681: Trough of Disillusionment

681: Trough of Disillusionment

In this episode, Brian and Jason kick things off by highlighting the troubling state of the gaming industry, with 11% of developers laid off in 2024, according to a GDC survey. Meanwhile, Elon Musk finds a new way to perplex us all by admitting he pays people to play video games for him.

They then unpack a whirlwind of news, including Trump’s controversial pardon of Silk Road creator Ross Ulbricht and his ongoing crusade against perceived social media bias. Elon Musk’s antics take center stage as he mocks America’s tech elite, clashes with Trump over the flashy “Stargate” AI project, and battles AI cost concerns as hype begins to wane. On the corporate front, Amazon halts drone deliveries after crashes, Instagram blocks political hashtags, and Neko, a body-scanning startup co-founded by Daniel Ek, secures a whopping $260M at a $1.8B valuation.

In media candy, the hosts revisit the charming chaos of the Lilo & Stitch franchise and dive into music documentaries like Yacht Rock and Echo in the Canyon. And let’s not forget Netflix’s price hikes and yet another mediocre Star Trek installment with Section 31. Dave wraps things up with The Dark Side, covering Star Wars: Skeleton Crew, ham radio tools, and even a shoutout to Morse code. Packed with biting commentary, this episode is a mix of tech absurdity, media nostalgia, and the trademark Grumpy Old Geeks snark!


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Show notes at https://gog.show/681


FOLLOW UP

Eleven percent of game developers were laid off in 2024, according to GDC survey

Elon Musk Admits to Paying People to Play Video Games for Him


IN THE NEWS

Joe Rogan, Mark Zuckerberg, Jeff Bezos: Tech Titans, Celebs at Inauguration

Trump Orders Government to Stop ‘Trampling’ Conservatives on Social Media

Silk Road Mastermind Ross Ulbricht Seen Leaving Prison Holding a Small Plant

President Trump Pardons Silk Road Creator Ross Ulbricht After 11 Years in Prison

Elon Musk Plays DOGE Ball—and Hits America’s Geek Squad

Instagram blocked searches for #democrats and other political hashtags

Why You May Automatically Be Following Trump and Vance Now

AI-Generated Junk Science Is a Big Problem on Google Scholar, Research Suggests

What is the ‘Stargate’ AI project?

Trump's $500 Billion AI Deal Includes Funding by UAE Royal Family Linked to Astonishing Number of Scandals, Including Human Torture

Trump Showing Love to Sam Altman Is Clearly Driving Elon Musk Into a Jealous Fury

Satya Nadella says he’s ’good for $80 billion’ after Elon Musk claims Stargate Project doesn’t have the cash

Trump staff ‘furious’ after Musk trashes AI project

AI Hype Is Dropping Off a Cliff While Costs Soar, Experts Warn

Amazon puts its drone deliveries on hold following two crash incidents

‘Neo-Nazi Madness’: Meta’s Top AI Lawyer on Why He Fired the Company

Apple must face suit over alleged policy of underpaying female workers

Amazon to close Quebec facilities, but says it's not because of that new union

Neko, the body-scanning startup co-founded by Spotify's Daniel Ek, snaps up $260M at a $1.8B valuation


MEDIA CANDY

Lilo & Stitch

Lilo & Stitch 2 - Stitch Has a Glitch

Leroy & Stitch

Yacht Rock: A DOCKumentary

The Wrecking Crew!

Echo in the Canyon

Lolla: The Story of Lollapalloza

Netflix plans now cost between $8 and $25 after yet another subscription price hike

Everything to Remember Before Star Trek: Section 31

Section 31 Is a Mediocre Action Movie, and an Even Worse Star Trek One

Fail Better with David Duchovny - Catching Up with Gillian Anderson

James Cameron: Special Video Message at the SCSP AI+Robotics Summit


APPS & DOODADS

Introducing Operator

Developer Creates Infinite Maze That Traps AI Training Bots

Best Cooking Equipment for Meal Kits (2025), Tested and Reviewed

Trump Executive Order Generator


AT THE LIBRARY

The Breakthrough Effect by Douglas E. Richards

Not Till We Are Lost (Bobiverse Book 5) by Dennis E. Taylor


THE DARK SIDE WITH DAVE

Dave Bittner

The CyberWire

Hacking Humans

Caveat

Control Loop

Only Malware in the Building

Star Wars: Skeleton Crew

Ham Radio Prep

Ham Study

GLAARG

GGMorse

Morse Code - I Love You

Parks on the Air ® (POTA)

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Jaksot(730)

49: Painfully Unintuitive Fuster Cluck

49: Painfully Unintuitive Fuster Cluck

Ruminations on train travel in the digital age. Jason has gone back to Squarespace kicking and screaming and it almost cost him a laptop. The age old discussion of ageism in tech continues. Brian discovers crowd beer. Jason has his last WordPress fit. Ever. Show notes at http://grumpyoldgeeks.com/49 See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

14 Maalis 20141h 16min

48: Clear Your F'in Cache

48: Clear Your F'in Cache

This episode is dedicated to anyone who has had to utter the words "Clear your cache and reload." We feel your pain and just want you to know that you're not alone. This show was edited and posted from an Amtrak Southwest Chief train from Chicago to LA! http://grumpyoldgeeks.com/48 See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

8 Maalis 20141h 11min

47: Too big to goto fail

47: Too big to goto fail

In this action packed episode we discuss how Jason busted open the underground ring of hackers who have infiltrated Apple and are breaking iOS for cash. Brian introduces a new coalition of musicians who aren't standing for it any more. And more! Shownotes at http://grumpyoldgeeks.com/47 See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

1 Maalis 20141h 10min

46: A New Hope

46: A New Hope

This week, a discussion on the emerging landscape of middle-tier funding sites for indy artists. Touch on the WhatsApp sale and dig deeper on other Facebook internals like news feed fisting and dating data. Jason talks about his new iOS recording rig. Show notes for this episode are at http://grumpyoldgeeks.com/46 See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

22 Helmi 20141h 14min

45: Quantified Non-Ferrous Mind Boner

45: Quantified Non-Ferrous Mind Boner

We finally have the proof that you should never advertise on Facebook! Ever! We put the stake in the bird of flappy and replace it with an actually AWESOME game. We uncover the secret to pageview journalism, riff on John Oliver and review some new apps! Shownotes at: http://grumpyoldgeeks.com/45   See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

17 Helmi 20141h 13min

44: 68 Minutes You Totally Have to Hear To Believe!

44: 68 Minutes You Totally Have to Hear To Believe!

The guys talk about their fun on Twitter with the Secret App team, Jason's got a spiral fracture in his leg and should have seen a health care professional sooner, Facebook turns 10 but are still jerks, our African listener mystery is solved and more! Shownotes for this show at: http://grumpyoldgeeks.com/44 See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

9 Helmi 20141h 7min

43: The Gloves Are Off

43: The Gloves Are Off

Jason still hasn't slept more than 3 hours a night for 2 weeks. We had so much fun we could barely stop. Much to Brians chagrin. Jason defends his honor. We talk some workflows and software. We uncover some cool new podcasts and apps too! For shownotes go to http://grumpyoldgeeks.com/43 See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

3 Helmi 20141h 59min

42: The Answer to the Ultimate Question

42: The Answer to the Ultimate Question

Jason is injured, sleep deprived, and at an existential crossroad so we call in Dr. David Teter and Jordan Harbinger to sort out this mess of a nerd which is totally appropriate for episode 42.  For shownotes please go to http://grumpyoldgeeks.com/42 See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

27 Tammi 20141h 17min

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