One summer during my undergrad years I was hiking with a good friend in western Maryland. We're both eagle scouts and had taken this hike a dozen times. So, when heading back to the car, we decided to take a shortcut. Funny thing about being lost, you often don't know you are until it's too […]
Technical Difficulties
I have a sketchbook in my pocket (Value ~ $3). If I were to drop it out the window from the top of my house it would be ok. I also have an ipad (Value ~$400). Dropping that out of my backpack from about 2 feet off the ground means needing a new one. I […]
Early Kermit and visual thinking
Is it strange that I’m in research but my greatest heroes are puppeteers, cartoonists, and kids’ book authors? I’ve been reading and watching a lot of Jim Henson stuff lately. I bet if he had lived another decade, with his love for new media and experimentation, he would have been tearing it up on the web. […]
New Year’s ambition: to create something outstanding
In 2013, I plan to create something outstanding. I have a few ideas that I've allowed to fester in my mind for far too long. This year I make them a reality.
Choropleth maps and data visualization instacritics
It’s pretty easy to tear down a data visualization. Between Tufte’s traveling show and any number of solid data visualization blogs, we’re creating a hive of instacritics that are currently laying down a path of destruction through unsuspecting visualizers. I try to limit my critiques these days. As easy as it is to tear down […]
It’s a Christmas cartoon clip show!
Apparently this is my 200th freshspectrum post going back to March of 2010 when I started this blog. Looking back it’s been an evolution for sure. To celebrate, I’m going to do what they do on TV, clip show it, Christmas style!