Because actually my job, it's just Newsletter

Plus: Taylor Swift, alternative history, and the loneliest road

Hello!

It’s been a while. I kind of took the summer off accidentally, went home (which was great and so needed!), and now I’m trying to sort a bunch of things out before the year ends. Including getting hearing aids. I’ve been struggling to write because I keep getting migraines at the weekend and during the week I’m too busy and/or stressed out with work. How boring of me. But this weekend is a rare one where I have time and I have also just managed to shake off a migraine.

I don’t often mention non-data or non-viz things here but I must say that this Insider story about what really happened on K2 in July was an absolutely phenomenal read. I had only briefly heard about the man who lay dying as people walked past him to get to the summit, but I was so curious about what really happened. It is a long read but, IMO, worth it.

On the home front

Airline Close Calls Happen Far More Often Than Previously Known

This story starts out with a few examples of near misses that have happened in US airspace and runways, and then: “The incidents…were among a flurry of at least 46 close calls involving commercial airlines last month alone.” I… Could not read all of it because I already feel weird about flying, but feel free to read the horror for yourself.

What If the U.S. Lost a World War?

This map was apparently used as an argument against the US joining the World War. It reminds me of The Man In The High Castle where the US is split into the Greater Nazi Reich in the east, and the Japanese Pacific States to the west. I think what is sort of baffling and interesting to me is that the US is already split up and one could easily divide it multiple ways based on shared culture etc (do share if you know of any maps showing this!). In fact I don’t really fully understand how it is one country today because it sort of shouldn’t be given how different the states are.

America’s pandemic savings are running out

The American economy has been really good and showing no signs of slowing down unlike everywhere else. This piece says that’s because of: a healthy labour market; falling inflation; robust spending fuelled by savings accumulated during the pandemic. And now that last bit is coming to an end: “Research suggests that Americans have burned through more than 90% of the “excess savings” they amassed in 2020 and 2021.”

All signs point to a late summer COVID wave

Woo. Covid is back. It never really left! It probably never will! Very annoying if you ask me!

America’s Loneliest Road Is Finally EV-Ready

LOVE this piece about Route 50, which runs from California to Maryland, and how electric vehicles can now actually use it because there are enough charging stations. I feel I’ve read so much about how the US is just not ready to go fully EV because the infrastructure isn’t there, but now it seems, it…might be?

Elsewhere

Tracing the destruction from Maui’s deadly fires

Lahaina in Maui has “been all but wiped from the map” due to the recent fire. ABC analysis shows the fire burnt through about 2,000 hectares across Maui and completely destroyed at least 1,719 buildings.
This Reuters story also looks at Lahaina and the damage caused by the fires, but goes into more detail about why the fires were so bad (dry season, winds, invasive grasses).

Russians have emigrated in huge numbers since the war in Ukraine

“Between 817,000 and 922,000 people have left Russia since February 2022. The largest recipient countries were Kazakhstan and Serbia, each with 150,000 emigrants.” What’s interesting is the knock-on effect this is having on the Russian economy: There’s already a labour shortage and wartime emigrants account for roughly 1% of the Russian workforce.

Odds and ends

Inside the Brain of a Suspected CTE Patient

Really fascinating look at the brain of a man suspected of having CTE (Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy). According to the article CTE is a type of dementia caused in part by repeated head injuries, like head knocks in football. Typically it is diagnosed after death but this story looks at how it might be able to be diagnosed (and treated!) while the patient is still alive.

Your Weekly History Quiz

A friend and colleague sent me this and I am kind of obsessed. I am not great with history but sometimes this makes me feel like I know things. Yes, sometimes I get my validation from online quizzes and puzzles. So sue me.

The Unstoppable Pop of Taylor Swift

I like Taylor Swift, but I just don’t get it, the whole obsession thing, the whole I-must-spend-all-my-money-on-this thing. I just don’t feel as enthusiastic as Swifties feel about her, about literally anything in life, and maybe that’s a bad thing BUT… I do really really like this sunburst chart. Like, a lot. I saw it and was like “OOF, that’s what I’m talking about.” There is something so satisfying about a good sunburst chart.

We Can Do Anything, Right Barbie?

I’ve not seen the film* (although random people keep telling me that I must love Barbie because my hair is pink? It’s red and it’s been red for years but ok!) so I guess this is a line from the film or something? I think I like this viz more for its potential than its actual use as it is: It shows Barbie’s jobs over the years. But presumably the data itself has years attached to it, so what would be more interesting (IMHO) would be to look at how Barbie’s jobs/roles have changed since the 50s. I’m really gutted there’s no link to the data used in this, and it’s not even sourced.

Women Songwriters

This goes into a lot—a lot—of detail about the history of women in songwriting and how women were, in fact, very specifically excluded from the industry and how that hasn’t changed a huge amount over time.

---

That’s all I have this week. Thank you for reading! As always, you can get in touch by replying to this email.

*I did Google quotes from the film for the subject heading though. Sorry/not sorry.