Loon Balloon Crashes in Kenya. Legal Eagles Take Flight
January 5, 2018
A few days ago I read “Google High Altitude Balloon Crashes in Meru Miraa Farm.” I bopped over to Google Maps and plugged in “Nthambiro, Meru, Kenya.” As you can tell from the screen shot of this “location,” Google Maps provides modest detail and no coordinates for Nthambiro, Meru.
The primary school in the picture is interesting, but I have zero idea where the Loon balloon crashed.
One of my newsfeeds spit out this article today: “Farmer Threatens to Slap Google with Suit over Balloon Crash.”
The lawyers involved in the issue could locate the farm and track down Joseph Nguthari, whose property was trampled by neighbors who wanted to check out the Loon balloons. The write up asserts:
Mr Nguthari says curious residents trampled on his maize, beans and green grams crop while some helped themselves to his Miraa trees causing ‘massive’ damage.
The write up explains that people came in “droves.” Seven acres of crops were “trampled.”
The write up reports that Mr. Nguthari stated:
“The damage was made worse after police officers shot in the air to disperse the crowd that was keen to see the device. People were running in all directions destroying my farm produce. My farmhand also left on that day,” he added. The device was one of 10 balloons deployed for testing in Nakuru, Nanyuki, Nyeri and Marsabit in July last year. It was being navigated remotely to land in a less populated area but strong winds led it to Mr Nguthari’s farm.
I ran the query for the location on Bing Maps. Zip.
From my point of view, legal eagles are able to pinpoint the location of an event which can be converted into a high profile legal attack on Google.
No update is available to us in Harrod’s Creek about the Loon balloons that were to provide Internet access to Puerto Rico.
We’re confident that the alleged “damage” to the crops is no big deal. Google’s legal team can deal with any litigation. However, Google Maps may not be all that helpful.
Stephen E Arnold, January 5, 2018
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One Response to “Loon Balloon Crashes in Kenya. Legal Eagles Take Flight”
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thanks for the post.