Daily Tech News 18 June 2026

Top Story

Mandy Rice-Davies applies: Anthropic employees accuse Trump Administration of targeting them. (New York Times)

The article is unreadable. Literally so if you don't maintain a paid NYT subscription for their puzzles page. A free login traps you in Dark Pattern Hell, an endless series of inescapable popup ads offering free paid trials cancel any time by submitting your cancellation request carved into the side of a living member of an extinct species of goat through first-class double-registered triple-certified mail. The usual archive sites don't work either.

Even if you have a subscription or you know of another workaround not that I would ever endorse such a thing, you will simply find that it is not worth reading:
"What are you telling your clients?" one employee asked in a chat viewed by The New York Times. Another said, "Does anyone know what to believe?" In another message, a worker said, "I don't understand what the issue is."
Playing dumb or actually dumb? What difference, at this point, does it make?
Anthropic asked for regulation. Washington went much further. (CNBC)

An actually informed and balanced take on the situation.

Quick precis: Anthropic announced its new Mythos AI tool with supernaturally dangerous hacking powers restricted to approved researchers, and its defanged Fable AI which is exactly the same thing only not. The Trump Administration ruled that if they're as dangerous as Anthropic claims, they need to be restricted for reasons of national security to American citizens on American soil. Anthropic threw its toys out of the pram and blocked access globally, and is now seeking to lay all the blame at the feet of that mean old Mister Trump.

What CNBC highlights and The New York Times buries is a blog post written by Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei a fucking week ago:
Frontier AI models, like airplanes, should be required to go through technical testing and auditing, and their release should be blocked or reversed as a threat to public safety if they do not meet high standards of safety.
Amodei is every bit as much of a weasel as Sam Altman. And while Altman is a sociopath and a compulsive liar, Amodei is something much worse: He's whiny.

Tech News

World leaders want American AI. They just don't want America. (Tech Crunch)

Substitute almost anything in place of AI and the story is the same.
The Orange Pi 6 is a nonplussed and hopefully cheaper version of the Orange Pi 6 Plus. (Liliputing)

This is a single-board computer along the lines of a Raspberry Pi, but more powerful than even the latest Raspberry Pi 5. Just one drawback: That power means the cheapest model of the Orange Pi 6 Plus costs $367.
Hewlett Packard is offering a year of free access to its new virtualisation platform, targeting customers drained of blood and left to die in a ditch following Broadcom's acquisition of VMWare. (Ars Technica)

After the free year is over, HP is suggesting prices around $600 per CPU socket.

VMWare charges around $400 per CPU core.

And a single CPU socket can run to 288 cores.
OpenAI increased its revenue from $3.7 billion in 2024 to $13 billion in 2025. (Where's Your Ed At)

Thanks to careful cost-control, losses over the same period dropped from $5 billion in 2024 to $38.5 billion in 2025.

Oh.

Actually, before fudging adjustments the company's net loss for 2025 reached $60 billion.
US science is in chaos. (Scientific American) (archive site)

Thanks to... Scientists no longer having access to an infinite money glitch.

Musical Interlude

Disclaimer: The infinite monkey glitch still works, but all roads lead to Shakespeare.

Posted by: Pixy Misa at 04:30 AM

Comments

(Jump to bottom of comments)

1 w00t

Posted by: m at June 18, 2026 04:31 AM (6wpGE)

2 G'Day everyone

Posted by: Skip at June 18, 2026 04:31 AM (Ia/+0)

3 BOING!

Exercise time soon.

Posted by: Biden's Dog sniffs a whole lotta malarkey, at June 18, 2026 04:31 AM (ebJJx)

4 Substitute almost anything in place of AI and the story is the same.

This is true, especially when it comes to money. The almost part is when it comes to defense; they don't just want our money and materiel, they want our bodies to defend them. Reminds me of when de Gaulle wanted American troops out of France. The American Secretary of State retorted, "and those in French cemeteries as well?"

Posted by: jim (in Kalifornia) at June 18, 2026 04:35 AM (l3cgK)

5 Evenin'

Posted by: Puddleglum, cheer up for the worst is yet to come at June 18, 2026 04:35 AM (sAmhv)

6 The infinite monkey glitch still works, but all roads lead to Shakespeare.

Infinite monkeys also lead to "Moby Dick"...

Posted by: jim (in Kalifornia) at June 18, 2026 04:36 AM (l3cgK)

7 new to me!

BBC: Mandy Rice-Davies

When told Lord Astor had denied their affair, she famously retorted: "Well he would, wouldn't he?"

The quote was later added to the Oxford Dictionary of Quotations.

Posted by: m at June 18, 2026 04:36 AM (6wpGE)

8 Morning, Tech Peeps

Posted by: fluffy at June 18, 2026 04:36 AM (V0/Sp)

9 Well, here we are again insomniacs and other-side-of-the-worlders.

Posted by: NemoMeImpuneLacessit at June 18, 2026 04:37 AM (ZVgZ4)

10 Thanks to careful cost-control, losses over the same period dropped from $5 billion in 2024 to $38.5 billion in 2025.

That's more in line with what I expected. Hey, AI buddies, I have some tulip bulbs for you...

Posted by: jim (in Kalifornia) at June 18, 2026 04:37 AM (l3cgK)

11 Well, I had an interesting night. About 11:40 I was watching an episode of Star Trek Enterprise when I heard somebody trying to force my front door open. I got to my desk where I keep my carry pistol. Saw his flashlight moving in my living room. Had him dead to rights in front of me, pistol aimed right at him. Chose to yell at him instead of shooting: "GET THE FUCK OUT OF MY HOUSE YOU PIECE OF SHIT" I have what is known as a command voice - it scared the piss out of him. Hispanic about 30 - 35, maybe 5'7" 180 lbs. I should have done the world a favor and shot him. Sorry everyone.

Repost from the overnight thread.

Posted by: An Observation sez Trump is my President at June 18, 2026 04:38 AM (Da7Vv)

12 9 Well, here we are again insomniacs and other-side-of-the-worlders.

Posted by: NemoMeImpuneLacessit at June 18, 2026 04:37 AM (ZVgZ4)

and those with f'd up sleep schedules.

Posted by: jim (in Kalifornia) at June 18, 2026 04:38 AM (l3cgK)

13 IMO this is worth reading on the Iran MOU:

Will Chamberlain
@willchamberlain
The more I think about it, the less disastrous I think this deal is. ...

The key difference between this deal and the JCPOA is that we just obliterated the bulk of Iranian military capabilities as well as the bulk of the Iranian defense industrial base. ...

Letting Iran sell its oil now lets them begin the process of reconstituting military capabilities that took decades to build - and they are starting from basically zero, because they have to rebuild their factories first. ... @planefag pointed out that the American strategic dilemma has been all about our shortage of missile interceptors. Well, we have basically infinite money to throw at that problem, and yet it's still a problem, because the production lines don't exist yet. Iran now has that problem but for EVERYTHING. ...

Posted by: m at June 18, 2026 04:40 AM (6wpGE)

14 11 Well, I had an interesting night. About 11:40 I was watching an episode of Star Trek Enterprise when I heard somebody trying to force my front door open. I got to my desk where I keep my carry pistol. Saw his flashlight moving in my living room. Had him dead to rights in front of me, pistol aimed right at him. Chose to yell at him instead of shooting: "GET THE FUCK OUT OF MY HOUSE YOU PIECE OF SHIT" I have what is known as a command voice - it scared the piss out of him. Hispanic about 30 - 35, maybe 5'7" 180 lbs. I should have done the world a favor and shot him. Sorry everyone.

Repost from the overnight thread.

Posted by: An Observation sez Trump is my President at June 18, 2026 04:38 AM (Da7Vv)

No normal person wants to kill someone unless they have to...but if he moved to attack you, I'm sure he'd be a outline on your living room floor...

Posted by: jim (in Kalifornia) at June 18, 2026 04:40 AM (l3cgK)

15 Let me just say, that I am glad that we no longer "Eff it all Fridays" on ASHQ anymore or that I did not participate in it or remember it, because as cranky and irritable as I can get on here , I neither want to say "F off" to other posters unless they're trolls, or read a string of "F offs " from conservatives to each other.

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at June 18, 2026 04:40 AM (guLpK)

16 Rice-Davies: wasn’t he in the Indiana Jones movies?

Posted by: NemoMeImpuneLacessit at June 18, 2026 04:42 AM (ZVgZ4)

17 ... and @planefag (excerpts)

An awful lot of people – including people I respect on an intellectual and professional level, some of whom are professionals themselves – have been talking as if an "agreement" or "treaty" will be the defining outcome of the Iran War; to the point of saying "better than JCPOA" will be the standard by which it's tested.

It's like the multi-week all-out bombing campaign which vaporized fifty years of Iranian defense industrial base buildup, including their entire ballistic missile production chain, their centrifuge production capacity and key nuclear test facilities just... didn't happen.

Unlike treaties and agreements, entropy cannot be reversed....

I am begging you all, with tears in my eyes, to pull your heads out of the mystic wordcel dimension and smell the stench of burnt smoke and solid rocket fuel, because the fires are still burning.

Posted by: m at June 18, 2026 04:44 AM (6wpGE)

18 Proposed:

No person calling themselves anything as absurd as a purported "Mandy Rice-Davies" should be granted any attention at all.

If such a person really exists, of which I remain unpersuaded.

Posted by: Highly Opinionated Miklos at June 18, 2026 04:44 AM (8Tmnw)

19 Posted by: m at June 18, 2026 04:40 AM (6wpGE)

I'm sure China and Russia would be more than happy to help Iran rebuild. You have to give it to them, those two countries sure do love to supply materiel to countries filled with people that hate them too...think Xinjiang (Uighurs) and Chechnya (muzzies).

Posted by: jim (in Kalifornia) at June 18, 2026 04:44 AM (l3cgK)

20 16 Rice-Davies: wasn’t he in the Indiana Jones movies?
Posted by: NemoMeImpuneLacessit at June 18, 2026 04:42 AM (ZVgZ4)

I thought Sliders and Lord of the Rings?

Posted by: SciVo at June 18, 2026 04:45 AM (Sy6m/)

21 As I added during the overnight post the main deterrent to my shooting my home invader was the realization that I would have had the cosmically inept Houston City police camping out at my house the rest of the night - trying to figure out how they could charge me with a crime, and doubtless confiscating my entire firearms collection - just because they could. So anyway, I have a busted in front door I'm going to have to get repaired.

Posted by: An Observation sez Trump is my President at June 18, 2026 04:45 AM (Da7Vv)

22 15 Let me just say, that I am glad that we no longer "Eff it all Fridays" on ASHQ anymore or that I did not participate in it or remember it, because as cranky and irritable as I can get on here , I neither want to say "F off" to other posters unless they're trolls, or read a string of "F offs " from conservatives to each other.

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at June 18, 2026 04:40 AM (guLpK)

understandable.
Now get off my lawn. /sarc

Posted by: jim (in Kalifornia) at June 18, 2026 04:45 AM (l3cgK)

23 Posted by: An Observation sez Trump is my President at June 18, 2026 04:38 AM (Da7Vv

Wow; That sounds scary. I am glad that poster is ok and they scared the intruder off.

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at June 18, 2026 04:46 AM (LQf4v)

24 US science is in chaos. (Scientific American)

Thanks to... Scientists no longer having access to an infinite money glitch.

I'm very sorry this is happening to you. Good luck.

(paraphrasing that senator at some hearing)

Posted by: Puddleglum, cheer up for the worst is yet to come at June 18, 2026 04:46 AM (sAmhv)

25 20 16 Rice-Davies: wasn’t he in the Indiana Jones movies?
Posted by: NemoMeImpuneLacessit at June 18, 2026 04:42 AM (ZVgZ4)

I thought Sliders and Lord of the Rings?

Posted by: SciVo at June 18, 2026 04:45 AM (Sy6m/)

Power of AND

Posted by: jim (in Kalifornia) at June 18, 2026 04:47 AM (l3cgK)

26 Posted by: jim (in Kalifornia) at June 18, 2026 04:45 AM (l3cgK)

Thanks for not saying "f off" 🙂

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at June 18, 2026 04:47 AM (LQf4v)

27 19 Posted by: m at June 18, 2026 04:40 AM (6wpGE)

I'm sure China and Russia would be more than happy to help Iran rebuild. You have to give it to them, those two countries sure do love to supply materiel to countries filled with people that hate them too...think Xinjiang (Uighurs) and Chechnya (muzzies).
Posted by: jim (in Kalifornia) at June 18, 2026 04:44 AM (l3cgK)

@planefag on that topic:

Unlike treaties and agreements, entropy cannot be reversed, and Iran's entire physical war-making apparatus has been kinetically entropified and spread across the desert in little pieces by a biblical deluge of high explosives. And as Trump points out here, even if the Chinese decide to divert a staggering amount of yuan from their own military build-up to try and rebuild Iran's capabilities, we can just blow it up again... except with a fraction of the munitions as the heavy lift has been done already, and as the B-21 Raider comes on-line, with an exponentially dropping number of requisite airframes given the myriad advantages of stealth. If China wishes to dump billions of dollars in a desert where we can blow it up for a fraction of its cost without starting WWIII, I say let them.

Posted by: m at June 18, 2026 04:47 AM (6wpGE)

28 24 US science is in chaos. (Scientific American)

Thanks to... Scientists no longer having access to an infinite money glitch.

I'm very sorry this is happening to you. Good luck.

(paraphrasing that senator at some hearing)

Posted by: Puddleglum, cheer up for the worst is yet to come at June 18, 2026 04:46 AM (sAmhv)

Gov't has been paying "scientists" for "science" outcomes that fits the Gov't's desire for outcomes. This is only different from Lysenkoism on the scale of money spent.

Posted by: jim (in Kalifornia) at June 18, 2026 04:48 AM (l3cgK)

29 ...and:

Operation Mullah Massacre cannot be undone. Iran's warmaking capability has been decisively smashed into little pieces and moreover, we've destroyed the only deterrent Iran had in both reality and credibility, so repeat visits will be far cheaper. And above all, Israel isn't going anywhere and as events of the past few years have shown their intel/SOF penetration of Iran is unbelievably thorough. The primary purpose of allying with Israel for America was always as a proxy to contain Iran; with the long-delayed hammer blow finally delivered, now Israel's a bulldog that will slowly choke what little life is left out of the theocracy. Iran may survive, but I doubt the IRGC will.

Posted by: m at June 18, 2026 04:50 AM (6wpGE)

30 Posted by: m at June 18, 2026 04:47 AM (6wpGE)

TOTAL entropy cannot be reversed, but on a small scale, some areas of entropy CAN be reversed by a greater increase in the total system entropy...think sun and earth; we get energy from the sun and do stuff with it and power derived from it (and earth's heat energy...from radioactivity and the original heat of earth's creation) reducing entropy at a huge increase in the sun's entropy.

Posted by: jim (in Kalifornia) at June 18, 2026 04:53 AM (l3cgK)

31 East bound and down
See you when I get there

Posted by: Skip at June 18, 2026 04:54 AM (Ia/+0)

32 30 Posted by: m at June 18, 2026 04:47 AM (6wpGE)

TOTAL entropy cannot be reversed, but on a small scale, some areas of entropy CAN be reversed by a greater increase in the total system entropy...think sun and earth; we get energy from the sun and do stuff with it and power derived from it (and earth's heat energy...from radioactivity and the original heat of earth's creation) reducing entropy at a huge increase in the sun's entropy.
Posted by: jim (in Kalifornia) at June 18, 2026 04:53 AM (l3cgK)

This might be (or involve) ... math!!!

Posted by: m at June 18, 2026 04:55 AM (6wpGE)

33 31 East bound and down
See you when I get there
Posted by: Skip at June 18, 2026 04:54 AM (Ia/+0)

You're "gonna do what they say can't be done."

Posted by: m at June 18, 2026 04:55 AM (6wpGE)

34 G'mornin all y'all

Posted by: Okjohn at June 18, 2026 04:57 AM (lE/nR)

35 This is what I saw on a tree when I was in a passenger in a car about 6:15 yesterday morning- a scarlet tanager:

https://tinyurl.com/zjbd2d22

Also there was a spotted fawn along with its mother and other deer . It must not have been used to cars yet, because it dashed across the road -fortunately we did not hit it and all the other deer went in the opposite direction.

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at June 18, 2026 04:57 AM (ceTyQ)

36 32
...
This might be (or involve) ... math!!!

Posted by: m at June 18, 2026 04:55 AM (6wpGE)

Only inasmuch as saying power in > power out...

Posted by: jim (in Kalifornia) at June 18, 2026 04:58 AM (l3cgK)

37 36 32
...
This might be (or involve) ... math!!!

Posted by: m at June 18, 2026 04:55 AM (6wpGE)

Only inasmuch as saying power in > power out...
Posted by: jim (in Kalifornia) at June 18, 2026 04:58 AM (l3cgK)

MATH!

Posted by: m at June 18, 2026 04:58 AM (6wpGE)

38 37 36 32
...
This might be (or involve) ... math!!!

Posted by: m at June 18, 2026 04:55 AM (6wpGE)

Only inasmuch as saying power in > power out...
Posted by: jim (in Kalifornia) at June 18, 2026 04:58 AM (l3cgK)

MATH!

Posted by: m at June 18, 2026 04:58 AM (6wpGE)

fen >>> m ...

Posted by: jim (in Kalifornia) at June 18, 2026 05:00 AM (l3cgK)

39 entropy
1 Physics (Symbol: S) a thermodynamic quantity representing the unavailability of a system's thermal energy for conversion into mechanical work, often interpreted as the degree of disorder or randomness in the system: the second law of thermodynamics says that entropy always increases with time | the sum of the entropies of all the bodies taking part in the process.

Posted by: m at June 18, 2026 05:02 AM (6wpGE)

40 Been up since 4AM EDT with alert after alert for weather threats. Area north of us is getting hammered.

Posted by: Martini Farmer at June 18, 2026 05:02 AM (jehhT)

41 39 entropy
1 Physics (Symbol: S) a thermodynamic quantity representing the unavailability of a system's thermal energy for conversion into mechanical work, often interpreted as the degree of disorder or randomness in the system: the second law of thermodynamics says that entropy always increases with time | the sum of the entropies of all the bodies taking part in the process.

Posted by: m at June 18, 2026 05:02 AM (6wpGE)

Yes, but has to be a closed system. An open system can get energy from outside which can reverse entropy in the system under observation at a cost of much greater entropy increase outside the system.
Yeah, I'm nitpicking here.

Posted by: jim (in Kalifornia) at June 18, 2026 05:03 AM (l3cgK)

42 *eyes glazing over* and yet, appreciatively

Posted by: m at June 18, 2026 05:05 AM (6wpGE)

43 This is why I can't clean the house if I leave the windows closed.

Posted by: Pixy Misa at June 18, 2026 05:05 AM (BLOW1)

44 After being missing for three days . woman is saved by two men who had a last minute change of plans. Sunny Skyz site:

https://tinyurl.com/2n7s3h5t

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at June 18, 2026 05:07 AM (n3VHW)

45 Math is just a foreign language. I found that my troubles with math are either vocabulary or imagination.
Feynman’s lectures on physics helped tremendously with the imagination part.

Posted by: Accomack at June 18, 2026 05:07 AM (eLQS5)

46 "May I please be excused? My brain is full."

Posted by: m at June 18, 2026 05:07 AM (6wpGE)

47 43 This is why I can't clean the house if I leave the windows closed.

Posted by: Pixy Misa at June 18, 2026 05:05 AM (BLOW1)

LOL. I can't clean the house even if the windows are open...the disorder is too great!

Posted by: jim (in Kalifornia) at June 18, 2026 05:07 AM (l3cgK)

48 42 *eyes glazing over* and yet, appreciatively

Posted by: m at June 18, 2026 05:05 AM (6wpGE)

Well, it does say in your definition "the sum of the entropies of all the bodies taking part in the process.", so that would encompass external influences in the system you're observing...

Posted by: jim (in Kalifornia) at June 18, 2026 05:09 AM (l3cgK)

49 45 Math is just a foreign language. I found that my troubles with math are either vocabulary or imagination.
Feynman’s lectures on physics helped tremendously with the imagination part.
Posted by: Accomack at June 18, 2026 05:07 AM (eLQS5)

"Surely You're Joking, Mr. Feynman!" is a good read.

Posted by: m at June 18, 2026 05:10 AM (6wpGE)

50 49 45 Math is just a foreign language. I found that my troubles with math are either vocabulary or imagination.
Feynman’s lectures on physics helped tremendously with the imagination part.
Posted by: Accomack at June 18, 2026 05:07 AM (eLQS5)

"Surely You're Joking, Mr. Feynman!" is a good read.

Posted by: m at June 18, 2026 05:10 AM (6wpGE)

An excellent book. I still chuckle at the part where he tries to teach his artist friend about electromagnetics with an AC current, a coil of wire and a nail. He's friends response was priceless...

Posted by: jim (in Kalifornia) at June 18, 2026 05:11 AM (l3cgK)

51 What l’ve managed to learn about thermodynamics is that getting the system correct is the hardest part.

Posted by: Accomack at June 18, 2026 05:11 AM (eLQS5)

52 40 Been up since 4AM EDT with alert after alert for weather threats. Area north of us is getting hammered.
Posted by: Martini Farmer at June 18, 2026 05:02 AM (jehhT)

Whole areas have been getting hammered with the World Cup. Heard Scots drank some Boston bars completely out of beer. But dang, 4AM's either early or late for that, yeah?

Posted by: SciVo at June 18, 2026 05:13 AM (Sy6m/)

53 51 What l’ve managed to learn about thermodynamics is that getting the system correct is the hardest part.

Posted by: Accomack at June 18, 2026 05:11 AM (eLQS5)

Eh, just leave the system alone long enough...it'll approach room temperature.

Posted by: jim (in Kalifornia) at June 18, 2026 05:13 AM (l3cgK)

54
g'mornin', 'rons

Posted by: AltonJackson at June 18, 2026 05:16 AM (AMvSw)

55 It's funny how so many systems can be simulated using resistance, capacitance, inductance, voltage, and current. The same basic equations work, like in heat flow in thermodynamics. Just find the equivalent operations in the system you're looking for. Water flow. Electricity. Thermal flow. There are other systems too, just my old brain doesn't remember them.

Posted by: jim (in Kalifornia) at June 18, 2026 05:19 AM (l3cgK)

56 50 49 45

"Surely You're Joking, Mr. Feynman!" is a good read.

Posted by: m at June 18, 2026 05:10 AM (6wpGE)

An excellent book. I still chuckle at the part where he tries to teach his artist friend about electromagnetics with an AC current, a coil of wire and a nail. He's friends response was priceless...
Posted by: jim (in Kalifornia) at June 18, 2026 05:11 AM (l3cgK)

NSFW

Posted by: m at June 18, 2026 05:21 AM (6wpGE)

57 Entropy increases over time. It takes work to bring order out of chaos.

Make your damn bed!

Posted by: no one of any consequence at June 18, 2026 05:22 AM (qFwJc)

58 the setup for the NSFW response:

"Listen, Jerry," I said, "the reason we have these arguments that never get anywhere is that you don't know a damn thing about science, and I don't know a damn thing about art. So, on alternate Sundays,
I'll give you a lesson in science, and you give me a lesson in art."
"OK," he said. "I'll teach you how to draw.

Posted by: m at June 18, 2026 05:23 AM (6wpGE)

59 LOL. The bars close at 2:00 where I grew up. This Boston/NYC thing of till 4:00 or 6:00 am is just crazy.

Posted by: no one of any consequence at June 18, 2026 05:25 AM (qFwJc)

60 Thanks m for the insights. I figured Iran got tired of getting the shit kicked out of it.

Posted by: no one of any consequence at June 18, 2026 05:26 AM (qFwJc)

61 60 Thanks m for the insights. I figured Iran got tired of getting the shit kicked out of it.

Posted by: no one of any consequence at June 18, 2026 05:26 AM (qFwJc)

Maybe it's just part of their kink...

Posted by: jim (in Kalifornia) at June 18, 2026 05:28 AM (l3cgK)

62 @planefag link

https://tinyurl.com/3nyr86su

He is responding respectfully to commenters. Persuasively? Dunno.

Posted by: m at June 18, 2026 05:33 AM (6wpGE)

63 59 LOL. The bars close at 2:00 where I grew up. This Boston/NYC thing of till 4:00 or 6:00 am is just crazy.
Posted by: no one of any consequence at June 18, 2026 05:25 AM (qFwJc)

I looked it up and apparently Mass. state law requires alcohol service to end at 2:00, I was making a hammered/hammered joke about Martini Farmer's weather.

Posted by: SciVo at June 18, 2026 05:34 AM (Sy6m/)

64 (not so respectfully when they're real jerks)

Posted by: m at June 18, 2026 05:34 AM (6wpGE)

65 This is why I can't clean the house if I leave the windows closed.
Posted by: Pixy Misa

Declare your house a court, and call for order

Posted by: Judge Miklos Smailes at June 18, 2026 05:36 AM (8Tmnw)

66 Juice Newton - Angel of the Morning

1981!

Posted by: m at June 18, 2026 05:37 AM (6wpGE)

67 Math is just a foreign language.

Agreed. And this caused a lot of friction between my dad and I because he was a Math Major in college and could not grasp why I was having so much trouble with things that were so easy.

Happy Thursday and long weekend everyone. Today, we decided as a group that shorts and Hawaiian shirts were the uniform of the day. Things are looking up.

Posted by: NR Pax at June 18, 2026 05:41 AM (99eI0)

68 > LOL. The bars close at 2:00 where I grew up. This Boston/NYC thing of till 4:00 or 6:00 am is just crazy.
Posted by: no one of any consequence at June 18, 2026 05:25 AM (qFwJc)

I looked it up and apparently Mass. state law requires alcohol service to end at 2:00, I was making a hammered/hammered joke about Martini Farmer's weather.
Posted by: SciVo at June 18, 2026 05:34 AM (Sy6m/)
-----------
I think bars used to stay open until 4AM or 6AM to service shift workers who'd be getting off work at those hours. Not much of that sort of thing going on these days, but I guess the old customs remain in some places.

Posted by: Martini Farmer at June 18, 2026 05:41 AM (jehhT)

69 Evening and morning for this Thor's Day to all!

Pixy writes, ". . . free paid trials cancel any time by submitting your cancellation request carved into the side of a living member of an extinct species of goat . . ."

Classic! I shall have to remember this. Somehow I got onto a mailing list for Panera Bread, and their unsubscribe link treats me just like that.

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at June 18, 2026 05:45 AM (wzUl9)

70 Devotional on the narrow way Matthew 7:13-23:,

https://tinyurl.com/3dw8xdabTo

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at June 18, 2026 05:47 AM (n3VHW)

71 I was hoping I might be able to squeeze in a workout now between bands of rain. Uh, no. Nor does it look like the wet stuff will let up any time this morning. The prospect of this mess is why I rescheduled my car's spark plug change appointment to next week.

No flooding where I am, winds are not high, but there is always the chance of the power going out.

Howz alla you?

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at June 18, 2026 05:49 AM (wzUl9)

72 Ah, Juice Newton . . . Mrs. Wolfus No. 2 used to wear her hair much like that . . .

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at June 18, 2026 05:50 AM (wzUl9)

73 “ The centurion replied, “Lord, I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. But just say the word, and my servant will be healed.”

Matthew 8:8

Posted by: Marcus T at June 18, 2026 05:52 AM (Jl/ju)

74 Somehow I got onto a mailing list for Panera Bread, and their unsubscribe link treats me just like that.

Sounds as bad as the fight I had to get off of AARP's mailing list.

Posted by: NR Pax at June 18, 2026 05:54 AM (99eI0)

75 @71/Wolfus: "Howz alla you?"

Tired. Woke up to my alarm, mid-dream, aware of it. That messes me up for a couple of hours at the start of the day until I can shake it off.

Posted by: Grumpy and Recalcitrant at June 18, 2026 06:00 AM (O7YUW)

76 I made it. What a long haul

Posted by: Skip at June 18, 2026 06:01 AM (sgkY8)

77 While I would like to think that m's positive analysis is correct, there are reports that the Iranians are already digging out their missile sites which means we may have sealed the bunkers rather than being able to destroy them.

The Israeli clandestine operations against Hezbollah and the Iranian defenses were impressive, but the Israelis spent decades preparing and they may have burnt those assets making a repeat performance difficult, not to mention that the IRCG is now aware of their vulnerability and will attempt to institute countermeasures.

As for entropy, Hiroshima and Nagasaki were destroyed more thoroughly than anything in Iran but reconstruction began within two days and within 5 years they were both largely rebuilt.

The $300 billion rebuilding package, largely from the gulf states who the Iranians kept attacking looks suspiciously like protection money to me.

I do tend to be a pessimist however, although I think Trump set the bar too high to meet in his sales pitch for the war.

Posted by: Button-Pushing-Monkey at June 18, 2026 06:05 AM (igCg8)

78 It's stupid o clock in the morning, and I have one pocket to assemble and attach to this nursing cover, for my co-worker's baby shower at 11.

Time to make design decisions

Posted by: FeatherBlade at June 18, 2026 06:05 AM (C0Nlv)

79 Can say haven't heard that song in decades

Posted by: Skip at June 18, 2026 06:06 AM (sgkY8)

80 "Surely You're Joking, Mr. Feynman!" is a good read.
Posted by: m

Don't call me Surely.

Posted by: Mr. Feynman at June 18, 2026 06:06 AM (DZ9Lv)

81 Still waiting for the Story that memory prices have dropped. C'omn, Musk, make with the super-factory already!

Posted by: weft cut-loop at June 18, 2026 06:08 AM (diia5)

82 Wolfus: "Howz alla you?"
*
Tired. Woke up to my alarm, mid-dream, aware of it. That messes me up for a couple of hours at the start of the day until I can shake it off.
Posted by: Grumpy and Recalcitrant at June 18, 2026

***
Big black Stirling cat did not wake me an hour and more before I planned, so I'm already winning a bit today. Coffee and a pipe with a blend Sherlock Holmes might have smoked is waking me and washing out the early morning aches, so no need to take an ibuprofen.

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at June 18, 2026 06:11 AM (wzUl9)

83 Yesterday I saw a gas station with $3.29 for regular -- about .20 less than others, .60 or .70 less than a month ago.

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at June 18, 2026 06:13 AM (wzUl9)

84 All this talk of entropy. This place has really fallen apart

Posted by: Pete Bogs Agentic alter ego at June 18, 2026 06:14 AM (evNCU)

85 Trump got his head stuck in a bucket and can now maneuver again.
Tank bottoms would wreck any political support.
Iran and Ukraine have demonstrated that drones are effective and disproportionate.
We will be back, that is a given, even if to blast their shit.

Posted by: Accomack at June 18, 2026 06:15 AM (8jVAy)

86 @82/Wolfus: Yup, your version of reaching wakefulness today definitely wins over mine. (Good on you, I'm glad someone's having a good morning.)

Posted by: Grumpy and Recalcitrant at June 18, 2026 06:16 AM (O7YUW)

87 Not like more than 1/2 of Congress wants to see Iran fail

Posted by: Skip at June 18, 2026 06:18 AM (sgkY8)

88 Wolfus: Yup, your version of reaching wakefulness today definitely wins over mine. (Good on you, I'm glad someone's having a good morning.)
Posted by: Grumpy and Recalcitrant at June 18, 2026

***
It's pretty good. Recall my usual Monday mantra, about the experience of even a bad Monday is better than being not alive.

Yours will improve.

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at June 18, 2026 06:22 AM (wzUl9)

89 We will be back, that is a given, even if to blast their shit.
Posted by: Accomack at June 18, 2026 06:15 AM (8jVAy)

This is the common sense observation. Jaw Jaw is better than War War. In the meantime we rearm ourselves, the Israelis and the Gulf States. The Gulf States remain politically weak but extraordinarily wealthy. The Gulf countries get started building pipelines to bypass the Straits. Gas gets cheaper quickly. Midterms come and go.

I’m guessing end of the if not sooner we resume putting warheads on foreheads. The mischief Iran, China and Russia make in the interim is what worries me.

Posted by: Pete Bogs Agentic alter ego at June 18, 2026 06:24 AM (evNCU)

90 Should say End of the year. It’s hard to be both profound and sleep deprived.

Posted by: Pete Bogs Agentic alter ego at June 18, 2026 06:28 AM (evNCU)

91 Rolling thunder, occasional lightning, and steady rain here. The heavy rain is just to the west of me and will be here fairly soon. I'd better have some breakfast.

Miss Linda was going to come over and make waffles for us around 9:30. I suspect it'll be too rainy for that.

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at June 18, 2026 06:30 AM (wzUl9)

92 Wolfus,

Did you read about the weather in Terre Haute last night?

Posted by: pawn at June 18, 2026 06:33 AM (+rSJz)

93 Best weather in America is in the northeast. You can pick more heat or cold by how far one goes north or south.
Long term, everyone will be living in a Marxist hellhole. We can choose which specific hellhole. I like the beach, so, I am here.

Posted by: Accomack at June 18, 2026 06:38 AM (wkU1F)

94 Ah, they're starting coverage early for the US Open. They're on Long Island this year. Shinnecock Golf Club. Looks British right now. Foggy, rainy, windy, and cool. Good luck fella's! It's on USA Network, FYI.

Posted by: Puddleglum, cheer up for the worst is yet to come at June 18, 2026 06:38 AM (sAmhv)

95 Quite humid here, mid 70s

Posted by: Skip at June 18, 2026 06:39 AM (sgkY8)

96
Good morning, Hordians. It appears to be dark here. Musk is hoarding all the photons. He's got a trillion of them and have to stumble around.

Posted by: Hadrian the Seventh at June 18, 2026 06:41 AM (O0L8i)

97 Good Morning!

Let's smile & be happy & strike fear into the heart of killjoy leftists everywhere.

Posted by: NaCly Dog at June 18, 2026 06:41 AM (whRlH)

98 Wolfus,

Did you read about the weather in Terre Haute last night?
Posted by: pawn at June 18, 2026

***
No, but I check Weather Underground every couple of days. 68 F. right now (6:30 am Eastern), with a high expected of 75. Around here we haven't seen anything close 75 even as a *low* for a month now, and won't for months. Was there a tornado or something in TH?

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at June 18, 2026 06:43 AM (wzUl9)

99
Did you read about the weather in Terre Haute last night?
Posted by: pawn at June 18, 2026

What can you say? This is North America. We have extreme and violent weather. Because of billionaires and late-stage capitalism. In Europe the weather is regulated and taxed and only a few thousand people die from heat every year.

Posted by: Hadrian the Seventh at June 18, 2026 06:46 AM (O0L8i)

100 100

Posted by: m at June 18, 2026 06:46 AM (6wpGE)

101 There were some kinetic displays around TH. Tornado spotted near the airport which is a couple miles east of town. Some tornado damage scattered nearby to the west.

Something for the folks to talk about.

Posted by: pawn at June 18, 2026 06:49 AM (+rSJz)

102 >>>Rice-Davies: wasn’t he in the Indiana Jones movies?

Rhys-Davies, he was named after the dog.

Posted by: Rev. Wishbone at June 18, 2026 06:49 AM (9SpJJ)

103 > What can you say? This is North America. We have extreme and violent weather.
---------
Folks in Indiana can attest to that. Here in Kentucky the wind's been howling all night, and this morning with potential severe weather a threat all day.

I hope to avoid the worst of it.

Posted by: Martini Farmer at June 18, 2026 06:50 AM (jehhT)

104 I am going to be here all summer I am afraid

Posted by: Skip at June 18, 2026 06:50 AM (sgkY8)

105 "In Europe the weather is regulated and taxed"

Sounds like Maryland.

Posted by: pawn at June 18, 2026 06:52 AM (+rSJz)

106 Birdbath status?

Posted by: Just Wondering at June 18, 2026 06:55 AM (7PhS+)

107 I am going to be here all summer I am afraid
Posted by: Skip at June 18, 2026

***
I'm beginning to fear that too. I'm told that fewer people are house hunting in the fall and winter -- families do most of their moving in the summer so as not to disrupt the kids' schooling -- so maybe there will be more properties later this year and they will not be so in demand.

There is a nice-looking two-story on Realtor that I've suggested to my agent that we look over. All the floors have been done with laminate, it has a basement and a garage, but it faces west. Not a problem for the living room windows in summer, there's a nice porch, but the primary bedroom would get late afternoon sun and would need blackout curtains or window tinting. And I'll need window units upstairs too.

It's at the upper edge of my price range, so I dunno.

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at June 18, 2026 06:56 AM (wzUl9)

108 Got to feed the furry thugs. Back in a bit.

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at June 18, 2026 06:57 AM (wzUl9)

109 16 Rice-Davies: wasn’t he in the Indiana Jones movies?
Posted by: NemoMeImpuneLacessit at June 18, 2026 04:42 AM (ZVgZ4)

Not just Gimli, also TreeBeard. (Voice)

Posted by: Moviefan at June 18, 2026 06:57 AM (nuNhM)

110 105 "In Europe the weather is regulated and taxed"

Sounds like Maryland.
Posted by: pawn

Lies detected: None.

Posted by: NR Pax at June 18, 2026 06:58 AM (99eI0)

111
Wolfus, have you ever considered just squatting? Pick a nice house, move in while they're away and tie them up in court for years. Easy peasy!

Posted by: Hadrian the Seventh at June 18, 2026 06:59 AM (O0L8i)

112 It's never too rainy for waffles!

Posted by: Waffle House at June 18, 2026 06:59 AM (7PhS+)

113

*hic*

Posted by: Hillary Clinton at June 18, 2026 07:00 AM (fpQMF)

114 Wolfus,

What is your price range, if you don't mind me asking?

Posted by: pawn at June 18, 2026 07:01 AM (+rSJz)

115
If you can dream it, we can tax it.

Posted by: The People's Republic of Maryland at June 18, 2026 07:01 AM (7PhS+)

116 Hillary Clinton

You turned Bill into a zombie. So areyou a Lich?

Posted by: NaCly Dog at June 18, 2026 07:02 AM (whRlH)

117 Good morning morons

Posted by: San Franpsycho at June 18, 2026 07:03 AM (RIvkX)

118 Morning, Horde...How goes it?

This morning I have the fun task of wrassling two of my kitties into their kitty carriers and taking them to the vet for their annual checkup.

I know they are looking forward to it. /s

Posted by: "Perfessor" Squirrel at June 18, 2026 07:04 AM (gnNyN)

119 The sun was shining here for about 10 minutes yesterday.

Posted by: San Franpsycho at June 18, 2026 07:05 AM (RIvkX)

120 Angel in the morning - real blast from the past.

Posted by: Minstrel at June 18, 2026 07:08 AM (NHl7O)

121 Wolfus,

What is your price range, if you don't mind me asking?
Posted by: pawn at June 18, 2026

***
Up to about $160-165K. I'm looking at 2-3 BR small houses and bungalows, and seeing good properties in that range, but none of them have "grabbed" me. I'm trying to get out of the "renting" mindset and realizing that I can use paint to make a boring living space with plain white walls more interesting.

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at June 18, 2026 07:09 AM (wzUl9)

122 Weather delay at the US Open. Fog.

Posted by: Puddleglum, cheer up for the worst is yet to come at June 18, 2026 07:10 AM (sAmhv)

123 I'm reluctantly including condos in my search . . . but I don't want to live cheek by jowl with someone else and I don't want to pay condo fees or HOA fees. And the condos I see all look like dolled-up apartments, with those sliding glass doors that let in hot sun and in cold weather will permit heat to escape.

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at June 18, 2026 07:10 AM (wzUl9)

124 paywalls magnolia1234 gitflic.ru/project

Posted by: Rod at June 18, 2026 07:12 AM (zhWvq)

125 mornin yall. I heard some baseball player named Jesus got in trouble after his mom wrote his name on his underwear with a Sharpie.

Posted by: fd at June 18, 2026 07:12 AM (vFG9F)

126 but it faces west. Not a problem for the living room windows in summer, there's a nice porch, but the primary bedroom would get late afternoon sun and would need blackout curtains or window tinting. And I'll need window units upstairs too.

..........

You definitely are putting more thought into your search than I did when I was looking for my AZ house. I looked at kitchen and yard, scrolled past most the other things! It drove my daughter crazy

Posted by: Molly k. at June 18, 2026 07:15 AM (j/yko)

127 Good morning! Back in the saddle after about 40 years and today is day one of the instrument flying syllabus. Weather is gonna be hot and breezy too, so climb and maintain 70F is gonna be the first instruction.

Posted by: CrotchetyOldJarhead at June 18, 2026 07:16 AM (3Ope8)

128 That would never happen in the NBA

Posted by: Isaiah Thomas at June 18, 2026 07:16 AM (7PhS+)

129 test to see if my hash changed yet again

Posted by: Don Black at June 18, 2026 07:18 AM (fmTlv)

130 Damn straight.

Posted by: Moses Malone at June 18, 2026 07:18 AM (7PhS+)

131 and it has
wtf Comcast

Posted by: Don Black at June 18, 2026 07:19 AM (fmTlv)

132 There is a nice-looking two-story on Realtor that I've suggested to my agent that we look over. All the floors have been done with laminate, it has a basement and a garage, but it faces west. Not a problem for the living room windows in summer, there's a nice porch, but the primary bedroom would get late afternoon sun and would need blackout curtains or window tinting. And I'll need window units upstairs too.

It's at the upper edge of my price range, so I dunno.
Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at June 18, 2026 06:56 AM (wzUl9)
----
here's a crazy thought...You don't have to use the primary bedroom as a bedroom. I turned mine into my office. My actual bedroom is in the front of my house and is the darkest and coolest room in the house. It's been great.

Posted by: "Perfessor" Squirrel at June 18, 2026 07:19 AM (gnNyN)

133 I had a discussion with Claude about the Fable thing. First the chat I was in had never heard of it. I described the situation and it said "that doesn't sound right". So I pointed it to a BBC article and it said oh wow you were correct!

Posted by: blaster at June 18, 2026 07:20 AM (NlEaG)

134 Posted by: An Observation sez Trump is my President at June 18, 2026 04:38 AM (Da7Vv)
===

Protecting your home is holy obligation and I'm thankful you're safe

Posted by: San Franpsycho at June 18, 2026 07:20 AM (RIvkX)

135 G'mornin' everyone!

Posted by: sock_rat_eez at June 18, 2026 07:20 AM (VyBeY)

136 Or the NFL.

Posted by: Ezekiel Elliott at June 18, 2026 07:22 AM (7PhS+)

137 Wolfus, you could have a summer bedroom and a winter bedroom.

Posted by: CrotchetyOldJarhead at June 18, 2026 07:25 AM (3Ope8)

138 The best bedroom is a screened porch.

Posted by: Quarter Twenty at June 18, 2026 07:26 AM (7PhS+)

139 You definitely are putting more thought into your search than I did when I was looking for my AZ house. I looked at kitchen and yard, scrolled past most the other things! It drove my daughter crazy
Posted by: Molly k. at June 18, 2026

***
I want to avoid all the things I hate about where I live now. Windows that face west, not enough kitchen counter and storage space, carpets (which I know I can take out), etc.

And Perfessor, yes, this particular house (which may be under contract already) has another bedroom, only a little smaller, at the back of the house.

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at June 18, 2026 07:27 AM (wzUl9)

140 Over on YouTube, I was watching a few minutes of the Harry Canyon segment from the movie Heavy Metal. Loved this quote as Harry is picking up a fare:

"The U.N. Building. What a joke! They turned it into low rent housing. It's a dump."

There is hope for the future.

Posted by: NR Pax at June 18, 2026 07:29 AM (99eI0)

141 Wolfus, you could have a summer bedroom and a winter bedroom.
Posted by: CrotchetyOldJarhead at June 18, 2026

***
True enough. If there is third bedroom or spare room for an office, I can set one as my main bedroom and the other as a guest room with a small bed in it.

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at June 18, 2026 07:29 AM (wzUl9)

142 JJS be here

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at June 18, 2026 07:30 AM (wzUl9)

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