Examining How We Measure Our Lives

Commentary, critiques, and observations on information design and data visualisation

The Armchair General…

Mar 18, 2021

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by

Brendan Barry

in Interactive Applications

Manager. Of the New England Patriots. As many of my long-term readers know, I am really only a one sport kind of guy. And that sport is baseball. American football, well, I’ve seen one match live and in person and it was…boring. But it’s a big deal in America. And this is the time of […]
Read on…: The Armchair General…
Kiss Me, I’m Irish

Mar 17, 2021

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by

Brendan Barry

in Datagraphic, Infographic, My Work

Or just shake my hand, because today marks the second St. Patrick’s Day spent in isolation. I am lucky, of course, because two years ago I spent the holiday in Dublin. One of those bucket list kind of things. There I ran into a(n American) friend who was coincidentally in town. Then the next day […]
Read on…: Kiss Me, I’m Irish
And Up We Go Again

Mar 16, 2021

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by

Brendan Barry

in Datagraphic, Infographic

Yesterday I wrote about Covid-19 here in five states of the US. I mentioned how I am concerned about the levelling out of new cases in certain states, notably Pennsylvania and New Jersey. In Italy, the government issued a new round of lockdowns in an attempt to contain a new wave before it swamps their […]
Read on…: And Up We Go Again
Covid Update: 14 March

Mar 15, 2021

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by

Brendan Barry

in COVID-19, Datagraphic, Infographic, My Work

Last week I wrote about how our progress in dealing with Covid-19 was stagnating. To put it simply, this past week did not get any better on that front. In Pennsylvania, Delaware, and Illinois we see that the flattened tail I described last week, well remained a flattened tail. In Delaware, we see more movement, […]
Read on…: Covid Update: 14 March
The Mars Rovers

Mar 12, 2021

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by

Brendan Barry

in Datagraphic, Infographic

Perseverance landed on Mars on 18 February, almost a month ago. The video and photography the rover has already sent back has been stunning. We all know she is the most capable rover yet landed on the Red Planet, but what we all want to know is how cute is Perseverance compared to her predecessors? […]
Read on…: The Mars Rovers
Making America Save Again

Mar 10, 2021

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by

Brendan Barry

in Datagraphic, Infographic

For years, one issue with the American economy had been that we did not save enough. It’s understandable, as it’s hard to keep up with the image of the carefree American without profligate spending. But that’s also not great long-term. But thanks to Covid-19, we’ve now swung to the other side of the spectrum: Americans […]
Read on…: Making America Save Again
Covid Update: 7 March

Mar 8, 2021

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by

Brendan Barry

in COVID-19, Datagraphic, Infographic, My Work

Last week I wrote about some signals indicating a potential stagnation in terms of declining numbers of new cases. I also wrote about some potential signs of reversals, or increasing numbers of new cases. This week, what we saw signs of came to pass. At the tail ends of each chart, you can see that […]
Read on…: Covid Update: 7 March
So Much To Do, So Little Help

Mar 5, 2021

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by

Brendan Barry

in Datagraphic, Infographic

This week I’m on deadline for the magazine I produce. Technically, the files go out Monday, but I spend Monday double/triple-checking things and assembling all the packages I need and so everything really needs to be done the day before, for this quarter, that’s today. Regardless, that means little sleep and craziness. Over at Indexed, […]
Read on…: So Much To Do, So Little Help
Farewell, Cardboard Cutouts

Mar 4, 2021

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by

Brendan Barry

in Datagraphic, Infographic

In 2020, baseball did not permit fans to attend regular season matches. (They changed this for the playoffs.) Instead, many stadiums opted for cardboard cutouts: fans often paid a fee and submitted a picture that the team printed on cardboard cutouts. Like so many things we will say about 2020, it was surreal. But in […]
Read on…: Farewell, Cardboard Cutouts
Lead Pie

Mar 3, 2021

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by

Brendan Barry

in Datagraphic, Infographic, My Work

This past weekend, I read an article in Politico discussing parents’ outrage over levels of lead and other toxic metals in baby food. The story focuses on a Congressional report into the matter, but that ties back into an EPA study from 2017 that investigated lead contamination. Specifically the article’s author notes “a chart that […]
Read on…: Lead Pie