Having problems seeing the interactive maps?
Muckety maps are designed for Flash version 9.0 and higher. You may need to get the latest version of Flash.
Some map features - such as directional arrows - don’t work properly in older versions of browsers such as Firefox. We recommend that you update your browser to take full advantage of the maps.
Some ad-blocking applications prevent Flash from loading. If you use such software, you’ll need to set Muckety as an “allowed site.”
Loading your own data
Users cannot (yet) upload their own data to Muckety’s web site. We do, however, offer several licensing/hosting options for companies and organizations with their own web sites. For more information, see our licensing page.
Searching Muckety
You can search for names or organizations from the search box at the top right of every page, or from the search box within every Muckety map.
Exploring the maps
Muckety maps are intereactive You can expand or delete entries, rearrange them, save maps and view maps full screen. Right click on a box in the map to see a list of options, or click on the Map Tools bar at the left of the map.
Boxes with + signs in the upper right corner have more relationships than are shown in the map. You can see these by doubleclicking on the box. Or just click once and press e. Or click on the box you’re interested in, go to Map Tools and choose expand.
Dotted lines between boxes in a map indicate former relationships. Solid lines represent current relationships.
Map Tools
If you click on the Map Tools bar at the left of the map, a toolbox will open, showing various options. The shortcuts on the right (such as e for expand, or d for delete) can be done by pressing that key on your keyboard after selecting the box or boxes you want to expand or delete.
Drag your mouse over each option for a more complete description of what it will do.
Groups
When there are seven or more people or organizations with the same relationship to another person or organization, they’ll be grouped in the map. (An example would be the U.S. Senate, where current senators and former senators are grouped.
To ungroup them, simply double click on the group box. Or just click once on the box and press u. Or click on the box you’re interested in, go to Map Tools and choose ungroup.
Beware: Large groups, when ungrouped, can overcrowd your map! You might want to switch to fullscreen before ungrouping.
Map color key
Items in our maps are color coded to help distinguish different types of entities displayed in the maps. The following is a list of what the different colors represent:
living people
deceased people
businesses and other organizations
government organizations
fictional people
fictional organizations
books
grouped itemsSearching for once-removed connections
You can search for connections between two names by using AND in your query. Let’s say, for example, you want to know if there are any direct connections between the Obama White House and AIG. You could search for:
Obama administration AND AIG
On your results page, check the boxes for American International Group and Barack Obama administration. Then click the MucketyMap button. You’ll see that Richard C. Holbrooke - U.S. special envoy and a former AIG director - connects the two.
Saving maps
Once you’ve finished expanding, deleting and arranging relationships, you can save your results by right-clicking or going to the Map Tools box and selecting save. Be sure to save the URL so that you can call up the map later, or send it to others.
You can create a title for the map, by overwriting the default title, “My Saved Map.” (Muckety reserves the right to delete or edit map titles if they are offensive, incorrect, misleading or otherwise inappropriate.)
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20 Comments
#1. Alfred Escher 03.26.2009
Great idea, great product once it will be finished! Congratulation!
Please let me know when you plan to allow users to draw their own maps and adding their own data. This would be a great tool to visualize business and personal networks.
Thanks
Alfred Escher
#2. Laser Haas 04.05.2009
I have put up a link to your map(s) on our website.
How do we get involved in creating our own map
or assisting in adding stuff to your maps already created?
Wonderful Stuff you guys have here!
#3. Laurie Bennett 04.06.2009
You can create your own maps from the data that’s already in our databases. (The toolbar includes many functions for you to manipulate the map, and then save it.) We’re working on the technology needed to enable our users to upload their own data. Expect news on this later in 2009!
#4. Steven W, Hendrix 04.11.2009
Wow, I really think this is an excellent idea, good thinking out of the box!
#5. Henry 04.12.2009
Great idea, you should put in a search option allow users to look up individuals on Wikipedia
#6. Tom Lavin 04.24.2009
Please tell me when I can link David-Rockefeller to Council-On-Foreign-Relations at can be verified at http://www.cfr.org/content/about/annual_report/ar_2008/Historical_Roster2008.pdf
In fact, I would like to map all of the Historical CFR Directors and Officers as the URL above listed as reported by the Council itself.
#7. Ian Green 04.27.2009
I really want to be able to edit my own muckety’s, but also it is really necessary for people to be able to submit entries to muckety. Have a look and compare all the connections in the database for GW Bush, for example, with Adolf Hitler! — Like AH Germany! That’s it! There’s a much more interesting muckety available there! … (for the sake of historical research)
#8. B.F 04.30.2009
The map of the Pacific Council on International Policy is grossly inadequate. This organization is the Western partner of the Council on Foreign Relations, their membership overlaps, and yet you only display to individuals connected with it. You need to put your gofers to work!
#9. Tim O'Connell 05.09.2009
If a reader is aware of connections not (yet) shown on Muckety Maps, is there a quick way to bring them to your attention? E.g., news stories, or similar public information you could check, I am not referring to private or personal matters. A current example is your Leon Panetta entry. Since his nomination to a government post he has resigned most of his other positions, and in the case of California Forward, a new leader has been appointed, Robert Hertzberg, who is a Muckety in his own right but for whom you have only the simplest of connections.
#10. Laurie Bennett 05.10.2009
Muckety has just recently added a comment section to every profile page on the site. The best way to point out inaccuracies or incomplete information is to visit the Muckety page for that person or organization and post a comment there (with sourcing, whenever possible). We check these as they come in, and very much appreciate this feedback.
#11. Ernesto DeVita Jr 05.24.2009
I would like to make Mucket for some important Personalities of the world History.
How is the procedure?
Mucket is a great
#12. Linda Craib 06.15.2009
I’m currently a graduate student at the Yale SOM in their executive program. I am currently taking a class (Power & Politics) regarding power networks. I came across your site and would like to create a map for our executive class.
Linda Craib
#13. Laurie Bennett 06.15.2009
You might want to take a look at our answer to another user’s question about including a Muckety map in a Power Point presentation. See:
http://news.muckety.com/comments-and-suggestions#comment-517481
#14. sheila rea 07.20.2009
How can I call up a saved map if I didn’t save the URL?
#15. Laurie Bennett 07.21.2009
If you recall the title, send it to us and we’ll try to find it in the database. Saving the URL, however, is definitely preferable.
#16. Diana Pickett 08.08.2009
Please help me create a muckety map for our non-profit organization.
Sincerely,
Dr. Pickett
#17. Diana Pickett 08.08.2009
Please help me create a Muckety Map for our non-profit educational organization in Palo Alto.
Sincerely,
Dr. Diana Pickett
#18. Michael Rafferty 10.27.2009
“We’re working on the technology needed to enable our users to upload their own data. Expect news on this later in 2009!”
Is it later yet?
#19. Laurie Bennett 10.27.2009
not late enough, we’re afraid. still working on it.
#20. John Osborn 11.08.2009
John E. Osborn connections in addition to those listed (Cephalon, Council on Foreign Relations, US Advisory Commn on Public Diplomacy):
Eisenhower Fellowships (Fellow 1998)
DuPont Merck Pharmaceuticals (VP & Associate GC, 1992-97)
US Dept of State (1989-92)
George HW Bush Presidential Campaign (1980 and 1988)
Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr (1984-88)
University of Oxford (Visiting Fellow, Socio-Legal Studies, 2008)
Princeton University (Visiting Fellow, Politics, 2002-2008)
Johns Hopkins University (Master’s in Intl Public Policy, 1992)
University of Virginia (JD, 1983)
University of Iowa (BA, 1979)
East-West Center, Hawaii (Board of Governors, 2004-2007)
Woodrow Wilson Intl Center for Scholars (1991)
Cosmos Club, Washington
Philadelphia Museum of Art (Corporate Executive Board, 2003-2008)
Tower Hill School (Trustee, 1997-2009)
American Law Insitute
Fellows of American Bar Foundation
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