13. mars 2007

Quote "There's also no such thing as "environmentally-friendly." The environment doesn't need friends, because it is the environment. And even if the environment wanted friends, do you really think it would want to be friends with you? I mean, come on, look at you." - Jeff Rowland From a massive collection of great (and weird) statements and quotations. Very high geek factor. 10:07:58 PM    comment []  trackback []

Bin Laden hunt improves Google Earth images of Pakistan The quality and resolution of the images you see in Google Earth varies greatly by region. For example, my town Bergen is pretty bad. Major cities like London or New York are in super-high-resolution. Remote regions like North West Pakistan, needless to say, has not been characterised by great pictures. But that has changed quite dramatically, as an amusing side effect of US intelligence attempts to locate Osama Bin Laden and his associates. Turns out, Google gets its images from many of the same satellite companies — DigitalGlobe, TerraMetrics, and others-that provide reconnaissance to US intelligence agencies. And when the CIA requests close-ups of the area around Peshawar in Pakistan's North-West Frontier Province, Google Earth reaps the benefits (although usually six to 18 months later). This is also why remote parts of Asia went hi-res after the Indian Ocean tsunami in 2004 and the Kashmir earthquake in 2005. Google doesn’t ask why resolution improves in particular locations. But the CIA believes bin Laden is holed up in the Hindu Kush mountain range-one of the most out-of-the-way places on Earth — and you can now see every house, school, and mosque in certain villages there. Keep your eyes peeled for a very tall guy with a long beard and an AK-47. Ok, I'll fire up Google Earth right away. Link via Pajamas. 9:14:15 PM    comment []  trackback []

Global warming polar expedition cancelled due to frostbite Oh, the irony: A North Pole expedition meant to bring attention to global warming was called off after one of the explorers got frostbite. The explorers, Ann Bancroft and Liv Arnesen, on Saturday called off what was intended to be a 530-mile trek across the Arctic Ocean after Arnesen suffered frostbite in three of her toes, and extreme cold temperatures drained the batteries in some of their electronic equipment. "Ann said losing toes and going forward at all costs was never part of the journey," said Ann Atwood, who helped organize the expedition. Undoubtedly. Norwegian Arctic explorer Liv Arnesen has unfortunately not been following in the footsteps of her more famous predecessors, fumbling her way through one polar expedition after another. She's very tough, though, I'll give her that. If she gives up due to cold, it is serious. 7:12:26 AM    comment []  trackback []

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