AUG 31 INDONESIA IS BUILDING A NEW CAPITAL CITY

AUG 31  INDONESIA IS BUILDING A NEW CAPITAL CITY

Attention Geography buffs worldwide! You're going to need to memorize a new capital city soon. And it's not some tiny principality in Europe...Nope, it's the world's fourth most populated country: Indonesia. On Monday, President Joko Widodo announced that in 2024, Jakarta will cease to be the nation's capital city. A new city is to be built on the island of Borneo. He didn't say what the NAME of the city will be.

What's wrong with Jakarta? The world's second largest metropolitan area (30 million people) will remain Indonesia's "centre of business, finance, trade and services," Widodo reassured residents. Yet the move sends a clear message: Jakarta needs to change. It's over-populated, horribly polluted and throttled by traffic. Although a 14-station subway system opened in May, building underground in Jakarta is difficult. Many sections of the city are sinking. It has the worst air in the world, with AQI readings around 270. Add the problem of frequent flooding, and you have a big city nightmare.

Widodo feels that Java...not just Jakarta...needs to stop being the center of development. Indonesia has more islands (17,000 total) than any other nation on earth. Yet 60% of the people live on the island of Java. (That's a whopping 145,00,000 people!) On the other hand, Borneo is an enormous, sparsely populated paradise covered in rainforests and lush jungles. Widodo notes it has "fewer earthquakes, floods and forest fires" than Java.

While the move caught Geography buffs by surprise, the idea has been discussed often. Sukarno, the George Washington of Indonesia, lobbied unsuccessfully for the move in the 1950's. He cited the need to decentralize the enormous nation, and noted the success a new capital city in similar nations: Brasilia and Canberra in Australia. The idea is to physically separate government from big business and the private sector. Sounds like a good plan!

Speaking of money, building a new international capital isn't cheap. To fund the massive project, Widodo will use 'asset management.' This involves selling the real estate the government already hold in Jakarta. Buildings in sought-after neighborhoods will net billions. Mostly, the timing of the announcement is Widodo's attempt at a lasting legacy as president. He's at the end of his term, and wants to be remembered as a pioneer...the 'People's President' who was not heavily influenced by the military, agribusiness or Islam.

AUG 24 WHO IS TO BLAME FOR AMAZON WILDFIRES?

AUG 24  WHO IS TO BLAME FOR AMAZON WILDFIRES?

It's hard to tell which is hotter: The wildfires burning in the Amazon Rainforest or the anger raging on the Internet in response. "Notre Dame burns; billions donated. Amazon burns; no one cares!" noted TeresaG64 on Twitter. Celebs like Madonna, Leo DiCaprio and Cristian Ronaldo all posted heartbreaking pix and Instagram. (Unfortunately, they were from a fire in California.) To help our readers sort out fact from fiction, let's see who really is to blame..

JAIR BOLSONARO? Brazil's president is the obvious target. Elected with an pro-business, anti-environment agenda, he has delivered on campaign promises. Ridiculing climate change, he weakened requirements for agribusiness permits. This led to unprecedented amount of slash-and-burn. In his first term alone, 1,330 square miles of rainforest were lost. Brazil is challenging the USA to become the world's #1 producer of beef, and grazing land is needed.

MOTHER NATURE? "Not so fast!" replies Bolsonaro. Brazilian officials are quick to remind the world that neighboring nations like Bolivia and Paraguay are also ablaze. Why? This year is an unprecedentedly bad Dry Season. Parched conditions like these result in surprisingly large fires. Combined with an oddly strong winds, smoke from the fires has covered Sao Paolo in haze. Here's the kicker: Sao Paolo is a staggering 2,000 miles away from the flames!

BAD TIMING? It's true, 2019 turned out to be the wrong year to initiate Bolsonaro's new agribusiness policy. Instead of clearing a thousand square miles, things got out of control. Seven enormous states are struggling to survive. Over 2,500 fires are raging, an 85% increase over last year. This means a football field burns every minute. Brazil's largest state, Amazonas, declared a state of emergency. Globally speaking, the fires have released 228 megatons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. Since the rainforest is essential in absorbing carbon emissions, it's a double-whammy.

The GOOD NEWS is despite Bolsonaro's nationalistic banter ("The Amazon belongs to Brazil"), the renegade president is learning something else: Brazil is part of Planet Earth as well. Led by French President Marcon, an international deluge of anger has flooded Brasilia. Frozen aid will be followed by sanctions and boycotts. This has forced Jair to change course. Army troops are being dispatched and international help is arriving soon. Let's just hope it's not too late..

AUG 17 PRESIDENT TRUMP WANTS TO BUY GREENLAND?

AUG 17  PRESIDENT TRUMP WANTS TO BUY GREENLAND?

When you first saw the bizarre headline about the USA purchasing Greenland, your first thought was to come to the DUNER BLOG. Thanks! Let's get to the mailbox.

Did Trump tweet this at three in the morning? Glen, Utah. Good question! Actually, it wasn't a tweet at all. Rather, this story first ran in the Wall Street Journal. Their source was a unnamed White House staff member. Anyhow, the insider quipped that Donald "in varying degrees of seriousness" brought up the subject a couple of times. Hmm. Whether it's legit or not, Glen, it still gives us one of the rare chances Greenland comes up in the news, so let's continue!

Did politicians over-react to the article? Karen, Hannover. Naturally! Regardless of the validity of the source, people couldn't wait to react online. Especially politicians. Greenland Premier Kim Kielsen says the world largest island is "not for sale." Likewise, Danish MP Rasmus Jarlov tweeted: "Forget it, Donald!" Wisely, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen declined to comment on the article in the WSJ.

Who owns Greenland? Kenji, Osaka. Norwegian Erik the Red was the first European to visit the ice-covered island in the year 986AD. He called it Greenland and encountered the Inuit and Thule people. Despite the colorful name, it received sporadic colonization from Norway over the next thousand years. OK, here comes the confusing part: In the 1700's, the Danish and Norwegian kingdoms merged together, sharing colonies. When they separated in a 1815 treaty, Denmark was ceded Greenland. Since 2009, Copenhagen has granted the island self-rule.

Why does Trump want Greenland? Juan, Quito. Alright...remember...Trump never officially announced this policy. Nonetheless, let's wildly speculate: It's not a military strategy, as the US already operates the Thule AFB as part of a 1950 NATO agreement with Denmark. Nope, most feel Trump is interested in Greenland's many natural resources. Coal (a Trump favorite), zinc, copper, iron...even rubies...are plentiful, yet hidden under the permafrost. With glaciers rapidly melting, these treasures might be exposed within a decade.

Is there any precedent for this? Burt, Boston. Believe it or not, this would NOT be the first time the USA has contacted Denmark about purchasing Greenland. Fresh off his savvy grab of Alaska, Secretary of State Seward also tried to acquire it. However, the only formal request came in 1946. President Truman offered $100 million for Greenland and was rebuffed. NOTE: The last time the US bought territory was in 1917, when the US purchased the Virgin Islands from Denmark.

How do the residents of Greenland feel about this? Sara, Boulder. Interesting angle, Sara. Greenland is the most sparsely populated place on earth. All of the 56,000 residents live in or around Nuuk, the capital. 90% are of Thule/Inuit descent. Although independent politically from Denmark, residents are still dependent on Denmark for food and supplies.

Stay tuned! Danish PM Frederiksen and Trump set to meet later in the year!!

AUG 9 WHICH SUBWAY SYSTEM IS THE MOST EXPENSIVE?

AUG 9  WHICH SUBWAY SYSTEM IS THE MOST EXPENSIVE?

While on summer holiday, Duner staffers used the Mexico City Metro. We were surprised to discover the price is still just 5 pesos per trip. That's only twenty-five cents! Here's how the ten largest subway systems worldwide compare:

MEXICO CITY. Cost: .25¢ 171 Stations. Constructed with funds from the petroleum-driven Mexican Miracle in the 1960's, the system opened just after the Olympics. Today, twelve busy lines carry over 4 million people daily. Given the fact that many riders are illiterate, it's the only subway that has an official symbol for every station.

BEIJING. Cost: .44¢ 391 Stations. Under Mao, a secret subway ferried government officials between a dozen stops around the capital. After Mao's death, it opened to the public. Since then, the population of Beijing has soared, and the subway has kept pace.

MOSCOW. Cost: .87¢  172 Stations. When the first line of the Moscow Metro opened in 1935, passengers were stunned. Designed to outshine the glamour of the Paris Metro, stations resemble mansions and cathedrals. Corinthian marble columns tower over sparking marble floors. Crystal chandeliers light the way for 7 million daily riders...still the most of any subway on earth.

SEOUL. Cost $1.20 232 Stations. The youngest subway on the list opened in 1977. Like K-Pop Music, it has expanded at a mind-numbing pace. Forty years later, it has expanded into nine lines and the Seoul Metro shows no signs of slowing up. Within the next five years, three new lines with dozens of new stations will open to the public. 

PARIS. Cost: $2.12. 381 Stations. The Fin de Siecle made Paris the world's most elegant city. When the Metropolitan opened in 1900, architect Hector Guimard took Art Nouveau to a new level. Even the entrances were grand: Ornate wrought iron gates beckon a traveler below. The Paris Metro is the world's most dense: It has the most stations per square kilometer.

CHICAGO. Cost: $2.25. 151 Stations. Also a pioneer in urban rail, Chicago's Urban Rail System opened eight years before Paris. Yet it wasn't until 1943 when Chicago opened its first line underground. Many of the Elevated Lines are still operable today. 

TOKYO. Cost: $2.46. 202 Stations. Perhaps the most intimidating of all subway systems, the Tokyo Subway has the most individual lines. They crisscross in a spider's web of color, right angles and Japanese characters. Yet once you venture into the stations, you'll find simple signage in English. Piece of cake!

NEW YORK CITY. Cost: $2.75. 472 Stations. Yep, you read that right: 472 stations make NYC the largest subway system in the world. This includes the recently-opened four stations on the Second Street Line in Manhattan...the most expensive subway line ever built. What separates NYC from the other systems is the Express Lines. Only a helicopter is faster!

BERLIN. Cost: $3.00. 170 Stations. When it first opened in 1902, Berlin was already the world's largest railway center. To differentiate between Street Cars, two names were used. The U-Bahn is underground and S-Bahn on the streets. Today, the two intertwine and often share the same tracks. Bring your wallet: German and Scandinavian cities average over $3 per subway system.

LONDON. Cost: $3.70. 306 Stations. The world's first subway ran under New Road and opened in 1863. Using the cut and cover method, it ferried passengers from Paddington to the Thames River banks. It set the standard and how subways should be built, and continues to innovate. Yet despite the changes, the Underground maintains the old-school feel of the Victorian Era. Check out the couches on the Bakerloo Line!