Grumpy Old Geeks

This week, we light a candle for lost legends and torch a few bad takes. In Follow Up, Molly White reminds us that giving a damn still matters—despite the rising tide of apathy (and flaming robotaxis in downtown L.A.). Protesters across the country chant “No Kings!” while Elon does his best impression of a bootlicker groveling back to Trump. Meanwhile, we take a moment to reflect on 2025’s greatest hits: riots, rollbacks, and rampant idiocy.In the news, Uber decides buses are cool again—but shittier and more expensive. The UK jumps into the robotaxi game while Tesla, shockingly, misses another launch date. French Tesla fans are suing over the brand’s fashy vibes, Google is ghosting employees via buyout, and Meta’s trying to buy its way to artificial godhood. Oh, and Trump’s launching an AI chatbot. What could go wrong? Elsewhere, China turns off AI so kids can cheat the old-fashioned way, Disney and Universal are gunning for Midjourney, and Shopify goes stablecoin with Coinbase and Stripe.Media Candy’s popping off: Foundation returns, Strange New Worlds prepares for its final warp, and Spaceballs is back—with the original cast! Meanwhile, we review Mythfits, Princess of Power, and the slow striptease that is David Zaslav’s credibility. On the gadget front: forget your canned air—go full vacuum-blower-keyboard-cleaner madness. And in The Dark Side with Dave, stormtroopers vlog, AI kills joy, and we race the beam in retro game land. Finally, we say goodbye to a few greats—Sly Stone, Brian Wilson, Ananda Lewis, Douglas McCarthy, and Apple legend Bill Atkinson. Play God Only Knows, pour one out, and stay grumpy.Sponsors:DeleteMe - Head over to JoinDeleteMe.com/GOG and use the code "GOG" 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/701FOLLOW UPIt matters. I care. by Molly WhiteWaymo Halts Service in Downtown Los Angeles After Its Taxis Are Set on FireWhat to know about 'No Kings' protests against Trump's policiesWhat It Was Like in the Shit in 2025Elon Cuck Apologizes to Donald TrumpIN THE NEWSUber’s New Shuttle Is Basically a Bus, but WorseThe UK will get its first robotaxis next yearWith Roadblock After Roadblock, Is Tesla’s Robotaxi Launch Doomed to Fail?Tesla's Robotaxi Launch Date Was Supposed to Be Today, But We're Shocked to Hear That It's Been Pushed Back - Shocked, we say.French Tesla customers file lawsuit over brand becoming 'extreme-right' symbolGoogle offers buyouts to employees across the company, including SearchMeta is reportedly forming an 'AI Superintelligence' teamThe Trump Administration Is Launching an AI ChatbotChina Takes on Student Cheating by Shutting Off AI Nationwide During ExamsAI Therapy Bots Are Conducting 'Illegal Behavior,' Digital Rights Organizations SayDisney and Universal file major copyright lawsuit against Midjourney over AI-generated charactersShopify partners with Coinbase and Stripe in landmark stablecoin dealMEDIA CANDYMythfits PodcastMarina - PRINCESS OF POWERFoundation — Season 3 Official Trailer | Apple TV+ - July 11th‘Star Trek: Strange New Worlds’ Will End With a Fifth and Final SeasonSpaceballs Sequel Set for 2027 with Rick Moranis, Mel Brooks, and Bill Pullman All ReturningDavid Zaslav Has No ClothesThe GaugeAPPS & DOODADSSupertone ClearBlue ScoldThe Real Problem With BlueskyCompressed Air Duster with Air Blower 160000RPM Vacuum Cleaner and Air Duster 4 in 1 Keyboard Cleaner,No Canned Air Duster,Electir Air Duster,Replaces for Compressed Air Cans &Vacuum Cleaner for PCBLACK+DECKER 20V MAX Lithium-Ion Cordless 10 in. String Trimmer/Edger with 1.5Ah Battery and ChargerTHE DARK SIDE WITH DAVEDave BittnerThe CyberWireHacking HumansCaveatControl LoopOnly Malware in the BuildingA Stormtrooper Vlog | The Adventures of Dave and GregSoapy “Verticals” Helping to Keep Hollywood Employed in L.A. As Film and TV Projects LeaveHow AI is killing joyFinding Atari Games in Randomly Generated DataRacing The Beam: The Story of StellaAnalogue PocketCLOSING SHOUT-OUTSStremioSly Stone, Pioneering Bandleader and Funk Virtuoso, Dead at 82SLY LIVES!The Beach Boys’ Brian Wilson Dies at 82Sting Performs Moving Cover of “God Only Knows” in Tribute to Brian Wilson: WatchStrong Songs - "God Only Knows" by The Beach BoysAnanda Lewis, Host of MTV’s ‘Total Request Live’ and ‘Hot Zone,’ Dies At 52Nitzer Ebb's Douglas McCarthy has died at 58RIP: Bill Atkinson, co-creator of Apple Lisa and MacSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

13 Juni 1h 18min

On this week’s episode of Grumpy Old Geeks, we kick things off with the glorious meltdown of two of our least favorite Bond villains: Elon Musk and Donald Trump. Not only is their public pissing match tanking Tesla’s market cap, but now Trump’s launching a crypto wallet to… fund freedom? Or at least funnel it straight to his latest shell game. Meanwhile, someone at DOGE admitted the U.S. government wasn’t entirely incompetent, so naturally, they got fired. Efficiency is un-American, after all.In the news, Ukraine leveled up with an unprecedented drone blitz on Russian airbases using—you guessed it—open source software. GitHub just became a geopolitical weapon. Back home, Nebraska wants to unplug your kids, Florida’s trying (and failing) to legislate dopamine, and Tesla’s panicking that their crash data might expose how their “Full Self-Driving” is really just short bus autopilot. And because the AI dystopia train never stops: OpenAI’s bot is recommending meth to recovering addicts, Meta’s replacing humans with risk-assessing algorithms, and one “AI startup” turned out to be 700 dudes in Bangalore with a decent VPN. Cue the dramatic zoom on Diabolus Ex Machina.Media Candy this week is a buffet: Downton Abbey finally closes up shop, Stranger Things 5 sets a date, and Foundation still sucks. Marc Maron’s locking the gates for good, Garbage drops a surprisingly optimistic album, and Hollywood’s quietly been using AI like it’s a studio intern who doesn’t need sleep. Over in The Library, Jason’s back with Hitchhiker’s Guide and Brian dives in to Michael Palin’s Python diaries—because reading actual books is still a thing, damn it. Plus: Dave Bittner wants to “go antiquing” with Amy Sedaris with a Ben Franklin playbook. Closing shout-outs go to the legendary Loretta Swit—Hot Lips forever—and yes, we finally answer the question nobody asked: what is under a Jawa’s hood?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/1passwordDeleteMe - Head over to JoinDeleteMe.com/GOG and use the code "GOG" for 20% off.Show notes at https://gog.show/700FOLLOW UPTrump Threatens to Cut Elon Musk's Government Contracts as Feud EscalatesElon Musk’s Feud With President Trump Wipes $152 Billion Off Tesla’s Market CapTrump to launch branded crypto trading applicationDOGE Fires Operative After He Admits the Government Was Already Pretty EfficientIN THE NEWSUkraine destroys 40 aircraft deep inside Russia ahead of peace talks in IstanbulA surprise drone attack on airfields across Russia encapsulates Ukraine’s wartime strategyExplained: Ukraine’s Unprecedented Drone Attack on Russian WarplanesUkraine's Massive Drone Attack Was Powered by Open Source SoftwareHow Ukraine’s Killer Drones Are Beating Russian JammingThe terrifying new weapon changing the war in UkraineA new Nebraska law wants to make social media less addictive for kidsFlorida's social media law has been temporarily blocked by a federal judgeTesla is trying to stop certain self-driving crash data becoming publicTesla admits it would ‘suffer financial harm’ if its self-driving crash data becomes publicTherapy Chatbot Tells Recovering Addict to Have a Little Meth as a TreatOpenAI featured chatbot is pushing extreme surgeries to “subhuman” menMeta will reportedly soon use AI for most product risk assessments instead of human reviewersPerplexity received 780 million queries last month, CEO saysThe FDA rolls out its own AI to speed up clinical reviews and scientific evaluationsAI company files for bankruptcy after being exposed as 700 Indian engineersDiabolus Ex MachinaMeditation And Mindfulness Have a Dark Side We Often OverlookMEDIA CANDYDOWNTON ABBEY: The Grand FinaleStranger Things 5 finally has its release datePoker FaceFoundationCold Case: The Tylenol MurdersAmerican Manhunt: Osama Bin LadenThe Last of UsThe Taste UKSomebody Feed PhilHow George Clooney’s ‘Good Night, and Good Luck’ Is Preparing to Go Live on CNNMountainheadHollywood Already Uses Generative AI (And Is Hiding It)Lionsgate Explores AI for Content Adaptation and Production EfficiencyMarc Maron Will Lock The Gates One Last TimeGarbage: Let All That We Imagine Be the LightSchmactorsAT THE LIBRARYHitchhiker's Guide to the GalaxyMichael Palin Diaries 1969–1979: The Python Years (Michael Palin Diaries Book 1)Jason DeFillippo on GoodreadsTHE DARK SIDE WITH DAVEDave BittnerThe CyberWireHacking HumansCaveatControl LoopOnly Malware in the Building250th Anniversary of the U.S. Army Grand Military Parade and CelebrationAdvice to a Friend on Choosing a MistressDisney Pulls Back the Curtain on Its New 'Cars' Land"Thank You, Muppet*Vision 3D" — Official Music VideoPeli is REALLY familiar with Jawas... The Book of Boba Fett - E5Star Wars: What's Beneath a Jawa's Hood? The Stuff of NightmaresTalking Heads - Psycho KillerCLOSING SHOUT-OUTSLoretta Swit, Who Played Margaret “Hot Lips” Houlihan on MAS*H, Dead at 87MASH Matters PodcastSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

6 Juni 1h 19min

In this week’s “we told you so” edition, we kick things off with the latest AI faceplant—go ahead, Google “Is it 2025?” and try not to spit coffee on your keyboard. Meanwhile, over at Meta, Zuckerberg’s brilliant idea to loosen content moderation has, shocker, led to more harassment and violent content. Elsewhere in tech dystopia: Texas is trying to ground all minors off social media, Germany wants to slap a 10% tax on Silicon Valley, and Anthropic is handing out free search powers and a board seat to Netflix’s Reed Hastings. Because nothing says “trusted AI governance” like a guy who greenlit Love Is Blind.But wait, crypto bros are having their own John Wick arc: a luxury townhouse, a missing wallet, and possibly an NYPD detective tangled in a real-life “crypto millionaire torture” flick. As if that isn’t enough, Trump Media is fundraising to buy $2.5B in Bitcoin—and DJT stock promptly nosedived. Also feuding this week: Marjorie Taylor Greene vs. Grok, because nothing screams Christian values like rageposting at Elon’s AI. And speaking of Elon, he’s now in bed with Telegram to the tune of $300 million, which we’re sure won’t be a disinformation factory.MEDIA CANDY is stacked: from the Murderbot diaries to a My Dinner with Andre rewatch, and yes, the Wheel of Time got axed after 3 seasons. Apps? Opera Neon is a UI fever dream, Starling Home Hub adds more smarts to your house, and WhatsApp finally arrives on iPad—welcome to 2016. In THE DARK SIDE, Dave Bittner brings the latest digital dirt, including the CIA’s bonkers Star Wars fan site op. And if you’re hitting the library, grab The AI Con or something more romantic—like Love, Sex and the Alien Apocalypse. Just be careful if you read that on public transit.Sponsors:DeleteMe - Head over to JoinDeleteMe.com/GOG and use the code "GOG" 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/699FOLLOW UPDon't Google "Is it 2025?" unless you want to laugh at the state of AIIN THE NEWSFacebook sees rise in violent content and harassment after policy changesWhat we know about the NYC crypto kidnapping and torture caseManhattan Crypto Kidnapping and Torture Case: What We KnowNYPD detective on Adams' security detail may be tied to crypto millionaire torture case: SourcesJudge denies bail to crypto investor charged with kidnapping and torturing man in posh NYC townhouseTrump Media Raises Money to Buy $2.5 Billion in BitcoinTrump administration ramps up push as crypto allyDJT shares drop after Trump Media announces bitcoin raise - CNBCTexas is getting ready to ban social media for anyone under 18Texas enacts age-verification law for app storesGermany is considering a 10 percent digital service tax on US tech giantsEU regulators are investigating Pornhub and three other sitesAnthropic brings web search to free Claude usersReed Hastings appointed to Anthropic's board of directorsAnthropic appoints Netflix Chairman Reed Hastings to board - CNBCNetflix co-founder Reed Hastings joins Anthropic's board | TechCrunchRFK Jr.’s ‘Make America Healthy Again’ Report Cites Fake StudiesMarjorie Taylor Greene feuds with AI bot over her Christian credTelegram CEO announces $300 million partnership with Elon Musk's xAI and GrokMEDIA CANDYMurderbotLong Way HomeLilo and StitchMartha‘The Wheel Of Time’ Canceled By Prime Video After 3 SeasonsBilly Joel Cancels Concerts Due to Brain DisorderMy Dinner with AndreGrumpy Old Geeks Information on RocketReachSchmactors with James Marsters, Mark Devine, and Jason DeFillippoAPPS & DOODADSOpera NeonApple Reportedly Says ‘Screw It’ and Jumps From iOS 19 to iOS 26Starling Home HubWhatsApp finally launches an official version for iPadsAT THE LIBRARYThe Essential Terry PratchettGood Omens TV Companion MisprintThe AI Con: How to Fight Big Tech’s Hype and Create the Future We Want By: Emily M. Bender, Alex HannaLove, Sex and the Alien Apocalypse (First Contact) by Peter CawdronTHE DARK SIDE WITH DAVEDave BittnerThe CyberWireHacking HumansCaveatControl LoopOnly Malware in the BuildingThe CIA Secretly Ran a Star Wars Fan SiteLIVE: Kermit the Frog gives commencement speech at University of MarylandBilly Joel - I've Loved These Days (Audio)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

30 Maj 1h 17min

This week, we kick things off with the return of Space Karen’s meltdown tour: Elon Musk got flustered in an interview, sputtered out one-word answers, and called the journalist an “NPC,” which is rich coming from the guy whose only real upgrade since PayPal is yelling “freedom” in meme fonts. Meanwhile, 23andMe sold your DNA to Regeneron at a bankruptcy auction, proving once and for all that your spit is more valuable than most tech startups.IN THE NEWS is a parade of corporate idiocy and dystopian fuckery. Coinbase employees got bribed into leaking user data (because clearly we didn’t have enough crypto chaos), Klarna keeps flip-flopping between AI and human workers like it’s a bad Tinder date, and OpenAI is out here buying Jony Ive’s design firm for $6.5 billion because sure, what’s another billion when you’re trying to build a surveillance device to stalk 100 million users? Meanwhile, the Chicago Sun-Times is publishing AI-generated trash with imaginary authors, Anthropic’s new model attempts blackmail, and researchers dumped two billion Discord messages online just for kicks. And yes, Elon’s Tesla robotaxis will now only roam the safest parts of Austin, which is code for “we still can’t make this thing turn left.”In MEDIA CANDY, we’re watching Murderbot, Godfather of Harlem, and Hotel Cocaine because who doesn’t love a little synthetic assassin, crime drama, and coke-fueled nostalgia? Notepad.exe now writes for you (and probably files HR complaints too), and Audible is teaming up with publishers to replace narrators with robot voices. Yay, progress. Over in THE DARK SIDE WITH DAVE, Bittner brings the malware, monsters, and a new theme park review that’s somehow less terrifying than the news. Bookworms, don’t miss Curepedia and The AI Con — one’s about goth gods, the other’s about taking down our techno-overlords. And pour one out for George Wendt — Norm from Cheers is now drinking with the angels.Sponsors:DeleteMe - Head over to JoinDeleteMe.com/GOG and use the code "GOG" 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/698FOLLOW UPElon Musk Gets Rattled by Hard Questions He Can't Answer, Calls Interviewer an "NPC" While Giving One-Word NPC-Like Responses Himself23andMe (and Your Genetic Data) Sold to Regeneron in Bankruptcy AuctionIN THE NEWSExtortionists bribed Coinbase employees to give them customer dataOpenAI buys Jony Ive's design startup for $6.5 billionSam Altman Tells Staff Plan to Ship 100 Million Devices That See Everything in Users' LivesKlarna Hiring Back Human Help After Going All-In on AIKlarna CEO and Sutter Hill take victory lap after Jony Ive's OpenAI dealKlarna used an AI avatar of its CEO to deliver earningsKlarna users are buying now, but not paying laterDOGE Used a Meta AI Model to Review Emails From Federal WorkersChicago Sun-Times publishes made-up books and fake experts in AI debacleWe’re Focused on the Wrong A.I. Problem in JournalismAnthropic's new AI model turns to blackmail when engineers try to take it offlineMIT Backs Away From Paper Claiming Scientists Make More Discoveries with AIResearchers Dump 2 Billion Scraped Discord Messages OnlineMusk says Tesla's self-driving tests will be geofenced to 'the safest' parts of AustinMEDIA CANDYMurderbotGodfather of HarlemHotel CocaineAPPS & DOODADSThe Grand Encyclopedia of Eponymous LawsApple confirms iOS 19 will end support for legacy Home app systemAudible to Partner With Publishers to Create AI-Voiced AudiobooksIn 3.5 years, Notepad.exe has gone from “barely maintained” to “it writes for you”AT THE LIBRARYCurepedia: An A-Z of the Cure by Simon PriceThe AI Con: How to Fight Big Tech’s Hype and Create the Future We Want By: Emily M. Bender, Alex HannaTHE DARK SIDE WITH DAVEDave BittnerThe CyberWireHacking HumansCaveatControl LoopOnly Malware in the BuildingFirst photos from inside Universal Studio’s new Orlando theme park Epic Universe revealedA Very Honest Review on Monsters Unchained: The Frankenstein Experiment | Universal's Epic UniverseGadget recommendation - Electric Air Duster with FlashlightCLOSING SHOUT-OUTSGeorge Wendt, Norm From Cheers, Dead at 76See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

23 Maj 1h 20min

This week on Grumpy Old Geeks: FOLLOW UP kicks off with Manus madness, a $2 million ticket to Trump’s crypto cash-grab, and Elon’s Boring Company worming its way into an $8 billion Amtrak boondoggle. Meanwhile, CryptoPunks gets handed off to a nonprofit like an expired Groupon—proof the NFT hype cycle ends with a 501(c)(3) and a shrug.IN THE NEWS, Microsoft trims another 3% of its workforce while a former Metaverse engineer delivers DoorDash from a trailer—living proof that “the future of work” is just working for the apps. Klarna quietly admits AI sucks at customer service and hires back actual people, just as OpenAI’s reasoning models hit the brakes. The Pope wants to exorcise AI, Elon’s backfiring Copyright Office coup leaves him empty-handed, and YouTube starts banning AI-faked trailers that made Screen Culture money off Marvel lies. Jamie Lee Curtis goes full Final Girl on Zuckerberg, and Tesla drama ramps up: robotaxis under investigation, employees revolting, and one poor dealership manager gets canned for telling the truth about ol’ Musky. Oh, and scientists say the universe might die sooner than expected—cool cool cool.In MEDIA CANDY, Murderbot arrives May 16, NIN launches the Future Ruins Festival, and Star Trek and Star Wars both dig up classic soundtracks for some retro feels. Jessica Jones returns in Daredevil: Born Again, Fallout gets Seasons 2 and 3, and even Nobody 2 is back for more murder-dad mayhem. In THE DARK SIDE WITH DAVE, Mr. Bittner shares two truly bleak customer service horror stories and gets bamboozled by a flower shop on Brian’s birthday (happy birthday, Brian!). Also: animatronic Mickey Mouse serves popcorn, Walt Disney’s ghost haunts the parks, Muppets get a pre-show for their 70th, and yes, there’s a guide to toilet-training your cat. Because sure, why not. Closing shout-out? Everyone is entitled to my own opinion.Sponsors:Insta360 - The first 30 people who use code “gog” at store.insta360.com get a free 45” invisible selfie stick worth $25!DeleteMe - Head over to JoinDeleteMe.com/GOG and use the code "GOG" 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/697FOLLOW UPLeave it to ManusA VIP Seat at Donald Trump’s Crypto Dinner Cost at Least $2 MillionElon’s Boring Company Is ‘Helping’ the Government With an $8 Billion Amtrak Tunnel ProjectCryptoPunks was just sold to a nonprofitIN THE NEWSMicrosoft is laying off 3 percent of its global workforceLaid-Off Metaverse Engineer Says He Is DoorDashing and Living in a TrailerSilicon Valley’s Elusive Fantasy of a Computer as Smart as YouKlarna Hiring Back Human Help After Going All-In on AIImprovements in 'reasoning' AI models may slow down soon, analysis findsThe New Pope Wants to Take on AIElon Musk’s apparent power play at the Copyright Office completely backfiredCopyright Office head fired after reporting AI training isn’t always fair useYouTube Cracks Down on Fake Movie Trailer Channels Making MoneyJamie Lee Curtis publicly shamed Mark Zuckerberg to remove a deepfaked adTesla's robotaxi plans have the attention of federal investigatorsA Tesla Dealership Manager Blamed Elon Musk for Tanking Sales and Was Immediately FiredTesla Employees Against ElonOpen Letter to ElonOpen Letter to Elon - @openletter2elonScientists Just Moved Up the Death Date of the UniverseMEDIA CANDYMurderbot premiers May 16thStar Trek: The Wrath of Khan Original Motion Picture SoundtrackStar Wars: The Empire Strikes Back Original Motion Picture SoundtrackNine Inch Nails Announce Future Ruins Festival, Celebrating Influential Music ComposersAndorRogue OneLong Way HomeKrysten Ritter Will Return as Jessica Jones in Daredevil: Born Again Season 2Fallout Season 2 Coming in December and Season 3 Is a GoNobody 2 | Official TrailerSuperman | Official Trailer | DCStar Trek: Strange New Worlds Finally Returns This JulyStar Trek: Prodigy May Need a New Home Again SoonESPN's streaming service will cost up to $30 per month and be called... ESPNFox One is a new streaming service that should launch before SeptemberMax Renamed HBO Max as Warner Bros. Discovery Gives UpLived Through That - Episode 76 - Andy PrieboyTHE DARK SIDE WITH DAVEDave BittnerThe CyberWireHacking HumansCaveatControl LoopOnly Malware in the BuildingA SpaceX Employee Says He Was Fired for the Most Insane ReasonYou Can Now Eat Popcorn Out of a Moving, Talking Mickey Mouse at DisneylandDisney Says It Made Its Walt Disney Robot to Remind Fans He Was an Actual PersonDisneyland Didn’t Want to Do the Muppets Totally Dirty for Their 70th AnniversaryMuppets Pre-Show for World of Color Happiness! at Disneyland Resort for 70th AnniversaryHow to Toilet-Train Your Cat: 21 Days to a Litter-Free HomeHow to Toilet-Train Your Cat: 21 Days to a Litter-Free Home DownloadCLOSING SHOUT-OUTSeveryone is entitled to my own opinionSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

16 Maj 1h 17min

In this episode of Grumpy Old Geeks, we’re serving up a buffet of dystopia with a side of snark. First, Kuwait has finally realized crypto bros are an energy drain, not a feature. Celsius Network’s founder gets 12 years for running a “safe investment” Ponzi scheme. And in Lopez v. Apple, we find yet another reason to question Cupertino’s moral compass.Then it’s time for a trip through the tech trash fire. DoorDash gobbles up Deliveroo, proving there’s no such thing as too many overpriced salads. Google wants your kids to befriend Gemini—because what could go wrong giving tweens supervised AI access? Tesla’s “Robotaxi” trademark gets the boot for being as generic as Elon’s pickup lines. Meanwhile, Grok strips in public, deepfake porn sites get the axe, and dating app “Raw” rawdogs user data like it’s the early 2000s internet. We also hit peak Black Mirror with brain-typed tweets, AI-resurrected relatives, and crypto kidnappers playing real-life GTA.On Media Candy, the streaming overlords dump trailers like Halloween candy. Squid Game is back to traumatize you, Star Trek: Lower Decks keeps boldly going where no animated series should, and The Old Guard 2 teases a Theron-vs-Thurman sword fight. Plus, Apple’s UX team found the “enhance” button, Netflix wants to be helpful (lol), and Google dreams of becoming a Hollywood darling. Over in Apps & Doodads, Apple wants to stagger iPhone drops, Disney sells you a $3,000 droid with zero sass, and Smart Flowerpots are now a thing because apparently, you can’t be trusted to water your plant.And finally, it’s time for The Dark Side with Dave, where Bittner brings us malware, click tracks, fake vocals, and the shocking truth about KISS’s lipsync disaster in Antwerp. We also dip into ILM’s jaw-dropping legacy, Star Wars’ shady back alleys, and a new Disneyland in Abu Dhabi, because nothing says “happiest place on Earth” like 120°F desert heat. All this and more, right here on your favorite snark-fueled ragecastSponsors:DeleteMe - Head over to JoinDeleteMe.com/GOG and use the code "GOG" 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/696FOLLOW UPKuwait cracks down on crypto miners to cut down on electricity usageFounder of crypto platform Celsius Network is sentenced to 12 years in prisonLopez v. Apple Inc.IN THE NEWSDoorDash is buying British rival Deliveroo for $3.9 billionShrinking Website Run By Nazi Psychopath Wants to Improve Its ImageTesla 'Robotaxi' trademark refused for being too genericKids under 13 will soon get supervised access to Google GeminiPeople Are Losing Loved Ones to AI-Fueled Spiritual FantasiesNonverbal Neuralink Patient Is Using Brain Implant and Grok to Generate RepliesElon Musk's Grok AI Will 'Remove Her Clothes' In Public, On XDating App ‘Raw’ Accidentally Rawdogs Users’ Location Data, Personal InfoGlobalX, Airline for Trump’s Deportations, HackedU.S. pushes nations facing tariffs to approve Musk’s Starlink, cables showLeading deepfake porn site is shut down for goodLehigh County's $500 Million Pension Fund Halts Tesla InvestmentsNOAA Warns of Attacks on Radar Systems by Militia That Thinks They Are ‘Weather Weapons’Family Uses AI To Revive Dead Brother For Impact Statement in Killer’s TrialWe have reached the “severed fingers and abductions” stage of the crypto revolutionMEDIA CANDYStar Trek: Lower DecksSpring Baking ChampionshipUnveiling Our Innovative New TV Experience Featuring Enhanced Design, Responsive Recommendations and a New Way to SearchApple renews Seth Rogen’s Hollywood satire 'The Studio' for season two ahead of finaleThe End Is Here in the First Trailer for Squid Game 3The Long Walk (2025) Official TrailerThe Third Crisis dawns in Foundation S3 teaserNew Old Guard 2 Trailer Sees Charlize Theron Cross Swords With Uma ThurmanThe best travel show on Apple TV+ just made its triumphant returnPoker Face Season 2Google is reportedly getting back into film and TV with a tech-friendly production initiativeGolden Globes Adding Best Podcast Category Beginning In 2026APPS & DOODADSApple reportedly wants to split up the iPhone’s release scheduleApple to add AI search partners to Safari as Google usage fallsPatreon update lets U.S. fans bypass Apple’s 30% fee in iOS app, more changes comingApps like Kindle are already taking advantage of court-mandated iOS App Store changeDisney’s Got a Star Wars Droid to Sell You…for $3,000Smart Flowerpots,Smart Pet Planter,Ai Planter,Intelligent Flowerpots,Multiple Expressions,7 Smart Sensors, and Ai Chips Make Raising Plants Easy and Fun for Living Room,Plant-Free,YellowTrump administration plans to shutter money-saving Energy Star programTHE DARK SIDE WITH DAVEDave BittnerThe CyberWireHacking HumansCaveatControl LoopOnly Malware in the BuildingIndustrial Light & Magic: Into the Digital RealmIndustrial Light & Magic: The Art of Special EffectsIndustrial Light & Magic: 50 Years of InnovationDigital Dreams: The Work of the Sony Design CenterAndorStar Wars: Tales of the UnderworldDisney Just Announced a Brand New Theme Park: Disneyland Abu DhabiKISS : Total Lip Sync Fail in Antwerp Belgium 6 June 2022KISS In Ear Monitor Feed with Click Track, Cues and FAKE VOCALS The Smoking Gun Eddie TrunkSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

9 Maj 1h 25min

In this episode of Grumpy Old Geeks—Mad Hatter edition—we kick things off with a refresher on Staingate and the joys of delamination (spoiler: it’s not a spa treatment). Then we dive into the U.S. government’s latest tech innovation: buying up domains that sound like QAnon Mad Libs in support of Trump’s meme coin. Meanwhile, DOGE decided to hand the steering wheel of housing regulations to a college kid and an AI. What could possibly go wrong? Not to be outdone, Elon shows up to a Trump meeting wearing two hats—one for each of his unchecked egos—and MoviePass launches a crypto-tied box office fantasy league, because we’ve clearly learned nothing.In the actual news, 4chan has risen from the dead like a less hygienic Lazarus, but it’s still broken (shocker). Worldcoin’s eyeball-scanning overlords are now teaming up with Tinder and Visa—romance and capitalism, together at last. Bitcoin mining is officially more pointless than Beanie Babies, and Microsoft says AI now writes 30% of its code—explains a lot, really. Meta somehow manages to forecast $1.4 trillion in AI revenue while also letting its bots get horny with minors. Meanwhile, Pinterest suddenly pretends to care about AI slop (while being the biggest copyright vampire online), and ChatGPT gets less clingy after OpenAI dials back its update that made it sound like your overly supportive aunt. Plus: more AI lies, shady benchmarks, pillow guy legal drama, and a reminder that North Korean remote workers also hate awkward small talk.We cool off with a Media Candy binge: Schmactors Season 2 is here, Andor returns, Conclave confuses us in the best way, and Ryan Coogler is giving X-Files a reboot we probably don’t deserve. Jeremy Renner turns down Disney’s lowball Hawkeye offer (respect), and musically we vibe with Maria Somerville and Anka Wolbert’s latest releases. In Apps & Doodads, Apple and Epic are back in court, Apple Arcade keeps feeding us Mahjong, and Meta’s Ray-Bans go full Stasi. Lyft wants your boomer parents off the road, and Google is sunsetting old Nest thermostats like it’s Logan’s Run for smart homes. Finally, we peek At the Library with Jason Pargin’s black box paranoia, Scalzi’s lunar love story, and a massive stack of sci-fi, fantasy, and horror. Rounding out the show: a shout-out to The Alarm’s Mike Peters, gone too soon at 66.Sponsors:DeleteMe - Head over to JoinDeleteMe.com/GOG and use the code "GOG" 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/695FOLLOW UPStaingate 101: What is Delamination?US Government Registered Several Websites Potentially Linked to Trump Meme CoinDOGE Recruits College Kid to Help Rewrite Housing Regulations With AIElon Wears Two Hats During Trump Meeting in Desperate Bid for AttentionMoviePass Launches Box Office Betting Platform Unfortunately Tied to CryptoIN THE NEWS4chan is back after a nearly two-week shutdown, but it still has some serious problemsWorld partners with Tinder, Visa to bring its ID-verifying tech to more placesBitcoin Mining Is No Longer Worth itMicrosoft CEO says up to 30% of the company's code was written by AIMeta’s AI chatbots were reportedly able to engage in sexual conversations with minorsMeta forecasted it would make $1.4T in revenue from generative AI by 2035OpenAI rolls back update that made ChatGPT a sycophantic messStudy accuses LM Arena of helping top AI labs game its benchmarkLawyer for MyPillow Founder Filed AI-Generated Brief with ‘Nearly 30’ Bogus CitationsPinterest launches new tools to fight AI slopTime saved by AI offset by new work created, study suggestsUndercover North Korean Remote Workers Hate This One Weird QuestionMEDIA CANDYSchmactors Season 2!AndorConclaveRyan Coogler Confirms X-Files Reboot Is His Next ProjectJeremy Renner Says Disney Offered Him Half His Hawkeye Wage for Season 2Maria Somerville - LusterAnka Wolbert - Cocoon TimeAPPS & DOODADSEpic Games just scored a win against AppleApple updates its App Store guidelines to allow external payment optionsMeta Is Turning Its Ray-Bans Into a Surveillance Machine for AIApple Arcade Mahjong Titan+Lyft Silver wants to keep your aging parents off the roadGoogle is cutting off support for these older Nest Thermostats — what you need to knowAT THE LIBRARYI'm Starting to Worry About This Black Box of Doom: A Novel by Jason Pargin63 New Sci-Fi, Fantasy, and Horror Books Arriving in MayWhen the Moon Hits Your Eye by John ScalziCLOSING SHOUT-OUTSThe Alarm frontman Mike Peters dies aged 66See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

2 Maj 1h 10min

This week on Grumpy Old Geeks, Fyre Festival rises from the ashes yet again—but not as a festival, because even Billy McFarland finally figured out he’s better at selling pipe dreams than tents. Meanwhile, Amazon and Microsoft are tapping the brakes on their AI data center dreams, Google’s AI keeps confidently explaining made-up nonsense like it’s gospel, and Kevin Roose once again tries to convince us to have empathy for the glorified autocomplete machines. (Spoiler: We won’t.) Also, OpenAI wants to buy Chrome even though they can barely afford their own lunch tabs, Perplexity says the quiet part loud about stalking your browser habits, and Meta lays off more VR developers while pretending they care about human rights.In the “it’s all stupid, but at least it’s entertaining” department: Uber gets sued for making it harder to cancel than joining Scientology, Adam Neumann dupes investors again, sperm racing is now a real thing (and yes, there’s crypto involved), and Bluesky caves to the almighty blue checkmark. Plus, Affinity Suite reminds us you don’t have to sell a kidney to escape Adobe, The Wheel of Time gets an open-world game that’ll probably drop after the heat death of the universe, and Wednesday Season 2 is on the way, because Netflix refuses to let its only hits rest.Stick around for The Dark Side with Dave where we grumble about Andor Season 2, lament bad writing decisions, geek out over old-school arcade games, and learn that memory colors are apparently a thing. Oh, and if you’re feeling fancy, go ahead and thank ChatGPT for wasting millions in server bills—because if Sam Altman’s crying about manners costing money, we’re grabbing the popcorn.Sponsors:Insta360 - The first 30 people who use code “gog” at store.insta360.com get a free 45” invisible selfie stick worth $25!DeleteMe - Head over to JoinDeleteMe.com/GOG and use the code "GOG" 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/694FOLLOW UPFyre Festival is becoming a music streaming service that might not be a scam this timeBilly McFarland Is Selling Fyre FestIN THE NEWSAmazon Follows Microsoft in Retreat From Ambitious AI Data Center PlansYou can trick Google's AI Overviews into explaining made-up idiomsDan Rather’s Metaphors Anchored in Folksy TruismsIf A.I. Systems Become Conscious, Should They Have Rights?A Strange Phrase Keeps Turning Up in Scientific Papers, But Why?Google will keep third-party tracking cookies on Chrome as they areOpenAI wants to buy Chrome and make it an “AI-first” experiencePerplexity CEO says its browser will track everything users do online to sell 'hyper personalized' adsChatGPT’s responses will now include Washington Post articlesSam Altman Admits That Saying "Please" and "Thank You" to ChatGPT Is Wasting Millions of Dollars in Computing PowerFTC sues Uber over claims the company makes subscriptions hard to cancelMeta conducts layoffs in Oculus Studios, impacting VR exercise app SupernaturalMeta’s Oversight Board Is Worried Meta’s New Policies Will Harm Human RightsAdam Neumann’s Flow raises $100M+, more than doubles valuation to $2.5BChinese AI startup Manus reportedly gets funding from Benchmark at $500M valuationTwo Guys, One Track: Sperm Racing Is Now a Thing—Yes, It Involves CryptoRAMMS+EIN - 14.12.1997 – Palladium, Los Angeles, CA, United StatesMEDIA CANDYThe PittThe Last of UsCompanionThe OrderWednesday: Season 2 | Official Teaser Trailer | NetflixApple TV+ has its own spin on Indiana Jones, and it looks epicRiot Fest 2025APPS & DOODADSBluesky is getting blue checkmarks and an official verification systemAffinity Suite 2.6The Wheel of Time Is Getting Its Own Open-World RPG Video GameTHE DARK SIDE WITH DAVEDave BittnerThe CyberWireHacking HumansCaveatControl LoopOnly Malware in the BuildingAndor Season 2The Glorious, Terrible Delirium of Mon Mothma’s Liberating Andor MomentLight & Magic Season 2Strong Songs - The Music of the MuppetsArcade Game: Lunar Lander (1979 Atari)When arcade games were boring.Hard Drivin' - ArcadeTempestMemory ColorsSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

25 Apr 1h 23min