Fun with Google
April 26th, 2005 8:53 pm

Google has launched a new beta feature of Google Maps. After they purchased Keyhole Systems, they added the ability to search via satellite imagery. Very fun.

So I lost the better part of a productive afternoon checking out various places around the country like national monuments, different areas in big cities, and other places I have visited.

Then I noticed something odd. As I was meandering my way, via satellite images, around Washington D.C., I noticed the Capital Building is purposely blurred out. All the areas around it are in focus, but not the block the Capital Building is on.

The reasoning: Could a nut job now use satellite images from Google to plot… who knows what?

If that is the case, then why is the White House not blurred out, or the Pentagon, or… Area 51?

Posted in General, Personal Musings, Random Funnies by Mark
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James
April 28th, 2005 2:00 pm

Maybe the Capitol Building has really bad security and they think this will help …

Maybe the whole block was moving at the time the satellite image was taken …

Maybe it wasn’t actually blurry to anyone but you because you’re on the watch list …

Alex Ezell
April 28th, 2005 10:09 pm

Seems to me that you are right on all counts.

Very odd for them to do this. After all, who needs satellite imagery. You can drive up to within 100 yards of the steps.

A good Stinger missile would do wonders at that distance.

I’ve said it before: Anyone willing to do in the commission of a terrorist act is unstoppable. I’m not saying that you should have no security but the government should get out of the business of trying to ensure 100% total safety for all Americans. It just ain’t gonna happen.

SM
May 16th, 2005 4:15 pm

Like the block the Capitol is on, the White House and the two buildings to the left and right have their rooftops masked. Why? Perhaps to protect the location of anti-aircraft batteries or surface to air missile implacements?

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