Franken Adds Alaska and Hawaii

For those of you who were suitably impressed by Al Franken's Stupid Human Trick... Good news! It gets even better!

Begich begs, so Franken adds Alaska, Hawaii to his freehand map of the USA

Purple States of America 2008

Mark Newman has already come out with his 2008 Election Cartograms. (Last year I highlighted his 2004 Election Cartograms.)

Take the standard electoral vote maps we have been seeing since election night, and adjust the shape and size of each state for population and you get this:



It gives some real perspective on the size of Barack Obama's electoral vote landslide. However, as we know, in many of these states, the popular vote was very close. Re-color the map to show how the counties voted; strongly for Obama is dark blue, strongly for McCain is bright red, and shades of purple for everything in between...



Once again, the nation is bruised, but carries on...

UPDATE

Declan Butler has his own calculations for a population cartogram. He also includes Hawaii and Alaska (that sort of looks like a squashed bug...)

Magazine Roundup

Time for another sampling of maps on magazine covers:

	The Week September 19, 2008 Sarah Palin is having an impact on the election and nation... or is she tearing it apart?
New Scientist September 6, 2008 Talk about your global warming...
	Tikkun July August 2008 What? Do you think new worlds grow on trees?
New Yorker October 6, 2008 Revisiting the classic "View of the World from Ninth Avenue" cover, a "View of Russia from Gov. Palin's Office." For a larger version of this map, see: Strange Maps.

Putin Rears His Head

"As Putin rears his head and comes into the air space of the United States of America, where do they go? It's Alaska." -- Sarah Palin



From the transcript of her interview with Katie Couric on CBS News.

(I don't know who created the image, but I saw it first on BoingBoing.)

P.S. If anyone can point me to a clever use of maps that mock Barack Obama or Joe Biden, I'll be happy to give equal time...

Alaskan Independence?

Sarah Palin, Governor of Alaska, has been selected by Republican Presidential Candidate John McCain, to be his running mate. This would normally call for a post about Alaska postcards, however I've already been there, done that:



Since she is relatively unknown to most Americans (and the media), pundits have been scrambling to find out more about her. One of the most surprising bits of dirt, as reported by ABC News, is that in her early political career she was a member of the Alaskan Independence Party. I was not even aware that there was a secessionist movement in Alaska.

The AIP is generally considered a "fringe party" (by the mainstream media). Their platform includes:

• A belief that "the vote for statehood was invalid because the people were not presented with the range of options available to them" and that "the federal government has since breached the contract for statehood on numerous occasions in over a dozen serious and substantial instances."
• A belief that there should be a vote on Alaskan secession.
• Remaining "steadfastly opposed to environmental regulations and actively promotes the private ownership and widespread development of Alaskan land."

The Party's website includes this cartoon map illustrating they way they feel; the United States is gobbling up Alaska against its will...

UPDATE 9/3: It now appears the the AIP was blowing smoke when they claimed Sarah Palin was a member of their party, although they still claim she did attend their convention, and her husband, Todd Palin, was a member until 2002. FWIW, I don't care one way or the other. I'm just surprised to even learn the party exists. I've heard of other secession movements, and might even approve of some, but this one was new to me.

North to Alaska!

Sadly, the only time I have been to Alaska was during a stopover in Anchorage on the way back from the orient. It was December and I had an hour or so to kill while they refueled the plane. I stepped outside in the -30°F just so I could say I did, then quickly jumped back in.



North to Alaska!
Go north, the rush is on
North to Alaska!
Go north, the rush is on

Big Sam left Seattle in the year of ninety-two
With George Pratt, his partner, and brother Billy too
They crossed the Yukon river and found the bonanza gold
Below that old white mountain
Just a little southeast of Nome

Sam crossed the Majestic mountains to the valleys far below
He talked to his team of huskies
As he mushed them thru the snow
With the northern lights a runnin' wild
In the land of the midnight sun
Yes Sam McCord was a mighty man
In the year of nineteen-one

Where the river is windin' big nuggets they're findin'
North to Alaska go north the rush is on



(Way up north, north to Alaska)
(Way up north, north to Alaska)

North to Alaska!
Go north, the rush is on
North to Alaska!
Go north, the rush is on

George turned to Sam with his gold in his hand
Said "Sam you're a-lookin' at a lonely lonely man
I'd trade all the gold that's buried in this land
For one small band of gold to place on sweet little Jenny's hand"

'Cause a man needs a woman to love him all the time
Remember, Sam, a true love is so hard to find
I'd build for my Jenny a honeymoon home
Below that old white mountain
Just a little southeast of Nome

Where the river is windin' big nuggets they're findin'
North to Alaska go north the rush is on

North to Alaska go north the rush is on

(Way up north, north to Alaska)
(Way up north, north to Alaska)

Fade

(Way up north, north to Alaska)
(Way up north, north to Alaska)



"NORTH TO ALASKA", From the film "North To Alaska", 1960, by Mike Phillips

Postcards ©Arctic Circle Enterprises

Seward's Folly - the check was good

Earlier this year was the 140th anniversary of the Alaska Purchase.

March 30, 1867
Treaty concerning the Cession of the Russian Possessions in North America by his Majesty the Emperor of all the Russias to the United States of America; Concluded March 30, 1867; Ratified by the United States May 28, 1867; Exchanged June 20, 1867; Proclaimed by the United States June 20, 1867.

Map from the Alaska State Library.

Apparently the check was good. Here is the actual cancelled check for the purchase of Alaska (from World Book Online):