Google Earth

I can not get over my addiction to this program. I have been messing around with Google Earth for the past couple of months now and I think that I have a problem.

The concept is amazing. It is satellite images of the entire globe. When you first open the program you see a similiar image to the one in this post, but then with a roll of the mouse you are zooming in closer and closer to say, Chicago until finally you are right above, millenium park. The images are actual satellite photos that have been taken within the last three years. So for example if your house was under construction for the last year, or three, the image of your house might show blue tarps and trucks on the street. It is not in real time.

When you get bored cruising your neighborhood, zoom out and then back in on Rome, Italy just by moving a mouse. The colleseum, the parthenon, red square, the possibilities are endless.

If you run out of ideas to look up or have become bored, which I highly doubt will ever happen, you can click on an icon, (Keyhole Comunity BBS), and all the places people previously have marked will show up for you. This way you can learn about places you knew nothing about.

Also If the image was taken three years ago and is not a clear image you can download overlays, new images that have been taken more recently, of places like stonehendge or Machu Picchu.

The down load is free at google, but takes a little time.

http://earth.google.com/