Dog A Hawk

MADtv - iRack (including blooper in the end)

http://www.colemaneverest.com/coleman/everest/mike.asp

Follow this like see a good example of using google earth pro to do a fly by. This example is of climbing Mt Everst.

Poster Design

This is a good link to a website about poster design
http://www.ncsu.edu/project/posters/NewSite/
http://www.gmu.edu/departments/writingcenter/ppt/ppframe.htm

Extreme Cartography

To help me write about this topic, I thought that I would find a good definition for extreme.

I search the Merriam-Webster dictionary. The Definition that they gave is:

1 a : existing in a very high degree <extreme poverty>
b : going to great or exaggerated lengths : RADICAL extreme diet>
c : exceeding the ordinary, usual, or expected <extreme weather conditions>

2 archaic : LAST

3 : situated at the farthest possible point from a center extreme north>

4 a : most advanced or thoroughgoing extreme political left>
b : MAXIMUM
5 a : of, relating to, or being an outdoor activity or a form of a sport (as skiing) that involves an unusually high degree of physical risk <extreme mountain biking down steep slopes>
b : involved in an extreme sport extreme snowboarder>

OK. So know I know what extreme is it is easier to know what extreme cartography can be.

Using the first definition; existing in a very high degree. We can map things that are in high degrees, extreme poverty and extreme wealth. These are easy to map by just using census data.

This link is to a PDF of an extreme poverty map of Guatemala.

http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/fullMaps_Am.nsf/luFullMap/7994B3A68A949085C125728F003FB27B/$File/ciesin_NED_gtm051231.pdf?OpenElement

This is a map of hurricane Katrina.

We can also map things that exceed the ordinary. We can create weather maps.

The third definition; situated at the farthest possible point from a center. We can create maps of the Antarctica and the North Pole; both these areas are farthest away from the center/ equator.

These are maps of Antarctica and the Arctic areas. These are both extreme.

The fourth definition uses the example of the extreme political left. We can create maps of red states and blue states. We can find data and map which where groups such as the Klu Klux Klan are located or other groups that are considered extremist. Extreme religious view or groups can be mapped as well.

This map is of extreme hate groups that are in Arkansas.

The 5^th definition is the one that most interest me. Extreme sports. By using 3D software and GPS units I think that you could be able to produce so pretty cool maps. You could map out your route up a mountain, or the line that you skied down, or the line that you rock climbed up.

This map is a the route up Mt KhanTengri in Kyrghyzstan

3D Cart

Definition:
A 3D Map is a computer made map, Mathematically constructed high realistic presentation of a landscape together with the natural and artificial objects and phenomena. (Petrovic)

There are many uses for 3D models.

1. Visualization as a static or dynamic map
2. special analysis
3. connection to different special datasets
4. Map measurement tasks, calculations from original data with using special equipment or methods.

3D cartographic models can be represented as real 3D, pseudo 3D or 2D presentation. The content can be split up into three main groups; main content, secondary content and additional content.

Then main content consist of objects and phenomena that have essential importance for the users. The relief presentation is a fundament part of all 3D maps. This is the portrayal of the three-dimensional geometry of terrain. For mountain maps the relief is very important. The relief needs to be very details because if your user is a mountaineer then they need to know every single detail that can influence the route. If the map’s not very detailed that the mountaineer may start a route that is not safe.

The secondary content is the objects and phenomena which gives a complete impression of the landscape. Such as land cover, hydrology, less important structures, and administrative boundaries.

The additional content is presented exclusively to the users demand.

Mountain maps in 3D are becoming very popular. Mountain maps are frequently used by mountaineers. They can look at a 3D map to find routes up mountains and special features.
The image below show a 3D mountain map.

The two images show the original image and the modeling scene

It is so cold!

I have no heat. I think my heater is broken or the pilot light has gone out. It was 45 degrees is my house when I woke up this morning.

Oh, the Places You'll Go!

Congratulations!
Today is your day.
You're off to Great Places!
You're off and away!

You have brains in your head.
You have feet in your shoes
You can steer yourself
any direction you choose.
You're on your own.  And you know what you know.
And YOU  are the guy who'll decide where to go.

You'll look up and down streets.  Look 'em over with care.
About some you will say, "I don't choose to go there."
With your head full of brains and your shoes full of feet,
you're too smart to go down any not-so-good street.

And you may not find any
you'll want to go down.
In that case, of course,
you'll head straight out of town.

It's opener there
in the wide open air.

Out there things can happen
and frequently do
to people as brainy
and footsy as you.

And when things start to happen,
don't worry.  Don't stew.
Just go right along.
You'll  start happening too.

OH!
THE PLACES YOU'LL GO!

You'll be on your way up!
You'll be seeing great sights!
You'll join the high fliers
who soar to high heights.

You won't lag behind, because you'll have the speed.
You'll pass the whole gang and you'll soon take the lead.
Wherever you fly, you'll be the best of the best.
Wherever you go, you will top all the rest.

Except when you don' t
Because, sometimes, you won't.

I'm sorry to say so
but, sadly, it's true
and Hang-ups
can happen to you.

You can get all hung up
in a prickle-ly perch.
And your gang will fly on.
You'll be left in a Lurch.

You'll come down from the Lurch
with an unpleasant bump.
And the chances are, then,
that you'll be in a Slump.

And when you're in a Slump,
you're not in for much fun.
Un-slumping yourself
is not easily done.

You will come to a place where the streets are not marked.
Some windows are lighted.  But mostly they're darked.
A place you could sprain both you elbow and chin!
Do you dare to stay out?  Do you dare to go in?
How much can you lose? How much can you win?

And IF  you go in, should you turn left or right...
or right-and-three-quarters? Or, maybe, not quite?
Or go around back and sneak in from behind?
Simple it's not, I'm afraid you will find,
for a mind-maker-upper to make up his mind.

You can get so confused
that you'll start in to race
down long wiggled roads at a break-necking pace
and grind on for miles across weirdish wild space,
headed, I fear, toward a most useless place.
           The Waiting Place...

...for people just waiting.
Waiting for a  train to go
or a bus to come, or a plane to go
or the mail to come, or the rain to go
or the phone to ring, or the snow to snow
or waiting around for a Yes or a No
or waiting for their hair to grow.
Everyone is just waiting.

Waiting for the fish to bite
or waiting for wind to fly a kite
or waiting around for Friday night
or waiting, perhaps, for their Uncle Jake
or a pot to boil, or a Better Break
or a sting of pearls, or a pair of pants
or a wig with curls, or Another Chance.
Everyone is just waiting.

NO!
That's not for you!

Somehow you'll escape
all that waiting and staying.
You'll find the bright places
where Boom Bands are playing.

With banner flip-flapping,
once more you'll ride high!
Ready for anything under the sky.
Ready because you're that kind of a guy!

Oh, the places you'll go! There is fun to be done!
There are points to be scored.  there are games to be won.
And the magical things you can do with that ball
will make you the winning-est winner of all.
Fame!  You'll be famous as famous can be,
with the whole wide world watching you win on TV.

Except when they don't.
Because, sometimes, they won't.

I'm afraid that some  times
you'll play lonely games too.
Games you can't win
'cause you'll play against you.

All  Alone!
Whether you like it or not,
Alone will be something
you'll be quite a lot.

And when you're alone, there's a very good chance
you'll meet things that scare you right out of your pants.
There are some, down the road between hither and yon,
that can scare you so much you won't want to go on.

But on you will go
though the weather be foul
On you will go
though your enemies prowl
On you will go
though the Hakken-Kraks howl
Onward up many
a frightening creek,
though your arms may get sore
and your sneakers may leak.

On and on you will hike
and I know you'll hike far
and face up to your problems
whatever they are.

You'll get mixed up, of course,
as you already know.
You'll get mixed up
with many strange birds as you go.
So be sure when you step.
Step with care and great tact
and remember that Life's
a Great Balancing Act.
Just never forget to be dexterous and deft.
And never  mix up your right foot with your left.

And will you succeed?
Yes! You will, indeed!
(98 and 3 / 4 percent guaranteed.)

KID, YOU'LL MOVE MOUNTAINS!

So...
be your name Buxbaum or Bixby or Bray
or Mordecai Ali Van Allen O'Shea,
you're off to Great Places!
Today is your day!
Your mountain is waiting.
So...get on your way!

---Dr. Seuss

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Old Maps/ New Maps

My father has always loved maps. When I was growing up he would always show me his topographic maps of Europe. On these maps my dad had drawn lines of where he had been, and of the routes that he took up mountains. My dad passed his love of maps over to me. From a young age he taught me how to read a map and use them for navigation.
After a graduated from high school in 2003, I traveled around Europe for two month. As a going away present my dad brought me a map of Europe and told me i should draw my route around Europe on it. I took this map with me to Europe and did exactly as my dad had done many years before me and drew on my map.
Traveling through Europe, I went to many art galleries and museums. There was one particular museum that I loved the most, The Vatican Museum. This love wasn't formed because the famous Sistine chapel but because of the hall way I walked down to get to the Sistine chapel. This hallway is called the Gallery of Maps. This gallery has topographical maps of the whole of Italy. They are painted on 40 panels. In 1580, Pope Gregory XIII commissioned Ignazio Danti to paint the maps. It took him 3 years to finish. The maps he painted are not only beautiful but are extremely accurate. This collection of maps is an important record of 16th century geography and cartography.

The map below is a map of Venice. The map below is the same map but zoomed in on St Marco square. These images show how accurate Danti was.

Today you can create a map in minutes and anyone can make a map. Most maps today are computer generated and are printer on papers. New maps are no longer works of art. They are still beautiful but they are different. They are more accurate and using computer technology makes them easy to see and make the colors clearer. But can you see the maps we make today still being around and on display in a museum in 500 years.

Gallery Of Maps, On a busy day

Mt Beauty, Victoria, Australia

Here are some cool photos of where I grew up.

Wallace's Hut

Razorback Ridge, Mt Bogong
Victorian High Plains

Mt Beauty

Mapping the News

National Public Radio (NPR) uses maps on there web page. NPR does many special interest series which they make available on the web. One particular series is “Middle East and the West” is about the history of the Middle East from 1098 to 2003. During this time the geography of the countries has changed. So NPR created maps to help the audience understand where the places they refer to are.

The First part of the series called "The Crusaders:Two Centuries of Holy War" has a map showing The Kingdom of Jerusalem and Saladin’s Empire.

The second part of the series is about the rise of the Ottoman Empire, so NPR created a map showing where the Ottoman Empires was.

The Third Part of the Series "Europe Carves Up the Middle East"
Has a map of the European Expansion.

Each part of the series is accompanied by a map. A picture speaks a thousands words, so does a maps. NPR uses maps to help the audience understand the geography of the area. They also help you understand why things happen.

Animated and Interactive Maps

Interactive and Animated Maps

http://www.animatedatlas.com/movie.html

This web site has an animated map of the history of the US.

http://www.nytimes.com/packages/html/politics/2004_ELECTIONGUIDE_GRAPHIC/

This website has an interactive map about election information by state.

http://www1.elsevier.com/homepage/sad/cageo/cgvis/acevedo/acevedo.htm

This is an article called Time-Series Animation Techniques for Visualizing Urban Growth.

Mapping and the American Identity

Is America losing it’s identity with the expansions of multi-national conglomerates such as Wall-Mart or is Wal-Mart becoming part of the American identity.

In Texas there are:

Super centers: 279

Discount Stores: 50

Neighborhood Markets: 30

SAM'S CLUBS: 71

Distribution Centers: 15

Average store size (national average)

Supercenter: 185,000 sq. ft. with approx. 142,000 items
Discount Store: 101,000 sq. ft. with approx. 120,000 items
Neighborhood Market: 41,000 sq. ft. with approx. 29,000 items
SAM'S CLUB: 130,000 sq. ft. with approx. 5,500 items

http://www.walmartfacts.com/StateByState/?id=43

The majority of American know about Wal-Mart. There is 3400 Wal-Mart in the US. People associate many things with Wal-Mart. Some people love it and do all there shopping there, other people refuse to even go in to a Wal-Mart. Either way Wal-Mart has an impact and has is a huge part of America.

This map shows the location of all the Wal-Mart’s in Texas.

Annapurna

I just finished reading this book. It is one of the best mountaineering books i have ever read.
I found I review which i copy below.

Arlene Blum led the first American and first women's expedition to climb Annapurna I in the Himalayas. Annapurna is her story of the climb: from fund-raising (remember the t-shirts that said "A Woman's Place is on Top"?); to organizing thirteen women, more than 150 boxes of gear, thousands of pounds of food and numerous Nepalese guides and porters; to the summit ascent itself and the death of two climbers. Perhaps because it is told from the perspective of the leader of a team, this is as much a book about management and decisions as it is about a mountain. There are poetic passages about the beauty of the ice, the fantasy of cloudwalking, the terrors of avalanches and crevasses - but more time is spent on the delicate balance that must be kept between native male guides and foreign women climbers, as well as among the women themselves. This is a book about working together under extraordinary conditions where the temperature in your tent can drop to ten degrees below zero and a tiny hole in a glove can mean the possible loss of a finger. It is about making decisions while an avalanche rushes by you with a wind that knocks you over. It is about risking death knowing that you have a daughter, a partner at home; for a few it means working for years and years, and then choosing at the last minute not to go to the top. At times confusing (keeping track of all the base camps, sherpas, and climbers is a job in itself), at times preachy, this is, in the end, the compelling story of thirteen very different women - ranging in age from 19 to 50 - each determined to get women to the top of a mountain whose name means "the goddess rich in sustenance."

Click Here to order this book.

Map fact/Map fiction

“A map that did not generalize would be useless” (Monmonier)

By using the process of generalization to create a map are you changing the facts and turning your map into fictional map? Are all maps then fictional?

Generalization is part of the map abstraction process that involves “removing details from object and phenomena to be maps.” (Lecture slideshow geog 312)

When a cartographer is creating a map they need to decide on how much detail to include on the map. If the maps has too much detail then is will be cluttered with unnecessary detail that map take away from the purpose of the map. On the other hand if a map is over generalized then the map will be useless and unable to transfer the information. A cartographer needs to find a balance with how much to generalize.

There are five main types of generalization, selection, simplification and smoothing, displacement, enhancement and displacement conversion.

Selection involves deciding on what the cartographer wants to map. Decisions on the “geographic space to be mapped, map scale, map projection and aspect, which data variables are appropriate for the maps purpose” (Dent 16) need to be made. The cartographer may choose specific details that skew the actual facts of the map. For example if the cartographer is creating a map to answer a question like, there are more rivers in Nevada then in Utah. The cartographer may only choose to map major rivers in Utah and then every river in Nevada. Then the map shows that there are more rivers in Nevada even though there may be more rivers in Utah. Everything on the map is fact but because the cartographer only chose specific things to go on the map to prove the point, the map then is fictional because it is not showing the data accurately or unbiased.

Simplification and smoothing is the process of removing detail and angularity from the objects and phenomena to be mapped. Simplification is removing detail from particular features such as a line. By removing the detail you are now making the map fictional because it changed the shape of the line. Smoothing also takes away the true form of a line.

Displacement is moving features on a map apart so they do not interfere with each other. If a feature is moved from the exact location then it is not longer true.

The generalization process is not the only process that makes all maps fictional.

The earth is round and most maps are flat, so the process of taking features for the round earth and projecting them onto a flat surface. There are several different types of projections are each one distorts the shape of the earth differently. Depending on the geographic area that you are mapping depends on the projection that you choose.

In thematic mapping, choosing a classification class can change the out put of the data also my choosing a small number of classes in a choropleth map will over generalize and will not show the accurate special patterns. The image below show the difference when you choose 2, 5, and 9 classes. Each map uses the same data which is fact but when the data is represented it is skewed and can become fictional.

The three maps above all use the same data by they use different ranging method. Are all of the maps true or fact or are they fictional? The equal step map doesn’t show the true special relationship of the data so it is fictional. The quintile range best represents the data set by it is still only a general overview of the data set.

Even though maps are generally fictional they still have value, they do represent a generalization of the truth, which is usually enough to show the special information.

Map design.

When someone is designing a map they have to take a number of things into consideration such as the visual variables, balance, audience and purpose, and the basic map elements. The visual variables are size, shape, value, orientation, color, and texture. Balance refers to position of the map components. The audience and the purpose are important in the design because the map needs to be able to convey its purpose to the particular audience. The basic map elements consist of a map body, legend, title, scale, north arrow, title, neat line and source statement.

Figure 1 is an example from the ESRI website of a well designed map. The map contains all of the basic map elements, as well as a graph and an insert map. By adding the graph it allows reader to see the data displayed in a different way, and also help the reader understand the information better. The insert map “shows how the area of interest shown in the main map body is related to a larger area.” (ESRI) Figure 1 is a very well balanced map, the main maps takes up the majority of the space which emphasizes its importance. There is a clear title that conveys the purpose of the map. The overall design of the map is ascetically pleasing. At first glance it is clear that the map is of Africa, you do not have to examine the map to see this. When you further look at the map you can see the six smaller, the colors are easy to differentiate.

Figure 2 is an example of a bad map. This is a choropleth map that uses different textures for each category; this makes it very hard to differentiate the bounties between classes on the map. The map also has six class categories, this is a little to much, the textures are hard enough to distinguish without having to see the difference between six different classes. There is no clear title. There is a small title above the legend which does not standout.

Figure 1 Good Map

Figure 2 Bad Map

http://www.facstaff.bucknell.edu/marsh/own_page/pix/baddestmap.jpg

My first post!

Test, Test, 1, 2, 3