I'd rather be in Rio

Things haven't always been great in Rio.  In the old days (as in, four or five years ago), the heat could be  unbearable sometimes.  Storm clouds would threaten and whether we might survive to even make it through a work day was a serious concern.

Oh - I'm talking about Rio School District, not that place in Brazil.

The past few years have been the most exciting, most fulfilling I've had in a career approaching 30 years, with the exception, perhaps, of my days as a teacher.  And yesterday's election lent some confirmation that our progress as a district has been noticed.  The public voted to provide much needed support for our schools by passing Measure G, a local bond measure that will bring much needed upgrades to our district facilities.  This morning's paper showed that almost 70% of voters supported the bond measure.

We'll be able to upgrade our facilities (some of which are better than 60 years old), make our classrooms safer and better suited for 21st century learning, and enhance our technology.

I'm excited about all of this, but the tech is closest to my heart.  We'll be able to upgrade our backbone (to 10GB), improve our classroom displays (TVs instead of projectors, with wireless connectivity), and maybe get a phone system district wide that isn't Vintage 1985.

Our teachers have been working hard on creating a world-class learning organization, moving to a project-based / inquiry based curriculum incorporating 21st Century learning skills.  We're getting more focused on teaching kids how to learn, rather than teaching kids "things".  In an information rich, internet connected age, this is important.  Anybody can look up what happened to Napoleon in 1813 (he got his butt kicked in the Battle of Leipzig).  But learning why, and relating that to world events and relevance in today's world is more important.

Teachers across the district have thrown out desks in favor of couches, tables, and bean bag chairs.  One teacher lowered all of his tables so kids could sit on a square of carpet.  Kids loved it - they could move, wriggle and squirm.  They could scrunch together to share a screen or a piece of paper.  They could spread out to work privately.  Walk into another teacher's class and you'll find kids laying on the carpet, while other kids are sitting at desks or sitting on the floor against a wall, their netbooks sitting on their laps.  Everyone is engaged in what they're doing.

We're growing, and we're pushing boundaries, experimenting with what works best for kids in this age of information abundance.  Teachers are discovering that they are free from being the sole or primary source of information.  They can question, explore, and model how to be a learner, right along with their students.

It's a great time to be in education.  It's a great time to be in Rio, and there's no place I'd rather be!

FJ Cruiser On-Board Air Compressor

After five years of airing up after an off-road adventure using my Harbor Freight mini compressor, I decided to install an onboard unit.  After a little research, I settled on the ARB CKMTA12 twin compressor.  This little unit will provide 100 PSI, continuous duty - enough to easily air up my tires and run an impact wrench.

After getting it installed and wired, I aired a tire down to 21psi (standard off-road pressure), and timed filling it back up to 46psi (standard on-road pressure).  Total time, barely a minute.  The next test will be with an impact wrench.

When I started planning the installation, I wanted the compressor in the engine bay and up high enough that dirt and moisture wouldn't be a problem.  I also needed an area where heat from the compressor would not be an issue with surrounding components.  And I hate drilling holes in my vehicles. Fortunately, there's plenty room in the engine bay of the FJ, and in the back corner there are some existing 8mm threaded holes in the fender area, which I could use to bolt on a bracket for holding the compressor.

I fabricated a bracket out of a piece of steel bar stock and some steel plate.  The bracket bolts into the side of the engine bay into two existing threaded holes, and to the bolt which mounts the cold air intake.  I welded a piece of steel plate to the bracket and drilled holes to accommodate the compressor.  A teflon air hose encased in braided stainless connects the compressor to a quick disconnect, mounted on the forward part of the bracket, making it easy to attach the air hose.

Wiring was really straight forward using the existing ARB wiring looms, and only required poking a small hole in one of the rubber seals where the wiring enters the cabin through the firewall.  I sealed the hole with RTV sealer after inserting the wire under the dash.  A 10A Add-A Circuit, placed into the fuse box in an empty slot that is active only when the engine is running runs through the ARB switch, mounted in an existing slot to the left of the steering wheel.  I routed all the cabling along the back of the engine bay, tucked up under the top against the firewall, secured with zip-ties, and connected power and ground to the battery terminals.

With this, I can quickly air up - which means I'll be more inclined to air down, which means off road the vehicle will be better, and I won't tear up the roads as much.  It's all good!  (When I attended the Toyota Trail Teams event a few years ago, one of the instructors said that for the good of the vehicle and the good of the trails, one should always air down and always run in 4WD).