Jan 23 2007
Google vs Microsoft Sydney Skies Australia Day
An article from the SMH today about Google and Microsoft both planning aerial sorties on Friday (Australia Day) as part of the Look Up and Smile Campaign (which Microsoft is sponsoring). Microsoft are planning a large aerial shoot in Centennial Park. Attendees are advised to wear all white and assemble by 10.00 am. There is also a prize of $2,000 for the best dressed, but if everyone’s wearing white….I’d hate to be judging that one.
Not to be out done, Google have decided to get in on the act, to help promote their Google Maps product. From their website Google writes:
“Google Australia is celebrating Australia Day 2007 by photographing Sydney Harbour from the air, and we want to make sure as many of us as possible squeeze into the picture.
So when you see the Google branded plane flying overhead this January 26th, hoist a sign, arrange your family into a fun formation or just get a bunch of friends together to wave.
The plane has permission to fly low and will be taking hi-resolution pictures….. Wear or do something distinctive to make sure you can spot yourself“.
No wonder the SMH is likening this to a “dogfight”!
What do you think it would take to get 100 or so people to dress up in pink and form the dLook logo? 
Update: It seems Google’s plans were upset by air traffic controllers on Australia Day. They may control cyberspace, but apparently not air space. You had to feel for this disappointed chap:
“The no-show over Queens Park also put a hole in Aaron Schwebel’s plans to put his marriage back on track.
The IT worker from Wollongong drove up to Queens Park on Friday and spread out seven white queen-sized sheets with the letters AKS (his initials) and KDS (his wife’s initials) separated by a big red heart.
He said the sign – Aaron Schwebel loves Karen Schwebel – was meant as a message to his wife of four years who moved back to Melbourne three weeks ago after their marriage broke down.“
One Response to “Google vs Microsoft Sydney Skies Australia Day”
Great read guys, but this article reminds me of one of my favourite songs of all time, Snoopy vs The Red Baron by The Royal Guardsmen.
“After the turn of the century
In the clear blue skies over Germany
Came a roar and a thunder men had never heard
Like the scream and the sound of a big war bird…
Up in the sky, a man in a plane
Baron von Richthofen was his name
Eighty men tried, and eighty men died
Now they’re buried together on the countryside….
Chorus: Ten, twenty, thirty, forty, fifty or more
The Bloody Red Baron was rollin’ out the score
Eighty men died tryin’ to end that spree
Of the Bloody Red Baron of Germany.
In the nick of time, a hero arose…
A funny-looking dog with a big black nose
He flew into the sky to seek revenge
But the Baron shot him down–“Curses, foiled again!”
OK, so heres my version based on your blog;
“After the turn of the century
In the clear blue skies over Syd-en-ey
Came a roar and a thunder men had never heard
Like the scream and the sound of 2 war birds.
Up in the sky two men in their planes
Google and Microsoft were their names
Many sites tried and many sites died
Now they’re buried together on the countryside.
Ten, twenty, thirty, forty, fifty or more
Google and Microsoft were rolling out the score
Many sites died trying to end that spree
Of the big search engines with lots of moneeee.