November 6, 2012

THENORTHERNLIGHT NOVEMBER 6, 2012

Students attempt to start a UAA football team Keldon Irwin News Editor

News 2 A&E 4 Features 6 Opinion 11 Sports 13 Comics 14

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“Ton in Ten” food drive waives UAA parking fines

Bike Share program seeks approval from board this week Keldon Irwin Staff Reporter

Jars of donated peanut butter and jelly help the needy and help students eliminate tickets

COURTESY PHOTOS BY DANIELLE DIXON

By Emily Hodson Staff Reporter

The seventh annual “Ton in Ten” canned food drive, where students can trade in jars of peanut butter and jelly for parking ticket reimbursement, is finally here again.

Danielle Dixon, the program and event coordinator for the Office of Student Advising and Advocacy, has been involved with Ton in Ten since its early years.

“I started out just designing the 2008 poster for

See PARKING page 9

Veteran psychiatrist to discuss military mental health

By J. Almendarez Executive Editor

Charles Hoge, a 20-year retired colonel in the U.S. Army, will be on campus at 7:30 p.m. Thursday in the Wendy Williamson Auditorium to discuss the consequences of war on soldiers and civilians, specifically focusing on stigmas about the mental health of soldiers returning home from war zones in the Middle East.

Hoge worked at Walter Reed Army Institute of Research from 2002-2009 analyzing the psychological and neurological consequences of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. He is also a publicly esteemed expert on military related posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) and other physiological reactions to war.

“I always enjoy the opportunity to generate dialogue and discussion, and I also enjoy the opportunity to learn (from the audience),” he said.

Hoge said he travels to speak about mental health among soldiers because there are many misconceptions about what they go through while at war.

“Service members often have a lot of hesitation to discuss their experiences,” he said.

Some of that hesitation is derived from assumptions made by the public, politicians and family members about what their experiences were at war and how those experiences have affected them.

“One perception that people have is that soldiers come back from a war zone and develop PTSD — that that may make them unstable, unpredictable and violent,” he said.

However, this perception neglects to take into account that the soldiers are trained to exhibit self-control and professionalism, and their skills are easily transferable into the civilian work force.

COURTESY PHOTO BY WWW.ONCEAWARRIOR.COM

Refusing to be disheartened by news that a UAA football team is financially infeasible, a group of eight students have collaborated to start a co-ed intramural football team. While the team is unrecognized by the university thus far, they are making lengthy strides toward becoming an official team.

They are pleasantly surprised with the interest and support their cause is receiving from UAA students and faculty members.

Political science sophomore Mabil “Mo” Duir and business management sophomore Max Bullock purchased a used football for $2 and spent three hours on campus asking those who say they would play football for a UAA team to sign the ball. After that short window of time, the ball was crowded with 78 signatures.

Duir and Bullock also set up a table in front of the USUAA office in the Student Union and asked for donations to kick-start the movement. They displayed the Oct. 23 release of The Northern Light where Athletic Director Steve Cobb is quoted saying, “Adding football would cost $6 million.”

Using this quote as a reference, they began asking for one dollar at a time.

“In two hours we raised $87, asking broke college students to help our cause,” Bullock said.

“A $6 million project started with $2,” Duir said.

Duir played four years of varsity football in high school, primarily as a safety. In lieu of accepting a football scholarship to Jackson State University, he chose to attend UAA to be closer to his family.

While discussing the future of the team, Duir said he is willing to start playing football as a Seawolf as soon as he can.

When asked if the group is seeking funding from other sources, Bullock smiled and replied, “We’re seeking $6 million from corporate sponsors.”

While it is a nationwide team and not an intramural football team that would cost $6 million, Bullock’s response shows the lofty goals shared between these eight companions.

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“Just because they were in a war zone doesn’t mean they’re crazy,” he said.

Hoge will discuss the behavioral expectations for soldiers returning home after being deployed.

He said sometimes when a soldier returns home, their children have grown quite a bit and their spouse often has adapted

See VETERAN page 9

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A&E

FEATURES

A most intense ‘Flight’

Tackling The price of disruptive being an artclassroom ist behavior

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Senator Max Bullock said UAA’s potential Bike Share program had a successful week of developments.

The program will be presented to the Strategic Opportunities Board this week.

The program is now tentatively planned to have four solar powered and canopy-covered bike racks across campus.

They will be located near the Cuddy Quad, Conoco Phillips Science Building, the Student Union and the Gorsuch commons.

These four stations are estimated to cost $128,000 to purchase and install.

The 50 bikes are likely to have anti-theft systems, green and gold coloring and adjustable seats that cannot be removed. The bikes are collectively estimated to cost between $47,000 and $102,000.

If the program is approved and funding is granted, there is the possibility for the creation of one or more new student jobs to maintain the bikes and racks.

In other news, Senator Christine Borowski reported the net revenue for homecoming was $17,060. The event was originally expected to bring in $10,000.

Senator Andrew Lessig said the Sustainability Committee has a proposal prepared for its “Green and Gold H2O” bill.

The bill proposes new water fountain faucets so students can refill reusable water bottles with ease. This will ideally eliminate unnecessary, plastic waste.

The committee will ask UAA students to sign a student petition in support of this bill within the next few weeks.

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FEATURES

Cooking fall dishes from family memories

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NEWS November 6, 2012

Spring schedule can elude registration woes later Academic advisers suggest schedule pre-planning and having back-up plans will help students graduate on time Ashley Snyder Contributor

Since Oct. 29, UAOnline has had the spring 2012 semester schedule available for viewing, a full two weeks before the first day of registration. This is to allow students to view the schedule and be able to plan what they need or want to take for next semester.

Advisers recommend students take advantage of the preview to prepare their schedules ahead of time.

“When a student has a degree plan to graduation and can see exactly what classes they need, how many semesters it will take, et cetera, it helps students to reach that goal,” said Julie Cotterell, academic adviser for Mathematical and Social Sciences.

So what is pre-planning?

Pre-planning often entails viewing the schedule to familiarize oneself with what classes are available when registration opens.

Sometimes it is sitting down with an academic adviser to get advice on what courses they should be looking into taking.

Cotterell tells students that they want to ensure the classes selected are courses that will count for their degree, won’t conflict with work, family or other activities outside of school.

But to some, like political science junior Julian Freeshaw, pre-planning is a yearly ritual of methodological viewing, recording, charting and tweaking courses to create what he calls an ideal schedule.

Freeshaw has it down to an art.

First he checks the schedule, comparing it to his DegreeWorks account to determine what he still has to take to graduate, then copies and pastes all of the courses that he needs for his degree. Next he checks www.RateMyProfessors. com and kicks out the courses with professors that have generally

bad reviews. Finally he takes the classes that are left and fits them together like a jigsaw puzzle until every piece fits perfectly.

“It’s the same thing every year, but each year gets a little more difficult once I start running out of classes to choose from,” said Freeshaw. “But it’s worked for me every year, pretty much.”

However, circumstances arise that can ruin even the soundest schedule.

Variables include classes where the professor leaves or the times or locations change, causing conflicts with other courses. Back-to-back classes can work well if each one is in the Cuddy Quad. However, Crickett Watt, adviser for the School of Engineering, warns that if either of those classes has their location moved somewhere else, such as in the Fine Arts Building, a student can be in trouble.

“I tell my students to always plan for the unexpected,” said

Watt. “They should be flexible and have a back-up plan. But they should also plan to have a good time and really enjoy the college experience.”

Watt also suggests students think about planning empty time, leaving enough space in a schedule to complete homework or study without stress.

Several advisers said students complain about the different registration dates, which allows upperclassmen priority over underclassmen.

“I do like to plan ahead, but because I am only a sophomore I have to wait longer to register,” said art sophomore Alexa Thompson. “So a lot of the classes I thought I’d take fill up before I can register, so either I have to wait and hope they open or find something else. But I guess I get that seniors want to graduate and get out of here, and I can take some of those full classes later on.”

Quickly filled classes cause students to either choose another class as a backup or continuously refresh UAOnline until it opens up.

“Most classes do not have a waiting list, so it’s sadly a case of keep checking back,” said Danielle Dixon, College of Health adviser.

“Registration changes daily, especially the first week of school.

I always say keep checking, contact the professor, show up the first day of class — and if all else fails, have a backup plan.”

Advisers suggest all students should at least look at DegreeWorks or find a matriculation guide to get a baseline of what they should be taking each semester.

“I’ve found that if you have your entire degree planned out from the start, it is easier to get around those difficulties by looking to what was planned for next semester to see if any of those can be taken instead,” said Dixon.

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NEWS November 6, 2012 NEWS BRIEFS

BIKE: Sharing program may be in operation next semester

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continued from cover

Foul-mouthed parrot seeks new home in UK

2012 New York City Marathon canceled as region recovers from Superstorm Sandy damage

LONDON — Everyone has a few faults. In Beaky’s case, he swears (a lot) and he bites.

Not good qualities for a parrot seeking a new home.

Still, honesty is the best policy, so the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals has decided to come clean about his shortcomings.

Supervisor Angelina Lusher said Wednesday that anyone who takes Beaky in will have to put up with some rude language. The agency also says he tends to bite people until he bonds with them.

Beaky is a chattering lory who will only be given to new owners with experience handling exotic birds.

Lusher says Beaky needs interaction with people or other birds to have a fulfilling life.

NEW YORK (AP) — The New York City Marathon was canceled Friday

by Mayor Michael Bloomberg after mounting criticism that it was wrong to hold the race while the region is still recovering from Superstorm Sandy.

With people in storm-ravaged areas still shivering without electricity and the death toll in New York City at more than 40, many residents recoiled at the prospect of police officers being assigned to protect Sunday’s race.

An estimated 40,000 runners from around the world were expected to take part in the 26.2-mile event. The race had been scheduled to start in Staten Island, one of the hardest-hit areas by this week’s storm.

A few hours after Bloomberg insisted the race would be held, he reversed his view when top city officials lined up against him.

“We would not want a cloud to hang over the race or its participants, and so we have decided to cancel it,” the mayor said in a statement.

“We cannot allow a controversy over an athletic event — even one as meaningful as this — to distract attention away from all the critically important work that is being done to recover from the storm and get our city back on track.”

‘Four more years!’

‘Four more days!’

Obama, Romney going all-out on campaign’s final weekend PATASKALA, Ohio — Down to a fierce finish, President Barack Obama accused Mitt Romney of scaring voters with lies on Friday, while the Republican challenger warned grimly of political paralysis and another recession if Obama reclaims the White House. Heading into the final weekend, the race’s last big report on the economy showed hiring picking up but millions still out of work.

“Four more days!” Romney supporters bellowed at his rally in Wisconsin. “Four more years!” Obama backers shouted as the president campaigned in Ohio.

With Ohio at the center of it all, the candidates sharpened their closing lines, both clutching to the mainstream middle while lashing out at one another. Virtually all of the nine homestretch battleground states were getting personal attention from the contenders or top members of their teams, and Romney was pressing hard to add Pennsylvania to the lastminute mix.

Urgency could be felt all across the campaign, from the big and boisterous crowds to the running count that roughly 24 million people already have voted. Outside the White House, workers were setting the foundation for the inaugural viewing stand for Jan. 20. Lawyers from both camps girded for a fight should the election end up too close to call.

Obama, for the first time, personally assailed Romney over ads suggesting that automakers General Motors and Chrysler are adding jobs in China at the expense of auto industry-dependent Ohio.

Both companies have called the ads untrue. The matter is sensitive in Ohio, which is perhaps the linchpin state of the election.

Compiled from the Associated Press

by J. Almendarez

Police called for shot woman find Halloween zombie BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Police in Alabama were called to what looked like a woman shot dead in her car but found a Halloween reveler they described as drunk and passed out in a bloody-looking zombie costume.

The news site Al.com reports (http://bit.ly/SrbNCn) that a passerby called 911 in Birmingham on Thursday morning after seeing the woman slumped over her steering wheel at a traffic light.

Police say officers roused the woman and removed her from the SUV. Authorities say she was handcuffed and taken to the city jail on a DUI charge.

A photo of the woman by al.com showed fake blood covering much of her torso as she was apprehended.

Details on her identity weren’t immediately available.

Lessig was also appointed to the general education requirements task force review board.

The objective of the review board is to assess the general education standards UAA holds and to see if they meet national standards as well as standards of the university.

Senator Johnnie Templeton, Graduate Student Association Representative Tracy Stewart and Vice President Andrew McConnell were all unanimously voted into the Green Fee Board.

Annie Route, director of Student Life and Leadership, announced that the task force for increase in network fees will soon be reviewing and possibly amending current student fees regarding technology. Currently there is a network fee that is 2 percent of UAA students’ tuition fees and a $5 per credit hour technology fee, not to exceed $60 per semester, established by the Board of Regents.

“These fees have not been reviewed or raised in over 10 years,” Route said.

Syphilis: On the rise in Anchorage

Shannon Burgoon Staff Writer

“This summer there was an increase risk of Syphilis among men having sex with men and who are finding their sex partners online, through sex-seeking sites in Anchorage and Fairbanks,” warns the State of Alaska Department of Health and Social Services website.

But what is Syphilis?

“Syphilis is a sexually transmitted disease, which is spread during vaginal, anal or oral sex and sometimes by genital touching, with someone who has syphilis. Symptoms include painless sores on the mouth or sex organs that can last up 2-6 weeks.

Sores may go away, but you still have syphilis. Symptoms show up 1-12 weeks after having sex,” the Planned Parenthood website

states.

Syphilis can be a serious disease if left undiagnosed, but is completely curable.

“It is easy to treat if you are HIV-negative and if you’ve had the infection for less than a year.

If you are HIV-negative, early stages of Syphilis are treated with a single dose of Bicillin L-A, a specific type of penicillin. Follow up testing at 6 and 12 months is required to ensure success,” states the Health Interventions for Men program website.

Betty Bang, UAA family nurse practitioner, encourages “students to practice safe sex, even if they only have one sex partner. You simply never know if your partner is having sex with another person who may be infected.”

Also encourages students to be proactive and get tested.

“The UAA Health Center does STD/STI screenings and are reasonably priced around 10 dollars,” said Bang.

The health center takes Blue Cross Blue Shield and accepts the United Health insurance through UAA. Ways to protect yourself from an STD are to use a condom, talk to your partner and don’t have sex with anyone who hasn’t been tested for or thinks they may have an STD. This February the health clinic will be hosting a Healthy Sexuality fair, in which they will offer free STD testing for gonorrhea, HIV, syphilis and chlamydia.

For more information call or visit UAA Student Health and Counseling Center 907-786-4040 or plannedparenthood.org

Halloween-colored lobster caught off Mass. coast BOSTON — A Massachusetts fisherman has caught a creepylooking lobster that’s colored to match Halloween.

The New England Aquarium says the 1-pound female lobster has an orange side and a black side, with the colors split perfectly down the middle.

The rare lobster is known as a split. Marine officials say such coloration is estimated to occur once in every 50 million lobsters.

The fisherman who caught the seasonally colored crustacean in a trap last week is from Beverly, a seaside community 20 miles northeast of Boston.

Compiled from the Associated Press

by J. Almendarez

CORRECTIONS In “USUAA discusses potential natural gas shortage” (Oct. 30), a source for the Stay on Track ice cream social was misidentified.

The speaker was Paula Fish, assistant director of Student Life and Leadership.

A&E November 6, 2012

Monopoly Disney

A&E Opinion

04 MUSIC REVIEW

A most intense ‘Flight’

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ILLUSTRATION BY CASEY KLEEB

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By Heather Hamilton A&E Editor

It started out as something kind of funny. When I logged on to Facebook and saw that Walt Disney Co. purchased Lucasfilm Ltd. via a friend’s status update, I thought it was one of those hoaxes that pops up every once in a while, like the depressing one stating that Morgan Freeman died.

But when I saw a graphic of Minnie Mouse in the infamous Princess Leia bikini, I knew something was really up.

When I sought the wisdom of Google to clear up this obvious misunderstanding, I was treated to the second-greatest scare I have ever received on a Halloween to date.

It’s real. Disney purchased Lucasfilm for $4.05 billion.

The greatest scare I have ever received on Halloween was learning that Disney was already planning the next three “Star Wars” movies, the first of which will be released in 2015 and follows the lives of Luke, Leia and Han Solo after the events of “Return of the Jedi.”

Regardless of my initial fears, there are some positives to consider in this deal. While Lucas will serve as a creative advisor for future projects, he isn’t in charge of them. This is a relief, considering fans have bashed Lucas for years over the direction he took in the new “Star Wars” trilogy, especially his pointless addition of Jar Jar Binks.

This gives new creative talent a chance to revive the franchise and tell stories in a different way, which could be a phenomenal change.

Second, Disney would be allowed to include “Star Wars”

and “Indiana Jones” levels in the “Kingdom Hearts” games. While it probably won’t happen, isn’t that incredible to think about?

Can you imagine Sora or Riku fighting with a lightsaber-themed Keyblade? Or battling alongside Indie? The nerd potential here is both endless and terrifyingly glorious.

Third, it gives a new generation of Padawan learners the opportunity to discover one of the greatest sci-fi stories of all time.

This is priceless, because it means the classics fans have always cherished can still live on.

But the big fear regarding the acquisition is this: Will Disney try too hard to revive the franchise, and in doing so, run it further into the ground?

All stories must come to an end.

We must never forget masterpieces and the incredible ingenuity of the past, but there comes a time when you’ve squeezed the last of the juice from the lemon.

“Star Wars” doesn’t deserve to be Force-choked. While Disney could do great things, it could also overplay its hand and shove so much “Star Wars” down our throats that the whole franchise loses its appeal.

Disney must know what it’s getting itself into. “Star Wars” is too revered to risk running into the ground. They’ll tread carefully, and I’ll remain cautiously hopeful that they won’t mess things up worse than Lucas did.

(Seriously, why change the bar scene? Han shot first.)

If Joss Whedon directs the movies, then I’ll be highly optimistic — Whedon doesn’t tend to screw up nerdy sci-fi projects.

The Force would be strong with him.

By Heather Hamilton A&E Editor

If you haven’t seen the trailer for “Flight,” the IMDB synopsis is more than a little misleading.

To paraphrase the synopsis, Denzel Washington (“Safe House”) is Whip Whitaker, a pilot for a commercial airline who saves his plane full of passengers from crashing. When investigations into the plane malfunctions begin, something troubling is uncovered.

It seems like the movie will turn into some kind of conspiracy plot where Whip is either responsible or framed for the crash and the rest of the movie is spent uncovering the truth.

That’s only half right.

Whip is actually an alcoholic and drug addict who, after a full night of boozing, does some cocaine to perk himself up in the morning before his flight. The plane goes down but is saved only after Whip’s quick thinking. After saving nearly everyone onboard the plane in the crash, his toxicology screening reveals

the substance abuse and questions are raised about whether an aircraft malfunction caused the nosedive or his substance abuse. The rest of the movie follows Whip during the investigation and trial, as well as his struggles with addiction.

The plot is mainly a character study of an addict, but the search for truth story is woven in to the mix to give the film balance.

Washington is wonderful as Whip. He is angry, confused and hurt. His reputation and pride are stomped on, and Washington makes it seem real. The hostility he shows to certain characters, such as his lawyer, Hugh Lang (Don Cheadle, “Iron Man 2”), is curt and palpable, but always laced with an undertone of desperation. In some cases, even helplessness is felt through his words.

Washington’s acting is fantastic. While he makes you despise Whip in many regards, he still holds your interest and keeps you rooting for him in the long run. That takes more than a little skill.

It also takes a lot for Cheadle to make Hugh a likeable character, but he also pulls it off. He’s a lawyer, but he doesn’t seem to like Whip as a person.

Despite having an open respect for the phenomenal maneuver his client does to save his passengers, he is grieved by Whip before the trial.

This is more than reasonable, but when you’re sympathetically rooting for Whip to succeed, it’s hard to like a guy who keeps reminding him he’s in serious trouble. Despite his frankness and initial lack of sympathy, Hugh builds a rapport with the audience that carries through the movie.

The majority of the movie has very little action — the plane crash itself is the height of it — but the characters are intense and interesting enough to keep viewers satisfied, so long as they understand what they are getting into.

If you were debating about whether to see the movie, do so. It’s engaging, and definitely worth the ticket price.

Movie: “Flight” Director: Robert Zemeckis Release Date: Nov. 2, 2012 Genre: Drama Starring: Denzel Washington, Don Cheadle

Alaska Native playwright lecture to promote diversity

By Jacob Holley-Kline Staff Reporter

It is said that in the early Cimmerian days of the world, a selfish chief found a chest containing light, and he shared it with no man.

The clever raven, seeing daybreak at the chief’s feet, took the form of a young boy and coerced the chief into giving him the light.

He then flew to the darkest reaches of the earth, spreading light for the destitute many.

This tale has been told throughout generations of Alaska Native tribes in southeast Alaska and its northwestern coast.

Jack Dalton, Alaska Native storyteller and playwright, knows this tale among many others.

“If you take a stories like ‘Raven Returns: The Story of the Human Beings’ or ‘How Raven Made the Land,’ it’s essentially the entire history of the Native culture,” said Dalton.

Dalton is a mentor with the Alaska Native Playwrights Project. He has mentored two budding artists, Lucas Rowley

and Maureen Mayo.

The project is the brainchild of Ed Bourgeois, director of public programs at the Alaska Native Heritage Center.

“The Alaska Native Heritage Center got a grant ... to put together a project to teach Native artists to become playwrights,” said Dalton.

“It was amazing to be there for the birth of Alaska Native Theater,” he said.

The project began in January 2010. Applicants were placed under the tutelage of selected mentors.

For a week, the artists would learn the craft of playwriting so they could write one of their own. Their efforts culminated in a free, staged reading at Cyrano’s Theatre Company.

Including Dalton’s, 11 plays were written.

“Native Voices at the Autry told us those 11 plays constituted the single largest influx of new work in Native American theater,” said Dalton.

A panel sponsored by the Alaska Center for the book will be

held on from 5-7 p.m. Nov. 8 at the Campus Bookstore for National Native American Heritage Month.

Including Dalton, the panel will also involve project founder Ed Bourgeois and playwrights Robin Lovelace, LM HeitmanBruce and Lucas Rowley.

According to her official website, Lovelace is a sculptor and photographer who works with everything from wood and stone to bronze and copper.

Heitman-Bruce is a playwright and the co-owner of www.

AnchorageObserver.com, an Alaska social networking website.

Rowley is a playwright who has five play readings and one production under his belt.

The project and plays written will be discussed with their creators. And maybe even the tale of the raven will be told.

For more information on the “Our Next Stage: The Alaska Native Playwrights Project” panel, contact Rachel Epstein, special events coordinator for the Campus Bookstore, at repstein2@ uaa.alaska.edu or 907-786-4782.

A&E November 6, 2012

05

Mr. UAA: best of the boys

By Heather Hamilton A&E Editor

And there he is. Walking on air, he is. Fairest of the fair, he is.

There he is ... Mr. UAA? The Mr. UAA Pageant, organized by UAA’s branch of the sorority Sigma Sigma Sigma, or Tri-Sigma, will be held in the Social Sciences Building 7-9 p.m.

Thursday.

“Mr. UAA” is a semi-annual Tri-Sigma fundraiser. Proceeds in the past have gone to the Providence Children’s Hospital.

“This year, we’ve changed it so that we’re donating it to the Sigma Sigma Sigma Foundation, which does that but at a national level,” said Rori Redick, a civil engineering senior and member of Tri-Sigma who helped organize the first event in 2008. “It also supports scholarships for Sigma women and underprivileged women; it’s a broader range of topics than just the children.”

Inspired by their participation in local pageants, Redick and Tri-Sigma sister Kaela Hartman, developed the idea to host a pageant fundraiser.

“One of the pageant systems we participate in, their philanthropy is the Children’s Hospital Miracle Network, and we thought it would be a fun way to bring our sisters into community service that we

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were already doing,” said Redick.

“We thought it would be a fun way to raise money for our (TriSigma’s) philanthropy, which is supporting child play therapy.”

The first event was held in a classroom in Rasmuson Hall and had three participants. The audience was small as well, but Redick is happy with the money they raised that day.

“The first time we raised over $500,” she said.

The categories for “Mr. UAA” are a costume contest, talent exhibition, eveningwear and a question and answer session.

Amanda Shoup, a biological science and natural science senior, philanthropy chair for Tri-Sigma and event coordinator, said, “I like the talent (category). ... It’s really interesting, the things that people are capable of doing.”

During an intermission, a panel of judges outside of Tri-Sigma from around the university chooses the top contestants for each category, and the overall winner is crowned Mr. UAA after the break during coronation. Prizes include gift certificates from local restaurants and businesses.

Similar to how other pageants are conducted, the men participating don’t compete against one another.

“They’re not supposed to ever

be compared to each other, just on themselves and how the judges feel that one specific individual did on their own, and how well they were put together as a package,” said Redick.

Despite a hiatus in 2010, the event has remained steady since its first year. But there are hopes for growth.

“Last year we only had three contestants, and this year I’ve already had six guys contact me about participating, so I’m hoping it’s a lot bigger than last time,” said Shoup.

Redick hopes to expand the event even further.

“We’ve talked about making it a Mr. Anchorage pageant and trying to open it up to the rest of the community. Unfortunately, to do that, you have to make it grow beyond the Greek system at UAA, and that’ll take a couple of years,” said Redick. “I hope to still be involved in this after I graduate, just because it’s kind of a brainchild (of mine).”

“Mr. UAA” tickets are $5 in advance and $10 at the door.

Advance tickets can be purchased online at http://trisigma.ticketleap. com/mruaa2012/.

For more information, contact Amanda Shoup at shoup_amanda@ hotmail.com.

FEATURES November 6, 2012

06

How not to be a jerk on Election Day

By Evan Dodd Contributor

“It’s almost Election Day,” I think to myself with a growing sense of dread.

I quickly search my room for a possible escape route.

“Maybe if I hide under here,” I whisper hopefully as I check the space under my bed.

Nope, I already filled that particular hiding place with a snowboard and giant wooden pineapple.

I frantically check my calendar, trying to find a way to bump my Thanksgiving vacation up a week or two. That might work, apart from the classes and job I would have to skip.

Damn.

It’s not that I hate voting. I’m actually thrilled to participate in my first presidential election. I view voting as the pinnacle of democracy, and I wouldn’t miss it for anything. No, the reason I despise Election Day isn’t the politics, the crowds or even the fun buttons and stickers.

It’s you people.

You people with your Facebook posts and your bumper stickers and your politician smiles. Those who spew political opinions like a ruptured sewage tank. It’s awful, and I hate it.

So here is a small guide on how not to end up on the list of things that Evan hates.

Much like the government’s No Fly List, you can still end up on it for arbitrary reasons that will never be explained to you, so you’re not out of the woods yet.

First of all, Facebook is a beautiful communication tool. Your opinions are valuable and probably worth listening to.

Now, you see those two statements? At no point did anyone ever claim that they should be linked. Ever.

If your response to every political scenario is to take to the net and claim that Candidate X is Hitler, then you’ve already lost my attention. Hitler was Hitler, and everything else is a hyperbole.

Additionally, I highly doubt the majority of people are so easily influenced that they can have their political ideologies completely reversed because of an aggressive, grammatically incorrect Facebook post. And even if those people do exist, I sure as hell don’t want them supporting the things I support. They make me look bad.

Next, I enjoy debating politics. I really do. I have a couple friends that I routinely argue the fate of our nation with, and it’s all in good fun. But we aren’t really trying to convince each other — we’re just comparing ideas. That’s the nature of a good debate.

Unfortunately, no one told that to the zealous girl in the Commons who spent twenty minutes violently explaining why voting for Candidate Y meant I was antiAmerican. That’s not a debate; that’s verbal assault. Never once in the history of spoken language has it convinced anyone to change his or her views.

Don’t scream at me that this is the most important election of our lives and that it will change the entire world we live in.

Being screamed at only increases the likelihood that I beat you over the head with that giant pineapple under my bed, not change my political views.

This brings me to my final point.

Realistically speaking, one of the many elections you participate in during your life will have to be more important than the rest. I get that. But you cannot claim that for every single election you vote in.

It’s literally impossible to have “the single greatest threat our nation has ever faced” every four years. It’s nonsensical.

So here is the new deal. You can say it once. (Get it? FDR’s New Deal, reference in a political article? Really? Nothing?)

From here on out, you must pick one presidential election that you feel defines your generation, your “most important election ever,” and stick with it. That means that if you waste your one shot complaining about whatever you think Romney or

ILLUSTRATION BY CASEY KLEEB

Obama will do, then that’s it. You’re done.

So if the aliens invade in 2016 or the 2020 presidential race is between Nicholas Cage and the lead singer of Nickelback, too bad. You already decided that that this year was more important. You probably wish you stopped talking don’t you? Well now you know how we feel.

All of that aside, you do have the fate of

the country in your hands. Even though we only get a whopping three electoral votes, it’s still just as important as every other state. So you had better get yourself to the polling booth on Tuesday. Vote your hearts out, support your candidate and help decide the course of the country.

And then, for the love of all that is holy, kindly shut up about it.

How healthy is the Paleo diet?

By Kate Lindsley Contributor

The word “Paleo” in the term “Paleo diet” is short for “Paleolithic,” or the early part of the Stone Age when primitive stone tools were used. Proponents of the Paleo diet say our gut evolved to eat red meats high in saturated fats. Biochemically, it is akin to the Atkin’s diet: fat and protein with very limited carbs.

In Paleo diets, there are rules about how raw the meat should be, where it is sourced from, how often you eat it and what to cook it with. Some folks follow Paleo books like a bible while others take a few key points and incorporate it into their diet.

To support moderation, I choose the second group as the healthier one. There are some great takeaway points from the Paleo camp.

For one, the Paleo diet prohibits consumption of packaged or processed foods.

Packaged foods often have high levels of preservatives and sugar, and processed foods can have awful amounts of salt.

Overconsumption of sugars has been linked to Type 2 diabetes and overconsumption of

ILLUSTRATION BY CASEY KLEEB

salt can lead to heart disease. Eating Paleo avoids these harmful additives and improve overall health.

In addition, Paleo followers tend to pay stringent attention to the sources of their food. This is a great tool for anyone looking to increase overall wellbeing. Grass-fed beef has more unsaturated fat than its cornfed siblings. It also has more antioxidant vitamins and is lower in overall calories.

Some proponents of Paleo say it goes beyond a diet to a full-fledged

lifestyle. These modern-day cavemen and cavewomen attribute their weight loss and healthy demeanor to eliminating all sources of external stress (no alarm clocks) and increasing natural exercise (barefoot running).

However, eating unlimited amounts of saturated fats goes against everything I’ve learned in my dietetics courses. For that matter, eating unlimited amounts of anything is not great advice — but especially saturated fat.

Although some saturated fat is necessary in human diets, consuming spoonfuls upon spoonfuls of coconut oil is not the way to go. Increased saturated fat consumption has been linked to three of the biggest health problems in our nation: heart disease, diabetes and cancer. This is simply one aspect of the Paleo diet I cannot support, at least until vast research has been done on the subject.

And cutting out all cereal grains and legumes? Not a great plan. There are some cereal grains that are perfectly healthy, and there is anthropological evidence that our ancestors ate them. Consider the “ancient” grain of amaranth. It’s high protein, high fiber and has twice the calcium of milk.

Cutting out legumes is a bad idea for the good bacteria in your gut and your wallet.

Beans are cheap, easy and help keep that good bacteria thriving.

With these details in mind, it is important to note that every gut is different. Every body is different and therefore requires different ratios of nutrients. For some people, Paleo is the way to go. For the rest of us, we can maintain our current lifestyle while channeling our inner Flintstone.

07 FEATURES November 6, 2012 I like to cuddle, Teacher workshops aim to tackle disruptive student like, all the time behavior in the classroom Faculty and staff learn strategies for solving problems from the Dean of Students Office

By Nita Mauigoa

Assistant Features Editor

PHOTO BY VICENTE CAPALA

Vicente Capala Multimedia Editor

What do you do when your heart races at the thought of being with someone? Do you act on impulse? Do you stand there and let your chance pass by?

The question stands: Are you the type of person who will grab every opportunity or let fear get the best of you? In my case, I had a recent experience that seemed characteristic of both.

A couple weeks ago, I spent some time with a guy I used to date. We were just friends, though I wanted to be more than that again. Nothing serious had happened between us since our breakup.

But it was just that. I didn’t want to throw myself into his arms hoping something would change, and I obviously didn’t want to stand frozen like some awkward turtle. We acted just fine together and made conversation, like we were just two straight men who were friends. He sat on one side of the couch and I sat on the other.

Midnight hit and we were both tired.

We both got ready for bed. He lay on the couch and I lay on my floor bed next to the couch. The lights were off and everything was silent. I listened to his slow, calm breathing wondering if he was asleep.

My eyes were closed, yet I somehow wound up cuddled to my body pillow, facing his direction.

The “so close, yet so far” feeling start to fill my head. My mind was wandering every which way.

I finally just took a deep breath and said, “No funny business or anything, but do you think I can

cuddle with you?” I then stopped and just lay there, wondering if I really just asked that. I didn’t want anything to be awkward.

He said “yes” and proceeded to roll over off the couch and into my bed.

We cuddled with one another the entire night.

What’s interesting is that we didn’t do anything. By “anything,” I mean we didn’t go far into the sexual acts most people usually end up doing when cuddling.

I kind of wanted something to happen, though I knew it would have meant nothing compared to the deeper feelings I had for him.

Embarrassingly, he would commented that my heart was beating unusually fast. I hadn’t realized my heart was racing until he said something.

I had so much of an urge to just kiss him, but my mind was saying “no.” It wouldn’t have been healthy for our friendship if something else happened.

But the ridiculous thing about it all was just that: We were two gay men cuddling with one another in our jammies.

Cuddling there in silence, I was talking to myself in my head.

Questions just kept rising. Should I do this? Should I not do this? Am I too still? Do I move too much?

What is he thinking?

We both stayed up through the night just laying there pretending to sleep. The thing that still gets me is how much self-control we both had. But then again, was it self-control or fear?

That night, I chose to avoid diving deep into chance.

But then again, I sometimes wonder, “What if?”

There are students who blurt rude comments in class.

There are students who think they know more than the professor, when at times they don’t. But what does a professor do when faced with a real troublemaker?

It’s not as though the student can be sent to the principal’s office.

Does the professor just turn a blind eye and hope it stops? Or should the student be confronted?

The Dean of Students Office hosts various disruptive student workshops designed for faculty and staff, where they learn to identify types of disruptive behaviors and develop strategies to address them efficiently.

“When we get a complaint from a faculty member, we don’t want to hear, ‘Well, it’s been going on for 12 weeks, and now I want this student out of my class,’” said Michael Turner, professor of counseling for the Dean of Students Office.

These issues stem past texting or sleeping in class.

The focus is on issues like intoxication, bullying and possession of weapons. There is also focus on individuals who pretend to be students.

“Last year we had a fella just come in out of nowhere and decided he wasn’t going to leave. It took three policemen and a major effort to remove him from class,” Turner said. “He was not a student. That was very frightening.”

This year, the Dean of Students Office has already received 70 disruptive student reports from faculty and 25 reports from students.

“You, as a student, should be able to go to your class and be in a positive, constructive learning environment — not be afraid, not be bullied, not be intimidated, not be assaulted. Students have every right

ILLUSTRATION BY CASEY KLEEB

to report disruptive students to the dean’s office,” Turner said.

Turner is the first point of contact for faculty members faced with these issues.

His goal is to quickly resolve problems with students, not expel them. He instead focuses on correcting behavior so the student can have success in college. However, if these attempts fail, he refers cases to Michael Votava, assistant director of student conduct for the Dean of Students Office.

“Verbal directive is the most minimal way to address the behavior. If it persists, we move forward with a written directive or have a teacher’s conference with the

student,” Votava said.

According to Votava, there are typically two or three annual reports of students who decide to come to class under the influence of alcohol. Sometimes it’s because they are too nervous to give a speech in class or just had a bad day.

“I encourage faculty and staff members to always call university police, because it’s difficult to determine how much alcohol the students have consumed. If the faculty simply dismisses the student, they will show up under the influence in another class,” Votava said.

Votava is part of the Dean of Students Office care team, which reviews reports about students of concern. The team plans to launch a new campaign in a couple months to inform all faculty, staff and students on how to submit reports about disruptive students.

There will always be disruptive students, but Votava assures that the team will do all they can to deal with it and make UAA a safe environment for faculty, staff and students.

08

FEATURES November 6, 2012

Cooking in college For all the first-time cooks out there

Cooking fall dishes from family memories

By Kate Lindsley

Acorn Squash (Kate’s way) 2 acorn squash 2 cups brown sugar 2 tsp cinnamon 1/4 tsp nutmeg 1/4 cup walnut peaces

Acorn Squash (allrecipes.com’s way) 2 acorn squash 2 tbsp butter 4 tbsp brown sugar

Cornish Game Hens 2 cornish game hens 1 box Stovetop brand stuffing

Green Beans

2 cups green beans 1/3 cup olive oil 1/2 cup sliced almonds 1/4 tsp salt

Contributor

This meal is like the tryouts for hosting a Thanksgiving get-together. If you can make it through this recipe without setting the kitchen on fire, you’re all set for seating six to eight people at your dining room table on the third Thursday of November.

Each of these recipes is inspired by a dish I remember growing up with. However, I didn’t have access to any of the recipe cards because each comes from different family members who are about 4,000 miles away.

So I took on the challenge of recreating the dishes from memory.

The green beans with sliced almonds are my Uncle Joe’s, the Cornish game hen is my mother’s and the acorn squash is my late grandmother’s.

I started with the acorn squash because I figured it would take the longest to cook. I remember it tasted like brown sugar, walnuts and apples. But I had very few walnuts and no apples. And I remember the squash were cut in half. I took a large butcher knife and cut the acorn squash in half crosswise.

To my surprise, the inside looked like a pumpkin. I scooped out the seeds and matrix of fibers. I was left with a cute little bowl. I stuffed the squash halves with a mixture of brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and walnuts.

I put these in the oven at 350 degrees and set out on the Cornish game hens. I should have mentioned that these are sold frozen and must be thawed before stuffing. However, I forgot this until the very moment I needed them.

Tip for next time: Start defrosting the hens before prepping the squashes.

This allows the most efficient use of time.

I chose the

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microwave as my appliance of choice and defrosted two hens. I pried their awkward little legs apart each time I stopped the microwave to try to speed the process up.

The thinking here went that if I can increase surface area, I can increase the amount of heat the little birdies got.

The total defrost time turned out to be 15 minutes, with a break at 7.5 minutes to flip and finagle the hens.

While defrosting the hens, I made one box of Stovetop brand stuffing.

This was more than enough to stuff the hens but, because everyone loves salt and fat, it doesn’t hurt to make extra. Once the hens were done defrosting, I pulled drumsticks apart and spooned around a half cup of stuffing into the body cavity.

No one has ever warned me how awkward it is to stuff a bird. It felt savage and wrong. If not for my hunger, I likely would have turned vegetarian simply to avoid the process. But I persevered and was rewarded in spades.

The birds went in the oven for one hour.

Because preparing them took around a half hour, the total time for the squash turned out to be around 90 minutes, which by guesswork turned out to be just right.

This entire meal can be made with guesses and still be delicious. Confidence is key.

After taking care of the first two-thirds of the meal, I turned my attention to the green beans. Remembering a trick from my mother, I snapped the ends off the green beans instead of trimming them.

It takes longer, but it is a relaxing process if you let it be.

Then I tossed them with the olive oil and sliced almonds in a medium-size frying pan.

I let the frying pan sit without heat for 30 minutes so all dishes would be

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complete at the same time.

Then, because 10 minutes was left on the timer for the hens and the squash, I sauteed the green beans for 10 minutes over medium heat. I took out the squash, the hens and everything was complete.

The final product was not reminiscent of family meals. The squash had too much brown sugar; I had to pour half of it out of the squash before eating. After reviewing the correct way to cook acorn squash from allrecipes.com (cut it lengthwise, use 2 tablespoons brown sugar and 2 tablespoons maple syrup instead of 1/4 cup brown sugar), I see why.

The Cornish game hen was delicious but had a less smoky flavor than I remember. The stuffing was top notch, so good there is no need to reveal its boxed origins.

But the green beans were the biggest surprise. They were even better than I remember.

The lesson in this experience turned out to be that there is more than one way to skin a cat — or stuff a bird or saute green beans. Just because it’s not exactly like you remember doesn’t mean it can’t become your future family’s traditional dishes.

,

tit! e p p A n o B ...

FEATURES November 6, 2012 PARKING: “Ton in Ten” Continued from cover

Ton In Ten and have been actively involved since the drive,” Dixon said.

In the program’s first year, 650 pounds of food was donated — just from parking tickets students didn’t want to pay.

“We get really positive feedback every year from students,” Dixon said.

Students can donate peanut butter or jelly for parking ticket reimbursements as long as the tickets have not been transferred to a UAA account.

Fire lane and handicap citations are municipal code violations and are not eligible for Ton in Ten waivers.

An eligible jar must be at least 16 ounces and cannot be made of glass, because of safety issues.

If a ticket is $35, it can be waived for three jars, with a total of 48 ounces or more, to waive citations. If it’s $60, it requires six

COURTESY PHOTO BY DANIELLE DIXON

jars with a total of 96 ounces or more. to waive citations.

Up to two parking tickets can be waived with donations.

Ton in Ten will also be collecting goods all over campus, for those who would like to help but do not have parking citations.

“There will be 22 departments hosting the trashcans for the food drive,” Dixon said.

Collected goods will benefit the UAA food cache and nonprofit organizations.

Ton in Ten officially started Nov. 5 and will run until Nov. 15.

Peanut butter and jelly can be brought to the Parking Services counter, located in the basement of the Campus Bookstore. Hours are Monday-Friday 8:30 a.m.-5:00 p.m. For questions specifically about parking services, call 907786-1119. For general questions about the food drive, contact Dixon at 907-786-4416.

VETERAN: Upcoming lecture Continued from cover

to run the household in a more independent way. His goal is to provide families with alternate perspectives about what a normal transition should look like.

Mental barriers to transitioning home are not new in the armed forces.

Hoge said the similar symptoms, whether they’re referred to as PTSD, shell shock (coined for soldiers returning home from World War I), combat stress reaction (referring to soldiers who retuned from World War II) or Soldier’s Heart (used to describe symptoms of soldiers in the Civil War), have always created barriers among soldiers and civilians.

The best way to combat the barriers is to provide people with information about them.

Hoge said there will be a Q-and-A after the lecture.

He will also discuss elements from his book, “Once a Warrior

Always a Warrior,” an in-depth account of Hoge’s insight about the mental health of soldiers and a trove of practical information for warriors, regardless of how long they’ve been home from the battlefield.

Mike McCormick, assistant director of Student Activities, said UAA was contacted last November about possibly bringing Hoge to campus to speak.

McCormick said, “We’re trying to do things to help out veterans.

We (the Student Activities team) thought he would be a wonderful speaker.”

Hoge was offered the opportunity to spend time in Afghanistan to do research in 2011 but was able to reschedule his lecture for this year.

The event is free and open to the public. For more information about the event, contact Student Activities at 907-786-1219.

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11

OPINION November 6, 2012 EDITORIAL

Dismantling the myths of newspaper production

By TNL Staff

What and who is The Northern Light?

The Northern Light is an entirely student-run newspaper at the University of Alaska Anchorage. It has been in publication since Sept. 19, 1988, after the merger between UAA and Anchorage Community College combined two newspapers: the UAA Voice and the Anchorage Community College Accent.

Since then, the publication has also moved to encompass an online news site, www.thenorthernlight. org, and uses social media, such as Twitter and Facebook, to share news with the UAA community.

All writers, photographers, editors, advertising representatives and graphics designers are students enrolled in at least six credit hours within UAA and have a GPA of at least a 2.0. Higher-ranking positions on staff require higher a GPA but vary from position to position.

Why should anyone care? Aren’t newspapers going out of business?

People should care about the news in their community because a free press is the foundation of a functioning democracy. Without it, how could people be informed

enough to make decision in their own community? Who would hold public officials accountable for their actions? Who would document aspects of our culture for future generations?

In every free society, a free press is revered as necessary.

And in countries that aren’t free, journalists and honest reporting are quieted though varying means. Journalists and citizenjournalists (bloggers, vloggers, et cetera) can be intimidated through the government or illegal organization and threatened with beatings, jail time and death.

Why would they bother to do this? Because an informed public is a scary thing for oppressors.

What we do at The Northern

Light is less extreme than ratting out dirty politicians and gangsters, though.

But what we do is something no other news organization in Alaska does: We focus primarily on news within the University of Alaska system.

Since we’re a part of the largest institute of higher education in the biggest state in the country, that’s sort of a big deal.

So journalism is pretty important.

As for newspapers going out of business, that’s only partially true.

Yes, print news organizations have shrunk dramatically in size since the 2007 recession. A lot of factors play into this, and explaining them all could take

pages of this newspaper.

But to keep it short, here are a few reasons why newspaper companies have been dwindling: The sheer cost of producing a newspaper is extremely high and readers are flocking online to get their news.

This does not mean journalism is going away forever. It just means the field is evolving and leaning toward online-only publications.

This does not mean there aren’t jobs in journalism. This does not mean traditional journalism is going away.

This is part of a continuing series of articles to inform readers about operating procedures at The Northern Light.

OPINION

Setting personal goals is key to ‘graduating in your time’

By Alejandra Buitrago

Contributor Journalism and communications major

In the Fall of 2011 the University of Alaska launched the “Finish in 4” campaign. The campaign was meant to focus more on college student success and encourage students to graduate in a timely manner. The campaign has evolved with the new themes of “Stay on Track” and “Graduate in your Time.”

The idea for the original campaign came from University of Alaska President Patrick Gamble.

It showcases his passion for making students UA’s top priority,

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t A News Tip o G

Contact J.Almendarez Executive Editor 786-1313 or content@thenorthernlight.org

while helping more students finish their degrees on time.

Since the 2011 launch of the campaign, the number of UAA students taking 15 credits or more has increased significantly with an 11 percent spike in spring 2012 and a rise of 13 percent in the fall of 2012. Now the goal is to ask students to formulate a plan, set a date of when you want to graduate, and take all the necessary steps to reach that goal.

Steps to reaching your graduation date 1. Pick a degree early. Decide

what you want to major in early, so that every class you take contributes towards your degree.

Make every credit count!

2. Use DegreeWorks. This is a useful tool that every student can access. By using DegreeWorks students can see every class they need to complete their chosen degree. If you haven’t yet chosen a major, you can use the “what if” setting to see the classes required according to which major you chose.

3. Talk to your academic advisor. Meet with them when figuring out what classes you should be taking in the coming

semester, and review with them your academic and personal goals, so that they can show you how to best attain them.

I came into the University in 2009 certain that I wanted to major in nursing; I quickly learned that wasn’t my passion. Now in my fourth year at UAA, and my third year into my Journalism major, I will graduate in 2014. By using DegreeWorks, meeting with my academic advisor, and setting a personal goal early, I have mapped out a plan to graduate in five years.

Beginning Oct. 29, the University of Alaska will be

launching a social media contest and the winner will win two round-trip tickets on Alaska Airlines. “My Track — How many years to get your Undergraduate Degree?” is meant to encourage students to set a goal and work towards it. Whether you choose to graduate in two years, four years or six years, make a plan and stick to it, and know the costs involved in taking longer to finish your degree.

The University cares about your success, and they have given you the tools you need to be successful. Now it remains up to you to use them.

SPORTS November 6, 2012

The Thunder will regret trading Harden 50

55

60

4

5

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overtime 10

By Keon McMillan Contributor

If you all watched the NBA Finals last year between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Miami Heat, you know that James Harden is the biggest off-bench factor in the league.

Harden was given the 2011-12 NBA Sixth Man award, which honors the player who gives the best contribution to his team as a substitute. Harden, averaging 31.4 minutes and 16.7 points per game, was the spark the Thunder needed to make the finals.

Because Harden’s contract was a year away from expiring, the Thunder offered him a deal any normal person would take in a heartbeat: $55.5 million over four years. But Harden turned it down and OKC traded him to the Houston Rockets, destroying the foundation of their offense and the chemistry that Harden, Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant had.

This isn’t like Ray Allen, who signed with another team for less than half of his original contract. Harden gained more than $24 million by signing with the Rockets. One could understand why he would want to leave.

Harden was traded to the Rockets for Kevin Martin, Jeremy Lamb, two first-round picks and a second-round pick. Along with Harden, the Rockets also acquired Cole Aldrich, Lazar Hayward and Daequan Cook.

To analyze the trade, we have to look at things from both perspectives — starting with the Rockets.

The Rockets acquired an awesome player. Harden knows how good he is and doesn’t want to sell himself short. He

Briefs compiled by Thomas McIntyre from the Associate Press and Goseawolves.com

plays great on both sides of the court, comes off the bench and gives 16 points a night on average.

Harden is a versatile player who can produce on mostly any team in the league. He’s a sharpshooter who is deadly off the pick and roll, and a playmaker. He has Olympic and NBA Finals experience, and he’s accomplished all of this as a sixth man.

With Jeremy Lin as his point guard and reliable forwards who can finish in the paint, we’ll probably see a lot more 30-point games from Harden. He should become the star of that team, something he couldn’t do behind Durant’s shadow.

Personally, I don’t think the Thunder should have traded Harden.

The Thunder had something the league hadn’t seen in a long time. They possessed three young and athletic players who were friends off the court and had chemistry on it.

They were a championship contending team last year and might not be this year with the players they traded for.

Kevin Martin is good offensively, but will he fit in well with the fast-paced offense the Thunder run? Jeremy Lamb is a solid addition to the Thunder backcourt because he can shoot from everywhere on the floor. There isn’t a doubt in my mind that Lamb will also fit in well, but one player’s game cannot speak for how the whole team will perform.

I know the media is hyping up the trade, and while I’m excited to see how things play out, I don’t think the Thunder benefited from this deal.

Chemistry between players tops all. Not all of the best players on a team are going to be starters. NBA teams need players to come off the bench and contribute. Harden was that person for the Thunder, but Martin will most likely start, and Lamb cannot fill that spot the same way that Harden did.

Harden starting for the Houston Rockets is a huge deal.

With Lin as his point guard, Harden is sure to get some great shot opportunities. The infamous beard is going to standout even more this year when Harden gets his shine.

I don’t want to say the Thunder won’t be back in the finals, but I will say the San Antonio Spurs should never be slept on in the postseason. Salute to Gregg Popovich.

13

SPORTS BRIEFS

Women premiere at No. 22 ATLANTA — The Alaska Anchorage women’s basketball team has made it an even five years as a fixture in the USA Today Sports/ESPN Division II Top 25 coaches’ poll, premiering at No. 22 in Tuesday’s preseason rankings.

The Seawolves, who finished No. 7 in last year’s final poll, extended the longest streak in NCAA Div. II to 82 straight weeks in the top 25, dating back to the Oct. 31, 2007, rankings. This marks the lowest ranking during the streak, having previously stood no worse than No. 19.

UAA returns one starter — senior point guard Sasha King – from a 30-5 campaign that included the GNAC regular-season and tournament titles. Senior forward Alysa Horn, who came off the bench in all 35 games last year, is the Seawolves’ top returning scorer (9.0 ppg) and rebounder (5.0).

UAA starts the regular season when it hosts Colorado School of Mines on Nov. 9 at the Wells Fargo Sports Complex.

World Series averages record low television rating NEW YORK (AP) — The San Francisco Giants’ sweep of the Detroit Tigers set a record low for the World Series’ television ratings.

The four games on Fox averaged a 7.6 rating and 12 share, Nielsen Media Research said Monday. The previous low was an 8.4 for the 2008 Phillies-Rays and 2010 Giants-Rangers series, which each went five games.

Last year’s Cardinals-Rangers World Series went the full seven games and built momentum to average a 10.0/16.

San Francisco’s 2-0 win in Game 3 on Saturday night earned a 6.1/11, down from a 6.6/12 for St. Louis’ 16-7 win over Texas in the third game last year and matching the lowest for any World Series game. Philadelphia’s 5-4 win in Game 3 in 2008 also had a 6.1 rating on a night a rain delay pushed the start after 10 p.m. on the East Coast and the game didn’t end until 1:47 a.m.

The Giants’ 4-3, 10-inning victory in the finale Sunday night drew an 8.9/14, up slightly from the 9.2/14 for the Rangers’ 4-0 win over the Cardinals in 2011.

Ratings represent the percentage of all homes with TVs tuned into a program. Shares represent the percentage watching among all homes with TVs in use at the time.

Williams sisters look ahead to Olympics LAGOS, Nigeria (AP) — Serena and Venus Williams plan to play doubles at the 2016 Rio Games for a chance to win their fourth gold medal.

They are excited about competing in Rio de Janeiro, even though the games are four years away.

“It’s our main goal,” Serena Williams said. “We were talking ... about how we can’t wait to get to Rio. And obviously, bearing that we’re both healthy, that’s our goal to be there.”

Venus and Serena teamed to win 13 Grand Slam doubles titles and won Olympic gold in doubles in 2000, 2008 and 2012. This year, the sisters beat Andrea Hlavackova and Lucie Hradecka of the Czech Republic 6-4, 6-4 at the London Games.

Compiled from by Thomas McIntyre

COMICS

November 6, 2012

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

EXECUTIVE EDITOR 786-1434 editor@thenorthernlight.org J. Almendarez MANAGING EDITOR Vacant COPY EDITOR copy1@thenorthernlight.org Kierra Hammons NEWS EDITOR news@thenorthernlight.org Keldon Irwin

SUDOKU

FEATURES EDITOR Vacant

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A&E EDITOR 786-1512 arts@thenorthernlight.org Heather Hamilton SPORTS EDITOR 786-1512 sports@thenorthernlight.org Thomas McIntyre PHOTO EDITOR Vacant WEB EDITOR 786-1506 web@thenorthernlight.org Shawna Sweeney LAYOUT EDITOR layout@thenorthernlight.org Nick Foote

HOROSCOPE The coming week is likely to result in some confusion regarding duties and responsibilities, especially where close collaborations are concerned. Many will be reminded of the importance of clear and timely communication, and of the fact that no one interprets information exactly the same way. How, then, do people get on the same page? Though many may rely on long-distance communication aided by technology, the truth is that only face time can really solve the potential problem of hearing and interpreting things correctly.

Those in charge will want to tread lightly whenever a sensitive issue arises -- and when all is said and done, it is best both in the short and the long run to assume everyone is hoping for the best. To suppose that anyone is working against the system isn’t really in anyone’s best interest at this time.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 7) -- You and a friend may not agree on the best way to get something done -- but one of you must prevail if you are to get a strong start. (Dec. 8-Dec. 21) -- Now is no time to be stubborn, especially when it comes to who is at fault in a given situation.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 6) -- You will want to be sure that those in your care are given the best of everything that is needed; don’t compromise on quality.

(Jan. 7-Jan. 19) -- Family members may be concerned about the frequency of your mood swings at this time. You can put them at ease.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 3) -- You are usually looking forward to a particular endeavor at this time each year -- but this year the circumstances have changed. (Feb. 4-Feb. 18) -- You are relying on someone else to step forward and deliver what you need; instead, try taking a more active role yourself.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 5) -- Your hopes are well placed, but there is little you can do yourself to ensure that your team comes out on top.

(March 6-March 20) -- Your direct influence on another will be noticed -- and appreciated -- at all the right times this week.

ARIES (March 21-April 4) -- A group effort is likely to pay off in unexpected ways -- and you’re likely to enjoy gains that you had not originally anticipated. (April 5-April 19) -- It’s a good week to put those old cares behind you; something good is fast approaching, and will be yours very soon.

TAURUS (April 20-May 5) -- You can capture the attention of

someone who has been in your sights for quite a while. Now, the game really begins! (May 6-May 20) -- Focus on those who are willing to put in that extra effort for you; those who are not will only stand in your way.

GEMINI (May 21-June 6) -- You’ll get the lay of the land rather quickly this week, and be able to pull ahead of the competition without doing anything unusual. (June 7-June 20) -- You’ll have the chance to do a little something extra for a friend -- but you mustn’t expect anything in return.

CANCER (June 21-July 7) -- Despite repeated attempts to get updated information, you may find that others are not all that willing to give you what you need. (July 8-July 22) -- You are prone to giving someone what he or she doesn’t really need -- and this week, certain issues may arise as a result.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 7) -- Now is not the time to delve into another’s personal affairs -- but you need one or two details in order to do the right thing. (Aug. 8-Aug. 22) -- You’ll find that those who gravitate toward you at this time are the very ones whose participation you most need -- and will welcome.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept.

7) -- When the time comes for you to step up to the plate, you’ll want to put your own unique strategy into play. Timing is the key to success. (Sept. 8-Sept.

22) -- You may have to rely on someone who is not completely in the loop for the most current information this week.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 7) -- You’re not likely to get the cooperation you need from someone in charge, so you must heed your own instincts at all times. (Oct. 8-Oct. 22) -- The response you receive to your “surprise” efforts may be mixed -- but you know you’re on the right track.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 7) -- Give someone else the reins and you’ll be able to observe just where things go wrong when you’re not in charge. It’s a good lesson! (Nov. 8-Nov. 21) -- A promise comes to you in an unusual form, but you can rely on it nonetheless. Stick to what you know.

ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR Vacant ASSISTANT FEATURES EDITOR features2@thenorthernlight.org Nita Mauigoa ASSISTANT A&E EDITOR Vacant ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR Vacant GRAPHIC DESIGNER graphics2@thenorthernlight.org Casey Kleeb ADVERTISING MANAGER 786-4690 ads@thenorthernlight.org Chelsea Dennis ADVERTISING REPRESENTATIVE Vacant MULTIMEDIA EDITOR multimedia@thenorthernlight.org Vicente Capala STAFF REPORTERS staff@thenorthernlight.org Shannon Burgoon Emily Hodson CONTRIBUTORS Alejandra Buitrago Evan Dodd Jacob Holley-Kline Kate Lindsley MEDIA ADVISER Paola Banchero ADMINISTRATIVE ADVISER Annie Route

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