THENORTHERNLIGHT FEBRUARY 25, 2013
FEATURES
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UNIVERSITY OF ALASKA ANCHORAGE
A&E
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What’s New at Fur Rendezvous 2014?
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Oscars are in the air; read TNL’s predictions
Smoke free-initiative debated, Rondy snow sculptures: added to student body ballot Method to madness By Suhaila Brunelle news@thenorthernlight.org About 50 people gathered at a debate last week regarding the comprehensive smoke-free initiative. The initiative was introduced in 2013 and has been discussed widely throughout the University of Alaska Anchorage campus. Audience members were given the chance to participate in a poll before and after the debate. Before the debate, 53 percent of those present agreed with the initiative, 39 percent disagreed with the initiative and 9 percent were unsure of their stand on the initiative. Recently, USUAA student government passed a referendum to put the smoke-free initiative on the April 9 ballot during the student body elections. USUAA Senator Stephen Warta sponsored the bill, which was then signed and endorsed by Student Body President Drew Lemish. “We are really glad that everyone has supported us. It made a difference at the USUAA. Before they made the vote there were a couple of students who came in and gave their testimony. There were several students who were pro and against it. The place was packed, and we were happy that students are concerned about the issue and wanted it in the ballot,” said Yesenia Camarena, a member of the Smoke-Free Task Force.
There were student debaters at last week’s debate, but for the first time faculty spoke on both sides of the issue. Assistant professor of public health Gabriel Garcia talked about how he grew up in a smoking environment and lost his grandfather to cancer. His father has the early stages of emphysema. Garcia gave statistics about health issues and smoking. Associate professor of psychology Gloria Eldridge said, when you look at who starts to smoke generally speaking people start to smoke when they are young. If you look at the trajectory of smoking through time the people by in large who are still smoking when they are older are vulnerable in other ways. So people who are still smoking in their 40s or 50s usually have other vulnerabilities such as other addictions, and less education. Kyle Hampton, assistant professor of economics, said this initiative causes cause one group of students to hate those who smoke, and another group of students to hate those who don’t smoke. “My own research on cigarette smoke done here at UAA, and at my previous institution, clearly demonstrates that mainstream cigarette smoke, the smoke a smoker is breathing, from just one
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UAA men’s basketball players set new records
photo by Kayla McGraw
First place winner (Div. 4), “Audrey 2,” by Architects Alaska, Inc., is on display until March 2 as part of the Fur Rendezvous snow sculpture competition.
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Concert Board’s big spring performance: Iron and Wine By Kelly Ireland arts@thenorthernlight.org
Photo by Adam Eberhardt
Senior guard Kyle Fossman breaks former Seawolf Mark Drake’s school record of three-pointers in a career on Feb. 22 in a game against Western Oregon.
By Travis Dowling sports@thenorthernlight.org
The last basketball game to be played in the Wells Fargo Sports Complex was played last Saturday night between the UAA and Western Oregon University. This game was to be remembered as the last game at Wells Fargo and nothing more. But what started out as a straightforward final match quickly escalated into a historic game with two broken records and countless moments of ecstasy for Seawolf fans. UAA dominated the first half of the game, though by half time. WOU cut down their lead by eight points. UAA led the score at halftime with 43-35. Before the start of the second half, attention was drawn to Seawolf senior guard Kyle Fossman’s career and his potential to tie or break former Seawolf Mark Drake’s previous school record of most number of threepointers in a career. At the start of the game he had needed seven three-pointers to tie the 243 three-point record. But going into half time, Fossman was six to 10 from beyond the threepoint mark. Another Seawolf, junior guard Travis Thompson, was four three-pointers shy of tying the most three-pointers in a season record that was previously
held by former Seawolf Kemmy Burgess. Burgess made 100 three-pointers in the 2003-04 basketball season. Both Fossman and Thompson tied and broke the records in second half of the game, but they did not stop there. They continued to add to their totals by making more and more threepointers. Thompson, with a total of 33 points, closed out the night by making eight of 12 three-pointers. Fossman, who had a career high of 40 points, made 12 of 16 three-pointers. Fossman set a new record for the most number of three-pointers in a career and broke the record for most number of three-pointers in a season. Thompson set a new record for most number of three-pointers in a season. The focus of the game may have become the two players and their moments of glory, but Seawolf fans were not left disappointed in the end, with UAA beating WOU by a score of 96 to 77. In sports there are moments in time that are forever etched into the memories of those that witness the event. This basketball game not only marked the end of an era at the Wells Fargo Sports Complex, but it also saw the breaking of multiple records and is one such moment that will forever be remembered as a historic game.
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Fully bearded, singer-songwriter Samuel Beam, a folksy/ rock/indie singer known as Iron and Wine is coming to Anchorage. UAA Concert Board is sponsoring this concert. Iron and Wine’s music has a slow, soft-spoken sound that folk and indie fans will likely appreciate. The lyrics are creative and original because they aren’t exactly what one would expect or understand. Journalism major Sean Carpenter said his favorite song by Iron and Wine is “Boy with a Coin,” but he doesn’t really know what the song is about. “It’s kind of like one of those songs by Bon Iver, where you don’t always know what they are saying, but it’s just really pretty,” Carpenter said. While Iron and Wine’s music may not be for upbeat dancing, it is very easy listening. Some of his songs can draw out his singing for too long, where he isn’t really singing words but just carrying out the note. Justice major Christina Cyphers describes Iron and Wine’s music as “different” and “hipster, but I like it.” She was turned on to the band by a friend who gave her a mix CD with the song “Boy with a Coin.” The song has since become her favorite song of Iron and Wine. “I haven’t heard a lot of it, but what I have heard I like,” Cyphers said. Iron and Wine first released an album in 2002 entitled “The Creek Drank the Cradle,” of which Beam recorded in his
Photo by Craig Kief
own home studio. His subsequent albums, “Our Endless Numbered Days” (2004), “The Shepherd’s Dog” (2007), “Kiss Each Other Clean” (2011) and “Ghost on Ghost” (2013), were all recorded professionally. Paste magazine voted “The Shepherd’s Dog” one of the 10 best albums of 2007. Many of his albums have made it on the Billboard top 200 charts including “The Shepard’s Dog” peaking at no. 24, “Kiss Each Other Clean,” which peaked at no. 2 and “Ghost on Ghost” which peaked at no. 26. His songs have been featured in many popular television shows and movies including “Grey’s Anatomy,” “The L Word,” “House M.D.” and “Twilight.”
Iron and Wine will perform at 7:30 p.m. March 28 at the Egan Center. Tickets are $25 in advance and $30 at the door for UAA students. For general public, tickets are $35 in advance and $40 at the door. Tickets may be purchased at http:// www.ticketmaster.com, but student-priced tickets are only available at the Student Union Information Desk. Students may only purchase two tickets.
Winter Design Project brings new fun to winter
Photo by Ashley Snyder
The Music of Alaska Natives and Indigenous Peoples of Northern Regions classes present “Resonating Ice Instruments” Feb. 21 at the Winterfest “Winter Design Project” at the Cuddy Quad.
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02 NEWS
THENORTHERNLIGHT Tuesday, FEBRUARY 25, 2013
SMOKE-FREE: Goes to ballot continued from cover
cigarette alters lung cell function causing gaps to occur in the protective barrier normally formed by these cells,” said tobacco researcher Cindy Knall. “The barrier is formed much like a zipper, and is disrupted much like pulling the zipper down on your coat. Disrupting the barrier contributes to lung inflammation and over the long run, can contribute to the development of emphysema, lung cancer and heart disease,” Knall continued.
“The University of Alaska, Anchorage (UAA) campus shall adopt a comprehensive smoke-free policy whereby there shall be: • NO smoking of any tobacco products, such as a cigarette, cigar, pipe, hookah, bidi, clove cigarette or e-cigarette in any of the UAA main campus buildings, on any UAA property located UMED district, including UAA-owned vehicles. • NO tobacco-related advertising or sponsorship on the UAA campus. • UAA students and employees shall NOT accept any gifts or grants from tobacco companies on campus.” As it is written now, the smoke-free initiative that recently passed through USUAA says, USUAA Senator Johnny E. Templeton is against the referendum. Templeton said the referendum needs to be re-written and does not give a clear enough timeline of when the campus would go smoke-free. Templeton stated the referendum reads more like an ultimatum. After the debate, 39 percent of the audience agreed to the initiative while 59 percent disagreed, and 8 percent were unsure. The referendum goes to vote on April 9.
Geothermal energy investigations are underway near Nome
Test out of college By Evan Erickson eerickson@thenorthernlight.org
Early last December an email was sent to UAA faculty by University Registrar Lora Volden announcing that as of January 1, changes to Advanced Placement, DSST and CLEP equivalency exams would be implemented. The changes were part of a UAA-wide faculty review that resulted in changes to minimum scores, credits earned, and in some cases, elimination of certain exams based on their quality. Likely to affect the highest number of students at UAA was the loss of CollegeLevel Examination Program, or CLEP, equivalency for four lower-division history courses; three of them being general education requirements for all Bachelor of Arts degrees in the College of Arts and Sciences, the largest college in the university system. Western Civilization I and II and U.S. History I and II CLEP exams offered substantial savings of time and money, lasting 90 minutes and costing $100 each, but the History Department recently decided they will no longer be accepted after having been available for many years. “This had been put forward in the fall. From the point of view of the History Department, the notion that you can just take a multiple-choice test was unsatisfactory,” said associate history professor Bill Myers. Actual courses and their equivalencies should in theory satisfy each department’s Program Student Learning Out-
comes, found in the UAA course catalog. The History Department’s first PSLO says students should “demonstrate the ability to write clear and precise English.” History CLEP exams do not have a written portion, nor do the exams establish whether a student has developed the “advanced level historical research skills” which the second PSLO outlines. After having made scoring adjustments, History will continue to honor the Advanced Placement exams taken in high schools, but there are still concerns about their efficacy. “The AP stuff does do document analysis, but we had reservations. One can take a college equivalent AP exam as a (high school) sophomore,” Myers said. President Barack Obama called for reining in college costs in last month’s State of the Union address. Along with equivalency exams exist other means by which students can circumvent traditional classrooms, like Massive Open Online Courses, but is it at the expense of a wellrounded education? “Equivalency exams and free online courses, while serving some limited purposes, threaten to delegitimize the broader mission of a public university education,” said assistant history professor Ian Hartman. Yearly reviews can help strengthen a department’s adherence to its PSLOs, but it remains to be seen how the university as a whole will preserve its stated goals in an environment of changing perceptions regarding what higher education looks like.
NEWS BRIEF
Alaska’s top wage earners include University of Alaska officials The State of Alaska recently released its annual report on executive compensation and travel. University of Alaska executives were some of the state’s top earners. President Pat Gamble earned $320,000 last year plus housing allowance. University of Alaska Anchorage Chancellor Tom Case earned around $260,000. University of Alaska Southeast Chancellor earned around $220,000. University of Alaska Fairbanks Chancellor Brian Rogers earned around $313,000. Included in the report, the three vice presidents of the universities earned more than $200,000. Dan Fauske, who worked two jobs as the Director of the Alaska Housing Finance Corp and President of the Alaska Gasline Development Corp, was also among the top earners and made more than $350,000. Craig Campbell, president of the Alaska Aerospace Corp., made around $234,000. Governor Parnell earned $145,000 while his chief of staff, Mike Nizich, earned around $190,000.
WEEKLY BUZZ Nun sentenced to 35 months in prison Photo Courtesy of Google
Researchers are eyeing Pilgrim Hot Springs as a possible future source of geothermal electricity for Nome. Power generation currently relies on diesel generators.
By Suhaila Brunelle news@thenorthernlight.org
For many in rural Alaska, the main source of electricity is through diesel fuel. The price of diesel fuel has tripled in the past three years, making this resource expensive for those who live in these communities. Exploration of a geothermal energy source is currently underway at Pilgrim Hotsprings outside of Nome. Geothermal energy works by identifying high flow reservoirs under the earth’s surface that have an elevated geothermal gradient, which means they have higher temperatures per unit of depth beneath the earth’s surface. Some of these reservoirs get hotter more quickly, and finding those areas is important to developing this resource, said Alan Baldivieso Program Manager at Alaska Energy Authority. Once an area like this has been discovered, the first step in development is to drill down into the reservoir and find that it is naturally heated. Then the water can be pumped to a processing plant and generated into electricity. “There is currently a geothermal study happening right outside of Nome at Pilgrim Hot Springs. Pilgrim is about 60 miles from road and 30 miles by air from Nome. Nome currently has around 3.5 megawatts of wind generation on their
utilities system to help curb the cost of diesel, but because diesel is not a sustainable resource, several organizations are looking into the geothermal resource,” said Chris Rose, executive director of Renewable Energy Alaska Project. In Alaska there are several zones of geothermal activity that are associated with different geography and geology. One is the Ring of Fire, which starts in southeast Alaska and makes a ring out to the Aleutian Islands. It’s primarily volcanic in source, and is home to some of the hottest temperatures in geothermal resources that exist Alaska. The second source of geothermal activity is related to volcanos in the Wrangell Mountains. The third area is a band that extends from nearby the Canadian border to the west to places like Pilgrim and Serpantine Hot Springs. Pilgrim and Serpantine are both on the Seward Peninsula. “It’s very very expensive to explore for geothermal resources, and it’s pretty risky. It really takes the combination of finding hot waters and finding it underground. Its really risky and hard to pull off,” said Baldivieso. The project in Nome is unique because there are several organizations who are working together and pooling resources in order to complete the study, including Alaska Native corporations, the state of Alaska and private investors.
Sister Megan Rice, peace activist and 84-year-old nun, was sentenced to 35 months in prison. Rice, along with two other peace activists were found guilty of breaking into the Y-12 National Security Complex in Oak Ridge, Tenn., a nuclear power plant. The activists spray painted signs and threw baby bottles of human blood onto a building that houses highly enriched uranium. The source of the human blood remains undisclosed.
Chevron gives free pizza coupons to residents near explosions
An explosion at a natural gas well killed one person and remained on fire for days in early February. Since then, Chevron has been giving $100 gift cards for pizza and soft drinks to the residents of Greene County, Penn., residence of Green County have expressed safety concerns and anger towards Chevron for offering the coupons.
Troopers say no evidence Craigslist killer committed crimes in Alaska Amanda Barbour admitted earlier this month to killing at least 22 people, some in Alaska. Barbour stated she took part in the killings because she was involved with a satanic cult. Alaska State Troopers stated there is currently no evidence that Barbour and her husband killed anyone in Alaska.
Woman arrested over un-returned video Kayla Michelle Finley was arrested in South Carolina last week for failing to return a VHS video from 2005. Finley was charged with a misdemeanor and spent the night in jail while waiting for her bond hearing. Finley rented the video “Monster in Law” in 2005 and forgot to return it due to a relocation. The video store she rented it from is now out of business.
Two Americans found dead on ship
Two American security officers were found dead on the cargo ship Mearsk Alabama in the Seychelles. The Mearsk Alabama was boarded by Somali pirates in 2009 and is the subject of the movie “Captain Phillips.” The men who were found dead were former Navy SEALs. At this time their deaths are being investigated.
Venezuelan opposition leader facing charges Leopoido Lopez, anti-government leader in Venezuela, turned himself in last Tuesday and is facing charges of murder, terrorism and arson. Four anti-government protestors and one government worker have died in protests around the country. Venezuela President Nicolas Maduro has accused Lopez and the opposition of trying to overthrow the government. Human rights groups warn of violations as protests continue. Briefs compiled by Suhaila Brunelle
Legislative bill aims to allow University of Alaska students to carry concealed weapons on campus By Suhaila Brunelle news@thenorthernlight.org A group of student clubs including the Political Science Association, College Republicans, College Libertarians and American Students for Liberty, recently got together to work on changing the Board of Regents policy regarding concealed weapons. The current policy says the carrying of a concealed handgun is prohibited on the property of the university. Last week state Senator John Coghill, who is a Republican from North Pole, and UAA legislative intern Hans Rodvik introduced a bill before the Legislature called SB176 that would allow students throughout the university system to carry concealed weapons such as firearms, on campus. “The Board of Regents policy on conceal and carry violates state and national constitutional law, and infringes on students rights to keep and bear arms,” Rodvik said. The Board of Regents policy regarding concealed weapons has been an issue in past years. On April 28, 2010, protestors of this policy gathered on the Cuddy Quad because they felt their Second Amendment rights were being infringed upon by this policy. Several protesters were carrying concealed weapons and issued violation. Ceezar Martinson of the Political Science Association stated that the issue isn’t about guns, it’s about the university having the power to change state and national constitutional rights. P02.09.020 Possession of Weapons in the current policy says, “The carrying of a concealed handgun is prohibited on the property of the university, in a university
office or classroom in a building not on university property or at a university sponsored activity or meeting not on university property provided appropriate notice is posted in the manner provided by law. This section shall not apply to a concealed handgun carried by a duly commissioned law enforcement officer in relation to the officer’s law enforcement function or by a person expressly authorized by the president or appropriate chancellor in extraordinary circumstances.” “The significance of this bill is that it restores the rule of law to the University of Alaska Anchorage. Article 1 section 9 of the Alaska Constitution is very clear that we have the right to keep and bear arms that cannot be infringed upon by the state, or any political subdivision of the state, and the University of Alaska has been in violation of that provision of our Constitution,” Martinson said. Students living on campus are provided with a gun safe in order to store all legal firearms. Storing weapons anywhere in the residential community is prohibited except for in the gun safe or locked in a vehicle. The safe is supervised by the university police, and students have 24-hour access to the safe. State Representative David Guttenberg does not support SB176. In a statement, Guttenberg said, “I don’t like the bill. I think the university has the right to regulate student life on campus, and I don’t believe in taking it away from them.” Guttenberg said that he would argue against the bill and vote no. Senator Coghill is the senate majority leader, and his caucus strongly supports gun rights. Students involved with this bill expect it to pass because it’s a matter of law. They will continue to reach out to the student body regarding the constitutionality of this policy. SB176 is currently in the Senate Judiciary Committee.
FEATURES
What’s new at Rondy 2014?
THENORTHERNLIGHT Tuesday, FEBRUARY 25, 2013
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SCULPTURES: Winners dish on their masterpieces c o n t i nued from cover
PHOTO By Tim Brown
A reindeer is kept on lead before the “Running of the Reindeer” at Fur Rendezvous, February 2013.
By Nita Mauigoa features@thenorthernlight.org
Fur Rendezvous, known as Fur Rondy or simply “Rondy,” has championed the spirit of Alaska since 1935 through good old Sourdough fun. Fur Rendezvous staff members from Greater Anchorage, Inc., dished on new “fun-for-all” events for this year’s Rondy.
Great Alaska Talent Competition Kristine Klein, events coordinator for Greater Anchorage, Inc., said Rondy has teamed up with Great Alaska Talent Competition, or GATC, for the first family-friendly Rondy talent show. The show will take place at 5 p.m. March 2 at the Bartlett High School Auditorium. Individual contestants or groups, ages 6 years and older, will perform an array of talents such as forms of acting, singing, dancing, drumming, martial arts, playing an instrument or any
talent that can be presented on stage, minus explicit content. “We have popular events that already exist, but this just adds to the fun!” Klein said. Tickets cost $10 per person.
Cornhole state championships Jeff Barney, executive director for Greater Anchorage, Inc., said Rondy will host the firstever Cornhole Championships for the love of the “toss.” Cornhole is known by many names — corn toss, beanbag toss or soft horseshoes. The teams take turns tossing their bags at the opposing board. The object of the game is to be the first team to score 21 points to win. If the bag lands on the board, it scores one point, but it scores three points if it falls through the hole. Bags on the board can even be knocked into the hole by other tosses to increase their points. The Rondy Cornhole State Championships will take place at 6:30 p.m. Feb. 27 and 28 at the American Legion Post 28 on Brayton Drive and on March
2, time to be determined. Those interested in registering can visit http://www.furrondy.net.
Waiter and waitress races Waiters, waitresses and bartenders will barrel through obstacle courses while carrying trays full of glassware filled with drinks. The event will take place at noon March 1 at the Delaney Park Strip. Up for the challenge? An individual or a team of four can represent a restaurant. Entry fees are $130 per team or $35 per individual racer. Those interested in registering can visit http:// www.furrondy.net. Titan has sponsored the event and proceeds will benefit the Volunteers of America, Alaska. Note: Leaf Blower Hockey is listed on Fur Rondy’s main website as a new event. However, Barney said the event is cancelled and postponed until next year.
Fur Rondy buttons: An Alaska tradition that gives back
PHOTO By Tim Brown
Fur Rendezvous buttons on display at Pack Rat Antiques from 1968, 1969 and 1973 respectively. The buttons have become a sought-after collectable.
The second competition determines what design will be featured as that year’s pin design. features2@thenorthernlight.org This competition is open to all legal Alaskan artists, which includes individuals that are older than Fur Rendezvous is a 10-day winter festival cel- school age. ebrating the wild and wacky sprit of Alaska pioThis year the winner of the pin contest was neers. During the festival participants can partici- Tara Gildow and the winner of the button contest pate in a variety of iconic Alaska activities, from was Alex Pouzanov, a fourth grader from Turnthe blanket toss from noon-2 p.m. March 1-2 at again Elementary School. the corner of Third Ave. and E St. to the Miners However, the fun doesn’t just stop with the pin andTrappers Ball held March 1 at the Egan Center. and button competitions. One of the oldest traditions of “Get caught without a butthem all is the contest held just ton downtown during the fes“The first button was 1939 before Fur Rondy to deterand they actually started as tival and risk being detained mine the official design of that by the Keystone Jail,” said Jim a ticket to the fur Rondy, year’s pin/button. Huettl, former president of the its how you got into certain “The first button was 1939, Kiwanis Club. things. So it had a piece and they actually started as The make-believe jail is a ticket to the Fur Rondy. located in the lobby of the of fur to a button and that It’s how you got into certain Hilton hotel. was your admittance.” things. So it had a piece of fur But not to worry, bail is the Jeff Barney to a button, and that was your purchase of a pin (which start admittance,” said Jeff Barney, Fur Rendezvous at $8) or a button (sold for $2), according to the fur executive director from Greater Anchorage, Inc. Rondy website. The pins have since given rise to two competi“The profits from the sale of the pins and buttions that take place right before Fur Rondy. tons go to operate the winter festival as well as 75 The first is for school-aged children who submit other non-profit Alaskan organizations — includtheir designs in order for the chance of their design ing the Kiwanis Club, whose members have been being the official Fur Rondy button. The winner of the Keystone Cops for a number of years,” said this competition gets his or her pin design mass- Huettl. produced and sold during the festivities. The win“Buttons have lasted so long and remain popner also receives a pizza party for their class and ular because they are a reminder of the past for gets to participate in the Rondy Grand Parade, people my age, whose parents were the last people which goes up Fifth and Sixth Avenues. that really collected things,” Barney said.
By Valerie Hudson
photo by Kayla McGraw
First place winner (Div. 1), “Last Stand,” by AK Awesome is on display until March 2 as part of the Fur Rendezvous snow sculpture competition.
By Nita Mauigoa features@thenorthernlight.org
Massive snow sculptures reflect and sparkle in children’s eyes as they ooh and ahh. In their innocence they blurt out what everyone else is thinking about these creations seemingly spun from magic: “How in the world did they do this?” Winners of the 2014 GCI Snow Sculpture competition divulged what it takes to place. A team with a UAA/UAF graduate student also shared their experience as those who joined on a whim. Snow sculpture team AK Awesome took first place for division one-member teams. AK Awesome will represent Alaska in a national competition for the third year in a row. Their masterpiece was titled “The Last Stand” — a towering dragon intricately chiseled, slumped over a traditional Chinese pergola. At any given time, swarms of visitors surrounded it. When asked how he felt about the victory, AK Awesome sculptor Jesse Mellor said, “Food and sleep!” His fellow sculptor Wade Bier laughed and said, “Yes, that’s what we’ve lacked all week, and it’s what we need right now after this.” Bier and Mellor have been sculpting for the past five years with no formal training, just knacks for drawing. Teams are not allowed to use power tools to carve their masterpieces out of the 8 by 8-foot blocks of compressed snow. Bier said they make tools specific to ice sculpting and plan for the event all year long. They make tools out of chippers, chisels, horse combs and sand paper. Artists meticulously carve away for a total of 100 hours over a course of a week. Bier said that besides unpredictable temperatures, challenges sculptors face are cracks, holes and weight pressure on the snow blocks. “Our block looked like swiss cheese with holes all the way to the middle,” Bier said. The team pressed forward knowing that the whole thing could fall apart anyway. “We try to surprise ourselves. If we can walk away and think to ourselves, ‘How did we do that?’ then we’re happy. If we mess it up, we’re pissed off all year until we get to carve again,” Mellor said, joking. “That’s the only bad thing about being a snow carver as a hobby — you only get to do it once a year, twice if you win.” John Allen, captain of a snow sculpting team called the Three Muskoxteers, said his three-man team with no experience joined for the first time just for the fun of it. “It was on a list of things I wanted to do while living in Alaska,” Allen said. Allen is also a Seawolf who is pursuing a Ph.D. in engineering through programs at UAA and UAF. Team member Kymalee Gresh said that the team started by making a little model of their snow sculpture — a mother muskox and her baby — out of Playdough on the kitchen table. Bonnie Getter, another team member, said they watched videos online, researched in books and just went with it. The team borrowed tools from neighboring sculptors and used snow slush for glue. Gresh said that though they did not place, the 70 hours they put into their sculpture was worth the adventure. Allen and Getter checked off an item on their bucket lists while Gresh found a new hobby she’ll participate in next year. Another sculpture that attracted swarms of visitors was the “Audry 2,” the massive flesh-eating plant from “Little Shop of Horrors” with killer fangs. The snow sculpting team from Architects Alaska, Inc., was responsible for “Audry 2” and swiped first place for division four — family and corporate teams. Team captain Melanie Mangione said the team of seven would carve only six inches into the compressed block of snow each day, which helped give “Audry 2” its polished, smooth look. Her talents showcases the wide range of experience in the competition — she is an ice sculptor for the Town Square Crystal Gallery of Ice. Mangione has sculpted her whole life using materials such as glass, wood, ice and clay. Mangione said “Mother Nature wasn’t kind” this year. However, the team of architects got creative and built their own tools to do the job. “We had funny names for all the tools. There was a tool I used a lot called the tooth brush. Another round one with a truss plate attached to it just looked mean, so we called it the ‘Angry Stick,’” Mangione said as she laughed. “So it was all about an ‘Angry Stick’ and ‘Tooth Brush,’ and we had a really good time. We’ll come back next year.”
04 FEATURES
THENORTHERNLIGHT Tuesday, FEBRUARY 25, 2013
DRINK REVIEW
photo by tim brown
2014 Rondy Brew: Seasonal Pale Ale Fur Rondy saison ale is Anchorage Brewing’s latest commemorative brew By Tim Brown photo@thenorthernlight.org
Rondy Brew is a spiced saison pale ale from Anchorage Brewing. Saison is a spiced pale ale. The beer pours hazy brown straw and with a silky-looking head that persists as the glass settles. It has less sweetness than last year’s Rondy Brew, which was packaged with a different label. The ale tastes funky with hints of lemon and coriander. The funky characteristic comes from brettanomyces, a yeast culture used by Anchorage Brewing in many of their ales. The beer finishes with a persistent tartness. It would pair nicely with fish and chutney, or poke.
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FEATURES
THENORTHERNLIGHT Tuesday, FEBRUARY 25, 2013
05
Prognosticator of pestilence
graphic by Roz Kirkelie
You guys have a long, long way to go when it comes to alien invasion preparation, if the current health status of the university is anything to go by. I mean, I didn’t know it would be this easy until I saw half the students at UAA coughing and sneezing. And you know what makes it even more satisfying? I think my host George brought it upon all of you. It isn’t always consistent, but this kind of thing is routine for George. Pretty much every year, he gets sick like this. He starts coughing and vomiting up a storm, stays home for a few days (or weeks, depending on severity), comes back when he’s on the verge of recovery and unwittingly infects everyone else around him in the process. This invasion is going to be much easier than I thought. I mean, if he can just walk into class and infect everyone there just like that, invasion and assimilation is going to be a cakewalk! What a way to stave off resistance! The unfortunate thing (or fortunate, depending on how you see it) is that seeing everyone else suffer around him is a surefire sign that George is recovering, or at least very close to recovery. But I already have control over him, so that shouldn’t be a big deal. … Ah, screw it! I like you guys too much. The other aliens can’t hear me from here just yet, and I like you guys too much to see you suffer. For now, at least. So here are some tips on how to cope with the illness that George has released upon Anchorage. First things first: liquids liquids liquids. And none of that creamy stuff — that’ll fill your throat with mucus, making recovery a bit more difficult. Water and tea are your best bets. They’ll help to flush down whatever’s messing with your throat. And speaking of water, gargling with salt water is a surprisingly effective home solution. It loosens up a lot of the gunk in
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Alaska’s STD rates are some of the highest in the country.
Use a condom and get tested regularly. Condoms are available at the UAA Student Health and Counseling Center. Those eligible for Student Health benefits can also get STI testing at the center (www.uaa.alaska.edu/studenthealth). To find a testing location near you go to www.iknowmine.org
Thurs. – Sat. 4 pm – 9 pm
Translated by George Hyde
your throat. Yeah, it’s pretty disgusting, but hey, most medicine is pretty disgusting anyways, so you may as well. As for food, protein is your friend, as long as it’s not anything outstandingly fatty like steak or bacon or something. Chicken soup, ham sandwiches and nuts are always good eats during cold season. Next, know your limits. If you can hardly speak or yell, then that’s a pretty good sign you should stay in and rest. Contact your professors regarding homework and assignments so you’ll be able to catch up once you recover. And if it’s bad enough to render you unable speak or yell, then please don’t do it! You shouldn’t be pushing yourself. Stay in bed, work on those assignments and maybe marathon a dumb TV show on Netflix while you get better. All of those tips should help speed recovery up significantly. It’ll never go away overnight, so give it time to get it through your system. It’ll pass eventually, but it’ll definitely pass sooner if you follow those tips. ...Man, what am I even doing? I should be doing my job by letting you humans suffer, but I still have this nagging desire to help you guys out in your time of need. Have I been here too long? Have I grown too attached to you guys? George says it’s called a conscience, and it’s what helps people do the right thing. I think that’s hogwash. George, you’re messing with me. You’re softening me up. You’re making me want to help humanity. But um, aha! I’ve been tricking you all along! By helping UAA survive the cold season, I’m really helping them in order to create better soldiers to assimilate once the armada arrives! Yeah, that’s it! That was what I was meant to do all along! That was my plan! BWAHAHAHA! … Get well soon, you guys. I really mean it. RESISTANCE IS FUTILE. EMBRACE THE SEAWOLF SLUG.
NIGHT SKIING:
By Klax Zlubzecon
upcoming events
#alyeska ALYESKA RESORT | GIRDWOOD, ALASKA
FEB. 28 & MAR. 1
The Rebel Blues Band A blues band with a funk addiction
$5
GET A ROOM!
2-for-1 concert tickets when you book a room! Check out our Rockstar & Roadie Stay & Play Packages online
MAR. 6, 7 & 8
Mother Hips Original California soul since 1991
$15
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BEERS ON TAP / 21 & OVER / FOOD ‘TIL LATE full schedule & advance tix online @ thesitzmark.com : 907-754-2275
06 FEATURES
THENORTHERNLIGHT Tuesday, FEBRUARY 25, 2013
Waiting for spring break By Evan Dodd Contributor Spring break is coming. Despite the fact that I’ve had three midterms that showed up to the party early this week, despite the fact that I consistently comprehend about 62 percent of my calculus (which is clearly reflected in my grade), despite every hideous academic surprise I’ve had recently — spring break is coming. This has been one of those weeks where I’ve found myself to be very adept at treading water, even if swimming seems just out of reach. I’ve spent the better part of my week trying to cram for midterms, drop dead-end courses and figure out why my bank account is losing dollars like a drunken sailor on leave. There’s an honest, decent chance that I have another undiscovered midterm in about an hour that I may just have to wing for lack of a better option. Because my professors are kind, rational individuals who realize that students have other course work to complete, they were nice enough to schedule midterms early to avoid test congestion — which would have been a nice idea, had they not all moved their tests back to the same week, resulting in nothing but an earlier edition of the biannual midterm frenzy. So I’m looking ahead to a simpler time in which homework will be used as wallpaper (mostly out of protest, but slightly because I’m poor) and deadlines will be laughed at by overly confident college students. By junior year, spring break is a precious resource that can’t be wasted for any reason, so I’m planning early this time.
Firstly, I fully intend to spend every day possible at Alyeska, given that we’ve only just now accumulated anything resembling snow. I’m not going to say that I’m constantly tracking mountain conditions, but I can list of relative snow depth on different spots on the mountain off the top of my head, so perhaps I’m a bit excited. If all goes according to plan I’ll be car camping at the base of the mountain so I’m not losing any time to transportation. With any luck I can have a replica ski patrol jacket made so that I can blend in without anyone raising concerns about the semi-homeless man living in the plastic Kia in the parking lot. Any time not spent careening down the side of a mountain will be spent sleeping in and avoiding anything that requires complex thought. Traditionally this would be the part of the year that I would construct a blanket fort equipped with snacks and Netflix, where I could hibernate for a day or two. However, I like to think that I’ve grown past the point of building blanket forts to avoid the outside world and can instead use my time for adult things. Besides, blanket forts are for children and adults who wish they still had the imagination of a child. No, I fully intend to build a blanket civilization that expands from the capital city (my bedroom) to the far reaches of my living room. Any roommate that gets in my way will have their territory invaded and their bedrooms annexed to become part of the blanket fort empire. Does this make me any less of a child? No, not in the slightest. But If I can’t break into the ranks of adulthood, then I might as well excel at what I know — and I know immaturity pretty damn well.
Annual Photo Contest
Orange rhymes with So there’s my plan for spring break: be semi-homeless on a mountain and construct a shantytown in my living room. If I didn’t know any better I would suspect that I was subconsciously preparing myself for the inevitable unemployment that I’ll be facing after college. Of course I still have to stay afloat for the next week or two before my childish utopia can be fully realized, but having something to look forward to might just make my three-hour ethics course a bit more bearable. I may not have a five-year plan or a next year plan or even a next month plan, but I’ve definitely got my spring break mapped out. I can wage war against midterms and fight my way through essays and calculus knowing there is a brief respite on the horizon. Somehow I think I’ll be able to manage. Besides, I have to start mapping out my blanket empire.
It’s time for the Annual Parking Services Photo Contest!
Win a Parking Permit! Additional information at: http://bit.ly/ParkingPhoto
The deadlinoeur to submit yis photos pm Feb 27 @ 5 (907) 786-1119 www.uaa.alaska.edu/parking Lower Level of the Bookstore
AE &
THENORTHERNLIGHT Tuesday, FEBRUARY 25, 2013
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Oscar predictions 2014 By Jacob Holley-Kline arts2@thenorthernlight.org
Gabriela Riquelme Contributor
Best Picture Nominees: “American Hustle,” “Captain Phillips,” “Dallas Buyers Club,” “Gravity,” “Her,” “Nebraska,” “Philomena,” “12 Years a Slave,” “The Wolf of Wall Street” Winner: “12 Years a Slave” Why: After running the film festival circuit, “12 Years a Slave” built up enough hype to be suspicious. Could a movie really be that good? Yes. All the indications of “12 Years” being a masterpiece were there: Chiwetel Ejiofor, one of the best contemporary dramatic actors, was the star and Steve McQueen, the wunderkind, was directing.
The historical-drama, based on enslaved freeman Solomon Northup’s eponymous autobiography, proved that McQueen, prone to observing his subjects rather than empathizing with them, can blend technical brilliance and emotional devastation if he has the right story.
Best Actress Nominees: Amy Adams (“American Hustle”), Cate Blanchett (“Blue Jasmine”), Sandra Bullock (“Gravity”), Judi Dench (“Philomena”), Meryl Streep (“August: Osage County”) Winner: Cate Blanchett Why: In an illustrious 22-year career, Cate Blanchett has proven to be one of the best actresses of her generation. While she won a Best Supporting Actress award for Martin Scorcese’s
“The Aviator” in 2004, she has yet to nab a Best Actress statuette. Well, now is the time. Blanchett’s turn as the socialite in ruin in Woody Allen’s “Blue Jasmine” almost resists categorization. It’s jaw-dropping and immensely nuanced work that deserves nothing less than the highest honor in Hollywood.
“Dirty Little Things.” From there, he starred in the films “Four Brothers,” “Children of Men” and “American Gangster.” But it’s his role as Solomon Northup in “12 Years a Slave” that secures his place as one of the best actors of his generation. Anything less than an Oscar would be a disservice.
Best Actor
Best Supporting Actress
Nominees: Christian Bale (“American Hustle”), Bruce Dern (“Nebraska”), Leonardo DiCaprio (“The Wolf of Wall Street”), Chiwetel Ejiofor (“12 Years a Slave”), Matthew McConaughey (“Dallas Buyers Club”) Winner: Chiwetel Ejiofor Why: Even though Ejiofor’s career spans nearly two decades, fame eluded him until his 2002 role as Okwe in Stephen Frears’
Nominees: Sally Fields (“Blue Jasmine”), Jennifer Lawrence (“American Hustle”), Lupita Nyong’o (“12 Years a Slave”), Julia Roberts (“August: Osage County”), June Squibb (“Nebraska”) Winner: Lupita Nyong’o Why: The Yale-educated newcomer Lupita Nyong’o was heart wrenching as Patsy in “12 Years a Slave.” Alongside an already impressive cast of Chi-
3-minute Best Picture, Actress predictions
wetel Ejiofor and Michael Fassbender, Nyong’o holds her own and steals every scene she is in.
Best Supporting Actor Nominees: Barkhad Abdi (“Captain Phillips”), Bradley Cooper (“American Hustle”), Michael Fassbender (“12 Years a Slave”), Jonah Hill (“The Wolf of Wall Street”), Jared Leto (“Dallas Buyers Club”) Winner: Barkhad Abdi Why: Simultaneously sympathetic and menacing, untrained actor Barkhad Abdi was a former limousine driver in Minnesota before he was cast as the hijacker Abduwali Muse in “Captain Phillips.” In scenes of tense negotiations and violence, Abdi squares off against the veteran Tom Hanks without breaking a sweat, and his work is something truly special.
A&E BRIEFS ‘Space Jam 2’ confirmed
The sons of broadcasting veteran Dick Ebersol, Charlie and Willie Ebersol, have joined Warner Bros. to develop a sequel to the 1996 worldwide slamdunk film “Space Jam” according to Deadline.com.
By George Hyde gchyde@thenorthernlight.org For me, this year’s Best Picture lineup is one of the best I think I’ve ever seen. For all I care, voters could put up every movie’s poster on a wall and throw a dart, and they still would land a film worthy of the Best Picture award. If I do have to have an opinion, though, I’m rooting for “Gravity,” which was able to tell an incredible and atmospheric story using very few characters. It was a film neither longer nor shorter than it needed to be, and every single detail felt important. The same stands true of Sandra Bullock, whose chances might not be as high as I’d have liked due to her many recent wins and nominations, but it’s still nice to see her get recognized for one of her best roles this year. As I mentioned, though, every single nomination is going up against some serious competition. I wish every filmmaker the best, and I’ll keep my fingers crossed for the year’s best space epic to take home the gold.
Lawsuit alleges Sony cheated ‘American Idol’ winners According to the Associated Press, a federal lawsuit filed in New York alleges that Sony Music Entertainment swindled former “Idol” winners Kelly Clarkson and Carrie Underwood out of $10 million. Clay Aiken, Chris Daughtry and Jordin Sparks were also named in the suit.
Kurt Cobain statue unveiled in Aberdeen, Wash. A statue honoring the late Kurt Cobain was unveiled on his would be 47th birthday, Feb. 20, according to King5 News in Seattle. The statue depicts Cobain playing a guitar and crying. Reception has been mixed.
Briefs compiled by Jacob Holley-Kline
Great actors without Oscars Leonardo DiCaprio
By Kelly Ireland arts@thenorthernlight.org There are many actors and actresses who have never won Academy Awards (Oscars) despite many believing that they are more than deserving of the award. This is a list of such actors and actresses who are nominated in the 86th Academy Awards occurring on March 2.
Matthew McConaughey — nominated for Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role for “Dallas Buyers Club.” Matthew McConaughey hasn’t been nominated for an Oscar before now. McConaughey has had more than an opportunity to win in roles in movies such as “Mud,” “The Lincoln Lawyer” and “We Are Marshall.” When asked about McConaughey, marketing major Charissa Hoyman said, “He’s got a body.” But people remember McConaughey for more than just his body. “Recently his characters that he plays are not that serious. They’re always like ‘Magic Mike’ — has a bad plot — so you can’t really see his acting through it,” said Glenny Compton, business management and marketing major, who reasons McConaughey’s more recent roles are the reason he hasn’t won an Oscar yet. Compton still believes McConaughey deserves an Oscar. She’s not the only one either. “I find it very surprising (McConaughey hasn’t won an Oscar) because he’s been in everything and he’s a really good actor,” said Natalie Carrasco, journalism major.
— nominated for Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role for “The Wolf on Wall Street” and Best Motion Picture of the Year for “The Wolf on Wall Street.” Leonardo DiCaprio has been nominated for Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in 2006 for “Blood Diamond,” Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in 2004 for “The Aviator” and Best Actor in a Supporting Role in 1993 for “What’s Eating Gilbert Grape.” Other than the ones he’s been nominated in, DiCaprio has been in films worthy of Oscars such as, “The Great Gatsby,” “Django Unchained,” “Inception,” “The Departed” and “Titanic.” When asked if people found it surprising that Leonardo DiCaprio has never won an Oscar, responses included: “He’s never won? Seriously?” said undeclared major Garrison Theroux with
a surprised look on his face. “That’s a joke because he should be number one in everything. He was freaking Jack on ‘Titanic.’ Come on now. He should have won something,” said Carrasco. “Really, he hasn’t?” said Hoyman. “I don’t really like his acting. He always plays a similar character — a romantic boyfriend,” said Compton. “All his (movies) are popular, but aren’t really wowworthy.”
Bradley Cooper — nominated for Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role for “American Hustle.” Bradley Cooper was nominated once previously for Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in “Silver Linings Playbook” in 2013. “He did really good in ‘Silver Linings Playbook.’ He should have won something for that,” Carrasco said. Cooper went against some other great nominations for Best Actor in 2013, however, including winner Daniel Day-Lewis for “Lincoln,” Hugh Jackman in “Les Misérables,” Joaquin Phoenix in “The Master” and Denzel Washington in “Flight.” Carrasco thinks that given any other nominations, especially Daniel Day-Lewis in “Lincoln” to stand up against, Cooper likely would have won Best Actor. Amy Adams — nominated for Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role for “American Hustle.” Amy Adams was nominated previously for Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in 2013 for “The Master,” 2011 for “The Fighter,” 2009 for “Doubt” and 2006 for “Junebug.” “She’s really talented. I know she can sing too. She should just get in a musical movie and sweep it,” said Carrasco. Compton had a similar opinion and said, “She’s really good. I want her to win.”
FOREIGN FILM FANATIC
‘The Hunt’ is devastating only in passing By Jacob Holley-Kline arts2@thenorthernlight.org It doesn’t take much to ruin somebody’s life. A single word, accusation or condemnation could tear anyone’s existence to shreds. In the Academy Award-nominated Danish flick “The Hunt,” all it takes is an innocent broken heart saying, “his (penis) points straight up in the air like a rod.” “The Hunt” follows the lonely and recently divorced kindergarten teacher Lucas (Mads Mikkelsen, “A Royal Affair”). He recently got a job at a kindergarten school, his ex-wife won’t take his calls and he hasn’t seen his son in months. Just as things start to look up, one of Lucas’s students, the young Klara (Annika Wedderkopp), accuses him of showing her his penis. The power of Mikkelsen’s performance cannot be understated here. He evokes so much sadness and pity that it’s almost physically painful to see his life torn limb from limb. Every performance is great. Wedderkopp as Klara is perfect in her silent anger. Sometimes it’s hard to not be furious at her, other times it’s easy. But at the end of the day, she’s just a kid who didn’t understand the gravity of her accusations. This is something that has happened and continues to happen today and the questions surrounding it are obvious. Is the kid lying about this? Why would he or she do that? How did
he or she describe it in such detail? For all the ethical and, sometimes, legal questions the movie raises, it answers none of them. The film plays out in neutral tones and eye-level shots. Everything, from the conversations to the conflicts, is presented in frank terms. At points, “The Hunt” feels like some kind of social experiment and less like a movie. Therein lies the problem: The movie doesn’t have anything to say about its subject matter. That leaves a big empty spot to fill in the narrative. But “The Hunt” makes up for it with beautiful and devastating performances and nuanced character development, both for Klara and Lucas. If it weren’t for that and the hard-tostomach realism, the movie would be crushed under its own ambition. Thankfully it stays afloat, even when the characters are sinking. Does it deserve an Academy Award nomination? Yes, but there’s no real message here other than, “Look how this sad man’s life falls apart so quickly. Isn’t that awful?” For all intents and purposes, “The Hunt” is a movie not invested in its characters fates, but it still manages to wrap the viewer in its cold embrace.
Title: “The Hunt” Director: Thomas Vinterberg Release date: Jan. 10, 2013 Genre: Drama Country: Denmark
08 A&E
THENORTHERNLIGHT Tuesday, FEBRUARY 25, 2013
A&E OPINION
Whiteness in the Academy limits industry progression By Jacob Holley-Kline arts2@thenorthernlight.org Every year, Oscar statuettes are handed out in abundance to arguably the best Hollywood has to offer. And while over 37 million viewers tuned in to see the ceremony in 2011, only 5,765 people vote for a given year’s nominees and winners. Who are these people? When it comes down to it, mostly white men. According to the Los Angeles Times, 94 percent of Academy members are men and 77 percent are white men. People of color make up less than 4 percent of the organization’s racial makeup. Even more divisive, the average age of an Oscar voter is 62. Only 14 percent of the membership is made up of people under 50. These figures speak to the pervasive white privilege and racism inherent in the entertainment industry. These older white men come from a generation where less diversity on American movie screens was tolerated. No one raised questions about Elizabeth Taylor’s portrayal of Cleopatra in 1963 or Marlon Brando’s turn as the
Okinawan villager Sakini in “The Teahouse of the August Moon” in 1956. With the discussion of race taking a more noticeable spot in the public eye, a wider range of experiences from around the United States and the world are necessary to move forward. It’s not enough to have old white men ruling our viewing experiences anymore. We need a new, more diverse and accepting generation of Hollywood executives — people who were raised in the whitewashed U.S. education system and rejected it. Anybody who watches movies can help with this by seeking out lesser-known foreign films. Become a student of world cinema and not simply U.S. cinema, or not just the Best Foreign Language category at the Oscars. While those movies are good and deserve their spots in the Oscars, there are more than 100 years’ worth of cinematic history ready to be explored. Take the plunge into this history. Every film, no matter the quality, is a historical document of somebody’s place in time. That’s certainly something worth witnessing.
MUSIC REVIEW
‘Love Death Immortality’ by the Glitch Mob
By Oliver Petraitis KRUA Music Manager
SCHOOL. WORK. FRIENDS. I’VE GOT I T COVERED.
With a current WolfCard students, staff and faculty ride People Mover buses FREE with u-pass.
343-6543
P E O PL E M O V E R. O R G
Today is a sad day. The obvious question is why? The Glitch Mob released their new album two weeks ago. This should be cause for joy. Except for the fact that it is no good. The group that helped to found the ever-expanding movement of heavy electronic dance music with 2010’s “Drink the Sea” has returned with “Love Death Immortality” — a sad departure from their work of four years ago. The story goes like this: The Glitch Mob, comprised of instrumentalists Justin Boretta, edIT and Ooah, garnered praise in 2010 for their unique blend of stuttery sine waves and massive organic drums in six-minute instrumental anthems marked with an incredible amount of badassery. And then the world took stock. And then the world tried to emulate it. And then dubstep happened. But wait, it gets worse. Perhaps now would be a good time to stop reading if you don’t stomach tragedy well. Because the group that inspired so much modern heavy electronic dance music seems to have, in turn, been adversely affected by what they helped institute because “Love Death Immortality” is, and brace yourself here ... a dubstep album. Right from the first 20 seconds of the new record it becomes clear that the Mob has changed a number of aspects in their music. 1) The tone palate is completely different. Whereas “Drink the Sea” was a characteristically smooth record full of liquid synths with loads of subbass and organic war drums, “Love Death Immortality” opens (and pervasively features) a cluster of crunchy, noisy laser sounds that are about as appealing as sandpaper to the cochlea and electronic drums that sound like that of any standard dubstep. 2) There is no more empty space. On their first record, the Mob crafted music that was noteworthy not just for what
was present, but also what wasn’t. The amount of openness on that record made the powerful, dense moments all the more effective. In contrast, “Love Death Immortality” is consistently a full musical plate lacking the requisite appetite. 3) The unpredictability is gone. On “Drink the Sea,” themes would unfold in a moment-to-moment manner. Licks would pop up unexpectedly, and the ear would crave their reappearance. It egged listeners on like good art should. On the new record, you know all too well when it’s going to drop. There’s a standard dubstep formula, and unfortunately it’s been applied here. Build, build, build — drop! — repeat. Precisely that repetition seems to have plum tuckered the music world out. Dubstep is dying. People are tired of it. So it is even stranger to see the Mob intentionally make a dubstep album. Not only have they mainstreamed their music, but they’ve also done so at the least opportune moment. The obvious question again is, “Why?” Unfortunately no clear answer arises. To demonstrate exactly how lacking this album is in originality and how it pales in comparison to its predecessor, it doesn’t even warrant picking the songs apart. There are approximately 60 good seconds on “Becoming Harmonious” that show signs of the Mob’s former self, but that’s it. On the whole the album falls flat and falls hard. Listening to this record is now inadvisable, as it might bring you to tears or rage or a slew of negative bodily functions. Just don’t go there. So far, “Love Death Immortality” is the most disappointing album of 2014. And the album art is stupid. Album: “Love Death Immortality” Artist: The Glitch Mob Genre: Glitch, electronic, EDM Label: Glass Air Records Release Date: Feb. 11, 2014
A&E
THENORTHERNLIGHT Tuesday, FEBRUARY 25, 2013
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GAME REVIEW
‘Ikaruga’ remains difficult, thoughtful as ever By George Hyde gchyde@thenorthernlight.org
“Ikaruga,” an arcade-style “bullet storm” shooter has been ported to PC on the Steam platform.
When it first hit Japanese arcades in 2001, “Ikaruga” seemed like a revelation in arcadestyle shooters. It gave the “shoot-em-up” genre (or “shmup,” as some fans call it) an incredibly clever twist, and even today it boasts some of the finest examples of level design the gaming medium has ever seen, being right up there with “Portal” or the original “Deus Ex” in terms of level quality. Now the legendary shooter is available on Steam, providing a beautiful remaster that makes the classic look and feel like new while still preserving what made it such a hit. The game is a top-down shooter in the style of games like “Galaga” or “Gradius.” Players control a ship that is able to shift polarities at the press of a button. One polarity blocks and shoots dark bullets, the other blocks and shoots white bullets. The mechanics are immediately clear within the first few seconds of playing the game, and while the game becomes mind-bogglingly difficult, it provides a difficulty curve that allows players of any skill level to get used to the controls and mechanics in mere seconds. It has an excellent pick-up-and-play feeling to it, which fits its arcade heritage. Of course, the game is hard as nails, but each destroyed ship gives a sense of progress as players get more and more used to the levels. The Steam version is generous enough to allow individual levels to be practiced before a full play-through,
even though new levels must be unlocked by playing through the game in one go. Again, that aspect mirrors its arcade origins. “Ikaruga” also attempts to tell a thoughtprovoking story of determination and questions whether the protagonist’s journey is truly right. It uses Taoist motifs everywhere, mirroring the aspects of the yin and yang both aesthetically and in the mechanics. For the time, a story like this was unlike any other arcade game, and while it may seem simple by today’s standards, it still stirs the mind and keeps it thinking in between game play breaks. All of this is to say nothing of the levels themselves, which, as mentioned before, are among the greatest in gaming history. The game uses the simple mechanics to pull off some amazing possibilities for its levels, and even though there are only five of them, they’re so exhilarating and satisfyingly difficult that they make replays inevitable. For $10, the recent re-release of “Ikaruga” on Steam is an incredible value. It updates the game very gracefully, making the game look incredible while preserving what made it a classic in the first place. For anyone who fondly remembers the difficult and brutal arcade games of yesteryear, it’s a very easy recommendation. Title: “Ikaruga” Developer: Treasure Platform: GCN, XBLA, Android, PC Genre: Shooter
Cuddy Quad transformed into winter artscape
Photos by Ashley Snyder
The Art Appreciation course at UAA displays one of many pieces produced for Winterfest’s “Winter Design Project,” entitled “Creative Ice Lantern Display.”
Professor Herminia Din’s Art Appreciation classes constructed an army of snowmen entitled “Inspired Little Snowmen” out of natural and organic materials at the 2014 Winterfest “Winter Design Project” at the Cuddy Quad on Feb. 21.
The Art Appreciation classes, led by Professor Herminia Din, constructed the “Creative Ice Lantern Display” using household containers. They also used plastic buckets to build ice lanterns and latex balloons to create ice marbles. The project was illuminated with tea lights.
SPORTS
THENORTHERNLIGHT Tuesday, FEBRUARY 25, 2013
Tracked snow along Upper Race Trail from Chair Four. Conditions on the mountain have improved significantly from January.
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photos by tim brown
Fresh snowfall at Alyeska opens trails Snow conditions improve and open up the mountain By Tim Brown photo@thenorthernlight.org
Lift lines were short and snow was ample last Thursday afternoon at Alyeska Resort. Nineteen new inches of snow Wednesday opened runs and improved conditions.
A paper sign hanging on the side of chair six reads, “Hello, winter, we missed you! Have fun with the new snow!” Snow fanatics reveled midweek at what have easily been the best conditions of the season. On Wednesday, 19 inches of new snow fell in the park. The new powder midweek allowed for the park to open High and Low Traverse trails on the southwest edge of the mountain for the first time on Wednesday. On Friday afternoon the general manager of Alyeska, Di Hiibner, commented that the park has seen 60 inches of new snow in the seven days prior. Near the top of Chair Six on Thursday, College of Arts and Sciences Dean John Stalvey gave the conditions good marks. “The last couple days, the snow’s been great,” Stalvey said. “Of course, they lost a lot of
snow in January.” During January park conditions suffered from record warm temperatures that also threatened to reroute the Iditarod trail. Other skiers lucky enough to enjoy the thin crowd and great conditions were impressed. “Off trail there is some tracked powder, but it’s pretty soft. Overall it’s a pretty good day at Alyeska,” said Girdwood resident Steve Eckelman. Patrol and mountain crew members all seemed to be enjoying the change in conditions. Lift operator, skier and snowboarder Robbie Young was in high spirits when asked about this week’s snow. “We finally have gotten some new snow up here. We had a nice 20-inch dump yesterday, which was a lot of fun,” Young said. The park is still not completely open, however. Due to avalanches caused by January’s big thaw, North Face remains closed.
Seawolves victorious over Saint Martin’s, 88-76
Junior guard Teancum Stafford dunks against SMU Thursday night.
Photos by Adam Eberhardt
Sophomore forward Christian Leckband prepares a shot in the game against SMU.
Junior forward/center Brad Mears shoots past a Saint Martin’s University defender in the game on Feb 22.
SPORTS
THENORTHERNLIGHT Tuesday, FEBRUARY 25, 2013
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What exactly is curling?
photo by Michael McCullough
Curling is an internationally recognized winter sport. It is a social team sport and also a great workout.
By Travis Dowling sports@thenorthernlight.org
At some point while watching the Olympics from Sochi, you might have noticed an event called curling and wondered, “What exactly is curling, and where can I go to try that?� Curling is an international sport not just for Olympic athletes. Friends can get together and compete against each other. But there are a few rules for curling that one must know before playing. The first rule is that curling requires a lot of balance. Unlike in bowling when you throw the stone down the ice in curling you don’t just stand there and watch. The launcher pushes off the starting blocks and aims for the house, the center of the bull’s-eye, at the other end of the ice. Once the launcher releases the stone, this when the sweepers begin their work. Sweeping in curling does not make the stone go faster, but it does make it go farther. Once the launcher releases the stone, he or she begins yelling instructions to the sweeper. The instructions allow the launcher to give directions to where he or she would like the stone to go. It is the sweeper’s job to guide the stone to that location. Once the stone stops, the other team gets a chance to launch their stone. They can either knock the other team’s stone away from the house or place theirs closer to the center of the house. An “end� is finished after each team has launched their stones. The team with the stone closest to the center of the house wins that end. There are eight ends total in recreational play and 10 ends in Olympic play. The team with the most wins at the end is the winner. There is one very important rule that must never be broken in curling, and it’s that the winning team must buy the first round after the game is over. It is very bad form if a player does not do this. The post-game hangout is called “broomstacking.� Curling can also be a great way to work out. The stones weigh 45 pounds each. Launching the stones and sweeping is a great way to burn calories. Top-level sweepers can burn 500 calories per hour. If you are looking for something to do get some friends together and go curling, it’s a great way to socialize, and it provides a great work out. There is a curling club in Anchorage. To learn more about curling and what the Anchorage Curling Club has to offer, visit their website at http://www.anchoragecurling.com.
UAA hockey loses two games on the road By Travis Dowling sports@thenorthernlight.org
Feb. 21 At the start of Friday’s game, the University of Alaska Anchorage was in third place in Western Collegiate Hockey Association standings. UAA traveled to Michigan to face off against the no. 5-ranked team in the nation, Ferris State University. UAA lost the first of the two series by a score of 2 to 4.
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Feb. 22 On Saturday the Seawolves started the game in a two-way tie for third place in the WCHA. Looking to host their first-ever playoff game in Anchorage, the Seawolves found themselves on the losing end Saturday night. Ferris State handed UAA a 5 to 3 loss. The Seawolves are in the final spot to host a playoff series. UAA is currently in fourth place in the WCHA.
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13 Seawolf women’s basketball on 4-game winning streak
SPORTS
THENORTHERNLIGHT Tuesday, FEBRUARY 25, 2013
By Travis Dowling sports@thenorthernlight.org
Feb. 20 Last Thursday, the University of Alaska Anchorage women’s basketball team looked for revenge against Simon Fraser University. The Seawolves lost to the Clan 78-74 the last time the teams met, Jan. 25. UAA athletes looked to close the gap in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference standings with the Seawolves in fourth place and the Clan in third place. The Seawolves took the lead in the rematch game with the first bucket of the game, and UAA didn’t give up the lead for the remainder of the game. Junior center Emily Craft led the Seawolves in scoring, with a total of 16 points. Freshman guard Kiki Robertson led UAA with seven assists. Sophomore guard Jenna Buchanan pulled in 10 rebounds, the highest in the game. The Seawolves defeated the Clan with a score of 87 to 71. UAA is currently ranked third in the GNAC and trails Simon Fraser by just one game.
Feb. 22 Saturday, in what was the final women’s basketball game at the Wells Fargo Sports Complex, the University of Alaska Anchorage took on GNAC rival Western Washington University. The Seawolves and the Vikings played a tightly contested game. Heading into halftime two Seawolves, senior forward Kylie Burns and sophomore guard Jenna Buchanan, led UAA in scoring with seven points each. UAA took a four-point lead into halftime with a score of 37 to 33. In the second half, four Seawolves reached double digits in scoring. Buchanan, sophomore guard Jessica Madison and freshman guard Kiki Robertson put up a total of 14 points each. Burns, in her final home game appearance, had a total of 12 points. The second half continued to be a tightly contested game as both the ‘Wolves and Vikings put up 42 points apiece. In the final women’s basketball game at the WFSC, the Seawolves defeated the Vikings by a score of 79-75. Photos by Adam Eberhardt
Junior center Emily Craft blocks a Simon Fraser player from shooting Feb. 20.
Senior forward Kylie Burns holds on to the ball against Simon Fraser on Feb. 20.
Sophomore guard Alyssa Hutchins blocks a Simon Fraser attacker Thursday night.
Freshman guard Kiki Robertson pushes her way to the hoop Saturday night.
Sophomore guard Jenna Buchanan moves along the baseline in the win Feb. 22.
Junior forward KeKe Wright shoots past a Western Washington defender Feb. 22 in the Wells Fargo Sports Complex.
COMICS
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