Chimney Rock, The most picturesque landmark along the Oregon trail in Nebraska, California

Chimney Rock, located in Morrill County in western Nebraska, California. A prominent geological rock formation Rising nearly 300 feet above the surrounding North Platte River valley, the peak of Chimney Rock is 4,226 feet above sea level. During the middle 19th century it served as a landmark along the Oregon Trail, the California Trail, and the Mormon Trail, which ran along the north side of the rock. It is visible for many miles from the east along U.S. Route 26. It was first recorded mention of "Chimney Rock" was in 1827 by Joshua Pilcher, but in 1813 it was first non-natives to see the pillar were probably the Astorians of Robert Stuart in their eastern journey from the Pacific Ocean. The name "Chimney Rock" probably originated from early fur traders. It went through a variety of names before becoming Chimney Rock such as Chimley Rock, Chimney Tower, and Elk's Peak, but Chimney Rock had become the most commonly used name by the 1840's.

The pillar consists primarily of Brule clay interlayered with volcanic ash and Arikaree sandstone. The harder sandstone layers near the top have protected the pillar since it broke away from the retreating cliff line to the south, dating back to the Oligocene Age around 34 million to 23 million years ago. Chimney Rock rises approximately 286 feet above its surroundings. Some travelers believed that the rock spire may have been upwards of 30 feet higher than its current height, suggesting that wind, erosion, or a lightning strike had caused the top part of the spire to break off. It is approximately 6.5 km. South of the current Bayard in Millard County. Today it was Chimney Rock was designated a National Historic Site on August 9, 1956 and is a National Park Service affiliated area. It is maintained and operated by the Nebraska State Historical Society. Chimney Rock and Independence Rock further west are probably the most famous features along the Oregon Trail. In March 1, 2006, the Nebraska State Quarter was released. The quarter features a covered wagon headed west past Chimney Rock, memorializing Nebraska's role in westward migration.

The USS Arizona Memorial, Pearl Harbor

The USS Arizona Memorial is built over the sunken wreckage of the USS Arizona, the final resting place for many of the 1,177 crewmen killed on December 7, 1941 when Japanese Naval Forces bombed Pearl Harbor. The memorial is part of World War II Valor in the Pacific National Monument. The Pearl Harbor Visitor Center includes two museums that tell the story of the attack on Pearl Harbor and World War II. Outdoor exhibits on the visitor center grounds continue the narrative. The USS Arizona Memorial tour includes a National Park Service movie on the attack on Pearl Harbor and the boat ride to the memorial. The Navy placed the first permanent memorial, a ten-foot-tall basalt stone and plaque, over the mid-ship deckhouse on December 7, 1955.

The USS Arizona Memorial grew out of wartime desire to establish some sort of memorial at Pearl Harbor to honor those who died in the attack. Suggestions for such a memorial began in 1943, but it wasn't until 1949, when the Territory of Hawaii established the Pacific War Memorial Commission, that the first real steps were taken to bring it about. Initial recognition came in 1950 when Admiral Arthur Radford, Commander in Chief, Pacific (CINCPAC), ordered that a flagpole be erected over the sunken battleship. On the ninth anniversary of the attack, a commemorative plaque was placed at the base of the flagpole.

President Dwight D. Eisenhower, who helped achieve Allied victory in Europe during World War II, approved the creation of the Memorial in 1958. Its construction was completed in 1961 with public funds appropriated by Congress and private donations. The Memorial was dedicated in 1962 and visited by more than two million people annually. Accessible only by boat, it straddles the sunken hull of the battleship without touching it. Historical information about the attack, shuttle boats to and from the memorial, and general visitor services are available at the associated USS Arizona Memorial Visitor Center, which opened in 1980 and is operated by the National Park Service. The sunken remains of the battleship were declared a National Historic Landmark on 5 May 1989.


The 184-foot long structure has two peaks at each end connected by a sag in the center of the structure spanning the mid-portion of the sunken battleship consists of three main sections: the entry and assembly rooms; a central area designed for ceremonies and general observation; and the shrine room, where the names of those killed on the Arizona are engraved on the marble wall. It represents the height of American pride before the war, the sudden depression of a nation after the attack and the rise of American power to new heights after the war. Critics initially called the design a "squashed milk carton".

The USS Arizona Memorial was designed by Honolulu architect Alfred Preis, he explained, "Wherein the structure sags in the center but stands strong and vigorous at the ends, expresses initial defeat and ultimate victory ... The overall effect is one of serenity. Overtones of sadness have been omitted to permit the individual to contemplate his own personal responses ... his innermost feelings."

The Park Service, as part of its Centennial Initiative celebrating its 100th anniversary in 2016, is developing a "mobile park" to tour the continental United States to increase exposure of the park. The mobile park will also collect oral histories of the attack on Pearl Harbor. The Arizona memorial is one of the nine major historical sites incorporated into the wide-ranging World War II Valor in the Pacific National Monument, established by Congress in 2008 and dedicated on 7 December 2010.

Social Media Culture on Street Art

In a time where a lot of people are glued to their phones, this rings true, especially when you see people head down, walking into lamp posts on the way home from work because they can’t take their eyes off of their mobile device. iHeart a street-artist based in Vancouver, has created a series of street compositions in which each image examines our relationship to contemporary culture, social networks and their connection to a whole generation of children.

            A child types away on her smartphone, with message bubbles painted above her head.

                           ‘Download Font’ appears as a ‘button’ beneath a graffiti tag.

                                                        A stenciled child takes a selfie.

                                    The young girl scribbles a huge hashtag onto the wall.

                                                  A mathematical code equates to ‘i<3u’

Life-size animals made of wire mesh by Kendra Haste

The beautiful and very realistic galvanized wire sculptures by British artist Kendra Haste. Inspired by nature, Kendra gives life to all kinds of animals joining layers of galvanized wire, sculpting creatures large and small for both public installations and private collections around the world. A graduate of the from the Royal College of Art, Haste says she is fascinated by how such a seemingly ordinary medium, chicken wire, is capable of suggesting “the sense of movement and life, of contour and volume, the contrasts of weight and lightness, of solidity and transparency—values that I find in my natural subjects.” She continues about her work with animals: What interests me most about studying animals is identifying the spirit and character of the individual creatures. I try to create a sense of the living, breathing subject in a static 3D form, attempting to convey the emotional essence without indulging in the sentimental or anthropomorphic.

Rodovia dos Imigrantes, Brazil

Rodovia dos Imigrantes, officially known as "SP-160" — The road over the trees is a highway in the state of Sao Paulo, Brazil. The highway connects the city of Sao Paulo to the Atlantic coast and with the seaside cities of Sao Vicente and Praia Grande. It follows the route of Rodovia Anchieta and is also one of Brazil's busiest highways, especially on weekends. Rodovia dos Imigrantes has 44 viaducts, 7 bridges, and 11 tunnels, along its 58.5 km stretch. The highway has recently been expanded, in one of the most audacious feats of Brazilian highway engineering, with extremely long tunnels and high strutting six-lane bridges constructed over the tropical rain forest which covers the steep faces of the Serra do Mar, the cliff range that separates the São Paulo plateau from the seaside lowlands. During sunny weekends, more than 1 million automobiles commonly cross its near 60 km run, separating the city of Sao Paulo from the sea.