Blake Esselstyn
@mapblake.bsky.social
Formerly @districks on the birdsite. Geography, demography, GIS, redistricting, fairmaps. Oh, and dataviz. NC native trying to learn some Dutch.
Fascinating exploration. In 2024, I was a visiting instructor introducing GIS, and a student from Western Sahara refused to accept that Felt could be a credible tool given how its base map showed Western Sahara's boundary (unlike UN, Wikipedia, Google, NatGeo, etc. when viewed from the Netherlands).
February 3, 2026 at 4:53 PM
Fascinating exploration. In 2024, I was a visiting instructor introducing GIS, and a student from Western Sahara refused to accept that Felt could be a credible tool given how its base map showed Western Sahara's boundary (unlike UN, Wikipedia, Google, NatGeo, etc. when viewed from the Netherlands).
- I did not make a significant wrong turn that required rejiggering the route, nor was there congestion on the roads that would have been nice to avoid.
- The car I was driving didn't support Android Auto.
- Yes, my phone is set to French language, in anticipation of #QGISFR2026 🤓
3/3.
- The car I was driving didn't support Android Auto.
- Yes, my phone is set to French language, in anticipation of #QGISFR2026 🤓
3/3.
December 30, 2025 at 7:34 PM
- I did not make a significant wrong turn that required rejiggering the route, nor was there congestion on the roads that would have been nice to avoid.
- The car I was driving didn't support Android Auto.
- Yes, my phone is set to French language, in anticipation of #QGISFR2026 🤓
3/3.
- The car I was driving didn't support Android Auto.
- Yes, my phone is set to French language, in anticipation of #QGISFR2026 🤓
3/3.
Other notes:
- I was driving from Maastricht to near Charleroi in Belgium. YMMV depending on OSM data.
- In the screenshot, you can see I was in flight/airplane mode, using downloaded data. Still worked well.
- It also offers the "first person driver" view. I just prefer keeping north as up.
2/3
- I was driving from Maastricht to near Charleroi in Belgium. YMMV depending on OSM data.
- In the screenshot, you can see I was in flight/airplane mode, using downloaded data. Still worked well.
- It also offers the "first person driver" view. I just prefer keeping north as up.
2/3
December 30, 2025 at 7:34 PM
Other notes:
- I was driving from Maastricht to near Charleroi in Belgium. YMMV depending on OSM data.
- In the screenshot, you can see I was in flight/airplane mode, using downloaded data. Still worked well.
- It also offers the "first person driver" view. I just prefer keeping north as up.
2/3
- I was driving from Maastricht to near Charleroi in Belgium. YMMV depending on OSM data.
- In the screenshot, you can see I was in flight/airplane mode, using downloaded data. Still worked well.
- It also offers the "first person driver" view. I just prefer keeping north as up.
2/3
Check out the number of parties to choose from in the image ... could be a factor in participation.
October 27, 2025 at 9:26 AM
Check out the number of parties to choose from in the image ... could be a factor in participation.
Does the event start at 1:04? ;)
September 16, 2025 at 12:39 PM
Does the event start at 1:04? ;)
I just learned from a math teacher that it is a day: Perfect Square Day!
And this is a special one for this century, because 2025 is 45²
bsky.app/profile/sara...
And this is a special one for this century, because 2025 is 45²
bsky.app/profile/sara...
9 days until Perfect Square Day! I know 9/9/25 is a perfect square, but 9/16/25 hits a bit different as it connects with a 3/4/5 right traingle. On another note, I made my nephews pose for this pic when the turned ages 3, 4 & 5.
Download a countdown HERE: docs.google.com/document/d/1...
Download a countdown HERE: docs.google.com/document/d/1...
September 16, 2025 at 12:35 PM
I just learned from a math teacher that it is a day: Perfect Square Day!
And this is a special one for this century, because 2025 is 45²
bsky.app/profile/sara...
And this is a special one for this century, because 2025 is 45²
bsky.app/profile/sara...
Also, were you aware that 2025 is 45²?
September 16, 2025 at 12:29 PM
Also, were you aware that 2025 is 45²?
I know three people whose birthday is today. I told them that they should celebrate at 1:04. =)
September 16, 2025 at 12:27 PM
I know three people whose birthday is today. I told them that they should celebrate at 1:04. =)
I was a bit surprised to see that searches for "census geopackage" and "tiger geopackage" in Bluesky turned up zero results. May this post remedy that situation!
5/5
5/5
August 29, 2025 at 10:29 AM
I was a bit surprised to see that searches for "census geopackage" and "tiger geopackage" in Bluesky turned up zero results. May this post remedy that situation!
5/5
5/5
What does it say about me that I've been on Bluesky since November of 2023 and this is what I choose to make my first original post/thread about? 🤓
4/5
4/5
August 29, 2025 at 10:29 AM
What does it say about me that I've been on Bluesky since November of 2023 and this is what I choose to make my first original post/thread about? 🤓
4/5
4/5
It also appears that this is not new news; the first such release evidently was in 2024.
(For my work, I still mostly use the 2020 geographies because of their alignment with the PL 94-171 redistricting file.)
www.census.gov/newsroom/pre...
3/5
(For my work, I still mostly use the 2020 geographies because of their alignment with the PL 94-171 redistricting file.)
www.census.gov/newsroom/pre...
3/5
Census Bureau Releases New Geospatial Data
The U.S. Census Bureau today announced the release of new geospatial data, including the first-time release of TIGER/Line files in GeoPackage format.
www.census.gov
August 29, 2025 at 10:29 AM
It also appears that this is not new news; the first such release evidently was in 2024.
(For my work, I still mostly use the 2020 geographies because of their alignment with the PL 94-171 redistricting file.)
www.census.gov/newsroom/pre...
3/5
(For my work, I still mostly use the 2020 geographies because of their alignment with the PL 94-171 redistricting file.)
www.census.gov/newsroom/pre...
3/5
And (at least as of today) it would appear that the Census Bureau is making the 2025 TIGER data available as GeoPackages and NOT shapefiles.
www.census.gov/programs-sur...
2/5
www.census.gov/programs-sur...
2/5
TIGER Data Products Guide
Help determining which TIGER Product to use.
www.census.gov
August 29, 2025 at 10:29 AM
And (at least as of today) it would appear that the Census Bureau is making the 2025 TIGER data available as GeoPackages and NOT shapefiles.
www.census.gov/programs-sur...
2/5
www.census.gov/programs-sur...
2/5
Evidently the 11th.
August 29, 2025 at 9:36 AM
Evidently the 11th.
Is the talk on the 4th or the 11th? The CNG post shows both.
August 28, 2025 at 7:49 PM
Is the talk on the 4th or the 11th? The CNG post shows both.
The text of this post says Sept 4; the image says Sept 11. Which is accurate?
August 27, 2025 at 4:17 PM
The text of this post says Sept 4; the image says Sept 11. Which is accurate?
Sending my sympathies, Ruth.
August 25, 2025 at 12:49 PM
Sending my sympathies, Ruth.
Little typo in Michal Migurski's name. His handle is @mike.teczno.com
August 20, 2025 at 5:39 AM
Little typo in Michal Migurski's name. His handle is @mike.teczno.com