tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10779294.post8315440224996392406..comments2024-01-08T14:21:37.465-08:00Comments on Infinite Art Tournament: A User's Guide to "Forty Maps that Will Help You Make Sense of the World," Volume IIIMichael5000http://www.blogger.com/profile/10148584819327475239noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10779294.post-74505752254262186002014-02-04T06:29:53.482-08:002014-02-04T06:29:53.482-08:00I would certainly expect better from the World Hea...I would certainly expect better from the World Health Organization.lamanyanahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02947181044230659596noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10779294.post-13897472826584975102014-01-30T13:13:26.323-08:002014-01-30T13:13:26.323-08:00Yeah, a world "choropleth map" -- one wh...<b>Yeah, a world "choropleth map" -- one where data is represented by area shading -- is almost always going to run into trouble in places like Western Sahara, where there's no critical consensus on what constitutes a country and who is supposed to be keeping the books on alcohol consumption. Usually, those areas are just greyed over without comment. Greying them over, and then calling that grey the "not applicable" data class seems like the worst of both worlds -- especially when there is a slightly different grey available for "data not available," which is a truer condition for those places. <br /><br />Additional bad thing about this actually very bad map: the visual distinction between "wine" and "not applicable" is way too slender, considering how much spectrum was available. And, a thoughtful cartographer probably ought to have made "<0.1 litres" the visually lightest shade, to hint at lessness.<br /><br />And for that matter, HOW COME BEER COUNTRIES ARE GIVEN A COLOR THAT COULD REASONABLY BE NAMED "WINE"?!?! I was way too easy on Map 15.</b>Michael5000https://www.blogger.com/profile/10148584819327475239noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10779294.post-13542227894496143722014-01-30T07:44:25.603-08:002014-01-30T07:44:25.603-08:00I was wondering about the "Not Applicable&quo...I was wondering about the "Not Applicable" category on the alcohol maps. The only way I could think of for a country to not fit any of t6he other categories would be to not have any population over the age of 15. <br /><br />Looking more closely at the original maps, it looks like it's actually used for disputed territory, but couldn't they have just said that, then?lamanyanahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02947181044230659596noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10779294.post-88434866813396417292014-01-27T09:43:43.847-08:002014-01-27T09:43:43.847-08:00I hadn't thought of that, Reb, but you're ...<b>I hadn't thought of that, Reb, but you're right. THE CIRCLE also includes the Tibetan Plateau and a good chunk of the Gobi, both of which have very few people indeed. I guess "this circle" has more of a punch than "this irregular polygon, though."</b>Michael5000https://www.blogger.com/profile/10148584819327475239noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10779294.post-2397000888791091892014-01-27T09:35:29.710-08:002014-01-27T09:35:29.710-08:00And looking closer at that map - the lightness fai...And looking closer at that map - the lightness fairly well outlines Laos as well. Rebelnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10779294.post-79368961225225000402014-01-27T09:33:29.077-08:002014-01-27T09:33:29.077-08:00I like this return to cartography! I agree with y...I like this return to cartography! I agree with your arguments about the importance of displaying quantitative data in a logical way. Some people just don't get it! <br /><br />As for map 12 - I agree as well, the second map is far more nuanced and rich with information. For example (having been one of the people living - however briefly- inside the circle) there's a very sad splash of low-population-density cream/pink hovering in the vicinity of Cambodia. The 'in the circle' / 'out of the circle' map completely skips over details like that. <br /><br />Rebelhttp://www.rebelathome.comnoreply@blogger.com