop charges for first time offenders. Koch and Hill agree that alcohol and drugs can lead to more serious behavior, such as sexual assault and battery. Koch said his department would usually refer cases of sexual assault or more serious offenses to the Office of Student Life. But even cases involving heroin, oxycotin, and suboxone, which made recent headlines this spring when Luke Murphy died of an overdose at Sandburg Hall when he combined suboxone with alcohol, are not necessarily referred to Dean Hill. Koch said these cases are referred to the Milwaukee County district attorney, but on a case-by-case basis to Hill. Serena Begay, a grad student studying counseling and an ex-peer advocate, believes alcohol incidents should be reported to the dean’s office of misconduct. “It shows what college students are doing,” said Begay, who said reprimanding students alone would not stop them from drinking, but tracking the number of incidents would raise awareness. At the Union Alcohol Outreach Center, Sarah Bellstock works with students going through BASIC. She said statistics can be important to see what students are doing, but reveal only one way of tracking what issues students face, and she believes UWM is working to identify who is at risk. “From a health point, we want to be seen by students as one who helps them,” said Bellstock. Theft Underreported To Dean Most crime on campus involves theft, according to Koch. In December, police cited a student for stealing an iPod valued at $250 from a roommate in Sandburg West Tower. They also arrested a student for stealing books from bookstore. Last September, campus police arrested an employee of the UWM library for theft of cash and checks. In October, police cited a UWM student for attempting to take a library book without checking it out. Yet no counts of theft were included for all of 2008 for cases over four months old. “For instance somebody shoplifting, do you think that should be referred to the dean of students?” asked Koch. “No, and that would normally not be,” he said of first time offenders. “If it’s a situation where there was a theft and it was one of our employees,” said Viel of Union staff, “we would handle it in house and not refer it to the dean of students.” Viel said a student would be terminated from the position and his office would consider the matter closed. Viel said Union security sometimes deal with UWS Chapter 18 which prohibits certain conduct on campus grounds. If police are called for fights or assault at a Union event, Viel said perhaps the dean would get information from the police report. Smaller and larger universities report more incidents to the dean’s office. And the Office of Student Life is looking to retrieve software called Maxient to help facilitate coordination of judicial affairs from different departments and perhaps Milwaukee Police, which occasionally alerts Hill of situations involving UWM students. UW-Whitewater, River Falls, and Stevens Point all have purchased the program. The different offices said they have good relationships with each other and do have meetings to determine what issues they face and how to better handle misconduct on campus. But more coordination could reveal crisis situations that individual offices may overlook. “Maybe the dean of students sees an altercation at the financial aid office and we have the same student doing the same thing with a suite mate,” said Peak. “Now we put all the pieces together, pull them aside, and say what’s going on?” said Peak. Housing, Union staff, and UWMPD said Maxient software would help coordinate issues in the future. For the moment, each uses discretion in determining what to report to the dean. But Sandburg residents Henry Bell, studying creative writing, and Anthony Short, studying education, believe that better statistics of incidents in the dorms and campus should be reported to the dean of students’ office, including alcohol consumption. “If someone wanted to change something, they should have stats,” said Bell. Edgar Mendez contributed to this story. Fri, 07 Aug 2009 14:08:00 CST http://www.frontpagemilwaukee.com/site/Viewer.aspx?iid=23302&mname=Article http://www.frontpagemilwaukee.com/site/Viewer.aspx?iid=23302&mname=Article By Brian O’Donnell Of the Frontpage Milwaukee investigative reporting team August 2009 The University of Wisconsin-Platteville Non-Academic Disciplinary Committee, the body that processes non-academic offenses, has only reviewed one case in the past 10 years. It has not reviewed a case in the last three years. Only one student conduct case processed by the Office of Student Affairs at UW-Platteville, the greater office housing the Non-Academic Disciplinary Committee, resulted in an expulsion since 2006. The usage of these committees is not standardized across University of Wisconsin schools as UW-Milwaukee has used the body six times since 2006, UW-Green Bay 11 times, and UW-La Crosse six times. UW-Milwaukee has expelled one student in that time frame, UW-Green Bay no students, and UW-La Crosse three students. Non-Academic offenses averaged 1249 cases per year at UW-Madison over the same time frame, though no data was available detailing the number of cases that were processed by the university’s non-academic misconduct hearing committee. No students were expelled there. It is important to understand that not all non-academic misconduct offenses processed by the respective universities prompt non-academic misconduct hearings. These hearing are an option that the student have per University of Wisconsin Chapter 17. At UW-Platteville, a non-academic misconduct hearing is required in cases of expulsion, unless the student chooses to waive that right. Though the Office of Student Affairs processed 20 cases since 2006, it did not send any of these cases into sessions of the Non-Academic Misconduct Committee. At UW-Platteville those cases that do not see the Non-Academic Hearing Committee are processed by the Dean of Students Rich Egley. These findings come on the heels of an investigation by a group of FrontPage Milwaukee reporters into the actions of non-academic disciplinary committees at UW schools. The student journalists asked for records involving non-academic misconduct in six specific measurements: Total numbers of complaints; the number of those resulting in adjudicatory hearings and punishments; statistics showing penalties; a breakdown of offense type; the number of sexual assault cases along with discipline imposed; and the number of cases referred to police agencies, campus officials, and vice versa. Concerns for school safety have been in the news since the Virginia Tech massacre of April 2007 in which 33 people were killed by a student who had drawn attention for previous unwanted behavior. UW-Platteville Freshman Andy Pintar thinks UW-Platteville is a fairly safe campus. He got an underage drinking ticket at the end of March when a party got busted. “The cops have been cracking down on parties a lot lately. I see cops all the time. They are always patrolling. I don’t hear of any incidents, not like in Milwaukee” said Pintar. The Use of Non-Academic Misconduct Committee Subject to Discretion of Students, Faculty Student non-academic disciplinary procedures are governed by UWS Chapter 17. It states: The chancellor of each institution, in consultation with faculty, academic staff, and student representatives, shall adopt policies providing for the establishment of a student nonacademic misconduct hearing committee and designation of a hearing examiner to fulfill the responsibilities of the nonacademic misconduct hearing committee in this chapter. UW-Platteville Dean of Students Rich Egley describes the visit to a hearing examiner: “like a trial before a judge.” Per Chapter 17, a hearing is always required in cases of suspension or expulsion unless student decides to waive that right. The student then has choice between a hearing examiner or the non academic hearing committee. A request for information regarding student conduct data revealed that since 2006, only one hearing was held by a hearing examiner and no hearings were held by the Non-Academic Misconduct Committee at UW-Platteville. The Convener of the Non-Academic Misconduct Committee at UW-Platteville is Mathematics Professor Dr. Benjamin Collins, who declined to comment. The Committee is composed of faculty and students. Three students must be on the Committee, but they need not be present case of a hearing. The positions are not paid. At the beginning of each academic year, the Faculty Senate appoints the Convener and other faculty members. Egley said he meets with the group soon after to discuss their duties should necessity arise. Egley explained that faculty decide to participate on the board because “they look to build a history of service on the track to a tenured position.” Uncertainty in the Dean’s Office Requests for information regarding student misconduct at UW-Platteville revealed that much to do with student misconduct is left up to the individual discretion of the Dean. The information gathered showed that since 2006, there have been 20 cases of student misconduct reviewed by the Office of Student Affairs. Five prompted hearings. One was held in front of a hearing examiner. Four were held before the InterFraternity Council Judicial Board, a body that deals with problems arising from fraternities and sororities as organizations rather than individuals. The other 15 cases were handled by the Dean of Students, Rich Egley. If the students were unhappy with the sanctions imposed, again per Chapter 17, they could have requested a hearing in front of a hearing examiner or before the non-academic misconduct committee. President of the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Student Association Tyler Draheim commented that guidelines for behavioral infractions have no specific penalties or procedures. These matters are handled “more case by case, up to the dean, with no specific guidelines” said Draheim. Draheim is a member of the non-academic disciplinary committee at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, and in his two years on the committee, has sat on one hearing. Community Relations Thirteen cases were referred by police to the Dean’s Office over the four years data was collected. Chief of UW-Platteville Police Scott Marquardt said he works closely with the Dean and UW-Platteville Department of Housing a few times a month so that if there are incidents, they can be prepared. Marquardt became Chief in January and admitted that he is in the beginning stages of developing a relationship with the University. “We’re constantly sharing things with the Dean. Some because of good knowledge and some that he should take formal disciplinary action” said Marquardt. No cases of student misconduct were referred to the University or City Police by the Office of Student Affairs. Students Respond Records gleaned from the Office of Student Affairs at UW-Platteville would suggest that either the University is a very safe place or the Office is non-responsive to student misconduct. Recent UW-Platteville graduate Kenneth Mika always felt safe on campus and walking at night, and only heard a few stories of isolated cases of misconduct. “I only ever heard of two incidents. One, a gay guy got beaten up because he was gay. Another time, a girl freaked out because someone grabbed her shoulder…There were only incidents with cops for partying and fights…The only thing was there was a lot of graffiti with racial themes” said Mika. Fri, 07 Aug 2009 14:05:00 CST http://www.frontpagemilwaukee.com/site/Viewer.aspx?iid=23301&mname=Article http://www.frontpagemilwaukee.com/site/Viewer.aspx?iid=23301&mname=Article By Tammy McCubbin August 2009 Of the Frontpage Milwaukee reporting staff The University of Wisconsin Green Bay reported a 34 percent decrease in non-academic complaints reported to the Dean of Students between the years 2007-2008, according to public records. There were 627 complaints filed in 2008, compared to 956 in 2007. In 2006, the earliest year provided, there were 680. No expulsions and only one suspension resulted in all of those years. There were four weapons cases. The largest category, alcohol violations, showed sharp drop. Drug cases dropped slightly in 2008, but they rose slightly over the 2006 totals. Sue Keihn is the Associate Provost for Student Services who says UW-GB is trying very hard to improve incidents involving drugs and alcohol. “We offer alcohol prevent programs such as AlcoholEdu,” says Keihn. “There have also been changes in the residents’ hall with different R.A.’s and different students.” AlcoholEdu is a three-hour web based alcohol education program that helps students make well informed decisions about alcohol as well as how to help people around them that may be abusing alcohol. In the wake of events such as Virginia Tech, there has been extra attention on safety on campuses. Compared to other universities such as UW-Milwaukee and UW- La Crosse, UW-Green Bay has significantly lower expulsions between the years 2006 to 2009. Preventing alcohol abuse on campus Open records show that there have been steady numbers of students attending “Insight”, a six-hour, individualized alcohol education program offered to first offending alcohol and/or drug abusing students. The curriculum is based on a harm reduction model that estimates their risks for alcohol and/or drug abuse. Mark Olkowski, the Judicial Affairs Coordinator says, “the Insight course costs $80 for the student and is a six-hour class.” He also said the instructors that teach the class are required to go through a 40-hour certificate program out of state. Greg Smith, Senior Counselor at UW-GB says Insight serves as their first stop, followed by AlcoholEdu for second offenders. “We have had this program for about five to ten years,” Smith says. “We had a similar program before called Alcohol 101 as a preprogram.” The amount of students as second offenders in AlcoholEdu is significantly lower than the Insight program. There were 41 students that attended AlcoholEdu in 2008, whereas 184 attended Insight. Exploring the UW-GB website, there is an array of options for students to learn how alcohol and drugs affect the body. Some free programs include “E-Chug”, and prevention-programming offered by the Counseling and Health Center. E-Chug digs deep into the drinking patterns and behaviors of the individual student completing the survey. It tests their knowledge of alcohol, along with how much the student drinks in an average week, and even on an average day. Laid out in a survey format, there are multiple extensive questions from family drinking history, to even how much money the student spends weekly and daily on alcohol. Once the survey is completed, the results are compared to the average American man or woman. Extensive myths and facts about your blood alcohol content and what that means for your body are displayed on the site as well. Other misconduct According to the open records, there were a total of four weapons cases between the years 2006-2008. None of the cases was deemed serious enough for expulsion. According to open records, one weapons case in 2006 involved, “three students studying in a residence hall lounge were threatened by a non-student with a hunting knife. The non-student was restricted from university grounds.” Another example of a weapons case in 2008 was, “One student was found in possession of a butterfly knife. Such knives are in violation of university policy and state law. He was also found in possession of alcohol, marijuana and attempting to harm himself. The student was removed from student housing.” The student was not removed from the university. Keihn stated that, “we never do suspension without further intervention; there are very few second offenders.” The one case that did result in a suspension in 2008 involved a freshman male student who was a repeated offender within a short period of time. According to open records the student, “was found responsible for one alcohol incident, a marijuana incident, an alcohol/cocaine incident, and while waiting for the appeal of his alcohol/cocaine incident, was involved in an operating a vehicle while under the influence of marijuana incident with UWGB Public Safety. All of these incidents took place in 35 days. The student was suspended because of his repeated violations as well as the serious nature of his violations.” Campus Safety According to the open records, the only police agency that makes referrals to the Dean of Students office has been the UW-GB campus Public Safety that took place on university lands. Lt. Keith Rosin with campus Public Safety said, “if a student is involved it goes to the Dean of Students.” The only time cases would be transferred outside of their department is if the case is extremely serious says Lt. Rosin. “We would request Green Bay police assistance for cases such as murder, or if we needed to use their assistance with equipment” he said. Olkowski said that the “campus safety sends alerts to the Dean of Students.” For instance, for alcohol cases, the student would be given a warning, and then transferred to the Dean of Student, says Lt. Rosin. Hearing Procedures Of the total number of misconduct cases reported, just eight resulted in hearings in 2008, compared to none in 2007. Olkowski explained how the student judiciary process works. He said that every violation goes through him, and then the case may go through a three-peer conduct review team, then once more the case is sent back to him. Olkowski says, “the hearing committee is made up of one faculty member, one academic staff member and a representative from the Student Government Association. According to Toni Bergeon, the University Services Associate for Judicial Affairs, all cases first go through the Peer Conduct Review Board, which is comprised of at least three students and one staff advisor. “If the student would like to make an appeal, the case then goes to the hearing committee,” Bergeon says. The open records reveal that of the eight hearing cases, “all but one were appeals following an initial conference and decision by the investigating officer.” All cases in the end return to the Dean of Students. These cases range from noise violations, to assaults. To learn more about the Dean of Students and Judicial Affairs on the UW-GB campus, go to www.uwgb.edu/deanofstudents/. Fri, 07 Aug 2009 14:04:00 CST http://www.frontpagemilwaukee.com/site/Viewer.aspx?iid=23300&mname=Article http://www.frontpagemilwaukee.com/site/Viewer.aspx?iid=23300&mname=Article By Katie Krause Of the Frontpage Milwaukee investigative team August 2009 A response to an open records request seeking non-academic misconduct at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point showed that the total number of complaints has gone down compared to the calendar years of 2007 and 2006, the highest being in 2007. The total number of complaints went from 706 in 2006, to 800 complaints in 2007, and finally to 601 in 2008. From 2006 to 2008, the numbers dropped by 14 percent, and from 2007-2008, the numbers dropped by 24 percent. As of March 24, 2009 there were 140 total complaints. These numbers include the total number of complaints investigated by the Student Rights and Responsibilities Office, Conduct Boards, and Residence Hall Directors at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. According to the data received by the student journalist, alcohol is one of the most committed violations. In the data, sanctions were only listed for AODA related violations. 50 violations for each semester were listed for Spring 2006 to Spring 2009. Of those violations, only 2 resulted in suspensions, and no students were expelled. Committing serious danger to others is another common violation at the University. According to Kirsten Hoffenberger, who works in the Student Rights and Responsibilties Office and handles many cases, said physical altercations, threats of a fight or harm being done to someone, throwing things at university law enforcement, selling drugs, and tampering with fire equipment would all fall under this category. Speaking of safety on campus, in the 2006-2007 school year there was a sexual assault as well as a sexual harassment violation. The sexual harassment violation also included a stalking violation. Both incidents included disorderly conduct. According to the low numbers received in the data, sexual assault and sexual harassment don’t appear to be big problems at the University, but everybody still does everything that they can to avoid these circumstances from happening. Specific details of incidents were not provided in the data or in any interviews. The University chose to describe incidents in general instead of speaking specifically. The University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point is a public university and was established in 1984, as a teacher’s college. It has about 8,800 students. The open records requests asked for records involving non-academic misconduct in six specific measurements: Total numbers of complaints; the number of those resulting in adjudicatory hearings and punishments; statistics showing penalties; a breakdown of offense type; the number of sexual assault cases along with discipline imposed; and the number of cases referred to police agencies, campus officials, and vice versa. The decline in number of complaints has occurred even as campus safety remains a hot topic, in the wake of Virginia Tech and other school related safety issues. The Student Rights and Responsibilities Department doesn’t think the University has done anything specific that would cause the decline. “The sanctioning has not changed but people do,” said Hoffenberger. “There is a constant change of the student population. We also have turnover with the Residence Hall Directors who are the front line conduct officers that determine what hearings occur in their hall.” Tomlinson agreed with Hoffenberger and gave a similar reason when asked about the decline in numbers. “Sometimes we have a more aggressive hall director or a less aggressive one,” said Tomlinson. “Our academic qualifications in our freshman class have increased over the past couple of years; perhaps students see a greater value in an education given the current economic situation.” Alcohol Violations Alcohol violations are a problem at many universities in Wisconsin, and the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point is no exception. “I think the majority of the problem comes from freshmen and sophmores who have yet to realize the importance of attending classes and achieving a good GPA,” said Rachel Ward, a senior at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. “I know many freshmen and sophmores who became friends with upperclassmen and have no problem obtaining alcohol for use in the dorms. Drugs and alcohol are a problem at pretty much any university, but at Stevens Point, it isn't very concealed. It is kind of accepted here.” The University does have some students who commit an alcohol violation take a 3-hour alcohol education class called LIVE/PACE as their sanction. The students are charged $90 for the PACE class, which covers the cost of the materials and the payment for the instructor. However, people don’t seem to be finding it very beneficial. “I don’t think students learn anything new as a result of the PACE Program. They pretty much have heard the same information since 5th grade health class,” said Bob Tomlinson, the Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs. “The PACE class is our best effort to respond in an educational manner to alcohol violations. We are always open to new approaches, and thus far, this seems to be the best available to us.” Students at the University also agree with Tomlinson’s views on the LIVE/PACE Program. “I really don't think the program does much - i think the only part of that that keeps kids from trying to not commit the alcohol crime again is just the fear of losing their license,” said Kimberly Bauknecht, a junior at the University. Brianna Luedtke, a senior at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point said that friends of hers that had taken the Program treated it as a joke and as soon as the classes were finished they were back out there partying and doing the same thing. However, the University of Wisconsin- Stevens Point is trying to make changes to help lower the number of alcohol violations and help students make smarter choices. “We have added a counseling professional in our Counseling Center that is dedicated to conducting alcohol assessments,” said Tomlinson. “We need to focus on prevention and education, but it is a difficult task given the cultural expectations and media portrayal of young people having fun with alcohol.” Committing Serious Danger to Others Although committing serious danger to others was another common violation, people don’t seem to be worried about it. “I don’t think we have a problem with students creating a serious danger for other students,” said Tomlinson, when asked about the violations of committing serious danger to others. “We do have instances of such behavior, but certainly not to a level that I would classify it as a serious problem.” Tracy Rassel, a recent student alumnus from the University, said that she never felt that she was in danger. “I haven’t ever encountered any threats, whether it was physical or verbal,” Rassel explains. “I felt comfortable walking around campus by myself. I never felt in danger. If people feel uncomfortable or in danger there is always campus service, emergency lights, and phones available to get help.” Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment According to the data, sexual assault and sexual harassment violations did not occur very often, but the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point knows that it is still a concern. “I would be remiss if I said we only had two cases of sexual assault or harassment on campus, as I’m sure there are a number of cases that go unreported,” said Tomlinson, when asked about the low number of sexual assault and sexual harassment violations. “Our recent climate survey indicated a lack of consistent reporting. We’ve initiated a new website dedicated to sexual assault.” Stephanie Knoppa, a Residence Hall Director at the university, talked about how nationally sexual assault and sexual harassment are some of the most under reported crimes that happen, so they are definitely an issue on their campus. Hoffenberger is usually the person who deals directly with the sexual assault and sexual harassment violations. “When a student meets with me I talk with them about their options,” Hoffenberger explained when describing the procedure for handling these cases. Hoffenberger continued describing the procedure by saying that if a student chooses to pursue through conduct, a detailed report is filled out and if Hoffenberger feels there is a violation allegation, she meets with the other student. “I determine if there was a violation of policy and if the student is responsible,” said Hoffenberger. “If I find responsibility, I sanction. This again is dependent on the severity and circumstances surrounding the situation, including intent and if there is a pattern of behavior. Sanctions can be anything from probation and educational sanctioning to removal from the university.” Hoffenberger also explained that the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point follows the UW System’s Chapter 17 discipline policy. After an incident occurs, a report is written. If the incident deals with an on-campus student, the report goes to the Hall Director of the hall the student lives in. Off-campus students’ reports go to the Student Rights and Responsibilities Office for Hoffenberger to process. Students have a right to appeal; appeals are sent to the Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs office. Fri, 07 Aug 2009 14:01:00 CST http://www.frontpagemilwaukee.com/site/Viewer.aspx?iid=23299&mname=Article http://www.frontpagemilwaukee.com/site/Viewer.aspx?iid=23299&mname=Article Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} By Sean Slattery July 6, 2009 Of the Frontpage Milwaukee investigative team Over the past 10 years the University of Wisconsin-Madison has experienced an 82 percent increase in the number of non-academic misconduct cases. However, there is no statistical evidence to give a definitive explanation for the rise. This last decade has seen the number of violations swell from 218 in 1999, to 1,311 in 2008. The largest increase in that time period came between the 2005-06 and 2006-07 academic year, when the amount of cases inflated from 951 to 1,485. In this timetable, the enrollment headcount for both undergraduate, and total enrollment has remained consistent (around 29,000 undergraduates and 41,000 total enrollment). This amount of non-academic misconduct at UW-Madison becomes even more disquieting when compared to schools within the state. Last year UW-Platteville heard only four cases, UW-Milwaukee evaluated just nine. UW-La Crosse came closest to UW-Madison with 458 non-academic misconduct cases (450 of which were alcohol related). In the aftermath of fatal shootings at Virginia Tech and Northern Illinois University, the issue of campus safety has become high profile throughout the nation. Even though, UW has not increased its efforts to discover why the abnormal increase has occurred. Operation and Administration Each case of non-academic misconduct, as well as academic misconduct, is brought before the Department of Student Advocacy and Judicial Affairs, in the Office of the Dean of Students. “Almost any time law enforcement has contact with a student, as either a victim or a suspect in a case, [it is] referred to the Dean of Students office,” said Peter Ystemes, a Lieutenant with the UW Police Department. “[The Student Advocacy and Judicial Affairs Department] would then evaluate [the case] based on a code of conduct for students.” This code of conduct applies to all UW campuses and Students, and is made up of three chapters, two of which (UWS 17 and UWS 18) address non-academic misconduct. The chapters address issues such as: cases involving danger to person’s safety, stalking, damage to property, theft, harassment, false information, sexual assault, drug/alcohol possession and use, as well as minor incidents such as traffic, parking, etc. In addition to the UW Police Department, the City of Madison Police Department, university students, professors, housing officials, and other university personal can report violations. Violations can occur both on and off campus. “It’s kind of a two-tier process,” said Senior University Relations Specialist John Lucas. “Criminal violations, which the police take care of, and academic or non-academic misconduct, which is handled by the Dean of Students.” Cases advancing to the Dean of Students end in either settlement, or a hearing by the Department of Student Advocacy and Judicial Affairs involving the office of Legal Services. “Serving on a panel, we would have an advising role at the hearing,” said Senior University Council Casey Nagy. The Difference in Opinion “I don’t think that any of that information has been statistically analyzed,” said Lucas when asked why the significant increase has occurred. Since there is no statistical, or hard evidence explaining why the increase is occurring varying opinion surrounds the topic. Ervin Cox, Assistant Dean of Academic Staff for the Dean of Students believes there is more than just one reason for the increase. “The increase could come from a variety of things,” said Cox. “It could be because we had one extra home football game, if an athletic team goes farther in a tournament, even nice weather makes a difference.” Cox points out when any of these things happen there tend to be more alcohol related violations. “These things add to the party scene, which produces more alcohol related citations,” said Cox. If Cox had it his way, the number of cases brought to the Department of Student Advocacy and Judicial Affairs would be even higher. “We would like to include things inside buildings across from campus, but we are strictly required to only include things in the street and the sidewalks,” said Cox. Incidents that occur on off-campus property have to be referred to the department by an outside source in order for disciplinary action to take place. As for home Football games, the period that experienced the largest increase in violations, 2005-06 to 2006-07, also experienced an additional home Football game. But Cox admits that this would only cause an increase of 40 or 50 incidents. Recently a representative from the Dean of Students has been required to be at Camp Randall for home Football games. In the case that a violation or incident were to occur at a football game, the accused individual is required to speak with this representative before a citation is issued. Lieutenant Peter Ystemes believes it is provisions such as these, implemented by the Dean of Students, that account for the rise in non-academic misconduct. “[The increase] is due to changes in the Dean of Students office,” said Lieutenant Ystemes. “They are just trying to be more aware of student life and what students are doing on campus. I think it’s mostly in a positive way; looking out for disruptive behavior, poor decisions, just an effort by the Dean of Students to be more aware of what’s going on.” Ystemes believes that this effort has been positive for both the students and the university, and serves as a reminder that student behavior at UW-Madison can cost you the privilege of attending school there. “I think that it keeps people out of more trouble than it gets them into,” said Ystemes. Source of Information In correspondence with an open records request information was provided for the most recent cases involving danger to person’s safety, stalking, disciplinary conduct, and suspensions. The provided documentation included case number, the date of the incident, location, and violation number (names were omitted). In addition, a brief description of the sexual assault cases formally adjudicated by the Dean of Students was provided. Case results varied from admission (resulting in disciplinary probation, counseling, alcohol assessment, completion of online sex assault tutorial, suspension, or a combination of the listed), to denial (resulting in suspension). Requests seeking more detailed descriptions of individual cases were denied. “Case details regarding that information would require the creation of new records,” said Cox. “ Which falls outside of public record.” (For more information from the Department of Student Advocacy and Judicial Affairs concerning yearly misconduct at UW-Madison please visit http://www.wisc.edu/students/saja/misconduct/misconduct.html ) Tue, 07 Jul 2009 14:13:00 CST http://www.frontpagemilwaukee.com/site/Viewer.aspx?iid=22842&mname=Article http://www.frontpagemilwaukee.com/site/Viewer.aspx?iid=22842&mname=Article By Sarah J. Worthman of the Frontpage Milwaukee reporting staff May 2009 Considering driving home from a bar or party after “just a few drinks”? Take caution, because Milwaukee and Waukesha Counties have formalized their Southeast Wisconsin Drunk Driving Task Force. Friday morning representatives of 13 agencies between the two counties stood surrounding a podium at the Milwaukee County War Memorial, located at 750 North Lincoln Memorial Drive. Each county’s representative wore a bright, reflective yellow vest that stated “Multi-Jurisdiction”. Sgt. William Brown of the Milwaukee County Sheriff’s Department said that since 2007, the number of drunk drivers on the roads has been drastically reduced. “In 2007, the Milwaukee County Sheriff’s office only had 951 OWI arrests,” said Brown. “In 2008, when the task force was fully going, we did 1,509 arrests. We had a 67.3 percent increase in OWI arrests.” Brown also said that the goal of the task force is not to increase arrests or citations, but to prevent drunk driving and make Milwaukee’s streets and highways safer. “What we are trying to do is stop you from drinking and driving before you even do it,” said Brown. “There are other alternatives to operating a motor vehicle while impaired; Milwaukee County Transit System, taxi, and the most important is a designated driver.” Wisconsin will be using what authorities are calling a “multi-jurisdictional saturation”. What this will do is allow officers from multiple jurisdictions to post large, purple signs around an area to create “high visibility”. Officers will still need probable cause to pull a driver over. Lamar Advertising has donated the artwork and use of their digital billboards whenever the task force has planned to saturate an area. Lamar Advertising has six digital billboards that they are donating, according to Kurt Weis, vice president and general manager of Lamar Advertising. The task force will be running its saturation efforts roughly twice per month. Drivers will be seeing Lamar Advertising’s billboards featuring anti-impaired driving artwork, along with large, fluorescent purple signs marking the areas the task force will be saturating. The difference is that most people, when they see a saturation point like this, will say ok, I need to get off at the next exit to avoid this. By working as a multi-jurisdictional unit, even though that next exit may be in the next county, another officer will be waiting to arrest that driver if they are impaired. The current legislation does not allow Wisconsin to run sobriety check points. A check point would allow officers to pull over every fourth or fifth car and do a quick, visual check to see if the driver is impaired. Michael Witter is the Regional Administrator of the national Highway Traffic Safety Administration. He explains what it would be like for a driver if pulled over during a check point search. “I pull in there, they obviously don’t see anything in my eyes, or odor on my breath, and I go on my way because they’re looking for DUI,” said Witter. “So it’s a very short inconvenience as a citizen in that regard.” Paul Jenkins is the father of Jennifer Bukosky, the Oconomowoc assistant principal killed in a car accident last year. The man accused of killing her was allegedly impaired when the accident occurred. Jenkins said at the press conference that the laws need to change. “We hope that it’s like a virus,” said Jenkins. “It will spread throughout the state. The next thing that needs to be done is that you have to know that if you get caught drinking and driving, it is a crime which means, we have to make the first offense at least a misdemeanor.” Kari Kinnard began the task force with Sgt. Brown after she lost her job with MADD due to economic down sizing. “I was with MADD for almost 10 years and I lost my job, but I did not lose my passion for saving lives and reducing impaired driving,” said Kinnard. She says that although currently the task force is only made up of Milwaukee and Waukesha counties, their goal is to spread and cover all of Wisconsin. “We are going to start in Southeast Wisconsin,” said Kinnard. “We are working with Ozaukee County, we would like to go to the surrounding counties, Racine, Washington, go down to Kenosha, Walworth; We‘d like to just keep expanding.” Judy Jenkins, Bukosky’s mother, says that they won’t stop trying to get the changes made. “We don’t have the power to change the legislation,” said Jenkins. “The legislators have to change the law. But we’ll keep at them through public pressure. That’s the only way this is going to happen and the people of this state, if they truly want change, need to realize that they need to keep writing.” Fri, 12 Jun 2009 15:37:00 CST http://www.frontpagemilwaukee.com/site/Viewer.aspx?iid=22631&mname=Article http://www.frontpagemilwaukee.com/site/Viewer.aspx?iid=22631&mname=Article By Sarah Worthmanof the Frontpage Milwaukee reporting staff May 2, 2009 Judy Jenkins, the mother of Jennifer Bukosky, the Oconomowoc assistant principal involved in a fatal car crash along with Mark Benson, had a strong physical reaction to Mark Benson being in the court room. Mrs. Jenkins sat straight up and looked across the court room at Benson. Her right leg crossed over her left, and her foot twitched quickly back and forth. Mr. Jenkins sat stiffly beside her, staring at Benson. Benson continued to look forward at the judge. (Courthouse photo by reporter Sarah Worthman) “The first time we saw him, when we could actually reach out and touch him, we got a physical, visceral reaction to him, just being in the same room with him and knowing what he did to our daughter,” she said. “It was quite different than having protective glass between the defendant and family members.” The Jenkins family sat solemnly as Benson was bound over for trial after waiving his right to a preliminary hearing in front of Waukesha County Court Commissioner Martin Binn one recent Thursday morning. This hearing was to determine if Benson had violated the terms of his release after posting bail. Benson is the doctor charged with killing Bukosky, her unborn child, Sophie, and her daughter, Courtney Bella. Benson also allegedly injured Courtney’s best friend Debbie Gibbs, and Bukosky’s son, Zach Bella. These two children were also in the vehicle during the crash. For the Jenkins’ family, and all the students, faculty, friends and neighbors who knew Jennifer, this is one of the first few hearings in a long list before Benson might receive a final conviction. Despite the wait, the Jenkins are taking action to change the current legislation and fight back against drunk driving. Sean Farney, the victim’s brother, explained in an e-mail interview that he is unhappy with the current drunk driving laws. “With non-existent first offense penalties and an allowance of a whopping five offenses until becoming a felony, the current laws lack teeth and consequently encourage a culture of impaired driving.” The Arrest: Benson posted the $500,000 bail and was released on Feb. 22. He was arrested for allegedly failing to adhere to the bail restrictions when a delivery man tipped off police that Benson was receiving a box with pharmaceuticals according to the search warrant and statement made by Detective Eugene Nagler with the City of Milwaukee Police Department. The items allegedly found included: · Pharmaceuticals · Four handguns · Three long guns · 20 rounds of ammunition Each of these items violates the terms and conditions of Benson’s release. Because of these alleged violations, Commissioner Binn has raised the bail back up to over $1 million. The Hearing: While in court, Benson kept his head down and his speech very calm and quiet. A long silver metal chain wrapped around his waistand further shackled his hands together. Following the hearing, he was escorted out of the courtroom and back to his cell. “Everyone should feel safer now that he is off the streets,” said the victim’s mother, Judy Jenkins. “We were worried when he was released on bail that the community was at risk. We are feeling a lot safer now. We feel that he is where he should be at this point in time until the trial occurs.” Mark Benson’s attorney, Dean Strang, said after the hearing Thursday, “He was in for 10 months on $1 million and it’s higher now, so I don’t think that the family and friends have the capacity to raise that kind of bail. I would be surprised.” When asked if Benson had anything to say regarding the recent allegations of bail jumping, Strang had no comment. Benson waived the procedural 30-day limitation for filing, and the next hearing is an arraignment set for May 8, at 3 p.m. at the Waukesha County Courthouse. This will be to determine if the $500,000 bail will be forfeited in part, or in full. The Honorable Judge Mac J. Davis will make this decision. The victim’s father, Paul Jenkins, explained that, despite the loss of their daughter, they are moving forward and taking action. “We are certainly angry and saddened by Mark Benson and what he did to our family but the bigger goal, and the reason why talking to you and others and the privacy has kind of gone away from us is that we don’t want other families here in Wisconsin to go through what we’ve gone through,” he said. The second annual 5k and 10k walk/run will be held on the anniversary of the crash on Saturday, April 25, 2009. Mrs. Jenkins said, “The proceeds of this race go to Jenn’s fund which sponsors drug and alcohol prevention and treatment in the school s in Oconomowoc. Some of the proceeds will be put into Courtney’s fund which is sponsoring a scholarship for an art student out in the district.” Sun, 03 May 2009 23:17:00 CST http://www.frontpagemilwaukee.com/site/Viewer.aspx?iid=22166&mname=Article http://www.frontpagemilwaukee.com/site/Viewer.aspx?iid=22166&mname=Article Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";} Economic Stimulus Task Force to provide local oversight over federal stimulus funding By Caitlin Smith of the Frontpage Milwaukee reporting staff April 28, 2009 MILWAUKEE—The City of Milwaukee has received over $31 million in economic stimulus money and will continue to pursue funding opportunities, announced Department of Administration director, Sharon Robinson, at the first official Economic Stimulus Task Force meeting held at City Hall. Of the $31 million, the most will be allocated toward public housing. The next largest portions are in homeless assistance grants and energy block grants. Robinson says that at a meeting in Washington D.C. about a week ago, the president, vice president, and agency departments sent the message that stimulus funds should not be built into any long-term sustainable budget plans—the funds should be used to create jobs now, get people off the streets, and get the economy going. Only about a dozen citizens attended today’s meeting. Members of the task force introduced themselves upon Alderman Willie Hines’ request. Citizens sat quietly throughout the entire meeting, jotting down notes as members spoke. Hines, Stimulus Task Force president, emphasized providing transparency and accountability as the main roles of the task force. Mayor Tom Barrett created the Economic Stimulus Task Force during the weeks leading up to the passage of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), signed by President Obama in late February, says Stimulus Task Force President, Willie Hines. The Task Force formed working groups divided into five major categories: Crime and public safetyInfrastructure (including transportation)Energy and environment Poverty work and opportunityTax credits and provisions The Task Force is comprised of Milwaukee aldermen Hines, Michael Murphy, and Joe Davis, Milwaukee comptroller Wally Morics, budget and management director Mark Nicolini, Department of Public Works commissioner Jeff Mantes, Department of City Development commissioner Rocky Marcoux, President of Milwaukee Area Workforce Investment Board Donald Sykes, and Department of Administration director Sharon Robinson. Milwaukee’s Share Funds awarded to the city of Milwaukee include: $5.7 million in Byrnes justice assistance grants$4.5 million in community development grants$6.9 million in homeless assistance grants$10.3 million in public housing capital grants$5.9 million in energy block grants$874,000 in health department lead abatement funds “I think it’s important when we throw out these numbers, a lot of people are assuming that these dollars—for every dollar we get, we reduce our operational costs of our budget, and that’s just not the case,” says Murphy, “These are monies, with the exception of the justice assistance grant, these are to create jobs and stimulus to the economy.” Oversight Tools The federal government has only released around 15 to 20 percent of information pertaining to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act says Hines. He says citizens can track stimulus progress on the official American Recovery and Reinvestment Act website. Robinson says the state of Wisconsin plans to create its own stimulus tracking website. The city of Milwaukee will also provide some of its own oversight tools. Mayor Tom Barrett and Task Force president Willie Hines will host a town hall meeting at 6 p.m. on April 9 at Central Library to discuss the stimulus with local residents says Robinson. Another meeting, pertaining specifically to employers, will he held as well, perhaps on the same day as the town hall meeting. “When Congress and the president put this forth, they recognized that the cities and counties and states would have to assist them in their efforts and impacting our economy,” says Hines. “From that perspective, um, they’ve asked for transparency, accountability, and more importantly—understood the role that local governments would have to play in order to achieve the economic impact that is desired.” Looking to the Future Robinson says Milwaukee will be receiving Workforce Investment Act (WIA) and surface transportation money from the state, but that the totals are not yet final. “One thing I did want the committee members to be aware of is where we see some opportunities for temporary city employment. We’re trying to build in consideration where those jobs could then translate into a private sector opportunity after the stimulus money expires,” says Nicolini, “I mean, just one example is looking at some possible projects in the forestry department where individuals could eventually earn a basic certification from MATC and then move on into the private sector when the governmental opportunity expires.” Milwaukee will also have some opportunities to apply for competitive stimulus funds, says Robinson. Possible projects include energy efficiency grants, lead abatement funding, and neighborhood stabilization grants. Tue, 28 Apr 2009 23:37:00 CST http://www.frontpagemilwaukee.com/site/Viewer.aspx?iid=22100&mname=Article http://www.frontpagemilwaukee.com/site/Viewer.aspx?iid=22100&mname=Article Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";} Bringing “AWEARness” to Milwaukee By: Erika Guenther of the Frontpage Milwaukee reporting staff April 25, 2009 Milwaukee- In a city that has seen a rise in homicides related to domestic violence within the past year, hundreds of Milwaukee residents supported the mission of the Sojourner Family Peace Center at its fifth annual fashion show fundraiser on Thursday, April 2. First-time attendee Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett said he was not only pleasantly surprised by the attendance, but also by the overall support of the community. "I was blown away by the amount of people here, I think it’s a great turnout,” Barrett said. “I think there’s a lot of good energy here, and it might be that people are getting more cognizant of the concerns of domestic violence and the need to be supportive of programs that deal with issues of domestic violence.” Earlier in the week, Barrett and Milwaukee Police Chief Edward Flynn held a news conference addressing the increase in the city’s homicides. According to other media, Flynn said the department is still unclear if the increase is directly related to the struggling economy, although, “Familial stress is frequently accompanied by violence,” he stated. At the event Thursday, Barrett added, “It’s a real issue that has an impact on people’s lives because if they’re frustrated and they don’t have money, it causes a lot of problems at home and people go over the edge. It’s an issue we have to deal with.” The Sojourner Family Peace Center The Sojourner Family Peace Center was created on February 1, 2009, when the Sojourner Truth House and the Task Force on Family Violence merged. Its mission states, “We provide shelter, safety, support, education and advocacy to break the cycle of family violence because domestic respect is the right of every woman, man and child.” The center expects to serve more than 30,000 people this year, and would not be possible without monetary contributions and support from the community. The event Inside the bright-orange walls of the Rumble Room at the Harley-Davidson Museum on Canal Street, almost 400 elegantly-dressed guests perused various auction items while chatting with friends and enjoying cocktails and hors d’ouevres. The event was broken up into three portions: · Cocktail reception and silent auction · Welcome and live auction · Runway Show Upon arriving at check-in, guests were given an auction listing pamphlet filled with pages of items for bid. Items were donated by local businesses and individuals in the community, and included everything from a freshwater pearl jewelry set, to a wine gift basket, to a pair of tickets to the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra. At approximately 7:30 p.m., the crowd moved across the street to the Garage for the live auction and fashion show. As some people waited in line at the bar, others took their seats – either at their individual seat which was included in the $95 ticket, or at their $700 exclusive table which was adorned with champagne and chocolates and offered the best view of the runway. Emcees Shelley Walcott and Scott Steele of Today’s TMJ4 began the program by thanking all of the sponsors and attendees. They kept the atmosphere light with jokes and laughter before addressing the serious cause for the event. A main component of the event every year is having a victim of domestic violence speak to the audience. Michael Haessly, co-chair of the fashion show committee, said they find someone who has been a guest at the Sojourner Family Peace Center to share their experience. This year’s speaker, who they called “Carrie”, told her emotional story and also acknowledged alarming statistics about domestic abuse. She said that although you might not personally know anyone who is a victim of abuse, “every 15 seconds a woman is beaten and it’s happening in every neighborhood in the country, not just the one’s you would expect it to happen in.” Jim “Lips” LaBelle helped lighten the mood as the live auctioneer. The three large items were: VIP Summerfest tickets to a concert of your choice, a private three-course meal served at your home for up to 10 people by Dreamdance, and two airline tickets and a condo in Scottsdale, Arizona. The highly-anticipated fashion show featured models wearing designs by local boutiques and retailers such as Aala Reed, Detour and Miss Groove. Among the models were the mayor’s wife, Kris Barrett, Julie Feldman from FOX-6 News, and WISN’s Sally Severson. Event coordinator Gina Vrtochnick said between ticket sales, corporate sponsors and individual donations, the event raised $73,000 for the Sojourner Family Peace Center. In addition to benefiting the center, the proceeds will also benefit many of the center’s programs to help eliminate domestic violence including the 24-hour Domestic Violence Hotline and the Batterers Anonymous program. Hard work pays off Jessica Cook, who is on the Sojourner Sponsorship Committee, worked long hours throughout the year planning the event and seeking out corporate sponsors. She explained that many corporations actually have a non-profit donor committee and are more than willing to donate, as long as they are given enough time in advance to work it into their budget. In the end, the corporations also get something in return. “They’re paying a fee for a certain amount of tables for the event,” Cook said. “They’re getting their name in the programs, they are getting more advertisements on the invitations, and it’s just their way of putting their name in the community as sponsoring the Family Peace Center.” This was the first year that the event was held at the museum. Previously, the event was held at the Pfister Hotel and it was much more formal. Haessly said that the committee was looking to spice things up and draw in a larger audience. “We weren’t really targeting a young enough audience anymore, so we decided to change it up,” Haessly said. “We really had hoped that it wouldn’t bomb, it was a chance we took. The turnout tonight is incredible. We have sold more tickets to date than last year.” A total of 380 tickets were sold this year, exceeding last year’s total by nearly 100. Everyone involved with the event hopes that next year will be just as successful, if not more. Sun, 26 Apr 2009 03:10:00 CST http://www.frontpagemilwaukee.com/site/Viewer.aspx?iid=22033&mname=Article http://www.frontpagemilwaukee.com/site/Viewer.aspx?iid=22033&mname=Article Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";} Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";} Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";} By Joe Ford of the Frontpage Milwaukee reporting staff April 25, 2009 Wisconsin Gov. Jim Doyle opened the sixth annual Renewable Energy Summit in Milwaukee emphasizing green energy opportunities for the state and saying that the universities can lead the way in placing Wisconsin at the forefront. But other speakers stressed that the educational system has lagged behind in producing enough students for green jobs. Still, university officials said they are working to address the issue. “Our land can produce energy that can help the state and the world. Our university can help with this major transformation, and I believe strongly that Wisconsin can be a state that leads the way…,” Doyle said. Downtown Milwaukee played host to the three -day conference from March 25 to the 28 and provided a record number of participants the opportunity to learn about and discuss topics including: Climate Change, addressed by NASA director James Hansen among others. He declared the issue to be the“principle driver of the energy revolution.” Hansen also praised President Barack Obama in some ways, while expressing concern over Obama’s cap-and-trade leanings. He also called for a carbon tax.Green Energy Sources including wind, sun, water, waste and geothermal and the methods, technologies and benefits of each.Stimulus Package and opportunities for grant money to development renewable energy and energy efficiency. Education emphasizing the importance of programs in schools from kindergarten to higher education. There are not enough students coming out of the universities to satisfy job demands in such areas as wind power technology, for example, speakers said. Attendance has doubled every year of the conference. This year over 2,000 participants engaged in 70 plus sessions and discussions that featured in excess of 300 speakers. Participant demographics ran the gamut from production workers to scientists, students to professionals, blue collars to Brooks Brothers; all levels were represented at the conference, and green was the theme that brought them together. With 6 to 16 sessions taking place simultaneously, deciding which one to attend posed a problem for some. George Stone from the MATC faculty referred to the need for format changes next year in view of the growth of interest in the event. James Hansen opened the summit with his keynote speech on the changing climate. Climate Change The issue was addressed from many angles by a variety of speakers. Hansen headed the list and spoke of the science behind the phenomenon’s theories. Slight framed and soft-spoken with a thoughtful yet focused demeanor, Hansen offered solutions to remedy the downward trend in environmental health and the timelines necessary to avoid the catastrophic after-effects that a sudden shift in climate presents. “Humans overwhelm slow geologic change,” he observed. Hansen said he recognizes the Obama administration as “our last best hope,” but sees Obama’s leanings toward the ‘cap and trade’ system of carbon emissions control and reduction as problematic; “ineffectual” he calls it. This system offers the potential for Wall Street greed to artificially inflate energy costs and profit at the expense of progress. A carbon tax plan is where Hansen sees fairness. He calls for a 100 percent rebate to taxpaying citizens, and then major polluters would bear the brunt of the cost thereby creating financial incentives to clean up the process. Hansen views the government as being under ‘fossil thumbs’ and cites the need to stop subsidizing the fossil fuel industry. “Fossil fuels need to be made more expensive,” is his position. This will make renewable energy a more viable and commercially competitive alternative. Reduction of fossil fuel use and dependency lessens the carbon impact on the atmosphere. Carbon released into the atmosphere causes the green house effect that is responsible for warming the planet. George Stone, a physical science instructor at MATC, the Summit’s main sponsor, noted, “The planet has a fever.” He went on to explain, “Polar ice is the thermometer of the planet and all components are in decline in the Polar Regions.” Components include: Ice Caps Ice Sheets Ice Shelves Sea Ice Permafrost These are symptoms of a warming planet. The increase in heat is causing the world’s climate to change. The changing climate was also addressed by John Magnuson, Professor Emeritus at UW Madison and current co-chair of Wisconsin Initiative on Climate Change Impacts (WICCI). He spoke of human adaptation and the expected impacts to human health and natural resources. Magnuson said his research indicates “a four-fold increase in heavy rain events.” We should expect frequent flooding, too much water in some areas, not enough in others. Water was a focus in discussions of energy generation as well . Green Energy The potential of water as an energy source was surveyed in numerous sessions. Doyle recognized the link between water and energy, saying, “Water is a resource for energy while energy is necessary to water supply.” A recent study by the Department of Energy found a savings of 200 to 600 gallons of water to produce a megawatt of electricity with a windmill in over a gas fired power plant. Wind power opportunities received much attention. Patricia Arrendondo, Vice Chancellor of UWM’s School of Continuing Education cited the statistic of “one student for every 20 jobs” in the field. Solar and geothermal technologies were featured at several sessions as well as energy from waste. Waste energy was touted by Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett, who cited the planned methane pipeline from a Muskego landfill to power the Jones Island sewage treatment facility. “Who’s going to hate this?” he wondered, “It’s a win-win for everyone.” The project would put 200-250 people to work on a sustainable and environmentally friendly energy generating system. A perfect fit for Stimulus package requirements, he said. Stimulus Package Details on package dollar amounts and directions are still being worked out by politicians and concerned interests but expectations loomed large throughout the summit. The Obama administration’s focus on renewable, sustainable and efficient processes promises progress in all fields addressed at the conference, including education, speakers said. Education Education headlined numerous discussions. From K-12 through institutions of higher education, the school system will play an important role in the green energy transformation, speakers said. Details of existing programs at primary and secondary schools in the state and nationwide were featured. Renewable energy and sustainable practices are being integrated into K-12 programs through unofficial channels because official programs haven’t been developed. The formal training capacity is not there, according to UWM’s Patricia Arrendondo, “I think this whole focus on energy has been almost immediate and quick and everybody is talking about it. I think the education piece is lagging behind.” Mike Lovell, Dean of Engineering and Applied Science, says UWM will have curriculum in place to address this deficiency by the fall semester, “There’s no doubt about it. We have actually written several proposals already partnering with both private companies and MATC on developing these new courses and this new curriculum.” Sun, 26 Apr 2009 01:40:00 CST http://www.frontpagemilwaukee.com/site/Viewer.aspx?iid=22030&mname=Article http://www.frontpagemilwaukee.com/site/Viewer.aspx?iid=22030&mname=Article Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin-top:0in; mso-para-margin-right:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt; mso-para-margin-left:0in; line-height:115%; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;} By D’Andre Dawsey of the Frontpage Milwaukee reporting staff April 26, 2009 The U.S. and the Changing Global Order MILWAUKEE- As the lights turned down on the G20 World Summit in London, the local focus shifted to the historic Pabst Theater in downtown Milwaukee for the George F. Kennan Forum where professionals in U.S. diplomatic issues stressed that the president and his administration must take charge immediately to ensure that the 21st century will be shaped by U.S. principles. But some speakers praised President Barack Obama for his global diplomatic efforts. And the didn’t shy away from the notion of American dominance, saying the United States is still the world’s only superpower and can remain such, adding that green technology may be key. Guest speakers at the forum were Director of World Affairs for the Institute of World Affairs Robert Ricigliano, Wisconsin Public Radio Host Ben Merens, Senior Fellow at the Center for American Progress Nina Hachigian, and Resident Fellow at the American Enterprise Institute Thomas Donnelly. The overall theme of how the U.S. will handle global change reached a peak when a caller to the broadcast named Bruce hit the panel with a hot-ticket question that left those in attendance in a not-so-stunned but intrigued state as the question was mentioned among audience members as well beforehand. Bruce asked the panel, “Is the United States’ perceived status as the only superpower in the world leading to a false sense of arrogance that complicates foreign relationships?” The panel replied to Bruce’s question with the united response that while there will continue to be issues between countries on issues such as weapons development, common enemies will continue to serve as an equal ground. They elaborated on this statement by saying that the United States government structure, military prowess, and technology are still unmatched. Guest speaker Hachigian, Senior Fellow at the Center for American Progress, left no doubt in the panel’s sentiment as she stated, “We are still the world’s only superpower. Regarding the matter of arrogance, Hachigian did agree with the caller on an individual level in the government. “Many of America’s politicians are still too caught up in America “leading,” she said. How innovation and leadership can help the United States shape the 21st century with U.S. principles were Hachigian’s main talking points. Her main belief was that investing in green technologies and bio-fuels will help the U.S. gain global momentum to not only lead in the movement to slow global warming but also because the new jobs created in those industries will help to lift the status of the current economic fallout. She applauded the efforts of the President, whom she says made significant steps towards improving the nation’s global image, and other world leaders at the Summit but admits that there needs to be a change in these groups as well in order to improve global balance. She said, “Groups such as the G20 and those like it need to be reformed due to the over-abundance of opinions involved when so many leaders of nations with vastly different viewpoints meet.” On the topic of global balance, guest speaker and Resident Fellow at the American Enterprise Institute (AEI) Thomas Donnelly mentioned that it is imperative for the U.S. to show concern over what other world powers, namely China, are doing in this current state of world change. Shifting from the global to local stage, Donnelly kicked things off by saying, “participation in local government and elections is essential for the American citizen in today’s world.” The panel completely agreed with Donnelly and elaborated by coming to the consensus that involvement in local government does not mean simply casting a vote when election time comes around. The general statement was that taking an active role in your local government is not only considered to be a necessary action by a U.S. citizen but also a right and a duty that should not be overlooked. As the panelists said their final words to the audience both live and via radio, the lasting thought left with those in attendance was that the United States needs for the President and his administration to take the charge on global issues starting now because it is imperative for the 21st century to be shaped by U.S. principles. Sun, 26 Apr 2009 00:58:00 CST http://www.frontpagemilwaukee.com/site/Viewer.aspx?iid=22027&mname=Article http://www.frontpagemilwaukee.com/site/Viewer.aspx?iid=22027&mname=Article Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Cambria","serif";} By Adam Barndt Of the Frontpage Milwaukee reporting staff April 25, 2009 The City of Milwaukee might fast track stimulus spending for “shovel ready” projects, bypassing Common Council scrutiny, a top city official said at the city’s first Economic Stimulus Task Force Committee meeting recently. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, or economic stimulus plan, is an attempt by the federal government to boost the economy by giving billions of dollars to cities in order to create jobs and strengthen infrastructure. City officials said at the meeting that they have allocated the largest portion of known funds to public housing. The majority of the money will go toward attempting to create temporary jobs to stimulate the economy. They also stressed that the city created the committee to attempt to increase public involvement regarding the allocation of the funds, fast track project proposals, and to track the stimulus funds in a transparent and accountable manner that is easily accessible to the public. However, pretty much only reporters and politicians attended the meeting. The city has received information about only 15 percent of the stimulus money Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett asked for. City officials revealed at the meeting that they have tentatively allocated that 15 percent to the following categories: Public Housing Capital Fund- $10.3 million Homeless Assistance- $6.9 million Justice Assistance (support for police/ crime fighting) - $5.7 millionCommunity Development Block Grants- $4.5 million City officials are waiting until more information comes in before they make any final decisions in allocation of the funds. Fast Tracking Proposals The committee serves to fast track shovel ready projects so the spending can occur within the three-year window allotted by the act, according to City Administration Director Sharon Robinson. “Say if the department of city development has a project that’s ready to go, and we can’t wait to go through normal common council cycles we might have to fast track things like that,” said Robinson. Although city officials have been advocating for the stimulus money to go directly to municipalities, the majority of the stimulus money will go to the state of Wisconsin, according to Council President Willie Hines’ aide, Alex Runner. “A lot of it appears to be going to the state of Wisconsin, which can then be allocated as they see fit,” said Runner. “Of course, it’s easier for the feds to give funding to the 50 states, rather than hundreds of major municipalities, but it might not be as ‘fair’.” Regardless of the limited information, the committee is operating now in order to be “poised and ready to manage the money coming swiftly and responsibly,” when the city receives the money, according to Hines. The committee met for just under an hour around a circular wooden table. Despite heavy coverage and national attention to the stimulus plan, only a few members of the press and three or four citizens attended. The meeting focused on the status of the city’s efforts regarding tracking of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act stimulus funds as well as discussing opportunities to get the public more involved with the spending. Hines stressed that the money is “seed money” that we may not see the fruits for years to come. “This is not a silver bullet to deal with the economic wolves,” Hines said. Transparency and Accountability The committee, comprised mostly of area aldermen, is responsible for making sure the money received by Milwaukee is properly tracked, placing an importance on remaining transparent and accountable for the spending. Meaning they will provide easily accessible information as to where the funds are going, and why, according to Hines. “All of the money coming in from the federal government needs to be tracked,” said Public Work Commissioner Jeff Mantes. “They talk about transparency and accountability and that’s real important to the President’s administration, as well as our mayor and President Hines.” The majority of the funds will be dedicated to creating temporary jobs that will create skill sets for employees to use in transitioning to a permanent job after the project’s end and the funds expire, according to Hines. “If we’re gonna train them, how can we take these skill sets and transition them to other opportunities,” said Hines. “These are seed monies for infrastructure improvement for an element of job creation…the president wants this to stimulate and grow the economy long term.” Hines is also working with the Milwaukee Area Technical College to try to secure additional funding for job creation through a program already in place at the college, according to Runner. Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett held a Town Hall style meeting April 9 to address the allocation of stimulus funds further. Sun, 26 Apr 2009 00:07:00 CST http://www.frontpagemilwaukee.com/site/Viewer.aspx?iid=22024&mname=Article http://www.frontpagemilwaukee.com/site/Viewer.aspx?iid=22024&mname=Article Milwaukee Connector Begin Making Stops Around Milwaukee By Kristen Cooper of the Frontpage Milwaukee reporting staff Feb. 15, 2009 MILWAUKEE- The Milwaukee Connector study presented skeptical residents with a proposal for new transit systems at meetings held throughout the city earlier this month. East side residents gathered in the Wisconsin Room of the UWM Union for an informational Milwaukee Connector meeting on a recentTuesday afternoon while North side residents congregated at the Black Historical Society on a recent Thursday. The Milwaukee Connector Study, which began in 2000, proposes the development of Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) and Streetcar technologies in metropolitan Milwaukee. The meetings are one of many public outreach tactics the Milwaukee Connector is using to generate public support for BRT and Streetcar systems. “We're trying to take Milwaukee transit to a new level,” said representative for Milwaukee Connector Mark Kaminski. “These systems offer express service to make commuting easier for people who normally use public transit and for people who don't.” The meeting included an 18 board exhibition containing information on the proposed transit options, along with an informational video about the possibilities of BRT and Streetcar technologies in Milwaukee. After finishing the tour of the exhibit, meeting goers were asked to mark where they live, their place of work, and areas around Milwaukee that they frequent on a map displaying the possible BRT and Streetcar routes. A mature crowd of residents meandered through both meetings. Some spent most of the time strolling through the exhibit, stopping briefly to discuss their opinions with their neighbors and fellow area residents while others took time to stuff the comment boxes with their feedback. “I've been here since '79 and they've been talking about getting new transit since then. Nothing has happened; I don't think it ever will,” said North side resident Kenneth Myatt as he continued to fill out his comment form. Comments and questions were encouraged by representatives as they walked around eagerly explaining how the systems would operate and asking people to fill out the comment cards that lay scattered on tables. “Milwaukee has a negative stigma. No one uses the current transit system we have, so why bring new ones in?” stated meeting attendee Eric Moore. “They haven't done their research.” In the Milwaukee connector Study's plan, BRT would use hybrid-diesel power buses that make fewer stops than the current Milwaukee County Transit buses to increase efficiency and travel time. The Streetcar service uses an electric rail system with light weight, narrow streetcars. This system would use dedicated lanes that circulate around downtown Milwaukee in a large loop, eliminating any on-street parking that exists in the proposed path. “The streetcar seems to be a more likely possibility. It would benefit tourists, which would benefit Milwaukee,” said Moore. According to the Milwaukee Connector, the purpose of both BRT and Streetcar transit services is to create more efficient public transportation, economic development in Milwaukee, and transit options that minimize impact to the environment. But the new transit systems would bring other, less desirable changes to Milwaukee streets. In the Milwaukee Connector's proposal for Streetcar, they plan on eliminating on-street parking along the Streetcar routes and building more parking structures downtown. The structures, along with the construction of the Streetcar tracks in downtown Milwaukee, would add to the city's surmounting construction sites. Other major U.S. cities like Los Angeles, CA, Las Vegas, NV and Kansas City, MO have adopted the BRT system within the last five years. Portland, OR has integrated Streetcar on their streets since 2001, with Seattle and Tacoma following suit. Marc Levine, professor of Urban Studies at UWM, believes the expansion of Milwaukee's transit system would benefit the city's economy. “Milwaukee is currently experiencing a 'spatial mismatch'. This happens when the jobs that are being created in the area aren't geographically accessible to the the people who need them,” Levine stated in a interview last Fall. “There needs to be better transportation links between the unemployed and these jobs.” The next steps for the Milwaukee Connector study are to continue to gather public opinion, estimate costs, and develop a detailed funding plan before the city sees either transit system integrated on Milwaukee streets. The Milwaukee Connector is sponsored by the Wisconsin Center District, the City of Milwaukee, Milwaukee County, and the Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce (MMAC). Meetings were scheduled for Feb. 10 at the Northwestern Mutual Franklin Campus, Feb. 11 at the Milwaukee County Research Park Technology Innovation Center, and Feb. 12 at O'Donnell Park in the Harbor Lights Room. Sat, 14 Feb 2009 10:21:00 CST http://www.frontpagemilwaukee.com/site/Viewer.aspx?iid=20859&mname=Article http://www.frontpagemilwaukee.com/site/Viewer.aspx?iid=20859&mname=Article Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} Campus employment: Paying the bills and making the grades A Hard Day’s Work By Hanna Anderson of the Frontpage Milwaukee reporting staff Feb. 10, 2009 While other students at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee are fast asleep, Frances Wesolowski drags herself out of bed at 5 a.m. every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday mornings to walk to the Student Union. Once inside, she arms herself with a cart and begins the task of cleaning restrooms before students begin to fill the building. In addition to her full-time school schedule as a senior psychology major, Frances spends 24 hours working for the Custodial Services department in the Union each week. She does this despite the recommendation from the Department of Financial Aid Student Administrative Handbook that students do not work over 20 hours per week and says she still has to budget to make ends meet in our troubled economy. Frances is not alone. Eighty-five percent of UWM students hold jobs, and 17 percent work on campus, according to the Career Development Center. The median pay for students working on campus is $8 per hour, just $1.50 over minimum wage. When the pay rate and 20-hour-per-week recommendation are taken into consideration, the money just doesn’t seem to add up, leaving UWM students with less than half the cost of estimated attendance. Expenses, Expenses The UWM Department of Financial Aid’s estimated cost of attendance for a nine-month enrollment period takes into account the expected expenses for books and supplies, room, board, transportation, and personal spending. The estimated cost for the 2008-2009 school year for a dependant not living with parents is over $13,000. For many students, a campus job is the perfect fit—they are easy to get to and are flexible with school schedules—but for those like Frances, the pay simply isn’t enough, and valuable school time is spent working more hours per week. For people without financial assistance from their families or hefty student loans and grants, working more than 20 hours per week is a necessity when earning low wages. Zach Zembrowski, a psychology major and an audio-visual technician at the Union, works over 30 hours most weeks, and has struggled through the economic crisis. “When gas prices were at their max it was a little bit difficult for me to go from home to work and school and back on the pay that I’ve been receiving,” he says. The Redeeming Factors Often there isn’t enough time or money to go around when you take work, school, homework, and other obligations into consideration. But there are redeeming factors to working on campus. Both Frances and Zach cite convenience and work environment when asked why they continue working on campus despite the desire to make more money. “It’s close to home, and am always able to take off of work when I need to do homework,” Frances notes, also adding that her co-workers make her job enjoyable. Zach emphasizes that to his employer, he is a student first and an employee second. He is not allowed to miss class for work, even if he is needed for an event at the Union. And the work isn’t half-bad either. Watching Zach interact with his boss, one is struck with a sense of mutual respect. They bounce ideas off each other in regards to lighting and sound options for an event in the Ballroom, good-naturedly trying to one-up each other on lighting ideas. Work conversation is mixed with learning and laughter, and Zach’s boss seems more like a mentor than a manager. While Zach and Frances agree that they don’t see much room for advancement in their current jobs, Steve Ellison, Custodial Services Program Supervisor at the Union notes that students on his staff do have the option to take on more responsibility and make more money while working for the University. “Students can go from a regular student custodial position to a lead student custodian. Also there is a custodial clerk position that people can obtain. [These jobs provide] more money and an advanced position.” Resources Students looking for on-campus or off-campus employment can visit the Career Development Center’s website at http://www.uwm.edu/Dept/CDC/ or visit the office in Mellencamp 128. In addition to helping students locate jobs, the CDC also offers resume assistance. Tue, 10 Feb 2009 22:21:00 CST http://www.frontpagemilwaukee.com/site/Viewer.aspx?iid=20789&mname=Article http://www.frontpagemilwaukee.com/site/Viewer.aspx?iid=20789&mname=Article By Holly Nearman of the Frontpage Milwaukee reporting staff Feb. 5, 2009 The snow fashions a coat of ice crystals on each eyelash until they resemble snow-covered tree branches. For many, it's routine. So is trudging through knee-deep snow at every street crossing, silently cursing at homeowners who neglect their shoveling duties, and arriving home with fingers too numb to twist a key in a door lock. Exercising outdoors during Milwaukee's winters can be daunting. Even for those who don't choose to exercise outdoors, scraping frost off car windows or waiting in a drafty bus shelter in the midnight-like darkness at 5 p.m. can make getting to the gym a feat itself. However, many residents stay active and motivated despite the urge to hibernate. "Anytime I see someone else running outside on a cold, snowy day, it motivates me enough to go out there and do the same," says Anna Christian, 26, a UWM graduate student and avid winter runner. Read more Wed, 04 Feb 2009 22:51:00 CST http://www.frontpagemilwaukee.com/site/Viewer.aspx?iid=20700&mname=Article http://www.frontpagemilwaukee.com/site/Viewer.aspx?iid=20700&mname=Article Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} By Amber Gramza Of the Frontpage Milwaukee reporting staff Jan. 29, 2009 UW-Milwaukee has banned smoking less than 30 feet from buildings since 2006, yet students are blatantly violating the ban, and penalties seem non-existent as the UWM police tell the ban breakers to “shoo”. And, even though the campus initially was supposed to be smoke free by 2007, the final phase wasn't followed through. Every day for a week, at least four people could be seen breaking the 30-foot no-smoking ban in various locations. Smokers were scattered from the Union all the way to Sandburg Resident Halls and very few people actually followed the ban. Policy Breakers Most offenders appeared non-observant to the bright yellow “NO SMOKING” stamps on the ground. They seemed much more concerned with staying warm. Singles were off alone huddled near the door, while others would stand in groups up to three people, conversing, laughing, and smoking. Some students would even take off their gloves so they’d be able to light up their cigarettes. Many would smoke while multi-tasking, using cell phones or Ipods. Soon enough most would scuttle off to their classes, or back into the building they were standing in front of. Some student smokers admitted they had no idea about the ban. “I guess I just don’t pay attention to the rules,” said Aubrey Leebal a UWM student and smoker. The Policy “Smoking Policy No: S-49” had four phases in its original 2006 copy. These phases were: • The UWM Physical Environment Committee shared (and continues to share) information about health risks of environmental tobacco smoke. • UWM Union became entirely smoke free and tobacco products were no longer sold in the Union. • A 30-foot-no-smoking ban was instated around all UWM building entrances, air intakes, and operable windows. • UWM campus would become smoke free both indoors and outdoors on July 1, 2007. Unsuccessful Phase? The policy was revised in March 2008, and the fourth phase was no longer included. Data collected by the Norris Health Center a year before the original policy was established showed, “75 percent of students reported that they were ‘very concerned’ or ‘somewhat concerned’ about the health-related risks from secondhand smoke exposure.” The Surgeon General stated in January 2007 that, “Exposure of adults to secondhand smoke has immediate adverse effects” including problems with the heart and even lung cancer. The Surgeon General adds that there is no risk-free level of exposure to secondhand smoke. All of these findings along with the students’ initial concern about health issues leave students wondering why the policy never went through. “I just don’t understand why they ditched the idea,” said Antonio Cruz, UWM Sophomore. “I constantly smell smoke while walking around campus and I’m getting sick of it.” Laura Stuart, a Health Educator at UWM, hasn’t given up hope on the possibility of the fourth phase. “I can’t say for sure what the hold up is. I think that one of the issues, a big issue is that people saw what happened when Columbia went smoke free,” said Stuart. Columbia Hospital became a completely smoke free location on July 4, 2005. From that point on, students and faculty of UWM observed the staff of Columbia coming from their “smoke free” lot to smoke across the street on UWM property. “I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but ironically they often smoke in front of our nursing school or in bus shelters on our campus,” said Stuart. “I think when people saw that, they thought, ‘Wow, if we make our campus smoke free are people going to be crossing onto the lawns of our neighbors?’,” said Stuart. These are the same sentiments the Student Association Vice President Tommy Hughes had about the fourth phase and why it didn’t happen. “I think we would get into a lot of problems and obviously at UWM we have a pretty delicate situation with our neighborhood,” said Hughes. “I don’t think it’d be a risk the University would really be willing to take with the current funding situation; to send a couple thousand students and faculty out into the neighborhood for a cigarette.” Well At Least We Still Have the 30-ft-Smoking Ban…Right? With the policy’s fourth phase on hiatus, concerned UWM staff and students can only look towards the 30-ft ban. Though with constant offenders, their minds aren’t quite at ease. Natalie Topcheski, a UWM student and smoker who was following the ban, has an idea about the ban breakers. “I think part of it is it’s getting cold out and so the closer you are to the building the more shelter you have. They don’t want to smoke out in the wind and cold, but that’s part of being a smoker so…” said Topcheski. The policy states the way violators are caught is that if an observer sees the person violating the ban, the observer should make the violator aware of it. If they refuse to move, the observer is supposed to contact an authority. One of these authorities is Sergeant Art Koch of the University Police. “I think we get a few calls but people might just be ignoring it, I mean, the people that witness it. We get calls from witnesses on occasion, and like I said by the time we get there, normally the person’s [violator’s] gone,” said Koch. For those violators who stick around, Sergeant Koch enforces the ban and requires them to move. “Right now we’re just trying to get voluntary compliance, and for the most part, the people will just move. I could see possible citations in the future, but I don’t think it’s gotten to that point yet,” said Koch. A.N.T.I. (Against Nicotine and the Tobacco Industry) hosted a campaign reminding people of the smoking ban in hopes of deterring future offenders. Wed, 28 Jan 2009 19:29:00 CST http://www.frontpagemilwaukee.com/site/Viewer.aspx?iid=20593&mname=Article http://www.frontpagemilwaukee.com/site/Viewer.aspx?iid=20593&mname=Article By Edgar Mendez Dec. 30, 2008 UW-Milwaukee advisor Jimmy Johnstone arrives at 8 a.m. each morning at his cluttered office, which sits in the back corner of room 179 in Mitchell Hall. Surrounding his gray, primitive looking steel desk, stand overflowing file cabinets, stacks of manila folders, a cup of coffee he forgot to drink the day before, and various other signs of disarray. On the walls are posters, news clippings, and what seems like an endless parade of pictures. These photos and the moments captured in them remind Jimmy why he’s usually the first one there each morning and always the last one to leave at night. They are pictures given to Jimmy from his former students, many of them college graduation photos of former Milwaukee Public Schools' students. Frontpage Milwaukee multimedia: See the photo display on Jimmy Johnstone by Noelle Steffen here. Not every former student who’s in the pictures has or will graduate from college, though they did beat the odds just by getting there. According to a report released earlier this year by America’s Youth, the MPS graduation rates for students who began high school in the 2003-2004 school year were only 46%. Though MPS disputes those facts, there remains no doubt that the city’s public schools are still struggling to graduate students at high rates and doing an even worse job sending them to college. Johnstone's life work is to try to change that. According to the MPS 2006-2007 district report card, there were 26, 392 high school students enrolled in Milwaukee Public Schools. Only 45 percent of the 4,562 who graduated took the ACT exam. Out of the 57 high schools that had graduates, 21 of them had not even one graduate take the ACT exam, which is required to attend college. Michelle Dziedzic, who teaches Psychology at South Division High School in Milwaukee, says that there are numerous reasons why MPS graduates don’t take the ACT. “Some can’t afford the cost of taking the ACT and other students who struggle at test taking figure they will do poorly anyways,” said Dziedzic. Johnstone knows all about the negative numbers and has heard the whispers from those at UW-Milwaukee who feel that MPS students aren’t cut out for college, but he knows it’s not true. “The students have really good minds, it isn’t that someone has a better mind who’s at a different school; opportunity is the key thing” says Johnstone as he packs up UWM applications and financial aid forms for his weekly recruiting trip to Washington High School. Raised with an educational legacy Born and raised in Milwaukee, Johnstone realized early on the importance of an education, being that his mother was a teacher, and he made it a mission of his to pass that knowledge on to others. Fresh out of Marquette University with a Master’s Degree in the early 1960’s, Johnstone accepted a teaching job at an orphanage in the Winnebago Omaha Reservation. He lived at the orphanage with his students and taught English while also coaching football there. Johnstone was there for only one year but continued to keep in touch with the students there years later, bringing some back with him to Wisconsin to celebrate holidays and even once to march with Father Groppi in Milwaukee. Jimmy’s next job was in Montana, and he would be spending the next stage of his life living in a dorm and teaching students at the Cheyenne Crow Reservation. Later that decade, Jimmy returned to Milwaukee, got married, and joined the newly created Academic Opportunity Center (AOC) program where he has been the senior advisor since 1978. “I was approached by (the founder of the AOC) and asked to join this program over 36 years ago when it was just starting; it was the dream job that I never heard of,” explained Jimmy. Aside from advising, the center provides introductory courses in English, Reading, Study Skills, and Math, which are subjects that have been identified as problem areas for MPS graduates as they transition into college. Johnstone advises over 200 students a semester, many of whom come from MPS schools. Jimmy feels that the number is much too low. “Only about 6% of Milwaukee Public School graduates end up here at UW-Milwaukee,” says Jimmy. That’s why he feels so strongly about getting out and recruiting there. Traveling to Milwaukee Washington every Friday is not part of his job description, but he remembers when it was. “Back then, we used to send advisors into different MPS high schools regularly to recruit” and added “I believe it was very effective then and it needs to be done again now.” Student bond It was during a visit to Washington High in 2004 that Johnstone met Chatara Mabry, then a junior in high school. Now a senior, majoring in Communications at UWM, Chatara talks about Jimmy. “He’s like my best friend, he’ll study with you, he’s fed me; I would have dropped out a couple times if it wasn’t for Jimmy,” said Chatara. Johnstone knows that getting MPS graduates admitted into college is only the beginning of the struggle as many will not make it to senior year. “I don’t look at it that way, I just try to get these kids college wise, getting their paperwork in, getting their tests taken on time, getting them the right schedules, you know remove as many of their obstacles as I can to give them the best chance to graduate,” said Jimmy. For all of the AOC students who don’t make it at UWM, there are also many who do. There is proof of that all over Jimmy’s office walls. “I probably have a story about each student in the pictures, and I love it when they give me pictures,” said Jimmy. “I feel really good about it and I wish that I had even more room for more pictures.” Fri, 23 Jan 2009 13:53:00 CST http://www.frontpagemilwaukee.com/site/Viewer.aspx?iid=20530&mname=Article http://www.frontpagemilwaukee.com/site/Viewer.aspx?iid=20530&mname=Article Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:"MS Mincho";} By Michelle Williamson Frontpage Milwaukee fashion editor Jan. 8, 2009 Even in cities well-versed in fashion and beauty trends, avant garde looks don’t always make the transition from the catwalk to the sidewalk. And in more style-conservative cities like Milwaukee, where there’s often more concern over the freshest beer rather than the freshest fashion, some trends may need to be watered down in order to be accepted. However, even with some of the most ridiculous trends, there are always some brave souls who take a look and run with it. And while some of them end up pictured in the “What Were They Thinking?” section of People magazine, the rest of us merely have to face the judgment of people we encounter in our day-to-day lives. So at least I have that going for me as I take some of the season’s more wacky looks out on a spin around the city. In a year where the key word is “change,” what is the reaction when faced with a point of view that steers away from the norm? Black Lace… What? You want me to put that where?! The first look came as a suggestion from the style bloggers at WhoWhatWear.com, urging the trend of black lace. Now, black lace isn’t exactly out of the ordinary. A blouse with lacey trim probably wouldn’t garner any curious stares. Black lace tights? Edgy and on trend, yet hardly offensive to one’s sensibilities. But a pair of eyelashes made of lace? I think we have a winner. One click to Nordstrom.com, two days and 50 bucks later, the Shu Uemura lashes are at my door. The Japanese beauty company has christened them as the “Premium Black Gown,” which is a name that baffles me until I open the box. I think I’ve seen photos of Paris Hilton clad in entire outfits constructed with less fabric than these lashes. My new pair makes its debut at Trinity for dinner. As I slip into the dark wooden booth where my friends are seated, I introduce myself to a man I’ve never met and he nearly chokes on his half-eaten French fry. “What are you doing with those?” he exclaims, too distracted by my lashes to properly introduce himself. Eventually he calms down enough to tell me his name is Justin, but continues to laugh as he jabs his friend next to him in the ribs. “Those aren’t eyelashes, those are butterflies!” his friend, Tim, 38, tells me. “If you blink fast enough, you could fly away.” So they don’t like my lashes, I take it? “Black lace? Not on your face,” Justin confirms. Thinking that a younger crowd might better appreciate my new pair, I head to a longtime college-friendly haunt. At the door to Rascals, a smoky Eastside bar tucked just off of North Avenue, an unamused doorman perched on a stool at the entrance takes extra care to study my driver’s license, his eyes flicking back and forth between the excessively adorned face standing before him and the decidedly less decorated version pictured on my ID. After an awkward minute creeps by, he wordlessly holds my card back out in the air for me to grab. The lights are barely bright enough to be called dim, but the heads of those sitting planted on the bar stools follow me, or my eyelashes, rather, as I pass by. One hoodie-clad college-age guy gets a glimpse and turns back to his equally hooded friend with a single word: “whoa.” As I approach some familiar faces, they turn my direction. There’s a split second pause, silence, as their brains register the image of my fabulousness (I think), only to be shattered by their explosion of laughter. A chorus of half-empty pint glasses clacking down on top of the bar sings out, and instantly I’m surrounded, fighting off hands reaching out to pluck those delicate lashes right off my lids. “It looks like you cut your underwear up into pieces and put them on your eyes,” says Sam Leaf, 21, leaning off his stool as I bat his intruding hand away. Eston Ramirez, 22, cocks his head to the side as he gives me a look. “They’re so… natural!” His sarcasm is palpable. After spending the next half hour trying to explain what the lashes are and how to put them on, I decide to make my way home. Catching by the shoulder on my path out, Stephen Wittig, 29, stops me. “Wait, can you blink a few times?” he asks. “I need to fan off.” Black lips: You kiss your mother with that mouth? I had to stifle a laugh in the computer lab when I read style.com’s declaration that black lip gloss was one of fall 2008’s biggest beauty trends. I give the room full of dazed, but dedicated students a quick once-over: nary a carbon colored pucker in sight. Back in my high school days, when the walls of my bedroom were plastered with Marilyn Manson photos torn haphazardly from rock magazines, I painted myself up with geisha white face makeup and cheap waxy ebony lipstick from “alternative lifestyle” store, Hot Topic. A schoolmate had once told me I looked like I had been chewing a bicycle tire. But now, could it be? The look that was once so mocked by my peers is the trend of the season? I decide that it’s the perfect time to give it another go. Heck, if it’s good enough for Yves Saint Laurent’s runway models, it’s good enough for me, right? Well, apparently, it isn’t quite that easy. Trips to numerous department store beauty counters in Milwaukee turn up nothing. Blush, a boutique downtown on Water Street, only has a plum colored gloss to offer me. I cannot seem to track down the “hot” trend. No one carries the black lip gloss. Not even the gleaming aisles of go-to beauty store Sephora, in Mayfair Mall, where only days prior I had engaged in a mental thumb war over which color polka-dotted neon feather eyelashes to buy. While the salespeople at each stop can’t provide me the goods, they all direct me to the same place: Hot Topic. Yup, some things never change. So, there I am, once again, approximately a decade later, in Hot Topic, buying a tube of waxy black lipstick with a cap decorated with a skull and crossbones. But hey, I’ll take the $3.99 price tag over YSL’s $28 gloss, no problem. I drag the color on, top it with a coat of clear gloss and head back out to North Avenue, this time to RC’s. I slide up to the front bar, trying to be nonchalant, to order myself a beer. Trevor Johnson, 27, stops dead in his tracks behind the bar. “Nice… dark… lips!” he exclaims, his volume pumping up a notch with each uttered word. His gaze is aimed squarely at my mouth. Hey, buddy, my eyes are up here,I want to tell him, but I just shrug it off, noticing that everyone who is noticing me is actually noticing my lips. I just happen to be attached to them. The night wears on, but the lipstick, not so much. Altogether now So far these “trends” don’t seem to be picking up here in Milwaukee, but I want to give them one more shot on campus, this time lips and lashes together. The combination of black lace and dark lips comes off ultra-goth and, might I add, pretty badass. As I amble around the Union’s midday hustle and bustle, nearly everyone sneaks a peek as I pass and out of the corner of my eye, I see a kid spit his bite of burrito back onto his lap in laughter. There’s some twittering from a group beside me. They’re laughing, saying something witty about Halloween being over (of course) but all it takes is a quick glance from me and they zip right up. Ah, this look is good for something: intimidation. Score! On my way home, I make a detour at the bank, where the teller gasps as I approach the counter. “Lace lashes! I love them!” grins Tiki McGee, 32, perfect curls bouncing as she nods in approval. “If anyone tries to discourage you, don’t listen. They’re pretty.” She hands me the receipt for my deposit. “And if you see me with butterflies on my eyes later, don’t be mad at me. I love them!” I smile as I thank her and all I can think is “fly free.” Thu, 08 Jan 2009 13:39:00 CST http://www.frontpagemilwaukee.com/site/Viewer.aspx?iid=20393&mname=Article http://www.frontpagemilwaukee.com/site/Viewer.aspx?iid=20393&mname=Article Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}  SEQ CHAPTER \h \r 1Does Men’s Fashion Exist in Milwaukee? BY ASHLEY LEWANDOWSKI FPM fashion reporter Dec. 16, 2008 ashleyl2@uwm.edu “A baseball hat, hooded sweatshirt, and ripped jeans." How many guys do you know who fit this description on a daily basis? How many consider this their standard uniform? If you live in Milwaukee, chances are that your answers range from quite a few to tons. The Milwaukee men’s fashion scene (just like Milwaukee’s fashion scene in general) has felt the pitiful looks of disgust from notable fashion-forward cities for decades thanks to the pigeonhole that typical, Milwaukeean stereotypes have standardized. “Milwaukee is known for beer and cheese, not style,” says 23-year-old Ashley Bennett, a local boutique manager. “People don’t expect us to be fashionable.” But according to Andrea Marcinkas, assistant professor in the fashion department at Mount Mary College, the men of Milwaukee are ready for their turn in the spotlight. “Men’s fashion is very underestimated, especially in Milwaukee,” says Andrea. “Sure, there are a lot of guys who wear t-shirts and jeans, but it is definitely growing.” She attributes this growing trend in men’s fashion over the past 10 years to men not being shy of wanting to look good. The Big Picture Travel to any general area in the Eastside or downtown to get a sense of what men’s fashion is in Milwaukee. Perched at a table on the popular Brady Street, one can see how diverse the options are. There is the man who walks into the coffee shop in a winter ski hat. He pulls away the hat to reveal a mop of dread locks. His chest advertises the mighty Dead. Out front, a man in thick, dark-rimmed glasses puffs on his cigarette. His skinny jean-clad legs resting on the table. Just across the street, a slightly older man emerges from a local boutique. He looks refined and polished in a black, tailored suit. His pointed shoes glisten in the sunlight as he confidently strides down the street. This shows that the area definitely has a lot of diversity when it comes to looks. It just depend on how you define fashion, and what is stylish in your realm. Many Milwaukeeans find nothing wrong with the fashion of men here. Instead, they credit the issue to the standards in men’s clothing everywhere. Bloggers from the OnMilwaukee.com website had several thoughts on the issue. “I don’t think there is anything lacking in men’s fashion in Milwaukee specifically as much as it is that men’s fashion is just not a big deal to a large portion of males,” says blogger JT. But this does not mean that men do not care. It is necessary not to compare men’s fashion to women’s fashion because of the amount of trends that come and go in women’s. Men’s is less likely to change for some temporary trend, so they are able to keep wearing the same pieces for greater periods of time. “Historically, meaning in the last century, men’s fashion cycles have lasted years which means that they can get more wear out of it,” says Andrea Marcinkas. She also notes that colors remain fairly constant, and that men tend to build their wardrobes around a specific set of colors. Growth and Potential Men’s fashion has seen a real push in the past few years. According to Andrea, the Milwaukee nightlife scene has been a huge stimulus for men’s recent interest to look good. Thanks to trendy, hot spots on Milwaukee Street and in the Third Ward, men have developed the drive to dress up. Andrea describes the typical outfit of a man out on the town, also known as “The Look.” “The Look tends to be a casual slash business hybrid, including a button-up (shirt), nice jeans, and Italian shoes,” she says. Milwaukee men can find the resources and inspiration for these looks at the numerous men’s boutiques that have been popping up around town. Aala Reid is an extremely popular one located on the Eastside’s Brady Street. Other notable boutiques are MP2, located in Cathedral Square, and the Third Ward’s newly-unveiled Flaire. Choosing Fashions Men take into consideration variety of aspects when deciding what fashions are right for them. Many pride their choices on comfort. Other men look at price tags first, and some believe that brand names are really important. To others, it is all about the self-assurance. Twenty-four-year-old Rudy Hernandez is a fashionable, male trendsetter who knows all about “rocking the right duds.” “The most important thing to remember when picking outfits is to wear whatever makes you feel like you are looking good,” says Rudy. Andrea agrees that self-confidence plays a huge role in determining if a guy can pull off a certain look. She also notes that a man who knows what fits his body is more likely to have style. “Knowing what he can and cannot wear is very important,” she says, “like what jeans he looks good in, or what colors.” Hot for Men Right Now After gaining the confidence and figuring out what styles look good on them, Milwaukee’s men are ready to try the new, hot trends of the season. Essential to the winter period are color and patterns. The newly-popular pink from summer has deepened into shades of raspberry, plum, and magenta. This mirrors the trend of purple that is very popular in women’s fashion right now. “For the first time in a long time, the color palettes of men’s fashion are close to women’s,” says Ashley. Mixing patterns is huge for men as well. This season also sees the return of the French cuff, especially fashionable is a cuff that is colored differently from the rest of the shirt. “Naturally, cuff links are really big right now,” Ashley says. Tue, 16 Dec 2008 23:29:00 CST http://www.frontpagemilwaukee.com/site/Viewer.aspx?iid=20235&mname=Article http://www.frontpagemilwaukee.com/site/Viewer.aspx?iid=20235&mname=Article By Michelle Williamson Frontpage Milwaukee Fashion Editor Nov. 9, 2008 Certain things signify the arrival of fall: The leaves burn fiery reds and gold, the breeze turns more brisk, and in some cities, the latest fashions are paraded down runways in the spectacle known as fashion week. This year, we were to become one of those cities with our first Milwaukee Fashion Week, only to have plans unravel at the last minute. Organized by Hillary Fry, founder of Wisconsin-based beauty product company Solessence, the event was scheduled to take place from Oct. 3 - 6 at various Brew City landmarks, such as the Harley-Davidson Museum and the Milwaukee Art Museum. While anticipation increased in the days leading up to the event’s kickoff, Solessence actively updated Milwaukee Fashion Week’s website, FashionByTheLake.com, adding more designers to the lineup. However, on Oct. 2, it all came to a grinding halt with a single message. Just 24 hours prior to what would have been Day 1, the homepage declared Fashion Week canceled due to “unfulfilled financial commitments and other unexpected issues with sponsors.” The four-day affair had scheduled professionals on the international, national, and local level to feature their talents through workshops, speeches, and runway shows. Ticket prices ranged from $30 for a single day’s event to $170 for a four-day pass. Student passes were available for $105, still a bit pricy for those in school. For students at Mount Mary College in Wauwatosa, Sandra Keiser, professor and Chairperson of the Fashion Department, made arrangements to have at least one designer come to them. “The students were excited to meet Gilles Montezin,” Keiser says, noting that the French-born, New York-based designer would be speaking about “his background, studying in Paris, and his approach to design.” Milwaukee has not generally been regarded as a fashion city, despite having corporate headquarters for major department stores like Kohl’s and Bon-Ton(Boston Store) here. While there are plenty of designers living and working in the area, few have achieved the status of becoming a household name. Events like Milwaukee Fashion Week help independent designers get the exposure needed in order to help make their business successful, but only if the shows go through as planned and can get enough media attention to attract attendees, as well as sponsors. “It’s important for fashion events to be spread out across the calendar in order to cultivate fashion connoisseurs who watch for events scheduled throughout the year,” Keiser says. Designers involved with Milwaukee Fashion Week not only invested a lot of money, but also countless hours of time. Milwaukee native Katherine Stephens, 31, of Kat Collections, created a line of eveningwear specifically for the event. After paying $50 for the show’s jury entrance fee and $600 for a booth rental, she spent thousands of dollars on the high-quality fabrics for her pieces, only to have them hang unshown from the garment racks that line the walls of the Bay View studio workplace that she shares with another designer. A textile designer for Bon-Ton by day, Stephens’ own collection is specialty event dressing, including bridal wear, and most of her business is the result of networking and good word of mouth. “I usually don’t do shows because they’re costly and time consuming,” she says. Not only that, many of the smaller scale fashion shows within Milwaukee take place at bars and clubs, where garments are vulnerable to smoke, dirt and other damaging elements. Milwaukee Fashion Week appealed to her not only because of what would have been a “professional setting with professional models,” but also because of the prominence of the booth, which would have allowed her to access customers with more ease. “I lost a lot of potential for growing my business,” Stephens says, adding “I was turning down business while working on this collection.” Despite Milwaukee Fashion Week’s inability to come to fruition this year, there is indication of a growing interest in local designers and independently-owned boutiques. Oct. 17 marked the fourth anniversary of RunUp To The Runway, held at the Milwaukee Art Museum. Standing just as tall as the awe-inspiring architecture of the MAM itself, Mount Mary Fashion students presented their own masterpieces: one-of-a-kind garments for their design competition. Models took to the catwalk in original designs by Milwaukee labels such as Mink and Delanie Couture, strutting for a crowd of approximately 1,300 people, exceeding the original expectation of 1,000 attendees. Sometimes all it takes is a little light shone in the right direction in order to see beauty that’s right under your nose. Like Stephens says, “There’s a lot of hidden talent here.” For more information on local designers mentioned here: · Kat Collections- · Delanie Couture- · Mink- Sun, 09 Nov 2008 14:49:00 CST http://www.frontpagemilwaukee.com/site/Viewer.aspx?iid=19791&mname=Article http://www.frontpagemilwaukee.com/site/Viewer.aspx?iid=19791&mname=Article By Ashley Lewandowski Frontpage Milwaukee fashion editor Nov. 9, 2008 When it comes to Milwaukee fashion, an elite group of Fashionistas leads the pack in design. In an attempt to uncover the true essence of Milwaukee fashion, Front Page Milwaukee set out to determine who the “It Crowd” exactly is: Who romanticizes Milwaukee like Vera Wang? Who shocks the crowd like Vivienne Westwood? Who is our Versace? The designers of Fasten Collective and Fashion Ninja are at the top of this reputable list of stylish individuals, according to fellow local designers and fashion analysts. In the venture, Frontpage Milwaukee consulted many sources of the fashion scene. Web sites, blogs, and polls divulged who consumers’ top picks for local alternative fashion were. Local fashion media also provided their opinion of the most influential artists as well. View Larger Map The Milwaukee Fashion Scene Although Milwaukee is often not seen as a top contender on a national level, many believe a lot of up-and-coming talent canbe found here. Local artist and writer Julie Lawrence is a firm supporter in the capability of Milwaukee’s designers. Lawrence covers the fashion scene for OnMilwaukee.com. She also sells her own designs through Fasten. “Milwaukee is seen as sort of an underdog in this respect, but there are a lot of talented designers here who are more than capable of competing with larger market fashion,” she says. “This city has a strong DIY (do-it-yourself) ethic, and that really shows in our collection of designers.” Milwaukee designers offer an alternative to the mainstream. They provide variety, creativity, and accessibility for their clients; emphasizing the fact that not everything has to be high-fashion or expensive. The Search The most important reviews came from the designers’ peers. “There are places like Fasten and Fashion Ninja that feature handmade, locally-designed clothing that is fashionable but also affordable,” says Lawrence. “I really enjoy Areka Ikeler (of Fashion Ninja).” After being asked countless times which local designers they most admired, the names of these two boutiques became a likely answer. Let’s see why. Fasten was opened in 2005 by a group of local designers who had been selling their work together at the Eastside Market. It was established to make local designs more easily accessible to the public. Located in Bay View, it has a varying number of artists and designers, typically among 10 to 25; and is always looking for fresh ideas and members. The collective also features sewing classes for those who want to try designing themselves. Fasten Collective Janelle Gramling, one of Fasten’s partners, is very much the alternative-indie artist. She and her partners have been deemed one of Milwaukee’s “most innovative hives of fashionistas.” When it comes to the fashion industry, 23-year-old Gramling admits that she is not attracted to what many have come to know it as. “Honestly, when I hear the words “fashion industry” I think of skinny models and materialistic consumers,” she says. “I’d say I’m part of the hand-crafted industry that provides an alternative to sweat-shop produced, environmentally-negligent fashion.” The hand-crafted industry that she mentions describes the process that local designers must go through when creating and marketing their works. A trip to Fasten shows what this concept is really like. Many are unaware of the fashion hot spot that Bay View has become. The center of this arena falls on Kinnickinninc Ave. Among trendy coffee and wine shops, and voguish salons, one can find Fasten Collective. A mannequin sits in the front window, layered in a sweater, skirt, and leggings. The white writing on the window says “Hand Made by Independent Designers.” Inside, Fasten is a combination of a seamstress shop and your ultra-hip aunt’s attic. Combing the racks, the styles vary dramatically combining sleek fashion with thrift store treasures. Pieces that stand out include a hooded-wrap in a snake-skin print and orange, cashmere leg-warmers. An open doorway in the back of the store leads to a fabric room. Looking inside, one sees sewing machines and shelves of fabrics differing in color and style. A counter sits in the center of the shop. This is where you find Janelle, delicately dressed in a sweater and leg-warmers. Appearing cheerful and relaxed in her environment, she talks about what motivates her designs. A Local Designer’s Prospective: Janelle Janelle’s line is called “Little Ocean.” She says that her inspirations come from everyday things in design and nature. Her collection features unique, casual clothing from reclaimed vintage materials. “The reuse of unwanted textiles motivates me deeply, and I get very excited every time I find a new way to use something old,” she says. So, where does Janelle think that Milwaukee rates on the style chart in comparison to well-known fashion meccas like Chicago or New York City? “There are a few style-makers, and a couple (fashion) forward boutiques, but I wouldn’t say this city is an influential part of the big picture yet,” she believes. Her main concern is that Milwaukee lacks money, and that sales can be slow. She also blames typical stereotypes of tradition and culture surrounding Milwaukee. “Milwaukeeans seem to prefer spending $50 on a couple of rounds at the bar than on art or fashion,” she says. However, Janelle does note that the city has a great amount of personality, and is a wonderful, cheap place for independent artists to live. She says that this provides the city with a good amount of talented designers, and allows for numerous, small boutiques. These types of places like Fasten and Fashion Ninja are “real fashion treasures” that can be difficult to find in larger cities. In these small gems, Milwaukee has found itself a new fashion district. Janelle shows a lot of enthusiasm for the neighborhood that surrounds. She proclaims the area is a “hidden treasure.” “In Bay View, we have over 10 independent businesses that sell totally unique fashion,” she says. “Four of us carry items that are hand-made by local designers.” The camaraderie among the designers of Bay View has enabled it to become a fashion focal point, offering accessibility and variety. So when asked who she saw as influential on a local level, it should be no surprise that Janelle gave props to her fellow Bay View courtiers. “Areka Ikeler, of course, is influential with Fashion Ninja, “she says. “Vanessa Andrews is (also) influential in that not only does she sell her awesome collection at Fasten, but also teaches sewing classes.” It is this support that makes the Milwaukee fashion scene stand out, and continue to evolve. An evolution that also follows the seasons, as Janelle prepares for the upcoming weather conditions in an eco-friendly manner. “Right now I’m working on leg-warmers and arm-warmers made from super-cozy, recycled sweaters,” she says. “I love layering myself up with these fun accessories as it gets cold out!” Sun, 09 Nov 2008 14:39:00 CST http://www.frontpagemilwaukee.com/site/Viewer.aspx?iid=19790&mname=Article http://www.frontpagemilwaukee.com/site/Viewer.aspx?iid=19790&mname=Article By Elisabeth Reischl April 28, 2008 While growing up, it was difficult for me to get a boyfriend. Not because of me, but because of my family. My dad taught and coached at my middle school, which is prime age for first relationships. All the boys were scared of him, and therefore did not want to date me. Can a family be too involved in relationships? Yes, I believe so. Because my dad was a teacher and a coach, many, if not all, of my crushes had him for 8th grade history or played a sport for him. It was impossible to date. They were just plain scared. When a noble boy finally did want to date me, we could not hold hands or even hug in the hallway at school because my dad’s colleagues would tattle and I would get a lecture when I got home. To be honest, it flat out sucked. My mom put the kibosh on my dad’s scare tactics by the time high school rolled around, but other people may not be so lucky. Families feel the need to hurl themselves as much into a relationship as the actual couple for many reasons. First off, to give these over-bearing moms, dads, brothers, sisters and even grandparents, the benefit of the doubt, they feel they are looking out for their family member’s best interests. They don’t want to see someone they love get hurt. The reality is that hurt in a relationship is like strawberries on shortcake. Without it, a relationship will not be as sweet in the end. Secondly, many families don’t even realize they do it. Picture an 18-year-old girl, fresh into college, dating a guy. She is legally an adult and can make her own decisions. Many parents have a hard time simply letting go. It’s a matter of boundaries. Boundaries are probably the most important thing to cross when a child is grown. They are like syrup on pancakes. A healthy amount of syrup will get soaked into the pancake, but it always seems like that’s never enough. The best tasting amount of syrup will leak off of the cakes and pool onto the plate. Although the syrup broke the boundary and is very unhealthy, it tastes so much better. Boundaries need to be there, but they need to be set by the child. A new dater will learn his or her boundaries and will make sure they are not broken. It again, is a learning experience and something that will make a person stronger. Combining strawberries on a shortcake and extra syrup on a pancake make the recipe for self-discovery. Lastly, the family may want to get in the way of the relationship, most of the time to break up a bad one. In this instance, the family is usually desperate for their child to see that their “better half” is less than better. For others, family being involved can actually be instigated by one of the people in the relationship. I know of a couple that has been together for six years. They were in high school when they started dating. She is now 24 and he 23. During that time, they have broken up briefly twice. Both times was because of her mother. After an argument, (remember strawberries on the shortcake), the girl would call her mother, complain, and become more upset. Then, her mother would call him, clearly stepping over his boundary line and ticking him off (syrup on pancakes). She would call and tell him how to fix their fight. Now, had her mother been kept in the dark, the couple probably would have resolved their issue on their own time and own terms. Instead they broke up, both times with him giving her an ultimatum: Keep your mother out of our business! The strawberries on the shortcake were not so sweet. They are back together, and although her mother has done her best, she is still coping with not being in that part of her daughter’s life. Parents, as they have done for the first 18 years, are the older, wiser, decision-makers for their children. It can be hard to wean a parent off those duties. From time to time, I find myself seeking my mother’s advice on relationship issues. She will relate them to a problem she once had and give me advice on how I may want to approach mine. She in no way, shape, or form contacts my boyfriend. She remains in her role as a mother to an adult; an adult who knows how much syrup she likes on her pancakes. Relationships can still thrive with nosey families. In the TV show, “Everyone Loves Raymond,” Ray’s mother Doris is over-bearing, judgmental, and worst of all über-nosey. The episodes deal with how Ray and his family handle his parents and brother. Ray portrays the ordeals in a comedic fashion, but to many families it is more of a drama. Families will always have a role in relationships. It should be a supporting role though. The starring role should be left to the couple. So, yes, families can be too involved in a relationship. Being involved is like eating; everything is good and healthy if in moderation. Families need to remember that in their child’s relationship, as in life, the pancakes taste better when the syrup covers the plate and the strawberries will always make the shortcake sweeter. Wed, 30 Apr 2008 01:43:00 CST http://www.frontpagemilwaukee.com/site/Viewer.aspx?iid=17869&mname=Article http://www.frontpagemilwaukee.com/site/Viewer.aspx?iid=17869&mname=Article By Patrick Metz April 29, 2008 Even with the United States facing what seems to be an oncoming depression, we’ve still managed to keep in touch with the latest trends, fads, and fashions. Take a look around you and see what people are carrying; from iPods and palm pilots to flashy new cars and brand new clothes. It’s almost become an addiction for the urban trendsetter to carry at least five ways to entertain themselves wherever they travel. What happened to the day when you saw people on the bus to school actually doing schoolwork, or reading? They’ve been replaced by people adjusting the volume on their MP3 players, playing a Nintendo DS or PSP, or texting friends on their increasingly smaller cell phones. The question begs to be asked: has it become necessary for people to follow expensive electronic trends to fit in? And should it be. The answer seems to be a resounding yes, it is, and no, it's not a good thing. Over the last week, I heard a discussion on the bus between two people wearing the telltale white headphones of their iPods. The two were discussing how funny a fellow student’s CD player looked, and how long it had been since they had seen one. It was almost mind-boggling that people expect one another to waste $150 on your average iPod rather than use a CD player that works just as well, but without the style and storage of the same iPod. On the same bus was two students with video game systems, one with a palm pilot, and at least ten more out of the twenty listening to some sort of MP3 player. The conversation between the two students in the back makes one wonder why people who haven’t yet caught up with ‘modern’ technology are not as easily accepted. The truly scary part is how willing students are to part with their money. A vast majority of students are probably required to take out loans or work low-end jobs to make ends meet, but they still find a way to keep up with style and technology. A great example is the Nintendo DS, which was released in 2004. A short two years later, after everyone had already bought the DS, Nintendo re-released it in a smaller, lighter form. More convenient to hold and carry, yes, but still able to do all the same things the original DS did. But people still flocked to the stores and purchased the DS Lite, which has sold almost 46 million units since its release in 2006. The same thing has happened with the iPod, which was recently re-released in a new, smaller shape and new colors. Even people who had a perfectly good iPod bought one just to fit in, even though the new iPod does the exact same things the old one did. Also consider the frenzied masses who want the Nintendo Wii system, the ‘must-have’ holiday gift this season. You’d often see people waiting outside stores at 4 a.m. for the system. Due to limited numbers, it became nearly impossible to find a Wii once November rolled around. And when you asked people why they wanted one so badly, they would tell you that they wanted their kids to fit in, or that other parents already got their kids one. “I want my kids to be popular” became a catchphrase. Take a look out in the student parking lots, too. You can see the students who spent lots of their hard-earned money to buy a new Jaguar or BMW that looks better but doesn’t likely work any better than another student’s ‘95 Chevy or ‘88 Pontiac. Like the iPods and laptops on the bus, it seems to be just to show off how well-to-do one is when you drive a flashy sports car. It’s interesting to watch the reactions from certain people with more stylish cars, including a sneer I received from the driver of a black Mustang after seeing my ’92 Subaru. I think more and more today people are judged based on what they own rather than what they do or how hard they work. There are people who work just as hard as the kid with the Mustang but choose not to go for such an expensive car, and be happy with an older, or merely less expensive car. Just like the kid with the CD player on the bus, they may care about what others feel but may be simply unable to afford an iPod like their brethren. That is a separate question of means- some people might have parents who work as doctors or lawyers who bought them the car, and some might genuinely have good, well-paying jobs themselves. Or, on the flip side, they might simply not care and choose what they can afford now. Imagine the driver of the Mustang in 20 years, when the large amount of money he put down on the car is gone because he either crashed it or bought a newer car (to keep up with trends, of course). While it’s nearly a necessity to keep up with current trends just to get by in today’s world (imagine not owning a computer or a DVD player, which were useless or nonexistent ten or fifteen years ago), keeping up with today’s trends just to be stylish or popular isn’t the right way to go. You can own an MP3 player or an iPod, or even a nice new car without going to the extremes some people find necessary to fit in, and still be happy with what you have. Wed, 30 Apr 2008 01:07:00 CST http://www.frontpagemilwaukee.com/site/Viewer.aspx?iid=17866&mname=Article http://www.frontpagemilwaukee.com/site/Viewer.aspx?iid=17866&mname=Article By Sam Hogerton April 28, 2008 Like a Record Store, baby! Did you know today is the last day of the “National Occupational Health Nursing Week”? It’s also “Pet Owners Independence Day” today, and yesterday was “National High Five Day.” My point is, in short, that there are an infinite number of ridiculous holidays/observances that we celebrate (only five more months until “Talk Like a Pirate Day”!). Tomorrow many will celebrate the birth of yet another, as it marks the inaugural celebration of “National Record Store Day.” Now, I know what you’re probably thinking: Hey, isn’t tomorrow already “Auctioneers Day,” and “National Hanging Out Day?” It would seem, then, that declaring April 19th “Record Store Day” just adds one more random, silly holiday to the countless others. However, I’m here to tell you that this day of observance is much more justifiable. Amidst the financial devastation within the music industry, independent record stores are becoming endangered species. Record Store Day strives to preserve these unique music shops by celebrating the culture surrounding them. That’s what sets this day apart from the random or the silly; it has a cause. If you don’t want to take my word for it, just ask one of the most beloved musician of all time, Paul McCartney, who says, “There’s nothing as glamorous to me as a record store. When I recently played Amoeba in LA, I realized what fantastic memories such a collection of music brings back when you see it all in one place. This is why I’m more than happy to support Record Store Day and I hope that these kinds of stores will be there for us all for many years to come.” Record Strore Day was organized by the Alliance of Independent Media Stores, the Coalition of Independent Music Stores, Music Monitor Network, Newbury Comics, and Value Music Group of Indie Stores. Hundreds of independently owned shops around the country will be participating, including Milwaukee’s own Atomic Records. Tomorrow all of the participating stores will be having sales, selling exclusive merchandise and holding special performances. Many prominent artists are contributing to the cause. R.E.M., Death Cab for Cutie, The Black Keys, and Built to Spill released exclusive limited edition 7”s recently at all participating locations. Metallica has signed on to officially launch the celebration with an in-store signing and fan meet and greet tomorrow morning at Rasputin Music’s Mountain View store near San Francisco. It wasl to mark the band’s first in-store appearance in nearly a decade. The outpouring of support from big-name artists is a testament to the cause of Record Store Day. It’s a day for music lovers to celebrate and support a valuable, entirely unique culture. As multi-Grammy award winner Norah Jones similarly put it, “It’s important to keep indie record stores alive because their unique environments introduce music lovers to things in very personal way.” Now, I’m not arguing that Record Store Day should take its place among the ranks of Christmas, New Years, Thanksgiving etc. I am, however, suggesting that it should not be disregarded as some ridiculous low-rent gimmick, equivalent to the likes of “Talk Like a Pirate Day.” Vintage record shops have a smell. They have that old dusty attack smell. There is not a square millimeter of bare wall to be seen, as they are often plastered floor to ceiling in posters, band fliers, framed records etc. The employees usually make you feel like you have the music-knowledge equivalency of a first-grader, while bizarre, unfamiliar music from some obscure album fills the musty air. This is the endangered environment Record Store Day serves to celebrate and protect. You don’t need to have a vinyl player to enjoy it. On top of their collection of LPs, Atomic Records sells cds, posters (they have the biggest poster selection I have ever seen), t-shirts, magazines, dvds etc. It’s an environment that can offer something for everyone, and a cause worthy of an annual rally/celebration. On the eastside stretch of Locust Ave. lays Atomic Records, where recently you could find this writer/music lover enjoying live tunes and musty air. Tom Waits put his appreciation of record stores/clerks into song, and in a verse he sings, “Folks who work here are professors… Don’t replace the knowers with the guessers… Keep’em open… They’re the ears of the town.” Wed, 30 Apr 2008 00:28:00 CST http://www.frontpagemilwaukee.com/site/Viewer.aspx?iid=17865&mname=Article http://www.frontpagemilwaukee.com/site/Viewer.aspx?iid=17865&mname=Article By Dan Curtin April 29, 2008 Many classic rock bands are still alive and well today, true workhorses that keep on touring and making albums, but many bands never know when to call it quits. Led Zeppelin was one of those rare bands that broke up at the peak of their power, which was brought on by the death of drummer John Bonham in 1980. Then last December, after not playing together since the mid 1980’s, Led Zeppelin played a reunion show in London. This of course paved the way for a mountain of rumors and speculation that the band was going to get together and do a world tour and possible a new album. Although nothing has been finalized yet, should the world really get that excited at the prospect of a Led Zeppelin reunion tour? Now once again nothing is set in stone, but guitarist Jimmy Page, bassist John Paul Jones, and new drummer Jason Bonham have all said that they would do a tour right away. Singer Robert Plant is the only holdout, and he is currently busy preparing for a summer tour with Bluegrass musician Alison Krauss. After seeing so many bands continue playing well after their expiration date, Led Zeppelin should hang up their instruments once again and leave the world with the same awe inspiring legacy they have had for almost 30 years. Many people would scoff at the notion that the members of Led Zeppelin are no longer skillful musicians, but the years have taken a toll on all members’ musical abilities. One of the most obvious differences between the Led Zeppelin of the 1970’s and last December’s Led Zeppelin is the voice of Robert Plant. His signature high-pitched wail is long gone, and has been replaced by a more humble and mature sounding voice. Jimmy Page’s guitar even had to be tuned a whole key lower in order to accommodate to Plant’s suppressed vocal range. Although most Zeppelin fans were not able to see the band perform in London, it was obvious from bootlegged audio and video that this is not the same youthful and energetic band that the world once knew. Another problem with these hyped up reunion tours is that fans are often faced with monumental ticket prices and limited availability for tickets. British classic rock band The Who is one of the most irritating examples. Since they only do a select few shows when they decide to tour every couple of years, ticket prices end up being several hundred dollars, and most fans either cannot get a hold of a ticket or cannot afford one. Conditions at the December Led Zeppelin show might be an indication for the future if the band does indeed go on a tour. Because of the high demand for tickets, people were placed in a lottery system in order to receive a ticket, and some tickets were selling for almost $100,000 online. It would be a real disservice to true fans if the only people getting tickets were the ones wealthy enough to afford them. Obviously many people want this tour to happen more than lower gas prices or an end to the war in Iraq, and they do have plenty of good reasons. Led Zeppelin is still ones of the best rock bands of all time, and their fan base has only grown in the decades since they broke up. All of the members proved last December that while they may not be in top form, they still know how to put on a damn good rock n roll show. Zeppelin may still be one of the greats, but who wants the Led Zeppelin story to end on a sour note if a possible tour ended in disappointment and mediocrity? Above all things, Led Zeppelin should not get together or a tour or a new album because it would almost seem sacrilegious to their legacy. Led Zeppelin stands out above almost all other classic rock bands because all of the members gracefully called it quits at the perfect time. What memory would the world have of Led Zeppelin if they were still lumbering around, making album after album and doing non stop mediocre tours? One needs only to look at the Rolling Stones for an example of a band that may still please a drunken crowd, but has not made any relevant music in 25 years. As it stands, Led Zeppelin’s legacy is close to perfect, and should not be tainted by another attempt at glory. Before this article gives anyone the wrong impression that Led Zeppelin is going on a world tour, remember that everything right now is still speculation. While Jimmy Page, John Paul Jones, and Jason Bonham have all said they would love to do it, Robert Plant is still saying no and is busing touring with Alison Krauss until the end of the fall. Page, Jones, and Bonham need to realize that while they may be able to recapture the commercial success they used to have, they would be doing a disservice to their fans and to themselves if they did not achieve anything less than perfect artistic success with a reunion tour. Here’s to hoping that the “Song Remains the Same.” Tue, 29 Apr 2008 00:00:00 CST http://www.frontpagemilwaukee.com/site/Viewer.aspx?iid=17862&mname=Article http://www.frontpagemilwaukee.com/site/Viewer.aspx?iid=17862&mname=Article By Elisabeth Reischl April 22, 2008 People are always told to follow their hearts when it comes to love. You cannot help who you love. But there is one dreaded situation in which many friends find themselves when doing so. Can you remain friends with someone who professes their love for you when the feeling is not mutual? The answer is yes, you can. You must first figure out what kind of love the friend is feeling. In my opinion, there are three different kinds of love, so making sense of your friend’s feelings can be tricky. The first kind of love is very simple. It comes without cause. It is a true, just, and unbridled feeling for someone that is usually mutual. The feeling is that of respect and even the good kind of envy. Envy in the way that something in them makes you want to be similar to them. It is more than just the petty things such as a dimple in the cheek or gorgeous blonde hair. It is the way they face adversity or how they love their children. It is a very real and undoubted feeling. Friends can have a mutual love for one another. It is why best friends usually can say those three words and do not feel pressured like many people in relationships do. Think the movie “Thelma and Louise”. Sometimes people just have to understand the fact that they can love someone without actually loving someone. Loving someone is all of that mixed in with the sexual, lusty, physical side of a relationship. Think “Sex and the City’s” Carrie and Big. Loving someone usually brings more drama and intensity into a relationship. When you mix the love from “Sex and the City’s” Carrie and Big with the love from “Thelma and Louise” then the outcome in most cases is a committed relationship. That’s the third kind, the big kind… LOVE. When a friend professes their love to you the friendship is then put into perspective. The awkward feelings that came with telling them you did not feel the same way will linger, but eventually will pass. The friendship will need mending and different stitch will hold it together better. The friendship will have to head in a new direction, away from whatever led to the feelings to begin with. This does not mean the person has to change. It just means that instead of one-on-one movie nights, a group outing to a favorite hot spot will be better. Instead of dinner for two, it should be dinner for eight. For many people, this is easier than it seems. After talking with my friend for awhile, I found out that she has actually had two encounters with friends who have fallen in love with her. As it turns out, he would not accept that she did not feel the same way and after she moved away for college, they are no longer friends. The second just came up from her hometown in Illinois a few weekends ago to visit. Their relationship is great, according to her. There are no awkward feelings, and she still considers him one of her good friends. Although the love in the relationship is not mutual, the desire to remain friends must be. Just like a relationship, friendship cannot be one-sided. If the friend does not respect your feelings, or vice-versa, then it can no longer be mended and will have to end. It happens in movies all the time. In My Best Friends Wedding, Julia Roberts’ character loves her best friend, but in the end he chooses someone else. They end up remaining friends. In The Object of My Affection, Jennifer Aniston’s character falls in love with her best friend. Although he is gay, they still remain friends. I fell in love with Brad Pitt and we are still friends. Just kidding! Although Hollywood is usually pretty far from real life, it does have one thing right. They too believe that following your heart is the only way to go even if it means needing some mending at the end. And this is essentially what friends are for. So yes, you can still be friends with someone who falls in love with you even if you do not have to feel the same way. Do not be surprised, however, if you need to spend some time with a needle and a thread. Tue, 22 Apr 2008 11:10:00 CST http://www.frontpagemilwaukee.com/site/Viewer.aspx?iid=17856&mname=Article http://www.frontpagemilwaukee.com/site/Viewer.aspx?iid=17856&mname=Article Sam Hogerton April 14, 2008 False Charges in Bonnaroo If you dabble in the artistic domain, being accused as a “sell-out” is akin to wearing the scarlet letter. With the recent release of their commercially fueled 2008 lineup, including Pearl Jam, Kanye West, and Metallica, this shrill charge is ringing in the ears of the Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival’s producers. But these stones must be cast accordingly, as they compromise the integrity of their target. In this case, the accusations that Bonnaroo has “sold-out” are undeserved. The disagreement stems from varying definitions of the term “sell-out.” As I see it, striving for commercial success doesn’t constitute the charge. The accusation is only applicable when fiscal incentive overrides or compromises the purpose, integrity, and quality of the product in question. Bonnaroo is an annual four-day music and arts festival produced and created by Superfly Productions and AC Entertainment. The festival has been held every June since 2002, on a 700-acre farm, 60 miles south of Nashville, Tennessee. The purpose of the festival has always been to provide a diverse selection of musical styles in a live setting. “Bonnaroo” is a Cajun slang word simply meaning “a real good time.” The festival organizers allegedly chose the name as a means to honor the vibrant tradition of Louisiana music from which they drew their own inspiration. For the first couple years, the festival focused mainly on recruiting “jam bands” (neo-Grateful Dead groups like Phish). In fact, the 2002 headliners included Phil Lesh, and Bob Wier (former Grateful Dead members). Yet, much to the chagrin of the “Neo-Deadheads,” or “Bonnaroo Purists,” since 2002 promoters have consistently strived to diversify the musical landscape of the festival. And although this might sound horrible, some of the artists recruited in this effort have a history of commercial success. With headliners ranging from Tool to Radiohead, there were even complaints over the past years that Bonnaroo was going “mainstream.” This year, with a headline bill reading Kanye West, Pearl Jam, and Metallica, this general dissenting sentiment seems to have reached a new peak. There seems to be a common misconception that commercial success is inherently relative to musical integrity. But this relationship only formulates when the commercial incentive dictates the artistic domain. The question, then, has to lie in identifying the motives behind signing on and headlining multiple commercial juggernauts. Is it an attempt to diversify the festival, or an attempt to fatten up ravenous piggybanks? Obviously, it’s both. It would be naïve to believe that it was ever done differently. The purpose of the festival is to provide a diverse landscape of music. Well, Metallica is the only speed-metal band on the 2008 bill, so it’s undeniable that they contribute to the diversity of the festival. True, they are (or at least were) popular, but that doesn’t constitute “selling-out,” because popularity cannot solely compromise integrity. Sure, they will draw new crowds to the Bonnaroo grounds, but isn’t that what anyone planning a major event would try to achieve. If they came out with a new line of Bonnaroo lunchboxes, it would be another story. Bonnaroo has literally sold out every year, and the attendance cap has remained at 80,000 since 2003 (it was 70,000 in 2002). They are not bringing more people in; they are simply drawing a more diverse crowd. What’s the harm in that? The Metal-heads and the Neo-Dead-heads can live in harmony. The festival has retained its roots as well. Many of the same artists that played in 2002 are still on the 2008 line-up (i.e. Umphrey’s McGee, Phil Lesh, Robert Randolph etc.). Bonnaroo is like a plant; its rooted foundation remains, and everything grows from there. Now, I don’t mean to preach the 2008 lineup. I don’t even like Metallica, and I’m not saying anyone should or shouldn’t. That’s not what this is about. I’m saying their participation (or Kanye West’s, or Pearl Jam’s) doesn’t compromise the purpose, integrity, or quality of the festival. Thus, the criteria of “selling-out” have simply not been met. Bonnaroo 2008 may not have much to do with the rich heritage of Louisiana music, but it has everything to do with “a real good time.” Legend has it that Robert Johnson sold his soul to the devil at the crossroads outside Nashville, Tennessee. Fortunately for the Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival, Superfly Productions and AC Entertainment have seemingly been able fend off his neighboring corporate minions. Mon, 14 Apr 2008 10:31:00 CST http://www.frontpagemilwaukee.com/site/Viewer.aspx?iid=17833&mname=Article http://www.frontpagemilwaukee.com/site/Viewer.aspx?iid=17833&mname=Article By Dan Curtin April 14, 2008 For almost a decade now, Internet users have been able to freely download music from various websites with a simple click of their mouse button. While the debate on whether or not people should be able to download music for free will likely be going on another decade from now, one topic that is not often discussed is how this practice will forever change the music landscape. Many people have now stopped obtaining music illegally and have started paying for songs from popular online digital distributors such as iTunes, which is now America’s second most popular music vendor. The point to all of this is now that people can legally or illegally pick and choose which songs they want to listen to; the entire concept of the album may be headed for extinction in the near future. Many people might ask what the big deal is if they can still find and buy the music they want to listen to, but to real music lovers, the true genius of many bands is their deep and intricate albums that are meant to be listened to from front to back. The whole process of creating an album can take months if not years and can cost anywhere from a few thousand to several million dollars. Now that an artist can simply create a single, catchy song and sell it for 99 cents a piece, where is the incentive to invest the time and money to create an entire album? Of course almost all artists still go through the time and effort to make albums, but the concept of creating a work of art that makes sense and has a cohesive beginning and end is starting to lose its appeal to major artists. Take the Red Hot Chili Peppers for example, and their latest album, 2006’s Stadium Arcadium, was a sprawling double album that featured a whopping 28 songs. The problem, though, is that none of the songs make any more sense the way they are sequenced now than if you were to randomly put the tracks together yourself. This is exactly the type of album that encourages fans to pick the songs they like and simply download them from iTunes instead of paying $15 for the album itself. This is quite a disturbing development, especially considering that the past two Red Hot Chili Pepper albums were masterpieces that begged the listener to devote a whole hour to listen the CD from start to finish. In essence, iTunes is almost like an online store of greatest hits, offering fans what they want when they want it. That may seem like an ideal business model, but it also may be plugging a hole in creativity and setting the stage for how bands operate in the future. Lead singer/guitarist Josh Homme of hard rock band Queens of the Stone Age has already commented on how the current situation with iTunes has him reconsidering if it is even worth it to continue releasing traditional albums. To him, “It is very discouraging to know that a band can put all of this effort and creativity into an album, only to have the fans go on iTunes and purchase the lead single and nothing else.” Not that many iTunes users are old enough to have lived through the 60’s and 70’s, but those were times when many bands made and released albums that told a story without being some sort of cheesy concept album. Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young’s debut album Déjà vu was a recorded account of the amazing music that can come from tumultuous band relationships, while Revolver from the Beatles has such a unique flow and feel to it, that listening to one song instantly brings to mind the next. Truly classic albums take a listener on a metaphorical ride full of twists and turns, one where the ride never feels complete unless the entire journey is taken at once. That is what at stake if artists and record labels continue to push for single serving helpings of music. However, many up and coming underground bands can benefit from the iTunes business model. The previously mentioned amount of time and money that it can take to record an album may not be feasible for bands that still have day jobs. Being able to get any kind of exposure is so essential for new bands nowadays, and iTunes or MySpace is the perfect place to get new fans. The only hope is that once any new band gets its share of the limelight, that they will create something more than a one-dollar song. The days of bands making money off of albums are gone, and the seeds were planted long before iTunes came around. CD sales have been declining ever since it was possible to obtain music from the Internet, and after every label owner, manager, tour roadie, and retail outlet gets their share of the cut, band members are not left with much. That is why it is so important for bands not to lose focus of the real reason for making records; to create a piece of art that is worthy of repeated listens and will stand the test of time for years to come. Mon, 14 Apr 2008 10:14:00 CST http://www.frontpagemilwaukee.com/site/Viewer.aspx?iid=17830&mname=Article http://www.frontpagemilwaukee.com/site/Viewer.aspx?iid=17830&mname=Article By Danielle Chatham April 14, 2008 Victoria’s Secret Too Sexy? I Think Not… I never thought I’d see the day when a billion-dollar a year lingerie franchise was accused of being too sexy by the very people who have helped create that image. Well, that day has come. Victoria’s Secret is one of the most successful and well known brands in fashion history. The company is known to be the leader in bras, panties, and lingerie for women. The business is also renowned for its catalog, swimsuit line, fashion show, and top supermodels. And yet, it’s this very image that has Victoria’s Secret chief executive Sharen Turney reporting that she believes the brand has become “too sexy for its own good.” Turney says she feels that the company has “abandoned their heritage” from being ultra-feminine to super-sexy. With numbers dropping below Wall Street expectations, Turney believes that by reinventing their sleepwear and lingerie lines the store will regain its popularity among shoppers. However, the problem is not that Victoria’s Secret is too sexy, but rather that it’s not sexy enough. Not until I turned seventeen did I even step foot inside a Victoria’s Secret. I could never feel quite comfortable buying panties at Kohl’s department store, let alone going into a lingerie store for them. It always felt so womanly and adult to me. Now, I work there, and the store seems to strike a different chord with me. When it comes to bras and underwear, I only buy from Victoria’s. In fact, I would say I buy everything there including makeup, fragrances, sleepwear, swimwear, and clothing; everything except lingerie. Now I won’t go into my personal buying tastes, but I will say this. I do agree that the store has gotten away from the ultra-feminine vision they were once notorious for. But saying it is because they have gone too sexy is a bit far from the truth. In fact, it’s completely false. The truth is that Victoria’s Secret has become too teen friendly and discarded its provocative roots completely. In 2004, the company launched its sleepwear line named PINK. It includes loungewear and apparel that is geared towards college and high school students. The line was Victoria’s Secrets’ fastest growing sub-brand in the company’s history, and it continues to add new products to its collection including fragrances, flip-flops, and sweatpants. And although the line has done so well, one of the things that turn people away is the same thing that turns people on; it’s for a younger crowd. How weird is it that girls who are taking physics and attending fraternity mixers are wearing the same underpants as the girls who are taking beginners’ algebra and attending their first middle school dance? And to say that girls in middle school are the frequented clients is a bit of an overstatement. In fact, I have personally helped mothers purchase underwear for their daughters who are as young as nine years old! The thought is a bit creepy considering the 25 year old woman in the next room is searching for an outfit to wear on her honeymoon. And it’s not just their PINK line that has changed the store’s reputation. Victoria’s Secret has created its own sportswear line named VSX. It features workout items such as running shorts, windbreakers, yoga pants, and the list goes on. I find it so odd that the same place that you can by your thongs and push-up bras from now sells water bottles and boxer gloves. And who said sweat and spandex wasn’t sexy? Besides the two collections they have that do carry lingerie, Victoria’s Secret has the Angels collection. This collection,is most synonymous with the gorgeous supermodels who walk the runway in oversized feather wings, carries nightgowns and robes. Personally, I don’t find anything too sexy about wearing the same satin pajamas that I saw some 80-year-old grandma buy herself for Christmas. In fact, I find it somewhat insulting that the store that prides itself on being “The Sexiest Store on Earth” appeals to those who belong to age groups that enjoy Hannah Montana and The Golden Girls. Perhaps that’s being too harsh , but the fact is that about 75% of what Victoria’s Secret carries is anything but lingerie. The fact of the matter is that store has strayed so far from its image of being sexy yet feminine, which is most likely the reason their sales have dropped. Having to turn away brides-to-be and woman who can’t find comfortable loungewear that doesn’t have a huge dog, the PINK collection’s mascot, on it has become the real problem. To say that the store has become too sexy could not be farther from the truth. So even though Victoria’s will always be the number one shopping destination on my list, I will be looking for even sexier places than that for my intimate evening wear. For some reason, I no longer feel uncomfortable there because it’s too adult for me, but rather because I am afraid to discover that my 4th grade cousin and I are wearing the exact same bikini briefs with the yellow and orange polka dots on them. I never thought I’d say this, but it’s time that even Victoria’s Secret brought their sexy back. Mon, 14 Apr 2008 10:11:00 CST http://www.frontpagemilwaukee.com/site/Viewer.aspx?iid=17829&mname=Article http://www.frontpagemilwaukee.com/site/Viewer.aspx?iid=17829&mname=Article Andrea Brouer April 14, 2008 Summertime: The Time for Indoor Parties? The college years can be full of cheap beer drinking. Broke college students love their beer and even make jokes about how the cheap stuff tastes. As college ends and students get their first jobs, they can afford better beer at bars and can become quite the experts (if they hadn’t already). But what happens when this student becomes older and starts entertaining at home more frequently? What options does he have? Heineken and Krups believe that they will solve this problem and tap into a neglected demographic with their new at-home beer dispensing machine, the BeerTender. This March, the BeerTender became available at Williams Sonoma. April 1 it is scheduled for a wide release. Is it a good strategy for Krups and Heineken to launch the BeerTender now? No. It would have a better launch if it was launched at the end of the summer or middle of winter. Heineken Light is the number 8 import brand in US. The Dutch company introduced its DraughtKegs last year to good sales. With the BeerTender, the company has teamed up with the German manufacturer Krups. The machine can only be used with Heineken and Heineken Light DraughtKegs. Heineken’s other beers may soon have DraughtKegs available as well, according to the company. Krups will make money on the sale of the BeerTender, Heineken on the DraughtKegs. The BeerTender is a sleek, black and chrome machine that looks a lot like an at-home cappuccino maker. Inside, the owner puts the 5-liter Heineken DraughtKeg and, voila, he has his own beer dispenser. It is sure to look impressive on any kitchen counter, and especially on the BeerTender’s target market: a 30 to 35 year old male with an urban lifestyle and outlook (according to the marketing director at Krups). According to Krups, this target is more likely to entertain at home. I agree. I can see this slick machine sitting on a kitchen counter during a party while the host pours beer for his guests. Here’s my problem with that picture: To me, this kitchen is in a house with a fireplace, and the guests are in sweaters staying in from the cold. Not many people gather indoors during the summer. The BeerTender has to be used indoors. It won’t get much use from Memorial to Labor Day. These are the days of outdoor barbecues, picnics and bonfires. The days of getting sunburned. Not the days of staying inside. Launching the BeerTender in April is too close to summer, and it isn’t the most effective time. On the BeerTender’s website, people are already asking about outdoor use. On its FAQ page, there is a question about whether it can be used outdoors and another about whether an extension cord can be used. Sure enough, the website states that the BeerTender is intended for indoor use only. And if you were going to try to get around that fact and use an extension cord to get power outside to the machine, too bad. An extension cord is not recommended. Another hit against the BeerTender is its cost: $299.95 plus the cost of the DraughtKegs. That’s a lot of money when someone could just buy bottles of beer. If he wants the show, he might buy it, but today money isn’t just growing on trees. There’s the little thing called a recession that we are in right now. Even if you don’t believe we’re in a recession, you do have to admit that money is tighter these days. According to a Yahoo! article, “beer is recession proof.” This might be. But note the word “beer.” Beer is recession proof, not kitchen appliances. If money’s tight, people are going to buy cans of Miller before they’d buy a $300 machine to put $12 kegs into. Maybe Krups and Heineken’s thoughts behind the April release date are tax returns and the stimulus checks. Taxes are due April 15, and returns shortly follow. And these stimulus checks that are getting sent out in May will give people extra money. Most people I know will use these checks for big, fun purchases. But I must repeat, this extra money is being sent out in April, May and June. People are thinking of the beach. They are thinking of new water toys. They are thinking of summer vacation. They are not thinking of indoor parties. So this logic doesn’t work in this case. Krups and Heineken should have planned ahead and launched their BeerTender four months ago or four months from now. People would buy it as a way to impress their friends at fall parties, a new wintertime toy or a Christmas gift. An April release date just doesn’t make sense for this product. Mon, 14 Apr 2008 10:07:00 CST http://www.frontpagemilwaukee.com/site/Viewer.aspx?iid=17828&mname=Article http://www.frontpagemilwaukee.com/site/Viewer.aspx?iid=17828&mname=Article By Megan Reinertson April 1, 2008 “Reptile Rampage” Location: Lake Forest Recreation Center, Illinois Date and Time: March 9, 2008; 10am to 4pm Hosted by: Wildlife Discovery Center Sponsored by: CroFab Coming from a small town in Wisconsin, I have always been intrigued by larger cities. Frequent visits to Chicago fill my personal calendar. Its skyscrapers, shopping streets, museums, aquariums and multiple public attractions call to my sense of adventure and value to learn. While visiting the Windy City last weekend, I checked the events calendar and noticed an advertisement for the Reptile Rampage affair located in Lake Forest just outside of Chicago. My curiosity was aroused because I enjoy zoos and aquariums. While researching a little more, I learned that this event was just an appetizer to the nation’s largest educational reptile and amphibian show, Reptilefest in Chicago. This festival, along with Reptile Rampage, is presented by the Chicago Herpetological Society which focuses on the study of herpetology, a branch of zoology concerned with the study of amphibians and reptiles collectively known as herps. I say appetizer because Reptile Rampage was held in one of the Lake Forest Recreation Center’s gymnasiums. Compared to Reptilefest’s 40,000 square feet of exhibit, you can imagine the displays were a tad bit mediocre. Although Reptile Rampage seems miniscule to its grand predecessor, its prominent sponsorships and recognizable host allow this little display to achieve public approval and professional credit. Exhibitors from Illinois, Wisconsin, Missouri, Michigan and Ohio crawled their way to Lake Forest to personally share their knowledge and educate the general public about reptiles and amphibians. Unlike a zoo’s grand entrance to a world full of knowledge, enhanced with syndicated habitats and reconstructed environments, the recreation center’s doorway the exhibit created its literal effect: entering a gym. Knowing I was not visiting a zoo or museum did provide some realization that the overall display would be basic, but folding tables and travel cases didn’t aid any professional vibe in terms of visual presentation. After accepting this minor disappointment, I realized the exhibit had much to offer in terms of education and animal information. Though folding tables were used as stands, they were each packed with displays of several different species of salamanders, frogs, iguanas, snakes, turtles, alligators and crocodiles, oh my! The set-up was made to direct the crowd in a zigzag pattern, allowing you to catch every view of every animal. Just like a zoo, each cage was labeled with the name of the creature and gave a detailed background of its prominent location, history, characteristics and lifestyle. Unlike a zoo, unless you follow a tour guide, Reptile Rampage had at least one person behind every four displays to answer any question, deliver background information or help you hold/pet an amphibian or reptile. My first view was of an Eyelash Viper. This yellow snake lives in the rainforest and uses caudal luring with their bright tales to attract small lizards and frogs. After reading about it, a person from behind the counter commented to me how their babies were born live and could be any color. Surprised by his relaxed presence and tone, I didn’t feel pressured or over-educated like some zoo experts seem to project. Throughout the rest of my tour, I learned about Leaf Head Turtles, Black-Headed Pythons, Barking Tree Frogs and many, many more. Realizing that this exhibit was just as informative and submersed in animal displays as any credible zoo exhibit, I wondered how a recreation center was able to host such a diverse set-up. Turns out the Reptile Rampage is hosted by CroFab (Crotalide Polyvalent Immune Fragment Antigem Binding) a commercial named snake anti-venom product. CroFab is a foundation supported by Protherics, the leading biopharmaceutical company focused on developing, manufacturing and marketing critical products and drugs used in the treatment of human disease. Just like any zoo exhibit or museum display, this event enabled a mass public to view a professionally ran show, with a more comfortable feel and personal interaction. Major credit should be given towards the Wildlife Discovery Center’s efforts and to those exhibitors who traveled many miles to enhance the publics learning of these special creatures. Though its first visible impression was nothing spectacular, this book should certainly not be judged by its cover. Tue, 01 Apr 2008 17:07:00 CST http://www.frontpagemilwaukee.com/site/Viewer.aspx?iid=17810&mname=Article http://www.frontpagemilwaukee.com/site/Viewer.aspx?iid=17810&mname=Article By Saul Fofana March 26, 2008 Some say that the internet is a public highway, and that everyone must be careful about what information they put out on the web for all to see. There have been accounts of criminals posting videos of their illegal acts on YouTube, underage kids posting pictures of them drinking at parties, and otherwise questionable things that probably shouldn’t be posted. Critics say that the use of the internet as their “private driveway” is foolish and common sense should be the number one priority before you get caught doing something stupid. Well, whether it’s stupid for them to post it or not, they have that right. With the wealth of information stored out on the web for all to see, there are of course negatives sides to the internet, but every other mass media outlet also has its faults. Television is becoming increasingly less censored, and things like satellite radio are filled with swearing and questionable content, but only a small minority rant about whether or not people networks should exercise restrain with the content they produce. The videos and Facebook pages that appear online with people’s photos, videos, etc. are there because people want them to be there. The internet has been around long enough now that everyone is aware of the consequences. If there are criminals posting videos in which they are breaking the law, it’s because they want people to watch. If they are dumb enough to commit the act in the first place, one can bet that they are dumb enough to tell the whole world about it. Same goes for the kids drinking alcohol on Facebook. Filters are put in place where it’s actually pretty difficult for parents or anyone to simply log onto Facebook and spy on their teens. There are privacy settings all over peer networking sites that make certain that you have the ability to block out anything you don’t want others to see or know. All of these options and security are well known by users as well since one of the first things people do when they first log onto Facebook or YouTube is set up their privacy settings. It’s not that we need common sense when posting things on public sites, people already have the common sense, they just don’t care. One of the great things about the internet is the fact that anyone can post anything. Of course there are people who judge what’s appropriate and what’s not, but those arguments come down to opinion and that will be a never ending battle. Please, stop with the warnings, we’re well aware, but we’re well protected. The internet may be a public place for the most part, but everyone is aware of their right to privacy and if they don’t feel the need to use their right, so be it. Tue, 25 Mar 2008 14:47:00 CST http://www.frontpagemilwaukee.com/site/Viewer.aspx?iid=17780&mname=Article http://www.frontpagemilwaukee.com/site/Viewer.aspx?iid=17780&mname=Article By Dan Curtin March 12, 2008 Although the stereotypical rock-and-roll lifestyle of sex and drugs may not be for everyone, it sure has helped many bands achieve artistic greatness and commercial success. It’s also helped create many rock and roll legends. That is why it is so frustrating to see so many of today’s modern bands do away with the hedonism and mysticism in favor of brooding and melancholy. Rock may not be as popular as it was in the 1960’s or 70’s, but there has been a recent resurgence of popularity thanks to bands in the emo and indie rock scene. While these bands may be popular, are they the kind of bands that we will or want to consider as “classic rock” 20, 30, or 40 years from now? I sure hope not, and I wish that a new generation of bands will emerge that bring back the raw edge and intensity that was so characteristic in rock 40 years ago. If not, then we will remember the 2000s as times when the angst-ridden hard rock of Nickelback and whining minimalist indie rock of bands like The Bravery were at the top of the rock pedestal. Now before I am accused of wishing all bands today sounded like Led Zeppelin or The Rolling Stones, I realize that like all music, rock music needs to constantly grow and evolve. Bands cannot keep on recycling the same hard rock riffs and dungeons-and-dragons inspired lyrics that were so popular in the late 60’s and early 70’s. What should always be prevalent, though, are the dangerous attitudes, edgy ideas, and just a general sense of being badass that has been around since the beginning of rock and roll. Classic rock bands were rebellious and edgy, while still having an incredible amount of fun doing it. Aside from jam bands like Phish and Dave Matthews Band, and stale retro rock bands such as the Black Crowes; popular rock has not really seemed fun to either listen to or for the bands to play since 1980’s heyday of hair metal. While people of varying ages will have varying opinions about that “music,” as soon as grunge exploded in the early 1990’s, rock has been in an all around depressed mood ever since. Pearl Jam, Nirvana, and Alice in Chains were all able to get the collective depressed masses to bang their heads to music that was artistically compelling, but very angst ridden. Throughout the past ten to 15 years, rock music has continued to either be heavy and gloomy or light hearted and melancholy but without substance. Everyone from rap rockers Limp Bizkit to emo super stars Rise Against have had their place at the top of the Billboard charts in the past decade. Maybe that is a bigger part of the problem because nowadays people equate success with talent but that could not be further from the truth in many cases. In all fairness, bands like the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Rage Against the Machine put out several visceral and exciting albums in the 1990’s, but with the Red Hot Chili Peppers reaching middle aged mediocrity and Rage Against the Machine reunited but not committed to making new music, the musical landscape still seems pretty dim. All of this just goes back to the fact that so many bands today simply just do not know how write music and act like real rock stars. In the 1960’s, Jim Morrison wrote the classic Doors’ hit “LA Woman” after reportedly drinking 37 beers and still being able to belt out the tune, while Brian Johnson of AC/DC treated millions of fans to the not subtle lines of “She’s using her head again,” on the classic “Givin’ the Dog a Bone.” There is a reason that these front men are still worshipped and revered today; they acted and truly were rock stars. All is not lost, however, and a few bands bring back “true rock and roll.” The White Stripes and front man Jack White have been creating a type of explosive, bluesy rock that has not been heard since the late 1960’s. On the other end of the spectrum, the no less talented Queens of the Stone Age are already legends living on the border between the mainstream and the underground and are as equally praised for their albums as they are for their no holds barred rock lifestyle. While no one in today’s politically correct music industry would ever advise musicians to follow the path of the members of the “27 Club”, (assumed truth) maybe letting your hair down and truly making some compelling rock music would not be such a bad idea. Good way to reinforce the central answer here. Sure, we have seen so many rock stars self-destruct over the years, and Keith Richards may just be a walking skeleton deductive logic, but the musical legacy is what truly lives on for eternity assumed truth. Let’s hope that a new generation of rockers will follow the examples set by bands like the White Stripes and Queens of the Stone Age and create music where the artists are not afraid to experiment and create something truly edgy, dirty, raw, and above all brilliant. Wed, 12 Mar 2008 09:53:00 CST http://www.frontpagemilwaukee.com/site/Viewer.aspx?iid=17765&mname=Article http://www.frontpagemilwaukee.com/site/Viewer.aspx?iid=17765&mname=Article Isa Carini iccarini@uwm.edu March 5, 2008 I suppose it makes sense to start with the question of: When did having an iPod mean someone can be a DJ? While grabbing a drink at a bar I’d never been to in Walker’s Point with a few friends, I noticed a woman sitting in the corner of the room at what looked like a regular booth with her laptop sitting open, loosely holding a cigarette, head propped on her arm, looking like she was chained to the table at the ankle. I quickly realized that she was responsible for what was coming out of the speakers. This zombified top 40 hits-playing-personality was our DJ for the night. When I think of a DJ, I don’t think of someone huddling in the glow of a laptop, clicking to the next track in a digital music library. I think of someone with an extensive collection of carefully archived vinyl that has put a lot of time and thought into bringing the right box of records to play that night. If a “shuffle” button on someone’s iTunes can replace the job of a DJ, what’s the point of having a DJ at all? So I considered a valid source: The DJ team recently named “So Valid.” They have a regular DJ night at a bar in Bay View known for its packed weekend nights and quality music. Their apartment is filled with shelves of records they’ve scrounged and searched for, year after year, and have quite an impressive collection of everything from soul to electro to punk. You name it, they’ve got it. Getting out and sharing their eclectic collection on Friday nights is something that gets them (and many others, I’m sure) through the work week. It sparks discussion with other music-lovers and even sends people off searching for dusty records at garage sales and local record stores that are in a much-dismissed area of the music world and need attention like this to keep their businesses afloat. To my friends, DJing is their passion. They’re musical orators, bringing records from across the decades to an audience that may not necessarily be familiar with that irreplaceable crackle of a record that is sometimes lost in the electronic communication of music. There are people out there who work jobs to pay their rent and spend whatever they have left on music, building a collection so that when they DJ, they have an assortment they’re proud of. In an age of playlists, iPod shuffles, and MP3s accessible to anyone with an Internet connection, is there really any artistic appreciation of true DJing left? Or is it all about the iPods? Wed, 05 Mar 2008 20:43:00 CST http://www.frontpagemilwaukee.com/site/Viewer.aspx?iid=17747&mname=Article http://www.frontpagemilwaukee.com/site/Viewer.aspx?iid=17747&mname=Article Alisha Fischer arf@uwm.edu March 5, 2008 Beat poet Allen Ginsberg visited UW-Milwaukee 26 years ago, and on Saturday, March 8 he will be present again, but in spirit. A Milwaukee Celebration to the Cosmic Spirit of Allen Ginsberg, is an event honoring a significant moment in Milwaukee’s history, and a celebration of a man who had a profound effect on many local artists. The evening—featuring a psychedelic light show, live music, and poetry readings— is free and open to the public, held in the UWM Union Ballroom. On March 11, 1982, Allen Ginsberg, who many considered to be greatest living poet at the time, made his historic trip to the UWM campus. Refusing to perform until campus police let in everyone waiting outside, Ginsberg performed to an over-capacity crowd in the UWM Union Ballroom. Ginsberg had come straight from New York where he was recording on The Clash’s album “Combat Rock.” In a controversial and groundbreaking move, Ginsberg decided to perform his poetry while the local punk group The Blackholes played. Mark Shurilla, local Grammy nominated artist and original member of The Blackholes, said that it was at a party held the night before that Ginsberg decided to collaborate with the band. The 1982 performance was recorded, but it wasn’t until a few years ago that the tape resurfaced. The first 500 people who come to the tribute will receive a free CD of the 1982 event. This will mark the first time that the recording has been mass-produced and distributed. UWM music lecturer Dr. Martin Jack Rosenblum believes that this recording is the truest record of what Ginsberg wanted to do with combining rock music and poetry. “Ginsberg always wanted to be a rock ‘n’ roll guy,” said Rosenblum. Rosenblum has a special insight into Ginsberg’s life and music. He read poetry alongside Ginsberg several times at readings in the 60s and 70s in cities ranging from New York to San Francisco. One night in Madison will always be a significant moment in Rosenblum’s life. While relieving themselves in some bushes outside a Be-In, epic poet Ginsberg casually turned to Rosenblum and said, “You know, you really need to get back into music.” Ginsberg was very supportive of Rosenblum’s career and had planned on contributing to Rosenblum’s 1974 book, “The Werewolf Sequence.” Rosenblum was very humbled by Ginsberg’s admiration and the two corresponded over the years until Ginsberg’s death in 1997. Although he never became a full-fledged rock star himself, Ginsberg is credited to inspiring some of the most influential musicians and artists of the 60s, 70s and 80s—including Bob Dylan and Patti Smith. Ginsberg can even be seen in the background of Dylan’s famous video for “Subterranean Homesick Blues.” Ginsberg has also left an impact on Shurilla’s life and career. Every four to five years since Ginsberg’s death, Shurilla has performed at tributes to celebrate the man who partied in his basement and affectionately called him “the blackhole.” Rosenblum will contribute either music or poetry to the event. He also wrote the liner notes for the album being given away at the celebration and sums up the gravity of that historic night and the influence it has had on everyone who was involved. “Allen Ginsberg and The Blackholes, Milwaukee, once again but this time with history as one’s guide to understanding what Ginsberg knew and asked Mark Shurilla to get done: rock the poem. Get it off the page. Toss the book. Dance like a shaman then and now. Crazy is good medicine and Allen Ginsberg with The Blackholes cured everyone there that night. You can take the cure now,” writes Rosenblum. Other local performers at the event will include poetry presented by Jeff Poniewaz, James Liddy, former Milwaukee Poet Laureate Antler, Susan Firer, John Jeske, and Bob Watt. Paka Paka Light Show will present a psychedelic light show while The Blackholes perform Ginsberg’s music. Wed, 05 Mar 2008 20:04:00 CST http://www.frontpagemilwaukee.com/site/Viewer.aspx?iid=17745&mname=Article http://www.frontpagemilwaukee.com/site/Viewer.aspx?iid=17745&mname=Article By Brady Holden Over Thanksgiving break, a friend of mine, Natalie, was visiting her boyfriend, Ben, in New York City where he goes to culinary school. One morning when he had class, Natalie stayed back in his dorm room. She went over to his computer to check her e-mail and do the typical Internet routine us college kids do. When she popped open the browser, Facebook appeared, Ben’s homepage. Having our own computers, a lot of our accounts automatically sign us in or never actually sign us out, which was the case here. Natalie was looking at Ben’s Facebook account. She hesitated for a moment, thinking of what to do. Should she casually click off and do her daily Internet routine, or should she do what most of us would secretly really like to do in the situation and look the messages? Her temptation to look at his messages overpowered the ethical choice of clicking out of his account. As she got to the message page, she didn’t notice anything suspicious, as she hoped. But at last glance, she came across a set of messages from some girls, attractive girls (judging from their profile photos). Another dilemma: should she just look at the received message in the inbox? Or should she void her curious thoughts by, hopefully, finding a message simply asking a question on a school project? She made it this far, so why stop now? Her suspicion has tripled by looking at the girls’ pictures. Unfortunately for Natalie, she found more than she wanted to. The message was not a message about school. It was a conversation that had lasted for some time, too. As she read on, some of the things that were said went past casual conversing and became a constant flirt. Clicking back from the messages, she noticed another message from another attractive girl. She clicked and read messages with the same sort of more-than-friendliness tone. This one did not have the length of the last one, but it still made her feel like she has been used. She is now in a horrible position where she can try to work it out or break it off completely. Put yourself in the same situation as Natalie prior to reading the messages. I should also mention that her and Ben’s relationship is, (yes, they are still together as of now) probably one the strongest according to their closer friends, so it is beyond strange what has happened to her. Trust seemed to be no issue in their relationship, but for at least Natalie, now it is. So if trust seemed to be no issue, why did Natalie feel like she should read his messages? Let’s go back to the part where she got onto the computer and had the choice to either go on Ben’s Facebook or just ignore it and do her own things. Well, when you read stories like this and already know what happened after she looked in the messages, we agree with the choice that she made. It is easy to come up with an answer when we already know the results. Girlfriends and boyfriends are faced with these situations quite often. The main issue is, as mentioned before, trust. Do you trust your boyfriend or girlfriend? If not, reading their messages is not what you should do. When faced with a predicament like Natalie’s, and reading the messages leads to finding what you feared you’d find, then the answer is reverse. I am not going to accuse Natalie of being in a failed relationship because there was no trust. That is not an answer. Neither is “looking to confirm what you already know.” That claim is inexcusable. Still, unexpected things happen to all of us. Since we know what happened as a result of Natalie looking at the messages, we cannot blame her. When I say that I do not think it is right for couples to be looking into each other’s private lives, trying to find the truths without permission, I am not accusing Natalie of anything. What I am trying to say is that it is better to let those things go before you find out. If someone is lying or hiding something, it will come back against him or her, I guarantee it. It is possible guilt will even overcome him or her, resulting in a full out confession. Let’s say you looked in your significant other’s emails. Would you feel guilty if you went on thinking there could be something hidden, but you end up finding nothing? The good news is there are no secrets. The bad news, however, is that the trust is broken, even if you do not find anything. That is the point. When things like this happen, trust can be so easily affected by one simple action. To make the matter worse for Natalie, the whole situation has extended itself into lies and constant secrets, the secrets that Natalie read in the messages. This is the worst thing that can come about when looking into each other’s private lives, and it is the risk you have to be willing to take no matter what you decide to do. But in the end, the truth has to be brought out by one of you. Trust has to be established and maintained. There is nothing Natalie could have done, but I think what has happened can make others rethink the strength of their relationship and help get past choices we have to make no matter what, even when a right answer does not even exist. Sun, 09 Dec 2007 19:59:00 CST http://www.frontpagemilwaukee.com/site/Viewer.aspx?iid=17694&mname=Article http://www.frontpagemilwaukee.com/site/Viewer.aspx?iid=17694&mname=Article By Krysta Legeros Dec. 9, 2007 Celebrities have dealt with scrutiny from the media for many years. Some say it is just the price they pay for being famous. Unflattering photography is a main aspect of many celebrity gossip sites. A photograph of Jennifer Love Hewitt, star of TV’s “Ghost Whisperer,” on a beach in Hawaii recently flooded websites, many with critical comments about her weight. TMZ.com had a caption stating, “We know what you ate this summer, Love—Everything.” While celebrities are put in negative spotlight all the time, calling a thin celebrity “fat” is not helping anyone. Celebrity sites should simply not have scrutinized photos of Hewitt. Hewitt is speaking out about these unflattering photos, saying she is concerned these comments may have an effect on young people’s body image. Her concerns are justified, since the people putting up the comments are actually calling her size 2 frame “chubby.” In what world is a size 2 woman fat? Even for a celebrity, a healthy body type, like Hewitt’s, still receiving criticism is having a very negative influence on people. This trend of, “size 0 is the new size 2,” should be shown as a negative one, instead of encouraged by media. Celebrities are being asked to be too perfect with such high standards being implemented. The paparazzi are taking over celebrities’ lives and invading their personal space until they are forced to fight back. Even America’s sweetheart, Julia Roberts, physically fought paparazzi and gave them a piece of her mind. This invasion of privacy to get the pictures, and than insulting the celebrity on top of it, is going too far. Celebrities are people too and no one wants their vacation picture scrutinized, especially by critics across the world. Some people argue that celebrities put themselves in the spotlight, whether it is negative or positive, when they enter the acting field. The paparazzi and their comments are simply a part of the celebrity lifestyle. Out society may have made it that way, but when comments pertaining to warped body image issues are made, more then just the celebrity is effected. People reading these gossip sites with a picture of a thin Hewitt and a comment calling her overweight only makes them question their own bodies. The average woman in the United States today is a size 12. Real women look to celebrities for fashion, hair styles, and yes, even body types. If a beautiful and healthy celebrity is being made fun of for having an under average body type, how are regular women going to measure up? This country has an ever increasing obesity rate, with nearly 31 percent of the population being obese today. On the other end, eating disorders are becoming more and more common as young people are trying to lose or keep off the weight. Negative comments that can easily have a strong influence on a people’s body image is very dangerous in today’s world. Some may argue that celebrities are put under the microscope and real people do not truly compare themselves to them. This can easily be seen as false, since people around the country are constantly following celebrities’ fitness routines, diet plans and are even getting plastic surgery to look just like them. Comments about celebrities’ bodies are taken very seriously by many people looking up to them to become better people. Calling Hewitt, or any healthy celebrity, fat sends the message that people will have to find an even smaller celebrity to look up to and try to become. These sites devoted to salacious celebrity gossip are multiplying daily. Making fun of celebrities’ actions, problems and physical appearances are the main content. These sites may be just making comments for entertainment value and many readers may think take it as a joke, but what seems to be funny is actually dangerous to other people’s self esteem. These sites are putting their mean spirited opinions out into the public where the results are not as lighthearted as they want them to be. Everyone is entitled to an opinion, but having comments that hurt the celebrities they are about, as well as the people that read them, should not serve as entertainment. Sun, 09 Dec 2007 19:06:00 CST http://www.frontpagemilwaukee.com/site/Viewer.aspx?iid=17691&mname=Article http://www.frontpagemilwaukee.com/site/Viewer.aspx?iid=17691&mname=Article By Carl Engelking Dec. 9, 2007 It’s that magical time of the year; everyone is busy decking their halls, roasting some chestnuts, jingling their bells all the way to cozy homes filled with family. It’s that time of year when your loved one leans over and whispers the perfect gift idea in your ear. You ride your one horse open sleigh to the nearest Wal-Mart, ho-ho-ho all the way home, fall asleep, and dream of gingerbread fairies and a white Christmas. There once was a time when Christmas carols used to evoke magic in my young soul. Images of Santa Claus, cookies, snow, and joy filled me with a wonderful sensation of anticipation. Now, whether it’s a result of getting older or just cynical, Christmas songs no longer evoke a mystical sensation. Instead, this void has been replaced with images of crowded malls, half-off sales, last minute shoppers, and battles for parking spots. It seems the older I get, the more I notice how intimately entwined feverish shopping and beautiful Christmas songs really are. No matter where you turn in any retail store or mall, you can hear these songs. Advertisements on television and radio exploit these ancient cantors to beautify a retailer’s big sales and products. It seems so fitting. However, constant commercial application of Christmas songs has successfully driven a stake through the heart of this sacred form of music. Our cherished lullabies no longer serve the purpose they once did. Now, when we hear “Joy to the World,” we’re all just reminded of the gift we forgot to buy. The history of Christmas carols is rich and spans back 800 years into the medieval ages. The first songs of this type were sung in ancient rituals during the winter solstice. Although they weren’t called Christmas songs during that time, their purpose was the same. The songs brought joy and hope for these ancient humans during the darkest, coldest, most uncertain days of the year. As time progressed, Christian priests adopted certain carols into worship of the lord. “Silent Night,” that beautiful song that can only be heard by a solo acoustic guitarist, has legendary roots. Over one hundred years ago, a small congregation of people gathered for a lonely midnight mass in snow buried Obendorf, Austria. Fr. Franz Xaver Mohen enlightened the small group with this song, which he wrote earlier, beneath the snow-covered steeple of St. Nicholas Church. Warm, and protected from the howling winds outside, they worshipped throughout the night. In London, there used to be an incredibly rich tradition of wassailing, or caroling. Hundreds of years ago, groups of carolers braved wintry conditions to sing these songs door to door. In return, they were paid with pies, small wages, or other trinkets. These were all immediately given to the poor. The spirit of Christmas lived in these songs, which were sung with such a passion. Now, Christmas carols have a new home. These songs live in the Muzak box of a four-sided warehouse containing cheaply made goods from around the world; mostly China. Most Christmas songs in the Muzak machine are butchered versions of the originals. Some are by Mariah Carey, or some are just corny light-jazz versions. While shoppers peruse through shelf upon shelf of overpriced goods, these songs are blasted through Pioneer speakers. The rudely mimicked Christmas songs remind everyone that it is the holiday, so it’s okay to spend a little more. Sometimes it’s hard to truly hear these songs over the clanging din of cash registers. Playing Christmas music in an environment like this exorcises the spirit of Christmas right out of these songs. These songs used to be legendary. Hearing Christmas music slowly sinking toward the River Styx, is like watching Muhammad Ali try to muster enough energy just to stand up. It’s hard to watch a legend, once full of spirit, descend into the cruel depths of that human inevitability. The Christmas songs we hear today are the senile, cancerous versions of the songs humans once knew. Where is the spirit today? How much Christmas spirit can actually exist in these songs when they’re played at K-Mart? For the love of St. Nicholas, you can’t even find the word ‘Christmas’ in the store! Shoppers experience such a brutally watered down version of the holiday at places like this. Instead of a Christmas tree, it’s a “ Prefabricated Mock Blue Spruce Holiday Tree”. We hang “holiday lights”, instead of Christmas lights. Signs wish shoppers “Happy Holidays”. Christmas doesn’t exist in these stores. I know, I know, I must have forgotten about something. What about Hanukkah? What about Kwanza? Stores have to adopt ‘holiday’ because it isn’t politically correct. That’s right. I totally agree. So, instead of playing ‘Christmas’ songs let’s play ‘Holiday’ songs. Please, I’m begging you. Please rescue these beautiful songs from those cold concrete graveyards where the dollar goes to die. If we want to play the politically correct game, we can. Most of those songs were sung in church to worship Jesus and the Bible in Christian Churches. I think we should erase all versions of these songs from the Muzak machines around the world. They might offend someone…snicker. Although it’s probably too late to rekindle the magic these songs sparked in the soul of my youth, it’s worth trying to save them. I’ve learned to value and protect things that are sacred in this world. Species go extinct, civilizations disappear, cultures are wiped out, and languages cease to be spoken. These elements constitute our human existence. The history and significance of Christmas carols falls into the category of a storied verbal history. These songs will probably never carry the same significance they once did; it’s hard to recover after such repeated abuses. Sun, 09 Dec 2007 15:51:00 CST http://www.frontpagemilwaukee.com/site/Viewer.aspx?iid=17687&mname=Article http://www.frontpagemilwaukee.com/site/Viewer.aspx?iid=17687&mname=Article By Ethan Hedman Opinions Editor A number of popular bands, such as Nine Inch Nails and Radiohead, have recently acknowledged the downloading dilemma that the music industry faces. They have chosen to play the game by their own terms; both bands are offering their new and upcoming releases for free or an optional fee to buck major labels and organizations like the RIAA. They realize the futility of attempting to fight downloading. People aren’t going to buy an over-priced CD (which is the epitome of an outmoded data format) if they can acquire the same product at no cost. Frankly, I’m indifferent to downloading music from bands on major labels. Major labels have a tendency to release mediocre products at exorbitant prices. I wouldn’t bat an eye at the idea of stealing some cookie cutter “American Idol” contestant’s album (which isn’t to imply that I would do this in the first place; I still have standards). However, people don’t seem to be paying much attention to the artists who are harmed most by downloading. Independent bands and labels have been paying a huge price for the inability to sell records courtesy of file sharing. The options for independent labels are grim. They either fold or get gobbled up by a major label. That promotes the continuation of an affluence of mediocre music, and unique voices get put on the backburner simply by virtue of not being profitable. If you purport to be a fan of independent music, I hate to burst your bubble, but you really need to actually buy this music. I despise the idea of a music world that is overpopulated by unoriginal, producer-organized acts that exist only for the purpose of selling as many copies as possible. These people acknowledge that their products are not art. They are meant to be disposable. Simon Cowell famously said earlier this year that his only interest is in making a buck and not in producing a product with any discernable merit. Independent music has always been the answer to the mediocrity of the mainstream. You don’t find acts as exciting or inventive as the brilliant Norwegian experimental outfit, Ulver, on major labels. Mainstream music is generally meant for the broadest appeal it can possibly achieve, and as such, it’s generally insufficient to engage people who listen to music for any other reason than background noise. A band like Ulver, on the other hand, consistently creates music that is intellectually engaging and truly unique in its arrangements. Ulver has recently stated that it is being ravaged by the downloading crisis. The band’s label, Jester Records, is having difficulty sustaining itself, and this has caused Ulver to distribute its albums through The End Records. While The End is admittedly a great label, its distribution engine, Red Distribution, is owned by Sony BMG. Without that financial backing, Ulver would sink into oblivion; it simply cannot keep its own label running if funds are not going directly to it. This is just one story that illustrates a larger point. I still buy all of my music because I’m not content with the idea that independent labels and artists will fold like a lawn chair without support. Regardless of popular perception, creating music is not a free process. Musicians, particular independent musicians, undertake considerable debts to make their products available. If their music has enhanced your life in any way, you do owe these artists. Without our support, they will simply cease to be. I find this notion repugnant, and as such, I buy music either directly from independent labels, or when possible, from the bands themselves. Does my money ultimately make a huge difference? No. However, if enough people come around to this notion that it takes money to support independent acts, they will flourish. They won’t suffer like wounded animals waiting for execution. The bottom line here is that without continued support, these bands go under. If you consider yourself a fan of independent music and you download music from independent artists, you’re a charlatan. You’ve betrayed the cause you claim to support. Sun, 02 Dec 2007 13:46:00 CST http://www.frontpagemilwaukee.com/site/Viewer.aspx?iid=17683&mname=Article http://www.frontpagemilwaukee.com/site/Viewer.aspx?iid=17683&mname=Article By Brady Holden There are several ingredients that make up a strong relationship. Happiness, love, fun, compatibility, friendship, communication, sex, and support have been the basis for successful relationships. And what all of these lend themselves to is the idea of commitment. The idea of commitment poses a threat to some people, because they could be putting their lives in a potentially permanent state of unavailability. One should know if he or she is in the right place before committing to the difficult, responsible task of maintaining a successful relationship. If you do not know, then find it. The younger generations in high school, college and post-college holds the most individuals who tend to play games and officially become part of the on-again-off-again relationship. I have heard how it benefits relationships, and I admit that I have seen it work... for a while anyway. However, the idea of breaks is not beneficial in the long run. It is unhealthy for couples to confuse their desires with frustrations of commitment and uncertainty. I have observed the highlights of a break in a relationship before, but long term harms outweigh the potential benefits. The benefits fade and become only temporary. I could see how going on a break and reexamining each other’s appreciation would work, but in this society, the young relationships are so sensitive to outside influences that minor internal influences will affect the relationship even more, resulting in a break-up. The term break has actually had a different connotation, and it is this meaning why I oppose the break idea. The position that young couples put themselves into, determined by similar, yet negative, surroundings affect what is expected of how couples should be. These young relationships have been compounded with their own mini-divorces. I have heard more people reference Ross and Rachel’s break on “Friends.” People, that’s not real. Young couples do not always enjoy the status of being unavailable, so they phase into the on-again-off-again status. This status gets taken advantage of. When one of them is out and sees a potential someone else, they can use the “sorry, I have a boy/girlfriend” or “yes, I am single.” Doing this makes it even more difficult for yourself, which is selfish to think about first because what you’re doing to your significant other and the person you’re talking to is even worse. Couples look at breaks as a time for reflection, which is the right thing to do, even though it should be done while in the relationship as well. They think of what they get out of being in a relationship or what the benefit of the break is. I was once in a relationship where my girlfriend suggested that we go on a break. It was an unbearable feeling. If it's not mutual, the idea should be totally ignored. If one person is not feeling it, a separation should be proposed. I waited about two weeks before my girlfriend just broke up with me. Not knowing what could happen was hard, and I knew it was going to lead to breaking up. It was a great relief, and I think it was the best thing that could have happened for both of us. I know another friend who participated in the on-again-off-again game. The relationship was a disaster to begin with, and taking breaks just delayed the inevitability. They both have admitted to me that they have wasted valuable time that could have been used going abroad, transferring, seeing a different person, or being single. Being on a break with someone has turned into a problematic relationship status. It hinders the benefit a couple can get out of discussing problems the relationship faces. The title has lost the value of breaks. But breaks are useless because they ruin the flow of relationships. Even if the relationship did not have a flow to begin with, and couples hope the break will refuel the connection, it will open the couple’s eyes and allow them to realize what else is out there that will better them as individuals, and eventually, as individuals within a relationship. Couples need to figure out what they really want, what is right for them, and if their desire is to be in a relationship. These semi-hooked relationships are chaotic, and I say that with respect, because they should be avoided. They can be hard to avoid, especially if a couple maintains a strong friendship and can stand to be around each other for more than eight hours a day. Those are the ones that lead to the best results. Even better than Ross' and Rachel’s. Sun, 02 Dec 2007 13:17:00 CST http://www.frontpagemilwaukee.com/site/Viewer.aspx?iid=17679&mname=Article http://www.frontpagemilwaukee.com/site/Viewer.aspx?iid=17679&mname=Article By Brianna Jacques Nov. 24, 2007 There is little tolerance for racist remarks in America today, and there is even less tolerance when a celebrity uses a racial epithet. Celebrities know that a microphone goes hand in hand with a microscope; all of their comments and actions are going to be scrutinized by media and society. Despite this norm, it is important to remember that those in the limelight are people. People make mistakes. The latest celebrity to feel the sting of scrutiny for making inappropriate remarks is bounty hunter Duane “Dog” Chapman, who’s successful show has been suspended after a tape was revealed with him making racial slurs. Despite this, Chapman should be given a second chance. Chapman is the star of A&E’s successful show “Dog the Bounty Hunter” where he tracks down fugitives with the help of his entourage. The show was a chance to put all the knowledge he learned from his time in prison to use. The success he worked hard to achieve was threatened however, when his son sold an eight-month old private phone conversation with Chapman to the National Enquirer. On the tape, Chapman expresses concern about having Tucker’s African American girlfriend around "because we use the word n---er sometimes here. I'm not going to take any chance ever in life of losing everything I've worked for 30 years because some drunken n---er heard us say n---er and turned us into the Enquirer magazine." In response to the tapes, A&E released a statement saying that production of the series will be suspended as they conduct an investigation. While some are quick to push for the show’s cancellation, Chapman should be allowed to continue tracking down bail jumpers after making careful steps to rectify the situation. Chapman has defended his actions, saying that the conversation was taken out of context. “I am deeply disappointed in myself for speaking out of anger to my son and using such a hateful term in a private phone conversation … I was disappointed in his choice of a friend, not due to her race, but her character,” Chapman said. While there may never be an appropriate context for racial slurs, it does play an important part in this situation. The conversation taped was during a heated argument with his son. I’m sure everyone can think of at least one time during an argument when they said something inappropriate or that they came to regret. Unlike Chapman, most of the general population does not have someone selling a tape of the conversation to the media for a nice sum of money. Chapman has taken full responsibility for his actions and has issued a statement apologizing to those who he may have offended. “My sincerest, heartfelt apologies go out to every person I have offended for my regrettable use of very inappropriate language,” Chapman said. “I did not mean to add yet another slap in the face to an entire race of people who have brought so many gifts to this world.” In an interview on Fox News' "Hannity & Colmes" show, he took full responsibility for the harm he has caused the African American community. "Whether or not, how dark I think I am, I cannot say that word,” Chapman said. “I owe the rest of the people, whether they are black or not in America, an apology because people look up to me." It would be one thing if Chapman was hiding behind a “no comment” statement, but he isn’t. He is stepping out in interviews so people can understand the thought process behind using such a sensitive word. “Dog” Chapman has learned he was in the wrong and is working toward taking responsibility for his actions. One of the first steps Chapman took to rectifying this situation was to meet with his spiritual adviser, Rev. Tim Storey. Starting the healing process with Storey will hopefully guide him when he meets with black leaders. These meetings are so that the people “can see who I really am and teach me the right thing to do to make things right again," Chapman said. Clearly, he is willing to do whatever it takes to make the situation right. Should he really be made an example of in this situation merely because of his celebrity status? Celebrities are human; they make mistakes. Chapman has shown that he is willing to take responsibility for his actions and is trying to rectify the situation to the best of his ability. Don’t cancel Chapman’s show because he made one mistake. Doesn’t everyone deserve a second chance? Sun, 25 Nov 2007 21:31:00 CST http://www.frontpagemilwaukee.com/site/Viewer.aspx?iid=17674&mname=Article http://www.frontpagemilwaukee.com/site/Viewer.aspx?iid=17674&mname=Article By Alysha Witwicki When it comes to relationships, we all look forward to landmarks. First kiss, first time you meet the parents, first big fight, etc. Then we embark on a major first: first holiday together. We tend to go all-out on finding the perfect present and being grateful that we’re not alone this year, which doesn’t matter until your relatives wonder why a 20-something girl is still single. The most important aspect: whatever the first, you do it together. Unless it’s Thanksgiving. Then the rules are MIA. When it comes time for the holidays, is it appropriate to leave your family for his, or vise versa? For us college co-eds, we’ve traveled all over the upper Midwest to attend UWM. Most of the friends you meet live hours away, if that. Unless you only socialize with people from your high school, those groups still exist; friends and boyfriends aren’t within arm’s reach. Therefore, having your Thanksgivings and attending two isn’t the norm. You have to choose. But which one? I guess you could say it depends on the relationship. But no, it doesn’t. In my mind, until a couple is engaged, your significant other’s family isn’t your family. Last year, my sister, 17-years-old at the time, spent the holiday with her boyfriend of five months. We all missed her while pumpkin pie and green bean casserole circulated around our table. Last month, they broke up for good. My sister “hates her ex” and “can’t figure out why she dated such a creep.” Since then, she’s moved on to new prospects. This is the main reason not to attend a “more than friends” Thanksgiving. In the late-teen to early 20s crowd, boyfriends come and go, but family stays. More often than not, you’ll end up breaking up with the person you decided to ditch your family for. You’ll always wonder what you missed at home while you were up north. Especially in the case of new relationships, going the extra mile by meeting extended family is like throwing a hammer on an already broken toe: unnecessary and slightly uncomfortable. Meeting the parents is nerve-wracking enough, times that by 100. I’m not saying meeting extended family isn’t worth the effort. We’re curious to see what your current lover will look like in 50 years. However, its awkward when one goes to the trouble and you end up severing ties in the near future. For my sister’s ex, conversation at his next Thanksgiving will revolve around, “What ever happened to that smart and funny girl you were dating?” Therefore, it seems appropriate to welcome a significant other’s family, or vice versa, upon engagement. Then you won’t feel like you left your family for “some guy” you weren’t serious about. When taking a relationship to the next level, a promise, connecting with his family becomes more important; those people could be your future in-laws someday. For the here and now, stick to your family and hold off planning for a new one. If it’s meant to be, there will be dozens of other Thanksgivings and Christmases to attend. Sun, 25 Nov 2007 17:54:00 CST http://www.frontpagemilwaukee.com/site/Viewer.aspx?iid=17669&mname=Article http://www.frontpagemilwaukee.com/site/Viewer.aspx?iid=17669&mname=Article By Sarah Mick Nov. 24, 2007 Just about everyone has heard about a statement actress Halle Berry made while on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. When she claimed that a distorted picture of herself with a large nose looked like her “Jewish cousin,” the media latched onto the story and accused her of uttering the anti-Semitic remark. As a result, NBC chose to censor the comment on future runs of the show by silencing the word “Jewish.” Removing the potentially hurtful statement definitely seems like the right thing to do in this situation, so you may be wondering why we’re rehashing the same thing yet another time. Censoring the comment doesn’t really present a problem, except when it’s coupled with NBC not censoring an equally hurtful comment made by Leno later on in the show. Leno joked that a photo of his second guest dressed in a bomber jacket and no shirt underneath looked like it had been taken at a gay nightclub. The photo, which was unattractive and silly, served as a tool for Leno to connect the image of an overtly sexual and poorly dressed man with a homosexual man. The situations are almost exactly the same. They are both comments made about photos, and they both stem from some form of prejudice or preconceived idea about a particular group of people. Was NBC wrong in censoring one comment and not the other? Yes. The fact is that most media outlets never even touched on the homophobic content. People agreed that Berry’s comment should be removed, but few people even noticed what Leno had said. I’ve never been one to condone censoring, but when it comes to these types of comments, I’m in favor of it. NBC should have treated the comments in the exact same manner. By censoring one, it really chose which group of viewers “deserved” to be protected. In essence, it said, “Jewish people shouldn’t be made fun of, but gay people should be.” NBC shouldn’t only censor comments like these, and they should make it known that making prejudice and racist jokes are unacceptable. Leno would never dare make a joke about being Native American or African American, so why was his gay joke widely accepted? How many homosexual people squirmed in their seats when Leno made the comment? Or maybe they’ve become immune to jokes of that nature. People seem to agree that homophobia is wrong…just not wrong to joke about. Some people might question going “censor-crazy” and removing any content that can be deemed “upsetting.” A large amount of comedy is based on poking fun at people and events. In fact, removing each and every bit of potentially hurtful subject matter might leave the comedian with little else to talk about. People have to ask themselves how important getting a cheap laugh is. Laughing at the expense of someone else, especially when the joke is based on something that that person cannot change, is unacceptable. Making these types of homophobic jokes just furthers the notion that there is something inherently “wrong” with being gay. NBC has a large responsibility to its audience. The amazing power it has to present information to viewers and shape the way they think is almost limitless. The question here is really the oft-repeated “will you use your power for good or evil?” In choosing to protect Jewish viewers and not gay viewers, NBC used its power for evil. NBC had the power to make a large statement by showing that making homophobic comments is not funny or right. It is important for viewers to keep events like this in their minds when they watch television. Nothing can be taken at face value. Just because one man on one show and one network thinks being gay is funny, doesn’t mean that viewers have to. Situations like this help to perpetuate homophobia. People who only laugh nervously never have the chance to think and feel compassion for fellow humans, regardless of their sexual orientation. The situation can be boiled down this way: In censoring the anti-Semitic remark, it felt a commitment to its viewers and a need to stop the comment. In essence, it was saying, “If we don’t censor this, we are condoning hate of Jewish people.” Conversely, by not censoring the homophobic remark, NBC is condoning homophobia. Maybe that sounds harsh, but it is entirely true. NBC was wrong to protect Jewish viewers and not gay viewers. In doing so, it let down not only gay people, but also everyone else. It failed at using a negative situation to make an incredibly positive and powerful statement. Homophobia is not okay, and it’s definitely not funny. Sun, 25 Nov 2007 16:09:00 CST http://www.frontpagemilwaukee.com/site/Viewer.aspx?iid=17668&mname=Article http://www.frontpagemilwaukee.com/site/Viewer.aspx?iid=17668&mname=Article By Angie Dudenhoefer Nov. 23, 2007 Duane “Dog” Chapman committed a great offense against Americans. He promoted the very thing that we are trying to eliminate: Racism. Questions arise about whether Chapman should be allowed to return to his show. The answer is simple, no. It would have a negative influence on America. Chapman had a show called “Dog the Bounty Hunter’’. It has been suspended due to Chapman’s use of the n-word. Chapman used the n-word six times on the phone with his son. The words were directed towards his son’s black girlfriend. She was not on the phone to defend herself. He did not want his son to date this girl because he was afraid people would find out that he uses the n-word. He was worried that if people found out, he would loose his career. Putting Chapman back on the show would promote violence. Use of the n-word can have consequences. Many people have been hurt or killed because the n-word was used. The n-word is the most hateful word in the English language. It should never be used, especially by those in the public eye. People, particularly kids, look up to Chapman. He ignored his responsibility as a role model by making derogatory comments. Racial slurs can invoke instinctual urges to fight. Someone being called the n-word could fear for his or her life. This would cause a person to try to defend his or her self. That is how full of hate the word is. Influencing others to use it could cause major problems. The consequences of the word being used out weigh the benefits of putting Chapman back on the show. Chapman did apologize saying, "My sincerest, heartfelt apologies go out to every person I have offended for my regrettable use of very inappropriate language. I am deeply disappointed in myself for speaking out of anger to my son and using such a hateful term in a private phone conversation". Chapman also suggested that he did not like his son’s girlfriend’s personality and that it had nothing to do with her race. Why he apologized is just as important as the apology itself. He wanted to try to salvage his career. It is unlikely his attitude changed so quickly. Racism does not just disappear. good If he was sorry, he should have apologized to his son on the phone. Instead, he apologized after he was exposed. Chapman was not sorry he used the n-word. He was just sorry he got caught. On the recording, Chapman admits to using the n-word as part of his usual language. Allowing him back on the show runs the risk of him using that word again and maybe on the air. Chapman’s show is one of the most popular on “A&E”. It is viewed by many people across America. He influences the thoughts of impressionable viewers, particularly children. If he is permitted back, he risks contaminating the minds of young children. Racism is a huge problem. We do not need hateful messages spread to children who will influence the future of America. If “A&E” were to let him back on the show, where would they draw the line? Other racist comments will not be taken seriously. It would be like saying racism is okay so let’s promote it on television. This is one flood gate that should remain closed. Once the water is out it can not be put back in. Some would argue that what Chapman said does not matter because he it was in private. The conversation was meant to stay between him and his son. However, his private conversation gave the viewers a glimpse of what he is really like: He is racist. Racist people should not be allowed on air. It would create a chain reaction that could lead to killings and violence. Eliminating racism as been America’s goal for a long time. If Chapman is allowed back on his show America would be going backward instead of moving forward. Racism is a strong topic and should not be taken lightly. This country has fought hard for equality. Any racism that leaks onto the air could be deadly. It could undo all of the work that has been done to eliminate racism. Racism should not be tolerated. “A&E” needs to draw the line. Sat, 24 Nov 2007 12:18:00 CST http://www.frontpagemilwaukee.com/site/Viewer.aspx?iid=17661&mname=Article http://www.frontpagemilwaukee.com/site/Viewer.aspx?iid=17661&mname=Article By Desiree Smith Feb. 23, 2007 It was not until recently that I took notice of Duane “Dog” Chapman. Hearing his name or the name of the show brings to mind a tan muscular guy wearing a cutoff shirt, black sunglasses, and a blonde mullet. Even though I had heard of him and his show, “Dog the Bounty Hunter,” I never watched it. Dog is a former gang member with 18 prior convictions for armed robbery. He was convicted of first degree murder in 1977 and was sentenced to a Texas prison for five years. According to Dog, he did not kill anyone but was an accomplice because he did not report the shooting to the police. Regardless of his guilt, he served 18 months in prison. After his release from prison, Dog became a bail bondsman and bounty hunter. A dispute in court over Dog’s child support was what led to his first job. The judge offered Dog an opportunity to bring in a fugitive for $200, which launched his bounty hunting career. In today’s society, it seems we know more about the personal lives of celebrities, than we do about their work. The newest celebrity to fall prey to this is “Dog the Bounty Hunter’s” Duane “Dog” Chapman. His son recorded and made public a private phone conversation between the two of them in which Dog made numerous racial slurs. In regards to this incident, “Dog the Bounty Hunter” show should be removed from television permanently. During the phone conversation, Dog seems more concerned with his public appearance than his negative racial comments. He verbally attacks his son’s African American girlfriend by calling her the “N-word.” “It’s not because she’s black, it’s because we use the word n***** sometimes here. I’m not gonna take a chance ever in life of losing everything I’ve worked for, for 30 years, because some f***ing n***** heard us say n***** and turned us in to the Enquirer magazine. Our Career is over! I’m not taking that chance at all! Never in life! Never!” Dog said in the phone conversation with his son. His racial prejudices are obvious throughout his brief conversation with his son. Dog states in his phone conversation with his son: “It’s not because she’s black…” However, it has everything to do with her being African-American. The point of the phone call was to stop her from coming over. Dog’s comments are racially motivated, and he was afraid the “N-word” would eventually “slip” out. Dog is aware that his vocabulary is offensive and wrong. Throughout the conversation, his sole concern was for himself and his career. Immediately Dog felt the backlash of his actions when A&E suspended his show. In a posting on the network website, “In evaluating the circumstances of the last few days, A&E has decided to take ‘Dog the Bounty Hunter’ off the network's schedule for the foreseeable future. We hope that Mr. Chapman continues the healing process that he has begun.” Most people have slipped up and said something they have later regretted, whether it is in the privacy of their own home or on national television. However, Dog openly admitted in the phone conversation that the “N-word” is something he and his family use on a regular basis. His use of the “N-word” was continuous throughout the conversation. This led me to believe that Dog’s use of the “N-word” was not a “slipup.” With the leaking of the phone conversation, the question has been raised. Is Dog a racist because he uses racial slurs openly at his home? I believe one needs to draw his or her own conclusion. Whether it was Dog’s upbringing or his personal views, society does not accept derogatory name calling. When celebrities are put in the limelight they instantly become role models. All too often celebrities’ private actions become public knowledge, for better or worse. Roy Innis is a civil rights leader who has served as the chairman of the Congress for Racial Equality (CORE) since 1968. The ENQUIRER played the phone conversation for Innis. “This man should not be held up as a role model for children,” Innis told The ENQUIRER. “…Dog Chapman should not be in that position, posing as a good guy. His comments show that he certainly is not a good guy.” As soon as Dog was aware the tape had been leaked to the media, he went into damage control mode. He released the following statement: “I am deeply disappointed in myself for speaking out of anger to my son and using such a hateful term in a private phone conversation. It was completely taken out of context. I was disappointed in his choice of a friend, not due to her race, but to her character. However, I should have never used that term.” Dog’s apology was merely a justification for his actions. When he made the phone call, he knew exactly what he was saying. The “N-word” was used three times within a matter of seconds. Dog was not disappointed with his son’s girlfriend’s character. He was worried that his habit of using racially motivated words would end his career. Although Dog did apologize, it does not excuse the fact that the entire conversation was centered on his comfortable use of the “N-word.” The irony of this situation is that Dog jeopardized his own career. Sat, 24 Nov 2007 12:08:00 CST http://www.frontpagemilwaukee.com/site/Viewer.aspx?iid=17659&mname=Article http://www.frontpagemilwaukee.com/site/Viewer.aspx?iid=17659&mname=Article By Nykki Selsing Nov. 18, 2007 Halloween is my favorite holiday. I love dressing up in costumes, handing out candy, and going trick or treating with my nephew. A friend of mine has a brother who is in a wheel chair and hates leaving the house so he never goes trick or treating. This year, my friend and I dressed up with my nephew and went trick or treating. My friend also brought along a bag to get candy for the boy in the wheel chair at home. As we went from house-to-house with my nephew, people gave her weird stares as she said “trick or treat,” and held out her bag for candy. One lady even said, “You’re trick or treating?” in a very snotty tone. My friend was just trying to cheer up a little boy and everyone was completely rude to us. If they knew the whole story, maybe they wouldn’t have been so reluctant to give out candy. One very nice man said, “Hey, anyone who gets dressed up and goes walking around deserves some candy in my book.” So why can’t this be the case? If adults feel like dressing up and going trick or treating, what’s the harm? Should there be an age limit to trick or treating? No, there shouldn’t be. What if I want to feel like a kid again? Maybe I’m not in it for the candy. I’m in it to get the most out of my favorite time of the year. While there is no legal age limiting trick or treating, most people just look down on adults trick or treating. The last acceptable year would probably be between 13 and 15, depending on the people handing out candy. You wouldn’t stop carolers from caroling in front of your house because they had a bad voice, or because they were too young. No, carolers bring out the Christmas spirit. Well, trick or treating brings out the Halloween spirit, and I still want to be a part of it, even if I am 21-years-old. So let’s say that people are reluctant to give candy out to adults trick or treating because they paid for the candy. The average bag of candy is about three dollars. In this bag of candy there is 20 pieces of candy. That means each piece of candy costs fifteen cents. That’s not a lot of money. There aren’t many adults who would go trick or treating so we’ll say five show up at this door step. That’s seventy-five cents a person would pay to another adult to go trick or treating. Is that really that bad? I say there shouldn’t be an age limit. Anyone who takes the time and dresses up should be able to go door to door and say trick or treat, whether they are eight or eighty. But that doesn’t seem to be the way our culture looks at it. I guess I just have to look forward to when I have kids and I can take them trick or treating. As a youngling, we dressed up as princesses and Spiderman and went trick or treating. Now as adults, it’s an excuse to dress up like someone else for a day and go to a bunch of different parties. Maybe that’s all we get now and trick or treating is dead to us. Man, it’s like finding out Santa Claus isn’t real all over again. Sun, 18 Nov 2007 23:28:00 CST http://www.frontpagemilwaukee.com/site/Viewer.aspx?iid=17655&mname=Article http://www.frontpagemilwaukee.com/site/Viewer.aspx?iid=17655&mname=Article By Courtney Yanz Nov. 18, 2007 One of the most popular T.V. shows has been banished from the A&E network on Nov.1. Duane “the Dog’ Chapman has been caught on tape using racial slurs involving a dispute with his son, who coincidentally works along side his father on the hit show “Dog the Bounty Hunter.” The show has been put on hold for now but could potentially air again depending on how the network deals with Dog’s colorful use of language, literally. The real question is whether or not Dog should have his show banned because of his racial slur incident? Well, to bluntly answer that question, because of his racial discriminatory comments, Duane “the Dog” Chapman should not be able to have his show “Dog the Bounty Hunter” air on national television. “Dog the Bounty Hunter” is a show that deals with felons who have been caught in the act of stealing, burglary, carrying a concealed weapon, or even having an outstanding warrant out for arrest. Dog is the guy who captures these criminals and puts them behind bars, whomever it may be, whatever race, color, or ethnicity. He is a man who should not have a racial discrimination problem, much less a show that airs on T.V. You see him capture these so-called criminals, sometimes with force, but usually he arrests these people with ease and understanding. Too bad his work demeanor doesn’t pass over into his private life. The “n” word barreled out of Chapman’s mouth as he held a private conversation over the phone with his son, regarding his son’s African-American girlfriend. He didn’t use the word just once, but rather six times. Dog the Bounty Hunter comes off as a rugged, burlesque, and authoritative 54-year-old man, but his negative, repulsive, racial commentary has only gotten him stuck in a rut. He basically has lost his career, at least for now and is paying the price because of his selfish, ungrateful behavior. And that’s how it should be. Dog should be setting a positive example to his viewers rather than a negative one. The man has to somehow pay for his actions, that’s just how the world works. Why not let his punishment be extreme? His popularity has soared to his head, and he has forgotten who his audience is. His show brings viewers from all over the world, of all ages, and all ethnicities, and a mistake such that he has made, has caused controversy among many. I have watched the show myself, and I have seen the diversity throughout each episode. There are African-Americans, Latinos, Caucasians, and Native Hawaiians that I have seen Dog either lock up or help, in quite a few instances. People are interested in his reality show, because it represents struggles within America. His incident has not set a good example in any case. Dog’s racial slur has further created a negative impact on younger children. Many children may look up to Chapman and consider him their idol. The “n” word is not a word to just throw around lightly. You don’t want your child to be running around playing with their friends and calling the African American kid in his or her class the “n” word, and saying, hey, I learned that from Dog, the Bounty Hunter. How can Dog work with so many different races, yet not even think twice about using a racial slur, even if he was caught in private? Your guess is a good as mine. It just seems hypocritical on his part. Dog seems to be inconsiderate to his surroundings. People who he has helped out in the past have been let down in a sense and now have more reason to not watch his show, much less respect his authoritative figure. He will never be looked at the same and will carry those abusive words with him forever, as is deserved. On the other hand, Dog has apologized for his wrongdoing, and sends out his heartfelt apologies towards the group he has discriminated against. It’s the least Dog can do, but, because of the extremity of the problem, apologizing just isn’t enough. What has put Dog in the spotlight is his show, and without it, he would be like any other person, and I think that’s just what he needs. He needs to pay for his consequences somehow. No matter what the circumstances are, Duane “the Dog” Chapman should not have resorted to using such colorful, offensive language. This will forever hurt his credibility, his job, his entire outlook, and most of all, his hit show, or should I say, not so hit show. Duane “the Dog” Chapman is such a public figure. Dog is in the spotlight almost on a constant basis, and he really needs to watch what he says, no matter where he is, or what he’s doing. The fear of getting caught, even in the privacy of your own home, will always be an issue if you are a celebrity, because that is exactly what the paparazzi is looking for-the juiciest information that can be put against you. Basically that’s what caused Dog to lose his show. He should have known to be on constant alert at all times, case closed. If Dog is offered his own show, then he should be willing to take any type of preliminary precautions necessary in order to keep his show on the air, including watching his language. The slightest mistake cannot be made because he had the chance to prove himself once, and he shouldn’t have the opportunity to again. We’re not just talking about salty language here; we’re talking about offensive and hateful racial slurs that were directed at an innocent young woman. It’s not even a close call. Dog has plans to meet with his spiritual advisor to help reshape his mind, body, and spirit, which is about the only thing he can do at this point, besides releasing his “heartfelt apologies.” “Dog the Bounty Hunter” is definitely not a top-rated show on A&E anymore, that’s for sure. There’s no way it will ever receive the credit it once did, and that’s just how it should remain, left in the dust. Sun, 18 Nov 2007 23:01:00 CST http://www.frontpagemilwaukee.com/site/Viewer.aspx?iid=17651&mname=Article http://www.frontpagemilwaukee.com/site/Viewer.aspx?iid=17651&mname=Article By Krysta Legeros Nov. 11, 2007 The scene is set in a dark alley, smoke billowing from a drain while dim light shines down from the old fashion street lamps. You finally come across an ordinary looking door beckoning you in out of the eerie night. This may sound like the beginning of a horror film, but it is just the journey one must take to reach the most intricate and interesting restaurant in Milwaukee—The Safe House. The Safe House goes beyond a simple themed restaurant to become an entirely spy filled experience. Since 1966 the mystery has intrigued guests to try to find it for themselves. From the minute you step into the back alley, where the secret entrance under the name International Exports Limited is located, you are transported to the underground system of secrecy and espionage. Since they don’t let just anyone waltz into a spy hideout, everyone needs to know the secret password. If you don’t know it, (and I’m not telling), then you get to perform a ridiculous act to prove you really want to enter. With the password, or after the act, a secret passage opens and the real fun begins. The Safe House is covered from floor to ceiling with a collection of everything and anything. Signatures of famous movie stars and politicians, old movie posters, license plates, dark wooden bars and stools, and giant chandeliers just begin to create the fun and mysterious atmosphere. Getting lost in the restaurant is not impossible with the hallways of twists and turns. A long bar in the front of the restaurant holds patrons enjoying the game on the big screen. While the game may be interesting, the televisions around the restaurant are a bit more entertaining, since they display the embarrassing acts people are performing to get in. Feel free to laugh since you just did something similar. My friends and I arrived for dinner on a Friday night without reservations, so a short wait was required. With an entertaining show of people making fools of themselves and a waitress serving drinks, it wasn’t so bad. While waiting was the perfect time to take in the entire secret atmosphere, complete with a tube overhead zipping secret messages. When it was finally time to be seated, we were quickly lost in the maze of rooms and hallways, since we didn’t keep up with our hostess. My advice: stay close so you actually make it to your table. The atmosphere may bring you in, but the food will have you coming back. The menu at the Safe House holds a great variety at reasonable prices. An assortment of traditional appetizers and salads start off the menu. They also have Master Spy sandwiches, including their tasty corned beef Reuben ($8.50) complete with secret dipping sauce. Their famous Spy Burger ($8) can be served anyway you want. For the hungrier spy, filet mignon ($19) or country fried steak ($12) may be more fitting. After dinner, or perhaps during, explore the restaurant to find the hidden passages, secret spinning tables and two-way mirrors. Every visit will reveal something new to do or interesting to see on the walls. The Safe House brings its restaurant goers into a world they have never experienced before. It is a spy themed restaurant that doesn’t go over the top, but creates the perfect mysterious atmosphere that you soon won’t forget. As a must-see for anyone visiting or living in Milwaukee, The Safe House is a tradition that can only be experienced. Sun, 11 Nov 2007 22:34:00 CST http://www.frontpagemilwaukee.com/site/Viewer.aspx?iid=17630&mname=Article http://www.frontpagemilwaukee.com/site/Viewer.aspx?iid=17630&mname=Article By Alysha Witwicki I’m a hopeless romantic for fairy tales. Who, at the age of 10, didn’t dream of falling asleep for a century as our princes forged through jungles and vines, only to kiss us up from our comatose-like state? As much as our age-old fantasy seems fantastic, nowadays we’d rather get the prince a little later in life, circa 30. According to the 2005 United States census, the average age for a woman to first get married is 26, still a long cry from when our grandmothers married fresh from high school. But some of us still have the “olden days” dream of marrying young and having babies, sans the dream of exploring your 20s, finishing college, getting a career of your own or traveling to Barbados. Meet my friend Erin (not her real name), from Wheatland, Wis. Population 1,000. She’s been dating her boyfriend – we’ll call him Toby – since sophomore year of high school. When everyone was heading toward a UW school after graduation, she started classes at Gateway Technical College for interior design. And since she’s been dating Toby, she’s been waiting for him to propose. Last year, she graduated with her interior design degree, but instead of interning somewhere or continuing her career, she decided to stay at Wal-Mart as a cashier. Last week, Erin and Toby went to Las Vegas to visit family. On the plane ride west, a stewardess came over the speakers and said, “Toby remembers the first Christmas card you wrote him, Erin. It said, ‘These past few weeks have been great, Toby. I hope we’ll be together for a long time.’ Well Erin, Toby wants to know if you’ll take forever.” According to Erin, her dream came true when Toby proposed. Did I mention that’s her only dream and that both of them are only 21? I had to wonder: when it comes to wanting the husband, kids, golden retriever and white picket fence, are we still stuck in the 1950s? In Erin’s case, Toby is her first boyfriend, and all she’s ever talked about, since high school, was having Toby’s kids and being a stay-at-home mom. What’s so bad about dating and exploring the world? I find it hard to believe that you can find your one true love on the first try. How would you know he’s that great unless you date other people? That said, what’s the rush to have kids? Take the Britney Spears debacle. She wanted to be a young mom, so she had her first child at 24 and filed for divorce a year later. Celebrities and real people alike are rushing to settle down, only to get divorced. What’s the point? It seems like waiting went out the window with concerns about anthrax. Second, a husband doesn’t have to take the place of your dreams. With the “it” mantra of “Having it all,” can’t we at least try? As a soon-to-be graduate of 2008, if I knew I would only be using my degree until I had children, I wouldn’t have went to college. Education shouldn’t be a layover until you’re a parent. Four years of grueling study hours, exam preparation, presentations, research papers and stress isn’t worth changing diapers two years from now while your husband gets to use his degree. Are we really stuck in the past? For the post part, I would say no (unless you’re from southeastern Wisconsin). What happens in a town that’s practically “unincorporated” isn’t representative to the rest of the world, and Britney’s habits in general aren’t conducive to what the rest of society is doing. We’re surrounded with powerful women who do “have it all,” a la Cathie Black. As the president of Hearst Magazines, she’s balanced career aspirations and family. If she can do it, we can, too. Sun, 11 Nov 2007 14:10:00 CST http://www.frontpagemilwaukee.com/site/Viewer.aspx?iid=17626&mname=Article http://www.frontpagemilwaukee.com/site/Viewer.aspx?iid=17626&mname=Article By Brady Holden What is the purpose in having a boyfriend or girlfriend? All together: “to get married!” Well, not always… but anyway… I know many people who force themselves into relationships, and when asked what is going to come of it all they have to say is, “it works for now.” Of course it works for now, but will it work out later? Young adults do not realize how pointless it is to hook up with someone and not see a potential future. I understand that young people prefer to live for the now and take one day at a time. They can still do that without settling for someone that seems just plain decent. As a college student in a relationship, it is necessary to be talking about the future with your partner. Of course, you can call it finding your soul mate or your new best friend or, maybe more fitting, spending the rest of your life with somebody. Marriage serves as both a bringing together of two people in love but also as an economical decision: living with someone else in one house, perhaps splitting the costs. You can choose which one is actually more accurate. I’ll continue with love… The young couples that are involved and plan on getting married should keep in mind that marriage statistically is four years away – that would be a 22-year-old college graduate getting married at 26. College students are fresh adults, eager to learn new things and meet new people. Yet they are oblivious to the negative aspects of both. Couples who tend not to discuss future possibilities will more than likely split up because one day it will come upon them; they will freak and eventually end it. Communication is the most important piece in a relationship anyway. When communicating what each other sees in the future, it will set up a better situation for the relationship. Although, talking it out might still lead to an inevitable split, and at the time, it could be difficult. It is a blessing in disguise, and eventually both people will learn to get passed it. Prevent this situation by figuring out who your partner truly is and question your belief and trust in him or her. If you don’t see a future, talk to your partner about it. If they do not either, then going your own ways is probably best. You can also prevent this by trying to recognize the things about your partner you never thought about. Even if you truly believe this person is the best for you, try to think of all the reasons why you believe that. If you are unsure or do not think your partner is right, still think about what do you require in a relationship or a future marriage. As scary as it can be, it’s smart to keep this in mind. You don’t want to go to your best friend Tracy’s wedding and realize that your own wedding could be approaching. But don’t be pressured by the statistics, the average age of marriage, parents or friends. Make sure you are comfortable with any decision. The regret will be much heavier to deal with. As students, we think about school, work, lack of food, lack of sleep, Facebook, and spring break. We need to break out of that and remember the real phases of adulthood are approaching. A friend of mine tells me that his girlfriend always brings up living together, being engaged and eventually getting married. He admits that he loves it. It’s probably because he loves her, and it’s obvious when you see them together. He also says that it’s refreshing to talk about it, and it makes him even feel stronger about the relationship now. It gives people something special to look forward to. I also know another friend who just recently bought an engagement ring for his girlfriend. I asked him if he thinks it might be too soon. He told me that he had thought about that long and hard but decided that he feels it is the right thing to do. He just turned 22 and will be in school for at least another year. His girlfriend will graduate at the same time. All they do is talk about getting married. Of course, things will get harder for them, but they are aware of the difficult times that are set out for them and for young couples in general. They both want to be together forever, and it is their ultimate goal. Make it easier for yourself, and be honest about your relationship. Most college students enjoy their current style of life, but they foresee the future only in terms of a career. Marriage is just one of the many other important phases that will hopefully complement the others. At least keep it in mind. It will make your relationship better, even if it’s not with the person you’re with now. Sun, 11 Nov 2007 14:08:00 CST http://www.frontpagemilwaukee.com/site/Viewer.aspx?iid=17625&mname=Article http://www.frontpagemilwaukee.com/site/Viewer.aspx?iid=17625&mname=Article By Alysha Witwicki Saving the planet is in right now. Don’t get me wrong, we do have major environmental concerns. According to Al Gore’s An Inconvenient Truth, “Global sea levels could rise by more than 20 feet with the loss of shelf ice in Greenland and Antarctica, devastating coastal areas worldwide.” The National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service says global warming “is the result of heat absorption by certain gases in the atmosphere (called greenhouse gases because they effectively 'trap' heat in the lower atmosphere) and re-radiation downward of some of that heat.” But how are Americans dealing with this issue? Some of us are buying hybrid cars to decrease fuel emissions and get more gas mileage from our Washingtons. Others are buying $630 organic sheets and organic baby clothes. When it comes to the issue of going green, is it even sincere anymore? I read an article in Madison Magazine’s September Green Issue about Satara, an organic home and baby bedding store that “is ahead of it’s time.” Some of the editor’s picks for merchandise were a Legna natural fiber sheet set ($632-$650) and “trendy” Re+New Baby jumper ($60). For sheets that expensive, they should be spun with gold, nix the “natural fibers.” I didn’t think my $20 stripped number from Target was burning a hole in the atmosphere…apparently so. Nowadays, going green isn’t just about the environment. It’s about spending money. Last week I stopped into Whole Foods on North Ave. on my way home from work. Hoping to buy a green pepper to make fajitas, I practically fainted after I saw the $2.99 price tag. I can get the same thing at Pick ‘n Save for 70 cents. It wasn’t until I left the store that I started to get upset. I saw several patrons rolling their carts and unpacking their groceries into Suburbans (14 city miles per gallon) and Escalades (11-13 miles per gallon). It seems more than hypocritical to buy organic food, to cut down on pesticide usage, but wasting oil isn’t a concern. To me, going green means doing what you can to help the environment and cut down on wastefulness, not breaking the bank to buy everything organic. Jennifer Aniston was quoted saying she takes three-minute showers and brushes her teeth in the shower to be less wasteful. That’s what going green should be all about. Turning off the lights when you aren’t in a room, carpooling, and using reusable water bottles are little ways to make a big impact, and they save money. But in the seriousness of it all, going green seems to be more of a trend than being concerned about Mother Earth. Why else would people want to put Whole Foods’s grocery bags into their gas-guzzlers? It’s about image and what other people think. Certain members of society can rationalize buying a Denali or a Ford F150 by saying, “I need the extra space but at least I buy organic food.” Since going green became a phenomenon, American companies have created paint with organic compounds, organic blue jeans, organic wood floors with natural fibers and nylon, and organic carry-out pizzas (and the list goes on). Since our green society has named “organic” the gold standard of products and services, it implies buying organic is the only way we can stop global warming from expanding too rapidly. This is simply misleading. What is our biggest fight in saving the planet? Education. Increasing awareness about the greenhouse effect and reasonable ways we can decrease wastefulness will help our population in the long run. Sorry to say, but buying $630 organic bed sheets isn’t going to save us. Sun, 28 Oct 2007 18:31:00 CST http://www.frontpagemilwaukee.com/site/Viewer.aspx?iid=17593&mname=Article http://www.frontpagemilwaukee.com/site/Viewer.aspx?iid=17593&mname=Article By Brady Holden The parts of the modern day flirt: It starts with a stare. Twenty-seven minutes and 18 seconds go by, and then, another stare. Fourteen minutes and 22 seconds go by, and then a stare from the girl’s friend. Six minutes and 11 seconds go by until a walk by. Then there’s a handshake, followed by two drinks down, pity laughter and phone checks. Eight drinks later, there’s drunk laughing and another time check. Three hours, 10 minutes and 55 seconds go by, a cab is called, and both go their own ways. These days, everything is so built up and talked about preliminarily that the finished product is so often forgotten. The media, specifically advertisers, contributes to this more than anything. So many products are exposed to people for days, weeks and maybe months in advance. Most do have an appeal, too. Once the product is released, however, the rush for something new is gone. The start is the most important aspect to advertising any product, including yourself. It is not all about the end, but instead, the beginning. It is about the hype and the effect it has on the results, which has become a disappointment. The concept of the dating approach for both men, and perhaps women, is just a good advertisement with a poor product. What has been discovered in the past 10 years of dating is that the most exciting part of any dating relationship is the chase: the flirting, the speculation and the unknown. Of course, sometimes the product exceeds expectations, but the excitement of pursuit outweighs the possession. I suppose I should define my approach. For me, an approach in dating is the way one intends to present himself or herself to others they find attractive. I do not mean “moves” or stupid, although sometimes funny, “one liners.” I mean the whole general sense of how someone perceives the situation and what he or she intends to do about it. What is the stat? Men think about sex every seven seconds. Is that changing? No. Will it change? No. Wait, is it actually true? No. What does that say about young men who choose to be part of the dating culture? Does it suggest that the goal is to bring home a different girl each night? And make bets with buddies that they can get a certain girl? And forget her name? And tell her you must have lost her phone number the next time you see her out? Yes. However, the suggestion is not the actuality. The contemporary man’s view on dating is slowly changing into a neutral fixation of human relations rather than sexual encounters. He still might be thinking of that one girl he meets that night but eventually dwindles her out of his mind. It is practically the same as taking a girl home but without the physical awkwardness. Men tend to forget about it anyway. I do not mean to point out or reinforce, as some women say, that men are jerks and they just want to get laid. What I mean is that they are more interested in generally having a good time, having a nice conversation, having some drinks or making a friend. Most, maybe some, men have experienced the awful “walk of shame,” as many college students call it. And I know women have too. As they get older, people try to avoid that journey as much as possible because they have dealt with its awful aftermath. What happens at the end of the three hours, 58 minutes and 46 seconds is an unconscious relief. Although, expectations, peer pressures, loneliness and boredom could drive someone to a desperate attempt to go past this point. If so, the next morning will be hell. This isn’t the routine every night for a man, but its benefits are becoming more noticeable. The question points to the end of the night. What were the intentions of the man and the woman? Did the guy want to live up to the stereotype and want to take her home? Nope. The guy enjoyed the night as it was, wouldn’t mind seeing the girl again, but wouldn’t pursue her outside of the social nightlife. He knows the best thing for that night is to just keep the bond within that time frame and enjoy the company. If it is suppose to go beyond that night, it will determine that on its own. Sun, 28 Oct 2007 18:29:00 CST http://www.frontpagemilwaukee.com/site/Viewer.aspx?iid=17592&mname=Article http://www.frontpagemilwaukee.com/site/Viewer.aspx?iid=17592&mname=Article By Brady Holden Early on Saturday afternoon, I picked up my girlfriend from the airport. She was wearing her long, gray dress with black tights – an outfit that she bought in England, where we met. She looked beautiful, as always. With the biggest smile, I walked up the exit gate to welcome her with the biggest hug ever, which is my goal each time we meet. Long-distance relationships are hard, but doable and very much undervalued. In any relationship, knowing yourself is more important than caring for the other person. The caring part comes after. Discovering who you are is the part that must to be done before dating should even be considered. The best approach to dating or “finding the right one” is to not have an approach. It just becomes desperation in disguise. Knowing who you truly are is even more important in a long-distance relationship because you are surrounded by yourself and the important choices that you make. A true vision of the self is a true vision of the relationship. If each person is focused on who they want to be, then the relationship has a better chance of sustaining life. Getting deeper into their college lives, my friends are becoming faced with the challenge of long-distance relationships because of better opportunities for graduate schools, internships, jobs, or living. All I have to say is, good for them; the separation is what they need. Even though some of my friends’ relationships have a good chance of making it, most do not. I respect my friends’ choices; who they want to be with is their own decision. However, it is so sickening to see some of my closest friends become so involved with a significant other who continues to prevent them from living a more fulfilled life. There is no doubt the distance test will be for their benefit. Observing relationships form throughout my college life has been an amusing activity of mine. I have had the eye to recognize potential hopefuls and failures. The ones who do not work reject the idea of learning through their own life and experiences. Other than finding your own identity, the main things that partners should focus on while in a long-distance relationship are trust, communication and activity. People who are in a long-distance relationship, or have been, would say that trust is the most important factor. It can really hurt the relationship if not maintained, but it can be a non-factor if both partners understand the consequences. Communicating is what will make the relationship progress or digress, so it must be done carefully. Believe it or not, too much talking could make one or both partners bored. If you want it to work, however, communicating is significant since it is the only source that links a couple in a long-distance relationship. Sharing the parts of the day – good, bad and even boring – is important. You want to show your partner it matters to you what he or she thinks of things bothering you or the new things in your life. Being active and busy cannot be disregarded. Activity gets you through the bad parts of the relationship. A lot of couples say that time goes slow when they cannot get their mind off their partner. To prevent any minor state of depression or stress, try to stay as busy as possible. My girlfriend and I agree that being busy helps us get by, and it makes us feel accomplished in some way. It is rewarding to keep up with the responsibilities around our own lives, which strengthen the relationship. In college, I have noticed that the older the couple, the better chances they have of making it work. Their dedication to school and their own responsibilities shows their serious perspective on school, and it influences the relationship in a positive light. It starts with one person and everything that he or she does to improve the relationship. For my girlfriend and me, trust has been established; it is the last thing her and I are worried about. I asked her at one point during the weekend, “How are we doing?” She replied, “Good.” A simple reply is the best reply. “Amazing” is too unrealistic and “I don’t know if I can do this anymore” obviously doesn’t give the relationship much hope. The “Good” is the best response because it subtly points out the good and bad things of having a long-distance relationship. It acknowledges the truth. Late Tuesday afternoon, I took my girlfriend to the airport. She was wearing her comfortable jeans and black coat – an outfit she wore quite often in England, where we met. She looked beautiful, as always. With tears being held back, we kissed and hugged each other goodbye, and I told her things will be fine. That is what it has been every time we reunite. Sun, 21 Oct 2007 23:31:00 CST http://www.frontpagemilwaukee.com/site/Viewer.aspx?iid=17585&mname=Article http://www.frontpagemilwaukee.com/site/Viewer.aspx?iid=17585&mname=Article By Alexandra Routh Oct. 12, 2007 Will the Facebook addicts please stand up? Admittedly, I would have to stand but not until a good three quarters of the room did first. Facebook is for me what Ebay is for my mom. That is to say that every time I use my computer, I visit Facebook at least once. The network has become a living, breathing thing over the last two years, especially on college campuses. Personally, I think that all the new applications are a bit over the top, but if you like to have a fun wall, a super wall, an advanced wall, and sticky notes, then more power to you. One of the most primitive features of Facebook shows you what friends you have in common with whom. On the second day of my English class this semester, the boy sitting next to me asked me if I knew a girl he knew. I answered yes, and when I asked how he knew that he replied, “How does anybody know anything? Facebook.” Facebook has become an informant of sorts for anyone who is in your network or on your friends list. The wall post about certain activities you might have participated in or the group about the party you were at is accessible to quite a lot of people. I suppose that can be a little scary. But when you can decide what is posted and who views it, generally speaking, you are probably pretty safe. While not posting my address on my profile protects me from stalkers, not posting certain Saturday night antics protects me from getting into trouble. Recently, Facebook has become the latest tool used by police to identify illegal activity. UWM police recently discovered a group called “poop patrol” by utilizing Facebook searches. The group had a detailed account of how students left feces under the door handle of a squad car after police had broken up a party. When confronted about it, the culprits confessed and were issued disorderly conduct tickets by the Milwaukee Police Department. In Pennsylvania, Penn State University Police used Facebook to identify and prosecute fans who rushed the field after the Oct. 8 Ohio State game. This concept raises questions for me about students’ right to privacy and reputation. Facebook is a social network and people frequently forget just how public their postings are. Do police Facebook searches impede on students’ right to privacy? No. Absolutely not. Campus police simply take advantage of Facebook information that students probably shouldn’t have posted online in the first place. Facebook allows registered users to post content at their own discretion. If it’s illegal, harmful or improper, it should probably stay off the Internet. Those who post illegal activities or substances on their profile are no less responsible for their actions than those involved in the underage drinking party across the street. Now, more than ever, is the time to monitor what you post on your profile. We know that the police are monitoring activities they find suspicious, but who else could be observing your daily interactions? We are warned by countless numbers of people not to give out names, addresses and phone numbers to strangers, but that is exactly what we are doing by participating in the social phenomenon that is Facebook. Many of my peers have Facebook accounts, but I wonder how many have restricted access to their account. After researching this subject, I feel the time has come to invoke some of the privacy options offered to me. I would not open my diary to the world, so why should I open my profile to it? Sun, 21 Oct 2007 23:25:00 CST http://www.frontpagemilwaukee.com/site/Viewer.aspx?iid=17584&mname=Article http://www.frontpagemilwaukee.com/site/Viewer.aspx?iid=17584&mname=Article By Isabella Carini Radiohead is no stranger to stepping out of the box, but this time, it seems like it’s eliminated the box completely. Since the band’s first release, “Pablo Honey” in 1992, Radiohead has been a pioneer in innovative music. After the band’s six-album contract with EMI ended in 2004 and following the release of its hugely successful record, “Hail to the Thief,” the band began work on its latest work of musical brilliance, “In Rainbows.” After years of hard work and patience, the band announced to its fans a mere ten days before the Internet release was set that it was putting out a new album independently. The details were then listed on the band’s blog (www.radiohead.com/deadairspace) by guitarist Jonny Greenwood. “Hello everyone. Well, the new album is finished, and it's coming out in 10 days. We've called it In Rainbows. Love from us all,” Greenwood wrote. The more surprising part came shortly after the announcement. Not only would the album be available online for an early digital download (since the official release is expected for December), but the consumer gets to pick the price based on what they think the album is worth. Yes, for once it’s exactly how it sounds. You can pay a dollar, you can pay twenty dollars, or you can even pay nothing at all! Atomic Records employee Sahan Jayasuriya is embracing the band’s optimism about choosing your own price for the album. “Instead of whining about it and trying to figure out how to stop it, they said ‘ok, if people are going to download it, we might as well give them the choice with paying’,” Jayasuriya said. While this is great news for fans, will the band regret it? UWM sophomore Danielle Sulikowski doesn’t think so. “Radiohead is this massive band, and they won’t have a problem since they have such a big following with people paying.” Sulikowski said. “It’s like a preview for the album almost.” There is also an alternative tangible format that fans can purchase: the $80 Discbox, which will be shipped out to fans on December 3rd. The Discbox included the early download plus a variety of special bonuses for fans, such as the vinyl and CD versions of “In Rainbows,” a disc of material not featured on the record, artwork, photos, etc. Sulikowski is one of those who didn’t pay for the download. “I’m at least buying the discbox later,” she said. “So that helps.” Rumors have also started circulating about other big-name acts like Oasis, Nine Inch Nails and Jamiroquai following in Radiohead’s footsteps with independent download releases. So will the trend continue? It seems we’ll just have to wait and find out. Radiohead hasn’t released any official statistics on how many people have actually downloaded the album, but the Chicago Tribune reported from a band source that it had sold over 1.2 million digital downloads after two days of it being available. My prediction is that the numbers will only skyrocket from there. But what else is new? It’s Radiohead! Sun, 21 Oct 2007 22:02:00 CST http://www.frontpagemilwaukee.com/site/Viewer.aspx?iid=17574&mname=Article http://www.frontpagemilwaukee.com/site/Viewer.aspx?iid=17574&mname=Article By Alysha Witwicki Sometimes it takes a tragedy to pull us together. No doubt those left behind in Crandon are following suit, as are those touched around the country. At the time this article was written, speculation circled around the shooter, Tyler James Peterson, having an on-again off-again relationship with Jordanne Murry, 18, a possible motivation for the shooting. Although many details haven’t been released on their relationship or what happened that tragic night, we do know that he accused her of engaging in a relationship with another man. He snapped and killed six people. Although a dangerous ex is unusual, this time it proved fatal. After watching the Peterson investigation on the news, I wondered if my exes were capable of hurting me from jealousy. I immediately thought of my close friend whose ex used to hit her. Would he be more likely to snap and kill than someone with a “normal” relationship?” Although no one can say for sure, one thing is certain: a girl has to protect herself post-breakup. But how? 4girls.gov says that one in ten teens experience violence in their relationships. For that 10 percent, breaking out of the abuse by ending the courtship is hard enough. The United States Department of Justice reported in 1998 statistics that incidents of abuse against women were three times higher after the divorce from an abuser. We tend to think abuse stops when the relationship does. But it’s pointless to wait for abuse to come back, or see if he disappears for good. The only way to feel safe is to take proper precautions. The signs an ex might creep up with the intention to harm aren’t always clear. But look for abusive signs in the relationship. Possessiveness and controlling are at the top of the list. Does he always want to know where you are and who you are with? This is a strong indication it might continue after a breakup. Safety.com says, “Some of these (signs) include violent behavior (not necessarily against you), a short temper, drug or alcohol addiction, a history of bad relationships, and the tendency to pressure you to do things you are not comfortable with (sexual and otherwise). An abusive person is also likely to blame you for his or her emotional state, and to say that you deserve it when they hurt you.” When I think about my past relationships, I can’t think of anyone who would become dangerous. Some might be computer nerds or struggle with a mental disorder; that would explain a lot, but you can never be certain. When protecting yourself from an old flame, use general self-defense precautions: 1. Always carry your cell phone. Program in the emergency numbers for your local and state police and commit the speed dial code to memory. 2. Carry proper protection that you can operate, like pepper spray. 3. Carry your keys between your knuckles at night. 4. Take a self defense class. Not only is it useful if you were ever mugged, but you can feel confident about protecting yourself. 5. Communicate with a close friend or older adult you trust if something seems out of whack. And, if necessary, head to the police. 6. Be aware of your surroundings at all times. When breaking up, try to leave on good terms and cut ties. It’s harder for your psycho ex to be jealous if he doesn’t know what you’re up to. In a city like Milwaukee, we’re lucky. There are so many people here that bumping into him by chance will happen less often, unless you two shop at the same grocery store. If he’s needy and desperate, think about staying away from mutual ground for now. It’s terrifying to think an old boyfriend could become jealous and snap. Despite the unlikeliness, we all need to be prepared. National Sexual Assault Hotline 1-800-656-HOPE (1-800-656-4673) National Domestic Violence Hotline 1-800-799-SAFE (1-800-799-7233) Sun, 14 Oct 2007 17:58:00 CST http://www.frontpagemilwaukee.com/site/Viewer.aspx?iid=17563&mname=Article http://www.frontpagemilwaukee.com/site/Viewer.aspx?iid=17563&mname=Article By Kelsey Dionne I can’t be the only person who feels guilty buying a drink at Starbucks. Starbucks is a delicious example of the consumerist mentality – you get your whip cream-soaked cup of sugar, an impulse buy at best. You don’t think about how a mega corporation just sucked your money down like a shot of espresso. You just want your coffee, and you want it right now. So sip the worries from your mind, and enjoy the music playing over the speakers. Enjoy it so much that, thanks to Apple, you act upon another impulse – you whip out your iPhone, sneak a glance around to see who is visibly impressed, and one-click buy that song. Bam. It’s yours now. Just like the last 12 songs you bought. What convenience. You can have a song the second you hear it and decide you want it, as long as you get Wi-Fi on whatever tech-geek device you carry. But I can’t be the only one left wondering: are we really benefiting from the impulse-buy mechanisms that we call convenience? All signs point to no. Apple and Starbucks certainly aren’t wondering, anyhow – they’re in the know about who’s winning the game, and they just made another power play. As of Oct. 1, you can go into select Starbucks and buy whatever freaking song pops up over the loudspeakers with one click of your wireless device, if you think you like it. Because you do. Think you like it, anyway. Better buy it just to make sure you don’t forget that you think you like it. And this new convenience from Apple-Starbucks doesn’t sound that dangerous, of course. It doesn’t sound like that big of a deal until you total just how much money you’ve actually wasted when things weren’t even this easy. Let me see – I’m pretty defensive with my money, and my iTunes account tells me that I have “purchased 252 songs from the iTunes store.” At 99 cents a song, that could be better labeled as “blown hundreds of dollars at the iTunes store.” That’s more money than I spent on textbooks this semester, and I don’t remember purchasing half of those songs – just like I don’t remember how all those chai lattes tasted, even though I bought dozens of them at Starbucks. Impulse buys. Considering my hundreds of dollars worth of songs (many of which I don’t actually listen to), and my typical college-student weakness for fancy coffee, I have definitely wasted an insurmountable amount of money on impulsive desires. And you can only imagine what Hemingway over there in the corner booth with the MacBook, iced mocha latte and mounting college debt has wasted. You can imagine what your friends have wasted, in cups of joe and in songs by Joe. All before Apple and Starbucks made the transaction all the easier. But we love the convenience of snapping up that which we fleetingly desire, before it gets away! And it loves us. Apple loves us. Starbucks loves us. The point is, we think we’re somehow the champions of ourselves, even though corporations clearly think otherwise. We think we’ve triumphed when we one-click buy that 99-cent song (such a reasonable price – I can still afford a latte!) and puff up with our personal awesomeness. The sense of awesomeness quickly fades, and then we need to buy another song to reassure ourselves of how cool we are, to satisfy that need for impulse buys that drives so much business. We need to drain another sugar-laden drink, and then forget it, and then do it again. Bam. The espresso is mine. And my money is theirs. So are we really benefiting from all of these conveniences Apple and Starbucks have gifted us? No. There is no doubt that for now, Apple and Starbucks have us by the iPod cords. They know that we will succumb to our impulses – that’s how they’ve made it so far already. That’s why iTunes is the leading online music supplier with a 70 percent market share, and why Starbucks stores are doubling like bacteria all around the country. And that’s why, as new partners in crime, they’re making it even easier for us to buy their stuff. Some day we’ll notice that these companies aren’t in it for us, but for them. Shiny iPods full of music aren’t to make us look cool, but to finance Apple. Starbucks coffee isn’t so much a “good morning” as a “give us your money.” These two chummy companies are enablers, and we’re the willing junkies that suck up their products without being permitted time to think about what we’re doing. The score is clear: we’re not actually in the lead, but are being led by our addiction to the convenient vices being dangled in front of us. But until the day we overcome our need for ease, we’ll just be throwing away money as fast as empty coffee cups. Sun, 07 Oct 2007 23:24:00 CST http://www.frontpagemilwaukee.com/site/Viewer.aspx?iid=17551&mname=Article http://www.frontpagemilwaukee.com/site/Viewer.aspx?iid=17551&mname=Article By Alysha Witwicki As far as wedding season goes, it seems to be in full swing 24/7. I’m supposed to travel west to La Crosse for Oktoberfest in a few weeks, and my old roommate has weddings to attend the Saturdays before and after I come into town. I guess fall is the new spring. A dear friend of mine from high school – we’ll call her Kat – just got engaged a month ago to her divorced boyfriend. Not three days did the ink settle on his divorce papers that he decided to pop the question to Kat. My shopper in crime, Jen, and I have a laundry list made of why we don’t like this guy. To name a few: he gets unusually mean and vindictive when he’s drinking, he’s a balding mechanic, and he pretty much has our friend on a two-foot leash. But when Kat begged me to be one of her five bridesmaids, I couldn’t refuse. It’s true that I gag whenever he comes in the room, but I’m happy if Kat’s happy. So like the rest of the bridal party (two sisters, one sister-in-law, Jen, me) I got caught up in the dresses (blue halters) and started planning the perfect bachelorette party with Jen (one stripper, lots o‘booze). It wasn’t until a foggy Milwaukee day when Jen came over to my upper east side apartment. “I’ve got some bad news,” she says. “Did your car break down?” I say. “Worse,” she says. It took Jen 10 minutes to get to the point. As it turns out, Kat’s fiancé decided to take part in the wedding. He thought best, and cheaper, if some extended relatives were cut from the guest list… and the wedding party. He decided to cut me and his sister from the blue halter fun. At that moment I had to wonder, is it appropriate to nix a member of the wedding party once you’ve asked them to take part in the festivities? I asked Jen if she’d been drinking, and all she said was, “Kat felt so bad and didn’t want to tell you.” I didn’t know what was worse: Jen telling me (when she was still in the wedding and glad that she wasn’t cut), or the fact that Kat couldn’t muster up the courage. On issues of bridesmaid etiquette, weddingchannel.com says, “Only extreme cases call for showing a bridesmaid the door; you may not ask a bridesmaid to step down if she doesn’t throw you your idea of the perfect shower; refuses to be at your constant beck and call; gets pregnant; gains weight; isn't particularly helpful; or delicately asks that a more affordable bridesmaid gown be considered due to her financial situation.” I might have gained three pounds since the start of senior year, but I’m not pregnant or unhelpful (it was my idea for the bachelorette party stripper). Jen felt bad for Kat because the fiancé was now in charge. I loathed in self-pity because I thought that explanation was crap. I needed a better reason for getting the pink slip. As far as the wedding goes, I’ll head to the reception at her family owned bar, but decked out in a strapless number from White House Black Market instead of a dress that two other girls will be wearing in a shade that isn’t conducive to my skin tone. When it comes to throw the bouquet, I’ll be eating marble cake with pink rose icing. But as my friend leaves for her honeymoon to Door County, I’ll still wish her well. Sun, 23 Sep 2007 19:49:00 CST http://www.frontpagemilwaukee.com/site/Viewer.aspx?iid=17545&mname=Article http://www.frontpagemilwaukee.com/site/Viewer.aspx?iid=17545&mname=Article By: Julie Hause jahause@uwm.edu We’re all concerned about the health and safety of children - that’s why, when we hear about toy recalls, we panic. Tuesday’s recall of 9 million Mattel toys in the United States has parents fearing all toy imports from China, and has some parents planning to boycott China-made toys altogether, but boycotting is too extreme and not the solution. Boycotters Beware Parents planning to boycott should first understand the difference between where toys are “designed” versus where they are “manufactured” and then they should prepare themselves for a challenge. According to the federal Consumer Product Safety Commission, 80% of all toys are made in China, so finding toys made elsewhere is very difficult. Alternatives Available: May not be as they appear Parents seeking an alternative to China-made toys may consider stores like Oompa Toys, based locally, in Madison, WI, for their offering of a “Made in Europe” catalog product line, which includes dolls, blocks and puzzles. However, parents should know that while 80% of the “Made in Europe” toys are “designed” in Europe, only 45% are actually “made” in Europe, and according to Oompa CEO Milanie Cleere, the remaining toys are manufactured in Sri Lanka, India, and, yes, China too. While the “Made in Europe” philosophy of avoiding mass production in one centralized area, such as China, in order to achieve better overall quality output is commendable, it does not guarantee that quality control won’t slip. In fact, different manufacturers in different countries may have varied regulations around quality control, which could lead to inconsistencies in quality across the entire product line. Instead of Boycotting, try reducing consumption Mattel’s toy recall should serve as wake-up call for parents who, after sorting through their children’s toy boxes for recalled toys made in China, should consider their consumption of plastic toys in general. Parents should think about how many toys are really needed and utilized. Extended family too, should think twice before buying more plastic toys as gifts for children and adding to the clutter. Reducing the clutter will also reduce the possibility of owning an unsafe plastic toy, particularly if parents purge items they suspect are harmful and avoid purchasing potentially harmful toys in the future. A good purge of plastic toys, particularly those made in China, doesn’t mean that toys made from wood and other organic materials have to become the standard go-forward. While such toys exist and are of high quality and durability, they are both hard to come by and expensive, so making the switch to organically produced toys is not really an option for many families. What’s important to remember is that not all plastic toys pose a problem. Mattel’s recent recall should not lead to mass fear or a ban of plastic toys from China or elsewhere. Parents just need to get rid of toys from China that have been recalled and watch for any toys made in China that may be recalled in the future. If parents want to take it one step further, they should think about their needs versus their consumption. If the two are out of whack purging and buying less are great options. Parents go forth and conquer! Toy boxes are no match for you. Mon, 20 Aug 2007 16:20:00 CST http://www.frontpagemilwaukee.com/site/Viewer.aspx?iid=17525&mname=Article http://www.frontpagemilwaukee.com/site/Viewer.aspx?iid=17525&mname=Article By Lacey Coonen No Ring, No Love There is an old saying about premarital sex, in which a person’s sexual purity is an apple. Each time an individual has sex with another person, outside of marriage, they are allowing that person to take a bite of their apple. If they continue with this behavior they will eventually get to their wedding night and have nothing to offer their husband/wife but an old rotten apple core because they didn’t wait and they allowed other people to taste their apple before their spouse. Which makes an individual wonder if abstinence prior to marriage is wise? One of the reasons this analogy works so well is the fact that an individual is able to take steps to keep their apple preserved if they never allow anyone to take a bite out of it. This is also true for sexual purity. It is much easier for an individual to maintain their sexual purity until marriage if they never allow anyone to take that first bite. Abstinence until marriage is the smart and safe thing to do. Sex is one of the most intimate relations that two individuals can share. It is more than just a physical act; it’s the emotional and spiritual union of two individuals becoming one. Yet, sex is not all those things if it does not involve two individuals who love and care for one another. Outside of marriage, sex becomes dangerous. When an individual enters into a sexual relationship with someone outside of marriage, they risk the chance of contracting a sexually transmitted disease. Yet if people stopped having sex outside of marriage sexually transmitted diseases would practically become absolute in a few years. If an individual doesn’t wind up with a sexually transmitted disease, he or she risks the chance of having an unexpected and unplanned pregnancy. Premarital sex is one of the reasons our nation's teenage pregnancy rates are so high and why there are so many single parents raising kids alone. Outside of marriage, sex becomes an act, something people are ashamed of, or even something dirty. These are just a few of the dangers that come with premarital sex, and they don’t even begin to illustrate the emotional or spiritual damage that premarital sex has on a person. Even the phrase premarital sex suggests its inappropriateness. Premarital sex means sex before marriage. If sex was not designed for a man and woman to enjoy within the bonds of marriage there would be no need for the phrase premarital sex within our language. There would just be sex, regardless of marital status, but there isn’t. There is premarital sex, which signifies that sex is not suppose to come before marriage. In biblical times, if an individual had premarital sex they would be stoned. Yet, in today’s society it is flaunted. Musicians write in their songs about how many men or women they’ve been with. It’s no surprise that girls are becoming impregnated at a younger and younger age and feel like they are being treated merely as sexual objects rather than people. There is even a common saying that today’s youth who practice premarital sex use, “no glove no love.” This means that if there is no condom involved, there is no sexual intercourse. Wouldn’t it be better if the saying was no ring no love; meaning that if there was no wedding ring being shared between the two individuals then there would be no chance for sexual relations. Doctors and health teachers even advise kids to wait to have sex. Wait until you’re older, wait until you’re mature, and wait until you’re ready. Except when will you be ready? What is the correct age to have sex? How do you know if you are mature enough to have sex? Plus even when all these questions are answered for you, you’re ready, you’re old enough and mature, you still risk the chance of having sex with an individual who may love you, but can also leave you because they have no commitment to stay with you. Within marriage there is a commitment. There’s a commitment to love your spouse till death. On your wedding night you can have sex with your spouse and wake up the next morning without the fear that your spouse has taken off and you’ll never see them again. It is wise to wait to have sex. But don’t wait until you are ready, mature or even old enough; wait until you are married, then and only then, sex has the ability to unite two individuals and their love for one another together for eternity. Mon, 20 Aug 2007 15:53:00 CST http://www.frontpagemilwaukee.com/site/Viewer.aspx?iid=17523&mname=Article http://www.frontpagemilwaukee.com/site/Viewer.aspx?iid=17523&mname=Article By Aaron Bladorn The Decline of the Music Industry The death of the album has arrived, and as the nation’s largest recording companies rummage to salvage what’s left of a fading format, consumers are quickly transitioning to digital music, leaving destruction in their path. Blame can be placed in many places, but the most obvious failure falls on the Recording Industry, which, in less than a decade, has found a way to ruin an otherwise thriving market. Their inability to grasp the largest technological shift in over a century, the internet, is perhaps the most illogical and narrow-minded faux pas in entertainment history. Instead of finding a way to integrate the World Wide Web into their operations, the Recording Industry has tried everything in its power to stop people from getting music online. Now they are paying the price for their indiscretions. Since 2003 nearly 2,700 record stores from all over the country have closed, and with 65% of all music sales taking place in large retail stores like Wal-Mart and Best Buy, pointing the finger at the industry now seems rational. The catastrophic shift from in-store album sales to digital sales since 2000 has put an enormous hurt on the industry’s top labels, and as more consumers realize that store-bought albums are ridiculously overpriced, the demise of the album seems all but imminent. With the click of a mouse, there are millions of songs at our fingertips, most of which are free. Digital music is the newest way for people to find, listen to, and share music. In an instant, it is in our headphones, there’s no waiting, no fussing with scratched CD’s and no worrying about money. Although many people blame internet file sharing and piracy for the erosion of the Recording Industry, the legitimacy of this claim is flawed. Yes, Shawn Fanning’s dorm-room-produced computer program, Napster, got the ball rolling, but top record executives had their chance when they met with Napster’s then CEO Hank Berry for secret talks now nearly seven years ago. Besides a rinky-dink offer to charge Napster users a monthly fee, the executives failed to come to any agreement and all further negotiations thereafter ceased to exist. Even with numerous recording companies acknowledging the significance of Fanning’s invention, they were too short-sighted to understand that such an innovation, though it may have originally seemed like suicide to the core business of producing music, was an essential step to the future success of the Recording Industry. By overlooking the profit potential of file sharing programs like Napster, the record companies were quick to bring lawsuits against the online music giant, and in the process, left billions of dollars on the table, while losing some 40 million Napster users to other services. This executive blunder not only over-looked music’s largest fan base, it put a metaphorical wedge between the album producers and the online music market. Digital music fans were crippled when Napster was forced to shut down, and now with the RIAA pursuing thousands of “illegal downloaders” the level of animosity between the Recording Industry and the internet revolution has worsened. After bringing Napster to its knees with lawsuits, the Recording Industry followed up with replacements that were far inferior to the forefather of file sharing. These second-rate services provided extremely limited cataloging, high-prices, and anti-copying technology. By treating their subscribers like thieves instead of loyal music fans the recording companies have since alienated themselves from their customers. Now, nearly seven years after Napster was forced to shut down its network, the Recording Industry is still on its disastrous fall from glory. Record sales have substantially declined every year since Napster was killed, and with the RIAA fervently suing online music lovers, digital music sales can not fill the enormous void. The Recording Industry is to blame. If it wasn’t for greed, label executives might have realized earlier that going to bed with Napster was a good business plan, and we wouldn’t be discussing the erosion of a billion dollar industry. Since the fall of Napster there have been hundreds of attempts by individual labels to capture the market that Napster had so successfully corralled. But these services never offered the same versatility and have never reached the masses. As the industry futilely attempts to save itself, there is a popular proposal that seems almost as infallible as it is optimistic; have all the record companies join together and offer all of their out of print catalogs on one giant website. If they make sure subscription and song fee’s are cheaper than any other prepaid music sites’ prices, offer the largest library of songs on the web, and treat their customers with respect, I guarantee success. Although idealistic, with even a limited profit this proposal would generate some renewed credibility for the Recording Industry, and perhaps even some consumer confidence in their service. But who knows, they’ve been known to squash good ideas instead of utilize them, so take it with a grain of salt. It is up to the industry to save what’s left of their once thriving market. It’s time for the RIAA to pursue alternatives to in-store albums instead of pursuing “alleged illegal downloaders.” It’s time to realize that Napster wouldn’t have killed the music business, it would have helped to expand it, and above all else, it’s time to accept digital music as the future of the industry, whether you’re in, or out. Mon, 20 Aug 2007 15:25:00 CST http://www.frontpagemilwaukee.com/site/Viewer.aspx?iid=17522&mname=Article http://www.frontpagemilwaukee.com/site/Viewer.aspx?iid=17522&mname=Article By Rachel Sawicki Is the ‘tea’ really good for me? As I pour the ‘Lipton Green Tea To Go’ packet in my water bottle, I think to myself, is this really that healthy for me? After reading numerous articles and watching Dr. Oz discuss ‘health benefits’ on Oprah, I wonder if I should even bother drinking green tea anymore. Supposedly curing headaches and depression, lowering the risk of heart-disease and cancer, preventing tooth decay and infection of sorts, and helping to speed up metabolic levels, green tea does it all, or doesn’t it? Actually, it doesn't. Some articles still say that green tea has its benefits, while many more say not so much. Similar to lasik eye surgery, until it’s perfected, or proven absolutely true in this matter, I will no longer be taking that plunge, face first, and hitting the cement. (And no, I’m not talking about the ride at Noah’s Ark Water park.) Recent research from the FDA (Federal Drug Administration) concludes that green tea does not lower the risk of heart-disease. It also has not been found to have any protective benefits in breast, prostate, or other cancers. This is where I ask myself, why waste my taste buds, or my money for that matter. I’ve honestly never even been that fond of the taste. I constantly found myself supplementing the dull flavor with lemon, honey and numerous packets of sugar, just so I could down my 40 ounces worth each day, only to wind up with gut wrenching stomach pains. But you know what they say, “The things we do for our health”, or is it our beauty? Either way, I’m bored of green tea. A few summers ago, some friends and I went on a weekend getaway to Chicago. While visiting, we went to an authentic Chinese restaurant. Like most Chinese restaurants, they served us tea to begin our meal, but this wasn’t any old Americanized Chinese tea, this was green tea. So being the spontaneous, try everything once, type of gals we are, we took a chance. “Rather bland.” my friend Jessica said. “It needs some sugar.” Stefanie, my roommate mentioned. “This is awful.” I exclaimed. Even though the green tea didn’t get rave reviews by us, we were glad to have experienced something new, and we continued on with conversation, laughs and egg drop soup. Three years later, never really thinking about that tea tasting experience in Chicago, that green tea is now all the rage. Television talk shows, health and fitness magazines, restaurants, and grocery store shelves were just some of the places the tea gave way. Green tea went from being as unpopular as 80’s style scrunched socks, to being as hot as Paris Hilton in jail. It had officially become the new trend in health. “Speed up your metabolism!”, “Help prevent your risk of getting heart disease.”, and “Boost your energy level!” were all commonly heard slogans about this trendy Chinese tea. Bottled, diet, honey and lemon flavored, ‘to go’ packets, tea bags, and even lotion were being made to help promote the frenzy. Now being a sucker for trends, along with wanting to jump on the fit train, I took the plunge, and decided to try that bland, needs more sugar, awful tasting green tea again, except this time, the bottled, diet, honey and lemon flavored kind. Cold, refreshing, and thirst quenching, was my reaction; nothing like the last experience, not to mention zero calories and helps to speed up metabolic rates, or so I thought. Six months after the start of days and evenings filled with green tea, I read an article in one of my many health and fitness magazines stating that drinking green tea doesn’t really provide the benefits health experts were claiming it did. Hold the phone! I just spent hundreds of dollars drinking this stuff, thinking about a slimmer, longer living, and more alert me, but instead, I ended up with an empty wallet and stomach cramps! Thank you green tea for the many mornings filled with drinking nearly a gallon of you, and of course, for making the bathroom my new best friend. Green tea, in all its glory, wasn’t so glorious after all. I think in the future, I’ll stick with bottled water and skim milk. Rachel Sawicki JMC 504 columnist rsawicki@uwm.edu Thu, 02 Aug 2007 02:17:00 CST http://www.frontpagemilwaukee.com/site/Viewer.aspx?iid=17501&mname=Article http://www.frontpagemilwaukee.com/site/Viewer.aspx?iid=17501&mname=Article By Andrew Kutz Sony has dropped its latest bomb in the three-way console war with Microsoft and Nintendo. They recently reduced the price of the Playstation 3 from $599.99 to $499.99. The question now is whether or not this price cut will make the console more attractive to buyers and improve the PS3’s meager sales going into the holiday season. With several exclusive game titles due to release in the coming months, and the stagnation of sales on the Xbox front, I think that Sony can expect their sales to rise significantly by Christmas. The PS3 released in November with mixed results. The selection of launch titles was poor at best, and the $599.99 price tag was too much for most gamers to bear. Even with many unique state of the art features, such as a built in Blu-ray player and the revolutionary multi-axis tilt sensitive wireless controller, it struggled to sell units. All but the hardest of hard-core gamers complained that the price was way too high and they wanted to play more than one good game at launch. Nintendo and Microsoft, on the other hand, have both been successful so far in the American market. Nintendo, which has historically struggled to sell units in the U.S., has succeeded by marketing the Wii to the non-gaming population and focusing on solid fun game play rather than eye popping graphics. When added to their cult following of diehard fans, this appeal to non-gamers has made the Wii the most popular console around the world. The Xbox 360 was released with a larger and better selection of good games a full year before the PS3. This head start has put Microsoft ahead of Sony and Nintendo in U.S. sales. The lower price tag of $399.99 was also much more reasonable for gamers in younger age groups. These two factors combined propelled the Xbox 360 to number one and it has yet to be overtaken in the U.S. market. Microsoft’s days of domination in the next generation console wars may be coming to an end. The Xbox 360 is now only $100 cheaper than the PS3, and an upcoming selection of impressive exclusive titles promises to improve Sony’s fortunes. The most popularly anticipated title for the PS3 is Metal Gear Solid 4, the latest installment in the very popular franchise. What Sony really needs to get its consoles flying off the shelves is a game so good that people are willing to buy the system just to play the one game. Halo was this game for Microsoft back in 2002, when they launched the original Xbox. While the Metal Gear franchise is solid even after more than a decade, and is sure to be a great game, I’m not sure if it will be good enough to sell the PS3 like Halo did for the Xbox. Additionally, the upcoming release of Halo 3 this fall must have Sony executives shaking in their boots. While it is unlikely that Sony will overtake Microsoft, who has not yet lowered the original $399.99 launch price, as lead console seller, it is certain that PS3 sales will go up. It has been almost two years since the Xbox 360 launched, and the financial sting of a $400 plus gaming machine has likely subsided enough to allow gamers to stick their hands back into the proverbial bee’s nest. It will be a good investment for the future, as Blu-ray and high definition TVs become standardized, and it is unlikely that Sony will drop the price of the PS3 again any time soon. Thu, 02 Aug 2007 01:47:00 CST http://www.frontpagemilwaukee.com/site/Viewer.aspx?iid=17499&mname=Article http://www.frontpagemilwaukee.com/site/Viewer.aspx?iid=17499&mname=Article By Aaron Bladorn With the upcoming release of 50 Cent’s new album, Curtis, on September 11th, serious rap fans can only pray that he will once again rescue the rap world from its flailing, almost unbearable loss of substance. Back when rap stars were made by the value of their words, songs consisted of carefully constructed rhythmic verses that translated life into music. There was nothing that good rap couldn’t explore and exploit. If 2 Pac and Biggie Smalls heard the rap music being produced today they would turn over in their graves. Since the rap scene exploded with Dr. Dre’s 6x platinum album Chronic 2001 in 1999, the rap world has seen an influx of pretty-boy wanna be gangsta’s who’s rhymes are far inferior than their predecessors like Jam Master J, 2 Pac, Biggie, Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Twista, and Eminem. With the exception of Eminem’s 2004 and 2005 albums, Encore and Curtain Call, the rap world has seen a sharp decrease in quality rap since the turn of the century. As a new breed of rappers is taking over the spotlight the significance placed on actual rhymes has become a thing of the past. New aged rappers like Petey Pablo, Fabolous, Lil John, Chingy, and Ja Rule have made a mockery of their rap forefathers by selling out to mainstream pop-rap. These rappers, although extremely successful in terms of bank account balances, have destroyed the foundation of quality rap that true artists like Dre spent decades constructing. These over popularized mainstream rappers are known for their catchy one line hooks; simply toss in a pre-packaged dance-club beat and a few “bling, blings” and you have yourself a million dollar album. Yes, this formula has proven marketable, but the reality of it is truly frightening. Sadly, this is what has become of the once thriving, innovative world of rap. As the pioneers and legends of a lost art have slowly faded, the stars of tomorrow have turned rap into a disguised form of pop music. When artists like Dre and Snoop were clawing their way up the ranks to rap stardom they did so with words, not catchy hooks. They did it by mastering and manipulating language and street slang into rhythmical verses that when strung together formed poetic stories about the trials and tribulations of real life. Modern rappers have ignored the teachings from these lyrical genius’s and instead have diminished the once potent rhymes of yesterday’s greats into a handful of overused, meaningless categories. Cribs, rides, ho’s, money, and the all too obvious, bling have inundated the rap world. When did reality take the back seat to bling? I clearly missed the memo. Rap artists of today all have one thing in common, they want success and money, and they want it now. All they see is excess, so all they preach is excess. While these new-aged rappers are hollering over unbearably loud base about ho’s and bling, they are too blind to take accountability for sustaining the long standing tradition of quality rap music that artists like Jam Master J and Dr. Dre skillfully shaped into the multi-billion dollar a year genre of music they now occupy. In the last few years artists like Dr. Dre and Eminem have taken a step away from the limelight and are focusing more on finding and developing new talent. But while the legends of the rap world are leaving the stage to take control of the leadership positions in the recording industry’s most prolific studios, the actual content of rap music has taken the hit. With an ever increasing focus being placed on money and fame instead of the substance it takes to make good music, the question of whether we will see a turn around in the rap industry anytime soon seems to be unanswerable. As 50 Cent’s album release nears, rap fans worldwide can only hope he has found a way to salvage what’s left of true rap. Lyricist enthusiasts have been long awaiting a savior of substance, and with Dr. Dre’s rep’s keeping quite about the release of his long anticipated follow up album to 2001, Detox, we can only hope that 50 will continue to build where Dre left off in 99’. Thu, 02 Aug 2007 00:02:00 CST http://www.frontpagemilwaukee.com/site/Viewer.aspx?iid=17495&mname=Article http://www.frontpagemilwaukee.com/site/Viewer.aspx?iid=17495&mname=Article By Alysha Witwicki A few months ago, I wrote an article chronicling my ex-boyfriend’s gaming addiction with Warcraft. A harmless prod at gamers turned me into a “hater” as far as Warcraft lovers were concerned. GamersGal commented on OnMilwaukee.com saying: “Can you complain more? Which is worse--parting at the bars every night or sitting at home playing WOW on the computer? I think the gaming is of the lesser evil. My husband is a HUGE WOW fan, and I like knowing that he is in the other room playing on the computer rather than getting into trouble. Besides, haven't you EVER used your imagination for anything?! I don't game, but my best friends and husband do--it's a good outlet for stress. Perhaps YOU should try it!” High_End_Gamer had an opposite reaction: "Hi. I started Everquest in 2001 before I was married and had children. Gaming is VERY addictive, especially at the high end when you are the member of a strictly high-end guild and doing six hour raids is a way of the fantasy life. My point is that many people lose track of priorities. I used to play with my husband (we were a Shaman/Wizzy combo and level cap was 65 at that point). It was great! When our daughter came along we only played at night when she was in bed. Now that we have three (and no more children LOL) we have stopped playing EQ. I still keep in touch with some gamers but our kids come first. We now play Warcraft at night when they are in bed and limit it to an hour or so…a far cry from 6 hour raids.” My New Thoughts on Gaming… Interactive games such as Warcraft and Everquest allow players to dabble into a fantasy world and use their imagination…seemingly nerdy but still harmless. On the other hand, it should not replace face-to-face socializing or keep us isolated. I don’t see how spending eight hours with your butt glued to a computer chair from Circuit City is healthy or a muse “to keep yourself out of trouble.” Rationalizing that is the same as saying “Excessive gaming is okay; at least I’m not at a strip club.” We all have habits that hinder some aspect of our lives, but excusing a habit instead of doing something worse just covers up the addiction. With everything, moderation is key. In other words, gaming isn’t bad, just the habit of letting it control your life is. Fri, 20 Jul 2007 09:05:00 CST http://www.frontpagemilwaukee.com/site/Viewer.aspx?iid=17485&mname=Article http://www.frontpagemilwaukee.com/site/Viewer.aspx?iid=17485&mname=Article By Brianne O’Brien 1. Summerfest’s 40th birthday had an amazing turnout of people and celebrations. 2. The Big Bang attracted an explosive amount of people on opening night. 3. Sunny days and smiling faces gave this birthday celebration something to talk about. 4. From the big hits of John Mayer, Ciara, Guster and O.A.R, Summerfest brought out many extraordinary artists. 5. There was an endless list of activities and food to check out while attending Summerfest’s big celebration bash. Top 5 Foods, Bands, and Activities That Kept You Smiling at Summerfest Waterstreet Brewery- For all Wisconsinites, Waterstreet Brewery was the perfect fit for lunch or dinner. With a wide selection of drinks, this brewery also offered delicious meals that were sure to strike your hunger. Saz’s- Saz’s selection of cheese fries, cheese curds, and mozzarella sticks gave you a true taste of Wisconsin. Saz’s was sure to be a great match made in heaven for all you cheese lovers. La Perla- Not only is La Perla a hot spot downtown, but it also made an appearance during Summerfest. Did you beat the heat and buy a margarita or some sizzling Mexican food? Bon Jovi- Bon Jovi was one of the top attractions at Summerfest. Not only did his music brighten up the crowd, but it also brought in the spirit of Summerfest. John Mayer- John Mayer brought a relaxing sensation to Summerfest. John Mayer got everyone excited for the big celebration the night before the Fourth of July. Did you take a chance and swing for a Hole in One? Did you get lucky by playing some POTAWATOMI Bingo? Did you shop until you dropped at the Market Square? Did you stop for a snapshot at the Leinenkugel’s Lounger? For all the sports fanatics, did you visit the Sentry Sportszone? Mon, 02 Jul 2007 09:01:00 CST http://www.frontpagemilwaukee.com/site/Viewer.aspx?iid=17473&mname=Article http://www.frontpagemilwaukee.com/site/Viewer.aspx?iid=17473&mname=Article Help! My friend is turning into Lindsay Lohan! By Alysha Witwicki These days we can’t turn on E! or CNN without being bombarded with Hollywood royalty. What’s the difference between Audrey Hepburn of the 1950s and the modern Britney Spears? Partying, drugs, alcohol, and going out in public minus your skivvies. To the naked eye, one would assume this trend manifests itself within the Los Angeles and New York City circuits, but on the contrary Milwaukee ladies are starting to jump on the party bandwagon. Case and point: Meet my dearest friend Jennifer*, a business major at Marquette. Before we headed out to Water Street, she proceeded to say that we needed to “party like rock stars.” Huh!? This meant taking way too many shots and dancing on bar tables before taking a hit in the back of our DD’s car. I like to bar hop as much as the next gal, but this was insane and borderline illegal. It later occurred to me that Jennifer was acting like a Milwaukee version of Lindsay Lohan, minus her anorexic stunts and possible boob job a few years back. I’ve known Jen since we were in training bras and now she’s turned into a party whore. Can we save our friends from this scary Hollywood trend? In my opinion, since the Paris Hilton lifestyle is always in the media, it receives an air of glamour. Certain people only like to do what’s hot at the time, just because a celebrity does it. Unfortunately, constant alcohol, drugs, and random sex is dangerous and just because young Hollywood does it, doesn’t mean normal college students should either. Back during freshman year, my roommate, we’ll call her Stacy, never went out. She’d do the responsible thing and study during the week and chill with friends on the weekends. At the time, Stacy’s role model Sara* decided to break her into the college life. It all started innocently enough when they took the bus to the public library because one tends to get lost in the stacks at Golda Meir. They met a random hottie and decided to party at his place, aka Sara and the random made out while Stacy boozed with his roommates. Stacy got drunk for the first time and was riding the porcelain express the next morning. She had neglected to turn in her midterm which made her GPA go down, landing her on the academic probation list. For some of us, it takes hitting rock bottom to change our partying ways. Stacy learned that drinking before a test isn’t a good idea and now thinks before hitting the bottle. Jen still “parties like a rock star,” but I don’t join her as much. I pray she realizes her actions have consequences, but I learned that changing people is a waste of time. We can’t save our friends from the extreme partying trend because it’s bigger than us. We’re just normal people and celebrities will always be looked up to, no matter if they’re going bald or hitting the Hampton’s for the summer. Thu, 28 Jun 2007 12:36:00 CST http://www.frontpagemilwaukee.com/site/Viewer.aspx?iid=17471&mname=Article http://www.frontpagemilwaukee.com/site/Viewer.aspx?iid=17471&mname=Article By Brianne O’Brien 1. Run and Recharge- The best time to run is when you want to recharge yourself by taking time to clear your mind. Run along the lakefront where you can challenge your body and mind by testing your endurance, or even run up a set of stairs to increase your heartbeat. 2. Speed through Time- Milwaukee has numerous beautiful streets that would be the ideal spot for biking. Take a bike ride downtown, through your favorite neighborhoods or even down by Lake Michigan. Cycling is a great way to keep up your physical activity, and what better way to do it than through your favorite parts of town. Time will fly by as you get your heart rate going by speeding through Milwaukee’s stunning scenery. 3. Bump, Set, Spike- Grab some friends and hit the beach on your next day off! Volleyball courts are located all over Milwaukee making volleyball an easily accessible sport. Whether the courts are in a park or along the lake, spend time hanging out with friends while getting your daily workout in. It might not seem like a workout, but playing a sport with friends might just be your specialty. 4. Hit the Gym- Find the nearest gym and work on some lifting or get that heart pumping with a cardio workout. Gyms offer many different options when it comes to weight lifting. A gym can also come in handy when it is raining because there are typically multiple cardio machines available. 5. Relax while Rollerblading- If you are too tired to run or just want some time to yourself, pick up your rollerblades and head outside. Rollerblading can be a much more enjoyable and relaxed workout than other activities. If you want a more intense rollerblading routine, try incorporating some hills into your route. Local Gyms near downtown Milwaukee Bally Total Fitness 1237 N. Van Buren St, Milwaukee - (414) 291-0444 Curves 123 E. Wells St, Milwaukee - (414) 272-8783 UWM Klotsche Center 3409 N. Downer Ave, Milwaukee- (414) 229-3914 Wisconsin Athletic Club 411 E. Wisconsin Ave # 6, Milwaukee - (414) 212-2000 YMCA of Metropolitan Milwaukee 161 W. Wisconsin Ave, Suite 4000 - (414) 291-9622 Wed, 20 Jun 2007 08:34:00 CST http://www.frontpagemilwaukee.com/site/Viewer.aspx?iid=17448&mname=Article http://www.frontpagemilwaukee.com/site/Viewer.aspx?iid=17448&mname=Article Going Designer Is it keeping us sane? By Alysha Witwicki For those of us paying our way through school, we view money differently than those who don’t. Case and point: My friend Sharon, a soon-to-be senior at the University of Miami, gets almost $1,000 a month for living expenses from her parentals. This past weekend she came up to Milwaukee to bar hop with some of my friends and I on North Avenue. Most of us Midwestern girls can skate by with spending about 30 dollars a night at the bars, whereas Sharon took out $300 and spent every last cent. When I think of 300 big ones I translate it into terms of Coach Bags: a medium Carly handbag, three leather wristlets, a demi and a wallet. Like some of my female counterparts, I think I’m allowed to occasionally splurge. Occasionally meaning about once every three months and buying something that isn’t digestible. My roommate and long time friend, Hillary, is in the same boat. But unlike me, she uses designer labels to make herself feel more humanized. She sees what many of our friends get handed to them and retaliates. Her latest revenge for this perpetual unfairness: a pair of $320 Chanel sunglasses. The sad thing is that she is too scared to take them out of the case. We all do it, but do buying fancy things really make us feel better about ourselves? Rewind 10 years. Our parents would buy us a CD or video game when we got good grades. We were constantly being rewarded for our little accomplishments, but once we left for college it stopped. When I found out I snagged a fabulous internship my mom simply greeted me with a wholehearted “Congratulations!” and “Good Job!” I then find myself buying new Franco Sarto shoes to reward myself for things others might not acknowledge. Sure it makes me feel good, but the feeling never lasts. Instead of battling her credit card debt, a co-worker of mine indulges in Burberry. “It makes me forget my problems,” she says. Those problems are long gone until she finds the bill a month later. It seems that today’s young adults are taking retail therapy to the extreme. A pink shade of lipstick has been traded in for couture fashion and very few purchases seldom satisfy. We see women with designer everything and we think they have it all, when most of them are probably in debt like the rest of us. I’d kill for a pair of Chanel shoes or a Dolce & Gabanna trench, but now is not the time. A Prada purse shouldn’t have to make you feel any better about yourself. Those who care so much about the brand name and what it does for their image, i.e. disguising debt or other financial troubles, end up having the brand name taking over their image. We all have our vices and treating ourselves can do wonders, but trying to afford what the celebrities wear is not a good idea for those struggling through college. As for me, I’m trying to get Hillary to return her sunglasses. Chances are she’ll lose them anyway. Mon, 18 Jun 2007 11:57:00 CST http://www.frontpagemilwaukee.com/site/Viewer.aspx?iid=17444&mname=Article http://www.frontpagemilwaukee.com/site/Viewer.aspx?iid=17444&mname=Article Your ex has moved on, have you? By Alysha Witwicki Getting dumped sucks…period. It doesn’t matter if the relationship was good, bad, or a layover until your next fling. Having someone reject you can shake your beliefs about relationships to the core and even your relationship with yourself. Especially when they move on, you can’t help but checking out their new Hunny. My last breakup was almost mutual but more rushed than I hoped. I remember the steamy summer night like it was this morning. Mike* and I drove to the movies to see shirtless Brad Pitt in a loin cloth. His fingers failed to grace mine as we sat in the crowded theater. His face was stern as his arms folded tightly. My hands shook. On the ride home, I knew what was about to happen. We sat crying in my Eclipse for three hours as my life crumbled. “It’s better this way. I’m doing this for you,” he said as I searched for the words to make everything better. The plan was to sever ties in September. Instead, he changed it to June because there was no use in postponing the inevitable. I had the perfect guy for a year, he just didn’t want me. After a 300 mile trip to La Crosse and too-many-to-count bad dates, I found the perfect relationship again. No ties, no commitment, friends with very good benefits. Mike was out of the picture and further from my mind then the avian flu, which my mother still insists in coming. Life was normal again. It was, until I found out who Mike’s new girlfriend was. Meet Bethany, the chain-smoking nurse whose face looked like it was pounded in with a Brewers' bat. I should have been thrilled. At least Mike didn’t dump me for the double-d Maxim type. But my heart sank as I looked at the opposing side. Either I’m uglier than sin, or she has the personality of a saint. Mike always said he hated the fact his girlfriend before me smoked. And here “the latest” is puffing away on his facebook pictures. In another one, here’s Miss Badly Dyed Curly Hair drinking Miller High-Life out of a straw. Who drinks beer with a straw?! It was there that the million dollar question came to mind. When your ex finally moves on, is it better if she’s hot…or not? If they’re more attractive, you feel like he dumped you because you aren’t pretty enough. On the other hand, if she’s homely, her personality probably rocks (why else would they be together?). The slut nurse didn’t look to have either. So why was he so into her? I spent many-a-night analyzing our relationship and theirs. Staring at the cracked ceiling tiles with wide eyes open. But the only conclusion I came up with is that you don’t chose who you like. I wouldn’t have chosen to be hung up on Mike for a year. He probably can’t help that his hormones were raging and Curly was the first thing catching his attention. Personally, if you’re over your ex, his new fling shouldn’t be bothering you. But you probably spend your fast few minutes before sleep dreaming of them and staring at ceiling tiles, too. The main question is, “Are you really over him?” If you are worried about who he’s dating, you’ll never be able to hit the sack after just touching the pillow. If single, you aren’t seeking the opportunity to find someone better. If hooked up, then you may be taking away from the relationship you’re already in. For me, moving to Milwaukee changed everything. More bars, buildings and boys, La Crosse was a lonely call from the city. I met my current boyfriend while he ran down the street after the 30. I say I picked him up, he says he picked me. Mike faded into my memories and since then, I haven’t looked back. Therefore, if he wants to date a slut nurse, a hooker, or another guy for that matter, let him. Listen Dump-ees, you know you’re great and worth the world, there’s someone out there that’s going to give it to you. Promise. Mon, 11 Jun 2007 01:05:00 CST http://www.frontpagemilwaukee.com/site/Viewer.aspx?iid=17439&mname=Article http://www.frontpagemilwaukee.com/site/Viewer.aspx?iid=17439&mname=Article It’s a rainy Thursday night. Grey’s is on and eight of us are crowded around the TV with either a PBR or a Smirnoff in hand. My best friend Hillary makes a comment about how Dr. Grey is the new Jennifer Lopez. We all laugh, partly because she never makes sense. I can’t laugh because four of us are crammed on my roommate’s prehistoric futon, which isn’t funny at all. I’m sitting between Ben and Brenton. They just met this year and became fast friends. They both like soccer, video games, and beer... the perfect “male relationship.” If it wasn’t for me, they’d never had met. Brenton is my current boyfriend. Ben is my ex-boyfriend. Did I forget to mention that I live with Ben? How’s that for a 2007 version of the Brady Bunch? After every relationship, one or both parties wonder… Should I stay friends with my ex? This fact usually rises only after the crying and fighting are over. The answer isn’t as gray as what newly-singles think. The “what about this?” and “what about that?” doesn’t matter. If cheating was involved, abuse, or pure hatred on one or both ends, friends probably isn’t the best answer. But if the latter happened, a friendship blossoming out of a relationship is possible and can be a great idea. In my case, after Ben and I broke up, I moved to La Crosse. After two years, I decided to switch schools and move to Milwaukee where I knew no one, at least nobody I trusted. I called Ben to survey the situation. What’s a good deal for an apartment? What areas are best to live in? When you live in La Crosse, Milwaukee is as foreign as Iraq. Not only did my ex serve as a trusted person of knowledge in Milwaukee, but an open invitation looking for two roommates. If it wasn’t for Ben guiding and helping me through the transition, I would have been paying sky-high rent in Shorewood with Hillary. Therefore, just because you dropped the boy out of friend doesn’t mean you have to forget how loyal or trustworthy they were during your relationship. Of course this is conducive to whether or not they lied a lot in the relationship and if you want to put up with the bad side of their personality. Think of it this way: If you’re friend lies to you, you usually forgive them because you’ve been friends for so long. But if it’s a former flame who lies, it seems expected and you should know not to trust them. Everyone is human, everyone makes mistakes. We should give everyone a second chance in a relationship (friend, ex, family) regardless of their label. I gave Ben a second chance and realized that not all relationships are marriage-bound. Just because they fall short of “the one” doesn’t make them any less deserving of your friendship. Another reason why singles are reluctant to keep the ex around is because “there are many more fish in the sea.” This remark flew out of my friend Tracy’s mouth in a jealous rage about how her ex dumped her but she deserved better. I loved her for trying, but who really thinks about this two days after a breakup? I agree that billions of people are roaming the Earth as we speak, but I’m not going to dump my friends in order to find better ones. My home girl Hillary is far from the “perfect friend.” I know I could find someone more reliable or who has better style (she’ll buy anything with a butterfly on it…even though she now drinks legally), but our friends’ flaws are what makes them unique. It’s the same with the ex. Sure there’s a better man/woman for you, but the one you had shouldn’t be thrown in the trash. No one said staying friends with an ex will prevent you from meeting those other fish. For many of us, it takes time to create a friendship out of an intimate relationship. Breakups are hard no matter what but it is possible to stay friends with an ex and might be a good idea if you ever need their help or miss their friendship. Sun, 03 Jun 2007 22:30:00 CST http://www.frontpagemilwaukee.com/site/Viewer.aspx?iid=17430&mname=Article http://www.frontpagemilwaukee.com/site/Viewer.aspx?iid=17430&mname=Article Living in boys-a-plenty Milwaukee makes it hard not to find eligible bachelors and cute boys. If you’re lucky, one of these fellows has stuck past the one night fling and have landed a spot into your fragile heart. But can a college relationship withstand the summer separation? Cinema in general makes the summer fling seem easy. You sneak out of your parent’s house through your bedroom window and meet your hottie boy-toy, cruise by the lake in his truck and gaze at the stars on a pilled blanket. You sit on his handlebars while he rides a bicycle down a dirt road. And there’s the ever-so-popular carnival scene where you ride the Ferris wheel together and make out all over town, a la “The Notebook.” The difference between their fantasy and your reality? If you live at home, you slam the front door because your parents are always asking where you’re going (they never cared while you were in Milwaukee). Forget about riding your bike on any road, unless you want to be hit by a semi. And since when does anyone go to the carnival? The only truth to this Hollywood myth is the making out part, oh and the lake usually smells. But at a University, where most students commute, chances are you and your boyfriend and going to be trying the long-distance thing. For me, I’m staying in Milwaukee and the beau’s in Appleton. My friend Hillary is going back home to Kenosha while her man stays here. This situation could be resolved if we could only switch boyfriends… For some reason, my boyfriend (we’ll call him B-man), believes that everything will be fine and we’ll see each other all the time. I see it going something more like this: He drives down to see me for a week or two. I drive north to visit him at his cottage. Next weekend comes. Me: “Are you still going to come to Milwaukee?” He says he has a soccer tournament in Duluth. Next weekend rolls around. B-man: “I know things have been tough, but how about going to the beach on Friday.” Me: “Sorry, me and the girls are gonna do a road trip thing-y. Next weekend?” You may have the best intentions in the world during finals. But come middle of June, reality sets in and life gets in the way. When it comes to outlasting those year-like 12 weeks, it depends on the relationship. If you fight a lot now, a 300-mile barrier will not help, and most likely work against you. But be realistic. I have a friend who goes to Madison now and she was “so in love” with her boyfriend back home. Despite their closeness, she started seeing her manager to fight off the loneliness. My theory: once you cheat, it’s easier the second time. If you have a boyfriend who used to cheat on his ex, what’s going to make the latest girlfriend any different, especially when you aren’t in town? Making each other a priority is the only thing that will keep the relationship strong, unless you like to communicate via webcam. Those who fall easily into temptation will most likely find themselves minus one relationship by the end of August. Withstanding the summer separation needs two willing participants, but nothing is ever certain with relationships. All we can do is take the time to see each other, keep our fingers crossed, and hope for the best. Sun, 20 May 2007 18:23:00 CST http://www.frontpagemilwaukee.com/site/Viewer.aspx?iid=17416&mname=Article http://www.frontpagemilwaukee.com/site/Viewer.aspx?iid=17416&mname=Article By Cassandra Koch cfkoch@uwm.edu May 6, 2007 While some countries have taken action against the use of ultra-thin models, France has denied the ban but suggests voluntary health regulations for its models. France’s denial of the ban on super skinny models is stirring up debate on whether or not emaciated women should walk on their catwalks. The recent deaths of two Latin American models have prompted countries worldwide to rethink its ideals. Both models suffered from eating disorders, which were the causes of their devastating deaths. Guidelines have been created as a result of the untimely deaths to ensure models are at a certain weight before they are allowed to walk the runway. Brazil, Spain, Italy, and India have refused models that do not fit into the specified measurements that are suggested within the plan. The proposal would disallow the use of models that are below a body mass index (BMI) of 18.5. According to the health industry, a healthy BMI falls between 18.5 and 24.9. Although some countries feel it is their duty to install standards for the fashion industry, France was right to deny the ban of thin models. France’s decision to reject the ban of skinny models does not infer that health is not a concern. It simply means they correctly do not feel it is their place to forbid certain people from doing their jobs. Rejecting models simply based on their low body mass index would be as discriminatory as rejecting models with high body mass indexes. People come in all different shapes, sizes, and colors. There are many people who are naturally tall and thin, and there are many people who are short and heavy. It is prejudiced and discriminatory for a country to forbid certain people the right to work in a chosen industry, especially based on appearance. Although the countries that have elected to establish the new standards did so out of concern for models, they have no right to assume health is an issue for every model with a BMI under 18.5. The National Institutes of Health recommended that the body mass index design be the international standard for measuring body types in the 1980s. The system is generally a sound way of determining if a person is obese or underweight. The method calculates a person’s height and weight to conclude where the person falls within the chart. However, falling outside of the ‘healthy’ weight region does not insinuate that a person has an eating disorder, but rather they are not within the ‘normal’ healthy area. In a recent article by HealthDay News, Director Dr. Harry Brandt of the Center for Eating Disorders in Maryland acknowledged that there can be people who fall in the underweight category and be perfectly healthy. Although he does not support the use of emaciated models in the industry, his recognition of the healthy people who are mislabeled by using BMI is support enough that the ban is inadequate. However, the fashion industry and its influence on models’ health is a valid concern. Magazines, advertisements, and runway shows use extremely thin women to sell clothing and products. The industry puts unrealistic and unhealthy images of beauty in girls’ heads. This is no bombshell to anyone who has ever seen a commercial, billboard or fashion show. The messages these industries are projecting is so impractical, it has become dangerous for not only models but also viewers. Although the ultra-thin ideal can be harmful to the public, the ones who feel the most pressure to become this idealistic body type are the models. The demands from modeling agencies and designers are very strict. Many models blame their eating disorders on the industry’s constant push to become thinner. Where a model’s job is based upon her body, others have a choice to either accept or reject these ideals of thinness without jeopardizing their careers. Although the issue of modeling weight standards is dreadfully visible, enforcing a body mass index cutoff for models to be allowed to work is not the right solution. France realized that the ban was severely flawed and would be unfair to some models. Thus, the denial of the ban was balanced with the claim that the country would launch a campaign that would raise awareness on the problem of eating disorders. The ban is too broad in that it simply relies on one factor, the BMI, to determine if a model can work. Even if the ban is beneficial in an overall sense, denying healthy girls work because of their weight is unjust. Although the present ban is not sufficient, that is not to say the fashion industry should not change its approach of hiring models. The demand for models to be stick thin needs to stop. Models should be monitored to ensure they have healthy body images, and do not suffer from eating disorders. The fashion industry needs to have more realistic expectations for models. It needs to take responsibility for the damage it has already done. France is doing just that. It is not rejecting models on a single measurement, but rather showing compassion and concern for the health of its employees. Sun, 06 May 2007 22:58:00 CST http://www.frontpagemilwaukee.com/site/Viewer.aspx?iid=17405&mname=Article http://www.frontpagemilwaukee.com/site/Viewer.aspx?iid=17405&mname=Article *names have been changed How come wherever you go in Milwaukee, some girl is gabbing about her boyfriend and all the cute stuff he does. He walked her dog at 6 a.m. He picked her up from Mitchell with balloons and flowers when she was going to take a cab. This is what makes me want to stick my pointer finger down my throat and make a gagging noise. Even a weekly social turns out to be nauseating. It’s a regular Friday night and the girls are talking about the boys. Elliot’s Bistro morphs into a gossip session as five friends discuss their loves and Mr. Right Now’s. It started out innocently when my friend Tiffany* gushed about her mechanic “friend,” at least that’s what she was telling us. Of course she had to get my approval, or else she wouldn’t date him. Then my other friend Stacy* explained, in detail, how her boyfriend brought her to Victoria’s Secret and told her to pick out anything she wanted. Jenna* couldn’t let her finish as she was chiming in on her boyfriend’s full-ride scholarship to MATC he won the previous week. Was it just me, or was happy hour turning into grade school gym class all over again? Why do we need to compete with our friends for the better boyfriend? We compete with everything: jobs, the better car, money, the hottest Coach bag. Since when was it on the agenda to put your boyfriend on the list? If you’re really happy in a relationship, why do you need to rub it in someone’s face? I’m not saying all girls do this, but since we’ve taken our first steps into the “real world,” relationships have gotten more serious. In high school, we’d talk about our man’s game system or the sweet way he brought you two roses for Valentine’s Day (symbolizing the both of you). Now it’s, “My rock is bigger than Heather’s,” and, “What type of proposal did you get?” Don’t kiss and tell and turns into you’d better kiss and then brag about it. Those of us on the secretive side are the outsiders. If we don’t talk about what are boyfriends do in public, our relationships must be bad. That being said, why do we only accentuate the positives when showing off to our friends? You hardly ever hear someone say, “My boyfriend forgot my birthday” or, “He makes fun of me around his friends.” It seems we can complain about our siblings until the wee hours of the morning. But bitchin’ about the boyfriend almost reflects badly on you. You can choose a lover, and when they don’t meet your standards, or your friend’s, they pity you. We live in a society where money is said to equal love. The more he buys you lingerie and jewelry, the more love declarations he makes, the better catch everyone sees you scored. Girls’ night ends of being more about boys and what they do instead of ladies praising each other’s accomplishments. Miranda from Sex and the City had it right when she said “it’s like seventh grade with bank accounts.” As much as we hate this fact, we all eat up compliments like, “I wish my boyfriend acted like yours.” But where does it end? I’ll admit, some of this back talk makes me jealous. Who doesn’t want a Tiffany and Co. necklace “just because?” But maybe some girls brag because they want to make themselves feel more secure, or make up for things their relationship lacks. Material possessions can’t make up for affection and love. It’s easy to find a guy who wants to spoil you, just get a 30-year-old virgin. It’s another thing to find a guy who’s crazy about you as much as you are about him. I know it’s hard in Milwaukee, but it’s worth trying. I’m not the type of girl to air my dirty or clean laundry in public. I love talking to my friends about relationships, what works, what keeps some of us single and what keeps us wanting more. But there’s a fine line between discussing relationships and shoving them in someone’s face. I know how sweet my boyfriend can be; I don’t need an acquaintance to inform me. Just because your boyfriend valets your car and pays for every dinner you eat doesn’t mean he loves his girlfriend more than someone who doesn’t. Sun, 06 May 2007 13:42:00 CST http://www.frontpagemilwaukee.com/site/Viewer.aspx?iid=17400&mname=Article http://www.frontpagemilwaukee.com/site/Viewer.aspx?iid=17400&mname=Article A common scenario: You go over to your crush/boyfriend’s house. They greet you at the door with a bear hug. He says, “Wanna play a game?” At this point, you get excited thinking strip poker or a NC-17 rated version of Battleship. As you trek up the stairs and turn left into his computer room, you realize that unless he has strip poker on a CD-ROM, you won’t be playing. Your “friend” then starts gabbing about elves, dwarves and avatars. Is this a “Lord of the Rings” nightmare? Hardly. He wants to play World of Warcraft. Huh? “Us” playing eventually turns into him swiveling his wireless mouse and you watching, bored. I went though this situation most of my freshman year when I could have been mastering tai-chi moves or belly dancing. Time and time again I’d suck it up. My deluded mantra: When you have a crush, it’s better to be bored than not there at all. After whining to my girlfriend over nachos (the best comfort food ever), I come to the conclusion that he was cheating on me with Warcraft. “Is that even possible?” she asks as cheese dribbles down my top. As she tries to reason with me, I pull out her dirty laundry. “Didn’t your boyfriend ditch your six month anniversary to spend the night playing EverQuest with his roommates claming he lost track of time?” It sounds like we were both in relationship hell. At this point I wonder: Are videogames getting in the way of relationships? As a UW-Milwaukee co-ed, I realize that winter is at least eight months out of the year, and staying inside usually beats bracing the cold. It’s natural for one’s friends to congregate at a designee’s house to chill, and males socialize via the videogame. On the other hand, there comes to a point when spring reappears and the mouse needs to be traded for the Frisbee. I suppose the main question is: What’s so great about Warcraft? I could spend the rest of my adult life figuring that out and not getting anywhere. More importantly, why trade in real human companionship for a robot? I’m all into fantasy games diverting you from your problems, but it seems like a fantasy life is taking over reality for many people, girls included. My male roommate’s schedule revolves around work, Warcraft, and drinking. Seeing someone, especially a person you care about, spend so much time playing a videogame that won’t get them anywhere in a productive society is sad and a waste of time. I’m not dissing anyone’s hobbies, but spending eight hours a day playing a computer game is crazy. What’s worse is ignoring a friend when they come over. I don’t think videogames are bad by any means, but how can you make a relationship work with a gaming addiction? In certain aspects, it’s almost as bad as alcoholism and gambling. With everything, moderation is key, but I’ve never met a gamer with a “moderate” playing schedule. As a result of me being invisible in my relationship, I realized that it wasn’t me who was too boring or humorless or toothless. I live in the city of plenty, unlike when I attended my former college in La Crosse. I discovered the problem was with my now ex-boyfriend. Anyone who would rather have an avatar over a real woman deserves that. I won’t accept my partner overlooking me just to see the computer. In relationships, it’s always something…but it shouldn’t be this. Sat, 28 Apr 2007 15:13:00 CST http://www.frontpagemilwaukee.com/site/Viewer.aspx?iid=17383&mname=Article http://www.frontpagemilwaukee.com/site/Viewer.aspx?iid=17383&mname=Article NBC Dumps “Passions” for “The Today Show” By Alysha Witwicki It’s the end of an era. An eight-year rein of “Passions” dies with the birth of an additional hour to “The Today Show.” This NBC morning news show will expand its already three-hour program to four. More Meredith Vieira, less Kay-Miguel-Fox love triangle, leaving “Days of our Lives” to hold the network’s soap audience. For those of you who’ve been out of the soap-circuit, “Passions” steps in as one of the hipper and younger-generation driven soap operas. “All my Children” and “Days” were the soaps of our mothers with now 35 and 40-year runs. “Passions” marks itself with trendier storylines geared towards the younger masses. The Crane money and power dictate the plot in the quaint town of Harmony. Current social problems manifest themselves in “Passions” more so than the older soaps. Chad is cheating on Whitney with another man and agonizes over his maybe-homosexuality and Jessica is dealing with her abusive husband Spike, who pimps her to local sex addicts. They speak more to younger viewers because we our friends dealing with some of these issues, like Theresa’s money vs. love struggle. On the other hand, “All my Children’s” Krystal lies to the ever-so-powerful husband, Adam Chandler, because she’s carrying Tad’s baby and not his. It’s not that older soaps’ plots fail to entice us, but many of us aren’t in that stage of life (kids, divorce). Therefore, axing “Passions” not only leaves viewers high and dry on fresh storylines, but we’re forced into watching “The Hills” and “Maui Fever” to get a modern fix. According to NBC.com, “Passions is looking for other platforms to continue the show, whether it be on another network or online.” VH1’s “Best Week Ever” and Myspace.com have started efforts to save Harmony’s beloved characters. After dropping the news to fans on their website, NBC says, “Hopefully, the Cranes, Bennetts, Russells and Lopez-Fitzgeralds will continue to entertain you for years to come. If not, you know “Passions” will go out with a bang! So keep your fingers crossed and keep watching!” Diehard “Passions” fan Hillary Gelden says, “At least tell me if the show is cancelled.” Minus the closure, Gelden still prays that Theresa will end up with Ethan. The last scheduled episode on NBC will air on September 7, 2007. I encourage diehard fans to write to NBC or their fellow power hitters (CBS, ABC) to save “Passions.” Viva la Passions! Sources: NBC.com, imbd.com Sun, 22 Apr 2007 16:16:00 CST http://www.frontpagemilwaukee.com/site/Viewer.aspx?iid=17374&mname=Article http://www.frontpagemilwaukee.com/site/Viewer.aspx?iid=17374&mname=Article By Matt McFall A few years ago, there wasn’t a show on cable TV without a gay brother, lesbian best friend or questionably effeminate neighbor kid. In the wake of this mass acceptance of gay “sidekicks,” some channels even released shows with gay lead characters. Do gay characters still have “a place at the table” among the dismal world of current TV shows? Showtime’s “Queer as Folk” is the grandfather of the gay themed shows. In December of 2000, “Queer as Folk” kicked the closet door off its hinges and gave an unabashed look at gay sexuality. On network TV, “Will and Grace” was the NBC Thursday night hotspot. It gave us glossy, comedic and palpable lessons accompanied by gay antics. But like Britney’s career, most of these shows have come and gone. There are currently a tiny amount of well-written gay characters on network or cable TV, and it’s more important than you realize. Bars in the Fruit Loop, like Fluid and La Cage, had drink specials when they aired shows like “Queer as Folk,” “Will and Grace” and “Queer Eye for the Straight Guy.” Almost every Sunday you could find me and my friends with our eyes glued to the next episode and our hands glued to vodka tonics. It was actually surprising how many people poured into these bars for TV nights, which was surprising because these bars offered nothing exceptional. They’re typical gay bars with that familiar scent of spilled cosmopolitans, cheap cologne and regret. But it was something a little more that brought us all to those bars fro TV nights. It was a sense of actually being a “community” and having a similarity besides a fondness for tight jeans and kissing boys. But with the lack of gay themed shows or dynamic gay characters, nights like this don’t exist anymore. Statistically speaking there are currently less gays invading families homes via TV at night. The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) reports that gay representation is already on a steady decline from last year. According to a survey they performed, “2006-2007 Diversity of Primetime TV Study,” currently only nine out of 679 (1.3%) TV characters are gay. Networks should be showing more representations of gay folks leading normal lives of working, dating and interacting with family and friends. TV programming with genuine gay characters are, metaphorically speaking, a “lube”. “Will and Grace” and “Queer Eye for the Straight Guy, “lubed” up conversations about gay topics and took away the uncomfortable roughness, making it easier and more enjoyable for all parties involved. These shows increased the public’s comfort level and helped create a much-needed running dialogue about gay issues and people. Backlash certainly followed, because as spectacular as TV gay representations are, they can be limiting. It soon seemed like everyone thought gay folks fit ONLY into a sketched out character role and should act silly and animated like Jack or re-arrange your furniture like Thom. I’ll never forget when I met a friend’s fiancé, who has the personality of wet cardboard and the intelligence to match. Upon introductions she said, “I’ve always wanted a homosexual friend like Will from ‘Will and Grace.’” Like nails on a chalkboard or spandex shorty-shorts, it hurt. I not only felt like a characterization of an actual person, but also like I was filling some personal quota of hers. For the record, people have said things of this nature to me dozens of times. But I’ll take an open and running dialogue with an airhead over hate speech any day of the week and twice on Sunday. No matter how well written, a character will never be as three dimensional as an actual person. Also, some current shows do have interesting and dynamic gay characters, like Kevin from “Brothers & Sisters,” who is the best “true to life” gay character I’ve ever seen. Doctor Kerry Weaver from “ER” and bar owner Joe from “Grey’s Anatomy” are exceptional gay characters as well. But we need more! Networks need to retire shows where people eat live bugs and wrestle in cow crap. Networks also need to stop regurgitating the same shows in different locations; I can’t wait for “CSI: Green Bay” or “Survivor: Bradford Beach.” Networks need to give us shows with something fresh, something interesting. Something with pride...gay pride…and good looking guys. Sun, 15 Apr 2007 22:01:00 CST http://www.frontpagemilwaukee.com/site/Viewer.aspx?iid=17360&mname=Article http://www.frontpagemilwaukee.com/site/Viewer.aspx?iid=17360&mname=Article As summer approaches, more concert tours and outdoor shows will begin to make their way on our calendars. Though some may look forward to more concerts at the Rave, Warped Tour and Summerfest, among others, I dread it. This is mostly because most of the people at these shows don’t understand that there are unspoken rules you should follow. Here are ten ways to avoid being the person we point and laugh at. 1. Do not wear a T-shirt of the band you’re seeing, even if you just bought it there. We know you saw the band- we’re there with you. You’ve proven you’re a fan by being at the show and paying the ticket price. No more proof is necessary – really. 2. If you’re over six feet tall, you’ll be able to see the band over everyone else. Do us short people a favor. Stand in back of the crowd. We paid $15 to see the band play, not to admire your sweaty back. 3. Speaking of sweat, please cake on your deodorant before you leave your mansion/apartment/shack/house. It seems obvious, but most of the time you end up leaving the venue with someone else’s sweat and odor (and occasionally blood) on you. Do not make everyone around you die of asphyxiation – that would increase the stench. 4. Saving spots usually doesn’t work, so stop trying. If you leave a blanket on a bleacher for the day and expect to still have your front row center spot later, you should probably be living in a patch of poppies, because you have lost it. 5. It is unbelievably unnecessary to make homemade outfits. Not only is it a waste of your time and obvious talent, but the band could care less if you love them and want to have their babies. If you showed them what’s under that glittery shirt, they might care more. 6. Skimpy clothes will only get you hit on by dirty drunks, not the band. Sorry to burst your bubble, but the gorgeous and arrogant lead singer can’t distinguish you from anyone else in the crowd. 7. Singing along: where do I begin? The band already knows the words and so do most of the people around you. We don’t care whether you know the song or not – keep singing in your head where all the other voices are. 8. If you want a night of drunken stupidity, save it for your basement alone with your cat. Nobody wants you spilling beer on their sparkly, homemade shirts or band tees. Anger us more and light a cigarette too – we’re hoping your drink will catch on fire. 9. Just for giggles, all venues should allow cameras. Anyone optimistic enough to think they’re actually going to get a good picture of the band deserves to have a public awakening. Enjoy your pictures of that hairy hand and sweaty neck. 10. If you’re now planning on doing any of these things just to annoy us – stay home. You’re obviously a little too immature to handle big kid things like walking, talking, and generally functioning as a human being in public. The best way to tell if someone is at the concert for all the right reasons: They’re not doing any of the things above. Look for the person with their eyes focused on the band, enjoying the music and atmosphere around them. See you there! Sat, 14 Apr 2007 20:53:00 CST http://www.frontpagemilwaukee.com/site/Viewer.aspx?iid=17352&mname=Article http://www.frontpagemilwaukee.com/site/Viewer.aspx?iid=17352&mname=Article I’ve written about the Internet’s affect on the entertainment industry in several classes over the past few years, and it’s a topic I’ll never grow tired of. It seems as though every day a new YouTube video becomes a national craze, an upstart website knocks the television industry down a peg or a TV series employs some web-based strategy in an attempt to grasp for straws. I’ll spare you the boring lectures about how a tiny network of computers intended for research at various universities became a worldwide phenomenon, or how net neutrality is the only way to prevent the complete bastardization of all that is good about the Internet. My main point over the last few years, independent producers of web content (in this case I’ll focus on film) have given the big studios a run for their money, and it’s about time. Recently, VH1 premiered a new series called “Acceptable.TV.” The show features five mini “pilot episodes,” (no longer than three minutes long) and allows the audience to vote via Internet or text message on their two favorite shows. The two pilots that receive the most votes return the following week with new episodes. This democratic style of television may sound unique, but it’s actually a broadcast adaptation of Channel 101, a monthly, Los Angeles based online film competition created by Rob Schrab and “Acceptable.TV” host Dan Harmon. Schrab and Harmon, both Wisconsin natives, created Channel 101 in frustration after FOX passed on their sitcom, “Heat Vision and Jack,” which starred Jack Black (as Jack, the world’s smartest astronaut) and Owen Wilson (as Heat Vision, a talking motorcycle). But their frustration evolved into a springboard to the “mainstream” entertainment industry. Channel 101 made some powerful allies, including Drew Carey, Jimmy Kimmel and Sarah Silverman (all of whom have appeared in at least one Channel 101 entry). Schrab and Harmon suddenly became involved in numerous Hollywood projects like “Monster House” (which the duo wrote), “The Sarah Silverman Program” (Directed by Schrab) and, of course, “Acceptable.TV.” When Andy Samberg, Akiva Schaffer and Jorma Taccome (aka: The Lonely Island) created a Channel 101 entry called “The ‘Bu,” it instantly became one of the competition’s most popular series. The five minute parody of FOX’s “The OC” was so well received that it lasted for 11 months, the longest running show in the site’s history. Even after episode eight, when The Lonely Island openly admitted they were tired of the project and were attempting to sabotage themselves in order to get cancelled, fans wanted to see more. One notable fan the trio recruited was Saturday Night Live cast member Jimmy Fallon, who convinced SNL’s producer, Lorne Michaels, to hire them. Schaffer and Taccome became writers for the show, while Samburg was made both a cast member and a writer. The groups “digital shorts” (which include “Lazy Sunday” and “D*ck in a Box”) are considered some of the best moments in SNL’s recent, lackluster seasons. True to The Lonely Island’s roots, these videos were put online where they received millions of views. The Channel 101 story is a prime example based upon the “anyone can join in” mentality of the Internet. But a large, supporting web-based community is not needed to get one’s work noticed. Internet superstars are created every day on sites like YouTube, from a single person with a webcam to small groups of filmmakers. All you need now is a good idea to capture the world’s attention. A friend of mine, who is a former UW-Milwaukee student, created two very short films with his friend last summer (which can be viewed here and here). Both shorts were filmed on a budget of $0 and clock in at less than three minutes long. Still, the videos’ combined number of hits (on YouTube alone) is over 10,000. Even more impressive is the interest taken by the mainstream media, such as MtvU (which featured my friend’s “Self Love” video on the network’s nationally broadcast “Fresh Produce” segment) and the Rhode Island Film Festival (which invited the two filmmakers to participate in last year’s event). The Internet is becoming more engrained into our society every day, allowing people to watch what they want when they want. And, as a very open form of communication, anyone with a video camera can throw their work into the goulash that is web-based entertainment. The mainstream media has clearly taken note and realized that online elements MUST be integrated into their normal routine to survive. It’s a sink or swim situation, and the industry will do what it takes to stay afloat. Mon, 09 Apr 2007 13:58:00 CST http://www.frontpagemilwaukee.com/site/Viewer.aspx?iid=17347&mname=Article http://www.frontpagemilwaukee.com/site/Viewer.aspx?iid=17347&mname=Article Amongst everyone else who undoubtedly gasped at the news, I admittedly was astonished at the report of Anna Nicole Smith's unexpected death. However, after the unrelenting news coverage and exhausting anecdotes that continuously jump out of the tabloids, I soon jumped off the bandwagon of this overexposed shock to entertainment. The sad part is, though, not many people chose to follow my lead. Respected talk show hosts like Larry King, who has interviewed anyone from world leaders to celebrities, politicians to royalty, has in this past month, turned his edifying show into a haven for those who claim to have either known Anna Nicole better than anyone else, or claim to be the father of her newly born daughter, Danni Lynn. People who have had the slightest interaction with Smith are emerging from out of the walls and basking in their ten minutes of fame (As if the aloof comments of her hairdresser and dog walker are REALLY relevant). While they are asked a series of redundant questions that all bear the same answer, it is by no surprise that the people drawn into this lifelike soap opera turn off the TV with the same questions, if not more than they started with. One question I have pained to ask myself in addition to why the story has received this much publicity, is “What did Anna Nicole Smith do for society that deserves THIS MUCH nationwide despair?” (Besides stirring up arousal from men? NOTHING.) Another “Candle In the Wind?” Just like the equally mysterious death of Marilyn Monroe, the theories and possibilities that allude to her passing seem to be endless. While many are attempting to create more pieces of the puzzle that seem to fit, her death, to me, seems understandable. For any woman to endure the combination of giving birth to her daughter with grieving the unexplained and baffling loss of her only son within days of each other seems unfathomable. This being intensified by a lifetime of alcohol and drug abuse, it presumes every possibility that her heart, physically and emotionally, simply couldn’t take it anymore. The surprise and sadness that correlate with this unmistakable blonde’s death in no way deserves to be belittled. Yet, the extent to which the media has escalated its nationwide importance leaves me, for one, rather disgusted. With the list of worldwide tribulations and disasters that are new every day, I can’t help but to feel sickened that instead of stirring up awareness for the possibility of change, we choose to numb our minds with the enigma of an ostentatious former playmate. Go figure. Sun, 01 Apr 2007 20:35:00 CST http://www.frontpagemilwaukee.com/site/Viewer.aspx?iid=17317&mname=Article http://www.frontpagemilwaukee.com/site/Viewer.aspx?iid=17317&mname=Article By Alysha Witwicki I was at a social gathering this past weekend carrying the ever-so-popular Coach Wristlet. Before I knew it, some jock is asking me how much it cost (around $90). And before I knew it, this idiot is going on a tangent on how stupid women are because we "waste" our money. This rampage went on for about ten minutes as his Abercrombie & Finch sweater was staring me in the face. And I'm wasting money? You can't walk down the street without running into five hypocrites. It took me rolling my eyes for the umpteenth time for my roommate to rescue me from the insanity. Since when did a little self-indulgence translate into "feel bad about yourself?" My Opinion: 1. I put with everyone else's crap all day. The least I can do is buy something for myself. 2. Investing in a handbag puts your money to better use than buying video games. At least I can take the latest Dior out in public. 3. Men don't know fashion anyways. Instead of picking on me, they should be analyzing something they understand, like the Mets. But I have an addiction, sir... Everyone has their vices. Mine just includes spending way too much money on a certain designer. With my college-aged income, it's hard to live that habit to the fullest. But in ten years when I'm a "real adult" with a "real job," things will change. Hello. My name is Alysha. And yes, I'm a purse-a-holic. Sun, 25 Mar 2007 20:33:00 CST http://www.frontpagemilwaukee.com/site/Viewer.aspx?iid=17304&mname=Article http://www.frontpagemilwaukee.com/site/Viewer.aspx?iid=17304&mname=Article By Alysha Witwicki Flowers, check. Groom, check. Big, white, expensive dress… check. Flip-flops, check. Chances are, our mothers weren’t adding thong sandals to their wedding lists unless they were headed to Maui for an after-ceremony vacay. Our generation is thinking outside the box, the shoe box that is, when taking the plunge. I remember girls in high school wearing flip-flops to prom and graduation. Their hatred with a stiletto, and even a flat, at least kept them comfortable while dancing the night away. They had something going for them while I was padding my blisters with Band-Aids. But then my friend Jamie’s obsession followed her down the isle with crystal incrusted thong sandals flopping behind her. But then I wondered…is it really okay to wear flip-flops with your wedding dress? I pondered the thought, “Is our generation ready to push the envelope that far?” I figure your wedding day is the only day in your entire life you can blow $500 on Manolo Blahniks and no one can say anything. It’s our special day! Who wants to give that up for a plastic V on a foam foot? Apparently a lot of brides do, even if the wedding isn’t on a white beach. "The flip-flop is the new little black dress," says Jackie Robbins, a partner in FlipFlopTrunkshow.com. She says brides request white flip-flops for the ceremony and six or seven pairs in pink for the bridesmaids. But today’s flip-flop is better than ever before. Made of leather and velvet and raffia, women’s thong sandals have the option of embroidery and jewels. Designers like Juicy Couture are jumping on the bandwagon, too. Despite the popularity, will a bride want to look at her wedding book 20 years from now wearing a formal dress with sandals poking out the bottom? I doubt it. If you’re prancing down the isle in flip-flops, why not wear a tank top and denim shorts to match? I agree they’re comfy, but they still lack the support a regular shoe has. Plus, I don’t think a puffy dress with a corset made to suck in my fat is comfortable, either. I’d rather opt for pajamas. Flip-flops are also cheap and easy, but they only add about two millimeters of height. Who wants to be known on their wedding as “the short one,” or have guests ask, “When did she shrink?” A study from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey says the average female height is 5’4”. So unless you’re a giraffe, we need all the help we can get. So is the flip-flop replacing the high-heel the first step in modern marriage traditions? What’s next, shift dresses and baseball caps? It’s like wearing jeans to church; it’s not supposed to happen. There’s a time for sandals (i.e. the beach) and a time to dress up. I had to wonder… has our generation forgot the unspoken rules of fashion and special events? Sun, 18 Mar 2007 15:08:00 CST http://www.frontpagemilwaukee.com/site/Viewer.aspx?iid=17285&mname=Article http://www.frontpagemilwaukee.com/site/Viewer.aspx?iid=17285&mname=Article Every aspiring musician dreams of being as influential as Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix or Jim Morrison. Standing besides these irreplaceable solo artists are awe-inspiring band members like Kurt Cobain from Nirvana and Brian Jones from the Rolling Stones, who embody every hope of the local band. They did not simply make music; they created an experience through stage antics, passion and inimitable talent, placing the bar for today’s musicians beyond reach. However, there is one other common thread connecting all the aforementioned artists. All died at the age of 27. Upon first glance, this may appear an intriguing, yet insignificant, coincidence, but it was their deaths that solidified their legends. They died after building up momentum in the musical spotlight, leaving their fans in the dark. Fans refused to let go of their rock idols and, after harsh reality set in, blamed someone else. Brian Jones got drunk and drowned in his own pool, but his girlfriend claims the man doing carpentry work on their house murdered him. Jim Morrison died from a drug-induced heart attack, but theories have evolved of a corporate assassin. Jimi Hendrix choked on his own vomit after binge drinking, but witnesses protest that music-hating paramedics that did not support his neck when placing him on a stretcher killed him. Kurt Cobain committed suicide, but he was married to Courtney Love. A doctor or a handy man has never replaced Janis Joplin’s death from a whisky and heroin cocktail, but then again, no one would dare mess with a woman rock star during the sexual revolution. Life is full of age-marked milestones. Getting a driver’s license at 16, voting at 18 and drinking at 21 are a few guaranteed to citizens by law. However, the music world is a separate culture not restricted by laws. But does it still contain age-marked milestones? Patterns would promote this idea that death at 27 results in an everlasting influence on music, but holding this as an absolute truth could cause a panic for every face in the industry. Do Benji and Joel Madden of Good Charlotte have to mysteriously die or disappear before they turn 28 on March 9 to guarantee their music will be heard for more than one generation? Should Christina Aguilera worry that her up and coming 27th birthday is aligned with her skyrocketing career, placing her in the same position as her ill-fated musical predecessors? Is dying at 27 an honor, or is it a curse for musicians saturated with talent? Even though a founding member is gone, remnants of the Stones are still intact. The American Poet removed the comfort zone from music. Woodstock is no longer just a festival. Grunge rock left the garage for the stage. Jones, Morrison, Joplin, Hendrix and Cobain made an impact on the industry that was immeasurable, yet miniscule compared to the way they seeped musical devotion out of every pore, bleeding themselves of talent and passion in their too short 27 years. Although they took the possibility of another masterpiece to the grave, our dearly departed icons went out with style, with albums selling, a fan-base growing and a legend forever burning. -By Mary Makowski Sun, 04 Mar 2007 01:07:00 CST http://www.frontpagemilwaukee.com/site/Viewer.aspx?iid=17252&mname=Article http://www.frontpagemilwaukee.com/site/Viewer.aspx?iid=17252&mname=Article The Day the Boob Tube Died By Ken Cieszykowski In the post-apocalyptic after Y2K, television viewers had to look somewhere for guidance. Guidance is a subjective term, and in this case, it took the form of an overweight middle-aged homosexual naked man named Richard Hatch. Reality television had arrived, striving to tear apart the glorious television industry and to rape television viewers of good taste. Sure, Survivor was a shot in the arm that networks needed. Network television at the turn of the century had been lacking in originality, and viewers were eager to see something new and creative. Six years later, and the creators are really grasping for straws; they are relying on mere shock value to keep an audience. Exploitation has always been an American pastime. Remember that time you saw a sucker getting pulled over, while you cruised right by him with a smug sense of satisfaction? This is the feeling the producers want to capture through their programming of reality television. Several shows exhibit this quality, placing contestants in very uncomfortable positions to watch them squirm under the pressure of their “real” situation. It is akin to following an ant with a magnifying glass, or dropping a slug into a maze made of salt. Sure it may be cruel, and barbaric, but it is so entertaining! But people want to be entertained. After all, that is the main purpose of television, right? Not entirely. From a market perspective, businesses absolutely love reality television. Quick and cheap to produce, easy to sell product placement spots, and it brings in the ratings. From a public sphere perspective that is an entirely different story. Reality television provides a disposable form of entertainment that is both meaningless and mindless. Networks such as HBO and Showtime have proven thought-provoking shows can get high ratings. Why aren’t the ratings nearly as high as big network driven reality shows? Network television is free at the cost of advertisements and lesser quality content. Cable television tries to add a little bit of thought to reality programs, but it is forced. In a recent episode of Thirty Days, Morgan Spurlock placed a Minuteman (militia border patrol) into the household of illegal immigrants for thirty days. This is the type of exploitation that the show promises and delivers every week. It also tries to teach a cheesy lesson to the contestant that is lost in translation. The show mainly covers the fights between opposing sides. Why do only certain types of people show up in The Real World? Not because they are hip and trendy, but because their personalities will clash. MTV relies upon arguments to bring in ratings. If simply watching the show was not enough proof, they began a spin-off appropriately titled The Gauntlet, which features only the most argumentative characters from past seasons pitted against each other. But have conflicts in reality television come too far? Does this have any effect on real life? Ask Ralf Panitz, who, in 2002, murdered his ex-wife immediately after she revealed a secret she had on The Jerry Springer Show. While the drama is often emphasized via edits and music-- the hate is often real. On the lighter side of things, how can somebody not love a show called Amish in the City? Taking strong-willed Amish children outside of their element and subjecting them to the horror that is a public high school must be good television! Or how about the visual holocaust that was The Anna Nicole Show? Watching an overweight millionaire spend time all day eating donuts and impersonating Marilyn Monroe gets old quite fast. It's actually disturbing now that she's died. Watch the credits of a reality show, and you will notice that there are numerous writers employed. I don’t know about you, but I always employ a writer in my every day real life. If you are going to have writers, leave the acting to professionals. Finally the trend seems to be dieing down, with better shows starting to appear during primetime. Lost, The Office, House, Heroes, and Ugly Betty are all new free-to-air shows that have exhibited more than just shock value. These are genuinely good shows that entertain, while also provoke thought. With luck, this trend will continue until reality shows are only shown on cable to the hardcore watchers. If that does not happen, I propose that reality television shows are systematically wiped off the airwaves indefinitely. Simply head to an In-N-Out Burger around Los Angeles and find a washed up celebrity from years gone by. Stick him in a weekly ‘special’ as the host, and have viewers call in to vote for their least favorite show. The following week, in an overly dramatic and highly publicized ceremony, the show receiving the most votes will be pulled from television. That can’t miss… Sat, 17 Feb 2007 16:13:00 CST http://www.frontpagemilwaukee.com/site/Viewer.aspx?iid=17208&mname=Article http://www.frontpagemilwaukee.com/site/Viewer.aspx?iid=17208&mname=Article By Steven Pittsley When traversing through remote and dangerous areas where cell phone coverage is virtually non-existent, you should consider using a satellite telephone so that you have the ability to summon help should the need arise. A satellite phone, or satphone, is a mobile phone that communicates with communications satellites that are orbiting the Earth. Because the device is always in range of the orbiting satellite, the device is able to provide a constant telephone connection regardless of where the user is located. Satellite coverage may include a specific region, such as the western United States, or the entire Earth. As long as you are in the defined region you will have a reliable telephone connection. Anyone who has struggled to receive a stable cell phone signal can appreciate how comforting it would be to have a reliable signal without having to worry about being in range of a cell phone tower. As two recent tragedies demonstrate, satellite phones should no longer be considered luxury gadgets for the rich. Indeed, they can be life saving devices. James Kim, his wife Kati, and their two children were driving to their California home after a Thanksgiving holiday trip to visit their family and friends in the Seattle area. While traveling through the back roads of Oregon, the family car got stuck in heavy snow. If the Kims had taken a satellite phone on their trip, they could have called for help and potentially could have been rescued within a day or two. However, the only communication device they had in their car was the cell phone that was unable to locate a signal. After being stranded for eight days, Kim left his family and ventured into the wilderness in an attempt to find help. His wife and children were rescued three days later by searchers who vectored in on the area where the car was stranded by tracing cell phone messages sent to the Kim’s mobile phone. Unfortunately, Kim did not return to his family and was eventually found dead approximately seven miles from the stranded car. His tragic death could have been prevented if the family would have had a satphone with them on their trip. Since building a satellite and launching it into space is more expensive than constructing cell phone towers, it’s no coincidence that owning a satellite phone is more expensive than a traditional cell phone. A Qualcomm GSP-1600 satphone costs $645, and the best airtime plan that I could find cost 14 cents per minute. You don’t have to be a member of the country club where Bill Gates and Warren Buffet belong in order to purchase your own satphone, but those costs are quite steep for the average person. However, several companies allow you to rent a satphone. Globalstar, for example, has rental plans that start at $39 per week for a satphone. Airtime rates under the rental agreement cost an additional $1.49 per minute. While you may not want to use the satphone to call your neighbor for help with a campfire recipe, very few people would flinch at the price if they could use the phone to call for help in an emergency situation. The recent case of three mountain climbers lost on Oregon’s Mount Hood further illustrates how a satphone would be beneficial when emergencies occur in remote areas where cell phone coverage is limited or unavailable. As with the Kim search, rescuers tracked cell phone usage to determine a general search area. However, it still took several days for searchers to locate the body of one of the climbers. The other two climbers are still missing. Like the Kims, had these experienced climbers taken a satellite phone on their climb they could have summoned help immediately and potentially been rescued. Although satellite phones have been available since the early 1990s, they continue to occupy a niche market when compared to their cellular cousins. The low price and ubiquitous nature make cell phones a more attractive option for everyday use. Many people believe it is essential that they carry a cell phone with them while traveling. However, guides, outfitters and park personnel should recommend that travelers and adventurers carry a satellite phone when heading into remote locations that have limited cell phone coverage. Spurred by the global marketplace and worldwide business travelers, some manufacturers are combining the cell phone and the satellite phone. These hybrid devices work on available cell phone networks when they are available, but they have the ability to utilize satellite communications when there is no cell service. One example of these useful devices is the Thuraya SG-2520, which sells for approximately $895. For those who travel in areas of the world that do not have cell phone coverage, this new generation phone will be an indispensable, albeit expensive, tool. As technology advances and users demand uninterruptible mobile phone coverage, I’m certain that you will see more hybrid devices like the Thuraya SG-2520. As these types of devices become more prevalent the price will drop. When this occurs, hopefully situations like the two recent tragedies discussed in this story can be avoided with the prudent use of a mobile phone that has constant coverage regardless of where it is used. Sun, 11 Feb 2007 01:37:00 CST http://www.frontpagemilwaukee.com/site/Viewer.aspx?iid=17158&mname=Article http://www.frontpagemilwaukee.com/site/Viewer.aspx?iid=17158&mname=Article By Kenneth Cieszykowski Britney Spears has Macaulay Culkin Syndrome. In case you weren’t familiar with the condition, let me go over it with you. Break out as a young, cute and fresh face that rips into the hearts of America? Check. Become so popular that people will buy anything you put out? Check. Make a series of bad decisions, each worse than the last which results in complete ridicule? Check. Sure, When Macaulay started his illustrious and quick “career” in showbiz he was only eight years old while Britney was seventeen. The results were the same. Macaulay tried to push himself back into the spotlight, but inevitably failed each time just as Britney Spears will in the near future. Macaulay had one clear advantage over Britney, in the fact that while he did marry young, he did not marry Kevin Federline. Oh, and he did not get pregnant twice either. The fall of Britney Spears’ downfall had been triggered by her brief marriage with longtime friend Jason Alexander. Soon after Kevin Federline swept in to pick up the pieces, and we all know where that went. Three months before the end of their marriage, she even went on the record to say their marriage was going strong. Spears and Federline would not be getting divorced, as they respected their children as well as the sanctity of marriage. Surely that didn’t ring true when Spears divorced Federline last month. But can we really blame Federline? Did his redneck ways simply bring out Britney’s? Yes. As showcased on the visual holocaust known as “ Britney and Kevin: Chaotic,” she had “let herself go,” and simply reverted back to her pre-teen idol days. Her cover had been blown and the country unfortunately saw her for what she really was. But now that she’s free of the parasite, she can go back to be the teen idol that she once was, right? Well according to her publicist she may have to avoid any negative press until her next album release. Did Ms. Spears listen? Of course not. Partying on weeknights with Paris Hilton while her children are under the care of a hired hand isn’t really the most responsible thing to do. Nothing says you care about your kids as much as paying strangers to look after them and make sure they stay out of danger. Another crime to humanity that Britney Spears has committed revolves around her clothing choices… or lack thereof. On several occasions she has been seen and photographed without any underwear on, displaying her naughty bits to anybody that cares to look. And trust me, nobody cares to look. I guess it would have been more satisfying to see a tattoo with the text “K-Fed wuz here.” After these public displays, Britney went on to write a blog posting on her website where she raved about Victoria Secret’s new line of underwear. Not even a week after that, another batch of upskirt pictures depicted her panty-less yet again. Classy. Once all of these subsided there was a small period of time where she looked to be setting things straight. Pictures began appearing where she looked classy, or dare I even say, sexy again. But Macaulay Culkin Syndrome does not let go of its victim. It grabs hold and does not let go. Sure, it may let the victim think that it is getting away, but the condition always prevails. Britney Spears attended her mother’s birthday party. There is nothing wrong with that sentence right? Oh, and did I mention that she was wearing a bra and panties with a completely see-through lace dress on top? This girl cannot do anything on her own, much less listen to the advice of her public relations advisors. There is no way to class it up more than by wearing next to nothing to your mom’s birthday party. To add salt to the wound, Ms. Spears was also named the world’s worst dog owner by The New York Dog and The Hollywood Dog. An inability to dress yourself appropriately and behave like you have millions of people watching your every move? Check. Inability to care for an animal that relies upon you for mere survival? Check. It’s funny how similar dogs are to humans at an early age… In any case, Britney Spears is destined to fall through the holes of the showbiz industry and possibly come out of it through the bowels of the porn industry. Because of her poor decisions she will never reclaim what she once had. In ten years she may have faded completely from the public eye, or be looked at as an embarrassment for females everywhere. Sun, 11 Feb 2007 01:36:00 CST http://www.frontpagemilwaukee.com/site/Viewer.aspx?iid=17157&mname=Article http://www.frontpagemilwaukee.com/site/Viewer.aspx?iid=17157&mname=Article By Isabella Carini In the music world, there are two types of bands: Those who visibly depend on their front man, and those who advance equally as a group. Do some people get shafted in the process? Of course. Who would admit that they want to be in a band that is led by one person? If they did, wouldn’t they just be a solo artist? Probably. The first type of band is usually the one with “front man syndrome”. What is this syndrome? It typically exists in a band that has one person that writes the majority of songs, arranges a lot of the music, and has a general presence of leading the group. However you would define this person, they exist. The issue with this for many bands, however, is the common tendency of the front man to go off on his or her own to work on a solo album or side-project. So, why do they break away? To preserve the truth and rawness of their vision. Tim Kasher, front man of the band Cursive, has been playing with the same guys for years. They’ve put out 6 successful albums over 11 years, so far. A few years back, the band went on hiatus. Meanwhile, Kasher was working with his other band The Good Life, comprised mainly of gloomy, slower songs that strayed pretty far from what Cursive’s material was like. The Good Life seemed like Kasher’s soul was being poured out in the street for everyone to form circle around and stare. Cursive’s material would be comparable to throwing his soul in your face and yelling at you. Was Kasher preserving his vision? I’d say so. Next comes Colin Meloy of the Decemberists. This band also has its fair share of successes over the years, gaining an audience larger than most bands with such an odd instrumentation of strings, percussive elements, accordion, and horns. Meloy’s vocals and storytelling through lyrics are what has brought the group as far as they’ve come. Meloy ventured out on a solo tour in 2006, and also put out a dual-disk album with his other band Tarkio, which was accepted with open arms due to the raw, acoustic nature of the material. Coincidence? One of the most famous front women to venture out on her own and gain enormous success is Bjork. Formerly a member of the Sugarcubes of Iceland, she broke away from the band in 1992 to pursue a solo career resulting in 10 successful albums, DVDs, acting opportunities, and Grammy nominations. By doing this, she broke ground for an inconceivable amount of female musicians and forever changed music. Would it have happened if she didn’t leave the Sugarcubes? Who knows. But she definitely had something in mind, and she conquered it alone in her own very different way. The New Pornographers pumped out three solo performers: A.C. Newman, who released The Slow Wonder in 2004 and proceeded to tour solo; Neko Case, who released multiple award-nominated albums, and Dan Bejar, who went on to create the praised indie band Destroyer. Each of them had different creative visions, and while they worked well in the New Pornographers, they went even further in their solo careers to separate ends of musical atmospheres. One front man, Ben Gibbard, spread his musical talent between two projects, starting with Death Cab for Cutie, an indie rock band that creeped up from the underground music scene to become one of the most popular to date, and later The Postal Service, a project he started with another musician through the mail. The two bands are very different, and it’s apparent that Gibbard needed to separate the two to accurately depict his visions of what he wanted to perform: light melodic indie rock and poppy electronic music. Next is David Bazan of Pedro the Lion. Though the band was originally made up of two people where the second member changed multiple times, they ended it for good in 2006. Bazan went on to start the band Headphones, a huge jump into the electronic world from the formerly acoustic music he had done before. Later in the year, he released a solo record that wasn’t a far departure from Pedro the Lion material sound-wise, but lyrically it was an explosion. The difference was definitely apparent in his roughness. Another huge front man on the list is Thom Yorke of Radiohead. With the band, he has released 6 full-lengths and 7 EP’s, a huge collection by any standard. In 2006, Yorke released a solo album titled The Eraser in which he constructs most of the music electronically while laying his lyrics over it. Though Radiohead and his solo project both have electronic influences, there is a huge difference between the moods of the two types of music, thus, a vast difference from his work with the band and work alone. Finally is Ian MacKaye. Originally playing in bands like Minor Threat and Fugazi, MacKaye has strayed far away to the band The Evens. The music is simpler, with just baritone guitar and drums, with vocals of himself and the drummer Amy Farina. They just released their second album this year. Though MacKaye preserves the same moral standards he had before with pricing of shows and albums, his musical style has changed to a more simplistic but full-felt sound. All of these performers have seen years upon years of musical experience. What do they all have in common?: The fact that they’re willing to preserve their vision in its rawness by trying different combinations of these things to succeed in their musical tasks. They’ve tried different styles, played alongside different people, and changed their influences many times. They won’t let anyone stand in their way. So be it a syndrome or not, for many, it’s turned out to be a good one. -Isabella Carini Sun, 11 Feb 2007 01:33:00 CST http://www.frontpagemilwaukee.com/site/Viewer.aspx?iid=17156&mname=Article http://www.frontpagemilwaukee.com/site/Viewer.aspx?iid=17156&mname=Article By Nicholas Schurk Once upon a time in a magical kingdom called the Netherlands, a conglomerate of wizards developed a magical book to determine what television programs were enchanting the masses. Now, 50 years later, people from around the world tediously scribble down what television shows they are watching in order to appease the kings of TV: sponsors. Take out the fairytale references and you have the basic history of the Nielsen Ratings, a system that supposedly estimates very precisely how many homes are watching a given television program at one time. Created by the Dutch conglomerate Verenigde Nederlandse Uitgeversbedrijven (or VNU for those with no idea how to pronounce it) in the 1950s, the system is primarily powered by viewer diaries. When watching television, each household viewer must write down what they are watching every 15 minutes. Each participant in the study represents upwards of 13,000 people in their demographic (determined by age, sex, ethnicity etc.) and is paid a nominal fee for their cooperation. While it may seem like an adequate system on the surface, its hardcore supporters unknowingly believe in the fairytale of its accuracy. The biggest argument against the Nielsen Ratings is that reporting one’s television viewing quickly becomes monotonous. While most people initially have no problem writing down what they are watching every 15 minutes, after a few weeks many only keep track of a small percentage of their television viewing. Studies have shown that participants will often completely neglect to report the shows they watch early in the morning and late at night. Even during the prime time hours, the numbers are skewed due to lack of participation. The VNU claims to have countered this problem with the recent introduction of their electronic meter system. The meter requires all household viewers to log in using a remote control when the television turns on, and requires verification that the same people are watching every 40 minutes. While is a much simpler process, this system presents a new problem: lack of honesty on the part of the viewer. As a former participant in the “e-meter” Nielson study, I can verify the claims against the system (as I am as guilty as any participant in viewing dishonesty). The viewer is given the option to log in up to seven guest viewers on one television. If one wants to boost the ratings of their favorite program, they simply tell the meter that several other viewers are watching, awarding the program tens of thousands of viewers who may not have been watching. The ratings also lack demographic accuracy. Hispanic viewers make up almost 13 percent of the American population, yet the Nielson sample is made of only 11 percent Hispanic households. Upper-class households are also severely under represented. A Nielson technician once told me that it is difficult to find participants in wealthy suburban areas, like Mequon, WI, as the $100 check given to viewers every six months does not appeal to them. These discrepancies in demographic representation skews the study’s finding even further. All of these flaws make for a lot of problems in the television industry. It is likely that many programs are shown to have a great deal more viewers than they actually do. This causes advertisers to put their support behind shows that are not as popular as they may seem. While this may be good news for Jim Belushi and his uninspired, family friendly sitcom, it is insanely frustrating for fans of critically acclaimed programs, like “Arrested Development,” that may have been cancelled due to inaccurate figures. Those behind the Nielsen Ratings have the noblest intentions, but it is time to find a new way to monitor viewers. The age of digital cable may be the answer to all of these problems. Digital cable allows for two-way communication between the customer and cable company. As the number of households with this service increases, it is hypothetically possible to record the viewing habits of a wider sample of viewers (with the consumer’s approval, of course). Individual shows have also attempted to more accurately discover the size of their audiences as well. “American Idol” asks fans to vote on their favorite contestants through text messaging, telephone polls and Internet voting, while the Sci-Fi Channel uses online surveys to gather viewer input on new shows. The Nielsen Ratings are plagued with problems that the VNU cannot deny (although they try). It is time that someone took a stand and introduced a new system to bring television out of the dark ages and into a new period of enlightenment. Wed, 17 Jan 2007 15:55:00 CST http://www.frontpagemilwaukee.com/site/Viewer.aspx?iid=17124&mname=Article http://www.frontpagemilwaukee.com/site/Viewer.aspx?iid=17124&mname=Article