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Pacino carries 'Merchant'

It is a mark of bravery, if not recklessness, for Michael Radford to bring Shakespeare's \The Merchant of Venice"" to the contemporary screen. Not only is the play's pivotal character, the infamous Shylock, infused with vicious anti-Semitism, the play's other tensions between romantic comedy and revenge drama, love and loyalty, justice and mercy, threaten to overwhelm its 138 minutes. Despite these obstacles, the film succeeds by embracing, rather than ignoring, these challenging inconsistencies. 

Ogg demolition one step closer to reality

The future of Madison's cityscape became more concrete Monday night when two major construction projects received approval from the city's Plan Commission. The demolition of the house at 353 W. Mifflin St. and Ogg Hall were both approved on consent. No additional commentary from the projects' respective parties was required by the commission. 

Cogito ergo sum: Schiavo case raises end-of-life questions

The Terri Schiavo controversy centered on two conflicting observations. Physicians said neurological tests indicated she was in a persistent vegetative state, or PVS, in which the higher functions of her brain had clinically ceased. Opponents argued that video clips of Schiavo smiling at her mother with recognition, clearly proved otherwise. But doctors say even a brain-dead person can exhibit reactions normally associated with sentient people. 

Newest M.Ward CD says you better listen to the 'Radio'

If it was M. Ward's goal on his second Merge Record album, Transistor Radio, to draw attention to the increasingly homogeneous and trite horizons of commercial radio by crafting a piece of revisionist history harkening back to better times when he was successful. If he aimed to make an album that begins with a cover of the Beach Boys' \You Still Believe in Me"" and ends with J.S. Bach's ""A Well-Tempered Clavier,"" but still retains an organic unity, then he was successful. He transcends these aims though by creating an album of continuously flowing, perfectly executed ideas. 

An unbiased farewell

Tonight Dan Rather will step down as anchor of \CBS Evening News"" 24 years after he took over that post from Walter Cronkite. With his retirement, right-wing pundits will lose their favorite target for false claims of liberal media bias. Thus, it seems high time to set the record straight. Let's put this as simply as possible: There is no pervasive left-wing bias in television news, from Rather or anyone else. 

A major decision

\What's your major?"" 

Blink and you'll miss them forever

Last week the pop/punk trio Blink-182 announced they are going on hiatus of an indefinite length: \While there is no set plan for the band to begin working together again, no one knows what tomorrow may bring,"" the band's management said in a statement on Blink's website. Rumors of a permanent breakup swirled the Internet, and when I read the rumors, I almost passed out.  

Team 'Star Fox' ready for action!-Players experience 'assault' on classic title

\Star Fox"" for the Super Nintendo was a revolution of video game design. Back then a 16-bit machine pushing polygons like that had never been seen.  

Butch provides spark, solid play

Sophomore guard Kammron Taylor and freshman center Brian Butch still have a lot to learn, but Wednesday night against Northwestern, they showed a bright future for Wisconsin basketball. 

Slater, Reid leave audiences 'Alone in the Dark\

\Alone in the Dark"" is ghastly. It is on a level of amazingly unabashed wretchedness that is reserved for other regrettable science fiction debacles like ""Battlefield Earth"" and ""Space Truckers."" However, while films like those will take their place in the halls of kitsch and camp, ""Alone in the Dark"" has only obscurity and the collective groans of thousands of disgusted viewers to mark its existence. 

Iraqi resistance has a right to fight American invaders

Do you recall late 2002 and early 2003? Bush was talking up a storm, claiming Saddam Hussein posed a grave danger to our country, even though his regime rose to power by the grace of the CIA and were funded and armed for the entire 1980s by the U.S. government. As the nation prepared for war, a resistance arose.  

State may prevent Madison wage hike

Is a statewide increase in the minimum wage worthwhile if it lowers Madison's minimum wage? 

Bush takes oath to begin second term

President Bush took the oath of office for a second term Thursday and laid out a historic mission meant to spread freedom and punish tyrannical governments throughout the world. 

News Briefs

Abbas victor of Palestinian election 

Ohio's State? Pathetic

If you have ever watched \Monday Night Football,"" you've surely heard Al Michaels near the beginning of the game say something like, ""OK, let's meet the offense,"" and then you'll see a succession of players glare into the camera and mumble their name and college for which they played football (you'll note I didn't say ""graduated from""). Undoubtedly, the game has at least one starter from Ohio State, because the Buckeyes are a machine when it comes to churning out National Football League prospects. And those players always look into the camera and add that extra article. It's never just ""Ohio State University""--it's always Ohio State University. It always comes off as arrogant and superior, like the players think they are better than everyone else simply because they went to Ohio State University. 

RFK, Jr. to Bush: Do more for environment

Making a stop at Memorial Union to promote the release of his book, \Crimes Against Nature,"" Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s head hung concerned after the defeat of fellow Democrat John Kerry. Kennedy expressed fear for the future of environmental issues stemming from almost 20 years of dedication to such causes. 

Saluting the president, whoever you are

Congratulations, Mr. President-Elect! 

Giuliani touts GOP in Madison visit

Former Mayor of New York City Rudy Giuliani campaigned for President Bush alongside Republican candidate for U.S. Senate Tim Michels and candidate for Congress Dave Magnum on Madison's East Side Friday, claiming the outcome of Nov. 2 will determine the future of homeland security and terror in the world. 

Smith finale echoes life

Feingold, Michels spar in third senate debate

U.S. Sen. Russ Feingold, D-Wis., and his Republican challenger Tim Michels continued to prove as opposite as the North and South Poles in their third of six planned debates prior to the Nov. 2 Senate election.