A collection of various GIS related links, information and other GIS blogs.

Monday, January 30, 2006

San Diego Zoo Weblogs - GIS use GIS!: "GIS use GIS! Wha--?! Let me rephrase: the Girls In Science students were introduced to the Zoo's Geographic Information System mapping project this week by intern Jeannine Carlin. Eventually, the entire San Diego Zoo and everything in it will be mapped. We’ll be able to find water valves and electrical trunk lines and the coffee cart and will even be able to track down where the poop trucks park!"

Saturday, January 28, 2006

ArcWeb Services ArcWeb Explorer: It's beta, but it's pretty cool - "ArcWeb Explorer (Beta Release) ArcWeb Explorer is a Web-based map viewing application based on Macromedia Flash 8. The ArcWeb Explorer uses vector mapping technology to render maps quickly in the browser instead of having the server render them. The result is improved speed and performance, greater control over the map appearance, and desktop-like functionality over the Internet. In addition, ArcWeb Explorer provides access to ArcWeb Services so you can easily find locations by street address, telephone number (land line), and IP address. You can also create a route and directions between locations and map locations from Excel spreadsheets."

Thursday, January 19, 2006

San Diego Zoo.org: "ZOO LAUNCHES CELL PHONE RECYCLING PROGRAM AIMED TO PROTECT WILD GORILLAS FROM BUSHMEAT TRADE What happens to old out-of-date phones? It's estimated that more than 100 million cell phones are thrown away, or stuffed in a drawer, each year. The San Diego Zoo, along with Eco-Cell, a cellular phone recycling company, has launched a free-of-charge cell phone-recycling program at both the Zoo and San Diego Zoo's Wild Animal Park to encourage visitors to recycle. By recycling a phone, guests can feel confident they are helping protect local landfills from potentially hazardous chemicals found in cell phones and accessories such as arsenic, antimony, cadmium, cobalt, copper, lead, and zinc. Guests will also be helping to protect gorillas in central Africa from habitat loss and slaughter for the illegal bushmeat trade. Although cell phones and the extinction of gorillas may seem like an uncommon connection, according to wildlife experts, they are closely linked. 'Cell phones contain a rare ore called coltan, which is mined in central Africa. Increased mining operations over the past decade have greatly impacted the habitat and caused increased hunting pressure on gorillas and other wildlife in the area,' explained Karen Killmar, San Diego Zoo associate curator of mammals. 'The cell phone boom induced a flood of more than 10,000 illegal miners into protected parks in central Africa. Many of these miners, lacking food resources and encouraged by the companies that employ them, have hunted gorillas, elephants, and other species of mammals and birds to near extinction in these areas.'"
Suit seeks shutdown of Google Earth until case settled: "Suit seeks shutdown of Google Earth until case settled Susan Decker - Bloomberg News Jan. 6, 2006 12:05 PM Google Inc.'s mapping search service, Google Earth, should be shut down until a lawsuit over its underlying technology is resolved, Skyline Software Systems Inc., owner of the patent at issue in the case, said in court papers. Closely held Skyline filed a patent-infringement suit in May 2004 against Keyhole Corp., a maker of software that allows users to take a virtual tour of landscapes using images and data collected from satellites and airplanes. Google, the world's most-used Internet search engine, was added to the suit after it bought Keyhole in October 2004. In court papers filed Jan. 4 in Boston, Skyline said user access to Google Earth should be suspended while the suit is pending. Google slashed the price of Keyhole's services, added a free version and as a result 'has eclipsed its competitors in this market,' Skyline said."

Wednesday, January 18, 2006

ESRI Podcast Feeds: "ESRI podcasts are a free and easy way to get the latest news and information from ESRI. On-the-go or at your desk, listen to software tips and tricks, keynote speakers, and more."
Google Tests New Local Ads On Maps: "It was only time............... Google Tests Local Ads on Maps - at ClickZ covers David Galbraith spotting that Google now appears to be inserting paid ads into maps on Google Local. For a search on hotels new york, he's spotted 'blue pins' that correspond to what may be new sponsored links that come above editorial listings to the left of the map. On my end, I (Danny Sullivan) see the textual ads but not the blue pins. Neither does Gary. A search for pizza san francisco shows a text ad but no blue pins. A few other searches I did also showed sponsored ads but no pins. As I (Danny Sullivan) said, the sponsored links seem new. I don't recall seeing them on Google Local before, but it could be they were there but less noticeable before Google Local and Google Maps merged. We're checking on this and tracking down the mystery blue pins! Postscript: Statement from Google, 'As part of our continuing effort to provide a positive advertising experience for users and advertisers, we are always exploring ways to improve the way we display ads. We are currently conducting a limited test of ads on Google Local. We do not have any other specific details to share at this time.' Also, text ads have been on Google Local since 2004. Posted by Danny Sullivan on Jan. 12, 2006"

Saturday, January 07, 2006

Business Analyst Online - On-Demand Reports and Maps - In business? This is a great resource: "Business Analyst Online provides on-demand presentation-quality reports and maps to users who need to make decisions about site analysis and site selection, analyze trade areas, and reach target markets. Business Analyst Online is a Web-based solution, hosted by ESRI, and is easily accessible without requiring any training."

Sunday, January 01, 2006

GIS CAD Interoperability - Don Kuehne's GIS/CAD blog: "In this continuing series of posts I will document the steps I go though when creating a custom GIS and CAD translation or interoperability tool. One of the key benefits of GIS and CAD translation and interoperability performed in ArcGIS, is the foundational technology provided in the ArcGIS geoprocessing environment. ArcGIS geoprocessing technology provides many useful system tools that allow you to build customs tools that you can in turn use to build more tools in the same way."