Wirt Atmar <[log in to unmask]>:
> That's fine, of course, but all that you're doing in this form of
> cartographical relativism is redefining the prime meridan (east-west
dividing
> line) to be whereever you happen to be at the moment. But that presents a
> miserable way to run a railroad, or a steamship line, or even draw a map.

Well, I almost hate to add to this pointless discussion (which has already
gone one too long), but one should note that the Prime Meridian was not
agreed upon internationally until 1884, whereas maps have been around
somewhat longer than that.

All that can really be said is that the original question was ambiguous
because (1) east and west are directions on a circle and (2) this circle has
no natural origin of measurement.

Note that there is no problem with north and south because the equator and
poles are not arbitrary choices.