American Surveyor

Mine arrived a couple days ago. Very nice articles, Well done!

Yes I agree it is the best of the "three". I just wish they would get rid of those big Javad adds. But at least American Surveyor staples them instead of using the glue that rips the pages when you tear the add out.

American Surveyor definitely produces a very professional publication with excellent articles in every issue. You hit the nail on the head about Jerry being a historian; he always performs a great deal of research on each article or book that he writes and enjoys putting it into print that is understandable and readable by all. I am proud to call him my friend and always look forward to reading whatever he writes.

It is too bad that American Surveyor must use advertising to pay for their publications, but that is the nature of the business. The JAVAD ads are always the first to hit the garbage. I can't say that I have ever seen a green unit in use; do they really exist or are they just a fable?

A agree regarding Javad ads.

I've got to say I had a different view of the latest issue. Mostly seemed like a lot of sour grapes, not only the one article blasting the BLM, but also the feedback letters also with such an extreme anti-BLM view.

I'm not by any means opposed to critical thinking and objective discussion, but those writings were of such a negative tone I came away disappointed in the message of the magazine as a whole.

My experience with the BLM has been quite the opposite. I have known some really good and dedicated surveyors at BLM. While I don't doubt there have been bad decisions made, everyone has made bad decisions, courts, private surveyors, etc. No one is immune. However, I do not believe the BLM and IBLA operate in such a conspiracy or realm of incompetence as has been portrayed.

I was also curious as to the M Pallamary article. Particularly on one page is a feature article on Curt Brown that doesn't really say much other than Michael's past friendship with Curt. Then on the next page is an advertisement to buy Michael's book on Curt Brown. Seemed more like self promotion than journalism to me.

One thing I did find refreshing is Landon Blake's progression as a journalist. Even though my understanding is he is fairly new to the profession, his enthusiasm and energy is coupled with good research habits. His articles have progressed from showing his inexperience as both a surveyor and journalist to a point where he is making a valuable contribution.

I kinda agree with that the M Pallamary article seemed to be a good read and then boom, a pitch to sell books.

Kinda tacky I thought.

Otherwise the magazine always is a good read and I look forward to it, especially when POB can not talk about much I am interested in.

And the Javad ads are becoming annoying.

Randy

I thought the editorial comment about the BLM article was very straight forward and called for feedback.
I have never had any dealings with the BLM for my work purposes. I also know that their rep as an agency comes off somewhat tarnished to the public for a host of reasons. I haven’t read the article at this time but it appears to have a definite “Emperor has no Clothes” slant which could be interesting.

I have only read Jerry Penry’s article and it was very interesting in that I was not aware of the extent of French exploration of the West .

Yes - the Javad ads are a pain. I was just looking at the one in the Jan. issue that starts out "We do not have any financial ties to LightSquared..." Then I opened last June's issue to find "We love LightSquared..." TOO FUNNY!!!!

I will be hiking to Leroux Springs here in Northern Arizona this weekend - named after Antoine Leroux, a French explorer and guide.

More on the Verendrye story

The second lead plate that was found has a story within itself, but space would not allow me to go into all the details about its discovery or what happened to it. I twice interveiwed the finder at length. I fully believe his story. Other very credible people have seen the second lead plate. Here is the story of where it is today.

http://community.seattletimes.nwsource.com/archive/?date=19960208&slug=2313096

Incidently, the first lead plate was found by the kids 100 years ago tomorrow. What the Verendrye expedition did so many years earlier than Lewis & Clark's expedition is mind boggling when we think in terms of early explorers. It is also interesting that history books have largely ignored the early French explorations of the United States.

More on the Verendrye story

very intersting story, if he thought that was his only option. Is it bellivable? I dunno.
maybe it is still hidden in FL or buried with his dog. Who knows?

Being very familiar with Robert LaSalle and his history and Pere Marqutte and Louis Joliet and their explorations of the Miss. Valley which I learned in grade school, I was not aware of other early French explorers besides the later French fur traders who pushed westward..

I haven't seen the new A.S yet:-/ but I thought I would mention that I have an older book that M. Pallamary wrote, "Lay of the Land" being a history of surveying in San Diego, and I thought it was a fantastic book.:-D Lots of Research, Pictures and maps.:bye: If he wrote another one, I would probably love to read it. Just my 0.02c from my personal experience;-)

I'm still using a 1999 Javad RTK w/ glonass. Works great! Jp

They don't send me anymore. Guess I fell through the cracks.
I don't read the mags as much as I used to.
I spend more time reading on-line stuff like beer laig dot com.

More on the Verendrye story

Jerry,
If you want a field trip to the Oklahoma/Arkansas area, come check out the Heavener Runestone

See:
[msg=99515]Old Beerlegger post[/msg]

Let me know when yer coming and I'll provide the lunch and beer.

DDSM:beer:

I have always hated the Javad ads. Not only are they intrusive by making it difficult to flip through the pages quickly, but they seem to have the opinion that Javad is god's gift to gps.

I haven't been surveying very long, but I think that the "Lift and Tilt" concept is ludicrous. Who would ever want to instruct their gps device to stop collecting data by TILTING THE ROD OFF PLUMB??? Stupid...

And their stuff will protect you against "All future near-band signals." I can't believe that they know what the future holds with radio waves and interference! Amazing!

More on the Verendrye story

Dan,

Thanks for the story. This is something completely new to me. very fascinating. I also remember hearing about the Chinese possibly coming up the Mississippi to at least St. Louis. Early American history is likely full of unknowns.

Jerry

The letter from Richard T. Sterling is interesting.

> I haven't been surveying very long, but I think that the "Lift and Tilt" concept is ludicrous. Who would ever want to instruct their gps device to stop collecting data by TILTING THE ROD OFF PLUMB??? Stupid...
>

You might want to know that Javad Ashtaee is one of the original gurus of GPS hardware.
If you are using or ever have used ashtech/thales/magellan or topcon gps, you are using his instruments of design.
I wouldn't underestimate his expertise.