demolition
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Wrong house gets torn down based on a Google Maps error
We've seen our share of GPS-guided mishaps, but what happened to the owners of a Texas duplex is particularly heartbreaking. Their house was torn down by mistake (no, this isn't the first time that's happened, it's not even the first time in Texas) after it was damaged by a tornado, and the demolition company apparently blames Google Maps for the error. They lived at 7601 Calypso Dr., and as you can see below, on Google Maps it lists the same location for that address as it shows for 7601 Cousteau Dr. --the home a block away that was supposed to be demolished. (At the time of this writing, both Apple Maps and Mapquest have what appears to be the correct listing for 7601 Cousteau Dr.)
Apple Campus 2 construction begins... with some demolition
The site for Apple's "spaceship" headquarters and Campus 2 is in the process of being cleared, with demolition of existing buildings at the location now well underway. MacRumors posted a number of photos today showing the construction fences erected around the location, as well as equipment being used for the demolition. The demolition work is proceeding on land purchased by Apple in 2006, where a massive underground parking structure will be built. According to the MacRumors article, the headquarters building is to be located on land north of where the work is taking place. The 2.8 million-square-foot facility is included in Phase 1 of the construction, expected to be completed by 2016, along with a fitness center and auditorium. Phase 2 plans include 600,000 square feet of office and R&D buildings. Image provided by MacRumors
Global Agenda patch 1.4 goes live today
It's patch day for Global Agenda, and Hi-Rez Studios is re-working several aspects of its massively multiplayer third-person shooter. Version 1.4 kicks off the new Free Agent branding, and players can now experience all 50 levels, as well as every bit of the game's content, for no charge. The long-awaited Dome Defense Raid makes its first appearance in today's patch, and agents level 40 and above can team up to protect Dome City against a nasty invasion of Recursive Colony bots. Global Agenda's Demolition PvP mode is also undergoing a makeover. The game type has been re-dubbed Acquisition, and teams will now need to cross the map and pick up their robot from the opposing team's base, then return it to their own. Additionally, the robots have been upgraded with a new sprint ability and a heat ray weapon. Finally, agents will notice that their skill points have been reset, as the game's skill trees have been tweaked to address balance issues and encourage specialization. Head to the official Global Agenda website to learn more and download the game.
Infiltrate and destroy: Global Agenda Q&A runs a gauntlet of player queries
"We just did five new hats -- that should keep them busy for a while," Global Agenda Executive Producer Todd Harris cheekily says before launching into a rapid-fire community Q&A video session. In this 10-minute back-and-forth, Harris and the other members of the Hi-Rez crew tackle a multitude of subjects from marriage proposals to jet packs. One of the biggest upcoming goals for the team is to balance existing (and underperforming) devices in the game, which Harris says will be at the center of patch 1.4, while new device creation will be held back for 1.5. For those worried about performance in certain regions, west coast servers are scheduled to be added to help with both that area and Australia. The team also has plans to improve the Demolition game type for the future. Global Agenda recently celebrated its one-year anniversary, so it's great to see the team continue to be this involved and passionate with both the game and the community. You can watch the full Q&A after the jump.
Google haters, now's your chance for revenge
Are you the guy that calls Google creepy? Do you find the company to be borderline evil in the way that it snoops on your local WiFi network, promotes online bullying, and steals your identity or iPhone OS? Is Google's Net Neutrality flip-flop after the Droid launched on Verizon the final straw? Ok, then here's your chance, hater -- prepare to unleash hell upon the very symbol of Google's new Chrome operating system. Hit up the source link below and describe to the lab tech exactly the kind of demise you think that Google's Cr-48 should meet. Go ahead, be creative: by gunfire, Canadian, or monkey, anything goes. Then do it again and again until the voices inside your head are deafened by Google's subtle marketing effort and an infinite ability to regenerate itself.
At last, Steve Jobs may demolish old home
1984 wasn't just a landmark year for Apple, but it was also the year that Steve Jobs bought an aging mansion. Jobs lived in the house, originally built in the 1920s, for 10 years then rented it out. Since 2001, he's tried to get the mansion torn down to build a new home, saying that it was " one of the biggest abominations of a house I've ever seen," but preservationists stopped him. He even tried to give it away in 2005, but that didn't succeed. AppleInsider reports that Uphold Our Heritage has dropped its appeal of a demolition permit issued to Jobs in 2009. The group wanted two residents to dismantle and move the house two miles away, then open it to the public once a year, which actually falls in line with the original demolition terms from December 2004. However, the couple who wanted to do this had a number of stipulations for both Jobs and the town, the Menlo Park Almanac reported, and they later dropped their bid. Other attempts to salvage the home were blocked due to Uphold challenging Jobs in court. Historically significant parts of the home will be removed and preserved, per the 2009 permit. AppleInsider produced a photo gallery of the house last year after a photographer noticed that the house's gates, doors and windows were entirely open.
GPS coordinates lead demolition crew to destroy wrong house
Tired of blaming GPS on petty mishaps like the destruction of cars, a demolition crew in Georgia has managed to accidentally destroy an entirely wrong house based on GPS coordinates. Oddly enough, it wasn't even the first time they'd been by: the man who cuts the grass noticed that the power box was missing from the home and holes were punched into the walls about a month ago -- it was suspected as vandalism, but it now seems that the stealthy, directionless demolition company was to blame. The demolition company says it had "paperwork" authorizing the destruction, complete with the coordinates and a description of the home, which the owner's father had built with his own hands "brick by brick."[Thanks, Leonard]
Demolition coming to Star Wars Galaxies
The sci-fi massively multiplayer online game Star Wars Galaxies has a novel way of getting players to return to the game... by threatening their assets with demolition crews! "Don't give the enemy the satisfaction of calling an airstrike on your property!" is the message Star Wars Galaxies is sending to players with inactive accounts. So what counts as an abandoned structure in terms of this demolition? Sony Online Entertainment Community Manager Valara writes that structures abandoned since July 1, 2008 or longer can be affected. Once demolition commences (on March 3rd of 2009), players will be able to lay waste to the assets of other players and rack up demolition rewards for doing so. Apparently vandalism is a core value of life in the Empire. Check out the full details of the demolition initiative in Star Wars Galaxies in their official announcement, as well as the incentives they're providing to bring you back to the game.
