2 3 live&learn&rejoice: 2012

May 26, 2012

Data mining, text mining, topic modeling

From today's NY Times - http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/05/29/of-monsters-men-and-topic-modeling/


"Topic modeling is a probabilistic, statistical method that can uncover themes and categories in amounts of text so large that they cannot be read by any individual human being."  Applying topic modeling techniques to newspaper articles published from 1861 through 1864 in the Richmond Daily Dispatch, a study undertaken by the DIgital Scholarship Lab at the University of Richmond shows a close association between anti-northern diatribes and patriotism and poetry articles.


"We see the steady rise of patriotic poetry and vitriolic attacks during the secession crisis and the early months of the war. Later we see the sharp jump following the implementation of the draft in April 1862. And we see the last gasp of Confederate patriotism and nationalism at the very end of the war, as Southerners made one final attempt to rally the troops and salvage their cause."

What a way to celebrate the 4th of July

Sonya Thomas - Women's Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest - 40 hot dogs (with buns) in 10 minutes (7/4/11) [second place was far off the pace - only 28 dogs and buns]

Inspired by that impressive feat (and my own, in comparison paltry, but trying to set an individual record, eating) I decided to look into other world class eaters ....

Sonya Thomas again!! - Armour Vienna Sausage - 8.31 lbs sausage in 10 minutes (5/28/05)

Joey Chestnut - Asparagus - 9 lbs, 5.2 oz deep fried asparagus spears in 10 minutes (4/16/11)

Don Lerman - Baked beans - 6 lbs in 1 minute, 48 seconds

Dominic Cardo - Beef tongue - 3 lbs, 3 oz pickled beef tongue in 12 minutes

Don Lerman again!! - Butter - 7 quarter pound sticks, salted butter in 5 minutes

Sonya Thomas again!!!!! - Cheesecake - 11 lbs in 9 minutes (9/26/04)

Takeru Kobayashi - Cow brains - 17.7 lbs (or 57 cow's brains) in 15 minutes

All this and more at http://www.ifoce.com/records.php (Major League Eating), with photos of many of the champions at http://www.ifoce.com/rankings.php

dulle griet

& you thought you had a bad week
bruegel, 1562