Emotion Mining on the Web

Reader Susan writes:

There is a great TED Talk from Jonathan Harris. (I’ve been crazy about TED Talk videos for the last six months.  There are so many smart people out there!)  Anyway, Jonathan Harris has a fascinating talk about his data mining (or should I say “emotion mining”) of the web.  He even shows the data on maps! Is this the first GIS of the world’s emotion from the web?

Did I miss this somehow on APB?  If not, you may want to share this with other readers.

Modeling in Wired

Wired explains how the Bureau of Reclamation (corrected from “Land Management” per comment) is using HEC-RAS and ArcGIS to model what will happen when the dammed Ventura River becomes “undammed.” Lots of nice graphics, too.

Google Earth Use in Alabama Wins Google Award

Update 7/18/07: At least one county hasn’t used Virtual Alabama; it uses Pictometry instead.

- Times-Journal

—-original article 7/13/07—-

The Alabama Department of Homeland Security was presented the Google Enterprise Superstar Award for its Virtual Alabama program. The app, which the department pays for and makes available for free to counties (apparently $150,000 for the license), uses Google Earth to identify locations for emergency first-responders. Apparently, this is the first time Google’s given the award to a government agency.

Why give the award? “Mike Bradshaw, head of Google Federal Enterprise, said Alabama’s use of Google Earth should be a model for other government agencies. “

- Birmingham Business Journal

Oracle, Intergraph to go shopping for engineering firm?

Earlier this week one of the CAD blogs noted that Oracle might be a suitor for engineering technology company Aveva. Today, CNN Money notes that Ingergraph might be a potential suitor, too. Who is Aveva? “The world’s leading engineering software provider, whose vision and commitment have completely redefined the plant, power and marine industries.” One other possible suitor, which strangely is not at the top of any lists is Autodesk’s, Aveva’s closest partner.

Back in the day Oracle and Intergraph were both identified as companies who might acquire smaller key geospatial companies, but to date, that’s not occurred.

New Locations for Ads

Shaan Hurley over at Between the Lines (an AutoCAD blog) notes he found actual ads in the lines that separate the spaces in a parking lot. They were for car insurance in the case he notes.  I confess that I wouldn’t expect to look at the lines with such intensity to see such an ad, but I suppose advertisers are looking for new locations all the time.