BOMBS AWAY

In order to appreciate the very grave and unfortunately, now, very current situation of nuclear fallout, I thought it may be helpful to share with you fine sympathetic people, the below mapping applet.  This 'mapplet' allows us to shift the epi-center of a nuclear detonation to a location of our choosing - to a location that we are perhaps more familiar with, and subsequently allow us to better visualise the impact of nuclear fallout events.  Hopefully its straightforward enough to use, but as a tip; click on the location symbol on the map to get a key & click the wind 'rose' to change fallout direction). Japan, our thoughts are with you. Dōmo arigatō.

Note: this model is indicative only - it doesn't take into account weather patterns or terrain etc that would significantly influence the damage/extent at different locations and times. 'Fallout' shows the possible dispersion of radioactive isotopes after six hours of the explosion, assuming a constant gentle breeze. This model uses information found in the public domain, including: Federation of American Scientists and Wikipedia.  For more details, visit mapplet creators:  CarlosLabs

PS If you like this mapplet type thing, you may also want to check out my previous posts:
NOT IN MY BACKYARD - here you can change the location of all sorts of interesting phenomenon.
THE GOGGLES THEY DO NOTHING - a video showing the location of all the nuclear bombs detonated throughout history.

SPEAK TO ME (OF) MAP ART

After returning from a week-long deployment in earthquake-ravaged Christchurch, I found that I struggled to sum up my experience in words. In a subconscious desire to remedy this I took to the internet and I subsequently stumbled across this burnt map of San Francisco. The 'burnt bits' of the map seemed to say something that I couldn't convey - something a pristine map with a simple earthquake-damage symbol couldn't. Luckily (as I hadn't had time to research anything else for this week's post) it turns out that the artist who made this work is absolutely prolific in making map art. So please share with me in investigating the wealth of Matthew Picton's other abstract works, and perhaps you too will find something to sum up how you feel.

ALL SHOOK UP

In this special edition of Choice Map Tuesday I'm coming to you live from under the stairs of the Christchurch Earthquake Emergency Operations Centre. I flew in by air force deployment (somewhat necessary since the city is like a war zone now) and I am in the Planning and Intelligence team. Amongst other things, I am currently tasked with mapping where all the portable toilets have been delivered to (a very glamorous task indeed - well, Prince William asked to look at these maps anyway). If I have to find a silver lining amidst the chaos, the 'choice' bit would have to be that few of the many people in hi-vis vests currently running by each other will be going out into the field to do their important rescue work unless they have one of these maps, or a map of road closures or building assessments - so even though they may not be aware of it, they're digging on maps more than anyone right now. If you're interested, here is an interactive (and ongoing) map of all the earthquakes in Christchurch

DECONSTRUCTION INDUCTION

The more observant amongst you will be able to notice that the image directly to your left is not a map! (Shock horror!) It is of course an ordinary typewriter. An 'ordinary' typewriter, that has been disassembled, with every miniscule component painstakingly laid out piece by piece. Where am I going with this you ask? and why is it taking so long to get there?! Well, I'm not going to answer your slightly tetchy questions directly - all I'll say is that this image is here to help you understand the maps of Armelle Caron or the work of Jenny Odell

COLLAGE INJECTION

oooh, its an eerie all-knowing American-Indian staring back at you through the medium of a map. What does it mean?! Its definitely something deep and meaningful... maybe the spirit guide is reminding the white man that the land of the map once had a different 'face'. Hmmm, perhaps you could ponder this (and the other excellent collages created by Matthew Cusick) and let me know what you think?!

YOUR FRIENDLY NEIGHBOURHOOD NAZIS

I don't usually consider myself a fan of dictatorships or worldwide domination plans per se, but when you see such ambitious maps as this one (printed in a 1942 edition of Life magazine), you start to wonder how any group that is so optimistic can be bad for society?!  "Let 'em come" I say!  Fortunately for the free world, my reaction is the reverse of what this series of maps ended up achieving i.e. whipping up national hysteria into a fervent anti-Nazi war-effort.

DIORAMA...RAMA

One sultry summer night (possibly after a few too many alcoholic beverages) Aerial Photography and Street View Images got 'jiggy with it' and created a wondrous but fairly ugly love-child. That creation would neither be black or white, and would never find true acceptance amongst his map friends. Eventually poor little Diorama Map would only find solace amongst the other outcasts of his kind

LIVEABLE STREETS

I ride my bike a lot, so its with a smug look on my face that i judge you for driving a car. How can I afford to be so smarmy? Well, according to the styley 5min video you're about to watch; the higher the level of vehicle traffic is in a neighbourhood - the poorer relationships within the community will be. Perhaps you're not so concerned about being a bad person, but you should still watch this video - even if its just to stimulate your own desire for some sweet maps that have a (ironically) homey graphic design aesthetic.  Watch the video (but shame on you!)

STREET VIEW SCENES

Conceptually, a gallery of random photos doesn't seem like it should really be justified as an entry into a blog all about mapping. Sure we use aerial & satellite photography extensively enough, but what I'm talking about is obscure oddball obliques. Photos such as these, capture cultural 'colour' and visual valuablenesses that would otherwise be lost to traditional mapping techniques. So with all that being said (and with the photos' source being
google maps) I am hear by 'legit' in bringing you this selection of Street View scenes

NOT IN MY BACKYARD

There is some pretty interesting stuff out there in the big wide world, but if I'm honest; I struggle to fully appreciate it all. I think it's because all that 'stuff' is in a different place to where I live. For example, it's hard for me to fathom just how epic the Great Wall of China actually is because I live in New Zealand and not China. It just doesn't seem relevant enough to me in my life. Well, the BBC's awesome Dimensions website is making shizz real, real like you ain't never seen, fool!