Updating Minard

Yesterday, Chartporn posted a link to an OkCupid post about sex, specifically charts of sex. And yes, they are quite interesting and worth checking out. But, I enjoyed the humour at the outset, where they noted the brilliance of the pie chart as a modern chart form that can replace the classic Minard chart about Napoleon’s invasion of Russia.

Minard’s original at top, the modern simplification at bottom.

Minard's Infographic Redrawn
Minard's Infographic Redrawn

Credit for the work to OkCupid.

Beam Me Up, Scotty. Then Pixelate the Pattern Before Rematerialising.

Today is Friday.

Star Trek Characters in Pixels
Star Trek Characters in Pixels

Behold the awesomeness of Star Trek characters in pixel form, trexels. How many can you identify? I admit, I got a whole bunch. I shall admit no further.

Designed by John Martz with Koyama Press. Posting via Flowing Data.

All You Need Is a Box of Chocolates, a Dozen Roses, a Pricey Dinner Reservation, a Fancy Bottle of Wine, Tickets to the Show…

Valentine’s Day is a day both loved and loathed; I need not detail which groups feel which way. However, despite the dark history—think less hearts and love and more martyrdom and death—we have seen the lighter elements promoted by various causes from genuine love to commercial profits. But all things must have their symbols, especially if they are to be capitalised upon for profits, and we are now accustomed to Cupid representing love and Valentine’s Day. (One must wonder what the Christian martyrs would think if they learned that Valentine’s Day, once originally a Christian saint day, was now symbolised by a heathen, pagan god.)

Courtesy the New York Times, designer Ji Lee now, however, offers you not the staid and static symbol of love we have all come to know and love, but now a true choice of form and symbol. Which would you choose?

A Selection of Cupids
A Selection of Cupids

Personally, I have to go for the G5…

May I Have Pepperoni on That Pie (Chart)?

I love pizza. I think most people do too, though, we can all disagree on whether thin crust or thick crust is better. Yet as someone who has now eaten both…well…I shall not wade into the matter. But, I will toss up this piece from the New York Times.

a Pizza Pie Chart
a Pizza Pie Chart

The paper has an article about Domino’s adding more cheese to their pizza to increase sales as part of a plan from a US government-supported agency. At the same time, the US government is also trying to reduce the amount of saturated fats consumed to reduce obesity. And of course cheese contains saturated fat.

Naturally, the supporting graphic should make use of pizza. And in what better form than as a pie chart.

Though having now been looking at this for quite some time, I am in the mood for pizza. Though I could do without the saturated fat…