Encyclopedia of Life Unveils First 30,000 Pages

"The first 30,000 pages of an online Encyclopedia of Life were unveiled today for public “alpha” testing and feedback. Intended as atool for scientists and policymakers and a fascinating resource for anyone interested in living in the world, the Encyclopedia of Life (EOL) is being developed by a unique collaboration between scientists and the general public. By aggregating for analysis information on Earth’s estimated 1.8 million known species, the EOL will be a foundational resource for helping to conserve the species already known and to identify millions of additional species that haven’t yet been described or named."-From the MacArthur Foundation Newsroom More details are in the 8 page full press release.

Apple announces iPhone SDK — with Core Location!

Apple announced the software development kit (SDK) for the iPhone today. While you won't be able to distribute or run your apps on an iPhone yet (that'll come in June), you can download a beta of the SDK today (if you can get to the site -- it's been a bit busy). The SDK is free to download and develop with, but distributing apps will require a $99 per year fee for Apple to host and market your goods. You decide the price, free or otherwise. The even bigger news for geo-minded people, though, is that Apple is opening up their programmatic interface with the "Locate Me" feature in Maps.app. Called Core Location, developers will be able to use a documented API to develop apps with location awareness.

Blue Marble Imagery

From Ken-ichi. Download and use the 250m True Marble global dataset for free from Unearthed Outdoors. The imagery is licensed under a Creative Commons license. Which is another thing I just learned about from Ken-ichi, and has already been useful in making SNAMP newsletters.

Bad News

For anyone researching the effects of human-induced global warming, you've been wasting your time. At least that's what the attendees of this conference are claiming.

New ESRI office in Sacto…

ESRI is pleased to offer a variety of instructor-led training courses to explain GIS concepts, explore GIS Applications, and teach you to use ESRI software to meet your specific needs. Below is a list of upcoming courses in Sacramento, California.  For more information or to register for a class, please click on the class name or visit www.esri.com/training . For other training questions, please contact your Training Coordinator at kmanorek@esri.com .

Sacramento, California Classes

March 10 – 11 – Data Management in the Multiuser Geodatabase

This course prepares GIS and database administrators to implement an ArcSDE geodatabase by teaching how to load and manage ArcSDE data. The course presents concepts applicable to both workgroup and enterprise ArcSDE geodatabases but focuses primarily on the enterprise ArcSDE geodatabase. Students learn the basic architecture of a multiuser geodatabase and are introduced to ArcSDE connection types. The course focuses on loading and managing vector and raster data and emphasizes best practices for interacting with a multiuser geodatabase. Students explore multiuser geodatabase design strategies and editing options for data stored in a multiuser geodatabase, including versioning. This course is designed for GIS and database administrators who want to implement a workgroup or enterprise ArcSDE geodatabase.

March 12 – 14 – ArcGIS Server Enterprise Configuration and Tuning for SQL Server

This course prepares Microsoft^® SQL Server^® database administrators to implement an enterprise geodatabase by teaching how to set up an individual ArcSDE server. Students get familiar with the ArcSDE architecture and learn how to configure SQL Server to support ArcSDE, install and configure ArcSDE, and identify and troubleshoot connection types and issues. The course emphasizes the importance of managing storage settings for loading vector and raster data and teaches techniques for maintaining geodatabase performance in an editing environment. Additionally, the course explains how ArcSDE interacts with SQL Server databases and presents solid strategies for maintaining and managing an enterprise geodatabase. This course is designed for experienced SQL Server database administrators who need to understand how to install and configure an enterprise geodatabase.

Star Wars

The US is set to shoot down a broken spy satellite. This all follows last year's action by China, which fired a missile at one of its old weather satellite. The destruction of the Chinese satellite produced about 28% of the debris that is now in orbit, which poses a major threat to functioning satellites. In contrast the US plans to destroy their satellite as it reenters the atmosphere, allowing the fragments to burn up on their descent. Satellites leaving orbit and entering the earth's atmosphere is not uncommon, but military officials say that this case is being given special consideration due to hazardous materials on board.

He’s no Jack Dangermond

This profile of Ron Eastman, the creator of Idrisi, was featured in the Boston Globe. I may be the only one that this is of interest to; but if nothing else, it is interesting to read a lay article about GIS/RS.

Border Fence Raises Environmental Concerns

Although this isn't a Geo-technology article, the issue is inherently geographical and a good example where ecology, politics, and geography come into conflict. Not to mention a complete disregard for community participation in the public process.

World According to Google on KQED

"This program artfully explores the ethical and philosophical questions surrounding the work of one of today's most innovative enterprises. In this documentary, Google divulges its process of hiring the brightest in the industry and gives us a glimpse into its Mountain View, California and London offices. Vint Cerf, dubbed the "Father of the Internet" and Google insider since 2004, shows us the inner workings of a powerhouse company that began as a research project by two 20-something Ph.D candidates at Stanford. With its company motto "Don't Be Evil," Google appears to have the best of intentions. But some worry that Google is slowly becoming Big Brother, keeping track of users and making editorial decisions about the information it provides." Link KQED Channel 9Tue, Oct 30, 2007 -- 9:00 pm ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Saw a preview for this today, had a quick clip of Google Earth, it will be interesting to see if they address some of the privacy and data censorship issues we've discussed over the last few months. Cheers, Josh

Satellite Photos Show Cleansing of Syrian Site

By WILLIAM J. BROAD and MARK MAZZETTI

Published: October 26, 2007

The New York Times

New commercial satellite photos show that a Syrian site believed to have been attacked by Israel last month no longer bears any obvious traces of what some analysts said appeared to have been a partly built nuclear reactor. Read More (NYTimes). ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I found it interesting how traditionally "filtered" news relating to wars/conflict found more accountability to the public after the integration of global communication systems into society. We saw it during the second Iraq War with "embedded" journalists, freelance journalism, and first hand accounts from soldiers utilizing digital cameras, cell phones, and blogs to relay uncensored information that once was filtered by those in power. With the availability of high spatial and temporal resolution satellite imagery it seems the public has one more weapon to keep tabs on our government and others. Cheers, Josh

California Wildfires Keep Spreading

An interactive map of the wildfires and an update of the status of the firefighting efforts from the New York Times. Check it out.

Spotted Owl in the news.

Spotted Owl in the news. I noticed this on the front page of the NYTimes webpage. (SNAMP)

New York Times Interactive Maps

From Josh. Interactive maps on NYT.

Remote Sensing (a film by Ursula Biemann)

Sarah Reed pointed this out to me. I wasn't able to go to the movie (which was screened on campus Monday night), but intrigued, I found some more information on Ursula's work at her website. I am concerned with and would be interested in your opinions on her contention that GIS/RS are linked to the sexualization and displacement of women on a global scale. This extends our discussion in last week's group meeting. This is a very serious topic.

Scientists Fear Curbs on Access to Satellite Data

Science 14 September 2007: Vol. 317. no. 5844, p. 1481 DOI: 10.1126/science.317.5844.148

News of the Week

U.S. NATIONAL SECURITY: Scientists Fear Curbs on Access to Satellite Data

Yudhijit BhattacharjeeFor more than 3 decades, U.S. science agencies have used images taken by the nation's spy satellites to study everything from erupting volcanoes to the migration of marine mammals. Now, a new plan to expand the use of the satellites for homeland security and law enforcement has left some officials worried that science will suffer. Last month's announcement by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) that it was setting up a new National Applications Office (NAO) this fall to widen the use of spy-satellite imagery has sparked protests from civil liberties advocates. They worry that federal, state, and local authorities will seek high-resolution, real-time images to monitor activities of U.S. citizens in the same way that the satellites help track terrorist activities overseas. But officials at federal science agencies are concerned for a different reason: They suspect that the new arrangement could mean fewer chances to investigate scientific questions or cause delays that undermine the value of the information. read more...

Satellite Images Reveal Burmese Atrocities

I guess they're not just looking for lost hikers anymore..... Cheers, Josh By Yudhijit Bhattacharjee ScienceNOW Daily News 29 September 2007 The military dictatorship of Myanmar--also known as Burma--has consistently dismissed allegations of human-rights violations against ethnic minorities and other citizens. But new satellite images that show the charred remains of villages in east Myanmar and a buildup of refugees across the country's border with Thailand provide silent confirmation of those atrocities. Read more...

NASA Hazards Page

I am getting some links organized for class this semester, and will be posting some of the key sites we can go to for examples and other fodder. The NASA Hazards page is great.

Stephanie at Sea!

Stephanie (Waite) just wrote from her new post in Alaska. Here is the program she is working with, called "Service at Sea". Super Jealous! Let us know when you are back in town, Stephanie!

EPA Geospatial Data Project

Interesting article in the SF Chronicle touches on a lot of current web-mapping issues...

Google Earth and Darfur

Google Earth has begun mapping the Darfur crisis.