Chapter 18: Images of Hawaii

Below, you will see pictures of my trip to Hawaii from May 2009. I went to Oahu and went to Pearl Harbor, met a Pearl Harbor survivor, visited Diamond Head, the Dole Plantation, The Polynesian Cultural Center, Paradise Cove, and saw the clearest, warmest, and most amazing beaches.

Chapter 18: Hawaii

**The picture of the beach is a great shot I was able to take from one of the most amazing beaches along the North Shore.

Hawaii is surrounded by the Pacific Ocean. Hawaii is not part of what is normally called the "mainland," but it is certainly a very popular state in the nation. It is visited by people all over the country and the world. In fact, the state garners most of its revenue via tourism.

Hawaii's origins are volcanic. Hawaii has a history of Asian, Polynesian, and European cultures. About 75% of the state's population live in the Honolulu area, which is in the island of Oahu.

It is a very beautiful island, with lots of beautiful beaches and tourists attractions. The Polynesian Cultural Center is a very well-visited location that highlights the state's background.

In terms of agriculture, Hawaii is known for sugar and pineapple growth. The Dole Plantation is one location in which visitors can trace the history of the state's agriculture and crops.

Livestock is not abundant in this region. For this region, milk is a costly product.

Hawaii's beaches are also all public, unlike beaches in California, which can be owned by those with money who possess access to what we call "private beaches." This is not the case in Hawaii. The people fought against any legislation that would take any type of ownership of its beautiful beaches.

The state is also known for its military bases. Pear Harbor is one such famous example.

I visited the island of Oahu in May 2009, and was able to capture breathtaking sites. I have some pictures here to share.

Chapter 16: The North Pacific Coast

Seattle is one of the largest cities in the Pacific Northwest. It is often considered to be "one of America's livable cities" because it offers the urban feel and occupation opportunity with a very green environment.

The Pacific Northwest has only a few large metropolitan cities, which include Vancouver (Canada), Portland (Oregon), and Seattle (Washington).

The Pacific Northwest is often referred to as "Ecotopia." According to lecture, Ecotopia is characterized by being "coastal, having lofty, snow-capped mountains, attractive cities, migration destination," which means it has raised concerns among locals who worry about overpopulation.

This is true of Seattle. Residents of this gorgeous city have increasing concerns because of traffic. There are more lanes being added to the freeway, but it is difficult because instead of minimizing traffic, it might only add more.

It is difficult to get around Seattle since there are not many highways, and sometime ferries have to be used to get across the water.

As mentioned in previous chapters of this blog, precipitation is not what most people assume for this region. The text explains, "[W]hen precipitation falls, it seldom takes the form of heavy thundershowers; more typical is a gentle, light, frequent rain that feels like a heavy mist. This form of precipitation lessens runoff, normal in heavy rains, and enables vegetation to make maximum use of the moisture" (325).

Another interesting fact is that Oregon and Washington have the lowest peaks in the Coast Ranges.

Vancouver, Portland, and Seattle have large populations with over 1.9 million people (329). These cities all have great harbors.

Seattle, Washington has large industries, one of them is Microsoft. Seattle is also known for the University of Washington, which is a leader in research, particularly in healthcare. Other important sectors include technology and biotechnology.

When I was there, I saw state of the art facilities which specialized in women's health and children's health as well. The city's residents are very friendly, progressive, and active outdoors. Some of the websites I visited proclaimed Seattle as "one of the most healthy and active cities in the nation."

It is also a very highly educated city with an astonishing library. The Seattle Art Museum is also a very beautiful cultural landmark. Moreover, Seattleites have a growing Asian population, and it is the home of the first Starbucks.

Much of the agriculture in the Pacific Northwest is for local consumption, and this is something that Seattle is maintaining as a core value through legislation proposed for this year. Grape production is also high in Oregon and Washington, and these states are known for having great wineries. Dairy products are also significant in the Wilamette valley in Oregon as well as the Puget Sound lowland in Washington.

Fishing is also an important aspect of the region's economy. In Seattle, Pike Place has a wonderful Farmer's Market that sells several varieties of fish. This is a very well-visited tourist attraction for people. I was also told by locals that Seattle hosts a Cheese Festival each year in May. People from all over the world bring their most delectable types of cheese.

Chapter 15: California

California is a very significant state in the country. It is one of the largest states in the United States, and it has a very high population. According to the course textbook, California is home to 12% of Americans.

It is a very urban state. In fact, no other state is as urban as California is.

Like Seattle, California tends to be more progressive politically than other states.

Seattle is known for having residents with higher levels of education. Most residents in Seattle are White. Some resources estimate that more Seattle's White population is between 65-70%. California, however, is much more ethnically diverse.

California faces several problems such as water shortages, an increasing population due to its attractive climate, and economic issues. These problems are also internal because Northern California and Southern California have a very divisive and in some ways, antagonistic relationship with one another. One of these problems stems from the growing concern of water distribution. Much of Southern California's water comes from the Owens Valley, which is coming directly from Northern California. Residents become upset and irate to learn that they face water shortages now and have to pay a price for this shortage. Southern California has more political clout than Northern California, and is able to continue receiving water.

Nevertheless, water has become an increasingly difficult resource to acquire. There are water shortages because of misuse and overuse all over the country and world.

Earthquakes are part of California's history. Seismologists estimate that California is bound for another earthquake in the near future, although it is difficult to name when this will happen and where the epicenter will take place.

Seattle has Mt. Rainier which is a site for volcanic activity.

Chapter 14: The Southwest Border Area: Tricultural Development

The Southwest Border Area of the United States is one of several mental constructs that many people easily identify. It is geographically easy to locate on a map, and people hold several notions of what the region is like. Because this area shares a border with another country, Mexico, it also has a long history of relations with people from Mexico.

Additionally, there are three major coexisting cultures: Spanish American, American Indian, and European American. In its early settlement period, the Southwest was not regarded as a very attractive destination for migrants because of its arid land. Over time, it became a popular destination for many migrants because of the long period of warm climate.

The Spanish settlement created missions along California, which has left an imprint in the state's landscapes, housing, and history.

This region has a growing population of people from Mexico and Latin America, particularly because of its proximity to Mexico. The United States relied on foreign labor for agriculture. It is less reliant now because machinery is able to do a lot of work that was formerly done by hand.

The Bracero Program (1942-1964) was instituted in order to hire temporary workers from Mexico for agriculture. This was a means to make up for the shortage of labor during World War II.

Native Americans are mostly in reservations, though there is a growing number of Native Americans from various tribes who are integrated into mainstream culture.

Los Angeles, California is home to a rapid growing number of Native Americans who do not live on reservations.

Seattle, by contrast, is mostly White, with a very small Hispanic population. It has a highly educated populace. This differs from the Hispanic neighborhoods found in the Southwest who have typically a low SES (socio-economic status).

Chapter 13: The Empty Interior

More than 70% of Utah is Mormon. According to the text, "Mormons still have a substantial impact on the Empty Interior. Of the region's roughly 14.5 million people, about one in seven are Mormons" (262). This is a stark difference from the residents of Seattle who are generally do not attend church services. Thus, this region is very secular. In fact, it is considered to be one of the most secular regions of the country.

The Empty Interior is dominated by plateaus and mountains. It is the principal region of the Mormon religion. This section of the United States is characterized by low population density.

Also, this region has agriculture, but it often needs irrigation, which creates problems for the residents of this area.

"Much of the Empty Interior has a precipitation pattern that leaves it arid or semiarid. The dryness becomes increasingly apparent toward the region's southern zones. Nearly all of the area in the United States that can be classified as desert is found in the Empty Interior or in the Southwest's borderlands. In the Empty Interior's north, especially in northern British Columbia, the Yukon Territory, and Alaska, a long cold season is the dominant climatic theme" (256).

The Empty Interior has two important uses. One is that American Indian reservations are located here and the second is that the U.S.'s largest bombing and gunnery ranges are located here as well.

In contrast, Seattle's original inhabitants are also American Indians, and there are no known bomb testing center located there. Seattleites prefer a very clean, green and luscious town with eco-friendly uses, despite having Boeing as a large industry.

Chapter 12: The Great Plains and Prairies

The Great Plains region is considered to be a largely homogeneous area physically and culturally. However, it is very diverse in several respects. Many of these misconceptions derive from literature that takes place in this region. Much description of this region often depicts this area as being boring, uniform, very plain, and with very little diversity.

Precipitation is also different in this area. The textbook notes, "In Kansas, for example, average annual precipitation varies from a moist 105 centimeters (42 inches) in the southeast to a semiarid 40 centimeters (16 inches) in the southwest" (236).

According to the text, "The Great Plains as a broader region is substantially an academic invention of the twentieth century. It is an idea used to frame responses to the widespread economic and environmental problems that developed in this part of the United States during the Depression of the 1930s. Built on the powerful image of "the Great American Desert" and reinforced by literature and film, the Great Plains entered Americans' conceptual framework of regions" (232).

Most people picture uniform and flat land when they think of the Great Plains. Nevertheless, "...[T]he Great Plains and prairies is that all its residents share the same ethnic background. This, too, like images of a homogeneous physical environment, is not the case" (233).

There are several areas of Washington where there is not as much rain or precipitation as is commonly thought. There are also various differences in its topography, although Seattle overlooks Mt. Rainier.