Daily Tech News 23 December 2024

Top Story

OpenAI's next generation model, GPT-5, is ahead of schedule and coming in under budget. (WSJ / MSN)

Sorry, just kidding. GPT-5 is not working, may never work as planned, and each training run takes six months and costs half a billion dollars.
OpenAI has conducted at least two large training runs, each of which entails months of crunching huge amounts of data, with the goal of making Orion smarter. Each time, new problems arose and the software fell short of the results researchers were hoping for, people close to the project say.
Also there's the tiny problem that with GPT-4, OpenAI already looted the entire public internet. GPT-5 needs a lot more data for its training, and there isn't more data.
OpenAI's solution was to create data from scratch.
It is hiring people to write fresh software code or solve math problems for Orion to learn from. The workers, some of whom are software engineers and mathematicians, also share explanations for their work with Orion.
But, you say, the internet contains all human knowledge. Won't trying to expand that significantly take a long time? Won't it cost a huge amount of money?

Yes.
The process is painfully slow. GPT-4 was trained on an estimated 13 trillion tokens. A thousand people writing 5,000 words a day would take months to produce a billion tokens.
What about using AI to train your new AI?
OpenAI also started developing what is called synthetic data, or data created by AI, to help train Orion. The feedback loop of AI creating data for AI can often cause malfunctions or result in nonsensical answers, research has shown.

Scientists at OpenAI think they can avoid those problems by using data generated by another of its AI models, called o1, people familiar with the matter said.
Scientists at OpenAI are paid to think that. They are paid a lot to think that.

In short, your job is safe for now.

Tech News

If you wanted to buy an ASML EXE:5000 Lego model, you can't. (Tom's Hardware)

Unless you work for ASML, so time to polish up your resume. Having 10 years experience in 2nm lithography is a good start.
Asus' first all-new NUC is here after the company bought Intel's mini-PC operation. And as NUCs go, it is certainly one. (Liliputing)

Actually, this was reportedly designed at Intel before the NUC division sold, which hopefully is why it's pretty meh. It's fine as a business-priced business PC, but it doesn't have a great deal to offer consumers.
A new diamond battery can consistently produce energy for thousands of years, based on carbon-14 as an internal power source. (Live Science)

The only problem is that it produces about 200 microwatts. So about 200 of these could run a Raspberry Pi Pico. 300 if you use WiFi.
2024 has been kind to AI startups, but less so to EV efforts. (Tech Crunch)

Apple spent billions of dollars in secret on its Apple Car only to confirm the project existed the same day it was shut down. Ford and GM both radically scalef back their work on electric vehicles.

And Arrival, Cake, Canoo, Cruise, Fisker, Ghost, Lilium, and Phantom are all either dead or close to it.

Disclaimer: Mostly dead is still partly alive.

Posted by: Pixy Misa at 04:00 AM

Comments

(Jump to bottom of comments)

1 G'Day everyone

Posted by: Skip at December 23, 2024 04:01 AM (fwDg9)

2 w00t

Posted by: m at December 23, 2024 04:03 AM (VnUSN)

3 BOING!

Wow! 11AM already. Time flies!

Posted by: Biden's Dog sniffs a whole lotta malarkey, at December 23, 2024 04:03 AM (GHvvy)

4 Diamonds. Black diamonds.

OpenAI�s solution

Posted by: m at December 23, 2024 04:04 AM (VnUSN)

5 >>>Arrival, Cake, Canoo, Cruise, Fisker, Ghost, Lilium, and Phantom

and Donner and Blitzen

Posted by: m at December 23, 2024 04:05 AM (VnUSN)

6 Have to leave for work about 5:45, go to doctor appointment after then go to Delaware to work about 5pm
Long day coming

Posted by: Skip at December 23, 2024 04:09 AM (fwDg9)

7 Looks like almost everyone is asleep except for me.

Posted by: Tuna at December 23, 2024 04:29 AM (oaGWv)

8 I am very much asleep.

Posted by: Pixy Misa at December 23, 2024 04:34 AM (BLOW1)

9 Hot space news from NASA:

https://tinyurl.com/2mnt7vrx+

Posted by: Biden's Dog sniffs a whole lotta malarkey, at December 23, 2024 04:38 AM (GHvvy)

10 Making stove top oatmeal and raisins

Posted by: Skip at December 23, 2024 04:40 AM (fwDg9)

11 I'm awake but really need to go back to sleep

Posted by: Notsothoreau at December 23, 2024 04:54 AM (NQtI0)

12 Notsothoreau me too

Posted by: Skip at December 23, 2024 04:56 AM (fwDg9)

13 Happy Christmas Eve Eve!

Posted by: Rosasharn at December 23, 2024 04:58 AM (PzBTm)

14
g'mornin', 'rons

Posted by: AltonJackson at December 23, 2024 05:11 AM (tljrc)

15 At least the cats have been fed and can sleep

Posted by: Notsothoreau at December 23, 2024 05:20 AM (NQtI0)

16 The idea of AI using AI generated data to learn makes me think of the 1996 Michael Keaton movie "Multiplicity". Every time they made another copy of the character (by copying a copy) they resulting copy was dumber and less like the original. Like when a company makes copies of copies of copies of forms for customers or employees to fill out. The 4th, 5th, and subsequent generations are worse and worse.

Posted by: TimInVirginia at December 23, 2024 05:21 AM (wrG+8)

17 Seems odd have off Christmas and Boxing day but supposedly working tomorrow, no idea where yet

Posted by: Skip at December 23, 2024 05:23 AM (fwDg9)

18 "In short, your job is safe for now."

Unless the church closes, or some dolts decide to make a robot pastor or they get internet capability and decide to project the pastoral version onto a screen, my job is safe, God willing. And who knows- even if they could get an AI pastor it would probably have six fingers like those weird AI versions of St. Nicholas or George Washington. I don't want to talk to computers and Siri can go jump in a lake.

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at December 23, 2024 05:25 AM (itAx4)

19 Goodmorning, good people, from the Adirondacks at a balmy negative 7 degrees below zero. The temp swings are turning out to be much greater than prior years, and the mewlers are already vocal about it.

Tough shit, assholes. Thus may all effort from you here result in maximum benefit to you and grievous distress to the leftwit ooze that infests us.

Posted by: IRONGRAMPA at December 23, 2024 05:30 AM (hKoQL)

20
>>>Arrival, Cake, Canoo, Cruise, Fisker, Ghost, Lilium, and Phantom

=============

Rivian, please.

Posted by: Blonde Morticia's phone at December 23, 2024 05:37 AM (n7rxJ)

21 Jesus H. Fvck!
Go to sleep and wake-up to find my corporate laptop has been "upgrded" to Fischer-Price V1.1. - More fucking tiles and now basic menu item have popups like the fricken cellphone - same pictograms for 'airplane mode' etc.

Posted by: Itinerant Alley Butcher at December 23, 2024 05:40 AM (/lPRQ)

22 Mornin'

Posted by: Puddleglum, cheer up for the worst is yet to come at December 23, 2024 05:41 AM (sAmhv)

23 Evening and morning to all you early risers and late toilers in the great empire of AoSHQ!

'Tis the Moon's Day, and the day before Christmas Eve. I'm off today and through 1/1. How about you?

Slept enough last night, and now I have to coffee up, change, stretch, and go work out. Temp is 45 F., but winds are low. Oh, and feed the furry beasts.

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at December 23, 2024 05:44 AM (omVj0)

24 I think Rivian just got some big contract with Amazon to make delivery vans. So even if they all explode into firey chemical death, there may be a chance to make a quick buck on their stupidity before they do.

Posted by: Warai-otoko at December 23, 2024 05:45 AM (y/ZMQ)

25 The Recycle Bin says "moooooo"

Posted by: Warai-otoko at December 23, 2024 05:47 AM (y/ZMQ)

26 8 I am very much asleep.
Posted by: Pixy Misa at December 23, 2024 04:34 AM (BLOW1)

Hmm. Waitaminute!

Posted by: m at December 23, 2024 05:47 AM (VnUSN)

27 It's 8 degrees

Posted by: Skip at December 23, 2024 05:48 AM (fwDg9)

28 Love it when the IT Nazis rejigger menus and introduce new in your face functions to enhance your "experience"...

New on the menu for your experience is System>Focus
Hmmm..
'Start Focus Session'
'Session Durtion'
....

How about "UNINSTALL" all the new garbge".
Tht has been my goto action at least since 1994ish

And now I got to figure out how to turn off the microphone fucking speakers...

Jesus H. Christ. It's like a god-dmned spybot....

Posted by: Itinerant Alley Butcher at December 23, 2024 05:49 AM (/lPRQ)

29 Clear and no wind at least
Forgot to take flag down last night.
Forward Dog 9 out

Posted by: Skip at December 23, 2024 05:49 AM (fwDg9)

30 I could see big black Stirling cat, but didn't see Dagny. The first thing I do in that case is to start opening closets. She bounced out of the first one I opened. She must have been in there all night! They both love diving into closets, but have yet to realize they can get themselves closed in for a long period.

Well, they apparently don't hold it against me and don't think I was punishing them, at least.

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at December 23, 2024 05:51 AM (omVj0)

31 'Tis the Moon's Day, and the day before Christmas Eve. I'm off today and through 1/1. How about you?

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at December 23, 2024 05:44 AM (omVj0)
---
Same here!

A few years ago TPTB at the university realized that there simply wasn't much for staff to do during Christmas break, so they gave us 4 "administrative leave" days (with pay) between Christmas and New Year's. Though they did cut down on personal leave days to compensate.

Posted by: "Perfessor" Squirrel at December 23, 2024 05:57 AM (BpYfr)

32 or some dolts decide to make a robot pastor

Give it time. There was an article about a transgender asking AI to generate a biblical quote to justify his choices.

Posted by: NR Pax at December 23, 2024 05:58 AM (NR6c1)

33 Posted by: Itinerant Alley Butcher at December 23, 2024 05:49 AM (/lPRQ)

It sounds awful, but you have an amusingly acerbic way of describing it.

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at December 23, 2024 05:59 AM (mbJ2R)

34 Morning, 'rons and 'ettes.

Posted by: olddog in mo at December 23, 2024 06:01 AM (hoCmQ)

35 If a floating point operation is a FLOP, would clerical AI operations be measured in CLOPs?

Posted by: Warai-otoko at December 23, 2024 06:02 AM (y/ZMQ)

36 Posted by: NR Pax at December 23, 2024 05:58 AM (NR6c1)

Well, they have an AI Jesus whom you could confess to at some church in Europe, an idea which I found revolting.

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at December 23, 2024 06:02 AM (mbJ2R)

37 I'm going to that little church down the road. Their pastorbot may only run at 5 teraCLOPs per second, but the pews are more comfortable.

Posted by: Warai-otoko at December 23, 2024 06:03 AM (y/ZMQ)

38 How about "UNINSTALL" all the new garbge".

Microsoft would make quite a bit of money if they released a bare bones OS and the only updates you get are security patches.

Posted by: NR Pax at December 23, 2024 06:04 AM (NR6c1)

39 Seek and ye shall find.

Posted by: Old School Hard Driving Pastor at December 23, 2024 06:04 AM (vFG9F)

40 Posted by: Warai-otoko at December 23, 2024 06:02 AM (y/ZMQ)

CLOPs only if it's riding a mechanical horse.

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at December 23, 2024 06:05 AM (mbJ2R)

41 Everyone thought Robo-Pope Alexa IV would be the catalyst for the Butlerian Jihad, but it was actually the introduction of Windows 18.

Posted by: Warai-otoko at December 23, 2024 06:06 AM (y/ZMQ)

42 Micheal Vick getting Norfolk St. job has been top story news for a week now.
Daughter is here for Christmas.
We stopped at the New Castle farmer market and she saw some toy guns. She wants a gun because she's an American dammit.

Posted by: Accomack at December 23, 2024 06:07 AM (MeckE)

43 Could be worse, they have actual Spyware for employees:

https://controlio.net/

If your employer uses something like this, get a new job.

Posted by: CanuckJack at December 23, 2024 06:07 AM (1cCGi)

44 Just wait until ALL of you here realize W11 is replete with new little experiences like that which pop up sans warning, you'll then understand how much a pleasure it will be to understand and navigate in.

Good times, they acomin!

Posted by: IRONGRAMPA at December 23, 2024 06:08 AM (hKoQL)

45 How about "UNINSTALL" all the new garbge".
Tht has been my goto action at least since 1994ish

And now I got to figure out how to turn off the microphone fucking speakers...

Jesus H. Christ. It's like a god-dmned spybot....
Posted by: Itinerant Alley Butcher

Lucky you have the ability to uninstall. That function was locked out on my corporate laptop. If you didn't like the "updates" tough tomatoes.

Posted by: Tuna at December 23, 2024 06:09 AM (oaGWv)

46 Eventually computers will ship with no monitor or input devices because you're really not all that important to the whole computing experience at all, are you?

Just plug the box in and leave it alone, zek. You'll only make things worse.

Posted by: Warai-otoko at December 23, 2024 06:09 AM (y/ZMQ)

47 Tea. Earl Grey. Hot.

Posted by: Captain Obvious, Laird o' the Sea, Radioactive Knight at December 23, 2024 06:09 AM (6K6Eu)

48 The USPS has screwed up again. My second Xmas package was actually in town on 12/20 . . . and now has been routed to Massachusetts. How in the hell can they get that from my address and ZIP . . .??!!

Looks like I won't get this one either. Grrrr.

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at December 23, 2024 06:11 AM (omVj0)

49 Eventually, our job will be to supply data for the AI to train on.

Posted by: Accomack at December 23, 2024 06:11 AM (MeckE)

50 Just plug the box in and leave it alone, zek. You'll only make things worse.
Posted by: Warai-otoko at December 23, 2024 06:09 AM (y/ZMQ)
-----------
There used to be an acronym for that. PIBKAC.

Posted by: Captain Obvious, Laird o' the Sea, Radioactive Knight at December 23, 2024 06:11 AM (6K6Eu)

51 There used to be an acronym for that. PIBKAC.
Posted by: Captain Obvious, Laird o' the Sea, Radioactive Knight at December 23, 2024 06:11 AM (6K6Eu)

Heh. Get rid of the K and the C altogether, and there will be no P! Brilliant.

Posted by: Warai-otoko at December 23, 2024 06:12 AM (y/ZMQ)

52 A few years ago TPTB at the university realized that there simply wasn't much for staff to do during Christmas break, so they gave us 4 "administrative leave" days (with pay) between Christmas and New Year's. Though they did cut down on personal leave days to compensate.
Posted by: "Perfessor" Squirrel at December 23, 2024

***
Yeah, the same here. But it makes for a nice year-end break. Christmas itself coming in the middle of the week is awkward for any kind of road trip or traveling, though.

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at December 23, 2024 06:13 AM (omVj0)

53 Yeah, the same here. But it makes for a nice year-end break. Christmas itself coming in the middle of the week is awkward for any kind of road trip or traveling, though.
Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at December 23, 2024 06:13 AM (omVj0)
-----------
Boeing has (or had) a shutdown between Christmas and New Year's. It was a popular time for my department at Aetna to take time off, as we serviced nothing but Boeing claims.

Posted by: Captain Obvious, Laird o' the Sea, Radioactive Knight at December 23, 2024 06:16 AM (6K6Eu)

54 Seek and ye shall find.

Posted by: Old School Hard Driving Pastor at December 23, 2024 06:04 AM (vFG9F)
-

/digs up apartment building garden seeking oil deposit

Posted by: Biden's Dog sniffs a whole lotta malarkey, at December 23, 2024 06:17 AM (GHvvy)

55 50 There used to be an acronym for that. PIBKAC.
Posted by: Captain Obvious, Laird o' the Sea, Radioactive Knight

At one job I had, we were told to open tickets with every phone call. I decided to see if the higher ups paid attention. So I used the following:

PEBKAC
User TSTL (Too stupid to live)
User error. Replaced user.

Never called on it once.

Posted by: NR Pax at December 23, 2024 06:17 AM (NR6c1)

56 Good morning, grammatically correct Tech Peeps.

Posted by: Strunk & White at December 23, 2024 06:17 AM (AN2gy)

57 a robot pastor

Imagine confession for Catholics.

Sinner: Forgive me, father, for I have sinned.
Robo-Priest: Exterminate!

You know the people programming this would be Dr. Who fans.

Posted by: I used to have a different nic at December 23, 2024 06:17 AM (ExV1e)

58 This is how Rome collapsed.

The Empire Postal Service just stopped giving a damn.

Posted by: no one of any consequence at December 23, 2024 06:17 AM (ZmEVT)

59 Microsoft would make quite a bit of money if they released a bare bones OS and the only updates you get are security patches.
Posted by: NR Pax at December 23, 2024 06:04 AM (NR6c1)

But then they wouldn't get all the tax dollars for installing back doors and spyware.

Posted by: I used to have a different nic at December 23, 2024 06:18 AM (ExV1e)

60 Per the NY Post:

"Biden commutes death sentences of child killers and mass murderers 2 days before Christmas"

Posted by: Tuna at December 23, 2024 06:22 AM (oaGWv)

61 User TSTL (Too stupid to live)
-----------
I heard a (perhaps apocryphal) story from back in the DOS days that an angry user complained to tech support that the computer was calling him "bad" and "an invalid." They had to explain that "bad or invalid file" didn't mean what he thought it meant.

Posted by: Captain Obvious, Laird o' the Sea, Radioactive Knight at December 23, 2024 06:22 AM (6K6Eu)

62 "If you are kind to the cruel, you will eventually be cruel to the kind."

Posted by: no one of any consequence at December 23, 2024 06:23 AM (ZmEVT)

63 "Biden commutes death sentences of child killers and mass murderers 2 days before Christmas"

Posted by: Tuna at December 23, 2024 06:22 AM (oaGWv)
-----------
Kinda sums up the Biden administration.

Posted by: Captain Obvious, Laird o' the Sea, Radioactive Knight at December 23, 2024 06:23 AM (6K6Eu)

64 "If you are kind to the cruel, you will eventually be cruel to the kind."

That's kind of catchy!

Posted by: Nick Lowe at December 23, 2024 06:25 AM (AN2gy)

65 "Biden commutes death sentences of child killers and mass murderers 2 days before Christmas"

The Democrats are doing everything in their power to tear down the country. If they can't rule it, they will break it so no one else can.

Posted by: BeckoningChasm at December 23, 2024 06:26 AM (w+hdv)

66 Honda and Nissan are merging.

Posted by: Tuna at December 23, 2024 06:28 AM (oaGWv)

67 This is outrageous. How can anybody think it is safe to operate a swarm of drones over a crowd of people? This company should be history, along with whoever approved this:

"A terrifying video showed drones part of a Christmas light show plummeting to the ground, with one of them striking and seriously injuring a young boy.

Alexander Edgerton, just seven years old, had to be rushed to the hospital for emergency heart surgery after getting hit with a falling drone at Saturday's Lake Eola Park show in Orlando, Florida.

The event was sponsored by the city of Orlando"

Posted by: Old School Hard Driving Pastor at December 23, 2024 06:28 AM (vFG9F)

68 Honda and Nissan are merging.
Posted by: Tuna at December 23, 2024 06:28 AM (oaGWv)

Hossan?

Ninda?

Posted by: Count de Monet at December 23, 2024 06:30 AM (Aqu9a)

69
There used to be an acronym for that. PIBKAC.

Posted by: Captain Obvious, Laird o' the Sea, Radioactive Knight

At one job I had, we were told to open tickets with every phone call. I decided to see if the higher ups paid attention. So I used the following:

PEBKAC
User TSTL (Too stupid to live)
User error. Replaced user.

Never called on it once.

Posted by: NR Pax at December 23, 2024 06:17 AM

ID 10 T error

Posted by: AltonJackson at December 23, 2024 06:30 AM (tljrc)

70 "Biden commutes death sentences of child killers and mass murderers 2 days before Christmas"

Posted by: Tuna at December 23, 2024 06:22 AM (oaGWv)
-----------
Kinda sums up the Biden administration.
Posted by: Captain Obvious, Laird o' the Sea, Radioactive Knight at December 23, 2024 06:23 AM (6K6Eu)

It's for the children, hater!

Posted by: Count de Monet at December 23, 2024 06:31 AM (Aqu9a)

71 It's for the children, hater!
Posted by: Count de Monet at December 23, 2024 06:31 AM (Aqu9a)
----------
That's MISTER Hater to you!

Posted by: Captain Obvious, Laird o' the Sea, Radioactive Knight at December 23, 2024 06:33 AM (6K6Eu)

72 Was Alexa assigned her sex at birth? Or can it be changed in settings by omnipotent me.

Posted by: Mr Gaga at December 23, 2024 06:34 AM (KiBMU)

73
It would be nice to have a robo-priest whose programming stopped with the Council of Trent.

Posted by: Hadrian the Seventh at December 23, 2024 06:34 AM (dxSpM)

74 "Hossan?

Ninda?
Posted by: Count de Monet"

Hotsun.

I would love to have one of those old Datsun pickups. They were perfect.

Posted by: fd at December 23, 2024 06:35 AM (vFG9F)

75 It would be nice to have a robo-priest whose programming stopped with the Council of Trent.
Posted by: Hadrian the Seventh at December 23, 2024 06:34 AM (dxSpM)
----------
Would we then have the emergence of Robo-Tetzel?

Posted by: Captain Obvious, Laird o' the Sea, Radioactive Knight at December 23, 2024 06:36 AM (6K6Eu)

76 Byeee...

Posted by: Captain Obvious, Laird o' the Sea, Radioactive Knight at December 23, 2024 06:40 AM (6K6Eu)

77 Well, the good news seems to be that they borked the VPN so I cannot do anything much other than slog through the new menu format and figure out what I can undo and what the IT Nazis locked us out of...

Posted by: Itinerant Alley Butcher at December 23, 2024 06:40 AM (/lPRQ)

78 ID 10 T error
Posted by: AltonJackson

ID10T compliant is an alternative.

Posted by: NR Pax at December 23, 2024 06:40 AM (NR6c1)

79
Would we then have the emergence of Robo-Tetzel?
Posted by: Captain Obvious, Laird o' the Sea, Radioactive Knight

__________

Considering that Tetzel died in 1519 and Trent wasn't convened until 1545, no.

Posted by: Hadrian the Seventh at December 23, 2024 06:40 AM (dxSpM)

80 For all of its problems, AI does draw some nice scenery in those retro-future 1950s sci-fi utube videos.

Posted by: Count de Monet at December 23, 2024 06:40 AM (Aqu9a)

81
The related acronym I've heard recently is TOOTBLAN: Thrown Out On The Bases Like A Nincompoop.

https://youtu.be/RRAxFt52mTk

Posted by: Hadrian the Seventh at December 23, 2024 06:44 AM (dxSpM)

82 The Democrats are doing everything in their power to tear down the country. If they can't rule it, they will break it so no one else can.
Posted by: BeckoningChasm at December 23, 2024 06:26 AM (w+hdv)

They want Trump to have to deal with a million little things so that he cannot get to any big things.

Posted by: I used to have a different nic at December 23, 2024 06:44 AM (ExV1e)

83 AI plus spyware calling itself an OS plus cellphones are making me think the Amish have a better way. Hard physical labor treats the body for the most part better that the stress related to computer work.

Posted by: Don in SoCo at December 23, 2024 06:45 AM (vd6bO)

84 "Biden commutes death sentences of child killers and mass murderers 2 days before Christmas"

I guarantee that this is designed to get people agitated and calling for limiting or removing the Presidential pardon power.

Posted by: I used to have a different nic at December 23, 2024 06:45 AM (ExV1e)

85 Good morning to all. It’s 24 degrees here in western NC and going up to the low fourties today.

Posted by: Rufus T. Firefly at December 23, 2024 06:48 AM (33578)

86 And on a cheerier note, if you're on the East Coast and the skies are clear, the rosy beginnings of the sunrise are lovely.

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at December 23, 2024 06:48 AM (JSs9U)

87
Good morning to all. It’s 24 degrees here in western NC and going up to the low fourties today.
Posted by: Rufus T. Firefly at December 23, 2024 06:48 AM (3357

_________

How are things in western NC, Rufus? Your plight kinda dropped off the radar right quick.

Posted by: Hadrian the Seventh at December 23, 2024 06:51 AM (dxSpM)

88 I'm giving #1 son a domain name for Christmas. It's one I got back in the 90s and never really did much with. He uses it for his email server though, so I renewed it for five years and will transfer to him. I can't figure out how to wrap it though.

Posted by: fd at December 23, 2024 06:51 AM (vFG9F)

89 I think Rivian just got some big contract with Amazon to make delivery vans. So even if they all explode into firey chemical death, there may be a chance to make a quick buck on their stupidity before they do.
Posted by: Warai-otoko at December 23, 2024 05:45 AM (y/ZMQ)

I drive by Rivian's storage lot every once in awhile. They still have hundreds of amazon vans there. They been there since the great fire.

That site is still hidden by shipping containers. They still dont want it seen from the groubnd.

Posted by: Someday I'll choose a nick and stick with it. Today is not that day! Dangerous Radical at December 23, 2024 06:53 AM (89Sog)

90 I think Biden's handlers want to be able to pardon their most violent supporters no matter what the crime.

Posted by: Accomack at December 23, 2024 06:55 AM (MeckE)

91 Planning on taking a cruise ship through the Trump Locks in Panama, then heading North to visit the Great States of Canada and Greenland.

Posted by: bill in arkansas, not gonna comply with nuttin, waiting for the 0300 knock on the door at December 23, 2024 07:03 AM (gm9Sb)

92 Birdbath status?

Posted by: Just Wondering at December 23, 2024 07:04 AM (dg+HA)

93 >>>>How are things in western NC, Rufus? Your plight kinda dropped off the radar right quick.
Posted by: Hadrian the Seventh at December 23, 2024 06:51 AM (dxSpM)
********
True, news about the displaced has gone away. It seems to vary a lot. Reports of people still living in tents in places, while other areas seem to be trying to return to normal. I was in Asheville and from my limited time there it seemed okay. Lake Lure and Chimney Rock are trying to crawl back.

Posted by: Rufus T. Firefly at December 23, 2024 07:05 AM (33578)

94 Die Hard 2 star Art Evans dies aged 82 after a long health battle

https://mol.im/a/14220735

Posted by: Ciampino - drat, there goes another at December 23, 2024 07:07 AM (i0xsb)

95 Isaiah 61:1-3

Devotional on "the God of second chances":

https://tinyurl.com/bdhhhvzs

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at December 23, 2024 07:07 AM (lRvfO)

96 Pixy, what app do you recommend for messaging since phone/ text isnot secure?

(Also, iphone imessages are encrypted encrypted, right?)

Posted by: vmom deport deport deport at December 23, 2024 07:12 AM (7gFa4)

97
Pain isn't quite as bad this morning, but the day is still young and I'm just sitting in a comfy chair. There's not much I can do until the calcium dissolves out of my shoulder.

I felt bad about leaving church even before Mass began, but considering I drove straight to the ER I hope the Good Lord will understand. My assumption for Christmas Day is that I'm going to Mass until I determine I can't get through it.

Posted by: Hadrian the Seventh at December 23, 2024 07:14 AM (dxSpM)

98 Yep, potatus commuted the death sentences of all but 3 on death row, rouff, tsarnev and the Tree of Life murderer. My fear is that he would pardon them. Horrible, horrible administration. You just know it's his 20 something staffers that came up with this and he didn't have any clue what he was signing.

Posted by: neverenoughcaffeine at December 23, 2024 07:14 AM (2NHgQ)

99 Hadrian, prayers up for you.

Posted by: Gref at December 23, 2024 07:17 AM (aBgBM)

100
Yep, potatus commuted the death sentences of all but 3 on death row, rouff, tsarnev and the Tree of Life murderer.

________

Why didn't he pardon them as well? In that case, he's acknowledging that there really are crimes deserving of the death penalty.

Posted by: Hadrian the Seventh at December 23, 2024 07:19 AM (dxSpM)

101 Okinawa protesters call for apology from US military over sexual assault case | NHK WORLD-JAPAN News
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld
/en/news/20241222_14/

Posted by: Ciampino - drat, there goes the neighborhood at December 23, 2024 07:21 AM (i0xsb)

102 Posted by: Hadrian the Seventh at December 23, 2024 07:14 AM (dxSpM)

I'm not your priest of course, but I believe he'd say that the Lord understands. Your heart was in the right place. You wanted to be there to worship the Lord and receive the Eucharist, but your mind was understandably on your extreme pain.

I will pray for your healing.

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at December 23, 2024 07:21 AM (lRvfO)

103 Daystrom 5>>GPT 5

Posted by: rhennigantx at December 23, 2024 07:21 AM (gbOdA)

104 66 Honda and Nissan are merging.
Posted by: Tuna at December 23, 2024 06:28 AM (oaGWv)

— —

So ithe company will now be called “Honda-san”?
Sounds very respectable.

Posted by: SpeakingOf at December 23, 2024 07:23 AM (6ydKt)

105 G'morning, all!

Posted by: Village Idiot's Apprentice at December 23, 2024 07:25 AM (a1415)

106

Posted by: . at December 23, 2024 07:25 AM (/7KEl)

107 Owl comes down chimney and flies to top of Christmas tree:

https://tinyurl.com/yc27nd38

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at December 23, 2024 07:25 AM (lRvfO)

108 60 Per the NY Post:

"Biden commutes death sentences of child killers and mass murderers 2 days before Christmas"

--

A lot better than the AP headline:

Biden gives life in prison to 37 of 40 federal death row inmates so Trump can’t have them executed

Posted by: vmom deport deport deport at December 23, 2024 07:28 AM (WL2lA)

109 A new video emerges of the lady who was set on fire today in Coney Island Brooklyn.

https://tinyurl.com/53j9eesc

Posted by: Ciampino but, but the governor said the subway us safe! at December 23, 2024 07:28 AM (i0xsb)

110 G'mornin' everyone!

Posted by: sock_rat_eez at December 23, 2024 07:29 AM (cY18j)

111 "A terrifying video showed drones part of a Christmas light show plummeting to the ground, with one of them striking and seriously injuring a young boy.

"As God as my witness, I thought drones could fly."

Posted by: Arthur Carlson at December 23, 2024 07:30 AM (rHxhM)

112 I see that Dylann Roof did not get his sentence commuted to life.

Posted by: Village Idiot's Apprentice at December 23, 2024 07:30 AM (a1415)

113 88 I'm giving #1 son a domain name for Christmas. It's one I got back in the 90s and never really did much with. He uses it for his email server though, so I renewed it for five years and will transfer to him. I can't figure out how to wrap it though.
Posted by: fd at December 23, 2024 06:51 AM (vFG9F)

-----------------------------------

You may have been joking a bit, but you could always generate a QR code for the domain (or possibly the URL that shows ownership of the domain), and print it out on some nice card stock. Make it kind of like a gift card.

Posted by: No One of Consequence at December 23, 2024 07:30 AM (OGOaV)

114
Biden gives life in prison to 37 of 40 federal death row inmates so Trump can’t have them executed

Posted by: vmom deport deport deport

________

For stealing a loaf of bread to feed their families who are starving because of tax cuts and climate change, right? Whereas if you were to read the facts about their crimes, it would turn your stomach.

Posted by: Hadrian the Seventh at December 23, 2024 07:31 AM (dxSpM)

115
JJ is nood

Posted by: AltonJackson at December 23, 2024 07:31 AM (tljrc)

116 107 Owl comes down chimney and flies to top of Christmas tree:

https://tinyurl.com/yc27nd38
Posted by: FenelonSpoke at December 23, 2024 07:25 AM (lRvfO)

---------------------------

Someone's kid is going to Hogwarts!

Posted by: No One of Consequence at December 23, 2024 07:32 AM (OGOaV)

117 "Whereas if you were to read the facts about their crimes, it would turn your stomach. "

Right up there with some of those 1000+ folks who he pardoned earlier in the month.

Posted by: Village Idiot's Apprentice at December 23, 2024 07:32 AM (a1415)

118 88 I'm giving #1 son a domain name for Christmas. It's one I got back in the 90s and never really did much with. He uses it for his email server though, so I renewed it for five years and will transfer to him. I can't figure out how to wrap it though.
Posted by: fd at December 23, 2024 06:51 AM (vFG9F)

—

You could print out the renewal and transfer, put it in a manilla envelope and put that in a small shirt box to wrap.

Posted by: SpeakingOf at December 23, 2024 07:34 AM (6ydKt)

119 So who made up this asinine rule? Some bureaucrat? Let him explain the logic.
Get rid of the rule. Only Congress needs to make up rules.
Was this rule applied when FEMA disaster funds were used for illegals instead?
--
FEMA seems to be very confused as to why people in #WNC are so upset about the "50% Rule" for disasters...

https://tinyurl.com/sbyte8nn

Posted by: Ciampino - FEMA needs gone yesterday at December 23, 2024 07:44 AM (i0xsb)

120 Disclaimer: Mostly dead is still partly alive.

It would take a miracle.

Posted by: GWB at December 23, 2024 07:54 AM (WlvCt)

121 55 50 There used to be an acronym for that. PIBKAC.
Posted by: Captain Obvious, Laird o' the Sea, Radioactive Knight

At one job I had, we were told to open tickets with every phone call. I decided to see if the higher ups paid attention. So I used the following:

PEBKAC
User TSTL (Too stupid to live)
User error. Replaced user.

Never called on it once.
Posted by: NR Pax at December 23, 2024 06:17 AM (NR6c1)

Ha ha!

Posted by: m at December 23, 2024 08:35 AM (VnUSN)

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