Review: Hammond World Almanac 2006 World Atlas

Publisher: Hammond World Atlas CorporationISBN: 0843709375

The Hammond World Atlas Corporation has teamed up with the bestselling World Almanac and Book of Facts in putting together a superb and educational publication, Hammond World Almanac 2006 World Atlas.

You can probably call this Almanac the bible for world class cartography and data with its 200 pages of facts and figures about people, ethnic groups, languages, religions, area, capital, GDP, head of state, and governments. And then there are the 100 pages of digital TerraScape Maps that feature three dimensional relief of land and ocean floor terrain.

When I looked at the "Contents" section of the Almanac, I was delighted to see that there is a section pertaining to the interpretation of maps. How often have you looked at a map and you haven't a clue as to what all the symbols mean or the map scales and projections?

In clear and precise language the authors of this publication explain what are map projections and explore some of the most widely used projections. They also introduce us to a new projection, the Hammond Optimal Conformal.

For those of us who are unfamiliar with the term map projection, we are informed that the challenge faced by mapmakers is to project the earth's curved surface onto a flat plane. Consequently, to accomplish this feat, cartographers have developed map projections or formulas that govern this conversion of geographic data. It is possible to identify every point on earth with the help of a geographic coordinate grid, and this grid is projected onto a flat surface.

From this starting point we are given explanations of general principles and terms, how to flatten a sphere, selected examples of projections, conic projection and the Hammond Optimal Conformal.

This initial section is followed with a comprehensive explanation as to how to use the map section. It is here where we find out how boundaries are determined, sources of names, map symbols, colors, labels and map scales.

Armed with all this introductory data we are now prepared to examine the world maps starting with the Europe and Northern Asia and then Asia, Australia and Pacific, Africa, Antarctica, South America, and North America. On the bottom of each map there are color codes differentiating the population of the various cities and towns. There is also a mileage scale denoted in either miles or kilometers. Detailed and comparative thematic maps, tables, graphs pertaining to each continent, topography, population, land use, mineral resources and consumption are also included.

The concluding section or the World Almanac Section presents key facts and figures concerning every nation such as their rankings by population and area, major oceans, ocean depths, and islands, rivers, waterfalls, continental altitudes, lakes, reservoirs, dams, highest mountains, temperatures, top languages, precipitation, population growth, energy and environment.

Examining facts and figures about a particular nation we notice that what is included is the following: topography, capital city, independence date, type of government, who is the head of state and head of government, GDP, industries, chief crops, minerals, life expectancy at birth, literacy rate and a link to the country's web site.

This almanac is a magnificent achievement to be savored and repeatedly enjoyed. It fills an educational niche and is a perfect addition for libraries, classrooms, and personal book collections, where vital geographical data is at your finger tips.

The above review was contributed by: NORM GOLDMAN Editor of Bookpleasures. CLICK TO VIEW MORE OF Norm Goldman's Reviews

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Grier's Almanac: 200 Years of Service

One of my favorite "reads" are almanacs. From the formerly named Information Please almanac to the Old Farmer's Almanac, these handy paperback books contain a wealth of information on virtually any subject, particularly the more generalized tomes such as Information Please.

In November 2005, I visited my locally owned drugstore and found that they had free copies of Grier's Almanac available for customers. Similar in design to the Old Farmer's Almanac, I took a copy home with me.

Although not peppered with stories such as can be found in the Old Farmer's Almanac, Grier's contains the usual "zodiac" information which farmers in time's past would rely on to help them determine when to plant. In addition, you can find information on daily weather predictions, a fishing calendar, an exhaustive list of holidays for the year, and interesting chronological information on events that happened on particular dates throughout history. In the back of the almanac is a section devoted to all kinds of classified ads.

As with most almanacs in this particular genre, Grier's has its share of ads. Some are helpful and include ads for insurance and gardening, while others are bizarre and include ads for oils and candles to help make your opposing lawyer stupid. Okay, if it works than that is great!

Perhaps the most interesting aspect of Grier's is that 2006 represents their 200th anniversary edition. For two straight centuries the almanac has been published including throughout the Civil War period, a remarkable feat indeed.

Grier's is written for the southern states only from Virginia to Texas. As mentioned, copies are free and can be found in many drugstores, feed and seed establishments, and retail outlets throughout the south. Annual circulation reportedly exceeds three million copies.

Congratulations to Grier's Almanac Publishing Company of Atlanta for 200 consecutive years of service!

Copyright 2006 -- Matthew Keegan is The Article Writer who writes on a variety of topics including: advocacy, automobiles, aviation, business, Christian themes, family, news, product reviews, travel, writing, and more. Please visit Matt's blog for absolutely stunning and humorous writings from the master himself!

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What is the Best Place to Live in the United States and Canada - One Almanac Tells All

During the recession many families are re-thinking where they live and considering making a move, something they take very seriously, and cannot afford to make a mistake. But where do they move too? Where can they get all the information they need to make an informed decision? Well, boy have I got the perfect book to aid in this search:

"Places Rated Almanac; Your Guide to Finding the Best Places to Live in the United States and Canada" (Special Millennium Edition) by David Savageau with Ralph D'Agostino; IDG Books Worldwide, Inc., Foster City, CA; 2000.

This book is a wealth of information on places to live, listed are some 354 Metro Areas which are ranked by crime, weather, arts, recreation, sports teams, job base, education, transportation, energy, pollution, cost of living and health care considerations. There is so much data in this book you will be blown away, and it will make you consider things you may not have ever thought about before, such as the number of restaurants, churches, or parks. How about bike lanes, traffic times, yep, all listed.

How about good paying jobs? Cost of homes, rentals or business locations? Rainy days, sunny days, cloudy days, stormy days, well, it is all here in one giant almanac book and you can cross reference to your heart's content. All the suburbs are listed and the driving times to town, as well as trains, buses, subways, light rail, airports, number of airlines, it's a demographic dream come true, perfect for business or just plain deciding where to live and hang your hat, raise your family or retire to.

"Lance Winslow" - Lance Winslow's Bio. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; www.WorldThinkTank.net/.

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An Almanac for Dads - Get Out? A Book Review for Any Father

Well, no one's parents are perfect, but what if you could be the perfect dad? Listen fathers, I think it is now possible. No, it's probably too late for dead beat dads, but if you have done a pretty good job so far, then perfection is within range. Let me explain, you see, you need the ultimate book designed just for dads:

"The Father's Almanac" by S. Adams Sullivan - 1947.

Sometimes funny, but always informative, this work is perfect for a father, who has a child, kid or teen and suddenly realized that his offspring came with no information manual. Well, consider this the book for you. The subtitle; "An Indispensable Book of Practical Advice and Ideas for Men Who Enjoy the Fun and Challenge of Raising Young Children." After reading through this book, I have to agree, it is all that and more. There is even a chapter for fathers who will soon be fathers and are quite worried and wondering if they can handle it or not. Most likely they won't get everything right with or without this book, but it's a heck of a great start.

Chapters include such subjects as dealing with babies, proper discipline, how to play with kids, juggling family with job, providing for a family and the real needs, as well as chapters on special events, working with kids, teaching them, and keeping good records. The end of the book is rich with much needed information, further reading and resources. If you are a day and want to stay on top of your fatherly duties you need this book and you ought to be reading it too.

"Lance Winslow" - Online Blog Content Service. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; www.WorldThinkTank.net/. Lance Winslow's Bio

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World Almanac Book of Facts - Ultimate Reference For the Serious Thought Leader

Checking facts is essential and knowing that most of these facts are all in one place, one place you can trust is priceless. Whether you are a writer, professor or simply doing research, as a student you'll need a handy reference books of facts. This is what I have to back up what I write, and I'd recommend the same for anyone who is truly serious about getting their facts right the first time.

This is why I would advise that you get yourself an extremely easy to navigate and comprehensive current Almanac. The one I am currently using and would certainly recommend to you is:

"The World Almanac Book of Facts 2008" published by World Almanac Books, 2008.

When this Almanac says World, they mean World-Wide information, historical events, dates, times, places, people and sports data too. This book will tell you which nations have raw materials, how much and where they are located. Interested in industry, mining, agriculture, transportation, populations, ethnic and religious break downs, it's all there and more, more data than one person would ever need or care to know. It's like a mini-wiki-pedia in book form and it is so easy to navigate and flip through.

Over the years, I have built up my reference library and I've owned various almanacs by different companies, and this is the one I prefer. If you go and take a look at one in the book store, I am sure you will see why. Additionally, the information is fully up to date at the time of the printing, such as world leaders, boundary changes and current events. I'd recommend this almanac; The World Almanac to anybody.

"Lance Winslow" - Lance Winslow's Bio. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; www.WorldThinkTank.net/.

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