Unemployment Map

A simple but effective GIS to show current trends in unemployment can be found here at the BBC. Look closely and you can see how the details change over time. You can even zoom in to see our home region.

Can you process this data further, maybe to produce a table of employment changes by local areas over the past 5 years? This could even be transformed into a graph.

Trade and Development

A handy way to study various trade patterns is to visit the international trade statistics web site, here. The nice thing about the site is that it will produce maps for you. Just explore and see for yourself. In particular, look at a commodity such as any of the aluminium products (76...) and compare the countries who export these goods with the countries who export and provide the raw materials (2606). Alternatively look at the countries who supply (export) the raw materials for chocolate and the countries who import the beans for processing and making the bars of chocolate.

Fairtrade Fortnight 2010

This year's Fairtrade Fortnight is all about THE BIG SWAP.

So why not get involved by clicking on this link.

Earthquake Miracles

Miracles and misfortune continue to coexist in Haiti. An aftershock registering 6.1 on the Richter scale shook the rubble yesterday. But survivors are still being rescued — despite having been buried alive for seven days. A trapped man used his iPhone to learn how to treat his wounds; a woman was dug out of the wreckage singing and smiling; a baby girl, who had spent half her 15-day life imprisoned and alone, was also saved.

Read more at The Times

Haiti devestated by quake!

A massive 7.0-magnitude earthquake has struck the Caribbean nation of Haiti.
The extent of the devastation is still unclear but there are fears thousands of people may have died.
Haiti's worst quake in two centuries hit south of the capital Port-au-Prince on Tuesday, wrecking the presidential palace, UN HQ and other buildings.

Read more at the BBC.

Go to the US Geolgical Survey to get detailed information on the earthquake.

Snow from above!

Just in case you didn't know what Britain looked like at the moment have a study of this satellite image courtesy of NASA, Dundee University and the Times On Line.

You can see the image and read the associated article by clicking this link.

An effect of the cold!

Demand for gas in the UK is set to hit a new record on Thursday as people attempt to keep their homes warm through the severely cold weather.
The National Grid estimates usage will reach 455.3 million cubic metres. The current record is 449 million cubic metres, set on 7 January 2003.

Read more at the BBC.

So for those of you staying in by the fire tonight you could always watch Jimmy's Global Harvest on BBC 2 at 8pm - Jimmy Doherty embarks on a four programme mission to see how new farming techniques and technologies will help to feed us in the years to come.

An interesting start to the year

2010 has already been interesting from a geographical point of view:

Many councils have run out of Rock Salt as the big freeze continues - for more information on the salt used on roads why not click this link.

Dubai has seen the opening of the first building over half a mile high. The Burj Dubai Skyscraper is 2625ft (over 800m tall) and has an observation deck on floor 124.
For more details click on to the Burj Dubai website.

Plans to boost food production in Britain and reduce its impact on the environment have been unveiled.
The government's 20-year food strategy includes making land available for people to grow their own food and more healthy cooking courses. Read more at the BBC.

And we are only five days into it!

Happy New Year!

Welcome to 2010 - the International year of Biodiversity

The United Nations has declared 2010 to be the International Year of Biodiversity. It is a celebration of life on earth and of the value of biodiversity for our lives. The world is invited to take action in 2010 to safeguard the variety of life on earth: biodiversity

Find out more on the official website.

Merry Christmas

Dont forget to track Santa on this link.