Looking forward to 2011

by Ilse Genovese

Many of us take a few moments at this time of year to reflect on our accomplishments and start planning for the New Year. Looking back at 2010, one can only conclude that it was a difficult year for ACSM and its member organizations. A less than successful annual convention, dropping membership, drastic cuts from an already “fat-free” 2010 ACSM budget, sooner-than-expected transition to online publishing of our flagship magazine, and a looming proposition of yet another member organization contemplating leaving the “mother ship” were some of the reasons which color our perception of 2010. No doubt we absorbed a hefty dose of reality with each tighten-your-belt measure, but, and here is a wager from a non-gambling person, we’ll pull through this “shellacking”. more >>

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Steps toward a national geospatial voice

by N.W.J. Hazelton

We currently face a crisis of sorts in trying to find a national voice for the geospatial community. Each of the geospatial sub-disciplines feels that it has a, if not the, critical and central role to play, and that it may be better to be an independent voice rather than have to join with others from different sub-disciplines. The looming break-up of ACSM is causing us to re-think national organizations, but we still seem to think we must have one, and that we have to be its core (whoever “we” may be). This thinking got us to the current crisis, so it won’t help get us to a solution. more>>

Why we need a national organization

by R. William Glassey

The American Congress on Surveying and Mapping will be celebrating our 70th anniversary in 2011. Or, possibly not. Surely, you are aware of ACSM’s current financial struggles, CaGIS’ imminent withdrawal, and that an NSPS withdrawal is still on the table. My, how the time flies when we are all having such a good time! It certainly hasn’t always been easy, though it seems exceptionally challenging today! Where should we go from here? more>>

Map errors can have dire consequences

by Asher Moses

A Google Maps error was blamed for Nicaraguan troops accidentally invading Costa Rica early in November. The troops were accused of crossing the hotly disputed Nicaragua border into Costa Rica and setting up camp for the night after taking down a Costa Rican flag and raising the Nicaraguan flag. Their commander Eden Pastora told Costa Rica’s largest newspaper, La Nacion that, according to Google Maps, they had every reason to believe that they were in Nicaragua. Nicaraguan government officials blamed a “bug in Google” for the incursion. more>>

The Geospatial Revolution

by Katelyn Levanduski and Marlee Kattler

Trapped beneath the rubble of a collapsed house, two injured women send text messages for help. Searching amid the destruction for his missing brother, a worried man posts a message for assistance. In need of water and food, a distressed community submits a request for aid. Thousands of miles away, a group of volunteers translates and maps these reports. At the scene of the disaster, first responders receive this information and react. more>>

North to Alaska

by David L. Holland

Every September, a couple of college buddies and I go on a two-week camping trip. We fly out to the nearest large city in the western United States that strikes our fancy, rent an SUV, and head out to parts unknown. For example, last year we met in Phoenix and drove up to the northern rim of the Grand Canyon and then circled through southern Utah, camping at the various national parks. The year before that we met in Denver, rented an SUV, and drove up to Yellowstone and the Grand Tetons National Parks.
This year, we took John Wayne’s advice and flew up to Anchorage, Alaska.   more>>