Reducing data to only that which you need to complete your tasks.  Remember that tons of information can be useful but not always relevant.  Don’t use an entire image of your county as a refernce layer when all you need is one region, town or city.  Instead, clip it to the area you need to speed up your loading time between zooming and panning through ArcMap. 

Renaming your layers so that not only you understand them but an outside user can as well.  This means changing layer names in ArcMap to illustrate exactly what you are looking at.  It’s all about preferences but I’ve found that using simple names in ArcMap not only cleans up the appearance of the documents in the map document but also makes it easy for anyone to understand what they are looking at.

Remembering the end user.  Your boss will love you.  After all, someone is going to look at the data and maps you create and either get it or not.  In the map industry, as in all industries, we do not want the latter.  The objective of a map is to be as cogent as possible delivering relevant information to solve a problem or complete a task. 

As an intern, your immediate customer may be only your boss.  You may not see projects reach the public eye.  Nontheless, be prepared to explain to your supervisor the reasons for your decisions and link them to the customer.  After all the key component of GIS is the end user.

Using folders in ArcCatalog for easy referencing.  ArcCatalog is just that… a catalog!  Keep it organized.  Even if your GIS data is limited it will only get bigger.  Database organization is an art finding just the right amount of folders and subfolders.  How you organize your data will depend on how much and what kind of data you have.  If you are unsure where data should be saved in your employer’s database… ask them.  There is nothing worse than investing time into creating or editing shapefiles only to have them be floating somewhere where they shouldn’t be.

2)  Know Your Skills:  You may feel you don’t have any yet… that’s why you are pursuing an internship.  Keep a log of everything you do in and out of the classroom.  Recall the skills learned in your introductory classes, what you excelled at and what you have training in.  Include skills or topics covered in your college classes that can be related to your internship search, your activities, your minimum wage part-time job; anything that can be used as material to demonstrate your worth as an employee. 

Employers know that your education is limited as an undergraduate but will still hire you if you can demonstrate in words that you are hardworking, know the basics, work well with others and are willing to learn more about their company.

3)   Email, Email, Email:  Some employers may not advertise that they want an intern or may not have thought about it before.  An email is your chance to explain (in a professional way) that you would like to know if internships are available. 

For example:      

I am a college student enrolled at _______ University earning a degree in _________.  I have experience with ________ and would like to learn more about your company.  Do you have the need for an intern with my skills?

The example above should be re-worded to sound more professional and create a solid first impression but the essential information is there.  If you are unsure what a professional sounding email should look like have an advisor or english professor critique your correspondence first.  First impressions matter and begin at first contact even if it is just an inquiry.

1. Existing transit inadequacies resulting in a declining reputation of public transportation.  There is a social stigma attached to “those people” who ride the bus.  Poor scheduling spurs poor service.  Ridership declines along with any funding to sponsor it.
2. Pedestrian foot traffic is ignored as another means to decrease cars during rush hour.  Many dangers are associated from walking on foot in a city with one being the threat of injury from automobiles.  Current land use policies disperse residential areas from commercial areas decreasing the likelihood of walking to work.
3. Parking is a big issue resulting in inefficiency looking for adequate parking facilities.  This leads to more time in the car resulting in traffic jams.
4. Environmental Impacts: The environmentalist would like to do away with the automobile for the many pollutants it releases to the air, to the land, and visually/auditory.  Think about land value near a major freeway; the ones with sound barriers attempting to extinguish to roar of traffic.  These are typically lower cost homes as the land value diminishes through visual and auditory pollution.  Many community activists protest the addition of highways for this very reason; the burden on the quality of life.
5. Land Use patterns have an undeniable trend of construction on the periphery of cities rather than enforcing a smart growth philosophy.  Possible repercussions of peripheral construction actually results in the economic death of a downtown core as all activity is oriented to the periphery.

There are other issues to be overcome that will be addressed later on.  For now check out my post on Curitiba, Brazil and its success in the realm of public transportation and other public services.

In addition to the dumping of waste, the masses of tourists venturing onto the island bleeds resources and influences the counter to smart and sustainable growth known as urban sprawl with development to appeal to tourists.  On an island such as Dominica this does more harm than good for the long-term sustainability of the nation.

Environmental issues aside there are money distribution problems.  Once docked passengers usually have an option to either stay with the ship or venture onto the island to experience the island culture.  Little money is actually spent by cruise tourists.  Three reasons for this are  1)  name-brand and luxury shopping is absent or unappealing to visitors 2)   half of the visitors never leave the ship 3)  those who leave the ship return before lunch without having spent any money.  This combined with the cruise industry’s bullying Caribbean islands into competing for their business with little or no part of the profits inherently should infuriate the environmentalist.

I tell myself I will never take a cruise because of my guilty conscience; my own way of being a rebel.  But could I turn down a free cruise… now that’s a tough one.  Am I a hypocrite for driving my car to work?  After all, that harms mother earth too.  I guess it comes down to identifying want from necessity and the weight of the burden it puts on your mind.

Reminder: Not all cruise ships are the same.  Check out this green buzz article on ratings for environmentally friendly vessels.

Although these are low resolution images their is enough detail that can be deemed unneccesary for public view such as military bases or intelligence agencies. Take the comment of Evan stationed in Korea;

I heard the stories of terrorists using internet mapping sites and decided to take a look for myself. To much surprise, my very own duty station was clearly visible with everything highlited and labeled. Offices, living quarters, down to single standing ATM machines. With a VERY REAL THREAT, not much more than an hour away, imagine how costly that is to the lives of our soldiers and their families (some of them here with us).

This issue will not go away but will only intensify as Google expands its data collection and imagery.  Do we really need to see federal buildings and military bases from an omnipresent aerial perspective at the expense of national security?  Even with the white house blurred I am confident it will remain at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue in D.C.  If I doubt it I will check for myself next time I’m in town.

How much spatial information is too much?  A related issue lies with Google’s street view feature with issues of anonymity.

Update: On this issue of privacy is an issue affecting thousands of people. The almighty facebook and the latest privacy update from Mark Zuckerberg.

So amidst pressure from the world stage for America to lead by example this is an example of an initiative that appears overlooked while complaints of carbon emissions from our automobiles are front and center.  On this topic, an appropriate message to government bureaucrats should be patience… and allow tangible (monetary) reasons for a rural middle class American purchase a clean emissions automobile.  Start in the cities where the highest levels of CO2 emissions occurr and leave rural America at peace to do the heavy lifting it provides for the country with its diesel powered machinery and vehicles.  Time and innovation will  get us there.

I believe in environmental awareness and trust that rural America will do its part how and when it makes the most sense to do so.  Why do we really pick up trash in the first place, because it is unhygienic and not pleasing to look at.  It’s not rocket science; It’s intuition.  Why do we recycle? We really don’t unless it is convenient and easy.  I at least don’t see myself driving 20 miles out of my way on my to or from work to a recycling center to take my trash.  With time and patience, Average Joe will have no problem saving the earth.

Slums of Rio De Jainero

I never thought I’d be the kind of person to WANT to watch a movie needing subtitles.  I probably never would have had it not been for the college classroom.  But this has gotten me hooked on foreign films.  I hadn’t realized how bored I was with blockbuster films until today while discussing with a friend how every time I watch a film in theaters I feel like I’ve seen it.. all… before.  The killing, the end of the world, the love story, the romantic comedy (ahh!), the surprisingly short films that need a lot more, the horrificly long films that have waaay too much (King Kong).

There are exceptions to this that actually beckon me to purchase them on DVD. aka Forgetting Sarah Marshall, The Matrix trilogy, back to the future etc.  Cool movies with interesting plots and re-watch value.  Maybe the men who stare at goats will be worthwhile… it looks funny and funny is something with DVD purchase potential.

The foreign films I have viewed have had these qualities.   I found the three films I watched so far (City of God, Che, and Maria Full of Grace) to be a refreshing change.  One thing they have going for them is their base on reality and turmoil of Latin America.  Che, while romanticizing the revolutionary of Cuba, combines many movie elements of humor, love, friendship, and struggle into a documentary of sorts that actually keeps you hooked and wanting more!  Don’t be turned off by the fact that they are presented as documentaries when in reality they are full feature films.

Next on my list of must sees should be Pan’s Labyrinth.  I heard it’s a must see and will be on my list of artisticly created movie productions rather than the run of the mill blockbusters of the American box office.  Creativity is being drowned in the repetetiveness from a lack of fresh ideas.  So… are Americans flocking to the box office because of a lack of choice or plain satisfaction with their movie selections?  I believe a majority of Americans along with me will stick to what we know.  In the meantime I’m going to venture into foreign films for a while but know I’ll probably be back to the regular grind of my beloved American movie theatre.

More on Latin America

I first saw this documentary in my transportation geography course and just had to share it.  The documentary observes the city’s public transit system and its widespread success.  While its innovations here are enough to inspire hope for a transportation solution Curitiba, Brazil has done much more for its people in social programs, parks, recreation, recycling, affordable housing options and enthusiasm and support for small business owners.  This city wins my heart as the worlds most successful city with its philosophy of being a city for the people NOT the automobile.

Above ground subway system. Light Rail in the center while 2 roads of one way traffic for effieciency surround it.

(The above video is only the trailer as there is not a free version to present)

Unlike the cities of North America public transportation via bus is the preferred mode of transportation for many reasons.  While congestion and traffic problems plague American cities our solution has been the construction of additional roadways to accommodate MORE traffic.  When you think about this it seems very counter intuitive.  MORE roadways = MORE traffic which contributes to the vicious cycle between supply and

demand also known as triple convergence.  If you build it they will come, ignoring any previous progress made with alternative modes of transport.

Curitiba has perfected a cost efficient design that reflects an above ground subway system (of buses not rail) with a design that encourages business and foot traffic in the city center while new development is created in a linear fashion along transit lines rather than around a centroid.

There is so much more that this city has done in the realms of energy, recycling, transportation, education, affordable housing, and providing public services and jobs to the under privelaged. Check out “A Convenient Truth” a documentary about Curitiba, Brazil.  This is truly a pioneering city that has created a model for other cities of the world.  In my opinion, more credit can be given to Brazil in the realms of environmental policy considering the efficiency and cleanliness of this city.

What obstacles does the United States face if it wants to amp up its public transportation?  See my post here on ostacles the U.S. faces.

The box arrives back in the UK

The box transported many different products to many locales.  A listing of which appears here along with other info about the journey.

If nothing more the BBC box provided an opportunity for the average citizen to observe something in  real time.  There’s just something cool about that.  When I was flying from Australia back to the U.S. the aircraft was equipped with gps tracking right in the arm of the chair.  I spent much of the 18 hour flight just looking where I was.  The box was also a glimpse at the global economy in real time and a real situation.  Something tangible, not a line plot of the stock exchange.  Trends were seen that mimicked the economy.  In periods of economic downturn a period of stagnation would occur; evidence of a highly globalized and interdependent world.  It would seem that we will always rise and fall together.

BBC story