single to Shitechapel, please

Certain things make me irrationally suspicious of people. Just off the top of my head, these would include: people who don't drink, people who claim never to read books (so no dinner party invites for Tim Henman or Victoria Beckham), men who have no discernible interest in sport, and of course the Dutch.

You can add to this list people who aren't completely fascinated by maps. I mean, what could be more fascinating? And, on a more practical note, how would anyone find their way around without one? I don't want to start another discussion about evolution, but if you want to venture beyond the immediate environs of your cosy cave in the Neander valley (and have any expectation of being able to find your way back), you're pretty much obliged to invent the map in some form or other before you do, or you'll be in trouble. Not to get all drum-bashingly patriotic, but here in Britain we have the best mapping in the world. No, we really do; try getting 1:25000-scale (or similar) maps with some proper terrain information on them in other countries, it's not easy.

Anyway, this preamble is all by way of an introduction to another addition to the sidebar: Strange Maps. Everything from a satellite image illustrating Korea's north/south divide (so not technically a map, but who cares?) to something a bit more geeky.

While I'm at it I must also link to one of the many mirrored versions of the original Silly Tube Maps site. The original has been taken down after much legal heavy-handedness on the part of Transport for London - full story can be found here - but the internet community doesn't bow to The Man that easily. Highlights include the geographically accurate overlayed satellite picture, the anagram map, and the shamefully funny sweary version.(snippets of which you may have spotted here already if you're paying attention).