February 4, 2020 by The Northern Light

FEBRUARY 4 - FEBRUARY 10, 2020

NEWS

UNIVERSITY OF ALASKA ANCHORAGE

A&E

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USUAA passes a resolution of approval for a proposed plan to consolidate UAA student fees.

THENORTHERNLIGHT.ORG

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The Year of the Rat brings a time for celebration, reflection and family gatherings as the Chinese New Year begins.

Word of Mouth: A new ramen restaurant in West Anchorage, open for a limited time PHOTOS BY JOEY CARREON

Kami Ramen is located at Roti Malaysian Bakery & Cafe at 5011 Arctic Blvd. Kami’s signature Hakata Style Tonkotsu Ramen features tonkotsu pork bone broth, chashu pork slices, bean sprouts, toasted seaweed, wood ear mushrooms, scallions, narutomaki (fishcake with a spiral pattern), beni shoga (Japenese pickled ginger) and a soft boiled egg.

Its most popular item on the menu is “Hakata events@thenorthernlight.org Style Tonkotsu Ramen.” Its Tonkotsu (pork bone Authentic ramen ex- broth), along with all of periences aren’t exactly their other broths, are common in Anchorage, made in-house via a 20but that’s what inspired hour process that involves Chiiwen Choo, owner, to cleaning and boiling open Kami, a pop-up ra- the bones. The noodles, men restaurant in West chashu pork and other topAnchorage that special- pings are made in-house, izes in authentic-style ra- as well — making for a men. ‌ bowl that stands toe-to-toe Kami is currently lo- with ramen bowls from cated at Roti, a Malaysian world-famous Japanese restaurant on Arctic Bou- ramen shops like Ichiran levard. While the pop-up and Ippudo, which Choo has seven different ramen said he drew inspiration bowls to choose from, it from. ‌ also offers items such as I opted for the Hakata chicken karaage, or Japa- Tonkotsu ramen, as per nese fried chicken, and Choo’s recommendachicken katsu curry bowls.‌ tion, and one can taste the By Joey Carreon

time and love poured into their broth, making for a sinfully rich experience. The broth is laden with rich, velvety pork flavor while delicately balancing umami with saltiness. The noodles were perfectly bouncy and stretchy, as ramen noodles should be, and the toppings were standard issue ramen toppings often found in Japan’s top ramen shops, such as onsen tamago, or soft boiled eggs. ‌ Everything about Kami’s ramen bowls has been meticulously thought out by Choo, even down the quality of bones they use.‌ “We have to clean the bones [to make the broth]. If you get a good supply of

the bones, you don’t have to clean that badly. But if your supplier doesn’t give you good bones, then you have to clean it [more] to get a good broth, otherwise, it won’t be that creamy or white in color,” Choo said. ‌ Choo, who is from Malaysia, has always had an interest in food. When Choo found out his friend, the owner of Roti, was going on vacation, Choo found the perfect opportunity to do something he has always wanted to do — open a ramen restaurant. ‌ “First of all, we don’t get fancy, good ramen up here [in Alaska] so, at home, I always try cooking ramen for myself and my friends. So I was like, ‘oh, yeah, I should [open a

ramen restaurant],’” Choo said. ‌ Along with being a ramen fanatic, Choo has plenty of food industry experience under his belt at only 30 years old. He has worked in kitchens at Yellowstone National Park and South Carolina, eventually leading him to the Singapore branch of Yamato Ramen School, a Japan-based ramen school where he learned the ins and outs of how to make ramen last year. ‌ In the weeks prior to opening Kami, Choo advertised the restaurant on various “free and for sale” Facebook groups and was welcomed with plenty of shares, comments and likes. Since opening Kami on Jan. 22, the pop-up has seen success thanks to

word of mouth and social media spreading the word like wildfire — so much so that Kami sold out of all its ramen on opening day.‌ “People really like [Kami] so far. Sometimes, if I make a mistake with the sauce being a little too salty, I take [customers’] feedback and try to make it better,” Choo said. ‌ Amidst all of the good feedback, Choo has plans to pursue Kami further than its current status as a pop-up, but it all “depends on the chances we get in the restaurant industry [here in Anchorage],” he said. ‌ For now, Kami and its ramen can be enjoyed until Feb. 15 at 5011 Arctic Blvd. For more updates from Kami, check out their Facebook page.‌

Can design help combat homelessness? Join us as we offer a space for community dialogue about houselessness and responses by local designers. The Houseless project encourages us to examine our responses to houselessness through Evicted, a photographic exhibition from the National Building Museum; an art and a design installation; plus space for sharing ideas. thenorthernlight.org

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On view Feb. 7 through April 5, 2020 Evicted is supported by a generous grant from the Avangrid Foundation. The exhibition is organized by the National Building Museum where it was made possible by gifts from Amy Falls, Ford Foundation and the Wells Fargo Housing Foundation. Houseless is presented at the Anchorage Museum with support from Davis Constructors, Providence Health and Services, Wells Fargo and Jan and Jeri van den Top.

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NEWS

THENORTHERNLIGHT.ORG TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2020

USUAA approves consolidated student fee proposal By Gabby Vance arts1@thenorthernlight.org

The Union of Students at the University of Alaska Anchorage, or USUAA, voted 7-0 in approval of a consolidated student fee proposal for the university. The model aims to streamline the fee process for both students and the university. ‌ “With 12 separate mandatory fees charged at varying amounts depending on course location, delivery method and total credit load, it becomes complicated for students to calculate the amount of their fees,” according to the proposal.‌ The consolidated student fee model proposes a flat-rate fee of $44.50 applied per credit hour to all credits regardless of delivery method, meaning students enrolled in eLearning courses would be charged the same fees as students enrolled in traditional courses. ‌ Of the $44.50, $38.50 per credit would cover program services and $6 per credit would cover facilities, making all students eligible for program services. Services covered by student fees include athletics, Concert Board, ePortfolio, the Green Fee Board, student government, student health and counseling services, student media, technology, transportation, eLearning and enrollment fees. ‌

“This is a way to say that we believe as an institution that these [services], as a package, are important and that students should be contributing towards that,” UAA Vice Chancellor Bruce Shultz said.‌ After reviewing the consolidated student fee proposal, gathering student feedback and meeting with Vice Chancellor Shultz, USUAA passed a resolution of support during their meeting on Jan. 31.‌ “It is not uncommon for the administration to bring proposals to our organizations and ask us what we think and ask us to solicit student feedback,” USUAA Vice President Brooke Hansen said. ‌ The current fee assessment model was approved by University of Alaska President Mark Hamilton and first utilized in 2004. The UA Statewide Office of Audit and Consulting Services Tuition and Fees Preliminary Audit report concluded that the current fee structure is “complex” and “burdensome” for administration and students. Over 6,000 students had incorrectlyassessed fees in fiscal year 2018, according to the proposal. ‌ “The university spends a lot of staff time on correcting mistakes in billing that are a result of [the current fee model],” Vice Chancellor Shultz said. “If we implement [the proposed consolidated fee] model, it should

IMAGE COURTESY OF THE UAA CAMPUS CONSOLIDATED STUDENT FEE PROPOSAL

Of the $44.50 flat-rate fee proposed in the consolidated student fee model, $38.50 per credit would cover program services and $6 per credit would cover facilities, making all students eligible for program services.

take care of those mistakes.” ‌ The estimated student impact of the fee consolidation is students enrolled in a higher number of online credits will see larger increases. Students taking fewer than six credits and more than 12 would see an increase as well. To ensure consistency, the senior citizen waiver would no longer be implemented for select fees under the proposed model, according to the consolidated fee proposal.‌ “Students who are enrolled in 12 credits on the Anchorage campus, in [the] classroom, will see a savings of about $111,” Vice Chancellor Shultz said. “Students enrolled in 12 distance credits will see an increase

in the amount they pay. Distance students don’t pay, currently, for the student activities fee, the athletics fee and so forth. ” ‌ The proposed model is not intended to increase revenue for the university, according to Vice Chancellor Shultz. Since eLearning students would contribute to the student fees as well as the distance learning fees, revenue would remain fairly consistent. The current revenue collected from student fees, in fiscal year 2019, was $9,143,456. The projected revenue for the proposed consolidated fee model is $9,284,175. ‌ “This change is not intended to increase revenue for the fee areas. It’s designed to produce

UAA Q&A: The UA Alert system By Jason Herr layout@thenorthernlight.org

There is more to the UAA campus than classes, student activities and sporting events. There are also emergencies.‌ How does the UAA alert notification system work?‌ No emergency situation is the same and requires different reporting to students, staff, faculty and the public. The type of emergency determines what information is released and how it is shared.‌ Each type of alert has different criteria for reporting, according to the UAA Safety Notification Frequently Asked Questions. • “Emergency notifications are issued by UAA’s Incident Management Team in the event of certain emergency situations.” • “Timely warning notices are used to inform the campus community about the occurrence of crimes that pose an ongoing threat to the

campus community and [alerts] are required by federal law under the Clery Act.” • “Seawolf Advisories may be issued to inform the community about other safety-related information that is not covered by the Timely Warning notices or Emergency Notification policies.”‌ “The emergency notification[s] and the timely warning [alerts] both fall under the Clery Act,” University Police Department Chief Jeff Earle said.‌ The Clery Act requires the reporting of specific crimes to the campus community. Officially known as the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Crime Statistics Act, the Clery Act requires higher institutions like UAA to provide warnings to their campus community, and to collect, report and share collected information with the campus community, the Department of Education and the public.‌ Crimes required to be reported by the Clery Act include arson, murder and

GRAPHIC BY MICHAELINE COLLINS

non-negligent manslaughter. Additional crimes and their definitions can be found in the Annual Security and Fire Safety Report provided by UAA in the fall.‌ “Emergency notifications are issued either by UPD or UAA’s Incident Management team, based upon confirmation of an immediate threat of life or safety,” Chief Earle said. “Those would be something along the lines like if we had an active shooter on the campus, [or] possibly a bomb threat.”‌ Other examples of emergencies that would utilize the emergency notification system are the November 2018 earthquake, gas leaks or fires, all of which UAA has ex-

perienced in the past 18 months. ‌ When emergencies such as these occur, students, staff and faculty will receive information via email, telephone and texts from UA Alerts. ‌ “[A] timely warning [notice] has to do specifically with the Clery Act reportable crimes, and the requirement is that the university evaluates each one of those instances as to whether or not it’s appropriate to release a notification to the community,” Chief Earle said.‌ Once a decision has been made by the Incident Management team to release the information, the necessary details will be provided to the campus community through email

the same amount of revenue as it does this year, based on our enrollment projections,” Vice Chancellor Shultz said. ‌ Rather than a revenue increase, the proposed benefits of the fee structure include better predictability of attendance cost, consistency, a flat rate per credit, mitigated revenue loss from online courses and less confusion about the eligibility of fee-based services, according to the proposal. ‌ The UAA campus consolidated student fee proposal will now go through the administration for review and decision making. Vice Chancellor Shultz hopes to implement the new model in the fall semester of 2020. ‌

or the methods outlined under the emergency notifications requirements.‌ “The purpose of [releasing timely warning notices], as it relates to those specifically identified crimes, allows the community to take appropriate safety precautions,” Chief Earle said.‌ An example of the timely warning system in action would be an increased number of stolen vehicles on the campus. The UAA Incident Management team would work together to notify students, staff and faculty in order for the community to be aware that vehicle theft is currently an issue and to make sure their vehicle is secure.‌ “In an event like [increased vehicle thefts], we would consider communicating with the campus and saying ‘hey, here’s an uptick in something happening,’” Chief Earle said. “We want you to be aware and go from there to take safety steps.”‌ To receive information on timely warning notices or emergency notifications, students must make sure that their contact information is updated in the UAOnline system. The contact information listed in a student’s account will be the avenues of communication.‌ The Seawolf Adviso-

ries are used primarily for communicating information that will affect students, but are not required to report under the Clery Act and is not an immediate threat to life or safety. These advisories can encompass situations including winter weather advisories, road closures or building closures.‌ Seawolf Advisories are an opt-in program, and students must signup to receive the service. To sign-up, students will need to login to their UAOnline account and go to the personal information tab. In the dialogue box that appears, students can select the option to accept text messages and voice calls for non-emergency use.‌ “Safety is paramount. We do our absolute best to make sure that people are afforded the information they need to make safe choices,” Chief Earle said.‌ Chief Earle invites anyone looking for more information on safety and the UAA campus to reach out to UPD at their offices in the Eugene Short Hall, through email at mjearle@ alaska.edu or by phone at (907) 786-1120.‌ Do you have a question about or for UAA? Send your questions to layout@ thenorthernlight.org and we’ll find the answer.‌

FEATURES Campus jobs work for students By Christina Swayney features2@thenorthernlight.org

Balancing both school and work as a college student can be difficult. Working on campus can be a solution, as many UAA jobs work with school schedules.‌ There is a multitude of employment opportunities on campus. Positions range from permanent faculty positions to part-time student jobs, such as baristas at Kaladi Brother’s Coffee or the Union Station Cafe, student assistant to the Dean, research in the Anthropology Department, a cashier at the campus bookstore and administrative help with Student Services. There are also temporary and internship opportunities. ‌ Leslie Evangelista is a senior at UAA triple ma-

joring in business management, marketing and journalism. She currently works in Student Services as a scheduling assistant, helping students get the information they need to register for classes and connecting them with advisers. Getting a school job was a smooth transition for her, she said.‌ “It was a pretty easy process and it’s pretty convenient as well, being on campus,” Evangelista said.‌ Marcie Stavich is the HR systems and records manager at UAA. She encourages students to apply for campus jobs for the schedule flexibility.‌ “The university understands that the university’s first priority is school. We really try to make sure we work with the student’s schedules, so that they have time for their studies,” Stavich said.‌

UAA offers many outside career resources at The UAA Career Exploration & Services, or CES. CES provides services such as mock interviews, resume writing, career and professional development workshops and programs and access to internship shadowing programs.‌ CES is available in person at the University Hub in the Social Sciences Building, room 142. It can also be reached by phone at (907) 786-6913, email at uaa_career@alaska.edu or through their Facebook page, where events are posted.‌ The next CES event is The 2020 Anchorage City-Wide Career & Job Fair on Feb. 21, from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. It will be held at the University Center Mall. Employers will be in attendance providing interviews and applicants

UPD report: Jan. 21– 27 Total calls for service: 287 Jan. 21: • Lost property in the Sally Monserud Hall. • Medical emergency on UAA Drive. Jan. 22: • Suicidal ideations (location withheld). • Medical assistance in the Allied Health Sciences Building. • Traffic accident: non-injury in the North Lot. • Harassment in the Eugene Short Hall. • Trespass in the Engineering and Computation Building.

Jan. 23: • Suicidal ideation (location withheld). Jan. 24: • Mental health issue (location withheld). Jan. 25: • Disturbance in the Main Apartement Complex #6. Jan. 26: • Stolen vehicle in the Alder Lot.

THENORTHERNLIGHT.ORG TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2020

PHOTO BY JASON HERR

UAA Career Exploration & Services helps students prepare for their career goals during a job fair in May of 2019.

should arrive professionally dressed and have resumes on hand.‌ Handshake, a job search and networking site, can also be accessed through the CES website. Students sign up through the website or the app, which is available through the App Store and Google Play at no charge. Search criteria for available posi-

tions can be tailored to the student’s preferences during applications and the app notifies users of positions once they become available.‌ To work on campus, students must be registered for six or more credits for the semester at UAA, be scheduled to work no more than 20 hours a week, so as not to

interfere with school work and, once working, maintain a 2.0 GPA. ‌ Students can add their information for employment opportunities by joining the UAA job pool by department through careers.alaska.edu or contacting CES. There are currently over 100 student positions available.

& AE

THENORTHERNLIGHT.ORG TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2020

Like junk food, some video games are easy to enjoy but aren’t nutritious PHOTO COURTESY OF FREESTOCKS.ORG ON UNSPLASH

By John Novotny arts@thenorthernlight.org

It’s only the fourth week of the semester, and I’m already beginning to feel that sense of being constantly overwhelmed with homework and only barely able to scrape by to the next week. Every Monday, I’m greeted with the same feeling of perpetual drowning, only being able to surface for a second to catch my breath before being pushed under the surface by yet another monstrous wave. ‌ A combination of physical fatigue and mental stress has led me to play what I’ve been calling “junk food games.” I’ve been playing games like Assassin’s Creed: Odyssey and Rage 2, games that don’t require much thought or effort. They’re easy to just start, put on a podcast or music for a while and not think. These junk food games are the sort that I only play because I know I couldn’t focus and lack the mental energy to play games that I know are better. They’re a way to fill the silence, like putting on a TV show in the background. ‌ There’s a distinction to be made here between junk food games and games that put you “in the zone.” Games that put you in the zone actively demand your attention. Doom’s combat chess makes the player think about which demon to target first and where they’ll move to dodge an incoming fireball. Especially on the harder difficulties, Doom is relentless in demanding the player’s attention. I have a similar reaction when I’m driving a supercar in Forza Horizon 4. I’m thinking about how fast and sharp I’m going to take the next corner so that I don’t careen

Playing junk food games is like watching “The Office” for the tenth time instead of starting a new show: it’s comforting.

off the road and smash into a tree.‌ Junk food games, on the other hand, don’t demand my attention at all. I’m not immersed in the world of the game or paying any true amount of attention to the story. I’m plainly engaging in the game’s systems, usually to get better items, like weapons and armor, while listening to something else. That means competitive multiplayer games like Overwatch or Call of Duty, where I risk becoming angry about repeated deaths, absolutely don’t qualify as my type of junk food games.‌ If the idea of a junk food game sounds familiar, it might be because almost all Ubisoft games can be described this way: Assassin’s Creed Odyssey, Far Cry 5,

Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Wildlands, Steep and The Crew 2. Every single-player Ubisoft game follows the junk food game model of completing objectives represented as icons on a map. ‌ These games all take an inordinately long time to beat. The average time to complete all the icon objectives is 66 hours, according to How Long to Beat. The game that takes the longest to 100% complete is Assassin’s Creed Odyssey at 122 hours. That’s a lot of time to spend on a game that values quantity over quality, not to say you can’t have fun playing it, though. ‌ I have a small library of last year’s critically acclaimed games just sitting on my desktop, staring at me, as I routinely say to myself, “I’ll get around to playing that soon,” only to move my cursor away from their icons and launch a junk food game. It’s gotten to the point where I feel guilty for owning these great games, but just going back to what’s comfortable.‌ I think part of the reason why I feel compelled to play those critically acclaimed games is because I want to write about video games professionally, so I should be on the up-and-up and know about these games. However, I think another part of me that’s much more relatable is that I want to be a part of the discussion of these games. I want to have a story about the first time I encountered Mr. X in the Resident Evil 2 remake. I want to defeat the guardian ape boss after dying dozens of times in Sekiro. ‌ After spending 57 hours absent-mindedly playing Assassin’s Creed Odyssey before coming to my senses, I’m mostly wondering why I keep trying to force myself to play the critically acclaimed games. Is it just because of a fear of missing out or because I can’t admit to myself that the game I’ve spent 57 hours playing might be compelling for the opposite reason the developers intended? I still want to play the text-heavy Disco Elysium and experience more of the methodical shinobi combat of Sekiro, but I’ll bet dollars to doughnuts that come next Monday, I still won’t be playing any of those critically acclaimed games waiting patiently on my desktop.‌

& AE

THENORTHERNLIGHT.ORG TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2020

Embrace your inner rat this Chinese New Year By Gabby Vance arts1@thenorthernlight.org

This Chinese New Year celebrated the year of the rat and China’s most important holiday, according to History.com. ‌ Chinese New Year is widely revered, with over 20% of the world welcoming new beginnings and fresh starts by celebrating the holiday, according to chinesenewyear.net. This website includes articles about Chinese New Year traditions, festivities and zodiac animals. Also known as the Spring Festival, Chinese New Year marks the end of the coldest days and welcomes spring harvests. This year’s Chinese New Year was celebrated on Jan. 25.‌ The holiday traditionally functioned as a time to honor chinese gods and ancestors. Chinese people would pray to the gods for a good harvest season. The ancient lunar calendar, which Chinese New Year is based upon, served as a social and religious guide. Chinese New Year usually begins with the new moon at the end of January and is celebrated until the full moon in February.‌ “Oracle bones inscribed with astronomical records indicate that the calendar existed as early as 14th century B.C., when the Shang Dynasty was in power,” a

History article stated.‌ 2020 is the Chinese year of the rat, one of the 12 zodiac animals. The rat is the first zodiac animal and represents the beginning of a new day, according to chinesenewyear.net. Rats are seen as signs of wealth and surplus in Chinese culture, and are prayed to by married couples for children. ‌ An important aspect of Chinese New Year is the reunion with family, according to chinesenewyear.net. Feasting with family is another symbolic aspect of the holiday. This tradition causes the largest amount of travel in the world. ‌ “In 2015, statistics showed that around 1,000 [plane] tickets were sold each second,” a Chinese New Year article stated.‌ Throughout the New Year celebration, red becomes the color of choice. Red lanterns, strings of chili pepper and paper cover doors, windows and most homes. In Chinese culture, red clothing is purchased and worn for luck. ‌ A popular tradition on Chinese New Year is lighting fireworks. A Chinese myth tells the story of a little boy who fought off a monster using firecrackers. Those who celebrate stay up on New Year’s Eve and set off firecrackers that night and again in the morning for good luck. Chinese families also burn fake

PHOTOS COURTESY OF CHINESENEWYEAR.NET

Festival-goers celebrate Chinese New Year in London, UK.

money and paper gold bars as a way to honor loved ones who’ve passed away, according to chinesenewyear.net. ‌ The end of Chinese New Year is marked by a lantern festival. Many lantern festivals are held all over China during the New Year. The activities at the festival include moon gazing, riddles, dances and lantern lighting. In ancient China, women weren’t allowed out of the house to walk around by themselves,

Red decorations, such as lanterns, strings of chili peppers and paper coverings, along with clothing, help to bring luck in the new year.

according to chinesenewyear. net. However, they were allowed to walk around freely, play games and socialize with men. Although this is no longer the case, the event is still considered to be very romantic.‌ “The wild and romantic stories are why some say the Lantern Festival is the true Chinese Valentine’s Day,” a Chinese New Year article stated. ‌ The festival celebrates the most important parts of the Chi-

nese New Year: family and society, along with religious traditions. Hundreds of lanterns are released into the sky varying in style and size. One famous lantern variation is the Kongming lantern, which represents hope, success and happiness. Vibrant and unique versions of lanterns are either made or purchased to be used during the festival.‌ Chinese New Year is filled with unique traditions and festivals that celebrate the new year.‌

The end of Chinese New Year is marked by a lantern festival, filled with vibrant lanterns varying in style and size.

SPORTS

THENORTHERNLIGHT.ORG TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2020

NBA Midterm Grades: The league’s biggest underachievers and overachievers By Joey Carreon events@thenorthernlight.org

They say pressure makes diamonds, but not for some of the NBA teams who haven’t lived up to their lofty expectations this season. ‌ The NBA season has reached its halfway point, with All-Star Weekend right around the corner, and in usual, dramatic NBA fashion, there are plenty of teams who have shocked the league for better or for worse. ‌ Here is a look at the NBA’s biggest underperformers and overperformers of the season thus far.‌ Underperformers:‌ Minnesota Timberwolves (15-32, 14th in the Western Conference)‌ The Timberwolves are no stranger to being a horrendous disappointment, but this year, they’ve somehow outdone them-

selves. ‌ Out of the 47 games they’ve played, the Wolves find themselves the second-worst team in the Western Conference. ‌ Sure, they’ve parted ways with guards Jeff Teague and Derrick Rose, but they still have Andrew Wiggins and generational talent in Karl-Anthony Towns — both of whom are having the best statistical seasons of their careers, with Towns putting up a monstrous 27 points and 10.8 rebounds per contest and Wiggins posting nearly 23 points per game. Complimentary wings like Robert Covington and Josh Okogie are definitely worth mentioning as well. ‌ The Wolves by no means have a star-studded roster destined for playoff success, but they have been absolutely disgusting recently — losing their last 10 games. The Wolves are also among the league’s worst in offensive

rating, tied for the 28th worst field-goal percentage (43%), and are boasting the league’s worst 3-point shooting percentage (32%). Big changes need to happen in the organization — whether it be the team or the front office. ‌

Philadelphia 76ers (3117, sixth in the Eastern Conference) At the beginning of the season, expectations for Philadelphia were lofty to say the least. Boasting an absolute juggernaut of a starting lineup, whose average height is 6-feet9-inches, many expected Philadelphia to be the clear-cut contender in the East with the departure of Kawhi Leonard to Los Angeles. ‌ Since then, however, the 76ers find themselves with similar problems they’ve always had: a lack of perimeter shooting, a lack of bench depth and a poor fit between their two

PHOTO COURTESY OF SUE OGROCKI/ASSOCIATED PRESS

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Despite career-best seasons from Karl-Anthony Towns (right) and Andrew Wiggins (middle), the Minnesota Timberwolves still find themselves near the bottom of the Western Conference ladder.

best players Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid. ‌ This is apparent in Philly being ranked 23rd in the league in made and attempted 3-pointers and 20th in offensive rating. The 76ers are simply struggling to string together an efficient offense and it doesn’t help that Embiid has only played in 32 of 48 games this season due to injuries. Philly is a team that would benefit greatly from a trade before the Feb. 7 trade deadline — perhaps for some perimeter scoring in Derrick Rose, Bogdan Bogdanovic, Danilo Gallinari or Robert Covington. ‌ Overperformers:‌

The Oklahoma City Thunder thrived behind their three-guard lineup of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (left), Chris Paul (right) and Dennis Schröder.

Dallas Mavericks (29-18, fifth in the Western Conference)‌ Two words: Luka. Dončić.‌ Nobody could have expected the Wunderkind Luka to explode into a bonafide superstar this year. Even with frontcourt partner-in-crime Kri-

staps Porziņģis missing 11 games this year due to injury, Luka has not only led the Mavericks to wins, but the best offensive rating in the league this season. With only three or four games separating the third seed from the seventh seed in the powerhouse West, it’s not a stretch to say that the Mavs could end up finishing the season among the top of the Western Conference ladder. ‌ The Mavericks are poised to be a force to be reckoned with in the foreseeable future. ‌ Oklahoma City Thunder (29-20, seventh in the Western Conference)‌ Remember how Oklahoma City was the laughing stock of last year’s offseason? Remember Damian Lillard’s heartbreaking 3-pointer that booted OKC out of the playoffs? Remember Paul George and Russell Westbrook leaving for greener pastures?‌ The Thunder sure doesn’t.‌ Since the end of the

Westbrook-era Thunder, Chris Paul and friends have quietly shocked the entire NBA as one of the better teams in the loaded West. ‌ There were several question marks surrounding Chris Paul as to whether he would be healthy or even remain on the team past the trade deadline, but CP3 has quickly shut up all naysayers, putting up 17.1 points and 6.5 assists per game on near-career-best efficiency. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is also enjoying a breakout year as one of the league’s brightest young point guards and players like Danilo Gallinari, Dennis Schroder and Steven Adams are contributing consistently as well. ‌ With perhaps the largest supply of draft picks in the league and a future face-of-the-franchise in Gilgeous-Alexander, get used to the Thunder trending upward. ‌

OPINION

KRUA Album Review: ‘The Astronaut’ By William Jhonson Contributor

“The Astronaut” by Wax Fang is a concept album about a man falling into a black hole. The album progressively gets more and more experimental as it goes on, something that reflects the surreal nature of a black hole. One of the things that I really appreciate about the album is the way it tells its story. The vocals, what few there are, are largely reserved for the astronaut telling the listener what he thinks/feels, while the instruments tell the listener what the black hole is like. The album features amazing guitar work,

excellent vocals, beautiful calm sections and wonderfully-fitting spacey electronic passages. “The Astronaut” is the kind of album that you should listen to all the way through in one sitting. Personally, I find the album to be a very relaxing experience, despite some of the more intense sections. If you like psychedelic and prog rock, this is an album for you. Sit back, get some nice headphones and relax for the best experience. William Jhonson Hip-hop and country music screening at KRUA Host of The Dark North

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KRUA Top 30: Week of Jan. 27

PR & Events Coordinator Joey Carreon events@thenorthernlight.org Graphic Designer Michaeline Collins media@thenorthernlight.org‌ Marketing Representative Krizelle Solidum marketing@thenorthernlight.org Media Adviser Paola Banchero‌ Administrative Adviser Zac Clark‌

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EVENTS

THENORTHERNLIGHT.ORG TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2020

Get off the couch! By Christina Swayney features2@thenorthernlight.org

It may be cold outside, but there is always something to do on campus or around town. Here are a few events happening this week that are sure to get you off the couch. On-Campus: FILM: Always in Season What: This film “explores the lingering impact of more than a century of lynching African Americans and connects this form of historic racial terrorism to racial violence today,” according to the official website. It has won several awards, including the Sundance Film Festival Special Jury Prize for Moral Urgency. When: Feb. 5, 7–9 p.m. Where: UAA Multicultural Center, Rasmuson Hall, room 101 Cost: Admission is free for students. Parking is

When: Feb. 13, 7–9 p.m. Where: Alaska Airlines Center Gymnasium Cost: Free to UAA students with a valid WolfCard.

free in the West, North West Central and South Lots. Singles Night: Anti-Valentine’s Day Dance What: Students can enjoy a night of dancing to break-up songs at the Anti-Valentine Day Dance. Free cookies, pizza and a chocolate fountain will be provided. Though it is a single’s dance, couples are welcome. When: Feb. 6, 7-10 p.m. Where: The Student Union Den Cost: This event is free for UAA students courtesy of UAA Student Activities and Commuter Programs. Open Mic Night ft. Troy Bond (Comedian) What: Troy Bond is a stand-up comedian, currently active in the New York Comedy scene, performing at clubs such as Gotham Comedy Club, Greenwich Village Comedy Club, The Comic Strip Live and Broadway Com-

Men’s Basketball What: UAA Men’s Basketball vs. Central Washington When: Feb. 15, 7–9 p.m. Where: Alaska Airlines Center Gymnasium Cost: Free to UAA students with a valid WolfCard. Around Town: GRAPHIC BY MICHAELINE COLLINS

edy Club. After Open Mic for students, Bond will perform on stage. When: Feb. 13, from 7- 9 p.m. Where: The Student Union Den Cost: This event is free for UAA students courtesy of UAA Student Activities and Commuter Programs. Snacks and beverages will be provided. Seawolf Athletics:

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Women’s Basketball What: UAA Women’s Basketball vs. UAF When: Feb. 11, 7–9 p.m. Where: Alaska Airlines Center Gymnasium Cost: Free to UAA students with a valid WolfCard. Men’s Basketball What: UAA Men’s Basketball vs. Northwest Nazarene

Zoo Lights What: Attendees can visit the animals at the Alaska Zoo and walk around enjoying the whimsical light displays. When: Feb. 1-March 1, 6:30-8:30 p.m. Where: The Alaska Zoo (4731 O’Malley Road) Cost: $10 for non-members and $8 for members. Tickets can be purchased at alaskazoo.org or at the zoo gate during operational hours.

Paint Night: Red Umbrella II What: Enjoy a guided painting session with drinks and fun. This is a 21 and over event. When: Feb. 4, 7-9 p.m. Attendees are advised to arrive 15-30 minutes early. Where: Matanuska Brewing Company Anchorage (2830 C St.) Cost: The painting session costs $38 per person and all art supplies are included. Drinks can be purchased separately. First Friday with Scared Scriptless! What: Scared Scriptless is Alaska’s longestrunning comedy improv show. Each show is created on the spot with audience suggestions, participation and games. This is a 21 and over event. When: Feb. 7, 8-9:30 p.m. Where: 49th State Brewing Co Anchorage (717 W. Third Ave.) Cost: Tickets are $13 online and $15 at the door. Military and student discounts are available.

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