The University Daily Kansas provides coverge of the talk. The basic theme: we need more geography education. I really like that Google Earth is bringing up such discussions of geography and that folks like Dobson and Murphy are "taking advantage" of it. (Professor Murphy was a PhD candidate while I was working on my bachelors at Chicago back in the day.)


---original post 9/19/07 ------

“World Hot Spots: What Google Earth and Geography Tell Us about War, Peace and Politics,” with Brian McClendon, creator of Google Earth; Alec Murphy, with the University of Oregon; and Jerry Dobson, with Kansas University, 7:30 p.m., Dole Institute, KU’s West Campus, 864-4900.

I'd like to hear that! Gentlemen: Want to let us know what you said?

The coverage is in the Toronto Star. Some tidbits:

Despite its deadly dull name, GIS is helping everyone from policy-makers to pizza delivery drivers better understand the world and our role in it.

"Every map you've ever seen on television that shows you the pack ice melting, or that the size of sand dunes are increasing is made possible by GIS," says Tomlinson, noting the approach allows scientists to spot trends that would otherwise be hidden in mountains of data.

Tomlinson says it's only a matter of time before GIS penetrates the consumer market in a significant way. He foresees the widespread use of GIS applications in cellphones, allowing people to not only locate themselves and a desired destination on a map, but also receive precise directions on how to get there.

From NOLA.com (The Times-Picayune) comes word that St. Charles Parish is panning to put its $3 million, 4 years in the making GIS online in November. The big challenges now is to determine how much information to make available.

What's public information that's not available?

- the application form for home-based businesses which contains personal information, such as work and cell phone numbers.

- precise locations of water and sewer lines, which could be trouble "in the wrong hands"

Other jurisdictions that have put data online (and removed it) are profiled, too.