Microsoft Bing & .kml's for ArcExplorer

Microsoft is coming out with a search engine to rival Google. In typical Microsoft fashion, the product has been announced without actually being up. See the awesome (insert sarcasm here) video of Bing in action here.

So in part of my company's merger our Environmental group has included some new folks from other company's who actually understand the concept of GIS and its tool for presenting spatial data. So I've developed an ArcExplorer solution (our Google licensing is terrible) that will show graphs of each monitoring point that can be used without internet (by adding aerials of the project area to the .nmf). Initially, I was using shapefiles and trying to get balloons and data to show but in actuality I ended up using .kml files because they are just so dam good for displaying balloons and really easy to use. I don't even bother with exporting the .kml from shapefile. It's much better to just get the x,y's of the data points and export a table that and convert that using the excel to .kml tools that are all over the web.

Jay Bennett passed away

Former Wilco guitarist/multi-instrumentalist Jay Bennett has passed away this weekend. He's was in the midst of trying to recoup compensation for his role in a film about Wilco and trying to finance a hip surgery, as musicians rarely have health insurance. Bennett and Wilco founder and frontman, Jeff Tweedy, often sparred over ideas in the studio but created some pretty incredible peices of art, most memorabily, Yankee Hotel Foxtrot. Tweedy had these words to say, "We will miss Jay as we remember him — as a truly unique and gifted human being and one who made welcome and significant contributions to the band's songs and evolution." Wilco is currently on tour in Spain and will tour this summer in support of their latest cd Wilco (The Album). Bennett has worked on solo material since leaving Wilco and has played in Titanic Love Affair and many studio sessions.

Folk Music Dead Again, Wilco & NYC loses its jazz (festival)

After a long end of semester, I'm done with my first engineering class. Now time to focus on more important stuff; music, festivals, beer & my new community garden plot in my new neighborhood of Brooklyn Heights.
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Robert Loss from PopMatters contemplates the Death of the Second Folk Revival. While I don't know if I agree completely with the idea of the death of folk due to increased technology, I do find the piece to be a great read. And I find that Loss's opinion of how Bruce Springsteen's Nebraska is something Hank Williams would view as authentic disagrees greatly with Wilco's frontman Jeff Tweedy's opinion from the new Wilco DVD Ashes of American Flags on Hank Williams and his view of him as a pop star in his time. Speaking of Wilco, I'm not thrilled with the new album but will continue to listen in hopes of it growing on me. Most Wilco albums are a slow burn but Wilco (the Album) has barely captivated me at all.

Unfortunately, NYC is losing its Jazz Fest due to lack of funding related to the economy. Though, for those interested with a few days to spare can attend the Rochester Jazz Festival.

Update: Phosphorus Loading GIS Application for Lake DeForest Reservoir, Rockland County, New York

My Phosphorus Loading GIS Application for Lake DeForest Reservoir, Rockland County, New York is in the works.

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