Geography and all that Jazz

Images are essential in Geography: to provide a window on the world, a starter, an emotional trigger, a model, an example, an example of awe and wonder, a joke, a stimulus. In addition to taking my own images, it's important to have other sources of images. There are numerous places to source images, but there are copyright issues. GeographyPhotos, a website created by Ian Murray, has a huge collection of categorised and captioned images which can be accessed by subscription. There is currently a deal going in association with the Geographical Association to offer reduced rates for GA Members. Check out the site at GEOGRAPHY PHOTOS or click the banner at the top of this post. UPDATE Special Christmas and New Year offer - all subscriptions received from now on (until further notice) will be set to run until the end of January 2009 ( yes, 2000 and NINE). This offer will be automatically backdated to all subscriptions and renewals since August 30th 2006. The sooner you join the more...

Global Geographer The Global Geographer is a new fortnightly paper for people who are interested in geographical issues. Edited to traverse the academic, the teacher, the student and the curious, Global Geographer aims to bind the Geography community in an accessible format. We want you to read this on the train and then give it to teenager to enjoy. Think of it as Casual (yet critical) Geography. Have you got news? The Global Geographer is interested in your news, views, research, photos and articles as and when they come up. It doesn't matter who or where you are. We love talk about place, space, connections, environments, people and all things geographical. The only condition is that what you serve up must be easy to read despite all the rigor of your preparation. Items of 100 - 500 words are ideal, but don't let us hold you back. The Global Geographer is produced and edited by volunteers so for the foreseeable future so all contributions will be paid for in love. To co...

Good news today for the RGS-IBG: the Discovering Antarctica website. It has been nominated for a BAFTA in the 'Learning Secondary' category - just one away from Spongebob Squarepants! Congratulations to Simon Scoones and the project team, and all involved with the site. As I produced the Curriculum links for KS3, GCSE and Pilot GCSE for the site, does that mean I've been 1% nominated for a BAFTA ?

Do you have wind ? The British Wind Energy Association ( BWEA ) is offering a free DVD: "Wind Power in the UK", which is designed for pupils aged 14-18. All Heads of Geography in the UK have been offered the DVD, or you can go HERE to find out more. The DVD contents aim to answer these questions: How serious is climate change? Why do we need wind farms? How economic are wind farms? Are wind farms a risk to birds? Are wind farms noisy? What do wind farm neighbours really think? Can I also recommend that you check out WOOPHY . You'll be pleasantly surprised !

Live Long and Prosper National Statistics latest report says that we are now living longer than ever, but that for a lot of people those extra years are characterised by ill health. An example of how Quality of Life varies within countries. Graph above shows how long people can expect to live beyond the age of 65.

Geography and ICT - are we "p*** poor" ? Interesting article in the Education Guardian today by Philip Beadle: "Not OK Computer" investigates the use of ICT in schools today. I would say that a lot of what we do in the Geography community does not fall into the categories that he describes, being far more creative and having an impact, but some of you might disagree. Worth reading the article, which can be seen HERE. Here are a few brief extracts which could be seen as a challenge to some users of ICT: "I am still stuck in that hinterland where I think ICT in schools is a great idea (and all that), but am still rendered shame-faced while caught in stock cupboards sniffing books with lascivious intent. The problem with ICT as a panacea, apart from the fact that the stuff it is replacing - books, human contact and language - was so well designed in the first place, is that it's been thrown at us with neither instruction manual nor time to read one if one exi...

Spent the day in Leicester today at the launch of a project called Young People's Geographies. More on that later in the blog. Also need to tell you the answer to the Michael Schumacher conundrum but that will have to wait too. Also today, bought this book, which looks like being a useful resource for the theme of Futures, and ties in with the BBC series. OK, pile of marking can wait no longer...

Well done to Team Geography... As announced a while ago, a team of Geographers were bidding to be the guest editors of the Today programme on 1st January 2007. They were up against 3 other teams, but it was announced yesterday that the Geography team are the victorious team... There is an announcement HERE (which may move...), but well done to David L, Dan R-E and Hannah B. So it's a chance to Give Geography its Place on the radio. I presume there won't be a late night on New Years Eve for the team though. A great Geographical start to the New Year!

Free forecasts for King's Lynn and other locations at http://www.metcheck.com Why not have a go at the GEOGRAPHYCUP ! Your country needs you ! (to do really well...) UPDATE: UK now ahead of the USA (as of 20/11/06) - have a go and boost our score !

Just waiting for QI to start (the only decent show on the telly these days, apart from "Planet Earth" (and any other geography-related show...)) and was reading Russell Davies, a regular blog stop... His Egg Bacon Chips and Beans is one of my favourite sites. Great for desktop images which make you hungry all day.... Pick the geography out of that ! Picture of Egg Bacon Chips and Beans from Egg Bacon Chips and Beans by Egg... I mean Russell Davies

Image of iPods from Apple Store website. This image of iPod Nano is going to be joined by some ideas for using this product as an example of Globalisation, and how the supply chain works. This would also be useful for the Pilot GCSE "People as Consumers" unit (check out the Pilot Geography blog ) The Mail on Sunday published an article recently which looked at the cost of production of this item, and the different countries which supplied the components. That will form the basis for this post. To be continued....

This flag is in the news at the moment for a fictional character who apparently comes from the country. What's the country and the character ? What geographical knowledge do you have of this place ? Reading this at the moment - by George Monbiot : an excellent (if rather worrying) opening. Here's a quote I'm going to add to my presentation for a forthcoming 6th form evening: "By turning on the lights, filling the kettle, taking the children to school, driving to the shops, we are condemning other people to death. We never chose to do this. We do not see ourselves as killers. We perform these acts without passion or intent." A recommended read, and as it says on George's blog header: Tell people something they know already and they will thank you for it. Tell them something new and they will hate you for it.

GA Conference 2007 The Conference programme is now available to view via the GA WEBSITE. This looks interesting... Lots of other good workshops and lectures too. See you there ! Don't forget to vote for the G Team to edit Radio 4's TODAY programme either. Here's the pitch. BBC Radio Four ‘Today’ Programme - In Search of the G Spot David Lambert, Dan Raven-Ellison and Hannah Bosher We heard recently a prediction that the human race will need three planet Earths by the year 2050. This is impossible to contemplate. So we think we should focus more on the living space we have. Our editorial line will focus on the ‘space’ in which we live, places and what makes them special and on understanding our interconnected lives. We are going to seek out and stimulate the G spot of issues and stories. G is for geography, and we are going to use geography as our main editorial ‘lens’. We have an inter-generational editorial team of three geographers. The youngest member ...

Another Geo Conundrum When Michael Schumacher retired as a F1 motor racing driver in October 2006, he was presented with a piece of the World, which was worth a great deal of money. What did he get ? Where is it ? Why is it Geographical ? Answers in a few days... Also decided to award myself one of Peter Ford's Blogging Awards... Why not start a Geographical blog and give yourself an award ! An Inconvenient Truth is finally coming to a cinema near me (just 2 weeks before it comes out on DVD - hmmm...) Also vote for the best caption for the image below, taken at the Scottish Association of Geography Teachers' annual conference over at the Passion4Geography site . That's me on the left... And some music news. Not Jazz, although Phil Collins did play with Brand X and Bill Bruford made a few live appearances for them, but a band I first saw live over 25 years ago: Genesis have announced a reunion tour in 2007, except Peter Gabriel won't be joining them, or Steve Hackett. H...

Geography on the Radio "Today", the Radio 4 News programme is offering the chance for groups of people to be guest editors on the show. Tomorrow, David Lambert will represent a GGiP team on the programme at 8.40am pitching their ideas. For more on the ideas, see the latest posting on the GGiP blog. http://givegeographyitsplace.blogspot.com/ From tomorrow, you have a chance to vote for the G Team of David, Dan Ellison and Hannah one of Dan's students. http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/today/ And if you miss the programme you can always 'Listen Again'... The voting opens on Wednesday the 8th of November. Make sure you vote for the 'G' team to hit the 'G' spot. Let's give Geography a place on Radio 4 !

Geography and Fish... Has Cod had its chips ? England's favourite meal is fish and chips (or is it chicken tikka), but that may not be the case in the future. Fish stocks are declining alarmingly (they have been for ages...) This BBC ARTICLE suggests there may only be 50 years to save ocean fishing. Soylent Green could be on the menu sooner than we think... Also got this via the GGiP blog: The extraordinary Stern Review , published at the end of October, provides an account of the changing global climate and speculates on some of the impacts: “Such changes would transform the physical geography of the world. A radical change in the physical geography of the world must have powerful implications for the human geography – where people live, and how they lead their lives.” ( Stern Review , Executive Summary p iv) Geography is the subject that crosses over the physical and human worlds. Geographical perspectives may help us understand the world more fully.

Geography and Jazz (Continued) Here's a bit of jazz... Jan Garbarek quartet doing Molde Canticle Part 1 via YouTube. Wonderful stuff!

Geography and Flying Thanks to Ian Murray for this - would make a good Travel and Tourism starter (except you won't get to see it at school...)

While in Scotland recently, I bought this book (as well as the Islay book mentioned below). I particularly like it because it has the good taste to have a go at Chris Martin of Coldplay. Also last night on BBC Scotland, 2 river programmes were broadcast which were produced in consultation with Val Vannet and David Rayner. The programmes featured 2 contrasting rivers: the River Devon in Scotland and the River Cuckmere in the South East of England - they are shown below: Devon at the top and Cuckmere at the bottom... Teachers notes can be downloaded from the BBC Scotland site. Check them out if you're a teacher - they are fab programmes. Went out to a very good fireworks do last night: thanks to Gen and James. Got through several hundred pounds worth of fireworks, had a good bonfire which didn't burn down the fence as some people thought, and excellent food and gluhwein. The only downside was the horror that is Inspector Gadget's Field Trip.... Over the next few days, bonfir...