Ignite Presentation

Malnutrition - Created with Haiku Deck, presentation software that inspires

Gapminder Screencast and Analysis

Variable Set #1: As Life expectancy RISES, Income per person (GDP/capita) RISES

Video: http://screencast.com/t/gDZR93sr

Analysis:

1.a. For set #1, I chose the statistics of Life expectancy, and income per person. Life expectancy is expressed in year, and GDP/capita is expressed in US dollars

1.b. Life expectancy shows development factors such as the state of medical provision and its availability to the general population, as well as a low crime rate, especially violent and life-threatening crime, but also theft and other economic crime. As for GDP per capita, a rise signals growth in the economy and tends to translate as an increase in productivity. Also, GDP per capita is sometimes used as an indicator of standard of living as well, generally, with higher per capita GDP there is a higher standard of living. 
2.a.b. The countries that industrialized first, began to experience growth in per capita income from 1820 to 1870. By the 1920's, the industrialized countries with free markets continued to expand at a rapid rate, while the communist countries lagged behind. In the 1940's, the beginning of WWII brought tremendous change and eventual decline to Germany that took them a decade to recover from the war. From 1965, the growth of China has been extremely rapid moving from subsistence agriculture to an industrial giant. Saharan African countries continue to hold flat and lag behind due to political instability and traditional tribal conflicts. During the 1960's, 1970's, and 1980's there was a rise of the middle east into higher per capita incomes, because of the demand for their natural resources. After 1980, when Poland became more independent from the Soviet block countries, they began on a journey of rapid growth. As we have seen over time, the industrialized, free economies have grown faster in GDP per capita than the non-industrialized countries, like sub-Saharan African countries versus Europe.

Variable Set #2: As (HDI) Human development index RISES, Infant Mortality (rate per 1,000 births) FALLS

Video: http://screencast.com/t/pFqDZKPsLox

Analysis:

1.a. For set #2, I kept the statistic of human development index, but changed GDP/capita to infant mortality rate. The unit is deaths per thousand

2.b. As, I explained above, generally, a higher HDI, the more developed a country will be. Infant mortality rate on the other hand, gives us a peek at a countries health service, food provision and water quality. As well as the quality of primary health care, and the availability of supportive services in the community. 

2.a.b. Up until the 2000's most, if not all, Saharan African countries were falling on the HDI scale most likely due to unawareness, and lack of access to preventative supplies from the HIV and other disease. Afghanistan began falling during the 1990's but endured an extreme, and rapid rise beginning in 2000. This could be due in part to the show up of the non-governmental organizations, including the U.N., UNICEF and UNHCR, giving aid to the people and need. Since the 1980's many countries, like India, have been consistently improving their infant mortality rate, and moving up on the HDI scale. In 2009, Haiti's infant mortality rate jumped way up from 60 to 73, most likely due to the devastating earthquake that struck. The correlation to per capita income tracks very closely to infant mortality rate, because the sub-Saharan Africa countries are less connected and have less technology bringing the IMR up in countries with less GDP per capita

Crossing the Line GIS Activity

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Splitting: Catalonia and Spain
Catalonia is located in the north eastern part of Spain. It is on the Mediterranean Sea with a lot of coastline. There are three main reasons why Catalonia wants to split from Spain. First, Catalan language and and culture in not understood, or accepted in Spain. Catalans have been facing linguistic and cultural discrimination for over 36 years now. Second, Catalans believe that a well defined political entity like themselves should be able to govern itself. With its own voice in the European Union or the United Nations and address problems specific to it. Lastly, Catalans believe that they would be better off economically by seceding. Including the fact that Catalonia believes that it pays more into Spain's central treasury than it gets back. Catalonia has a strong economy giving it finatial independence, in order to set up and support and independent infrastructure. Also, Catalonia is located on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea giving it a good port for imports and export along with abundance of tourism and fertile soil for agriculture. The boundaries of Catalonia are most likely established on cultural differences. With the diverse language and culture in the area they created their boundary to help, maintain their culture and language. An already troubled Spanish economy would be in even more trouble loosing valuable agriculture and tourism resources along the Côte d'azure. Spain would also loose a chuck of its border with France and valuable coast line real estate access.

Merging: Arabian Gulf Union
Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Oman, and Qatar are located in what is known as the Arabian Penninsula in the Middle East. It is surrounded on both sides by large bodies of water that access the Arabian Sea. Yemen, Oman, and Qatar are relatively small countries that have limited resources to put towards a militaryfor defending themselves against an imperialistic and militant Iran. Yemen, being dysfunctional at the moment, would have trouble organizing a military or any form of an defense from Iran if something were to happen. Yemen, Oman and Qatar would benifit from joining the large, and powerful Saudi Arabia because they would be protected by the Saudi Arabian army. Saudi Arabia would benefit by gaining territory, and coastline for access to the Arabian Sea for exports and imports and being able to avoid the dangerous Strait of Hormuz. Gaining more coastline would also help increase tourism and give them more ocean front real estate that could be used for multiple different things, including beach front resorts, docks for importing and exporting, or beaches. The boundaries are partly geometric (Oman, and Yemen) and partly physical. The physical part being that it is surrounded by ocean. The formation of the Arabian gulf union could result in a very strong state both militarily and politically. It could possibly cause harsh or violent actions towards Iran or from Iran. The formation could also result in a more organized and less dysfunctional Yemen.

Cultural Geography Photo Collage

To our culture, as Americans, we see the cow as something you raise in order for it to someday be a source of food for us. For many of us, it is not against our religion, or a law to eat meat the cows produce. But to many cultures and countries like Hinduism and Judaism, and in India, Burma and China the cow is considered to be sacred.

Hinduism is based on the presence of a soul in all creatures, including cows.Therefore, killing any animal would be a sin: one would be interfering with the natural cycle of birth and death of that creature. Also, Hindus relied heavily on the cow for dairy products, tilling fields, and for a source of fuel and fertilizer. In some places like South India and parts of Sri Lanka, a Cattle festival is celebrated and it is called Mattu Pongal. Furthermore, in the Jewish culture, an unblemished red cow was an important part of ancient rituals. The cow was sacrificed and burned in a precise ritual, and the ashes were then added to water used in the ritual purification of a person who had come into contact with a human corpse.

Along with the cow meaning something different to different cultures, the cow also means something different depending on the country. For example, in India the slaughter of cattle is allowed with restrictions (like a 'fit-for-slaughter' certificate). Only bulls and buffaloes are allowed for slaughter and not Cows in fourteen states, and it is completely banned in six states. The fact that one man's food is another man's god has created a lot of disputes in India and frequently leads to unwanted incidents. Along with India, in Burma the beef taboo is fairly widespread, particularly within the Buddhist community. Beef is typically obtained from cattle that are slaughtered at the end of their working lives (16 years of age) or from sick animals. Cattle is rarely raised for meat and few people eat beef, and there is a general dislike of beef. Lastly, in China, the beef taboo has historically been an important dietary restriction in Ancient China, particularly among the Han Chinese, as oxen and buffalo are useful in farming and are respected. During the Zhou Dynasty, they were not often eaten, even by emperors and some emperors even banned killing cows.

Census Data Mapper Map & Analysis - October 2013

LINK to this map on on Google Drive

I’m analyzing a map that has to do with the percent of Americans who are 65 years or older. The highest concentration is in the midwest area, particularly Minnesota, Nebraska, and Kansas, along with Florida compared to everywhere else. There is an extremely low concentration in southern California.

There are many reasons why the aging population of 65 years plus would congregate in certain areas and stay away from others. These reasons include taxes on investment and social security incomes, availability and access to quality health care, climate, quality of life, and people of the same socioeconomic status. For example, in southern California, the taxes are higher, the population is younger, and young people immigrate looking for work. Also, there are higher crime rates which drive down the appeal of the region to the older population. Florida, on the other hand, does not have state income tax, is a generally milder climate, has decent access to quality health care, and has a higher population of retirees, making it more desirable to the older population.

The amenities that are important to the 65 plus population include social security programs, quality health care, and decent weather. These qualities of life can drive patterns in what they buy, how they vote, and who they elect, which in the end, can change representation in congress, and thus what is supported and passed by their delegates.

Activity Space Map

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