got geoint?

Happy Friday! With the winter chill taking over DC and all the coverage of the economic stimulus package, there are many funny, weird and interesting stories that may have not made it to the front page of the paper. In this installment of “Friday’s Food for Thought,” we tell you how we really feel about Google Latitude (sometimes it is good to be able to disappear), showcase an egg with the map of earth on it, as well as highlight a map of Madoff’s path of economic destruction. Hope you all enjoy…and please share your thoughts!

Google Latitude a Good Thing??
This big story this week has all about Google Latitude, which is new Google Maps feature that lets users share location data with friends, using either a mobile phone or Google Gears-equipped computer. First up, Google surpasses most when it comes to cutting-edge mapping technologies, but this application may go a bit too far. General Clapper told us that the reason that GEOINT is soo important is because it is the foundation for all other intelligence activity and that everyone has to “be some place.” So, in this instance — for intelligence, security and national defense — it is VERY good to know where the bad guys are! But for the average Joe, is it good that people know where his is all the time??

In this day-and-age, there is no such thing as anonymity. We are Facebooking and Twittering round the clock — which, don’t get us wrong, are amazing tools — but we need to draw the line when it comes to letting people know exactly where we are at all times. We rarely have the opportunity to “disappear” — like sneak out for a coffee or to do some shopping during work hours, etc. And privacy groups are calling this application a boon for stalkers.

Mapping of Bernard Madoff’s $50 billion Fraud
This is just another example of how the mapping of data can be used for just about any application. The Times UK actually developed a map of the locations of all of Bernie Madoff’s clients…as you would guess, there is heavy activity in the Northeast and in Florida. Check out the map here.

Strange Things Picked Up by Google
We stumbled upon this most excellent online resource called Maps of the Strange that has pulled together all the strange and weird things picked up by Google Map and Streetfinder. From SuperBowl crop circles to wind farms and elephants in Africa, this blog has captured all of these elements. We recommend you check it out here.

Map of The World on an Egg??
This one was too good to pass up. A hen in China laid this egg:

Here’s another image:

Mind Mapping
Have you all jumped on the “Mind Mapping” bandwagon?

Tags: Clapper, Egg in China, GEOINT, Google Earth, Google Latitude, Madoff, Mind Mapping