Integrating the Derivative

PZ Myers points out his next office chair.  Personally, I think it needs some missile launchers.

As you’ve probably noticed over the past month or so, maps have become my latest addiction.  I just can’t get enough!  This isn’t the only time I’ve been crazy over maps though.

Way back when I would actually have fun tracing out road maps from the phone book.  Why?  I’m not sure.  But I still have a compulsion to look at any road maps that might be lying around.  I even bought some topographic maps of my hometown.

With the advent of online mapping tools like Google Maps and their Microsoft competitor (MS appears to have better maps of my areas of Michigan), my addiction just continues to grow.  My favorite feature on those websites is the aerial view.  I love viewing houses and places I know from the air.  I enjoy following routes I’ve taken and reminiscing about MSU as I view it from above.  It’s always a kick to find your own house.

Another thing I like to do is to try and recreate a town in SimCity.  It was very difficult to do this in earlier versions of the game.  It was kind of annoying when a skyscraper would pop up in one of my villages!  SimCity 4 is much better although I haven’t really given it much effort yet.

If you’re interested in testing your knowledge of basic US geography, you can try your hand at Sheppard Software’s geography games.  They’re fun!