August 8, 2010 by The Northern Light

THENORTHERNLIGHT AUGUST 24, 2010

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UNIVERSITY OF ALASKA ANCHORAGE

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OPINION

Buildings:

Then and now

Editorial:

Student transformation

Ted Stevens mourned across Alaska Courses created

as business with China increases

By Jerzy shedlock The Northern Light

Business interest in China continues to grow in the US, and for good reason. The Dallas Morning News recently reported the second-quarter GDP figures coming from Beijing forecast that China will surpass Japan and becoming the second largest economy in the world by the end of the year. Our everexpanding university has taken notice. UAA’s Confucius Institute (CI) is offering conversational Mandarin Chinese courses this semester. The five courses being offered are Conversational Mandarin Chinese I-III, Mandarin Chinese I for Parent and Kids and Chinese Characters I. The classes start the second week of the Fall Semester on August 30. They cost $180 and are non-credit.

Business is growing

Josh eDge/ aprn

The honor gaurd picks up the casket of former-Senator Ted Stevens as they prepare to move him into the All Saints Episcopal Church before his public viewing on Tuesday, August 17.

“(The classes) are for UAA students, but they are also for the local community, the local business community, people wanting to travel to China or simply those interested in China and Chinese culture,” GuoFeng Fricke, Associate Director of UAA CI, said. China has become an important business partner to Alaska in the past two years. Chinese delegations have been frequently traveling to

See mAndArin PAGe 02

Volleyball Seawolves are out to defend their title Four starters from last year’s GNAC Championship team return and are aiming to lead the university’s title defense By taylor hall The Northern Light

It couldn’t have been much sweeter last year for the Seawolves Volleyball team and Head Coach Chris Green. All they did was rattle off an astounding 13 straight victories, win the school’s first conference title and claim their first NCAA Tournament win as a team.

Green, last year’s GNAC and West Region Coach of the Year, knows that, despite the fantastic season last year, it’s time to close the book on the Cinderella season. “We really have been focusing on this season and working hard during the summer to prepare for it,” Green said, who recently won UAA’s Bill Rose Memorial Award. “It was a nice accomplishment, but put it into

the past and start looking to the future.” However, with the seven returning letterwinners coming back from last season and a crop of new and strong players coming in, a rewrite to last season is not hard to fathom.

targets on their backs It is perhaps the hardest thing to do in any

sport at any level – successfully defending a title by repeating as champions. To do it in the GNAC, the Seawolves will rely on players from last year to help pave the road. Senior middle blocker Cortney Lundberg is the only senior on the team and understands she will be relied on to help bring along some of the new Seawolves. Lundberg is coming off a stellar junior season. One in which she averaged a

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Small changes mean big energy savings at UAA By Brittany Bennett The Northern Light

With the change of light bulb, UAA can reduce its energy consumption by hundreds of thousands of watts per year. The university has been testing new methods of saving energy, including the use of light-emitting diode (LED) bulbs and induction lamps in streetlights. Each of these lighting methods features a 100,000-hour life and is expected to consume up to 65 percent less energy. Facilities and Maintenance began installing LED bulbs in 2008, only placing seven to test the energy efficiency of them as compared to the normal bulbs used. The LED lights are currently only in use in the University Lake Building parking lot, along with 12 other 104-watt lights, versus the standard 300-watt lights used. The use of LED lights on campus has allowed UAA to be named an LED University. The University is graded on the Sustainability Tracking, Assessment and Rating System (STARS) under the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE). For every step taken towards becoming a green campus, UAA receives points towards

STARS. “LED and induction lighting is considered to be new technology,” Paula Williams said, UAA Office of Sustainability director. “Anytime a university takes the step to try a new technology to reduce energy usage, you get points for that. If we can document a reduction in our carbon emissions per square foot, we get points for that as well.” Another sustainable technology that UAA has embraced is photocell technology in outdoor lighting. These energyefficient resistors will determine the amount of voltage light fixtures receive based upon how much light hits the photocells. This allows for the university’s light fixtures to be used less when there is more natural lighting. Regardless of how much natural light is available, campus lights will shut off based upon a timer, with half the lights around campus shutting off at 11 p.m. This will conserve energy when it’s not needed. The lighting inside buildings is also slowly becoming more eco-friendly. The lights overhead are mostly T12 fluorescent bulbs, which can be replaced with T8 bulbs. See enerGY PAGe 06

JerZy sheDlocK/ tnl

This stop sign in the Consortium Library parking lot is fitted with a small solar panel that powers red lights around the edge of the sign. This is one example of many new energy eﬃcient technologies on campus.

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NEWS| August 24, 2010

sTATewiDe BRiefs

Montana, North Dakota, pass Wyoming as deadliest places to work Wyoming no longer is the nation’s deadliest place to work. The dubious distinction now belongs to Montana in workplace fatality figures released Thursday by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The number of workers killed on the job in Montana increased from 40 in 2008 to 50 in 2009. That’s up 25 percent for a rate more than three-and-a-half times the U.S. average. In 2008, Montana ranked fourth for workplace deaths per capita. North Dakota moved up from third to second. Alaska dropped from second to 10th and Wyoming from first to third. The number of people killed on the job in Wyoming declined from 33 in 2008 to 19 in 2009. Many of Wyoming’s workplace deaths occur in the minerals industry, which has slowed down considerably since 2008.

Alaska legislator to face trial over ﬁshing charges A judge has denied the dismissal of charges against a state senator that stemmed from a fishing incident last year on Admiralty Island. State Sen. Albert Kookesh, Rocky Estrada Sr., Stanley Johnson and Scott Hunter are charged with subsistence overfishing on July 12, 2009, while beach seining along the shore of Kanalku Bay. Their net was attached to a boat in the waters of the bay, prosecutors said. They argued that subsistence fishing in Kanalku Bay is protected by federal law under Title VIII of the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act. They also said the water of Kanalku are managed exclusively by the federal government and Kootznoowoo Inc., an Angoon-based Native corporation. Superior Court Judge David George, however, ruled Tuesday the state has jurisdiction to enforce Alaska fish and game laws, even on federal lands, the Juneau Empire reported. The ruling sets the stage for a trial next month in Sitka. A pretrial hearing is set for Sept. 2. Calls by the newspaper to Kookesh’s attorney, Kirsten Swanson, were not immediately returned.

Anchorage Assembly drops liquor ID requirement The Anchorage Assembly voted Tuesday night to remove a requirement that a Brown Jug liquor store check the identifications of all customers. The Anchorage Daily News reports the checks were a condition of a zoning permit for the store at Tikahnu Commons. Other liquor stores in the city were supposed to voluntarily check IDs to avoid selling liquor to people with restricted drivers licenses. The voluntary agreement fell apart this summer.

Parnell signing refuge, ﬁshermen bills Gov. Sean Parnell is signing a land exchange bill to designate certain state land and waters part of the Izembek State Game Refuge. In addition Thursday, he’s

also scheduled to sign a measure allowing for more Alaska fishermen to get loans for fuel-efficiency upgrades for their boats. This would apply to loans through the Commercial Fishing Revolving Loan Fund. The bill signing is scheduled for Anchorage.

Comparable money left in GOP governor’s race It’s a tight money race in the Alaska GOP governor’s race. In campaign disclosures a week before Tuesday’s primary, money on hand for the three highest profile candidates ranged from nearly $27,000 for Bill Walker to more than $21,100 for Gov. Sean Parnell. Ralph Samuels reported having about $25,200 on hand as of the filing deadline. Overall, Walker’s raised the most, about $545,400, though much of that is self-financed. Parnell’s raised more than $472,000 and Samuels, about $330,000. For the Democrats, Ethan Berkowitz reported raising about $262,500 by the deadline and having about $103,400 left. Hollis French reports raising $201,100 and having about $17,700 left.

Alaska stands to beneﬁt from broadband dollars Alaska is set to share in a new round of federal stimulus money for broadband projects around the country. The $1.8 billion funding round includes $7.5 million for McLean, Va.-based Spacenet Inc. to offer satellite broadband to rural residential service subscribers in Alaska and Hawaii. A project description released by the White House says about 12,550 people stand to benefit and claims the project will create jobs and future economic growth. This latest funding round is part of a nearly $7 billion stimulus push aimed at building highspeed infrastructure that the White House says will help bridge the technological divide in communities being “left in the 20th Century economy.”

Anchorage Assembly may restrict insider jobs The Anchorage Assembly is considering a measure that would prohibit city officials from taking a city job within a year after leaving office. The Anchorage Daily News reports the measure sponsored by Elvi Gray-Jackson also would bar former elected officials from getting no-bid city contracts for a year. The assembly postponed action on the measure Tuesday to resolve a legal question about the wording. Gray-Jackson said the fact that former Assembly member Dan Coffey got a noncompetitive city contract shortly after leaving office this spring prompted her to look at city law. But her proposal is not targeted at Coffey, she said. He already has a contract, and the measure would not be retroactive. “My point is I don’t want this to ever happen again,” she said. “To me, it is poor public process to give an elected official a contract without going to a competitive bid.” Coffey served on the Assembly until May. He was given a contract last month for up to $30,000 to complete an ongoing major rewrite of the city zoning code. He sought an opinion from the city Board of Ethics, which cleared the contract. A 4-month-old Juneau girl taken from her home with injuries has died at a Seattle hospital. - compiled by Jerzy shedlock

MANDARIN: Chinese character course among those offered Continued from CoVer

and from the state during this time. For example, just two weeks ago, Alaska Seafood Company invited a handful of chefs from China to discuss business opportunities. “Those Chinese delegations are often sent to UA CI to have a chat with us and see what the market is like here. So, all those business needs are reasons why (the classes) were established,” Fricke said. “We are not just promoting the language, we want to help the businesses here.” If businesses need help with translation or have transactions involving China, CI likes to get involved and help in whatever way they can, according to Fricke.

small talk receiving due credibility Through research, the institute determined that conversational courses were the best option. After examining what universities in the Lower 48 were offering in terms of non-credit courses, CI found that people prefer conversational language courses because of the way the classes are taught. People tend to be interested in learning how to speak a language first, according to Fricke. “During our conversational Mandarin courses we focus on varying skills, but we mainly focus on speaking and listening,” Fricke said. “Reading and writing are still introduced.” The conversational courses are equivalent to a two-credit course, totaling a little more than two hours per week. Dr. Jiying Huang, a professor of Chinese at UAA, and Fricke agree that the priority of the new courses is getting students to master skills for daily use rather than grades. “We are more flexible and specially designed for the needs of the audience. A lot of the students are business oriented,” Fricke said. “We introduce the same textbook that we would to university students, but the teacher introduces cultural things and the focus is on business more than the credit course.” By the end of Conversational Mandarin I, students will be able to use common phrases within their daily lives, such as greetings. They will be able to ask a person’s age, know how to shop and ask directions to a bus station. Fundamental to the first weeks of instruction is teaching correct pronunciation. “(The Chinese language) has four different tones. In English there is only really two. Your tone goes up or down at the end of a sentence,” Visiting Professor Xingzhi Sun said. “For Chinese characters, each character has a tone and, generally speaking, there are four different tones.” Upon completion of the second level conversational course, students will grasp upwards of 50 words. Students will be able to write and recognize the words in addition to speaking them. Extending the foundations taught in the first course is key and conversations about your family, friends and travels abroad should be possible.

Mandarin Chinese I for Parents and Kids is appropriate for children ages five and up. Children must be accompanied by their parents. Learning is taught through games, singing, dancing and other activities.

real life characters In Chinese Characters I students learn about Chinese culture as they are taught the origins and meanings of numerous individual characters. The Chinese writing system is open-ended. The largest of Chinese dictionaries include close to 50,000 characters, but the majority of them are archaic or rare forms. Knowledge of about 3,000 characters enables

‘We are more flexible and specially designed for the needs of the audience. A lot of the students are business oriented. We introduce the same textbook that we would to university students, but the teacher introduces cultural things and the focus is on business more than the credit course.’

-GuoFeng Fricke Associate Director UAA’s Confucius Institute

a person to read 99 percent of the characters used in Chinese newspapers and magazines. To read Classical Chinese writings or technical writings though, a person needs to be familiar with about 6,000 characters. The characters come in two forms: traditional and simplified. “During these courses traditional and simplified are introduced. Traditional characters, you can (decipher) more meaning while the simplified versions are easier to remember,” Fricke said. Writing Chinese is often the most difficult part of learning the language for English-speaking students. There are specific rules and order, so memorized characters begin to build on one another after a certain level of literacy has been reached. The more a student learns, the easier memorization becomes, according to Sun. “Every language you can label as difficult or easy,” Fricke said. “But as long as you really put your heart into it, anyone can be taught Chinese.”

August 24, 2010 | NEWS

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Thousands attend Ted’s funeral By mary pemberton Associated Press Writer

Ted Stevens was remembered for touching many lives during his four decades as a U.S. senator and using his considerable clout to bring change to Alaska: from indoor toilets in rural villages to paving the way for love. Gertrude Bunyan, 73, said Stevens — famous for his ability to steer billions of dollars in federal money to his home state — got the funds to provide inside plumbing to homes in her village of Hooper Bay, which also got a new high school and health clinic. “He really helped the villages,” Bunyan said. “We sure are going to miss him.” Stevens, 86, the nation’s longest-serving Republican senator, was killed last week in a plane crash in Alaska doing something he truly loved: fishing for salmon. Thousands of people attended his funeral Wednesday in Anchorage’s largest church. It marked the end of three days of remembrances that began Monday when several hundred people attended a Catholic Mass in Anchorage. Mourners filed past a closed casket Tuesday as Stevens’ body lay in repose at the Episcopal church. Hank Nosek, 89, attended the funeral to say thank you to Stevens for helping bring a woman he met in China to Alaska after she was denied a visa. He was in Washington, D.C., and walked into Stevens’ office. The senator wrote a letter and she came to America, Nosek said. Stevens was a great guy who didn’t refuse too many people when they asked for help, he said. Vice President Joe Biden, who spoke at Stevens’ funeral, recalled that when he was new to the Senate and had just lost his wife and daughter in a car accident, Stevens walked over and offered his friendship. “His word was his bond,” Biden said. “His personal generosity was surprising in how quickly it was offered.” Biden said he and Stevens supported each other when their first wives were killed in tragic accidents and celebrated the joys that second marriages brought to both.

Throughout it all, Stevens worked hard for Alaska, Biden said. “No state has ever had a more fierce defender of that state’s way of life than Ted Stevens,” the vice president said. Biden’s speech brought laughter to those gathered when he said “significant” amounts of money that belong to his home state of Delaware and other states is now in Alaska. More than 20 current and former senators, foreign representatives and governors — including former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin — also attended the funeral, which was broadcast nationally. Stevens was appointed to the Senate in December 1968 and spent 40 years in office. The late Strom Thurmond was in the Senate longer than Stevens, but he spent a decade there as a Democrat before switching to the GOP. Stevens began his career in public service in the days before Alaska’s statehood in 1959 and did not leave politics until he lost an election in 2008, when he was convicted of corruption charges shortly before Election Day. A federal judge later threw out the verdict because of misconduct by federal prosecutors. U.S. Sen. Daniel Inouye, D-Hawaii, drew thunderous applause at the funeral when he said people knew Stevens wasn’t guilty of corruption. Inouye and Stevens worked together from the time their states were just territories. He said his and Stevens’ relationship epitomized bipartisanship — knowing they had to fight together to make progress — and he also noted the many Democrats in the church. Stevens was killed Aug. 9 north of Dillingham when the plane he was on smashed into a hillside while going to a corporate-owned lodge to a fishing camp. Four people, including ex-NASA chief Sean O’Keefe and his son were among the survivors. The others killed in the crash were pilot Theron Smith, General Communications Inc. executive Dana Tindall and her 16-year-old daughter, Corey Tindall, and William “Bill” Phillips Sr., who had worked with Stevens in Washington. The family hasn’t decided where to bury Stevens.

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Ky. family claims they found dead mouse in milk LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) -- A Kentucky family has sued Wal-Mart, saying they found a dead mouse in a milk container the family had been drinking from for three days. The Courier-Journal reported that Robert and Rosalind Grant and their 23-month-old granddaughter sought medical attention and treatment in May after finding the mouse. The family filed suit in Jefferson Circuit Court on Monday. Wal-Mart spokesman Phillip Keene said the retail giant takes quality and safety seriously and is looking into the complaint, along with the supplier, Ohio-based Superior Dairy Inc. The Louisville paper reported that the child had blood in her stool from drinking the tainted milk. The Grants claim they bought the milk May 1 at Sam’s Club, which is owned by Wal-Mart, and the container had not been tampered with. Attorney William Davis, who represents the family, described his clients as “completely shocked.”

Banana-costumed man has little appeal PORT ANGELES, Wash. (AP) -- A man in a banana costume is accused of exposing himself and brandishing a shotgun while riding around with a bunch of friends in Washington state. The Clallam County sheriff’s office says the 21-year-old was arrested Tuesday evening for investigation of indecent exposure and reckless endangerment. The Peninsula Daily News reports police first received a report of the costumed man exposing himself at a restaurant. Sheriff’s Sgt. Randy Pieper says they also drove through a Port Angeles neighborhood where the man got out brandishing the gun. After his arrest, authorities say, the man couldn’t explain why he was costumed. The other man also was arrested, but an 18-year-old woman in the car was allowed to split. The banana costume was seized as evidence.

Police: Man lived in NJ library for nearly 2 weeks OCEAN TOWNSHIP, N.J. (AP) -- Police said a homeless man lived unnoticed in the basement of a New Jersey library for nearly two weeks. Police said a custodian saw Charles Jones Jr. peeking out a basement window of the Ocean Township library in Monmouth County on Friday night. Neptune police Detective Lt. Steven Peters said Jones told officers he had been living in the building. Police discovered several books in the basement and found the 26-year-old had taken food from the employee break room. Jones was released on a criminal summons. He’s charged with burglary and theft.

Man makes shrimp pizza, trashes restaurant GREENSBORO, N.C. (AP) -- Police in a North Carolina city arrested a man for breaking into a restaurant, but not before the suspect filled his belly. Multiple media outlets reported that 22-yearold Bradley Michael was charged him with breaking and entering, vandalism and larceny.

Greensboro police said the suspect broke through the front door of a Red Lobster restaurant around 7 a.m. Monday. The restaurant manager said Michael destroyed an estimated $30,000 worth of computers, benches and liquor bottles. The manager said Michael also made himself a shrimp pizza and ate some cake. Officers found Michael inside the restaurant. Michael was in the Guilford County Jail Tuesday afternoon on a $50,000 bond. It wasn’t clear whether Michael had an attorney.

Police call ‘Ma’ on dropped cell phone, ID suspect ATHENS, Ga. (AP) -- Thanks a lot, Mom. Police seeking a man accused of breaking into an elementary school said they identified the suspect by calling “Ma” from the contact list of a cell phone he dropped as he ﬂed. A police report said officers responding to an alarm at an elementary school in Athens in northeast Georgia arrived in time Monday to see a man running through the cafeteria and out the back door. Police failed to catch the man, but say he dropped his cell phone as he ran. According to the report, officers picked up the phone, searched the contact list and called a number marked “Ma.” They say a woman who answered gave them her son’s name. The suspect wasn’t immediately identified.

Thieves in Mexico end up with, literally, peanuts MEXICO CITY (AP) -- A bold truck-jacking in Mexico has yielded thieves... peanuts. Federal police say two suspects hijacked a truck containing 17 tons of peanuts at gunpoint on the outskirts of Mexico City. Police say the truck was listing to one side and they decided to pull it over, only to see a struggle taking place in the truck’s cab. The driver said he was forced at gunpoint to lie on ﬂoor of the cab but was able to call for help when police pulled the hijacked truck over on Thursday. A police statement said the two suspects were arrested and ended up empty-handed.

Crocodile tips Australian PM to win elections DARWIN, Australia (AP) -- A crocodile that picked the winner of the soccer World Cup has predicted Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard will be re-elected. The saltwater croc named Dirty Harry made his choice Thursday in his enclosure in the northern city of Darwin when he snatched a chicken carcass dangling beneath a caricature of Gillard. Opposition leader Tony Abbott’s chicken was left hanging. Analysts say Australia’s elections Saturday could be the closest contest since 1961 when a single seat decided who governed. The crocodile used a similar technique to correctly predict that Spain would defeat the Netherlands in the World Cup last month. He joined an octopus named Paul in Germany, said to have correctly picked the winner for the final plus seven other games.

- compiled by Jerzy shedlock

SPORTS

VOLLEYBALL: team prepares for another season Continued from CoVer

league high 1.14 blocks per set. She also got it done on the offensive side by recording 2.54 kills per set average to go along with her .298 attack percentage, which led to her rank as number one in the UAA history books. Lundberg landed a spot on last year’s AVCA All-West Region Second Team as well as Second Team All-GNAC for her efforts. Also returning are the likes of junior outside hitter McKenzie Moss, sophomore defensive specialist Nikkie Viotto and junior Jackie Matthisen. All three were starters last year and look to be locks as team leaders, both on and off the court. “Those three are doing a good job, some are leading quietly while some are leading vocally. It’s something we will need,” Green said. Moss, who is a local product out of Bartlett High School, put up big numbers on both sides of the ball. Her 3.16 kills per set ranked her second on the team. On defense, her 2.67 digs per set were also second on the team. Viotto looks to be one of the top candidates to take over the Libero role on the team and lead the defenses of the ‘Wolves. She averaged 1.56 digs per set and played in every single set last season for UAA as a freshman. Matthisen will be called upon to continue her brilliance on the outside attack. Her 4.63 kills per set average ranked her second in the GNAC and helped her to Second Team All-GNAC as well as AVCA All-West Region Second Team. All four returning starters will be relied on heavily to produce both offensively and defensively.

gone but not forgotten The season will open without the likes of three faces that played critical roles in last years storybook season. Setter Calli Scott will be the biggest void left. Her stellar season gained her GNAC Player Of The Year as well a First Team All-West Region Selection and Honorable Mention All-American honors. Her 10.64 assists per set topped the GNAC and helped the ‘Wolves to a .222 team hitting percentage, also tops in the league. “Calli ran our offense for the past two years so she really left some big shoes to fill,” Green said. Scott also was also named the Seawolf Athlete of the Year for the 2009-10 athletic season. Libero Stacie Meisner also has departed, taking her 4.54 digs per set and .36 aces per set with her. Green

referred to Meisner as the foundation of the team’s defense. The numbers would suggest the same, as Meisner averaged 4.54 digs per set and had 11 matches in which she recorded 20 or more digs. Middle Blocker Ashley Bates will leave a hole to fill on the front line. She finished fifth in the GNAC in blocks per set (0.96) and was instrumental in perhaps the most memorable game from last season. Her career high seven blocks came at the best time tnl archIVes possible when she The Seawolves pump themselves up before their three sets to one victory over Western Washington University on helped the green and October 24, 2009. gold to their first ever to her name. In 2008, Ogden turned some heads by leading NCAA tournament win over Hawaii-Hilo. the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference with a “Ashley was a great leader for us on the court and 10.39 assists per set average. Her 6’1” frame may give her brought a huge block,” Green said. the benefit of more length and height than the other two All three players will be missed but as Green will tell candidates. you, the job at hand with the current players is the focus. Like Ogden, Adriana Aukusitino transferred into UAA “Every year you lose some players and last year was and will look to hit the ground running. Recently playing at no different. We just have to regroup and fill their holes,” Highline Community College, the Service High grad and Green said. All-Cook Inlet Conference First Teamer will look to bring

new players in the fold There will be no shortage of talent throughout the lineup for the Seawolf spikers. However, how that talent transitions to the college ranks and Seawolf style of play is the real question. Perhaps the biggest question mark will be who will take over Scott in running the offense as setter. Three ladies look to be making their case and each has something different to bring to the table. Transferring from fellow Division II program Northern Michigan, Maddie Ogden has the most college experience

solid numbers in terms of assists, digs, and kills. Freshman Siobhan Johansen will look to carry her developing game into the college ranks. As a senior last season, she help lead Palmer High to a runner-up finish at state while, individually, she claimed Most Outstanding Setter for the tournament. Green also pointed out that Chugiak High grad Robyn Burton has impressed him through the preseason. “(Robyn) has done a great job for us so far up the middle and I think that she’s going to be a great player by the time she leaves,” Green said. Even though she is a freshman, look for Burton to be yet another weapon for the growing UAA offensive arsenal.

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Begging Favre to come back means desperation Three Vikings veterans had to ﬂy to Mississippi to convince their aging quarterback to make a decision By taylor hall The Northern Light

So let me get this straight. Brett Favre, who I have no problem admitting to being one of the greatest players ever to throw on football pads, took the Vikings and all of America on yet another summer circus of debate? Now, for those of you out there who have turned on ESPN, or any sports network for that matter, the past few years, have undoubtedly heard about this. Just for the sake of conversation, we’ll recap the soap opera of the aging quarterback. First, there was the move to the New York Jets after the Packers and Favre didn’t see eye to eye in 2008 after he had retired. He played in the Meadowlands and looked pretty ordinary and gave the New York media something to write about. He even took a city and organization close to a playoff birth – close being the operative word. When that season was done, so was he. Retired again, this time for real, he was off to cut grass in Mississippi and finally relax. Opportunity came knocking in the form of Vikings Head Coach Brad Childress, who took time out of training camp to come visit Favre in his town of Hattiesburg. Even then, a lot of indecision took place and in what turned out to be a month long blur of questions and stipulation – will Favre return in a Vikings uniform or will he ride off into the sunset? If you’ve been following along, you undoubtedly know what’s coming next.

Yes, Favre was back, much to the dismay of his loyal supporters back in Green Bay. He had actually gone over to not only one of the Packers main rivals, but he stayed in the NFC North division and would be seeing them even more

Well, they got him to come back and, not even within 24 hours of him being back at training camp, rumors of Favre running the team and Childress having zero control started swirling on the opposite side of the field. The sight of Favre only got worse for Packer nation as he led the rival Vikings to the division title, through the playoffs and within an inch of the Super Bowl. However, Favre threw a costly pick in overtime to the eventual New Orleans Saints and was left to pick up the pieces of crushed title dreams and a damaged ankle. Now back to this offseason. The Vikings tell Favre to take his time with the decision. Strike one. The Vikings let Favre dance around the question as mini-camp and even training camp starts. After the first

preseason game of watching potential Favre replacements Tarvaris Jackson and Sage Rosenfels look less than mediocre in charge of the offense, Childress was left to make a desperate move. Perhaps in an ultimate move of desperation from coach Childress, Minnesota pulled three veteran players out of training camp to go down to the Gulf Coast to beg Favre to come back to the Vikings for another year. Strike two. Well they got him to come back and, not even within 24 hours of him being back at training camp, rumors of Favre running the team and Childress having zero control started swirling. Strike three and you’re way outta there! Question: What did the Vikings expect? By sending down three veterans to beg Favre to come back, they relinquished all power of actually being in charge and gave it to Favre. He has the reins. It’s not the owner’s team or Childress’ team; it’s Favre’s team now. Good work Minnesota. You can now feel free to take your place at the back of the bus. By the way, does anyone else wonder why Favre was able to get away with all of this? Never has there been a display like this by an organization. There is no way that something like this happens in New England, Pittsburgh or Indianapolis. Those organizations wouldn’t tolerate this behavior from any player, rookie or league MVP. It’s as if the Vikings have traded away their soul for one more chance at a Super Bowl ring. Good luck with that and let us know how yet another postseason tragedy feels.

August 24, 2010 | SPORTS

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After ﬁve years, trout return full strength to Scout Lake Due to Northern Pike, rainbow trout numbers were decimated By tony cella Penninsula Clarion

Rainbow trout returned to Scout Lake Aug.18 after a five-year battle to get rid of invasive northern pike. Alaska Department of Fish and Game personnel released 9,500 rainbow trout and 9,500 arctic grayling into the lake two years after it received a chemical treatment. Later in the day, the department released 1,600 grayling into Arc Lake, following the same infestation treatment. Fish and Game sport fish management biologist Robert Begich said that the fish should take to their new habitat because populations of woodfrog tadpoles and invertebrates have rebounded dramatically after a lull attributed to the “voracious” invasive fish. “They have a full dinner plate,” he said. By regulation, both lakes have technically been open to fishing, but the rotenone treatment, which suffocates gill-breathers, left few offerings for sporting fishermen. Volunteer biologist Silvia Sarmiento, who helped restock the lake, said that the fish should develop to decent catching size within a couple years. “You can fish it now, but you’re not going to catch much,” Begich said. The biologist said that the department will set non-lethal fyke nets next fall to check the lakes for

pike. Afterward, the state will rely on the public to report any invasive species. Sarmiento said that the stock came from the department’s Fort Richardson hatchery. The fish released were spawned from eggs harvested from the Chena River near Fairbanks. Department biologist Jason Pawluk said that his department stocked the roadside lake with rainbow trout and coho before. This is the first time the grayling have been released there. “We decided to try something different,” Pawluk said. “We’ll see how they do. Maybe we’ll put coho back.” Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly member Charlie Pierce, who lives on the lake, said that the local wildlife appear largely unaffected by the chemical treatment. Two loons have lived on the lake for three straight years. Pierce said that the pair chased a group of their species away. However, he did find a baby duck with a missing paddle that he attributes to a pike attack. Begich said that larger pike are known to eat ducks and other waterfowl. Standing on the shore of Scout lake, Pierce said that he saw a local bird swoop down and snatch prey from the lake the other day. “I don’t know what it could have been,” he said. “There aren’t any fish in there.”

sPoRTs BRiefs

UAA Volleyball start season ranked 24th Eight months after finishing No. 24 in the final top-25 poll of the 2009 season, the Alaska Anchorage volleyball team starts the 2010 campaign in the same spot in the American Volleyball Coaches Association’s NCAA Division II preseason rankings. Last year’s final poll marked UAA’s first appearance in the national poll since 1992, capping a season in which the Seawolves went 23-8, won the Great Northwest Athletic Conference title and posted their first-ever NCAA Tournament victory. This year’s Seawolves return seven letterwinners, including four starters. The team kicks off 2010 on Saturday with an exhibition against the Seawolf Alumni at 9 p.m. at the Wells Fargo Sports Complex, and the regular season starts Aug. 26 against Drury in the Extended Stay Deluxe Invitational. Three-time defending national champion Concordia-St. Paul (Minn.) begins the year with the No. 1 ranking. Cal State-San Bernardino, which knocked off UAA in last year’s NCAAs, stands at No. 2, while fellow West Region programs UC San Diego (No. 8), Cal State-L.A. (No. 14), Sonoma State (No. 21) and Hawaii-Hilo (No. 23) also made the initial rankings. UAA will play regular-season contests against Cal State-San Bernardino and UC San Diego in September at the Western Oregon Invitational.

Norwegian signs on with UAA Ski Team Alaska Anchorage head ski coach Trond Flagstad announced Aug. 19 the signing of Marit Ulsund to a National Letter of Intent. “I am very excited about Marit joining the team,” said Flagstad. “She is a strong skier that will add some serious depth to our women’s Nordic team. Marit brings a wealth of experience from racing with the best juniors in the world.” Ulsund, a local of Trondheim, Norway, joins the Seawolves after a successful junior career in Europe. During the 2009-10 season, Ulsund finished eighth in the 15K classic and 14th in the 5K freestyle race at the Norwegian National Cup. In 2008-09, Ulsund posted a 14th-place finish at the Norwegian Junior Nationals in the 19-year class. Ulsund joins fellow Norwegian Karina Smith as newcomers to the UAA women’s squad.

Hockey Meet and Greet announced The 2010-11 Seawolf Hockey Meet and Greet picnic sponsored by the Seawolf Athletic Association (SAA) will be held on Aug. 29 from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. on the UAA campus at Cuddy Hall. Be sure to bring your memorabilia and autograph books to get signed by the players. The Seawolf hockey team and coaching staff will be on hand to mingle and answer questions. Bring a side dish, salad or dessert to add to the potluck. Hamburgers, hot dogs, all the fixings, sodas, water are provided courtesy of the Seawolf Athletic Association Hockey Committee. compiled by taylor hall

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FEATURES

Modern design permeates remodeling of campus

Left: This picture of the Cuddy Center was taken in 1983. At the time this picture was taken, the building was being used for students to register for classes. Right: The Cuddy’s new design features a flower bed with a sculture out front and a glass-paneled entryway with a coffee stand. The Cuddy Center is primarily home to the food services on campus and the Culinary Arts program. photo courtesy of enrollment management

logan tuttle/ tnl

Left: The construction of the Spine that connects the Wells Fargo Sports Complex to Rasmuson Hall started in 1992. Right: The Spine that connects the Wells Fargo Sports Complex to Rasmuson Hall provides students a place to work quietly and a warmer route to their classes.

photo courtesy of enrollment management

logan tuttle/ tnl

Left: The Social Sciences Building used to stand alone, as seen in this 1985 picture. It was once home to the College of Arts and Sciences Library before the expansion. Right: The Consortium Library expansion was completed in 2004. The expansion more than doubled the square footage of the original library and added 12 group study rooms, 150,000 volumes and 12,000 video and film resources. The Consortium Library is the main library for both UAA and APU. logan tuttle/ tnl photo courtesy of enrollment management

ENERGY: Conserving electricity takes the spotlight Continued from COVER

The new bulbs use 32 watts versus T12’s use of 40 watts. They also produce a negligible amount more light. “Facilities has been switching the lights out as they can afford to do it,” Williams said. The bulbs use different ballasts, so replacing them requires changing the entire light fixture. This makes for a costly installation. “UAF students assess themselves a green fee of $20 a semester,” Williams said. “That’s one way that UAF is ahead of us on the sustainability challenge. They now have that big pool of money and their chancellor has matched the money. That’s going to amount to almost a million dollars a year to be able to spend on sustainability projects.” The University’s electricity and natural gas bills amount to between four and five million dollars a year, according to Williams. Taking sustainable measures not only reduces electricity use, but most new technologies also require less maintenance, such as the LED and induction lamps, which will lower operation and maintenance costs. Other technologies being used for lighting indoors include motion detectors

to turn off lights when no one is in the room. In addition, light detectors are being used indoors to dim overhead lights in accordance with how much natural light is streaming through windows. “There’s all sorts of technologies that Facilities is using; but, once again, those aren’t cheap,” Williams said. “They are only putting those in as they have money to do it.” Motion detectors are also being used with the vending machines. Each vending machine has a VendingMiser on it so that the lights and refrigerating system are only in use when students are near. This system also measures the temperature of the vending machine to ensure that drinks stay cold. While measures are being taken to ensure that our school uses as little energy as needed, there are still many areas around campus that need improvement. One example of wasteful energy can be found in the Social Sciences Building (SSB). “In the SSB there’s a whole wing that you can’t turn the lights out. This is secondhand from facilities, but apparently what happened is, back in the 1970s, they

were having trouble with the lighting system, so somebody just decided ‘we’re tired of messing with this so we’re going to wire this to be on 24/7,’” Williams said. “Now they’ve got to go back in and rewire the entire thing in order to get some of the lights off.” While it’s obvious that 40 years straight of leaving the lights on will put a dent in the University’s electricity bills, what might not be as obvious is something as small as a screen saver. The Office of Sustainability has work groups that focus on particular aspects of conservation on campus. The electricity work group has been looking into energy reduction in computer labs. After assessing the energy reduction strategies for each department’s lab, the group will do a financial analysis. “We did this with the library last semester. We saw how many hours the library was open and estimated how much time those computers would be running a screen saver,” Williams said. “We then calculated how much money the library could save just by turning those screen savers off. They could save $4,000 dollars a year with their 48 computers.”

The Office of Sustainability and Facilities and Maintenance are working dutifully to ensure energy efficiency around campus. It’s not just up to them, though. Students also can take the initiative to become more sustainable on campus. Students can turn off lights when they are the last to leave a classroom, use efficient light bulbs for personal lamps in the residence halls and use laptops rather than desktop computers when possible. “Laptops have gotten to the point where they are just as powerful as a desktop computer, but use half the energy,” Williams said. Students also should encourage their professors to rely on Blackboard rather than paper copies for their courses. “Not only does using Blackboard conserve electricity because you’re not powering up the printer to print off the syllabus and class assignments, but it’s also conserving paper and ink cartridges,” Williams said. Also, if students believe that the “green fee” that UAF has will be beneficial for our campus, they can speak with USUAA representatives to consider implementing it at UAA.

ARTS&ENTERTAINMENT

Movie Review

A&E Briefs

‘Vampires Suck’ spoof bled humor dry

The Animal Within, The Human Without

By Heather Hamilton The Northern Light

There are times when movies are better left never made and viewers are left wondering why on earth they paid money to waste their lives. “Vampires Suck” could easily be one such film. It follows in the less than desirable footsteps of previous Jason Friedberg and Aaron Seltzer parodies (the “Scary Movie” franchise, “Date Movie,” “Meet the Spartans,” “Epic Movie” and the aptly named “Disaster Movie”) by taking up the most current pop culture fads and poking fun at them… terribly. However, depending on who sees this particular movie, the writers/directors may have struck some luck this time. Not because the film is original (far from it), but because of the main subject matter: “Twilight.” “Twilight” tends to be a love/ hate fad. Either you love it or you hate it with every fiber of your being. If you find yourself being one of the lucky moviegoers out there with no opinion of or can easily dismiss the overnight and enduring culture phenomenon, this parody is most certainly and

undeniably going to “suck.” Fans and haters of the franchise, however, will likely enjoy the movie at least a little. Haters will likely enjoy it the most, as the entire goal of the movie is to point out every single ridiculously horrendous aspect of “Twilight,” from the terrible acting of the franchise’s leading actress Kristen Stewart to the rabidity of its fan base. “Vampires Suck” takes the first two movies, “Twilight” and “New Moon,” and condenses them into an hour and twenty minutes while making fun of several other current fads on a smaller scale. “Alice in Wonderland,” Tiger Woods and “Jersey Shore” all make an appearance. As far as parodies go, this movie is terrible. Make no mistake. It is an improvement from the other comedic attempts of Jason Friedberg and Aaron Seltzer, however. First of all, instead of making fun of every single current fad in the world, the duo only chose roughly half. Second, there is an actress besides Carmen Electra. The most drastic improvement, however, would have to be the addition of decent acting. Not spectacular by any stretch, but

decent. Becca Crane, played by new face Jenn Proske, does a frighteningly accurate impression of Kristen Stewart as Bella Swan. She’s got all the tics and mannerisms down to a ‘T,’ every one of them. The majority of her screen time is spent clutching her sweater’s overlong sleeves, tucking her hair behind her ear, dropping her eyes as she speaks, biting her lower lip and generally moping about. One would not normally call this acting or funny, but Jenn Proske somehow makes it utterly laughable, in a good way. Matt Lanter (“Star Wars: The Clone Wars”) as Edward Sullen makes a fairly decent Robert Pattinson as Edward Cullen, and Chris Riggi (“Toe to Toe”) as Jacob White is a perfect Taylor Lautner as Jacob Black. As a comedy, “Vampires Suck” is terrible. There is no longevity in the movie’s jokes. In a few years, nothing will be funny because there will be new fads to make fun of. Jason Friedberg and Aaron Seltzer will likely be the ones still poking fun. Horribly. As a spoof of the ever-growing “Twilight” craze however, “Vampires Suck” is fantastic.

Movie Review

‘The Expendables’ saved by phenomenal, big-name cast By Heather Hamilton The Northern Light

A bunch of guys with guns go into the unknown territory on a mission, the mission goes wrong and the leader yearns to redeem himself. There is nothing original about this plot, so why on earth should anyone see “The Expendables”? Sylvester Stallone is a mastermind, that’s why. With an all-star cast of revered action hero actors at your side, guns, explosions and a reasonable amount of gore, who needs an original plot? “The Expendables” will leave you on the edge of your seat in this ‘could have gone horribly wrong’ action extravaganza. Jason Stathum (“Transporter”), Jet Li (“Ocean Heaven”), Mickey Rourke (“Iron Man 2”), Terry Crews (“Gamer”) and Dolph Lundgren (“Universal Soldier: Regeneration”) all play key roles alongside Stallone (“Rambo”), and they don’t let their fans down. With so many well-deserved egos on the set, this movie could have easily flopped. It also could have forsaken good acting for the use of big names. It did neither. Stallone plays Barney Ross,

the leader of a team of fearless warriors who live on the fringe. The story revolves around a particular mission given to the team by a mysterious man named Mr. Church, (Bruce Willis “Cop Out”), to overthrow a villainous dictator in the small island nation of Vilena and free its people from the destruction and death during his years leading the country. Willis’s role in the movie is minimal, a cameo, but his presence only adds points to the movie and grants kudos to Stallone for prying him away from filming “Cop Out” to do the small role. California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger (“Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines”) also plays a cameo role as Barney Ross’s rival for the job in Vilena. Schwarzenegger’s presence however, does not warrant kudos; he should be running California instead of hanging out on movie sets. With “The Expendables” looking like a great success from all angles, Stallone has said in an interview with Kiss FM that he is looking into doing a sequel in the future. One can only hope that if he decides to indeed go that route, he holds onto the high-octane action, witty one liners and impressive

line-up of actors that made this movie the most fantastic action flick of the year so far.

Directed by: Sylvester Stallone STARRING: Sylvester Stallone, Jason Statham, Jet Li RUN TIME: 103 min. GENRE: Action, Adventure GRAPHIC: yes Rating: R Stars:

★ ★ ★ ★★

It was as easy to do as shooting fish out of a barrel, and just about as low budget, but still worthy of being called a guilty pleasure flick. Directed by: Jason Friedberg and Aaron Seltzer STARRING: Jenn Proske, Matt Lanter, Chris Riggi RUN TIME: 80 min GENRE: Comedy Rating: PG-13 GRAPHIC: yes Stars:

★★

The Student Union Gallery’s first show of the semester kicks off on Monday, Aug. 23 at 10 a.m. with “The Animal Within, The Human Without.” The exhibition of multi media art is provided by local artists Meg Fowler, Sandra Talbot and Philip Obermarck, and explores the theme of anthropomorphism and theriomorphism, which are two concepts that relate to the transference of animal and human appearances, personalities and other characteristic traits. The opening reception will be held on Wednesday, Aug. 25 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Student Union Gallery, and the show itself runs until Thursday, Sept. 9.

“Chemical Imbalance” Auditions The UAA Department of Theatre and Dance is seeking students and community members to take part in “Chemical Imbalance: A Jekyll and Hyde Play,” the first play of the 2010-2011 school year. The play is a comedy about human duplicity by Lauren Wilson. Auditions will be held Wednesday, Aug. 25 and Thursday, Aug. 26 from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. in the Mainstage Theatre in the UAA Fine Arts Building. Prepared audition pieces are unnecessary, but scripts will be available for 24 hour checkout in the Fine Arts office in room 302 with a refundable $10 deposit. The production calls for 11 to 12 characters, male and female, of various ages, including a role for a nine to 12 year old girl. For more information, visit the UAA Department of Theatre and Dance website at ankjs.uaa.alaska.edu or call Tom Skore at (907) 786-1740. Compiled by Heather Hamilton

2010 UAA Faculty and Staff Longevity Award Recipients Dear Longevity Award recipients,

Thank you so much for the many years of service that you’ve given to UAA. Your time, talent and dedication have contributed enormously to UAA becoming Alaska’s greatest source of workforce development and higher education. UAA is a young university and Alaska a young state. The research, teaching, community engagement, and creative work that we are doing will have a lasting impact on our state and the course of its future. We have much to be proud of at UAA – new science and health buildings, increased enrollment, public and private support – but mostly we are proud that you have chosen to invest your energy and passion in working for UAA! Many thanks for all that you are doing to make UAA a great university! Sincerely,

Chancellor Fran Ulmer

5 Years Ma Theresa Alabanzas Angela Andersen Raymond Anthony Benjamin Applegate Christine Aust Jennifer Ball Jean Ballantyne Beverly Barker Elizabeth Barnett Stephanie Bauer Patricia Baum Christina Bell Megan Bladow Patrick Borjon Janis Bronson Brian Brubaker Anna Bryant Cleo Burgett Jay Bush Karen Carpenter Mark Carper Douglas Causey Wang Choe JeNae Christensen Zac Clark Carol Clouse Jo Colby Kendra Conroy Staci Corey Helen Cortes-Burns Tina Coulston Peter Dedych William DeGarmo Jennifer DePesa Maria Dirks Carmen Dunham Suzanne Dvorak Denise Eggers Cynthia Falcone Chad Farrell Lane Frierson Susan Garton Bradford Generous Amy Green Songho Ha Karen Hakala Margaret Halloran Diane Hanson Kathleen Harvey Kato Haunga

Lee Henrikson Melbourne Henry Shawn Heusser Janet Hinde Julie Holden Elizabeth Horton Jason Hotch Cynthia Jacobsen Teresa Johnson William Johnson Jr. Jamie Johnston-Eddy Carol Klamser Cindy Knall Dean Konopasek James Labelle Sr. David Larson Susan Lee Christine Lidren Gwen Lupfer Lara Madden Darrin Marshall Elisa Mattison Robert Maxwell Jr. Robert McClung Michael McCormick Lara McFarland Ronald McGee Edward McLain Timothy Miller Joseph Mixsell Jr. Linda Morgan Perry Morgan John Mouracade Adelia Myrick Heather Nash Muzette Nelson Jon Nickles Kimberly Nunley Sandra Pence Kim Perkins Paul Perry Anita Powell Sandra Powley Philip Price Katherine Rawlins Don Rearden Patrick Robertson Helen Sarkissian Adeline Schlabaugh Susan Seymour Catherine Shenk

Randi Markussen David Shyiak Raelynn Smith Eleanor Soto Yannette Soto Sheila Soule Janet Steinhauser Lorraine Stewart Christopher Sweeney Christine Thorsrud Filipinas Tibayan John Tracy Cindy Trussell Fran Ulmer Michael Votava Claudia Wallingford Eileen Weatherby Mary Weiss Laura Winckler Moore Jacque Woody Oya Yazgan 10 Years Lilian Alessa Scott Baker Craig Ballain Sandra Barclay Charles Bissonette Sandra Blum Barbara Boyd Anne Bridges Teresa Bunsen Jennifer Burns Daria Carle Sandra Carroll-Cobb Steve Cobb Marvin Colbert Jr. Annette DeBruyn Alpana Desai Dawn Dooley Kristina Elkins Victoria Faeo Edward Forrest Jane Fuerstenau Christina Gheen Stephen Gillon Barbara Goodman Tracey Gotthardt Robin Hanson Jennifer Harty Bonny Headley

UAA IS AN EEO/AA EMPLOYER AND EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTION

Geri Heiner Susan Hviid Maria Ippolito Donna Jones Jane Jordan Ronald Kamahele Leonard Kirk Roxann Lamar Sherry Lane Ryan Leary Sammy Luangaphay Joe Michael David Mitchell Kenrick Mock Sherry Mohler Deborah Mole William Myers Tlisa Northcutt Stephanie Olson Frances Pekar David Pfeiffer Darren Prokop Molly Ridout Daniel Rinella Kirk Scott Debby Settle Helena Spector Suzanne Strisik Sherry Trumpower Robert Ursprung Eli Van Ringelenstein Karl Volz Frank von Hippel James Yauney 15 Years Edgar Blatchford Lolita Brache Rhoda Brown Rachel Epstein Phyllis Fast Suzanne Forster Rosyland Frazier John Hanson Jacque Hill Patricia Jenkins Steven Johnson Daniel Mielke Gregory Morgan Joseph Morgan Deborah Narang

Elizabeth Sirles Kathleen Stephenson Shawnalee Whitney Wendy Withrow Hannele Zubeck 20 Years Bette Belanger Eric Blomskog Lauren Bruce Diane Byrne Danilo Concepcion David Edgecombe Michael Friess Virgina Geary Linda Grant Melissa Green M. Virgene Hanna Carolyn Hanthorn Patricia Linton Cynthia Marshall S. George Mastroyanis John Olofsson Jesse Owens Jr. Mary Paye Quentin Reuer Rosellen Rosich Tom Skore Kimberly Stanford Thomas Sternberg Dianne Toebe Robin Wahto Raymond Zagorski 25 Years Joann Benda Robert Crosman Kristine Crossen Jill Flanders-Crosby Pamela Jacobs Lynn Koshiyama Robert McCauley Raymond Noble Virginia Olson Jerilyn Rubin Laureen Schroff Donna Gail Shaw Timothy Smith Stan Vanover 30 Years Dianne Halverson Marvell Johnson Jerry Kudenov Bjartmar Sveinbjornsson James Liszka Kathy Mills Gail Renardson Kevin Silver Ronald Spatz Marcia Stratton 35 Years Nancy Bish Oliver Goldsmith Melvin Kalkowski Patricia Moores Darla Siver 40 Years Stephen Haycox Joseph Nunnally Morris Parrish Michael Turner

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

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The Northern Light is a proud member of the ASSOCIATED COLLEGIATE PRESS. The Northern Light is a weekly UAA publication funded by student fees and advertising sales. The editors and writers of The Northern Light are solely responsible for its contents. Circulation is 5,000. The University of Alaska Anchorage provides equal education and employment opportunities for all, regardless of race, color, religion, national origin, age, sex, 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.

eDiToRiAL

When dreams of a perfect semester fall short, plan to recover during ﬁnals

By Josh edge

The Northern Light

A lot can change over the course of a semester. In August, many students come into the school year with big plans about how they are going to step it up this year, how they are going to study harder than they have before, or maybe even how they might actually attend all of their classes. But, over the course of a semester, particularly the fall semester, a transformation occurs. Students are no longer bright eyed and bushy tailed. Instead, by November they are slowly making their way around campus, just trying to find a way to get by. In some cases, real life got in the way. The passing of a family member, the complications brought on by a job that affects one’s performance in the classroom or just an unequivocal feeling of being overwhelmed haunts their every waking moment. By November, many are preparing to admit defeat. Midterms may have nosed their grades straight into the ground in spectacular fashion and they just can’t figure out a way to recover their semester and end it on a decent note. Once midterms come and go and you reach

the point of no return, there are ways to cope with the stress that inevitably accompanies the final few weeks of the semester.

‘Once midterms come and go and you reach the point of no return, there are ways to cope with the stress that inevitably accompanies the final few weeks of the semester.’ First, and most importantly, talk with your professors. Most professors really do have a heart, despite what some people may tell you. Professors have been where you are coming from and might be willing to work with you a little bit. Second, don’t make the same mistakes that you may have made during midterms. Finals are a completely new deal. Study hard for the last tests of the semester. That can make all the difference between a passing grade – though it

may just barely be passing – or a failing grade, which causes you nothing but pain, stress and having to stick around college for at least another semester. Third, find a place where you really can sit down and accomplish something on the academic front. For some, it may be the Student Union. Others prefer sitting in one of the spines. Others choose to lock themselves in the library. Maybe your house or a coffee shop is a place where you can relax and really study and get things done. No matter where you choose to go, just try to not let yourself get distracted. The last thing, don’t get all hopped up on Red Bull, Rockstar or coffee and pull a string of all-nighters. It really doesn’t help you, especially in the last day or two leading up to the test. All that does is make you tired and mentally unprepared to pull your grades out of the gutter. Of course, we should be encouraging you to not put yourself in a position where you have to become a miracle worker to make something out of nothing, and we do encourage that. But, realistically, it is something that happens frequently. More often than not, people need the encouragement to recover their semester than to start it off well.

Mosque debate driven by ‘sensitivity’ By Daniel mcDonald The Northern Light

The debate over the construction of an Islamic center at ground zero is best summed up as shrill, dishonest and demagogic. You have the President on one side coming out in support of the mosque initially, and then back peddling the following week, claiming that his support was for the right to build it, not the wisdom of doing so. As for the wisdom of building a mosque, he has chosen to withhold any judgment. Well, thank you Mr. President for saying absolutely nothing by clarifying what 99 percent of Americans already know and believe; we do not need a lecture on the first amendment. The dispute was never over legal rights, but whether it remains the good and proper course to take for the Cordoba Initiative group to build it in the chosen spot. Behind him are the deluded hoards of leftist capitulators who foam at the mouth at the very idea of a chance to prove their sensitivity towards a minority group; never mind how far their views actually diverge from that group so long as that group retains its “minority status.” They have come out swinging claiming that anyone opposed to the plan is clearly an Islamophobic bigot of the worst order.

PRiDe

Their opponents on the right and a few on the left as well raise issue with the sensitivity of such a building. They are right in saying that here 3,000 Americans lost their lives and an evil ideology rooted in Islam is to blame. Conservative estimates put that particular strain of Islam at around 7 percent of all Muslims worldwide, but you’re talking about 80 million sympathizers. That is nothing to sneeze at. Polls have been used, such as the one put out recently by CNN, showing that 68 percent oppose the plan, while 29 percent are in favor. However, mere popular majorities and appeals to “sensitivity” have never swayed me an inch. The same cult of sensitivity so adamant with nipping opinion in the bud on college campuses has used the same happy-face fascistic tactics before. For conservatives it is best to put on the big-boy pants and stick to solid facts about the actual group behind the mosque rather than coming off as complete wimps crying about sensitivity. The most important fact is that the imam behind the place, Feisal Abdul Rauf, is on record as saying shortly after 9/11 on 60 Minutes, “I wouldn’t say that the United States deserved what happened, but the United States policies were an accessory to the crime that happened.” He added, “In the most direct sense, Osama Bin Laden is made in the USA.”

He has also refused to label the murderous totalitarian group Hamas as a terrorist organization. His partially blaming the United States for what happened on 9/11 should be enough to foment complete opposition to him and his group. This common theme of “we are to blame for what happened” is so utterly tired and overused. Osama Bin Laden wants to create a worldwide Islamic caliphate where Sharia law stretches to every corner of the globe. There is no consolidation with these Islamic radicals and any hint of blaming their victims is the purest form of cowardice. If you favor freedom of speech like that practiced in Denmark with the caricature of Mohamed, they will not be happy with you. If you think women ought to have the right to breathe freely and have equal rights with men, then you better watch your back. Appeasement with Islamic groups and their ilk who committed the most grievous of acts on 9/11 is not an option and men like Feisal Abdul Rauf who insinuate we are to blame deserve nothing but scorn and contempt and even more public outcry than they are receiving. As of now, the mosque is and ought to receive an emphatic “No” from the public; let us all hope it’s for the right reasons.

CHiDe

Campus Kick-Oﬀ…

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