Being young and modern comes with a few drawbacks, such as being left with incredible amounts of junk: floppy disks, phone books, maps, and the list goes on. As these items become expendable, what is the next generation to do with piles of junk? Here are creative ideas on how to recycle your junk from lost decades. What else would we do with them anyway?

1. Floppy disks: Floppy disks seem obsolete nowadays with flash drives the size of a fingernail able to hold kilobytes of data.
*Use floppy disks of different colors to create a mosaic poster as a work of art to appeal to your geeky side of home decor. They can be used to create Pacman-shaped creations for the inner gamer.

2. Wires: Wires have not yet fallen behind the times, but they are definitely getting there. No one remembers having to stand by the phone on the kitchen wall with cell phones that work virtually everywhere.
*Use wires as supplies for jewelry. Cut up all the wires around your house and create wonderfully chic bracelets, necklaces, and even rings if your fingers are up for a challenge.

3. Maps: With the invention of GPS in our cars and phones, the meaning of getting lost has, well, been lost.
*Satisfy the voyager in you and use maps as decorative wallpaper. You will never get lost going from room to room.

4. Phone books: Modern smartphones can fit more smartphones than an 100-pound phone book ever could. Save time by surfing through your phone rather than flipping through a phone book.
*Exercise your body instead of your fingers by stacking multiple phone books on top of each other and doing step aerobics.
*Create the longest flip-book in history with a phone book! Your ball could bounce from A to Z.
*With summer vacation and plenty of free time coming up, put your fingers to work and recreate the Tale of 10,000 Yellow Swans with the Yellow Pages!

Step into the future and use these creative ways to recycle the junk of the past!

If Facebook, with its 845 million users, were a country, it would be the third largest in the world, but how much does it really care for its citizens? Besides being the bane of student productivity around the globe, there are a number of other problems with the social media platform that suggest an attitude of exploitation and apathy towards its subscribers.

Our information is the honey for Facebook’s multi-billion dollar hive and it is no wonder they are so relentless in its acquisition. Facebook sells data from our “likes” and posts to advertisers that then send us advertisements for specific products. Surprisingly, it is legal because according to the company’s “Terms of Service,” all the information on their website is owned by them—how Orwellian. Facebook’s greediness for our data is even more apparent from their account policy. Call me crazy, but I once tried to do the unthinkable: delete my Facebook account. Relax, I did not actually do it, I just wanted to see if it was possible. I figured out that from your account settings you can only deactivate your account, not delete it. Your friends can still tag you in posts or add you to events and Facebook still owns all of your data. You are still making money for Facebook unknowingly. This sort of chicanery should not be allowed; people should not be misled into thinking their information is deleted when it really is not.  If you want to delete your account along with all your information, there is a more complicated series of steps and a visit to the Facebook help website.

If Facebook insists upon owning all our information, it could at least use it for good—like saving people’s lives. In recent years, a number of people have been posting goodbye messages to friends and family just before taking their own lives. What has Facebook done about it? Well, not much. The current protocol for reporting suicidal content is also buried in the website and wholly ineffective. Here are the steps, and hopefully you will never have to use them:

1.Click the little down arrow in the top right hand corner of the page
2.Click Go to Help Center at the bottom of the drop-down box
3.Click “REPORT ABUSE OR POLICY VIOLATIONS”
4.In the center of the new page you will see “SURFACE SAFETY AND PRIVACY CONCERNS”, click on it.
5. Here you can opt to report the post to Facebook or obtain contact information for local suicide prevention agencies.
If you choose to report the message to Facebook, all it will do is send a quaint little email to the author of the message telling them not to kill them self. I would think Facebook’s priority would be to alert the authorities, not the author of the note. Facebook’s current policy only shows its desire to save itself in the event of a lawsuit, not the lives of its suicidal subscribers.
I am not bashing Facebook for using our information to make record profits–in fact, I think it is rather ingenious and that the service Facebook offers in return is worth it. I just do not agree with how their contract contains such a controlling clause that people do not know about. The company lacks transparency in its motives and has done a poor job of responding to the suicide issue. I believe that a company’s honesty towards its customers shows respect and I do not think Facebook has shown such respect yet. I hope at this point in the game, with hundreds of millions of subscribers, Facebook pulls it together and shows that it actually cares about its subscribers.

(Image Credit: studytipaday.wordpress.com)

In response to the string of SAT cheating scandals in Long Island, future SAT test takers will be required to provide photographs of themselves during registration to increase academic integrity.

The new rules will require students to either upload or mail a picture of themselves during the test registration process. Even though test centers are already required to check the ID cards of the students, the new requirement will place the sent photograph on both the test day roster and admission ticket. The change is also calling for more frequent and careful checks of each student’s identity. Soon, student IDs will be checked before entering the test room, between breaks, and when turning in the test materials.

As part of the change, all test takers must state their high school when registering. After test day, the photographs and the resulting test scores will be sent to each student’s high school. Officials from testing companies such as College Board and ACT Inc. are hoping that the schools can help identify suspicious scores.

The urgent need for tighter security on these entrance exams became apparent when a large group of teenagers in Long Island, New York, were caught cheating and taking the test for each other. The scandal involved students paying other higher scoring students up to $3000 to take the SAT test for them. They used fake IDs and even took tests for students of the opposite sex that had gender neutral names.

Even though there seems to be no downside to the change and its many benefits, cheating can still happen. Copying and sharing of answers or other test information is still another problem awaiting action.

Mills students have had generally positive reactions to this new change and believe it will definitely help prevent cheating.

“I think that it’s a good requirement because it prevents unfair advantages for students who have worked less to obtain the same, or a even a higher test score, as a student who has studied their life away,” said junior Samantha Yamashita.

Although he was happy about the change, Junior Alton Chau was more concerned on whether or not the already steep prices for the exams would be increasing.

“I think that it is a good thing if this is what [the test companies] feel would make the SAT and ACT more secure and fair, even though they are probably wasting a lot more time and money to do so…but I just hope they don’t boost the price to take the test,” stated Chau.

Officials from both College Board and ACT Inc. have since stated that there will be no additional costs for students, and that any additional expenses would be “absorbed” instead. The new requirements will come into effect this fall.

Day of Silence is a nationwide event in which students choose not to speak in order to demonstrate their support for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) individuals who feel they cannot speak up about being bullied and harassed. As a long-time supporter of gay rights, it seemed right that I participate in Day of Silence on April 20. Though I did not originally plan on partaking in this day, a member of Spectrum convinced me to show my support for LGBT students, so I decided to put myself in their shoes as well as demonstrate my hopes for tolerance and acceptance.

On Friday morning, I dutifully silenced myself, scribbling on Post-its and letting others speak for me. It was incredibly frustrating to have to communicate via written words, unable to blurt out my thoughts on a whim. Throughout the rest of the day, my exasperation increased and I eventually gave up following an oral presentation fifth period. I resumed talking, sharing ideas, and generally making my presence known, leaving behind my role as a voiceless student.

Prior to this day, I had never done anything like Day of Silence. Although I usually have a lot to say, I did not expect silence to be such a difficult task. However, I find myself generally unchanged by the day. I still support gay rights but I do not know that my participation in the event changed anything for anyone else. A classmate commented, “I was wondering why you weren’t talking!” after some time spent doing group work in silence, but it seemed as if my silence’s symbolism was lost upon most of my peers. Perhaps the LGBT community benefits most from these displays of support from non-LGBT students like me. Maybe our muteness is meant to say, “We are here for you and we sympathize with your struggles.” Nonetheless, our silence could use a volume boost.

Though I understand and value the concept of empathizing with others by putting myself in their shoes, I feel as if Day of Silence is more powerful in theory than in practice. This is not to say that this day should be discontinued; it is an excellent reminder to school communities of the harassment and bullying LGBT individuals face. However, perhaps school communities might pay more attention to a louder (both literally and figuratively) form of action. I do not think that people viewed my silence as much more than participation in a well-intentioned school event. Through being silent, I imitated the suppression of LGBT people, yes, but did nothing to change prevalent societal attitudes. Whether symbolic or not, my lack of speech meant a lack of vocalization––of concerns, of demands for change, of refusal to tolerate discrimination. I was silent.

Personally, I think a more effective form of raising awareness is the opposite of Day of Silence. How about a year of discourse? How about two years, three years, an entire high school career of discourse? Recognition of LGBT rights and issues in our school community should not be limited to only one day, but instead should consist of open and honest discussion of tolerance and acceptance every day.

First Row(right to left): Jason Chun, Karin Chan, Michael Tom, Benjamin Benson. Second Row(right to left): Mr. Yung, Marco, Sarah Yung, Robert Mitsuda, Nathan Wong. The Mills Robotics Team at San Jose University preparing for the competition.

           After preparing for several months, the Mills Robotics Team, Team 253, took its robot  to San Jose State University from March 29 to the 31 to compete in the FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) Robotics Competition.

            The objective of this competition was to create a robot that would work cooperatively with two other robots, pitting a total of three robots on a team, against another team of three to shoot basketballs into a series of nets.  Each team had a total of two minutes and fifteen seconds to score as many points as possible, with additional points being awarded if the robots could balance on bridges in the middle of the field.  There was a total of fifty teams that participated in the Rebound Rumble, including teams from Mexico, Brazil, and Ohio.  In the end, it was California’s Bellarmine College Preparatory that took first place.  The Mills Robotics Team finished in forty-eighth place, but was satisfied with the results.

            As team leader of the Mills Robotics Team, James Ortis, stated, “I thought several robots had a lot more components and “special features,” as it were, than we did. Then again, I was surprised at how we compared in terms of complexity to many of the other teams.”

            The curve was set by Bellarmine College Preparatory, three time world champion, and Gunn High School and greatly increased the competitive atmosphere.  For a few of the team members it was their first competition; however, for others, it was just one of many competitions that they had participated in.

            Ortis stated, ” I did know what to expect going into the competition, as this was my fourth time going. What surprised me the most is the fact that our robot could have competed in the games well with its simplistic design, even if it did not look as professionally built or ‘smooth’ as other robots.”

            While the team did not do as well as it wanted, it was runner-up for the most persevering team award. Though disappointed, the team’s spirits were still high throughout the competition and continued to work to better the robot.  The high point of the competition, for the whole team, was the few moments in which Team 253 was in thirty-seventh place, but it was a short-lived joy.  Unfortunately, the robot refused to function while out on the playing field.  To the team’s benefit however, many schools, including Bellarmine Prep and Gunn High, offered their assistance in order to make the robot work but to no avail.

            Although, the robot was unable to act as a competitive member of the team, the competition was a great experience in which I, and the whole team, learned to work cooperatively with others and have a great time.

March was Random Acts of Kindness Month and the Leadership class relaunched its third annual activity of logging the random acts of kindness done in their lives.

Teachers were also involved, jotting down the names of students they saw doing random acts of kindness in their own classrooms.

March’s “Random Acts of Kindness” program was inspired by the nationally recognized initiative of the same name. People were encouraged to make kind gestures to strangers and friends alike in an effort to spread positivity and generosity. Each day, Leadership students were urged to carry out a kind act toward friends, strangers, and classmates  and log their acts in a kindness log. They observed acts ranging from helping someone pick up their trash to stopping a cart from crashing into a car at Target.

Teachers were asked to fill logs of their own, noting students in their classrooms who acted especially kind to other classmates. The Kindness Committee of the Leadership Class then collected these logs and tallied the number of times students were listed in the logs. Twenty-two students who stood out in the teachers’ kindness logs were invited to a special ice cream social on April 26^th, awarding their kind acts around the school.

Vickie Wu, a member of the Kindness Committee, noted how people who kept track of their kind acts realized what a big effect positivity and kind acts make on other people.

“A small deed can have a big impact on someone’s day… If you see someone who needs help, just do it because in the end, you’ve helped someone and made their day.”

Here is the list of students who the Leadership Class awarded:

Nathan Gaffney

Heather Park

Jackie Chen

Kai Yee

Tennyson Guo

Henry Wu

Aaron Lee (11)

Katherine Chan

Dong Hee Kim

Chantel Yip

Raymond Magsaysay

Lydia Joh

Darren Fong

Matt Gomez

Rafael Rivas

Noah Seto

Billy Jay Buted

Jabra Muhawieh, a senior, recently began working for the San Francisco Giants baseball team. As the team’s newest bat-boy, Jabra attends practices with the team and gets to sit in on exclusive sessions, while chatting with the players and connecting with them on a personal level.

Easily any schoolboy’s dream job, being the bat-boy of the San Francisco Giants is filled with perks. A rising baseball player himself, Jabra receives tips and advice from professional baseball players like Ryan Vogelsong, Brett Pill, and Gregor Blanco. Jabra attended his first day of work on the Giants’ 2012 home opener game. Last-minute tickets to the game were sold well over $250 each, and Jabra watches not only for free, but also in the dugout with the rest of the players.

He also gets the chance to practice batting before every practice, and this drastically improves his skills for when he plays for Mills. But like any other job, being a bat-boy isn’t as easy as it sounds. Jabra arrives two hours before any practice or game to prepare all the players’ equipment and stays two hours after the game or practice ends to clean up. He not only cleans the bats, but also does the laundry for the players’ uniforms and shoes, he cleans the clubhouse, and most importantly, everything has to be done quickly and correctly.

However, no matter how much work he has to do, Jabra comments that it is always worth it in the end.

“It’s a lot of labor and I sprain my back sometimes, but I love my job and it’s such an awesome experience for me especially since I am myself a passionate baseball player,” he said.

Being so closely exposed to the sport and constantly interacting with the players can be exactly the kind of experience Jabra needs to enhance his game and harden his resolution to the sport. Jabra is on the Mills varsity baseball team, and one of our most experienced players. He brings what he learns from being a bat-boy to the game field, and shares his knowledge with the rest of his team.

Make yourself more aware the signs of lying so you aren't fooled! Watch out for those who are notorious liars. (Source: http://myinnergoddess.blogspot.com)

             As human beings, it is not uncommon to lie or be lied to by others.  It is basic human tendency to trust what others say.  A teacher could lie straight to your face and you would probably accept it because of his or her position.  Everyday, we talk to friends and other people, but how do we know whether they are being truly genuine? By paying attention to these aspects of the other person’s behavior, hopefully you will be able to sort out the liars from the pack”

1. Eye contact.  A person who is lying will try to avoid any eye contact.  His or her eyes may wander back and forth, up and down.
2. Stuttering in speech.  It becomes more difficult to speak clearly and without fault when one is lying.  The person’s speech could become more broken and filled with “um” and “uh.”  This could be because that person is having a difficult time developing his or her lies.
3. Ask for specific details.  Someone may be able to create a web of lies that seems like it is truth, but there are always small details that even the most thorough thinkers could not have thought of beforehand.  If the other person becomes tongue-tied it could be a sign of lying.
4. Changes in the tone of voice.  When someone is lying, his or her voice may become more high pitched than usual.  This is caused by stress the person could be feeling.
5. Sweating.  Sweating is also a sign of stress, which is not unusual if one is lying. If the person is nervous then sweating can occur. However, this is not always the most accurate indicator since some people may naturally sweat more than others.
6. Body language.  If the person is fidgeting around a lot, or doing the complete opposite — stiff, rigid movements — then he or she could be lying.
7. Dramatic changes in behavior.  People can feel threatened sometimes if they are being bombarded by probing questions.  They may become hostile when answering some questions and lash out at you, becoming a very unpleasant acquaintance.
8. Formality of speech.  If the person’s speech is too formal then it could indicate a rehearsed speech or story.  When the conversation becomes stilted and unlike a normal, flowing conversation, be wary.
9. Tell them to repeat the story.  Watch out for any inconsistencies in the story.  It is easy to make up a story, but it is difficult to repeat the story, especially if it is fictional.
10. Facial expressions.  It is not always easy to keep a calm façade when lying. Look out for any small give-aways in the person’s face that could indicate true feelings behind his or her mask of deceit.

            Hopefully, you will now be able to catch a liar. Don’t be fooled by those who want to deceive you!

Konbonwa fellow vikings!
That means good evening in Japanese as we set sail for Mill’s High School’s very own, first Iron Chef Competition! Mrs. Tuttle, the nutrition teacher at Mills, is the sponsor and founder of the competition and is more than excited that this year’s turn-out was abundant and full of talent. The inspiration for this year’s competition is for the teachers and students to just have fun, co-operate with each other, and to show off their culinary skills.
This year’s very first Iron Chef Competition is kicking off with forty contestants each looking with a hopeful eye at the shiny, golden trophies awarded to the team who gets first place.
On the first day of Iron Chef America, the first four teams are fired up to win and dominate in the fiery kitchen! The secret ingredient is carefully kept secretive by Mrs. Tuttle and everyone stood on their tip toes, hoping that the secret ingredient is diverse and isn’t from the basket from the Fodd Network TV show Chopped. Luckily, Mrs. Tuttle gave the early chefs a break and reveals the secret ingredient to be lemons!
Ooh’s and Aah’s resound throughout the room before the competitors regain composure and immediately puts their heads together to think of two dishes that will highlight the lemons and push them to the finals.
The chefs have 30 minutes to prep and think of two dishes to cook and then another hour to actually execute the dish. The gong was sounded, the clock started, and the team members zipped and raced to the secret ingredient.
The entire one hour and thirty minutes flew by immediately, but in that short period of time, each team had their ups and downs. An hour and a half full of action and heat? Bring it on was all that the chefs said.
The first four teams to compete are Mrs. Conlin’s team, Mr. Wang’s team, Mrs. Chen Chows team, and Mrs. Wong’s team. The judges are Mrs. Kitano, Mills High’s very own Vice  principle, Mr. Dough Kellahan, Mills Alumni and owner of T.J’s Café, and last but not least, Mr. Scialanga, owner of his own fish market in the midst of Mission Street San Francisco. A look at the lemons, the judges all have to agree that lemons are very versatile, but the one big concern is how the contestants will use the lemon as the star of the dish and not as a garnish where we normally see a lemon.
Immediately after the clock started, Mr. Wang could be seen tenderizing the chicken through unconventional means, and by that meaning with a pot. But hey, it works! The whole kitchen is in a blaze of hard work, sweat, and knives banging away. However, Mrs. Conlin’s team is having bigger problems than not being able to find a meat tenderizer, two of their team mates have decided to bail on them. But Mrs. Conlin and her remaining teammate, Nick, remained optimistic and pushed through the cooking as if they had four people in the kitchen.
“We will survive!” said Mrs. Conlin, pushing on with an incredible optimistic attitude.
“Our food is going to taste great and so does our desserts. What makes our team special is how we use the secret ingredient, lemons!” says Samantha Ho, a sophomore on Mrs. Chen Chow’s team.
Every team says that their menu for the judges is special, but what the judges are concerned with at the beginning isn’t how well the taste of the food will be but the sanitation and safety precautions that the student and teacher chefs are taking. The sanitation and safety is the first part of the test that the teams are graded on and will be the real tie breaker in the team’s scores.
At the end of the thirty minute prep period, each team has decided on what dish they are going to cook, divided on the cooking jobs, and how they’re going to execute the menu. Mrs. Conlin’s team is going to make a panko crusted chicken with a lemon herb sauce, veggie salad, and a creamy risotto-like rice. For dessert, Mrs. Conlin’s team made a molten chocolate cake with a lemon whip cream to cut through the richness of chocolate.
Mrs. Chen Chows team made a lemon chicken cooked Asian style with steamed rice and veggies. For dessert, their group has prepared a macaroon with a lemon curd filling and a piece of lemon on top to finish and bring the dessert together. Their hope is to win a spot in the finals with their Asian influenced dish.
Mrs. Wong’s team made a lemon chicken with assorted veggies. For dessert, they made a lemon-lime tea cake, complete with a candied lemon slice. Their goal is to just cook, have fun, and hopefully hear the angelic sound that their team has been chosen to compete in the finals!
Last but not least, Mr. Wang’s team made a lemon chicken marsala with truffled mashed potatoes and a salad topped with a warm lemon vinaigrette. For dessert, they made the judges a lemon ginger sorbet with a buttery piece of lemon shortbread with strawberries. They have an impressive menu, but to execute it perfectly is another story. Good luck!
At the end of the hour and a half, everyone cleaned up their dishes and made sure that the judges got the best cut of meat or the best piece of macaroon. As judging went underway, the only thing that the chefs could do was watch, wait, and try other teams foods as each tries to size each other up for who the best team is.
However, at the end, the judges had spoken, and in first place, the team that will join three other Iron Chef team at the finals, is Mrs. Conlins team! They were extremely happy and felt relieved to know that their hard work has paid off. Even though they only had two members show up, they remained zen-like, worked together perfectly, and eventually pulled it off and landed a spot in the finals.
“We are confident and will go into the finals with a winning confidence!” said Nick, junior and member of Mrs. Conlins team.
In second place, Mrs. Chen Chow’s  team will be joining Mrs. Conlin’s team in the finals. They won the judges over with their Asian inspired menu.
On the second day, it was very similar to the first day, pots and knives were flying all over the place. The kitchen was in a tornado of heat, sweat, and amazing smelling food. However, at the end the two teams who will join Ms. Conlin’s and Ms. Chen Chow’s team is Ms. Wiard’s and Ms. Peal’s team.
On the third day, there was all out war as the final four team’s battle it out for the trophy. The four teams, now called “Team Tiny”, Ms. Conlin’s team, “Mover’s and Baker’s, Ms. Chen Chow’s team, “Culinary Assassins,” Ms. Wiard’s team, and “Sunnyside up,” Ms. Peal’s team.
Mrs. Tuttle was so excited for the final four that when she went to bang the gong, she banged it alittle too hard and it toppled over. Then Corey showed the audience a video of how everyone got ready for the competition. The contestants were all fun and games, until they found out that the secret ingredient was Pinapples! A versatile, acidic fruit that can be used as both a balancer in a super sweet desert or lend a good amount of sweetness to the protein in the main course.
Right off the bat, we see everyone scrambling for the pineapples and breaking it down. Everything is in full motion,  thank god, they still had time to answer a few questions about what hey were bringing to the table for the final round.
“What we bring today is our creativity! We are always willing to be creative and try new things!” says Natalie, an Iron Chef competitor on the Sunnyside Up team.
Ofcourse, some teams decided to use what the judges thought was good last time as their advantage.
“I think that the judges liked our fusion idea! Except this time, we are really going to give them a exaggerated and bold Asian fusion flavor! It’s really hot in here!” said Samantha, an Iron Chef competitor on the Mover’s and Baker’s Team.
As the clock winds down, we can see that each teams is more organized and is putting all their culinary knowledge to good use!
Ms. Conlin’s team made a steak with a Béarnaise sauce with grilled pineapples and roasted potatoes. For dessert they are going to make a chocolate ganache with whip cream, pineapples, and a spicy pepper, cumin, cinnamon, and cayenne pepper baked nuts. They’re inspiration was to cook something simple and tasty!
Ms. Chen Chow’s team made an Asian noodle (penne), beef, pineapple, and veggie stir-fry. For dessert they are going to make a chocolate soufflé with a pineapple sauce and whip cream. Their inspiration was to do a western fusion and hopefully win it with the Asian influence.
Ms. Wiard’s team made a Thai grilled flank beef salad wrap with pineapples. For dessert they made a pineapple chunk glaze vanilla roulade with pineapple cream filling and a grilled pineapple as garnish. Their inspiration was to think about the ingredient and make the pineapple the star!
Finally, Ms. Peal’s team made a flank steak quesadilla with a pineapple and mango salsa. For dessert they made a spinach waffle with a pumpkin caramel mouse cake with pineapples as garnish. Their inspiration was to just have fun with the ingredients, especially the secret ingredient!
All four teams fought and battled with all their soul and displayed amazing team work, but at the end only one team can win and claim the title of Mills High School’s official Iron Chef! That team was…
Team Tiny, Ms. Conlin’s team!
A congratulations to them and a big thank you and pat on the back for the other groups and especially Mrs. Tuttle