And this just in from CNet via O'Reilly Radar….

 Google To Release Embeddable Maps

Posted: 15 Aug 2007 08:38 AM CDT

By Brady Forrest

Over on CNet they have the scoop on an upcoming cool Google Maps feature.

Google will be releasing a new feature next week that will enable people to easily embed a Google Map into their Web site or blog, just like you can do with a YouTube video. No coding or programming required; just copying and pasting a snippet of HTML, a Google spokeswoman says.

Google Maps

“To embed a Google Map, users will simply pull up the map they want to embed–it can be a location, a business, series of driving directions, or a My Map they have created–and then click 'Link to this page' and copy and paste the HTML into their Web site or blog,” the spokeswoman said.

Given how smart of a feature this is I can't believe its taken this long for one of the major providers to release a feature like. Yahoo, Google, Live – they've all had the ability to get permalinks to a map for easy inclusion in a website. They've also all had APIs, but now a fully featured map, even those that have Mapplet data, will be fully embeddable on a person's website with cut-n-paste. Google Maps already dominate on third-party websites; this will increase that margin substantially.

We have long admired the code underlying the visual data site, TheyRule.net.  TheyRule was among the pioneering sites to link data — in this case, corporatate board members of American's largest public companies and their shared networks with other board members.  So it is that we are pleased that Greenpeace has taken the concept, and maybe even a lot of the code, to visualize the networks of organizations and people tied to Exxon.  According to the site:

This website is the first chapter of a larger Greenpeace project provide a research database of information on the corporate funded anti-environmental movement.

The database compiles Exxon Foundation funding to a series of institutions who have worked to undermine solutions to global warming  and climate change in recent years.  Individuals working with these organizations and their global warming quotes and deeds are detailed.  There are downloadable source documents or links to sources are provided throughout.