To lock it down, or not - When Google bought local-company Motorola Mobility, the speculation was that Google would create an Apple-like system for Android. Our tech reporter pondered the fate of the mostly open mobile operating system.
Attack of the "biotech" clones - Local pharmaceutical giant Abbott Laboratories was set to lose exclusivity of one of its top drugs to generics. As one of a new type of drug, Humira made the company billions.
McD TV - McDonald's is launching its own in-house television network with commercials interspersed with McDonald's-friendly content. It's a fast-food version of the CNN network tailored specifically for airports. As a graphic artist, I bemoan the loss of the old tv form factors as they are much more visually interesting than the new flat-screens.
Google buys Zagat - The news of the day was the deep-pocketed Google's purchase of Zagat. My colleague Katie Nieland and I honed this featured illustration which clearly was more interesting than the photos selection.
Behind Groupon's curtain - We, as a Chicago media company, had been waiting with bated breath for Groupon's SEC filing for it would be the first look at any actual numbers: Customers, subscribers, revenue, etc. This infographic was done in collaboration with the graphics editor and was the first of several looks at the daily deals site.
Cutting the fat - This chart served as the focal point for a story about quick service restaurants adding healthier options for consumers. I chose Chipotle not only because they were featured in the story, but because their nutrion information was broken down by ingredient allowing for a more direct depiction of the impact of healthier choices. To be fair, it is perfectly simple to order a healthy, lower-calorie meal at Chipotle (as this graphic clearly illustrates).
Doling out thousands - Chicago-based venture capital firm Lightbank is supporting tech companies around the country and world. Presented here was a simple selection of the more notable money recipients.
Big Brother rides shotgun - Another collaboration with my colleague Katie Nieland, this illustration went with a story about insurance companies tailoring insurance premiums to individual customers by monitoring their driving habits.
Time is on her side - The story was on early early morning newscasts and the timeline was a look at what a couple of reporters go through just to be ready at 4 a.m. every day.
Boeing builds bombs - When Chicago-based Boeing made news about anything other than its highly troubled Dreamliner, I took the opportunity to craft this cursory overview of the defense-oriented products in Boeing's catalog. Only about half of the company's revenue comes from passenger jets. My editor aptly described this as "war porn."
It was a bad fiscal quarter - A friend of mine once said every markets or investing column can be distilled down to one thought: "Sometimes the numbers go up. Sometimes they go down." He should have added that sometimes that fact is real news. Working for the business section I try to steer clear of the giant arrow as a visual, but on occasion it is the most appropriate approach.
Affordable rent can be tough to find - A simple infographic of charts and data visualization. The news here is that the new housing crisis isn't necessarily mortgages, but affordable rental housing.
Pieces of the pie - Local food-seller Sara Lee announced it was splitting. I crafted this illustration idea and worked with our photo studio to cut an actual pie just so. The reporter added a few grafs of detail and this standalone presentation was done. (Yes, we ate the pie once it had thawed.)
Illinois is in a tough spot - I worked very closely with the graphics editor to craft this numbers-driven look at just how much economic trouble Illinois was in. Since this graphic ran in late summer 2010, the situation has deteriorated significantly.
Trash-to-ethanol process - This rather intense scientific graphic explained in as much detail as possible how INEOS Bio planned to turn municipal waste into vehicle-ready ethanol. This was a major component of an 8-day series investigating a planned trash-to-ethanol plant in southern Lake County, Ind.
Colts preview - I was asked by the sports editor to "do something" for the upcoming AFC title game featuring the Indianapolis Colts. I researched the teams, crunched some numbers and developed several keys to the game. Designer Shawn Barkdull and I turned the information and my initial design concept into a sports cover centerpiece.
The GOP field - With so much happening in the last few months, this graphic looks very dated. At the time, though, it's was 100% accurate, and the country seriously was considering a President Trump.
The feds up the ante - An infographic detailing actions taking by the U.S. government to curb online gambling, and the global reverberations those actions had.
Add another social network to the list - Somehow, this social network managed to get oodles of press without a widely-circulated product. It was a unique take on networking as the entire things was location-based in ways foursquare only can dream about. I developed this graphic with my colleague Phil Geib.
About a bat - A baseball player's bat is like a significant other. Breaking one is like breaking up. This graphic shows what makes them so special.
Meet Lord Stanley's Cup - Knowing very little about hockey myself, I wondered what happens when there is no room left for engraving. This curiosity blossomed into a series of FAQs and trivia about the best known trophy in pro sports.
Adios, Harry. - This look at the journey of readers and moviegoers through the Harry Potter series is punctuated by the photos of the films' star Daniel Radcliffe.
Access for all - Making a public space accessible is much more complicated than one might think. This graphic - the empty space in which was combined with article text by the designer - highlights all the major features a public parking lot must have to comply with the Americans With Disabilities Act.
A first pass at Groupon - This is the first infographic I did on the Chicago-based daily-deal giant.
John Dillinger was here - Indiana native and noted Chicago entrepeneur John Dillinger spent a famous night in the Lake County, Ind., jail. This collection of maps (and The Times' *acutal* front pages from his escape) highlights all the locations in the midwest used in the film biography "Public Enemies" and recalls Crown Point's time in the spotlight.
The Lebron circus - The end of the Cavaliers' season meant the beginning of the season's largest circus: free agent Lebron James. Rather than run large photo and punny headline, I built this circus-inspired illustration.
Hockey for dummies - Hawks hysteria was sweeping the city, and I figured the "hockey ignorant," including myself, needed a little extra help understanding the game. This series ran with our Stanley Cup preview package.
30 years of performers - The Star Plaza Theatre in Merrillville, Ind., has hosted hundreds of acts since it opened in 1979, but none more than Sesame Street Live, The Oak Ridge Boys and The O'Jays.
Fiscal caution advised - At the heart of so many financial stories is one number or chart. Here is one take on visualizing a data set as a featured visual.
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