Some people have spent hundreds or even thousands of dollars to be in D.C. during the presidential inauguration. For those folks who are interested but couldn’t find the money (or just didn’t feel like camping on someone’s lawn), Google Earth has at least unveiled some new imagery of the area.
Frank Taylor reports that the update appears to be centered on the National Mall & Memorial Parks. He writes, “The new imagery is dated 2008 and there also appears to be new imagery in surrounding areas. . . . Turn on the 3D Buildings layer for added realism.”
Furthermore, it seems the powers that be (whether within Google or the government, we don’t know) have had a change of heart concerning the U.S. Naval Observatory. What once was clearly censored is now just sort of fuzzy. So anyone wanting a bird’s-eye view of Number One Observatory Circle, the official home of the Vice President of the United States, can take a look.
It’s a small, but interesting, update, to be sure. Google Earth users will want to peek if they’re not too busy fighting crowds around the Capitol.
And exploring all of this from the comfort of your office chair is sure to have some serious advantages, anyway. Think climate control and a nearby bathroom for starters. Maybe cell phone service, too.
