Saturday, January 5, 2019

Regional Powerhouses Driving the U.S. Economy

The concept of mega-regions dates back to 1957, when the economic geographer Jean Gottman coined the term “megalopolis” to describe the emerging economic hub that stretched from Boston to D.C. More than just a collection of cities or one giant city, a mega-region is greater than the sum of its parts.
U.S. East Coast at night
U.S. Mega-Region Population

U.S. Mega-Regions


Bos-Wash stretches from Boston through New York, Philadelphia and Baltimore to Washington, D.C., a total of 500 miles. If Bos-Wash were a separate country, it would be the fourth largest economy in the world, behind only the U.S., China, and Japan and ahead of Germany.

Chi-Pitts extends north and west from Pittsburgh through Cleveland, Detroit, Indianapolis, Chicago, and Minneapolis. Its economy is just a bit smaller than the United Kingdom’s, about the same size as Brazil’s, and bigger than all of Russia’s – equivalent to the world’s seventh largest nation.

Char-lanta, includes Atlanta, Georgia; Raleigh, North Carolina; and Birmingham, Alabama. Its economy is bigger that South Korea’s, placing it among the world’s fifteen largest economies.

So-Cal runs from L.A. through San Diego and spills into Tijuana, Mexico. Its economy is bigger than all of Mexico’s and just a bit smaller than Spain’s, also putting it among the world’s fifteen largest economies.

So-Flo includes Miami, Orlando and Tampa. It's economic output, makes it about the same size as the Netherlands or Turkey, and would therefore rank among the world’s twenty largest economies.

Nor-Cal includes 14 metros surrounding San Francisco Bay. It ranks among the world’s twenty largest economies.

Tor-Buff-Chester stretches north from Buffalo and Rochester, taking in Toronto, Ottawa and Montreal in Canada. It generates output of nearly $600 billion, more than Sweden, placing it among the world’s 25 largest economies.

Dal-Austin encompasses Dallas, Austin, and San Antonio, Texas. It produces more than $700 billion in economic output, more than Sweden or oil-rich Saudi Arabia. It also would rank among the 25 biggest economies in the world.

Hou-Orleans stretches from Houston through Mobile, Alabama to New Orleans. It produces more than $750 billion in economic output, about the same as the Netherlands, placing it among the world’s 25 largest economies.

The Cascadia mega-region stretches up from Portland, Oregon through Seattle and into Vancouver, Canada.  It generates economic output of about $600 billion, comparable to Switzerland, also placing it among the world’s top 25 nations.

The Phoenix-Tucson region's economic output is just slightly less than Hong Kong. This makes it one of the fifty largest economies in the world.

The Denver-Boulder region's economic output is more than Finland, Greece or Ireland. If it were a nation, it would also rank among the world’s 50 largest economies.

Condensed from this Article >>

The Northwest Angle (who knew?)!

This is interesting... Who knew about this little chunk of land and lake? Although part of the United States, it is only accessible by land through Canada!

In 1783, Britain and the U.S. agreed on the new border based on a map maker's error about the source of the Mississippi River, which was used to help draw the boundary.
Details on the Wikipedia page >>




Saturday, November 17, 2018

Cleopatra’s Alexandria

Alexandria was founded around 332 BC by Alexander the Great. It became an important center of Hellenistic civilization and remained the capital of Ptolemaic Egypt and Roman and Byzantine Egypt for almost 1,000 years, until the Muslim conquest of Egypt in AD 641.

Alexandria was best known for
  • the Lighthouse of Alexandria (Pharos), one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World; 
  • its Great Library (the largest in the ancient world; and 
  • the Necropolis, one of the Seven Wonders of the Middle Ages.

Alexandria was at one time the second most powerful city of the ancient Mediterranean region, after Rome.


Alexandria Today


Sunken Treasure

In 1998 a French archeologist, Franck Goddio found the remains of the ancient city and Cleopatra’s spectacular palace at the lost, sunken island of Antirhodos.

Why was Cleopatra’s palace submerged?
Scientists believe a few centuries after Cleopatra’s reign (1400 years ago) there was a terrible earthquake and a huge tsunami in Egypt, which hit the coast of Alexandria. It is this natural disaster, they believe, which resulted in the island of Antirhodos sinking with the, once great, royal harbor, palace and lighthouse.

Further Info

Friday, November 16, 2018

Black Drink - Ilex vomitoria

Long before Europeans arrived, Native Americans made a caffeinated beverage, known as the Black Drink, from toasted leaves of the yaupon holly plant.  The drink was typically used in rituals promoting purity, peace and friendship. The leaves were traded with tribes outside the plant's natural range. It was offered to former enemies during peacemaking ceremonies.  While the recipe can vary between tribes, the full formula was not given to outsiders.
Native American Black Drink - Preparation/Ceremony

It is speculated that the black drink may have contained emetic herbs in addition to yaupon leaves, since rituals often, but not always, included vomiting.  Although the scientific name for yaupon holly, Ilex vomitoria, refers to vomiting, the leaves do not cause vomiting.

Yaupon Holly

Ilex vomitoria - The plant is the only known indigenous plant to North America that contained caffeine.The Latin name comes from an incorrect belief by Europeans that the plant caused vomiting in certain ceremonies.
Ilex vomitoria - Yaupon Holly


Cassina or yaupon tea

After European contact with tribes in what is today the Southeastern United States, colonists began using the charred leaves of the yaupon holly to make a tea similar to the black drink, but without the ritual of vomiting.

During the Civil War, yaupon tea was used as a substitute for coffee and tea throughout the South.

Tuesday, October 2, 2018

Great Infographics from National Geographic

National Geographic has an amazing array of high-quality infographics - artistry at its finest! Here'e a sampling of just a few - highly recommended...

Amazonia: Vital and Fragile
https://www.nationalgeographic.org/hires/amazonia/



Talking Trees, illustration for National Geographic
Beau and Alan Daniels
https://beaudaniels.com/talking-trees-a-project-for-national-geographic

In Harm's Way
https://www.nationalgeographic.org/photo/tornadographic/


Sunday, August 5, 2018

Catskill Mountain Narrow Gauge Railroads

Did you know there were narrow gauge railroads in the Catskills that operated for nearly forty years transporting vacationers up to the mountains. Its fascinating story and even includes an inclined railway the Otis Elevating Railway.

This Otis Elevating Railway was a  cable funicular line that opened in 1892 and rose 1,630 ft up the mountain. in just 7,000 ft!

Further info will be forthcoming once a trek to the site is scheduled!

Railroad Maps of the Area


The Otis Elevating Railway

This was even featured in a Scientific American article on, Oct. 5, 1895!

Historical Railroad Map 

Folks travelled by Steamer to  either Kingston or Catskill and boarded a narrow gauge train to bring them to the mountain resorts,

Elegant Hotels

At the top of the incline railway, there were a few very elegant hotels...

Catskill Mountain House
Hotel Katerskill


Further Info

Wednesday, April 4, 2018

Pequonnock Valley History

I have had a fascination for this park ever since I started mountain biking there ages ago with my son. Old abandoned mills, a rail trail full of history and magnificent scenery make every visit an enticing adventure.

Researching history thru old maps always brings little rewards of discovery. A remnant of an old path semi-obscured in the woods... the mystery behind an old foundation... discovering and learning their origins keeps me coming back for more :-)

Pathways to the former pond

Remnants of an old road leading down to the railroad bed

Old Mine Park

Photo of Tungsten Mine (it ceased ceasing operations after a suspicious fire in 1916)