Grumpy Old Geeks

This week on Grumpy Old Geeks, Jason and Brian dissect the latest tech and cultural news, starting with a TikTok tempest. The Supreme Court’s decision to uphold a law potentially banning the app in the U.S. leaves the ball in Trump’s court, while TikTok’s CEO plans to attend his inauguration. As users flock to alternative Chinese apps and RedNote scrambles to hire English-speaking moderators, it seems the tech world is in chaos. Meanwhile, Mark Zuckerberg faces lawsuits over using pirated materials to train AI and continues to delete links to competitors like Pixelfed. Over in Europe, Elon Musk’s X is under scrutiny for its algorithm transparency, while celebs like Mark Ruffalo advocate for a fully open social media ecosystem. Add in news of Bluesky’s new photo-sharing app, Mastodon’s founder stepping back, and yet another study revealing rampant fakery in online job postings, and it’s a wild ride.

In Media Candy, the geeks dive into the gritty charm of Silo, the Broadway movie hit Wicked, and the nostalgia of Jerry Springer: Fights, Camera, Action. They also discuss Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test Season 3 and reminisce about Blue Thunder and its TV adaptation. On the music front, dream pop enthusiasts will love their take on The 30 Best Dream Pop Albums, while Marvel fans get the scoop on the Daredevil: Born Again trailer. Plus, a nod to Real Coffee with Scott Adams and the real tea on Neil Gaiman.

Finally, in Apps & Doodads, they break down the fallout from Sonos’ disastrous app launch and the FTC’s decision to ban General Motors from selling driving data. Musk’s antics make an appearance again with a bizarre spat involving leaked DMs and a revoked checkmark, and a curious gadget called the Gaming Pillow. Closing shout-outs honor legendary Brewers broadcaster Bob Uecker and visionary filmmaker David Lynch, both gone but never forgotten.

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Show notes at https://gog.show/680

IN THE NEWS

Supreme Court upholds law that could ban TikTok in the U.S., leaving the matter to Trump

TikTok C.E.O. Plans to Attend Trump Inauguration

TikTok Users Are Flocking to Another Chinese Social Media App as U.S. Ban Looms

RedNote Scrambles to Hire English-Speaking Content Moderators

Donald Trump Has Mark Zuckerberg By the Balls

Lawsuit says Mark Zuckerberg approved Meta's use of pirated materials to train Llama AI

Meta admits it deleted links to decentralized Instagram competitor Pixelfed

Europe orders Elon Musk’s X to submit documents on its recommendation algorithms

Celebs and tech luminaries including Mark Ruffalo want to create a fully open social media ecosystem

Bluesky is getting its own photo-sharing app, Flashes

Mastodon’s founder cedes control, refuses to become next Musk or Zuckerberg

1 in 5 Online Job Postings Are Either Fake or Never Filled, Study Finds

Zuckerberg Announces Plans to Automate Facebook Coding Jobs With AI

Meta to Cut Roughly 5% of Staff, Targeting Lowest Performers

AI Will Spew Gas Fumes for Years Before the Nuclear Revolution Takes Off

Study Links Frequent AI Use With Lower Critical Thinking Abilities

Walgreens Regrets Replacing Fridge Doors With Smart Screens, Creating Techno-Dystopia Vibes

Longevity-Obsessed Tech Millionaire Discontinues De-Aging Drug Out of Concerns That It Aged Him

Judge Ends One Man’s 11-Year Quest to Recover $765 Million in Bitcoin by Digging Up a Landfill

Policy Proposal for Trump’s Bitcoin Stockpile Leaks

MEDIA CANDY

Silo

Wicked

Jerry Springer: Fights, Camera, Action

Special Forces: World's Toughest Test Season 3

Blue Thunder

Blue Thunder: The Series

The 30 Best Dream Pop Albums

Real Coffee with Scott Adams

There Is No Safe Word

Marvel Television's Daredevil: Born Again | Official Trailer | Disney+

APPS & DOODADS

Sonos CEO Patrick Spence falls on his sword after horrible app launch

FTC bans General Motors from selling driving data without permission

Elon Musk Throws Tantrum After Being Exposed by Gamers, Leaks YouTuber's DMs and Seemingly Takes Away His Checkmark

Gaming Pillow - Caffeine for your arms

Mob Control for iOS

CLOSING SHOUT-OUTS

Beloved Brewers broadcaster Bob Uecker dies at age 90

David Lynch, 'Blue Velvet' Director, Dead at 78

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In Episode 679 of Grumpy Old Geeks, titled "Set Sanity to Zero," Brian and Jason discuss the latest developments in tech, culture, and innovation. The episode opens with a look at Watch Duty, a wildfire-tracking app that has surpassed ChatGPT to take the top spot on the App Store amid California’s wildfire crisis. They also cover local news, including the arrest of an arson suspect in Woodland Hills, CA, and tech entrepreneur Kevin Rose’s home in the Palisades that is making headlines.

The hosts delve into major tech stories that are dominating the news cycle. Former MoviePass CEO Ted Farnsworth pleads guilty to defrauding investors, marking the latest chapter in the infamous saga of the subscription service. Meanwhile, the UK takes bold action with new legislation criminalizing the creation and distribution of sexually explicit deepfakes. Meta finds itself at the center of multiple controversies, from appointing UFC CEO Dana White to its board to removing fact-checkers in favor of community-driven moderation, a decision that sparks backlash and leads to significant user departures from Facebook and Instagram. The darker side of tech is also examined, with reports of Meta Smart Glasses being used in a terror attack and generative AI contributing to a Tesla Cybertruck explosion.

The podcast also explores groundbreaking applications of AI and its potential. An innovative method from a Reddit user for automating 1,000 job applications while asleep catches attention, along with discussions about the Getty Images and Shutterstock merger aimed at addressing AI’s disruption in the stock photography industry. E-commerce trends take center stage, with Salesforce data indicating AI-driven sales growth during the holiday season, despite increasing return rates. The episode also discusses Tesla’s “Actual Smart Summon” crashes currently under federal investigation and OpenAI’s rapid response to a developer creating AI-powered gun turrets.

In conclusion, Brian and Jason provide entertainment and tech recommendations. Their streaming choices include "Silo," "The Traitors UK" Season 3, and "Shrinking," while gaming highlights showcase the Nintendo Switch and "Super Mario Bros. Wonder." They also feature apps like ChowNow and TiVo’s comeback as an OS on Sharp TVs. For book enthusiasts, the "At the Library" segment presents a variety of daily meditations and sci-fi titles. With its rich mix of tech insights, current events, and cultural commentary, Episode 679 is essential listening for anyone interested in the rapidly evolving digital landscape.

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Show notes at https://gog.show/679

FOLLOW UP

Watch Duty

Watch Duty surpasses ChatGPT as top free app on App Store as California fires spread

Kevin Rose Palisades House

Arson suspect arrested in Woodland Hills near Kenneth Fire

IN THE NEWS

MoviePass Ex-CEO Pleads Guilty to Defrauding Investors

New UK law would criminalize creating sexually explicit deepfakes

Meta adds UFC CEO and Trump booster Dana White to its board

Meta Cracks Down on Internal Dissent Against Appointment of UFC’s Dana White to Board

Meta Smart Glasses First Big Cultural Moment Is a Terror Attack

Man who exploded Tesla Cybertruck outside Trump hotel in Las Vegas used generative AI, police say

Man Applies To 1,000 Jobs Using AI While Asleep, Wakes To Surprising Outcomes

Facebook Caught Hosting AI-Powered Hitler

Mark Zuckerberg tells Fox News that Meta will "get rid of fact checkers" in latest appeal to Trump

Google searches for deleting Facebook, Instagram explode after Meta ends fact-checking

Meta’s Fact-Checking Partners Say They Were ‘Blindsided’ by Decision to Axe Them

Feds investigate Tesla’s ‘Actual Smart Summon’ after several crashes

OpenAI Shuts Down Developer Who Made AI-Powered Gun Turret

Getty Images, Shutterstock gear up for AI challenge with $3.7 billion merger

AI-influenced shopping boosts online holiday sales, Salesforce data shows

MEDIA CANDY

Silo

The Traitors UK S3

Dexter Original Sin

Shrinking

Sex Education

The Mayfair Witches

Cunk on Life

Tetris

Please Don't Destroy: The Treasure of Foggy Mountain

APPS & DOODADS

ChowNow

Apple promises software update to address Apple Intelligence notification summary complaints

TiVo OS is coming to the US on Sharp TVs

Nintendo Switch

Super Mario Bros Wonder

AT THE LIBRARY

3zekiel by Peter Cawdron

The Daily Pressfield: A Teaching a Day from the Author of the War of Art by Steven Pressfield

A Calendar of Wisdom: Daily Thoughts to Nourish the Soul by Leo Tolstoy

The Daily Laws: 366 Meditations on Power, Seduction, Mastery, Strategy, and Human Nature by Robert Greene

The Daily Stoic: 366 Meditations on Wisdom, Perseverance, and the Art of Living by Ryan Holiday

365 Tao: Daily Meditations

The Daily Drucker: 366 Days of Insight and Motivation for Getting the Right Things Done by Peter F. Drucker

Around the Year with Emmet Fox: A Book of Daily Readings by Emmet Fox

The Maxwell Daily Reader: 365 Days of Insight to Develop the Leader Within You and Influence Those Around You by John C. Maxwell

The Elements of Humor: The Tools of Comedy that Make You Funnier, Happier, and Better Looking by Scott Dikkers

A Conventional Boy: A Laundry Files Novel (Laundry Files, 13)

The Laundry Files: an updated chronology

THE DARK SIDE WITH DAVE

Dave Bittner

The CyberWire

Hacking Humans

Caveat

Control Loop

Only Malware in the Building

Skeleton Crew

Game of Thrones Star Reportedly Set to Replace Ray Stevenson in Star Wars: Ahsoka Season 2

Siri “unintentionally” recorded private convos; Apple agrees to pay $95M

Flexible Flyer Metal Runner Sled. Steel & Wood Steering Snow Slider

Dave Bittner shares his President Carter story

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As one of the longest-running podcasts, "Grumpy Old Geeks" discovers what went wrong on the Internet, and who's to blame. Every week they cut through the BS from big tech and tell you what's really going on. With wide-ranging topics, this show has something for everyone. There is a reason Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg, and that crowd all hate this podcast. Listen and find out for yourself!

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WordPress has officially jumped the pineapple, forcing users to agree that pineapple belongs on pizza to log in. Critics call it a kindergarten move, especially when serious feature requests are ignored. Meanwhile, the crypto world is celebrating its new political allies, but experts warn we’re inching toward a financial apocalypse that taxpayers will be stuck cleaning up. On the East Coast, people are mistaking stars for drones while pilots dodge lasers in what’s shaping up to be the plot of a bad sci-fi movie. Oh, and crop circles? Yeah, they’re back because why the hell not?

Elsewhere, TikTok’s battle for survival heads to the Supreme Court, and Character.ai faces backlash for hosting chatbots based on school shooters. Meta’s EU drama escalates over its failure to tackle terrorist content, and Arizona is ditching teachers for AI because who needs humans when you’ve got algorithms?

On the media front, we break down the Star Trek: Lower Decks finale, geek out over Silo’s two-season endgame, and get hyped for Dune: Prophecy and a fresh Superman teaser. Tech talk includes Temu dominating app downloads, Microsoft killing passwords in favor of passkeys, and Spotify pulling a fast one with “ghost artists” to dodge royalties.

On the Dark Side with Dave, we explore the cooler corners of ham radio, AI’s chokehold on creativity, and how surveillance turns your brain into mush. Meanwhile, Amazon’s return-to-office disaster has employees ready to riot, and sci-fi fans can gear up for Peter Cawdron’s Minotaur, the next big hit in his First Contact series.

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Show notes at https://gog.show/678

FOLLOW UP

To Log Into WordPress, You Now Have To Agree Pineapple on Pizza Is Good

Crypto Got What It Wanted in November’s Election. Now What?

Dimwit Americans Are Looking at the Night Sky and Mistaking Stars and Airplanes for "Drones"

“We Are Getting Lasered”: Nearly a Dozen Planes Lasered Last Night During New Jersey Drone Panic

IN THE NEWS

US Supreme Court agrees to hear TikTok’s ban appeal

Character.ai Lets Users Role Play With Chatbots Based on School Shooters

People Are Making AI Versions of Luigi Mangione That Call for Slaying of More CEOs

Google says customers can use its AI in 'high-risk' domains, so long as there's human supervision

Exclusive: Google's Gemini is forcing contractors to rate AI responses outside their expertise

Instagram’s head says social media needs more context because of AI

More than 140 Kenya Facebook moderators diagnosed with severe PTSD

Arizona School’s Curriculum Will Be Taught by AI, No Teachers

Meta put on watch over terrorism content in the EU

Microsoft Confirms Password Deletion For 1 Billion Users—Attacks Up 200%

EU privacy regulator fines Meta 251 million euros for 2018 breach

Cambridge Analytica scandal still lingering on as Meta settles with Australian users

FTC bans hidden junk fees in short-term lodging, live-event ticket prices

Grubhub settles with the FTC over adding restaurants without their consent

Elon Musk, SpaceX reportedly under federal review for undisclosed meetings with foreign leaders

Amazon’s RTO delays exemplify why workers get so mad about mandates

MEDIA CANDY

Star Trek: Lower Decks finale

Dune: Prophecy

Super/Man

Superman Teaser Trailer

Silo Was Just Renewed for Two Final Seasons

Bad Monkey season 2 is coming to Apple TV+

Jamie Foxx: What Had Happened Was...

New Report Alleges Spotify Is Filling Playlists with Ghost Artists to Minimize Royalty Costs

Hysterical Podcast

Our Fake History Podcast

APPS & DOODADS

Temu is the most-downloaded app on the U.S. App Store in 2024

Surprise, Surprise: No One Is Buying an iPhone for Apple Intelligence

AT THE LIBRARY

3zekiel by Peter Cawdron

Feedback by Peter Cawdron

THE DARK SIDE WITH DAVE

Dave Bittner

The CyberWire

Hacking Humans

Caveat

Control Loop

Only Malware in the Building

Online Amateur Radio Community

Hamfurs

Men In The US Are Peeing Incorrectly According To Urologist

The psychological implications of Big Brother’s gaze

The Algorithm Has Been Hiding Something From You | NYT Opinion

Helpful products for the voice from Ana Gasteyer.

biotène Dry Mouth Lozenges for Dry Mouth and Fresh Breath

Voice37 - Singers Voice Remedy

Lubricity Dry Mouth Oral Spray

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In this episode, Jason DeFillippo and Brian Schulmeister dig into the Hawk Tuah meme coin disaster and where influencer-driven crypto schemes go off the rails, leaving chaos in their wake. They unpack WP Engine’s big win against Automattic in a high-stakes WordPress legal battle and take a closer look at Waymo’s rapid rise to match Lyft’s market share in San Francisco.

The discussion heats up with GM’s decision to shut down its troubled Cruise robotaxi brand, Amazon’s bold move into the car-selling business with Hyundai, and reports of mysterious car-sized drones over New Jersey raising more questions than answers. They also dive into Google’s new quantum chip, Willow, which promises to rewrite the rules of computing and science.

On the legal and policy front, the guys covers Apple’s billion-dollar lawsuit over abandoned child safety tools, updates to the Kids Online Safety Act, and Google’s push to break Microsoft’s grip on OpenAI’s cloud hosting. Meanwhile, LG’s exit from the Blu-ray market marks the end of an era, and MasterClass’s new AI-powered mentorship platform points to the future of learning.

In Media Candy they spotlight upcoming releases like The Wheel of Time season three, Reacher season three, and the new documentary Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story. They also revisit music nostalgia with an acoustic set from the Descendents and a deep dive into the origins of pop-punk.

Finally, they tackle a troubling lawsuit involving a chatbot allegedly influencing a teen’s behavior and the emotional fallout from a failed robotic companion for kids. This episode is packed with tech updates, big moves, and a glimpse into the evolving digital landscape. Don’t miss it!

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Show notes at https://gog.show/677

FOLLOW UP

Exposing the hawk tuah scam

Howie Mandel’s Son-In-Law Behind Disastrous 'Hawk Tuah Girl' Meme Coin Launch

The Hawk Tuah Memecoin Rug Pull Is The Apotheosis Of Bag Culture

WP Engine wins preliminary injunction in WordPress legal battle

Waymo's market share is now equal to Lyft within SF.

IN THE NEWS

GM ends support for Cruise robotaxis

Amazon Is a Car Dealership Now

Mystery "Car-Sized" Drones Reach the Skies of New York

Pentagon says mystery drones over New Jersey are 'not US military,' not likely foreign

What do we know about the mysterious drones reported flying over New Jersey?

White House: Drones are manned aircraft; NJ lawmakers say that's not what they were told

Meet Willow, our state-of-the-art quantum chip

Apple sued for failing to implement tools that would detect CSAM in iCloud

X helped senators update the Kids Online Safety Act so it can't be ‘used to stifle expression’

Google Asks Feds to Kill Microsoft’s Cloud Hosting Deal With OpenAI

AI Firm’s ‘Stop Hiring Humans’ Billboard Campaign Sparks Outrage

Bogus AI-Generated Bug Reports Are Driving Open Source Developers Nuts

How Cryptocurrency Turns to Cash in Russian Banks

Cloudflare 2024 Year in Review

MEDIA CANDY

The Wheel of Time Spins Back Up Again in March 2025

Day of the Jackal

Lioness

Silo

Dune Prophecy

Shrinking

Lower Decks

Reacher Season 3

Afraid

Inside Out: Dream Productions

Music by John Williams

Beatles ‘64

Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story

Apple Music expands its live radio offerings with three new stations

Descendents go Acoustic! | Taylor Guitars Soundcheck

WHO INVENTED POP-PUNK??

Before Dookie 1: How Punk Became Pop (1976-87)

Before Dookie 2: How Punk Became Pop (1988-94)

LG stops making Blu-ray players, marking the end of an era — limited units remain while inventory lasts

APPS & DOODADS

Apple Watch just gained a helpful new feature for inspiring you to stay active

WSKEN for Apple Watch Ultra 2/Ultra Screen Protector 49mm,9H Tempered Glass + Titanium Alloy Frame, [Keep Original] [Touch Sensitive] Lightweight Protective Film iwatch 2 Pack,Original

Google Wallet can now hold your US passport

MasterClass On Call gives you on-demand access to AI facsimiles of its experts

Mom sues after AI told autistic son to kill parents for restricting screen time

Startup will brick $800 emotional support robot for kids without refunds

Dvorak: Symphony No. 9 in E Minor

Dashaun Wesley - Labels! Out Now!

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We dive into the TikTok ban drama, Elon Musk’s Tesla pay controversy, and a Chinese ship crew allegedly sabotaging undersea cables. In the news, the former Celsius CEO pleads guilty, Canadian media takes on OpenAI, and Elon Musk wants to rein in ChatGPT. Plus, drug smugglers with Starlink, Meta’s nuclear ambitions, and Apple spying allegations. For media candy, we’ve got Dune: Prophecy, Rings of Power shake-ups, and a Harry Potter baking showdown. In apps & doodads, Spotify’s CEO is richer than Taylor Swift, Cybertruck complaints hit the snow, and Walmart’s $2.3B Vizio deal closes. At the library, check out Starter Villain and learn why “brain rot” is the Oxford word of the year. Finally, on The Dark Side with Dave, it’s malware madness, radioactive toys, and indie Christmas tunes. Don’t miss it!

Sponsors:

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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/676

FOLLOW UP

TikTok Ban Upheld In Court

‪@davidfindlay.bsky.social‬

Investigators say a Chinese ship’s crew deliberately dragged its anchor to cut undersea data cables

Elon Musk’s massive, multi-billion-dollar Tesla pay package was blocked by a judge again

IN THE NEWS

Former Celsius CEO pleads guilty to two fraud charges

Canadian news organizations sue OpenAI for ChatGPT copyright infringement

Elon Musk asks court to stop OpenAI from becoming a for-profit

OpenAI CEO 'not that worried' about Elon Musk's influence in Trump administration

Drug Smugglers Caught With $4.25 Billion Worth Of Meth Were Using SpaceX Starlink for Navigation

X says The Onion can’t have Alex Jones’ Infowars accounts

Amazon secretly slowed deliveries, deceived anyone who complained, lawsuit says

Meta jumps aboard the nuclear-powered data center bandwagon

Employee lawsuit accuses Apple of spying on its workers

MEDIA CANDY

A Man on the Inside

Dune: Prophecy

LOTR: The Rings of Power

Lord of the Rings: Rings of Power’s Adar actor Joseph Mawle explains why he’s quit series

Harry Potter: Wizards of Baking

Harry Potter: Hogwarts Tournament of Houses

APPS & DOODADS

The FTC is investigating Uber for its subscription policies

Spotify CEO Daniel Ek Is Richer Than Any Musician—Yes, Even Taylor Swift

Where's our friend in the hoodie when we need him?

Walmart closed its $2.3 billion acquisition of TV maker Vizio

Cybertruck Owner Complains About Snow Blocking His Headlights

AT THE LIBRARY

Starter Villain by John Scalzi

Cold Eyes - First Contact by Peter Cawdron

Beacon 23 by Hugh Howey

‘Brain rot’: Oxford word of the year 2024 reflects ‘trivial’ use of social media

THE DARK SIDE WITH DAVE

Dave Bittner

The CyberWire

Hacking Humans

Caveat

Control Loop

Only Malware in the Building

Star Wars: Skeleton Crew

Captain EO

Radioactive 'Most Dangerous Toy in History' Goes on Sale

Gilbert U-238 Atomic Energy Laboratory

Bitter Americans React to UnitedHealthcare CEO’s Murder

UnitedHealth FB Group's Post

80s(ish) Alternative Christmas

Indie Christmas

NoelTernative 90s Alt Rock Christmas

Classical Christmas

A Christmas Together - John Denver & the Muppets

Chipmunks Christmas

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Welcome to our Thanksgiving Weekend Blast from the Past! This is a cleaned-up replay of our very first Thanksgiving with Tim Ferriss. We hope you enjoy and we’ll be back next week in all of our Grumpy Glory!

This week, author Tim Ferriss is our special guest. Tim sat with us for an hour, and we talked about his new show on HLN, his fantastic new book club, cool stuff about the quantified self, sleep hacking, and more. We even got a story that wasn't in the books!

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In this episode of Grumpy Old Geeks, we dive into the wild, wacky, and often worrying world of tech, media, and everything in between. From a Swiss church using AI to preach the gospel to OpenAI facing a copyright conundrum, and a DNA testing company ghosting its customers, the news is packed with surprises. We also explore Neuralink’s Canadian trials, bizarre domain drama between Alex Jones and The Onion, and why Google might be forced to part ways with Chrome. Plus, a study reveals Tesla’s troubling accident stats, and Germany investigates an undersea sabotage.

On the media front, we break down The Old Man, The Day of the Jackal, and Ken Burns’ deep dive into Leonardo da Vinci. Catch teasers for How to Train Your Dragon and The Studio, while Apple TV+ and streaming giants reshuffle strategies. In the gaming and cinema crossover universe, the Minecraft Movie and Silo Season 2 are making waves.

We also geek out over Perplexity’s new shopping tool, Bluesky’s rise to 21 million users, and the evolving quirks of Threads and X. Meanwhile, Ghosts by Peter Cawdron lands on our reading list, and Dave Bittner brings the dark side of cybersecurity into focus, including reverse-engineered iPhone hacks and Graykey’s tech secrets.

In closing, we pay tribute to Thomas E. Kurtz, co-creator of BASIC, and share some lighthearted shout-outs to the schmactors of the world. Tune in for all the grump and geek you love!

Sponsors:

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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/675

IN THE NEWS

Deus in machina: Swiss church installs AI-powered Jesus

There’s No Longer Any Doubt That Hollywood Writing Is Powering AI

OpenAI accidentally deleted potential evidence in NY Times copyright lawsuit

DNA testing company vanishes along with its customers' genetic data

Neuralink gets approval to start human trials in Canada

The Weirdest Domains Alex Jones Has to Give to The Onion

DOJ: Google must sell Chrome to end monopoly

Trump Admin Reportedly Wants to Unleash Driverless Cars on America

Study Finds Tesla Has Higher Rate of Fatal Accidents Than Any Other Car

Germany says cut undersea data cables were sabotaged

Anyone Can Buy Data Tracking US Soldiers and Spies to Nuclear Vaults and Brothels in Germany

Microsoft is building wooden data centers to slash carbon emissions

MEDIA CANDY

Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson Did Super Bowl Viewership Numbers

The Old Man

The Day of the Jackal

Leonardo da Vinci by Ken Burns

The Studio — Official Teaser | Apple TV+

Apple TV+ will license its movies to other services to reduce losses

How To Train Your Dragon | Official Teaser Trailer

How to Train Your Dragon Director Justifies the Live-Action Film’s Existence

A Minecraft Movie | Official Trailer

Silo S2

Kingdom Uncovered: Inside Saudi Arabia

Dune: Prophecy

William Shatner’s Captain Kirk Faces a Long Goodbye in This Stunning Star Trek Anniversary Short

765874 - Unification (4K)

Daniel Ek just cashed out $35.8 million in Spotify shares. But that’s nothing compared to his co-founder… who just cashed out $383.8 million.

Dashaun Wesley: Labels

Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy Promise New Podcast to Discuss Destruction of U.S. Government

APPS & DOODADS

Introducing Shop with Perplexity

Apple Lost the Plot on Texting

Bluesky hits 20 million users

Bluesky CEO Jay Graber says X rival is 'billionaire proof'

Bluesky Post Count and Author Stats

Threads will prioritize accounts you follow instead of randos

AT THE LIBRARY

Ghosts (First Contact) by Peter Cawdron

THE DARK SIDE WITH DAVE

Dave Bittner

The CyberWire

Hacking Humans

Caveat

Control Loop

Only Malware in the Building

‘Star Wars: Visions’ Renewed for Season 3 at Disney+

Researcher reverse engineers iPhone's Inactivity Reboot feature

Leaked Documents Show What Phones Secretive Tech ‘Graykey’ Can Unlock

Thomas E. Kurtz, a Creator of BASIC Computer Language, Dies at 96

CLOSING SHOUT-OUTS

Schmactors

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode of Grumpy Old Geeks, we break down the latest chaos in tech, pop culture, and humanity’s never-ending quest to out-stupid itself. Hackers are raiding Ticketmaster accounts (again), and Chegg is circling the drain after ChatGPT obliterated its business model. Meanwhile, Amazon is hawking boner pills that tanked Hims’ stock, 23andMe is laying off nearly half its staff, and Bluesky is quietly stealing users who’ve had it with Elon’s dumpster fire over at X.

Driverless Waymo cars take over LA, nuclear safety gets outsourced to AI, and Apple wants to track your luggage with AirTags (but only on planes they like). Oh, and let’s not forget Mark Zuckerberg’s bizarre karaoke moment with Get Low.

On the pop culture front, The Penguin finale cements it as TV’s best comic book adaptation, Moana smashes Disney streaming records, and The Beatles are back—kind of—thanks to AI. Plus, Mattel accidentally linked kids’ toys to a porn site, and some genius in a bear costume is faking car accidents for insurance money. It’s all as dumb, messy, and oddly entertaining as you’d expect. Tune in for the snark, stay for the schadenfreude!

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Show notes at https://gog.show/674

FOLLOW UP

Hackers Keep Stealing Tickets From People’s Ticketmaster Accounts

Trump Media Execs Dumped Millions in Stock After the Election

Study Finds Eggs Might Protect Brain Health And Lower Cholesterol

IN THE NEWS

FTX bankruptcy estate sues Anthony Scaramucci, FWD.us, others

Chegg Is On Its Last Legs After ChatGPT Sent Its Stock Down 99%

AI travel influencers are here. Human travelers hate it.

Bluesky reaches 15 million users; people look for alternatives to X

Jason on Bluesky

Brian on Bluesky

Graysky

Bluesky scoops up the developer of popular third-party app, Graysky

23andMe is laying off 40 percent of its staff

Amazon Gets Into the Boner Pill Business, Hims Stock Goes Limp

Waymo's driverless cars in LA County are now available to everyone

Telecom Builds AI ‘Grandmother’ Bot to Talk to Phone Scammers and Waste Their Time

Anthropic, feds test whether AI will share sensitive nuclear info

New artificial intelligence search solution deployed at Diablo Canyon Power Plant

The Manhattan Project (1986)

AI Expert Warns Crash Is Imminent As AI Improvements Hit Brick Wall

'Hawk Tuah' girl launches Pookie Tool, an AI-powered dating advice app, and it's fine?

The Onion Purchases Alex Jones’ InfoWars in Bankruptcy Auction

MEDIA CANDY

Countdown: Paul vs. Tyson

Paul vs. Tyson

Super League: The War for Football

Shrinking

Nobody Wants This

Silo Season Two

Moana is Disney’s Biggest Movie on Streaming Ever

The Penguin Finale Cemented It as One of the Best Comic Book Shows Ever

The Beatles are nominated for two Grammys thanks to AI

Gates McFadden InvestiGates: Who do you think you are?

ERIC SAYS

The story of Love And Rockets, the former Bauhaus members who helped sell goth to America

Mark Zuckerberg Just Released a Cover of Lil Jon's "Get Low" and Yes, He Says the Line About Balls

Spotify’s Plans For AI Generated Music, Podcasts, and Recommendations, According To Its Co-President, CTO, and CPO Gustav Söderström

APPS & DOODADS

Good News: Instagram Chief Says App Won’t Refresh Right When You Open It Anymore

Meta Will Get Its Unwanted Day in Antitrust Court

Apple Has Begun Selling iPhone 16 Replacement Parts

Apple teams up with airlines for new ‘Share Item Location’ AirTags feature in iOS 18.2

"Wicked" toys from Mattel featuring link to porn site pulled from shelves, now available on eBay

Sound Studio 4

Redact

Tangle News

AT THE LIBRARY

This photography book shows people just standing in front of Danzig's house

Beacon 23: The Complete Novel by Hugh Howey

THE DARK SIDE WITH DAVE

Dave Bittner

The CyberWire

Hacking Humans

Caveat

Control Loop

Only Malware in the Building

Andor Will Gloriously Rebel Once More in April 2025

Andor Season 2 Will Pit Your Favorite Miserable Imperials Against Each Other

How to migrate from X to Bluesky without losing your followers

Person dressed in bear costume to fake attacks on cars for insurance payout, California officials say.

CLOSING SHOUT-OUTS

Tony Todd, ‘Candyman’ and ‘Final Destination’ Actor, Dead at 69

Tony Todd Made One of Deep Space Nine‘s Greatest Episodes Shine

Happy Birthday Gigi Edgley!

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Just Some of the Topics Covered in this Episode:

• Copyright Lawsuit Dismissal: A federal judge dismissed a copyright lawsuit against OpenAI, filed by news outlets claiming misuse of their content in AI model training.
• Truth Social’s Stock Drop: Despite a political victory for Donald Trump, shares in his media platform, Truth Social, have plummeted by 22%, leaving investors wary of its future value.
• Layoffs Roundup:
• Mozilla Foundation reduces its workforce by 30%, affecting advocacy and global programs.
• iRobot (makers of Roomba) lays off 105 employees following Amazon’s abandoned acquisition attempt.
• Nissan announces 9,000 job cuts and a CEO pay reduction by 50%.
• Tech Housing Crisis in San Francisco: High demand for $700 monthly pod-style beds emphasizes the city’s ongoing housing struggles.
• NYT Strikes and AI Replacement Controversy: The CEO of Perplexity offered to replace striking New York Times staff with AI, sparking debate over ethical implications.
• Disney’s New Tech Office: Disney establishes an Office of Technology Enablement focused on AI, AR, and VR, led by former NFL tech executive Jamie Voris.
• Meta’s Halted Nuclear-Powered Data Center: Meta’s plans for a nuclear-powered data center face delays due to environmental concerns, including a rare bee species found at the site.
• AI’s Real-World Impact: Thousands in Dublin fell for an AI-generated fake Halloween parade announcement, demonstrating AI’s unintended consequences in misinformation.
• Canadian TikTok Ban: Canada mandates TikTok to shut down operations, impacting the social media giant’s presence in the country.
• Australia’s Proposed Social Media Ban for Minors: Legislation aims to limit under-16 access to social media, pushing for stricter age verification.
• Tesla Summon Feature Update Malfunction: A Tesla owner’s vehicle becomes immobile due to recent software changes, highlighting software update issues in electric cars.

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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/673

FOLLOW UP

OpenAI defeats news outlets' copyright lawsuit over AI training, for now

Truth Social Stock Is Crashing Even Though Trump Won

IN THE NEWS

Mozilla Foundation cuts 30 percent of its staff

iRobot lays off another 105 employees

Nissan is laying off 9,000 workers and giving its CEO a pay cut

San Francisco Startup Sees Big Demand for Sleeping Pods That Cost $700 a Month

Perplexity CEO offers to replace striking NYT staff with AI

Striking ‘NYT’ workers are asking you to skip Wordle—but they made other games for you to play

Disney forms dedicated AI and XR group to coordinate company-wide use and adoption

Endangered bees stop Meta’s plan for nuclear-powered AI data center

AI Slop Website Sent Thousands of People to a Halloween Parade That Didn’t Exist

New report details ‘vast spying’ by China-linked telecom hackers

Canada orders TikTok to shut down its business operations in the country due to 'national security risks'

Australia proposes 'world-leading' ban on social media for children under 16

Tesla updated its summon feature. Now this owner can’t get to his car.

Google has no duty to refund gift card scam victims, judge finds

Nvidia ousts Intel from Dow Jones Index after 25-year run

North Korean Soldiers Deployed to Ukraine Reportedly "Gorging" on Uncensored Internet's Porn

MEDIA CANDY

AI Replaced All the Staff at a Radio Station in Poland

You can now post tracks to TikTok from Spotify and Apple Music

Squid Game: Season 2 | Official Teaser | Netflix

The Apprentice - An American Horror Story

The Diplomat Season 2

THE CURE :: SONGS OF A LOST WORLD :: FULL LIVE STREAM

APPS & DOODADS

Amazon Kindle Colorsoft e-reader shipping is cancelled

X now lets blocked users see your posts

AI Has Come for Sweet, Innocent Notepad

New Apple repair program will fix iPhone 14 Plus' rear camera issue for free

iPod fans evade Apple’s DRM to preserve 54 lost clickwheel-era games

Apple Acquires Photo Editing Software Company Pixelmator

Amazon reportedly bumped back its AI-powered Alexa to next year

Want to make a website look like Windows 98? You'll be needing 98.css

THE DARK SIDE WITH DAVE

Dave Bittner

The CyberWire

Hacking Humans

Caveat

Control Loop

Only Malware in the Building

Guy calls the ISS with an Amateur Radio

A New Star Wars Trilogy Is Coming, and It Could Be Episodes 10, 11, and 12

Police Freak Out at iPhones Mysteriously Rebooting Themselves, Locking Cops Out

CLOSING SHOUT-OUTS

Greg Hildebrandt, iconic Star Wars and Lord of the Rings artist, has died at 85

Quincy Jones, music legend who shaped Michael Jackson's career, dies at 91

Voice of AOL’s Iconic ‘You’ve Got Mail’ Alert Dies at 74

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.