Category: Burningbird

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Burningbird

Merge complete

As you can see by several new items, the merge of the two weblogs has been completed.

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Burningbird

Well, hmmmm

As you may have noticed, when I did an export of Practical RDF into MT format, and then tried to re-import into WordPress, the import did not succeed. I had backed up the database, so was able to recover to the point of the attempt.

I swear this is one aspect of Wordform that is going to be given lots of attention: the ability to merge weblogs, split categories out into separate weblogs, to post to multiple weblogs at one time, and to be able to move from, and to, other weblogging tools.

Moving between tools or even moving between weblogs in a tool, has been problematical in every weblogging tool I know. Yet weblog users need to be able to have the flexibility of switching tools – tool lock-in is not acceptable.

And I agree with those who I did disagree with recently when I last discussed this–the Movable Type export format is not workable. It’s too fragile, and breaks too easily. But syndication formats have a bunch of crap that data exports and imports don’t need.

What we need is a new XML format for exporting and importing data. Not an RDF/XML format – this would be a waste of RDF. But not a syndication format either, which is finetuned to a different need. A new one, just for the data management, sophisticated enough to handle each tool’s unique needs, and which we can easily incorporate into each tool using whatever template technology the tools support.

Oh well, back to the drawing board and a different approach to merging Practical RDF into Bb.

Categories
Burningbird

Under construction

I am in the process of closing down the Practical RDF site, and moving the entries over into Burningbird, so things might be a little off at times today.

I’m not going to be maintaining a separate site between my technology and other interests–those who like the tech will have to sit through the poetry, personal epiphanies, and other flowery sh*t; those who like the personal stuff, will have to skip over the tech.

Besides, Wordform combines both sides of me into one neat and easy to install package. Contrary to expectations generated by my post earlier today about being disappointed about ETech, I am more determined that ever to create this forked variation of WordPress. Why? Because I can.

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Just Shelley Photography

In Memoria

I had finally gone through all of Dad’s books and decided which to keep, and which to give away. I called the library, but they weren’t accepted any new book donations until April.

The lady I talked to asked what kind of books they were. I said they were mainly mystery and detective novels. She suggested I call the local Veterans hospital and see if they could use them.

The hospital said they’d be grateful for the donation, and I went down to drop them off at the Jefferson Barracks Medical Clinic. The weather was fine today, and the place was very pretty with the old barracks buildings and their peeling paint. I asked the person who helped me unload the books if I could take pictures, but she I better not — the place is also the local Homeland Security office.

The hospital is right next to the National Cemetary and I stopped by it to take photos. There were several funerals underway in various places and I could, from time to time, hear the faint echo of shots being fired.

It never fails to move me to see the row after row of white gravestones, especially so soon after my own father’s death. I was grateful for the camera, because through it I could view everything dispassionately. I managed fine up until I heard the single trumpet playing Taps.

cemetary stones

Categories
Writing

Elements of Poetry

I sometimes think that a poet is really a frustrated engineer. Or is it, an engineer is a frustrated poet?

Researching what kind of metadata one could capture about a poem, I’ve found that there are a goodly number of rules and restrictions when it comes to poetry. More than I’m aware of from my limited education in the form.

Thankfully there are sites such as this one, virtualLit an online, free, and interactive poetry tutorial that covers the elements in poetry, using three poems as examples of each: “The Fish” by Elizabeth Bishop; “To His Coy Mistress” by Andrew Marvell; and “My Papa’s Waltz” by Theodore Roethke.

What I’m discovering in my researches is that one uses one set of elements to find a poem, but a different set to understand it, both mechanically and sensuously. For instance, wanting to find poems that use the concept of birds as freedom would use the element of metaphor; but once found, then other elements, such as the poem’s poetic form could not only help the reader appreciate the art of the poem, but better understand the craft of poetry.

It is through better knowledge of the craft that we discover new ideas, such as a poetic form that’s based purely on visuals, called concrete poetry, where I found a link to this site that features extraordinary visual haiku.