Unconditional Disgust
Sophia Bollag, Staff Writer
May 8, 2012
When I first heard Justin Bieber’s new single, “Boyfriend,” I disliked the song primarily because of the lyrics. For the record, no one, and I mean no one, should ever use the phrase: “If I was your boyfriend.” In case the song has tricked you into beliebing that is actually a legitimate... (more...)
There’s No Place Like Home
Sophia Bollag, Managing Editor
April 20, 2012
Once you enter the prominent, modern-looking front gate of the house at 6 Great Oaks Circle in Orinda, it is difficult to tell which side of the house is facing you. The white cinderblock walls are low to the ground, lacking the grandeur one would expect from a front entryway, and although... (more...)
Procrastination by Organization: Why Bangs Can Be Brave
Sophia Bollag, Managing Editor
April 12, 2012
During the last Mirador staff meeting, when I quietly mentioned to my friend that I was going to get bangs for my next haircut, she jumped up, high-fived me, and yelled, “Wow, you have balls!” I wasn’t so sure I agreed, but I didn’t argue. When I got back to my computer, I sat and... (more...)
Objects in Mirror Less Enchanting Than They Appear
Sophia Bollag, Managing Editor
March 30, 2012
Mirror Mirror, the latest cinematic incarnation of the Snow White fairytale, is realized in a challenging cultural environment, one for which antiquated fairytales must be feminized and in which a rival Snow White film, scheduled to be released in the summer, is right on its heels. Partway... (more...)
It’s Alive!
Sophia Bollag, Managing Editor
March 15, 2012
In his manipulation of the H5N1 virus, a Dutch scientist has created a monster Lately, virologist Ron Fouchier has spent a lot of time trying to convince people he is not a mad scientist. For Fouchier, the label has been a pretty tough one to shake. After he announced in September that he’d... (more...)
Contract Negotiations Stalled
Sophia Bollag, Managing Editor
March 9, 2012
Additionally, the district says it probably will not lay off any permanent teachers this year The teachers’ union has rejected the district’s latest proposal in contract negotiations, likely suspending negotiations until January. Despite disagreements in negotiations, the district says... (more...)
Weighted Student Formula Threatens District Funding
Sophia Bollag, Managing Editor
March 9, 2012
Proposed changes to state funding system would reduce per-student funding for district A change to the way school districts in California are funded is looking more and more likely at the state level, the Acalanes Union High School District says. In his 2012-13 budget proposal, Governor Jerry... (more...)
Sexist Contraceptives Debate Inherently Ridiculous
Sophia Bollag, Managing Editor
March 9, 2012
In January, the Obama administration proposed a rule requiring all businesses, including Catholic ones, to provide insurance coverage of the birth control pill to employees. Ever since, debate about coverage and usage of the pill has dominated the 2012 presidential race. Members of Congress... (more...)
Standing on the Brink of a New Interpretation
Sophia Bollag, Managing Editor
February 16, 2012
Introducing Sophia Bollag, one of Mirador’s new monthly columnists! Her articles are posted on the third Thursday of every month. A few weeks ago, I finally decided to update my list of favorite books on Facebook. I had hesitated to do so before for fear people would judge my taste in literature... (more...)
Is Drug Education to Blame for SWAT? – Pro
Sophia Bollag, Managing Editor
February 3, 2012
When several pounds of drugs were confiscated from buses taking local students to the SWAT ski trip in Elko, Nevada, the community reacted with an “it was bound to happen sometime” attitude. If anything was surprising about the incident, it was that the trip’s drug stash had finally been... (more...)
Board Discussions Prompt Response From Union
Sophia Bollag, Managing Editor
February 3, 2012
The district began preliminary discussions of next year’s budget at a board meeting on Monday, Jan. 23, and then continued those discussions at the following board meeting on Wednesday, Feb. 1. Budget Services Associate Superintendent Chris Learned and Superintendent John Nickerson said they... (more...)
Eye on the Ball
Sophia Bollag, Managing Editor
February 3, 2012
At the annual Winter Ball, 11 Orinda women were presented into society. Mirador reports on their enchanted evening. Backstage in the St. Francis Hotel’s main ballroom, Katrina Kovalik and 29 other young women in white dresses waited for their names to be announced. The girls joked with each... (more...)
Cuts May Affect Temporary Employment
Sophia Bollag, Managing Editor
February 3, 2012
Due to “worst case scenario” budget discussions taking place at board meetings, members of the teachers’ union have become concerned that the district will implement personnel cuts. The union has taken the position that they oppose any layoffs the district might propose. One alternative... (more...)
Om Nom Nom… Reviews of Lesser-known Produce
Sophia Bollag, Managing Editor
February 2, 2012
For decades, toddlers have been refusing to eat their broccoli and peas, their carrots and tomatoes, their apples and celery. It’s time society found some new fruits and veggies for them to reject. Here, legumes-connoisseur Sophia Bollag dishes out all the juicy details on the vegetal edibles... (more...)
Abstinence-Only Sex Ed Should Be Banned
Sophia Bollag, Managing Editor
November 4, 2011
The rate of teenage pregnancies in the U.S. increased by 3 percent from 2005 to 2006, signaling a change in the trend of decreasing pregnancy rates since 1990, when teenage pregnancy reached an all-time high. In the face of rising teen pregnancy rates, more states should adopt legislation like... (more...)
District and Teachers’ Union Negotiate New Contract
Sophia Bollag, Managing Editor
November 4, 2011
Contract negotiations between the district and the Acalanes Education Association began Oct. 25 and will most likely continue for several months. Because of increased revenues, both the district and the union are optimistic that the negotiations will be more favorable this year for both... (more...)
District Promises ‘No Midyear Cuts’
Sophia Bollag, Managing Editor
September 30, 2011
The district says it is prepared for budget cuts from the state in December. In the budget they adopted last June, California legislators included a trigger provision that proposes to cut k-12 education by $1.5 billion if the state does not raise at least $2.5 billion in revenue. “As... (more...)
WASC Team Evaluates Miramonte High
Sophia Bollag
April 25, 2011
During the week of March 21st, a group of evaluators from the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) visited Miramonte to evaluate the school and assess whether or not it deserves to be accredited as a legitimate high school. According to Principal Adam Clark, having a WASC accreditation... (more...)
Sexualization of Toys Sends Bad Message to Kids
Sophia Bollag, Staff Writer
April 25, 2011
“Peter Pan may never grow-up, but Tinkerbell sure has.” I was intrigued. Out of all the e-mails I had been sent that day, this subject line was by far the most promising. I clicked the link and found myself directed to a photo gallery on The Today Show’s website chronicling the recent... (more...)
Goats of Denmark Prepares for a New Show
Sophia Bollag, Staff Writer
March 11, 2011
“Order! Order!” senior Maddie Fischer exclaimed as her co-director, senior Tyler Young, banged a soda can on the coffee table for emphasis. “I demand order!” The row of actors, who were all crammed onto the couch in the Fischers’ living room, quieted down. Fischer faced them, perched... (more...)
REACH Loses Charter
Sophia Bollag
March 11, 2011
REACH, the student-run community service organization, has not been able to renew its status as a Miramonte club this year because of the administration’s enforcement of district rules regarding clubs which hold off-campus events. “We hope to be back as a club next year,” said junior... (more...)
Left Turn from Moraga Way Prohibited
Sophia Bollag
February 4, 2011
On Jan. 4 of this year, the Orinda City Council unanimously voted in favor of a new provision prohibiting southbound drivers on Moraga Way from turning left onto Southwaite Court and from making U-turns in front of Southwaite Court on school days between the hours of 7 a.m. and 8 a.m. This... (more...)
Student Suspended for Facebook Post
Sophia Bollag
February 4, 2011
Associate Principal Sharon Bartlett explains the involvement of the administration in online interactions and postings made by Miramonte students on social networking sites The week of Jan. 10, a Miramonte student was suspended for posting a message on Facebook which contained a perceived potential... (more...)
Tutor Disallowed from Reading AP US Essays
Sophia Bollag
December 16, 2010
This year, the presence of essay reader Doug Senz in AP US History classes has caused debate among students, teachers, and parents. Senz works as a private tutor, and some students perceive his involvement in the classroom as a conflict of interest. Complaints and concerns from parents and... (more...)
G.O.P.’s Promise Fuels Partisanship
Sophia Bollag
December 16, 2010
Last month on the CBS News program Face the Nation, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell reasserted the GOP’s promise that the newly elected Republican congress-members will try to repeal President Obama’s healthcare bill upon taking office. Because the Republicans, even with their new... (more...)
MHS P.E. Program Must Be Improved
Sophia Bollag
November 5, 2010
The White House blog proudly proclaims that First Lady Michelle Obama has taken on the challenge of combating the childhood obesity crisis in America. She has good timing. Right now, about two-thirds of adults and about one-third of children in the U.S. are overweight. On Feb. 10, the San Francisco... (more...)
MHS P.E. Program Must Be Improved
Sophia Bollag
November 5, 2010
The White House blog proudly proclaims that First Lady Michelle Obama has taken on the challenge of combating the childhood obesity crisis in America. She has good timing. Right now, about two-thirds of adults and about one-third of children in the U.S. are overweight. On Feb. 10, the San Francisco... (more...)
MHS P.E. Program Must Be Improved
Sophia Bollag
November 5, 2010
The White House blog proudly proclaims that First Lady Michelle Obama has taken on the challenge of combating the childhood obesity crisis in America. She has good timing. Right now, about two-thirds of adults and about one-third of children in the U.S. are overweight. On Feb. 10, the San Francisco... (more...)
MHS P.E. Program Must Be Improved
Sophia Bollag
November 5, 2010
The White House blog proudly proclaims that First Lady Michelle Obama has taken on the challenge of combating the childhood obesity crisis in America. She has good timing. Right now, about two-thirds of adults and about one-third of children in the U.S. are overweight. On Feb. 10, the San Francisco... (more...)
Power Shifts in Congress
Sophia Bollag
November 5, 2010
Just two years after winning a sweeping House majority, Democrats have lost their edge to the Republicans in the House of Representatives. At 12:00 a.m. on Nov. 3, 185 seats had gone to Democrats, and 239 to Republicans, with 11 seats still to be determined. In California, 19 House seats had... (more...)
Moratorium on Offshore Drilling Must be Extended
Sophia Bollag
October 1, 2010
The six-month moratorium on offshore oil drilling, scheduled to end by Nov. 30 at the latest, must be prolonged in order to protect the environment from further destruction. Less than a month after President Obama announced his plan to promote offshore drilling in the Gulf of Mexico and off... (more...)
Iraqi Election Raises Tension
Sophia Bollag
May 28, 2010
Disputes over the results of the March 7 Parliamentary election in Iraq threaten to spark renewed violence in the country. Although the political situation in Iraq is unstable, the Obama Administration says it still intends to withdraw American troops from Iraq on schedule by December 2011. After... (more...)
ASB Election Results Energize School
Sophia Bollag
April 23, 2010
On Friday April 16, the new ASB officers were announced. Next year, Liza Katz will be ASB President, Jonathan Wong will be Vice President, Brittany Anderson will be Secretary, and Will Lavis will be Treasurer. Each officer is a senior. “We’re going to make the school as spirited as possible... (more...)
Red Watch Band Program Teaches Alcohol Poisoning Awareness
Sophia Bollag
April 23, 2010
Eleven students completed the Red Watch Band alcohol awareness training where they learned how to perform CPR and how to help a peer who is suffering from alcohol poisoning. The pilot program at Miramonte was administered by sports medicine teacher and athletic trainer John Grigsby and Healthy... (more...)
Red Watch Band Program Teaches Alcohol Poisoning Awareness
Sophia Bollag
April 23, 2010
Eleven students completed the Red Watch Band alcohol awareness training where they learned how to perform CPR and how to help a peer who is suffering from alcohol poisoning. The pilot program at Miramonte was administered by sports medicine teacher and athletic trainer John Grigsby and Healthy... (more...)
State Faces Grim Budget
Sophia Bollag
March 12, 2010
With the state’s current deficit exceeding $17 billion, many Californians feel that reforms need to be made at the state level, as opposed to the local level, in order to effectively fix the problems facing California schools. Possible state level budget reform was the focus of Advocacy Day,... (more...)
Students to Perform “Into the Woods”
Sophia Bollag
March 12, 2010
March 18-27, the Miramonte drama and choir departments will be putting on a production of Into the Woods, a play about fractured fairy tales. Directed by Sarah Downs and Ron Pickett, and produced by Roxanne Brewer and Natalie Wheeler, the play incorporates elements from the plots of “Jack... (more...)
Toyota Recalls Cars Due to Acceleration Problems
Sophia Bollag
March 12, 2010
Earlier this year, Toyota recalled 12 different vehicle models due to reports of unintended, uncontrollable acceleration in its cars that has, according to the Los Angeles Times, resulted in 34 reported deaths and 22 reported injuries. Congressional investigations into the situation are pending. The... (more...)
Bill Allows for Privatization of Water
Sophia Bollag
February 5, 2010
In a bond proposal that attempts to provide solutions to numerous water-related issues in California, there is a clause which would potentially allow private investors to “own, govern, manage and operate a surface storage project,” such as a reservoir. Californians will vote on the bond... (more...)
Movie Reviews: New Moon, The Princess and the Frog, Invictus
Sophia Bollag
December 17, 2009
New Moon I am sad to say that Robert Pattinson has finally mastered his American accent. Too bad. His strange pronunciations and awkward pauses were one of the only reasons Twilight was entertaining. The worst part of the sequel, New Moon, is that it is far better than Twilight, which sounds... (more...)
Burglar Triggers AHS Lockdown
Sophia Bollag
November 6, 2009
When a burglar was seen running in the direction of Acalanes High School on Tuesday, Oct. 20, the school went into lockdown mode. The lockdown began during the beginning of fifth period and lasted for over an hour. “A police officer came to my office and told the administrative team that... (more...)
Artist of the Issue: Lily Williams Heads for the Big Screen
Sophia Bollag
November 6, 2009
We may be seeing senior Lily Williams’ name on the big screen sometime in the future. This summer Williams worked as an intern for Sony Pictures Animation, the company that created the recently released animated film Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs. Williams, who specializes in drawing,... (more...)