My Wonderful World Blog

*President-elect Barack Obama has yet to show off his basketball skills to the nation at large, but with his new world ball from George Mason University, he is one step closer!  Obama was presented with a world ball during his January 8th economic address held at the university.  The ball was developed by head basketball coach Jim Larranaga (an avid supporter of geographic literacy), chair of the university geography department Dr. Alan Falconer, and National Geographic Maps.  Perhaps now the president-elect can finally show us those three-pointers!

*What’s new in 2009 for Apple? They’re putting geography at the center of the iPhoto application! With iPhoto Places, the pictures you take on your iPhone are automatically “georeferenced” with the location where you snapped your picture.  You can then search through your album of pictures using place terms (so a picture taken at the Statue of Liberty will be tagged with “New York” and “Statue of Liberty”).  You can also use this data in iPhoto Maps, which creates a map of your journey according to the picture tags you choose.

*Do you know your state’s motto?  Perhaps not, however with t-shirts and mounted prints of state mottos made from this map, you can finally learn.  This Intelligent Travel post details more about the state motto project from visual artist Emily Wick.

We're officially one week into 2009! So...how are those New Year's resolutions coming?

Each year millions of Americans and others across the globe set goals for self-improvement as the calendar transitions from December to January.

Some of the most common resolutions relate to weight loss and health, finance management and family life; check out this list of "Popular New Year's Resolutions" from the US government (some top examples below).

Lose Weight

Manage Debt

Eat Right

Get a Better Education

Reduce Stress

Take a Trip

Volunteer to Help Others

Hopefully you haven't fallen off the horse just yet, but if you're finding it a little difficult to follow through on your aspirations, perhaps try adding a little "spice" to the typical ho-hum New Year's resolution. How? Geography of course!

Find a way to add a geographic "twist" to your New Year's Resolution.

For example, want to lose weight?

Explore your local community by walking, biking, jogging, cross-country skiing, snow-shoeing, etc. Examine different features of the built and natural environments you may not have noticed before, like dominant architectural styles or varying plant species. Your brain will be so busy taking in the sites you'll forget about how hard your body is working!

Want to save money?

Avoid tolls and gas fees by relying on public transportation whenever possible. At home, find ways to make your home more energy efficient, like turning down the heat and ensuring that windows are well insulated. Try shopping for clothing at secondhand stores--you'll likely find some great vintage garb. All these actions will save money AND protect the environment!

My own commitment to work fewer hours hasn't panned out so well, but seeing as I "do geography" for a living, I'll just chalk it up to my own "geographic twist."

Tell Us: What are some more ideas for adding geographic twists to New Year's resolutions?

Sarah for My Wonderful World

Images courtesy GreenTechnology.com, UtahOutdoors.com

Many thanks to Noreen of BrightHub.com for her kind and comprehensive review of the My Wonderful World website. BrightHub is generally known as a ‘go-to’ guide for technology news and consumer reports, but their “Education Hub” provides lesson plans, reviews of education sites, and forums to discuss education methodology with regards to technology.  We’re excited to be a part of BrightHub’s education community full of great resources!

 

The My Wonderful World site was also recently recommended by findingDulcinea.com, an online library resource, as being a valuable site for parents. FindingDulcinea not only “showcases the wit and personality of the web” by recommending daily websites, they  also provide insightful background information on breaking news headlines and highlight the best web guides for a range of topics from piano lessons to job searching.

Thanks again to BrightHub and findingDulcinea for the great reviews.  Be sure to let us know if you see My Wonderful World pop-up anywhere else!

~MWW Team

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Images Courtesy of BrightHub.com and findingDulcinea.com

Many of you will recall our interview with National Geographic Fellow Enric Sala during Geography Awareness Week.  Today, we happily announce that Enric has played an influencing role in President Bush’s decision to protect nearly 200,000 square miles in the western and central Pacific Ocean. Enric has extensively studied the coral reefs surrounding the Line Islands, now one of three marine monuments created under Bush’s protection act which also calls for preserving the Rose Atoll on American Samoa and the Mariana Islands.  Enric provided concrete reasons for the area’s conservation from his research.  He is one of few people who have visited the islands and seen firsthand the direct impacts of human activity on the health of the marine ecosystems in the surrounding waters.

While this historic conservation act will restrict commercial fishing as well as oil and gas exploration, these limits will only extend 50 miles off the coast of each island, instead of the full 200 entitled to the U.S. through the UN Law of the Sea Treaty.  Enric, along with many other scientists, pointed out that these biologically rich areas aren't isolated, but interconnected with the marine environment on a larger scale-- thus a 50 mile "buffer zone" may not be enough to protect delicate ecosystems from the combined detrimental effects of human activities!

Despite its debated shortcomings, we applaud this historic conservation act which recognizes the intrinsic value of Earth's natural resources. If you'd like to read more, visit NPR and the Washington Post for in-depth coverage and more from Enric.  Make sure to let us know what you think of this act, which makes President Bush the leading marine conservationist in history!

~Bethany for My Wonderful World

Images courtesy of National Geographic/Zafer Kizilkaya and Seattlepi

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Polls for the 2008 Weblog Awards, one of the Web’s largest and most prestigious competitions, opened yesterday. We are delighted to report that one of our closest friends in the blogosphere, fellow National Geographic journal Intelligent Travel, is a finalist in the category of “Best Travel Blog.” Intelligent Travel also just received accolades as one of An Island Life’s Top 15 Travel Blogs.

 
The 2008 Weblog Awards polls close Tuesday, January 13 at 5pm, so log on today to cast your ballot for favorites in a variety of categories. And if you like Intelligent Travel as much as we do, please lend them a supportive click!

Today we’re also announcing our own campaign to garner a nomination for the 2009 Weblog Awards. So if you like what you see on My Wonderful World, keep reading, and share our feed with your friends (we now provide a whole new range of options using snazzy Web 2.0 technology). Keep sending us your feedback, and please think of us come nomination time in 2009!

Sarah for My Wonderful World

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About.com’s Geography expert Matt Rosenberg recently compiled a great list of the "10 Most Important Geographical Events of 2008." The list recalls Kosovo’s independence last February, the 2008 Beijing Olympics in the summer, and geography’s huge role in the race for the U.S. Presidency.                                                         

From the way 2009 has begun, Matt won’t be scavenging for material come December.  Only 5 days into the New Year and already Israel initiated air strikes in Gaza, Washington D.C. inaugural officials created a giant map to plan for January 20th visitors, and a new U.S. Embassy opened in Bagdad. Looks like it’s going to be an exciting year!

What do you think was the most important geo-news of ’08?  Any predictions for ’09?  Let us know, and be sure to check out Sarah’s interview with Matt, conducted during Geography Awareness Week!

Bethany for My Wonderful World

Images courtesy of Clive Rose of Getty Images and WashingtonPost.com

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While home for the holidays in Baltimore, I ventured to 34th Street in the Hampden neighborhood for some Christmas light seeing.  I was tired of manicured trees and 'polite' decorations, so 34th Street was refreshing with its animated reindeer, bright lights and army of inflatable Santas.

This single block has gone Christmas-crazy for 61 years, starting with one house on the corner and spreading down the street.  It has since attracted media attention, local tourists, and a slew of vendors.

Despite news coverage at the beginning of the season, this block remains one of Baltimore's best-hidden treasures.  Tucked away in an unassuming part of town and unseen from main roads, the majority of this block's popularity is spread through word-of-mouth from one Baltimorian to the next, and is very much a local creation. Somehow the iconic and familiar faces of the holidays transform into something distinctly "Baltimore" as residents showcase their personal artwork, display Christmas memorabilia from travels abroad, or add a few pink flamingos to the holiday mix. After strolling for a bit, I felt a reinvigorated sense of holiday spirit, a little pride for Baltimore and extreme gratitude for my relatively cheap electric bill.

For the official "Miracle on 34th Street" site, check out ChristmasStreet.com and remember to brush up on your "Bawlmerese" if you're planning a visit....hon.

Be sure to let us know of the holiday traditions in your own town!

Bethany for My Wonderful World

 Images courtesy of Flickr.com; Christmas Row House, Hubcap Tree

 

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First, you were strapped for cash, now you’re strapped for time.  Wasn’t it just yesterday you were sitting around the Thanksgiving table, vowing to swear off food and finish your holiday shopping early?

Now with Hanukkah underway and Christmas in three days, you’re dreading the battle against angry crowds whose definition of ‘holiday spirit’ is akin to road rage.  Instead of fighting the masses, check out this sweet t-shirt from My Wonderful World that will have you and your activist friends looking “fly” this season after you order it online. This fashion statement not only says, “bring it on winter, I can wear short sleeves in 30 degree weather”, but it also shows your support for global literacy. So make this year’s “destination t-shirt” destination: Earth. Good luck shopping and happy holidays!

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A notice to all of our blog readers:

The My Wonderful World blog will be moving to a new site within the next few weeks!  We’re keeping the same familiar writers and geographic perspective, but adopting a snazzier look with a more sophisticated, user-friendly interface. Not only will the new platform incorporate more Web 2.0 sharing functionality, it will also be available as a direct email subscription.  All of our existing posts and your comments will be maintained in the migration, along with existing RSS subscriber names and passwords.  We’ll be announcing the new web address (URL) within the week, so keep checking back!

We felt this was a great way to kick off 2009 - Hope you enjoy!

-the My Wonderful World Team

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The Asia Society, a member of our My Wonderful World Coalition, just released a new policy statement on international education, along with recommendations for the incoming Obama administration.

In their recent newsletter announcing the release, Asia Society framed the issue this way:

“Even as the United States tackles the immediate economic crisis, our long-term economic competitiveness and ability to deal with global challenges is being undermined because America is not sufficiently preparing its next generation for the interconnected world of the 21st Century."

The statement's authors then offered up the following suggestions:

“The United States must benchmark its educational system against international standards and practices; redesign high schools to prepare graduates who are college-ready and globally competent; invest in teacher training in international subject matter; expand national capacity for learning world languages, particularly Chinese and Arabic; and expand international teacher and student exchange programs.”

Read the full report and recommendations.
Listen to the Asia Society podcast on this topic.

Tell Us: What do you think of the report? Is anything missing? What challenges might the new administration face in implementing the prescriptions outlined?

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