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the University of Northern Iowa’s independent, student-produced newspaper since 1892 UNIVERSITY OF NORTHERN IOWA CEDAR FALLS, IA

CEDAR FALLS, IA

THURSDAY, APRIL 5

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 31

VOLUME 114, ISSUE 42

VOLUME 116, ISSUE 18

FOREIGN POLICY

FILM REVIEW

WOMENS BB

NEWS PAGE 2

CAMPUS LIFE PAGE 5

SPORTS PAGE 6

Former U.S. ambassador and UNI alum leads foreign policy discussion.

Film Critic Hunter Friesen reviews “The Current War.”

Panthers defeat Upper Iowa 67-40.

Author Sandra Cisneros visits UNI ELIZABETH KELSEY News Editor

For author Sandra Cisneros, writing is a personal and restorative process.

“As artists, we have to break our hearts open in two every time we write,” she said, addressing the full Lang Hall Auditorium on Monday, Oct. 28 at 7 p.m.

Cisneros is the best-selling author of “The House on Mango Street,” “Woman Hollering Creek,” “Caramelo,” and many other short stories and poems depicting the Latina experience. She visited UNI as part of the Hearst Lecture Series, founded in 1988 by James S. Hearst in honor of his late wife, Meryl Norton Hearst. Cisneros is

the first of five speakers in the 2019-2020 Hearst Lecture Series, hosted this year by the Department of Languages and Literatures.

Throughout the night, Cisneros emphasized the healing power of writing.

“If you want to write about something important, try writing about the things you can’t talk about, and better

GABRIELLE LEITNER/Northern Iowan

yet, write about the things you wish you could forget, rather than the things you can remember,” she said. “Writing for me is about transformation, and it’s about transforming those memories that could kill us into illumination.”

Cisneros opened the lecture by reading her short story “Eleven,” published in “Woman Hollering Creek” in 1991. The story describes a young girl’s humiliation when, on her eleventh birthday, she is forced to wear an ugly sweater which her teacher incorrectly believes to be hers.

Before reading “Eleven,” Cisneros addressed the young people in the audience, including two children who were ten and eleven years old. She said that, though many of her works are not written explicitly for children, they are books that children “approve of ” and “insist on reading.”

After reading the story, Cisneros encouraged attendees to persevere in the face of rejection.

“As soon as I sent that

story into the press in Boston hoping to get a nice big check, they sent it back and said, ‘This isn’t for kids!’” she said.

“But you should never be defeated by rejection, because that story is my best-seller.

It’s my big hit.”

Next, Cisneros read excerpts from her 2012 book “Have You Seen Marie?,” written in the wake of her mother’s death. In the story, the main character searches for a missing cat while coming to terms with her mother’s passing. Cisneros said that the process of writing the book helped her process and heal.

“When you lose your mom, it’s one of those losses that you never get over. You just learn how to live alongside it,” she said.

Reading from the afterword of “Have You Seen Marie?,” Cisneros said, “I knew as I was writing this story that it was helping to bring me back to myself. It is essential to create when the spirit is dying.”

See CISNEROS, page 2

Speaker encourages mental health discussion COLBY WEBER Staff Writer

Trigger warning: The following article contains themes of suicide, mental health, bullying and drug use.

Over the course of Ross Trowbridge’s hour-and-a-half long presentation on mental health, an average of 90 people lost their lives to suicide.

In total, nearly one million people die by suicide worldwide each year. Included within that number are individuals diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD), which has a suicide rate of 10 to 15 percent.

During his presentation on Tuesday, Oct. 29 in the Maucker Union ballrooms, Trowbridge hoped to encourage discussion about mental illness.

“I’m not a motivational speaker or a comedian,” he said. “I’m some dude with BPD. It’s good to have a discussion about mental health

and issues. Everybody has been impacted by mental illness in some way in their life.

I’m not unique. I’ve battled mental health issues for 25 years, and I’ve had two to three suicide attempts and suicide ideation.”

Trowbridge was diagnosed with BPD at the age of 35 after being misdiagnosed with OCD, general anxiety disorder, bipolar disorder and addiction. Symptoms of this disorder include behavior such as unstable personal relationships, harmful impulsivity, intense anger and suicidal behavior.

Although Trowbridge doesn’t believe he had a bad childhood, he mentioned that his parents were divorced. He showed early signs of potential mental illness such as being overly sensitive and analytical.

In addition, he felt that he was very passive and paranoid.

From a young age, he learned to shut off his emotions and

escape through substances.

“I smoked my first cigarette when I was 12,” Trowbridge said. “I bought cigarettes from a vending machine and my friends and I would sneak off.

I had my first drink at the age of 13. Baseball was my first drug, I was obsessed. I never felt like I had a purpose, so I really clung to that. I wasn’t scholarly, so I focused on sports and girls.”

Trowbridge hung out around jocks, but he was bullied to the point of crying after school. After being forced to try out for a play, he began to gain more confidence in himself through various acting roles. In 1997, he was pulled over for an OWI, and he was diagnosed with major depressive disorder at the age of 18. He’s currently 40, and the diagnosis that he was given at that time made him feel labeled and broken.

Between the ages of 20 and 35, Trowbridge felt that he

GABI CUMMINGS/Northern Iowan

was functional.

“I was able to handle BPD with the right support system,” he said. “I went from zero to six kids in three years, and I had two sets of twins within 22 months. I really clung to that identity, but it only lasted for four years and then I fled. My identity was career and work.”

In late 2014, Trowbridge left a senior management

position that he had held for seven years. He moved from Dubuque, Illinois to Des Moines, Iowa, and married a woman two months after they had gotten together who also had BPD. He smoked methamphetamine for the first time and had an allergic reaction to it, and after that he hasn’t felt the same.

See MENTAL HEALTH, page 5

PAGE 2

NEWS

ELIZABETH KELSEY News Editor

UNI alum discusses foreign policy OCTOBER 31, 2019 |

EMMA PISTARINO Staff Writer

On Monday, Oct. 28, at 5 p.m., UNI alumnus and former U.S. Ambassador to Mongolia John Dinger held a forum in Sabin Hall titled “When Politics Trumps Expertise: Ukraine, Turkey, Syria and Foreign Policy Making in the Trump White House.”

Speaking to an audience of about 50 students, faculty and community members, Dinger described his decadeslong career in the U.S. Foreign Service, explained the bureaucratic process behind U.S. foreign policy and criticized the current president’s tendency to ignore it.

Dinger was introduced

by Scott Peters, head of the UNI Department of Political Science, who discussed Dinger’s experience with foreign affairs and his connection to UNI. “We are very lucky to have him back on campus today.

We all know what is happening in the State Department, so it will be interesting to hear about how foreign policy is made normally,” Peters said.

CISNEROS

continued from page 1

Cisneros also mentioned Day of the Dead, or Día de los Muertos, the upcoming Mexican holiday celebrated from Oct. 31-Nov. 2 in which people create altars in honor of deceased family members.

She advised attendeees to create their own altars to

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VOLUME 116, ISSUE 18

Dinger was clear about the profound impact that UNI had on his political formation. When he was about to graduate with a political science degree in 1974, Robert Ross, former head of the UNI Department of Political Science, told Dinger the eight words that, according to him, changed his life.

“He asked, ‘Have you ever thought of the Foreign Service?’ I had never even heard of it, so I asked what it was and the rest, as we say, is history. Nine months later, I was in D.C. going through the orientation course, in a year I was working on my first assignment in London,” Dinger said.

Dinger explained “the food chain for foreign policy,” in which committees make decisions from the bottom up. Bureaucrats with a career in foreign politics, like Dinger, are involved with the Sub-Policy Coordination Committee meetings, the lowest level, but have very little to do with high-level committees such as National Security Council, where the president and cabinet officials are involved. These higher

officials discuss more prevalent, “front-page” issues, like U.S. relations with Ukraine or Turkey.

Dinger pointed out the irony that, in his opinion, the higher you move up this “food chain,” the more ignorant the committee members are on foreign issues.

“Career people had several assignments in [specific areas of the world], [but] going up the food chain you get to people like Mike Pompeo, former Congressman from Kansas, so it is a little bit disconcerting that the more important the issue, the more ignorant.

They just don’t know those areas as well,” Dinger said.

Dinger believes that although the system is complex and lengthy, it is all worth it.

“You want to make the right decision the first time.

We call the process ‘making sausage,’” he said. “It is very ugly to watch, but if it’s done correctly, the outcome is really good.”

Dinger expressed his frustration with the current administration, which, according to him, is ignoring the entire process behind

celebrate the memories of loved ones.

The floor was then opened for questions from audience members. Cisneros answered questions regarding her creative process, advice for aspiring authors, mental health issues and inspiration for Latina students.

After the lecture’s conclusion at 8 p.m., Cisneros

signed copies of her books, which were available for purchase at the event and took pictures with attendees.

Alyssa Wiedemeir, a junior English education major with a creative writing minor, attended the lecture for a class.

“Hearing an author talk about her experiences in her writing was really cool,” she said.

Wiedemeier appreciated Cisneros’ advice for aspiring authors and was particularly struck by Cisneros’ suggestion to encourage more honest writing.

Cisneros had told audience members, “Don’t say anything that you wouldn’t say in your pajamas, and that’s like your first draft.

Then if you need to dress it up, you can.”

“I feel that’s going to be very helpful just to be more vulnerable in writing,” Wiedemeier said.

Kayla Koop, a fifth-year TESOL/Spanish education major, also mentioned the “pajama advice” as particularly poignant. In addition, Koop emphasized the significance of the well-known author’s visit to UNI. “[My professor] was telling me that it was a really big deal that we got her to come here,” she said.

Those interested in more information about Cisneros may visit her website (www. sandracisneros.com), and look for one of her new poems, which will be published in the upcoming Fall 2019 edition of the UNI literary magazine North American Review.

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America’s foreign policy.

“What Trump is doing is called flip flopping. He has been changing his strategy with Syria every day, and that is the worst thing that could happen if you are one of the bureaucrats ‘making the sausage,’” he said.

Despite his trust in the system, Dinger said that he believes the process is not functioning as it should.

If it had been working, he said, somebody would have stopped Trump’s actions in

Syria and Ukraine and the President would not be facing impeachment.

Gerry Perreault, former director of Leadership Studies at UNI, attended the forum because of her interest in politics and current events.

“I have six subscriptions to daily newspapers and I spend about three hours reading them every day, so I often attend events about ongoing politics. It was interesting to hear about his life experience,” said Perreault.

GABRIELLE LEITNER/Northern Iowan

UNI alumnus John Dinger, former U.S. Ambassador to Mongolia, addressed students and faculty regarding the process of foreign policy development.

CORRECTION In the Monday, Oct. 28 edition of the Northern Iowan, in the story titled ‘ISSO panel discusses transitions,’ Isabela Varela is quoted as saying, “It is very important to stay away from cultural assumptions. At the end of the day, all cultures are the same, [and] communication happens in the same way.” What was actually communicated was that it is important to stay away from risky cultural assumption, such as “All cultures are the same” and “Communication happens in the same way everywhere.” The Northern Iowan regrets the error.

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OPINION

GABRIELLE LEITNER Executive Editor

OCTOBER 31, 2019 |

NORTHERNIOWAN.COM

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VOLUME 116, ISSUE 18

The rise of the anti-austerity Left MOHAMMED RAWWAS

Opinion Columnist

In Chile, an increase in public transportation fares sparked nationwide protests against the Piñera Administration due to growing unrest about poverty and income inequality in the country. There has already been limited progress, with the president dismissing his entire Cabinet, although abuses against protestors by police have been reported, including sexual abuses and torture. In Ecuador, nationwide protests have been even more successful, with Moreno agreeing to reverse his decision to cancel fuel subsidies, after being forced to flee the capital. In Lebanon, we see the same pattern repeat, with national protests being sparked by a new proposal to tax online phone calls through WhatsApp. Iraq has seen similar protests over economic conditions since 2018.

As all these individual events continue to unfold simultaneously, it is clear that although each is a separate incident, they are all connected: a working-class mobilization against austerity measures and regressive taxation imposed by a ruling elite. Another piece

of evidence testifying to the grassroots, leftist character of these movements: the protests have often been coupled with nationwide strikes. When analyzing the demands of these movements, and the policies that they are fighting against, it is clear that these protests are a reaction to the neoliberal Bretton Woods consensus that has characterized the postWorld War II era.

Immediately, this analysis is further complicated by the fact that these protests are occurring in the global South: it is not simply that these isolated governments are unilaterally deciding to pass these austerity measures, but that they are part of a system of global Capital that incentivizes the passage of such measures.

Haiti is the perfect exemplification of this: still under predation by the imperialism of both France and the United States, protests against the Moïse Administration’s mishandling of funds provided by Venezuela’s Petrocaribe program were inevitably also a reaction to both the constant political and military interference of the U.S. in Haiti for over a century, including a 2-decade military occupation,

the installation of military dictatorships, and coups, which paved the way for the current administration’s rise to power and the economic predation of France, which demands Haiti pay reparations for freeing itself from slavery, the financial burden of which inevitably stresses the Haitian government into imposing such austerity measures upon its people. Furthermore, the IMF and World Bank play a central role in imposing the neoliberal order on the global South.

It is clear that the anti-colonialist struggle must also be an anti-capitalist one, as forms of exploitation are inextricably tied to the functioning of global Capital.

There is another dimension to these protests, particularly in Lebanon: their cross-sectarian appeal and support. Lebanon is a country that has been rife with strife over its sectarian divides, descending into civil war between its Christian and Muslim populations, as well as over its Sunni-Shiite divide, as well as smaller denominational groups such as the Druze. A tenuous power-sharing agreement has maintained a negative peace ever since. However, the interests of the proletariat

are universal, and the recent protests have brought together a cross-sectarian allegiance fighting for their shared material interests. In Ecuador as well, the protests have been largely led by indigenous communities. But beyond divisions within nations, there is also an international solidarity to be posited among all of these protests. There is something to be said about how a class analysis can transcend all other differences and build multi-racial solidarity, which vampire castle liberal politics have clearly failed to accomplish.

The recent events that have transpired bring about a few obvious questions: why have they failed to gain the mainstream media attention gifted to the Hong Kong protests?

The obvious answer is that Hong Kong is clearly a different case: partially composed of reactionary elements, with instances of protestors valorizing the imperial West and Donald Trump, and even nostalgic longing for the era of racist, repressive British colonization. The recent uprisings in Algeria and Sudan have similarly received less attention than the “Arab Spring” of 2011-2012, as calls for

Western-style “democracy” have been replaced with a much more thorough analysis of how the situation in most of the global South is itself caused by the military and economic imperialism of the West and West-aligned financial institutions, and how a revolution against a repressive regime in the Third World, far from being a turn towards the West and its conception of democracy, is actually a rejection of Western imperialism and capitalism itself.

Finally, some implications for us. Why is it that, given the effectiveness of nationwide protests and more importantly strikes, as demonstrated by the case of Ecuador, these methods are almost never utilized in the U.S? Throughout most of the rest of the world, there is a tradition of striking whenever people are discontent with their government. In the U.S., however, “politics” has been constrained to the ballot box.

As capitalist realism continues to dominate our ideological landscape, striking does not even register as an option for change. Our task here is to free politics beyond the electoral domain and to posit new methods of change.

‘JESUS IS KING’ falls short of collective potential CECILIA MITCHELL Copy Editor

On Friday, Oct. 25, Kanye West released his ninth studio album, “JESUS IS KING.” While the release features memorable musical moments throughout, the album falls short in its unfocused message and delivery.

West is no stranger to controversy. His infamous outbursts have switched gears in recent years from his anti-Bush sentiments of past to his proTrump stance of today, not to

mention his countless other dramatic moments, like when he stole the spotlight from a young Taylor Swift or had numerous rifts with models in his Yeezy fashion shows. In light of his Trump endorsement, a move that drove away many Yeezy fans yet attracted others, West’s public persona and musical identity have also evolved. While West has always presented himself as religious, Christianity has now become a central component of his image. This year, West’s gospel-rap group Sunday

Service, featured on “JESUS IS KING,” has performed every Sunday since January in a church-like fashion.

Religious references have been scattered throughout West’s entire discography, sometimes in a sacrilegious form like those in 2013’s egotistical Yeezus album. Don’t get me wrong, Yeezus is one of my favorite Kanye releases, but one can’t deny that the lyrics of “I Am A God” and “I’m In It” aren’t exactly properly “Christian.” In contrast, “JESUS IS KING” takes the

TRIBUNE NEWS SERVICE

Copy Editor Cecilia Mitchell reviews Kanye West’s latest project “JESUS IS KING.” She writes, “‘JESUS IS KING’ falls short in comparison to his previous work due to the lack of assertive lyrical genius and innovative composition.

form of a gospel album; worshipping God is the focus and for the most part, the meaning behind this release. In this album, West once again samples the eighteenth-century hymn “Father I Stretch My Hands to Thee,” as he did on 2016’s The Life of Pablo.

While religious allusions in contemporary music usually tickles my fancy, especially in genres like hip-hop and rap; the lack of sincerity in this 27-minute, surprisingly cookie-cutter gospel rap album makes the listening experience a chore rather a delight.

What made Kanye enjoyable in the past was his invention and production. This short record does have high production value but contains highly repetitive lyrics (on-brand with the gospel style, but disappointing for the lyrical, confrontational output that usually makes for Ye’s best music) and preaches its message in the wrong way.

West’s new proselytizing persona would land better if his new, clean sound was innovative. There are scattered, quick gems of lyricism and musicianship within this album, but its overall delivery lacks the pointed, somewhat manic lyrical urgency that once made Kanye one of the greats.

In other words, this album,

at first glance, seems interesting. Yet, upon listening, one finds that it’s pretty boring, lacking the punch, thought-provocation and re-listenability of West’s previous work.

The best musical moments on “JESUS IS KING” are actually the ones that harken to West’s older work. For example, “Follow God,” arguably the best track on the album, has an agressive flow reminiscent of Yeezus. The loose composition of “Water,” while not as strong of a piece, reminds one of the collaborations West had with Paul McCartney earlier this decade. “Selah,” disregarding the long-winded Hallelujah chorus at the end, features a great flow and drum beat that reminds one of the earlier Kanye we know and love.

However, “JESUS IS KING” falls short in comparison to his previous work due to the lack of assertive lyrical genius and innovative composition. Nine records in, the public does have high expectations for new ‘Ye releases and this album does not satisfy. At best, plenty of the individual tracks are playlist-worthy, but I won’t be spinning this album front-toback again anytime soon.

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CAMPUS LIFE OCTOBER 31, 2019 |

NORTHERNIOWAN.COM

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SOFIA LEGASPI

Campus Life Editor

VOLUME 116, ISSUE 18

Barn Happy business built from faith SOFIA LEGASPI

Campus Life Editor

Kris Boettger may work in the retail and food industry, but in her mind, her main job is to be a blessing to others.

“I love the people,” Boettger said, sitting at a table enjoying a cup of homemade vegetable soup at her business Barn Happy: a gift shop, lunch stop and coffee bar all rolled into one.

Less than a five-minute drive from UNI’s campus, a sign along University Ave points to a big white dairy barn built in 1925 on the Boettger’s acreage. The building has been transformed into a unique business that “works to preserve the agricultural heritage and values of the heartland,” according to its website.

The public loves Barn Happy, too. Boettger recalled running into a customer at the grocery store who gushed about the business.

“She said, ‘The desserts are amazing and I love shopping there, but my favorite thing about Barn Happy is when I come there, I’m always happier when I leave,’” Boettger said. “And it made my whole day. That’s what I love about it. You can just be a little ray of sunshine for people; that’s probably my favorite part of it.”

Those in need of a ray of sunshine can find it at Barn Happy on Wednesdays through Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. All who enter the building will be greeted with warm smiles and the aroma of coffee, soup, sandwiches and baked goods — all of which are homemade with local ingredients.

Amidst the chatter emanating from families, groups of friends and Cedar Valley tourists alike, Barn Happy guests may even hear a bell ringing as Boettger announces the presence of a birthday celebrant. As per tradition, the guest of honor dances to a birthday song while everyone else claps.

Bodies and merchandise

pack the building to the rafters, literally, but this only makes its atmosphere all the more cozy. Barn Happy is loved not only for its fare, but also for the plethora of wares available for purchase. Guests enjoy their food surrounded by products that are uniquely Iowan — everything from wine from a family-owned winery in Fredericksburg to handmade jewelry and toilet paper printed with the Iowa flag. Boettger supports over 100 vendors from across the state.

In the barn’s loft, where wooden beams soar across the vast roof, customers can embark on a treasure hunt among an assortment of upcycled furniture, antiques and collectibles from four different vendors.

You can just be a little ray of sunshine for people; that’s probably my favorite part of it.

Kris Boettger

Barn Happy owner

The idea for Barn Happy struck Boettger late at night nearly two decades ago. At the time, she was a stay-athome mom searching for a job to supplement her husband’s income as a minister, preferably one with flexible hours that would allow her time home with her two schoolaged children.

She and her husband agreed to pray about it. They did so for over a year. Boettger grew impatient, but her husband encouraged her to wait.

Eventually, the waiting paid off.

“I was falling asleep one night and the idea came to turn this building into a store,” she said.

Boettger said she knew the idea was divinely conceived because of the current state of the building: lower level packed with hogs and caked

SOFIA LEGASPI/Northern Iowan

The remodeled dairy barn is located on University Ave about two miles southwest of UNI’s campus.

with six inches of manure, upper level filled with straw.

“It was all just a nasty and dirty and filthy and stinky barn,” she said. “I would never in a million years go near this barn and think about eating in it. And that was weird enough; that was a God idea.”

Before this idea came about, Boettger — who holds degrees in art and communication — maintained a craft table in her home where she worked on old windows to take to craft shows. She didn’t enjoy hauling bulky windows around the state, however, and instead planned to sell her crafts out of her barn, among other products.

“I love to bake, and I love coffee, and I love people, so it worked out — have a coffee shop and bake goodies and sell things made in Iowa,” she said.

It took a year and a half to clean and renovate the building with insulation, ventilation, plumbing and other necessities. The cleaning process involved a power-washer, a skid-steer loader and lots of bleach. All the wood beams and floors seen in the building today are original.

Boettger had intended to start small and stay small, but Barn Happy took off. She originally planned on serving simply coffee and desserts, but eventually decided to offer a full meal and had to hire employees. Boettger also maintains a small event space about 40 feet north of Barn Happy: a renovated corn crib dubbed “The Crib” with capacity for 50 people, rentable for parties, weddings and other events.

“It’s been a really fun adventure that’s exceeded all of my expectations — I thought I was gonna have a part-time job just for myself,” she said.

In 2017, Barn happy received the Iowa Tourism Award for Outstanding Retail Experience.

“That was pretty awesome because I haven’t done a great deal of marketing or advertising,” Boettger said. “So the fact that we won that award felt really encouraging.”

Most of Barn Happy’s business comes via regular customers and word of mouth.

For Boettger, one of the most challenging aspects of maintaining her business is technology and social media. She barely used a cell phone when it first opened, and today, Barn Happy’s only online presence is its website and Facebook page. Despite this, Barn Happy has developed a healthy online reputation, receiving generous reviews and ratings on many websites as well as encouraging comments from loyal

SOFIA LEGASPI/Northern Iowan

Iowa native Kris Boettger runs local business Barn Happy. The combination gift-shop-lunch-stop-coffee-bar is currently in its 17th season, open on Wednesdays through Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Facebook followers.

Boettger’s children often laugh at her technological ineptitude, she said. Although her children are now adults at 22 and 24 years old, the “mom hours” with which the business started have remained the same. When faced with the question of why, Boettger had a ready response.

“Fine — I’m old and I’m tired,” she said with a laugh.

“We’re not adding hours.”

Although she did concede to adding a few extra hours about six years ago — evening meals on Thursdays during the fall season in order to serve customers working during the day — Boettger is otherwise content with Barn Happy’s limited hours, citing it as an important factor in maintaining a healthy worklife balance.

“I think that’s partly why it’s still fun for me, because I’ve got a little bit of a balance in my life,” she said. “I feel like with small businesses, either they close because they’re broke […] or they close because they’re burnt out. They just can’t sustain it.”

Although Barn Happy has evolved in many ways, one thing has remained constant in the last 17 years: Boettger’s Christian faith and its continuing guidance in the way she manages her business.

Boettger called her faith “everything.”

“God has shown me so many things about myself through this business,” she said. “I’ve had to learn to trust Him so much more with things. When I order thousands of dollars worth of inventory every year, I just say, ‘Lord, I can’t make people come and buy this stuff. I can’t do anything; this is all you.’”

One concrete illustration of this truth, Boettger recalled, occurred about five or six years into Barn Happy as it was beginning to gain momentum. She admitted to growing prideful, even though it wasn’t evident on the outside.

“I was thinking to myself, ‘I am awesome,’” she said. “And then, literally not one human walked in the barn for like two hours. And the little Spirit of the Lord said, ‘Who’s awesome?’ And I went, ‘Not me; I’m nothing. You’re awesome; I’m not awesome.’”

While some may find it strange for a business owner to forfeit credit for her success, Boettger said she has found it to be liberating.

“As I’ve gotten ahold of that more and more over the years, it makes it more and more fun because I’m like, the pressure’s off me,” she said.

“I’m going to do my best to make this great, but at the end of the day, I don’t control it.

God controls it.”

It’s a strategy that seems to be effective. Nearly two decades after praying for an idea, Boettger now finds herself with a well-loved local business perfect for her passions that shows no signs of slowing down.

“I think that’s the only reason I’ve been here 17 years is because he’s just sustained it by his strength,” she said.

“And it is so how I am wired; this business is so me. But I would have never thought of it. People are like, ‘Was this a dream of yours?’ I’m like, ‘No!’ I never would have thought of this, you know?”

Barn Happy is open all year except for January and February. Its website can be accessed at barnhappy.net.

PAGE 5

CAMPUS LIFE

SOFIA LEGASPI

Campus Life Editor

OCTOBER 31, 2019 |

FILM REVIEW

NORTHERNIOWAN.COM

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VOLUME 116, ISSUE 18

‘Current War’ electrifies history HUNTER FRIESEN Film Critic

In the late 19th century, Thomas Edison and George Westinghouse were the two titans of American innovation. With the country modernizing at a rapid pace, both realized the need for a better way to power society beyond candles and gas.

After some years of development, they both discovered different ways to transmit electric current.

Edison stood behind his Direct Current (DC) and Westinghouse championed his Alternating Current (AC). They were similar designs, each with their unique benefits and costs.

But the country wasn’t big enough for both of them and only one method could prevail. Out of this situation sprang a fierce competition between the two men, a rivalry labeled “the war of the currents.” This war lasted years as they battled endlessly to see whose technology would be the one to forever power and illuminate America.

Directing: 3/5 After having a tumultuous time getting to theaters (that’s a whole other story to look up), “The Current War” finally arrives two years after intended.

Directed by Alfonso Gomez-Rejon, the film moves like electricity, zipping from scene to scene.

The use of sharp camera work and montages oozes kinetic energy that keeps everything moving at a frantic pace, never ceasing to

MENTAL HEALTH

continued from page 1

“My emotions are at that intense level at all times,” Trowbridge said. “I went from owning a home and having a family to being homeless in Des Moines in 2015 and sleeping down by the Raccoon River.

Something switched inside me.

In AA I learned to get out of myself, and I talked businesses into providing food to the homeless. They don’t have resources, so I started delivering to them.”

During this period in his life, Trowbridge began advocating for mental health awareness and discussion of BPD.

slow down or end. You’re gripped within the race and linked to the main characters as they tirelessly persist to be the one on top.

If you’re not a natural history lover, this technique will keep you endlessly entertained without boring you with historical details.

If you are a fan of history, this technique will still entertain you, but leave you disappointed as moving the film at the speed of light (or current, for that matter) doesn’t allow for deeper learning about the events or people attached to them.

Anything that is learned is only surface level as there just isn’t enough time to develop any factual depth.

It also doesn’t help that these shallow details become increasingly difficult to keep straight, especially as the years go by in minutes and characters are split up into several intertwining storylines.

Writing: 3/5 While a mini-series would be the better way to tell this

story, “The Current War” is an exciting way to convey history for the screen.

Just like Gomez-Rejon’s use of rapid pacing, writer Michael Mitnick’s screenplay is expeditious and Sorkin-like. The rivalry between our two main giants is fierce as they snap dialogue to beat each other in the labs and the presses.

And just like the outcome of the directing, the writing here is entertaining but difficult to follow. Mitnick tries to do too much in too little time as he crams the script to the brim with historical facts. As more information is heaped on, it becomes an information overload that is increasingly impossible to keep straight. By the end, you’ll feel like you’ve read a Wikipedia page and will only be able to remember fragments here and there.

Also, Nikola Tesla shows up in the story and participates in the race. While Tesla does deserve to stand with Edison and Westinghouse in the history books, he doesn’t belong in this already over-

He walked around a local sculpture park in the area, discussing the stigma behind mental health issues. In order to spread the impact that these conditions can have on someone, he started a movement called #ProjectIAmNotAshamed.

Through this program, he hopes to share his story and help others to start a discussion.

He described the recovery process as a formula where people have to examine the people and places in their lives while holding themselves accountable.

Freshman elementary and middle-level education major Reegan Zinkula thought that his speech was fascinating.

“I thought that it was an

interesting and eye-opening experience to see how people go through their lives,” Zinkula said. “We can learn how to bring awareness to mental health.”

Other students, such as senior digital media production major Kazek Israni-Winger, were happy to see high attendance and engagement at the event.

“I really enjoyed it,” IsraniWinger said. “I was happy to see that a lot of people came to this. It allows people to learn about the stigma, and I thought that he had a good perspective.”

Tuesday’s event was sponsored by nonprofit organization To Write Love on Her Arms.

Tribune News Service

Benedict Cumberbatch (left) stars as Thomas Edison and Michael Shannon (above, right) as George Westinghouse in historical drama “The Current War,” directed by Alfonso Gomez-Rejon.

ly-stuffed movie.

Acting: 4/5 Starring as the brash Thomas Edison is Benedict Cumberbatch, whose American accent isn’t as convincing as one would think.

Like most of Cumberbatch’s performance, you can see the genius of the character within his speech and mannerisms. Thankfully, the genius he plays here isn’t as cold as Sherlock Holmes or Alan Turing. There’s some warmth under Edison’s surface that you can sense through Cumberbatch’s performance.

Michael Shannon plays the opposite of Cumberbatch as he is calmer and calculated in his performance of George Westinghouse. He’s the more businessman-like of the two as he carries himself more professionally.

Nicholas Hoult plays Nikola Tesla. Just like Cumberbatch, Hoult’s eastern European accent isn’t on

point, but it’s fine enough to pass. Hoult does well at making you see the frustration within Tesla as his brilliant ideas are never allowed to flourish.

Lastly, Tom Holland does supporting work as Edison’s secretary. As it was filmed before his star power ballooned from Spider-Man, Holland’s role is minor and doesn’t give him much to work with.

Overall: 3.5/5 “The Current War” is the most entertaining and needlessly confusing movie of the year. All the talent involved makes a great effort, but their good intentions just come up short of making a great movie. But it’s still quite good and deserves to be seen, even if you’d be hard-pressed to absorb and remember most of what it’s trying to teach you.

GABI CUMMINGS/Northern Iowan

Mental health awareness advocate Ross Trowbridge visited UNI on Tuesday, Oct. 29.

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PAGE 6

SPORTS OCTOBER 31, 2019 |

VOLLEYBALL

NORTHERNIOWAN.COM

JACOB POTTER Sports Editor

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VOLUME 116, ISSUE 18

Petersen puts 500th win into perspective PATRICK HANSEN

Sports Writer

With the 3-0 sweep of Indiana State this past weekend, UNI volleyball head coach Bobbi Petersen has completed the trek to 500 wins in her journey to becoming UNI’s second winningest volleyball coach of all time.

Petersen credited much of her success to her former coach and the winningest coach in UNI volleyball history, Iradge Ahrabi-Fard.

“I wouldn’t have this opportunity without Irage,” Petersen said.

“He’s the one that recruited me as a student-athlete and was a huge mentor for me during that time. I owe so much to who I am to him. I learned a lot of different things under him.

He gave me so many amazing opportunities to be able to pursue a coaching career because to be honest, that’s not the route I wanted to go down. But his encouragement led me to think about this career.”

Petersen’s journey at UNI started as a standout player for the Panthers from 1986-1989, recording three all-conference nominations.

Along with her conference record of 40 kills in a match, she also led the league her senior year in individual hitting percentage, ace average and kill average.

Her accolades did not stop there as she was later named to the conference all-centennial team in 2006.

Following her graduation, Peteresen spent some time away from UNI before returning as an assistant

coach. She ultimately spent six years learning under Ahrabi-Fard before taking over the head coaching duties in 2001.

In her historic tenure at UNI, Petersen has posted impressive numbers. She has won the conference championship as a player and a coach, being the first person to do so in UNI history.

She has also guided the Panthers to 14 NCAA tournament appearances, eight regular season conference titles and nine conference championships.

Additionally, Petersen has put UNI volleyball on the map with wins against some of the nations most prestigious volleyball schools, including wins over Florida, UCLA, Pepperdine, Creighton and USC. Off the court, Petersen

has led 34 of her players to be named first-team conference scholar athletes.

“Volleyball is a small piece of who these women are,” Petersen noted.

“They must make other things a priority in their life other than volleyball and we must be examples of that. We are driven in our job, but we have families and we have other priorities that we can also stop. There has to be balance in your life.”

Following the Panthers’ most recent win over Evansville, Petersen is now just two wins away from tying her mentor’s record of 503 wins and three games away from becoming the new winningest head coach in UNI history.

Courtesy Photo/UNI Athletics

BASKETBALL

Panther women defeat Upper Iowa in exhibition play COLIN HORNING

Sports Writer

The 2019-2020 UNI women’s basketball team was in action Sunday, Oct. 27 in the McLeod Center for an exhibition game against Upper Iowa University.

The Panther women dominated their in-state opponents, coming away

with a 67-40 victory.

“I was really pleased in the fact that we got to play everyone and we had a great contribution from the bench,” head coach Tanya Warren said.

UNI received big contributions off the bench as they had 38 bench points for the contest, outscoring Upper Iowa by 16 in that department. Northern Iowa

LINDY RUBLAITUS/Northern Iowan

only led by three points after the first quarter of play, but would break the game wide open in the second, outscoring the Peacocks 25-9.

UNI shot only 25 percent from the field in the first quarter, but shot 64 percent in the second. Upper Iowa was held to only 23 percent shooting overall for the game, and never had a lead throughout the game.

The Panther women didn’t look back in the second half, going on to take the victory in their first taste of game action this season.

“I liked the fact that we were able to put in different lineups and see how they had the ability to make the adjustments on the floor,” Warren said.

The Panthers had a balanced scoring attack with three players in double-fig-

LINDY RUBLAITUS/Northern Iowan

Courtesy Photo/UNI Athletics

ures and every player who entered the game registered at least one point. Redshirt freshman Kam Finley and graduate student Kristina Cavey led the Panthers in scoring with 11 points each, followed by Bre Gunnels with 10. Cavey led the team on the boards as well with ten rebounds, followed by

senior Abby Gerrits with seven. UNI also outscored Upper Iowa 23-6 on second-chance points.

Up next, the Panther women will play host to North Dakota State University for their season opener. Tipoff is scheduled for Wednesday, Nov. 6 at 6:30 p.m.

GOLF

Panthers escape cold, finish season at Hawaii invite BRIELLE KIEWIET Sports Writer

The UNI women’s golf team wrapped up their fall season at the Rainbow Wahine Invitational in Kapolei, Hawaii, from Oct. 28-30.

Aside from enjoying the warm weather and beautiful sites that Hawaii has to offer, the team was looking to continue their strong play after a first place finish in the MVC Preview.

“I’ve said all along, we’ve got a good chance and we’ve got a pretty decent team,”

head coach John Bermel said.

“Now we just have to keep proving it week in and week out.”

The Invitational was hosted by the University of Hawaii and played on Kapolei Golf Course.

The Panthers completed day one of the competition on Monday, carding a team total of 300, putting them in seventh place out of 14 teams.

Emily Snelling led the Panthers during their first 18 holes, tallying a total of 71 and tying for second place.

Hannah Bermel, named last week’s MVC Golfer of the week for the second time this season, shot a 76, leaving her tied with Hailey Bermel for 38th place.

The Panthers came out with more impressive play on day two of the competition by carding a second round total of 287, tying them for fifth place.

Snelling continued to lead the Panthers, carding 72 and tying for sixth place. Hannah Bermel and Sydney Eaton each totaled 147, leaving them tied with each other for

Courtesy Photo/UNI Athletics

22nd place. Anne Gradoville tied for 53rd place with Hailey Bermel close behind

tied for 58th. The team currently sits at fifth place in the Invitational after day two.

SIERRA STEEN Managing Editor

PAGE 7

FUN & GAMES OCTOBER 31, 2019 |

NORTHERNIOWAN.COM

SUDOKU ONE

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VOLUME 116, ISSUE 18

SUDOKU TWO

Feeling stressed?

Color these cute little pumpkins!

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Across 1 Gets misty, with “up” 5 Salon treatment, briefly 9 Benjamins 15 Curly coif 16 Popular river name from the Welsh for “river” 17 They’re exchanged in Hawaii 18 Nonstick cookware

product 19 Religious season 20 “Don’t take the blame” 21 Risked it big-time 24 Cooler filler 25 Chinese zodiac critter 26 Approximate nos.

27 MN and NM 30 Puts (in) tentatively 32 Bad-mouth

33 Word before bug or ant 34 Prov. bordering four Great Lakes 35 Hairpiece 36 Hazardous gas 37 Risked it big-time 42 Parrots geese 43 Fill up on 44 Nero’s 91 45 Exclusive 46 Part of UNLV 47 Wore 51 BB-shaped veggie 52 Coll. Board exams 53 “I’m sorry, Dave” film computer 54 “__ you serious?”

55 Risked it big-time 59 Compensate for 61 Short hoppers?

62 Hall of Fame pitcher Randy “The Big __” Johnson 63 Hairpiece 64 Pennsylvania county 65 5 for B or 6 for C 66 Coffee and wine 67 Lairs 68 One logging on

Down 1 Fistfight souvenir 2 __ hours 3 Second Commandment adjective 4 Footprint maker 5 Silicon Valley city 6 Pentathlon’s five 7 “That’s a no-no!”

8 Where losers of a race may be left 9 West Point students 10 Gravity-powered vehicles 11 Classic video game 12 Reaffirming rebuttal 13 __ chi 14 Boomer that no longer booms 22 Screwdrivers, e.g.

23 Give approval online, in a way 28 Slacks, briefly 29 Email status 31 Far from self-effacing 33 Mystic on a bed of nails 35 Comforted 36 Soda since 1905 37 Explore OfferUp 38 Hue 39 Prohibited

40 “Awesome!”

41 Wide-open spaces 46 Coffeehouse orders 47 Sure winner 48 Contaminates 49 White-coated weasel 50 One with bills to pay 52 Look of disdain 56 Hockey’s Phil, to fans 57 Sped 58 Waikiki bash 59 Needing no Rx 60 Egg __ yung

Puzzle answers on page 8

PAGE 8

CLASSIFIEDS

OCTOBER 31, 2019 |

NORTHERNIOWAN.COM

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SIERRA STEEN Managing Editor

VOLUME 116, ISSUE 18

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