Nostr notes by Graham Downs

For people with an inherited retinal disease, like me, genetic ...

2026-10-27T11:17:13Z

For people with an inherited retinal disease, like me, genetic testing can be very important in coming up with a concrete diagnosis, which in turn potentially opens up access to trials and new treatments, would could possibly save their sight (unfortunately I was not one of the lucky ones; I had a genetic test done, but they could not isolate my gene. Which does happen, at which point counselling becomes really important, but that also costs money and most medical aids won't cover it).

But genetic testing is EXPENSIVE, and so many can't afford it. This Giving Tuesday, you can donate, so that somebody can maybe get an answer: https://retinasa.org.za/shop/giving-tuesday-donate-any-amount/?utm_source=MastodonAfrica

#GivingTuesday #blind

Why is it still so hard for blind people in South Africa to get ...

2026-10-27T09:14:56Z

Why is it still so hard for blind people in South Africa to get books in accessible formats?

https://gadget.co.za/sablindreaders31t/?utm_source=MastodonAfrica

#blind #SouthAfrica

Interesting trivia today: apparently, you could fit all the ...

2026-10-27T07:57:10Z

Interesting trivia today: apparently, you could fit all the planets in the solar system into the space between the Earth and the Moon. #trivia #space

Word to the wise: don't give your Internet banking ...

2026-10-27T07:52:15Z

Word to the wise: don't give your Internet banking credentials to AI agents. Just don't. :P https://techcentral.co.za/sa-banks-warn-customers-logins-ai-agents/287667?utm_source=MastodonAfrica

#AI #infosec

Contrary to popular belief, you can be on the Fediverse ...

2026-10-27T06:50:39Z

Contrary to popular belief, you can be on the Fediverse regardless of your views. Your tribe is here.

But depending on your views and values, you might face significant opposition, since this place tends to lean VERY left, anticapitalistic, environmentally and socially conscious, etc. There are good, historical reasons for that, and those views and voices are very important.

But if your views run contrary to those (or if those issues just aren't particularly important to you), it's fine. You can find a home here.

You just need to be careful about whom you choose to allow into your feed, by carefully curating whom you follow, and liberally blocking those who will invariably reply to your posts to tell you how wrong you are and how you need to get off this space, drop dead, you're evil, etc.

It's difficult, and I completely understand how you might not even consider it worth the effort, choosing rather to go to Threads or Bluesky or Instagram, or even X.

And I won't tell you that it's worth it, either. But as with anything, you need to be the change you want to see. So come join us, and stick it out. Objectively, *technically*, the Fediverse is a better platform than all of those.

The Fediverse is for everyone.

#Fediverse

Wordle 1 956 5/6* ⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛ ⬛🟦⬛🟦⬛ ...

2026-10-27T06:14:15Z

Wordle 1 956 5/6*

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#wordle #wordle1956

🎉 I just completed the Daily Maverick Crossword in 59 seconds! ...

2026-10-27T06:02:04Z

🎉 I just completed the Daily Maverick Crossword in 59 seconds! 🧩 Can you beat my time? 🏆 https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/crossword/daily-crossword-quickie-tues-27-oct-2026-2/?dm_source=blocks-grid&utm_source=MastodonAfrica #crosswords #puzzles

"I'd like to cast Identify on this pen..." #TTRPG ...

2026-10-27T05:05:50Z

"I'd like to cast Identify on this pen..." #TTRPG #jokes

Wordle 1 955 5/6* 🟦⬛🟦⬛⬛ 🟧⬛⬛⬛🟦 ...

2026-10-26T05:02:42Z

Wordle 1 955 5/6*

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#wordle #wordle1955

🎉 I just completed the Daily Maverick Crossword in 1 minute ...

2026-10-26T04:57:21Z

🎉 I just completed the Daily Maverick Crossword in 1 minute and 11 seconds! 🧩 Can you beat my time? 🏆 https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/crossword/daily-crossword-quickie-mon-26-oct-2026/?utm_source=MastodonAfrica #crosswords #puzzles

I bought my friend an elephant for their room. They said, ...

2026-10-25T10:08:26Z

I bought my friend an elephant for their room.

They said, "Thank you!"

I said, "Don't mention it."

#jokes

Wordle 1 954 4/6* ⬛⬛⬛🟧🟦 ⬛🟧🟧🟧⬛ ...

2026-10-25T08:59:33Z

Wordle 1 954 4/6*

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#wordle #wordle1954

Wordle 1 953 5/6* ⬛⬛⬛⬛🟦 ⬛🟦🟦⬛🟦 ...

2026-10-24T14:06:43Z

Wordle 1 953 5/6*

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#wordle #wordle1953

I finally got around to disabling all Git (and other VCS) ...

2026-10-23T15:56:22Z

I finally got around to disabling all Git (and other VCS) integrations in JetBrains Rider. I've always trained myself to just ignore it, but it slows down the IDE and I don't like seeing it.

The only acceptable way to use Git is via the CLI. It is known. And now, finally, my IDE respects that.

Now just to figure out how to do the same in Visual Studio, when I get to work on Monday and I'm back on Windows. :-D

#Git #SoftwareDevelopment

"No one is useless in this world who lightens the burdens of ...

2026-10-23T07:53:55Z

"No one is useless in this world who lightens the burdens of another."

-- Charles Dickens #quotes

Do you like KFC? It's the most popular fast food in South ...

2026-10-23T07:50:05Z

Do you like KFC? It's the most popular fast food in South Africa by a country mile. And other parts of the world too, it seems, because today's trivia reveals that the company sells 900 million chickens worldwide, each year! :O #trivia #food

Wordle 1 952 4/6* ⬛⬛🟦🟦🟦 🟧🟧🟧⬛⬛ ...

2026-10-23T05:53:07Z

Wordle 1 952 4/6*

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#wordle #wordle1952

🎉 I just completed the Daily Maverick Crossword in 1 minute ...

2026-10-23T05:48:43Z

🎉 I just completed the Daily Maverick Crossword in 1 minute and 33 seconds! 🧩 Can you beat my time? 🏆 https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/crossword/daily-crossword-quickie-fri-16-oct-2026-1/?utm_source=MastodonAfrica #crosswords #puzzles

W-what? The South African government actually LISTENED to the ...

2026-10-22T05:59:14Z

W-what? The South African government actually LISTENED to the people, for once? (tongue-in-cheek... But not really) :P

https://techcentral.co.za/treasury-crypto-rules-rethink-mtbps/287515/?utm_source=MastodonAfrica

#SouthAfrica #crypto

Wordle 1 951 3/6* ⬛⬛⬛⬛🟧 ⬛🟦🟦🟦🟧 ...

2026-10-22T05:52:42Z

Wordle 1 951 3/6*

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#wordle #wordle1951

🎉 I just completed the Daily Maverick Crossword in 47 seconds! ...

2026-10-22T05:50:20Z

🎉 I just completed the Daily Maverick Crossword in 47 seconds! 🧩 Can you beat my time? 🏆 https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/crossword/daily-crossword-quickie-thurs-22-oct-2026/?utm_source=MastodonAfrica #crosswords #puzzles

49% of Software Developers surveyed by Atlassian say they spend ...

2026-10-22T05:48:09Z

49% of Software Developers surveyed by Atlassian say they spend 4+ hours per week reviewing AI output and refining prompts: https://www.atlassian.com/teams/software-development/state-of-developer-experience-2026?utm_source=Mastodon

#AI #SoftwareDevelopment

Every time I see one of those "click all photos with x" ...

2026-10-22T05:08:53Z

Every time I see one of those "click all photos with x" things, I cringe. My visual impairment means that I *cannot* easily identify all photos with bicycles.

So after I try once or twice, I have to switch to the audio. But that's sometimes difficult with the American accent and the static and background noise they deliberately insert. And the radio's playing at the time, and my laptop speakers aren't the best, so I need to mute the radio and pick up and switch on my headset....

At least I'm not completely blind, so I can still see the button to switch to audio without resorting to a screen reader and moving my mouse cursor slowly across the screen until I happen upon it. :/

#accessibility

Trivia today: the first road vehicle to hit 100 km/h did so in ...

2026-10-21T08:51:40Z

Trivia today: the first road vehicle to hit 100 km/h did so in 1899, and incidentally, it was also full electric.

I don't know if this is true (ask your favourite LLM 🙃), but it does seem to coincide with the Gadget article I shared the other day, about EVs.

#EV #trivia

Quite a level-headed article, talking about things that ...

2026-10-21T07:54:00Z

Quite a level-headed article, talking about things that businesses need to keep in mind when considering whether -- and how much -- to integrate AI into their workflows: https://techcentral.co.za/responsible-ai-doom-wrong-question-business/287476/?utm_source=MastodonAfrica

#AI #business

Wordle 1 950 4/6* ⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛ 🟧⬛⬛⬛⬛ ...

2026-10-21T05:01:02Z

Wordle 1 950 4/6*

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#wordle #wordle1950

🎉 I just completed the Daily Maverick Crossword in 49 seconds! ...

2026-10-21T04:58:22Z

🎉 I just completed the Daily Maverick Crossword in 49 seconds! 🧩 Can you beat my time? 🏆 https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/crossword/daily-crossword-quickie-wed-21-oct-2026/?utm_source=MastodonAfrica #crosswords #puzzles

Wordle 1 949 3/6* 🟦⬛⬛⬛🟦 🟧⬛🟧⬛🟧 ...

2026-10-20T07:51:43Z

Wordle 1 949 3/6*

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#wordle #wordle1949

🎉 I just completed the Daily Maverick Crossword in 1 minute ...

2026-10-20T07:03:26Z

🎉 I just completed the Daily Maverick Crossword in 1 minute and 43 seconds! 🧩 Can you beat my time? 🏆 https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/crossword/daily-crossword-quickie-tues-20-oct-2026/?utm_source=MastodonAfrica #crosswords #puzzles

Ooh, bible.com (the desktop site) finally has Dark Mode. :-) ...

2026-10-19T06:50:01Z

Ooh, bible.com (the desktop site) finally has Dark Mode. :-) #Bible #accessibility

Wordle 1 948 4/6* ⬛⬛⬛⬛🟦 🟦🟦⬛⬛⬛ ...

2026-10-19T05:35:35Z

Wordle 1 948 4/6*

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#wordle #worlde1948

🎉 I just completed the Daily Maverick Crossword in 1 minute ...

2026-10-19T05:31:43Z

🎉 I just completed the Daily Maverick Crossword in 1 minute and 1 second! 🧩 Can you beat my time? 🏆 https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/crossword/daily-crossword-quickie-mon-19-oct-2026/?utm_source=MastodonAfrica #crosswords #puzzles

Wordle 1 947 5/6* ⬛🟦⬛🟦🟦 🟦🟦🟦⬛⬛ ...

2026-10-18T07:59:07Z

Wordle 1 947 5/6*

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#wordle #wordle1947

Reading the minister's letter in this week's edition of ...

2026-10-18T07:19:06Z

Reading the minister's letter in this week's edition of our church bulletin, I'm again reminded that we don't use gender-specific pronouns for God. God is God, and God calls us into deeper relationship with Godself.

God is not male or female or any other gender. God is God, and the implication is that God accepts people of all genders, too.

It's something to get used to. We should stop referring to God as "He" (Jesus yes, the Father yes, but God the Trinity? No). :-)

#gender #God

Wordle 1 946 6/6* ⬛⬛🟦⬛🟧 🟦⬛⬛⬛🟧 ...

2026-10-17T07:42:02Z

Wordle 1 946 6/6*

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#wordle #wordle1946

Read my review of "The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr ...

2026-10-16T12:31:21Z

Read my review of "The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde" by Robert Louis Stephenson (2 / 5 stars): https://bookwyrm.social/user/GrahamDowns/review/12795587/s/disappointing

So I hear Facebook is officially rolling out its plan to charge ...

2026-10-16T10:54:55Z

So I hear Facebook is officially rolling out its plan to charge people for sharing links.... 🙄 #Meta #SocialMedia

All the South African radio stations are begging their listeners ...

2026-10-16T09:35:51Z

All the South African radio stations are begging their listeners to vote for them in this year's Telkom Radio Awards. You can win R40k from the awards themselves, but the radio stations are promising even more winnings if you screenshot the fact that you voted for them and send it in.

I've just decided something (and I've WhatsApped this to all the radio stations I listen to on a regular basis): The first SA radio station to launch an official account somewhere on the Fediverse (e.g. Mastodon) gets my vote for the Telkom radio awards. 😀

#SouthAfrica #radio

"It's not the load that weighs you down, it's the way ...

2026-10-16T07:06:23Z

"It's not the load that weighs you down, it's the way you carry it."

#quotes #CSLewis

Wow, a really thought-provoking question here from Gadget: ...

2026-10-16T06:55:16Z

Wow, a really thought-provoking question here from Gadget: https://gadget.co.za/ifevscamefirst32f/?utm_source=MastodonAfrica

#EV

The Good Things Guy is encouraging South Africans to complete one ...

2026-10-16T06:51:46Z

The Good Things Guy is encouraging South Africans to complete one million acts of kindness before Christmas: https://www.goodthingsguy.com/1-million-good-things-before-christmas-south-africa-are-you-in/?utm_source=MastodonAfrica

#SouthAfrica #GoodThings

In today's trivia, apparently a horse can use up to 15 ...

2026-10-16T06:00:44Z

In today's trivia, apparently a horse can use up to 15 horsepower when it exerts itself. #trivia #horses

🎉 I just completed the Daily Maverick Crossword in 2 minutes ...

2026-10-16T05:48:12Z

🎉 I just completed the Daily Maverick Crossword in 2 minutes and 7 seconds! 🧩 Can you beat my time? 🏆 https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/crossword/daily-crossword-quickie-fri-16-oct-2026/?utm_source=MastodonAfrica #crosswords #puzzles

The Africana library got featured in Today's @nprofile…6k3s ...

2026-10-15T10:53:32Z

The Africana library got featured in Today's nprofile1qy2hwumn8ghj7un9d3shjtnyd968gmewwp6kyqpq3r27459uv27zcererj56pm468jhlyjutdxpjqfhfrqy7pc99uvrqva6k3s (nprofile…6k3s) newsletter. That's pretty cool!

https://www.fodors.com/world/africa-and-middle-east/south-africa/the-northern-cape/things-to-do/sights?pois=686793&utm_source=Mastodon

#SouthAfrica #tourism

Wow! I honestly did not know that airships (aside from ...

2026-10-15T08:57:01Z

Wow! I honestly did not know that airships (aside from promotional blimps) were actually still in common use. But apparently they are: https://gadget.co.za/hylightairships14w/?utm_source=MastodonAfrica

#aviation

I remember playing Poohsticks with my brother, on a bridge over ...

2026-10-15T08:54:08Z

I remember playing Poohsticks with my brother, on a bridge over the spruit next to Alberton City. Such memories!

It's Wiktionary's Word of the Day today: https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Poohsticks?utm_source=Mastodon

#WordOfTheDay #English

Ugh. Ampath patient records stolen in data breach: ...

2026-10-15T07:01:01Z

Ugh. Ampath patient records stolen in data breach: https://techcentral.co.za/ampath-breach-no-evidence-test-results-taken/287314/?utm_source=MastodonAfrica

If you've ever had blood work done in South Africa, chances are, Ampath has your details. :/

#SouthAfrica #infosec

Wordle 1 944 5/6* ⬛⬛🟦⬛🟧 ⬛🟧⬛⬛🟧 ...

2026-10-15T06:50:49Z

Wordle 1 944 5/6*

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#wordle #wordle1944

🎉 I just completed the Daily Maverick Crossword in 1 minute ...

2026-10-15T05:57:23Z

🎉 I just completed the Daily Maverick Crossword in 1 minute and 2 seconds! 🧩 Can you beat my time? 🏆 https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/crossword/daily-crossword-quickie-thurs-15-oct-2026/?utm_source=MastodonAfrica

#crosswords #puzzles

The 2026 StackOverflow Developer Survey results are in: ...

2026-10-15T05:38:06Z

The 2026 StackOverflow Developer Survey results are in: https://stackoverflow.blog/2026/10/06/the-results-of-the-2026-developer-survey-are-here/?utm_source=Mastodon

From a cursory glance, 21% of developers use AI tools for 4+ hours per day, and 70% of them "ask an AI agent" when they're looking for answers.

In other news, Javascript is (unsurprisingly) the most popular programming language [I'm not a web dev fan, ugh], but I'm pleased to report that my language of choice, C#, is still well represented.

1% of all respondents still use COBOL! :-O

#SoftwareDevelopment #AI

Don't forget to vote 👉 ...

2026-10-14T09:22:03Z

Don't forget to vote 👉 https://mastodon.africa/@GrahamDowns/117398342163665900

#SouthAfrica #LGE2026

"We don't have to save the world. The world is big enough ...

2026-10-14T07:56:47Z

"We don't have to save the world. The world is big enough to look after itself. What we have to be concerned about is whether or not the world we live in will be capable of sustaining us in it."

-- Douglas Adams #quotes #environment

Wordle 1 943 3/6* 🟦🟦⬛⬛⬛ 🟧⬛⬛🟦🟧 ...

2026-10-14T06:47:49Z

Wordle 1 943 3/6*

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#wordle #wordle1943

🎉 I just completed the Daily Maverick Crossword in 53 seconds! ...

2026-10-14T06:39:00Z

🎉 I just completed the Daily Maverick Crossword in 53 seconds! 🧩 Can you beat my time? 🏆 https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/crossword/daily-crossword-quickie-wed-14-oct-2026/?iutm_source=MastodonAfrica #crosswords #puzzles

It's about time a school came up with a formal policy on AI ...

2026-10-13T07:52:50Z

It's about time a school came up with a formal policy on AI use (that isn't just, "Don't use it under any circumstances"): https://gadget.co.za/koaacademy32t/?utm_source=MastodonAfrica

#AI #education

There's a new free (text-only) helpline for reporting ...

2026-10-13T07:46:40Z

There's a new free (text-only) helpline for reporting cybercrime in South Africa: https://techcentral.co.za/free-cybercrime-helpline-south-africa/287193/?utm_source=MastodonAfrica

#SouthAfrica #crime

Wordle 1 942 6/6* ⬛⬛🟦⬛🟦 🟦⬛⬛🟦⬛ ...

2026-10-13T05:51:47Z

Wordle 1 942 6/6*

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#wordle #wordle1942

🎉 I just completed the Daily Maverick Crossword in 1 minute ...

2026-10-13T05:01:33Z

🎉 I just completed the Daily Maverick Crossword in 1 minute and 10 seconds! 🧩 Can you beat my time? 🏆 https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/crossword/daily-crossword-quickie-tues-13-oct-2026/?utm_source=MastodonAfrica

#crosswords #puzzles

Oh, RJ Mitte passed away. He played Walter White's son in ...

2026-10-13T04:59:05Z

Oh, RJ Mitte passed away. He played Walter White's son in Breaking Bad.

I wasn't aware the actor had Cerebral Palsy (the character did).

My thoughts are with his family today. #RJMitte

https://www.nbcnewyork.com/entertainment/entertainment-news/breaking-bad-actor-rj-mitte-dies/6558504/?utm_source=Mastodon

Wordle 1 941 6/6* ⬛⬛⬛⬛🟦 ⬛⬛🟦⬛🟧 ...

2026-10-12T04:55:37Z

Wordle 1 941 6/6*

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#wordle #wordle1941

🎉 I just completed the Daily Maverick Crossword in 51 seconds! ...

2026-10-12T04:49:32Z

🎉 I just completed the Daily Maverick Crossword in 51 seconds! 🧩 Can you beat my time? 🏆 https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/crossword/daily-crossword-quickie-mon-12-oct-2026/?utm_source=MastodonAfrica #crosswords #puzzles

Wordle 1 940 4/6* ⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛ ⬛⬛⬛🟧🟦 ...

2026-10-11T09:42:52Z

Wordle 1 940 4/6*

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#wordle #worlde1940

Seen in yesterday's @nprofile…rsh4 "Authorities in ...

2026-10-10T14:19:38Z

Seen in yesterday's nprofile1qy2hwumn8ghj7un9d3shjtnyd968gmewwp6kyqpqm07d9and7df6ca4pmlxqm7gewa7g46x6kz32n4nuh5ke3vv9muwqdnrsh4 (nprofile…rsh4)

"Authorities in Ghana have arrested seven people for making 'money bouquets' out of cedi banknotes, the BBC reports. The Bank of Ghana warned the practice violates laws against currency misuse, stating the currency must be treated with 'respect'. Money bouquets and cakes decorated with currency are popular gifts for weddings, birthdays, and graduations, but their use has prompted similar warnings from central bankers across Africa, including in Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, and Botswana."

Oh dear! My wife does this all the time, making little florets and things out of bank notes to give to people for their birthday. Never very big, and never a lot of money. Everyone in our family loves it. I had no idea that anyone might legitimately have a problem with doing this. :/

#money #GiftIdeas

Wordle 1 939 4/6* 🟦⬛⬛🟦⬛ ⬛🟧⬛🟧⬛ ...

2026-10-10T08:14:51Z

Wordle 1 939 4/6*

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#wordle #wordle1939

Cyclists, entries for next year's Dis-chem Ride of Sight are ...

2026-10-09T10:00:48Z

Cyclists, entries for next year's Dis-chem Ride of Sight are now open, and if you book before 15 October, you can get 20% off your entry fee: https://mailchi.mp/retinasa/entries-are-open-save-20-on-dis-chem-ride-for-sight-2027?e=40bf85b496?utm_source=Mastodon

As always, proceeds go to research and awareness into retinal blindness.

#cycling #sport #SouthAfrica

Oh, wow, this is really cool! A line of handbags created by South ...

2026-10-09T08:59:25Z

Oh, wow, this is really cool! A line of handbags created by South African artisan women is going to feature at the Paris fashion week: https://www.goodthingsguy.com/shweshwe-handbags-paris-fashion-week/?utm_source=MastodonAfrica

#SouthAfrica #fashion

So we all know what love is, right? God (A being of pure love) ...

2026-10-09T06:00:14Z

So we all know what love is, right? God (A being of pure love) created us in love, out of love, and for love. We are beings of love. We don't need to learn what love is.

But along the way, while we were obtaining the knowledge of good vs evil and all that came from eating the fruit, we decided that we don't actually know what love is and we need to endlessly debate it.

Love is love. It always was, it always will be, and there's nothing we can do to change it. Accept it and move on. :-P

#Bible #love

Wordle 1 938 5/6* ⬛🟦⬛⬛⬛ 🟧🟦🟦🟦⬛ ...

2026-10-09T05:57:27Z

Wordle 1 938 5/6*

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#wordle #wordle1938

🎉 I just completed the Daily Maverick Crossword in 22 seconds! ...

2026-10-09T05:53:18Z

🎉 I just completed the Daily Maverick Crossword in 22 seconds! 🧩 Can you beat my time? 🏆 https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/crossword/daily-crossword-quickie-fri-9-oct-2026/?utm_source=MastodonAfrica

#crosswords #puzzles

🎉 I just completed the Daily Maverick Crossword in 22 seconds! ...

2026-10-09T05:53:04Z

Wordle 1 937 5/6* ⬛🟦⬛🟦⬛ 🟦⬛🟦⬛🟦 ...

2026-10-08T05:57:39Z

Wordle 1 937 5/6*

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#wordle #wordle1937

🎉 I just completed the Daily Maverick Crossword in 46 seconds! ...

2026-10-08T04:59:22Z

🎉 I just completed the Daily Maverick Crossword in 46 seconds! 🧩 Can you beat my time? 🏆 https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/crossword/daily-crossword-quickie-thurs-8-oct-2026/?utm_source=MastodonAfrica #crosswords #puzzles

In case you missed it, the price of petrol in South Africa ...

2026-10-07T12:42:51Z

In case you missed it, the price of petrol in South Africa surpassed R30 per litre today. The highest in history. And it shows no sign of slowing down.

As Daily Maverick says, this is absolutely going to affect every supply chain: https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/opinionista/2026-10-07-r30-a-litre-the-fuel-shock-south-africans-cannot-afford?utm_source=MastodonAfrica

#SouthAfrica #FuelPrice

The 2026 the*gamehers Awards winners are out: ...

2026-10-07T07:46:09Z

The 2026 the*gamehers Awards winners are out: https://thegamehers.com/awards/2026/winners?utm_source=Mastodon

If you know any of these people, congratulate them! If they're on the Fediverse, follow them if you don't already. And if they're *not* on the Fediverse, pester them until they join. :)

#gaming #women

The 2026 the*gamehers Awards winners are out: ...

2026-10-07T07:45:59Z

Wordle 1 936 5/6* ⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛ ⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛ ...

2026-10-07T06:56:23Z

Wordle 1 936 5/6*

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#wordle #wordle1936

🎉 I just completed the Daily Maverick Crossword in 1 minute ...

2026-10-07T06:54:07Z

🎉 I just completed the Daily Maverick Crossword in 1 minute and 28 seconds! 🧩 Can you beat my time? 🏆 https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/crossword/daily-crossword-quickie-wed-7-oct-2026/?utm_source=MastodonAfrica #crosswords #puzzles

"Your worth is worth nothing, when it's at someone ...

2026-10-07T06:34:04Z

"Your worth is worth nothing, when it's at someone else's cost."

-- The Parolotones (Push Me to the Floor) #quotes #music #selfworth

The OfferZen 2026 Salary and Benefits report is out: ...

2026-10-06T11:42:58Z

The OfferZen 2026 Salary and Benefits report is out: https://www.offerzen.com/resources/developer-salary-benefits-report?utm_source=MastodonAfrica

* 49% of developers feel underpaid, with juniors feeling it most
* 36% report increased earnings potential thanks to AI
* 50% say AI frees them up for more strategic tasks

#SouthAfrica #SoftwareDevelopment #AI

An interesting case study on whether a company can be held liable ...

2026-10-06T07:50:38Z

An interesting case study on whether a company can be held liable for incorrect information that its AI chatbot serves to customers: https://gadget.co.za/blamechatbot32t/?utm_source=MastodonAfrica

#AI

Instagram was founded on this day in 2010. #OnThisDay ...

2026-10-06T07:00:45Z

Instagram was founded on this day in 2010. #OnThisDay #SocialMedia

Do you think that people should have the right to jailbreak or ...

2026-10-06T06:58:00Z

Do you think that people should have the right to jailbreak or otherwise bypass any locks or restrictions on hardware that they own?

https://techcentral.co.za/jailbreak-digital-sovereignty-copyright-amendment-bill/286879/?utm_source=MastodonAfrica

A prominent South African thinks we definitely should (note: this does not make piracy legal, because I'm still very much against that. But as the article says, bypassing protections should be legal, when the purpose is legal).

#SouthAfrica #ownership

Wordle 1 935 4/6* ⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛ 🟦⬛⬛⬛⬛ ...

2026-10-06T05:56:46Z

Wordle 1 935 4/6*

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#wordle #wordle1935

Also, here's how blind and visually impaired people (or ...

2026-10-05T06:51:11Z

Also, here's how blind and visually impaired people (or anyone with a disability) in South Africa can get a special vote in next month's local government elections: https://retinasa.org.za/local-government-elections-4-november-2026/?utm_source=MastodonAfrica

#SouthAfrica #LGE2026 #accessibility

Garden's aren't just for looking at. Plant a Sensory ...

2026-10-05T06:48:43Z

Garden's aren't just for looking at. Plant a Sensory Garden, so that blind and visually impaired people in your family don't feel left out: https://retinasa.org.za/a-garden-you-can-feel/?utm_source=MastodonAfrica

#gardening #accessibility

On this day in 1962, Dr No, the first James Bond film, was ...

2026-10-05T05:59:57Z

On this day in 1962, Dr No, the first James Bond film, was released: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dr._No_%28film%29?utm_source=Mastodon

(h/t nprofile1qy2hwumn8ghj7un9d3shjtnyd968gmewwp6kyqpqkvnpp3m60derhwpqwc09zhk3ehk48tr6agc6dk9z2vggu9sga28qt06jwy (nprofile…6jwy))

#OnThisDay #movies #JamesBond

Wordle 1 934 5/6* 🟦⬛⬛⬛⬛ ⬛🟦⬛🟦⬛ ...

2026-10-05T05:47:28Z

Wordle 1 934 5/6*

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#wordle #wordle1934

🎉 I just completed the Daily Maverick Crossword in 3 minutes ...

2026-10-05T05:03:09Z

🎉 I just completed the Daily Maverick Crossword in 3 minutes and 3 seconds! 🧩 Can you beat my time? 🏆 https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/crossword/daily-crossword-quickie-mon-5-oct-2026/?utm_source=MastodonAfrica #crosswords #puzzles

Anyone in South Africa doing or interested in diamond dot? A ...

2026-10-04T09:52:34Z

Anyone in South Africa doing or interested in diamond dot? A friend of mine is holding a raffle, where you can win diamond dot painting kits. Tickets are R10, and she's only selling 100. The prize is worth about R1000.

If you're interested, please message her (Michelle) on 083 721 0059 to find out how many tickets are still available, and for more details. :-)

#SouthAfrica #DiamondDot #raffle

"If a man has talent and can't use it, he's failed. ...

2026-10-04T08:17:35Z

"If a man has talent and can't use it, he's failed. If he uses only half of it, he has partly failed. If he uses the whole of it, he has succeeded, and won a satisfaction and triumph few men ever know."

-- Thomas Wolfe #quotes #motivation

Wordle 1 933 5/6* ⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛ 🟦⬛⬛🟦⬛ ...

2026-10-04T08:14:23Z

Wordle 1 933 5/6*

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#wordle #wordle1933

Meta's smart glasses are coming to South Africa: ...

2026-10-03T08:42:40Z

Meta's smart glasses are coming to South Africa: https://techcentral.co.za/meta-smart-glasses-south-africa-launch/286809/?utm_source=MastodonAfrica

Meta's glasses are rather expensive, and not really marketed towards the visually impaired. But no matter how much people hate them, they have had the effect of shining a light on just how beneficial these glasses *can be* for people with visual impairments, and letting people know that there actually are lots of them on the market, and were long before Meta launched theirs.

I've yet to try on a pair myself; I'm not sure if my vision is quite bad enough yet, but I have heard that they've been a game changer for some blind people.

And you know what? If they help me navigate the world around me, then to hell with what everyone else says. I'm getting myself a pair.

#Meta #SouthAfrica #blindness

Wordle 1 932 4/6* ⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛ ⬛🟦🟧⬛⬛ ...

2026-10-03T07:53:06Z

Wordle 1 932 4/6*

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#wordle #wordle1932

Heard on the radio: "That's not a real job!" ...

2026-10-02T15:12:23Z

Heard on the radio:

"That's not a real job!"
"Well, it's a job, and he makes a lot of money doing it, so it must be a real job." :-P

#work

If you still have a green ID book in South Africa (like me), you ...

2026-10-02T09:54:19Z

If you still have a green ID book in South Africa (like me), you will now have until March 2028 to switch over to a Smart ID card: https://techcentral.co.za/home-affairs-green-id-book-phase-out/286748/?utm_source=MastodonAfrica

What shocks me is that they are actually still producing *new* green ID books! #SouthAfrica

Wordle 1 931 4/6* ⬛⬛⬛🟧⬛ 🟦⬛⬛🟧⬛ ...

2026-10-02T06:57:16Z

Wordle 1 931 4/6*

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#wordle #wordle1931

🎉 I just completed the Daily Maverick Crossword in 1 minute ...

2026-10-02T06:52:30Z

🎉 I just completed the Daily Maverick Crossword in 1 minute and 9 seconds! 🧩 Can you beat my time? 🏆 https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/crossword/daily-crossword-quickie-fri-2-oct-2026/?utm_source=MastodonAfrica #crosswords #puzzles

Author friends: Joanna Penn is busy revamping her amazing ...

2026-10-02T06:00:42Z

Author friends: Joanna Penn is busy revamping her amazing "How to Market a Book" (it's already had three editions over the years), and she wants to hear about your struggles with book marketing: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfHZ6O_pFovTdQSKh1Ad0QoLBik99EcOBM17mtATJ6z8wNe8w/viewform?utm_source=Mastodon

#books #WritingCommunity

I took some inspiration from a friend of mine, who did this using ...

2026-10-01T11:49:38Z

I took some inspiration from a friend of mine, who did this using Grok, against his X account.

I asked ChatGPT to analyse my public Mastodon profile, and based on the information contained therein, to generate an image of a fictional kingdom that I would rule over.

This is what it came up with. Pretty damn cool, if I do say so myself!

#AI #AiArt

"You, who are so-called illegal aliens, must know that no ...

2026-10-01T07:58:56Z

"You, who are so-called illegal aliens, must know that no human being is "illegal." That is a contradiction in terms. Human beings can be beautiful or more beautiful, they can be fat or skinny, they can be right or wrong, but illegal? How can a human being be illegal?"

-- Elie Wiesel #quotes #humanity