Issue #4 Articles
NEWS: "Single Man" Review
Mock Trial Prepares for Upcoming Competition
by Aeron Hall
Humor Editor
The Mock Trial team at LGHS is in full gear, preparing for their culminating competition coming up in about one month. The team’s first scrimmage, on Thursday, Jan. 14, against Sobrato High School helped the LGHS members to refocus on the upcoming competition after the weeks off from holiday break. “Scrimmages are really helpful because they allow us to realize what the trial will really be like in the courtroom,” commented junior Sally Park.
In addition, the team also attended a tournament on Saturday, Jan. 16, at the Santa Clara County Office of Education. Twenty schools from all over
NATIONAL:
HIV Prevention Discovered
by Emily Chen
People Editor
HIV: human immunodeficiency virus, the virus that causes AIDS or acquired immune deficiency syndrome. HIV and AIDS continue to spread around the world. However, ongoing research has discovered a reason for optimism. Scientists have recently found a molecule that could help prevent the sexual transmission of HIV.
After the HIV virus enters the human body, it struggles to attach itself to white blood cells before it starts to replicate. However, this moment of vulnerability is counteracted by SEMI, the naturally occurring protein in seminal fluid, also known as semen derived enhancer of virus infection. When the protein and HIV come in contact, SEVI promotes HIV virons’ attachment to target cells. With the aid of the enhancer, HIV has a 100,000 times greater chance of infection...(read more)
EDITORIAL:
Capturing Vs. Experiencing the Moment
by Ben West and Sean Huntley
News Editor and Graphic Designer
“SEAN HAROLD HUNTLEY: Writing an El Gato article right now, lulz.” How often do we find ourselves compelled to inform the world on how we are doing instead of just experiencing it? When was the last time you did something incredible, and it did not end up as a photo album?
It seems we are living through our experiences instead of living in them. Without even realizing it, we have fallen into a habit of feeding every event, every decision, every moment into one giant documentary. Social networking has become our motive. Everything we used to do for the sake of doing it, we now do to maintain our online identities. Maybe we are afraid that if we stop putting up our status updates, stop uploading our photo albums, stop commenting on anything and everything, our online identity will disappear...(read more)
OPINION:
Editorial Editor
The bright lights, blaring music, glossy countertops, and cheap, flashy clothes are just a few of the draws that have helped make fast-fashion chain Forever 21 the 376th biggest private company in the US. But there are a few other facets of the company that have helped to further their success; namely, their exploitation of high fashion designers’ creative genius and of the rights of their laborers abroad. These violations seem bad enough as is, but Forever 21’s use of a certain Bible verse on their shopping bags shows that the company’s head figures are deeply morally confused.
Do Won Chang and his wife, Jin Chang, emigrated from South Korea to Los Angeles, where they opened the first Forever 21 store in 1984. Do Won is chief executive and Jin is chief merchandising officer; both have watched Forever 21 has become one of America’s fastest growing companies...(read more)
WORLD:
Earthquake in Haiti Devastates, leaves Thousands Dead
by Madeleine Wills
World Editor
On Tues., Jan. 12, an earthquake of magnitude 7.0 struck the city of Port-au-Prince, Haiti. The country, already the poorest nation in the Western Hemisphere, has been devastated by its worst earthquake in over 200 years. The quake is reported to have been felt strongly in eastern Cuba, more than 200 miles away.
The initial shock lasted approximately one minute, with shorter and less severe quakes continuing for hours afterward. Though the death toll is still not definite, it is expected to run well into the hundreds of thousands, with many more wounded.
International support from countries such as France, Spain, China, and the US rushed to Port-au-Prince’s airport on Thurs., Jan. 14, carrying tons of water, food, and medical supplies to the distressed nation. Though Port-au-Prince’s main airport was not damaged by the earthquake, its single runway in combination with hundreds of planes trying to land has made it nearly impossible for aid workers and supplies to reach Haitians promptly...(read more)
CULTURE:
by Catherine Soule
Culture Editor
Fashion designer Tom Ford’s A Single Man is truly an aesthetic masterpiece, based on the Christopher Isherwood’s novel of the same name. The heart-wrenching story of a man contemplating life or death after the devastating loss of his lover combines with beautiful imagery that will captivate any viewer. Film critic Nathan Rabin rightfully argued that “A Single Man is a film of tremendous style wedded to real substance” and for this reason, it is one worth seeing.
The movie's protagonist, George, played by Colin Firth, fascinates audience members with his dynamic persona: he is a sensitive, slightly detached English professor whose pain is deep...(read more)
PEOPLE:
"Rusty" Magnam is Committed to Athletics and Community Service
by Jenny Heath
Opinion Editor
One of the many unique aspects of sophomore Rachel Magnan is her nickname, which she acquired at the age of four. Because her oldest sister, Steph, did not like Magnan’s given name, she decided to call her Rusty because of her red hair. Since then, it has stuck, and Magnan said she likes it better because “Rachel just sounds too old and proper for [her] and [she likes] having a more unique name because there are so many Rachels.” Like many students here, Magnan was born at the Good Samaritan Hospital and has lived in the same house her whole life.
In addition to being the sophomore representative on School Site Council, Magnan runs Safe Rides with her three best friends, sophomores Olivia Meehan, Isabel Chadwick, and Carly Houk...(read more)
SPORTS:
Lacrosse Practices
by Kimia Packdaman
Editor-in-Chief
Both the girls’ and boys’ lacrosse season starts in March for its second year of competition. Both teams did astonishingly well last year and expect to do even better this season.
The girls’ lacrosse team has been training at Cross-Fit Cadence gym, a new fitness center on University Avenue. Every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, the girls go to work out with the intense and physically-demanding Cross-Fit routine. In addition to working out, the team has been playing on the field in preparation. “We do a variety of drills for defense, offense, footwork, and agility,” said junior and captain Noel Painter. In the first weeks of practice the team will review the rules of the game. “And then once everyone has all the cobwebs out, so-to-speak, then we will move on to harder drills,” explained Painter...(read more)
:
:
:
: