Wolverine / Buckeye tickets for $10k... you gotta be kidding me

Out of curiosity I was browing Ebay to see what people are flogging for the Wolverine vs Buckeye game tomorrow. Once brazen ebay seller is actually trying to sell 1 ticket (ya that's right, one.. no friend can come along with you) for a starting bid of $10,000 and a buy it now price of $12,000! Looks to me like it may even be down in the student section... ya, that would be fun, sitting in the student section in Columbus wearing you favorite Michigan shwag! Can you believe this dude? I'm not sure who's mopre of an idiot.. this guy trying to actually sell the ticket or someone dumb enough to pay that price. $10k+... I think I'd rather go to Vegas, watch the game in the sportsbook or ESPN zone, stay at the Venetian, and drop the rest of the cash at the black jack table... simply amazing... Go Blue!

New Year's Eve Nokia style with events in Hong Kong, Mumbai, Berlin, Rio, and New York and on your PC

Not sure what to do on New Year's eve this year? Nokia is hosting what they call the world's largest new year celebration, taking place in 5 cities around the Globe - Hong Kong, Mumbai, Berlin, Rio, and New York. Thos of us that can't get to one of those places can kick back and celebrate along with them on the TV or via Internet connection (FYI, Nokia's live streaming events are always excellent and technologically superior to anything else you might try using similar technology).  Here's the skinny from Nokia... On December 31st, Nokia will welcome the New Year in unique style – by connecting millions of music lovers from around the world as they count down the final minutes of 2006. Nokia New Year’s Eve, a global music event stretching across four continents, will feature a number of international artists including The Black Eyed Peas and Scissor Sisters to entertain audiences at New Year’s celebrations from Hong Kong to Rio de Janeiro. Those unable to attend in person can experience the party via television or the internet. To orchestrate this unique global celebration, Nokia has enlisted the services of Harvey Goldsmith CBE, the producer of Live Aid and Live8. Nokia New Year’s Eve will travel from east to west, starting in Hong Kong’s Ocean Terminal, followed by Mumbai’s Andheri Stadium, the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, Ipanema Beach in Rio de Janeiro and rounding off the night in New York. See http://www.nokianewyearseve.com/ for more details

ESRI UK pushing Google Earth on Steroids?

An email from ESRI UK's PR firm caught my attention this morning... actually, I had no idea it was from the ESRI PR rep as it had the following teaser headline... Google earth on Steroids... the headline was meant to introduce me to the fact that ArcGIS 9.2 is now shipping in the UK. We're all aware now that 9.2 is now out of the box but the move comparing it to GE was pretty surprising... I'm guessing the KML support and the functionality provided in ArcGIS Explorer is going to be pretty amazing... I'll be interested to see. (Once again, this came from a PR firm and not directly from ESRI UK) - see also www.esriuk.com

 

Autodesk Civil 3D party at Autodesk University (AU)

My looming month-end move of home and office will be preventing me from attending Autodesk University (AU) this year and I'm really bummed about it - first one I've missed in 7 years! If I was there I would likely take in this cool social event hosted by Autodesk technical evangelist Pete Kelsey (I noticed details on Pete's blog) - note: Pete joined Autodesk a few months ago, recall he started K-Tec back in 2001. Pete will be hosting the Autodesk Civil 3D party and apparently his band, Dr. ruth will be performing. If you've never heard Dr. Ruth before they are awesome - perhaps the best Geospatial/CAD house band around! Mark your calendar, Tuesday night, November 28th in room Veronese 2504/2505 (following the AUGI Beer Bash) and have one for me! Source: http://petekelsey.typepad.com/

ArcGIS Server 9.2 now shipping

No doubt you may have heard already, none the less, ArcGIS 9.2 is now shipping. Highlights of the ArcGIS 9.2 release include the following:

ArcGIS Server 9.2 delivers a complete Web GIS for spatial data management, visualization, and analysis. It is an open and interoperable server that supports a broad range of clients including ArcGIS Explorer, out-of-the-box browser-based applications, ArcGIS Mobile, and ArcGIS Desktop. ArcGIS Explorer supports a wide variety of 3D mapping services as well as geoprocessing services for spatial analysis. ArcGIS Mobile is included in the ArcGIS Server software developer kit and supports mobile application development for the .NET platform. In addition, models and applications authored with ArcGIS Desktop as GIS services can be used by all ArcGIS Server clients.
A new method for storing cartographic representations and a suite of advanced drawing and symbolization tools help users automate tasks and perform the complete cartographic production process within the GIS. By integrating sophisticated cartographic tools with a database-managed system, users will save hours of manual work currently needed to re-create maps.
New visualization and analysis tools allow users to create, play back, and export time-based animations and graphs of how processes evolve, thereby revealing patterns and trends that allow users to make better decisions.

Much more! This according to Jack Dangermond... “This is one of the biggest, most significant software releases in ESRI’s history”

 

See more at http://www.gisuser.com/content/view/10282/, what's new... http://www.esri.com/software/arcgis/about/whats-new.html, ArcGIS 9.2 roadshow seminar series info http://www.esri.com/events/introducing-arcgis92/index.html

Victorian Rainforest: A 3D Virtual Reality Perspective

Victorian Rainforest Network (VRN) uses this innovative website as new way to learn about rainforest and native forest logging issues (on public land) in Victoria (Australia) by providing overlays to be used with Google Earth, so anyone can have a 3D virtual reality forest tour.

 

With the help of overlays created by VRN for Google Earth users can do the following:
- discover where rainforest exists,
- see past and future clearfell logging,
- see National Park boundaries,
- see location of Rainforest Sites of Significance,
- see location of the Melbourne domestic water supply catchments threatened by logging,
- check rainforest buffers

See more at http://www.vicrainforest.org/