I’d suspect that most of those images were taken pre 9/11.
I’m sure you’re correct. But i’ll wager that the more recent satellite images upon which Google maps is based were not pixellated during the actual process of photographing the site; that’s something that was done post facto, and before putting the images on the website. If the government were really concerned about security, i’m sure they could/would ask Micrsoft to pixellate their web images too. Of course, if Diceman and Hemlock are correct about the changes made since 9/11, then pixellating the new images but not the old ones makes some sense.
I think that’s just a spot where they didn’t have a high-resolution picture, and they filled it in with some lo-res image from a couple of zoom-levels out. I’ve notice that the hi-res coverage can be quite gappy, even in urban areas that are allegedly covered.
Well, there are definite security reasons why Plum Island would be blurred, so it’d be a heck of a coincidence if the image manipulation was just chance (especially since it covers the borders of the island perfectly). OTOH, you may be right on some of the others – those blurs are a rectangle, as though there had been a problem.
I just wonder how the pilots can read them when their planes are whooooooooshing overhead.
Oh, wait, it’s restricted airspace, isn’t it?
Just wondering…what reasons are those? All I could find on Google was a lighthouse and an Animal Disease Research Center. (And possibly a canniballistic serial killer as well…heh.)
Well, OBVIOUSLY the Terrorists™(C)(R) would want to destroy or sabotage the Lighthouse, causing untold numbers of ships to go haplessly plowing into the shoals.
Eh, you come up with a better idea 
Also, sometimes I like to think The Gov’t (in that vague, larger-than-life The Man sense of the word) likes to take mind-boggling security measures just to draw attention away from important stuff. Anybody remember that stuff about The Shadow Government a few years back? I bet that was Dick Cheney and some white house staff playing Super Smash Brothers in the basement of some random office building in Baltimore. 
Hello?!
There’s speculation that the reason West Nile Virus exists in the U.S. is because it escaped from Plum Island.
Of course, I live next door to an animal disease research center that’s built like a fricking fortress…
Google Maps is a new service. They are just beiing politically correct. They don’t want their competition to accuse them of endangering national security. Besides, it makes people talk about Google Maps! Its a win win.
According to the news reports from the recent flight incident in DC, the anti-aircraft systems are mounted on adjacent buildings. And I am sure they are discretely covered when in normal alert status.
Its just another case of noise (pun intended 
) not news.
They’re not really satellite images. They’re composite aerial photos. You can see the sides of tall buildings. This indicates a POV that’s fairly low.
I don’t think visible-light satellite photos are this clear either. Nothing to do with available technology, but the atmosphere distorting the detail.
It’s a patchwork of photos taken on different days and heights, so the quality will differ from one area to the next.
Animal Disease Research Center. Years ago, they were studying hoof and mouth disease, and there may be various live viruses there that could cause all sorts of problems if they’re released.
D’oh…silly me, hadn’t thought of that. I’d make a lousy terrorist. :smack:
(OTOH, I’m a little disappointed nobody ever replied with, “Oh there’s much more on that island…lovely tern’s nest, nice beaches…under S.W.A.T. Team surveillance of course…”)
Slight hijack: Does anyone know if there’s a time frame for completing that map? I’d love to follow the interstates at maximum zoom from one coast to the other, however nearly all of the rural areas remain unscanned. New Jersey & Massachusetts are the only two states which are completely mapped, they kinda stick out as a result.