Middle Eastern Empires

There is a really neat animated map of diferent empires near the middle east. It shows 5,000 years in 90 seconds.

hat-tip: The Lilting House

Tornadoes

I just found out (again from The Handy Geography Answer Book) that 90% of all tornadoes occur in the United States.

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Christmas Ideas*

These are a few gift ideas for geo freaks.


This is more of a family gift. It's expensive, but our family got one last year, and we use it all the time. Learn everything form the names of countries to the pronunciation of capital cities to other trivia. Two people can compete against one another in geography games. (My grandpa liked this one so much that he bought one of his own!)

Odyssey III Talking Globe ->

to view it click on the link below
http://www.leapfrog.com/Primary/GradeSchool/PRD_explorerglobe/Explorer+Globe.jsp?CID=KNC-CROSSQ4


World Discovery Deluxe Computer program ->

This program helps you locate places throughout the world. It has different kinds of quizzes at three different ability levels, so again, the whole family can enjoy it.

to view click the link below



http://www.smartkidssoftware.com/ndgws2.htm


We have a lot of geography games in the house, but the ones below are ones we play the most:


Trans America and Trans Europe ->






to view click the links below








http://www.fairplaygames.com/gamedisplay.asp?gameid=401&MP=1


http://www.fairplaygames.com/gamedisplay.asp?gameid=2826


Borderline card games ->


To view this and other versions click the link below



http://www.educationallearninggames.com/borderline-card-games.asp


(The links I've included should help you get more information on these items. I am in no way advertising for these sites, and haven't done any price comparisons or anything.)

* Please send some of you're favorite gift ideas so Mom knows what to get me!

Gualdacanal

The Island of Guadalcanal: a place of beauty and violence

Even though just a small island in the Pacific ocean, Guadalcanal played a huge part in World War II. One of the bloodiest battles of all time was fought on the shores of this historic place. More than 2,000 American men were killed, while the Japanese buried ten times that amount. That many lives lost in only three days.

Even if it was a terrifying, not to mention deadly, area 60 years ago, Guadalcanal is now the most inhabited island in the Solomon Islands. With a normally tropical climate as well as beautiful beaches, it makes an excellent tourist destination. The country of the Solomon Islands lies about 200 miles off the coast of Papua New Guinea, another island country in the South Pacific.

Whereas 60 years ago there were ripped up planes falling from the sky every minute, ultra-intense combat everywhere, and the possibility that you might set off a land mine with any step you take, I think that one would rather enjoy being on the present-day island of Guadalcanal, one of the most lush and beautiful places in the world.