Drive-by Blogging

Interesting tidbits about the day's events:

1) House of Commons passes C-38, the bill allowing for civil marriages between homosexual couples 158-133. You guys can link to the various bloggers on the blogroll to read reactions. I'm sure they've more interesting things to say than me. I'm frankly glad this thing finally passed. Now we just have to wait for the royal assent and any legal challenges by conservatives to try to strike it down...

2) (via Metafilter): I should've seen this coming and made this prediction before it comes out, but Google has now released Google Earth, consisting of worldwide satellite images and maps from Google Maps (Keyhole) combined with geographic information that can be gathered through a basic Google search. In essence, a first-crack at the world's most comprehensive GIS ever devised. Currently only available for Windows and not all data can be assimilated into your map, but it's only a matter of time. Imagine, a webGIS whose underlying engine/database is the Internet itself, coupled with maps and images that have pretty good resolution. If it could embed any type of information into any chosen geographic location and be able to perform spatial analysis, this will definitely make GIS-designers like ESRI take notice. Google is seriously trying to take over the computing industry, one function at a time...

3) (Also via Metafilter): Amazon.com is offering every book published by the Penguin Classics Library division. That's 1,082 titles ranging from Flatland by Edwin A. Abbott to Nana by Emile Zola all for the low, low price of $7989.99, a savings of $5324.75 (40%)!!!. And there's free shipping (as that extra little incentive)! If I had that kind of disposable income, I'd buy it for two reasons: to see all the trucks needed to bring it to my door (and the delivery people to move it all in) and just to fill my room with ALL these books...what, you thought I wanted to buy all these books to READ them? Preposterous!