Travis Smith: my resume, bio and photos back to the main blog page

A list of authors, and the kind of people who read that author

Example... "Nick Hornby: Guys who wear skinny jeans and the girls that love them."

posted at 6:06 pm
on Dec. 31, 2009

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Canada’s parliament shut down (prorogued) until March

I wonder what they'll be doing in the mean time: XBox or Wii?

posted at 10:12 am
on Dec. 31, 2009

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Goddammit, but pandas are CUTE. Some serious cute photos. Really.

Makes me sorry about all that panda soup I threw out.

posted at 10:08 am
on Dec. 31, 2009

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Kim Peek, inspiration for Rain Man, died

I met him in a hotel lobby in Visalia in the mid 90s. He was like an astral projection in reverse: he clearly was not really in our world, but rather in some other world, looking out into ours. His handler/helper talked to us, and he told me what day of the week I was born on and what my sign was and tricks like that.

posted at 1:17 pm
on Dec. 30, 2009

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Drinking this New Year? Read about hangovers here

The New Yorker: Class all the way.

posted at 9:05 am
on Dec. 30, 2009

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How do you identify Bad Design? (Some great examples)

Apparently, by being really awkward and unlucky and a bit of a complainer. But the examples are rock solid.

posted at 1:50 pm
on Dec. 29, 2009

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Funny video and comics: 2009 - The Year In Social Media

Rob Cottingham is a funny, funny man. And if you listen to him, he's even funnier. (boomcha!)

posted at 12:21 pm
on Dec. 29, 2009

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Adjusted for Inflation, the Dow is at 1999 levels.  That’s lame.

Here's to the 2010s.

posted at 2:34 pm
on Dec. 28, 2009

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Vancouver’s Burrard Street lane closure for cyclists’ use: it’s a success

Sometimes you have to go against the prevailing advice; things aren't always what they seem.

posted at 11:29 am
on Dec. 28, 2009

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Attaching an SLR lens to an iPhone

Why? Because, um, it's like something neat.

posted at 10:31 am
on Dec. 28, 2009

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The Decade in Ironic Comedy

Ha ha ha ha ha.

posted at 10:31 am
on Dec. 28, 2009

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NYTimes trend story: People opting out of Christmas entirely, ignoring the holiday, skipping stress

Yes, they exist: they're called "Jews" and "Muslims" and "Hindus" 😊

posted at 10:17 am
on Dec. 28, 2009

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Eight Hours is Not the Magic Sleep Number—for some

I can vouch for this.

posted at 10:13 am
on Dec. 28, 2009

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Getting ready to set New Year’s goals? This free 30-page book walks you through goal setting

Wow, did that ever sound like an ad. But it wasn't. It was just a cool book I found.

posted at 1:07 am
on Dec. 28, 2009

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That guy who was arrested in the big D.C. snowball fight? He’s a lawyer. Read his take on it.

His writing shows a remarkable viewpoint on the rule of law and the enforcement thereof.

posted at 10:42 am
on Dec. 23, 2009

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How to Play Gowalla, Plus My Own Version of the Rules

Susie thinks I'm addicted to Gowalla. I think I'm just addicted to small intermittent rewards, regardless of who delivers them. 😊

posted at 11:10 am
on Dec. 22, 2009

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The 10 most epic Fail Pictures and Videos of 2009 (scroll down a bit for the video)

Yeah, it cracked me up a bit.

posted at 10:36 am
on Dec. 21, 2009

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Stories of Female Olympic Athletes and the struggles they went through to compete in the Games

Puts the Women's ski jumping controversy in a new light for me.

posted at 3:13 am
on Dec. 19, 2009

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Nangle+Partners is the most recent site Hop Studios designed

It's a pretty elegant site, and I don't mind saying so.

posted at 1:28 pm
on Dec. 18, 2009

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MySQL’s creator wants YOUR help to get the EU to block Sun’s sale to Oracle without more guarantees

MySQL is an open-source database that was bought by Sun not too long ago. Oracle makes a competing commercial database. I *think* that it would be bad if Oracle managed both, but I'm open to someone else telling me that I'm wrong.

posted at 8:09 pm
on Dec. 17, 2009

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A PayPal nightmare for an independent software vendor; lesson: don’t rely on PayPal

I've always been a little surprised that PayPal's technology seems so mired in 2003.

posted at 5:41 pm
on Dec. 17, 2009

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10 of the Most Expensive Homes for Sale in the U.S. (range: $65-100 million)

Is it too late to add this to my Amazon wish list?

posted at 12:43 pm
on Dec. 17, 2009

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If you wonder why people don’t like working with snooty designers, this is why

"Design professionals don't need to be managed." -- complete claptrap. As people, they might not be, but as a project, and as a vendor, of course they do. Designers are no more infallible than anyone else who is part of a project, and while you should know when to listen to their wisdom, you don't have to like what they produce. Geez.

posted at 2:01 pm
on Dec. 16, 2009

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Some Octopuses Use Tools: They Carry Coconuts Half-Shells as Instant Shelters

Neat video with this one, too.

posted at 8:08 pm
on Dec. 14, 2009

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Microsoft China steals Plurk’s look and code (Plurk is Asia’s No. 1 Microblogging Service)

Honestly, I had no idea Plurk was that popular in Asia. Let's see what Microsoft says.

posted at 10:45 am
on Dec. 14, 2009

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The 7 Deadly Sins were once the 8 Evil Thoughts, and included Tristitia (sorrow / despair)

Remember: The sins of lust, gluttony, anger and pride are all equally cardinal sins. Boobies are not by default more sinful than boasting.

posted at 7:02 pm
on Dec. 13, 2009

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Veteran fisherman Bill Dance’s classic bloopers (3 min.)

Well worth it -- these are far better than your usual bloopers.

posted at 1:37 pm
on Dec. 13, 2009

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What’s wrong with AT&T, is what’s wrong with America: A beautiful Fake Steve Jobs rant

Seriously, folks, if you read one blog post this week, make it this one. It's funny and sad and true all at once, and when that can be said about an iPhone-related post, that's saying something.

posted at 6:46 pm
on Dec. 11, 2009

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Are you having a hard time reading a book? The NYTimes examines why

Hint: Stop reading my goddamn blog and pick up a book! Do it!

posted at 4:56 pm
on Dec. 11, 2009

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How much is a blog worth? PVRblog.com is for sale

On eBay.

posted at 4:14 pm
on Dec. 11, 2009

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Editor & Publisher shut down by its owner, Nielsen Business Media

So sad. Who's going to give out the EPpy awards now?

posted at 10:21 am
on Dec. 10, 2009

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Google’s new “Search Stories” are really, really awesome short videos

I hope they allow people to submit their own #adhack

posted at 6:44 pm
on Dec. 9, 2009

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Music Video: Japanese animated electronica of a robber escaping police

Absolutely nifty video of dozens of levels of television videos interwoven. Love it.

posted at 6:40 pm
on Dec. 9, 2009

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Surf’s Way Up: 50 Foot Waves Hit Hawaii

We get ice, they get waves. I'm jealous.

posted at 2:43 pm
on Dec. 9, 2009

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“Dysrationalia” - it’s the inability to think and behave rationally despite adequate intelligence

I think we've all suffered from bouts of this at times; it's nice to have a word to describe it.

posted at 2:19 pm
on Dec. 9, 2009

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Eminem sold a record 32.2 million albums this decade, making him the top-selling artist. Fo shizzle.

He beat the Beatles, who did have the #1 album.

posted at 5:05 pm
on Dec. 8, 2009

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Comic: How a Web Design Project Goes Straight to Hell

This is not true for MY clients, of course, but I hear others have had the exact same experiences over and over again. 😊

posted at 2:12 pm
on Dec. 5, 2009

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You can love or hate the Olympics, but I bet these 33 Olympic torch relay pictures amaze you

Truly beautiful and Canada-encompassing.

posted at 1:20 pm
on Dec. 5, 2009

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An epic Oreo cookie stack

Now I'm going to go eat one.

posted at 1:16 pm
on Dec. 5, 2009

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100 days / 100 photos in Glacier National Park

Super photography. Also featured in the Big Picture blog.

posted at 3:37 pm
on Dec. 3, 2009

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“Love Your Job” Thursday: An animated GIF in one act

Bashing the keyboard until your head is flat and bloody: who hasn't done that, am I right?

posted at 1:30 pm
on Dec. 3, 2009

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Montreal scientists searched for men to study who had never looked at porn, couldn’t find any

I'm shocked -- that they didn't find any men who were liars. 😊

posted at 5:00 pm
on Dec. 2, 2009

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Graph: People out there who care ∩ people you know

This is important because so many of the people I know are not feeling supported right now.

posted at 3:14 pm
on Dec. 2, 2009

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What day are we eating our tacos? on Flickr

Nobody wants a taco on Tuesday

posted at 5:15 pm
on Dec. 1, 2009

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Journalist going to Canada? You may be detained at the border and interrogated

It happened to Amy Goodman last week -- though, you know, detained is a little strong for what happened. But still.

posted at 5:06 pm
on Dec. 1, 2009

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This (limited?) free iPhone video app allows direct, phone-to-phone, video streaming

It's called "Knocking Live Video" and I recommend you get it right away because it might not be around long.

posted at 3:51 pm
on Dec. 1, 2009

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Loneliness is contagious, and can spread through social networks, study suggests

This quote really hit home: "Unwittingly, we pass feelings to others -- whether in person, on the phone or online -- and influence the pattern of human connections surrounding us."

posted at 9:30 am
on Dec. 1, 2009

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Overheard

“The sad truth is that most evil is done by people who never make up their minds to be good or evil.”

...who said it?

“Almost every American I know does trade large portions of his life for entertainment, hour by weeknight hour, binge by Saturday binge, Facebook check by Facebook check. I’m one of them. In the course of writing this I’ve watched all 13 episodes of House of Cards and who knows how many more West Wing episodes, and I’ve spent any number of blurred hours falling down internet rabbit holes. All instead of reading, or writing, or working, or spending real time with people I love.”

...who said it?

“Live a good life. If there are gods and they are just, then they will not care how devout you have been, but will welcome you based on the virtues you have lived by. If there are gods, but unjust, then you should not want to worship them. If there are no gods, then you will be gone, but will have lived a noble life that will live on in the memories of your loved ones.”

...who said it?

“I play with variables constantly.”

...who said it?

“Only the person who has learned Continual Love coming from a heart of Gratitude/Worship can effectively deal with the problem of loneliness.”

...who said it?

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