Daily Tech News 22 March 2026

Top Story

An Ohio datacenter planned by Japanese company SoftBank will cost $40 billion to build - and require a new 9.2GW gas turbine generator complex that will cost another $33 billion. (Tom's Hardware)

Or, as the article notes, 9 nuclear reactors, though that option is off the table due to the excruciatingly long lead times thanks to a thousand layers of bureaucratic nonsense.

Which is ironic considering that the site chosen for the datacenter near Piketon was used to produce nuclear fuel from 1956 until 2001.

Tech News

Jeff Bezos is in talks to raise $100 billion to buy existing manufacturing companies and automate them using AI. (MSN)

That's probably better than letting the companies slowly go broke. Maybe. I guess.
AMD has released its updated FSR 4.1 AI-based upscaling technology - the company's equivalent to Nvidia's DLSS. (Tom's Hardware)

Reports are that it's genuinely good.

But AMD is still keeping a pillow firmly over the face of FSR 4 for older RDNA2 and RDNA3 graphics cards, even though following an accidental leak of the source code it is known to work perfectly well. Not as efficiently as on RDNA4, but still fine.

And it's not as if you can just buy a top-of-the-line Radeon 9070 XT below MSRP right now. I mean, you can, and I did, but I'm an idiot when it comes to money.
Crimson Desert is here and AMD used it to demonstrate FSR 4.1. Should you buy it? Nnngh. (PC Gamer)

Reviews are mixed, with some calling it the greatest thing since cut cheese and others calling it a buggy mess, and Intel graphics card owners crying in their soup - because the game simply won't start.

One of the strongest criticisms apart from that comes from leaked internal conversations that allege the company didn't decide on the plot of the game until shortly before release. Which rings true because the developer, Pearl Abyss, is best known for it's MMO title Black Desert. In fact, I'm not sure they've released anything else.
It does run at 50 fps on a MacBook Neo, though. (Notebook Check)

Albeit at 180p, upscaled to 540p - in testing the reviewer had to cut the desktop resolution to salvage something - and with frame generation to create fake frames with AI.

The game fully supports Mac systems, but recommends at least an M3 CPU. And even the just-released and seriously M5 Max is hardly a gaming powerhouse, requiring both upscaling and frame generation to perform acceptably.
You know sometimes you see something for sale that is obviously, painfully useless and simultaneously has an eye-watering price tag, and you wonder who could possibly be the target market? (The Verge)
Trivy supply chain attack triggers self-spreading CanisterWorm across 47 NPM packages. (The Hacker News)

What?
Widely-used Trivy scanner compromised in ongoing supply-chain attack. (Ars Technica)

Slightly better.
Trivy vulnerability scanner backdoored with credential stealer in supply-chain attack. (CSO Online)

The best headline I've seen so far, because it explains what Trivy (it scans for vulnerabilities in your software) and what the attack does (it steals your login sessions).

That's horrifying. The very people most interested in making sure systems were secure were the target here. If they built Trivy into their code testing process, it would have automatically pulled in the compromised version and stolen their GitHub credentials (this targeted GitHub) and used that to spread the chaos further.

That's what led to the CanisterWorm attack on those NPM packages - and that is probably a very incomplete list.

More at Socket and Wiz.

The maintainers of Trivy posted a thread on GitHub to communicate the details to their users - which the attackers promptly deleted since they had effective control over the Trivy GitHub account at that point.
Fuck systemd. (It's FOSS)

Musical Interlude

Music is the Zoltraak theme from the anime Frieren: Beyond Journey's End. Anime by some strange coincidence is Frieren: Beyond Journey's End.

Contains spoilers. Contains very spoilers for four of the most dramatic fight scenes in the first season. Since the first season only really contains four dramatic fight scenes - this is a character-driven series, not monster of the week - you might want to avoid this one if you want to watch the show.

Disclaimer: And I do recommend this series, even to those who do not usually watch anime. I did find the episodes near the end of the first season a bit of a slog - into each great anime a tournament arc must fall - but it resolves itself with the same wit and grace that makes the rest of the story shine.

Posted by: Pixy Misa at 04:00 AM

Comments

(Jump to bottom of comments)

1 !!

Posted by: clarence at March 22, 2026 04:01 AM (7lOC+)

2 G'Day everyone

Posted by: Skip at March 22, 2026 04:01 AM (Ia/+0)

3 Between ad then a roundabout trip to get here

Posted by: Skip at March 22, 2026 04:02 AM (Ia/+0)

4 Morning all.

Posted by: Pixy Misa at March 22, 2026 04:02 AM (BLOW1)

5 corgis called

Posted by: clarence at March 22, 2026 04:02 AM (7lOC+)

6 To get up, or not to get up?
That is the question

Posted by: Skip at March 22, 2026 04:05 AM (Ia/+0)

7 I bought a new Windows laptop, and I have been struggling against all the advertising and AI slop Microsoft is pushing.

I discovered a super easy and quick solution.

Just do this: find your wifi icon, select your wifi connection, and then click disconnect.

Good morning.

Posted by: meh at March 22, 2026 04:13 AM (N462N)

8 I suppose I could go put coffee on and think about it some more

Posted by: Skip at March 22, 2026 04:14 AM (Ia/+0)

9 BOING!

Finished a late breakfast with Mrs. BD. Work to be done.

Posted by: Biden's Dog sniffs a whole lotta malarkey, at March 22, 2026 04:15 AM (1o8D5)

10 Takaichi and Trump = Thatcher and Reagan. We're in for some serious horse trading. I can't help but notice that she's a genuine woman - watch videos of her arrival and WH tour.

Takaichi, Milei, Jose Kast.

Posted by: 13times at March 22, 2026 04:18 AM (f3uvx)

11 Shame that Britain, Australia, and Canada are currently run by communists.

Posted by: Pixy Misa at March 22, 2026 04:23 AM (BLOW1)

12 Read Shania law is being enforced there in schools.

Posted by: Skip at March 22, 2026 04:28 AM (Ia/+0)

13 Mornin'

Posted by: Puddleglum at work at March 22, 2026 04:32 AM (Hpgos)

14 And I do recommend this series, even to those who do not usually watch anime.

Pixy Misa Johnson is right!

It's like LotR.

But after the whole ring-in-the-volcano thing.

Starring an introverted immortal elf ~~wizard~~ magic geek.

The English title, Frieren: Beyond Journey's End, fits the story.

A literal translation of the Japanese title Sousou no Frieren would be "Frieren Attends A Funeral."

Posted by: mikeski at March 22, 2026 04:35 AM (VHUov)

15 Read Shania law is being enforced there in schools.
Posted by: Skip

"Man! I feel like a sex slave!"

Posted by: mikeski is not a little bit country at March 22, 2026 04:38 AM (VHUov)

16 While getting rid of dead sticks from storm last week, bent over badly and got a back spasm. Then in afternoon neighbor informed me a large branch came down I didn't see yet that required a chainsaw.
Hard to put shoes on this morning

Posted by: Skip at March 22, 2026 04:40 AM (Ia/+0)

17 Jeff Bezos is in talks to raise $100 billion to buy existing manufacturing companies and automate them using AI. (MSN)

That's probably better than letting the companies slowly go broke. Maybe. I guess.

I am reminded of an old Twilight Zone episode where a company manager replace every person with a robot. He was quite pleased with himself. The people he layed off warned him of consequences but he carried on. Then he was replaced by a robot. Everytime I read something about AI replacing human jobs, I think of that episode.

Posted by: Puddleglum at work at March 22, 2026 04:41 AM (Hpgos)

18 15 Read Shania law is being enforced there in schools.
Posted by: Skip

"Man! I feel like a sex slave!"
Posted by: mikeski

LoL! What was her last name? I remember her. She was a THING, until she wasn't. The entertainment industry is a harsh mistress.

Posted by: Puddleglum at work at March 22, 2026 04:44 AM (Hpgos)

19 Twain, as in Sam Clemens

Posted by: RandomDave at March 22, 2026 04:48 AM (aJQbY)

20 Morning, Tech Peeps

Posted by: fluffy at March 22, 2026 04:55 AM (AN2gy)

21 AI replacing jobs will highlight how poorly the American educational system has fared, and how much it has failed American children. And this generation is not the first to represent this failure.

Posted by: Pete Bog at March 22, 2026 04:55 AM (eCt/m)

22 Nasty Verges and Gemini...

If I understand that Verge article correctly it seems the whole point of AI is so nitwits can have their phones order chicken teriyaki and have it delivered without interrupting their doom scrolling Tinder for a phone sex hookup. Lovely.

And these people are allowed to ride the bus to go vote without a chaperone. We are f'd.

I am about ready to buy 40 acres in the middle of Nebraska and start learning how to survive on prairie dogs, rabbits, and coyotes. Plus camo underwear.

Posted by: Alteria Pilgram - My President has convictions at March 22, 2026 05:02 AM (glnUu)

23 "Continue reading with a Verge subscription"

Arrgghh.

Posted by: Additional Blond Agent at March 22, 2026 05:10 AM (/HDaX)

24 w00t

Posted by: m at March 22, 2026 05:13 AM (+YA9H)

25 "It does run at 50 fps on a MacBook Neo, though. (Notebook Check). Albeit at 180p, upscaled to 540p"

More or less the same as the Steamboat Willie cartoon from 1928? Progress.

Posted by: Alteria Pilgram - My President has convictions at March 22, 2026 05:14 AM (glnUu)

26 "Continue reading with a Verge subscription"Arrgghh.
Posted by: Additional Blond Agent

Try this: https://archive.ph/qN5oO

Posted by: Alteria Pilgram - My President has convictions at March 22, 2026 05:15 AM (glnUu)

27 I am about ready to buy 40 acres in the middle of Nebraska and start learning how to survive on prairie dogs, rabbits, and coyotes. Plus camo underwear.
Posted by: Alteria Pilgram - My President has convictions at March 22, 2026 05:02 AM (glnUu)

You may need more than 40 acres.

Posted by: Pete Bog at March 22, 2026 05:16 AM (eCt/m)

28 >>>the greatest thing since cut cheese

sliced bread?

>>>crying in their soup

might be time for a snack, Pixy

Posted by: m at March 22, 2026 05:17 AM (+YA9H)

29 6 To get up, or not to get up?
That is the question
Posted by: Skip at March 22, 2026 04:05 AM (Ia/+0)

8 I suppose I could go put coffee on and think about it some more
Posted by: Skip at March 22, 2026 04:14 AM (Ia/+0)

But then you'd be up, having answered the question.

Posted by: m at March 22, 2026 05:22 AM (+YA9H)

30
g'mornin', 'rons

Posted by: AltonJackson at March 22, 2026 05:22 AM (tljrc)

31 "Try this: https://archive.ph/qN5oO
Posted by: Alteria Pilgram - My President has convictions at March 22, 2026 05:15 AM (glnUu)"

Fixt. Scraped the barnacles (cookies, that is) off my Kindle browser and Verge stopped jacking me up.

Posted by: Additional Blond Agent at March 22, 2026 05:24 AM (/HDaX)

32 11 Shame that Britain, Australia, and Canada are currently run by communists.
Posted by: Pixy Misa at March 22, 2026 04:23 AM (BLOW1)

Britain
The Rt Hon Sir Keir Starmer KCB KC MP

Australia
Anthony Albanese

Canada
Mark Carney

Posted by: m at March 22, 2026 05:25 AM (+YA9H)

33 "Jeff Bezos in talks to raise $100 billion for AI manufacturing fund"

Before we panic and run off to apply for welfare keep in mind this is the same guy who giggled when he saw the first Segways and was behind the Fire phone. Plus he developed a phallic looking rocket thingy that he stuffed a bunch of women into and then lit it off; that one is a bit weird especially when it looks like his head. Deep breaths, deep breaths...

Posted by: Alteria Pilgram - My President has convictions at March 22, 2026 05:25 AM (glnUu)

34 G'mornin' everyone!

Posted by: sock_rat_eez at March 22, 2026 05:28 AM (MIIRH)

35 14 And I do recommend this series, even to those who do not usually watch anime.

Pixy Misa Johnson is right!

It's like LotR.

But after the whole ring-in-the-volcano thing.

Starring an introverted immortal elf wizard magic geek.

The main trio (thus far) are all autistic. Frieren because she just is that way, Fern because she trained under Frieren since she was a small child, and Stark because he's a teenage boy.

At least Stark will grow out of it.

And the story is in large part of understanding feelings - both your own and those of others.

The English title, Frieren: Beyond Journey's End, fits the story.

A literal translation of the Japanese title Sousou no Frieren would be "Frieren Attends A Funeral."
Posted by: mikeski

It can be read two ways in Japanse: Frieren at the Funeral - since she has outlived half the members of the group that defeated the Demon King, and Frieren of the Funeral, because she can be seriously scary when the need arises.

Posted by: Pixy Misa at March 22, 2026 05:32 AM (BLOW1)

36 Starmer, Albanese, & Carney. Sounds like an the name of an accounting firm.

Posted by: Alteria Pilgram - My President has convictions at March 22, 2026 05:36 AM (glnUu)

37 32 11

Britain
The Rt Hon Sir Keir Starmer KCB KC MP
born 2 September 1962 (age 63)

Australia
The Hon Anthony Norman Albanese MP
born 2 March 1963 (age 63)

Canada
The Rt Hon Mark Joseph Carney PC OC MP
born 16 March 1965 (age 61)

Posted by: m at March 22, 2026 05:38 AM (+YA9H)

38 Its 5:38, large bowl of oatmeal and on 2nd coffee

Posted by: Skip at March 22, 2026 05:39 AM (Ia/+0)

39 Evening and morning to the Sunday toilers and pre-dawn risers! The cat let me sleep an extra half hour. He woke me from a dream that I was visiting my high school chem teacher, and he showed me a secret exit from the lab that led down and outside the school. Funny the things you don't know about when you're sixteen.

Its' 65 F. here and not too windy. A workout is in my near future -- but first, coffee, and feeding the cats.

The 1953 Titanic film last night, with Clifton Webb and Barbara Stanwyck, was great.

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at March 22, 2026 05:44 AM (wzUl9)

40 One upside if Bezos pulls off his AI manufacturing initiatives is there is chance the illegals aliens will be unemployed just like the US citizens they displaced. Karma. It is a matter of time before LA looks like the Mumbai slums which is going to generate a lot of empty water bottles that will end up on the ground and will eventually find there way into the Pacific Ocean. That is going to cause a ruckus.

Posted by: Alteria Pilgram - My President has convictions at March 22, 2026 05:45 AM (glnUu)

41 Read Shania law is being enforced there in schools.
Posted by: Skip

"Man! I feel like a sex slave!"
Posted by: mikeski

LoL! What was her last name? I remember her. She was a THING, until she wasn't. The entertainment industry is a harsh mistress.
Posted by: Puddleglum at work at March 22, 2026

***
Shania Twain. Feminist country -- an oxymoron. But she was a lovely woman.

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at March 22, 2026 05:46 AM (wzUl9)

42 37 Canada
The Rt Hon Mark Joseph Carney PC OC MP
born 16 March 1965 (age 61)
Posted by: m

Carney is Gen X, huh? Even if by the skin of his teeth.

I am embarrassed for my generation.

Posted by: Pixy Misa at March 22, 2026 05:49 AM (BLOW1)

43 only thing that can eff up manufacturing worse than it already is (after decades of neglect and resource stripping) is ai.

Posted by: sock_rat_eez at March 22, 2026 05:50 AM (MIIRH)

44 The 1953 Titanic film last night, with Clifton Webb and Barbara Stanwyck, was great.
Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius

I watched Alphaville. The voice for the Alpha-60 AI overlord was a hoot and exactly what I expect to hear in the future. Or Hal if we are unlucky. Ridley Scott seems to have lifted the ending wholesale for Blade Runner.

Posted by: Alteria Pilgram - My President has convictions at March 22, 2026 05:51 AM (glnUu)

45 40 empty water bottles that will end up on the ground and will eventually find there way into the Pacific Ocean
Posted by: Alteria Pilgram - My President has convictions at March 22, 2026 05:45 AM (glnUu)

Thinking back to Life Before Plastic Water Bottles:

Wikipedia
Plastic bottles were first used commercially in 1947, but remained impractical until the 1970s, when the PET bottle was introduced.

Posted by: m at March 22, 2026 05:52 AM (+YA9H)

46 Read Shania law is being enforced there in schools.
Posted by: Skip

Shania Twain > Shania Law

Posted by: Dark Litigator at March 22, 2026 05:57 AM (KAi1n)

47 NY Post: AOC spent 19K on some quack shrink who got her high on ketamine. So this is what perfect news story looks like. Schumer sure can play dirty.

https://is.gd/chBVec

Posted by: Alteria Pilgram - My President has convictions at March 22, 2026 06:00 AM (glnUu)

48 Shania Twain > Shania Law
Posted by: Dark Litigator at March 22, 2026 05:57 AM (KAi1n)

That don't impress me, much.

Posted by: Warai-otoko at March 22, 2026 06:00 AM (Ot/FD)

49 AOC spent 19K on some quack shrink who got her high on ketamine. So this is what perfect news story looks like. Schumer sure can play dirty.

https://is.gd/chBVec
Posted by: Alteria Pilgram - My President has convictions at March 22, 2026 06:00 AM (glnUu)

"Twenty thousand pounds to a wise man in India, and I'm wankered on rohypnol."

-Douglas Reynholm

Posted by: Warai-otoko at March 22, 2026 06:02 AM (Ot/FD)

50 only thing that can eff up manufacturing worse than it already is (after decades of neglect and resource stripping) is ai.
Posted by: sock_rat_eez at March 22, 2026 05:50 AM (MIIRH)

I'm studying Agile/Scrum for work. A few lessons in, and it's readily apparent that it's basically weaponized mission creep.

Posted by: Warai-otoko at March 22, 2026 06:04 AM (Ot/FD)

51 47 NY Post: AOC spent 19K on some quack shrink who got her high on ketamine. So this is what perfect news story looks like. Schumer sure can play dirty.

https://is.gd/chBVec
Posted by: Alteria Pilgram - My President has convictions at March 22, 2026 06:00 AM (glnUu)

from the article:

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) spent nearly $19,000 *in campaign cash* last year on a shrink who specializes in controversial ketamine therapy.

Posted by: m at March 22, 2026 06:04 AM (+YA9H)

52 "How does that make you feel?"

"Like i want to shoot tranq directly into my eyeballs."

"Your feelings are valid."

Posted by: Warai-otoko at March 22, 2026 06:06 AM (Ot/FD)

53 585 moves
Spider solitaire is evil

Posted by: Skip at March 22, 2026 06:08 AM (Ia/+0)

54 Well, I use Slackware and Obarun for my personal Linux servers/laptops to keep systemd away.

I've got a raspberry pi4 that's using ubuntu, so that's infected with systemd. It's not doing anything important at the moment (namely driving a display that shows either a cacti webpage or a ZoneMinder webpage on an old Sony LCD TV in my office), so I won't kill it until/unless it starts asking me about my age.

cacti means https://www.cacti.net/ if you're interested.
ZoneMinder means https://zoneminder.com/

Posted by: Richard Cranium at March 22, 2026 06:10 AM (xFpB3)

55 Tea. Earl Grey. Hot.

Rejoinder: ...

Posted by: Captain Obvious, Laird o' the Sea at March 22, 2026 06:10 AM (MW3sX)

56 Gas in Las Cruces was $3.95 while diesel was $5.65. ouch. That Toyota RAV 4 Hybrid is going to break even way sooner than I thought if this keeps up. I am getting 47 mpg since the last fill up.

Posted by: Alteria Pilgram - My President has convictions at March 22, 2026 06:15 AM (glnUu)

57 52 "Like i want to shoot tranq directly into my eyeballs."
Posted by: Warai-otoko at March 22, 2026 06:06 AM (Ot/FD)

"Thanks"!

Posted by: m at March 22, 2026 06:23 AM (+YA9H)

58 Gas probably still $4 here

Posted by: Skip at March 22, 2026 06:29 AM (Ia/+0)

59 Good morning! Looking at temps in the mid 90s today and about 10-15 degrees cooler tomorrow. Spring in Cowtown.

Posted by: CrotchetyOldJarhead at March 22, 2026 06:36 AM (3Ope8)

60 Going up to 70 today, but won't sre that again until Thursday

Posted by: Skip at March 22, 2026 06:37 AM (Ia/+0)

61 what is the cheapest way to get 4k out of an old laptop?

Posted by: r hennigantx at March 22, 2026 06:48 AM (gbOdA)

62 Good morning!

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

Posted by: NaCly Dog at March 22, 2026 06:54 AM (u82oZ)

63 Morning all

Posted by: Tuna at March 22, 2026 06:57 AM (lJ0H4)

64 nice

AG retweeted
Pascal-Emmanuel Gobry
@pegobry_en
12h
For the five billionth time:

- You don’t need a conspiracy theory to explain why the US government is interested in an area that has 50% of the world’s oil and 30% of the world’s trade

- You don’t need a conspiracy theory to explain why the US government feels threatened by a jihadist death cult (whose motto is "Death to America") developing nukes

Posted by: m at March 22, 2026 07:00 AM (+YA9H)

65 61 what is the cheapest way to get 4k out of an old laptop?
Posted by: r hennigantx at March 22, 2026 06:48 AM (gbOdA)

Keep the oil changed in it?

Posted by: Cletus Sprackdoodle at March 22, 2026 07:00 AM (XE5AP)

66 Morning, 'rons and 'ettes.

Posted by: olddog in mo at March 22, 2026 07:01 AM (bQ4nt)

67 olddog in mo

How are you doing?

Any pirate excursions planned?

For me, I have aged out of wanting to do boat maintenance.

Posted by: NaCly Dog at March 22, 2026 07:03 AM (u82oZ)

68 Read an article at RCP about Myosoty “Miyo” Perez, the secret service field agent who was the "site agent" at the Butler rally were Trump almost got killed. It is astonishing how corrupt and incompetent an institution is the secret service... this woman just got suspended again because she failed to properly report that she was married to a foreign national (illegal alien) from Brazil.... so here we have a three-fer: woman, hispanic, lesbian.... and she's never been fired for all kinds of incompetence and also violating rules (like not reporting relationships with foreign nationals). It's so bad it's almost unbelievable.... Trump being president for more than a year now and nothing is getting cleaned up on the secret service front. Kinda depressing...

Posted by: LinusVanPelt at March 22, 2026 07:05 AM (xT8gx)

69 Morning, Salty. I'm doing fine. How about you? No pirate excursions planned yet. Probably not until June.

Posted by: olddog in mo at March 22, 2026 07:07 AM (bQ4nt)

70 61 what is the cheapest way to get 4k out of an old laptop?
Posted by: r hennigantx

Depends on how old. If it doesn't have USB-C or HDMI - or the HDM doesn't support 4k - you can get a USB adaptor that delivers 4k HDMI at 30Hz for about $40 on Amazon, or 2 x 4k at 60Hz for $90.

Don't expect high performance but for basic desktop use they reportedly work well.

Posted by: Pixy Misa at March 22, 2026 07:07 AM (BLOW1)

71 Puddleglum at work

Bezos lost money on the Washington Post. He traded down in wives. And his entire profit center is government contracts. Any Dem instability can crush that plan.

The Amazon Store, which has broken retail, is barely profitable. It is highly sensitive to fossil fuel costs.

Posted by: NaCly Dog at March 22, 2026 07:09 AM (u82oZ)

72 olddog in mo

Doing OK. I am on the road to recovery since I lost my wife. The county Senior Center has a widow support group. So I walk three days a week with a different widow. Walk, not stalk.

Posted by: NaCly Dog at March 22, 2026 07:11 AM (u82oZ)

73 Don't expect high performance but for basic desktop use they reportedly work well.
Posted by: Pixy Misa at March 22, 2026 07:07 AM (BLOW1)

thx pix

Posted by: r hennigantx at March 22, 2026 07:11 AM (gbOdA)

74 I planned to help NotSoThoreau in Western Kansas yesterday, but I postponed it to today. She is good people.

It is a three hour drive, so I will start my preps now.

Have a great day, everyone.

Head on a swivel, and have a plan.

Posted by: NaCly Dog at March 22, 2026 07:14 AM (u82oZ)

75 74 I planned to help NotSoThoreau in Western Kansas yesterday, but I postponed it to today. She is good people.

It is a three hour drive, so I will start my preps now.

Have a great day, everyone.

Head on a swivel, and have a plan.
Posted by: NaCly Dog at March 22, 2026 07:14 AM (u82oZ)

Y'all report back!

Posted by: m at March 22, 2026 07:16 AM (+YA9H)

76 Frieren is excellent story telling....awesome action sequences

Posted by: qmark at March 22, 2026 07:24 AM (R91/8)

77 “It’s almost unbelievable”. Yeah. I noticed how often I was saying that, starting about 20 years ago. Then I lost track.

Posted by: Common Tater at March 22, 2026 07:27 AM (Ft/w+)

78 SIM scam

Damin Toell retweeted
@damintoell
Aakash Gupta
@aakashgupta
8h
Run the actual numbers on "SIM card gold" before you start dissolving things in acid.

A SIM card contains roughly 0.5 to 1 milligram of gold. At today's gold price of ~$4,500 per ounce, one milligram is worth about $0.15. Fifteen cents. Your SIM card's gold is worth less than the electricity it takes to read this tweet.

The video going viral right now is from a Chinese blogger who claimed to refine 191 grams of gold from SIM cards. Worth about $28,000 at current prices. What the video doesn't show: the creator later admitted the process required 2 tons of raw materials, not just SIM cards, and most of the source material was other gold-plated electronic waste that never appeared on camera.

Posted by: m at March 22, 2026 07:27 AM (+YA9H)

79 *pardon the math

Posted by: m at March 22, 2026 07:29 AM (+YA9H)

80 So did some reworking of Voter Role requiring US Citizenship.
It seems that we could collect Citizenship Status for around 28 M voters in the US.
As the laws/plans are actually implemented, it works out to around 14 Million voters.

Posted by: r hennigantx at March 22, 2026 07:33 AM (gbOdA)

81 Whatever The Current Thing is, someone is trying to buy up everybody and power them with it. Water wheels, oxen, stirrups, round barns -- right through to Steam, The New Prometheus, armory practice, and punch cards. Some of it works, every time, 40%. Some of it doesn't. The market and its externalities will decide. What's hard to watch is new externalities being dialed in. The great innovation of the last half-century turned out to be the heavy thumb of government incentive. What else ya got?

Posted by: Way, Way Downriver at March 22, 2026 07:38 AM (zdLoL)

82 SystemD: Trojan Horse.

Posted by: Grumpy and Recalcitrant at March 22, 2026 07:41 AM (O7YUW)

83 All of those current things are still in use except punch cards, I think. Probably nobody uses them except some obscure Federal agency that tracks gnat bites or something.

Posted by: fd at March 22, 2026 07:45 AM (vFG9F)

84 I shidded in my pants and peed a little.

Posted by: Joseph Robinette Biden at March 22, 2026 07:47 AM (WAgNm)

85 81 Some of it works, every time, 40%.
Posted by: Way, Way Downriver at March 22, 2026 07:38 AM (zdLoL)

40%?

Posted by: m at March 22, 2026 07:47 AM (+YA9H)

86 Technology has definitely been by the government. Tesla would not exist in its current form without the Federal government. Musk figured out how to work the climate change and the demise of petroleum scams to get things rolling.

Posted by: fd at March 22, 2026 07:49 AM (vFG9F)

87 Technology has definitely been "skewed" by the government
.

I meant to say.

Posted by: fd at March 22, 2026 07:50 AM (vFG9F)

88 So technical questions for a new computer system.

For an upper mid-range computer what would be good specs?

AMD Ryzen, motherboard, 4xxx or 5xxx Nvidia or equivalent, 32GB DDR5, 2TB SSD, cooling system, power supply, and case. Along with OS and ability to buy part by part I guess.

Thanks.

Posted by: Anna Puma at March 22, 2026 07:51 AM (2GVsD)

89 twitter is 20 years old

Nikita Bier
@nikitabier
15h
Happy anniversary to this app.
Thank you for bringing us all together @jack

jack
@jack
15h
five words. 20 years. unfinished.

Posted by: m at March 22, 2026 07:51 AM (+YA9H)

90 This week I'll ring up my mechanic to have him go over a couple of things on the Buick in prep for my trip to KS next month. Cabin filter, air filter (though I might be able to do that one), check the belts and hoses, and inspect the LF tire. It's over five years old, the rest just over two.

The owner's manual indicates spark plugs should be changed at 97,500 mi., and the car is at 95,200. Time to have that done when I get back, I think. The car still runs perfectly and returns great mileage (on regular) for a big beast with a V-6.

Gas here: $3.49 for 87 E10. I have a nearby Exxon which has it for $3.39 with my Ex. card, and E0 for only .30 more, so I did a 50/50 fillup on Friday.

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at March 22, 2026 07:51 AM (wzUl9)

91 Good morning from a summer like western NC. 55 degrees here now and predicted mid 80s on this sunny day. Have a pleasant Sunday everyone.

Posted by: Rufus T. Firefly at March 22, 2026 07:52 AM (opJSc)

92 Good morning morons

Posted by: San Franpsycho at March 22, 2026 07:54 AM (RIvkX)

93 >>>Shania Twain. Feminist country -- an oxymoron. But she was a lovely woman.

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere

>Rule #1.

If you violate #1, Rule #2 is to her toss into the street on her pneumatic ass.

Posted by: Rev. Wishbone at March 22, 2026 07:54 AM (Wnd0C)

94 Skip a prayer for complete and speedy recovery

Posted by: San Franpsycho at March 22, 2026 07:55 AM (RIvkX)

95 Historically, for the last 30 years or so, you could get a decent PC for $1000, a competent work/game PC for about $2000, and nice CAD/game PC for $3000. I haven't built a PC in the last six months or so but expect the averages are up at least 20%.

Posted by: fd at March 22, 2026 07:56 AM (vFG9F)

96 83 All of those current things are still in use except punch cards, I think. Probably nobody uses them except some obscure Federal agency that tracks gnat bites or something.
Posted by: fd at March 22, 2026 07:45 AM (vFG9F)

I think several Unis have department to read old media.
Someone found a beta of Unix on a reel tape.

Posted by: r hennigantx at March 22, 2026 07:56 AM (gbOdA)

97 AI replacing jobs will highlight how poorly the American educational system has fared, and how much it has failed American children. And this generation is not the first to represent this failure.

Posted by: Pete Bog at March 22, 2026 04:55 AM (eCt/m)

AI replacing jobs will highlight how poorly senior executives understand their businesses and how little they consider future implications of their actions.

Posted by: I used to have a different nic at March 22, 2026 07:56 AM (ExV1e)

98 Birdbath status?

Posted by: Just Wondering at March 22, 2026 07:56 AM (2Ez/1)

99 94 Skip a prayer for complete and speedy recovery
Posted by: San Franpsycho at March 22, 2026 07:55 AM (RIvkX)

Which prayer do we skip?

Posted by: r hennigantx at March 22, 2026 07:57 AM (gbOdA)

100 100

Posted by: r hennigantx at March 22, 2026 07:57 AM (gbOdA)

101 Pascal-Emmanuel Gobry
@pegobry_en
12h
For the five billionth time:

- You don’t need a conspiracy theory to explain why the US government is interested in an area that has 50% of the world’s oil and 30% of the world’s trade

- You don’t need a conspiracy theory to explain why the US government feels threatened by a jihadist death cult (whose motto is "Death to America") developing nukes

======

So it was the joos?

Posted by: San Franpsycho at March 22, 2026 08:00 AM (RIvkX)

102 I always tell people to set a price you want to spend on a PC and then get the best thing you can for that. It will be different next month anyway.

Anna, the specs you listed are fine. Price it with the most expensive of everything and then start backing off until it fits you budget.

Posted by: fd at March 22, 2026 08:01 AM (vFG9F)

103 Pete Bog and I used to have a different nic, interesting concept that by indoctrinating students instead of educating them the central planners were creating a class of compliant drones.

Posted by: Ben Had at March 22, 2026 08:02 AM (+nEug)

104 jack
@jack
15h
five words. 20 years. unfinished.
=====

Fvck off commie.

Posted by: San Franpsycho at March 22, 2026 08:02 AM (RIvkX)

105 Blueberry muffin and coffee time

Posted by: Skip at March 22, 2026 08:02 AM (Ia/+0)

106 100 100
Posted by: r hennigantx at March 22, 2026 07:57 AM (gbOdA)

w00t

Posted by: m at March 22, 2026 08:03 AM (+YA9H)

107 Which prayer do we skip?
Posted by: r hennigantx at March 22, 2026 07:57 AM (gbOdA)
=====

ARE WE NOT DOING PHRASING?

Posted by: San Franpsycho at March 22, 2026 08:03 AM (RIvkX)

108 >>>AI replacing jobs will highlight how poorly senior executives understand their businesses and how little they consider future implications of their actions.

Posted by: I used to have a different nic

>AI knows nothing about how to repair a circuit when the power goes out. And there aren't too many people either.

Posted by: Rev. Wishbone at March 22, 2026 08:03 AM (Wnd0C)

109 Sure feels like all of these datacenters are for something different than just AI - like the control grid needed for a central bank digital currency.

Posted by: Don in SoCo at March 22, 2026 08:03 AM (Qa1ZC)

110 Speaking of AI, this is interesting:

https://instapundit.com/784329/

Posted by: I am the Shadout Mapes, the Housekeeper at March 22, 2026 08:05 AM (XE5AP)

111 99 94 Skip a prayer for complete and speedy recovery
Posted by: San Franpsycho at March 22, 2026 07:55 AM (RIvkX)

Which prayer do we skip?
Posted by: r hennigantx at March 22, 2026 07:57 AM (gbOdA)

I wuz gonna say.

Posted by: m at March 22, 2026 08:05 AM (+YA9H)

112 I imagine you could just scan punch cards nowadays to read them if you needed to. No reason to maintain an old punch card machine.

Posted by: fd at March 22, 2026 08:05 AM (vFG9F)

113 Cranberry walnut bread toast and a couple of eggs. And coffee. Then out to the backyard for more landscape work. Still have a yard of topsoil, some DG and cobblestone to move.

Posted by: CrotchetyOldJarhead at March 22, 2026 08:06 AM (3Ope8)

114 Bezos lost money on the Washington Post. He traded down in wives. And his entire profit center is government contracts. Any Dem instability can crush that plan.

The Amazon Store, which has broken retail, is barely profitable. It is highly sensitive to fossil fuel costs.

Posted by: NaCly Dog at March 22, 2026 07:09 AM (u82oZ)

He got rich destroying American retail and then decided that he was more than a shopkeeper. He's easily swayed to follow the latest trends but he doesn't understand them. He thinks that he does, but he doesn't.

Still, at least his fabulous wealth means that we all get to suffer, to some degree, as he strokes himself over his brilliance.

Posted by: I used to have a different nic at March 22, 2026 08:06 AM (ExV1e)

115 88 So technical questions for a new computer system.

For an upper mid-range computer what would be good specs?

AMD Ryzen, motherboard, 4xxx or 5xxx Nvidia or equivalent, 32GB DDR5, 2TB SSD, cooling system, power supply, and case. Along with OS and ability to buy part by part I guess.

CPU: 9800X3D for high-end gaming, 9950X for heavy workstation use, 9950X3D if you want to have it all, and 9700X if you're spending your own money.

Graphics card: Nvidia graphics cards are still available but the 5070 Ti and 5080 are about 30% over MSRP and the 5090 is completely unaffordable. The 5070 and the AMD 9070 XT are both about 20% over MSRP.

Cheapest modern generally capable card is the 16GB 9060 XT. Has some limitations but even at 30% over MSRP it's cheaper than any other 16GB card.

(Here in Australia for some strange reason the 9070 XT is 5% under MSRP right now, making it a bargain relative to the rest of the market.)

I tend to go for Gigabyte motherboards (ASRock has a reputation for killing 9800X3D CPUs but it's rare and not really confirmed), Corsair power supplies, and Crucial RAM and SSDs, but Crucial is out of that market now.

Posted by: Pixy Misa at March 22, 2026 08:08 AM (BLOW1)

116 Some of it works, every time, 40%.
Posted by: Way, Way Downriver at March 22, 2026 07:38 AM (zdLoL)

40%?
Posted by: m at March 22, 2026 07:47 AM (+YA9H)

It's no Sex Panther, that's for sure.

Posted by: I used to have a different nic at March 22, 2026 08:09 AM (ExV1e)

117 Does AI understand what is required to provide fuel for its backup generators? Does AI have a fleet of tanker trucks for backup?

Posted by: Rev. Wishbone at March 22, 2026 08:09 AM (Wnd0C)

118 How many divisions does ChatGPT have?

Posted by: Pixy Misa at March 22, 2026 08:10 AM (BLOW1)

119 That Frieren video was interesting, but spoilers? I couldn’t figure out what was going on, except that two elf girls were having a magick bitch-fight.

Posted by: Tom Servo at March 22, 2026 08:11 AM (M1V8X)

120 119 That Frieren video was interesting, but spoilers? I couldn’t figure out what was going on, except that two elf girls were having a magick bitch-fight.
Posted by: Tom Servo

The fact that two identical elf girls are having a magick bitch-fight is itself a spoiler.

Posted by: Pixy Misa at March 22, 2026 08:13 AM (BLOW1)

121
117 Does AI understand what is required to provide fuel for its backup generators? Does AI have a fleet of tanker trucks for backup?
Posted by: Rev. Wishbone at March 22, 2026 08:09 AM (Wnd0C)

AI will tell you it does because AI thinks you want it to tell you that.

Posted by: Tom Servo at March 22, 2026 08:13 AM (M1V8X)

122 Does AI understand what is required to provide fuel for its backup generators?

AI doesn't 'understand' anything. The great problem with AI is that a significant number of influential people do not understand that fact.

Posted by: I used to have a different nic at March 22, 2026 08:14 AM (ExV1e)

123
Gas in Las Cruces was $3.95 while diesel was $5.65. ouch. That Toyota RAV 4 Hybrid is going to break even way sooner than I thought if this keeps up. I am getting 47 mpg since the last fill up.
Posted by: Alteria Pilgram

$4.99 for diesel here in North Alabama. 13mpg. 6.7L cummins dually.

But I can safely tow most anything at all.

Posted by: BifBewalski - at March 22, 2026 08:14 AM (QVmho)

124 Going to be a beautiful day here in Lower Slower Delaware, but Mommy Dr. Jill won't let me go for a bike ride anymore.

Posted by: President Dunce Emeritus at March 22, 2026 08:19 AM (oftw2)

125 He got rich destroying American retail"

Nah. The retail sector was major suckage. Mom and pop stores are crap.

Need coffeve....

Posted by: man at March 22, 2026 08:19 AM (XuXeR)

126 They don’t need AI for CBDC.That infrastructure is already built out. They don’t have regulatory authority.
Industry will use AI in robotics as time and circumstance permit.
They do need LLM to scrape the internet for behavior patterns that can be defined and regulated.
Anyways. Easter is coming

Posted by: Accomack at March 22, 2026 08:20 AM (T8bqm)

127 118 How many divisions does ChatGPT have?
Posted by: Pixy Misa

Probably more than it did before the Pentagon fired Anthropic

Posted by: vmom deport deport deport at March 22, 2026 08:22 AM (eZ5tL)

128 The big news worldwide this morning is amusing, because it’s no news at all to any of us. England, Germany and France are suddenly waking up the the fact that Iran could easily hit them with missiles, and that they have never built any missile defenses of their own. And also yes, they were driving hard towards nuclear weapons to arm those missiles with.

Meanwhile Trump and Bibi are doing the “I told you so, I told you so!!!” Dance and sending it out in DM’s to every European leader.

Joe Kemp and whatever said group was backing hi are now completely exposed as incredible idiots.

Posted by: Tom Servo at March 22, 2026 08:23 AM (M1V8X)

129 My retirement will be fully funded by investment in Former First Son artworks. You can get them at a reasonable price nowadays. Expecting interest and prices to skyrocket after 2030.

Posted by: Savvy Mover And Shaker at March 22, 2026 08:24 AM (oftw2)

130 Joe Kemp and whatever said group was backing hi are now completely exposed as incredible idiots.
=====

They are shameless so I expect zero accountability.

Posted by: San Franpsycho at March 22, 2026 08:25 AM (RIvkX)

131 It has been decades since I watched anime.

Posted by: BeckoningChasm at March 22, 2026 08:26 AM (CHHv1)

132 Thanks Pixy-misa. Arigato nyah.

Tom that battle is from the end of the Magician First Class arc that Frieren and Fern need to pass in order to go to the Northern Plateau. I'll resist giving any spoilers, though the video has almost given away one of the greatest scenes in the series.

Posted by: Anna Puma at March 22, 2026 08:26 AM (2GVsD)

133 The retail sector was major suckage. Mom and pop stores are crap.

Walmart destroyed mom and pop shops, Amazon destroyed everything else.

Posted by: I used to have a different nic at March 22, 2026 08:26 AM (ExV1e)

134 Walmart sux.
Amazon is great. Yeah, they share a lot of the same cheap chinesium crap, but, Amazon does have the best grocery selection

Posted by: Accomack at March 22, 2026 08:29 AM (8jVAy)

135 So, those deliveries from China as this whole thing kicked-off....nothing related to nuclear weapons in that?

Posted by: Don in SoCo at March 22, 2026 08:29 AM (Qa1ZC)

136 “ ‘If calamity comes upon us, whether the sword of judgment, or plague or famine, we will stand in your presence before this temple that bears your Name and will cry out to you in our distress, and you will hear us and save us.’”

2 Chronicles 20:9

Posted by: Marcus T at March 22, 2026 08:30 AM (moGJJ)

137 and that they have never built any missile defenses of their own"

Well of course not. They just relied on the stupid 'murricans.

Gotta fund everything else. Especially trains.

Posted by: man at March 22, 2026 08:30 AM (XuXeR)

138 Walmart destroyed mom and pop shops, Amazon destroyed everything else.
Posted by: I used to have a different nic

Look at former town centers of many communities. Vacant stores, fly-by-night "churches", thrift stores. Only economic activity out on the four-lane, anchored by Dollah General and convenience/gas stores. Silly country we live in.

Posted by: Old Man Adams, The Sourest Man In Town at March 22, 2026 08:31 AM (oftw2)

139 Walmart destroyed mom and pop shops, Amazon destroyed everything else."

Customers voted with their $. Who's crying over toys r us? Rainy brainy? Malls?

Posted by: man at March 22, 2026 08:32 AM (XuXeR)

140 *Gotta fund everything else. Especially trains.*
###

And take off for the entire month of August.

Posted by: Euroweenies at March 22, 2026 08:33 AM (2Ez/1)

141 Look at former town centers"

They weren't viable.

Posted by: man at March 22, 2026 08:34 AM (XuXeR)

142 More or less the same as the Steamboat Willie cartoon from 1928? Progress.

Posted by: Alteria Pilgram - My President has convictions at March 22, 2026 05:14 AM (glnUu)

24fps on sound film.

Posted by: thatcrazyjerseyguy at March 22, 2026 08:34 AM (5xuJ/)

143 >Customers voted with their $. Who's crying over toys r us? Rainy brainy? Malls?
_____

I used to be a thing.

Posted by: Sears & Roebuck at March 22, 2026 08:34 AM (2Ez/1)

144 Look at former town centers of many communities. Vacant stores, fly-by-night "churches", thrift stores. Only economic activity out on the four-lane, anchored by Dollah General and convenience/gas stores. Silly country we live in.

Oh, it's not just Amazon and Wal-Mart. Drive through PA coal country and look at the blasted wastes that are towns. The only thriving 'businesses' are nail salons, Rent-A-Centers and bars.

Posted by: Mary Poppins' Practically Perfect Piercing (aka Eloquent Depression) at March 22, 2026 08:34 AM (ufSfZ)

145 And take off for the entire month of August.
Posted by: Euroweenies"

Yep. English all turning themselves orange...

Posted by: man at March 22, 2026 08:35 AM (XuXeR)

146 And take off for the entire month of August.
Posted by: Euroweenies

Don't leave us out!

Posted by: Violent Jihadi Dependent Underclass at March 22, 2026 08:36 AM (oftw2)

147 Morning, 'rons and 'ronettes. 35 gloomy degrees here at Stately Poppins Manor. The forecast calls for rain all week, with a one-day break of snow (which shouldn't amount to much). So it's a week when a real writer would get a ton of stuff done.

I am not that writer.

Posted by: Mary Poppins' Practically Perfect Piercing (aka Eloquent Depression) at March 22, 2026 08:36 AM (ufSfZ)

148 Look at former town centers of many communities. Vacant stores, fly-by-night "churches", thrift stores.
———-

But they have Methamphetamine, Fentanyl and Casinos, to take up the slack. And “Diversity”.

Posted by: Common Tater at March 22, 2026 08:36 AM (7NvEU)

149 Mechanization hollowed out rural areas more than WalMart.
The Delmarva could be a farming powerhouse if it was in Missouri. But, the wonderful beaches make it difficult to keep people out.

Posted by: Accomack at March 22, 2026 08:36 AM (8jVAy)

150 Drive through PA coal country and look at the blasted wastes that are towns. "

Indeed. Populations have moved... it's a bit unsettling, tho.

Posted by: man at March 22, 2026 08:37 AM (XuXeR)

151 I like my town. The downtown has many businesses and there has been a concentrated effort to keep it vibrant.

Posted by: Ben Had at March 22, 2026 08:38 AM (+nEug)

152 Amazon is great. Yeah, they share a lot of the same cheap chinesium crap, but, Amazon does have the best grocery selection
Posted by: Accomack at March 22, 2026 08:29 AM (8jVAy)

Amazon is great. But it's how Jeff Bezos, shopkeeper, made the money that he uses to fuck with everything else. And just because he was the first successful instance of "just put everything online" doesn't mean that he has extra brain cells for everything else. It just makes him think he does. And he employs a bunch of other people willing to tell him what he wants to hear.

Posted by: I used to have a different nic at March 22, 2026 08:38 AM (ExV1e)

153 So, it seems counter to convention, but given the current state of weapons development in Iran, couldn't one of their big brothers who see the US as a competitor just kinda push things over the line by bringing in nukes?

Posted by: Don in SoCo at March 22, 2026 08:39 AM (Qa1ZC)

154 Takaichi, Milei, Jose Kast.
Posted by: 13times
---

Put Meloni in the mix. And possibly Equador.

Posted by: Braenyard - some Absent Friends are more equal than others _ at March 22, 2026 08:39 AM (EgLGT)

155 Another thing I find both heartening and amusing today is that in its fanatical madness, Iran has now convinced everyone worldwide that yes, they are indeed suicidal zealots who can not be bargained with and must be destroyed utterly.

And again, Trump and Bibi are sitting at the Winner’s table sharing a toast and saying Mazel’tov!

The war is in fact over. The outcome is decided. All that’s left is a bunch of messy mopping up.

Posted by: Tom Servo at March 22, 2026 08:39 AM (M1V8X)

156 And “Diversity”."

Si. It's very odd to drive thru central WV, Eastern Ohio, and Western PA and see so many "Taqueria Los...whatever"

Posted by: man at March 22, 2026 08:40 AM (XuXeR)

157 So, it seems counter to convention, but given the current state of weapons development in Iran, couldn't one of their big brothers who see the US as a competitor just kinda push things over the line by bringing in nukes?
Posted by: Don in SoCo at March 22, 2026 08:39 AM (Qa1ZC)
====
It is equally possible that rain makes applesauce.

Posted by: San Franpsycho at March 22, 2026 08:41 AM (RIvkX)

158 150 Drive through PA coal country and look at the blasted wastes that are towns. "

The silk factory in Shamokin, PA employed 6,000 people. Closed in 1938. Became a shoe factory. Closed in 1980. Buildings eventually torn down.

Posted by: Coal Region Explorer at March 22, 2026 08:41 AM (oftw2)

159
Jeff: Alexa, buy some groceries.

Alexa: Ok, buying Whole Foods.

Jeff: Shit.

Posted by: Still funny at March 22, 2026 08:42 AM (2Ez/1)

160 The downtown has many businesses and there has been a concentrated effort to keep it vibrant"

And there is one other key difference between where you at and the places I just mentioned...

Posted by: man at March 22, 2026 08:42 AM (XuXeR)

161 It is equally possible that rain makes applesauce.
Posted by: San Franpsycho

Somebody made applesauce in my pants!!

Posted by: Scranton's Finest at March 22, 2026 08:43 AM (oftw2)

162 Motherboard has 4 slots for RAM, do I still need to pair them up or can I fill just one slot?

Posted by: Anna Puma at March 22, 2026 08:43 AM (2GVsD)

163 >>>Oh, it's not just Amazon and Wal-Mart. Drive through PA coal country and look at the blasted wastes that are towns. The only thriving 'businesses' are nail salons, Rent-A-Centers and bars.
Posted by: Mary Poppins' Practically Perfect Piercing
---

That tells you moved to working pastures and who didn't.

Posted by: Braenyard - some Absent Friends are more equal than others _ at March 22, 2026 08:44 AM (EgLGT)

164 Customers voted with their $. Who's crying over toys r us? Rainy brainy? Malls?

Malls, at least in my youth, were a place where teens could go, hang out, meet each other. Now they're terminally online. Millions are girls are counting the days until they turn 18 and can significantly negatively impact their lives by posting porn of themselves. Boys just withdraw. Lots of terminally unemployed/underemployed people.

I miss malls. I miss department stores where you could actually look at things before you bought them. Still, I've saved a couple thousand dollars while American society unravels. That's something, I guess.

Posted by: I used to have a different nic at March 22, 2026 08:44 AM (ExV1e)

165 All that’s left is a bunch of messy mopping up.
Posted by: Tom Servo at March 22, 2026 08:39 AM (M1V8X)
=====

And a lot of otherwise avoidable bloodshed but for the fact this criminal regime was allowed to fester for so long, for use as a tool by those who want to bring the United States down.

Posted by: San Franpsycho at March 22, 2026 08:44 AM (RIvkX)

166 Wow, I've heard of Piketon, OH. Looked it up to figure out why and it turns out it's most prominent resident was Robert Lucas, my 5x grt uncle.

He was gov of OH, when they "fought" the Toledo War w/ MI and first territorial gov of OH.

Posted by: Farmer, with his own historic take at March 22, 2026 08:47 AM (55Qr6)

167
153 So, it seems counter to convention, but given the current state of weapons development in Iran, couldn't one of their big brothers who see the US as a competitor just kinda push things over the line by bringing in nukes?
Posted by: Don in SoCo at March 22, 2026 08:39 AM (Qa1ZC)

In all seriousness, who? It’s a small club. Russia and China are both looking at what the US has been doing militarily the last 3 months and saying “daaasmmnnnn!!!” They thought they were our peer’s militarily, and suddenly they both realize they’re not close, They may hate us, but they’re both too smart to get dragged into a war with us over some fools who have already lost.

China especially - China now knows that by shutting down the sea lanes, we have the power to crack their entire economy like a rotten egg, and Xi knows that even he can’t control a billion people who are all pissed off at him at the same time.

Posted by: Tom Servo at March 22, 2026 08:47 AM (M1V8X)

168 Trmp has the Trump card and he is playing it.

Posted by: Ben Had at March 22, 2026 08:49 AM (+nEug)

169 Mornin' all. Couldn't sleep, so covfefe it is...

I miss malls, especially during the holidays.

Posted by: JQ at March 22, 2026 08:49 AM (rdVOm)

170 Oops, meant first territorial gov of IA.

Posted by: Farmer, with his own historic take at March 22, 2026 08:49 AM (55Qr6)

171 FFS Russia hasn't defeated Ukraine in 4 years, they are going to go for the U.S.?? They are going to go for Poland? Sure, Jan.

Russia is spent.

Posted by: San Franpsycho at March 22, 2026 08:50 AM (RIvkX)

172 So, it seems counter to convention, but given the current state of weapons development in Iran, couldn't one of their big brothers who see the US as a competitor just kinda push things over the line by bringing in nukes?
Posted by: Don in SoCo at March 22, 2026 08:39 AM (Qa1ZC)

Supposedly, they can determine where the material for a nuclear weapon came from. Assuming that's true, someone giving Iran nuclear weapons would probably be treated as that country using the weapons themselves.

Posted by: I used to have a different nic at March 22, 2026 08:50 AM (ExV1e)

173 Russia and China are both looking at what the US has been doing militarily the last 3 months and saying “daaammnnnn!"
_-_
It was a question of mine, so I don't have much to offer in response to your answer other than I hope your assessment is correct.

Posted by: Don in SoCo at March 22, 2026 08:50 AM (Qa1ZC)

174 heir entire economy like a rotten egg, and Xi knows that even he can’t control a billion people who are all pissed off at him at the same time.
Posted by: Tom Servo a
---

Not to mention a hitch in the Paki / Indie get along.

Posted by: Braenyard - some Absent Friends are more equal than others _ at March 22, 2026 08:51 AM (EgLGT)

175 @162/Anna Puma: "Motherboard has 4 slots for RAM, do I still need to pair them up or can I fill just one slot?"

The motherboard's manual should tell you that in the "Memory" section.

Posted by: Grumpy and Recalcitrant at March 22, 2026 08:52 AM (O7YUW)

176 Trmp has the Trump card and he is playing it.
Posted by: Ben Had at March 22, 2026 08:49 AM (+nEug)

People had to know that he held the Trump card. It's in the name. World leaders became intellectually lazy over the decades where US leadership was either idiotic, treasonous, or both.

Posted by: I used to have a different nic at March 22, 2026 08:52 AM (ExV1e)

177 I miss department stores where you could actually look at things before you bought them"

There's a best buy, target, academy, bass pro, Walmart, lowes depot and more w/in a 5 mile circle. No need to put them under one roof

Posted by: man at March 22, 2026 08:52 AM (XuXeR)

178 California and Aerospace is a cautionary tale. When the East coast and Midwest was being hollowed out, Southern California was a bright spot due to the Reagan era buildup and revitalization of the military. The collapse of the Soviet Union sort of killed off a lot of good paying jobs and technical careers. Skilled labor workforce can’t be turned on and off like a light switch. Outsourcing manufacturing is profoundly stupid, even if demand needs to be reset.

Posted by: Common Tater at March 22, 2026 08:52 AM (7NvEU)

179 171 FFS Russia hasn't defeated Ukraine in 4 years, they are going to go for the U.S.?? They are going to go for Poland? Sure, Jan.

Russia is spent.
Posted by: San Franpsycho at March 22, 2026 08:50 AM (RIvkX)

They are playing possum! They'll roll right over eastern europe the second they get done with Ukraine!

What has always killed me about the fake and gay Ukraine thing: they exact same people saying Ukraine is about to take Moscow are the same people that are saying if we do not back Ukraine to the hilt, Russia will be in paris in weeks.

Posted by: Aetius451AD at March 22, 2026 08:52 AM (bss/y)

180 Maybe Russia has their own never-ending grift scheme for wars, like we do?

Posted by: JQ at March 22, 2026 08:53 AM (rdVOm)

181 169 Mornin' all. Couldn't sleep, so covfefe it is...

I miss malls, especially during the holidays.
Posted by: JQ
---

Morninig. Those four hour bedtimes are something else.

Posted by: Braenyard - some Absent Friends are more equal than others _ at March 22, 2026 08:53 AM (EgLGT)

182 I've been to Shamokin. Very depressing town.

There is, or was, the Selinsgrove Brewery nearby. Don't know if it's still around.

Posted by: Mary Poppins' Practically Perfect Piercing (aka Eloquent Depression) at March 22, 2026 08:53 AM (ufSfZ)

183 Things will be great when you're
Downtown
No time to waste to go
Downtown
Everyone's waiting for you

Posted by: Skip at March 22, 2026 08:54 AM (Ia/+0)

184 Russia is a gas station.
With the same GDP as the state of Florida.
And nukes. Don't forget the nukes.

Posted by: Quarter Twenty at March 22, 2026 08:55 AM (2Ez/1)

185 Those four hour bedtimes are something else.
Posted by: Braenyard
---------

Well, I actually got five. Guess I shouldn't complain, but... this means I've passed "middle age" doesn't it?

*weeps*

Posted by: JQ at March 22, 2026 08:56 AM (rdVOm)

186 @169/JQ: "I miss malls, especially during the holidays."

We still have one where I am, but it is a shadow of its former self. I don't see how it stays in operation.

Posted by: Grumpy and Recalcitrant at March 22, 2026 08:56 AM (O7YUW)

187 166 Wow, I've heard of Piketon, OH. Looked it up to figure out why and it turns out it's most prominent resident was Robert Lucas, my 5x grt uncle.

He was gov of OH, when they "fought" the Toledo War w/ MI and first territorial gov of OH.
Posted by: Farmer, with his own historic take at March 22, 2026 08:47 AM (55Qr6)

There was also that mass murder a few years back, an entire family killed--I forget how many--and it was assumed to be some major drug dealer op. Turned out, it was all over a custody battle.

Posted by: Dash my lace wigs! at March 22, 2026 08:56 AM (h7ZuX)

188 184 Russia is a gas station.
With the same GDP as the state of Florida.
And nukes. Don't forget the nukes.
Posted by: Quarter Twenty at March 22, 2026 08:55 AM (2Ez/1)

A trailer park family with a McLaren and a meth habit.

Posted by: Aetius451AD at March 22, 2026 08:57 AM (bss/y)

189 Grab your reading glasses and head upstairs
BOOK THREAD NOOD

Posted by: Skip at March 22, 2026 08:58 AM (Ia/+0)

190 I can see the likelihood of Russia screwing with us in Iran like we did to them in Afghanistan and Ukraine. Invding the US or sending us love letters are not the only two options.

Posted by: Don in SoCo at March 22, 2026 08:58 AM (Qa1ZC)

191 Nail salons, Rent a Centers, and bars?

You forgot the most important anchor business for any retail area. You forgot the vape shops.

Posted by: Just Some Guy at March 22, 2026 08:58 AM (q3u5l)

192 Things will be great when you're
Downtown
No time to waste to go
Downtown
Everyone's waiting for you
Posted by: Skip at March 22, 2026 08:54 AM (Ia/+0)

I love that song. The instrumental break when the horns are blowing the roof off is probably the purest distillation of 60s BritPop in existence.

Posted by: Mary Poppins' Practically Perfect Piercing (aka Eloquent Depression) at March 22, 2026 08:58 AM (ufSfZ)

193 FFS Russia hasn't defeated Ukraine in 4 years, they are going to go for the U.S.??

There are 3 possibilities here...

1. Russia already holds all of the territory that Russia actually wants. You know, the part that holds ethnic Russians, but they're unwilling to end the war until they get an agreement that Ukraine will never join NATO.
2. Russia wants to take over all of Ukraine but plucky little Ukraine - with the monetary and material backing of NATO - is unable to defeat them - although they're already killed enough 'regular' Ukrainians that the Ukrainian government is, reportedly, running ads to tell Ukrainian women to get ready to start marrying the influx of African who'll be arriving soon to repopulate the county.
3. Russia is totally a spent force and, despite the fact that they have a fuckload of nuclear weapons (which the experts who're never correct about anything promise us will almost certainly not work) and so we should just ignore them or, better still, continue to antagonize them rather than working towards a mutually beneficial coexistence.

Posted by: I used to have a different nic at March 22, 2026 08:59 AM (ExV1e)

194 We still have one where I am, but it is a shadow of its former self. I don't see how it stays in operation.
Posted by: Grumpy and Recalcitrant
---------

There's one here, too. Restaurant on one end, grocery store on the other. Bunch of empty/soon to be empty spaces in between. Sad.

Posted by: JQ at March 22, 2026 08:59 AM (rdVOm)

195 They are playing possum! They'll roll right over eastern europe the second they get done with Ukraine!
...

Posted by: Aetius451AD
--

Yeah, I think they are laying back/not putting all eggs in one basket. Russia is triangulating, not to be the loser but benefit from the Middle East/American dust up. Not be penalized.

Musk wants to go to Mars. Putin wants a stable and proud Mother Russia. Conquering may be for the next generations.

Posted by: Braenyard - some Absent Friends are more equal than others _ at March 22, 2026 08:59 AM (EgLGT)

196 already lost.

China especially - China now knows that by shutting down the sea lanes, we have the power to crack their entire economy like a rotten egg, and Xi knows that even he can’t control a billion people who are all pissed off at him at the same time.
Posted by: Tom Servo at March 22, 2026 08:47 AM (M1V8X)

Trump should announce that the us is closing the straight until China shuts down Iran's weapons technology.

Not sure if this makes any sense but would be trumpian.

Posted by: Cuthbert the Witless at March 22, 2026 09:00 AM (ds7qF)

197 NewEgg with their LLM assist. Graphics workstation, Ryzen 7, and 9060XT.

System recommendations costs either $3000 or $2,000.

Better check to see if I won the lottery.

Posted by: Anna Puma at March 22, 2026 09:01 AM (2GVsD)

198 Motherboard has 4 slots for RAM, do I still need to pair them up or can I fill just one slot?

Generally speaking, you can use 1, 2, or 4. You'd have to put the memory in specific slots depending on which configuration you use.

Posted by: I used to have a different nic at March 22, 2026 09:01 AM (ExV1e)

199 188 184 Russia is a gas station.
With the same GDP as the state of Florida.
And nukes. Don't forget the nukes.
Posted by: Quarter Twenty at March 22, 2026 08:55 AM (2Ez/1)
---

Natural resources
Arable land
Men who are free to think and tinker
-----------------

Posted by: Braenyard - some Absent Friends are more equal than others _ at March 22, 2026 09:05 AM (EgLGT)

200 System recommendations costs either $3000 or $2,000.

Better check to see if I won the lottery.
Posted by: Anna Puma at March 22, 2026 09:01 AM (2GVsD)

Yeah, pretty insane. Most of the 'gaming' systems I have been looking at at the various builders START at around $2600.

Posted by: Aetius451AD at March 22, 2026 09:08 AM (bss/y)

201 What’s changed is human interaction. There is less of it, and also less reality in the online world. It’s a fantasy dominion that’s almost always contrary to the real world. That alternate reality provides the appearance of perfection, where there is none, paints idyllic pictures, when the reality is much uglier, obfuscates truth with lies, sows false hope and promotes bodily corruption. It completely lacks a human element, that essential extemporaneous give-and-take which occurs when you are face to face with another human being. It’s a fake world that sells the insidious, the diabolical, the unhealthy and promiscuous deceptions as good, sagacious and normal.

Nothing could be further from the truth.

The ability to interact with someone in person is not just invaluable to the human psyche, it is necessary to promulgating truths. There is no substitute for being with other people, exchanging ideas, experiences and building trust. None. It is responsible for much of the ills and divisions that are evident in our society today.

Turn off your devices. Go outside. Reacquaint yourself with God and his magnificent creation- which includes your fellow man.

Posted by: Marcus T at March 22, 2026 09:09 AM (iFEms)

202 APC spent $20,000 of donor cash on ketamine? LOL. It actually might be legitimate from the campaign's standpoint, as an employee-retention measure. The wild-eyed halfwit cipher they have to babysit is probably much more tolerable when she's deep in a k-hole. Just have to be careful not to go too far, and pull a Casey Anthony.

Posted by: Yudhishthira's Dice at March 22, 2026 09:10 AM (R/RGp)

203 144 The only thriving 'businesses' are nail salons, Rent-A-Centers and bars.
Posted by: Mary Poppins' Practically Perfect Piercing (aka Eloquent Depression) at March 22, 2026 08:34 AM (ufSfZ)

"Nail salons" making the list is stunning and yet true.

Posted by: m at March 22, 2026 09:13 AM (+YA9H)

204 Iran fired two missiles. One fell short because of course it did. DGAR is too far away. The other was intercepted and shot down well before it could fall short like the other one did.

Posted by: one hour sober at March 22, 2026 09:14 AM (Y1sOo)

205 Iran fired two missiles at the joint British-American Diego Garcia military base in the Indian Ocean but they failed to reach their target, a U.K. minister said Sunday, confirming earlier reports of the number of projectiles.

“Our assessment is that the Iranians certainly targeted Diego Garcia. As we understand it, one missile fell short, failed. The other was intercepted and prevented,” U.K. Housing Secretary Steve Reed told BBC television.

Reed declined to say how far short the missiles fell.

“There is no specific assessment that the Iranians are targeting the U.K. or even could if they wanted to,” Reed added.

Posted by: one hour sober at March 22, 2026 09:17 AM (Y1sOo)

206 I miss department stores where you could actually look at things before you bought them"

There's a best buy, target, academy, bass pro, Walmart, lowes depot and more w/in a 5 mile circle. No need to put them under one roof
Posted by: man at March 22, 2026 08:52 AM (XuXeR)

In the area where I grew up, we had Two Guys From Harrison. The first large "everything under one roof" store. The local merchants in Perth Amboy attempted to stop it, but eventually, consumers made the choice. No more paying for on the street parking with parking meters, roaming from store to store, or dealing with traffic. This was in the mid 50's.

Posted by: thatcrazyjerseyguy at March 22, 2026 09:20 AM (5xuJ/)

207 IDF says it hit Tehran university site used to develop components for nuclear weapons

Strike on sanctioned Malek Ashtar University comes after US reportedly hits Natanz enrichment facility; IDF chief says campaign at ‘halfway’ stage, regime ‘battered and confused’

Posted by: Braenyard - some Absent Friends are more equal than others _ at March 22, 2026 09:23 AM (EgLGT)

208 Recently when the Anthropic software and ideology conflict with the Pentagon surfaced as a result of limits placed by the provider, alternative provider Palantir’s CEO remarked that any AI developer who challenges the U.S. military application of the product was foolish because the U.S. government could just take control of the company under the claim of national security.

Posted by: SMOD at March 22, 2026 09:27 AM (BnGkj)

209 Dozens of settlers beat Palestinians; burn homes, cars in revenge attacks

Assailants rampage at some 20 locations across West Bank after 18-year-old settler killed in attack; no arrests reported

Posted by: Braenyard - some Absent Friends are more equal than others _ at March 22, 2026 09:30 AM (EgLGT)

210 When someone tries to destroy your career, your reputation, and your life, while participating in a corrupt hoax, that person’s death might understandably be a cause for celebration to some people.

The left doesn’t seem to understand that knowingly and willfully perpetrating a political hoax to unseat the President of the United States is a treasonous abrogation of the will of The People. Those who engage in such egregious behavior have been hanged for less.
_James Woods@RealJamesWoods . 6h

Posted by: Braenyard - some Absent Friends are more equal than others _ at March 22, 2026 09:35 AM (EgLGT)

211 210 When someone tries to destroy your career, your reputation, and your life, while participating in a corrupt hoax, that person’s death might understandably be a cause for celebration to some people.

The left doesn’t seem to understand that knowingly and willfully perpetrating a political hoax to unseat the President of the United States is a treasonous abrogation of the will of The People. Those who engage in such egregious behavior have been hanged for less.
_James Woods@RealJamesWoods . 6h
Posted by: Braenyard - some Absent Friends are more equal than others _ at March 22, 2026 09:35 AM (EgLGT)

good one

Posted by: m at March 22, 2026 10:15 AM (+YA9H)

212 I used to live in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. About 18m people, heavy energy-intensive industrial, GDP bigger than Poland or UAE. Steel mills and such. Their peak sustained electricity demand was about 18GW.

And they want 10GW for *one* data center?

Posted by: Chap at March 22, 2026 11:17 AM (+DvYX)

213 USAF wanted to retire 270 A-10C Thunderbolt IIs by 2026 with nothing to immediately replace them.

18 plans per squadron. That is plenty of units suddenly without a flying mission. For example, the Maryland Air National Guard turned in their A-10Cs last year for a nebulous cyber mission.

Posted by: Anna Puma at March 23, 2026 08:11 AM (2GVsD)

Processing 0.02, elapsed 0.0307 seconds.
14 queries taking 0.0084 seconds, 221 records returned.
Page size 126 kb.
Powered by Minx 0.8 beta.