The Apple iPad is the latest in tablet technology. The 9.7 inch diagonally measured screen weighs about 1.5 pounds and does everything an iPod does and more. With the ability to use applications for word processing and spreadsheets, the iPad can easily replace a computer. This touch screen tablet also makes surfing the web simple. Unfortunately, a technical glitch has kept about two percent of iPad consumers from connecting to the internet with the ease that was originally intended, according to Apple analyst Gene Munster.

Princeton University has banned certain iPads from their campus due to similar connectivity problems. Their wireless network uses temporary ip addresses. When an iPad user connects to the internet it receives a temporary ip address which, if not renewed, will be given to another user. When the other user connects and then the iPad tries to connect as well, the university is alerted to the problem and has to work to correct it. According to Princeton’s web site, they are working closely with Apple to correct the problem permanently.

Hoban sophomore Nick Marshall was one of the first to get an iPad.

“I haven’t had any problems and I use my ipad more than my laptop,” Marshall said. “I rarely use my computer. It’s way faster.”

With over 300,000 iPads already in consumer’s hands and less than 6,000 malfunctioning, Apple has not been completely discredited.

“I’m scared to bring it to school, but I’ve used it in airports and many other places,” Marshall said. “I haven’t had any problems with the network or anything- I love it.”

With increasing technological advances comes increasing problems. Apple is working hard to fix the iPad and keep its marketshare intact.

Spring break brings out certain instincts of immaturity in younger people. The rowdy characteristics in students that have been bottled up all winter are itching to come out. Combine the spring instincts with the magnificent weather and it becomes a mass hysteria of untamed fun.

So, with a new wardrobe of the ultimate causal attire and a new attitude of carelessness, young peoples’ behavior certainly digresses to a much more primitive state called the spring fever. While the spring fever is inevitable, there are certain places that are more welcome to spring fever victims and other places that will put victims out on the curb.

The Experiment:
With my board shorts on, flip flops in place, shirt off, shades on and towel around my neck, I used my spring break to explore and discover pro-spring fever or anti-spring fever destinations.

The Grocery Store – Walking into the grocery store, I received some very funny looks from stay-at-home moms restocking the family food stock. I headed straight for the sun screen aisle but was quickly intercepted by an employing telling me I needed to wear a shirt if I wanted to come in. He didn’t seemed phased that I was just trying to get my bronze on and that’s not possible wearing a shirt, making grocery stores anti-spring fever.

The Library – This hot spring break destination is surprisingly anti-spring fever. As I walked in, I saw fellow dudes everywhere checking their Facebook, but when I blurted out “Where’s all the babes?” I was immediately asked to leave.

The Mall – The mall was filled with young people… could this be my spring fever haven? The ratio of dudes to babes worked out quite nicely at a favorable 3:1. Then I saw it, drawn in like a fly into a bright light: Hollister. I was quickly attracted by the larger-than-life poster of the dude without a shirt on and as I approached I heard the fist pumping beat I had been seeking. It was party time, or so I thought. As I walked into my false spring break haven, an employee turned me down because of my lack of shirt, making the mall anti-spring fever.

The Pool – It was finally the real deal – everyone was in proper dress code and I was surrounded by younger people all with spring fever. When I was greeted by people getting tan and having fun all around, I knew that I had found my spring break destination. The pool is definitely pro-spring fever.

Over spring break, younger people just must keep in mind that there is a time and place for everything, and not everyone will treat spring fever with arms wide open.

It is nothing new to hear “the movie was not as good as the book”. When a book becomes a movie, it never follows the exact story line, even when the screenplays are written by the same author. But even with the discrepancies, The Last Song is definitely still worth viewers’ time.

Like in all novel-to-movie creations, many vital scenes and information that effected reader’s emotions were lacking, most likely due to time limits. Obviously in a 400 plus-page book every extra detail would make the hour and forty-seven minute movie much longer.

The Last Song begins when a troubled Ronnie and her little brother Jonah are forced to spend the summer at the beach with their father Steve. This all sounds like the perfect summer vacation except Ronnie passionately hates her estranged father and blames him for her parents’ divorce.

Ronnie continues to strain the relationship by quickly befriending the town’s disturbed loose cannon Blaze and her fire obsessed boyfriend Marcus, who is less than trustworthy.

And of course Will, the cocky athletic hunk, who manages to literally knock Ronnie off her feet the first time they meet.

Even with the discrepancies between the novel and movie, it still had a powerfully profound message about family, friendship and first loves that is sure to emotionally move its audience.

The Last Song is a lesson of forgiveness and acceptance. It shines a light onto the dangers of judging by appearances and makes audiences reflect on areas in their own life in which they need to dig below the surface.

If viewers choose to read the novel before seeing the movie, they would already be aware that tissues are a must when going to see this movie. It will make viewers laugh with tears of joy and cry bitter tears of sorrow and regret.

Many readers may feel resentment if they experience the novel before the movie, but as the Father in Sparks’ latest novel said, “You have to love something before you can hate it.”

If you’re male and attend Hoban, chances are you have a video game console. You may still be playing your older brother’s Sega Genesis or a coveted Nintendo 64, but the majority of gamers have fallen to the technological enigmas called video games consoles. Sony and Microsoft run the world of video games and of many younger boys’ lives.

“There are certain times when it’s the most important thing in my life,” said sophomore John Paradise. “It is my Call to Duty.”

The modern marvels are Sony’s PS3 and Microsoft‘s Xbox 360. Consumers tend to defend the system they own to the death so the argument over which is better is brutally biased… until now. The sleek PS3 is the zenith of gaming and entertainment.

“It has everything you could ask for in a system,” junior Nate Tarr said.

The phrase “you get what you pay for” is quintessential to the argument over the inflated price of a PS3. The 250 gigabyte PS3 costs $350 and its 120 gigabyte counterpart is $300. Don’t think you’re paying $300+ to abandon your mountains of Playstation 1 and 2 games. The PS3 is backward compatible with Sony’s other two systems. This means gamers can play any classic playstation game on the PS3.

“My dad and I play for hours,” junior Anthony Arnone said. “It doesn’t matter what game, they are all good.”

One characteristic that is totally unique to Sony’s system is the built in Blu-Ray DVD player.

The Xbox 360 transcends the norm for the basic console. Microsoft’s unique ability to take the graphics of the PS3 and the family/party games for the Wii and put it all in one package sets it apart from competition. Perhaps the most envied feature of the Xbox though is Xbox Live, where over the Internet; gamers can play with people all over the world, download game demos and even check Facebook.

“Day after day, Xbox live continues to astonish me. I love having the ability to virtually shoot people from all over the world,” senior hardcore gamer Brian Gibbons said. “I would give my left arm for a subscription to Xbox Live, although that would make it difficult to actually play Xbox Live.”

Another plus is that the Xbox 360 will not break the bank, as it runs anywhere from $150 to $300 depending on how much memory a gamer desires.

With the high-intensity graphic processor of the PS3 and the well rounded fun for everyone in the family Xbox, this is one argument that might never be resolved.

Little Italy in Cleveland
Only an hour away, Little Italy can a be a quick and fun getaway. Located right outside Cleveland Heights, the area is filled with delicious Italian restaurants along with authentic shops, art galleries and music entertainment.
“The food at Little Italy is one of a kind,” senior Michael Francesconi said. “My favorite restaurant is Mama Santa.”

Akron Zoo
For only nine dollars, one can explore the upgraded Akron Zoo. The 50-acre facility is filled with over 700 animals, including the endangered Humboldt penguins, Sumatran tigers and Komodo dragons. The zoo also has many interactive exhibits and a butterfly garden. The zoo’s hours in the spring time are 10 A.M. to 5 P.M.
“The Akron zoo is a surprisingly entertaining activity,” senior Anna Zedar said. “They have done a great job upgrading the area. My favorite exhibit is definitely the bat exhibit.”

Akron Aeros
Akron is home to a minor league baseball team, the Akron Aeros. Located in the center of downtown, the team brings the excitement of baseball to Akron at a low price of $10.00. The fans do not just get a great game but also fireworks on Friday, “Dollar Dog” Mondays and other fun activities every game. The first home game of the season is April 15.
“The games at Central Canal Park are exciting and cheap,” senior David Bott said. “My favorite part is all of the games in between each inning.”

Drive-in movie theater
Instead of being cooped up in a dark theater, how about enjoying a movie clip in the comfort of your car in the great outdoors? The Melody Cruise in Springfield and Blue Sky Drive in Wadsworth are two drive-ins that open in May. The cost of the drive-in is $7.50 per car which includes two movie flicks.
“Drive-in movie theaters are the best,” senior Annie McLaughlin said. “You get two movies for a cheaper price than you would at the movies.”

Metro Parks
Summit County metro parks offer 90,000 acres within 13 parks and six conservations. The parks feature hikes with stunning views, concerts, bicycle routes and picnic areas. The best part about the metro parks is that one can do all of these activities for absolutely no cost.
“With the weather getting nice out it is great to get outdoors,” senior Hannah Karg said. “Metro parks have a lot of great running trails that are better than running on the streets or on a treadmill.”

So whether it is hiking in the woods, exploring the Akron Zoo or taking a visit to Little Italy, it is time to get up, get out and enjoy the weather.

Since 1986, potential inductees have been decided by 500 “rock experts” who evaluate the candidates and vote on who should be inducted. This year over 50 artists were considered. Artists are eligible 25 years after their first recording is released and with over 150,000 square feet of space on seven floors, the museum certainly has enough room for its new additions. So far the names of the other nominees are being kept quiet but will be public soon.

“The inductees represent a great cross-section of artists that define the broad spectrum and history of rock ‘n’ roll and people that have contributed immeasurably to our business,” Joel Peresman, president and CEO of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Foundation, told CNN.

The Hall of Fame doesn’t limit its collection of rock icons to the music stars themselves but also includes the behind-the-scenes individuals and impressive back-up artists such as record executive David Geffen, who was also inducted this year.

The 2010 induction ceremony on March 8, however, did not take place in Cleveland, but in Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York. Soon after the concert, the group of inductees had their stage outfits, handwritten lyrics and instruments, among other things, opened in the new exhibit.

As more music is made it will become increasingly difficult for new and older artists to get their guitar straps and performance shirts in the glass pyramid building that seems immortalizes artists forever in rock history. By this time next year, another few groups or artists will have been welcomed into the Hall, and maybe someday even Hoban’s own Igor and the Vultures will be welcomed into the hall.

Almost Alice is an eclectic hodgepodge of rock music as thrilling and unique as Tim Burton’s remake of Alice in Wonderland. The album features 16 different tracks of artists as different as the White and Red Queens.

The music ranges from hardcore rock to poppy, girl power sounding rock. The album is perfect for road trips because the assortment of musical selections will fit in perfectly with any mood.

Almost Alice is also perfect to listen to on repeat for the same reason. The catchiest song is Tea Party by Kerli, an upbeat party song. Remian careful if driving to this tune because listeners may find themselves so engrossed in the feeling of the song they break out into dance. This would be a terrible occurrence for obvious reasons.

Franz Ferdinand shows off his darker side with The Lobster Quadrille. It is an eerily creepy song that triggers flashbacks from a scene in the earlier movie where the creatures are dancing in the tide of the ocean. Listen to it once and The Lobster Quadrille will remain trapped inside listener’s heads for weeks.

For fans of harder rock Shinedown brings a hardcore vibe in the form is of Her Name Alice.

Along with these songs are a plethora of others that are well worth the $9.99 iTunes price, including the likes of Owl City, All Time Low, and Mark Hoppus. For a movie soundtrack Almost Alice is a must buy.

Four Stars

“Oh my gosh it was cold,” world cultures teacher Greg Milo said. “Even though it was cold, I enjoy jumping into the unknown and it was for a good cause so I did it.”

This is the sixth year the jump has taken place. It raises money to support the Akron-Canton Regional Food Bank, which is a non-profit organization that provides food and other basic needs to more than 370 agencies around the area.

“The Food bank has seen an unprecedented increase in demand for emergency food,” Dan Flowers, president and chief executive officer of the Akron-Canton Regional Food Bank, told reporters. “This event will help us provide over 140,000 meals to help feed hungry people in the communities we serve.”

The participants raised funds by collecting pledges from family and friends who watched them jump into the chilly water. Each jumper raised at least $25.

“I think it is a great fundraiser,” math teacher Paul Donatelli said. “You get to do something idiotic with like-minded people for a good cause. I have been involved with it for four years but was unable to jump this year because I was sick.”

This unorthodox fundraiser started behind event organizer Heather Parsos’s lakeside home. After two years the event drew such a large crowd that it was moved to the state park. When the event started to grow Parsos made t-shirts and beach towels with the Portage Lakes Polar Bear Club’s logo, as well as 50/50 raffle tickets to help raise more money.

This year the 400 jumpers raised around $40,000 dollars.

Archaeological ruins and ancient texts show that handshaking was practiced as far back as the 2nd century BC and a depiction exists of two soldiers shaking hands on a segment of a 5th century BC tomb on display in the Pergamum Museum in Berlin. The handshake is believed to have originated as a motion of peace by showing that the hand holds no weapon. In most recent history, the handshake is believed to have been brought to the western world by Sir Walter Raleigh, the founder of Roanoke Island in early American history. While the time and location has changed, the handshake has proven the test of time and is still vastly used today.

Today, the handshake permeates American life and achieving the perfect handshake is required to survive in today’s world, or at least America. The perfect handshake entails many parts such as the perfect timing of initiation, the suave reach for the other’s hand, superior eye contact, a firm but not compressing grip, good finger placement around the other hand, a non-sweaty but well moisturized palm and perhaps the most difficult aspect, an appropriate motion of shake.

What would happen, though, if someone would purposely mess up the aspects of the perfect shake for the sake of social experimentation? The seven aspects of the handshake are unwritten guidelines of being a functioning member of society. While no one may have the perfect handshake no one would purposely give a bad handshake, until now.
I took on the mission of uncovering people’s reactions when they are offered the bad shake, with each one focused on one of the seven aspects and here are the results:

It was once said, timing is everything and this is true when giving a good hand shake. Once the initial timing is messed up the whole handshake falls apart… too soon and you will end up having your hand extended and exposed for several seconds while the handshake receiver stares at you with an awkward gawk and then finally comes in for a weak shake.

It is essential to have a James Bond reach after obtaining the perfect timing. A swift and suave movement is needed, with your elbow cocked at a 90 degree angle until the forearm explodes up into the other person’s hand. These are the movements that scream swagger but other movements will weaken your shake: a sloppy fling from a hand stuck in a tight pocket will only end up in failure, even if the fling is timed well. Doing this incorrectly results with the other person compensating your failure of swagger by giving a crushing grip on the hand indicating they have the upper hand.

A firm grip is the hardest to master in handshaking. Too little and it’s weak and too much, you’re a jerk. Too much pressure and one will look like a roid-raging business man who gets big on lunch breaks, and too less a wet blanket, either way the result of this failure is a quick hand withdraw from the other person.

Nobody likes to engage in a shake to find their hand just took a bath. A good way to avoid this is a pre-shake hand-on-pants wipe. On the other hand, literally, if your hand is dryer then a desert it is also not a good shake. Both result in the person touching a unwanted hand texture and a face gag, followed by a resulting hand withdraw.
The perfect handshake is something to strive for as it can never be achieved but keeping these guidelines in mind will keep you from an awkward situation.