February 16, 2016

FEBRUARY 16 - FEBRUARY 23, 2016

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How the drinking age in the U.S. has affected the country’s culture

Famous sex columnist Dan Savage returns to UAA

Claybody Ceramic Invitational presents the wacky, wonderful and wicked

By Kathryn Casello

kcasello@thenorthernlight.org

PHOTO BY YOUNG KIM

Trumpin’ Around by Andrea Moore is a commentary on subversive and ridiculous politics.

The Claybody Club at UAA is hosting their yearly showing of work in the Student Union Gallery featuring pieces that are astonishing, insightful and even political. Ranging from beginner artists with little experience with clay to long time 3-D art enthusiasts, the Claybody Ceramic Invitational is a chance for students in the sculptural ceramics and wheel throwing classes to present their work to the community of UAA. Gallery Manager Jade Aldridge, also a member of the Claybody Club, talked about the Invitational as she individually hand-glued dead, preserved honey bees onto a naturethemed piece in the entryway.

“We have a little bit of a more morbid undertone, a little angsty I think,” said Aldridge, art major, “3-D work is always kind of undershown, I think painting and 2-D works are more commonly done and maybe there’s a sort of intimidating aspect to 3-D work because it seems like it’s so different and maybe hard-

Fur Rondy: An Alaskan classic for 81 years

By Jake Johnson

jjohnson@thenorthernlight.org

The Fur Rendezvous, or Fur Rondy, was established in 1935 by Vern Johnson and his friends as a three-day winter festival. A festival that has since been honored by the likes of “National Geographic,” magazine as “The Premier Winter Festival in 2012.”

Current Executive Director of Fur Rondy, Jeff Barney, ex-professional hockey player and commercial fisherman, is in his ninth year as a Rondy employee and his third as director. The organizers of Fur Rondy plan to continue the tradition of excellence in their 81st anniversary.

This premier festival is funded mostly through sponsorship of events by a plethora of companies, individuals and corporations.

When asked what his most memorable Rondy experience was, Barney answered, “Being a part of the three dog sled races as a child.”

This is one his favorite events to date, alongside the Running of the Reindeer, an Alaskan take on Spain’s Running of the Bulls. As well as the Outdoor Winter Hockey Tournament put on by Fur Rondy at the rinks of Mulcahey Ice Complex, Delaney Parkstrip and Goose Lake.

“The Slow Ride Bike Race, is the newest event I’m most excited for,” said

facebook.com/northernlightuaa

Barney about new events at Fur Rondy this year. He stated that Alaskan’s are attempting to break a world record for the most fat tire bikes in a race with 1,000 competitors. A record previously held by the state of Wisconsin.

Barney shares a common belief with Fur Rondy Retail Sales Manager, Carol Daugherty, who has been involved with Fur Rondy since 1980. She agrees that the Running of the Reindeer is the most popular event each year.

“I couldn’t imagine Alaska without the Fur Rendezvous festival,” Daugherty said.

Fur Rondy has become so important to Alaskans and the collectible Fur Rondy pins hold a lot of value.

“It’s probably the heart of Fur Rondy, the memorabilia,” Daugherty said about the infamous Fur Rondy pins, which she has sold for values of up to $700. Barney stated he once witnessed a Cessna Super Cub airplane being traded for a rare Rondy pin about seven years ago.

Erik Judson, a UAA graduate and journalism major, is the current Marketing Director of Fur Rondy.

Judson said he also enjoys much of the same events as his colleagues and that being able to see what goes on in the background of the festival is probably what is most special to him. Fur Rondy only

SEE RONDY

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er to do, but I don’t think so at all; I think it’s actually easier to do in some ways because you can look at something at all angles and work on it.”

Aldridge said that along with the Claybody Invitational, clay-based art has been in the spotlight recently at UAA. Before Claybody, Convergence, a show of four ceramic artists was available at the gallery and after Claybody, Girdwood artist Maya Daniel will have a solo show entitled “Unprotected.”

Artists at UAA interested in working with clay and other types of 3-D art can join Claybody Club to work on art, be in-the-know about art and clay art activities and showings in Anchorage, as well as be surrounded by artistic and creative fellow-minded students.

“Everyone in the club is either pursuing an art degree and they’re focusing on ceramics, or they just really enjoy doing ceramics on the side, or they’re continuing students who have already graduated who really like working with clay,” said Aldridge. “In the club we host sales, and we know what’s going on in the

community involving ceramics. We go to conferences like the upcoming spring NSECA Conferences which is the biggest ceramics conference in the US and it’s full of vendors and artists and lots of talks and the galleries wherever it’s happening are chock full of ceramics. It’s a really educational and inspiring thing.”

An important facet of being an artist is being able to share their work with other artists and the community as a whole. Andrea Moore, President of the Claybody Ceramics Club explained how the Invitational gives students an opportunity to share.

“We try to have the invitational once a year and it gives the students a chance to show what they’re working on,” said Moore, ceramics major. “It’s all about people getting a chance to see pottery and sculpture and the entire array of what 3-D art is. The Invitational helps put a spotlight back on ceramics and showing what great program we have at UAA both in classes and with the Claybody Club. We have great teachers

SEE CLAYBODY

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Men’s sweep in-state foe UAF

PHOTO BY YOUNG KIM

UAA’s Suki Wiggs drives the ball up the court in Thursday’s game against the Alaska Nanooks.

By Jordan Rodenberger

jrodenberger@thenorthernlight.org

Last Thurday’s meeting between rivals UAA and the Alaska Nanooks featured two of the biggest stars in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference.

The Seawolves’ Suki Wiggs and Nanooks’ Travante Williams both place in the top-5 for three statistical categories: scoring, rebounds, and steals.

This time around, the back-and-forth affair between the two schools ended with a 76-71 victory for the Seawolves.

Wiggs totaled 20 points and 10 boards while Brian McGill had a game-high 28 points for the Seawolves. Corey Ham-

@thenorthernlightuaa

mell recorded 15 rebounds, continuing his impressive defensive campaign this season. As for the Nanooks, Williams finished with 22 points while Bangaly Kaba tallied 18.

Despite this being their fourth game in eight days, the travel and successive game schedule did not seem to drain any spirit from UAA. “We had such good energy in the locker room and in the warmups that we didn’t think about how tired we were,” UAA guard Drew Peterson said.

The game began with the two teams alternating buckets, causing eight lead changes in just the first 11 minutes. Wil-

thenorthernlight.org

SEE UAF

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THENORTHERNLIGHT TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2016

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The culture of a high drinking age

GRAPHIC BY JIAN BAUTISTA

Drinking ages across the world.

By Victoria Petersen

vgpetersen@thenorthernlight.org

At a university such as UAA, everyone in class and on campus is a peer.

All equal and all the same, but with one definitive number separating us all from entertainment, fine dining, social networks and Anchorage nightlife. 21 and older separates the young adult group into two.

With a bar scene unknown to those under the age of 21, it’s a strange threshold to cross for those embarking upon the milestone birthday. Finally able to join friends down the street at the local bar, the novelty begins to wear off when you look at your bank account the next day with a raging headache.

Finally welcomed to peruse the liquor store you were kicked out of years before when trying to buy a bag of chips, you question how much alcohol you even want to drink as you stare at a bottle of vodka on the shelf. As the excitement of 21 dies down after you shudder at the thought of a seven dollar cocktail, you begin to wonder why you even had to be 21 to experience the local blues band playing downtown at the bar after 10 p.m.

With laws varying slightly in each state, Alaska is known for having stricter policies regarding alcohol than other states. In the state of Alaska, it is difficult to enter a bar at night without a photo I.D. ready, and impossible to see a show at a local bar if it’s past 9 p.m. For musicians trying to break the Anchorage music scene, some may find difficulty being taken seriously and getting gigs, as most venues in Anchorage are bars and most shows happen at night. This difficulty is a reality for 20 year-old Harrison Jennings, a music major at UAA whose age has been a hinderance to his music career.

“Having the drinking age be 21 and over is a social block and is restrictive to opportunity. For people just graduating high school who want to start a band or get into music seriously, have to wait

three years to start a band. It’s hard to be viewed as a minor when you’re an adult,” said Jennings, “I’ll admit it I’ve had occasions where I had to sneak in sometimes or at least bring a parent. I can’t always bring a parent, she’s a single mom and she can’t always come. I’m trying to be more independent, but it’s difficult in a band in Alaska trying to get gigs at bars and lounges. There’s room for improvement for employment purposes and there could be more leniency in that area. I almost considered getting a fake I.D., that’s how bad it is, but now I’m 20 so I don’t see the point.”

To combat the lack of venues for young performers more under-21 open mics are popping up around Anchorage. One in particular has been running for over a year and a half now. Hosted at Middle Way Cafe by local musician Jamie Whiteman, an elementary education major at UAA, it offers musicians the opportunity to play publicly without breaking the law.

“I plan to keep hosting them, even after I turn 21. It’s been a great experience. Anchorage is in dire need of places where young people can play music and develop and practice their skills,” said Whiteman. “There are so many talented young people, there’s almost nowhere they can go to meet. Other than my open mic, I know of one other place underage people can play. Matt Vanderbilt has an all ages, all original music, singer songwriter showcase every Saturday night at Organic Oasis, which rocks. Everything in this town happens at bars. It feels bad being criminalized for wanting to express myself and grow as a musician.”

The United States drinking age was implemented after prohibition and the Twenty-First Amendment, and the legal alcohol purchase age was set at 21, the age of majority, which is just a way of saying that’s when you are an adult and can vote. At the same time in the United States, the legal age of voting was 21.

The voting age was lowered to 18 with the Twenty-Sixth Amendment in 1971.

A majority of the states dropped the age restriction from 21 to 18, during 1972 and 1973, in accordance with the new voting age limit. Twelve states have kept the legal purchase of alcohol age at 21 since the repeal of prohibition and have not changed it since.

In the next decade, many states raised their legal limitation for purchase and consumption in hopes to fight drunk driving and lower such fatalities. In 1984 Congress passed the National Minimum Drinking Age Act, requiring that all fifty states set the legal age of possession to 21 years of age, or receive a ten percent cut in federal highway funds. Within four years, all 50 states had integrated the law and the age has not changed in any state since. A controversial subject, the drinking age is three years higher than that of the age to vote in the United States, and is also higher than in most other countries.

Those who have traveled outside of the United States can account for the laissez-faire attitude of the rest of the world towards alcohol. Traveling to over 13 different countries on her semester abroad trip on Semester at Sea, Morgan Brown an early childhood education student at UAA, felt the rest of the world relax about the consumption of alcohol.

“Japan would be considered extremely conservative from an American perspective, but alcohol was readily available everywhere and I wasn’t carded whenever I purchased any,” said Brown. “The only time I was ever carded during my entire study abroad was in London at a Chipotle. I do believe the drinking age is too old. Most kids head to college around 17 or 18. We have an unfortunate issue with deaths surrounding young people and alcohol. I think this is because we treat it so taboo. I didn’t know enough about drinking when I started at 15 and eventually ended up staying at home and drinking with my parents. Which is how I think kids should experience alcohol for the first time somewhere safe, where someone responsible knows what’s going on.”

Similar to Brown’s experience, Madeline Neel a natural sciences student at UAA, spent her first semester of college in France. There she noticed a more relaxed alcohol culture.

“While I was there, I was surprised to see that the grocery stores and minimarts had shelves stocked with liquor, with no restrictions to who could enter or not. In fact, when my friends and I purchased a couple bottles for our soiree, we weren’t even carded,” said Neel, “During the week, it wasn’t surprising to see a student or two huddled in a quiet corner of the bar studying or reading a book. The outlook on alcohol and the rigid line of ‘21+ Only’ was nonexistent. I believe in America, we have so much hubbub about how we should and shouldn’t restrict alcohol and who should and shouldn’t drink it that it makes it more enticing to underage drinkers. Those young adults are fully aware of the fact that they can enroll in the military and be responsible with a loaded weapon, yet not with alcohol.”

An issue that has been typically brushed under the rug is the alcohol purchase and consumption age, which is being challenged by three states. Currently New Hampshire is reviewing legislation to let adults 18 and older consume less alcoholic beverages such as beer and wine, if accompanied by someone 21 or older. A bill in the state of Minnesota legislature mimics the same policy. While in California, a ballot that will be voted on in November in hopes to open the consumption of any alcohol to any adult 18 or older. If these states lower the age of consumption and possession of alcohol they will lose up to 10 percent of federal highway funding, but could balance that with an increase in alcohol sales and tax.

However the outcome, it will be difficult for the United States to move from the taboo culture of alcohol and its effects of the young adults in this country.

04 | FEATURES

THENORTHERNLIGHT TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2016

Caucuses, candidates and cola SEAWOLF

SLUG

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

These are his stories.

By Klax Zlubzecon

Translated by George Hyde For the purposes of dramatic effect, please read the following two paragraphs in the voice of an old newsreel.

Ahem.

The march of political war!

After a loss in the Iowa caucuses, media mogul and toupee aficionado Donald Trump is on the offensive again after claiming an eleven-point lead in New Hampshire! Senator Bernard Sanders breaks his tie with fellow Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton, securing a firm victory! Now, all eyes are on Nevada and South Carolina, as Sanders and Trump hope to maintain their furious momentum!

Alright, I’ve had my fun. Let’s actually talk about the caucuses now.

I think it’s safe to say that any concerns about Bernie’s electability are now

dashed. After surprising most everyone by tying with Clinton in Iowa — to the point where Clinton’s narrow victory was considered by many to actually be a defeat — he’s gone on to dominate New Hampshire with a huge 22 point lead. Maintaining his momentum in South Carolina isn’t going to be much of an issue.

As much as I love Sanders, though — benevolent socialism and hive-minded slugs go hand in hand, after all — it’s the Republican race I’m more interested in.

Immediately before my tumultuous landing here on Earth in 2013, the Republican establishment frantically searched for a candidate that could sway voters away from incumbent President Obama.

There was little doubt as to who was going to get the nomination on the left side. The real drama was who was going to get the right’s. From what my host remembers, it was a real tug-of-war struggle to see who Obama’s next political opponent would be. Candidates would be declared

the surefire nominee on CNN, get their faces plastered on TIME Magazine and then fade into obscurity by month’s end, if not sooner.

This is an issue of Republican identity.

The GOP is splintered into so many factions and groups that its impossible to tell who will get the most delegates in time for the National Convention. Moderates, Tea Party, fiscal conservatives, social conservatives, libertarians, radicals, neoconservatives… my host’s brain already hurts trying to remember them all, which makes my alien parasitic functions hurt, and that’s just terrible.

Compare this to the Democratic side.

There are only two candidates now — Martin O’Malley doesn’t count anymore — one who is extremely progressive and socialist, and one who has flip-flopped between moderate and radical over the course of her political career. You’re not trying to choose between nine different flavors of Republican. It’s a simple “Coke vs. Pepsi” kind of choice. You don’t have millions of different kinds of soda to choose from, just standard cola — although no matter what you choose, people from the other camp are going to try to eviscerate your opinion.

Imagine that, but with seven different brands of soda. Imagine if Dr. Pepper joined the fray, along with the Safeway off-brand — the obvious Ben Carson analogue — along with cherry soda, root beer, and plain old alcoholic beer — the obvious Donald Trump analogue. It’d be a mess. You’d think that people would be open to more brands that way, and that no one brand could have all the customers, but you wouldn’t think it from the way they assault each other on live TV, because, like “Highlander,” there can be only one.

In Nevada, the location of the next Republican caucus, the political attitude has been difficult to gauge. At this point in time, it could go in any direction. Donald Trump looms over Ted Cruz in the polls, but anything could happen. Whatever happens, the people of Las Vegas are going to be very, very sick of political attack ads in the months to come.

To be fair, the people of South Carolina will be too. Let’s be frank, there are way more Republicans slinging feces at each other than there are Democrats.

If you’re a young aspiring Republican, though — there’s no shame in admitting it — you can alter the future. If you, by some strange contempt for human and alien reason, want Donald Trump to win the caucuses, make it so. If you don’t, if you feel that a more reasonable Republican like John Kasich or Marco Rubio would make a better nominee, make it so.

The Alaska Republican Caucuses take place on March 1. If you’re a Republican and you complain about Trump’s dominance in the polls, now — or at least, two weeks time — is the time to put your vote where your mouth is.

As for me personally, as a Slug, I don’t care. Slugs can’t vote, and although I can influence my host’s thoughts to favor one candidate over another, I choose to stay neutral. It’s harmful to look at political elections the same way as a reality show, but as a neutral non-human, I have to admit that this kind of thing is really entertaining.

It won’t matter anyway because of the incoming Slug Armada, but hey, they’re thousands of light years away. I can afford to have a little political fun.

RESISTANCE IS FUTILE.

EMBRACE THE SEAWOLF SLUG.

East Anchorage transplant: Life on the other side A well-meaning column rife with clunky metaphors and horrible advice, Orange Rhymes With is the goto place to break the monotony of classes and laugh at someone else’s misfortune.

By Evan Dodd Contributor

I’m not new to Anchorage. In fact, in the five years I’ve lived here full time, I’d argue that I’ve managed to explore more of it than most. By way of the inter-city trail system, the Front Range access via upper and lower Hillside and the outlying trails snaking down the Turnagain Arm, I would have claimed to be very well versed in the city. Considering the fact that I spend my summers landscaping, finding hidden neighborhoods that you normally would have no reason to come across, I’d have expected to have ceased finding new areas of town by now.

I was very accustomed to the east side of Anchorage and all of its quirks. I knew the hours and delivery policies of all the restaurants in the area, and had become

so familiar at Thai Kitchen that they knew my name by my order. I haunted the space between the U-Med district and Muldoon for years, intimately familiar with every trail, side road, and hole in the wall burger joint imaginable. Since moving to the Sand Lake area I’ve realized that there’s an entire side of Anchorage that I’d been neglecting for all these years.

The first thing you notice about the area is that everyone seems to be running. There seems to be no rhyme or reason to it. Mothers run with strollers with extra kids running alongside, and all manner of children who really ought to be in school seem to be training for the Hunger Games on the side of road.

Intrigued, I figured I’d follow the “when in Rome” principle and go for what I expected to be an easy run at Kincaid the other day, having been vaguely

aware that it was a nice area rife with ski trails and a meandering disk golf course.

Three hours later I emerged from what was almost certainly not a trail, covered in dirt from falling down an icy hill, and completely dumbfounded at the vast expanse of land the park inhabits. I wandered up and down two hills that must have been intended for biking and across ski trails that snaked through a dense forest of devils club before finding what I thought to be the main trail again. Twenty minutes later, I stumbled across a map that indicated that I had somehow found the coastal trail and was headed towards downtown Anchorage, which was unfortunately about three zip codes away from where I’d parked.

Apparently, once I cross the Seward Highway, all sense of direction goes out the window. I’ve grown a bit more accustomed to the main “berry streets” such as Raspberry, Strawberry and even Cranberry, but every third day I end up on some obscure berry (like Marionberry or something equally ludicrous), which almost always turns out to be a meandering one-way cul-de-sac intended only for bikes. The upside of this is that any would-be stalkers that might be following me should have even less luck in locating my home than I do.

Then there’s the Jewel Lake area, which must be contained in some sort of time warp, because the area doesn’t look like its aged in decades. There’s the True Value hardware store that I’d previously thought only to exist in farther-flung towns like Homer and Glenallen, which seems to have only survived the compe-

tition of big box home stores by hiding out in an alternate timeline. Then there’s the Tastee Freez, which has quite literally existed since the fifties and seems to anchor the area to a bygone era of small town diners.

It’s consistently baffling to me that I can drive to UAA within fifteen minutes of the new apartment because it feels as if I’ve moved to an entirely different city, trading the base of the Chugach for a more coastal view. So far my neighbors don’t seem to be dealing anything, and the neighborhood children don’t appear to be forming any sort of Warriors style street gangs. I no longer have to risk sliding off the Muldoon on-ramp on my way into town, or science equipment stolen for daring to venture down Reka Drive. I even seem to have left the jurisdiction of the Anchorage code enforcement officer that had been stalking my car and threating to have me towed for the apparently vile offense of parking outside my own home.

Call it a new adventure, or simply a change of scenery, but I’m actually enjoying the chance to re-explore a city I thought I knew. Not all traces of the Anchorage I knew have disappeared however. I’m still able to find an identical Thai and Pho restaurant on every corner, the streets are still filled with poorly driven Subaru’s and the other night I was awoken by a weirdly familiar series of eight gunshots followed by the sound of a car speeding off.

Ah, Anchorage. Some things never change.

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THENORTHERNLIGHT TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2016

| 05

06 | FEATURES

THENORTHERNLIGHT TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2016

Six logical fallacies that undermine good dialogue

By Kathryn Casello

kcasello@thenorthernlight.org

Today’s college students are more engaged than Generation X was according to a study done by the Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement, surveying 386 students and involving 47 focus groups, describing college students as, “neither cynical nor highly individualistic. They do not want to write off politics, despite their many criticisms; instead, they seek ways to engage politically.”

Another finding of the study was that students dislike polarized debates and seek authenticity in debates about politics, which is a possible factor in the large amount of enthusiasm for Bernie Sanders, often described as honest and unafraid to speak his mind, among Millennials in the 2016 election cycle.

Studies like these highlight the necessity for open, clear and effective argumentation in politics as well as in daily life. Because of the technology that propels news and events forward, it’s much easier for people to have access to information as well as express their opinions. Amie Stanley, a coach for UAA’s Seawolf Debate team, explained why it’s important to have productive dialogue and avoid faulty logic.

“A good argument follows good argumentative form and have all sound premises.” Hugh Gunner Deery III “I think when we engage in conversation specifically in arguing or making arguments, we’re doing so because we think talking about it is important,” said Stanley.

“Whether or not you consider yourself political, your engagement at all is political. We use a lot of arguments in everyday conversation; I took a class as a graduate student for conflict management in the workplace and really it’s negotiation and it’s everyday reasoning, and it’s difficult to engage if you’re using fallacies.”

A fallacy is a line of reasoning that is considered wrong because it either suffers from a factual error, in which the evidentiary support is false, or where the premises of the argumentation are not sound. A logical fallacy, or formal fallacy, happens when there is a flaw in logical structure, whereas an informal fallacy happens when the structure of the argument is valid, but some part of the premises cannot guarantee the conclusion.

“I think the most common one people fall into is the hasty generalization fallacy where they have specific knowledge on a topic and they make a claim like ‘the

SEE FALLACY

PAGE 7

GRAPHIC BY KATHRYN CASELLO

Hummus: Old meets new

By Victoria Petersen

vgpetersen@thenorthernlight.org

You probably tried hummus that summer you tried to become a vegetarian, but it’s been around for much longer than that. Speculated to be one of the oldest prepared foods in the world, the exact origins of hummus have been lost in translation. Nor-

mally thought of predominately as an Israeli dish, the spread actually calls many places home. Palestine, Egypt, Greece and other Middle Eastern and Mediterranean countries all stake claim in the chickpea dip. With variances in how hummus is made from place to place it always has the basic combination of chickpeas, lemon juice and garlic. Try your hand at hummus with an avocado and lime variant of the dish.

Avocado and lime hummus Ingredients • Yield: 2 cups • Prep time: 3 minutes • Ingredients: • 1 can of chickpeas • 2 avocados, ripe, cut and peeled • 2 cloves of garlic • 2 tablespoon of lime juice • 1 teaspoon of salt • ½ teaspoon of cumin • 2 tablespoon of olive oil • ½ teaspoon of paprika

Directions

1. Pour the chickpeas, avocado and garlic into a food processor or blender.

2. Add the lime juice, cumin, salt and paprika to the mixture.

3. Process or blend until smooth and creamy, adding in the olive oil as you mix.

4. Once a smooth consistency is reached, pour into a bowl and enjoy with pita chips, crackers, and veggies.

PHOTO BY VICTORIA PETERSEN

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THENORTHERNLIGHT TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2016

| 07

FALLACY: Forming effective arguments, engaging discourse CONTINUED FROM PAGE 6 sky is always blue’ because they see it’s blue all the time, where in reality the sky might change color,” said Stanley. “It’s very common when people talk about immigration, saying ‘well every person of a certain race doesn’t pay their taxes’ because they think that some people as illegal immigrants maybe don’t get taxed, so they take something as true and apply it to a variety of cases where it’s not always true.”

This fallacy tends to stop a conversation in it’s tracks because it often times does not have strong evidentiary support and might be based on someone’s opinion. It’s never helpful to stop the conversation from continuing.

The effect happens as well with teleological reasoning.

Stanley explained that teleological reasoning occurs commonly in discussions about individual rights and gun control. People will often reference the 2nd Amendment’s Right to Bear Arms as a justification for not implementing gun control policies, even though Constitutional rights are not inherently a justification for anything — laws and regulations are often updated, thrown out and replaced and so referencing the law as the final judgment on an issue avoids important dialogue and understanding.

“When it comes to politicians engaging in low-quality discourse, I think we should give them a pass. We are the ones who set the standard for political discourse. Donald Trump is a look in the mirror that’s the standard we’ve set for them.” - John Mouracade John Mouracade, the Interim Dean for the University Honors College and a professor of philosophy and logic weighed in on some common fallacies and why sound logic is as important as it is fun and crafty.

“One of the fun things about logic is that whenever someone is making a case for anything, it could be in physics, in a law court, politics, ethics, or anything else there are two ways you can object to someone’s argument,” said Mouracade. “One is you could dispute the worthiness of their evidence, which requires a rich domain of experience, and the other is you can object to how they make their argument, which is logic. It’s the lazy man’s way to be intellectually engaging.”

For Mouracade, being aware of inconsistencies in arguments and able to effectively communicate about opinions are accessible skills for any person.

“The strawman fallacy is where you make an opponent’s argument out to be weaker then it actually is, so

you’re not actually arguing against a man, you’re arguing against a strawman, but it doesn’t get you anywhere to defeat a bad position,” said Mourcaude. “What philosophers have to combat this is the principle of charity; at any point where you can see their argument as stronger, you take it that way.”

Mischaracterizing an argument or choosing to only argue against certain parts of someone’s point are often ways that people engage in strawman tactics. This can be both frustrating, as well as unproductive, for the person who is having their point unfairly deconstructed; wasting time trying to explain what an argument actually means distracts from the real issue and prevents meaningful understanding.

Mouracade also referenced vagueness of language and unclear summaries of evidence as issues that make a statistic or a fact more favorable or influential than it actually is. This type of bad argumentation often hinders a person’s ability to actually assess an argument when they hear it.

“I might say something like ‘Americans are in favor of minimum wage hike,’ which is true, but I’ve left out how many Americans we’re talking about and which ones specifically,” said Mouracade. “Poltiicans will say ‘Americans want this, Americans want that.’ If three Americans want it, technically what i’ve said is true, but you’re leaving out the information. These types of imprecise statements sound more powerful than they really are.”

Both Mouracade and Stanley also mentioned the authority fallacy, also known as the halo effect, where someone who is not actually an expert is considered to be the authority on an issue.

“One of the issues is that sometimes an individual is an authority in one area but not an authority in another,” said Mouracade. “Ben Carson is a neurosurgeon, obviously an expert in one area, but that doesn’t mean that he knows anything about foreign policy or economics.

Likewise, a lot of Hollywood actors might be very intelligent, but that doesn’t mean they are informed about political issues. When I was growing up there was this actor who played a doctor on this TV show, ‘Trapper John M.D.,’ and he was so popular he used to do commercials for Bayer Aspirin and he’d come out in white coat with a stethoscope and say ‘I’m not a doctor, but I play one on TV, and I recommend Bayer Aspirin.’ That shows how susceptible people are to this — he even tells you he’s not a doctor.”

Fallacies present themselves in argumentation in many ways and depending on the situation, flaws in logic can make it difficult to have real and meaningful discussions about collective action or public policy. Term Instructor Hugh Gunner Deery III, who teaches logic and philosophy, talked about how misleading fallacies like cherry-picking and false dichotomies plague political discussions and undermine attempts at finding holistic solutions.

“The one that I think is the easiest to identify that is relatively irritating to me, and I think potentially the most dangerous, is what I call the fallacy of the false dichotomy,” said Deery. “It will be painted that there are only two choices, often called false choices, or black-

and-white thinking, which is to suppose that there’s only two options in a scenario when in fact there’s more than that. Most famously you hear things in the political sphere like ‘you’re either with us or you’re against us.’”

While valid argumentation might not seem like the concern of the average working American, Deer posited that being aware of when arguments are actually valid and sound is part of protecting oneself from being taken advantage of.

“Given the fact that society is so interrelated at this point in time that if you’re not at least semi-aware or semi-invovled in the certain circumstances of your society then you’re bound to be taken advantage of or potentially suffer some negative repercussions,” said Deery.

“It’s helpful to have at least some idea of what people are

“In college you’re really talking to people in their formative years and these discussions put you in a position where you’re shaping an individual’s identity.” - Amie Stanley proposing that you should do with your life, your money, or anything else like that. In that case, sound logic and argumentation and critical awareness about what someone is asking to you to do is important.”

On a similar level, Mouracade urged that people use conversations with oppositional points of view as an opportunity to learn more about an issue and improve the discourse in the social marketplace of ideas.

“When you think about engaging in discourse rather than argumentation, and in reality discourse shouldn’t be about winning,” said Mouracade. “Even if you don’t change your mind, you understand your opponent’s side and your position better. The goal is truth, but if you can’t get there understanding multiple viewpoints and those strengths and weaknesses is the next best thing.”

Often times people recognize being uninformed in society as a detriment to public good, but Stanley explained that logical speech can be an issue of personal relationships and communication too.

“I think there’s certain phrases used to shut down conversations, like fighting words. ‘You’re always late,’ ‘You never tell me you love me,’ they aren’t effective or truthful because they’re absolutes and they can be hurtful and harmful in conversations.”

Ultimately, the goal of dialogue is dependent on the situation. Political debates seek to convince and win, while a conversation between a couple about what movie to see or where to go on vacation is about mutual understanding and furthering the prosperity of a relationship.

No matter what the reason is, valid and sound logic is crucial to successful and effective discourse.

Disclaimer: Kathryn Casello is a member of the UAA Debate Team.

08 | FEATURES

THENORTHERNLIGHT TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2016

RONDY: Alaska’s premier winter event CONTINUED FROM COVER

employs five staff members year round to plan and organize such a traditional event. The current five employees held by Fur Rondy will be looking to staff up for the events. Jobs include security, curriers, and even baristas will be needed. Those interested are encouraged to stop by the Fur Rondy offices on Fourth Avenue and E St. in downtown Anchorage to apply.

The lack of snow is a growing factor the Rondy team faces as the events draw closer, but they won’t let that slow down the events. The group says they have established a plan to make sure everything runs as flawless as possible. Including the Iditarod start downtown and other sled dog races through Anchorage’s streets.

As these events unravel, some popular stops will include the World Championship Outdoor Hockey Tournament, Amateur Photo Contests, GCI Snow Sculpture Contest, and the Fur Rondy Carnival. As well as many other fun and exciting activities for children, families, and adults during the now twoweek long festival.

Whether its hockey, dog sled races, running for your lives from herds of wild reindeer or just some old school pin trading, Fur Rondy has it all to offer.

From Feb. 26 through March 6, head on downtown and enjoy what truly is Alaska’s premier winter event.

PHOTO BY JAKE JOHNSON

Fur Rondy offices on 4th Avenue and E St. located in downtown Anchorage.

UAA Students get in

FREE

Almost as good as free food. Almost.

VS UAA Seawolves

Lake Superior State

19 & 20 FEB

at the newly renovated

Sullivan Arena

7:07pm

For tickets, visit

FEB

GoSeawolves.com

On sale at Sullivan Arena box office and all Ticketmaster locations.

FREE TICKETS

at the door with valid student ID. UAA is an AA/EO employer and educational institution.

FEATURES

THENORTHERNLIGHT TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2016

| 09

Dan Savage discusses 25 years of giving sex advice

By Kelly Ireland

By Sam Davenport

The Northern Light had the opportunity to sit down with sex and relationship advice columnist Dan Savage on Thursday Feb. 11 before his lecture later that evening in the Wendy Williamson Auditorium that was sponsored by Student Activities. Savage has been an advice columnist for the past 25 years.

Savage said the Savage Love column began when his friend who ran a paper thought it would be funny to have a sex column where a gay guy answered straight people’s sex questions, since it was common for straight people to give, solicited or not, advice to gay people about their sex lives. Savage has come a long way since then, and Savage Love is anything but a joke as the longest running sex advice column of all time. Here’s what The Northern Light learned talking to Savage.

1. Savage told us the most awkward questions he gets are about medical issues. Don’t take a picture of your sores and send them to Dan Savage, go to the doctor. Savage knows a lot, but he’s not a doctor.

2. Don’t talk about rimming when he’s with his seven year

old son at 8 a.m. at the airport.

Savage said he once had a fan come up to him when he was with his son, whom was sevenyears-old at the time, and, without hesitation, the fan asked him about rimming.

3. If you want to have Savage answer your questions, email him on Thursday or Friday to increase your chances. He has hundreds of thousands of unread emails, but writes the Savage Love column on Thursday or Friday and is most likely to read emails that are at the top of his inbox.

4. Don’t get sad if Savage doesn’t email you back. Savage is a busy man and has an email inbox that would make any person go crazy, with a quarter of a million unread messages.

5. Dan Savage doesn’t know everything. Over the 25 years of writing, his opinions have changed. For example, Savage used to have a vague understanding of asexuality, but now recognizes it as a real sexual preference, or lack thereof. Savage said he’s always learning new things and that he’s not some omniscient all knowing being.

editor@thenorthernlight.org

PHOTO BY YOUNG KIM

Dan Savage talks to students in the Wendy Williamson auditorium. Savage was brought up by Student Activities to give a lecture on Thursday Feb. 11.

Green & Gold Tuesdays TM

Alaska Airlines Center Mezzanine Level www.varsitysportsgrillanchorage.com

UAA students receive special menu Tuesday nights.

4 - 9 p.m.

content@thenorthernlight.org

If you would like to reach Savage for advice, email mail@savagelove.net.

KILL THE INDIAN, SAVE THE MAN R

Now on view Nicholas Galanin’s solo exhibition challenges the appropriation of Native culture and depiction of Indigenous peoples in popular culture Image: Nicholas Galanin “Your Inane Perspective: Haa Aaní Haa Kusteeyíx Sitee (Our Land is Our Life),” digital photograph, 2015

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A&E

THENORTHERNLIGHT TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2016

| 10

ALBUM REVIEW

The painful ‘After the Wedding’ hits hard

‘The Life of Pablo’ underwhelms

By Felipe Godoy Diaz Contributor

By Jacob Holley-Kline Contributor

The best family dramas can be unbearable to watch. Anyone who’s had a tense confrontation with a loved one can attest that complicated dynamics and secrets bring out the worst in people. “After the Wedding” weaves such a web of relations. The characters are deep, their relationships complex, but the movie manages to be immensely satisfying.

Jacob (Mads Mikkelsen, “Men & Chicken”) has dedicated his life to teaching orphans in India. When the orphanage runs low on funds, he is sent to Denmark to meet Jorgen (Rolf Lassgard, “Lovekinnen”), who has shown interest in funding the project. Once there, Jacob is invited to Jorgen’s daughter Anna’s (Stine Fischer Christensen, “Die Unsichtbare”). There, Jacob is reacquainted with the love of his life, Helene (Sidse Babett Knudsen, “A Hologram for the King”) and learns a shocking secret.

Despite how cluttered the plot sounds, it’s actually very elegant. Writer and director Susanne Bier navigates this familial minefield with grace. Her deft writing and observant direction makes the many characters rich and believable. By paralleling close-up shots, Bier makes every character’s inner thoughts feel obvious. It’s often melodramatic, but Mikkelsen, Lassgard, Christensen, and Knudsen keep their characters ground-

ed. If any one performance didn’t work, “After the Wedding” would just be a drawn out soap opera.

By turns, the plot can be manipulative.

Certain events are obviously manufactured and don’t arise naturally from the narrative. At points, the movie tells viewers how to feel. With an overwrought soundtrack, the beginning and other assorted moments fall flat compared to the tense, and music-less, confrontations between the various characters.

Thankfully, those moments don’t define the movie. What defines the movie is an emotional rawness. Jacob and Jorgen, especially, are naked in their anger and resentment. They are both deeply flawed, more similar to each other than they’d like to admit. Unlike other family dramas, “Miss Violence” and “Moebius,” for example, the characters are refreshingly direct. Problems are put out into the open, and the movie thereafter deals with the fallout. By the end, few people have secrets.

Through a twisted web of familial relations, “After the Wedding” comes out on top. Some plot points feel artificial and manipulative, and much of the dialogue is melodramatic to a fault. Thanks to Bier’s agile direction and riveting performances all around, the movie becomes a startlingly raw, often times painful, experience. The movie hits often and it hits hard, but viewers willing to take the blows will come out more than satisfied.

TITLE “After the Wedding”

RELEASE DATE FEB. 4, 2006

DIRECTOR Susanne Bier

COUNTRY Denmark

GENRE Drama

People hate Kanye. I get it, he’s an egotistical asshole that says whatever he wants and for the most part, gets away with it. The man has also been one of the most influential artists in this generation’s current music. The disparity between his personality and his talent seems to be a problem with his critics, but you cannot acknowledge one without recognizing the other.

Last week, Kanye sold out Madison Square Garden to unveil his latest fashion clothing line as well his new record, “The Life of Pablo.” The album was previously titled “Waves” which before that was “Swish” and even before that was called “So Help Me God.” The event was broadcasted worldwide to movie theaters, including Century 16 in Anchorage. The whole event was a literal circus. Models stood in an awkward and demoralizing positions as Kanye played his new album from his laptop. Other rappers also dropped new music as the auxiliary cord was passed around like a collection plate on Sunday. Kanye even revealed a trailer for his new video game inspired by his mother going through the gates of heaven. Overall, “The Life of Pablo” was off to an underwhelming start.

Kanye officially released “The Life of Pablo” on Valentine’s Day through the streaming service Tidal, which is a whole other problem.

The opening track “Ultra Light Beam” is a promising start with gospel aspirations and an outstanding long verse from another Chicago artist, Chance the Rapper.

Other tracks on the album touch on the

Track Listing 1. Ultralight Beam 2. Father Stretch My Hands pt. 1 3. Pt. 2 4. Famous 5. Feedback 6. Low Lights 7. Highlight 8. Freestyle 4 9. I Love Kanye

work of Kanye’s previous albums. “Feedback” has the same musical abrasiveness of “Yeezus,” “Famous” has the the unapologetic honesty of “My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy” and “Wolves” has the moody autotune vibe of “808’s and Heartbreak.”

The one criticism with “The Life of Pablo” is that Kanye gets in his own way.

The best tracks result in straightforward instrumentation with one outlining sample. “30 Hours” features an Arthur Russell sample and denotes long distance relationships. “No More Parties in LA” has a really great soul sample and examines the trials and tribulations of life in Los Angeles Where things get complicated is when Kanye forces the issue and tries to be “too” Kanye. While the production throughout the album is fantastic, Kanye has never been the best lyricist.

It will be difficult to assess this album’s place is Kanye’s discography. As it is discussed and digested, “The Life of Pablo” shows Kanye continuing to reinvent himself while delivering the same creative energy. Let’s just hope it’s not too asshole-ish.

ARTIST Kanye West ALBUM “The Life of Pablo” GENRE Hip-Hop LABEL Getting Out Our Dreams RELEASE Feb. 14, 2016

10. Waves 11. FML 12. Real Friends 13. Wolves 14. Silver Surfer Intermission 15. 30 Hours 16. No More Parties in L.A. 17. Facts (Charlie Heat Version) 18. Fade

A&E

THENORTHERNLIGHT TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2016

| 11

CLAYBODY: Artists in ceramics classes show off 3-D work

PHOTOS BY YOUNG KIM

Chain Horse by beginner artist Hannah Paulston was created with earthenware and paint.

Chauvinistic Chauffeur by Andrea Moore features a solemn pig in disorganized pinstripes.

Apprehensive Affection was created by Jade Aldridge and is covered in dead bees that Aldridge hand-glued onto the clay arms herself.

Untitled by Hannah Paulston is a realistic lizard curling in on itself, complete with tiny scales and beady eyes.

CONTINUED FROM COVER

Moore used bamboo and soy silk for the hair on the piece, spending about a month to create it. “Trumpin’ Around” and “Chauvinistic Chauffuer” are both for sale and priced at $800. The Chauffeur took about three weeks for Moore to complete.

“The pig is kind of where I started with my work, it was one of my first ones.

I created it for an anamorphic project and I had a lot of fun with it. I normally focus on two pieces at a time but occasionally I commit to one piece for a long period of time to dedicate as much time as possible to it.”

Alyssa Albright, an employee at downtown Anchorage art studio Sevigny Studio, explained why 3-D art is such a

that are supportive and helpful. Everyone knows about painting but ceramics isn’t talked about as much, and I like the the showing because it really does get people talking about clay art more.”

Moore created both the Donald Trump clown piece, “Trumpin’ Around” as well the pig piece, “Chauvinistic Chauffeur” that seem very lifelike in suits and ties.

“I like both the pieces I created in this show but Trump seems to be one of my favorites,” said Moore about “Trumpin’ Around.” “For the makeup I used John Wayne Gacy the serial killer makeup on him; it’s supposed to be a little bit of a play whats going in politics right now.”

unique and important art form.

“I think art and ceramics are good because it’s something you can touch and feel and really use in a tangible way,” said Albright. “It has actual dimensions to it, and you can pick it up and use it, and it’s an art form that’s different from paintings or drawings. Also no pieces of pottery are ever the same and they’re very unique.”

Art has the ability to bring people together and create a sense of community because of the way it allows for tangible and long-lasting forms of self-expression, which is why creating an art and being an artist is often a deeply personal experience. Aldridge encouraged artists at UAA to get involved with student organizations.

“I think that just being a student on campus, it’s important to find clubs that are in your niche that cater to the things you’re interested in. Claybody is what I like and it creates a community here at UAA.”

Check

out

the

Claybody

Ceramic Invitational until Feb. 27. The gallery is open Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and on Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

A&E

THENORTHERNLIGHT TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2016

| 12

SPORTS Hockey

Updated Feb. 14

THENORTHERNLIGHT TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2016

| 13

UAF: Seawolves face Nanooks

Conference Minnesota State

13-4-7

Bowling Green

12-5-5

Michigan Tech

13-6-3

Ferris State

12-8-4

Northern Michigan

10-8-4

Bemidji State

8-10-4

Lake Superior

7-11-4

Alaska Anchorage

7-13-2

Alaska Fairbanks

5-13-4

Alabama Hunstville

4-13-5 PHOTOS BY YOUNG KIM

Men’s Basketball Updated Feb. 14

Brian McGill rises for a jump shot over Devante Williams in Thursday’s contest against the Alaska Nanooks in the Alaska Airlines Center. After finishing with 18 points, the senior is now the fifteenth all-time leading scorer in program history with 1,111 points.

Conference Western Oregon

15-1

Alaska Anchorage

12-4

Seattle Pacific

11-5

Alaska Fairbanks

11-5

Central Washington

10-6

Western Washington

8-8

Saint Martin’s

6-10

Montana State Billings

6-10

Concordia

5-11

Northwest Nazerene

3-13

Simon Fraser

1-15 Suki Wiggs shoots over UAF’s Devante Williams in the Seawolves’ clash with the Alaska Nanooks. Wiggs scored 20 points and grabbed 10 rebounds.

Women’s Basketball Updated Feb. 14 Conference Alaska Anchorage

15-1

Western Washington

14-2

Montana State Billings

13-3

Simon Fraser

10-5

Central Washington

8-8

Northwest Nazerene

7-9

Alaska Fairbanks

6-10

Seattle Pacific

5-10

Saint Martin’s

3-13

Concordia

3-13

Western Oregon

3-13

CONTINUED FROM COVER

liams scored 10 of his team’s first 15 points, while the Seawolves struggled to find their rhythm against the Nanooks’ 2-3 zone.

With Wiggs shooting just 2-10 in the first half, Hammell’s offensive rebounds and McGill’s sharp shooting kept the Seawolves in the game at the half, trailing 33-31.

The Nanooks went on a 9-4 run to start the second half.

UAA answered UAF’s scoring spree by knocking down five straight shots. Wiggs drilled four of his next five field goals, and the two teams found themselves with the game tied at 50 with 11:24 remaining.

A pair of Williams’ free throws gave UAF a 56-54 advantage. On the following possession, McGill found Peterson for a three-pointer to give UAA the lead for good.

“I just told myself to trust my shot,” Peterson said.

Peterson scored 12 of his career-high 14 points in the second half to help lift the Seawolves.

“Drew is a very accomplished player...and I am really

happy he was able to show everyone what he is capable of,” Head coach Rusty Osborne said.

With the game still up for grabs, Hammell and Williams got tangled up under the basket, followed by some shoving and jawing. Both players were issued technicals, however neither were given a flagrant foul.

“That is just two competitors not backing down. I don’t think there was anything malicious on either one’s part,” Osborne said.

The Seawolves nearly blew a nine-point lead late in the contest due to back-to-back threes from Kaba.

Two Peterson free throws and a Kaba miss sealed the 5-point win for the Seawolves.

UAA has now swept the season series with the Nanooks.

UAA snagged a 100-91 overtime win last month in Fairbanks against the Blue and Gold and have now won 20 of their last 21 match ups against their northern neighbors.

The Seawolves host Concordia this Thursday before preparing to face the GNAC-leading Western Oregon Wolves Saturday. Both game will be played at the Alaska Airlines Center.

The Seawolves host Concordia this Thursday before preparing to face the GNAC-leading Western Oregon Wolves Saturday. Both game will be played at the Alaska Airlines Center.

14 | SPORTS

THENORTHERNLIGHT TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2016

Seawolves resilient in wins over NNU

PHOTOS BY CASEY PETERSON

Megan Mullings makes a free throw shot against Northwest Nazerene University. UAA faced off against NNU on Thursday Feb. 11.

Hannah Wandersee goes for a lay up against NNU on Thursday. Teammates Sierra Afoa and Kiki Robertson get ready for the rebound.

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OPINION

THENORTHERNLIGHT TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2016

| 15

The Northern Light is a proud member of the ASSOCIATED COLLEGIATE PRESS. The Northern Light is a weekly UAA publication funded by student fees and advertising sales. The editors and writers of The Northern Light are solely responsible for its contents. Circulation is 2,500. The University of Alaska Anchorage provides equal education and employment opportunities for all, regardless of race, color, religion, national origin, age, sex, Vietnam-era or disabled-veteran status, physical or mental disability, changes in marital status, pregnancy or parenthood.

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

LETTERS AND CORRECTIONS POLICY

The Northern Light LETTER TO THE EDITOR

PFD voter registration doesn’t get to Alaska’s deeper problem

By German Baquero gdbaquero@alaska.edu

As a student of the liberal arts, I can empathize with those who hope that the Permanent Fund Dividend voter registration would encourage citizens to go out and vote. From a political science perspective, voter turnout in any election is disappointing. I too would appreciate seeing more citizens voting. More importantly, I would appreciate seeing more citizens voting with more consistency and of course to be better informed to vote.

The ballot initiative for Alaskans to vote on this year is specifically intended to have the Division of Elections instructed to register Alaskan citizens to vote upon completion of their Dividend application. While the initiative sponsors have cited information that argues increased government efficiency, less bureaucracy, etc., the sponsors have failed to answer a critical question that is brought up by pursuing this: How will this initiative engage the people who don’t understand why voting matters? What this ballot initiative does is tell eligible voters why WE need them to register.

Perusing the website of Alaska’s Division of Elections, any Alaskan can register to vote in person, online, in state, out of state, with multiple forms of identification. We can register as many eligible voters as humanly possible. It’s not going to solve the issue of a citizen understanding their civic duty to vote.

It would be an inadequate assessment then to assert that Alaska has not offered enough opportunities to be civically involved in this state. Those who do not participate in our democracy are not disenfranchised, but are rather derelict in their duty as a citizen of a republic. To further stress that point, exercising those duties doesn’t even require someone to actually vote for a candidate he/she may not like. Any voter can come to the polls on election day and cast a blank ballot which will be counted, thereby expressing their opinion without forcing them to a candidate or issue they don’t agree with (while simultaneously helping fight voter fraud). Why should our government bend over backwards any more to service those who find no value in that service?

If this initiative simply opens up yet another door without addressing the cause of why an Alaskan wouldn’t want to walk through, then this initiative should simply be found wanting. In the meantime, let’s be there for our fellow citizens and work to convince folks first why voting is still their duty.

Letters to the editor can be submitted to editor@thenorthernlight.org. The maximum length is 250 words.

Opinion pieces can be submitted to editor@thenorthernlight.org. The maximum word length is 450 words.

Letters and opinion pieces are subject to editing for grammar, accuracy, length and clarity.

Requests for corrections can be sent to editor@thenorthernlight.org. Print publication is subject to accuracy and available space. All corrections are posted online with the original story at www.thenorthernlight.org.

The Northern Light newsroom is located on the first floor of the Student Union, directly next to Subway.

THE NORTHERN LIGHT CONTACTS 3211 Providence Drive Student Union 113 Anchorage, AK 99508

STAFF PHOTOGRAPHERS Young Kim ykim@thenorthernlight.org

EXECUTIVE EDITOR Kelly Ireland 786-1313 editor@thenorthernlight.org

LAYOUT EDITOR Demi Straughn layout@thenorthernlight.org

MANAGING EDITOR Samantha Davenport content@thenorthernlight.org

GRAPHIC DESIGNERS Jian Bautista jbautista@thenorthernlight.org Inna Mikhailova Imikhailova@thenorthernlight.org

COPY EDITOR Kathryn DuFresne copy@thenorthernlight.org

WEB EDITOR Vacant

NEWS EDITOR Vacant

MULTIMEDIA EDITOR George Hyde gchyde@thenorthernlight.org

ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR Vacant FEATURES EDITOR Kathryn Casello kcasello@thenorthernlight.org ASSISTANT FEATURES EDITOR Victoria Petersen vgpetersen@thenorthernlight.org A&E EDITOR Vacant ASSISTANT A&E EDITOR Vacant SPORTS EDITOR Nolin Ainsworth sports@thenorthernlight.org ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR Jordan Rodenberger jrodenberger@thenorthernlight.org PHOTO EDITOR Casey Peterson cpeterson@thenorthernlight.org

ADVERTISING MANAGER Anthony Craig 786-6195 admanager@thenorthernlight.org MARKETING REPRESENTATIVE Milo Stickle-Frizzell marketing@thenorthernlight.org STAFF REPORTERS Jake Johnson jjohnson@thenorthernlight.org CONTRIBUTORS Evan Dodd Jacob Holley-Kline Felipe Godoy Diaz Genevieve Mina MEDIA ADVISER Paola Banchero ADMINISTRATIVE ADVISER Zac Clark ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT Stacey Parker

UAA SUmmer and FAll 2016

Priority regiStration iS coming!

View ALL Priority Registration Dates Online at: uaa.alaska.edu/records/calendar

 Check your

class standing for spring in UAOnline and take advantage of early priority registration.

March 21 April 1 April 4 April 5 April 6 April 7 April 11 April 18

Fall 2016 schedule view date Admitted graduate students Admitted UAA seniors (90+ credits) Admitted UAA juniors (60-89 credits) Admitted UAA sophomores (30-59 credits) Admitted UAA freshmen (0-29 credits) Students with pending fall UAA admissions applications Open registration for all University of Alaska students

Find additional information on Priority Registration, Schedule Planner and more in the Registration Guide uaa.alaska.edu/records/registration. Questions? Email registration@uaa.alaska.edu or call 907-786-1480.

Schedule Planner

The easiest way to schedule classes!

Find it in UAOnline under Registration.

5 easy steps to creating the perfect schedule: 1. Students input desired courses to be scheduled

2. Desired breaks are added in - work, sports, downtime 3. Pre-made, conflict-free schedule options are pulled up instantly 4. Save your favorite schedule to cart 5. When your registration opens, go to cart and “Complete Registration Changes”

Available now for Summer 2016 and March 21 for Fall 2016!

RegistRation guide Everything you need to know about how to register and more is in UAA’s Registration Guide at uaa.alaska.edu/records/registration.

If you can’t find the answer to your questions there, contact Enrollment Services.  Call: 786-1480  Email: enroll@uaa.alaska.edu ↸ Visit: The One-Stop in the University Center

Are you using

DegreeWorks? 

Why do students love using DegreeWorks? you can:

1 Confirm that courses you registered for fulfill degree requirements 2 Use the What If feature to preview how changing your major or adding a minor will impact you before you take official action

Login to UAOnline and check out your DegreeWorks audit today! Click on the Student Services tab and then DegreeWorks.

3 Create a semester-by-semester plan with your advisor

Email degrees@uaa.alaska.edu with questions or visit uaa.alaska.edu/records for more information.

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