Category: Cool Stuff

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Maps To Change Your Perspective

I’m a bit of a map geek. Nothing hardcore, but I have to admit I find these fascinating and have been collecting them for years.

Abandoned Railways


Air Traffic Control Regions

Antarctica In Relation to North America

The United States in Relation to Australia

The Most Efficient Roadtrip to Visit all the Towns Named Springfield in the United States

California in Relation to Italy

Canada, The United States, and Mexico to Scale

Blond Hair Distribution in North and South America

China in Relation to Russia

China in Relation to the United States

Preferred Coffee Chains Across the United States

Countries With Less Than 100 Million People

All the Countries That Could Fit inside the United States

Extent of Google Street View

Cuba in Relation to the Hudson Bay

Wildfires as of July 2020

Flamingo Populations

United States Forestation

Greenland in Relation to South America

India in Relation to the United States

Japan in Relation to the East Coast of the United States

This one is especially interesting at the moment because one of the guilty pleasures that Ben and I enjoy watching together are Japan Ferry videos on YouTube. I’ve always wondered why it takes days to go from one place to another, thinking that Japan was relatively small. Turns out it isn’t. My ignorance was showing big time.

Land Use in the United States

Left Hand vs. Right Hand Driving

Light Pollution Across the United States

The Population of Los Angeles County (Red) In Relation to the Equivalent Population if Spread Other States

Average Ambient Sound Levels

Rivers That Feed Into The Mississippi

The United States Overlaid on the Moon

Streams and Rivers in the United States

Mammal Migration

The Mediterranean Sea in Relation to the United States

Metric vs. Imperial Measurement

Montana in Relation to Mongolia

More People Inside the Circle Than Ouside the Circle

Job Quitters

New Zealand in Relation to the United States

Poland in Relation to Texas

Cities with Populations over 100,000

Population Density – Orange and Red are Equal

Global Population Density

Population Density in the United States

Population Density of 1 Billion People Split Equally (Green is One Billion, Blue is One Billion, Red is One Billion, etc.)

Correct Map Projection Showing Relative Locations of North and South America. (Most of South America is East of North America)

Population Density – Total Red is Greater Than Total Gray

Major U.S. Roadways

Preferred Sports

States if Sized By Population Density

Brands Most Associated With Each State

Texas in Relation to Africa

Age of Consent

North American English Dialects

Canadian Population Density

United States Circuit Courts – This is Why We Need at Least Two More Supreme Court Justices

The United States Redrawn as Fifty States of Equal Population

For Lovers of Furry Friends – Heartworm Incidence map

The True Size of Africa

Counties With the Highest Incidents of Tornadoes 1952-2010

Tornado Tracks Across the United States

Countries Are Viewed as the Major Threat to World Peace by Each Country

UFO SIghtings by County

The United States That Might’ve Been If Various Failed State Petitions Throughout U.S. History Had Come to Fruition

One or Two License Plates in the United States


World Oil Distribution

Worldwide Earthquakes

And Lastly, Maybe The Trippiest One of All

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Jesus Christ, Just Wear a Face Mask!

From Daring Fireball:

Jason Kottke, with a slew of new links on the apparent efficacy of wearing face masks in public:

And these are just from the last few days. Why WHY WHY!!!! are we still talking about this? There’s no credible evidence that wearing a mask is harmful, so at worse it’s harmless. If there’s like a 1-in-10 chance that masks are somewhat helpful — and the growing amount of research suggests that both 1-in-10 and “somewhat helpful” are both understatements — isn’t it worth the tiny bit of effort to wear one and help keep our neighbors safe from potential fucking death? Just in case?

Japan is a striking example. Effectively, universal face-mask wearing is the only thing Japan has done right to combat COVID-19, and it’s seemingly been enough, despite being a nation of densely populated cities and widespread public transit usage. Is there a single country with widespread wearing of face masks where there’s been a bad COVID-19 outbreak? One? If we can beat this mostly through wearing face masks, it should be celebrated. It’s so easy.

And, if you’re looking to simply sit back this weekend and read, maybe catch your breath, but without tuning out of our current affairs, you’ll find no better reading and watching list than Kottke’s assemblage. Much to learn, much to think about.

Ben and I had to make another run to IKEA yesterday to pick up a few more items for his wardrobe project, and while waiting in line in the (thankfully shaded) 107F heat, I was surprised at the number of people—besides ourselves—who were wearing masks. The ratio wasn’t great (I’d estimate about 60-70%), but considering our recent trips to Target, where mask-wearers have definitely become the minority and social distancing is practically non-existent, I was still pretty impressed.

This is not how I envisioned 2020…