The full announcement is on the Flickr Code blog, but in essence the new connection means that developers can tag photos with their nodes and ways (points and polygons) over on OpenStreetMap. For now, the sample is quite simple. If you visit this Flickr image you can view the single “machine tag” under View Machine Tags (1) or click on the linked text for St. George’s house under additional information and visit the OSM page for that node. It’ll be interesting to see how developers use this connection.
More importantly, it’s another indication that OSM is becoming a “must have” option for those developing today’s online and mobile map-related apps, not matter what API they are using.
by Adena Schutzberg on 09/29 at 07:21 AM |
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You’ve likely seen elsewhere that the updated Recovery.gov is up and running. That’s the site the federal government produced to show citizens worldwide (and in the U.S.) how we are spending our stimulus monies. The new version is built on ESRI technology and requires a Flash player.
“While individual states have been experimenting with the use of GIS for tracking and reporting stimulus spending, the level of detail and the use of GIS to visually present the data for a spending program of this size is unprecedented.” Perhaps this is unprecedented for the stimulus (itself unprecedented!), but certainly WebGIS has been used to show this much data, no?
When you leave the homepage map to “drill down” the site provides a pop-up titled “ALL ABOUT THE DATA” which addresses data sources and update information. There other nice features including download to KML and the ability to see a “text view” of the data. There are quite a lot of options; I fear those comfortable with Google Maps may feel a bit overwhelmed. Also interesting: there is no information on the source of the background street and imagery datasets, nor did I find a “help” or “about the maps” option. That latter is where I’d hope to find the data message I saw initially. I’m not sure how I’d find it again.
The main “How to Use the Maps” (below) explains “heat maps” (aka choropleth maps), legends and geocoding (with no street address, or ZIP Code, projects are placed at the state capitol address). It’s eight minutes long and doesn’t include discussions of all the features.
You may also be interested in looking at Recovery.com, a site run by a private data firm, Onvia, which offers similar, but real time data (the Federal site is waiting for reporting in from recipients until October) and the ability to comment. It offers Flash-based maps using Fusion Maps.
Researchers used black enamel paint to block Monarch butterflies use of their antennae. The result: those with antennae covered (ore removed) got lost traveling to Mexico from the U.S. (Those with clear paint on their antennae did fine.) The conclusion is that the butterflies use antennae as both light sensors and clocks that work in conjunction with clocks in their brains.
Map of the Modern World is the name of a course in the Georgetown School of Foreign Service. It’s being reshaped per James Reardon-Anderson, director of the Bachelor of Science in Foreign Service program. The new version focuses on physical geography and its role in international affairs.
Per the school paper: “The changes will be embodied by three lectures on the fundamental forces that shape physical geography at the beginning of the course and a final lecture on global climate change. Reardon-Anderson, who will be teaching the class, acknowledged that the changes are part of the SFS’s effort to increase its students’ exposure to the sciences.”
Students are not pleased. A protest group has sprung up on Facebook with more than 300 members. Some feel political issues will take a backseat to geography.
