Photobucket Newsletter: The Sensor

  February 2011

IN THIS ISSUE

Did You Know?

Company Spotlight

Washington Perspectives

Resource Spotlight

Image of the Month

Doing Business in Mississippi

Items of Interest

Upcoming Events

Seen & Heard

EIGS in the News

Global Perspectives

UPCOMING EVENTS

Magnolia Business Alliance
Research & Development Workshop

February 28, 2011

Magnolia Business Alliance
Sparking Success: Full Throttle Business

April 5–7, 2011
Long Beach, MS

Mississippi Statewide 8(a) Application Conference
April 5, 2011
Gulfport, MS

GITA 2011 Geospatial Solutions Conference
April 10–14, 2011
Dallas, Texas

Procurement Opportunities Conference and Trade Fair
May 17–18, 2011
Mississippi Coast Coliseum & Convention Center
Biloxi, MS

INFORMATION & IDEAS

For further information, or to submit story ideas, please contact [email protected].

SEEN & HEARD

According to a just released study by Daratech, an industry analyst group specializing in GIS/Geospatial market dynamics, sales of GIS/Geospatial software, services and data grew a robust 10.3% in 2010 to $4.4 billion. After a dismal 2009 that saw industry revenues shrink 2% as the world economy suffered what some have called the most severe economic downturn since the 1930s, GIS/Geospatial sales bounced back in 2010 and are now forecasted by Daratech to grow more than 8.3% to almost US$5 billion this year.

“As more and more Web sites such as Google Earth and consumer navigation systems such as TomTom bring awareness of the power of linking business and consumer information with their geography, Geo-enabled apps will become the norm... Growing awareness of Geo-enabled software is good news for GIS/Geospatial industry investors and other stakeholders who, in some cases, have waited a long time for the knee in the J curve… Data sales, Defense and Security apps, mobile device apps, and Web apps, will be the top business drivers for the industry,” says Charles Foundyller, Daratech’s CEO.”

Source: Gisuser

LEGISLATIVE CORNER

A really hot issue brewing in the State Capitol this week is related to Mississippi Public Broadcasting. Governor Haley Barbour has submitted a proposal which will leave Mississippi Public Broadcasting without state funding in 2016. The proposal has been embraced by MPB officials.

In a letter written to the MPB board, Barbour says, "I ask that you vote during your next board meeting on March 8 to develop a plan to reduce MPB's reliance on state support over the next five years. In fact, your plan should be to eliminate all state support in five years and rely on advertising, sponsorships and production revenue." In response, Bob Sawyer, board chairman of the Mississippi Authority for Educational Television, says MPB officials would work it out.

MPB has eight radio stations and eight television stations that blanket the state.

The Enterprise for Innovative Geospatial Solutions, a program of the Magnolia Business Alliance. www.magnolia-ba.biz


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Company Spotlight

PhotobucketQ & A with Themis Vision Systems

EIGS recently visited with Mark Lanoue, CEO of Themis Vision Systems, to learn more about their business, a new contract, and a recent move to the Stennis Technology Park. Themis Vision Systems is an active member of the EIGS geospatial technology cluster of the Magnolia Business Alliance (MBA).

The Sensor: Tell our readers a little about Themis Vision and your role with the company.

[READ MORE

Washington Perspective

Commentary From: Michael Liu, Sr. Vice President, Dutko Worldwide

For those interested in train wrecks, don’t expect one in Congress …just yet. At the moment there seems to be enough good will to avoid a full out crash when the end of the current law that permits funding of the federal government comes on March 4, 2011. My prediction: Congress will extend the current “CR” funding law for a few weeks, since any kind of agreement seems unlikely given the pressures of having to deal with the rest of FFY 2011 comes at a time when the new budget proposal for FFY 2012 has just been released, and world events in the Middle East has Washington on pins and needles. But, I make no predictions of what may happen if no agreement is found on cuts for the remainder of this fiscal year and as a subsequent deadline will loom.

Within many federal departments, CFOs and finance offices are screening every corner of their budgets to see what dollars are still unspent, including those that are in a “pipeline.” As a former head of the largest division within a federal department, I can remember situations where conditions caused for calls to reach my home multiple times in the evening over a number of weeks from my department’s budget office and the White House Office of Management and Budget asking for explanations of why certain pots of money had not been spent as yet. Money that is not legally “obligated” is money at risk of being lost. Even then, to be absolutely sure that the arm of a federal “rescission” does not grab hold of a set of funds, ideally those dollars need to be “released.” This environment is especially dangerous for Gulf States that may still have some post–disaster (hurricane or flood) money ”in the pipeline.“ Be assured, federal money not spent for over five and a half years will be looked at very closely.

So if you are impacted directly or indirectly from federal funding sources, it may behoove you to investigate the exact status of the funds in question…fast.

Clearly, understanding and acquiring funding from the federal government is more challenging today than just even a few months ago. This environment has put a premium on those who are creative and nimble, willing to leave no stone unturned. Areas that many forget to look at are federal programs that are designed to promote “economic development” (rather than specific scientific research and development), and programs at the state and local level (even in these tough economic times). More on these two subjects next month (unless of course events in Washington require more comment and explaining).

Resource Spotlight

A Resource for Small Businesses
Contributor: Ellen K. Davis, Certified Small Business Specialist

Do not accustom yourself to consider debt only as an inconvenience; you will find it a calamity.
-Samuel Johnson


The #1 goal of all small business owners is POSITIVE CASH FLOW. The actual managing of money within a business is always difficult and many small businesses are a mixture of personal finance and big dreams. This increases the extent to which the owner is at the mercy of his accounts receivable. If the owner is to reach the #1 goal, he must understand the rules and build a logical policy to govern the granting of credit and debt collection. In a perfect world, you would adopt a credit policy that requires payment up front, before goods and services are delivered. However, reality (and the need to make sales) will require a policy which balances both cash and credit. If you extend credit, you are going to have customers who won’ pay you on time or even at all. The most unfortunate part of an ideal credit policy is it is only achieved through trial and error. As your business, your industry, and the economy changes, you should re-evaluate your policy to determine if it is meeting your needs.

All small business owners know this to be true, but the unpredictable costs involved in hiring a professional and/or an attorney to establish, prepare, and update these policies deters them from acting. GoSmallBiz.com and Pre–Paid Legal have a combined solution which enables business owners to act simply and inexpensively. Simply? Yes, whether you need to request a credit report, draw up a promissory note, re–affirm a debt due to bankruptcy, or send a collection letter, GSB members have unlimited access to the tools and resources necessary to custom build legal letters and forms 24/7 which may be printed on company letterhead. Inexpensively? For as little as $75 a month, members have built–in monthly contract and document reviews by Pre–Paid Legal business attorneys to ensure the form has been created correctly and is legally binding. Also, up to 10 monthly collection letters can involve the assistance of your attorney, without the high cost of litigation. The debtor does not know that you are averse to litigation and your attorney’s letterhead can get their attention and convince them that you are serious.

Small businesses can reach their goal by simply making certain billing, collections, and payables systems are operating as efficiently as possible. As you are dealing with these unpleasant tasks, remember the words of Ben Franklin, “The man who achieves makes many mistakes, but he never makes the biggest mistake of all – doing nothing.”

For more information, visit www.prepaidlegal.com/biz/ellenk73. Or, feel free to contact me directly, [email protected]

Directions on Remote Sensing Newsletter

If you are a current subscriber to Directions Magazine, you may want to check out the new Directions on Remote Sensing newsletter. This weekly newsletter brings you up to date with the latest news on satellite technology and geospatial intelligence (GEOINT).


About GovMaps.org

Govmaps.org helps people find commonly used layers and maps for a better understanding of national issues and trends. Quick access to this authoritative geospatial information supports situational awareness and better decision making across the country. For a preview, visit www.govmaps.org

Image of the Month

When Two Halves Become One: The Satellite Images That Created the Most Complete View of the Sun

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Knowledge: Scientists are hoping the newly-released pictures can help them better understand the Sun. Credit: NASA EOS

[Read more]

Did You Know

Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar has appointed 15 individuals to serve as members of the National Geospatial Advisory Committee (NGAC), which provides recommendations on federal geospatial policy and management issues and advice on development of the National Spatial Data Infrastructure (NSDI). The NSDI promotes sharing of geospatial data throughout all levels of government, the private and non–profit sectors, and the academic community.

Did you know Joanne Gabrynowicz, Director of the National Center for Remote Sensing, Air and Space Law of the University of Mississippi was one of the appointees?

Additional information about the NGAC, including a complete list of the 28 committee members, is available at www.fgdc.gov/ngac

Doing Business in Mississippi

Doing Bsiness In Mississippi

Congratulations

Congratulations to EIGS member, Innovative Imaging and Research (I2R), for being selected for a NASA 2010 Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Program Phase 1 award. I2R has teamed with the University of Southern Mississippi Instrument and Cryogenics Research Laboratory to integrate existing NASA Stennis Space Center heritage cryogen level monitoring technology with noncontact optical methods and advanced signal processing to create a 21st century liquid cryogen level measurement technique. The proposed optical technique has several advantages over the existing method: it yields near continuous measurements and is not dependent on the location of individual sensors; it is based on an alternate physics approach and therefore yields completely independent results; it’s calibration is performed outside the tank, so test operation is not significantly impacted and run tanks do not need to be emptied; and it does not present foreign object debris (FOD) concerns since the technique will use optical fibers mounted on the upper surface of a cryogen tank. During Phase 1, the concept will be demonstrated at the University of Southern Mississippi’s Cryogenics Research Laboratory using a commercial optical range finder.

The STTR program chose 45 proposals for negotiation of Phase 1 contracts with a total value of approximately $4.5 million. The STTR contracts will be awarded to 41 small high technology firms in 16 states. As part of the STTR program, the firms will partner with 41 universities or research institutions in 22 states. “The SBIR and STTR programs help facilitate innovative research and technology development among America's most creative small businesses,” said Bobby Braun, NASA chief technologist at the agency's Headquarters in Washington. “These Phase 1 awards will serve as seed funds for transformative research and technology projects that have the potential to mature new products and services of great benefit to NASA and the nation.”


EIGS in the News

Radiance Technologies Honored by SBA
Birmingham Business Journal

Radiance Technologies, Inc., a Huntsville provider of engineering and technology to the military, has received a Tibbetts Award from the Small Business Administration …

[Read the full article]


Baker Announces New Appointments
iStockAnalyst

Michael Baker Jr., Inc., an engineering unit of Michael Baker Corporation (NYSE: Amex: BKR) is pleased to announce the following appointments within its Geospatial Information Technology (GIT) Service Area: Allen Wainger, Mick Barber, Aaron J. Morris, and Stephen Clancy …

[Read the full article]


Global Perspectives
 

P12–Million Capital Fund Set Up to Jumpstart Technology Businesses
Manila, Phillipines

A P12–million capital fund has been infused by the government into the Enterprise Center for Technopreneurship-Technology Business Incubator (ECP–TBI) that will jumpstart technology businesses of an initial eight locators …

[Read the full article]


UN to Establish Entity on Global Geospatial Information Management
FutureGov Magazine

The United Nations is to bring together the world’s national mapping agencies and other geospatial organisationz to develop a streamlined and integrated framework that would support global geospatial information management …

[Read the full article]


Australia to Access US Spy Satellites
Spatial Source

A February 2008 agreement between Washington and Canberra provides for intensified co–operation and intelligence sharing in GEOINT, geospatial intelligence derived from imagery and other information obtained from surveillance satellites, reports The Sydney Morning Herald …

[Read the full article]



 

Enterprise for Innovative Geospatial Solutions – www.mseigs.com