Daily Tech News 13 April 2026

Top Story

• DC. Suicide Squad is a DC property, not Marvel.
  
  
  
• The peril of laziness lost. (Dtrace)
  
  AI makes it easy to generate millions of lines of code.
  
  What it doesn't make it is a good idea.
  
  It used to be that laziness by itself placed a brake on the wheel of code churn. Now you also need to know what you are doing. And that is hard work to begin with.

Posted by: Pixy Misa at 04:30 AM | Comments (38) | Trackbacks (Suck)

Sunday Overnight Open Thread - April 12, 2026 [Doof]

Howdy Hordelings! Welcome to the Sunday night ONT. How has the springtime weather been treating you? Enjoying baseball and golf? Suffering from allergies? Planting flowers yet? It's an open thread, as always. What's on YOUR mind tonight?

By the way - in case you missed the announcement on the Gun Thread, this year's NoVa MoMe will take place on Saturday, June 20th, 2026 from 11am to 3pm. Same signup method as the past several years -- Send an email to WeaselBell Productions to get the registration details. Info is also on the left sidebar of the main page. There is NOTHING like a MoMe! Veteran MoMe attendees - please attest to this!

Posted by: Open Blogger at 10:00 PM | Comments (442) | Trackbacks (Suck)

Gun Thread: 2026 NoVaMoMe Announcement Edition!

Howdy, Y'all! Welcome to the wondrously fabulous Gun Thread! As always, I want to thank all of our regulars for being here week in and week out, and also offer a bigly Gun Thread welcome to any newcomers who may be joining us tonight. Howdy and thank you for stopping by! I hope you find our wacky conversation on the subject of guns 'n shooting both enjoyable and informative. You are always welcome to lurk in the shadows of shame, but I'd like to invite you to jump into the conversation, say howdy, and tell us what kind of shooting you like to do!

Holy Shitballs! How in the ever-loving Hell did it get to be the 2026 NoVaMoMe Announcement Edition? Seems like only last week was the Happy Easter Edition!

With that, step into the dojo and let's get to the gun stuff below, shall we?

Posted by: Weasel at 07:00 PM | Comments (241) | Trackbacks (Suck)

Food Thread: A Flying Martini?

I was given that bottle by a well-meaning relative, because...I have no idea, other than that she drinks a lot of gin cocktails when she comes to our house.

The company is co-owned by Ryan Reynolds, who is a comedic actor who is from Canada, so he doesn't matter at all. But I shy away from celebrity endorsed products, and definitely from celebrity-owned companies. So I have never bought a bottle of the stuff.

But I am also a cheap bastard and will absolutely drink celebrity gin if it is free!

SO I made a martini (stirred, not shaken!), and while it was fine, the gin absolutely does not deserve the hype, or the premium price. Commenter and amateur bartender (I won't insult him by calling him a mixologist) naturalfake, who has a better palate than mine, thinks it is too sarsaparilla forward, but will work well in an ... AVIATION! I don't know about that, but it's not worth the money if you are making martinis.

Now, I prefer the classic London Dry Gin flavor profile, so take my review with a few grains of salt.

Posted by: CBD at 04:00 PM | Comments (260) | Trackbacks (Suck)

First World Problems...

This is the most ridiculous packaging I have encountered in a very long time. These batteries are encased in plastic that has no seam to make it easy to peel apart. Then they are wrapped in another layer of plastic before they are wrapped in thin but stupidly tough cardboard.

Oh...they are also flavored. I shit you not! They have a "non-toxic bitter coating" so that you don't accidentally confuse them for mints and pop one into your mouth, and then chew them up. I guess.

I get that the company is trying keep kids from eating batteries, or maybe keep adults from eating batteries! But how about a little bit of personal responsibility? Like putting them on a high shelf. Yeah...that's a complex operation, but I managed to do it!

Posted by: CBD at 02:00 PM | Comments (159) | Trackbacks (Suck)

This Might Be Better Than A Flying Car, Especially In Traffic

US Army's next-gen combat vehicle adds autonomy, 50 mm cannon power

At the center of the XM30's capabilities is an unmanned turret equipped with a 50 mm XM913 Bushmaster autocannon. This weapon offers greater range and firepower than the 25 mm cannon on the Bradley, improving effectiveness against modern armored threats.

The unmanned turret allows the vehicle to operate with a two-person crew. Both crew members remain inside the hull, enhancing protection by removing the need for a traditional manned turret position.

Here's the video! Yes, it's an advertisement, but it looks like just the thing for commuting into our blue cities.

I saw a video of one of our Bradleys we gave to Ukraine absolutely knocking the snot out of a Russian tank. And the Bradley carries a 25mm gun.

A 50mm chain gun will be a game changer...maybe.

Posted by: CBD at 12:00 PM | Comments (175) | Trackbacks (Suck)

Book Thread: 04/12/2026 [MP4]

Good morning, ‘rons and ‘ronettes. It’s time once again for the monthly MP4-hosted Sunday Book Thread. Dress is country club casual, but ladies are encouraged to wear some spring fashion, such as this:

So ask the barman for a Cape Codder, covfefe or tea and let’s get started!

Posted by: Open Blogger at 09:00 AM | Comments (328) | Trackbacks (Suck)

Daily Tech News 12 April 2026

Top Story

• Sam Altman may control our future. Can he be trusted? No. (New Yorker) (archive site)
  
  As the article goes on to explain, fuck no.
  
  
  
• My baby deer plushie told me that Mitski's dad is a CIA operative. (The Verge)
  
  Nobody ever expects the Butlerian Jihad.

Posted by: Pixy Misa at 04:35 AM | Comments (139) | Trackbacks (Suck)

Saturday Night Club ONT - April 11, 2026 [The Double Bogeys]

From The Masters on X

Welcome to Club ONT - a collaboration of The Disco and The Dino. Come in in, grab a drink or 3.

It's Masters weekend - free drinks to any Masters champions who wear their green jacket tonight! Caddies welcome 1:00 - 1:15

Posted by: Open Blogger at 10:00 PM | Comments (359) | Trackbacks (Suck)

Saturday Evening Movie Thread [moviegique]:

Halloween: 3, Moviegoers: 0

I kid the third entry in the Halloween series. Because it's awful. But as it's one of Darcy The Mail Girl's favorite movies, and she got to program Friday night for The Drive-In Jamboree, we all watched it together with director Tommy Lee Wallace and stars Tom Atkins and Stacey Nelkin on stage. Allowing for a little too dim a projection—the Jamboree had a lot of technical difficulties—it was basically the best possible circumstance to watch Halloween 3: Season of the Witch.

Rather amusingly, Drive-In Producer Austin Jennings had prepared a supercut of all the times Joe Bob had trashed this movie, which was fun with everyone there and a pro-H3 audience. Did I say "all"? Apparently, it was a mere fraction of the times he had done it.

Because, again, it's just not a very good movie. If we're being honest, the crowd was still just barely over 50/50 thumbs-up/thumbs-down, and that's with a strongly pro-Tommy Lee, pro-Tom Atkins, pro-Stacy Nelkin, pro-Darcy audience.

"Hello, England? You remember that lintel from Stonehenge you were looking for? Yeah, it's here in California. I don't know how they got it here in three days! You'll never believe what they're doing with it!"

Posted by: Open Blogger at 08:37 PM | Comments (178) | Trackbacks (Suck)

Hobby Thread - April 11, 2026 [TRex]

Welcome hobbyists! Pull up a chair and sit a spell with the Horde in this little corner of the interweb. This is the mighty, mighty officially sanctioned Ace of Spades Hobby Thread. It is that time of the year, a spin of the Wheel of Hobbies (TM) came up with paper folding as a theme for this Hobby Thread.

Paper folding? Yes. Read further...

Posted by: Open Blogger at 05:30 PM | Comments (119) | Trackbacks (Suck)

Ace of Spades Pet Thread, April 11

Courtesy Jeannie Harris

Culture and cats

* * *

Good afternoon and welcome to the almost world famous Ace of Spades Pet Thread. Thanks for stopping by. Kick back and enjoy the world of animals.

Would you like a treat?

Let's relax a little with the animals and leave the world of politics and current events outside today.

Posted by: K.T. at 03:34 PM | Comments (58) | Trackbacks (Suck)

Gardening, Home and Nature Thread, April 11

The famous Pat* reminds us that it is spring!

I caught our forsythias at peak, early last week.

Forsythias just say "Spring"!

Posted by: K.T. at 02:20 PM | Comments (59) | Trackbacks (Suck)

Old Civilizations, Wonderful Things

Still true

It was a relief to see the astronauts make it safely through re-entry and successfully splash down in the Pacific last night. I read that Congress would not allocate funds for much new development for this mission, so much of the technology was 50 years old. But when lunar landings start again, with rovers and a planned permanent moon base, new technology will be contracted out to private firms.

The artist's rendition of a future moon base here reminds me of some of the torn-up landscape we passed this week from the probably-doomed high-speed rail project in California. Except that there was a lovely ranch house a few hundred feet away, over a small ridge.

Is California government, with Gavin Newsom and Eric Swalwell, a dying civilization?

If you gave away $126 billion to subsidize free flights between LA and San Francisco at current demand levels, you could fund roughly 150 to 200 years of travel before the money runs out. https://t.co/8ro72lJIfc

— Hans Mahncke (@HansMahncke) April 8, 2026

* * * * *

One wonderful thing that has happened in California recently is that Victor Davis Hanson is looking and sounding much better after his cancer surgery (with a complication). He is a tough guy. Some commentary from him below.

Posted by: K.T. at 11:22 AM | Comments (186) | Trackbacks (Suck)

The Classical Saturday Coffee Break & Prayer Revival

[That's not a reasonable likeness of me]

*****

Good morning boys and girls and everything in between. Before we enter the Prayer Revival just a few housekeeping matters to go over. (Rulz for those of you in Wild Rose)

1) This is an open thread. Feel free to lurk, opine and/or bloviate.
2) Be kind. Be nice. The ban-hammer is omnipresent .
3) Running with sharp objects is not looked upon with approval. You have been notified.
4) Have a great weekend!

Posted by: Misanthropic Humanitarian at 08:00 AM | Comments (305) | Trackbacks (Suck)

Daily Tech News 11 April 2026

Top Story

• Look around, find the worst price! But don't buy before you come to Micro Center because we can't be beat! Our prices are insane! (WCCFTech)
  
  And not in a good way. Elsewhere it would cost you an eye-burning $1600 to buy 128GB of RAM right now.
  
  At Micro Center it's over $4000.
  
  Western Digital and Samsung SSDs meanwhile have tripled in price in just the last three months, and there's little relief there with even cheaper brands using YMTC flash increasing by 50% or more.
  
  
  

Posted by: Pixy Misa at 04:30 AM | Comments (107) | Trackbacks (Suck)

Please Be gentle. It's My First ONT

Welcome to the ONT! Tonight we're going to consider the difference between reality and fantasy.

Posted by: WeirdDave at 10:47 PM | Comments (384) | Trackbacks (Suck)

Fang-Fang Banger and Democrat Smear Merchant Eric Swalwell is Melting Down as Campaign Staffers Quit and More Sexual Assault Accusers Come Forward

As they say: Every "Male Feminist" should come along with a rape whistle to warn the unwary.

A former staffer claims that Swalwell raped her when she was too drunk to consent. Twice.

From the SF Chronicle, quoted by Red State:

A woman who worked for nearly two years for Rep. Eric Swalwell, a leading candidate for California governor, said she had sexual encounters with him while he was her boss and alleged he twice sexually assaulted her when she was too intoxicated to consent.

[...]

The woman said Swalwell began pursuing her within weeks after she was hired at age 21 to work in the Democrat's district office in Castro Valley in 2019. Swalwell messaged her on Snapchat, she said, sending images of his genitals and seeking nude pictures of her in return.

She said Swalwell, who is married and 17 years her senior, tried to kiss her in her car when she drove him home from a donor meeting one night. Driving him to another event weeks later, she said Swalwell pulled out his penis in the car and asked her to perform oral sex on him. She said she did so in a parking lot.

He took it out.

In September 2019, the woman said, Swalwell invited her out for drinks and she became so severely intoxicated that she does not remember the rest of the night. She said she woke up naked in Swalwell's hotel bed and could feel the effect of vaginal intercourse. She said Swalwell distanced himself from her afterward and the relationship faded.

The woman also alleged that Swalwell sexually assaulted her five years later, when she was no longer a staffer, where, after a charity gala, she was "so inebriated that she only remembers snippets of the night, including pushing Swalwell away and telling him, 'No,' while he allegedly forced himself on her."

Apparently she told two people about the second sexual assault, at about the time it happened.

More accusers are coming, says Democrat-friendly leak receptacle CNN.

Three other women who spoke with CNN also alleged various kinds of sexual misconduct by the Democratic congressman -- including Swalwell sending them unsolicited explicit messages or nude photos.

One woman who connected online with Swalwell over her interest in Democratic politics says she ended up extremely drunk inside his hotel room after a night out with the congressman, with little memory of what occurred. Earlier in the night at a bar, he kissed her and touched her leg without her consent, she said.

Another woman, who described receiving unsolicited nude messages from Swalwell, was social media creator Ally Sammarco. She said she initially reached out to the congressman on Twitter to discuss politics. "I truly never thought he would respond -- I had like 1,000 followers at the time," she said. "And he actually responded."

CNN also adds: She told family members and friends about the sexual assault a day or two after it happened.

So the Democrats are terrified that two Republicans will win the jungle primary and they will be locked out of the governor's mansion. To reduce those risks, they have to drive some of the other Democrats out of the race and consolidate around a couple candidates -- or better yet, one single candidate.

Gee, I wonder who benefits from this and I wonder who is screaming the news out on Twitter but totally wasn't behind this coordinated political-"journalistic" hit:

Posted by: Disinformation Expert Ace at 08:54 PM | Comments (222) | Trackbacks (Suck)

The Ocho Cafe

Flying the Columban CriCri jet, an experimental aircraft even tinier than the Acrostar from Octopussy. (Hey that's almost The Ocho but with pussy.)

Remote-control dirt buggy racing.

The Trampoline Event, baby goat division. And this is from 12 years ago so it's not AI! (There are so many fake "cute animals on trampolines" videos I don't even click on them.)

Cat surfing.

World's longest alpine rollercoaster. Sitting is a sport at The Ocho, you know.

Racing down an Alp at 70mph on a skateboard.

Out-of-control kayaking down a drainage ditch.

I've linked this before, but: paragliding with your best friend.

The "Jetman Flying Suit" -- it's an engine and short stubby wings you wear on your back.

Obligatory Armored MMA fight: two-handed axes. One fighter enters the ring playing his two-handed ax like a guitar. The opponent puts his axe on his shoulder and fires it like a bazooka. I don't know why AMMA isn't on network TV every Sunday.

Posted by: Disinformation Expert Ace at 07:20 PM | Comments (419) | Trackbacks (Suck)

British News Anchor: Europe Has No Energy, Little Food Production, Little Industry, and Virtually No Military. It Is Heading for a "Dark Ages" Not Seen For 1000 Years.

They've deliberately destroyed their own civilization.

M.A. Rothman
@MichaelARothman

𝐀 𝐁𝐑𝐈𝐓𝐈𝐒𝐇 𝐍𝐄𝐖𝐒 𝐇𝐎𝐒𝐓 𝐉𝐔𝐒𝐓 𝐄𝐗𝐏𝐋𝐀𝐈𝐍𝐄𝐃 𝐓𝐑𝐔𝐌𝐏'𝐒 𝐒𝐓𝐑𝐀𝐓𝐄𝐆𝐘 𝐁𝐄𝐓𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐓𝐇𝐀𝐍 𝐀𝐍𝐘𝐎𝐍𝐄 𝐈𝐍 𝐀𝐌𝐄𝐑𝐈𝐂𝐀𝐍 𝐌𝐄𝐃𝐈𝐀 -- 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐇𝐄'𝐒 𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐑𝐈𝐅𝐈𝐄𝐃 𝐎𝐅 𝐖𝐇𝐀𝐓 𝐈𝐓 𝐌𝐄𝐀𝐍𝐒 𝐅𝐎𝐑 𝐄𝐔𝐑𝐎𝐏𝐄

GB News' Alex Armstrong laid out the geopolitical map that American media refuses to draw: this war isn't about toppling Iran. It's about 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐠𝐥𝐨𝐛𝐚𝐥 𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐞𝐫 -- and America is winning on every front.

Start with oil. The Strait of Hormuz carries 𝟒𝟓% 𝐨𝐟 𝐂𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐚'𝐬 𝐨𝐢𝐥 𝐬𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐥𝐲. Trump effectively captured Venezuela's oil supply in January. As Armstrong put it: "𝘓𝘰𝘰𝘬 𝘸𝘩𝘰'𝘴 𝘨𝘰𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘶𝘱𝘱𝘦𝘳 𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘰𝘧 𝘢 𝘴𝘶𝘥𝘥𝘦𝘯. 𝘈𝘮𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘢 𝘪𝘴 𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘳𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘷𝘢𝘴𝘵 𝘴𝘸𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘰𝘪𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘊𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘢 𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘥𝘴." China is in the middle of a tariff negotiation with Trump -- and suddenly its entire energy supply depends on American goodwill.

Then Europe. With Russian energy off the table and domestic energy hollowed out by the "𝘭𝘦𝘧𝘵𝘪𝘴𝘵 𝘰𝘣𝘴𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘯𝘦𝘵 𝘻𝘦𝘳𝘰," Europe is becoming 𝐰𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐝𝐞𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐨𝐧 𝐀𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐨𝐢𝐥 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐠𝐚𝐬. Armstrong: "𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘥𝘪𝘤𝘵𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘮𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘳𝘨𝘺 𝘢𝘴 𝘭𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘨𝘦, 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘰𝘮𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺, 𝘣𝘶𝘵 ��𝘦𝘰𝘱𝘰𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘵𝘰𝘰."

Armstrong connected the dots to what the Pentagon calls 𝐆𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐍𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐡 𝐀𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐚 -- Greenland through the Panama Canal, the entire Western Hemisphere secured as a self-sufficient American economic and security zone. "𝘕𝘰 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘨𝘭𝘰𝘣𝘢𝘭 𝘱𝘰𝘭𝘪𝘤𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘯𝘰 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦𝘪𝘨𝘯 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘪𝘵𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘴, 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘢 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘪𝘧𝘪𝘦𝘥, 𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘤𝘦-𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘩 𝘱𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘳 𝘣𝘢𝘴𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘯𝘰 𝘤𝘩𝘰𝘪𝘤𝘦 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘳𝘦𝘭𝘺 𝘰𝘯. 𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘯𝘦𝘸 𝘈𝘮𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘢."

The most striking part was his warning for Britain: "𝘞𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘯𝘰 𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘳𝘨𝘺 𝘴𝘦𝘤𝘶𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘺. 𝘞𝘦 𝘪𝘮𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵 𝘢𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥 60% 𝘰𝘧 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘧𝘰𝘰𝘥. 𝘞𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘯𝘰 𝘮𝘢𝘫𝘰𝘳 𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘶𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘺. 𝘖𝘶𝘳 𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘺 𝘪𝘴 𝘥𝘦𝘤𝘪𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘥." He described Britain heading toward 𝐚 𝐝𝐚𝐫𝐤 𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐬𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐢𝐧 𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝟏,𝟎𝟎𝟎 𝐲𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐬 as America withdraws from its traditional role.

When a foreign ally's own news anchors are publicly acknowledging that Trump's strategy is working -- even as it leaves them behind -- that tells you everything about who has the leverage.

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝 𝐬𝐞𝐞𝐬 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐀𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐦𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐚 𝐰𝐨𝐧'𝐭 𝐚𝐝𝐦𝐢𝐭: 𝐓𝐫𝐮𝐦𝐩 𝐢𝐬𝐧'𝐭 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐨𝐬. 𝐇𝐞'𝐬 𝐛𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬.

Posted by: Disinformation Expert Ace at 06:20 PM | Comments (354) | Trackbacks (Suck)