Wine Quality Doesn't Corellate, Either

If you are like me, you frequently find yourself asking, "I wonder what nation has a Gross Domestic Product most comparable to that of Ohio?"

Don't sweat it: The answer is below.

I got it from this intriguing map purports to have the answer -- not just for Ohio, but for every other state in the Union. Illinois' GDP, for instance, is roughly equal to Mexico's. Oregon's is comparable to Israel. California's GDP pal? France.

So says the map. I have no clue how old it is, and can't vouch for its accuracy. (But I don't have to. I'm not on the clock. And interesting trumps accurate anyway.)

One clear conclusion: GDP is absolutely no predictor of cycling success. Need proof? Here's a hint to the question at the top. Ohio's secret parallel-GDP nation has produced Tour de France stage winners Cadel Evans, Baden Cooke, Robbie McEwan, Stuart O'Grady, Phil Anderson and Neil Stephens, plus many other ProTour riders. (Have you guessed it yet?)

Ohio has produced ... Davis Phinney.

On the other hand, the Australian philosophy seems to be, "When you're sitting on your ass all day, you might as well sit on a bike." The land area of Oz is bigger than the whole U.S., and the Australian population is 45% larger than Ohio's. Yet our GDP is still comparable?

We must be too productive to jack around on bikes.

Me? I must be Australian.

- JN

(In the unlikely event you want more detail about the map, go here.)