Google Earth - What do u think

Link: http://kvcindia.com/blog

Mapping software exposes IAF bases, INS Viraat

US Gets Satellite Images Of White House Blanked Out, But Close-Ups Of India’s Strategic Locations On Net

By Charles Assisi/TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Mumbai: Legally, you aren’t supposed to come within arm’s length of India’s military bases. Whether it is the naval dockyards in Mumbai or the air force bases in New Delhi, Bangalore and Hyderabad, they continue to be strictly out of bounds for unauthorised personnel.
But technology, unerringly, finds ways to subvert the law. A little over two weeks ago, Google released fresh satellite images of New Delhi, south Mumbai, Bangalore and Hyderabad as part of its new initiative, Google Earth (http://earth.google.com). These images, available to anybody with access to the Net, provide users with images of earth from space.
Punch New Delhi and the software first zooms in on Rashtrapati Bhavan. After having taken a look at its lawns, take in a detailed perspective of Parliament building. Maybe, fly over the Prime Minister’s residence. And if that doesn’t satiate the voyeur in you, move over to Palam airport where IAF planes are based.
The level of detail even reveals the camouflage used to mask hangars.
Pictures of Mumbai reveal with numbing clarity the docks where INS Viraat is berthed. Users can zoom close enough to take a reasonably good look at the deck of India’s lone aircraft carrier. Browse around and you can stroll past piers where warships of all kinds and submarines are docked. Pan across to take a long look at what lies beyond the fortified gates of Navy Nagar where access is normally controlled by gun-wielding guards. And if that isn’t enough, there are shots of a carrier under construction, which sources speculate could be the top secret advanced technology vessel (ATV).
It’s much the same thing with Bangalore. The air force base at Yelahanka with jets and helicopters parked are available for all to view. And if it’s the HAL factory you’re interested in, zoom right in.

Google’s new software has many nations up in arms

By Charles Assisi/TNN
Mumbai: Governments in Australia, South Korea and Thailand are up in arms against the software used in Google Earth. Americans too have demanded that Google blank out sensitive places like the White House.
These countries are now demanding that Google blur their military assets. The argument: this is just the kind of raw-material terrorists need to mount an attack.
Back in India, military aficionado are using the software to take a good look at military bases of neighbouring countries. For instance, on Bharat Rakshak (www.bharat-rakshak.com), a consortium of Indian military websites, users are delighted with images of the P3C Orion at Faisal Air Force Base, Karachi.
Then, there’s Karachi Port. ‘‘Speaking of Karachi, has anyone noticed the 6 T21 docked at the southern tip of the western pier in Karachi harbour? They are berthed in 3 rows NE to SW in a 1+3+2 arrangement,’’ wonders a subscriber on the site.
Or for that matter, consider this: ‘‘At 24 50 31.31/66 58 33.48 you can see their third Augosta under construction.’’ The numbers refer to co-ordinates on the map. And Augosta is a submarine built with French collaboration. The Chinese, too, are under intense scrutiny as the world uses Google Earth to have a look at their military bases.

NO MORE A SECRET: A Google Earth satellite image of the Palam Air Force base used by VVIPs.