Group items tagged

The RIGHT TO PLAY charity organization used sports to inspire kids to become healthy members of the community. While they provide the means for kids to improve their sports skills, they also teach the kids about sanitation and healthy habits that will help improve their life style.

CH. 5, KI#3: Highlight and annotate at least two major ideas in this article that seem meaningful in understanding why individual languages vary among places, such as in the US. (Do this by 11/21 for 1 extra credit point. :-))

"Contrary to what your teachers may have tried to tell you, there is no such thing as "correct English." Any manner of speaking that follows the rules of a dialect is equally "correct." Words like ain't are "real" words in some dialects and perfectly acceptable to use." This quote shows how languages and their rules are arbitrary. The main point of language is just to communicate ideas, so as long as the message is spread then the rules don't matter as much.

"Pennsylvania Dutch, a dialect of German spoken by people in this area (in this context, 'Dutch' is actually a mispronunciation of the German word, 'Deutsch,' which means 'German')." PA Dutch is an example of a creole language because the German migrators' language fused with the indigineous residents' language which formed PA Dutch.

Visit this site if you want to learn about the most popular sport in the world, soccer. You'll learn about how soccer diffused across the globe, from the U.K., and how it influenced Rugby, a very unique sport. Soccer is a great tradition for many countries, and it brings countries together every 4 years for a world cup. But, how did this begin?

This website does a good job at going in detail about soccer. I never knew that soccer was that old and how it can actually be traced back to it's original origin.

It may be the most popular sport on Earth, but not very much is widely known on it's origins. Thanks for further insight!

Check it out! 

Most refugees, Amerasians, and entrant populations that are entering the country are coming from the (former) Soviet Union, Vietnam, and Cuba.

I think that it is also interesting how refugees are coming from the Soviet Union, Vietnam, and Cuba. I would also add that it is interesting how the other countries don't play a more significant role.

Current Event #9

It is very surprising that the most globally popular sport in the world (soccer) had a lack of medical support at a major FIFA match. However, it is good to see that the next World Cup in Brazil will have the medical bags. You never know when a player could be put into a life threatening situation. I also agree with Bronte, in that Johnson and Johnson will have a significant gain in product sales after advertising at such a prestige event like the World Cup.

It is interesting to know that FIFA has just now decided to construct a standardized medical bag for the 2014 world cup. I wonder what precautions were taken for injuries in the past.

In this article, it is discovered that a massive leak sprung from a defunct mine in Southern Colorado, contaminating the Animas River. The spill caused lead levels 12,000 times higher than usual to arise in the river, concerning homeowners and businesses in the general area of being contaminated themselves. The theme of geography Nature Culture relates to this article because the people in this region rely on the river water on a daily basis. It is their source of water for irrigating their crops, drinking water, and more. Due to this accident, businesses shut down and people moved from their homes because they interact with and rely on the river water so closely. Nature culture plays a major role in our lives whether we believe that or not. What is the best way to respond to this dilemma? Will Southern Colorado return to being populated along the Animas River? Sudden issues leave us wondering questions along these lines.

This article is connected to the recent deal made between The UN agency and Iran. The deal essentially removed any sanctions on Iran, and allowed them to grow in the global market again. That agreement in itself shows a relationship between The UN and Iran, since they did strike a deal. However, as this article outlines, it also brings the relations between the UN and Israel into play. Since Iran, a country that has mentioned on several occasions that they wish to wipe Israel of the map, will soon have a much larger economy, and with that much more money, it is rightfully suspected that they may use that money to help to carry out there plan. This enrages Israel not only because the UN made a deal with a country that wishes to destroy them, but also because that deal may very well help them to accomplish that goal. That is why Israel is demanding to know every last detail of the situation, which is what this article covers. With all of the relationships and connections brought up by this topic, it is clearly related to the geographic theme of globalization. In the end however, the question brought up by this really is, will Iran actually destroy Israel, and if so how much credit should go to this deal?

This article discusses the issues between North Korea and South Korea. Tensions have risen between the two countries after South Korea started playing propaganda, which was a tactic ended many years earlier. The two countries were engaged in a military standoff. They were in discussions to end their standoff but they talks were halted. This conflict falls into globalization because the two countries aren't smoothing issues out they are creating more problems. These countries aren't creating a market between themselves which is part of globalization. The two countries have always had tensions between them but they have risen in recent days. What should they two countries do to end tensions? Do you think the countries will reach an agreement?

One of the most prominent current events at this point in time is the legalization of gay marriage nationwide. This ruling has caused both celebration and controversy, as several individuals view homosexuality and traditions quite differently. This plays into the geographical theme of cultural landscapes, as the main opposition of this new law consists of conservatives (in the article, it is noted that the more liberal justices were the ones in strongest support). The conservative view is due to the idea of a traditional family. As the textbook reading says on page 23, the ideal lifestyle-- or the typical suburban middle-class American family-- was to consist of a mother, a father, and children. Some think this should be upheld, whether it be for the sake of religion, homophobia, or tradition. Therefore, this new legalization is closely associated with the idea of a cultural landscape. However, how does the fourteenth amendment exactly relate to this issue? The amendment was created for former slaves, and while it applies to everyone, how does it specifically affect marriage when it addresses most directly citizenship rights and basic equality? The basic benefits marriage will hold for these couples are a good thing, yes, but will they no longer be discriminated against? In fact, will this worsen prejudice of those who were very strongly against the idea?

Thank you for your intuitive analysis, Reagan. You're accurate in suggesting that the cultural landscape theme connects to the recent Supreme Court ruling. What individuals in society care for and what they take care of translates into how they organize the space around them. Which regions in the county, state, and nation would you most likely find those strongly against the recent Court ruling? Are some areas of the state or nation more conservative than others?

One of the most amazing landscapes I've ever seen ...  How can geography impact the diffusion of culture?

I believe geography plays a big role in the diffusion of culture of the Brenner Pass. This Pass has a unique history in which it was connected by two major dictators, Adolf Hitler and Benito Mussolini. Due to the connection of these major dictators many cultures in this area are also connected. For example this Pass is located in Italy, but over 80% of its population claims Germany as its first language. In addition, because this Pass is located on the exterior of Italy it becomes a hotspot for cultural diffusion. The reason for this is because locals from Italy can travel to other nations and express their culture by using the Brenner Pass. Also, many foreigners from other nations, such as Austria or Germany, can travel into Italy, using the Brenner Pass, and express their culture as well. This expression of culture can be seen due to the names of the various stations, tunnels, and viaducts. The names of the stations, tunnels and, viaducts have German names which represent the diffusion of culture from Germany to Italy. By examining the Brenner Pass it is clear to see how its geography can impact its diffusion of culture.

Well done! Has anyone ever traveled on the Brenner Pass?

Go to this website to see how, when, and where social media has diffused through the years and where it is prevented from spreading. This is mainly about Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter.

Nice job on showing the diffusion of social media, using three strong examples.

Great job on the website. It was something different as most people did cooking, music, or sports. I remember in the book that it said that YouTube hadn't diffused much in 2011. It's amazing what a difference three years can make.

Was this man sent from ISIS or was he only claiming to be associated with ISIS? It does not make sense that ISIS would stretch itself so thin after rising up and beginning its conquest.

According to this article, the land reserved specifically for the indigenous people of Brazil is being threatened to be taken away from them for industrial uses. Apparently, the reserves have been a source of multiple conflicts concerning who the land should belong to. While reading this article all I could think about was how this is similar to the depleting reserves of the Native Americans in the United States.

This does not seem to be so much a conflict of religions themselves but rather the conflict of beliefs of one with the modernizing world. Perhaps, in the case of the natives of Brazil and Native Americans as you mentioned, the conflicts are needed to protect the environment and almost play devil's advocate in order to keep some of the world alive for future generations.

Music has become a part of everyday culture for people throughout the world, so where did it come from? Find out through maps, as well as pictures, and hear some of the unique music that can be found throughout the world!

This site is fantastic and very informative! It's great at showing how different genres can develop in different places at the same time and how popular culture can spread all over the world.

Your site is really well organized. I like all the information about the different genres. My favorite thing was the maps that showed how music moved through time.

When you visit our site you can learn more about the diffusion of a popular sport (soccer) compared to a lesser known sport called croquet. Interact by watching videos and reading more about how sports differ across the world.

This is an interesting website! I never knew about croquet before, but now I feel well informed. I like the use of images as well.

I thought it was really interesting that croquet originated as popular culture, whereas soccer originated as folk culture. Today, in our society, soccer is considered more popular culture, whereas croquet is thought of being more of folk culture. I like how you included that soccer was banned and then legalized again because I remember reading about that in class.

Do you want to learn more about the way that soccer and field hockey became such popular sports? If so, visit this site to learn where they originated from and where they are popular today. You can even play an online game to test your skills at soccer and field hockey!

I really like what you guys had to say about both sports. You had a lot of information and facts about field hockey and soccer. I didn't know much about the origins before reading this, but now I know how the sports started as folk culture and turned into popular culture. Nice touch with the games at the end!

Wow! There was a lot to learn about both of these sports that I never knew before! Great information and good organization for sharing it. Good work!

I found it interesting how the article referred to the point-source water pollution from the shrimp industry. The chemical pollution in the water comes from industrial and agricultural sources related to shrimp. While the shrimp industry is important to Mexico's economy, it also has downsides, including health issues coming from the pollution of water that may go untreated.