Satellite Images
National Weather Service
National Headquarters
…”These images show the most recent image of the United States, from NOAA geostationary (GOES) satellites. They are generated every 30 minutes using either the Visible, Infrared, Shortwave Infrared (4um), or the Water Vapor images into one larger composite image using GOES East and West Imagers.” NOAA NWS weather.gov
http://www.nws.noaa.gov/om/osd/portal.shtml
These pictures were taken within thirty minutes of my posting them on this site as I write this.
They are real.
They are easily accessible, and they are just what is available to anyone with the ability to type a URL.
Now…
Before we get to far. Let’s set up an easy set of parameters for this scenario. Give it a few specifics if we can.
Call them “Items of interest.” Things like the area. Since we’re looking for ourselves, we’ll make this a town like Spokane, Wa
Do we have a timeline? Let’s say we work downtown from 9 to 5. (We’re green, so we ride a bus.)
So far I can see one thing. I’d better have a raincoat close by as it looks as if rain is coming. (You can almost see me now can’t you?)
Let’s see what your local news guy has to offer.
I just took this image from the local news department in the area.
Oh. in case you’re not following this yet…
We’re trying really hard to imagine what real time video might be available of us at any given time.
I could take this a little further and show you something from say…
http://googlesightseeing.com/2007/04/live-satellite-images-in-google-earth/ (Yes it’s a joke, but it does show a specific time and date available to the public…)
or http://www.kxly.com/weather/interactive-radar
Now. Picture if you can…. You just left your bookies house.
Was “YOUR” picture taken?
Sure it was. (I just showed you!)
Now….Here’s the question…
As the ability to store and access larger sets of data increases, so does the ability to work within these images in real time. And in 3-D. And in many mediums. And from many perspectives, spectrum’s, resolutions./….
If one thinks in terms of …”Well, with this amount of data, it really means that if they are focusing on me, then they must already have an interest in me.” then I would have to tend to agree.
But…?
When this data does get bigger, faster, smarter, stronger!!!! (By the way, it is!)
Then imagining what might be able to be done with the data takes on new meanings. Let’s take the same imagery. It’s off the shelf. Easy to get, lots of different ways to use it.
Let’s go into the future. About as long as it takes to get your wallet out. How far into the future do you want to go? How much money do you have? That of a large government? Sure! Step right this way.
Here’s our state of the art, real time, satellite system with the ability to see in every spectrum of electromagnetic energy.
And our decent little program custom made for us by those friendly folks over at data mines are us.
Now we take our imagery, and filter it as we wish. If you are creative, you might be able to imagine some of the different things that could be used with any scrap of that data.
And you’re worried that the good guys have your phone number?
Trust me. If they are worried about you enough to actually listen, they already HAVE a warrant.
Oh! And just in case you still don’t believe me…? Check THIS out! 🙂
The Singularity Effect 
