My Final Project

"My Final Project"

My final project map is about Breast Cancer Awareness among women in the United States (2004). The pink ribbons represented the amount of deaths per year in 2004. The largest ribbons show the most deaths and the smallest ribbons show the least deaths. Then I decided to further my study and see if there were any changes in death rates in recent years which were represented by the different shades of purple. The lights were the lowest changes in death rates and the darker purples were the highest changes.
I ended up finding out a very interesting thing. A lot of the east coast was very high for breast cancer deaths. This leads me to believe several factors which I intend to look further into. Three Mile Island Power Plant had a radioactive spill in Pennsylvania on March 28, 1979. The pattern of the air circulation maybe responsible for more breast cancer.

State Cancer Profiles

http://statecancerprofiles.cancer.gov/cgi-bin/ratetrendbycancer/data.pl?055&2&00&00&1&0&3

Avon Walk for Breast Cancer

http://walk.avonfoundation.org/site/PageServer?pagename=walk_homepage

Center for Disease Control and Prevention---Breast Cancer

http://www.cdc.gov/cancer/breast/statistics/

National Cancer Institute

http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/types/breast

YAP: Young Adults Program

http://www.yapstuff.org/page/healthy_breasts.html?gclid=CKDa-4TdnpACFQGWHgod-ldmOQ

Extra Credit

It took me awhile to look through everybody’s projects and decide whose maps looked the best. There were many nice ones but some were just striking to me; whether it was color or style or just plan appearance once it was all put together.

Part A Top Five Labs

1.) Eric’s Digital Cartography Blog by Eric Gerhart http://egerhart.blogspot.com/
http://egerhart.blogspot.com/2007/10/proportional-symbols.html
I like Eric’s map on “Total Housing Units in the State of Maryland” Proportional Symbols because this map was very clear to read and the house symbols just jumped right out at you when you looked at the map.

2.) Nathan’s Blog by Nathan Lann http://natesblog310.blogspot.com/
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim_oa0AgnZErg89AbAbM1Ss_hXrm8K353Ky8AxU1S7M796nMrha6E94_6VtZIPmvbnplQXAdM3XO_RdU_9oVSmvKSWAN1CPMtRL2eDv5IJhw99_AoVSB1sdFY8PyI6vb7XKnD-yxcstGY/s1600-h/lab10.jpg
I like Nathan’s Lab 10 “Total Population Vs Median Household Income in North Carolina---Bivariate Map of North Carolina. I especially liked the color combinations you chose because it draws your eyes into the really populated area which were more in the center of the map. The symbols were placed in a nice spot where you can clearly read everything.

3.) Introduction to Digital Cartography by Chris Mackey http://cmackeydigitalcartography.blogspot.com/
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUqKC_Yc7dQgBlxJEr-r3eztlyclbIVfp6CLeokyshQ1lal_OMy4F2JX3lwbqFKbSyYKyw1veWvbv2jYp95iIjziiRUynq56NCxF5CwrPlxJFjM3-MMWaH0_XGHvThGryHGxE2Qkbrd1s/s1600-h/310project10.jpg
I like Chris Mackey Bivariate Map. The color combination is excellent. The grays and the blues really off set everything very well. The gray looks like it was made transparent a little bit so that you could still see the counties.

4.) The Geog and Mappin’ Place by Matthew McConnell http://mattwthrman.blogspot.com/
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJX52SXd0YGQfgWSIEAHB0-dh45DLmEMMr52YPMB-j3ZQYJDC_C_SUyPFdvlVpf9KsLp70NnZKvKalqnInws29lPyBMy-cdOynUupsIDjJza4ZWd-IGwqUGCQHk2fHtWhUJxAUFIp4HBYR/s1600-h/MatthewNCmap.jpg
I really liked your Bivariate map you created. I could not click your map to the other page but I still could view it even at a smaller view. I like your color combinations. You can never go wrong with light colors. They are always warm and soothing. I like the way you created your symbols (one inside the other). This is an interesting way of doing it. It may not work for all maps but it sure does work for this one.

5.) Gerry’s Geography by Gerald
http://gerrysgeography.blogspot.com/
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmAbQ520YnXo9m42RBGZE6JbixZBey2bjWxca5LKGcDrCP_EDyQFvsJNrNSoNrF6jv4WhrruSJ69yHs-hSxqurSfsqmSWs1mTP6PN8w7297I8ZVAgKSp0fEQurmx0HBDqyHvE1nmAC3vdx/s1600-h/nc2.jpg
First, I am glad I stopped to check out your website. I never heard of GIS Café but I really liked it after viewing it. Anyways, I like your Bivariate Map. For most maps the gray background would be to dark but for this particular map---it looks great. I like your straight faces you used. I think that was really creative and with the color combination on the map; it really made everything stand out and look great together.

Part B Top Five Examples

1.) Gerry’s Geography by Gerald
http://gerrysgeography.blogspot.com/
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHDGy-IjpPE1x6AiXARE-MUR7VHw9C4go-G2wKloudFI5QK8z7LHplUySOOMc_5SoEnPdh2mo-GgyKQTKSOdh3JsiklvDFSU1kYxuunMuz7pFWARTGFl8YVAugGc85jyg6H-ceZxKci0Xg/s1600-h/166710882_5f0a34380a.jpg
Disneyland colored map you posted was really awesome. This map has come a long way since the old one. Of course, Minnie mouse helps top off the map.

2.) Parker Cartography by Leanna Parker
http://parkercartography.blogspot.com/
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDMA2bPZEBH7wYiDvia8csOCIbt8NVHmmEse7IB_hIpdjqWxRJFt16djaC9JZkcsyIITlCX_fDrQ2-a3_XK01oJUuMeaaAZ9wGEg_NfFb9jhXfaN4m04TYFBteplI3zKceFUIahJaBbzo/s1600-h/UW2Castle.jpg
I like “The Castle of Lord British”. This is such an interesting map especially for being such an old map. They were truly artistic and creative back then.

3.) The Geog and Mappin’ Place by Matthew McConnell
http://mattwthrman.blogspot.com/
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhVCPhtm3N_NWvFBq7I6ut9wl4C45pkz_5SNfpfXfBWi5uIpKk1t9Ub0BT2WlXav1P1YSigiLTgnlYTyRfnv5AypQVGxn7CnjqWozuoqkvYqLNpibJ13k9h4q4Aj8pW2G1V033-KEEfbe3/s1600-h/pctasian.jpg
I like the Bivariate Map that shows the Asian population in Fairfax etc. The colors they used were quite interesting. They help you to locate the specific counties.

4.) Nathan’s Blog by Nathan Lann http://natesblog310.blogspot.com/
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKar0wioOI-dLFguR6PyQUAWTjpL4d7hqvLTXALkDTU8ICIsAcdkJ4sMDXMOiqeJ7RcbgaJn8ghC9HrYiUlcipftn5oszXQcqYTVGc8ZGdebo5yTO-Nohz1w6O3yzPYghQd4rWUEL4ZBU/s1600-h/elderly_aian_big.jpg
I like the Dot Density Map of American Indian and Alaska Native Elders from the 1990 Census Bureau. I f I am not mistaken, this map was presented at one of the GIS days events I went to. I totally love this map for many reasons. I like the pale blue-pink background. I like the way they clustered the dots and made them bleed together. I also like the pink they used for the United States. It really brought out what they were trying to get across.

5.) Eric’s Digital Cartography Blog by Eric Gerhart http://egerhart.blogspot.com/
http://www.indyprops.com/pp-goonmap1.jpg
I like the “Cool Tyography”. For an ancient map, this one is really cool. I am amazed that people back than could create such beautiful maps that not only gave information but was artistic looking too.

Color Choropleth Map

Dot Density

Symbology Map (Example Map)

This City Explorer map uses symbology very creatively and is a wonderful example how maps making can be artistic.

Proportional Symbol Map

This map was my most favorite map I did. Check out the cows. I made them in illustrator.

Choropleth Maps (Example Map)

Choropleth maps and statistical data are natural partners. When trying to communicate important staistical data, the message can often be lost in a pile of seemingly unrelated numbers. But when that data is shown visibly on a map, the message that a researcher is trying to communicate comes accross crystal clear. This map shows the mortality rate per 100,000 people in 1997.

Natural Break Map (Choropleth Map)

Equal Interval Map (Choropleth Map)

Boundary Maps (Example Map)

The United States Census bureau creates hundreds of different boundry file maps that very often can be downloaded for free. This boundry map is an excellent example of how a well designed map can enhance the data within the map itself.

Boundary Map

Font Maps (Example Map)

Obviously a lot of thought went into the selection, labeling, and font size and selection in creating this map. Despite the labeling of hundreds of objects, the map is uncluttered and looks extremely professional.

Typography

Mercetar Map (Example Map)

This Universal Transverse Mercator projection map has a 3-D look to it making it much more effective in representing data than just laying it out in a flat map.

Mollweide Graticule

Natural Surface Map (Example Map)

Natural surface maps can be a great method for illustrating a concept that is not normally visible. Data from a pair of satellites were used to make this map showing subtle changes in the Earth's gravitational fields.

Illustration of Sphere, Geoid, Ellipsoid, and Natural Surface

Reason for Chosing My Three Links!

I chose the nga.mil and usgs.gov websites as links on my blogger web page because both sites provide alot of information concerning federal job opportunities. The USGS site is a little more difficult to use when looking for student jobs compared to the NGA site but, it is my favorite because USGS is where I would like to work.
I included the NASA site because it contains astronomy pictures for everyday of the month going back several years. I have a telescope at home and love looking at the stars.

doing a check