On January 15^th, the 69^th annual Golden Globes took place in Hollywood, California, recognizing excellence in film and television. With so many different kinds of dresses and fashion designers out there, some celebrities amazed the audience with their sense of fashion, while some chose to wear not-so-attractive dress. The rankings are based off of http://www.nydailynews.com and some of my opinions.

Best #1: Lea Michelle

Glee member, Lea Michelle, wore an illusional Marchesa dress that did not show too much skin. With her hair tied up, you could see her dress perfectly fit her body. She paired her gown with a jade ring and wore minimal accessories to make her gown the center of attention.

Best #2: Jessica Chastain

The Help star, Jessica Chastain, who was nominated for Best Supporting Actress, wore a Givenchy couture gown decorated with white pearls. She paired her gown with more pearls with pearl earrings. The whiteness of the dress made her look like an innocent Snow White.

Best #3: Shailene Woodley

Shailene Woodley, a new actor, was nominated for Best Supporting Actress for The Descendants. She pulled off a strapless light purple dress that made her look elegant. The top part of her dress fits well to her body and the chiffon part gave it a flowing feel.

Worst #1: Madonna

Even though Madonna won the award for Best Original Song for ‘Masterpiece,’ from her directorial debut W.E., she sported a three-dimensional, unfitting gown by Reem Acra. The dress made her seem like she was the protagonist in the mind-twisting movie, Inception.

Worst #2: Zooey Deschanel

500 Days of Summer and New Girl star did not please the audience with a lizard-like custom dress by Prada. The black gown was covered in emerald green glass pearls and had a silky skirt– but the combination did not look good.

Worst #3: Michelle Williams

‘My Week With Marilyn’ star Michelle Williams won the award for Best Actress in a Comedy, but did not win the best dressed with her Jason Wu gown. The gown is a black and blue leopard dress shaped like a witch’s gown that is long and has mid-cut sleeves. The leopard style can be seen as something your grandma would wear and is no longer in style.

When you want to find inspiration for your next dress for winter formal or prom, try looking for similar dresses of Lea Michelle or Jessica Chastain’s. You might find the same exact dress online at an affordable cost. With a beautiful dress, matching accessories, and the right night, you might find a Prince Charming with whom to dance the night away.

Mills High School is changing the typical formal dance this year by taking it to sea. Mills formal will take place on the California Hornblower Yacht, docked on Pier 3, and will launch into sea in the evening, taking 450 lovebirds under the
Golden Gate Bridge. Boys are excited to dress up in their fancy, black-tie attire, while girls decide on shoes and dresses to wear that night and think about which lucky guy  to accompany her to formal. People are excited to dance their hearts out on the yacht, but what has attracted so many people to attend winter formal this year?

People waited in long lines to purchase their formal tickets, which were beautifully decorated invitations. Because the yacht has a maximum capacity of 450 guests, people scrambled to get in line to buy their tickets at lunch. Students would rush out of 4^th period, hoping they would get their tickets that day. Getting a ticket to formal is like getting a golden ticket from the movie, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory as everyone waits with frustration in mile long lines to get their tickets.  Many were disappointed when tickets ran out, but fortunately, a few tickets were refunded and sold through a raffle.

“I’ve sat in line for two whole lunches and I still haven’t gotten [my winter formal tickets] yet,” says Laurie Tanjuatco, a senior.

Schoolwork can be very stressful, but putting homework aside and partying your heart out at winter formal can help alleviate stress. Winter formal only comes around once a year and dancing on a yacht may be a once-in-a-life-time experience.

By having winter formal located on a yacht in the city, Mills students will be dancing on moving floors instead of typical, stationary dance floors. Recalling previous years, Mills has never hosted a dance out in the sea, overlooking the bay. The choice of hosting this year’s winter formal on a yacht gives people a view of the beautiful night scenes in San Francisco, including Alcatraz and Treasure Island. The yacht provides a romantic dance floor for those who want to show their moves, yet also a nice view of the city for those who enjoy sightseeing.

“I think it’s really cool and different from most school’s formals because they have it at the hotel,” says Lillian Li, a freshman.

Many people have never sailed on a boat, so attending formal will give them a chance to experience their first trip to sea. Also, people get a chance to experience the night lives of San Franciscans and get a glimpse of the lighted buildings of the city.

“The Yacht is super fancy, and it is moving instead of being docked on shore,” says Li.

San Francisco also provides a chance for people to dine at delicious and fancy restaurants nearby or socialize with friends after winter formal is over. A popular place to eat in San Francisco is the world famous Ghirardelli Square, which is an ice creamery and chocolate store conveniently located in Fisherman’s Warf. Ghirardelli Square will definitely delight epicures alike after partying at formal.

Having winter formal on a yacht is definitely an experience that will make your high schools years worthwhile. An experience of being on a yacht, while dressed in formal attire, and partying with friends will definitely never be forgotten. High School is supposed to be the best four years of your life, so get your formal attire ready as we set off for a night of fun!

Empire Falls' Book Cover

Must-Read: Empire Falls

Title: Empire Falls

Author: Richard Russo

Year of Publication: 2001

Merit(s): Pulitzer Prize for Fiction 2002

Caution: Contains vulgar language, alcohol and drug use, sexual references

Book Cover/Abstract: “Miles Roby has been slinging burgers at the Empire Grill for twenty years, a job that cost him his college education and much of his self-respect. What keeps him there? It could be his bright, sensitive daughter, Tick, who needs all his help surviving the local high school. Or maybe it’s Janine, Miles’s soon-to-be ex-wife, who’s taken up with a noxiously vain health-club proprietor. Or perhaps it’s the imperious Francine Whiting, who owns everything in town—and seems to believe “everything” means Miles himself. In Empire Falls, Richard Russo delves deep into the blue-collar heart ofAmerica in a work that overflows with hilarity, heartache, and grace” (Vintage).

Plot Review: Empire Falls’s plot is a wonderfully-knitted story because it “knits” various different stories of the individuals around Miles’ coalesce into one masterful plot. From its lengthy prologue that provides a rich history and background of the powerful and prosperous Whitings, to the conclusion of the novel, readers will both laugh and cry.  The plot is a definite page-turner and hardly predictable.

Characters: The characters in the novel are real and easily relatable. Most of the characters in the story relate to one’s own friends or relatives. For example, Miles Roby, the protagonist, is a kind-hearted person who is extremely afraid of disappointing or hurting other’s feelings. His daughter, Tick, goes to high school and sees high school a lot like students do nowadays. The “villains” in the novel are annoying, obnoxious, and possess traits similar to those that one hates in others. They almost resemble one’s own enemies.

Verdict: Considering all aspects of the novel—its characters, diction, mood, plot—this book is worth reading. Sometimes Russo digresses, but he manages to magically connect each paragraph to the other. The poignant story definitely deserves its Pulitzer Prize. It is a must-read.

A beautiful day, the sun just peeking out from the ominous rain clouds, birds chirping, friends chattering about future plans, the perfect day for some fierce, action-packed kung fu! It’s Chinese New Year’s week, and there’s no better way to set the fire cracker off than by having special guests fly in from Henan (providence in China) to provide Mills students a culturally enriched experience outside of class – a lesson in traditional Shaolin kung fu.

Mrs. Chen Chow, the Chinese teacher at Mills High, has really outdone herself this Chinese New Year. However, being modest, she insisted that it was a team effort that owed to coincidence, good fortune, and the cooperation of the shi fu’s or kung fu masters. While putting together the show, Mrs. Chen Chow had her Chinese students in her mind the entire time and dedicated this year’s performance to her students!

“Chinese Culture for learning shouldn’t be limited in the classroom, it should be expanded out to give students a broader and fully cultural experience,” said Mrs. Chen Chow after the lunch time attraction.

The basis for this New Year’s performance was perfectly executed by the three shaolin monks, Mr. Lu Wang, Xing Su, and Chengjun Yang, each showcasing their own specialty: fighting bare-handed, using deadly weapons, or even fighting while drunk!

The exciting performance started with a brief history lesson by Jonathan Chou, a senior at Mills High and flowed right into the punch and kick-filled first act of the Shaolin kung fu monk. Then came the sword skills, followed by spear, double short swords, nunchucks, and finally ending with sweet and slightly drunken kung fu.

Each skill was accompanied by music that flowed with the style that each monk fought with. Bare-handed style was matched with calm and serene music that had the flow of the water, guiding the monks’ swift, fluid motions. For the weapons style, the music was faster and had more of a bang and rhythm to guide the monks. Finally, the drunken style was slightly offbeat music that still contained some softness.

But no matter what kind of style of fighting it was, each master was required to have extreme concentration and precision in his fighting, which was apparent with each move, especially when it was the students’ turn to learn some kung fu. Many students soon learned that it was no easy task to maintain the different crouched stances and their own balance. Teachers also found out the level of patience and inner calmness that was crucial in executing every move.

A special thanks to the amazing Shaolin monks that came to our school to show off some kung fu moves and to Mrs. Chen Chow, the main mastermind behind this year’s New Year Cultural learning experience.

High school students are constantly texting, surfing the web, or checking Facebook on their phones; however, excessively performing any of these tasks can put a lot of strain on the cell phone’s battery, essentially draining the battery dry. You will be able to extend your battery life by following these ten easy steps:

1. Dim your screen. The display on your phone constantly drains your battery’s life.  Having a very bright display, while it may seem better, is one of the major reasons for a short battery life.
2. Turn off the Wi-Fi.  Being connected to a Wi-Fi signal causes your phone to consistently drain your battery as long as you are connected.  Turn off yourWi-Fi because your phone will keep searching for a signal, wasting battery life.
3. Avoid using the built in GPS too much.  While the GPS can come in handy if you become lost while on the road or are searching for a destination, keep in mind that it is using a lot of energy to stay connected to the satellites.
4. Close any app processes not in use.  With the phones that are out today, multi-tasking is one of the great features that allow users to perform several different processes without exiting out of any of them.  However, the processes are still actively running on the phone, wasting energy; shut off any of these apps that are not necessary to save energy.
   

   Be mindful of your battery usage. (Photo Credit: mail2web.com)

5. Do not put your phone on vibrate unless necessary.  Contrary to what some people may believe, the vibration setting on the phone uses more battery than a ringtone.  The vibrate setting requires a more complex function to make the whole phone rumble.
6. Turn off your phone when not in use.  If you are in class, a meeting, or going to sleep, turn your phone off to preserve the battery.  Any time that you will not need your phone for a couple hours is the perfect opportunity to power down and save energy.  If you want to turn it off for only a few minutes however, your phone will use moreenergy to turn on than was saved by turning it off.
7. Put your phone in airplane mode when there is no signal.  Similar to Wi-Fi, if you do not switch your phone to airplane mode while there is no signal, your phone will still be searching for a signal.  While your phone actively searches for a signal, it wastes energy that could be saved otherwise.
8. Turn off arbitrary notifications.  Excessive notifications from apps, Facebook, or texts can use a lot of energy.  To better your energy use it would be better to turn off these notifications.  Keep your phone out and watch it if you are worried about missing an important text.
9. Turn on energy-save mode.  Like the name implies, the energy-saving mode that some phones have can drastically increase your battery life.  After all, it is specifically designed to extend your battery’s energy.
10. Avoid having unnecessary animations on your phone.  Some phones are able to set a moving animation for their phone background; however, these animations waste a lot of energy.

Hopefully, you are now an expert on effectively utilizing your phones various functions to save your phone’s

battery.

Second semester is finally here. You know what that means, seniors: SENIORITIS.

Although you deserve a fun, stress free semester, it is crucial to avoid checking out completely!

As college decisions are approaching, remember to maintain your grades because colleges still want a midyear report to reassure that you’ll be a good candidate for that particular college. Even though you have been accepted to a college, the colleges still have the power to rescind you based on your academic performance.

Also, it is important to do well on your AP tests. If your college accepts AP credits, you can save your parents thousands of dollars just by taking a test to demonstrate your understanding of the subject. Many students overlook the financial aspect of college and when it comes down to it, college is expensive. AP tests will definitely help you financially in the long run.

Aside from the serious business, try something new. It’s your last semester in high school. Explore and experience all your hometown has to offer.

1) Get a job at a local yogurt shop or retail store to make some extra money to go on exciting adventures such as rock climbing or indoor skydiving!

2) Try a new sport. Lacrosse, synchronized swimming, squash, Quidditch, or another unique sport!

3) Start planning a senior trip. Road trip to Los Angeles, Vegas, Reno, the countryside, or any other classy travel destination.

4) Join the Mills Drama department and participate in the next thrilling play or musical. You will be able to discover newly anticipated talents. Or not.

5) Surf with Mr. Hensley, Mr. Dwyer, and all the other Mills Staff.

These are just some ideas to help kick off your second semester of senior year. Keep yourself busy and graduation will be here in no time!

GOP Debate. From left to right: Rick Perry, Rick Santorum, Mitt Romney, Newt Gingrich, Ron Paul

The race to become the Republican nominee for the Presidential election kicked off in early January with Mitt Romney as frontrunner; however, Ron Paul, Rick Santorum, and Newt Gingrich are at his heels.

The Republican primary is this year’s only major party primary for this year is that of the Republican Party because incumbent President Barack Obama will receive the Democratic nomination.  In the coming months, Obama and the Republican candidate will fight across the country for the support of the American people, culminating in the election on November 6, 2012.

The election season began with the caucus in Iowa on January 3. Iowa is one of the most heavily fought for states because of its position as the first caucus state and a swing state.  After weeks of battling and tons of campaigning, including Rick Santorum’s visit to all 99 counties, Mitt Romney pulled out ahead and was immediately put in the spotlight as the favorite for the Republican nomination.  The vote was extremely close as Romney edged out Santorum by 0.1% of the vote, just 8 votes, and Ron Paul finished in a strong third place.

The next state was New Hampshire, which had almost equal importance to Iowa for the candidates as it is also a swing state.  For many candidates, this state was a last ditch effort because if they could not place high enough in the end, they would drop out of the race altogether.  Again, Mitt Romney turned out on top with an overwhelming 39% of the vote, while second place finisher Ron Paul received 22.9%.  This important win for Romney put his campaign in full swing as he hopes to use this huge momentum boost in the next elections.

Romney made history with his win at New Hampshire as he became the first Republican non-incumbent president to win both Iowa and New Hampshire.

The next primary election will be in South Carolina on January 21, 2012.  This state is also quite important to the Republicans because for every single election since 1980, the winner of this primary has gone to become the Republican nominee.  Many believe that if Romney is to win this state, he will become the Republican nominee for President.

Although Mitt Romney has a significant lead in the Republican race for the Presidential nominee, many other candidates including Rick Santorum, Ron Paul, and Newt Gingrich are still major candidates with another forty-eight states left to vote.