Mark Turner

Launch of TV News Search & Borrow with 350,000 Broadcasts | Internet Archive Blogs


For a while now I’ve wanted to build a search engine that would index TV shows by the shows’ closed-captioning transcript. Now I don’t have to, because the Internet Archive (www.archive.org) has built it for me!

The Internet Archives TV News Search & Borrow is amazing! It’s a catalog of news video which is searchable by keyword. Now anyone can do the video research that the wizards to on shows like The Daily Show do, right from their own desks. Obama made a speech about indefinite detention? Find it in seconds. Want to see Romney mixing up Randy Owens of Alabama with Lynard Skynard? A few clicks and it’s in front of you.

Give it a try and see for yourselves. It’s addicting.

Today the Internet Archive launches TV News Search & Borrow. This service is designed to help engaged citizens better understand the issues and candidates in the 2012 U.S. elections by allowing them to search closed captioning transcripts to borrow relevant television news programs.

The Internet Archive works to preserve the published works of humankind. Inspired by Vanderbilt University’s Television News Archive project, the Internet Archive collects and preserves television news. Like library collections of books and newspapers, this accessible archive of TV news enables anyone to reference and compare statements from this influential medium.

via Launch of TV News Search & Borrow with 350,000 Broadcasts | Internet Archive Blogs.

Taking to the stage?

One of the many things on my bucket list is to play a role in a musical. A friend let me know about upcoming auditions for Theatre in the Park’s production of A Christmas Carol. With encouragement from Kelly, yesterday I made an appointment to audition for a spot in the ensemble.

My last audition was over 25 years ago, at South Mecklenburg High School for a role in the musical South Pacific. I think I did well because there was discussion about me playing the lead role of Lieutenant Cable. Ultimately I opted not to be in the play because drama was the realm of my brother, Allen, and I didn’t want to crowd him. Probably more accurate, though, was that I was still extremely shy and had little self-confidence.

The kids were excited when I mentioned the play and now they want to audition, too! Picking out good audition songs for them is proving to be difficult but they sure have no problem performing before crowds.

While Kelly is sitting this one out, she has enthusiastically agreed to join the kids and I as we reprise our roles as zombies for the Haunted Mordecai trolley ride again this year. Boo!

MiniVAN and canvassing

I did a little canvassing today on behalf of Obama. When I was handed the usual walk lists for the work, I remarked that the campaign has a smartphone app for this kind of thing, called MiniVAN. In a few minutes, the canvassers had downloaded their walk lists to their phones and were ready to canvass. I was amazed at how much more efficient this app made canvassing.
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Chief Dolan retiring

The first time I met retiring Chief Harry Dolan was the night of December 4th, 2007. The 32nd Raleigh City Council had just been sworn in at Memorial Auditorium and a young Travis and I were there. After the short ceremony, we both wandered through the hall only to come across a police officer as friendly as he was tall. Dolan warmly introduced himself to me and to Travis, kneeling down to talk to my son at his level.

Those two minutes told me all I needed to know about Raleigh’s new police chief: Dolan was going to engage the public, and kids mean a lot to him.
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Neighborhood Exchange and horse show

I woke up early this morning to attend the 9th annual Raleigh Neighborhood Exchange, where I was a speaker. My topic was “How to Build Healthy Neighborhoods” and, unlike last year, I was flying solo for this presentation. Going in, I had little to no idea what I would be speaking about but I think I managed to weave my insights together in a coherent manner.

After giving the presentation twice, I attended the keynote speech that Chief Harry Dolan gave, where once again he provided me with the title of a leadership book I should read. It was nice to say hello to him again and to meet so many interesting fellow citizens.

After the Exchange was over, I met the family at home again where we all relaxed a bit at home. I left with the kids for a trip to Habitat’s ReUse store to buy any outdoor ceiling fans they might have had. It was two minutes before they closed but we still managed to bring one home.
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