28 February 2022

a student newspaper of the University of Tulsa

February 28, 2022 - Issue 17 - Volume 107

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Myanmar’s dictatorship takes advantage of Ukraine conflict, page 5

• TU Professor Peters interviewed on Ukraine crisis, page 2 • TU track and field has conference ranked runners, page 3 • Dr. Jennifer Airey’s variety favorites, page 6 • Satire: The worst guy you know delivers his take on Ukraine-Russia, page 7

News

The Collegian: 2

28 February 2022

TU Professor Peters interviewed on Ukraine crisis Dr. Ben Peters sheds light on the complex history of Ukraine and possible outcomes of the conflict as Russian troops continue their invasion.

Justin Klopfer Editor-in-Chief On Feb. 24, Russian President Vladimir Putin launched an invasion of Ukraine.

A few days earlier, Putin delivered a fiery speech rejecting the legitimacy of an independent Ukraine. As of Feb. 27, the invasion has made its way to Kyiv and Kharkiv, the two largest cities in Ukraine.

To get a clearer picture of the complex geopolitical crisis, I talked to Dr. Ben Peters, a TU professor of Russian studies and media studies. This interview was conducted on Feb. 25.

Beginning with the context of the invasion, Peters stressed the vibrant culture Ukraine has, particularly in its cultural capital of L’viv. The country has a shining liter-

ary history with writers like Nikolai Gogol and culinary delights to rival any nation.

Putin’s speech positioned Ukraine as a little brother to Russia, regaling the history dating back to Kyivan Rus’, but this history actually shows the opposite — that Russia is really an extension of Ukraine. Peters cautioned against a typical western view of Putin as “playing 17-dimensional chess,” instead characteriszing him as a “murderous tyrant” and an autocrat.

Still, Ukraine has a complex history and a role that Peters calls a “delta of empires” throughout the last 500 years. The country is “no one single thing” and should stop being seen only in its relation to both Russia and NATO. Its position as a “crossroads” between Europe and Eurasia lends itself to this characterization, but Ukraine is more than its relations to these other regions.

The recent invasion was a completely unjustified attack on a sovereign, independent nation. It has resulted in 198 civilian deaths as of Feb. 26 according to Ukrinform, and this number will only grow in the coming days. The precise motivations for such a violation of international law can’t be known with certainty, but Peters believes controlling Ukraine is the essential step for Russia to become an empire. “Without Ukraine,

courtesy Ben Peters Russian troops attacked Ukraine’s capital, Kyiv, on Feb. 25 and were met with fierce resistance.

even worse scenario, if NATO countries are brought into the fighting, the conflict could spread into a massive and potentially nuclear war. Regardless of the developments, all possibilities are devastating for Ukraine.

“... controlling Ukraine is the essential step for Russia to become an empire.”

courtesy Ben Peters Dr. Ben Peters is a professor of Russian studies and media studies at TU.

Russia cannot identify as an empire; at the same time, with Russia, Ukraine cannot identify as an independent nation,” Peters wrote in a blog post on February 21.

Peters hesitated to offer any specific predictions for the conflict, though did list a few possible outcomes. Initially, the goal seemed to be to install puppets in the eastern Donbas region only, which would still give veto power to pro-Russia elements. However, it now seems Russia may install a puppet government in Kyiv, essentially giving complete control of Ukraine to Russia. In an

One relatively novel factor of the ongoing invasion is the potential for cyber attacks.

Peters says the Ukrainian power grid would represent the “holy grail” of attack targets for Russia, though the internet, communication networks and grocery stores are also vulnerable to cyber attacks. Of course, the US has also perpetrated their share of cyber attacks such as the infamous “Stuxnet” attack on an Iranian nuclear facility.

Disinformation is another vector of attack Ukraine faces, often coming from cyberspace as well. According to Peters, dis-

information doesn’t have to fully convince the listener, it just has to “make enough doubt” in Ukrainians’ minds to make them stop fighting. Putin’s incessant accusations of rampant nazism in Ukraine aim to foment this kind of doubt, despite Ukraine being nowhere near actual fascist rule. Putin’s claims are then echoed on official Russian media outlets.

Peters also stressed how the complex scenario requires a deep understanding of Slavic history and culture — an understanding that can only be cultivated by serious academic study at institutions like TU. Cyber studies on their own aren’t enough to tackle immense geopolitical conflicts like these, they must be complemented by this sort of worldly knowledge.

Dr. Peters’ current project is titled “Imagining Russian Hackers,” an inquiry into the media’s common image of hackers from Russia. More information can be found at https://hackersinitiative.yale.edu/.

NASA calls out SpaceX on new Starlink satellite generation Covering a list of concerns in a letter directed towards SpaceX, NASA addresses their worries over the introduction of 30,000 new satellites in low orbit.

Myranda New Student Writer Earlier this year, Elon Musk’s SpaceX submitted an application to the Federal Communications Commision (FCC) seeking approval for an estimated 30,000 more satellites to be sent into low orbit in the second generation of their Starlink program.

This program already has 12,000 approved satellites to its name, 1,900 of which are already in orbit according to ARS Technica.

At the beginning of February, NASA released a comment on this application, sending a letter to the FCC stating their concerns regarding the safety and wellbeing of scientific technology and the planet. The letter opens by discussing the congestion this second generation of satellites will cause in the Earth’s lower orbit, where 6,100 satellites are already present. This proposal, if accepted, would allow SpaceX to increase the number of low satellites by five times — doubling the number of satellites in space overall. With the increased volume of technology in space, NASA worries it will lead

to difficulty tracking threats to the International Space Station (ISS) and other assets.

If there were to be a threat, moving one craft out of the way when there are so many clustered in one area could result in requir-

The presence of more satellites will decrease the launch window for future rockets, restricting engineering and logistics, as well as interfere with radio frequency, the letter continues.

“... the letter outlines concerns regarding asteroids ... hiding behind the thousands of satellites.” ing multiple crafts to move, increasing the chances of a traffic jam in space. Because all crafts controlled by NASA and SpaceX are maneuvered remotely, both agencies claim that despite the number of satellites currently in orbit, there is zero chance of potential collisions. However, by increasing the volume of satellites, there is a higher risk of not every spacecraft being able to maneuver out of the way, which creates new chances for collisions.

Considering collisions, NASA has dedicated a program to tracking potential asteroid collisions with Earth. With so many more potential satellites in orbit, though, the letter outlines concerns regarding asteroids potentially hiding behind the thousands of satellites. Glares from the sun will also bounce off of the material, blinding commanders and even interfering with data coming from the Hubble space telescope.

SpaceX plans to bring internet connection to people worldwide with the new Starlink satellite generation.

NASA, though, includes in their letter their willingness to work with SpaceX to confirm the proper implementation of their program. They hold safety at the forefront but are still curious for potential scientific discoveries, leading them to pen recommendations throughout. The agency ends the letter by saying, “NASA looks forward to SpaceX’s sustained support in our mutual endeavor to safely operate all spacecraft,” in an effort to show their equal support and concern.

Since the release of the letter, SpaceX has posted an update on their website to reiterate their safety guarantee. With graphs and data, they detail their support of their five best practices regarding satellites including satellite construction described as 99% reliable, operating in low orbit to minimize debris, monitoring health of low orbit satellites, sharing information with the world on

the orbit and developing a modern system to monitor collisions.

With these low orbiting satellites, SpaceX defends their purpose to bring internet connection to everyone around the world, meaning the satellites were specifically manufactured for low-Earth orbit. In fact, the Vice Prime Minister of Ukraine asked Elon Musk if he could activate Starlink stations amidst the invasion from Russia to aid with connectivity issues. Within the same day, Musk tweeted they were activated.

The update concludes with the following quote, “SpaceX is proud of our sophisticated and constantly improving design, test, and operational approach to improve space sustainability and safety, which are critical towards accelerating space exploration while bringing internet connectivity around the globe.” It then continues, “Together we can ensure that space is available for humanity to use and explore for generations to come,” agreeing with the sentiments of NASA in their letter as well as intending and promising safety with the implementation of this next generation, should it be approved.

To read the letter yourself, find it at the following link: https://cdn.arstechnica.net/ wp-content/uploads/2022/02/NTIA-NASAand-NSF-Fi.pdf.

To read SpaceX’s response, use the following link: https://www.spacex.com/updates/.

courtesy Wikimedia Commons

28 February 2022

Sports

The Collegian: 3

TU track and field competes in the American Indoor Conference TU track and field houses nationally ranked runners, says sports writer Daryl Turner.

If you have not been keeping up to date with TU’s track and field indoor season, I’m sad to say you have been missing out on what might potentially be one of the best seasons TU track and field has ever produced. Firstly, one of the fastest freshmen in the NCAA ran in the 400 meter dash — Evan Sanni-Thomas. Sanni-Thomas — a promising freshman on TU’s sprint squad — already ran a brisk time of 47.79 seconds earlier this season. Sanni-Thomas is currently ranked number five in the conference. Sanni-Thomas placed fifth in the 400 meter dash with a personal record of 47.52 seconds.

On the men’s 400 meter sprinters squad, senior Henry Visser and junior Kyran Lacy were ready to make their impact at conference. Visser is one of the most prominent and successful leaders on the team. He also competed in the 4x400 meter relay and distance medley relay. Lacy also competes in the 400 meter dash and the 4x400 meter relay. Josh Sutton, Cameron Ayers and Zachary Adee also traveled to Birmingham, Alabama to compete in the 60 meter dash.

Sutton went into the conference meet with the sixth best time in the 60 meter dash

with a time of 6.80 seconds and the 12th best time in the 200 meter dash with a time of 21.70. Sutton placed fourth in the 200, with a personal best of 6.78 seconds. Adee and Ayers both compare to Sutton in speed, with all three competing in the same categories.

participates in the pentathlon — the 800 meter dash, 60 meter hurdles, high jump, long jump and shot put.

Pete Johnson and Jaidah Mcallon competed in the 800 meter. Pete Johnson went to conference with his best indoor time of the season a whopping time of 1:55.68 and

“Out of the top 20 finishers in the 3000 meter event, Tulsa’s men occupied eight of those times.”

Women’s freshmen Ana Mager and Jayda Gibson have jumped onto the scene and left a large imprint. Mager is one of the fastest girls on the team, running a time of 55.95 seconds in the 400 meters and going into Conference with the 12th best time.

Gibson also runs with a time of 56.40 seconds. Elizabeth Roca runs the 400 meter dash as well, planning to put on a show and run her personal record (PR) to place and win her team some points. Cara Johnson runs the 60 meter dash. Johnson looked to improve her time of 7.66 seconds at her last conference meet. In addition, Rachel Hamel

obtained a personal record of 1:55.28. Mcallon ran a personal record at conference with the number four time of 2:09.70.

Isaac Akers went into Birmingham with a time of 3:59.39 in the mile. What’s even crazier than Isaac running a sub four minute mile, is that Tulsa has five runners in the mile that went into UAB with the top seven times in the conference — Akers, Michael Power (4:01.17), Scott Beatie (4:02.17), Shay McEvoy (4:02.79) and Christan Baker (4:06.43). Tulsa also has three mile runners within the top 20 times in the conference: Sean Korsmo, Pete Johnson and Max Nores.

For the women, Katharina Pesendorfer is one of Tulsa’s fastest mile runners on the women’s side with a PR of 4:46.27. Keely Jones ran a 4:47.16 mile, earning her third place. Chloe McEachern also ran the mile, earning eighth place with a time of 4:53.68.

Out of the top 20 finishers in the 3000 meter event, Tulsa’s men occupied eight of those times. The top six times in the 3000 meters are all from Tulsa men — Beattie (7:49.33), Power, Cormac Dalton, Isaac Akers, Peter Lynch and Shay McEvoy, respectively. The women’s team earned five of the top six spots in the 3000 meter run, with Katharina Pesendorfer coming in first at a time of 9:27.97.

For the women’s 5000 meter runners, they occupied the first, second and fifth places, with Chloe Hershenow (16:42.31), Caroline Miller and Alice Newcombe respectively. The men also sweeped their 5000 meter run, earning first (Beattie at 14:14.16), second (Cormac) and third (Lynch).

The final scores of the conference meet put Tulsa men at 4th place out of seven teams and Tulsa women at 3rd place out of 11 teams.

courtesy @TulsaTrack on Twitter

courtesy @TulsaTrack on Twitter

courtesy @TulsaTrack on Twitter

James Harden begins a new season with Philadelphia 76ers

Sports writer Daryl Turner discusses predictions for the 76ers’ season with Harden.

Everybody has been waiting patiently to see James Harden in action after the blockbuster trade that just happened before the All-Star break. This trade consisted of James Harden going to the Philadelphia 76ers in exchange for Ben Simmons, Seth Curry, Andre Drummond and two draft picks. Now, some would say that trade was giving away a lot in exchange for the former MVP, based on how his play was in Brooklyn, where — according to ESPN — he averaged 22.5 points per game along with eight rebounds and 10.2 assists. Considering all the 76ers gave up, him playing as average as that will not bode well for the future of the 76ers organization. That is why Harden’s debut on Feb. 25, 2022 for the 76ers will be something to definitely check out. Although one game will not determine if Harden can prove himself worthy of that trade, it would be a good indicator in terms of how well he can possibly mix with the team before playoffs. Speaking of playoffs, that is one area that Harden has still yet to consistently show up in all his time in the NBA. The former MVP has never made it past the conference finals, but will look to change that in Philly.

For right now, Joel Embiid has carried the 76ers on his back the entire season, playing at a remarkable MVP level, dominating almost every game. Embiid averages 29.6 points per game along with 11.2 rebounds and 4.5 assists, and is one of, if not the most, dynamic big men in the league today. When Embiid was asked about Harden joining the team by Bleacher Report, he said, “We can actually accomplish something big. We already have a great system in place. When you add James it takes you to another level.”

The dynamic duo makes their debut on Friday against the Timberwolves, who are led by the young superstar Anthony Edwards

and elite all-star big man Karl Anthony Towns.

the team. If this doesn’t work out, there will be multiple people to blame, but the main

“‘... when you add James it takes you to another level.’”

Daryl Morey, the 76ers president of basketball operations, personally sought to bring Harden to Philadelphia and play for

person that has control over how well this could potentially go is Harden. Luckily, the world gets the first chance on Friday to see

how James Harden can make this team as good as people expect them to be. For Philadelphia, losing Ben Simmons didn’t really mean anything to them, but with Seth Curry being one of the best shooters in the league and Andre Drummond one of the best rebounders in the game, they really gave up a lot. Can Harden make up for all the talent they lost? Or will Philly keep getting carried on Embiid’s back for the remainder of the season with Harden acting as non-existent as Ben Simmons was? Only time will tell and it’s coming up soon.

courtesy @JHarden13

Sports

The Collegian: 4

28 February 2022

Michigan and Wisconsin basketball coaches fight post-game Juwan Howard gets into a fight that might cost him his career, says sports writer Daryl Turner.

No head coach should ever take it this far. The action itself does not bother me — although it wasn’t the best or brightest idea — but the reason. At the press conference Howard sat down and talked about the incident claiming that the only reason he did what he did is because Gard had grabbed him, so he acted in self defense.

suspension were Terreance Williams II (one game) Moussa Diabate (one game) and on Wisconsin’s side Jahcobi Neath (one game).

All in all, Howard is a good person who, even though he had a little temper tantrum that almost turned into a brawl, was reasonable and sincere enough to make a full apology to everybody. Does that excuse his

“... this irrational decision not only affected Howard, but his team as well.”

courtesy @LetsTalkHoop on Twitter

Head coaches fight all the time. Whether it’s with the refs, players or other coaches it’s just what comes with the job, but Michigan University head coach Juwan Howard took it to the next level.

While walking through the handshake line at the end of the game, coach Howard was grabbed by University of Wisconsin’s head coach Greg Gard, as Gard tried to explain to Howard why earlier in the game he had called a timeout with the score being as out of reach as it was. Howard did not appreciate this grab and instantly grabbed

Gard by his collar and the two were immediately separated, but this quarrel continued.

On various videos, one can see Howard standing behind three or four people acting still very irate and nearing the end of his patience. The assistant coach from Wisconsin, Joe Krabbenhoft, enters the circle that has now grown to six or seven people, with all involved pushing and shoving. Then out of nowhere Howard leaps over two men in front of him, open hand smacking the assistant head coach in the face.

Now, I’m no investigator, but I can put two and two together. If Gard was the main person your frustration was targeted towards because he grabbed you, why would you deliberately palm the face of the assistant coach? The actions are illogical. Nonetheless he did what he did and can’t take it back. The worst part is that this irrational decision not only affected Howard, but his team as well.

A brawl almost broke out after that swipe of the face by Howard, with some of his athletes trying to hold him back while others fought for him. Ultimately this type of thing should never happen. Because of his actions, Howard was suspended for the rest of the regular season (five games) and fined $40,000 for his misconduct. Gard wasn’t suspended, but he did receive a $10,000 fine.

The players from Michigan who received a

actions? No, but it does show that he can accept responsibility and hopefully do better as the coach of Michigan basketball. As a head coach in the NCAA, Howard has a standard to uphold and abide by. Granted, mistakes are made everyday, but everybody out on that court knows what their job is and if you can’t keep your emotions in check while performing that job then maybe that job isn’t for you.

I’m personally glad he didn’t get fired, but he did give his opponents all the ammunition they needed to say, “Hey this isn’t working out, we need to part ways” anytime his team doesn’t do as well as expected.

Rooting for Howard or not, he will get a chance to redeem himself as a head coach and all he can do and probably will do, is go out there and coach his butt off for his team.

courtesy @umichbball on Twitter

courtesy @BadgerMBB on Twitter

Feb. 28 - Mar. 6 Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday 1

28

2

Thursday

Friday

Saturday 4

3

W Tennis vs. Purdue 10:00 a.m.

Sunday 5

6

Softball vs. Minnesota 11:00 a.m.

Softbal Texas Classic 11:00 a.m. none Softball Texas Classic 1:30 p.m.

W Basketball @UCF 5:00 p.m.

M Basketball vs. Wichita State 8:00 p.m.

W Tennis vs. North Dakota 1:00 p.m.

Softball vs. DePaul 2:30 p.m.

Softball vs. DePaul 4:30 p.m.

W Soccer @Oklahoma BapM Tennis tist vs. North Dakota 11:00 a.m.

TBD M Soccer vs. Midwestern State 1:00 p.m.

Softball vs. Stanford 1:30 p.m.

W Soccer vs. Northern OK College 4:00 p.m.

Softball vs. Minnesota 4:00 p.m.

Softball vs. Stanford 6:30 p.m.

M Basketball vs. UCF 1:00 p.m.

28 February 2022

Commentary

The Collegian: 5

Myanmar eliminates emerging rebel groups

Myanmar takes advantage of the Russia/Ukraine conflict to secure their dictatorship.

Adam Walsh Managing Editor With Ukraine currently occupying international headlines and minds across the globe, the military junta in Myanmar has taken the opportunity to crack down on rebel groups opposing the cruel dictatorship.

Although the Russo-Ukrainian war deserves global attention, it is not the only

The current extermination campaign aims to eliminate any individuals suspected of having relations to a counter-junta group, with thousands of civilians fleeing bombardments against non-hostile targets.

What complicates this situation is how Russia has continued to support the efforts of the Myanmar military. Reports indicate that high-ranking members of Myanmar’s ruling junta have extensive ties with Moscow, with some individuals visiting from time to time. Russia refused to place sanctions on Myanmar’s economy and was one of the few countries that advocated for the junta’s uprising at the onset of the coup..

The fact that this new wave of attacks coincided with the Russian invasion of Ukraine does raise eyebrows. While the connections to Russia are rather intriguing, considering the situation — the bombing of civilian centers and enlistment of military forces with the goal of removing dissident groups — focusing on the geopolitical ramifications of the continued brutality seems somehow apathetic.

Yes, Ukraine is important. Yes, we should look at each event with a critical eye in order to understand the potential outcomes.

Yes, the connections between these autocratic oligarchies deserve attention, but so do the people.

“The fact that this new wave of attacks coincided with the Russian invasion of Ukraine does raise eyebrows.” major conflict burgeoning at this point in history. After overthrowing the democratically-elected government in Feb. 2021, the military party that has effectively occupied Myanmar has taken the opportunity to exterminate resistance groups opposed to the dictatorship. Situated east of India and southwest of China, the state formerly known as Burma has a long history of generals utilizing their positions to take advantage of a relatively unknown country. Five decades of dictatorship following the collapse of Western imperial practices left the state in a poor place between modernized and primarily agricultural. However, the late 2010s seemed to indicate an upward trend in their standard of living, with the first civilianelected government seizing power from the military autocrats, but a coup d’etat shoved that progress back.

Perhaps I’m simply reflecting on my own perception of these events, but there seems to be so much rationalization and conversion of events into clinical terms that it alienates natural human empathy.

However, there is another twist to this story: there are militia groups in Myanmar that have continued fighting against the military junta. There has been constant conflict between these rebel groups and the ruling government of Myanmar, and this new round of bombardments indicates an intensification, not a completely new development. They also rely on international support from ethnic groups across the globe, yet this new round of fighting has led to university students in Myanmar seeking out alternative schools in the western United States, especially California.

Maybe there’s another opportunity for TU to do something good in the world.

courtesy Wikimedia Commons The conflict in Myanmar is the longest ongoing civil war in world history, with the insurgencies beginning in 1948, when the country was still known as Burma.

Nobody needs the Joe Rogan experience

Rogan’s guests frequently spread dangerous misinformation and the host regularly fails to temper pseudoscience with facts.

Shelby Hiens News Editor Various artists have pulled their music from Spotify in retaliation to COVID-19 misinformation and racist remarks made by the famous podcaster Joe Rogan. The Ultimate Fighting Championship commentator has issued apologies and removed many controversial episodes of his podcast from Spotify, but he has received no warnings or punishment from the platform.

Rogan has featured many guests on his podcast, “The Joe Rogan Experience,” where they discuss COVID-19 conspiracy theories and general falsehoods about the virus. One episode featured virologist Dr. Robert Malone, who had already been banned from Twitter due to spreading COVID-19 misinformation. Malone claimed that vaccines are efficient because of “mass formation psychosis” and discussed other factually incorrect claims with Rogan, who did not attempt to correct or dismantle these theories but fueled them. As a result, over 270 doctors signed an open letter to Spotify criticizing both the episode and the platform for creating doubt in scientifically proven research.

Rogan addressed the criticisms in a 10-minute video and said he would do his best to “balance things out” in the future, but did not agree to stop hosting controver-

courtesy Joe Rogan Experience Rogan has had an extensive career in other media before his controversial podcast, including as a UFC commentator, game show host and a star on a popular sitcom.

sial discussions about the virus. He said, “My point of doing this is always just to create interesting conversations and ones that I hope people enjoy.” Spotify also responded by releasing a COVID-19 policy that includes issuing disclaimers on content that may be deemed misinformation. The platform did not take action against Rogan.

of millions of viewers could have dangerous — even fatal — consequences if they do not follow the trusted and credible guidelines set out by the CDC. Artists such as Neil Young, Joni Mitchell, Nils Lofgren and India Arie were among the first to remove their music from Spotify because of the misinformed content on Ro-

“... there is a line between language that is appropriate, civil and decent and what is blatantly hateful and racist.”

By spreading misinformation on Spotify’s most popular show, Rogan is harming the credibility of scientific research and the proven facts about COVID-19, and Spotify is enabling him through continued use of their platform. The podcaster is fueling the mistrust people have in the government and health professionals by giving merit to conspiracies and giving a platform to those who believe in falsehoods about the virus.

Although conspiracy theories are commonly discussed on media outlets such as podcasts, the serious and polarizing nature of COVID-19 makes these discussions dangerous as millions have died from the virus and the pandemic is still ongoing. Fueling false beliefs about the virus in his hundreds

gan’s podcast. However, Arie claimed that her decision to pull her music from the platform was also fueled by Rogan’s blatant racism on many episodes of his podcast.

The podcaster came under fire this year for a compilation video showcasing Rogan saying a racial slur over 20 times. Clips of Rogan saying racist and outlandish remarks on the podcast also surfaced, to which Rogan responded with a five minute apology video which downplayed the severity of his insolent behavior.

Spotify’s CEO, Daniel Ek, addressed the situation by giving Rogan a slap on the wrist. Rogan deleted episodes of the podcast featuring offensive material and Spotify decided not to remove Rogan from their

platform, despite the multiple counts of hate speech he has acquired since beginning the podcast in 2009. Apparently deleting the evidence was good enough for Ek, who said, “I do not believe that silencing Joe is the answer,” in a memo addressing the issue.

Spotify is partially responsible for the damage Rogan has caused with his senseless actions on his podcast. Rogan signed to have “The Joe Rogan Experience” streamed exclusively on Spotify in 2020, giving Spotify the control to sanction Rogan for inappropriate content if they so choose.

However, Spotify did not choose to penalize Rogan. In fact, Spotify reportedly pays Rogan close to $200 million to stay on the platform and do… whatever he wants really.

Yes, everyone has the right to free speech; however, there is a line between language that is appropriate, civil and decent and what is blatantly hateful and racist. The fact of the matter is Rogan should be penalized for his racist remarks by suspending his platform or outright terminating it. Other platforms sanction creators to keep their content decent and free of hate speech or cruelty. Spotify has done nothing to punish Rogan for his disrespectful behavior or prevent him from repeating it.

Variety

The Collegian: 6

Stay up-to-date on news, politics and more with this week’s podcast picks.

Hana Saad Student Writer The news cycle can feel exhausting to keep up with. Things are constantly changing and it can be hard to sift through all of the information available out there. But there are podcasts that can help. From shows with shorter episodes that keep you up-to-date on the biggest news stories to those that feature more in-depth reporting, this list of podcasts is sure to offer some clarity about current events.

courtesy utulsa.edu Airey’s most recent book focuses on Mary Shelley.

See Me After Class is a weekly column where a different professor reveals their variety favorites.

Julianne Tran Variety Editor A tenured professor of English who received her Ph.D. from Boston University, Dr. Jennifer Airey is the self-proclaimed Queen of Trash Literature. From her position as editor-in-chief of “Tulsa Studies in Women’s Literature” and the chair of interim provost, Dr. Airey takes the time out of her busy schedule to answer some questions for TUs newest weekly column.

What’s your favorite book? What book would you say all undergrads need to read before they graduate?

I’m a huge fan of Matthew Lewis’s 1796 gothic novel, “The Monk.” When I assign it, I tell my students that they’re about to read the greatest novel ever written [Adam’s note: Can confirm Dr. Airey said that and it is a wonderfully insane novel]. It’s the complete trash of its day — murder, magic, bleeding ghost nuns, evil monks and Satan,

28 February 2022

Best Podcasts for Staying Updated on Current News “Up First” from NPR: With episodes of 15 minutes, this is the perfect podcast to get updated on the three most pressing events of the day. NPR News does this in a succinct manner, making it easy to incorporate this show into your daily routine.

“The Daily” from The New York Times: The show features news and politics from across the globe as reported by a variety of journalists. It provides a strong analysis of current events. The episodes range from 20 to 30 minutes, which is on the longer side, but the reporting is more in-depth than shorter podcasts so it is worth the time if you have it.

himself — but it also offers a really fascinating take on contemporary gender roles, religious and political controversies and the dangers associated with being an author.

More broadly, I hope all undergrads will have some exposure to early literature before they leave TU. I’m currently editing an edition of an 1811 novel called “The Passions” by Charlotte Dacre, an understudied female gothic novelist. It’s my aim to make these “trashy” works — novels that were popular in their own day but have since been forgotten (in some cases because they were written by women, in other cases because they were deemed unintellectual) — accessible to modern readers, both because they’re analytically interesting, and because they’re fun. “The Passions” is about a woman who sets out to destroy a man who rejected her, and it’s quite a ride.

What’s reading like for you? Is there a specific setting, mood, drink set-up?

If I’m reading for work, I prefer a coffee shop, where I can drink hot chocolate or chai. I’m a bathtub reader when I’m reading for fun.

Is there a movie/show that you always return to?

I have some comfort sitcoms that I’ll put on in the background while doing chores — “Friends,” “The Office,” “Schitt’s Creek,” “The Big Bang Theory.” From a teaching perspective, I like to stay current with the cultural zeitgeist of the moment. I’m not teaching this semester, but if I were, I’d probably be trying to work in an analysis of “Squid Game” and gender.

courtesy National Public Radio Every weekday, NPR’s political reporters give updates on the biggest national news.

Best Podcasts for Staying Updated on Politics “The NPR Politics Podcast” from NPR: Every day, journalists cover the biggest news coming out of Washington. An essential podcast for staying up-to-date on US politics in episodes that range under 20 minutes or less.

“The Take” from Al Jazeera English: With new episodes every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, this podcast keeps you upto-date on global politics and current events.

What’s your favorite Tulsa restaurant?

Do you have any food/restaurant routines?

eo games, particularly survival horror and first-person shooters. Being mildly skilled at “Call of Duty” is my hidden talent.

Hands down, Keo on Brookside. Go try the ginger garlic stir fry with white rice and chicken. I’m a creature of habit when it comes to restaurants. Friends have to drag me to new places.

If you had to pick three songs for a Playlist of Your Life, what would they be?

Is there a media/pop culture/entertainment/music side to you that students wouldn’t expect?

tucollegian@tucollegian.com editor in chief

Justin Klopfer

I really enjoyed Grady Hendrix’s “The Final Girl Support Group,” which is a pretty spot-on satire of slasher films.

Adam Walsh

managing editor

news editor

Shelby Hiens sports editor

Callie Hummel variety editor

Julianne Tran commentary editor

Logan Guthrie satire editor

Anna Johns photo & graphics editor

Amy Polovich

business & advertising manager

Madeleine Goodman social media & web manager

Maddie Walters copy editor

Jihan Aldada

courtesy Oxford World Classics

I’m not sure about individual songs, but I wrote my dissertation to the “Lord of the Rings” soundtrack, my first book to the “Battlestar Galactica” soundtrack and my second book to the “Game of Thrones” soundtrack, so I guess those count.

I’m not sure this is so unexpected, given the classes I teach, but I am a big fan of vid-

What was the last book/movie/show that you actually found funny?

Airey recommends “The Monk” to all undergraduate students.

Recent stories covered the conflict in Yemen, violence in Kashmir and marijuana equity in Illinois. The episodes are around 15 to 20 minutes.

“FiveThirtyEight Politics” from ABC News: This podcast covers the latest issues and news in politics across the US, with occasional updates from other countries across the globe. The episodes range anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour.

These podcasts are available on all streaming platforms.

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the

28 February 2022

The State-Run Media

State-Run media

Now a Beatles fanpage! Here comes the lads!

Top 5 opinions on the Ukraine invasion, according to the worst guy you know

It’s hard to know what to think about the Ukraine-Russia crisis, but don’t worry. The guy in your class whose whole deal is to banter with the professor is ready to dish his thoughts on the invasion.

Anna Johns Putin, if I was your mother, I’d devotedly wipe up your little poopy baby butt cheeks with moist towelettes.

With the ongoing invasion of Ukraine, global fear can be felt more than ever. Uncertainties and anxieties seem magnified by a situation outside of our control. What does this invasion mean? What will happen? Instead of answers, though, what people have received has instead been an acute sense of helplessness.

For another unwanted opinion on the Ukraine-Russia situation, we turn to a guy named something like Jeremy or Josh or Justin for his take. Usually, you would incessantly hear opinions like these in one of those Block 1s or 2s you’re required to take, but this piece is free and widely accessible, baby! That’s the beauty of journalism — delivering the voices of the loudest people from whom you did not want to hear.

1. The whole thing is playing out just like a movie.

Okay, hear me out. So, like, the United States is Gryffindor, right? And Russia is definitely Slytherin. For Hufflepuff, I’m thinking Ukraine. Maybe Ravenclaw is the United Kingdom because British people are the smarties, LOL! Anyway, we’ve seen a tremendous amount of bravery coming from the Ukrainians. Not so bad for little wimpy Hufflepuffs, eh? News came out about the Ukrainian soldiers who are believed to have died as they defended Snake Island from a Russian warship. When asked to surrender, they report-

graphic by Anna Johns This photo supposedly harbors the same amount of radiation as the Elephant’s Foot in Chernobyl.

edly told the warship to “go fuck yourself.”

How badass is that? When I posted a clip of this on r/dankmemes and added the Skyrim “SPEECH 110” meme, I received several Reddit Golds, so, yeah, I guess I do understand how war can be rewarding, too. Sure, people might have died in an unbelievably terrifying scenario against a global superpower, but they were at least cool as fuck about it.

Another epic element of the opposition to Russia’s fascism is the declaration of cyberwarfare from Anonymous. Anonymous released a video condemning Russia in their typical mysterious fashion: donning a “V for Vendetta” mask, wearing a black sweatshirt with the hood pulled up and speaking while a projector overlays a screen of code in a “Matrix” fashion. How fucking cool is that? It’s like in those action movies where the heist hackers reveal to the public how a corporation or government has been evil all along.

2. If the Avengers were here…

Could you imagine watching the scene in the first “Avengers” when they are all in that circle, staring directly at the threat as they grimly hold their weapons? Steve Rogers would be like, “This isn’t my first fight against a fascist,” and Natasha Romanoff would be so hot in her skintight suit and would personally translate an insult to Russia. #Equality. Boom!

3. I don’t know why the Russian people can’t, like, speak up about this.

I’m just saying if all the Russian people stood up to Putin and were like “no, Putin, we’re actually not doing this,” the whole issue would be resolved with the power of the people. If everyone would just mobilize and be brave for once, we could save thousands of lives. The sheeple need to wake up and leave their propagandic pasture.

4. This kind of feels like we’re living in the lore of the Fallout games.

Yeah, it looks like my radio this week will

be only playing the Mojave Music selection from Fallout: New Vegas. Seems pretty relevant right now, huh? And that footage of the Ghost of Kyiv? It looks straight out of Arma 3!

5. We are the generation that grew up reading dystopian novels. Putin has no idea what’s coming for him.

In middle school, we devoured The Hunger Games with rapt attention to it as it played across the big screen. We consumed the derivative dystopia YAs that arose from District Thirteen’s ashes: hello, Divergent; bonjour, Matched; how do you do, Uglies?

We are a generation of defiant thinkers, of protesting speakers, of the witches you couldn’t burn and the men you couldn’t get to shut the fuck up.

So, Mr. Putin, if you think you can silence us, you have another thing coming. And I have just one more thing to say… Go fuck yourself. Heh.

Seeing campus cats temporarily allows woman to forget about the microplastics shuttling in her ovaries You get your fix, and I get mine.

Mind your business.

Anna Johns Waiting for you in our shared extradimensional dream realm that spans past and future realities A heartwarming tradition of the University of Tulsa is the care given to the campus cats. Those little scamps can be found dashing from bush to bush, determined by hell or high water to avoid any of us unworthy peons. Still, cat lovers and people who like to have fun feel their day momentarily brightened after a mere sighting of the cats.

For local woman and junior elementary education major Amber Robinson, campus cats are an ephemeral distraction from the problems plaguing her day — and the microplastics present in her ovaries.

“Personally, I love seeing those little guys!” says Robinson. “Sometimes, I will study outside by the library just for a chance to spot one of the cats and briefly experience the sweet relief of being taken out of the prison that is my mind and now my body.”

Yes, girl! Relieve yourself from your burdens, queen!

In general, cat owners report multiple health benefits from taking care of their furry felines, such as the lowered risk of heart disease, a reduction of stress and anxiety and the distraction from the fucking drag it is to be a human person.

“Yeah, take the campus cat named Vanilla Bean for example,” Robinson explains.

“If I saw that beautiful baby playing in the bushes or something, I’d be riding that dopamine boost so much that it would allow me to forget that I could develop polycystic ovarian syndrome at any given moment as a result of the unknown number of plastics that are undoubtedly living in my organs right now.”

Health-conscious and desperately seeking an escape! Let’s go, babes!

Fair warning: groups that advocate for the campus cats remind students that they should not pet nor feed these animals; these are feral cats, of course, and a distance between them and humans must be kept. However, these rules do not apply to voyeurs who simply live on the edge by watching those critters sprint around and hide in the shadows. Where else on campus can you get the same euphoric dissociation as you get making eye contact with a stray cat? It sure as fuck isn’t in Keplinger, and it definitely isn’t the Student Union at noon.

graphic by Anna Johns Now THIS is content for the school newspaper! Alright! Hell yeah!

It’s time to celebrate the little things, like those feral cats darting about the McFarlin entrance who in their wisdom and light grant a weightlessness from the corporeal

body. Who needs healthy organs when a cute little kitty could instead hiss at you for getting too close?