Dave C. Smith

I was reflecting this morning on why I love the cartographic community so much:

Map makers are often competent technology people but they have too much invested in art, the humanities and the sciences to ever be "techies."

Never mind AI slop. I can't help but imagine that the artless trash that Microsoft's grammar check tries to impose on everything we write is causing its own kind of subtle cultural damage on society as a whole.

The thing about being a perfectionist that I don't think a lot of people understand is that it's not that you look at something you've done well and say "it's good, but it's not good enough". There's a cognitive dissonance. You look at something you've done well and you actually see only the flaws.

This yellow warbler was not amused by the hummingbird's shenanigans. #birds #photography

Went out yesterday to get in a hike before the big heatwave. Quiet day for birds, except for this pair of pileated woodpeckers. They seemed to be enjoying themselves. #birds #photography

The photo's too noisy because of the low light in the shady forest cover, but this pileated woodpecker is still an S-tier bird. #birds

Eaglet! (To be honest, I didn't even see it until I was looking at the photos later) #birds

Yellow-Rumped Warbler #birds #photography

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Eastern Kingbird, in the style of Sears Portrait Studio #birds #photography

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Well, here's something. On this date in 1945, Benito Mussolini was executed. I just thought that was interesting for no particular reason.

Smooth. I always end up hitting the space bar before the H. Don't know why.

You know how there are some words that, for whatever reason, you just seem to mistype every single time? I've given up and started pronouncing them that way too. Two of my favorites: "tomaties" and "smoot".

Finally got out to take some photos a couple times this week. Here's a nice Palm Warbler. #birds #photography
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The National Map has a pop-up indicating that the downloader search is down for catalog maintenance. So, probably temporary.

Who is it that's teaching college students to begin emails with "I hope this email finds you well" like they're writing to the matriarch of a mid-tier Victorian family in the hopes that her tedious but still sufficiently respectable son is still unmarried? Because it's adorable.

Actually, plate carrée is fine for most maps

Some brightness in dark days.

Just sitting here grading exams and one student came up with an answer so wrong that I literally had to go for a walk because I couldn't stand to be in the same room as the exam form it was written in.

American Crow
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Young turkey vulture.
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#birds #photography

The first-year has a mostly dark belly. The second-year has the distinctly white belly.

Terrible photo, but it looks like we had a 2nd year bald eagle hanging around in addition to the familiar juvenile from this year.

Defense Against Dishonest Charts This is a guide to protect ourselves and to preserve what is good about turning data into visual things.

Dishonest charts are coming from all directions, and they're only going to hit harder. Unless we push back. So, an interactive guide: Defense Against Dishonest Charts flowingdata.com/projects/dis...

For people who actually buy music (which I strongly encourage you to do), Bandcamp is donating all of their proceeds from sales made today to MusiCares, who provide aid for musicians impacted by the Southern California wildfires. bandcamp.com/lafirerelief.

Buffleheads! Not a fantastic shot, but I do enjoy a tiny duck. I might go see if they're out there again today.
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Same! When I'm not working on mappy stuff--or teaching mappy stuff--I've been taking photos. Mostly local wildlife.

Here's a Merlin I spotted last week.

#gischat Share your non-mappy stuff.

Always nice to see the local bald eagle couple just hanging out together.

I don't know who needs this, but here's an adorable tufted titmouse to enjoy #birds #photography

California Wildfire Relief Fundraiser and Bandcamp Fridays in 2025 Bandcamp partners with MusiCares to raise money for impacted communities in the L.A. region.

Bandcamp Fridays are back in 2025! That's when 100% of revenue goes DIRECTLY to the artists you support on their Bandcamp stores. Great for artists, and for sticking it to big corporations who take a slice of the pie.

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