Daily Tech News 22 August 2026

Top Story

All the news is stupid.
AI use boosts the quality of students' homework - and then craters their exam scores. (Economist) (archive site)

Who knew?
Anthropic's Claude Opus 4.6 is a smut machine. (Tech Crunch)

The whole article is about users deliberately jail-breaking Claude Opus 4.6, an older version of that particular LLM, to use it to write porn. And blames Anthropic for it.

Tech News

Micron is building a $10 billion AI memory research center in Boise, Idaho. (Yahoo)

Not a factory, just a lab.

Good news if you're an AI memory researcher. Or a builder.
Florida is seeking a court order to classify ChatGPT as a public nuisance. (Tom's Hardware)

This is getting silly.
Canada plans counter-tariffs to fight tariffs being imposed by the US as trade talks implode. (BBC)

Cratering its economy while barely affecting the US.
Slovakia bought hundreds of new traffic cameras - only to find that all of the are Russian spy equipment. (Tom's Hardware)

Lowest bidder, huh?

Musical Interlude

Disclaimer: Stupid! You're so stupid!

Posted by: Pixy Misa at 04:30 AM

Comments

(Jump to bottom of comments)

1 Morning all

Posted by: Tuna at August 22, 2026 04:30 AM (lJ0H4)

2 w00t

Posted by: m at August 22, 2026 04:30 AM (odBC9)

3 G'Day everyone

Posted by: Skip at August 22, 2026 04:31 AM (Ia/+0)

4 I remember this video on early MTV, more the video than tje music

Posted by: Skip at August 22, 2026 04:44 AM (Ia/+0)

5 Mornin'

Posted by: Puddleglum at work at August 22, 2026 04:45 AM (ErLti)

6 Canada plans counter-tariffs to fight tariffs being imposed by the US as trade talks implode. (BBC)

Cratering its economy while barely affecting the US.

I'm pretty sure that South Park did an episode that is eerily similar to this.

Posted by: Puddleglum at work at August 22, 2026 04:49 AM (ErLti)

7 "Blame Canada!"

Posted by: m at August 22, 2026 04:49 AM (odBC9)

8 techlike:

Searching for "moon" and "publius" on the ONT, there's a buncha great stuff about China "about to launch a big lunar orbiter and lander mission to the Moon, probably this Sunday." And there's this (supercool):

368
"Lunarmodule5" is a Youtube channel that has the unedited full mission audio of every Apollo mission there was, and many others. Here's the playlist for Apollo 11:

https://t.ly/G-eSa

Now, these are "accelerated" in the sense that periods of silence are edited out, but this is the audio of the whole damned mission from the pre-launch press conference to splashdown and beyond. Note how long, how many hours this adds up to. And I've listened to these at length.

Now, just imagine what it would require to fake all that. Every little problem, every little hiccup, and all the little surprises of the whole mission.
Posted by: publius, Rascally Mr. Miley (w6EFb) at August 22, 2026 03:35 AM (w6EFb)

Thanks, publius!

Posted by: m at August 22, 2026 04:53 AM (odBC9)

9 All the news is stupid.
****

Well, yeah. Same as it ever was.

And, guten morgen, horde.

Posted by: clarence at August 22, 2026 04:54 AM (pHgC8)

10 Mostly mid-70s for the next week in the Willamette Valley, with just a couple days popping back up to mid-80s. A nice break. I'll take it.

Any big city has its year-round resident bums, and then there are the "road warriors" or hobos that have a kind of circuit, going wherever it's nicest at that time of year. Portland and Seattle, to their great detriment, have the mildest summers. Even before Democrat malfeasance drove vagrancy out of control, every spring would see new, unfamiliar street punks sprouting on the sidewalk like ugly, smelly flowers.

Now it's so bad, I just don't go into the City anymore. Living near enough to make a day of it used to be an attraction, and now its proximity is a drawback, shedding crime and disorder like it was vaxxed and boosted.

Posted by: SciVo at August 22, 2026 04:55 AM (L3Npt)

11 I guess that's not "techlike" but real actual "tech."

noun
1 the application of scientific knowledge for practical purposes, especially involving computing and related fields. See also high-tech, low-tech: I worked in tech | [as modifier] : tech companies | the tech industry.

• computers and other electronic devices and equipment: startups that introduce disruptive innovation through their tech | the underlying tech failed.

Posted by: m at August 22, 2026 04:56 AM (odBC9)

12 >> Thanks, publius!

Every Apollo mission is in there, as well as a lot of Gemini and Mercury. If you're into this stuff, it can be quite captivating. And there's some astronaut and mission control humor in there as well.

Example, on Apollo 8, once they made parking orbit, Frank Borman would call back in. When they were in low earth orbit, the voice coverage wasn't the best in the world (line of site in low orbit requires a lot of ground stations).

One time he called back, "Houston, Gemini 8, blah-blah". His last mission was Gemini 7, and he got a little mixed up. Mission control said, "Now, remember Frank, you're Gemini 7, not 8."

And then after TLI on the way to the Moon, they had separated from the S-IVB, and Frank was getting a little worried the thing was a little too close for comfort. He was asking mission control for some separation burn attitudes and guidance, but they needed some help determining that attitude somehow.

Frank finally said, "When I find the earth, I'll tell you..." or something like that. Mission control LOL'd at that.

Posted by: publius, Rascally Mr. Miley (w6EFb) at August 22, 2026 05:06 AM (w6EFb)

13
g'mornin', 'rons

Posted by: AltonJackson at August 22, 2026 05:11 AM (AMvSw)

14 I guess to relate it to tech, Portland has long been nearly on the verge of becoming a tech hub. There were in fact quite a few tech jobs downtown, and with Portland State University also downtown, there was always this potential of reaching critical mass, just maybe right around the bend.

Well, now I think it's well out of reach, as for example the local landmark "Big Pink" was sold for $45M in 2025, a steep discount from its $372M sale in 2015. But it was on the verge of losing its U.S. Bank anchor tenant, which would push it up to 60% vacancy. No one wants to work downtown anymore.

OPB (Oregon Public Broadcasting) article:
https://tinyurl.com/2tau3665

Posted by: SciVo at August 22, 2026 05:15 AM (L3Npt)

15 I'm all for the Chinese trying to build a beachhead on the Moon.

I'd rather see a bunch of dead Chinese astronauts than American ones.

Posted by: pawn at August 22, 2026 05:16 AM (hQCfI)

16 Goooood Mooooorning morons!

It's time for me to go back to sleep before I faceplant on my laptop keyboard. Interesting chat logs from early space flight.

Posted by: Gmac-WTF did you think was going to happen at August 22, 2026 05:18 AM (Q/FnY)

17 12 One time he [Frank Borman] called back, "Houston, Gemini 8, blah-blah". His last mission was Gemini 7, and he got a little mixed up. Mission control said, "Now, remember Frank, you're Gemini 7, not 8."
Posted by: publius, Rascally Mr. Miley (w6EFb) at August 22, 2026 05:06 AM (w6EFb)

haha!

Posted by: m at August 22, 2026 05:24 AM (odBC9)

18 Humans are crazy. Tribal and territorial redlines on the moon?

Wake me up when you can start your vehicle after taking a shit.

Posted by: Rev. Wishbone at August 22, 2026 05:25 AM (FR9Sb)

19
"Mars ain't the kind of place
To raise your kids."

Posted by: m at August 22, 2026 05:33 AM (odBC9)

20 >>>AI use boosts the quality of students' homework - and then craters their exam scores. (Economist)

"A survey last year ... found that 80% of rich-world undergraduates used it in their studies."

rich-world

New to me.

Posted by: m at August 22, 2026 05:37 AM (odBC9)

21 surprising no one:

"Should schools ban ai? Not necessarily. The drop in exam scores was concentrated among students who rushed their homework. Those who used ai but spent as long on assignments as non-users paid little penalty. What matters, then, is how pupils use the technology."

Like, don't be a slacker.

Posted by: m at August 22, 2026 05:40 AM (odBC9)

22 Old time hymn with lovely scripture and scenery, "Come thou fount of every blessing.":

https://tinyurl.com/5n6erkpx

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at August 22, 2026 05:42 AM (+kigi)

23 Things that made me smile yesterday and/or reminded me of God's love:

1. I saw an older couple in the supermarket ( maybe 70's) and he was giving her a little kiss. I don't know what it was about, but it was very sweet

2 Woman with a tee shirt which said "Saturated in His love."

3. I woke up at about 11:00 ( went to bed early because I was really tired) and spouse was gone from our room. I came downstairs and he was sleeping on the couch. I said "Are you o.k.?" He said " I didn't want the little guy ( the kitten) to be all alone. I thought that was very kind.

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at August 22, 2026 05:49 AM (+kigi)

24 Man from Texas reflects on Jesus, the good shepherd and also Isaiah 43:1-7. Upper Room devotional:

https://tinyurl.com/mr4ywduw

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at August 22, 2026 05:54 AM (+kigi)

25 Morning, 'rons and 'ettes.

Posted by: olddog in mo at August 22, 2026 06:06 AM (Hbeqj)

26 "I miss the earth so much I miss my wife."

Wow. That is REALLY missing the earth.

Posted by: Wally at August 22, 2026 06:11 AM (avzFa)

27 Woman with a tee shirt which said "Saturated in His love."

There's a bacon joke in there.

Posted by: Dark Lix at August 22, 2026 06:13 AM (Fv808)

28 Tea. Earl Grey. Hot.

Rejoinder: Wheel! Of! Fish!!!

Posted by: Captain Obvious, Laird o' the Sea at August 22, 2026 06:16 AM (amcLV)

29 yikes

BBC

US & CANADA NEWS

Laptop catches fire on US flight, pilot reports
The pilot said passengers may have been burned, with one treated and released after American Airlines Flight 2398 landed safely.

Posted by: m at August 22, 2026 06:17 AM (odBC9)

30 LM5 is the guy (I think) who even took the time to do things like match up all the separate audio with the otherwise silent 16mm film from that taken in Mission Control and elsewhere. Really amazing compilations. Most of the Apollo documentaries just use generic stock footage of any given mission, bunch of guys sitting around consoles and yakking. Matching things up in “real time” as that particular mission unfolded with the actual footage is really neat.

Posted by: Common Tater at August 22, 2026 06:20 AM (bd3ok)

31 Evening and morning, Saturday toilers and early risers. I slept until the alarm -- disturbing dream, from which the alarm rescued me -- only to find I hadn't set up the coffee last night and had to do it this morning. Not a good omen for the weekend, you say, eh? As Billy Joel warned us, "You may be wrong and you may be right."

I'm going to have to watch that video Ace posted in the Cafe about '80s fashions we'd like to forget.

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at August 22, 2026 06:20 AM (wzUl9)

32 AI use boosts the quality of students' homework - and then craters their exam scores.

Plagiarism works that way. Ask Sniffy Joe...

Posted by: jim (in Kalifornia) at August 22, 2026 06:22 AM (l3cgK)

33 32 AI use boosts the quality of students' homework - and then craters their exam scores.

Plagiarism works that way.
Posted by: jim (in Kalifornia) at August 22, 2026 06:22 AM (l3cgK)

Oh, good point!

Posted by: m at August 22, 2026 06:23 AM (odBC9)

34 Canada doesn’t want a deal.
Neither does Iran.
I drank my pot of coffee and I am READY TO GO!

Posted by: Accomack at August 22, 2026 06:24 AM (8jVAy)

35 Canada plans counter-tariffs to fight tariffs being imposed by the US as trade talks implode. (BBC)

Canadian Bacon and Poutine sales mostly affected. Moose at the door shoulda told you, Canada...

Posted by: jim (in Kalifornia) at August 22, 2026 06:24 AM (l3cgK)

36 Slovakia bought hundreds of new traffic cameras - only to find that all of the are Russian spy equipment. (Tom's Hardware)

Choose yer poison...Russia or China...or BOTH!

Posted by: jim (in Kalifornia) at August 22, 2026 06:25 AM (l3cgK)

37 Sounds as if the 50% Canadia tariffs are back on - late negotiation Friday didn’t work out. Hang on to your Maple Syrple.

Posted by: Common Tater at August 22, 2026 06:25 AM (bd3ok)

38 Good morning morons

Mrs. F. loves Thomas Dolby. I don't get it.

Posted by: San Franpsycho at August 22, 2026 06:26 AM (RIvkX)

39 37 Sounds as if the 50% Canadia tariffs are back on - late negotiation Friday didn’t work out. Hang on to your Maple Syrple.

Posted by: Common Tater at August 22, 2026 06:25 AM (bd3ok)

I get mine from Vermont...

Posted by: jim (in Kalifornia) at August 22, 2026 06:27 AM (l3cgK)

40 Dear Slovaks;

We have pagers! Cheep!

Love, Mossad

Posted by: San Franpsycho at August 22, 2026 06:27 AM (RIvkX)

41 38 Good morning morons

Mrs. F. loves Thomas Dolby. I don't get it.

Posted by: San Franpsycho at August 22, 2026 06:26 AM (RIvkX)

She was blinded by the science?

Posted by: jim (in Kalifornia) at August 22, 2026 06:27 AM (l3cgK)

42 39 37 Sounds as if the 50% Canadia tariffs are back on - late negotiation Friday didn’t work out. Hang on to your Maple Syrple.

Posted by: Common Tater at August 22, 2026 06:25 AM (bd3ok)

I get mine from Vermont...

Posted by: jim (in Kalifornia) at August 22, 2026 06:27 AM (l3cgK)

And slather my French Toast in it. Hehehe...

Posted by: jim (in Kalifornia) at August 22, 2026 06:28 AM (l3cgK)

43 BBC Lindsay Clancy trial

1) Clancy lacked control and was likely unable to tell the difference between right and wrong on that January 2023 day, he [Forensic psychiatrist Phillip Resnick, the defence's final witness] told the jury on Friday.

2) "In her mind, she believed that she would be doing her children a favour by having them go to heaven with her rather than remain on earth without her doing the mothering," Resnick testified.

So, she was unable to choose between "right" and "wrong" BUT she was able to choose that very, very complex scenario described in 2).

Posted by: m at August 22, 2026 06:28 AM (odBC9)

44 My dream last night: I was in a new town (no clue if it was Terre Haute) and had to mail my phone bill. (Yes, I still mail my bills.) For some reason I had no car. So I cycled along a tree-lined avenue after a rain shower . . . except that it was in the dream somehow not a bicycle at all. I had to balance and pedal as you would with a bike, but I recall thinking, "Maybe I can ride a bicycle now."

I had to dodge pedestrians, cross some streets, and weave around puddles, but I got to a diner near the post office. Then I found my bill had dropped out of my pocket somewhere along my path. In frantic horror I was checking my pockets when the alarm sounded.

Today I could have slept later, but I'm glad the dream ended when it did!

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at August 22, 2026 06:28 AM (wzUl9)

45 This was not the news I wanted to wake up to about the tariffs. *deep sigh*

The leaders fight, and the people suffer.

Posted by: Grumpy and Recalcitrant at August 22, 2026 06:29 AM (O7YUW)

46 Last night I was thinking I'd walk some this morning before breakfast. Not so much now. The best laid plans and all that.

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at August 22, 2026 06:30 AM (wzUl9)

47 I saw an older couple in the supermarket ( maybe 70's) and he was giving her a little kiss. I don't know what it was about, but it was very sweet
=======

WITHOUT CONSENT?? RHEEE!
-Karen

Posted by: San Franpsycho at August 22, 2026 06:31 AM (RIvkX)

48
there's a good podcast series called "13 minutes to the moon" about the Apollo 11 moon shot

[apparently, there are several "seasons" of the podcast, covering Apollo 13, the space shuttle, and Artemis. I've only heard the first season about Apollo 11]

backstories, history, interviews with the people what were there, archival interviews from NASA's history project, and lots of CAPCOM audio

Posted by: AltonJackson at August 22, 2026 06:31 AM (AMvSw)

49 There's a bacon joke in there.
Posted by: Dark Lix at August 22, 2026 06:13 AM (Fv80

Probably😉 but I have a feeling if I had asked her "Dio you like your bacon underdone, crispy or very crispy ?" She would have probably given me an odd look.

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at August 22, 2026 06:33 AM (+hwtP)

50 This morning I'm going to an AA meeting, to mark my AA birthday for another year; and then I might drive out to the pipe shop and buy something new as another kind of celebration. While the car could use a bath, that can wait until tomorrow.

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at August 22, 2026 06:35 AM (wzUl9)

51 49 There's a bacon joke in there.
Posted by: Dark Lix at August 22, 2026 06:13 AM (Fv80

Probably😉 but I have a feeling if I had asked her "Dio you like your bacon underdone, crispy or very crispy ?" She would have probably given me an odd look.

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at August 22, 2026 06:33 AM (+hwtP)

There's always the old joke:
My wife treats me like a god; she always offers me burnt offerings for breakfast.

Posted by: jim (in Kalifornia) at August 22, 2026 06:37 AM (l3cgK)

52 The Killer Kittenz From Outer Space are well. Stirling just petitioned for some lap time, crawled onto me, then changed his little black mind and vaulted away. Dagny La Siberienne is grooming herself atop the dinette table. They aren't due for breakfast for another twenty minutes.

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at August 22, 2026 06:38 AM (wzUl9)

53 Happy birthday Wolfus! b"h

Posted by: San Franpsycho at August 22, 2026 06:38 AM (RIvkX)

54 There's always the old joke:
My wife treats me like a god; she always offers me burnt offerings for breakfast.
Posted by: jim (in Kalifornia) at August 22, 2026

***
"There are enough grounds in his coffee cup for a divorce"!

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at August 22, 2026 06:39 AM (wzUl9)

55 Happy birthday Wolfus! b"h
Posted by: San Franpsycho at August 22, 2026

***
Thank'ee kindly!

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at August 22, 2026 06:40 AM (wzUl9)

56 Posted by: jim (in Kalifornia) at August 22, 2026 06:37 AM (l3cgK)

LOL.

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at August 22, 2026 06:40 AM (+hwtP)

57 G'mornin' everyone!

Posted by: sock_rat_eez at August 22, 2026 06:41 AM (VyBeY)

58
Dear Slovaks;

We have pagers! Cheep! BOOM!

Love, Mossad

Fixed.

Posted by: Krebs v Carnot: Epic Battle of the Cycling Stars (TM) at August 22, 2026 06:41 AM (trSL4)

59 mornin yall. The school board here is raising property taxes by almost 10%. I can't wait to get out of here. Last year they went up 6%. It's bullshit. They claim they can't afford pencils and paper. The people that run the schools are illiterate lefty liars.

Posted by: fd at August 22, 2026 06:44 AM (MWfyi)

60 Bacon? Did somebody mention bacon?

Very crispy, plz!

Yesterday at our favorite diner I had a cheese and green onion omelet, which came with hash browns and toast, and Linda had the standard breakfast, which encompasses eggs, bacon, grits, and toast. No, she did not eat all of it, but brought a lot of it home in a box for a later meal. It ran $30, including a tip, for two people. Insane . . . and they are a tad cheaper than a lot of places in town. At IHOP, you have to take out a small loan to eat there now.

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at August 22, 2026 06:44 AM (wzUl9)

61 If I disappear one day it means I moved to the far side of the swamp where even Starlink won't reach.

Posted by: fd at August 22, 2026 06:46 AM (MWfyi)

62 59 mornin yall. The school board here is raising property taxes by almost 10%. I can't wait to get out of here. Last year they went up 6%. It's bullshit. They claim they can't afford pencils and paper. The people that run the schools are illiterate lefty liars.

Posted by: fd at August 22, 2026 06:44 AM (MWfyi)

Oh, your tax dollars ARE going somewhere...just not where you'd like them to go.

Posted by: jim (in Kalifornia) at August 22, 2026 06:46 AM (l3cgK)

63 60 Bacon? Did somebody mention bacon?

Very crispy, plz!

Yesterday at our favorite diner I had a cheese and green onion omelet, which came with hash browns and toast, and Linda had the standard breakfast, which encompasses eggs, bacon, grits, and toast. No, she did not eat all of it, but brought a lot of it home in a box for a later meal. It ran $30, including a tip, for two people. Insane . . . and they are a tad cheaper than a lot of places in town. At IHOP, you have to take out a small loan to eat there now.

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at August 22, 2026 06:44 AM (wzUl9)

Does IHOP require collateral?

Posted by: jim (in Kalifornia) at August 22, 2026 06:47 AM (l3cgK)

64 McDonalds's is selling their Big Breakfast for $7.

To spend twice that for a real, decent breakfast sounds ok.

Posted by: San Franpsycho at August 22, 2026 06:47 AM (RIvkX)

65 61 If I disappear one day it means I moved to the far side of the swamp where even Starlink won't reach.

Posted by: fd at August 22, 2026 06:46 AM (MWfyi)

If I disappear, it probably means I've joined my wife. Well, Starlink doesn't reach there either.

Posted by: jim (in Kalifornia) at August 22, 2026 06:48 AM (l3cgK)

66 If I disappear, Kamala did it.

Posted by: San Franpsycho at August 22, 2026 06:50 AM (RIvkX)

67 Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at August 22, 2026 06:40 AM

It's your birthday? It's not one of those J.J Sefton MR jokes? Happy Birthday!. May the Lord bless you. I hope you have a wonderful birthday. You are a wonderful fellow!

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at August 22, 2026 06:51 AM (Z1RBE)

68 Happy birthday Wolfus! I hope your cats treat you kindly for just this one day (at least).

Posted by: Huck Follywood at August 22, 2026 06:52 AM (X+zQK)

69 An entire year without drinking? That deserves a beer for a reward, right? (Kidding!)

That’s why I found quitting smoking so difficult. 60 days without a smoke! Let’s celebrate. With a smoke. lol

Posted by: Common Tater at August 22, 2026 06:52 AM (bd3ok)

70 I was addicted to cigarettes when I was a yute and it was very hard to quit. My buddies helped with random and sudden violence.

Posted by: San Franpsycho at August 22, 2026 06:54 AM (RIvkX)

71 BBC

US & CANADA NEWS

Laptop catches fire on US flight, pilot reports
The pilot said passengers may have been burned, with one treated and released after American Airlines Flight 2398 landed safely.
Posted by: m at August 22, 2026 06:17 AM (odBC9)
=======================
I am surprised this doesn't happen more often, what with lithium batteries and people plugging in on long flights. Imagine being halfway across either ocean when a laptop goes incendiary.

Posted by: Huck Follywood at August 22, 2026 06:55 AM (X+zQK)

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