Entries by Jill Saligoe-Simmel, Ph.D.

Passage of the Geospatial Data Act

4-October, 2018 in , /by

Reposted from the NSGIC GeoJava News State Geospatial Policy Organization Lauds “Geospatial Data Act” Language Included in FAA Reauthorization Bill By Bronwyn Walls  |  October 3, 2018  |  Duluth, MN Participants at the National States Geographic Information Council (NSGIC) Annual Conference cheered at the news that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reauthorization bill passed the Senate […]

Encouraging Trail Access: Indiana’s New Limited Liability Law

31-January, 2018 in , /by

Communities across the state are working to convert abandoned railway beds to trails as part of the national “rails-to-trails” movement and establishing other bike-walk linear parks and greenways. Beyond recreation and immediate health benefits, linear trails serve as important pedestrian and bike corridors through which people access schools, jobs, food, transit, and community centers. They […]

Install QGIS on a Mac in 8-Steps

7-February, 2016 /3 Comments/in /by

**UPDATED FOR QGIS 2.16 – 07 Oct 2016** QGIS is an impressively powerful open source geographic information system (GIS). In 2010, I reviewed QGIS when it had an “All-In-One” installation bundle for the Mac. That one-step installation has gone by the wayside, and while QGIS is an excellent GIS solution for Mac users, installation is much […]

Ortelius Map Design Software for MacOS

10-January, 2016 in , /by

Mapdiva was founded in 2008 by Graham P. Cox and Jill Saligoe-Simmel to empower people to design custom maps using extraordinary cartography tools on their Mac. We were frustrated by a lack of software to make custom maps without requiring you build a database first.  We knew there had to be a better way.  So […]

Written History Needs Maps

18-September, 2015 in , /by

Guest post by Pieter S. Burggraaf, 2015 Put it before them briefly so they will read it, clearly so they will appreciate it, picturesquely so they will remember it, and, above all, accurately so they will be guided by its light. – From the pen of Joseph Pulitzer (1847-1911) The telling of history needs illustrative maps. […]

Hacking Public Spaces: Florence Street Art

14-July, 2015 in /by

Edgy or elegant, I always enjoy seeing examples of street art as a form of placemaking. In many areas of the world (e.g., Paris, Berlin, New York) street art contributes greatly to urban identiity. On a recent trip to Italy, my daughter and I made time to enjoy the expressive Florentine street art. We especially liked the scuba-masked portraits by […]