Since this time, phones have come a long way and are constantly doing more and more. Our technology has advanced in such a great way that the futuristic technology once seen on Star Trek is now reality. And in some ways it’s even better. The iPhone is a wonderful example of this.

Apple has a way of debuting various “firsts” with every generation of iPhone. When the first iPhone came out, it was the sleek design with glass touch-screen and beautiful user interface combined with features that made some of the most difficult wireless tasks, both easy and simple. But even with these incredible features, Apple aspired to take it the next level and turn the tables with each future iPhone generation.

Recently, Apple has released the iPhone 4, the latest and the greatest of iPhones. This phone is packed with video calling, a 5 mega-pixel camera, HD video shooting, and much, much more.

The iPhone 4

As Apple says it “In so many ways, it’s a first.” Which couldn’t be truer.

Mobile phones have become a significant part of our daily lives. They have changed the way we communicate with others, surf the internet, and even take photographs. Apple has made this worldwide phenomenon “harder, better, faster, stronger,” and the copy-cat phone company’s only make them push harder, constantly changing the way we think about cell phones.

“Be a yardstick of quality. Some people aren’t used to an environment where excellence is expected. ” – Steve Jobs

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When asked why he decided to take on a new job as an assistant principal, he replied, “I have been working to become a school administrator  for five years. When the opportunity presented itself, I was ready to make the jump to principle.”  However one other reason that led him to take this opportunity was that he would remain in the PENNDREST District.  “I want everyone to know that I didn’t take this job to leave CSHS, it was purely a chance to challenge myself in new ways and put all my hard work over the [past] five years to use.

Though this will be a new experience, he is adequately prepared.  “I have taught here at Cambridge for seven years. While at CSHS I was the head wresting coach for six years and learned what it was like to be in charge of a program. I worked closely with parents, coaches, and administrators from other schools.”  He also taught seventh and eighth grade at Meadville for seven years, and before that, he spent time at a major university and lived in Washington D.C. for two years.  “I feel that I am very capable of preparing students from this local area for life after high school.”

Despite the difference in environments, Mr. Mason doesn’t expect much to be different.  “As a school they will have their own separate identity, different from Saegertown, Cambridge Springs, and Meadville. It’s been my experience that kids are basically the same no matter where one travels to.”  He feels that “Every school has the same basic sub group of students, some just have more people in them than others.”

He is already beginning the transition stage for next fall.  When asked what will he do in preparation, Mr. Mason replied, “the first week of summer I am headed to Harrisburg for a conference on School Wide Positive Behavior Supports.” He also plans to make regular visits to Maplewood to better acquaint himself with the “various procedures and staff that separate Maplewood from  the Spa.”  He has already spent 2 school days out there getting to know the faculty and students and even chaperoned a dance there one night in May.

Although English is what he known for, he says, “It is very unlikely that I will return to the classroom. I have been looking forward to this move for a long time. I am ready to take on a new set of challenges, as I have been in the classroom for 13 years. Every couple of years I change most of the things that I do in class. In fact no two years have ever been totally the same. I think that I have reached the limit of my ability to that. I am anxious to begin helping an entire school meets it needs as well as grow into a  population of responsible community members.”  Whatever happens next year, Cambridge Springs will miss Mr. Mason, and hopefully Maplewood will embrace him.  We here at CSHS wish him the best of luck.

Washington Nationals pitcher Stephen Strasburg's first professional start on June 8 is one of the most hyped debuts in recent memory.

Okay folks, two important dates have recently been announced that are mark-

The first: Washington Nationals’ pitcher Stephen Strasburg will make his Major League debut on June 8 when he faces the Pittsburgh Pirates at Nationals Park in Washington, D.C.  Strasburg has dominated his opponents in the minors, first in Double-A Harrisburg and then at Triple-A Syracuse.  In Harrisburg, Strasburg compiled a 3-1 record in five games with a 1.64 ERA while accumulating 27 strikeouts in only 22 innings of work.  In Syracuse, he posted a 4-1 record with only a 1.08 ERA.  He made a total of 11 starts between his Double-A and Triple-A stints.

From his play in the minors, we as fans can only be excited to see what Strasburg, the first overall pick in the 2009 Major League Baseball Draft, will bring to the table this Tuesday.  And, a quick fast-fact for you: Strasburg began his Double-A career by facing the Altoona Curve, the Double-A team of the Pittsburgh Pirates.  And who will he start his Major League career against: the Pittsburgh Pirates.  Oh, the athletic irony.

As for the other significant event, well, it does not even take place this year.  I’m referring to the closest thing to professional pond hockey, the 2011 NHL Winter Classic.  For those unfamiliar with the Winter Classic, it is an outdoor hockey game played amongst two teams (typically ones with a good storyline or rivalry between them), and it is held at a famous venue.  With the exception of the first Winter Classic, most of the venues are famous (I don’t know how renowned one can deem Buffalo’s Ralph Wilson Stadium).  As for the 2011 version of this event, though, a better matchup could not have been picked, at least for hockey fans of Western Pennsylvania.  The Pittsburgh Penguins will host the Washington Capitals on New Year’s Day, January 1, 2011 at Heinz Field, home to the NFL’s Pittsburgh Steelers.  Yes, Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin get the opportunity to take their rivalry to new heights: the great outdoors.

The 2011 NHL Winter Classic will take place in Pittsburgh, PA. The game pit the Pittsburgh Penguins against the Washington Capitals on New Year's Day.

An official date has not yet been announced in regards to when tickets will first go on sale, but many websites are offering free alerts for such information.  Tickets for the first Winter Classic sold for as little as $29 and as much as $225; some with a “partially obstructed view” sold for about $10 in an effort to fill the 73,000-seat Ralph Wilson Stadium.  Prices for the upcoming Classic have yet to be announced.

So, just how will this turn out for the National Hockey League?  I’m guessing far better than the previous Classics.  After all, when Sid the Kid and Ovie take the ice during any other regular season game, the hype is high; it’s almost one of a playoff atmosphere.  Now, throw in the Winter Classic and national television aspects and what the NHL has is a recipe for financial success.  These players are symbols of not only their respective team, but also the league itself.  And, after their battle in the Olympics (Canada versus Russia), this will only add fuel to the already flaming fire that is their rivalry.  Overall, this game looks to be a real winner for both the NHL and the fans.

This is Pittsburgh’s second year participating in the Winter Classic as the Penguins played against the Buffalo Sabres in the inaugural Classic in 2008.  Again, the venue for this game was the Buffalo Bills’ Ralph Wilson Stadium.  2009 brought the Detroit Red Wings to the Windy City to play the Chicago Blackhawks at the Chicago Cubs’ Wrigley Field while the Boston Bruins played host to the Philadelphia Flyers at the Boston Red Sox’s Fenway Park in 2010.

The EP is closely related, seen both in vinyl and compact disks, an EP was typically sent to clubs and contained 4 or 5 songs as an overview of the artist. EP, or Extended Play, was longer than a single but shorter than a full length record.

Closely following vinyl records came the 8-Tracks, magnetic tape sound recording technology that made its debut in the 1960’s and lasted for about 20 years. In 1958 RCA introduced the first Magazine Cartridge Loading that made playing 8-Tracks simpler, but its popularity didn’t last. The newer, more efficient Compact Cassette Tape is the same magnetic tape recording system, but this reel to reel recording became one of the most popular recording devices between the 1970’s and 1990’s.

A more recognizable form of portable sounds is the development of the compact disks, or CDs. Compact disks made their debut in 1978 created by Sony and later joined together with Phillips Consumer Electronics to create a prototype available to the public. Compact Disks were originally designed to record and store sound media but have evolved to do so much more.

The newest and most advanced digital medium is the MP3. Created in Germany by Fraunhofer-Gesellshaft this “digital encoding process” basically allows you to make any music file smaller without affecting the sound quality. The MP3 has many different compression modes, allowing data size,quality, and  flexibility. That is one reason why it MP3 is the most popular form of audio file formats in this decade, although this product has been in development since 1977.

First off, many people are under the assumption that skin cancer is the only danger that comes from sun exposure and that if they aren’t tanning as a ritual they’ll be fine going out with bare skin. This is not true! Since melanoma is caused by ultraviolet light any exposure, not just burning or tanning, puts you at risk. Also, there are other risks of excessive or unprotected sun exposure. Sun light can suppress the human immune system for up to 24 hours. Sun also causes damage to the skin’s ability to repair itself which causes premature aging (wrinkles and age spots!) and something called Actinic Cheilitis which causes cracking and white spots to appear on the lip. This mainly occurs on the lower lip because it receives more sun exposure than the upper lip. Finally, acne can be one of your worst enemies when it comes to the sun. While it may seem that sun dries up acne this is not necessarily the case. In reality all the sun is doing is drying the skin and slowing down the cell renewal process. Combine these two factors and acne will most certainly become even worse. Then there’s the fact that almost any form of acne medication including retinols, benzoyl peroxide washes, and antibiotics make the skin ultra-sensitive to sun damage. This sensitivity due to acne drugs has been the cause of some of the most painful sunburns ever experienced and the worse part is that it happens so quickly that most people don’t feel it until they are already out of the sun.

These are only a few reasons why sun protection is important, but what is the best way to protect yourself? First of all, it is important to remember that sunlight can be broken down into 3 types of rays, UVA, UVB, and the less commonly know UVC. Many lotions for sun protection only protect from UVB, which is the main cause of sunburn, but ignore UVA which can be even more dangerous because it penetrates the skin deeper than the other rays. Reading the label on the bottle can help you identify the most protective lotion. Another key point to think about is that there is a difference between sunscreen and sunblock. Sunscreen is used to refer to a substance that allows some UV rays through while sunblock is a barricade for all the UV rays. SPF, or sun protection factor, refers to how many rays the screen or block lets in. The higher the SPF the more rays it blocks. You can also find a difference in the fact that different chemicals in these lotions do different things. Some reflect sun off the skin while others absorb the rays before they can reach the skin. It also a good idea to wear sunglasses for extra protection because UV rays have been known to cause premature cataracts in the eyes.

While having fun this summer remember to think about protection for your skin. It is the biggest organ in your body and is just as fragile as the rest of them. Fun in the sun is great, but remember to take control in protecting yourself from the sun.

Carmine is a natural food coloring that has been in production for centuries. It is also a rich shade of crimson most often associated with lipstick. While this may not sound bad at all, it has a serious gross-out factor: carmine is produced through the boiling of highly pigmented beetles. It has been known to cause irritation and allergic reactions in people who are sensitive to it. In addition, red lipstick pigments, including the popular Red #40, are derived from coal tar, a sludgy and toxic mixture that, given enough processing, produces a thin dye generally considered to be safe. However, Red 40 and other artificial colors have been associated with attention deficit, headaches, nausea, and skin irritation- the dyes are certainly not something that you want sitting on your lips all day.

So remember, if you are trying to avoid disgusting ingredients, check the label the next time you are about to consume a food product. You may just be eating bugs.

The Blue Devils lost 8 seniors last year including the starting quarter back of 4 years (Stephen .K.) The seniors are out, their time is over as the Devils lost last season in the playoffs to the Sharpsville Devils 27 -14. Last season the Devils had a record of 7 wins and 4 losses. They did not lose on their home field one time last season. Lets see if the undefeated home turf can stay with the Devils as they try and push farther through the playoffs this season. Maybe even bring home a District 10 championship, and who knows possibly even a state title.

Find Your Get Away

As these last few days of school drag on, most of us are gearing up for our whopping two-and-a-half-month summers. No matter what you do, summer is still going to be just two and a half months, but there are many ways you can make feel like much longer.

The first, and probably the best, way is to set goals to accomplish during your break. Take a few minutes to jot down what you’d like to do this summer, whether it’s road-tripping with your friends or cleaning your room, this will give you a sense of achievement. You can always add more as you go.

The next way to make the most of your summer is to get outside and enjoy the weather. You’re inside all school year, you might as well lay in the sun or take a walk when you can. Camping can also be a fun activity with a group of friends.

Lastly, relax. This is your time off, your time to lay around if you heart desires it. Keep a positive attitude, and find ways to keep your stress levels down. Hiking, swimming, and exercising are all great ways to do this.

Summer should be a breath of fresh air, both metaphorically and physically.