Google Secret Maps

Yesterday I was playing around with Google maps. I was panning around is the satellite view and noticed something weird in DC.

Click on image for the full size image or go HERE to see it on Google.

You'll notice that the Capitol building and several buildings around it have been blurred. Is this supposed to foil some terrorists?

Terrorist 1: Let's bomb the capitol building.

Terrorist 2: Great Idea! Let's google a map of it.

Terrorist 1: Damn! They blurred out the satellite photo. I guess that's the end of that. let's go get a latte instead.

But take another look at the photo. You'll see that there are buildings around the capitol building that are also intentionally blurred. All you've done here is say "Hey! I know you're looking at the capitol building, but what you may not have known is that these buildings over here are also prime targets!"

Take a look at what they did around the White House, though.

Again, click on the image for a larger view or HERE to view the map on Google.

What they've done here is a little less obvious. Here they've colored in the roofs of the building. Now you can see the buildings outlines, but the rooftops have been obscured.

Of course, it's not jsut Google, you see the same thing on Microsoft's TerraServer as well.

For some reason however, they didn't bother blurring out The Pentagon.

Perhaps they should blur out other important American icons as well.