Google Maps Friday Fun

Man Made Travel Wonders

EarthSwoop have created this Google Earth browser map of some of the man made wonders of the world. The map includes amazing 3D views of the pyramids, the Taj Mahal and many other sites.

Street View of the Week

After Google sportingly deleted the image of an Australian man on the toilet I've had to find another Street View of the week. In the end I went with this rather fetching self-portrait of the Street View car. How did it manage to take a picture of itself?

Whilst we are on the subject of Street View you might have heard about the deer that was hit by a Street View car. Google have now, understandably, removed the images. Street View Gallery however did manage to get some screenshots before they were removed.

Via: Street View Gallery

Dope Farmers Caught on Google Earth
Wired have an interesting story about how Swiss police managed to spot a field of marijuana on Google Earth. Police discovered the hemp field in the north-eastern canton (state) of Thurgau last year using Google Earth's satellite images. Consequently 16 people were arrested and the police seized 1.2 tons (1.1 metric tons) of marijuana.

Drug Lords on Your iPhone
Coincidently, shortly after reading the story of the Swiss police using Google Earth to find a field of marijuana someone sent me a link to a video of an iPhone game called Drug Lords. In the game players try to build a drug dealing empire. The game seems to have a multi-player element and uses Google Maps to show other dealers in your neighbourhood.

Here's the video:



I don't have a link for the game so if you are interested you'll have to try and Google it.

Old World Globe Bar
I've always wanted one of these globe bars. However at $299 I think I'm going to have keep dreaming.

At $39.99 these map chests are more within my reach.