Visual Analytics: The Danger of Distortion with Paired Bar Graphs

An illustration by visual analytics guru Stephen Few recently caught my eye because it seems to run counter to the excellent advice he usually provides.  In his 2004 book “Show Me the Numbers” he suggests the use of paired bar graphs as an alternative to scatter plots when the intended audience is unfamiliar with such […]

Employer Mandate: The Wal-Mart Surprise Regarding Health Insurance

Today the Wall Street Journal and the Twitterverse are buzzing about Wal-Mart coming out in favor of an employer mandate on health insurance.  This news interests me on several levels.  Leaving aside the cynical observation that Wal-Mart is simply seeking to avoid more onerous legislation, this news raises several questions, including the following:

As the […]