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Thursday, Nov. 8, 2018
Volume 112 | Issue 5
America’s Hate Problem The bloodbath in Pittsburgh raises uncomfortable truths
ANALYSIS Tania Acosta / Staff Photographer
COMMUNITIES COME TOGETHER: In order to show support of neighboring communities and religions, Angelenos have set out to march for solidarity.
By Marian Sahakyan Editor-in-Chief When the Founding Fathers set forth to write the Bill of Rights nearly two centuries ago, they made it a point to assure future Americans that their choice of religion would be respected and protected by the United States government. They assured nothing on behalf of fellow Americans, though. For decades, hate crimes directed towards a specific group of individuals has drawn constant attention in the headlines of virtually every mainstream American publication. A recent tragic event is just one of countless pieces of proof of this very statement.
Nothing was out of the ordinary on the morning of Oct. 27 at the Tree of Life Congregation in Pittsburgh. Worshippers gathered to pray and celebrate the birth of a child. They smiled, laughed and told jokes. In one area, people were gathered for a religious ceremony that the Jewish faith holds dear. The event was a baby naming ceremony and a celebration of faith, culture, and progeny. Then, mid-morning, a white supremacist named Robert D. Bowers took the congregation by storm. He rushed in, equipped with an AR-15-style assault rifle and at least three handguns. As he proceeded through the synagogue, the assailant shouted anti-semitic slurs, shooting indiscriminately at anyone in his way. His
oldest victim was 97. Most of his victims were senior citizens. It’s worth noting an older person, especially a 97-year-old grandmother, can hardly run and hide the way a younger, more able-bodied person could. That makes Bowers a coward and murderer of the worst sort. During his self-directed mission of hate, Bowers started to exchange fire with police forces. They came in harnessed with rifles and tactical gear, and fenced him in. The exchange, however, wounded cops as well. The run-in lasted several minutes. At last, Bowers surrendered with a couple of gunshot wounds. But not before he told the officer that he just wanted to kill Jews. Federal officials charged the man with
29 criminal counts, including that of obstructing the free exercise of religious beliefs. In addition, he faces state charges, including six counts of aggravated assault, 11 counts of criminal homicide, and 13 counts of ethnic intimidation. This hysterical, hate-filled bloodbath took the lives of 11 Jews, wounding four police officers and two civilians. The rampage has been described among the deadliest against the Jewish-American community. Government officials were quick to decry it.“Hatred and violence on the basis of religion can have no place in our society,” Attorney General Jeff Sessions said. [See ‘Hate Problem,’ page 2]
Campus Evactuated Due to Gas Leak Vaqueros remained calm, as authorities directed students, staff and faculty off campus By James Ojano-Simonsson and Hayk Martirosyan Staff Writers
Hayk Rostomyan / Staff Photographer
CAMPUS ORDERS: As directed by officials, students rush to get off campus for safety on Oct. 31.
Trick or Treat? On Halloween, Glendale College had a very real gas leak scare that caused the campus to evacuate shortly after 1 p.m. and cancel classes for the remainder of the day. GCC Student Leonardo Romano, 19, was walking to his English class at the Auditorium building when he smelled something strong. He was stopped by a police officer, telling people by the Plaza Vaquero to “go north or go home,” Romano explained. He learned that there was a gas leak on campus, so he followed the stream of people towards the San Gabriel building where most of them waited for more information, until campus authorities asked everyone to leave campus.
Students, faculty, and staff had concerns, though, about the Nixle alert system, which didn’t work due to reception issues in some building. Stephanie Samuelian, 24, a GCC student, was in the Aviation Arts building when she also noticed a strange smell. “We didn’t get evacuated until someone in class told the teacher that we’re all getting evacuated,” Samuelian said. That was the case for several students El Vaquero staff interviewed. David Glover, Instructor of Computer Science at GCC, was in the middle of his lecture in the San Rafael building, next to where the gas leak happened. It was not until staff came and evacuated people, that he noticed something happened. “They were pretty fast in evacuating us, and I left my notebook and everything upstairs,” Glover said.
Workers standing next to the security line tape by the east side of the San Rafael building declined to comment. El Vaquero later learned that the gas leak resulted from construction work. James Ojano-Simonsson can be reached at jojanos818@student.glendale.edu. Hayk Martirosyan can be reached at haykm212@gmail.com.
IN THIS ISSUE News. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1- 3 Features . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-6 Satire/Opinion. . . . . . . 7-9 Sports .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 0 Entertainment. . . . . . . . . 11 Advertisement. . . . . . . 12
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[Continued from ‘Hate Problem,’ page 1] “Every American has the right to attend their house of worship in safety. Sessions also went on to predict that the Justice Department charges “could [possibly] lead to the death penalty” for the assailant. Unfortunately, this event is not the first in the country, and probably won’t be last, either. In fact, we see signs of anti-semitism in our own communities, during different stages of daily life.
something like that could suggest that someone holds very prejudiced views and believes that a parking wall is the venue to share those views,” she suggested in a sit down interview. “Interestingly, the venue for vandalism is impersonal and almost dirty. Parking lots are a bit like public bathrooms. Anti-semitism is a conspiracy theory, plain and simple, and is no different than cowardly scawls left on a filthy bathroom door. Perhaps it makes sense someone would carve it in almost secrecy and shame, despite wanting people to see it. It’s like they know it’s vile.” Glendale’s History of Hate
Everyday, Everywhere Just two days following the Pittsburgh synagogue shooting, Reut Cohen, Journalism instructor and El Vaquero adviser spotted a carved swastika on walls of the Lot C parking structure adjacent to the garden on the main floor. Being of the Jewish faith, Cohen explained that it immediately stood out to her during an unsettling period in the country’s climate. She quickly proceeded to report the incident to campus police and facilities, as well as her superiors. School authorities were quick to act in removing the carving and clearing it up. For Cohen, however, it made her wonder about whether someone thought it was funny to carve a swastika into a wall where there are so many pedestrians or if someone actually hates the Jewish people that much. “I can’t commend GCC enough for how quickly they looked into the matter and got the carving removed from the wall. It must have been less than 30 minutes after I reported it,” said Cohen. “I can’t help but wonder about the person who did this. Was it a misdirected and inappropriate joke? Or was it an earnest feeling on their part to intimidate people of the Jewish faith on campus?” Glendale College Police Chief Gary Montecuollo told El Vaquero that a hate incident report was taken. In such events, the college sends the information to Glendale City Police, who have detectives. The case is still being investigated. Cohen felt the vandalism was something likely personal for the perpetrator. “To spend time painstakingly carving
Between the early ‘60s and late ‘80s, the City of Glendale was host to the West Coast headquarters of the American Nazi Party, home to one of the biggest Nazi communities in the country. Today, the demographics have clearly changed. During the next few decades, the city became inhabited by other ethnicities, becoming a melting pot of culture, tolerance and coexistence. Despite the massive demographic change, traces of historic Nazism maintains its presence on the streets of the Jewel City. One may be taking a walk near the Glendale City Hall or the downtown area as they stumble upon aesthetically pleasing, semi-vintage lamp posts. Along the base of these lamps are carved out swastika-like designs. At first glance, anyone would do a double take. It takes a history buff, or perhaps a design enthusiast, to understand its origins. In response to the controversy raised by residents and visitors of the city, Glendale Council conducted research in which they studied the roots of the design. Many of those who complained understood the origins, but were concerned about how the lamps were perceived. Indeed, the city released findings that lamp posts are an inheritance of the city from the ‘20s and were purchased from Union Metal Company based in Canton, Ohio. “All of the design features of the lamp posts appear to have been approved by the City in the early 1920s,” the research reads. “Including the Greek cross, which includes ends of the arms bent at right
el vaquero EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Marian Sahakyan MANAGING EDITOR Alin Pasokhian
COPY EDITORS
Tania Acosta
Elena Jacobson
Allison Ayala
Yesenia Thomson
Samantha Banuelos Dylan Anthony Bryant Eduardo Carreno
PHOTOGRAPHER Ethan DeHoyos
Joanna Flamenco Tyler Greene Jordan Henry Kevin Holcomb Ro Martinez Avetis Oganyan Selena Reyes
FEATURES EDITOR Samantha Decker WEB EDITORS Carolina Diaz
Matthew Spencer
Danny Escobar
Hayk Martirosyan
PRODUCTION ASSISTANT Chieko Kubo
ILLUSTRATOR
Michael Dumansky
Rudy Guijarro
PRODUCTION MANAGER James Ojano-Simonsson
angles at a counter clockwise direction, faith Solidarity March was held on Oct. which is, by definition, a swastika.” Oth29, coinciding with the unfortunate murers have suggested its an Art Deco motif der spree in Pittsburgh. that is no longer in use because it’s essenHundreds, if not thousands, attended tially an inverted swastika, a symbol that the rally, calling on leaders to campaign eventually became loaded due to the usfor peace and tolerance. Marchers called age of it during WWII. to put an end to violence in the country, One has to wonder, furthermore, how once and for all. those members of the Nazi movement “We are trying to bridge gaps. Creatin Glendale perceived those lamp posts, ing universal values like peace, a positive however. peace,” said Rev. Felicia Parazaider, who Whether it’s a swastika related to Glenwas among the organizers of the event. dale’s past as a Nazi hub or a Greek cross The walking rally started at Temple Alimotif adopted by an arts movement at the yah in Woodland Hills, then proceeded turn of the century actualto a Presbyterian church and ly no longer makes a difended with a memorial at a local “In fact, hate ference. It’s not a particumosque. crimes against larly huge undertaking to Jews, who make up It’s true what they say about chip away at a motif that attacks against individuals in 2 percent of Ameri- a place of worship – an attack so many see as an encans, are often dorsement of Nazism that against one group is an attack disproportionate hasn’t been removed. Or, against all. That being said, relative to other simply put, why attract however, religious leaders and groups.” even the mere suggestion community organizers need to that the city is okay with be cognizant that attacks against offensive symbols in light Jews have increased year by of so many hate crimes just in Los Angeyear. les County against Jewish-Americans? In fact, hate crimes against Jews, who It is of reason to conclude that seeing make up 2 percent of Americans, are often these symbols around the city can possidisproportionate relative to other groups. bly bring up a sense of encouragement or It’s not all uneducated people perpetrating enablement to some, allowing them to enthese crimes. Indeed, in 2016 hate crimes gage with what can easily be interpreted against Jews on college campuses nearly as hate speech. doubled. That must be why the campus reacted In sunny Orange County, swastikas so quickly after receiving Cohen’s meswere drawn on the exterior walls of an sage where she aired her concerns. The Irvine synagogue. In Brooklyn, a Jewish symbol of hate – in this case unmistakman was beaten without cause by someably a swastika – had no place on campus. one in a hate crime just a few days before Leaving it up or waiting would have sent the Pittsburgh incident. At UCLA, just a the wrong message. couple years ago, a student who sought a government post with her campus was Together in Solidarity asked if her Jewish faith would interfere with her potential job. At Pierce College A house of worship is a place of refuge a couple of years back, a posting targeting and community solidarity. It’s supposed Jewish students called for “ISIS” for “pest to be safe. That’s why members of other management,” going into the Protocolsreligions have voiced their concern about like notion that Jews are subhuman. the attack perpetrated on Jews in a sleepy We don’t know what the future holds Pittsburgh town. for the persecuted, what we do know, is Dozens of groups from multiple faiths the fact that despite its ‘loving’ charactermarched together in Woodland Hills, Caistics, America has a hate problem. lif., to encourage unity and cooperation between those with different beliefs and Marian Sahakyan can be reached at backgrounds. The second annual Intermanehsahakyan@gmail.com.
STAFF WRITERS
Carmen Fernandez
SENIOR PRODUCTION MANAGER Hayk Rostomyan
www.elvaq.com
Samuel Reynolds Kenya Ruiz Lilit Sedrakyan Kylie Shannon Eisho Shiroma Martha Topete
FACULTY ADVISER Rory Cohen rcohen@glendale.edu (818) 240-1000 ext. 5214
Member of the Journalism Asssociation of Community Colleges
Member of the California Newspaper Publishers Association
Letters to the Editor El Vaquero accepts story ideas in news, features, profiles, sports and entertainment from the public. Send an idea or article to the editor at rcohen@glendale.edu or call (818) 240-1000, ext. 5214.
Letters may be reproduced in full or in part and represent only the point of view of the writer, not the opinion of El Vaquero or Glendale Community College and its district. All letters must include the full name, address and phone number of the writer. You will be contacted before publication. El Vaquero is a First Amendment publication.
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City of Glendale Hosts First Ever Gun Buyback The police department plans on continuing with the event for years to come By Lilit Sedrakyan Staff Writer From Kentucky to Pittsburgh, gun violence has been a regular feature of the news over the last two weeks. To mitigate some gun violence, the Glendale Police Department hosted its first “Anonymous Gun Buyback” event on Saturday, Oct. 27, in hopes to ensure safety on the streets of Glendale. The goal of the event was to reduce the availability of unwanted firearms in the community by providing an opportunity for the safe disposal of firearms. The Anonymous Gun Buyback events also reduce the number of guns in homes that are subject to be stolen and used by criminals. The most inviting aspect of this initiative is the fact that the entire process is anonymous. No
identification is needed to further the process, which gives a peace of mind to those giving up their guns. “People drive up, they keep the weapons in the trunk, open [it] for us. We make sure that the gun is safe, not loaded,” said Dan Settles, GPD spokesman. “We never ask them for their name, ID’s, we don’t ask anything. We just give them their gift certificate, and off they go.” The Police Department offered a $100 gift card for each handgun, shotgun and rifle, and $200 gift card for assault weapons as classified in the State of California. A total of 101 weapons were collected. GPD promised that these would be destroyed. Upon receiving the guns, the Police Department runs the serial numbers to check for lost or stolen status and if applicable, they will be
Zareh Sinanyan / Contributing Photographer
RIFLES COLLECTED: Police say 101 weapons in total were collected.
Zareh Sinanyan / Contributing Photographer
ANONYMOUS BUYBACK: The Glendale Police Department offers $100 gift cards for each handgun, shotgun and rifle, and a $200 gift card for assault weapons.
returned to the legal owners. All other firearms collected during the event, will be destroyed in compliance with state law requirements. “There were very expensive guns, nice collectibles, it’s kind of a shame that we have to destroy [them], but we want to keep the integrity of the program together,” Settles emphasized. “We want people to feel comfortable knowing that we are going to do what we said we would.” Settles was not the only one to regret the loss of these classic weapons. Zareh Sinanyan, Glendale City Mayor also showed his enthusiasm for these. “Too bad that the classic guns must be melted down with the
rest of them,” Sinanyan noted in a Facebook post. This is an integral part of the strategy to cut gang and gun violence in the city. It’s not only about crimes, but also suicides and tragedies. Starting in large cities, the gun buyback movement has gained lots of attention and popularity all around, including Los Angeles. In cosmopolitan cities, the turnout of similar events reaches tens of thousands of guns being collected, including a large amount of assault weapons. This further explains the seriousness of the gun issue in the country. What is known to be a way of self-defense, can be found in the wrong hands. It can one day end up in the hands of
an angry teenager, who is upset at his classmates or teachers. Perhaps in the hands of a small child, treating it as a toy. Maybe video game enthusiasts who are emotionally unstable and want to try out their games in person on an actual crowd. These are just a few scenarios from the actual picture, where we have seen the misuse of guns. Unfortunately, we see such events on our news feeds far too often. This is when tragedy becomes inevitable. As Russian author Anton Chekhov implied, if there is a rifle hanging on the wall, it absolutely will go off.
Lilit Sedrakyan can be reached at lsedrak810@student.glendale.edu.
El Vaquero Receives New Cameras Thanks to College Foundation Students, faculty expressed thanks for the new technology, which helps put program on the map By Marian Sahakyan Reut Cohen It’s been a year of rapid change in the Journalism Program at Glendale Community College, which has presented innumerable opportunities for students. Most recently, the Glendale College Foundation approved a grant for the Journalism Program and El Vaquero that was used to purchase
five new DSLR Canon cameras that has assisted photo journalism and news production classes alike in getting higher quality photos. “I greatly appreciate what the Foundation does at GCC,” said Terri Thuente, an adjunct photojournalism instructor whose class is tasked with taking photos for the school paper. “Students can’t afford these cameras.” Thuente, whose students check out the cameras, added that the new
Ethan DeHoyos / Staff Photographer
ACTION SHOT: Student Ethan DeHoyos snaps photos on the field. Linebacker No. 35 Michael Stanford from Glendale makes a great tackle to running back No. 25 Brandon Archibald from Moorpark.
equipment help in getting better photos for sports and campus event shots. “Students get a lot better work from this equipment.” The mission of the Journalism Program at Glendale Community College prides itself on exposing students to print, digital and broadcast elements of modern journalism. “I honestly love it!” said Hayk Rostomyan, who is senior production manager with El Vaquero and TV production major. “These cameras allow us to record high quality videos in 16:9 aspect ratio and are very user friendly, which helps in training newer students coming on board to the paper. The microphones also allow for better audio in interviews. Just this semester, we have recorded multiple broadcast segments and podcasts that we feature in QR codes within our newspaper.” Over the summer, students began producing work that went into a Fall 2018 special issue of Insider Magazine. New camera equipment allowed the magazine’s staff photographer to take high resolution photos, thereby showcasing the best version of student work. Learn more about the Journalism Program at bit.ly/
Dylan A. Bryant / Staff Photographer
ENVIRONMENTAL PORTRAIT: Hayk Rostomyan is pictured in this photo taken by a photojournalism student practicing his craft.
GCCJournalism. The Foundation was launched in 1983 when members of the community sought to establish a charitable organization to support the college’s facilities and its programs. The Foundation’s $11 million
endowment funds scholarships, facilities and programs. Donate to the Foundation at bit.ly/GCCFoundation. Marian Sahakyan can be reached ar manehsahakyan@gmail.com. Reut Cohen can be reached at rcohen@glendale.edu.
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An English Instructor’s Advice Diann Adamson has been teaching writing for 18 years
Marian Sahakyan / Staff Photographer
READ AND WRITE: Professor Adamson encourages her students to read more books and write, as well.
By Tania Acosta Staff Writer Every morning before she starts her day, she grabs a cup of coffee then sits at her desk to start writing. Diann Adamson has been teaching writing at GCC for the past 18 years. Her passion for teaching stretches as deep as that of writing. Her sense of humor keeps students away from distractions or falling asleep during those early morning classes and throughout the day. Her positive attitude, gives students something to look forward to every single class. She encourages her students to never stop learning. She has a special ability of channeling the interesting talents
that her students hold within, she helps them bring out and showcase these. She recalls a student by the name of Alex, who despised writing. After months and months of convincing conversations, Adamson was able to change Alex’s mind. He finally started writing poems. The professor became very impressed with his poems. “You are a poet,” she said to him, encouraging the student to publish his work. Several semesters later, Alex contacted his beloved mentor to let her know that his work had been published by UCLA. He also showed gratitude for her encouraging words, and for pushing to get his work out there. Adamson’s creativity is demonstrated among her many writ-
ings, including the science fiction books that she has published. One book in particular, “Outre, Deviation Trilogy,” stole the hearts of many readers. The book centers on a 15-year-old boy and his friends, who believe that aliens are abducting people from their town. This put the young boys on a mission to investigate their allegations. The book went on to win numerous awards and recognitions. In 2016, “Outre” won in the MidWest Book Festival. It also received a Clue Award, along with the YA suspense. Aside from being an inspiring professor, and a talented writer, Adamson also involves herself with the community. Once of month, she speaks in women’s clubs and libraries, where she
teaches about different aspects of writing. To further encourage her students to write, Adamson has made it possible for potential writers to submit their creative work, such as journals and photographs. Upon submission, the students’ work gets published on her blog. Her creation of a safe place for students to submit their work to be showcased, gives students a sense of appreciation for their interests and passions and allows them to be viewed by her 1300 followers. “Professor Adamson’s teaching style is different than any other teachers, she guides you through every single detail,” said Lilit Hartoonian, a student who feels empower by Adamson’s influence. Majd Kayak, another
student said, “Professor Adamson is very knowledgeable and intelligent. Asks stimulating questions; good at explaining.” He feels that she can read his mind. Despite her busy agenda, the author and teacher, is planning on launching her newest book, “At the Edge of No Return.” The book focuses on a behavioral psychologist, who is looking at the theory of quantum consciousness in our relationship to understanding human and criminal behavior. “Writing for me is leaving an imprint. Even a simple “Who done it” can teach, offers hope and gives an eye into the state of what it means to be human.”
Tania Acosta can be reached at tacosta253@student.glendale.edu.
A r t i s t C o r n e r: A G l i m p s e o f G C C page design by hayk rostomyan
Staff illustrator Matthew Spencer painted this GCC landscape based on a photo he took on campus. The location of the tree and shrubs is right by the San Rafael building. Lately, Spencer has been experimenting with textures and landscapes. To see more of Matthew’s art, go to: bit.ly/spencerm Matthew Spencer / Staff Illustrator
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Channeling Your Inner Child El Vaquero’s team tried some Japanese DIY candy kits
By Eisho Shiroma Staff Writer One way to unwind ahead of midterms is to go on a candy binge, Japanese style. El Vaquero’s newsroom recently tapped into their 5-year-old selves and tried a wide variety of unique snacks and candy to crunch, munch, and chew in a special taste test. From the salty to sweet, Japanese snacks satisfy the most unique taste buds. Our news staff even tried the DIY variations. Scan the QR code here to learn more and watch a special broadcast segment featuring sports writer Kevin Holcomb, staff writer Lalo Carreno, staff writer Ro Martinez, and managing editor Alin Pasokhian. Candy was purchased in Maruki, a market in Little Tokyo that features special candies from back home. Interestingly, these Japanese DIY kits are no longer restricted to Japan, and have become popular all over the world. The kits allow users to get creative and test their abilities as a sugar confections chefs. The purpose of these is to inspire children’s creativity, or, in this case, the creativity of a bunch of 20-something-year-olds. The most famous DIY kit, Kracie, is known for its Popin’ Cookin’ series. With the use of sugar and water, one can mix and knead, making a variety of foods and deserts, such as tiny ice cream cones, sushi, bento which is a Japanese style lunch box, and ramen. Working on these DIY projects often helps relieve stress. In Japan, social media is often filled with videos of completed, colorful products. For some laughs, we recorded reaction from staff who tried the following items.
Hayk Rostomyan / Staff Photographer
A CANDY COLLECTION: Colorful candy packages attract many people, regardless of their age.
Popin’ Cookin’ Ice Cream This is a lot of fun to play around with and gives you the chance to create different kinds of ice cream variations. It includes different types of cones to make cookie sandwich or a waffle bowl.
Shin-Chan Fake Beer This is a DIY drink, which looks like a real beer. ShinChan is a Japanese well-known anime series, and there is a parody illustration of the Shin-Chan and a Japanese beer company on its accessory mug. The drink has a refreshing Coke flavor, but looks like a frothy beer. You can make your own “beer” in a cute collectible mug!
Happy Sushi House This is one of the most popular and commonly used kits. The Happy Sushi House gives a lot of room for creativity, as one can try making different types of sushi, such as egg sushi, tuna, and fish roe. Of course it does not taste like real sushi, because its candy.
Nerunerunerune This set is for making a soda-flavored custard. “Nerunerunerune” translates to “mix, mix, mix.” There are even sprinkles. In addition to the color changing sticky candy, a separate package of candy for dipping is included. Just add water and mix, and dip!
Make Bento Bento is a Japanese style lunch box, and in this mini version, the person making it is given the chance to get creative with how they choose to build these boxes. The candy is in the form of a panda-shaped rice ball, an octopus-shaped sausage, spaghetti, an eggroll, and a meatball.
Funny Ramen Shop This set is another popular one. It consists of ramen and dumplings. The ramen flavor is soda and the dumpling is Coke. No microwave or oven is needed. All you need for this is some water to make soda soup. It comes with candy, gummies, and sauces.
Marukai is conveniently located at 123 S Onizuka St. #105, Los Angeles, CA 90012, and is open from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. from Monday through Sunday. They can be reached by phone at (213) 893-7200. Photos by Hayk Rostomyan and Tyler Greene Check out the full video by scanning the QR Code or simply visit: http://bit.ly/JapaneseCandyGCC
Eisho Shiroma can be reached at eishoshiroma@gmail.com.
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A Visit to the Bite Beauty Lip Lab Two makeup enthusiasts from El Vaquero witnessed the making of organic lipsticks, from start to finish
A COLORFUL VARIETY: The Bite Beauty Lip Lab offers the option of creating your own lip care items. You can also decide the color, scent and form of your lipstick.
By Kylie Shannon Staff Writer Did you know some lipsticks contain lead? In fact, many red shades do. And some contain more lead in them than is allowed in candy (also scary). Thankfully, alternatives are popping up for the more health conscious consumer. Located on 142 N Larchmont Blvd in Los Angeles is the acclaimed Bite Beauty Lip Lab. For those that don’t know, Bite Beauty is a cosmetic company that specializes in formulating non-toxic organic cosmetics. Their collection features everything for the lips, from lipsticks, to liners, crayons and even lip masks. Since launching in 2012, the company has gotten some serious attention from bigger companies, such as Sephora, which has also implemented the brand into their stores nationwide and online. With Bite’s top-selling product being their Amuse Bouche Lipsticks featuring a creamy rich consistency, it’s no surprise it has become one of the brand’s topselling products. So what sets apart Bite Beauty from the rest? El Vaquero reporters had a special tour inside the Lip Lab by Bite Beauty and interviewed Karisa Preto, assistant store manager, to find out how Bite Beauty is different from their competitors. Preto explained how the original creator of the brand Susanne
Langmuir, wanted to move in a more clean direction. Langmuir became intrigued with the idea of formulating a product that involved safe and high quality ingredients, so that’s exactly what she did. Not to mention, the cosmetic line only specializes in lip products, hence the brand’s name, Bite Beauty. The company is completely organic, as well as cruelty and paraben free. This has placed the brand in a unique category for consumers who find themselves itching for an all around safe option for the lips. In turn, Bite has had the opportunity to grow and exper-
tise within their company off of this unique market that sets them apart from most. The average lipstick user consumes 7 pounds of lipstick in their lifetime, which means they are ingesting potential toxins and chemicals. The brand has had an appealing approach in that they are the very definition of being a paraben free safer option. The Lip Lab is small and intimate, but also resembles a science lab where anyone can customize color and type of lipstick to their heart’s desire. Preto went into detail on the purpose and process involved. Bite offers the ability to create a custom shade. The fee begins at $55 and allows a client to formulate a lipstick from beginning to end. You begin the process by picking a perfect shade from the given 200-plus pigments. The next step is to choose a finish, either a matte or gloss, depending on preference. Step three, is picking a scent. There are nine different natural scents to choose from. The list includes mint, coconut, vanilla and so on. The final step is watching the
Jordan Henry / Staff Photographer
Kylie Shannon / Staff Photographer
TRY IT OUT: Jordan Henry poses with her new lipstick from Bite Beauty.
process and lipstick come to life! The best part of the experience is actually getting to see the lipstick come together. For customers who already know what color they want, Preto revealed that Bite’s lab can recreate an old favorite lipstick from virtually any brand. For example, customers can come into the store with their used up favorite lipstick and ask for a replica with higher grade ingredients.
page design by hayk rostomyan
That’s where the Bite Lip Lab comes in. Bite’s main mission has been to create a brand that thrives on organic ingredients that are safe to ingest while eliminating the need for harsher additives. In turn, this has placed the brand in a unique sector within the cosmetic industry and has been prospering ever since. Kylie Shannon can be reached at kshanno124@student.glendale.edu.
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Michigan Exposed A former resident gives an inside look that will make travelers think twice before visiting
UNFILTERED MICHIGAN: Visual proof of the untamed wilderness and dramatic weather changes the state is known for.
By Samantha Decker
Features Editor
Like many before me, I am a snow refugee. To escape Michigan the state I’m originally from, I made the 2,000 mile trek across the country to the neverending summers of Los Angeles. I could no longer bear living in a boring cold Midwestern tundra, with absolutely nothing to do. I only go back for a visit when I finally cave to the spirit crushing guilttrip doled out by the family goldendoodle via FaceTime. The stereotypes are all painfully true. My lifetime of experiences are proof of it. In case you don’t already know, Michigan is a state made up of two peninsulas. The Upper Peninsula’s name is abbreviated to its initials, U.P. but strangely, the Lower Peninsula is not shorted in the same way. If you were to refer to the Lower Peninsula as L.P. nobody would know what youre talking about. The two land masses are connected by a five mile-long swaying suspension bridge called the Mackinac Bridge, or as the locals ironically nicknamed it, The Mighty Mac. But don’t worry, it has nothing but a few measly miles on the iconic Golden Gate Bridge. Under the bridge lies two of the four the Great Lakes, which is what the state is almost completely surrounded by, almost like a mote. However, I would take the name with a grain of salt, mostly because the water doesn’t contain any. Its light blue tropical
lagoon hue only makes it a wannabe ocean. The oversized lakes are home to surprisingly boring freshwater marine life and do not offer the adrenaline rush high of a potential shark, jellyfish or stingray attack. When the locals talk about going on vacation, they almost exclusively use the phrase “up north.” This loose term is well understood as venturing upwards from the bottom half of the Lower Peninsula. This usually means that they are headed to one of Michigan’s 11,000 lakes, croweded campgrounds or overvisited national parks. If it’s summertime, this migration is to find relief from the sweltering heat and dense humidity. To beat the heat, beachgoers submerge themselves under recently thawed lake water and listen to an deafening amount of Kid Rock, staying put until the leaves change. Despite being acquired by the state in 1836, the U.P. still remains remote and wildly unsettled. There are only a few small cities peppered throughout the large landmass, and most of them are still very rustic and primitive. The rest is dense wilderness and narrow scenic roads. The few inhabitants, also known as Yoopers, are unfriendly and unpleasant, because their hearts have frozen over from the many harsh, never-ending winters. They are especially green with jealousy towards outsiders, because they are painfully aware that everyone lives somewhere better than they do. Lake Superior, the Great Lake that borders the north coast of the
U.P., is the second largest lake in the world, but you can’t even enjoy it, due to its constant frigid temperature. Don’t be fooled by the locals who look like they are having the time of their lives cliff jumping into the water and swimming. They have developed an extra layer of protective skin from years of exposure, which makes them immune to the icy waters. If you are not from there, you will get hypothermia in a matter of seconds, which will leave you with a permanent skin discoloration that will forever serve as a painful reminder of your neardeath experience. Michiganders will try to lure you to visit their state during the fall season, enticing with people with what they claim are brightly colored trees and “famous” cider mills. Exhibiting only three different colors, the changing trees are hardly a show. Once you’ve seen a few, you’ve basically seen them all. The cider mills are nothing more than farms open to the public. They make you pay to pick your own apples, as if they’re not readily available at your neighborhood grocery store. The residents will also insist that the cider made there is to die for, but the reality is, there is not a noticeable taste difference from freshly pressed apple cider and one that’s been thoroughly processed and sitting in a carton for weeks. Michigan is notorious for having brutal winters with subzero temperatures, mountains of snow and endless sheets of ice. Michiganders survive by paying astronomical prices for indoor
heat, just so they can hibernate in their homes. Since driving a car is impossible due to having skating rinks for roads, snowmobiles are the sole method of transportation. If you are unfamiliar with this type of contraption, it is essentially a jet ski with actual skis. The unbearable weather conditions, that would qualify as a state of emergency literally anywhere people are sane, ensures that any kind of imaginable fun is out of the question. The 40 ski resorts are lame and none of them have any reputable slopes. Snowshoeing or cross country skiing on Michigan’s 3,000 miles of nature trails is a good way to get lost and inevitably freeze to death. Another way to meet a frozen grave, are ice hotels. These are inhabitable hotels that are sculpted entirely out of actual ice. In stark contrast to most relaxing resorts, this could easily qualify as a type of cryotherapy torture. Green eaters beware- Michiganders are obsessed with meat. The heavy German influence on the cuisine makes meat and bread the main components of every meal and allows very little room for alternatives. If you ask for something vegan or gluten free you will likely be given a tall glass of ice water by a confused server. This is not as surprising when you find out the state’s most iconic meal is coney dog, which is essentially a bratwurst smothered in a mystery meat sauce. To avoid starvation, download a food delivery app that will fly in your kale salads and açaí bowls from elsewhere. Unarguably the worst part of
Samantha Decker / Photo Illustration
Michigan, is the city of Detroit. Lately, the news has nothing good to report, simply because there is nothing good happening. The city hasn’t been updated or modernized and therefore, is littered with old eyesore buildings, whose existence is defended by “historical significance.” Rather than constructing new developments, their funding goes to keeping the past alive with places like the Henry Ford History Museum, which features a historically accurate town from the early days of Michigan. Sticking to old times, Detroit still embraces their home-found music genre Motown, which was popular way back in the 1940s. Detroit is also extremely dangerous. Unlike most big cities in the U.S., there are not “good areas” and “bad areas,” only the latter. Rest assured, no place is safe if you are within city limits. If you choose to brave this area anyway, be warned that you will be subjected to the ravings of avid Red Wings and Tigers fans. They will protect their turf at all costs, so refrain from sporting the wrong colors. My advice is don’t waste your time or money on the mitten state. There are much more travel-worthy destinations. Instead, take the safe bet and book your 150th return trip to Palm Springs, where you can enjoy the unchanging ultra-comfortable 120 degree weather. page design by Samantha Decker
Samantha Decker can be reached at samantha.l.decker13@gmail.com.
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Rideshares: The Safe Alternative? What’s a girl to do when the “safe” option doesn’t include them? Peter Morville / Creative Commons
By Yesenia Thomson Copy Editor Rideshare services, like Uber and Lyft, market themselves on being a “safe” alternative to taxis and driving oneself. Safer than driving intoxicated from a party, (Or waiting for a cab, if you’ve been in a coma for the past 10 years) rideshares boast live, in-app tracking and location sharing options so that riders can remain at ease while traveling. But with stories coming out so frequently about passengers being attacked and stalked by drivers, one question comes to mind, is ridesharing really that much safer? As a young woman who uses ridesharing services frequently,
I have my own “creepy driver” stories. For example, I was taking an Uber from Eagle Rock to Venice and was asked out by my 35-year-old driver — after he found out I had just turned 18. He did this while going 90 mph down the 10 freeway at midnight. With no escape route, I did what most girls are accustomed to doing: texted a friend, begged her to call and stay on the phone with me through the duration of my ride. And she did what most girl friends are also accustomed to doing. She called immediately. My stories aren’t lacking, for instance a driver once noted we lived in the same area and proceeded to ask me my daily schedule so he could “come by and hang out sometime.” Or when another driver asked what bars I
Mighty Travels / Creative Commons
UBER APP: The app gives the feature of tracking one’s location.
frequented because he’d love to “take [me] home” sometime, a double entendre that still makes me cringe to think about. Two things worth noting is that I was a teenager during these instances, while these men were between the ages of 35 and 50. In every single situation, I didn’t have the power to say no. Being at the mercy of the driver, the thing I feared most is the inability to leave if he had a bad reaction to my rebuff. So in fear, I laughed off these uncomfortable situations. All of this was out of fear of physical confrontation. Unfortunately, stories like mine aren’t uncommon. Samantha Decker, a student at GCC had her own story. In hers, the driver refused to listen to her demands he pull over and kept insisting she join him on a breakfast date instead. She resorted to jumping out of the car at a traffic stop after a series of vague responses she used in hopes of keeping the situation from escalating were ignored. When asked if she had any advice for women in similar situations, Decker said, “You can’t necessarily retaliate, because you don’t want to get attacked [...] Realistically, I would say, just tell them you have some sort of an issue, make an excuse, have them stop the car. Get out, Uber will give you your money back. Just get out of the situation” Decker said, adding Uber wasn’t much help after she reported him. “They gave me
sort of a generic response. They gave me my money back,” She said, adding she requested in her report that they take the situation seriously. “They didn’t say they were reprimanding him.” And sometimes, even if the ride has ended, the harassment hasn’t. Jennifer Andres, a film student at CSULA, was on her way to political protest a few days after the 2016 presidential election when her driver asked her out. “He was trying to talk to me throughout the ride,” she said, stressing her responses were mostly one worded in hopes of conveying her uninterest. “When the ride ended I just got out so he didn’t have a chance to talk to me.” It was then, when she assumed the harassment window had closed, that an unknown number called her. “He said, ‘Hey, this is your Lyft driver!’ and I assumed I left something in the car. When I asked if I had, he said he was calling to ask me out.” Andres said, a sheer feeling of disbelief engulfed her. “I made an excuse, said I was busy and asked him to text me. I figured it would be easier to ignore that way. But then!” she continued, “He asked for my number!” Apparently the driver had abused the emergency call option rideshare companies give drivers if they have trouble locating a rider. It was then that she panicked, “I gave him my number really fast and hung up. Maybe he didn’t hear me or maybe he got the hint, but he
never texted me,” she said with a sigh of relief. If services like Uber and Lyft leave too much up to chance, there are alternatives designed specifically with safety in mind. HopSkipDrive, an app particularly designed, operated and used by mothers for their children, was created by moms for moms to transport kids from school to home and everywhere in between. The app features an option of tracking the ride live through a call system, giving parents peace of mind with drivers who are also mothers themselves. There are other apps, like Safr, that cater directly to women of all ages. The app is exclusively for female passengers and female drivers, with a goal of “Turning neighborhoods into sisterhoods,” according to the company’s website. Despite options like these being available, they aren’t as popular. Similar apps, like See Jane Go, another female only rideshare service, closed its doors earlier this year. Realistically speaking, most of us will continue using Uber and Lyft for a multitude of reasons. With an array of safety features like location sharing and 911 calling within the app, hopefully they will continue taking steps in the right direction despite the long road ahead.
Yesenia Thomson can be reached at thomsonyesenia@gmail.com
OPINION
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Thursday, Nov. 8, 2018
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Why People Don’t Vote How boring and slow the voting process can actually be
APATHY TOWARDS VOTING: A large promotional banner encourages voters to partake in the elections by voting for their candidate.
By Hayk Martirosyan Staff Writer It is every citizen’s responsibility to vote. This is a sentiment that is all too familiar to many Americans. It crops up every time election season begins, as political science teachers and celebrities try to convince more people to vote. This mentality runs strong among Americans, and saying “I didn’t vote,” is likely to earn the animosity of one’s peers. Despite this, American voters are renowned for being apathetic about elections, as they simply do not care about them. Despite the level of excitement Americans expressed about the Trump campaign, the voter turnout during the 2016 elections, was only at 60 percent. Only 60 percent of the voting population appeared for such controversial presidential elections. In fact, for the past 100 years, the highest voter turnout happened in 1960, in a race between John F. Kennedy and Richard Nixon, and that was only three percent more than that of the Trump versus Clinton elections. The Midterm elections are even more ignored, with their peak turnout being in 1966 with 43 percent. This score has now fallen down to 35 percent in 2014. This trend is not limited to America either. In Europe, elections for the European parliament dropped from an overall turnout of 62
percent in 1979 to 42 percent in 2014. It seems that a good half of the voting population just does not participate in the electoral process. One is left to wonder why such a phenomena can occur, especially in a nation that is so proud of its voting rights. The depressing truth behind these numbers is that voters simply don’t care. Ideally, citizens vote for politicians who will pass laws that favor those very citizens. The problem, however, is that passing laws is a long and arduous process. Sure, eventually some law may crop up that gets sensationalized and a lot of press coverage. Then, given time, it is forgotten and the public moves on. Considering the modern attention span is shorter than it has ever been in the past, no law remains in the collective consciousness for too long. As a result, the act of passing laws becomes too long and so the effect our candidates have becomes muted. A voter no longer cares for candidates because voting them into or out of an office does not produce instant results. To see results, one must wait months, if not years, and actively keep up with what the candidate does. The common American does not bother with this. The simple matter is that the Founding Fathers designed American politics to be slow.
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Every bill is discussed incessantly before becoming a law, every appointee is questioned thoroughly before getting their due position, every debate is long and filled with filibusters, and every trial takes ridiculously long. It becomes hard to keep track of all these politics. Unless one actively follows the develop-
ment of a bill or the proceedings of a trial, very quickly these matters disappear from the public consciousness. This results in further complication of the issue. Voters who are bored with the politics of the nation grow ignorant. Often voters don’t know what their congressional district is, who their candidates are, or what propositions are being discussed in the election day. It is clear that this is not the
result of information hidnerance. The advent of Google makes it so that one cannot feign reason-
able ignorance. Another reason for low voter turnout is how inconvenient voting can be, and since voters don’t care about politics, nothing is being done to fix this. In many other nations, voting is either a federal holiday or set on the weekend. Neither of these is true in the USA. In America, the election day is set on a Tuesday. Even though citizens are able to vote via mail, the placement of the
Finnegan / Creative Commons
voting day is quite awkward. The old fashioned excuse for this was that farmers would spend Sunday worshipping, Monday traveling to the city to vote, and Tuesday voting. Due to the shift from an agrarian to an industrial life, this system no longer works. Most people have federal buildings within an arm’s reach, where voting booths can be set-up without problem. This means that people don’t need to travel to vote. Furthermore, it is poor choice to make Sunday free of elections so people can commit to worship. The alteration of political elections to fit a religious need seems to be an inclusion of church in the matters of state. The question is, if political matters were to be sped up to increase voter interest, would there be more mistakes made by our government? Already, there are a good many, but this is a topic for another time. At the moment, a present and clear downfall of the slow political system of the USA, is that voters simply get bored voting. Hayk Martirosyan can be reached at haykm212@gmail.com.
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SPORTS
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2018 World Series Recap Los Angeles Dodgers lose again Go to the App/Play store on your phone to download a QR code reader.
By Kevin Holcomb Staff Writer After a spectacular year of baseball the Red Sox celebrated Halloween as 2018 World Series Champions, defeating the Dodgers 4-1 in the series. Los Angeles lost again in their second consecutive World Series attempt as Boston showed dominance, out scoring Los Angeles 28-16 in five games. Although the matchup was tough for the Dodgers they still managed to grind out a seven hour and twenty minute game before Max Muncy crushed a walk-off home run in the bottom of the 18th inning. This game went down as the longest in World Series history when the Dodgers got their only win of the series at home. Game One: With Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw taking on the Red Soxs ace Chris Sale, game one was sure to be a pitchers duel. Unfortunately for Los Angeles, the first inning of the series set the tone with a lead off hit by Mookie Betts and a stolen base on top of it. Although both starting pitchers only threw four innings, Kershaw would get the loss as Boston won 8-4. Game Two: Another leftylefty matchup, Red Soxs David Price against Dodgers Hyun-Jin Ryu. Close game going into the fifth until the Red Soxs bats put three runs on the Dodgers with
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Watch/listen our broadcasters Tyler Greene’s and Kevin Holcomb’s recap the 2018 World Series. two outs. The two out RBI(s) proved to be lethal throughout the Red Soxs October run. Boston won 4-2, leaving them only two wins short of a World Series title heading to Los Angeles for the next three games. Game Three: At home Dodgers give the ball to 24 year-old Walker Buehler to face off with Red Soxs right-hander Rick Porcello. A remarkable seven shutout innings from Buehler gave the Dodgers a one run advantage
going into the eighth. After two quick outs in the eighth, Kenley Jansen blew the save when he gave up a solo homerun to Jackie Bradley Jr., sending the game into extra innings. With incredible relief from Red Soxs Nathan Eovaldi for six innings of free baseball, Max Muncy hit a walkoff solo homerun for the Dodgers to send this 18 inning game to the record books. Dodgers beat Red Soxs 3-2 in the longest world series game in history at seven
hours twenty minutes for 18 innings in Los Angeles. Game Four: High scoring game after the long one the night before. Dodgers with the first four runs of the night late in the sixth, Red Sox answer back with nine runs in the last three innings of play. Red Soxs won 9-6 leading the Dodgers 3-1 in the series. Game Five: Soxs jump on the Dodges quick in the first scoring two, Dodgers David Freese answers back with a solo shot in
the bottom of the first. Unfortunately this would be the one run Dodgers scored that night as they drop the final to Boston 5-1. The Boston Red Soxs became World Series Champions in 2018, beating the Los Angeles Dodgers 4-1 in the series. MVP: Steve Pearce Kevin Holcomb can be reached at kholcomb129@gmail.com. Tyler Greene be reached at tgreene626@student.glendale.edu.
NHL Round Up For the Month of October page design by hayk rostomyan
By Avetis Oganyan
Staff Writer
Welcome to the 2018-2019 season of the NHL! So far, the first month of the season has lived up to every single expectation. While star-packed teams have been proving their place in the league, weaker teams from the previous season have been surprising their fans with unexpected victories. Each division is separated geographically into seven or eight different teams. Despite the fact that inter-division games occur, each team remains ranked within its own division. During the season, a total of 82 games take place. The games will take place all the way through April, keeping hockey fans at the edge of their seats. Here’s an overview of the results of the first month by division. Metropolitan Division Every year, this division is filled with lightning quick offenses and is always a close finish to win the division. The Pittsburgh Penguins are in first place through the first month with a record of 6-1-2. The Carolina Hurricanes are making a push
All about the first four weeks of hockey! in this division for the first time in a while, holding second place with a record of 6-4-1. Defending Stanley Cup Champions, the Washington Capitals, are not off to the most promising start, with a record of 5-3-2, putting them in fourth place at the moment. Atlantic Division This is the division with all the top dogs. The red hot Toronto Maple Leafs are lighting teams up being on top of the division with a record of 8-4-0. In second place, it’s the other blue and white team, the Tampa Bay Lightning with a record of 7-2-1. The team with the fourth worst record in the league last year, The Montreal Canadiens are currently third in the Atlantic. Central Division After the first month, this is the best performing division, with most of its teams off to a flying start. Only two points separate first and fifth place. In first place, it is the Nashville Predators with an awesome record of 8-3-0. In second place, it is the high flying Colorado Avalanche and their red hot top line with a record of 7-32. Ironically, the Winnipeg Jets have managed to put themselves into the third place, despite the fact that their star scorer, Patrik
Laine, is not performing with his usual intensity. Pacific Division This division is off to a disappointing start, with most of its teams playing below 500. Last year’s first round matchup teams, the Los Angeles Kings and Vegas Golden Knights are currently at eighth and sixth place, respectively. As expected, the San Jose Sharks are currently at the top of the division, with the record of 6-3-2. The second place is occupied by the Vancouver Canucks, which was the second worst team in the whole Western Conference last year. They hold the record of 7-6-0. In third, it is Connor McDavid’s Edmonton Oilers with a record of 6-3-1. Winners & Losers Winners Toronto Maple Leafs (8-4-0) This team is just on fire at the moment scoring goals left and right. Imagine having John Tavares on your second line! I guarantee you, in every other team in the league he will be in their first line. They seem to have had no trouble scoring goals, and all they need, to be virtually unstoppable is to have Frederik Anderson step up his goaltending a little more. It will be interesting to see how
Toronto plays without Auston Matthews as his shoulder injury will keep him sidelined all of November. Colorado Avalanche (7-3-2) I get envious watching this team play. They have so much heart, and give every little bit of energy in every shift. They have the hottest line in the league right now, Mikko Rantanen, (22-yearsold,) leads the NHL in scoring with 21 points. Nathan MacKinnon (23-years-old) scored 18 points, and the captain, Gabriel Landeskog (25-years-old) with 16 points. For such a young line, they are performing like seasoned all-stars. This team is going to scare everyone they go up against this season, as long as their top line remains together. Losers Los Angeles Kings (3-7-1): The Kings got off to their worst 10 game start since 1985 (2-7-1). This team’s weak point right now is their goaltending. Jonathan Quick is just not that same Quick we all remember from his Stanley Cup winning days. After being out for five games due to an injury, fans were hopeful that upon his arrival, Quick would come back better than ever, but to their disappointment, the athlete was
injured once again, and has been out since. With Quick being out, all the slack goes on the backup, Jack Campbell. Campbell has gotten all three wins for the Kings so far this season. He is still adjusting to the starting role at the moment, but expect good things for the young goaltender. This team is just way too slow, they are currently the lowest scoring team in the league, due to the lack of consistency in their offense. The team needs to fix this situation, before the front office takes matters into their own hands. Florida Panthers (2-4-3): The Florida Panthers had high expectations from their fans, because they added a ‘sniper’ named Mike Hoffman from the Ottawa Senators. While, they are scoring goals, they can not manage to win games and finish them off when they have a lead. To be fair, since the beginning of the season they have been without their star goaltender Roberto Luongo, who is a proven netminder and knows how to close out a game properly. If this Florida team learns how to close out games with lockdown defense, they can do damage in the Atlantic soon. Avetis Oganyan can be reached at avetisoganyan@yahoo.com.
ENTERTAINMENT
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Thursday, Nov. 8, 2018
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The Grasshopper Lies Heavy Everything you need to know about the third season of Amazon Prime Video’s hit show By Alin Pasokhian Managing Editor “The Man in the High Castle,” Amazon’s widely acclaimed show that is seemingly made for the history buffs, continues to awe its viewers in a fast-paced third season. Entering the sci-fi realm, this season’s realities begin to intertwine and get altered. This season contains 10 episodes and has been renewed for a fourth season, as announced at the 2018 San Diego ComicCon. The series, based on a novel by Philip K. Dick, depicts the story of several characters who cross paths with one another. In the novel, they all come in contact with what is thought to be propaganda tapes that represent a very different truth than the one they live in. This dystopian series follows the protagonists in 1962 after the Axis powers managed to defeat the Allies, taking over and splitting the United States into two regions: the West Coast and the East Coast. The West Coast would be given to what we refer to as the Japanese Pacific States. The East Coast, however, became known as the Greater Nazi Reich. Juliana’s sister, Trudy, was killed by Kempeitai, also known as the Imperial Japanese Army Police. This event triggers a lot of curiosity on Juliana’s end to find out why this happened to her sister. The result was that she got
HISTORY OF WWII: Promotional banner showcases some of the main themes of the Amazon Prime Original series.
involved with what is known as the resistance movement in the country. Before getting killed in front of her sister, Trudy handed Juliana a newsreel, which depicts the Allies winning the war, showing Germany and Japan as defeated. As Juliana investigates the tape even more, she unknowingly becomes involved in the fight
by sheer default of being in possession of the film. She realizes there are a series of newsreels, all collected by someone called “The Man in the High Castle,” who may have the key to an alternate history that sets the story of the show into motion. Though many shows tend to feel more watered-down and often lose their edge around their third
season, “The Man in the High Castle” has kept their viewers at the edge of their seats, especially at the end of the second season where many big events take place with no answer, keeping the audience guessing. Season three was promised to have some answers as to why many things happened the way they did in the previous season.
Amazon.com / Courtesy Photo page design by Marian Sahakyan
Yet it only seems to raise more questions in the most elaborate, mechanical way, making the audience feel as if they are going through the experience alongside the characters without any knowledge of what may come. Alin Pasokhian can be reached at pasokhian@gmail.com.
‘Kidding’: A Movie Review All behind Showtime’s dark dramedy By Rudy Guijarro Staff Writer
IMDb / Courtesy Photo
KIDDING: Jim Carrey makes his big return to ‘Kidding.’
Jim Carrey shines bright in Showtime’s dark dramedy “Kidding”, Created by Dave Holstein(Weeds). the series follows Jeff Pickles (Jim Carrey), a seemingly optimistic children’s television star, who can’t seem to turn off his on screen persona as a wise, kind, selfless soul. But Jeff Pickles isn’t far from Carrey’s reality, the Canadian born comic began as an impressionist performing in various New York based comedy clubs, traveling from Toronto. He rose to TV fame playing Fire Marshal Bill and steroid abuser Vera de Milo on on In Living Color, then became a movie sensation with the 1994 trifecta of Ace Ventura: Pet Detective, The Mask and Dumb and Dumber. The films were box office successes with a box office accumulation of 700 million dollars worldwide according to box office mojo. In the 90’s, the idea of Carrey taking on a serious roll would have been more absurd than any sketch In Living Color and Saturday Night Live! Could produce. Carrey established himself as the whimsical buffoon for the whole family, but it was
clear he wasn’t contempt with his one sided image and wanted to prove he had the chops to do great things with the right role. By 1999, Carrey starred in The Truman Show and Man on the Moon, a Biopic of the late comedian Andy Kaufman and good friend of Carrey. Both films are not very serious, but rather a tone down version of the man behind the Mask. Carrey’s genuine serious roll wasn’t introduced to us until 2004, with Michel Gondry’s melancholy drama Eternal Sunshine of a Spotless Mind, Gondry and Carrey would later be reunited for 8 out of the 10 episodes of Kidding. Jeff Pickles, like Carrey, seems to be a simple one minded person on screen. Pickles’ overbearing kindness and wisdom makes his audience believe he has all the answers, but with the recent death of his son, and legal separation of his wife Jill (Judy Greer), Pickles finds himself spiraling into a deep abyss of loneliness, anger and resentment towards his own brand. But Pickles, who is basically Mister Rogers, only a generation younger and with longer hair. For 30 years, he has delighted and comforted children (and children
at heart) with the help of his puppet pals and songs. Pickles uses a lot of Rogerisms like “Smiles are little gifts we give each other”. And also like Rogers, he wants to use his show to both work through his feelings and prepare kids for tough concepts like death; his producer/Father Seb (Frank Langella) doesn’t want him to do anything to disrupt the merchandising empire Jeff has inadvertently created. The Series even takes on conspiracy theories about Rogers, such as urban legends that Rogers was a Marine sharpshooter. In the episode “The New You” a young stoner friend of his only living son Will (Cole Allen) asks Pickles if it’s true he killed over 150 people in combat, Pickles uses the rumour to scare him into leaving his son alone. Kidding is not only a series about family, it is about one’s own internal battle with happiness. Jeff pickles is a nice and caring person to everyone, except to himself. The series sheds light on something we often forget, our struggle with self reflection. Kidding is now available on Showtime. Rudy Guijarro can be reached at Rudyguijarro11@gmail.com.
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Thursday, Nov. 8, 2018
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Being one of the most exciting holidays, Thanksgiving is all about radiating kindness and giving back to communities around us. In hopes to do its part, El Vaquero Newspaper has decided to challenge its readers to do the same. Starting on November 1, we will be hosting “21 Days of Gratitude,” a donation event, during which we will accept non-perishable goods and personal care items. All donations will later be added to Glendale College’s very own Food Pantry.
Scan QR code below for a list of items to donate. Most iPhones scan QR codes through the phone’s camera. If yours does not, visit the App Store for Apple to download a QR scanner. The Google Play Store has options for Android devices.
To donate, please stop by Sierra Vista 130, Monday-Thursday, 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Or email us at elvaq.gcc@gmail.com with any questions or comments! Thank you, El Vaquero Staff, Radio Club, Journalism Club
Armenian journalist
Arthur Sahakyan A CONVERSATION WITH ARTHUR SAHAKYAN Arthur Sahakyan is an ArmnianAmerican investigative journalist, philosopher and political analyst. His career in the field started in the early 1990s in Armenia. Sahakyan has covered the Ngono-Karabakh conflict, exposed corrupt government officials, and has been an active member of the Armenian community, both back home and abroad. Sahakyan’s journalistic motivation comes from his eagerness to shed light on injustice taking place throughout silenced and blinded communities.
Nov. 28 12:30 to 1:30 Serra Vista 130 Sponsors: Journalism Club, Radio Club