About socalgovgis - Michael Carson

Michael Carson, GIS Manager (retired) for the City of Burbank and President of Southern California Government GIS User Group. Currently teaching GIS at College of the Canyons in Santa Clarita.

More Field Calculator Fun

Posted on May 3, 2017 by socalgovgis - Michael Carson

Back in December 2013 I posted about using the field calculator in ArcMap to calc a field to the third word from another field. Since then, the comments section has been pretty active with questions and answers. I thought it would be a great time to expand on that with other nifty field calculator tricks that I have used over the years.

Split Up Data

This one I use a lot. I have a field that contains parcel number data. In LA County, parcel numbers are 10 digit numbers that represent the assessor book (first 4 numbers), page (next 3 numbers), and lot number (last 3 numbers). I want to split them out into their own fields. Here is how I do it.

Continue reading →

Persuasive Cartography

Posted on May 1, 2017 by socalgovgis - Michael Carson

Looking for unusual maps? Check out this website that makes available to the public a collection of more than 800 examples of persuasive cartography, maps intended primarily to influence opinions or beliefs – to send a message – rather than to communicate geographic information. You can search for maps by subject and there are also links to download the high resolution image of each map.

Spatial @ UCSB Conference

Posted on April 27, 2017 by socalgovgis - Michael Carson

The Center for Spatial Studies at UCSB will be hosting its annual spatial@local2017 Poster and Plenary Session at Corwin Pavilion on Thursday, June 8, 2017.

This year the theme is Environmental Conflict Resolution in the Santa Barbara Channel and will feature speakers from NCEAS and the Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary.

You can participate in this event, either as poster submitters, or as attendees to the plenary and viewers of the posters. Although the session has a theme, posters on any topic that addresses spatial analysis will be accepted.

For more info and to RSVP, click here.

Nautical and International Waters Charts

Posted on April 25, 2017 by socalgovgis - Michael Carson

Are you looking for nautical charts? NOAA’s paper nautical charts are available as “print on demand” up to date to the time of purchase. You can also download charts in PDF format for free.

Looking for open ocean and international waters charts? They are produced by the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) and available through vendors as “print on demand” products.

Geography of the Post Office

Posted on April 24, 2017 by socalgovgis - Michael Carson

During the second half of the nineteenth century, the introduction of the post office changed daily life in the Western United States. Over the course of 50 years, the number of post offices in this region expanded from just a handful to several hundred. Some post offices were established and stayed in operation long term; others had much shorter life spans as the west continued to change.

Continue reading →

Palomar College Drone-Con 2017

Posted on April 20, 2017 by socalgovgis - Michael Carson

Palomar College is having a free Drone Conference on July 7th. Join Educators, GIS Analysts, Precision Agriculture Specialists, Civil Engineers, Surveying and Mapping Technicians, Utility and Construction Inspectors, Photographers and Videographers along with Law Enforcement Officials, Emergency Responders, and Search and Rescue Personnel at the forefront of incorporating the use of drones in a rapidly emerging job market.

The Drone Conference for Educators and Industry Professionals will feature hands-on learning sessions, demonstrations, vendor exhibits, and guest speakers from various industry sectors including the University of California system, SDG&E, and DJI among others. The day will conclude with a networking reception followed by an evening show at the state-of-the-art Palomar College Planetarium.

To register for this FREE conference and for more information, visit their website.

Space is limited to 120 registrants, so be sure to register soon!

Tax Fun Facts!

Posted on April 18, 2017 by socalgovgis - Michael Carson

Ah yes, taxes are due today! And here are a few interesting sites you might want to visit.

Why are taxes due today, April 18th?

Basically because the 15th fell on a Saturday and Monday was Emancipation Day in Washington DC. Read more about it here.

Tax Freedom Day

Tax Freedom Day is a significant date for taxpayers because it represents how long Americans as a whole have to work in order to pay the nation’s tax burden. Basically you are working for the government! Continue reading →

Holographic GIS

Posted on April 17, 2017 by socalgovgis - Michael Carson

Toms River Municipal Utilities Authority (TRMUA) became the first entity in the world to deploy holographic technology in support of its field teams doing utility location work. Read the article by clicking below.

Flex Projector

Posted on April 13, 2017 by socalgovgis - Michael Carson

Are you into creating your own projections? Try out Flex Projector. Flex Projector is a freeware application that allows you to easily modify dozens of world map projections. It is intended as a tool for practicing mapmakers and students of cartography. Check it out!

Transit Line Colors

Posted on April 11, 2017 by socalgovgis - Michael Carson

An MIT grad student created a chart showing the colors used in many transit line agency maps and posted it on his Twitter account. Also, someone posted a response that the colors these agencies use are not very great for people with red-green color blindness and updated the chart to show the issue. Check it out!

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Southern California Government GIS User Group – Working together locally in GIS

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