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Every so often we like to extend the concept of the Monday Morning News Kick Off post to the middle of the week — especially when there is tons of GEOINT-related news happening. As such, this week, we are running a Wednesday News Round Up post that includes stories about some insightful commentary from our friends at V1 Magazine on mapping and Haiti relief; news about Gary Payton “slamming” space firm’s quality; and much, much more. And, since many of you are nestled into your home offices today (wow, white our blizzard happening now in DC!), hopefully this news round up is exactly what you need to kick start your Wednesday.

What Can Be Learned from the Volunteer Mapping Efforts for Haiti?
The unfolding events in Haiti have underscored the fact that accessibility to map making tools and open spatial data can make anyone a mapmaker. Mapping is an activity that provides a tangible means for concerned citizens to reach out and help make sense of a very complicated and evolving situation where the more that is known, the more that can be done, and the quicker the mapping response, the quicker aid will reach the effected population. he various Crisis Camps that are taking place to respond to the devastating earthquake in Haiti have stoked the advancement of the citizen mapmakers who are creating detailed, timely and valuable volunteered geographic information. While in the past there were only separate mapping efforts from various government entities and non-governmental organization that might each struggle with available data and resources, now there’s a mapping effort by many that are far removed from the area or event that can support good work on the ground. Read the full article from our friends at V1 Magazine here.

Is GPS Enabled Social Location and Check in Getting Boring?
An article in Business Week raises some good points and touches on a topic that I’ve been thinking about for some time now… is social location check-in getting old? Like other social techno geeks, I frequently check-in to my social media profiles using some of the fun, mobile services out there including: foursquare, Yelp, GoWalla, Schmap, Brightkite and others. I’ve seen many of my contacts falling off in use and I’m also questioning myself as to why I’m taking the effort to share my information and even crowd-source data for companies so they can build their data holdings, eventually selling off their assets to another company willing to pay huge $$ for this information. Check out the full article from GIS User here.

Payton Slams Space Firms’ Quality
The makers of America’s rockets and satellites “are still stumbling on fundamentals too often,” said Gary Payton, former astronaut and the top Air Force man on space acquisition. Payton’s comments seem to indicate a continuing trend of shoddy quality control among those whose toughest job is turning out top quality parts and software and making sure they work and fit well. The biggest problem lies with suppliers, who are selling equipment that is just not up to snuff, Payton said. However, the primes also must shoulder blame since they are not overseeing suppliers at the factory level as closely as they must. Payton spoke to reporters at a Thursday lunch organized by the Space Foundation. Read the full DOD Buzz article here.

NATO to Afghans: We’re Invading Your Town. Don’t Leave!
Please, please, pretty please don’t leave the warzone. That seems to be today’s message from NATO headquarters in Afghanistan to the residents of central Helmand province. For weeks, NATO forces have been telling anyone who’ll listen that they’re about to roll into the area in a “major offensive.” And now that “Operation Moshtarak” is just about underway, many locals are taking the perfectly-understandable step of leaving town. NATO is asking them not to go. “Combined force commanders are encouraging civilians to remain in the safety of their homes. Every effort is being made to ensure minimum disruption to the residents during the operation,” reads a just-released NATO press release. Check out the full Wired Danger Room article here.

The Intel Committees Need the Power of the Purse
With the attempted airline bombing over Detroit still fresh in many people’s minds, it is now time to act on one of the 9/11 Commission’s most important recommendations: to give members of Congress who oversee intelligence agencies the power to set budgets for those agencies. The power is a necessary tool for holding agencies accountable. Yet today the commission’s recommendation remains unimplemented. This has left congressional intelligence committees without the power they need to properly oversee agencies that play an essential role in the fight against al Qaeda. Read the full WSJ article here.

Happy Wednesday!

Tags: Defense, Defense Satellites, Gary Payton, GEOINT and Haiti, GIS, GPS, House Intelligence Committee, Mapping and Haiti, NATO, Space Firms, Spy Satellites, Winter DC Storm