Genesis of the Oracle Project
« Thread Started on Dec 29, 2006, 12:36pm »

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Greetings,

Some time back when I was first starting out as a RLSH I started keeping a record of crimes that occurred in my area. Remember this was pre Internet so I did it the old school way. I got a Map of my area and some colored pins. 1 color for each type of Crime I was tracking. I put numbered tags on the pins that referenced page numbers in a loose-leaf notebook that had all the details of the crimes. After a while I noticed that certain colored pins seemed to be clustering in certain locations. When I looked at the page numbers that were on the tags and checked the pages in the notebook it turned out that many of the other details were the same as well. Soon based on the accumulated information on the Map and in the Notebook I was able to predict with a fair amount of accuracy when and where certain types of crimes were likely to occur. It was kind of like a fishing, surf, or weather report. Certain conditions lead to certain types of crimes in a particular area. Armed with this new found knowledge I started showing up in areas as crimes were occurring and was able to stop them. It scared the bejabbers out of the bad guys, which is always a good thing in my book. I’d like to say that predicting crimes was the original intent of the map but I don’t lie. I had originally started it just to get an idea of what I was going up against. But when I saw the patterns of colored pins on the map I was smart enough to pick up on it and it’s potential. If I hadn’t set up the map as a visual reference (being trained as an artist I tend to think in visual terms) I might not have made the connection. But it’s hard to ignore patterns when they are staring you in the face at eye level. These days I suppose you’d do it with a database and spreadsheet on a computer. That’s how I came up with the idea. Since then I have started calling it the oracle project after Barbara Gordon’s Oracle Character in the BatMan comics. I think that if all of us band together and submit information here that we can build up an even bigger data base that will be able to predict crimes in all areas. I know it works on a local scale. Why not try it on a global scale and see what happens. All we have to do at 1st is post information on crimes in this section. Then we can collate it with a database and use several different display methods to look for the type of patterns I found with my map, pins and notebook. Then when we are able to predict the when and where of a crime we can send out Oracle alerts to the interested parties. Be they a Super Hero a Mystery Man or a Regular Cop. I’ll be looking forward to your assistance and remarks on this project.

Superman

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eyesonly
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[ Exalt | Smite ] Re: Genesis of the Oracle Project
« Reply #1 on Mar 8, 2007, 2:39pm »

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I think a physical map is a better idea than a folder in your documents of news reports.
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[ Exalt | Smite ] Re: Genesis of the Oracle Project
« Reply #2 on Mar 9, 2007, 1:00pm »

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Hi Eyes only,

Well it worked well for me and I’ve always figured if it ain’t broke don’t fix it. Some may want to cobble up an on line version as well so they can distribute it on line. Not sure what to use though as a map showing individual towns doesn’t seem to be available on line. It could be If some one wants to take on the project as a whole those wanting predictions could send them a map and reports of crime either to this board as posts or as e mails to an address we can set up for that purpose. Then whomever heads the project can send out Oracle Reports through e-mail or as posts to a separate sub section we set up here. That way folks sending in information wouldn’t trigger a false report.

Superman

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[ Exalt | Smite ] Re: Genesis of the Oracle Project
« Reply #3 on Mar 9, 2007, 7:17pm »

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sometimes simpler ways of doing things bare more fruits. People sometimes over complicate things to do just that. Less is more.

Ahoy

Sounds OK,

Kindest Regards & Best Wishes

~ * { D A V I D N E M O } * ~

"FAR TOO CONTINENTAL FOR MANKIND!"

It is easy to find high crime areas and times.
Friday night after the bars empty out.
Last week of the month before welfare.
Low income housing units.
Good luck not finding a crime.

True enough as far as it goes but it can still be hit or miss that way. The advantage of a crime map is that it tells you when where and what kind of crime in advance so you can show up early properly prepared. Besides making sure you have what you need with you to succeed and stay alive and ahead of the game it does wonders for your street rep. It makes you appear to be all seeing and all knowing. Plus a map will show you possible escape routes said bad guy may try to take. I don't know about you but I'm paretial to anything that gives me an edge.

Superman

Greetings,

This is a new site. http://radar.oreilly.com/2009/08/seeing-the-future-mapping-crimespotting-stamen.html

Enjoy.

brokenspirit

Greetings,

This is a new site. http://radar.oreilly.com/2009/08/seeing-the-future-mapping-crimespotting-stamen.html

Enjoy.

brokenspirit

A good way to keep track of what is happening in the city is using local webcams (on the internet) and place them together on one site.
You can check what is happening and make screenshots of crimes occuring...

Greetings from the Netherlands,

Iron Lamb

Greetings,

Yeah, I thought of that, but that requires alot of video cameras and getting all the camera's installed would be another issue. I had an idea to give away free bird houses, with them in. Another issue is that you can't zoom into anybodies house.

Though I think if we could make a site, with a bunch of people's webcams it would be good.

sincerely,

brokenspirit

Actually... There are a lot of free streetcams found on the WWW.
I want to start a project using them and placing them on one website for heroes to use.
Can you imagine what a hero with a cellphone with internet options could do with this system?

To help out as much heroes as possible I must determine in which city the most RLS are at this moment.

My guess is NY but don't know for sure....

I will work on this project besides working on the Iron Lamb Exosuit (something completely different and also challenging).

Now I think of it; Oracle was a internetbased character in the Batman comics but Batman had a system of his own. It was called Brother Eye (he used to check on other superheroes and it turned against him ).
Possible a Brother Eye that helps heroes would be nice.

So my question again:
Which city has the most RLSH?

Hope I can help out from across the the great pond (Netherlands),

Iron Lamb

Greetings,

I think you would make a good member of the yahoo group. Perhaps the group could help you with your project.

You know what would be sweet is a feature to predict crime then scan the internet for camera's in that area. But one thing too is criminals are now using facebook for information about purchases or people going on vacation. So that would have to be factored in the predicting.

P.S. I read somewhere that London's Camera System catches one crime, per thousand camera's per year. Oh well, looks like back to the old way.

Greetings,

So IBM is getting into the act:
http://www-03.ibm.com/press/us/en/pressrelease/28455.wss