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January 10, 2013

News for geographers

Geography in Action

The National Geographic Society marks its 125th anniversary
The National Geographic Society, founded in 1888, is celebrating its 125th anniversary. "Its mission, as all things, has evolved over the years from exploration, discovery, to education and diffusion of information," said Doug Richardson, AAG's executive director. The society has helped to fund thousands of research, conservation and exploration projects, and the photography that has appeared in its magazine has been highly regarded. USA Today (1/7)

Are digital globes the way of the future?
Digital globes, which consist of spherical display screens, are becoming more prevalent for both educational and aesthetic purposes. The globes can display all sorts of information, from a representation of the world's topography to the distribution of sea ice. The orbs remain expensive, but the prices are dropping and could soon be comparable in price to other high-tech classroom tools. The New York Times (tiered subscription model) (1/7)

W.Va. assigns addresses to its rural areas
Some rural residents in West Virginia lack addresses, but the state is working to change that. Some people welcome the change -- the lack of addresses makes it harder to get packages delivered and for ambulances to find people in distress -- but others are less enthusiastic. "City-style addresses make the rural landscape more legible to the state," said Reuben Rose-Redwood, a geographer at the University of Victoria in British Columbia. "They make it easier for the government to find and tax residents, and for commercial marketers to profile rural areas." The Atlantic (1/2013)

Research, Education and Global Change

Extreme Australia heat fuels hundreds of wildfires
Farmlands and bush are being destroyed by hundreds of wildfires fed by a "dome of heat" across Australia, prompting the government to add two colors to its weather-forecasting map to represent benchmarks of up to 129.2 degrees Fahrenheit. The Wall Street Journal (1/8), AlertNet/Reuters (1/9)

Tracking the effects of pollutants on birds
Illinois residents Jennifer and Kurt Burnham are working together to study the impact of pollution on birds in Greenland. The couple tracks migration patterns and takes blood samples from the birds. "The negative effects of coal-fired power plants on climate change are going to outweigh any kind of impact that they might have on a bird population," said Jennifer Burnham, an associate professor of geography at Augustana College. Quad-City Times (Davenport, Iowa) (1/8)

Technology and Applications

Railroads work toward PTC implementation
Railroads in Minnesota are working toward full implementation of technology that could help prevent rail accidents. Positive train control relies on GPS technology to identify a train's location and can override the operator if necessary. The system still has yet to receive federal certification. There is growing concern in the industry that the current 2015 deadline for implementation is unrealistic given the complexity of the technology. "This has never been done before," said Association of American Railroads spokeswoman Holly Arthur. St. Cloud Times (Minn.) (1/3)

Association News

AAG election online is now open
AAG members with e-mail addresses on record with the association have been sent a special e-mail with a unique code and link that allow them to cast their votes in the AAG 2013 election. Paper ballots were sent to members who requested them or do not have an e-mail on file. The election period ends Feb. 28. For more information, see the Election article that appeared in previous newsletters. Learn more.

Request visa letters of invitation for the AAG Annual Meeting
Attendees traveling to the AAG Annual Meeting from outside the United States may request a letter of invitation to the conference. Requests should be sent by e-mail to visa@aag.org for assistance. Additional information about Los Angeles, the conference and travel is available at www.aag.org/annualmeeting/travel. Learn more.

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