Google Services For New Zealand, Christchurch earthquake resources, maps, news + Person Finder

Google Map

On February 22, a magnitude 6.3 earthquake occurred very close to Christchurch, New Zealand causing extensive damage. We will continue to update this page with maps, links, and other useful resources.


Emergency assistance number: 0800 779 997
For local emergencies, call: 111
For missing people: Google Person Finder or 0800 733 276

Google Resources 

Google Social Search Updated To Include Your Social Associations .

Updates to Google Social Search, that rolled out new improvements enable you to get even more information from people you are connected to. If they're publishing on Twitter, Flickr, Blogger or other publicly available sites, their results will appear in your results. When you sign in to your Google Account, you can get ideas and recommendations from people you trust, right in your search results. If unwanted results from spam showing up in your search results, you can use this chrome extension Personal Blocklist to fight those spam sites.
Official Google Blog: An update to Google Social Search

IBM Supercomputer WATSON Will Take On Jeopardy Champs.

Watson, a supercomputer named for IBM founder Thomas Watson, will take on two human champions of the long-running Jeopardy! television quiz show in two games over three days next week, starting from February 14th, the Valentine day. Watson, An IBM Power7 computer, a work-load optimized system that can answer questions posed in natural language over a nearly unlimited range of knowledge. Watson, which is not connected to the Internet, plays the game by crunching through multiple algorithms at dizzying speed and attaching a percentage score to what it believes is the correct response.

Like Kasparov, who lost a six-game match to IBM's "Deep Blue" in 1997, Ken Jennings, who holds the Jeopardy! record of 74 straight wins, and Brad Rutter, winner of $3.25 million on the show, are expected to have their hands full.

In a practice match at IBM Research headquarters in upstate New York last month, Watson came out on top in terms of prize money, although the computer and the two human contestants correctly answered all of the 15 questions.

Jeopardy!, which first aired on US television in 1964, tests a player's knowledge of trivia in a range of categories, from geography to politics to history to sports and entertainment.

In a twist on traditional game play, contestants are provided with answers and need to supply the questions.

During the practice match, for example, one of the clues was: "The film Gigi gave him his signature song 'Thank Heaven for Little Girls.'"

Watson, represented by a large computer monitor, sounded the buzzer a split second ahead of Jennings and Rutter and answered correctly in its artificial voice "Who is Maurice Chevalier?"

Bangkok Post

Google Weddings Makes Wedding Planning A Piece Of Cake!

When I saw the Google news yesterday, I did not think much of "Google Weddings" as a wedding is not even in the horizon for me! But it was not the case for some friends of mine, actually a FoF, friend of a Friend.
So I told them about the Google weddings and went about my work. This morning I got an email from the bride to be of FoF, thanking me profusely for the information. Apparently she found it very useful. So I visited the blog and the Google weddings site today.
Then only I realized how well Google has put together all the necessary things for a couple to start their journey together. From a unique introduction of "Our Story" to "wedding Events", Location, RSVP and Guest boo, Photo gallery and of course, the registry.
It is all there. Too bad I am not getting married next year, other wise I would have entered for a chance to win $25,000 and have a dream wedding (see Official Rules). Plus, Michelle Rago, a renowned wedding planner, and her team would have advised me / us on location, flowers, food and other design elements to create a day that is uniquely their own. So go ahead and enter.
You will find all the information at google.com/weddings
Official Google Blog: More “I do”s, less “to-do”s: wedding planning simplified

TinyUmbrella For Verizon iPhone 4.

TinyUmbrella has been updated to support iPhone 4 CDMA aka Verizon.

Selling Democracy, "Hey Arianna, Can You Spare a Dime?"

"Hey Arianna, Can You Spare a Dime?" Looks like Ariana forgot the ideals she speaks of!
New Facebook page: "Hey Arianna, Can You Spare a Dime?" http://on.fb.me/ex44Df
‎"My share of the Huffington Post sale, zero dollars, was a little disappointing," tweeted comedian Andy Borowitz

20,000 leagues under the sea, Jules Verne, Honored By Google Doodle

Update: Use the controls on the right (On Google Home Page)  to dive!
One of the people I will not forget is Jules Verne, I think I read and reread most of his books, including Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea (Vingt mille lieues sous les mers, 1870) that was honored by Google with a doodle today. I think Verne set off millions of people into the center of the earth or 20000 leagues under water and around the moon and back. It is good to read about the man at anytime. When I saw the Google Doodle, I saw right away, myself in that submarine, Nautilus. I was also glad to find a post on Google blog about it, not many times that you read a blog post from a Google Doodler, with this commemoration of Verne’s 183rd birthday, Jennifer Hom, Google Doodler, did,

Thanks Jennifer, for sending me back to my own child hood and reminding me of the great writer, Jules Gabriel Verne.
Official Google Blog: Happy birthday from 20,000 leagues under the sea

Google Summer of Code 2011, It Is On, Student People, Apply Now!

GSOC or Google Summer Of Code is an event we get to see inventive and innovative people, or students from all over the world. These students, guided by their mentors and supported by Google have brought us new tools and programs over the years. This introduction to Open Source community and to programming itself with stipend from Google (One thing I relally like about Google is their Dollar is a Dollar in USA, India, China or Timbuktu, leveling the playing field.) Over the past 6 years Google Summer of Code has had 4,500 students from over 85 countries complete the program.Some student participants gone into becoming entrepreneurs and other continued their education supported by Google stipend.
"Spread the word to your friends! If you know of a university student that would be interested in working on open source projects this summer, or if you know of an organization that might want to mentor students to work on their open source projects, please direct them to our Google Summer of Code 2011 website where they can find our timeline along with the FAQs. And stay tuned for more details coming soon!"

Google Summer of Code Announced at LCA - Google Open Source Blog

Family, How Zach Wahls Sees His, Which Has Two Mothers.

I do not have any problem saying Sach is right and voting his way. I am surprised that we even argue about these issues any longer. Discrimination is not acceptable. Accept people for what they are. I actually love my mother very very much, and I am jealous that Zach can give and receive, twice what I have;)

Zach Wahls, a 19-year-old University of Iowa student spoke about the strength of his family during a public forum on House Joint Resolution 6 in the Iowa House of Representatives. Wahls has two mothers, and came to oppose House Joint Resolution 6 which would end civil unions in Iowa.

The fight to to keep marriage equality in Iowa continues, help support Iowans like Zach.