Torch Spotting

Keep track of the Olympic torch as it travels through the UK with ESRI's latest story map.  It also references Flickr photo's tagged for the event to give you up to date pictures.

"Follow the Olympic torch’s journey around the United Kingdom

8,000 torch-bearers are carrying the Olympic flame through 1,000 cities and villages in England, Wales, Northern Ireland, and Scotland. Explore today’s and previous days’ photos of the relay; click on future locations (gray symbols) for dates."

"Cartographer's Toolkit" Getting Finishing Touches @PetersonGis

Very interested for this to be released.  It looks like Gretchen's new book will include her previous e-books "Colors For Maps" and "Type For Maps" with an additional chapter on patterns.  It will be nice to have them all in print (yes, I cling to outmoded tree-killing technology). 

Read about recent updates at Gretchen Peterson's blog.

A Map to Comfort

I promise this isn't advertising, just awesome stuff on the interwebs. 

From (the appropriately named) The Awesomer you can get a custom printed map fleece blanket.  Pricey, yes. Awesome, yes.

Check out the Soft Cities fleece blanket (they make cloth napkins too) at The Awesomer.

Fate of the "Lost Colony"

Examination of a map held by British Museum, created in 1585 by Roanoke governor John White, has revealed what some believe is a new clue to what happened to the Roanoke "Lost Colony". Researchers have examined the area beneath two patches attached to the map. One of these patches appears to be a simple correction to the map, but underneath the other patch is a symbol denoting a fort. The patches appear to be contemporaneous with the rest of the map, and American and British scholars believe the fort symbol could indicate where the settlers went.

Full article at The Telegraph (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/science-news/9244947/Ancient-map-gives-clue-to-fate-of-Lost-Colony.html)

Tell a Story Through Maps

Recently launched mapstory.org allows users to created animated maps.  Can't wait to see all the MapStories that are created, it should be engaging and informative. 

Play With Maps - Google's Map Labyrinth Game (Cube)

Google Cube is live. Looks like you need Chrome to play with it, though.

Cube: A Game About Google Maps -- http://www.playmapscube.com/

Mexican "Geolocalization Law"

The gov't claims it's to aid in the war on drugs, but is it a severe privacy infraction?

"Last week, revisions to Mexican federal law took effect that give public authorities and law enforcement unprecedented ability to compel mobile phone companies to disclose real-time geographic data from mobile phone companies in a wide variety of cases."

Full article at Ars Technica: Mexican "Geolocalization Law" draws ire of privacy activists

The Demographics of Health Care

AdAge examines major health issues across the US.  It's interesting to see the clustered issues and its implication on care in those areas.

"You might think that, averaged across all populations, disease would be pretty evenly distributed. 

You would be wrong."

The Demographics of Health Care 

Reverse Geocoding Can Get You Sued

Story from geocoder.ca:

This is the grist of the matter:
Since 2004 we have crowdsourced^* the generation of the "Canadian Postal Code Geocoded Database." When you make a query to geocoder containing for example this information "1435 Prince of Wales, Ottawa, ON K2C 1N5", we then extract the postal code "K2C 1N5" and insert it into the database that you may download for free on this website.

This allows you to look up a postal code (eg K2C 1N5) on www.geocoder.ca, or www.openstreetmap.org or a number of other sites that use geocoder.ca data and technology.

Since we do not have a postal code dataset from the authority on postal code assignments, namely "Canada Post", we derive and guess this information sometimes with pretty good accuracy results.

Now "Canada Post" has sued "Geocoder.ca" in Federal Court, asking "Geocoder.ca" to take this database down from this website, and also to "pay Canada Post" damages on lost business the later has suffered by not selling enough copies of their own postal code file (last time I checked at $5,000CAD a piece).

This brings us here. Having to face a crown corporation with deep pockets in Federal Court, over something we have created but which they believe otherwise.

Fighting for principle is expensive, and we will do it. Even against the odds, namely the foremost law firm in the country for IP litigation, hired by Canada Post to bring us down. 

It will be easier with your help. If you are an entity or person who has benefited from Geocoder.ca free or commercial products and services write your thoughts on Canada Post's desire to shut down this website.

ESRI Story Map of the Titanic

ESRI has a nice interactive map up of the Titanic voyage. You can click on passenger class to see their hometown.  No information about a large chunk of the fatalities, though...the crew.

ESRI Titanic Story Map