Saw this article on the Globe & Mail.

Google Inc. launched an initiative Tuesday to help charities and other non-profit groups use maps and satellite images to raise awareness, recruit volunteers and encourage donations.

Full Article

I came across this on YouTube and though not spatially related, I thought it was worth posting. We have all seen PowerPoint presentations gone bad. The garish colours, the bullet lists that go on forever, the use of every font on the earth.

Comedian Don McMillan provides some quick pointers for keeping your PowerPoint presentation from becoming a multimedia nightmare.

[flash http://www.youtube.com/v/cagxPlVqrtM&hl=en]

ESRI’s Mapping Center is a new Web site that helps you make great looking maps with ArcGIS by using the same cartographic concepts that professional cartographers use. Visit the Mapping Center to learn a variety of cartographic techniques and find information on best practices for mapping and cartography with GIS. Features include:

• Blog: Read about and participate in the latest topics of conversation.
• Maps: Learn how to achieve special cartographic effects with step-by-step instructions and illustrated examples.
• ArcGIS Resources: Download resources to help you create cartographic effects.
• Ask a Cartographer: Request solutions to mapping challenges.
• Other Resources: Find links to additional resources and a special collection of Cartographer’s Favorites.

Here are some items I came across while visiting other blogs. Some good gift ideas for the spatially inclined.

Global Warming Mug – a mug with a map of the world on which the coastlines disappear, mimicking the projected effects of global warming when you add a hot drink to it. Via All Points Blog.

Rubik’s Cube Earth – For those looking for a new challenge to solving a Rubik’s cube (I had to resort to cheating) comes the Rubik’s Cube Earth, available from a Japanese company for about $20USD. Don’t try to solve this while trying to find your way home. Via The Map Room.