Mapnerds: The map of relative world powers

Hey MapNerds! Here’s another one I found quite illuminating.  Given the recent debt debates, fiscal cliffs in the US and UK, and Greece’s continued crisis…this is an interesting illustration of the relative power and, thus economic and financial capacity, each of these countries has or could have.  Not swaying opinions in any direction, but it is food for thought.  

The map first appeared in People’s Handy Atlas of the World in ca. 1920.  A post elaborating on it can also be found here: http://thesciencebookstore.com/thematic-maps-finding-russia-in-the-us-midwest/

Policy Mic: 4 Foreign Policy issues for the upcoming U.S. Presidential election

Both Candidate Romney and the President will square off on more than just jobs and the U.S. economy in the coming months.  Here’s a very basic overview of what I think are the four main foreign policy issues that will, or at least should, come to question during the 2012 U.S. Presidential election.  Between the global economy, Afghanistan, the Arab Spring effects, and Iraq – both will have to answer tough questions.

Pay particular attention to the comments section as there is already an interesting analysis being brought up and please feel free to weigh in here or on the link’s site with your comments!

http://www.policymic.com/articles/9886/4-foreign-policy-issues-that-obama-and-romney-will-clash-on

Greek election live-blog!

This seems to be year of historic elections around the world.  First Egypt and the results of their Arab Spring (the run-off election is today between Shafik and the Muslim Brotherhood’s Morsi) and now Greece and the “Grexit,” or possible Greek exit from the Euro due to massive debt and failing economy.

I’m happy to announce I will be live-blogging the elections with the editors at PolicyMic.com.

Please tune in over the weekend for regular updates, videos, quotes, and results!

http://www.policymic.com/articles/9779/greek-election-2012-results-live-euro-zone-hangs-in-balance

Also, if you are on Twitter I have composed a public list you can follow: @RestlessRani and “Greek elections”  I have tried to get as many reliable news sources and tweeps as I could, but if you have any to add, do let me know!

The official Twitter hashtag is #Greece2012

If you would like additional sources, just comment or shoot me e-email/Tweet, glad to provide my collection of articles and blogs.

UPDATES: 

Congrats to Greece on their UEFA Euro 2012 advancement win over Russia!!   It was certainly an unlikely victory since Russia had exhibited such skill in easily defeating the Czech Republic in their first game and Italy, in a friendly before the tournament. Ironically, Greece’s next match is June 22 in which they play the winner of Group B. Germany is currently leading that group with 6 points and their match tomorrow is against Denmark, who just came off a tough match with Portugal. Just another reason, why soccer illustrates international affairs better than most experts can. Perhaps we can see another picture of Angela Merkel watching her team with world leaders next week!

Also, If you remember the amazing pictures of street and graffiti art to come out of Cairo and Tahrir Square during the early days of the Arab Spring revolution, you will enjoy this artists work as well.  Click the link above to the live-blog and here for work by one artist, who only goes by Bleeps.  Revolutions, wars, and economic crises are heart-wrenching, back-breaking work, and sometimes bloody..and the art that comes out of it is quite amazing.  Here’s my favorite one: A bikini model, with an amputated leg.  The caption reads: Greece’s next economic model.