-Is it possible/practical to download portions (a few square miles) of Google Earth to a lap top using a thumb drive?
-How would one access Google Earth via satellite?

Yeah, I'm pretty illiterate computerwise.

if you just need it for a map, open it on the PC, hit the screen print button, open your picture viewer (pbrush will work), and paste it (edit pull down), save it.

you won't be able to zoom in/out, no interactive stuff.

Depends on the detail you want. If you just want static images, you can save screen shots from your monitor. Then you can save them to a thumb drive because they are just images at that point. If you need measuring functionality etc, I don't know of any way to save them to a laptop offline and still use them as normal. Maybe there is a subscription service? A good map-based GPS is essentially google earth lite in a way.

Give this a try:

ARC GIS

Measure, pick points, take your pick of base maps including USGS topo and aerial.

You too BaxterB.....

You can use the Google earth program to download an area to use offline, but I think the maps expire after 30 days. I download an area to my iPad, and use it offline when traveling by motorcycle.

Nashcat