Blog Topic #8

Google Earth is an excellent tool to view the Earth from different spatial perspectives. We are trained from an early age to view the world from flat maps showing north at the top and south at the bottom. Many world maps also center the U.S. in the middle of the map.

In this blog I want you to show an area of the world from a different perspective/angle/direction than it is normally viewed. For example, the perspective shown at right makes you realize that if you fly from Chicago to Tokyo, Japan you will probably fly over Alaska (the shortest distance is called a great circle).

Go to Google Earth and "fly around" until you find a unique perspective.  Go to File, Save, Save Image..., and save the image as a .jpeg and then upload it into your blog. Describe how the image makes you think differently about the Earth.

Blog Topic #7

For this post you have a choice of three topics:

Topic A - The Afghan Girl

Here is the link to the National Geographic article about finding her after 17 years.  There is a plethora of information online about this amazing story.



Topic B - Restrepo and/or the war in Afghanistan.

Here is the link to the official website for the movie.  You can also find a huge amount of information online or (I suggest this strongly) you can read the book War by Sebastian Junger to experience a more vivid portrayal.

Topic C - Opium

Afghanistan leads the world in opium production, supplying about 75%.  Here is a link to a recent National Geographic article called Afghanistan's Opium Wars.  Some of the money made from this illegal trade inevitably funds the Taliban and other Islamic extremist groups.

Once you find a web link, video clip, or news item relating to your topic  post them on your blog.  Write several paragraphs explaining what you learned or found interesting about the subject. 

Explore your world!