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Scooped by Seth Dixon onto Geography Education |
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Since Katrina, the cartoonish pace of vegetation growth in the Lower Ninth Ward of New Orleans resembles something out of a Chia Pet commercial.
The ecosystem is reclaiming parts of New Orleans that have been physically or economically abandoned. This is part elevation, climate and ecosystem; but it is also about urban land uses, disinvestment and socioeconomics.
Tags: urban ecology, environment, ecology, urban, unit 7 cities, disasters, land use.
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Drug Testing Index; A map of the U.S. depicting overall drug test positive rates Delete the scoop?
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Washington state has become the first in America to allow the recreational use of cannabis, setting up a potential showdown with the US federal government. The states that have legalized recreational marijuana use reflect regional differences in cultural and communal values within the United States. This is quite a quandry with fascinating ramifications as popular cultural values clash with political tradition.
Questions to Ponder: What will the Federal government do considering that a state law is contradicting a federal law? Will other states follow? Would a California employee fail a drug test is the drugs were legally consumed in a different state? Will Washington and Colorado receive more weekend tourism? Delete the scoop?
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A graphic novel to entertain, excite, and educate…and with an experimental interactive comic app as well! Plaid power to the people! Looking to teach geography and world affairs with a flair? The Plaid Avenger has a new interactive comic book to teach about the geography of Mexico and the geopolitical impacts of the the drug wars in that country. If you've received some value from his work in the past, please consider supporting this endeavor which is pushing the boundaries of educational technologies and platforms. Tags: Mexico, geography education, edtech, narcotics. Delete the scoop?
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Presidential candidate says Mexicans have voted for change of direction after exit polls project win for his PRI party.
For the first time in 12 years, Mexico's president will be from the PRI party (which dominated and led power from the 1920's to 2000). Enrique Peña Prieto won the election, in large part due to Mexico's dissatisfacation with the PAN's handling of the escalating drug violence. A few decades back, the PRI kept the violence out of the streets with some tacit agreements with the drug cartels to stay within particular territories. 
's comment, July 2, 2012 10:51 AM
With all the widespread violance from the drugwars it isn't surprising that the people of Mexico would prefer to be led under a political party that keeps the cartels in line. It would seem through my own expiereince that the people are afraid of those pushing drugs, and anyone involved with them. A friend of mine about two years ago had an opportunity to go to school in the UK and seized it as his chance to get out of Mexico. He once told me a story of members of a cartel threatening to make his nieghbor disapear, and as he told me, usually if someone says it will happen, it does. Although they will be returning power to the cartels, order could be restored through corruption, and in an ironic way curb the chaos.
Seth Dixon's comment,
July 2, 2012 11:00 AM
I'm afraid that stability and corruption is what Mexico is choosing over instability and freedom. Unfortunately, stability and liberty weren't both on the table. Maybe the PRI in the last 12 years out of power has cleaned up it's act but I am nervous since they were are "party monopoly" when in power that would violate human rights and rig elections.
Roland Trudeau Jr.'s comment,
July 7, 2012 11:26 AM
This picture speaks of how the Mexican people feel towards this election; http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=419149768126819&set=a.186306054744526.42461.175058372535961&type=1&ref=nf
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Amsterdam, eat your heart out. This South American country has big plans for marijuana fans.
The distribution of narcotics impacts virtually every country in the world; there are incredibly divergent strategies on how to mitigate these problems that are a result of sophisticated distribution networks. What is the best way to stop the flow of dangerous drugs and the illegal activities that accompany the drug trade? If you were in charge, what strategies would you recommend? 
Nick Flanagan's curator insight,
December 12, 2012 9:44 PM
I like how they feel that the prohibition on marijuana just made the use of it worse. I feel like that is a problem in many countries, people only want to do it because it's illegal and it makes them look like a rebel. Also it's only marijuana I mean thats barely a drug anyway, it's not like they legalized cocaine or heroin something that can cause harmful damage to a person's body. Delete the scoop?
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Afghanistan supplies virtually all of the world's illegal opium. For Afghans themselves, however, feelings about poppy are conflicted: It's harmful to their ...
Part 1 of an 8 part series on youtube documenting the opium-growing process and how the Taliban manages it. Agricultural production and rural land use can absolutely play a huge role in geopolitics and cultural patterns and processes, as evidenced by this example. For more resources on the Afghanistan drug issue, see: www.scoop.it/t/funding-the-taliban-with-opium Delete the scoop?
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The Zetas are now the largest cartel in Mexico, overtaking their bitter rival, the Sinaloa cartel, a report by US security firm Stratfor suggests.
When the Sinaloa cartel was the 'big dog,' they had a tacit understanding with the government and the government would target other drug syndicates and basically leave the important members of 'La Federacion' alone. The Sinaloans operate primarily through bribery and corruption while the Zetas specialize in horrific brutality. Now that the Zetas have muscled their way into more turf and more influential networks, how will that reshape the geopolitical paradigm? What with the effect be for Mexican citizens and for those on both sides of the border? This is not a good turn of events. 
Matt Mallinson's comment,
September 19, 2012 11:04 AM
I honestly had to idea of what was really going on in Mexico, the U.S. has to at least make the effort to report this as news. People need to know, even if it isn't news from our country.
Derek Ethier's comment,
September 20, 2012 10:42 PM
The ascendency of the Zetas will only bring more violence and destruction to Mexico. They replace a corrupt regime with a much more violent one that will be a danger to Mexicans on both sides of the border. In a country where cartels have more powerful than government, it would be beneficial to at least have a sympathetic regime in charge. Instead, the Zetas commit violent crimes and pose a threat to Mexicans.
Joshua Choiniere's comment,
September 26, 2012 11:36 AM
The Zetas through the use of extreme force have become one of the most powerful and feared cartels in Mexico. Instead of bribeing groups or polticians they use kidnapping, rape, death to achieve what they want. This is incredible dangerous for not only Mexico but for the World because as this article says they are pushing into South American and exporting into other parts of the world. So I think this problem is not only the Mexican Goverments problem but everyones, we all should put a stop to this sort of group.
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RT @WomanVote: Wikinarco: mapping narcoviolence – Boing Boing http://t.co/OtsB8wni #Mexico #NarcoWar #violence...
The drug violence in Mexico has been a huge problem recently, but technology is allowing citizens new ways to combat the problem in the absence of effective governance.
Via Richard Petry Delete the scoop?
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Months have gone by since the last of the grisly mass killings that have marked the conflict’s darkest moments.
Seth Dixon's insight:
Cartels are still fighting each other, but they are no longer taunting the military and the police by doing it in such a blatantly public manner. Drug-related homicides are stable (and alarmingly high) at 12,000 per year but less in the border cities and more in the northern interior. The cartels are trying to avoid engaging the military, seeing that "spectacular acts of violence only bring more pressure to bear on them." 
Alejandro Restrepo's comment,
February 7, 5:41 PM
Maybe much like Brazil, Mexico might be bidding for the World Cup or the Olympics. That is exactly what is happening in Brazil, the crimes and poverty in Favelas are being shut out from the rest of the world, in order to give Brazil a friendlier look. When Americans think of Mexico they think of two things, immigration and TOURISM! TOURISM is the magic word here! Tourism gives the Mexican economy a huge boost and the government does not want Mexico's tourism to decline... hint hint.
benj's curator insight,
February 9, 6:50 PM
drug wars gone quieter. drag less attention to military. gore in open areas bad for business. lets move to less attentive areas. death rates are the same. this will probably change as the US changes politically. US has much influence on Mexican drug wars. 
Sam Capron's curator insight,
February 13, 10:13 PM
So basically the fighting down in Mexico between the various cartels continues, they just mutually and unspokenly agreed to be sneakier about it? The government is also taking steps to ensure that Mexico *Looks* safer than it actually. Most likely due to the huge amount of tourism that the country takes in each year. Delete the scoop?
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The death and life of the industrial corridor linking New York and Washington. This article is a great example of analyzing the landscape to observe changes in any given place. This corridor is home to 8 of the 10 wealthiest counties; at the same time this transportation corridor is also home a half a dozen of the country's most broken cities. Exploring this area is way to analyze the changing economic geographies of the United States. For a visual representation of these same themes, see this 5 minute video that corresponds to this NY Times magazine article. Tags: industry, economy, unit 6 industy, transportation, neighborhood, landscape. 
Don Brown Jr's comment,
November 20, 2012 12:06 PM
I can’t help but think of Rhode Island, specifically communities in Providence and how the decline of the textile industry and rise of the automobile has affected the contrast in standards of living and opportunities between the residents of the East Side and South Providence.
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Photographer Anthony Suau documents the surging influence of the drug cartels in Northern Mexico and the efforts by police to maintain law and order...
The issus connected to drug trafficking are intense in Mexico for a variety of geogaphic factors. This is not something we typically see as a part of the the new global economy, but it certainly has been connected to the processes of globalization. Visit this topic on scoop.it for more sources on the Mexican Drug Trade. Via Roland Trudeau Jr.
Roland Trudeau Jr.'s comment,
July 25, 2012 7:17 PM
These pictures paint a story of some sad results of the drug war. As picture number 11 states 75% of columbian cocaine passes through Mexico. It would appear that Mexico is the middle man in the selling process from columbia to The United States.
Kim Vignale's comment,
August 12, 2012 2:06 PM
The Mexican drug trade is a serious and dangerous issue that is happening today. This project shed light on how dangerous it is. I realize that even the important officials are bribed by the drug dealers so nobody can be trusted. It is scary that the drug runs are done by young innocent people. Unfortunately, many people die if they speak up for what is right.
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Voters are counting on the next president to find a solution to the country's alarming rise in organised crime.
This interactive features shows temporal and spatial data on drug-related deaths in Mexico since 2007. Also connected are profiles of the presidential candidates of the three major political parties (PRI, PAN and PRD) and with their platform on drugs and ways to curtail the accompanying violence. Mexico's presidents can only hold office for one term, but it is a six-year term...2012 isn't just about Obama and Romney. 
's comment, August 27, 2012 11:01 AM
I would be interested to see how the newly elected official will use this map and what their changes in the current approach will be
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United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime Web Site...
Afghanistan and Burma (a.k.a.-Myanmar) are the world's leading producers of the illicit narcotic of heroin. What environmental, political, developmental and cultural factors play a role in these distribution networks? What geographic factors contribution to the production of these drugs to be located in these particular places? Follow the link for a map of global cocaine distribution patterns.
Don Brown Jr's comment,
July 5, 2012 10:44 PM
Favorable environmental factors such as mountainous terrain, helps isolate and conceal these regions which creates conditions that makes the production of heroin and cocaine easier. Since you can’t conquer the environment, the best alternative may be further international cooperation to hinder drug trafficking and production.
Roland Trudeau Jr.'s comment,
July 23, 2012 10:54 AM
The second half of this article shows just how crucial of a part Mexico plays in the drug trade. Most of the cocaine that comes from the Andean region is pushed up through Mexico and the Carribean only 17 tons are sold in Mexico while 165 tons are distributed into the United States. The US makes up 40% of global cocaine consumption, leaving a huge opportunity open to Mexico.
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Police in Mexico arrested a man they say is one of the country's largest methamphetamine producers. The arrest comes as Mexican drug gangs are moving aggressively to try to dominate methamphetamine markets not just in the U.S.
The drug issue is often described as a border problem and though that one little line was the only space necessary for understanding the problems. This podcast highlights how many places are a part of the networks at play in this complex economic geography that causes political, demographic and cultural strife on both sides of the border. Delete the scoop?
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While the rates of murders are plateauing at 12,000 per year, internally where are these murders taking place? Which places are becoming more critical to control? Murders are shifting east (From Sinaloa and Chihuahua to Nuevo Leon and Veracruz). Why is this shift occurring? What does this shift indicate politically and economically for Mexico?
Derek Ethier's comment,
September 20, 2012 10:38 PM
In an effort to rid Mexico of dangerous drug cartels, officials are probably just pushing them into new and previously safe areas. This shift indicates what areas Mexican authorities have control over and what areas they need to tighten up control on. It will prove immensely difficult to defeat powerful gangs who have ruled for decades. It seems to me that most of the drug violence occurs along the border with the U.S., likely because this is the highest area of traffic.
Elizabeth Allen's comment,
September 24, 2012 12:33 PM
This map strikes me. I guess there can be a map of anything and everything. On the social side of this topic, it is overwhelming to see the high murder rates. While there are percentages shifting thorughout territories, the crime still remains. While murder rates lower in one area, they are sure to rise in others. This gang vs. government fight is a battle that has lasted many years, and sadly will continue...
Joshua Choiniere's comment,
September 26, 2012 11:28 AM
What this map as well as article show me is that there is corruption in every aspect of the Mexican Goverment and at some point or another the goverment is taking sides with or assisstance from some of the major cartels. In order to crack down other groups to get rid of them. So in order to fully curb and elminate the cartels the Goverment will have to become stronger, independnt, and not assossciate with one group over another. They should try and perharps raise a larger enough force like the military and just systemmatically* force these cartels out one by one.
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