Introduction When the Earth decides to shift, slide, and tumble, we get what the USGS politely calls a “landslide”—a down-slope movement of rock, debris, or earth. Triggered by gravity and exacerbated by factors like rainfall, earthquakes, and yes, human meddling, landslides are the ultimate uninvited guests in California’s rugged terrain. One major culprit behind increased landslide risks? Wildfires. And in
Tag: QGIS
Let me take you back to the Before Times—specifically December 2019. I was at a Cityworks user conference, not expecting much beyond some coffee, vendor booths, and maybe a few maps. But then it hit me: We could be doing way more with GIS. Like, actually use it to improve operations—not just stare at dashboards. That moment changed everything. I
So, you’ve decided to enter the magical world of GIS—Geographic Information Systems. Welcome! You’re either here because your boss threw a spreadsheet at you and said “make it a map,” or because you saw someone on TikTok making colorful maps and thought, “I could do that.” Well, buckle up, buttercup. Let me introduce you to your new best friend: QGIS.
No, I don’t use a gaming laptop for school to play games. That would be idiotic. I use it because I actually do things that require power—real power—not the kind that dies after opening four Chrome tabs and a poorly coded school portal. And before anyone says, “But that’s expensive”—yes, it is. I saved up for it. Month after month.
(Yes, this 2023 YouTube video is still smarter than half your LinkedIn feed in 2025) By now you’ve probably seen every GIS tutorial this side of TikTok. Explainers in Comic Sans, videos with clickbait titles like “10 Secrets ArcGIS Pros Don’t Want You to Know.” Nonsense. Empty calories. Data visualized, yes. Brain cells? Not so much. Then there’s this gem