Issue 53

This is a long release because it’s been a few weeks.

All issues can be found at: https://geocraic.com/

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World

A World-Spanning Olympics

When a country that kept many of it’s colonies and just calls them “France”, it can host events literally all over the world. Like in Tahiti, where the Olympic Surfing events are hosted. Surf shot:

Brazil's Gabriel Medina reacts after getting a large wave in the 5th heat of the men's surfing round 3, during the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, in Teahupo'o, on the French Polynesian Island of Tahiti, on July 29, 2024. By Jerome Brouillett/AFP/Getty Images.

• Olympic Surfing: https://olympics.com/en/paris-2024/sports/surfing
• Geography of the Olympics: https://cardinalscholar.bsu.edu/server/api/core/bitstreams/fb89ad18-f5b4-4bc5-a702-62b85db2dc94/content

GeoTech

AI and Weather and Climate modeling

You knew it was coming. Good article about connecting AI and climate models.

• From FT. Successfully harnessed AI to conventional atmospheric physics models: https://on.ft.com/3SBdsvz

Space - Not the Billionaire Story

This is a super interesting HBO documenary, just out, on the privatization of Space. It is based on Ashlee Vance’s book which does not spend time focussing on Musk’s or Bezo’s efforts but rather the smaller players, Rocket Labs, Planet, and Astra - which are already consolidating. Highly recommend both the book and this documentary. When the Heavens Went on Sale, by Ashlee Vance

• Wild Wild Space, HBO trailer: https://youtu.be/Q50dAiKB4lI?feature=shared
• Rocket Labs: https://www.rocketlabusa.com/
• Planet: https://www.planet.com/
• Astra: https://astra.com/

New ESRI Basemap

There is a new ESRI Environment Basemap out (in Beta).

• Blog post: https://www.esri.com/arcgis-blog/products/arcgis-living-atlas/announcements/environment-basemap/
• The map: https://www.arcgis.com/apps/mapviewer/index.html?webmap=a69f14ea2e784e019f4a4b6835ffd376

Geoengineering

I’m still super skeptical we should even experiment with geoengineering, but as I’ve said, the technology is fascinating.

• BBC article: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c98qp79gj4no

North Korea

GeoPolitics

Analysis of Potential War

There’s a low probability of war with North Korea but a high risk potential if it does happen. I also thought the story mapping was pretty good in this article. There are good maps.

• From Bloomberg: https://www.bloomberg.com/graphics/2024-korea-war-threatens-trillions-for-global-economy/

China

Ancient Roads of China

The Out of Eden story by Paul Salopek is always good to check in on occassionally. He has been in China for a while obviously. Here are some interesting posts.

• Walking China’s antique roads: https://outofedenwalk.nationalgeographic.org/articles/2024-07-new-map-ancient-roads-china
• Walking into the Qing dynasty: https://outofedenwalk.nationalgeographic.org/articles/2024-06-qing-roads

Canada

The Northwest Angle

Interesting thread on the history of the Northwest Angle border region between the US and Canada.

• Compiled Twitter Thread: https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1817212238144450996.html

The Northwest Angle is farther north than any part of the Contiguous United States.

Canada Owes Billions

A Canadian Court rules the federal and Ontario governments have been violating treaty payouts for 174 years.

• The Guardian Article: https://www.theguardian.com/world/article/2024/jul/26/canada-payment-first-nations-indigenous-treaty-deal

US

MapQuest

Relatively deep dive into the history of MapQuest.

• History of MapQuest: https://maphappenings.com/2024/07/18/mapquest/

Tim Walz Maps it out

Tim Walz, governor of Minnesota, at the ESRI User Conference this year giving a keynote on the Minnesota map. -ESRI UC Talk

Geophysics

Nick Zentner at Tamanowas Rock

Nick Zentner is a geologist and senior lecturer at Central Washington University. He’s got a popular Youtube channel, a public Television show (Nick on the Rocks) and a podcast. Here he is talking about Tamanowas Rock on the Quimper Peninsula (near Chimacum) which has recently turned up enough evidence to be considered the very start of the Cascade mountains. Interesting show. My brother Kevin and visited Tamanowas Rock and identified the features they are highlighting in the video. So, that was fun. I’ve been to the beginning of the Cascades - on the Olympic Peninsula. A bit mind-blowing actually.

• YouTube episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S9ONIEbaH_k
• Guide to the site: https://quimpergeology.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/2023-Tamanowas-Rock-guide-v2.pdf

Caldera Chronicles

The USGS has an interesting news feed called the “Caldera Chronicles”. Here’s a recent article on the hydrothermal explosion in Biscuit Basin on July 23, 2024. -Weekly Column on Yellowstone: https://www.usgs.gov/observatories/yvo/news/july-23-2024-hydrothermal-explosion-biscuit-basin

Narrative Geography

From time to time I’ve talked about how we need more Narrative Geography. Chris Arnade’s substack “Chris Arnade Walks the World” is a good one. This post is about his experiences walking in Nairobi and it’s quite interesting.

• Walking Nairobi: https://walkingtheworld.substack.com/p/walking-nairobi?utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&triedRedirect=true

Agricultural Geography

Adapting Farming Practices

Good article about how we need our government and institutions to become far more reactive and adaptive to better methodologies in order to become more resilient to climate change. Why isn’t making our government faster and more responsive a major issue in the election?

• Rigid Crop Insurance restricts transition to generative agriculture: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2024-07-28/crop-insurance-won-t-let-some-farmers-adapt-to-climate-change

Economic Geography

Love and Whiskey

Great story from PBS about Nearest Green, distiller who taught Jack Daniels, and Fawn Weaver’s awesome story about Nearest, her journey as CEO of Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey - the most successful Black-owned liquor empire, and author of the book “Love and Whiskey”. Highly recommend checking it out.

The term ‘whisky’ derives originally from the Gaelic ‘uisge beatha’, or ‘usquebaugh’, meaning ‘water of life’.

Love and Whishkey, by Fawn Weaver

• PBS Story: https://youtu.be/5gLLF3bhimY?feature=shared
• Whiskey History (Bourbon): https://www.abcfws.com/little-known-history-of-bourbon
• Whisky History (Scotch): https://www.scotchwhiskyexperience.co.uk/about/about-whisky/history/

Holy Income Batman!

The Salary Needed to Buy a Home in 50 U.S. Cities. Another great visual from Visual Capitalist via their Voronoi app.

Salary needed to afford the principal, interest, taxes, and insurance payments on a median-priced home in the corresponding metro area.

• From Voronoi - by Visual Capitalist: https://www.voronoiapp.com/real%20estate/The-Salary-Needed-to-Buy-a-Home-in-50-US-Cities--1827