Ungoverned spacesI'm watching CNN show a map of the new state that ISIS has claimed in the Middle East, as US drones now fly over Baghdad once again. The militant group has claimed pieces of Iraq and Syria as being under their control.
It is a good example of the idea of ungoverned spaces that still exist in many parts of the world today. There are huge stretches of the world for hundreds or in some cases thousands of miles which governments cannot or do not control, even if they are within their borders.
A key point is that it is in these ungoverned, remote regions that terrorists and other lawless groups tend to find a haven.
Here are some examples:
Western Pakistan tribal areas (haven for Taliban)
Baluchistan region where Afghanistan-Pakistan-Iran (home to Baluchi nomads who have dealt in drugs, arms, human trafficking)
Russian Far East (thousands of Chinese moving in)
Saharan regions of Mal, Chad, Niger, etc. (Al-Quaeda in the Mahgreb AQIM)
Remote desert interior of Yemen (Al Quaeda)
Remote Amazon rainforest interiors of Suriname, Guiana, French Guyana (major packing and shipping point for cocaine grown in other countries)
Monday, June 30, 2014
Brazil and Mexico: Giants of Latin America
Mexico and Brazil - "Pivotal States" and
Giants of Latin America
Keep your eye on Mexico and Brazil. They are highly dynamic countries and also the giants of Latin America. These two countries will play a big role in the future of our hemisphere.
These countries were named among 9 "Pivotal States" in the world in a book that came out in 2000 (The Pivotal States: A New Framework for US Policy in the Developing World" by Chase et al.) Those authors gave the term "Pivotal States" to countries which are "poised at critical turning points, and whose fate will strongly affect regional and even global security." In other words, Mexico and Brazil could "go either way" so to speak--they could succeed or fail in the near future and the repurcussions would be great for their surrounding region and the world.
Mexico is the largest Spanish-speaking country in the world. It is swirling with a whole range of issues:
-It's economy is enormous -- Ford and Volkswagen plants, computers assembly, massive agriculture. As part of NAFTA, Mexico's trade with the US only exploded even larger--Mexico is the US' 3rd highest trading partner after Canada and China.
-Drug trafficking and violence is tearing up whole swathes of Mexico -- notably the areas nearest to the US. Mexico's north has a vast, difficult scrub-desert terrain with many places for cartels to hide. Drugs, violence, and people continue to spill across the border into the US. While crossing the border was relatively easy a decade ago, in the last five years the US has greatly tightened border security with ATVs, helicopters, more manpower, and drones.
-Mexico's population resides largely far away from the US, down in the latitudes around Mexico City/Guadalajara/Puebla. Many Americans have a skewed, limited impression of Mexican culture because they only have seen Mexican border culture (Tijuana, etc.)
-Be sure to read about Maquiladoras in the textbook.
-Mexico has sent the most emigrants of any country around the world in the past several decades, chiefly to the US.
-Remittances i.e. money sent back to Mexico from Mexicans workign in the US form a giant source of income
Brazil makes up roughly half of South America's land and people.
-Brazil will be in the news a lot in the next few years, hosting the World Cup in 2014 and the Olympics in 2016
-Brazil has extreme inequality. Read about the favelas that make up 25% of Brazil’s housing in the textbook.
-Brazil’s economy is even bigger than Mexico’, it is the 7th largest economy in the world. They are a world leader in many food exports like oranges, coffee, sugar, even chickens and beef.
-Brazil has the largest share of the Amazon rainforest, which has the highest biodiversity in the world.
-Brazil is the only other country besides the US which uses ethanol heavily in cars, but they make it from sugar which is much more efficient. All new Brazilian cars by law must run on ethanol—regular gas is becoming a thing of the past there.
-Brazil has the largest black population outside Africa. Brazil is not a chiefly “mestizo” country like much of Latin America. Instead, the racial mixing in Brazil is mostly black and white, not white and Amerindian. In fact, a new census reported that for the first time, Afro-Brazilians are the majority, 50.7%. Read about the Bahia region, the Afro-Brazilian culture hearth that was the original center of Brazil.
-Brazil has been famous for extreme deforestation in recent decades; Amazon deforestation has been decreased, but now deforestation of the Cerrado, a dry forest nearby, has taken the lead and is extremely rapid. Cattle ranches, soy, and sugar replace the forests.
Brazil on the Rise: The Story of a Country Transformed
by Larry RohterThe Pivotal States: A New Framework for US Policy in the Developing World
by Chase et alThe Three U.S.-Mexico Border Wars: Drugs, Immigration, and Homeland Security
by Tony Payan
Keep your eye on Mexico and Brazil. They are highly dynamic countries and also the giants of Latin America. These two countries will play a big role in the future of our hemisphere.
These countries were named among 9 "Pivotal States" in the world in a book that came out in 2000 (The Pivotal States: A New Framework for US Policy in the Developing World" by Chase et al.) Those authors gave the term "Pivotal States" to countries which are "poised at critical turning points, and whose fate will strongly affect regional and even global security." In other words, Mexico and Brazil could "go either way" so to speak--they could succeed or fail in the near future and the repurcussions would be great for their surrounding region and the world.
Mexico is the largest Spanish-speaking country in the world. It is swirling with a whole range of issues:
-It's economy is enormous -- Ford and Volkswagen plants, computers assembly, massive agriculture. As part of NAFTA, Mexico's trade with the US only exploded even larger--Mexico is the US' 3rd highest trading partner after Canada and China.
-Drug trafficking and violence is tearing up whole swathes of Mexico -- notably the areas nearest to the US. Mexico's north has a vast, difficult scrub-desert terrain with many places for cartels to hide. Drugs, violence, and people continue to spill across the border into the US. While crossing the border was relatively easy a decade ago, in the last five years the US has greatly tightened border security with ATVs, helicopters, more manpower, and drones.
-Mexico's population resides largely far away from the US, down in the latitudes around Mexico City/Guadalajara/Puebla. Many Americans have a skewed, limited impression of Mexican culture because they only have seen Mexican border culture (Tijuana, etc.)
-Be sure to read about Maquiladoras in the textbook.
-Mexico has sent the most emigrants of any country around the world in the past several decades, chiefly to the US.
-Remittances i.e. money sent back to Mexico from Mexicans workign in the US form a giant source of income
Brazil makes up roughly half of South America's land and people.
-Brazil will be in the news a lot in the next few years, hosting the World Cup in 2014 and the Olympics in 2016
-Brazil has extreme inequality. Read about the favelas that make up 25% of Brazil’s housing in the textbook.
-Brazil’s economy is even bigger than Mexico’, it is the 7th largest economy in the world. They are a world leader in many food exports like oranges, coffee, sugar, even chickens and beef.
-Brazil has the largest share of the Amazon rainforest, which has the highest biodiversity in the world.
-Brazil is the only other country besides the US which uses ethanol heavily in cars, but they make it from sugar which is much more efficient. All new Brazilian cars by law must run on ethanol—regular gas is becoming a thing of the past there.
-Brazil has the largest black population outside Africa. Brazil is not a chiefly “mestizo” country like much of Latin America. Instead, the racial mixing in Brazil is mostly black and white, not white and Amerindian. In fact, a new census reported that for the first time, Afro-Brazilians are the majority, 50.7%. Read about the Bahia region, the Afro-Brazilian culture hearth that was the original center of Brazil.
-Brazil has been famous for extreme deforestation in recent decades; Amazon deforestation has been decreased, but now deforestation of the Cerrado, a dry forest nearby, has taken the lead and is extremely rapid. Cattle ranches, soy, and sugar replace the forests.
Brazil on the Rise: The Story of a Country Transformed
by Larry RohterThe Pivotal States: A New Framework for US Policy in the Developing World
by Chase et alThe Three U.S.-Mexico Border Wars: Drugs, Immigration, and Homeland Security
by Tony Payan
Sunday, June 29, 2014
How rural Alaska gets its food
How rural Alaska gets its foodfrom Washington Post
http://www.washingtonpost.com/posttv/national/how-rural-alaska-gets-its-food-delivered/2014/06/28/796b2c72-fee3-11e3-b57b-a7a0ebc8dd2d_video.html?tid=hp_mm&hpid=z2
Logistics like this to remote locations poses issues somewhat like the Red Cross or World Food Program faces delivering to remote areas of Somalia, Haiti, etc. although in those countries obviously the infrastructure is not as developed.
Saturday, June 28, 2014
How marsupials got to Australia
It is well known that Australia is home to many marsupials, but what I did not know until recently is that marsupials arrived from South America crossing Antarctica. As Pangea (200 mya) was breaking up around 150-100 mya, marsupials seem to have been plentiful in South America and used then-unfrozen Antarctica as a bridge to get to Australia. Placental mammals still had not reached Australia by the time it broke off from all other continents, so marsupials never had to compete with placentals.
Today there are actually still over 100 types of marsupials in the Americas, largely possums.
See the graphic below off wikipedia. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marsupial#Evolution
And it is strange that on a continent with such unusual species, humans would raise millions of cows, sheep, and pigs; but then again that's true in South America as well. And they do have kangaroo farms and eat kangaroo meat.
Great article by Bob Strauss
http://dinosaurs.about.com/od/otherprehistoriclife/fl/Marsupial-Evolution.htm
Today there are actually still over 100 types of marsupials in the Americas, largely possums.
See the graphic below off wikipedia. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marsupial#Evolution
And it is strange that on a continent with such unusual species, humans would raise millions of cows, sheep, and pigs; but then again that's true in South America as well. And they do have kangaroo farms and eat kangaroo meat.
Great article by Bob Strauss
http://dinosaurs.about.com/od/otherprehistoriclife/fl/Marsupial-Evolution.htm
Friday, June 20, 2014
Tastes of Southeast Asia
Tastes of Southeast Asia
Snake Hunting on Tonle Sap - BBC Human Planet
Tonle Sap is a Lake/River system in Cambodia with many endemic species and many people living around and even on it in floating villages.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p00f134k
Young Barry Obama's Jakarta - A visit to the elementary school he attended in Indonesia to chat with his friends and teachers
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SNWV6utcifE
Rama by Ella - Malaysian rock
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aSllHsU7OGA
New species thrive in the Mekong River - Discovery news-Mekong River is the core river of mainland SE Asia with over
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WdGXGlfE080
Welcome to Guam! Where America's day begins
Guam is a territory of the US, part of Micronesia, and part of the earliest time zone in the US
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KP4I0CsieD8
Looking for snails - Journey Vietnam with Luke Nguyen
Luke Nguyen is a Vietnamese-Australian who has a popular cooking show in Australia
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YCND55zahak
Boat tour of Bangkok, Thailand's klongs (canals)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qL7beS09clY)
Snake Hunting on Tonle Sap - BBC Human Planet
Tonle Sap is a Lake/River system in Cambodia with many endemic species and many people living around and even on it in floating villages.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p00f134k
Young Barry Obama's Jakarta - A visit to the elementary school he attended in Indonesia to chat with his friends and teachers
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SNWV6utcifE
Rama by Ella - Malaysian rock
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aSllHsU7OGA
New species thrive in the Mekong River - Discovery news-Mekong River is the core river of mainland SE Asia with over
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WdGXGlfE080
Welcome to Guam! Where America's day begins
Guam is a territory of the US, part of Micronesia, and part of the earliest time zone in the US
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KP4I0CsieD8
Looking for snails - Journey Vietnam with Luke Nguyen
Luke Nguyen is a Vietnamese-Australian who has a popular cooking show in Australia
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YCND55zahak
Boat tour of Bangkok, Thailand's klongs (canals)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qL7beS09clY)
Tuesday, June 17, 2014
Naturalist intelligence--do you have it?
People high in Naturalist Intelligence (part of Gardner's
Multiple Intelligences) are drawn to some aspect(s) of nature:
birds, rocks, plants, mountains, food, even humans like human body types and human nature. They notice all the
subtle differences and distinctions among breeds, types, classifications. They
also love field trips, even field trips by themselves, to go and interact
directly with nature. These field experieces are often "crystallizing
experiences" meaning they realize that they have this strong attraction to the
natural world.
Naturalist intelligence is an aid to survival. It helps tell us what animals, plants, and foods are safe and dangerous, what weather patterns will help crops grow, when rivers will flood, when storms will come, etc.
Charles Darwin is often given as a textbook example of Naturalist intelligence. His voyage around the world on the Beagle at age 21 was a massive field trip and crystallized his drive to study to the natural world, which his family thought was more of a distraction and a waste of time.
Are you high in Naturalist intelligence? If you are teaching and/or have kids, it is important to recognize if they have high Naturalist intelligence so you can steer them toward crystallizing experiences that can help them recognize their gifts.
By the way -- there is another variation of Naturalist intelligence, an "urban" naturalist intelligence i.e. "jungle smarts" i.e. street smarts -- understanding the natural processes that go on in highly urbanized areas. This also is a survival skill.
Naturalist intelligence is an aid to survival. It helps tell us what animals, plants, and foods are safe and dangerous, what weather patterns will help crops grow, when rivers will flood, when storms will come, etc.
Charles Darwin is often given as a textbook example of Naturalist intelligence. His voyage around the world on the Beagle at age 21 was a massive field trip and crystallized his drive to study to the natural world, which his family thought was more of a distraction and a waste of time.
Are you high in Naturalist intelligence? If you are teaching and/or have kids, it is important to recognize if they have high Naturalist intelligence so you can steer them toward crystallizing experiences that can help them recognize their gifts.
By the way -- there is another variation of Naturalist intelligence, an "urban" naturalist intelligence i.e. "jungle smarts" i.e. street smarts -- understanding the natural processes that go on in highly urbanized areas. This also is a survival skill.
Friday, June 13, 2014
How ISIS militants plan to draw map of the middle east
Militants plan to dreraw map of the middle eastWall Street Journal
http://online.wsj.com/articles/islamist-militants-aim-to-redraw-map-of-the-middle-east-1402620168?mod=WSJ_hp_RightTopStories
This article has a good overview of the major dynamics of the middle east, specifically the ethnic regions:
"The conflicts unleashed in Iraq and Syria have merged to become the epicenter of a struggle between the [Middle East's] historic ethnic and religious empires: Persian-Shiite Iran, Arab-Sunni Saudi Arabia, and Turkic-Sunni Muslim Turkey."
In others words, in this neighborhood the big struggle is between the Arabs, the Turks, and the Persians, and these ethnic struggles regularly run over country borders which are "porous and ineffectual." ISIS wants to create a new state by unifying parts of neighbors Iraq and Syria into one continuous region.
http://online.wsj.com/articles/islamist-militants-aim-to-redraw-map-of-the-middle-east-1402620168?mod=WSJ_hp_RightTopStories
This article has a good overview of the major dynamics of the middle east, specifically the ethnic regions:
"The conflicts unleashed in Iraq and Syria have merged to become the epicenter of a struggle between the [Middle East's] historic ethnic and religious empires: Persian-Shiite Iran, Arab-Sunni Saudi Arabia, and Turkic-Sunni Muslim Turkey."
In others words, in this neighborhood the big struggle is between the Arabs, the Turks, and the Persians, and these ethnic struggles regularly run over country borders which are "porous and ineffectual." ISIS wants to create a new state by unifying parts of neighbors Iraq and Syria into one continuous region.
Veterans walk the entire Appalachian Trail
Veterans walk the entire Appalachian TrailWashington Post
http://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/in-a-trek-from-georgia-to-maine-a-group-of-veterans-aims-to-walk-off-the-war/2014/06/12/de8dbbc6-f1b7-11e3-9ebc-2ee6f81ed217_story.html
http://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/in-a-trek-from-georgia-to-maine-a-group-of-veterans-aims-to-walk-off-the-war/2014/06/12/de8dbbc6-f1b7-11e3-9ebc-2ee6f81ed217_story.html
Saturday, June 7, 2014
trekkers helping stop human trafficking in Nepal
Nepal leads the world in human trafficking which goes mostly to India over an open border. Because many remote Nepalis are not aware of the issue, the organization Friends of Maitin helps spread the word through trekkers passing through.
Friends of Maitin
http://www.friendsofmaitinepal.org/trekkers-spread-the-word.php
Friends of Maitin
http://www.friendsofmaitinepal.org/trekkers-spread-the-word.php
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