Daily Tech News 20 December 2025

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A couple of weeks ago I found a mini-PC that was priced - in Australia at least - at just 20% more than the cost of the RAM it includes. It uses regular laptop DIMMs so even if the PC doesn't turn out ideal it's a decent price and lets me upgrade any laptop I buy during the memory drought.

Right after I bought it the price went up and I thought I'd ordered just in time, but then the price came back down.

And a week ago memory prices had climbed to match the price of the whole computer, so I bought another one. I have them both set up and they seem to work well.

And now as memory prices continue to climb, the memory alone is 20% more than the cost of the entire computer, so, yeah, you know it. I think I'm set for computers for a while.

I tried out Ethernet-over-Thunderbolt networking today. Plugged in the cable between the two PCs and got instant 20Gb Ethernet. Magic.

It's not a perfect system - the Ryzen 7 255 lacks an NPU, and it only has one rear USB-A port and that port is USB 2.0 - and it's not one I can recommend to most readers because it costs ~~60%~~ 70% more in the US than in Australia. But it's pretty good for my needs given the destruction that AI buildouts are wreaking on affordability right now.
Elon Musk's $56 billion Tesla pay package, previously set aside by the corrupt Chancery Court in Delaware in an action that led to the company shifting its registration to Texas, has been restored by the Delaware Supreme Court. (Tech Crunch)

Though given the increase in Tesla's share price over the intervening years, it is now a $140 billion pay package.

So nice going, guys.

Tech News

LG is allowing customers to delete the Microsoft Copilot app it forced onto their televisions. (Tom's Hardware)

Or will do at some point.
How a botched firewall update at Australia phone company Optus blocked emergency calls for 14 hours and contributed to the deaths of two people. (The Register)

Layer upon layer of incompetence.
Microsoft AI CEO Mustafa Suleyman says it will cost hundreds of billions of dollars to compete - poorly - with other AI companies over the next five to ten years. (Business Insider)

Or you could not do that.
Yann Lecun, until recently the chief AI scientist at Meta, has founded a startup to work on AI systems that aren't hot garbage and is looking to raise funds at a $5 billion valuation. (Tech Crunch)

Key to the new system is building an AI that knows things, rather than just going by statistical language patterns. That is, it has a world model as well as a language model, and the world model is definitive.

This is one of the four steps absolutely required to build a generally useful AI.

ChatGPT scores zero out of four.
Airbus is migrating its apps and data from US-run cloud services to European ones that don't exist. (The Register)

Brilliant.

Musical Interlude

Disclaimer: Bee.

Posted by: Pixy Misa at 04:00 AM

Comments

(Jump to bottom of comments)

1 w00t

Posted by: m at December 20, 2025 04:01 AM (RuTUS)

2 G'Day everyone

Posted by: Skip at December 20, 2025 04:02 AM (Ia/+0)

3 !!

Posted by: clarence at December 20, 2025 04:02 AM (JUmo3)

4 Awwww, video unavailable

Posted by: Skip at December 20, 2025 04:02 AM (Ia/+0)

5 Poop. Let me find an alternative.

Posted by: Pixy Misa at December 20, 2025 04:03 AM (BLOW1)

6 I could get up and put coffee on and make pancakes

Posted by: Skip at December 20, 2025 04:03 AM (Ia/+0)

7 Mornin'

Posted by: Puddleglum at work at December 20, 2025 04:05 AM (cHNrw)

8 Disclaimer: Bee.

do bee do bee do

Posted by: m at December 20, 2025 04:06 AM (RuTUS)

9 Have to go give blood samples this morning but don't have to fast or anything

Posted by: Skip at December 20, 2025 04:07 AM (Ia/+0)

10 I clame Thi Lizzy's Legend of the Black Rose as a full album might be one of the best of that era

Posted by: Skip at December 20, 2025 04:08 AM (Ia/+0)

11 Good morning.
Beware the drop bear!

Posted by: Fluffy Nuggets, Jr. at December 20, 2025 04:17 AM (lCMio)

12 Ran across this last night (it's a year old!) and am in tears at how funny this is.

https://x.com/eigenrobot/status/
1872844028728967408

Posted by: m at December 20, 2025 04:19 AM (RuTUS)

13 409 Sure seems that Brown University did nothing for their victim students.
And all to protect the diversity Marxism
Posted by: Skip
---

An article posits that they were protecting pass that Trump gave them on a DEI hit like the one's he's been giving other schools.

Posted by: Braenyard - some Absent Friends are more equal than others _ at December 20, 2025 04:21 AM (4Q/U3)

14
More Epstein file pics. Mick Jagger and Richard Branson. And more Brit politicians showing up.

Michael Jackson and Diana Ross also showing up the photos.

Posted by: publius, Rascally Mr. Miley (w6EFb) at December 20, 2025 04:34 AM (w6EFb)

15 Did Ace ever mention why his computer nuked itself?

Posted by: Alteria Pilgram - My President has convictions at December 20, 2025 04:36 AM (HTCU3)

16 Some weird networky stuff. Not sure if it was his PC or just his home wifi.

Posted by: Pixy Misa at December 20, 2025 04:43 AM (BLOW1)

17 I just saw Greg Biffle and his whole family died in a small.ane crash Thursday. He was a Nascar driver

Posted by: Skip at December 20, 2025 04:43 AM (Ia/+0)

18 17: yea, it was pretty awful news. Sad to hear. NASCAR has had bad luck with there famous drivers and plane crashes. He'd been retired for a few years now but was pretty successful while active.

Posted by: Puddleglum at work at December 20, 2025 04:56 AM (cHNrw)

19 BBC is all over the released Epstein files.

Posted by: m at December 20, 2025 05:07 AM (RuTUS)

20 Music for a burgler locked in my house?

It took me a while but them I remembered Yoko Ono screeching some song.

Yes. That would be the "music."

Posted by: no one at December 20, 2025 05:09 AM (W7XSX)

21
g'mornin', 'rons

Posted by: AltonJackson at December 20, 2025 05:15 AM (tljrc)

22 More Epstein file pics. Mick Jagger and Richard Branson. And more Brit politicians showing up.

Michael Jackson and Diana Ross also showing up the photos.
----

Did you also see where someone posted a picture of Trump and they blacked out the faces of all the women? Then someone else posted the real picture which was Trump hosting glamour contestants years before he met Epstein.

Posted by: clarence at December 20, 2025 05:16 AM (JUmo3)

23 22 More Epstein file pics. Mick Jagger and Richard Branson. And more Brit politicians showing up.

Michael Jackson and Diana Ross also showing up the photos.
----

Did you also see where someone posted a picture of Trump and they blacked out the faces of all the women? Then someone else posted the real picture which was Trump hosting glamour contestants years before he met Epstein.
Posted by: clarence at December 20, 2025 05:16 AM (JUmo3)

Thanks for this.
This is all gonna be so wild.

Posted by: m at December 20, 2025 05:18 AM (RuTUS)

24 Music for a burgler locked in my house?
----

Queen's "Another one bites the dust".

Posted by: clarence at December 20, 2025 05:18 AM (JUmo3)

25 The obvious choice would have been Bad Boys

Posted by: Skip at December 20, 2025 05:21 AM (Ia/+0)

26 Man writes on Matthew 1:18-25 and "With us in our loneliness " The Christian devotional is followed by some insights and a prayer:

https://tinyurl.com/yt7ewadn

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at December 20, 2025 05:24 AM (PFs9e)

27 20 Music for a burgler locked in my house?
Posted by: no one at December 20, 2025 05:09 AM (W7XSX)

How about "Our House is a Very, Very, Very Fine House"?

Posted by: m at December 20, 2025 05:24 AM (RuTUS)

28 "BBC is all over the released Epstein files."

When I was a kid, the BBC was held out as some distinguished news organization. Today, it looks like a crappy version of TMZ. Was it always bad, and I didnt know it, or has it gone to shit, like all government agencies eventually do?

Posted by: The FBI at December 20, 2025 05:25 AM (XaT2C)

29 If it was my alarm system the burglar would be serenaded with a playlist of Baby Shark repeated 10 times followed by Somebody’s Watching Me by Rockwell, then Jailhouse Rock.

Posted by: SpeakingOf at December 20, 2025 05:25 AM (6ydKt)

30 Man brings us through Christmas with some thoughts about songs tand then sings them acapella. Faithpot site:

https://tinyurl.com/4ma8vpk3

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at December 20, 2025 05:28 AM (PFs9e)

31 Young man helps woman struggling on ice:. Faithpot site

https://tinyurl.com/4v7sb3ev

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at December 20, 2025 05:31 AM (PFs9e)

32 Morning, Tech Peeps

Posted by: fluffy at December 20, 2025 05:33 AM (AN2gy)

33 Honest Amazon driver:

https://tinyurl.com/yux7u7f9

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at December 20, 2025 05:35 AM (PFs9e)

34 Those are all nice, catchy tunes.

I thought the point was to torture the burgler.

Posted by: no one at December 20, 2025 05:36 AM (W7XSX)

35 Layer upon layer of incompetence.

This can be interjected into conversation like "IYou don't say", "Well, then" or "Harumph".

Posted by: fluffy at December 20, 2025 05:37 AM (AN2gy)

36 Have a blessed day, everyone. You are a blessing to others. I have lots to do today. Hope to see you next week:

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at December 20, 2025 05:38 AM (PFs9e)

37 Baby Shark is torture.

The other two are forecasts.

Posted by: SpeakingOf at December 20, 2025 05:39 AM (6ydKt)

38 >>> I thought the point was to torture the burgler.

Our House is torture after a couple choruses.

Posted by: fluffy at December 20, 2025 05:41 AM (AN2gy)

39 20 Yoko Ono screeching some song.
Posted by: no one at December 20, 2025 05:09 AM (W7XSX)

24 Queen's "Another one bites the dust".
Posted by: clarence at December 20, 2025 05:18 AM (JUmo3)

25 The obvious choice would have been Bad Boys
Posted by: Skip at December 20, 2025 05:21 AM (Ia/+0)

27 How about "Our House is a Very, Very, Very Fine House"?
Posted by: m at December 20, 2025 05:24 AM (RuTUS)

29 Baby Shark repeated 10 times followed by Somebody’s Watching Me by Rockwell, then Jailhouse Rock
Posted by: SpeakingOf at December 20, 2025 05:25 AM (6ydKt)

Posted by: m at December 20, 2025 05:44 AM (RuTUS)

40 I’ve seen a few pics that Bill is going to have to explain.

One is of him in a jacuzzi with a girl.
The other is in a pool with more girls.

The one of him on the plane with a blonde girl sitting on his lap has been around for awhile.

The rest I’ve seen look like typical wealthy party shots with some celebrities (Jagger, Jackson, Ross) here and there.

I am pretty sure one pic I saw was of Walter Cronkite (nothing is captioned) sitting on a couch talking to two other men on a different couch.

Posted by: SpeakingOf at December 20, 2025 05:46 AM (6ydKt)

41 Mostly a shame its also not Hildabeast in a jacuzzi with young girls

Posted by: Skip at December 20, 2025 05:51 AM (Ia/+0)

42 Morning, 'rons and 'ettes.

Posted by: olddog in mo at December 20, 2025 05:51 AM (bQ4nt)

43 G'morning, all!

Posted by: Village Idiot's Apprentice at December 20, 2025 05:53 AM (Ytdv9)

44 Mostly a shame its also not Hildabeast in a jacuzzi with young girls
Posted by: Skip at December 20, 2025 05:51 AM (Ia/+0)
----
Welp. There went my appetite for breakfast...

Posted by: "Perfessor" Squirrel at December 20, 2025 05:56 AM (ESVrU)

45 Our son, DiL and our grand-dog arrived last night from Va Beach till Monday.

Dexter, the Wonder Dog is growing into a fine young 40 pound dog, with good behavior habits, and fun to have with us.

The cats are not too sure about this intruder, but they are not out of their minds with fear.

Let's see how this plays out.

Posted by: Village Idiot's Apprentice at December 20, 2025 05:56 AM (Ytdv9)

46 Good morning morons

Anxiety about Girl F. traveling to Sydney got me up at 2 am

Posted by: San Franpsycho at December 20, 2025 05:59 AM (A0sqA)

47 G'mornin' everyone!

Posted by: sock_rat_eez at December 20, 2025 06:00 AM (Cjt/F)

48 Tea. Earl Grey. Hot.

Rejoinder: Elle.

Posted by: Captain Obvious, Laird o' the Sea at December 20, 2025 06:06 AM (qbLEp)

49 I gotta say, DC's Police Chief's resignation does little to diminish the 'Angry Black Woman' stereotype that is so prevalent nowadays.

Still trying to find the scripture that she was quoting from during the goodbye speech.

Posted by: Village Idiot's Apprentice at December 20, 2025 06:07 AM (Ytdv9)

50 "Still trying to find the scripture that she was quoting from during the goodbye speech."

Must be one of those modern translations into the way people speak today.

Posted by: no one at December 20, 2025 06:09 AM (W7XSX)

51 Evening and morning, Saturday toilers and early risers!

"Optus" sounds like a Marvel villain, or a code name for a nefarious Thrush project. (Weren't they all nefarious, though?) Or a Thrush agent whose real identity no one knows.

In 1990, when ST:TNG had its big confrontation with the Borg and Picard was turned into one of them, I referred to the episodes as "The Borg Are Back in Town."

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at December 20, 2025 06:10 AM (wzUl9)

52 A quick search of the King James version finds no use of the phrase “F you” anywhere.

I’m thinking she may have made that up, just like the DC crime statistics.

Posted by: SpeakingOf at December 20, 2025 06:10 AM (6ydKt)

53 Still trying to find the scripture that she was quoting from during the goodbye speech.
Posted by: Village Idiot's Apprentice at December 20, 2025 06:07 AM (Ytdv9)
------------
Something about smiting the Egyptians?

Posted by: Captain Obvious, Laird o' the Sea at December 20, 2025 06:10 AM (qbLEp)

54 The Howard Zinn translation?

Posted by: no one at December 20, 2025 06:10 AM (W7XSX)

55 Anyway . . . I slept okay without any melatonin or sleep aid -- tired, I guess, after yesterday's good workout -- and am up with my coffee. Time to slop the feline hogs!

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at December 20, 2025 06:11 AM (wzUl9)

56 Must be one of those modern translations into the way people speak today.
Posted by: no one at December 20, 2025 06:09 AM (W7XSX)
------------
"Jesus be cool, yo."

Posted by: Captain Obvious, Laird o' the Sea at December 20, 2025 06:11 AM (qbLEp)

57
Actually slept until 4:45 this morning, having gone to bed at 10:45.

Her Majesty goes in to the gastrointestinal clinic for an exam this morning at 10:00. No food, no coffee, not even water until then. It's going to be a long and dangerous morning.

Posted by: Hadrian the Seventh at December 20, 2025 06:15 AM (tgvbd)

58 Wolfus that one morning I accidentally had a Melatonin instead of my zinc gummy makes me wonder how effective they are

Posted by: Skip at December 20, 2025 06:16 AM (Ia/+0)

59 I doubt that it's any Bible that normals could see, probably some tissue of lies from her master ...

Posted by: sock_rat_eez at December 20, 2025 06:16 AM (Cjt/F)

60 Wolfus that one morning I accidentally had a Melatonin instead of my zinc gummy makes me wonder how effective they are
Posted by: Skip at December 20, 2025

***
Might depend on the dosage, Skip. Mine are 5 mg. If I take one at 9:30 pm along with a generic Unisom, I'm ready to sleep by a little after 10:00. The melatonin alone takes a little longer to work -- it mildly relaxes me.

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at December 20, 2025 06:19 AM (wzUl9)

61
WaPo describes it as a "fiery farewell speech". Ohhhh, so your girlfriend is no longer crazy, she's now "fiery", right?

Posted by: Hadrian the Seventh at December 20, 2025 06:20 AM (tgvbd)

62 Music for burglars? Lennon and McCartney Christmas songs.

mornin yall

Posted by: fd at December 20, 2025 06:20 AM (vFG9F)

63 Actually don't know what I did with the Melatonin, kind of hid them so I didn't do that again. I think they are 10mg at least

Posted by: Skip at December 20, 2025 06:21 AM (Ia/+0)

64 Her Majesty goes in to the gastrointestinal clinic for an exam this morning at 10:00. No food, no coffee, not even water until then. It's going to be a long and dangerous morning.
Posted by: Hadrian the Seventh at December 20, 2025

***
I have a blood draw on Monday morning at 8:00. Same regimen, except I'm allowed some water. I plan to pack an energy bar in the car and have it as soon as I leave the doctor's office, to hold me until I have some real breakfast. You could stash one in the console and hand it to her when you leave the clinic.

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at December 20, 2025 06:24 AM (wzUl9)

65 Morning, Horde... How goes it?

Yesterday's root canal procedure went very smooth. Barely felt a thing.

As Wolfus suggested, I asked for the GOOD drugs and they delivered.

Now I have to get the permanent filling/crown on Tuesday. Might get the filling, but may have to wait for the crown.

All in all, can't complain too much.

Posted by: "Perfessor" Squirrel at December 20, 2025 06:26 AM (ESVrU)

66 Actually don't know what I did with the Melatonin, kind of hid them so I didn't do that again. I think they are 10mg at least
Posted by: Skip at December 20, 2025

***
Wow. I didn't know they came in that caliber!

I keep mine in the bathroom medicine cabinet along with my Rxs. The magnesium/zinc/Vitamin D is in a kitchen cabinet.

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at December 20, 2025 06:28 AM (wzUl9)

67 " Brown University killer died two days before his remains were found in storage unit"

Outstanding police work on this case. Give those guys and gals a medal and a plaque.

Posted by: fd at December 20, 2025 06:29 AM (vFG9F)

68 My favorite part of her speech was her insistence that she hadn't fudged the numbers, followed immediately by "and if I had it to do all over again, I'd do it again!"

Posted by: Wally at December 20, 2025 06:30 AM (XaT2C)

69
Did DC chief have the usual phalanx of flunkies behind her while she delivered her "fiery farewell speech"? Were they rolling their eyes and look like they wished they were somewhere else or were they all "Amen! Go sister!"

Posted by: Hadrian the Seventh at December 20, 2025 06:31 AM (tgvbd)

70 Music for burglars? Lennon and McCartney Christmas songs.

mornin yall
Posted by: fd at December 20, 2025

***
If I wanted to drive the trapped burglars insane, a continuous loop of "The Chipmunk Song." If I wanted to make them apprehensive, a loop of Holst's The Planets, esp. "Mars, the Bringer of War."

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at December 20, 2025 06:32 AM (wzUl9)

71 We solved this case through great police work, and the smell. But mostly the smell.

Posted by: Brown University Police at December 20, 2025 06:32 AM (XaT2C)

72 I gotta say, DC's Police Chief's resignation does little to diminish the 'Angry Black Woman' stereotype that is so prevalent nowadays.

Still trying to find the scripture that she was quoting from during the goodbye speech.
Posted by: Village Idiot's Apprentice at December 20, 2025 06:07

Maybe it was from Michele's bible. I think it has an oppressed black woman addendum.

Posted by: Farmer at December 20, 2025 06:33 AM (55Qr6)

73 44 Mostly a shame its also not Hildabeast in a jacuzzi with young girls
Posted by: Skip at December 20, 2025 05:51 AM (Ia/+0)
----
Welp. There went my appetite for breakfast...
Posted by: "Perfessor" Squirrel at December 20, 2025 05:56 AM (ESVrU)

Bill sympathizes with you on that.

Posted by: m at December 20, 2025 06:33 AM (RuTUS)

74 27 20 Music for a burgler locked in my house?
Posted by: no one at December 20, 2025 05:09 AM (W7XSX)

I am deeply appreciative that I have not been mentioned.

Posted by: Rick Astley at December 20, 2025 06:35 AM (U/EOd)

75 Ditto

Posted by: Mariah Carey at December 20, 2025 06:36 AM (XaT2C)

76 74 27 20 Music for a burgler locked in my house?
Posted by: no one at December 20, 2025 05:09 AM (W7XSX)

I am deeply appreciative that I have not been mentioned.
Posted by: Rick Astley at December 20, 2025 06:35 AM (U/EOd)

75 Ditto
Posted by: Mariah Carey at December 20, 2025 06:36 AM (XaT2C)

; )

Posted by: m at December 20, 2025 06:40 AM (RuTUS)

77 "Susan Avalon, 48, was cuffed Wednesday and slapped with murder charges after blasting one ex-hubby with bullets in Tampa, then traveling more than 50 miles to Manatee County to fatally shoot the other later that day around 3 p.m., according to Manatee County Sheriff Rick Wells."

That's real dedication. A ma'am, a plan, BLAM!

The sheriff says "We believe this was premeditated. She knew what she was doing, it was planned and she came here to kill her ex-husband."

Outstanding police work on this case. Give those guys and gals a medal and a plaque.

Posted by: fd at December 20, 2025 06:41 AM (vFG9F)

78 77 "Susan Avalon, 48 ...."
Posted by: fd at December 20, 2025 06:41 AM (vFG9F)

She seems nice.

Posted by: m at December 20, 2025 06:44 AM (RuTUS)

79 The earbuds, the lashes.....

The intellect.

https://tinyurl.com/5bmer2h4

Posted by: Village Idiot's Apprentice at December 20, 2025 06:45 AM (Ytdv9)

80
I gotta say, DC's Police Chief's resignation does little to diminish the 'Angry Black Woman' stereotype that is so prevalent nowadays.

Auctioneers and hockey announcers have nothing on speed-talking compared to wound-up Angry Black Women.

Posted by: Hadrian the Seventh at December 20, 2025 06:45 AM (tgvbd)

81 Got to go for a blood draw on Monday, the lady is so nice when she does it that she usually doesn't have to poke around to find the vein like can happen.
Their is a McD's right next do so I go and get pancakes and sausage right after. For some reason I like McD's pancakes, the syrup is of course corn syrup colored brown. McD's coffee is a bargain since Starbucks is also right their and they put my name on the cup for and extra 2 dollars.

Posted by: colin at December 20, 2025 06:45 AM (wlQdF)

82 Still too dark to see what the winds did to trees here, expecting lots of branches all over

Posted by: Skip at December 20, 2025 06:46 AM (Ia/+0)

83 sted by: fd at December 20, 2025 06:41 AM (vFG9F)

She seems nice.
Posted by: m at December 20, 2025 06:44

Ya think so? Well I'm inviting her over for Christmas, you can have her. lol

Posted by: Farmer at December 20, 2025 06:47 AM (55Qr6)

84 The site is still small on mobile. Tried different browsers and ensured settings were set to mobile. Even went beck and forth on those to see what happens, but no change.

Hoping someone will fix this. Trying to read on the phone is a pain.

Posted by: Dandalo at December 20, 2025 06:47 AM (3QsZU)

85 "stereotype"

Black women were the Ur-Karens.

They've been Karening for a very long time.

Posted by: undocumented commenter at December 20, 2025 06:49 AM (XIkjV)

86 81 Got to go for a blood draw on Monday, the lady is so nice when she does it that she usually doesn't have to poke around to find the vein like can happen.
Posted by: colin at December 20, 2025 06:45 AM (wlQdF)

It's so great when they can do that.

Posted by: m at December 20, 2025 06:51 AM (RuTUS)

87 heh

Daniel
@growing_daniel
11h
Hi I'm jeffrey. want to take a pic real fast?

Posted by: m at December 20, 2025 06:59 AM (RuTUS)

88 Got to go for a blood draw on Monday, the lady is so nice when she does it that she usually doesn't have to poke around to find the vein like can happen.
Their is a McD's right next do so I go and get pancakes and sausage right after. For some reason I like McD's pancakes, the syrup is of course corn syrup colored brown. McD's coffee is a bargain since Starbucks is also right their and they put my name on the cup for and extra 2 dollars.
Posted by: colin at December 20, 2025

***
Oddly for being so near a college, my doctor's office has a dearth of breakfast places close by. I'm going to have to drive a ways back toward home to visit one I know and like. Hence the energy bar to be stashed in the car.

I'll try staying up until 11:30 or midnight on Sunday, so maybe I can sleep until 5 or 5:30 am and will have less time to sit around without food or coffee.

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at December 20, 2025 07:01 AM (wzUl9)

89 Musk says Trump savings accounts a "Nice Gesture’ but Says AI Will Eliminate the Need to Save Money.

What a relief. Now I can buy that GT3 I've been putting off until I'm 90.

Posted by: fd at December 20, 2025 07:02 AM (vFG9F)

90 G'morning Pixy and everyone else. Just got up, so I need some coffee to clear the cobwebs outta my mind.

Posted by: Grumpy and Recalcitrant at December 20, 2025 07:06 AM (O7YUW)

91 90 G'morning Pixy and everyone else. Just got up, so I need some coffee to clear the cobwebs outta my mind.
----

So, your coffee is strong enough to kill the spiders?

Posted by: clarence at December 20, 2025 07:07 AM (JUmo3)

92 Speaking of breakfast for me: an egg scrambled and seasoned with a little cheddar cheese, and the last two croissants, first with the egg and then with some honey.

The Killer Kittenz have eaten. Stirling is settled atop the back of the couch, and Dagny is off somewhere, meditating.

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at December 20, 2025 07:08 AM (wzUl9)

93 Yay. I ran over something (sounded like glass) on the highway while driving home from work this morning. The tire pressure system on the car let me know that my pressure needs checked about 5 minutes later. This has happened before. I wind up taking it to NTB and they'll fix the tire. Or, I'll just get 4 new ones. I'll see on Monday. I have to work tonight and I guess I'll take the subway. I just found out the DC Metro opens a bit earlier now on weekends, 0600. That works as I get off at 0600. Still won't get home till near 0700 as the first yellow line train going my direction is at 0627. First World Problems (shrugs).

Posted by: Puddleglum, cheer up for the worst is yet to come at December 20, 2025 07:08 AM (sAmhv)

94 Birdbath status?

Posted by: Just Wondering at December 20, 2025 07:08 AM (2Ez/1)

95 Is it still on the radar that we will all get a check from the Feds next year?

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at December 20, 2025 07:09 AM (wzUl9)

96 89 Musk says Trump savings accounts a "Nice Gesture’ but Says AI Will Eliminate the Need to Save Money.

What a relief. Now I can buy that GT3 I've been putting off until I'm 90.
Posted by: fd

AI decides the human race needs to be eliminated. Saving money isn't necessary when were dead!

Posted by: Puddleglum, cheer up for the worst is yet to come at December 20, 2025 07:10 AM (sAmhv)

97 Remember that Clown in the gutter is really a very large Spider

Posted by: Skip at December 20, 2025 07:11 AM (Ia/+0)

98 "94 Birdbath status?
Posted by: Just Wondering"

The column broke in half and I fixed it with JB Weld. Still holding.

The spot where it broke had a piece of plastic embedded in it, like it was used for filler. They don't even make birdbaths like they used to.

Posted by: fd at December 20, 2025 07:11 AM (vFG9F)

99 Nood coffee break.

Posted by: no one at December 20, 2025 07:11 AM (W7XSX)

100 Trump was still taking tariff checks just a week or so ago.

Posted by: Dandalo at December 20, 2025 07:12 AM (3QsZU)

101 Put yer pants back on

Posted by: fluffy at December 20, 2025 07:12 AM (AN2gy)

102 Hey hey! It's Meme Saturday!

Posted by: sock_rat_eez at December 20, 2025 07:15 AM (Cjt/F)

103 This is one of the four steps absolutely required to build a generally useful AI.

- and -

Musk says Trump savings accounts a "Nice Gesture’ but Says AI Will Eliminate the Need to Save Money.

If the biggest brains (and budgets) are just starting to toy around with a world model, it has a longer way to go to have reasoning and planning functions. Key to that is recognizing when it doesn't have enough information or needs clarification or even more important knowing when what it knows is incorrect.

But before that, the thing that should be in the minds of would-be-regulators to avoid having to send someone back in time, will be Alignment / Value Specification - that is, the ability to steer the outcome and objectives within safety, ethics and law.

Given the generally wicked and depraved nature of mankind when given this kind of power, I'm not hopeful that this goal is practically achievable.

Posted by: Unknown Drip Under Pressure at December 20, 2025 07:28 AM (a4flb)

104 And THIS is why Chinese produced hardware is to be considered untrustworthy:

https://tinyurl.com/5bdztszb

Bleeping Computer: "New UEFI flaw enables pre-boot attacks on motherboards from Gigabyte, MSI, ASUS, ASRock"

So if you've got a PCIe device plugged in that has direct memory access, and it is configured to copy a particular bit of malware to a section of the main memory the instant that power is applied to the board and the memory, there's a good chance it'll be able to do so prior to the UEFI getting the firewall erected around the system memory.

But basically, if the hardware isn't trustworthy, the software running on it or any part connected to it can't be.

House. Of. Cards.

Posted by: Grumpy and Recalcitrant at December 20, 2025 07:49 AM (O7YUW)

105 @Pixy: Great music selection this morning.

Posted by: Grumpy and Recalcitrant at December 20, 2025 07:50 AM (O7YUW)

106 AI world models are great until you have to teach them things like “Islam is a terrorism cult.”

Posted by: David at December 20, 2025 07:50 AM (+hFhi)

107
SNAP: Soda, Nachos, Almond Joys and Pies.

Posted by: LOL at December 20, 2025 07:59 AM (2Ez/1)

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