Gary Smith
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garysmith.bsky.social
Gary Smith
@garysmith.bsky.social
370 followers 280 following 1.1K posts
Toronto, Ontario, Canada 🍁
Web development: garysmith.ca
Writing: decompiling.ca
Painting: citypainter.ca
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garysmith.bsky.social
“If in the first act you have hung a pistol on the wall, then in the following one it should be fired. Otherwise don't put it there.”
― Anton Chekhov
A screen grab from the CNN website showing a photo of a military warship in the water. Above the image is the title: "Trump suggests he's made a decision on Venezuela military operations" Beneath the image is the subtitle: "The US military has amassed more than a dozen warships and 15,000 troops in the region"
November 16, 2025 at 4:28 AM
garysmith.bsky.social
Anther book for my reading list, I think.
www.nathaneberline.com/blog/a-dista...
A screen grab of of text that reads: 'Tuchman: “When the gap between ideal and real becomes too wide, the system breaks down.”'
November 1, 2025 at 2:31 PM
garysmith.bsky.social
"The Points of Interest of Beautiful Toronto are best seen from the Palatial Coaches of the Toronto Transportation Commission" (1926)
A scan of a paper map of Toronto from 1926 titled "Canada's most beautiful summer city -- Toronto"
October 9, 2025 at 7:53 PM
garysmith.bsky.social
The final time I Googled the same Neil Young Lyrics, AI Overview decided once again they were from Beyoncé, this time collaborating with Post Malone on a song called "My House". She does have a song by that name, but Post Malone didn't sing on it, and its lyrics are completely unrelated.
A screen shot of an Google AI Overview response that suggests some Neil Young Lyrics are from a Beyoncé and Post Malone collaboration song, along with a backstory.
October 4, 2025 at 2:46 AM
garysmith.bsky.social
The third time I Googled the same Neil Young Lyrics, AI Overview decided they were from a Miley Cyrus song, linking them thematically to Hurricane Harvey. She does apparently have a song containing the line "the sky is falling" though that's not the actual name of the song.
A screen shot of an Google AI Overview response that suggests some Neil Young Lyrics are from a Miley Cyrus song, along with a backstory.
October 4, 2025 at 2:41 AM
garysmith.bsky.social
In a new tab, I Googled the same lyrics again. AI Overview generated a new hallucination, this time decided the lyrics were from a song by My Chemical Romance. They do have a song sort of by that name, but it doesn't seem to contain those lyrics. They again come with some made-up lyrical analysis.
A screen shot of an Google AI Overview response that suggests some Neil Young Lyrics are from a My Chemical Romance song called "Black Parade", followed by some speculated meanings of the lyrics.
October 4, 2025 at 2:36 AM
garysmith.bsky.social
I Googled a snippet of lyrics from a 1985 Neil Young song called "Misfits" and AI Overview piped up and insisted the lyrics are from a Beyoncé song that does not seem to exist. Okay, weird. Then it hallucinated some nonsense about what she meant by the lyrics.
A screen shot of an Google AI Overview response that suggests some Neil Young Lyrics are from a Beyoncé song called "Houston", along with a backstory.
October 4, 2025 at 2:32 AM
garysmith.bsky.social
Sugar Beach was glorious and crowded this morning. Summer in September. Also lots of anxious Blue Jays fans with tickets, killing time til first pitch a few blocks west.
A photo of about a dozen silhouetted people on a sunny fall day, all gathering beneath yellow and green trees, with a sparkling blue lake in the distance.
September 28, 2025 at 6:20 PM
garysmith.bsky.social
Google News is a window into the way conservative Canadian media coordinates their attacks on the Liberals. Every week they pick a theme and pile on. This week it's a ludicrous insinuation that Carney is doing something wrong by, gasp, using a plane to travel internationally to meet foreign leaders.
Two Google News headlines. The first, from CTV News, says "Mark Carney's globe-spanning travel schedule draws both criticism and praise". The second, from the Globe and Mail says "Carney defends trips abroad, says visits further agenda on trade, investment".
September 27, 2025 at 4:04 PM
garysmith.bsky.social
As seen on a former Starbucks in downtown Toronto.
A photo of a four story building with the lower part of the wall painted with graffiti that says 'F-ck Trump!' in an artistic font.
July 6, 2025 at 12:44 PM
garysmith.bsky.social
The first thing I saw today when I stepped out was these cyclists in the Esplanade bike lane. Neither looked like part of the 'young male' demographic to me.
Two people seen from behind riding bikes in a bike lane.
May 31, 2025 at 3:37 PM
garysmith.bsky.social
We made it to the new St Lawrence North Market for Doors Open, and it was worth it for the great views of the neighbourhood from the 5th floor courts. But the interior finishings on the building were very... functional, to put it politely. $100m+ doesn't buy many frills these days, I guess.
A photo of the interior of the St Lawrence North Market building, as seen from an upper floor. It shows a small crowd of people scattered around a large empty room, with walls supported by high steel beams. A view of the St Lawrence South Market building as seen from the 5th floor of the North Market building across the street. It features a brown historic brick building, with modern skyscrapers in the background and a street busy with cars in the foreground.
May 26, 2025 at 4:13 PM
garysmith.bsky.social
My latest painting in my Night Windows series is a glimpse into an old Victorian building near Queen St East and Broadview Avenue in Toronto. Oil on board, 8" x 10".

More: www.citypainter.ca/paintings/ni...
A painting of a view through a window in a old red and brown brick wall, with blueish-gray wooden trim beneath it. Through the window are abstract glimpses of greenish lighting and what appears to be angled stairwells.
May 22, 2025 at 2:23 PM
garysmith.bsky.social
For $117 you get the "Wrodpress" website you deserve, I suppose. But on a serious note, how can actual humans compete with this shit. I used to make a living at this stuff.
A screengrab from a website showing a thumbnail image of an AI-generated women wearing glasses, along with the text "Design & Redesign Wrodpress (sic) Website Development" and some other bullet points related to web development. Below the image there is the subtext "I will do modern business website design, redesign and wordpress website..." and the price "From CA$117".
May 22, 2025 at 1:42 PM
garysmith.bsky.social
Imagine how disappointed I would have been 20 years ago to know that this what NOW magazine would be reduced to in the future.
A screen capture from the NOW website displaying basic website elements and the headline "Best online casinos that accept Interac in Canada for 2025, ranked by experts" above a thumbnail and the disclaimer "This is sponsored."
May 18, 2025 at 10:08 PM
garysmith.bsky.social
It's happening! I think. Market Street beside St Lawrence Market in Toronto is being pedestrianised for another summer. One day this will be permanent, but for now we take the small wins.
A city street viewed from behind irange traffic barricades and red and white 'road closed' signs. The street is mostly empty except for a cluster of black metal patio furniture and a few maintenance vehicles.
May 12, 2025 at 3:55 PM
garysmith.bsky.social
My latest painting effort, another night window view, this one with some fun abstract shadows. Oil on board, 8" x 10".
www.citypainter.ca/paintings/ni...
A painting of a view through a window divided into different sections, revealing silhouettes of plants and other unknown items against pink and yellow light.
May 8, 2025 at 2:01 PM
garysmith.bsky.social
If we're judging Carney's visit to the Whitehouse by the headlines alone, it seems Canada is winning this round so far. (Usual caveat: with Trump everything can change in a nanosecond.)
A screen grab from CNN.com with the headline "Canada `won't be for sale, ever,' Carney tells Trump." Below the headline is a photo of Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney sitting in a chair beside American President Donald Trump. Between them is a model of an airplane.
May 6, 2025 at 5:42 PM
garysmith.bsky.social
My travel blog is called "Got Away" and I've been getting some traffic to my post about Apeiranthos on Naxos. So I Googled it to see who linked to it. It seems the AI Overview thinks my blog actually has the rather antisocial name "Go Away" even though those words to not appear anywhere on the page.
A a screen grab of the search results for a URL. The AI Overview at the top says "The provided URL ... leads to a travel website (GoAway) page dedicated to Apeiranthos, Greece. It likely offers information and potentially booking options for trips or stays in this location." This is followed by the normal search results for a web page with the title "Apeiranthos - Got Away".
May 6, 2025 at 2:08 PM
garysmith.bsky.social
This is the front of the CBC News website right now.
A screen grab of the CBC News website showing the headline "9 dead, others hurt after driver slams into Vancouver Lapu Lapu Day festival crowd" along with a photo of two police officers in front of flashing lights, and several other related secondary headlines.
April 27, 2025 at 1:30 PM
garysmith.bsky.social
My newest painting, the latest in the Night Windows series I began last winter. This one has some fun abstraction in the shapes peaking out beneath the blinds (I assume they are plants and lamps). Oil on board, 8" x 10".

More: www.citypainter.ca/paintings/ni...
A painting of a framed window mostly covered by partially-lowered blinds. Beneath the blinds are semi-abstract shapes representing plants, lamps, or other similar items on the window sill.
April 20, 2025 at 1:02 AM
garysmith.bsky.social
It's been years and Etsy has not been able to stop these stupid fake spam messages that come in waves, trying to get me to click on a scam link. Etsy eventually flags them as spam, but not until after they've been sent. Always the same template. Is it really that hard to figure out a solution?
A screen grab of an email inbox showing the summaries of 16 emails received from "Etsy Conversations" all with similar subjects referencing different female names such as Melissa, Stefanie, Sara, Brenda, etc.
April 16, 2025 at 5:28 PM
garysmith.bsky.social
My latest painting: Night Windows with Fluorescents, based on a photo taken nearby in Toronto. Oil on board, 9" x 12".

↦ www.citypainter.ca/paintings/ni...
A semi-abstract oil painting of dark bluish windows separated into sections by frames, with bars of bright yellow light near the top.
April 15, 2025 at 2:52 AM
garysmith.bsky.social
I smashed my TV, and then I glued it back together and it still works. I'm a genius! In 90 days I will smash it again, unless I change my mind and smash it sooner than that. It's hard to predict the actions of genius such as myself.
A screen grab of the CNN business website on Apr 9, 2025, showing the DOW up 6.83%, the S&P 500 up 8.08%, and the NASDAQ Up 10.14%.
April 9, 2025 at 6:04 PM
garysmith.bsky.social
Pro tip: if you boil your shoes long enough, the leather becomes edible, unless your shoes are made of plastic, which they most definitely are.
A screen shot of CNN financial market information from Apr 3, 2025 around 10:12 am ET. It shows the DOW down 3.63%, the S&P 500 down 3.95%, and the NASDAQ down 4.92%. To the right is a graph indicating that the US market is being driven by "Extreme Fear".
April 3, 2025 at 2:24 PM