@mhsutton

heart.head.work.life

Year: 2013

  • Why Sentiment Analysis is Promising But Currently A Waste of Time.

    I love you even though you beat me.

    Even though you don’t love me.

    Even though you shout at and deride my efforts.

    Even when you disagree with my existence.

    Even when you vilify me for the air that I breathe.

    I cherish you despite the cruel words with which you punish me.

    You cherish my destruction even when I detest that smallest of inconveniences to you.

    Even when the only thing that would satisfy you would be my death.

    My cruel killing at the hands of the most vicious destroyer.

    What do you think the above is about. Is it overwhelmingly negative or inherently positive?  What is its sentiment?

    Here is what one of the ‘leading sentiment analysis’ tools determined it was about:

    I had need to explore where Sentiment Analysis is today because I might have a future need to harness its ‘power’.  Well I was fairly disappointed.

    Scientists (in this case computer ones) will have you believe that sentiment analysis is so advanced and mature as to be reliable. Bullshit.

    They call it ‘Sentiment Analysis’ and this projects an illusion of precision, reliability and worse still they sell it as something you should base decisions on.

    It is no more than word counting and weighting.
    Fortunately it is simply a case of mislabelling. This is not ‘Sentiment Analysis’ it is Content Analysis. No more than looking in a basket of citrus fruits and counting lemons vs oranges vs limes. The trouble is when they sell it as a indication that the farmer has kidney stones!

    Sentiments deal with the emotional message the content is trying to communicate. Businesses deal with the emotive state of their customers and any indication of how a customer feels might provide competitve advantage and an opportunity to profit (in goodwill or stone cold cash).

    I say that Sentiment Analysis is promising because I believe that machines can learn to determine the emotional meaning of any content, but if this is the current approach then I fear that we are a long ways off.

    Currently the best way I know to understand sentiment is to have a conversation, to listen and be reasonably educated enough to understand what your co-communicators’ needs are. To look beyond the words used (they may be the wrong ones).  I wish that more businesses recognised this and invested accordingly instead of wasting time, energy and money on something that promises so much and delivers so little.

    BTW – using the same engine, this article scored -.107 and could be about renewable energy, hardware, technology or investing. Ouch!

  • El Castillo del Salobreña.

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    The old finally invaded by the new, which becomes old only to be reinvaded. And so it goes.

  • Beach Huts. Salobreña, Andalusia.

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    We went in search of ice cream as the wind blew and waves crashed. Across from the ‘Tres Hermanos’ bar was this beautifully contrasting structure with such striking colours.

  • A Nugget of Delight and Hope for the UK

    There is plenty to be cynical in the UK about these days, but during a recent trip (and farewell tour through my old neighbourhood) I found an unexpected nugget of delight that fills me with hope for the future of government engagement in the UK.

    Broken Toys and a Note

    I used to live in Tamworth, Staffordshire – famous for pigs and the Robert Peel (founder of the modern British police force ‘The Bobbies’).  It is also famous for a castle that marks the seat of the Mercian kings.  Today there is a play area in the Castle grounds that delights modern little princes and princesses alike.

    As I wondered through the Castle ground play area with my sons on Friday 04/Jan/2013 – I noticed an area of cordoned off fencing around some play equipment that had been removed.  I knew this equipment, it was in the under fives area and was one of those round-about installations where people get on, and someone pushes really fast and everyone feels queasy with possible projectile vomiting 😉

    Now it was gone. In its place was this note, attached to the fencing.

     

    This note delighted me so deeply I thought I might share it with you. It says to me that all is not lost within the heart of the State.

    I really think that this approach/idea is brilliant and its originator ( Peter Watkins – the person listed on the email  or whoever ) should be commended.  It seems like a genuine interest in trying to engage with their actual users – being humorous,  speaking directly to the children who will use the equipment and offering them simple and descriptive choices of what they prefer.  It demonstrates putting children first and being prepared to listen. Something, sadly, we are seeing less and less of with the UK government.

    The area is under the administration of Tamworth Borough Council and I sincerely hope that this is only one example of delightful engagement and interaction with the population of Tamworth.  I would love to hear of more.

    Help Me Amplify Goodness

    Hey, if you think this is a step in the right direction, please would you consider to do me a favour – tweet about this or perhaps say ‘Hello’ to Peter Watkins at the address above and let him know that you think this is a great idea.  I believe that those of us who work for a world with less distance between people must encourage the behaviour we want to see in this world and not let goodness go unacknowledged.  It doesn’t matter whether you are in the UK or not nor that you think they are just doing their job (in fact I think it matters most!)

    What do you think?  Have you seen simple acts of delight that you would like to share – I would love to hear them.

     

     

  • #ReceiveTheGift Recipients Notification

    First An Apology

    Just before Christmas I made an offer to 15 people to receive a gift of a message contained inside a book. I had promised to pick those 15 from the respondents and let them know by the January 01 2013. I’m sorry I was didn’t do this as planned.

    Actually I did pick the recipients at the time , but didn’t do the notifications. Many apologies for this.

     

    Who Gets the Book.

    20 people responded to my offer and to pick the 15 at random,  I used the traditional ‘name in a hat’ method – photos of names and hat coming soon!

    Here are the twitter profiles of the people that will receive my gift:

    @alipanick
    @mabsky
    @DavidAHood
    @zurcherart
    @RoueMothbard
    @woodyzuill
    @alanr100
    @berinder
    @PaulKuijten
    @kenrickchien
    @joe_jag
    @Bendre
    @ckeithray
    @KishenPanday
    @ddreptate

    What Happens Next

    Over the next few days I will request shipping addresses from the recipients and complete the orders on Amazon the most affordable way that also is reasonably quick (3-5 days may) – after all you committed to read this in January!

     

    How About The Folk Who Were Not Picked?

    I am sorry I could not offer this pick to everyone, I really wish I could.  Here is what may happen…

    • They are really inspired to buy a copy anyway.
    • They go on the ‘next up’ list and when I do this again, they will get a copy by default.
    • They get gifted a copy by a recipient.
    • Something else I haven’t thought about.

  • Almost All Five Fingered

    wpid-5fingerswolrd.jpgA year ago I got my first pair of Vibram Five Fingers. Today I have 4.

    They have replaced almost all my shoes, as you can see the Converse All Star HiTops are still hanging in there – but not for too long.

    Vibram Five Fingers are, without a doubt, the most comfortable footwear I have ever worn – by a long way.  I don’t intend to wear any other type of footwear (aside fromflip flops on the beach).

    I’ve worn them to work, conferences,  a wedding (but not yet to a funeral). I have a pair that are extra thermal for the winter months too. Some days I have them onand forget about them until bed time!