ReadWriteWeb

Most of the time we only get one view of a disaster like the floods ravaging Queensland, Australia. Media organizations convey the news but seeing people in harms way posting reports for a crowdsourced map is a new form of reporting that gives immediacy, a sense of connection and a fast way to assess the magnitude of a disaster.

Over the past several weeks, the Australia Broadcast Corporation (ABC) has been doing something a bit different by using Ushahidi to create a data visualization of the Queensland floods that have left the region covered in water. The crowdsourced map is powered by people in the region and professional journalists covering the disaster. It's an encompassing view of the disaster, evoking a sense of real-time drama and a full context about the flooding's impacts.

Ben Southall, a charity worker from the United Kingdom has been appointed the new caretaker of the islands of the Great Barrier Reef, after beating 34,000 other applicants to the post dubbed "The Best Job in the World."

This new position requires Southall live, swim, and play every day, then record his adventures for the world via blogs, photos, video updates and media interviews. Not bad for AUD $150,000 and six months worth of work.