The story goes that when they were building the M62 motorway through northern England, one homeowner refused to sell his property, forcing the motorway to be split either side of his home. The story became ingrained in the history of the area, and John Shuttleworth even wrote a song about it.

Interesting I thought, and then in a spectacularly disappointing move, Wikipedia swiftly debunked this claim as myth. It seems that the owners, Ken and Beth Wild, have lived and worked here since 1971 (Ken is a sheep farmer), and the road actually forks around the farm to negotiate the hilly terrain.

Boo! Wikipedia, eater of time and destroyer of legend, curse you, and all who write for you! Here’s a BBC article about the couple with a video clip (and despite the sunny image Google provides, this looks like an absolutely miserable place to live).

Thanks to Nev Stokes and Cookie Monster.

You’ve all seen the original Google Sightseeing Topless Sunbather already, but did you know that the Hague is in fact completely overrun with naked and semi-naked Dutch men and women? Yes people, it’s time to get your magnifying glasses out, because here comes the Top 10 Naked People on Google Earth!

10) The one that got so many people so hot under the collar. Many people think she’s on her front, but personally I remain unconvinced.

9) Very close to the original topless sunbather, this one is definitely female, I think. It looks like she’s lying on her front, and she does appear to have some kind of top on, so keep your hair on people!

8 ) Just six doors down, here’s a half-naked Dutch, person. Wearing a sarong perhaps?

7) This ones been widely discussed on other sites, but I personally reckon this is a guy, wearing shorts. Phew!

6) This person thinks they have privacy on this rooftop (haven’t they seen Enemy of the State?), and they’re definitely topless! (Sex unknown of course, but topless nevertheless.)

5) Outside a café on the beach (presumably before it opened that day), we find someone sitting calmly in a chair, blissfully unaware the whole world can now see them in their birthday suit.

4) The previous nudist may have also been unaware that just on the other side of the building, there was another person sunning themselves - flat on their back and completely in the altogether! Does anyone know someone that works in this café by the way?

3) Again on the beach, here’s a couple of naked people who think they can hide behind a wind-break! Pah! Don’t they know there is no escape?

2) Hiding away behind some bushes is no escape either… Mind you, I wish that person would keep their legs together. Yeuch!

1?) Well, do you know of a better one? I’m sure there’s loads more brilliant ones yet to be found, so get searching! Post a comment with your find then I’ll add the best ones here.

Thanks to the Keyhole Users.

There’s a 145ft tall giant man taking a nap just to the North of Milwaukee Mile NASCAR track.

I wonder if any of the carnival-goers have noticed?

Thanks: Mike Pegg

It’s time travelling time at GSS, and today we’re travelling back to the Jurassic, Late Jurassic and the Pleistocene periods, all at the same time!

Yes you heard me right, as here in the Plänterwald leisure area, Berlin, we can see what appears to be a Diplodocus (from around 200 million years ago), a Stegosaurus (146 million years ago), and a Mammoth (from a relatively tiny 1.6 million years ago) all enjoying a nice day out.

Honestly, I bet they’re not even anatomically correct…

More about the unfathomable enormities that are Geologic time periods at Wikipedia.

Thanks to dda.

Take your pick from either a pool of dolphins or a dolphin-shaped pool.

The image of dolphins in a pool was captured from Google Earth, where you can also clearly make out a crowd gathered round a dolphin at the side of the pool, possibly being fed by a keeper.

If you prefer your dolphin in the wild, then perhaps Australia would be a better bet?

Thanks to Chris Thompson, Noel Ballantyne and woowoowoo.

After the North Sea flood of 1953 destroyed 4,500 buildings, drowned 10,000 animals and killed 1,835 people, the Netherlands began work on the world’s largest flood protection project, Delta Works (Dutch: Deltawerken). Today Delta Works consists of over 16,500 kilometres of dams, 300 structures and 1,650 sq. km. of reclaimed land (Wikipedia page).

Here’s a couple of the more interesting highlights of Delta Works, but there’s a map of all the dams on the official site which you can use to identify all the others if you like.

Oosterscheldekering

Oosterscheldekering (Eastern Scheldt storm surge barrier) is the largest and most expensive of all the projects which make up Delta Works. Constructed using custom designed and built ships, this 9 kilometre dam is the world’s largest movable flood barrier, took 10 years to finish and has since been declared one of the Seven Modern Wonders of the World by the American Society of Civil Engineers (Wikipedia page).

Maeslantkering

The Maeslantkering (Maeslant Barrier) (previous featured here in minature form) is designed to protect Rotterdam’s harbour, and had to be retractable to allow shipping to take place unimpeded. If a 3 metre wave is approaching, the enormous arms swing in to meet in the middle (after 4 hours warning). Which might seem excessive until you discover that either arm would be as high as the Eiffel Tower if stood on end, and that they each weigh 4 times more than the Paris monument (Wikipedia page).

Thanks to Bruce, nixx, RB, kipz0r and Sven van Heel.

With the continually increasing quality of images on Google Maps/Earth, it’s hardly surprising that the cameras are capturing ever more private moments of people’s lives. Perhaps then it was only a matter of time before the very end of someone’s life was published on the Internet for the whole world to see.

Here’s two examples of funerals taking place, one in the Queen of Heaven Cemetery, Chicago, and the other at the Gate of Heaven Cemetery, Washington DC Silver Spring, Maryland. In both shots you can see a crowd of mourners surrounding the grave and also the funeral procession parked nearby.

Update: From the comments, Chris pointed out a third funeral in progress at the Holy Cross Cemetery, Colma, CA (where several notable San Franciscans are buried, including Joe DiMaggio).

Thanks to Yoshi, Don Bruns and Chris.

The ‘Walk of Ideas’ was an ‘art project’ throughout Berlin which was put in place of the World Cup earlier this year. The 6 sculptures promoted the best of Germany, and not very subtly provided advertising for the project’s two main sponsors.

To start with, parked outside Berlin’s Brandenburg Gate, there’s a 2.5:1 scale model of an Audi TT. The foam sculpture is called “The Automobile” and was of course designed and built by Audi.

Adidas very kindly provided a gigantic pair of Adidas football boots called “”Innovative Football Boots” to leave lying around on the grass. How kind of them to provide this huge piece of advertising?

I’ll post another couple of the sculptures tomorrow.

Thanks: ZoroZ and Me.