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django

09.07.10

Hosting #wjchat — Finding the story in the data CAR, data visualizations, django, programming, web | (0)
Tomorrow, Wed. Sept. 8, we'll be discussing "Finding the story in the data" at #wjchat, and I have been tapped to host. (One might ask why, they must really be running low on people....I kid, I kid.) This issue is extremely important, and one that must be addressed by the Web journalism groups. There's a difference between telling a journalistic story, but lacking the data and displaying data in an aesthetically pleasing way that doesn't really tell a story. The best data journalism does both. It's rare, and I believe we all need to work ...
07.11.10

First LAT app (or the butterfly on my windowsill) CAR, data visualizations, django, programming, projects, theory, web | (0)
http://projects.latimes.com/prop8 So, there's that. First launch! My checklist: Figure out what part of journalism inspires me. CHECK (Data, programming) Find place where I can learn about it from others, but have freedom to try out my ideas and learn from knowledgeable and patient folks. CHECK (LAT) Use this opportunity to learn enough about programming to create at least one app. CHECK (See first line of post) That was a good time. I'm planning a post on best practices for creating a searchable database application like this, with examples, and technical geekery, and all that, and I'd love your thoughts in the meantime. Let me know if you ...
06.05.10

J-school: It’s relevant but demands you take charge data visualizations, django, theory | (3)
I love journalism shop-talk chat, really. Of course, I'd rather be DOING the journalism, but it's important to see where others are at, and it's kind of fun to feel like part of the club, and dream about the future. The #wjchat chats on Twitter emerged about the same time my data journey started, but my participation in these activities has dropped off recently. This is especially ironic this past week, as the discussion centered on the relevance of j-schools. And I've been thinking about that topic a lot. After all, two weeks from today, I officially graduate from Medill. I'm ...
05.03.10

Note to self: Real world journo-coding lessons data visualizations, django, theory | (0)
Notice how your Google reader got a bit emptier than usual? Didn't think so. But it recently occured to me that I haven't posted in eons. Why is that? Part of it has been the chaos of moving, spending time exploring LA. The other part is that I'm finally walking the walk every day. I stepped out of the Medill bubble, valiantly tried to explain to my friends and family what I'm doing out in California. "We'll look for your articles!" "Do you write feature stories?" Me: "I tell stories through data. No? I do geeky stuff to create interactive apps ...
03.25.10

Self-teaching data and programming skills CAR, django, programming, theory | (5)
So, you think data journalism and programming are some valuable skills you'd like to learn. Unfortunately, your school doesn't offer this as a track, or maybe you're not even in school anymore. You know people will help you, and you think it all seems cool, but it can be difficult knowing just where to start. I know I felt forced to stand still for too many months in terms of my programming skills -- I was frozen by an overwhelming feeling. Again, it shouldn't be this hard to just figure out how to get started. This past week, I received ...
03.18.10

My next move: LA Times! CAR, data visualizations, django, programming, theory | (8)
"You're going into journalism? Now?" "they" asked. "What can you do with that?" I've always answered that I'll figure something out, that the Web is to journalism's benefit, not its detriment. That there's got to be something to this programming journalism thing I enjoy so much. I finished my last final today. Counting down to it was scary -- then what? Jazzed after days and nights of the recent computer-assisted reporting conference, chatting amongst my people, learning, geeking out and talking about how we can improve journalism everyday, I wondered what was in store. Would that feeling of elation disappear as quickly ...
03.08.10

Piece de resistance: Data viz wrapup CAR, class, data visualizations, django, projects, tufte | (0)
And, scene. That's a term borrowed from theater, it's used as an act or scene closes. My giant Chicago art gallery persistence project is completed. We've got a trend article that uses CAR techniques, and a Flash visualization and a searchable database. The main thrust to the story is that of the galleries that existed in Chicago in 1990, about half have survived. What's enabled them to survive, though, has varied. And while I can give you the overall picture, maybe you, as someone interested in the topic, care more about a certain medium or gallery or part of ...

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