Saturday, June 2, 2007

Street Level Google Brings Some Serious Fun

A few days ago Garret Rogers of ZDnet wrote that Google would be launching a “street view” after he spotted some suspicious domain registration activity (see paragraph below):

On may 25th, Google registered several variations of the domain “googlestreetview.com” — normally Garret would think the feature would be months away, but given Where 2.0 starts on Tuesday, it will likely be available (or at least announced) by the end of the month. This functionality is likely in addition to the 3D buildings they are expected to announce at the same conference.

Below are the domains that were being snapped up by Google.

GOOGLE-MAPS-STREET-VIEW.COM
GOOGLE-MAPS-STREET-VIEW.NET
GOOGLE-MAPS-STREET-VIEW.ORG
GOOGLEMAPSSTREETVIEW.ORG
GOOGLESTREETVIEW.COM
GOOGLESTREETVIEW.NET
GOOGLESTREETVIEW.ORG)

Well, — indeed, that is what happened.

On may 30th,at the Where 2.0 conference, Google announced a feature in Google Maps that puts you in the drivers seat for 5 US cities including: San Francisco, Las Vegas, Denver, New York and Miami.

Those cities do not have complete coverage by any means, but the data provided by Immersive Media is sure to grow and improve as time goes on. It will be interesting to see if 3D buildings will be announced at the Where 2.0 conference tomorrow too.

OKAY, so now that Google has launched this, sites are popping up everywhere with street level images. It's clear that there are some bugs...but if anything, they make viewing the images even more amusing.

here's a few from Stan Schroeder, found on that awesome site, NOTCOT:
Top 15 Google Street View Sightings, May 31, 2007 — 11:05 AM PDT — by Stan Schroeder

Google’s Street View feature for Google Maps, which enables users to see certain parts of several big US cities through panoramic images, has caused a new trend: StreetSpotting (we just invented that). We’ve gone through the avalanche of reports about funny, weird or even sexy things spotted on Street View, and chosen 15 that we like most.

15. The Woz

Street named after Steve Wozniak. OK, it’s not such a big deal, but this is number 15, we’re just getting warmed up here, OK?

14. Speed Limit

The laws are there to be broken
Well, at least he’s not speeding by much.

13. The Void

And to your left, you can see the endless void that consumes all life. Please stick to the right side of the street.

12. Your face called…
…it wants its left side back.

11. He sees things we cannot see
The cameras that Google is using for this aren’t really working all that well.

10. Giant Pumpkin
It’s a giant pumpkin. Right there in the field. Turn the image 180 degrees for a weird pink smoky…thing, too.

09. The guy with no head.
This guy shouldn’t complain, at least it’s hard to identify him.

08. Semi-naked babe
We could open our web browser and find zillions of pictures of hot babes within seconds. In better quality. And more naked. But, there’s something about finding a blurry pic of a semi-naked babe drawn on a truck on Google Maps that makes our heart race.

07. The Internet sucks
“The Internet sucks, come here for your erotic needs”, they say. Well, is Tera Patrick being all naked and naughty in there? Is she? Didn’t think so.

06. Cornelius and his dog
There’s a sad background story to this one. Read it here.

05. Girls sunbathing
A couple of girls sunbathing on a lawn isn’t exactly spectacular, but it’s better than the blurry picture of the semi-naked babe on a truck.

04. Guy getting into the adult book store.
Hey, it could have been worse. He could have been going out of a strip club, or something.

03. Guy getting out of strip club
We’re gonna have to be honest here: the guy looks like he’s merely paying for parking. But, that’s a strip club behind him, and we will, of course, assume he just spent some sexy time with Mimi and Peaches. Is that a happy grin on his face? Sure it is.

02. Crime in progress
Maybe the guy just forgot his keys. Or he’s practicing for the free climbing contest. Hey, is that a lockpicking set dangling out of his pocket?

01. ET
Some might say it’s a lens flare. Some might argue it’s a camera malfunction. It’s the sunlight reflecting off the…lamp post…and a lens flare….and a camera malfunction, skeptics will yell!
But deep in your heart you all know it’s ET. Phooooone. Hooooome.

Another reader brought this link of photos to our attention:

As you see, technology doesn't only bring about conveniences and innovations, but online amusement as well.
Enjoy! And keep your eyes on the road!

Saturday, May 12, 2007

In Memorium

Abbey

March 7, 1993 - May 12, 2007

As some of you know, my dearest friend and devoted canine companion of 10 years, Abbey, was diagnosed with terminal cancer last september. After pallative treatment of chemo and radiation in October, and several efforts at staving off infections with various antibiotics (and yet making sure she has a positive quality of life), at the age of 14, she is finally leaving me.

A jack russell terrier with tons of attitude who was smart as a whip and equally as beautiful, her absence will leave a hole in more lives than just my own.

Not everyone understands what the love of a dog can do for your life. I am thankful that I do. Abbey basically saved mine by coming into my world at a point when I was suffering from severe depression and a broken heart and was painfully lonely.

I never had any pets growing up. Well, okay, not entirely true. I did have some of those tiny turtles in a plastic bowl with a fake palm tree and a hamster named Cream Puff, but never knew what it was like to have a pet who curled up with you during an afternoon nap or licked your face in the morning to wake you. The birthday wish I made as I closed my eyes and blew out the candles from age 5 to age 16 was to have a dog.

I'm forever grateful to my friend Kim, who was Abbey's original mommy but whose life at the time was complicated and wasn't the best for raising a dog. She saw that I needed something to love and she generously let me adopt Abbey in 1998. Not once did she ever ask for Abbey back nor during her numerous and frequent visits over the following years, did she make me feel like Mommy #2. Because of her generosity, I had the wonderful unparalleled experience of having Abbey for 10 years.

Abbey and I drove across the country, just the two of us, twice. She was my partner in strange hotels and adventures in towns I had previously never seen. The perfect road trip companion, she never wanted to change the radio and not once asked "Are we there yet?". She helped make every unfamiliar place comforting. She gave me strength to do things I'd never undertake alone.

I moved to Michigan for work in 2003 and returned in 2006. Part of what made that experience endurable and void of homesickness was Abbey. Wherever she was became home to me.

It will be hard to adjust to life without Abbey. In the past ten years there were very few nights she did not sleep tucked under the covers with me. More often than not, hers was the last face I saw before going to sleep and the first face I saw as I woke. But, like all living things, no matter how wonderful, she cannot grace the world forever.

She is being peacefully euthanized today in the comfort of her home, in the safety of my arms. And someday, someday I hope to see her again, to hold her, to let her nuzzle her snout in my neck and to give her kisses on the belly. Until then I can happily say I have no regrets. None at all. I'm so happy that I spoiled her rotten, put her needs before mine, and spent every penny on everything from gourmet dog food, beautiful collars, the finest medical care and all those deposits for hotel rooms.

It was completely worth it.

Goodbye Sweet Abbey.

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Below are a few of my favorite pictures from the past ten years: