GEOGRAPHY EDUCATION

There are some great images (and a post-landslide helicopter flight video) of the massive landslide that occurred Jan 21, 2013.  The rockslide extends over 3 km, with an elevation change of approximately 800 meters.  This is an excellent example to help students visualize mass wasting, alpine glaciation and erosion in general.  While the mountain didn’t explode strictly speaking, I couldn’t help but love the headline “Mount Dixon explodes!”    

Tags: New Zealand, physical, geomorphology, erosion.

UNICEF workers have stated: “More than 600,000 have fled the conflict in Syria and registered as refugees. The number of Syrians who have left without registering is unknown but is likely to be hundreds of thousands. We do know, however, that children make up around half the number of refugees and that is certainly no way for any child to live their childhood.”

Tags: Syria, conflict, political, MiddleEast, war.

It’s no secret that Japan’s population is aging and can not replace itself.  Since it is not a destination country for migrants, this is going to have serious economic ramifications as the percentage of the Japanese population over 60 is expected to rise above 40% over the course of this next generation.  Given the harsh statements by the new Japanese finance minister, it’s a huge political concern (although a difficult one mention in campaigns).  Some have already questioned Japan’s ability to survive this demographic implosion as adult diapers are now a bigger moneymaker in Japan than children’s diapers.

Tags: Japan, declining population, economic, population, demographics, unit 2 population, East Asia.

Some of the photography and photo galleries of this cultural event are breathtaking–literally for those taking the plunge.  Russians cut the ice in the shape of a cross and bath in water that is blessed and considered holy.  This appears to be a religious tradition that is particularly adapted to the environmental conditions of the religious adherents (since it appears that the extreme climate plays a critical role in the activity).  Part of the practice involves sacrifice; the colder the swim, the greater the manifestation of religious devotion.    

Tags: Russia, religion, culture. 

This month the U.S. Census Bureau has released the beta version of a very nice online mapping tool to display the 2010 data.  The mapper will create PDF versions of any map produced online (file sizes from 20-55KB) and the user can export the raw data to Excel.  While the user is more limited in how to display the data than they would using a GIS, this is a simple way to explore some of the basic census information.

Tags: statistics, census, GIS, mapping, cartography.

This is a great article that demonstrates the value of curation in education (especially using the platform scoop.it).  Students today must sort through an array of online sources today.  As a professor/curator, I see part of my role being to present students with vetted, quality online information.  I demonstrate this in part ot provide materials for my students, but even more so to teach my students how to assess materials for themselves as they become the curators of information in their own right.    

Pictured above is Lake Hillier, located on a small island south of Western Australia.  Around the world there are many pink lakes; most of them can attribute their hue to their high salinity composition.  Some algaes that thrive in salt water produce organic pigments with a reddish/pinkish coloration.  This particular lake’s coloration is a mystery.  If you any additional information, feel free to share in in the comments section below.  

Tags: water, physical, images, Australia.