March 2014

What’s Inside:• Adderall use rises among U.S. teens (page 2)

• Heroin use on the rise lo-cally, nationally (page 3)

New farm bill puts pressure on Oregon’s most needyBy: Ally Kriefski and Kaitlyn Wallin

• Smart phones: connecting or distracting? (page 4)

• Top 10 movies of 2013 (page 10) • Correct Opinion with Wesley Korpela (page 11)

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The 2013 Farm Bill, recently signed by President Obama, will affect many low-income Americans. The bill cuts more than $8.6 billion from the federal food stamp bud-get over the next 10 years. Because of the way Congress de-cided to calculate the food stamp cuts, only 13 states will bear the brunt of the decrease – Wisconsin being one of them. The Supplemental Nutri-tion Assistance Program (SNAP), which provides more than 900,000 families a year with food assis-tance, will deduct approximately $36 per month to each Wisconsin household that depends on food stamps. “For most people this is probably not a lot of money. But for us, this is a lot. We will defi-nitely feel it,” said a single Or-egon mother of one who is on food stamps. “This definitely means I will have to rely more on our food pantry.” With many in need of supplemental help, local food pantries may face an extra burden in the coming years. “Due to this Farm Bill, people who depended on the food pantry will be losing some of the assistance they’re still in need of, and some who have not needed the pantry in the past may be in need of it as a result,” said Kelly Kom-aus, who represents Holy Mother of Consolation Church on the Coordinating Committee for the Oregon/Brooklyn Food Pantry. “I know that many of our neighbors count on hav-ing the extra money for food,” said Linda Fuller, Chair of the Coordinating Committee for the Oregon/Brooklyn Food

Pantry. “Given the horrible job market and the high cost of food and fuel, I think this bill is taking money from the wrong program.” In 1986, members of four local churches - Holy

Mother of Consolation, St. John's Lutheran, United Methodist, and First Presbyterian - established the Oregon/Brooklyn Food Pan-try with volunteers and local do-nations. For more than 30 years the Food Pantry has helped fami-lies during hard financial times. “We are all volunteers here at the pantry,” said Fuller. “Ev-erything is done by those who do-nate their time to the pantry.” She also stressed that to use the pan-try, people need only live within the Oregon School District. The Oregon and Brooklyn

communities take many actions to keep the contribution rate steady. Each month Rome Corners Intermediate School has a Student Council-led food drive. Bill’s Food Center keeps a donation box by the exit doors so people can shop, then drop donations right in the store. Many of the local churches hold food drives every few months, as do many local youth sport organizations. Only time will tell how the 2013 Farm Bill will af-fect those in need of nutritional assistance and whether local efforts can fill the gaps left by the decrease in food stamps. Komaus remains hopeful. “The Oregon/Brooklyn community has been so very supportive to us over the years,” Komaus said. “I'm sure if they are able to donate they will.”

Wisconsin cupboards may suffer following the pas-sage of the 2013 Farm Bill. Photo by Kaitlyn Wallin.

News page 2

Adderall use rising among U.S. teensBy: Kristin Marshall and Hailie Schnabel

Photo by Hailie Schnabel.

Adderall is the most commonly prescribed drug among teens who are diagnosed with ADD and ADHD. According to Dr. Sara Kreckman from Meriter Clinic in Madison, about 2-3% of teens nationwide are pre-scribed to Adderall. Yet the drug is often abused, making it even more common among teens, said MATC nursing teacher Cynthia Shu-mate. Adderall is prescribed to those with ADD and ADHD because it in-creases concentration, mood levels, cognitive function and alertness while decreasing exhaustion, said Kreck-man. She added that Adderall acts as a stimulant, like caffeine, by increasing dopamine levels in the brain. Here at OHS, a number of stu-dents are prescribed Adderall. Most of the people receiving prescriptions are of school age, but there have been growing numbers of college students and adults being prescribed, said Or-egon pharmacist Kim Shumaker. She said there are currently more prescriptions than she’s ever seen before. According to Kreckman, the rise might be due to how difficult it is to diagnosis ADHD and ADD. “Sometimes, ADHD/ADD can be overdiagnosed and Adderall is prescribed inappropriately,” said Dr. Kreck-man. Some teens who are prescribed Adderall experience more negative effects than positive ones. OSD Student Assistance Program Coordinator Lisa Barleen provided a list of common side effects from Adder-all including nervousness, restlessness, difficulty sleeping, headache and fast or pounding heartbeat. 2013 OHS graduate Cassie Johnson used to be pre-scribed Adderall. At first, Johnson experienced many posi-tive effects from the drug. “When I would take [Adderall], I would become so involved in a project that I wouldn’t do anything until I completed it,” said Johnson. “It made me a perfectionist and overall my grades were better. The biggest benefit was my obsessive organizing that I did while I took it. It also gave me a lot more energy and I wasn’t needing naps as much.” However, though Johnson said she enjoyed the positive effects Adderall had at first, it eventually wore her down, and the negative side effects she described matched those listed by Barleen.

“After taking it for a long period of time, I became dependent on it and it’s somewhat hard on your heart,” said Johnson. “Eventually it kinda wears the body out and makes you feel run down when you don’t have it.” Health teacher Juanita Weinert worries about how

Adderall affects teens’ bodies since growth is still occurring. “Your brain stops making the chem-ical it needs because it’s now trained to use that drug to function,” said Wein-ert. Though Adderall can be beneficial when prescribed, Shumaker highly rec-ommends that those not prescribed do not take it. “Your doctor would determine if it’s right for you so, taking a friends Adderall [can be] dangerous and the dose could be too high,” said Shumak-er. It’s also illegal to take medication not prescribed to you. Both Kreckman and Shumaker agree that Adderall has its place as

an effective treatment for ADHD and ADD when it is pre-scribed and monitored appropriately. According to OHS psychologist Will Howlett, Ad-derall does not change the type of student you are; rather, it allows one to focus more intently on a task, and thus builds confidence in one’s ability to complete it. “It doesn't make you a better studier or student but it sort of allows you to develop new habits so where you used to be really out of focus now you're catching more of what’s going on,” said Howlett.

What you can get rid of: -Prescription Medicine (pills, liquids, creams) -Over-the-counter Medications (pills, liquids, creams) -Medication for Pets -Vitamins -Inhalers

Location:Oregon Police Dept383 Park St. Oregon, WI 53575

Contact for hours: (608) 835-3111

P r e s c r i p t i o n D r u g D r o p

“In 2011, the Madison Fire Department responded to 144 heroin overdoses and 23 which resulted in death,” said Officer Hatfield of the Oregon Police Department. And this problem has gotten worse in the past year. “At this point, public health, law enforcement, and communities are seeing overdoses and deaths,” said OSD Community Education Director Amy Miller. “Just in the last year it’s become a public health issue, plus we need the awareness from all angles on what addiction really is.” Heroin addicts often begin their addiction by exper-imenting with prescription drugs. Since laws have been put in place to prevent prescription and over-the-counter drug abuse, heroin has become the easy-to-get cheaper alterna-tive. Street heroin can be grey, tan, brown or black, while heroin in its purest form is a fine white powder. Dealers put additives ranging from sugar and caffeine to Benadryl and quinine in street heroin, which makes it impossible to know the strength or purity of it. “Being a recovering heroin addict has made me re-alize you have no idea what chemicals you are putting into your body, which is the scariest part about it,” said 2013 OHS graduate Donna Dunn*. “I woke up in a hospital bed from an overdose and the only thing on my mind was, ‘when can I leave to go get high again?’” Awareness is key in order to prevent usage and to help addicts and their families. Heroin is a highly addictive drug that is just as dangerous when smoked, snorted or in-jected, said OSD Student Assistance Program Coordinator Lisa Barleen. This drug holds such a high concern because with even one use, it can lead to an addiction, overdose or even death. Sharing needles between users is a big risk when using heroin, because users are 300 times more likely to die from infectious endocarditis, an infection on the surface of the heart. Most users are not worried about these risks, how-ever, because the only thing they are focused on is their next high. The usage of heroin and other drugs has no specific age range. In 2011, 13 of the overdoses the Madison Fire Department responded to were under 20 years of age, with the highest number between the ages of 20-29. “Life is short,” OHS Principal Kelly Meyers said. “We should live it and have fun, but dead at 21--no way! Dead sooner? Why?” Rehabilitation and daily counseling are the only way any addict will recover, but according to Dunn, the ad-dict has to want the help. “You cannot make somebody go to treatment and get help for themselves if they do not want it. They will go

Heroin use on the rise locally, nationallyBy: Kayla Catlin and Mariah Vike

News page 3

through each step, pretending like they want it, but once they’re out of treatment, they will go right back to using again and hanging out with the same people,” said Dunn. “If you honestly want to get better and stay clean, you have to change everything in your life, which is difficult, but that’s what you have to do. Being around the same people you used to use it with, going to places you’ve used at, and sur-rounding yourself with bad influences will not help you stay clean.” Recovering addicts require multiple supports. “By being placed in jail or prison, one cannot get rid of the addiction,” said Miller. “What they need is support, basic job skills and positive influences.” Proper treatment and support is the only way to stay sober. “My addiction led me to criminal behaviors that re-sulted in many charges that [have] greatly impacted my life,” said Dunn. “Being homeless, having no friends or family, and almost dying several times which resulted in me going to jail has actually benefited me in the long run, and that’s why I’m here today. Along with my own personal goal of staying clean, having these charges and being held account-able with everything I have to do drives me to my journey of happiness, sober.” If one is caught with heroin, it is a felony charge, which can make it harder to find jobs, and takes away one’s right to vote. If you or someone you know is battling an addiction, there are many local resources for help. Many facilities in Madison are available for treating addictions, such as Nar-cotics Anonymous, NewStart, Gateway Recovery, Connec-tion Counseling, Hope Haven and the Chris Farley House. “Even though I’ve been clean for a while now, there’s always little things throughout the day or week that reminds me of using, and my brain automatically turns into the using state of mind,” said Dunn. “When you relapse once, it does not stop because every time you use it gets worse. But if you fight those cravings and do not use, your brain gets stronger and you’re more likely to say no.” For those concerned about unused prescription drugs in the household, the Oregon Police Department has a drug collection box (see graphic on previous page). “It is not about saying ‘no’-- it is about saying ‘yes!’ to life. My life, your life, your friend’s life, your relative’s life and finding a way to help them help themselves to live! Together we can,” said Meyers. “This is one tough fight, but fight, we must!” Anyone in need of assistance or help can contact Barleen. All conversations are confidential unless threats of harming yourself or someone else are made.

*Name has been changed to protect identity

Smart phones: connecting or distracting?By: Molly Bollig and Alex Neal

News page 4

Twitter, Facebook, Snapchat, Vine, Flappy Bird, Pandora. Chances are if you own a smart phone, you con-stantly find yourself on these apps. As more apps are developed, distractions are in-creasing. As we grow up, our technology grows as well. With technology growing, people’s distractions grow too because of the wide variety of apps they are able to choose from. Here at OHS, many can attest to the fact that smart phones are one of the big-gest distractions among students. An average person in the United States checks his or her phone 110 times a day. Since students spend much of their time at school, this is where many problems occur. “Students would do better in school without their phones. They have more choices for distrac-tions on their phone now,” said English teacher Scott Mirkes. Nowadays a smart phone is all in one. For ex-ample, a smart phone has a camera, music, etc. Previously, if you wanted those things you had to buy a camera, or an iPod, you couldn't just use your phone. But now that it’s all in one, it’s becoming more of a distraction to young adults, especially in schools where students have a hard time trying to focus if they're distracted by all of the gadgets on their phone. However, some students disagree that smart phones are a large problem in schools. “Cell phones aren't as distracting as teach-ers think they are,” said junior Paityn Fleming. “Cell phones are a distraction and teenagers have a bad habit of always going on them, but there are worse things teenagers are distracted by - like drugs.” Cell phones bring many positives and nega-tives. Most teenagers can relate that having a cell phone makes it easier to get a hold of and keep in touch with your parents, and it keeps you busy so you are almost never bored. However, having a cell phone is a major distraction when you’re at school trying to learn.

Teachers become increasingly irritated with student cell phone use in class. “As an educator, I can share that it's extremely frus-trating to spend countless hours putting together a lesson that I think will help students learn, only for them to decide to ignore what you have planned for them and spend time on their phone instead,” said AP Pyschology teacher Kyle Oksiuta. “I don't think students even necessarily are inten-

tionally trying to be dis-respectful, but their cell phones are such an in-tegral part of their lives that they are literally unable to spend an hour without checking it.” Phones have be-come a defining part of our culture. However, phones can also be dis-tracting to your peers who may be trying to pay attention. For ex-ample, the light from your phone screen when your teacher’s playing a movie during class is a distraction. For most people

their smart phone is part of their everyday life, and they can't live without it. Yet, students must learn to be more respectful to teachers when it comes to smart phone usage in class, and teachers will have to realize they aren’t going away. “Growing up, distractions have always been there, whether it be the T.V. or the radio,” said Mirkes. “Now there are just more distractions because of smart phones… and your generation will have to learn how to adjust.”

The average American checks his or her phone every eight minutes. Photo by Alex Neal.

News page 5

Snow days shift calendarBy: Ashley Quamme and Mackenzie Tubridy

The brutally cold conditions of this winter may have come and gone, but the af-ter effects are still present. Thoughts of an extension of the school year have worried many students, teachers, parents and administrators in the Oregon School District this past month.The administration is well aware of the inconve-nience and its effects on plans made for fam-ily trips for the summer vacation. There were a total of five days called off in the district, and with no snow days scheduled into this year’s calendars, days now have to be made up. Originally, many were concerned

about how and when the lost days would be made up. The district was quick to act on such a decision and devised a plan they saw fit for making up the snow days. A decision was made that all non-seniors would have to come back after grad-uation to complete their final exams for the second semester. These dates would be June 9 to the 12. Seniors will still graduate on June 8 and will not return afterwards. “[The school board and adminis-tration] tried to do the best they could, but no one could have anticipated this kind of weather,” said Principal Kelly Meyers.

Waking up at sunrise and training until sunset on a daily basis is not out of the ordinary for an Olympic athlete or hopeful. Such an athlete must get comfortable being un-comfortable through everyday workouts, supplemental nu-trition and overall sacrifice, all in hopes of one day taking his or her place on that coveted podium. OHS graduate Mike Delleman was in the Olympic trials competing in Skeleton, “a sport where you ride face first on a sled and you experience 90 mph and up to 5 g’s of force.” Such a sport requires extensive passion and training. “An athlete must have full commitment to what they are doing. Not doing it to just do it. They must understand what it takes to be successful no matter what the level,” said Dellemann, the 4th ranked Skeleton in the United States in 2013. “In this level of competition you have to become a student of everything, not just the sport itself.” Olympic athletes spend on average eight hours a day training, participating in practices, exercises, weightlift-ing and sports medicine to perfect their skills and maintain their top physical condition. “It’s your life, not just your job, and everything is done for a reason,” said Dellemann. “The food you put in your body and the work you do is centralized around the sport.” Olympic athletes and hopefuls, no matter the sport, use a variety of different approaches to gain the upper edge on their opponents. Anything from diet to simply sacrificing time away from family and friends are examples of commit-ments athletes will make in attempt to reach better results. “In the past four years, I have spent one Thanksgiv-

The trials of an Olympic athleteBy: Parker Debroux and Brad Rehrauer

ing with my family due to training,” said Dellemann. Alongside the sacrifices Olympic athletes must make, nutrition is also a key factor in improving ability. “Five through six balanced meals per day that in-clude complex carbohydrates, proteins from lean meats, veggies and fruits are all building blocks of basic nutrition,” said physical education teacher Mark Diercks. “Hydration is equally important. Timing is also vital: get protein and carbs in your body within 30 minutes of a training session to help with muscle repair and restoring energy in muscle tissue.” Brian Bott, former strength and conditioning coach for the Wisconsin Badgers football team, has also trained a few Olympians, the most notable being Carmelita Mosca-to, a member of the 2012 bronze medal winning Canadian Women’s National Soccer Team. When it comes to training, Bott says the most important part is the recovery. “After a hard workout, you have to make sure your body stays healthy, or you're never going to be at a level you want to be,” said Bott. “The mental recovery is just im-portant as the physical workout. If your mind isn’t 100%, your body isn’t either.” Bott said that becoming an Olympic athlete is much more than training. “You are going to have to be willing to give up things that you want to get results you need,” he said. Life as an Olympic athlete or hopeful can be rigor-ous and physically demanding, but when asked, Dellemann explained that even though the training can be tough, to him, it’s worth it. “You must learn to enjoy and understand the process as much as the end result,” said Delleman.

Five snow days affect the OSD calendar. Photo by Mackenzie Tubridy.

Dog park thrives despite new feesBy: Danielle Ironmonger and Jessica Kutz

News page 6

Community mem-bers are now required to pay a fee in order to use the Jon Blanchard Dog Park in Or-egon. The 12.5 acre area, located on the east side of Oregon near the ice rink, opened August of last year and has been frequented by

countless Oregon citizens and their furry friends since then. It could be argued that some of the park’s early pop-ularity is owed to its fee-less access, but even with the recent fee requirement, the park is busy as ever. As of January 1, residents who wish to use the dog park are required to pay an annual fee of $20 per dog or a day fee of $5 per dog. Dog park permits can be purchased at the Oregon Village Hall and community members are al-lowed to bring a maximum of three dogs to the park. Many dog park users are content with having to pay an annual fee. “People should at least pay for their dogs’ I.D. tags,” said OHS student and dog park user Jessica Nankivil. “I see people at the park whose dogs normally wouldn’t get to run around, so I think it’s only fair that people pay to bring their dogs there.” Park Board Member John Hermus agrees that the park is beneficial.

“People should have a safe place to walk their dogs,” he said. “It’s important to charge a fee because then the park can stay in good condition and improvements can be made.” Some people have mixed feelings about the park fees. “I don’t believe you should pay a fee because like any park, [dog parks] should be a place that all people can enjoy for free,” said Verona resident Dan Colbert. Yet, the community dog park will continue to be a useful resource for dog owners despite the new fee. “Even though there’s a fee I’m still going to use the park because it’s really spacious and convenient,” said Nan-kivil.

The new Headquarters Bar and Grill and soon-arriv-ing Papa Murphy’s bring new competition to other Oregon restaurants. Papa Murphy’s reports the location - on Janesville St. - will open around April 2014. Unlike other pizza estab-lishments, Papa Murphy’s pizza is freshly prepared at the store and customers take home the pizza to bake. This take and bake style pizzeria typically has lower costs because it requires less restaurant equipment and space. As a result, Papa Murphy’s is often able to undercut other pizza giants. Pizza Hut, Pizza Pit, La Rocca’s and Maria’s are current pizzerias in Oregon that would be potential competi-tors of Papa Murphy’s. The restaurant could prove to be a stumbling block for these companies. However, currently, these restaurants are doing well in business and have overall satisfied customers. Cook and OHS senior Brett Larson re-ports that Pizza Hut is usually pretty busy.

New kids in town: Bringing the heatBy: Danielle Davis and Arielle Molot

Headquarters Bar and Grill opened February 18, 2014, in Oregon. Headquarters is very similar to Deak’s Bar and Grill in Stoughton but Headquarters has a few differ-ences. “Headquarters has a large smoker in the back so it smokes the meat which tastes differently compared to a reg-ular oven, which is what they used at Deak’s,” said kitchen manager Tyler Foote. “The ‘Headquarter Sandwich’ is also new and it comes with pork, biscuit, BBQ sauce and cole-slaw.” There will also be a volleyball league at Headquar-ters in the summer and spring. Headquarters promotes itself as a family friendly sports bar, as well as Mulligan’s and Mason’s on Main. These other bar and grills in Oregon are currently successful and may be possible competitors for Headquarters.

Art by Loran Schultz.

Winter music clinic a successBy: Carissa Goodwick

News page 7

On Saturday, February 15, the OHS orchestra put on a Winter Music Clinic. In this clinic, orchestra students from all grades taught fourth to sixth grade students musical basics such as stage presence, tuning tricks, sightreading,

and much more. There were also classes such as forming a rock band, guitar, and composing. There were about 90 stu-dents and 50 student teachers.

Above: Orchestra teacher Leyla Sanyer leads a registration meeting.Left: Senior Elinor Higgins (middle) teaches RCI students Zoe Frank (left) and Braiden Schiffner (right) about shifting between notes on the cello.Below: Jack Fitzgerald learns the basics of play-ing the keyboard.Photos by Daniel Henricksen.

• Fortune cookies were actually invented in America, not China.

• There are more plastic flamingos in the United States than real ones.

• Americans on average eat 18 acres of pizza every day.

• Apollo 11 astronauts couldn’t get life insurance prior to their launch so they gave themselves their own “life insurance policy made of auto-graphs” that could be sold by their families if they did not return.

• If you fail your driver’s license practical test three times in Switzer-land, you have to visit a psycholo-gist to explain why you failed it. • The inventor of Vaseline ate a spoonful of it everyday.

• The test pilot for the first U.S. jet aircraft would wear a gorilla suit while flying the secret prototype, so that other pilots who reported see-ing a gorilla flying a propellerless plane wouldn’t be believed.

• Paper money is not made from wood pulp but from cotton. This means that it will not disintegrate as fast if it is put in the laundry.

• Pablo Picasso’s full name is Pablo Diego Jose Francisco de Paula Juan Nepomuceno Maria de los Reme-dios Crispiniano de la Santisima Trinidad Ruiz y Picasso.

Facts courtesy of weirdfacts.com.

The SkinnyBy: Miranda Mellen

OHS improv troupe prepares for first show

News page 8

Silence of the Hams, OHS’ first-ever improv group, will host its first show Friday, March 14 at 7 p.m. in the OHS Performing Arts Center. Tickets will be $5 at the door. All proceeds will benefit local charities.

Sophomore Sean Bull, senior Mackenzie Tubridy and sophomore Breanne Paddock pretend to be still vacation photos in a game called Slideshow.

Freshman Madeline Adler pretends to be a still vacation photo, while senior Luke Davis and freshman Egzon Shabani describe the scene.

News page 9

Ultimate soars into OHSBy: Sean Bull

Paw Print Staff

456 N. Perry ParkwayOregon, WI 53575

Phone: 608-835-4418 OHSPawPrint@gmail.com

Editorial Board:Sean Bull

Kayla CatlinBridget CorcoranCarissa GoodwickWesley KorpelaMiranda MellenMaddie MorganAshley Quamme

Larissa RootIan Schultz

Loran SchultzTori SwensonMack Tubridy

Kyra Wooldridge

Photography:Carissa GoodwickDaniel Henricksen

Alex NealHailie SchnabelTori SwensonKaitlyn Wallin

Art:Loran Schultz

Advisor: Ms. Abby Riese

Paw Print is a public forum for student ex-pression -- the editorial board makes con-tent decisions. Views or opinions printed in Paw Print do not represent the views of OHS administration, staff, or the student body as a whole.

You asked for it, panthers: OHS is getting a new spring sport! Because of increasing student demand, chemistry teacher Nathan Johnson is coordinating and coaching Oregon’s very first Ulti-mate frisbee team. Johnson, who has played Ul-timate for over a decade, says his main goals for the season are to “generate in-terest in ultimate at OHS, learn basic skills and strategies, and build a love for the sport.”

Oregon will join the West divi-sion of the Open League, which also in-cludes Middleton, Edgewood, Madison Memorial, Madison West and Verona. According to Mr. Johnson, Ul-timate “can be a lifelong fitness activity and a great way to connect with other interesting people in the community who [you] might not otherwise meet.” The first game starts at 6 p.m., April 10, at home.

Photo by Tori Swenson.

Opinion page 10

Before you read my Top 10 Best Movies of 2013 list let me tell you that I have not yet seen “12 Years a Slave,” “Her,” “Inside Llewyn Davis,” “Saving Mr. Banks,” “Ne-braska” or “Wolf of Wall Street” (though I have read the book). That being said, this is the list of my favorite films I did see in the great year of 2013.

“American Hustle” - Director David O. Russell’s masterful crime comedy tells the story of a con man, Irving Rosen-feld (Christian Bale), and his girlfriend (Amy Adams) work-ing with a wildly unpredictable FBI agent, Richie DeMaso (Bradley Cooper), to bring down corrupt politicians and ma-fia members. Set in 1970’s New Jersey, every scene is pitch perfect, from the acting to the script to the smallest details of the 70’s setting. This film tops my list as the best movie of the year.

“Out of the Furnace” - This gritty drama tells the story of a small town factory worker Russell Blaze (Christian Bale) as he fights to find out the fate of his brother (Casey Affleck) when he disappears into the unforgiving hills of Pennsylva-nia. The all star cast delivers top notch performances, in-cluding Woody Harrelson giving an incredible performance as a psychotic hillbilly. Director Scott Cooper gives us a taste of the bleakest parts of America mixed with the bonds of family, making this one of the best of 2013.

“Mud” - What a year this has been for Matthew McCo-naughey! This coming-of-age drama tells the story of two young boys living in the deep south who come across a man hiding in the woods named Mud. With two very strong per-formances from the two young leads as well as a comeback performance from McConaughey, “Mud” makes for a drama that actually makes you care for the characters.

“This Is The End” - James Franco, Jonah Hill, Seth Rogen, Danny McBride, Craig Robinson, and Jay Baruchel spoof themselves as incompetent actors who are faced with sur-viving the apocalypse. The first of the two end of the world comedies this past year, “This Is The End” makes for the funniest on-screen comedy since “Ted.”

“Captain Phillips” - Tom Hanks plays a cargo ship captain whose ship is attacked by Somalian pirates. Director Paul Greengrass (“The Bourne Ultimatum”) gives us an edge-of-your-seat thriller with star making performance by the main pirate, played by newcomer Barkhad Abdi. This is an unfor-gettable thriller that cannot be missed.

Top 10 movies of 2013By: Ian Schultz

“The Conjuring” - The first great horror movie of this de-cade, “The Conjuring” tells the story of the Warren family, who move into a new country house that is filled with sa-tanic demons. Yes, the plot may sound cliche, but this hor-ror movie is old school fun that packs in original twists and scares along with surprisingly good performances.

“The Place Beyond the Pines” - Derek Cianfrance (“Blue Valentine”) directs this ambitious drama epic centered around Luke (Ryan Gosling), a motorcycle stunt rider, who begins robbing banks for the son he didn’t know he had. This film tells a compelling story of the bond between father and son as well as the consequences of actions that can change our lives as well as others. “The Place Beyond the Pines” is dramatic without being sappy while tugging at emotions without trying too hard.

“World War Z” - Brad Pitt’s zombie epic delivers what I think is the greatest zombie movie of all time. “World War Z” follows UN worker Gerry Lane (Brad Pitt) as he travels across the globe to find a cure for the zombie epidemic as well as ensure the safety of his family. This is the zombie apocalypse on the largest scale, delivering amazing special effects along with constant thrills. Simply one of the best times I’ve had at the theater this year.

“The Great Gatsby” - F. Scott Fitzgerald’s classic novel is beautifully crafted into an emotional drama following Nick Carraway (Tobey Maguire) as he finds himself involved into the life of his mysterious millionaire neighbor, Jay Gatsby (Leonardo DiCaprio). Telling a truly emotional narrative, this is a drama that will get you involved and leave you with-out words.

“Lone Survivor” - The story of the military mission “Op-eration Red Wing” is told through the eyes of the four men who went into Afghanistan to assassinate a Taliban leader, where things went terribly wrong, leaving only one living survivor. Director Peter Berg makes us feel like we are in the middle of the battle sequences, capturing a true sense of realism. This war movie is patriotic without being propa-ganda, making “Lone Survivor” an incredibly moving film about the men and women who risk their lives everyday to secure the safety of our country.

This was a great year for all types of movies, and I hope 2014 delivers a punch similar to 2013.

Opinion page 11

The Correct Opinion with Wesley KorpelaBy: Wesley KorpelaYou should probably regret everything

Have you ever had a slip of the tongue? Perhaps you misspoke a word or a common phrase? Maybe you wrote the wrong type of ‘your’ or ‘its’ on a paper or test. There even might be a chance that you said something that spoiled a joke or was incorrectly interpretated. There could be a chance

you made a mistake a long time ago, such as stealing candy or a dollar bill when you were five or six years old. Over time you have probably forgotten about all of these past errors because you’ve labled them as trivial. You’ve moved on. Somewhere along the line, you de-ceived yourself into thinking that you shouldn’t live in the past. Well guess what? Forget everything you’ve been told: You should probably regret every-thing. Usually when someone is on his or her deathbed, the individual has an opportunity to reflect upon his or her life. This individual often experiences past regrets during this deep personal reflection. These regrets often include letting go of good friends, not letting oneself be more happy, working too much, not having courage to express oneself more clearly, spending copious amounts of time staring at oneself in the mirror and asking, “What happened?” and wasting time ever watching “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.” However, don’t you think it’s a little late to start harboring those regrets at the last possible moment? I mean, you’re going to think of those regrets and then have the next following thought be the phrase, “Huh, oh well.” Start harboring those regrets now! Let oodles of stress and guilt seep into your youthful bodies and drag you down for the rest of your life. And that’s just the big stuff! I’m also advocating for the nitty gritty details of everyday life to be irreprehensibly regretted. These details include but are not limited to turning on the light switch for the entryway when you were trying to turn on the hallway light, making eye contact with someone

accidentally and then looking up when the individual looks back at you, clicking on the wrong program to start on your computer, forgetting to brush your teeth in the morning and then chewing a piece of gum to “make up for it” or even walking around unknowlingly with your backpack slightly or fully unzipped. Every time one of these embarassing and regretful situations happen, you should take out a notepad and write it down for your records. I’m sure you’re wondering why I’m telling you to regret everything. I’ll tell you why: it’s because it’ll make

your expectations much more realistic. You won’t be much of a dreamer after your self-esteem has been irreversibily destroyed. Instead of thinking you’ll one day become the new LeBron James, you’ll regret so many life decisions that you’ll happily settle for becoming a cubicle worker at a Dell Computer Service Center. Instead of aspiring to cure the great ailments of the world, you’ll have so many regrets that you’ll proudly ac-cept a job as that person that stands be-hind the Walgreens Photo Development Desk. Why reach for the stars when you can have a nice stable job where you don’t know whether you’re making a meaningful impact? Regret clearly cre-ates lasting happiness and satisfaction. A wise man once said, “There is no greater dignity in the world than the dignity found amongst American high schoolers.” That man was not

Pope Francis. In fact, I don’t think anyone has ever said that phrase before. So that’s why I offer this revolutionary idea: in or-der to feel great about yourself, what you have to offer and where you are headed in life, you should start regretting ev-ery mistake, mishap and misinterpretation you ever come across, because as Luke Davis once said, “If you reach for the stars, you might get burned.” He said that phrase to me when I asked him if he was going to be attending my birthday party this year.

Bucket list? Forget about it! Start your regret list today.

By: Miranda Mellen

March Horoscopes page 12

Aries (March 21- April 19): You’re in great need of some form of escape, but choose any escape routes wisely. Rela-tionships are complicated, although connections with fam-ily are likely to strengthen in March. Buried problems can surface in partnerships, and resolving them can seem com-plicated. You may choose to retreat from the pressure and stress. Family and home life can improve.

Taurus (April 20- May 20): While March has a complicated energy attached to it, there are some bright spots. A previ-ously hard-to-grasp subject can become clearer. You could receive good news from friends, or you might feel inspired by something you learn. There can be some tricky matters revolving around work or health matters to deal with, how-ever.

Gemini (May 21- June 20): Self-esteem is improved - some of the problems you encountered last month will clear up or concern you less. Some of you could be feeling a little stuck creatively speaking. Romantic interests are tied to friend-ships and group activities this month, but your social life in general can be quite complicated. Avoidance is a strong tendency right now, but not advised.

Cancer (June 21- July 22): Beautiful energy is with you in March for self-expression and spirit. Work that you’ve al-ways wanted might come your way. You could be feeling es-pecially happy and healthy, optimistic, and more confident, and that your goals are in reach. Others are likely to find you inspiring. Generally speaking, people are seeing you in a good light.

Leo (July 23-August 22): You are certainly in a more reclu-sive phase of your life generally speaking, but this month, you are likely to be feeling less weighed down by health problems. You may find the pace of your daily life challeng-ing in March, however. There can also be some disagree-ments with siblings, neighbors, or acquaintances.

Virgo (August 23-September 22): While you may not feel in charge, it’s a good time for learning more about the peo-ple in your life. Watch that you don’t put too much faith in something that is no longer viable, or give so much that you forget your own needs in the process. There can be some

confusion, misunderstandings, and possibly resentments surrounding this month.

Libra (September 23-October 22): It’s time to pick up your sleeves and get down to work this month. You’ll have the most success if you bring more creativity to your daily rou-tine. Questioning your plans is likely this month, and in fact quite necessary. The temptation to push ahead with personal plans is strong, but circumstances could have you feeling stuck.

Scorpio (October 23-November 21): Although there is tricky energy with us this month, it can also be a whole lot of fun at times. You are more optimistic and hopeful in March, and you are expressing yourself with more creativity and sponta-neity. If you don’t honor your need for down time and rest, circumstances can conspire to remind you or enforce it upon you.

Sagittarius (November 22-December 21): There is a lot of charm in your manner and in the ways you communicate this month. Family life appeals greatly now, and you’re in need of feeling secure and safe. It’s a good period for refocus-ing and re-establishing yourself and your goals. Your major focus is on settling in and keeping the peace, but misunder-standings can be frequent and complications can arise.

Capricorn (December 22-January 19): Work on coming to compromises and agreements this month. Good ideas come to you easily and intuitively in March. Conversations are lively and productive. Students might enjoy improved learn-ing conditions. There can be helpful neighbors, siblings, and classmates in your life this month. You can benefit greatly from counseling and sharing your thoughts.

Aquarius (January 20-February 18): March may seem a little tame for you after a rather dramatic and personally involv-ing month. However, it’s a month of quiet revelations. There can be frustrations and conflicts over differences of opin-ion. Watch your communications more closely, as there is a strong tendency to say things you’ll later regret, or to air grievances that rub people the wrong way.

Pisces (February 19-March 20): There is a lot to love about March for you. You have no shortage of admirers this month. Especially from the 6th forward, you are magnetic and per-sonable. Your interest in some projects you’ve put on a shelf reignites. You spend a lot of time making others happy, but this month is about you which can do you good right now.

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Horoscopes courtesy of cafeastrology.com.