Best Graphics of 2015

Bloomberg Business selected its favorite graphics from 2015. My favorites are still the bubble charts, if only because they are easy for students to create. Microsoft explains how to create bubble charts in Excel here. 

As is typical, this example shows different colors as variables and different sizes for, in this case, how many millions Swiss banks paid in penalties. (If you're wondering, BSI SA paid the most: $211 million.) 

The New York Times also published its list of best graphics from 2015, including this interactive visual showing the impact of the recession on 255 industries. 

 

Discussion Starters: 

• Create a bubble chart with Microsoft's instructions. You'll also find YouTube videos to help. How does it turn out? For what type of information or presentation would you choose this chart option? 
• Look at the detail behind the recession visual: so much information in one graphic! Do you find it useful, overwhelming, or something in between? What's the best way to navigate a visual like this?

Yet Another Republican Debate

Once again, Donald Trump was front and center during the Republican presidential debate. The fifth of many debates to come, the CNN debate in Las Vegas focused on the two recent terrorist attacks in Paris and California. 

CNN identified Jeb Bush, Ted Cruz, Marco Rubio, and Donald Trump as the winners, while The Washington Post highlighted Bush, Rubio, and Trump (but only for the first hour). Here are highlights from The Post. 

Analysts credit Jeb Bush for pushing back on Trump. Calling him a "chaos candidate," Bush attacked Trump's leadership ability, according to Newsweek: 

Blitzer asked Bush about his comments that Trump was "unhinged" after Trump proposed banning all Muslims from the United States after the San Bernardino attacks. "Donald is great at the one-liners, but he's a chaos candidate," Bush said, "and he'd be a chaos president, he would not be the Commander-in-Chief we need to keep our country safe."

Discussion Starters: 

• No mention this time of Carly Fiorina. What happened?
• Watch more segments from the debate. What are some of the "standout" moments?

Trump Speaks to Republican Jewish Coalition

Donald Trump spoke at the Republican Jewish Coalition in Washington, DC. He started by saying that his daughter is Jewish (she is married to a Jew and converted). He then talked about how his campaign is self funded but he hasn't spent a lot of money on ads and is still in "first place by a lot" in all polls.

Trump made some questionable comments to this audience. An MSNBC article summarizes them well: "at times [Trump] flirted with stereotypes about Jews as wealthy deal-makers":

• "I'm a negotiator, like you folks. Is there anybody that doesn't renegotiate deals in this room?. . . . This room negotiates them perhaps more than any other room I've ever spoken in."
• "You're not going to support me because I don't want your money because, stupidly, you want to give money."

Trump focused much of his speech on Hillary Clinton, how she's unqualified to be president and why she shouldn't be allowed to run.

He was characteristically confident: "I'm gonna win." "My life has been about winning." He also said that now he's dealing in trillions for the first time; he is used to dealing in billions. Trump promised to repeal "Obamacare" and criticized Jeb Bush's low energy.

Discussion Starters: 

• Do you find Trump's comments offensive? Why or why not? 
• What else do you find notable in Trump's speech and in the Q&A? 
• How, if at all, does this speech affect your vote?

Press Conferences Following San Bernardino Shooting

A shooting at the  Inland Regional Center in San Bernardino, CA, left 14 people dead and 17 injured. Two suspects have been killed, and their motivation for the attack at the facility for people with developmental disabilities is unclear. A holiday party was taking place in the conference room where the shooting took place.

County police have been holding press conferences, providing as much information as possible. The police chief gave an initial statement: 

In this video, so many questions are unanswered that I wonder whether the conference was held too early: 

As he has after other recent shootings, President Obama gave a statement:

Discussion Starters: 

• Do you agree with my assessment of the police news conference? Is it too soon to offer a Q&A session if so little is known and so few answers are given?
• So far, the National Rifle Association is quiet on social media, although others blame the organization. Should the NRA respond or make a statement at this time? 
• Compare President Obama's statement with his news conference following the recent school shooting in Oregon. What differences and similarities do you see?

Talks at the Climate Summit in Paris

With an impressive list of speakers, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change started on Monday in Paris. The goal is for leaders from 195 nations to agree to limit carbon emissions. As expected, leaders, such as President Obama, began their speeches by expressing condolences for lives lost during the recent terrorist attacks in the city.

Reuters selected portions of leaders' talks as "highlights," and this video shows three hours of discussion.

The Telegraph analyzed 10 claims about climate change and comments "on just how far [leaders'] fears are really justified." The claims are about rising temperatures, melting polar ice, and increasing hurricanes.

Discussion Starters:

• Read Reuters' highlights. What distinguishes the leaders' key messages?
• Choose one of the claims identified by The Telegraph. Do you find the commentary convincing? What evidence is provided? What, if anything, is missing from the argument?

Radisson Blu Responds to the Terror Attacks

A terrorist attack at the Radisson Blu in Mali resulted in 27 deaths, and the company is responding to the news. 

Radisson Blu's website features a large message: "Remember our guests and colleagues in Bamako." The message links to a statement and video from Wolfgang Neumann, president and CEO of The Rezidor Hotel Group (on behalf of the Carlson Rezidor Group).  

In his video message, Neumann expresses condolences and appreciation. He also explains support services and provides a telephone line for people needing support and information. 

On the day of the attack, the Rezidor website showed a statement saying the company was "closely following" the situation. Neumann created another video emphasizing safety and security.

Radisson Blu has been active on Twitter, providing peridic updates and links to statements and videos.  

Discussion Starters: 

• Assess Neumann's video statements. As always, we have to empathize with his position during this difficult time. Still, if you were his media advisor, what strengths and suggestions would you identify? 
• How do you assess company communications so far? What are the Radisson Blu and Rezidor doing well?

Debate: Substantive But Boring

Analysts are complimenting the policy-related questions for the fourth Republican Presidential debate, but the result was a less exciting debate. Representatives from Fox Business Network did a better job than CNBC reporters in the last debate by focusing on real issues instead of personality.

Donald Trump played a less dominant role in this debate. Fox News reported, "As for Trump, he was very passive tonight. Statesman Trump is not as fun as reality TV Trump." CNN reported other players winning ground:

"There was no single dominant performance as in the past when candidates such as Carly Fiorina and Marco Rubio wowed audiences -- and swiftly improved their place in the polls. Several candidates, including Rubio and Ted Cruz, were strong on the debate stage on Tuesday. And Jeb Bush, who has struggled in such environments, projected greater confidence, seeming to relish a confrontation with Donald Trump on national security."

Reuters' focus was also on Jeb Bush, who said of his own performance, "I thought the debate went well, and I had a good debate because I got to talk about things with a little substance instead of the cute one-liners." Bush may have bought himself more time to gain a few percentage points in the polls; his campaign has been suffering, and his debate performances until this one certainly haven't helped.

Rubio and Cruz are emerging as the most well spoken, if not the most brilliant or substantive.

Discussion Starters:

• How much do you think appearance and youth count in the election? How will these factors help Rubio and Cruz?
• Who do you think won the fourth debate? How, if at all, will this debate affect your vote?

University of Missouri President Resigns

Students have forced the resignation of University of Missouri President Tim Wolfe. Unhappy with Wolfe's response during racial incidents at the university, some students have been on a hunger strike, while the football team announced plans to boycott upcoming games.

Wolfe published a statement apologizing for his response and another describing actions the university will take, but they weren't enough.  

A final statement announces Wolfe's resignation, which he also describes in a news conference.

Discussion Starters:

• Assess Wolfe's three statements. Could he have said anything else to quell the controversy, or was it hopeless?
• Assess Wolfe's news conference. What improvements would you suggest for future presentations?
• Wolfe's resignation misuses "affect." Do you see the mistake?

Metrojet Defends Its Plane and Pilot

A Russian airplane crashed in Egypt, killing 224 people, and the cause still eludes investigators. The airline, Metrojet, has ruled out mechanical failures and pilot error, anxious to rebuild its reputation.

But the head of Russia's Federal Air Transport Agency said, "...it is very premature to talk about the reasons. I would like to call on the aviation community to abstain from premature statements." Russian President Vladi­mir Putin said, "Everything must be done to create an objective picture of what happened so that we know what happened and react accordingly."

Metrojet is still at the center of the investigation. Turns out, the company hasn't paid its employees in two months, and a pilot's wife says her husband complained about poor plane maintenance. Also, the Metrojet plane had suffered a tail strike, and investigators are wondering whether the problem was properly fixed. In a video statement, Metrojet denied mechanical and pilot errors.

Recent reports indicate a flash picked up by a U.S. satellite, which could point to an explosion on board, such as a fuel tank or a bomb.

Meanwhile, ISIS has taken responsibility for the crash. Although officials won't yet rule out terrorism, few seem to believe the organization's claims.

Putin expressed his condolences and investigation plans via video.

Discussion Starters:

• How well is Metrojet handling the news and its defense?
• How does the background information about Metrojet-potentially missing payroll, for example-influence your thinking about the situation?

Visuals About the NYC Marathon

A New York Times article, "New York City Marathon in Six Charts," shows an interesting mix of line, bar, and other graphics. This one represents a newer way to display parts of a whole. 

 

The first time I saw this type of display was in David McCandless's "Billion Dollar O'Gram."

The newspaper calls these charts "interactive," presumably because some move, but users can't really interact with them. Most of the charts focus on demographics. One titled, "A Race for All Ages, Especially Round Ones," shows an elaborate bar chart of participants' ages and spikes, particularly at 40 and 50. 

Discussion Starters: 

• Which principles from Business Communication: In Person, In Print, Online do these visuals follow?
• What is another way to show the age demographic data, perhaps as a percentage? 

Republicans Debate for a Third Time

We still have ten Republican candidates for president, and the ground is shifting. In this debate, sponsored by CNBC, Donald Trump "shared the oxygen with others," as Skimm put it. Two standout moments are when Jeb Bush and Marco Rubio sparred and when Ted Cruz accused the media of, well, being media. 

Bush criticized Rubio's work, saying he was treating his job "like a French work week." But Rubio fought back, leaving Bush unable to get another word in. According to Vox, Rubio clearly won the debate over Bush:

Bush was prepared. But Rubio was also prepared, and sharper. After cutting Bush to the quick - "Jeb, let me tell you, I don't remember you ever complaining about John McCain's vote record. The only reason you're doing it now is because we're running for the same position" - he denied that's what he'd done. "I can't campaign about the future of America or attacking anyone else on this stage," he said. Rubio became a happy conservative again. And that was that.

When Ted Cruz attacked the media for the questions asked, he got punished and lost his time. 

Discussion Starters:

• What's your view of the first video? Did Rubio do as well as Vox reported? 
• Do you agree with Cruz's assessment of the media? Was it fair that he lost time? Should the CNBC interviewers have handled this differently? If so, how? 

VW Europe Apology

With more than 1.2 million of the 11 million affected cars in the UK, the managing director of Volkswagen UK has issued his own apology for the deceptive software.

Willis told members of parliament (MPs) that he is working hard to communicate with customers. He also admitted the company's failures:

"We mishandled the situation. That's why we need to fix the cars, that's why we need to get the customers in and need to put the cars right.

"We mishandled the situation without a shadow of a doubt."

When questioned about diesel emissions, Willis denied that the cars are emitting more than expected. The Guardian reports,

The Green party MP, Caroline Lucas, asked Willis: "How much more NOx has been emitted by your cars than would have been the case if your claims had not been dishonest?" Willis replied: "None." Lucas replied: "How can that be the case?"

Another MP told The Guardian, "There are a lot of unanswered questions that we would have expected to have been answered in the session."

Discussion Starters:

• Watch Willis's statement to the MPs. Assess his delivery, message, and so on.
• Compare Willis's statement to that of Martin Winterkorn and Michael Horn. What similarities and differences do you notice? To what do you attribute the differences?

Democratic Debate

Five presidential candidates participated in the Democratic Debate on CNN. Who won? Here's what some of the major U.S. newspapers reported:

• The Wall Street Journal focused on Hillary Clinton as the lead candidate: ". . . like her campaign more broadly, she seemed determined to use the opportunity to march methodically through her policy positions, to remind voters of her broad experience, and to unleash just enough criticism of Republicans to remind Democrats that they are supposed to be the real opponents."
• The New York Times complimented Clinton's performance:

  "On Tuesday night, after months of political heartburn, things finally started cutting Hillary Rodham Clinton's way.

  "Her performance at the first Democratic presidential debate was so commanding that even her greatest vulnerability - the lingering controversy over her private email practices as secretary of state - ended up redounding to her benefit."

• The Atlantic commented on the predictability: "Hillary Clinton delivered a typically strong performance, much as expected; Bernie Sanders played to type, railing against corporations and inequality. Martin O'Malley kept to his strategy of hitting Clinton. And Jim Webb and Lincoln Chafee remained, for the most part, marginal to what was going on."
  

The highlight of the night was Bernie Sanders' support for Clinton:

Discussion Starters:

• Sanders starts this segment with, "Let me say something that may not be great politics." What do you think? Did this support work for or against Sanders?
• Watch the candidates' opening statements. How did they do? What do you notice about delivery style and message strategy?

Horn Testifies Before House Committee

Michael Horn, President and CEO of Volkswagen Group of America, Inc., addressed the U.S. House Committee on Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations about the company's emissions scandal.

His opening statement to the committee included his own defense. He said he was not aware of the software issue, but he did assure the committee that the company takes full responsibility.

Subcommittee members, such as Diana DeGette of Colorado, pushed Horn for more details about the deception:

"You haven't revealed how the defeat device affects the engine, why it was installed and how it was able to evade emissions tests. You haven't revealed when and how the engines equipped with this defeat device will be fixed. And you haven't told us whether that fix will affect the fuel economy or performance of the vehicles."

Other members questioned whether this was VW's only "dirty little secret" and expressed concern about widespread deception in the auto industry.

Discussion Starters:

• How convincing do you find Horn's opening statement?
• I wish he had coaching to pronounce "vehicle" more clearly. Do you have trouble understanding other words?
• Watch the full hearing. How well does Horn respond to questions? Which do you find particularly persuasive, and where does he fall short?

Sheriff's News Conference About Oregon Shooting

A shooting at Umpqua Community College in Roseburg, Oregon, has left 10 people dead and seven injured. Douglas County Sheriff John Hanlin held a news conference to discuss the situation.

Following is my take on the statement: 

+ He is not polished, as you might expect from a sheriff just hours after such a shooting. He shows appropriate emotion for the situation and timing.

+ He says early on that the victims and their families are their priority.

- He could have told the public what they need to know: that the shooter is dead. (He was shot by police and then shot himself.) This might have helped assure people that they are safe. The media statement on the sheriff's website clearly states that the shooter is dead. One reason the sheriff may have avoided this is the controversy around several recent police shootings in the U.S. Otherwise, it's not clear why he wouldn't include this information. 

+ Then, he could have discussed the number of casualties, which he did clearly. 

- Part of the statement could have been given by the university president. That is more typical in these situations, as we saw in the Virginia Tech shooting. (See President Steger's statement.)

+ He appropriately gave contact information and a place where people are gathering.

+/- The public information officer is understandably nervous in front of the camera. He could have been more confident when telling the reporter that they weren't taking questions, and he could have simply walked away from the camera when he was finished. It's not clear why the sheriff passed this part off to him-possibly he wanted the officer to have some media exposure; although a terrible tragedy, this is a very big deal for the town.

Much publicity is surrounding President Obama's statement. 

GM CEO: "People Died in Our Cars"

In a statement to employees, GM CEO Mary Barra was frank: "People were hurt, and people died in our cars." Her presentation came after the company reached a $900 million settlement agreement with the Department of Justice for failing to recall cars with faulty ignition switches. (See transcript.)

Barra focused on changes at GM: 

"But apologies and accountability don't amount to much if you don't change your behavior.  We have.  And that's what I want to focus on in our time together."

She outlined what she called a "tough agreement" and then reviewed the actions GM has already taken: "We lived our values, and it made a huge difference."

Discussion Starters:

• Who are the primary and secondary audiences for Barra's presentation? Why would the company make this internal communication public?
• Assess Barra's video. What is notable about the content, organization, and delivery compared to her previous presentation to employees?

GOP Debate or Circus?

The Republican candidates for president debated for the second time last night, and the popular commentary is below.

Rand Paul attacked Donald Trump, the most common target of the night, in part for his comment about Carly Fiorina's appearance:

"I kind of have to laugh. I'm very concerned about having him in charge of the nuclear weapons because I think his visceral response to attack people on their appearance - short, tall, fat, ugly - my goodness, that happened in junior high. Are we not way above that? Would we not all be worried to have someone like that in charge of the nuclear arsenal?"

Trump shot back, "I never attacked him on his looks, and believe me, there is plenty of subject matter right there."

Fiorina handled the situation well, and several analysts applaud her "breakout performance" throughout the debate.

 

She was, once, put in her place by Chris Christie: "You interrupt everyone else on this stage. You're not going to interrupt me."

Discussion Starters:

• Watch parts of the debate (or the entire three hours if you have the time!). What do you consider to be the highlights?
• From your point of view, who won the debate? 
• Do the results from this debate influence your opinion of the candidates? How so?

Chinese Premier Speaks at World Economic Forum

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang is doing his best to rebuild confidence in his country's economy. He delivered the opening session at the World Economic Forum, the ninth "Annual Meeting of the New Champions" with more than 1,500 people representing more than 90 countries.

Seven video quotes may show a representation of the speech, although we don't know the criteria for selection. The first is below: 

According to The Financial Times, despite the government's focus on progress, critics accuse authorities as they "sought to prop up stocks by banning large share sales, detaining journalists and punishing 'rumour mongers' as well as orchestrating state-directed buying." 

Li has tried to put China's financial position into perspective: "The fluctuations in global financial markets recently are a continuation of the 2008 global financial crisis." The Financial Times summarizes Li's position: 

"Although he did not outline any further stimulus measures or policy reform initiatives, Mr Li did say he was confident in future growth because he saw a 'massive wave of mass entrepreneurship and innovation across the nation.'"

Li did acknowledge difficulties: 

"China is an economy that is closely integrated with the international market. Given the weak growth of the global economy, China cannot stay unaffected and the deep-seated problems that have built up over the years are also being exposed."

But he repeated that the Chinese economy is in a "proper range," which The Guardian calls, "a favourite phrase."

Discussion Starters: 

• Analyze the audience at the World Economic Forum. What are their goals for attending the event? Who are the secondary audiences for Li's speech? 
• Read the speech transcript. Does Li meet his goal of reassuring us about the strength of Chinese economy? 

European Commission Official Calls for Unity

Jean-Claude Juncker, president of the European Commission, called for quotas for European countries to accept more than 160,000 refugees. Juncker is encouraging consistent immigration policies and warning sanctions for countries that don't take their fair share. 

Juncker used emotional appeals in his state-of-the-union address to the European parliament: 

"Today it is Europe that is sought as a place of refuge and exile. It is Europe today that represents a beacon of hope, a haven of stability in the eyes of women and men in the Middle East and in Africa. That is something to be proud of and not something to fear."

When speaking of the potentially 500,000 refugees who may cross borders, Juncker gave more examples: 

"Europe is the baker in Kos who gives away his bread to hungry and weary souls. Europe is the students in Munich and in Passau who bring clothes for the new arrivals at the train station. Europe is the policeman in Austria who welcomes exhausted refugees upon crossing the border. This is the Europe I want to live in."

Although Germany, France, and Italy support the plan, other EU members are reluctant. Juncker used Ukraine as an example of a country that may seek assistance in the future. But he did not convince everyone. Slovak prime minister said, "We won't bow down to Germany and France. Quotas are irrational." The plan also faces resistance from Poland and the Czech Republic, whose Europe prime minister called quotes "nonsensical." 

The UK has been a notable resistor to accepting migrants. Britain's Liberal Democrat Member of the European Parliament chastised the prime minister's lack of cooperation: 

"By refusing to take a single refugee that has arrived on Europe's shores, the UK government is shirking our international duty and lowering Britain's standing in the world. Of course we must do more to tackle the causes of the refugee crisis at source, but we cannot turn a blind eye to the human tragedy unfolding right now on our continent."

Prime Minister Cameron has defended his financial contributions and focus on resettlement. 

Discussion Starters:

• What are Juncker's challenges in delivering this speech? What type of resistance does he need to overcome?
• Read the transcript of Juncker's speech. What examples do you see of emotional appeals, credibility, and logical argument? What rhetorical devices does he use?
• Assess Juncker's delivery skills. What suggestions do you have for his future presentations?

First Debate of Republican Candidates

The presidential election is still more than a year away, but the Republican candidates already debated for the first time. 

Donald Trump has been leading in the polls, and he was positioned in the center of the 10 candidates. Trump won the debate in terms of airtime with 11 minutes, 14 seconds.

In its casual, sardonic style, The Skimm summarized the debate as follows:

"That Donald Trump likes to talk a lot. And everyone else would like some more attention. Trump is going for the White House - even if he doesn't get the GOP nomination. And he clarified that he doesn't like to insult all women. Just Rosie O'Donnell. Jeb had to talk about his last name. But he'd prefer if you call him ‘ Veto Corleone.' Dr. Ben Carson reminded everyone that he exists, and that he's separated Siamese twins. Scott Walker is proud to be normcore. Rand Paul and Chris Christie do not - repeat DO NOT - like each other. Everyone likes the Iran nuclear deal just about as much as they like Hillary Clinton (hint: they don't, but Kimye does). John Kasich said he still doesn't like the idea of gay marriage, but he'd still love his daughter if she were gay. Marco Rubio feels #blessed to be on stage with all these candidates, since the Dems can't even find one. And Ted Cruz and Mike Huckabee were there too." 

Discussion Starters: 

• Who do you think won the debate? What criteria do you use for deciding?
• Compare The Skimm's summary to that of other news reports. How do they compare, and what could account for the differences?
• Questions about climate change weren't included in the debate. Why do you think this is the case? Should they have been included?