I have always been impressed by those who could look at raw data - rows and rows of numbers and text organized into tidy cells - and find within that data, a compelling story. Even more impressive is the ability to communicate that story in a visual, compelling, and entertaining way.
The Pudding does just that. They have built dozens of incredible, web-based visual stories to communicate ideas and information in unique and creative ways. My favorites are Middle School Sucks and Loneliness Epidemic.