Some of you will remember a few years ago I bought part of a steam engine. This engine has local and family historical connections. Since then I've been keeping an eye out for what I need to complete it (I have the boiler and wheels, I need the actual engine).
In November a guy in Georgia posted pics on a steam engine forum of a similar engine that he was looking to buy. It's in rough shape but it has the parts I need. We corresponded by pm, when he said he decided against buying it I asked if he'd connect me with the owner, I even offered a finders fee. He never replied, I waited 6 weeks.
So last night I decided that I'd try and locate it. The town he was from has a Facebook page for a steam show. I posted a picture (some of you saw it and liked it) that I downloaded from the steam engine forum. After I made the post Facebook asked me if I wanted to tag the location as a dentist office in Georgia. At first I'm like "what the ...?" Then I dawns on me that he didn't have the location settings for his camera turned off.
I go into my photos on my iPad and open the pic and click on details and the street address pops up. I enter the address in google earth and it takes me to that address. I go to street view and right there next to the damn highway is the steam engine for all the world to see.
I can't believe the location info followed the pic through the image host (Photobucket?) to the forum and then to my download. I can't believe I've had access to that info all this time. I talked to the owner's secretary this morning and she didn't think it was for sale. But I'll talk to him when he's back in the office and maybe plant the seed.
So if you don't want us to know where you killed that big buck make sure you have your privacy settings are correct.
In November a guy in Georgia posted pics on a steam engine forum of a similar engine that he was looking to buy. It's in rough shape but it has the parts I need. We corresponded by pm, when he said he decided against buying it I asked if he'd connect me with the owner, I even offered a finders fee. He never replied, I waited 6 weeks.
So last night I decided that I'd try and locate it. The town he was from has a Facebook page for a steam show. I posted a picture (some of you saw it and liked it) that I downloaded from the steam engine forum. After I made the post Facebook asked me if I wanted to tag the location as a dentist office in Georgia. At first I'm like "what the ...?" Then I dawns on me that he didn't have the location settings for his camera turned off.
I go into my photos on my iPad and open the pic and click on details and the street address pops up. I enter the address in google earth and it takes me to that address. I go to street view and right there next to the damn highway is the steam engine for all the world to see.
I can't believe the location info followed the pic through the image host (Photobucket?) to the forum and then to my download. I can't believe I've had access to that info all this time. I talked to the owner's secretary this morning and she didn't think it was for sale. But I'll talk to him when he's back in the office and maybe plant the seed.
So if you don't want us to know where you killed that big buck make sure you have your privacy settings are correct.
