Three men, including the captain of the ship, have been arrested and charged for veering nine miles off course into a prohibited zone of the reef. Although it may seem unrelated, the global economic crisis has posed a major threat to the Great Barrier Reef because many ships have been taking short cuts through restricted ecological areas in order to save fuel. These ships can severely damage the delicate coral not only by possibly wrecking into it but also through oil spills and other pollutants that could leak into the water and degrade its quality

The Great Barrier Reef provides a multi-million dollar tourism industry for Australia and hosts popular activities such as glass bottom boating, scuba diving, snorkeling, and helicopter rides. The Reef is on the World Heritage list of important global locations and is considered one of the seven wonders of the natural world. Covering an area of 133,000 miles, the Reef is the largest coral reef system in the world and is home to hundreds of thousands of different plant and animal species, many of which are endangered. This natural wonder is clearly something worth protecting and the destruction of this amazing ecosystem would have serious repercussions across the globe.

            Brown has not officially released a statement yet but his father is in complete denial that his son could have performed such an action. Houk’s mother and sister are pressing charges against Brown and are demanding he be tried as an adult. The judge has denied Brown the chance to be transferred to juvenile court due to the crulety of his heinous murder. Houk’s family is asking for a life sentence in prison.

            The official police report has not yet released the exact date of the murder; however, they have released a hypothetical scenario of the crime. It started out one early February morning when Brown took his 20 gauge shotgun, which his father bought him for hunting purposes only, and shot Houk while she was sleeping. According to police, Houk’s 4-year-old daughter found her mother dead in her bed later that day. The child alerted landscapers working near the home, who then called authorities. After accomplishing his goal, Jordan simply grabbed his book bag and walked out the door to catch the bus, just like any other day.

          The boy’s attorney is asking for imprisonment until age 21 instead of life. His position is, “The boy is only a minor, and therefore cannot fully comprehend the effects of his actions.” In many other cases that involve juvenile murderers for children who were held until age 21, as soon as they were released they headed straight back into a life of crime. In most cases, after these children are released they take at least one more innocent person’s life.

          As of now, the only evidence supporting the persecution of Jordan is the fingerprints on his shotgun and the time of death placing him alone with Houk while she was asleep. Whether you believe that Jordan is innocent or not, you have to feel extreme pity for the family, and for the two innocent people who were murdered.

          For most people, this would be a pretty typical scenario.  Everyone is familiar with yawning and how it’s contagious, considering that we all—from unborn babies to animals—do it, but few people actually understand why we yawn in the first place.  Actually, most scientists don’t get it, either.  There are multiple theories that they have as to why we yawn, but there isn’t any direct answer.

         Yawning, by definition, is an involuntary reflex that enables the lungs to take in more air.   When you inhale, the air taken fills your lungs and expands them to maximum capacity. Your abdominal muscles flex and your diaphragm is pushed down. Some of the air that you take in is then blown back out.

          The purpose of a yawn, however, is yet to be discovered.  One theory is that when we are tired or bored, we don’t breathe in as deeply as we usually do, so our bodies take in less oxygen.   More carbon dioxide begins to accumulate in the blood.  In order to fix it, our bodies produce a yawn to force the carbon dioxide out and more oxygen in.  Therefore, yawning would be considered an involuntary reflex that helps to regulate our carbon dioxide and oxygen levels in our blood.  However, the problem with this theory is that studies have shown that breathing in more oxygen didn’t decrease yawning.  Likewise, breathing in more carbon dioxide did not increase it.

          Another theory is that it’s a form of stretching.  The air that is taken in expands both the lungs and the lung tissue, much like reaching our arms out stretches the muscles and tissue in them.  Like stretching, yawning may be a way to flex muscles and joints, increase heart rate, and feel more awake. Observation behind this theory comes from when people try to yawn with their mouth clamped shut.  Unlike when your jaw is wide open, a closed-mouth yawn is considered less “satisfying.”  For whatever reason, it’s necessary to keep your mouth as open as possible to create a good yawn.

          There are countless other theories established to try and explain why we yawn.  One describes yawning as a protective reflex designed to redistribute an oil-like substance called surfactant, which keeps the lungs lubricated and prevents them from collapsing.  Another suggests that it is a way to cool the brain.  In 2007, researches found that people tended to yawn more often when a warm or room temperature towel was placed against their head.  Those with a cool towel yawned less, and people who breathed through their nose (which is thought to reduce brain temperature) didn’t yawn at all.

          The human body is a mind-boggling creation, and every day we discover things that leave us stumped and amazed.  Whatever the mystery of yawning may turn out to be, we continue to be fascinated as we search for the answer.

            First is the Atlanta Zoo which is actually a very fun way to enjoy the spring weather with a date or a couple of friends. If it’s a rainy day, try indoor activities like bowling, shopping, or taking a visit to the Georgia Aquarium, World of Coke, or the Fern Bank Museum of Science. These places may not immediately come to mind when you’re thinking of things to do in your spare time; However, they are actually a lot of fun to visit with a date or a large group of friends and who knows, you might actually learn something.

            There are also several bands set to play in Atlanta spring break week including: Yeasayer (April 6^th), Blue October (April 7^th), Vampire Weekend (April 8^th), Temper Trap (April 9^th), Story of the Year (April 10^th) and Alan Jackson (April 10^th). Another fun way to spend a rainy day is to catch one of the numerous new movies with a group of friends. Currently out in theaters are movies such as Repo Men, The Bounty Hunter, The Crazies, Alice in Wonderland, & Remember Me, with movies like The Last song (March 31^st), Clash of the Titans (April 2^nd), and Date Night (April 9^th) are set to be released soon.

            So what ever you do this spring break, whether you’re traveling the globe or exploring your very own town, remember to stay safe and make the most of your free time!

          Kennesaw State University is hosting the Post Secret Exhibition, in which 400 postcards are displayed. The secrets are displayed behind transparent glass and include some of the most memorable post secrets. There is a wall that is covered with envelopes and postcards explaining the embarrassment the sender felt over their secret that they had to send in the postcard in an envelope. It is a heart-warming experience to walk in the midst of postcards full of secrets that a total stranger decided to share with the world. A spot is available where one is welcomed to write their own secret on a piece of paper and insert in a box. Beside the box there are several similar secrets posted which were once inserted in the box also. Some make you laugh while others make you wonder, “Do people actually do that? Are there people like that?”

          The authors of these secrets can be your classmate, co-worker or next-door neighbor. What makes the exhibit intriguing is that it makes you wonder what type of secrets those people hold and it makes you realize your own secrets. Whichever it may be, Frank Warren’s project has become an outlet for a world full of secrets.

          The Post Secret Exhibition is being held in the Art Gallery of Sturgis Library at KSU from February 4^th to March 27^th. Times are: Monday – Thursday: 11 a.m.–3 p.m., Wednesday & Thursday evenings: 7-9 p.m., Saturday: 1-4 p.m. Admission is free.

            Since the beginning of March, classes have been giving short speeches on topics covered throughout the year. The process is fairly simple; if your name is called you must come and draw a topic out of a coffee mug on his desk at random. You then have thirty seconds to collect your thoughts before you must give a sixty second speech about your topic. Students are graded in three areas: time, diction, and delivery. With over one hundred topics you could draw anything from the H1N1 epidemic, to teenage suicide, or even the Clinton Body Count conspiracy theory.

            During this exercise, peers are able to give each other constructive criticism on their presentations while maintaining an organized classroom setting. Now you might be wondering if all the topics are as sad and serious as teen abortion, but Coach Gwynn provided other topics such as “getting something off your chest,” or “deep thoughts” to try and prevent this effect. The less frightening topics also usually prove to be quite comedic and these seem to go much more smoothly than a speech on “the war in Iraq.” When asked why he decided to incorporate this activity, Coach Gwynn responded, “Throughout my teaching career, I have noticed that my students have an incredible ability to create PowerPoint’s and other presentations. Once they come up to speak, however, the project goes downhill very quickly. The power point isn’t the presentation; it’s the student who is speaking.” With all of the topics Coach Gwynn has available, his personal favorite would have to be “getting something off your chest.” But for just the opposite he said that the health reform would be his least favorite simply because he is so tired of hearing about it in the media and politics.

            As much as the teacher may say their students enjoy an assignment, we all know it’s usually an exaggeration. For a more honest opinion I asked Sophomore Will Cole his opinion and he said, “I thought the assignment was a lot of fun, and it kept it interesting with all of the random topics.” Personally, I found this assignment as a good exercise and it really showed me how I stand up in comparison to my class mates with public speaking. Unfortunately, I realized I’m closer to the back. But fortunately for Allatoona, Coach Gwynn has noticed this issue and is doing something to try and stop it.