You Can't Buy an Accurate Map

A few months ago, we purchased a really nice laminated copy of
National Geographic's Map of The World to place on our wall. Little
did we know then that it would be obsolete so quickly. At this
moment, you can't buy an accurate World Map...anywhere! Even
Google doesn't show South Sudan on either Google Maps or
the very popular Google Earth. Not yet at least. That's because
South Sudan gained their independence this weekend and map
makers haven't caught up yet. There are now (by most sources)
196 countries in the world. Too bad most maps still show only 195.

Hot AND Dry

We've been having a stretch of 100 degree days here on the
Western Slope, which is nothing uncommon. However, I did
experience something today that I've never seen before. When
I was pumping gas, I ran the wet sponge over the windshield
and it actually dried before I could remove the water with the
squeege! I'm guessing the combination of the heat with the
uber dry 7% humidity had something to do with it.

This time of year, down on the Ice, people will take glasses
of hot water and throw them into the air outside. The -40
degree temperature will turn the water to vapor before it hits
the ground. That got me thinking if there was a temperature
on the high end of the thermal scale in which this would
happen as well. Hmmm...something to Google in the future
I suppose.

Google Maps

View Airports I've Flown Through in a larger map
I've been playing around a little lately with Google Maps
and I have to say...It's AWESOME! I've been a closet
cartographer all of my life and even though I enjoy
drawing maps by hand, it's even more fun designing
maps with a powerful tool like this. My first map I
created was to show the head of the Notre Dame
Department of Archaeology where a ancient Hopewell
Culture Mound near my family's farm is located.
My most recent "project" is a map of all of the airports
I've flown through around the world. The best thing
about Google Maps...it's fun. And that's what it's all
about.