tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11546642658895129202024-03-04T20:52:59.891-08:00FlowThis is what I'm here to say, I guess.Kevin Curryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11117910582029078325noreply@blogger.comBlogger74125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1154664265889512920.post-12265947459006672012011-02-07T22:09:00.000-08:002011-02-08T10:17:04.270-08:00Map of US Farmers' Markets<div><iframe width="425px" title="U.S. Farmers' Markets" height="425px" src="http://opendata.socrata.com/w/sk4m-ajki/y34g-bnf3?cur=yz12Mj-m7IZ&from=root" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"><a href="http://opendata.socrata.com/Government/U-S-Farmers-Markets/sk4m-ajki" title="U.S. Farmers' Markets" target="_blank">U.S. Farmers' Markets</a></iframe><p><a href="http://www.socrata.com/" target="_blank">Powered by Socrata</a></p></div><br /><br />NOTE: You may have to zoom in/out to get points to load. The map will only load 500 points at a time and is a bit quirky about paging data.Kevin Curryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11117910582029078325noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1154664265889512920.post-66551587960409314202010-07-21T20:11:00.000-07:002010-07-21T20:12:15.148-07:00Gov 2.0 Events Calendar (Test)<iframe src="http://www.google.com/calendar/embed?title=Gov%202.0%20Events&mode=AGENDA&height=600&wkst=1&bgcolor=%2399ff99&src=31k829jeql3prp6vus30uc6tj0%40group.calendar.google.com&color=%23853104&ctz=Etc%2FGMT" style=" border:solid 1px #777 " width="800" height="600" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe>Kevin Curryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11117910582029078325noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1154664265889512920.post-22934765173298583192010-07-01T18:49:00.000-07:002010-07-01T21:12:46.950-07:00We OPML'd the DoD<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">I'm just giddy about this. </span></span><a href="http://www.bridgeborn.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">We</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> OPML'd the DoD. Specifically, we </span></span><a href="http://optimalbrowser.com/optimal.php?url=http://dev.bridgeborn.com/JCA.opml"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">published OPML for Joint Capability Areas</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">. It turned out to be so easy, too. I wish I could easily convey the significance of this achievement.</span></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span><div><a href="http://www.dtic.mil/futurejointwarfare/cap_areas.htm"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">JCA's are an exhaustive military taxonomy</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> declaring hundreds of defined military capabilities. They are predominantly referenced in decision making for acquisitions and planning. All over the military there are organizations who are required to map every aspect of their existences to JCAs or else be denied resources. Consequently, nearly every “decision support” and “business intelligence” tool under the sun (there are hundreds, if not thousands of them; costing tens, if not hundreds, of millions) has a requirement for mapping JCAs. Just this week (in fact, </span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">after</span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> we decided to do this) one of our teams received a requirement to add JCA mappings in a database. The first question that came to my mind was, "how are they going to get that data into the system?"<br /><br />You see, JCAs are published in </span></span><a href="http://www.dtic.mil/futurejointwarfare/strategic/jca_framework.xls"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">formats</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> that are only readable by people, and not in formats that can be used by tools. As a result, people </span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">repeatedly</span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">spend unnecessary time </span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">manually keying in JCAs</span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> just so they can be available for menu items, pick lists, and other input forms in their software applications. This is inefficient, error prone, and easily solved by publishing JCAs in </span></span><span style=" color: rgb(0, 0, 153); background- font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; color:transparent;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OPML"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Outline Processor Markup Language</span></span></a></span></div><div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">So that's what we did.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Now system integrators can consume a URL-addressable, well-formed, hierarchical, text document as input to their application development. No more need to manually key stuff. No more typos. Point any developer worth his/her salt as <a href="http://dev.bridgeborn.com/jca.opml">this URL</a> and they will be off to the races.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">It's too bad the owner of JCAs </span></span><a href="http://www.dtic.mil/futurejointwarfare/strategic/jca_framework.xls"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">doesn't</span></span></a><a href="http://www.dtic.mil/futurejointwarfare/strategic/jca_framework_defs.doc"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> publish</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> more portable content, but maybe now they will.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Credit where it is due</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">:</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Our (2nd) wonderful co-op student from </span></span><a href="http://www.rit.edu/co-op.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Rochester Institute of Technology</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">, Ben Kaiser wrote the code. Longtime Bridgeborner, </span></span><a href="http://twitter.com/robshell"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Rob Shell</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> shared some SME-ness and was Johnny-on-the-Spot with </span></span><a href="http://www.bta.mil/products/BEA_7_0/BEA/iwp/bealist_jointcapabilityarea_na.htm"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">this (mostly well-formed) HTML version of the JCAs</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">. Thanks also to </span></span><a href="http://sunlightlabs.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Sunlight Labs</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> for </span></span><a href="http://twitter.com/sunlightlabs/status/17459816790"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">feedback</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> on choosing the right technology to get the job done. </span></span><a href="http://twitter.com/rdhyee"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Raymond Yee</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> provided </span></span><a href="http://blog.dataunbound.com/2009/06/18/a-first-pass-at-an-org-chart-for-the-us-federal-government/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">an excellent model </span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">for us to follow (in response to </span></span><a href="http://sunlightlabs.com/ideas/8/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">this project idea</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> from </span></span><a href="http://infovegan.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Clay Johnson</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">).</span></span></div></div></div>Kevin Curryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11117910582029078325noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1154664265889512920.post-71889432793760038462010-06-27T21:01:00.000-07:002010-06-27T20:59:50.575-07:00Questions I Should Be Able to Ask My City (On the Web)It's too hard to ask a simple question about a city and get a simple answer. <div><br /></div><div>This notion goes well beyond satisfying the need to know the answers. Our inability to ask basic questions about any city and provide simple answers is a much more profound shortcoming compared to just the answers themselves. Simple answers to basic questions are the foundational elements of more complex analyses. </div><div><br /></div><div>When we rely on experts and representatives, elected or otherwise, to perform these analyses we expect accuracy and completeness. But how is this measured? No matter what the field of study, the answer has always been references, data sets, and peer review.</div><div><br /></div><div>Today, especially in matters of public interest, the word "peer" is hard to define. All the more reason why satisfying the first two elements, references and data sets, is of paramount importance.</div><div><br /></div><div>Cities should provide simple answers to basic questions.</div><div><br /></div><div>Cities should provide simple answer to basic questions in a URL-addressable, well-formed, text format.</div><div><br /></div><div>There are many mechanisms cities can use to satisfy this requirement; Web API, online spreadsheet, posted XML documents. Ideally, technology exists and can be integrated so that cities can answer questions via several of these mechanisms.</div><div><br /></div><div>So what are the questions we would ask our cities, if we could? Following are a few to which I would like to know the answers. Moreover, given the answers to these questions in URL-addressable, well-formed, text format(s) the answers to these questions could make for some rather interesting, useful <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mashup_(web_application_hybrid)">mash-ups</a>.<br /><ol><li>Where is the location of each road and intersection under construction in my city?</li><li>How long has road/intersection X been under construction?</li><li>When will road/intersection X construction project be complete?</li><li>What is the list of each building construction permit in my city?</li><li>Where is the location of each building construction permit in my city?</li><li>What is the list of businesses that pay taxes in my city?</li><li>What is the list of businesses that pay taxes in my city, by type of business?</li><li>What is the list of how much each business paid in taxes in my city?</li><li>Where is the location of each business that pays taxes in my city?</li><li>What is the list of neighborhoods in my city?</li><li>How many houses are in each neighborhood in my city?</li><li>What is the list of schools in the city? (This should include private and church schools, too, if these schools are required to be registered with the city.)</li><li>What is the location of each school in my city?</li><li>What is the enrollment at each school in my city?</li><li>How many cars are registered in my city?</li><li>What is the list of most traveled streets in my city?</li><li>What is the list of traffic accidents in my city?</li><li>Where are the locations of each traffic accident in my city?</li><li>How many pounds of garbage are collected in my city?</li><li>How many pounds of garbage are collected in my city, by zipcode?</li><li>How many pounds of garbage are collected in my city, by neighborhood?</li><li>What is the list of events in my city?</li><li>When are events occurring in my city, by time period?</li><li>Where are events occurring in my city?</li><li>What is the list of conditional use permits in my city?</li><li>What is the list of all emergency response stations (fire, police, medical) in my city?</li><li>Where are the locations of each emergency response station in my city?</li><li>What is the number of emergency calls in my city, by time period?</li><li>What is the list of stations responding to emergency calls, by time period?</li><li>What is the frequency of emergency calls by station and time period?</li></ol><div>[To be continued...]</div><div><br /></div><div>Without a doubt, this list is far from exhaustive. Crime data is one of the most popular and reported-on data sets. I tried to come up with relevant questions for which data are not likely accessible. Certainly, schema are required for declaring the answers to these questions in our required format. Probably every question does not have to be anticipated <i>a priori.</i> We should also not assume that a particular question implies a specific data set. We often can easily get the answer of, for example, the location of each crime. Rarely, however, can we get aggregate data, useful in trend analyses. Perhaps what we need are structured data sets and <a href="http://www.wolframalpha.com/">Wolfram Alpha</a>. In any case, a foundational platform of data is required. In any case, we should be able to formulate a basic question and get a simple answer (on the Web). </div><div><br /></div><div>Given the simplicity of what is being asked, however, this should not be complicated.</div></div>Kevin Curryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11117910582029078325noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1154664265889512920.post-47254069528095503772010-06-27T14:16:00.000-07:002010-07-07T20:48:23.919-07:00Transparency and Visualization of City DataLast year my city was considering closing one or two schools (<a href="http://hamptonroads.com/2009/01/beach-committee-pick-nine-schools-closure">HamptonRoads.com</a>, <a href="http://www.wavy.com/dpp/news/local_wavy_vb_public_elementary_schools_20090113">WAVY.com</a>). One of the justifications cited was decline in student enrollment. <a href="http://www.vbschools.com/BUC/charts.asp"> Though I can no longer find it anywhere online</a>, one of the enrollment artifacts put forth was this image of a column chart from a (presumably) Excel spreadsheet.<div><br /><table style="width:auto;"><tbody><tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/XqeENyiKR1IeCHcvQQxQIg?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiStE2izA0RzjNCcz7hmreJKg-U8gaUMmk4OgVX1GZpAfSDXcpzvmMoDO6oceg_4vCxbzwayFTFyPzG14wP2FGLJHlp3n8MlSK5lvlfmx6-10PUA2Kl9mi9TTPSe0UqHHgPREI1C30Lob8/s800/Elem-Membership-Graph.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/kmcurry/Flow02?feat=embedwebsite">Flow</a></td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><div>To look at this picture (of data) one would assume there was a HUGE drop in enrollment, something in the vicinity of 50-60%.</div><div><br /></div><div>But a closer look at the values reveals quite a different quantitative result. In fact, the actual decline from the peak in 1994-95 to the valley in 2008-09 <i>appears </i>to be 5,600 students. Keep in mind, I'm doing my best to derive the actual number based on the Y-axis scale on the <i>picture</i>. The data weren't provided. To make matters more difficult, the column chart is shown in 3D. This undermines the utility of the visualization by making it hard to determine an actual value on the chart. </div><div><br /></div><div>The actual difference is 6,824 students, from the high in 1994-95 to the <i>projected </i>low in 2012-13.</div><div><br /></div><div>6,824 students is 18.1% of the peak (6,824/37,707). While significant, 18.1% is a far cry from what appears to be a 50-60% decline.</div><div><br /></div><div>Fortunately, when I <a href="http://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=0AtBw9czGJjSTcEw4aU5nZU56RHpQZmxRUm9qamZxZEE&hl=en#gid=2">requested the data</a> they were provided to me. </div><div><br /></div><div>This is valuable for two reasons. First and foremost, I get the data, not an interpretation of the</div><div> data. Second, and more the point of this post, I can show <a href="http://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=0AtBw9czGJjSTcEw4aU5nZU56RHpQZmxRUm9qamZxZEE&hl=en#gid=0">what this chart </a><i><a href="http://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=0AtBw9czGJjSTcEw4aU5nZU56RHpQZmxRUm9qamZxZEE&hl=en#gid=0">should</a></i><a href="http://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=0AtBw9czGJjSTcEw4aU5nZU56RHpQZmxRUm9qamZxZEE&hl=en#gid=0"> look like</a> and what else the data have to say. </div></div><div><br /></div><div><img src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_4I3iR6s_Psk/TCfYTtf8lVI/AAAAAAAAJTg/Ybi9BrypfYk/s320/elementary_membership_k-5.png" style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 106px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5487592504116942162" /></div><div>Notice the slope of the decline and the differences between yearly observations. Neither are so exaggerated as the first image. </div><div><br /></div><div>The differences in view are the aspect ratio of the graph and the value of the Y-axis origin. In the first chart the aspect ratio of the picture is nearly square, or 1:1. The starting value of the Y-axis is 28000 (an arbitrary value not found anywhere in the data). In the second chart the Y-axis begins at zero (0) and the aspect ratio is closer to 3:1 (which is probably too wide).</div><div><br /></div><div>So then, which image and which set of chart variables is correct? </div><div><br /></div><div>The answer depends on the basis for the query...or what you are trying to say. Actually the answer has nothing to do with "what you are trying to say" since you/we shouldn't be trying to say anything except to represent quantitative values in visual form. The right thing is to understand the nature of the analysis and the decision trying to be made.</div><div><br /></div><div>In this case, we can assume with confidence that the Y-axis has no business starting at any value other than zero. In this case what is being claimed, via what is shown, is a long term (since 1990) decline, not a year-to-year fluctuation. Over the 14 year span the decline is obviously not in the range of 50-60%, therefore the chart should no imply so. Otherwise, if year-to-year deltas are of interest it probably does not make sense to show a 14 year span.</div><div><br /></div><div>By the way, the data for recent yearly decline are -216, -200, +30, -17 between the years 2006-2010. 200 students <i>city wide</i> is hardly justification for closing a school. (Our school has over 600 students.)</div><div><br /></div><div>In the end, my city chose not to close a school. I think that was a wise choice. But I have to wonder what was going on in the minds of the decision makers. What analyses were they using? Did they, too, realize the truth in these numbers or was it some other (political) factor. Did we just get lucky?</div><div><br /></div><div>When cities make claims based on data they should <i>publish the data</i>. When cities, or anyone, shows you a picture of data you should question the picture and <i><strike>demand</strike> politely request a reference</i> to the data. At minimum, know what you are seeing.</div>Kevin Curryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11117910582029078325noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1154664265889512920.post-26059899198667103442010-06-24T15:17:00.000-07:002010-06-24T21:44:18.362-07:00Mashing up Hampton Roads School System Data<p>I'm tempted to not provide a narrative for this. The pictures really tell the story.</p><p>I was reading an article from my local "paper," <i>The Virginian-Pilot</i>, online. When I finished the article I noticed the "Quick Links" just below. To my pleasant surprise, the first category of links was "Databases." Truth be told, I'm not that surprised to find <a href="http://hamptonroads.com/tags/databases">data at <i>The Pilot</i></a>, but what unfolded when I followed that link was far from the norm when it comes to online (local) journalism and data.</p><p><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/67403355@N00/4730989289/" title="Pilot_Databases_QuickLink by kmcurry, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1089/4730989289_d799454fc5_b.jpg" width="697" height="671" alt="Pilot_Databases_QuickLink" /></a><br /></p><br />I clicked the link to "School Violence" and found the following page. If you look closely you will see there is a form:<br /><p><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/67403355@N00/4731452413/" title="Pilot_Databases_Form by kmcurry, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1070/4731452413_df922f26b0_b.jpg" width="677" height="365" alt="Pilot_Databases_Form" /></a><br /></p><div><br /></div>Clicking "Search" took me to this next page. I was not surprised to see that the results were available in HTML only:<br /><p><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/67403355@N00/4731015089/" title="Pilot_Databases_Example by kmcurry, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1343/4731015089_f4fd0a29c9_b.jpg" width="533" height="791" alt="Pilot_Databases_Example" /></a><br /></p>Whenever I come across data like this the first thing I want to know is whether or not it can actually be used <i>as data</i>. In order to be used/usable as data the contents of this HTML table need to be, at minimum, copy-and-paste-able into a spreadsheet.<div><br /></div><div>Lo and behold... In about 20 minutes I had pasted all of the contents of the database into <a href="http://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=0AtBw9czGJjSTdEUxRlI5ZnlyZEZoaW9mS29adEtxQmc&hl=en">a Google spreadsheet</a>:<br /><p><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/67403355@N00/4731654992/" title="Pilot_Databases_Google_Spreadsheet by kmcurry, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1343/4731654992_fe34c56211_b.jpg" width="548" height="274" alt="Pilot_Databases_Google_Spreadsheet" /></a><br /></p><p>From there I was able to create a few transformations of the data and about a half-dozen meaningful charts like this:<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/67403355@N00/4731609950/" title="number_of_violations_by_type_and_school_division by kmcurry, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1192/4731609950_79b5828cdd_b.jpg" width="500" height="300" alt="number_of_violations_by_type_and_school_division" /></a></p><p>What if more news organizations published databases? What if journalists had a habit of digging into those databases with with these simple tools? Would we create better news products? Would we become more accurately and insightfully informed as citizens? Would our governments, businesses, and civic organizations make wiser strategy and better decisions? And if we think that the answer to any of these questions is yes, how do we sustain the "model?"</p></div>Kevin Curryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11117910582029078325noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1154664265889512920.post-75691436723661644902010-03-29T04:49:00.000-07:002010-03-29T06:04:11.726-07:00Transparency and the Digital DivideAs I start this post I'm on the Orange line of the Metro heading home from Transparency Camp 2010. I timed my arrival almost exactly with that of the train using <a href="http://appsearch.justanotheriphoneblog.com/dcmetro-iphone-12353/app">an iPhone app</a>. Now I'm typing on a super-powerful laptop with a huge display. Many Metro stations have 3G access and even though I don't tether my phone to my computer to use 3G on my laptop, I'm sure it can be done. I have nearly all of the comforts of the digital age at my disposal nearly all of the time.<br /><br />I often use these tools to stay in touch with what is happening in and around my community, my local and state governments, and the federal government. I use access to Web sites, data, and social networks to stay informed and engaged. These tools offer me many choices of how much info I want to consume and how much I feel like engaging.<br /><br />But what can people who don't have these resources do to be informed and participate? What choices do they have for receiving information and offering feedback? So much of Gov 2.0 and open government relates to the Web that we must be careful not to exclude those who lack digital resources.<br /><br />This topic came up in multiple sessions at Transparency Camp and we generated some good ideas (we think) on how to address this issue responsibly. One idea in particular that resonated was placing LED message boards around town to broadcast key indicators, initiatives, and citizen feedback.<br /><br />The basic idea is to place LED signs at heavily trafficked locations. These signs would display information about the city in which people are most interested. Some of this content would be generated the city and some of the content would be generated by citizens. Information, especially that generated by citizens, would vary somewhat by neighborhood.<br /><br />On the participation side of the conversation the minimum barrier to entry would be a mobile phone. Anyone who can send a text message can contribute. Of course, there would be other ways to contribute. On the information side of the equation would be these message boards.<br /><br />This would be a way for people to simultaneously tell their city what they want and to see what the city is getting by way of feedback.<br /><br />There is plenty of reason to think this can be effective, too.<br /><br />But before I go on, I need to add some context. This all came up during a session I facilitated called "<a href="http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/5754124">Local Government Transparency</a>." In the beginning of the session I gave several examples of transparency happening at the local level. One example was <a href="http://amherst-ma.localocracy.org/">Localocracy</a>. <a href="http://twitter.com/hartdanger">Hart Rossman</a> quickly pointed out that, while I'm able to easily cite these examples, most people hardly know what I'm even talking about. The point being: we need to make this relevant to the vast majority of people who aren't aware of what's going on in this space.<br /><br />Keying on that, <a href="http://octo.dc.gov/DC/OCTO/About+OCTO/Who+We+Are/Director's+Biography">Bryan Sivak, CTO of Washington, D.C.</a>, shared with us his concerns about the "digital divide" in his city. In the poorest wards in D.C., broadband Internet access is about 30%. The point being: we can make all the cool open data and participation websites we want, but we won't be serving key constituencies in his city if those people can't access these online resources.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://whiteafrican.com/2009/03/12/the-blackboard-blogger-of-monrovia/"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_4I3iR6s_Psk/S7CZHUVnjPI/AAAAAAAAJPg/b7Sl3PcDEwQ/s400/3349745636_92c628d66f.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5454027499743186162" /></a>After some back and forth a gentlemen, whose name regrettably escapes me at the moment made a reference that reminded me very much of "The Blackboard Blogger of Monrovia," <a href="http://www.google.com/search?q=alfred+sirleaf">Alfred Sirleaf</a>. Alfred is not just dealing with a digital divide. He has customers who are not literate. Still, he manages to provide useful information about what matters around them.<br /><br />At lesser extremes we see other examples of this idea already working. Metro transit signs are one great example.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5fCnzTysQvh9xCqVL5c_jgoU78bhxZ66lGqQU_F4rKbl2JrDgYll95rd46SnSg2bW4ZlaRU0NtNGLIFZhVXA6rcPgV3BhxIMm-FlKibeXDLTIIPU7feOL8IamATnqIuRtIpgkuHWXxw7n/s1600/transit-sign.gif"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 237px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5fCnzTysQvh9xCqVL5c_jgoU78bhxZ66lGqQU_F4rKbl2JrDgYll95rd46SnSg2bW4ZlaRU0NtNGLIFZhVXA6rcPgV3BhxIMm-FlKibeXDLTIIPU7feOL8IamATnqIuRtIpgkuHWXxw7n/s400/transit-sign.gif" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5454028441150589602" /></a><br />What else do people want to know about their city that can be easily provided on on a billboard in the public square?<br /><br />It's worth noting that we don't necessarily need government to provide (and maintain) the billboard. Alfred Sirleaf makes a living doing what he does. People who visit his blackboard buy goods from him. We probably need government to issue permits for signs in public spaces. Then again, What if food vendors in D.C. hung LEDs on their carts?<br /><br />We do need from government data that is open and accessible so that it can be easily used by anyone at low or no cost. Given this and a touch of inspiration from Alfred Sirleaf, maybe we can succeed at engaging citizens in their own government in ways that are widely accessible.<br /><br />Post Script:<br /><a href="http://twitter.com/gwynnek">Gwynne Kostin</a> pointed out the next day, that the digital divide is as much cultural as it is economical. There are plenty of people who aren't resource constrained who are nonetheless struggling with relevance of transparency and open government in their lives.<br /><br />Thank you to <a href="http://whiteafrican.com/about/">Erik Hersman</a> for the image of Alfred SirleafKevin Curryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11117910582029078325noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1154664265889512920.post-27382695351570709402010-02-23T08:59:00.000-08:002010-02-23T09:52:48.710-08:00How to Mash-up Open Data APIs + Google Docs to Visualize City Data<object id="scPlayer" width="460" height="276"> <param name="movie" value="http://content.screencast.com/users/kmcurry/folders/Default/media/342827dd-99f2-4744-9bf0-3eb3eec7e67c/bootstrap.swf"> <param name="quality" value="high"> <param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF"> <param name="flashVars" value="thumb=http://content.screencast.com/users/kmcurry/folders/Default/media/342827dd-99f2-4744-9bf0-3eb3eec7e67c/FirstFrame.jpg&containerwidth=460&containerheight=276&content=http://content.screencast.com/users/kmcurry/folders/Default/media/342827dd-99f2-4744-9bf0-3eb3eec7e67c/HamptonRoads.com_2010-02-17_1357.swf"> <param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"> <param name="scale" value="showall"> <param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"> <param name="base" value="http://content.screencast.com/users/kmcurry/folders/Default/media/342827dd-99f2-4744-9bf0-3eb3eec7e67c/"> <embed src="http://content.screencast.com/users/kmcurry/folders/Default/media/342827dd-99f2-4744-9bf0-3eb3eec7e67c/bootstrap.swf" quality="high" bgcolor="#FFFFFF" width="460" height="276" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" flashvars="thumb=http://content.screencast.com/users/kmcurry/folders/Default/media/342827dd-99f2-4744-9bf0-3eb3eec7e67c/FirstFrame.jpg&containerwidth=460&containerheight=276&content=http://content.screencast.com/users/kmcurry/folders/Default/media/342827dd-99f2-4744-9bf0-3eb3eec7e67c/HamptonRoads.com_2010-02-17_1357.swf" allowfullscreen="true" base="http://content.screencast.com/users/kmcurry/folders/Default/media/342827dd-99f2-4744-9bf0-3eb3eec7e67c/" scale="showall"></embed> </object><br /><br /><br />Full size:<a href="http://www.screencast.com/users/kmcurry/folders/Default/media/342827dd-99f2-4744-9bf0-3eb3eec7e67c"> http://www.screencast.com/users/kmcurry/folders/Default/media/342827dd-99f2-4744-9bf0-3eb3eec7e67c</a>Kevin Curryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11117910582029078325noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1154664265889512920.post-16847060114221466872010-02-06T07:32:00.000-08:002010-02-15T08:53:30.304-08:00What's Happened Since City Camp?At the start of the second day of <a href="http://barcamp.pbworks.com/CityCamp">City Camp</a> we challenged ourselves to think about what happens <i>after </i>City Camp. We focused our sessions around concrete actions we would take after we all scattered back to our homes. Here's a quick rundown of some of our post-City Camp activities:<div><ol><li>We've been editing the <a href="http://wiki.openmuni.org/">Open Muni wiki</a></li><li>We started a<a href="http://groups.google.com/group/sheetcake"> help-desk for journalists who want to use data</a></li><li>We're <a href="http://twitter.com/JeffSelf/status/8676953316">planning spin-offs</a> and <a href="http://forums.e-democracy.org/groups/chicago">meet-ups</a> in a number of different cities</li><li>We connected <a href="http://www.innovationgeo.com/">experts in crime data mashup & visualization</a> with a local paper's <a href="http://labs.hamptonroads.com/api/crime/">crime data API</a></li><li>We stay <a href="http://forums.e-democracy.org/groups/citycamp">active online</a></li><li>We started <a href="http://csclabs.org/">Colorado Smart Communities</a></li><li>We <a href="http://prezi.com/d-iu5q4vi-ke/">reported back to local government</a></li><li><i>Update 02.15.10: We set up a <a href="http://www.ipublic.org/blog/2010/02/online-resources-for-civic-openmedia-project/">development environment for open source government data feeds</a></i></li></ol><div>In fact, in their report back to City of Edmonton, Devin Serink & Ashley Casovan, listed six "next steps" for their city:</div><div><ol><li>[Participate in] Inter-city collaboration</li><li>[Contribute to] Open Data Cookbook</li><li>Experiment in 3D virtual worlds</li><li>Develop understanding and excitement internally</li><li>[Initiate] Apps for Edmonton</li><li>[Support creation of] Code for Canada</li></ol></div><div>To be sure, many of these activities were initiated prior to and/or separately from City Camp. That said, we all connected through City Camp to these activities and those connections are moving us foward.</div><div><br /></div><div>P.S. <a href="http://wemedia.com/2010/02/04/stites-wins-we-media-game-changer-award/">This City Camper won an award</a>.</div></div>Kevin Curryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11117910582029078325noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1154664265889512920.post-17667685464335882072010-01-30T21:02:00.001-08:002010-01-30T21:02:45.927-08:00Journalism, Data, Visualization<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_4I3iR6s_Psk/S2UIFsYEU0I/AAAAAAAAJM8/uBwcln7X_Zc/s1600-h/vabeach_crime_trend_gadget.png"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 174px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_4I3iR6s_Psk/S2UIFsYEU0I/AAAAAAAAJM8/uBwcln7X_Zc/s400/vabeach_crime_trend_gadget.png" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5432757419396846402" /></a>This is time series data of crimes reported in Virginia Beach from 2007-2009. There are stories in this data. Perhaps some are significant. Perhaps many are not. <div><br /></div><div>We don't know because we don't consider the data in this way.</div><div><div><br /></div><div>What is that spike in 2007? If nothing else it is statistically unusual. But why? <div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_4I3iR6s_Psk/S2UI3UfoupI/AAAAAAAAJNI/RdtEE1IyAmE/s1600-h/vabeach_crime_trend_gadget_zoom1.png"></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_4I3iR6s_Psk/S2UI3UfoupI/AAAAAAAAJNI/RdtEE1IyAmE/s1600-h/vabeach_crime_trend_gadget_zoom1.png"></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_4I3iR6s_Psk/S2UI3UfoupI/AAAAAAAAJNI/RdtEE1IyAmE/s1600-h/vabeach_crime_trend_gadget_zoom1.png"></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_4I3iR6s_Psk/S2UI3UfoupI/AAAAAAAAJNI/RdtEE1IyAmE/s1600-h/vabeach_crime_trend_gadget_zoom1.png"><img style="float: right; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 173px; " src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_4I3iR6s_Psk/S2UI3UfoupI/AAAAAAAAJNI/RdtEE1IyAmE/s400/vabeach_crime_trend_gadget_zoom1.png" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5432758271979600530" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>What is the story behind the 247 crimes that were reported on this single day, June 1, 2007?</div><div><br /></div></div><div><br /></div><div>It doesn't look like there was a trending increase in reported crime.</div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_4I3iR6s_Psk/S2ULIwelFRI/AAAAAAAAJNU/ldLcgN5muHE/s1600-h/vabeach_crime_trend_gadget_zoom2.png"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 174px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_4I3iR6s_Psk/S2ULIwelFRI/AAAAAAAAJNU/ldLcgN5muHE/s400/vabeach_crime_trend_gadget_zoom2.png" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5432760770572391698" /></a></div><div>Still, what accounts for the difference between the low of 78 crimes on April 20, 2007? Should we just chalk it up to summer tourism?</div><div><br /></div><div>Is there nothing we can learn from this? Are there stories that might inform future generations?</div></div>Kevin Curryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11117910582029078325noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1154664265889512920.post-24847419951692104682010-01-30T07:29:00.000-08:002010-01-30T07:36:32.201-08:00My Initial Takeaways from City CampI posted this in a <a href="http://bit.ly/dlXyZA">comment thread in GovLoop</a>; copying here so it can be read without requiring a login:<br /><br /><table style="width:auto;"><tbody><tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/T5SG2lINgVw6JpO-rw7mIQ?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWMJlUrnYhgaQ_x2KIIk7XoNP1_Ks2Lswvwd0DTnw2FbKy01kvdMSz2EbE4EATwfQISyic0W-AKHRc1RYXePniBvOO3r62Dm0OOOEZh0dDyDd1as7i_UNPbfrvmGv3tENnW3ewCT7UZmI/s144/CityCamp512.png" /></a></td></tr></tbody></table>My biggest takeaways:<div><br />It's essential to get a good mix of perspective. We had civil servants, vendors, journalists, non-profits, and citizens. It would not have been as successful if it was gov-to-gov, vendor-to-vendor, or even gov-to-vendor.<br /><br />It's essential that the conversation not revolve entirely around tech and data. In 2010 we can assume that technology and data are involved. We're just scratching the surface on process. And the processes involved are not just about methods and means for collecting-publishing-visualizing data. Providing greater opportunities to get citizens' voices heard and to increase their engagement in civic duty is important.<br /><br />There is a new and important role for journalism: tell the stories behind the tech and the data. However, journalists may not have the education and knowledge to do this well. Interpreting stats is hard. I am excited to see Global Integrity stepping up to start a "help desk" specifically to work this problem. I think there is a new "extreme programming" model that papers could adopt; or perhaps to put it in terms papers already understand: pair your journalists up with data-viz-stats people like you pair them up with photographers.<br /><br />People want what City Camp provided. We are going to learn from it, refine it, and keep it going.<br /><br />Don't wait for me or Jen to keep City Camp going. Anyone can do this anywhere at anytime. Copy what works. Adapt for your local perspective. Just do it.</div>Kevin Curryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11117910582029078325noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1154664265889512920.post-36468071442651933552010-01-04T20:37:00.000-08:002010-01-04T20:52:31.416-08:00http://citycamp.eventbrite.com<p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Visits to </b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><a href="http://citycamp.eventbrite.com/">http://citycamp.eventbrite.com</a> </b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>as of January 4, 2010</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/67403355@N00/4247123098/" title="analytics_world by kmcurry, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4004/4247123098_f909b50e24.jpg" width="375" height="219" alt="analytics_world" /></a><br /></div><p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><b>World</b> </div><p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/67403355@N00/4247123024/" title="analytics_US by kmcurry, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2529/4247123024_3bd3ffca20.jpg" width="375" height="219" alt="analytics_US" /></a><br /></div><p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><b>U.S.</b></div><p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/67403355@N00/4246348695/" title="analytics_Canada by kmcurry, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4015/4246348695_a3445ae6b6.jpg" width="375" height="225" alt="analytics_Canada" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Canada</b></div><p></p>Kevin Curryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11117910582029078325noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1154664265889512920.post-31653807359451068702009-12-07T19:43:00.000-08:002009-12-07T19:47:03.320-08:00Army's milBlog Runs on Word Press<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-nOrmqu5Ytnh8EXDzfcFCCMxPgDk8-nlNfUWZeAQV-o06De_2Oclc40ChGHkx5S70PYPtif_D9Nn20UMNxS2sJ5-Vp3TtMp672WC37i9fuCYmFJrx0Wp-xUMPo7qyaz6dR1zCkLIkMDKZ/s1600-h/MilBlog_WordPress.bmp"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 374px; height: 295px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-nOrmqu5Ytnh8EXDzfcFCCMxPgDk8-nlNfUWZeAQV-o06De_2Oclc40ChGHkx5S70PYPtif_D9Nn20UMNxS2sJ5-Vp3TtMp672WC37i9fuCYmFJrx0Wp-xUMPo7qyaz6dR1zCkLIkMDKZ/s400/MilBlog_WordPress.bmp" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5412706013974619730" /></a>Word Press is awesome.Kevin Curryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11117910582029078325noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1154664265889512920.post-43043519444078937092009-11-23T20:29:00.000-08:002009-11-23T20:44:00.799-08:00Iconography ServiceA <a href="http://spreadsheets.google.com/pub?key=ty9DUkFgsVIsouCpwQAFGuA&gid=3">Web Service that returns a MILSTD 2525C icon</a> in PNG format given echelon (size) and proponent type (unit):<br /><br />For example:<br /><br /><a href="http://dev.bridgeborn.com/symbology/SymbologyHandler.ashx?unit=I&size=4">http://dev.bridgeborn.com/symbology/</a><div><a href="http://dev.bridgeborn.com/symbology/SymbologyHandler.ashx?unit=I&size=4">SymbologyHandler.ashx?unit=I&size=2</a><br /><a href="http://dev.bridgeborn.com/symbology/SymbologyHandler.ashx?unit=I&size=4"><img src="http://dev.bridgeborn.com/symbology/SymbologyHandler.ashx?unit=I&size=4" alt="Infantry Brigade" /></a><br /><br />This could easily be extended to include <a href="http://www.fgdc.gov/HSWG/index.html" title="DHS Emergency Symbology Reference">other iconography standards</a>.</div><div><br /></div><div>Code by <a href="http://twitter.com/shadyproject">@shadyproject</a></div>Kevin Curryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11117910582029078325noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1154664265889512920.post-71649810444586264762009-11-14T07:34:00.000-08:002009-12-03T11:39:17.596-08:00Wiktionary<span class="Apple-style-span" style=" white-space: pre-wrap; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><div><i>Update: 12.03.09 - It seems thefreedictionary.com is already providing most of what I'd like to see from a service: anyone can add (don't even have to auth), domain attributes, links to references, direct URL to entry: <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; "><a href="http://acronyms.thefreedictionary.com/" style="text-decoration: none;">http://acronyms.thefreedictionary.com/</a><i> There are some obvious difference in approach. I want to go further with URLs. I'd like to be able to point to a unique defintion via a path, ex., /wiktionary/FOO/1. I also want to do lookups in other dimensions, ex., return all terms from domain:X.</i></span></i></div><div><br /></div>The government is awash with acronyms. New acronyms are created daily. Acronyms create a barrier to understanding if they cannot be easily resolved, where easy = universal and universal = URL. There are many online dictionaries with entries that are found in Web searches. However, these return results only in highly formatted, not-well-formed HTML that is not always accessible through simple URLs. Furthermore, these dictionaries provide no way for the community to create and share new entries as they are needed. A simple solution to this is:</span></span><ol><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Use the </span></span><a href="http://aws.amazon.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">cloud</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> to store terms and definitions</span></span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Use Web services to return definitions through </span></span><a href="http://dev.os.bridgeborn.com/wiktionary/terms/URL"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">URL</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">s as </span></span><a href="http://dev.os.bridgeborn.com/wiktionary/terms/XML"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">XML</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">, </span></span><a href="http://dev.os.bridgeborn.com/wiktionary/terms/JSON"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">JSON</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">, and </span></span><a href="http://dev.os.bridgeborn.com/wiktionary/terms/XHTML"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">XHTML</span></span></a></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Provide a simple form that lets </span></span><a href="http://openid.net/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">registered</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> users add and edit terms</span></span></li></ol><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">We have created a proof of concept here using </span></span><a href="http://dev.os.bridgeborn.com/wiktionary/terms/XAMPP"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">XAMPP</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> and </span></span><a href="http://dev.os.bridgeborn.com/wiktionary/terms/AWS"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">AWS</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">:<br /></span></span><a href="http://dev.os.bridgeborn.com/wiktionary/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">http://dev.os.bridgeborn.com/wiktionary/</span></span></a></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">It's not perfect or even complete. For example, the </span></span><a href="http://validator.w3.org/check?uri=http://dev.os.bridgeborn.com/wiktionary/terms/XAMPP&charset=(detect+automatically)&doctype=Inline&group=0"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">XHTML returns errors from the W3C validator</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">. But I think this is a solid start and I'd like to open it up and see it go further. To that end, I </span></span><a href="http://www.sunlightlabs.com/ideas/22/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">submitted it as an idea for Sunlight Labs</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">. We'll see if it garners any votes of interest...</span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'Helvetica Neue';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div>Kevin Curryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11117910582029078325noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1154664265889512920.post-41683754871655632362009-11-07T13:45:00.000-08:002009-11-09T08:42:33.890-08:00Bad Practices of Linked Data<div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXcxTb3C5VM31e11_o8uRppuASzBCi-pztbR4mHyCiq7A9a5tBwnqzVXNuGE3d_CZ8tpFJJv39uJGKh60Nidx0BgAimlUSghpGc-cfYAAMiaDwPeRpDq4k_4E1JrKBBXtNwMBsbnk-fdCE/s1600-h/sf_ecomap.bmp"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 78px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXcxTb3C5VM31e11_o8uRppuASzBCi-pztbR4mHyCiq7A9a5tBwnqzVXNuGE3d_CZ8tpFJJv39uJGKh60Nidx0BgAimlUSghpGc-cfYAAMiaDwPeRpDq4k_4E1JrKBBXtNwMBsbnk-fdCE/s400/sf_ecomap.bmp" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401482224931417762" /></a><br />Urban EcoMap San Francisco is a great site that lets you explore emissions by zip code on a color-coded map:<div><br /><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKAsmwM56ddtiq31Kbeq2nwu33Y7kKaeoY8_UDWktA3KyFB1XNoHSujI7U0OkbhGWFdvZNARE2CrfCERrUiOQSCKRKorWaM3aOqv5bVzjMYHIwK_hds16pVdPSjycvv9HufnH6XRSvlmWM/s400/sf_ecomap2.bmp" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 369px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401482726496997202" /></div><div>Smartly, they also provide a "link" to download the data as comma-separated values.</div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_4I3iR6s_Psk/SvXqxH4F-xI/AAAAAAAAIzs/4t98Dd3p71o/s1600-h/flash_data_obfuscation.bmp" style="text-decoration: none;"><img style="text-align: center;float: left; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 233px; " src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_4I3iR6s_Psk/SvXqxH4F-xI/AAAAAAAAIzs/4t98Dd3p71o/s400/flash_data_obfuscation.bmp" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401481457749588754" /></a><br /></div><div><br /><br />Sadly, however, the link it not accessible!<br /><br />Where is the URL for this data? It's hidden behind a Flash control.<br /><div><img src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_4I3iR6s_Psk/SvXq4hQKoiI/AAAAAAAAIz0/JP0IwIEsu4c/s400/flash_data_obfuscation2.bmp" style="float:left; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 209px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401481584820527650" /><br /></div></div>Kevin Curryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11117910582029078325noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1154664265889512920.post-86655303473256078012009-10-25T08:30:00.000-07:002010-02-16T19:07:09.470-08:00Mashing up Virginia Beach Police Data with Google Docs<div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>Last Sunday, 10/18/2009, the editor of the neighborhood section of my local paper, The <a href="http://hamptonroads.com/pilotonline/">Virginian-Pilot</a>, said that he was looking for ways to improve how he reports crime data. At the same time, I know that neighborhood crime is a hot topic in our community league meetings, casual get-togethers, and email lists. <div><br /></div><div>Witness: hyperlocal supply and demand in Gov 2.0.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>In fact, there's <b><i>plenty </i></b>my local paper can do to improve the reporting of [crime] data in our city. In the printed edition of the neighborhood section they only print the police "blotter" from the previous week. Online they use Google maps to report crimes by location, but <a href="http://hamptonroads.com/newsdata/crime/virginia-beach/">interfaces are constrained and inconsistent</a>.</div><div><br /></div><div>What my paper should do to improve crime reporting is go to the source. </div><div><br /></div><div>The Virginia Beach Police Department publishes crime data on a city website. Here's the URL:</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><a href="http://www.vbgov.com/vgn.aspx?vgnextoid=8f770d066c0dd010VgnVCM1000006310640aRCRD&vgnextchannel=6a0a1c17717ec110VgnVCM100000190c640aRCRD&vgnextfmt=default">http://www.vbgov.com/vgn.aspx?vgnextoid=8f770d066c0dd010VgnVCM1000006310640aRCRD&vgnextchannel=</a></div><div><a href="http://www.vbgov.com/vgn.aspx?vgnextoid=8f770d066c0dd010VgnVCM1000006310640aRCRD&vgnextchannel=6a0a1c17717ec110VgnVCM100000190c640aRCRD&vgnextfmt=default">6a0a1c17717ec110VgnVCM100000190c640aRCRD&vgnextfmt=default</a></div><div><br /></div><div>Gnarly.</div><br />You can query for all crimes going back to January 1, 2006 (why only that far back?) up to the present day. <i>But you can look at exactly 15 results at a time</i>.<div><br /></div><div><br /><img src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_4I3iR6s_Psk/SupOd-omRYI/AAAAAAAAIzE/qaEPbICWRdU/s400/vbgov.com_crime_form.bmp" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 220px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5398213380293412226" /><div><br /></div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim6H4JHK145MZmK80vh4GzcglnwIMMnHIiRWUeioXXOJLG1Sbrgwa1BOmR4CNl6H5DNBvLlPIwynSsNHX65ISJSkNF9z0ASpi8xBQjg6_UUofgoSK0crxmUGXvkK0O-iwT6WsGnRctBZJl/s1600-h/vbgov.com_crime_result.bmp"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 168px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim6H4JHK145MZmK80vh4GzcglnwIMMnHIiRWUeioXXOJLG1Sbrgwa1BOmR4CNl6H5DNBvLlPIwynSsNHX65ISJSkNF9z0ASpi8xBQjg6_UUofgoSK0crxmUGXvkK0O-iwT6WsGnRctBZJl/s400/vbgov.com_crime_result.bmp" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5398213657533041442" /></a><br /></div><div><div>So what my local paper should do is appeal to the city to make [crime] data more accessible to everyone; where everyone includes The Virginian-Pilot. Short of that, the Pilot should take the energy it invests in supporting its Web presence and use it to scrape and publish city data. If only there were a "Machine Friendly" link next to the "Printer Friendly" link. (Both are designed to help people.)</div><div><p>Shortcomings notwithstanding, here's what Pilot <i><b>reporters </b></i>can do right now for free:</p><p>Compile and publish Google spreadsheets with charts:</p><p><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" white-space: pre; font-family:Arial;"><a href="http://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=0AtBw9czGJjSTdGZGVzh3MzdzWEQ1SzJ6NTJDbl9taHc&hl=en"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">http://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=0AtBw9czGJjSTdGZGVzh3MzdzWEQ1SzJ6NTJDbl9taHc</span></a></span></p><p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial;color:#000000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre; text-decoration: none; "><a href="http://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=0AtBw9czGJjSTdFdlaEEwT2Y1RGotdGNWU2w4WDh3Nnc&hl=en"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">http://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=0AtBw9czGJjSTdFdlaEEwT2Y1RGotdGNWU2w4WDh3Nnc</span></a></span></span></p><br /><p><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_4I3iR6s_Psk/SupY7RuNEcI/AAAAAAAAIzY/A4QB9mRVnHQ/s1600-h/accident_count_by_primary_street.png"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 200px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_4I3iR6s_Psk/SupY7RuNEcI/AAAAAAAAIzY/A4QB9mRVnHQ/s400/accident_count_by_primary_street.png" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5398224878749684162" /></a><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiK2lW_GEbXQCicO4Ym_l2EeY4zHInVXj4BR9OfmrEoezkoPevVvCn8RWzKLS_zQAJyGmPUKIk6_GNY6l6WtK9KTKSdF7WG8sKh7lMpPIoVZw_KyQSbOaJdf-vWvvV9tPHOtr5H58-aPRM/s1600-h/crime_count_by_neighborhood.png"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiK2lW_GEbXQCicO4Ym_l2EeY4zHInVXj4BR9OfmrEoezkoPevVvCn8RWzKLS_zQAJyGmPUKIk6_GNY6l6WtK9KTKSdF7WG8sKh7lMpPIoVZw_KyQSbOaJdf-vWvvV9tPHOtr5H58-aPRM/s400/crime_count_by_neighborhood.png" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5398225004394674594" /></a><br /></p><a name="update"></a><p>Wow, who knew that <b><i><strike>72% of all crime in Virginia Beach></strike></i></b> occurs at the Oceanfront?</p><p><i>Update: <b>HUGE, HUGE ERROR</b> in my reporting of this stat. The pie chart above <b>does not show all crime in Virginia Beach</b>. It shows <b>only the top 5 neighborhoods</b>.</i></p><p><i>This chart, below, is the correct chart. It shows that, while still a standout piece of the pie, <b>4%</b> of all crime happens at the Oceanfront.</i></p><p><a href="http://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=0AtBw9czGJjSTdHdXVFhNSlJCRm5xbjNGZkRkeVVoN1E&hl=en"><img width="400" height="300" src="http://spreadsheets.google.com/oimg?key=0AtBw9czGJjSTdHdXVFhNSlJCRm5xbjNGZkRkeVVoN1E&oid=4&v=1266375109532" /></a></p><p><i>I'm feeling really dense right now, but in a way I'm glad this happened. This is a perfect illustration of a fundamental in data viz (and reporting).</i></p></div></div></div>Kevin Curryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11117910582029078325noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1154664265889512920.post-53649637819427238722009-10-10T12:20:00.000-07:002009-10-29T20:15:12.460-07:00Ten Things My City Can Do to Improve Our Website<ol><li>Publish events in iCal format</li><li>Publish electronic police reports as XML</li><li>Publish 311 data (as XML)</li><li>Geocode public works projects</li><li>Implement short, guessable URLs</li><li>Use a free mapping service</li><li>Update the Transportation Data Management System</li><li>Add a "Web-Friendly" link next to "Printer-Friendly"</li><li>Create a data catalog</li><li>Get a .gov address</li></ol><div>Details to be added <a href="http://kevincurry.blogspot.com/2009/10/mashing-up-virginia-beach-police-data.html">here</a>...</div>Kevin Curryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11117910582029078325noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1154664265889512920.post-55709600554122258802009-09-30T12:41:00.001-07:002009-10-02T09:30:38.061-07:00Gov 2.0 DoersThere has been some criticism that Gov 2.0 is:<div><ol><li>Just another buzz word</li><li>Just people talking about stuff, no one doing stuff</li></ol><div>I disagree, certainly with the 2nd point. Most of the Gov 2.0 people I know and/or follow on Twitter are the <i>doers</i>. Here's a list of who some of them are, certainly not comprehensive, in no particular order:</div><div><ol><li>Brian Sobel, InnovationGeo, Are You Safe, iLive.at</li><li>Dmitry Kachaev, D.C. OCTO R&D</li><li>Philip Ashlock, Open Planning Project, Open 311</li><li>Josh Tauberer, GovTrack.us</li><li>Jim Gilliam, act.ly, GovLuv.org, TweetProgress.us, WhiteHouse2.org, and NationBuilder.com</li><li>Andrew Turner, GeoCommons, FortiusOne</li><li>Everyone at Sunlight Labs</li><li>Carl Malamud, public.resource.org</li><li>Jen Pahlka, Code for America</li><li>Leonard Lin, Code for America</li><li>Steve Ressler, GovLoop</li><li>Noel Hidalgo, New York State Office of the CIO</li><li>Raymond Yee, UC Berkeley</li><li>Peter Corbett, iStrategy Labs, Apps for Democracy</li><li>Kevin Merritt, Socrata.com</li><li>Hillary Hartley, NICUSA, Citizen Space</li><li>Guy Martin, Forge.mil</li><li>Silona Bonewald, League of Technical Voters, citability.org</li><li>Kevin Connor, LittleSis.org</li><li>Greg Elin, United Cerebral Palsy</li><li>Noel Dickover, DoD Office of the CIO, DoDTechipedia.mil</li><li>Jon Udell, Microsoft, ElmCity</li><li>Kim Patrick Kobza, Neighborhood America</li><li>Jay Nath, City of San Francisco</li><li>Wayne Moses Burke, Open Forum Foundation</li><li>Micah Sifry, Personal Democracy Forum</li><li>George Thomas, GSA</li><li>Alan Silberberg, You2Gov.org</li><li>Steve Lunceford, GovTwit.com</li><li>Joseph Porcelli, Neighbors for Neighbors</li><li>Luke Fretwell, GovFresh</li><li>Chris Rasmussen, Intellipedia, NGO</li><li>Pam Broviak, MuniGov 2.0</li><li>Bill Greeves, MuniGov 2.0, Roanoke County, VA</li><li>Jeff Levy, EPA Web Manager, Federal Web Managers Council</li><li>Adrian Holovaty, Everyblock, chicagocrime.org</li></ol><div>BTW, we need both "talkers" <i>and </i>"doers." Some people are both. Some people are connectors. Not everyone is an implementer. I tried to stick to implementers; to pick people who have projects and/or organizations dedicated to or related to Gov 2.0. There are some obvious names not on this list. That's probably because they are not implementers. Doesn't mean they're not important. If I missed someone you think should be on the list leave a comment. Be sure to tell me what project they're on. I certainly don't know everyone.</div></div><div><br /></div><div>I'll try to come back with links and pictures.</div></div>Kevin Curryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11117910582029078325noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1154664265889512920.post-29788096042808097922009-08-27T18:58:00.001-07:002009-08-27T19:14:12.535-07:00Views, Transformations, and Sources<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_4I3iR6s_Psk/Spc52h_zxmI/AAAAAAAAImQ/9XEYp49TcsY/s1600-h/view_xform_source.JPG"><br /><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 276px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_4I3iR6s_Psk/Spc52h_zxmI/AAAAAAAAImQ/9XEYp49TcsY/s400/view_xform_source.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5374828289291699810" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><b><i>Visualizations, like any research product, should contain bibliographic hyperlinks to sources and transformations. (Click to englarge.)</i></b></div>Kevin Curryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11117910582029078325noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1154664265889512920.post-85035692403191375722009-08-25T09:51:00.000-07:002009-08-26T10:46:29.717-07:00Why Gov 2.0 Matters To Me<div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><i>I posted this here last night but took it down because it felt too personal and too much about my story. The reason I wrote it this way is because I didn't want to presume why it should matter to other people, but rather describe why it matters to me and let others find commonality in it...or not. Tim O'Reilly just posed the question: "<a href="http://radar.oreilly.com/2009/08/what-does-government-20-mean-to-you.html">What does Gov 2.0 mean to me?</a>" I think he may be asking a slightly different question (definition vs. motivation), but given that I decided to put this back out there.</i></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Friends and family have been asking me why I'm into Gov 2.0 and what I get out of it. I'm going to attempt to answer these questions for them and for me here in this post.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">For me, Gov 2.0 is personal. I can't answer the question without relating it to my own story:</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">I was born on October 14, 1970 at </span></span><a href="http://www-nmcp.med.navy.mil/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Portsmouth Naval Hospital</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> in </span></span><a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=portsmouth,+va&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=35.957999,70.576172&ie=UTF8&z=11&iwloc=A"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Portsmouth, Virginia</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">. My father was stationed at </span></span><a href="http://www.cnic.navy.mil/Oceana/index.htm"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Naval Air Station Oceana</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> in </span></span><a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=virginia+beach,+va&sll=36.83503,-76.312844&sspn=0.284125,0.551376&ie=UTF8&z=10&iwloc=A"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Virginia Beach</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">. From where I sit writing this, Oceana is not more than a quarter of a mile away (as the jets/crows fly). </span></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidQqYgbr24MHK7ZPf40IDh3nDagstDGhm4y8sVROVOTPfAVTpZl-9zHyqBY2LMdV29B1G43bOKSulrCUSLwaYfULD9bHLMz5GKpbMU3ZuoogJY2FSfOkrgurvTEKXVLNogoPNn-_VNeV99/s400/latitude_loc.bmp" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 336px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5374005679794250050" /><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">My mother was a teacher in the </span></span><a href="http://www.vbschools.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Virginia Beach Public Schools</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> system. I grew up in that school system and my daughter is in it now, 5th grade. I have not always lived here. I spent about 10 years in the </span></span><a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=new+river+valley&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=35.957999,70.576172&ie=UTF8&hq=new+river+valley+loc:&split=1&z=9"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">New River Valley</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> of southwest Virginia for college, work, and graduate school. I did not intend to come back to Virginia Beach after grad school. In 1999 I was graduating with a Master of Science in Computer Science and Applications degree from </span></span><a href="http://www.vt.edu/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Virginia Tech</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">. It was decent ticket to anywhere and I was looking west to San Antonio, San Francisco, and Redmond. But events unfolded and I transitioned from a part-time graduate research assistant at Virginia Tech to a full-time Research Associate at </span></span><a href="http://www.researchfoundation.odu.edu/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Old Dominion University Research Foundation</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">, in Norfolk, VA. Fast-forward to today, in the late summer of 2009, and I'm right back where I started. I think my internal magnets have this lat/lon set as my home base.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">I'm not at ODU anymore. Today I'm a government contractor at </span></span><a href="http://www.bridgeborn.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">a company I co-founded</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">. Mostly I am a Defense contractor. I didn't set out to be that either. In fact, I was explicitly trying to avoid it. I don't want to get into all of the reasons why. It's far too complicated for anyone but me to understand and I'm not even sure I do. At risk of abusing a metaphor, suffice it to say that my internal magnets draw me to other things. But I have grown and learned as Defense contractor. I have banished narrow prejudices and have adopted new world views. I have also rekindled something in me that was instilled at a very early age by my parents: </span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">the importance of public service</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">. </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">I can still see my dad standing in our driveway at my childhood home, as I would have looked up to him, telling me about public service. I remember he tended to talk specifically about civil service. Though he was in the Navy he didn't necessarily talk about military service. Grandma Curry worked for the </span></span><a href="http://www.cbp.gov/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">U.S. Customs Service</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> and I know my dad admired that. Dad also talked a lot about how involved Grandpa Curry was with </span></span><a href="http://www.miamidade.gov/parks/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Miami-Dade Parks & Recreation</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">, in </span></span><a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?q=miami,+fl&ie=UTF8&split=0&gl=us&ei=5VOUSqTeIYHZlAfR0omgDA&t=p&z=11&iwloc=A"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Miami, FL</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">I've rarely shied away from taking initiative where I see something needs to be done and participation in organizations comes naturally to me. I've ignored the call to service once or twice. After 17 years growing up a Navy brat, the effects of having a parent coming and going every 6-8 months, and lacking any of my own life direction, I steered away from ROTC and a long term commitment to a military career. I could have gone into civil service, I suppose, but another thing about my internal composition: I'm an entrepreneur and I don't care much for layered, abstract bureaucracy. I'm not so much into rising up through the ranks as making my own way. It's not that rising up through the ranks is bad. It's highly admirable, in fact. It's just not me. For me, patience is a trained virtue. If there's one thing I've learned as a government contractor is that working either with or for government requires intense patience.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">So here I am. I'm a </span></span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Generation_X"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Generation Xer</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">. I have not served in the military or civil service. I am easily frustrated by government process. Yet, I have an intense inclination toward public service. How do those add up? What can I do to serve government? </span></span></b><i><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">(I think this is a question lots of people like me are asking themselves.)</span></span></b></i></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">I think today the answers are non-traditional.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">I am active in the </span></span><a href="http://www.vapta.org/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">PTA</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> for my daughter's school. I try to remain active with our Community League. For the past two years I've organized our neighborhood's participation in </span></span><a href="http://www.cbf.org/clean"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Clean the Bay Day</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">. Before then our neighborhood didn't participate in CTBD. Of course, these aren't government activities. I think they help government activities, though, and that's significant.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">For me, Gov 2.0 represents a near-perfect fit with my personality, direction, and goals. I feel like it was made just for me or that I was made just to live at this time. I really do.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">There is and will continue to be no shortage of debate about what Gov 2.0 is, exactly. In fact, during the second week of September there is a "summit" in Washington D.C. dedicated to the topic. Is it tech? Does it include non tech? How does it work? Who can participate? I'm not sure framing it is as important as learning to recognize it from multiple perspectives and acting. I tend to take a literal interpretation. For me, that means there is a distinct connection between Gov 2.0 and </span></span><a href="http://oreilly.com/web2/archive/what-is-web-20.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Web 2.0</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">. Therefore, for me, Gov 2.0 tends to be significantly Web/tech enabled. But as someone experienced in working for government, I know that tech requires policy and that both are intended to work for people.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">This year I attended three important "unconferences" for Gov 2.0 movement: </span></span><a href="http://transparencycamp.org/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Transparency Camp</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> East, </span></span><a href="http://gov20camp.eventbrite.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Gov 2.0 Camp</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> East, and Transparency Camp West. I will be at the </span></span><a href="http://www.gov2summit.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Gov 2.0 Summit</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> in a couple of weeks and at </span></span><a href="http://www.gov2expo.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Gov 2.0 Expo</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> next Spring. What most interests me is how I can use Gov 2.0 techniques to improve the way my city functions. I am interested also in how my customers will respond to Gov 2.0 and how I can apply it to their needs, but my motive is not winning more contracts. Sure, some will say that if they think it's what other people want to hear. Let there be no doubt that I want my business to succeed and I want to prosper from it. But I'm willing to take it on faith that both things will happen if I just keep following my passion and don't resist the pull of my internal magnets. I just want to "</span></span><a href="http://radar.oreilly.com/2009/01/work-on-stuff-that-matters-fir.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">work on stuff that matters.</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">" </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Increasingly, I want to work on stuff that matters here in Virginia Beach and in my region. But I also want to work on stuff that matters for my state, our nation, and our world. I am particularly drawn toward applications in education, where I see a growing gap between public and private education that is not just affecting the fringes, but is squarely squeezing out the middle and making our nation "dumber" as a whole. I see Gov 2.0 as a means for correcting this troublesome situation. (In general, I think Gov 2.0 can be particularly effective in areas that lack models, process, and funding.)</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Early next year I hope to be kicking off the inaugural CityCamp, along with </span></span><a href="http://twitter.com/pahlkadot"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Jen Pahlka</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> from Tech Web. Our goal is to start an unconference around the theme "Gov 2.0 goes local." Jen also has another project in the works that is very much in line with this theme. It's called Code for America and it's modeled after the successful </span></span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teach_For_America"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Teach for America</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> program. I look forward to seeing that take shape.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">So, this is about the examples set by my parents (and their parents) and the lessons they taught me. It's about wanting to be a part of the solution in my community and my school system; not just a sideline complainer. It's about recognizing that I have something to offer that government needs. This is my opportunity to serve. This is why Gov 2.0 matters to me. </span></span></div><div><br /></div>Kevin Curryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11117910582029078325noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1154664265889512920.post-5007432226951890432009-08-14T18:00:00.000-07:002009-08-15T20:38:22.807-07:00U.S. Code as Linked Data<div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Recently the </span><a href="http://uscode.house.gov/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Office of the Law Revision Council</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> released a </span><a href="http://www.house.gov/cao-opp/PDFSolicitations/OPR09000754-LRC.pdf"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">request for proposal (RFP) to upgrade their website</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">.</span></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" font-style: italic; font-weight: bold; font-family:Verdana;"><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">"The Office of the Law Revision Counsel prepares and publishes the United States Code, which is a consolidation and codification by subject matter of the general and permanent laws of the United States."</span></span></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">We responded to that RFP. We = </span><a href="http://www.bridgeborn.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Bridgeborn, Inc</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">, and </span><a href="http://businessbullpen.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Business Bullpen, LLC</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">.</span></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; "><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">The Law Revision Council's recognition that the online home of the United States Code needs upgrading translates into a wonderful opportunity for the LRC, our companies, and the American People. This is much more than an opportunity to redesign web pages for an online presence. </span></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; "><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; "></span><span style="font-weight: normal; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;">This is an opportunity to publish the U.S. Code as <a href="http://www.w3.org/DesignIssues/LinkedData.html">linked data</a>.</span><span style="font-style: normal; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;"> </span></span></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; "><span style="font-weight: normal; "><span style="font-style: normal; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Linked data is important for the U.S. Code because it will make the Code more searchable, navigable, and usable by orders of magnitude. Linked data will also increase accessibility and lower costs of integration by making it easier for more consumers to treat the information according to their needs and possible constraints.</span></span></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; "><span style="font-weight: normal; "><span style="font-style: normal; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Sites exist already to provide the U.S. Code through styled web pages. The</span><a href="http://www.law.cornell.edu/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> Legal Information Institute of the Cornell University Law School</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">, for example, publishes <span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-size:16px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">a </span><a href="http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">searchable HTML index of the U.S. Code</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">. This version, however, is </span><a href="http://validator.w3.org/check?uri=http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/html/uscode01/usc_sec_01_00000001----000-.html&charset=(detect+automatically)&doctype=Inline&group=0"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">not well-formed</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">, linked data. These sites also omit important text included in the official record published by the LRC, such as the <a href="http://uscode.house.gov/codification/legislation.shtml">Positive Law Codification</a> actions that have been taken. These sites play an important roll is the dissemination of U.S. Code, so it is our hope that this effort will also make the U.S. Code more accessible and usable for consumers like Cornell's LII.</span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">The LRC Web site isn't too bad really. Essentially what it needs is a global site navigation scheme, search on every page, and a good Cascading Style Sheet. There are features that could be added, such as public request for comments with voting. But the most important thing anyone can do with this site is</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;">Tag the</span></span></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;"> Code.</span></span></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">For example, the following text:</span></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'Courier New';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">-CITE-</span></span></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; "><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; "><span style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span style="font-family:Courier New;"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">THE ORGANIC LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA</span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; "><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; "><span style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span style="font-family:Courier New;"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">-End-</span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; "><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; "><span style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span style="font-family:Courier New;"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">-CITE- </span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; "><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; "><span style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span style="font-family:Courier New;"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> USC THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE - 1776 01/03/2007 </span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; "><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; "><span style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span style="font-family:Courier New;"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> -EXPCITE- </span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; "><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; "><span style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span style="font-family:Courier New;"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE - 1776 </span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; "><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; "><span style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span style="font-family:Courier New;"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> -HEAD-</span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; "><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; "><span style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span style="font-family:Courier New;"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE - 1776 </span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; "><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; "><span style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span style="font-family:Courier New;"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> -MISC1- </span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; "><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; "><span style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span style="font-family:Courier New;"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE - 1776 (!1) IN CONGRESS, JULY 4, 1776 THE UNANIMOUS DECLARATION OF THE THIRTEEN UNITED STATES OF AMERICA</span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'Courier New';"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; "><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> ...<br /></span></span></span></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; "><span style="font-weight: normal; "><span style="font-style: normal; "><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Could become:</span></span></span></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;"><img src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_4I3iR6s_Psk/SoYcvgLscJI/AAAAAAAAIiM/AHH365RGk54/s400/LRC_XML.bmp" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 213px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5370011208104308882" /></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">From here, there is nowhere we can't go with the Code. We can put put it in any container, we can transform it into any view, we can access it from any device. Given tagged, well-formed, linked data, we can <i>address every element of U.S. Code from a standard Internet URL</i>.</span></span></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;">While tagging the code with XML may not fully constitute linked data, it is a big step in the right direction. Decorating the those tags with RDF is easily accomplished. </span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:100%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;font-size:13px;">There is no point in enumerating the potential applications of an endeavor such as this. They are infinite.</span></span></div></span>Kevin Curryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11117910582029078325noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1154664265889512920.post-53552480083106640772009-07-29T21:16:00.000-07:002009-08-11T13:41:14.185-07:00Visualizing Army with Flare<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_4I3iR6s_Psk/Sn5o-xecBaI/AAAAAAAAIgo/ah-YFGDg338/s1600-h/Org_TOEs_Near.bmp"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 241px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_4I3iR6s_Psk/Sn5o-xecBaI/AAAAAAAAIgo/ah-YFGDg338/s400/Org_TOEs_Near.bmp" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5367843233514390946" /></a><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><img src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_4I3iR6s_Psk/Sn5oRcNp1BI/AAAAAAAAIgY/ZcO6r-IBVnw/s400/CADIE_ExecHB_MedCo_Org_Far.bmp" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 320px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5367842454712734738" /><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpgmP8KHVOleyXhNxa8TqG4o67nLUWTGSsd0IGLePM6CqTKOaFZIY4fZ-LwldxqIwbrT7nwWctdzSSFwRaWl5yVVzehuMeRrCFvF0HbjGDc8DUv1JBgk-lqkCKvleJnwmcKJYgPiMmaSaj/s400/CADIE_ExecHB_MedCo_Org_Near.bmp" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 320px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5367842675091149298" /><img src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_4I3iR6s_Psk/SnEfHG9a41I/AAAAAAAAIdQ/oJtzx3tkqQQ/s400/Flare_OV6c_far.bmp" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 250px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5364102838162744146" /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlkEb7ZfFZJngapJ5Dehesxf3kZLksDtsQ7ZzeriORFrRzuIJNAi1KLmLsSYMsK6yxZKy8tERl46-b9n2erH5OTS1iY77cU-vwswT-HX5jrAlo-E9tayIPP7wBvwgjBVlReRqOahfq_Zhr/s1600-h/Flare_OV6c_tooltip.bmp" style="text-decoration: none;"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 239px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlkEb7ZfFZJngapJ5Dehesxf3kZLksDtsQ7ZzeriORFrRzuIJNAi1KLmLsSYMsK6yxZKy8tERl46-b9n2erH5OTS1iY77cU-vwswT-HX5jrAlo-E9tayIPP7wBvwgjBVlReRqOahfq_Zhr/s400/Flare_OV6c_tooltip.bmp" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5364102933212344370" /></a><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9FRz-THYb9a7SRb_iUNW3gEYJmG-8y2qCsbcsGOQr4gMWAMDIl8_NUuEaxx3iLYXByOMkt14j4goNxJmNq_Ar_sV-J1yr70uBYXAyOF8puEtUWvOdogXkKcYAPhOY3hyphenhyphen7PznvQKEg-p5M/s400/Flare_OV3_far.bmp" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 250px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5364102474007873362" /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrHLugdvAKo7zhRIoVnVriVYhtHI_fVm3Fsu1UEdkJckbnsOgMCFw9_aO3pyuyj5MgF_HtBsT-ki2UFH4OIKy4pWX59-4OXDdNpus4Jf9gi9TPsg-X7oxhnB7UpwwmLm0wHowVMGNTkEE6/s1600-h/Flare_OV3_near.bmp"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 250px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrHLugdvAKo7zhRIoVnVriVYhtHI_fVm3Fsu1UEdkJckbnsOgMCFw9_aO3pyuyj5MgF_HtBsT-ki2UFH4OIKy4pWX59-4OXDdNpus4Jf9gi9TPsg-X7oxhnB7UpwwmLm0wHowVMGNTkEE6/s400/Flare_OV3_near.bmp" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5364102646568780066" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>Kevin Curryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11117910582029078325noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1154664265889512920.post-67799416339768569582009-06-12T08:38:00.000-07:002009-06-12T09:47:44.030-07:00The Mr. Miyagi School of Software EngineeringThis is a re-post from a <a href="http://slashdot.org/~prestidigital/journal/64640">journal entry I originally wrote</a> over on Slashdot in 2004. I've made some minor changes and updates for this entry.<div><br /></div><div>Background: This was an concept born out of necessity about 5 years ago. I needed a way to train someone with very little experience to work with <a href="http://dev.bridgeborn.com/Bridgeborn/download.asp">Bridgeworks</a> but I couldn't afford to spend hours and hours of my own time working with him; too many of my own responsibilities and deliverables. It was very successful and now he is our best Bridgeworks app developer. Fast-forward to today when I'm interviewing CS students from a local university for a summer internship. This is a (well) paid position for which I need someone with decent coding skills who is a self-starter. Unfortunately none of my candidates have any practical skills whatsoever. (I don't know what the universities are teaching, but it's not what we need in industry.) With these candidates it would be like starting from square one. Obviously I'm not going to pay what I'm willing to pay for people who don't have the quals. I am willing to train such a person as an unpaid intern, but that is not without its catches. I still don't have the time to spend hours and hours with these folks. Furthermore, ethically, unpaid internships are intended for the sole benefit of the student. My company should not benefit in any way from the labor of unpaid interns. Practically speaking, though, you can't train someone without giving them tasks. Re-enter the Mr. Miyagi School of Software Engineering.<br /><div><br /></div><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Lessons on how to train a junior programmer:</span><br /><p><br />Let's call him Danielsan.<br /></p><p><br />Mr. Miyagi was a very wise and clever sensei. His methodology, loosely translated, is perfect for any small software company that is bringing new developers into the system. The reason Mr. Miyagi's method works so well is because it provides intense, immersive exposure to the most important lessons while demanding relatively few additional resources from the instructor(s). Think about it. While Danielsan was busy painting the fence and sanding the deck, Mr. Miyagi was out having the time of his life!<br /></p><p><br />The length of each lesson is to be determined on a case by case basis.<br /></p><p><br /><b><u>Lesson 1: Write SDK Documentation</u></b><br /></p><p><br />Even the best developers can be notorious for not adequately commenting their code. Good documentation of an software includes both programmer's notes and comments for automated documentation (e.g., doxygen). This oft neglected task is perfect for Danielsan. An excellent way for him to learn the software from a developer's perspective is to write the documentation that explains how it all works.<br /></p><p><br />Listen carefully when Danielsan asks questions about the existing code base. Discourage him from asking too many questions, except regarding complex concepts. It is important that Danielsan develop his own understanding of algorithms, relationships, dependencies, etc.<br /></p><p><br /><b><u>Lesson 2: Build Company Demos</u></b><br /></p><p><br />Documenting the code shows Danielsan how the software developer sees things. Danielsan also needs to see the software from users' perspectives. "Users" include programmers who develop applications <i>from</i> the software and end users of the applications that are developed. Ideally, these would be two separate lessons. Knowing that time and money are always issues, these lessons can be condensed into one by having Danielsan build the company demos.<br /></p><p><br />Architects and senior engineers <i>loathe</i> building company demos. While they are often happy to write test apps for in-house use, company demos bring with them a mountain of maintenance headaches and customer support issues. Whether or not your company is big enough to have it's own department(s) for maintenance and support, it's worth putting Danielsan to work on company demos so he can get his hands a little dirty and see first hand the challenges facing maintenance and support team(s).<br /></p><p><br /><b><u>Lesson 3: Clean House</u></b><br /></p><p><br />Many companies have coding standards that must be followed by all code writers. These standards help everyone to write clean, consistent code that everyone can understand. Unless you work at a sterlized laboratory, it's a safe bet that your house <i>always</i> needs cleaning. A great way for Danielsan to learn this important lesson and also develop habits that are consistent with the team is to set him to work checking for adherence to company coding standards, leaks, potential security issues and the like. It's also a convenient way for you to get your code checked by a fresh pair of eyes.<br /></p><p><br /><b><u>The Successful Sensei</u></b><br /></p><p><br />The successful sensei will know that these lessons are not opportunities for him to relax his own standards or to set Danielsan to work unguided. The successful sensei practices what he preaches. He knows which lessons Danielson must learn on his own and which require guidance. Naturally, Danielsan may occasionally bemoan his instruction. Perhaps he will consider that his training is too rote or mundane. Since you can't just throw a bunch of karate maneuvers in his face to show him what he's learned, it's important to sometimes let Danielsan work on things he finds interesting and fun. Ask him to write stand-alone utility apps that your company might need. Give Danielsan isolated new tasks within the SDK, perhaps something that requires he work with others to design interface requirements, resource requirements, etc.<br /></p><p><br /><b>to be cont'd.</b><br /></p><p><br /><b>Axiom 1:</b> Tooltips are better left on.<br /></p><p><br />If you leave your tooltips on, chances are better that you will learn something new each time you use your application(s). For Danielsan, tooltips are especially useful when they instruct him about fundamental principles of programming, those that transcend applications.<br /><br /><br /><i>Axiom 1a:</i> Some tooltips are better than others.<br /></p><div><br /></div></div>Kevin Curryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11117910582029078325noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1154664265889512920.post-20323832801482433262009-05-18T20:17:00.000-07:002009-05-19T12:13:06.509-07:00On Ambient VisualizationI want visualization to be less a part of a specific application that I go to and to be more of a natural extension to the computer itself, available from everywhere. I want visualization to an <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><a href="http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ambient">ambient</a> </span>experience. When I encounter <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">any table of data in any document container </span>I'd like to be able to quickly view it as a column chart without starting up a chart<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">-making</span> or data processing <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">application</span>, without shuffling around through copy & paste. I just want to select rows and columns an pop a "window" with a chart in it in one easy step. If I can recognize with my eyes that a table contains place names or lat/lon pairs then a computer ought to be able to map it with minimal intervention on the part of the user. I should also be able to put my selected, obviously geospatial data on a virtual Earth model. With just a little more imagination I can see turning lists and tables into nodes and edges, viewable with graph layouts. Think <a href="http://humanized.com/">Enso</a> for visualization. I might want to do more than just look at my chart, map/Earth model, and graph. I might want to start to interact with these views (assume independently for now). It starts to seem like I need an application to do that, but I'm not ready to jump the gun. This is still in the realm of a <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">capability</span> and not necessarily an application. Applications start to assume containers and domain-specific use cases. Most visualization techniques have standard, "off-the-shelf" things you can do with them given basic commands or input devices. Charts can be sorted and transformed into different layouts. One can pan, zoom, and rotate maps and terrain. The technique of "drill-down" and "roll-up", which can be applied to any visualization technique, is nothing more than navigation of linked data at multiple levels of detail and sometimes across multiple view contexts. At what point do is a specialized application needed more than a capability? We may be overly conditioned to assume the application model when we think of software as having utility. This is changing rapidly on the web. (It was always thus on the Unix command line, yes?) Visualization ought to change with it. Leave the application building up to subject matter experts with an application domain, not to software programmers. Ah but wait, lest too much be read into a passing editorial remark. Obviously software programmers play a key role here. The tendency among programmers who attempt to answer that call is to build an "application building framework." Again, the assumption is that subject-matter experts always need an app to make use of viz. I wonder why visualization software shouldn't be a part of an operating system; a core capability for any application or purpose. There have been wonderful advances made through web browser extensions, but even here visualization is at best an after thought applied to a mostly universal application. (I say "mostly" b/c there are no less than 3 different web browsers installed on my one operating system.) What happens when someone emails me some data in a flat file that I open in a text editor? Instead what is need are document object models for visualization techniques and runtime software that can parse viz documents on the fly. The runtime is optimized for robust interaction and attribute manipulation of high level visual artifacts, not application-specific tasks. This runtime can be invoked from a background process or "embedded" (contained in, called from) an application runtime. Devices having different display and user interfaces can choose how to represent what are otherwise well understood visual metaphors. Data can be more easily passed around <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">and visualized</span> simply by passing text documents describing interactive, dynamically updatable (or not) views. (This seems inherently more secure, too.) Only this way is ambient visualization possible; something that is available everywhere on my computer, no matter what kind of computer/device/hardware platform I am using.Kevin Curryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11117910582029078325noreply@blogger.com0