How Monty Python Saved the World,...kinda.

How come students throughout the world can't find their own country on a map? One person you can thank is former Harvard President James Conant who, in 1948, announced to the world that geography is not a university subject, and banished the subject from his school. http://www.suntimes.com/output/otherviews/cst-edt-ref181.html

Nice. Thanks Harvard. Now I'm sure that decision would not have any negative effects on future students. Well, we can now thank Monty Python for helping to bring Geography back to the students. England is now making a travel book by Monty Python member Michael Palin a mandatory read for its students to help bring up the horrid scores of the worst-taught subject in British schools.

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/03/30/print/main1458327.shtml

Daily Timekiller - 10 Weird Things Found on Google Maps

LONNIE SPATH, of PostStar.com, has posted a fun article for all the Geography geeks, like myself, out there who jump onto Google Maps to find odd things. So, in the spirit of things, I have added a few links myself of some fun things I found on Google Maps. http://www.poststar.com/specials/earth.asp #1 - Skywalker Ranch. Ever wonder where Luke Skywalker was born. Well, it's in the mind of the guy who built this. You might know him as George Lucas, who also made ILM and PIXAR Animation, which he sold to Steve Jobs, of Apple Computers fame. http://www.google.com/maps?ll=38.061101,-122.649887&spn=0.015611,0.028925&t=k Article on Skywalker Ranch, for reference - http://george.lucas.net/prologue3.htm #2 Apple Computers, home of the iPod. And Steve Jobs. http://www.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&q=apple+computers,+sunnyvale,+ca&ll=37.332187,-122.029846&spn=0.008497,0.014462&t=k #3 Nike Headquarters. This is one of the most lush, landscaped sites I've been to. I visited and parked in Michael Jordan's parking spot. Although the parking spot is there for formality, it didn't stop me from wishing Mr. Jordan would pull up and ask me to get the heck out of his spot. Nike founder Phil Knight has bought an animation studio in Portland, Oregon, called Laika Studios. He wants to created digital and stop action animaton films to compete with Pixar and DreamWorks. See a trend here? http://www.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&sll=45.477526,-122.823801&sspn=0.029971,0.05785&q=nike&ll=45.508693,-122.828307&spn=0.01497 #4- Nothing to do with movies or animation, but an attraction that begs the question- Why? Welcome to South Dakota's 'Corn Palace', the only building built from corn. Corn Palace Web Site: http://www.cornpalace.org/ http://www.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&q=601+N+Main+Street,+57301&ll=43.714546,-98.025668&spn=0.003862,0.010815&t=h #5 - Google Headquarters. Got to give them some credit for Google Maps and it looks like they have taken advantage of it by getting a little artistic with their own satellite image. Oh well, they own they system so I guess they can do what they want with it. http://maps.google.com/maps?q=1600+Amphitheatre+Parkway,+Mountain+View,+CA+94043+(Googleplex)

Earth As Art.

Enjoy the images taken by satellites of various parts of the Earth. The USGS site has gathered some of the more memorable images and presented them as "EARTH AS ART", a nice website using Landsat-7 satellite images.

http://earthasart.gsfc.nasa.gov/index.htm

Daily Updates

I have finished putting up all the Mississippi TAX Assessor sites I could find. Like TEXAS, MISSISSIPPI Links are mostly assessor sites with data, but a few have GIS links inbedded in them.

Don't Shoot the Puppy - A good time killer.

http://www.rrrrthats5rs.com/games/dont-shoot-the-puppy/ 'Don't shoot the Puppy' is a flash-game where you try not to pull the trigger on old rover. Start the game and don't do anything. If you move the mouse, the puppy gets shot. There are levels where the puppy takes his time and tries to encourage you to shoot it, but don't fall for it. The longer you 'don't shoot', the higher the score.

Updates for Arizona and North Carolina GIS Links.

For Monday, I have added Stokes County, North Carolina GIS site and Hoke County North Carolina GIS site. For Arizona, I have added Gila County GIS and Assessor site together because of the lack of search function for their GIS site. Also, Apache County, AZ GIS site and assessor links for Graham, Greenlee, Mohave, Santa Cruz, and Yuma, AZ. For Alabama, Etowah County, and Lauderdale County Assessor links and Marshall County and Baldwin County GIS links.

MultiMap.com

Multimap.com – Online Maps to Everywhere. A good world Atlas to kill some time. It has a worldwide database and allows to zoom in and see actual street maps of different countries. Multimap.com – Online Maps to Everywhere 

Live Image of Earth from Space

Earth View is a neat site with live images of the Earth from space taken by various satellites. Click and paste the links for now-Blogger's having some issues and I can't put hyperlinks on at the moment. http://www.fourmilab.ch/cgi-bin/uncgi/Earth/action?opt=-p This second links takes you to the Earth View homepage, which allows more options to view. Here is also a link to view the moon. http://www.fourmilab.ch/earthview/vplanet.html

FEMA Flood Map Information

FEMA Flood Maps are a constant source of questions for anyone buying a home and given the news that 'your house is in a floodplain.' For those of you that have questions about what all the FEMA terms mean or just think FEMA's all wrong about where you live and can't map worth a darn, then here's a good link from WATERCREST FLOOD VERIFICATION with some good answers. Also, I have included the direct link to FEMA for anyone that wants to call them and get vague answers to your serious questions. http://www.watercrestflood.com/loma.html http://www.fema.gov/ 

TEXAS County GIS + Assessor Links Updated

Texas Counties for GIS and Assessor Links have been updated up to the letter 'T'. I was able to get a few more in the list than I scheduled, but U-Z will get updated by next week. As per Texas, most counties do not have a direct GIS link as of yet. However, they are constantly updating and even though these are assessor links, some have GIS links in them. Others have Plat or Tax maps, while some are just basic legal information. 

New York City Maps.

I have linked 3 sites to New York City today that include the New York City GIS Link (NYC portal), a link to maps with parking throughout the area, and one link for GIS data in ESRI shapefiles and MAPINFO. 

TEXAS UPDATES.

I have to begun to update the TEXAS County Links. Today, I have started the K-P counties and have already put up Kleburg County, Lamar County, Lee County, and Lamb County.

Daily Updates.

Two new North Carolina Counties: Vance County, NC and Union County, NC, GIS links updated. Also, Bowie County, TX appraiser site added.

Daily Updates

Today's updates are rather lean. A link for the city of Columbus, OHIO GIS is fixed and I have added a property appraiser link for Vance County, NORTH CAROLINA. GIS Links-State and County GIS Links-A comprehensive list of GIS sites

Daily Updates

Today I have added the Dare County, North Carolina , GIS Link as well as the Shelby County, Alabama, GIS link.

Bill Gates wants to rule the world.

MSN is determined to own internet mapping with the new purchase of Vexcel. The goal is to bring a 3-D world to internet mapping and GIS applications that would allow the viewer to 'fly' around any given area. http://www.theinquirer.net/?article=30368 

NCAA BASKETBALL GIS SITE.

The first few rounds are over and most people are already out of the office bracket For those of you left, check out the GIS site for the Basketball teams at TerraServer.com. Find you team and look down at the campus from above. They even have an order option so you can get a full size poster. http://www.terraserver.com/special/college_basketball.asp

Weekend Update

The weekend updates are rather light, this week. I have thrown in a few state GIS links here and there, and updated a couple of broken links, but for the most part, this week is light. Next week, Ohio and TX are scheduled for their large updates, so stay tuned.

Update for Tennessee Assessment Data

In the Tennessee drop down box, you'll find TN ASSESSMENT link, which is a state link for all the county data. I will post individual links for Tennessee County GIS links soon.

Ohio County Assessment and GIS Link Update

Today's update includes OHIO county assessment links. Many have search features and others have GIS links imbedded in them. The counties updated are A-F so far, and include: ADAMS, ALLEN, ASHLAND, ASHTABULA, BROWN, CLINTON, COSHOCTON, CRAWFORD, CUYAHOGA, DARKE, DELAWARE, ERIE, FAIRFIELD, FAYETTE, AND FULTON county.

Birds-eye view of the Rich

Windows Virtual Earth has linked a site which uses Windows live and links famous peoples houses and movie sets. http://www.birdseyetourist.com/?cat=115

Florida County GIS Link Update.

Holy Cow! What a whopper. 21 County GIS links for Florida have been updated. Included are: Broward, Bradford, Charolette, Escambia, Flagler, Hamilton, Hernando, Highlands, Hillsborough, Lafayette, Hendry, Hardee, Leon, Levy, Liberty, Martin, Santa Rosa, Sarasota, Sumter, Volusia, and Walton. Whew!

Weekend Update

Cabarrus County, NC GIS link has been updated. Also Harrison, WV property appraisal seach site added and Wright MN. Mississippi State GIS (MARIS) is a decent site w/Section, Township, and Range for the state.

Cabarrus County NC GIS Link

Cabbarrus County NC has updated to a new GIS site. http://www.cabarruscounty.us/GIS/gis.html

Texas County Links Update

Texas Counties F-K have been updated. As with the rest of the Texas counties, GIS sites are rare, but these sites have tax appraisal rolls and legal and some have plats and maps and a few have GIS links hidden in them.

Tillamook County Oregon GIS link

Tillamook County, OR, has a GIS site that I have fixed the link to. Tillamook is also home to one of the best Cheese manufactures I know, the Tillamook Cheese Co. http://gisweb.co.tillamook.or.us/

Honolulu, Hawaii GIS Link

I have update the Honolulu Hawaii GIS Link. It wasn't working right when I first put it on.

Texas Updates C,D, + E

TEXAS county links for C,D,+E have been updated. As with Texas counties, most do not have an actual GIS site. Most are just tax appraisal sites. Some will have Plat maps or GIS links within the appraisal sites, so it's a gamble for each county.

Geography of Seinfeld

A fan of Seinfeld has created a map of Manhatten on Google Maps. http://www.stolasgeospatial.com/seinfeld.htm

Texas County GIS/Appraisal Links

DON'T MESS WITH TEXAS! I have update A + B counties in TEXAS. Most are just appraisal links with tax records. A few have plat maps attatched and a couple more have GIS links hiden in them.

Weekend Update

Salt Lake,UT GIS has been updated as well as Atlantic County , NJ GIS link.

Big end of the week update!

The end of the week brings 8 more Georgia county GIS links, 3 from Alabama, and Columbus Ohio.

Daily Updates.

Here is a good link to Government and County websites. http://www.statelocalgov.net/index.cfm

More Updates!

Here are a few more updates to mention: Orange County NC Rocky Mount, NC Edgecombe County, NC Wichita County Tax, TX

Daily Updates.

Today's updates include Clay County, Fl, Holmes County, FL, and Carroll County GA (which is just a tax appraisal site right now). I have also added some map links for the Japan Atlas and the University of Texas Map Library, which is one of the best online map sources. These maps can be found under the Maps drop box at the top of the page.

New Virtual Map

MSN's Virtual Earth now has limited street level mapping of Seattle and San Francisco. The program takes you for a 'drive' through the street that you choose. So now before you drive home in a traffic jam after work, you can get same feeling at the office. Check it out.

O---Hiiii-OO!

Ohio GIS and Appraisal links have been updated.

Knoxville GIS Added- KGIS

I'd like to announce that KGIS, one of the better city GIS sites that I have found, was added.