March302010

THENORTHERNLIGHT MARCH 30, 2010

NEWS

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UNIVERSITY OF ALASKA ANCHORAGE

Presidential search: Regents announce candidates

SPORTS

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Playoff push:

Both basketball teams in the hunt

WWW.THENORTHERNLIGHT.ORG

FEATURES

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Advocacy:

48-hour airport odyssey

Recently passed Anchorage Bike Plan to expand biking infrastructure for two-wheeled commuters

By Jerzy Shedlock The Northern Light

Regardless of the season or weather conditions numerous bicycles can be spotted chained securely to racks all over the UAA campus. Student housing serves as the origin for a lot of the bikes, but students commute to school by bicycle from all around Anchorage.

The Anchorage Bicycle Plan recently passed into legislation by the Anchorage Assembly has strong support among multiple UAA entities. The UAA Office of Sustainability and the Bike Club fully encouraged legislation of the plan to help improve the quality of biking in Anchorage.

The bike plan could cost upwards of $118 million over the next 20 plus years.

Some primary routes proposed in the recommended bicycle network include an Elmore Road path connecting Rabbit Creek Road to the Glenn Highway and a Far North Park route that would extend from O’Malley Road to connect see

CYCLING page 02

LEIGHANN SEAMAN

Traffic yields on E street to Critical Mass enthusiasts, March 26. After assembling at Town Square, participants were advised to exercise caution and safely abide the traffic laws. The costumed-donned crowd brought out a wide variety of bicycles and cruisers. Critical Mass is generally held on the last Friday of each month and works to raise awareness and assert the presence of cyclists in the Anchorage community.

Hunger runs rampant in over ‘Witness the End’ 26,000 of Alaska’s youth plans summer tour

By Joshua Tucker The Northern Light

Hunger has many faces. In Alaska at least 71,266 people including 26,623 people under 18 live below the poverty line according to Anchorage nonprofit Dare to Care.

A volunteer-driven network of food banks and community programs are struggling to deliver services to the 11.2

percent of Alaskans who are below the poverty line.

Many more live close to the poverty line. A single student only has to live on more than $13,530 annually to be considered above the poverty line.

Iris Williams, a senior at UAA who is majoring in Human Services, is doing one of the four internships required for her degree at the Food Bank of Alaska and is working to extend

services to the UAA campus.

“Hunger is not just a guy on the side of the road with a sign, it’s someone who skips a meal to make it to the end of the week, or skips a meal to feed their child,” Williams said.

Though there is a mobile food pantry that parks within blocks of UAA once a week, Williams says now that she understands the issue more fully she wants to do more to bring services to UAA. see

HUNGER page 10

Anchorage Lacrosse League gains local athletes’ support

By Taylor Hall The Northern Light

The game of lacrosse has never been seen as one of the more popular sports in this country, much less the state of Alaska.

But don’t tell that to the members of Anchorage Lacrosse, because on the AT&T Sports Complex field, the game is thriving and growing with every goal scored and body check dealt.

In what started as the informal games here and there five years ago, the club rode a rollercoaster

to get to where it is today.

“It almost died a few times,” Clayton Beethe said, vicepresident and league player. “Just over the past couple years it’s become more formal.”

Anchorage Lacrosse has greatly expanded since its early days.

“It’s gone from three on three out in the park to now, where we have over 40 guys on some nights,” Beethe said.

Beethe is referring to the Tuesday nights at AT&T when the men’s league takes the field

for two hours. A typical two-hour session usually entails a 15-20 minute warm-up period to start.

But after that, the game is on full display with players throwing their lacrosse sticks in the middle and are randomly placed into their team for the night.

From that point on, it’s game on for the rest of the night.

The game of lacrosse was originated by Native Americans within the US and Canada.

According to legend, the game was used to settle conflicts, heal sick tribe members or prepare for see

LACROSSE page 07

Korn opener plans to tour North America after opening Atreyu concert in the summer

By Heather Hamilton The Northern Light

It’s not every day you can walk up to a person and brag about your band when it has only one full length CD and isn’t signed on with a record label.

But band members of the local metal group, Witness the End, are some of the few musicians who can.

When your band was one of the two opening acts for both Korn concerts, and is also scheduled to open for metalcore group Atreyu at the Egan Center this May, all while being unsigned, you’ve undoubtedly earned the privilege.

Witness the End formed late in the summer of 2008 and played together for nearly nine months before performing at their first show.

Brothers Ryan Mulholland (guitar and vocalist,) and Kevin Mulholland (bass player) and friend Brandon Morrow (drummer) had already been playing a bit of music together.

The three found guitarist Kyle Reading and singer Rollin Ritter on Craigslist.

“We like to say we’re a

match made on Craigslist,” said Reading, who is also an investment finance senior at UAA. Band members Ritter and Morrow are both under 21, so the band’s ability to play certain venues is limited. But Morrow said he isn’t bothered by it.

“Honestly, I really don’t care about the underage thing,” he said.

In addition to opening for Korn, Witness the End has opened for 36 Crazyfists, and recorded a song with the band’s lead vocalist, Brock Lindow, for their new CD. “It’s nice to see that even when you’re getting kind of famous, you’re still going to help the little guys out,” Reading said.

Witness the End is also planning to tour after the Atreyu concert this summer. They plan on travelling to Canada first to do a few shows with Quebec band Greta Knights, and then heading to the lower 48 to play Seattle, Portland and a few other cities on the west coast.

The band has risen in popularity on the local scene quickly, and doesn’t show signs see

WITNESS page 12

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TNL

News| March 30, 2010

CYCLING: Strong support for bike plan at UAA

Town Square bustles with bicycle fanatics as Critical Mass nears commencement, Mar. 26.

Continued from COVER

to the Glenn Highway path. In addition, there are other improvements already underway not tallied in the total cost of the plan.

The broad intent of the Anchorage Bicycle Plan is to integrate bicycle travel into the overall transportation planning process of Anchorage and to promote the use of the bicycle as a legitimate means of transportation.

Reasons stated in the plan for bicycling being an important element in meeting the future transportation needs of Anchorage residents include affordability, reduction of traffic congestion, health benefits, efficient use of public space and reduction in automobile emissions.

The bike plan will largely help the efforts of the UAA Office of Sustainability, which has been tasked with working toward making the campus carbon neutral; reduce it’s carbon footprint. According to the office’s director Paula Williams 35 percent of the carbon emissions that come from UAA are due to student and staff vehicle commuters.

“The more people we can get to ride bicycles or take the bus, the easier it is to become a carbon neutral university,” Williams said.

Students can currently download a form from the Office of Sustainability’s website that helps track your actions toward living a more sustainability-conscious life.

Alternatives for reducing the use of a motor vehicle as a main method of transportation are offered in the form.

Suggestions include arranging carpools and combining office errands to decrease car trips.

LEIGHANN SEAMAN

The Bike Club at UAA is taking steps to ensure the plan is taken seriously. Through the club’s website and word-of-mouth members encouraged fellow students to let

‘I’ve been yelled at, people have thrown things at me, people have tried to run me off the road, so education is a major underlying incentive of the plan.’

–Matt Block

the assembly know why they support the plan. Assembly member’s phone numbers and e-mail addresses can be found on the club’s website. Every active member of the Bike Club fully supports the plan according to the club’s president Matt Block.

“As bicycle advocates we encourage the plan to improve the quality of biking in Anchorage. The plan supports that through education, improving existing facilities and bike routes and connecting existing bike infrastructure,” Block said. “(The Bicycle Plan) gives major incentives for future projects that could really improve the system in Anchorage.”

Anchorage has a bicycle safety problem. From 1994

through 2006, a total of 1,827 bicycle-vehicle crashes occurred in Anchorage, or about 141 per year according to the Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities. One of the main goals of the plan is to double the amount of utility bicycling while reducing the number of bicycle crashes by one-third.

“The biggest obstacle for me is angry drivers that don’t know bikes can be on the road,” Block said. “I’ve been yelled at, people have thrown things at me, people have tried to run me off the road, so education is a major underlying incentive of the plan.”On March 23, the Anchorage Assembly spoke on the bike plan to an enormous crowd of bike enthusiasts. When Assembly Chair Patrick Flynn asked the crowd in the assembly chambers who was there to testify on the bike plan nearly all of the individuals in the room raised their hands.

Open public testimony lasted late into the evening, yet people remained to hear others testify despite the realization many of them would not be able to speak. Those who spoke touched on many aspects of the plan supporting it through positive claims; such as it would reduce wear and tear on the roads and would help support a healthier community.

“The more people that get outside and exercise the more Anchorage becomes a healthier and more productive community,” Bicycle Commuters of Anchorage board member Kristi Wood said. “People were clapping after every testimony. Bicycles change lives. They have the power to do that.”

Bill will fully restore gun rights to some felons

By Jeremy Hsieh Associated press

Some felons living in Alaska would have full gun rights restored under a bill heard Thursday in a committee hearing.

Under current state law, their partial gun rights can be restored in three ways: a felon is granted a pardon, the felon’s conviction is set aside, or 10 years have elapsed since the sentence was completed, including probation and parole. It conflicts with a 1998 decision by the U.S. Supreme Court that said if felons’ gun rights are restored, it must be done entirely — or not at all.

Felons whose rights have been partially restored are barred from buying handguns and carrying concealed weapons outside their homes and property unless hunting or engaging in other outdoor activities that “necessarily involves the carrying of a weapon for personal protection.”

But the National Rifle Association, state lawyers and private-practice lawyers told the House Judiciary Committee that the all-or-nothing rule means federal authorities could arrest and charge felons who have long since repaid their debts to society with unlawful possession of any firearm even though they would have satisfied state law.

Brian Judy of the NRA asked lawmakers to “get past the perceived stigma of, quoteunquote, giving firearms to felons, which we’re not doing here. ... This bill is not about giving firearms to felons.”

Judy said the bill’s effect is “virtually insignificant.”

Assistant Attorney General Annie Carpeneti said her department is concerned the bill would make it difficult for the state to prosecute a swath of unlawful weapon possession cases that includes felons who have not had their rights restored.

The difficulty stems from language in the bill that shifts the burden of proof in these cases from the defense to the prosecution, Carpeneti explained.

“In this case, I am not empathetic to the state,” said state Rep. Jay Ramras, who is running for lieutenant governor.

The other committee members present, Republican Reps. Carl Gatto and Bob Lynn and Democrat Bob Herron, did not object. The bill now heads the Finance Committee.

The bill could also invalidate Alaska concealed handgun permits in seven of the 35 other states that recognize Alaska’s permits, Judy said. Those seven states recognize Alaska permits only if Alaska laws are similar to their own.

The permits are not required in Alaska, but many gun owners get the $94 permits for multi-state rights. There are about 7,500 valid Alaska concealed handgun permits, according to the Department of Public Safety.

Ron Sterling, 58, of Anchorage testified through Anchorage attorney Wayne Anthony Ross that he was recently denied a handgun purchase because the current law’s “twisted, Alice-in-Wonderland logic” is penalizing him 40 years after a drug charge as a teenager.

Bill Satterberg, a Fairbanks attorney, also supported the bill, saying he had a client whose conviction was essentially cleared from his record was denied the right to retrieve the guns he relies on for life in Bush Alaska.

March 30, 2010 | News

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03

STATEWIDE BRIEFS Retiring UA president doubts gas pipeline University of Alaska President Mark Hamilton has little hope for a major North Slope natural gas pipeline — something many Alaska’s view as an economic savior.

With three large gas pipelines emerging on the world market in the past two years, Hamilton says Alaska has missed its opportunity to be a competitor in that arena. He says the dream is not going to happen.

Hamilton, who is retiring in June, made his comments Thursday during a farewell speech in Fairbanks in which he discussed the state’s economic underpinnings and the future of higher education.

US rig count increases by 17 The number of rigs actively exploring for oil and natural gas in the U.S. increased by 17 this year to 1,444.

Houston-based Baker Hughes Inc. said Friday that 941 rigs were exploring for natural gas and 489 for oil. Fourteen were listed as miscellaneous. A year ago this week, the rig count stood at 1,039.

Of the major oil- and gas-producing states, Texas gained five rigs, Oklahoma and Pennsylvania each gained four, Alaska and North Dakota each gained two, and Arkansas and West Virginia each gained one. Colorado and New Mexico each lost three rigs, while California, Louisiana and Wyoming were unchanged.

The rig count tally peaked at 4,530 in 1981, during the height of the oil boom, and it fell to a record low of 488 in 1999.

Man dies in Anchorage trailer fire A man has died in a trailer fire in South Anchorage.

Deputy Anchorage Fire Chief Michelle Weston says the trailer home was fully engulfed when firefighters arrived just before 5 a.m. Friday.

It took 90 minutes to extinguish the fire. Weston says the body of an older man was found when firefighters were able to enter the structure.

No name has been released and the cause of the fire remains under investigation.

Pipeline project money restored in budget The Senate Finance Committee has restored nearly all the funding Gov. Sean Parnell requested for natural gas pipeline-related work.

The $15.9 million is included in the committee’s version of a state-operating budget, which was passed out Friday. It includes $6.5 million that the House had withheld for his in-state gas development team.

The rest, for legal, analytical and other work associated with a proposed major natural gas pipeline, comes without the contingencies the House version imposed.

Parnell requested $17 million total. Neither the House nor the Senate panel agreed to $1.1 million for the Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission.

Parnell’s budget director said she was pleased with the process overall.

Anti-coal groups target Healy plant’s debt.

Groups opposed to the restarting of an inactive coal plant in Healy are expressing fiscal concerns.

The Fairbanks-based Golden Valley Electric Association plans to purchase and reopen the plant, which closed a decade ago. But it must take on debt to do so.

Nancy Kuhn, spokeswoman for the GVEA Ratepayers Alliance, calls it a “black hole” for energy customers’ money. She also spoke against a proposed amendment to the electric association’s bylaws that would remove its $460 million debt limit.

GVEA president Brian Newton says the project’s funding is a secure investment. He says opponents make a good argument, but they don’t have keep the lights on in the middle of winter when the temperature is 40 below.

Ex-soldier accepts plea in child porn case A former Fort Wainwright soldier accepted a plea agreement in which he will spend three years in prison for possessing child pornography.

The Fairbanks Daily News-Miner reports 24-year-old Drew Wherry will also receive five years probation and be ordered to register as a sex offender at his formal sentencing on June 11.

Investigators say Wherry actively looked for and traded images of child pornography before his arrest last June.

Defense attorney Rex Butler says his client got a general discharge from the Army.

Ice Classic ice more than 50 inches thick The deadline to buy and enter tickets for the Ice Classic is fast approaching.

Now in its 94th year, the classic is a springtime tradition in which Alaskans try to guess the precise moment when the ice will go out on the Tanana River at Nenana.

Officials measured the ice Thursday, and it was more than 50 inches thick — a mark reached only six times in the last 22 years. Last year’s thickest measurement was 46.75 inches.

The ice typically starts thinning in early to mid-April.

Last year, the ice went out on May 1. Two winning tickets shared a jackpot of $283,723.

The deadline to enter this year’s classic is April 5.

-COMPILED BY JERZY SHEDLOCK

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TNL

News| March 30, 2010

SAY WHAT?

Police: Drunk Pa. Wis. college says man tried to revive new e-mail font dead opossum will save money PUNXSUTAWNEY, Pa. (AP) -- Police say they charged a Pennsylvania man with public drunkenness after he was seen trying to resuscitate a long-dead opossum along a highway.

State police Trooper Jamie Levier says several witnesses saw 55-yearold Donald Wolfe, of Brookville, near the animal Thursday along Route 36 in Oliver Township, about 65 miles northeast of Pittsburgh.

The trooper says one person saw Wolfe kneeling before the animal and gesturing as though he were conducting a seance. He says another saw Wolfe attempting to give mouthto-mouth resuscitation.

Levier says the animal already had been dead a while.

NYC housing agency changes playground’s fake jail NEW YORK (AP) -- Complaints have prompted New York City’s public housing authority to change a playground jungle gym made to resemble a jail.

Workers removed the word “jail” and fake bars on Wednesday from the Tompkins Houses jungle gym in Brooklyn.

Natasha Godley, who has a 6-year-old son, says she complained because “it was like promoting kids to go to jail.”

Housing Authority spokeswoman Sheila Stainback says it was part of the original design of the playground, which was erected in 2004. She says no one complained until this week.

Stainback said the agency wants to replace that part of the playground and is looking into who ordered the equipment.

GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) -- A Wisconsin college has found a new way to cut costs with e-mail - by changing the font.

The University of Wisconsin-Green Bay has switched the default font on its e-mail system from Arial to Century Gothic. It says that while the change sounds minor, it will save money on ink when students print e-mails in the new font.

Diane Blohowiak is the school’s director of computing. She says the new font uses about 30 percent less ink than the previous one.

That could add up to real savings, since the cost of printer ink works out to about $10,000 per gallon.

Blohowiak says the decision is part of the school’s five-year plan to go green. She tells Wisconsin Public Radio it’s great that a change that’s eco-friendly also saves money.

SoCal teacher arrested in alleged drunken teaching THERMAL, Calif. (AP) -- A Southern California school teacher has been arrested for allegedly teaching while drunk.

Toro Canyon Middle School teacher Tonya Neff was taken to the Indio jail Tuesday afternoon and booked for investigation of felony child endangerment.

Administrators at Thermal’s Toro Canyon Middle School told the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department that the 47-year-old teacher was apparently intoxicated on campus.

Sheriff’s Sgt. Mike Tapp says Neff had taken prescription drugs and alcohol and an alcoholic beverage was found inside a container.

Coachella Valley school district Superintendent Ricardo Medina says there was never a threat to Neff’s seventh-grade students. Neff has been placed on leave.

Wily coyote evades Dog that attacked NYC police capture police cars must for 2 days attend classes NEW YORK (AP) -- A wily coyote evaded New York City police for two days before being nabbed in a parking garage. It was the fourth coyote sighting in Manhattan this year.

The animal first eluded police capture Wednesday near the Holland Tunnel. It was spotted Thursday afternoon on the West Side Highway, and police chased it to an open-air garage in Tribeca.

Officers cornered the coyote, sedated it with a dart and then carted it off to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

Animal welfare officials will observe the animal before deciding where to take it.

Last month, three coyotes were spotted on the campus of Columbia University. Earlier this month, one was seen in Chelsea.

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (AP) -- A pit bull mix in Tennessee has been sentenced to obedience training after his dogged attack on a local police car.

Winston didn’t bite anybody, but he mauled a Chattanooga police car in what might have been a confused attempt to take a bite out of crime.

The persistent pooch managed to tear off a section of the front bumper and damage the tires.

The Chattanooga Times Free Press reports that a judge ruled that Winston had been a very bad dog. He was sentenced to obedience and canine good citizen classes, and he’ll have to wear a tag that says he is “potentially dangerous. Charges against his owner will be dismissed if the classes are completed.

-COMPILED BY JERZY SHEDLOCK

Photographer talks about shooting Alaska wildlife

Former Alaskan wildlife hunter replaces his rifle with a camera

By Libby Sterling Capital City Weekly

Bob Armstrong began his relationship with wildlife as a hunter and fisherman. But on one of his final hunting expeditions, he had an encounter that caused a change of heart.

“I shot a goose and its mate followed me all the way back to the car, honking,” Armstrong said.

It was then that Armstrong realized that his motivation for hunting was mostly an excuse to be in the wild. He traded his gun for a tripod, and as he transitioned toward photography, he realized that the craft was far more rewarding and more challenging than hunting.

That was over 50 years ago, and Armstrong has been photographing nature in Alaska ever since.

His work has appeared in numerous publications, including several books of his own. In his newest, self-published title, “Photographing Nature In Alaska,” he shares insight into his photographic process, from camera selection to field observation techniques.

Armstrong has collected images of various Alaskan flora and fauna, including mammals, insects and more than 300 species of birds. But you won’t find him chasing after his subjects.

“I never have a good feeling if I try to photograph something and it ends up running from me,” he said.

Rather, he uses non-invasive means to capture intimate images of creatures in their natural environments, keeping them as unaware of his presence as possible. His techniques include the use of remote triggering devices, mounting cameras onto high-magnification spotting scopes and hiding within camouflaged “blinds,” all of which are described in detail in his book.

There are times, however, when the opposite of these techniques is just as effective. An animal’s alertness to Armstrong’s company can occasionally work to his advantage.

“I think that a lot of things in nature use humans to help keep away their predators, like young bears and sows with cubs that come out at the (Mendenhall Glacier) Visitor Center,” he said. “They’re afraid of the more aggressive male bears, which are more afraid of humans.”

Some of Armstrong’s favorite experiences have been with families of beavers and marmots who accept his presence and carry out their normal activities in full view of his lens. He describes in his book one certain situation that led to a photograph of a sleeping marmot.

“I was sitting about 10 feet from this marmot when, apparently very comfortable with my presence, it decided to take a nap,” he writes. “It was a warm sunny day and lots of bald eagles were cruising by. Perhaps the marmot felt my presence would be sufficient to keep the eagles away.”

By including his vast array of tricks and tips in the book, Armstrong hopes to provide aspiring nature photographers with the opportunity to learn from his

experience.

Much of Armstrong’s advice is different from what is prevalent in most photography circles. Unlike many professional photographers, he doesn’t push the use of high-end camera equipment, especially when trekking through the wilds of Southeast Alaska.

“I firmly believe that it’s the photographer that makes the difference, not necessarily the tools he uses,” he writes.

About 10 years ago, Armstrong boxed up his extensive collection of Nikon film cameras and lenses and purchased his first digital camera, a 2.5 megapixel Fujifilm FinePix 4700.

“I liked the results it gave and carried it on all my outings,” he writes. “I thought it was neat to always

‘I firmly believe that it’s the photographer that makes the difference, not necessarily the tools he uses’

–Bob Armstrong, Alaskan photographer

have a camera with me and not worry about weight.”

For a lower-end point-and-shoot camera that fit in his shirt pocket, he was very pleased. The camera has been used for many of his favorite images, including a shot of a Lincoln’s Sparrow that appears on the cover of “Photographing Nature In Alaska.”

Armstrong uses other digital cameras as well, each with specific strengths and weaknesses for different situations. Certain point-and-shoot and “prosumer” mid-level cameras with low-cost attachments have allowed him to take close-up macro shots of insects from about four inches away. Other attachments allow him to zoom in on nesting birds from up to 200 feet away. He uses a digital single-lens reflex camera for freezing subjects that move at high speeds, such as a beaver slapping its tail on the surface of a pond.

Armstrong’s countless wildlife encounters include many close calls, including bird attacks that have left him bandaging bloody wounds. But his favorite meetings have been with creatures that he was the first or one of the first to photograph, including rare and newly discovered species. His most memorable experience was with a surfbird in its nest on a ridge near Camp Denali. To his knowledge, very few nests had ever been found and none had been photographed before. He was extremely excited to be perhaps the first to capture the nesting bird on film.

Armstrong sees nature photography as an opportunity for people to become better stewards of their environment. In researching for clues that will be helpful to capturing animals on film, photographers gain knowledge about their subjects and can become more active advocates for wildlife, he said.

March 30, 2010 | News

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SPORTS

06

Track and Field team races out to great start Fast start to season has the Seawolf team thinking of greatness in conference and on national stage

By Taylor Hall The Northern Light

Coming off the 2009 season that qualified 10 athletes for the NCAA, it seemed that the Seawolf Track and Field team would continue to improve this season.

However, after their first two weeks of competition, the word “improve” just doesn’t do the Seawolves justice.

Perhaps Head Coach Michael Friess can give better perspective.

“We have a very good team at an elite level,” Freiss said about his team’s fantastic start.

Elite. Yes, that word should sum it up pretty well.

This week, the Seawolves will try to keep up their scorching start when they head to Oregon for the Willamette Invitational. The competition will be held April 2-3 in Salem and will be another good opportunity for the ‘Wolves to keep improving their season bests.

So far, the Seawolves have posted 18 NCAA provisional marks – nine marks for both the women and men’s teams, to be exact.

There has been no shortage of great individual displays to start the 2010 season.

For instance, freshman Ethan Hewitt had a GNAC and UAA record setting win of 47.62 seconds in the 400m back on March 5 in Las Vegas.

Also, sophome Miram Kipngeno (16:59.24) and

sophomore Ruth Keino (17:00.03) finished first and second in the women’s 5000m event at the Occidental Distance Carnival on March 12.

Can’t forget about junior Demietrius Preston and his first place in the long jump competition, 24-6.09 feet, at the Northridge Invite March 12.

Clearly, this is a team that is chalked full of athletes who have already given strong performances in the young season. It is hard to really put one athlete’s season ahead of another, but Friess was quick to name off one that had stood out him personally.

‘We have a very good team at an elite level’

– Head Coach Michael Friess

“Alfred Kangogo has really stepped forward,” Friess said without hesitation. “He has nationally provisionally qualified for three events (already).”

Kangogo, who may have the best track and field last name in Seawolf history, has already improved his tremendous freshman year. In 2009, he was named the

GNAC’s Male Freshman of the Year award after qualifying for the NCAA’s in the 1,500 meters race.

So how does he top that this season? Simple, he goes out and surpasses his career bests in the 800m, 1500m and 5000m and receives provisional marks in all three events.

“He’s always, obviously, been good, but this season, he’s gone to another level,” Friess said.

This series of team success comes in the wake of losing two All-Americans from last year’s squad. 2008 Long Jump National Champion David Registe, junior, was forced to redshirt this season due to injury. By redshirting, he keeps another year of athletic eligibility and will be able to return for his senior year.

Also, junior Shaun Ward remains out with an injury and it is undetermined if he will return to action this season or be forced to sit out as well.

Despite the two key loses, other ‘Wolves have stepped up and made their own marks on the completions this year.

Having accomplished so much in such a small amount of time leaves no doubt about the Seawolf Track and Field team potential.

The future looks very bright for a UAA program that is solid on the both women’s and men’s sides.

Now as to whether we should have expected it or been surprised about their start, that’s another story in itself.

“We had a pretty good suspicion,” Friess said.

OVERTIME

NFL set to make much needed rule changes regarding overtime with ‘modified sudden death’ The heavily debated NFL overtime rules have finally been addressed and changed starting next postseason

By Taylor Hall The Northern Light

The sudden death that is NFL overtime finally was given new life after complaints throughout the league over the last decade.

The rule proposal was passed 28-4 during the NFL owners meetings held in Dallas this past week. This was after the competition committee, which is comprised of NFL front office members such as coaches, front office personnel and owners, recommended the changes be looked at. It also got the approval of league commissioner Roger Goodell.

“We feel this year’s proposal gave us the opportunity to [install] a pretty good rule,” committee co-chairman and president of the Atlanta Falcons Rich McKay said.

“Statistically we felt it needed to be changed. It wasn’t creating the fairest result as far as field goal accuracy, field goal distance and drive starts.”

The new rules for the “modified sudden death” are as follows: First, if the team that wins the coin toss (giving them first possession) is to score a touchdown on that first possession, they win.

However, if that team is held to a field goal on the first possession, the new rule will come into effect.

In years past, if a team scored any points that was the end of the game. This was usually the point of argument because statistics show that the team who got the ball first usually won without the other team having a possession.

Under the new rule, the team not receiving the ball first will get a possession to score a field goal to tie it or score a touchdown to win it. The rule also states that if the second team matches the first by scoring a field goal that the old sudden death rule format is used.

Whew, that’s a mouthful, you still with us here?

Now this rule change beckons in a new and much needed era in the NFL. However, something in the fine print may not be so clear as this rule is only in effect for the postseason portion of the season.

Simply put, the regular season overtime format is still garbage and in serious need of changes.

Of course, there is the chance that the owners and committee will look to this again when they next meet in May 2010. However, there is much skepticism if they will pull the trigger on making these changes permanent in the regular season. The reason being that they aren’t sure how effective it will be.

Alright; let me just stop it right there.

Have they seen the handful of games that have ended with one team up in arms about not touching the ball in the extra timeframe and complaints dished out by those teams’ players and coaches?

Change is needed big time in these cases and slow progress beats no progress on the subject.

It’s a good thing the owners didn’t adopt a new system such as featured in the college football ranks. Now, for those who don’t know how the college system is set up, the teams start at their opponent’s 25-yard line without a game clock. That teams possession ends when it scores or turns the ball over (missed field goal, turnover on downs, fumble, etc).

Is it entertaining for fans? Sure.

Is it how it was played during the game? No This format eliminates special teams to an extent, takes away from strategy and, most importantly, that’s not how the game is played for the 60 minutes leading up to the needed overtime.

Good work by the owners on the subject and here’s hoping to the regular season seeing this format very soon.

SPORTS BRIEFS Four Seawolves qualify for NCAAs The Alaska Anchorage track team lit up the track at the Stanford Invitational and Chabot Relays claiming four UAA records and posting four NCAA automatic qualifying times on March 27.

At the mostly Div. I Stanford Invite, junior Demietrius Preston registered the best long jump so far this season in Div. II. The Anchorage native won the event with an automatic qualifying time of 24-7.25, besting his personal best of 24-6.09, set March 13 at the Northridge Invite.

Breaking the old GNAC and UAA record in the 5000 meters was sophomore Ruth Keino, but Seattle Pacific’s Jessica Pixler set the new record at 15:44.07. A native of Kapcheno, Kenya, Keino raced to a time of 16:46.48.

Also running in the 5000 meters was sophomore Miriam Kipng’Eno, who was clocked at 16:48.00. Kipng’eno and Keino both booked themselves a ticket to the NCAA Championships

in Charlotte, N. C. (May 27-29) after bypassing the required time of 16:57.00.

Setting a new UAA record and posting an automatic time in the men’s steeplechase was freshman Micah Chelimo. The Kenyan was clocked at 8:58.79, easily hitting the 9:06.00 auto time. Chelimo overtook the Seawolf record that was set by current graduate assistant coach David Kiplagat (9:01.67), while just missing the GNAC record (8:58.62).

Freshman John Reed registered a UAA record in the triple jump at the Chabot Relays as the Alaska Anchorage track & field team wrapped up competition in the Bay Area on March 27.

The majority of the day was comprised of relays, with the Seawolves winning the 4,000m distance medley in a time of 10:34.61. UAA was represented by sophomore Thomas Hill, junior Levi Sutton, freshman Brad Truax and senior Paul Rottich.

The men’s team also won the 1600m Sprint Medley in a time of 3:38.35.

On the women’s side, the Seawolves were

also victorious in the distance medley with a time of 12:50.37. Sophomore Ariel Roelle was the lead leg, followed by junior Natalie Pfeifer, junior Alex West and freshman Kristen King as the final leg.

The Seawolves will next compete in the Willamette Invitational on April 2-3.

Seawolf Gymnasts finish up with highest marks of season

Despite scoring a season-high 190.725 points and getting outstanding performances from Kaelei Spoor and Lauren Agostino, the Alaska Anchorage gymnastics team placed fourth March 27 at the ninth annual Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Championships at Royal Brougham Pavilion.

UAA, which competed the second half of the season with an injury-riddled lineup, with 2009 team MVP Leah Wilson and defending MPSF bars champion Kristy Boswell lost to season-

ending ACL tears, still scored more than half a point better than its previous season-high of 190.200 set with a healthy roster back on Feb. 12.

The Seawolves produced a season-best 48.825 on floor exercise to earn the third-best score in program history, led by Spoor’s secondplace 9.875 routine. The sophomore from Rome, N.Y., tied the 10th-best individual floor score for a Seawolf, while her third-place 9.825 on balance beam tied for No. 4 on UAA’s all-time list and was just 0.025 shy of the school record.

Seniors Meagan Byrne (9.625) and Courtney Williams (9.675) set and tied their career-highs, respectively, while Agostino and sophomore Shakea Sanders produced impressive 9.75s on floor.

“We just couldn’t make up for the injuries on bars. Overall, the girls know they performed to the best of their ability and they feel good about that.”

Complied by Taylor Hall

March 30, 2010 | Sports

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LACROSSE: League makes waves in Anchorage

LOGAN TUTTLE/TNL

LOGAN TUTTLE/TNL

LOGAN TUTTLE/TNL

With help of volunteers and dedicated players, league has grown considerably and helped make lacrosse the new sport to play in a city that is typically dominated by the likes of hockey and soccer Continued from COVER war throughout the tribes.

Today, lacrosse has a bigger market in New England states as well as Colorado, Florida, and Texas. The development of the game is steadily on the upswing as more and more are playing the fast-paced, hard-hitting game that takes a similar look to some other more popular sports.

“It’s a close combination of soccer, hockey and football,” summed up Tim Vottis, a man who doubles as club treasurer and youth coach on top of playing for the men’s league alongside Beethe.

In what started as just a men’s league, Anchorage Lacrosse has grown and now features a women’s league as well as a youth league for 8-16 year olds. The men’s league is also planning to have the Anchorage Bush Pilots Lacrosse team travelling to the San Diego Lacrosse Tournament in April.

“15 eager souls are going down there to represent Anchorage in the first out-of-state lacrosse showing ever,” Vottis said with a hint of triumph in his tone.

One thing the league has benefitted from

is the crossover of local hockey players.

They trade in their curve-bladed hockey stick for the netted lacrosse stick and skates for cleats. These players tend to be some of the quickest learners and swiftly make their way up the ranks on the teams in terms of gaining skills.

‘It’s a close combination of soccer, hockey and football.’

– Tim Vottis, Anchorage Lacrosse Leaguer Take, for instance, young Dylan Zobel.

The new youth lacrosse player found the game to be very similar to hockey. The defenseman on the ice has quickly become

a solid middie and attack (lacrosse positions similar to midfielders and forwards in soccer) on the field.

And isn’t it fitting that the multi-sport athlete can easily find what he likes in the new sport.

“You get to knock people over and stuff,” Zobel said with a smile.

Dylan’s father, Tim Zobel, reiterated that this was an easy transition for his son to make due to the similarities.

“It’s pretty similar to hockey out there.

He likes running around and he loves the contact,” Tim Zobel said.

Perhaps another reason is the extreme difference in price between the two sports.

Compared to some of the ridiculous amounts players and parents dish out for ice time in town, the $60 to join Anchorage Lacrosse is a steal.

These fees are helped out big time, according to Vottis, to gracious volunteers and help of the AT&T Sports Center, who reduced the turf price for the league.

Without the help of both sides, it would

be very hard for the league to grow, especially during the winter months when membership drops a bit. The advertisement on the website and flyers has also helped bolster the number of players.

Nathan Kowalczk, one of the newest players in the men’s league, was intrigued when he saw one of these flyers when going to his soccer game. Kowalczk said that it didn’t take long for him to get attached and it made even easier by the guys in the league.

“The guys (took) me in day one and you get to play right away,” Kowalczk said.

Comments of this sort can only bode well for the bright future for the Anchorage Lacrosse league.

Why not get on the bandwagon and get in the game? Come on out, there’s always room for more.

Grab a stick, some pads and a helmet and put your skills to the test in this…well, maybe one of the guys can help us out here when describing Anchorage Lacrosse.

“In one word: awesome,” Kowalczk said.

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FEATURES

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HUNGER:Community organizers tackle child hunger in Alaska and reach out to UAA continueud from COVER

NICHOLAS MONEY/TNL

Kokayi Tehuti Nosakhere, community organizer and child hunger advocate with the Food Bank of Alaska and By 2015: alaska

“I was kind of naïve to (hunger), then once I opened my eyes, I saw it everywhere,” Williams said.

Since more than one in ten people in Anchorage are below the poverty line, chances are your classmates are included in this staggering statistic.

“I can think of three to five people right offhand in two to three of my classes who talk about needing food,” Williams said.

Kokayi Tehuti Nosakhere is an Anchorage organizer with a contagious energy for tackling issues of poverty and hunger. The Food Bank of Alaska, where Nosakhere works, reports that it serves 77,200 people annually and 15,300 per week, yet Nosakhere hopes to do more.

Nosakhere joined with friends from Leadership Anchorage, a program of the Alaska Humanities Forum that prepares

people to take key roles in the Anchorage community. Together the founded By 2015 :Alaska, an initiative with an ambitious mission: “to inspire America to feed 14.1 million American children,” by 2015.

Nosakhere made a presentation to the USUAA assembly March 19 on the initiative.

One of the initiative’s focuses is expanding school lunch programs to include breakfast, Nosakhere says he believes he has identified 2 million dollars allocated for school breakfasts in Alaska in a recent federal farm bill that has been not been put to use.

“The number one thing you can do to increase test scores overnight is feed the kids breakfast,” Nosakhere said.

BothNosakhere and Williams say they don’t have much faith in the government’s

Telemark, Alpine ski styles offer different techniques Free heel binding on telemark skis allows for technical turns, still not as popular as locked-in alpine bindings

By Katie Forstner The Northern Light

Almost everyone in the greater Anchorage area has some sort of snow sliding experience: sledding, snowboarding, snowmachining, skiing.

However, one of the bigger debates of the ski community resonates in the differences of telemark and alpine skiing.

At first glance, there doesn’t seem to be much variation between the two types of skiing.

Both, obviously, are skis used on the same slopes and each basically utilizes the same principle—the skier clips their foot into the binding, faces the fall line and bombs down the mountain.

Not so fast.

Alpine skiers are bait fishermen,” T.J. Miller said, a Health, Physical Education and Recreation professor at UAA. “And tele skiers are fly fishermen.

People upgrade to the grace and fluidness of fly fishing once they’re over the bait.”

Sondre Norheim, a Norwegian who is widely regarded as the father of modern skiing, is credited with inventing telemark skiing in the late 1800s. The new turn, which features an advanced lead ski and a raised heel and bent knee on the top ski, quickly caught fire on the steep slopes of Norway.

The free heel concept was ideal for the deep snow of Scandinavia. Many skiers were gunning it straight down the slopes and had very little turning radius on their edgeless skis.

The telemark turn allowed the rippers to turn quickly in the heavy powder.

Nevertheless, telemark skiing failed to catch on in the commercialized sectors of

recreational skiing in the 1900s, when alpine skiing emerged as a sport.

In the 1960’s, telemark skiing reemerged when backcountry skiing became popular. The free heel allowed for a Nordic-esque ascent to the top of a peak and the graceful, languid turns made

skiing transcended the sport to new heights. Today, over 40 million alpine skiers have access to over 300 resorts across the map.

“Lock the heel, keep it real,” Jeff Shelton said, a UAA student and all-around snow-sport activist.

efforts.

“I am all about empowering people to help themselves, and I think our government has failed or perhaps was never designed to be involved the way it is in the first place,” Williams said.

In his fight for school breakfast programs for Anchorage schools, Nosakhere says he draws inspiration from similar programs organized across the lower the 48 by the Black Panthers in the late 60s and early 70s.

Williams says she looks to community gardens, potlucks and free workshops teaching financial planning skills to build community support for people in need.

To volunteer or recieve food contact the Food Bank of Alaska http://www.foodbankofalaska.org/

NEWS editor needed Call the managing editor at 786.1313

‘Alpine skiers are bait fisherman and tele skiers are fly fisherman. People upgrade to the grace and fluidness of fly fishing once they’re over the bait.’

–T.J. Miller, UAA Health, Physical Education and Recreation Professor

an effective descent through untouched powder.

“Nowadays, with the new technology of the randonee setup, telemark skiing has lost its backcountry edginess,” Miller said. “Randonee makes it easy for alpiners to get backcountry turns.”

Despite the history behind telemarking, alpine skiing remains the most popular way to attack the fall line. Instead of using the free heel binding, alpiners lock their heels and use the pressure of their inside ski to make longer, radial turns.

Alpine skiing was invented roughly around the same time as telemark skiing. Once edges were installed on the wooden skis of the late 1800s and early 1900s, carving became easier and the speed and versatility of alpine

Alpine skiing is constantly evolving. New gear technologies boast skis that are specifically designed for women, for groomers, for powder and for backcountry. It is a speedy, exciting, endorphin-filled way to spend any day. Alpine skiing is a universally respected and almost elitist sport that fosters a sense of confidence and calmness, even when tackling the most challenging slopes.

“As you’re up there throwing turns and having fun, it doesn’t matter what your feet are strapped to,” Sam Ricketts said, a UAA student and avid alpine skier.

Regardless of ski preference, telemark or alpine, the whole notion remains. All snow people venture outside with the same idea: rip, ride and enjoy.

have an opinion?

make it count!

Your student newspaper seeks opinion columnists.

Start as a volunteer and move into a paid position Contact 786-1313 or content@thenorthernlight.org

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March 30, 2010 |

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FACT: Approximately 90% of victims of sexual assault on college campuses know their attacker.

Bonnie S. Fisher, et al., "Sexual Victimization of College Women." Washington, DC: U.S. Dept. of Justice; 2000.

Publication No. NCJ 182369

If you or someone you know needs help, call: AWAIC (Abused Women's Aid in Crisis) National Domestic Violence Hotline 1 (800) 799-SAFE (7233) (907) 272-0100 1 (800) 787-3224 (TTY)

Visit: www.ncadv.org

Anonymous & Confidential Help 24/7

www.feministcampus.org www.thesafespace.org www.awaic.org www.breakthecycle.org

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SOON ..fully. admitted students S IN G E B N IO T A R T UAA FAPriorLLity RReEgisGtraIStion begins at 12:01 a.m. All degree-seeking April 5

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PIN d To ensure an ID nt h UAOnline. . know your stude eligibility throug • Make sure you 46 or 786-1480 to reset your PIN rify registration ve 46 ay 6m 78 u ry. ll Yo ca ssa t. d ce an your accoun als where ne e are no holds on partment approv • Make sure ther tes and have demation. isi qu re epr e th ore infor have met • Make sure you partment and/or advisor for m courses. thdraw from your wi or Contact your de op dr ST MU u yo d, ten at e not to If you later decid

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ARTS&ENTERTAINMENT 12 A Doll’s House’ to open at UAA Mainstage Theatre Story about a woman abandoning her family set in Victorian era

By Heather Hamilton The Northern Light

Many women remember playing with dolls as children. Dressing the dolls up and playing pretend with them was a big part of growing up. However, when the little girls had finally grown into women, the dolls were cast aside for more practical endeavors.

“A Doll’s House,” a play by Henrik Ibsen, is about a wife and mother who grows tired of being treated like a doll by her possessive husband. The woman, Nora Helmer, chooses to abandon both her husband and their children to go on a journey of self-discovery.

The play was written in and takes place during the height of the

Victorian era. For a woman to abandon her family was unheard of in that time period, and according to David Edgecombe, the director of the UAA’s version of the production, it is as highly controversial a topic now as it was when the play was first presented in 1879.

“When Nora slams the door at the end of the play, it was the slam that changed the world,” he said, “It’s very controversial, even today, 130 years after it was written. It still brings up a whole lot of issues that I’m not sure we’ve completely satisfied yet.”

Edgecombe, a Theatre professor at UAA, was referring to the Women’s Rights Movement and went on to give the example that women, on average, are paid less than men for doing the same or similar work.

“We’re still doing a lot of sexist discrimination,” he said.

Karina Becker, a senior at UAA, portrays the play’s heroine, Nora Helmer. Nora’s husband, Torvald Helmer, is portrayed by senior Jon Minton; Nora’s friend Kristine is played by senior Julie Joy-Voss, Krogstad is played by junior Jaron Carlson, and Dr. Rank by junior Erik Holzschuh. All five of the main actors are theatre majors.

“A Doll’s House” premiers at the UAA Mainstage Theatre in the Fine Arts building on Friday, April 2 at 8 p.m., and runs until Sunday, April 18. Tickets are available at www.centertix.net, and range in price from $13 to $18.

SARAH NAFFZIGER/TNL

Jonathan Minton scolds Karina Becker, who plays his wife, for a misdeed during a rehearsal on Thursday, March 25th, at UAA’s Mainstage Theater. A Doll’s House begins Friday, April 2nd and runs through Sunday, April 18th.

A&E BRIEF Kachemak Bay Writer’s Conference

Early registration is open for the 2010 Kachemak Bay Writer’s Conference in Homer, Alaska. The conference, presented by UA’s Kenai Peninsula campus and hosted at Land’s End Resort Friday, June 11 through Tuesday, June 15, will feature creative writing workshops, panel presentations in several genres, readings and craft talks all conducted by 17 nationally recognized and awardwinning authors, editors and agents in the industry. Michael Cunningham, a Pulitzer-Prize winning novelist, is this year’s keynote presenter.

Optional events in this conference include: editor-agent consultations, manuscript reviews, a boat cruise, receptions and open mic.

The early registration, which applies until Friday, April 30, is $325. UA students admitted in a degree program have a reduced fee of $225 until Saturday, May 1. For more information, or to register for this conference, go to www.writersconference.homer.alaska.edu -Compiled by Heather Hamilton

WITNESS: Korn concert prequel to Atreyu and summer tour continueud from COVER

of slowing down.

“Hopefully we’ll get discovered, but in the worst case scenario, we’ll make a couple friends and a couple fans,” said Morrow regarding their upcoming tour.

Witness the End’s first EP album, “There is Hope,” is available for purchase on iTunes. The band’s new self-titled full-length CD, “Witness the End,” will be available for purchase on iTunes soon. For more information, go to www.myspace.com/witnesstheend907.

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3.30 – 4.5.2010

FOCUS

‘A Doll’s House’ A UAA Theater production of Henrik Ibsen’s “A Doll’s House,” a play about a young woman who leaves her controlling husband and children to embark on a journey of self-discovery, opens at the UAA Mainstage Theatre Friday, April 2 at 8 p.m. The play runs through April 18, showing on Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m., and Sundays at 3 p.m.

Tickets available at www. centertix.com

‘Works in Progress’ Poets Tom Sexton, Mike Burwell and Arlitia Jones present a group reading of their works titled “Works in Progress” at the Campus Bookstore Thursday, April 1 from 5 – 7 p.m.

LITERATURE

THEATER

‘Rounding Third’ A comedic play by Richard Dresser throws together an unlikely pair of little league coaches with disparate ideologies. Play opens at Out North Friday, April 2 at 7:30 p.m. and runs through April 24. Performances are Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 4 p.m., with the exception of Easter Sunday.

Tickets $18 online at www. outnorth.org, or $20 at the door.

FIRST FRIDAY

‘Plaids, Stripes, Stitches’ The new Modern Dwellers at 423 G Street hosts “Plaids, Stripes, Stitches,” a show of functional garments by Megan Bauman, Friday, April 2 from 5:30 – 8 p.m.

Anchorage Museum After making the First Friday rounds downtown, you might consider making a stop over at the Anchorage Museum’s First Friday event, where you can wander the exhibits for free, and enjoy a lecture by UAA art professor and print artist Garry Kaulitz, as well as live music by pianist Alexander Zlatkovski.

‘Experi Metal’ UAA metal and stone sculpture artists get their due in “Experi Metal,” a group show of students’ work at the International Gallery of Contemporary Art. Opening is Friday, April 2 from 5:30 – 7 p.m.

Flobots ‘dazzle’

By Bryan Dunagan The Northern Light

Following the indie-to-mainstream success of 2008’s “Fight With Tools,” the Flobots are back. With their hip hop beats, electric guitar riffs and thoughtful lyrics, “Survival Story” hits hard and dazzles the senses.

This time around, the music is about living in and rising from beneath the burdens of hardship. Sitting down and just having a listen is not possible; “Survival Story” compels the listener to do something.

The album opener “Cracks in the Surface” rightly sets the tone with powerful vocals and superb metal work. “IF I” is also an excellent track about wondering if one’s past will affect their future judgment.

However, the layered single “White Flag Warrior” has a message that seems lost in metaphor. With a socially proactive group like Flobots, it comes across as whiny and preachy.

Still, the album shines. Just expect a little more social commentary than the last time.

“Survival Story” The Flobots RECORD LABEL: Republic RELEASE DATE: March 16, 2010

★★★★

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MOVIE REVIEW

‘Bounty Hunter’ a mediocre romantic comedy

By Jena Benton The Northern Light

Sometimes all a viewer needs is a bit of light fluff and “The Bounty Hunter” fits that bill. It doesn’t intend to be an Oscar-winning drama or the most memorable romantic comedy ever written. It’s just meant to entertain.

As the title says, the movie is about a bounty hunter, Milo (Gerard Butler, “Law Abiding Citizen”), who is given the dream job of bringing in his ex-wife. This simple premise is quickly muddied by the fact that his ex-wife, Nicole (Jennifer Aniston, “Love Happens”), is a reporter hot on the trail of what she suspects is a murder story.

The movie is thus divided between comedy, romance

and mystery in such a way that it fails to satisfy in any of those genres. It’s not a great romance, it’s not a great comedy and it’s not a great mystery. It’s a lukewarm pass at all three.

The film does have funny moments that will make the audience snigger. There’s the harried boss and his apathetic secretary who support Milo; the co-worker who insists he has a relationship with Nicole after one drunken make-out session at a staff Christmas party; and the thugs who try to recover a gambling debt from Milo and are easily duped as a running gag.

“Bounty Hunter” offers nothing that hasn’t been seen before. The writing isn’t fresh and the dialogue is only passable.

The acting by Butler and Aniston is similarly mediocre.

Neither provides the best performance, especially given some of the better movies they’ve made.

“Bounty Hunter” as a whole is forgettable, but it’s at least a little entertaining.

“The Bounty Hunter” Directed by: Andy Tennant STARRING: Jennifer Aniston and Gerard Butler, RUN TIME: 110 min.

GENRE: Mystery romantic comedy

★★

GAME REVIEW

‘God of War III’ an epic finale with great effects

By Bryan Dunagan The Northern Light

“God of War III” is a masterpiece. The opening scene will drop even the most jaded gamer’s jaw.

The player once more assumes the role of Kratos, the fallen God of War. While riding on a Titan’s back, he fights the gods themselves, starting with Poseidon. Those first ten minutes show rage and violence as never before seen in a video game.

From there, the story opens up in the traditional way with twists, turns and the ultimate revenge.

The story ends the way it logically had to, but the finale is no less powerful for it. The last scene will have players’ hands trembling with sweat and white-knuckled with adrenaline.

The graphics are photo realistic with the exception of the artsy shots, which are shockingly good. The fire that

blazes from Kratos’ blades with each swing is random and realistic. Meanwhile, the water effects are the best in any game. Explosions are true to what one could expect from any Hollywood blockbuster. The blood spray looks real and so does the damage done to enemies.

The voice acting and sound is top-notch. Every titan speaks with a bass that rumbles in the very feet of the player. Footsteps sound differently depending on what is stepped on. And the sloshing of water and rain is truly amazing.

As for the gameplay itself, “GoW III” commonly requires backtracking, but the way it is presented will have the gamer wondering what unspeakable acts of violence will follow or what they will unlock. The most notable backtracking involves going back to Hades repeatedly to gain knowledge from Hephaestus, the grotesque and disfigured Forge Smith of the Gods.

Nearly every puzzle is well done. Figuring out how

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to traverse Hera’s Garden is particularly satisfying. One section of the game, The Labyrinth, is the best puzzle ever done in an action game. The level requires the player to put together boxes suspended by chains to make on larger box. Afterward, traversing the massive cube is difficult and rewarding.

The main complaint is that sometimes the players’ eyes will glaze over due to the action overkill happening on screen and at the gruesome violence that is sometimes too much.

Overall, “GoW III” it is a package worthy of the Gods. ““God of War III” Santa Monica Studio RELEASE DATE: March 16, 2010

★★ ★★

Aesop Rock

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with

Rob sonic and

dj big wiz

April 10, 2010 7:30pm

Wendy Williamson Auditorium

UAA STUDENT: $20 ADV GENERAL PUBLIC: $32 ADV

Tickets $5 more at the door. UAA Students must have valid UAA ID.

Buy tickets online at www.uaatix.com and Student Union Information Desk.

For more information visit www.uaa.alaska.edu/concertboard

UAA is an EO/AA employer and educational institution.

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Let’s show UAF what it means to be GREEN!

The UAA/UAF Sustainability Cup Smackdown UAA and UAF are battling it out to see which campus will have the highest grade on this year’s Sustainability Report Card.* The competition includes the losing school’s chancellor delivering the trophy (Sustainability Cup) to the chancellor of the winning school and preparing a “sustainable” meal for the chancellor of the winning school using locally grown products.

Help UAA win the challenge! Participate in UAA’s spring activities: • Alternative Transportation Week, April 5-9: Students, faculty and staff are encouraged to use alternative transportation to get to campus.

Follow students, faculty and staff as they ride the bus, their bikes and take their feet to the street to get to UAA. • Sustainability Pledge, March 22- April 30: Students, faculty and staff can track their actions to live a more sustainability-conscious life by reducing the resources they use and get cool UAA gear! Get the points sheet by visiting the Sustainability Web site at http://www.uaa.alaska.edu/sustainability/.

• Duplex Day, April 14: Spirit the Seawolf will visit campus office copy and printing rooms to make sure departments are using “duplex mode” when copying and printing.

• Dorm Electricity Challenge, March 15-April 15: UAA dorms will compete against one another to see which building can reduce their electricity use the most during this time period.

• Furniture/Clothes Recycle Week, FINALS WEEK, April 26-30: Students can recycle their used clothing and other still-valuable stuff instead of throwing things in the dumpster.

For additional information, please visit the UAA Sustainability Web site at http://www.uaa.alaska.edu/sustainability/. * Each year the Sustainable Endowments Institute assesses 300 public and private colleges and universities with the largest endowments and publishes the results on http://www.greenreportcard.org/ The 2010 (based on 2009) grade for UAA was a B- and UAF received a grade of a C-.

UAA is an EEO/AA employer and educational institution

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

EXECUTIVE EDITOR 786-1434 editor@thenorthernlight.org Suzanna Caldwell MANAGING EDITOR 786-1313 content@thenorthernlight.org Josh Edge COPY EDITOR copy@thenorthernlight.org Brittany Bennett NEWS EDITOR 786-1576 news@thenorthernlight.org Vacant FEATURES EDITOR 786-1567 features@thenorthernlight.org Katie Forstner A&E EDITOR 786-6198 arts@thenorthernlight.org Mary Noden Lochner SPORTS EDITOR 786-1512 sports@thenorthernlight.org Taylor Hall PHOTO EDITOR 786-1565 photo@thenorthernlight.org Leighann Seaman WEB EDITOR 786-1506 web@thenorthernlight.org John Norris LAYOUT EDITOR layout@thenorthernlight.org Lisa Wagner ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR news2@thenorthernlight.org Jerzy Shedlock ASSISTANT FEATURES EDITOR features2@thenorthernlight.org Joshua Tucker ASSISTANT A&E EDITOR arts2@thenorthernlight.org Heather Hamilton PHOTOGRAPHER Nicholas Money Sarah Naffziger Logan Tuttle GRAPHIC DESIGNER graphics@thenorthernlight.org Lindsay Johnson CONTRIBUTORS Jena Benton Kimberly Copadis Bryan Dunagan Carrigan Grigsby Casie Habetler Daniel McDonald Trevor O’Hara ADVERTISING MANAGER 786-4690 ads@thenorthernlight.org Mariya Proskuryakova ADVERTISING REPRESENTATIVE Vacant CIRCULATION ASSISTANT Munkh-Erdene Tsend-Ochir MEDIA ADVISER Paola Banchero ADMINISTRATIVE ADVISER Annie Route

EDITORIAL

Proposed bike plan needs our support Both citizens and assembly members are pushing for a new bike plan to be instituted in Anchorage.

This new bike plan could potentially introduce numerous additional bike paths throughout the city and would aim to reduce both the number of cars on the roads as well as collisions between bicyclists and motor vehicles.

This is a great idea and it is fantastic that most people have been so supportive of it, regardless of whether they bike to work or not.

The only real concern is the price tag, but in the current economic time every dollar seems to be under scrutiny – so this concern is not a new one.

Obviously, things will not change overnight, or even over a summer, but this is a piece of legislation that everyone should push for. With gas prices so high, the city is seeing more and more people riding their bikes as a major means of transportation.

Regardless of where people stand on the issue, they should support, or continue to support, the plan.

Everything from liability to a person’s efficiency in getting around town could be affected by the new trails, paths and bike lanes that would be added by passing this measure.

For those who are against cycling as a primary means of transportation or are against bikes being allowed on the roadways with automobile traffic, support of the legislation should not even be a question.

Building more bike lanes and bike paths around Anchorage would mean that there would be fewer bicyclists on the roads, therefore reducing the chances of vehicle against bicycle collisions and also reducing the time that those driving cars or trucks may lose if they get stuck behind one of those pesky cyclists.

If you are among those who do use a bike as a primary means of transportation, you

probably do not need to be convinced that this is a good thing. Biking in Anchorage can be a dangerous endeavor. Drivers here are not typically very cyclist, or pedestrian, friendly.

There are constantly cars stopped in the crosswalk at red lights while waiting for their chance to turn right, or maybe just for the light to turn green, which is hazardous for cyclists.

If this measure is passed, it will be a breath of relief for cyclists everywhere and would also be a good thing for drivers. But, the city of Anchorage needs to be vigilant as well, because new bike paths will not do any good if they are not cleared off in a timely manner during the winter.

Over the last few years, Anchorage has done a much better job of clearing sidewalks and bike paths, but there is still a lot of room for improvement, and improvement is imperative if this plan is going to work.

This plan is in the best interest of the community and needs all the support it can get.

SOAPBOX

‘The War on Democracy’ is irresponsible

By Daniel McDonald Special to The Northern Light

On Feb. 22, Students for Social Equality approached the UAA College Republicans with a request to co-host what they described as a “non-partisan” film titled The War on Democracy.

The invitation was offered without any real discussion of the content, but judging from their name alone there was already grounds for being skeptical of their motives. Anyone claiming to be in favor of social equality should immediately raise suspicion from those in favor of limited government. Their ultimate goal is first and foremost egalitarianism.

In contrast, most members of the College Republicans, being students of Milton Friedman, accept his observation that “a society that puts equality before freedom will get neither. A society that puts freedom before equality will get a high degree of both.”

Once we were able to gather some information on the documentary and its directors Christopher Martin and John Pilger (two men after Noam Chomsky’s own heart), the decision not to assist them became obvious.

Apparently there is nothing partisan about being in favor of Marxist theory. That is not to say that many of us were not interested in hearing other point of views, and a few decided to do just that.

The purpose of the film was to focus on the negative realities of U.S. interventionist policy in Latin America. The filmmakers did a relatively decent job of presenting the history of the several American-backed coups while painting the pre-existing regimes in a positive light.

The position that the U.S. ought to topple unfavorable regimes via the CIA is not one I am going to defend. There are plenty of problems with this film’s presentation without having to take up that issue.

The first comes from the title itself, this odd concept that democracy is somehow synonymous with good. It was pointed out numerous times that the leaders of certain countries fallen victim to interventionism were democratically elected, as if that mattered.

Democracy can be just as tyrannical as any other form of government if there are not laws in place protecting basic rights, with emphasis on property in this case. The tyranny of the majority, an idea popularized by John Stuart Mill, should come to mind.

The best illustration of this can be found with the one and only Presidente “it smells of sulfur” Chávez. The film depicts this thug as a valiant leader fighting against American imperialism, while providing his people with the benevolent fruits of socialism. Disregard his takeover of private property, drastic regulation of media and removal of presidential

term limits.

Since Chávez’s ascension to power, Venezuelan economic policies have been an utter failure. For example, in 2003 he implemented price controls on food aimed at protecting the poor, with the predictable result of shortages. His policies attempting to help the needy did just the opposite, but like all good socialists, one must not judge a policy by its results but rather by its intentions.

The other magnanimous hero of the oppressed classes praised by the filmmakers is Fidel Castro. The list of his crimes and failed policies are too numerous to mention, but are best displayed by the fact that many Cubans have navigated the dangerous waters of the Caribbean to seek refuge from his ruling in Miami.

This film is utterly irresponsible in its sugarcoated portrayal of tyrannical regimes that stifle the creativity and dignity of the individual.

As Winston Churchill correctly put it, “socialism is the philosophy of failure, the creed of ignorance and the gospel of envy.”

Mr. Chávez and his 21-century socialist movement will repeat the mistakes of their predecessors. They certainly do not need encouragement of misguided filmmakers, who ironically owe their success to the system they aim to destroy.

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

UAA ‘minor violations’ not so minor

By Michael Smith

Special to The Northern Light 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.­­­

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Regarding your March 23 article “Minor violations...concern for UAA food services,” I am disappointed in Caprioli’s conclusions!

Employees wiping mouths on clothing and whipped cream kept at too high of a temperature are things that lead to food poisoning. If health

PRIDE

Joe Biden… …because it’s a big f***ing deal.

services are finding these infractions, what is going on behind the doors of the kitchen when the department representatives aren’t present?

I mean, look at the pictures printed in the Northern Light: after seeing that I don’t want to eat Seawolf Dining again.

The only semi-sanitary place on campus to get food is Subway. Since Subway franchise has its own stringent rules, the place is actually

CHIDE Uninformed people… …for thinking they are informed about health care.

in decent shape. Rules on a large campus ought to be even stricter, as the risk of disease is greater in such high traffic areas.

If The Northern Light would like to make a difference on campus, how about championing some of these causes: like stepping up the quality of food in the Cuddy and Commons.

The newspaper ought to be a leverage tool to help voice student critiques and concerns.

CORRECTIONS

In the article “Strohmeyer remembered for deep involvement with UAA,” in our March 23 issue, Sylvia Broady is mistakenly referred to as the late wife of John Strohmeyer.

Broady is still alive and well. We apologize for this mistake.

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TNL

Comics| March 30, 2010

BROKECOMICS | Alec Fritz

TUNDRA l Chad Carpenter

CRYPTOQUOTE PUZZLE l Lindsay Johnson

Alaska places WORDSEARCH l Lindsay Johnson K T H O M A S B A Y T E S M C

A U E G R O E G T S N O O A L

G K S N T A N A N A Z N N S A

N O W K U Z K N F I T M F A R

O T V Y O S N B Q A A S A I E

O S G A A K P Z G I I U L L N

V H X L L B W U L A F L S E C

A D A H R D E I F W A T E T E

S N E E E I E O M O B A P S S

U S D N S K G Z H R W N A E T

Q Y K L A N W D A D I A S P R

H U A L A L Z T Y R U V S A A

I N T K S X I O D R M R E C I

D F E R A M H S I H S M P R T

V H U B B A R D G L A C I E R

AFOGNAK CAPE ST ELIAS CLARENCE STRAIT DENALI FALSE PASS HUBBARD GLACIER HYDER KUSKOKWIM RIVER LAKE ILIAMNA MONTAGUE ISLAND PRUDHOE BAY SAVOONGA SHISHMAREF ST GEORGE SULTANA TANANA THOMAS BAY TOK UNALASKA VALDEZ ARM

CROSSWORD

SUDOKU

this week’s SUDOKU solution

this week’s CROSSWORD solution

ACROSS 1 Play horseshoes 5 Boy from Baja 10 Crowds 14 “Laugh-In” name 15 Helicopter blade 16 General vicinity 17 Wolfish look 18 Protozoan 19 Dueler’s pride 20 Prize sharer 22 Japanese mat 24 Blondie’s shrieks 25 Candle lover 26 Nitpicks 29 Supplied, as food 33 AOL or Yahoo!

34 Tricks 36 Lyon’s river 37 Mystique 39 Do Latin homework 41 Twilight

42 44 46 47 49 51 52 53 56 60 61 63 64 65 66 67 68 69

Fountain in Rome Tree nymph Regret Racetrack Mouthed off Dapper Spock’s captain Tattered Ship’s compass housing Jai Part of LED Steel- - boots Hartford’s st.

An awful lot Director - Kazan Safecracker Common Market money Wander

DOWN 1 Bath powder

2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 21 23 25 26 27 28 29

Layered cookie Goulash Weekly program Starts (2 wds.)

Living quarters Route for Ben Hur Kernel holder Eloquent speaker Newspaper’s ID Whale like Shamu Joist Hindu attire Poet’s contraction Off-road vehicles Rumpled Decrees Grab the throne Buying frenzy Mason of whodunits

30 31 32 35 38 40 43 45 48 50 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 62

Letter ender Follow upon Faked out the goalie Anwar - of Egypt Getting even Simplicity - fixe Mild expletive Duck’s gait Ice Capades performer

Buster Suggestive Shampoo additive Urban threat Wild hog Wyo. neighbor Luke Skywalker’s sister Mellow cheese Debtor’s note

TNL HOROSCOPE l Stella Wilder The coming week is likely to demand of everyone a great deal more attention to the little things -- at work, at play, at home and abroad. Indeed, the inner workings of a thing are likely to be more important than they have been in quite some time, and those who enjoy looking at things through the microscope -- literally or figuratively -- can have quite a time of it. There will be much to see, much to observe, much to assess and analyze, and much to come to terms with in ways both large and small, but the key to it all will be in the details. This is no time to stop at the big picture; it’s the nitty-gritty that really counts.

When it comes to relationships, too, it will be the little things that make all the difference -- the small gesture that goes over big, the tiny glance that speaks volumes, the whispered “yes” or “no” or, more likely, the almost overlooked nod or shake of the head.

That which is small is very, very big this week.

March 30, 2010 | Comics

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APRIL 6,2010 7:00am-8:00pm

MUNICIPALITY OF ANCHORAGE NOTICE OF REGULAR ELECTION

ARIES

(March 21-April 4) -- You may wonder what went wrong recently -- and a quick but careful look back yields a great deal of telling information.

(April 5-April 19) -- Questions of taste are sure to arise, and it will behoove you to take the high road.

TAURUS

(April 20-May 5) -- A creative approach to an age-old problem can bring you closer to a permanent solution that everyone will be able to use eventually.

(May 6-May 20) -- It’ll be up to you to watch over those who need caretaking. You have skills and patience.

GEMINI

(May 21-June 6) -- You may find yourself borrowing some of a Taurus native’s fiery spirit in order to address a fast-developing situation.

(June 7-June 20) -- What brings you closer to friend and family members may surprise you. Don’t resist.

CANCER

(June 21-July 7) -- You may have to take greater care than usual to see that others don’t take advantage of you or your innate generosity.

(July 8-July 22) -- The financial picture is altered somewhat as a result of a deal made on the spur of the moment.

LEO

(July 23-Aug. 7) -- An experiment of sorts is likely to reveal much to you that is useful, but not in ways that you might have expected.

(Aug. 8-Aug. 22) -- Surprises come to you in many guises and in at least three distinct ways. Take advantage of downtime.

VIRGO

(Aug. 23-Sept. 7) -- You may find yourself dreaming of a time that was easier or simpler, but an honest assessment reveals that it was neither. (Sept. 8-Sept. 22) -- You may be the one responsible for an awkward situation getting out of hand. Don’t clam up.

Student Union Registered voters of the State of Alaska who reside within the Municipality of Anchorage are eligible to vote in these elections.

LIBRA

(Sept. 23-Oct. 7) -- The answers you uncover are likely to lead to more questions, but you will surely feel yourself getting nearer a personal goal.

(Oct. 8-Oct. 22) -- A loved one makes a request that challenges your sense of propriety. Why not take a chance?

SCORPIO

(Oct. 23-Nov. 7) -- The unusual proves irresistible to you at certain times, but someone you trust will keep you from losing your head completely.

(Nov. 8-Nov. 21) -- Don’t overcompensate for that which is not at all a fault or weakness.

SAGITTARIUS

(Nov. 22-Dec. 7) -- You may find yourself coming closer to making a dream come true than ever before, but you may not feel fully prepared just yet.

(Dec. 8-Dec. 21) -- Don’t overstate your case in any way. What goes unsaid matters most.

CAPRICORN

(Dec. 22-Jan. 6) -- Communication between you and a friend must not be allowed to deteriorate simply because you were shortsighted for a time.

(Jan. 7-Jan. 19) -- You and a loved one may find yourselves yearning for the old days -- and not without reason.

HOUSING FAIR 12pm to 3pm Student Union

AQUARIUS

(Jan. 20-Feb. 3) -- Business affairs may be colored by your unwillingness to forgive and forget. Ultimately, you must let bygones be bygones.

(Feb. 4-Feb. 18) -- How others see you -- and judge you -- will be more important to you than usual.

Meet a Leasing Agent!

(Feb. 19-March 5) -- It’s a good week to take one for the team and do something that demands a sacrifice on your part while it benefits the group in untold ways.

(March 6-March 20) -- You’ll win a good deal of respect by promoting a cause that is near and dear to your heart.

Find A Roommate!

PISCES

Find a Room!

For More Info: Call 786-1204

March 30th, 2010 Sponsored by the Real Estate & Management Club

UAA is not responsible for screening prospective applicants and/or landlords. UAA does not recieve complaints against renters and/or landlords.

UAA does not inspect, recommend, endorse, or guarantee housing represented at our housing fair.