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To: Jaime Carbonell <jgc@nl.cs.cmu.edu>
From: Charles Wayne <clwayne@snap.org>
Subject: Re: TOPIC LIST 3
Date: Sun, 17 May 1998 21:37:57 -0400 (EDT)
Excellent points! What do others think?
On Sun, 17 May 1998, Jaime Carbonell wrote:
>
> TDTers,
> Here are a some additional comments -- I only include the events
> where I had something to add. The most significant refinements were
> already suggested by Charles. The general principle should be to
> be inclusinve, to encompass the seminal event and not just one aspect
> or consequence thereof. A "seminal event," however, should not be
> so inclusive as to reach back into its underluing causes in remote history.
> (E.g. A filler piece on the dangers of sailing and the bravery of sailors
> centuries ago, should not be judged part of the discovery of LaSalle's
> wreckage event.)
>
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> > 39. India Elections
> >
> > Seminal Event:
> > WHAT: India's Parliamentary Elections
> > WHERE: India
> > WHEN: First Week in March 1998
> >
> > RELATED ARTICLE SUMMARY: Again, the seminal event is identified in
> > this article. India held Parliamentary elections in early
> > March, but early indications were that there would continue to be a
> > Hung Parliament governing the Country.
> >
> > RELATED RULE OF INTERPRETATION # 1: According to this rule, at least
> > stories about voter issues, campaigns or candidates and
> > election results are all on topic. If any issues arise directly from
> > the elections (i.e. a protest against winning candidates) those would
> > also be related to the topic.
> >
> > Article: PRI19980303.2000.0432
>
> I would explicitly rule-in actual or speculated outcomes of the election.
>
>
> > 42. Asteroid Coming??
> >
> > Seminal Event:
> > WHAT: A mile-wide Asteroid discovered headed toward Earth
> > WHERE: Outer Space!
> > WHEN: 3/98 (early in March)
> >
> > RELATED ARTICLE SUMMARY: Scientists released the news that in fact,
> > the asteroid would pass us by. It is expected in about 30
> > years, but it is not expected to hit us.
> >
> > RELATED RULE OF INTERPRETATION # 7: The stories about the discovery
> > AND the follow up are all topic related. Any stories about
> > the technology used to track the asteroid, or the folks who did the
> > tracking would be on topic.
> >
> > Article: CNN19980312.2130.0300
>
>
> Charles> Does the asteriod have a name? Who raised the alarm?
>
> I would also think the "never mind" stories that follow should be
> integrally part of this topic.
>
>
> > 44. Tobacco Company settlement
> >
> > Seminal Event:
> > WHAT: Congressional Proposal for Tobacco Co. Settlement
> > WHERE: n/a
> > WHEN: Early Spring 1998
> >
> > RELATED ARTICLE SUMMARY: This article discusses R.J. Reynolds' denial
> > that they would pull out of the settlement proceedings.
> > The denial was published 4/2/98
> >
> > RELATED RULE OF INTERPRETATION #3: Stories relevant to this legal proceeding include the documentation indicating that
> > tobacco companies were aware of the dangers of smoking, the various
> > iterations of the settlement before it went before the court,
> > stories about the companies involved in the settlement and any
> > ramifications of the final court decision.
> >
> > Article: PRI19980402.2000.0144
>
>
> Charles> There are a number of Congressional proposals floating around.
> Charles> The best solution might be to define the topic as the activity
> Charles> of devising a national settlement (which began when the state
> Charles> attorneys general reached their settlement).
>
> This one will be difficult. How about States lawsuits and their
> settlements (as in Minnesota recently)? How about the Clinton
> administration's proposed cigarette tax hike? How about criticism
> of the proposed settlement? How about US budgetary impact of the
> payout from the settlement? How about flusing Joe Camel adds (and
> other specific provision of the settlement)? I think this is the
> single most difficult event to deliniate. We need some systematic
> reponses to my questions, such as "Include them all."
>
>
>
> > 48. Jonesboro shooting
> >
> > Seminal Event:
> > WHAT: A 11 year old and a 13 year old shot 3 classmates and a teacher
> > WHERE: Jonesboro, AR at the school
> > WHEN: 3/24/98
> >
> > RELATED ARTICLE SUMMARY: This is the seminal event. The two boys
> > pulled a fire alarm and as students were leaving the school
> > they fired guns into the crowd. The boys were heavily armed with guns
> > they had stolen from the older one's grandfather. They were
> > arrested.
> >
> > RELATED RULE OF INTERPRETATION #3: The shooting at the school, the
> > arrest of the boys, the investigation, and the trial and
> > sentencing will all be topic relevant. So will discussions about
> > trying these boys as minors or not, the decision about whether or not
> > to try for the death penalty and the struggle around the fact that
> > the alleged murderers are so young.
> >
> > Article: ABC19980324.1830.0103
>
> What to do with editorials or political speeches on gun control that make
> reference to Jonesboro but are not about the shooting? I would say
> label as "brief" even if they dedicate slightly over 10% to this
> event.
>
>
>
> > 52. Strike in Germany
> >
> > Seminal Event:
> > WHAT: Tens of thousands of public employees go on strike
> > WHERE: All over Germany
> > WHEN: Started 3/2/98
> >
> > RELATED ARTICLE SUMMARY: Germany's public employees are striking as a
> > warning designed to put pressure on the government
> > for higher wages and job security. The strike coincides with public
> > employee contract negotiations.
> >
> > RELATED RULE OF INTERPRETATION #6: Although not quite ongoing
> > violence, this disruption to Germany's infrastructure is
> > comparable. The topic would expand to include at least stories about
> > the strikers, negotiations to get them back to work, the impact
> > on German citizens, any retaliatory actions.
> >
> > Article: VOA19980303.2100.1124
>
>
> Charles> It might be helpful to annotators to know both the start and the end
> Charles> date of the strike.
>
> The interpretation rule is muddy. Leave out ref to vilolence (it's a red
> herring). I would include stories on the causes of the strike too.
>
>
>
> > 56. James Earl Ray Case
> >
> > Seminal Event:
> > WHAT: Martin Luther King's murder, Ray's arrest
> > WHERE: Nashville, TN
> > WHEN: MLK was killed April 4, 1968.
> >
> > RELATED ARTICLE SUMMARY: On Marcy 18, 1998 Ray's lawyer announced
> > that he will not pursue a new trial in the case. Ray is
> > suffering from liver disease and could not take part in a new
> > trial. He is in critical condition in a Nashville prison.
> >
> > RELATED RULE OF INTERPRETATION #3: Stories about MLK's family
> > requesting a new trial, stories about Ray's input from prison,
> > stories about Ray's death (which happens in April) are all on topic
> > according to this rule.
> >
> > Article: VOA0318.2300.1376
>
> We need a decision here. Should the seminal event be Ray's arrest 30 years
> ago, or the more recent mistrail/new-trial activity? I would vote for
> the latter. Then, be inclusive of King's family's involvement, Ray's
> health and death, etc. etc. Otherwise it is just not temporally
> confined -- and we would need to include article's on clearly
> unrelated topics such as Andrew Young's career turns (they were
> significantly shaped by King's death) and all kinds of diverse branching
> consequences that developed over the past 30 years -- an impossible
> task for humans or machines at this juncture.
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
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