People
Buster Posey (Giants): This Georgia-born superstar transitioned from AAA to the major leagues flawlessly.Going into Spring Training, his ability to play catcher in the majors was his biggest question mark, but when he came up he called games with the ease of a seasoned veteran. But as good as he was behind the plate, Posey’s calling card was definitely his bat. Posey carried the team for much of the season and when the Giants needed a hit, he always seemed to come up big. Posey led the Giants to a World Series Championship victory over their fierce contender, the Texas Rangers, and as if that wasn’t enough, won the National League Rookie of the Year on Nov. 15. He is Miramonte’s #1 heartthrob by a mile.
Justin Bieber (Singer)
Jon Stewart & Stephen Colbert (Entertainers)
Mark Zuckerberg (Facebook)
Anderson Cooper (Reporter)
Kim Kardashian (Entertainer)
Sergey Brin (Google)
Gavin Newsom (Political figure)
Julian Assange (WikiLeaks)
Conan O’Brien (Entertainer)
Trends
Four Loko: Four Loko is a controversial fruity, malt-beverage that has recently undergone investigion by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).The drink, which has been popularized by high school and college students alike, has an alcohol content of 12%. When considering the size of the beverage and the overweighted amount of caffeine included, Four Loko is a deadly combination of chemicals, guaranteed to make even the most senior drinkers lose control. Not only has the drink been celebrated by teenagers, it has also created a political debate to whether or not to ban the drink. Some say that the drink’s colorful appearance and the energy drink-like taste practically invite users to over-indulge, resulting in alcohol posioning. Mirador does not condone the use of Four Loko.
Silly Bandz
Tea Parties
Digital Books
Touch Screens
Rave Culture
Dubstep
Self-Served Frozen Yogurt
Flip Cams
Oil Spills
Movies
Toy Story 3: Most current Hollywood animated movies are infused with nervous, hyper-ironic inside jokes (Despicable Me), or they are polished with an airbrushed veneer and lack visual detail (Tangled). Most current Hollywood movies set in the suburbs – usually starring Kate Winslet or Annette Bening – are confused; they have cynical, petty, and insulting mannerisms while they try to tie up their stories in neat modern packages. Toy Story 3, an animated movie set in the suburbs, avoids these approaches because Pixar has mastered how to tell an engaging story for all audiences. For the old, Woody has the shaggy vivacity of Jimmy Stewart in It’s a Wonderful Life, and the daycare scenes directly recall the industrious heroism of The Great Escape. For the young, the settings and characters are bright, friendly, and relatable, and the story moves forward with a zippy, natural sense of pacing. Toy Story 3 is one of Pixar’s most stable, sure, and hilarious efforts to date. A classic.
The Social Network
Inception
Scott Pilgrim vs. The World
Winter’s Bone
Howl
The Ghost Writer
Harry Potter 7 Part I
Mother
Despicable Me
Songs
Good Intentions Paving Company- Joanna Newsom: In modern pop music, the love song has gone out of fashion, replaced instead by Katy Perry’s skintight jeans and whipped cream dispensing breasts. Perhaps that is why Newsom’s latest track, an earnest love song, is so striking. Easily Newsom’s most polished and accessible track to date, “Good Intentions Paving Company” is a departure from her earlier work, which tended to lean more towards the avant garde. Newsom’s signature 12-year-old-like voice has since matured into a more conventionally beautiful gem, and for once she leaves her harp behind in favor of a driving piano melody. Newsom has always been the music critics’ darling, but “Good Intentions Paving Company” will finally give her the popular attention that an artist of her caliber deserves.
F**k You – Cee Lo Green
I Can Change – LCD Soundsystem
Sprawl II (Mountains Beyond Mountains) – Arcade Fire
Excuses – The Morning Benders
Power – Kanye West
Everlasting Light – The Black Keys
California Gurls – Katy Perry
Alejandro – Lady Gaga
Tightrope – Janelle Monáe feat. Big Boi
Albums
The ArchAndroid – Janelle Monáe: Quite simply, The ArchAndroid is the most ambitious album of the year and the most impressive debut in ages. Monáe’s vocal talent is undeniable. Anyone can tell within the first 30 seconds of “Cold War” that Monáe has some serious pipes. What makes her truly special is her flexibility. Monáe fearlessly attempts every genre conceivable- Motown, R&B, soul, psychedelia, classic rock, and more, but she doesn’t just pull each of them off. Monáe uses her star power and charisma to weave together her eclectic influences into a sound that is distinctly her own. She perfectly balances her infinite imagination with a clear, focused vision, showing maturity and control, which are rarely found on concept albums. The ArchAndroid is hopefully one of those rare releases that doesn’t just become a classic, but reinvents pop music and influences a generation of artists.
This Is Happening – LCD Soundsystem
Have One On Me – Joanna Newsom
Halcyon Digest – Deerhunter
Teen Dream – Beach House
The Suburbs – Arcade Fire
My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy- Kanye West
Crystal Castles II – Crystal Castles
Speak Now – Taylor Swift
Volume Two – She & Him
Inventions
iPad: Apple is on a roll. Their finger-friendly tablet released in April of this year has churned out millions for the ultra-sleek and ultra-simple consumer electronics and software store. The iPad remained standing even after competitors like the Kindle and the Nook tried to steal the spotlight.
First Synthetic Cell
2010 Kindle
Spray-on Fabric
iPhone 4
Droid X
2011 Mercedes Benz E class
Doxie Scanner
nPower PEG charger
2010 Xbox 360 Elite