Digital Images Coming to 911

The New York Times is reporting that New York City's 911, and 311 (a non emergency line) will be getting support to handle incoming digital images, which can be used to further assess an emergency situation (or a 311 call).

“If you see a crime in progress or a dangerous building condition, you’ll be able to transmit images to 911, or online to nyc.gov,” the mayor said in his annual State of the City address. “And we’ll start extending the same technology to 311 to allow New Yorkers to step forward and document nonemergency quality of life concerns, holding city agencies accountable for correcting them quickly and efficiently.”

Though I think it's a great idea, I am a bit skeptical about how aspects of it, might affect the emergency call system. What happens if the picture makes the situation seem less important, or less serious?

One Shot at the Top of the World

Vincent Laforet's work is absolutely stunning, and one of his latest projects is featured in an Aperture profile. The project: Capture a worker on the Chrysler building in New York City a top one of the gargoyles overlooking the city. The result: awesome.