http://www.mcwetboy.net/maproom/ A weblog about maps. Copyright 2009 Jonathan Crowe. Some rights reserved. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.0/ Sun, 15 Nov 2009 14:10:13 -0500 http://www.movabletype.org/?v=3.21 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss en-CA rss@mcwetboy.com (Jonathan Crowe) rss@mcwetboy.com (Jonathan Crowe) 45.60073876.494434 I grew up in Winnipeg, so I was thrilled to discover the thousand-plus maps of Winnipeg, Brandon and the rest of Manitoba posted on the Manitoba Historical Maps Flickr account. The maps include old city maps, transit maps, insurance maps, planning maps, topo maps, highway maps -- some of... http://www.mcwetboy.net/maproom/2009/11/manitoba_histor.php http://www.mcwetboy.net/maproom/2009/11/manitoba_histor.php Antique Maps, Cities, Roads http://www.mcwetboy.net/maproom/2009/11/manitoba_histor.php#comments Sun, 15 Nov 2009 14:10:13 -0500 Jonathan Crowe Vanity Fair points to Mapping New York's Shoreline, 1609-2009, an exhibition at the New York Public Library's Stephen A. Schwartzman building that runs until June 26, 2010 (exhibition details here). Drawing on The New York Public Library's collection of Dutch, English, French, and American mapping of the Atlantic coastal... http://www.mcwetboy.net/maproom/2009/11/mapping_new_yor.php http://www.mcwetboy.net/maproom/2009/11/mapping_new_yor.php Antique Maps, Exhibitions http://www.mcwetboy.net/maproom/2009/11/mapping_new_yor.php#comments Sun, 15 Nov 2009 13:03:51 -0500 Jonathan Crowe If GPS isn't accurate enough for you, you should probably look into something like real-time kinematic (RTK) navigation, which corrects GPS signals down to an accuracy of one centimetre. RTK is explained on Wikipedia and Magellan's site. Make points to a project to build a low-cost RTK-GPS receiver.... http://www.mcwetboy.net/maproom/2009/11/realtime_kinema.php http://www.mcwetboy.net/maproom/2009/11/realtime_kinema.php GPS http://www.mcwetboy.net/maproom/2009/11/realtime_kinema.php#comments Sat, 14 Nov 2009 18:27:38 -0500 Jonathan Crowe The Linda Hall Library of Science, Engineering and Technology in Kansas City, Missouri gets a mention in the travel section of the New York Times (in an article on rare book collections that are accessible to the public) for its collection of celestial atlases. Via MapHist. On past exhibitions of... http://www.mcwetboy.net/maproom/2009/11/another_look_at_2.php http://www.mcwetboy.net/maproom/2009/11/another_look_at_2.php Antique Maps, Astronomy, Libraries http://www.mcwetboy.net/maproom/2009/11/another_look_at_2.php#comments Sat, 14 Nov 2009 11:23:41 -0500 Jonathan Crowe Large globes can be kind of pricey; David Burwell built his own 20-inch globe using the Generic Mapping Tools datasets and a beach ball mold. Ingenious. Via Boing Boing and Make.... http://www.mcwetboy.net/maproom/2009/11/a_homemade_glob.php http://www.mcwetboy.net/maproom/2009/11/a_homemade_glob.php Globes http://www.mcwetboy.net/maproom/2009/11/a_homemade_glob.php#comments Sat, 14 Nov 2009 11:15:12 -0500 Jonathan Crowe The Fail Blog does maps, too.... http://www.mcwetboy.net/maproom/2009/11/geography_fail.php http://www.mcwetboy.net/maproom/2009/11/geography_fail.php Fun, Mapping Errors http://www.mcwetboy.net/maproom/2009/11/geography_fail.php#comments Sat, 14 Nov 2009 08:45:19 -0500 Jonathan Crowe A report by the Center for American Progress and the U.S. Chamber of Congress ranks states on the performance of their schools in eight categories of "innovation"; naturally, these grades have been put on an interactive map. Via Cartophilia.... http://www.mcwetboy.net/maproom/2009/11/mapping_school.php http://www.mcwetboy.net/maproom/2009/11/mapping_school.php Education http://www.mcwetboy.net/maproom/2009/11/mapping_school.php#comments Fri, 13 Nov 2009 16:39:38 -0500 Jonathan Crowe Check out Cameron Booth's map of the U.S. Interstate Highway system in the style of a diagram (i.e., the London Tube map). Not the first time I've seen something like this, but this is a very, very good implementation. Thanks to Richard for the tip. Previously: Interstate Highway Diagram.... http://www.mcwetboy.net/maproom/2009/11/us_interstates.php http://www.mcwetboy.net/maproom/2009/11/us_interstates.php Roads http://www.mcwetboy.net/maproom/2009/11/us_interstates.php#comments Fri, 13 Nov 2009 16:33:52 -0500 Jonathan Crowe GeoVation encourages people to create "great ideas based on geography," which is to say, map mashups. There are two competitions: one for ideas, more than 100 of which have been posted so far; and one for ventures, which involves prize money. The competitions are backed by the Ordnance Survey and... http://www.mcwetboy.net/maproom/2009/11/geovation.php http://www.mcwetboy.net/maproom/2009/11/geovation.php Hacks & Mashups http://www.mcwetboy.net/maproom/2009/11/geovation.php#comments Fri, 13 Nov 2009 09:58:07 -0500 Jonathan Crowe Valleywag thinks Google Latitude's location history feature (previously) is creepy: "Google said it can now keep a detailed list of everywhere you go, play your trips back like movies and generate 'alerts' for unusual movements. Who wants this? The CIA? Nope: ordinary modern humans are asking to be tracked. Insane."... http://www.mcwetboy.net/maproom/2009/11/google_latitude_4.php http://www.mcwetboy.net/maproom/2009/11/google_latitude_4.php Censorship, Security & Privacy, Geolocation Services http://www.mcwetboy.net/maproom/2009/11/google_latitude_4.php#comments Fri, 13 Nov 2009 09:51:26 -0500 Jonathan Crowe Webdesigner Depot's 30 Superb Examples of Infographic Maps: "Map illustrations are a dime a dozen; however, a strong and balanced display of graphics, information, and colors is what makes an infographic stand out and reach its target audience effectively." Via geoparadigm.... http://www.mcwetboy.net/maproom/2009/11/30_superb_infog.php http://www.mcwetboy.net/maproom/2009/11/30_superb_infog.php Miscellany http://www.mcwetboy.net/maproom/2009/11/30_superb_infog.php#comments Fri, 13 Nov 2009 09:41:14 -0500 Jonathan Crowe More media coverage of Strange Maps, the book version of what is basically the most popular map blog out there: the Freakonomics blog interviews the book's (and blog's) author, Frank Jacobs. Previously: Updates on Two New Books; Strange Maps, the Book, Coming Later This Month; Blogs into Books. Buy... http://www.mcwetboy.net/maproom/2009/11/strange_maps_fr.php http://www.mcwetboy.net/maproom/2009/11/strange_maps_fr.php Books http://www.mcwetboy.net/maproom/2009/11/strange_maps_fr.php#comments Fri, 13 Nov 2009 09:31:49 -0500 Jonathan Crowe Totem Publications, a Pacific Northwest publisher of detailed maps of obscure parts of Washington state, appears to be winding down, the Everett Herald reports. For certain parts of the state, the maps are "the only map game in town," offering detail not available in competitors' products.... http://www.mcwetboy.net/maproom/2009/11/pacific_northwe.php http://www.mcwetboy.net/maproom/2009/11/pacific_northwe.php Publishers http://www.mcwetboy.net/maproom/2009/11/pacific_northwe.php#comments Wed, 11 Nov 2009 19:36:55 -0500 Jonathan Crowe The International Conferences on the History of Cartography themselves have a history: this page is an index to pages on every conference since 1964; each conference page has a list of the papers presented, and some of them have photo galleries. Via MapHist.... http://www.mcwetboy.net/maproom/2009/11/the_history_of_4.php http://www.mcwetboy.net/maproom/2009/11/the_history_of_4.php Conferences http://www.mcwetboy.net/maproom/2009/11/the_history_of_4.php#comments Wed, 11 Nov 2009 19:29:33 -0500 Jonathan Crowe The Morning News has a different kind of map quiz: "We’ve removed the legends and all other telltale labels from the maps below, and challenge you to guess what each map depicts using only clues contained within the maps: the color-coding, names, landmarks, and whatever else you can detect. Here’s... http://www.mcwetboy.net/maproom/2009/11/maps_without_le.php http://www.mcwetboy.net/maproom/2009/11/maps_without_le.php Miscellany http://www.mcwetboy.net/maproom/2009/11/maps_without_le.php#comments Wed, 11 Nov 2009 19:24:32 -0500 Jonathan Crowe More maps of Saturn's moon Enceladus, in the form of two polar stereographic maps released today for its northern and southern hemispheres. The maps are mosaics compiled from the best Cassini and Voyager images. Image credit: NASA/JPL/Space Science Institute. Previously: New Map of Enceladus.... http://www.mcwetboy.net/maproom/2009/11/polar_maps_of_e.php http://www.mcwetboy.net/maproom/2009/11/polar_maps_of_e.php Astronomy http://www.mcwetboy.net/maproom/2009/11/polar_maps_of_e.php#comments Wed, 11 Nov 2009 14:13:24 -0500 Jonathan Crowe I should have waited: this Google LatLong post summarizes all the Street View updates: not only Hawaii and Mexico, but also Spain and the Netherlands. Meanwhile, Latitude has added a couple of features: history and alerts. Not to disrespect the Bing, which had some interface and feature upgrades announced yesterday.... http://www.mcwetboy.net/maproom/2009/11/online_maps_mis.php http://www.mcwetboy.net/maproom/2009/11/online_maps_mis.php Geolocation Services, Online Maps http://www.mcwetboy.net/maproom/2009/11/online_maps_mis.php#comments Wed, 11 Nov 2009 08:39:20 -0500 Jonathan Crowe In addition to Mexico, Street View has also come to Hawaii.... http://www.mcwetboy.net/maproom/2009/11/also_hawaii.php http://www.mcwetboy.net/maproom/2009/11/also_hawaii.php Online Maps http://www.mcwetboy.net/maproom/2009/11/also_hawaii.php#comments Mon, 09 Nov 2009 20:28:58 -0500 Jonathan Crowe The Grim Reaper's Road Map: An Atlas of Mortality in Britain, which came out last year, "analyses over 14 million deaths over the 24-year period 1981-2004 in Britain. It gives a comprehensive overview of the geographical pattern of mortality," including all deaths and deaths from a number of different... http://www.mcwetboy.net/maproom/2009/11/the_grim_reaper.php http://www.mcwetboy.net/maproom/2009/11/the_grim_reaper.php Books, Demography http://www.mcwetboy.net/maproom/2009/11/the_grim_reaper.php#comments Mon, 09 Nov 2009 20:18:13 -0500 Jonathan Crowe Like Cartophilia, designer Elizabeth Daggar sent me a copy of her unusual project, Calendria, the full title of which is the World Atlas of Calendria for the Year 2010 of the Common Era, as Observed and Faithfully Recorded by Electrofork. Liz calls Calendria "a calendar-as-world comprising twelve countries (months)."... http://www.mcwetboy.net/maproom/2009/11/calendria.php http://www.mcwetboy.net/maproom/2009/11/calendria.php Art, Miscellany http://www.mcwetboy.net/maproom/2009/11/calendria.php#comments Mon, 09 Nov 2009 19:22:47 -0500 Jonathan Crowe A Mexican version of Google Maps has launched; here's Google's announcement from last Friday (in Spanish). As Google Maps Mania also notes, Street View imagery has been added for seven cities in Mexico; that was supposed to have launched today, but I've checked Mexico City and Guadalajara and it's not... http://www.mcwetboy.net/maproom/2009/11/google_maps_lau.php http://www.mcwetboy.net/maproom/2009/11/google_maps_lau.php Online Maps http://www.mcwetboy.net/maproom/2009/11/google_maps_lau.php#comments Mon, 09 Nov 2009 18:59:09 -0500 Jonathan Crowe Very Spatial points to an amusing geocaching t-shirt on Zazzle.com: "I use multi-million dollar satellites to find Tupperware in the woods. What's your hobby?" A look at the t-shirt page's recommendations reveals lots of other geocaching-themed t-shirts on the same site.... http://www.mcwetboy.net/maproom/2009/11/geocaching_tshi.php http://www.mcwetboy.net/maproom/2009/11/geocaching_tshi.php Geocaching, Miscellany http://www.mcwetboy.net/maproom/2009/11/geocaching_tshi.php#comments Mon, 09 Nov 2009 18:42:41 -0500 Jonathan Crowe Zachary Forest Johnson provides "a quick outline of the first maps created with six common cartographic symbologies. ... The six symbologies are the classic thematic cartography representation methods: choropleth, proportional symbol, dot density, flow, isarithmic, and cartogram." Only one of them predates the 19th century.... http://www.mcwetboy.net/maproom/2009/11/the_first_thema.php http://www.mcwetboy.net/maproom/2009/11/the_first_thema.php History of Cartography http://www.mcwetboy.net/maproom/2009/11/the_first_thema.php#comments Mon, 09 Nov 2009 18:34:34 -0500 Jonathan Crowe Our latest example of map miscellany comes in the form of quilting fabrics with a pattern resembling a New York subway map from a quilt shop in New York City. Probably not for use in navigation. Via Very Spatial.... http://www.mcwetboy.net/maproom/2009/11/new_york_subway_3.php http://www.mcwetboy.net/maproom/2009/11/new_york_subway_3.php Miscellany http://www.mcwetboy.net/maproom/2009/11/new_york_subway_3.php#comments Sun, 08 Nov 2009 18:08:19 -0500 Jonathan Crowe Jeff Thurston reviews Rethinking Maps: New Frontiers in Cartographic Theory, a collection of essays: In summary, this book cuts a wide swath. It is not solely for cartographers or map makers. Rather, it is about the processes that motivate people to include maps into their daily lives, from the... http://www.mcwetboy.net/maproom/2009/11/rethinking_maps_1.php http://www.mcwetboy.net/maproom/2009/11/rethinking_maps_1.php Books http://www.mcwetboy.net/maproom/2009/11/rethinking_maps_1.php#comments Sat, 07 Nov 2009 09:19:45 -0500 Jonathan Crowe Since 2004, the International Maritime Organization has required all vessels of 300 or more gross tons to carry an AIS transponder, which transponder transmits position, speed and course and other information about the ship. MarineTraffic.com takes that data and plots it on a map. The data is updated every hour... http://www.mcwetboy.net/maproom/2009/11/live_marine_tra.php http://www.mcwetboy.net/maproom/2009/11/live_marine_tra.php Nautical http://www.mcwetboy.net/maproom/2009/11/live_marine_tra.php#comments Fri, 06 Nov 2009 12:18:17 -0500 Jonathan Crowe At the McMichael Canadian Art Collection in Kleinburg, north of Toronto, until January 17, 2010, an exhibition of Cape Dorset art: Nunannguaq: In the Likeness of the Earth: In Inuktitut, the word Nunannguaq translates into “in the likeness of the earth,” which refers to a complex system used (like a... http://www.mcwetboy.net/maproom/2009/11/nunannguaq_in_t.php http://www.mcwetboy.net/maproom/2009/11/nunannguaq_in_t.php Art, Exhibitions http://www.mcwetboy.net/maproom/2009/11/nunannguaq_in_t.php#comments Fri, 06 Nov 2009 09:58:15 -0500 Jonathan Crowe Peter Batty weighs in on the quality of Google's new, homegrown map data: As anyone in the geo world knows, all maps have errors, and it's hard to do a really rigorous analysis on Google's current dataset versus others. But I think there is strong evidence that the new Google... http://www.mcwetboy.net/maproom/2009/11/a_significant_s.php http://www.mcwetboy.net/maproom/2009/11/a_significant_s.php Driving Directions, Mapping Errors, Online Maps http://www.mcwetboy.net/maproom/2009/11/a_significant_s.php#comments Fri, 06 Nov 2009 07:18:04 -0500 Jonathan Crowe Remember Children Map the World, the collection of maps from the biennial Barbara Petchenik Children's Maps Competition? I blogged about it four years ago. Now there's a second volume; whereas the first volume covered the first 10 years of the competition, volume two showcases 100 maps from the 2005-2007... http://www.mcwetboy.net/maproom/2009/11/children_map_th_1.php http://www.mcwetboy.net/maproom/2009/11/children_map_th_1.php Books http://www.mcwetboy.net/maproom/2009/11/children_map_th_1.php#comments Thu, 05 Nov 2009 14:06:14 -0500 Jonathan Crowe While browsing in, of all places, a science fiction bookstore, I stumbled across a new book by Mark Ovenden that looked quite interesting in the brief time I had to look at it: Paris Underground: The Maps, Stations, and Design of the Metro. Mark is, you will remember, the... http://www.mcwetboy.net/maproom/2009/11/paris_undergrou.php http://www.mcwetboy.net/maproom/2009/11/paris_undergrou.php Books, Mass Transit, Paris http://www.mcwetboy.net/maproom/2009/11/paris_undergrou.php#comments Thu, 05 Nov 2009 12:46:38 -0500 Jonathan Crowe