The funniest thing I have seen this year

Especially the pie graphs.

The story goes like this: Australian adman Simon Edhouse asks designer David Thorne for a logo and some graphs to present to prospective clients. David Thorne replies, including this pie graph:



A lengthy correspondence ensues. A sample:

Dear Simon,
[. . .] I would no doubt find your ideas more 'cutting edge' and original if I had traveled forward in time from the 1950's but as it stands, your ideas for technology based projects that have already been put into application by other people several years before you thought of them fail to generate the enthusiasm they possibly deserve. Having said that though, if I had traveled forward in time, my time machine would probably put your peer to peer networking technology to shame as not only would it have commercial viability, but also an awesome logo and accompanying pie charts.

Regardless, I have, as requested, attached a logo that represents not only the peer to peer networking project you are currently working on, but working with you in general.
Regards, David.

The graphic is stylish and witty but far too rude to reproduce in a family blog. (You can see the whole exchange here.) Edhouse replies:

You just crossed the line. You have no idea about the potential this project has. The technology allows users to network peer to peer, add contacts, share information and is potentially worth many millions of dollars and your short sightedness just cost you any chance of being involved.

And Thorne comes back with:

Dear Simon,
So you have invented Twitter. Congratulations. This is where that time machine would definitely have come in quite handy.

There is lots more text and graphics in this vein. Unfortunately, Edhouse says that none of it is true. Apart from the pie graphs – I think we can take them as an accurate portrayal of the situation.

Monitor: Tim Blair