July122011 by The Northern Light

THENORTHERNLIGHT

JULY 12, 2011

UNIVERSITY OF ALASKA ANCHORAGE

WWW.THENORTHERNLIGHT.ORG

$17M granted to help at-risk young adults

‘YouthBuild USA’ and ‘Mid-Atlantic Network of Youth and Family Services’ receive funds from Dept. of Labor

By Megan Edge Assistant Sports Editor

As of May 2011, out of Alaska’s 522,853 residents over the age of 18, 7.4 percent are unemployed. Of the unemployed, 6.7 percent live either in Anchorage or the Mat-Su. In the last week of June, the US Department of Labor announced $17 million in grant money, which will go to two separate organizations in the hopes of giving meaningful training and job skills for 18-24 year olds who are considered “at-risk” nationally. An “at-risk” individual would ideally be an individual who has

Summer Literacy Program

Authors read aloud in summer literacy series

See Page 3

Editorial A preview on what the 2012 presidential campaign will (should) look like

See Page 5

Summer Heroes Transformers and Harry Potter are saving the world this summer

future of is in with rising and lower

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Index:

have YouthBuild programs. Another $8.5 million will go to the Mid-Atlantic Network of Youth and Family services. They will be helping 900 individuals in five communities. Both organizations have shown success with serving former delinquents. The awards were made possible through the 2010 Department of Labor appropriations. “This is not only an investment

in these young people, but also their families and communities,” Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis said in a press release on June 30. It is unclear at this time if Alaska will be receiving any of the grant money, but due to the high drop out numbers, several community members are hoping to receive a portion for YouthBuild in hopes of helping Alaska’s young people stay in school and out-of trouble.

Lack of ice rink in new proposal sparks controversy from community over the $109M new project Web Editor

Pins no longer falling at alleys

that Alaska uses, has been granted $8.5 million and will help approximately 550 individuals, in Alaska and several states. YouthBuild started informally in 1988 in New York City. After showing success in five local neighborhoods, the program went national. Currently there are 273 YouthBuild programs in 45 states, assisting youths aged 16-24. Juneau and Anchorage both

After years of planning, the journey to a new UAA sports complex has just begun By Ashley Snyder

See Pages B1 & B4

The bowling question prices turnouts

spent time in a juvenile facility and/or dropped out of high school. As of March 2010 the dropout rate in Alaska is 38 percent, double that of most states in the US. McLaughlin Youth Center is currently the home for 112 juvenile delinquents, a number that in recent years has gone down significantly and matched the national average, according to McLaughlin Superintendent Dean Williams. “Drop-outs, expelled and suspended youth and definitely a new interest to us, and a couple years ago we started a program (Step Up) that recognizes them and helps get them back into the community,” Williams said. Helping these delinquents get back into the community is a major focus for the grants received. They will also help these young people obtain a high school diploma or industry-recognized credentials. Statistically, high drop-out and juvenile delinquency rates are tied together. A majority of the youth McLaughlin sees have dropped out, or been suspended or expelled from their schools, according to Williams. Grants were awarded through what the Department of Labor said was a “competitive process” on a national. YouthBuild USA, a program

Since early 2009, the plans for UAA’s new sports arena have been rewritten, reworked, and redrafted more times than anyone cares to count. The plans began as an $80 million facility with a seating capacity of 3,600, and have since and evolved into a $109 million facility that will seat nearly six thousand. On June 3, the Board of Regents officially voted and approved the newest designs for the sports arena. The current athletic center, the Wells Fargo Sports Complex, was built in 1978 when UAA was still a community college, and was made to accomodate a smaller student population. The university is concerned that with the growing student body however, the complex no longer has room to house Division I and Division II athletics, or have the seating needed for a larger amount of spectators. Further motivation for the construction of a new arena came

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in 2008, in the form of a Title IX to the men’s. for the lack of proficient coaching, complaint from the Federal office The complaint sparked an UAA athletic director Steve Cobb of Civil Rights, claiming that the investigation, which showed was perplexed by the idea because women’s athletic teams at UAA that the women did indeed have many of UAA’s women coaches were not treated fairly. insufficient locker room space have received national awards and Title IX states that, “No person compared to the men’s teams, and recognition for their coaching. in the United States shall, on the that women rarely had trainers While the complaint was basis of sex, be excluded from at practices due to female sports, resolved with a few improvements, participation in, be denied the with the exception of gymnastics, the university felt that the current benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance...” The complaint stated that the women had a single over-crowded locker room, that during games and practices the women seldom had a trainer to provide A virtual rendering of the new sports complex set to be completed in 2014. GRAPHIC COURTESY OF medical service, GOSEAWOLVES.COM and that the quality of See COMPLEX on page B6 coaching was inadequate relative aren’t considered as dangerous. As

Opinion.....A5

A&E.....B2

Sports......B6

Comics.....B8

02 STATEWIDE BRIEFS

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News| July 12, 2011

Seniors open Corner Store for center Having a corner store down the street from your house is nice convenience, but it’s not like having one right inside your home. As long as the current ChugiakEagle River Senior Center has been open, a small store tucked inside the building has provided residents and visitors alike with all the comforts of home. And then some. “We sell toiletries, sundries, gifts, we’ve got it all,” said Roberta Kolb, one of five women who volunteer to work at the store, which is open between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. Monday through Friday. “You name it, we’ve got it.” The other members of the allvolunteer staff include Patricia Railing, Mary Linda Pryor, Lola Norris and Cheri Clark. The women take turns operating the store, and they’re also responsible for locating the eclectic mix of items found on its shelves. When not behind the counter, they hit garage sales, discount stores and clearance racks in search of cheap items that can be re-sold at the store, according to senior center executive director Linda Hendrickson. Kolb said prices stay low in the store because it’s run on a not-forprofit basis. All the money earned goes back to the center and to keep the store stocked. And there are some serious bargains to be had. Greeting cards, for example — which usually go for three bucks or more at the supermarket — sell for 50 cents. The volunteers said they’re also particularly proud of their selection of crystal figurines, along with a variety of other gift items that changes on a near-daily basis. Because the inventory is always changing, Kolb said many patrons make stopping by the store a daily habit. Railing said the store — which carries basic everyday items along with fancy gifts — is helpful to have for residents with limited mobility. It’s not just residents of the facility who use the store. The women said that they get a lot of outside traffic during special events, such as the center’s Spring Carnival and the Fourth of July. Hendrickson said the store has been operating inside the center since the current building was built in the mid-70s. Before that, residents and visitors used “The Garret,” a small area where residents could stock up on small items. Hendrickson said that in addition to providing residents with a convenient place to get needed items, the store is also a great place for people looking for a last-minute anniversary or birthday surprise. Roberta Kolb also said that the store’s staff will locate hard-to-find items on request.

Salmon in Sitka SITKA, Alaska (AP) — For about three hours on a recent Thursday, Nic Mink was under the O’Connell Bridge making a pitch to cruise ship passengers. An environmental studies professor from Illinois’ Knox College, Mink has been undergoing a crash course in marketing as he seeks to drum up business for Sitka Conservation Society’s new salmon tours. The hectic lightering docks, with the crush of tourists arriving to spend a few hours in Sitka, are a long way from a college classroom, but the tours are somewhat of a natural fit for Mink, who studies food systems and did his dissertation on the American restaurant industry. SCS launched the new tours, which take visitors to Indian River, the Sitka Sound Science Center, ANB Harbor and other downtown locations, in an effort to educate tourists about a species of fish that is vital to the environment, economy and lifestyle of Southeast Alaska. For Mink, describing how salmon go from “forest to plate” is an attempt to give visitors a better perspective on the town where their cruise ship has docked for the day. The hope is that visitors who take the tour will leave town with at least cursory knowledge of everything that goes into producing wild fish, from the rain forest where they are born, to the gear commercial fishermen use to scoop salmon from the waters around Sitka. Mink said most people who visit town know the Alaska brand is a good thing, but aren’t quite sure why.

SAY WHAT? Mink didn’t have any luck ensnaring tourists on this day. Each day is a crap shoot, and the weather June 30 didn’t help recruiting, Mink said. But in the three weeks since SCS launched the salmon tours, Mink has led about 10 groups on the two-hour walks around downtown. Mink said about 80 people have taken a salmon tour so far, including 10 from the International Food and Wine Writers Association, who were in town Wednesday and got an inside look at Seafood Producers Cooperative. About half of Mink’s tours have been pre-arranged and half have come from his dockside pitches. Mink said he’s learned that words like “unique” and “expert” don’t catch the ears of tourists, while “behind-thescenes,” ‘’extensive,” and “custom” have been winners. Mink estimated that about 50 percent of tourists who come off cruise ships in Sitka already have something planned for their day, often having purchased a tour on the boat. Of the other 50 percent, many don’t want to walk, particularly if it’s raining. But Mink has found some tourists receptive to the idea of taking an inside tour of Sitka’s salmon industry. The tours are constantly evolving, and will continue to change during the summer, as trollers leave for the fishing grounds, processors get busy and fish start to run up the streams. A typical tour starts on the bridge over Indian River in Sitka National Historical Park, with a discussion of the evolution of salmon and a lesson on the five types found here. Then it’s off to the Sitka Sound Science Center for a look at the hatchery there and a discussion of the difference between farmed-raised and hatchery-born fish. Mink said that about once a week he has access to either SPC or Absolute Fresh, giving tourists a chance to see salmon processed. Absolute Fresh primarily filets and packages fish for charter clients. Mink said he discusses the charter industry on the tours, but tries to minimize points of conflict and emphasizes the overall importance of salmon to the local economy. Mink said some 60 million salmon, 10 million of which come from hatcheries, are harvested in Southeast each year by the various industries and user groups, with an overall economic impact that pushes toward $1 billion, according to Trout Unlimited. The salmon tours last close to two hours, and end at one of the covered picnic tables in Crescent Park. From that vista, Mink gives tourists a view of boats coming and going from Crescent Harbor, the hatchery and Totem Park beyond. He said that view ties together what the tour is trying to impart. Mink, who has the help of SCS intern Helen Schnoes, a student of his from Knox, is currently working to develop an expanded tour that will be marketed locally and end with lunch at a local restaurant. Meanwhile, he continues conducting interviews with Sitkans involved in various aspects of the salmon industry. Mink said he talks to between five and 10 people a week, constantly working to update the story he tells on the tours. He said the tours will always be a work in progress, with the ultimate goal of giving visitors an idea of what it means to live and work in the Tongass, and how salmon drive several aspects of life here.

Crockett Retires ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — The executive director of the Alaska Oil and Gas Association is retiring, effective Dec. 31. Marilyn Crockett has been with the trade group, in a number of roles, for 41 years. Crockett, in a news release, said she looks forward to enjoying retirement with her husband and to spending time with her family and grandchildren. She said her objective, throughout her career, has been to grow the state’s economy by advocating for a “vibrant” oil and gas sector. She said planned to remain involved in issues facing Alaska. The association’s board hopes to find a new executive director before Crockett leaves. It plans to issue a formal call for applications next week.

Dog missing for seven years found ROGERS, Ark. (AP) -- A dog that went missing seven years ago in northwest Arkansas soon will be reunited with her original owner after living under a pseudonym for all that time with another family in the same town. Andrew Navarette told animal control officers that he let his Shih Tzu, Mimi, out in the backyard of his Rogers home seven years ago but that when he went to retrieve her she had disappeared, the Rogers Morning News reported Thursday. Navarette was unable to track Mimi down, even though she had a microchip implanted in her neck containing his contact information. It is not clear what happened to Mimi that day, but some time later, Kim Rafter of Rogers acquired the animal from someone in good faith, renamed her Gizmo, and has cared for her ever since, KHOG-TV reported. Meanwhile, Navarette relocated to Woodlake, Calif. On Saturday, Mimi showed up at an animal shelter in Rogers where officials found the chip and called Navarette, who had kept the same cell phone number through the years. Rafter did not explain to KHOG how she lost the pooch at the weekend. Assistant shelter manager Matt Colston said Navarette was clearly excited that Mimi had been found and immediately said he would pay for the

Shih Tzu to be shipped to his home in California. Norman said Mimi is in good health and has been well-cared for. He said Rafter called the shelter Wednesday after losing the dog, and that was how she found out that Mimi has another owner. Rafter said it will be difficult to say goodbye to the animal her family has known as Gizmo for the past seven years. Rafter said she had no idea that the dog’s real owner had been looking for her. “They told me she had been a gift to this man’s wife from her dad and then he passed away,” Rafter said. Norman called the dog’s saga “bittersweet” because while one family is thrilled, another is sad.

Teens rob lemonade stand STRONGSVILLE, Ohio (AP) -- Children selling lemonade in the Cleveland suburbs have told police they were robbed by teenagers who pulled up in a rusty old car and threatened to beat them up. Eleven-year-old Omar Schpeb says he and his friends got scared and handed over their money. But he tells WJW-TV he chased the car as it drove away and the teens tossed back some of the cash. The kids estimate they lost at least

$13.50 to the thieves, described as two guys wearing blue hoodies and skinny jeans and three teenage girls. Parents of the children say a kind person donated $20 at the police station in Strongsville to make up for the theft. Police are asking for tips to track down the teens.

Lost horse at NY golf course MARATHON, N.Y. (AP) -- Anyone lose a small horse near the ninth hole at a central New York golf course? A Maple Hill Golf Club employee was watering the greens early Wednesday morning when he spotted a miniature pony along one of the fairways. Course owner David Barton says a lead was attached to the horse. Workers tied it to a garage while they checked with nearby farmers in the rural town of Marathon, 40 miles south of Syracuse. No one reported missing a miniature pony. Barton says the horse appeared tired and hungry. He called state police, who turned the pony over to the Cortland County SPCA. -Compiled by Megan Edge

FEATURES

CWLA Graduate program sponsors free reading series Fourth annual summer literacy series offers readings from authors spanning multiple genres and styles By Heather Hamilton

a writer read their own work out loud that you don’t get in any other Princesses in tall towers, context. I think both the humor battles of good versus evil and and the pathos of the writing are monsters hiding in closets; all are intensified by the presence of images from an imaginative child the writer,” said Zack Rogow, a as his or her parents read stories at poetry professor for the CWLA’s night before bed. As we get older, low-residency program. we are read to less and less, and it The CWLA MFA low-residency is assumed that by the age of 10 program operates similarly to or 11 that we can read our own distance learning, where students stories. submit work to professors via the But not everyone adheres to internet and don’t attend regular that mold. The Creative Writing classes on campus. These students and Literary Arts MFA Program live not only all over Alaska, but all around the country. Some of the professors live out of state as well. “I actually lived in Alaska for the last 12 years, and then two years ago I moved down to Pennsylvania,” -Zack Rogow said Anne Caston, another poetry professor for the low-residency is hosting their fourth annual program, “In a low-residency Northern Renaissance Arts & program, the faculty doesn’t have Sciences Reading Series, where to stay on site either.” anyone who cares to is invited During a few intensive weeks to sit in and listen to prominent in July, the program’s students writers read their own work aloud. fly to campus and meet with their “I think there’s an intimacy mentors, to both plan and discuss and an excitement about hearing the next year of work the students A&E Editor

will be doing toward their degree. It was for these students that the summer literacy series was initially developed. Since then ,it has been open and free of charge, to the general public. Writers from all genres participate in the readings; fiction and non-fiction, to journalism and essays. This year’s series features keynote speaker Richard Rodriguez, a writer who has dipped into novels, personal essays and journalism. Rodriguez

spoke on Sunday, July 10 about his work, and read some of his writing as well. Rodriguez has worked for the Los Angeles Times, Harper’s Magazine, and was the television essayist for PBS’s “News Hour with Jim Lehrer.” In 1993, Rodriguez received the Frankel Award (since renamed The National Humanities Medal), which is the highest honor the Federal government gives recognizing work in humanities. The series runs for nine days

(July 10 through July 19) with up to three writers reading each evening. Each session begins at 8 p.m. in Fine Arts Room 150 (except on Saturday, July 16, which will be held in Rasmuson Hall Room 101), with doors opening at 7:30 p.m. “Every night we try to have someone read out of a different field, a different genre,” said Caston, “You really do hear everything.”

“I think there’s an intimacy and an excitement about hearing a writer read their own work out loud that you don’t get in any other context.”

PHOTO BY DANIEL JACKSON

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features| July 12, 2011

a humor column by Alden Lee

Digging myself a hole to China By Alden Lee

Staff Reporter

While this column usually goes around giving out absurd lists of little importance (other than getting a quick laugh, which is important in its own right and should never be counted out)—I’d like to take this time instead to talk about an experience of mine. There is a moral to this story, which automatically makes it a must-read. Like most experiences dubbed as “character building,” the time spent on this one was exhausting, frustrating, and one of the last things I wanted to be doing. I spent most of it soaking wet and coated in dirt (not a fun combo), railing against my existence and rapidly building my explicative-grouping skills. I’m sure time went on quite merrily outside my little bubble of misery, but for me, I was trapped in a circle of hell even Dante couldn’t have begun to imagine. But I digress. An unfortunate truth about college is, when you’re just getting started on the journey, you hope will miraculously blossom into a career, the income isn’t great. In fact, it plain sucks. If you’re not sitting on a hefty endowment from your deceased captain of industry grandfather, or don’t have the smarts to crank out a massive social network in your spare time, you’re stuck working the good ol’ summer job. And as fun as these can often be, others… others just aren’t. At all. On this day, my job required me to dig a hole. In itself, digging a hole isn’t so bad—everybody wants to dig to China as a kid, right? Except the Chinese kids, at least. Mine was one of the most gravelly, grimy, stubbornly immovable spots to carve out a pit

in the earth. To put things in perspective, the rocks in the ground could’ve used a bit more dirt around them. When you’re stuck with a task as mind-numbingly repetitive as shoveling through dirty rocks, you find yourself with plenty of time to think. Most of my train of thought revolved around how pretty soon, I was going to murder something—at one point I found myself shouting angrily at the gravel I was digging up, which is a clear indicator that things aren’t going so good in the head—but I also found myself reflecting on things much broader in scope than my immediate lunacy. Up to my chest in this hellhole, five hours into the search for an elusive sewer pipe that was apparently descending just as fast as I was digging for it, my wandering mind happened upon a simple thought: Did I really need to be there? The immediate answer was no. I had limited maneuverability down in my pit, so I could only chip away with weak shovelfuls that shrunk as I went. Smug little piles of dirt and rock cascaded back down to fill what I had just dug up. The clouds rolled in and released sporadic splashes of rain, just enough to turn everything into a slick, grainy mess that went everywhere but out of the hole. Every indicator said I should be far, far away. In Tahiti, ideally, stretched out on a sunbaked beach with a masseuse going to town on my shoulders. But it’s a job, said the small, reasoning portion of my brain. You gotta do what you gotta do. Screw that, came the overwhelming reply. There are plenty of jobs out there that don’t involve beating wet rocks with a shovel. Then significance hit me—of all the places to be, I was down in a hole. Fresh out of my first year of college, filled with inspiration and ambition (at least, that’s what I’m supposed to tell everybody who asks, right?), I was digging up

rocks and dirt instead of building on all this new collegiate skill and knowledge. The return to mindless manual labor not only didn’t feel right, it seemed like a total waste of my time. Don’t get me wrong—despite all the complaints my mind was making, I’m not one for whining or quitting. I would continue this job until it was through. It was just tough to rationalize this with where I was at in life: Why should I really care about finding a stinkin’ sewer pipe, when I had a possible budding career as a journalist at my fingertips, brand new takes and ideas on life to explore, and friendships and social circles to build on? There was no sense of accomplishment at all in moving dirt. As with all difficult things, however, finishing the job brings a change of heart. As I pulled myself out of the pit of darkness, covered in eight hours of sludge and the pipe satisfactorily unearthed, I didn’t feel nearly as bad. While it may not have brought me any closer to writing a Pulitzer Prize-winning article for the New Yorker, I had endured hardship, overcome obstacles, and ultimately shown that pile of dirt who was boss. Everyone must take on challenges. While my parents may have walked to school barefoot, uphill both ways—a lie, I’m 98 percent sure—I had dug a six-foot hole through gravel pretending to be concrete. And while not every task can advance you toward your hopes and dreams, they can build you up, prepare you for life’s many challenges and make you less of a whiner. As the famous saying that I just made up goes: “You’ve got to dig through all that grit and grime first to ever make it to China.”

Adobe InDesign experience preferred but not necessary.

EDITORIAL

OPINION

It’s the economy again, stupid Politicians need to call a truce in the culture war; America should focus on economy in 2012 If you’re looking forward to a presidential campaign laden with social issues and tough talk on terrorism talk, look again. The 2012 election will be based on the economy, if we’re lucky. In recent years, presidential campaigns have focused on a variety of issues, regardless of the President’s actual power over them while in office. For instance, President George W. Bush campaigned against gay marriage and was able to get his base out to vote in 2004 because of it. In 2006, the Marriage Protection Amendment he backed failed to pass in

Congress, showing his lack of power on the issue. Similarly, every campaign is scrutinized for its position on abortion. Yet despite the hours that are spent on each issue by commentators, reporters and voters dissecting candidates’ statements on these issues, neither is at the mercy of executive action. It is curious that even one of the most liberal presidents in history, President Obama, has failed to take a firm stance on the issue of gay marriage and has been inactive on the issue of abortion. The reason is simple. There is nothing to be gained

It is curious that even one of the most liberal presidents in history, President Obama, has failed to take a firm stance on the issue of gay marriage and has been inactive on the issue of abortion. The reason is simple. There is nothing to be gained.

by a president or presidential candidate by choosing a side on this issue. While it may not be the morally steadfast approach, it is certainly politically smart to stay on the sidelines. But do we really think that politicians on either side are primarily driven by heart, morals and personal values anyway? Not likely. Plus with states deciding on an individual basis, why alienate members on either side of the issue? Especially when there are more important things to talk about. One of those things might seem to be the war on terrorism. Yet, even that is not a great issue for the challenger in the upcoming campaign. For President Obama it will certainly be something to talk about. His handling of Afghanistan may be his most shining presidential moment, even as more and more Americans approve of the withdrawal. And it is because of that general approval, along with decent ratings on the handling of Iraq that Obama’s challenger need not wade into that

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pool. But Obama needn’t get too cocky as both sides can’t wait to attack his decision on Libya. What does a presidential campaigner have to gain from on the issue? Not much. Americans know what they think about these social issues. What is to gain, and what most Americans care about right now, is the economy. So, if Obama and his opponent are smart, and we’re lucky, that’s what we’ll be hearing from them in the next year and a half. We need a plan. We need a plan to get out of this erroneously labeled “recovering” economy. And the competition of ideas is

what America is about. Solid ideas to help America that are not weighed down by social rhetoric. When we get the chance to decide whether the democrats or republicans can produce a candidate with ideas that are worth a damn, maybe we’ll get a recovering economy as the end result.

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opinion| July 12, 2011

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Special to the Northern Light On June 17th, 2011 Daniel McDonald boasted of the “great enthusiasm” with which he would “dismantle” Brett Frazer’s arguments objecting to McDonald’s bigoted proclamations toward my faith and those who follow it. Between four and six days later I posted (an admittedly lengthy) series rebutting McDonald’s absurd diatribe point-bypoint in The Northern Light online version. Ten days later he has yet to reply. Perhaps he feels less “enthusiastic” when confronted with accurate facts concerning my faith, instead of the self-righteous, self-congratulatory prattle promulgated by his favorite Christian “evangelical” tracts (or Glenn Beck). A prominent American biologist once said that, “one cannot do science if one is incapable of admitting ‘I don’t know’ and that ‘I was wrong.’ At the root of all science—however misguided in actual application—is the search for truth. McDonald approached the topic of Islam from the standpoint that he already knew the Truth, and therefore his admonishment that “to reach a fair conclusion, it’s important to examine the content of each religion” is so much hypocritical bak’waas (Urdu expression

for what periodically drops from the south end of a northbound male bovine mammal). I approached this discussion from the standpoint of a Muslim—an “insider”, so-to-speak, with respect to Islamic teachings—and one with sufficient resources, both living and written, to offer accounts from authentic Islamic textual sources that refute your attempted mischaracterizations of my faith. I don’t hesitate to acknowledge wrongdoing perpetrated by those identifying themselves as Muslims—or, to put this in broader terms, I don’t apply a self-serving double-standard when comparing the obvious warts of Christian and Muslim history to the God-given teachings of Jesus and Muhammad (alayhimus-Salaam). To quote an old Muslim proverb: “The difference between Islam and Muslims is the difference between a pearl and an oyster.” Or, to paraphrase a similar concept from Christian scriptures, recall how Jesus (alayhis-Salaam) taught that the miserable publican who approached his Creator with a contrite heart, weeping and beating his chest for his sins, would find favor over the Pharisee who looked

askance and thought himself “superior” to said miserable publican. I ask Mr. Mcdonald, if he were to honestly assess his own article, would he say it was written by a sincerely repentant publican mindful of his own failings, or a self-righteous Pharisee looking down his nose at the less fortunate? The problem with double-standards is that they lead directly into hypocrisy, the second-deadliest spiritual sin, and the one for which the Messiah (alayhis-Salaam) reserved his harshest denunciations. Once you have accepted one standard of conduct for yourself while simultaneously applying more rigorous standards to those you deem “others”, you’re able to rationalize even the most reprehensible behavior, as long is it’s done by “your side.” That is precisely what terrorists do. As mentioned in my on-line rebuttal, gang-rape and torture at abu-Ghraib is no less hideous and agonizing when perpetrated by America’s “onward Christian soldiers” than by Saddam’s “Republican Guard.” I think that it would be more “Christian” of you to consider such issues from the victims’ standpoints, instead of attempting to minimize or justify such atrocity when it’s committed

by “your side.” Does not the Book of Isa’iah (alayhis-Salaam) admonish you that to “…seek justice, relieve the oppressed…” will make your sins, “… though (they) be scarlet, they shall be as white as snow…”? Mr. McDonald: Your obvious comfort with double standards notwithstanding, I’m not letting you off the hook. You’ve made false claims against my faith in a public forum. Unfortunately for you I became aware of it. It’s now incumbent on you to respond to my challenge, if you think you can.

LEFTY ON THE LEFT

Law enforcement officials lack accountability By Eli Johnson Staff Reporter

When one reads cases like the shooting in Miami Beach and the soldiers in Afghanistan who killed civilians, it can often be more interesting to observe the reactions of those who should have taken

responsibility rather than what happens to those who committed the crimes, especially in law enforcement. The TSA recently forced the daughter of a 95-year-old leukemia patient to remove her adult diaper for a pat-down search. The daughter, Jean Weber, burst into tears while her mother remained stoic. When the complaint was filed by Weber, the TSA originally denied the event had happened. However, another quote from a TSA statement that came up later was even more enlightening. “We have reviewed the circumstances involved in this screening and determined that our officers acted professionally and

according to procedure.” The new pat-downs and fullbody scans of the TSA have been a point of controversy in this country. Everybody has a different opinion. But when the TSA goes this far, somebody needs to make an apology. But they don’t. What’s more interesting, they make a statement that pretty much says, “Whatever, public, we can do what we want.” Then there was a case in Houston, Texas where a young man named Chad Holley was running from the cops. He was cornered by police and lied on the ground with his hands behind his head. That’s the part where cops put the cuffs on him and put him into the vehicle, right? Not this time. Four cops start beating this kid mercilessly. For roughly 30 seconds, they beat and kick him while he is on the ground in surrender. This is clearly an abuse of power. Therefore, it is naturally expected that those involved would get charged with assault. The four cops were given misdemeanor charges of official oppression. In Rochester, New York, there was another tragic example of the police overstepping their authority. A woman named Emily

Good was standing on her front lawn watching and taping the police, is arrested under the charge of obstructing a governmental administration. Good had a legal right to tape the cops, and she was arrested. The charges were dropped. After such a pointless and degrading spectacle, the proper response is to apologize. But that isn’t what happened. “Mrs. Good’s message, that has gone out to the public, is that you have a right to interfere and question the actions of a police officer, is irresponsible a danger to the officers, the individuals the officers are dealing with, any bystanders,” said Mike Mazzeo, President of the Police Locus Club, in Rochester. So his message is that people shouldn’t be allowed to question authority? That people shouldn’t be allowed or able to challenge the law if they want to? Good’s response to this was even better. “If we don’t have a right to question police officers, then we

are living in a police state,” she said during an interview on CNN. She is absolutely right. The fact that the modern position of authority is pretty much “don’t tread on me” says something. It says that the law is becoming above the law. It says that those in positions of authority are starting to believe that they are immune from consequences. Lately, a pretty decent number of cops are starting to sound a lot like Jack Nicholson’s character, Col. Nathan Jessup, from A Few Good Men. “I have neither the time, nor the inclination to explain myself to a man who sleeps under the blanket of the freedom that I provide, and then questions the manner in which I provide it. I would rather you said thank you, and went on your way,” he said during one of the most famous monologues in American film. Good is absolutely right. The people have a right and should exercise the right as often as possible to question authority and

Those in positions of authority are starting to believe that they are immune from consequences.

to doubt the official story. People should be very critical of what they are hearing on from police chiefs and union spokespersons. During the case of the American soldiers who were killing civilians in Afghanistan, the military tried to handle the whole thing internally. When a German magazine got a hold of the photos depicting the soldiers involved posing with the mutilated corpses, the military had a predictable reaction. They used the same tired line that the cops used in Rochester, that it would put their people in danger. But sometimes that has to happen. Sometimes the law needs to be held accountable. If the legal system won’t hold them accountable, what will? The question if the public is in danger from the law is very accurate, but perhaps a better question is – can we trust the law at all? When it is so easy for those who keep it to break and the repercussions from them breaking it are so mild, is it trustworthy?

July 12, 2011 | opinion

TNL 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 Shana Roberson

ON THE RIGHT SIDE

Stop funding EU, Asian defense Other countries should begin taking more responsibility for their own security; America’s economy strapped by picking up NATO’s tab

MANAGING EDITOR 786-1313 content@thenorthernlight.org vacant COPY EDITOR copy@thenorthernlight.org Wiley Cason NEWS EDITOR 786-1576 news@thenorthernlight.org Matthew Capriol! FEATURES EDITOR 786-1567 features@thenorthernlight.org vacant A&E EDITOR 786-6198 arts@thenorthernlight.org Heather Hamilton SPORTS EDITOR 786-1512 sports@thenorthernlight.org Taylor Hall PHOTO EDITOR 786-1565 photo@thenorthernlight.org Daniel Jackson WEB EDITOR 786-1506 web@thenorthernlight.org Ashley Snyder LAYOUT EDITOR layout@thenorthernlight.org Christopher Nicholson ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR news2@thenorthernlight.org Vacant ASSISTANT FEATURES EDITOR features2@thenorthernlight.org Vacant ASSISTANT A&E EDITOR arts2@thenorthernlight.org Vacant ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR sports2@thenorthernlight.org Megan Edge GRAPHIC DESIGNER graphics@thenorthernlight.org vacant ADVERTISING MANAGER 786-4690 ads@thenorthernlight.org Mariya Proskuryakova ADVERTISING REPRESENTATIVE vacant CIRCULATION ASSISTANT vacant EXECUTIVE OPERATIONS ASSISTANT vacant MULTIMEDIA EDITOR Joshua Tucker CONTRIBUTORS Alden Lee Bryan Dunagan Daniel McDonald Eli Johnson Sean Talbot 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.

By Daniel McDonald Staff Reporter

Americans are in need of a wakeup call. Before we go the way of Greece, we must come to grips with the looming debt crisis. Unfortunately, as it stands, the majority appears to be fundamentally unserious about taking the required measures to steer this nation off of its currently unsustainable course. According to a Washington Post-ABC News poll conducted in April, most Americans oppose making the necessary cuts to entitlements, which make up roughly half of all federal expenditures. Most people favor cutting spending in general terms, but when asked about specific programs such as Medicare, Medicaid, or Social Security, their opposition grows fierce. Nobody wants to cut programs they benefit from, but soon enough they won’t have a choice. Even Rep. Paul Ryan’s plan which would add $6 trillion to the national debt over the next decade was considered too “extreme” and failed in the Senate. It is the status quo which truly defines extremity. Pres. Obama’s budget will add $13 trillion of additional debt over the next decade on top of the $14 trillion we currently owe. Everyone understands that spending and borrowing into the abyss is an unwise policy for personal finances; why this same understanding fails to make headway on a federal level is beyond

me. Due to the inability of the electorate to grasp the severity of the situation, it is important to focus in on making cuts that enjoy a wide spectrum of support. One such proposal is to close overseas military bases in both Europe and Asia. The policies of Washington do not reflect the reality in Europe. The Cold War ended over two decades ago, and out of the ashes of WWII, Europe has become relatively

U.S. Congress — and in the American body politic writ large — to expend increasingly precious funds on behalf of nations that are apparently unwilling to devote the necessary resources or make the necessary changes to be serious and capable partners in their own defense.” The frustrations expressed by Gates are supported by the sheer dollar count. According to the New York Times, the United States accounts for about “three-

to Andrew M. Exum of the Center for a New American Security, a military research organization, “The Europeans enjoy generous social welfare programs in part because the United States subsidizes their defense spending.” The unfortunate news for all of us is the good times are over. America can no longer afford to pay the bills of Europe; they must grow up. In a recent interview of David Hannan appearing

wealthy again. The EU’s GDP surpasses that of the United States; it is high time the Europeans begin paying for their own defense. In his final speech before he stepped down in June, Defense Secretary Robert Gates made a blunt assessment

quarters of total military spending by all NATO countries.” Americans pay for seventy-five percent of the costs for an organization made up of 28 member states. The one-sidedness of the alliance is nothing less than a scandal. This policy of coddling the Europeans

on Uncommon Knowledge, Peter Robinson paraphrased the late Irving Kristol to summarize the problem succinctly, “Our spending a lot of money and having troops in Europe made sense when Europe was still recovering after the Second World War. But these are all rich countries now. We are infantilizing them. We should bring our troops home and let the Europeans… defend themselves because we must not cocoon them from reality. Let them encounter reality itself.” Many conservatives are apprehensive about scaling back American military presence abroad. But what could be more satisfying than ending subsidies to ungrateful Europeans? Those incessant critics of American foreign

Many conservatives are apprehensive about scaling back American military presence abroad. But what could be more satisfying than ending subsidies to ungrateful Europeans? of NATO, “There will be dwindling appetite and patience in the

has also allowed them to allocate funding elsewhere. According

policy would finally be forced to pull their own weight. East Asia is in the same state of affairs. The majority of American military personnel stationed in Japan reside on the island of Okinawa, where the residents grow increasingly opposed to the occupation. The soldiers there are not meeting any strategic purpose, but to fulfill an outdated obligation of defense which the Japanese are certainly capable of doing so themselves. Japan has the third largest economy. They are more than able to deal with the existential threat of North Korea, and a rising China. In South Korea, 28,500 U.S. troops remain to enforce the armistice between the North and South. This presence of forces may have been necessary over half a century ago, but this is no longer the case today. South Korea’s economy is 24 times larger than its arch nemesis to the North, and it is home to 20 million more people. The balance of power is clearly in South Korea’s favor. The world has certainly changed since the fall of the Soviet Union; it’s time for policymakers in the United States to reflect this change. Before Americans make the inevitably difficult choices of cutting domestic spending, we should take a second look at our installments overseas and ask ourselves if they are truly necessary.

TNL

opinion| July 12, 2011

RETHINK

Republicans, not Obama carry debt ceiling burden

By Brett Frazer Staff Reporter

In 1948, President Harry S Truman nicknamed the 80th United States Congress the “Do-Nothing Congress.” After controlling both houses of Congress for almost the entirety of the early 20th century, Democrats lost both the House and the Senate midway through Truman’s first term. Republicans who came to control Congress adopted a new strategy to halt American Progressivism -- they became the party of “no.” They opposed much of FDR’s legislation. They opposed Truman’s Fair Deal legislation (which included universal health care). Joseph McCarthy, a Republican Senator from Wisconsin, helped launch a frantic wave of anti-Communist sentiment across the United States. McCarthyism, as it came to be known, was not only designed to stir up Americans against the Soviet Union, it was a platform Republicans used to castigate Democrats, who they thought were “soft on Communism,” or

even Communists themselves. This sounds awfully familiar. A relatively progressive liberal is in the White House. Halfway through his first term, both houses of Congress are controlled by Republicans. They oppose almost everything the President proposes (including universal health care). A right-wing populist movement, the Tea Party, is sailing through the country, accusing our President of adopting socialist policies. And once again, the Republicans have become the party of “no.” They are even saying “no” to their own ideas. In March of this year, Republicans on the Joint Economic Committee released a report called “Spend Less, Owe Less, Grow the Economy.” The report stated, “successful fiscal consolidations averaged 85% spending cuts and 15% revenue increases.” Yet, when the Obama administration proposed to an 83:17 ratio of spending cuts and revenue increases, Republicans demanded that increasing tax revenues be excluded altogether. Indeed, The party of “no” isn’t simply trying to be prudent; they’re trying to make Obama look bad. This political posturing comes at the cost of American taxpayers, who are currently waiting for Washington to come to find common ground in the debt

ceiling debate. While the Obama administration struggles to negotiate the terms of raising the debt ceiling, Republicans in Washington are as obstinate as obstinate as ever. 236 Republican members of Congress have pledged “ONE, oppose any and all efforts to increase the marginal tax income rate for individuals and business; and TWO, oppose

The party of “no” isn’t simply trying to be prudent; they’re trying to make Obama look bad. any net reduction or elimination of deductions and credits, unless matched dollar for dollar by further reducing tax rates.” This is an odd statement, given that 13 weeks ago, Republicans called for increasing tax revenues. This political war of attrition could have disastrous consequences. As the Center for American Progress points out; failure to raise the debt ceiling leads to economic uncertainty. “Most businesses don’t make big investments or

ramp up hiring when they see a substantial risk of the economy tanking…. We’ve shows that a two-month failure to raise the debt limit could result in the largest quarterly decline since 1947, when relevant data were first reported.” The uncertainty that currently plagues US markets is driven by the fear of a technical default on federal spending. This default will occur as soon as August 2nd unless a compromise in Washington is reached soon. In the meantime, markets are already showing weaker confidence in the US economy. A common indicator of economic health is the Credit Default Swap Spread, or CDS Spread. The wider the spread, the more expensive it is to purchase a CDS (which is basically an insurance policy) on US Treasury Bonds. The Economist observes, “one-year protection is now almost as expensive as five-year protection. This is more often seen in distressed markets where investors are pricing in an imminent default than with otherwise healthy borrowers with long-term problems.” In other words, some investors no longer see the United States as having problems down the road, they see a real risk of default. If the Treasury actually misses a

payment (which hasn’t happened since 1979), US Treasury bonds could lose their AAA bond rating. Losing this rating would cause interest on future bonds to be higher, meaning the United States would owe more money on further borrowing. This cannot be allowed to happen. Hopefully, Republicans will learn from their mistakes. After the “Do Nothing Congress” attempted to shoot down Truman, Democrats won back both houses of Congress in the following election. President Truman went on to defeat his Republican opponent Thomas Dewey (who was heavily favored to win) by successfully demonstrating that stubborn and ideological Republican congressmen had stifled progress in Washington. America’s distaste for the “Party of No” paved the way for an era marked by liberal dominance. I don’t think either party should dominate Washington. I do think, however, that it would be in the best interest of Republicans to stop their political grandstanding, and actually help the economy.

SEAWOLF SNAPSHOTS

What are your feelings about the end of the Harry Potter saga? e to seat his t e g “You y Potter nd.” Harr at the e best

Brian Hyland, 3 2 “I don’t know, since I haven’t seen the last episode yet.”

Jevante Mealister, 19

Electrical Engin eer, Freshman

Jeonj Kong, 24 r nio

Accounting, Se

“It seems to be an appropriate time for the story to end.”

PHOTOS BY JIM FOSTER/TNL

Anthropology, Sophomore

t d tha, a s “I’m ending an. it’s a big f e I’m sh ther to I wi more was e.” com

“Oh good grief!”

Ar Endersen ,

Business, Fre

Melanie Ivanoff , 20 Psychology, Ju

nior

shmen

JULY 12, 2011

MOVIE REVIEWS A&E

B2 A&E

Transformers is back for a third installment Retro movie review of The Philadelphia Story

GAME REVIEW A&E

Engaging gameplay

makes FEAR 3 a must-try

FOOD REVIEW A&E

TNL chews through some helpings of Mongolian beef

SUMMER SPORTS SPORTS

Westchester lagoon course claims the lives of many frisbees

OVERTIME SPORTS

Are athletic role models lacking in today’s society?

B Section

otio M

THE NORTHERN LIGHT’S SPORTS & ENTERTAINMENT SECTION

THENORTHERNLIGHT.ORG

Getting over the hate of Harry J. Potter

A generation after the young wizard made his debut, some still find the magical world of witchcraft and wizardry too inappropriate for viewing By Matt Caprioli

have at least lessened. Pope Benedict XVI, for instance, changed his opinion on the books’ worth. In 2005, the pope criticized the underlying theme of wizardry, but four years later, praised it in the Vatican’s official newsletter, L’Osservatore Romano. “There is a clear line of demarcation between good and evil and [the film] makes clear that good is right. One understands as well that sometimes this requires hard work and sacrifice,” the pope wrote. Compared to the lower 48, formal challenges toward books in Anchorage are rare. Jane Baird has been at Lousaac Public Library for 25 years. She remembers the initial complaints about Harry Potter, but there was never a formal request that the books be removed or relocated. “We’ve never had formal complaints toward the Potter novels. More informal ‘gripey’ things like ‘oh I hate these; they’re so evil,’ but no formal complaints,” Baird said. In her nine years as subject selector for the children’s

News Editor

Six years after its US publication, the “Harry Potter” books continued to break records in an arena less glamourous than the box office or bestseller list: number one on the American Library Association’s annual list of the most frequently challenged books. For six years, people wanted “Harry Potter” banned from libraries more than any other book. But in 2004, it suddenly dropped out of the top ten. “The top ten list of books is a tally of challenges that have been reported over the concurrent year. In this case, what most likely happened is that there were ten books more in that specific year that were challenged. The Harry Potter books were still being challenged, but not as much as ten other books that year,” Brian Campbell, an administrative assistant for the ALA’s Office of Intellectual Freedom, said. While challenges to Harry Potter have not vanished, the ALA’s numbers do suggest that antagonism towards Mr. Potter

See HARRY page B2

Future of Anchorage bowling rolls into the gutter By Ashley Snyder Web Editor

To some bowling is a sport. It is an organized physical activity with membership, teams, rules and regulations, tournaments, and awards. To others it is merely a recreational activity to partake in with family and friends. It is a time to order up pitchers of soda and watch people laugh and have fun as the alley dances with the fluorescents of Extreme Bowling. Whatever stance you take on the subject, the fact of it is that bowling is a great American pastime for many. The sad truth of the matter however, is that bowling is a dying activity. According to the United States Bowling Congress, during the 1996-1997 season, there were nearly 4.5 million league bowlers in the United States. Recent statistics from the USBC 2009 show that number down to 2.3 million, nearly half of what it was ten years ago. The decrease of popularity has come from many factors including sky-rocketing prices, constant alley closures, and the Wii’s multiple bowling games. The prices of bowling alleys

have increased drastically in the past several years with prices now ranging from $3-$9 per game or $10-$20 per lane per hour. That’s without the price of shoes, which are typically in the $3-$6 per-pair range. If you fancy a game of Extreme Bowling, plan on shelling out more than $30 to play. “I enjoy bowling and have liked playing since I was a kid. I like taking my kids to bowl as a treat but the prices are so high it’s hard to do it very much,” said avid bowler Jake Allen. With the prices climbing so high, bowling alleys are -Jake Allen starting to see tumbleweeds instead of dollars, forcing many to go out of business. At the height of the bowling era in the mid 1960’s there were over 12,000 bowling centers. Now there are less than 5,500. The closures have been effecting Anchorage as well as the rest of the US. With the recent closure of Park Lanes, venues for bowling in Anchorage have become even scarcer. Jewel Lake Bowling and Center Bowl are some of the few alleys still left, but they can be a long way away for some

“I enjoy bowling and have liked playing since I was a kid. I like taking my kids to bowl as a treat but the prices are so high it’s hard to do it very much.”

people. Adding the cost of travel to get to a bowling alley, as well as the cost of bowling, people just aren’t willing to do it any longer. Shandra Olsen is in a league and heads to the alley every week, “I carpool with people on my team which helps a little with gas prices.” Some people have come up with a different solution to the costly commute. Why head off to an alley miles away, when you can bowl in the comfort of your own home. Wii bowling is free, minus

the cost of the playing console and the game and has been gaining popularity in years. You can play as many games as you want, take as long as you want to bowl, and young children can play without the need of bumper lanes. But some don’t feel that it gives the challenge of real bowling. “It’s too easy to figure out how exactly to swing the remote to get the ball to do exactly what you want, my six year old son can do it. With real bowling it takes real skill and concentration to get

strikes,” said UAA student Amy Lessenger. Wii bowling is just not the same as putting on those stinky well-used shoes, grabbing a heavy, albeit slightly cracked, ball, and hurling it down a lane in anticipation of the loud crash of pins scattering to the ground. Bowling is starting to die out, but the faithful fans will hopefully keep this activity and sport going long enough that it won’t completely fade away from our society.

Bowling lanes stand empty on a sunny afternoon at Center Bowl on July 7th. Rick Mikkelson, a manager of Center Bowl for 20 years stated that the alley is scarcely used during the summer afternoons, in part due to the summer weather.

PHOTO BY DANIEL JACKSON/TNL

TNL

A&E| July 12, 2011

HARRY: Pope changes mind Continued from Motion cover section, Baird had only ten formal complaints that went to a committee. Most of them were granted, but only to relocate the book. “I have never removed a book completely from our selves,” Baird said. One successful request was that “The Diary of Anne Frank” be moved from the children section to the adult section. Sex education can also be controversial, and Baird has moved several books to the young adult section after a parent’s request. “The library has always had books on the shelf that some people will object to, and we always will. The problem arises when well meaning parents, trying to protect their own kids, get carried away and try to take care of everyone’s kids,” Baird said. As a public facility, Baird said that Lousaac strives for a balanced collection. Other pubic institutions like the Anchorage School District, do the same, and

The problem arises when well meaning parents, trying to protect their own kids, get carried away and try to take care of everyone’s kids.”

-Jane Baird

have all of the Potter books in their libraries. Some schools do not have this obligation. Since the US publication of The Sorcerer’s Stone in 1998, Anchorage Christian Schools has not allowed the books in its library. “Our stance is basically the same (as when the books were first published). We don’t support the books. I know it’s great to get kids reading, but as a Christian school,

‘Hoots’ from Hogwarts Anonymous muggles with some extra time on their hands have created fake twitter accounts in homage to their favorite “Harry Potter” characters

@SPTrelawneySybill Trelawney

we don’t support it,” said Richard Hofacker, Secondary Principle of Anchorage Christian. For some religious groups, Harry Potter is not even on their radar. David, a representative at the Islamic Community Center who would only give his first name, said that Harry Potter was irrelevant to his community. He was not concerned that his children might read the Potter books at school or go and see the movie. David said he was more concerned about TV shows like Adult Swim than Harry Potter. “What does this story have to do with Islam or Christianity? It’s just a story. What does it have to do with anyone?” he said. Since its publication, Harry Potter has clashed most prominently with fundamentalist Christians. Cartoonist Jack Chick, most famous for his “This was your life” pamphlet, even dedicates some pages to discussing the pitfalls of reading Harry Potter in “The Nervous Witch.” “Samantha, the Potter books open a doorway that will put untold millions of kids into hell,” one character says. Some private Christian schools, like Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Church, do have the Potter books. Debbie Reaume, a Parish staff member, said that her three children, now all young adults, each bought tickets two weeks before the “Deathly Hallows Part Two” premiere. Saint Elizabeth Church has had the Potter books in their library since 1998, eleven years before the pope publicly endorsed the series.

Studying tea leaves never gets old. @Dumbledore77Albus Dumbledore

Someone charmed Severus Snape’s voice to come out auto-tuned. Potions class is now like sitting through a T-pain concert.

@Lord_Voldemort7The Dark Lord

Boy Meets World is trending. However, I see the follow-up “World Crushes Boy” is not.

@LunaLovegood_7Luna Lovegood

@rubeus_hagridRubeus Hagrid

Had a unicorn run through me garden las’ nigh’. Almos’ shot the thing. Wish they’d keep ter the fores’.

Think I fancy a walk around the lake. The giant squid is always lovely company.

@_Snape_ Professor Snape

I’d love to see an argument between Sarah Palin and Luna Lovegood. -Compiled by Matt Caprioli

July 12, 2011 | a&e

TNL

GAME REVIEW

FOOD REVIEW

Shadows of the Damned review

Anchorage Food Quest Part 4: Best Mongolian beef

By Bryan Dunagan Staff Reporter

No More Heroes creator, Suda 51, has teamed up with the guys from Resident Evil 4 and Silent Hill to create an amazing tale of love and loss in Hell. Through immature penis jokes, lots of sexual innuendo and violence, it is a game that stays engaging and fun ‘till the end. Add in a foul mouthed Mexican demon hunter with a profanity laden middle name, and you have the recipe for awesomness wrapped in bacon. The game starts out with Garcia Hotspur and his side-kick skull weapon Johnson, hunting demons in his apartment as they have taken his lady love, Paula, by the evil demon lord, Fleming. The game never really lets up with action and foul jokes, but it never gets grating or annoying, just funnier and more out there. The game just doesn’t ever take itself seriously and that’s where

something with this mechanic. Now, the gameplay is thirdperson shooter just like Gears of War or RE 4, and you can walk while you shoot…and dodge. Dodging is one of things you will be doing a lot of in this game, and it’s a nice tactical break from the running and gunning that you seem to do in parts of the game. The best fight in the game is against the three sisters of death, which you learn about through a demon story book that is read out loud by the main characters, to hilarious affect. Garcia stumbles over words and Johnson makes fun plot holes. There’s a great upgrade system in place that tasks the player with finding red gems to upgrade various guns and attributes like health and melee damage. This is a bit tricky as the gems are hidden in random places and you never really know when to look for them. Even the guns get upgrades at the end of boss battles. Except

By Heather Hamilton and Megan Edge

A&E Editor and Assistant Sports Editor

In this edition of The Northern Light’s “Anchorage Food Quest” summer special, TNL decided to focus on something typically high on most college students’ quickfood list: Chinese. Mongolian beef is an option found at most all Chinese restaurants in town, so with that as a common denominator, we wanted to see how five spots frequented by students compared.

sauce is sweet and tangy, but not overpowering, and their veggies blend nicely with the sauce and beef. The food is spectacular, and almost worthy of the top slot, but

something unidentifiable leaves it lacking in comparison. There’s no shame in this strong second.

to be desired. The beef slices are thick and tough; virtually impossible to eat without cutting

up first. Their sauce is also very bland; they are the only joint with this issue. If you’re hungry in New Sagaya, stick to the sesame chicken or a calzone.

1. Northern China

the magic comes from. It is said that the two characters are making their own road movie, and in a sense they are as they fight through Hell and Darkness. There’s definitely a punk rock edge mixed with horror and grindhouse production values to create one of the most inventive games this year. The puzzles are well-placed, though a bit taxing. It doesn’t take a genius to figure them out, and the way they are introduced is amazing. All the puzzles, except for one at the end, have to do with light and darkness. If Garcia is caught in the darkness, he takes a lot of damage and has to light goat heads on fire to drive it away. The trick is that the goat heads are in some random place, or only seen through certain angles, etc. Even the fight with Fleming has to do

Maker: Grasshopper Manufacture Platforms: playstation 3, Xbox 360 Release: June 21, 2001

★ ★★★ ★ one, where Johnson has to call a demon phone sex line, and the thing that sets him off is that lady on the other end just says that all she is wearing is a smile. The only downside is that it’s short and you can’t replay the game with all of the upgrades you got previously. The game is uncouth, hilarious, and engagingly awesome. Everyone with a sense of humor needs to play this game.

It was a tough call for which restaurant claimed the number one slot, but Northern China’s Mongolian beef pulled ahead with their moderately thin meat slices, slight caramelization of their sauce around the meat and greens (which adds a surprisingly pleasant crunch), bold and sweet flavor and their generous serving size. The ultimate deal sealer for TNL was the smaller beef chunks; Northern China is the only restaurant sampled where the chunks were a manageable size to eat without using a knife.

2. Panda Restaurant Unlike Northern China, Panda Restaurant’s Mongolian beef sported thick chunks that very nearly melt in the mouth; unfortunately, they are also long and difficult to work with. Their

3. Mongolian BBQ This restaurant’s Mongolian beef dish is average in almost every way, and in general a disappointment. The beef is too thinly sliced and overcooked, the sauce is sweet enough to promote cavities and the veggies are overcooked as well. Overall, the taste is mediocre, but not terrible. Those who really enjoy meats marinated with sweet sauces might find this more enjoyable, but TNL wasn’t impressed.

4. New Sagaya Sure, it isn’t a real restaurant, but New Sagaya’s in midtown is located across the street from the University Center, and does serve up some decent food. Unfortunately, their Mongolian beef leaves much

Check out next issue for our review on the best breakfast in town!

5. Carrs Grocery Just don’t even bother. While it’s much more convenient to get your Chinese fix when checking out with your groceries, don’t do it. The Mongolian beef at Carrs has an almost gravy-like sauce, and is gritty. The beef is coated in a disgusting layer of caramelized sauce that makes it even less palatable, and the red peppers randomly thrown into the dish add a strange aftertaste that TNLers could only wash out with copious amounts of Starbucks frappes. Do yourself a favor and stick with deli sandwiches if you’re buying lunch-on-the-go from Carrs.

B4 SUMMER OF HEROES MOVIE REVIEW

TNL

a&e| July 12, 2011

‘Transformers: Dark of the Moon’ more of the same, lots more A must see for special effects lovers; look elsewhere if you’re into complex plot development

By Shana Roberson Executive Editor

If you’re looking for a summer thrill, this is the movie to go see. “Transformers: Dark of the Moon” is the third franchise installment from Paramount and Director Michael Bay. Set in current time, the movie takes a trip back to the pioneering days of moon travel as we battled the Russians to find out more about an alien ship on the moon. That ship just happens to be a super weapon invented by the autobots that was meant to save their world. That is, until it crashed into the moon and was lost for decades. The movie revolves around the discovery of the ship and the battle between the decepticons and the autobots to control it. And guess who is stuck in the middle? Those poor, helpless humans. Again. Shia LeBeouf reprises his role of Sam Witwicky and brings his fast paced humor to the role neatly. He also takes a couple of tries at physical comedy which land mostly on the right side of funny. His new girlfriend Carly, played by Victoria Secret model Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, fills the role similarly to the way Megan Fox did in the past: sexy with a side of ‘just-

enough’ acting. Josh Duhamel and Tyrese Gibson also reprise their roles as butt-kicking special forces military men. Patrick Demsey gives his best shot at being a bad guy, though it falls way, way short. The best acting in the movie was performed by those in smaller roles and those making cameos. John Malkovich gives the movie and injection of crazy which sits nicely with the audience. Ken Jeong (“The Hangover”) has about five minutes of hilarity on the screen. Frances McDormand (“Fargo”), Alan Tudyk (“A Knights Tale”) and John Turturro (reprising his role as Agent Simmons) give validty to acting in the film with their terrific (and giggle-worthy) performances. Even real-life cameos from astronaut Buzz Aldrin, Fox News host Bill O’Reilly and video footage of Walter Cronkite, President Kennedy and others outshined the main acts. In fact, on of the most interesting plot points in the movie is how it weaves history with fantasy. The U.S. and the U.S.S.R. raced to get to the moon not because of the Cold War, but because there was alien action on it! The Chernobyl disaster happened not because of nuclear weapons but

rather because the Russians were messing with alien technology that they didn’t know how to control. Another highlight of the film was Bay’s specialty: special effects. His past ambitions include Bad Boys, The Rock, Armageddon (producer) and Pearl Harbor. Building on those triumphs in effects, Bay hits the audience with dizzying visual effects using 3D and CG and then blasts you with sound that you can hear and feel. Standout special effects scenes include a autobot versus decepticon battle on the highway and a skydiving scene in

which features special forces in “wing suits.” You have to see it to believe it. (Although even as you’re enjoying the ride, you’re not really believing it.) That said, the last battle scene is literally dizzying in special effects, especially when combined with 3D. Unfortunately the scene goes on for at least an hour. While Bay is attempting a complex battle scene where the viewer is on the edge of his seat, what he gets is a confused audeince who is trying to follow at least five separate parties that are headed into the battle. For an hour. Not surprising since in all things, Bay is certainly not a director who

The Leading Ladies of Transformers Notably missing from “Transformers: Dark of the Moon” is Megan Fox, who was replaced over issues between her and Bay over how sexy she should be on film. Her replacement? Someone who has no issue being directed to be sexy on film, Victoria Secret model Rosie Huntington-Whitely, who plays Sam’s new

girlfriend Carly. In fact, the movie opens following a barely-dressed Carly’s derriere as she walks through her apartment. Apparently Bay wanted to make a statement right off the bat: we don’t need a Fox to be sexy. And to put salt on the wound, lines throughout the movie take a stab at Fox’s character Mikaeala,

“She dumped me. I moved on to something better.”

-Sam Witwicky

with double meaning. One line from a robot about Mikaeala: “She was mean, I didn’t like her.” In another, Sam’s character explains how he got dumped by Mikaeala to his parents: “She dumped me. I moved on to something better.”

believes less is more. Transformers has never been about plot nor has it been about stellar acting, especially considering the best acting often comes from the computer generated robots. Despite those facts, fans of the franchise will enjoy in this installment what they’ve always enjoyed from the movies: action, special effects and a sexy girl.

Directed by: Michael Bay Starring: Shia LBeouf, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley Run Time: 157 min Genre: Fantasy, Action

★★★

July 12, 2011 | A&E

TNL GAME REVIEW

RETRO MOVIE REVIEW

FEAR 3 gameplay ‘The Philadelphia Story’: remains worthy of legacy a gold standard for verbal wit from first title and strong performances By Bryan Dunagan Staff Reporter

Project Origin was a mediocre sophomore game in the series. It improved upon the first game, but the magic was gone. This time around, the storyline continues from the first game and the developers have added co-op. Alma, the creepy little girl that has been destroying the world via her rage, is having a baby. Point Man, the protagonist from the first game, and Fettel, his cannibalistic brother/manifestation of his imagination, must stop her. Getting there, of course, is a problem. Here in lies the idea of FEAR 3, you can play with AI controlled Fettel, or a buddy. Playing with a buddy is definitely the way to go, as this is the best co-op shooter this year. Since the characters have two wildly different abilities, the game is always interesting, as well as having to work together. Since Fettel is a manifestation, he has no corporal body but he can possess enemies or hold them in place for Point Man to shoot up like meat hanging up on a rack. Thus, Point Man is the main heavy hitter and can slow down time and cause massive amounts of damage and increase accuracy. The rest of the game is a long, long, journey to Alma, but the real story is how the two brothers act towards each other because Point Man doesn’t talk, and Fettel won’t stop. Along the way the brothers realize that they have to fight their past demons together, thus where the meat of the story comes from. Throughout the adventure, the players will pilot various mechs and fight all sorts of enemies. Another big note is that the game is insanely difficult even on the lower difficulties and it makes working together even more important. The game has several memorable moments, such has fighting derelicts in a bombed out super grocer, and fighting phase-

walkers in an airport baggage claim. Then there is the mech fight on the highway to the hospital where Alma resides. In all, the game is fun and engaging and can turn into a time sink when playing co-op. The gunplay is tight and fun and the upgrades are frequent through the game even playing the story. Nice touches such as the last stand mechanic when you die in story mode, you can kill off other enemies while your buddy revives you, couple this with slowing down time, and you can be up in no time. FEAR 3 is worthy of the legacy of the first title, simply because the gameplay is great and the scares come quick and frequent, even playing with a friend. Couple this with never knowing what’s coming to kill you in the dark, the title is a delight to play. The only downside is that it seems way too short, but is actually around 12 hours to beat. It’s one of those shooters that grabs you and doesn’t let go until you see it through.

Maker: Day 1 Studios Platforms: Microsoft Windows 3, Playstation 3 and XBOX 360 Release Date: June 21, 2011

★ ★★★

By Matt Caprioli News Editor

After being labeled “box office poison,” Katherine Hepburn needed “The Philadelphia Story” to be a success. She stared in a Broadway version in 1939, which fortunately realized Hepburn’s need. A year later, MGM released the adapted film to critical and commercial success. The plot can be summarized by blackmail. Philadelphian socialite Tracy Lord (Hepburn) must open her home the day before her second marriage for Spy Magazine. If she doesn’t, her father’s philandering will reach the newspaper. Her first husband, C.K Dexter Haven (Cary Grant) who remains on friendly terms with everyone in the family but his ex-wife, makes it all possible by granting access to two reporters, Macaulay Connor (James Stewart) and Ruth Hussey (Elizabeth Imbrie). Neither reporter wants to go, but are in turn coerced by the prospect of loosing their job. Each of the leading actors have become trademarks whose value is synonymous with gold: Cary Grant (nee Archibald Alexander Leach), James Stewart, and Katharine Hepburn. Each is a wonderfully versatile actor. In “Bringing Up Baby” (1938), a screwball comedy that Grant and Hepburn starred in, the characters are amazingly transparent. The exact opposite is true here; rarely do you know exactly what to think. The ending is so jilted because the characters are so nuanced. Some are just witty, without divulging a hint of emotion (Grant) while others are candid but –unsure of what they mean—are unreliable (Stewart). Hepburn is both. These personality clashes easily entertain 71 years later. The screenplay is another of the film’s outstanding features. Donald Stewart maintains all the wit of Philip Barry’s original script, a feat for which he won the

academy award. Hepburn undoubtedly has the most intriguing character. Tracey Lord is contradictory—selfish and generous, independent and needy, caustic and baffled (though she’s never baffled for very long). She tells her sister to go get small poxes if she really wants to delay her second marriage. She comforts her mother’s nostalgia with, “We just picked the wrong first husbands.” Lord’s wit encourages amused grins more than guffaws. The limitation works well, allowing her to say lines like, “The time to make up your mind about people, is never.” No other character could deliver this line with such power and sincerity. Power because it’s bloody Katharine Hepburn. Sincerity because her character has been weighted and measured and declared easy to read; but there’s more to her than that, and the knowledge she so thoroughly experienced herself— that there is more to me—she now applies toward others, thus gaining what the more trenchant men in her life knew she was severely lacking to begin with, empathy. But comedy ultimately prevails. Nearly all the other characters are

LOL worthy. Uncle Willie (Roland Young) is the slapstick relief. He’s the adorable pervert that hits on Elizabeth Imbrie. Imbrie’s open and practical manner makes for some of the film’s best one liners: “I can’t afford to hate anybody, I’m only a photographer.” This film must be watched multiple times to catch everything (if catching everything is ever possible). The love triangles (or rectangles) are so tangled, something new is bound to appear with each viewing.

Director: George Cukor Starring: Cary Grant, Katharine Hepburn, James Stewart Run time: 112m Genre: Comedy, romance

★ ★★★ ★

SPORTS

COMPLEX: Improving image

Continued from Cover

OVERTIME

Silent generation seeks athletic female role models

Women need role models more than ever in today’s society full of pressure to look good rather than achieve their goals By Megan Edge Assistant Sports Editor

The new sports arena is designed to meet the needs of the University and the community. The arena is expected to be completed inthe summer of 2014.

facilities are still not up to the high needs of the athletes, and the only real solution is to create a brand new facility. A “Complete the Arena” website and Facebook page were created stating various benefits of the new arena in hopes of gaining support in moving the project forward. Some of the benefits include the improvement of facilities for both women’s and men’s athletics, providing additional student recreation space, help to support UAA’s health, physical education and fitness curricula, and improve overall campus life. Cobb, who has been involved in the planning process since the very beginning, is pleased with the approval of the new arena, “I believe it will transform our campus in a very positive way.” The new sports arena will accommodate nearly six thousand spectators with parking lot space for eight hundred vehicles. Besides its main feature, the basketball court, the arena will also contain sports medicine facilities, a competition and performance arena, gymnastics practice facility, weight room, recreational fitness areas and larger locker rooms for both men and women. The design feature that has been drawing the most criticism is the lack of a hockey rink. The debate has extended to include other students and alumni in the discussion. “Six thousand seats for the basketball team is a joke. Might as well put a rink in the middle of it,” said student Tony Azzara. The lack of a hockey rink has created some tension from Hockey players and ice skaters, because it forces them to continue using the outdated Wells Fargo Sports Complex to practice, and trek to the Sullivan Arena to compete. “We as a division one hockey school need ice to play home games on, on our own campus.

The best way to get more fans and more support is to play games on campus,” said UAA alumni Jared Nelson. Despite this fact, Hockey player Quinn Sproule is optimistic about the new arena, “I think it’s great that the school is getting a new facility. I think it’s very important for the school to support Seawolf athletics. It would be nice though to have a rink on campus. I think it would really help the crowds for our games because students could just walk to the game instead of having to drive downtown to the Sullivan.” Many other hockey teammates agree with Sproule, and despite the fact that they will not get a new rink, other facilities will be improved for them. “I think that the new Sports Complex will be great for both the athletic department and the community. The current facilities just aren’t good enough. As far as it goes for hockey, I think that the hockey program will need its own arena on campus at -Tony Azzara. some point in the future,” said fellow Hockey player Daniel Näslund. “Seeing the venues we play in when we are playing in on the road it’s clear that we are years behind when it comes to facilities. To keep up with the fierce competition we face, facility upgrades will be necessary. The fact that the locker room both at the Sullivan and in the Wells Fargo is getting upgraded is definitely a much appreciated step in the right direction.” While hockey may have to stay at the Sullivan for now, UAA’s other essential sporting event, Shootout, will be hosted in the new arena. This will hopefully spark some interest from students and fans that live nearby who will no longer have to fight for parking spaces to see the games. Basketball players and

“Six thousand seats for the basketball team is a joke. Might as well put a rink in the middle of it.”

GRAPHIC COURTESY OF GOSEAWOLVES.COM

gymnasts are excited at the chance to have a new venue to practice and compete in. Senior Basketball player Hanna Johansson believes that it will have a positive impact on the University, “I heard about it for the first time in the end of my freshman year and I was hoping to play there. I definitively think it would improve UAA´s overall athletic image, don´t get me wrong I like what we have today, but I do think that a better gym allowing more people to come and watch also could help sports in Alaska.” Not everyone in the community is enthusiastic about the price tag associated with this project, which is being supported by bonds approved by the legislature, and feel that the money could be better spent elsewhere. UAA alumni and former athlete Erick Romig recently wrote, “UAA athletes, students and the Anchorage community have ample venues available for recreation and training.” Whether excited or displeased with the schematics of the arena, many will not be able to experience it as a student because UAA’s vice chancellor for administrative services Bill Spindle stated that the arena is not scheduled to be complete until summer of 2014. Even after the arena is built, The Wells Fargo Sports Complex will still retain physical education classes, swimming, ice skating, and hockey, leaving students and athletes worried that it will be left outdated. Cobb assures students, “[There are] no plans yet but renovation of the WFSC is part of the plan.” The biggest question now is: Will this $109 million arena improve UAA’s overall image, or will it be a money pit for the dwindling fan base due to economy pressures?

Growing up in today’s society requires a certain amount of self-respect, backbone, determination and positive influence to survive the pressures and challenges of adolescence. With that being said, no matter what dream you may have you need someone to look up to, someone to make you believe that you too can become great at whatever challenge you choose to tackle. As a woman, the challenges are even more difficult as the female population must overcome certian social barriers in society as well. For example, if you want to be a politician, you can look up to Frances Perkins, who served under Franklin Roosevelt, and was the first women ever elected to the US Cabinet, serving as the US secretary of Labor from 1933-1945. Gertrude Stein is an excellent example for someone who aspires to be a writer. Her first book “Three Lives” was a critically acclaimed novel published in 1909. To this day she remains one of the greats in literary history. Now those names will forever remain as role models to the women who aspire to achieve those goals. In athletics this trend seems to vary for whatever reason. There have been great female athletes who have taken the role as the face of women’s sports but it differs from decade to decade and after their career is over, they quickly lose popularity and fade from the spotlight. Jackie Joyner-Kersee was just ten years old in 1972 when Title IX was passed, granting equal access in sports for both men and women. She took this to heart, and became someone that Sports Illustrated called “one of the greatest Olympic athletes in history.” Her Olympic career began in 1984 when she received

the silver medal in the heptathlon event, just barely missing the gold medal. In 1988, she returned to the Olympic Games to accept the gold medal for not only heptathlon but also the long jump. In 1992 she kept her title in the heptathlon and received the bronze medal for long jump. In 1996, at her last Olympic showing, she gained her last Olympic medal, receiving the bronze medal in long jump. Her reign as the face of women’s sports was soon taken over by Mia Hamm, taking the spotlight when Kersee’s career ended. In 1991, when the US women’s national team won the World Cup for the first time, Hamm, at just nineteen years of age, became the youngest women to ever win a World Cup title. This was just the beginning of a long and successful career. In 2001 and 2002, Hamm took home of the FIFA World Player of the Year award, and was the first player to ever receive it. She stayed in the spotlight until she retired in 2004. Both women will always be remembered but are no longer the role models for the athletes of the ‘silent generation’, also known as generation Z. It is no surprise that women are overshadowed by men, especially in athletics. Female athletes are unheard of compared to men like Payton Manning, LeBron James, Roy Mcilroy, etc. The only women mentioned are models who suffer from anorexia, “hot actresses,” or people who make their fortune off of the fact that they have a low IQ score. Why is this? Women can’t get away from superficial standards. For proof feel free to Google top female athletes, what will pop up first in the suggestion box is Top 100 Sexiest Female Athletes. Even in athletics, women can’t escape being objectified. In no aspect of the world should a woman be judged by her exterior beauty. A woman should just be like any man in the athletic industry and be judged on talent and attitude.

No matter what dream you may have you need someone to look up to, someone to make you believe that you too can become great at whatever challenge you choose to tackle.

July 12, 2011 | sports

TNL COURSE REVIEW

Local favorite Westchester Lagoon still strong

Have you ever been to Alaska before?

By Megan Edge

Once,on my official visit.

Assistant Sports Editor

Westchester Lagoon, which opened as a frolf course in 2000, is one of the city’s oldest and most popular courses. The course was recently revamped at the beginning of the summer for safety measures, and is now even more fun. Rain or shine, the course is packed with small groups of people waiting their turn for the next hole. This can cause frustration for some; but just take a deep breath and take in the beautiful lagoon beside you. The first three holes are fairly basic, located in slightly wooded areas, but aren’t too challenging. When you arrive at the fourth hole, the course gets a touch trickier as the targets are on elevated grounds. Hole six is a little easier, with the basket being in an open field. The seventh hole is somewhat similar except the course is right next to the lagoon. Play it safe, don’t be sorry, and throw inwards to avoid the water. Watch unexpected curves and wind, it could take your disc right to the bottom of the lagoon. If you do manage to avoid losing your disc, go over to the lagoon and check it out anyways, because at the bottom are tons of discs once lost. You could get lucky. One may have washed up close to shore and you can collect a new disc just in case you accidentally lose one of yours. Holes eight and nine are basic, and unfortunately the end of the game. To frolf an eighteen-hole game head back to the beginning and do it over again. This course is one that all ages can try. Just be careful on the bike path that takes you from hole to hole because it is constantly busy with bikers, runners, and skaters. Westchester is a great location to spend your evenings to relax from the work week and it is almost flawless. The only imperfection is the scattered piles of beer cans along the course. Unfortunately,

What will you miss most about high school? My friends, and the easy classes.

If you could describe yourself in three words, what would they be? Fun, loving, leader.

What is your biggest passion outside of gymnastics? Reading.

Sari

ye Je nsen

By Ashley Snyder The Northern Light

Over two thousand miles away in a little city called Henderson, Nevada, is where the newest addition to the Seawolf athletic family was discovered. Sariye Jensen recently graduated from her hometown high school and has officially signed onto UAA’s gymnastics team. For the past four years, Jensen has been competing as a level 10 gymnast with Brown’s Gymnastics Las Vegas. Gymnastics coach Paul Stoklos has high expectations of the incoming freshman and commented so in a recent press release, “Sariaye has a terrific skill set on uneven bars and the potential to be a strong allaround competitor for us. She shows a strong work ethic in the gym, and she achieved well academically in high school. We are thrilled to have Sariaye become a Seawolf.” During her final year of high school, Jensen qualified for 2011 state, regional and NIT meets.

Would you rather be outdoors, freezing cold, but having fun or be indoors, toasty warm, but bored out of your mind? Outside having fun in the freezing cold.

What are you most eager to experience in college? College gymnastics meets, because every one I’ve been to have been super fun.

Do you have your future planned out or are you going to take things one step at a time? A little but of both. I know what I want in the future but if things turn out differently, I will just go with it.

An Interview with TNL

What was your biggest reason for taking a position on UAA’s gymnastics team? I was offered a full ride scholarship.

SPORTS BRIEFS Seawolf Alumnus Strabel declared king of the mountain almost every course in town has this problem, a ridiculous issue considering most courses (Westchester included) have trash cans. So if you find yourself being a litter bug, walk two steps farther to a trash can to throw your can or bottle away and keep the course clean for the next avid frolfers.

SEWARD - Former Seawolf All-American runner and skier Eric Strabel claimed the Mount Marathon men’s championship Monday in the time of 44 minutes, 40 seconds. The title was Strabel’s first after posting four runner-up finishes in the signature Alaska July 4th event that ascends to the top of the 3,022-foot Mount Marathon. His winning time was also the ninth-fastest in the history of the 84-year race. Another former UAA multi-sport standout Brent Knight was second in 44:58, while defending champion and former UAA ski coach Trond Flagstad was seventh in 47:33. In the women’s race, Olympic skier Kikkan Randall

took the title, while a pair of former Seawolves – skier Kelsey Coolidge (10th) and cross country standout Danielle Pratt (11th) finished in the top 15.

Volleyball matches available for instant replay on your TV

For the fourth straight season, Alaska Anchorage volleyball fans can watch televised replays of the Seawolves’ home matches on KCFT FamilyNet as the local station announced its 2011 broadcast schedule this week. All nine of the Seawolves’ Great Northwest Athletic Conference matches will air twice each on KCFT (GCI cable Ch. 19 in Anchorage), with coverage starting Sept. 8 when UAA battles Western Oregon. Pacific 11:00 PM

Fri., Sep. 30 Seattle Pacific 11:00 AM Sat., Oct. 1 Montana State Billings 11:00 PM Mon., Oct. 3 Montana State Billings 11:00 AM Sat., Oct. 15 Alaska Fairbanks 11:00 PM Mon., Oct. 17 Alaska Fairbanks 11:00 AM Thu., Oct. 20 Western Washington 11:00 PM Fri., Oct. 21 Western Washington 11:00 AM Sat., Oct. 22 Simon Fraser 11:00 PM Mon., Oct. 24 Simon Fraser 11:00 AM Thu., Nov. 3 Northwest Nazarene 11:00 PM Fri., Nov. 4 Northwest Nazarene 11:00 AM Sat., Nov. 5 Central Washington 11:00 PM Mon., Nov. 7 Central Washington 11:00 AM -Compiled by Ashley Snyder

TNL

COMICS July 12, 2011

BROKE COMIC

HOROSCOPE

YOUR STARS THIS WEEK By Stella Wilder The coming week is likely to demand last-minute adjustments from many, as circumstances change and the requirements of a given situation are not what were expected. Those who are ready to head off in any conceivable direction have the advantage; the ability to pack up and go at a moment’s notice will certainly prove valuable at this time, especially when the destination is not known in advance. Indeed, those who insist on having things planned and plotted to the last possible detail are going to be disappointed; improvisation will be required in virtually all things. Communication will be essential, as many individuals working toward common goals will quickly discover that cooperation and collaboration can improve everyone’s chances. The swift and accurate exchange of information will prove essential to the week’s progress. CANCER (June 21-July 7) -- You may have to come up with a few clever tricks in order to make your money go as far as possible. Use all resources carefully. (July 8-July 22) -- What happens early in the week will surely inform the remaining days, but not in the way you expect. LEO (July 23-Aug. 7) -- Your knowledge of a certain aspect of your work is likely to be put to the test; if you’ve been keeping up, all should be well. (Aug. 8-Aug. 22) -- Your answers should be short and sweet, but take care that you don’t let your tone betray you. VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 7) -- You’ll side with someone who shares your aspirations, but you may have to teach him or her a little about your own methods. (Sept. 8-Sept. 22) -- Something in the air will inspire you to do something you’ve wanted to do for ages. LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 7) -- Technical difficulties aren’t about to hold you back; you can rely on some old-fashioned methods -- and your own ingenuity. (Oct. 8-Oct. 22) -- You’re likely to find that others are relying on you for more than you had expected.

SODUKU

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 7) -- Others are depending on you to do precisely what you have promised, and no more. You have a few surprises in store, however. (Nov. 8-Nov. 21) -- A little humor goes a long way, and it’ll be up to you to defuse one or two tense situations. SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 7) -- Another’s claims may have you preparing to do something that others say cannot be done, but you know this isn’t so, and can prove it. (Dec. 8-Dec. 21) -- Negotiations may not go as planned, but you can still pull out a personal victory. CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 6) -- You may find yourself far from the action, but you can still play a central role as long as you are available for consultation. (Jan. 7-Jan. 19) -- You’re not about to miss out on a rare chance to do something you’ve looked forward to for quite some time. AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 3) -- You may feel as though you’ve let someone down recently, but your actions can certainly make up for it -- and more. (Feb. 4-Feb. 18) -- You don’t have to work quite so hard or fast in order to get things done, but routine is key. PISCES (Feb. 19-March 5) -- You’re likely to be picked out from among many to demonstrate your skills -- and many new doors may open as a result. (March 6-March 20) -- You may find yourself gravitating toward someone you’ve tried to stay away from for the past weeks or months. ARIES (March 21-April 4) -- The week progresses very much as expected -- until the weekend, when someone throws a wrench into the works. Seek a creative solution. (April 5-April 19) -- You’re not feeling your best at this time, but you mustn’t avoid doing the bare minimum, at least. TAURUS (April 20-May 5) -- You will have to work hard to conceal your vulnerabilities from those who would exploit them. Bring your strengths to bear, too. (May 6-May 20) -- Things are shaping up in a way that surprises many but that meets all of your expectations. GEMINI (May 21-June 6) -- You may feel compelled to do what is necessary to make some big changes, not only in your own life but in the lives of others as well. (June 7-June 20) -Dangers are few, but those that do arise may demand more from you than you had expected.

CRYPTOQUOTE

Solution for cryptoquote from June 28 issue “I’m not normally a religious man, but... if you’re up there, save me, Superman!” Homer Simpson

Last week’s solution: