Comments on: The Gatekeeper

By: Sonia

Sonia — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 16:51:35 +0000

Rudy, If only that were true!

Like Neavilag, I searched for a long time to figure out a way to report a problem with Google maps, too. I checked out the http://www.google.com/mapmaker link. This is where people involved in the initiative to improve google maps in Latin American have made their corrections. If you look at the map of sacatepequez/chimaltenango in mapmaker, it is wonderfully accurate. Someone (or some people) spent a lot of time georeferencing all the roads, highways, and urban areas so they all reflect what you see in satellite view. I can’t speak for the other areas of Guatemala so you should check it out for yourself.

Unfortunately, it appears that Google still hasn’t updated their underlying data in Google maps to reflect the accurate version in Mapmaker. I suggest we all write to google via their Report a problem page. (This technically is for Google Earth, not Google maps, but it’s the same underlying data.)

By: Claudia

Claudia — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 21:16:58 +0000

this pic kinda reminds me of that M. Night movie – the Village. . .

By: Rudy Girón

Rudy Girón — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 06:27:27 +0000

Interesting enough, I learned today about this initiative to improve Google Maps in Latin America. If you can read Spanish follow the white rabbit.

http://www.google.com/intl/es/help/mapmaker/competitions/latam/index.html

By: Rudy Girón

Rudy Girón — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 06:24:04 +0000

@Neavilag, I found this tweet from you about a proposal to improve the Google Maps from Latin America. Sounds like a good idea to me, where do I sign?

By: neavilag

neavilag — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 06:06:13 +0000

@rudy Really make me sick Google does not have the right references for the GT maps, I spent 1 hour today looking for a place to report or email someone or its provider, that they have all bad data.

Panajachel and Santa Lucia Cotzumalguapa pops everywhere, and a lot of aldeas appear instead of the main sites, it is unstrustable outside GTC, btw GTC has no Zona hierachy so you search for 13 calle zona 9 will give you the first 13 calle maybe in zona 6 or whatever. #fail

Now that your are a G-SME will see what I am talking about.
(

By: Rudy Girón

Rudy Girón — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 05:15:04 +0000

@Sonia, my geek friends and I believe that Google has detected black hole portals that take you those remote villages instantly directly from LAG, like the Borges’ Aleph. That’s why you find a tag for Panajachel somewhere on Calle del Arco, very near the centre of the universe, on Google Maps. Now, we only need to find where that specific Gate or the Gatekeeper is so we can tele-transport to Pana instantly.

By: Rudy Girón

Rudy Girón — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 05:05:01 +0000

@Manolo, what are you talking about Willis? I have been filling with daily photographs at street level, filling the gap of Google’s street view.

By: Sonia

Sonia — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 02:22:27 +0000

Ugh, speaking of Google maps, doesn’t it just drive you crazy to see all the wrong place names? I mean, it says Siquichum instead of Jocotenango, Los Achiotes instead of Pastores, etc. Somebody should tell Google that they’ve got it all wrong!

Hey, wait a minute. My cousin’s husband works at google….I’ll e-mail him!

By: Manolo

Manolo — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 23:11:11 +0000

I wish Google Maps Street View were available for LAG. Maybe you can pull some strings Rudy? Or “volunteer” for it? Actually they might hire you to do it.

By: Luis Samayoa

Luis Samayoa — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 19:52:36 +0000

Thank you for giving us the link to the google map. Surprise, surprise, my house is in the same block, upper left on 9a. Calle Poniente (the group of brick houses in the middle of all the trees). Next trip to LAG I will have to look a that that gate. In our residential complex we have two large gates, one to enter and one to exit.

By: Rudy Girón

Rudy Girón — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 18:26:26 +0000

@Jennifer, ahora sí tendrás que venir a La Escalonia.

By: Rudy Girón

Rudy Girón — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 18:25:10 +0000

@María, I kind of cheated by giving the answer disguised as a link. If you’ve clicked “this picture” on the second line of the last paragraph, you would have seen the Google Maps pin.

p.s. don’t tell anyone else, including Manolo about the hidden link.

By: Rudy Girón

Rudy Girón — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 18:10:07 +0000

@Ronald, qué honor que nos visitas. Si no es por Manolo, no nos visitas. Ahora tendré que leer la nueva novela. Saludos.

By: Erick

Erick — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 18:09:54 +0000

That gate is huge! It makes the guy sitting next to it look so small, like a hobbit….Frodo, is that you???

By: Jennifer

Jennifer — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 17:02:38 +0000

Extraordinary picture! At first the gate doesn’t look that imposing until you compare it to the gatekeeper sitting besides it.