Comments on: Rethinking Maps

By: Dan Bassill

Dan Bassill — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 17:00:11 +0000

I encourage you to take a look at how we’ve been creating poverty maps showing Chicago neighborhoods where poverty, poorly performing schools and youth violence indicate a need for volunteer-based tutor/mentor programs.

Our maps are part of an on-going campaign to help existing programs get volunteers, dollars, ideas, etc while helping community groups work together with businesses, hospitals, universities, and faith groups in the same neighborhoods, to form new programs where none now exist.

See http://mappingforjustice.blogspot.com and http://www.tutormentorprogramlocator.net

Do you know of others using maps like this to influence philanthropy and volunteer involvement in multiple locations?

By: Blaize

Blaize — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 02:17:15 +0000

Thanks, John. Unfortunately, when I say “cut and paste” I mean with actual scissors and a glue stick, rather than via a graphics program. And the problem I have is the scale: i.e. the amount of information I have to coordinate would require me to print so many photos (which I would have to array somehow around a map part) that I would bankrupt myself buying printer ink.

What your suggestion means is that I really actually do need to learn how to use a graphics program of some sort. If I do get it sorted out, I’ll be sure to send you a link to the finished project.

By: John Krygier

John Krygier — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 00:07:18 +0000

St. Blaize… huh. My middle name (with out the St.) after my grandfather Blaizius.

As to your actual question, I think your cut+paste idea is better than trying to get My Maps to do what you
want. Not because I am against fancy web mapping, but because you will come up with something unique
rather than another web map that looks like every other web map.

Consider doing this all digital: use a free graphics program (like Seashore [mac] or Wimp [windows]). Find
digital maps on the web and cut and paste those in a file with your photos, and also add text annotations.
A map collage, so to speak. Save as a jpg, gif, or png and stick it on the web.

By: Blaize

Blaize — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 22:38:59 +0000

I returned in June from 7 weeks abroad, including 6 weeks in Dushanbe, Tajikistan and other parts Tajikistani. I have been trying to figure out a decent way of making a personal “tour” map of Dushanbe, but I find Google “My Maps” to be actually somewhat awkward.

I’m an old-school cut-and-paste fan, and what I should probably do is actually blow up and print out parts of Dushanbe, physically cut and paste photos and text, then scan the results to post online. Clunky, I know, but the technology of cut-and-paste is already in my grasp, while computer mapping to achieve the same visual results would be harder for me.

Anyway, your blog here is an excellent resource. For example, your post on making personalized markers for Gmaps. Thank you.