Melissa Grau

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Walker's budget cuts threaten recycling

Wal-Mart exploits tweens

Looking out the window and watching the snow circle to the already-white ground invites me to blissfully reminisce about the sense of triumph, giddiness and playfulness last year's snowday created. Like yesterday, I felt like a kid again. And judging by the thousands of Badgers who ran amuck through the snow-covered streets, I wasn't the only one.

No point to voter ID bill

One of President Barack Obama's messages in his State of the Union address was encouraging bipartisan cooperation and unity. ""We will move forward together, or not at all,"" he said. And although Obama visited Wisconsin the next day to emphasize his message in our purple state, Gov. Scott Walker's recent plans for election reform seek only to separate parties and set our voting system back.

Need student voice in Badger Partnership

There's been a lot of talk about Chancellor Biddy Martin's new financial plans for UW-Madison. The Badger Partnership details ways to increase the UW's flexibility and autonomy by decreasing state support, and therefore, state control. Despite the visionary picture created by Martin's column, ""Bucky in the New Millennium,"" and other selected news updates on the Partnership's website, there are gaping holes in the proposal that should concern students.

Time to believe the hype

When I heard the name, ""Wisconsin Institutes for Discovery,"" the image that immediately came to mind was Disney Epcot's fake Imagination Institute, complete with Wayne Szalinski from ""Honey, I Shrunk the Audience."" This may have originated from the fact that I am a Disney freak and somehow relate most things back to the Mouse, but it also stems from the too-good-to-be-true illusion I got when hearing details of the interdisciplinary research facility.

Attach users' names to online comments

I have been called technophobic, Islamophobic, a hippie socialist and biased about everything from eating disorder treatments to Charter Internet service. My sanity has been debated and I have even been referred to a psychiatrist's couch. That's a lot of crazy talk about one person.

Walker's request to ban biofuel is ignorant

Starting holidays early might be good for health

Joy to the world and behold! 'Tis the ""Chrismahanukwanzakah"" holiday season! Corporate consumerism for the holidays has begun, but every year Scrooges mumble that this holly jolly season begins earlier and earlier. This negative sentiment is, in fact, not true. Somehow, the general public is annually surprised to see Rudolph, smell fake pine, and hear Mariah Carey and the crunch of tinsel around Halloween — still refusing to accept that the costumed booze fest is now the start to the holiday season. What about Thanksgiving? What about waiting for snow? What about passing me that Starbucks peppermint mocha in the red cup?

Foursquare doesn't make university cool

In the real world, four square is a playground game for the kids who didn't get chosen to play kickball. Foursquare in the digital world is a ""location-based, social networking site, travel guide and game,"" according to the recent announcement from UW-Madison declaring its debut on the popular site. Unlike the second-rate playground game, the digital version has taken some steps toward popularity. In its first year, Foursquare has lost its underdog status as a social networking site, currently experiencing a growth rate more than double that of Twitter.

Get the 'freak' out: State Street festival overrated

There are three pivotal facts I learned from my first Halloween experience in Madison last year. First, Zachery Binx, the loyal, scrawny brother-turned-black-cat devoted to thwarting the three witches of Salem in the movie ""Hocus Pocus,"" is actually named Thackery. Salem folk celebrated their virginity by lighting candles and speaking with heavy lisps. Second, pumpkins, pre-Jack-o-lantern, are unusually long-lasting vegetables that can add a festive touch to a windowsill for up to seven months. And third, Freakfest, with its newly minted safe and positive reputation, is a contradiction in itself that is not worth students' time.

Walker's budget cuts threaten recycling

Melissa Grau