Area 51 appears on google maps [View All]

[emad]

So tonight I spied on Area 51. Actually, maybe I should explain a little more, before I lead with such a tempting sentence. If you go to CNN’s website tonight, you will see a story about google’s new map search service. Basically, the company has integrated satellite technology into their map-searching site, and now you can get ACTUAL photographs beamed directly from somewhere in space. This section of the page just launched a day or two ago, and already many people are upset because they feel, for some reason, having satellite mapping software on the web that gives basic users the ability to stare at the roof of someone else’s house is an invasions of privacy (Sheesh, what prudes.)

Anyway, with my interest peaked, I decided to check out the controversial technology. Upon going to http://maps.google.com, I immediately COULD NOT find the link to this so-called satellite mapping. Little did I know, however, that google had cleverly hid it in plain view on the upper right hand side of the page. It had been disguised under the link name “satellite,” which I understand is actually a German word meaning “I want to look into your house now.”


By Clicking on the clever “satellite” link, the normal Google U.S. graphic map that usually decorates the main searching page suddenly disappeared, only to be replaced seconds later by a REAL LIFE image of the U.S. For a few minutes I think I sat in awe, and probably drooled a little bit. Then, as boredom was about to set in, I decided to fiddle with the program. I searched for silly things at first: my home town, pizza places, Bush’s integrity…you know, things that you’d think should be easy to find via satellite, but sometimes turn out to be next to impossible to locate. And then I got the bright idea to bring up an image of Las Vegas.



After a few seconds of searching aimlessly through imaged suburbs on the outskirts of Vegas, the realization finally dawned on me…maybe Area 51 could be located with this thing…At first I didn’t really know how to go about searching. I tried to scroll up the map a bit, hoping to accidentally stumble upon the military’s worst best kept secret, but it was too no avail…who knew Nevada was full of deserts and mountains???

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