Picture = One Thousand Statistics

by Jillian Leigh, Ampersandology

I don't know why I haven't posted this already, but it's one of my favorite sites.

I'm a visual person, so even the most powerful numbers or stats fail to really hit me like they should. That's why sites like Information is Beautiful are so fantastic: designer David McCandless recreates statistics and other findings in visually arresting and thought-provoking graphics that could make even the most numbers-shy among us comprehend the profound weight of the data.

What I particularly admire is the way his visuals cut through media hype and present the real story, as with this diagram exploring the safety of the HPV vaccine, or this visual of which countries are adhering to the Kyoto accord (hint: Canada is not the winner).

It's not your typical "data + pie chart = boring graph" approach; no, each entry here is a tiny masterpiece, beautifully considered and artfully presented with a clean, no fuss minimalism.

Information is Beautiful. So worth the click.

Ladies and gentlemen, Meryl Streep.

This is my new favourite picture ever. Kate Winslet and Meryl "Home Run" Streep. 

HAHA! See the fake hungry look in her eyes? The Norma Desmond desperation with which she holds the statuette? The quiet, ever so lurid gleam of triumph in her scheming eyes? 

This is why I bet Meryl is the most fun to make a joke with: her effortless commitment. I bet Kate was like, "Oh Meryl, you should hold it, and pretend you won it, haha." And then Meryl was all, "Won it? PLEASE." and then TOOK IT TO THE NEXT LEVEL by stealing it later. When you stage a fake photo op with Meryl, you're getting your money's worth and then some. I bet she was the KICK at playing with her kids; Chekhov would have a hard time keeping up. Don't feel bad, Anton. She has this effect on everyone. 

The previously mentioned Stuck On You clip: just a warning--this is awesome.