…where jack sometimes does stuff, but mostly not

If you haven’t yet, you should really check out Google Maps. It’s relatively new, but much better than Yahoo’s version, and stinky old Mapquest isn’t even in the same league.

The initial coolness of Google’s version of the tired old map-’n'-driving-directions concept was that you could click and drag the map around, and have it load new sections of map without your having to wait for the whole page to reload. Quite cool, it’s true.

The brand-new coolness is that, at any point in your review of the map, you can switch to satellite imagery, while keeping the other features of the site intact. The effect is eerie.

It’s not perfect — some parts of the country have more recent satellite images than others, some patches have only lower-resolution images available, and a few are entirely blank.

For example, my workplace isn’t represented at all. My parents’ place in Utah is there, but the image is too poor to make much out. And I can’t quite make out the presidents’ heads at Mount Rushmore.

On the other hand, my own house is there and in great detail. You can tell it’s a recent picture by the state of neigborhood construction projects. You can even see my backyard fence, for crying out loud.

Check it out, if you haven’t yet.