1. Earth Day: Green Apple Festival
Love your wonderful
world and celebrate Earth Day!
“America‘s
largest Earth Day celebration” is coming to a city near you. The Green Apple
Festival is made up of eight free concerts across the country beginning today,
April 18, through Sunday, April 20. Some of the headliners include The Roots
& Friends, O.A.R., Ziggy Marley, and many, many more. Check out their website to see who is
playing and where. To find more Earth Day events near you, check out the Earth Day Network site.
2.
Education:
National Geographic State Bees
On April
4, geography’s top 4th – 8th graders from across the country competed in their
state bees in hopes of making it to the National Geographic Bee held in Washington, D.C. on May 20-21, 2008. Check
out the list
of state winners who will compete for the national title next month!
3. Economy: “Apartment
rental costs are all over the map”
MSNBC, April 14, 2008
Across the U.S. the real estate market is in crisis and many American families are having
trouble making their mortgage payments. Unfortunately, the price of rental
units in some areas has not helped this crisis. While some cities such as Phoenix have seen a nine
percent drop in average monthly rent, others have seen dramatic rises in
average rents. Of twelve metro areas listed, nine show higher rents compared
with the first quarter of 2007, with San Francisco topping the list at a 14.6 percent increase.
4.
Maps: “Mapping history”
Wicked Local, April 4, 2008
Mr. Bill Betts, Jr.
donated his private collection of historic maps to the Mattapoisett Free Public
Library in Mattapoisett, Massachusetts. Betts grew up in Mattapoisett
and decided the give back to the community when he heard that the library was
being renovated. The library now has more than eight “ancient and historically
significant” maps in their collection. Betts believes that the Azorean
maps will be of particular interest in the area due to the region’s connection
to the whaling industry as well as a concentration of people with Portuguese
heritage in the area.
5. Sports and Geography: Follow the Olympic Torch Around the World
Energy independence is much more important than global warming. When the US is energy independent there will be no more oil wars and the terrorists will no longer be able or interested in reaching us. This will save lives AND energy. The global warming crowd can’t claim this. The truth is only the Chinese can stop man made climate change. They are going through an industrial revolution that is sure to dwarf our own. Does this mean we should do nothing? Far from it. Let’s study what Denmark, France, Brazil, and Australia have done on energy and do likewise. Let’s drill wherever we have oil and put a new nuclear power plant in every state. Let’s use all our coal and natural gas. We don’t need foreign energy. And we will be safer, greener, and richer with out it.