#7 Technology - intersect me!

I misread the instructions for this week. I thought I had to add a blog about technology that intersects me, not interests me. hmmm....technology that intersects me could have been an easier topic too!!

what really interests me at the moment is whether natural language searching will ever be sophisticated and reliable enough to replace controlled vocabularies. Pretty nerdy, hey? Stick with me though...

Geeks around the world are currently working on programming computers to construct meaningful subject headings, keywords, terms that describe text as well as humans could. Sounds futuristic? Well, yes it was in the sixties when this all began. Sound scary? Well, why not have machines do the grunt work and let the librarians advance to a higher level of duty.

So instead of humans adding say, terms from a thesaurus, to a full text record in a database a computer program will 'read' a journal article and apply terms to it that it 'thinks' are descriptive of the important concepts covered.

When the database is searched, the user inputs in their search terms in natural language! the computer (or possibly cylons by then) interprets the natural language, searches the database for terms that match and feeds them back to the user. it's like google, only better, more accurate, more ontologically sound, you know.

This way people don't need to remember subject headings, thesaurus terms, synyonyms, homographs, etc.

Is that technological enough for you? yeah, web2.0 is fun and all but it still feels like play not work. i'm still waiting for the day that google goes live with intelligence.

Flickr #5 roostering away

cock
Originally uploaded by pozzle

This is a rooster I met at Hanging Rock winery. It was very obnoxious, which is what you really need in a rooster. It came right into the tasting room and stood there as though demanding its glass of Reisling (it's a well known fact that rooster hate Chardonnay, they have quite good palates).

Anyway, eventually the owner told Mr Rooster he should leave and set the blue heeler onto him. Mr Bluey edged cautiously toward Mr Rooster and there looked like there was going to be a fight. But luckily Mr Rooster plipp plopped off (in that chicken way) to ber-gerk at his hens.

what did you have for lunch?

Contrary to some recently published books I do care what you had for lunch. And don't just say sandwiches. I want details, people! what kind of bread, what filling? oh, why didn't I think of that.

because the universe hath bestowed allergies/intolerances upon me i can't eat regular lunches and i am so jealous of the regular sandwich eaters.

i have salads, nuts, mexican (more on that problem later), cheese (is that really a meal i hear you ask?...answers yes BTW) or fish.

and you lucky geezers pop out your multigrain-breaded sangers with all sorts of goodness squished in between. it nearly makes me insane!

now the problem with mexican is that i just can't get enough. i don't think my mother would agree that something with chips in it is really a dinner (or breakfast or lunch for THAT matter). however, it's the whole package, possums, that i love. the crunchiness, the cheeseyness, the guacamole, salsa, beans (frijoles for those taking advanced mexican). i think one day someone will invent one of those weird lollies that will taste just like nachos. pop it in your mouth and you'll have the multilayered mesmerising mexican magnificance. oh i can hardly wait for that day.

there are two kinds of people....

i'm a cat person, let's get that straight from the beginning. i tried to like dogs by tolerating
my friend's new puppy. damn thing ripped a whole in my skirt, yep, favourite skirt. in trying
to be a nice guest at her dinner party i felt set upon by her dog. the smelly thing (dog) kept
jumping up on me, trying to scratch my stockings (on purpose i'm sure), bumping into me so
rudely, and getting stood on when i couldn't possible move in any other direction and then
yelping so loudly that everyone thought i was a bully.

damn muttified drama queenie, attention seeker!

so, despite the scratches, bite marks, cat hair on clothes i am and will probably always be
a cat person. i am currently sporting a scratch on my NOSE, yes NOSE, that my feline freaky
funster thought would suit me.


if you are happy with my decision, we can move on together. otherwise, depart here dog lovers!