January182011

THENORTHERNLIGHT JANUARY 18, 2011

FEATURES

04

UNIVERSITY OF ALASKA ANCHORAGE

Cultures of Anchorage: A web video series

A&E

08

WWW.THENORTHERNLIGHT.ORG

Pulse Dance Company: First independent performance

OPINION

17

Rational Optimism: Looking past the negatives

Anchorage adults confident school police reduce crime

By Jerzy Shedlock The Northern Light

Increasing fears about and incidents of school violence during the 1990s, such as the Columbine High School massacre that left 12 students and one teacher dead, have increased the number of sworn officers working in public schools in the United States.

A recent article in the Alaska Justice Forum, a publication of the Justice Center at UAA, explores public perceptions regarding police in schools.

Author of the article and assistant professor at UAA Brad Myrstol concluded that overall Anchorage adults are confident that the addition of School Resource Officers (SROs)—certified, sworn officers who are employed by a local police agency but are assigned to work in local schools—are a good way to reduce crime and delinquency.

Among the findings, an estimated 81.5 percent reported that SRO programs are a good way to reduce violent crimes in schools, and more than 75 percent stated that SROs are a good way to reduce property crimes in schools and vandalism of school property.

Prior research examined the views of school administrators, students and parents, but no one had ever conducted a study involving the general public. This new study fills that research gap.

Myrstol is not surprised that the public is supportive of the SRO concept. He is surprised, however, with the consistency of support across numerous dimensions of the program’s efforts.

Further, there is a lack of concern for what he regards as “unintended consequences.”

“Not only do people have a great deal of confidence in SRO programs, there is little concern for unexpected negative outcomes,” Myrstol said.

SEE POLICE PAGE 03

Gymnasts take third in quad meet

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Daily products are potentially hazardous for health

By Kate Lindsley The Northern Light

Take a few minutes to consider everything you put on your body in one day. Clothes, shoes and a backpack may come to mind. Think a little deeper about what you put on your skin: lotion, soap, anti-acne solution, makeup, aftershave, deodorant, perfume and cologne. The laundry list of cosmetics and toiletries (and their ingredients) could fill libraries.

My interest in these topical hazards

began on my Hawaiian winter vacation.

My family went to a drugstore and purchased the needed sunscreen for the trip. On the way home, we stopped at a fruit stand and were verbally assaulted about “cancer causing sunscreen.”

Confused? I was, too. After all, isn’t sunscreen supposed to prevent cancer? I went straight to the Internet. According to Dr. Loren Pickart of Skin Biology, there are six main active ingredients in most sunscreens: PABA, avobenzone, benzophenone, oxybenzone, titanium dioxide and zinc oxide.

You may know zinc oxide from the cheesy TV shows with lifeguards— white gel spread upon their noses (the pure form of zinc oxide – it works simply by directly reflecting the sun’s rays).

Titanium dioxide works in a similar way. PABA, avobenzone, oxybenzone and benzophenone are quite different, however. They work by changing the chemistry of how skin reacts with sunlight. Their side effects include changes in estrogen levels, free-radical generation and accumulation in fat cells to be

SEE TOXIC PAGE 04

Debate Team triumphs in Botswana

By Shana Roberson The Northern Light

PHOTO BY PATRICK MCCORMICK

Jackie Thomas swings a giant around the high bar. The UAA gymnastics team has recovered from last season’s injuries and is looking for another conference title.

SEE PAGE 13

“Unprecedented.”

That’s how junior Brett Frazer described the success he and his teammates achieved at their most recent tournament.

During the winter break, the UAA Seawolf Debate Team travelled to Botswana, Africa to compete with 160 other universities from around the world at the 2011 “Worlds,” what those

in the know call the World Universities Debating Championships.

The team is undeniably one of the best in the country, as evidenced with their current rank, tied for second with Yale, behind only Harvard. Their world rank is currently listed at 12th.

That may all change after the team’s success at Worlds. The team included Drew Cason, Wiley Cason, Brett Frazer, Colin Haughey,

Vasilios “Akis” Gialopsos, Michaela Hernandez, Amy Parrent and Amie Stanley along with coaches Steve Johnson and Shawn Briscoe.

After three days of preliminary debates, only 32 teams out of 320 “broke” into the elimination round.

Two of those teams came from UAA. One team, consisting of Gialopsos and Stanley, won the top seeded American spot at 16th while another team made up of Frazer and

Parrent placed 22nd. Those results are unprecedented, as the team explained.

“It’s rare that we even have one team break,” said Cason.

His sentiment was echoed by teammate Brett Frazer.

“We amassed 66 points as four teams, which is the best we’ve ever done,” he said. “So, all the teams put together contributed to those 66 points. In addition to those 66 points, we had two

SEE DEBATE PAGE 02

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TNL

NEWS| January 18, 2011

DEBATE: World Universities Debating Championships success ranks Seawolves as best American team CONTINUED FROM COVER

teams break, which is also unprecedented.”

Although both teams that broke into the elimination round did not make it beyond the first round, just breaking is considered a successful tournament, especially for Frazer and Parrent, who had never been to Worlds before.

Only five American teams total broke into that round.

UAA moved two teams forward while two others were from Yale and the another team came from the University of Vermont.

Also impressive was Gialopsos’ ranking as the 27th best individual speaker and highest ranked American out of the 640 total competitors.

The topics the team debated were wide ranging.

For instance, one topic was whether the South African Development Community (SADC) should include a political dimension.

Another topic of debate was whether national sports teams should be comprised of participants that reflect the ethnic makeup of the nation they represent.

Such a variety of topics requires much preparation. In order to get ready, the teams create brief books that have information on hundreds of possible topics.

The brief books, which are about as thick as a cinder block and might even weigh as much, travel with them to the tournaments. Sometimes they get used, sometimes they do not.

Having specialized knowledge about the subject is not exactly necessary, especially since the debaters

Above Left: Amy Parrent, undeclared sophomore, gives a speech at the World Universities Debate Championships (WUDC) in Botswana. Parrent took 22nd in the tournament with partner Brett Frazer (pictured right), making them third best American team in the tournament.

Above Right: Akis Gialopsis, senior international studies major, joined partner Amie Stanley (not pictured) in the WUDC. Gialopsis and Stanley placed 16th, making them the first best American team in the tournament. Gialopsis also took best American speaker.

Right: Brett Frazer, junior natural sciences major, made his first appearance at the WUDC this year. Two of five American teams in the championship to break into octofinals were UAA teams, including Frazer’s and Gialopsis’.

only have 15 minutes from the time they are given a topic to the time the debate begins.

“You can always find something to debate about. I didn’t know anything about SADC, but you can debate about the nature of political unity,” said Brett Frazer. “So even if you don’t know the details about SADC, given that 15 minutes of prep time, you can usually come up with arguments to discuss broad principles.”

Frazer and Cason attribute the success to the hard work and dedication of the entire team, including the coaches.

Practice makes perfect, especially for the UAA Seawolf Debate team.

“It was remarkable how close our practice rounds were in terms of quality to the highest level of debate rounds that I watched at the tournament,” said Cason.

And everyone is invited to those practices. While the team has less than 20 members that travel and are competitive, up to double that number show up just for the stimulating conversation they find. And the team welcomes it.

“Anyone can come to practice and participate in anyway they want to, even if they just want to hang out and watch debates,” Frazer said.

Those practices happen Friday morning and Tuesday evening in the Administrative/Humanities building.

Also on tap for the team are the upcoming Cabin Fever debates and hosting the Alaska State High School Drama, Debate and Forensic competition.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF ROBERT LEES-MILLER

STATEWIDE BRIEFS Man dies in Richardson Highway crash

Murkowski joins call for bipartisan SOTU seating

A 62-year-old Delta Junction man died Wednesday afternoon in a Richardson Highway crash.

Alaska State Troopers say Robert Peter Allain was driving a pickup at Mile 292 about 26 miles north of Delta Junction when he lost control on the icy road as he negotiated an uphill, left hand curve.

The pickup left the highway, rolled, and came to rest against a stand of trees.

Troopers took a call on the crash at 1:17 p.m. Allain was pronounced dead at the scene.

Troopers say he was not wearing a seat belt.

Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski is joining the call for Republicans and Democrats to sit together — and forgo party-bloc seating — during the president’s State of the Union address.

Murkowski is the lead Republican supporting the effort proposed by Colorado Sen. Mark Udall, a Democrat.

Murkowski has shown signs of returning to her centrist roots since her successful outside run as a write-in candidate last fall.

She and Udall have sent a letter to colleagues, asking them to help send the message of a unified Congress during the address.

They’ve also sent a letter to party leadership.

Murkowski spokesman Michael Brumas says the seating arrangement is largely symbolic but also a heartfelt gesture.

He believes Murkowski intends to “make good on her call” regardless of what leadership decides.

Alaska’s Democratic senator, Mark Begich, also supports the bipartisan seating arrangement. He wants Alaska’s congressional delegation, including Republican Rep. Don Young, to sit together.

Soldier formally charged in death of wife The Army says a 30-year-old Fort Wainwright soldier has been charged with kidnapping and murder in the death of his wife.

Spc. Aaron M. Rentfrow of Fort Wayne, Ind., was formally charged Thursday in the death of 31-year-old Tonya Lynn Rentfrow of Conway, Ark. Spc. Rentfrow went to the Fairbanks Police Department on Sunday and reported that his wife was dead at their home on Fort Wainwright.

Fairbanks police notified military police, who found the body.

They notified the Army Criminal Investigation Command, which investigates on-post deaths.

Spc. Rentfrow remains jailed at Fairbanks Correctional Center.

He began an assignment in May as a mental health specialist at Fort Wainwright.

Alaska aerial wolf kill limited by snow, darkness Lack of snow and daylight has combined to limit killing wolves as part of the Alaska aerial predator control program.

The Fairbanks Daily News-Miner reports that, as of Thursday, pilot-gunner teams with permits from the Alaska Department of Fish and Game had taken a total of 29 wolves.

Snowfall has been less than normal, making tracking more difficult and limiting landing conditions for pilots who must pick up any wolves that are shot.

There also was a lack of snow last winter, when 42 wolves were killed, the lowest annual total.

Miller: More than $300K raised for legal bills Republican Joe Miller says his campaign raised more than $300,000 for his legal fight over Alaska’s U.S. Senate race.

Miller tells The Associated Press that should be enough to cover his costs.

Miller sued over the state’s handling of the election and the way in which it counted write-in ballots for his rival, Sen. Lisa Murkowski. Murkowski mounted a write-in bid after losing the GOP primary to Miller.

Miller abandoned his weeks-long legal battle two weeks ago, after three courts refused to overturn results favoring Murkowski.

Murkowski was sworn in for her second full term earlier this month.

Murkowski’s campaign has said she raised more than $250,000 for her legal bills.

Anchorage police say man lured cold women to home Police say an Anchorage man lured two women from a bus stop with an offer to warm up at his home and then raped one of them.

The other woman called police Wednesday night, and officers arrived and arrested the 42-year-old man.

Police told the Anchorage Daily News the two women are frequently homeless.

-Compiled by Alec Martinez

January 18, 2011 | NEWS

POLICE: Justice Center article highlights police in schools CONTINUED FROM COVER

Negative consequences include creating additional barriers between police and students, increasing the level of fear in schools and undermining the authority of school officials.

While the new study fills a significant gap in previous knowledge on SROs the research does not help assess the effectiveness of SRO programs. As Myrstol’s article states, “Despite the massive financial investments by the federal government to initiate SRO programs and train police officers, and the widespread adoption of programs across the country, relatively little is known about how SRO programs operate, and even less is known about their ability to achieve programmatic goals.”

“Given that there has been so little research on the effectiveness—or lack thereof—of SRO programs, why is it that the public has so much confidence in the SROs to achieve their programmatic objectives?” Myrstol said.

“Clearly, such support

is not grounded in empirical APD’s six goals for the SRO program: evidence of effectiveness.”

-To enhance safety in and around schools.

Anchorage adults were less -To reduce juvenile delinquency and crime in convinced about the ability of SROs the community. to impact truancy.

One fifth of the -To build trust and positive relationships with residents surveyed students.

(20.8 percent) agreed that a SRO program is -To increase school attendance. a good way to improve student -To enhance the learning environment, attendance. specifically through anti-bullying efforts.

Myrstol’s best guess as to why people are so -To provide a high level of police service to the skeptical about the Anchorage School District. ability of police to have a meaningful impact on truancy assigning police to schools interact with them is that most of them is a good way to improve negatively then it really understand there are limits students’ attitudes toward doesn’t benefit anyone, at to what the officers can police. A number of UAA least in terms of attitudes achieve. students disagreed with about it.”

“There are a whole set the finding.

Junior Paul Winter, of complex sociological, Clinical psychology engineering major, echoed economic, and cultural graduate student Rachel a similar opinion. factors that influence Wahto stated that while “I think if anything whether or not a child having police in schools it’s going to make people attends school, and increases teenagers’ more hostile toward police very few of them can exposure to authority because they (students) be impacted by police,” figures in may not be enter school a negative Myrstol said. “I think the enough. attitude toward them public understands this.”

“It depends on the (police) already,” Winter A total of 61.6 percent interactions (students) said. of Anchorage adults have with the officers,” reported that permanently Wahto said. “If they

03

SAY WHAT?

Idaho woman has 1/11/11 baby at 11:11 a.m.

MERIDIAN, Idaho (AP) -- Tyler Ashton Marx’s lucky number is going to be one, or 11, or maybe both.

The son of Jared and Leslie Marx was born at 11:11 a.m. on Jan. 11, 2011, at St. Luke’s Meridian Medical Center in Meridian, Idaho.

Jared Marx is serving in Iraq and watched his son’s birth over the Internet.

Leslie Marx tells KTVB-TV that Tyler was born just as the clock switched to 11:11 a.m.

But Tyler Marx isn’t the only one in the family with a memorable birthday. His older sister was born on Sept. 9, 2009 - 9/9/09.

A Minnesota couple’s daughter was born Tuesday with one less one. Amy Zeller and Codjo Mensah welcomed Flora Mensah to the world at 1:11 a.m.

Oklahoma boy rescued after tongue gets stuck on pole WOODWARD, Okla. (AP) -- In a scene straight from the movie “A Christmas Story,” an 8-yearold Oklahoma boy got his tongue stuck to a metal pole after he licked it on a dare.

Officials say when rescue crews arrived Tuesday morning, the boy was standing on his tiptoes, trying to wriggle his frozen tongue free from a stop sign pole across the street from Woodward Middle School.

Paramedics were able to help the boy by pouring water on his tongue. Once free, the boy told officials he got stuck after his brother dared him to lick the pole.

The boy was taken to a Woodward hospital for treatment.

The scene was similar to one in “A Christmas Story,” a 1983 movie adapted from Jean Shepard’s memoir of a boy in the 1940s.

Woman recreates da Vinci’s ‘Last Supper’ with lint ROSCOMMON, Mich. (AP) -A northern Michigan woman has put her own spin on Leonardo da Vinci’s “The Last Supper” by making a replica out of laundry lint.

Laura Bell of Roscommon collected lint from her dryer and fashioned it into a 14-foot-long, 4-foot tall reproduction of the Italian Renaissance painter’s masterpiece.

Bell says she needed about 800 hours to do enough laundry to get the lint, and 200 hours to recreate the mural. She bought towels of the colors she wanted and laundered them separately to get the right shades of lint.

Her artwork has caught the eye of Ripley’s Believe It or Not! The company plans to put it on display at one of its museums.

Ripley’s says it also has Last Supper replicas made from a grain of rice, a dime and burned toast.

-Compiled by Alec Martinez

FEATURES

04

Hearing from Alaska Native and Polynesian Communities on Anchorage’s Diversity: A web video series

By Joshua Tucker The Northern Light

The diversity of Anchorage residents is skyrocketing. Though the Metro Area was still 69 percent white in 2009, the percentage of Hispanics increased 67 percent, Asian Pacific islanders increased 41 percent and Alaska Natives increased 28 percent between 2000 and 2009 according to the Harvard School of Public Health.

In contrast, the city’s white population

only increased 10 percent during the same period.

Exploring the city’s diverse cultures, languages and stories, The Northern Light is beginning a six part series of web videos: “Cultures of Anchorage.” Part one and two on TheNothernLight.org feature speeches

by Yupik Community Leader Quinten Simeon and president of the Polynesian Association of Alaska, Lucy Hansen.

Quinten Simeon won the Alaska Native

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Oratory Competition three years in a row and earned the Student Diversity Award as a UAA student in 2004. He delivered the 2006 UAA commencement address alternating between English and Yupik, to deliver a message encouraging students to hold onto their dreams.

Simeon now serves as the Education and Training Coordinator for the Knik Tribal Council.

In Cultures of Anchorage Part one Simeon explains Alaska’s 21 indigenous cultures and how they can be divided into five culture groups.

“When you say Alaska Native, it’s like saying European. It’s that diverse,” Simeon said.

Lucy Hansen is the President of the Polynesian Association of Alaska and has worked tirelessly to organize and support her community for decades.

Simeon and Hansen describe common experiences of growing up in communities of around 300 people, learning English as a second language, and overcoming difficulties to graduate from high school before coming to Anchorage.

“Its another universe, another world” Simeon said, describing coming to Anchorage from his home in the village of Aniak on the Kuskoquim River. Thoughts echoed by Hansen, who grew up on the “tiny” island of Minua in American Samoa, before arriving in Anchorage in 1985.

Polynesian culture is third most common culture in the Anchorage School district, according to Hansen, with nearly 5,000 Polynesians in Alaska.

Simeon and Hansen are both Board members of the Anchorage chapter of

Bridge Builders. An organization with a long history of bringing different ethnic communities together to help them work towards the needs of their communities, according to Malcolm Roberts, a Founder and past President of the organization.

“We believe really strong communities go beyond tolerance and build really strong

‘When you say Alaska Native, it’s like saying European. It’s that diverse,’

-Quenten Simeon, Education and Training Coordinator Knik Tribal Council

friendships between cultures and share in each other’s riches. It’s a great way to head off hostility,” Roberts said.

Violence and misunderstanding between different ethnic groups has occurred repeatedly in Anchorage. Leaders like Hansen and Simeon often end up stepping in to help find a resolution.

“The elders came because the police couldn’t get this Samoan kid to put his gun down,” Hansen said, telling the story of a shooting that tested the Anchorage’s Polynesian community.

Complete Video of Simeon and Hansen telling this and other stories and describing their communities are available at TheNorthernLight.org in part one and two of the Northern Light’s ongoing six-part “Cultures of Anchorage” web video series.

TOXIC: Some ingredients in cosmetics considered harmful CONTINUED FROM COVER

released when that fat is burned.

This new information shook my world, to say the least. Had my loved ones had been slathering cell-mutilating creams on me since I was an infant? I know their intentions were good, but how could they not do their research?

Possibly blind faith in labels and brands. What else had I used that was a possible carcinogen? What am I using now?

I ransacked my toiletries kit and looked to Skin Deep’s Cosmetics Safety Database. The database rates nearly all available cosmetics based on their ingredients on a scale of zero to 10 (zero being most safe and 10 being very dangerous).

Recognizing that some of their research isn’t comprehensive, the database includes a percentage of how much is known about the potential hazard of an ingredient.

For example, many women’s body washes and perfumes rate very high on the toxicity scale.

However, the 100 percent data gap shows that there is no proof that fragrance is actually harmful.

It behooves you to do some research; use the Consortium Library’s research avenues to find out if DMDM Hydantoin (found in most lotions) really is contaminated with formaldehyde, or if aluminum zirconium (the active ingredient in antipersperant) disturbs organ systems. Furthermore, ask a dermatologist, doctor or chemist.

An article published in the Washington Post in 2009 reported that over half of the baby products tested by the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics contained trace amounts of 1,4-dioxane or formaldehyde, both carcinogenic compounds according to the Environmental Protection Agency.

According to an article published by Environmental Health Perspectives in 2001,

chemicals such as dibutyl phthalate (DBP) found in nail polish and other cosmetics are linked to birth defects in humans. Considering that many women who wear cosmetics and nail polish are in their prime childbearing years, reading this article was less than encouraging.

When discussing these claims, Gilbert Ross, editor of The American Council on Science and Health noted that, “it is difficult to evaluate (groups) claims, as scientific support and specific references are rarely provided.”

The research project was two things for me: a humbling experience and a wake-up call.

Many of my family members didn’t want to hear that their sunscreen was hazardous or that their $60 face cream is potentially carcinogenic. Being told to consider the safety of your lifelong routines is difficult. The wake-up call came from the few

hours I spent staring at sunscreens and facial moisturizers in the drugstore.

Brands could not be singled out, SPF’s were not reliable and not even the Skin Care Foundation itself seemed trustworthy, as some of their approved sunscreens were the biggest chemical offenders. In the end, I decided to just do my homework.

I look at the active and inactive ingredients of products I use

everyday. I’m still not too happy about my facial soap, deodorant or conditioner, but they all work great.

Considering that I wasted nearly a full day of sunny vacation time researching, I have to say it is more worth living a full and happy life than worrying about the minute chance that your toiletries will kill you.

January 18, 2011 | SPORTS

05

After-holiday home The astronomy behind sickness hits hard Ophiuchus: The new sign

By Ashley Snyder The Northern Light

The holiday break, seemingly never ending, inevitably came to an end. Many students had to leave their families and loved ones and travel back to their life at UAA. The school semester has started and students are slowly meandering back into their schedules. The first week is full of confusion and excitement with new classes, new professors and new faces all around.

Slowly after the adrenaline rush starts to fade and the schedule becomes a repetitive cycle, a new sense starts to creep up on some students – a small anxiety in the back of their mind.

There are mixed feelings including loneliness, loss, anxiety and depression that can’t be blamed on the dark wintry season.

It is actually homesickness, and can affect even the most unsuspecting of people.

It hits especially hard after the holiday season and even worse for freshmen who haven’t spent much time away from home.

Students go home to visit family and they adjust to the ease of living, knowing that the bills will be paid, food will be on the table, and there will always be someone there when you need them.

When they come back to an empty apartment, an empty fridge, and piles of bills waiting there is the overwhelming sense of loneliness.

This can develop into a real feeling of homesickness and, even in some cases, depression.

According to the Wellness Center, “Research on homesickness amongst college students shows that 35 percent of new students experience some homesickness, and that between 5 percent and 15 percent describe the experience as frightening: a few will go on to develop depression.”

It is even shown in some studies that homesickness is one of the top 10 reasons that students drop out of college.

This can severely affect a student’s interactions with friends, hinder their participation in extracurricular activities and cause grades to start sliding down.

Tara Middleton, a sophomore was hit hard with the effects of homesickness last year.

“It was my first semester at college and everything was great.

It was thrilling to be living on my own. I had a 3.2 GPA when the semester ended,” Middleton said. “I went home for Christmas break and even though I loved the freedom of living on my own, I never realized how much I missed my family.”

After the semester started up again, Tara was back in her dorm and even though she had a roommate, she felt anxiety and even a creeping depression. “My second semester didn’t end up so well and my GPA slid down to a 2.4.”

Because homesickness is a form of depression, many of the techniques used to defeat depression can be used to help homesickness.

The best way to beat homesickness is to keep in contact with your family. Try calling them once a week to catch up on things, or try texting and emailing.

Really, it’s not that embarrassing to text your mom or your little sister.

Snail mail is also a great way to get more personalized responses, but it can take a while depending on how far it has to go.

‘I went home for Christmas break and even though I loved the freedom of living on my own, I never realized how much I missed my family.’

-Tara Middleton, sophomore If your family doesn’t live too far away, see if you can hop on a cheap flight or train to see them at least once a year during spring break, summer vacation, or winter break. Having your family come visit you can be a lot easier than you visiting them, so alternate every once in a while.

Send gifts such as UAA memorabilia for your family and ask them to send you things from home.

Keep a variety of pictures in your apartment or dorm and on your phone and computer.

Scrap booking is a fantastic way of keeping all those memories of good times alive.

Also, try to resume life as normal by hanging out with your friends, actively participating in activities that you enjoy, maybe even going out on fun night on the town.

If you live alone in an apartment, invite friends over for a study group or movie night.

Talk to your friends about your homesickness. Chances are there’s someone out there who is going through the same thing.

Take up a new activity such as a sport or join a club. A job is not only a good distraction, but also a good source of extra cash to go do fun things with your friends more often.

If these suggestions don’t improve your homesickness, the health center offers free counseling to anyone that needs it.

Even though some people believe it is uncomfortable to go to counseling, or don’t believe that they need counseling, it is better than allowing your grades to sink and your social life to fall apart.

By Kate Lindsley

Puckett explained why Western and Sidereal horoscopes diverged from one another. When January 13, 2011. The day astrological signs precession was discovered to complicate were magically re-evaluated. I read many Facebook astrologers approximations, “they just ignored status updates about this. “If you’re born after precession entirely.

2009, it doesn’t apply to you,” or “How could I be a So at that point, Western astrologers stopped stupid Ophiuchus?” or, my personal favorite, “my pegging the positions of their signs to the stars, and world has been rocked!” started fixing them to dates of the year.”

A nearly 3,000-year-old practice magically “The reason for the change is called the changed, at least to most Americans. Ophiuchus Precession of the Equinoxes, or Axial Precession” was introduced to the everyday astrologer. However, Puckett said. He explained this process to me according to director of the planetarium Dr. by comparing the rotation of the earth as, Andy Puckett, “there is no ‘news’ here”. ”spinning like a top, but it’s like a top that’s While this may be “no ‘news’” to trying to fall over.” educated astronomers (not to be confused It turns out Earth is a top that makes one with astrologers – one is a serious profession full rotation every 26,000 years. while one is more of a hobby), those of us who The news revealed by a Minneapolis blindly follow our horoscope could learn a few astronomer that shook the lives of astrologythings. followers nationwide has been known since Puckett said that there are two forms of 130 BCE when astronomer Hipparchus first astrology: Western (Tropical) and noticed the precession. Puckett Hindu (Sidereal). also revealed that Ophiuchus has While Sidereal astrology considers Ophiuchus is the thirteenth been around since astrology’s Ophiuchus, Tropical signs were astrology sign under Hindu beginnings, but was “ignored there Sidereal. Western pinned down to dates and ignored the astrology, on the Sun’s path.” astrology, Tropical, does not sign altogether. This was done when include this sign.

It was slightly uplifting that some ancient astrologers realized that Puckett continued to assure that this “precession was going to make their was nothing new. convenient approximation too complicated,” “If I’d have realized that saying it loudly on according to Puckett. the internet could’ve gotten me national press, I Most Americans rely on the Tropical signs would’ve done it myself a long time ago,” Puckett today. They are the horoscopes traditionally said. published online, in magazines and in newspapers.

The Northern Light

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ARTS&ENTERTAINMENT

08

Pulse Dance Company to premiere at APU Grant Hall

By Heather Hamilton The Northern Light

Dance, like all art, is celebrated in many diverse forms. Some flow, some jerk, some elevate and some ground, but all dance is the same in that it is a creative expression of the body.

Pulse Dance Company was founded by UAA students Stephanie Wonchala and Walter Barillas in March 2010. The company, which is based in modern dance, has grown to include five other members, all of which come from varying dance backgrounds.

“The seven of us come from such different places of movements, the other male in the company is a martial artist, we have a Buto dancer, there’s an actress, there’s another one who really loves hip hop and jazz who has quite a bit of classical training as well and another who’s had predominately belly training,” Barillas said, a sociology senior at UAA and Pulse’s Associate Artistic Director.

company will perform an original evening-length piece that plays on the strengths of, and challenges each of, the dancers to create and portray a unique piece of moving art.

“Each of us is a different hue, and we all have different levels of vibrancy; each of us is such a different color that it blends into the whole thing,” Barillas said.

“I think it’s going to be a really awesome opportunity for people to come and reflect on their own relationships, their own perspective on life. There’s definitely some exploration of the duality of life and death, love and hate and the acceptance and rejection of nihilism,” Wonchala said, describing the show.

Pulse is a fledgeling company, and being founded by two college students, it is also an understandably underfunded one as well. Pulse does not rent or own a building to practice in; they meet wherever space is donated to them.

The Alaska Moving Arts Center in Eagle River donates space to the group for late night rehearsals

‘I had this really strong desire to dance more and to have more opportunities to dance in Anchorage. It hit me. It hit me like a brick. If I wanted that, I had to create that.’

-Pulse Dance Company Cofounder and Company/Artistic Director Stephanie Wonchala

Barillas has performed as part of UAA’s Dance Ensemble as well as choreographed for and performed in New Dances.

Pulse, a soon-to-be non-profit organization, was conceived

by Wonchala, Pulse’s Artistic Director and a journalism and public communications senior at UAA. Wonchala was sitting in her vehicle one day thinking on how she desired more opportunities to dance, despite having performed with the UAA Dance Ensemble, and both danced in and choreographed for New Dances as well.

“I had this really strong desire to dance more and to have more opportunities to dance in Anchorage. It hit me. It hit me like a brick. If I wanted that, I had to create that,” Wonchala said.

After gaining a few more members, Pulse began working on getting their name out into the community, and beginning the process of becoming a non-profit organization. The company has performed at Laughing Lotus, performed during December’s First Friday event at Anchorage Yoga, entertained during a fashion show and participated in several other local events.

Despite having participated in many small events, Pulse has never had a show of its own with which to showcase the talents of its dancers – until now.

On Friday, Jan. 21 and Saturday, Jan. 22, Pulse Dance Company will perform in their official debut at Alaska Pacific University’s Grant Hall. The

when regularly scheduled classes and events are finished.

After their performance at APU, Pulse plans on taking a well-deserved breath of fresh air while they finish applying for non-profit status, which Wonchala hopes will make the company’s dreams of performing even more of a reality. They plan on holding auditions for a few more company members in the future as well.

“We will be looking for dancers, but not many. I don’t want a company of 20; I want a strong core,” she said.

Pulse Dance Company is a small organization founded by two UAA students who knew what they wanted and created an avenue for achieving it. Less than a year into its creation, it shows no signs of slowing down, and in fact appears to continue growing stronger by the day.

Expect to see this vibrant company a lot more in the future, and maybe they’ll breathe a little life into our greater dance community while they’re at it.

Pulse Dance Company will perform their debut dance concert at Alaska Pacific University’s Grant Hall Auditorium on Jan. 21 and Jan. 22. Both shows are at 8 p.m. and tickets are $12 at the door.

Hors d’oeuvres will be provided by The Grape Leaf Restaurant at the conclusion of both shows, which will give attendees an opportunity to meet the performers. For more information about Pulse, go to www.pulsedancecompany.com.

Top: Dorthy Fedenberg and Stephanie Wonchala from Pulse Dance Company practice for the upcoming show at the APU Grant Hall on Jan. 21 and 22, 2011.

Left: Zachary Lasiter and Barillas prepare for their upcoming performance.

Barillas cofounded the dance company.

Bottom: Lasiter and Joyce Mayer make up part of the small dance company, which will soon be a non-profit.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF PULSE DANCE COMPANY

2011 Claybody Ceramic Invitational - Student Union Gallery

Cllockwise from top left: Cup Set, Cassandra Burton; Hand, Scott Jelich; Bowl, John Ho; Covered Jar, Scott Jelich; Pierced Basket, Emily Longbrake; Cake Plate, Cassandra Burton; Self-Portrait, Pearl Turney; Self-Portrait, Cassandra Burton; Squeeze, Devry Birdwell; After “The Young Shepardess,� Caitlin Smith

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A&E| January 18, 2011 1.18-1.24.2011

i

FOCUS

MUSIC

Ludacris in Concert Famed rapper Ludacris is coming to Alaska for one show on Thursday, Jan. 20 at the Sullivan Arena at 8 p.m.

Ludacris has 8 albums under his belt, and is both a threetime Grammy winner and a multi-platinum artist. Tickets for this show range from $62.50 to $.77.25, and can be purchased online at www. ticketmaster.com.

LITERATURE Anchorage Folk Festival The Anchorage Folk Festival is a free, annual 2-week festival running from Jan. 20 through Jan. 30. Most of the festival takes place in UAA’s Wendy Williamson Auditorium, and is composed of workshops, folk performances, live music dances, guest artists, music jams, and more. For more information regarding times and locations, go to www.anchoragefolkfestival.org/.

Contemporary Native Arts Day Alaska Native Heritage Center is putting on a celebration of contemporary native art on Saturday, Jan. 22 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

There will be dancing, live music by artist Bunny Swan, visual art, storytelling and readings. Admission to this event is free, but donations are recommended. For more information, go to www. alaskanative.net.

CULTURE

THEATER

‘Avenue Q’ Broadway hit ‘Avenue Q’ is set to grace Anchorage from Friday, Jan. 21 through Thursday, Jan. 27 at the Alaska Center for the Performing Arts. ‘Avenue Q’ is a musical about trying to make it in New York City with big dreams and a tiny bank account, and incorporates both puppets and human characters. This show is for mature audiences only. Tickets range from $50 to $75 for this adult Sesame Street-esque show, and are available online at www.centertix.net.

‘Arctic Entries’ A community storytelling event where seven community members tell seven minute true stories on a given prompt, will be held on Jan. 24 at 7:30 p.m. at the Alaska Experience Theater. Admission is $7, and proceeds benefit Anchorage’s homeless. For more information, go to www.arctic-entries.com.

GAME REVIEW

Reunite friends in adorable puzzle solver ‘ilomilo’

By Bryan Dunagan The Northern Light

There are some games that are just absolutely adorable, and there are even those that have good gameplay as well. Fortunately, “ilomilo” is one of those titles for the XBOX 360. The downloadable game can be played co-operatively (preferred) or by yourself. As a block-type puzzle game, playing it with a friend locally or online is a blast.

Ilo and Milo are two thumbs that like to have tea together in the park every day. However, it is a challenge for them to do so as the park - maddeningly - rearranges itself. Still, the two plucky friends always find a way to meet.

The setup of the game is easy to figure out. Two characters have to meet each other by being within one block of each other. It’s pretty straight forward, and the puzzles all have their little “Ah-Ha!”

moments. Although, the real draw isn’t finishing the puzzle, but rather watching the adorable little cinematic as both friends meet each other.

Stages are set up on blocks where players can expect to flip gravity and pick up extending blocks or blocks that fill gaps, etc.

Still keeping with the lush adorable aesthetic, the blocks that are picked up show up on either Ilo or Milo as a back pack. Utilizing these to your advantage is key, and can have the game hit a brick wall as either player tries to figure out the puzzle in a three dimensional space.

Fortunately, the game is all about trial and error, and the puzzles are never too difficult.

When two players are figuring out puzzles, the game lets one character play at a time, but with a twist. In addition to

communicating over voice chat or sharing a couch, each character shows up as a little “helper”

as either Olo or Molo. These helpers are controlled by the player not controlling one of the

protagonists, and can flit about the screen and highlight blocks for the other player.

In a rather interesting design choice, players can press “b” and it will highlight one of the main characters, and they’ll wave back. Even the most grizzled gamer will have a to let out a little “awww.”

Another interesting choice is that the player controlling Ilo or Milo relinquish control to the other player, which makes the glory a shared affair.

Being polite with a stranger is pretty important if you want the puzzle to get solved. This introduces the concept that we all learned in school many years ago: Sharing is caring.

This simple mechanic, or rather a social experiment, will put anyone in a good mood no matter what they do. This, coupled with an amazingly adorable atmosphere with equally adorable

graphics will put anyone at ease.

In all, there really are no complaints here. The game doesn’t force anything, and even though it tracks the number of blocks traveled and how long it takes to complete the puzzle, it doesn’t hold it over the gamer’s head.

There are plentiful puzzles and it’s never too difficult to solve one.

Playing this co-op puzzle game with a friend is a must, and if it doesn’t melt your heart, you may either not be alive, or not have a sliver of goodness inside you.

“ilomilo’” SouthEnd Interactive Released: Jan. 5, 2011

★ ★ ★ ★★

January 18, 2011 | A&E

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A&E| January 18, 2011 Only at the Student Union SUBWAY® restaurant

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SPORTS

13

UAA Gymnastics team starts the 2011 season healthy

Above: Jackie Thomas, junior natural sciences major, practices her high bar release. Thomas has not competed yet this season. Top Right: Kristy Boswell, senior marketing and management major, also practices her high bar release. Boswell is back after tearing her ACL last season. Bottom Right: Erin Aitcheson, senior philosophy major, normally a bars competitor, pulls over her vault pass.

By Megan Edge The Northern Light

The UAA Gymnastics team’s season is off and running for the 2010-11 season and will look to return to championship form.

Two years removed from a Mountain Pacific Sports Federation conference title, the team ran into hard times last season when a number of gymnasts went down with injuries.

Unfortunately, this hindered the chances of a championship repeat but, ultimately, made way for other Seawolves to step up and gain crucial experience.

Last year’s growing pains may pay big dividends this year for the Seawolves as they are back healthy and poised to return to the top of their conference.

“Our main goal is to win conference of course, then get team members to regionals.” UAA Gymnastics Head Coach Paul Stoklos said.

The 2011 season kicked off with the team travelling to California recently.

On Jan. 7, they were in Sacramento for a quadrangular meet which pitted them against Central Michigan, UW-La Crosse, and host, Sacramento State.

UAA wound up taking 3rd place with 185.725 points, a mere 0.15 points behind runner-up Sacramento St. (185.875). Central Michigan won the meet with 193.575 points.

UAA was well represented in the all-around competition as Kathleen Mantell led the way with 36.375 to take 5th place overall. Right behind her was freshman Melissa Doucette in 6th (36.325) and junior Shakea Sanders in 7th (36.100).

Junior Kaelei Spoor lead the UAA women’s gymnastics team in Davis, California on Jan. 9 in a tri-meet against San Jose State and UC-Davis.

The UAA women ended the tournament with an overall score of 188.675, a three-point increase from the Sacramento meet.

“We started off Friday and didn’t have a perfect meet but there were no blowout performances,” Stoklos said. “(Our) team is very motivated and very positive.”

Spoor, who was voted by teammates as the 2010 MVP, received a 9.775 on the beam exercise, to come in first ahead of UC-Davis’ Erika Van Dyke who scored a 9.725.

Winning the tournament was the host UC-Davis with 191.300 points. Second place finish honors went to San Jose State with 190.600.

“I was happy with the improvement, we did much better Sunday than we did on Saturday,” Stoklos said.

The early season meets was a great experience for the four new Seawolf gymnasts, according to

Stoklos.

Doucette, a former Junior Olympian, seems to be quickly catching on at the collegiate level.

Doucette scored a 9.625 on the floor exercise and a 9.4 on the vault in the Davis meet.

Also joining the team this season is freshman Emily Peterson, who received a 9.650 on the bars in Davis. High marks like this on the bars event is something not lost upon her coach.

‘Our main goal is to win conference of course, then get team members to regionals.’

– Paul Stoklos Gymnastics Head Coach

“Emily is a strong bar worker for us,” Stoklos said. “Bars is the toughest event.”

Peterson also has also competed in the Beam exercise in both meets thus far for the green and gold.

Junior Kelsey Fullerton received her season high score on the floor exercise scoring a 9.8, putting her in fifth place in the category.

Fullerton, named this year’s team captain, will be looked to not only help the team with points, but also help lead the newcomers this season.

“Kelsey is a really great motivator,” Stoklos said.

The team is off before competing again on Jan. 30 in Berkeley, CA when UAA will square off against the University of California Golden Bears.

This season for the ‘Wolves will be a tough one, competing against almost all Division one schools, according to Stoklos.

Originally, teams had been scheduled to compete here in Anchorage but bailed out last spring, according to Stoklos, who is considering an in-house competition during the break, where the athletes will get to practice full routines.

“We have almost three weeks off, that can be very difficult,” Stoklos said.

Overall though, the team is healthy besides for a few aches and pains, and ready to try for their second conference championship.

‘We started off Friday and didn’t have a perfect meet but there were no blowout performances. (Our) team is very motivated and very positive.’

– Paul Stoklos Gymnastics Head Coach

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A&E| January 18, 2011

Gunderson’s play has Seawolves rising in standings

UAA freshman netminder has Seawolves in the hunt for home ice advantage in the postseason

By Taylor Hall The Northern Light

Freshman netminder Rob Gunderson has an ability to make one feel very comfortable quickly as he is quick to give a handshake and smile to everyone he meets.

His play of late, however, has opponents feeling anything but comfort and is making for all smiles on the UAA Seawolves bench amongst the players and coaches.

Gunderson has ascended quickly as the Seawolves begin their push towards the postseason and is gaining that much needed experience and confidence young goalies need to survive the tough-as-nails WCHA. “He’s played more and he’s starting to figure out this league,” said UAA Head Coach Dave Shyiak. “I think the experience so far for him has been all positive and he is running with the opportunity.”

So he’s got the experience part down, but what about the confidence bit?

“The boys are playing unreal in front of me and giving me all the easy shots I like,” Gunderson said. “Personally though, I like more work.

“If I’m getting 30 to 40 shots a night then I’m going to be feeling pretty good.”

Well I think we can check confidence off the list for the kid.

“I think it’s important, especially in this league, to get a young goalie like Rob some experience,” said senior winger Tommy Grant. “Even if he has some games where he may not have been at his best, the fact is he has kept gaining experience and learning.”

Gunderson was quick to give the love right back to the guys in front him.

“The guys are getting more confidence in me and that’s great to have as it just gives

me more confidence in myself as well as in my defenseman,” Gunderson said.

One may think that after a month break over the holidays, a team could, and perhaps should, have a bit of rink rust upon returning to the action.

Someone forgot to tell Gunderson and the ‘Wolves (6-8-2 WCHA, 7-10-3 Overall) as they came out and swept 19th ranked Colorado College (8-8-0 WCHA, 12-11-1

‘I want the hockey here to step up and return to how it was in the day. Now on a good night our building is half full, but I want to help turn that around.’

– UAA Freshman Goalie Rob Gunderson

Overall) on Jan. 14-15. The sweep was the first for UAA at home since 2007.

Gunderson stopped 38 of 40 shots he saw this weekend and helped UAA to 4-1 and 2-1 victories over CC. The pair of wins also boosted Gunderson’s record to 6-7-2 on the year.

The 6’1”, 190-pound goalie hailing from Lethbridge, Alberta so far has a

Freshman goalie Rob Gunderson stopped 38 of 40 shots on the weekend leading the team to their first series sweep of the 2010/11 season. Senior winger Tommy Grant notched the first two goals, including the eventual game winner short handed at 13:38 in the first period. Senior Craig Parkinson and junior Mitch Brujsten would add insurance tallies in UAA’s 4-1 win Jan. 14. Parkinson and sophomore Alex Gellert provided the offense on Jan. 15 with Grant assisting on both goals. UAA skated to a 2-1 victory to complete the sweep over the Tigers. UAA next travels to Denver and sits only two points out of fifth place in the WCHA.

goals-against average of 2.39 and .902 save percentage to date. Both numbers continue to get better and better as the season wears on.

Gunderson, who has turned away 332 of the 368 shots he faced this year in his 14 starts, is living up to a mantra of what separates good from great goalies: make the saves that you should and make some that you shouldn’t.

“He’s playing well for us now so we need him to keep that confidence and keep giving us a chance to win every night,” Grant said.

Speaking of playing, it’s been all the guy has done lately. He has gotten the nod from Shyiak the past eight straight games.

Perhaps the only thing slowing this goalie is a coach not afraid to take risks.

Take for example back in a Dec. 4 game against the Wisconsin Badgers. The Seawolves were down 2-0 after two periods thanks to two power play strikes from UW and were struggling to generate any scoring chances in the UW end.

Between periods, Shyiak pulled Gunderson off to the side in the locker room and gave him instructions for the third period if the Seawolves weren’t having any luck finding their first goal of the game still.

“He called me over to the corner and said ‘Gundy, you come to the bench and act like you’re getting water at the ten minute mark and I’m going to pull you off for an extra man’ and I was stunned,” Gunderson said.

“I looked at him as he said that and had a laugh but he just stared through me with his eyes and was dead serious.”

The gamble ended up paying off and the ‘Wolves got one back on the Badgers.

Though they ultimately loss that game 3-1 after a DU empty netter, it is gambles like

this coupled with a go-to masked man that has the Seawolves making a charge up the WCHA standings.

Gunderson should be between the pipes on Jan. 21 when the Seawolves hit the road to take on 6th ranked Denver.

The DU Pioneers (10-3-3 WCHA, (145-5 Overall) sit 2nd in the WCHA, a mere point out of first, and will bring an arsenal of offensive firepower up against the Seawolves. Sophomore Drew Shore will more than likely spearhead Denver attack as he comes in with 13 goals and 14 assists so far on the year.

The two teams met recently before the holiday break on Dec. 10-11 at the Sullivan Arena. The then 9th ranked Pioneers come away with a 5-3 win and 2-2 tie at the Seawolves rink. The green and gold will look to take down some road points of their own when they invade DU’s Magness Arena Jan. 21-22.

UAA sits in a tie for 8th place for now in the 12-team conference but is two points out of 5th. The top six teams in conference will get home ice advantage come conference postseason play.

With the season coming to the towards the home stretch and the playoffs in sight, Gunderson was quick to point out his ultimate goal didn’t just end with playoff glory.

“I want the hockey here to step up and return to how it was in the day,” said Gunderson, who spoke about the early 1990’s when the Seawolves were the hottest ticket in the city. “Now on a good night our building is half full, but I want to help turn that around.”

Did I mention the confidence this guy has?

January 18, 2011 | SPORTS

015

SPORTS BRIEFS UAA student-athletes combine to post 3.12 in 2010 University of Alaska Anchorage student-athletes had another stellar year in the classroom for the calendar year 2010, posting a combined 3.12 grade-point average – the 14th time in the past 17 years that UAA’s studentathletes have eclipsed the 3.0 GPA mark.

A total of 141 UAA studentathletes – 64 percent of all Seawolf competitors – achieved a 3.0 GPA or higher for the spring and fall terms of 2010. Ten UAA student-athletes earned a perfect 4.0 GPA in 2010 fall term.

Six of the 11 UAA athletic teams posted combined GPAs of 3.0 or better in 2010, led by the women’s ski team at 3.72.

Those student-athletes that earned perfect 4.0 GPAs for the 2010 fall semester were Ida Bjerka (women’s skiing), Marie Borowikow (volleyball), Jaime Bronga (women’s skiing and cross country), Gabriel Holland (men’s track & field), Laura Rombach (women’s skiing), Max Treinen (men’s skiing), Kelsey Fullerton (women’s gymnastics), Liam Gibcus (men’s basketball), Sandra MacDonald (women’s skiing) and Drew Robinson (men’s basketball).

#12 UAA downs Western Oregon, falls to St. Martin’s Senior Kaitlin McBride scored a career-high 24 points Jan. 13 to lead th 11 -ranked Alaska Anchorage to a 63-47 victory over Western Oregon in a key Great Northwest Athletic Conference women’s basketball battle at the New P.E. Building.

UAA also got 14 points apiece from frontcourt teammates junior Hanna Johansson and sophomore Alysa Horn as the Seawolves delivered their second-best shooting performance of the season at 46.2

percent.

UAA led 32-25 at halftime and never let WOU closer than six in the second half, getting 16 points from McBride after the break. The 5-7 point guard from Bothell, Wash., shot 7 of 11 from the field and sank all 10 of her free throws to crush her former careerhigh of 10 points. She also grabbed five rebounds, dished three assists and made a game-high four steals.

Johansson shot 7 of 10 and grabbed eight rebounds, and Horn delivered a game-high nine rebounds as UAA set a school record with its 14th straight victory over WOU – the most consecutive wins against any opponent.

Johansson had 14 points and eight rebounds Jan.15 but it wasn’t enough as the 11th-ranked Alaska Anchorage women’s basketball team suffered a 61-53 upset at the hands of Saint Martin’s at Marcus Pavilion.

The Saints (9-6, 4-3 GNAC) got 18 points from Dara Zack and 11 points from Roni Jo Mielke to erase a 13-point first-half deficit and end their six-game losing streak against UAA. McBride had 12 points and three assists for the Seawolves (14-4, 5-2 GNAC), but the visitors shot just 31 percent overall and 25 percent (7 of 28) from three-point range.

Johansson, who made 4 of 6 field goals, was the only Seawolf to shoot above 50 percent.

Meanwhile, the Saints earned a 43-35 rebounding advantage over the Seawolves, who came into the week ranked 14th nationally with a plus-8.9 rebound margin.

UAA seemed in control early, stretching to a 22-9 lead on a layup by Johansson at the 5:38 mark of the first half. But the Saints would answer with a 13-6 run, drawing within 28-22 on a short hook shot by Emily Lashua at the first-half buzzer.

SMU continued its momentum by scoring eight of the first 10 points after the break, tying it 30-30.

After Francesca De Angelis gave UAA a 41-37 lead on a threepointer at the 10:20 mark, the Saints answered with a 7-0 run over the next three minutes to take the advantage for good.

Horn finished with nine points and five rebounds for UAA, while Nikki

Aden matched her career-high with eight rebounds for the second straight game.

The Seawolves’ loss was its first to a Great Northwest Athletic Conference team other than Seattle Pacific, Western Washington or Northwest Nazarene since the 2007-08 season.

Seawolves defeats SFU, falls to WWU on road trip Taylor Rohde and Brandon Walker both delivered double-doubles Jan. 13 as the 25th-ranked Alaska Anchorage men’s basketball team used a huge second-half effort to beat host Simon Fraser 74-56 at the West Gymnasium.

UAA ran its winning streak to 12 games – now alone as the thirdlongest in program history – as five Seawolves scored in double figures.

The Seawolves outshot the Clan 52.7 percent to 30.3 percent overall to erase a deficit of 33-25 late in the first half. Rohde scored 13 of his 20 points in the opening stanza to keep UAA close, trailing just 37-34 at the break.

UAA, which trailed at half for just the second time this year, quickly took control in the second half, opening with a 25-4 blitz over the first eight minutes. Senior forward Casey Robinson (13 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists, no turnovers) capped the run with one of its four three-pointers to make it 59-41 with 11:51 on the clock, and the Clan would get no closer than 12 the rest of the way.

Junior point guard Steve White, who got his first career start for an injured Drew Robinson, matched his personal-best with 10 points and tallied a career-high nine assists.

UAA outshot SFU 55 percent (16 of 29) to 19 percent (6 of 31) after halftime.

On Jan. 15, Rohde scored a game-high 27 points but it wasn’t enough as host Western Washington used hot three-point shooting and a double-double from forward Michael Duty to knock off Alaska Anchorage

81-75 in a battle of Great Northwest Athletic Conference men’s basketball contenders Saturday at Carver Gymnasium.

The 25th-ranked Seawolves (134, 5-1 GNAC) also got 11 points and eight assists from White as they saw their 12-game winning streak come to an end.

Duty had 21 points and 10 rebounds for the Vikings (10-4, 5-1), while guard John Allen totaled 16 points on 3-of-5 three-point shooting, plus four assists.

UAA lost despite a near-flawless start, jumping to an 11-2 lead on Rohde’s layup at the 16:56 mark. But WWU answered with a 7-0 run and tied the game for the first time, 19-19, on an Allen trey with 8:49 showing.

A pair of free throws from freshman Travis Thompson put UAA ahead 2826 before the Vikings closed the half with a 16-3 spurt.

WWU took a pair of 14-points leads early in the second half,

however junior guard Lonnie Ridgeway came off the bench to keep the Seawolves close with a careerhigh 12 rebounds in just 18 minutes of action.

Rohde, a 6-9 junior center, shot 12 of 16 from the field and added six rebounds, and junior guard Mario Gill chipped in 10 points and a pair of blocked shots. The Seawolves shot just 6 of 23 (.261) from three-point range as a team, though, while the Vikings were an efficient 7 of 14 (.500).

With the result, the Seawolves and Vikings reach the one-third point in the GNAC schedule tied for second place, one-half game behind 17th-ranked Central Washington (13-2, 6-1).

Compiled By Taylor Hall

OVERTIME

Auburn quarterback Cam Newton: Worth every penny After winning the Heisman and leading Auburn to a national championship, is Cam Newton the next big thing in the NFL?

By Thomas McIntyre The Northern Light

The jokes about Cam Newton being underpaid are more appropriate than ever. He took home the Heisman with ease, and when “all of the Tostitos” were on the line, he delivered, winning Auburn its first championship since 1957.

Now, Newton faces his toughest task to date: Becoming the next great NFL player from a school that gave us Fred Beasley and Willie Anderson.

I think he is more than capable.

As an NFL prospect, Newton is still very raw. He’s only played a year of Division I football, and that year was spent playing in a spread offense suited to his skill set. But he’s done more with one year than his fellow quarterback prospects have done with two or three—especially Blaine Gabbert of Missouri.

Gabbert’s spent his time in a gimmicky system, has Brian Griese level issues with accuracy, and stares down every target. He’s also widely projected to be the first quarterback taken in the upcoming draft.

Puzzling, I know.

Gabbert does have some strengths (as does Ryan Mallett), but it’s possible Newton’s real enemy is JaMarcus Russell—or Daunte Culpepper.

No matter how unfair, the stigma around black quarterbacks exists. They’re usually labeled physical specimens who can’t learn a playbook, and aren’t dedicated to honing their technique. And no, I’m not just trying to

find an excuse for Adrian McPherson’s career.

White wide receivers are “sneaky fast.” Black quarterbacks are “high-risk.”

While addressing Cam Newton’s stock on the Jan. 11th episode of PTI, Mike Wilbon stated the following: “If you strip color from this and look at play, he reminds me very

As an NFL prospect, Newton is still very raw... But, he’s done more with one year than his fellow quaterback prospects have done with two or three - especially Blaine Gabbert of Missouri. much, Cam Newton, of Ben Roethlisberger.”

Precisely.

Both Roethlisberger and Newton have big arms, can extend plays with their movement in the pocket, and are built for contact. Newton isn’t as polished as Roethlisberger was coming out of Miami (Ohio), but he’s shown a lot of similar abilities.

Another former college QB to pit Newton up against is Tim Tebow.

Tebow, like Newton, came from a non pro-style offense

in the spread, flourished as a runner, and had all the intangibles (a leader, winner, gave 100%—the stuff you can’t measure). Neither guy got comfortable taking snaps from under center, or was ever asked to read a defense.

However, compared to Tebow, Cam Newton is on another planet. He rarely has a wasted move in the pocket, his throwing motion needs little help, he’s got NFL size to spare, and has a surprising amount of accuracy on deep balls.

What makes this comparison interesting is how promising Tebow looked in the three games he started for the Broncos. Newton was essentially Tebow on crack in college, carrying most of the NFL-necessary skills/traits that Tebow has been trying to learn/make up for since he graduated.

When I was young I used to say, “If Todd Pinkston can be an NFL wideout, so can I.” Well, if Tim Tebow can be a successful NFL quarterback, so can Cam Newton.

Having said all of this, we are still early in the game. So early that Newton just recently declared for the NFL and will forego his senior year.

His pro day showing, Wonderlic score, combine numbers, and interview reactions could change everything.

He has four more months to further convince NFL teams he is worthy of their pick.

It’s a process—a process I think Newton is well prepared for.

Cam Newton was worth whatever money he got in college, and will be worth whatever money he gets legally, in the NFL.

16

COMICS| January 18, 2011

TNL

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OPINION The Northern Light 3211 Providence Drive Student Union 113 Anchorage, AK 99508 Phone: 907-786-1513 Fax: 907-786-1331 info@thenorthernlight.org

EXECUTIVE EDITOR 786-1434 editor@thenorthernlight.org Jerzy Shedlock MANAGING EDITOR 786-1313 content@thenorthernlight.org Shana Roberson COPY EDITOR copy@thenorthernlight.org Brittany Bennett NEWS EDITOR 786-1576 news@thenorthernlight.org Vacant FEATURES EDITOR 786-1567 features@thenorthernlight.org Kate Lindsley A&E EDITOR 786-6198 arts@thenorthernlight.org Heather Hamilton SPORTS EDITOR 786-1512 sports@thenorthernlight.org Taylor Hall PHOTO EDITOR 786-1565 photo@thenorthernlight.org Daniel Jackson WEB EDITOR 786-1506 web@thenorthernlight.org Ashley Snyder LAYOUT EDITOR layout@thenorthernlight.org Vacant ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR news2@thenorthernlight.org Alec Martinez ASSISTANT FEATURES EDITOR features2@thenorthernlight.org Vacant ASSISTANT A&E EDITOR arts2@thenorthernlight.org Vacant ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR arts2@thenorthernlight.org Megan Edge GRAPHIC DESIGNER graphics@thenorthernlight.org Paige Tiede ADVERTISING MANAGER 786-4690 ads@thenorthernlight.org Mariya Proskuryakova ADVERTISING REPRESENTATIVE Yulia Kim CIRCULATION ASSISTANT Munkh-Erdene Tsend-Ochir PHOTOGRAPHERS Patrick McCormick CONTRIBUTORS Bryan Dunagan Daniel McDonald Joshua Tucker Thomas McIntyre MEDIA ADVISER Paola Banchero ADMINISTRATIVE ADVISER Annie Route 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 5,000.

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.

17

EDITORIAL

MLK day should be passed with reverence Martin Luther King, Jr. had a dream: an end to discrimination and racial equality for all Americans.

The prominent activist’s famous 17-minute speech was a defining moment of the American Civil Rights Movement, and our country has changed for the better because of its powerful impact.

Men and women who strove to improve the United States live eternally through chosen days of remembrance. These days are meant to be spent reflecting on how far we have come as a nation due to the valiant efforts of such heroes.

Instead, students tend to view Martin Luther King Day as nothing more than a day away from school. It is embarassing to think that many college-aged individuals view the day as a brief vacation rather than a day to honor Dr. King’s legacy.

There may be several reasons for this occurrence. Students no longer recognize the importance of memorial do to constant everyday worries, or it may simply be a general lack of interest.

Could it be that dwelling on segregation is no longer needed

or that segregation is no longer a concern?

Thousands of young Americans took a stand against the embedded opinions of many of our ancestors back in 2008 by exercising one of their most fundamental freedoms: voting.

Between 22 and 24 million young Americans ages 18 to 29 voted in

days of activism, but his dream has yet to truly be fulfilled. King’s past contribution to equality should be recognized and celebrated, but it should also serve as a reminder to everyone of present and future needs.

King did all he could to make others recognize that “all men are created equal.” Students should

It is embarassing to think that many college-aged individuals view the day as a brief vacation rather than a day to honor Dr. King’s legacy.

2008, resulting in an estimated youth voter turnout of between 49.3 and 54.5 percent, according to an exit poll analysis done by CIRCLE, a nonpartisan research center at Tufts University. This is an increase of 1 to 6 percentage points over the estimated youth turnout in 2004, and an increase of between 8 and 13 percentage points over the turnout in the 2000 election.

American society has drastically changed since King’s

persist in keeping such an effort going, and there are a number of ways UAA students can do so.

Partaking in an event of Civil Rights Week on campus can help with the spreading of ideas, such as tolerance and acceptance.

Anchorage and the University campus are truly a melting pot.

There are a plethora of different races each with their own unique cultures sprinkled throughout the city. This abundance of cultures causes further realization of

King’s impact on society.

As stated earlier, it is discouraging to think about how little recognition King receives, but in a way the younger generation is worthy of great strides toward societal improvement. It is safe to say, we keep the dream alive 365.

Simply uttering the word race at times can cause negative connotations of segregation to surface. Many youth, however, no longer see race as a factor at all, opting for a model of acceptance.

Growing up in a diverse city like Anchorage results in growing into maturity in an environment of immediate exposure to people historically from all corners of the globe.

As a result, many young people view a difference in skin color as just that and nothing more.

It is impossible to state that everyone feels this way, but improvement has certainly occurred. It is change that MLK would be proud of, and UAA students can certainly take solace in that.

OPINION

In a turbulent world, progress is made

By Daniel McDonald The Northern Light

During an age in which Americans are bombarded from all sides over stories of natural disasters, overpopulation, pandemics, terrorism, and global warming, it is easy to adopt a grim view of the current state of the world.

In 2010 we witnessed a deadly earthquake in Haiti, a massive oil spill off the Gulf Coast and economically fueled riots across Greece. And already in 2011 there has been a deadly flood in Brazil, violent anti-government protests in Tunisia and bombings of Christian churches in Egypt, Iraq, Nigeria and the Philippines.

Given a relatively informed view of the world, how could anyone possibly be optimistic about the future of the human race?

Well it so happens that in reaction to this wave of pessimism, Oxford educated zoologist turned journalist Matt Ridley has decided to challenge the current wave of hysteria by advocating what he terms “Rational Optimism.”

Currently participating in a lecture tour to promote his book The Rational Optimist: How Prosperity Evolves, Ridley presents several key facts on his side which are not often considered by the modern day Chicken Little.

In his lectures, Ridley starts off by listing five indicators of prosperity over the past 55 years that are likely to ease some of the concerns of even the most pessimistic among us. Life expectancy globally has increased by a third; per capita income has tripled, food per capita is up by a third; child mortality has decreased by two thirds; and population

growth has been cut in half.

Yes, for those paranoid over the nonexistent overpopulation problem you have nothing to worry about. Considering 55 years is a relatively short period of time in the grand scheme of things and these are all global averages, these realities are no small achievement.

One of the illustrations Ridley often uses in his lectures is the availability of reading light to show an increase in prosperity over time, which he borrowed from a study by William Nordhaus, Sterling Professor of Economics at Yale. He explains that if someone wanted to read a book for an hour by the light of a compact florescent bulb, it costs roughly half a second of work on the average wage today. In 1950 it would have cost eight seconds of work.

With a kerosene lamp in 1880, it required 15 minutes of work. And for an hour of light by a candle in 1800 one had to work six hours on the average wage, which means that the average person could not even afford an hour of light in 1800.

In his book he illustrates a perfect point for his argument by examining America in particular.

“Today of Americans officially designated as poor, 99 percent have electricity, running water, flushing toilets and a refrigerator.

Ninety-five percent have a television, 88 percent a telephone, 71 percent a car and 70 percent air-conditioning.”

In the 1950s, Ridley describes that a car owner being labeled as poor would have been “ridiculous,” but that it is now considered acceptable. He doesn’t view this as a negative, but rather as a sign that we are becoming kinder

as a people, but must recognize progress when it is made in order to consider that further improvements are possible.

After establishing the position that conditions are improving as a whole and that we are perfectly rational to be optimistic about the future, the question of why this is the case must be answered.

Ridley believes he has a good idea of why prosperity has been increasing at such an exponential rate. This answer can be simplified down to trade, not only the exchange of goods and services but the exchange of ideas between groups.

“What’s relative to society is how well people are communicating their ideas and how well they’re cooperating, not how clever the individuals are.”

Trade he explains is much older than farming and for the most part unique to humans. It is an incredible tool for increasing prosperity because it allows for the specialization of labor, where each individual does their own part to create what none could do well alone; a sort of “collective brain,” as Ridley describes it.

The next time someone frets over poverty, hunger, or the end of civilization as we know it, it is important to take a step back and look at the bigger picture.

There are problems in this world but conditions have dramatically improved over the past few centuries.

As long as we continue to promote healthy policies such as free trade and minimally regulated markets, as well as utilize valuable tools such as the internet to spread ideas, there is plenty to be optimistic about.

PRIDE

CHIDE

Tuscon, Arizona…

Acts of violence…

… for coming together in hard times.

…random, premeditated or otherwise.

18

TNL

OPINON| January 18, 2011

BROKECOMICS | Alec Fritz

TUNDRA l Chad Carpenter

CRYPTOQUOTE PUZZLE l M. Proskuryakova

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if Christmas isnʼt found in your heart, you wonʼt find it under a tree.”

-Charlotte Carpenter.

January 18, 2011 | OPINON

TNL

By Stella Wilder The coming week is likely to determine for most if not all individuals the general direction that things will move in over the next successive weeks -- or months. Indeed, the indicators may be so clear that even those who do not believe in signs will have to admit that the stars are being unusually communicative, and they may actually be among the first to take advantage of unusual opportunities that arise. Some may not like where they see things going, but they should be able to steer things in a direction that is more to their liking, provided, of course, that they are in shape and ready for such a challenge.

ride

under the stars

©Simon Evans

Horoscopes

While everyone loves a winner, the losers may actually have their day, as their situations are brought into the open for a more general appreciation than usual. As a result, of course, many of those who consider themselves losers may actually begin what soon turns into a winning streak.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 6) -- You may have to endure a little back-andforth before you get the commitment of someone who can help you in a current endeavor. (Jan. 7-Jan. 19) -- You may start the week in the lead, but soon a rival will overtake you if you don’t stay alert; be ready.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 3) -- A friend or loved one recognizes your plight, and steps in to help. This week, you can prove that you’re capable of much. (Feb. 4-Feb. 18) -- You may win the respect of someone whom you have looked up to for quite some time; a team is in the making.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 5) -- It’s high time you augmented your already formidable skills with one or two others; very soon, you’ll need more than what you have. (March 6-March 20) -- This is a good week to put an unusual hypothesis to the test; how others react tells you much.

ARIES (March 21-April 4) -- You’re not likely to believe everything you read or hear, but one thing may stand out and warrant a private investigation.

(April 5-April 19) -- You may be getting used to a situation that others might consider uncomfortable, but is this a good thing?

TAURUS (April 20-May 5) -- With a little quick thinking, you can throw a competitor off balance and surge ahead, taking advantage of other favorable circumstances. (May 6-May 20) -- Something you’re usually able to do in the course of a day may take the better part of the week to complete.

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GEMINI (May 21-June 6) -- You may not be in the mood for the usual social opportunities. Someone you meet quite by accident sparks an unusual interest. (June 7-June 20) -- Something you read or hear early in the week may have you changing your mind, and plans, very quickly.

CANCER (June 21-July 7) -- When it comes time to act, you’ll want to be ready, surely -- and the indicators will all be loud and clear. (July 8-July 22) -- The more generosity you show, the more you will get in return -- and a new friendship may be in the making.

Free Thinker.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 7) -- Appearances can be deceiving as always, but there is far more at stake if you are fooled. You can’t afford to be gullible.

(Aug. 8-Aug. 22) -- You may feel as though you are being forced to make a decision against your will, but this is not the case.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 7) -- What seems, at the outset, to be a disappointment is likely to satisfy you completely when all is said and done. This reversal opens your eyes. (Sept. 8-Sept. 22) -- You may be flirting with danger without even knowing it; use caution in unfamiliar territory.

Think more, drive less.

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LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 7) -- You may feel rather helpless at times as a friend or loved one engages in behavior that you cannot stop. You can offer warnings, but that’s all. (Oct. 8-Oct. 22) -- What seems to be a long week in the making may actually go by much faster than expected.

Use your time commuting to catch up on your studies, or with your friends.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 7) -- You’ll be waiting for news all week long, and it’s likely to come to you piecemeal, not in one digestible chunk. Don’t make hasty judgments. (Nov. 8-Nov. 21) -- You must be ready and willing to finish what you started last week. Failure is not an option.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 7) -- Someone you deal with on a daily basis rubs you the wrong way much of the time -- and saying something may only make it worse. (Dec. 8-Dec. 21) -- The closing phase of something significant begins; the depth of feeling is palpable.

Copyright 2011, United Feature Syndicate, Inc.

19

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