222: Grumpy Old Manifestos

FOLLOW UP starts with the realization that Spotify Wrapped thinks we are 82 years old, which honestly feels accurate, followed by a massive shout out to Bama Bryan on Bluesky for listening to us for over 3,000 minutes. We look at the grim stats from the Department of Government Efficiency regarding USAID deaths, then move to IN THE NEWS where the KALSHI CEO wants to monetize "any difference in opinion" because gambling on the news is the future. PALANTIR CEO Alex Karp claims making war crimes constitutional is bad for business, META STARTS KICKING AUSTRALIAN CHILDREN OFF their platforms to avoid fines, and TETHER gets a "weak" rating while U.S. BANK calls the ability to freeze stablecoins "appealing." We discuss the LEAK CONFIRMS OPENAI IS PREPARING ADS for ChatGPT while SAM ALTMAN DECLARES 'CODE RED' to catch up to Google. Speaking of which, ONE OF GOOGLE'S BIGGEST AI ADVANTAGES IS WHAT IT ALREADY KNOWS ABOUT YOU, even if GOOGLE DISCOVER IS TESTING AI-GENERATED HEADLINES that are complete lies. We cover how GROK WOULD PREFER A SECOND HOLOCAUST OVER HARMING ELON MUSK, the US PATENT OFFICE ruling on generative AI, a new report on DAVID SACKS profiting from his administration role, and INSTACART SUES NEW YORK CITY because paying workers a living wage is apparently unconstitutional. We wrap up the news with the HUMAN ROBOT HYPE SCARING CHINA, a sad story where CHILDREN SOB AS WAYMO RUNS OVER DOG, a video showing a WAYMO SELF-DRIVING TAXI TAKES PASSENGER THROUGH ACTIVE POLICE SCENE, and the fact that PASSENGERS FACE DISRUPTION AS AIRBUS UPDATES THOUSANDS OF PLANES due to solar flares.In MEDIA CANDY, the industry is shaking because NETFLIX BUYS WARNER BROS. FOR $82 BILLION, meaning they now own everything from Harry Potter to Batman. We look at upcoming releases including WAKE UP DEAD MAN: A KNIVES OUT MYSTERY, FALLOUT SEASON 2, ROMCON: WHO THE F**K IS JASON PORTER?, SEAN COMBS: THE RECKONING, THE LONG KISS GOODNIGHT, THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION, and A MAN ON THE INSIDE. Moving to APPS & DOODADS, we discuss the pure joy of uninstalling DROPBOX, our collective hatred for FUCK CENTER STAGE, and the report that APPLE EMPLOYEES ARE 'GIDDY' ABOUT ALAN DYE'S DEPARTURE. We also cover the horror show where GOOGLE'S AGENTIC AI WIPES USER'S ENTIRE HDD without permission, a study showing YOUR GLITCHY VIDEO CALLS MAY MAKE PEOPLE MISTRUST YOU, and how SCIENTISTS CREATED THE BLACKEST FABRIC EVER.Finally, in THE DARK SIDE WITH DAVE, we learn that CLAUDIA BLACK EXITS ‘AHSOKA’ SEASON 2 over pay disputes because Disney is apparently broke, we scrutinize LEAKED CLIPS FROM THE RUMORED 50TH ANNIVERSARY RERELEASE OF THE ORIGINAL VERSION OF STAR WARS (still no R2D2), check out a STORMTROOPER SUIT ON FACEBOOK MARKETPLACE, and mention THE MAD MEN 4K release.Sponsors:Private Internet Access - Go to GOG.Show/vpn and sign up today. For a limited time only, you can get OUR favorite VPN for as little as $2.03 a month.SetApp - With a single monthly subscription you get 240+ apps for your Mac. Go to SetApp and get started today!!!1Password - Get a great deal on the only password manager recommended by Grumpy Old Geeks! gog.show/1passwordWatch on YouTube at https://youtu.be/4IRVvpdJC30Show notes at https://gog.show/725FOLLOW UPKalshi CEO Says He Wants to Monetize ‘Any Difference in Opinion’Palantir CEO Says Making War Crimes Constitutional Would Be Good for BusinessMeta starts kicking Australian children off Instagram and FacebookMeta reportedly plans to slash Metaverse budget by up to 30%IN THE NEWSCrypto’s Most Trusted Stablecoin Given Lowest Possible ‘Weak’ Rating By Major TradFi AgencyU.S. Bank Calls Ability to Freeze Stablecoins ‘Appealing’ as Crypto Has Completely Lost the PlotLeak confirms OpenAI is preparing ads on ChatGPT for public roll outOpenAI CEO Sam Altman declares 'code red' as ChatGPT competition mountsOne of Google's biggest AI advantages is what it already knows about youGoogle Discover is testing AI-generated headlines and they aren't goodGrok would prefer a second Holocaust over harming Elon MuskUS patent office says generative AI is equivalent to other tools in inventors' beltsThe People Outsourcing Their Thinking to AINew report examines how David Sacks might profit from Trump administration roleInstacart sues New York City over minimum pay, tipping lawsHumanoid Robot Hype Is Officially Scaring ChinaChildren Sob as Waymo Runs Over DogWaymo self-driving taxi takes passenger through active police scene in downtown LA, video showsPassengers face disruption as Airbus updates thousands of planesMEDIA CANDYNetflix Buys Warner Bros. for $82 BillionWake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out MysteryFallout Season 2 on Prime VideoROMCON: Who The F**k is Jason Porter? - Season 1Sean Combs: The ReckoningThe Long Kiss GoodnightThe American RevolutionA Man On the InsideAPPS & DOODADSGruber: Apple employees 'giddy' about Alan Dye’s departureGoogle's Agentic AI wipes user's entire HDD without permission in catastrophic failureYour glitchy video calls may make people mistrust youScientists Created the Blackest Fabric Ever, Then Made a DressTHE DARK SIDE WITH DAVEDave BittnerThe CyberWireHacking HumansCaveatControl LoopOnly Malware in the BuildingClaudia Black Exits ‘Ahsoka’ Season 2 Over Alleged Pay DisputesLeaked clips from the rumored 50th anniversary rerelease of the original version of Star WarsThe Mad Men 4K on HBO debacleWilliam Shatner - Good King WenceslasAI boom kills Crucial as Micron shuts down consumer brandCLOSING SHOUT-OUTSSteve Cropper, guitarist for Booker T. & the MG's, Otis Redding, the Blues Brothers and many more, has died. He was 84.STAX: Soulsville, USA.'Mortal Kombat' Star Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa Dead at 75See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

5 Des 1h 15min

After surviving Thanksgiving and the subsequent biting cold, we jumped into the FOLLOW UP with news that Malaysia is joining the trend by taking steps to ban social media for children under 16, mirroring similar actions in Australia and Denmark—it seems the world is finally realizing the internet is a toxic wasteland for the kids. We also discussed Apple’s photo AI, which is apparently still in beta, if the results are anything to go by. The bulk of our discussion centered on the spectacular, flaming death of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which is Officially Dead. We broke down a brief rundown of the damages this vanity project caused, from humanitarian disasters overseas to administrative chaos and the loss of hundreds of thousands of jobs domestically, proving the "savings" were pure illusion. Now, with the collapse, the 'Suddenly exposed' DOGE employees fear prosecution after Musk abandoned them, learning the hard way that billionaire guardianship has an expiration date.The job market is just great, with both Apple laying off part of its sales team despite record revenue, and HP joining the List of Tech Companies Cutting Jobs and pointing to AI as the convenient scapegoat for laying off 10% of their workforce. Meanwhile, we found out the most popular social media platform among US adults isn't Instagram or TikTok—it’s YouTube—while Meta allegedly buried research showing its products are harming users, confirming what we’ve known all along: they’re evil, but they already got your grandma hooked. Adding to the misery, An Alarming Number of Teens Say They Turn To AI For Company, Study Finds, because why talk to a real, messy human when a bot can gaslight you more efficiently? Sam Altman's financial troubles are spilling over, with Sam Altman’s Business Buddies Are Getting Stung (sorry, SoftBank and Oracle), and analysts estimate OpenAI Is Just $200 Billion Away From Still Losing Money, HSBC Says, a comical hole they plan to fill by asking for more free money. Legally, OpenAI can’t use the Word ‘Cameo’ in Sora now, thanks to a trademark suit, and Warner Music is playing both sides by dropping its lawsuit against Suno in exchange for a licensing agreement. Finally, in some truly dark news, a Marc Andreessen-backed Super-PAC Pours Millions Into Fighting State AI Regulations, and X's new location feature reveals that New X Feature Reveals Many MAGA Patriots on X Are Not Even Based in the U.S.After ranting about my misery dealing with the Open Dialogue bug in a beta build and declaring my return to "pedestrian releases," we got into APPS & DOODADS. Spotify is actually doing something cool with its new SongDNA feature, which shows you who sampled what (and they bought WhoSampled to do it). They’re also testing Spotify's New AI-powered audiobook Recaps to remind you where you left off—Amazon is doing the same with AI-powered series Recap Videos for Prime Video. Amazon is also rolling out Alexa Home Theater surround sound for Echo speakers, making those budget speakers slightly more useful. We ran through some great stocking stuffers in Jason’s Holiday Gift Guide, including Velcro cable ties and the Contigo travel mug, before moving on to MEDIA CANDY, which included Dan Carlin's Common Sense, Nathan Fillion and Alan Tudyk’s new podcast Once We Were Spacemen, and a discussion on why Stranger Things Lost the Plot. We then got deeply uncomfortable talking about a Toronto ASMR spa that offers doctor roleplay, and closed out by talking about the documentary Quiet Please… about the neurological disorder misophonia. The episode finished with the AT THE LIBRARY segment, covering the Milli Vanilli memoir You Know It’s True and the sci-fi short story collection The Time Travelers Passport.Show notes at https://gog.show/724Watch now on YouTube: https://youtu.be/PoMa9FM5QEE?si=4r25yqv_0u8aXHF7Sponsors:MasterClass - Get up to 50% off at MASTERCLASS.com/GRUMPYOLDGEEKSGusto - Try Gusto today at gusto.com/grumpy, and get three months free when you run your first payroll.Private Internet Access - Go to GOG.Show/vpn and sign up today. For a limited time only, you can get OUR favorite VPN for as little as $2.03 a month.SetApp - With a single monthly subscription you get 240+ apps for your Mac. Go to SetApp and get started today!!!1Password - Get a great deal on the only password manager recommended by Grumpy Old Geeks! gog.show/1passwordFOLLOW UPMalaysia takes steps to ban social media for children under 16IN THE NEWSDOGE Is Officially Dead'Suddenly exposed' DOGE employees fear prosecution after Musk abandoned them: reportApple lays off part of its sales teamHP Joins List of Tech Companies Cutting Jobs and Pointing to AIThe most popular social media platform among US adults isn't Instagram or TikTokMeta allegedly buried research showing its products are harming usersAn Alarming Number of Teens Say They Turn To AI For Company, Study FindsSam Altman’s Business Buddies Are Getting StungOpenAI Is Just $200 Billion Away From Still Losing Money, HSBC SaysOpenAI Can’t Legally Use the Word ‘Cameo’ in Sora NowWarner Music drops lawsuit against AI music platform Suno in exchange for licensing agreementMarc Andreessen-Backed Super-PAC Pours Millions Into Fighting State AI RegulationsNew X Feature Reveals Many MAGA Patriots on X Are Not Even Based in The U.S.MEDIA CANDYCommon Sense 325 – Who’s the Boss?Once We Were SpacemenHow Stranger Things Lost the PlotBeing EddieThe Beast in MeThe RosesAt Toronto’s new ASMR spa, sensory stimulation slips out of the internet and into real lifeQuiet Please…APPS & DOODADSSpotify's SongDNA feature will show you which songs are sampled on a trackMaking of "The Prodigy - Smack My Bitch Up" in Ableton by Jim PavloffSpotify's New AI-Powered Audiobook Recaps Will Remind You Where You Left OffAmazon Launches AI-Powered Series Recap VideosAlexa Home Theater surround sound for Echo speakers is rolling out nowDashaun No Sadè - Episode 13 Durand BernarrGuermok Video Capture Card, 4K USB3.0 HDMI to USB C Capture Card for Streaming, 1080P 60FPS, Compatible with iPad Mac OS Windows, Quest 3, OBS, PS5/4, Switch2/1, Xbox, Camera (Silver)Meike 35mm F2.0 Auto Focus Full Frame STM Stepping Motor Lens Compatible with Nikon Z Mount CamerasOBS StudioRogue Amoeba LoopbackScientists Reveal What Black Friday Is Doing to Your BrainVELCRO Brand 150pk Cable Ties Value Pack, 8in | Stocking Stuffer Gifts for Tech Lovers | For Wire Management and Cord Organizer | Replace Zip Ties with Reusable Straps, Reduce WasteHand Holder Strap for ipad, Tablet Hand Holder Strap, Universal Handle Grip for iPad Kindle, Mini Tablets and Cases (Black)Anker USB C Hub, 7-in-1 Multi-Port USB Adapter for Laptops, 4K@60Hz USB C to HDMI Splitter, 85W Max Power Delivery, 3xUSBA & C 3.0 Data Ports, SD/TF Card, for Type C DevicesContigo AUTOSEAL West Loop Vacuum-Insulated Stainless Steel Travel Mug with Easy-Clean Lid 20 ozScotty Peeler Label and Sticker Remover - Single Metal Peeler -SP2Slipdrive - Portable Hard Drive Sleeve for Laptop - HDD Hard Disk Drive - Reusable Adhesive - 5.5” x 4.5” Stick on External Hard Drive Carrying Case - Travel Pocket Pouch (Large, Black)Slipdrive - Portable Hard Drive Sleeve for Laptop - SSD Solid State Drive - Reusable Adhesive - Stick on External Hard Drive Carrying Case - Pocket Pouch (Small, Black)Carlashes 1001UB Classic BlackAT THE LIBRARYYou Know It’s True - The Real Story of Milli VanilliThe Time Travelers PassportThe Courage to Be Disliked: How to Free Yourself, Change Your Life, and Achieve Real Happiness by Ichiro Kishimi, Fumitake KogaSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

29 Nov 1h 8min

We open by tracking our video money and mocking the chef who quit Elon’s "epic" bacon diner, before diving into the IN THE NEWS segment where plummeting crypto and Nvidia stocks confirm everything is a sham; we cover Bezos’s new $6.2 billion AI flop, a sleeping Tesla Robotaxi driver, and why OpenAI’s new school tools are a Recipe for Idiocracy with students who can't read; in MEDIA CANDY, we tear apart Disney's lazy Moana remake; THE DARK SIDE WITH DAVE we discuss Zork going open source and why movies just don’t feel real anymore before CLOSING SHOUT-OUTS where we are mourning Mani from the Stone Roses, and wishing Bjork a very metal 60th.We start with a FOLLOW UP on our channel’s performance, wading through the garbage pile of Monetization questions and Stats, including the scourge of Shorts—because apparently, that's what we do now. Speaking of people running from trouble, former Treasury Secretary Larry Summers is ditching his OpenAI board seat after a fresh batch of cringey Jeffrey Epstein emails surfaced. Meanwhile, the financial world is having a meltdown: Nvidia’s Stock is Falling Again after its earnings report, exposing the fact that almost Yet Another Study Shows That Most Companies Aren’t Making Any Money Off AI, and Bitcoin is Getting Absolutely Crushed Right Now, which we happily remind you will Trigger the Next Financial Crisis. Don't worry, Jeff Bezos will head a new engineering-focused AI startup because the world clearly needs more tech billionaires throwing money at things they don't understand, while Apple is reportedly getting ready to replace Tim Cook.The tech-bro corruption parade continues as a former DOJ official points out that Trump’s Crypto Pardon of the Binance co-founder is exactly what it looks like, and Elon's pet AI, Grok Insists That Elon Musk Is More Physically Fit Than LeBron James and better at everything else, proving the bot has been sampling its boss's Adderall. Even though ChatGPT Achieves a New Level of Intelligence by finally letting you disable its em-dash addiction, companies like Intuit are integrating its tax and accounting products with ChatGPT—because who doesn't want an AI-powered tax audit? This all dovetails nicely with the news that OpenAI is launching ChatGPT for Teachers’ right as students’ math skills hit a low, leading to a literal Recipe for Idiocracy where elite college students Can’t Read Books. The whole thing is broken, including Tesla’s so-called Robotaxi, where a Passenger Alarmed When Tesla Robotaxi “Safety” Driver Falls Completely Asleep at the Wheel. On a lighter note, we check out the new trailers for The Witcher S4, Frankenstein, and Project Hail Mary in MEDIA CANDY, and tear apart the absolutely unnecessary live-action Moana teaser, before mentioning the biggest drama launch on Apple TV, Pluribus.Next up is THE DARK SIDE WITH DAVE, where our tireless security guru Dave Bittner throws in some random facts, like Microsoft making Zork I, II, and III open source and videos on why the iOS Keyboard is Broken and Why Movies Just Don't Feel "Real” Anymore, and we discuss Thanksgiving plans. Finally, in CLOSING SHOUT-OUTS, we end with a shout-out to our generous PATREON supporters and PAYPAL/STRIPE donors, mourn the passing of Stone Roses and Primal Scream bassist Mani, and wish the incomparable Bjork a milestone 60th birthday.Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/tWM83ra7Qp8Sponsors:Private Internet Access - Go to GOG.Show/vpn and sign up today. For a limited time only, you can get OUR favorite VPN for as little as $2.03 a month.SetApp - With a single monthly subscription you get 240+ apps for your Mac. Go to SetApp and get started today!!!1Password - Get a great deal on the only password manager recommended by Grumpy Old Geeks! gog.show/1passwordShow notes at https://gog.show/723FOLLOW UPTesla Diner Chef and Co-Operator Quits to Open a Jewish DeliLarry Summers leaves OpenAI board, Harvard instructor role as scrutiny over Epstein emails intensifiesIN THE NEWSOops! Nvidia’s Stock Is Falling Again After Its “Blowout” Earnings ReportBitcoin Is Getting Absolutely Crushed Right NowHow Crypto Could Trigger the Next Financial CrisisJeff Bezos will head a new engineering-focused AI startup called Project PrometheusYet Another Study Shows That Most Companies Aren’t Making Any Money Off AIPassenger Alarmed When Tesla Robotaxi “Safety” Driver Falls Completely Asleep at the WheelMeta wins antitrust trial as judge denies that it's a monopolyApple is reportedly getting ready to replace Tim Cook as early as next yearFormer DOJ Official: Trump’s Crypto Pardon Is Unprecedented CorruptionChatGPT Achieves a New Level of Intelligence: Not Using the Em DashGrok Insists That Elon Musk Is More Physically Fit Than LeBron James11 Things Grok Says Elon Musk Does Better Than AnyoneIntuit is integrating its tax and accounting products with ChatGPTOpenAI Introduces ‘ChatGPT for Teachers’ to Further Destroy the Minds of Our Youth‘A Recipe for Idiocracy’The Elite College Students Who Can’t Read BooksPornhub Begs Tech Giants to Verify User Ages on Their Device: ReportLondon thieves gave stolen phones back when they weren’t iPhonesMEDIA CANDYThe Witcher S4FrankensteinPluribus is Apple TV's biggest drama series launch everSquid Game: The Challenge Season 2Mr. ScorseseThe American RevolutionMoana | Official TeaserProject Hail Mary | Official Trailer 2Goo Goo Dolls: NPR Tiny Desk ConcertTHE DARK SIDE WITH DAVEDave BittnerThe CyberWireHacking HumansCaveatControl LoopOnly Malware in the BuildingRIHC: Disney’s Legacy, with Bob IgerMicrosoft makes Zork I, II, and III open source under MIT LicenseIt's Not Just You - The iOS Keyboard is BrokenWhy Movies Just Don't Feel "Real" AnymoreThe greatest space battle in Cinema history, and my personal favorite VFX shot. @ 7:07CLOSING SHOUT-OUTSStone Roses and Primal Scream bassist Mani dies at 63See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

21 Nov 1h 13min

The inevitable decline of civilization takes center stage as the show kicks off with the miserable results of the FACEBOOK SETTLEMENT, confirming Brian's $4.01 payout, followed by a discussion of the SPORTS BETTING SCANDAL, where MLB players are rigging games over prop bets, confirming that gambling is now actively killing sports; moving to the news, the guys celebrate the DENMARK SOCIAL MEDIA BAN and SCHOOL PHONE BANS, which are already proving that teenagers need mandatory digital detoxes, prompting comparisons to Footloose and the revelation that teens are now passing handwritten notes and taking Polaroids. Naturally, things aren't going well for the hyper-rich, as evidenced by the TESLA EXECUTIVE EXODUS and the launch of WAYMO FREEWAYS, which will surely bring chaos to LA, and the ongoing saga of massive capital destruction via OPENAI LOSSES and META AI FAILURES, prompting Mark Zuckerberg to announce his desperate bid to CURE ALL DISEASES with AI, a feat less audacious than the fraud of AI startup FIREFLY AI TRANSCRIPT, which admitted its original "AI" was just human transcriptionists.They then hit a laundry list of digital woes, including the dubious convenience of APPLE PASSPORTS, the creeping dread of Sam Altman's failing WORLDCOIN EYEBALL SCANS, the ridiculous crypto fraud DEFI OFFICE SPACE that literally copied a movie plot, and Coinbase's inexplicable decision to bring back high-risk ICOs; the absurdity continued with the OPENAI LAWSUIT over a suicidal chatbot that suggested the user "Rest easy, King," and the political maneuvering of the REPUBLICAN BROADBAND REDIRECT, which will gut internet access for the underserved to fund the Treasury, but the real threat to humanity remains the clandestine PREVENTATIVE GENE HACKING startup funded by tech billionaires aiming to create modified babies offshore.In Media Candy, they share reviews of the excellent DIPLOMAT, ZOOTOPIA, and the just-released LUSH DOCUMENTARY, confirming our combined Gen-X fragility, before celebrating two definitive wins for reality: the fact that physicists have finally CRUSHED THE SIMULATION THEORY, and the literary brilliance of Joyce Carol Oates' tweet, which expertly called out Elon Musk as uneducated and uncultured.All this and more on this episode of Grumpy Old GeeksSponsors:CleanMyMac - clnmy.com/OLDGEEKS - Use code OLDGEEKS for 20% off.Private Internet Access - Go to GOG.Show/vpn and sign up today. For a limited time only, you can get OUR favorite VPN for as little as $2.03 a month.SetApp - With a single monthly subscription you get 240+ apps for your Mac. Go to SetApp and get started today!!!1Password - Get a great deal on the only password manager recommended by Grumpy Old Geeks! gog.show/1passwordShow notes at https://gog.show/722FOLLOW UPBaseball Is CompromisedIN THE NEWSDenmark set to ban social media for users under 15 years of ageBanning Phones in Schools Is Drastically Changing the Behavior of KidsThe Head of the Cybertruck Program Quit Tesla. The Model Y Leader Left Hours LaterWaymo's driverless cars will start driving on freeways in three US citiesApple introduces a new Digital ID feature to make boarding flights easierOpenAI Will Lose $74 Billion the Same Year That Anthropic Breaks Even: ReportMeta’s AI Ambitions Appear to Be in a TailspinZuckerberg, Chan bet AI can cure all diseaseStartup Secretly Working to Gene-Hack Human BabySam Altman's Creepy Orb Startup Has Only Scanned 2 Percent of Its Ideal Number of Eyeballs$120 Million Crypto Hack Blamed on Office Space-Style ExploitCoinbase Wants to Bring Back an Old Crypto Trend That Ended in DisasterSeven more families are now suing OpenAI over ChatGPT's role in suicides, delusionsUS states could lose $21 billion of broadband grants after Trump overhaulPhysicists Say They’ve Proven Whether We’re Living in a SimulationElon Musk Got One-Shotted by an Extremely Mean TweetMEDIA CANDYZootopiaThe DiplomatPluribusVictoria BeckhamLush: A Far from Home MovieWelcome to Derry'V for Vendetta' Is Becoming a TV ShowDune: Prophecy' Kicks off Season 2 Production‘Alien: Earth’ Has Been Renewed for Season 2‘Poker Face’ Canceled at Peacock; Rian Johnson Will Seek New Home for Series — With Peter Dinklage StarringThe Running Man | Final Trailer (2025 Movie) - Edgar Wright, Glen PowellToy Story 5 | Teaser Trailer | In Theaters June 19Paramount+ announces price increases for every streaming planAPPS & DOODADSHow to adjust the Liquid Glass effect in iOS 26.1How to stretch the clock on your lock screen in iOS 26Tesla Reportedly Adding Apple CarPlay, Bucking Industry TrendFounder Admits His “AI Transcription” Startup Was Just Him Joining People’s Meetings and Taking Notes by HandFTC Announces Crackdown on Deceptive AI Claims and SchemesTHE DARK SIDE WITH DAVEDave BittnerThe CyberWireHacking HumansCaveatControl LoopOnly Malware in the BuildingThe Official ‘Star Wars’ Magazine Is Coming to an End After Over 30 YearsFuzzball Bandolier ShawlTalk about your crotch-rocket...AI-Powered Toys Caught Telling 5-Year-Olds How to Find Knives and Start Fires With MatchesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

14 Nov 1h 19min

This episode proves that nothing gold can stay, especially your 401k, as we kick things off with the revelation that October saw the worst tech layoffs since 2003, all while "Big Short" genius Michael Burry decided to bet a billion dollars on the inevitable AI bubble bursting. The villains of the week are legion: the FCC is officially making it easier for internet companies to charge us even more hidden fees; Elon Musk not only got his $1 trillion pay package approved—despite Tesla sales collapsing nearly 90% in some countries—but he also teased a flying car, clearly living in his own "Golden Dome" fantasy, which the Pentagon is happily subsidizing; and in a stunning display of entitlement, Mark Zuckerberg opened an illegal school, which is somehow less shocking than Meta’s claim that their massive porn stash was purely for "personal use," not AI training. The bad news doesn't stop there, with Texas suing Roblox over 'pixel pedophiles,' though at least a rural Michigan healthcare system is doing some good by using drones to improve care.Jumping over to Media Candy, since we’re all emotionally scarred by the sheer awful-ness of The Witcher S4—a season so bad it "broke" The Critical Drinker—we need some comfort viewing. We’re deep-diving into the political chess of The Diplomat and escaping into the sheer volume of competitive cooking shows, including the standard Halloween and Holiday Baking Championships, plus the delightfully ridiculous Harry Potter: Wizards of Baking S2; we also took a look at Pluribus, Knife Edge, Black Rabbit, and the trailer for Tron: Ares, while cheering the fact that Brendan Fraser and Rachel Weisz are set to revive The Mummy franchise for a fourth film. In Apps & Doodads, we’re all mourning the eventual death of simple, good tech as we’re warned to enjoy Apple CarPlay while we still can, but at least the Lego ‘Star Trek’ Set is finally here for our inner child; the real question, though, is why Automattic Inc. thinks they can claim ownership of the actual word 'Automatic.'Finally, The Dark Side with Dave Bittner reminds us that everything old is new again and ripe for monetization, whether it's Miss Piggy potentially bringing back The Muppets to the movies or the sleek, blacked-out remake of the Commodore 64, not to mention that cool Tron Arcade Cabinet Miniature Model. However, the present is still a complete dumpster fire: a Google AI model allegedly accused a senator of sexual assault, and internal documents show that Meta is earning a fortune on a massive deluge of fraudulent ads, proving that the only thing getting healthier is our paranoia, though Dave did throw in a curveball with some special jar lids and seeds for growing organic sprouts. We finish, as always, with the obligatory Closing Shout-Outs because even cynical geeks need validation.Sponsors:MasterClass - Get an additional 15% off any annual membership at MASTERCLASS.com/GRUMPYOLDGEEKSGusto - Try Gusto today at gusto.com/grumpy, and get three months free when you run your first payroll.Private Internet Access - Go to GOG.Show/vpn and sign up today. For a limited time only, you can get OUR favorite VPN for as little as $2.03 a month.SetApp - With a single monthly subscription you get 240+ apps for your Mac. Go to SetApp and get started today!!!1Password - Get a great deal on the only password manager recommended by Grumpy Old Geeks! gog.show/1passwordShow notes at https://gog.show/721FOLLOW UPOctober Layoffs Were the Worst Since 2003 and Hit Tech Workers HardIN THE NEWSThe Big Short Guy Just Bet $1 Billion That the AI Bubble PopsTrump's FCC is officially moving to make it easier for internet companies to charge hidden feesPentagon will reportedly award SpaceX a $2 billion contract to help develop the 'Golden Dome'Elon Musk teases a flying car on Joe Rogan's showTesla’s Sales Collapsed Nearly 90 Percent in Some Countries Last MonthTesla shareholder meeting updates: Elon Musk gets his $1 trillion pay packageTexas AG sues Roblox, accusing it of prioritizing 'pixel pedophiles' over child safetyMark Zuckerberg Opened an Illegal School at His Palo Alto Compound. His Neighbors RevoltedMeta Says Porn Stash was for ‘Personal Use,’ Not Training AI ModelsHow a rural Michigan healthcare system is using drones to improve careMEDIA CANDYThe DiplomatHalloween Baking ChampionshipHoliday Baking ChampionshipHarry Potter: Wizards of Baking S2PluribusKnife Edge: Chasing Michelin StarsBlack RabbitTron: AresThe Witcher S4The Witcher Season 4 - A Show So Awful, It Broke Me by The Critical DrinkerBrendan Fraser, Rachel Weisz Set to Revive The Mummy Franchise with Fourth FilmAPPS & DOODADSEnjoy CarPlay While You Still CanThe Lego ‘Star Trek’ Set Is Here, and It’s Exactly What You WantAutomattic Inc. Claims It Owns the Word 'Automatic'THE DARK SIDE WITH DAVEDave BittnerThe CyberWireHacking HumansCaveatControl LoopOnly Malware in the BuildingMiss Piggy May Bring ‘The Muppets’ Back to the MoviesRelive the Commodore 64's glory days with a slimmer, blacked-out remakeShow and Tell: Tron Arcade Cabinet Miniature ModelGoogle removes AI model after it allegedly accused a senator of sexual assaultSprouting Jar Lid (32oz Glass Jars) with 4 Pack Stainless Steel Sprouting Stands for Wide and Wide Mouth Mason Jar for Growing Organic Sprouts, Stainless Steel, 4 PackOrganic Radish Sprout Seeds (16 oz) – Non-GMO, Heirloom Seeds for Sprouting and MicrogreensMeta is earning a fortune on a deluge of fraudulent ads, documents show...See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

7 Nov 1h 8min

This week’s episode started with the usual existential sigh before tumbling straight into the corporate bloodbath. Amazon chopped 14,000 jobs under the noble banner of “embracing AI,” which CEO Andy Jassy insists isn’t about money—despite swimming Scrooge McDuck–style in profit. GM’s cutting 1,700 workers, YouTube’s dangling “voluntary” buyouts, and economists can’t decide if AI is killing jobs or if the economy’s just trash. Microsoft’s winning either way, sitting pretty on OpenAI’s planned $1 trillion IPO, while Meta stock cratered because Zuckerberg’s still shoveling billions into the AI bonfire instead of quietly burying the metaverse. Meanwhile, Elon managed to cram a week’s worth of disasters into a single news cycle: Tesla’s being probed for its idiotic “Mad Max” mode, recalling thousands more Cybertrucks because they can’t figure out glue, launching Grokipedia (Wikipedia’s evil twin), and turning Truth Social into a crypto casino. Somewhere between the chaos, more people tuned into a fake NVIDIA livestream than the real one, and the only vaguely uplifting story was a grieving family using an AI chatbot to hack a $195K hospital bill down to $33K.In media misery, we soothed our nuclear anxiety with A House of Dynamite, tolerated Welcome to Derry, rolled our eyes at Stranger Things 5, and confirmed Slow Horses still rules. Music listeners, please stop streaming fascism—cancel Spotify. On the tech toy front, Grammarly’s having an identity crisis as “Superhuman,” Affinity caved to the subscription gods, and Apple’s prepping to inject ads into Maps because the world wasn’t already annoying enough. The chaos didn’t stop there: a rogue Goodreads librarian rewrote Trump’s book listings to protest censorship, Cursor 2.0 actually impressed us with a working currency converter, and Enshittification: Why Everything Suddenly Got Worse and What to Do About It turned out to be the perfect title for the entire digital era.Sponsors:Private Internet Access - Go to GOG.Show/vpn and sign up today. For a limited time only, you can get OUR favorite VPN for as little as $2.03 a month.SetApp - With a single monthly subscription you get 240+ apps for your Mac. Go to SetApp and get started today!!!1Password - Get a great deal on the only password manager recommended by Grumpy Old Geeks! gog.show/1passwordMasterClass - Get an additional 15% off any annual membership at MASTERCLASS.com/GRUMPYOLDGEEKSCleanMyMac - clnmy.com/GrumpyOldGeeks - Use code OLDGEEKS for 20% off.Show notes at https://gog.show/720FOLLOW UPWhat both sides of America’s polarized divide share: Deep anxieties about the meaning of life and existence itself720° © 1986 Atari Games.IN THE NEWSAmazon cuts its workforce by 14,000 in further embrace of AIIs AI Leading to Layoffs or Does the Economy Just Suck?Amazon CEO Now Says AI Is Not Responsible for Recent LayoffsAmazon Accused of Trapping Drivers in AI PanopticonGM lays off 1,700 workers making EVs and batteries in Michigan, TennesseeTesla Recalls Thousands More Cybertrucks, Is Bad at Gluing ThingsYouTube is offering employees buyouts as part of an AI-focused reorganizationEveryone Is Laying People Off This Week. Researchers Say They’re Going to Regret ItOpenAI completes restructure, solidifying Microsoft as a major shareholderOpenAI lays groundwork for juggernaut IPO at up to $1 trillion valuationMeta Stock Plummets as Investors Horrified at How Much Zuckerberg Is Spending on Misfired AIFederal investigators are looking into Tesla's Mad Max mode, which reportedly defies speed limitsGrokipedia Is the Antithesis of Everything That Makes Wikipedia Good, Useful, and HumanMore people watched a fake NVIDIA livestream than the real thingTrump’s Media Company Set To Roll Out Polymarket-Like Prediction Market on Truth SocialSurprising no one, researchers confirm that AI chatbots are incredibly sycophanticGrieving family uses AI chatbot to cut hospital bill from $195,000 to $33,000 — family says Claude highlighted duplicative charges, improper coding, and other violationsMEDIA CANDYA House of DynamiteWelcome to DerryStranger Things 5 | Official Trailer | NetflixSlow HorsesDon’t Stream Fascism: Cancel SpotifyAPPS & DOODADSGrammarly has rebranded to SuperhumanAffinity’s image-editing apps go “freemium” in first major post-Canva updateApple is reportedly getting ready to introduce ads to its Maps appRogue Goodreads Librarian Edits Site to Expose 'Censorship in Favor of Trump Fascism’Introducing Cursor 2.0 and ComposerEnshittification: Why Everything Suddenly Got Worse and What to Do About It by Cory DoctorowThe Disenshittify ProjectCurrency ConverterSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

31 Okt 1h 8min

We open with a sobering follow-up: the future is less about AI toast (though Red Dwarf predicted it) and more about a soul-stripping "infrastructure of meaningless" after an AWS outage proved how fragile the internet is. Corporate overlords, like Elon Musk, are taking note: he finally addressed Starlink's use by Asian scam syndicates, but his attention is mostly on superintelligence, which Wozniak, Prince Harry, and 800 others want banned. Meanwhile, Meta, despite pouring $27 billion into data centers, suddenly cut 600 AI jobs, and Amazon is preparing to automate a half-million warehouse positions, offering drivers AR spy glasses and suggesting a new "Help Me Decide" AI tool to automate the exhausting micro-decision of which air fryer to buy. This dystopian fever dream peaked when Suzanne Somers' widower revealed he built a full-on robotic AI twin of the late actress. Predictably, Tesla stock tumbled, and the crypto grift continued with the pardoning of Binance founder Zhao, leaving SBF to ponder his failed check-bounce in jail.Speaking of soul-crushing, Disney's latest nostalgia raid, Tron: Ares, tanked harder than anticipated, proving not every Gen-X intellectual property is a worthy cash cow. But fear not, there's still great TV to be had: we recommend the clever dramas Slow Horses and The Diplomat Season 3, the high-stakes culinary nightmare Knives Edge: Chasing Michelin Stars, and the surprisingly excellent Gen V (which you must watch before the next season of The Boys). We also got our fix with the Pluribus trailer, Bullet Train, Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog, and the deliciously low-stakes reality shows Come Dine With Me, Hotel Costiera, and The Celebrity Traitors UK/Canada. Sadly, we must mourn the end of Food Network’s The Kitchen. Yet, no matter how good the show, you still have to deal with Ticketmaster, which is still lying about "fighting bots" while cornering the secondary market.In the world of Apps & Doodads, OpenAI dropped its "Anti-Web" browser, ChatGPT Atlas (a data mule in disguise), and a new app now fakes your vacation photos (perfect for burned-out users). X is poised to sell "rare" usernames for millions (with a terrible subscription catch), while some clever hacker figured out a $60 mod to disable the privacy light on Meta's Ray-Ban spy glasses. Fellow podcast host Dave Bittner joined us to agree that the new Hall of Presidents format is better without the political posturing and confirmed the joy of old-school, purple-ink-smelling Spirit Duplicators (and we checked out a Star Wars fan film trailer for the AT THE LIBRARY section). Don't forget your Tilly Hat! Finally, R.I.P. Soft Cell's musical force Dave Ball, aged 66; the hits still hit.Sponsors:Private Internet Access - Go to GOG.Show/vpn and sign up today. For a limited time only, you can get OUR favorite VPN for as little as $2.03 a month.SetApp - With a single monthly subscription you get 240+ apps for your Mac. Go to SetApp and get started today!!!1Password - Get a great deal on the only password manager recommended by Grumpy Old Geeks! gog.show/1passwordMasterClass - Get an additional 15% off any annual membership at MASTERCLASS.com/GRUMPYOLDGEEKSCleanMyMac - clnmy.com/GrumpyOldGeeks - Use code OLDGEEKS for 20% off.Show notes at https://gog.show/719FOLLOW UPDoes Anyone Want Any Toast? | Red Dwarf | BBCA Tool That Crushes CreativityIN THE NEWSAmazon's AWS outage knocked services like Alexa, Snapchat, Fortnite, Venmo and more offlineSpaceX disables 2,500 Starlink terminals allegedly used by Asian scam centersYelp is getting more AI, including an upgraded chatbotSteve Wozniak, Prince Harry and 800 others want a ban on AI ‘superintelligence’Suzanne Somers’ Widower Built “AI Twin” of Late ActressMeta Cuts 600 AI Roles From Its Superintelligence Labs After $27 Billion Data Center DealNew report leaks Amazon's proposed mass-automation plansAmazon Rolls Out New AI Tool to Help You Decide What to Buy: The Great Mental Outsourcing continues.Amazon unveils AI-powered augmented reality glasses for delivery driversTesla reports revenue growth after two down quarters. Why the stock is fallingTrump pardons convicted Binance founder Zhao, White House saysCrypto billionaire pardon is insane by CoffeezillaMEDIA CANDY‘Tron: Ares’ Is an Even Bigger Bomb Than We ThoughtTron: LegacyHuman: Into the AmericasHuman: Building EmpiresCome Dine With MeFood Network’s The Kitchen to End After 40 SeasonsKnifes Edge: Chasing Michelin StarsPluribus — Official Trailer | Apple TVBullet TrainDr. Horrible's Sing-Along BlogHotel CostieraSlow HorsesThe Diplomat Season 3The Celebrity Traitors UKTraitors Canada Season 3Ticketmaster Is Going to Have to Do Better Than ThatAPPS & DOODADSOpenAI's AI-powered browser, ChatGPT Atlas, launches on macOS todayChatGPT's Atlas: The Browser That's Anti-Web By Anil DashToo burned out to travel? This new app fakes your summer vacation photos for youX's handle marketplace will sell some 'rare' usernames for millions of dollarsA $60 Mod to Meta’s Ray-Bans Disables Its Privacy-Protecting Recording LightTHE DARK SIDE WITH DAVEDave BittnerThe CyberWireHacking HumansCaveatControl LoopOnly Malware in the BuildingGen VTilly HatsFirefly | The World's Smallest Pro-Audio MicrophoneSpirit Duplicators: Copies Never Smelled So GoodSTAR WARS ENTRENCHED: Fan Film TEASER 2CLOSING SHOUT-OUTSSoft Cell's musical force Dave Ball dies, aged 66See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

24 Okt 1h 22min

This week, Guest Host Donovan Adkisson joins Jason DeFilippo to wade through the usual tech chaos; California is attempting to regulate the inevitable AI companion chatbots, which is timely, considering ChatGPT is about to launch erotica (with age verification, natch). Turns out, most of the world is less stoked about our algorithmic future than Silicon Valley is. Speaking of chaos, Elon Musk’s Boring Company racked up nearly 800 environmental violations in Vegas, and his Starlink satellites are burning up the atmosphere, validating the Kessler Syndrome predictions (and ruining backyard astronomy). On the ground, Georgia Tech is deploying drone first responders, ensuring campus security is instantly airborne, while the UK's Online Safety Act slapped 4chan with a hefty fine. We also mourn a Crypto Kingpin who met his end in a Lamborghini following a market crash. Finally, beware that "perfect" house listing, as the owner likely used AI to virtually enhance that curb appeal.It seems even the guy who coined the term "Vibe Coding" admits that relying on AI for complex software is "Net Unhelpful," proving that humans still have to do the heavy lifting—a fact Uber might ignore, as they plan to pay drivers to train AI between rides. Speaking of dumb human stunts, some genius launched the "World's First Waymo DDoS" by summoning 50 robotaxis to a dead end. On the entertainment side, it's time to binge Gen V before Season 5 of The Boys drops; also, why did Apple rename Apple TV+ to Apple TV? The guys also discuss the eternal cultural resonance of Idiocracy and the perfection of Galaxy Quest (and its fantastic documentary, Never Surrender). On the work front, Jason switched back to Things 3 because life is too short for ugly software, even as Windows 10's impending end-of-life threatens to create an e-waste disaster. Also, Wi-Fi 8 is coming soon, because the recently ratified Wi-Fi 7 just wasn't cutting it.Finally, the Grumpy Old Geeks wish a happy birthday to friends of the show and offer remembrance for the recently deceased, including screen icon Diane Keaton and KISS founding member Ace Frehley (though, honestly, no one here watched KISS Meets the Phantom of the Park). Tune in next time, and always remember to check out Anonymous: Real Stories of Alcoholism, Addiction, and Recovery; and go get some of that GOG Merch... when it becomes available.Sponsors:MasterClass - Get an additional 15% off any annual membership at MASTERCLASS.com/GRUMPYOLDGEEKSPrivate Internet Access - Go to GOG.Show/vpn and sign up today. For a limited time only, you can get OUR favorite VPN for as little as $2.03 a month.SetApp - With a single monthly subscription you get 240+ apps for your Mac. Go to SetApp and get started today!!!1Password - Get a great deal on the only password manager recommended by Grumpy Old Geeks! gog.show/1passwordShow notes at https://gog.show/718FOLLOW UPGuest Host: Donovan AdkissonCalifornia becomes first state to regulate AI companion chatbotsChatGPT erotica coming soon with age verification, CEO saysInternational Polling Shows Fear of AI Across the WorldIN THE NEWSGeorgia Tech’s drone first responder program cuts emergency response time to 90 seconds or lessCrypto Kingpin Turns Up Dead in Lamborghini After Market CrashConcerns grow after spate of social media posts showing SpaceX Starlink satellites burning in the sky — we are currently seeing a ‘couple of satellite re-entries a day,’ says respected astrophysicist4chan fined $26K for refusing to assess risks under UK Online Safety ActElon Musk’s Boring Company Accused of Nearly 800 Environmental Violations on Las Vegas ProjectThat perfect-looking house for sale may have an owner using AI to virtually enhance the listingEven the Inventor of 'Vibe Coding' Says Vibe Coding Can't Cut ItMan Launches “World’s First Waymo DDoS” by Ordering 50 Robotaxis to Dead End StreetMEDIA CANDYGEN VApple’s streaming service gets harder to tell apart from its streaming app, boxThe Celebrity TraitorsThe Fortune HotelIdiocracyNever Surrender: A Galaxy Quest DocumentaryThe Missi & Brooke ShowAnonymous - Real Stories of Alcoholism, Addiction, and RecoveryMinecraft Movie 2 ReleaseAPPS & DOODADSThings 3TP-Link confirms successful Wi-Fi 8 trials — next-gen wireless standard to usher in advances in reliability and latencyThe End of Windows 10 Support Is an E-Waste Disaster in the MakingCLOSING SHOUT-OUTSDiane Keaton dead at age 79Kiss Meets the Phantom of the ParkSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

18 Okt 1h 16min