Inspiring moments

by Ilse Genovese

From Chile and the spectacular rescue of 33 miners, to Missouri and its Height Modernization Survey, to the Four Corners marking the boundaries of four great states in the American West, to the savvy surveyor doing his job with some help from a helicopter, the moments that these stories capture have the power to inspire and bemuse. This is the essense of this October issue of the ACSM Bulletin and, indeed, of any issue of the magazine [ www.webmazine.org]. In August ,we experimented with a dynamic digital edition of the magazine. We are happy to report that, what you love about the ACSM Bulletin in print, you will most certainly love online as well. And, you can, if you so wish, comment online on the issue, or any other issue on your mind. See more >>

Want to read the magazine's dynamic edition? Click here.

"Surveyor's story is set in stone"

by John Stahl

There are times when opportunities arise to take part in something bigger than ourselves. The opportunities never seem to come at an opportune time, always seem to take more time than you can afford, and cost you more than you’re willing to spend. We can choose to let those opportunities slip away as missed, or we can commit ourselves to the cause in spite of the cost. The National Society of Professional Surveyors (NSPS), at the urging of several of its members, spearheaded a project commemorating the history of the surveys that established the location of the only point in our country where four states are joined. more>>

Apps for photo editing

by Geoffrey Fowler

Taking photos is fun. Sorting and editing them is not. I’ve got 54,220 photos on my computer, including a few would-be National Geographic covers but far more out-of-focus portraits and poorly exposed sunsets that I’ve never bothered to fix or delete. more>>

Savvy Surveyor: Helicopters
and Heaven

by R. William Glassey

“I’ve been from Tucson to Tucumcari, Tehachapi to Tonopah…” “Willin’” Lyrics by Lowell George

For several years in the middle and late 1970s, my career was devoted to huge aerial mapping projects all over the American West. These were good times! There was plenty of satisfying work, travel nearly every week to parts unknown, and many colleagues with whom I’m still in touch, after so many years. more>>

It's all about the wheat: A fable

by N.W.J.Hazelton

“Back of the loaf is the snowy flour,
And back of the flour the mill;
And back of the mill is the wheat and the shower,
And the sun and the Father’s will.”-- M.D. Babcock

Once upon a time there was a farmer who grew wheat. He sold his wheat to a miller, who ground the wheat into flour and sold it to the local people, who made bread at home. It was one of those old-fashioned rustic communities that seems to have always been like it is, and this arrangement worked well for many years. more>>

"Heater Pieces"

by Daniel Cruson

"Heater--an old Yankee term for those triangular parcels of land situated in or near intersections"

They resulted from the practice of cutting corners when approaching the intersection and can be seen in countless vintage photos of an area’s 19th century dirt roads.
The term comes from the antique irons our great grandmothers used to smooth family garments so as to make sure that creases were in their proper places. These irons had interchangeable wooden handles.  more>>