# What is Cheney holding over Google's head? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [June 25, 2007, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-cheney-holding-over-googles-head/409399 "2007-06-25T22:40:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2007, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-cheney-holding-over-googles-head/409399/1 "2007-06-25T22:40:28Z")
From an [article in the New York Times](http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9E0CE0D71730F933A15751C1A9639C8B63&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=3) on Google Earth/Google Maps: > [@](#): > > For a brief period, photos of the White House and adjacent buildings that the United States Geological Survey provided to Google Earth showed up with certain details obscured, because the government had decided that showing details like rooftop helicopter landing pads was a security risk. Google has since replaced those images with unaltered photographs of the area taken by Sanborn, a mapping and imagery company, further illustrating the difficulty of trying to control such information. > [@](#): > > Although images of the White House and its environs are now clear in the Google Earth database, the view of the vice president’s residence in Washington remains obscured. That was a year and a half ago, and the [US Naval Observatory](http://maps.google.com/maps?um=1&tab=wl&ie=UTF-8&rlz=1T4DKUS_enUS212US212&q=US%20naval%20observatory) (home of the Lord of Darkness), is still pixellated. [The White House](http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=the+white+house&sll=38.898231,-77.035553&sspn=0.006997,0.014033&ie=UTF8&ll=38.89773,-77.03639&spn=0.006997,0.014033&t=h&z=16&iwloc=B&om=1), [The US Capitol](http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&q=%22us+capitol%22&ie=UTF8&t=h&om=1&ll=38.890432,-77.010298&spn=0.006998,0.014033&z=16), [the Pentagon](http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=%22the+pentagon%22&ie=UTF8&ll=38.871389,-77.055895&spn=0.007,0.014033&t=h&z=16&iwloc=addr&om=1), and even [CIA Headquarters](http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=%22CIA+headquarters%22+langley&sll=38.9521,-77.146468&sspn=0.013984,0.028067&ie=UTF8&ll=38.952067,-77.146683&spn=0.013984,0.028067&t=h&z=15&om=1) are shown in high resolution, so why is everything inside Observatory Circle still obscured? ---
**Author:** ![The\_Hamster\_King](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8edcca/32.png) [@The\_Hamster\_King](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Hamster_King)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2007, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-cheney-holding-over-googles-head/409399/2 "2007-06-25T22:49:01Z")
[QUOTE=Fear Itself] So why is everything inside Observatory Circle still obscured? [/QUOTE] Cheney likes to sunbathe nude. ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Carrot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f0a364/32.png) [@Captain\_Carrot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Carrot)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2007, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-cheney-holding-over-googles-head/409399/3 "2007-06-25T22:49:28Z")
Because having the home of the VP plainly visible from easily-obtainable aerial photographs is kind of a bad thing? I looked this up a while ago, and although the same thing applies to the WH, there’s some other reason why they can’t pixel that out. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2007, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-cheney-holding-over-googles-head/409399/4 "2007-06-25T22:54:33Z")
I’m sure a library search could turn up a recent aerial photograph of every building in Washington, including the VP’s residence. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2007, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-cheney-holding-over-googles-head/409399/5 "2007-06-25T23:01:23Z")
[QUOTE=Pochacco] Cheney likes to sunbathe nude. [/QUOTE] Thanks for the visual… ---
**Author:** ![Terrifel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c68b51/32.png) [@Terrifel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terrifel)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2007, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-cheney-holding-over-googles-head/409399/6 "2007-06-25T23:02:12Z")
It could be that US Geological Survey satellites weren’t provided with the modern image filtering technology that allows cameras to safely capture the Vice President’s image. ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2007, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-cheney-holding-over-googles-head/409399/7 "2007-06-25T23:31:10Z")
[QUOTE=Fear Itself] [The White House](http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=the+white+house&sll=38.898231,-77.035553&sspn=0.006997,0.014033&ie=UTF8&ll=38.89773,-77.03639&spn=0.006997,0.014033&t=h&z=16&iwloc=B&om=1) [/QUOTE] I’m glad to see the White House gets a five-star rating. I might make a reservation. ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2007, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-cheney-holding-over-googles-head/409399/8 "2007-06-26T00:57:03Z")
Well, having decided to get playful with Google Maps in my old home of Washington DC… The White House is in clear. The Capitol is in clear. All House and Senate office buildings are in clear. The Pentagon is in clear. The CIA complex is in clear. The National Reconnaissance Office is in clear. The National Security Agency is in clear. Norfolk Navy Base is in clear. Only the Naval Observatory is obscured. What the HELL is he doing in there that makes it more paranoid than Central Intel and NSA? ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2007, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-cheney-holding-over-googles-head/409399/9 "2007-06-26T01:10:52Z")
[QUOTE=Pochacco] Cheney likes to sunbathe nude. [/QUOTE] Excuse me, I must go and boil my brain in acid. ---
**Author:** ![Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ccd318/32.png) [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2007, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-cheney-holding-over-googles-head/409399/10 "2007-06-26T01:47:04Z")
I dunno. It is a bit of an open secret that after the first WTC attack, lots of anti-terrorism stuff was built all over Washington. At the Naval Observatory, the Veep got a “Secret” bunker under his pool. Maybe they are hiding that. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2007, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-cheney-holding-over-googles-head/409399/11 "2007-06-26T01:52:58Z")
[QUOTE=Paul in Saudi] Maybe they are hiding that. [/QUOTE] So, by process of deduction, every place in Washington that is pixellated is a high security site. That’ll fool 'em. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2007, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-cheney-holding-over-googles-head/409399/12 "2007-06-26T01:56:46Z")
[QUOTE=Pochacco] Cheney likes to sunbathe nude. [/QUOTE] How can you tell? It may be a speedo ™ the gut is hanging over. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2007, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-cheney-holding-over-googles-head/409399/13 "2007-06-26T02:06:45Z")
Someday, we will forgive you. Today is not that day. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2007, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-cheney-holding-over-googles-head/409399/14 "2007-06-26T02:31:33Z")
[QUOTE=Paul in Saudi] the Veep got a “Secret” bunker under his pool. Maybe they are hiding that. [/QUOTE] Nah, it’s that thing Darth Vader lived in on the Death Star. ---
**Author:** ![HubZilla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ccd318/32.png) [@HubZilla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HubZilla)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2007, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-cheney-holding-over-googles-head/409399/15 "2007-06-26T02:33:23Z")
What are some of the other odd blurrings? I know that [rainbow tank](http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=boston&ie=UTF8&ll=42.301325,-71.044818&spn=0.005888,0.009978&t=k&z=17&iwloc=addr&om=1) in Boston is pixellated. ---
**Author:** ![Gadarene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47c2d/32.png) [@Gadarene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gadarene)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2007, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-cheney-holding-over-googles-head/409399/16 "2007-06-26T02:41:08Z")
**Terrifel:** > [@](#): > > It could be that US Geological Survey satellites weren’t provided with the modern image filtering technology that allows cameras to safely capture the Vice President’s image. 😃😃😃😃😃 ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2007, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-cheney-holding-over-googles-head/409399/17 "2007-06-26T02:46:08Z")
[QUOTE=HubZilla] What are some of the other odd blurrings? I know that [rainbow tank](http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=boston&ie=UTF8&ll=42.301325,-71.044818&spn=0.005888,0.009978&t=k&z=17&iwloc=addr&om=1) in Boston is pixellated. [/QUOTE] National security. That’s where they keep the Gay Bomb. Shhhh. ---
**Author:** ![LouisB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/dfb087/32.png) [@LouisB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LouisB)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2007, 9:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-cheney-holding-over-googles-head/409399/18 "2007-06-26T09:44:48Z")
[QUOTE=Pochacco] Cheney likes to sunbathe nude. [/QUOTE] He does this to regulate his internal body temperature. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2007, 10:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-cheney-holding-over-googles-head/409399/19 "2007-06-26T10:01:21Z")
[QUOTE=HubZilla] What are some of the other odd blurrings? I know that [rainbow tank](http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=boston&ie=UTF8&ll=42.301325,-71.044818&spn=0.005888,0.009978&t=k&z=17&iwloc=addr&om=1) in Boston is pixellated. [/QUOTE] I’ll bite- what is Rainbow Tank? [QUOTE=Pochacco] Cheney likes to sunbathe nude. [/QUOTE] I can believe that the resolution might show a watermelon, but not its shriveled up stem. Seriously, it would have been nice if Google had told him to get stuffed. If I was a publisher, I’d be tempted to put out a book of hi-res shots of the grounds. It seems that this is secrecy for the sake of secrecy. ---
**Author:** ![Sunrazor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sunrazor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunrazor)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2007, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-cheney-holding-over-googles-head/409399/20 "2007-06-26T13:48:36Z")
It is necessary to protect the puppet master, not the puppet. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-cheney-holding-over-googles-head/409399.md?page=2)