IronSheep 2012: Team Rambouillet and the Flashy, Blingy Map

Continuing our series of posts from the participants in Iron Sheep 2012 (see maps by Team Lamb Chops here and Team Lamb Kebab here), we present the work of Team Rambouillet. Sadly, we don't actually have the flashy, blingy map to present, just a picture of Jim presenting it.

--------------------------------------------

Team Rambouillet focused (for lack of a better description of our laser like intensity) on crafting a fun and flashy presentation of the data. We were all intrigued by the UFO sighting maps (because aliens are cool) and our professional talents lent themselves to 3D presentations and animations.

Working in pairs, two members focused on finding and processing data, while the other two worked on animation and presentation of the data. The result was an animated zoom onto a kernel density map with an embedded multimedia video. Sadly it really wasn't an answer on how to save the world (as we did not have time for much serious analysis) but it was flashy (dare I say Bling?) and silly which were the goals we had for the time limit. And we had a lot of fun doing it.

Jim Thatcher presenting the Flashy Flash Map

Team Rambouillet: Janine Glathar, Stéphane Roche, Jim Thatcher, Sarah Williams

Sheep Camp 2012: Reminder to Complete Interest Survey

We're still working on finalizing the dates for this summer's Sheep Camp. If you are interested in attending, please fill out this expression of interest so we can gauge possible attendance, best dates and target our small pot of travel funds.

Do it today!!!

****** Overview *****

Building upon the discussion held at the IronSheep wrap-up session at this year's AAG, we are planning to hold a workshop (or SheepCamp) in Lexington, KY on June 1-3 or 15-17. The goal is to develop and work on a research agenda focused on critical analysis of big user-generated datasets.

Details are still in development but we've figured out the following thusfar:

Datasets

Attendees will collaborate using datasets such as:

• All geo-coded Twitter tweets from December 1, 2011 to the present;
• All geo-coded Flickr photos; and
• A measure of geo-coded material indexed by Google Maps for a range of keywords worldwide.

At this time, we are not asking people to contribute their own sets of of data although that is certainly possible.

To develop better understandings of the strengths and weaknesses of specific data sets their will be a series of pre-conference chats and brainstorming sessions with an eye towards drafting specific research questions so the camp can hit the ground running.

Events at SheepCamp

• A series of lightning talks by participants (an informal research talk of approximately 10 minutes held at a local pub, research does not need to be finalized or formalized);
• Skill exchanges sessions by participants on specific techniques or ideas;
• A group challenge project;
• Discussions on how to theorize the geoweb; and
• Maybe even a keynote or two (or maybe we'll just visit a bourbon distillery).

Facilities/Accommodations/Food/Drink

We are still exploring the options on this one BUT as this is a camp, this is very much "sleeping bag on floor" territory. We think it helps set this event apart from the normal conference thing and plus it really helps with cost.

We will provide food and non-alcoholic drinks[1].

Travel (and Money for students)

Folks should plan on making their own travel arrangements and if you choose to fly we strongly encourage you to use Lexington's airport rather than Louisville or Cincinnati (which are both about 90 mins away).

We do have a limited pot of money to help with travel and we'd like to maximize it. Please do let us know if you'd like help getting here, especially if you are a student. We hope that there might be some car pooling opportunities as well for those on the East Coast.

----------------

[1] After all, we ain't stupid.

Augmented Realities and Uneven Geographies: Exploring the Geo-linguistic Contours of the Web

Mark and Matt have just had a paper accepted to Environment and Planning A (Augmented Realities and Uneven Geographies: Exploring the Geo-linguistic Contours of the Web). The paper is concerned with the ways in which augmented inclusions and exclusions, visiblilities and invisibilities will shape the way that places become defined, imagined, and experienced.





The maps above are all taken from an earlier draft of the paper. They visualise the layers of information indexed by Google and segment the data by language in order to map some of the geo-linguistic contours of the Web. Have a glance through the paper, and let us know if you have any comments or questions. The publication date of the full paper should be some time in early 2013.

IronSheep 2012: Team Lamb Kebab's Lunchpocalypse

Team Lamb Kebab is the proud winner of the Worst Map (but in a good way) - "Sheep Happens" trophy at Iron Sheep 2012. They likely could have swept all the awards, except for the fact that they actually took the stopping time seriously (unlike certain teams we could mention) and as a result didn't fine tune their maps - especially the online and interactive one. It was the event's loss, but on the plus side, Team Lamb Kebab ended up with more pizza.

Luckily we now have the opportunity to set things right by posting both the static and web versions of the maps.

=================================

The humans are gone. Long past is the zombie apocalypse. No human brains remain for feasting. So what is a hungry zombie to do but seek out sheep brains, according to the dietary preferences they might have once held as a living hipster in Williamsburg? Lunchtime finds discerning zombies wandering the five boroughs in search of organic sheep brains...

The Lunchpocalypse tool is meant to aid the enterprising zombie restaurateur in locating and exploiting key demographic clusters of organic-preferring zombie consumers. Simply plug in a NYC address, and you'll be able to see what the local preference is, leveraging a geodemographic segmentation analysis of the frequency of internet searches of the words "zombie" and "organic". Maximize your zombie profit and shuffle along with your organic herd to where the customers are! Because the dead are damn hungry!"

Click here for a truly amazing interactive map for the zombie on the hunt for lunch.

(green indicates the likely location of organic sheep brains)

Team Lamb Kebab: Craig Dalton, Jason Farman, Bill Morris, Eric Wolf

Geographies of the World's Knowledge E-book Now Available for Tablets

Our booklet, "Geographies of the World's Knowledge", is now available for iPads from Apple's iTunes store. The publication is free and is optimized for tablet viewing (we've included lots of cool interactive features). If you have a tablet, I highly recommend you check it out!

If you don't, you can always download our PDF version in both English and German. Let me know if you have any questions/suggestions.

Sheep Camp 2012: This June in Lexington, KY

Building upon the discussion held at the IronSheep wrap-up session at this year's AAG, we are planning to hold a workshop (or SheepCamp) in Lexington, KY on June 1-3 or 15-17. The goal is to develop and work on a research agenda focused on critical analysis of big user-generated datasets.

If you are interested in attending, please fill out this expression of interest so we can gauge possible attendance, best dates and target our small pot of travel funds.

Details are still in development but we've figured out the following thusfar:

Datasets

Attendees will collaborate using datasets such as:

• All geo-coded Twitter tweets from December 1, 2011 to the present;
• All geo-coded Flickr photos; and
• A measure of geo-coded material indexed by Google Maps for a range of keywords worldwide.

At this time, we are not asking people to contribute their own sets of of data although that is certainly possible.

To develop better understandings of the strengths and weaknesses of specific data sets their will be a series of pre-conference chats and brainstorming sessions with an eye towards drafting specific research questions so the camp can hit the ground running.

Events at SheepCamp

• A series of lightning talks by participants (an informal research talk of approximately 10 minutes held at a local pub, research does not need to be finalized or formalized);
• Skill exchanges sessions by participants on specific techniques or ideas;
• A group challenge project;
• Discussions on how to theorize the geoweb; and
• Maybe even a keynote or two (or maybe we'll just visit a bourbon distillery).

Facilities/Accommodations/Food/Drink

We are still exploring the options on this one BUT as this is a camp, this is very much "sleeping bag on floor" territory. We think it helps set this event apart from the normal conference thing and plus it really helps with cost.

We will provide food and non-alcoholic drinks[1].

Travel (and Money for students)

Folks should plan on making their own travel arrangements and if you choose to fly we strongly encourage you to use Lexington's airport rather than Louisville or Cincinnati (which are both about 90 mins away).

We do have a limited pot of money to help with travel and we'd like to maximize it. Please do let us know if you'd like help getting here, especially if you are a student. We hope that there might be some car pooling opportunities as well for those on the East Coast.

----------------

[1] After all, we ain't stupid.

Slides from Floatingsheep Talks at the AAG

We've posted the talks (or, more accurately, the Powerpoint slides) of the FloatingSheep collective presented at the 2012 NYC AAG below. Many of them are image rich and text poor, so please contact the presenter if you have any questions.

The Technology of Religion: Mapping Religious Cyberscapes

And, as always, you can download the full version of this paper from the journal's website if you have access, or get a prepublication version of this paper directly from us.

Gendering the GeoWeb: Analysing demographic difference in user generated geographic information

Augmented realities and uneven geographies: exploring the geolinguistic contours of the Web

Please get in touch with Mark if you'd like a pre-publication version of this paper. It will be appearing in Environment and Planning A.

Volunteered Geographic Information: Does it have a future?

Gazing on the High Line Park: The production and consumption of tourist place

Debriefing Iron Sheep