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Rescooped by ap-human-geography from Geography Education onto AP Human Geography Education |
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Watch this Jewish Voice for Peace 6 minute mini-primer about why Israelis and Palestinians are fighting..
This video from the Jewish Voice for Peace has a more politically motivated angle than most of the resources that I post on this site, but I feel that they do justice to both sides as well as the truth. In a simple way it lays out the roots of many of the problems in the region with historic and geographic perspectives.
Tags: Israel, Palestine, conflict, political, borders.
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Watch this Jewish Voice for Peace 6 minute mini-primer about why Israelis and Palestinians are fighting.. Via Seth Dixon 
Seth Dixon's curator insight,
November 29, 2012 12:32 PM
This video from the Jewish Voice for Peace has a more politically motivated angle than most of the resources that I post on this site, but I feel that they do justice to both sides as well as the truth. In a simple way it lays out the roots of many of the problems in the region with historic and geographic perspectives.
Seth Dixon's comment,
November 29, 2012 9:51 PM
I must admit, I did struggle on whether to post it or not. In the video the use of term 'indigenous people' to refer to the Palestinians bothered me as did a few other references, but I did feel it tried to be accurate even if their political perspective was obvious.
I would most certainly be open to posting something more pro-Israeli since I'm not trying to advocate a particular point or push a perspective, but I did think it was a good, is somewhat flawed resource. It's near impossible to find anything without bias so I decided that sharing some flawed sources is better than not sharing any on a pretty weighty topic. 
Dawn Haas Tache's curator insight,
January 8, 1:16 PM
This video from the Jewish Voice for Peace has a more politically motivated angle than most of the resources that I post on this site, but I feel that they do justice to both sides as well as the truth. In a simple way it lays out the roots of many of the problems in the region with historic and geographic perspectives.
Tags: Israel, Palestine, conflict, political, borders.
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Shaped like a giant pistol sitting on its butt end, Wisconsin's new 22nd state Senate District is Exhibit A in the case against partisan redistricting.
The redistricting process is far from neutral; to be far we should remember that gerrymandering is has happened on all ends of the political spectum. Which map to you think is the best way to divide these districts? What is the fairest way to divide them? Via Seth Dixon Delete the scoop?
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The Muslim Brotherhood has been gaining power in several countries since the Arab Spring. The rise of Islamist power in the Middle East is culturally and politically complex. This interactive lets the user click on selected countries to see how groups such as the Muslim Brotherhood or Hamas are impacting them politically.
Tags: Middle East, religion, Islam, political. Via Seth Dixon 
Emma Lafleur's curator insight,
March 30, 3:09 PM
This is a great map showing the spread of the Muslim Brotherhood across the Middle East and North Africa. It shows those countries who do like it, and those who do not. The reasons for which a country either likes or dislikes them gives insight into the culture and government of that country, and this map can give some insight into the future influences of the Muslim Brotherhood. Delete the scoop?
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"If you can pronounce correctly every word in this poem, you will be speaking English better than 90% of the native English speakers in the world. After trying the verses, a Frenchman said he’d prefer six months of hard labour to reading six lines aloud."
This is the darndest poem and shows how truly complex English pronounciation really is (while also showing how spatially contingent the very idea of 'correct pronunciation' actually can be). Via Seth Dixon Delete the scoop?
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mixed used train-tracks/market place...
I've used similar videos in my classes and students are usually quite shocked to see how a city like Bangkok, Thailand operates. I've used this as a 'hook' for lessons of population growth, urbanization, economic development, sustainability, megacities and city planning. Via Seth Dixon Delete the scoop?
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As upscale, high-rise condos and hipster bars opened nearby, longtime customers joked: Is this really still “the ’hood”? Not anymore.
In a gentrifying neighborhood in Washington D.C. that was historically African-American, Fish in the ’Hood was an iconic restaurant that captured the feel of the area. Just this May, the storefront restaurant was renamed Fish in the Neighborhood. Questions to Ponder: Why? Does it matter? What does it mean? Via Seth Dixon 
Joshua Choiniere's comment,
September 12, 2012 1:42 PM
The fact the resturant was renamed shouldnt hurt its buisness. In fact it should help enhance it and attract more customers while also still keeping its cultural and ethnic traditions. The reason the name was changed was to better foster development in the neighborhood. Unfortunatly the people who lived in the area will be forced to move with the cost of living going up. I truly do feel bad for it but this is something that always happens and its something we all have to get used to.
Sean Rooney's comment,
September 18, 2012 4:11 PM
While gentrification is a positive aspect to society, it also serves as a negative aspect as well. Gentrification affects communities that suffer from poverty. The short term effect the economy immediately. Some members of a community have a hard time dealing with the notion of change. Gentrification is positive for the long run and works to improve and stimulate the economy. On the other hand, communities are disturbed right away.
Laurakhoury's curator insight,
March 13, 9:44 PM
Interesting changing the restaurant from "Fish in the Hood" ... to "Fish in the Neighbourhood" to get rid of the stigma... isn't it enough they god rid of the communal spirit of the hood.. Delete the scoop?
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Real time statistics for current population of any country. Real time data on population, births, deaths, net migration and population growth.
This site shows various demographic statistics for every country including some based on projections in demographic trends in the given country. If the current trends hold (which they won't, but that is still an interesting measure), the entire Japanese population will disappear in 1,000 years according to this Global Post article. Via Seth Dixon Delete the scoop?
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We are all different...we are all the same. This is a set set of images that highlights the essential similarities in people across cultures.
Via Seth Dixon Delete the scoop?
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I found these cartograms from an article in the Telegraph and was immediately impressed. The cartograms originated here and use data from the Global Rural-Urban Mapping Project as to create the int...
This series of cartograms shows some imbalanced populations (such as the pictured Australia) by highlighting countries that have established forward capitals. Question to ponder: Do forward capitals change the demographic regions of a country significantly enough to justify moving the capital? Via Seth Dixon Delete the scoop?
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Ever since my first visit to to Disneyland, I was intrigued by the the ride 'It's a Small World After All." As a youngster, it was an opportunity to get in cool boat ride that I always regretted half way into the ride once the song was firmly chiseled into my mind. This blog post explores the curious and fascinating geographical imaginations, the visions of folk cultures and global harmony behind this Disneyland ride. This fabulous map charts that vision. Via Seth Dixon 
melissa stjean's comment,
September 4, 2012 12:20 PM
"It's a small world" is what thousands if not millions of kids hear on this ride a year. They are driven through the continents and are greated by happy faces of the natives to that land. The ride is somewhat dumbed down for kids, showing them what "its really like" in these countries, but the truth is most of the these countries are not clean, and happy as Disney makes them out to be. Though the ride is a good step to open kids minds about the world, but when they grow up they realize that its not that small, happy world afterall.
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Create QR Codes for GPS Coordinates to Create Scavenger Hunts...
Not everyone was access to a full class set of GPS units. As more students have smart phone capabilities, this is just one idea on how to leverage that technology. Via Seth Dixon Delete the scoop?
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Language barriers prevent us for completely connecting. But what if the language barrier didn't exist?
DB: Presently we are living in a rapidly changing world where the spread of ideas and items are occurring at a rate unprecedented in history. In this globalized and increasingly interconnected world, the variation of languages spoken is drastically decreasing. As some of the most genuine characteristics of a culture are intertwined within its langue, a reduction in spoken languages and increased interaction is threating the duration of some traditional ways of living. Likewise since economics is one of the thriving factors behind globalization, the ability to communicate with your market has become paramount. However technological innovation is currently in the process of making up for the shortage of qualified linguists around the globe. Although possessing a universal portable translation device is currently beyond our capacity, it is likely that such a device similar to what was once believed possible only in science fiction may be readily available within our lifetime. Whether it becomes a public utility or a commensal asset as well as who has access to it remains to be decided. Yet this also brings up an important question of how culture will be affected if the language barrier is overcome through technology? Can geographic cultural diffusion continue to function if everyone can easily understand each other? What happens when worlds lose their cultural significance for the sake of convenience? Via Seth Dixon 
Blake Turnbull's curator insight,
March 21, 11:41 PM
A new technology based around the concept of translation that aims to overcome the language barrier. Although the author states that even if they sitting in the same room as a colleague and are both native English speakers, they may still only understand 98% of their intended meaning. So for that reason alone, translation technology will never be perfect, but they believe this is a step in the right direction. Delete the scoop?
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Zoom from the edge of the universe to the quantum foam of spacetime and learn about everything in between.
Click "Start," and then use the slider across the bottom, or the wheel on your mouse, to zoom in -- and in and in and in... or out and out and out... It will take you from the very smallest features postulated by scientists (the strings in string theory) to the very largest (the observable universe). This really is a fabulous visual demonstration of scale at micro and macro levels. This is an excellent way to bring spatial thinking into the math curriculum as well.
Tags: Scale, perspective, space, spatial, Unit 1 GeoPrinciples. Via Seth Dixon 
's comment, September 7, 2012 12:47 AM
This is an excellent way to teach everyone about scale … I love it… I got a better view and compare of how things look like, plus those naked eyes cannot see. Things that I heard and learned in science class but I couldn’t image it, now I saw a picture and it gave me a better knowledge. This will be a great tool for teaching many students.
's comment, September 10, 2012 2:38 PM
I felt that this is an excellent way to understand spatial thinking which is important in many areas beyond geography.
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The United Nations General Assembly approved an upgraded U.N. status for the Palestinian Authority, despite U.S. and Israeli opposition.
While this may be primarily symbolic, it is still a highly significant move on the part of the United Nations. 65 years ago, the United Nations called for a two-state system. This map of the vote that I found on Facebook (can't find another source as of yet) is quite intriguing.
Questions to Ponder: Why might a country choose to abstain? Can you think of a specific reason why a particular country abstained? With this new geopolitical fact, how will Israel and Palestine move forward? Via Seth Dixon
Seth Dixon's comment,
November 30, 2012 7:32 AM
I found this comment from Shaul Cohen, a Jewish Geography Professor who lived in Israel and served in the IDF: "Sixty-five years ago today the United Nations voted in favor of an independent Israel, a vote that was opposed by Palestinians and the rest of the Arab world. That opposition was a mistake, and they also were voting against the creation of a Palestinian state. Today the United Nations moved one step closer to the establishment of that Palestinian state, a move that was opposed by Israel and the United States. That opposition was a mistake.
In the intervening decades many lives have been lost, many families have been shattered, and the course of two nations has been warped by violence and hostility. Unfortunately, there are still too many people on each side that refuse to recognize the basic rights and fundamental humanity of the other community, and see the situation as a zero-sum contest. Indeed, there are those that celebrate when the other loses even more so than working toward realizing their own goals. This is a tragedy, and the guilt lies with the leadership on both sides, but also with those who justify their actions on fear and hatred… something that is too easily mobilized and manipulated by those opposed to compromise. It’s way past time for Israelis to recognize that when Palestinians lose, they themselves lose, and for Palestinians to recognize that when Israelis lose, they too lose. The communities are too bound up with one another to suffer in isolation. In the long run Israel will not have what it wants before there is a Palestinian state, and Palestinians will not have their state so long as they contemplate war against Israel. The way forward, despite it all, remains two states for two nations, a configuration that has broad endorsement and a simple logic. ANYONE WHO ADVOCATES ON BEHALF OF PALESTINIANS MUST ALSO BE A SUPPORTER OF A SECURE ISRAEL; AND ANYONE WHO ADVOCATES ON BEHALF OF ISRAEL HAS TO SUPPORT AN INDEPENDENT AND VIABLE PALESTINIAN STATE. Anything else is a recipe for continued failure and bloodshed, and there’s been far too much of that already. Today is less a day for celebration than a day for reflection, and even more for dedication to a just and lasting peace. All the rest is just vanity…." Delete the scoop?
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Free travel tip and photos from all over the world...
This map is not a professionally produced map and that is the beauty of this website. Virtually anyone can make a 1-feature world map by simply clicking on a checklist all of the countries you want highlighted on your map. Second, open the file and add some text and a few lines to label it. This took less than 20 minutes to make with no need for any cartographic or GIS experience (this PNG didn't compress well, the full image of this map can be seen here). Via Seth Dixon
Seth Dixon's curator insight,
November 30, 2012 10:04 PM
This map is not a professionally produced map and that is the beauty of this website. Virtually anyone can make a 1-feature world map by simply clicking on a checklist all the countries you want highlighted on your map. Second, opened the file and added some text and a few lines to label it. This took 20 minutes to make with no need for any cartographic or GIS experience (this PNG didn't compress well, the full image of this map can be seen here). Delete the scoop?
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New rules announced last week to allow interceptions of ships in the South China Sea are raising concerns in the region, and in Washington, that simmering disputes with Southeast Asian countries over the waters will escalate.
According to this new announcement, Chinese ships would be allowed to search and repel foreign ships if they were engaged in illegal activities (but that is open to interpretation) if the ships were within the 12-nautical-mile zone surrounding islands that China claims. This makes the disputed territorial claims of China all the more at the center of this geopolitical maneuverings. Much of the South China Sea would then be under Chinese control if this announcement becomes the new reality.
Questions to Ponder: Why is China making this announcement? Is China within their rights to make this declaration? Who might oppose this? Via Seth Dixon Delete the scoop?
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A gene from wild Indian rice plants can significantly raise the yield of common varieties in nutrient-poor soils by boosting root growth.
While many are leery of GMOs (with good reasons linked to health), it is important to recognize that there is society value to agricultural research that works on improving yields. This article would be a good "other side of the coin" resource to share when discussing GMOs. Via Seth Dixon Delete the scoop?
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New data from Zillow shows fewer homeowners underwater, but the pattern varies widely by geography.
The Sunbelt (especially California and Florida) have the highest percentage of homeowners that are 'underwater' and owe more than the home is worth. Also hit hard are declining metro areas area of the rust belt. Question to ponder: Why would these places be hit the hardest? Via Seth Dixon Delete the scoop?
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Evolutionary biologists say the first speakers of what would become the Indo-European languages were probably farmers in what is now Turkey — a conclusion that differs by hundreds of miles and thousands of years from a longstanding linguistic theory.
This research potentially can explain much about the geography of languages and the distribution of cultural groups in Eurasia. Delete the scoop?
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Landesa partners with governments and local NGOs to ensure the world's poorest families have secure land rights, which develops sustainable economic growth and improves education, nutrition, and conservation...
Globally speaking, women are the primary agricultural workers yet rarely own land. Via Seth Dixon 
Michael Crumpton's comment,
March 20, 8:38 PM
I'm not quite sure i understand why the woman aren't allowed time saving technalogy if it is they who till the fields. Why is that?
dilaycock's comment,
March 21, 1:30 AM
I think the answer lies in the patriarchal nature of many societies in the developing world. Women provide the labour, but are not in a position to make decisions about management of the land. This situation is exacerbated by gender inequities regarding access to education.
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Canadian artist Jon Rafman is an unusual photographer - he explores Google Street Views and takes screenshots of the most incredible sights here. For more, see: http://9-eyes.com Via Seth Dixon
's comment, August 30, 2012 12:29 AM
incredible images... I always love looking at pictures because a photo speaks or says thousands words... Plus now is connecting images with physical geography, it gives a more clear view of the region and its' people. good job for Jon Rafman... I love his work
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Report by an Israeli non-governmental organisation says 2011 was a record year for Palestinian displacement.
This infographic comes from the group Visualizing Palestine. This corresponds with the UN's recent statement that Gaza 'will not be liveable by 2020' given Israeli policies. Via Seth Dixon 
Nic Hardisty's comment,
September 4, 2012 12:16 PM
What a powerful infographic. To think that the international community (in large part) has idly watched 160,000 Palestinians become homeless, with little more than a few harsh words, is staggering. While these displacement policies are not exclusive to Israel, Israel does stand as the most public modern example of this. This problem transcends race, ethnicity, culture, or religion- it is simply one group dominating and subjugating another, and these actions should be recognized and condemned by global community.
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The University of Wisconsin-Superior is in one of the least ethnically diverse regions of the United States and the university is partnering with other local organizations across that region aimed at highlighting structural advantages within society for Caucasians. This campaign to make 'white privilege' visible has not surprisingly generated controversy and has made race and its impact of society an issue quite visible, to the discomfort of many. The author of the book, "Colorblind," speaks about this issue on PBS as he argues that the United States is not in a post-racial society. Questions to Ponder: In what tangible ways can you see 'white privilege' in our society? Is this ad campaign a good idea? What does the term normativity mean and how does it relate to this topic? Tags: race, racism, culture, unit 3 culture, book review and ethnicity. Via Seth Dixon
Nic Hardisty's comment,
September 4, 2012 11:53 AM
I think that campaigns like this are extremely important in areas like Duluth (where the populations is 90% white). Per the website, 80% of white high school students graduate, as opposed to 25% of African-American students. This speaks to the massive obstacles that minorities face in trying to achieve social/economic/educational success. This campaign helps a population (with a relatively small voice in their region) convey the reality of their daily lives to the dominant, privileged population that surrounds them.
Jesse Gauthier's comment,
September 4, 2012 11:56 AM
I believe this campaign is being made aware in the Wisconsin area of the U.S. because the population is primarily white. Therefore, this region may be trying to make its people aware of the fact that racism can still exist even though this region may be ignorant to this issue. And this region is not to blame for its ignorance because a vast, non-diverse racial community is all they are exposed to, and all they know.
Seth Dixon's comment,
September 4, 2012 9:29 PM
I think some people feel that pointing out institutionalized bias feels as though the campaign is blaming them for simply being white. I had a special blue ticket to go to the front of the DMV line today and I was thrilled but it made me think about the others still waiting. There's an analogy in there but I don't want to force it.
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This blogpost answers the (often unasked) question: What would the world be like if the land masses were spread out the same way as now - only rotated by an angle of 90 degrees? While purely hypothetical, this is an exercise in applying real geographic thinking to different situations. Anything that you would correct?
Tags: weather climate, geography, GeographyEducation, unit 1 GeoPrinciples, physical. Via Seth Dixon
's comment, September 5, 2012 11:41 PM
well!!!
I'll tell you that it's why God created Mother Nature. maybe what we think is bad now in nature can be worse for the the Earth and human being... I think if the ground is moved 90 degree, many natural phenomena would happened in many regions of the Earth which would be harm to people, plants and animals that live in those regions. Plus, the population of poor nation would not be prepared for those climate changes.... many people would die or they have to move from those regions. 
Jeff F's comment,
September 6, 2012 12:50 AM
This looks like a map from the classic NES game Dragon Warrior II only flipped upside down. #nerd
Anyways, I think the most densely populated areas would be around the central ocean with New York and London being primate cities of their respected hemispheres. Given that that the central ocean area is in an equatorial region, agriculture would likely not be very prosperous in these regions. Instead, I imagine New York becoming the center of an imperial superpower. Seeing as the most fertile regions of both South and North America are in temperate areas, agriculture would be a dominating industry. The northern hemisphere on the other I hand I imagine would be largely undeveloped and rural. The "breadbaskets" of this hemispher are located much further inland from the central ocean. 
Ian Roberts's comment,
September 11, 2012 8:57 PM
First off I would like to say travel to Europe would be much easier and the Pacific Ocean grew even larger. One thing that really got me wondering was whether the world would be northern hemisphere centered or southern hemisphere centered. Currently, there are many more people in the northern hemisphere, so things like the summer olympics are held in our summer, their winter. BUt with the world turned ninety degrees, the population will be much more similar. The north will probably still have more people, but the south has America. It would be interesting to see how they would decide that conflict.
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This video from the Jewish Voice for Peace has a more politically motivated angle than most of the resources that I post on this site, but I feel that they do justice to both sides as well as the truth. In a simple way it lays out the roots of many of the problems in the region with historic and geographic perspectives.
Tags: Israel, Palestine, conflict, political, borders.
I would most certainly be open to posting something more pro-Israeli since I'm not trying to advocate a particular point or push a perspective, but I did think it was a good, is somewhat flawed resource. It's near impossible to find anything without bias so I decided that sharing some flawed sources is better than not sharing any on a pretty weighty topic.
This video from the Jewish Voice for Peace has a more politically motivated angle than most of the resources that I post on this site, but I feel that they do justice to both sides as well as the truth. In a simple way it lays out the roots of many of the problems in the region with historic and geographic perspectives.
Tags: Israel, Palestine, conflict, political, borders.