There is a free self-paced introductory GIS course available from Simon Fraser University. Participants will learn about GIS and how the technology is being used in the real world to support problem-solving and decision-making. Participants will create and manage spatial databases, produce well-designed maps, and undertake spatial data analysis using free online software tools.
I found this interesting animated image showing the evolution of the borders of the United States. Click on it to view larger.
For more information about the history of our state borders, see this site. Or even better, check out this book. It was a great read, very interesting.
Or, you can watch the videos here!
The University of California, Santa Barbara will once again be hosting their annual Spatial@UCSB on June 3, 2014 at UCSB for the 7th year. The meeting will allow an opportunity for local GIS practitioners to interact with GIS students and exchange ideas and insights in an academic setting.
For more information and details visit the Spatial@UCSB website.
I noticed on the home page of Skybox Imaging’s site, they feature images of a portion of Port of LA and Port of Long Beach. The demo zooms to different locations and explores the imagery data.
Also check out one of their satellite HD Videos of Burj Khalifa on April 9, 2014. The shadow of the world’s tallest building (more than half a mile high) is most impressive! I also like the jet that flys by and the traffic moving on the highway.
Very cool! You can view it larger here. And more of their videos here.
Overview
Strategic planning is a vital tool for local government. For the past 17 years, Geographic Technologies Group (GTG) has been helping local governments harness the power of geographic information systems through careful planning, intelligent implementation, and expert guidance at every phase of the process.
An effective strategic plan is critical to ensuring that a GIS program gets off the ground. An effective strategic plan will help you gain the approval of key decision makers and most importantly, the funding needed for the program. Additionally, an effective strategic plan will ensure that the program sees a return on investment.
This webinar will guide you through 7 Steps needed in developing a successful strategic plan. Participants will learn about the key factors essential for a successful GIS strategic plan. Whether it’s a refresh, update, or enterprise-wide plan, this webinar will help you get started.
Audience
GIS Managers, GIS Users, IT Decision Makers, executives and other professionals involved in GIS programs.
Topics Covered
• 7 Steps to Strategic Planning
• 7 Keys to Success
• GIS Return on Investment
When
Tuesday, May 6, 11am to 12pm PDT
Click Here to sign up!
Thanks to all that attended. It was a full house and a great meeting. Thanks to Mark Greninger at LA County for organizing the meeting and to LA County Public Works for hosting the location. The talk by Scott Gregory from the State of California and the Q&A was very interesting. Near the end of the meeting, Aerospace Corporation demonstrated their UAS. After some technical issues getting it started, they were able to get it off the ground and fly around in the courtyard.
Links to presentation documents should be available soon on the SoCalGIS Meetings page.
Researchers at UCLA have put together an interactive map showing electrical use in the City of Los Angeles neighborhoods. The data is organized by block group and shows the average amount of electricity used per customer for each month over a one and a half year peroid, how that compares to other neighborhoods, and how energy use has changed over the study period.
You can hover over block groups on the map to see electricity usage (kWh) over time, switch between average use per month and percent change from one month to the next, zoom in and click to show land use, income, and other characteristics, and animate the usage over time.
The app is best viewed in Chrome, Firefox, and Safari … sorry Internet Explorer!
The California Environmental Protection Agency has released a statewide list of census tracts most burdened by pollution. Many of the worst pollution pockets identified are in the San Joaquin Valley, Los Angeles County and the Inland Empire.
The screening tool, called CalEnviroScreen, was developed by the Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment, a branch of Cal/EPA, to pinpoint the communities with the highest exposure and vulnerability to multiple environmental hazards, including polluted air and water, waste facilities and contaminated soil. The rankings, however, are not based only on measures of environmental exposure. They also take into account socioeconomic characteristics and health data on residents to assess the overall vulnerability of communities. Those factors include poverty, education, unemployment, rates of asthma and low-birth-weight infants.
You can read more about it in this LA Times article.
As a side note, I find the CalEPA app a little slow in Internet Explorer. Google Chrome was a little faster. They are using ArcGIS Online technology for their mapping. If you do a search for “calenviroscreen” on ArcGIS.com, you will see a listing of their maps and apps for versions 1.1 and 2.0.
Our joint SoCalGIS and LA Regional GIS meeting will be next week on Tuesday, April 29, 2014, from 1:30pm to 4pm. Our guest speaker will be Scott Gregory, the California State GIO. We will also have a demonstration of UAS (Unmanned Aerial Systems) from the Aerospace Corporation.
For more information, RSVP, and Agenda can be found on the SoCalGIS Meetings page.
Hope to see you all there next week!
ArcGIS 10.2.2 is now available for download from the Esri Customer Care website. ArcGIS 10.2.2 is a minor incremental release focused on software fixes and quality. Issues that have been fixed are listed here.
Also, if you use an Oracle geodatabase, there is a required patch you need to install with your 10.2.2 software.
