NEWSLETTER NO. 2 OF 2010

AXIS OF EVIL MAPPING NEWSLETTER # 2 March, 2010

NEW TITLES FOR THIS MONTH!

Alberta, Algeria, Chile and Argentina ITM Travel Atlas (including Easter Island), Europe Railways, Georgia, Israel and Palestine, Turkmenistan/Tajikistan/Kyrgyzstan

INTRODUCTION

Well, every party has to come to an end, and Vancouver’s is just winding down as you read this. Love ‘em or hate ‘em, the Olympics are just about the biggest event a city can host, winter or summer. The captains and kings of sports have come and gone, competed fairly for the honour of gold, silver, or bronze, and gone home, triumphant or dejected. It was an exciting time for the city and the country, as well as for the thousands of athletes.

OLYMPIC GAMES 2010 VANCOUVER/WHISTLER

As I write this, the main Games have been completed, while the Paralympics start in a week’s time. Excitement locally is still very high after Canada’s amazing performance and, generally speaking, everyone still seems to be enjoying themselves. These Games transfixed the world, but transformed Vancouver. While Canadian athletes get the most attention and cheers regardless of performance in Canada (naturally), each Olympic event was very well-attended and each athlete was cheered on to do his or her utmost. Vancouver is a fanatical city for ice hockey (well, all of Canada is!). Our womens' hockey team beat the Slovak team 18-0, a rout unmatched in Olympic history, and even had partisan Canadian fans wishing there was some sort of mercy call that could have ended the slaughter before the final bell. The mens’ Canadian team won a hard-fought final over an excellent US team, and fans went wild when Sid the Kid got his overtime goal. Apparently, even the bus service in Vancouver stopped running so drivers could watch the game on mini tv sets installed in buses so drivers can contact emergency services. I was in Europe at the time of ‘the’ game and I can say that the expressions of excitement by Europeans took me completely by surprise. I’ve even received half a dozen congratulatory emails! Yes, it was exciting, but more importantly, something happened to Canada as a result that we’ll probably only realize as time passes. We, as a nation, morphed into something new. I’ve never seen Canadians so wound up, so exuberantly patriotic. This went way beyond understandable pride in never-before-achieved accomplishments by young athletes. Canada came much closer to being a unified country. This event became an exercise in positive nation-building. There were inevitable glitches with an event of this size and duration (17 days). One bus, loaded with newspeople, got lost. That probably made good copy for somebody! The weather was 2 degrees warmer than the norm for this time of year – and a warm rain melted enough snow that a few events in the early days were affected. Whistler had fog some mornings; again, not something unusual in mountains during winter conditions, but unfortunate for athletes pumped up and ready to compete – only to have races delayed or postponed. Both Zambonis (ice-cleaning equipment) broke down at the Richmond speed-skating oval at the same time, causing delays. Some athletes have fallen, and one from Georgia tragically died. However, again keeping in mind the size and scope of these Games, almost all of the events ran as scheduled and millions of people around the world have enjoyed watching favoured athletes compete. Apart from the sporting activities themselves, the Games have been a resounding success. All of the facilities were completed at least a year in advance and athletes able to practice for months in advance. The housing facilities for the athletes is superb. Cash registers were ringing all over downtown Vancouver as hundreds of thousands of enthusiasts poured into the city centre each afternoon to cheer on their favourites, quaff a beer or two, and spend, collectively, millions of dollars each day. Three MILLION pairs of red mitts were sold – in a city with a total population of just over two million people. A record-breaking one million people used the transit system on Day 2 – that’s four times more than normal, and several even higher records were set throughout the Games. Record numbers of people were moved around a congested city for two weeks almost flawlessly. I’m sure somebody is keeping track of how many hot dogs were eaten, how many lost children were re-united with their parents etc, but I have one statistic that won’t show up on any screen except yours – Sears ordered 2,000 map pins from us so visitors could place a pin on a map in their main entranceway. The next day, they ordered 4,000 more, and the same the day after that. When they passed 10,000 pins on Day 5 and were frantically calling me each hour for more, I placed an order with Moore Push-pins for 10,000 more, and three days later, a further order for another 10,000 pins. I have sold more map pins in the past five days than I have in the past ten years! May the party never end!!! A few other trivia truths that emerged from the Games: - crime of all kinds throughout Vancouver dropped by 20% during the Games - vehicle insurance claims dropped dramatically, probably because so many people parked and used transit - nobody was murdered or died of a drug overdose for any reason during the seventeen-day period of activity - as far as I know, the only people arrested were some American thugs who infiltrated a peaceful protest march and ran amok for a few minutes smashing a few windows and forever damaging the causes others were protesting about. The miscreants were quietly rounded up and deported – forever, I hope.

ITMB CONVENTIONS IN THE NEAR FUTURE

Russell Guy and myself lock horns in the Battle of the Distributors, being held on the grounds of the University of Oregon, in late March. Russell outweighs me, but I’m craftier, so I’ll win! Following that, ITMB will converge on an as-yet-unnamed hospital in Toronto, where the next generation of map-making fanatics emerges sometime around the beginning of April. He’s being a bit coy at the moment, but his mother-to-be is getting sick and tired of waddling everywhere and going through doorways sideways, so he’s coming out, like it or not. Finally, having failed in my efforts to postpone the London Book Fair until little Johnny makes his appearance, I’ll be going to London on my own, while Lan stays in Toronto to shepherd mother and son through the critical first month of life. To listen to Lan, who tells everyone she’s becoming a grandmother, you’d never know someone else was a part of the process! Please stop by Stand F740 in the Travel section of LBF; Alan and I would both love to see you

A BIT OF HUMOUR

Regular naps prevent old age – especially if you take them while driving. The human brain starts working hard the minute you’re born and never stops until you stand up to speak in public. Children never grow faster than in the months after you’ve purchased an entire wardrobe for the new school year. Did You Know? - that Glenn Close got her career in acting started by touring Europe as a singer with Up With People? - that 210 climbers have died, to date, trying to climb Mount Everest? - that the current record for monthly texting between two people is 217,000 messages? - That the record for an overdue book being returned to a library is 110 years? (Webster’s dictionary, from Lyn Public Library, near Ottawa. The overdue fine of $9,000 was waived)

NEW MAP STORE OPENING

I am pleased to announce that the first new map and travel guide store to open in Europe in many years opens its doors on March 20th in Karlsruhe, Germany. Owners Volker Hager and Michael Oberdorfer have their new store at Herrenstrasse 33, a major shopping street close to the centre of Karlsruhe and conveniently located close to three tram stops and three parking garages. Karlsruhe is a large administrative and academic town about an hour’s drive south of Frankfurt International Airport on E5, at the autobahn turnoff for Stuttgart.

A GREAT NEWS STORY

I can’t let this one go by. This was on the radio yesterday. Police in Miami received a report of a hit and run vehicle accident. The investigating officers were on the scene interviewing the remaining driver when the offending driver returned. She’d gone home for her driving licence. It appears that she was on her way to visit her boyfriend and decided to shave her private parts so she’d be ‘ready’ (for what, I might ask?). She was driving, so she asked her husband (that’s right, her husband) to steer the car while she did what she felt she had to do. The vehicle continued moving forward with her ‘driving’. The car in front of her stopped and, concentrating on other matters, she didn’t notice and the two cars collided. Fortunately, nobody was hurt, but the woman is now facing numerous charges, including intoxication. Unfortunately, stupidity isn’t one of them. And you thought texting while driving was dangerous!!

ITMB Titles Out of Stock at the moment:

Bahamas (is awaiting time for updating), Papua New Guinea (is being re-worked into a double-sided map with eastern Indonesia), Togo/Benin (is being updated), and US Virgin Islands (is awaiting updating or re-working).

NEW ITMB ARTWORK CLOSE TO COMPLETION or AT PRESS

At the moment, we have only a few titles actually going to press, but we have a lot of titles arriving back from printing this month. Ho Chi Minh City recently ran out of copies. An update is underway in Vietnam, so we don’t have an expected date yet, but the Saigon section will show a lot of road changes. Japan is almost out of stock. An update is already underway. Jasper National Park (Canada) is now out of copies. It will be re-worked into a new double-sided map for release later this year. Papua New Guinea has been updated. We’re creating a new map for the reverse side, and don’t expect this title to be back in print until May or June. Rio de Janeiro ran out of copies this month, and updating is already well underway to create a new, double-sided map. A brand new West Coast Trail map is being developed, for release in May. No one can hike the trail until then anyway.

NEW TITLES

January, 2010 Alberta Travel Reference Map 1st Ed. 2010 1:1,000,000 ISBN 9781553418122 UPC 815534181237 $7.95cdn/us, EUR6.95 6.99GBP – Alberta is many different things - a dynamic powerhouse of the Canadian economy, the source of oil in vast quantities, cow country, the Calgary Stampede, the Rockies. Alberta is a real gem in the crown of Canada, and is one of the most popular touristic destinations in North America. This double-sided map shows everything from Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump to the dinosaur pits of the badlands around Drumheller, to the foothills resorts close to the national parks of Banff and Jasper, and the gigantic parks themselves. The Province of Alberta is huge in area and exuberant as only a confident entity can be. This is Canada in its glory! A great place to visit, and a great map to explore it with. Printed on paper; AVAILABLE.

Algeria Travel Reference Map 1st Ed. 2010 1:2,000,000 ISBN 9781553411062 UPC 815534110640 $12.95cdn/us, EUR8.95 7.99GBP – Algeria is recovering from a difficult decade. Historically, it had a close association with France that eventually led to a nasty war of independence, then to a long period of relative stability, then to a radical fundamentalist movement, and now to a fairly stable and progressive regime that is friendly to tourists. Algeria is one of the largest countries in Africa and, through its proximity to Europe, has direct air and ferry connections with France. The western border with Morocco has been closed for many years, but the Tunisian border is open. The map is printed double-sided, with the western portion on the cover side. The eastern portion also includes an inset map of Alger (formerly Algiers). AVAILABLE

Chile & Argentina ITM Travel Atlas (including Easter Island) 1st Ed. 2010 scale varies 114 pages ISBN 9781553410768 UPC 815534107695 $19.95cdn/us, E14.95 13.95GBP – This atlas combines four separate, though related, map areas within one volume. The latest ITMB travel atlas maps Chile at 1:1,250,000, Argentina at 1:2,200,000, Tierra del Fuego at 1:750,000, and Easter Island at 1:38,000. This is the perfect ‘map’ for those touring Patagonia and the southern third of South America. It is, by far, the most accurate and up to date information in print, enhanced not only by the latest computer information, but by information learned as a result of ‘ground-truthing’ by Jack and Lan last November, when they drove over 6,000kms in central Chile, Tierra del Fuego, and Patagonia. As with other ITM atlases, this one is the same shape and approximately the same thickness and weight. Detailed city centre maps of Santiago de Chile and Buenos Aires are also included. AVAILABLE.

Europe Railways Travel Reference Map 3rd Ed. 2010 1:3,350,000 ISBN 9781553410348 UPC 815534103437 $12.95cdn/us, EUR8.95 7.99GBP – This is a significantly updated map of the rail network of Europe from Moscow west to Lisbon and north to Narvik. We have added new fast-train lines and removed some of the older ones that are now just used for freight. Rail travel has always been a popular way to travel around western Europe. Eurail passes and drive-and-ride options encourage visitors to get out of their cars and enjoy seeing the countryside from modern train windows. Printed double-sided on paper; AVAILABLE

Forbidden Plateau/Campbell River – two more BC topo maps are at press and expected in April. Georgia Travel Reference Map 4th Ed. 2010 1:610,000 ISBN 9781553412182 UPC 815534121844 $12.95cdn/us, EUR8.95 7.99GBP – Europeans consider Georgia to be in Asia because, by an accident of history, the country ended up on the wrong side of an arbitrary line drawn through some rolling hills called the Caucasus. Regardless, this is a European country, bound by ethnicity, history, and religion to the west, not the east. The country has been threatened fairly recently by the Russian bear, but the country is recovering and the people are warm and hospitable. Historically, Georgia has much to offer – ancient cities, churches and monasteries, mountain villages, and everywhere, smiling faces. This is a very popular touristic destination, and we have updated information, improved readability, and generally done our best to portray this interesting country favourably. Printed on paper, double-sided; AVAILABLE

Israel and Palestine Travel Reference Map 2nd Ed. 2010 1:225,000 ISBN 9781553412601 UPC 815534126054 $12.95cdn/us, EUR8.95 7.99GBP – The two protagonists sharing the southeastern corner of the Mediterranean seem to be slowly learning to live with each other. Israel is, of course, a dynamic and energetic country, and very popular with visitors. As stability returns to the area, historic and touristic sites in the Palestinian-controlled West Bank are again open for visitors. Politically, this part of the world is a giant minefield. Our approach to mapping it is that there are two ‘nations’ sharing the same land, and each is equally important. Both offer great touring experiences. Printed on paper, double-sided; AVAILABLE.

Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, and Kyrgyzstan Travel Reference Map (our longest title ever!) Travel Reference Map 1st Ed. 2010 1:1,350,000 (Turk.)/1:1,100,00 (Taj/Kyrg.) $12.95cdn/us, EUR8.95 7.99GBP – I am very pleased to announce the arrival of this double-side ‘paired’ map of three very interesting countries. ITMB has now mapped every country in Asia except Turkey, and that’s underway. The collapse of the Soviet Empire, when it occurred, happened so rapidly that no one was prepared for it. The various ‘Stans’ on the southern edge welcomed independence, and each has moved in its own direction ever since. This is a map of three separate courtiers. On one side sits Turkmenistan, a large, desert like country on the northern border of Afghanistan and Iran. We have included a good inset map of Ashgabat, the capital. On the other side of the sheet, we have portrayed both Tajikistan and exotic Kyrgyzstan, two mountainous countries bordering China and Pakistan. An inset map of Bishkek is included. This is an amazing map, if for no other reason that, eighteen years after their creation, this is the first map published of them as country maps. AVAILABLE

TITLES THAT ARRIVED IN DECEMBER

2009 Beijing and the Great Wall of China 3rd Ed. 2010 1:23,000/1:280,000 ISNB 9781553416012

Botswana, including Zimbabwe, Travel Reference Map 5th Ed. 2010 1:1,500,000 ISBN 9781553411475

China ITM Travel Atlas 1st Ed. 124 pages 2010 ISBN 9781553410751

China ITM Wall Map, plotted only 1:2,300,000 – no ISBN

Delhi/Northwestern India Travel Reference Map 1st Ed. 2010 1:45,000/1:1,900,000 ISBN 9781553416197

Earth Ball Inflatable Globe 16”/30cm marketed product ISBN 081539736264

Germany Travel Reference Map 2nd Ed. 2010 1:650,000 ISBN 9781553412205

 Jakarta Travel Reference Map 1st Ed. 2010 1:21,000/1:75,000 ISBN 9781553416517

Lima and Central Peru Travel Reference Map 2nd Ed. 2010 1:13,000/1:1,500,000 ISBN 9781553416562

Lower Mainland Region (BC) Travel Reference Map 1st Ed. 2010 1:250,000 ISBN 9781553418276

Mackenzie River (Yukon) Wall Map, plotted only 1st Ed. 2010 no ISBN

Manila ITM City Map 1st Ed. 2010 1:20,000 ISBN 9781553416739

Mexico Baja California Travel Reference Map 7th Ed. 2010 1:650,000 ISBN 9781553415435

Paraguay Travel Reference Map 2nd Ed. 2010 1:800,000 ISBN 9781553413707

Sao Paulo/Southern Brasil Travel Reference Map 2nd Ed. 2010 1:12,500/1:2,200,000 ISBN 9781553416876

Sumatra Travel Reference Map 1st Ed. 2010 1:110,000 ISBN 9781553415442

Uruguay/Montevideo Travel Reference Map 3rd Ed. 2010 1:800,000/1:10,000 ISBN 9781553414544

Uzbekistan Travel Reference Map 1st Ed. 2010 1:1,580,000 ISBN 9781553414551