'The newsletter with the
self-referential tagline.'
A World of Mystery
Inevitably, now that global satellite photography is in
the hands of millions -- thanks to Google Earth, Google Maps, Virtual Earth,
TerraServer and other sites -- people are, well, finding things.
Some
people have actually seen
themselves,
for example, or moving objects such as
airplanes in
flight. But some are making much less mundane sightings. For example, an
Italian software programmer actually
discovered the ruins of a Roman village.
Tinfoil-hat types are having a field day as well, finding
the secret
Area 51,
swastikas,
crop circles,
plane crashes,
naked ladies,
flying cars and other
UFOs. (Here's a
great site for seeing unusual satellite photography sightings.)
What have YOU discovered? Let me know at
[email protected].
PS: Have you tried Google Earth yet? I'm not going to go into
all the details about what it does and how cool it is. Please -- do yourself a
favor and download and install it. It's
awesome.
Mike's List o' the Week
Geek o' the Week -
This dude will give you $6,000 if you're first to boot Windows XP on an Apple
iMac.
Bad Robot o' the Week
- This bad boy is armed to the teeth and ready for war.
Big Number o'
the Week -
100,000: The number of hotspots now available worldwide.
Crazy Japanese Thing o' the Week
- Temp agency offers robot receptionist that says "hello!" (Hello Kitty,
that is...)
Twisted Game o' the Week
- Keep your aim as sharp as your knife!
Wacky Web Site o' the Week
- Don't like "The Simpsons" characters? Build your own!
Useless Web Site o' the Week
- Mining Pics is a gallery of horrible accidents involving giant machinery.
Useful
(But Annoying) Web Site o' the Week - If you're single, you might need
this.
Gotta-Get-It Gadget o' the Week
- Why spend $10 on a flashlight when you can spend $2,500?
Gotta-Forget-It Gadget o' the Week
- When you gotta call ... and you gotta go.
Reader Web Site
o' the Week -
The United States of Ajax (from Mike's List reader Jim Hamilton) (Go
here for more.)
Cell Phone Folly o' the Week
- Since small children seem reluctant to embrace cell phones, one company is
giving them away.
News You Can Lose o' the Week
- Don't tell me you still let your iPod run around naked....
Tax Dollar Waste o' the Week
- The eyes have it.
Car Craziness o' the Week
- New tech not only parks your car, but even finds you a spot!
Computer Crime o' the Week
- They all had legit jobs until they turned to the dark side.
Science Project o' the Week
- How can an ink-jet printer make you smarter?
Obvious Observation o' the Week
- What? They still have spam?
Absurd Patent o' the Week - The Russian government has given a patent
for something they presumably didn't even see!
USB Gadget o' the Week - Who needs a vacation when you can make your
cubical tropical?
Stuff You'll Love
Mystery Pic o' the Week
What is it?
Send YOUR guess (be sure to say where you live). If you're
first with the right answer, I'll print your name in the next
issue of Mike's List! (Check out
previous Mystery Pics)
LAST
WEEK'S MYSTERY PIC:
No, it's not an "anti-kidnapping suit," a "bullet-proof,
wearable computer," or even a "motorcycle jacket with
built-in airbag," as suggested by some readers. In fact,
it's a Portuguese Civil Protection project called the
i-GARMENT. When finished it will be suits worn by
emergency workers, such as firemen, and equipped with
sensors to monitor the location and vital signals
(temperature and heart beat) of the wearers. The info will
be sent wirelessly to the agency's headquarters.
Mega-congrats to Sean Maguire of Dublin, Ireland, who was
first with the right answer!