Examining How We Measure Our Lives
Commentary, critiques, and observations on information design and data visualisation
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The Republicans Who Support a Clean Budget Resolution
Read on…: The Republicans Who Support a Clean Budget ResolutionYesterday, we looked at the new Conservative Party of America. But those are the votes that John Boehner fears to upset—and possibly fracture his party and cost him his job—if he should let a clean budget resolution come to the floor and should it pass. But why would it pass if it needs 217 votes and there are only 200…
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The Wars of Tom Clancy’s Universe(s)
Read on…: The Wars of Tom Clancy’s Universe(s)Tom Clancy died this week. Among other novels, he authored the Hunt for Red October, Clear and Present Danger, and Patriot Games—those three were made into movies. So you may very well have heard of the man. Over at Business Insider, they mapped out the Clancy world by colouring those countries against which the United States has gone to war.…
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The US Government Shuts Down
Read on…: The US Government Shuts DownSo the House Republicans’ Tea Party wing added several different non-budget riders centred around the Affordable Care Act (which they have labelled Obamacare) to the budget. And then the whole House Republican caucus passed it despite threats of immediate vetoes from both the Democratic Senate and the White House. The House Republicans have shut down the US government because of…
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Zaatari Refugee Camp for Displaced Syrians
Read on…: Zaatari Refugee Camp for Displaced SyriansThe Syrian crisis is pushing people out of Syria. Unfortunately, most of the refugees are fleeing to places not wholly equipped or supplied to handle such large numbers. In this interactive piece of journalism, the BBC explores the difficulties in just one camp, Zaatari in the desert of Jordan. My favourite element is this interactive map. It uses four satellite…
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Funding the Improbable
Read on…: Funding the ImprobableThis interactive map from the Washington Post is one part of a long-form piece that looks at NASA and the improbable tasks facing the agency. Specifically the piece looks at how NASA wants to get to Mars, but how difficult that is and how an also difficult asteroid mission is as a backup plan. Really fantastic is about all I…
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Protests Around the World
Read on…: Protests Around the WorldToday’s post features an animated map by a doctoral candidate at Penn State. It plots out month-by-month protests across the world. It moves a bit fast and could perhaps make use out of some guided navigation, e.g. focusing the user’s attention on specific areas at specific times, but is still an interesting view of the world. Credit for the piece…