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Thursday, March 30, 2006

World Statesmen

After weeks of favoring the Mass of the CIA World Factbook the Bishops need to meet concerning an up and coming star. There is a rival, of sorts, and its name is World Statesmen.

World Statesmen defines itself as "encyclopedia of leaders, nations, dependencies, international and religious organizations. Detailed chronologies, maps national anthems, flags and indexes are included to guide your research." And oh boy is it ever.

The meat and potatoes of World Statesmen is its country section. There are too many features on each country's page to describe. For example, if one clicks on the United States one can read the history and politics (including constitutions in many cases) of not only America's but also of the Hawaiian Kingdom, Confederate States of America, Republic of Texas, and the Republic of West Florida. Flags and maps abound!

But what makes World Statesmen really stand out are all the bells and whistles. An index of major wars since 1700, an index of colonies both past and present (anyone want to read about Genoan occupied Tabarca?), and a list of terrorist organization that would make Global Security (not the quasi-evil mercenary group but the information/policy website) envious.

What really takes the cake is the list of religious organizations. Want to know the head of every Eastern Rite Catholic Church ever? Well here you go! Need a list of the Caliphs? All you need to do is say Allah-u-Akbar and click this link! And there are more religious groups; much, much more.

World Statesmen has a nice feature on September 11, 2001. They also need more data and are asking for help. Be sure to say hi and/or help out!


Category: GeoInfo

Spatial Relationship of Abortions


With apologizes to both Thomas P.M. Barnett and the Coming Anarchy Cartographers

Coming Anarchy has been doing a long running series of "mapping the gap," the Thomas Barnett theory of Functioning and Non-Integrated countries. They are looking at spatial relationships of things which affect geopolitics; from ungoverned areas, civil rights, and more.

I decided to jump on the band wagon and take a look at abortions with Thomas Barnett's theory. What I discovered (map above) is that while the gap theory does a fair job generalizing abortion laws there are too many outliers.

My project, besides finishing up the last entry on the Future of the EU and NATO, is to create a new mapping theory which can explain the spatial relationship of abortions, if any. It will have to consider not only geography but history, culture, and politics of states and regions as well. Stay tuned.

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Wednesday, March 29, 2006

Worldmapper

Everyone likes riding on a train


UPDATE: The maps are back up! Woot!

I was planning a blog post on this for a while but a hat tip from TDAXP pushed me to do it today.

Worldmapper has released fifty-four cartograms for free. The cartograms cover a wide range from normal styles population, births, and immigration to the more original tourist destinations, rail passengers, oil tankers, and lots more.

I have some thoughts on some of the maps

The Population changes from A.D. 1, 1500, today, 2050, and 2300 showed an interesting evolution of planetary population. China and India have always been the 800-pound guerilla in population and will continue to be. Europe will go from another China in 1500 to about the same size of the United States. Japan is on its way out and Africa is getting big.

Europeans really like tourism as they dominate both incoming and outgoing countries. I wonder what will happen if economic reforms continue and the four to six weeks of vacation are taken away or decreased.

Zheng He would be very, very, very proud.

The United States and Japan like their vices while Europe and Mexico are the kings of exports of alcohol and cigarettes. I wish that they would separate alcohol and cigarettes so we can see Europe's love of tobacco and if the Muslim world is cheating with alcohol.

Category: Atlas, GeoInfo, Maps

Tuesday, March 28, 2006

Moon Update

As readers know I think exterraography (we desperately need a real term for the geography of other planets) is one of my hobbies. So I was thrilled at the announcement that NASA is planning the construction of a permanent moon base.

This is great for Selenography (geography on the moon; there is a real term!). Imagine future scientific journeys to the Maria which will study how the moon formed. Selenologists (geologist who study the moon; another real term!) would have a field day with all the features unaffected by erosion. Maybe we can determine if the Moon is active or dead. Finally, we will be able to verify Boint's lunar measurements.

Astronomers will also use the moon base. Telescopes could be built which would observe stars and other space phenomenon without any atmospheric pollution.

To learn about how we plan to journey to the moon a National Geographic Kids' News article provides a general description.


Category: Space

European Union and NATO: Part 3.5

Europe is in trouble and the western European Union countries in particular are hopping into oblivion. Resistance to reform, population suicide, and a second barbarian invasion are the demons Europe must conquer if the European Union, and Europe as we know it, wishes to survive.

Resistance to reform: France is currently under siege by those who wish to have a weak economy for all while they enjoy all the benefits of being rich. Recently a law was passed that would those in their twenties to be fired for poor performance.

Apparently being held responsible for one's actions in France is a big no-no. Protestors like an economy where sky-high benefits keep unemployment high. These are people who have one test per semester per class, take weeks off for vacation, and work where the cannot be fired.

The economy of France is slowing down and dying yet appearance are being kept up by French laws. The ones unemployed currently usually are not Formage but those on the margins of society, the unskilled and immigrants who want reform because it gives them a chance of getting a job.

When the socialist bubble pops there will be Hell to pay. As if there was not Hell to pay already.

Population suicide: Population rates are also declining. People are not having babies because the horizontal cultural support system usually done by children taking care of their aging parents has been replaced with the vertical support of the government. Who wants kids who one has to support for twenty some-years when the government will take care of you? The lack of children will also mean a lack of workers to support the socialist system that will collapse with no one supports it.

The Netherlands is considering allowing legal infanticide (the murdering of born children). I guess they view it as abortion plus. The shocking thing is almost no one is denouncing this. With a dying population one needs as many new births as possible. Blood-thirsty idiocy at its worse.

The Spartans did the same thing (See: Sparta: A Model for All Fascists) as they were dying and were badly defeated and destroyed by the Athenians. The declining population hurt the Spartans immensely in their wars against the Athenians.

Invasion: The one step that Europe is doing to save itself is one of the worst things they are doing to themselves. Europe is allowing immigrants to come and settle in Europe, WHICH IS FINE IN AND OF IT SELF. However, a segment of this population is Islamist which views itself at war anything not Muslim. The Islamists see the lazy and dying population as the opportunity to succeed where the Moors and Turks of before failed, the conquering of Europe.

In Sweden there are zones where ambulances will not go because they would be attacked, the Netherlands has had assassinations against politicians, Denmark was involved in the whole cartoon battle, terrorists have blown up civilians in London, and honor killings are becoming more common in Europe.

Will Europe toughen up and become the Leviathan that it once was or will it go quietly into the darkness? The only hope for western Europe is to adopt capitalistic reforms like in the Ascension States, manage through the transition period, and have laws which encourage having children.

Category: Geopolitics

Monday, March 27, 2006

Google Earth Round-Up

I have lately been enjoying Google Earth way too much. I have found out a lot of cool links and sights:

First off Google has lost the Japan War to Yahoo. Mutant Frog Travelogue has revealed to us barbarians that the Yahoo-made clone has aerial photos integrated into the program along with maps. All hail the new Archbishop of Japan- Maps Yahoo Japan. (Hat Tip: Christopher G.)

There are ton of websites dedicated to learning about Google Earth. Google Earth Community is the official community group and is always active. Good luck not having a post not buried in the whirlwind of posts. Google Sightseeing is a great blog-style website with tons of features. Check out their Weird category. Another neat blog is Ogle Earth. This blog can be described as a Google Earth Plus blog with neat posts like this,

There is a lot of weird stuff on Google Earth. UFOs, flying cars, crop circles, scary military places, and more can be found on Google Earth.

I have been observing changes for Baghdad, Iraq which depict bombed houses, the opening of the Seventh Seal (Click this one!!!), IED attacks, WMD-storage house, and life going on normally like any other city.

Baghdad is almost as interesting as Fortress Pyongyang (be sure to zoom out to get a full view).

Category: Neogeography

Sunday, March 26, 2006

Billion Dollar Disasters

NOAA has updated their Billion Dollar U.S. Weather Disasters website. The website has a very interesting disasters map (PDF) and a narrative which goes along with it. There is alot more to the site to check out for yourself! (Hat Tip: Geography.About.com)

Category: Physical Geography, Maps