Census Shape files to KML (and more)

This from Bruce [corrected from Brian] Ralston, Professor and Associate Head of the Department of Geography at the University of Tennessee:

I have released a program called AFF Mapper. This is a Windows based package that was specifically designed for creating KML based mapping files from TIGER shapes and tables available from the Census Bureau’s American FactFinder web page. While it was designed for these files, it can be used to create KML files for other shapes (that are in decimal degrees with NAD83 or WGS 84) and external attribute files. The resulting KML files can be viewed in several free mapping packages such as Google Earth and ArcGIS Explorer.

To download a copy of the program and the user manual [visit this page].

This is freeware, copy till you drop.

Slashgeo reports source code will be available at a later date.

AlertNet Webinar -  Mapping for communications, planning and advocacy

On June 4 in London, AlertNet is hosting a workshop looking at how the aid world can use maps to communicate, advocate and plan for disasters. There’ll be a free webcast, too, at 10am-12.30pm BST on June 4 (9am-11.30am GMT). (register)

The panel includes reps from Water Aid, Map Action, Open Street Map and Keyobs and will talk about how maps are in use in disaster and how aid agencies can get on board.

“Reuters AlertNet is a humanitarian news network based around a popular website. It aims to keep relief professionals and the wider public up-to-date on humanitarian crises around the globe.”

- AlertNet article

Erricsson Offers up Cell Phone Location info to Protect Banks from Credit Card Fraud

Ericsson’s IPX Country Lookup is a service that determines the location of a users phone to confirm the person is in the country where a credit card purchase is to be carried out. For the system to work:

- the bank must subscribe to the service it
- the carrier must have the Ericsson software on its network
- the user must turn on the phone at least once when in country
- GSM phones only

The user’s exact location is not determined, just the country, and after that information is used, it’s purged (though we know that’s tough to do).

Ericsson pays the carrier a small fee for the location lookup. Ericsson will put a margin on that look up fee and charge it to the bank.

Sure sounds complex to get it all the stars aligned…but we’ll see.

- PC World

Outdoorsy Mac-based Routing Software based on OSM

Berbie Software’s latest update to TrailRunner, outdoor oriented route-planning and journaling software for Mac OS X adds a routing feature based on openStreetMap, the biggest mapping community worldwide. Route sharing with GPSies, an international route portal, has been improved.

- press release

Map of the Fallen

Reader Duane and MSNBC noted this effort over the weekend: a Google Earth map of the 5,70- fallen American and Coalition servicemen and women that have lost their lives in Iraq and Afghanistan. It includes quite a bit about their lives and hometowns. The map’s author started the project in grad school and now works for Google.