Hi

The heat is waning as cool air begins to take over. I love the fall, but I'm already dreading the coldness of winter. I suppose the more winters I spend in a state where it actually qualifies as winter will help me with my phobia of cold weather. I hope.

On a lighter note, a friend of mine just got married! I love weddings. They are a celebration of love, a time when not just the bride and groom, but many others as well are reminded of the love that they share with their spouse. Beautiful.

Election 2008

The Electoral College

Thematic maps are an important and interesting part of geography. A couple of newsletters ago we suggested an activity that involved making a few different thematic maps: time zones, climate, population, etc. In light of the nearing presidential election there is another thematic map that you can make to incorporate current events.

In the free download below there are two documents; one a map of the United States, and the other an Electoral College Tally Sheet. On the night of the election use the tally sheet to keep track of the voting results. As the night progresses, fill in the number of electoral votes received for each state and then color it to show the state's presidential winner: blue for Democrat, red for Republican.

Electoral College Download

The Electoral College is a complicated system. Many people wonder why do we even have an Electoral College. Do our votes count? The answer, of course, is yes. The Electoral College is mainly set up for states such as Wyoming, which are obviously far less populated than, say, California. The number of electors in each state varies by population, and is determined by how many senators and representatives that state sends to Congress. Every state automatically has two senators, and then a number of representatives based on its actual population. So each state has at least three people in Congress, and at least three electors. Three electoral votes might not seem like much, but comparatively the states with low populations have much more influence in the Electoral College than they do in the popular vote. Although this system can be confusing at times, it ensures that highly populated areas do not completely dominate elections. And, it’s apparently effective since the United States has the oldest continuously functioning democracy in the world. Its constitution was ratified in 1788 and has been amended only 27 times since then. The first 10 of these amendments were called the Bill of Rights.

Don’t forget to vote! Your opinions matters, and even though you might be wondering whether one vote really can make a difference. If you’re thinking like that, then consider how many other people are too. Make your opinion count by voting!

A Word From Ashley

Race for the Cure

A couple of weeks ago the 11th annual Race for the Cure was held in Evansville, Indiana. The Wiggers family has been attending this event nearly every year since it began. Cindy’s mom, Joan, is a breast cancer survivor - thirteen years and counting. The race is five kilometers (three miles) long. There was a record attendance this year of about eighteen thousand people, and our group consisted of nineteen (counting Mandy, our dog). This was my second time attending the race, and I want to share the experience with you. The inspiration was almost tangible! The whole event is really a celebration of life, and a chance to appreciate it. Some people race with a loved one who has survived breast cancer, others race for the memory of a loved one. Some people simply come in support of a good cause. Before the race begins, all the survivors walk down an aisle lined by the people who came to support them. The women come out with huge smiles and a dignified step. Most of them are trying to hold back tears that soon begin rolling down their cheeks. Just picture thousands of people cheering you on, celebrating your life. Celebrating, because you’re alive. The feeling was everywhere; it was intoxicating; each person there was thankful for someone else. That’s a powerful thing, and it doesn't happen as often as it should. Eighteen thousand people got together to race in honor of preserving life.

Until next time,

Ashley Wiggers
info@geomatters.com
800-426-4650

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