Wednesday, June 12, 2013
Friday, June 7, 2013
People Helping People; SCAUG Thank You!
The SCAUG family honors the victims and survivors of the recent May/June tornadoes and flooding in Oklahoma. The devastation from the tornadoes, hail, and flooding the past three weeks throughout central Oklahoma have affected a great many people and changed many lives. Watching the outpouring of assistance from first responders, emergency managers, volunteers, and all kinds of people in Oklahoma and from many other parts of the world was glorious and enlightening! Another constant in our lives that we so often take for granted; the one of people helping people; family, friends, neighbors, co-workers, and yes strangers! None of us regardless of obvious differences, economic status, politics, education level, health and well-being, has to go it alone when we come face to face with the many perils and devastation that come with the forces of nature. The SCAUG family with humility and grace says thank you to all the wonderful people wherever you are, who gave generously and unselfishly to help others during the most recent and urgent times of need. People Helping People - Thank you!
Wednesday, May 22, 2013
Good Morning,
It has been a crazy few days north of the Red River. It is truly amazing the flood of willing individuals in this professional GIS community that have displayed two primary overwhelming concerns throughout the recent incident in Moore with tornadoes.The first concern being a personal one for the safety of their individual friends up here and the second being a willingness to help in anyway possible. Thank You to the big SCAUG family on behalf of those Oklahoman's working too fast to say thank you right now.
CEB III
It has been a crazy few days north of the Red River. It is truly amazing the flood of willing individuals in this professional GIS community that have displayed two primary overwhelming concerns throughout the recent incident in Moore with tornadoes.The first concern being a personal one for the safety of their individual friends up here and the second being a willingness to help in anyway possible. Thank You to the big SCAUG family on behalf of those Oklahoman's working too fast to say thank you right now.
CEB III
Friday, May 10, 2013
Song Map - Good Enough To Get Lost In
Creative
Cartography Meets Music in The Song Map
Song Map - Good Enough To Get Lost In
I know you GeoGeeks and music lovers will really dig this one as we stumble onto yet another amazing cartographic product that quite simply will make you say WOW - enter this awesome Music Map
Song Map - Good Enough To Get Lost In
I know you GeoGeeks and music lovers will really dig this one as we stumble onto yet another amazing cartographic product that quite simply will make you say WOW - enter this awesome Music Map
Tuesday, May 7, 2013
World's Largest Atlas printed and for sale
Largest Atlas in the World Created using ArcGIS
Filed in Maps and Cartography by Caitlin Dempsey on May 7, 2013 • 0 Comments
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1Earth Platinum, the largest atlas ever printed, was released in February 2012 by Millennium House, Australia. Only 31 copies of the 330 pound, leather-bound book exist and each are priced at $100,000. The book measures 6ft by 9ft and has been recognized by Chris Sheedy of the Guinness Book of World Records as the largest atlas in existence. The book contains 128 pages and requires at least two hands, or in some case multiple people, to turn the pages.
Earth Platinum has surpassed the previous holder of the world record for largest atlas, the famous Klencke Atlas (which measures about 5′ 9″ by 6′ 3″ when opened). The Klencke Atlas is housed in the Antiquarian Mapping Division of the British Library in London and held the title for largest atlas worldwide from 1660 until the publication of Earth Platinum. Published as a one-off over 350 years ago, the Klencke Atlas is reported to contain all geographical knowledge of that time, just as Earth Platinum does today.
Klencke Atlas
Though published in Australia, Earth Platinum was complied from work by more than 88 cartographers from across the globe. Each Earth Platinum was printed in Italy and bound by hand in Hong Kong. The atlas contains both maps and gigapixel photography. Featured in Earth Platinum are large orthographic maps depicting each continents political and physical attributes, maps of each ocean, the poles and highly detailed regional maps. The book also contains a double-page spread of the world’s national flags.
The Earth Platinum Atlas, officially the world’s largest atlas.
Earth Platinum was created using ArcGIS software. Damien Demaj, the the chief cartographic consultant on the atlas project explained that using ArcGIS ”was the best stable environment to use with such a massive amount of data.”
Earth Platinum was produced using a process known as Gigapan. The Gigapan process is capable of compiling hundreds of images into one cohesive image. The project was spearheaded by Australia’s leading custom mapping service Demap, who started the process from scratch more than two years prior to its completion. National mapping organizations from around the world were consulted and participated in the construction of Earth Platinum, each adding their own local knowledge of each region to the work.
The world’s current largest atlas contains 61 pages of maps, with each map measuring 54 square feet, as well as 27 images of famous locations formed through the Gigapan process. When presented with the final copy of Earth Platinum, many of its creators marveled that the size of each map allowed viewers to truly gage the scope of each location. Millennium House managing director Gordon Cheers noted at the June 2012 unveiling in Abu Dhabi, “Children today have more access to maps than any generation before them, and yet many people say that our children know less about the world’s geography than their parents did.”
If you don’t have $100,000 on hand to procure one of the 31 copies of Earth Platinum, you could try your hand at getting on of the 2,000 copies of Earth Blue or 1,000 copies of Earth Gold. Each book features similar content, with special features reserved for exclusive use in Earth Platinum, and is featured in a different size.
Largest Atlas in the World Created using ArcGIS
Filed in Maps and Cartography by Caitlin Dempsey on May 7, 2013 • 0 Comments
Share this article:
1Earth Platinum, the largest atlas ever printed, was released in February 2012 by Millennium House, Australia. Only 31 copies of the 330 pound, leather-bound book exist and each are priced at $100,000. The book measures 6ft by 9ft and has been recognized by Chris Sheedy of the Guinness Book of World Records as the largest atlas in existence. The book contains 128 pages and requires at least two hands, or in some case multiple people, to turn the pages.
Earth Platinum has surpassed the previous holder of the world record for largest atlas, the famous Klencke Atlas (which measures about 5′ 9″ by 6′ 3″ when opened). The Klencke Atlas is housed in the Antiquarian Mapping Division of the British Library in London and held the title for largest atlas worldwide from 1660 until the publication of Earth Platinum. Published as a one-off over 350 years ago, the Klencke Atlas is reported to contain all geographical knowledge of that time, just as Earth Platinum does today.
Klencke Atlas
Though published in Australia, Earth Platinum was complied from work by more than 88 cartographers from across the globe. Each Earth Platinum was printed in Italy and bound by hand in Hong Kong. The atlas contains both maps and gigapixel photography. Featured in Earth Platinum are large orthographic maps depicting each continents political and physical attributes, maps of each ocean, the poles and highly detailed regional maps. The book also contains a double-page spread of the world’s national flags.
The Earth Platinum Atlas, officially the world’s largest atlas.
Earth Platinum was created using ArcGIS software. Damien Demaj, the the chief cartographic consultant on the atlas project explained that using ArcGIS ”was the best stable environment to use with such a massive amount of data.”
Earth Platinum was produced using a process known as Gigapan. The Gigapan process is capable of compiling hundreds of images into one cohesive image. The project was spearheaded by Australia’s leading custom mapping service Demap, who started the process from scratch more than two years prior to its completion. National mapping organizations from around the world were consulted and participated in the construction of Earth Platinum, each adding their own local knowledge of each region to the work.
The world’s current largest atlas contains 61 pages of maps, with each map measuring 54 square feet, as well as 27 images of famous locations formed through the Gigapan process. When presented with the final copy of Earth Platinum, many of its creators marveled that the size of each map allowed viewers to truly gage the scope of each location. Millennium House managing director Gordon Cheers noted at the June 2012 unveiling in Abu Dhabi, “Children today have more access to maps than any generation before them, and yet many people say that our children know less about the world’s geography than their parents did.”
If you don’t have $100,000 on hand to procure one of the 31 copies of Earth Platinum, you could try your hand at getting on of the 2,000 copies of Earth Blue or 1,000 copies of Earth Gold. Each book features similar content, with special features reserved for exclusive use in Earth Platinum, and is featured in a different size.
Wednesday, April 10, 2013
SCAUG 2013 Regional Conference Has Begun!
The 2013 SCAUG Regional conference in Addison, Texas, has officially begun! The Meet & Greet tonight was a great time for everyone. If you missed it, you missed a great networking opportunity, drinks, and glow sticks.
It's not too late to join in on the conference. Come on up to Addison and our officers will be happy to register you last minute to attend this once a year GIS event. Never been before? We'd love for you to become a part of our GIS community!
Tomorrow's opening event will be the welcoming breakfast in the Trinity Ball Room beginning at 7:30 am. We hope to see you there!
Kari Prell
South Texas Representative
It's not too late to join in on the conference. Come on up to Addison and our officers will be happy to register you last minute to attend this once a year GIS event. Never been before? We'd love for you to become a part of our GIS community!
Tomorrow's opening event will be the welcoming breakfast in the Trinity Ball Room beginning at 7:30 am. We hope to see you there!
Kari Prell
South Texas Representative
Monday, April 1, 2013
Geospatial industry hails 'Digital Coast' bill
Lack of accurate mapping, geospatial info of U.S. shoreline threatens economy, environment
by SPAR Point Group staff
March 28, 2013
Bipartisan legislation introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives Thursday seeks to authorize a "Digital Coast" program, a national mapping effort of coastal waters using bathymetric lidar and satellite and aerial imagery, among other tools.
More than half of all Americans, 153 million people, currently live on or near a coast and an additional 12 million are expected to move to the coasts over the next decade.
Yet despite this population density and economic magnet, much of the 95,000 miles of U.S. shoreline lack current, accurate mapping and geospatial information jeopardizing the nation's emergency preparedness and response, coastal assessments, coastal environment, and economic growth - and what does exist pre-dates the 1970s.
Of America's major ports, harbors and shipping areas, there is a 26,000 square nautical mile backlog that will take some 15 years to accurately update with current maps. Given recent natural disasters along our coastlines, including Hurricane's Sandy and Katrina and manmade events such as the Gulf Coast Oil Spill, the need for spatial data on our coast.
Sponsored by U.S. Representatives C.A. "Dutch" Ruppersberger (D-Md.) and Don Young (R-Alaska), H.R. 1382, the Digital Coast Act of 2013 would authorize the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to oversee the collection and creation of quality non-navigation feature data sets to include: shoreline change, land use and land cover maps, benthic habitat mapping, terrestrial topography and submerged aquatic vegetation.
The bill was applauded by MAPPS, the national association of private sector geospatial firms.
"The Digital Coast Act is needed to realize the concept of a digital and geospatially enabled view of the nation's coastlines as recommended by the National Academy of Sciences (NAS)," said MAPPS Executive Director John Palatiello.
He said the legislation also addresses issues raised by the U.S. Oceans Commission and the Pew Commission that highlight the "need for surveying, charting, remote sensing, and geospatial data of America's coasts, harbors, ports, shorelines, and ocean resources critical to the nation's most basic economic and recreational activities, and to smartly conserve a fragile environment."
The "Digital Coast" is a geospatially enabled program to:
• improve coordination and support work with stakeholders to identify geospatial priorities
•improve coordination of coastal mapping and management activities
•use standards and standardized methods for data acquisition, processing, and distribution to ensure broadest utility of data
•promote best practices when applying geospatial data for coastal decision making
The bill has been referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources, where Congressman Young is a member and former chairman.
MAPPS members are engaged in satellite and airborne remote sensing, surveying, photogrammetry, aerial photography, LIDAR, hydrography, bathymetry, charting, aerial and satellite image processing, GPS, and GIS data collection and conversion services.
Lack of accurate mapping, geospatial info of U.S. shoreline threatens economy, environment
by SPAR Point Group staff
March 28, 2013
Bipartisan legislation introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives Thursday seeks to authorize a "Digital Coast" program, a national mapping effort of coastal waters using bathymetric lidar and satellite and aerial imagery, among other tools.
More than half of all Americans, 153 million people, currently live on or near a coast and an additional 12 million are expected to move to the coasts over the next decade.
Yet despite this population density and economic magnet, much of the 95,000 miles of U.S. shoreline lack current, accurate mapping and geospatial information jeopardizing the nation's emergency preparedness and response, coastal assessments, coastal environment, and economic growth - and what does exist pre-dates the 1970s.
Of America's major ports, harbors and shipping areas, there is a 26,000 square nautical mile backlog that will take some 15 years to accurately update with current maps. Given recent natural disasters along our coastlines, including Hurricane's Sandy and Katrina and manmade events such as the Gulf Coast Oil Spill, the need for spatial data on our coast.
Sponsored by U.S. Representatives C.A. "Dutch" Ruppersberger (D-Md.) and Don Young (R-Alaska), H.R. 1382, the Digital Coast Act of 2013 would authorize the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to oversee the collection and creation of quality non-navigation feature data sets to include: shoreline change, land use and land cover maps, benthic habitat mapping, terrestrial topography and submerged aquatic vegetation.
The bill was applauded by MAPPS, the national association of private sector geospatial firms.
"The Digital Coast Act is needed to realize the concept of a digital and geospatially enabled view of the nation's coastlines as recommended by the National Academy of Sciences (NAS)," said MAPPS Executive Director John Palatiello.
He said the legislation also addresses issues raised by the U.S. Oceans Commission and the Pew Commission that highlight the "need for surveying, charting, remote sensing, and geospatial data of America's coasts, harbors, ports, shorelines, and ocean resources critical to the nation's most basic economic and recreational activities, and to smartly conserve a fragile environment."
The "Digital Coast" is a geospatially enabled program to:
• improve coordination and support work with stakeholders to identify geospatial priorities
•improve coordination of coastal mapping and management activities
•use standards and standardized methods for data acquisition, processing, and distribution to ensure broadest utility of data
•promote best practices when applying geospatial data for coastal decision making
The bill has been referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources, where Congressman Young is a member and former chairman.
MAPPS members are engaged in satellite and airborne remote sensing, surveying, photogrammetry, aerial photography, LIDAR, hydrography, bathymetry, charting, aerial and satellite image processing, GPS, and GIS data collection and conversion services.
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