Welcome to this week's edition of the POB eNews ...

The specters of Halloween are in the air, but there's a more-benevolent spirit on the move. 

Land surveyors from around the country are spreading Christmas cheer to the families of surveyors who are out of work due to the lousy economy. "The economy has had such a huge impact on our profession," says Kate Matthews, president and CEO of California-based The Matthews Co. "We saw the need and wanted to do something tangible to help out."

With these thoughts on her mind, Matthews launched Surveyors Helping Surveyors 2009 , a holiday gift-card project. "Tough as it is for everyone in our industry right now, some very generous survey companies we work with actually responded to my plea and not only agreed with us," she says, "they teamed up with us to fund the first project." To date, 13 surveying companies have joined with The Matthews Co. to fund the 2009 project with $10,000 used to purchase 100 Wal-Mart $100 gift cards.

The gift cards are being distributed on a first-come, first-served basis to qualified individuals in the surveying profession. Individuals can nominate themselves or other surveyors who have lost their jobs. Nominees must have worked in the land surveying profession with a recent work history of at least two years; they must have been laid off due to the economy; and they must live in the United States. All 100 gift cards will be sent to the recipients via a FedEx the first week in December. For more information, to donate, or to access the nomination form, follow this link.

"Surveyors are a hard-working, resilient bunch and a close-knit community. I know. It has been my privilege to work among them for nearly three decades," Matthews said. "We're doing what we can, and sometimes a tiny bright light during a very dim time makes hope flourish and good things happen."

Have a great week,

Wendy Lyons
eNews Editor 

Digital Edition, exclusively ...

31 Degrees of Latitude: Historic maps and modern technology help surveyors locate earthen mounds on the Ellicott Line. 
by Larry Crowley PhD, PE, and Milton Denny, PLS
At the conclusion of the American Revolutionary War, the newly formed United States government struggled to define the nation's boundaries--particularly in the south where other governments claimed land on the North American continent. The Treaty of San Lorenzo signed in 1795 between the United States and Spain contained two provisions that were important to these efforts.

JOIN THE SEARCH:  On Dec. 3-4, 2009, Auburn University's Technology Transfer program will hold a seminar in Andalusia, Ala., to provide surveyors with the best information available to find the mounds. Attendees will be given a classroom overview of the mound line, provided with locations of some of the mounds and assigned to teams to find them. Attendees are asked to bring their own GPS equipment if possible. This event will provide an opportunity to work on a survey of great historical importance while walking in the footsteps of one of America's great men of science. A link to the brochure is available in the sidebar at the end of the story.

Taming the Wild GIS: Establishing GIS standards under the NSDI framework will lead to a more productive use of data and a more informed spatial network.
by Darron Pustam, MBA, GISP 
An infinite number of disparate spatial and nonspatial data sources exist, much like the proliferations of hardware and software combinations. Merging and developing relationships with these data have changed the way we perceive and interact with our environment. Geospatial data usage has evolved into a necessary science and has revolutionized the way data are collected, analyzed and displayed.

A Digital Desert: A fast-track survey in a remote desert region of New Mexico requires high-tech positioning tools.
by Vicki Speed 
The U.S.-Mexico continental boundary is a 2,000 mile stretch that follows the Rio Grande from the Gulf of Mexico to El Paso, Texas, continues westward over the harsh deserts along the New Mexico and Arizona borders, takes a short jog north along the Colorado River and, finally, traces the southern edge California out to the Pacific Ocean.

The October Issue is Online!

This month, POB features ...

The Need for Speed by Michael F.H. DeDecker, PS
When Chris-Craft co-founder Christopher Columbus Smith broke the 60 mph speed barrier with a Detroit-based hydroplane, the Miss Detroit, in 1915 to win the American Power Boat Association (APBA) Gold Cup on Manhasset Bay near New York City, he began a legend.

Hurricane Watch by Craig Dylan
When record storm surges hit New Orleans and breached the 17th Street Canal levee in the wake of Hurricane Katrina at the end of August 2005, experts knew the situation was bad.

Control on the Edge by Christine L. Grahl
How do you build an airport for a small island characterized by rugged terrain? For the city of Akutan on Akutan Island in the eastern Aleutian Islands of Alaska, it was a challenging question.  

The Magic Bullet by Bob Brinkman CP, PLS, and Brian Stevens, CP
As the U.S. Geological Survey's National Elevation Dataset (NED) moves the nation toward a single, seamless set of topographic data, the recently completed $5.5 million Ohio Statewide Imagery Program (OSIP) provides a blueprint for using LiDAR to create highly accurate, affordable digital elevation models (DEMs).

Web Exclusive! Daratech Inc. Study Forecasts Slow Worldwide Growth in GIS/Geospatial Industry. by Charles M. Foundyller
GIS/geospatial industry worldwide growth is forecast to slow to 1 percent, down from 11 percent in 2008 and 17.4 percent in 2007, according to a just-released study by Daratech Inc., a Cambridge, Mass., market research firm.

From our Columnists ...
From the ground up: Change in the air. by Mark E. Meade, PE, PLS, CP
I am always amazed that a typical day includes between 10 and 20 packages, with considerably more heading out during our peak season. All contain different types of geospatial data that are ready for use by our clients for a multitude of applications.

Professional Topography: Our love-hate relationship with mapping and GIS.
by Joseph V. R. Paiva, PhD, PS, PE
One of my neighbors turned out to be the GIS manager for a small town in the Rocky Mountain area. When he learned my profession, his response was: "What? A surveyor who isn't afraid of GIS?" I just laughed in response. Since then, however, I have continued to reflect on this comment.

Safety Sense: Watch out for the new OSHA. by Ronald E. Koons 
In the 2010 OSHA budget, Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis has requested that 130 new OSHA compliance officers be hired. The positions will be funded by a $51 million increase in OSHA's budget.

The Business Side: Employee training: the key to success. by Milton Denny, PLS
How is it that some companies always retain their clients? Why do the best employees always seem to work for your competitors? The answers to these questions often can be found in the amount of training the employees receive

What is your firm's stance on employee training?

• It's very proactive and provides or pays for ongoing training.
• It primarily focuses on training that allows our firm to stay on the cutting edge.
• It provides training on an as-needed or individual basis only.
• The firm is just barely making ends meet, so training isn't a priority right now.
• The employees are responsible for getting the training they need.

Take a moment to vote at www.pobonline.com. 

Geospatial Holdings Raises $1M in Equity Sale. CEO to Convert $2M of Debt to Equity under Same Terms as Equity Raise
Geospatial Holdings, Inc. announced that the company, through its new financial advisors, Convertible Capital, has completed a $1 million equity raise and Mark A. Smith the company's founder and chief executive oficer is converting $2 million that he has advanced to the company as a convertible loan, into equity under the same terms as the equity raise.

Woolpert Bolsters Remote Sensing Capabilities
Woolpert announced today that the firm has tapped Aaron Lawrence, GISP, to manage the firm's new remote sensing group. As a recognized leader in traditional photogrammetric technology and services for more than 40 years, Woolpert is expanding its use of technology and resources to also offer advanced remote sensing services.

Fugro Pelagos awarded 5-year USACE IDIQ contract
Fugro Pelagos, Inc. (FPI) has successfully negotiated a contract with the United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Mobile District to provide Surveying and Mapping Services in support of the Joint Airborne LIDAR Bathymetry Technical Center of Expertise (JALBTCX) National Coastal Mapping Program and support for other USACE programs.

Plain Truth About Flood Plains: Everything you need to know about flood insurance
While alerting people who could be at flood risk is a good idea, without an accurate map, it is an exercise in frustration for those who aren't really in danger. For those people, the only way out of the flood zone--and the costly insurance--is through a surveyor.

Online marathon simulator off to a good start
Land surveyor and endurance sport athlete Todd Goold, of Hayward, Wis., uses a Google Earth plug-in to create a Web site that simulates 11 running, mountain bike and cross-country ski races around the country.

Civil Air Patrol pilots were ready to warn of tsunami threat
His job on land is owner and surveyor of Caires Land Surveying. But as soon as Kaua'i Civil Air Patrol Wing Commander Col. Roger Caires heard of the tsunami advisory for Hawai'i Wednesday afternoon, he bolted to Lihu'e Airport to be on standby. He was ready to go airborne and warn those in remote coastal areas away from the Civil Defense warning sirens of a potential approaching destructive wave or waves.

To read the latest Surveying in the Headlines, click here.

Joke of the Week: Tough Shot

Problem of the Week: Written Communication Problems: Sentence Structure

What must be added to the phrase, "The instrument with tracking capability," to most simply make it a sentence?

A. a verb
B. a subject
C. an adjective
D. a gerund

Follow this link to access the rest of this week's Fun & Games.

NEWEST ADDITION:

A Pocket Guide to Business for Engineers and Surveyors
by Edmund Bergeron
Retail Price: $71.95

Pulling from his 30+ years of experience running his own engineering and surveying services firm, Ed Bergeron gathers in concise, practical and often amusing writing all the information engineers or surveyors needs to know to grow their career, expand their business, manage staff and projects, understand the financial and legal aspects of their work, and conduct themselves in a professional and ethical manner when dealing with clients and colleagues.

Both the fields of surveying and engineering are making strides towards advancing their stature by increasingly requiring licensure, expanding continuing education offerings, and adding elements of professional practice into all levels of education. This book presents the skills that differentiate the technician from the professional, and will serve as a tool for the advancement of the profession.   

FOLLOW THIS LINK for a complete description and to view the table of contents. Place your order online or by phone.   

3D Point Cloud Collection Made Simple with Topcon's ScanMaster

ScanMaster software is used with Topcon's GLS-1000 scanner, a compact and cable-free laser scanner that can be operated by one person.