CNN Reports on Aging Earth Observation Satellites

In a brief report entitled "U.S. could lose aging eyes in the sky," CNN listed the challenges with aging earth observation satellite system this way:

• Tights budgets, growing costs and failed launches hurt satellite programs, report finds
• "We'll be hobbling through the year 2012," Idaho scientist says
• Nearly three-quarters of 23 Earth-observation satellites could go dark by 2020
• NASA calls the report from National Research Council (NRC) "overly pessimistic"

The NRC report goes on to say that, "These precipitous decreases [in satellite fleet] warn of a coming crisis in Earth observations from space, in which our ability to observe and understand the Earth system will decline just as Earth observations are critically needed to underpin important decisions facing our nation and the world," according to a May report from the Academy's National Research Council. "Advances in weather forecast accuracy may slow or even reverse, and gaps in time series of climate and other critical Earth observations are almost certain to occur."

NGA Staffer Who Enabled Bin Laden Capture Receives Bonus

A staffer from the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) was fetted with monetary bonuses for his work on the imagery analysis that led to the capture of Osama Bin Laden. Per Senior Executives Association spokeswoman Carol Bonosaro, who speaks on behalf of senior government officials:

That [work] enabled us to pinpoint, find, and conduct the raid on Osama bin Laden, which is rather amazing. I think it's unfortunate that the American people don't know what they do.

GITA Cancels Oil and Gas Conference; Board Examining Future of Organization

The GITA website explains that its Oil and Gas Pipeline Conference, set for Oct 22-24 in Houston, has been cancelled. This would have been the 21st iteration of the event. The website text goes on to note the status of the organization is unclear:

The GITA Board of Directors is meeting in the near future to discuss what the future holds for the association. More information will be released on this website, as well as to GITA’s various stakeholder groups as soon as possible.

- GITA website (copyright 2011)

Three Geographers Recognized as Fellows of the American Association for the Advancement of Science

Peter Rogerson (State University of New York at Buffalo), John Kelmelis (Penn State University) and Daniel A. Griffith (University of Texas at Dallas) were recognized as 2011 Fellows by their peers for their scientifically or socially distinguished efforts to advance science or its applications. Special shoutout to John, one of my grad school officemates back in the day.

- AAG press release

Health and Human Services Dashboard and other Health GIS News

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services today launched of the Health System Measurement Project, an extensive performance dashboard that provides data on about 50 U.S. health system measures, in an accessible, data-driven interactive experience. The breakthrough site, which is powered by the Socrata Data Experience Cloud, is publicly available at HealthMeasures.aspe.hhs.gov.

- press release

A team of researchers argue in Populati that while GIS and GPS are most helpful during the exporation of human disease, the detailed population basedmaps are not yet good enough.

This expansion [of GIS/GPS use] has, however, not been matched by advancements in the development of spatial datasets of human population distribution that accompany disease maps or spatial models.Where risks are heterogeneous across population groups or space or dependent on transmission between individuals, spatial data on human population distributions and demographic structures are required to estimate infectious disease risks, burdens, and dynamics. The disease impact in terms of morbidity, mortality, and speed of spread varies substantially with demographic profiles, so that identifying the most exposed or affected populations becomes a key aspect of planning and targeting interventions.

- 7th Space

Tracking weekly state-level sales data for eight of their over-the counter-products (ranging from anti-nausea to blister remedies), Help created the site ‘What’s Wrong, U.S.?’ that shows the most common ailment affecting a state’s population.

The company, Help, new to me, makes remedies for all these ills which are sold at Walgreens and Target. I'm curious the size of its user base used in the maps.

- PFSK