September 18, 2012

THENORTHERNLIGHT SEPTEMBER 18, 2012

Sequestration could cut funding

UNIVERSITY OF ALASKA ANCHORAGE

Flu shots now available at health center

By J. Almendarez

By J. Almendarez

Managing Editor

Managing Editor

In an effort to pay government bills, the United States government will begin sequestering money Jan. 1 if Congress does not find a way to cut $1.2 trillion over the course of the next decade, reported the Washington Post July 17.

The Washington Post journalist Ed O’Keefe described sequestration as a process by which automatic spending cuts take place. The accounting mechanism, which was enacted as part of the Budget Control Act of 2011 to spark serious conversation about how the country will pay it’s bills in the long term.

O’Keefe reported that if sequestration is enacted, about $55 billion of government funding will be cut from the Pentagon budget and $55 million will be cut from non-defense spending next year.

A bipartisan majority in the U.S. Senate approved sequestration.

What does this mean for the University of Alaska Anchorage?

“We really can’t predict,” said Nalinaksha Bhattacharyya, business professor and former faculty senate president. “It’s like staring into a black hole.”

Alaska will be forced to cut funding as the government mandates if sequestration occurs, which could directly affect funding to UAA. Lawmakers were in recess during August and have not released a detailed list of exactly where funds will be cut in the non-defense spending sequestration as of Sept. 12.

Bhattacharyya said the cuts in funding from the government, regardless of how they’re enacted, has the potential to directly affect higher education because cuts have “a downstream effect” throughout the state.

For instance, the Congressional Research Service released a document Aug. 9 stating that while Pell Grants are exempted from cuts in the case of sequestration, student loans made under the William D. Ford Direct Loan program can be affected.

The program includes subsidized and unsubsidized Stafford Loans, PLUS Loans and Consolidation Loans. The sequestration would potentially increase the amount of origination fees, or the initial fees, required to take out the loans.

See FUNDING page 3

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PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY NICK FOOTE

The Student Health and Counseling Center is now offering flu shots for $15 in Room 116/120 of Rasmuson Hall.

The shots are available to the public.

Bette Fenn, director of the

Student Health and Counseling Center, said the shot protects against flu strands A, B and H1N1.

“Anyone can come in and get a flu shot,” she said.

According to Fenn, the center doled out as many as 700 shots in 2009 during the first H1N1 outbreak, and while the center

does not see those numbers anymore, they are prepared to accommodate many people.

“We’ve never run out,” she said.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or CDC, website

See SHOTS page 3

Seawolves show resilience in win against Central Washington

Story on page 4

The Seawolves see off the Central Washington Wildcats after a hard won, five set victory Thursday night.

Volunteers heart kids and cows fun run

UAA students serve the community with annual organized charity event

By Nita Mauigoa

Voting, safety takes spotlight at USUAA meeting

By J. Almendarez

Staff Reporter

Picture a hectic day at school and work. Think of the whining and the self-pity that often accompanies a “crummy day.”

Now, imagine life as a homeless 13-year-old. Changes your perspective, right?

UAA Student Activities hosted the I Heart Kids and Cows Fun Run/Walk on Saturday, where proceeds gathered will benefit homeless youth who seek refuge at Covenant House Alaska.

Through a partnership with UAA Heifer International (hence the word “cows”), proceeds will also go toward their cause to end world hunger.

“What’s neat is that it was a group of students who put this on. It’s not done by any outside organizations. This is really a bunch of UAA students trying

PHOTO BY PAUL “ALEX” GABBERT

Managing Editor

to the finish line. Lively music blared as UAA students dressed up as cows and other characters mingled. Posters of smiling kids and cows were everywhere.

But just off to the side was the

District 13 write-in candidate Barbara Bachmeier spoke at the Union of Students at the University of Alaska Anchorage meeting Friday afternoon, emphasizing the importance of voting in Alaska.

“The stakes really couldn’t be higher,” she said.

She shared brief accounts from Alaska’s history when a slim majority has decided governmental positions, such as when Mike Hawker won a House of Representative seat in 2002 by a 36-vote margin.

She also spoke out against alleged corruption within the Elections Oversight Committee, saying after the meeting that she has been excluded from participating in debates and discussions with other candidates

See FUN RUN page 4

See USUAA page 2

PHOTO BY NITA MAUIGOA

Officer Chu of the Anchorage Police Department gives badges to volunteers (from left to right) Caleb Hamilton, Curtis Hamilton and Siua Kagel.

to make a difference,” said Jill Taylor, UAA Student Activities coordinator.

Kids cheered and jangled cowbells as “Shark Girl,” “Batman” and “The Joker” raced

FEATURES

Food Quest: Sake drink Best: review cookie in Anchorage.

04

06 A&E

Cooking in The price college of being an

artist

06

SPORTS

Hockey Goodbye, team ads Michael promising Phelps rookies

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NEWS September 18, 2012 NEWS BRIEFS

WASHINGTON (AP) — Federal authorities identified a Southern California man who is on federal probation for financial crimes as the key figure behind an anti-Muslim film that has spawned mob violence against American embassies across the Middle East, a U.S. law enforcement official told The Associated Press on Thursday.

There was no sign of Nakoula Basseley Nakoula, 55, at his family’s home Thursday in Cerritos outside Los Angeles, as details slowly began to emerge about his checkered past, his connections among Southern California’s right-wing Christian organizations and his central role in the production of the film.

Excerpts from the movie, which the filmmaker said was called “Innocence of Muslims,” enraged Islamic protesters in Egypt, Libya and Yemen over its portrayal of the Prophet Muhammad.

Attorney General Eric Holder confirmed Thursday that the Justice Department had opened a criminal investigation into the deaths of the U.S. ambassador to Libya and three other diplomats killed during an attack on the American mission in Benghazi.

It was not immediately clear whether authorities were focusing on Nakoula as part of that probe.

Much about the film remains a mystery, including who financed it.

Several actors have come forward and claimed they were duped about their roles, and that incendiary language was dubbed over their lines.

Obama, Romney compete for favorite FAIRFAX, Va. (AP) — Republican Mitt Romney accused President Barack Obama on Thursday of “failing American workers” by ignoring Chinese trade violations, and seized on new Federal Reserve attempts to boost the economy as proof the administration’s policies are not working.

Obama campaigned as commander in chief after the violent deaths of four U.S. officials at a diplomatic post in Libya. “No act of terror will go unpunished ... no act of violence shakes the resolve of the United States of America,” he said.

The president spoke in Colorado and Romney in Virginia with less than eight weeks remaining in a close campaign for the White House in tough economic times. The two states are among a handful likely to settle the race, and most polls rate Obama a shaky favorite.

With campaign costs mounting, Romney and Obama competed for the most innovative fundraising appeal.

The Republican challenger’s campaign urged people in an email to make a $15 donation for a chance to join “Mitt on board the campaign plane for an exciting day on the campaign trail at 30,000 feet!

Talks to end Chicago teachers strike; schools to stay closed CHICAGO (AP) — The city’s public schools will stay closed for at least one more day, but leaders of the Chicago Teachers Union and the school district kept talking Thursday, with both sides saying they were drawing closer to a deal to end the nearly weeklong strike.

“We are optimistic, but we are still hammering things out,” said Karen Lewis, union president.

Word on the progress in negotiations came less than a day after the school board offered to modify a system that would use student test scores to help evaluate teacher performance.

Under an old proposal, the union estimated that 6,000 teachers could lose their jobs within two years. An offer made late Wednesday included provisions that would have protected tenured teachers from dismissal in the first year of the evaluations. It also altered categories that teachers can be rated on and added an appeals process.

Classes were to be canceled for a fifth day Friday. The union called a special delegates meeting for that afternoon, when the bargaining team is scheduled to give an update on contract talks.

Compiled from the Associated Press

by J. Almendarez

Continued from cover

PHOTO BY J.ALMENDARES

Nakoula is filmmaker of anti-Muslim movie

VOTING, safety at USUAA meeting

Senator Max Bullock promotes the outdoor gear swap at USUAA’s meeting Sept. 14.

throughout the city. According to Bachmeier, this is because of her status as a write-in candidate and because she does not support all of the ideas on the Republican Party platform, despite running as a Republican candidate.

She said, “If we keep voting for the same old candidates, we’re going to get the same old results.”

Bachmeier is a psychology major at UAA and a U.S. Air Force retiree.

Senator Max Bullock also addressed voting while speaking on behalf of the Student Union and Commuter Student Union Board.

He said there are certified registrars at the information desk in the Student Union where students can register to vote.

Bullock also said the board is helping host a Latin Dance Series from 6-7:30 p.m. beginning Sept.

19 in the Student Union cafe 6; a gear swap where people can trade or sell their sporting or camping gear on campus from 10

a.m.-2 p.m. Oct. 6 in the Student Union; several events to recognize Constitution Week, including hallway politics from noon-5 p.m. in the upper hall of the Student Union and a candidate forum from 4-7 p.m. Thursday in the Student Union’s north cafeteria.

According to Bullock, the board is helping host a bike safety seminar from 3-5 p.m. Wednesday in the Student Union where there will be free barbecue, lecturers with information about bike safety and demonstrations about how to do general bike repairs.

In other news, USUAA President Alejandra Buitrago reported that Chancellor Tom Case is working to develop ways to continue to stay in contact with students to keep them informed of the goings-on around campus, including the possible creation of a Facebook or Twitter account.

She said when planning goals for this year, she and Case both named safety as a number one priority.

Buitrago said Case reported that there are 77 construction projects happening on campus, and students should be aware of their surroundings, particularly around construction areas, to stay safe.

She also said a veterans student resource office will be opening in the Student Union within two

FUNDING: Budget cuts Continued from cover

For instance, if a student currently takes out a $20,000 loan, he or she would have to pay a 1 percent fee ($200) for either of the Stafford loans or a 4 percent fee ($400) for a PLUS Loan. The Department of Education does not charge origination fees for Consolidation Loans.

However, those percentages can have the potential to rise as high as lawmakers decide under sequestration.

Chancellor Tom Case said in a faulty senate meeting Sept. 7 that the University of Alaska system must accept the reality that state funding to UAA will likely be cut next fiscal year. Case also said the university is working closely with a law firm that has offices in Anchorage and in Washington, DC, to have information about any changes directly affecting higher education and funding. A source in Case’s office confirmed that the law company is called Patton Boggs, but what information the firms has provided the university with and what is being done with the information is not immediately available.

Other Alternatives

O’Keefe reported that the sequester could be avoided if the Republicans opt out of their objection to tax increases for the top 2 percent of income earners in the country.The Republicans, however, will not entertain that compromise.

Representative Randy Forbes (R-VA) said Aug. 1 in the House

weeks to provide services to the almost 1,800 active duty or veteran students on campus.

Her report ended with news that the UAA Assembly voted to extend the distance smokers can stand from campus facilities to 50 feet.

Senator Johnnie Templeton also hit on the topic of safety during his report from the safety committee.

He said the large storm earlier this month led the University Police Department to realize it needs to modify some of its procedures to accommodate severe weather in the future.

Templeton also said it is Safety Month at UAA and listed various events happening on campus to keep students informed about best practices for safety. A complete list of events can be found posted throughout the school.

Mabil Dubir, chair of the board of cultural awareness, was also officially voted into his position in a unanimous vote from USUAA senators, and sisters Kayte and Kelly Hughes were unanimously voted onto the board as voting members.

Shamil Blaisdell was also sworn in as a USUAA senator.

He said he wanted to be a senator so he can get involved with what is happening at this campus.

“I want to get active,” he said.

SHOTS: Now available Continued from cover

Armed Services Committee that sequestration is a Draconian method that essentially holds lawmakers hostage and forces them to act. Jeffrey Zients, office of management and budget director, responded with, “There are five months remaining for Congress to act. What is holding us up right now is the Republican refusal to have the top 2 percent pay their fair share. A balance deficit reduction should replace sequester.”

Another alternative was sponsored by GOP vice presidential nominee Representative Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) and passed in the House of Representatives. Ryan said the plan cuts governmental spending in other way. For instance, the bill plans to cut “income security programs, such as food stamps and housing assistance by 16 percent, putting funding at $4.8 trillion between 2013 and 2022. Current spending is set at $5.7 trillion.

His bill also cuts “education, training, employment, and social services” by 33 percent in the same timeframe. For the most concise summary of Ryan’s bill, visit http://wapo.st/OjrQUz. As of Sept. 12, the Senate and president have not acted on response to this bill. Action addressing this issue is not expected by lawmakers until after the presidential election.

This is the first part of a continuing series about sequestration and its effects on higher education.

states that flu season usually lasts from October until May. While pregnant women, children younger than 5 years old, adults over 65-years-old and Alaska Natives are at high risk for getting the flu or flu related complications, the CDC recommends everyone be vaccinated yearly.

The website states that symptoms may include fever, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, body aches, headaches, fatigue and possible vomiting and diarrhea.

If left untreated, the flu can also cause pneumonia, bronchitis, and sinus and ear infections.

In severe cases, the flu can also result in complications leading to death.

The CDC states, “Over a period of 31 seasons between 1976 and 2007, estimates of flu-associated deaths in the United States range from a low of about 3,000 to a high of about 49,000 people.”

Fenn said that while people are able to choose whether or not to get the shot those who have had the flu are most eager to get vaccinated.

“The people who are the most grateful are the ones who say, ‘I’ve had the flu before and I never want to go trough that again,’” Fenn said.

Calls to other clinics in the city listed shots at $28-$45.

The center is open from 8 a.m.7 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Friday. Flu shots are only available on a walk-in basis.

SAY WHAT?!

02

Judge weds couple then sentences groom to prison OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Talk about the old ball and chain.

A judge sentenced an Oklahoma man to four years in federal prison on a firearm charge — then minutes later performed a marriage ceremony to wed the new inmate and his longtime girlfriend.

Thursday was a busy day for Larry Austin and Dustie Trojack.

First they obtained their marriage license, then Austin pleaded guilty to the firearm charge and was sentenced

by Oklahoma County Judge Jerry Bass.

Shortly afterward, Bass married the happy couple who kissed before federal authorities whisked Austin away.

Austin’s attorney, Scott M. Anderson, tells The Oklahoman (http:// is.gd/7kXI74) that Austin had helped to raise Trojack’s two sons and he didn’t want to lose contact with them while he was serving time.

Candidate uses porn clips to sex up Bosnia race ZENICA, Bosnia-Herzegovina (AP) — A mayoral candidate in Bosnia’s fourth-largest city is using pornography to draw attention to his campaign.

Mirad Hadziahmetovic is an independent candidate with a relatively slim chance of winning the October election in Zenica.

He said Thursday that he decided to upload pornographic video clips to his official campaign site after realizing that large numbers of people use the Web to peruse sexual content.

To view the material on his site, visitors must answer questions, such as “What is more important for Zenica, job creation or increasing the municipal budget” through taxes?

At the end of each clip there is a separately recorded video of Hadziahmetovic talking directly to camera and saying: “If you liked this clip, vote for me.”

Pittsburgh ice cream ‘bank’ draws regulator’s ire PITTSBURGH (AP) — State regulators are cool on a Pittsburgh businessman’s idea for a bank that pays interest in ice cream shop gift cards.

The Pennsylvania Department of Banking says they want Ethan Clay to shut down the community bank he’s set up at Oh Yeah! ice cream and coffee shop.

Clay says he was motivated by unpleasant bank experiences to provide a simplified community bank offering savings accounts, checkcashing and loans.

He calls the venture Whalebone Cafe Bank.

Clay tells the Pittsburgh PostGazette (http://bit.ly/PljOGx) he’s not subject to the usual banking rules because his “bank” is actually a gift card program that pays out its 5.5 percent monthly interest in a made-up currency that can be used at his store.

Regulators are unmoved. Banking department spokesman Ed Novak says if Clay doesn’t close down “he will be hearing from the district attorney.”

Compiled from the Associated Press

by J. Almendarez

03 FEATURES September 18, 2012 Can antibacterial soap cause cancer?

By Kate Lindsley Contributor

Some soaps contain an antibacterial agent called triclosan. The organic compound has been rumored to make free radicals (tissue-damaging atoms) in your body’s cells, which causes cancer.

The ironic part about triclosan and soap is that the Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) for triclosan says that when it comes in contact with skin, wash it off with soap and warm water. It’s fairly assured that if you’re already washing your hands, that step is taken care

Take it slow Vicente Capala III Multimedia Editor

When people think of relationships, they think of all the good and bad that come from them — the good being the availability of someone who is there for you, to handle your needs and to perhaps give you a good massage for times you’re stressed, and the bad being the hurt you could give yourself in the long run, the jealousy that could possibly arise and simply falling out of love.

For people that are looking to start a relationship through dating scene, it’s a bit difficult for those inexperienced, like myself.

I met a guy once through Facebook. He was a sweetheart, and we started texting. I had never spoken to someone as gentlemanly and cheesy as him. Usually, I’m very intolerant of such speech, but gosh darn it, he was too cute — I had to ask him out to lunch. He said yes and we met later in the week.

We hit it off on our first date, and he had asked to go on a second. It made me feel excited to know he felt the same way as I did.

Two weeks passed, and we went on a few more dates, but I wasn’t very wise in the relationship.

We kind of took it too quickly and had a huge misunderstanding on what we both wanted. It turns out that we wanted the same

of. Safe!

Well, except that triclosan’s a banned Occupational Safety and Health Administration substance, because it can cause liver disease.

However, humans are essentially unaffected by small doses of triclosan, at least when it’s applied to the skin.

Oh, and if you eat it, you need to seek medical attention.

We aren’t talking about washing your mouth with soap here — some toothpastes have triclosan in them as an active ingredient, because it can prevent gum disease.

Rest assured, though. The things in the relationship, but each of us conveyed what we wanted with different signals that were confusing for the other. It ended with him breaking it off with me, and I sat in my room saddened for the next week.

But of course, you always have to get up, face rejection and move on.

In that relationship, I discovered how I can avoid making huge mistakes when dating in the future. My advice can be summed up in three points.

First things first: Never, under any circumstances, take it too quick — whatever that may be for you or the other person. Many things could be included in the terms of quick action on the first few dates. Sex could be considered one of the bigger issues for some people, seeing it as a casual statement of intimacy, while others consider it to be something to be gained of an individual. And if you push too far to reach for it, you could scare an individual off.

Second: Try not to bring up past relationships, no matter how many you’ve had. It sends a bad message that you could be carrying some sort of baggage. The other person could start wondering things like, “Why did they break up?” or “Is he or she new at this?” By avoiding discussion about past relationships, better conversations will arise, such as those about one’s self, hobbies and favorite foods.

Third: Just be yourself. And with this, don’t get too worked up about rejection. If someone doesn’t like you for who you are, then you shouldn’t be spending your time on him or her. Of course, you should avoid going over the top with revealing certain things; you instead want to ease into their interest zone and snap the trap with your charm.

MSDS notes that low exposure in humans rarely causes liver disease, and the Food and Drug

Administration allows for minimal human consumption.

Human consumption. This

is quite different from fish consumption, which is inevitable when you deal with watersheds, rinsing of antibacterial soap and leaching triclosan into local streams and rivers.

Triclosan is not biodegradable and is “very toxic to aquatic organisms.” Overall, the bottom line of antibacterial soap is that it is not harmful to humans or their livers, but there is a potential for it to hurt our fishy friends.

Besides, there isn’t any assurance that antibacterial soap is any better than regular hand wash that utilizes sodium laureth sulfate, a common detergent.

In an article by Jane Zhang, Wall Street Journal reporter, the FDA found no link between using antibacterial soap and a decrease in infectious disease.

In fact, some experts consider antibacterial soap an indirect concern for humans.

This is because they kill off the susceptible bacteria but leave the strong ones behind, and only the strong ones survive to give rise to a new series of antibacterialresistant strains. Yikes!

When it comes down to it, using regular old soap (sans triclosan or other antibacterial agents) will do the job just fine.

Lessons learned from the Great Fall Storm of 2012

By Evan Dodd Contributor

In the days that followed the Great Storm, the world around us appeared as a vast apocalyptic wasteland, capable of blotting out any human life foolish enough to venture out into the abyss.

The wind had ravaged our fair campus, aided by the darkness and the billowing mass of fallen leaves.

Okay, that may be a bit of an overstatement, but it was ridiculously windy this past week, and it seriously trashed our campus.

It also taught me a great deal about tragedy, the human spirit and the depths to which I would sink in order to survive. So here are some of my slightly exaggerated discoveries, may they help you prepare for our next disaster.

First, without electricity I’m utterly lost. Not metaphorically lost, mind you. I don’t mean some sort of emotional or spiritual depression, nor am I referring to the greatest TV series of all time.

I mean that without power, I physically don’t know where the hell I am.

This fact was made painfully obvious at 5 a.m. when my fire alarm went off, and I spent ten minutes knocking over every object in my room in a frantic search for my underwear and pants. And believe me, it’s not that I was particularly excited to wear pants at five in the morning — I just thought I would extend the common courtesy of clothing to the shivering residents of MAC 4.

Second, I learned that courage is a state of mind which is easily confused with stupidity.

I’m sure that most of you are thinking that the second I heard tell of the impending disaster, I immediately bunkered down to

safely ride out the story.

And if by “bunkered down” you mean “drove around Hillside to watch the trees fall,” then yes. I totally bunkered down.

Have you ever seen a transformer blow against the backdrop of a screaming forest?

For your sake I hope the answer is no, because I very nearly wet myself on my way down from the Flattop parking lot.

Though I initially planned to drive to Girdwood to see more of the storm, my insanity gave

ILLUSTRATION BY NICK FOOTE

out around the time I hit Beluga Point, sending me home a bit early. Luckily for me, I made it back just in time to have the lights on the highway die right before me, leaving me in an eerie, postapocalyptic themed expanse of crowded road. All in all, it wasn’t the smartest choice I made that day.

Third, I’ve come to realize that you can’t fight what you can’t see.

Now this seems a bit obvious in retrospect, but it was a huge blow to my masculinity to know that I was just as helpless against the wind as the rest of my group.

See, we went out on a midnight adventure to explore the damage from the still-roaring wind, which was awesome.

We saw torn up construction sites bordered by broken forests, surrounded by dark, powerless lights.

It was a fantastically beautiful scene ... that instantly gave us all the distinct impression that we were about to die, horror moviestyle. This feeling wasn’t helped by the fact that we were being slowly followed around the APU campus by a Jeep that only moved when we weren’t looking.

Only after the third time I jumped from hearing an enormous gust of wind did I realize my trusty pocketknife and Bic lighter were of no use against the monster that we faced, because — and what I’m about to say may frighten you — wind is invisible.

It may seem common sense to you normal people, but for a survivor of the Great Storm it was petrifying to learn that wind cannot be stabbed, karate kicked or talked down to in a condescending manner, because, in an exaggerated reality, those are really my only three skills, and it would seem that the wind cares not for my awesome manliness.

Ultimately, I survived the Great Storm, survived to fight another day, to share my wisdom to ensure the survival of others, to eat all of my yogurt because my fridge had lost power.

But even as I sit here, frantically typing my message to the world, the wind quietly plots its sinister revenge.

Because, no matter the circumstance, the wind does not forget.

In other news, I hear we’re due for another storm this weekend.

I’ll be the guy with the yogurt.

04

FEATURES September 18, 2012

Cooking in college

Shepherd’s pie

For all the first-time cooks out there

Start to finish: approximately two hours Servings: 6-9

Ingredients

PH OTOS BY J. AL M EN DA RE Z

By J. Almendarez Managing Editor

Let me just say, this culinary experience was a disaster before I even got to the kitchen, so I‘ll start at the beginning.

The recipe calls for a can of mushroom gravy. I purchased reduced salt mushroom soup instead.

It also calls for cayenne pepper. I used New Orleans Cajun seasoning because I couldn’t find cayenne pepper on the shelf of the first grocery store I went to.

No biggie.

How different is soup from gravy, really? And what the heck is cayenne pepper anyway? The Cajun seasoning is red too, so they must be similar.

Despite some hesitance to use the wrong ingredients, I began to follow the instructions with my improvised ingredients at about 9:45 p.m. the night before TNL’s deadline. There was no going back and no tomorrow.

The first part of the recipe was easy enough; I just had to chop about three large potatoes into small cubes and boil them for 20 minutes.

I did fear the loss of my fingers, but managed to find that slicing potatoes into round, vertical pieces was the best method for dicing with caution (by dicing, I mean slicing very slowly).

Then I dropped the potatoes into a pot of boiling water and, being the oh-so-proactive person I am, decided to mix other ingredients while I waited for them to cook.

This is where disasters three and four happen.

Rather than conserving the margarine and milk for some good ol’ fashion mash’a taters, I combined the two with all the other ingredients.

What’s a girl to do?

I let it go. I added another measurement of milk and margarine to a large bowl and accepted I would have twice as much of both in this meal.

This is where mistake five happens, and it’s a biggie.

I began shuffling around the kitchen looking for a baking pan to put the innards of my shepherd’s pie in.

After some searching around, I realized I don’t have one.

Remember: The potatoes are boiling, the milk is setting into my veggies and it’s the night before deadline. The show must go on.

So, I grabbed a piece of foil (which I had to pull off an unused kitchen shelf because I was out of foil too) and made a ‘pan’ of it.

I placed said pan onto a pizza pan and filled it with all the ingredients, aside from the potatoes. It worked ... quite well, actually.

Then, I pulled the potatoes off the stove and drained them.

The problem is, the steam from boiling potatoes is very, very hot, so keep arms and face away from the steam.

I guess that can be considered disaster six, so moving right along to disaster seven; I have no idea how to mash a potato, or what to mash it with.

However, I found my solution with two forks. The task was timeconsuming and made my wrists and fingers hurt, but in about ten minutes, I had homemade mashed potatoes.

Adding the potatoes into the makeshift pan was tricky. The pan was already straining to contain my soupy mixture. Adding potatoes on top was like asking it to overflow, and it almost did. But, somehow, I managed to carefully move the concoction from the top of the stove to the oven.

Then I waited.

I mostly sat at the dining table, writing this article and half-expecting the oven to reveal smoke from crusted, burned mushroom soup upon opening, but my patience was rewarded.

The pie was done in about 50

3 large potatoes 2 tbsp. Margarine I/2 cup milk salt and pepper to taste 1-pound bag of Morningstar Farms brand burger crumbles (A pound of meat can also be substituted, but at the cost of high saturated intake) 1 can mushroom gravy 1 can mixed peas 1 can mixed carrots and carrots, drained (I increased this to 2 1/2 cups of a frozen veggie blend) garlic powder and cayenne pepper to taste

minutes.

It was here I realized I forgot to add salt to those mashed potatoes.

Minor problem, though. I just added some on top.

Now, the pan didn’t exactly hold up 100 percent, but it wasn’t a complete failure either. Only small amount of my shepherd pie filling actually spilled onto the oven.

The taste wasn’t terrible either.

And while the whole recipe cost is approximately $25, it should last me four or five meals.

Despite that, a negative I will point out is the time it took to

Directions Heat the oven to 350 degrees F Boil potatoes for 20 minutes or until tender, then drain and mash with margarine, milk, salt and pepper.

In a medium bowl, mix other ingredients together.

Pour all ingredients into baking pan and bake for 30-40 minutes or until potatoes are brown.

(Recipe modified from peta. org)

prepare. It took a little over two hours to make.

That time commitment is a bit off-putting. But I have a feeling the lengthy time has a lot to do with how slowly I cut the potatoes, the time it took to makeshift a pan and the time it took to carefully balance my ingredients into the “pan.”

The recipe can be completed faster without those barriers.

As a plus, the food really is delicious.

I credit the mushroom soup, mostly because it’s my little piece of ingenuity.

FUN RUN: Student fundraiser Continued from cover

PHOTO BY NITA MAUIGOA

UAA students Nikita Robinson (left) and Haley Dampier (right) participating in the fun run.

booth for Covenant House Alaska with pamphlets about abused, homeless kids.

The two scenes hardly seemed to fit together.

While UAA students were celebrating the success of the charity event, Sheila Parker, event coordinator for Covenant House Alaska couldn’t help but remember a homeless teenager,

“Betty,” she once helped. Betty is now a successful college student because of the resources she found at Covenant House Alaska.

It makes one wonder. How many students like Betty are at UAA? Last year, Covenant House Alaska served a total of 4,093 youth.

They provided 25,042 meals

for hungry kids. There are many success stories and charity events like this always helps with raising awareness.

“It is exciting to see young people from UAA who are really engaged in the community,” Parker said. “These students help support the youth that we serve and we really appreciate them for it.”

ARTS&ENTERTAINMENT

06

APP REVIEW

DRINK REVIEW

By Heather Hamilton

By Heather Hamilton

A&E Editor

A&E Editor

Fu-Ki Sake may sound like a silly name, but this traditional Japanese rice wine packs quite a punch.

It’s clear, heavy and possesses a light, earthy aroma that’s subdued but powerful once it’s in your nose.

The tip — and you must sip sake — is a bit on the sweet side but doesn’t taste like anything specific. Once it hits the middle of the tongue, hold it for a few seconds to let it warm a bit. It creates a very minor numbing effect, a sort of sting that ebbs away as it rises in temperature.

Again, there is no distinct flavor, but the sweetness gives way to a sort of flatness. It’s intense for a moment as it slides down, but ultimately fades into a vaguely “alcohol” aftertaste. Even that, however, is short-lived.

If what you’re getting from this review is that the sake has a strong flavor of blandness with a hint of sweet and numb, then you’re right on the mark. Strangely enough however, it’s good. Very good, in fact.

But, once you’ve got a full

It’s like the “The Sims,” but for dinosaurs.

Ok, so you won’t be giving Mr. Tyrannosaurus Rex a career and shopping directions, but you will find his DNA, hatch him and use him to resurrect Jurassic Park.

That’s right, resurrect Jurassic Park. You get to build it back from the bottom up, starting only with a triceratops found roaming in the remains of the first park.

Here’s the gig: You feed the triceratops a few times, build a road from the gate to the animal and follow the missions given to you by various characters from the “Jurassic Park” movies.

Most of the missions (tasks, really) revolve around building the park while keeping the place safe. The more land you clear, the more dino DNA you find stuck in amber fossils. You code the DNA in the lab using money you get from completing missions and from visitors at the park.

Once the DNA is successfully coded (it can take a few tries and lots of additional money), you can purchase the dinosaur enclosure and hatch the egg. Once that’s

serving in you, the aftertaste lingers at the back of the throat, and it’s a bit awkward but not unbearable.

Drink: Fu-Ki Sake Maker: Fu-Ki ABV: 16%

Apply at uakjobs.com

done (it takes several minutes, or you can pay special credits to speed the process up), you can build a road to that dinosaur to put it on the tour and make money off of it.

The more money you bring in, the more opportunities for expansion and safety features you can unlock. You also level up as you complete missions and do other small things to gain experience tending the park.

Higher levels mean you have access to and opportunities to do various things throughout the game.

You also level up your dinosaurs by feeding them. The higher level of your dinosaur, the more money it brings in.

The amount of food they require increases as well, which in turn increases the cost of food.

You have to pick and choose what’s most important in the park. Is your triceratops ready to evolve? Are you in need of a Pachycephalosaurus to expand your park and complete a mission? Chances are, you’ll only have the funds to do one at a time. (By the way, cchoose the Pachycephalosaurus. It’s cheaper

to start up and will help earn you $7,000-and-over funds you’ll need to evolve that stupid Triceratops.)

“Jurassic Park Builder” is a fun and addictive game and, once you level up some, it forces you to put it down and walk away in order to earn enough money to advance.

Or, if you’re really competitive, you can always spend real money on their fake money and move things along that way.

The only actual downside is the technical difficulties. It seems like every five minutes or less, the app shuts down and you have to start all over. When you’re lucky enough to get a good amount of time in, the game is great.

Luckily though, the app is free, so at least you won’t waste money on something that glitches.

App: “Jurassic Park Builder” Maker: Ludia Compatibility: iPhone 3GS and up, iPod Touch 3 and up, and iPad Price: Free

A&E September 18, 2012

07

OPINION

With great freedom comes great responsibility

By Heather Hamilton A&E Editor

On the night of Tuesday, Sept.

11, 2012, the 11th anniversary of 9/11, protests and riots claimed the lives of four US citizens in Libya. It was initially blamed on a low-budget film allegedly made in the U.S. by an Israeli-born Jew that insulted the Muslim prophet Muhammad.

Let’s all take a moment to breathe, because we all know people are still angry and in shock about these events.

There is no part of this topic that isn’t still raw and touchy, and what I’m going to discuss is no different.

Whether the attack was premeditated (as the running

speculation suggests) or honestly triggered by anger towards the film as was originally thought, it raises the question of the First Amendment rights guaranteed by our Constitution, and the fate of those associated with the film.

Should the alleged creator and director of the film, known only as “Sam Bacile,” be held accountable on any level for the attack that left four Americans, one of which was U.S. ambassador J. Christopher Stevens, dead?

The answer to that question depends on the answers to several other questions: is Bacile a real person, or is “he” actually the pseudonym for a group of people?

Did Bacile create the film with the intention of educating others

or purposefully enraging a group of extremists? Most importantly, no matter why Bacile created the film, did he knowingly do so with the belief that the anger it generated would lead to violence and possibly murder?

If Bacile created the film with the desire to incite violence, or at least knowing that it would likely lead to violence, then he deserves to face some sort of justice.

In the 1919 Supreme Court case Schenck v. United States, Justice Oliver Holmes wrote, “The question in every case is whether the words are used in such circumstances and are of such a nature as to create a clear and present danger that they will bring about the substantive

evils that Congress has a right to prevent.”

The 1969 Supreme Court ruling of Brandenburg v. Ohio evolved this restriction of First Amendment rights to mean “that the constitutional guarantees of free speech and free press do not permit a State to forbid or proscribe advocacy of the use of force or of law violation except where such advocacy is directed to inciting or producing imminent lawless action and is likely to incite or produce such action.”

Did the video incite or produce imminent lawless action?

An alleged consultant for the film, Steve Klein, told the AP on Sept. 12 that Bacile is actually a group of non-Jewish, non-Israeli Americans who have lived in various parts of the Middle East.

He also said that he told “Bacile” that he was going to “be the next Theo van Gogh.”

Van Gogh was a Dutch filmmaker who was murdered in 2004 by an Islamic extremist for making a film perceived to be insulting to Islam. Klein also told the AP that they “went into this knowing this was probably going to happen.”

Assuming that Klein’s story is true, then a group of Americans who disagreed with Islam came together to make a film, knowing that it would likely incite violence

by Muslim extremists, and hid behind a fake pseudonym and backstory to protect themselves.

According to the New York Times, there were unarmed demonstrators standing outside the consulate in Benghazi, Libya, protesting the film before armed assailants mixed with them and stormed the consulate.

This indicates that, while the fatal attack could likely have been carefully planned ahead of time, there is ample room to suppose that outrage over the video could have played a role with some of the attackers.

And, while those who made the film have every right to express their opinions, they do not have the right to knowingly endanger the lives of innocent people thousands of miles away.

The fault of the fatal attack in Libya is most certainly on the extremists who, for whatever reason, chose to attack the consulate and kill. They are not absolved of blame, and should be swiftly brought to justice for their actions.

They may not have been the only people responsible, however, and those who provoked the attack should at least be investigated for their level of involvement — not for what they said or how they feel, but for why they may have said it.

OPINION September 18, 2012 09 Emergency text more than a weather necessity

By TNL Staff Before 6 a.m. the morning after the severe Sept. 4 storm, staff members from The Northern Light received a text message from a leader at the Student Activities office informing us that school was canceled.

A TNL staff member posted the information on our Facebook page, and that was the most we could do to inform our peers about the closure.

Why didn’t UAA inform its students?

An email was to students, which some never received, to inform them that classes were canceled for the day. No text messages were sent to notify those without access to email in the power outage.

While inconvenient, this probably wasn’t too big of a deal for people. A few students or professors might have come to campus to find it closed and, probably grumbling, went back home for the day.

But what if it had been a different situation? What if there had been a serious threat on campus?

Since the Columbine High School shooting in 1999, which left 13 victims and two gunmen dead, there have been 180 school shootings in the United States.

July 20, a gunman killed 12 moviegoers at a midnight premiere of “The Dark Knight Rises.”

These events point out one certain thing about our society: There is no guarantee of safety anywhere.

If this school is serious about keeping its students safe, it needs to invest in a program that will send a mass emergency

text message to students and employees, informing them of essential university information.

After the Virginia Tech massacre April 16, 2007, which left 32 people and a gunman dead, the university was fined $27,500 for failing to notify its students in a timely fashion that a shooter was loose on campus.

The school emailed students twice, once at 9:26 a.m. and once at 9:50 a.m. The first email was a notification of an isolated shooting in a dorm room. The second email was about the rampant gunman, who lay dead in a classroom by 9:51 a.m.

The second message was, needless to say, too late to save anyone.

Quiz time: How many of you readers checked your university email today? How many of you checked it every day in the past week? If the university emailed you about a shooter on campus, would you have gotten it in time?

Is that something UAA is willing to take a chance on?

Yes, it costs money to buy a system and plan for emergency situations on campus, but that money is well spent.

If the university is “working” on installing an emergency text messaging system, what exactly is the holdup?

They’ve had since 1999 to get a notification system together.

Everyone on campus is united in hoping an emergency will never happen at UAA, but that’s why it’s called an emergency. It could happen at any time, in any place — it could happen to you.

Can students afford to wait on an email?

NEWS editor needed

have an opinion?

The 32 victims of the April 16, 2007 Virginia Tech shooting are commemorated on the www.virginiatechmassacre.com main page.

The university failed to notify its students of a rampant shooter on campus until 9:50 a.m. The gunman was dead at 9:51 a.m.

ma ke i t cou n t!

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Start as a volunteer and move into a paid position Contact 786-1313 or content@thenorthernlight.org

SPORTS

10

September 18, 2012

Katelynn Zanders, freshman outside hitter and middle blocker, makes a kill during the fifth set of Thursday’s game.

PHOTOS BY PAUL “ALEX” GABBERT

Siobhan Johansen, junior setter and defensive specialist, focuses as the Wildcats serve during the third set at Thursday’s game.

Seawolves show resilience in win against Central Washington

By Thomas McIntyre Sports Editor

The Seawolf volleyball team notched a gutsy victory against the Central Washington Wildcats, from Ellensberg, Thursday night.

The victory came after the Seawolves allowed the Wildcats to come back from being down two sets. A resilient performance in the fifth set gave the Seawolves a 25-19, 25-21, 26-28, 17-25, 15-10

win.

Freshman outside hitters Julia Mackey and Sarah Johnson led the team in kills with 16 apiece.

Senior setter Kimya Jafroudi distributed 59 assists, which was more than the Wildcats registered as a team.

Junior setter and defensive specialist Siobhan Johansen totaled a team-high 19 digs.

The Seawolves were in position

Siobhan Johansen, junior setter and defensive specialist, keeps the ball in play during the fifth set of Thursday’s game.

to finish the Wildcats in the third set. They pushed the set to a 26-26 tie, but dropped the next two points.

Being so close to the sweep and eventually having to fight off the Wildcats in a fifth set was a good test for the Seawolves.

Freshman outside hitter Katelynn Zanders, who finished the game with 15 kills, summed up what helps the Seawolves in

close games.

“It’s more mental than physical,” said Zanders.

Zanders also mentioned the importance of the raucous home court crowd that was doing the wave and stomping the floor throughout the game.

“They get us going while we’re down,” said Zanders, “We feed off of their energy.”

Having that mental edge and

crowd support is going to be crucial for the Seawolves.

There’s a popular motto in sports that calls for teams to bend, but not break. The Seawolves did just that Thursday night.

The Seawolves will be on the road for their next two games, but come back to the Wells Fargo Center to face the University of Alaska Fairbanks September 29 at 7 p.m.

Freshman outside hitter Sarah Johansen, Jordan Bush, sophomore defensive specialist and libero, and Siobhan Johansen, junior setter and defensive specialist, prepare to fight off the Wildcats during Thursday’s game.

SPORTS September 18, 2012 Hockey team ads promising rookies

The seawolves practice one-on-one plays during an unofficial training session Sept. 10.

PHOTOS BY J. ALMENDAREZ

The seawolves pick up pucks after practining shooting during an unofficial training Sept. 10.

Junior goaltender Chris Kamal prepares to take the ice after a break from the unofficial training practice Sept. 10.

By J. Almendarez

Austin Sevalrud, who played for the Spruce Grove Saints of the AJHL; freshman forward Blake Tatchell, who played for the Battlefords North Stars of the SJHL; freshman forward Hayden Trupp, who played for the Alexandria Blizzards of the NAHL; and freshman defenseman Chris Williams who played for the Powell River Kings of the BCHL. The Seawolves are coming off of a 5-22-1 season last year.

They play their first exhibition match against the University of Regina from Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada, at 7:07 p.m. Oct. 6 in Eagle River.

Managing Editor

The Seawolves welcome eight new players to their team for the coming season.

The new members include freshman defenseman Blake Leask, who played for the Bonnyville Pontiacs with the AJHL; freshman defenseman Ben Matthews from Prince George Spruce Kings of the BCHL; freshman goaltender Michael Matyas, who played for the Calgary Canucks of the AJHL; freshman forward Bobby Murphy, who played for the Kenai River Brown Bears of the NAHL; freshmen defenseman

Freshman Julia Mackey gets fired up after winning a rally in UAA’s 3-2 win over Northwest Nazarene on Saturday. The Seawolves won their sixth straight game against the Northwest Nazarene University team from Nampa, Idaho 25-13, 23-25, 25-22, 27-29, 15-6, at the Wells Fargo Sports Complex Saturday night.

Photo courtesy of Sam Wasson/UAA Athletics

11

TNL

September 11, 2012

COMICS

The Northern Light

COMICS

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HOROSCOPE The coming week is likely to require of many individuals a willingness to jump into situations that are not wellknown, as circumstances abound which are new, unusual and at times completely unexpected.

Those who think they know what is going to happen this week are sure to be surprised -- though not necessarily disappointed, as what transpires may exceed expectations in many ways.

Those who accept that what they know is only part of the picture, and that what transpires is likely to challenge both experience and expectation, will surely have a measurable advantage.

For some, it will be a good week to set in stone that which had only been tried loosely and experimentally in the recent past -- and those decisions will very likely be supported by loved ones. For others, it’s a good week for loosening restrictions and living with greater flexibility.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 7) -- You may find yourself exploring an environment that is somewhat familiar -- but in the details it holds many surprises. (Oct. 8-Oct. 22) -- This week, the savings you can enjoy because you were thinking ahead can make things a little easier for you.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 7) -- You may have to put up with another’s unusual behavior

as you try to assemble a team of experts -- but they are all rather eccentric. (Nov. 8-Nov. 21) -- Your perspective enables you to enjoy things in a unique way. Others want to know your secret.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 7) -- You must remain focused on the overall job you are doing this week, even as you tend to unusual details and manage your fatigue.

(Dec. 8-Dec. 21) -Penalties are likely to be few this week, particularly for errors made while being experimental.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 6) -- You’ll be happy with your work this week -- provided you avoid personal distractions that do not allow you to experience things fully. (Jan. 7-Jan. 19) -- You will want to review your activities regularly as you progress through the week. Assess yourself honestly.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 3) -- You are likely to find yourself in a situation that requires you to combine expertise in one area with a novice approach to another. (Feb. 4-Feb. 18) -- What

you do this week may appear flawless to others, but you know there is room for improvement.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 5) -- You can see things with greater clarity this week, and others will surely rely on your perspective to help them adjust their own. (March 6-March 20) -- You’re not interested in second or third place, naturally; if you’re going to compete, you want to come in first!

ARIES (March 21-April 4) -Hesitation early in the week can be overcome later on if you remain aware of your pace and how you compare to the competition.

(April 5-April 19) -- You can be proud of what you accomplish this week, even though it may be quite different from what you expect.

TAURUS (April 20-May 5) -- You know what you must do to maintain your standing, but how you do it must be decided on the spot; there’s little room for guesswork. (May 6-May 20) -- You needn’t worry about being different this week; indeed, anything that sets you apart is an

advantage.

GEMINI (May 21-June 6) -- You may have to juggle two completely different tasks this week -- and one does not necessarily help you with the other. (June 7-June 20) -- You’ll have only one chance to get it right -- but you have a few tricks up your sleeve, and it’s not out of reach.

CANCER (June 21-July 7) -- Prevailing conditions favor your approach; you can do much to attract attention to yourself and a favorite cause. (July 8-July 22) -You may have to defend yourself against those who would try to chip away at your self-confidence this week.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 7) -- You’ll have a good reason to take a very different approach, as circumstances favor shaking things up and surprising the competition. (Aug. 8-Aug. 22) -- Your familiarity with many different unusual topics will serve you well throughout the week.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept.

7) -- What has been most effective for you in the past may not get the results you are hoping for this week; make necessary adjustments on the fly. (Sept.

8-Sept. 22) -- You may be in an enviable position, but you don’t want to take anything for granted; stick to the game plan.

GRAPHIC DESIGNER graphics@thenorthernlight.org Vacant GRAPHIC DESIGNER graphics2@thenorthernlight.org Vacant ADVERTISING MANAGER 786-4690 ads@thenorthernlight.org Chelsea Dennis ADVERTISING REPRESENTATIVE Vacant MULTIMEDIA EDITOR multimedia@thenorthernlight.org Vicente Capala STAFF REPORTERS staff@thenorthernlight.org Nita Mauigoa CONTRIBUTORS Evan Dodd Kate Lindsley Paul “Alex” Gabbert MEDIA ADVISER Paola Banchero ADMINISTRATIVE ADVISER Annie Route The Northern Light is a proud member of the ASSOCIATED COLLEGIATE PRESS. The Northern Light is a weekly UAA publication funded by student fees and advertising sales.

The editors and writers of The Northern Light are solely responsible for its contents. Circulation is 5,000. The University of Alaska Anchorage provides equal education and employment opportunities for all, regardless of race, color, religion, national origin, age, sex, Vietnamera or disabled-veteran status, physical or mental disability, changes in marital status, pregnancy, or parenthood.

The views expressed in the opinion section do not necessarily reflect the views of UAA or The Northern Light.­­­