When people talk about UFOs, the conversation usually drifts toward lights in the sky, strange radar returns, or second-hand stories that collapse under scrutiny. The “Skinny Bob” footage is different. It doesn’t offer a vague speck of light in the night sky, but what appears to be a clear look at a non-human being, along with scenes of saucers, crashes, and even an autopsy.

The clips first appeared in 2011 on a YouTube channel called ivan0135, and they have lived in a strange limbo ever since: compelling enough to survive years of analysis, yet compromised enough that nobody can prove they’re genuine.

“Flying twin” UFO:

The uploader, known only as Ivan, claimed the footage was drawn from a series of tapes recorded between the 1940s and 1960s. He presented the clips as small samples of a much larger archive, complete with timestamps and case numbers. Whether Ivan is a real person, a pseudonym for a group, or a character in a hoax has never been resolved. What we know is that the first videos appeared suddenly, already edited, already dressed up with overlays and sound effects that turned what could have been pristine archival material into something both more dramatic and more suspect.

The Footage

The first sequence begins with exterior shots of a house and a saucer-shaped craft hovering in the background. There are aerial views that suggest the footage was shot from an airplane, showing a disc moving in parallel with the camera. Later, we see what looks like a crash site, with smoke rising from wreckage and a figure sprawled on the ground.

Then come the most famous clips, the alien known as “Skinny Bob,” standing calmly as the camera pans from his feet to his oversized head, blinking naturally with movements that seem hard to fake. Other fragments show an autopsy in progress, a handprint with four elongated fingers, and finally a color segment where multiple beings walk alongside humans in what looks like a controlled meeting.

Alien body laying next to apparent crashed UFO:

On their own, these scenes would rank among the most extraordinary leaks in history. But they are complicated by Ivan’s editing choices that blur the line between real and fake.

The Edits and Stock Effects

From the very first frame, something feels off. A KGB insignia is splashed across the opening scene, which was discovered to be an image lifted from a 1998 mock-documentary.

The clips are coated with digital scratches, noise, and frame jitter, all of which investigators have traced back to stock “film damage” overlay plug-in. The time codes are clearly digital, set in Microsoft’s Consolas font that didn’t exist until 2006. Even the sound of the film projector clattering away is just a looped audio effect.

KGB Logo from 1998 mock-documentary:

This layering of modern edits is often treated as the smoking gun for fakery. If the tapes were real, why spoil them with filters that practically invite debunking?

One answer might be simple be sloppiness of the creator. Another, more intriguing answer is that the tampering was intentional, a built-in safety net. If the material really were sensitive, the overlays would allow anyone to shrug it off as a hoax. They serve as debunk insurance, a way to release something extraordinary while giving the leaker an easy back-out clause.

“Film Damage” effect used in videos: Source.

There’s also the possibility that the edits were a test. What would the public do if they were shown real alien footage? Would they believe it, dismiss it, or tear it apart frame by frame? By layering in apparent anomalies, the source could watch the reaction without ever risking definitive exposure.

Theory: Skinny Bob is both authentic and inauthentic at the same time, deliberately edited so it could be dismissed if necessary, based on the public’s reaction to seeing a real alien.

The Case For and Against

For believers, the strongest points are in the biology. Skinny Bob blinks in a way that seems natural, with upper and lower eyelids moving over a rounded eyeball. The proportions of the body can be measured against the physician’s hands in the autopsy clip, suggesting a being about 1.37 meters tall. Small details like black fingernails, subtle hand movements, and even apparent bruises on the head: These all contribute to the sense that we’re watching something alive. No known hoax has ever matched this level of detail across so many different settings.

Skinny Bob’s Handprint:

For skeptics, on the other hand, point to the very same details as signs of trickery. The camera scans lack the parallax expected from genuine filming, as if the motion was artificially generated. The stadiometer seen above Bob’s head looks like a prop built by someone who didn’t know how the device is supposed to function. The crash scene seems staged, with a conveniently placed alien body lying next to the wreckage like a movie set.

The “Family Vacation” scene, has some striking similarities to the 1997 documentary Area 51: The Alien Interview, raise the possibility that Ivan reimagined existing tropes with a higher level of craft.

Scene from clip described as “family vacation” which appears to be two aliens walking in front of a brick wall, similar to the scene from The Alien Interview:

1997 documentary Area 51: The Alien Interview:

Leak, Hoax, or Both?

The debate tends to break down into three models:

In the leak model, the footage is real, part of an archive made by government agencies. Ivan or his source edited it heavily, both to protect identities and to make it dismissible if traced. The filters weren’t mistakes, but camouflage.

In the hoax model, the footage is entirely fabricated. It may have been the work of a small effects team, combining costumes, puppetry, and digital overlays. The reason nobody has claimed credit could be embarrassment, legal risk, or simply the satisfaction of leaving a mystery behind.

Then there is the hybrid model, perhaps the most intriguing. This view holds that the footage could contain genuine material, but spliced with fakes and covered in digital noise to ensure it never becomes conclusive. In this scenario, Skinny Bob is both real and unreal, a disclosure in disguise.

Why It Still Matters

Fourteen years after the uploads, the original creator has never come forward, nor made any profit from these videos (at least publicly). No one has provided original props, sets, or confession footage that would settle the matter. At the same time, no one has matched the house, the landscape, or the aerial views to real-world locations that would authenticate it.

The case survives because it sits in perfect balance. Believers can always point to the level of detail and realism. Skeptics can always point to the digital overlays. Each side has ammunition, and the mystery never collapses.

That tension may be precisely what was intended. If Skinny Bob is a hoax, it is one of the most carefully crafted of its kind. If it is real, it was released in a way that guaranteed plausible deniability. Either way, it stands as one of the strangest cultural artifacts of the internet age, a piece of footage that feels too extraordinary to dismiss, yet too compromised to confirm.

Final Thoughts

Skinny Bob sits in that strange space where nothing adds up cleanly. The footage is convincing enough to keep people staring at it frame by frame, yet messy enough that it can always be waved away as a hoax. That balance is probably why it’s still talked about today. Whether he’s a puppet, an actor in a mask, or a real visitor caught on film, Skinny Bob has become one of the internet’s most durable mysteries.

Maybe that’s the point, not to give us answers, but to see how we react when the impossible is dangled in front of us.

PS: For anyone looking to really dive into the footage, this website: skinnybob.info offers an incredibly detailed analysis of all the videos.

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Check out some my other posts:

Was Flight MH370 Teleported?

Best UFO Photos of All Time

Escaping Hell.

I CAN FEEL MYSELF RUNNING AWAY. Please God. Help me.

I’m planning my exit, to get through the pain. Sitting on my bed, researching 'fatal overdose.' I’m plotting GP and pharmacy visits to collect enough prescriptions.
I’d have to do it on a Friday so I could be found the Monday.

I’m in hell, I know it.

I pray.

Repeatedly.

God, please save me.

I listen to and read everything that speaks to breaking free, that speaks to emerging from darkness.

I find a story about Jesus raising Lazarus from dead.

A story about Buddha facing the demon Mara. Buddha telling Mara that his love is greater than anything he could possibly do.

~~ – ~~ – ~~

I’m reading, I’m listening.

I consume content about not being lost, ‘your becoming.’ This was always the path.

That this is a cave. Gods cave. A cave of ‘transformation, of preparation, and the turning point from a running man to a king.’

That this, where I am, was always the design.

This. Brings me closer to God.

For though I’m in hell. Thou art with me.

This. Is, by far, everything I need to hear.

I read, I hear, I listen.

I hear. “Tell me about the bitterness and unforgiveness I see in your life.” Shudder. I’m in shock. How true, plain, obvious. Suddenly in plain sight.

It’s on my face.

I plea. God help me.

Help me let go of this suffering. End this suffering.

Help me Forgive myself. Help me Forgive those who hurt me.

I chant. ‘I forgive you. Please forgive me. Let us forgive each other. Let us forgive ourselves.’

I chant slowly, deliberately. Frequently.

I Forgive my mom.

I forgive my sister.
I forgive number 7. Number 1. I forgive number 3 being in my life because of co-parenting, I forgive myself for number 3. I forgive that our relationship had to end with number 2. I forgive number 4, 5 and number 6 betwixt.

I see the influence these experiences had in my becoming.

I bow.

I cut soul ties.

~~ – ~~ – ~~

I forgive

Myself.

~~ – ~~ – ~~

I read, listen.

I see people around me. I see that they were never hostile. I see that they are human, funny, kind, good, troubled, lovely, lonely, soft, scared, trying

I hear. ‘I will make all things beautiful.’

I see the ocean. Trees.
The sun.

I take walks. Long. Short ones. I cry through these walks. I speak to God. I tell him how I really feel. I tell him things I’m afraid to say.

I feel my senses awaken. My body, feelings, perception, intention, my consciousness.

I see Birds. Trees, I hear them blowing. I see hills, the sun, homes, warm smiles, guinea fowls and peacocks, I see a mini snake once. I see people, trees, animals, creatures, smiles.

Apricity.

I start doing my gratitude’s again. Nothing forced. Just the things I’m really grateful for. Like sitting and typing this, facing my fear of writing.
'I long to move forward. God. Please take my hand.'

I go on no carbs for a month. I eat fruits, veggies, meat. I go on two glasses of liquor. Not to be hyperbolic but this saves my life.

I go off adcodol & take ashwagandha.

I go on a three day fast. To change the way I speak to myself. I recite declarations. 'I am Loved.
I am Adored. I am Chosen. I am redeemed.
I am God’s. And God is mine.'

I read and listen.

I hear.
‘See clearly who it is you want to become.’ ‘What she looks like. How she speaks. What her thoughts are. Who her friends are.’

I write it down.

What she looks like. Elegant, authentic. Radiant. Herself. Beautiful.

How she speaks. She speaks fluent English. Not the broken undertone English accent, to prove that she's black. She's already black. She is black, beautiful and authentic. She speaks with clarity and sincerity. Comfortable with herself.
Speaks with kindness and truth. Discernable through her voice.

What are her thoughts. Acceptance. Compassion, especially to herself. She thinks nourishment. Purpose.

Who are her friends. Whole people. Kind. Optimistic, genuine, authentic, smart. Adore, love and choose her.
Successful. Living their purpose.

~~ – ~~ – ~~

I hear that I’m forgiven.

I arrive at the shame I carry.

shame of not being loved and chosen by my mom ashamed of not being that girl she wanted me to be ashamed of who I actually am

I’m ashamed of being me The truth that I feel this way, is unsettling.

I give the shame to the silver violet flame. To the forgiveness spirit.

I’ve always wondered why I’m drawn to lgbtqia+ movies. The story of being ashamed of who you are. Not being seen. The courage it takes to be who you are.
I cry with the story, ‘I don't want to feel ashamed of who I am anymore.’

Stories where the parents love and accept who they are, have me howling.

It’s everything I’ve ever wanted.

To be given space, room, the gift of being me, as I am.

I imagine the universe with all its reflecting back and manifestations, saying

‘It’s okay’

‘B r e a t h e’

‘Be you’

‘You can be you’

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

So, I confront the story.

My story.

God.

I’m hurt that this is the story. That this is my story!

Not feeling good enough!? I’m angry. Hurt. At You.

I hear. ‘Most of the time, when your angry at God, you are angry at yourself.’

I’m angry at myself for not being able to pick myself up. Disappointed at not actually believing in myself. Angry at all the things I left undone because I was afraid.

I’m Hurt. Hurt that something so simple, is excruciatingly arduous for me.

I weep.

I go on a hike.

On top of a hill, sit, overlooking Franschhoek, and weep.

I weep for my story.

For this life.

‘I don’t want this to be my story I don’t want my story to be about self worth I’m ashamed of this story I don’t want my story to be about a girl who didn’t believe in herself About a girl that struggles with her sense of worth. All her life. I don’t want this to be my story’

I weep.

Atop a mountain I weep.

Weep for the girl who never found peace. The girl that yearned to be loved as she was. As she is.
To be seen as enough as she is.

~ – ~ – ~

The time arrives when I ask

How do I find peace with my story.

I see Lord of The Rings.

Frodo: ‘I wish the Ring had never come to me. I wish none of this had happened’

Gandalf: ‘So do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide.
All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us.’

~~ – ~~

I decide.

To give myself this gift.

room.

space.

B r e a t h e.

Be You.

You can be You.

“© FreeSpiritJourney222. All Rights Reserved.”

Hey aren’t roundworms strange? I can’t tell the head from the tail; they don’t even have the structural integrity of over cooked pasta, but otherwise bear a striking resemblance. Elastic like thread seal tape or something?

Isn’t it strange that we live in a world where God would allow such creatures to exist? It’s such bizarre examples as this which make me fear that he’s taken his hands off our fates, if indeed it is true that he is benevolent and all powerful like some say.

Have you heard the all our Gods have abandoned us album, the nihilist track:

All our gods have abandoned us  This is the great esoteric depression  We sold our souls, but couldn't buy salvation

Unsettling

Or they are this reminder of how much of this world I do not understand. So humbling like I needed that; I don’t need further proof. All in all I know next to nothing and yet somehow I am reasonably successful. (Fact is I wouldn’t change my life even with the King’s (even if he wasn’t old)).

I see bad omens every day, if it isn’t dead birds or these apples I wrote about then they come in my dreams.

It’s a general feeling of unease inside like I was infected by metaphorical roundworms causing this sense of unease somewhere in the gut.

I can’t put my finger on.

Like when patting a cat, stroking its belly and then suddenly something inside the cat changes, a warning bell has gone off and she’d rip you to shreds or well at least the hand. At least she would bite it or maybe half heartedly attack it with her claws.

Have you ever logged into Nagios because you know that something is wrong, but all systems appear green?

It’s this sense of wrongness I try to describe.

I am a proper wordsmith.

Image by Alexa from Pixabay

The idea that anyone wanted an even thinner phone is absurd. Sometimes people don't know they want something else until you give them a new option. Thinner phones solve a problem that does not exist.

What we want is:

• Ergonomically-sized phones — you can have your increasingly absurdly sized phablets but you can't keep driving screen sizes in this direction where no one can use a normal smartphone with one hand.
• Reasonable interfaces — I will come back to this.
• Either good battery performance over the total reasonable life of the device OR user swappable batteries — I'm talking swap 'em out like a TF card or AAs. Not “find the nearest person who has a kit from iFixit”!

Our current devices aren't suited to how we want to use them. The new use cases implied by the absurdity shoved down our throats is something no reasonable person would want or ask for.

And our existing interfaces at these current, bloated screen sizes are really really bad. Basic functionality is hidden behind edge swipes. What those swipes do is poorly communicated to users. (Fortunately, the apps I use with this type of functionality helpfully offer the user the ability to undo whatever was just done but that's my sole concession on this point.) Scrolling a long article requires tediously moving every inch of that article by your view port manually. Many buttons require the fingertip of a child in order to consistently activate them accurately. I could write an essay about how bad autocorrect is in the Year of Our Lady 2025. At one point, I had a “conspiracy theory” that autocorrect was this bad because companies were trying to force us into using voice controls. However, the voice controls are as bad as autocorrect.

We don't need or want thinner phones. We need hardware that's made for human hands and human needs. At this point, even having operating systems which are reasonably good would be a huge improvement.

#Technology

#POTUS – Large and In Charge

Good Morning. Lately the internet, the source of all confusion, had a story on the health of POTUS. It was reported that he may have circulatory problems and has lost a lot of weight. Now while that may be true, because it was on the net, no one can be sure. We should all wish him well especially if he is having health issues.

Please understand that no one should wish ill on another person. We are here to help each other. Some, like POTUS, apparently do not believe that. POTUS is one of many Americans that would love to force their beliefs on others. That attitude causes problems for those that disagree. Each person is entitled to their own opinion, period. So lets at least try not to hurt each other either physically or in any other way.

POTUSRoaster

Cosmic horror is a genre that tends to be filled with dread and rather dreary, but Matt Thomas turns that notion on its head with Green Unpleasant Land. Make no mistake, the Eldritch existential dread is still there, but the story is also shot through with great moments of humor that will have you laughing out loud.

The tale takes place in Victorian London, but this is not the city that we have come to know via history and other novels set in that time. Instead, we are treated to an alternate universe, where things are still familiar, but also very different.

In this world, Paris is living under the gaze of a portal to another dimension, from which all manner of Lovecraftian creatures have emerged to create a no-go zone, although you will be delighted to hear that it does not stop the heroes of this piece making a trip across the English Channel to visit that blighted land.

The main hero is Bill, a man in service to Sir Alexander Faversham, a bit of a dullard that the London press adore due to his questionable heroics. Bill is tasked with recovering mysterious book that, in the wrong hands, could lead to London suffering a similar fate to Paris. He is aided by Gwen, a “woman” from another timeline who has been sent to stop the rise of a cult hell bent on bringing The King in Yellow into this dimension.

It is a rip-roaring story filled with great action set pieces and a host of quirky characters, some real, some imagined, that bring everything to life. Another great part of this genius little novel is the nods to all manner of pop culture things, from Sherlock Holmes to Blade Runner and Alien. The book is filled to the brim with Easter Eggs that you will love hatching.

Green Unpleasant Land is one of my favorite reads of the year to this point, and I am delighted to report that Bill will be returning for more adventures. We can only hope that Gwen also finds her way back to ride shotgun.

Hello this might sound fantastical but it’s all true I swear it! It happened yesterday.

The weather shamans had foretold rain this whole weekend, yet there was none. Still I felt the chugging of the lawn mower’s engine struggling slightly with the wet grass, whose clippings had the appearance of stewed spinach.

It’s early autumn here, only the winter apples are still attached to their trees, but for one exception: The reason for writing this post: A powerful bad omen:

Picture this: A freshly mowed lawn, wet grass sending a pleasant smell (supposedly) to the nostrils, bees buzzing in almost every dandelion growing at the roadside, a blue sky; even though they said it’d rain, only a few gray clouds could be seen overhead. And a warmth so gentle that you could wear shorts without freezing if you also have a sweater on.

Then this lush tree, bright green with three red apples still clinging to the canopy (because it is a small one). Blood red. Not like the apple in Snow White, but brighter blood red like artery blood.

It’s hard not to think of the final days of the Roman empire when seeing the decadence which comes next, and having the thoughts drawn also to this famous novel by Edgar Allan Poe; The Masque of the Red Death. Or simply the final supper of these inmates who will soon be executed, maybe on the electric chair.

Because

As you now move closer, eager maybe to take a bite of one of the bright red apples, you see now that they have split open. They are overripe, and should’ve fallen to the ground by now, but for some reason haven’t. In the cracks, there are holes burrowed, and wasps. Tens of wasps in each apple, gorging their final few days away in drunken stupor.

I left them to it. After all considering the time they have left I can think of nothing better for them to do.

I see them for what they are however. How could the warning be more obvious: a trinity of makeshift apple igloos. Bright red. With wasps. Wasps are screaming warning in their own right with their black and yellow stripes, and having three houses like gingerbread houses from Hans and Gretel made out of apple filled with them at this time of the year when they are particularly aggressive are warnings so blatantly obvious that only a fool would ignore them.

Take heed!

Note: This guide is from an Australian perspective – check latest information & supplement with your own research!

Kruger National Park in South Africa is one of Africa’s largest national parks and is home to the Big Five (and plenty more). What makes Kruger and the Greater Kruger region special is the flexibility – you can self-drive, join guided game drives, or head out on multi-day walking trails; stay in simple huts or splash out at private lodges. There’s something for almost every budget. It’s also one of the few major parks designed for self-drive, with extensive tar and gravel roads and well-serviced, fenced camps – making an independent safari safe and straightforward.

Flying to South Africa

Kruger National Park is easily accessible via car from Johannesburg or via direct flights to several airports in and close to the park from Johannesburg or Cape Town.

If you're flying internationally from Australia

• Qantas – Fly direct from Sydney to Johannesburg on an Airbus A380.
  • Depending on the winds, sometimes the flight goes over Antarctica, so try to sit on the left on the way there and on the right on the way back. The flight arrives late afternoon in Johannesburg, so you’ll need to overnight in Johannesburg to connect with the flights to Kruger National Park or make the 4-5 hour drive to Kruger National Park.
  • You can stay overnight at Hotel InterContinental ($400+ AUD) or City Lodge Hotel ($120 AUD), both directly connected to the airport – it's safe and a very short walk.
• Singapore Air – Fly via Singapore – a bit longer, but has a few other advantages.
  • Singapore leg is SIN > JNB > CPT – so if you want to visit Cape Town, you can fly Singapore to Johannesburg and then back from Cape Town on a single ticket.
  • Arrives early (~7am) into Johannesburg, perfect for a domestic flight to Kruger or a drive through to Kruger National Park.

Getting to the park

There are several options to get to Kruger.

• Fly to a regional airport in or close to the park ($200 AUD) – I have flown to/from these airports several times.
  • Hoedspruit (HDS) – ~1 hour west of central Kruger.
  • Kruger Mpumalanga International (MQP) near Mbombela – ~30-60 minutes to southern gates.
  • Skukuza (SZK) – inside the park (central/southern), adjacent to the main rest camp.
• Pick up a rental car at the airport and drive (~5 hours). The drive does not pass through any urban areas of Johannesburg, mostly highway. We did this in 2022 & most recently in 2025 – drive during the day & take the N4 (note: toll road, card payment accepted).
  • Rental cars are often cheaper to rent directly from the local South African site, rather than your country's site.
  • South Africa drives on the left side of the road and no international driving licence is required if your licence is in English.
  • In wetter months, the grass is often higher, so a bit of clearance (e.g. a Toyota RAV4) can be helpful to 'see over' the grass into the bush for wildlife – that said, any car is fine for the park.
  • You can refuel your car at petrol stations in the park, but keep an eye on your range. You can stay in your car as they'll fill up your car, wash your windows and bring the card terminal to the window. Give a tip (e.g. R10-R20) in cash if you can!
• There's a bus as well – but the above two options are better and more flexible.

How the park works

• Roads: Extensive tar (H-roads) and graded gravel (S-roads). 2WD is fine. No off-roading.
• Speeds: 50 km/h on tar, 40 km/h on gravel. Plan on 25-30 km/h average – you’ll stop a lot.
• Camps: Fenced; gates lock from sunset to sunrise. Bigger camps have fuel, shops, restaurants.
• Gate times: Vary by month; check SANParks and plan conservatively – fines for late arrivals.
• Rules: Stay in your vehicle unless at designated spots. No drones. Give animals space – read the info in the gate brochure on elephants!
• Navigation: Buy the park map in camp; mobile signal is patchy – so download offline maps.

Visiting the park

• The park has a daily entrance/conservation fee, however as an alternative you can purchase a one year Wild Card for unlimited entry. It is often more economical to purchase a Wild Card when you're visiting the park for more than 6 or so days.
• The park is managed by South African National Parks (SANParks) and you can easily book & manage all activities, accommodation and trails online. Bookings generally open eleven months prior and it's worth ensuring you can book the combination of activities & accommodation you want prior to locking in any other travel (e.g. international flights).
• Rest Camps – There are numerous rest camps within the park. These are fenced camps with accommodation, a general store (food/liquor/essentials/souvenirs), a restaurant and a variety of facilities such as fuel stations, pools and more (depending on the size of the camp). The cottages/bungalows are reasonably basic but have everything you need – if you can, try to get one on the riverfront so you can watch the wildlife from your porch!
• Wilderness Trails – Wilderness trails are one of my favourite ways to see the park. There are seven wilderness trails within the park, departing every Wednesdays and Sundays. In a group of 2-8, you'll join two trail rangers and be driven to a camp and stay for three nights, staying in a comfortable hut with toilet/shower facilities in camp. There's also a camp cook who will cook and provide all meals around the fire. On Days 2 and 3, you'll wake early for a morning walk in the bush – single file, quiet and behind the two armed trail rangers – and track wildlife on foot and learn about the natural landscape. After a siesta, in the afternoon you'll do a shorter walk to a scenic sundowner spot (bring your G&Ts) to watch the iconic African sunset that's impossible to capture in a photo. We've done five of these walks and it's a really unique way to see the park and its wildlife! For the more adventurous, you can even do a Backpacking Trail – carrying everything on your back and setting up camp as you go!

Around the park

There is plenty to do around Kruger National Park – from fantastic scenery, great towns and some of the most amazing private safari reserves in South Africa!

• Greater Kruger National Park – To the west of Kruger National Park is a series of private game reserves which collectively extend the area of the park as most (not all) have dropped their fences between each other and Kruger National Park. These reserves (e.g. Sabi Sand, Timbavati and more) have a wide selection of private lodges which is a fantastic experience! Prices vary widely, but most will include all meals and two game drives or activities per day.
• Hoedspruit – Hoedspruit is a great town and it's worth staying there for a day or two if you have the time. There are a few large supermarkets, perfect for stocking up for the park (e.g. Pick n Pay), great cafes (Anne's Cotton Club Cafe is a must) and heaps of restaurants including the famous Hat and Creek on the main road. You can also visit Moholoholo Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre & the Hoedspruit Endangered Species Centre which are both worth a visit!
• Panorama Route – A stunning day trip from Hoedspruit along the Drakensberg escarpment between Sabie, Graskop and Blyde River Canyon. Highlights include Three Rondavels and Lowveld View over Blyde River Canyon, Bourke’s Luck Potholes, God’s Window and the Pinnacle, plus Lisbon and Berlin Falls (add Graskop Gorge Lift if you’ve got time). Roads are tarred and 2WD-friendly and most stops have small entrance/parking fees (cards usually fine).

Tips

• Grab a physical/book map from one of the Park Shops at any of the rest camps – they're better than the maps on your phone, but I still recommend downloading offline maps.
• Bring binoculars! They're essential to making your experience more enjoyable. I'd recommend an 8x42 or 10x42 as a good start.
• Embrace the birds! There's so much more to Kruger than just the Big Five – I'd recommend downloading Kruger Birding by Firefinch to explore and ID birds on the go, and it has great offline general information and maps for the park.
• Malaria is present in the park and is more prevalent between November and April. Seek medical advice on whether you should take malaria prophylactic drugs (there are side effects) and use repellent and long clothing, particularly at dawn and dusk.
• For first-time visitors, I'd recommend spending your time south of the Olifants River for a high density of animals, shorter driving distances and a broader variety of landscapes.
• For the best wildlife sightings, you'll usually be up before sunrise and spend the morning looking for wildlife in the park. The middle of the day is usually quiet – so it's the best time to get some rest, eat and relax, before heading out again in the mid-late afternoon for pre-sunset sightings. Whatever you do – don't forget about the gate closing times!

Stay entertained thanks to our Weekly Tracker giving you next week's Anticipated Movies & Shows, Most Watched & Returning Favorites, and Shows Changes & Popular Trailers.

Anticipated Movies

• Afterburn
• HIM
• Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc
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Anticipated Shows

• ☆ Black Rabbit
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• Knights of Guinevere
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Returing Favorites

• Doc — Season 2
• ☆ Futurama — Season 10
• 1670 — Season 2
• Dancing with the Stars — Season 34
• High Potential — Season 2
• The Morning Show — Season 4
• Gen V — Season 2
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• = Alien: Earth
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Hi, I'm Kevin 👋. I make apps and I love watching movies and TV shows. If you like what I'm doing, you can buy one of my apps, download and subscribe to Rippple for Trakt or just buy me a ko-fi ☕️.

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I’ve been here since like 1 AM on a video call with E on Discord, while she’s hanging out with another friend. It’s a bit weird because I’m sometimes just sitting here while they have a separate conversation I’m not involved in. It’s a bit weird because I feel a bit awkward being here while not being directly part of the conversation. I’m tired, but I think I’m happy. I don’t know, I keep seeing things, and I wait for the hammer to drop, but I don’t think it does. I wonder if I am a jealous person. I don’t know how much is intentional or how much is natural. Is it normal for someone not to be jealous at all? I find that I have these little pulls in my chest when she mentions something about someone else, and even though I trust her and feel confident that nothing bad is happening, I get possessive almost. In a soft way, but it’s there. It’s such a weird thing to be in love.

🍏🎺 Clarity: Apples of Gold, Trumpet of Battle

We live in an age of noise.

Headlines pile on headlines. Outrage amplified. Voices shouting over one another, each straining to be heard. In the chaos, truth is not rewarded—only volume.

Noise doesn’t have to make sense. It only has to keep us captive.

Confusion itself has become a weapon. If you cannot see clearly, you cannot act. If you cannot hear rightly, you cannot prepare.

But Scripture gives us another way.

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I. The Beauty of a Fit Word

“A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver.” (Proverbs 25:11, KJV)

A fit word is not careless. It is rare, radiant, and precisely placed.

Gold framed in silver—beauty made visible because it rests in the right setting.

That is what clarity does. It does not add to the noise. It cuts through with words that are timely, weighty, and unmistakable. A true word spoken at the right moment can carry more strength than a thousand empty phrases.

Clarity is not just correctness. It is beauty, precision, and power.

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II. The Trumpet That Prepares

“For if the trumpet give an uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself to the battle?” (1 Corinthians 14:8, KJV)

Clarity is not only beautiful—it is necessary.

The trumpet was never ornamental. Its call signaled movement, readiness, response. A muddled note left soldiers unprepared. But a clear sound told them: Now is the time. This is the way.

So it is with our words. If they are vague, they paralyze. If they are uncertain, they confuse. But when they are clear, they awaken. They steady hearts. They call people to stand firm, to prepare, to endure.

Clarity is both beauty and battle-cry.

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III. Guarding Your Clarity

Noise will tempt you to echo it. To repeat slogans. To multiply words without weight. Resist it.

Guard your clarity.

Speak what you know to be true, even if it costs you.

Refuse to soften truth into something safer, or twist it to fit the mood of the crowd.

When others scatter, stand firm.

When others rage, stay steady.

When others twist, speak straight.

Because clarity is not just communication—it is resistance. It is beauty framed rightly, and it is the trumpet sound that prepares hearts for what lies ahead.

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May your words be apples of gold—fit, framed, luminous.

May your voice be a trumpet—clear, steady, unmistakable.

And may clarity guide you through the fog of noise, until truth shines like fire in the night.

#Clarity #ApplesOfGold #TrumpetSound #TruthInChaos #SilentSentinelWrites

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🍏🎺 Claridad: Manzanas de Oro, Trompeta de Batalla

Vivimos en una era de ruido.

Titulares sobre titulares. Indignación amplificada. Voces que se pisan unas a otras, cada una luchando por ser escuchada. En medio del caos, la verdad no se recompensa—solo el volumen.

El ruido no tiene que tener sentido. Solo tiene que mantenernos cautivos.

La confusión misma se ha convertido en un arma. Si no puedes ver con claridad, no puedes actuar. Si no puedes oír con certeza, no puedes prepararte.

Pero la Escritura nos muestra otro camino.

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I. La Belleza de una Palabra a Tiempo

“Manzana de oro con figuras de plata es la palabra dicha como conviene.” (Proverbios 25:11, RVR1960)

Una palabra a tiempo no es descuidada. Es rara, radiante y colocada con precisión.

Oro enmarcado en plata—belleza visible porque descansa en el contexto correcto.

Eso es lo que hace la claridad. No se suma al ruido. Lo atraviesa con palabras oportunas, de peso e inconfundibles. Una palabra verdadera, dicha en el momento justo, puede tener más fuerza que mil frases vacías.

La claridad no es solo corrección. Es belleza, precisión y poder.

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II. La Trompeta que Prepara

“Y si la trompeta diere sonido incierto, ¿quién se preparará para la batalla?” (1 Corintios 14:8, RVR1960)

La claridad no solo es bella—es necesaria.

La trompeta nunca fue adorno. Su sonido señalaba movimiento, preparación, respuesta. Una nota confusa dejaba a los soldados sin preparación. Pero un sonido claro les decía: Ahora es el momento. Este es el camino.

Así también con nuestras palabras. Si son vagas, paralizan. Si son inciertas, confunden. Pero cuando son claras, despiertan. Afirman el corazón. Llaman a la gente a mantenerse firme, a prepararse, a resistir.

La claridad es tanto belleza como grito de batalla.

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III. Guardando tu Claridad

El ruido te tentará a repetirlo. A imitar consignas. A multiplicar palabras sin peso. Resístelo.

Guarda tu claridad.

Habla lo que sabes que es verdad, aunque te cueste.

Rehúsa suavizar la verdad para que sea más segura, o torcerla para encajar con el ánimo de la multitud.

Cuando otros se dispersen, permanece firme.

Cuando otros se enfurezcan, mantente sereno.

Cuando otros tuerzan, habla recto.

Porque la claridad no es solo comunicación—es resistencia. Es belleza enmarcada correctamente, y es el sonido de la trompeta que prepara los corazones para lo que está por venir.

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Que tus palabras sean manzanas de oro—justas, enmarcadas, luminosas.

Que tu voz sea trompeta—clara, firme, inconfundible.

Y que la claridad te guíe a través de la niebla del ruido, hasta que la verdad brille como fuego en la noche.

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#Claridad #ManzanasDeOro #SonidoDeTrompeta #VerdadEnElCaos #SilentSentinelWrites

Cuando prestamos atención a los hechos, una sabiduría especial brota de nuestros corazones.

taza uno lo peor del misterio es que nadie te cree

taza dos yo sí te creo / bueno / a veces

taza uno mira / nos trajeron a casa para tomar el café y han terminado tomando té

taza tres pero eso no es anormal / un día me usaron para tomar caldo

taza dos a mí para tomar cerveza

taza uno si lo ven normal no digo más

taza dos bueno / muy normal no es

taza uno eso es lo que veo misterioso / que sirvamos para un té y hasta para un caldo

taza dos un día me usaron como molde de harina / ya es el colmo

taza tres una barbarie / digamos que en esta casa pasan cosas inusuales

taza dos estoy de acuerdo / muy inusuales

taza uno lo ven / y lo que tengo que esforzarme para que me crean

/ fin

You can't sell a cure without a disease.

Spotify n'a jamais caché que sa sauce secrète réside dans l'immense quantité de données qu'il collecte sur ses utilisateurs. De la playlist hebdomadaire personnalisée “Découvertes de la semaine” à l'événement annuel qu'est le “Spotify Wrapped”, nos habitudes d'écoute sont le moteur de l'expérience.

Si la plateforme suédoise fait tout pour nous garder captifs dans de longues sessions d'écoute et vend des publicités basées sur nos goûts, elle préférerait que nous ne mettions pas cette fameuse sauce en bouteille pour la revendre à notre propre profit. C'est pourtant précisément ce qu'un groupe de personnes a décidé de faire, au grand dam de l'entreprise. Récemment, plus de 18 000 utilisateurs de Spotify se sont regroupés au sein d'une initiative nommée “Unwrapped”. Leur objectif ? Monétiser leurs propres données en les vendant à un tiers. Ils ont trouvé un acheteur via Vana, une startup qui permet aux individus de vendre leurs données à des entreprises développant des modèles d'intelligence artificielle. L'idée est simple, pourquoi ne pas tirer un revenu direct de sources de données personnelles jusqu'ici inexploitées, comme les messages privés sur les réseaux sociaux ou, dans ce cas précis, l'historique d'écoute sur Spotify ?

Rassemblés en une organisation autonome décentralisée (DAO), ils ont voté pour approuver la vente. Avec un score écrasant de 99,5 % de “oui” parmi plus de 10 000 votants, l'accord a été scellé. Les données, qui concernaient principalement les préférences artistiques, ont été vendues à une société appelée Solo AI, une plateforme de musique assistée par l'IA. Pour ce trésor de données collectives, les utilisateurs ont reçu 55 000 dollars, répartis entre eux sous forme de crypto-monnaie. Le gain final pour chaque participant étant d’environ 5 dollars.

Si l'on considère le temps passé à collecter les données et à convertir la crypto-monnaie, on peut débattre de la rentabilité de l'opération. Cependant, en tant que preuve de concept, l'expérience est fascinante. Elle soulève une question fondamentale: à qui appartiennent réellement nos données ? L'Electronic Frontier Foundation (une ONG internationale de protection des libertés sur Internet basée à San Francisco) met en garde contre cette approche, arguant que vendre soi-même ses informations ne corrige en rien le déséquilibre de pouvoir entre les géants de la tech et les utilisateurs. Ces quelques oboles échangés contre des détails intimes de notre vie ne constituent pas, selon eux, un marché plus équitable.

Spotify, de son côté, voit les choses d'un œil bien différent. La société a informé les développeurs du projet “Unwrapped” qu'ils violaient les conditions d'utilisation de sa plateforme, qui interdisent l'utilisation de son contenu pour l'apprentissage automatique ou les modèles d'IA. Un porte-parole a déclaré que si Spotify respecte le droit à la portabilité des données, la collecte, l'agrégation et la vente de celles-ci à des tiers sont interdites. On peut se demander si l'agacement du service de streaming ne vient pas aussi du fait que des utilisateurs ont réussi à monétiser leurs propres données, alors que lui, peine lui-même à transformer son immense trésor de data en revenus publicitaires conséquents.

Pendant que cette bataille pour le contrôle des données fait rage, Spotify tente de séduire ses utilisateurs sur le front de la qualité audio. L'arrivée tant attendue du format “Lossless” (sans perte) promet une expérience d'écoute supérieure. Mais cette nouveauté est-elle une véritable révolution pour nos oreilles ou une simple manœuvre pour concurrencer des services comme Tidal et Apple Music ? Pour la plupart d'entre nous, qui écoutons de la musique avec des écouteurs sans fil ou via une enceinte Bluetooth, la différence entre le streaming haute qualité de Spotify (320 Kbps) et le nouveau format Lossless sera imperceptible. Pour ceux qui utilisent un casque filaire de qualité ou une bonne installation audio, le gain est par contre réel. La différence entre la qualité normale (96 Kbps) et le Lossless (FLAC 24 bits / 44.1 kHz) est flagrante. Les fréquences aiguës, souvent boueuses en basse qualité, deviennent claires et précises.

Toutefois, le passage de la haute qualité au Lossless offre des rendements décroissants. Pour des genres musicaux comme le hip-hop ou le metal, dont la production est souvent très compressée et saturée, déceler les nuances est un véritable défi. C'est sur des styles plus acoustiques et riches en dynamique, comme le jazz ou la musique classique, que le son non compressé révèle tout son potentiel. Mais profiter de cette qualité supérieure exige quelques efforts. Le streaming Lossless n'est pas disponible via le lecteur web. Il faut utiliser l'application de bureau ou mobile. Plus important encore, le Bluetooth ne dispose pas de la bande passante nécessaire pour transmettre un son sans perte. Il faut donc ressortir son bon vieux casque filaire. Spotify a d’ailleurs été critiqué pour avoir limité son offre à 24 bits / 44.1 kHz, alors que ses concurrents proposent du “Hi-Res Lossless” jusqu'à 192 kHz. Mais n'ayez crainte, vous ne manquez pas grand-chose. La différence entre le Lossless standard et le Hi-Res est si subtile qu'elle frôle l'imaginaire pour la majorité des mortels. De plus, pour en profiter, il faut investir dans un convertisseur numérique-analogique (DAC) externe, un appareil qui peut coûter de quelques dizaines à plusieurs milliers d'euros. Au final, l'offre s'adresse à une niche d'audiophiles équipés. Pour l'utilisateur moyen, elle reste une amélioration subtile, conditionnée par un matériel spécifique.