The Lancer

Wrestling battles injuries

adviser — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 21:48:20 +0000

Wrestling started off the season with high hopes.
The Lancers had their fi rst match against Westlake on
Dec. 8, and, despite the loss, the team still felt good
about their performance.
“We did well. I took fi fth, [senior Austin] Welty
took third, and a few others placed,” junior Josh Cortes
said.
With the fi nal score at 35–40, the meet came down
to the last match with junior Ethan Heathcote.
“It was a clutch match. If I won we won, if I lost the
team lost,” Heathcote said.
Not only was the match unsuccessful, but Heathcote
broke his wrist during the match. His status is
now pending for the rest of the season.
Wrestling competed in the Camarillo Tournament
on Dec. 9–10.
They came in fi fth and went 8–3 overall. Thousand
Oaks triumphed over all teams except West Covina,
Lakewood and Pacifi ca.
”It was a heartbreak to lose to Westlake, but the Camarillo
Tournament has really brought up our hopes,”
varsity wrestler junior Tylor Gonzales said.
Two injuries occured at the Camarillo Tournament.
Junior Nick Miller suffered a knee injury during the
match when his knee popped out while senior Matt
Guido injured his shoulder and could be out for the
season. According to the team, these wrestlers are key
for the Lancers’ success during the season.

Taking a bite into Breaking Dawn

adviser — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 21:13:56 +0000

I have a confession to make. In the eighth grade, I loved Twilight. I know. I’m embarrassed too.
This was way before I discovered things like “good literature” and “creativity.” But, nonetheless, I was quite a fan. I had Twilight shirts and carried the book around like it was my Bible. So, naturally, I went to the midnight premiere of the first movie.
And it was awful.
I didn’t bother seeing the next two movies. It was too hard for me. But, to be fair, I rented them from the library and watched them all in one painful day.
For those who didn’t see them either, let me quickly summarize it. Bella’s boyfriend leaves her and she complains while a hot werewolf, Jacob, struts in front of her, taking his shirt off and flashing sexy smiles. Then, her love comes back and she has to decide which incredibly attractive man to fall in love with, which of course, just makes her even more miserable. She chooses the sparkling vampire. End of movie.
In the next movie, she gets engaged to her vampire, and there’s a fight about something, but I’m really not sure what.
Breaking Dawn Part One was probably the worst. And it isn’t even done yet.
I’m not even kidding; The first minute of the film, Taylor Lautner had already pulled his shirt off. I suppressed a groan, and shoved a handful of candy in my mouth to stop me from screaming profanity.
It was truly horrendous. Kristen Stewart’s face remained the same the entire movie, and Robert Pattinson looked constantly constipated. The special effects were terrible, and the script was unbearable. I’m pretty sure a dizzy seven-year-old could have written it better. And probably could deliver it better than the actors did.
Just when I thought things couldn’t get any worse, I started paying attention to the music. Now, don’t get me wrong. I like Iron & Wine as much as the next girl. I just enjoy it at the proper moments. I certainly wouldn’t want a song about suicide in the background of my wedding.
The worst scene was the birth of Bella Swan’s child, which was truly disgusting, and the effects made it almost impossible to comprehend what was happening. And, I found it kind of disturbing that she looked almost like a skeleton during the entire pregnancy. That’s probably pretty bad for the baby.
After the movie was over, I really wanted my $7 back. I don’t recommend seeing it. Seriously. Save yourself.
Anyway, Taylor Lautner only takes his shirt off once. It’s not worth it.

Bring the blues

adviser — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 21:06:40 +0000

Despite what some pessimists may think, as they still proudly don their Led Zeppelin T-shirts, rock and roll is not dead. Amidst the poppy glam and flashy hip-hop that has come to characterize the past decade, there are still musicians out there who can melt your face off with a rad guitar solo or with a growling verse.
The clear leaders of these artists: The Black Keys. They have characterized rock and roll for years now, but the world just recently became aware of it. With their 2010 breakout effort, Brothers, The Black Keys rocketed to the top of the music industry and peoples’ favorite bands lists alike.
With the success comes great pressure and anticipation—an alarming increase in the chance for disappointment if the successor doesn’t quite live up to the previous hit. However, The Black Keys certainly don’t fall into this trap with their seventh album, El Camino, as they capitalize on the added attention with ease. El Camino is a spurt of energy and soul that is captured without hesitation, without reserve. The duo ignored the hype and pressure and kept cool, one witty comment and denim jacket at a time.
“We don’t act overly precious about ourselves. A lot of bands get into that really bad habit of overthinking things and it’s just really crippling,” lead singer and guitarist Dan Auerbach explained in a recent interview with ExploreMusic, as if revealing some big rock secret. And perhaps that is indeed the key—to keep doing what they’ve been doing and capture it in a spur of a moment or of a feeling without questioning if this chord change or that snare snap could be improved. This approach could explain the lightning in a bottle effect that the new record contains, with no lull in between the punches.
Although the production, done by Danger Mouse, is cleaner and more upscale than the fuzzy, lo-fi beginning albums, especially Thickfreakness, The Black Keys never forget its Akron and blues roots. There is an obvious feeling that they would’ve made the same exact album even if all their success in the past year never happened, except perhaps the guitar riffs and drum beats would be bouncing off garage walls and not a polished professional studio.
From the start, with the eruption of a rapid, distorted guitar riff leading into the incredibly catchy single “Lonely Boy,” the tone is set as a more upbeat and rocking record than the vast, swampy blues-filled Brothers. “I got a love that keeps you waiting,” Auerbach croons amidst the pounding of Patrick Carney’s drums and background singers, displaying his confidence that they are finally valuable in people’s eyes. Caution: this tune has the uncanny ability to make bodies start dancing like the man on the music video without consent. Except, maybe not with the same level of moves.
The comparisons between the Keys and former fuzzy basement rockers, The White Stripes, are finally put to rest with such tracks as the western-feeling groove “Gold on the Ceiling” and “Dead and Gone,” which show off a sound and range that the Stripes never accomplished.
However, that doesn’t mean that they still don’t make tribute and homage to their influences. Auerbach and Carney tip their hats off to their predecessors in classic rock with their own “Stairway to Heaven” in “Little Black Submarines,” a simple beauty that finds the world’s reigning rock star sound sincerely solemn, playing off a familiar theme for the group—“A broken heart is blind”—until it breaks into the familiar rough electric guitar and relentlessly fierce drums.
Once the keyboard falls into a dip with Auerbach’s voice on “Sister,” I feel like I’m getting out of a vintage sports car after successfully executing a bank heist, hair slicked, shades being smoothly placed on my ears, jacket being shrugged onto my shoulders. The intermittent strikes of the bottom guitar strings coincide with my footsteps as I walk away and my trusty sidekick slips me a manila envelope.
Carney goes hard throughout the album, making me feel as if my arms are sore and I need a cup of water simply from listening to him attack his drum set. In “Hell Of A Season,” he goes ape on those things to the listener’s greatest satisfaction, even when his wingman breaks it down and expands the track.
“Stop Stop” sends a picture through my mind of Derek Zoolander doing a A Night at the Roxbury head bob as he strolls down the boardwalk at Venice Beach. Then, seemingly in the click of the mouse as one searches for thick, black-rimmed glasses and a removable grizzly beard on Ebay, the album’s closer “Mind Eraser” captures the listener’s sentiments perfectly within the payphone-sounding chorus—“Oh, don’t let it be over, no, don’t let it be over.”
The Black Keys have withstood the ever-foreboding test of capturing the moment while in the spotlight. I can’t imagine the Keys ever releasing anything even remotely mediocre. Too much soul, talent, and humility. I can’t wait to be that 50-year-old dad who still wears his Black Keys shirt, refusing to let go of the classics.

Cool Car on Campus: Jacob Steagall

adviser — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 21:01:15 +0000

From lift kit to roof rack, junior Jacob Steagall’s jeep
never fails to get noticed.
Nine months ago—just before his 16th birthday,
Steagall received the 1987 Jeep Cherokee as a gift from
his father, who works in the transportation department
at Warner Brothers. His father acquired it from a friend
at a glass company that makes windshields.
Steagall had always wanted a jeep, largely because
of their tough exterior and versatility.
“You can do whatever you want to them and they’ll
still run,” he said.
Steagall’s distinctive jeep attracts much attention on
the road.
“I get a lot of thumbs up from other people driving
jeeps,” he said. “You can hear [my jeep] coming.”
The noisy engine isn’t the only reason the jeep is
easy to hear. Two weeks after Steagall got his license
on his 16th birthday, he, his father and two friends decided
to renovate the speakers as a weekend project.
The jeep now sports powerful subwoofers and door
speakers.
Steagall has added all of the accessories he needs,
and although he does not have any immediate plans for
further improvements and additions, he will always be
open to new possibilities.
However, since the car is old, it has several more
troublesome features.
The car gets poor gas mileage, its windows roll
down slowly and it does not have air bags. Although
he is currently considering trading the car for a newer
one, he expects to have his jeep at least until the end of
high school.
“I kinda like it too much to get rid of it,” he said.
“It’s my baby.”
While he has the car, Steagall will continue to enjoy
driving it.
“It’s really comfy,” he said. “It’s nice to drive.”

Dance performs ‘Under the Big Top’

adviser — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 19:38:16 +0000

They passed between two looming balloon-clowns
to fi nd themselves standing “Under the Big Top” that
was once the PAC lobby.
The parents and students slowly fi lled the auditorium
for the dance program’s annual Winter Dance Concert,
which ran from Thursday, Dec. 1 to Saturday, Dec. 3.
“I think it turned out amazingly considering the
amount of people that were involved in it,” fourth period
dance member junior Annalea Fusci said. “It’s a
lot to organize, but it was defi nitely a success.”
Members of fourth period played a larger part in the
show than they had in previous years. Dance teacher
JaLeen Murphy divided the 70 dancers into three
groups, each third performing one dance. The groups
combined to perform the clock-themed “Gold Time” in
the second half.
Fusci appreciated the way in which Murphy dealt
with the amount of students in her period.
“It’s a lot easier to choreograph for 20 kids than it
is for 70,” she said. “It’s nice to be in a different dance
with less people so there’s more room and more of a
chance to dance.”
Another variation from last year’s show was the emphasis
on transitions between dance routines.
“We worked on how the dances worked together,”
Murphy said. “It felt like you were at a circus from
start to fi nish.”
This year, Murphy also provided $1,500 worth of
lighting, which she said produced more vibrant colors,
and commissioned circus tent decorations in the auditorium
and lobby.
“It felt very fi nished,” she said.
The emcees, juniors Alex Karukas and Michael
Seltzer, used playful side-skits to put the dance performances
into context. With the help of their Master
Book of Evil Circuses, their characters attempted to use
the ‘evil circus’ to accomplish world domination.
“We were trying to get the audience to be involved
yet trying to get them creeped out,” Seltzer said. “In
the end it’s supposed to be heartwarming even though
we’re evil.”
Although the duo had some instruction from Murphy
and wrote their own script, a good portion of the fi nal
product was improvisation.
“If we needed to get the plot going or we were just
bored with the lines, we’d change it up,” he said. “Especially
with the live theatre, if something doesn’t go
the way you want it to—which it will—you just have
to work with it.”
Murphy is unsure of whether or not the duo will continue
as a recurring theme in the shows despite their
involvement in the past several concerts.
“My job is to make a great production,” Murphy
said, “and it’s hard with so many other students that
want to do it.”

Jazz program presents holiday concert

adviser — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 03:41:18 +0000

Jazz music filled the PAC on Dec. 8 as parents and
students gathered for the Winter Jazz Concert, which
featured the A.M. Jazz Ensemble with guest performances
by Redwood Middle School.
“Jazz band is more of a collective group of improvised
music and it was the best performance yet,” baritone
saxophone player junior Kingsley Hickman said.
“We represented well.”
They performed a variety of 10 pieces, including “A
Walkin’ Thing,” featuring saxophone and string bass,
the Latin tune “Tiger of San Pedro” and several other
pieces featuring seven instrumentalists and percussion
players. The concert concluded with several holiday
classics.
The 20-member A.M. Jazz Ensemble meets during
first period, but its members feel that this does not affect
their performance.
“At first it was difficult to adjust, but I now look at it
as a continuation of the previous day,” alto saxophone
player freshman Chris Shaffer said.
Seniors make up 60 percent of the ensemble this
year, which may cause membership decline next year.
“The seniors were great. They are really good people
to look up to because they have more years of musical
experience,” Shaffer said. “It’s really inspiring to see
how they progressed. It gives me a goal.”

Options after high school: Four-year college

adviser — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 21:48:11 +0000

Adulthood is upon us.
Moving on to college is a rite of passage for any
high school graduate, and the urge to move on to a new
place is incredibly tempting—especially from Thousand
Oaks. A four-year university could be the right
choice for after high school.
Paying for college is easier than it may seem. If one
has the means to attend an expensive school with no
problems, great. For the other seniors who are in desperate
need of dough, there are a multitude of options,
from scholarships and student loans to the ever-favored
fi nancial aid package. Four-years will often offer needbased
fi nancial aid and sometimes even need-blind admission
to make cost less of a problem for applicants.
In addition, for us Californians, the Western Undergraduate
Exchange System offers the possibility a
reduced tuition fee for colleges in 15 states.
In terms of education, universities offer a wider variety
of classes suited for intended majors of study. Even
entering as undeclared will guarantee a larger variety
of courses that will help in the process of deciding on
a major to study. Often, attending a community college
means completing classes that have nothing to do with
a major of choice, so English majors might have to
brush up on their calculus to get credits.
The whole “college experience” is one of the
most valuable things to take away from college
years. Starting as a freshman allows students to
get acquainted with their new home better than those
who attend community college and are often stuck at
home. Having the dorm experience not only offers a refreshing,
new sense of independence, but also teaches
incoming freshmen the importance of responsibility.
Kids that go to a four-year college form the close personal
relationship with the washing machine that
junior college students don’t get until later.
At the end of the journey, university students
earn a bachelor’s degree, and those at a community
college earn a two-year degree. While both
constitute graduating from an institution of higher education,
a bachelor’s degree ultimately opens up more
doors for job opportunities and higher salaries. According
to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, someone with a
bachelor’s degree earns a greater weekly salary and has
less unemployment than an associate’s degree.
Four-year schools aren’t right for everyone. Upon applying,
the worst they can say is no. However, with the
right initiative and some hard work, the opportunities
to earn a great college degree are endless.

Options after high school: Community college

adviser — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 21:45:47 +0000

No personal statements and signifi cant money saving
sound appealing around the time of college applications.
Community college offers such prospects, along
with other major benefi ts.
A community college, such as Moorpark College,
is especially enticing for students who plan to transfer
after the fi rst two years to a four-year school. Transfer
students must remain motivated and on track in
regards to earning the 60 transferable credits throughout
the two-year period in order to gain acceptance to
a university.
Realistically, the primary motive for choosing a
community college is indeed fi nancial.
The cost of community college is such a small fraction
of a traditional university that thousands of dollars
could be saved every year. The fi nancial savings
include living at home, which is also a benefi t
for some not prepared to move away from
home just yet.
The best way to take advantage of community
college though, is by transferring.
While staying motivated and on track at community
college—something a four-year college hopeful
should be able to do—the money savings add up.
In-state tuition for University of California, Santa Barbara,
an average UC school, will cost a student almost
$12,000. Room and board come in at about $13,000,
for a total of $25,000. The enrollment fee at Moorpark
Community College is $36 per unit. This works out to
about $540 per semester for a student taking 15 units,
laughably small compared to the cost of a four-year.
During these two years, students can fi nish the core
classes everyone has to take.
When colleges see that an applicant is a dedicated
college student who has kept up with classes and maintained
a strong GPA, extra possibilities are opened over
applying straight out of high school. In some situations,
a student may get into better schools than the ones he
or she could have directly out of high school.
The most satisfying moment as a transfer student
is graduating with the same degree that some
students paid possibly twice as much for.
While one might think the positives are only fi nancial,
community college creates the opportunity of attending
a higher-level school, especially for those without
the GPA or SAT scores required to gain admittance
straight out of high school.
Community college isn’t always the exciting choice,
but it just may very well be the smart one.

2012 Republican party candidates, according to Lucas

adviser — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 21:43:20 +0000

As the Republican candidates overwhelm news coverage
with scandals and statements, it can become tedious
to pick out who did what when, or to whom. So
here, in what I promise is no particular order, is my
view of the current prospects for the Republican Party’s
nomination for the office of President.
» Newt Gingrich
With a career almost as long as his list of ethics violations,
Gingrich has often proven to be just as slippery
as his reptilian namesake. This former Speaker of the
House gained widespread fame as the driving force behind
former President Bill Clinton’s impeachment trial,
which demonstrated the multitasking skills a president
needs by maintaining an affair at the same time.
» Mitt Romney
The white bread of this field of candidates, Romney
isn’t too exciting but is certainly the safest choice.
However, he has drawn derision from Republican voters
for his indecision on important policies, an issue
that is only magnified by his complete lack of scandal.
His willingness to conform to traditional Republican
ideas has glossed over his past as governor of the
mostly liberal Massachusetts and helped him maintain
a near constant lead in the polls.
» Rick Santorum
Santorum has repeatedly been criticized for his views
on immigration and gay rights, or rather for his proposed
lack of the two. His ideas on important topics
tend to contradict each other, a fact that he has chosen
to avoid addressing and averted attention from with his
trademark nervous smile. Also, whatever you do, never
Google his last name.
» Ron Paul
A favorite among those with an incorrect definition
of irony, Paul, a self-described libertarian, opposes
more government programs than most people know exist.
As a former obstetrician, Paul boasts of delivering
“over 4,000” babies, but unfortunately has yet to bring
any real political insight into this world.
» Michelle Bachmann
One of the Tea Party’s leaders, Bachmann has provided
enough misguided quotes and sound bites to fuel
her own two-hour television special, hopefully hosted
by Keith Olbermann. She has (admirably, of course)
hosted twenty-three foster children, a fact that she unfortunately
uses to criticize American mothers. Bachmann
supports many of Ron Paul’s less extreme ideas,
which are admittedly still pretty extreme.
» Jon Huntsman
Having served under three Republican administrations,
Huntsman is arguably the most qualified prospect
for the candidacy, but his limited campaigning and, as a
result, media coverage, have kept his standings in polls
to a constant 1 percent of the vote or lower. He has kept
himself separate from the bickering between his fellow
prospects, demonstrating an attitude classier than the
rainbow of grey in Mitt Romney’s hair.
» Rick Perry
The image that comes to mind when picturing a stereotypical
Republican, Perry served as the Governor
of Texas for 10 years, the longest term of any United
States governor. It’s clear only to him whether he is still
in the running for the candidacy, as after apparently
dropping out he recently returned with a new campaign
video, already as infamous as the ‘Oops’ video. At the
very least, Perry provides entertainment.

Robotics fights to qualify

adviser — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 21:39:30 +0000

It’s just as time-consuming as a varsity sport, club
mentor Chuck Seabury says. Robotic, though, replaces
athletes with robots, balls with plastic pieces and hoops
with PVC goals.
Robotics team members juniors Justin Perez-Norwood,
Ian Cornelius and Jared Cohen and senior Erik
Leiterman and mentor Chuck Seabury spent the last
several weeks preparing for the VEX Robotics Tournament
this past Saturday, Dec. 10. The competition, a
qualifier for the VEX Robotics World Championship,
took place at CSUN from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
At the competition, teams were paired in competitive
alliances and led their robots to transport red and
blue blocks into 13 “goals” of varying heights.
The team and its robot placed 12th out of 70 teams.
Twelfth place is normally a qualifying rank for the
World Championship, but the top four teams ultimately
determine who will fill the remaining eight places.
Because the top teams selected lower-ranked teams
to join them in alliances in the World Championships,
the TOHS team will not advance.
“It’s a funny way of doing it, but it’s part of the philosophy
about working together,” Seabury said.
The team members attribute their ranking to difficulties
with their onboard processors after the second
match of the day. Ultimately, the team forfeited the
next two matches in order to install a new processor
and upload the necessary software.
They feel, however, that they have improved since
their November competition and may try to qualify
again at the next VEX competition on Feb. 18.
“We are more than confident in the mechanics,” Cohen
said. “However, we feel like we can work on the
technical side of it.”