11-02-10F2 by The Northern Light

THENORTHERNLIGHT NOVEMBER 2, 2010

SPORTS

UNIVERSITY OF ALASKA ANCHORAGE

Overtime:

FEATURES

Seawolves need to adopt traditions

Kappa Sigma:

New fraternity joins Greek Council

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OPINION

Vote Alaska 2010 Senate Race

‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’:

Policy reveals passive discrimination

US Senate race unlikely to see quick conclusion By Shana Roberson The Northern Light

COURTESY OF THE MCADAMS CAMPAIGN

Sitka Mayor Scott McAdams, Democratic candidate

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Joe Miller, Republican candidate

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Sen. Lisa Murkowski, Incumbent, write-in campaign

Vote Alaska 2010 Governor Race

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Ethan Berkowitz, Democratic candidate

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Gov. Sean Parnell, Republican candidate

Note: Candidates pictured above have been featured in The Northern Light. The Northern Light would like to acknowledge there are other candidates in these races besides those pictured above.

If you were hoping for the Senate drama to end Nov. 2, you might not have that wish fulﬁlled any time soon. The race that has captured national attention could drag on for weeks after votes are cast today. Junior Heather Aronno, president of the College Democrats, predicted a slow conclusion to the race. “It’s safe to say that we’re not going to know who wins the U.S. Senate race until at least Thanksgiving, if not after,” Aronno said. One reason that might come true stems from the fact that this campaign has not been shy to legal action. Republican candidate Joe Miller has been on the receiving end of some of that litigation. For instance, his former employer was sued for the release of his personnel records, which they were recently mandated to hand over. Miller has also taken legal steps. He recently ﬁled a complaint with the Federal Election Committee against a political action committee formed by Alaska Native corporations, questioning the legality of their committee since they have received federal contracts. For her part, Sen. Lisa Murkowski’s campaign recently intervened in the lawsuit regarding lists of write-in candidates being made available at polling sites. The Alaska Democratic Party and the Republican Party of Alaska had teamed up against the State of Alaska’s Division of Elections for the lawsuit. These are just some of the legal actions that have been taken thus far SEE SENATE PAGE 03

Homelessness and substance Wintervention inspires abuse panel held at bookstore snowboarders, skiers By Jerzy Shedlock The Northern Light

It’s a dark, cold winter night in Anchorage, but luckily you’re lounging on a sofa with a knitted blanket draped around your body. A few blocks away, one of Anchorage’s homeless is attempting to stay warm with newspapers and recycled cardboard. On a single night in January 2009, Alaska’s homeless reached 4,583 persons, according to a study conducted by the UAA Justice Center. The University Bookstore and the Human Services Department hosted a panel titled “Housing First or Sober First: Services for Homeless Alcoholics” on Oct. 28. The upper deck of the University’s Bookstore was packed with over 60 people gathered to listen to

four speakers. The panelists consisted of the director of a statewide community action program, an attorney who specializes in public interest law, the coordinator of a statewide finance corporation and the senior pastor of a local church. All of the panelists agreed that housing first was the best route to take when addressing the difficult social issue of homelessness and substance abuse. Financially comfortable citizens tend to buffer themselves from the reality of poverty and the ultimate toll it takes on individuals, families and particularly children. Often we need to distance ourselves from the suffering of other people without a safe place to sleep who may remind us of just how vulnerable we all are or could be to poverty, stated the director of Homeward Bound, Melinda

Freeman. “People don’t tend to see addiction as an illness, but rather as a voluntary kind of recreational alcohol or drug use gone awry,” Freeman said. “There is a punitive and moralistic societal value applied to people who are homeless and in desperate need.” Substance abuse is a major contributing factor to chronic homelessness, as 37 percent of persons without a home suffer from substance abuse issues, according the Justice Center. Homeward Bound is in its eleventh year of rebuilding lives with their alcohol management program for chronically homeless individuals. The program is a 25-bed transitional living facility located in Mountain View. “It is simple wisdom to provide people with housing ﬁrst, so that

SEE HOMELESSNESS PAGE 03

By Megan Edge The Northern Light

This is for anyone who has ever called in sick to work, skipped school, or blew off a date to shred a bit of that fluffy white powder. This is for anyone who is overworked and underpaid. Who studies for hours to get a C on a test. Anyone who needs a quick fix to life’s issues. This, ladies and gentlemen, is Wintervention. Warren Miller’s 61st film premiered in Anchorage Oct. 27 at the Center for the Performing Arts. The film brought in views of all ages, in their best flannels and neon jackets. The film features some of the snow sport world’s most talked about icons searching the globe for the most rare, sacred and untouched powder in the world.

Chris Davenport, JJ Thomas, Lindsey Vonn, Hugo Harris, Andy Mahre, Jossi Wells and Zach Black are just a few of the talented riders featured in the film. Wintervention is narrated by skiing legend Jonny Moseley. Moseley was the first Puerto Rican to compete on the U.S. ski team and is best known for performing the trick “the dinner roll.” The first stop on Wintervention was Antarctica. The soothing sounds of Edward Sharpe and The Magnetic Zeros played while the fantasies of many skiers were discussed. “There just aren’t that many places where we haven’t been,” Moseley said. The beauty of the sport was brought to life. Kip Garre, Andrew Mclean, John Morrison

SEE PREMIERE PAGE 06

GRAPHIC BY PAIGE TIEDE

TNL

NEWS| November 2, 2010

‘Ton in Ten’ aims to collect 3,000 pounds of food

By Deidre Jones

Special to the Northern Light

The time for giving is right around the corner, and the students of UAA’s Human Services Club have philanthropy on their minds. This is not unusual as they are a serviceoriented club that participates in events to directly enhance the community and take principles they learn in class “beyond theory.” The club will be hosting their ﬁfth annual Ton in Ten from Nov. 8 through Nov. 18. That is ten days to collect as many peanut butter and jelly donations as they can. This year, however, they are making some changes.

GRAPHIC BY PAIGE TIEDE

“This event started out the ﬁrst year collecting 200 pounds of peanut butter and jelly,” Danielle Dixon said, Human Services Club council representative and treasurer. Last year, in partnership with other

satellite campuses, Human Services Club collected 2,633 pounds of food. The Food Bank of Alaska has been the club’s primary partner for Ton in Ten, but last year when extra barrels appeared after the rest had already been sent to the Food Bank, a separate association had to be located to donate the remaining food. “We found that many places in need do not receive food items from the Food Bank,” Dixon said. One of those places being right here at UAA. The Student Health and Counseling Center offers an Emergency Food Cache for students in need. At the center, students can receive three-day food packages by showing their student ID. As a result, the club has decided the

food will go to the Student Health and Counseling Center, the Food Bank of Alaska, the Anchorage Gospel Rescue Mission, Abused Women’s Aid In Crisis and additional local charities. The changes in the allocation of food are what led to this year’s theme, “Spread It Around.” The Human Services Club aims to collect 3000 pounds this year with the “Peanut Butter Cup” trophy still being the coveted prize. The trophy goes to the department that collects the greatest weight in peanut butter and jelly. This has helped catapult the drive into a popular campus-wide event, according to Dixon.

Thank you for Voting! Students, staff and faculty help influence important decisions shaping our university, community and state. Thanks for supporting UAA by being involved in meaningful ways. Fran Ulmer, Chancellor

November 2, 2010 | NEWS

HOMELESSNESS: Panelists unanimously endorse housing ﬁrst approach to shelter issue in state CONTINUED FROM COVER they can begin to rebuild their lives,” Freeman said. “We can remind them they are worth a safe and secure home.” A handful of New Life Development program participants were present at the panel. Wearing a yellow shirt with the words “Your history is not your

destiny,” Earl Bell comfortably sipped a cup of coffee and politely introduced himself to those around him. Bell had been on and off the street of Anchorage before joining New Life, an Anchoragebased nonproﬁt organization, in December of 2009. “They gave me the hope and inspiration to keep going,” Bell said. “They’ve been telling me

‘keep going, because there is a place somewhere for you to belong.’ I had to take that approach if I was to survive.” A lack of low income housing for special populations keeps the homeless camps and shelters of Anchorage full, the judicial system overwhelmed and the jails overcrowded. Panelist Jim Davis, co-founder

of the Northern Justice Project, began his career as a corporate lawyer with a nice ofﬁce overlooking San Francisco Bay. He spent a year representing corporate interests. This short amount of time spent doing so made him want to “jump out of a window.” He quit and has been pursuing public interest work since.

JERZY SHEDLOCK/TNL

Speaking adamantly about defending the homeless from unfair practices by the state and corporations, Davis highlighted the merits of Housing First, a program started by the non-profit organization Beyond Shelter. “It saves money and it saves lives. That’s the empirical evidence,” Davis said. “It’s not a wish list, it’s not hopeful thinking. Study after study shows that (Housing First) works. Thus, the opposition to it is always irrational… (The opposition) is either based on NIBY-ism (Not In My Back Yard) or with how certain ordinances are crafted.” The issue can be looked at from a financial viewpoint as well, as brought up by state homeless coordinator of Alaska Housing Finance Corporation Kris Duncan. “When I contemplate ‘sober first,’ I think that actually means treatment first. Do you know what treatment costs, and have you thought about what these people you want out of sight can actually pay?” Duncan asked. “There’s a differential there.” Affordable and accessible treatment methods are not available. If the public wants the balance of treatment first in order to deserve housing then they’ve got to be willing to pay for it, stated Duncan. In 2004, Anchorage joined cities around the nation in taking a major step toward addressing the issues and impacts of homelessness by developing a 10-year plan. Among the plan’s top priorities is increasing affordable and permanent transitional housing.

Rev. Paul Boling, senior pastor, First Christian Church, speaks during the Housing First or Sober First: Services for Homeless Alcoholics panel Oct. 28 at the UAA Bookstore. Also included in the panel were from left: Melinda Freeman, director of Homeward Bound, Jim Davis, attorney, Northern Justice Project, Kris Duncan, State Homeless Coordinator, AHFC.

SENATE: Candidate drama likely to continue after Election Day CONTINUED FROM COVER in the campaign. In response, officials are being careful to follow the procedures set by law in counting the votes. Gail Fenumiai, director of the Division of Elections laid out those procedures very specifically. They will begin counting votes tonight. “We will have results posted starting at 9 p.m. and then every 15 to 20 minutes thereafter,” she said. The Division has 15 days to complete the ballot count with final numbers expected Nov. 17. In order for Murkowski’s votes to be counted, she must receive either the highest number or second highest number of votes. If a Florida repeat is in our future, the candidates may request a recount within five days of the vote count being certified. Legal action must be taken within ten days of the same. Senior Tracey Alexander, president of the Political Science Association predicted a very split

vote among Republicans, which she thought might result in a better chance for the Democratic

‘It’s safe to say that we’re not going to know who wins the U.S. Senate race until at least Thanksgiving if not after.’ -Heather Aronno, College Democrats president candidate, Scott McAdams. She did not rule out the candidates taking legal action. “With the way it’s been going, I honestly could expect it,” Alexander said. But legal action is not the only

thing that could slow down the results of the race. In fact, the Republican U.S. Senate primary did not end until one week after the vote when Sen. Lisa Murkowski conceded. She had lost by about 1,600 votes. That story could repeat itself this race. Student Will Poley, a member of the College Republicans, thinks today’s election will look much like the primary. “I really think that between Murkowski and Miller, it’s going to be within a couple thousand votes,” Poley said. “It will probably be mid-December before we have an answer that is somewhat tentative.” The good news, however, is that voter turnout is predicted to be much higher this year than in previous elections. As of last Wednesday, the Division of Elections reported already receiving over 12,000 absentee ballots as well as nearly 8,000 early votes.

SAY WHAT?

Woman, 88, says she hit ‘vital spot’ on intruder MAYFIELD, Ky. (AP) -- A feisty 88-year-old Kentucky woman said she must have had perfect aim when she fought off an intruder by kicking him. Kathryn Byassee said she came upon the intruder, who was wearing a pumpkin mask, at 5 a.m. Tuesday in her kitchen. Byassee told WPSD-TV that she asked him who he was and what he wanted and he never answered her, instead wrestling her into her bedroom and trying to smother her with a pillow. That’s when Byassee said she was “mad enough to do almost anything,” so she kicked him. She said she thinks she “hit a vital spot, and he left.” Mayﬁeld police are investigating.

Judge: McDonald’s must pay obese employee $17.5K SAO PAULO (AP) -- A Brazilian court ruled this week that McDonald’s must pay a former franchise manager $17,500 because he gained 65 pounds (30 kilograms) while working there for a dozen years. The 32-year-old man said he felt forced to sample the food each day to ensure quality standards remained high, because McDonald’s hired “mystery clients” to randomly visit restaurants and report on the food, service and cleanliness. The man also said the company offered free lunches to employees, adding to his caloric intake while on the job. His identity was not released. The ruling was signed Tuesday by Judge Joao Ghisleni Filho in Porto Alegre. Ghisleni said McDonald’s could appeal the case, and the Brazilian headquarters of the chain said in an e-mailed statement Thursday it was weighing its legal options. McDonald’s also noted that it offers healthier food choices. “The chain offers a large variety of options and balanced menus to cater (to) the daily dietary needs of its employees,” the company said in the statement. McDonald’s headquarters is in Oak Brook, Illinois. -Compiled by Jerzy Shedlock

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NEWS| November 2, 2010

STATEWIDE BRIEFS

Entities collaborate for offshore drilling research Shell Alaska and the North Slope Borough announced Thursday they will collaborate on scientiﬁc research aimed at concerns about petroleum drilling on Alaska’s Arctic Ocean outer continental shelf. At a press conference in Anchorage, Shell Alaska Vice President Pete Slaiby (SLAY’-bee) and North Slope Borough Mayor Edward Itta (IT’-ah) said they have entered a multiyear agreement that will incorporate concerns of villages sprinkled along the coasts of the Beaufort and Chukchi seas.

State mails more than 30,000 absentee Anchorage jury convicts man of ballots murdering Army MP Alaska election ofﬁcials mailed more than 30,000 absentee ballots to voters for next week’s election. This surpasses the roughly 26,460 absentee ballots mailed for the 2006 general election. The state Division of Elections also reports faxing about 860 ballots. The deadline to receive application by fax is Monday. Absentee ballots could play a major role in the hotly contested U.S. Senate race. They did in the August GOP

A jury has found a man guilty of murder for shooting an off-duty Fort Richardson military police ofﬁcer in a dispute outside an Anchorage bar. The Anchorage Daily News reports the jury returned the verdict Thursday against against the 28-year-old defendant, Vongdeuane Vongthongdy. He is a felon who had been out of jail 16 days and was not supposed to be carrying a ﬁrearm when he shot Sgt. Evan Minnear Nov. 30, 2008, with a handgun. His mother said Minnear

and friends were out celebrating his return earlier in the year from a 15-month tour in Iraq. In closing arguments Wednesday the prosecutor said Minnear was shot while trying to stop the other man from ﬁring a gun into the air.

Former Mount Rainier ranger dies in Tibet fall Former Mount Rainier National Park ranger Joe Puryear, noted for climbs in the Cascades, Alaska and around the world, has died in a fall on a remote mountain in Tibet. Park spokesman Kevin Bacher (BOCK’-er) says it was notiﬁed in an e-mail from former ranger Mike Gauthier (goh-tee-yay) who said he got a call early Wednesday describing the accident. Bacher says Rainier’s lead climbing ranger David Gottlieb was climbing with Puryear at the time. Gauthier says Gottlieb found that Puryear broke through a cornice and died in a 1,500-foot fall on the 24,170foot mountain, Labuche Kang. The News Tribune of Tacoma reports Puryear lived in Leavenworth and is survived by his wife, Michelle. He was a Mount Rainier ranger in the 1990s.

Anchorage ‘Whales’ movie fog generates complaints Fog generated recently for ﬁlming the movie “Everybody Loves Whales” near the Port of Anchorage generated a few complaints to the city’s air quality department. The department’s Steve Morris told KTUU the city has been working with

Universal Studios and the production has minimized the use of the fog.

Murkowski: I wouldn’t support Palin for president Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski says she wouldn’t support Sarah Palin at this time, if Palin decided to run for president. The comment came in response to a lightning-round question during an Alaska Public Broadcasting debate in which the Senate candidates were asked whether Palin was qualified to be president. Palin is backing Murkowski’s GOP rival, Joe Miller, who said Palin is “of course” qualified and better than the current office holder, Democratic President Barack Obama. Democrat Scott McAdams said Palin is qualified in a “strict sense,” but added he doesn’t agree with her ideology. Miller beat Murkowski in the GOP primary. She’s now running as a writein.

Earthquake rattles Southcentral Alaska A magnitude 4.4 earthquake shook up southcentral Alaska on Wednesday afternoon. The West Coast and Alaska Tsunami Warning Center says the quake occurred at 2:45 p.m. It was felt in Anchorage, Alaska’s largest city. The epicenter was 40 miles southwest of Anchorage and 75 miles southwest of Palmer at a depth of 34 miles. The center says a tsunami was not generated.

Alaska woman pleads guilty to embezzling bail The former district accounting supervisor at the Fairbanks courthouse has pleaded guilty to embezzling $237,000 of bail money. Katherine L. Turner, 39, pleaded guilty Tuesday to a single count of first-degree theft, a class B felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison, the Fairbanks Daily NewsMiner reported. Turner worked at the courthouse for 11 years until the area court administrator discovered accounting irregularities in July that showed bail money being deposited weeks or months late. All the suspicious transactions were linked to Turner. The thefts reportedly began in 2007. Turner took $237,000, mostly in cash, from the courthouse during the three-year period. Though $144,000 was belatedly deposited in the bail account, $93,000 was still unaccounted for at the time of her indictment in August. Turner, who has no prior criminal record, reportedly told troopers she used the money for “living expenses.” On Tuesday, she presented a $46,500 cashiers check to the area court administrator. Her attorney, Larry Reger, said she should have the other half of the money at sentencing, scheduled for Feb. 25. Fairbanks Superior Court Judge Douglas Blankenship said a judge from Bethel will decide Turner’s sentence because of the impact on the Fairbanks court. The case was prosecuted by the state’s Office of Special Prosecutions rather than the Fairbanks District Attorney’s Office. -Compiled by Jerzy Shedlock

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Student Government unanimously passed Resolution 11-03 at the Oct. 22 USUAA Assembly meeting. The resolution is part of an effort with the Coalition of Student Leaders to persuade the Board of Regents on compromising the tuition increase. The resolution states, “Whereas: The Board of Regents is in the process of deciding a tuition rate increase for AY13; and, Whereas: The Coalition of Student Leaders has announced a proposal on said tuition increase; and, Whereas: The Assembly of USUAA should take a stand on behalf of its members.” “This is the ﬁrst action that Student Government is looking to take to persuade the Board of Regents into adopting the 7 percent coalition proposal,” USUAA President Miles Brookes said. “Other tactics that are in the work include a student petition and outreach.”

primary, which was too close to call on election night. After the ﬁrst big batch of absentee ballots was counted a week later, Sen. Lisa Murkowski conceded the race to Joe Miller. Murkowski is running in the general election as a write-in candidate.

Old Seward Way

Your Student Government Passes Resolution 11-03

Goose Lake Park Univ of AK Providence Alaska Medical Center

E Tudor Rd.

2/6/09 2:33:38 PM

November 2, 2010 | NEWS

SPORTS

PREMIERE: Warren Miller ﬁlm highlights exotic ski areas CONTINUED FROM COVER

and Doug Stoup go to the edges of the world to explore the untouched snow of the Antarctic. This winter wonderland becomes a paradise for the world’s biggest snow junkies. “The highest, driest, coldest continent on the planet” Stoup said, who talked about the intensity of the continent’s conditions. “It holds 90 percent of the world’s ice and 70 percent of the world’s fresh water. The place is unreal.” For most, high, dry and cold, is far from desirable; but watching the powder spray behind the skiers and seeing nothing but clear blue ocean in front of them can make even the biggest beach bunny want to experience the untouched natural beauty first hand. The film flew you from the Antarctic to Austria’s Arlberg Region. Athletes Karine Pedersen, Lorrain Huber and Hugo Harrison highlight the unique coulter, terrain and modern skiing the country has to offer. This dreamlike country, where villages are connected by ski lifts, comes to life. “I spent more time in Ski School than actual school,” Huber said, who spoke of a dream come true for anyone who has to watch the fresh powder come down through an office or school window. Harrison has spent most of his retirement shredding Austria’s fine snow and shows Sevier dedication. Harrison has been

skiing the last three years with a bone spur the size of a bouncy ball on the back of his heel. Moseley, Andy Mahre, Craig McGee and Lindsey Anderson

‘...I love the excitement of being out there, the beauty of the mountains, being with friends and being in incredible locations.’ -Chris Davenport, Local Ski Mountaineer changed the scene and took the viewers on a journey to the Columbia Mountains of British Columbia. Moseley and Mahre pay a tribute to Austrian Hans Gmoser, who introduced heliskiing the BC Mountains. The endless snow on the mountains, is somewhat like chasing gold at the end of the rainbow – it won’t happen. The snow seems to be never ending. “It’s totally magic out there,” Anderson said. If adrenaline is what your looking for, then New Zealand is the place for you. Mike Wilson, Tim Dutton, Chris Booth and

Tony Harrington bring that to life. New Zealand hosts the annual Heli Challenge, the largest big mountain competition in the world. The competition showcases athletes on some of the biggest peaks, doing the biggest air and taking the biggest falls. “There is only so much you can do in a terrain park or on a race course,” Harrington said. Wintervention also highlighted Colorado’s Vail Resort, Telluride, Colorado, Gudari Georgia, Southern Utah and Svalbard, Norway. The film showed that skiing and snowboarding isn’t all fresh powder and snowflakes; it’s broken bones, big falls and determination. Warren Miller entertainment traveled to our own Girdwood, Alaska for this film. Professional ski mountaineers Chris Davenport and Stian Hagn, showoff the most complicated peaks of the Chugiak Range. Davenport also goes in depth on mountain safety, as he shreds some of the world’s steepest terrain. “I am a skier,” Davenport said. “That just defines me. I love the adrenaline rush and I love the excitement of being out there, the beauty of the mountains, being with friends and being in incredible locations.” Wintervention is a real fantasy, a dream come true and an inspiration to be the happiest you can be.

In 2000, Terrell Owens got himself into a bit of trouble after scoring a touchdown, then running to the Star in the middle of the stadium and jumping on it. The Cowboys weren’t happy. On Oct. 28, 1985 New York Giants nose-guard poured a whole cooler of Gatorade on head coach Bill Parcels for the ﬁrst time. In the 1986 season Parcels had Gatorade pored on his head 17 times, and the Giants won the Super Bowl. This tradition caused many high school, college and professional teams to celebrate this way after a big victory. Everyone knows about the play-off beard. If you participate in High School hockey, college hockey or are a competing for the Stanley Cup, chances are you have probably grown or attempted to grow a play-off beard. The ritual goes you don’t shave it until your team is out. Then it no longer brings you good luck and needs to go. From the early 70’s to 1981 Harry Caray sang the tune “Take Me Out to the Ball Game” before every Chicago Cubs game. When Caray died Feb. 18, 1998 the tradition lives on at Wrigley Field. When Patrick Roy started his career in the NHL, he got many lucky bounces and saves. He said it had to do with the fact that he always talked to the goal posts during the game. Roy would also skate to the blue line and picture the net shrinking. He would never step on the blue or red line. The

The Alaska Anchorage women’s cross country team dropped one slot to No. 4 in week three of the U.S. Track & Field Cross Country Coaches Association poll, announced Oct. 6 while the men’s team advanced six positions to No. 9. The UAA women, who held the No. 3 ranking since the preseason poll was released on Aug. 25, fell to No. 4 despite a second-place team finish at the Willamette Invitational on Oct. 2. The Seawolves trail Grand Valley State (No. 1), Adams State (No. 2) and Shippensburg (No.3), which moved up from No. 6. UAA continues to lead the West Region ahead of Chico State (No. 5). The nearest Great Northwest Athletic Conference member is Western Washington at No. 8. On the men’s side, the Seawolves had the largest jump of any team. The Seawolves now sit second in the region below Chico State (No. 3) and first in the GNAC. Western Washington fell five spots to No. 11, while Northwest Nazarene (No. 25) entered the ranking for the first time this season.

UAA sweeps MSUB 3-0, upsets No. 13 SPU 3-1 Freshman Robyn Burton and sophomore Marie Borowikow recorded careerbest hitting percentages and junior Jackie Matthisen tallied 11 kills Oct. 28 to lead the Alaska Anchorage volleyball team to a 25-16, 25-22, 25-14 sweep of Montana State Billings at the Wells Fargo Sports Complex. The Seawolves, ranked No. 8 in the NCAA Div. II West Region, outhit the visitors .341 to .132 and out-dug them 32-22. UAA’s hitting percentage was its third-best of the season. Burton hit for a UAA season-best .700 attack percentage with eight kills on just 10 attempts and one error, while Borowikow hit .636 (8-1-11) and contributed three block assists. Senior middle blocker Cortney Lundberg also had eight kills on .545 hitting. After leading throughout the first set, the Seawolves recovered quickly from a 5-2 deficit in the second and took a 24-19 lead on one of Nikkie Viotto’s careerhigh-tying four aces. MSUB came back with three straight points, but Burton made sure it would get no closer with a kill on an assist from Adriana Aukusitino (19 assists). On Oct. 30, the Seawolves got a huge win over No. 13 Seattle Pacific 3-1 en route to a critical win over the Falcons. The Seawolves (15-7, 10-4 GNAC) also got 18 digs from freshman libero Quincy Haught as they won their third straight and improved their chances for an NCAA playoff berth. UAA came in ranked No. 8 in the West Region while SPU (21-2, 13-2) entered at No. 2. Lundberg, a 6-1 middle blocker, finished with 11 kills on .391 hitting and had three solos among her six total blocks. Junior right-side hitter Lee Golden (8 kills, .300 attack pct.), Borowikow (5 kills, 5 block assists) and sophomore outside hitter Shelby Hollister (3 kills on 5 attempts) were the other offensive heroes for the Seawolves.

-Complied by Taylor Hall

Seawolves lack sports rituals, traditions and superstitions The Northern Light

Both UAA Cross Country teams rank in top 10

Matthisen, who had four more kills than any other Seawolf this year, also ﬁnished with 10 digs to record her team-best sixth double-double. Burton contributed six total blocks in the victory.

OVERTIME

By Megan Edge

OVERTIME

case could be made that Roy is one of the NHL’s most superstitious athletes, but it worked. Now, these are only a few favorite, superstitions, traditions and rituals, but it’s safe to say they are becoming less common. Many of our Seawolves were asked if they had any pre-game rituals, superstitions or traditions, and the most common response was “no, not really,” or “I don’t know.” My question is, why not? Well maybe they don’t think of the little things they do as ritual. Maybe it’s just more of a routine. If you play hockey, maybe you put your left shin pad on before the right, or maybe you re-tape your stick before each game. If you play basketball, maybe you tie one shoe before the other, or maybe you only wear one brand of shoes. Maybe the volleyball team chants something before each game? These are their routines, not rituals, superstitions or traditions. What’s wrong with having them? Are they considered pointless or childish? Maybe, but if you can’t believe in something so simple, how does an athlete have enough spirit to believe in themselves or their team? The case can be made that these traditions and superstitions can be helpful, not to mention fun to hear about. The key in it all is believing in the traditions and having a little bit of faith.

SETH MEYERS November 2, 2010 | SPORTS

November 4, 2010 - 7:30pm Williamson Auditorium UAA Student: $10 adv/ S15 door General Public: $27 adv/ $32 door

Advance ticket sales end 4:00pm day of show. Tickets will be more at door. UAA Students must have valid UAA ID. Buy tickets online at www.uaatix.com and Student Union Information Desk.

For more information visit www.uaa.alaska.edu/concertboard UAA is an EO/AA employer and educational institution

FEATURES

Websites start to integrate text-to-speech technologies JAWS audio-visual technology is expensive, but necessary for visually impaired to surf Internet By Eli Wray

Special to The Northern Light

Mankind has ﬁnally discovered a practical use for text-to-speech technology, and it isn’t solely for making dirty words audible. How can the technology that allowed the typed word be transformed into a robotic voice be used in a different capacity other than your childish entertainment? JAWS is the answer. Nothing to do with the shark, JAWS stands for Job Access With Speed. Developed by Freedom Scientiﬁc, a Florida based corporation, JAWS is a screen-reader software intended for use by people who are blind or visually impaired. “JAWS is a piece of software that is pretty sophisticated,” said Kaela Parks Director of Disability Support Services at UAA. “It uses software called video intercept where information that would be going to our display is intercepted by this program and then is rendered into audible output. So it’s speaking out loud what you would be seeing visually.” Typically, web surfers don’t take time to think about how lucky they are to be able to see what and where they are navigating. By taking away sight, you are taking away basic luxuries, such as Internet and information, from most people. This is where JAWS comes into the equation. In 1989, Ted Hunter created JAWS

after he lost his sight in a car crash. The program has been heavily modified to fit the burgeoning technological advances, but the concept still remains the same: to provide computer accessibility to whoever needs it. The program is now the industry standard when it comes to accessibility software for the blind and is used here at UAA on a daily basis. But how accessible is the web information we utilize on a daily basis for a program like JAWS? Thanks to movements such as universal design, web pages are becoming available to a wider variety of people. “Universal design for websites is where we are trying to go,” said Parks. “My hope is that our standard business practice will be to ensure accessibility from the outset. The reason is that there is a legal mandate, as well as a moral aspect, but there are also business interests and self interest arguments.” According to Parks, the best practices for accessibility should include everything from alternate text for images to entire transcripts from videos. People also want web pages that load faster, get more search engine hits and are easier to maintain. The best accessibility practices will make this possible. “So, it all comes together in a beautiful combination where users are more satisfied and webmasters are better meeting their own goals,” said Parks. “This helps

everyone with disabilities including color blindness.” Color blindness is not commonly considered as a disability, and sometimes it’s not given a second thought. However, it is. In 2006, the Target webpage did not have color blindness accessibility built in whatsoever. There were no alternate text for images, orders were impossible without a mouse, image maps were not accessible, colors were used to mark sales and headings were missing. This was a big deal considering that programs such as JAWS rely on headings, alternate text and image maps to navigate pages. Also users of JAWS typically require a different mode of web selection other than a mouse due to their disability. The National Federation of the Blind sued Target over their inaccessible website in 2006. The case was settled two years later for a cool 6 million dollars. Another more recent case is that of Arizona State University being sued for the use of the Amazon Kindle in some classroom settings. Because the Kindle does not include accessibility for the blind, both the National Federation of the Blind and the American Council of the Blind sued the University for a federal law violation. A settlement was reached that didn’t require any money to exchange hands, however the court agreed that the university would provide access to all of its programs for

Challenge Alaska offers adaptive ski instruction

Spread Some Good Will

And get out of a Parking Ticket!

Parking Services is offering to let you peanut butter them up during the Human Services Club 5th Annual

Peanut Butter & Jelly Drive November 8 - 18

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students with disabilities. Even though universal design is starting to become common, there are still websites that need to be updated or webmasters that need to be educated in the process of making their website accessible. Even UAA needs to put some more work into making certain pages accessible, such as the Commuter Student Services page. “The whole page is ﬂash,” said Parks. “Which means it is not accessible at all. There is no alternate text, which means JAWS can’t read it, which also means it cannot be navigated through JAWS. People who are blind cannot navigate pages like this. We are working with the department to get out of the ﬂash based approach and into a different format.” One of the foremost problems with JAWS is that it is expensive. JAWS standard runs $895 while the professional version is $1,095. This is one of the reasons that open source software has started to pick up some popularity in the recent years. Whatever program used, it is important to develop websites that can be read and navigated by anybody. It’s a matter of accessibility for all, regardless of inconvenience on some. Disability Support Services can be found online at http://www.uaa.alaska.edu/ dss or in Rasmuson Hall, room 105.

By Katie Forstner The Northern Light

One of the most rewarding things in this increasingly volatile world is volunteer work. And volunteer work, combined with one of life’s most beautiful truths, skiing, could only make for a win-win situation. Challenge Alaska is offering you that option. Challenge Alaska is one of the nation’s best adaptive ski and snowboard schools. The organization, based out of Girdwood, is working hard to improve the quality of life for those with disabilities by providing an array of adaptive sports, education and therapeutic recreation. As many non-proﬁt organizations do, Challenge Alaska depends on volunteers to sustain their program. Challenge Alaska has fantastic volunteer opportunities for people who want to become involved in improving the lives of those with debilitating disabilities, such as slope instruction, ofﬁce

administration and facility maintenance. Volunteers are essential to the success of the ski and snowboard school, and volunteers are eligible for credit on lift tickets and season passes. Challenge Alaska offers ﬂexible hours for instructors, provides adaptive ski and snowboard training and convenient slope side access to ski and store personal gear. There will be a volunteer information meeting at Round Table Pizza in the Dimond Center on Nov 5 and Nov 18 from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. There will also be an informational meeting in Girdwood at the Challenge Alaska Building on Nov 6 and Nov 19 from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. The meetings will provide potential volunteers with paperwork, the opportunity to meet with staff and ask pertinent questions and ﬁnd out about adaptive ski and snowboard training sessions. For more information, visit www.challengealaska.org or contact Jeremy Anderson at (907)-783-2925

November 2, 2010 | FEATURES

Kappa Sigma fraternity is the latest addition to Greek Life By Nicole Viotto

Special to The Northern Light

After four long years, Kappa Sigma fraternity is finally being noticed by the University of Alaska Anchorage as an addition to the Greek Council. School doesn’t always have to be all work and no play; that’s why UAA encourages participation in Greek Life. The student Greek Life program encourages students to be involved at the university as well as in the Anchorage community. That is why the Greek council is considering the addition of UAA’s newest fraternity: Kappa Sigma. Currently, UAA is lacking numbers in its Greek Life program. The campus has two sororities, Alpha Sigma Alpha and Sigma Sigma Sigma and only one fraternity,Sigma Alpha Epsilon. Four years ago a few good friends decided UAA needed one more fraternity and it was up to them to make it happen. They were determined to open an Alaska chapter of Kappa Sigma. After massive amounts of hard work, projects, and fundraisers, Kappa Sigma was finally recognized by the national committee as an official fraternity last year. Brought to America in 1869 by William Grigsby McCormik, Kappa Sigma is one of the most preferred college fraternities in the world that is based on fellowship, leadership, scholarship and service. This is exactly what these boys were aiming to bring to UAA when they started their fraternity. “We are a community service fraternity,”

George Brandenburg, one of the original founding fathers, said. “We offer ourselves up to anybody that needs work done.” Kappa Sigmas volunteers at many nonprofit organizations such as the Food Bank. From painting buildings to raking yards, they do it all. Being the “new frat on the block,” Kappa Sigma has only 20 members, most of whom are the original founding fathers including Joseph Galindez, Edgar Tinajero, Bryan Abrego, Simon Levy, Jesse Staha, Luke Holtzhowzer and Anthony Augusto. Half of the current members are the brothers who originally created the fraternity. Although they have a solid group of men, they still rush with the goal of establishing themselves as a strong, wellknown fraternity on campus. Kappa Sigma just had its first rush, which Brandenburg believes went really well as they pledged six more members. Brandenburg was unsure about joining when he first heard about the fraternity, until he realized that they weren’t just any ordinary college frat. “I saw them beginning to regulate the people who wanted in,” he said. “They got rid of people who wouldn’t have been a good brother; I realized then that it would be more about the hard work than just a brotherhood based on social gatherings.” Brandenburg said they are a bunch of good friends working together to organize fun events for everyone. “We like to organize events, big ones to get everyone on campus involved,” he said. Students may recall the annual barbecue

at Goose Lake for Campus Kickoff, which was hosted by Kappa Sigma. “We want to establish ourselves as hard workers,” Brandenburg said. “We want to be out there and be apart of the community.” When it all comes down to it they are just a group of guys working together to get

established and out in the community while also having a great time. They are working hard and living life according to their secret motto: “AEKΔB.” Brandenburg refused to comment on this, laughing it off saying, “It’s just a ‘fraternity thing.’”

IMAGE COURTESY OF KAPPA SIGMA, RHO-EPSILON CHAPTER

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ARTS&ENTERTAINMENT

MUSIC REVIEW

New ‘Acoustic Sessions’ album reminiscent of oldies The Ghost Of A Saber Tooth Tiger’s new release is an easy listen for those who enjoy classic music By Lilly Conducy

Special to The Northern Light

The debut album, “Acoustic Sessions,” from the duo The Ghost of a Saber Tooth Tiger, is like taking a trip back to the 60’s. That is to say that everything about them, their voices, their melodies and even lyrics, makes you feel as though you are sitting on a pillow in a circle on the ﬂoor.

It may not be exactly like that, but once you listens to this album, there is no doubt that, for at least a split second, you’re going to have a hard time telling what year it is. While listening to the album, your mind is sure to wander to other artists such, as Simon and Garfunkel and The Beatles. One might even be reminded of the music that was heard in the original “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.” The band is

composed of Sean Lennon and Charlotte Kemp Muhl, who got together after they met backstage at Coachella. If you’re a fan of the 60’s you will more than likely be a fan of this album. It has a solid folksy sound; the vocals are sharp and inviting, and the melodies are smooth and engaging. Be sure to listen for the random raindrops in the second song, “Shroedinger’s Cat”. ALBUM: “Acoustic Sessions”” ARTIST: The Ghost of a Saber Tooth Tiger RECORD LABEL: Chimera RELEASE DATE: Oct. 26, 2010

★★★★

GAME REVIEW

‘Super Meat Boy’ a rather interesting Team Meat release By Bryan Dunagan The Northern Light

Pocket Power. People Mover route and schedule information is now available in a pocket-sized format for people on the move.

. Costs just $2.50 . Complete ride guide and schedule information . Full-color maps of all 14 routes . Easy to keep and store . A great and affordable gift idea!

Available now at the Downtown Transit Center, UAA Campus Bookstore or Bus Stop Shop Grocery.

www.peoplemover.org 343-6543

The development team behind “Super Meat Boy” has deﬁnitely got some crazy ideas kicking around in their heads. For starters, the characters are named Meat Boy, Bandage Girl and Dr. Fetus, who is a fetus in a jar wearing a tuxedo. Really, it’s all pretty interesting and deliciously over the top. The game tasks the player, as Meat Boy, to rescue his girlfriend, Bandage Girl, from the evil Dr. Fetus. Why? Because Dr. Fetus hates them both for some strange reason that is never really explained. This is okay, as the gamer will even forget the narrative as they ﬁght buzz saws to complete the game for bragging rights. On the game-play side, it’s pretty simple: guide Meat Boy to his ladylove and avoid all of the obstacles in the way. These obstacles are various incarnations of saws. Seriously, there are about 15 different types of saws to keep Meat Boy from the goal. The game keeps it simple with a faux 8-bit style and 2D plain. Another thing about “Super Meat Boy” is that it is ridiculously hard. In all, the game will cause the player to become accustomed to random deaths, cheap or otherwise, and they will love every minute of it. “Super Meat Boy” also has the most comical use of gore ever. This is in part to the trail of meat/blood that Meat Boy leaves in his wake. Not

only is this a good indication of the humor, but also how to pass a level. The paths stay on the ground, helping the player find the next way around the obstacle. Fortunately, there are also replays that the player can use. After completing a level, the player is treated to their replay. These can also be shared for bragging rights to friends. It is a big bragging right to have completed the last level after you have died 347 times on a rock below a buzz saw. This is however, masochistic to the gamer, who will want to play to the end just to say that they conquered the level, only to have the game cut out the fleshy parts of Meat Boy and hand them back. It’s really part of the appeal that makes this game so enjoyable. It takes the old school games of yesteryear and brings in the new with an absurd plot and has the player work for progress. It’s not a new concept, but for those that have been stuck on the constant instant gratification of just playing the game and getting rewarded, they won’t be happy. But for those elite few, the game will be just what Dr. Fetus ordered.

GAME: “Super Meat Boy” MAKER: Team Meat RELEASE DATE: Oct. 20, 2010

★★★★★

November 2, 2010 | A&E

TNL

MOVIE REVIEW

‘The Final Chapter’ a poor end for horror movie franchise By Heather Hamilton The Northern Light

When writing or directing the final movie in a franchise, a certain amount of responsibility is taken on to the fans that have carried your cinematographic baby to where it is. It is necessary to end the overall story with no questions remaining to plague the fans, and to end dynamically. One question, a risky one, that it is sometimes fun to give fans of horror or thriller stories, takes on the added responsibility of not only resolving every plot related question, but adding one final “oomph” to the end as well. This certain something, which leaves fans wanting more even as the ending is entirely resolved in a way that clearly displays that the story will not continue, should only generate a positive form of the question: “What the f*@%?” “Saw: The Final Chapter” is a movie on the heels of six relatively successful predecessors and boldly confirms itself as the final installment into the “Saw” franchise. Unfortunately, it leaves as many questions as the third installment, where a key character in the franchise dies after a fatal incident when an enraged victim gets hold of an electric saw. The premise of the seven-movie story is relatively simple: John Kramer (Tobin Bell “Saw VI”) discovers that he is terminally ill with a brain tumor. Enraged that many people who abuse their lives and the lives of others are permitted to live long lives when those who fight for their lives, like

him, have a short span of time they can do nothing about, he devises a sort of revival technique to rehabilitate humanity. He puts someone in a trap, and if that someone really wants to live, that person will do whatever it takes, whether it be kill someone else or chop of one of his or her own limbs, to get out. Then, having made such a sacriﬁce to stay alive, the victim is reborn with a new outlook on life. In the six previous movies, only a few select Jigsaw victims survive his traps, less than one per movie. Jigsaw himself didn’t survive, but his apprentice Detective Mark Hoffman (Costas Mandylor “An Afﬁrmative Act”) continues his work. “The Final Chapter” has much to resolve. One key question in every fan’s mind is whether or not certain bleeding-to-death victims from previous movies ever made it out alive. The answer, very unabashedly in this movie, is yes. In fact, much of the premise revolves around past survivors, and is advertised in the trailers. The second key question is: will Hoffman get away? After seeing how the original Jigsaw plans ahead very precisely for after his own death, it isn’t likely. So the question then becomes: who takes him out? The desire to see these questions answered nearly eclipses the main victim in this movie. Previous Jigsaw survivor Bobby Dagen (Sean Patrick Flanery “Mongolian Death Worm”), hot on the heels of the release of his novel about his ordeal, must save three friends and his wife from Jigsaw traps. The opening trap, the eye-popping

attention getter customary of all “Saw” flicks, has absolutely nothing to do with the overall story in this movie. This breaks form from the franchise’s past and creates a corpse for no reason. This never happens. Each lost head, broken neck, severed torso and pint of blood sacrificed serves a greater purpose in the story. Not this time. This was a trend throughout. Senseless and purposeless killing ran rampant – a complete cop-out from an otherwise surprisingly sophisticated and intricately woven plot. There is also a jarring time inconsistency, something the franchise has been very careful with in the past, and if the viewer is paying attention, it will pull them right out of the most intense part of the movie. Credit is due, however. The most intense part of the movie is the franchise’s traditional plot twist at the end, a twist that leaves a cruel and satisfied smirk on any true fan’s lips. In retrospect, the event is almost comical in its predictability, but still manages to be pleasing never the less. That still leaves the biggest problem with the movie, the inconclusive end. There are no less than five key factors (in terms of the overall series of movies based on past twists, plot devices and themes), that were left unaddressed. The most infuriating part of this is that not only did the movie’s ending contribute in part to over half of thoseunresolved factors, but every single one of them could be resolved with a grand total of no more than two additional minutes of movie time. To say that the ending of the movie is

bad is incorrect; it is an excellent end for a movie, especially in this genre. It is a terrible ending to a franchise however, that prides itself in packaging everything neatly together and planning plot twists and key events several movies in advance. Don’t bother seeing “Saw: The Final Chapter” in 3D if you can help it. The effects are cheap, the computerized gore is visibly fake and the effects add absolutely nothing to the movie. Unless you’re a diehard fan who can’t stand to wait a few months for the DVD release, don’t even bother seeing it in theaters.

MOVIE: “Saw: The Final Chapter” Starring: Tobin Bell, Costas Mandylor, Sean Patrick Flanery Run Time: 90 minutes Genre: Mystery, Horror

★★

TNL

A&E| November 2, 2010

The Northern Light seeks an

Assistant Arts and Entertainment Editor

A&E Call 907.786.1313 or e-mail content@thenorthernlight.org for more information

HARPER STUDIO THEATRE - UAA FINE ARTS BUILDING GENERAL ADMISSION: $12 UAA STUDENTS: $10 TICKETS: UAA FINE ARTS BOX OFFICE 786-4TIX UAA is an EEO/AA Employer and Educational Institution

Yesenia Rodriguez, doctoral student in

pharmaceutical sciences, is part of the NIH-Protein Biotechnology program. She examines the relationship between DNA repair and chromatin structures in yeast and mammalian cells to learn more about breast cancer.

WSU Graduate School Put your passion to work.

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

EXECUTIVE EDITOR 786-1434 editor@thenorthernlight.org Josh Edge MANAGING EDITOR 786-1313 content@thenorthernlight.org Jerzy Shedlock COPY EDITOR copy@thenorthernlight.org Brittany Bennett NEWS EDITOR 786-1576 news@thenorthernlight.org Vacant FEATURES EDITOR 786-1567 features@thenorthernlight.org Katie Forstner A&E EDITOR 786-6198 arts@thenorthernlight.org Heather Hamilton SPORTS EDITOR 786-1512 sports@thenorthernlight.org Taylor Hall PHOTO EDITOR 786-1565 photo@thenorthernlight.org Logan Tuttle WEB EDITOR 786-1506 web@thenorthernlight.org Ashley Snyder LAYOUT EDITOR layout@thenorthernlight.org Lisa Wagner ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR news2@thenorthernlight.org Vacant ASSISTANT FEATURES EDITOR features2@thenorthernlight.org Vacant ASSISTANT A&E EDITOR arts2@thenorthernlight.org Vacant GRAPHIC DESIGNER graphics@thenorthernlight.org Paige Tiede ADVERTISING MANAGER 786-4690 ads@thenorthernlight.org Mariya Proskuryakova ADVERTISING REPRESENTATIVE Yulia Kim CIRCULATION ASSISTANT Munkh-Erdene Tsend-Ochir PHOTOGRAPHERS Daniel Jackson CONTRIBUTORS Bryan Dunagan Deidre Jones Lilly Conducy Eli Wray Megan Edge Melissa Newton Nicole Viotto Shana Roberson MEDIA ADVISER Paola Banchero ADMINISTRATIVE ADVISER Annie Route The Northern Light is a proud member of the ASSOCIATED COLLEGIATE PRESS. The Northern Light is a weekly UAA publication funded by student fees and advertising sales. The editors and writers of The Northern Light are solely responsible for its contents. Circulation is 5,000. The University of Alaska Anchorage provides equal education and employment opportunities for all, regardless of race, color, religion, national origin, age, sex, 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

Attack campaigns not good for anyone Desire of candidates to ‘focus on the issues’ not apparent in their campaigns In the gubernatorial candidates’ ﬁnal debate before the general election, Governor and Republican candidate Sean Parnell brought up a very good topic for discussion – civility in campaigns and the current lack thereof. This particular issue was brought up because of a comment made by Congressman Don Young when Parnell ran against him in the Republican primary for U.S. House awhile back. During the campaign, Young referred to Parnell as “Captain Zero.” Young went on to win the campaign by only a few hundred votes, but in a recent debate between Young and Democratic candidate Harry Crawford, Young said that Parnell should kiss him, because Parnell is now governor. The “Captain Zero” and kissing comments resurfaced in the gubernatorial debate, which prompted Parnell to express his, and most likely other candidates’, disdain for the personal attack campaigns that are waged and have become increasingly prominent during election season. What is troubling about this is that calling someone “Captain Zero” does not even rank among

the worst things said in campaign ads. Take write-in candidate and incumbent Lisa Murkowski’s recent ad that contains interviews with people from Sitka who will

issues and less on the personal attacks. But, what happens every election is that exceedingly few candidates are actually willing to take the high road and veer away from these attack campaigns.

‘Most candidates express that they want to focus more on the issues and less on the personal attacks. But, what happens every election is that exceedingly few candidates are actually willing to take the high road and veer away from these attack campaigns.’ not be voting for Democratic candidate Scott McAdams, which essentially trashes him, speaking about his character, experience and whatever else that might destabilize his campaign. Though nothing extremely derogatory is said in the ad, it is still a personal attack that really does not focus on the issues, which all candidates seem to say they focus on, but really do not. Most candidates express that they want to focus more on the

Crawford’s campaign for U.S. House has basically been built on attempts to trash Young. Sure, a couple of ads have mentioned his issues, and his issues have also been brought up in debates and interviews. But, if one is to judge campaigns based solely on the advertising, the real issues would be difﬁcult to discern from the attacks. This is deﬁnitely not saying that Crawford’s is the only campaign to take up this style of campaigning,

but during this election season, it is among the most prominent. It’s apparent in people’s decision making, at least in many cases, that they don’t necessarily vote for a particular candidate. Instead, they are voting against other candidates. An attack campaign ends up dragging both candidates through the mud, so to speak, because if one candidate attacks another, it is only natural to respond. This is not really a new problem. It has been going on in one aspect or another essentially since the country was founded. But, campaigns need to take a turn towards addressing the actual issues, rather than the opposition. Sure, there will probably always be attack ads of one kind or another, but it would probably be in everyone’s best interests to minimize that and especially not base entire campaigns on it. All this is really resulting in is uninformed voters and also contributes to the general lack of conﬁdence in the government in America. These vicious battles don’t tell voters why we should vote for a particular candidate, they tell voters why they shouldn’t vote for others.

OPINION

‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ propagates inequality Rule is unjust and violation of individual rights; doesn’t portray American values By Melissa Newton

Special to The Northern Light

Our nation’s military has fought bravely since anyone can remember, but issues have recently surfaced that suggest some of our servicemen are more worried about their fellow soldiers’ personal lives than the objectives given to them. To avoid speculation about my background and sexual orientation, let’s just get this out of the way. I’m a Christian, conservative Republican, and straight as a board. I’ll admit I’m a bit radical at times. One could probably compare me to Joe Miller without the attitude problem, lies and sketchy evasiveness. Through all this, even a conservative Republican like me can recognize the unconstitutional, prejudice-ﬁlled behavior that is not only condoned, but also required in the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” law.

About 10,900 members of the armed forces have been dishonorably discharged under this law according to the Anchorage Daily News. Quite frankly, it’s amazing to me that the American people have been fooled into letting this go on for as long as it has. I respect the American military greatly, but if homophobic soldiers can’t put their own feelings and preferences aside to focus on their primary objective – ﬁghting for this country to protect the constitution and the citizens therein – perhaps they should have chosen a different career path. If our soldiers can be bothered so easily by a single aspect in the life of someone who is ﬁghting alongside them, how can the military ever expect to do anything worthwhile? Contrary to popular belief, as it seems, gay, lesbian and bisexual citizens of this great nation are not transformed into ravaging

beasts by their sexual orientation, governed only by their intense desire to harass and rape straight American soldiers and the public as we know it. These good people probably haven’t formed a secret organization dedicated to the disruption of military efforts and preying upon the weak. Australia is an excellent example of a country that lifted their similar policy and found that their military was improved because of it. “Based on the results of prior studies… this study ﬁnds that the full lifting of the ban on gay service has not led to any identiﬁable negative effects on troop morale, combat effectiveness, recruitment and retention, or other measures of military performance,” states a study done by Palm Center, a research institute of the University of California. The study went on to say that, “Available evidence suggests that

policy changes associated with the lifting of the ban may have contributed to improvements in productivity and working environments for service members.” In fact, there are twenty-ﬁve countries that now allow openly gay and lesbian soldiers in their militaries, according to Palm Center’s website. The Australian Defense Forces have since ﬂourished with little complaint. In fact, only 1.21 percent of complaints received have had to do with sexual orientation misconduct issues, according to the study. Doesn’t the United States typically pride itself on being one of the more innovative nations? It appears as though we’ve fallen behind when it comes to one of the crucial elements of American culture: equality.

PRIDE

CHIDE

Haunted Halloween Fun Night...

Bad drivers...

...for providing families with a fun, safe place to go trick-or-treating.

...for contributing to so many accidents after the first snow.

BROKECOMICS | Alec Fritz

TUNDRA l Chad Carpenter

CROSSWORD

SODUKU

WORDSEARCH: LAUGHTER E N C O C K A M A M I E S I V

W E W I M L C G H G U A L D G

TNL

COMICS| November 2, 2010

D O J T C A S E F S U R J M W

L R I E H C B B U I E F U J K

H W U A K I F O J T L U F H U

Z A V S J C I G T M G Z E A B

E H R E B R X I O S G V K L W

J L K E A A T E N N I V O B Q

C H K O B F T I H I G D J G W

K Y R C X R G K B C A C K L E

P P A M U G A M U K D H B P L

U S V Z E H G I P E U A R X G

E L T R O H C T N R K A F A B

L A R K L Q L K R E N F Q F A

H D H P Q A V L K K D A X R Y

ABSURD CACKLE CHORTLE CHUCKLE COCKAMAMIE DAFFY FARCICAL GIGGLE GUFFAW HAREBRAINED JIBE JOKE LARK LAUGH PRANK SNICKER SNIGGER TEASE TITTER UPROARIOUS

ACROSS 1 5 8 12 14 15 16 17 18 19 21 23 24 25 26 30 32 33 37 38 39 40 42 43 44 45 48 49 50 52 wds.) 57 58 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 DOWN 1 2 3 4 5 6

7 8 9 10 11 13 14 20 22 24 26 27 28 29 30 31 33 34 35

Natural crystals Cut off, as branches Sherpa’s sighting Encumbered Withstand During Word of parting Con Tempo ATM insert (2 wds.) Heavy yellow paper Attorney’s deg. Cycle starter “— Miserables” One “in distress” Tolkien hobbit From Basra Snare by devious means In — (undisturbed) Hesitate Corona Lynx Give a synopsis Leap Untroubled Glamorous wrap “Harper Valley —” Wernher — Braun St. Francis’ home Kickboxer of films (2

36 38 41 42 44 45 46 47 49 51 52 53 54 55 56 59

Pale yellow Tall tale AOL message (hyph.) Championship Brainstorms Molecule cores Celtic poet The works White House staffer Confidence Kind of brake Operatic solo Marshal Dillon Pigeon Establish Significant — Hawaii’s — Loa Road rally Comedian King

Bishop of Rome Most sulky Broom companions Provide, as service Mama’s boy Bread pro Honshu port Very pale Bouquet holder Part of MIT Tennessee gridders Shake — —! Inventory wd. Fritz’s possessive Seaside raptor State VIP

“Blazing Saddles” co-star Id companions Type of statesman Really skimps Boot part Violinist’s need Harangue HBO receivers Chromosome part Cement section Nothing, to Pedro Asgard resident Half a fortnight Grant a mortgage Feedbag bit

LAST WEEK’S SOLUTIONS:

Where there is no imagination there is no horror. Sr. Arthur Conan Doyle

G H

M N O

November 2, 2010 | COMICS

TNL HOROSCOPE l Stella Wilder

openingnovember day 24!

The coming week is likely to see one important phase give way to another that is no less important, and that may in fact prove important enough for some to warrant a dramatic change in some aspect of daily life. Indeed, the emotional burden brought about by what is just around the corner may prove more than some can bear on their own, so it will be a week in which friendships of all kinds prove more important now than ever before -- provided they are true friendships in which communication, trust and cooperation are genuine and lasting.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 7) -- Bumps in the road are to be expected, but how you navigate the major detours will make all the difference. (Nov. 8-Nov. 21) -- Someone offers information that may make recent decisions already out-of-date, but you can certainly stay in touch. SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 7) -- You’re eager to get started on something that will prove more important to you than recent routine endeavors -- but what is it? (Dec. 8-Dec. 21) -- Questions spring up regarding a key relationship; are you ready to face certain truths? CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 6) -- A revelation leads you to make a decision that will affect you for a long time to come, but you can make key adjustments along the way. (Jan. 7-Jan. 19) -- The difference between what is “normal” and what is not may be no clearer than at any other time. AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 3) -- A difference of opinion arises between the young and the old, but a meeting of the minds can reveal common ground. (Feb. 4-Feb. 18) -- You needn’t be afraid of certain realities that have been hidden from you in the past. PISCES (Feb. 19-March 5) -- Challenges arise that may require you to open up in ways that you haven’t, especially when getting together with casual friends. (March 6-March 20) -- It may be harder than expected to get the ball rolling; trust your instincts. ARIES (March 21-April 4) -- An opportunity arises that allows you to air some grievances without offending anyone who is close to you. (April 5-April 19) -- Don’t make an already important issue become too important -- or you’ll find that no one will want to engage with you. TAURUS (April 20-May 5) -- Self-discovery can result in an important opportunity, but the most valuable activities are those you explore on your own. (May 6-May 20) -- You may pride yourself on your honesty and openness, but you may not be able to talk about just anything. GEMINI (May 21-June 6) -- A mistake you make early in the week is likely to result in a major discovery that can help you avoid any repeats in the near future. (June 7-June 20) -- A surprise development is not likely to be avoided; instead, try to turn it to your advantage. CANCER (June 21-July 7) -- The time has come for you to get out of your own way; yes, it’s true -- without knowing it, you have been presenting one obstacle after another. (July 8-July 22) -- You’re likely to be criticized for doing or saying something that was utterly unavoidable. LEO (July 23-Aug. 7) -- You may be blaming your current malaise on all kinds of influences that you cannot control, but you may be personally at fault. (Aug. 8-Aug. 22) -- It’s important for you to find out who is doing what to influence you against your will. VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 7) -- Take care that you make amends any time you do something that offends someone around you; avoid stepping over the line more than once. (Sept. 8-Sept. 22) -- Take steps to improve your health; it won’t happen all at once, but you can make a start. LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 7) -- You can get more done than planned, provided you sidestep an unexpected obstacle early on. A strong start is the key. (Oct. 8-Oct. 22) -- The more you are able to react in a genuine but agreeable manner, the more you will be able to accomplish.

©Simon Evans

The guidance of someone whose experience and expertise are acknowledged and respected may prove more important than usual, and can lead some to make decisions that raise the stakes dramatically; the more one knows why he or she is doing something at this time, the better.

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Tickets $15 | 7 pm Tons of door prizes!