Maps, and measurements of the World.

[swee'pea99]

I like the maps of the world that are not based on Mercator's Projection but on land area. It makes you realise how enormous Africa is, and how tiny Europe is.

http://www.worldmapper.org/display.php?selected=1

There was a great episode of West Wing once featuring this in the course of a day that's sort of the American equivalent of private members bills at Westminster - ie, people/organisations chosen by lottery, invited to present their proposals for legislation. One of the winners this year being a group who want the Mercator map

replaced in classrooms by the Peters map

pointing out that, for example, the map that tells American children 'what the world looks like' makes Greenland look about the same size as Africa, which in truth is more than 18 times larger.

At one point they present a world map that's 'upside down', pointing out that North at the top, South at the bottom is nothing but a cartographic convention, and - given that the world is a globe in space - no more 'true' than the opposite. CJ asks them to take the map down. 'Why?' they ask. 'Because it's doing my head in,' she replies, or something along those lines.

 

[classic33]

Perhaps it's time I bough a new map. New ones seem to have bits added.
View attachment 382608

What's the island west of Ireland?

 

[Speicher]

What's the island west of Ireland?

Looks like Iceland.

 

[slowmotion]

Café thread?

Nah. Surely some people could take grave offence at this?

 

[robjh]

For a more serious look at strange maps, the ...errr.... Strange Maps blog is worth reading. Here's another one, which has been all over social media recently and which Strange Maps helped publicise. I want to see the page to the west.

View attachment 382582

All those railway lines! It must have been intended for a pre-Beeching Warsaw Pact invasion.

Seriously though, I wonder what the point of a pronouncing map like that was without a gloss that gives the real spelling, as the identity of (eg.) Ferek with Thurrock may not be obvious to confused Polish troops on the ground.

 

[Tin Pot]

I prefer hand drawn maps that are all out of proportion

 

[Drago]

One of my favourites.

 

[Tin Pot]

 

[srw]

All those railway lines! It must have been intended for a pre-Beeching Warsaw Pact invasion.

Seriously though, I wonder what the point of a pronouncing map like that was without a gloss that gives the real spelling, as the identity of (eg.) Ferek with Thurrock may not be obvious to confused Polish troops on the ground.

Somewhere I read a review of the newly published book it comes from. If I remember correctly it wasn't really an invasion map. I'll try and remember to look it up and report back.

 

[growingvegetables]

For a more serious look at strange maps, the ...errr.... Strange Maps blog is worth reading ...

Brilliant! Thank you

 

[srw]

Seriously though, I wonder what the point of a pronouncing map like that was without a gloss that gives the real spelling, as the identity of (eg.) Ferek with Thurrock may not be obvious to confused Polish troops on the ground.

Administration maps, for the inevitable moment when the oppressed proletariat of the world unites, shakes off its chains and welcomes in the glorious dawn of perpetual communist victory. Speculates one of the authors of the book from which the illustration is taken.

http://blogs.bl.uk/magnificentmaps/2017/02/soviet-military-mapping-of-the-cold-war-era.html

Here's the website of the book: https://redatlasbook.com/more

 

[MontyVeda]

I was close the that red line between Knocksville and Chattanooga... we missed the traffic by setting off super-early avoided that road completely for the return journey

 

[MontyVeda]

I prefer hand drawn maps that are all out of proportion

You'll like this one then... from c1360

 

[MontyVeda]

... the Peters map

View attachment 382629

...

and there was me thinking my shower curtain was just a dodgy print, with the world map stretched to fill the space... now i know

 

[TVC]

The dangers of living in the Goldilocks zone.