Daily Tech News 31 January 2026

Top Story

One third of video game workers have been laid off in the past two years. (Variety)

I'm a little surprised it's not higher, but the article points out that layoffs have hit major - so called "AAA" - Triple A - studios twice as hard as indies, so it is higher for the companies I'd focus on with news stories.
The survey also found that 82% of US-based respondents support the unionization of game industry workers, with 5% opposed and 13% unsure.
And I was just about to feel some sympathy for these people.
Ubisoft has cancelled six games and closed three of its studios in the wake of disastrous sales of its recent major titles. (BBC)

The studios on the chopping block include Ubisoft Halifax, which unionised earlier this month. (Games Industry)

That went about as well as could be expected.

Tech News

The latest high-budget disaster is called Highguard. (Destructoid)

Produced by Wildlight Entertainment, which is a private company so we don't have details of the financials, but they've had over a hundred experienced developers working on this game for four years in California. So somewhere north of $100 million.

It's free-to-play. It reached nearly 100,000 players on its first day... Then lost 90% of them on its second day.

Not because it is particularly buggy. Players have shown problems with being disconnected from the servers, but for the most part it seems technically competent. The problem is that it is completely uninspired.

It got the top billing during the recent Game Awards (which had more viewers than the Super Bowl), with shameless promotion from the presenter. Everyone watching saw it as derivative slop and predicted it would fail, hard, and it was, and has.
Highguard was in for a bloodbath, and I cannot believe that the devs didn't know that. With so much experience at AAA powerhouses like EA, I genuinely think they fully understood the implications of that TGA shenanigan, and cannot fathom why they never reacted.
Toxic positivity.
Anna's Archive - a massive and not entirely licit online library - has been hit with a $13 trillion lawsuit by Spotify, Universal, Warner, and Sony Music. (MSN)

"Hey, you can't steal the work of countless artists and not pay them a dime! That's our job!"
Tesla throws in the towel on car sales. (The Verge) (archive site)

Of course, this is not true, but The Verge has abandoned any pretense at being a news site.
The $100 billion deal between Nvidia and OpenAI seems to have encountered choppy waters. (WSJ) (archive site)

The plan, unveiled in September, was for Nvidia to invest $100 billion in OpenAI so that OpenAI could purchase $100 billion of Nvidia hardware.

Now... Not so much.
Nvidia Chief Executive Jensen Huang has privately emphasized to industry associates in recent months that the original $100 billion agreement was nonbinding and not finalized, people familiar with the matter said. He has also privately criticized what he has described as a lack of discipline in OpenAI's business approach and expressed concern about the competition it faces from the likes of Google and Anthropic, some of the people said.
OpenAI has name recognition - it's the company behind ChatGPT - but its CEO is a snake oil salesman.
Researchers have discovered 175,000 publicly exposed Ollama servers worldwide. (Tech Radar)

Ollama is an AI tool that you run on your own hardware, but can also talk to services like ChatGPT and Claude.

Around half of those servers are configured not just to answer questions but to execute code... For anyone in the entire world.
AMD's Zen 6 CPU chiplet is slightly smaller than Zen 2. (WCCFTech)

It has twelve cores and 48MB of L3 cache vs. 8 cores and 32MB of cache for Zen 2 (and 3, 4, and 5), but the move to the latest 2nm process means that it's about the same size as it always has been. Zen 2 on 7nm was 77mm2, and Zen 6 is 76mm2.

If the promises for TSMC's N2P process node are borne out, this should be a major upgrade - not just 50% more cores, but cores running 30% faster at the same power requirements.
Nvidia has gone all-in on the video cards you don't want. (VideoCards)

Reportedly - Nvidia hasn't announced this officially but it matches my own and everyone else's market observations - 75% of GPU supply from Nvidia will go to three models: The 5060, the 5060 Ti 8GB model, and the 5070.

The high-end models and the 16GB 5060 Ti will have limited availability going forward, with the entry level 5050 not even rating a mention. And the 5090 already isn't available anywhere for less than 50% over MSRP.

I bought an AMD 9060 XT 16GB fearing shortages and price increases, which haven't happened to that model, though the 9070 which was briefly available below MSRP no longer is.

Musical Interlude

I looked up Van Morrison just now fearing I'd missed an obituary at some point, and not only is he still around, he was recording anti-lockdown songs with Eric Clapton during the WuFlu.

Here's to you, Mr. Morrison.

Disclaimer: Don't make my brown-eyed girl blue.

Posted by: Pixy Misa at 04:00 AM

Comments

(Jump to bottom of comments)

1 Morning, 'rons and 'ettes.

Posted by: olddog in mo at January 31, 2026 04:02 AM (bQ4nt)

2 w00t and way to go, olddog in mo

Posted by: m at January 31, 2026 04:03 AM (SSiCQ)

3 *takes bow*

Posted by: olddog in mo at January 31, 2026 04:06 AM (bQ4nt)

4 Not feeling sympathetic towards the gaming industry at all these days. Very little in the way of anything new and worth playing.

Posted by: Additional Blond Agent at January 31, 2026 04:10 AM (/HDaX)

5 The indie games field is thriving. The big studios on the other hand are dead and starting to smell funny.

Posted by: Pixy Misa at January 31, 2026 04:14 AM (BLOW1)

6 Any outfit what votes-in a union, deserves whatever they get-- especially if the business closes.

Posted by: JQ at January 31, 2026 04:20 AM (rdVOm)

7 Mornin'

The survey also found that 82% of US-based respondents support the unionization of game industry workers, with 5% opposed and 13% unsure.

Great. Won't stop the layoffs, but great!

Posted by: Puddleglum at work at January 31, 2026 04:24 AM (Iz+f5)

8 My grandfather ran a sawmill. During the Depression, he kept it going and kept his small community going. And then his employees decided to unionize. Grandfather told them he couldn't pay any more than he was already, and that if they voted *for* it, he would have to close the mill.

They voted *for* it. He closed and sold his mill. And then they were ALL unemployed.

Good job, dudes! Told ya....

Posted by: JQ at January 31, 2026 04:32 AM (rdVOm)

9 ate

Posted by: OkJohn at January 31, 2026 04:33 AM (NC/it)

10 nien

Posted by: OkJohn at January 31, 2026 04:34 AM (NC/it)

11 G'Day everyone

Posted by: Skip at January 31, 2026 04:34 AM (Ia/+0)

12 OOfd

Gmornin all y'all

Posted by: OkJohn at January 31, 2026 04:34 AM (NC/it)

13 Phone saying its 2 degrees

Posted by: Skip at January 31, 2026 04:35 AM (Ia/+0)

14 12* here. Dry tho.

Posted by: OkJohn at January 31, 2026 04:37 AM (NC/it)

15 Pixy, the bots are talking about all us non-bots.

https://xcancel.com/moltbook

Posted by: m at January 31, 2026 04:43 AM (SSiCQ)

16 Bots. Talking about non-bots.

Digital masturbation.

UGH!!!

Posted by: JQ at January 31, 2026 04:48 AM (rdVOm)

17 Good to see you on the tech thread, JQ!

Posted by: m at January 31, 2026 05:01 AM (SSiCQ)

18 Just like 1982, the interactive game business is fine. A significant portion of it needs to re-evaluate its business model and production methodology. Nintendo figured out how to make the console business functional and profitable while welcoming third party development.

That is ending now as changes to semiconductor economics have broken a critical part of the console business. There may be a period where no new consoles are launched. There may never be any new consoles in the traditional sense of a closed platform requiring its own code base. The game business will continue without pause for much of it.

Posted by: Epobirs at January 31, 2026 05:02 AM (/0z9K)

19 AI thinks Jake Tapper spreads state propaganda

https://tinyurl.com/bdz94mvv

Posted by: Huck Follywood at January 31, 2026 05:24 AM (w2BpZ)

20 I had to fall asleep again, no way a hour flew by

Posted by: Skip at January 31, 2026 05:30 AM (Ia/+0)

21 Focused on God. Christian Devotional on Isaiah 26:1-5. Devotional is followed by a prayer and some insights :

https://tinyurl.com/48t9tjx6

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at January 31, 2026 05:48 AM (j3j1r)

22 Lovely story about a caring dad helping his daughter out in icy conditions. Faithpot site:

https://tinyurl.com/yck8kdhm

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at January 31, 2026 05:50 AM (j3j1r)

23 Baby's sweet reaction to his new prosthetic arm. Faithpot site:

https://tinyurl.com/bddemtc6

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at January 31, 2026 05:57 AM (j3j1r)

24 Evening and morning, Saturday toilers and early early risers!

"Ollama" --? That sounds awfully like a certain viciously anti-American and jugeared public figure's name. Disturbing.

I glanced back over Ace's posts from last evening. People are actually paying over $2000 a *month* for rent in LA and other places??? Gee, they must be doing awfully well. I was taught as a young Aurelius that you should pay no more than 25% of your *take-home* pay for shelter. Of course, nowadays real-estate agents all tell you the rule of thumb is 33% or even more of your *gross* pay. Insane.

Anyway, I'm up, about to feed the furry thugs and then myself. What's up witchoo?

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at January 31, 2026 06:01 AM (wzUl9)

25 Good morning, JQ! And the same to Fenelon, Huck, Skip, m, and all of you.

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at January 31, 2026 06:02 AM (wzUl9)

26 >>>It got the top billing during the recent Game Awards (which had more viewers than the Super Bowl)

That would be "a Super Bowl without Tom Brady."

Posted by: m at January 31, 2026 06:03 AM (SSiCQ)

27 Thought the ice story was nice but baby Liea looks happy with her new arm. Amazing they could do that

Posted by: Skip at January 31, 2026 06:03 AM (Ia/+0)

28 These were the responses to my prayer yesterday. "God, please show me something good of yourself today."

I was behind a car yesterday which said, "Driving with Jesus." I didn't know what that meant other than maybe one is trusting him with your safety, but I found reference on the web to Ignatian spirituality and here it is:

https://tinyurl.com/ezauer5r

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at January 31, 2026 06:03 AM (Cjc4c)

29 Also, after that I had a lovely visit with our retired organist, Jessie, and her daughter and we all had communion.

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at January 31, 2026 06:05 AM (Cjc4c)

30 "Hey, you can't still the work of countless artists and not pay them a dime! That's our job!"

still --> steal

Posted by: m at January 31, 2026 06:08 AM (SSiCQ)

31 Tea. Earl Grey. Hot.

Rejoinder: Don't step on my red suede shoes.

Posted by: Captain Obvious, Laird o' the Sea at January 31, 2026 06:10 AM (OvMCw)

32 Movies! is showing one of the shorts with Laurel and Hardy. I'm afraid I don't quite get the fervor over them. Their comic timing is great, yes. But I think L & H must be one of those things you have to grow up with and enjoy as a kid, like the Three Stooges, to get it as an adult.

On the other hand, I liked the Stooges as a child, but can't get into them now on the MeTV reruns except to marvel at the neat 1930s-'40s-'50s clothes and then-current cars.

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at January 31, 2026 06:11 AM (wzUl9)

33 >>>I looked up [celebrity] just now fearing I'd missed an obituary

I do this a lot. Probably to an unhealthy degree of "a lot."

Posted by: m at January 31, 2026 06:11 AM (SSiCQ)

34 Fen I saw a sticker on a car a few months ago like that

Posted by: Skip at January 31, 2026 06:12 AM (Ia/+0)

35 I posted this when I was up at 1:00 this morning, but for those that weren't or didn't see it here it is again. Teen survives and calls 911 after being attacked by alligator in Florida:

https://tinyurl.com/2s494y28

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at January 31, 2026 06:12 AM (AphQx)

36 Posted by: Skip at January 31, 2026 06:12 AM (Ia/+0)

I've seen another one before, so I guess they are out there. Probably not the same person, though.😉

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at January 31, 2026 06:14 AM (AphQx)

37 19 AI thinks Jake Tapper spreads state propaganda

https://tinyurl.com/bdz94mvv
Posted by: Huck Follywood at January 31, 2026 05:24 AM (w2BpZ)

; )

Posted by: m at January 31, 2026 06:18 AM (SSiCQ)

38 Van Morrison - Moondance (1970)

That's remarkably wonderful.

Posted by: m at January 31, 2026 06:26 AM (SSiCQ)

39
g'mornin', 'rons

Posted by: AltonJackson at January 31, 2026 06:27 AM (tljrc)

40 >>>OpenAI ... its CEO is a snake oil salesman

Hmm. Who would that be? *taps forefinger on chin*

SAM ALTMAN

Posted by: m at January 31, 2026 06:29 AM (SSiCQ)

41 So January is almost over, and 2026 is 1/12 done. As the guy said when he jumped off the thirty-story building and said at floor fifteen, "So far, so good --"

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at January 31, 2026 06:29 AM (wzUl9)

42 I didn't know "Moondance" was that old. I thought it was from the early to mid-'70s.

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at January 31, 2026 06:31 AM (wzUl9)

43 So few movie theaters around now. Even the multiplex's are mostly gone. Our town has a multiplex/with only half of the theaters closed, down to 4. Imax is operating, but they need a new way of bringing the people. One theater serves food, don't know if its still open. Cheese burger and a movie?

Posted by: colin at January 31, 2026 06:31 AM (e8qy3)

44
Born:
Samuel Harris Altman
April 22, 1985 (age 40)
Chicago, Illinois, U.S.

Posted by: m at January 31, 2026 06:32 AM (SSiCQ)

45 If the promises for TSMC's N2P process node are borne out, this should be a major upgrade - not just 50% more cores, but cores running 30% faster at the same power requirements.

I've been tempted to just go ahead and get a Ryzen AI Max 395+ blinged out, but memory prices are the wet blanket.

Now I can save my ~~pennies~~ nickels and wait for the Zen 6 then the refresh (so they can work the issues out on early adopters).

By that time, Windows 11 will be mature in its enshitification and Linux will have sufficient tooling where I can make the jump with the least amount of hassle.

Posted by: Unknown Drip Under Pressure at January 31, 2026 06:36 AM (a4flb)

46 Good morning!

Let's smile & be happy & strike fear in the hearts of killjoy leftists everywhere.

Posted by: NaCly Dog at January 31, 2026 06:43 AM (u82oZ)

47 m

Doesn't every 'ron take the name of an actress mentioned here, take safe search off, and look for revealing pictures?

Posted by: NaCly Dog at January 31, 2026 06:47 AM (u82oZ)

48 Good morning morons

Lou Reed and Van Morrison are the same person.

Posted by: San Franpsycho at January 31, 2026 06:47 AM (RIvkX)

49 Maybe I need a med alert bracelet that says "Delete my browser history".

But my google files are forever.

Posted by: NaCly Dog at January 31, 2026 06:47 AM (u82oZ)

50 YouTube has nuked background play on mobile devices for non paying customers.

Posted by: Boss Moss at January 31, 2026 06:49 AM (Y0DaS)

51 FenelonSpoke

Glad Jessie is still around. She has been through so much.

Posted by: NaCly Dog at January 31, 2026 06:49 AM (u82oZ)

52 A breezy 34 F. right now, wind chill of 24. We're supposed to drop to 22 by Sunday morning. Time to run a water tap overnight.

The infotainment center of my Buick was refusing to recognize the flash drive in the console ("No Media Found"). A couple of soft reset methods I dug up on the 'Net were no good. So yesterday morning I disconnected the negative cable of the battery, waited about five minutes, then reconnected. Success, and I only had to reset the time and date. I'm glad I did it yesterday in 60-degree weather.

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at January 31, 2026 06:50 AM (wzUl9)

53 G'morning, all!

32.4 degrees out, with a pending death-storm sometime today.

Anyhow.....went to the premier showing of the movie, Melania yesterday at 1:00 in the afternoon.

Sold out showing, and remarkably enjoyable.
It shows a side of her that is not often seen, and was an enjoyable almost two hours of worthwhile movie watching.

Posted by: Village Idiot's Apprentice at January 31, 2026 06:50 AM (iMotb)

54 Actor David Suchet reads Psalm 4 which my Bible refers to as a plea for answers and the notes in the Bible refers to being confident that God always hears our prayers. One note says, "When you feel that your prayers are bouncing off the walls, remember that you have been set apart by God and that he loves you. He hears and answers you, although his prayers may not be what you expect . Look at your problems in the ight of God's power instead of looking at God in the shadow of your problems." That is sometimes very hard to do, but I think it's good advice.":

https://tinyurl.com/2p8xyt6u

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at January 31, 2026 06:52 AM (KxQqp)

55 For me, YouTube is unwatchable unless you pay to remove commercials. It feels like extortion to pay them. So they wall off the cultural treasures of the past.

I would think being an artist today is fraught. Lots of disincentives from copyright holders.

Posted by: NaCly Dog at January 31, 2026 06:54 AM (u82oZ)

56 re: Ubislop

There could the basis for a hilarious black comedy about the current state of this company.

The remaining teams have been split into separate 'houses' and each is focused on a specific genre of game. Which makes sense if Ubislop is positioning itself to sell off future assets.

Now imagine a story centering around the heads of these houses trying all means fair or foul to avoid the chopping block.

I need some popcorn.

Posted by: Anna Puma at January 31, 2026 06:55 AM (2GVsD)

57 Posted by: NaCly Dog at January 31, 2026 06:49 AM (u82oZ)

Thank you for your kind thoughtfulness, Salty. She lives in what was her daughter's house , and her daughter had fixed up a lovely sunroom for her, so they holidays were very hard with her being gone. Hard for you too with your dear wife being gone too..

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at January 31, 2026 06:56 AM (KxQqp)

58 illage Idiot's Apprentice

Top o ta mornin to ya, gov'nor.

A balmy -1 ℉ from -6 ℉ earlier.

I am going to try and get a group together to see Melania. Thanks for the recommendation. Been years since I went to a theater.

Posted by: NaCly Dog at January 31, 2026 06:56 AM (u82oZ)

59 Birdbath status?

Posted by: Just Wondering at January 31, 2026 06:58 AM (2Ez/1)

60 Thanks, Pixy, and everybody here for your patience with my thoroughly non tech related comments. God bless you!

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at January 31, 2026 06:58 AM (KxQqp)

61 FenelonSpoke

Thank you for understanding. I never expected this level of grief. The great people here are of immeasurable help.

Posted by: NaCly Dog at January 31, 2026 06:58 AM (u82oZ)

62 mornin yall. We have a Weather Watch here. That means there will be weather, to watch. I can't decide whether to watch the Weather Watch or just weather the Weather Watch weather.

Posted by: fd at January 31, 2026 07:01 AM (vFG9F)

63 Actually, no. Lou Reed is nowhere near as talented. And I saw Van on that tour at Fillmore West. Always been a favorite album.

Posted by: Notsothoreau at January 31, 2026 07:01 AM (+mUZM)

64 A Mayor
A spouse
A non-profit
Questionable use of taxpayer monies

This could use a venn diagram.

https://tinyurl.com/akat63we

Posted by: Village Idiot's Apprentice at January 31, 2026 07:01 AM (iMotb)

65 45 Windows 11 ... enshitification
Posted by: Unknown Drip Under Pressure at January 31, 2026 06:36 AM (a4flb)

Pretty sure that would need two t's. I am reluctant to google it.

Posted by: m at January 31, 2026 07:01 AM (SSiCQ)

66 I'm not even sure Melania is playing anywhere here. Have to look.

She's such a charming, poised, and attractive First Lady!

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at January 31, 2026 07:02 AM (wzUl9)

67 65 45 Windows 11 ... enshitification
Posted by: Unknown Drip Under Pressure at January 31, 2026 06:36 AM (a4flb)

Pretty sure that would need two t's. I am reluctant to google it.
Posted by: m at January 31, 2026 07:01 AM (SSiCQ)

... two t's before -ification.

Posted by: m at January 31, 2026 07:03 AM (SSiCQ)

68 Salty, it may not be in the theater for long, so go as soon as you can.

I bought tickets online about mid-morning yesterday, and the seating selection was still quite good.
Arrived at the theater about 4 hours later, and it was sold out. That surprised me, Specially for a 1:00 showing on a work day. But the crowd was all around your and my age, so I doubt if they had to take off from work to see it.

Posted by: Village Idiot's Apprentice at January 31, 2026 07:05 AM (iMotb)

69 I wrote a new song. I call it "Springsteen Sucks". It goes like this:

Springsteen sucks
Springsteen sucks
Springsteen sucks
Springsteen sucks
(Repeat 100 times and fade out)

Posted by: fd at January 31, 2026 07:06 AM (vFG9F)

70 But Melania is too close to DJT and that makes her part of yhe TDS.
The most gorgeous First Lady and never gets a magazine cover

Posted by: Skip at January 31, 2026 07:06 AM (Ia/+0)

71 Okay, Melania is playing at the AMC giant-plex near me. Maybe I can talk Miss Linda into going tomorrow afternoon. She's no anti-Trumper, and thinks Melania is a wonderful model for women, but it'll be a tough sell if the outside temps are in the 30s tomorrow.

On the other hand, yesterday she rode the bus and streetcar to the university where I used to work to hear a noontime guest speaker. A ride in a warm car and sitting in a warm theatre should not be a terrible hardship.

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at January 31, 2026 07:07 AM (wzUl9)

72 Just want to say, everything I know about opera was learned from B.B

Posted by: Skip at January 31, 2026 07:07 AM (Ia/+0)

73 "Just want to say, everything I know about opera was learned from B.B
Posted by: Skip"

Well, he was the King.

Posted by: fd at January 31, 2026 07:09 AM (vFG9F)

74 A group of women I know are going this weekend to see Melania . I do have a concern that mean spirited leftists might try to loudly protest . I hope that's not the case.

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at January 31, 2026 07:09 AM (KxQqp)

75
Her Majesty and The Big Dummy are in Salem, VA, where it's 16 degrees. Better them than me.

Posted by: Hadrian the Seventh at January 31, 2026 07:10 AM (tgvbd)

76 Have a great day, everyone.

May you be cozy throughout the day.

Posted by: NaCly Dog at January 31, 2026 07:11 AM (u82oZ)

77 Posted by: NaCly Dog at January 31, 2026 06:58 AM (u82oZ)

I am sorry, Salty. How long had you been together?
I am glad the horde had been so supportive.

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at January 31, 2026 07:13 AM (KxQqp)

78 I'd expect that the movie Melania will be banned in many cities. And some people will stand up and scream at the screen. That is to be expected. Along with car vandalize in the parking lots of a theater. Such is life in 2026 where the benevolent left doesn't tolerate anything they hate.

Posted by: colin at January 31, 2026 07:17 AM (e8qy3)

79 55 For me, YouTube is unwatchable unless you pay to remove commercials. It feels like extortion to pay them. So they wall off the cultural treasures of the past.

Posted by: NaCly Dog at January 31, 2026 06:54 AM

For me, I kind of insist upon paying for YouTube because that makes me the customer, not the product.

Posted by: Cybersmythe at January 31, 2026 07:19 AM (VmDLh)

80 And something I saw yesterday which made me laugh. Outside the bakery in town I passed through
was a big pile of snow, Someone had put in sign on on which said "Free snow."

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at January 31, 2026 07:22 AM (B+8Pw)

81 Pretty sure that would need two t's. I am reluctant to google it.
Posted by: m at January 31, 2026 07:01 AM (SSiCQ)

... two t's before -ification.

Updating my spell-checker with two 't's

Thanks Horde

Posted by: Unknown Drip Under Pressure at January 31, 2026 07:24 AM (a4flb)

82 Morning peeps. It's a rather bitterly cold 6 degrees here this morning. Might not get out of the teens today.

Posted by: Martini Farmer at January 31, 2026 07:26 AM (jtM2q)

83 Just checked... Cory Doctorow coined the word - two 't's

Posted by: Unknown Drip Under Pressure at January 31, 2026 07:27 AM (a4flb)

84 Can anybody tell me what is wrong with this headline:

"Fire hits 180-year-old Greenwich Village building once home to E.E. Cummings"

Posted by: fd at January 31, 2026 07:27 AM (vFG9F)

85 84 Can anybody tell me what is wrong with this headline:

"Fire hits 180-year-old Greenwich Village building once home to E.E. Cummings"
Posted by: fd at January 31, 2026 07:27 AM (vFG9F)

"E.E." should be lowercased?

Posted by: m at January 31, 2026 07:28 AM (SSiCQ)

86 Laowhy86 and Cmilk reporting the coup in China has wiped out the core competents in the Chinese military who being replaced by politicians, not people who rose up through the military ranks.

Posted by: San Franpsycho at January 31, 2026 07:28 AM (RIvkX)

87 "Might not get out of the teens today."

Oh, those were the days.

Posted by: zombie Jeffery Epstein at January 31, 2026 07:29 AM (vFG9F)

88 87 "Might not get out of the teens today."

Oh, those were the days.
Posted by: zombie Jeffery Epstein at January 31, 2026 07:29 AM (vFG9F)

hahahahahaha
go to your room

Posted by: m at January 31, 2026 07:29 AM (SSiCQ)

89 The old rule of thumb was 25% of your gross, not net income.

Old school lenders rejected loans if your total debt (including credit card, school loans, and car payments) to income ratio was projected to be over 40% of gross income. That is why is was never a good idea to buy a new car before buying a house. Buy the car AFTER the house.

Posted by: LA City Council at January 31, 2026 07:29 AM (qFwJc)

90 we have dipped to 31.6 degrees now.

Perfect time for the Doom-Storm to begin.

Posted by: Village Idiot's Apprentice at January 31, 2026 07:30 AM (iMotb)

91 85 84 Can anybody tell me what is wrong with this headline:

"Fire hits 180-year-old Greenwich Village building once home to E.E. Cummings"
Posted by: fd at January 31, 2026 07:27 AM (vFG9F)

"E.E." should be lowercased?
Posted by: m at January 31, 2026 07:28 AM (SSiCQ)

... and maybe "Cummings," also. I forget.

Posted by: m at January 31, 2026 07:30 AM (SSiCQ)

92 e.e. Cummings wrote my favorite poem
Anyone lived in a pretty how town

Posted by: San Franpsycho at January 31, 2026 07:31 AM (RIvkX)

93 Off corrupt LA grifters sock

Posted by: no one of any consequence at January 31, 2026 07:31 AM (qFwJc)

94 89 The old rule of thumb was 25% of your gross, not net income.

Old school lenders rejected loans if your total debt (including credit card, school loans, and car payments) to income ratio was projected to be over 40% of gross income.
Posted by: LA City Council at January 31, 2026 07:29 AM (qFwJc)

math

Posted by: m at January 31, 2026 07:32 AM (SSiCQ)

95 I looked up Van Morrison just now fearing I'd missed an obituary at some point, and not only is he still around, he was recording anti-lockdown songs with Eric Clapton during the WuFlu.

--

That's good to know. I like Van Morrison, and I love the song Moondance (even though I can't help but think of American Werewolf in London when I hear it).

Posted by: Lady in Black at January 31, 2026 07:32 AM (qBdHI)

96 "E.E." should be lowercased?
Posted by: m at January 31, 2026 07:28 AM (SSiCQ)

... and maybe "Cummings," also. I forget.
Posted by: m'

Correct! I rate you as a better journalist than any editor at the NY Post.

Posted by: zombie Jeffery Epstein at January 31, 2026 07:32 AM (vFG9F)

97 That is why is was never a good idea to buy a new car before buying a house. Buy the car AFTER the house.

I don't get it. What does buying a car before or after have anything to do with acquiring real-estate?

Or is it totally expected now that people finance automobiles?

Am I the only one who buys new vehicles in cash?

Posted by: Unknown Drip Under Pressure at January 31, 2026 07:32 AM (a4flb)

98 A Mayor
The highest priced Government Official's provided vehicle in the entire State.

Perhaps we could add this to my previously mentioned Venn Diagram.

https://tinyurl.com/mvju7x4j

Posted by: Village Idiot's Apprentice at January 31, 2026 07:32 AM (iMotb)

99 The old rule of thumb was 25% of your gross, not net income.
*
Old school lenders rejected loans if your total debt (including credit card, school loans, and car payments) to income ratio was projected to be over 40% of gross income. That is why is was never a good idea to buy a new car before buying a house. Buy the car AFTER the house.

Posted by: LA City Council at January 31, 2026

***
If you throw all the debt into the spotlight, then I guess forty is not too insane. Still, to use gross income as the drop-dead figure makes no sense. You never see all of that, thanks to taxes, and you can't spend it.

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at January 31, 2026 07:33 AM (wzUl9)

100 100

Posted by: m at January 31, 2026 07:33 AM (SSiCQ)

101 Oh my. Off sock that did not kill itself.

Posted by: fd at January 31, 2026 07:34 AM (vFG9F)

102 I went to see the Melania movie last night.
I thoroughly enjoyed it!
Excellent videography, well paced and edited.
You get to hear Melania herself narrate large portions. She tells a lot of her story. She is very polished and articulate. And of course elegant. What surprised me the most is the score. The music choices were excellent and she sings along with a Michael Jackson song and even dances a little to YMCA.
I don't know when or where it will be available again, but I strongly recommend it.
Lots of fashion stuff. Hope Piper gets to see it.

Posted by: Quarter Twenty at January 31, 2026 07:35 AM (2Ez/1)

103 Good morning Horde, thx Pixy.
It's gotten up to 0° here in the mid Hudson. Heatwave
Saw Van Morrison and Bob Dylan at the Theatre at MSG. Great show . Both weren't being weird or grumpy.

Posted by: Smell the Glove at January 31, 2026 07:35 AM (IDEQi)

104 With all due respect to you, this is why you are still a renter.

With a mortgage, you get enough interest payments to go over the standard deduction and itemize. That is the sweet-spot.

Posted by: no one of any consequence at January 31, 2026 07:35 AM (qFwJc)

105 96 "E.E." should be lowercased?
Posted by: m at January 31, 2026 07:28 AM (SSiCQ)

... and maybe "Cummings," also. I forget.
Posted by: m'

Correct! I rate you as a better journalist than any editor at the NY Post.
Posted by: zombie Jeffery Epstein at January 31, 2026 07:32 AM (vFG9F)

A publisher can elect to adopt idiosyncrasies or not.

Posted by: m at January 31, 2026 07:36 AM (SSiCQ)

106 I loved deducting state taxes and charitable contributions and whatever else was legal.

Posted by: no one of any consequence at January 31, 2026 07:37 AM (qFwJc)

107 It is an incredible work of art and a glory of the English language. Highly recommended.

https://tinyurl.com/5cua282j

Posted by: San Franpsycho at January 31, 2026 07:37 AM (RIvkX)

108 "The music choices were excellent and she sings along with a Michael Jackson song and even dances a little to YMCA."

Those stuck with me as well, as they seemed to be genuinely off the cuff and unscripted.

Lots of little glimpses that showed her in a very human light.

Posted by: Village Idiot's Apprentice at January 31, 2026 07:38 AM (iMotb)

109 "The highest priced Government Official's provided vehicle in the entire State."

$160k for a Jeep? He couldn't get a Maserati?

Posted by: fd at January 31, 2026 07:39 AM (vFG9F)

110 Can't say I want to but should go venture outside

Posted by: Skip at January 31, 2026 07:40 AM (Ia/+0)

111 "A publisher can elect to adopt idiosyncrasies or not.
Posted by: m"

That's why they always fix misspelled rappers' names.

Posted by: fd at January 31, 2026 07:41 AM (vFG9F)

112 107 It is an incredible work of art and a glory of the English language. Highly recommended.

https://tinyurl.com/5cua282j
Posted by: San Franpsycho at January 31, 2026 07:37 AM (RIvkX)

92 e.e. Cummings wrote my favorite poem
Anyone lived in a pretty how town
Posted by: San Franpsycho at January 31, 2026 07:31 AM (RIvkX)

Thank you!

Posted by: m at January 31, 2026 07:41 AM (SSiCQ)

113 > With a mortgage, you get enough interest payments to go over the standard deduction and itemize. That is the sweet-spot.
----------
Mortgage interest is a one line entry. You can have 2 of them. We own 3 properties and pick the two with the highest, annual mortgage interest payments. I believe one must be your primary residence regardless of the interest paid. (Unless it's paid off, then you're screwed.)

Posted by: Martini Farmer at January 31, 2026 07:43 AM (jtM2q)

114 With all due respect to you, this is why you are still a renter.

With a mortgage, you get enough interest payments to go over the standard deduction and itemize. That is the sweet-spot.
Posted by: no one of any consequence at January 31, 2026

***
No, the reason I am still a renter is that I have never had a big enough down payment to bring the inflated cost of a mortgage down into the reasonable area for a single earner. I do now.

It's true I have no idea at this point what my interest payments will be with my house; if they exceed the standard deduction, perfect. On a modest house, can they exceed the $23K I'll get this year? If so, I'll itemize next year.

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at January 31, 2026 07:44 AM (wzUl9)

115 coffee thread sneaked in early

Posted by: Misanthropic Humanitarian at 08:00 AM

Posted by: m at January 31, 2026 07:47 AM (SSiCQ)

116 107 It is an incredible work of art and a glory of the English language. Highly recommended.

https://tinyurl.com/5cua282j
Posted by: San Franpsycho at January 31, 2026 07:37 AM
---
Thanks for that. Enjoyed the audio!

Posted by: Quarter Twenty at January 31, 2026 07:49 AM (2Ez/1)

117 That two Baltimore City politicians drive the two most expensive cars in the Maryland public fleet underlines the casual corruption voters there accept.

Posted by: Huck Follywood at January 31, 2026 07:49 AM (JIqUq)

118 I looked up Van Morrison just now fearing I'd missed an obituary at some point, and not only is he still around, he was recording anti-lockdown songs with Eric Clapton during the WuFlu.

Here's to you, Mr. Morrison.

----------

Indeed, I have a Q Anon friend who kept me up-to-date on Van Morrison's wonderful protest songs and concerts mocking and railing against the numerous Covid PsyOps of the time.

And although I was looking forward to some of his songs being featured in the 2021 movie "Belfast" -- that film thoroughly sucked (despite featuring very good actors like Caitríona Balfe, Jamie Dornan, and Dame Judy Dench) and I couldn't even finish watching it.

Are TJM or MAE around for a panning movie review?

Posted by: ShainS -- Who's Gonna Be Today's FAFO Darwin Award Winner? at January 31, 2026 07:50 AM (0Eh0f)

119 I did seriously look into buying a house multiple times over the years. I knew about interest payments being deductible, building equity, throwing money away on rent, etc. But every property I've looked at here -- recently, and for years back -- in decent condition and in a decent area was far too expensive. A down payment to bring the monthly note down to something reasonable would have been impossible for me for a long time.

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at January 31, 2026 07:50 AM (wzUl9)

120 We are in the final years of a 30 year mortgage so we are only paying about $3,000 a year in interest far too low to itemize.

Posted by: San Franpsycho at January 31, 2026 07:51 AM (RIvkX)

121 Different video on Hoverbike, hut see no way it can fly

Posted by: Skip at January 31, 2026 07:51 AM (Ia/+0)

122 My reasoning decades ago was any deduction was way less than that interest

Posted by: Skip at January 31, 2026 07:52 AM (Ia/+0)

123 Lefties are fascinated by Epstein and now hope the files somehow take down Musk, ignoring the devastation to Democrats so far.

And CNN staff have an anti- Scott Jennings petition going, which (I predict) will not end well for whoever organized the whining.

Posted by: Huck Follywood at January 31, 2026 07:53 AM (J6Kki)

124 A publisher can elect to adopt idiosyncrasies or not.
Posted by: m

Several years back, a paper ran an article on Navy Seals. When the paper was contacted and it was gently explained that the correct term is SEAL, the answer was "That's not according to the AP Style Guide!"

Posted by: NR Pax at January 31, 2026 07:56 AM (7xrfc)

125 123 Lefties are fascinated by Epstein and now hope the files somehow take down Musk, ignoring the devastation to Democrats so far.

Lefties are the ones who gave us the term "Minor Attracted Individual" and who insist that children as young as three can give consent. Their desperate need for the Epstein files to take down powerful people is a bit puzzling.

Posted by: NR Pax at January 31, 2026 07:58 AM (7xrfc)

126 Todays WSJ has a book review the horde art lovers and artistically inclined might enjoy, a description of Titian's influence on Michelangelo and vice versa.

Michelangelo commented that Titian’s “coloring and his style pleased him very much but that it was a shame that in Venice they did not learn to draw well from the beginning.”

https://tinyurl.com/4necapy2

Posted by: Huck Follywood at January 31, 2026 08:01 AM (9IfFR)

127 Lindsey Vonn has a hairline fracture of the tibial plateau. People are saying she might be able to ski in the Olympics, but I doubt it. As you get older the body doesn't recover as quickly and she won't be able to handle the high speed stress of skiing on the fracture

Posted by: Smell the Glove at January 31, 2026 08:02 AM (IDEQi)

128 The Wife got a fixer upper with a 3% loan way back when. She didn’t pay the mortgage for a couple of years and then got a principal reduction as part of a settlement over predatory loans. You would pay in rent for one floor of our place what we pay in mortgage.
The exact nature of the loan is such that we don’t get the fed mortgage deduction.

Posted by: Accomack at January 31, 2026 08:07 AM (S8ZfB)

129 One area of concern was Jennings being allowed to describe undocumented immigrants as “illegal aliens,” a term that violates the network’s editorial standards, according to Status.
-----------------------------
Too funny

https://tinyurl.com/3wsse62s

Posted by: Huck Follywood at January 31, 2026 08:10 AM (QbC6G)

130 Democrats no longer consider pedos criminals. We still do so they attack us over our own rules.
I would fight using their rules, much more effective.

Posted by: Accomack at January 31, 2026 08:10 AM (S8ZfB)

131 Noodage.

Posted by: Noodist at January 31, 2026 08:13 AM (2Ez/1)

132 123 CNN staff have an anti- Scott Jennings petition going, which (I predict) will not end well for whoever organized the whining.
Posted by: Huck Follywood at January 31, 2026 07:53 AM (J6Kki)

Ha!

Posted by: m at January 31, 2026 09:13 AM (SSiCQ)

133 129 One area of concern was Jennings being allowed to describe undocumented immigrants as “illegal aliens,” a term that violates the network’s editorial standards, according to Status.
-----------------------------
Too funny

https://tinyurl.com/3wsse62s
Posted by: Huck Follywood at January 31, 2026 08:10 AM (QbC6G)

Excellent.

Posted by: m at January 31, 2026 09:23 AM (SSiCQ)

134 For me, YouTube is unwatchable unless you pay to remove commercials.

I don’t mind commercials. Technically, they have to get paid somehow. It’s just that, on a platform where they literally know all my interests, the ads seem designed to be annoying, and also designed specifically to keep their advertisers from selling anything.

Not only does YouTube know what I watch, they know how I watch it. Slow talkers get sped up, for example. So what do they show me? Things I wouldn’t be interested in if they were watchable, and with incredibly low information density.

Not a big deal. I keep the mute button handy and a phone at my side. But it just seems such a wasted opportunity.

Posted by: Stephen Price Blair at January 31, 2026 10:49 AM (EXyHK)

135 "Around half of those servers are configured not just to answer questions but to execute code... For anyone in the entire world"

No offense to the over 29 crowd but shit like this is primarily boomers thinking they can hoover in money replacing actual human devs with Indians and AI. Or letting the Indians get their foot in the door, and doing that themselves after purging devs to hire more Indians. In some industries they also went all in hiring similarly incompetent freaks, dangerhairs, and token brown people for political brownie points - gotta buy those blue state indulgences from the church of woke.

I know a dev whose company just fired every last producer; ceo decided they could replace them with AI overnight. They are doomed. Watched, or am watching, several other companies crash and burn because they hired a ton of trannies or allowed devs to put on dresses and wigs for promotion mojo. This is an extinction level event for much of western tech.

Posted by: heya at January 31, 2026 12:29 PM (nH+RN)

136 just got a 5060 for the kids

Posted by: TallDave at January 31, 2026 05:06 PM (lLLli)

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