diff --git a/cities.lua b/cities.lua
index 6776081..aa467b0 100644
--- a/cities.lua
+++ b/cities.lua
@@ -101,19 +101,10 @@ function t.save( cities, filename )
   print( "=== SAVING CITIES ===" )
   local str = {}
   for n, city in ipairs( cities ) do
-    str[n] = ("%-41s%-41s%-14f%-14f%-19d %d"):format( city.name, city.country, city.x, city.y, city.pop, city.capital and 1 or 0 )
+    str[n] = ("%-41s%-41s%-14f%-14f%-19d %d"):format(
+      city.name, city.country, city.x, city.y, city.pop, city.capital and 1 or 0 )
   end
-  str = assert(table.concat( str, "\n" ))
-  local file = assert( io.open( filename, "w+" ) )
-  assert( file:write( str ) )
-  file:close()
-  --[[local tmpname = os.tmpname()
-  local tmpfile = assert( io.open( tmpname, "w+" ) )
-  assert( tmpfile:write( str ) )
-  tmpfile:close()
-  os.remove( filename ) --ooh this is probably pretty bad
-  os.rename( tmpname, filename )]]
-  print( "=== CITIES SAVED ===" )
+  return assert(table.concat( str, "\n" ))
 end
 
 return t
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/lines.lua b/lines.lua
index a80bdf1..904aa44 100644
--- a/lines.lua
+++ b/lines.lua
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ local lg = love.graphics
 function t.load( filename )
   local polys = { visible = true }
   local poly = {}
-  local n = 0
+  local n = 1
   local k = 1
   for line in assert( lfs.lines( filename ) ) do
     if line:find "b" then
diff --git a/map.lua b/map.lua
index 612ca35..1a1fd33 100644
--- a/map.lua
+++ b/map.lua
@@ -134,8 +134,15 @@ function map.draw()
 
 end
 
+local function write( filename, string )
+  os.rename( filename, filename..".bak" ) --just in case :^)
+  local file = assert( io.open( filename, "w+" ) )
+  assert( file:write( string ) )
+  file:close()
+end
+
 function map.save()
-  map.cities:save( map.path.."/data/earth/cities.dat" )
+  write( map.path.."/data/earth/cities.dat", map.cities:save())
   map.coastlines.save()
   map.coastlinesLow.save()
   map.international.save()