NEWS: Sex offender arrested on campus

A 53-year-old registered sex offender was arrested on the Antelope Valley College campus on March 3 for violating his probation.

The arrest came after a joint investigation by Los Angeles County Sheriffs and the student’s probation officer. The probation officer and LA County Sheriff’s were performing a check on the male student on March 2, and observed him with a female who appeared to be under the age of 18.

“A subsequent investigation found out that the individual was in fact 18 at the time,” Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Deputy Mark Feickert said. “She had just turned 18 and (he) admitted to having prior contact with her and his probation was subsequently violated.”

As part of the male student’s probation condition, he was not to have any contact with a minor. The student was taken out of class the next day, March 3, and arrested.

Registered sex offenders are required to register with the Campus Sheriff’s Office any time their class schedule changes. The student’s failure to register prompted the campus visit by his probation officer.

After the student was booked at the Lancaster Sheriff’s Station, his residence was searched by law enforcement. The search yielded some contraband.

A visit to the AVC campus by a student’s probation officer is a rare occurrence, according to Feickert.

“Probation and parole will come to us or law enforcement at times when thy cant find the individual or when the individual won’t make time to meet them,” Feickert said. “That’s exactly what happened in this case.”

By Kevin Michael Kramer

FEATURES: Marauder’s Music “Open Mic Night”

AVC students are always looking for new and exciting ways to unify students that is meaningful and fun. Marauder’s Music, a Musical Society of Antelope Valley College, started a tradition of their own in promoting a school-wide appreciation of music by inviting students from all over AVC to participate in their first ever Open Mic Night.

On Friday, March 11, students gathered in the Student Lounge to hear and perform all genres of music. While some rocked out to Metallica, others showed that punk rock is alive by donning Ray Bans and shredding their guitar solos. Everywhere from folk to metal, pop to rock, students proved that AVC does indeed have a ton of talent.

Sara Rothenberg, President of Marauder’s Music, said the event was amazing and a great success. Rothenberg and other club officials commented that they couldn’t wait to do it again. Marauder’s Music will be holding another Open Mic Nights this semester on May 20, as well as a talent show on April 16 in the choir room of FA3.

-by Courtney Unander

Door-to-door solicitors not representing AVC

They’re at it again.

Solicitors trying to sell newspaper and magazine subscriptions in the Antelope Valley are falsely claiming to be officially affiliated with Antelope Valley College.
College officials have received reports from community members questioning whether door-to-door sales representatives are endorsed by the college.

Each spring for the last five years, the college has received reports and inquiries about the solicitors. The solicitors work door-to-door and have also been approaching people at shopping centers.

“Residents are told this is a program to help the solicitors with their tuition or to support a college program. However, Antelope Valley College is not affiliated with such a fundraising program, nor do we send students soliciting door-to-door” said Steve Standerfer, director of public and governmental relations.

In one recent incident in Lancaster, a solicitor in front of a grocery store approached a college employee. The solicitor claimed he was an Antelope Valley College student raising money for the student newspaper. When the solicitor was challenged as to the truthfulness of his story, he quickly changed his story saying he was a College of the Canyons student.

Residents in the Santa Clarita area have been plagued by the same scam.

“There are legitimate opportunities to support our college and its students through the AVC Foundation. We do not send students soliciting through neighborhoods. These solicitors are trying to use the good name of AVC to earn money,” said Standerfer.

Any AVC students claiming to represent the college in such solicitations will face disciplinary action.

“It’s a violation of AVC’s Student Code of Conduct to misrepresent oneself as a student authorized by Antelope Valley College to solicit donations from the community,” said Standerfer.

People are advised to not give money to strangers soliciting money for AVC. Residents can report problems by calling the college, (661) 722-6300, ext. 6303.

NEWS: Cars collide on campus

Campus sheriffs take down a statement

Sparks flew when a young woman rear-ended a car coming out of the APL parking lot today at 4:00. Officer Alfaro, among others, responded swiftly to the call where they found the people involved arguing heatedly. “It’s just a standard TC,” Alfaro told the Examiner, “they’re exchanging information, and that’s about it.”

The damage to both vehicles appeared minimal.

-by Ben Fassett

NEWS: AVC Palmdale campus closed 3/17

The Palmdale campus will be closed today, as reports say a water main was broken. Los Angeles County Sheriffs said that a vehicle crashed into the main, which has caused the flooding and subsequent closure, there is no word on when classes will resume.

-by Joshua Sanchez

NEWS: Student dropped for texting

Los Angeles County Sheriff's deputies were called to the APL 105 classroom Tuesday afternoon to remove an unruly student.

The male student was caught using a cell phone to send text messages during a test in the English 101 class. When he was asked to leave by the instructor, the student began collecting his belongings. The instructor then informed him that because of his excessive absences and tardiness he would be dropped from the class.

Upon hearing that he would be dropped, the student refused to leave the classroom. The conversation between the two moved outside the classroom into the hallway, where the instructor informed the student that she would call security if he refused to leave.

The student indicated that the instructor could go forward with her intention to call the sheriff. As the instructor returned to the classroom to make the call, the student began to leave the scene. By the time the sheriff's deputies arrived on the scene, the student had gone.

The sheriff's deputies took the student's information from the instructor, who reiterated that he would indeed be dropped from the class.

-by Kevin Michael Kramer

NEWS: Student faints and is revived by emergency personnel

March 15 -- A student passed out during her health class this afternoon in Lecture Hall 106. A witness said that “her head hit the desk and her paper’s went flying.” Students and faculty tried to revive the student using wet paper towels and water but she was un-responsive to their efforts at first.

A few minutes later, she woke up but was still dazed. The instructor called campus Sheriffs who responded almost immediately to the call. Once there, the officer called paramedics. In the meantime representatives from the American Red Cross administered some cold packs and gave the patient water.

When the paramedics arrived, they got their patient on a gurney, wheeled her out of the class, and confirmed her vitals. By this time the student was fully conscious though still a bit groggy. The paramedics advised her to go to the hospital, but she declined. Instead, they had her call someone to pick her up. The cause of her incident was determined to be an Iron Deficiency for which she had forgotten to take her medication.


-By Joshua Sanchez

AVC to present “The Vagina Monologues” march 25-26

Eve Ensler’s “The Vagina Monologues” will be performed in the Antelope Valley College Black Box Theatre, 3041 W. Ave. K, Lancaster at 7 p.m., March 25-26.

Based on interviews with more than 200 women about their memories and experiences of sexuality, “The Vagina Monologues” is described as witty and irreverent, compassionate and wise. English Professor Dr. Susan Lowry will direct the staged readings, featuring 13 cast members.

“The Vagina Monologues” has been performed across America, even inspiring a grassroots movement to stop violence against women, according to Lowry.

A donation of $10 is suggested for the show. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. For information or to purchase tickets, contact Lowry at (661) 722-6300, ext. 6594.

Seminar to look at how to launch a law enforcement career

Anyone wanting to know how to pursue a career in law enforcement can enroll in a community education course, “Prepare for a Career in Law Enforcement,” being held 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Saturday, March 26 in room LS1 132 at Antelope Valley College, 3041 W. Ave. K, Lancaster.

Retired Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department Lt. Ron Shreves will lead the seminar, which will cover all the necessary steps to getting a job including the civil service exam, oral interview, background investigation, career opportunities, education requirements, physical requirements and other factors.

The workshop will include a sample civil service exam as well as a mock interview.

Cost is $55, plus a $5 material fee payable in class. To register, call (661) 722-6300, ext. 6584.

Fire academy to hold information sessions

Antelope Valley College’s municipal fire academy will offer informational meetings to anyone interested in learning more about its fall 2011 academy.

Men and women may attend any one of the one-hour meetings offered at 5 p.m. March 29, April 12, April 26 or May 10 in TE2 120 at Antelope Valley College’s Lancaster campus, 3041 W. Ave. K. The TE2 building is located just east of the Gymnasium adjacent to the Douglas Skyrocket.

Prospective students will learn about the academy application process, costs, prerequisites, financial aid and the academy schedule. Attendance at one of the sessions is required to begin the academy application process.

The fire academy was opened in 2007 to prepare people for jobs at municipal fire departments. Students receive instruction from experienced firefighters on the college campus and at the Los Angeles County Fire Department’s North County Training Center.

Students successfully completing the 480-hour training program will achieve a Firefighter I certification from the California State Fire Marshall.

For information call instructor Robert Falb at (661) 722-6300, ext. 6958

NEWS: AVC Board of Trustees Meeting 3/14

As requested by readers of the AVC Examiner, we will now post upcoming meetings of the Board for students and faculty to be aware of. All regular meetings are open to the public and held in SSV 151 of the Student Services Building at 6:30 p.m.

Board of Trustees Meeting 3/14

Agenda includes approval of completed phases of construction, Measure R expenditure recap, approval of AVC's contract with Pepsi and a proposed 2011 modified summer work schedule.

Public comment cards are also available, for those who wish to comment on items found on the agenda.

Next meeting: April 11, 2011 at 6:30 p.m. in SSV 151

Marauders win third conference game against Victor Valley College

TOP: Alex Baker goes 6-2, 6-0 in her singles match against VVC

BOTTOM: Sherley Zamorra plays on after spraining an ankle to win her singles match

The AVC Marauders tennis team obtained their third conference win when they hosted and beat VVC Rams 7-1.

The Marauders won their first two conference games against College of the Desert and Mt. San Jacinto and lost a tough game against Rio Hondo College.

“Staying focus is not a problem,” said Marauders’ coach Bart Hansen, who is in his first year as Marauders Tennis Head Coach. “We play about 2 games a week and that helps us forget a tough lost.”

“We play how we play,” said the Marauders coach. “They (our players) have great work ethics and they come to play.”

Doubles—S. Zamora/A. Gonzalez (AVC) def. V. Prunchack/M. Griffith (VVC) 8-2; Z. Gonzalez/L. Cervantes (AVC) def. Harrison/Cline (VVC) 8-3.

Singles—Shirley Zamora (AVC) def. Vicky Prunchack (VVC) 6-1,6-2; Alex Baker (AVC) def. Sara Cline (VVC) 6-2, 6-0; Jessica Zamora (AVC) def. Michelle Griffith (VVC) 6-4, 6-8; Alexis Harrison (VVC) def. Queen Carter (AVC) 6-4, 6-3.

“We have to keep working on our unforced errors to stay competitive,” said Hansen. “I would like to finish the season with a 4-0 run.”

The Marauders (3-3, 3-1) are halfway though their season and will start their second round matches as they travel to College of the Desert (1-3) on Mar 17.

FEATURES: Fading to black and going green at the same time

The beautiful greenery of Mills Country provides a final resting place for all.

“Going green” is the way of our world it seems, as of the last few years. It is this sentiment that has led many environmentally concerned people to request what are called natural burials.

Rather than being embalmed or cremated, these men and women see the value of a less costly and more earth-friendly method of being laid to rest.
The basic criterion for a natural burial is achieving minimal impact on the environment. In fact, often times such rituals can benefit surrounding soils and plant life. The dead are wrapped in organic linen, plain wooden boxes or other biodegradable materials and buried on natural hillsides and under trees.
Though engraved stones or plaques are sometimes used in place of headstones, it is even more common for graves to be found via GPS coordinates.

Kathy Curry, manager for the Forever Fernwood Cemetery in Mills Valley, CA, explained that Forever Fernwood’s natural burial grounds are laid out in 12-foot hexagons, with two plots per hexagon.
That being said, when a new plot is purchased, the cemetery locates it via GPS and maps it into the hexagon to prevent overlapping. These coordinates are then added to respective databases for easy retrieval.

Along with GPS coordinates, Curry noted, the deceased are buried with a radio frequency ID with a name and date for additional security.
Forever Fernwood is one of two cemeteries in California that provides natural burial services.

The Fernwood Cemetery was bought in 2004 by Tyler Cassity’s Forever Enterprise as a 32-acre lot with space set aside for natural burials. Originally, concerns about profit and senior citizen accessibility to the natural burial ground’s rough, uneven paths were arisen. However, it seems these concerns have not prevented success.
According to Curry, the addition is “continually growing in popularity.”
She estimated that the cemetery has approximately 200 naturally buried to date.
Along with nature, technology also plays an interesting role in enhancing the natural burial alternative at Forever Fernwood through a free service called Forever LifeStories. By signing up, friends and family can create digital media scrapbooks and video clips in memory of their deceased loved ones. According to Curry, Fernwood would like to find a way to link a person’s coordinates to their Forever LifeStory, but simply do not have the technology to do so.

Joshua Tree Memorial Park of Joshua Tree, CA, has made announcements of implementing a natural burial service as well, though has yet to put forth any additional information regarding the changes.

The Green Burial Council, a non-profit organization established to ensure the safety of natural areas dealing with burials, recognizes the cemetery has met the organization’s posted standards “to be permanently protected via a conservation easement or deed restriction, and that an operator engage in restoration planning as well as adhere to a set of ecologically sound protocols.”

The first natural burial cemetery established in the United States was opened in 1998, and now there are over 300 sites countrywide offering the service. For years, cremation has been seen as the cost effective and environmentally friendly alternative to embalming, and more traditional burials. With the renewed interest in a more spiritual “returning to earth,” the issue of cost is naturally concerning.
According to The Centre for Natural Burial, the estimated cost of natural burials range from $1,00-$4,000. This amount usually includes the plot of land, costs to open and close the grave, an optional stone marker and an additional fee to help maintain the property.

Cremating services, according to What It Costs, can range from $700-$1,000 for the most basic services. Compare these to a traditional embalming and burial at $6,500 (without the plot, burial fees or headstone), and it is clear cremation and natural burials outweigh the option tremendously. Though cremation expenses are somewhat lower, many argue that the cost in pollution and fossil fuels it expends make up the difference.

There is also the option of doing both cremation, and a natural burial. This is the solution for many organ donors, as they can be cremated and then placed and buried in biodegradable urns.

With so much talk about environmental awareness, even in death, many pet owners have brought up the question of natural burials for animals.
Many people practice a similar ritual by burying pets in their backyards, but that requires permits, and leaves those without land without “green” options. Pet cemeteries often bury their animals in plastic caskets, or other similarly harmful materials.

This is a serious concern of the Green Pet-Burial Society, a newly formed organization with similar goals to that of the Green Burial Council.
In February of this year, the Green Pet-Burial Society proposed to the board of the LA Pet Memorial Park that they designate a part of any future extensions for natural burials. The planning is an ongoing effort, however, it is it the mission of the Society to work towards effective alternatives to traditional (and harmful) burials.

According to the Associated Press, a March 2010 survey by the International Cemetery, Cremation and Funeral Association found a quarter of those polled “like the concept of environmentally friendly burials.” Paired with the latest means of “geolocating” loved ones, we find an innovative way of reconnecting to our ancestral pasts and traditions, while also exploring the possibilities of our technological futures.

-by Natasha Castro

FEATURES: A guide to effectively irresponsible studying

There’s nothing that can make you quite as bitter than studying for that term paper, or test, or presentation; unless, of course, you’re one of those heathens who thrive on academia. If you are, I salute you, and you need read no further. Go on. Trade the newspaper for that five million word page on “Atlas Shrugged.”

No, don’t. Please. I need you. We need each other. Let’s not end it like this.

Anyway, the rest of us find ourselves struggling to keep our weary eyelids from snapping shut, inhaling energy drinks and coffee or strapping electrodes to our heads for shock therapy treatments. But does it really have to be this way? Do our nights have to be perpetually consumed by long hours of mind-numbing monotony?

Perhaps not. With these helpful hints, you’ll find yourself enjoying your study time. Yes, enjoying it. Wrap your head around that notion for awhile.

But be warned! Not all of these are for you. A certain amount of self control is required to be irresponsible.

1. Don’t put it off. That should be pretty self-explanatory. It should be common sense, too, but let’s be honest with ourselves. There’s no way you’re going to approach MLA format without some trepidation. But you will save yourself countless hours of worry if you just do it when you’re supposed to.

2. Work at night. This seems strange, but there’s science behind it. A study at the University of Liège in Belgium showed that people who wake up early show a reduction in brain activity, particularly associated with attention span after 10.5 hours. Night people, on the other hand, appeared to function more efficiently on the same timeframe. There’s a catch to this, however. Early risers exhibited a less problematic recovery period after waking, so it’s not wise to pull an all-nighter before the day of that big test.

3. Chocolate. Need I say more? Put it in your face. Did you just solve a really difficult equation? Eat some chocolate. Other feasible alternatives include: butterscotch, ice cream, or escargot for the really adventurous. But chocolate is useful for another reason: it releases serotonin, which reinforces your sense of reward and can feasibly motivate you to do better. Of course, it might just make you eat a whole box of chocolates.

4. Make it a drinking game. I’m serious. If you love a pint as much as the next fellow, have a sip every time you read the word “Nazi” in “The Diary of Anne Frank.” Be responsible, though. It’ll do you no good to wake up and turn in your paper with a hangover, wondering how the phrase “For real” ended up on the page. If you’re not the drinking type, substitute alcohol with hot cocoa. Chocolate, it seems, can substitute just about anything. Again, the idea is to reward yourself for the effort you’ve put into your assignment.

5. Exercise while you study. The reason is scientific: lifting weights while you cram may seem distracting, but the increase of blood flow will reinforce your concentration. It directly affects the development of new cells in the hippocampus, the portion of your brain that stores long-term memory and the forming thereof.

6. Be creative. Just because you’ve got five random suggestions stuffed down your throat doesn’t mean that you can’t come up with your own plot to take over the world – or your final exam.

Do you have any tips for studying? We would love to hear them.

Good night, and good luck.

-by Ben Fassett

OPINION: The age of the hunk presidents

We were despondent, desperate for some juice for this issue when a sloppy storm hit, but then out of vulgar necessity the wisest of winds blew in my opinion editor.

He came to me on Thursday last week for something “spicy” and disputable, sadly my mind was preoccupied on Get-Rich-Quick Schemes and becoming an A-List celebrity.

Who is the leader of our free world? Is he the man behind the red button, the commander in grief, and the bronze arms pulling the strings of our war machine?

Barack Hussein Obama is a poster boy, with more flare than a Middle Eastern firefight.

He definitely isn’t “our guy”, in terms of statistical applause or any quantitative process.

By the manner in which current opinions are accumulated, he reveals himself as too nice of a leader.

For example, don’t bow in front of another leader, especially if he is the Emperor of Japan, this might lead people to believe your sensitive diplomacy is fickle, or just a great seg-way conversation on fox, following Bill the American Backyard Grill Oreily’s cut of jumping clowns and trapeze artist.

For all the gruff the man gets, Barack Obama could easily be mistaken or accepted as one of the three most charming people that you will ever meet in your life.

He’s the only President you could bump into on the street and instantly become infected by his “sheer courtesy”.

What a shame shadow casters like Hilary R. Clinton and Joe Biden stir an invisible political pot, and divvy out copper wire issues like immigration reform and free speech.

The middleman is constantly bombarded by a short-sided congress, cyclically futile and generously corrupt, shouting their contrasting dead ideologies from the rafters of their ghost-like existence.

When Obama wasn’t invited to the Clinton wedding, my smiling President was commendably considerate, he made a public appearance to assure his denizens of his persistent and active humility.

He has an Ivy League education and thus the sensibility to deal with social pressures with a rare kind of compassion, like bowing.

Cheerlessly, my president doesn’t show the same kind of diligence in his role as our liberal and legal mischief-maker.

He has a tough time getting from point A to point B, which is a much needed genetic trait when signing greasy bills.

Fear nothing, but his flaws in direction could potentially be devastating to the flow and collective statement of our country.

Even guiltless men do wicked things, whether it be pushing a paradoxical health care bill, cracking on foreign policy, or steering the whiny and fickle private banks from treacherous reefs with large sums of transparent money.

Unfairly so it’s not even his fault; who can endure the night, and still take names in the morning?

I want a president that will cut off the limbs off of injustices and back door deals.

Someone with more than any Ivy-League tongue and less of a vainglorious glare like that of Richard Nixon and Bush, Inc.

Now, clumsily in the darkness of the media driven dark ages, I flip on an old transistor radio and the romantic music stars.

It’s either you kick ass in politics and die young, or you take the shape of a snake or mongoose and let the delirium play on loop, all day and all night, until winter solstice 2012.

-By Wes Horowitz

OPINION: Parking lot delays

On the surface, a solar powered parking structure sounds like a great idea. A small victory for the masses indeed! Finally, the money grubbing evildoers of the world will feel the cold stinging sensation of a slap to face!

But what if it could have been better?

Antelope Valley College’s solar paneled parking structure has fallen drastically behind schedule. According to AVC’s web site, the solar paneled parking structure was to be completed by Feb. 5, 2011 just in time for the start of the spring semester.

True, parking lot 10 did open temporarily from Feb. 7-27, but it will remain closed, along with parking lot 11, from Feb. 27-March 17, according to a recent news statement posted on www.avc.edu.

The solar paneled parking structure still seems to be more upside than downside. As reported by the AVC Examiner in the fall of 2010, the parking structure will cost $7.6 million and will be financed and built by Chevron Energy Systems.

Also reported by the Examiner, the project will pay for itself by lowering utility costs and saving the college money on the electric bill. The money saved will go into the school’s general fund.

That all seems great until the true downside of this project is revealed. Money in the general fund can’t be used to fund additional classes or instructors. According to an article on USA Today’s web site, California’s budget deficit has led to a drastic reduction of funding to public colleges. Only a balanced budget can bring back the lost classes.

So when you arrive on campus March 18 and find solar panel covered parking lots 10 and 11 open for parking, please use them. Look up at those panels, but feel a cold stinging sensation on the side of your face. You’ve just been slapped.

-By Kevin Michael Kramer

OPINION: First week tragedy; Collegiate relationships

Walking around the Antelope Valley Community College Campus on the first Monday morning of the spring semester, with no purpose at all, except to have a place to ash my cigarette and a moment to prepare for a day of aimless class crashing, revealed many tiny tragedies, just beginning to brew around our school and its attendees.

The first squander I noticed was in the back parking lot, where there where hovels of pathetic cigarette and blunt smokers.

It was a cold fingertips kind of morning; they stood on their cement islands with sheer anger and ideas of pure vendetta written about their faces; the new campus policy stung, no smoking, crude death to all heathens . . . Try me (Administration)!

As they disbursed and dragged their sorry feet toward their painful and begrudgingly early morning class, I stomped out my cigarette as well as my laughter, and cut on through to the heart beat of our campus; the social quad in between the cafeteria, library, and business education building.

There wasn’t a taste of positive socializing to be had that Monday morning, all of the students were walking around with their eyes gauged out, bleeding out pints of good blood from their empty torn crevices.

They were all bumping into one another trying to grab for anyone with the scent of human sight, only to find another eye-gauged college denizen, eagerly pissed off and with a temper large enough to destroy two two-story buildings.

As soon as I noticed this tiny-tragedy a crowd of them began to form, sniffing the sensual aroma of sight; I cursed God for all of my good senses.

Unarmed, and incredibly in shock, I began to run in a full sprint toward the APL building, taking the short-cut through the narrow outdoor hallway mouth, revealing the smiling face of the APL building, all while hearing the zombie cry of bloody faced college students.

In a joyous and semi-triumphant retort I yelled, “Lucky for you, I play Nazi Zombies 25 hours a day!”

I made it to the quad of the APL, gasping for breath, but luckily overjoyed at the sight of able bodied students: aspiring writers and critics, poets and art junkies, music fiends and digital design dinguses.

It took a moment to catch my breath; I gained my awareness and found a congregation of pretentious bohemians touching on the new MGMT album, “I heard it was completely uninspired.”

Standing under the giant-green-money savers with my smoking buddies, another pathetic tragedy began painting the day.

Groups of couples began magnetically massing, toward the center of the APL quad. Significant other’s that weren’t present were immediately dialed from the cell phones of angry, put-out college student lovers; the collective ringing would only cease once a positive connection was made.

Those with their significant other chained by the hand-grasp were being pummeled by harsh yelling and projective frustration.

“Why did I spend so much time kissing you in my lifted truck, you’re the worst thing that’s ever happened to me!” Only the eek from the scenes recipient, blonde yet able, could be heard in response.

Tears hit the floor like Mike Tyson at the end of his boxing career, with as much pouting and mumbled pleading as the man himself could muster.

I stomped out yet another cigarette and walked closer in toward the action, so I could get a good tune in on the cell phone conversations.

“How do you expect me to get into Stanford and turn you into an honest housewife? I mean, here I am on campus trying to get into English 101, and you’re asleep half stoned from last night, just laying there waiting for me to get home!”

Murmurs continued from his mouth but ended the conversation with a clear cut, it’s over!”

Depressed, and sadly reminded of my own loses, it occurred to me that we are merely young apathetic humans, thrown into a caged match, for the sake of cheesy references, call it Thunder-Dome, and for those in desperate need of an education are placed unarmed and entirely lethal to themselves; we don’t stop to think why there is a shortage of classes, facilities, and or a messiah.

The only advice I can give at this point would be to focus your sights on a new town, a more organized town, not smaller, just better-off. Give up on this town and its lazy attempts to give us an education and a progressive community; unless you crave playboys like R. Rex Paris and the bomb-building business men of Lockheed.

They wonder why we reciprocate after their damage has been done, and we won’t know much about their blue-prints to drown out our voice, but I’m certain it involves 10 percent of us passing, and 90 percent of us waiting in purgatory for the rest of eternity.

The rage between couples left their broken hearts beating their last drum of blood on the floor as the zombies purged through those with sight and consumed our eyes; unluckily, we are all now blind.

- By Wes Horowitz

NEWS: Mars is the new frontier, scientists say

Scientists have recently suggested that colonizing the planet Mars is possible.

Mars has been the subject of some horrible films over the years. The little red planet was the destination of manned missions in two of the year 2000’s films “Red Planet” and “Mission to Mars.”

The films involve the first manned missions to Mars and are rife with implausible scenarios and pure science fiction fantasy. Fans of suspending their disbelief will appreciate these two films, which serve to show how difficult manned missions to Mars would be.

But according to scientists Dirk Shulze-Makuch and Paul Davies, a trip to Mars is well within reach. Schulze-Makuch and Davies co-authored an article that appeared in the Journal of Cosmology’s Oct. 2010 issue.

In the article, the two suggest that volunteers could colonize Mars. The catch? It’s a one-way mission. Those that would volunteer for this mission would never return to Earth.

Schulze-Makuch and Davies went on to explain that the reason the National Aeronautics and Space Agency (NASA) had not previously considered a manned mission to Mars is purely financial. The two authors argue that sending volunteers on a one-way mission to Mars would cost significantly less than a traditional mission because all of the preparations for an Earth return trip would not need to be made.

Detractors of Schulze-Makuch and Davies’ plan would argue that the volunteers would essentially be abandoned on an alien planet, but as the two scientists explain in the article, provisions would have been sent from Earth before the volunteers reached Mars.

Prices for a one-way trip to Mars start at $10 billion, according to NASA Ames Director Pete Worden.

If going to Mars is possible after all, even via a one-way trip, a lot of training will be required. Because a trip to Mars still feels like a dream to some, perhaps those people can begin training by watching a horrible sci-fi fantasy film about Mars. Accordingly, 1990’s “Total Recall” is available on Netflix.

-By Kevin Michael Kramer

SPORTS: Friday's track meet at AVC a success

The next meet at Marauder Stadium is Fri., Mar. 18

-Image by Brandon Mann

NEWS: Identity Theft: Are You at Risk?

In these times of financial hardship, the risk of identity theft is not one to be taken lightly. This was the theme of Megan Kenal, Crime Prevention Officer for the City of Lancaster, at a City presentation Feb. 23.

The presentation explored ways to protect yourself, methods of detecting any form of identity theft, as well as courses of action for victims of this increasingly devastating crime.

“Under California Penal Code 530.5 A, identity theft is defined as ‘every person who willfully obtains personal identifying information…of another person, and uses that information for any unlawful purpose, including to obtain, or attempt to obtain, credit goods, services, real property, or medical information without the consent of that person,’” said Kenal, stressing the all-encompassing nature of the law.

She said that the Code has become increasingly broad, as criminals have managed to find loopholes in former outlines.

According to Javelin Strategy & Research, identity theft is down from 11 million cases in 2009, to 8.1 million in 2010.

Though the number of cases is down, the average loss nearly doubled, and the average time lost “cleaning up” a misused account or closing unauthorized accounts is up 18 hours.

Javelin, said Kenal, is a consumer reported indicator that gathers all submitted cases and reports trends in areas such as identity theft.

Kenal stressed the importance of taking simple steps such as guarding your PIN number when entering it into a PIN pad, and avoiding using your credit card anywhere you would not trust with your information.

She also discussed new ways hackers and criminals can get information from your card. Things like “skimmers,” which are little memory cards used to scan the information off of stolen cards, are used. Radio Frequency ID chip readers can also steal information off of cards. To avoid this, Kenal said many credit card providers offer an opt-out option. One other common interception of information is known as “sniffing,” which is easily done when connected to public WIFI.

As far as detecting identity theft, Kenal said any abnormal amounts of junk mail, credit transactions you do not recognize or unexpected denial for credit may be indicators that you have fallen victim.

Kenal said young students should be aware that even student ID numbers used to obtain unauthorized transcripts or financial aid is punishable.

The free presentation was one of a series offered by the City of Lancaster’s Public Safety Office. The topics are based on specific citizen concerns and take place once a month in City Council Chambers. Some topics to come include home security and bug prevention, sexual assault, and child safety.

Kenal also mentioned considerations for a vacation safety presentation, especially pertinent to young people and safe traveling.

Presentations are typically filmed and available on the City of Lancaster’s Public Safety homepage for viewing.

Courses of action if you are a victim of identity theft can be found at www.ftc.gov/idtheft.

-By Natasha Castro

NEWS: AV Resident introduces innovative spin-off of traditional art galleries

Local resident Eric Martin, along with four other writers and artists, began in mid-February, a gallery of text and art focused on the nature of consciousness. Particularly notable is the gallery’s innovative and strictly online collection of fiction, fine art and video.

Failure of Theory is a collection of works revolved around unanswered questions such as: “What exactly is the nature of consciousness? Where does it happen? How flexible is it?”

The idea for the show came from Martin’s experiences with a program called Xtranormal, as he explained it was interesting to him to consider the irony of a non-human giving a live performance on uniquely human issues.

Martin then approached fellow artists and writers Michael Jones, Adrienne Pike Adelphia, Jeremy Johnson and Diego Johnson to contribute their respective works on the topic. Thus, Failure of Theory was born.

“The idea of consciousness is so basic to our sense of self, but yet it’s so abstract. It’s the irony of [this idea] that anchors the project,” said Martin.

The project, according to the website, should be seen as a conversation.

“Consciousness is usually presented in a philosophical way, [but] this is more accessible,” Martin explained, adding that the project was as much fun as it was a form of expression.

He said the virtual format was chosen for its ease, as all the tools are available for free, and the animation for very cheap.

Because the project is fairly new, it has received minimal feedback. However, Martin said that many people liked the art and fiction, but many were “surprised and even a bit put off by the robot voices [of the animations].”

As far as the artists’ next step, Martin said that there are no official plans of any additions or projects to follow.

On a final note, Martin commented on the ambiguous and experimental nature of the project. Because of the theme, there were no real boundaries or set plans.

“We put it together to see what we could do,” said Martin.

Failure of Theory is a gallery that addresses familiar concepts met with a new spin of text, art and video seen as an entire interplay. The new idea is one that may grow in popularity, as the need for adaptation and growth is ever-present in all fields of art.

-By Natasha Castro