January192010

THENORTHERNLIGHT JAN. 19, 2010

OPINION

14

UNIVERSITY OF ALASKA ANCHORAGE

Moustaches:

Compliments of the Valley

A&E

10

‘Avatar’ vs. ‘Holmes’: Only one celluloid hero will win

Winter is in full swing downtown

WWW.THENORTHERNLIGHT.ORG

OPINION

14

Student confusion:

Financial aid almost too complex

UAA astronomer publishes images

By Robert Wise The Northern Light

Dr. Travis Rector, interim director of UAA’s new planetarium, was recently published in a book reviewed online by the New York Times. He was in the Cerra Tololo observatory when he took the picture included in the book, through a telescope, of “The Cat’s Claw Nebula.”

©TRAVIS RECTOR

NGC 6334 Cat’s Paw NGC6334 is a star-forming region in the direction of the center of our galaxy. It is known as the Cat s Paw Nebula because of the three distinct patches of nebulosity, in a shape much like the pads on the paw of a cat. The nebula is darkened greatly by intervening dust in the plane of the Milky Way galaxy, according to Rector’s Web site.

The book Rector’s image is published in is titled “A Guide to the Cosmos, in Words and Images.” It includes contributions from many other astronomers from several different locations, including the Hubble space telescope.

SEE ASTRONOMER PAGE 02

LEIGHANN SEAMAN/TNL

Lisa Rea and her son Henry enjoy some evening ice-skating in Town Square among Anchorage Downtown Partnership’s Crystal Gallery of Ice on Jan. 15.

Jennifer Jansma and Eric Shumar crafted “Love’s Flame” sculpture. The rink remains relatively clear while the Egan Center next door bustles with activity during the 2010 Great Alaska Beer and Barley Wine Festival. Both the ice creations and the maintained skating rink are available for public enjoyment until March.

Seawolves begin IT outage hinders students’ home stand against and teachers’ communication Colorado College

By Robert Wise The Northern Light

By Josh Edge

The Northern Light

The UAA hockey team will host Colorado College in the teams’ second series of the season.

They last time the two teams met, the Seawolves defeated the Colorado College Tigers, then ranked fifth in the nation, 3-2 to earn a split of the series.

The win came the night after the Tigers shut out UAA by a score of 5-0.

This follows the trend that the ‘Wolves have fallen into for nearly half of the season so far, establishing themselves as a Saturday-night team. In nine WCHA series, UAA has lost the Friday night game and come back to win the Saturday game four times. Two of the four series that the Seawolves didn’t come back to win on SEE HOCKEY PAGE 06

It was a blackout of epic proportions – at least as far as UAA students are concerned.

On Nov. 8, UAA’s IT service temporarily failed. This lead to the failure of UAA’s Web site, employee email, WiFi services, Blackboard and more.

Both students and teachers dismayed while the system was down, as they could neither deliver important messages nor receive them.

The outage affected mostly students’ ability to receive and complete class assignments, but also had a major affect on teachers’ ability to conduct classes.

The IT outage occurred after computer equipment, an Enterprise Virtual Array (EVA), crashed. The EVA stores electronic information for IT services including, but not limited to, Blackboard and employee email. The EVA UAA uses holds 96 terabytes of information, which is about 48,000 times the amount an average computer contains. It’s about the size of a refrigerator and contains 48 disks, each of which contains information.

Every few years, one of the disks fails. Normally when a disk fails, it can be replaced without any delay or outage of the system. Starting in mid October, IT noticed an increase in disk failures.

IT contacted Hewlett-Packard (HP), who sells the SEE OUTAGE PAGE 03

‘Silent Sketches’ inspired by a hermit-like life

By Mary Noden Lochner The Northern Light

The earth was still encrusted in snow when Jessica Brown hiked out to a small cabin in Talkeetna in April 2009. She would live there for almost half a year.

She’d decided to stay there on a whim. She knew it would be a place that was different, apart from everything else. But she wasn’t prepared for the way the isolation sank in.

The way it took up residence with her and her dog inside the small cabin, especially during that first month when she saw no one else.

There was no electricity, and no running water. The wood stove was the only source of heat, and a constant source of ash.

The ash mixed in with the grime that became a ubiquitous, inescapable part of her daily existence.

With little to do, she filled her journal and the yawning expanses of silence and time with words and sketches.

She drew a nude woman: an icon of her experience in a place apart. The image of a cabin was outlined on the woman’s belly.

On the woman’s belly, Brown said, SEE SKETCHES PAGE 08

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TNL

NEWS| Jan. 19, 2010

ASTRONOMER: Images taken of the ‘Cat’s Claw’ CONTINUED FROM COVER

M16 Eagle Nebula The Eagle Nebula is a very luminous open cluster of stars surrounded by dust and gas. The three pillars at the center of the image, made famous in an image by the Hubble Space Telescope, are being sculpted by the intense radiation from the hot stars in the cluster, according to Rector’s Web site.

The Cat’s Claw Nebula, a giant red cloud of gas in which new stars are forming, is shaped as its name implies. The pictures are not only used for research, but for the public as well, to “show people what we see when we use our telescopes,” Rector said.

“Some of these images were generated from data obtained for my research, but most were generated to demonstrate the technical capabilities of the telescopes.

They are of course also intended to share with people the natural beauty of the astronomical objects we study.”

According to New York Times contributor Dennis Overbye, “you can sit and look through this book for hours and never be bored by the shapes, colors and textures into which cosmic creation can arrange itself.”

Besides his work at UAA and Cerra

M2-9 Butterfly Nebula This image reveals remarkable details in the dynamic gas outflows from a dying star. It is thought that our Sun might meet a similar fate in 4-5 billion years once its hydrogen nuclear fuel becomes scarce and instabilities expel gas into space. The concentric shells of gas are still a mystery to astronomers and these data will help to understand the complexities surrounding this beautiful object, according to Rector’s Web site.

Tololo, Rector has images generated from the Gemini Observatory, the National Optical Astronomy Observatory and the National Radio Astronomy Observatory.

While astronomers have used “sharpening” to enhance an image given from a telescope, Rector prefers not to.

Although sharpening an image can improve quality, it also can distort the original shape of the object. “The goal is to show these objects as our telescopes see them,” Rector said.

Only a few of his images have been sharpened, the only other editing he does is “removing defects in the data and artifacts from the data reduction process,” Rector said Telescopes work by using electronic sensors to “see” things outside our visible spectrum. The result is one black and

©TRAVIS RECTOR

IC 1396 Elephant Trunk The Elephant Trunk is an elongated, dense cloud of gas inside a bright cluster of stars known as IC 1396. The trunk conceals many protostars that are in the process of forming, according to Rector’s Web site.

‘[These images] are intended to share with people the natural beauty of the astronomical objects we study.’

Travis Rector interim director of UAA’s planetarium

–Travis Rector, interim director of UAA’s planetarium white image. Astronomers use colored filters to create several different exposures: red, green, and blue, which combine into a “natural color” image. The final outcome is a representation of what might be seen if we were close enough.

Rector has been a professional

astronomer since 1998, and plans on continuing his research. According to Rector, images are released on a regular basis, “so we have more images coming out in the next month or so.”

Rector’s images are available on his Web site, aftar.uaa.alaska.edu.

E-waste recycler lights up path to strong profits ‘Total Reclaim’ offers electronics recycling to avoid landfill and groundwater contamination in the American Northwest

By Margaret Bauman

The Alaska Journal of Commerce

In a year when the economy struggled to recover, business boomed for Total Reclaim, a computer and electronics recycling firm now carrying its mantra on the merits of recycling all over the state of Alaska.

In 2009, Total Reclaim’s lighting business quadrupled, and business overall grew about 30 percent, said Larry Zirkle, the energetic general manager of the firm’s Alaska office.

Overall that amounts to about 53,000 pounds of electronics a week, of which everything but the chemically treated wood on television consoles is recyclable, he said.

“I think it’s our outreach program,” said Zirkle. “There are still no laws or regulations on throwing electronics away. I think it is because people are realizing the long-term effect of throwing (electronics) into landfills or on the side of the road.”

Electronics contain a host of contaminants, such as lead, cadmium, beryllium and brominated flame retardants.

When electronics are tossed into the landfill, the odds for contamination increase. If a

liner at the landfill fails, toxic chemicals contained in the puddle of goo at the bottom of the liner could seep into the groundwater, said Riley Kosinski, outreach coordinator for Total Reclaim.

‘People are realizing the long-term effect of throwing electronics into landfills or on the side of the road.’

–Larry Zirkle, Total Reclaim

There are no studies on the long-term effectiveness of landfill liners, he said.

Total Reclaim, which Zirkle started in his garage in 2005, operates in a 4,000-squarefoot warehouse in south Anchorage. Zirkle and his staff of eight have a mission to increase the number of businesses and individuals who recycle electronics.

“People are understanding. They walk into our shop and see piles of electronics,

and we say ‘that’s only two days’ work,’” said Zirkle. “About 10 times a day, we get phone calls asking if we take electronics.

We want people to be aware so they can make intelligent decisions (about disposing electronics).”

Seattle-based Total Reclaim, a leading recycler of computers and electronics in the Pacific Northwest, offers a variety of innovative environmental services for electronics management and other hardto-handle materials, including fluorescent lamps, refrigerant gases and household appliances.

To date the firm has processed in Seattle more than 150 million pounds of material from Washington state, Alaska and Oregon, working with customers to keep hazardous waste out of landfills.

For a fee, the company accepts various electronics and office machines, such as computers, monitors, printers, laptops, servers, routers, hubs, televisions, VCRs, DVD players, stereos and audio components, batteries and cell phones.

Most of this e-waste is processed and separated into various raw materials such as plastic, glass, steel, copper and aluminum, commodities that are then used as feedstock

in the manufacture of new products.

Still, all Total Reclaim’s efforts to date are a drop in the bucket when compared to the total amount of waste that continues to get dumped into Alaska’s landfills.

To date the collective electronics recycling effort has had minimal effect on the Anchorage landfill, said Mark Madden, director of solid waste services for the municipality of Anchorage.

Madden said the landfill takes in an average of 1,200 to 1,400 tons of waste a day, or a total of 300,000 to 350,000 tons annually, although there has been some decline since 2008, likely due to economic conditions.

The Anchorage Recycling Center does not accept electronics, but does recycle some 25,000 tons of other wastes annually, including aluminum and tin cans, newspaper, magazines and miscellaneous paper, cardboard and plastic bottles, said general manager Randy Virgin.

“It is daunting when you think about how much is going to the landfill,” said Virgin, formerly of the Alaska Center for the Environment. “There are definitely things going to the landfill that could be recycled.”

Jan. 19, 2010 | NEWS

TNL

OUTAGE: ‘Perfect storm’ left Blackboard unusable for days CONTINUED FROM COVER

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STATEWIDE BRIEFS Arts patron Betti Cuddy dead at 85 Arts patron and education leader Betti Cuddy has died at age 85.

The Anchorage Daily News reported the longtime Alaskan was surrounded by family when she died at home Jan. 13.

Cuddy founded the organization Treasures of Sight and Sound, which allowed thousands of Anchorage children to participate in theater activities and paved the way for local productions.

Cuddy also served as a board member of Alaska Center for the Performing Arts.

Anchorage benefited from Cuddy’s drive with the development of the Lucy Cuddy Center at the University of Alaska Anchorage and the Cuddy Midtown Park.

Cuddy is survived by her husband Dan, as well as their six children and many grandchildren.

Fairbanks reaches 40-below benchmark The city of Fairbanks recorded its first 40-degree below zero temperature of the winter.

A low temperature of 41-below zero was recorded at the airport Jan. 12.

Clear skies and cold air from the Arctic have produced the coldest temperatures of the winter, and the National Weather Service says the cold snap is expected to continue into the weekend.

The last winter without a 40-below day in Fairbanks was 2002-03.

The coldest spot in the Interior on Monday was 63 below in the community of Chicken on the Taylor Highway east of Fairbanks.

North Slope oil spill cleanup completed The Department of Environmental Conservation said crews have completed the cleanup of a North Slope oil spill.

About 46,000 gallons of crude oil and oily water spilled Nov. 29 from an 18-inch flowline that froze and ruptured along a 2-foot tear.

The line operated by BP Exploration carried the oil, water and natural gas to the Lisburne Processing Center for separation. It had been shut down by ice plugs.

The department’s on-scene coordinator, Tom DeRuyter, said crews hauled away the oily snow and tundra.

The next state is restoration. BP will backfill the site and then cover it with tundra peeled away from another area being used as a gravel mine.

What AFFECTED you most?

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COMPLETION OF ASSIGNMENTS

ABILITY TO TEACH

88

64

%

%

STUDENTS

FACULTIES

SAID THAT THE OUTAGE AFFECTED THEM MOST IN THE COMPLETION OF ASSIGNMENTS

SAID THAT IT AFFECTED THEIR ABILITY TO TEACH

GRAPHIC BY NAOMI OZURU

EVAs, and was told that about six other similar cases had been reported, and that a software update could solve the problem.

After installing the software, the failures continued.

There were six other small failures before the big outage.

At approximately midnight on the Nov. 8, there was a disk failure. The failure was in the 24-hour process of being fixed when another disk failed, creating, as Mike Driscoll described in the IT Service Disruption Review Committee Results, the “perfect storm.” The EVA, after both disks failed, went into a self-preservation mode and shut down, resulting in the full-on outage.

A local engineer came in and parts of the system were running again at around 4:30 a.m. on the Nov. 9, only to fail again. Parts of the system, including the Content Managing System (CMS), were finally up and running by 9:00 a.m. later that day. This allowed for important information to be posted on the University’s Web site, and some employees said that their e-mail was working too.

Blackboard’s restoration failed Nov. 10 due to some corrupt files, resulting in a longer down period.

IT has come up with several ways to prevent a severe outage like this to happen in the future, including “Reboot(ing) EVA after every firmware upgrade as Standard Operating Procedure.” Also, according to

‘The failure was in the 24-hour process of being fixed when another disk failed, creating, as Mike Driscoll described, the “perfect storm.”’ the review, it is important to “prioritize the restoration process with an emphasis on communications and those areas with a high degree of impact.” The downtime of restoration may have been reduced to fewer than two days if IT knew then what they know now.

The IT Service Disruption Review Committee held a poll, asking students, faculty, and staff what affected them the most about the outage. Of the 751 students who took the poll, 88 percent said that the outage affected them most in the completion of assignments. Of the 240 faculty polled, 64 percent said that it affected their ability to teach. 91 percent of all 1246 people polled were affected by Blackboard being down. 83 percent of staff members were affected by the problem.

Sarah Palin makes debut as Fox News contributor Sarah Palin accounts for the controversy she attracts by saying her opponents don’t like the “commonsense, conservative solutions” she represents.

Debuting as a Fox News analyst, the 2008 vice presidential candidate and former Alaska governor was the guest of Bill O’Reilly on the Jan. 12 edition of “The O’Reilly Factor.”

During the interview, Palin said sinking approval numbers for President Barack Obama reflect “an uncomfortableness” some Americans feel toward his administration.

“It was just a matter of time,” she said.

“There is an obvious disconnect between President Obama and the White House, what they are doing to our economy and what they are doing in terms of not allowing Americans to feel as safe as we had felt,” she said.

She told O’Reilly she hadn’t seen a recent “60 Minutes” report about her, explaining she was warned it contained “a bunch of b.s.”

Parnell pushes changes to Alaska energy tax Gov. Sean Parnell said Jan. 14 that he wants to give oil and gas companies greater incentives to do business in the state, a plan he said will boost production and create potentially hundreds of new jobs for Alaskans.

The plan comes amid forecasts of slumping oil production on Alaska’s North Slope and concerns by some Republican lawmakers that a state tax on oil and gas production — passed two years ago at the urging of then-Gov. Sarah Palin — is doing more harm than good and hindering new development.

A report released Jan. 14 by the state Department of Revenue did not attribute industry woes to the tax; in fact, it found the tax was performing as expected. However, it did recommend ways the system could be improved to spur additional development, including expanding tax credits for drilling and well work costs.

McCain rebuffs questions on Palin vetting process Sen. John McCain said he’s content with his life in the Senate and happy he picked Sarah Palin as his running mate last year.

McCain steadfastly refused to discuss a new book that says the vetting of the Alaska governor was “hasty and haphazard.” Asked about this on NBC’s “Today” show Jan. 12, the Arizona Republican said, “I wouldn’t know. The fact is, I’m proud of Sarah Palin and I’m proud of the campaign she waged. She energized our party.”

Asked how it was possible that he could not know about the clearance process, McCain replied, “I wouldn’t know what the sources were, nor care.” The assessment is in a new book, “Game Change,” written by John Heilemann and Mark Halperin. He predicted Palin will be a “major player” in GOP affairs.

Group submits parental consent petitions Supporters of requiring parental notice or consent before a minor can have an abortion say they have enough signatures to put the issue to a vote.

Alaskans for Parental Rights said it gathered thousands more than the minimum 32,734 signatures required to put the measure on the ballot. It submitted petitions Friday with the state Division of Elections, which now has 60 days to verify the signatures and determine if all requirements were met. If they were, the issue would appear on the August primary ballot.

The initiative makes an exception if a teenager submits a notarized statement that she is a victim of abuse by a parent or guardian, a court allows an exception or a doctor decides there is a medical emergency.

— Compiled by Kam Walters

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TNL

NEWS| Jan. 19, 2010

Feds declare fisheries disaster for Yukon River, no federal aid – yet

SAY WHAT? Bomb donated to Kodiak museum goes out with a bang A World War II relic that was displayed outside an Alaska bar for years turned out not to be a dud.

Soldiers on Jan. 13 detonated the 1,263-pound aerial bomb. Radio station KMXT reported it lost some of its boom after 60 years, but it did go with a bang.

The ordnance was recently donated to the Kodiak Military History Museum by a local resident, but the museum director determined it was more than just an interesting artifact.

Soldiers from the Fort Richardson Explosive Ordnance detail inspected the bomb and determined it still had Dunnite, a highly explosive material also known as “Explosive D.” They recorded the detonation and salvaged a piece of the “Da Bomb,” as it was known, for display at the museum.

Porn video shown on Moscow highway billboard Drivers in downtown Moscow squinted in disbelief as an electronic highway billboard blazed a two-minute pornographic video instead of its regular advertising clips.

Late-night traffic on one of the Russian capital’s busiest roads slowed Jan. 14 as a couple’s explicit escapades appeared on the nine-by-sixmeter display.

Some people took pictures of the sight with their mobile phones and posted them on the Internet.

Passer-by Alyona Prokulatova told The Associated Press that she was “so shocked that I couldn’t even shoot video or take a picture of it.”

The screen’s owner, 3 Stars, told the AP that a hacker attack was likely to blame. Police were investigating the incident

NYC’s ‘skinniest’ house sells for $2.1M A town house dubbed New York City’s skinniest house has sold for $2.1 million.

The red, 9 1/2 foot wide, 42 foot long brick building in Greenwich Village was built in 1873 on land used as an alley between homes. The town house was listed for sale last August at $2.7 million. The two bedroom, two bath home last sold in 2000 for $1.6 million.

A plaque on the narrow Bedford Street home notes

poet Edna St. Vincent Millay once lived there; so did anthropologist Margaret Mead.

The newly-sold building was listed on real estate Web sites Jan. 14 as a rental available for $10,000 a month.

An e-mail seeking comment from the listed rental agent Jan. 14 was not immediately returned.

Low Chinook salmon run on Yukon leaves villages with little subsistance

By Mark Thiessen The Associated Press

NC officers find pot growing in buried school bus

A federal official declared a fishery disaster Jan. 15 because of low Chinook salmon returns the past two years along Alaska’s Yukon River.

“The determination was based on the incredibly low Chinook salmon returns in 2008, and of course, 2009 there was no fishery, no harvest whatsoever,” U.S. Commerce Secretary Gary Locke said ahead of a business conference in Anchorage, where he attended with U.S. Sen. Mark Begich, D-Alaska.

The 2008 commercial Chinook salmon harvest was 89 percent below the five-year average. There was no commercial fishery allowed in 2009 because of low returns, and state officials restricted the subsistence harvest.

Subsistence fishing is not a factor in determining the disaster, but along the Yukon River, it is inseparable from commercial fishing, said Doug Mecum, acting administrator for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Fisheries Service, Alaska region.

“These communities are very isolated and do not have the economic diversity to withstand the disastrous economic impact of extremely low or no commercial harvest coupled with a decline in subsistence harvests,” Mecum said in a statement.

Locke said he was aware of the importance of the fishery for communities along the Yukon River.

“Alaska’s fishermen and their families are struggling with this incredibly substantial loss of income and revenues due to these very poor runs,” he said.

Alaska Gov. Sean Parnell requested the federal declaration along with the Association of Village Council Presidents, the Alaska Federation of Natives and the villages of Kwethluk and Chevak.

An undercover drug buy led North Carolina detectives to an underground marijuana garden in a buried school bus.

Multiple media outlets reported Jan.14 the Lenoir County Sheriff’s Office had been looking for the source of the marijuana for three years and had been flying over the area with a helicopter.

Then sheriff’s narcotics officers bought several pounds of pot in a recent undercover buy. Sgt. Eddie Eubanks said officers traced the pot to a rural residence.

A search dog fell through a camouflaged trap door leading down to a full-length school bus buried 8 feet under a backyard tool shed.

Deputies seized 68 plants, each four feet tall and weighing about 35 pounds.

Eubanks says the plants were worth about $40,000.

Three people have been arrested.

Calif. woman’s car repossessed with toddler inside Police in California said a car dealer who repossessed a San Jose woman’s Honda Accord left with something a bit more valuable: her twoyear-old son.

The child, Cyrus Lopez, was sleeping in the back of the car on Jan. 12 when it was taken away because the boy’s mother, Isabel Leuvano, was behind on her payments.

Leuvano said she was waiting for her daughter outside the running car when someone jumped in and drove off.

Police said the driver was 47-year-old Alberto Luna, the owner of Alberto’s Auto Sales.

Officers located the toddler a half-hour later about the same time Luna told authorities that he discovered the boy.

Sgt. Ronnie Lopez said kidnapping charges don’t appear to be warranted. But he said Luna should have checked the car thoroughly.

“I appreciate Secretary Locke’s recognition of the severity of the situation along the Yukon River and the dependence of Alaskans on these salmon runs,” Parnell said in a statement.

Locke’s declaration does not free up any federal funds, but it does pave the way for Congress to appropriate funding.

“I’m sure your congressional delegation, Sen. Begich’s office, Sen. (Lisa) Murkowski’s office, and Congressman (Don) Young will be working together to ensure that the Congress is able to address this issue,” Locke told Anchorage business leaders.

If federal aid is obtained, it could be used for relief programs, stock research, training programs and fisheries infrastructure, Parnell said.

The reason for the decline of Chinook salmon is not known, but federal scientists believe it is predominantly natural. They say changes in ocean and river conditions — including unfavorable shifts in food sources and temperatures — likely caused poor survival rates for Chinook salmon.

Chinook inadvertently taken along with pollock also may be to blame, but scientists say that would be of minimal impact compared to natural changes. The North Pacific Fishery Management Council is recommending measures to curtail bycatch, and NOAA’s Fishery Services is reviewing the plans.

However, many who live along the river blame the pollock bycatch for the disappearing chinook. The $1 billion pollock fishery is America’s largest.

Salmon, which spend years in the ocean before going back to Alaska rivers to spawn, get caught in the pollock trawl nets. The dead fish are either thrown back into the ocean or donated to needy people.

Chevron property emissions warrant federal investigation The Associated Press

The Environmental Protection Agency has served search warrants on Chevron Corp. properties in Alaska, investigating air emission compliance.

Chuck Farmer, spokesman for the U.S. attorney’s office in Anchorage, said Jan. 14 his office was told earlier in the week that the EPA would be executing search warrants. He had no other information.

“If it’s a criminal case, we won’t know until we get it,” he said. The EPA office in Seattle referred questions to Farmer’s office.

A Department of Justice spokesman in Washington, D.C., Andrew Ames, told the Anchorage Daily News that searches were conducted Jan. 12 and 13.

Mickey Driver, a Chevron spokesman in Houston,

— Compiled by Kam Walters

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confirmed that the investigation was focused on air emission compliance. He said in an e-mail response to The Associated Press that the agency was looking at the Trading Bay Production Facility and Granite Point Tank Farm on the west side of Cook Inlet.

“We have been working cooperatively with the U.S. EPA since 2008 in responding to inquiries regarding the Trading Bay facility,” he said. “We place the highest priority on protecting the environment.”

Alaska environmental officials also investigated air emissions after receiving company-reported violations in 2008, Department of Environmental Conservation spokeswoman Weld Royal told the Daily News.

The EPA started an investigation. The state ended its investigation and turned over the lead role to the EPA last winter, she said.

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SPORTS

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HOCKEY: Clark is on top of his game this season

LEIGHANN SEAMAN/TNL

UAA junior Craig Parkinson aggressively takes on North Dakota Fighting Sioux during a face off, Oct. 24. The ‘Wolves will look to extend their winning streak to three game on Jan. 22 and 23 when they return home to take on Colorado College at the Sullivan Arena.

CONTINUED FROM COVER

OVERTIME

Saturday were only lost by one goal. Only this last Friday, Jan, 15, did they finally win a Friday game, then completed their first sweep of the season on Saturday against Michigan Tech.

Senior Kevin Clark and junior Tommy Grant have established themselves at the top of the Seawolves’ scoring totals, with 20 and 19 points respectively through the ‘Wolves’ series against Michigan Tech. Clark leads the team in goals, with 12 and is ranked second on he team in penalty minutes, clocking in with 19 penalties for 49 minutes – the team leader is freshman Chris Crowell with 52, most of those being compiled after time expired in the ‘Wolves’ last-minute loss to Denver on Jan. 9.

Junior forward Sean Wiles has established himself as an offensive threat as well, chipping in eight goals and four assists in his first 20 games. Three of his 12 points came against UAA’s win over Colorado College earlier this season when he scored two goals and added an assist on freshman Daniel Naslund’s

Beach volleyball should be a NCAA sport, provides more opportunities

‘Junior forward Sean Wiles has established himself as an offensive threat as well, chipping in six goals and four assists in his first 18 games.’ game-winning goal. Naslund leads the team’s freshman in points, with eight in his first 22 games as a Seawolf.

Look for sophomore transfer Brad Gorham to make an impact for the Seawolves for the rest of the season. Gorham became eligible to play after the end of the fall semester and scored a point in UAA’s extremely hard-fought series against Denver on Jan. 8 and 9 and three assists against Michican Tech.

The Seawolves begin a four-game home stand on Jan. 22 and 23 against Colorado College and then finish it off on Jan. 29 and 30 against Minnesota. The games will all take place at 7:07 p.m. at the Sullivan Arena.

Even though sand volleyball probably won’t make an appearance at UAA, it would make a good addition to the NCAA’s collegiate circuit

By Josh Edge

The Northern Light

It looks like beach volleyball, or “sand volleyball” as it is officially referred to in NCAA circles, is still in the game to be a potential NCAA sport.

Sand volleyball was added to a list of emerging sports last April, according to ESPN, and recently there was a vote held to reconsider the addition of it to the list after 63 schools petitioned for the vote. But, sand volleyball held strong and is still in the running to become an official NCAA sport.

Presumably, most of the opposition to the addition of the sport are contenders for the traditional volleyball championships, because of the crunch it could potentially put on recruiting.

“I strongly believe that we’re going to be counting the same athletes two times,” said Minnesota athletic director Joel Maturi in an interview with ESPN. “It’s hard

for me to fathom that somebody who’s a talented young woman participating in sand volleyball cold not very much stand in as a court volleyball player.”

If Maturi is unable to fathom this, then he should take a long look at UAA’s athletic department.

He seems to talk about a potential dual-sport athlete like it is a bad thing. UAA is a great example of multi-sport athletes. Look at the cross-country running team and you will probably see some familiar names if you follow track and field. In the past, Nordic skiers have pulled doubles, training for the cross-country squad.

Another thing brought into question in the article is whether or not there really would be many new opportunities created for studentathletes, or if players would just be shifting around, which is probably where Maturi’s real confusion actually comes from. This is a legitimate concern, since beach volleyball is typically a two-ontwo sport, which does not really

add much in the way of new spots for athletes.

But, seeing as sand volleyball is such a widely-played sport – and is an Olympic sport nonetheless – it’s only a matter of time until it gets added as a collegiate sport.

If this sport is added to the NCAA circuit, it would contribute to a more competitive pro tour and may very well give the already dominant US Olympic team a larger talent pool to choose from. A larger talent pool could potentially make for an even higher-caliber Olympic team.

Granted the addition of this sport as an official NCAA sport probably wouldn’t benefit UAA in any way for the most part, due to a lack of facilities – honestly, would anyone actually come to Alaska to play beach volleyball?

But, it would not hurt the integrity of collegiate sports and really would be another great opportunity for both current and future collegiate athletes.

Jan. 19, 2010 | SPORTS

TNL

Russians looking to make their own Iditarod qualifier

By Richard Cockle The Oregonian

Dima Zapletin crouched on his knees to pat a young Siberian husky minutes before the dog was off to run through snow-covered mountains in a dogsled race.

Zapletin, 18, was part of a three-person delegation from Russia observing the Jan. 14 start of the Eagle Cap Extreme, a 6-year-old dogsled race and Oregon’s only qualifier for Alaska’s famed Iditarod. The Russians hope to pick up enough organizational know-how to turn their dogsled race back home into an Iditarod qualifier.

In bright sunshine at the Ferguson Ridge Ski Area near Joseph, 13 mushers and dog teams stampeded off the starting blocks for 100- and 200-mile races were expected back Saturday.

“Very few of our Russian racers have so many dogs,” said Anna Odintsova, 24, the delegations interpreter and only English speaker, referring to the U.S. mushers spare dogs.

The Russians also admired the Americans rolling dog kennels.

Russian mushers, called kayur, typically haul sled dogs in the family car.

They also noted the U.S. practice of roping off an area, away from spectator parking, for mushers, dogs and gear, Odintsova said. Anton Kirpichyov, 18, the third member of the delegation,

said they might incorporate that into their race, the international North Hope Sled Dog Race, set for Feb. 22-28 in central Russia.

The Russians live at St. Nicholas Parish, a Russian Orthodox Church orphanage in tiny Velikovo, a village 370 miles northeast of Moscow.

There, the terrain is nearly flat, unlike the vertical splendor of the 10,000-foot Wallowa Mountains rising above the race course. It is beautiful here, being surrounded by mountains, said Odintsova, gazing at the peaks.

At the ski area, eight- and 12-dog teams headed out, with the five bigger teams taking on the 200-mile route to Halfway and back.

The longer race takes mushers and dogs along the fringes of the Eagle Cap Wilderness and Hells Canyon National Recreation Area.

Teams that do well can qualify for the 1,150-mile, 17-day Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race, which starts March 6; and the 1,000-mile, twoweek Yukon Quest, which kicks off Feb. 6 in Fairbanks.

“I think this is the most challenging race in the West,” said Oregon musher Bino Fowler, 39, a Sunriver electrician making his fourth run through the 200-mile race. “It’s fantastic.”

Carol Pepsick, 43, an Estacada medical assistant, was competing in the 100-mile race for the first time.

“It’s a little overwhelming,”

she said before the start. “It took 3 days to pack.”

“While significantly shorter than the Iditarod and Yukon, the Eagle Cap is tougher in some ways,” said organizer Clyde Raymer, 57, of Sherwood.

“It has brutal 22-degree inclines with a top elevation of 7,400 feet. So our challenge isn’t in the length, it is in the elevation the mushers and teams have to operate at,” Raymer said.

The Russians visit was paid for by wealthy Australian dog sledder Leon Gubin, who helped start dog sledding in Velikovo and encouraged residents to organize a race. The 4-year-old, 142-mile North Hope race is now the largest dogsled race in Russia, Odintsova said.

He wanted to expose the children to the outside world, said Terry Hinesly, 63, an Eagle Cap Extreme race marshal and Iditarod veteran from Prospect who accompanied the delegation from Russia.

Aside from the race, the young Russians were impressed by Americans friendliness, and the bustle and bright lights of Seattle.

They were particularly struck by seeing people wearing shorts in January in Waldport and Florence.

Kirpichyov and Zapletin enjoyed American food, especially burgers, fries and chefs salads.

They were shocked by the huge portions, Odintsova said.

07

SPORTS BRIEFS Seawolves stun Wildcats in final ticks Junior forward Casey Robinson scored a game-high 18 points, including two game-winning free throws with half a second remaining, to lead the UAA men’s basketball team to a hard-fought 67-66 victory over Central Washington at Nicholson Pavilion on Saturday night.

The Seawolves also got 14 points and nine rebounds from junior forward Nick Pacitti and 12 points from junior guard Donnie Lao as they snapped Central’s five-game winning streak and handed the Wildcats their first Great Northwest Athletic Conference loss of the year.

The Wildcats – led by 14 points apiece from forward Riley Spevak and reserve guard Tyler Toussaint – claimed all of the momentum out of the gate and seemed to take more into the locker room when Shane Miller hit a three-pointer at the halftime buzzer to give the home team a 31-25 lead.

The Seawolves won despite leading scorer Brandon Walker going without a point on 0-of-6 shooting. UAA connected at a .412 (7-17) clip from long range and .818 (18-22) at the free-throw line.

#19 Vikings overcome Seawolf men Junior forward Casey Robinson scored 17 points but the UAA men’s basketball team could not stop a second-half comeback effort Jan. 14 by nationally 19th-ranked Western Washington as the Vikings earned a 68-62 victory over the Seawolves at Carver Gymnasium.

UAA (10-3, 1-1 GNAC) also got 14 points and 11 rebounds from junior forward Nick Pacitti as it suffered its first Great Northwest Athletic Conference loss and saw its seven-game winning streak come to an end.

Derrick Webb led WWU (15-2, 2-1) with a game-high 20 points, while fellow forward Zach Bruce delivered 14 points and 10 rebounds for the defending GNAC champions and 2009-10 preseason favorites.

The Seawolves – who had won four of their last five against the Vikings – were on track for a possible upset again when they grabbed a 30-20 halftime lead. UAA extended to a 49-38 lead on a Robinson three-pointer with just over 10 minutes remaining, but things would go awry for the visitors at that point.

Junior Brandon Walker, the Seawolves’ leading scorer, finished with just seven points on 2-of-8 shooting as his 10-game double-digit scoring streak came to an end. The 6-3 guard did dish a game-high four assists, however.

Pacitti, meanwhile, delivered his fourth double-double in six games.

Hat trick leads UAA over Huskies, 5-4 Senior forward Kevin Clark tallied his first career hat trick, helping the Seawolves sweep the Michigan Tech Huskies with a 5-4 Western Collegiate Hockey Association win on Jan. 16 at the John MacInnes Student Ice Arena.

The Huskies (3-19-1, 2-15-0 WCHA) scored the first goal of the game, but the Seawolves (8-13-1, 6-11-1 WCHA) responded with two goals in both the first and second periods for a 4-1 lead. Tech then registered three unanswered goals in the second, tying the game 4-4 before UAA scored the game-winner in the third.

Despite the score, the Huskies outshot the Seawolves, 36-22.

Clark’s hat trick is the first for a Seawolf player since Paul Crowder’s on Dec. 8, 2007 against Minnesota Duluth (5-3). Clark completed the weekend in Houghton with six points (4g, 2a), including a season-best four points tonight.

The win gave the Seawolves their first WCHA sweep of the season. The last time the Seawolves swept a team on the road was on March 5-6, 2009 against UMD (5-4, 4-3).

— Compiled by Josh Edge

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ARTS&ENTERTAINMENT 08 SKETCHES: Show marks new direction for Brown CONTINUED FROM COVER

because that is the place in our bodies where we most feel loneliness.

In the sketch, a red light glowed around the woman: a symbol of her aliveness.

In January 2010, a full season after she left the small cabin in Talkeetna, Brown walked across the temporary wooden floor of her art installation, “Silent Sketches.”

“I really like the way it sounds when you walk on it,” Brown said of the floor, which she put together from pieces borrowed scrap wood.

She gestured toward the sparse straight and curved red lines that lay in places across the floor and white walls, like the lines of a primitive basketball court in three dimensions.

“The red lines on the floor were something I’d intended on doing since the beginning,” she said. “Something along the lines of the pathway you take in a space, or the repetitive motions you make in small living spaces.”

Brown, a 2009 UAA graduate with a BA in art, talked about her quintessentially Alaskan alone in the wilderness experience, and how it inspired “Silent Sketches.”

The installation uses the whole space of the

‘The wood stove was the only source of heat, and a constant source of ash.’ small guest room gallery at the International Gallery of Contemporary Art to recreate life in the Talkeetna cabin. A red cabin is drawn on the one of the white walls, and at the opposite end, a helix of red painted driftwood hangs suspended above a crumpled white sheet. During the show’s opening, the sheet partially covered a nude model with a cabin drawn on her belly. Together, the model and the helix recreated the sketch Brown had made expressing her isolation. In

the center of the room, a diminutive red lantern hangs suspended low over a frying pan filled with sawdust. A pair of white plaster rain boots sits in the corner as if to dry.

The painted driftwood gives off a blast of red that is more brilliant than the red lines, or the red lantern. It is the same red paint, but on driftwood, it produces a startling effect because of the smooth hardness of the polished wood

‘The suspended single helix formed by the driftwood pieces creates a singular, small space.’ underneath, and the sinuous curvature of the surfaces. The suspended single helix formed by the driftwood pieces creates a singular, small space that draws the eye to its bright ethereality, all the more so because of its contrast with the rough surroundings made mostly of whitewashed walls and scrap wood.

The installation is a first for Brown, whose solo exhibitions so far have featured paintings. But, she said, it’s definitely the direction she wants to go in the future. Brown said she’s been applying to grad school, where she hopes to pick up some of the skills she’ll need for future projects – skills such as motion picture and robotics.

“The main focus I feel like my work’s taken, and what’s always really interested me about art are the collaborative, interactive qualities,” Brown said.

“Silent Sketches” will show at International Gallery of Contemporary Art through the month of January. For more information, go to www.igcaalaska.org.

MARY NODEN LOCHNER/TNL

“Silent Sketches,” an art installation at International Gallery of Contemporary Art by UAA alumna Jessica Brown.

‘Soda and Wood’ exhibit gets Clay Body all fired up

By Mary Noden Lochner The Northern Light

“Soda and Wood” might sound like an odd theme for a ceramics art show to the uninitiated, or even conjure images of clay monuments to Coke or Pepsi. But for the Clay Body members who’ve been devoting themselves to the art of atmospheric firing for the last year, it makes perfect sense.

The “Soda and Wood Fired Ceramic Invitational,” put on by the UAA student ceramic club Clay Body in the Student Union, celebrates two types of clay firing techniques known for the unpredictable, unique and beautiful surface finish they impart. Both techniques involve an added material – either wood ash or baking soda – that is carried on air vents around the clay inside the kiln. These super-heated materials strike the clay’s surface and alter its MARY NODEN LOCHNER/TNL

“Wild Swan” stoneware by Liu R. Liu

appearance in unpredictable patterns, leaving greenish, earth-colored or orange hues at points of impact.

A soda-fired kiln is powered by gas, and is, in many ways, a modern imitation of a woodfired kiln.

Clay fired by wood is the most ancient form in the ceramic

‘I love the wood firing.’

– Scott Jerich, Clay Body president arts, and also among the most laborious. It takes 26 hours and a group of people working in shifts to get a finished product out of a modern wood-fired kiln.

But Clay Body president Scott Jelich wouldn’t have it

any other way.

“I love the wood firing,” said Jelich, a junior art student.

“Every aspect of it -- the physical labor, chopping the wood, loading the kiln, firing the thing. It’s my favorite type of firing.”

The resulting surface is earthen in color. But the surface pattern is dynamic in the way it captures the kinetic motion of hot air dancing around the clay, and the echo of hot material burning into nothingness after contact.

“It’s variable,” Jelich said.

“You don’t know what you’re going to get.”

“Soda and Wood Fired Ceramic Invitational” runs in the Student Union Gallery through Jan. 28.

Gallery hours are Monday – Thursday from 10 a.m. – 7 p.m., and Friday from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Jan. 19, 2010 | A&E

TNL

1.19 – 1.25.2010

WHERE YOU NEED TO BE THIS WEEK

Compiled by Mary Noden Lochner and Heather Hamilton

email arts2@thenorthernlight.org to submit an event!

THEATRE

FESTIVAL

MUSIC

iFOCUS

09

Wind Blown and Dripping Anchorage Folk Festival

The Moon Knights, Evel Dead, Evil Ted and Thick Pink Antiseptic play a breast cancer benefit concert Friday, Jan. 22 at 10 p.m. at Player’s House of Rock.

21-and-over show. Cover is $10 at the door.

LECTURE

Bands against cancer

This free, annual festival runs from Friday, Jan. 22 – Sunday, Jan. 31 and features performances by more than 120 acts from Alaska and around the world.

The festival also includes workshops and other special events. The Wendy Williamson Auditorium is the main stage for the festival, with other events scheduled for various venues around Anchorage and Eagle River. For more information, go to www.anchoragefolkfestival.org.

Dashiell Hammett, author of famed American detective novel “The Maltese Falcon,” spent part of WWII editing a military newspaper on the Aleutian Islands. It is that period of the author’s life that local writer and playwright Peter Porco recounts in the play “Windblown and Dripping,” a production showing at Cyrano’s Off-Center Playhouse. Shows run Thursday, Jan. 21 through Saturday, Jan. 23 at 7 p.m., and Sunday, Jan. 24 at 3 p.m. Tickets are $13.75 for students with valid school I.D. and are available at the door or online at http://alaskapac.centertix.net.

The Smile Ease

Local indie pop band The Smile Ease plays the Snow Goose Restaurant on Friday, Jan. 22 at 9 p.m. 21-and-over show. Cover is $10 at the door.

Sick Puppies

Australian alt-rock band Sick Puppies plays the Dena’ina Center on Friday, Jan. 22 at 7 p.m. Tickets range from $22.50 - $55 and are available at www.ticketmaster.com.

Nikki Giovanni

Famed American poet Nikki Giovanni visits UAA on Friday, Jan. 22 at 7:30 p.m. at the Wendy Williamson Auditorium. Lecture is free and open to the public.

A&E BRIEF

Free dance workshops open to all The UAA Department of Theatre and Dance will host free dance workshops on Saturday, Jan. 23 from 12 p.m. to 1:30 p.m., and Sunday, Jan 24 from 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.

The first workshop, “Playing Tap Dance,” will focus on understanding tap as both musical instrument and dance form. The second workshop, “The Rhythmic Dancer,” will explore many different ways to express rhythm in the body.

Both workshops will be lead by guest artist Katherine Kramer, a jazz and modern dancer, and producing artistic director of “Rhythm Explosion,” a summer dance and music workshop in Bozeman, Mont. Workshops are free and open to the public, and will be held in the PSB Room 162. Free parking available. For more information, contact Jill Crosby at afjaf@uaa.alaska.edu or (907) 786-1164.

— Compiled by Heather Hamilton

10 A&E|

TNL

Jan. 19, 2010

A ‘ VATAR’HEAD‘HOLMES’ TO-HEAD VS. HOLIDAY HITS GO

“Avatar” Directed by James Cameron STARRING: Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldana and Sigourney Weaver RUN TIME: 162 min.

GENRE: Sci-fi

★★★

By Jena Benton The Northern Light

As another semester begins and nothing but homework awaits, some students are buzzing about the biggest holiday movies and what’s really worth seeing in the theaters one last time. The choices from this previous season really dwindle down to the two biggest blockbusters: “Avatar” and “Sherlock Holmes.” Yet the question remains if they are worth the price of admission.

‘Avatar’ a 2-D plot with 3-D effects “Avatar” had quite the build-up considering the buzz about it started three years ago. This is partly because it’s James Cameron’s first return to the big screen with a fictional movie since his 1997 success “Titanic.” Of course, given the amount of money “Titanic” made he never had to work again and that only helped to fuel the fire of excitement about his returning passion project. Add in the fact that he developed his own 3-D technology, and the 3-D revolution took off running as other film companies were concerned about competing with Cameron’s predicted success.

“Avatar” does have some successes. The movie is stunningly beautiful. The canvas that Cameron paints is astonishing.

Pandora, the fictional planet the movie takes place on, is a fully developed world with its own flora and fauna. From moss that glows in the dark to pterodactyl-like birds with feathers the color of the rainbow, this vivid detail makes the movie feel incredibly real.

Of course the 3-D effects don’t hurt.

Viewers are able to vicariously fly in the cockpit of an advanced aircraft, plummet over the side of a cliff on the back of one of those pterodactyl-like birds, and run around in blue skin.

The lines between real actors and CGI are so seamless that the movie never once feels cartoon-y. The 3D is definitely worth the extra price of admission.

But despite everything “Avatar” accomplishes, it’s not well written.

It certainly doesn’t compare to the fresh writing that made “Titanic” a cultural zeitgeist. “Avatar” is a very two-dimensional story as far as plot goes.

In the movie, a greedy corporation is mining Pandora to try and get as much unobtainium as possible. However, the local natives—the blue-skinned, 10 feet tall Na’vi—are fighting to preserve their natural habitat. The scientists who work for the corporation have invented the greatest camouflage of all time: a genetically designed avatar that splices the Na’vi DNA with human DNA and allows humans to interact with the Na’vi on their own turf. However, the corporation also uses military for security and thus war naturally ensues.

What’s amazing is that the scientists don’t see the war coming. Even though their employer is trying to pillage and destroy the entire planet’s ecosystem, they somehow think their scientific cleverness will bring them closer to the Na’vi with whom they are infatuated.

The resulting moral messages in the film are as thick as molasses, and the villain who has no motivation for his “evil” agenda simply makes the military look like a bunch of ruthless, marauding numbskulls.

‘Sherlock Holmes’ authentic, invigorating “Sherlock Holmes” breathes fresh life into a familiar character.

Producer Lionel Wigram took on the passion project of modernizing Holmes by going back to the source and reading the original material.

Wigram recently told Script magazine that Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, author of the original Sherlock Holmes novels, “made it very clear that Holmes was an expert swordsman (and) an expert boxer—a bare-knuckle fighter who would go down to the back streets of Victorian London and fight in the Victorian equivalent of ‘Fight Club.’”

It was this vision that sold the project, and attracted director Guy Ritchie (“RocknRolla”). While Ritchie’s modern filming style might not seem well suited to the adaptation of a renowned Victorian detective, it ended up being the perfect fit.

Ritchie’s trademark slow-motion sequencing was used with great effect to show Holmes’ (Robert Downey Jr., “The Soloist”) thought processes during fast-paced action sequences. In this way Ritchie shows just how much the character could be trapped in his head while punching it out in a boxing ring.

Action isn’t the only update to the well-known character. There is also comedy.

The writing allows just enough dark humor and friction between Watson and Holmes to keep the pace lively. This only works thanks to the chemistry between Jude Law (“Sleuth”) as Watson, and Downey as Holmes. The two spar well together and are quite believable as friends, colleagues and roommates.

Then there is the clever musical score. The sound of violin music cuts in and out of the very modern soundtrack at pivotal moments, just as the cherished instrument of the famous detective does.

Overall, “Sherlock Holmes” is a well-rounded movie that holds true to the original material, even with a few liberties taken.

★★★★★ “Sherlock Holmes” Directed by Guy Ritchie STARRING: Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law RUN TIME: 128 min GENRE: Action adventure

Jan. 19, 2010 | A&E

TNL GAME REVIEW

11

MUSIC REVIEW

‘Bayonetta’ an explosive new title Ke$ha’s debut album about all being a party ‘Animal’ all of the time

By Bryan Dunagan The Northern Light

“Bayonetta” is an over-sexed, over-the-top, ludicrous action game that should not be missed.

It’s the logical progression of the action genre, but it blows everything that came before it out of the water.

From the very first level, it’s clear that gamers are going to be shaking with either adrenaline or frustration as they battle on a clock tower that pitches and yaws alongside a mountain.

From here, the story sets off in typical grindhouse fashion with film reels that reveal the plot one frame at a time: Bayonetta is the last surviving witch of the Umbran Witch Clan, the ancient guardians of the Left Eye, that were destroyed by non-magical civilians. Their counterparts, the Lumen Sages, keep watch over the Right Eye, which together with the left eye hold the world together. And, Bayonetta has just woken up from a 500-year slumber at the bottom of a lake.

Along the way, the plot thickens with a little girl who calls Bayonetta “mummy” and a very doofy love interest named Luka. The main function of the story, though, is to hold the game together just enough to send gamers to the next outrageous set piece.

At every step, Bayonetta needs something special to keep her alive. Enter the purely offensebased combat system. The face buttons control her guns, hands or feet, and the guns on each appendage. The combat system is the closest to true freeform combat ever seen. A player can literally change his or her mind mid-combo and unleash either lead, or a flurry of kicks and punches. There is no block button, but rather a dodge button. If timed correctly, dodging an enemy’s attack activates something called “witch time” that makes Bayonetta invincible and slows down time.

Throughout, the fury of action and gore that transpires is truly a spectacle with memorable encounters and amazingly cheesy cinematics. Of note, the climax finishers for bosses and torture attacks for regular baddies are just fantastic.

“Bayonetta” will take gamers through a world of Egyptian and Christian-inspired angel enemies during its 10-14 hours of gameplay. Along the way, fans of classic games such as “Fantasy Zone,” “Okami,” “Space Harrier” and “Super Hang-On” will be delighted to see the nods these games get.

The game suffers from a few graphical hiccups here and there, but they’re not frequent enough to destroy the experience of 60-frames-per-second violence.

All in all, “Bayonetta” sets a new standard for action games in terms of scale and accessibility.

It’s a delicious, over-the-top, sexy and stylish action title to kick off the new year.

By Bryan Dunagan The Northern Light

With her catchy and semiintelligent single “Tik Tok,” Ke$ha seemed poised to be the next Lady GaGa. But her recent album release dashes any such hopes.

The album’s opener, “Your Love Is My Drug,” is enjoyable enough.

But after that, the album seems to dissolve.

Something cataclysmic happens around the fourth track of “Animal”: the listener becomes repulsed by Ke$ha’s voice, which has the potential to be unique but also horrific.

‘It might help if Ke$ha didn’t sing about vomiting.’

Case in point is the track “Dinosaur.” If it wasn’t so blatantly obvious that all the singer does is hang out in clubs and get drunk, it might have been endearing. (It also might have helped if Ke$ha didn’t sing about vomiting.)

Another example is “Party At a Rich Dude’s House,” which is so

GAME: “Bayonetta” (PS3, XBOX 360) PUBLISHER: Platinum Games RELEASE DATE: Jan. 5, 2010

★★★★★

God-awful that one would almost certainly prefer lighting oneself on fire, recording the sounds of one’s own screams and then playing that for three minutes, rather than endure the torture of listening to this track.

That isn’t to say Ke$ha doesn’t have a good ear for beats and hooks. But maybe she could take more time on the next album and be more intelligent.

ALBUM: “Animal” ARTIST: Ke$ha RECORD LABEL: RCA RELEASE DATE: Jan. 5, 2010

★★

WORKING TOGE THER FOR A BE T TER ALASK A The Denali Commission

2010 Summer Internship Program The Denali Commission is an innovative federalstate partnership designed to provide critical utilities, infrastructure and support for economic development in Alaska by delivering federal services in the most cost effective manner possible.

Who is Eligible to Participate?

These paid internships are based in Anchorage and open to all currently enrolled undergraduate and graduate students.

How to Apply: Please visit the Denali Commission’s website at www.denali.gov to learn more and download an application.

Application Deadline: Monday, March 15, 2010

510 L Street, Suite 410 Anchorage, AK 99501 www.denali.gov

FEATURES

12

Palmer volunteers serve cups of joe at hospital Retired couple brightens hospital’s days with a fun combination of charm and coffee at their local volunteer stand

By Greg Johnson

Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman

Of the dozens of places to get a morning caffeine fix, Joe and Maryann Lisenby’s stand is a little hard to find.

For employees and patients at Mat-Su Regional Medical Center, the Lisenbys serve up more than fresh coffee and lattes from the hospital’s lobby espresso bar. The retired Palmer couple has been brewing freshground coffee and whipping milk into froth since 2003 as hospital volunteers. But it’s their trademark upbeat attitude and warm smiles that keep staff and visitors coming back.

“Oh, they’re just wonderful,” said Babbette Robertson, a registered nurse on a quick coffee break. “I reward myself on particular days. It’s a treat.”

On this day, it’s a chocolate mocha with cherry syrup and whipped cream, expertly made

by Joe, an enthusiastic barista.

Owning a coffee shop “was my dream when I was still working,” he said. “My mistake

was waiting until I was retired.

Now I enjoy retirement so much I don’t want to be (tied) down.”

The couple moved to Palmer in 2002, and after about a year had passed, Maryann said they began looking for ways to become involved in the community.

In addition to manning the espresso bar, she volunteers to

Sportsman’s firing range.

“It’s a great way to give back to the community,” Maryann said about the couple’s volunteer work. “But my main reason for starting to volunteer is because we moved out here a little over seven years ago and didn’t know anyone. We moved here from Anchorage, so it was a great way to meet new people so when you went to the post

‘It’s ‘Joebucks,’” he jokes, referring to the popular Starbucks coffee chain. “I trained her to be a barista and here I am making all the coffee. ... We just have fun. We wouldn’t do it if it weren’t fun.’ serve on Matanuska Electric Association’s scholarship committee and is on the welcoming and landscaping committees of her subdivision.

Joe also volunteers with the American Red Cross and at

office you know someone in line.”

It was a television spot that first turned the couple on to volunteering at the hospital.

“I was watching the TV, and I was flipping the channels and

I saw the thing come up on the screen where they’re looking for volunteers,” Joe said. “So I went in. I initially was going to go (to another department) to volunteer. When I got in there, the volunteer coordinator looked at me and smiled. I said, ‘Let me guess, someone didn’t show up for espresso.’ So I went in there and got to having so much fun I said, ‘That’s for me.

I’m going to stay right here.’”

Don’t let their infectious smiles and upbeat attitude fool you into thinking they’re not serious about coffee.

They grind the beans fresh and are quick and efficient in mixing up dozens of different combinations.

Joe prefers a “wet cappuccino,” which he describes as “just a foamy latte,” while Maryann is a traditional straight black coffee drinker. At home, however, Joe’s the barista.

“It’s ‘Joebucks,’” he jokes, referring to the popular Starbucks coffee chain. “I trained her to be a barista

and here I am making all the coffee. ... We just have fun. We wouldn’t do it if it weren’t fun.”

Now veterans in the espresso stand, the Lisenbys also help train new volunteers, said Kerry Aguirre, director of marketing and public relations for Mat-Su Regional Medical Center.

“Joe and Maryann are just a very happy-go-lucky couple that take their volunteering very seriously,” she said. “They are super friendly to all of us.

They know a lot of people here in the hospital and they help in lots and lots of ways.

They’re great ambassadors for the volunteer program at the hospital.”

And their prowess at juggling the java isn’t lost on Aguirre. “I like the 20-ounce skinny latte — with a lot of caffeine — and they make it perfectly.”

Information from: Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman, http://www. frontiersman.com

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Your student newspaper seeks a Copy Editor!

The Copy Editor demonstrates a strong attention to detail, edits material for grammar, ap style, spelling and content issues, has a flexible weekend schedule, meets deadlines and works well with others.

You must be enrolled in at least six credits and have a G.P.A. of 2.5.

Pay is $9.50 per hour / 20 hours per week.

For more information call 907.786.1313 or e-mail content@thenorthernlight.org

Apply online at www.uakjobs.com >student jobs >Anchorage >posting number 0058622

TUESDAY, JAN. 26 “INFORMATION SESSION ON SOCIAL JUSTICE” 7 p.m., Gorsuch Commons

WEDNESDAY, JAN. 20 Residence Life Presents: “CIVIL RIGHTS TRIVIA NIGHT” 9:30 p.m., Gorsuch Commons THURSDAY, JAN. 21 Student Activities Presents: “AN EVENING WITH NIKKI GIOVANNI” 7:30 p.m., Wendy Williamson Auditorium Admission free and open to the public.

Seating limited. Doors open 6 p.m. Interpreter provided.

MONDAY, JAN. 25 Residence Life Presents: “HOW TO SPEAK, WHEN EVERYONE IS LAUGHING. INTERACTIVE DIALOGUE” 6:30-7:30 p.m., Cama-i Room MONDAY, JAN. 25 TO FRIDAY, JAN. 29 Disability Support Services Presents: “DISABILITY HISTORY EXHIBIT” Rasmuson Hall

THURSDAY, JAN. 28 AHAINA Student Programs Presents: “STUDENT ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION” 1-3 p.m., Rasmuson Hall 106, Light Refreshments ICE CREAM SOCIAL 7 p.m., Gorsuch Commons SATURDAY, JAN. 30 Women’s Studies Program Presents: “THE LARAMIE PROJECT” MOVIE Panel discussion, Identity Inc. 7 p.m., Student Union Den MONDAY, FEB. 1 TO FRIDAY, FEB. 5 Disability Support Services Presents: “DISABILITY HISTORY EXHIBIT” Gorsuch Commons WEDNESDAY, FEB. 3 AHAINA Student Programs Presents: REV. DR. SAMUEL BILLY KYLES Dr. Kyles discusses the last hours of Dr. King’s life and encourages student retention.

6 p.m., AHAINA, Rasmuson Hall 106, Light Refreshments All UAA Alaska Civil Rights Month events are FREE!

For a full listing of all the month’s events and for more information visit UAA’s Office of Campus Diversity and Compliance Web site at www.uaa.alaska.edu/diversity or call (907) 786-4680.

Our sincere thanks and appreciation to the UAA Diversity Action Council, UAA units, departments and members of the Alaska Civil Rights Month Planning Committee.

Interpreting services for UAA events are available by contacting (907) 786-4680 with at least 48 hours notice. UAA is an EEO/AA employer and educational institution.

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 Suzanna Caldwell MANAGING EDITOR 786-1313 content@thenorthernlight.org Josh Edge LAYOUT EDITOR layout@thenorthernlight.org Naomi Ozuru COPY EDITOR copy@thenorthernlight.org Vacant NEWS EDITOR 786-1576 news@thenorthernlight.org Kam Walters FEATURES EDITOR 786-1567 features@thenorthernlight.org

Katie Forstner

A&E EDITOR 786-6198 arts@thenorthernlight.org Mary Noden Lochner SPORTS EDITOR 786-1512 sports@thenorthernlight.org Vacant PHOTO EDITOR 786-1565 photo@thenorthernlight.org Ricky Teel WEB EDITOR 786-1506 web@thenorthernlight.org John Norris ASSISTANT FEATURES EDITOR Joshua Tucker ASSISTANT A&E EDITOR Heather Hamilton PHOTOGRAPHERS Leighann Seaman Dakota Volkman Mason Westra GRAPHIC DESIGNER graphics@thenorthernlight.org Lindsay Johnson CONTRIBUTORS Jena Benton Rachelle Branstetter Derek Chivers Kimberly Copadis Bryan Dunagan Melody Kalkowski Susanna Kelly Andrew Neuerburg Trevor OʼHara Robert Wise ADVERTISING MANAGER 786-4690 ads@thenorthernlight.org Mariya Proskuryakova ADVERTISING REPRESENTATIVE Vacant CIRCULATION ASSISTANT Munkh-Erdene Tsend-Ochir 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.

14

EDITORIAL

Student loans should aid, not hinder Financial aid is confusing.

To start with there are nine overall steps to getting your financial aid. Of course, these are just general steps – not the tiny multiple steps you find within each of the outlined ones.

For example, once you’ve applied for admission, (bare minimum: four steps that really work out to dozens in total) and figured out the brain bender that is a Free Application for Financial Student Aid and completed your loan counseling, it’s time to accept your aid.

Sounds simple, right? Kind of like a slightly more complex version of a yes or no question?

Not quite.

In the detailed steps to accepting your aid, found on the UAA financial aid Web site, they list 10 in total. Some seem simple (Click on award) to the more complex (You must read and then click on ‘Yes’ to indicate you have read the Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) policy.)

That might not sound too complicated, but go on to UAOnline to actually do it. To find the Satisfactory Academic

Progress policy, you first have to go to the Resources/Additional information tab, read through everything, and then click “yes.”

However, good luck finding it.

Buried at the bottom of the page, under a massive amount of text, is a tiny little button. Probably one word in length and height, resting near the bottom.

That’s what you have to find, and click.

Also, don’t forget to fill out a master promissory note compatible with the loan type you’ve accepted. So, you know, you get your money.

Oh! Also, you have to accept your award through UAOnline.

This really is pretty simple.

You just click accept, decline, or accept a partial amount. Just press submit, and PRESTO! Your student loan is on your way.

Of course, this is all incredibly dependant on you filling out every element of every item, turning it in on time and with no human error.

The last of which is completely out of an individual’s control. It’s a bad cliché, but to err is human.

The more steps you incorporate into a process, the more room you

have for error.

Ideally, the process would be so streamlined, that it would be next to impossible to miss something.

But unfortunately, the system we currently have is not set up for that.

Most people wish they didn’t have to take out student loans

‘Also, don’t forget to fill out a master promissory note compatible with the loan type you’ve accepted.

So, you know, you get your money.’ and wish they could pay for their education outright, but unfortunately most underclassmen end up taking out between $6,000 to $8,000 worth of financial aid a year. Upperclassmen take out about $9,000 a year.

We all wish college was more affordable, but the fact is at the end of the day all students have to figure out a way to pay for it. By making the process complicated and confusing, it just makes it harder time for everyone involved and probably discourages countless students from continuing, and maybe even starting their education.

Steps should be taken to help make the process more streamlined with more informed advisors available to help guide students, both new and old, through the process.

Until the State can figure out a more efficient way to guide students through the student loan process, make sure to go online and see the UAA financial aid Web site. It provides the most detailed instructions available.

Read through them, carefully, plan ahead and don’t be afraid to ask the financial aid office questions.

For now it’s complicated, but hopefully one day it won’t have to be.

OUR PERSPECTIVE

Moustache invasion hits UAA’s campus Real men finally show Anchorage men what’s up by growing ridiculous amounts of facial hair

By Suzanna Caldwell The Northern Light

There’s nothing like peoplewatching at a bar. I turned 21 in February and since then half the fun of going to the bars has been watching other humans stumble over each other.

This summer I spent many a weekend in the Mat-Su Valley, and was finally able to check out a few of the bars I’d grown up around, only dreaming of what was behind their dark, narrow entrances. Some were smoky and grungy and absolutely what I expected. Some were the complete opposite. But overall there was one common thread: an abundance of moustaches.

I never thought much of it, because, in Wasilla, a moustache on a 50-something guy is something fairly commonplace.

Kind of like worn-out Carhartts or the fact that they own more than three hunting rifles.

And somehow the moustache

fad I know so well from the Valley has been transported to Anchorage.

I’ve been living “in town” for over three years now, and can finally see the differences between the quiet, strip-mall clogged community I grew up in and the urban sprawl that makes up Alaska’s largest city. The women from the valley have a penchant for dying their hair unnatural colors, that the men have a thing for mullets and that we all have a slight upper-Midwestern twang to our speech.

I’m not ashamed of where I came from. To me, the Valley is still one of the most beautiful places in Alaska, and the people are some of the kindest, most generous souls in the world.

But I’ve been shedding my Valley skin. I wear North Face jackets with Pashmina scarves. I eat at Mooses’ Tooth at least once a week. I love the clash of rustic and yuppie Alaska that makes up Spenard. I own three different

types of Teva sandals.

But there’s one thing I haven’t been able to shed: a love of mustaches.

It’s not a sex-appeal thing.

Really. It’s just a small thing that reminds me of home.

I can’t begin to count the number of people in my life who have had a moustache; dog mushers, doctors, family friends.

Even my dad has had a moustache for all of his adult life. If he ever shaved it, I don’t think I would recognize him.

Lately, they’ve been roaming UAA’s campus. It’s not large part of the population, but it’s enough that everyday I see someone new sporting a ‘stache.

Part of me wants to think that maybe Brad Pitt’s toothbrush mustache in “Inglorious Basterds” has something to do with it. Or that maybe the World Beard and Mustache Championships that were held over the summer has inspired a whole crop of young, moustached men.

Or maybe, it’s the Valley.

Let’s face it, after the last election, it’s possible that the small town of Wasilla (full of “real”Americans) is more famous than big-city Anchorage. So doesn’t it seem possible that maybe the Valley moustache craze would invade A-town?

Thursday morning I walked through the spine between the engineering building and the Student Union. Right before I hit the double doors, there was another one. A big, thick Burt Reynolds kind of a ‘stache. On a kid who couldn’t be more than 22.

It was glorious.

After over three years of torment about being a redneck hick from the Wasilla, finally Wasilla fashion has descended upon Anchorage.

So, welcome to the Valley.

Whether you like it or not.

PRIDE

CHIDE

Middle Way Cafe…

Rush Limbaugh…

… for providing the most delicious cupcakes in Anchorage.

… for saying crazy things again, and again, and again.

Jan. 19, 2010 | COMICS

TNL TUNDRA l Chad Carpenter

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BROKECOMICS | alec fritz

Back to school WORDSEARCH l Lindsay Johnson and Leighann Seaman

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