Generally, OfficeHours really likes good data visualizations. We were heartened to see that LATimes.com runs word and concept diagrams on many search terms. So this is the relationship chart at LATimes.com for the word Spokane.

We don't really get it, however. Whatever the system is, the results are a grab-bag of uncertain connections.

We certainly hoped there would be some connection between Spokane and a number of stellar athletes, say, Jeremy Lin. But all we see are some expected links -- John Stockton, being obvious. Who's Aaron Gray? (Jordan Farmar? Doesn't he play hoop, but using his name here won't generate any hits, not the way Jeremy Lin does.)

The celebrity bubble produced three names: Dylan, Bon Iver and Chuck D. I'll give a $3 Starbucks card to the first person who can establish why the The Times site links those three with "Spokane."

---

---