love this plac University of Alaska Anchorage Department of Journalism and Public Communications ~.truenorthmag.net Go Here www.penatr.com• To Get There ST. PAUL Now you can book on-line with PenAir and enjoy the convenience of e-ticketing. 1-800-448-4226 True North Letter From The Editor ~tllJ~ . The staff of True North considers it a blessing and slight burden to carry on the legacy of this magazine. For 12 years, True North has showcased the distinctiveness of Anchorage, and the university that is its quiet economic and cultural force. This year is no exception. True North 2006 revels in some of the essential reasons to love where we live. We will introduce you to some local cowpokes and let you in on what comes after competing in the Olympics. We're pretty sure we know exactly how you should spend your tax refund and we suggest how to get around, "get down," and enjoy the summer sun. We have an insider's view of plastic surgery in the Last Frontier. And, just like any other college class, there's a test at the end, but the only study guide you'll need is a pair of bunny boots and a roll of duct tape. It was my pleasure this year to work with such an exceptional staff. As individuals, we are privileged to do something we love and (eventually) make a living from it. Each writer, photographer and designer for TN has drawn from a source of creativity and managed to stay confident and positive despite obstacles. We hope that what you discover this year is not only enjoyable, but also encourages you to go out and unearth your own reasons to love this place. - Forrest Schroeder-Einwiller, editor in chief True North Vol. 12 A production of the UAA Department of Journalism and Public CommunicatlOns Assistant Professor Paola Banchero, True North adviser 907-786-4194 truenorthmag net/ truenorth(iI,uaa.alaska.edu 1 True North Table ents Love This Place Community 49th state of mind Inside Juneau Keep the spirit alive Working for the powerful Page 37 Page 10-11 Are you a true Alaskan? Find out if you are a true blue Plastic Alaska Alaskan Not just in Beverly Hills Page 30 anymore Page 12-14 Get Out Tax refund spending On the right track 10 ways to blow it AnchorRIDES rolls Page 3 Page 15 Midnight sun madness Let the sun shine Men without shame Page 4-5 Bob and Mark rock the airwaves Bartending bloopers Page 16-18 Surreal memories Page 6-7 Musical discrimination Determined UAA restricts musical genres Local music promoter to thwart risky behavior Heather Prunty Page 20-21 Page 8-9 Lifestyles Sports/ Outdoors Enhanced entertaining Scaling new heights Invite your friends over Rachel Steer contemplates life Page 22 Page 26-27 Tired of takeout Sibling rarity Food is no longer your foe Alaska cowpokes kick it Page 24-25 Page 28-29 True North Get Out The peak of the summer solstice usu­ ally occurs on June 21 in the northern hemisphere and on Dec. 21 in the southern hemisphere. Because the earth rotates at a tilt, the northern and southern hemispheres have a solstice completely opposite of one another. Summer in Alaska is defined by the activi­ ties that go along with the solstice. All across the state there are parties, music festivals, barbecues and baseball games to not only enjoy the warm nights, but also to celebrate the arrival of summer. Here is a list of all the happenings this year: Fairbanks: Catch a late-night game with the world's most northern baseball club, the Fairbanks Goldpanners, in the 101st annual Midnight Sun Baseball Classic. What began as a bet between two bars over a century ago has turned into one of baseball's most distinctive events. June 21 Growden Memo­ rial Park. Girdwood: Get in touch with nature at the 31st annual Girdwood Forest Fair. Music, entertainment, food and crafts adorn this gathering for three solid days of family fun. Bring friends, admission is free. July 7,8,9 www.girdwoodforestfair.com. Anchorage: Watch more than 3,500 world-class runners zigzag through Anchor­ age's expansive trail system in the Mayor's Juneau: Watch the lumberjack contests and Marathon and Half-marathon. Better yet, lace up the mining games at the Gold Rush Days Festival some shoes and jog through one of the most scenic held at Diamond Park. This annual gathering cel­ courses in the U.S. There are races for every skill ebrates Juneau's mineral-rich history. June 24-25 level. June 17 www.mayorsmarathon.com. www.juneaugoldrush.com. Valdez: With some of the nation's top play­ wrights in attendance, the Last Frontier Theater Conference is an actor's gathering extraordinaire. Some light facts Hosted at Prince William Sound Community Col­ The sun measures about 865,000 miles lege, there are classes and discussion during the in diameter, about 109 times larger than the day, and performances at night. June 17-24 www. earth. pwscc.edu. The earth receives only about two billionths Seward: Hike up Mount Marathon and back of the sun's total energy output, yet that tiny as fast as you can. That's the goal for runners in fraction is enough to sustain life. the grueling Fourth of July Mount Marathon race. The sun is about 5 billion years old, and Complete with aggressive terrain and near-vertical should continue burning for another 5 billion rock faces, only the strong can survive this chal­ years. lenge. July 4, 2006 www.sewardak.org. s True North Bar Tales Irish Gut Bomb "It was probably around 8 o'clock on a Friday saying, 'What the hell, man. You didn't drink your night, so it wasn't like everyone was drunk yet. shot!' So the buddy, without letting his ill partner People were still pre-partying. So a group of four respond, grabs the cup and downs it for him! By comes in, three guys and one girl and they order a now everyone at the table knew that the guy threw round. The group had probably been in here for 45 up in the cup and they had just watched their minutes to an hour or so and they had been drink­ friend drink puke. It was like the most disgusting ing heavily. So anyway, they order another round of thing I have ever seen, and I thought I was gonna Irish Car Bombs and everybody chugs. As they are vomit! But at the same time it was hilarious 'cause all chugging their drinks, I notice that one of the who drinks their friend's puke?" guys takes half of his and pukes it back up into his cup, but he tries to be sly about it, you know, and - Kelly at Rumrunners Old Towne Bar not let anyone see what had just happened. Then 330 ESt. before anyone realizes, his buddy next to him starts Compiled by Ryan Verney, Nickie Cruthirds and Jordan Huss <n VI ;:l :r; c: u....'" ....,o >, .D o .r::o 0.. Anchorage's bars are known for often disgusting things. We asked Trashed two trash cans: one was full, one was empty. I had "In this bar, when I came here, it was perfectly a glass of peppermint schnapps in one hand, my acceptable to drink while you were working. You purse in the other and I was going to back up to didn't have time to stop and drink a mixed drink the full trash can and lean onto it and sit down. so you learn to drink shots. I worked with a wait­ OH NO! I backed up to the empty one instead and ress who would say 'Patty, let's share a little shot sat down, falling into the can! The bar went totally of schnapps,' and I'd say, 'One shot Barbara, silent and all you could hear was me screaming, just one.' Twenty shots later and I am bombed! 'Somebody get me outta this goddamn trash can!' It It's Friday night and there are cops everywhere took me about five years to live that one down." because one of the bloodiest fights that ever oc­ curred in this bar had just taken place and on top - Patty Irving at the Gaslight Lounge of that, my husband is here. I have no idea what 721 W. Fourth Ave. started the fight because Barbara and I are drunk and the manager is telling my husband, 'Get her outta here!' Well, at the end of the bar there were 6 True North Get Out The Dirtier, the Better "It was a Wednesday afternoon, just after our pays his bill, still without ever touching his food busy lunch rush. The bar was completely empty -not even wanting a to-go box- then leaves. As six and I was cleaning up when a well-dressed man o'clock nears, that's when I get off, I start getting walked in. In my four years working there, I had nervous about him coming back. Well, he never never seen him before. He sat at my bar and or­ shows up! So I leave, and just as I was walking out dered a Budweiser and some salmon spread. A to my car, he approaches me. He had a brand new while after I had delivered his food, I noticed he had pair of socks in his hand for me to change into. We not eaten any of it. 'Weird,' I thought.