CommonCensus Map Project

October 17, 2005 8:59 PM

The CommonCensus Map Project is redrawing the map of the United States based on your voting, to show how the country is organized culturally, as opposed to traditional political boundaries. It shows how the country is divided into 'spheres of influence' between different cities at the national, regional, and local levels.
posted by BuddhaInABucket (11 comments total)

Waiting for the contribution-based map.
posted by longsleeves at 9:18 PM on October 17, 2005

In all honesty, I think their sports maps are more interesting: NFL, MLB

(Except for how they got cute with the colors and it makes it hard to read.)
posted by smackfu at 10:24 PM on October 17, 2005

Agreed. It'll be interesting to check back in in a few weeks or months and see what develops.
posted by mikeweeney at 10:40 PM on October 17, 2005

I feel like I just made a valuable contribution to an ig-Nobel nominee.
posted by tgyg at 10:44 PM on October 17, 2005

The Nine Nations of North America.

A Thirty-Eight State USA.
posted by dhartung at 11:27 PM on October 17, 2005

Wow, I think that the 38-state plan is the least feasible thing I've seen in a long time.
posted by oaf at 1:05 AM on October 18, 2005

I can't help but think that a lot of people are going to see the map, and then contribute only to get their rival town out of the sphere of influence. I think the map as it is is very revealing, but it might get watered down with too much info (ironically perhaps). Time will tell.
posted by goodnewsfortheinsane at 6:48 AM on October 18, 2005

Can someone explain to me the pocket of Green Bay Packer fans in Mississippi/Alabama/Florida Panhandle region? I've never understood this. I would have chalked it up to Bret Favre's influence, but it pre-dates him by several decades.
posted by marcusb at 7:23 AM on October 18, 2005

goodnewsfortheinsane: I think that's kind of the point, though. If you have a 'rival town' you certainly don't feel as if you belong to them culturally, so that should reflect on the map.

Was anyone else reminded of Civilization 3's cultural boundaries when looking at this? I can't be the only nerd.
posted by BuddhaInABucket at 8:02 AM on October 18, 2005

Can someone explain to me the pocket of Green Bay Packer fans in Mississippi/Alabama/Florida Panhandle region?

I think it's a Mississippi State - Packers history that includes Favre, I'm just speculating here.

What is shocking to me is that there are actually Houston Texans fans, at all.
posted by Pollomacho at 8:19 AM on October 18, 2005

"(Please read all choices before responding, and give the answer most appropriate for you personally. If your answer is missing, please write it in under 'other'.)

Query failed: ,_, ,Ä,-G-‘-Ú- .A.n.š.¼.ë.7/}/ /Ò/ "
Bummer.
posted by Four Flavors at 11:30 AM on October 18, 2005