Merry Christmas

We would like to wish all of you Hulme Geog Bloggers a very Merry Christmas.

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow.

Swiss glaciers are melting away at an accelerating rate and many will vanish this century if climate projections are correct, two new studies suggest.
One assessment found that some 10 cubic km of ice have been lost from 1,500 glaciers over the past nine years.
The other study, based on a sample of 30 representative glaciers, indicates the group's members are now losing a metre of thickness every year.
Both pieces of work come out of the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology.

For more details click this link.

Track Santa's progress

Some of you may have heard about, or even seen the Norad site that allows you to track Santa's progress.

Well it has lots more besides - Click the image above to take you to the website.

EC climate deal reached

European Union leaders have reached a deal on a package of measures to fight global warming.
The plan, agreed at a Brussels summit, sets out how 27 member-countries will cut carbon emissions by 20% by 2020, compared with 1990 levels.

For more information click this link to the BBC.

It's a no!

The people of Manchester have voted on the introduction of a congestion charge and the result is not in doubt.

78% of those who voted said No. For more details click this link to Manchester Evening News page.

The Hulme vote had a very similar result with 80% of people voting against the transport developments.

EU Climate Package

The EU is trying to hammer out a final deal on a climate change package that is supposed to become law in the 27-nation EU early next year.
The package focuses on three areas: emissions cuts, renewables and energy efficiency.

To see more details on the EU Climate Package click this link.

CAP proposals faulter

France has failed to get unanimous agreement on the future of the EU's Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) during EU farm ministers' talks in Brussels.
The UK, Sweden and Latvia objected to the final French draft on EU farm policy after 2013.
The CAP farm support scheme is the biggest item of EU spending - absorbing about 55bn euros (£45bn) annually - about 40% of the entire EU budget.

For more information click here.

Rainforest Clearance Accelerates

The destruction of the Amazon rainforest in Brazil has accelerated for the first time in four years, Brazilian officials say.
Satellite images show 11,968 sq km of land was cleared in the year to July, nearly 4% higher than the year before.

For more information click the following link: BBC News

Manchester Votes - Have your say.

Ballot papers asking people to vote on the introduction of a congestion charge as well as other public transport improvements are arriving in the post. How would you vote?

Here is your chance!

Use the poll option opposite and tells us how you would vote.

If you would like more information before voting click this link - GM Future Transport

Worldmapper

Worldmapper is a collection of world maps, where territories are re-sized on each map according to the subject of interest. It is excellent for research.

Click the link for the website: Worldmapper

Thanks to Mrs M for bringing this page to our attention.

Carbon Footprint Calculator

How environmentally friendly are you?
Click on the image above to see calculate your carbon footprint.

Hot Stuff

Okay year 9 here is your mission:

Produce a project (booklet, power point presentation, video clip or slide show) that informs people about the adaptions animals have made to survive in the Hot Deserts.

You must choose one mammal, one amphibian/reptile and one insect/spider.

Your project must include:

• A photograph of your animal
• An explanation of how they survive the heat
• An explanation of how they get water
• An outline of what they eat to survive.

A starting point for this work would be the Desert USA site

UK Energy

Some energy experts asked by BBC News warn the UK could face an unacceptable risk of major blackouts in less than 10 years unless policy is improved.
They said the government has dithered for too long over policies vital to energy security and climate security.
But they added that forecasts of an imminent power crisis were far-fetched.
The possible energy gap is being created because of the impending closure before 2015 of nine of our major coal and oil-powered plants.

Read more on the BBC Webpage

Mapping Crime

Sixth form students will find the following link useful to supplement their AS studies. It will add even more evidence to contrast inner and outer suburbs of Rochdale.

Other towns can also be viewed. Please follow the link. http://www.mindyourstreet.com/rochdale-crime.html

California fires

Three separate wildfires in southern California have destroyed hundreds of homes and forced thousands of people to flee the fast-moving flames.
The fires, to the north, north-west and south of Los Angeles have burnt through dry brush and forest in the suburban canyonlands around the city.

For more detail, video clips and photos click this link to the BBC.

Geo Challenge

For those of you with a Facebook account why not spend some time playing this - it's good fun.

Tsunami Warning

Indonesia has launched a new tsunami early warning system, designed to give people in coastal areas enough time to escape tsunamis before they reach land.

For more details follow this link to the news article on the BBC.

Urbanisation

Rapid urbanisation in developing nations threatens to trigger a water and sanitation crisis in quickly expanding slums, a report has warned.
Charity WaterAid said chronic water shortages in many of the world's slums were being exacerbated by the arrival of millions of people each week.

Read more on the BBC - click here

To learn more about WaterAid UK click this link.

Shakeout Day

On the 13th November over 5 million people in California will take part in the largest earthquake drill ever held.

Click this video link to show you the scenerio:



For more details follow this link to The Great Southern California Shakeout site.

How do you think you would cope in a 7.8 Earthquake? Why not have a go at the Beat the Earthquake Game.

Africa's Green Revolution

From the begging bowl to the bread basket: in just two years, Malawi has gone from famine to food surplus - according to national statistics.

Smallholder farmers are being given access to new crop breeds; fertilisers; irrigation systems; and new techniques in crop rotation and soil management.

Agro-science is helping families to cope with climate change and helping Malawi to buck the trend in neighbouring African countries.

Hurricane hits the Caribbean

Hurricane Paloma has strengthened to a Category Three storm and is lashing the Cayman Islands with winds of up to 185km/h (115mph.

For more information click this link to the BBC news page. To track Hurricane Paloma click this link to the National Hurricane Centre in Miami.

Geography Department Calendar

The summer geography photographic competition has prompted the creation of a calendar for 2009. Each month has a photograph taken by a pupil, the pictures here are just a sample, from Claire Vassallo (left), Heather Lacey (lower left) and Jonathan Lobley(lower right). Other contributors include, Eleanor Bridge, Fraser Bradley, Georgina Bennett, Jack Glynn, James Wright, Julia Ward, Matthew Stocker, Natasha McLean, Sam O'Hare and Will Lacey.

Samples shown do not reflect the resolution on the actual calendar; copies are available to buy direct from the Geography Department. Please see Dr Sutherland for details.

Man made eruption

The eruption of the Lusi mud volcano in Indonesia was caused by drilling for oil and gas, a meeting of 74 leading geologists has concluded.

Lusi erupted in May 2006 and continues to spew out boiling mud, displacing around 30,000 people in East Java.

Drilling firm Lapindo Brantas denies a nearby well was the trigger, blaming an earthquake 280km (174 miles) away.

Around 10,000 families who have lost their homes are awaiting compensation, which could run as high as $70m (£43m).

After debating new evidence at a conference in South Africa, most geologists voted drilling as the cause.

For more details follow this link to the BBC page.

Life Expectancy Rises

Life expectancy at birth in the UK has reached its highest level on record for both males and females. A newborn baby boy could expect to live 77.2 years and a newborn baby girl 81.5 years if mortality rates remain the same as they were in 2005–07.

Females continue to live longer than males, but the gap has been closing. Although both sexes have shown annual improvements in life expectancy at birth, over the past 25 years the gap has narrowed from 6.0 years to 4.3 years.

Reasons for the changes include a reduction in smoking and better coronary health advice and care.

This data came from the Office of National Statistics.

Are you a Flat-Earther?

Aristotle first described the possibility that the Earth was spherical in 330BC.

Despite all modern technology there are still a group of people who believe the Earth is not round; they are called Flat-Earthers.

Click on the link below and see if you are convinced?

Flat-Earth Society

The eve of all Hallows

It may have its origins in Irish pagan festivals but Halloween, like many things has been taken over by the US.

One of the symbols of Halloween is the pumpkin lantern and so to put a Geographical edge to Halloween, below is the list of the US's largest producers of pumpkins.

Ohio 6,600 $33,617,000

Illinois 14,800 $23,430,000

New York 6,400 $22,694,000

Pennsylvania 6,100 $17,495,000

California 5,300 $13,356,000

U.S. Total 43,200 $117,492,000

Hailstorm Havoc

Severe flooding, which left a Devon town virtually cut off, was caused by a "freak" overnight hailstorm, the Met Office has said.

Devon and Somerset Fire Service described the situation after 1ft (0.3m) of hail fell in the Ottery St Mary area as "absolute chaos".

Cars in the town were left tightly packed in ice after about 1ft (0.3m) of hail fell in just two hours between 0100 and 0300 GMT.

World Data

Take a look at the bottom of the blog to see World Data changing in the here and now!

Unseasonal Weather - for a change?

Weather forecasters predict the cold snap will ease slightly after heavy snow in some parts of the UK but the winter conditions are set to continue.
The cold snap - with its widespread frost and crisp air - is caused by cold air that has come down from the Arctic.
It has been described as 'Unusual weather' by the Met Office. Cardiff will enjoy the highest temperatures, with a maximum of 10C (50F). Meanwhile, central Scotland is not expected to rise above 3C (37.4F).
BBC Weather forecaster Kirsty McCabe said: "It is unusual weather and the air is much colder for this time of the year. It will be cold during the rest of the week and the temperature now is more like what you find at the end of December."
On Tuesday night temperatures plunged to -4C and football matches were either postponed or abandoned at Luton, Northampton, Walsall and Wycombe.
Kent also suffered from torrential rain.

Quake hits southern Pakistan

At least 135 people have been killed after an earthquake of 6.4 magnitude hit Balochistan province in south-western Pakistan, officials say.
Officials in Balochistan say they expect the toll to rise.
The tremor struck 70km (45 miles) north of Quetta at 0409 (2309GMT Tuesday) at a depth of 10km (6.2 miles), the US Geological Survey said.
Many houses collapsed during the quake and some were destroyed in landslides that followed it, officials said.

The power of clouds

An international team of scientists is hoping to shed light on how clouds over the Pacific Ocean are affecting global climate and weather systems.

The clouds, some of which are bigger than the US, reflect sunlight back into space and cool the ocean below.

The team hopes to learn more about the clouds' properties and if pollution from activities such as mining affect the formation of these systems.

The month-long study will involve more than 200 experts from 10 countries.

A team of 20 climate and cloud experts from the UK's National Centre for Atmospheric Science (NCAS) are taking part in the expedition, which will be based in Chile.

UK not involved in Kopernikus

One of Europe's flagship space projects looks as though it is going to proceed with the UK continuing to be a bit-part player, scientists and engineers fear.

The Kopernikus programme is dedicated to acquiring and collating satellite data on the health of the planet.

Although Britain says it recognises the project's high value, especially for monitoring the climate, it has so far declined to take a lead in the venture.

Industry and academia have called for a swift change in government policy.

Failure to adopt a more positive approach before a critical meeting of Europe's space ministers next month will put expertise and jobs in the UK at risk, they warn.

Credit crunch hits NIC's

Most of the world's toys are made in China.
But in the last seven months, half the country's toymakers have gone out of business.
Last year's toy scandal, when lead paint was found in Chinese made toys sold in the US, was the beginning of the trouble.
Wang Suzhen has seen orders at her factory slip
New safety regulations added to costs, wages were on the rise, and then factory owners noticed that their orders from overseas were beginning to dwindle as customers in America and Europe cut back because they have less money to spend.

Half term - have a rest!

If you get bored or if you are missing your Geography lessons have a go at the Google Maps Quiz.

Click this link - Google Maps Quiz

A bugs life?

Exotic species of spiders are making their homes in the UK, scientists say.
Researchers believe arachnids arriving in imports of food and plants are now able to survive and spread thanks to the UK's increasingly mild climate.
The new inhabitants include a species of false widow spider and some believe the deadly black widow could be next to invade.

Why you should avoid muraneq!

The number of Eskimo words for snow has long been a point of debate.
In the Yup'ik Eskimo Dictionary published by the Native Language Centre at the University of Alaska, and found in schools throughout Alaska's Yukon Delta, there are 37 ways of referring to it.
When snow falls from the sky, an Eskimo can say "it's snowing" in four different ways: aniu, cellallir, ganir or qanunge.
Once the snow is on the ground, things can get more complicated. Light snow is kannevvluk, soft and deep snow is muruaneq and drifting snow is called natquik.
Crusted snow, corniced snow and fresh snow all have their own word too.

Drought hits Ethiopia

Aid agencies are warning that Ethiopian authorities are under-estimating the scale of the country's drought.
Official estimates of the number of people facing hunger and hardship stand at 4.6m but agencies warn the real figure could be more than 8m.
There is also confusion over the amount of money needed to meet the crisis, with the Oxfam agency estimating it at about $500m.
However, the United Nations reports that $772m has already been pledged.

Norbert strikes land

Hurricane Norbert has struck Mexico's Baja California Sur peninsula with heavy rains and 103mph (165km/h) winds.
The storm made landfall near the city of La Paz, blowing down roofs and uprooting trees. Thousands of residents have fled to shelters.
Forecasters say Norbert will cross the Gulf of California, before making a second landfall on Mexico's north-western mainland.
It is expected to hit the agricultural states of Sonora and Sinaloa later.
Nearly 3,000 people were evacuated to temporary shelters on Mexico's Pacific coast as the storm came ashore, bringing with it 13ft (4m) waves.

Population Crisis?

The balance of resources and population is a concern, or at least a matter of study, for us all. Geographers and non geogrpahers alike might be interested in this site when considering the stresses we create for our world. Globalis is an interactive world atlas where you decide what is to be displayed on the map. Globalis aims to create an understanding for similarities and differences in human societies, as well as how we influence life on the planet. This is primarily done using visual means.

AS going to Ingelton

Google maps will help you with location and landuse; if you use it wisely!

This may help you with the Geology

Some advice on field sketching.

Major artery closes for a few days

Those of you studying GCSE will know that part of the syllabus looks at the transport links between the UK and continental Europe.

The Channel Tunnel features quite prominently in this section as do the advantages and disadvantages of using it and the effect it has had on the Channel ports like Dover.

So what effect will a fire like today's have on the transport links in the SE of England?

Secret Millionaire

Secret millionaire visits Rochdale; the Channel 4 show focused on Falinge and Syke areas studied by the VI form students. But it exposed a few myths about what it is like to live in one of the country's most deprived estates. Lesson, be careful about making unsupported value judgements.

Hilary travels to Rochdale just a few miles from where she grew up, and will be living undercover for ten days on the Falinge estate. With a reputation as a no-go area, the estate is notorious for having the highest percentage of people on incapacity benefits in the country. It's something that doesn't sit easily with Hilary's views on benefits.
With the undercover story that she's making a documentary about moving back to her north-west roots, Hilary starts her mission by getting a job in a pub, hoping it'll be a good place to meet people.......

After a couple of days in Rochdale, the initial shock of the area has worn off and Hilary is beginning to recognise the positive aspects of a close community – something she doesn't have back at home: "I had a very nomadic childhood and didn't put down grassroots. To have a lifestyle which is like theirs where everybody knows each other, and they all have the local pub, the local restaurants and local community centres, I think would be lovely."After a couple of days in Rochdale, the initial shock of the area has worn off and Hilary is beginning to recognise the positive aspects of a close community – something she doesn't have back at home: "I had a very nomadic childhood and didn't put down grassroots. To have a lifestyle which is like theirs where everybody knows each other, and they all have the local pub, the local restaurants and local community centres, I think would be lovely."

One week on.

We have been back a week and we should all be back in the flow of things.

Britain has been swamped by rain causing flooding in Wales, the Midlands, the North East and Scotland. Gustav and Hanna have moved on to leave Hurricane Ike ripping through the Caribbean and homework is back in full flow except for you year 7's who have a gentle ease into the rigours of homework.

Year 8 may find these pages useful as they look at weathering.

Year 9 may want to look at these to help understand climate.

Year 10 can see the factors influencing population in the UK.

Year 11 look to supplement their work on water supply can click here.

Year 12 can get help understanding hydrology via this link.

It's nearly all over!

Back to school on Tuesday for all you pupils (the staff are in tomorrow!) and its official: the dullest August on record!

It could be worse we could be going to the Caribbean on holiday over the next few weeks - just as Hurricanes Gustav and Hanna get up a head of steam.

Keep an eye on their progress and any other hurricane developments by going to the National Hurricane Centre website: click on the link on the Geog Links below.

China - Part 4

On the eve before the closing ceremony here is the last of the fact-files on China:

• 70% of the world's umbrellas are made in China
• 60% of all buttons are manufactured in China
• 72% of all shoes worn in the US are made in China
• China manufactures 85% of the world's artificial Christmas trees.
• 80% of all US toys are made in China
• It takes six months for an average factory worker in China to earn the cost of a Thomas the Tank Engine train set.

These facts are coutesy of the National Geographic - May 2008

China - Part 3

Mid-way through and here are more facts about China:

• China has the largest number of internet users - 220 million
• Mobile phones in China have grown from 87 million in 2000 to 432 million today
• There are 11,500,000 privately owned cars in China
• On average each family in China owns at least one bicycle
• China sells more Rolls-Royce cars than any other country
• In 2005 there was one (1) McDonald's drive-through in all of China, by the end of this year there are expected to be 115.
• If put together China's motorways would circle the Equator 1.5 times.

These facts are courtesy of the National Geograpic - May 2008

Britain goes deep.

Scientists are set to explore the world's deepest undersea volcanoes, which lie 6km down in the Caribbean.
Delving into uncharted waters to hunt for volcanic vents will be Autosub6000, Britain's new autonomously controlled, robot submarine.
Once found, the life, gas and sediment around the vents - the world's hottest - will be sampled and catalogued.
The research will be carried out by a British team aboard the UK's latest research ship, the James Cook.

For more information link to the National Oceanography Centre in Southhampton.

China - Part 2

Its started and here are some more facts about the host nation of the XXIX Olympiad:

• In ten years China is expected to take over the USA as the world's largest economy
• China has the highest annual number of annual deaths triggered by air pollution
• Urban Chinese earn more than three times as much as those in rural areas
• Public protest rose by 50% in 2007
• One in four residents of Beijing is a migrant from the country
• 67% of millionaires surveyed say they are sacrificing health for money.

These facts are courtesy of National Geographic - May 2008