Frank van Harmelen tweets that a Linked Data tool/site named Uberblic has been released.
"OK, so what?" - that's become my common reaction to something 'new' in the semanticwebosphere. But I always read about it anyway, mainly just to make sure I'm keeping up.
But then I watched the video, and realised that maybe some of the Linked Data questions are finally starting to get answers. In particular, the problem of those in the wood not being able to see the trees: everyone making Linked Data (seen the cloud diagram recently?) has said it's vital to make data that links to the rest of the Linked Data and uses resolvable URIs, so that semantic browsers and applications can traverse from one link to another and do some fantastic inferencing and discovery.
Fine, except for the bit about 'semantic browsers and applications'. Where are they? The answer to that is: Tablature, OpenLink and the rest. But (usually) all these do is allow me (the human) to interact with the data in a pretty low-level way. What about the visualisations and applications that the semantic web promised? What's the point in making all this data linked if all we can ever do is manually traverse the links (quicker to click on an HTML page link) or just browse one source via SPARQL?
In summary: it's clear there's a lot of data out there, and a lot of ways to make data and put it out there (the likes of OpenCalais and entity-extraction systems are surely the future of large-scale document stores and Enterprise CMS systems), but what about actually using the data? Is anyone actually crawling the Linked Data web?
So what these Uberblic people have done (or at least seem to, from the vid) is provide a browsing tool that really does link this linked stuff together. The guy says "It provides a single point of access to data reconciled from data sources on the web. The service runs on the Uberblic Platform, an integration software for crawling, mapping, and fusing structured data." Watch the video.
And if they truly have done that, then maybe we're ready for the next steps. Maybe the semantic web can truly become query-able (to some degree) and maybe semantic apps that actually leverage all this linked data without knowing what's out there beforehand could become a reality.
Maybe then all those scripts I wrote to make convert Citeseer's dataset to RDF might be worthwhile.
Postscript: Here's an article from The Guardian touting the importance of Linked Data again without the specifics of what you're going to do with it (apart from the notion of bundling and selling the data to Estate Agents, which again reduces it to one actual source and no sense of discovery across uncurated data).
Friday, January 29, 2010
Thursday, January 28, 2010
28 January 2010: Barefoot II
Becky points out the following news story:
Shoes may have changed how we run
Conclusions: barefoot running is better for the body and prevents injuries because it makes you run differently, although transitioning to it takes time because of the extra use of calf muscles and achilles tendon. Well well well.
I refer readers to this blog back in August, to the least popular of my three YouTube videos and to just about anything on Doug's blog to do with running shoes. Frankly they could have saved a lot of research money and just read about it on the blogosphere.
Talking of research, for those who haven't seen it or for whom it doesn't seem massively important, the little OPSI project I used to work on while at Southampton Uni has now turned into a website called data.gov.uk, where you can SPARQL your way through endless grey shoals of government data and maybe, just maybe, people are going to make interesting visualisations.
Makes you wonder what you could do with, say, other types of data held by public bodies? (Answer: use 4Store, at the very least).
Shoes may have changed how we run
Conclusions: barefoot running is better for the body and prevents injuries because it makes you run differently, although transitioning to it takes time because of the extra use of calf muscles and achilles tendon. Well well well.
I refer readers to this blog back in August, to the least popular of my three YouTube videos and to just about anything on Doug's blog to do with running shoes. Frankly they could have saved a lot of research money and just read about it on the blogosphere.
Talking of research, for those who haven't seen it or for whom it doesn't seem massively important, the little OPSI project I used to work on while at Southampton Uni has now turned into a website called data.gov.uk, where you can SPARQL your way through endless grey shoals of government data and maybe, just maybe, people are going to make interesting visualisations.
Makes you wonder what you could do with, say, other types of data held by public bodies? (Answer: use 4Store, at the very least).
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
19 January 2010: Haggis
Yeah, yeah, I know, no blogs for weeks.
All very busy here though, and little time to blog. No time even to make more sausages, much to the disappointment of the British contingent in Kokomo who before Christmas all came over to our place and sampled some of the Lincolnshire specials. A number of them asked if I'd make some more for them, and I said I would - but as yet no time. Made bacon again too, and getting to the end of that now so there'll be more to follow soon. Gareth - yes, this time I'm happy enough with the process that I'll photo-document it so you too cane learn how to make delicious dry-cure back bacon for a fraction of the price you pay at Waitrose or Jungle Jims (depending on which country you're in).
Meantime, as the photo above indicates, Gloria somehow managed to smuggle me through an Argyle home shirt, which after receiving it caused the team to win two in a row (not so good since then, though). In other news, the highly controversial Christmas Lights of Kokomo video seems to finally have bottomed out in terms of viewers - final total for the year a little over 9200, 98% of which were viewers in the USA: seems it got a little viral here in Kokomo. Bill Barclay leaped up to 14000 views total, helped in part by a comment someone left on The Guardian website which included a link.
Lots of other news too, and no time for it now but here's the real reason for blogging today: HAGGIS.
Yup, Burns night is coming up and so it's time to get your haggis. If you don't know what it is, it's a Scottish meat product (and by-product) where you take the unused parts of the lamb (kidney, heart, lungs, eyeballs etc), pummel it to pieces and insert a lot of seasoning to mask the flavour, put it all into a container (probably intestine), and boil it for a couple of years until it's tender. As you might gather from the above, I don't like it. But...
Well, those good folks at Upton's of Bassett (I have no shame in promoting their store, particularly if I start actually selling the sausages they helped me create) have started making their own haggis, and have now invented the Hampshire Haggis (it has watercress in it, among other variations). And they've made a video detailing how they make it, and what the customers think...
So there... what more could you ask for Burns Night? That is, if you like Haggis. And if you like Robert Burns, come to that. My Nan once described him as "that dirty old man".
Don't know what she thought of haggis, though.
Thursday, December 10, 2009
10 December 2009: Fake
According to the Kokomo Tribune, I do "a bad job faking a British accent."
I thought my faking was pretty darn fine, to be honest.
The local ABC affiliate also has a news story on the display, including a video and slideshow.
Update Friday morning: The writer from the Tribune apologizes. Kind of...
" ... the narrator of the YouTube video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m-wYP1U_dNo, I'm told on authority, actually is English. I said he sounded like an American trying to sound British. Sorry mate, Rule Britannia and all that, eh?"
I thought my faking was pretty darn fine, to be honest.
The local ABC affiliate also has a news story on the display, including a video and slideshow.
Update Friday morning: The writer from the Tribune apologizes. Kind of...
" ... the narrator of the YouTube video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m-wYP1U_dNo, I'm told on authority, actually is English. I said he sounded like an American trying to sound British. Sorry mate, Rule Britannia and all that, eh?"
10 December 2009: Mariner II
Paul Sturrock has been relieved of his duties as Plymouth Argyle manager, and all footballing responsibilities have been passed to Head Coach Paul Mariner.
Sturrock remains at the club in some kind of weird role involving him overseeing the creation of new training facilities or something. Meantime Mariner, hero of the 1975 Division Three campaign, is now the boss and has a tough job ahead of him turning the current squad - most of whom don't seem to want to stay - into a team that can finish fourth-from-bottom in the Championship this year.
Statistically it shouldn't be difficult - a run of three wins will see Argyle comfortably in the safe zone - but the debate rages as to why this didn't happen a month ago, or even back in the summer. The results have been poor - very poor - and while there have been some bright sparks here and there it seems that overall the club was destined to lose every game this season one-nil.
And the killer statistic in Sturrock's second reign is this: it is two years - two YEARS - since Argyle came from behind to win a game. Meaning once they concede a goal, that's pretty much it for the day (unless it rains heavily, of course).
So, to answer an earlier question, can you ever go back without tarnishing your reputation? It didn't really work out for either Glavine or Sturrock second time around, and both left their posts under a cloud. It's a shame, because statistically Sturrock I was probably the best manager in Argyle history. Sturrock II was probably worse even than David Kemp, although I'll have to check the figures to be sure.
Meantime Mariner I was an absolute hero and legend for his goalscoring prowess. How Mariner II does as manager/coach? We'll have to wait and see.
Sturrock remains at the club in some kind of weird role involving him overseeing the creation of new training facilities or something. Meantime Mariner, hero of the 1975 Division Three campaign, is now the boss and has a tough job ahead of him turning the current squad - most of whom don't seem to want to stay - into a team that can finish fourth-from-bottom in the Championship this year.
Statistically it shouldn't be difficult - a run of three wins will see Argyle comfortably in the safe zone - but the debate rages as to why this didn't happen a month ago, or even back in the summer. The results have been poor - very poor - and while there have been some bright sparks here and there it seems that overall the club was destined to lose every game this season one-nil.
And the killer statistic in Sturrock's second reign is this: it is two years - two YEARS - since Argyle came from behind to win a game. Meaning once they concede a goal, that's pretty much it for the day (unless it rains heavily, of course).
So, to answer an earlier question, can you ever go back without tarnishing your reputation? It didn't really work out for either Glavine or Sturrock second time around, and both left their posts under a cloud. It's a shame, because statistically Sturrock I was probably the best manager in Argyle history. Sturrock II was probably worse even than David Kemp, although I'll have to check the figures to be sure.
Meantime Mariner I was an absolute hero and legend for his goalscoring prowess. How Mariner II does as manager/coach? We'll have to wait and see.
Tuesday, December 08, 2009
7 December 2009: Christmas Lights
The fast-becoming-traditional Akting Lark Christmas Blog Thing to do seems to be to make a video and put it on YouTube. While last year's effort is now pulling in over a hundred viewers a day, I was so excited by the Christmas Light Display here on the downtown square in Kokomo, Indiana that I couldn't let another moment pass without going out to video it.
My favourite bit has to be the red eyes of the T-Rex. I mean, how more Christmassy can you get?
If anyone can beat this display (I'm looking in your direction, Flowers Estate) please let me know.
Postscript: Oh, all right, you want to see the Wee Heavy And A Half Pint one again, don't you? OK, here it is...
Update: Local Indy News Channel 6 report on the Kokomo light display. Apparently the County Commissioners have defended the dinosaur and serpent on the basis that"if we put the religious or Christmas decorations up, we'd be offending a whole other group of citizens and taxpayers." On that basis, presumably, they will be working on Christmas Day so as not to offend anyone by observing the traditional date of the birth of Christ.
My favourite bit has to be the red eyes of the T-Rex. I mean, how more Christmassy can you get?
If anyone can beat this display (I'm looking in your direction, Flowers Estate) please let me know.
Postscript: Oh, all right, you want to see the Wee Heavy And A Half Pint one again, don't you? OK, here it is...
Update: Local Indy News Channel 6 report on the Kokomo light display. Apparently the County Commissioners have defended the dinosaur and serpent on the basis that"if we put the religious or Christmas decorations up, we'd be offending a whole other group of citizens and taxpayers." On that basis, presumably, they will be working on Christmas Day so as not to offend anyone by observing the traditional date of the birth of Christ.
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
17 November 2009: Mars
Thanks to the continued copyright-busting wonder that is YouTube, I was able to see the latest Doctor Who yesterday, in pretty high quality. (Note: I've learned that most things appear on YouTube at some point, but they won't be there long and so you have to move fast).
All a bit weird and sadly I wasn't massively impressed. However, I suspect this is because we've been spoiled since 2004 in that overall the production, the scripts, the acting... it's all been exceptional, and we're so used to amazingly high standards that we ignore the excellence and focus on the bits-that-aren't-quite-as-good-as-Blink.
Still, though, the Doctor didn't do much for the first five (of seven) sections on YouTube, while everything around went wrong, and then he decided to turn into an all-powerful Time Lord (a little like the Master) and change history. A little. And it was such a shift that I actually saw it coming.
This is very unusual for me with plot-twists: I never see them coming, ever. I get into the story, try to enjoy it, even if it's poor... but here it was hard not to think 'oo, why are the fires burning when there's no oxygen' and 'domes with plants, reminds me of Silent Running' and 'I'm sick of him saying I can't do anything, I can only imagine that's going to change later in the episode'... and it did.
Anyway, more interesting was the teaser for the Christmas specials, and the rumours surrounding it:
Thing is, Russell T Davies, even in his final fling as chief bloke, has a habit for writing stuff that's simple and that might look good. Nothing deep and complex and science-fictiony - it's mainstream entertainment and that's how it works. In the same way as he couldn't begin the 2005 series with a regeneration scene (how many folks would have said 'what's that about then?' and turned over to watch Red Dwarf re-runs on Dave instead?), he can't really bring in Timewyrms and Maras and all that stuff... can he?
I suppose the Autons made it in that first episode, and nobody much remembered them.
Still - hopes are high that the final episodes for David Tennant will be good and a fitting send-off. They've already said that they're doing things with the Doctor's character that they can't normally do - because everyone knows the end is near for him. So let's see how far, and how creatively, they're willing to push it.
Meantime news from here is that I'm busy (apologies for lack of blogs), have made bacon that turned out ok-but-salty, playing football (six-a-side) every Tuesday for a team called the 'GSE Hooligans' (that's what Google's for, remember) and there's some American thing called Thanksgiving next week that seems to involve turkeys but not presents.
Sounds like a good idea to me.
All a bit weird and sadly I wasn't massively impressed. However, I suspect this is because we've been spoiled since 2004 in that overall the production, the scripts, the acting... it's all been exceptional, and we're so used to amazingly high standards that we ignore the excellence and focus on the bits-that-aren't-quite-as-good-as-Blink.
Still, though, the Doctor didn't do much for the first five (of seven) sections on YouTube, while everything around went wrong, and then he decided to turn into an all-powerful Time Lord (a little like the Master) and change history. A little. And it was such a shift that I actually saw it coming.
This is very unusual for me with plot-twists: I never see them coming, ever. I get into the story, try to enjoy it, even if it's poor... but here it was hard not to think 'oo, why are the fires burning when there's no oxygen' and 'domes with plants, reminds me of Silent Running' and 'I'm sick of him saying I can't do anything, I can only imagine that's going to change later in the episode'... and it did.
Anyway, more interesting was the teaser for the Christmas specials, and the rumours surrounding it:
- John Simm in a hoodie as the Master, with the manic laugh but without a beard. Mrs Master to be present also.
- Bernard Cribbins as Wilf and Catherine Tate as Donna.
- Timothy Dalton as a major Time Lord... (President? Rassilon? Meddling Monk?).
- Implying the return of Gallifrey. Possibly.
- Other Time Lords revealed as having survived the time war.
- Flash-back scenes of recent companions (Billie Piper allegedly seen on-set, along with Elizabeth Sladen and a few others).
- Something about the Medusa Cascade and the Time War no longer being time locked thanks to the crazy Dalek in the Davros epiosodes.
- The universe to be set 'back to normal' - ie pre-2005 series, maybe pre-Time War - for the new series in 2010 with Matt Smith as the eleventh Doctor.
Thing is, Russell T Davies, even in his final fling as chief bloke, has a habit for writing stuff that's simple and that might look good. Nothing deep and complex and science-fictiony - it's mainstream entertainment and that's how it works. In the same way as he couldn't begin the 2005 series with a regeneration scene (how many folks would have said 'what's that about then?' and turned over to watch Red Dwarf re-runs on Dave instead?), he can't really bring in Timewyrms and Maras and all that stuff... can he?
I suppose the Autons made it in that first episode, and nobody much remembered them.
Still - hopes are high that the final episodes for David Tennant will be good and a fitting send-off. They've already said that they're doing things with the Doctor's character that they can't normally do - because everyone knows the end is near for him. So let's see how far, and how creatively, they're willing to push it.
Meantime news from here is that I'm busy (apologies for lack of blogs), have made bacon that turned out ok-but-salty, playing football (six-a-side) every Tuesday for a team called the 'GSE Hooligans' (that's what Google's for, remember) and there's some American thing called Thanksgiving next week that seems to involve turkeys but not presents.
Sounds like a good idea to me.
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