December 1, 2015 by The Northern Light

DECEMBER 1-8, 2015

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UNIVERSITY OF ALASKA ANCHORAGE

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UAA student advocates for suicide prevention

Flying high with UAA’s Judo and Jui Jitsu Club

Alleviating Anchorage’s Spice problem — one gram of marijuana at a time

PHOTO BY VICTORIA PETERSEN

Nicole Crites, also known as the “Spice lady,” will trade marijuana for destruction of the synthetic drug Spice.

By Victoria Petersen

vgpetersen@thenorthernlight.org

Spice, or synthetic marijuana, has been a problem in the Anchorage Bowl for many years. In recent months, the use of Spice has skyrocketed and has been attributed for over 30 hospitalizations. In an effort to relieve this Spice epidemic,

one local entrepreneur is giving those affected an alternative. Nicole Crites is on a mission to better the community, one gram of marijuana at a time. She began her outreach to terminate the synthetic drug on Oct. 24. So far, she has helped destroy roughly a quarter pound of Spice. Crites’ business model allows those who are using Spice and want help to

call her, and she’ll come to those in need armed with toilet bowl cleaner and trash bags. She consoles them, and then has them destroy the synthetic marijuana by immersing it in toilet bowl cleaner and throwing it away. In return for their destroyed Spice, Crites gives them an alternative — marijuana — and doubles it, capping at an ounce — the legal limit for distribution. “Somehow what I’m doing is legal, but what my husband is doing is illegal. I’m walking a fine line, but yes, I never touch the Spice. They destroy it themselves and dispose of it. All I do is give them a thank you,” said Crites. “I would hope that as a community we can come together and just not have it here. That’s my pipe dream. When we first started out, I said if we could do just one trade I’d be happy.” Crites and her husband run their business, Absolutely Chronic Delivery Company, or ACDC, to get medical marijuana to help those experiencing critical medical issues. Crites focuses on the Spice trades and finds that her background in the medical field and nursing school has allowed her extra understanding of those who need help. “The idea that it’s a synthetic marijuana... Why not offer them in exchange straight across, and we figured if we could double it, a gram for two grams, and give them incentive to want to try

and do that.” I asked Crites where she gets the marijuana she distributes, to which she responded, “various suppliers.” Crites claims that she “couldn’t grow a cactus.” Crites is focused on the community and is using this system to better Anchorage and its people. Don’t include yourself in the article!! but the above information is still good. Maybe try “Crites obtains the marijuana she distributes from “various suppliers,” claiming that she “couldn’t grow a cactus.” Crites is focused on the community, and is utilizing this system to improve Anchorage and its people.” “Your community is what you build of it and nobody wants this in their community and nobody wants their kids around it. If you have the option of putting yourself or your child in a room full of 10 people that are stoners that smoke weed, or 10 people that just smoked Spice. Which room would you pick? I just think there are really obvious dangers,” said Crites. “You get out there and you talk with people, there’s actual manipulation and a lot of people don’t even know that they are smoking this. They will be experimenting and wondering if this batch went right and then they go down on the ground.” Crites gets many types of people call-

SEE SPICE

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Five percent tuition increase effective for UA System Fall 2016

$ $ $ $ $ $ $ $

By Nathan Burns

nburns@thenorthernlight.org

Students at UAA can expect to pay an extra five percent in tuition starting next fall. They will not be expected to pay the original proposed nine percent, thanks to USUAA. Earlier this month, student representatives from the University Alaska system came to the Nov. 4 Meeting of the UA Board of Regents to discuss issues, with most of the hour of public testimony dedicated to the tuition increase. Making sure that all types of students are able to participate in UAA was a concern repeatedly mentioned at the meeting by students and regents alike. UAA is made up in no small part by non-traditional students. About two-thirds of UAA students attend full time, and the average age of a UAA student is 30-years-old.

Student government president of UAS Callie Conerton gave testimony about the difficulties faced by UA students paying for college. “It would take the average student employee 461 hours to earn enough income to pay the current tuition costs at UAS. It would take just over 23 weeks of working the maximum (20) hours per week to earn enough just to cover the cost of tuition,” said Conerton. “Students realize that tuition increases are inevitable, however please consider the students working multiple jobs just to stay in school and get their degree. Please help them to do so without graduating thousands of dollars in debt.” USUAA President Jonathon Taylor expressed similar concerns relating to a tuition increase. “We want college to continue to be affordable, for UA students and UAA students, and

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we are concerned at this level of increase [nine percent] makes that for many, a dream that they can no longer keep,” said Taylor. The Board of Regents took the given testimony under advisement, and in an 8-2 vote, amended the tuition increase to five percent. For a student at UAA taking 12 resident credits (six lowerlevel credits and six upper-level credits) and three credits of e-learning they currently pay $2,499 in tuition. Next year they can expect to pay $2,619 in tuition. This is on top of a $60 increase in the student activity and student health services fees that the student will be paying. A report compiled by USUAA found that tuition has increased by 26 percent since 2011. In 2011, it cost our hypothetical student $2,084 to take the same credits that now costs $2,619. Vice President of USUAA

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Matthieu Ostrander explained concerns with how the Board of Regents is balancing University of Alaska Finances. “When we are considering how the tuition increases function, we also have to consider what parts they prop up at other campuses. There is more room to cut and there has been a political reluctance to do so. There’s a little more that can be squeezed out without putting that burden onto students. Ultimately what it comes down to is ensuring that the University is an accountable institution, and personally I’m not convinced that a five percent increase is necessary given the nature of what we can do,” said Ostrander. While UAA has set its tuition well under the national average for a four year state institution, Ostrander points out that the university is at the expensive end of two year associates degrees.

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“When you look at us at the four year level, looking at four year degree granting institutions, we’re rather cheap, but when you look at the other end, the two year degree granting institutions, we’re actually relatively expensive,” said Ostrander. “This is because UAA and to a lesser extent, some of the community campuses, used to be community colleges. We’ve seen a transition away where nobody wants to be a community college, even though for our community campuses, that is what they are.” The tuition increase will raise approximately five million in additional revenue, and while this will put a dent in the budget gap, additional measures will still have to be taken by the university. While this won’t be the last time tuition is raised, students can rest easier knowing they will have their voices heard in the process.

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SPICE: Local woman seeks to destroy synthetic marijuana CONTINUED FROM COVER ing for trade-offs and destruction. Focused on the homeless population, she points to the media for channeling in on this specific demographic. “I think it is through media, I think it is definitely been exposed how much the homeless shelter and the homeless have been affected. Which would be your number one first people that you would see a problem, just because they have less resources. For our exchanges, though, we’ve had all walks of life, to be quite honest. Various walks of life,” said Crites. Looking toward the future, Crites hopes to educate the pub-

lic on the effects of Spice in the community. She wants to host a multitude of events ranging from a lecture of an ex-Spice user turned EMT, to an amnesty where those who have it can have the opportunity to destroy their Spice supply with no penalty. Crites is having a difficult time working with APD and the community on both of these endeavors. “I have contacted APD to see if we could do an amnesty, you know where people could just destroy without being fined, I’ve got no word back. I’ve been trying to find a place to do this because I had it already to go with the endurance to put it on and no one is willing to host,”

said Crites. “I even talked with UAA and asked if they would be interested in having her [Jessica Burch, an EMT in Kenai] come talk to their EMTs or to have her come and talk to anybody. Got no response from UAA. Got no response from APD, and I’m not really understanding why. I’m trying to offer help here. I’m trying to offer resources.” In the meantime, Crites is doing everything she can do educate the community and get the word on Spice and marijuana out to the public. One such way she’s doing this is creating laminated note cards with information on them where she can leave around the city, in hopes someone who discovers them can find

it useful. “What I would like to do is give people’s rights regarding marijuana and then with all the information about the Spice and where they can get recovery and where they can go for treatment. I want to make these information sheets, get them laminated, and then that information is out there,” said Crites.

I thanked Crites for meeting with me as she handed me one of her business cards. I reached for it, but it seemed heavy. I flipped the card over only to see a tiny plastic bag with marijuana in it, labeled “chronic mass.”

To learn more about Nicole Crites and her effort to alleviate the usage of Spice in the community, contact her at (907) 336-2232.

Self care for seasonal depression

PHOTO BY NOLIN AINSWORTH

The Spine connecting the Student Union to the Engineering Building on a dark evening. Seasonal Affective Disorder affects almost ten percent of Alaskans from October to May.

By Kathryn Casello

kcasello@thenorthernlight.org Christmas break is right around the corner, and while many students are celebrating the holidays, many others are struggling with wellness. Self-care is important no matter what the weather is, but this time of year is high risk for seasonal behavioral disorders and depressive symptoms. Seasonal affective disorder (SAD), also known as summertime sadness or seasonal depression, is a mood disorder in which people who have normal mental health throughout most of the year experience depression in the winter. Symptoms of SAD usually begin in October and subsides in May. Regardless of the time of onset, most don’t feel fully “back to normal” until early May. According to the National Institute for Mental Health, about 10 percent of people in Alaska may be affected. “When you’re dealing with things like depression, it is a cycle, you feel like crap, you don’t do things, and then your stuff builds up and you feel worse. The best thing to do is push yourself out of that cycle,” said Hayden Tiner, a Theater major. “When you feel like laying in bed all day, don’t. Eat well. We fail to do that as college students. Taking care of yourself, just the essentials. It’s a lot better to actually deal with it than to just cope. Express yourself.” National statistics show that one in

three college aged students suffer from a mental health issue so crippling that students find it difficult to function normally. Because of the widespread nature of mental health issues it’s extremely important to be aware of the symptoms and self care resources. The U.S. National Institute for Mental Health stated that symptoms of SAD include: • Sad, anxious or “empty” feelin • Feelings of guilt, worthlessness or helplessness • Irritability, restlessness • Loss of interest or pleasure in activities you used to enjoy • Fatigue and decreased energy • Difficulty concentrating, remembering details and making decisions • Difficulty sleeping or oversleeping • Changes in weight • Thoughts of death or suicide With the sharp decrease in temperature and light during the day, the holidays can start to be a very difficult time for any suffering from a mental health issue. There are many theories as to how seasonal depression happens, but all experts agree that with the right treatment and self-care plans, people can overcome this disorder and fully recover. While treatment plans should be diagnosed and determined by a health care professional, UAA’s Student Health Center and other health care organizations recommend

DIY self-care activities that can help alleviate and prevent depressive symptoms. 1. Take vitamin D supplements. With the low levels of light in Alaska, it’s possible that up to 75 percent of Alaskans are vitamin D deficient. Purchase some gel supplements at Walgreens, Carrs or Fred Meyer’s. 2. Develop a wellness and safety prevention plan to identify behaviors and environments that are best for you and your mental health. 3. Take a road trip with some friends or family to get out of the city and see some beautiful Alaskan scenery – studies show that traveling can clear your head and make you appreciate your life more. 4. Spend some time trying to understand yourself – write in a journal, talk to a counselor or a mentor, or listen to music that you identify with. 5. Call your parents or grandparents – they’ll love hearing from you, and getting in touch with loved ones can reaffirm your self-worth. “I like to look at sunsets, that’s always fun, try to get outside when it’s daylight, even though it can be difficult if you work,” said Sage Klauder, major undeclared. “I like to ride snow machines, sledding and snow boarding…there’s a lot of things to do in the winter, you just have to find things to do. Get an obsession, that always helps. If you find something you really like and follow it really hard.” Getting outside seems to be the most

recommended activity. “Back in Seward, we went snow machining and skiing, went outdoors for as much of the daylight as possible. I force myself to be around people a lot… I don’t know the last time I was alone, besides driving to school. I benefit a lot of from social interaction and communication; I get a lot of energy from that.” said Tiner. Even the head physical therapist for the 212th Rescue Squadron, a Search and Rescue squadron on Elmendorf Air Force base, has been advocating for Vitamin D supplements and physical exercise as surefire ways to feel better during the cold winter months. Little Buddha, a national wellness blog published “45 Simple Self-Care Practices” which included some more self-care options. 6. Schedule in five minutes of “play” (non-directed activity) several times throughout your day to help relax 7. Create a deliberate habit - something small in your life by doing it in the same way each day—what you wear on Tuesdays, or picking up the dental floss before you brush. Routines can help provide stability and reliability in your life. 8. Try mini-meditations throughout the day with one minute of awareness of your thoughts, feelings, and sensations; one minute of focused attention on breathing; and one minute of awareness of the body as a whole. 9. Exercise a signature strength - think about what you’re good at, and find an opportunity for it today. 10. Edit any negative people out of your Twitter or Facebook feed. If you don’t want to delete them, you can just mute them. If these self-care practices still aren’t creating dynamic results, visit UAA’s Student Health and Counseling Center. Nursing student Rachel Leaman, Peer Health Educator Johanna Richter, and SHCC nurse practitioner Betty Bang said, “Stressful times are normal, and we have help here at the student health center if folks are experiencing anxiety or insomnia… This can be a hard time of year for students with dark days and unfortunate weather, as well as the normal stresses of academics, social pressures, and family and friends conflicts. It’s important to engage in self care and taking time for one’s self. Healthy eating, regular exercise, getting enough sleep, and frequent eating are all big things.” Students can walk in or call for a screening appointment for help. Enjoy the holidays with more self-care and awareness.

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Nathan Burns goes clubbing: UAA Judo and Jui Jitsu

Nathan Burns successfully throws Sensei Dempsey after several attempts.

By Nathan Burns

nburns@thenorthernlight.org

I’m not a tough guy. I’ve been walking this earth for the past two decades and I’ve never been in a fight. I’m used to talking, or lying, or crying my way out of situation . Sometimes tears just aren’t enough. What am I supposed to do if a blonde 80’s bully pushes me into a locker or kicks sand in my face and steals my girl? To help me train I sought help from the UAA Judo and Jui Jitsu Club. I was in a class with white, yellow, green, and brown belts all taught by the second degree black belt Jacob Dempsey. Sensei Dempsey welcomed me to the dojo with open arms, lent me my first judogi (the white jacket from every martial arts movie) and helped me tie my very own white belt. Before you can run, you must learn

PHOTO BY RYAN JOHNSON

how to walk, and before you learn awesome judo throws, you must learn to fall. Judo is, at its core, a defensive art. Judo (柔道) — meaning the “gentle way” — focuses on learning a series of grabs, throws and submissions aimed at subduing an opponent, rather than scissor-kicking them through a wall. Fittingly, we first learned how to fall safely. I was surprised. Isn’t falling something that you can let gravity take care of? Well, I learned that the difference between a clean fall and a sloppy one is the difference between jumping immediately back to your feet, and spending a minute on the floor waiting for your head to stop ringing. Back break falls, for example, are about landing flat on one’s back, and slapping the ground with the bottoms of our arms and exhaling right before impact, as to not hit your head on the ground. “The goal of the break fall is to get as much surface area on the ground as pos-

sible to minimize the force of your fall, the exhale is to keep you from getting the wind knocked out of you,” Tommy Nguyen, pre-nursing major, said. This has even helped him outside of the dojo. “If I slip on a patch of ice, I slap the ground, exhale and tuck my chin in,” said Nguyen. Sensei Dempsey explained the need to keep your head safe. The head is the most important part of the body to protect in a fight, both in terms of long term risk and ability to act in a a dangerous situation. “[Ronda] Rousey got sloppy in her last fight, she took a couple of shots to the head, got shook up and began to let her guard down, and left herself open to Holmes’ kick,” said Dempsey. Unlike most armchair UFC fans, Dempsey actually sparred with Ronda Rousey in the past. “She was 16, just getting ready to go to the Olympics for the first time, and it was at a training camp at the Junior Nationals,” said Dempsey. “I was in my late 20’s and getting towards the end of my competitions. Whenever I have a chance to work out with an Olympian, I always take the opportunity to spar. When I got up there, it was a foregone conclusion I was going to lose. I lasted a couple of minutes,” said Dempsey. A couple of minutes with Rousey is not something most can claim and here I was rather nervous before my first bout against my fellow white belt Sandra Gibson, even though she assured me she had only done judo for about a month and a half.

However, when Sensei gave the command to start, a deep, primal and unknown part of my nature took over. Grabbing her by the collar and sleeve, I managed to leverage my substantial height and weight advantage into an extremely sloppy pin, surprising Gibson, Sensei Dempsey and myself. While I struggled to stay on top, Gibson took advantage of my Achilles heel — my complete and utter lack of Judo training — to free herself and get me on my back within seconds. “It’s called shrimping, you’re using your hips trying to wriggle out of there, and as soon a you get a little bit of room to work with, you can grab the other person,” said Gibson after the match. I then had a chance to spar with green belt Nguyen, who spent the next 15 minutes creatively displaying the ways my frame could fly through the air and into the mat, all whilst giving me advice and encouragement. At the end of the hour, I was sore, out of wind and completely ready to keep going. What did an hour of Judo teach me about survival on the streets? Confidence for one, I now have a 0-2 fight record. I fall in a far safer fashion than I once did. Now, any fight I get in will end in two hits — you hit me and I safely hit the ground.

UAA’s Judo and Jui Jitsu Club meets at 6 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays at Greatland Martial Arts (520 W. 58th Ave. Suite G).

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The quest for Anchorage’s best chicken fried steak By Victoria Petersen

vgpetersen@thenorthernlight.org

By Sam Davenport

content@thenorthernlight.org

In the search to find the best chicken fried steak in Anchorage, Victoria and I realized that there are, quite possibly, too many breakfast joints. In our attempts, we tried to pick a variety of restaurants that are cheap and close to UAA, but most importantly, delicious. Note: Neither Victoria or I are a fan of eggs, even though it was included as a side in every meal. Instead, we substituted pancakes, fruit, or more home fries/hash browns. Granny B’s and Gwennie’s didn’t allow us to substitute that specific side. Each meal bought for the food quest was shared, which shows just how large some of the portions really are. GRAPHIC BY JIAN BAUTISTA

PHOTOS BY VICTORIA PETERSEN AND SAM DAVENPORT

Kava’s Pancake House (Northway Mall) Kava’s Northway Mall location is open 7:00 a.m. - 11:00 p.m. everyday. We were seated at a small elbow-knocking table directly across from the kitchen area when we could see three empty booths. We were placed the worst table in the entire restaurant. Our waitress never told us her name until we saw it on our receipt — Angelica. Angelica took our order and came back around 20 minutes later, telling us that she was just waiting on the eggs. “We didn’t order eggs,” Victoria and I said simultaneously. When our food arrived, it hardly all fit on our tiny table. We shared a chicken fried steak with pancakes and a side order of home fries and fruit for $12.35. Unable to finish the meal, our waitress had the audacity to ask if we were interested in dessert at 10:00 a.m. Victoria and I declined and left satisfied.

Village Inn (Northern Lights Blvd.) Village Inn is always there when you need it. Located just 1.9 miles from campus, it is the closest location to UAA on our food quest. It also has the most convenient hours, open 24 hours Monday-Friday and 5:30 a.m. - 1:30 a.m. on Saturdays and Sundays. The portion size at Village Inn is pretty large, one chicken fried steak with a side of hash browns and pancakes for the cheapest price, fed us both for a mere $11.69. Our server at Village Inn’s name was Ashlea, who was personable and very friendly, checking in multiple times to see if we needed anything. The table behind us also ordered chicken fried steak, apparently a popular dish at the Inn.

Bear’s Tooth Bear’s Tooth had one of the best chicken fried steaks out of our choices. We were seated, ordered and done with our meal in about 25 minutes total. We also went at 11:00 a.m., which is when they open. Located 3.6 miles from campus, it is a short trip from UAA. The steak was the heartiest one we had, and the meal came with perfectly seasoned home fries. The atmosphere at Bear’s Tooth is quintessentially Anchorage, with beer on tap and a youthful and casual feel. For those interested in eating breakfast before lunch time starts, you’ll want to check out one of the other restaurants since Bear’s Tooth doesn’t open until 11:00 a.m. This steak is more ideal for the college student waking up late from a night of downtown debauchery.

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THENORTHERNLIGHT TUESDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2015

Gwennie’s Old Alaska Restaurant

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Granny B’s

You probably haven’t been here since your family came to visit in 2003,

This establishment does not accept credit/debit cards, so make sure you have

but Gwennie’s is still up and running all year, Monday through Saturday 6:00

cash on you before making the 4.8 mile quest. Granny B’s is open 7:00 a.m. - 3:00

a.m. - 10:00 p.m. and Sundays 8:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m. It was our most expensive chicken fried steak at $13.75. Our meal came with a side of “alternative” home fries — basically potatoes pressed on a grill for thirty seconds. The meal was decent, but not worth $13.75, especially when you compare the portion size from Village Inn and Kava’s Pancake House to Gwennie’s. Gwennie’s also offered us dessert in the early hours of the morning.

p.m. Tuesdays through Sundays and closed on Mondays. Small in size, Granny B’s establishment makes up for in rustic Alaskan charm. The chicken fried steak wasn’t on the actual Granny B’s menu, only on their specials board. When ordering our meal, our waitress asked if we wanted original chicken fried steak or cajun spiced. We went with the original to stay consistent with our other meals, but it’s nice to know your options. Granny B’s had the best homemade gravy by far. This restaurant had the smallest serving size by far for $13.00.

Victoria and I decided that our perfect chicken fried steak would be a combination of Bear’s Tooth steak and Granny B’s gravy. As far as our number one pick, Victoria decided on Bear’s Tooth while I chose Granny B’s. Each place had decent chicken fried steak, but Bear’s Tooth and Granny B’s stood out from the rest with their hearty helpings and amazing gravy.

College Cookbook: Challah Bread Directions:

By Victoria Petersen

vgpetersen@thenorthernlight.org

Traditionally a part of Jewish holidays and the Sabbath, challah bread will make a beautiful and festive addition to any holiday meal.

Ingredients:

1/3 cup of honey or agave nectar 1 and ½ cups of warm water 2 and ¼ teaspoons of active dry yeast 2 teaspoons of salt 2/3 cup of oil 4 eggs 5 and ½ cup of flour 1 egg white 1 tablespoon of sesame seeds

1. In a small bowl, pour in warm water and stir in the honey and yeast, allowing it to dissolve. This should take about 10 minutes. You will know it is ready when the yeast forms a thin, tan colored layer on the top of the water. 2. In a large mixing bowl, combine the salt, oil and eggs and mix thoroughly with the water. Once mixed, add the flour about a cup at a time until the dough is slightly tacky, but not quite sticky. 3. Place the dough onto a floured flat surface and knead for about 10-15 minutes. The dough should be stretchy and smooth. 4. Place the dough into an oiled bowl and let it sit. The dough should double in size after about 90 minutes. 5. Once the dough has doubled in size, place the it on a floured surface to braid into loaves. Cut the dough into six equal pieces. Roll each piece until it is long and skinny. Make sure that all pieces are equal in size. Then, take three of the pieces and braid them. The remaining three pieces will follow in suit, and you now have two braided loaves. Take the egg white and brush it on top of the two loaves, and then sprinkle with the sesame seeds. 6. Allow the loaves one more hour to rise, and preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Place the loaves on an oiled cookie sheet and allow them to bake for approximately 30 minutes.

PHOTO COURTESY OF CHEF A LLEN

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Elizabeth Williams: social work student and suicide prevention activist

PHOTOS COURTESY OF KATHRYN CASELLO

Elizabeth Williams and other Alaskan youth at a You Are Not Alone suicide prevention training.

By Kathryn Casello

kcasello@thenorthernlight.org Elizabeth Williams is a community activist as well as an inspiration to students pursuing careers in social welfare. Since her freshman year, Williams has been involved in UAA’s chapter of the Active Minds club, a national advocacy group for mental health support and awareness. Williams teaches suicide intervention training and promotes awareness and resource accessibility in other areas like sexual violence prevention and child welfare activism for Alaskans. “Before I first started college I had a close family experience with suicide, but it had not been something that I was able to talk about because I felt like I didn’t have the skills to talk about it,” said Williams. “I felt a lot of fear and anxiety about the subject... I went to the QPR Gatekeeper suicide prevention training and I was just blown away by how the training made me feel like I could talk about suicide. That was such a new perspective for me. We all have a role to play in suicide prevention, which was such an empowering realization.” The feeling of hopelessness that Williams described is a very common sentiment felt by people who have been affected by suicide and mental health problems.

The main way to combat those feelings is to get educated and find ways to get involved. For Williams, joining UAA’s Active Minds club during her freshman year was the perfect opportunity to do both those things. “They [Active Minds] are trying to fight the stigma surrounding mental health and college students because about one in three students experience mental health problems, and about two out of three students do not seek the help that they need. We also know that suicide is really prevalent among college students,” said Williams. In Alaska, the 14 to 24 year old age group has the highest rates of suicide — higher than the national average. “I really took on suicide prevention as my project, and I’ve made it a main focus of Active Minds here at UAA.” Williams added that Active Minds spreads awareness about many types of mental health concerns; next week is Stress Less week, where they will be doing yoga and provide a movie screening of Wall-E among other activities. “After I took the prevention training class, I became a trainer; I started offering trainings once a month at UAA. I’ve also done trainings upon request for a couple different departments.” Williams has trained athletics teams, clubs, the RAs, UAS, APU, Juneau students and open trainings the second Fri-

day on every month. Williams does these trainings for free and on her own time. “Those trainings weren’t going to be offered anymore, so I decided to keep offering them my own, and Lizzy Donavan from the SHCC offered to help me.” Williams is not only a motivated and effective activist, but also a compassionate and open-minded teacher. Kyle Poissonnier, a social awareness activist from Maine who took a suicide prevention training class from Williams, spoke about what it was like taking a class from Williams. “She did a good job of being approachable… a conversationalist, open, and easy to listen to,” said Poissonnier. “There were times during the class that people touched on some heavy things, and she was very sympathetic to stories that they were telling... Even now if I had a question or needed advice I would go back to her. I wouldn’t feel comfortable going to anyone else, because she was the one who taught me that information first.” Poissonnier said the class was taught effectively as well as compassionately. “Since that time, I’d have people reach out to me. I was able to figure out the best way to help and assist people in crisis. That’s the stamp of a good class; being able to use the information learned in it to talk to and help others.” Williams has heard lots of positive feedback from her teaching experiences.

“One thing that has been so cool to hear over and over again, is how people come away from this training feeling empowered,” she said. Williams said she had received emails from a woman who was finally able to talk to her daughter, who had been making suicidal comments for years, and the issue and try to find a solution. Along with her work in suicide prevention, Williams also works to prevent child abuse and neglect by volunteering at a summer camp for children in foster care. Williams also volunteers at STAR as a call advocate, where she attends the sexual assault exam process to provide support for victims, as well as answering calls for their crisis line. Whether it’s child welfare, or sexual violence prevention, Williams has been able to get involved in social issues that are intense, emotional, and often very painful. “Volunteering is one of the most important thing a college student can do.” Williams said that volunteering helped her become more aware of the world and gain experience. “...My advice is, start small. You don’t have to immediately jump into a huge commitment… You know what does change the world? Actually getting out there and volunteering and doing something about it.” Williams’s passion for working the community foreshadows an exciting social welfare career in her future.

The next open suicide prevention training class will be held December 11 from 1-3 p.m. in the Lyla Richards conference room in the Student Union. To get involved with UAA Active Minds, check out their facebook page at https:// www.facebook.com/UAAActiveMinds/ To learn more about Kyle Poissonnier’s Be the Katalyst awareness work, check out Photo of Elizabeth Williams at an Active Minds event.

http://bethekatalyst.com

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Refugees of war: a galactic history In the year 2013, an alien brain slug from one of the galaxy’s most feared empires crash-landed on Earth and assumed control of a lowly reporter at this newspaper. These are his stories.

By Klax Zlubzecon

Translated by George Hyde If there’s anything we at the Slug Empire love, it’s a good history lesson. Part of the reason our Empire is as successful as it is is because we, as brain slugs, learn the lessons from mistakes that our enslaved civilizations made. We never make the same mistakes that countless other civilizations make, and you’d be surprised at just how many civilizations have made the same kinds of mistakes. This week, I’m going to give you readers a history lesson. It’s the story of another galactic empire that made many, many mistakes, but one of them stands

out in our world today. Long ago, back in our own Empire’s formative times, the Kysar Empire was the galactic vanguard of peace and reason. It was a new empire, and a strong one: one that formed when many smaller systems united under one flag. It was a turbulent time for this sector of the Milky Way; faster-than-light travel was just slowly becoming possible, and laser weapon technology had just reached its apex for the era. With improved weapons and a new means of travel, the Kysar yearned for the furthest reaches of the stars. The rulers of this empire believed, with this advanced tech in hand, that this new frontier was their birthright — their manifest destiny. Although it promised prosperity to those whom it conquered, it tore much of

the galaxy asunder. While it lay waste to smaller systems, the other governments of the galaxy were confident that their reign would blow over eventually. They ignored the thousands of pleas for help and refuge, believing that their systems had no place in this massive bloodshed. This gave the Kysar more fuel for their propaganda machine; the less likely another government would take those refugees in, the more likely they would enlist and help the Kysar conquer those governments. This worked at first, when the promise of Kysar vengeance was still sweet and palpable. Soon, though, the Kysar’s lust for conquest took its toll. In its blind efforts to claim the Milky Way as its own, it had ignored those who suffered under Kysar rule. Riots and rebellions plagued the empire, from its newly-exploited outskirts to its very center. Rather than come up with a logical plan to pacify these rebels, like any other person in the galaxy would have done, the Kysar went with a far messier final solution. Millions of voices were silenced. As the other civilizations of the galaxy tried to look the other way, the Kysar purged an indescribable number of its own people. With their new weapons, thousands of lush planets were rendered barren. This newly-destructive, continuallyexpanding empire could no longer be ignored. The other galactic civilizations finally went to war. Many of the galaxy’s greatest federations and republics went down in a suicidal blaze in an effort to bring the Kysar’s bloody crusade to an

end. The Kysar Empire was finally brought down, but at great cost. Many innocent deaths could have been prevented had the civilians in the conflict been given safe refuge, but it was not to be. Without a civilization to lend them some hospitality, they were doomed to perish. I hope it’s pretty clear what this history lesson is alluding to. Many rulers here on this planet are making the same mistake. Millions of people here on Earth need a safe place to run to when their government turns on them. Yet, many here in this very state believe that Alaska is no place for these people. America is the land of immigrants. The founding fathers came here to flee a brutal monarchy. Many of your “American” ancestors came from civilizations who could not provide for them. The number of innocent people who have died in humanity’s wars is unacceptable, even today. Even the Slug Empire understands this. We take that Kysar history lesson to heart. When people need refuge, we offer it to them. Naturally, it’s a little off-putting, with us being brainwashing slugs and all, but it’s better than what you guys are doing. For as brutal as we are in overthrowing and enslaving people, we at least do our best to keep them safe from harm. We have that decency. It’s about time that the countries of Earth do the same.

RESISTANCE IS FUTILE.

EMBRACE THE SEAWOLF SLUG.

On the subject of travel A well-meaning column rife with clunky metaphors and horrible advice, Orange Rhymes With is the goto place to break the monotony of classes and laugh at someone else’s misfortune.

By Evan Dodd Contributor

As I write, casually sipping one of the rum and Cokes I’ve made this evening, I’m overlooking a brilliant sunset and drying out my snorkel and spearfishing gear. The air has that pristine humidity to it, just shy of muggy but enough to wrap you in a soft tropical blanket, and with each keystroke I manage to dislodge another bit of the salt, sunscreen and sand mixture that’s caked my body. Do you hate me? You should. This is an incredibly arrogant and aggressive way to begin a column. But if we can pause and redirect some of that wrath inwards for a moment, I’ll explain why you should really be hating past-you for not planning ahead for a vacation like this. And let me apologize for the fact that that opener sounds like an infomercial for some type

of arbitrary status symbol like a hundred year scotch, or non-plastic cutlery. Too often I hear the excuse that it’s too expensive to travel in your twenties. Actually, scratch that. That’s a rum induced false hypothesis. What I mean to say is that barring that one bohemian friend that everyone seems to have; the one who bounces from hostel to hostel, staying just long enough to participate in a drum circle before catching a train to some further-flung drum circle which will surely involve something scandalous with other attractive bohemian travelers… Ahem. Moving on to the point, and another rum and Coke. Barring those with that incessant wanderlust that flood your social media feed with enviable experiences, the common complaint I hear regarding travel is cost. And sure, I don’t even want to calculate how many trips to Thai Kitchen I could

have made with the money spent on this vacation, but I didn’t just sell a kidney and leave the state all in an afternoon. Firstly, we live in a state that pays you to suffer through the blistering cold. Secondly, Alaska Airlines is chomping at the bit to take that money from you in exchange for the chance to leave. If you decide to use their credit cards to pay your tuition and rack up miles, then you’re halfway there. And I say this even though they saddled my broke ass with the card that doesn’t give you a companion fare due to their lack of confidence in my financial stability — which means they probably read this column. Basically, hit the deals with your free money if you can afford it, or save slowly over the long term if you can’t. Personally I did a bit of both, and padded my accounts by avoiding frivolous financial extravagances like changing my oil, paying my UAA bill or going to the dentist. Then, and this really is a must, split the cost with a companion — preferably one more attractive than you. This serves two purposes; one being that TSA will be far less irritated with your rant about civil liberties with eye candy to placate them, the other being that someone has to be left holding the proverbial bag if a local tries to sell you some home grown produce within the reach of the long arm of the law, as attractiveness doesn’t correlate well with sprinting speed. But really, and I’ll try to stay on point this time, the trick is to pick your battles. Our condo room doesn’t face the ocean, knocking off a good forty bucks a night. Our rental car agreement specifically states that there is no guarantee of

a working CD player and that the company only cares if you come back with a crushed quarter panel. Our food comes from Costco and fish I’ll hopefully spear without having to remove said spear from my leg. Our big snorkel trip came as payment from the gracious homeowners that my girlfriend dog-sat for, freeing up money for a discount zipline tour. The bottom line is that it’s doable if you save, plan and skimp on the trivial bits that you won’t remember anyway. I don’t want a 40 year career (too stable), kids (too demanding) or a large house (too flammable). What I do want is to travel, drink the local rum on some noname beach and write some incomprehensible account of the journey that’s not likely to be published. Basically the life of Hunter S. Thompson minus the time spent with the Hell’s Angels or widespread critical acclaim. You don’t have to want that (and frankly every reputable source advises against it) to enjoy traveling, but if you want until your secure and stable thirties to start you might never go. So pass on that new car and buy a junker like mine (with a license plate soon to read “Yeezus”), cut back on your Starbucks addiction and start a travel fund. At the end of the day, the only guarantee you have in life is the memory of your adventures, embellishments and all. Don’t sell yourself short with excuses during the prime of your traveling years. So if you’ll excuse me, I’m off to blast the Blue Oyster Cult by the sea. So basically, tune in next week to find out what goes horribly wrong.

FEATURES

THENORTHERNLIGHT TUESDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2015

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Winter fun list from The Northern Light staff

GRAPHICS BY JIAN BAUTISTA AND INNA MIKHAILOVA

Anchorage has a fireworks show each New Year’s Eve downtown. In Town Square Park at 5 p.m., community members can view ice sculptures until the fireworks show at 8 p.m. Ice skating can be done outdoors on Goose Lake, Westchester Lagoon, or Potter’s Marsh when ice is at least four inches thick. Students can also go ice skating at the UAA Wells Fargo Sports Center during open skate times for free with their Wolfcard. Alyeska Resort and Hilltop Ski Area offer skiiers and boarders a student discount for lift tickets with their Wolfcard.

FEATURES

THENORTHERNLIGHT TUESDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2015

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A&E

THENORTHERNLIGHT TUESDAY, DECEMBER 01, 2015

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‘Aklaq and Nayak’ offers Native interpretation of fairy tale By George Hyde

gchyde@thenorthernlight.org

When the opera “Hansel and Gretel” was written by German composer Engelbert Humperdinck in 1893, it was acclaimed for its reliance on folk music to tell a classic fairy tale in musical form. It’s doubtful that anyone back then pictured the opera being adapted to fit Inupiaq lore and culture. This Alaska Native adaptation, “Aklaq and Nayak,” will be presented as a collaboration between UAA’s Opera Ensemble and the Anchorage Opera. Like its premise, the show’s audience has been broadened to include other communities, and also to demonstrate to the university that opera is a viable option for students studying music. “Our goals with this collaboration were to demonstrate to UAA that there is sufficient interest in opera performance to consider a post-baccalaureate certificate in opera performance

and to hopefully start an educational outreach program at Anchorage Opera using the cast, set and costumes to tour to area schools starting in 2016,” Reed

W. Smith, the general director of Anchorage Opera, said. While the production will premiere at UAA with matinee and evening shows this month, there are additional plans to

bring the show to other schools and communities around Alaska, with touring costs — along with sets, costumes and publicity — being provided by Anchorage Opera. The new libretto was written by Mari Hahn, an associate professor of music at UAA, and Willa Towarak Eckenweiler, who is Inupiaq and, according to Hahn, is very familiar with Inupiaq culture, language and folklore. “The challenges that people face who still depend largely on a subsistence lifestyle, and can’t find food because of climate change, has an important part in the story,” said Hahn. The cast for the production is comprised of singers from UAA and from the community at large, including Alaska Native performers like Kira Eckenweiler, who will play the leading role of Nayak — this opera’s interpretation of Gretel. While Anchorage Opera has previously offered masterclasses and workshops to UAA stu-

dents, this joint effort treads new ground in UAA and Anchorage Opera’s partnership. “With this collaboration, we are forging a wonderful relationship that serves both sides,” said Hahn. “AO [Anchorage Opera] is interested in cultivating local talent, and outreaching to local and more distant communities to expose more people to opera that is accessible. For UAA students, it gives them invaluable opportunities to receive advanced training, more high profile performing opportunities, and gain experience with the educational component of the outreach programs.”

“Aklaq and Nayak” will show in the Recital Hall at the UAA Fine Arts Building on December 11-13, at 3:00 and 7:30 p.m. each day. Tickets are $23.75, $12.50 for seniors or military, and $6.75 for UAA students.

GAME REVIEW

‘Battlefront’ leaves ‘Star Wars’ fans longing for more

By George Hyde

gchyde@thenorthernlight.org

At moments, “Star Wars Battlefront” feels like the quintessential “Star Wars” video game. For a “Star Wars” fan, this game is the pinnacle of visual and audible design in games. It’s definitely the prettiest game that this generation of consoles has seen thus far, with an insane attention to detail in every map, weapon, player, and starfighter. When the player joins their fellow Stormtroopers in clearing out a Rebel base, with TIE Fighters flying overhead and John Williams’ “Imperial March” triumphantly

playing in the background, it’s hard not to feel giddy. Unfortunately for “Battlefront,” that giddiness is fleeting. For as much as the developers at DICE have shown their love for the source material, the underlying game isn’t very deep. There also isn’t much content here. Of the twelve maps and nine modes, only a very few of them are worth playing. “Battlefront’s” sheen starts to wear off after a few hours, and it suffers without interesting gameplay to hold it up afterward. For a great example of how “Battlefront” is lacking, look no further than the offline, single-player offerings. Whereas previous “Battlefront” games

had campaigns based on “Star Wars” history, the new “Battlefront” only offers a few survival maps that can be played with a buddy. Almost the entire game is focused on playing with other human beings. There’s not much that this game has to offer for players going alone. The game itself is good, but not great. While “Battlefront” wants to be a jack of all trades, it ends up being a master of none. Playing as a soldier on the ground is fun, but it lacks the depth of movement that games like “Titanfall” or the newer “Call of Duty’s” bring to the table. X-Wings and TIE Fighters are pretty fun to fly, but it’s not nearly as deep as something like

“TIE Fighter” or “Rogue Squadron.” The rare moments where the player gets to play as famous characters like Luke or Han Solo are fun, but they lack the impact that the heroes of “Battlefront II” had. This, in addition to EA’s grand plans for sequels and paid downloadable content, leads me to believe that “Battlefront” is not going to last long. That’s TITLE “Star Wars Battlefront” DEVELOPER DICE

a shame. It’s clear that a lot of love and care went into making it. Without the free support that games like “Splatoon” or “Team Fortress 2” still get, “Battlefront” is going to slowly wither. With new sequels on the way, though, I guess that doesn’t matter.

PLATFORM PS4, XBO, PC (Reviewed) GENRE Multiplayer shooter RELEASE DATE Nov. 17, 2015

SPORTS

THENORTHERNLIGHT TUESDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2015

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UAA Men’s Basketball Shootout wrap up By Nolin Ainsworth

sports@thenorthernlight.org

San Jose State 91 – UAA 87 The UAA Seawolves played their hearts out Saturday against the San Jose Spartans — but fell by four points to the Californians in their final game in the GCI Great Alaska Shootout. It was the third time in this year’s tournament the Seawolves’ fate was decided by 6 points or less. Sekou “Suki” Wiggs dazzled the Alaska Airlines Center crowd once again, scoring 30 points in the contest. The former O’Dea High School standout is now the all-time scoring champion of the 38-year-old Great Alaska Shootout after posting 98 points over the course of the weekend. Not to be outdone, San Jose senior forward Frank Rogers also put up big numbers for his squad. Rogers scored 32 points in 36 minutes of action. On a night when neither team was very sharp defensively, the Spartans out rebounded the Seawolves 40-26.

UAA 71 – Drexel 65 Seawolves guard Sekou “Suki” Wiggs had another outstanding performance, scoring 33 points, and UAA ousted Drexel in the consolation semi-finals of the GCI Great Alaska Shootout Friday afternoon. After a slow start to the game, Drexel’s play picked up midway through the first half with four unanswered buckets. UAA would cling to a 40-36 halftime lead. Wiggs heated up again in the second half, scoring timely baskets, including a three at the 8:41 mark that put UAA up for good. In addition, Seawolf Corey Hammell owned the offensive and defensive boards. The Santa Rosa junior college transfer collected a team-high 12 rebounds. Drexel could not build on the momentum that forward Rodney Williams’ rim-rocking dunk gave them approximately eight minutes into the half. Drexel looked to find guard Sammy Mojica in the offense down the stretch, after the sophomore was 5 of 8 from the field in the first half. The sophomore’s career-high 20 points was not enough to take down the Seawolves.

End of season volleyball standings Conference

Overall

Alaska Anchorage

18-2

26-2

Western Washington

17-3

Central Washington

Middle Tennessee 75 – UAA 72 The Seawolves lost to the Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders out of Murfreesboro, TN in the quarterfinal game of the GCI Great Alaska Shootout last Thursday. The Blue Raiders were led by super sixthman Perrin Buford’s 18 points and 4 rebounds. Seawolf Sekou “Suki” Wiggs did everything he could to give the Seawolves a chance to upset the Conference-USA team, going off with 33 points. UAA had an opportunity late to tie the game late with under a minute to play, but Spencer Svejcar’s three point miss kept the game at 69-66.

Hockey Standings Updated Nov. 29 WCHA

Overall

Minnesota State

7-1-2

8-6-2

23-5

Michigan Tech

8-4-0

9-4-1

16-4

20-7

Bowling Green

6-2-2

9-3-3

Northwest Nazerene

16-4

19-9

Ferris State

5-5-2

6-6-4

Simon Fraser

11-9

15-13

Nothern Michigan

3-4-3

4-5-5

Concordia

10-10

18-10

Bemidji State

3-5-2

4-6-3

Alaska Fairbanks

6-14

6-21

Alaska Anchorage

3-4-1

6-6-2

Western Oregon

5-15

8-21

Lake Superior State

2-3-3

4-9-3

Seattle Pacific

5-15

7-21

Alaska Fairbanks

2-6-2

4-8-2

Montana State Billings

5-15

6-23

Alabama Huntsville

2-7-1

3-8-1

Saint Martin’s

1-19

2-25

Upcoming home games: Friday, December 4, 2015 UAA vs Dixie State - 7:30 p.m.

Upcoming home games: Friday, December 11, 2015 UAA vs UAF - 2:00 p.m. Saturday, December 12, 2015 UAA vs UAF - 7:07 p.m.

SPORTS

THENORTHERNLIGHT TUESDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2015

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SPORTS

THENORTHERNLIGHT TUESDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2015

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Two ways an NBA team can be built

ILLUSTRATION BY INNA MIKHAILOVA

By Nolin Ainsworth

sports@thenorthernlight.org

The way I see it, there are two types of teams in the NBA: the “bottom ups” and “top downs.” The majority of which belong to the former category. A team that is a bottom up is one that has been built primarily through the draft. A team that is a top-down is one whose roster is a collage of free agent signings and former trades. This is an over-simplification — how all 30 teams derive the 12 names that make up their roster is quite complex and beyond the scope of this article. Rather, I argue that a championship team is best built by drafting wisely, in other words, building from the bottom up. What kind of teams wins championships? Of all the starting five on the last 15 championship teams, roughly half were drafted by the team they suited up for. The most successful teams over the last two decades, the San Antonio Spurs and Los Angeles Lakers, were both built around their fortunes in the draft by the way of Kobe Bryant and Tim Duncan.

Good teams require chemistry. There are over 150 different combinations of players that a coach can send out on the floor at once. If teammates have not played with each other for very long, good luck believing they have instant chemistry. That’s what makes the team like the San Antonio Spurs so special. Can you fathom how many minutes Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobli, and Tony Parker have played together over the last 13 seasons they have been teammates? Thousands, millions, billions? Okay, maybe just thousands, but still....The longer a team undergoes trials together, the more experience they share, the more chemistry they develop. All top down teams require one necessary ingredient: one or more high profile free agent signings. This year, it was the Mavericks’ signing of Wes Matthews and Deron Williams (and almost DeAndre Jordan). Last year, it was Cavaliers’ LeBron James and Kevin Love. Two years before that, it was the Clippers’ Chris Paul. Next year, it may or may not be some lucky team’s Kevin Durant. The point is, as the Dallas Mavericks will tell you, its always a gamble going after a free agent. Not only are other teams vying for the same player, but you also only get one shot to get it right. If you miss out on your guy, it may be several more years before a player of equal or better caliber will be a free agent again. The teams that do nab a top-25 player are then able to revamp the rest of their roster as they see it fit to accommodate their newest talent. Only five of the 16 players that played at least 20 games as a Cavaliers during the 2013-14 season remained the following season after James and Love were brought on.

UAA Women’s Basketball team miss their chance at GCI Great Alaska Shootout title for the sixth time By Nolin Ainsworth

sports@thenorthernlight.org

Ivy Brown had already made eight free throws when she toed the charity stripe one last time with two seconds remaining in Wednesday’s GCI Great Alaska Shootout championship. Brown’s Western Kentucky Lady Toppers needed only one more point to ice the game and secure their first-ever Shootout championship. After clanking her first shot off the iron, Brown made her second, and Western Kentucky walked away with a 62-58 victory over the Seawolves. Brown finished

the night with 21 points and 12 rebounds while teammate Kendall Noble chipped in 12 points and 5 assists. “I struggled a lot last year with focusing on scoring, scoring, scoring,” Brown said, “Me and my coach have just talked a lot about doing other things for the team...” After winning handily against Pepperdine last night, the Seawolves were given a rigid test by the Division I Lady Toppers who play in ConferenceUSA. Preseason Great Northwest Athletic Conference Player of the Year Megan Mullings led the Seawolves with 15 points, 9 rebounds, and 3 blocks. Mull-

ings did most of her damage in the first half and was nearly scoreless in the final quarter. After scoring the first bucket of the game, the Seawolves fell behind for most of the next two quarters. Senior Keiahnna Engel’s layup with 2:30 remaining in the half put the Seawolves back on top, 28-27. The two teams traded buckets to close the half, but UAA held on to a 32-31 lead at halftime. However, the Seawolves would fall behind again in the third quarter. Seawolves head coach Ryan McCarthy was not satisfied with his team’s execution. “We just didn’t follow our game plan — even remotely

close,” McCarthy said, “I was very disappointed in our effort. Our effort, I thought, was B+.” “Our team has to hold ourselves to a higher standard — regardless of division — regardless of reputation. If we are going to reach the goals we have set for ourselves,” McCarthy said. The visitors slowed the game down by drawing UAA fouls in the paint. The Seawolves were also out-rebounded 24-14 in the second half. “We needed to scrap out rebounds and box out,” McCarthy said. “We did not do that.” UAA’s three point specialists Jenna Buchanan and Jessica Madison finished with a com-

bined 20 points on 4-12 shooting from long range. As a team, UAA shot 36 percent from the field in the second half. “We talked about us being timid and us being scared,” Mullings said. “I think that was something that really affected us.” The Seawolves begin their conference schedule on the road next week. Ryan McCarthy’s squad plays Simon Fraser next Thursday before crossing the border to play Western Washington over the weekend. The loss does not count toward UAA’s overall record.

SPORTS

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THENORTHERNLIGHT TUESDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2015

OPINION

THENORTHERNLIGHT TUESDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2015

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LETTER TO THE EDITOR The Northern Light is a proud member of the ASSOCIATED COLLEGIATE PRESS. The Northern Light is a weekly UAA publication funded by student fees and advertising sales. The editors and writers of The Northern Light are solely responsible for its contents. Circulation is 2,500. The University of Alaska Anchorage provides equal education and employment opportunities for all, regardless of race, color, religion, national origin, age, sex, Vietnam-era or disabled-veteran status, physical or mental disability, changes in marital status, pregnancy or parenthood. The views expressed in the opinion section do not necessarily reflect the views of UAA or the Northern Light.

What photojournalist Gil Cohen-Magen taught me By Maria Lilly

LETTERS AND CORRECTIONS POLICY

Contributor

He lives in Israel and fell in love with Alaska: Gil CohenMagen, Israeli photojournalist. He came to speak at our University; he came to tell of his experience documenting the horrors of last years’ Gaza War. He came to share his passion for photographing the ceremonies and lives of Israel’s ultra-Orthodox. I spent the weekend with Gil, introduced him to the Northern Lights, the Chugach Mountain Range and Moose’s Tooth’s pizza. During that time Gil said again and again, “It’s not easy.” It isn’t easy living in a country where war begins suddenly, where terrorist attacks are a regular occurrence. It isn’t easy being a photojournalist in a time of war, when your friends and your countryman are dying. It isn’t easy covering those funerals, seeing the families weeping, remembering your own friends who have died. It isn’t easy knowing your children are running to bomb shelters to find safety from bombs. It isn’t easy to live in Israel. Gil grew up in Israel. He was born in Jerusalem. He has a family in Israel, a wife and three children. They leave as a family at least once a year. Because living in Israel takes a toll. His son wants to learn to ski; Gil hopes to take him to the Alps in the spring to learn together. Gil’s job has to negotiate the complicated Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Gil says he takes pictures of even the things that are hard to witness because the world needs a witness, because the world needs to know what is happening. People need to know. People need to see, this was the theme of Gil’s Nov. 13 presentation at UAA. Gil Cohen-Magen is an artist, he captures pictures that in their turn capture and captivate the eye. But Gil is also a journalist, a witness to history with the responsibility to make known what he sees. The journalist, Gil, somberly told about how it feels to watch mothers weep over their children. The artist, Gil, stood in the frigid winter air at two in the morning capturing the Aurora. Gil taught me. Gil taught us, those of us who met him, that life is a complicated thing, that the hard things are worth doing, that we have a duty to our fellow man. He may be from across the world, but Gil Cohen-Magen may just have found his frozen paradise.

Letters to the editor can be submitted to editor@thenorthernlight.org. The maximum length is 250 words. Opinion pieces can be submitted to editor@thenorthernlight.org. The maximum word length is 450 words. Letters and opinion pieces are subject to editing for grammar, accuracy, length and clarity. Requests for corrections can be sent to editor@thenorthernlight.org. Print publication is subject to accuracy and available space. All corrections are posted online with the original story at www.thenorthernlight.org. The Northern Light newsroom is located on the first floor of the Student Union, directly next to Subway.

THE NORTHERN LIGHT CONTACTS 3211 Providence Drive Student Union 113 Anchorage, AK 99508 EXECUTIVE EDITOR Kelly Ireland 786-1313 editor@thenorthernlight.org

ASSISTANT A&E EDITOR Vacant SPORTS EDITOR Nolin Ainsworth sports@thenorthernlight.org ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR Vacant

ADVERTISING MANAGER Anthony Craig 786-6195 admanager@thenorthernlight.org MARKETING REPRESENTATIVE ads@thenorthernlight.org Vacant

STAFF PHOTOGRAPHERS Ryan Johnson rjohnson@thenorthernlight.org

STAFF REPORTERS George Hyde gchyde@thenorthernlight.org Nathan Burns nburns@thenorthernlight.org Victoria Petersen vgpetersen@thenorthernlight.org

LAYOUT EDITOR Demi Straughn layout@thenorthernlight.org

CONTRIBUTORS Evan Dodd Jacob Holley-Kline

GRAPHIC DESIGNERS Jian Bautista jbautista@thenorthernlight.org Inna Mikhailova imikhailova@thenorthernlight.org

MEDIA ADVISER Paola Banchero

ASSISTANT FEATURES EDITOR Vacant

WEB EDITOR web@thenorthernlight.org Vacant

ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT Stacey Parker

A&E EDITOR Vacant

MULTIMEDIA EDITOR Vacant

MANAGING EDITOR Sam Davenport content@thenorthernlight.org COPY EDITOR Kathryn DuFresne copy@thenorthernlight.org NEWS EDITOR Vacant ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR Vacant FEATURES EDITOR Kathryn Casello features@thenorthernlight.org

PHOTO EDITOR Vacant

ADMINISTRATIVE ADVISER Zac Clark

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