March 31, 2015 by The Northern Light

MARCH 31, 2015

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UNIVERSITY OF ALASKA ANCHORAGE

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Kendrick Lamar: Futuristic sound, lyrics stuck in past

‘Bare: A pop opera’ is a moving performance

Budget How is UAA improving the Wi-Fi situation? proposal may cut WWAMI By George Hyde

gchyde@thenorthernlight.org

Ask anyone on campus about UAA’s Internet services, responses will range from middling at best ... “It’s honestly hit or miss,” said Connor Budahl, a student at UAA. “Some days, it’s great, but other days, it’s terrible.” … to terrible at worst. “It’s slow as hell,” said Mike Miller, a computer science student at UAA. “During midday, it gets so slow that there is almost no point in using it. UAA should have improved it by now.” These are complaints that aren’t going unheard. Pat Shier,

By Victoria Petersen

vgpetersen@thenorthernlight.org

A new budget proposal by the state’s lawmakers is seeking to cut funding to the WWAMI (Washington, Wyoming, Alaska, Montana and Idaho) Regional Medical Education Program and phase out the program completely by 2020. The renowned medical education program costs the state about $3 million a year. Since 1971 the state of Alaska has been partnered with the University of Washington School of Medicine, offering Alaska students in-state tuition at UW and an opportunity to participate in clerkships in the Pacific Northwest region. WWAMI students at UAA spend 18 months studying at UAA, which is equivalent to their first and second year of medical school. More than 175 Alaskan physicians teach WWAMI students, either in class during their three semesters at UAA, or at one of the 42 active clerkships across the state. UAA WWAMI School of Medical Education Director Jane Shelby is satisfied with the growth WWAMI has made. “The program here at UAA went from 10 to 20 students in 2008. We are currently accepting 20 students. We have enough applicants where I would feel comfortable bringing in 25 or even 30 students,” Shelby said. Despite the program’s longevity in the state, lawmakers are hoping to cut the program and save the state money in times of plunging oil prices and economic downturn. Representative Lynn Gattis, one of the lawmakers behind the budget reform, believes the need for good medical care here in Alaska is a high priority and can be funded by the hospitals rather than the state. “I contacted hospitals and asked where they got their folks from, and they get them from all over. Given a choice, they prefer

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the chief information officer for UAA’s IT Services, has acknowledged that UAA’s Wi-Fi situation could stand to be better. “In my opinion, based on what I hear from users, Wi-Fi at UAA needs improvement,” Shier said. Contrary to popular belief among some students, Internet service on campus has improved markedly in the last few years. But despite the massive amounts of bandwidth UAA purchases monthly, UAA students can still exhaust that allowance. “Our current Wi-Fi infrastructure … is in good condition and is relatively fast, but Internet congestion and lack of strong Wi-Fi in more locations are factors our folks are addressing

right now,” Shier said. “Just two weeks ago, we paid to increase UAA’s Internet bandwidth by another 10 percent, to just over 505 megabits per second, in an effort to relieve some of the congestion that makes the Wi-Fi appear slow.” However, with budget cuts on the minds of students on campus, even improving UAA’s Internet access can seem like a daunting proposition. “With the upcoming budget cuts, I am worried that even if (UAA) did come up with a plan, they would be unable to implement it,” Miller said. “They would have to throttle access to

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GRAPHIC BY JIAN BAUTISTA

ANSEP engages youth in alternative energy activity By John Sallee

jsallee@thenorthernlight.org

The Alaska Native Science and Engineering Program, or ANSEP, hosted an interactive energy activity March 19 that involved 48 students from the Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District. The students were required to test insulation and light bulbs for efficiency and make wind turbines. The wind turbines were then tested in order to demonstrate alternative energy sources. This activity was part of a 12-day program involving the ANSEP Middle School Academy. The program hopes to inspire young Alaska students to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering and math. “I believe some of these kids really are going to be successful,” said Sherri Hart, who is an eighth grade math teacher in the Mat-Su Borough. Some of the 48 students in the group were familiar faces, because some are her current students. “This is just the beginning

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down a long successful career path,” Hart said. She was a chaperone for the event, aiding in any questions the kids had. “I hang out with them and just bond. I love my job,” said Mohamed Niagne, another chaperone at the event. Niagne was able to provide exceptional support for the students, as he is a civil engineer himself. “These kids here are really smart. I see them doing big things,” he said. With only 10 minutes remaining to complete her project, Haylee Hendrick from Houston Middle School had some doubts. “We don’t think it’s going to work, but we’ll try it anyway,” Hendrick said. Her group-mate, Orion Kutney, a sixth grader at Wasilla Middle School, followed up Hendrick’s statement with “never stop making adjustments,” as he fine-tuned parts of their wind turbine. The interactive energy activity ultimately provided young students a time to experience first-hand how alternative energy forms are created.

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PHOTO BY KJERSTI ANDREASSEN

Haylee Hendrik puts the finishing touches on her team’s windmill.

Laughter, excitement and positive energy filled the room as each group began to test their wind turbines. The students collaborated amongst themselves, creating bonds between individuals that had never met before. Hayley had just met Orion at this activ-

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ity and formed a friendship, even though both students said they were nervous as they first entered this 12-day hands-on program. As for career plans, Hendrick wants to become a veterinarian and Kutney wants to become an engineer.

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THENORTHERNLIGHT TUESDAY, MARCH 31, 2015

WWAMI: Alaska program faces uncertainty CONTINUED FROM COVER

WWAMI because they are right across the street and they won’t have to pay relocation fees. The state pays that 50 grand — they don’t have to. But they are a private business and they are going to do what the market bears,” Gattis said. Shelby believes the consequences would be detrimental if the state chooses to cut funds for WWAMI. “Alaskan students will not get an opportunity to go to UW medical school if WWAMI is cut. This is the reality Alaskan students will have to face if the cuts go through. UW medical school gets about 8,000 applications a year; 6,900 of those applications are out of state out students. Of the 6,900 applications, 10 out of state students are selected. Whereas with WWAMI Alaskan students have a guarantee of 20 seats and get to pay in state tuition, which is about 32,000 a year in state,” Shelby said. She also said consequences in the state of Alaska will come at a great cost if the program is cut.

“Right now we have a shortage of primary care physicians. (A) majority of WWAMI students (62 percent of them) graduate in primary care. With our large aging population we will need these primary care physicians,” Shelby said. Gattis noted the importance of primary care physicians and the state’s need for medical care, and she emphasized how the hospitals should pay for the doctors, saving the state money. “We are struggling for primary care physicians. We have hospitals around the state that are hiring from the Lower 48, and they pay relocation packages to these people,” Gattis said. In times of economic struggle, Gattis believes this cut will save the state money while affording the physicians the state needs. The average return rate of Alaska students graduating from WWAMI is about 47 percent — this increases to nearly 84 percent when the figure includes non-Alaskan graduates participating in the state. The state proposal is still in its infancy and the funding will be continued through the next year.

WI-FI: Budget cuts limit UAA Internet speed CONTINUED FROM COVER specific sites or users if they went over a certain usage, for example.” According to Shier, the throttling idea is an option on the table. “Even though most of our Wi-Fi network is capable of speeds far faster than most portable devices can achieve, if many of those users are streaming data-intensive content — like video — from the Internet, it will seem as if the network is slow when the true bottleneck exists elsewhere,” Shier said. “The University Technology Council recently considered a recommendation to reduce the amount of Internet bandwidth available to certain kinds of traffic at certain times of day. For

example, limiting the amount of Internet bandwidth used for Netflix streaming movies during class times or blocking some BitTorrent video and music sharing traffic.” Many elements factor into solving the issue, and a lot of money. The aforementioned 10 percent bandwidth increase will cost UAA $2,000 a month. The university is throwing tons of money and ideas at solving the problem. In particular, student housing director David Weaver has been taking the initiative to improve Internet access for students living at the university. Despite efforts, it will take both time and money to improve Internet access for students — and in today’s landscape, that may or may not be enough for some.

Land of the Dead: A UAA DEPARTMENT OF THEATRE & DANCE MAINSTAGE PRODUCTION

William Shakespeare’s

A True and Accurate Account of the 1599 Zombie Plague

April 10 - 26, 2015 Friday/Saturday at 8pm Sunday at 3pm

Tickets at UAATix.com

by John Heimbuch

“William Shakespeare’s Land of the Dead” is presented by special arrangement with SAMUEL FRENCH, INC. Original Art by Sarah Snyder UAA is an EEO/AA employer and educational institution

A WALDEN UNIVERSITY

DOCTORAL STUDENT

IS CONDUCTING A RESEARCH STUDY COLLECTING OPINIONS

on health and appearance among Alaska Native and white adults.

To qualify for this study you must be white or Alaska Native, aged 18-30.

The study will be a 15-30 minute Internet survey. To take part, go to:

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THENORTHERNLIGHT TUESDAY, MARCH 31, 2015

Film excellence: By the fans, for the fans SEAWOLF

SLUG

In the year 2013, an alien brain slug from one of the galaxy’s most feared empires crash-landed on Earth and assumed control of a lowly reporter at this newspaper. GRAPHIC BY JIAN BAUTISTA

These are his stories.

By Klax Zlubzecon

Translated by George Hyde

Picking the best film of 2015 at this point is probably way on the side of easy. It’s post-Oscar season, but the summer blockbuster season is still ahead of us, so for major movie studios, this is the time of year to dump movies that they know won’t do too well. At best, this time of year might give us a sleeper hit like “Kingsmen: The Secret Service” or “The Lego Movie.” At worst, though, we get comedies starring Kevin Hart and Will Ferrell, or thrillers starring Liam Neeson or Will Smith. But at this point, I do have an early favorite. You can check it out by scanning that QR code down there. Yes, it’s a seven-minute animated short based on “Star Wars.” It’s done in the style of an old school 1980s anime series. There is zero dialogue. And yet, it’s arguably the best “Star Wars” story since “Knights of the Old Republic.” Now, perhaps I’m biased. George and I are huge “Star Wars” fans. George downloaded that “Despecialized Edition” fan edit that basically remasters the original, theatrical cuts in HD, because screw the special editions. And of course, seeing as the animated short is basically a piece of glorified propaganda for the Galactic Empire, I can’t help but admire the quality of its production. This was made by one guy, and yet it’s so much cooler than anything the Slug Empire has conjured up! If Disney’s smart, they’ll get permission from the guy to screen this in front of “The Force Awakens” later this year. It’s that good. And this film isn’t alone. The next best film so far is “POWER/RANGERS,” another short fan film on You-

Tube that gives “Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers” the gritty reboot treatment. It was another small, independent production, and yet, if you had told me that it was a trailer for a new “Power Rangers” movie later this year, I would have totally believed you, because the special effects are as top-notch as top-notch gets for summer blockbusters. And that’s not to mention the big-name stars backing the project up, or the exaggerated, cheesy nature of the whole thing. Fans did that! These were average Joes that decided to take up the cameras, learn Blender and After Effects, and make something awesome. And while the 2015 film lineup has failed to impress so far, the “Star Wars” animated short has managed to wrangle up over 2 million views on YouTube, and “POWER/RANGERS” has wrangled up 14 million. 14 million views! That’s almost three times as many tickets as the film version of “Insurgent’! One way to theorize the popularity of the two shorts is storytelling quality. Both shorts tell concise stories. Well, except for “POWER/RANGERS,” which assumes the viewer has some experience with the old TV show. And having a lackluster story didn’t keep James Cameron’s “Avatar” from bringing home big bucks. So maybe it’s something else. Marketing, maybe? Wait, no. The “Star Wars” short had pretty much zero advertising except for word of mouth. The same is the case for “POWER/RANGERS.” Wait! That’s it! Word of mouth! In today’s viral marketplace, it’s word of mouth that makes or breaks a movie. Or anything, for that matter.

The reason “Grand Theft Auto IV” continues to sell well on Steam almost seven years after its debut is because people see crazy mods on YouTube and want to try them out. And going back to what I said in an earlier column about the Streisand Effect, the owners of the “Power Rangers” franchise have been trying to shut down the fan film for a while now. So I guess that just adds more views, right? This is a phenomenon that humans have yet to cope with. For the longest time, the only way to get your product out there was with traditional advertising techniques, and only a few works would end up becoming sleeper hits or cult classics. But now, all a work has to do is gain enough attention on Twitter or Facebook, and bam! Popularity just keeps coming in, like a circular motion machine of pop culture. To be fair, though, that’s not all a work has to do. In order to catch on in the first place, it has to have something that turns heads; be it the painstakingly rotoscoped animation of the “Star Wars” short, or the crazy CGI effects of “POWER/RANGERS.” Traditional media is struggling to keep up, while YouTube continues to pump out hit after hit. It’s an era where anyone can be a star, and we’re still just getting used to it. It’s definitely something to keep in mind for the Slug propaganda machine. I mean, what could be more viral than an alien invasion? People will totally dig it.

RESISTANCE IS FUTILE. EMBRACE

THE

SEAWOLF

SLUG.

4 years of campus housing: A fond(ish) farewell A well-meaning column rife with clunky metaphors and horrible advice, Orange Rhymes With is the go-to place to break the monotony of classes and laugh at someone else’s misfortune.

By Evan Dodd Contributor

As I near the end of my stay at our high-class campus housing, I feel the need to reminisce on my time here. Maybe its nostalgia, maybe it’s a complete lack of anything recent to write about this week, or perhaps some part of me just wants to get everything in writing in the event of a class action lawsuit. Either way, as I begin the packing process for the final time (deciding to finally trash my secondhand shag carpet rugs and pineapple lamps in the process) I can’t help but think back to everything I’ve seen as a resident of campus housing. Due to mismatched schedules, conflicting budgets and preferences and the fact that some of my friends seem to think the only relevant criteria when renting a property is checking to see if it has four walls and Internet; I’ve been unable to live off-campus during my time at UAA. I began in North Hall, which was nice, well main-

tained and relatively uneventful. Well, if I close my eyes and try to block out memories of my two muscle-bound roommates lobbing punches at each other and any solid objects in the immediate vicinity, then it seems uneventful. Coming home to a sea of empty Natural Ice beer cans (which the roommate in question claimed had been hurled by the “Natty-pult”) and a hole in my wall one day before move-out was probably a low of the year. Needless to say I quickly learned to consider my housing deposit as some tribute to an unknown god, never to be seen again. I do, however, have fond memories of cranking all the showers and sinks to maximum heat to turn the room into a sauna and serving some variation of tropical shave ice while we blasted reggae to try and hold off the crushing darkness of December. For my sophomore and junior years, the Main Apartment Complex remained a fixture in my life that I’ll always remember no matter how much therapy I attend. In my first semester I moved upwards of five times due to mold, shrew infestations, reoccurring flooding and a roommate who made the questionable decision to allow a homeless man to sleep on our floor. I have fond memories of gazing out the window as campus police were called in to tame a raucously drunk hockey party for the third time that month in the apartment across the way. While I certainly appreciated the opportunity to use the window as a convenient entrance on nights that I misplaced my key card in a less than sober state, the benefit was null compared to the nightly fire alarm caused by residents who didn’t seem to understand that smoke detectors also react to incense, bongs and 3 a.m. burned popcorn. By the time I had left the MAC I had developed an unsettling numbness to fire alarms that may very well be the death of me.

When I finally moved into a Templewood apartment my senior year, it was as if I had achieved nirvana and ascended to a new form of life. Never mind that the shower didn’t drain, the toilet didn’t flush and the heat was malfunctioning at best — I had a garage and a fireplace. Within a few hours’ time I was able to extract two feet of hair from the drain, fix the toilet with zip ties and duct tape and start a fire large enough to warm the space until the heat decided to cooperate. With the exception of having to teach my roommate how to wash his clothes and dishes as well as cook, the rest of my stay ran smoothly. By the end of it all, I roomed with friends, resident advisers, foreign exchange students and a disproportionately high number of alcoholics. I was complicit in multiple plans to create Nerf forts out of decrepit furniture, a scheme to bake three cans of chili and a bag of Fritos into a “casserole” and participated in a therapy session conducted by our favorite RA who made us an “anger orange” — essentially a citrus with a crudely drawn face that was to be passed around the room as we shared our grievances. I once watched a man use a bungee to snowboard off the top of a parking garage and nab a sketchy back flip on the way down without missing a beat. So as I begin packing I realize that while I wouldn’t wish four years of crumbling infrastructure, mayhem and low living standards on anyone, I also wouldn’t trade my experiences for anything. Campus housing may have been a struggle at times, and it almost certainly took years off my life, but at the end of the day all our lives really come down to the stories we tell. And when you measure life by the stories, then I’m convinced I’ve lived an eternity in these past four years. So here’s to my few remaining weeks before I’m on to the next big adventure.

AE &

THENORTHERNLIGHT TUESDAY, MARCH 31, 2015

ALBUM REVIEW

Lamar’s Afrofuturistic noir is shackled by past politics

By Kierra Hammons

content@thenorthernlight.org

Last September, Kendrick Lamar dropped the single “i,” which spread rapidly in the black community as a longawaited positive representation of their life and culture. Black excellence, black positivity and black love all converged on one track accompanied by an equally celebratory music video. So when the full album, “To Pimp a Butterfly,” dropped six months later, the conscious culture of “i” served as a lens through which the album could be understood. But to take “To Pimp a Butterfly” as mere celebration is to shallowly interpret the lyrical content of the album. There are many things Lamar does right here, but his attempt at conscious rap falls flat. The album starts out with a track co-produced by hip-hop electronic artist Flying Lotus, whose futuristic sounds are best known from bumper music between Adult Swim programs. This futurism combines with a pastiche of mid-20th century jazz and the soulful funk developed in the late ‘60s to create a map of where black artistry has been and where it is going. The album is an emblem of Afrofuturism’s potential — black people are moving forward, and this is where they are going. Overall, the sound production is excellent. The old and new balance each other in interesting ways. Only the second track, “For Free?”, betrays the seamlessness of the combination, as its swanky lounge styling teeters on caricature. Lamar uses his iconic and individual voice to assume several personalities throughout the album. His sounds transform between that of an otherworldly being, a funky band leader with Thundercat and an aggressive messenger on “The Blacker the ARTIST Kendrick Lamar ALBUM “To Pimp a Butterfly” GENRE Hip-hop, rap

Berry.” In the same vein of American author James Baldwin, Lamar transparently expresses the complexities and causes of black anger in the United States, especially on the anthemic “Blacker the Berry.” Yet, in this song — and on the album as a whole — there is a mixed message swinging between the apologetic amelioration of blackness and the respectability politics of whiteness. “Complexion (A Zulu Love)” criticizes the prevalence of colorism in the black community by proclaiming “complexion / complexion don’t mean a thing.” Then in “The Blacker the Berry,” complexion means everything: “I’m African-American, I’m African / … Came from the bottom of mankind/ … / You hate me don’t you? / You hate my people, your plan is to terminate my culture/ … I want you to recognize that I’m a proud monkey.” Lamar unrelentingly proclaims his background and culture, asserting the positivity found within it. Yet, the track ends with the bold proclamation of hypocrisy within those who mourned Trayvon Martin’s death while also participating in gang violence. This theme continues through the end of the album with a sermon-like inclusion of Tupac Shakur’s denunciation of gang violence as well. The question remains, though: In light of the problem of gang violence, is it at all related to police brutality? Is the connection between acting respectable and deserving respect as strong as Lamar suggests? Overall, it seems his call to goodness, while rooted in good intention, is just another permutation of the respectability politics whites enforce upon African-Americans — thus diluting any amelioration he had attempted within the same breath. LABEL Top Dawg, Aftermath, Interscope RELEASE March 16, 2015

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THENORTHERNLIGHT TUESDAY, MARCH 31, 2015

Author speaks on interplay of music, culture By Nolin Ainsworth

sports@thenorthernlight.org Near the end of Jeff Chang’s lecture, “Who We Be: The Colorization of America,” he opened the auditorium up to questions. Several seconds went by with no response. “Well, let’s go sign books,” said Chang, trying to relieve everyone of the awkward silence. It spurred something different though, as one audience member after another asked questions and shared their thoughts with the contemporary arts and hip-hop aficionado. TNL sat down with Chang before the author’s to talk about his background and insights into hip-hop culture. TNL: How long have you been passionate about hip-hop? “I heard ‘Rappers Delight’ when I was 12 and got into it back then. When I found out there was whole culture to it — there was like a whole music thing, there was whole visual art to it, there was a whole dance to it, there was a swagger — I was all about it. When you tell people you’re an author and you write about hip-hop, do you find people have a lot of misconceptions about hip-hop culture? “Yeah, I think so. I try to

tell folks it is not just what they see commercially — that it is a youth culture, that it is a worldwide global culture and that it is local. And the stuff that I am really interested in is what people are doing with hip-hop at the local levels. ... One of the things we are doing at Stanford is ... researching how folks are using hip-hop in education, in high schools, after school programs, for middle school kids. ... It gives students voice you know to talk about the kind of issues they are facing. That is the kind of thing hip-hop has always done, and in that regard, we are just continuing to do the work hip-hop kind of inspired us to do all those years ago.”

So did you have much of a sociological background? “I studied economics in college, which was kind of a waste of time. I’m just sort of a lifelong learner, man. I got a masters degree in Asian-American studies in graduate school and I write history. ... I’ve been interested in the ways that folks who are creating art bust open all kinds of new possibilities for us in terms of how society can be organized. ... These pieces of art aren’t just the kind of stuff that are about escapism or fun or joy — they should be about a lot of those things, they can be about a lot of those things, they can be about darker emotions as well. But at certain points in time...

they become catalysts for people to be able to build new structures of thinking about society, of governing themselves, of offering alternatives to the current political system.”

(Hip-hop critic) Rembert Brown said sometimes hiphop ... is a form of communication ... that’s very unfiltered and raw ... that’s why it gets issues out there that people don’t talk about ... “Chuck D called hip-hop the ‘Black CNN’ famously; he called it that back in the early ‘80s. For him, he was thinking rap being an alternative news network for folks, ways to find out what was really happening in ‘Young Black America.’ ... Motown used to call itself the ‘sound of young America,’ and so I think what Chuck was doing was saying, ‘Yeah, it’s also the news network of young black America in the 80’s.’ ... Back then you wouldn’t necessarily go to CNN to find out what was happening if you lived in New York City (or) in Oakland; or if you lived in Oakland, what was happening in Houston; or if you lived in Houston what was happening in Miami. But you could do that just by passing around mixtapes, people would be telling their stories. So in that way it was kind of an alternative news network. ... It’s less about the particularity about the news but more the visceral feeling of

PHOTO BY NOLIN AINSWORTH

the news. Do you have some favorite artists that you want to throw out? “I’m really loving the new Kendrick album, really loving the D’Angelo record. Musical-

ly, I’m a huge fan of what they are doing in (Los Angeles), like the whole kind of Flying Lotus and Thundercat, Erykah Badu, ‘Low End Theory’ — everything that comes of there I want to hear.”

GAME REVIEW

‘Zak McKracken’ hasn’t aged too well By George Hyde

gchyde@thenorthernlight.org

As most people know, LucasArts was a legendary video game developer before their sights turned primarily to the “Star Wars” license. They went under when Disney acquired LucasFilm, but thanks to the great folks at GOG.com, their old back catalog is available for purchase and download. And one of their most famous games, “Zak McKracken and the Alien Mindbenders,” was recently made available. So after decades of unavailability, is this old classic worth playing again? The answer is a heavy, “Eh... maybe, I guess?” It’s a hilarious game, to be sure, and the main character is a journalist, which earns him extra points in my book. The premise is one of the funniest in any game: aliens have come to Earth with a machine that will make the human race even stupider than the aliens are. When tabloid writer Zak McKracken stumbles across this intelligence-reducing conspiracy, it’s up to him and his kleptomaniac tendencies to put a stop to the aliens’ evil plot. And I use the word “kleptomaniac” very seriously here. The game is a classic point-and-click adventure in the oldest sense, meaning that the gameplay consists of picking objects up and using them with other objects, or people, or in certain spots, et cetera. When I reviewed “Grim Fandango Remastered” a few weeks ago, one of the minor complaints was that the game’s

point-and-click puzzles were quite obtuse. That problem increases tenfold in “Zak McKracken” to the point where an online walkthrough is absolutely necessary. The recent re-release does come with a PDF file full of hints, but with a guide in hand, the game’s length shortens considerably, and players will miss out on the many hilarious characters and dialogue. And while many purists out there enjoy the challenge, it will make the game infuriating for newer players to the genre who aren’t entirely used to thinking outside the box, as LucasArts was fond of making players do back in the day. For example, there’s a puzzle early on where the solution – spoiler alert, skip to the next paragraph if you don’t want to read it – is to take a butter knife, peel back a rug, try to pry the floorboards underneath it open with the butter knife, fail, and then sell the bent knife to a pawn shop as a modern art masterpiece. It’s a hilarious solution, but nobody can think to do that on their own. It’s a shame that “Zak McKracken” hasn’t aged all that well, because it’s an incredibly funny game when progress is made. But adventure games have evolved to the point where the simplified puzzles of games like “The Walking Dead” can make the experience very meaningful without being obtuse, and “Zak McKracken” just comes from a different time. If you can put up with that, though, it’s a great laugh.

TITLE “Zak McKracken and the Alien Mindbenders” DEVELOPER LucasArts PLATFORMS PC, Mac, Linux

GENRE Point-and-click adventure

RELEASE DATE January 1, 1988 (Original), March 19, 2015 (Re-release)

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THENORTHERNLIGHT TUESDAY, MARCH 31, 2015

‘Angel’s Melancholy’ is artsy torture trash By Jacob Holley-Kline Contributor

“Angel’s Melancholy” is the artsy torture trash your parents warned you about. There’s a right way to make hardcore horror, and this movie is a crash course in exactly how not to do it. Save for a dense atmosphere and some pretty shots, “Angel’s Melancholy” is garbage of the highest degree. There’s no story in it, either. Two morally bankrupt layabouts, Brauth (Zenza Raggi, “Scent of Pleasure”) and Katze (Frank Oliver), invite some people to their cabin, wherein they philosophize in between doing horrible things to each other. If there was anything beyond that — which there isn’t — this reviewer would be more than happy to bring it up. In fact, some kind of context would be a relief, but this is not a movie prone to relief. It’s an endurance test in the way sticking your face into a fire is an endurance test: It will hurt all the time, so it’s just a matter

SCULPTING IVORY Visit with Alaska Native artists as they work with this traditional material 1 to 3 p.m. April 2-3

of how much you enjoy the pain. So imagine sticking your face into a fire and keeping it there for three hours. That is, more or less, the experience of watching “Angel’s Melancholy.” There’s no sense of continuity or purpose, no characters or plot, no interest and no connection. Does it matter that one character has a colostomy bag? Sure. If only because they’re going to suffer pain and humiliation because of it. The movie is infused with a pretentious spirit, all grounded in an uncomfortably sexual fascination with death and dying. Director Marian Dora doesn’t simply observe the indignities, he shoves the viewer inside of them, forcing them to revel in remarkably boring violence. It’s nihilist to a fault. As a result, the movie comes off as weirdly personal: a manifesto? Memoir? Thesis? Any one option would be just as troubling as the next. Whatever it is, it sucks. What’s clear is that the movie is aiming for some sort of cosmic depth. Questions like what it means to be a person, what is the

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nature of desire, and what purpose does faith serve pervade “Angel’s Melancholy,” but if the answers are as uninteresting as this movie makes them out to be, then maybe life really is just a boring and unendurable mess. There are redeeming qualities, however. The cinematography is decent and the atmosphere is all grime and dirt, but in the end it doesn’t matter. To list all the movie does wrong would take volumes, so this reviewer will just say this: Stay away, stay far away. TITLE “Angel’s Melancholy” DIRECTOR Marian Dora RELEASE DATE May 1, 2009 GENRE Horror COUNTRY Germany

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A&E

THENORTHERNLIGHT TUESDAY, MARCH 31, 2015

‘Bare’: A Pop Opera provides moving performance

Student Micah Sauvageau blows audience away in UAA Theatre on the Rocks production By Samantha Davenport arts2@thenorthernlight.org

Last weekend, the UAA Fine Arts Building showcased “Bare: A Pop Opera.” The story encircles the lives of Peter and Jason, two gay roommates and their secret at a Catholic boarding school. I walked into Room 150 to watch a play. I walked out pondering my selfworth, if God is really listening, and the fear of not being able to showcase your true colors. UAA theater major Micah Sauvageau takes the role of Peter in his hand and molds it into an insecure yet overly confident 17-year-old boy. One of his songs, “Role of a Lifetime” made me feel for his character. I wanted to get on stage and hug him. Peter is in love with Jason as they hide their affections from their peers. Jason is the popular stud, constantly being the center of attention at St. Cecelia’s Boarding School. It’s a classic love triangle — or square. Peter is in love with Jason and Jason is in love with Peter. Ivy is in love with Jason, and Matt is in love with Ivy. Peter eventually convinces Jason

to be a part of the school’s rendition of Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet.” Jason gets cast as Romeo, while Juliet is played by Ivy, a girl who reveals a significant amount of skin. Trenton Schneiders portays Jason and does it beautifully. His character is lovable until he stabs Peter in the back in a devastating plot twist. Even after that, the audience still roots for him. Ivy is played by Lailani Cook, who knows a thing or two about music, being the president and musical director of the UAA Glee Club. Her sultry teen character becomes pregnant with Jason’s baby after a drunken encounter. Her solo, “All Grown Up” displays emotions that couldn’t be told through spoken lines. Every actor made their talent known by singing along to a simple guitar track. Ben Erickson portrayed Matt, a regular boy chasing after Ivy. Erickson came onto the cast a mere two weeks ago. His voice, his talent, and stage presence made it hard to comprehend that his time with Bare wasn’t longer. Eventually, not every story has a happy ending. Peter finds out about Jason hooking up with Ivy, and the fact that she’s pregnant with his baby. There is a big fight, where Matt spills to everyone

that Jason is gay. Of course, the show must go on. In Romeo and Juliet, Jason takes some sort of drug where he’s high as a kite. Jason spasms on stage and dies, leaving Peter alone and Ivy fatherless. The show ends at graduation, throwing their caps in the air. Even after tragedy, life goes on. This production had incredible music and even more incredible actors. Everyone in this show depicted an amazing character, regardless of skin color or sexuality. This play is another reminder that it shouldn’t matter who you love, as long as you love them wholeheartedly.

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08 A&E

THENORTHERNLIGHT TUESDAY, MARCH 31, 2015

TEDx Anchorage packs full house in Loussac Library By Samantha Davenport arts@thenorthernlight.org

Last Saturday afternoon, people were lined out the door waiting to see TEDx Anchorage 2015 at the Z. J. Loussac Library. This day-long event’s goal was spreading the knowledge of energizing Alaska. Whether it is through industrialism, power, or personal stories, many strong speakers depicted their knowledge to a full audience. Former TNL staffer Anchorage Chamber of Commerce member Cory Hester spoke about successful Geotourism in Alaska. Hester discussed how this international trend has transformed Alaska’s tourism industry with his speech, “Alaska Geotourism, What the Traveler Wants.” “There are three main components of geotourism. Ecotourism is primarily focused on the protecting and enhancing the environment. Cultural tourism is based on educating the visitors and the travelers. Adventure tourism has a component of environmental aspects of ecotourism, but it also involves some sort of physical activity. Here in Alaska, in 2011, 17 percent of all tourists that came into Alaska participated in cultural tourism throughout the state. In 2014, that number

jumped up to 22 percent. Now, for adventure tourism, we can look a little broader into the international candidates. In 2010, adventure tourism industry was about 89 billion dollars. That’s a lot! Three years later, that jumped up to 263 billion dollars,” Hester said. Besides live presentations, there were several videos from past TED Talks displayed for the audience. Shawn Achor’s comical “Happy Secret for Better Work,” Amy Cuddy’s depiction of “Your Body Language Shapes Who You Are,” Suheir Hammad’s “Poems of War, Peace, Women, Power,” Jamil Jivani’s “How Racial Profiling Hurts Everyone, Including the Police,” and Susan Cain’s “The Power Of Introverts” can all be found on TED’s YouTube channel. Shawn Achor’s video opened up the show and set an intellectual vibe for the rest of the speakers. “What we are finding is it’s not necessarily the reality that shapes us, but the lens in which your brain views the world that shapes your reality. If we can change the lens, not only can we change your happiness, we can change every single educational business outcome at the same time,” he said in the talk. Robyn Hautala Pieper, employee at Infinity Rehab, opened up about her story and the challenges she faces on a daily

basis. “We are the voice of the child who does not yet have one. We are future builders. When planning on moving to Alaska, I never imagined the diversity of the children in my cases. There are 90 languages spoken within the Anchorage School District. Mountain View neighborhood, as of the 2010 census, was listed the most diverse neighborhood in the entire United States. There are 45 percent of homes in the Mountain View neighborhood that do not have English as their first language. There is a different language spoken within their rooms. What does this mean for me and the other 43 individuals that work with me? It means that no home visit goes without surprise, it means that we never quite know what to expect, and it always provides its own unique joys and challenges,” Hautala said. In the upcoming months, several of the speakers’ lectures will be uploaded to YouTube. Interested TEDx Anchorage volunteers can contact board member Aileen Cole at 7500470 or aebcole@gmail.com for more information.

Voice of Planned Parenthood hosts discussion panel on gender equality

By Jocelyn Stanley arts2@thenorthernlight.org

Last Thursday the Voices of Planned Parenthood Club at UAA, also known as VOX, hosted a panel discussion titled “Feminism: What Does It Mean In Alaska?” The main topics covered gender equality issues, the LGBT community, domestic violence and sexual assault. The event started with an online questionnaire, wherein the audience not only answered questions, but also voted on questions to be discussed. There was one moderator, Amie Stanley — the assistant coach to the UAA Debate Program and five panelists. Chelsea Morrison-Heath was one of the five. Morrison-Heath works for Stand Together Against Rape, or STAR. She is a community educator and Green Dot Trainer, and she recently became a youth mental health first aid instructor. Another member of the panel was Billy Farrell, a youth engagement specialist at Identity. Identity is a local non-profit with a mission to “advance Alaska’s LGBT community through advocacy, education and connectivity,”. Valeria Clark, another member of the panel, oversees a variety of programs at YWCA. YWCA focuses on eliminating racism and empowering feminism.

The fourth member of the panel, Lacy Moran, works for Planned Parenthood. The last member of the panel, Stephanie Whaley, is one of the Title IX investigators at UAA. Three VOX members ran the event: president Zhenia Peterson, campus organizer Lena Illig and field organizer Keni Linden. Together, the group had a few definitions of feminism and lots of insight to answer some of the initial questions. Peterson said the questions included, queries regarding how to become better informed about related and local services and “How can we as a community help empower both men and women in Alaska?” Overall the panelists said feminism is about equality across life spans, gender, race, age, sexuality and other facets of social positioning. Equality across all identities was the underlying theme of the panelists’ responses. Clark said that feminism can mean different things to everyone. Historically feminism has been more specific to women’s rights, but this group of panelists demoonstrated that feminism can be much more inclusive. Whaley said we should be asking “not what is feminism, but what do we want feminism to be?” When it comes to answers, education and communication appear to be the best

solutions. Educating and communicating are preventative actions. These two things can create opportunity for “options” as Whaley put it. Education can open closed minds on topics that are too often pushed under the table. “Until our representatives take it (sexual assault) seriously, it’s probably not going to get better,” said Clark. Educating voters and representatives on the importance, severity, and the atrocity of sexual assault could very much help the fight against it. Farrell asked, “Why don’t we have a clear idea of what consent is?” Education cannot only help prevent sexual assault, but can also help prevent STIs. Moran said Alaska is “No. 1 for Chlamydia rates” and “we just aren’t having these conversations on STIs.” Many don’t realize that around 50 percent of the time there are not symptoms. Education can even help resolve bullying and the victim’s response to bullying. Farrell tells some of the kids he works with that some of “the terrible things being said to them are often not out of hate, but of ignorance.” Communicating with peers and being aware of some of our programmed defaults were two of the most suggested solutions from the panel on how to fight the fight every day.

Out North Art House reopens with Walking Shadows debut play By Jocelyn Stanley arts2@thenorthernlight.org

“Perfect Arrangement,” written by Topher Payne and produced by the newly formed Walking Shadows Theatre Company, is playing at the recently re-opened Out North Contemporary Art House. The show opened on March 19 as the debut production of Out North’s reopening and Walking Shadows’ Company. “Perfect Arrangement” will play each Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 7 p.m. until April 4. The show focuses on two couples in the early 1950s, the setting being their living room. The play provides an intriguing perspective to the “Lavender Scare” that occurred under President Eisenhower. This was otherwise known as a witch-hunt for homosexuals and other perceived threats to the security of the United States Government. “It’s a piece that’s immediately relevant to LGBT social issues,” said Colby Bleicher, production director and a current student of UAA. According to Krista Schwarting, who plays the character Norma, Out North began as a “socially inclusive” company “with projects that had something to say.” In that regard, Walking Shadows and Out North may very well be a perfect match. “We wanted to do a different type of theatre. We wanted to do something that was socially relevant, a little more challenging. ... We found ‘Perfect Arrangement’ kind of by chance,” said Walking Shadows founder Shelly Wozniak last Friday. Wozniak and Schwarting are the founders of Walking Shadows, along with Jay Burns. Even though the company had hoped to start with a different show, Bleicher said “Perfect Arrangement” turned out to be “a blessing in disguise. It’s really in tune with the goal and the mission of the original founders of Out North.” Colby Bleicher graduated in 2013 from New York University with a degree in drama an emphasis in directing. She wants to go back to NYU for graduate school in drama therapy. “Before I can apply to grad school I have to take some prerequisite psych classes,” which is what she is currently doing at UAA. Some of the cast members — Daniel Alvarez-Lemp, Karina Becker and Jay Burns — also attended UAA. AlvarezLemp and Becker are alumni. “It’s a young directors dream to be able to work on new theatre that’s socially relevant and provocative like this,” said Bleicher. Bleicher and the crew produced an enrapturing show. After last Friday’s presentation, compliments and high regards filled the air. “I couldn’t have asked for it to turn out any better,” concluded Schwarting. The Walking Shadows Theatre Company is currently deciding its next step and next play. One of its ideas is to work with playwrights and unpublished scripts, like they did with “Perfect Arrangement.”

Tickets to “Perfect Arrangement” can be purchased at http:// outnorth.org

SPORTS

THENORTHERNLIGHT TUESDAY, MARCH 31, 2015

MEET THE SEAWOLF

Meet the Seawolf: Nordic skier Mackenzie Kanady By Nolin Ainsworth

Adam Eberhardt

Under the umbrella of UAA Athletics are eight teams: five that are distinctly men or women’s, and three that are coed. Of the three that are co-ed, two share some of the same athletes (see: distance runners), and one that is self-sufficient. Alas, we’ve arrived at the UAA ski team: 30 young men and women all hailing from a variety of countries in the Northern Hemisphere, from Sweden to Latvia, the United States to Canada. Junior Mackenzie Kanady is one of about a half dozen skiers on the team who are from right here in Anchorage. The junior cross-country skier finished off a strong 2014-15 season - finishing 14 overall in the 5K freestyle in the NCAA Skiing Championships in Lake Placid, NY over spring break. The Northern Light spoke with the Anchorage-native about her upbringing, the lack of snow this winter, and her favorite professor.

fall, you ramp up the endurance and then you are doing more intervals and less hours.”

sports@thenorthernlight.org

TNL: When did you begin skiing? Kanady: “I’ve been skiing my whole life. Ever since I could walk I’ve been skiing. I started competing when I was old enough to compete, so probably maybe around 12 or 13 (years old).” Where did you first begin skiing? “Well, I’m born and raised in Anchorage, so I joined a club called Alaska Winter Stars. And so I trained with them in the summer, and then I raced with them in the winter. I also raced for the schools I went to here in town.” Did you ever think you would rise to the NCAA-level of skiing? “I always kind of thought that if I was fast enough to ski in college, that I would — because then it’s kind of your window of opportunity to help you pay for school as well.” How many hours a day are you training during the season? “It’s not so much during the season that we train — it’s before the season. … You kind of have a plan of how many hours you want to get for the year. So for me, I was on a 550-hour plan and I started training in mid-May. Some people start earlier. ... You want to get a lot of hours in the summer so you have more time, and you have those hours under your belt before you hit the fall. And then (in) the

aeberhardt@thenorthernlight.org

Have you thought about how many hours next year you would like to put in? “Yeah, so I think as you get older, and as you put more and more hours under your belt, you can kind of slowly move up. And there is obviously a point where you shouldn’t train anymore, but I think you have to keep increasing. So I think I’ll probably go for around 600 next year.” Do you ever get sick of being on skis? “(Laughs.) What’s hard isn’t necessarily the training or the ski racing. What’s hard is the traveling, because it’s tiring. Being in Alaska we always have to travel west, so we always have to fly — we usually fly overnight — so you get kind of sick of packing and unpacking your suitcase. And so by the end of your season you’re like, you’re happy about it, but you’re ready for it to be done because it’s been a long year.” What do you do for fun outside of skiing? “(Laughs.) I mean school is a big part of my life. I think being a student athlete you have to study just as much as you train. But I mean, other than that I’m (laughs), I’m a normal person. I like to hang out with friends, go to movies — just relax, not think about skiing, not think about school. You know, just hang out, have fun.” Where do you train during the season? “We do a lot of skiing at Hillside because it’s closer (than Kincaid Park) ... by Hilltop (Ski Area), but occasionally we go out to Kincaid and this year has been tough because of the snow. So we pretty much have been skiing wherever the snow has been treating us nice.” Was the lack of snow an agonizing aspect of this winter? “It wasn’t as bad as you may think because — I mean, you look around and there is no snow. But the groomers have done a great job ... keeping up the little amount of snow we had. There was only one time in November we had to go back to running and roller-skiing, which is kind of depressing (laughs), but we still got our (annual training) camp in over

PHOTO BY ADAM EBERHARDT

Thanksgiving. What it affected was our regional races — those were supposed to be on the Girdwood Trails and out at Kincaid, so those had to get all switched around because holding a race is different than trying to practice.” Favorite class?

“(Laughs.) I’m in a Thermodynamics class right now and I really enjoy it.” Favorite professor? “Professor (Jeff) Hoffman.” Great, thank you! “You’re welcome!”

LOVE fresh air. On Dec. 11, 2014 the University of Alaska Board of Regents passed a comprehensive smoke/tobacco-free policy for all University of Alaska campuses.

Get ready to welcome fresh air.

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OPINION

THENORTHERNLIGHT TUESDAY, MARCH 31, 2015

LETTER TO THE EDITOR Dear Editor, I’ve only recently become “outdoorsy”. While I’ve always loved the scenery and the environment, it has only been the last three years or so that I’ve actually wanted to explore it. Before, I was completely content to simply drive the Seward Highway and look for sheep. Now, with every passing trail I wonder how long it would take to hike and what I would need to pack. My burgeoning interest in the outdoors is largely due to my realization that this state has what so many other states only dream of. Alaskans have the opportunity every day to leave our responsibilities behind us and go wander the trail systems in search of some new amazing place we’ve never seen. While I would be the first to admit that UAA is far from perfect, a huge thing that the school excels at is utilizing the state as a means of education. Most notably, the UAA outdoor recreation program provides many chances for any student to get outside and play. Whether it be ice climbing, sea kayaking or simply an incredible hike, this program is beneficial for the students and relatively easy to run for the administration. This program is self-sustaining as far as the administration is concerned — it is paid for entirely with student fees. Or, rather, it would be if the student vote meant anything. In the last two student body elections, a referendum for reinstating the outdoor recreation program has been proposed. In both elections, the measure passed as per the student voice. And yet, despite both elections, the outdoor recreation program has never seen the light of day. The first time around, it failed on a “technicality.” Being the tenacious students we are, it was proposed again last fall. Again, the ballot to reinstate the outdoor rec program was passed with a large majority. Here we are, months down the road with no indication that this already approved ballot will actually be implemented. Bruce Schultz, who is in charge of signing off on these measures once they leave the ballot boxes, has given no reason for letting this program essentially die on his desk. Seeing as how voting in the student elections apparently gives me little say, I’m using this opinion piece to state that the outdoor recreation program is a vital and useful program that will allow student to truly enjoy this masterpiece of a state. — Taylor Campbell UAA student

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 2,500. The University of Alaska Anchorage provides equal education and employment opportunities for all, regardless of race, color, religion, national origin, age, sex, Vietnam-era or disabled-veteran status, physical or mental disability, changes in marital status, pregnancy or parenthood. The views expressed in the opinion section do not necessarily reflect the views of UAA or the Northern Light.

LETTERS AND CORRECTIONS POLICY Letters to the editor can be submitted to editor@thenorthernlight.org. The maximum length is 250 words. Opinion pieces can be submitted to editor@thenorthernlight.org. The maximum word length is 450 words. Letters and opinion pieces are subject to editing for grammar, accuracy, length and clarity. Requests for corrections can be sent to editor@thenorthernlight.org. Print publication is subject to accuracy and available space. All corrections are posted online with the original story at www.thenorthernlight.org. The Northern Light newsroom is located on the first floor of the Student Union, directly next to Subway.

THE NORTHERN LIGHT CONTACTS 3211 Providence Drive Student Union 113 Anchorage, AK 99508 EXECUTIVE EDITOR 786-1434 editor@thenorthernlight.org Kelly Ireland MANAGING EDITOR 786-1313 content@thenorthernlight.org Kierra Hammons

ASSISTANT A&E EDITOR arts2@thenorthernlight.org Jocelyn Stanley SPORTS EDITOR Vacant ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR sports@thenorthernlight.org Nolin Ainsworth PHOTO EDITOR photo@thenorthernlight.org K.J. Andreassen

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STAFF PHOTOGRAPHERS aeberhardt@thenorthernlight.org Adam Eberhardt James R. Evans

STAFF REPORTERS gchyde@thenorthernlight.org George Hyde vgpetersen@thenorthernlight.org Victoria Petersen jsallee@thenorthernlight.org John Sallee

LAYOUT EDITOR layout@thenorthernlight.org Demi Straugn

CONTRIBUTORS Evan Dodd Jacob Holley-Kline MEDIA ADVISER Paola Banchero

ASSISTANT FEATURES EDITOR Vacant

GRAPHIC DESIGNERS jbaldwin@thenorthernlight.org Jay Baldwin jbautista@thenorthernlight.org Jian Bautista

A&E EDITOR arts@thenorthernlight.org Samantha Davenport

WEB EDITOR web@thenorthernlight.org Jaron Saturnino

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COPY EDITOR Vacant NEWS EDITOR Vacant ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR Vacant FEATURES EDITOR Vacant

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