BlogPulse

I'm probably way behind the times, but I've just discovered BlogPulse - Automated Trend Discovery for Weblogs, which is apparently in BETA right now.

We know about most popular blogging links, courtesy of other blog monitoring ventures, but here I particularly like the look of the key people and key phrases listings (the latter similar to Daypop Top Word Bursts). Apparently key phrases for today - based on blog mentions - include 'air marshal', 'terrorism futures', 'mobile phone' and 'rose garden'. Bush has recently deposed Harry Potter as top Key Person, but Howard Dean is not far behind. The 'new' clustered key topics defeats me though: just how are 'deaths of saddam hussein' linked to 'gay marriage'...or am I missing some vital information?

Oh, and how did I find out about BlogPulse? Apparently a blog mention of mine of Rory McCarthy (Guardian journalist) on a certain day was part of the evidence for him being a 'key person'. That's between Bob Hope and John Ashcroft, you understand....Oh well