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Hi, Greetings to all Geowankers, I refer to your email below, GPS, Sat phone, guns and grenades... For those Geographers I CC'd who do not know: Geowanking can be subscribed to via http://geowanking.org/mailman/listinfo/geowanking_geowanking.org Here in SA we have the largest concentration of Indians outside India all along east coast of the Indian Ocean. We (as the Indians of South Africa) feel somewhat close to the mayhem on the shores of Mumbai. I have been lucky enough to have travelled through India and come to the realisation that in the face of adversity the hearts of the Indians are graced with, above all, patience for all race, creed and colour. It is this opinion that has led me to further theorise that this way-of-life transpires into the work ethic, showing clear indications that India is rich in intangible wealth. This could be enough reason for the "enemy" to attack the financial heart, Mumbai. Harsha, thanks for forwarding the http://www.gisdevelopment.net/ezine/weekly/dec0108.htm report. These words have inspired me to write down my thoughts on the topic, with little wanderings slightly off the topic. I have been mulling over last week's 'intensive' neo-geography dialogue and in awe at how we, as people of one earth, can time and time again prove that we are not much different from the big-5 (lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo and rhino ) here in the African wild-life parks. At times, humans look like they are stalking the weak, and yes, we all too often 'borrow' our neighbours' tactics and use it against them. Perhaps, like the science fiction movies, all good-to-great technological feats can and probably will be used for evil. Look, I love the Google-earths' and I am mesmerised at how quickly it is evolving. I am sure to see backpackers make it to the moon on a budget trip within my life-time (I am 29 years.... so I got some time to hang around!). Ok, we may have gotten a little lazy from top-end technologies, sitting on a hammock, poolside. Connected to the world for virtually no cost and having the world at our fingertips. It is just the coolest feeling. At least now we can potentially spend our free time connecting to nature and seeking deep sanctity with the spiritual self (or so I keep telling myself). So, it's really up to us as geographers to continue making ground-breaking steps in spatial-technological feats and certainly up to the pure heart to ensure that more good is done than evil. How will you (we) ensure that? I am not exactly too sure; maybe we need to create a neo-geography 'happy-clappy' group to pool together ideas. Also, it is apparent that history re-plays itself. War & love share the same demise; we all die at the end. Garmin GPS to get us there, MMS/Email to send pictures to loved ones, all instantaneous. Sure, these tactics are replayed throughout history again and again. Place and time may be different, but all in all, it is same story different day. Finally, I have also been blessed to have volunteered in the natural disasters like tsunamis and earthquakes, and it dawned upon me that it takes an extreme tragedy to make humans come together as one, to combine our energies and act as a family to help and assist in whatever way possible. "We are that family and endeavour we shall!" Greetings from South Africa, and all the best for the festive season Knowledge is Light... Kindly, Kshetra Govindasamy Department of Geography University of South Africa (UNISA) (w) +27 12 429 6593 / 6013 (f) +27 12 429 6868 P.O. Box 392, UNISA, 0003,South Africa -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Harsha Vardhan Sent: 02 December 2008 06:24 AM To: 'Dan Brickley'; 'Ian White' Cc: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Re: [Geowanking] Google Earth used by the terrorists! Here is an editorial in the GIS Development weekly on the attacks http://www.gisdevelopment.net/ezine/weekly/dec0108.htm GPS, Sat phone, guns and grenades.. A day after the 'Mumbai Attacks', I took the risk of travelling to my college which is located right in the middle of the locations targeted by the trigger happy terrorists. The sparse traffic, deserted roads and gloom spoke louder than the usual 8.00am cacophony of the busiest place in Mumbai city - the C S Terminus, a railway station used by more than eight hundred thousand commuters every day. Walking past the cordoned of patches where the previous day three officers of the Mumbai Police lost their lives in a gun battle with the terrorists, was numbing. The impact of rapidly advancing and easily available geospatial technology on national security was evident in these terrorist attacks on Mumbai city. The Garmin GPS unit used by the perpetrators to reach Mumbai via a sea route and the apparent ease with which they moved around the city through the lesser known back alleys, points either to a prior knowledge of the geography of this city or the use of a PND - probably the later. This may restart the unfortunate bureaucratic thought process of banning PNDs or worst still access to services like Google Maps. If Egypt can do it why not we? Here, I would like to highlight one of the many instances that happened on the same fateful night. My teacher and later colleague along with his family, managed to drive home safely just because he had access to the map data, which helped them bypass the war zone. I am sure that the breadcrumb trail from the confiscated GPS unit will have its own value in 'geospatial forensics'. Dr. Hrishikesh Samant - [EMAIL PROTECTED] ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ---- ---------------------------------------------- Regards, Harsha Vardhan, Practice Manager: Geospatial Science and Developer Networks, GIS Development http://twitter.com/gisdevelopment -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Dan Brickley Sent: Tuesday, December 02, 2008 6:57 AM To: Ian White Cc: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Re: [Geowanking] Google Earth used by the terrorists! Ian White wrote: > Not especially newsworthy, but I can't help but post this: > > > > http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&; arti cleId=9121819&intsrc=hm_list > <http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic &art icleId=9121819&intsrc=hm_list> > > > > What else have terrorists used to plot attacks? Here's a quick list: Quite. "The information available to the terrorists on Google Earth about the locations they attacked is also available on printed tourist maps of Mumbai. The locations included two hotels, a restaurant, a residential complex and a railway station." > > > Rand McNally printed maps > > Nike sneakers > > Evian bottled water > > Bic pens > > Timex watches Also http://www.google.com/search?q=almonds+blackberry+terror Ah for when almonds and blackberries were a tasty recipe idea... > I wish we could have a "global day of reason" but that will never happen. Even an afternoon would be nice, cheers Dan -- http://danbri.org/ _______________________________________________ Geowanking mailing list [email protected] http://geowanking.org/mailman/listinfo/geowanking_geowanking.org _______________________________________________ Geowanking mailing list [email protected] http://geowanking.org/mailman/listinfo/geowanking_geowanking.org _______________________________________________ Geowanking mailing list [email protected] http://geowanking.org/mailman/listinfo/geowanking_geowanking.org
