Buzztracker

May 17, 2005 11:13 PM

Buzztracker : world news, mapped. That's pretty cool. [via]
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken (24 comments total)

this is pretty sweet, thanks stavros
posted by puke & cry at 11:16 PM on May 17, 2005

The choice of the link names is amusing. Go back one day and then you'll find a link to what the world map will like tomorrow.

'yesterday' and 'tomorrow' have pretty precise meanings in the world. Perhaps 'previous day' and 'next day' might be beter.
posted by sien at 11:18 PM on May 17, 2005

Perhaps it's just my current state, but that actually quickened my pulse and shortened my breath.
posted by sourwookie at 11:28 PM on May 17, 2005

If you like Buzztracker, you might like newsmap, too.
posted by Gordon Smith at 11:29 PM on May 17, 2005

I've seen newsmap before and I like it, just as I like Buzztracker but isn't a news system that tracks the biggest stories kind of redundant?

Though the SARS triangle thing on Buzztracker was cool.
posted by fenriq at 11:32 PM on May 17, 2005

I've visited this site a few times, and it seems like the mapping links are always the same (Brussels, London, New York).

I am sure it is valuable, and while I hesitate to say it, I don't quite get it.
posted by gnash at 11:41 PM on May 17, 2005

fenriq, If all you are looking for is the biggest stories right now, then I agree, but newsmap serves more functions than that. For example, you can compare the biggest stories in various countries (right now the biggest business story in the U.S. is about the effect of the wine case from the Supreme Court, while most other countries are focused on Yukos.) It also gives you foreign language headlines and you can sort by category. It also has an archives, so you can check how things have been changing. It is a great time sink.
posted by Gordon Smith at 11:47 PM on May 17, 2005

Thanks for the extra info, Gordon. I'll have to give it another try.
posted by fenriq at 11:52 PM on May 17, 2005

Regina? What's happening there?
posted by noius at 12:08 AM on May 18, 2005

Gordon Smith writes "(right now the biggest business story in the U.S. is about the effect of the wine case from the Supreme Court, while most other countries are focused on Yukos.)"

I think that says an awful lot about the news priorities of the USA compared to the rest of the world...
posted by salmacis at 12:27 AM on May 18, 2005

salmacis, In fairness, that is a big case for US vineyards and wine drinkers, but had no relevance outside the US. Also, Yukos was the second largest story here, so it isn't as if we are ignoring it. But yes, that was my point, that newsmap can show how the information we receive is different from what others are getting.
posted by Gordon Smith at 12:37 AM on May 18, 2005

Its quite interesting to see the number of papers using the same AP pieces.

On a side note, one thing that often pisses me off when an arguement arises about a news item is a tendency for people to shoot the messenger (ie the liberal/conservative leaning of what ever publication a piece appears in).

Perhaps a tool such as this will inspire people to look around for world views on an issue.
posted by davehat at 1:44 AM on May 18, 2005

noius: The Queen's arriving.
posted by obloquy at 2:28 AM on May 18, 2005

So in a sense, Baghdad is now the capital city of planet Earth.

Interesting stav. Thanks for the link.
posted by crasspastor at 2:43 AM on May 18, 2005

Bloody hell, the RSS feed is pretty amazing. Plus, it's a convenient way to backup the data, locally.

Nice link.
posted by gsb at 3:20 AM on May 18, 2005

[this is good]
posted by dg at 3:57 AM on May 18, 2005

It's fascinating that the only articles on the Darfur peace talks are generated out of malaysia, qatar and china.

Fabulous link. Thanks, Stavros.
posted by tidecat at 5:57 AM on May 18, 2005

If they could develop a kind of weighting system to remove the bias of the predominancy of English-language interests, then it might be a useful tool for assessing where critical events are occurring in the world. Every day Washington and London are going to be hotspots even if there is a breaking war in Africa.
posted by dances_with_sneetches at 6:18 AM on May 18, 2005

Man, this is great!
I've been needing a buzztracker 'cause every time I get high I always forget where I left it!

But seriously, thanks stavros.
posted by nofundy at 6:19 AM on May 18, 2005

It also gives you foreign language headlines

I'm not seeing these. Where should I be looking?

(Great post, by the way.)
posted by languagehat at 7:26 AM on May 18, 2005

languagehat, The foreign language headlines are on newsmap, not Buzztracker. Once you launch it, you can click on Deutschland, Italia, Espana, or France.
posted by Gordon Smith at 8:50 AM on May 18, 2005

Recent News
G'morning Metafilter. ;-)
May 18th

Good Morning to you too, Buzztracker.
posted by sciurus at 10:24 AM on May 18, 2005

Not to be confused with Buzz Tracker.
posted by cmicali at 11:06 AM on May 18, 2005

If you like that, check out EOGEO.
posted by foraneagle2 at 11:16 AM on May 19, 2005