Google Earth just got cooler

Aside from the fact that my house is covered by a very large cloud and I can’t actually see it, Google Earth is way cool.  I also love the Google Map hybrid thing that you can do which overlays the map and the real-life satelite image which lets you actually see where you are going (a very useful travel planning feature).  So I’m pretty excited about this:

“In celebration of Geography Awareness Week, Google Inc (NASDAQ: GOOG) today released new Featured Content for Google Earth that connects users to information about the history of the world through one of the largest private map collections in the US. Map overlays from the David Rumsey collection, which integrate historic cartographic masterpieces dating as far back as the 17th century, have been brought to life for the first time using advanced digitization techniques and innovative software tools in Google Earth. Also available with this release in partnership with National Geographic is an interactive geography quiz that enables users to test their knowledge of this year’s Geography Awareness Week focus region of Africa.”

I think I would have loved geography a lot more if I could actually SEE what on earth my teacher was talking about.

Also pretty cool, the Onomy Labs Geo-explorer table.

Six words

The November issue of Wired has a charming piece on a bunch of “very short stories” (inspired by Hemingway’s self-declared best work – a short story in 6 words “For sale: baby shoes, never worn.”) The idea that the story creates itself inside your head is intriguing (generative?).

Some of my favourites…

• Longed for him. Got him. Shit. – Margaret Atwood
• Wasted day. Wasted life. Dessert, please. – Steven Meretzky
• Husband, transgenic mistress; wife: “You cow!” – Paul Di Filippo
• Will this do (lazy writer asked)? – Ken MacLeod