OPINION: Happy Halloween... or is it Samhain?

By Maria Cortes
Staff Writer

Photo courtesy of Jim Crotty

Who’s ready to go trick-or-treating? Who’s ready to dress up and scare the hell out of your parents? Who’s ready to pay respect to the dead?

I’m sorry, did I catch you off guard? Well, I shouldn’t have because that’s what Halloween is actually all about. Halloween was once known as Samhain, a Celtic festival devoted to paying respect to the dear and departed. The only time of the year when the veil between the world of the dead and the world of the living is at its thinnest.

FEATURES: Free music for a good cause

By Omar Castellon
Staff Writer

I'm sure virtually all of you enjoy music to some extent. I'm sure you'd enjoy it even more if it was free. But outside of piracy (to say nothing of its legality), acquiring free music can be somewhat problematic. Fortunately, there is an easy way of downloading free music while maintaing a clean conscience.

Gimme Sound is a website that hosts thousands of songs purely through ad-revenue. Thus, users can have their share of music at no cost at all. Best of all, with every download, a small portion of the site's ad-revenue goes to one of several charities.

However, while Gimme Sound does offer a plethora of songs from myriad genres, it can be difficult to find something worth listening to.

In any case, if you feel like discovering new artists or bands without any of the cost involved, give Gimme Sound a visit.

OPINION: Wake up

By Ben Fassett
Staff Writer

Do you remember what time you woke up?

Do you remember if you ate breakfast? Whether you bathed, if you put conditioner in your hair or just shampoo? Do you recall any of the conversations you had with friends, loved ones or family?

I asked a man, once, what he did that day. “Nothing,” he said, “just hung out and watched TV.” I asked him what he watched, and he could recite three hours worth of television to me. When I pressed him about what he actually did, however, he couldn’t tell me anything. He didn’t even know what he had eaten. It seemed as if he would have been better off in a coma.

NEWS: Suspect arrested in parking lot fight

By Kristi Phillips
Staff Writer

Last Tuesday in parking lot 15, a fight broke out in mid-day. An anonymous call was made to the AVC Sheriff’s Department the next day.

Deputy Miguel Ruiz investigated the fight and found that the suspect was a 19-year-old male who was on probation for receiving stolen property.

With the help of the college, the Sheriffs were able to track down the suspect’s class schedule and arrested him in class.

Due to certain education codes, the Sheriffs were able to arrest him even though they weren’t physically present to witness the fight. He was booked at Lancaster station.

NEWS: Campus security update

By Kristi Phillips
Staff Writer

Photo by Kristi Phillips

According to the AVC Sheriff’s Department, the crime rate at the college has been going down significantly.

The Sheriffs are very impressed with the students abiding by AVC’s no smoking on campus rule. They have seen an improvement with students smoking in the parking lot and are looking to reward them with something like gold stars.

Bicycles are also coming to campus for the Sheriffs and are currently in the shop getting new decals and other assets.

Yet the recent hype of drug dogs coming to campus has come to a halt. Drug dogs will no longer be coming to AVC because the Sheriffs are questioning the validity of the dogs’ ability to track down students with marijuana; if it were to happen, it would be an invasion of privacy.

SPORTS: AVC to play Long Beach Vikings on Saturday

By Travion Bynum
Staff Writer

In the past, the AVC football team has taken losses from the Long Beach Vikings, who lead the stats 2-0. This Saturday at 1 p.m., however, the Marauders are looking to break the cycle. According to coach Perry Jehlika, new players and a new strategy will lead them to victory. Jeremy Evans leads in yards for the Marauders, matching up with Bobbitt Willie who leads in yardage for the Vikings.  AVC is averaging about 230 yards, while the Vikings average 360. The Marauders are again in the Central Conference, West Division this season.

At least two teams made unexpected climbs to the top, particularly defending champion LA Harbor who lost their first Central West game ever to Long Beach City. Will AVC come out victorious against the Vikings, or will the Vikings go back to Long Beach 3-0 leading the stats?

So come support the Marauders.

SPORTS: Marauders defeat Chaffey for their third consecutive win

By Codie Walsh
Staff Writer

Photo by Brandon Bird

Wednesday marked the seventh win for the Marauders women’s volleyball team. In four sets the Marauders were able to defeat Chaffey with scores: 25-22, 21-25, 25-15, 25-16.

The year started off rocky with seven straight losses., “It’s all coming together,” Head Coach Jane Cwayna said. “I’m really proud of everybody.” This marked the third straight win for the women’s volleyball team.

Lead players of the game were Kristal Campos and Valerie Dluzak. Campos had a total of 16 kills in the final set, which help contribute to the Marauders easy win over Chaffey. Dluzak had a total of 12 kills and four aces.

The next volleyball game is Wednesday Nov. 2 in the Marauder gym. Come support your team as they go up against Mount San Jacinto.

OPINION: It's not great weather; it's climate change

By Maria Cortes
Staff Writer

Illustration courtesy of Chris Madden

I had a dream last night that it was the middle of October, and the leaves were a light golden brown. The air smelled like fall and the wind was blowing. Most of all, it was cold. I woke up, looked out the window, and the sun all but blinded me. I walked outside wearing shorts and some sandals and was perfectly fine. That should not happen.

While everyone is rejoicing in the “perfect weather,” I feel like a conspiracy theorist for noticing the effects of global warming on our weather patterns. The truth is that this is not perfect weather. This is unusual and wrong weather for the middle of the last week of October. Right about now we should be bundled up in scarfs and sweaters, trying to find the warmest Halloween costumes possible; not sunbathing in Malibu without a single goose bump on our skin.

FEATURES: "Paranormal Activity 3" delivers damaged goods

By Maria Cortes
Staff Writer

Photo courtesy of Paramount Pictures

Right after watching “Paranormal Activity 2,” I made a bet with my friends that they would make a part three. He got $100 if there wasn’t. I got $100 if there was. Today, I am $100 richer.The third installment to the terrifying trilogy promised us lots of scares and embarrassing moments in the movie theater where the stranger beside you just heard you shriek like a little girl. It’s safe to say that they delivered…damaged goods.

When the first trailers started surfacing, I was irrationally excited. I was promised scenes involving flying furniture, mothers being pulled back into the darkness by invisible forces and a shadowy figure in a mirror after a brief game of Bloody Mary. Most of all, I was promised more information about the supernatural lives of Katie and Kristi.

NEWS: Scholarship workshops: times and locations

By Natasha Castro
Staff Writer

Sandi Rogers, AVC Foundation Scholarship Technician, will be hosting a series of workshops to help students fill out scholarship applications. Specific information on the workshops can be found in the Examiner’s upcoming issue.

Monday, Nov.
14:4-5:30 p.m./ APL 112

Tuesday, Nov. 15:
2-3:30 p.m./ APL 103

Wednesday, Nov. 16:
9:30-10:50 a.m./ ME 110

Wednesday, Nov. 16:
12:30-2 p.m./ SV3H Palmdale Center

Thursday, Nov. 17:
9-10:30 a.m./ LS2 153

Those interested are asked to RSVP either by calling Rogers at (661) 722-6300 ext. 6860, or by e-mailing her at srogers@avc.edu.

OPINION: Let the dolls fight our battles

By Maria Cortes
Staff Writer

Putting an end to adolescent suicide and bullying is a serious business. So serious that we have sent in our toughest troops, the only group of people qualified for the job. They know how to talk to children in just the right way to get the job done - the girls from Monster High.

If you have no idea who they are don’t feel bad, anyone from junior high and up would probably be in the same boat. The girls of Monster High are dolls, the third most popular line of dolls by Mattel next to Barbie and the Disney Princesses. The fashion doll line features the teenage daughters of some of the world’s most legendary monsters like Dracula, the Mummy and Frankenstein.

SPORTS: Photo log - AVC vs San Jacinto

Here are more images from AVC's most recent match against Mt. San Jacinto. The Marauders were victorious with a score of 5-1. A more detailed breakdown of the game can be found in the previous post.

Photo by Brandon Bird

Photo by Brandon Bird

Photo by Brandon Bird

Photo by Brandon Bird

Photo by Brandon Bird

SPORTS: Stacy Guijarro scores four goals against Mt. San Jancinto

By Cornell Hudson
Staff Writer

Photo by Brandon Bird

A week after shutting out last year’s state champs San Bernardino Valley 4-0, the Marauders returned home to take on the Mt. San Jacinto Eagles in another highly anticipated match. “I wanted to make sure we were fully prepared and focused for this one since we lost for only the second time Friday at Rio Hondo,” Head Coach Jerry Stupar said.

The Marauders seemed extremely focused after moving the ball around and jumping out to a 1-0 lead on what would be the first of many goals for Stacy Guijarro. Mt. San Jacinto did respond with a goal of their own that was quickly overshadowed by another AVC goal, leaving the score 2-1 at the half.

NEWS: Local church opposes event due to sale of alcohol

By Mindy Simmons and Codie Walsh
Staff Writers

On Oct. 17 the Planning Commission Meeting was held at Lancaster’s City Hall Council chambers. Applicant Tully Huffaker requested, “A Conditional Use Permit to allow a concert venue/nightclub with on-sale consumption of alcoholic beverages (Alcoholic Beverage Control Type 42, on-sale beer and wine – public premises), and a request for waiver under Section 17.42.040.C of the Lancaster Municipal Code to allow the sale of beer and wine within 300 feet of a religious assembly area, in the LI (Light Industrial) Zone.”

New Life Community Church on Oct. 19 released a statement on their Facebook page saying, “If Industry Theatre was planning to provide a music venue without the sale and consumption of alcohol, NEW LIFE Community Church would not be opposed to their location within 300 feet of our sanctuary.”

FEATURES: "Phoenix Rising" reaffirms Galneryus's status as one of Japan's premier metal acts

By Omar Castellon
Staff Writer

I’d wager that most with any familiarity with Japan’s modern music industry are only aware of its contributions to pop and frankly, my understanding of it does not extend much further. However, I can say with a level of certainty that Japan houses a thriving, if somewhat understated, metal scene. I can say with even more confidence that the Land of the Rising Sun produces a cornucopia of power metal, almost to the point of oversaturation. Consequently, it can prove difficult to find the truly exceptional. Within that horde of the mundane, however, Galneryus stands tall.

Formed in 2001, Galneryus infused their brand of power metal with elements of neoclassical music, in particular tropes established by guitarists such as Yngwie Malmsteen, Jason Becker and Michael Angelo Batio. As such, you can expect especially ornate pieces from Galneryus, perhaps bordering on gaudy depending on your preferences. On that note, let’s move on to Galneryus’s seventh album, “Phoenix Rising.”

OPINION: Bye-bye SB914, hello warrant-less searches

By Maria Cortes
Staff Writer

Lets play a game. Reach into your pocket and pull out your cell phone, iPhone, Blackberry whichever one you have. Now, hand it over to the first police officer you see and sit there quietly as he or she rifles through it. Watch as he or she looks through your personal photos, reads your text messages and e-mails. Just sit there with your hands neatly folded on your lap until they are satisfied that you aren’t a terrorist hell-bent on causing another tragedy.

Now, class, raise your hands if you would be perfectly fine with this. I thought so. But you see, we don’t have a choice in the matter anymore. California Governor Jerry Brown vetoed SB 914, a bill that stated that police needed a warrant if they wanted to search the cell phone of someone that had been placed under arrest.

FEATURES: "Symphonic Cinema" at the AVC Performing Arts Theater

By Maria Cortes
Staff Writer

Music from classic films such as "Gone with the Wind"
was featured throughout the night/ Photo by Charles Hood

True or false: I love watching television. Again, true or false: I love watching movies. If you answered true to either one of those statements, then you would have loved “Symphonic Cinema,” the debut production of our very own Antelope Valley College Performing Arts Theater.

“Symphonic Cinema” incorporated some of the Hollywood’s most beloved movies and television shows with the musical talent of the Antelope Valley Symphony Chorale Orchestra and Master Chorale, which boasted some of AVC’s own music students.

NEWS: Grant to promote the development of local engineering program

By Kristi Phillips
Staff Writer

Since 1999, there have been $18 million awarded from the government to colleges all over California.

The recent $10 million grant that has been awarded to AVC is the “best submitted” that the college has been awarded according to Christos Valiotis, a physics professor and acting director of all AVC grants.

AVC officials want the grant to be flexible in how it is used and want to aim it towards increasing the amount of “low income” students pursuing engineering careers.

OPINION: Remember the dead in whole

By Ben Fassett
Staff Writer

Obituaries lie to you.

Mine will probably tell you about how well I lived. It’ll talk about how I was a Lancaster resident for nearly all of my life with a keen sense of perception, and how I was a fun-loving, energetic young man. Maybe it’ll tell you about some of my exploits – a cross section of little accomplishments that might not amount to much, but which will help define me as a person for you. It’ll finally take a turn for the mournful when it tells you how I was mauled by a mountain lion, crushed by an oncoming train, or tragically taken far too young by my love of autoerotic asphyxiation or my penchant for hookers and cocaine in some seedy hotel room off of Sierra Highway.

I am not an advocate of either of those things, by the way.

NEWS: AVC to host Women in Aerospace workshop

By Kristi Phillips
Staff Writer

With the latest hype about AVC expanding its math, science and engineering buildings to promote aerospace careers, it would only make sense to have a workshop that gave insight into aerospace careers.

Women in Aerospace is a workshop for women that is to be held by AVC on Friday, Oct. 28, from 9-11 p.m. The workshop will cover a variety of topics from the importance of choosing a career to classes that AVC offers that will help students get a jump start in the aerospace field.

Representatives from Northrop Grumman Corp., an American global aerospace and defense technology company, along with other aerospace companies will be there to speak about and promote the aerospace industry.The workshop will be held in the Technical Education building in room 101. Seats are limited, so it is highly recommended to RSVP with the career center.

NEWS: AVC reaches out to local high schools to promote college attendance

By Kristi Phillips
Staff Writer

AVC is known as a “Hispanic-serving institution,” meaning that at least 25 percent of students that attend AVC are Hispanic.

AVC officials have been reaching out to local high schools to encourage students to attend college and also train the faculty to promote college and certain majors as well.

As of Aug. 25, there has been a reported 24 percent increase of Hispanic students attending college. Numbers have jumped up to a remarkable 12.2 million students between the ages of 18 to 24.

Students Connecting is a multilingual online community that provides tutoring services to students. It is dedicated to “closing the gap” between foreign and native-born students that want to attend college.

With the latest tutoring cuts, current tutors and aspiring tutors at AVC are able to join Students Connecting to help Hispanic students in college and students that are trying to get their GED.To become a member visit studentsconnecting.com or call 1-888-745-8360.

FEATURES: The Third Annual Streets of Lancaster Grand Prix

This past weekend, Lancaster Boulevard played host to the Third Annual Streets of Lancaster Grand Prix. Below are images from the event, which featured many professional go-cart racers (click on the pictures to see them in their full size).

Photo by Brandon Bird

Photo by Brandon Bird

Photo by Brandon Bird

Photo by Brandon Bird

FEATURES: Big portions equal big flavor at Claim Jumper

By Mindy Simmons
Staff Writer

Generous portions are the norm at Claim Jumper/ Photo by Mindy Simmons

If you’re not really hungry or find yourself saying, “I just want something light,” then don’t go to Claim Jumper. Their proportions are fit for a king and queen, and their children. If you have ever driven by and noticed people walking out of the restaurant with bags in their hands and an exhausted expression on their faces, know that this is normal. It’s more than likely that they have just been defeated by the quantity of food and have bagged up their leftovers to eat in front of the television as a midnight snack. But hey, that’s all just hypothetical.

I started off with an appetizer, which is quite out of the ordinary for me, but the friendly waitress swayed me to believe that my meal would not be complete without their $7.99 Lemon Pepper Zucchini. She was right. The menu describes it as, “lightly fried and piled high then topped with lemon pepper parmesan and served with ranch dipping sauce”. All I can say is, what you read is what you get. I’ve always been a fan of fried zucchini, or anything fried in that matter, but there was something different about these. I believe it was the batter that made them so savory. They weren’t heavy or saturated in grease. It was light and crunchy, which is exactly what anything fried should be. Also, it didn’t hurt that it was topped off with melted parmesan cheese.

FEATURES: Movie Review - The Lion King 3-D

By Joshua Sanchez
Staff Writer

When I heard that The Lion King was being re-released in 3-D, I was horrified and angry. No, angry doesn’t cut it; I was filled with the burning rage of a thousand suns.

It’s no secret that I hate nearly all of Disney’s old animated musicals, but I hold a special place in my heart for “The Lion King.” This is the earliest memory I have at the movies, watching with my mother and father and the smell of fresh hot popcorn (the good stuff, before they had the fake butter and the cheesy toppings that cost a dollar). Every time I see the movie now, I get a fresh wave of nostalgia, and pleasant memories come flooding back.

SPORTS: NBA lockout

By Codie Walsh
Staff Writer

It’s official: the first two weeks of the NBA 2011-2012 season have been cancelled. The fight for higher pay is now turning into a loss of money for the NBA season. According to Forbes magazine, the NBA made $183 million before taxes; to the commissioners and players this is not enough. The commissioners believe they did not make a large enough profit in the 2010-11 season and want to cut the players’ salary by a total of five million dollars.Both sides are refusing to negotiate. What is driving them to forget about the fans, the joy of playing the game, and the beauty that is the sport basketball, is simple: greed.

The green monster has taken control of these big moneymakers like the monster in movie “The Thing.” The things humans pride themselves on: empathy, logic and opposable thumbs, have been lost for the sake of money. When the Lakers announced the decision to cancel the first two weeks of the regular season on Facebook, the fans were outraged. “What about the fans? I’m done with this! I’m going to watch hockey,” one fan threatened.

All I ask is that the NBA realize the hurt they are inflicting upon the fans. We don’t want to watch hockey, and you don’t want to lose money. Please, do the smart thing and solve this problem before it’s too late.

SPORTS: Image from East LA, AVC game

In case you missed it, AVC lost to East LA 28-35/ Photo by Marcus Russell

OPINION: Subliminal Messages

By Maria Cortes
Staff Writer

Cartoon courtesy of Marty Bucella

I don’t believe in conspiracy theories. I may be wrong, but a story about Elvis Presley and Tupac Shakur living underground in Area 51 with all the other alien life-forms that the government has kept secret from us just screams out insanity. Subliminal messages, now that’s one that I might be able to make sense out of.

Everyone assumes the only subliminal messages out there are the sexual ones. The ones that involve Disney movies like the Little Mermaid and male reproductive organs in cover art.

You would be surprised, or maybe not, of all the theories roaming around out there. People have witnessed seeing the word “sex” written in the sky during Mufasa and Simba’s emotional talk in the Lion King. Others have reported hearing Aladdin say, “Teenagers take off your clothes,” in the 1992 Disney film. It seems as if people just love associating sex with cartoons.

OPINION: Is the computer mightier than the paintbrush?

By Maria Cortes
Staff Writer

Photo by Courtney Unander

Imagine if someone had gone up to Leonardo Da Vinci right after he had finished painting the Mona Lisa and said, “No thank you, but do you know how to operate Microsoft Word?” It is a sad realization that majority of artists do not get recognized for their talents until after they’re dead, hence Vincent Van Gogh. Another sad realization is that the arts are one of the most underappreciated and unrecognized fields of study in the colleges and universities.

Recently multiple articles have been circulating the web about the majors that employers are keeping an eye out for. These majors, supposedly, guarantee you a career with good pay and little to no fear of being laid off anytime soon. The majors in questions are such like a Bachelor’s in Business Administration, a Bachelor’s in Accounting and a Bachelor’s in Information Technology.

NEWS: No reimbursement for stolen catalytic converters

By Kristi Phillips
Staff Writer

As of Aug. 23, catalytic converters started to disappear out of Toyota trucks on campus. The campus Sheriffs' office has been doing extra surveillance in the parking lot with the help of the Lancaster Sheriffs' Department to try to catch the thief.

Although the converters were stolen on campus, “AVC will not be reimbursing the students for their stolen property because it is not their responsibility,” says Deputy Miguel Ruiz, “such as if you were to have something stolen in the parking lot of Target or Wal-Mart, they wouldn’t be reimbursing you for your property,”

Although at the moment the thief has not been caught, the sheriffs have a suspect and are “pretty confident” that they have found the right person.

In the mean time, big changes are happening on campus in the Sheriffs' office. Next week bicycle patrol will be coming to AVC and the sheriffs are looking into possibly getting drug dogs on campus in hopes of stopping crimes such as the converter theft from happening.

NEWS: Meeting to be held by ASO President

Current ASO President, Terrence Myers/Photo by Marcus Russell

By Kristi Phillips
Staff Writer

ASO President Terrence Myers will be hosting a workshop tomorrow in the student lounge from 2 to 4 p.m.

The workshop is about “effective ways to run a meeting,” which is inspired by the court case Brown vs. The Board of Education.

Myers is looking to have the meeting begin with a questionnaire “Who Wants To Be A Millionaire” style, where he will be asking fun questions to the students that attend.

FEATURES: Guppy Tea House

Offerings from the Guppy Tea House/ Photo by Mindy Simmons

By Mindy Simmons and Codie Walsh
Staff Writers

We’ll be the first to admit that we will happily go completely out of our way for a good meal. This past Wednesday was no exception. The drug of choice: Guppy Tea House. The location: Long Beach. If you’re going northbound on highway 605, don’t hesitate to exit off South Street and let the savory scent of popcorn chicken lure you to Pioneer Street.

Upon arrival we were greeted by a friendly host who gave us the option of dining in or out. We chose to sit inside to see the décor. To be honest, that is what initially sold us.  It’s over decorated, but luckily we feel the same way about decor as we do in women’s fashion. You know when you see a girl walking around campus with ten different necklaces on and extremely loud attire; you can’t help but to look, right? Sure it might be a bit tacky, but it’s fun, young and creative, which is exactly what Guppy Tea House is.

SPORTS: Tracking down Christen Rivers

Christen Rivers/ Photo by Marcus Russell

By Cornell Hudson
Staff Writer

After a few months of intense training and conditioning, we had a chance to catch up with 19 year old track athlete, Christen Rivers. The AVC sophmore moved from Los Angeles to Palmdale her freshman year of high school. While there, she ran the 100 meter dash in a record breaking 11.7 seconds. In case you're wondering how fast that is, the Olympic World Record for the 100 meter dash is 10.49 seconds, set by another historic Los Angeles native by the name of Florence Griffith-Joyner. Christen graduated from Palmdale High in 2009, leaving behind times of 24.15 seconds in the 200 meter and 56 seconds flat in the 400 meter run. The physical therapy major also qualified for the CIF State Finals. In her freshman year here at AVC, the young sprinter was part of a relay team that included current teammates Ashley Legrand and Jessica Flax. That season, the trio along with a former teammate broke the 4x4 record here at AVC. Unfortunately, due to health issues the following year, Rivers was unable to run. “I had a lot going on in my life, and I wanted to make sure I took care of all of that before stepping back on the track,” she said.

Rivers in motion/ Photo by Marcus Russell

Head Coach Mark Covert and Sprint Coach Jeff Leeds are expecting big things from their squad this year. With the addition of Marie Cooper, the AVC Track and Field team plans on having a great, fresh, and exciting season. Be sure to look out for them early in the spring semester.

SPORTS: Marauders' soccer team continues dominance with victory over COD

By Codie Walsh
Staff Writer

The Marauders’ soccer team continues to shine as they manage to keep their undefeated season alive by once again winning at home, and defeating College of the Desert on Friday afternoon.

What at first seemed to be a tough match for the Marauders quickly changed when Guijarro, AVC Marauder striker, stumbled a goal in the net. From that point of the match, things quickly changed as AVC managed to take control of the match. First half came to an end with a 1-0 lead for the Marauders.