google earth is just freaking awesome. its the definition of edutainment. i was just 'flying' over the california/mexico border. almost all the mexico cities that are on the border butt right up to the state line, while the US cities mostly have a buffer. i did find one large city in texas that is cut right in half by the country line. google earth doesnt show its name but its lat/long is 28 42'18.10N / 100 30'38.73W.

baja california is often forgotten about and im so used to the map of the USA that i didnt even realize there is this thin strip of mexico right underneath arizona that seperates it from the gulf of california. sattelite photos are much more than 'maps'. they show vegetation and desert regions. they show boats and cars and buildings that no cartographer would go to the trouble of recording.

every junior high and highschool in america should be using google earth to help teach geography.

darrin is back from indonesia/new zealand. yea! he's the one who turned me on to wondering the planet with google earth.