Arata Creek

Thanks to the staff and students who took pictures during the recent tree planting effort. I posted the photos on ‘The Picture Page’ (look on the menu bar at the top of the page)–it is password protected, so you’ll have to check with me to get access to it.

Last week there was a fire at an oil platform in the Gulf of Mexico. It’s currently leaking around 40,000 gallons of oil per day into the ocean, which is obviously kind of a problem. The coast guard’s solution is fun: they’re going to set the whole thing on fire and try to burn off all of the oil.

This isn’t the first time that experts have tried to solve environmental problems by literally blowing them up. In 1999 a ship ran aground on the southern Oregon coast; the Army Corps of Engineers tried to burn off the ship’s fuel using high powered explosives (it didn’t work very well).

The most famous “solving our problems with dynamite” incident also happened on the southern Oregon coast back in 1970. A dead whale washed up on the beach near Florence. The Oregon Department of Transportation decided it was way too big to bury, but they didn’t want to leave it to rot. So… they stuck half a ton of dynamite inside and exploded it. Here’s the video:

It’s good to see that all of our environmental problems can be solved by simply blowing them up.

Arizona recently passed a new law intended to combat illegal immigration. The law requires all immigrants to carry legal papers with them at all times; it also allows police to detain anyone that they ‘suspect’ might be in the country illegally. Supporters of the law claim that the federal government isn’t doing enough to limit illegal immigration, while opponents claim the law is unconstitutional and legalizes racial profiling.

A new study shows that dreaming about something can help people remember it better. Apparently the brain tends to work on problems even when you’re asleep; you’re probably learning while you’re dreaming.

The scientists say there may be ways to take advantage of this phenomenon for improving learning and memory.

For example, students might be better studying hard before bedtime, or taking a nap after a period of afternoon study.

Bonus points for anyone who manages to talk their teacher into letting them take an afternoon nap!

Go ahead, try ‘em!

right from that there keyboard!

Um…a time waster…that’s pretty and sounds nice!

http://www.lullatone.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/raindrop.swf

Week In Rap- April 16th from Week in Rap on Vimeo.