got geoint?

Welcome to the Monday Morning News Kick Off post from got geoint? We hope everyone had a a chance to unwind this weekend and are ready to kick it into full gear this week. As always we have compiled all the actionable news stories you need to kick off the week. Of course, we came across a Seattle Post story about the report about UFOs and the CIA. So, we admit…it may not be an “actionable” news story, but we could not pass up including it in this week’s post. As we always say, fire up that second cup of coffee and read on. Happy Monday!

Air Force Works to Instill ‘Warrior Culture’ in Drone Crews
As part of an effort to extend the military’s “warrior culture” to unmanned planes, the Air Force is overhauling how it trains the crews that operate its rapidly growing fleet of Predators, Reapers and other remotely piloted aircraft. The changes in training will affect hundreds of personnel who fly the unmanned aircraft remotely over war zones from distant bases and control their powerful cameras and targeting systems. The effort is part of a move by the Air Force to put as much emphasis on drones as it does on traditional fighters and bombers, officials said. Read the full LA Times story here.

Rift Raises Questions on Obama Intel Czar’s Future
A power struggle within the U.S. intelligence community has strained relations and raised questions about the role and future of Director of National Intelligence Dennis Blair, U.S. officials said. Infighting between U.S. intelligence agencies is nothing new, but Blair’s behind-the-scenes tug-of-war with CIA Director Leon Panetta has fueled doubts for some within the administration about the Director of National Intelligence’s (DNI) oversight. “Something has to give,” one source said. A senior intelligence official with ties to the DNI said the storm has passed and voiced confidence Blair would remain in the post for the foreseeable future. Read the full Washington Post article here.

Jack Dangermond to Speak about Open GIS at Where 2.0
Jack Dangermond, founder and president of ESRI, the market leader in geographic information system ( GIS ) software and services, will be a keynote speaker at this year’s Where 2.0 Conference in San Jose, California, on April 1, 2010. As part of his presentation, Spatial Analysis and the GeoWeb, Dangermond will discuss how open GIS services can be used to facilitate mashups and create applications that leverage data and spatial analytic functions. Open GIS services are used to create dynamic, modern Web applications that help decision makers with asset/data management, planning and analysis, business operations, and situational awareness. Read the full press release here.

DigitalGlobe Founder to Present Keynote at Where 2.0 Conference
Dr. Walter Scott, founder and chief technology officer of DigitalGlobe, a leading global provider of commercial high-resolution, world-imagery products and services, will present a keynote speech at this year’s Where 2.0 Conference in San Jose on April 1, 2010. As part of his “Seconds to Anywhere” presentation, Dr. Scott will demonstrate how current state-of-the-art satellite imagery technology — including DigitalGlobe’s geospatial cloud and value-added solutions — are filling the critical need for speed and accuracy of information. Dr. Scott will also discuss how these advancements in technology are changing the way we live and work by helping businesses and consumers alike utilize information that proves to be much more than mere pixels. Read the full press release here.

Intel Brief: US-Pakistan Relations Fleeting
The shift in the level of cooperation from Pakistan’s Inter-Service Intelligence (ISI) with the US intelligence community is likely only a short-term adjustment designed to achieve strategic and geopolitical success for Pakistan. This is due to the fact that the latter had been confronted with a growing level of resistance from extremists and Taliban influence. Improving security in Pakistan, the rationale for Pakistani cooperation with the US, their historically troubled relationship as well as conflicting national interests of the two states all indicate that this close collaboration is unlikely to become permanent. Read the full International Relations and Security Network (ISN) article here.

CIA Concludes Study of UFOs Futile — Who’d Trust Findings?
It’s a 17-page report available on the CIA’s Web site that acknowledges the futility of investigating UFOs by the government agency. It concludes, “Like the JFK assassination conspiracy theories, the UFO issue probably will not go away soon, no matter what the Agency does or says. “The belief that we are not alone in the universe is too emotionally appealing and the distrust of our government is too pervasive to make the issue amenable to traditional scientific studies of rational explanation and evidence.” Still, “CIA’s Role in the Study of UFOs, 1947-90,” makes for fascinating reading. Read the full Seattle Times story here.

Tags: Air Forece Drones, CIA, CIA and UFOs, CIA Director, CIA Director Leon Panetta, DigitalGlobe, Director of National Intelligence Dennis Blair, Drone Crews, ESRI, GEOINT, geospatial intelligence, Jack Dangermond, UFOs, United States Geospatial Intelligence Foundation, USGIF, Warrior Culture and Drone Crews, Where 2.0