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To: Jaime Carbonell <jgc@nl.cs.cmu.edu>, "'Charles Wayne'" <clwayne@snap.org>
From: "Strzalkowski, Tomek (CRD)" <strzalkowski@exc01crdge.crd.ge.com>
Subject: RE: TOPIC LIST 3
Date: Mon, 18 May 1998 07:57:31 -0400
Yes, I think these are good.
---- Tomek
> ----------
> From: Charles Wayne[SMTP:clwayne@snap.org]
> Sent: Sunday, May 17, 1998 9:37 PM
> To: Jaime Carbonell
> Cc: tdt-distrib@ldc.upenn.edu
> Subject: Re: TOPIC LIST 3
>
> 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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Last updated Wed Sep 9 09:40:49 1998