'Cloverfield' and 'Monstrous' Posters

Here's some fun stuff for the weekend.

The new, untitled JJ Abrams flick (Codenamed 'Cloverfield') is a monster movie set in New York City. On 1-18-08, the movie will premier and is set to show the events of that night as rescuers and military figures filter through the remains and find video cameras which recorded the attack.

There are 4 posters released for the still untitled movie which is just now finishing up filming. The 4 posters each bear one of the titles: MONSTROUS, FURIOUS, TERRIFYING, and BARBAROUS.

Here are 3 of those posters. More on the 'Cloverfield' Movie here.

cloverfield 1-18-08

Fleet of Google Mappers Seen

Earlier I noted that Google had assembled a large team of Chevy Cobalts decked out with camera equipment capable of adding new data to the popular Street View layer on Google Maps (more here).

One guy followed some clues a few weeks back to find around 30 new Chevy Cobalts in the Google parking lot getting ready for their new camera gear. It seems vans were originally used for most of the first layers of Street View but to tackle more cities Google went out a bought a bunch of cheap cars.

Seems there's going to be a rather hefty addition of new cities to the Street Views as people are spotting the camera equipped vehicles and sending in their own photos. So far, some of the cities that have noted the vehicles are Boise, Idaho; Chicago; Whitemarsh, Maryland; Southern California; Evanston, Illinois; and Redwood City, California. [ ...more ]

Sun Loses Its Spots As Solar Cycle 23 Bottoms With A Cold Wet Southern Winter

The 11 year long solar cycle is marked by two extremes, solar minimum and solar maximum. Solar minimum is the period of least solar activity in the solar cycle of the sun. During this time sunspot and solar flare activity diminishes, and often does not occur for days at a time.

When spots begin to appear on the sun once again, scientists know that the sun is heading into a new season of extreme solar activity. At the cycle's peak, solar maximum, the sun is continually peppered with spots, solar flares erupt, and the sun hurls billion-ton clouds of electrified gas into space. [ ...more ]

Obesity in the U.S. Map

Obesity in the United States is put into perspective for the last 20 years in this map from CNN. Although there was little data to start with you can definitely see the growth of America's waistline in the Bible Belt or as we call it down here, the Stroke Belt. [ ...more ]

Burj Dubai Height Overtakes Taipei 101

You may know by now my fascination with the Burj Dubai that is being built in the Middle East. As construction takes the tower higher each day it is now higher that Taipei 101. The man-made Palms are opening up for living and the Burj Dubai doesn't look too far behind for its occupants.

"Speaking to skyscrapernews.com, the head of the Committee for Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat, Antony Wood, has confirmed that it "has now surpassed the height of Taipei 101 structurally (concrete)." [ ...more ]

Previous Articles:

• Burj Dubai Live Construction Web Cam
• DUBAI IS THE PLACE TO BE...
• All you ever wanted to know about the Burj Dubai - soon to be world's tallest building
• GIS PILOT Presents - Burj Dubai The World's Tallest Skyscraper Webcam and Pictures
• Dubai man-made island nears completion
• Satellite images of Dubai & The Palm (Island of sand)
• World's Tallest Building-Stats

Atlas of Faith

The world religions are highlighted on this colorful map of the different faiths around the globe. [ ...more ]

More Google Maps Streetview?

Google is ready to attack the Streets again with what looks like a fleet of brand new Chevy Cobalts awaiting their special 360° cameras to mounted on their roofs.

If this is any indication of what awaits viewers of the Streetview layer on Google Maps, we can definately expect a ton of worktime to be missed everyone will be looking through the maps to find that one person doing something embarassing! [ ...more ]

Map: Global Warming Effects

This interactive map from National Geographic shows us the expected impacts of climate change. The impact overview layers allow you to choose different climate changes to view their effects, like 'Freshwater Resources' which will map out the melting snowpacks and rising water levels on the coast.

• Map: Global Warming Effects

It's Raining...

100,000 Trees Must Be Planted To Offset The Effect of Live Earth

Gary Lightbody of Snow Patrol performs on stage during the

London Live Earth concert on July 7, 2007.

Over 10 million people streamed the Live Earth concerts this weekend as Al Gore and company tried to raise awareness to climate change. The biggest complaint of the concerts, which were held worldwide, is that a tremendous amount of energy and resources were used to make a concert to raise awareness about the use of energy and resources.

Overall, I'm glad that the concerts were created. Ideally, the awareness will help in the long run. At least I hope so....

• Live Earth London's Glacial Pacing
• Live Earth Website

Lawn Map of the U.S.

As people convert natural landscapes to human-tailored ones, we change the cycling of water and carbon dramatically. Across the United States, water supplies are under increasing pressure as populations grow. Forests and soils that were once a sink for atmospheric carbon can become sources as the natural landscapes are disturbed.

Among the human-tailored landscapes that influence carbon and water cycles in America are lawns. This color-coded map shows satellite-derived estimates of the fractional turf grass (lawn) area across the United States in shades of green. Areas where a large fraction of the land surface is lawn-covered are deepest green, while locations where the lawns cover a very small (or no) fraction of the land surface are lightest green or white. [ ...more ]

Template Problems

There seems to be a small problem with my last template that did not allow a small minority of people to view the page. So, I've loaded up this generic template for now till I can work on it. That being said, go watch the Transformers this weekend. You'll love it...

Energy Map of America

America and China are the leading consumers of energy and fossil fuels of the world. About 75% of the computers that read this article are using computers fueled by burning coal. The remaining 25% use a mixture of oil derived from dolphins and kittens to fuel generators.

OK, I admit that last fact may not be entirely accurate [ ...more ]

The clearest ocean waters on Earth

As clear as the clearest lakes on the planet, salty as ocean waters, and roughly the size of the Mediterranean – this, say researchers, is the clearest and most lifeless patch of ocean in the world. And it is in the middle of the Pacific.

"Satellite images that track the amount of chlorophyll in ocean waters suggested that this was one of the most life-poor systems on Earth," explains Patrick Raimbault of the University of the Mediterranean, in Marseille, France [ ...more ]