Will Russia Invade Ukraine?

Tensions are mounting in Ukraine as pro-Russian militants have taken a Crimean airport, shouting "Crimea is Russia!" Russia maintains political and economic interests in Ukraine despite Viktor Yanukovych's removal from office. In addition, Russia controls a naval base at Sevastopol, Crimea, and Russian president Vladimir Putin ordered a surprise military drill in two military districts near Ukraine. Sevastopol is Russia's only port on warm water. (This means that Russia's other ports freeze over during the winter.) A Russian military prescence near the volatile nation has left many wondering if Russia will intervene militarily. United States Secretary of State John Kerry has urged Russia no avoid a military intervention. On Saturday, Russian President Vladimir Putin asked the Russian parliament to allow Russian military intervention in Ukraine. That same day, the parliament voted unanimously to allow military action.

Regardless, Russia reportedly has landed 2,000 troops into Crimea. The move has prompted the provisional Ukrainian government to accuse Russia of an "armed invasion." The United States has claimed to have monitored Russian movements "into and out of Crimea" on both land and sea. These movements "deeply concern" President Obama who addressed the media Friday afternoon.

Russia faced a similar situation in 2008 in South Ossetia near the nation's border with Georgia. South Ossetia tried to break away from Georgia, and Russia sent in troops to quash the Georgian forces. As a result, Russia gained control of South Ossetia. Invading Ukraine would be a controversial and a large gamble. Ukraine's acting president warned that Russia's invading of Crimea would be considered a "military aggression." In 2008, neither the European Union nor NATO arrived to protect the Georgian holdings.  President Obama warned Russia that the military intervention against Ukraine's "sovereignty" would have "costs" and that the United States would stand with the international community. These "costs" were not specified, and the international response to a Russian invasion is currently unclear.

Indiana: The Hoosier State

• Capital: Indianapolis
• Major Cities:
  • South Bend
  • Gary
  • Fort Wayne
  • Evansville
• Major Geographical Features
  • Lake Michigan
  • Wabash River
  • White River
  • Ohio River
• National Parks: none
• 1816: Indiana becomes the 19th state
• 1871: 1st professional baseball game is held in Fort Wayne
• 1911: 1st Indianapolis 500 race
• 1914: Raggedy Ann doll created in Indianapolis
• Motto: "The Crossroads of America"
• Name Meaning: "Land of Indians"
• Industries
  • Corn
  • Steel
  • Iron
  • Oil
• Parts of Indiana do not observe daylight savings time
• The Lost River runs 22 miles underground
• Since 1900, Indiana's farm acreage had decreased by 35%
• Famous People
  • Larry Bird
  • Jimmy Hoffa
  • Michael Jackson
  • David Letterman
  • Dan Quayle
  • Colonel Sanders

Egypt's Government Resigns

In the midst of turmoil in Ukraine and Venezuela, Egypt's interim prime minister announced that his cabinet has resigned. The surprise resignation comes as workers strike and families suffer a shortage of cooking gas. It is believed that the move was made so that the defense minister could run for president. The current, military-backed government was formed following the deposition of the Muslim Brotherhood-backed government under Mohammed Morsi. New elections are expected to be held in April.

Protesters Control Kiev

Protesters in Kiev and Ukraine's president Viktor Yanukovych agreed to a deal that was meant to end the nation's bloody protests leaving nearly 50 dead and over 200 injured. The protests escalated this week as Yanukovych sent the police to descend upon the protesters' tent cities in Kiev. After striking a deal, Yanukovych left Kiev yesterday and fled to eastern Ukraine to Kharkiv, said a senior US state department official. Kharkiv is Ukraine's second largest city. After Yanukovych left, the protesters had control of Kiev, including Yanukovych's presidential residences. Now, even parliament members are calling for Yanukovych's resignation and a new government.

In fact, the Ukrainian parliament has voted unanimously to remove Yanukovych from office. They have set an election date of May 25. It is unclear what Yanukovych will do or if the decision by the parliament is binding.

Ukrainian Truce Collapses

Ukrainian president Viktor Yanukovych announced late Wednesday that he and the protestors who have been barraged with bullets the past two days have reached what he calls a "truce." Yanukovych and the protestors agreed to start negotiations for a stop to the violence. In return, Yanukovych promised that Kiev police would not descend upon any protest camps.

The truce was promptly broken Thursday as gunfire broke out in Independence Square. This latest round has caused 18 deaths and more injuries.

This comes a day after 25 protesters died and over 200 were injured as police stormed protestors in Kiev's Independence Square. President Barack Obama urged the Ukrainian government to use "restraint," which includes not using the Ukrainian military to suppress protestors who, prior to the clashes, had occupied government buildings in Kiev. The Russian foreign minister likened the situation to a coup that resulted from "Western politicians."

The situation in Ukraine began in November when people began to protest Yanukovych's decision to increase Ukraine's ties to Russia rather than the European Union. Yanukovych responded by having the Ukrainian parliament pass anti-protest laws. Ukraine had been rather peaceful for a few weeks, but that peace ended yesterday along with 25 lives.

Californians Hope the Past Doesn't Repeat Itself

California has experienced two years of drought, and some scientists are predicting another 198. A paleoclimatologist at the University of California at Berkeley, B. Lynn Ingram, has studied the ocean's temperatures and microorganisms and suggests that California experienced a "megadrought" in medieval times that  lasted over 200 years. Ingram believes that the plentiful rain of the 20th century was historically unusual for the state known for growing produce in the Central Valley. Unfortunately for California, its economy in agriculture was formed during the rainy 1900s and is not necessarily prepared for a long period without rain.

Ukrainian Protests Reignite as US Issues Travel Warning

Today, the protests in Kiev, Ukraine, reheated as the Associated Press reports 241 injured and 25 dead, including an opposition leader. Tuesday has been the country's bloodiest day since the fall of the Soviet Union. The Ukrainian government stormed a tent city set up in Independence Square in Kiev. This is the most violent the protests have been since their beginnings in November. They were originally protesting the Ukrainian president's decision to bring the country closer to Russia, rather than the European Union. After the president adopted more stringent anti-protest laws, the opposition ramped up its defense, leading to the unfortunate news today. Sweden's foreign minister has said that the European Union will "not hesitate" to deal with the "repression" in Ukraine. The violence in the nation has prompted the United States to issue a travel warning.

Late Tuesday night, the opposition walked out on talks on a "peaceful solution" with President Yanukovych. Simultaneously, the violence spread to the city of Lviv in western Ukraine. People in that city have begun to occupy government buildings, as the protesters in Kiev began doing last month.

For the latest updates on the escalating situation in Ukraine, please check the Average Geo Facebook and Twitter pages.

Ethiopian Airlines Plane Hijacked

A co-pilot on an Ethiopian Airlines plane was arrested early Monday morning by Swiss police after he hijacked the plane he was flying. The Ethiopian man locked himself in the cockpit while his co-pilot was in the bathroom. Upon the plane's landing and his arrest, he requested asylum in Geneva, Switzerland. Ethiopian Airlines Flight 702 took off from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, and, according it the airline was "forced to proceed to" Geneva. The plane was originally set to land in Rome, Italy. No passengers or crew members were injured.

Mississippi: The Magnolia State

• Alternate Nicknames: The Hospitality State
• Capital: Jackson
• Major Cities:
  • Vicksburg
  • Natchez
  • Meridian
  • Gulfport
  • Biloxi
  • Hattiesburg
• Major Geographical Features
  • Mississippi River
  • Yazoo River
  • Pearl River
  • Gulf of Mexico
• National Parks: none
• 1540: Hernando de Soto discovers the Mississippi River
• 1795: Most of present-day Mississippi is acquired by the United States in Pinckney's Treaty with Spain
• 1817: Mississippi becomes the 20th state
• 1861: 2nd state to secede from the Union
• 1894: 1st Coca-Cola bottled in Vicksburg
• Motto: "By Valor and Arms"
• Name Meaning: "Great Water" in Ojibwa
• Important Industries
  • Cotton
    • 3rd in cotton production
  • Fishing
    • 1st in the world for catfish
  • Manufacturing
• 60% of the state is forests
• Home to 100 species of trees
• Only state with the Confederate flag in its state flag
• Famous People
  • Elvis Presley
  • Jimmy Buffet
  • Brett Favre
  • William Faulkner
  • Jim Henson
  • Britney Spears
  • Tennessee Williams
  • Oprah Winfrey

Swiss Voters Turn Back on EU Agreement

This week 50.3% of Swiss voters supported a referendum to reintroduce strict immigration requirements from European Union nations. The "yes" vote essentially repeals an agreement between Switzerland and the European Union allowing greater movement between European nations. Switzerland is not part of the EU but has recently aligned its policies with the organization. The European Commission has responded saying that the vote "goes against the principle of free movement of persons between the EU and Switzerland."

An analysis of the vote shows divisions between the French, Italian and German speakers in Switzerland. A division between to three groups has long been present in Swiss politics. The French speakers and many German speakers voted against the referendum, while the Italian speakers and the remainder of the German speakers voted for the referendum.

UPDATE: World's Newest Nation on Verge of a Civil War

The United States has asked that South Sudanese President Salva Kiir institute political reforms. Violence erupted in the world's newest nation last December and has led to a full rebellion. That rebellion is led by one of Kiir's former vice presidents and calls for Kiir's removal from office. It is currently unclear whether Kiir will institute reforms and what these reforms would be.

Iran Warships Near US Borders

Iran has deliberately sent its warships closer to the US borders in the Atlantic Ocean. The Commander of Iran's Northern Navy fleet has been quoted that the move towards the United states "has a message." Iran hopes to spread its navy throughout international waters, including toward Antarctica. Iran and the United States have been butting heads in recent years with the still-ongoing civil war in Syria and Iran's nuclear weaponry. This move comes the day before that Iran tested two missiles and aired an animation showing the bombing of American and Israeli ships.

The movement of navies has sparked many conflicts throughout history. Alfred Thayar Mahan once postulated that a strong navy is key to becoming a world power. Germany from 1905-1906 moved its warships toward Morocco in order to break up the alliance between France and England. This so-called Moroccan Crisis has been named as a cause of World War I. Warships have also caused other crises such as the Spanish-American War.

President Obama's New Climate Hubs

On February 5, President Obama announced the creation of climate hubs, one for each region of the nation. The hubs are supposed to analyze local climate in order to help farmers in a "changing and shifting climate." The 7 homes of the projects are as follows:

1. Ames, IA
2. Durham, NH
3. Raleigh, NC
4. Fort Collins, CO
5. El Reno, OK
6. Corvallis, OR
7. Las Cruces, NM

What do you think of these climate hubs? Share your thoughts!

Kazakhstan Name Change?

The president of Kazakhstan is considering changing the country's name by dropping the -stan. The new name would be Kazakh Eli or Kazakh Nation. The purpose of the name change would be to differentiate Kazakhstan from the other -stans. Kazkahstan is a former soviet republic that gained its independence in 1991. It lies south of Russia and east of Mongolia and China. It is (currently) the largest of the -stan nations.

The Homes of the Best: The Geography of Team USA

With the Opening Ceremony of the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia today, I decided to analyze the geography of Team USA. This map shows the states in which our Olympians were born. The darker the state, the more Olympians. California had the most Olympians, followed by Minnesota. Interestingly, Team USA has some international components as well. It consists of 4 Canadians, 1 Russian, and 1 German.

 God Bless America!

Winter Olympics Travel Warning

The Opening Ceremony for the 2014 Winter Olympics is scheduled for February 7, but how many Americans will be there. The United States State Department has issued a travel warning to Americans planning on visiting Sochi, Russia for for the Games. The area has recently been rocked by violence and terror attacks. The United States will have two warships in the Black Sea (on which Sochi lies) in case of a need to extract American citizens. These threats are coupled with fears by many homosexual athletes for their safety. Russia's government, including President Vladimir Putin, have recently cracked down on protests by homosexuals. Such actions have been labeled as "propaganda" and are banned from being shown to minors. In the past, Putin has equated homosexuality with pedophilia. Any people who violate Russia's ban on "propaganda," could face jail, fines, or deportation.

Geography of the Super Bowl Winners

The Seattle Seahawks won the state of Washington its first Lombardi Trophy, ever. (In fact, it was the first professional championship for the state since the 1979 Seattle SuperSonics.) So, we decided to break down the winners of the 48 Super Bowls by state. California has the most with 8, while the Pittsburgh Steelers have the most as a team (6). Those 6 Super Bowls are the only championships for the state of Pennsylvania. The District of Columbia has more Super Bowls than most, three.

Snow Rollers

 Those of you in the Midwest may be witnessing the peculiar "snow roller." These look like snowballs that are sitting up on the mounds of snow. These are a very rare occurrence that require specific weather conditions to form. These conditions, at least in the Midwest, were recently present during the recent deep freeze. First, the ground must be covered in ice so that the snow on top does not stick to it. Above the ice must be a loose, wet snow. The snow rollers themselves are caused by the wind. Wind speeds must be strong enough to roll the snow into a ball but not so strong that the snow roller blows apart. A close look at snow rollers reveals that the center either has a hole, like a doughnut, or an indentation from the wind.