Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC)

• OPEC has the power to set oil prices, but this power has receded in recent history
• Coordinates oil production in its member states
• Member States:
  • Algeria
  • Iran (original)
  • Angola
  • Kuwait (original)
  • Libya
  • Nigeria
  • Ecuador
  • Qatar
  • Saudi Arabia (original)
  • United Arab Emirates
  • Venezuela (original)
  • Iraq (original)
• 1960: Founded at the Baghdad Conference
• 1965: Establish headquarters at Vienna, Austria
• 1973: OPEC declared an oil embargo on the United States and Western Europe because of their support of Israel in the Yom Kippur War
  • Lead to a global economic recession

Samoa and the International Date Line

In 2011, Samoa moved the International Date Line so that it could be on the same side of the line as Australia and New Zealand. Prior to 2011, Samoa was about one day ahead of those nations. However, this change has not been popular with everyone in Samoa.

The Seventh Day Adventist Church grappled with how to deal with the time change. The Seventh Day Adventists traditionally celebrate the Sabbath on Saturday, but Samoa chose to skip over Saturday, December 30, 2011. In response to this loss of a Sabbath, the church started celebrating the Sabbath on Sundays, rather than Saturday.

Changes in calendars have historically interfered with weekly worship for different faiths. When the world switched to the Gregorian Calendar, which is still used today in most of the world, Christianity and Judaism faced the same problem that the Seventh Day Adventists of Samoa did. Christianity moved its Sabbath worship to Sunday, while Judaism celebrates the Sabbath on Saturdays.

The Geography of Libertarianism

Recently, Libertarianism has been gaining support as a third party throughout America. In the 2012 election, the Libertarian party nominated Gary Johnson who garnered over 1.2 million votes. Libertarians generally are fiscal conservatives and social liberals. Libertarians advocate for individual liberties. For example, many libertarians believe that the government does not have the right to define marriage but individual businesses have the right to deny service to homosexual couples on the basis of religious beliefs. Other important issues to libertarians often include states rights, free trade, legalization or decriminalization of marijuana, open immigration, and non-intervention.

To show where libertarianism is the strongest, we have created a map showing the relative percentage of voters who voted for Gary Johnson in the 2012 presidential election. Johnson did not appear on the ballot in Oklahoma, and he was a write-in candidate in Michigan.

Landslides: What We Know about this Deadly Phenomenon

The mudslide in Washington has left at least 18 dead. - Marcus Yam/The Seattle Times

Mudslides (also called landslides) are the movement of rock and dirt (consequently homes, trees, and whatever happens to be on top of that rock and dirt) down a slope. On average, each year, in the United States alone, landslides cause $3.5 billion in damages and claim 25-30 lives.

There are three causes for mudslides: the materials in the ground, the structure of those materials, and human activity. Different layers of the earth have different strengths, making some stronger and better able to support the weight placed on it. In addition, if the ground is cracked, the ground is more susceptible to a mudslide. Drought and erosion also cause mudslides. These natural processes weaken the ground, leaving areas vulnerable to mudslides. Another structural cause of landslides is fault lines. Along fault lines, the earth is apt to separate, causing the rocks and dirt to slide along the separation. Agriculture, irrigation, and construction - all human activities - contribute to the weakening of the earth's surface. These activities can leave natural slopes open to mudslides.

Furthermore, there are two types of landslides: translational and lateral. Translational mudslides occur when the surface of the earth is separated from the more stable underlayers. Lateral landslides move the weakened material from side to side. Earthquakes are often culprits for both translational and lateral mudslides. Landslides resulting from volcanic activity are called lahars.

Landslides are rather difficult to predict, as the natural, environmental factors are the most common causes of mudslides.

Florida: The Sunshine State

• Capital: Tallahassee
• Major Cities:
  • Miami
  • Jacksonville
  • Tampa
  • Orlando
  • Pensacola
  • Naples
  • Fort Lauderdale
  • West Palm Beach
  • St. Petersburg
• Major Geographical Features
  • Gulf of Mexico
  • Apalachee Bay
  • Apalachicola River
  • Atlantic Ocean
  • Biscayne Bay
  • St. John's River
  • Lake Okeechobee
  • Florida Keys
  • Gulf Coastal Plain
  • Kissimmee State Park
• National Parks:
  • Everglades National Park
  • Biscayne Bay National Park
  • Dry Tortugas National Park
• 1565: St. Augustine, the oldest European settled city in North America, is established
• 1819: Adams-Onis Treaty cedes Florida to the United States from Spain
• 1845: Florida becomes the 27th state
• 1861: Florida secedes from the Union
• Motto: "In God We Trust"
• Name Meaning: "Flowery Land" in Spanish
• Orlando is home to the world's busiest theme park, Disney World
• The Everglades is the world's largest marsh
• The Everglades is the only subtropic preserve in North America
• Famous People
  • Flo Rida
  • Carl Hiaasen
  • Osceola
  • Emmitt Smith
  • Steve Spurrier

Ukraine to Withdraw Troops from Crimea

The Ukrainian government announced that it is withdrawing its troops from Crimea. The announcement comes one day after Russian forces, which have occupied the peninsula since the Ukrainian parliament impeached former president Viktor Yanukovych, seized Ukrainian military bases. Ukrainian military units have been outnumbered by the Russian forces since the Russian occupation began. One Ukrainian general died on Tuesday when Russian troops seized a military base in Simferopol.

Following the death in Simferopol, Ukraine's acting government bashed the move by Russian troops, asserting that Russia had formally started a war. (Russian president Vladimir Putin does have permission to formally use military force in Crimea.) The announcement of withdrawing troops from Crimea is a sharp departure from Kiev's previous rhetoric and is largely seen as a retreat in order to keep the peace in the region.

On Sunday, the citizens of Crimea voted to secede from Ukraine and join Russia. However, Ukraine and Western nations denounced the referendum as unconstitutional and refused to recognize the result. Putin cited a referendum in Kosovo as the international legal basis for the vote. Regradless, Crimea was incorporated into Russia on Tuesday.

Inside the Search For MH370

UPDATE: Australian satellites have noticed a large floating object along the southern route. Officials are marking the area in order to search for possible wreckage.

Twenty-five nations are now participating in the search for the missing Malaysian Airlines plane that disappeared on March 8. The extensive search for the Boeing 777 was originally confined to the area south of Vietnam on the eastern side of mainland Malaysia. However, recent developments and radar analyses place Flight 370's last known location on the east side of mainland Malaysia in the Andaman Sea, completely off track of its original flight path to Beijing. As a result, officials have widened the search as far south as the Indian Ocean and as far north as Kazakhstan. In all, the search area includes 2.97 million square miles. This area is slightly less than the land area of the 48 contiguous states.

If Flight 370 took the southern route over the Indian Ocean, then officials believe the remains of the flight are within a 160,000 square mile block of ocean. The Ninety East Ridge divides the search area in half.  Satellite images are being scoured, searching for any debris floating at the surface. If debris is found, divers and submarines will explore any areas suspected to contain the wreckage of the plane. The average depth of Indian Ocean search area is 12,762 feet with a maximum depth of 26,401 feet.

However, if Flight 370 took the northern route through mainland Asia, then officials speculate that it traveled over Myanmar and China towards Kazakhstan. Myanmar is covered in dense jungles that house a variety of wildlife. The northern tip of Myanmar, along its border with China, is home to the Hengduan Mountains whose highest point is 7,556 meters above sea level.The Hengduan Mountains lead into the Himalayan Mountains, the tallest range in the world. Along Flight 370's probable flight path also lie deserts, including the Gobi and Taklamakan Deserts. The Gobi receives, on average, 7.6 inches of rain each year. China's border with Central Asia (Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, and Tajikistan) is home to more mountain ranges, most notably the Tian Shan Range. Searching each mountain,valley, and desert leaves those searching with a very difficult task.China has deployed 21 satellites for scouring this possible northern route.

Ancestor of All Native Americans Identified

Scientists have sequenced the full genome of a Native American boy who lived in present-day Montana 12,600 years ago. They claim that his genome links his culture, the Clovis culture, is the ancestor for all other Native American populations. His genome also establishes a clear link between this ancestor, the Clovis culture, and East Asian cultures. This discovery supports the claim that Native Americans entered North America via the Bering Straight land bridge during the Ice Age.

The Clovis culture is widely considered one of the oldest Native American cultures. It developed 12,600 to 13,000 years ago in the American Northwest. During that time period, present-day Canada was covered with glaciers, and present-day Montana and Idaho were the northernmost land masses not covered in ice.

The Geography of March Madness

The field is set for this year's  NCAA tournament. To help you pick your perfect bracket (if you choose by location, of course), we have compiled a map showing the location of each team that is dancing this March. 

Comment to tell us who you pick to win is!

Crimea Votes to Join Russia

Crimean voters overwhelmingly voted to secede from Ukraine Sunday. Russian news agencies first broke the news citing exit polls. There was a high voter turnout for the secession vote as the great majority voted to break away from Ukraine and join Russia. Crimea's leader says he will apply with Russia to join the nation. Russian president Vladimir Putin says he will "obey the people's wishes."

Ukraine and the United States declared the referendum unconstitutional, and the Ukrainian parliament symbolically stripped the Crimean parliament of its powers just a day before the referendum. Putin, who has been authorized by the Russian parliament to use force in Ukraine, cited a referendum in Kosovo as precedent for this Crimean referendum.

Russian troops have occupied Crimea, home to a Russian naval fleet at Sevastopol, since the Ukrainian parliament impeached Viktor Yanukovych from the Ukrainian presidency. Yanukovych has declared the impeachment illegal and claims to still be the leader. Yanukovych is not currently in Ukraine, but in Russia. He says he will return when conditions allow.

Ukraine Tense Prior to Crimean Referendum

Russian troops near Ukraine's eastern border are participating in drills just one day before the Crimean referendum where the peninsula will vote as to whether to join Russia. Ukraine and Russia have been increasingly at odds. The two nations attempted, but failed, yesterday to work out a peace deal. In the absence of a peace deal, the Ukrainian parliament voted to strip the virtually autonomous Crimean parliament of its powers. The actions was rather symbolic and is not expected to impact the referendum in Crimea tomorrow.

Violence is also spreading throughout eastern Ukraine. Two died in Kharkiv last night in a shootout between Ukrainian nationalists and pro-Russian demonstrators. This comes one day after protests resulted in one death and 17 injuries in Donetsk, also in eastern Ukraine.

Deadly Day in Donetsk

At least one person has died today in Donetsk, Ukraine after demonstrators supporting the interim Ukrainian government and demonstrators protesting the interim government clashed. The clash began when protestors broke through a police barrier. This was the first protest-related death outside of the Ukrainian capital, Kiev, since the toppling of the regime led by Viktor Yanukovych. At least ten others were injured during the altercation.

The clash comes as Russia confirmed that it has mobilized forces to the Ukrainian border. Military intervention in Russia will bring sanctions from the international community.

Donetsk is located in eastern Ukraine and is primarily inhabited by Russian speakers. Pro-Russia rallies have broken out around eastern Ukraine since the ousting of Yanukovych. South of Donetsk is Crimea, where voters will choose this weekend whether to join its current military occupant, Russia.

Record Ice Cover for Lake Michigan

The wild winter has produced a record. Ice now covers 93.29% of Lake Michigan. This is the highest percentage of ice cover on the lake since data collection began in 1973. The ice cover of the lake dropped in mid and late February, but cold weather to start March refroze the lake to its current, record-setting level.

Lake Michigan is no anomaly, however. As a whole, the Great Lakes are experiencing the second most ice cover ever. Ice covers 92.19% of the surface of the lakes that were carved out by glaciers during the last ice age.

There has been so much snow and rain this winter that concerns have been raised about flooding as the snow and ice melt. High runoff could be coupled with ice blockages on rivers and streams as a sort of natural dam.

For pictures of the frozen Great Lakes, visit the Washington Post.

Mystery in Malaysia

The search continues for the Malaysian Airlines flight that disappeared this weekend. The oil slicks originally believed to belong to the missing flight were deemed as unrelated to the incident. Malaysian officials are now saying that the last place the plane was tracked was on the western coast of Malaysia, contrary to original reports about the last contact with the plane being made on the eastern coast, near Vietnam. Over ten nations are contributing to the search for the aircraft.

Officials are also investigating the two, possibly four, passengers who boarded the plane using stolen passports taken in Thailand within the past two years from an Italian and an Austrian. Last night, authorities identified both men who used the stolen passports. One was an Iranian who was attempting to seek asylum in Germany. The other man, who purchased his ticket with the asylum-seeking Iranian, intended to travel with him to Amsterdam. Authorities have determined that he is Iranian.

The thought of these two men boarding the plane with stolen passports raised questions about a possible terror attack on the Malaysian Airlines flight. There have been instances of passengers attempting to bring bombs on flights leaving Kuala Lumpur's airport. However, officials have stated that the identified passenger has neither had a history of terrorism nor is a suspected terrorist.

Could Russia Have Lost in Crimea Referendum?

Crimea announced this week that it will hold a referendum on March 16 where its voters will choose whether to remain part of Ukraine or become part of Russia. This came after the Crimean parliament voted unanimously to join Russia. Ukraine and the international community have condemned to the referendum as unconstitutional, and the interim government of Ukraine is "actively working" to prevent the referendum. However, that is going to be difficult as Russian troops are currently occupying Crimea. That leaves Ukraine with two options:

1. Ukraine attempts to stop the referendum. Ukraine currently has not political power to stop such a referendum because of Russia's occupation. For Ukraine to prevent the referendum from occurring, Russian troops must leave Crimea. Considering that the Russian parliament has given Russian President Vladimir Putin permission to use force in Crimea, Russia is not going to withdraw from the peninsula. Therefore, Ukraine would then have to send in troops to end the Russian occupation. If Ukraine were to send in troops, then Russia would then call Ukraine an aggressor, allowing a war where Russia would take eastern Ukraine, if not all of Ukraine. 
2. Ukraine allows the referendum to occur and hopes that the Crimeans choose to remain part of Ukraine.
1. If Crimea votes to join Russia, then Russia gains the peninsula with its coveted warm-water ports. And if Crimea leaves Ukraine, then a domino effect could occur. The eastern Ukrainian provinces could, one-by-one, vote to join Russia, too. The more of Ukraine that Russia has, the more control of the lucrative oil pipelines that criss-cross Ukraine.
2. If Crimea votes to remain with Ukraine, then Russia can just keep its troops in Crimea under the same pretense as is currently is. Essentially, nothing would change; Russia would basically control Crimea, storming bases and denying foreigners entry to the peninsula.

As you can see, Russia has nothing to lose with the Crimean referendum. In fact, Russia has nothing to lose for even occupying Crimea. Any economic sanctions against Russia from the European Union would cripple Europe as well because both groups have invested billions of dollars in each other. Russia has also claimed that any sanctions placed on Russia would "hit [the] US like a boomerang." The situation worries Ukraine so much that its interim prime minister is traveling to Washington this week to discuss the situation.

As for Ukraine, new elections have been set for May 25. By that time, Crimea may have left the nation in favor of Russia. Other provinces may be on their way, too.

Malaysian Airlines Flight Disappears

Last night, Beijing's airport lost contact with a Malaysian Airlines passenger flight carrying 239 people. The flight took off from Kuala Lumpur and was headed for Beijing. China's state-run news agency announced that it lost contact with the flight off the coast with Vietnam. It is unknown why the flight crashed.

The navies of Vietnam and China have both sent ships to the South China Sea in search of wreckage. The Vietnamese Air Force has found two oil slicks which are believed to belong to the flight. The Vietnamese Navy speculated, according to Vietnam's state-run media, that the flight has crashed into
the ocean 153 miles south of Phu Quoc Island. However, the slicks were later determined to not belong to the aircraft. To assist in this endeavor of finding the plane, the United States has sent the USS Pinckney, the USS Kidd, and an aircraft. The search for the aircraft is into its third day, as crews from multiple nations work to recover the wreckage.

The flight carried passengers from China (152), Malaysia (38), Indonesia (7), Australia (6), India (5), the United States (3), France, New Zealand, Canada, Ukraine, Russia, Italy, Taiwan, the Netherlands and Austria. At least two (possibly four) passengers boarded the planes using stolen passports, raising questions about a possible hijacking, but at this point these questions are pure speculation. Officials say that they are exploring "every angle" in their search for the aircraft.

Venezuela Breaks Diplomatic Ties with Panama

Amidst violent protests led by students throughout he nation, Venezuela has broke diplomatic and commercial relations with Panama. President Nicolas Maduro announced that he believes Panama was part of a "conspiracy" against Venezuela. The announcement and derision of the Panamanian government came during the celebration of the life of former Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez who died last year. Among the heated comments, Maduro proclaimed, "We're not going to let anyone get away with interfering with our fatherland, you despicable lackey, president of Panama." The comments and actions of Maduro come as Panama requested that the Organization of American States investigate Venezuela for its actions concerning the protests that have left 25 dead.

Crimea to Hold Referendum over Russian Control

Crimea announced today that it will hold a referendum on March 16. On that day, Crimeans will take the polls and decide whether or not it will remain part of the new Ukraine or become part of the nation that currently occupies the peninsula, Russia. This announcement was preceded by a 78-0 vote in the Crimean parliament in support of joining Russia. The temporary government of Ukraine has declared that the referendum is unconstitutional, but seeing as Russia has troops occupying Crimea, Ukraine can currently do little to prevent the referendum from taking place. Regardless, the interim president of Ukraine said that the interim government is actively working to stop the referendum. United States president Barack Obama has also said that the referendum violates international law.

Moreover, observers from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe were prevented from entering Crimea, says the Polish defense minister. These observers were stopped by unidentified men wearing army fatigues.

The European Union threatened to freeze economic assets to Russia if it's troops remain in Crimea. Russia had previously warned that it would retaliate against any sanctions. It is unclear what effect the potential situation would have as both the European Union and Russia have billions of dollars invested in each other.

Ukraine has set May 25 as an election date after President Viktor Yanukovych was removed from office by the Ukrainian parliament. If the referendum takes place, then Crimea could already be part of Russia.

Venezuela

• Capital: Caracas
• Major Cities
  • Valencia
  • Barquisimieto
  • Maracaibo
  • Guayana City
  • Valencia
  • Maracay
• Major Geographical Features
  • Caribbean Sea
  • Atlantic Ocean
  • Gulf of Venezuela
  • Lake Maracaibo
  • Angel Falls
  • Llanos
  • Guyana Highlands
  • Orinoco River
  • Lake Valencia
  • Andes
• Official Name: Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela
• Religion: Roman Catholic (96%)
• Languages:
  • Spanish (official)
  • indigenous languages
• 1830 Gran Columbia collapses (separates into Panama, Colombia, Venezuela, and Ecuador)
• 2013: longtime authoritarian president Hugo Chavez dies
• 2014: students lead protests against the socialist government in multiple cities, leading to at least 25 deaths
• 2014: Venezuela breaks diplomatic and commercial relations with Panama, citing "conspiracy"
• Independence: 1811 from Spain
• Government: federal republic (the current regime embraces socialist principles)
• Currency: bolivar (VEB)
• Venezuela is slightly larger than 2 Californias
• Literacy: 93%
• Climate: tropical
• Member of the Organization for Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC)
• Export: Petroleum
• Named after Venice, Italy
• Angel Falls is the world's highest waterfall
• Home to the Catatumbo Lightning (18-60 lightning bolts per minute, 1.2 million per year)

Zimbabwe Adopts Chinese Yuan

This week Zimbabwe announced that it will now accept the Chinese yuan, the Australian dollar, the Indian rupee, and the Japanese yen. These currencies join the American dollar and the South African rand as legal tender in Zimbabwe.

Recently Zimbabwe has embarked on a Look East Policy, looking toward Asian nations to help its struggling economy. It has invited Chinese investments in diamond mining, construction, and retail. However, economists do not expect the move to affect the economy of this south African nation significantly.

Zimbabwe is the first nation other than China to use the yuan as legal tender. In comparison, the United States dollar is used in the United States, East Timor, Ecuador, El Salvador, and Panama.

Developments in Ukraine

• The new Ukrainian govrernment and Russian officials have begun holding talks to discuss the situation in Crimea. This weekend, Russia sent troops to Crimea and is occupying the peninsula. No fighting has occurred as of Tuesday morning.
• Russian president Vladimir Putin defended the invasion if Ukraine, saying that Russia has a right to protect ethnic Russians in Crimea and that the deposition of Viktor Yanukovych was a coup. On Saturday, the Russian parliament voted unanimously to allow Putin to use the military to intervene in Ukraine. On Tuesday, Putin said that force would be a last resort.
• Turkey has announced that a Russian plane was seen flying along its Black Sea coast. The Crimean peninsula juts into the northern part of the Black Sea and Turkey's northern border is the southern part. Turkey controls the Bosporus and Dardenelles, two straights that connect the Mediterranean and Black Seas. These two straights are strategic to trade in Eastern Europe.
• The United States announced that it will give Ukraine $1 billion in energy aid. Many have speculated that Russia's interest in Ukraine lies mainly in the gas lines that run through the nation. Russia, in recent years, has grown to be the major energy provider to Europe.
• Russia announced plans to build a bridge linking Crimea and Russia. The plan has been discussed for several years, but Russia announced that it would proceed with plans this week. The bridge would allow Russia access to Crimea without having to travel through mainland Ukraine.
• United States Secretary of State John Kerry arrived in Kiev today. He visited a shrine to those who died while protesting former president Viktor Yanukovych. Kerry has shown his support for the new government of Ukraine.
• While Russia has not had any specific sanctions put against them, the United States and NATO are discussing still-ambiguous economic sanctions against Russia. In addition, the G-7 nations (Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States) have suspended preparations to meet in Sochi, Russia, for a G-8 summit until Russia ends its occupation of Crimea. 

Fantastic Mr. Frozen Fox

A fox that most likely fell into Lake Bunn in southern Sweden has been found frozen solid. Scientists speculate that the fox fell into the freezing lake and was unable to escape, suffering a slow death by hypothermia. The fox was found with its head slightly above the surface of the lake and its body frozen in the water. This comes soon after Norwegians found a frozen school of fish and a moose frozen in a lake in their country.

Check out these photographs of the frozen animals.

Does Russia Have Anything to Lose?

This week, there has been much speculation on how Russia will respond to the Ukrainian parliament's impeachment of Viktor Yanukovych. Friday, the provisional government of Ukraine accused Russia of an "armed invasion" after reports of 2,000 Russian troops entering the pro-Russian Crimea. Russia does own the port of Sevastopol on Crimea as a naval base. President Obama has warned Russia of the "costs" of an invasion without specifying those costs.

If Russia were to invade Ukraine, it has a secure sphere of influence in the surrounding area. Russia has a military presence south of Ukraine in Moldova, north in Belarus, and east in the Caucasus region of Azerbaijan, Armenia, and Georgia. This map below shows the nations who view Russia more favorable than the United States, according to 2013 polls.

Russia has a strong influence in Asia and the Middle East. If the a war pitting Russia against the Western powers were to break out, Russia would have "home field advantage" and strong geographical support. Russia has historically (following World War II during the Cold War) maintained a strong influence in Eastern Europe, especially those nations in the Balkan Peninsula.

In short, Russia has the Black Sea surrounded in terms of easily influenced and manipulated nations. Following a strong statement to the world at the Sochi Winter Olympics, Russia might have nothing to lose by invading Ukraine. The invasion would secure Russian interests in politics and economics as Ukraine is the crossroads for Russia's vast and prosperous oil pipelines. In order for the West to reach site of the war, it would have to travel through nations that would, hypothetically, become hostile to their intervention. That is, of course, if the West decides to intervene militarily following a Russian invasion. The harshest claim warning Russian intervention has come from President Obama, the leader of the most powerful Western nation: Invading Ukraine will have "costs."