Reference Sites

Periodically I run across a site I refer to over and over again.  I am going to try to create a list of sites that I visit regularly that help me with my day to day activities.  If there are sites you use that are not listed let me know.  I am always on the lookout for info.

Programming and Web Development:

The Quick Reference Site – The largest collection of free Quick Reference Cards

Python 2.5 Quick Reference

Python-by-example

Open Web Design

Open Source Web Design

Cheat Sheets for Front-end Web Developers

The Best Developer Cheat Sheets Around

Web 2.0:

e-Learning Reloaded: Top 50 Web 2.0 Tools for Info Junkies, Researchers & Students

The Museum of Modern Betas

Go2Web20.net – The complete Web 2.0 sites directory

GTD:

Massive GTD Resource List

Random:

PortableApps.com Suite

Alphabetical Directory of Linux Commands

STEPL – Spreadsheet Tool for Estimating Pollutant Loads

Recently, I have worked on a Watershed Management Plan.  As part of a management plan, estimations have to be made for pollutant loads  and possible reductions by BMP implementation.  A tool that was highly recommend was STEPL:

Spreadsheet Tool for Estimating Pollutant Load( STEPL) employs simple algorithms to calculate nutrient and sediment loads from different land uses and the load reductions that would result from the implementation of various best management practices BMPs.STEPL provides a user-friendly Visual Basic VB interface to create a customized spreadsheet-based model in Microsoft MS Excel. It computes watershed surface runoff; nutrient loads, including nitrogen, phosphorus, and 5-day biological oxygen demand BOD5; and sediment delivery based on various land uses and management practices. For each watershed, the annual nutrient loading is calculated based on the runoff volume and the pollutant concentrations in the runoff water as influenced by factors such as the land use distribution and management practices. The annual sediment load sheet and rill erosion only is calculated based on the Universal Soil Loss Equation USLE and the sediment delivery ratio. The sediment and pollutant load reductions that result from the implementation of BMPs are computed using the known BMP efficiencies.

via EPA – STEPL – Spreadsheet Tool for Estimating Pollutant Loads.

STEPL (pronounced Step – L) was easy to use and was flexible for entering different BMP configurations.  My only issue with STEPL was compatibility with Office 2007.  If you plan on using STEPL and Office 2007 be ready for possible issues.

GeoRSS

GeoRSS is the encoding of location information is RSS feeds.  There are 3 flavors of GeoRSS feeds W3C Basic Geo, Simple, and GML. According to W3C, W3C Basic Geo is for describing points only in WGS84 datum.  Examples at http://www.w3.org/2003/01/geo/#example

Simple GeoRSS can be used to describe point, lines polygons and bounding boxes. As with W3C Basic Geo,
Simple GeoRSS uses WGS84 datum in Decimal Degrees (Lat Long). Examples at
http://georss.org/simple.

GML GeoRSS is the most complex encoding format. It can be used to represent
point, lines polygons and bounding boxes in feeds. GML GeoRSS can also use a variety of
Coordinate Systems. Examples can be found at http://georss.org/gml.

References:

Wikipedia – RSS

GeoRSS ::  Geographically Encoded Objects for RSS feeds

Fun with GeoRSS - Directions Magazine

Basic Geo (WGS84 lat/long) Vocabulary