Map of the Week - World Climate Zones

Having just spent some time in a (thankfully) different climate zone, I've been interested in world climate zone maps. In geography class we all studied the Koppen Climate Classification. This map is fairly well done and has a nice legend that explains the complicated classifications well. Unfortunately you can't zoom in to see exactly what's happening in your favorite vacation spot.

Scribd has a map that's nice and easy to zoom and pan. Unfortunately they do not translate the legend and I forgot my zone codes.

If you like your climate maps nice and simple you can always try this one. A bit crude but good for the general concept.

Map of the Week - Quilts of Perception

Diane Savona, a mixed media and textile artist from New Jersey sent me some nice pictures of map quilts she's done. Here is "A Map of Hometown Perceptions" showing the area around Paterson and Passaic, New Jersey.


In her own words:
"A young man told me that he is afraid to go into neighboring Paterson, with it’s mostly African American population: it’s dangerous. I’m a middle-aged woman, and feel no such danger. I thought about this as I was reading “Hidden in Plain View: A Secret Story of Quilts and the Underground Railroad” and wondered if I could use my quilting to explore subconscious feelings and prejudices. This map explores the perceptions we develop about our homes and our neighbors. Most of the materials used were obtained at local garage sales.
I was born & raised in Clifton, pictured here as the all-white, fiercely non-integrated community of my childhood – the borders are tightly sewn with measuring tapes. Now living in the much more interesting city of Passaic, I sewed in layers of Jewish, Hispanic and African textiles. One section of Passaic is marred with soot, representing the big fire several years back. The neighboring town of Nutley is presented with a police badge, reflecting my son’s view of it as a highly regimented police state. West Paterson is seen as merely a rise of ground – growing up in the shadow of Garret Mountain, I had no idea what lay behind."

This detailed section helps to clarify the above quote.

Map of the Week-Where's that smell coming from?

Those of you who read Japan Probe regularly were treated to the following article last month entitled "Japanese site tracks stinky areas using Google Maps"

"Odor-obsessed weirdos in Japan now have a place to hang out on the net: Nioibu.com. The site allows users to sign up and enter reports of odors they encounter, tracking the stinky locations using markers on Google Maps.

A few examples: watermelon smell, ferret odor, old lady stench(”grandma smell”), gasoline fumes, and curry."

Here are maps of that Watermelon smell in case you wish to avoid it.

Apparently there's also a watermelon stink emanating from Maryville, Missouri (Phillips Hall, NW Missouri State University) - if my translation is correct.