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Specialization is for Insects.
Posted on May 27, 2008 - 1:09am by John P. in Google Tools, Photography
This is actually pretty amazing, if it isn’t staged (and it doesn’t look like it is). For those of you who are unaware, in Google Maps you now have the option in many cities to check out a Street View of the map you’re looking at, which will allow you to see whatever you would see if you were standing in that position.
The way they accomplish this is by having a specially fitted fleet of cars that have 360 degree cameras driving all over the place taking pictures. Once in a while they capture something really interesting. This is one of those times.
Now, there are times when people are expecting the cameras and they go out and pose for them, but this one looks like one kid just basically got caught pointing a gun at another much younger kid running away from him.
How can you tell? Well, the photo below is an interactive timeline of the Google car driving down the street. You can zoom in and out, change the direction you are pointing, and navigate forward and backwards on the street. Give the controls in the top left corner a try, and back up in the street. You can watch the timeline of events unfold as the car drives up and passes the people. Just zoom in, drag the photo around, and zoom out and move on.
EDIT: Wow! I can’t believe it folks, but this image has actually been removed by Google! Perhaps it’s evidence in a police investigation or something. Or maybe they deemed it inappropriate.
Luckily I did the screen capture so you can still see the missing frame above (select the small image to see a large one). I’ve also re-inserted the scene below from the photo immediately before the missing one. If you click on the interactive map and move South one frame you can see the deleted image frame.
I’ll bet they’re just playing. If you go down the street (south) a bit, you can see the next “scene” is of the younger kid turning around and talking to the “shooter,” then coming back toward him. Probably just kids playing cops and robbers, I’m thinking. ;)
Looks weird, the gun is all white…
I go with Dawn on this… looks like a game :)
Kim:)
Although the image is no longer available,
but the overall story is just interesting!
Wow…google maps just gets better and better! What are they going to think of next!
So Google Maps is wide enough to catch crimes committed on streets.Image is not available but it seemed real to me.
Looks like a game, but WOW Google rocks, imagine what the future holds for us technologically in 10 years. As usual you find them, John
Google Maps back again with the new surprise. I hope what this option will be useful for internet users. Unfortunately I have a slow internet connection to using Google maps conveniently :(
I first saw this when a man called the Roe Conn Show. He was looking up his childhood home when he found this. The Englewood neighborhood has been plagued by crime, etc. since the late 1800s when it was incorporated into Chicago. Englewood is one of the main characters in “Devil in the White City.” The older kid probably is pointing a real gun. The light shining off the metal is too realistic. What I found interesting is the group of adult people sitting on the porch just north of the scene.
If I was looking for a new home, I’d want to see a street view before I decided to go see it. This allows us to do that. I do think they should block out license plates, etc.
“Smart people understand that there is no such thing as paranoia. It is just another mask for ignorance. The Truth, when you finally chase it down, is almost always far worse than your darkest visions and fears.” – Hunter S Thompson
i see this property of the google now. This is greate!!. i wish google apply this programs for the other countries. it is amasing that how a satellite can take a foto as closer as 1 m.