'Einstein Effect' more noteworthy

Per Monday's State Journal, research has apparently quantified the "Flutie Effect," the rise in applications received by an institution of higher learning after a successful athletic season.

Whether this is a meaningful statistic for the University of Wisconsin System can be argued pro and con. The UW already receives far more applicants than it can accept, but more applicants increases the pool from which to choose, thus theoretically increasing the quality of those admitted. Regardless, there will be those who will use this phenomenon to call for increased financial support for already well-heeled teams.

The real focus should be on a different statistic. If a successful athletic season meant an increase in the graduation rate for a school's athletes -- historically an abysmal percentage -- then that college or university will have discovered a meaningful correlation, one that will justify increased support for that program.

A school trumpeting the "Einstein Effect" rather than the "Flutie Effect" would have something genuinely worthy of front-page news.

-- Dennis B. Appleton, Madison

Does anyone doubt that the Rev. Jeremiah Wright's pulpit oratory has done Sen. Barack Obama a huge favor?

In Sunday's Forum section, Obama scored about a third of the print space, virtually all of it favorable, thanks to Rev. Wright's various diatribes. By contrast, immigration (the "lead topic") got less than 25 percent, Sen. John McCain got one column and poor Sen. Hillary Clinton didn't get a word. In an election year, that's some pretty good press coverage.

Rev. Wright's less Christian opinions, which probably amount to about 1 percent of his sermonizing, have allowed Sen. Obama to legitimately shift the focus of his campaign to the race issue. He supposedly wants to have none of that, preferring to be considered on the basis of his political and governing skills and positions on issues, but he clearly mines the race issue (foisted upon him or not) for all it is worth. His speech last week was exceptional, and plays to just about every racial concern anyone might have.

One hopes that the electorate will get past this red herring and return to the real questions at hand: Does the young Illinois senator possess the qualities needed to be president? Does the fact that he's never actually governed anything really count, or is that irrelevant?

Let's recognize that the fact he's half black and counts a sometime loose-tongued preacher as a mentor are tangents -- not substance -- to the "package" that he represents.

-- Dan McCausland, Waunakee

Let Common Wealth plan Garver's future

Tonight the city of Madison Garver Building Reuse Committee will select one of two proposals for the reuse of Garver Feed Mill. Our group of long-term Madison residents, neighborhood activists and concerned citizens support the Common Wealth Development proposal.

Common Wealth's record of innovative and responsible reuse of important community buildings is demonstrated in their two business incubators which have supported dozens of start-up businesses.

Common Wealth's expertise in rehabilitation shines through their plan, showing they have already done the architectural and financial planning to proceed in a timely and economically feasible manner.

Common Wealth's experience in and practice of green and sustainable development is evident in their construction of the Yahara River View Apartment complex, which has been cited as the most "green" multi-income complex in Wisconsin.

And Common Wealth's commitment to the well-being of the community is documented through their award-winning youth mentoring programs, their efforts to create affordable family housing and their summer festival.

Common Wealth has worked in the Near East Side for decades to create a vibrant, diverse and safe community. We trust this nonprofit to put the best interests of Madison first.

-- Truly Remarkable Loon, board president; Lauren Lofton, Madison; Deborah Mulligan, Madison; and eight others, all members of Common Wealth Development board of directors

Be prepared for huge voter turnout

Turnout this election season has blown away expectations, but it's clear that our infrastructure was not prepared. Election officials must work to prepare for November to avoid the problems that have plagued this primary season and elections in years past.

Voters reported problems nationwide, including hours-long lines, polls opening late, broken voting machines, shortages of provisional ballots and poorly-trained poll workers.

Poll workers in Ohio were confused about whether or not to remove a stub marked "Do not remove or your vote will not be counted" from paper ballots after they voted. Hundreds of Texans were unable to vote due to long lines. And when one polling place in Cleveland ran out of one set of paper ballots, instead of getting new ones, poll workers handed out ballots with the wrong congressional district on them.

In Los Angeles, a poll worker demanded that voters show identification before they could vote, and in Illinois, voters were turned away entirely for not having identification. In both cases, poll workers were in violation of state law that says no identification is required.

With the right preparation, training and oversight, we can avoid all of these problems during the potential record turnout this November, and we can ensure that every vote gets counted.

-- Russell Novkov, Madison