On the road of life, the stops along the way can be some of the best adventures. So I do like this map I stumbled upon recently after hearing about it on a news story. I think you'll like it, too.
Adventure awaits
One of the peculiar things about me is that I love obscure museums and self-identified capitals of one thing or another. You learn a lot of trivia in the course of life, and it makes life off the beaten path an interesting adventure. So when I heard the NPR interview this week about Atlas Obscura's map of the world's "other" capitals, I was hooked. I'm a fan of Atlas Obscura. You should sign up for their email. But I do love the capitals. Our friends in Fountain are the self-proclaimed " Sinkhole Capital of the World ." Iowa has a number of capitals marked, and this map lets you know if it's maintained its status or been toppled. For instance, Newton, Iowa, was once the home of the Maytag Corporation and therefore the washing machine capital of the world. One in four of the town's inhabitants were employed building washing machines, but that changed when the Maytag plant closed down in 2007. You can learn how Green Bay is the toilet paper capital of the world . It's interesting. Venture forth. Consult the map before you make a foray into your uncharted territory.
OK Go
ADVERTISEMENT
Are you a fan of the band OK Go? Their music is good and their videos are what often capture attention. This one is pretty cool. They flew in a plane that does maneuvers — flying in a parabola pattern — that would create zero gravity. So they cut up the song, Upside Down & Inside Out, into short bites to film the video in one take. It's fun. Watch the video first and then the how they did it video. There's a dabbling of science mixed in there if you listen. And look through their other videos. Most, if not all, are shot in one take, so it's a fun to traipse along with the tune.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=LWGJA9i18Co
www.youtube.com/watch?v=pnTqZ68fI7Q
Travel, see the universe
The NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory does some heady work looking out into space. They've got a spot on their site where you can download or order travel posters to sites near and far — relatively speaking in space terms — such as Mars , Jupiter and Venus . It's called the Visions of the Future. They're in the vein of the old time travel posters. I love them!
www.jpl.nasa.gov/visions-of-the-future
National parks
Have you seen the art posters created during the WPA years of the national parks and other sites? I love them. I've used notecards with the images and had posters framed. Here's a new version that uses photography and shapes it in the style of the posters. Here's what they say: "Photographer and graphic artist Rob Decker, who studied under Ansel Adams in Yosemite National Park when he was just 19, has been photographing our National Parks for the past 35 years. Now he's creating original artwork for each park using WPA-period styles, but with imagery and color palettes that are more natural and representative of today's real world visitor experience." It's slightly modern, but still has the old feel. Plus, he hits on more sites in more states. I like the effort.
ADVERTISEMENT
Protocol
I came across this Google book that chronicles the protocols of funerals, including Supreme Court justices. It's antiquated, but gives you some thought behind the ceremonies and why people are chosen for various duties. It's called the "Hand-book of Official and Social Etiquette and Public Ceremonials…" Page through it for something obscure, but informative.
Catalog of murderers
I'm not sure what caught my eye on this one, but just the fact that someone would compile an encyclopedia of mass murderers was intriguing. They are stories that you may have heard, but others who might seem obscure. It's not for everyone, but it's interesting and sad. There's even one from my hometown.
