Footprints by Region

There may be more than 2 billion people in Asia Pacific (including China and India) but not too surprisingly, their global footprint is a lot smaller than that of a North American (probably more specifically an American). We really do waste a lot of energy in the U.S. Lights are left on in empty, closed, and locked stores, people drive ridiculously big gas-guzzling cars, and all our over-processed food contribute to the huge waste of energy and resources. There are just over 300 million people in the U.S., yet it's amazing how much the average person uses. It's no surprise that our global footprint is the largest while the average African's footprint is the smallest. Even the second largest footprint (EU-25 at the time, though now it's the EU-27) comes up to only about half the size of the average North American. Pretty intense. Kind of makes you think before you use.

Today's Random Picture:

Neuropa

A couple days ago, there was a map speculating what most of Western Europe would be like without Germany. Now, this map is sort of like the extreme inverse of that. What would happen to Europe if Nazi Germany won World War II?
If you take a closer (enlarged) look at the map, it's almost like the evil version of the present-day EU, which "member states" joining the German-ruled protectorates in certain years. I also think this map assumes the cooperation of the USSR, how else would "Gotenland" be a German protectorate in the Crimea?

Today's Random Video:
I know the above map is kind of a scary thought. So I decided to lighten up the mood by ending with this. It's hilarious! It never fails to make me laugh... but maybe that's just me and my accent fetish:

Lost Swiss and Irish Explorers

Swiss and Irish explorers... were there ever any? Actually, it's no wonder there weren't many (or any) Swiss or Irish explorers. Why? Well... Europeans tend to make fun of Americans for their lack of geographical knowledge. It's true that about 11% of the U.S. population can't locate the U.S.A. on a map; however, before those Europeans make fun of us, some of them should look at their ability to locate cities/countries on maps.

Take a look at this map from a Swiss airline:
All the cities are moved up at least a hundred miles (a couple hundred kilometers). Washington D.C. is where Philadelphia should be, Philadelphia is where New York really is, and New York has somehow miraculously made its way up north to Massachusetts, and Boston is apparently no longer the capital of MA but can be found in Maine. Chicago, which SHOULD be in Illinois is now in Wisconsin, according to the Swiss and Indianapolis is where Chicago should really be. Pittsburgh (which is incorrectly spelled as "Pittsburg"), Pennsylvania has moved to Ohio, and Ohioan cities like Cincinnati and Columbus are now in Indiana and Michigan respectively. All cities in Florida seem to have moved North at least a hundred or so miles. I could go on forever, but I'll stop there.

Equally disappointing is the Irish airline, Aer Lingus' map-making abilities:
New York, as well as other cities in New York State (Rochester, Buffalo, Burlington, Syracuse) are apparently now in Quebec, Canada. Actually, this map is even more disappointing. How can New York's cities be in Canada? Seriously? And somehow, Portland, Maine is SOUTH of cities like Buffalo? Honestly? And Pittsburgh, which is definitely south of New York City and in Pennsylvania, can be found to the north of New York. Somehow, southern cities of Richmond, Raleigh-Durham, and Charlotte are in the North. So before the Irish and Swiss make fun of Americans, I'd ask them to take a look at their maps and study geography themselves before they act like hypocrites. (P.S. This is all in good, sarcastic fun. I have nothing against the Swiss nor the Irish)

Today's Random Quiz:

You Are a Chocolate Cupcake

You are deep, richly interesting, and at times overpowering. You have a strong personality. You are drawn to people who adore you. You love it when your specialness is recognized. You are like a cupcake because it's hard for people to get enough of you. You have a mysterious charm that makes you incredibly addicting. People are drawn to your drama.

What Flavor Cupcake Are You?

Europa Ohne Deutschland?

Biased American teachers from my childhood always pointed the finger at Germany for "starting" both WWI and WWII. Although I do admit that WWII was mostly initiated by Germany under Hitler's Nazi regime, WWI was really a pointless war with no single initiator, winner, or loser... although the unfair peace treaty would unfairly punish Germany, creating a domino-effect of events leading into the Second World War.

Anyway, I found an interesting map that draws up a Germany-less Europe:
So what would Europe look like? France, which is already the largest country in Western Europe, would become even bigger and border Poland, which reaches across to take over cities like Berlin (Berolinsk), Dresden (Drezno), and Leipzig (Lipsk). Whoever drew up the map (which was found here with the blurb underneath: Mitteleuropa ohne Deutschland - Auftragsarbeit für das Magazin Dummy) made sure to "Frenchify" German cities (Kassel = Cassel, Aachen = Aix-la-Chapelle, Mainz = Mayence, Karlsruhe = Charlesrepos.). The Czech Republic and Austria take over the region that is now Bayern, Nurmberg becoming Nuremhora and München becoming Monaco di Baviera. What's interesting is how Austria apparently would get influenced by Italy if Germany never existed. The city Salzburg thus becoming Salcastello. Denmark gets to take over Hamburg (Hamborg) and the Netherlands aquires Köln (Keulen), Dusseldorf (Dusseldorp), and Wilhelmshaven (Willemspoort).

If Germany never existed, then German would never exist, right? That would kind of sad, considering German is one of my favorite languages. Otherwise, we would never get commericals like this one:

Today's Random Video:

Zinadine Zidane to Alyssa Milano

Thanks to Les for sending me this compilation of several "celebrities" and public figures' childhood/present (before/after) pictures. I decided to share them with you =) Some people look exactly the same (Katie Holmes), others look amazingly different (Marylin Manson), and it seems many women turned blond: