APHumanGeography

Great terms in this article from World Bank.

The civil war occurring in the Central African Republic recently affected even a neutral peacekeeping organization in a negative way. This threat have left many homeless searching for a way out. These emigrants trying to escape the war will likely cause traits of their culture to expand beyond the Central African Republic's boarders. Such an event would relate to the theme of mobility as the ideas of those people move through relocation diffusion. These events have also grabbed attention on a global stage as the rest of the world works to solve the conflict that is hurting so many people. A theme of region also starts to appear, when the area where most of the violence is occurring produces this carnage. Where the war rages heaviest people will develop a vernacular region, labeling the area dangerous, and try to stay away. One event in a defined part of the world can have a large impact all over. How will the United Nations respond to the violence? What will happen to the supply deprived people in Central African Republic is the main supply route is impassable?

Thank you for making accurate connections, Christian. Great questions, too. One way to predict the UN's response to violence would be to see their previous responses to conflicts. The organization has made many mistakes (Rwandan Genocide) in the past so I believe they attempt to be as proactive as possible. On another note, as human geographers, it's interesting to observe who is emigrating and where they choose to go. I believe it suggests a deeper story as to what the political, environmental, and economic conditions of the places are. Stay tuned for our second unit on people and migration.

On August 10th, 2015, a large amount of mine waste was accidentally spilled into the Animas River of Colorado. This spill released nearly one million gallons into the water turning it a rusty orange color. The effects of the spill could be detrimental to wildlife, thus, causing clean-up to be a priority. The main concern of the spill is the effect on fish because they are very sensitive to changes in water. After the spill, the contaminated water contains much higher levels of heavy metals like iron, zinc, and copper. This change in nature has sent Colorado Parks and Wildlife Officials to be quite frustrated with the mining industry. This spill relates to nature culture, a theme of geography, because it shows how humans' thirst for money can have large effects on nature. How will the mining industry develop better ways to prevent spills? How can spills be cleaned up more effectively with less damage to wildlife?

This article has interesting relationship with globalization. Due to modern technology jobs are moving, and in some instances disappearing altogether. A good example of this is car manufacturing. Detroit was a major factory town that pumped out hundred of thousands of cars in its prime and had a very strong economy. When the factories left Detroit the town failed. The factory workers were for the most part uneducated and as such were unable to find new jobs. This resulted in Detroit's economy collapsing. A similar process occurred in many US factory towns. These jobs have since moved to developing countries with less strict labor laws, and lower or non existent minimum wages. This has propelled countries like China upward economically. Some processes have been automated to the point that humans are really only needed to service the machinery, this has resulted in some jobs disappearing entirely. As technology improves this could happen more and more, for example self driving cars (http://www.google.com/selfdrivingcar/). There are roughly sixty thousand cab drivers in New York City, when self driving cars become functional all those people will be out a job. Looking at the hospitality industry, specifically fast food giant, McDonalds, some positions such as cashier could potentially be automated in the next years (http://www.inquisitr.com/1594675/mcdonalds-counters-minimum-wage-hike-15-automation/). And so with more and more unskilled positions being moved across the globe or obsoleted and insufficient skilled positions that ask's the question "How will people support themselves?"

Thank you for the thorough response, William. This was an interesting article and a thought-provoking question. I wonder if the rise in automation of tasks will advance our development.

Photographer Linda Forsell had already been documenting stories about sexual violence against women for a year when she found out about a man who had fathered five of his own grandchildren as a result of sexually abusing several generations of women in his family. The youngest of his victims was 3 years old when he died.

Thank you for sharing this outstanding map, William.  

With the speedily approaching presidential election, Republican and Democratic candidates have taken over the news with their ideas and justification as to why he or she should be the next president. After the Benghazi crisis occurred in 2012, there was much controversy over the Islamic militants and their violent action that caused the death of several US government officials. Later, the controversy expanded when it was discovered that Hillary Rodham Clinton was using a personal server and email accounts while serving as the Secretary of State (2009-2013). While at the time, Clinton downplayed the issue, the national security issue has come back to bite during the current election. This prime example of Globalization can be examined in several ways. The emails sent information that then affected people and cultures on the other side of the world. Also, the emails have spread ideas across the United States and have shifted some Democratic support to Bernie Sanders, the other popular candidate. Politics and current world events are often linked together and can leave negative and positive effects on the opposite sides of the globe.

I agree with your statement at the end about the negative and positive impact of globalization around the world. How may this be apparent in the books you all read this summer?

When reading Behind the Beautiful Forevers, there was a constant theme of political power and corruption. Asha, a popular wife of an unsavory drunk in Annawadi, desired to have a position of power to prove that she was in control of her family. She used her cell phone to organize meetings with other politicians in order to hopefully be one of few female slumlords. Later on in the story, the reader learns that the "meetings" were intimate times between her and various politicians to gain their support and assistance. Like Clinton with the personal emails, she eventually got herself in trouble but rather than facing trial in court, she was thrown into the back of a van, never to be seen again. Politics can make people do things that they never would have, all for the desire for power and respect.

Volcanoes in Japan and Ecuador are a threat to people living in those countries and the neighboring countries. The volcano in Ecuador, Cotopaxi, has already spewed ash into the sky. This ash could spread into the capital city of Ecuador which is not far from the volcano. People have been put on a yellow alert which is the lowest of the three levels. The yellow alert precautions the people living in the area to be prepared and have masks ready to be able to keep the ashes out of their lungs. The volcano in Japan is a more serious issue. The government has issued a level 4 emergency warning which means the residents should prepare to evacuate the island of Kyushu. The volcano has been increasing in activity and could erupt at anytime. This is an example of the nature culture theme because the physical environment is shaping the culture that these people live in. The people living in the countries know that the volcanoes could be a problem from time to time and they will have to react to what the volcano brings.

This article is about the Malaysia MH370 that mysteriously disappeared last year. They finally have found evidence that it did not just vanish into thin air (which is certainly what appeared to have happened!) in the form of a flaperon that French authorities are pretty sure belongs to a 777. The issue is now that the Malaysian government is now saying that it MUST be from the 777 that disappeared, though the French authorities aren't certain it's from that flight, and they still haven't determined the origin of other plane debris. This is a problem because spreading misinformation gives false hope to the survivors of those in the tragedy that are looking for closure, and each time the crash comes up in the news again, it reopens old wounds. What makes this even worse is that due to the mysterious circumstances surrounding the crash, an investigation could take years to be completed. This is unique because most plane crashes are confirmed crashes, and people survive. This time, they just have data to analyze and a lot of research to do. With the internet comes increased globalization. The results of an investigation in France can arrive in Malaysia almost instantly, and then broadcast to the world within a short period of time. The internet also allows information to become distorted, or for people to spread complete misinformation easily. This makes it somewhat difficult to find trustworthy information on much-debated matters, like the fate of MH370. It is extremely important in this age where information can reach across the globe in an instant that governments be accurate in what they release. After all, what if the debris is confirmed to be from something else? What will Malaysia tell the citizens who needed that hope that they were given false information? Will Malaysia attempt to use France's analysis as a scapegoat for the misinformation? How would this action affect the relationship between Malaysia and France?

In this article, it is showing the new tropical disease occurring from a bug called the "kissing bug". The disease that the kissing bug gives out is neurocysticercosis, which is a parasitic infection of the brain. The kissing bug also causes Chagas disease which is a protozoan parasite, and can cause mild inflamed skin, as well as infection and inflammation of other body tissue. The theme of nature-culture is displayed through the people interacting with the nature where the kissing bugs are found, and catching the disease. Also, the kissing bug are native in Guatemala, and travelers were bringing back the disease and spreading it to their community, affecting and infecting the citizens of Texas. In Houston, Texas infectious diseases broke out and in the Smith's Clinic, doctors were doing their best to cure everyone who has tropical diseases. The tropical diseases were increasing to the point where one wing on the third floor of the Houston hospital was filled with patients. Everyone on the third floor had caught the tropical disease from the kissing bugs. The disease has been occurring since 2011, and the doctors are treating anyone who walks in with the tropical disease. Even though the disease has not affect Pennsylvania, it is still extremely important due to the fact that it is happening in the United States. What kind of research has been done to find a cure to the tropical disease? What should the citizens in Texas do to try to avoid catching this disease? How long does it take to cure the tropical diseases and what medication is used? These are the type of questions that are pondering in the media's mind.

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.

A recent emergency regarding terrorism has surfaced in Tunisia, an African country located along the Mediterranean Sea, after two spontaneous attacks by Islamic extremists, and the effects embody several themes of human geography. To start off, the functional region of Tunisia itself is showcased due to its state emergency declaration, digging of a trench to stop unlawful trade, and implementation of additional law enforcement for protection. Each of these actions illustrate how Tunisia operates within its political boundaries to sustain the well-being of the nation. For mobility, relocation diffusion will decrease as the absorbing barrier of the trench halts people, ideas, and supplies from moving across Libya's border, but Tunisia will benefit from more security and safety. Fewer vacationers coming to Tunisia also impedes the spread of ideas. On the other hand, people emigrating from Tunisia, as mentioned in the article, have increased relocation diffusion by taking their knowledge to new locations, and expansion diffusion has escalated as people rapidly spread news of the attacks. Since the Group of 7 industrialized nations met to discuss the Islamic terror threat, globalization is taking place because multiple countries are interconnected by a foreign problem and are seeking a solution; this resembles the mission of UNICEF in "A Long Way Gone", as do the people fleeing danger like Ishmael did. It is interesting to note that the countries participating in the interactions are industrialized, for they have the technology to provide fast communication and effective actions. Tunisia even asked Western countries specifically for help due to their high development. I believe the gruesome acts were unnecessary and require the proper counteraction, so I am glad these nations are gathering. What will nearby nations do to accommodate refugees socially, politically, and economically? Why might the cultural landscape change to prevent events of this nature?

Excellent analysis. Great work connecting the themes to your selected current event and book. Terrorism is an enormous threat to every country, including industrialized core nations like the Group of 7. Does anyone know why terrorists, and specifically, Islamic extremists such as those associated with ISIS or Al Qaeda, even commit acts of terror on citizens?

Why do your teachers ask you to text mark, annotate, etc. while you read? Check out this article. 

They want us to be able to analyze what we read - not to just place it in the context of the story, but to make connections, look for symbols, etc. Thar way, the text gains a deeper meaning instead of 'we're reading this just because it's a book we were told to read', it's we're reading this because it's an excellent example of symbolism and character development - which you might not pick up on unless you were analyzing the text. Suddenly, a book you were told to read has more meaning because now you know why you are reading it and why it is important to your education. Like how we have to look for the themes of geography in our books. If we were just reading the book, I would be done faster, but I would wonder why, exactly, was this book going to be important for my continuing education. This makes me pay attention to details and make connections to the textbook section you gave us. Education fascinates me because it is so important, yet people have so many different views on how everything should be done and whether or not the current system works.

Thank you for your insight, Maddie. I agree! Reading with a purpose helps build our framework as to what should be gained from the book. Annotations help document thoughts and ideas on our mind so we don't forget, too. Happy reading to all.

Happy Summer, APHUG. Check out this newly released and interesting TED talk about North Korea.  What are your thoughts?