Reimagining cities through “hyper-exploration”

For those with an interest in historical maps and/or new uses of the google maps API , check out this HyperCities site created by a group at UCLA. The original of such a site has more data: Hypermedia Berlin, which was created by UCLA Germanic Languages and Jewish Studies Professor Todd Presner when he wanted a better way to teach about Berlin. For details on the sites, here is a short article on Presner.

Worldwide Telescope

Check it! Microsoft's Worldwide Telescope is ready for your virtual flights through the universe. It's windows only, so you PCers get it loaded and check it out.

Eco Senso Neato

From Oliver: the very cool EcoNet environmental sensor network. And from Tim: his recent article for Berkeley Science Review on sensor networks. These are being increasingly used in environmental monitoring and research, but I also really like the educational aspect of the EcoNet example. We should instrument Mulford!

Professor Hoosen, UC Berkeley, Dies

David Hoosen, geographer, Cal Bear and Welshman died while swimming in Tomales Bay. He was one of my professors while at UCB undergrad. He was always interested in my time in Wales and my swimming. This is what his wife said about his field of research: "Geography for David — and I think all geographers — is far more than about location in itself," she said. "It is about the interactions of places and peoples, the interconnections of the physical environment and the human actions on it. Geography is the discipline that integrates these aspects that each may be studied by specialists: it gives the bigger picture." I couldn't have said it better myself. For the full obit: Hoosen Obit.

Javier’s new post

If you remember our visitor Javier, he is now at demios. They are the first European fully private company to own and operate a Remote Sensing Satellite. Pretty cool.

Historical US Counties

Check this out: a site that has historical maps of US counties. It's really cool stepping through time and seeing how the county borders shift and change. Dead simple site, great data. It's a little more interesting for the older states, like Massachusetts, but California has some interesting changes too.

California Protected Areas Database is released

From Ryan Branciforte: the new data depicting CA protected lands (exclusive of easements) is ready. The California Protected Areas Database (CPAD) is a GIS inventory of all protected open space lands in the State of California. The database contains lands held in fee ownership by public agencies and non-profits - it does not contain data on private conservation and other similar public agency easements. Version 1.0 of CPAD was released on May 1, 2008.

Bio Geomancer

This site has some interesting software approaches for geo-coding public observations in nature. The BioGeomancer Project is a worldwide collaboration of natural history and geospatial data experts. The primary goal of the project is to maximize the quality and quantity of biodiversity data that can be mapped in support of scientific research, planning, conservation, and management. The project promotes discussion, manages geospatial data and data standards, and develops software tools in support of this mission.

State of the GeoWeb

Since Google first presented a snapshot of the geoweb at last year’s Where 2.0, it has considerably evolved: more Geo data is published on the web, KML was accepted as an OGC standard and is adopted by a growing number of tools. Join John Hanke, Director of Google Earth & Maps to hear the latest on the evolution of the Geoweb and Google’s effort to organize it and make it universally accessible and useful. In this video from the O’Reilly 2008 Where 2.0 conference, John Hanke demonstrates the latest in Google geo development with Jack Dangemond of ESRI.

SNAMP news

  Appeals court stops feds plan to log Sierra Nevada forest - The Associated Press /Published 11:37 am PDT Wednesday, May 14, 2008/ A federal appeals court has barred logging in the Sierra Nevada forest. The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals says the federal government failed to explore other ways to raise money to fight forest fires when it approved a plan to award timber contracts to cut down trees on three sites. The Forest Service says the logging of commercially valuable trees is needed to help pay for thinning of less desirable smaller trees and brush. Environmental groups say the logging plan fails to protect scarce species such as the California spotted owl, martin and Pacific fisher. Attorney General Jerry Brown joined the environmental groups in appealing a lower court decision last year that authorized the government to allow the timber contracts. We'll keep you posted.