Analyzing Northwestern Football’s win at Nebraska

The Northwestern Wildcats headed to Nebraska Sunday, Oct. 25 hoping to avoid a third straight loss. After a back-and-forth game, the ‘Cats came away with a much needed win with a final score of 30-28.

History told us this would be a close game. In the five matchups between the Wildcats and the Cornhuskers since Nebraska joined the Big Ten, four have been decided by three or fewer points.

The Huskers outplayed Northwestern for much of the game. The ‘Cats saving grace in offense came from freshman quarterback Clayton Thorson. Thorson passed for 177 yards and ran a career-high of 126. He had two runs of 68 and 49 yards to set up scores, the two biggest Northwestern offensive plays of the game. Thorson is clearly developing strength as a running quarterback.

Senior cornerback Nick Vanhoose returned an interception 76 yards for a touchdown, a much-needed spark for the Wildcats.

Northwestern went into halftime with a 17-12 lead, despite Nebraska having huge statistical advantages in both time of possession and total yardage. The Huskers answered the Wildcats with a scoring drive in their first possession of the second half, which Northwestern quickly responded to with their second red-zone field goal of the day.

Northwestern football

After Nebraska scored a field goal, Northwestern quickly earned a touchdown by going 77 yards in just two and a half minutes, finishing with a 37-yard touchdown pass from Thorson to Dan Vitale. The score was then 27-22, and the ‘Cats did not give up their lead again.

Both teams had the potential for big plays that resulted in dropped passes. Northwestern’s Christian Jones dropped what would have been a touchdown pass right before the half. The ‘Cats need to be able to hold onto the ball if they hope to beat upcoming Penn State.

While a lot of the game, especially the first half, was nothing to write home about for Northwestern’s offense, NU’s defense led the team to an important win.

What it means for Northwestern

The Wildcats are bowl eligible for the first time since 2012. The ‘Cats improve to 6-2 overall and 2-2 in conference play, third in the Big Ten West. The Wildcats needed this win to stay afloat in the fight for Big Ten West. It’s a long shot, especially with the powerhouse that is Iowa, but don’t write the ‘Cats off just yet. The win against Nebraska should hopefully give Northwestern the confidence boost they need to take on Penn State in two weeks.

What it means for Nebraska

The only fans that might understand the disappointment Nebraska feels is Northwestern. The Huskers are now 3-5, but they have lost by a total of 13 points in all 5 losses. It was a sad day for Nebraska, who now must win three of their last four games, which include matchups against Iowa and Ohio State. The loss also spoiled the return of the 1995 Nebraska national championship team, who were honored in a pregame ceremony.

 

originally published: http://isportsweb.com/2015/10/25/analyzing-northwestern-footballs-win-at-nebraska/

Northwestern Football: The fight for Big Ten West

The Iowa Hawkeyes and the Northwestern Wildcats: two teams that, at least in recent years, are not often recognized as football powerhouses. This year, it is different.

The Big Ten is arguably one of the strongest conferences in college football right now. Certainly stronger than the SEC. Five Big Ten teams are ranked in the AP Top 25. There are only three ranked SEC teams, and Florida is ranked the highest at number eight.

At the beginning of the season, it seemed Ohio State had already clinched the Big Ten East. However, Michigan blew the field right open with three shutouts in a row. Michigan defeated #13 Northwestern 38-0 just last week.

The Big Ten West is just as open. #17 Iowa has yet to lose. #20 Northwestern is 5-1, and these two teams will meet this weekend at Ryan Field in Evanston, Illinois. This game will prove critical in determining the front-runner for the West division.

While Iowa is undefeated, the caliber of the teams they have played speaks volumes. The only challenge they have faced is Wisconsin, who they beat 10-6. Other teams include North Texas and Pittsburgh, not exactly Top 25 teams.

Northwestern Wildcats quarterback Clayton Thorson (18) dodges Minnesota duruing NU's 27-0 shutout of the Golden Gophers. Mandatory Credit: Jerry Lai-USA TODAY Sports

Northwestern football, on the other hand, has upsets against both Stanford and Duke. Both of those teams are currently ranked and have suffered no other losses. NU shut out Minnesota 27-0. The average win percentage of teams Northwestern has played this season is 69 percent, the highest in college football. Looking at these facts, Northwestern is arguably the better team.

Northwestern is not known for being the most consistent team. The last time the Wildcats felt hope for a great season was in 2013. Coming off a strong Gator Bowl win against Mississippi State, the ‘Cats looked strong. They started the season ranked at #22 and won their first four games. ESPN’s College GameDay came to Evanston for the first time since 1995 to watch the ‘Cats take on Ohio State.

And that’s where it went wrong for NU. They led most of the game before OSU took the lead in the fourth quarter. After a nail-biter of a quarter, OSU won 40-30 and the ‘Cats lost their next seven games.

Two years later, coming off back-to-back 5-7 seasons, Northwestern is 5-1 and ranked #20 in the AP poll. After NU defeated both Stanford and Duke, Stanford beat higher ranked University of Southern California and Duke took down then-ranked Georgia Tech.

This match against Iowa is absolutely critical for Northwestern. It will determine if 2015 is another 2013. If Northwestern can hold its own against Iowa and not fall to pieces, the ‘Cats will clinch the Big Ten West. If not, will not look great for NU.

The ‘Cats have the number one scoring defense in the nation. They need to take advantage of any Iowa turnovers and get on the board early.

Players to watch

Clayton Thorson: This freshman Northwestern quarterback needs to step up this weekend. His passing game has been anything but consistent. He hit only 39 percent of his passes against Duke and 48 percent against Michigan. However, Thorson did help shut out Minnesota.

Justin Jackson: The Northwestern sophomore running back is one of the best in the country and has 661 yards in just six games. He struggled against Michigan’s defense and gained just 25 yards. Jackson needs to look like he did against Stanford, where he earned 134 yards.

 

originally published: http://isportsweb.com/2015/10/15/northwestern-football-the-fight-for-big-ten-west/

Growing Up Gay: Being Queer and Feminine

Growing up, I lived a sheltered life.  I’m the oldest of four children and I have parents who would do anything to protect me.  I’m very lucky.

Even though I hate to admit it, this shielding had its drawbacks.  When I was eight, I told my mom I learned what the f-word meant.  Too embarrassed to say it out loud, I leaned and whispered ‘fart’ in her ear.

So imagine me in sixth grade.  I hear the word ‘gay’ for the first time.  What does this mean?  Boys can like boys?  Girls can like girls?  What?!

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Flashback to third grade.  All every girl can talk about is their crush on the cute boys in our class.  Here’s the problem.  I don’t have a crush.  What’s wrong with me?  I go home one day and tell my mom about this boy.  I like him so much mom!  I draw his name in hearts!  She asks me if he’s cute. ‘Ew! Gross!’ was my instant response.

I had a boyfriend once, back in seventh grade.  He broke up with me because I didn’t want to kiss him.  I was so confused and wondered,  ‘What’s wrong with me?  Why don’t I find anyone attractive?  Why doesn’t anyone find me attractive?’

Looking back now, it’s almost hard not to laugh.  Poor Mollie.  I was confused and scared and felt so alone.  It was hard realizing I’m gay.  I lived in Georgia and went to a conservative Christian school where I felt like being gay wasn’t an option.  I turn 21 next week and I’ve been out and (mostly) proud for three years now.  I’m in a happy, committed relationship with a beautiful girl.

But, it wasn’t so easy to get here.  First I had to realize I’m gay.  Then I had to process it.  Then I had to accept it.  And next, I learned to embrace it.  It didn’t make sense to me for a long time.  In my mind, lesbians had short hair, no makeup, wore combat boots, and stuck out in a crowd.  I had long curly hair, wore dresses almost every day and brown eyeliner was my best friend.  I didn’t fit what I thought gay should look like as a woman.

I DIDN’T FIT WHAT I THOUGHT GAY SHOULD LOOK LIKE AS A WOMAN.

Why did I feel that I was only a real lesbian if I presented as androgynous or masculine?  Of course, there’s absolutely nothing wrong with choosing to present oneself in this way.  The feminist movement is about a woman’s right for equality regardless of how she looks.  And while androgynous or masculine presentation is the right self-expression for many queer women, I thought it was the only option.  So at 19, I underwent an identity crisis.  I bought combat boots (which I love and adore and wear probably every day).  It was only due to my mom’s intervention that I didn’t get a pixie cut.  (Thanks, mom! You were right, I can’t pull that off…) Now, at 21, I’ve learned to say ‘screw you’ to the gender binary and I fully believe that gender is a construct – but that’s a whole different article.

So while my style may have evolved (still wearing Dr. Martens and excessive flannel), my identity hasn’t.  Sometimes it’s tough not being easily identifiable to other lesbians, because honestly I really would love some more queer friends.  But at the same time, I’m confident and happy with who I am, the choices I’ve made, and the life I’m living.  I’ve learned to reject the stereotypes that come along with my sexual identity and I’ve learned not to let the doubt define me.  Just don’t take away my plaid flannel shirts until after graduation.

 

Originally published: http://www.bsmartguide.com/learn/how-to-find-love/1210-growing-up-gay-being-queer-and-feminine.html

A Rogers Park treasure: the Heartland Café

The Heartland Café has been an artistic and political center in Rogers Park, Chicago, for 36 years. Under new ownership since 2012, the Heartland underwent a physical and ideological transformation.

Tom Rosenfeld, the Heartland’s owner, has lived in Rogers Park since 1999. He owns an organic farm in Michigan as well as a consulting business in Chicago. He looked to connect his farm to food businesses in Chicago.

“I had just been an organic apple grower and then I started to realize I needed to diversify my farm,” said Rosenfeld. “At that time, Heartland was really going through some troubles. Michael James and Katy Hogan, the owners at the time, were doing fundraisers, and they were really doing anything they could to stay open.”

Rosenfeld first approached James and Hogan with the idea to buy the Heartland in 2010. They initially rejected Rosenfeld’s offer, but called him at the end of 2011 and then spent the next six months working on the deal before Rosenfeld took over in 2012.

“There was so much excitement in 2008 around the Obama campaign and so much intense action around the restaurant that their business hadn’t really declined,” said Rosenfeld. “On night of the election, it was just jammed in here. It was packed and rocking and partying late until night. On Wednesday morning, there were no more politics and nobody was here. That’s when they realized how heavy the impact of the economy and the crash really was.”

Rosenfeld and his family initially began going to the Heartland because they found something on the menu that everybody liked.

“It was the menu that drew me here initially,” said Rosenfeld. “Once you’re here, it’s just a great place to hang out. My wife used to come here when she was a teenager and hang out because it was kind of counter-culture and the cool thing to do.”

All three of Rosenfeld’s children have worked at the Heartland.

“My daughter is in the theatre community, so depending on if she has a show at that moment she serves here, she bartends here, she cashiers here. She’s pretty much done every job here,” Rosenfeld said.

One of his sons is a teacher and works for the restaurant over the summer. The other son works for all of Rosenfeld’s businesses on an as-needed basis.

After the change in ownership, the Heartland Café underwent a number of physical transformations. They refurnished the tables, painted the walls, closed off the kitchen, and completely rebuilt the porch.

Rosenfeld also redesigned the store in the front of the café.

“When I took over the store had a lot of items on consignment, a lot of media, incense, a large magazine rack,” said Rosenfeld. “We reimagined the whole store and now it’s a perpetual farm market, much more of a natural grocery store.”

Organic food is now an important part of the Heartland Café.

“During season almost all of the produce comes from my farm,” said Rosenfeld. “We retrained all the kitchen staff. We completely changed the menu. It used to be kind of a hodgepodge menu, so we shrunk it way down and gave it a much more Midwestern ideal. This is all a grand experiment and I hope it works. I believe that organics should be available to the masses. We try to keep our price point very low, and our food quality very high.”

Rosenfeld emphasized the changes in Heartland’s ideology.

“It’s a lot of physical changes, but maybe more importantly changes to the food and where it’s coming from, how it’s prepared, and then a lot of training and retraining and different approaches for our employees. We haven’t changed the name, we haven’t changed the general concept of the place, we haven’t changed the politics.”

Chris Mayor has worked at the Heartland Café for 10 years and is also a professional forager.

“The place has really come into its own since Tom took over,” said Mayor. “We’re pushing for zero waste and there’s a huge emphasis on sustainability now.”

The Heartland Café has long been a political center of Rogers Park, especially for progressives and left-leaning people. James and Hogan founded the Heartland with the idea that it would become a venue for open political discussion.

“You can see our signs, we’re not shy about our politics,” said Rosenfeld. “As a result of the political activism of the two founders, this place started to attract more and more political importance in the neighborhood and the north side of the city.”

Jesús “Chuy” Garcia, Jan Schakowsky, and Barack Obama have all hosted campaign events at the Heartland Café. “Vote for Chuy” signs are pasted all over the windows at the café. Most recently, the Heartland hosted a talk called “The State of the Police State” in reaction to events in Ferguson, Missouri.

“We’re more than just a place for candidates to go,” said Rosenfeld. “There’s a lot of important political discussions that happen here. We’ve long held our role as a place for progressives to come together and talk.”

The Heartland Café is an artistic center. In One Ear, an open mic show has been at the Heartland every Wednesday at 10 p.m. for the past 16 years. “PeteWolf” Winninger owns and hosts the open mic.

“It started off as a poetry show, and then in April of 1998 I introduced features and music, and then we expanded from an hour and a half to a three hour, four hour show,” said Winninger. “We have music, performance, comedy, magicians, anything really.”

Performers are allowed five minutes and are charged a three-dollar cover.

“The open mic scene is really hard to describe,” said Rosenfeld. “It’s really eclectic and changes every week.”

Winninger hopes to expand In One Ear in the future.

“We want In One Ear to not just be the open mic, but to be these different events that people create,” said Winninger.

 

Written for Journalism 301: Enterprise Reporting in Diverse Communities

One in four: the facts about sexual assault on college campuses

I tend to think of myself as the typical female college student.  I’m 20, starting my junior year at Northwestern University, I’m in a sorority and I double major in European history and journalism.  Unfortunately, as the typical female college student, I have a one in four chance of experiencing rape or attempted rape.  The White House found that one in five college students (male and female) experience sexual assault throughout their time in college.  And most sexual assaults go unreported.  Imagine what these numbers would be like if they included the unreported assaults.

Sexual assault on college campuses has exploded in the media recently.  Whether it’s at a big state school like FSU, an elite private school like Notre Dame, or even a high school like St. Paul’s, these cases have attracted national attention.

Right now, 94 colleges are under federal investigation in the United States for how they handle sexual violence under Title IX.  Title IX is a federal law that prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex or gender under any federally funded education or activity program.

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At Northwestern, I’m the director of a student organization called Sexual Health and Assault Peer Educators.  It’s my mission to work to create a sex-positive environment and to end rape and rape culture on campus.

I’ve found myself incredibly frustrated with the cavalier attitudes I’m often faced with.  I’m discouraged because I feel that many students and members of our society don’t understand the gravity of these issues.  Sexual assault is not a new problem, but the way we approach it is new.  I’ve frequently heard that people are tired of hearing about rape.  Guess what?  So am I.

More people are not suddenly becoming rapists.  Instead, our society, and young women in particular, are becoming more educated about rape.  Women are realizing that you don’t have to physically fight back for an assault to occur.  Even if you change your mind halfway through and the other person doesn’t stop, it’s still rape.  Our realities and perceptions surrounding consent are changing.  We see this clearly in California’s ‘yes means yes’ bill, which demands that there be affirmative, voluntary, and vocal consent from all parties.

Our nation has a sexual assault problem.  We don’t like admitting it, and the majority of people like to exist in ignorance.  That doesn’t change that within four years at school, one in five people and one in three women will be victims of sexual assault or attempted sexual assault.  Sexual violence happens on college campuses, and to people of every gender, race and sexual identity and not just heterosexual women.  Sexual violence is more prevalent in the Greek communities, as women in sororities are 74% more likely to experience rape.

Northwestern University defines consent as knowing, active, voluntary, present and ongoing.  Anything other than this is sexual assault.  Consent is not present when an individual is incapacitated due to age or physical condition (sleep, lack of consciousness or incapacitation due to alcohol or drugs).  Theoretically, this eliminates the possibility of victim blaming and slut shaming, as it is never a survivor’s fault.  So why do we still hear things like ‘What were they wearing?’ and ‘She shouldn’t have drank so much.  What did she expect to happen?’

Wikipedia defines rape culture as ‘a concept within feminist theory in which rape is pervasive and normalized due to societal attitudes about gender and sexuality.’  This is clearly oversimplified, but I’m tired.  I’m tired of hearing rape jokes on campuses and in ‘funny’ movies.

We need to keep educating.  We need to stop teaching girls how to ‘not get raped,’ and instead teach people not to rape.  We need to teach people about respect and consent, not criticize skirts for being too short or walking late at night.  I truly believe as a society we can beat this, and that’s why I keep fighting.

Most college campuses already have organizations combating sexual violence.  If not, start one! You can also volunteer at your local rape crisis center or donate money to organizations such as RAINN or Planned Parenthood.  Keep raising awareness, keep speaking out, and keep fighting.

 

Originally published:  http://www.bsmartguide.com/learn/how-to-find-love/1193-one-in-four-the-facts-about-sexual-assault-on-college-campuses.html

The truth about Northwestern’s sexual assault problem

On any given year, 9.2 percent number of young women on college campuses are the victim of sexual assault or worse, but the response by university and police officials is a complicated equation that factors in politics and public relations to such an extent that no one, and no study, can accurately pin down the precise degree of a problem that appears near epidemic across the country.

Take, for example, Northwestern University, where in January a student filed a lawsuit, claiming school failed to act after she filed a sexual assault complaint against Prof. Peter Ludlow two years ago.

According to NU’s 2011 National College Health Assessment, conservative estimates indicate as many as 900 students may be victims of sexual violence annually.

Northwestern defines consent as “voluntary, positive agreement between the participants to engage in specific sexual activity.” In January 2014, Northwestern rewrote its sexual misconduct policy to include stalking and domestic violence.

“There are a number of factors that influenced what that policy is,” said Laura Stuart, the Coordinator of Sexual Health Education and Violence Prevention at CARE (Center for Awareness, Response and Education). “One of them is Illinois law. In our policy, we do include the Illinois state definition of rape, sexual assault, stalking, and domestic violence. We also include Northwestern’s definitions. In general, Northwestern’s definition tends to be broader.”

The state of Illinois has a limited definition of sexual assault: “sexual penetration by force or threat of force or an act of sexual penetration when the victim was unable to understand the nature of the act or was unable to give knowing consent.”

A California Coalition Against Sexual Assault study discovered that one in four women had been victims of rape or attempted rape, and 84 percent of those raped knew their attacker.

“We’re committed to helping people as much as we can, regardless of whether they want to report to police or file a complaint,” Stuart said.

The CALCASA study revealed that only 5 percent of rape victims reported it to the police, underscoring long-held beliefs that sexual assault may be one of the most underreported crimes in the country.

In 1990, President George H. W. Bush signed the Jeanne Clery Act into law. The law requires colleges and universities to publish an annual security report documenting three years of campus crime statistics about sexual assault and report these statistics to the U.S. Department of Education.

Universities must also disclose in the same report all crime statistics for incidents that occur on campus.

“I think that the Clery Act is well-intentioned, but it is also a good example of unintended consequences that can come from such legislation,” said Stuart. “I’ve found that universities with a high level of services for sexual violence survivors tend to have a higher number of reportable sex offenses under Clery, whereas universities that have almost no services for survivors and may even discourage survivors from accessing services will have zero or very low numbers of reports.”

Therefore, people who do not understand this relation could mistakenly think they are choosing the “safest” school, when the opposite may be true.

Indeed, when someone attempts to file a sexual assault charge, there are incentives for Northwestern and the Northwestern University Police Department to downsize the seriousness of crimes, in order to keep the Clery reports low.

High Clery numbers, for example, could affect the ability of Northwestern to recruit potential students.

Here, there is an extremely political relationship between NUPD and the administration, as the President of Northwestern appoints the Chief of Police. That job is to keep crime low, and if it is not, they could be replaced. A way to keep it low is to discourage victims from filing charges and classifying criminal sexual assaults as other crimes, according to an investigator who has worked at the University as well as in private practice.

“I had students confide in me about situations I thought met the definition of rape and sexual assault,” the investigator said. “Charges were almost never filed. In the one occasion when the student did go to the administration, she felt there was action, but the male student that was guilty of the assault case didn’t get any serious discipline.”

This became very visible in Feb. 2014, when a Medill junior filed a lawsuit against Northwestern.

The school’s investigation concluded in 2012 when Joan Slavin, director of the Office of Sexual Harassment Prevention, found that Ludlow “engaged in unwelcome and inappropriate sexual advances” toward the student. Ludlow, however, was not terminated. Neither the student body nor the police were made aware of the accusations.

Northwestern responded to the lawsuit on Feb. 21.

“Northwestern complied fully with its procedures, conducted a prompt and thorough investigation of all of the allegations made by the student to the University and took a number of corrective and remedial actions in this matter,” said University spokesman Al Cubbage.

 

Real female journalists: getting sources without getting some

Although Medill presents a different demographic, white men are predominantly represented in the media industry. Photo courtesy of The New York Times
Although Medill presents a different demographic, white men are predominantly represented in the media industry. Photo courtesy of The New York Times

If you’ve flipped on Netflix between those midterms, you might have seen the stereotype: female journalists are overly sexual. These tropes are inherently harmful and degrading to women and demean the valuable work that female journalists do.

During Wildcat Welcome my freshman year, we were told at Medill orientation that there are more women in the Medill School of Journalism, Media, Integrated Marketing Communications than men. So why are female journalists portrayed so poorly in media when they make up the bulk of the profession? In House of Cards, one female reporter brags about how she’ll “suck, screw and jerk anything that moves just to get a story.”

Clearly not ethical journalism right there. In the third episode of the first season of Parks and Recreation, reporter Shauna Malwae-Tweep sleeps with parks employee Mark Brendanawicz. Shauna acquires multiple quotes from Mark, which he assumed was off the record since they were in bed together. The question we have to ask here is whether Parks and Rec is twisting the trope or just adding on to it. Is Shauna taking advantage of a dumb government official, or did the writers have her use her sexuality to get what she wants instead of doing her job?

How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days, a shameless chick-flick yet a classic, is built entirely off the premise of a female journalist attempting to seduce a man to write a story for her magazine. It ended happily, but at what cost? In 2005’s Thank You for Smoking, a young journalist named Heather seduces the vice president of a major tobacco lobby who claims there is no link between lung cancer and tobacco usage. Heather writes a furious exposé blowing up the lobbyist’s lies, but then Heather’s unethical tactics are exposed, and she is punished by having to become the local weather girl.

It’s easy to see in journalism classes at Northwestern that there are usually at least twice as many women as men. In my Journalism 301 class right now, a required class for Medill undergraduates, we have 13 women and three men. While more women than men enroll in Medill, in the professional world women are incredibly underrepresented in journalism. According to a University of Nevada at Las Vegas study, sources from TheNew York Times front page stories are 65 percent men, 19 percent women and 17 percent unknown. NBC’s news showMeet the Press is 62 percent white men and 28 percent everyone else. Fox News Sunday is even worse at 67 percent white men and 33 percent everyone else.

People might say that I’m overreacting, that I’m reading into things, that I’m creating a problem where there isn’t one. Sometimes a movie is just a movie, sometimes a character is just a character, but I don’t think that’s the case. The problems arise when we don’t even realize that what we see in the media influences our thoughts, perceptions and attitudes. How many girls are growing up now thinking that in order to be a journalist, screwing their sources is common practice? How many boys are growing up thinking that all they have to do to have sex with a girl is give her information for a story? How many perceptions have been warped in the last 20 years by the changing portrayal of female journalists?

There is nothing wrong with a woman choosing to exercise her sexual freedom. If any woman wants to have sex, without a doubt she should be able to and she should own it. The problem is the way media portrays female journalists as needing to use their sexuality in order to do their job, something that is clearly not true in real life. So how can Medill students, and any other aspiring journalist, break this stereotype? We are an incredibly respected journalism school: Medill graduates go on to win Pulitzer Prizes, work for publications in every corner of the country, travel overseas and cover violent warfare.

How can we reconcile these amazing people who do incredible things and the way that the media portrays us? We can’t. All we can do is live and work in a way that defies these stereotypes and create real-life examples of kick-ass, powerful women. We can attack the problem at its source. Aim to write for these shows and movies, changing the way women are portrayed. I grew up watching Gilmore Girls, where young Rory Gilmore is head editor of her high school paper and then the Yale Daily News.

The series ends with Rory pursuing her dreams of becoming a journalist, boyfriend be dammed. Rory never so much as even winked at a source, and she was still able to be a successful reporter and a great role model. I wanted to be a journalist because of Rory Gilmore. Gilmore Girls ended in 2007 though, so it’s unlikely that aspiring middle school and high school journalists are still watching it. Hollywood, give us accurate, empowering portrayals of female journalists. Give us more Rory Gilmores.

 

Originally published: http://www.northbynorthwestern.com/story/the-real-female-journalists-getting-sources-withou/

Northwestern professor hosts roundtable discussion on Ukraine, U.S. response

A group of professors, Northwestern employees, Evanston residents, and students gathered at the Buffett Center on Friday Oct. 3 to discuss the conflict in Ukraine with Jewish History Professor Yohanan Petrovsky-Shtern.

Petrovsky-Shtern opened his presentation called Ukraine: The Maidan and After with a crucial acknowledgement: while there is a lot of discussion about Ukraine, there is little understanding about it. The Ukrainian native certainly undertands the country and its conflict to a degree most may not, having visited Ukraine three times in the past year alone and written three books about it.

Petrovsky-Shtern was born in Ukraine and speaks excellent, slightly accented English. Now he teaches several undergraduate and graduate Jewish history classes at Northwestern. He spoke with a quick confidence that made it clear he knows exactly what he’s talking about.

His message: Ukraine is a textbook example of a postcolonial entity. It is not divided into an East and a West, as some reports have indicated. Instead, it has a strong and pronounced center that is equidistant from the pro-Russia southeast and the pro-nationalist west. In the past 20 years, Ukraine has become a borderland, the buffer zone between Eastern Europe and Western Europe.

Petrovsky-Shtern used multiple maps to show areas of tension in Ukraine, as well as areas he had spent two months of this past year in.

The Ukraine that exists now is a deviation of what it wanted to be in 1991 when it became independent of the Soviet Union. In 2013, Ukraine underwent the Euromaiden protests after President Viktor Yanukovych changed his mind on the European Association. Hundreds of thousands of people protested and Ukraine became a land of political turmoil. Petrovsky-Shtern said that it is important to note people were pro-Russia or pro-nationalist not because of “who they are, but what they want.”

The Euromaiden protests led to the Revolution of Dignity in early 2014. Yanukovych’s government collapsed, and the Revolution brought moderates to power, not radicals. There was still enormous unrest in southern and eastern parts of the country. In March, Russian President Vladimir Putin and the Russian Parliament deployed troops into Ukraine and annexed the Crimean Peninsula.

So what does this mean? First of all, Russia clearly violated the 1994 Budapest Agreement. The US, Russia and the United Kingdom had agreed that, in exchange for Ukraine giving up the world’s third largest nuclear weapons stockpile, there would be no threats or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of Ukraine. When Russia annexed Crimea, it broke this agreement.

Putin is an unprecedented leader of Russia. Most dictators start out working from ideology and then become more pragmatic. Putin has gone from a pragmatic leader to an ideological radical. He is working to restore the Soviet Union, and Ukraine is a good start. His propaganda has painted Russia as the restorer of a corrupt Ukraine, rather than Russia as the aggressor.

And Petrovsky-Shtern’s reaction to it all? The professor said he is “simply amazed by the lack of response from the U.S. government” and that “they laugh at European sanctions in Russia.” There is no world government or army, so whose responsibility is it to intervene in situations like Crimea? Does the United States have a moral obligation to protect the Ukraine from Russian aggression? Some would argue that it does. Russia essentially escaped unpunished from annexing Ukrainian territory, setting a powerful precedent. What’s to stop this from happening again?

When the floor opened for discussion, one attendee asked how Ukrainians felt about the situation. Petrovsky-Shtern responded with his own position, saying he avoids even speaking Russian, his native language. He also said his next work, an autobiography, has been delayed due the resentment he feels towards Russia.

 

Originally published: http://www.northbynorthwestern.com/story/ukraine-the-maidan-and-after/

The best television shows featuring Northwestern alums

Northwestern routinely turns out some of the most talented people in Hollywood, mostly from the School of Communication. It is almost impossible to attend a student production without thinking, “That person will be famous some day.” Here are some of those people that proved those predictions true.

Jayne Atkinson: “24,” “House of Cards” 

Jayne Atkinson has appeared in a variety of films, television shows and stage productions. She graduated from Northwestern in 1981 with a Bachelor of Arts in communications.In “24,” Atkinson played the badass agent Karen Hayes from Homeland Security. Her character rocked. She was fierce and a strong woman, even if early on her character was slightly unlikeable. She was in a total of 30 episodes and made those later seasons of “24” more bearable. She currently plays Secretary of State Catherine Durant on the hit Netflix original series “House of Cards.”

Zach Braff: “Scrubs” 

Zach Braff graduated in 1997 from the School of Communication. In 2001, Braff was cast as Dr. John “J.D.” Dorian on NBC’s “Scrubs.” The show follows a group of employees at a teaching hospital, and the name is a play on both the clothing doctors wear and the low ranking of hospital interns. Braff is the narrator and the main character of the series and was nominated for an Emmy in 2005 for Outstanding Lead Actor In A Comedy Series.

 Stephen Colbert: “The Colbert Report” 

Comedian Stephen Colbert graduated from NU in 1987. In 2005, he launched “The Colbert Report” on Comedy Central. It has won four Emmys and proves just how funny Colbert is. Colbert plays a satirist newscaster and comments on issues affecting the United States and the world at large. It’s hilarious. Please go watch it.

Julia Louis-Dreyfus: “Arrested Development,” “Seinfeld”

The class of 1983 gave us the gift that is Julia Louis-Dreyfus. Most known for starring in comedy “Seinfeld,” Louis-Dreyfus proved she is a force to be reckoned with. She guest starred in “Arrested Development” as Maggie Lizer, a lawyer who pretends to be blind. Even though she was only in four episodes, she made a lasting impression. If you like comedy and haven’t seen either of these shows, you clearly don’t actually like comedy.

Seth Meyers: “Saturday Night Live,” “Late Night with Seth Meyers” 

NU seems to be really good at spewing out comedic geniuses. Seth Meyers graduated from the School of Communication in 1996 and is most known for his 14 years on “Saturday Night Live.” He was head writer for “SNL” and anchored “Weekend Update” on the show. Honestly, he was my favorite part of “SNL,” and I miss him dearly. You can catch him now on “Late Night with Seth Meyers,” airing weeknights at 11:35 on NBC.

David Schwimmer: “Friends”

Who could forget Ross Geller? David Schwimmer graduated from NU in 1988. He is best known for playing Dr. Geller on “Friends,” and for being Jennifer Aniston’s lobster. “Friends” is a classic, and if you haven’t seen it I consider you a disgrace. Fun fact: My mom lived down the hall from him in Willard Residential College, and she says that as soon as he got a little drunk he would start beatboxing and was actually quite good.

 

Originally published: http://dailynorthwestern.com/2014/03/05/thecurrent/the-best-television-shows-featuring-northwestern-alums/

5 TV shows that never should have been canceled

Many cancellations are deserved. Many shows are still on the air that should have been ended a long time ago. Then there are the ones that died before their time. These are the shows with enormous cult followings, that are talked about years later and fans of which you’re slightly afraid.

5. “Friday Night Lights” (Canceled after five seasons in 2011)

“Friday Night Lights” is the little show that could. A drama series based around a high school football team and coach Eric Taylor’s family in Texas, this show became one of the most powerful series ever to grace television. The show deals with difficult issues important to American culture, including family values, life lessons, racism, drugs and economic inequality. No show has portrayed life in Middle America as well as “FNL.” The series was met with critical acclaim and an avid fan base, though it struggled in the ratings. The show was almost canceled after the second season, but due to fan uproar, NBC made a deal with DirecTV to co-produce three more seasons, first airing on DirecTV and then on NBC. I wish the show hadn’t ended. There is still so much more we can learn from the Taylor family. Clear eyes, full hearts, can’t lose.

4. “Pushing Daisies” (Canceled after two seasons in 2009)

This cute and quirky show sadly met its demise after only two seasons. The premise is incredibly unique: A pie-maker, Ned, has the ability to bring dead people back to life just by touching them. However, one more touch will render the person dead again, forever. Ned revives his childhood sweetheart, and the two of them, along with a private investigator, solve murder mysteries by asking the victim “whodunnit?”

3. “Firefly” (Canceled after one season in 2003) 

You would never think a show billed as a “space-western” could be so incredible. Set 500 years in the future, “Firefly” follows the adventures of Captain Malcolm Reynolds, played by Nathan Fillion, and his motley crew around space. Reynolds is a former galactic war veteran on the losing side, accompanied by a diverse range of people, including a “companion” (prostitute, but respected in this society), a preacher and two fugitives from the ruling body, the Alliance. Fox canceled Firefly after only nine episodes, after airing them all out of order. The pilot was aired last, as the 13th episode. Of course ratings would suffer if the network airs the show incorrectly. However, “Firefly” lived on in the form of a wide-release film “Serenity.” The show’s fans, known as “Browncoats,” are probably one of the largest cult followings around today.

2. “Freaks and Geeks” (Canceled after one season in 2000) 

The beauty that was the high school comedy-drama “Freaks and Geeks” was tragically canceled in its prime, after only 12 episodes had aired. The show centered on brother and sister Sam and Lindsey Weir, and their interactions with their respective high school crowds, “geeks” and “freaks.” The show was complicated, emotional and, above all, incredibly relatable. Thankfully, it helped introduce us to the genius of Judd Apatow, Jason Segel, James Franco and Seth Rogen, among many others. The whole season is on Netflix. Go watch it.

1. “Veronica Mars” Canceled after three seasons in 2007 

“Veronica Mars” is my all-time favorite show. The adventures of title character Veronica Mars, played by Kristen Bell, still had so much potential. It was witty, it was brilliant, it was heartbreaking, and it was amazingly acted. The first two seasons of the show on the WB network were unbelievable. However, in 2006 when the new network CW replaced the WB and UPN networks , “VMars” lost a lot of its shine. The show moved away from season-long mysteries that involved heavy topics like murder, rape and suicide, and into more shorter arcs in an attempt to make the show more accessible. It clearly did not work. However, the fans, known as “marshmallows,” have spoken, and thanks to a fan-funded Kickstarter page, “Veronica Mars” will get a second chance in the form of a movie, to be released March 14.

 

Originally published: http://dailynorthwestern.com/2014/02/05/thecurrent/5-tv-shows-that-never-should-have-been-canceled/