News about the flu epidemic bracing the United States and the world was much in the news this past weekend. As in the past Google.org tracks the geographic extent and intensity by the number of certain search terms that is captures from users of Google Search. Generally, Google.org spots trends on a nationwide or regionwide basis (see Figure 1 below). Google.org has also released an experimental map of trends by selected cities for the U.S. (See Figure 2 below).
Figure 1
Figure 2
by Joe Francica on 01/14 at 08:19 AM |
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This is perhaps another way to explain the power of social media. Location technology does not seem to have played a bit role.
Natalie from New Haven, CT, lost her right hand mitten. After looking for it to no avail she posted it to SeeClickFix (the "report an issue in your city" app). A day later the mitten was found and contact made and the two mittens were reunited in a local coffee shop.
As Ben Berkowitz (CEO, founder) notes on the SeeClickFix blog, this is a cheery story, but reinforces how communities can work together to solve problems. It also highlights to me that many other technologies could have stood in for SeeClickFix in this case. In particular, I'm thinking of Twitter, with a city or neighborhood hashtag. I would hope those who follow that sort of hashtag would have the same civimindedness as a SeeClickFixer.
- SeeClickFix Blog via @timoreilly
by Adena Schutzberg on 01/14 at 04:24 AM |
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All Points Blog covered the map's publication last year and Directions Magazine hosts a podcast on the decision to publish.
The latest:
NYS Senator David Carlucci (D) Calling on the Journal News to Remove their Map
- Rockland County Times
The Affiliated Police Association (an umbrella organization for 53 law enforcement groups in the region) said in a news release last Friday it would hold the paper resposible for any crimes against its members and ask the paper to take down the map. The Police Conference of New York will block further sharing of permit data and ask the paper to remove the map. A press conference is set for Tuesday.
- Bedford Daily Voice
New York State Senator Greg Ball has stated that a buglary this weekend that attempted to steal guns from a safe from a man noted on the map is directly related to the maps's publication. No news outlet has yet made that connection.
- NY Magazine
The New York Times David Carr weighs in on how journalist decide to make data public, as the LoHud Journal did. He asks: " By dropping the records into the maelstrom of a mass shooting, was The Journal News merely putting data-driven link bait out there?"
- NY Times
by Adena Schutzberg on 01/14 at 04:17 AM |
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by Adena Schutzberg on 01/14 at 04:03 AM |
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