There’s been an announcement on the Google Earth Forums about another large imagery update for both Google Earth and Google Maps. From the Post:

• the whole state of Minnesota, South Carolina, North Dakota, Missouri (updated to 2005), Idaho, Maryland, and now full coverage for the entire state of Texas
• Updates to Florida (most of the state covered now)
• 15 high-resolution cities in Germany
• update for London, 2006 data at 10cm from Bluesky
• South Georgia Island (courtesy of the British Antarctic Survey)
• Albany, OR; Lubbock, TX; Port Townsend, WA; Portage County, OH; Trumball County, OH
• 32 Digital Globe Citisphere cities (updates and new coverage)
• In addition there was a significant update to the regular Digital Globe imagery all over the world.

So, if you’ve looked for something a while ago and found it was low-resolution, now’s the time to check again.

On the shores of the San Ignacio Lagoon in South Baja California, Mexico, we find a fittingly enormous geoglyph of a female gray whale and her calf.

The San Ignacio Lagoon is part of the Vizcaíno Biosphere Reserve which is Mexico’s most recent wildlife refuge. This giant drawing is probably part of the Whale Sanctuary of El Vizcaíno, where Grey Whales and many other species live and breed, undisturbed and in a protected environment.

Thanks to Julio Izquierdo.

As visitors to Melbourne travel along the city’s new CityLink motorway, they’re confronted by 39 giant red poles lining the road, and an enormous yellow pillar tilted precariously over the traffic below. Officially named the ‘Melbourne International Gateway’, the locals have taken to calling these the Ribcage and Cheesestick.

I’m a little unclear as to what a 30 metre high ribcage and a 70 metre cheesestick are supposed to say about Melbourne, but it sure looks pretty cool.

A little further south there’s also a huge semi-transparent tube built over the CityLink, which was designed to reduce noise pollution to nearby housing. Of course, the tube has earned its own nickname, having become known locally as “Jeff’s condom” – after Jeff Kennett, the state Premier when the humungous sheath was built.

Thanks to Catherine.

Many believe that Shaolin Kung-Fu originated at the world-famous Shaolin Monastery but it is a little known fact that the nearby Shaolin Reservoir, is the true Kung-Fu mecca.

OK, I made that up – the monastery is in a low resolution area so we’re having to make do. The dam of the reservoir does have some good large type though – ‘Shao Lin Shui Ku’ translates from Mandarin as ‘Watch out, this place is swarming with monks who could easily kill you with one punch’…

Thanks: Jamie