Happy GIS Day!

Posted At : November 17, 2010 11:39 AM | Posted By : Jene' M. Grandmont
Related Categories: Census Data, Fun With Maps, GIS Methodology

What a great fall season so far - October brought us World Statistics Day, and November brings us GIS Day. For those of you who aren't well-acquainted with the term, GIS stands for Geographic Information System. GIS brings together technology and data to create a unique way to capture and display information. We use GIS to visualize data in a way that's often more meaningful than simple tables of numbers, where the real story often gets lost in the rows and columns. Displaying the data in geographic context makes it easier to spot patterns, trends, and relationships.

HealthLandscape uses GIS technology to map community data, including health, socio-economic and environmental information. The power behind the HealthLandscape platform is that all of the data are freely available in one central location.

Figure 1. Rate of High Cost Conventional Loans - Cincinnati Region - 2008 (Tract Level)

Figure 2. Ohio Self-Sufficiency Standard 2008: One Adult, One Infant, One Preschooler

Figure 3. County-Level Counts of H1N1 Cases

Other groups and agencies use GIS for in variety of applications, including mapping the ground motion and shaking intensity after an earthquake, the environmental consequences of natural and man-caused disasters, estimated carbon emission patterns, and crime rates. There is even an entire project dedicated to the mapping of historical Census data - GIS For History.

Figure 4. Pacific Northwest Shakemap, U.S. Geological Survey

Figure 5. Guimaras Oil Spill, Philippines, WWF Philippines

Figure 6. Total Emissions of Fossil Fuel Carbon Dioxide, The Vulcan Project

Figure 7. Rutgers Crime Log, Rutgers University

Figure 8. The First Census: America in 1790, GIS For History

For more information on GIS, visit GIS.com.

Show the need.

Paint a portrait.

Tell the story.

Comments (0) |

Print |

Send | 318 Views

Halloween Mapping with HealthLandscape

Posted At : October 29, 2010 8:52 AM | Posted By : Jene' M. Grandmont
Related Categories: Census Data, Fun With Maps, General

The US Census Bureau just released their Halloween Special Feature. According to their research, in 2009 there were 36 million potential trick-or-treaters, or children between the ages of 5 and 13. These trick-or-treaters had 111.3 million occupied housing units to canvas for the annual haul of candy.

HealthLandscape can help you with your Halloween planning. If your county has a high number of trick-or-treaters, then you'd better have a few extra bowls of candy standing by.

Figure 1. Number of Children Ages 5 to 13, 2009 (Population Estimates)

Speaking of candy, in 2009 Americans had a per capital candy consumption of 24.3 pounds! Where did it all come from? California has the largest number of confectionery establishments, with 193. Pennsylvania is second, with 143, and New York is third, with 120.

Figure 2. Number of Confectionery Manufacturing Establishments (Chocolate and Non-Chocolate), 2008 (County Business Patterns)

Happy Halloween!

Comments (0) |

Print |

Send | 243 Views

World Statistics Day

Posted At : October 20, 2010 8:41 AM | Posted By : Jene' M. Grandmont
Related Categories: Census Data, Fun With Maps

Happy World Statistics Day!

October 20, 2010 was set aside to celebrate the first World Statistics Day. The goal is to raise awareness of the achievements of official statistics and to recognize the work of statisticians in producing and disseminating the necessary data to respond to the every day new challenges and to measure progress in people's lives. The celebration of the World Statistics Day will acknowledge the service provided by the global statistical system at national and international level, and help strengthen the awareness and trust of the public in official statistics. It serves as an advocacy tool to further support the work of statisticians across different settings, cultures, and domains.

Over 100 countries around the globe are celebrating with special events, Census data releases, statistical literacy campaigns, and statistical fairs.

Statistics are a part of our every day lives. We use and reference them regularly, sometimes without even realizing it. The US Census Bureau produced a video to illustrate just how common (and important!) statistics are.

They've also released a Special Edition of Facts for Features, featuring some fun facts in honor of the occasion:

There are 14 U.S. principal statistical agencies: the Bureau of Economic Analysis; Bureau of Justice Statistics; Bureau of Labor Statistics; Bureau of Transportation Statistics; U.S. Census Bureau; Economic Research Service; Energy Information Administration; National Agricultural Statistics Service; National Center for Education Statistics; National Center for Health Statistics; Office of Environmental Information; Social Security Administration Office of Research Evaluation and Statistics; National Science Foundation: Science Resources Statistics; and the Internal Revenue Service's Statistics of Income Division. (HealthLandscape includes data from many of these agencies!)

There were 29,208 statisticians employed in the United States in 2009.

In 2008, 20 percent of statisticians are employed by the federal government, with most of them concentrated in the Departments of Commerce, Agriculture, and Health and Human Services. Another 10 percent worked for state and local governments.

(Source: US Census Bureau)

Show the need.
Paint a portrait.
Tell the story.

Comments (0) |

Print |

Send | 232 Views