SHODAN LIVES
Notes and links from @colemanm.
Undisciplined spending in the name of defense »
A Reuters op-ed piece critical of NGA.
It’s ridiculous to claim that Google creates the same product as NGA for a fraction of the cost and then “gives it away for free”… A flagrant misunderstanding of geospatial data and how it’s produced.
I only call attention to this article for these insane stats on NGA:
The National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency has 16,000 employees — nearly as many as Google — and a “black” budget thought to be at least $5 billion per year. The NGA is building a new headquarters complex with the stunning price of $1.8 billion, nearly the cost of the Freedom Tower rising in Manhattan. That new headquarters, near Fort Belvoir, Virginia, will be the third-largest structure in the Washington area, nearly rivaling the Pentagon in size.
Inside China’s Ghost Towns
Some interesting satellite images here of massive cities and towns with almost no residents. Creepy.
A satellite image of Amsterdam Island making waves in the passing clouds.
Taken by NASA’s Terra satellite in 2005.
(via)
