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4 December 2012 16 Comments

SQL Server Query to Tableau Data Extract LIKE A BOSS – Some more TDE API fun with Python & Tableau 8

Coming off the excitement of my last post about writing a simple bare-bones python usage of Tableau’s brand-new Data Extracts API from version 8.0 – I figured that it was time to build on that. Let’s take a step forward and get a little more complicated – AND a little more useful…. Let’s do this.

5 July 2012 18 Comments

How to Harvest Facebook updates with Python, MySQL or SQL Server

Data Party! Most people focus on search.twitter.com (or automated pulls from their API) for data collection regarding the “pulse” on a particular topic or brand – they often overlook the fact that the public Facebook timeline can be a useful source of data as well. I’ll show you how to harvest it and store it in a database of your choosing for later analysis.

25 February 2012 0 Comments

Rare Shit: Scoring Songs on a Setlist by Historical Context (Frequency, Rank, Ntile)

It’s interesting, the types of data conversations you have with people when discussing a unique project like MetallicAnalysis. You’re trying to show things in a different way and get as deep as possible, BUT never want to get too lame or “tech-y”, else it loses contact with the actual subject matter and begins to make less sense. Numbers are cool, but numbers that ACTUALLY FUCKING MEAN SOMETHING to the average fan / person are way cooler…

16 September 2011 5 Comments

MoneyBall (for Real): Business Intelligence, Data Mining, SQL Server, and Major League Baseball – Part 1

Let’s be honest – I’m a data guy. “Geek” to be more exact. But, I’m also a sports guy – and if there is ANY sport out there that prides itself as being massively data-centric… its Baseball. Data goes with baseball like Barry Bonds and… um, Home Runs (yeah, that’s it). Data collecting is an […]

2 June 2011 1 Comment

Cross Post: SQL Server, Business Intelligence, Data Mining, & Major League Baseball (I)

Just a recent article I wrote for the C&C Computer Solutions site / blog. Great stuff. Here’s a bit of the intro, but for the MEAT of it, you’ll have to go to the C&C site and read it yourself…

18 August 2010 7 Comments

Mortgage Software Hack: Importing Contacts automatically into Encompass WITHOUT the SDK (just with SQL)

Anyone who has ever dealt with the mortgage software package “Encompass” from Ellie Mae – from any kind of support / IT standpoint knows the pain. It just… well, doesn’t behave as you would assume. Seemingly simple things (from an integration / workflow standpoint) just don’t play nice, help in the web forums is laughable, […]

10 August 2010 0 Comments

Business Intelligence, Tools, Dirty Caveman Sex, Open-Source – Part 1

Business Intelligence. I hate the term as an IT buzzword. So sick of hearing Business Intelligence-this, Business Intelligence-that, Business Intelligence-expert-my-ass. But, hate it or not “Business Intelligence” shiz isn’t going anywhere – in fact, its been here in one way, shape, or form since the first caveman traded a sharp rock for some unsanctioned cave-nookie.

1 December 2009 1 Comment

Cut-N-Paste Corner: Microsoft SQL Server 2000, 2005, 2008 Simple Loop Template

I think that ‘data wrangling’ takes a special kind of problem solving mentality. Keeping data current, cleaning it, merging it, aggregating it, and creating summary (or data warehouse) tables for reporting purposes… For MANY years I used Express installations of SQL Server 2000 as my ultimate data Swiss Army knife. It was like a secret […]