CNN on Niman’s H1N1 Map and Why WHO Has no Map

I’m pleased that CNN noted that Henry Niman’s H1N1 virus map is interesting, but not official…and NOT made by Google.

Perhaps more interesting is this statement about why the World Health Organization does not offer an official map of its data:

The WHO doesn’t make a map like Niman’s partly for technical reasons. It needs to communicate effectively around the world, and online interactive maps are difficult to use in developing countries without high-speed Internet connections, notes WHO spokesperson Lina Tucker Reinders.

I have no issues about interactive maps being difficult to use with slow connections. Could the maps be non-interactive? Could they be PDFs? Could they be updated every few hours? Is the expectation that those on the slow lines download the data and make their own maps? I could not find a dataset to download from WHO on its H1N1 page.

Stimulus Money Going to GIS Development in Virginia

Per an article at WSLS at that references a press release, of the $11 million allocated for enhancements at Philpott Lake and the John Kerr Reservoir by the Army Corps of Engineers:

$100,000 [will be used at the Resevoir] to update natural and cultural resources data for geographic information system (GIS) database including level one inventory data. Contract will provide critical data to enhance Corps and state partner management of natural resources of nearly 50,000 acres of public lands.

GovTech Interviews Dangermond

Chad Vander Veen at Government Technology offers a “rare” interview with Jack Dangermond.

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