While playing with web mapping applications and reading about Geographic Information Systems (GIS) developments online I came across the concept of geoblogging and started thinking about how it could be put to serious use for good causes. Naturally, it came around to DailyKos.

In retrospect, I first encountered geoblogging at LonelyPlanet.com, where you can pay for travel journal hosting including a hyperlinked map showing where your blog entries occurred. Others have taken the idea of attaching geographic data to websies in other directions like geoblogging and photo-mapping. There’s an established registry, the GeoURL ICBM Address Server, and we all know what online advertisers do with geographic data about visitors.

As it applies to the Front Page and Diaries, I don’t see geographic data having much utility. The topics discussed are generally nation-wide (USA) in scope, if not international. But part of the DailyKos energy is activism, which ultimately means “local”.

By attaching GPS data to (willing) users we could easily find Kossacks nearby and form local groups. While someone in New York may not care about who runs for school board in San Francisco, SF Kossacks may want to team up for the campaign.

Pending…

Note: DrinkingLiberally.org promotes “democracy one pint at a time” in +64 communities.