February
2004 Shows
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MONDAY,
FEBRUARY 2ND
INSIDE THE STOCK MARKET
As the economy has appeared to improve, the stock market has taken
an expected turn for the better as well. Tonight we welcome three
investment experts to discuss recent economic developments and
how they will further affect your investments. They are PETER
ZIV of Ziv Investments, PATRICK DORSEY of Morningstar, and LUIGI
ZINGALES, professor of entrepreneurship and finance at the University
of Chicago’s Graduate School of Business.
TUESDAY,
FEBRUARY 3RD
ANALYZING THE PRIMARIES
Today seven primaries and caucuses take place across the nation.
The results will certainly help define the field of Democratic
presidential candidates to come. Can Howard Dean recover from
his missteps in Iowa and New Hampshire? Will John Kerry remain
the front runner? Can Wesley Clark jumpstart his faltering campaign?
Will the Democratic candidate be able to mount a winning campaign
against the incumbent? All of these questions will be on the agenda
as Extension 720 analyzes the returns with TOM BEVAN of RealClearPolitics.com
and DAN DREZNER, professor of political science at the University
of Chicago and noted blogger at DanielDrezner.com.
WEDNESDAY,
FEBRUARY 4TH
MAGNIFICENT MARS
The United States has recently put two rovers on Mars; as Spirit
and Opportunity continue to send back pictures of the red planet,
we will examine it from earth with noted astronomer KEN CROSWELL.
His latest book—replete with gorgeous full-color photos
is—
Magnificent
Mars and he will be with us live directly after the 7:00
Northwestern basketball game.
THURSDAY,
FEBRUARY 5TH
A NIGHT AT THE OPERA
Tonight, as we welcome representatives from the Lyric Opera of
Chicago, we highlight the works of Gilbert and Sullivan. Our guests
will be GILLIAN KNIGHT, who plays Ruth in the currently-running
production of The Pirates of Penzance, ELIZABETH FUTRAL, who stars
in that same production as Mabel, as well as SIR ANDREW DAVIS,
musical director of the Lyric, and BILL MASON, its general director.
FRIDAY,
FEBRUARY 6TH
THE SUPREME COURT AND THE CONSTITUTION
Tonight on Extension 720, we take a close look at the
Supreme Court and how recent decisions have helped or hindered
the Constitution. Joining us will be RANDY E. BARNETT, professor
of law at Boston University and author of the new book
Restoring
the Lost Constitution: The Presumption of Liberty and
VICTOR ROSENBLUM, professor of emeritus at Northwestern University's
School of Law.
MONDAY,
FEBRUARY 9TH
THE CIVIL WAR AND LITERATURE
The interaction between history and literature is under discussion
tonight as we examine the literature of the Civil War era. One
of our guests is acclaimed biographer DANIEL MARK EPSTEIN, whose
latest book is
Lincoln
and Whitman: Parallel Lives in Civil War Washington,
along with ROBIN GREY, professor of English at the University
of Illinois-Chicago, and ORVILLE VERNON BURTON, professor of history
at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.
TUESDAY,
FEBRUARY 10TH
THE HISTORY OF JUDAISM
Tonight on the program, Extension 720 discusses the historial
roots of Judaism, as well as Jewish mysticism in the Talmudic
texts. Our guests tonight will be ARTHUR GREEN, professor of Jewish
Thought at Brandeis University, RABBI YEHIEL POUPKO, and DANIEL
C. MATT, professor of Jewish spirituality at the Graduate Theological
Union in Berkeley, Calif. and commentator and translator of
The
Zohar: Pritzker Edition.
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 11TH
THE LATEST IN SCIENCE NEWS
Extension 720
tonight invites a panel of top science reporters to discuss the
hot stories on the beat, including the ricin scare and the latest
developments in medicine. Our guests include JEREMY MANIER, a
reporter at the Chicago Tribune, TED ANTON, noted science
writer and professor in De Paul University's English Department,
and LIAM HENEGHAN, professor of Environmental Science at De Paul.
THURSDAY,
FEBRUARY 12TH
AMERICAN RELIGION
Tonight on the program, we take a look at the history of American
religion—and particularly the “radicals” who
have helped change it.. One of our guests will be ROBERT C. FULLER,
professor of religious studies at Bradley University and author
of the new book
Religious
Revolutionaries: The Rebels Who Reshaped American Religion.
He will be joined by TED CAMPBELL, president of Garrett Evangelical
Theological Seminary.
FRIDAY,
FEBRUARY 13TH
THE STATE OF TELEVISION
Extension 720 tonight discusses the state of American
television. From the Super Bowl debacle to the continuing dominance
of reality TV, our panel of experts will be on hand to give their
opinions of the best and worst shows on television today. Joining
us will be PHIL ROSENTHAL of the Chicago Sun-Times and
STEVE JOHNSON of the Chicago Tribune.
MONDAY,
FEBRUARY 16TH
CONSUMERISM IN AMERICA
Most Americans have stopped shopping in local stores or—the
success of the Magnificent Mile aside—in once-booming downtown
shopping districts. Instead, we flock to the nearest mall to buy
our clothes, shoes, groceries and everything else we need. Tonight
on Extension 720, we examine why the landscape of consumerism
has changed with PACO UNDERHILL, an expert on consumer behavior
and bestselling author of
Why
We Buy: The Science of Shopping. His latest book is
Call
of the Mall, in which he lays out the topography of shopping.
Joining him will be BOBBY CALDER, professor of marketing at Northwestern
University's Kellogg Business School.
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 17TH
LIFE ON EARTH AND IN SPACE
Noted scientist (and former guest on this program) Carl Sagan
frequently asked if there was life somewhere out there in space,
and the question “are we alone?” haunts us still today.
We will be reexamining that question with planetary scientist
DAVID GRINSPOON and DR. MICHAEL SMUTKO of the Adler Planetarium.
Grinspoon is principal scientist in the Department of Space Studies
at the Southwest Research Institute and author of the new book
Lonely
Planets: The Natural Philosophy of Alien Life.
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 18TH
GREAT NATIONAL CUISINES
Tonight on the show, Extension 720 is pleased to welcome
three of the top chefs cooking today, each specializing in a distinct
national cuisine. Our guests are ART LEE, head chef at Erawan
here in Chicago, PAUL BARTOLOTTA, formerly of Chicago's own Spiaggia
and now head chef at Ristorante Bartolotta in Milwaukee, and MARCUS
SAMUELSSON, executive chef and co-owner of New York's Aquavit
and author of the new book
Aquavit:
And the New Scandinavian Cuisine.
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 19TH
ENCYCLOPEDIAS
Extension 720 tonight welcomes three representatives
from the Encyclopedia Brittanica to discuss all things animal,
vegetable and mineral. They are JORGE CAUZ, President of Encyclopedia
Brittanica, Inc., DALE HOIBERG, Senior Vice President and Editor,
and THEODORE PAPPAS, Executive Editor.
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 20TH
A LOOK AT PAKISTAN
This country
on the borders of India and Afghanistan is at the forefront of
the war on terror and may in fact be the current hiding place
of Osama bin Laden. Tonight on Extension 720 we take an in-depth
look at this sometimes volatile U.S. ally with a panel of three
experts, including LAWRENCE ZIRING, professor of political science
at Western Michigan University and author of the new book
Pakistan:
At the Crosscurrent of History, TOM MOCKAITIS, professor
of history at De Paul University, and MANAN AHMED, lecturer in
the University of Chicago's Center for South Asian Studies.
MONDAY,
FEBRUARY 23RD
THE GREAT INFLUENZA
Extension 720 tonight examines a fascinating time in
medical history: the influenza epidemic. Joining us tonight are
JOHN BARRY, author of the new book
The
Great Influenza: The Epic Story of the Deadliest Plague in History,
and ROBERT JOHNSTON, professor of history at the University of
Illinois Chicago.
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 24TH
MEMOIRS OF A P.R. MAN AND A COP'S LIFE
Just last month, we discussed life in the public relations game
with a panel of three publicists. During th efirst hour of Extension
720, we welcome one of Chicago’s most famous p.r. men—AARON
D. CUSHMAN—to recount his fifty years of promoting the stars.
Some of Cushman’s most famous clients and acquaintances
were Milton Berle, Dean Martin, the Three Stooges, Harry Truman,
as well as companies like Marriott, Keebler, Motorola and the
Chicago White Sox. Cushman has collected his war stories in his
new memoir
A
Passion for Winning: Fifty Years of Promoting Legendary People
and Products. During the second hour, we welcome back
CHARLES SHAFER, a former Chicago police officer and current mystery
novelist, to discuss his war stories and his latest novel.
WEDNESDAY,
FEBRUARY 25TH
A recorded edition of Extension 720 will play tonight after the
8:00 Northwestern basketball game.

THURSDAY,
FEBRUARY 26TH
POLITICS BEHIND THE SCENES
Tonight, Extension 720 is pleased to welcome DANIEL SILVA, New
York Times bestselling author and former executive producer
of CNN’s Washington-based programming. Silva’s latest
political thriller is
A
Death in Vienna, and during the first hour he will discuss
the transition from journalist to novelist and to relate some
of his interesting behind-the-scenes stories from Crossfire, The
Capital Gang and other important political shows. The second hour
of the show features MARK KATZ, former comedic speechwriter to
President Bill Clinton, discussing his new book
Clinton
and Me: A Real Life Political Comedy.
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 27TH
THE MILTIES
The Oscar telecast may be this Sunday, but the most sought-after
awards in Hollywood will be given out tonight. Join Extension
720 for its annual tradition: the awarding of the Milties. GENE
PHILLIPS and PENELOPE MESIC will be on hand to highlight the best
and worst performances of 2003 and talk about what films and actors
will win the Oscar and what films and actors should have been
in the running.
Archive
of previous show topics: