blahI'm not going to link any of the pictures because they tend to be large. Just click on the links and you should see what I'm referring to.
Maps and cartograms of the 2004 US presidential election results
World's most populous countries
This sort of thing is interesting because it's amazing how simple changes in how you present data can skew a person's perception of reality. It's like that old saying. There are lies, damned lies, and statistics. Oftentimes that's all a map really is when you apply numbers to it. It's fasinating to see how things change when you adjust the criteria you're working under. The changes in the election breakdown are pretty stark and it seems to say a lot about how much of an advantage the republicans have in our winner take all system of voting. The fact that they came out ahead, even if by a small margin, in a large majority of counties, no doubt contributed heavily to the electoral win despite the fact that the popular vote only had a 3% difference or so.
The world population map is also fasinating. Sort of gives you an idea of just how farging empty canada must be. I swear to God that the only thing to stop the artic wind blowing south across that country is a stray reindeer. It's like an empty wasteland. The map has also cemented my conviction to never ever ever visit india. Just looking at the map of it is giving me a sense of claustrophobia. Someone should be sending them emergency birth control stat.
