“Omnipresence” as a human

I have discovered another world. It is absolutely amazing. It likely will not work in Saskatchewan, Canada… but it works well in other parts of the world. But it may reach Saskatchewan some day.

Am I speaking in Riddles for you? Nope.

It is Google Street Maps UK

I have taken a while to get my head around how to use this new tool.

The small round compass kind of button on the top left side of the screen makes it possible to see 360 degrees in all directions – then also the 180 degrees all around up and around – kind of like a bubble.

Try this link to see what I mean to go to “Cockspur St, London, England, United Kingdom” This link should take you right to the street – a little higher than eye level – on a certain day and YOU ARE THERE! WOW!

“The Wrap – Google's new street service” is the new product that you are looking at in the UK.

The Guardian states…
“Google's new mapping application, which will allow 360 degree views of streets in 25 cities picked up and transmitted by satellite cameras, has arrived with great fanfare in the UK – and to a wide spectrum of interpretation from the Great British Press.”

They go on to share that…
“Google Streetmap has previously been launched in France, Italy, Spain, Australia, New Zealand and Japan. In Australia, a man was captured passed out drunk on his mother's lawn. It transpired he had been at a funeral.”

Across Britain they have “mapped” 22,369 miles of streets and roads. On the map of the cities – not every street has been done. Just the ones that are in colour…wherever the crew did the photography at that moment.

Now there is a concern over privacy as you may suspect. But as you zoom in on the people in the photos – you will see that their faces are smudged out – features all removed.

As a potential tourist I think this is amazing. I can be there before I get there. I can savour the views before I ever climb aboard an airplane to travel the long distance overseas.

Now if I was a potential terrorist… the folks on the street shown in my illustration may not be so thrilled about it. It certainly would make the “attack” easier – if some one wanted to plant a bomb. Ooops I did it again – the Blog will be followed from this minute on.

How is it accomplished? Well apparently they have vehicles that are equipped with special cameras that look up and down and all around from a vehicle beginning driven along a street. It is kind of a panoramic camera.

Similar to Google Earth this new tool will revolutionize my arm chair experience. I will never need to go anywhere in order to be some where else. I can be there and here at the same time, nibble my snacks and never have to share a toilet with anyone on a large aircraft again.

I am free to never go anywhere again and yet be everywhere. That is kind of like achieving “Omnipresence” as human… well almost…

Earlier I stated that I didn’t think it would get to Saskatchewan too soon. There are two cities… and way more than 22,369 miles of roads across the province – filled with gophers and red tail hawks.

The potential for this new tool is amazing to say the least.

For more than an hour I have been traveling the streets of London and some other cities.

Now one more thing that Google Maps UK has is a Traffic predictor. Kind of a weather report for traffic. You can see when the roads will be busy during the daytime. Simply by sliding a small bar from left o right the traffic patterns in the city are predicted.

If you have viewed the photo from the Google Streetmaps above… you will see what traffic is all about at that moment in London.

Now contrasting that to say Regina, Saskatchewan that has a rush hour of about 20 minutes in length… may not need a Traffic predictor either. Toronto, Ontario however is very different than Regina.

I have to stop this post and run to get ready for some more grandkid fun later today. But I also want to check out Manchester later too. My friend lived on that very small street on the east side… Gotta fly away…

~ Murray Lincoln ~
http://www.murraylincoln.com/

Source:
http://maps.google.co.uk/
http://maps.google.com.au/
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2009/mar/20/4