 The World Is Not Enough?
I know what that song means, but I also find new meanings in its words. I sometimes think
that although the world is so large that we can lose ouselves in it, it's also so small
that we can find similarities....Recently, I took a trip around the world in a single
night, by simply downloading "Google Earth" from the Internet for free. All I
needed was a fast Internet connection, a large-screened computer and a bowl of popcorn and
friends to share the experience with.
Now, for those who haven't heard about this excellent program, it works like this: you
pick a place on the earth and click on it. You then "fly" to that place and look
at actual photos of it taken from space. You get a bird's-eye view of roads, museums,
famous buildings, people and many other things. If the place you choose is well-known and
politically important, you're lucky, because the photos are so detailed you can even see
the people on the streets.
First, I looked at Istanbul, and it was funny to see a disorderly city, just the way it
really is. But, after all, there's nowhere else that has as many buildings as Istanbul
does. I managed to find my own house, and was as happy as if I'd never seen it before.
Moving east, I clicked on Afghanistan, and saw the cars on the roads and even the mountain
that Bin Laden is supposed to have hidden in. Believe me, Afghanistan is shown much more
clearly than Ankara! Miami Beach, Berkeley Yacht Harbor, Sydney Opera House, Scandinavia
and Spain are also worth including on your tour. If you check out New York City, you can
see all kinds of detail, even billboards advertising Starbucks coffee.
Surprisingly, it's hard to see the Great Wall of China, even though it's often said that
this is the only human-made thing that can be seen from space. In fact, I could see my
home more clearly than the Great Wall of China. There must be something wrong! Of course,
there are mistakes in some places. For instance, I happened to notice that in Turkey, the
locations of Sivas and Sakarya are mixed up, and some places in İstanbul are missing.
There are also some possible downsides to using technology in this way. For instance, the
Russian media claim that the program is as useful for terrorists as it is for people who
are curious about the world. Also, if this program is developed to be even more realistic
in the future--if it becomes a live webcam show, for example--it could be a real blow to
the tourism industry. And, what about everyone's privacy? Would it continue to exist? Or,
for that matter, has some genius already invented a program that allows outsiders to see
into someone else's home?
Still, I think that "Google Earth," at least as it is now, is a good thing. Even
if it doesn't really make you believe you're in a different country, it's nice to see that
human technology is developing. It does make me feel as if the world is very small, when
I'm able to turn it with my finger (using the mouse); but at the same time, when I saw how
many places there are that are worth seeing....No! The world IS enough. Anyway, everyone
really should experience this virtual form of travel.
Farewell and goodbye for now…
Gülay Acar (COMD/III)
howtoreachgulay@yahoo.com
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