Creative Commons image from flickr user listentoreason.

Google’s LatLong blog reports that The Ledger in Florida has published a Google My Map of Christmas lights in and around Lakeland, Fla. It’s great that newspapers are finally starting to use open Internet tools to help tell the story. I’ve written before about how news outlets used My Maps during the California wildfires.

It would’ve been nicer if The Ledger included pictures. Instead, they have descriptions like this:

North Pole scene with polar bears and igloos; forest scene with 15 lighted trees, Santas and deer; inflatable snow family; inflatable Santa; two Santas in sleigh with reindeer; nativity scene with shepherd, angels and wise men; Santa and Mrs. Claus and elves; candy canes and lollipops, 12 lighted trees; lighted deer; holographic snow family; wreaths; stars; lighted arches; eight-foot lighted star.

How many times does the “picture is worth a thousand words” have to be repeated for it to stick? Kudos to The Ledger, however, for allowing users to edit the map by adding their own favorite light displays.

Now if you had a Dash, you’d be able to see the map of light displays as you’re driving around.

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