From: Mxsmanic on
Stanislas de Kertanguy writes:

> 1/ Is submetre precision available on Google Earth (as this was the
> subject of your discussion) ?

I don't use Google Earth, but Google Maps goes down to one metre in
many locations.

> 2/ Have you lokked upon small French towns (or not so small ones) on
> Google Earth and Goportail.

Yes. The resolution varies, depending on what they have on file.

> and one remark : I strongly doubt that ultra-high resolution Google
> pics are satellite ones.

Why?

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From: Mxsmanic on
barney2(a)cix.compulink.co.uk writes:

> How do you define 'free' in this context?

Allowed to publish anything.

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From: Mxsmanic on
barney2(a)cix.compulink.co.uk writes:

> Quite - but I'm waiting for him to expand on this. There's a middle
> ground between total press freedom and total state control of the media,
> and virtually all countries fall into this. But I don't think Mixi likes
> grey areas!

Gray areas often conceal slippery slopes.

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From: Mxsmanic on
Go Fig writes:

> Do you think it appropriate that the government issues required 'press
> credentials' ?

In France, this is used for censorship. The United States has no
government press credentials because it violates the Constitutional
guarantee of freedom of speech.

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From: Mxsmanic on
Dave Frightens Me writes:

> Is this commission influenced politically at all?

To get a press card, you need to earn at least half your income from
journalism, or you need to be sponsored by a press agency. To earn
half your income from journalism, you need a press card. Thus, the
only practical way to get a press card is to work for a press agency
of significant size. And the largest press agency in France is AFP,
which is very heavily subsidized by the government. Are you starting
to get the picture?

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