October 7, 2014

OCTOBER 7, 2014

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PEOPLE

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RED ZONE series completes its final week

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Seawolves take on Saint Martin’s University

UAA HOMECOMING

Revelers at UAA Homecoming Oct. 3 at the Dena’ina Center.

Photo by James R. Evans

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Residence hall break-ins raise safety concerns

By Stephen Cress

news@thenorthernlight.org

In the wake of two Main Apartment Complex break-ins within a week, concerns have been raised for the safety of students living in the residence halls. The first break-in took place Sept. 24, and the second took place seven days later on Oct. 1.

Around 2 a.m. Oct. 1, junior Derek Heck, English major, heard strange noises outside of his door.

Upon investigating the noise, Heck said he saw a man climbing into the window of his apartment’s living room while another man with a backpack stood outside. Heck startled the intruder by running toward him, causing the intruder to

leave the window and run away.

Heck said he followed the intruder and chased both men on foot before they got away. After returning to his apartment, Heck woke up his roommates and immediately called the University Police Department, where they filed an incident report and were told to make sure their windows and doors were locked.

Heck’s roommate Devon Johnson, an environment and society junior, said he was asleep at the time of the incident and was only made aware of what happened the following day.

“If it had been a little longer, they would have been in our place,” Johnson said.

“That’s the scariest thing to think about.”

Johnson said within one day of the incident, MAC resident coordinator

Maria Bonifacio and UPD detective Teresa Denette called two emergency mandatory meetings for all MAC residents. The meetings, Oct. 2 and 3, discussed the incident and measures student residents should take to ensure their safety.

Denette told students that September through November are the most common months for break-ins to occur, because there are fewer daylight hours and little snow to reflect light.

A total of two break-ins have been reported in the residence halls this semester.

During the meeting, Denette and Bonifacio proposed installing more streetlights and motion-sensing lights to increase visibility and eliminate blind spots along pathways for students in the

residence halls. They also discussed possibly providing dowels to further secure windows.

UPD and Residence Life advise that all students living in the residence halls make sure that all of their windows and doors are properly locked and to move their valuable items out of plain sight.

Denette said UPD is available to provide escorts for all students on campus that may feel unsafe walking alone or in dark areas.

To report an incident on campus, call 911 for emergencies or contact UPD at 907-786-1120.

USUAA appoints rules committee weeks late

By Stephen Cress

news@thenorthernlight.org

USUAA has officially established a rules committee as of its Sept. 26 general assembly meeting. According to the bylaws of the USUAA constitution, a rules committee should be formed within the first two weeks of the new semester.

The members of the rules committee — Jonathon Taylor, Samantha Reischer, Amanda Boger and Parker Dahl — were appointed Sept. 19 and will serve on the newly formed committee.

The USUAA Rules Committee will primarily be responsible for establishing standing rules for the assembly

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while ensuring that all USUAA rules are followed according to the USUAA constitution.

In addition to creating and interpreting rules, the rules committee is also responsible for making sure senators are doing their respected jobs; examining conflicts between the constitution and bylaws to ensure both documents work in harmony; working on and dealing with any charges filed against an assembly member that pertains to his or her job performance; and lastly, appointing assembly members to other committees.

USUAA has faced obstacles during its fall 2014 meetings due to ambiguities concerning how to properly interpret certain bylaws in the USUAA Constitution.

USUAA hopes to avoid those obstacles in

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the future with the new rules committee in place.

Senator Stephen Warta said the newly appointed committee will make USUAA’s general assembly meetings more efficient than they have been this semester.

“We don’t want to spend valuable time discussing issues that could probably wait until another day,” Warta said. “Ideally, the rules committee will establish how to properly interpret things so we don’t waste a lot of time with personal biases. Also, with the committee in place, we can start to move ahead within our discussions of the needs of students and concentrate more on finding solutions.”

Senator Samuel Doepken said a rules committee is typically appointed within

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the second week of school.

“The establishment of a rules committee was a little delayed, but I’m glad they’re up and running, so now we can have the rest of the committees actually working towards their assignments and get the ball rolling on other things.”

USUAA general assembly meetings are held Fridays at 3 p.m. For more information about how to get involved with student government, contact USUAA at 907-786-1203.

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FEATURES

The Slug’s guide to handling stress SEAWOLF

SLUG

THENORTHERNLIGHT Tuesday, OCTOBER 7, 2014

02

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

The midterm expedition Part 1: Preparing to embrace the suck

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

By Klax Zlubzecon

Translated by George Hyde Hey, remember that article I wrote about getting enough sleep for college? Welp, it seems like the only person not to heed my warnings about that kind of thing was — well, take a wild guess.

The 16 credits George is taking this semester are starting to take their toll, and he has been stuck getting only around four hours of sleep a night. I get that, that’s kind of par for the course for a college student, but it’s getting harder for him to focus and stay on track.

He writes down history notes with the all the vim and vigor of a sloth. He spends 90 percent of his free time at UAA working on things. And, well, if you need any further indication as to George’s state, he’s typing this at the very last minute before The Northern Light’s normal deadline. He normally does this on the weekends, and in fact that’s when he compensates for all the sleep he loses throughout the week. But guess what happened the weekend before typing this? Yep, Senshi-Con. That means George had been subsisting on just about four hours of sleep for almost two weeks straight. And while he was finally able to sleep in last Saturday, he still had a busy weekend ahead of him.

Don’t get me wrong, some of the stuff that’s happened over the space of that two weeks has been positive, like the whole Senshi-Con thing. But it’s still getting to him. While he enjoyed it, it was still technically stress.

And two straight weeks of that stuff is not all that bearable.

So what’s the best solution to this? He needs a break, but he can’t really get one, what with having 16 credits, a job at this paper, a club to preside over, a couple other clubs to attend, his friends, his family and a fellow journalism student constantly distracting him with Japanese commercial compilations on YouTube.

Man, what a crybaby, though!

I know that sounds cold, but you know what? I was rejected by my own Empire to find a new species to conquer. That’s hard business! It took me a while to find you humans, and it took some elaborate planning to find someone gullible enough to be my host.

You people would break under that kind of pressure, but we Slugs, we’re a hardy folk. For me, it was easy.

But then again, I guess it came with a trade-off, because that stupid thing you guys call a “conscience” has creeped into my mind the more I hang out with George. You sure this thing called “emotion” isn’t really a disease or something?

Anyway, I guess I should offer some tips on dealing with collegiate stress over the weekend, since you may as well accept the fact that stress is going to be unavoidable during the weekdays. So here goes.

First off, something really obvious: no procrastinating. I know everybody tells you that all the time, but I’m serious now. This is for your own good. Netflix can wait until your assignments are done. Try to get them done in the span of Friday and Saturday. Trust me, you’ll feel much better. You’ll have much more time for sleep — which, as we’ve mentioned before, is great for studying and retention — and that’ll leave you feeling refreshed in the morning, or at least a bit more refreshed than college students normally are.

Second, after doing your assignments and sleeping in, spend whatever free time you have left until the next Monday morning doing something really mindless. This could be as complex as meditation, as calming as a soak in a hot bath or as brain-dead as watching “Pacific Rim” or some other big, dumb monster movie. Clear the brain and let it stand for a couple hours, or more if time allows.

Finally, after that, take a slow pace. Take a day off.

Many old religions have a holy day of the week that is spent not working, and we’ll admit that that’s a pretty great habit.

After getting your work done on Friday and Saturday, and then having a really lazy Sunday, we’ll guarantee that you’ll end up with a clear head and a refreshed body on Monday.

Graphic by Poorva Kelkar Hopefully it won’t feel as groggy as Mondays typically do.

By Evan Dodd Contributor

As midterms approach, the smart students are calmly reviewing their notes, their less wise counterparts are frantically trying to learn half a semester’s worth of material overnight, and then there’s me.

Instead of desperately cramming for midterms I’m bound to struggle with, I’m headed out with 11 other academic masochists to do a three-day backcountry trip through Devil’s Pass.

Now that may sound foolish and shortsighted — and it will most certainly make midterms a bit rough — but not only is this a university sanctioned trip, I’m actually getting a grade for this.

It may be surprising that we have top-notch outdoor leadership classes here. Backcountry skiing, sea kayaking and even wilderness first responder courses are offered, and they even took an elite group of students on a 28-day backcountry trip into the Brooks Range. If that doesn’t seem significant, then I suggest you take a moment to look at a map, change your pants and get back to me.

Don’t have time to pay for more classes on top of your schedule but want to get outside?

Students have the opportunity to vote (again) this fall on bringing back the outdoor recreation program, which was cancelled in 2012. The vote to reinstate it successfully passed, only to fail on a technicality.

My point, other than sounding like a nagging public service announcement for fitness, is that these trips are more than just a bunch of college students wandering aimlessly in the woods — there’s some serious skill and know-how at work in the program.

However, even know-how can’t trump nature throwing a hurricane-force temper tantrum.

Our last trip was cut short by a literal monsoon that swamped sleeping bags, bent tent poles and turned our cook tents into confetti. As early as day two, we had to sit down and have a very frank conversation about our ability to continue on, and that decision making process ended up sounding like an overdramatic scene from an ‘80s action movie. We had to decide whether to press on or call it quits for safety, taking into consideration wet gear, broken tents and a flooded mountain pass.

At the end of the day, students and guides both made a smart call and decided that we’d rather have a good story to tell rather than be the story others were warned about.

Despite the weather — seriously, go Google the word mon-

soon so you know I’m not using hyperbole here — the scenery and experience were well worth the hardship. The trail runs up the length of a valley as beautiful as it is desolate. A trailhead is less than 10 minutes from campus. Very little grows in alpine tundra, save for berries and the occasional tiny patch of trees. Were something to happen on the trail, you’d better abandon hope of finding any fuel for a fire or eating anything other than frosted berries — which would make a rather poor meal, despite sounding like a children’s cereal.

The word “backpacking” gets thrown around a lot, often with little consideration of the implications of that term. Anything and everything you need to survive in the wildness must be carried in: tent, sleeping bag and bag, stove/cook set and fuel, all of which is only a good start.

That doesn’t include food, water filtration, fire starters and navigation equipment, and 10 other things you’ve never heard of.

Other than doubling as a Christmas wish list for every granola in Spenard, that list outlines the immense pack weight that becomes your new best friend for three days. I’m a bit trigger-happy on spending money I don’t have, judging by my inclination to whip out my debit card upon entering REI or Alaska Mountaineering & Hiking.

Quite frankly, the only limiting factor keeping my bank account in the black was my girlfriend’s reluctance to carry everything I wanted to buy up to the register at REI. So that’s the prep work that goes into a trip like this: route planning, gear buying, meal preparing and more. My relative lack of understanding in microeconomics class can be explained (though not excused) by the immense amount of time I’ve spent studying topography maps and checking every piece of gear.

Thankfully, my complete inability to write a coherent conclusion for these columns won’t hold me back this time. I’m taking a leap of faith that this trip will be a success, giving me material for part two of this column next week. But let’s be real here, success stories are boring.

My classmates keep using the phrase “embrace the suck” to prepare us for inclement weather and other misfortune — and judging by this cold snap you may just get an entertaining read out of it.

Either way, you can’t tell me you wouldn’t rather be on a mountain than stuck in the library, and it’s never too late to start planning a trip of your own. Until next time, wish us luck and hope for clear skies.

FEATURES

THENORTHERNLIGHT Tuesday, OCTOBER 7, 2014

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RED ZONE: The final week

A scene from Gasper Noe’s film “Irreversible” shows the pervasive film trope of male dominance over women.

RED ZONE: Rape in film reinforces sexist ideals

By Jacob Holley-Kline arts2@thenorthernlight.org

Rape and sexual violence have had a place in cinema since it began. Women have predominately been the victims of this violence. They have been victimized, and men have been victimizers as early as the 1903 comedy “What Happened in the Tunnel,” a comedy.

From the unbearable horror of Gasper Noe’s revenge flick “Irreversible” to the subtle implication of the 1918 comedy “The Talk of the Town,” sexual violence has driven numerous movie narratives.

According to University of Utah professor Sarah Projansky, rape narratives generally come in two forms: A woman’s vulnerability leads her to be raped, or an independent women is made vulnerable by being raped.

At the same time, sexual violence

against men in movies is comparatively subtle.

Sure, there are exceptions like the infamous rape scenes in “Deliverance” and “Pulp Fiction.” But male rape is more often played off as a joke, like in “Wedding Crashers” and an extended scene in the TV show “Desperate Housewives.”

So the question remains: Why use rape as a narrative device?

In Noe’s “Irreversible,” the soul-rending rape of the main character, Pierce, is the climax, but it isn’t the focus. The whole movie takes place in reverse so the viewer sees the revenge that Pierce’s boyfriend reaps on her behalf, forcing the viewer to think, “Was the revenge any different from the rape?”

On the other hand, the jealous husband, Major French, in “The Talk of the Town” pays a man to rape his wife, Genevra, in order to “cure” her flirtatious nature, and the whole thing is played off

as a joke.

Pierce is an independent woman whose assault makes her vulnerable, while Genevra’s vulnerability leads to her rape. According to Projansky, victimized women in movies are essentially told that independent behavior can lead to rape or that rape is the product of independent behavior.

Men have also been victims on-screen, though less often than women. Films like “Deliverance” and “Pulp Fiction” view male rape as an emasculating incident.

The infamous “squeal like a pig!” scene in the former strips the victim, Bobby, of his manhood, the remnants of which his friends Lewis, Ed and Drew have to pick up for him.

In the latter, “Pulp Fiction,” Marsellus Wallace is sodomized before Butch Coolidge injures the rapists, allowing Marsellus the time to “go medieval” on his attackers.

EDITORIAL

RED ZONE: series success

By Kelly Ireland

editor@thenorthernlight.org On Aug. 19 The Northern Light ran the first installment of a seven-week series called the “Red Zone.” The series was named after the time period at the beginning of fall semester — the first six weeks — when more sexual assaults on United States college campuses occur than at any other time of the year. The staff at The Northern Light began the series to bring attention to what the Red Zone is and to prevent, reduce and raise awareness about sexual assault on campus.

Over the course of these seven weeks The Northern Light wrote stories on what the Red Zone is, sexual assault and partying, online sexual harassment, victim blaming, how to report sexual assault as a witness, sexual assault in the LGBT community and the evidence needed for action to be taken against the perpetrator of sexual assault.

We worked closely with the Title IX officers and the University Police Department to learn more about each topic and to report on the issues.

The Northern Light startup initiative provoked the Title IX office to hang signs in campus housing.

“Thanks to (TNL reporter) Kierra (Hammons) bringing it to our attention, we’re gonna try to put our reporting processes on the back of all of our dorm room doors and various spots around campus — which dictate how our kids can report crime, report sexual assault, and get the help that they need to move for-

ward,” Jerry Trew said at a Title IX training session Aug. 6.

These signs will be on every resident’s door sometime between Oct. 4 and 7.

We as staff believe we successfully executed raising awareness on campus about sexual assault and what the Red Zone is. We feel that since the start of the series, more students seem to be more conscientious of the issue — at least to our staff, and we hope do others as well.

We know that we haven’t completely abolished sexual assault, but that we have reinvigorated the conversation. The more people that are talking, the better — and that’s why we feel we have been successful in our goal.

One aspect of the Red Zone we would have liked to touch upon was a personal account of a victim of sexual assault. First person accounts of these incidents tend to make the situation more real for readers who otherwise feel unaffected.

We were unable, however, to find a survivor who was willing to share his or her story and identity. This is highly indicative of the shame and stigma that is attached to being a sexual assault victim. We hope that one day there won’t be a stigma to being a victim of this crime and that victims won’t feel like less of a person for it.

Even though the first six weeks of fall semester have passed, sexual assault is still an issue.

Sexual assault happens year-round. We as students — and more importantly, human beings — need to respect each other and be advocates against sexual assault in our community. One in four women and one in 33 men are victims of rape or attempted rape. But whether it be during college or any time of the year, even one rape is one too many.

The men get their revenge where women usually don’t.

While there’s a whole subgenre of rape revenge films like “I Spit on Your Grave” and “Lady Vengeance,” women in film less often get to reap their own revenge than men do. Like in “Irreversible,” “The Virgin Spring,” “Straw Dogs” and “Last House on the Left,” the men seek revenge.

In any case, women are more often disempowered through sexual violence on-screen than men. This promotes the idea that women are naturally victims while men are naturally perpetrators.

It’s blatantly untrue, and, given enough time, it leaves fingerprints all over society.

If money keeps flowing into movies that make a mockery of sexual violence, more movies like that will pop up. It is our job to encourage movies that deal with the subject in a serious and realistic light.

Drag Bingo at the commons

By Mallory Drover

features2@thenorthernlight.org

UAA Residence Life is sponsoring a “Drag Bingo” event at 5:30 p.m. Oct. 30 in the Gorsuch Commons. The event will take place next to a resource fair featuring Anchorage and UAA resources that center around diversity and social justice.

Drag Bingo is exactly what it sounds like. It’s a night of bingo, featuring participants dressed as drag queens and kings.

“This isn’t your grandma’s Tuesday night bingo, where you go for the free crackers,” said Sean Titus, a voice and music major at UAA and one of the four students planning the event.

Sociology major David Clark, another planner for the event, said the purpose of Drag Bingo is to create “a fun event that will increase LGBT representation on campus.”

He further explained what the event means to him.

“I wanted to do the event to fulfill a job requirement originally, but after seeing how many people were passionate and willing to get involved, I (included) coworkers and family members to help make the dream a reality. Because LGBT representation is already so low as it is, we all thought putting this together would be an amazing

idea — and what do you know, it’s coming together!”

Other event planners include Tricia Chapman and Bryson Corbett, both of whom are social work majors and UAA resident advisers.

Bryson joined the planning committee because of his connections with the Pride Foundation.

“It’ll be fun and a chance to see something many students might not be able to see,” Bryson said of the event. “Great performances by some of Alaska’s top performers. UAA is an inclusive campus, but it seems that the GLBT area is underrepresented. This would be a great introduction to the GLBT community for people who are curious or just wanting to watch performances and win some prizes!”

While participants are not required to dress in drag to play bingo, it is highly encouraged.

This event will act as a fun, nondiscriminatory, welcoming environment for people of all shapes, sizes and orientations who might enjoy a night of bingo and prizes.

Everyone is included.

“Even though we might not necessarily be physically related, the LGBT+ community is so tight-knit that it truly does feel like family,” Titus said. “Events like this open us up to everyone, to let everyone into the family, so to speak.”

04 FEATURES

THENORTHERNLIGHT Tuesday, OCTOBER 7, 2014

UAA alumnus spotlight: Lamont Alexander Pierce

By Mallory Drover

features2@thenorthernlight.org

If you’ve experienced the UAA Glee Club, by participating directly or through attending performances, you have Lamont Alexander Pierce to thank.

In 2010, Pierce was a music major at UAA and felt that there was something missing from the typical musical program outlets.

“Just being in the music program, basically we did a lot of classical music, and some musical theater, some jazz, but not a lot of contemporary music,” Pierce said.

Pierce said that while he did enjoy more traditional music programs and performances, he and his friends wanted to do something with modern music in a fun environment among friends.

“I gathered a couple music and theater students that I already knew from various places or class or from shows. It was six of us,” Pierce said. “We did a little performance for freshman convocation back in 2010, and shortly afterward we held auditions. After auditions, we were up to 16 members.”

The Glee Club practiced and performed music selections spanning the past 50 years, including musical theater, pop, rock, R&B and even some comedy skits.

Pierce directed the Glee Club until he graduated in 2013. The club is still going strong with more members and exciting fulllength concerts.

Originally from Ardmore, Pennsylvania, Pierce moved to Anchorage to work as a director for a church choir, which he did for two years before becoming a UAA student. He attended between 2008 and 2013, and graduated with a degree in music.

After graduation, Pierce moved to Los Angeles, California, to spread his wings. In the year since his graduation, Pierce has worked with various acapella groups, carolers and tried his hand at a bit of film work. He performed with a 1930s-style jazz band at the Cannes Film Festival, and even came back to Alaska for a couple months to perform in “Cat on a Hot

Tin Roof” as his first regional theater production. Pierce’s next performance will be in the ensemble cast of the upcoming “Les Misérables,” which plays in Anchorage Oct. 17-26 at the Atwood Concert Hall.

Pierce said his greatest accomplishment so far is landing a contract with Tokyo Disney, starting in February.

“I’m going to be in a show called Big Band Beat, that’s kinda a big jazz show over there,” he said. “I’ll be doing that for seven months next year — more traveling, and singing, which I’m really excited about. (This is) something that all of my expenses and training have led to. It’s definitely not considered to be the pinnacle of my career, but it’s definitely a huge milestone for me.”

Pierce added that he’s still far from where he wants to be in his career, but that he’s well on his way to reaching his goals of finding steady work as a performer.

“When I think about the things that I’ve done, I guess it has been going very well so far.

I’ve only been here for a year, and I’ve had some great opportunities,” he said.

Among the greatest lessons he retained from his time at UAA, Pierce said the most important are to stay humble, be willing to try anything, and to never stop learning.

While Anchorage had a small enough pool of talented people to cultivate his talents, he said that UAA definitely helped prepare him for the rest of the world as well.

“I think a lot of people ... are kind of tempted to think, ‘This is a waste of time. I’m just going to drop out of school and go for it,’” Pierce said. “(To them,) I would say ‘stick with it, learn as much as you can, grow as much as you can, take every opportunity and don’t ever let yourself get to the point you’ve learned as much as you can. Stick with what you’re doing and keep your mind open and keep your ceiling high. Always look for ways to grow.’”

BRICK BY BRICK Opens Oct. 3

An Exhibition of LEGO® Toys and Bricks

Anchorage Museum members enjoy free entry to Brick by Brick. Join today!

Presented by

Image: Mike Stimpson, “Moon Landing,” photograph, 2008 LEGO, MINDSTORMS®, and the Minifigure® are trademarks and/or copyrights of the LEGO Group of Companies, which does not sponsor, authorize or endorse this exhibition.

Big Project This Semester? we have you covered

large format printing report tabbing and binding color copies and more Disc

ver

what gss can do for you

lower level campus bookstore (907) 786-6860 | www.uaa.alaska.edu/gss

06 FEATURES

THENORTHERNLIGHT Tuesday, OCTOBER 7, 2014

THE

NORTHERN LIGHT

A&E

THENORTHERNLIGHT Tuesday, OCTOBER 7, 2014

07

‘Tyranny’ is a bizarre journey

By Wright Franklin KRUA Music Manager

Let me preface this review by saying that The Strokes are one of my all-time favorite bands.

With that, comes a deep, undying love for Julian Casablancas. That being said, his new side project, Julian Casablancas + The Voidz is just really strange.

The album is in some nowhere zone — a “Void” perhaps — in the cracks between hair metal, rock, fusion jazz and pop. Every song is different, and every 30 seconds or so the tracks morph and shift into tunes unrecognizable when compared to the start. All of this is topped with a glaze of strained and desperate vocals from Casablancas.

If every album is a journey, “Tyranny” is a bizarre one indeed. It guides listeners through a dark underworld, a sewer line full of graffiti, neon lights, Ataris and lots and lots of fingerless gloves (that was a Casablancas reference — ah, never

mind).

It’s gritty and abstract and peculiar and fantastic. Also, a good majority of the songs drag on for a long time.

The nearly 11-minute long “Human Sadness” is a sleepy trip into the center of the universe, and also features some of the best scream-singing ever.

Tracks five and six, “Where No Eagles Fly” and “Father Electricity” are the strongest and most catchy songs on the record, which honestly isn’t saying much, because they are the furthest things from catchy.

As a fan, I really, really want to like this album.

I will admit that the more one listens, the better it gets. If you let go of trying to look for the structure of the songs, and let them carry you on the toxic 90’s musical wave, they are quite enjoyable.

“Tyranny is like a really deep/sad indie movie.” It’s terrible for parties, a little bit boring at times, and is best when you carve out a time to sit, cozy up with a blanket and just enjoy it for what it is.

Track List: Album: “Tyranny” 1. “Take Me In Your Army” Artist: Julian Casablancas + The Voidz 2. “Crunch Punch” Release Date: September 23, 2014 3. “M.Utually A.Ssured D.Estruction” Label: Cult Records 4. “Human Sadness” 5. “Where No Eagles Fly” 6. “Father Electricity” 7. “Johan Von Bronx” 8. “Business Dog” 9. “Xerox” 10. “Dare I Care” 11. “Nintendo Blood” 12. “Off To War...”

Courtesy of Rolling Stone

08 A&E

THENORTHERNLIGHT Tuesday, OCTOBER 7, 2014

GAME REVIEW

‘Wasteland 2’ is brutally nostalgic

By George Hyde

gchyde@thenorthernlight.org Back in the ancient stone ages of 1988, a developer by the name of Brian Fargo and his fledgling team at Interplay developed a post-apocalyptic role-playing game by the name of “Wasteland.” While it’s incredibly primitive by today’s standards — the game’s “plot” was a pamphlet that was included with the disk — it was still a pioneer for the RPG genre, and it inspired further games to come, like “Fallout.”

Now, Brian Fargo seeks to make his return with “Wasteland 2,” the first official sequel to the 1988 classic. So was it worth the over-25-year wait?

Oh, yes. Yes, it was.

It is many years after the great nuclear war that devastated the Earth. Four playercontrolled, customized party members are members of an organization known as the Desert Rangers. One of their own, named Ace, has been mysteriously killed off, and

it’s up to the player to figure out why, and to finish what he started.

While there’s a lot of “Wasteland” DNA in “Wasteland 2,” it actually more closely resembles the first two “Fallout” titles, especially when it comes to combat. The combat, like “Fallout,” is very tactical and easy to understand, while still being deep.

It’s also unrelentingly brutal. “Wasteland 2” doesn’t pull any punches when it comes to difficulty, and players who don’t manage resources very carefully are going to find themselves in pretty terrible situations. But then again, it is the post-apocalypse, and the emphasis on survival makes this RPG stick out.

Unfortunately, that difficulty expands into the quest design as well, and that presents some problems. Quests are often obtuse. Objectives are difficult to understand, and

players will often run out of resources before they can figure out what to do. That aspect of the game’s difficulty can be really infuriating sometimes.

However, a lot of the quests also do really interesting things when it comes to character development and storytelling, so perhaps some players will let “Wasteland 2” off the hook on that.

“Wasteland 2” revels in oldschool RPG design, and while some will be put off by the difficulty, players already demand a more difficult RPG experience will really get something great out of this title. It’s a pure role-playing experience, and there’s not enough of that in the gaming space nowadays. It doesn’t do a lot new, but sometimes audiences need less new and more comforting nostalgia. Players who are yearning to a return to the days of Interplay need to give “Wasteland 2” a try.

Game: “Wasteland 2” Developer: inXile Entertainment Platforms: PC, Mac, Linux Release Date: Sept. 19, 2014 + Plenty of RPG nostalgia + Combat is accessible and deep - Quests are sometimes obtuse

FOREIGN FILM FANATIC

‘In Bruges’ is impossibly poignant

By Jacob Holley-Kline arts2@thenorthernlight.org

Title: “In Bruges” Director: Martin McDonagh Release date: Feb. 8, 2008 Genre: Dark comedy Country: United Kingdom

It is said that on the final day, the Son of Man will return to earth and separate the good from the evil, the wicked from the wise. Surrounded by the most well-preserved medieval chapels and canals in Europe, hit men Ray (Colin Farrell, “Saving Mr. Banks”) and Ken (Brendan Gleeson, “Calvary”) are sent to Bruges to await their personal Judgment Day after a horrific, botched job leaves an innocent victim dead.

While the details of the ill-fated hit are cursory, an unnamed priest messes up badly enough to leave a price on his head, the result is not: bullets go astray and kill an innocent. For the rest of the movie, Ray tries to reconcile his childlike nature with his line of work and the murder in question.

Despite the heavy subject matter, “In Bruges” can turn from existential to hilarious on a dime. Director Martin McDonagh expertly strikes a balance between dreary and funny. And if it weren’t for the exceptional performances of the Gleeson and Farrell, McDonagh’s writing wouldn’t shine like it does.

Ray is a man-child who knows how to use a gun. He’s in desperate need of guidance, which the fatherly Ken provides with a healthy dose of annoyance. Where Ray wants to hit the bars and drink a pint, Ken would rather row through the canals, visiting chapels and Bruges’ central bell tower.

Propelled by the sheer force of McDonagh’s narrative, each actor wrings the script for all its worth.

Their performances are incredible and their chemistry even more so. The numerous scenes with Gleeson and Farrell strut every inch of the emotional spectrum.

“At the same time as trying to lead a good life, I have to reconcile that with the fact that, yes, I have killed people. Not many people. And most of them were not very nice people,” Ken muses during a poignant conversation with Ray. As a foil to the two hit men, Chloe (Clemence Poesy, “Mr. Morgan’s Last Love”) balances the insanity with a level head and an even stranger profession.

But it’s Ralph Fiennes (“The Grande Budapest Hotel”) as the eternally pissed-off Harry, Ken and Ray’s boss, who steals every scene he’s in. While his presence pervades the whole movie, he only shows up in the last 45 minutes. He can go from cordial to comically furious to terrifying in a matter of seconds. Fiennes’ performance really is master class.

For all of its hilarity and brutality, “In Bruges” walks a fine line between pitch darkness and impossible poignancy. Add in an abundant dose of Irish culture, see the climactic use of Luke Kelly’s “Raglan Road” rendition in one of the final scenes, the movie becomes something of a touchstone.

With all their talk of Judgment Day and purgatory, it’s hard not to hope that Ray and Ken make it through the pearly gates.

A&E

THENORTHERNLIGHT Tuesday, OCTOBER 7, 2014

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Courtesy of UAA Concert Board

A cappella group Pentatonix perform a sold-out show at A Cappella Festivella 20 on Oct. 17, 2013, at the Wendy Williamson Auditorium.

The sweet harmony of A Cappella Festivella 21

By Jacob Holley-Kline arts2@thenorthernlight.org

The human voice is an instrument in itself. While pop music is saturated with production and synthesizers, a cappella music relies solely on vocal harmony. Proving that the public likes getting back to basics, UAA’s annual “A Capella Festivella” celebrates its 21st at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 9 in the Wendy Williamson Auditorium.

“Not only do students come, but we have families,” said Felipe Godoy Diaz, senior marketing and management double major and Concert Board member. “As a cappella has caught on with mainstream audiences, more people have come out.”

Thanks to talent shows like NBC’s “The Sing-Off” and Fox’s “Glee,” a cappella music has inundated American households.

“The cool thing about a cappella is that you need a lot of talent,” Diaz said. “I think people are drawn to that.”

This year’s lineup includes The Filharmonic, a Los Angeles-based group of five singers and a beatboxer, Fermata Nowhere, a 17-member outfit hailing from Mt. San Antonio College in San Antonio, Texas, and UAA’s

own Glee Club opening the show.

“I don’t think there was necessarily pressure to pitch for a big name,” said Daniel Jost, economics junior and Concert Board member. “One thing we always try to do is get an artist that students are going to be excited about.”

Last year, Concert Board booked a cappella superstars and third season “Sing-Off” winners Pentatonix.

“Pentatonix had a really broad appeal … just as a popular group,” Jost said, “but (The Filharmonic) is still a quality act … the name is still going to be able to reach out to people.”

Alongside the bigger names, UAA’s Glee Club will take the main stage as well.

“We really try to strive to collaborate with other institutions (on campus),” Diaz said. “We want to showcase our university’s talent.”

While the Glee Club has been involved with “A Cappella Festivella” in the past, they don’t get showcased every year. Last year, they performed at an alumni function just before “A Cappella Festivella 20” and again in the lobby of the Wendy Williamson before the show.

“We’ve tried to incorporate them one way or another,” Diaz said. “It’s important to us that they’re a part of the process.”

“A Cappella Festivella 21” will take place at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 9 in the Wendy Williamson Auditorium.

Tickets are $5 advance/$10 door for UAA students, $15 advance/$20 door for UAA staff, faculty, alumni and youth, and $20 advance/$25 door for the general public.

Visit Concert Board at http://www. facebook.com/uaaconcer tboard and http://www.uaatix.com for more information.

RETRO MOVIE REVIEW

‘Gone with the Wind’ is a product of its time

By Jacob Holley-Kline arts2@thenorthernlight.org

Sometimes, a work of art is so influential that it starts to look like a cliché. “Gone with the Wind” is just one American epic among a select few to have that kind of influence. Watching it today is a weird experience: It’s beautifully shot, melodramatically acted and served in a bundle of clichés. This year, it celebrated its 75th anniversary and showed at Century 16 on Sept. 28 and Oct. 1.

Set against the Civil War and Reconstruction Era, “Gone with the Wind” follows Scarlett (Vivien Leigh, “A Streetcar Named Desire”), through her desperate pursuit of her cousin-in-law, Ashley Wilkes (Leslie Howard, “The First of the Few”), to her marriage to Rhett Butler (Clark Gable, “The Misfits”).

By today’s standards, “Gone with the Wind” feels bloated at four hours. It’s long, but not as much of a drag as one might think. Gable is here in top form — a man’s man with the morals of a bygone era. While the movie’s treatment of gender and race feels horribly antiquated, each actor brings flair and characteristic ham to his or her role. The wonderful Hattie McDaniel (“In This Our Life”) brings humanity to her otherwise typecasted role.

The fact is that the acting just seems cheesy now. Mugging men and fawn-

ing women enunciate every consonant and play up the movie’s drama, though it comes off as more natural than other flicks of its time. And while the first part has the drama of the Civil War to lean on, the second half focuses on the characters, and the characters just feel too shallow to fill the screen.

One thing that has aged well is the cinematography. Still today, especially on the big screen, “Gone” is beautiful.

The colors are rich and deep. The Georgia landscape and Reconstruction Era America are characters in themselves thanks to the keen eyes of cinematographer Lee Garmes, Technicolor cinematographer Ray Rennahan Kand Ernest Haller. The climactic Atlanta depot sequence burns just as brightly as it did 75 years ago.

While it may not have changed cinema in general, it did change American cinema. The sheer scale of it is still staggering, especially considering the technology the crew worked with. It’s undeniably epic and undeniably clichéd.

At the same time, it basically started all those clichés. The widowed wife searches to fulfill her unrequited love in the arms of a mysterious, dashing stranger.

Even though cinema’s come a long way since, “Gone with the Wind,” should be required viewing for any fan of the movies. Sure, it feels overstuffed at times, but it’s charmingly unabashed in its ambition, and that’s certainly something worth seeing.

Title: “Gone with the Wind” Director: Victor Fleming, George Cukor, Sam Wood Release date: Jan. 1, 1939

SEXUAL VIOLENCE & HARASSMENT AT UAA: WEDNESDAY, OCT. 8

OPEN TO ALL STUDENTS

Focus Group:9 %,!+%9 23$%-21 9)-#+3$)-'91304)4.019.&91%63!+9 !11!3+2 9#!,/319!#2)4)121 9)-2%0-!2).-!+9123$%-219!-$91.0.0)279 ,%,"%01 8 9/ , 9 23$%-29 -).- 9 7+!9 )#(!0$19 .-&%0%-#%9 .., Focus Group:9 !+%9 23$%-21 9)-#+3$)-'91304)4.019.&91%63!+9 !11!3+2 9#!,/319!#2)4)121 9)-2%0-!2).-!+9123$%-219!-$9&0!2%0-)279 ,%,"%01 8 9/ , 9 23$%-29 -).- 9 %!$%01()/9 !"

Focus Group:9 !+%9 2(+%2%1

Focus Group:9 %,!+%9 2(+%2%1 11 a.m.–12 p.m., Alaska Airlines Center, Dresser Family Conference Room

- OPEN TO ALL STUDENTS 2:15–3:45 p.m., Student Union, Lyla Richards Conference Room

- OPEN TO ALL STUDENTS 3–3:45 p.m., Student Union, Leadership Lab THURSDAY, OCT. 9 Focus Group:9 !+%9 +!1*!9 !2)4%9 23$%-21 12–1 p.m., Gorsuch Commons, Room 106 Focus Group:9 %,!+%9 +!1*!9 !2)4%9 23$%-21 12–1 p.m., Gorsuch Commons, Canary Room

- OPEN TO ALL STUDENTS 2–3:45 p.m., Student Union, Lyla Richards Conference Room

- OPEN TO ALL STUDENTS 3–5 p.m., Student Union, Leadership Lab Focus Group:9 -$%0'0!$3!2%9!-$9 0!$3!2%9 9 23$%-21 4–5 p.m., Student Union, Lyla Richards Conference Room

%/0%1%-2!2)4%19&0.,92(%9 :#%9&.09 )4)+9 )'(219 95!-292.92!+*92.97.3 9 9123$%-21 9!".329 1%63!+94).+%-#%9!-$9(!0!11,%-29.-9#!,/31 9 .309 4.)#%9!-$97.309%6/%0)%-#%9#!-9(%+/91(!/%9 19 &3230%90%1/.-1%

Free pizza and refreshments will be available at all focus groups!

For more information, contact one of UAA's Title IX coordinators:

0 9 %5!)-9 %% 9 %!-9.&9 23$%-21 9

!04!9 !21.- 9 )0%#2.09.&9 !,/319 )4%01)279 9 .,/+)!-#% 9

For persons in need of ADA accommodations, please contact the Office of Campus Diversity & Compliance at 786-4680.

UAA is an EEO/AA employer and educational institution.

OPINION

THENORTHERNLIGHT Tuesday, OCTOBER 7, 2014

11

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

An important conversation

Stopping sexual assault and harassment on campus

By Chancellor Tom Case Contributor

The statistics on sexual violence rates in Alaska are alarming; our state’s rape rate alone is nearly three times the national average. Sexual assault and sexual harassment are serious issues for all Alaskans. Though it’s difficult to talk about, it’s absolutely critical we continue to bring the issues of sexual violence and sexual harassment to the forefront of our daily lives, particularly on a university campus.

In May, the United States Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights, or OCR, placed the entire University of Alaska, or UA, system on the list of colleges and universities that would undergo a Title IX compliance review. This review includes on-site visits by representatives from the OCR on Oct. 8 and Oct. 9 at UAA. During this site visit, the

OCR will conduct interviews and hold focus groups to learn more about how UAA handles allegations and complaints of sexual harassment and sexual violence involving students.

UAA welcomes this review by the OCR. By the end of July UA provided some 11,500 pages of information to the OCR as part of an information request. During the years 2011-14, UAA had 139 sexual harassment and/or sexual assault complaints, including those made at our community campuses. Complaints under Title IX do not have to meet the “beyond a reasonable doubt” standard as in the criminal justice system. The standard used is known as “preponderance of evidence,” which means we treat incidents as having more likely occurred than not. Remedies are made available to the victim prior to an investigation’s conclusion.

We take these issues very seriously.

In addition to the proactive efforts we’ve

taken on our campuses to train and educate our faculty, staff and students, UAA’s Justice Center conducts the Alaska Victimization Survey in partnership with the Alaska Council on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault through the governor’s Choose Respect initiative and the Alaska State Legislature. The UA system is working with the Alaska State Troopers and the State of Alaska magistrates on additional partnerships and trainings in the areas of victim response and services.

When the OCR visits campus, UAA’s Anchorage campus, we want them to understand what our students and the greater community have experienced in regard to sexual assault and sexual harassment.

I’d personally like to encourage students, parents, family members, witnesses, activists and others to attend one of the focus groups or one of the open office hours to discuss issues of sexual assault and/or sexual harassment. A com-

plete schedule can be found at http://bit. ly/1Cu3kWp. All of the UA universities will also conduct a voluntary and confidential climate survey on sexual harassment and sexual assault. The goal of the survey is to improve prevention, safety and education on our campuses regarding sexual assault/harassment and gender discrimination.

It’s always our goal to promote a culture of respect, safety and care on our campus. The in-depth review conducted by the OCR will help us better understand our campus environment, provide areas for growth and improvement and make us an even better institution in how we respond to and provide support for victims of sexual violence and harassment.

Awareness and prevention programs, as well as proper reporting, protocol and procedures in providing care to victims of sexual violence, will always be a top priority at UAA.

HOT TOPIC

Question: Do you think Ebola is a serious threat to Alaskans? Why or why not?

Veronica Sherman Civil Engineering

“Yes, people are constantly traveling in and out of the state, which would cause it to spread here eventually.”

Photos by Adam Eberhardt

Thomas W. Willis English

“No. A disease spread by deep body fluids (blood, urine, etc.) doesn’t seem like much of a threat...”

Delphine Dyer

Medical Engineering “No. I doubt it will become an epidemic in the U.S., as there are much more sophisticated containment and treatment techniques available domestically.”

Hot Topic Questions and Comments compiled bY George hyde

Higher education meets lower wireless bill As a student of: University of Alaska

you could be saving 17% on the monthly service charge of qualified wireless plans In addition to the AT&T Sponsorship Program discount, you’ll also enjoy these benefits:

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1

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PEOPLE

THENORTHERNLIGHT Tuesday, OCTOBER 7, 2014

Photo by James R. Evans

Natural sciences junior Joseph Lurtsema hits the dance floor in the Dena’ina Center during UAA’s 2014 Homecoming Dance on Oct. 3.

Photo by James R. Evans

Wright Franklin, sophomore music major and KRUA music manager, DJs in the Dena’ina Center for UAA’s 2014 Homecoming Dance.

Photo by James R. Evans

“Harry and Lloyd” — marketing senior Mike Akers, left, and his guest Isaac Taylor, right — make a homecoming appearance.

Photo by Adam Eberhardt

UAA volleyball head coach Chris Green speaks to outside hitter Katelynn Zanders during the game against Saint Martin’s University on Oct. 2 at the Alaska Airlines Center.

Photo by Adam Eberhardt

Setter Morgan Hooe dives to save the ball against Saint Martin’s University on Oct. 2 at the Alaska Airlines Center.

13

Photo by Adam Eberhardt

Libero Quinn Barker serves the ball against Saint Martin’s University on Oct. 2 at the Alaska Airlines Center.

14 PEOPLE

THENORTHERNLIGHT Tuesday, OCTOBER 7, 2014

Photo by James R. Evans

Students party in the Dena’ina Center during UAA’s 2014 Homecoming Dance on Oct. 3.

BEAD ARTS GALA 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Oct. 18 Noon to 5 p.m. Oct. 19 Be inspired by 50 of the state’s finest bead artists. This year’s event features artist Jo Ellen Vice.

Free general admission.

Please note: During free events, fees still apply for premium exhibitions and planetarium shows.

Image: “Leaf hangs from Twig,” Jo Ellen Vice

Museum members enjoy free general admission. Join today!

ART CLASSES Study ceramics, photography and the art of flint-knapping Starting Oct. 13 Enroll online

WELLS FARGO FREE DAY Celebrate Hispanic Heritage with dance performances, film and food 2 p.m.

Sunday, Oct. 12

anchoragemuseum.org

TELL YOUR ALASKA STORY Share your tale of growing up in Alaska 7 to 9 p.m.

Tuesday, Oct. 14 RSVP 929-9287

COMICS

THENORTHERNLIGHT Tuesday, OCTOBER 7, 2014

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ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR sports2@thenorthernlight.org Vacant Photo editor photo@thenorthernlight.org James R. Evans Staff Photographers aeberhardt@thenorthernlight. org Adam Eberhardt hlindamood@thenorthernlight. org Helen Lindamood Layout Editor layout@thenorthernlight.org Vacant Graphic designer graphics@thenorthernlight.org Stefanie Vigoren Web Editor web@thenorthernlight.org Vacant Multimedia Editor multimedia@thenorthernlight.org Brett Baker advertising Manager 786-4690 ads@thenorthernlight.org Chelsea Dennis Marketing Representative Vacant

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