Grumpy Old Geeks

Jason DeFillippo & Brian Schulmeister with Dave Bittner
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  • TECH NEWS
  • UPDATED WEEKLY
Grumpy Old Geeks

We dissect the tech news train wrecks of the week, calling out what went wrong and who’s to blame. Think of this podcast as if Kurt Cobain threw down with Tom from MySpace, Elon Musk, and Mark Zuckerberg in a back alley brawl. No mercy, no filter—if tech had a walk of shame, this would be it.

  1. I’m Lovin’ It

    5D AGO

    I’m Lovin’ It

    Apparently, you can’t keep a good grifter down, as Billy McFarland’s seven-figure Fyre Fest deal collapsed, so he’s hawking the brand on eBay like a box of junk. Meanwhile, Indeed and Glassdoor are laying off over 1,000 workers, probably to pay for the AI that’s jacking up our electric bills. Speaking of AI, a Tesla robotaxi crashed itself while Elon Musk’s Grok chatbot went full Nazi, which is of course being installed in Teslas "next week." Fittingly, X CEO Linda Yaccarino stepped down and promptly lost her blue check. To cap off the dystopian news, the DOJ is targeting an anti-ICE app developer, the 'click-to-cancel' rule is dead, and you can hack McDonald’s with the password ‘123456’. The future is now, and it's dumber than we ever imagined. On the media front, Murderbot gets a second season, and the Jim Henson and The Beach Boys documentaries are must-sees. Sadly, Netflix canceled The Residence. We also got trailers for Neuromancer, Project Hail Mary, and Edgar Wright's The Running Man. Speaking of building the future, we took a deep dive into AI-assisted coding using tools like Cursor, building a functional app in hours with zero original code. It’s a stark reminder that while the "free lunch" of AI development is ending, the future for junior coders is already cooked. This glorious new world also includes playing every retro game ever on your phone, thanks to emulators like Delta and PPSSPP and the Backbone controller, which led to a nostalgic dive into the classic soundtracks of Mega Man 2 and Wipeout XL. This all culminated in a personal victory: conquering all 4,678 boards in Mahjong Titan+, freeing us from our porcelain thrones. 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/1password Show notes at https://gog.show/704 FOLLOW UP Billy McFarland Says His Seven-Figure Deal to Sell Fyre Fest Has Fallen Through Own FYRE Festival – Iconic Brand, Trademarks, IP, Social Media Assets, and More Billy McFarland Is Now Trying to Unload the Fyre Fest Brand on eBay IN THE NEWS Indeed and Glassdoor are cutting more than 1,000 jobs A Tesla robotaxi inexplicably drove into a parked car Major US power operator says AI and data center demands are pushing prices up An AI That Promises to “Solve All Diseases” Is About to Test Its First Human Drugs ‘Round Them Up’: Grok Praises Hitler as Elon Musk’s AI Tool Goes Full Nazi Musk’s Grok 4 launches one day after chatbot generated Hitler praise on X Elon Musk says Grok is coming to Tesla vehicles just after it went full Hitler Elon Musk Says He's Installing His Racist Grok AI in Teslas "Next Week" X CEO Linda Yaccarino is stepping down after two years They took away Linda Yaccarino's blue check! Six Months Ago NPR Left Twitter. The Effects Have Been Negligible How SpaceX is blocking astronomers' view of space New Research Bolsters Freaky Theory That Earth Sits in a Giant Cosmic Void DOJ goes after US citizen for developing anti-ICE app Trump’s FTC Let Lobbyists Kill Popular Click-To-Cancel Rule, Advocates Say EU regulators are once again investigating TikTok over data transfers to China Researchers Jailbreak AI by Flooding It With B******t Jargon Bug Hunters Gain Access to 64 Million McDonald’s Job Applicants’ Info by Using the Password ‘123456’ MEDIA CANDY Murderbot Murderbot is getting a season 2 on Apple TV Plus Rapport: Friendship, Solidarity, Communion, Empathy: A Tor Original (The Murderbot Diaries) by Martha Wells Netflix Cancels ‘Pulse’ and Shondaland’s ‘The Residence’ After One Season Each Neuromancer — In Production | Apple TV+ PROJECT HAIL MARY Trailer (2025) Ryan Gosling The Running Man | Official Trailer (2025 Movie) - Edgar Wright, Glen Powell Sandman Season 2 Animal Kingdom Guy Ritchies The Covenant Thunderbolts The Old Guard 2 Jim Henson Idea Man The Beach Boys AMC now warns moviegoers to expect ‘25-30 minutes’ of ads and trailers APPS & DOODADS Anker issues new global power bank recall over fire hazard Visual Studio Code Cursor Windsurf Anthropic Academy The Onion in 2056: A dystopian world of Flash animation Jack Dorsey just released a Bluetooth messaging app that doesn't need the internet WhereGoes Link Checker YouTube prepares crackdown on ‘mass-produced’ and ‘repetitive’ videos, as concern over AI slop grows THE DARK SIDE WITH DAVE Dave Bittner The CyberWire Hacking Humans Caveat Control Loop Only Malware in the Building Backbone iPhone Game Controller PPSSPP - A PSP emulator Delta Emulator OpenEMU Major Nintendo Switch Piracy Website Seized By FBI Update on the Anbernic emulator device MegaMan 2 music performed by an orchestra Music by John Williams Wipeout XL Wipeout XL Playlist Mahjong Titan+ Apple Arcade See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

    1h 22m
  2. None More Black

    JUN 27

    None More Black

    This week, we saddle up for another bumpy ride through the dystopian tech clown show. We kick off with the surveillance state’s greatest hits: ICE raids sweeping L.A., a website literally called FuckLAPD.com that lets you ID cops by their mug shots, and a Norwegian tourist who learned the hard way that having a JD Vance chipmunk meme on your phone is now grounds for deportation. Pro tip: if you’re traveling to the U.S., you might want to wrap your phone in lead and bury it in a cornfield. In the news, Big Balls has apparently rolled his way from Elon’s Department of Government Efficiency to the Social Security Administration—because nothing says “government modernization” like a 19-year-old tech bro with a meme nickname. Meanwhile, Tesla robotaxis are hitting the roads (and maybe a few pedestrians) with human babysitters in tow, Waymo and Uber are turning Atlanta into Blade Runner Lite, and Texas wants a permit for your self-driving car. Over in AI hell, judges can’t agree if training your chatbot on stolen books is fair use or just digital asbestos. YouTube, never one to miss a race to the bottom, is rolling out an AI Slop button so you can crank up the crap to 11. In Media Candy, Russell Crowe is beefing up his IMDb with Highlander, Henry Cavill is along for the ride, and Anthony Bourdain Day is apparently a thing (even though he’d have rolled his eyes at it). We also dig into everything from Minecraft movies to the sad demise of Blue Microphones at the hands of Logitech. Plus, Dave Bittner drops by to commiserate about malware, retro gaming handhelds, and why some Star Wars maps are basically porn for nerds. And yes—Windows is finally killing the Blue Screen of Death, proving even Microsoft can eventually learn to read the room. 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/1password Show notes at https://gog.show/703 FOLLOW UP The mad scramble to track ICE raids across L.A. County ‘FuckLAPD.com’ Lets Anyone Use Facial Recognition to Instantly Identify Cops European tourist denied entry to US over JD Vance meme on his phone 'My Bad:' Babyface Vance Meme Creator On Norwegian Tourist's Detainment Travelling to the U.S.? Here's a guide to locking down phones and other devices IN THE NEWS The Tyranny of ‘Big Balls’ Has Come to an End ‘Big Balls’ Is Now at the Social Security Administration ‘Techno King’ Elon Musk Doesn’t Own a Computer, His Lawyers Tell Court Tesla's inaugural Robotaxi rides will have a human 'safety monitor' on board Tesla's first robotaxi rides are already running into a few bumps Waymo and Uber launch robotaxi service in Atlanta Texas will require permits for self-driving cars starting in September What We Know So Far About the Supposed ‘Mother of All Data Breaches’ Digital Asbestos The Oversight Board calls Meta's uneven AI moderation 'incoherent and unjustifiable' Judge rules Anthropic's AI training on copyrighted materials is fair use Meta Wins Blockbuster AI Copyright Case—but There’s a Catch Judge: Pirate libraries may have profited from Meta torrenting 80TB of books Two Courts Rule On Generative AI and Fair Use — One Gets It Right YouTube Will Add an AI Slop Button Thanks to Google’s Veo 3 AI Slop: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (HBO) For the first time, social media overtakes TV as Americans’ top news source First images from the largest camera ever built reveal millions of galaxies MEDIA CANDY Russell Crowe Lends His Russell Crowe-ness to ‘Highlander’ Russell Crowe Arming Up Opposite Henry Cavill In Chad Stahelski’s ‘Highlander’ At Amazon MGM Studios & UA The Amateur The Accountant 2 The Godfather of Harlem In Vogue: The 90s A Minecraft Movie Anthony Bourdain didn't say that (but we wish he did) How to celebrate Bourdain Day, a thing Tony probably would have hated Quote Investigator Doug Liman Will Attempt to Cram Stephen King’s Epic Novel ‘The Stand’ Into a Single Movie The Dead Zone The Dead Zone on Amazon Prime Video ‘The boys got sex. I got poetry’: what Britpop was like for women The Story Behind the Song: The Bangle’s Susanne Hoffs - Eternal Flame Less Than One APPS & DOODADS Brave keeps opening google app Windows is finally kicking the Blue Screen of Death to the curb Philips Hue says US prices will go up in July because of tariffs iPhone Users Upset About Apple Promoting F1 Movie With Wallet App Notification HDMI 2.2's full specs have been finalized, with better support for modern displays THE DARK SIDE WITH DAVE Dave Bittner The CyberWire Hacking Humans Caveat Control Loop Only Malware in the Building Andor I Can’t Stop Staring at This Massive ‘Star Wars’ Galaxy Map Lucas Museum of Narrative Arts RG35XX H, Anbernic Retro Handheld Gaming Console with 64GTF Card, Dual Joystick Design 3.5-inch HD Screen Lasts up to 8 Hours High-Capacity Battery for Better Experience (64G Black) DRAGON GRIP- The Martial Arts Sound Effects Toy Reminds me of Weird Al poking fun of this in the “Fat” video How Logitech Killed A Great Microphone Company - The History of Blue Microphones Homemade Disneyland Star Tours Attraction (Full Ride Experience) See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

    1h 17m
  3. TikTaco

    JUN 20

    TikTaco

    In this week’s episode, Trump delays the TikTok ban for the third time—because procrastination is the new policy—and Twitter’s old sign finds new purpose as desert firewood. Tesla continues its streak of “hold my beer” engineering by blowing past a school bus in FSD tests, then mysteriously dumps Cybertrucks in Jersey parking lots while prepping a July 4th factory nap. Meanwhile, Elon’s xAI is incinerating a billion bucks a month and allegedly poisoning Memphis, OpenAI and Microsoft are beefing over who’s the bigger megalomaniac, and Sam Altman thinks your power bill should fund his robot overlords. In other signs of the apocalypse: Amazon is gleefully replacing workers with AI, Microsoft finally admits it might’ve wasted billions chasing Skynet, and Wikipedia’s editors say no thanks to dumbed-down AI summaries. Studies warn ChatGPT may be turning your brain into smooth pudding, while swearing data reveals the internet prefers the F-word with regional flair. A broke crypto TikToker gets released because he’s too poor to ransom, and bankruptcies spike across the Bay as tech jobs vanish like investor confidence. Media Candy brings a buffet from Inside Out to Murderbot to Stick, and Liam Neeson somehow makes the Naked Gun reboot look awesome; Apple tunes CarPlay to fit your weird dashboard, Trump sells a gold Android that’s tackier than his ties, and Dave goes full retro with Open EMU 2 and FPGA gaming; plus: Dr. Demento retires, Disneyland hits your screen, and we swear this isn’t all a fever dream. 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/1password Show notes at https://gog.show/702 FOLLOW UP Donald Trump will delay a looming TikTok ban for a third time The 560-pound Twitter sign met a fiery end in a Nevada desert IN THE NEWS Tesla blows past stopped school bus and hits kid-sized dummies in Full Self-Driving tests Ferris Bueller's Day Off: Nine Times What are hundreds of Teslas doing in a New Jersey mall parking lot? Residents Baffled as Tesla Dumps Dozens of Cybertrucks in Shopping Center Tesla plans to shut down Model Y and Cybertruck production over the week of July 4 23andMe founder Anne Wojcicki will regain control of embattled DNA company after all OpenAI and Microsoft Tensions Are Reaching a Boiling Point Amazon says it will reduce its workforce as AI replaces human employees Musk’s xAI Burns Through $1 Billion a Month as Costs Pile Up Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella shocks industry by admitting AI has yet to deliver real value despite massive investment Wikipedia cancels plan to test AI summaries after editors skewer the idea Your Brain on ChatGPT: Accumulation of Cognitive Debt when Using an AI Assistant for Essay Writing Task Sam Altman Says "Significant Fraction" of Earth's Total Electricity Should Go to Running AI xAI faces legal threat over alleged Colossus data center pollution in Memphis Kidnappers free TikTok crypto influencer after realizing he has no money Personal bankruptcy surges in the Bay as tech employment sags - The San Francisco Standard 201 ways to say ‘f**k’: what 1.7 billion words of online text shows about how the world swears Vulgarity in online discourse around the English-speaking world MEDIA CANDY Brave Inside Out Families Like Ours Stick Murderbot FUBAR Sinners Rear Window The Snake The Naked Gun - Official Trailer (2025) Liam Neeson, Pamela Anderson The Sandman: Season 2 | Official Trailer | Netflix David Zaslav Is Getting a Pay Cut How adversarial attacks in audio files give musicians new power against AI theft – Here’s what you need to know Music Music tech Tech WebBenn Jordan’s AI poison pill and the weird world of adversarial noise APPS & DOODADS iOS 26 will fit CarPlay to better match the shape of your car's screen Mahjong Titan+ Trump’s New Cash Grab Is a Gold iPhone Lookalike That’s Worse Than Any Budget Android The golden Trump Phone is almost certainly not made in the US AT THE LIBRARY Happy: Why More or Less Everything is Absolutely Fine by Derren Brown AI Snake Oil: What Artificial Intelligence Can Do, What It Can't, and How to Tell the Difference by Sayash Kapoor, Arvind Narayanan Diaries 1969–1979: The Python Years (Michael Palin Diaries Book 1) THE DARK SIDE WITH DAVE Dave Bittner The CyberWire Hacking Humans Caveat Control Loop Only Malware in the Building Open EMU 2 Analogue Pocket OpenFPGA Guide All Major Gen-AI Models Vulnerable to ‘Policy Puppetry’ Prompt Injection Attack Visit Disneyland From the Comfort of Disney+ With More POV Walkthroughs Dr. Demento Announces Retirement After 55 Years Star Wars metal. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

    1h 25m
  4. Dancing in the Streets

    JUN 13

    Dancing in the Streets

    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/1password Show notes at https://gog.show/701 FOLLOW UP It matters. I care. by Molly White Waymo Halts Service in Downtown Los Angeles After Its Taxis Are Set on Fire What to know about 'No Kings' protests against Trump's policies What It Was Like in the Shit in 2025 Elon Cuck Apologizes to Donald Trump IN THE NEWS Uber’s New Shuttle Is Basically a Bus, but Worse The UK will get its first robotaxis next year With 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' symbol Google offers buyouts to employees across the company, including Search Meta is reportedly forming an 'AI Superintelligence' team The Trump Administration Is Launching an AI Chatbot China Takes on Student Cheating by Shutting Off AI Nationwide During Exams AI Therapy Bots Are Conducting 'Illegal Behavior,' Digital Rights Organizations Say Disney and Universal file major copyright lawsuit against Midjourney over AI-generated characters Shopify partners with Coinbase and Stripe in landmark stablecoin deal MEDIA CANDY Mythfits Podcast Marina - PRINCESS OF POWER Foundation — Season 3 Official Trailer | Apple TV+ - July 11th ‘Star Trek: Strange New Worlds’ Will End With a Fifth and Final Season Spaceballs Sequel Set for 2027 with Rick Moranis, Mel Brooks, and Bill Pullman All Returning David Zaslav Has No Clothes The Gauge APPS & DOODADS Supertone Clear Blue Scold The Real Problem With Bluesky Compressed 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 PC BLACK+DECKER 20V MAX Lithium-Ion Cordless 10 in. String Trimmer/Edger with 1.5Ah Battery and Charger THE DARK SIDE WITH DAVE Dave Bittner The CyberWire Hacking Humans Caveat Control Loop Only Malware in the Building A Stormtrooper Vlog | The Adventures of Dave and Greg Soapy “Verticals” Helping to Keep Hollywood Employed in L.A. As Film and TV Projects Leave How AI is killing joy Finding Atari Games in Randomly Generated Data Racing The Beam: The Story of Stella Analogue Pocket CLOSING SHOUT-OUTS Stremio Sly Stone, Pioneering Bandleader and Funk Virtuoso, Dead at 82 SLY LIVES! The Beach Boys’ Brian Wilson Dies at 82 Sting Performs Moving Cover of “God Only Knows” in Tribute to Brian Wilson: Watch Strong Songs - "God Only Knows" by The Beach Boys Ananda Lewis, Host of MTV’s ‘Total Request Live’ and ‘Hot Zone,’ Dies At 52 Nitzer Ebb's Douglas McCarthy has died at 58 RIP: Bill Atkinson, co-creator of Apple Lisa and Mac See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

    1h 18m
  5. Going Antiquing

    JUN 6

    Going Antiquing

    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/1password DeleteMe - Head over to JoinDeleteMe.com/GOG and use the code "GOG" for 20% off. Show notes at https://gog.show/700 FOLLOW UP Trump Threatens to Cut Elon Musk's Government Contracts as Feud Escalates Elon Musk’s Feud With President Trump Wipes $152 Billion Off Tesla’s Market Cap Trump to launch branded crypto trading application DOGE Fires Operative After He Admits the Government Was Already Pretty Efficient IN THE NEWS Ukraine destroys 40 aircraft deep inside Russia ahead of peace talks in Istanbul A surprise drone attack on airfields across Russia encapsulates Ukraine’s wartime strategy Explained: Ukraine’s Unprecedented Drone Attack on Russian Warplanes Ukraine's Massive Drone Attack Was Powered by Open Source Software How Ukraine’s Killer Drones Are Beating Russian Jamming The terrifying new weapon changing the war in Ukraine A new Nebraska law wants to make social media less addictive for kids Florida's social media law has been temporarily blocked by a federal judge Tesla is trying to stop certain self-driving crash data becoming public Tesla admits it would ‘suffer financial harm’ if its self-driving crash data becomes public Therapy Chatbot Tells Recovering Addict to Have a Little Meth as a Treat OpenAI featured chatbot is pushing extreme surgeries to “subhuman” men Meta will reportedly soon use AI for most product risk assessments instead of human reviewers Perplexity received 780 million queries last month, CEO says The FDA rolls out its own AI to speed up clinical reviews and scientific evaluations AI company files for bankruptcy after being exposed as 700 Indian engineers Diabolus Ex Machina Meditation And Mindfulness Have a Dark Side We Often Overlook MEDIA CANDY DOWNTON ABBEY: The Grand Finale Stranger Things 5 finally has its release date Poker Face Foundation Cold Case: The Tylenol Murders American Manhunt: Osama Bin Laden The Last of Us The Taste UK Somebody Feed Phil How George Clooney’s ‘Good Night, and Good Luck’ Is Preparing to Go Live on CNN Mountainhead Hollywood Already Uses Generative AI (And Is Hiding It) Lionsgate Explores AI for Content Adaptation and Production Efficiency Marc Maron Will Lock The Gates One Last Time Garbage: Let All That We Imagine Be the Light Schmactors AT THE LIBRARY Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy Michael Palin Diaries 1969–1979: The Python Years (Michael Palin Diaries Book 1) Jason DeFillippo on Goodreads THE DARK SIDE WITH DAVE Dave Bittner The CyberWire Hacking Humans Caveat Control Loop Only Malware in the Building 250th Anniversary of the U.S. Army Grand Military Parade and Celebration Advice to a Friend on Choosing a Mistress Disney Pulls Back the Curtain on Its New 'Cars' Land "Thank You, Muppet*Vision 3D" — Official Music Video Peli is REALLY familiar with Jawas... The Book of Boba Fett - E5 Star Wars: What's Beneath a Jawa's Hood? The Stuff of Nightmares Talking Heads - Psycho Killer CLOSING SHOUT-OUTS Loretta Swit, Who Played Margaret “Hot Lips” Houlihan on MAS*H, Dead at 87 MASH Matters Podcast See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

    1h 19m
  6. TACO 2025

    MAY 30

    TACO 2025

    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/1password Show notes at https://gog.show/699 FOLLOW UP Don't Google "Is it 2025?" unless you want to laugh at the state of AI IN THE NEWS Facebook sees rise in violent content and harassment after policy changes What we know about the NYC crypto kidnapping and torture case Manhattan Crypto Kidnapping and Torture Case: What We Know NYPD detective on Adams' security detail may be tied to crypto millionaire torture case: Sources Judge denies bail to crypto investor charged with kidnapping and torturing man in posh NYC townhouse Trump Media Raises Money to Buy $2.5 Billion in Bitcoin Trump administration ramps up push as crypto ally DJT shares drop after Trump Media announces bitcoin raise - CNBC Texas is getting ready to ban social media for anyone under 18 Texas enacts age-verification law for app stores Germany is considering a 10 percent digital service tax on US tech giants EU regulators are investigating Pornhub and three other sites Anthropic brings web search to free Claude users Reed Hastings appointed to Anthropic's board of directors Anthropic appoints Netflix Chairman Reed Hastings to board - CNBC Netflix co-founder Reed Hastings joins Anthropic's board | TechCrunch RFK Jr.’s ‘Make America Healthy Again’ Report Cites Fake Studies Marjorie Taylor Greene feuds with AI bot over her Christian cred Telegram CEO announces $300 million partnership with Elon Musk's xAI and Grok MEDIA CANDY Murderbot Long Way Home Lilo and Stitch Martha ‘The Wheel Of Time’ Canceled By Prime Video After 3 Seasons Billy Joel Cancels Concerts Due to Brain Disorder My Dinner with Andre Grumpy Old Geeks Information on RocketReach Schmactors with James Marsters, Mark Devine, and Jason DeFillippo APPS & DOODADS Opera Neon Apple Reportedly Says ‘Screw It’ and Jumps From iOS 19 to iOS 26 Starling Home Hub WhatsApp finally launches an official version for iPads AT THE LIBRARY The Essential Terry Pratchett Good Omens TV Companion Misprint The AI Con: How to Fight Big Tech’s Hype and Create the Future We Want By: Emily M. Bender, Alex Hanna Love, Sex and the Alien Apocalypse (First Contact) by Peter Cawdron THE DARK SIDE WITH DAVE Dave Bittner The CyberWire Hacking Humans Caveat Control Loop Only Malware in the Building The CIA Secretly Ran a Star Wars Fan Site LIVE: Kermit the Frog gives commencement speech at University of Maryland Billy 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.

    1h 18m
  7. Watch Out for That Tree!

    MAY 23

    Watch Out for That Tree!

    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/1password Show notes at https://gog.show/698 FOLLOW UP Elon Musk Gets Rattled by Hard Questions He Can't Answer, Calls Interviewer an "NPC" While Giving One-Word NPC-Like Responses Himself 23andMe (and Your Genetic Data) Sold to Regeneron in Bankruptcy Auction IN THE NEWS Extortionists bribed Coinbase employees to give them customer data OpenAI buys Jony Ive's design startup for $6.5 billion Sam Altman Tells Staff Plan to Ship 100 Million Devices That See Everything in Users' Lives Klarna Hiring Back Human Help After Going All-In on AI Klarna CEO and Sutter Hill take victory lap after Jony Ive's OpenAI deal Klarna used an AI avatar of its CEO to deliver earnings Klarna users are buying now, but not paying later DOGE Used a Meta AI Model to Review Emails From Federal Workers Chicago Sun-Times publishes made-up books and fake experts in AI debacle We’re Focused on the Wrong A.I. Problem in Journalism Anthropic's new AI model turns to blackmail when engineers try to take it offline MIT Backs Away From Paper Claiming Scientists Make More Discoveries with AI Researchers Dump 2 Billion Scraped Discord Messages Online Musk says Tesla's self-driving tests will be geofenced to 'the safest' parts of Austin MEDIA CANDY Murderbot Godfather of Harlem Hotel Cocaine APPS & DOODADS The Grand Encyclopedia of Eponymous Laws Apple confirms iOS 19 will end support for legacy Home app system Audible to Partner With Publishers to Create AI-Voiced Audiobooks In 3.5 years, Notepad.exe has gone from “barely maintained” to “it writes for you” AT THE LIBRARY Curepedia: An A-Z of the Cure by Simon Price The AI Con: How to Fight Big Tech’s Hype and Create the Future We Want By: Emily M. Bender, Alex Hanna THE DARK SIDE WITH DAVE Dave Bittner The CyberWire Hacking Humans Caveat Control Loop Only Malware in the Building First photos from inside Universal Studio’s new Orlando theme park Epic Universe revealed A Very Honest Review on Monsters Unchained: The Frankenstein Experiment | Universal's Epic Universe Gadget recommendation - Electric Air Duster with Flashlight CLOSING SHOUT-OUTS George Wendt, Norm From Cheers, Dead at 76 See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

    1h 21m
  8. Office of Defects

    MAY 16

    Office of Defects

    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/1password Show notes at https://gog.show/697 FOLLOW UP Leave it to Manus A VIP Seat at Donald Trump’s Crypto Dinner Cost at Least $2 Million Elon’s Boring Company Is ‘Helping’ the Government With an $8 Billion Amtrak Tunnel Project CryptoPunks was just sold to a nonprofit IN THE NEWS Microsoft is laying off 3 percent of its global workforce Laid-Off Metaverse Engineer Says He Is DoorDashing and Living in a Trailer Silicon Valley’s Elusive Fantasy of a Computer as Smart as You Klarna Hiring Back Human Help After Going All-In on AI Improvements in 'reasoning' AI models may slow down soon, analysis finds The New Pope Wants to Take on AI Elon Musk’s apparent power play at the Copyright Office completely backfired Copyright Office head fired after reporting AI training isn’t always fair use YouTube Cracks Down on Fake Movie Trailer Channels Making Money Jamie Lee Curtis publicly shamed Mark Zuckerberg to remove a deepfaked ad Tesla's robotaxi plans have the attention of federal investigators A Tesla Dealership Manager Blamed Elon Musk for Tanking Sales and Was Immediately Fired Tesla Employees Against Elon Open Letter to Elon Open Letter to Elon - @openletter2elon Scientists Just Moved Up the Death Date of the Universe MEDIA CANDY Murderbot premiers May 16th Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan Original Motion Picture Soundtrack Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back Original Motion Picture Soundtrack Nine Inch Nails Announce Future Ruins Festival, Celebrating Influential Music Composers Andor Rogue One Long Way Home Krysten Ritter Will Return as Jessica Jones in Daredevil: Born Again Season 2 Fallout Season 2 Coming in December and Season 3 Is a Go Nobody 2 | Official Trailer Superman | Official Trailer | DC Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Finally Returns This July Star Trek: Prodigy May Need a New Home Again Soon ESPN's streaming service will cost up to $30 per month and be called... ESPN Fox One is a new streaming service that should launch before September Max Renamed HBO Max as Warner Bros. Discovery Gives Up Lived Through That - Episode 76 - Andy Prieboy THE DARK SIDE WITH DAVE Dave Bittner The CyberWire Hacking Humans Caveat Control Loop Only Malware in the Building A SpaceX Employee Says He Was Fired for the Most Insane Reason You Can Now Eat Popcorn Out of a Moving, Talking Mickey Mouse at Disneyland Disney Says It Made Its Walt Disney Robot to Remind Fans He Was an Actual Person Disneyland Didn’t Want to Do the Muppets Totally Dirty for Their 70th Anniversary Muppets Pre-Show for World of Color Happiness! at Disneyland Resort for 70th Anniversary How to Toilet-Train Your Cat: 21 Days to a Litter-Free Home How to Toilet-Train Your Cat: 21 Days to a Litter-Free Home Download CLOSING SHOUT-OUTS everyone is entitled to my own opinion See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

    1h 17m
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About

We dissect the tech news train wrecks of the week, calling out what went wrong and who’s to blame. Think of this podcast as if Kurt Cobain threw down with Tom from MySpace, Elon Musk, and Mark Zuckerberg in a back alley brawl. No mercy, no filter—if tech had a walk of shame, this would be it.

Information

  • Creator
    Jason DeFillippo & Brian Schulmeister with Dave Bittner
  • Years Active
    2013 - 2025
  • Episodes
    708
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Grumpy Old Geeks LLC. All Rights Reserved.
  • Show Website
    Grumpy Old Geeks

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