-------- Original Message --------
Subject: RE: Lying Maps that Just Lie There
Date: Mon, 15 Mar 2010 07:48:57 -0500
From: Hadden, Robert L AGC <[log in to unmask]>
To: Maps, Air Photo, GIS Forum - Map Librarianship
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CC: <[log in to unmask]>
References: <[log in to unmask]>
Actually, the USGS topo maps do have some blank spaces on them. Those
items which are "attractive nuisances" (informally called "boy magnets"),
such as abandoned mine openings, Native American burial grounds,
archaeological sites and cave entrances, are traditionally not shown on the
USGS topo maps. The problems of vandalism and danger (see: "He Gets a Charge
Out of Outdoor Work Blowing Up Animals- But Mike Knodel Doesn't Like
Inspecting the Old Mines He Also Has to Explode." By Quentin Hardy. Wall
Street Journal. (New York, N.Y.: Dec 1, 1997. pg. A.1) are self-evident.
Also, some areas of national interest are vague or distorted on the
maps. While Camp David, MD, is shown, not all of the area's buildings and
roads are shown. The same is true with a few areas of radar installations or
communications centers. While many of these areas are shown completely on
Google Earth and other imagery, there is no interpretation or explanation of
the sites.
After 9/11, some USGS data which showed crucial water information was
also recalled. The fear of attack on the homeland was pronounced, and there
was some fear that water supplies might be poisoned or otherwise tampered
with by terrorists.
Lee
R. Lee Hadden
Geospatial Information Library (Map Library))
U. S. Army Geospatial Center
ATTN: CEAGS-WSG (Hadden)
7701 Telegraph Road
Alexandria, VA 22315-3864
(703) 428-9206
[log in to unmask]
"Curiosity is not a nice virtue- and it never leads to innocence." -Donna
Haraway
See some of my writings, both online and on paper, at my author page at:
http://www.librarything.com/author/haddenrobertlee
-----Original Message-----
-----Original Message-----
From: Geoff Forbes [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: Tuesday, March 09, 2010 1:05 PM
To: 'Maps, Air Photo, GIS Forum - Map Librarianship'
Subject: RE: Lying Maps
Dear Christopher, Robert, et al:
It is interesting analyzing some of these "lying maps." I recall studying a
Soviet topographic map on which a railroad led from a city center, several
kilometers away into the middle of nowhere and then it abruptly stopped. It
doesn't require an imagery analyst to deduce that there is probably a
military airfield or some such installation there. Interestingly, it's quite
possible for this type of paranoia to backfire on the country of origin.
Some large-scale maps have so many void areas, that it would be a very quick
and easy task for an adversary to create a vector layer from them called
"voids" which could be treated as "possible military targets". No wonder
this practice is typically avoided by the West. USGS maps usually depict
military installations, but simply avoid including street-level detail.
Best regards,
Geoff
Geoffrey A. Forbes, M.S.
Director of Sales
LAND INFO Worldwide Mapping LLC
Tel: +1.763.428.4129
Fax: +1.303.790.9734
E-mail:
Web site: www.landinfo.com
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