Sensationalizing geography #2 - Hot papers

GEOGIDIOT reads the GeogNews...
Ever wonder what are "hot papers" as listed in the GeogNews of the CAG?
Could "hot" mean stolen as in plagiarized or otherwise dishonest?
... Are the hot papers highly cited or innovative?
Not likely as some are in low impact journals!
Seem you only need to email in your paper details and it gets magically transformed into a "hot" paper!
A non-lazy database search will easily reveal these papers so why the need for duplication?
And there are hot papers listed in GeogNews (e.g. No. 218) that doesn't exist at all!
One is left to wonder about what is fact and what is fiction!

Thoughts? Share your comments below.

Sensationalizing geography #1 - Map use and reading

GEOADMIN reads the recent news...
The Memorial University story about their student lacking world geography map skill seems sensational!
... Nothing was said that History and Math also have the same fact-recall issues with students.
The Canadian media coast to coast literally ran with the story.
Liberal use of generalizations made the problem national, and placed all Canadian geography students under a cloud of suspicion!
A more valid conclusion may be that not all of Canada, but only Memorial geography students are poor at world geography!
Now we hear Newfoundland spends 50% more per person on average compared to the rest of Canada!!
More info is needed about geography recall in other provinces to make the issue national!
Makes one wonder about tactics and research grants!
Interesting to now learn the CAG 2013 annual meeting is being held at Memorial University!!
Notes:
Memorial University - Ranked 5th amongst Canadian comprehensive universities in 2012 by Macleans.
CAG - Canadian Association of Geographers.

Thoughts? Share your comments below.

Geography society journals and power dynamics

GEOIDIOT and GEOSAGE discusses...
What do you think is the main role of society journals?
The ethical role is to fairly encourage and disseminate high-quality academic scholarship. But...
It could be that some journals use the outlet to reward conformance and membership. Such a reward system includes and excludes to create a power group. It's the typical old boys and girls club situation!
I just looked at the society journal The Canadian Geographer. There were 6 chief editor changes in the last 20 years... None of those 6 chief editors were from Eastern Canada universities. Editorial power concentrates in the English west.
Did this Canadian journal situation occur naturally you think?
Understanding the closure of The Operational Geographer publication in the 1990's is a place to start!
Notes:
In the last 20 years, The Canadian Geographer had chief editor changes in the following years: 2010, 2008, 2006, 2002, 1999, 1993.

Thoughts? Share your comments below.