MyWonderfulWorld

January 2010 Archives

Save Geography Education in Italy!

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"We the undersigned believe that to deprive ourselves of the knowledge systems supplied by geography, in a society that is increasingly globalised and complex, means depriving students of knowledge that is absolutely essential if they are to face the challenges of the world."


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Sign the petition to save Italian geography education here.

Italy is engaged in a process of education reform this week, and many in the Italian geographic education community fear the proposed budget cuts could have severe consequences for geography curriculum nationwide.

One Italian friend pleads:

"We are trying to let the public know that geographical culture is fundamental in every country, in particular in present time and in a globalized societies.


Oscillations of a Chilly Variety

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I returned from a trip to Boston this weekend to find much warmer temperatures in the nation's capital. Although I did not venture outside the office midday, Weather.com tells me today's high was in the mid-50s. Many around me are welcoming the shift to milder weather; I must admit I enjoyed the cold snap, and particularly the great Mid-Atlantic blizzard that blanketed the city in over a foot of snow just before the holiday "recess." Of course, I'm not a farmer dependent on seasonable conditions to sustain crop yields--and even I missed the fresh produce that succumbed to the frost when I visited the local market last month.

Why did the entire Eastern U.S. and much of Eurasia experience such a chilly several weeks? You may or may not have heard buzz about the Arctic Oscillation, a climatic phenomenon not unlike El Niño/La Niña. The main difference: The Arctic Oscillation (AO) is a north-south shift in pressure and temperature in the atmosphere and ocean, while El Niño/La Niña is an east-west shift in pressure and temperature. Well, at a basic level.

Check out this thematic map, which compares December 2009 surface temperatures with December 2000-2008 averages around the globe.

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