Pro tip: if you want to forget your own expertise, simply have someone ask you about it.

By default, most companies that make chatbots and other AI software collect and use your data for AI training. But you can opt out of that training. https://www.eff.org/pages/i-want-opt-out-ai-tools-or-training-made-big-tech

I DO NOT LIKE THESE ROBOTS. — Becky Chambers https://www.otherscribbles.com/aizine #NoAI

No AI, just a cool dog in all it‘s glory.

#photography #fotografie #dogsofmastodon #dogs #iphone

Yay! It's back on!

And … the power is out again in El Granada. Has someone been stealing copper wires again?

Elise Carlson has a blog post listing dozens of authors that sell direct. Many of them write about queer, disabled, or BIPOC characters.
https://elisecarlson.com/2026/10/06/books-direct-from-authors-around-the-world/

#LGBTQfiction #bookstodon #BIPOC #QueerFiction #disabled

What is your favorite bird? Reply below. Boost for coverage.

@leapingwoman Yes!

"A pumpkin named Rocky won a major annual pumpkin-weighing contest in Northern California, tipping the scale at 2,389 pounds."

"Horticulture teacher Travis Gienger hauled his pumpkin across the country from Minnesota to win the contest for a fifth time."

https://apnews.com/article/california-giant-pumpkin-contest-winner-41ad77ff3259cf780fbf4bca19c35143

Today is Indigenous Peoples Day.

The Geneva Conference of 1977 was a watershed moment for Indigenous peoples of the Americas. It was the very first UN conference with Indigenous delegates, the first direct entry of Native peoples into international affairs, the first time that Native peoples were able to speak for themselves at the UN.

It was also the first declaration of Indigenous Peoples Day. A counter-celebration to Christopher Columbus Day, which celebrates colonization and a fake “discovery” of lands of the Americas.

https://ipdpowwow.org/geneva-conference

Your feeds, today, will show you mainstream content. But I got the good stuff. Three elements of indigenous culture that you probably won’t see. (The third focuses on Indigenous women in Bolivia. Relevant because it honors the shared origin of the holiday.)

But we can’t celebrate this day without retrospection. So I have that for you as well.

🧵 1/5

#IndigenousPeoplesDay #Indigenous #NativeAmericans #Americas #LandBack #MMIW

Hey friends,

If you have tech skills—and many of you do—look for ways to reach out to your communities and help them de-enshittify their lives, even if it's just a little.

Help them install uBlock Origin. Introduce them to F-Droid. Consider setting up NextCloud or Immich for your family or neighbours. Show them alternatives like DuckDuckGo or Fastmail. If they're on Windows then help move them to Mint¹ or run Win11Debloat². Help them join Mastodon.

Talk to your local library or community centre about running a free session.

One of the impacts of enshittification is that it intentionally keeps people away from even hearing about alternatives. I genuinely feel the place to fix that is on the local level. We keep each other safe.

—

¹ Or whatever Linux/BSD distro is most friendly these days.

² https://github.com/Raphire/Win11Debloat?tab=readme-ov-file#win11debloat

#California: Happy Delete Week!

Remember to submit your DROP requests; data brokers are required to scrub their records of you, or face huge $$$ penalties.

https://privacy.ca.gov/2026/10/calprivacy-launches-first-ever-delete-week-to-help-californians-protect-their-personal-information/

Where can I find a non—abandoned Wiki of stuff in the Fediverse that has some of these newer amazing things like Wafrn and otherwise? I know of a bunch of databases, but frankly, people die, and or get sick, and or just forget about it, so is there a Wiki more community owned and community driven I can be sure will be updated by someone in the near and or distant future? #Wiki #Fediverse

This is wild - somebody did a deep dive into the real stories behind this famous XKCD:
https://sheets.works/data-viz/holding-up-the-internet

I know it's Thanksgiving in Canada and Indigenous Peoples’ Day here in the US — but in Half Moon Bay, California it's Pumpkin Weigh-Off Day. We even got covered by the Associated Press!

This one came in at 942 pounds; the grower was hoping to break 1,000, but no such luck.

https://apnews.com/article/california-giant-pumpkin-contest-winner-41ad77ff3259cf780fbf4bca19c35143

#today #pumpkins #PumpkinsOfMastodon #sfba

My latest @newscientist.com@bsky.brid.gy cartoon

As we mark Indigenous Peoples Day, we renew the call for conservation to reckon with its colonial past, honor Indigenous sovereignty, and work alongside Native communities toward a more just future.

https://westernwatersheds.substack.com/p/of-indigenous-peoples-environmentalism

Sunday 10/25: Turn Outrage Into Action: Immigrants, the Courts and You https://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2026/10/11/18889229.php

2 grizzlies sat on the highway and blocked it. That's a new experience. There was a 3rd smaller bear off to the side

This one rock had writing on the edge so i picked it up to read it (then put it back where it was, respectfully)
" Sell all you have and give it to the kittens!!"