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Locker room talk brings up national conversation of sexual assault

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Catcalling on college campuses

New growth in Alaska's cannabis industry By Lee Piltz

lpiltz@thenorthernlight.org

GRAPHIC BY JIAN BAUTISTA

This October, local growers of marijuana will be harvesting this year’s first legal crops. This marks a historic moment for those involved in the marijuana legalization movement. However, due to the stigma associated with cannabis, little is actually known about this plant. Like all plants, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to grow it. All one needs is water, light, soil and, of course, the seeds. Beyond that, it a relatively simple process. Autoflowering cannabis plants are more simple than the strains that need to be life-cycled. Mike Emers of Rosie Creek Farm in Fairbanks farms autoflowering cannabis plants for a local grower. “You pretty much just need seeds, soil, water, and sunlight...People will tell you this is a hard plant to grow, but it’s not... We just grow it like any other crop. We’re an organic vegetable farm and I treat them like just another crop,” Emers said. The life-cycled strains need to be grown indoors due to their requirement for 12 hours of light and 12 hours of darkness to reach maturity. Leif Abel of Greatland Ganja explains that because of this requirement, this type of marijuana

is easiest grown indoors. “Most cannabis, unless it’s an autoflowering cannabis, is photosensitive. Meaning, in order to pick off its reproductive cycle, which is what creates the salable fruit, or the flower or the bud of the cannabis plant. In order to produce that, you have to put it into 12 to 12 light, meaning 12 hours of darkness and 12 hours of light...So, if you’re in an indoor environment, that’s relatively easy,” Abel said. It should be noted that growing indoors can be rather expensive. Expenses include lighting, ventilation, air flow and money to build or sanction off a room to seal off from outside light. Abel explains that budding growers have to do some research and have a budget or an investment plan for their indoor crops. “The second you start growing indoors, you start running into a lot of expenses. Because of lights, which are a huge power bill and a big investment. Then you’re going to want to control your lights with timers,” Abel said. Before you know it, your heat’s going to go up, because of your lights and you’re going to realize that you need to have

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Checking out furs, skulls RED ZONE: Local beer accused and bones in the UAA library of promoting rape culture Tucked away in UAA’s own Consortium Library lives the Alaska Resources Library and Information Services, also known as ARLIS. A most peculiar collection, ARLIS allows the public to check out a large variety of Alaskan furs, skulls, bird mounts, fish mounts and hands-on educational kits. ARLIS is known as one of the only libraries who will check these items out to the general public. “The entire collection is “unusual” in there are few if any libraries that checkout these types of taxidermy items,” Celia Rozen, an Alaska Department of Fish and Game Librarian and ARLIS manager, said. Formed in 1997, ARLIS is a multi-agency library that is located on the UAA campus in the Consortium Library Building. Funded by state and federal agencies, ARLIS

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PHOTO BY YOUNG KIM

Items at ARLIS can be checked out for up to two weeks at a time.

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By Brenda Craig

features@thenorthernlight.org

An Alaskan craft beer that has been around since the 1990s has recently been accused of promoting rape culture and the objectification of women. After Midnight Sun Brewing Company won honors from the Can Can awards, a beer competition for canned beer products, speculation in the name “Panty Peeler” arose. This beer, being made in a state with the highest rate of sexual assaults in the nation, makes it easy to assume the correlation between alcohol and sexual assaults. However, this is not the case for Panty Peeler, which has been associated with the promotion of rape when it is intended to encourage the individually of women. The label on the can contains a naked, red-haired woman riding a caribou, tossing her bra and panties behind her. Many assume Panty Peeler was designed by a man, for men. However, this beer is marketed towards women, by women. Midnight Sun’s marketing and sales team are mainly made up of women with many at management level positions.

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“We never wanted or intended for it to be associated with rape or date rape,” Barb Miller, co-founder of Midnight Sun said. “We are serious about how we design and create our beers, but on the marketing side we have fun with it, I don’t think we are crossing any lines.” Many people believe the label of the can and the name Panty Peeler is strictly sexual. Miller stresses it has nothing to do with sex.

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THENORTHERNLIGHT TUESDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2016

A letter from UAA Chancellor Case

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Governor Walker declares Oct. 10 Indigenous Peoples’ Day By Victoria Petersen

Dear UAA community,

vgpetersen@thenorthernlight.org

I wish I didn’t have to write this to you today. I wish we lived in a time when respect, care, understanding and compassion were values that every person modeled and experienced in personal relationships. I wish domestic violence wasn’t still a devastating problem that continues to touch the lives of our friends, colleagues, students, neighbors and families. But that’s not the case. Just a few weeks ago, UAA’s Justice Center, in partnership with the Alaska Council on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault, released research that said 1 in 2 adult women in the Municipality of Anchorage have experienced intimate partner violence, sexual violence or both, in their lifetime; 1 in 13 have experienced either or both in the past year. Clearly, we still have work to do in this domain. Every person—without exception—has the right to live a life free of abuse. October is national Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Good work is being done by our faculty, staff and students through the Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Coalition for Change, the Student Health and Counseling Center, the UAA Justice Center and the Office of Equity and Compliance (OEC), but we all need to engage in prevention and outreach efforts in order to make lasting change. I encourage you to take part in one of our Bringing in the Bystander trainings. This program provides participants with skills to help them act when they see behavior that puts others at risk of violence, victimization, or perpetration. These are not easy things to talk about, but it is absolutely essential we bring forward issues around sexual assault and domestic violence on our campus and in our community. Please consider speaking up and contacting the Title IX Office (the OEC) for support if you’ve been a victim of domestic violence. If you’ve been a witness to such acts, please make a report. UAA’s OEC is responsible for receiving complaints of domestic violence, sexual assault or other sexual misconduct impacting our campus community. The staff in the OEC can be reached in the following ways: Bridget Dooley Director and Title IX coordinator 907-786-1424, bdooley2@alaska.edu Robin Clawson Title IX investigator 907-786-1535, rlclawson@alaska.edu You may also report an incident through the UA Confidential Hotline (www.alaska.ethicspoint.com) or UAA’s University Police Department (907-786-1120 or https://www.uaa.alaska.edu/upd/sw.cfm). Confidential counseling services are available to UAA students: Anchorage and Chugiak-Eagle River Campuses Student Health and Counseling Center, RH120, 907-786-4040 Student Development Counselors, PSB 119, 907-786-6158 Psychological Services Center, SSB 255, 907-786-1795 Kenai Peninsula College – Kenai River Campus The Counseling Center, McLane Hall 139, 907-262-0383 If you are enrolled at a campus that doesn’t have a counseling center on location, or if you’d like to find a confidential resource in your community, please visit https://www.alaska.edu/stopthesilence/confidential-disclosure/. Though it is my responsibility to create a safe and supportive learning and working environment at UAA, each one of us has to do our part to shine a light on intimate partner violence and sexual assault in our community. If each of us commits to doing something, change can happen. Tom Case Chancellor

Governor Bill Walker declared last week that Columbus Day is now known in the State of Alaska as Indigenous Peoples’ Day. Over 16 percent of Alaska’s population is indigenous, more than any other state. Walker signed the proclamation which states, “The State opposes racism toward indigenous peoples of Alaska or any Alaskan of any origin and promotes policies and practices that reflect the experiences of indigenous peoples, ensure greater access and opportunity, and honor our nation’s indigenous roots, history, and contributions.” Alaska Natives across the state are excited about the recognition. “It makes me feel so happy. It’s one of the best things that happened this year. It’s great that they changed Columbus Day to Indigenous Day,” Mathias Suskuk, an Alaska Native living in New Stuyahok said. “Assirtuq,” which means “it’s good” in his native tongue of Yupik. Recognizing the significance of the holiday name change, Dalee Dorough, UAA political science professor specializing in the study of indigenous people, believes more can be done to honor the endurance of the indigenous people of the Americas. “Indeed, it is significant that the state has chosen to shine the spotlight on Indigenous peoples, including Alaska Natives, rather than glorifying the cumulative and horrific impacts of so-called “discovery” of the Americas by Columbus,” Dorough said. “However, more significant, there is a necessity to go beyond an Indigenous Peoples Day by substantively recognizing and respecting the distinct status, rights, and concerns of Alaska Native peoples... When we are able to fully exercise and enjoy our distinct rights, I’m certain that real, heartfelt celebrations throughout our communities will begin.” Others credit Columbus with the good he did, but commend the change as a positive change. “He came over and he brought all the things over that he did, but at the same time he took a lot away from the natives. I think it’s actually a good thing,” Lexi Trainer, an Alaska Native student, said. The idea was first proposed in 1977 by a delegation of Native Nations as a counter-holiday to celebrate Native American culture and people. This proclamation is trending in a growing number of cities and states across the nation. The second Monday in October known as Columbus Day has been changed to Indigenous People’s day in Phoenix, AZ, Boulder, Denver and Durango, CO, Evanston, IL, Cambridge, MA, Ann Arbor and East Lansing, MI,Cook County and Two Harbors, MN, Lincoln, NE, Sante Fe, NM, Eugene, OR and Spokane, WA in the last 12 months. The proclamation, the second of its kind in the state of Alaska does not allow for the holiday to be a permanent change, but allows for the holiday to be recognized that year. An act of legislation is required to make a holiday permanent.

CANNABIS: Know before you grow Continued from cover

either air conditioning or ventilation, or both...You’re also going to have to control humidity and CO2 levels.” Growing outdoors is significantly cheaper than growing indoors. In fact, autoflowering strains of marijuana are relatively easy to grow in Alaska. Jeff Lowenfels, published author and writer for the Alaska Dispatch News’ gardening column, contests that marijuana is just as simple to grow as any common vegetable. “There’s no difference between growing cannabis and a tomato. Period. Same soil, same pots, same fertilizer, it’s just that simple...It’s called weed for a reason; it just grows,” Lowenfels said.

Right now, tomatoes are a hot topic among gardeners. Everyone wants to grow the best tomato that they can. There are many books and articles written about growing tomatoes and the health benefits of fresh produce. Not only does marijuana have certain health benefits, but it looks aesthetically pleasing as well. Because of these reasons, Lowenfels believes that cannabis may be on it’s way to being gardening’s next hot topic. “A lot of people are thinking that this really is, for the home gardener, the next tomato. Which is sort of the Holy Grail; everybody wants to grow tomatoes. But, the talk among garden writers now is that [marijuana] is going to be a really hot item. Because, not only can you grow it for the psychoactive purposes, but there

are now any number of spectacularly ornamental cannabis plants that people are interested in,” Lowenfels said. In order to get the best plants possible, every grower has their own trade secrets. Be it a tradition like playing music for the plants, talking to them or planting with a specific soil type, most growers have their own traditions. Unfortunately, no one is willing to share their secrets this early in the game, but there is a secret held within the roots of the plant itself. In addition to the basics of light, soil, and water, Lowenfels also suggests adding fungi into the mix. “All the cannabis plants we grow are very heavy micro rhizome plants. In other words, they form a relationship with a fungus. That fungus in return for the

Carbon, the plant gives it, goes out and gets food (Phosphorus, Nitrogen, Boron, Copper) for the cannabis plant and brings it back to the roots of the cannabis plant,” Lowenfels said. “There is one that is specific to cannabis sativa. That’s called Rhizophagus Irregularis and people who are growing seeds in Alaska, should most definitely roll this seed in this micro rhizome fungi. And make sure that the soil that their growing in has the fungi added to it. Then, they’re gonna get great plants.” It should be noted that individuals must be over 21 to grow marijuana in Alaska. There are also many rules that prevent what can be and cannot be grown in Alaska. Know the plant and know the law before beginning to grow.

NEWS

THENORTHERNLIGHT TUESDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2016

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Locker room talk: Consent and the 2016 presidential election

GRAPHIC BY JIAN BAUTISTA

By Victoria Petersen

vgpetersen@thenorthernlight.org

The 2016 presidential election, muddied by scandals and harsh words from both parties, has divided a nation. That is, until last week when a video leaked by the Washington Post brought to light a 2005 video of a controversial conversation between Republican Presidential nominee Donald Trump and Billy Bush of Access Hollywood — at the time. The video, of Trump and Bush on a bus arriving on the set of Days of Our Lives, contained three minutes and six seconds of what has now been described by Trump and his supporters as “locker room talk.” The dialogue between Bush and Trump contained less than tasteful discussion of Arianne Zucker, an actress on Days of Our Lives outside the bus. Vulgarities to highlight are Trump talking about how he made a move on a married woman. “I did try and fuck her. She was married,” Trump said. Then, Trump mentioned how he wanted to kiss Zucker. “I’ve got to use some Tic Tacs, just in case I start kissing her. You know I’m automatically attracted to beautiful — I just start kissing them. It’s like a magnet. Just kiss. I don’t even wait,” Trump said. Next, Trump describes how, “When you’re a star... you can do anything,” and exclaims how he can “Grab them by the pussy.” Multiple people spoke out subsequent to the tape being released, including Democratic Presidential nominee Hilary Clinton. Clinton came to Twitter where she

released a statement, “This is horrific. We cannot allow this man to become president.” Most interesting though, were not the Democratic nominee or parties affiliated with the Clinton campaign’s comments, but comments originating from the Republican party. House Speaker Paul Ryan declined to appear with Trump at a campaign event that week saying, “Women are to be championed and revered, not objectified. I hope Mr. Trump treats this situation with the seriousness it deserves and works to demonstrate to the country that he has greater respect for women than this clip suggests.” Even Trump’s own running-mate Mike Pence wouldn’t defend the comments of the 2005 tape. “As a husband and father, I was offended by the words and actions described by Donald Trump in the 11-year-old video. I do not condone his remarks and cannot defend them.” In a formal apology issued by Trump himself, the Presidential nominee states he was “wrong” and apologizes. Not forgetting to point out that the unearthed video is, “A distraction from the issues we are facing today.” Trump then puts the focus on his opponent Hilary Clinton and her husband Bill Clinton, whom Trump has accused of abusing women for years. Ending the apology video with, “I’ve never said I’m a perfect person, nor pretended to be someone that I’m not. I’ve said and done things I regret, and the words released today on this more than a decade-old video are one of them. Anyone who knows me knows these words don’t reflect who I am.” At the second presidential debate, when asked

by Anderson Cooper about the dialogue and how it described sexual assault, Trump used the expression of “locker room talk” to defend himself. But, what is locker room talk? Matt Thomas, UAA’s head hockey coach, has spent over 35 years in and around locker rooms and notes that the locker room environment lends for private discussions, but never for disrespectful ones. “Things that we discuss as a team aren’t intended for people outside the team or locker room. It doesn’t allow for vulgar [or] demeaning conversation, but more of a what is said in here stays in here, but it has to be respectful in nature regardless of tone,” Thomas said. “I’m 100 percent positive that Mr. Trump’s comments hardly fall under that category and are totally inappropriate regardless of where you are or who you are with. In my 35 plus years in a locker room environment, there has never been talk that mirrors that of Mr. Trump’s and Billy Bush’s.” Former Western New Mexico University college football player, Chris Theulen, thinks locker room talk is far from organized sports, and more common, if at all, present in gyms. “I wouldn’t say that it would relate to athletics and those locker rooms, but more like gyms and those locker rooms,” Theulen said. For some, the apology wasn’t enough and the comments and dialogue in the video are more than that of “locker room talk,” but that of sexual assault and general disrespect for women. “It’s disturbing to me because Trump’s comments seem to be an admission of sexually assaulting women. Grabbing genitals or kissing someone without waiting to receive consent is sexual assault. It doesn’t matter whether he made those comments in private or not, if that’s actually a representation of how he engaged with women, then he is admitting to sexual assault with consequences that cascade far beyond the context of that individual conversation,” Johanna Richter, USUAA vice president said. “I find it unfathomable that his defense for making these types of comments is that it was just ‘locker room talk.’ I don’t think this is actually how most men behave or talk about women and I find it utterly shameful that he would try to categorize this as normal male behavior. Even if it was normal behavior, then this should be a call for better education about consent to create a shift in cultural norms.” On the other hand, there are many Trump supporters who have and will stand by the republican nominee through this controversy. Nate Witt, a resident of Fairbanks, acknowledges the inappropriateness of Trump’s 2005 comments, while also recognizing the seriousness of sexual assault. “Trump was caught red-handed making some crass and inappropriate private comments to Billy Bush. I, as a man try to stray from this type of language even in private conversation. But, the vast reality is that men brag, men boast about sexual encounters, men are competitive and we always want to one up each other. Any guy who has ever played sports or any other social club with men has engaged in lewd conversation or at least heard it,” Witt said. “There is a major distinction however between crude, rude, braggadocio and sexual assault. Most of the time, men are just full of shit. We talk, we laugh, we make jokes, we compete and rarely do we take it seriously.” Witt disagrees with the synonymous relationship between Trump’s comments and sexual assault. Citing what he believes is everyday behavior, as demonizing. “The media has propelled this issue to top importance comparing it with sexual assault. I see this as a major problem because it demonizes normal, albeit crude behavior. It turns every lewd comment that us men make, often with little thought, into a new sort of witch hunt. I find as a whole, our society takes things too literally, not seriously. Words aren’t intent and often are blown out of proportion,” Witt said. “We should respect all claims of sexual assault, investigate them thoroughly and promote safety in all cases. What we shouldn’t do is misconstrue stupid comments to mean something they don’t.” After the 2005 tape surfaced, records of Howard Stern and Donald Trump came to light with similar vulgarity and tone. Following these leaks, The New York Times reported the stories of two women who were allegedly assaulted by Trump — allegations Trump denies, and in total, over a dozen women have come forward with stories of assault.

04 | NEWS

THENORTHERNLIGHT TUESDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2016

Climate change: A hot topic By Lee Piltz

lpiltz@thenorthernlight.org

Early on in September, the United States of America and the People’s Republic of China both formally joined the Paris global climate agreement. This agreement is the first of its kind and will only take effect legally once 55 countries ratify it. In early October, it was announced that carbon dioxide crossed the 400 parts per million mark in our atmosphere. Right now, climate is a hot topic and humans, as a species, need to be aware of what the planet is going through. Parts per million is a measure of concentration by volume of one part of a gas per million parts of air. Basically, for every million air molecules that you examine, on average you should find around 400 PPM carbon dioxide molecules. Jennifer Schmidt, assistant professor of natural resource management and policy at UAA, anticipates carbon dioxide emissions are more likely level off than decrease. “It’s hard to see that it would actually go down. Hopefully, at some point it will start to level off,” Schmidt said. Our atmosphere has reached this amount in the past, but never in September. September is usually the month with the least amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. However, carbon dioxide levels did not dip below 400 PPM as they were expected to. A lot of climate scientists are predicting that we won’t see carbon dioxide levels in our atmosphere below 400 PPM for a very long time, or even at all again. Carmen Field, an environment and society student at UAA, also shares this view. “Right now, carbon emissions aren’t really dialing back anymore. I don’t think human’s ways of life are ever going to change. We drive, we use electricity and all of that good stuff and that makes those greenhouse gasses... I believe that it won’t become less than 400 PPM within the next 100 years, even if we do stop right now. It takes time to change our climate and get our Earth systems back to the balance that we humans are used to,” Field said. At this point, climate change is no longer up for debate. It is happening and humanity is the cause. Humans, as a species, are making their way to addressing the problem but it is slow going for society as a whole. The US joining with the Paris agreement is a step in the right direction. Field explains that on an individual level we can all chip in as well. “If we don’t make changes it’s going to keep increasing. Things like what is happening with our climate is a normal part of Earth’s system, but human activities are causing it to happen much faster,” Field said. “If you can walk places, walk don’t drive, carpool if you can, be very conscious of the heat you’re using in your house. When you leave your house, maybe turn the thermostat down a bit. Plus, that saves you money also.” Even if we cannot completely reduce carbon dioxide emissions, humans can certainly try and level them off

GRAPHIC BY JIAN BAUTISTA

for the time being. Shannon Donovan, assistant professor and department chair of geography and environmental studies at UAA, explains that maybe someday we can reduce the carbon dioxide, but for now we have to try and level it off. “Reducing is something that maybe could happen in the future. But right now we’re trying to maintain and not continue to rise at the levels that we have been rising... Most of the science says we are maybe at this tipping point or maybe even past the tipping point. In which case, it would still continue to increase over time, but hopefully that rate at the very least can be slowed down,” Donovan said. This topic is often times depicted in a grim light and can shock people. This isn’t to say that humans should

give up on our planet. In fact, this information is very valuable in attempting to reduce the damage being done to our air. Donovan suggests that we should be alarmed, but not give up on the problem. “People should be afraid, not in the way where they just throw their hands up and say, ‘Well there’s nothing that can be done.’ But in a way that they are motivated and our policy makers put policies in place to make proactive change,” Donovan said. Only through action can people band together and tackle this problem. World leaders are doing their part to address the issue, and while it is slow going, we are making progress. Locally, you can do your part as well by being eco-friendly and attempting to reduce your carbon footprint.

Bill Spindle moves on after 17 years at UAA By Taylor Curry

tcurry@thenorthernlight.org

Bill Spindle, the Vice Chancellor for Administrative Services for UAA, is leaving the school after 17 years. Bill has spent 35 years working in public organizations, as well as serving 25 years in the United States Air Force. He has an education doctorate in organizational leadership, as well as a master’s degree in business administration and a bachelor of science in engineering management. Spindle described his position with UAA as, “in charge of the backbone of the university.” Everything that the university needs to work, he is a part of. Facilities, Financial Services, University Police, Human Resources, Athletics and Information Technology — everything that is not academic or student affairs, he has a hand in.

“I love the job. I love the university, great university, and we’ve been able to do a lot of great things here to build the university into a top notch place,” Spindle said. He had served as an adjunct professor up until about three or four years ago, and said that the people here are what he liked best about working for the university. Spindle is leaving UAA to work at Texas A&M University as the Vice President for Business Affairs. He described it as very similar to his current position. “The nature of helping a new university get their business processes set up properly,” Spindle said about what drew him to the position. Spindle explained that he is at a time in his life where he and his wife are beginning to think about retiring but that he also has some “gas left in the tank” and that it was good timing for him and his family to accept this position with Texas

A&M. He also explained that he has grand children in the Lower 48 and they would like to see him a little more. He explained that he felt he was leaving UAA in great shape and that he had done everything that he wanted to do here. Spindle specified that he really enjoyed working with students over the years. He said that he thought that UAA is a great university and went on to explain how he thought it was good how many things there are for students to do here, and that he thought the staff was outstanding as well. “I just think this is a great place to go to school, and I’ve been proud to be part of it,” Spindle said. Spindle was honored with a farewell celebration on Oct. 14 at the Alaska Airlines Center to celebrate his service to the university and wish him luck on his last day at UAA.

FEATURES

THENORTHERNLIGHT TUESDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2016

| 05

BEER: Midnight Sun’s Panty Alaskans not easily fazed by clown sightings Peeler sparks controversy Continued from cover

“It’s not just a woman who wants to have sex or a woman who is going to have sex or a woman who is going to be forced to have sex, it’s more about a woman being free spirited,” Miller said. Midnight Sun has another beer called Pleasure Town which contains a naked man on a moose holding up his underwear behind him on the label. However, there have not been complaints about that certain craft beer which shows the double standards in this situation. Alcohol can be a major factor in sexual assaults. But, sexual assaults should be blamed on the perpetrators, not the alcohol. “Just because someone is drinking it doesn’t mean they want to get raped, just because someone is drinking it doesn’t mean they can rape,” Miller said. Putting the blame on Panty Peeler for promoting and condoning rape instead of the predator committing these assaults is avoiding the fact we have a problem in Alaska that involves other issues that does not involve a name of a beer. “You’re a rapist or you’re not a rapist, beer is not going to change that,” Miller said.

These assumptions about Panty Peeler were made without conducting any research on the brand or beer itself. “These people that are lashing out at us don’t know Midnight Sun, they have not been to Midnight Sun, they don’t know our beers, they don’t know about the craft beer community,” Miller said. A majority of the Anchorage community is standing behind Midnight Sun and the Panty Peeler. “[I am a] proud drinker of the Panty Peeler, people need to pull their panties out of their ass and chill out,” Hali Gravelle, Anchorage resident said, “It’s a humorous can, nothing to be taken seriously.” Many women in Alaska are posting photos of themselves with Panty Peeler when they are out on their adventures. With much support from consumers of Panty Peeler, Midnight Sun does not plan on changing anytime soon. “We are not changing the name, the art, or the recipe,” Miller said. Panty Peeler is designed to encourage having fun, being free, and enjoying an adventure with a specially crafted Belgian tripel. So ladies, take off your bra and panties and enjoy a cold one.

GRAPHIC BY JIAN BAUTISTA

By Brenda Craig

features@thenorthernlight.org

Clowns have been popping up recently all over the United States. Harmless or not, this is considered an epidemic in the U.S. This fad may quickly spread and make its way to Alaska, though, it may have started already. It is hard to say who should be more frightened, the clowns or the residents of Alaska. So far there have only been a few sightings in-state. Many people who have claimed they have seen a clown in Alaska have not reported it to the police, but rely on social media for support. Dakota Lee, Anchorage resident, made a Facebook page for this cause called “Alaskans Against Clowns (Official).” As of print, this page has 75 members that are made up from the Alaskan community. Lee created this page to bring awareness to the community and provide updates on the latest sightings. Still, Lee does not believe this is a serious issue, yet. “The clowns just want attention and to get a little scare before Halloween,” Lee said. “I haven’t heard of anything being aggressive, suspicious or any criminal nature, just people trying to scare.” Nu Xiong, Anchorage resident, personally saw a clown in Anchorage driving home on Muldoon and 6th. Xiong has video proof and it is open to the public on YouTube under “Clown sighting in Anchorage, Alaska.” Even though Xiong personally saw a clown, he does not believe this is a serious threat. “I don’t think so at all, folks are just having fun since it’s the season,” Xiong said. So far in Alaska, this has not become a serious issue. Those who claim to have seen a clown will agree that it might just be pranks.

A group of teenagers in Wasilla dressed up as clowns and sat in the Target parking lot attempting to scare people for attention. However, they were not taken seriously. One thing that may be important to consider is the threat against clowns by the general public. People are starting to stand up to these clowns and they may face a serious threat. “A lot of people are saying, ‘If I see a clown I’ll just go over and try to defend myself because in all reality, it is a threat and people should act accordingly and try to be safe about it’,” Lee said. Clowns in Alaska should take into consideration that many residents own guns and will not hesitate to defend themselves. “I think they should be scared and at least tempted not to do it because of the nature of Alaskans,” Lee said. “Everybody carries a gun, everybody at least has a gun, or knows somebody that has a gun.” Depending on how quickly this fad will spread and if it will become a serious issue in Alaska, it is unknown whether a not these clown sightings are a threat to the community. “I believe the public should evaluate weather or not it is actually a threat, how big the threat is, and depending on the threat to call [Anchorage Police Department] or group up with multiple people.” Lee said. It is advised to keep a distance if a clown is spotted until the nature of these clowns are known. That being said, there have only been a few sightings in Alaska and it is unlikely this will grow as serious as the Lower 48. Still, it is important to be cautions of your surroundings. If you want to stay updated, you can join the Alaskans Against Clowns Facebook page. Halloween is right around the corner, so choose your costumes wisely. PHOTO BY YOUNG KIM

Despite controversy surround the Midnight Sun Brewing Company's Panty Peeler, upper management of the local Alaskan brewery describes the craft beer as being made for women, by women.

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FEATURES

THENORTHERNLIGHT TUESDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2016

| 07

LIBRARY: UAA is home to a most ‘unusual’ collection

PHOTOS BY YOUNG KIM

ARLIS, where one can rent Alaskan furs, skulls, bird mounts, fish mounts and hands-on educational kits, can be found in the Consortium Library.

Continued from cover

is a multi-agency library that is located on the UAA campus in the Consortium Library Building. Funded by state and federal agencies, ARLIS serves the public. The collection comes mainly from the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, with some furs coming from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. A resource on campus many students don’t know about, ARLIS is not only available to students, but also to the public. “I’ve never heard of it, which is kind of unfortunate considering that sounds like an interesting resource. I can see it being very useful to nursing students like myself considering, in my experience at least, hands on studying with bones and whatnot makes a world of difference when studying,” Rachel Rotola, a nursing stu-

The collection at ARLIS mainly comes from the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, with some furs coming from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

dent, said. The taxidermy and educational kits are used by educators, students, camp counselors, artists and other agencies. Some pieces are more popular, Rozen explains. “The snowy owl is probably the most popular, especially for Harry Potter-type events. Cub Scouts who are moving up into “wolf” or “bear” borrow the furs for their initiation ceremonies. Artists use the skulls for their creations, and a UAA art class has a project annually that involves checking out skulls and creating a life-like pencil drawing. The items are constantly in use,” Rozen said. “The collection is very popular and is constantly used during the school year to support Alaska curriculum for all grade levels, preschool to high school.” UAA art professor Garry Mealor, who learned about ARLIS from a fellow art professor, makes use of the resources offered in ARLIS for his own art and for his classes art.

“My Advanced Drawing class is currently working on a project involving skulls from ARLIS. ARLIS arranged over 20 skulls on their counter for students to pick from and supplied a list of additional skulls that they would retrieve if asked. These are real skulls, not imitation,” Mealor said. “The ARLIS collection is a resource that anyone interested in Alaskan wildlife would appreciate. For artists, the collection of bird mounts, skulls... are much preferred over working from a photo or other 2-D references. My painting in the faculty show would not have been possible without the ARLIS collection.” The resources at ARLIS are available for anyone with a library card, and upon checking out, a contract indicating proper care will be taken is required. Items can be checked out for two weeks at a time, with an opportunity to renew for another two weeks. For an entire list of furs, skulls, and mounts visit www.arlis.org.

The hidden gem in Cuddy Hall By Brenda Craig

features@thenorthernlight.org

Many are unaware that there is a highrated fine dining restaurant right on the UAA campus. Lucy’s, named after Lucy Cuddy, is located in Cuddy Hall. Created in 1994, Lucy’s is not your typical restaurant. Instead, this is an active training restaurant run by students in the culinary arts and hospitality program guided by their professors. Lucy’s is an instructional laboratory for these students and serve the best quality food with affordable prices for their guest. The students in this program manage everything from creating the menu to preparing and serving meals. One rare feature of Lucy’s is that the menu is never the same. The students in the program are responsible for creating and changing the menu twice a semester. “A unique aspect of Lucy’s is that the menu is always changing, you’ll nev-

er see the same thing twice,” Shannon McLaughlin, current student of the culinary arts and hospitality program, said. Timothy Doebler, program director and professor, emphases that even though this is a restaurant, it is also a training facility for students. “Please think of Lucy’s as a restaurant, but understand that it is a training restaurant and guest are really participating in a class situation when they dine with us,” Doebler said. Guest not only benefit from Lucy’s excellent service and affordable food, but also the students benefit in experience as well. All the proceeds go directly back into the program, allowing students to continue train. “It is a hidden gem and a wonderful and affordable food experience for our campus,” Doebler said. Only the best ingredients are purchased for their dishes, which is easy to see why they have such positive reviews from customers. Shiloh Sexton, a student

in the bachelor’s program for the culinary department, proudly promotes Lucy’s use of fresh ingredients. “We have high-grade ingredients that are sold for zero profit, and we try to put unique ingredients on the menu that many restaurants can’t.” Even though Lucy’s is run by students, they have one of the highest ratings on Yelp for the quality of their food. “The chiefs make sure that nothing comes out of the kitchen that isn’t perfect, and I think that is something you don’t always see in other restaurants,” McLaughlin said. Although Lucy’s is a fine dining restaurant, they welcome all guests from UAA students to the general public. They are aware the dining environment may be off-putting, especially for students who may feel underdressed. “Don’t be discouraged at the very formal appearance of the restaurant and food, it is a delicious treat you won’t regret,” Sexton said.

Lucy’s wants to reach out, especially their fellow peers of UAA to come sit down and experience their student ran restaurant. “I think it’s important to let people know that even if you’re a college student, you can still come to Lucy’s and enjoy a really good meal for a decent price,” McLaughlin said. This restaurant is open Tuesday through Friday from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and welcome walk-ins. The Culinary Arts and Hospitality program also host the bakery cart, which the introductory baking students put on. They offer an assortment of baked goods also for affordable prices. The bakery cart is open Tuesday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. This is not a restaurant you will want to miss out on. Especially since it is right here on campus. Next time you are on campus and don’t feel like having Subway, check out Lucy’s for an exquisite meal you deserve.

PHOTO BY YOUNG KIM

Found in the Cuddy Hall, Lucy's is an establishment run by students of the culinary arts and hospitality programs.

08 | FEATURES

THENORTHERNLIGHT TUESDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2016

Student mailboxes susceptible to theft By Cheyenne Mathews

cmathews@thenorthernlight.org

Mailboxes for student residents in the Gorsuch Commons have a locking mechanism that can be reopened without the combination. The locks operate like typical locks with the exception of the way the lock dial also functions as the doorknob of the mailbox. Students spin the three numbers of their combination and then turn right to open the mailbox, but if a student just closes their locker and does not re-spin the lock, then anyone can reopen the mailboxes without a combination. Candice Kelley, marketing major, lives in the residence halls at UAA. She believes the mailboxes can be secure ways to hold mail, but she also makes sure to spin the lock so that a combination is required every time before opening. “I’ve learned that the hard way, by my friends just walking by and going ‘oh look,’” Kelley said as she motioned how her friends would open random boxes. “I usually just twist [my lock] back when it’s done, and do it to those surrounding mine. It’s just common courtesy. A lot of people don’t know that, that if you just close it, someone could just open it. When I check mine, I just [twist it back], but most people don’t so it would be very scary to think that someone could be like, ‘Ah, here, let me take your bills.’” Few new residents realize that the boxes will only be locked if the dial is spun another complete interval. Joel Roberts is the administrative assistant with the University Housing Department, but he is also in charge of mail in the residence halls. Before Roberts was employed by the university, there were investigations into stolen mail from housing mailboxes. Roberts has worked to ensure box security by informing students on how the locking mechanism works. “It is a concern because the residents need to be responsible for re-securing their boxes,” Roberts said. “I am aware that a number of them kind of like to

just spin it into position where it is easily opened. The problem is, if it is easily opened for them, it is also easily opened for anyone else that would be coming by. So, whenever I am dialoguing with someone, and I notice at the end that they may not spin it closed, I ask them can you make sure to spin it closed each time for those purposes.” Roberts believes this is particularly important for students who have valuable items delivered to campus. “Part of the reason that I make sure to log every package, even the ones that are non-tracking these days, is because even a small package could have jewelry or something of great value in it. We make sure to log everything and ask that the residents bring their identification and slip in order to release it to them, just on the off chance that it could be delivered to the wrong box,” Roberts said. Samantha Skirko is the Assistant Assignments Manager at the Gorsuch Commons, and she also is the person who typically helps new students open their boxes. “Most of the time, they try to get them opened and they can’t and they just ask for help,” Skirko said. “Sometimes they have a question about which direction to turn them, or once they get to the last number they won’t know to turn them back to the right to get the spring to open.” When Skirko instructs students how to open the boxes she also tells them to redial the locks to secure the box. Skirko tends to work with a large number of incoming students at the beginning of the year. “In the very beginning of the semester, I would say anyone who hasn’t been here before usually needs some sort of assistance, which is a couple hundred people usually,” Skirko said. “And then sometimes a few returners if they have a new box because each box sometimes is just a little finicky.” Mailboxes can easily be re-secured if students properly redial the lock, but if not, their mail is easily accessible by others.

Continuing the PSL tradition: Pumpkin spice pancakes

PHOTO BY JACK AND JASON’S PANCAKES

By Victoria Petersen

vgpetersen@thenorthernlight.org

It’s that time of year again. With the leaves on the ground, a new season arrives, ushering in the use of pumpkin spice. You can basically pumpkin spice anything. Oreos, Pringles, vodka and body lotion are just a few of humankind’s more curious uses of the autumn staple. Pumpkin spice pancakes, considerably less strange than pumpkin spice body lotion, but still smells good enough to eat. Enjoy these pancakes with maple syrup and a side of bacon for a hearty holiday meal.

Ingredients • 2 cups dry boxed pancake mix • 1 1/2 cups water • 3/4 cup canned pumpkin • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Directions 1. Spray your griddle with non-stick spray and put on stove. Heat stove to medium heat. 2. In a large bowl mix your preferred pancake mix with water until well blended. Add in the pumpkin and cinnamon and mix until thoroughly blended. Adding water if batter is too thick. If mix is too thin add more pancake mix. You want the consistency to be that of magma. 3. Once the mix is finished pour the batter onto the hot griddle to desired size. 4. The pancake begins to form bubbles on the top, take your spatial and carefully flip the pancake over. Cook until each side is golden brown. 5. Serve pancakes hot and top with your favorite toppings.

PHOTO BY CHEYENNE MATHEWS

The mailboxes in the Gorsuch Commons are notorious for not properly closing, resulting in easy accessibility to other people’s mail.

A&E

THENORTHERNLIGHT TUESDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2016

| 09

Solange’s ‘A Seat at the Table’ serenades with emotion and power ALBUM REVIEW

ARTIST Solange Knowles

GENRE R&B / Soul

ALBUM “A Seat at the Table”

Saint Records/Columbia

LABEL

By Adrian Colding II Contributor

RELEASE September 30, 2016

Solange is known for pushing the limits when it comes to music, so I knew I needed to prepare myself for her newest release, “A Seat at the Table.” I had to listen to the album three times before I even tried to formulate my emotions. Solange has such a pure attribute to her voice; her full sounding tone makes each song a musical meal. Just like with paintings and sculptures, there is no way to mask or cover the finished product with auto-tune or bells and whistles. This project has a raw sound and it is very fitting for this moment in time because it embodies the beauty in being true to one’s self. “Cranes in the Sky” makes me emotional and if I am being completely honest, I cried when I first heard it. Solange originally wrote the song 8 years ago in a hotel room. Every once in a while, you will come across a song that tells your life story and this is that song for me. Lately, I have been trying to avoid the painful feeling of reality. However, no matter what you do to try to distract yourself, the loneliness and feeling of rejection still remains. This song embodies that element. The track “Mad” is very fitting for our time. This song basically takes the approach of the opposing view when it comes to living in America with colored skin. “Why you always so mad?!” Two things made me gravitate to this song. Lil’ Wayne is featured on this track that

made me want to do back flips. This track is asking and answering perhaps the biggest question of today’s political landscape. With everything going on with the racial indifference, police brutality and the presidential campaigns that are plastered all over the media, I can almost promise majority of us will be mad at something. This song speaks to those issues. “Don’t Touch My Hair” is a sermon for all listeners. Self-love, self-confidence and self-worth are all messages you will find in this song. This song isn’t about hair but it is about one’s inner self: your style and your uniqueness is what makes you, you. This track is also a response to all the haters who love to sit down and analyze how everyone else is living, while being trapped in a jail cell full of opinions. When I listen to this song, I feel encouraged to keep living life carefree, keep evolving my style and keep challenging the barriers of society. “A Seat at the Table” is a church service for the soul. This release wasn’t as anticipated as other albums this year. However, it has rightfully claimed the number one spot on the Billboard charts. “A Seat at the Table” left me feeling proud of my culture and aware of the daily struggles of pain and acceptance. Solange is known for her profound writing and experimental musical taste. Even if you can’t align with my personal take-a-ways from this album, I highly recommend that you give it a listen. This album has messages that everyone can relate to.

Hello dark room, my old friend By Madison McEnaney arts2@thenorthernlight.org

Many aspects play into the field of photography that makes an image unique and well constructed. Between lighting, environment, subject and the type of camera that is used, any of these variables can make or break an image. All students at UAA that take photography classes learn about these elements that make an image and learn how to alter them to create their own style. The photography department offers classes starting at beginner levels, and progressing forward from there. In the past, all photography classes at UAA have been primarily film based. Students learned the ropes of producing images through film, while digital imaging classes were saved for more advanced and serious photographers. However, there has recently been a shift in the program, all centering around the idea that digital photography is the primary way to produce images. Deborah Tharp is the head of the photography department and has been teaching at UAA for 22 years. She has witnessed and been a part of the move from film to digital photography on campus and has had a strong voice in the decision making of where the photography program is heading. “There was a time when digital cameras were way out of student’s price range. I knew we wouldn’t be able to go digital until the cameras became affordable, so when I saw students coming to class with the digital cameras, I knew the shift could be made,” Tharp said. The photography program made the decision to go primarily digital within weeks before this fall semester began, and since then the feedback has been mostly all positive. Students now have the funds and capabilities of getting their hands on a digital camera, and the photography department has recognized that and decided to move forward with technology. In the past, the beginning photography classes centered around film style photography and worked their way up to digital photography, which was a more advanced class. Now, the curriculum will work a little differently. Beginning photography classes will center around iPhone and digital cameras, and film style pho-

PHOTO BY YOUNG KIM

Although many of the photography courses have gone from film to digital, the full featured darkroom still gets much use out of members of the Camera Club.

tography will be a class of its own, designed for students who want to really specialize in that area of photography. Joe Savageau works at UAA’s photography film labs and is a film expert. He monitors these labs on Friday nights, but has been doing this job and other things in the photography department for nearly four years now. He responded positively to the change, stating that it will benefit the program. “The labs used to be a lot more packed every night because the only way students could finish their photo projects was at the labs. Now, Photoshop exists on computers, and they can pretty much do everything from home. I get one or two students that come to the open labs on Fridays, but never many more. I think making the classes digitally based is a good idea for the program,” Savageau said. The photography classrooms have already begun putting more computers and printers in their labs to provide the necessities that are required when shooting images

on a digital camera. Beginning photographers will learn about online editing programs like Photoshop, Bridge and Lightroom in-class, and there will be less of a focus on developing film. Professors will also now discuss the details of printing images, not developing them. “I knew it was time to make a change when my students began to care more about digital photography than film. There will always be the ones that choose to pursue film photography, which is why we don’t want to get rid of the option completely. The dark room will still be around for those who want to utilize it, but it will no longer be a primary focus,” Tharp said. The field of photography is growing and changing constantly, like so many other programs at UAA. It is important for these programs to recognize when times and technology are progressing, and match the curriculum to that as well. Professors are working hard to produce classes that students want to take, and hope to only spark the interest of more potential photographers out there with the change from film to digital imaging.

10 | A&E

THENORTHERNLIGHT TUESDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2016

‘The Second Woman’ doesn’t trust its audience By Jacob Holley-Kline Contributor

Watching “The Second Woman” is a bizarre experience. To begin with, it’s bad with some good sprinkled on. The good is that it’s very self-aware and strangely allegorical. The protagonist, Hui Bao, represents director Miu-suet Lai, while her twin, Hui Xiang, represents the audience watching the movie. The bad is how Lai goes about putting those aspects together. She never allows the audience to interpret the movie for themselves. Viewers can see this flaw from the very beginning. The movie opens with a sloppily edited, but intense, dream sequence that moves too quickly to feel important. Lai doesn’t give the audience enough time to feel emotionally connected to the character being introduced. With cliched music behind it, the sequence becomes ugly and stunted. This opening sets the stage for the whole movie. In other words, it sucks. It’s not accurate to call it a drama. At heart, it’s a melodrama. Hui Bao (Qi Shu, “My Best Friend’s Wedding”) is cast in a play alongside her boyfriend, Nan (Shawn Yue, “Mad World”). Before long, she falls ill and has to pull out of the production. Bao’s twin sister Hui Xiang (Qi Shu) quickly moves in and replaces her sister. Xiang is in love with Nan and seizes the chance to take over her sister’s life

completely. Bao knows this and realizes she must fight to stop it. On the surface, it sounds exciting. In practice, the director tells the story instead of showing it. She does not trust the audience to connect the dots. At all costs, Lai avoids subtlety because subtlety leads to ambiguity, and ambiguity often leads away from the director’s intent. When a work is released, it is no longer the creators. Viewers will put into it what they will regardless of the director’s intent. Lai can’t accept that the audience will form their own interpretations. For example, an early scene finds Xiang talking to an old friend. They reminisce about the past 20 years, but the dialogue is so awkward that it feels robotic. Xiang flat-out says that she feels inadequate to her sister. Lai would have been better off showing the viewer that inadequacy rather than having Xiang tell us. The structure is so muddled and confusing that it, at times, feels unintelligible. But all the chaos points towards the central question: how important is the audience in creating a film? Very important. In fact, the movie’s convoluted structure answers this question. Not trusting the audience’s ability to follow the plot is the movie’s downfall. Without any interpretation of your own to latch onto, “The Second Woman” becomes a grueling slog to get through.

TITLE “The Second Woman”

DIRECTOR Miu-suet Lai

RELEASE DATE March 8, 2012

COUNTRY China

GENRE Drama

Localize It: A spotlight on Sundog

PHOTOS COURTESY OF SUNDOG

By Madison McEnaney arts2@thenorthernlight.org

Sundog is a three-piece band, consisting of Abi Sparkman on vocals and guitar, Deven Land on bass and Phillip Giannulis on percussion. They are relatively new to the Anchorage music scene, with having formed as a band in 2015 and releasing their first EP this past month. “Our first time playing together was a couple years ago at Chugiak High School’s Battle of the Bands. We wrote a song and learned a cover, and realized we weren’t actually that bad after that. We’ve kept it going ever since,” Sparkman said. The group brings endless amounts of originality to

the table, and their EP titled “Not Your Grandpa’s Devil Music” is full of influences ranging from classic rock to psychedelic funk. The track titled “Dollhouses” was the first song they ever wrote and recorded as a band, and truly captures the style and image Sundog projects. “I like to call us a heavy funkadelic group. But we take pride in not really falling under any one genre,” Land said. Sundog writes and records all their own music, and says that each member is influenced by different artists and bands that help aide in their unique sound. “We all come from different backgrounds in terms of what music we listen to. I like a lot of progressive and classic rock, and also a lot of ‘90s metal,” Land said. Since the release of their EP, Sundog has already booked multiple shows, and have been enjoying every moment of it. From the ambiance a live audience gives off to the way their music changes once they’re on stage, it is easy to see that Sundog will be playing as many shows as possible in their future. “We love to jam. When we play live we will have a song set and practiced, but on stage we play it totally different. It’s my favorite thing,” Sparkman said. When discussing some of the difficulties that they face trying to make it as a band in Anchorage, Sundog says the hardest part is finding shows that are all ages. “Being 19, we can only play all ages shows, so no bars. That makes it really hard to land anything, just because Anchorage shows are almost always 21 or older,” Land said. Sundog’s music stands out among Anchorage’s other bands, simply because of the style of music they put out. Being something different and something worth listening to is a hard concept to master, and it seems that Sundog has figured it out early in the game. As they grow as a band and put out more music, they will without a doubt create a buzz around their name. Sundog is just getting started on their climb to success.

A&E

THENORTHERNLIGHT TUESDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2016

| 11

UAA’s hidden masterpieces brought to life in the Kimura Gallery

PHOTO BY MICHAEL THOMAS

Shades of Blinds is based on lectures about taxidermy, suspension bridges and Gary Mealor's previous paintings.

By Michael Thomas copy@thenorthernlight.org

In a land far away, where the halls are lined with student and faculty work, where your imagination is brought to life, lies the Kimura Art Gallery. Located on the second floor of the art building, most students outside of the art department have never heard of the internationally renowned gallery lying just on the other side of campus. The Kimura Gallery has shown work from artists all over the world, and their hope, according to their website, is to show a “space that provides students, faculty, and the community with the opportunity to view and experience artwork that explores national and international contemporary culture.” The Kimura Gallery is made possible by Charles Licka, his wife Geanne Ilgen, and Becky White. Their hard work and dedication to the gallery is what keeps everything running smoothly. Every year, the gallery reaches out to artists with different backgrounds and provides them with a safe place to showcase their work. Coming up this November will be Morrocan artist Lalla Essaydi. Essaydi is known throughout the art world, and her work has been displayed in New York, England, Dubai and France.

Essaydi is a photographer that uses calligraphy and henna in her work to help portray Morrocan culture. Essaydi has stated on her website that her work is meant to help erase some of the stereotypes about Arab culture, and she makes is very clear that she doesn’t try to promote one culture over another. Moreover, the diversity here at UAA is shown prominently at The Kimura Gallery and the shows that are put on display for the world to see. Two of the faculty artists, Deborah Tharp and Gary Mealor, use their work to express different values and beliefs in society. Tharp had two photographs displayed in the first part of the Biennial Faculty Exhibition, “The Tree of Life” and “War Dancer.” Both pieces represent life, and how easy it is to destroy it. However, the Tree of Life has a powerful, subtle, way of portraying this. “The ax is life, and anyone can pick it up and cut it [the tree] down,” Tharp said. Tharp was inspired to create this piece after the terrorist attacks in Orlando, Florida. The piece was meant to create an idea among the viewers that we ourselves can choose life or death and that we have the power to change that. Mealor only had one piece in the first show. The massive watercolor needed two frames to stay put. “Shades of Blinds is a collision between coincidental discovery

GRAPHIC BY JIAN BAUTISTA

and spontaneous construction,” Mealor said, and his work is a journey with an unknown destination. Both ‘The Tree of Life” and “Shades of Blinds” show the passion professors in the art department have about their work, and how enthusiastic they are about sharing their work with students. Becky White, the assistant curator for the gallery is also a professor in the art department. “Students need to visit the gallery to understand others... [and] so you can see what the arts is about,” White said. White is dedicated to her work in the gallery, but she was very adamant that there were people even more dedicated than her. “It may be inappropriate and I may sound inappropriate, and with due respect to the Kimura’s, I would love to see this gallery named after Charles Licka and his wife Geanne Ilgen.” Licka and Ilgen are the true masterminds behind the gallery, they help make the gallery welcoming towards everyone and provide a warm environment for aspiring artists. Check out the Kimura Gallery by going to the art department website and searching the gallery, or even better you can go and see the inspiring art yourself Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on the second floor of the Art Building.

SPORTS

THENORTHERNLIGHT TUESDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2016

| 12

Seawolves cut it close before adding a 19th win to their streak By Lauren Cuddihy

sports2@thenorthernlight.org

After quite an anxious game on Thursday, the Seawolves traveled from Washington to Idaho to play against Northwest Nazarene, ranked only No. 6 in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference, after UAA’s No. 1 rank. Similar to Thursday’s game against Central Washington, the Seawolves had to pull themselves in from behind in the first set. After starting the set off with a several point lead, UAA fell significantly behind for the next half of the set. It wasn’t until both teams reached 20 points that it was evened back out, the Seawolves catching up from a 5 point deficit. With very few errors in the first set, the Seawolves defense was just lacking a reaction. The offense, on the other hand, was served well from senior setter Morgan Hooe and sophomore outside hitter Chrisalyn Johnson. Hooe set her team up with 14 assists in set one. Out of those, Johnson utilized six of them with kills for points to help even up the score. After a few more rallies back and forth, the Seawolves were able to pull through with the first win of the night at a close 25-22. The close set was a reality check to the UAA women. Despite an undefeated status and 18 game win streak, every team is going to show up to play their best game. Volunteer UAA volleyball coach Siobhan Johansen knew this to be true. “NNU is always a tough competitor so we’ll have to work hard and come to the game focused,” Johansen said. With that goal in mind, the Seawolves sprung into set two, ready for action. They took an immediate lead and it didn’t stop there, reaching a 10 point lead at the peak of the set. Now, not only Johnson sprung into action on Hooe’s assists, but the entire offense was able to add to the action. Diana Fa’amausili, Vanessa Hayes and Leah Swiss all put in some kills to add to the Seawolves lead. With NNU not even in sight, the prominent pair Hooe and Johnson teamed up to get the set-winning point, putting the Seawolves at 25-17 for the second win of the night. After the spike of energy and stamina the Seawolves experienced in set two, they had trouble carrying it on the the third set. While the beginning of the set wasn’t a struggle, they kept even with NNU - a third of the way in is when they began to fall off. Northwest Nazarene didn’t get miraculously better, the Seawolves were losing on their own side of the court. With an average of five kill errors in the first two sets each, the Seawolves more than doubled that average to 13 errors in the third set. Already landing so far behind in the set, it was more of a mental game at this point. More time was spent on the ground now, and the Seawolves were being less aggressive. Again, set one and two

PHOTOS COURTESY OF NNU ATHLETICS

The Seawolves celebrate their 19th win overall, bringing their record winning season to 10-0 in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference.

combined only resulted in 34 digs total between two sets, but set three gained an additional 26 digs alone. With the only option being to dive down to keep the rest of the team on their feet, sophomore libero Kyla Militante-Amper was able to tally down 10 digs for the set. With still too much to make up, the Seawolves succumb to the first loss of the night at 16-25. To keep their head in the game, Johansen knew they needed to focus on their teamwork and stay determined, which is now more important than ever in the forth set. “If [they] can keep NNU out of system with tough serving and keeping [their] own passing game strong I think [they] will do well,” Johansen said. The Seawolves did exactly that to start the set off right. Not letting NNU get ahead again, the score stayed even for a good duration of the set, also reducing their kill errors to the least amount of the whole game, now only three. It took half the set, but once the Seawolves reached 12 points it was no longer a question if they were going to fall behind again. Following regular team dynamics, Hooe set the other girls up for the well-needed kills to enhance their lead. Before long, it was finally set point and UAA was in the clear. With the serve on UAA’s side, Taylor Noga stepped up to the line, ready to slip back in play after the ball went over, but instead a service ace gave the Seawolves at 25-19 win. After suffering a first set loss in weeks, the Seawolves still didn’t disappoint in the long run. Winning this game at 4-1 adds a 19th win to their streak, further extending their school record.

Senior Morgan Hooe sets the ball during the Seawolves Oct. 15 game versus Northwest Nazarene.

SPORTS

THENORTHERNLIGHT TUESDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2016

UAA battles out Central Washington in nerve-wrecking sets By Lauren Cuddihy

sports2@thenorthernlight.org

As the season rolls on and the UAA women’s volleyball continues to move up in the charts, they took on two more rivals: Central Washington and Northwest Nazarene. Two of the highest ranked teams in the conference behind UAA, the Seawolves knew it wouldn’t be a walk in the park. Volunteer coach Siobhan Johansen was still optimistic. “CWU and NNU are both tough teams and as long as UAA comes into the game[s] focused on playing their best game, I think they’re going to do really well,” Johansen said. After last week’s games, the Seawolves were able to pull up to be No. 8 in the entire division II volleyball standings. In addition, they had an impressive 17 game win streak that they increased to 18 following the previous match. Central Washington became the first rival of the weekend for the Seawolves on Thursday, Oct. 13. Compared to UAA’s No. 1 rank in the conference, CWU isn’t far behind at No. 3 with a 6-2 streak. Set one wasn’t a complete blowout for the Seawolves like it seems to have been in the past. Instead of starting off quick and pushing an immediate lead for the entire set, the Seawolves experienced a change in pace. CWU managed to hold on to the Seawolves’ energy and play at the same pace, which is almost expected since CWU is only two spots down from UAA in the rankings. The beginning of the set proved to be a little bit of a struggle for the Seawolves, resulting in many errors, but none the less sophomore outside hitter Chrisalyn Johnson helped keep the team together with repeated digs. While rallying the ball back and fourth, senior setter Morgan Hooe kept up with the assists, accumulating a total of 11 in the set, to give Diana Fa’amausili and Leah Swiss the ball for many kills a piece. Halfway through the set, the Seawolves were able to pull in a much larger lead, but only briefly. Fa’amausili got up to the net for another kill, as well as freshman Vanessa Hayes. Coming in towards the end, Swiss and Erin Braun held the defense up with several blocks to prevents CWU from scoring. The set point was won with teamwork while Hooe set the ball to Swiss for a kill. The set ended in UAA’s favor, 25-19. Set two kept everyone anxious and on their feet. The rallies lasted long and the scores stayed close. Half way

through the set and the Seawolves still lacked a lead, but their score continued to increase and their energy stayed high. The end of the set kept everyone the most anxious. At 24-23 CWU held the lead, and also the set point. UAA pulled in a point, then CWU. The score toggled back and forth, needing a two-point lead for a win. The tension was definitely high as the teams battled out the last several minutes. With excellent offense and teamwork, Johnson and Hooe helped lead the team to the win, with help from Braun and Swiss. The final score for set two ended at an astonishing 31-29 for a second win of the night on the Seawolves’ side. After the previous battle for a win in the second set, Hooe managed to accumulate a total of 22 assists in just the set, as well as Johnson with 10 kills and sophomore libero Kyla Miltante-Amper with 14 digs. Set three again proved to be rough for the Seawolves. CMU showed their determination and kept their lead over UAA until finally at 20-20 it evened out. The first half of the set lacked defense from the Seawolves, CMU kept getting in hit after hit and UAA wasn’t able to keep up. In addition, the Seawolves added their own offensive errors on top of it give Central Washington a strong lead. It was in the last ten minutes that things once again got interesting. Just like set two, UAA and CMU toggled after the set winning point and rallied for extensive periods of time. This set left everyone even more anxious; if the Seawolves could pull through on this set, they could win the game. Yet again, Hooe and Johnson stepped up together. But, not without help from Swiss, who pulled in eight kills and eight digs during the set, and Johnson with six kills. After an anxiously long wait, UAA again pulled out a third win at 31-29. In an astonishing comparison, UAA accumulated at total of 63 kills, 60 assists and 82 digs during the entire game while their rivals CWU managed 30 kills, 27 assists and 56 digs. Even though the close scores of the sets, UAA did manage to have some flaws, as noticed by volunteer coach Johansen. We struggled a little with being consistent hitters and servers. But overall UAA fought hard and came back strong from big deficits in the second and third sets,” Johansen said. After the win, the Seawolves now increased their winning streak to 18 games. With another chance to increase it even more, the Seawolves take on Northwest Nazarene on Saturday, Oct. 15.

Upcoming Seawolves home games

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OPINION

THENORTHERNLIGHT TUESDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2016

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How do you talk to a woman wearing headphones?

By Cheyenne Mathews

cmathews@thenorthernlight.org

How do you talk to a woman wearing headphones? That’s a question self-proclaimed ‘dating expert’ Dan Bacon answered back in 2013. The advice he had for men who wanted to talk to a female with headphones on was, “Stand in front of her (with 1 to 1.5 meters between you). Have a confident, easy-going smile and say, ‘Hey, how’s it going?’ to start a conversation with her.” But

what if she doesn’t hear you? Bacon has an answer for that too, “However if she hasn’t looked at you or hasn’t noticed you yet, simply get her attention with a wave of your hand. Wave your hand in her direct line of vision so she can see it and say, ‘Hey, how’s it going?’” I’ve been at UAA for less than two months, and it seems like a quarter of the male population here regularly subscribes to Bacon’s ‘dating advice.’ We constantly hear about rape culture in colleges but as I have experienced, catcall culture is just as prominent and just as bad. These days, it is a sad but accepted fact that one in five women will be raped while in college, but I dare you to try and find statistics on how many women face street harassment in college. I will save you the time and tell you that it is unlikely you will find anything but have no doubt, catcalling is an unpleasant, unremarkable part of everyday life. Catcalling and whistling are derogatory ways of trying to get the attention of another person. I have yet to meet a single female who found the nature of this type of harassment flattering or complimentary in any way. The word catcalling is in and of itself counterintuitive. I mean honestly, since when do cats come when called? If the point of catcalling is to get the attention and affection of a woman, then there are dozens of more effective ways to do so. Successful relationships are built on mutual respect, and these unfriendly shouting matches detract from a positive culture. One good way to garner a positive culture is to respect her space, headphones or no headphones. Another good way is to learn how to identify body language. For example, if she is wearing headphones she is not asking for attention, stating she is open

for conversation, but pointedly listening to something that is not a catcaller. Or, if she is walking on the street by herself, it is not because she is asking for attention or soliciting advice on how not to be alone, but because she must have a place to be. Complacent acceptance of catcalling feeds toxic masculinity and rape culture. There are few better examples of toxic masculinity than Presidential nominee Donald Trump’s comments about sexual assault in a recently recovered video of him and Billy Bush. Trump’s justification for these comments was that it was just ‘locker room talk.’ College locker rooms tend to be the breeding place for some of the worst rape scandals. Look no farther than athletes convicted of rape at the University of Montana or Vanderbilt University. In fact, a study by Jeffrey Benedict and Todd Crosset, researchers at Northeastern University and the University of MassachusettsAmherst respectively, found that student athletes make up only about 3.3 percent of the population but they are 19 percent of sexual assault perpetrators. Acceptance of ‘locker room’ comments Trump makes just perpetuates a culture where entitled and demeaning views of women are accepted and enables actions like catcalling to be permissible. The point is, locker room talk or not, this kind of commentary is toxic and avoidable, just like catcalling. I take this type of harassment very personal, not just because it is uncomfortable, but because this is where I live. I want to live and attend school in a place where mutual respect is a requirement, not a courtesy. Catcalling erodes that requirement perpetuates a disrespectful culture, and doesn’t actually accomplish anything for the guy doing it. I wish students took on campus harassment more seriously. It’s not funny, it’s disrespectful. To the Dan Bacons out there: if she is wearing her headphones, leave her alone. Don’t become part of the world she needs to shut out.

CAMOUFLAGE: IN PLAIN SIGHT R Opens Friday, Oct. 28 Through the lenses of natural history, military history, art, design, new technology, fashion and popular culture, Camouflage expands beyond the familiar associations of camouflage to explore how we work to be seen and unseen.

Conceal/Reveal Costume Party 8 p.m. to midnight Friday, Oct. 28 Tickets online Liu Bolin, Hiding in New York No. 8 - Cereal 2013 (detail)

Come to know the true North