The Earth Is Square

I have a new computer setup that I already have WorldWind and GISExplorer on, so went today to download and install Google Earth for it.  But since it is currently off network I went to download and will just copy the install file over via a thumb drive..

Errr, NOT happening.  Where is the downloadable file?  What is this "Google Updater" they think I should have instead?  When I want to download an application.. I want to download the bloody application!  (You can see how long it has been since I installed a new Google Earth )  So, complaining asside, I re-run the network and take a computer offline to bring the one I want to use online and install.

Next "Bad Google" comes up.. it never asked me WHERE I want to install Google Earth!  It wants me to install an app on the OS partition.. argh!

I know their "motto" is "Don't Be Evil" .. but I think it should be "Don't Be Smart" instead.. this is some dumb thinking from Google.  Trust me.. I know better than Google on how I want to download and install my software.

This is something that will make you do a double take.  Mio has a GPS unit (not found on their website) that was previewed on CNet, it is the Knight Rider GPS.

From what I saw on the video (which is disturbing in some spots..) they have lights on the sides which mimick KITT's "mouth" from the TV series.  The screen shows the left-to-right bar that was on the front of the car, and the voice used sounds similar to KITT's voice.

Now, just going on the Geek / Nerd factor... this is a GPS I would have to have.  Just something about hearing KITT asking where I would like to go and "talking" to me that just brings back the 80's.

But, since this is just a "First Look", no idea when it will come out, or for how much.  I am sure that for the main GPS functions, this is no different than most other Mio GPS units.

Boy, Godaddy sure is lightning fast at taking a domain off-line if a payment doesn't go through.  But it is fixed now.

Found this "article" on Slashdot today.  Apparently the latest meet-up of XKCD Geohasher's has them meeting some ranchers that did not appreciate a bunch of strangers on their private property.

The ranger at the park service station was exceedingly friendly and said that the neighbor was just "easily excitable" -- I guess he must get really excited about shotguns. In any case, I think that we're probably in the clear, though anyone who wants to write an apologetic note to the hopefully-better-educated-less-having-of-chip-on-shoulder-Arkansas-visiting-property-owner should perhaps do so.

Looks like a lot of over reaction and a little common sense on the Geohasher's part to me.  Even the Slashdot people are critical of the geohashers.. which is amazing actually.

But it does lead to one important point, one that has been around for centuries..  Ask permission before doing someone on someone's private property.

A few weeks back, I posted that Patrick Hogan and Randy Kim were at the Yahoo! Brickhouse talking about WorldWind Java. The video of that presentation has been posted online now. It is about 45 minutes long and is not "that" great in the video quality (bad lightning), but has some interesting information and insights.

Was watching CNN while at the gym today and they were making heavy use of Virtual Earth to show regions that were being affected by the severe storms in the US of late.  They used the Bird's eye view a lot where it was available.

Now CNN use to use Google Earth a lot, and to be honest I never liked how it looked.  But their use of Virtual Earth looked a lot nice and to put it plainly, more professional looking.

I am not sure if they are using both Google Earth and Virtual Earth, or if they have just switched fully to Virtual Earth.