Thursday, October 15, 2015

To Smoke...Or Not To Smoke?

Excerpt from Pineapple Express (One of the best stoner movies of all time)
Saul: I wish I had a job like that. Where I could just sit around and smoke weed all day. 
Dale Denton: Hey, you do have that job. You do sit around and smoke weed all day. 
Saul: Hey, you're right. Hey, thanks man.

Ohioans could legally live the life of Saul in the next month. On November 3rd, Ohio will vote on Issue 3--whether or not to legalize recreational marijuana.

What are the details behind Issue 3?
Issue 3 could potentially legalize the limited sale and use of marijuana and create 10 facilities with exclusive commercial rights to grow the drug. The issue allows anyone over 21 years of age to use, transport, and share up to one ounce of weed. Citizens with a license purchased from the Ohio Marijuana Control Commission could use, possess, grow, cultivate and share up to eight ounces of homegrown marijuana and four flowering marijuana plants.The amendment would create 10 Marijuana growth and cultivation facilities, which would have exclusive rights to grow and sell the product.
Breaking it down
I would like to mention that I have never dabbled with weed, so I'm no expert in the industry. I have, however, researched this topic in depth. First off, Issue 3 can basically be broken down into three controversial contentions- moral issues, criminalization, and business concerns. Morality is probably biggest aspect of the issue for people voting no. You either are fine with the fact that a drug is legalized, or it violates everything you have ever believed on the topic. Criminalization is an important factor for those voting yes. You either want to convict and imprison people with procession of the weed, or you want to un-clutter our penetentaries by removing these low level drug abusers through pot legalization, who are really not harmful. Then you have the business spectrum of the issue. The main concern with creating 10 companies to grow and sell weed is that it comes with a high probability of a monopolized industry. You either don't want companies constitutionally abusing their right to the free market, or you want Ohio to make $500 million in tax revenue on the drug, or you honestly don't care.

The Pros behind legalization
With any potentially abused illegal product, there is the "forbidden fruit" theory. The immorality of marijuana use can only be based on one set of moral beliefs. By taking a “moral” stand against recreational drugs, or fighting the evils caused by the illegal drug trade, they increase their popularity amongst constituents. More deaths occur each year from intoxicated driving and diseases caused by smoking than deaths from marijuana use. If alcohol and tobacco are legal through regulation, why would pot be illegal? By providing legal supplies of currently illegal drugs then the price will fall, which would lead to a collapse in the illegal drug industry, and therefore a reduction in crimes committed by both drug suppliers and users. Also, legalization would decrease the amount of users indicted for basic procession. According to the American Civil Liberties Union, marijuana accounts for over half of drug arrests in America. Legalization would decriminalize weed, potentially decrease the number of prisons, and therefore lowering taxes. Is it effective to imprison a teenage boy for multiple years solely for marijuana procession? Many Ohioans suffer from chronic illnesses that could be treated with cannabis (medical marijuana), however they can not access this treatment through marijuana prohibition. Lastly, Ohio would regulate the quality and quantity of the weed available, while making large profits through marijuana taxation, which will be 15%.

The Cons behind legalization
To quote the book Freakonomics, "Is it possible to regulate something when a healthy black market exists?" Despite the fact that legalization can regulate marijuana, a black market will most likely continue to exist. Also, the easy availability of drugs could create new consumers rather than rescuing current ones. There is also "The Gateway Theory", which explains that the use of soft drugs, such as weed, will eventually lead to the use of hard drugs, which can seriously affect a user's health. A substance considered unhealthy cannot be produced and distributed with the help of the state, because the goal of the state is to protect citizens’ health and not to expose them to risk. That is the reason that Ohio will create 10 private facilities that will grow, cultivate, and sell marijuana. In theory, this would not be a monopoly because more than just a few companies control the industry. However, the module will realistically operate as though it is a monopoly. The investors of these companies have funded the ResponsibleOhio campaign, which actually put this issue on the ballot. So in essence, they are paying to try to amend the Ohio Constitution to grant themselves pot growing rights while fixing in place the tax rate they would pay. Also, drug abusers will no longer be imprisoned, and this may send a message to children that drug use is acceptable.









Saturday, September 5, 2015

The Breaking Point

It is currently 1:57 a.m, and I just finished watching the movie Whiplash. It was one of the best movies that I have ever seen.

This is about to be a major spoiler alert, so if you feel like you would watch this movie in the future, I advise you to stop reading. However, if you have seen the movie or don't care if it is spoiled, please continue.

Whiplash is about a very talented drummer named Andrew who is enrolled at Schaffer Conservatory, a fictional school based off a Juliard or Berkley. Andrew's instructor is the abusive and sadistic Terrence Fletcher, who believes that the two worst words in the English language are "good job." Fletcher degrades Andrew in front of his peers, barraging him with profanity and physically abusing him. Initially, Andrew's goal is to become the very best- he will stop at nothing to earn each core drum part, especially to the double time song, Whiplash. When Andrew is late to a concert one day after being in a car accident, Fletcher demands that he still perform. Through swollen eyes and cracked fingers, Andrew attempts to play Whiplash. But he makes one mistake.  And Fletcher dismisses Andrew from Schaffer. Andrew's mental sanity has been ripped apart, and he quits drumming, trying to forget the pain he has endured under Fletcher's furry. Word gets around that one of Fletcher's trumpet players committed suicide, and Andrew reports Fletcher's inhumane teaching methods, getting him fired from Schaffer. However, a month later, Fletcher and Andrew run into each other at a jazz nightclub. Fletcher is conducting a jazz ensemble and asks Andrew to be his drummer for one concert. Andrew agrees, somewhat eager to resume playing the instrument that he committed his existence to. Andrew goes on stage the night of the concert to find that Fletcher has purposefully given him the wrong sheet music, hoping he will fail in front of thousands. Andrew disregards the entire song and begins a ten minute solo, unveiling his frustrated emotions in one of the most climactic endings I have ever experienced. The film ends with the two making eye contact. They both know that Andrew has become one of the best young drummers in the world, however he had to undergo the hell that Fletcher put him through to get there.





The movie forced me to ask this question- when does pushing someone's limits cross a line? The story of Andrew and Fletcher is obviously displayed in the extremes- a student would have spoken up well before Fletcher had the chance to make a boy commit suicide. Director Daimen Chazelle leaves the audience with the uneasy feeling that Fletcher's actions were justified. In my opinion, Fletcher deserved no pride after Andrew's inner talent was uncaged. Because the talent was forced out. In a very delusional manner. It isn't worth it to teach a protégé when you taught one who is six feet under. My question for you is this- How far are you willing to go before reaching your breaking point, and is it even smart to make it that far?

Friday, September 4, 2015

The Book That Puts Me To Sleep

I read Clavin and Hobbes books each night for about fifteen minutes before I go to bed. I am currently reading "The Lazy Sunday Book," which was published in 1989.

I know that comic strips aren't in my reading level. I know that Mrs. Nally, my AP Comp teacher, would not approve of the reading choice. But the simplicity of Calvin's innocent six year old mind puts me to sleep. Bill Watterson captured childhood perfectly- a balanced mix of the real world and the abyss of our young imaginations.

Maybe it is so comforting because I see myself in Calvin. I would jump around my house with a foam tennis ball telling myself stories about riding dinosaurs or fighting samurais in ancient China. Calvin can close his eyes and turn himself to Spaceman Spiff, a courageous hero of the universe. Calvin can close his eyes and turn into Stupendous Man, a masked mystery man that can get out of any tight situation. The only person he interacts with lives inside his head.

Hobbes is Calvin's compadre- his need for adventure isn't as prominent as Calvin's, but he never fails to accompany his friend on any mission. Calvin's world is so simple, he wakes up, goes to school, and returns home in a world of his own. I want to do this more often. Because my imagination is what keeps me sane in this world. I will continue reading Calvin and Hobbes until I can become Spaceman Spiff again myself.

This is my favorite Calvin and Hobbes Strip. The power of Calvin's imagination brings back memories of my own.

Thursday, September 3, 2015

Trump's Pull Factor

Donald Trump never seems to be slowing down.

Sitting at the top of the polls, Trump currently has 20% of the Republican vote. We may ask ourselves- how did a narcissistic television host and business magnate become an actual contender in the 2016 election? 

We live in a time of political estrangement. According to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey, only 26% of Americans believe that our country is heading in the right direction. Only 3 of 10 people think that their views are represented in the government, according to a CNN poll. The times are perfect for Donald Trump. Trump is an outsider in politics, which appeals to those individuals who feel alienated. Trump believes he literally can solve any problem, which appeals to those in challenging times who will follow anyone who drips his level of confidence. Trump is uncensored and unfiltered. People are motivated by the turbulent spectacle of his success. He standouts in a nation that fosters wishy-washy politicians who feel the need to please everyone. In politics, you can't please everyone. Donald Trump knows that he can't. And he won't try to.

I don't agree with Trump's views. Making the statement that all Mexicans are drug addicts and rapists is preposterous. Making the statement that stupid people negotiate our trade bills is stupid itself. Making the statement that climate change is a hoax can't be supported when organizations like NASA and the EPA have been fighting it for years.

But I do respect the man in some mysterious way. Hopefully he is bringing a new dawn of politicians- politicians who will have the courage to speak their mind without being afraid that their views won't please everyone.

I respect people who speak their mind. Trump never seems to stop doing just that.







Thursday, April 16, 2015

Obsolete Media? I Think Not


The Problem
Many high school journalism programs are being terminated across the nation. The lack of money that many public schools now face and a decreasing interest in journalism is forcing districts to stop offering the class.  This is because most school districts think of journalism as simply an elective. However, as an active writer on Mason High School's newspaper, The Chronicle, I can easily tell you why journalism is much more than an elective to everyone in the community.

The Reasons

The constant decrease of journalism classes and high school publications across America comes down to three factors- money, interest, and social media. School's shrinking budgets, lack of student enrollment, and social media outlets give districts the excuse to cut the class becasue students can recieve news through social media. Vikki Ortiz Healy of the Chicago Tribune wrote, "In an era of tight school budgets, high-stakes testing and changing news consumption habits, the once time-honored tradition of offering students the chance to be newspaper reporters has joined the list of school activities becoming obsolete for today's students." 

The Truth
With the creation of Facebook, Instagram, and other social media outlets, students are under the impression that they are truly up to date with the news in their community. However, social media does not provide the same degree of interaction that comes with newspapers and broadcasts. You see the person's face and you listen to them tell their story when you sit down and watch a school broadcast. You get to hear what students have to say in extensive coverage when you pick up any school paper. You don't get this connection with social media. In a high school world where students feel surrounded by unknown faces and are struggling to find their place, journalism makes that world easier to navigate. At MHS, teachers are refusing to play our broadcast news program, MBC, becasue they believe there isn't enough time in a class bell. This is utterly ridiculous. Besides the fact that  MBC takes all of about 10 minutes, the program localizes our monsterous school into one community. While watching the last edition of MBC, I met a boy named Kusha. I had seen Kusha's face and dark brown hair in the hallway, but had never known who he really was. MBC changed that. I now know that Kusha is the founder of the Mason Community Horn Ensemble. Kusha brought adults, teacher, and students together with their passion for music. I would have never known that without MBC. I also never saw that post on Instagram. Journalism is essential to a united student body. Writing for The Chronicle, I have met more people and more amazing stories than I ever thought possible. Media is not a dying art. Students need to stay informed and need to hear the stories that I have encountered. For example, I wrote a story this year about Lauren Hill. Lauren was a basketball player at Mount Saint Joseph and was diagnosed with a brain tumor. The doctors gave her 2 months to live. Lauren continued to stay positive and play the sport she loved while inspiring thousands of people. I got the chance to talk to her coach about what he thought about Lauren's character and how she impacted the team. Without journalism, I would have never talked to Mount Saint Joseph's basketball coach about his dying player. I doubt many students at MHS would have heard from his perspective as well. Journalism should be the last class districts cut on a tight budget, solely because of its power to connect people with faces and stories that they would not have seen otherwise. I have enjoyed every moment writing for The Chronicle and I wouldn't give it up for the world. According to Sally Renaud, executive director of the Illinois Journalism Education Association,"(Journalism) offers a sense of a vibrant intellectual community in the school. The kids are thinking, they're reporting what the other kids are doing, they get outside of themselves. It's bad to lose that sense of community." I couldn't end this post with a more fitting quote.



Wednesday, March 25, 2015

It's Going To Be OK

I feel less and less competent every day when I read the paper. 

As I eat my Frosted Flakes every morning and skim through the local schools section in The Enquirer, I see countless articles about the amazing things Mason High School students are doing. 

Aditya Jog, a sophomore in my Spanish class,  won the THINK contest at MIT and received funding for his project to create a more efficient way to convert solar power into usable energy. Bluye Demessie, a senior taking all honors and AP classes, won the opportunity to present his science fair experiment to President Obama in the White House. Freshman Natasha Saputra will be returning to Carnegie Hall this summer for the 6th time to showcase her legendary piano skills.

It's not even these stories that sometimes cause me to wonder why I'm not playing at one of the most famous arts stages in world. I can trace most of my self doubt to schedule planning week, where most of my friends are signed up for 5 or more AP classes. I'm taking 3, but I guess compared to the general population that's not good enough. We're all competing with each other for the better grade in AP Chemistry. We all are competing with each other for a spot on an Ivy League's admission list.

I was reading the New York Times and stumbled across an article that greatly relieved my academic stress. The article was written by Frank Bruni, and was published a few weeks ago during the chaos that comes with college admissions. The article outlined two stories of recent college graduates. One story struck me in particular. 

Peter Hart went to New Trier High School, a school very much like Mason. It has the same number of students and a similar academic rigor. Hart's best friend had her heart set on Yale, and she was admitted that spring. Hart was in the top third of his class and set his sights for the University of Michigan or the University of Illinois. Both rejected him. Instead, Hart applied for Indiana University and made it in. Hart noticed that "the students in his freshman classes weren’t as showily gifted as the New Trier kids had been", and Hart felt very competent in his new environment.  He took up a job at the Boston Consulting Group after graduation and upon the new hires was his friend that went to Yale. Hart is now getting a master's degree in business administration... at Harvard. 

I feel so much like Peter Hart, and can only pray that I have the same success story. So many of the students around us, our best friends even, have set their bar higher than I could imagine. I am a good student- don't get me wrong- I have above a 4.0 GPA and have taken my fair share of honors and AP classes. However, the constant need for Mason students to one-up each other and push themselves to their absolute academic limit rubs off eventually on all of us. I feel ignorant when the seventh grader next to me gets a better grade on an honors math test. I feel nervous when the seniors of the tennis team leave - half of them going to a premier college. I want to be performing at Carnegie Hall like Natasha or receive a perfect ACT score like so many upperclassman on my Speech and Debate Team do. We all feel this pressure at times.  Whenever I am panicking to do as well on a test as my friend did, I remember Peter Hart's story. For many students and their parents, taking every AP or being accepted into an elite college is not another challenge. It's simply another goal.

Success isn't measured by how hectic and rigorous a schedule is. So many people walking the halls of MHS forget this. When it comes to taking a class or applying for college, keep Peter Hart's story in the back of your mind. Who knows where any of us will end up, but to me Indiana University seems like a fine place to start.





Wednesday, March 18, 2015

Don't Be Stupid MHS

Mason High School has had three harmful threats in the last year. You may be surprised - yes, the affluent and prestigious MHS has had bomb and shooting threats. I personally think the reason we have had these threats is because a greed for attention comes with affluency, and we don't understand the consequences of unintelligent actions. Recently, a straight A student at Mason, aiming for an Ivy League education, was arrested for a threat of harming teachers and students. It was originally a simple joke- just a short text message to his friends about his "plan" to shoot up the school. Someone reported the message, and the student was stripped of his potential Ivy League future and thrown behind bars at the Warren County Jail. What was originally a joke, a call for attention, turned into a nightmare. I told my father about the situation surrounding the student, and we came up with three things that we all need to work on.
  • Never post or send anything that you would not want to tell your parents at the dinner table. I am an offender of posting and saying some stupid things, but this is really a rule we all need to work at. I doubt the student would have told his parents that he was planning on hurting a teacher.
  • Realize that just because something is a joke doesn't mean it can be disregarded. When the police searched the student's home, they found no dangerous weapons and concluded the students had no capability of harming anyone. However, either way the student can be seen with his ankles cuffed in a detention center. If a joke could potentially be interpreted in a dangerous way, keep it to yourself.
  • Understand the consequences. Your entire future can slip away by pressing send on a message you will come to regret. This student obviously wasn't thinking about the fact that his threat would put his entire academic future and high school reputation in jeopardy. This is a perfect example of not thinking before you act. Who knew elementary school principles would prove to be so  applicable in our high school careers?
I was surprised by the amount of MHS students who reacted to this story with "wow, that kid is stupid." Usually when events like this happen the student body supports the kid behind bars and finds every possible way to blame the administration for our own problems. Maybe a metamorphosis of  public awareness will come from this, but for now, don't be stupid MHS.
Click this link to grasp the full severity go the issue- http://www.wlwt.com/news/mason-hs-student-arrested-accused-of-threatening-staff-member/31817744

Monday, February 2, 2015

JVH Memorial Tournament Carries Deeper Meaning



“Wear your seat belts.”
Jim Horning ends the JVH Memorial Tournament each year with these three words.
The Mason Wrestling Invitational was renamed in memory of Horning’s son, James V. Horning. James was the captain of the wrestling team, and was driving home one rainy night from his girlfriend’s house in 2004. His truck flipped over and upon impact James was thrown from his car. James did not escape the accident alive. He was not wearing a seatbelt.
Jim founded the JVH Memorial Foundation with the help of his friends and some of James’ former coaches and teachers. Ken Whitney is a current ninth grade history teacher at Mason High School, and used to teach James. He is also a close friend of Jim’s and is the tournament director. According to Whitney, the tournament has a deeper intent than to display wrestling skills.
“(The tournament) is a celebration of James’ life,” Whitney said. “Part of that is celebrating James’ life, in honor of James and the kind of kid he was. He loved to help others.”
Head wrestling coach Craig Murnan was an assistant coach at the time of James’ death. According to Murnan, James’ team was one of the best Mason had put on the mat. Murnan takes the week of the tournament to remember James’s character with the rest of the coaching staff. The tournament brings back many alumni wrestlers and parents, and Murnan said that it is great experience for his team to be able to perform in front of so many alumni.
“We’ve been to some memorial tournaments,” Murnan said. “The coaching staff mostly will talk about James, we talk about the character, and the qualities that he stood for. It’s a really good reminder, too, because honestly (James) would probably still be here if he had worn a seatbelt, it’s something as simple as that. It represents a time that is good because it refocuses our kids in the middle of a season about what is important.”
The goal of the JVH Memorial Foundation is to help any families who are experiencing a tragedy, similar to one the Horning family endured. The Foundation has a variety of fundraisers, the biggest being a golf outing that raises about $15,000 in July. The tournament, however, does not raise any extra money for the foundation. According to Jim, the tournament is simply to honor James and the sport that he loved.
“The JVH Wrestling Invitational is more or less just for the wrestling aspect of what James was all about,” Jim said. “We don’t really make a lot of money on that tournament, we ask to break even with that tournament. (The tournament) is more or less to just make sure that we keep (James’) spirit alive in the wrestling foundation as far as within the school so (people) know what he was and what he was all about.”“Wear your seatbelts.”
Jim Horning ends the JVH Memorial Tournament each year with these three words.
The Mason Wrestling Invitational was renamed in memory of Horning’s son, James V. Horning. James was the captain of the wrestling team, and was driving home one rainy night from his girlfriend’s house in 2004. His truck flipped over and upon impact James was thrown from his car. James did not escape the accident alive. He was not wearing a seatbelt.
Jim founded the JVH Memorial Foundation with the help of his friends and some of James’ former coaches and teachers. Ken Whitney is a current ninth grade history teacher at Mason High School, and used to teach James. He is also a close friend of Jim’s and is the tournament director. According to Whitney, the tournament has a deeper intent than to display wrestling skills.
“(The tournament) is a celebration of James’ life,” Whitney said. “Part of that is celebrating James’ life, in honor of James and the kind of kid he was. He loved to help others.”
Despite the high level of intensity during the season, Murnan says that the tournament is a day where coaches push their athletes a little less. According to Murnan, this exemplifies the sportsmanship and character each wrestler stands for.
“As competitive as the sport is, it is a day where sometimes the competitive nature is not as big,” Murnan said. “It’s a good tournament, it’s just the coaches don’t maybe take (the tournament) to the level that they might later in the year when interacting with each other and as well as the team. I think there is a lot of sportsmanship and values that carry through the day.”
Jim and Whitney share the same idea about the message of the tournament: wherever you are, always buckle up.
“The biggest impact that we want to get out there is to make awareness of the seatbelt factor,” Horning said. “We believe that if James had his seatbelt fastened that he would probably still be with us today. That is one of the big issues that we try to side for today.”
cmackenzie.chronicle@gmail.com


The goal of the JVH Memorial Foundation is to help any families who are experiencing a tragedy, similar to one the Horning family endured. The Foundation has a variety of fundraisers, the biggest being a golf outing that raises about $15,000 in July. The tournament, however, does not raise any extra money for the foundation. According to Jim, the tournament is simply to honor James and the sport that he loved.
“The JVH Wrestling Invitational is more or less just for the wrestling aspect of what James was all about,” Jim said. “We don’t really make a lot of money on that tournament, we ask to break even with that tournament. (The tournament) is more or less to just make sure that we keep (James’) spirit alive in the wrestling foundation as far as within the school so (people) know what he was and what he was all about.”

Wednesday, January 28, 2015

When The Chronicle comes out January 30th, make sure to flip to pages 12 and 13! You'll find Eric Miller's awesome story about the basketball teams. Eric covers everything from the team's top players to pictures of the coaches from the 90s! It's one of the best sports stories of the year, and here is a little sneak peek of the page.

Monday, January 26, 2015

Weighing Sports Priorities

We've gotten some complaints about the sports that The Chronicle covers. People bring up the point that some sports get more respect than others because they are covered more frequently in The Chronicle. I can see were they're coming from - I was one of the only freshman on the varsity tennis team last year and I would agree that it is constantly looked down upon compared to sports such as football and basketball. However, I would like to make an assumption about the people that are coming to these conclusions. They probably don't read the sport's articles in The Chronicle editions or visit thecspn.com on a regular basis, or else they would see with their own eyes that The Chronicle recognizes multiple sports teams accomplishments each week. Cross country was featured on the front page of issue 3. Bowling and skiing stories are currently being developed. Just by browsing through thecspn.com, I see swimming, tennis, and hockey stories. The second part of this equation is American culture and our job at The Chronicle. As journalists, we try to craft stories that will attract the greatest amount of readers. Everyone can admit that a story about the basketball team's undefateated season would get more views than one about the curling team. We can't help that football is the most popular sport in America, we can only trace this back to the roots of American culture. My apologies for sounding salty throughout this post, but The Chronicle does cover a variety of sports, and it is the job of all journalists to cover stories that are trending.