NPR: Where on Earth Is Waldo?

Where on Earth Is Waldo?

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Nancy Strider

Melanie Coles spent hours poring over "Where's Waldo?" books as a child, looking for the stripe-shirted hero. Now a 22-year-old artist, she figured these days people spend hours pouring over Google Earth images looking for things, so why not give them a Waldo to find? She made a giant Waldo, put him somewhere in Vancouver, and now she's waiting for Google Earth satellites to pick him up.

Ian Chillag

8:43 AM ET | 04-16-2008 | permalink

Comments (Send a comment)

Awesome! When I was a kid and the teacher said it was time to pick out a book, Where's Waldo was the first thing I went for. I can wait to start looking for him on google earth.

Sent by Trystan | 9:15 AM ET | 04-16-2008

I can't wait... plain and simple... and I think this should be a tradition. Every city or town, regardless of the size, should have a Waldo... and the Waldo should move every six months. Can you imagine the conversations? "Have you seen the one out in Gravesend, Kent?"
"Kent?"
"Kent, in England."
"What?! Waldo's gone international?!"
It would be marvelous!

Sent by Jennifer | 4:01 PM ET | 04-16-2008

I love the BPP.

I love Waldo.

Sent by Adam | 7:36 PM ET | 04-16-2008

I loved this story and the thought processes of the artist. However, instead of doing only Waldos, maybe public artists could just do whatever their fancy is? Then we could not just be searching for Waldo, but for something that may be even more interesting and surprising. Maybe those works of art, which are visible only to Google Earth users (no matter what their subject) would be called "Waldos". For example... "I just found a Waldo in Prague". Just a thought.

Sent by e | 8:25 PM ET | 04-16-2008

Yes, yes!, I love Waldo, I love BPP, and I will be looking for W. When I was 18 (yikes! a long time a go) I was very sick with what I now think was the flu, I was completely out for 2 days and I missed my birthday, my mom got me a Waldo book when I woke up and I have been hooked ever since ( I was raised in Mexico, Waldo was not that popular then) SO this is a very exiting thing for me... reminded me of when I almost died!!! LOL :)

Sent by mGh | 11:27 AM ET | 04-17-2008

Forget Waldo, where is Vancouver?

Sent by Wally | 1:44 PM ET | 04-17-2008

Haha, I love waldo. Can't wait to start searching for him. Maybe it could help people with their geography too.

Sent by Anna | 7:17 PM ET | 04-17-2008

Only problem is that the picture quality ones aren't satellite pictures, they are aerial photos taken from planes. They don't get updated but every few years...

Sent by Dan Cummings | 10:19 PM ET | 04-17-2008

Oh dear, Dan... that makes the cockles of my heart a little sad. However, "e", your thought is brilliant. This is like geocaching gone wild!

Sent by Jennifer | 11:52 AM ET | 04-20-2008

aNyone kNow whEr waldo is locaTed?

Sent by kaariin | 12:49 AM ET | 05-17-2008

i found the building, but no waldo yet!
i cant wait for when its finally there :D

Sent by lauren | 8:45 PM ET | 07-14-2008

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