Daily Tech News 12 April 2025

Top Story

Never get involved in a land war in Asia: Adobe tried to promote its services to artists on Bluesky. They promptly deleted their posts after realising that everyone on Bluesky is insane. (PetaPixel)

I could have told you that, Adobe.

Also, you suck. Just... Less than Bluesky. Like you're diptheria and they're anthrax.

Tech News

The Pentagon is cancelling $5.1 billion in IT contracts with the big IT contractors. (Reuters) (archive site)

These contracts are almost always vastly overpriced and incredibly unproductive.
If you're a racist, Marxist, screaming lunatic, South of Midnight might just be the game for you. (The Verge) (archive site)

The game is doing better than Dustborn, but not a whole lot. And it looks good and sounds good, it's just written by people who should not be permitted with 500 yards of a keyboard.

And yes, Sweet Baby Inc was deeply involved in this one, with utterly predictable results.

It's also apparently quite short, but I won't knock it for that. Not every game needs to last 80 hours. Gris is only a few hours long and it's a masterpiece.
You don't need websockets if you're not doing anything that needs websockets. (Hunter Lovell)

Uh, thanks?

Cool Shuba Duck though.
xAI is not using illegal generators to power its datacenter. (Tom's Hardware)

xAI has 420MW of generator capacity, but only 40% of it has long-term permits. The rest of it is using a short-term rule that allows a temporary generator to operate for 364 days without that permit.

I think the company will likely be able to get those permits if it needs them later this year, so the article is a nothingburger.
Ubisoft cancelled online services for its game The Crew. And removed the game from users' libraries. And deactivated physical copies. And issued nothing even slightly resembling refunds.

And now that it's facing lawsuits the company is pointing out that customers don't own what they buy. (TechSpot)

Ubisoft seems to have violated specific laws in California in all of this. Of course that's true of everyone on the planet and most people not on the planet, but it doesn't particularly help the company's defense.
I wasn't particularly planning to spend any more money on my new PC but I accidentally bought a QNAP QM2-4P-384.

The motherboard I have supports up to four M.2 slots, though two share bandwidth with the PCIe 5.0 x16 slot, reducing it to x8, and one shares bandwidth the the PCIe 4.0 x4 slot, reducing it to PCIe 4.0 xnothing.

You can get cheap four-slot M.2 cards but they require a full x16 slot to work, because they are wired up logically as just four four-lane devices and rely on the CPU figuring that out. If you have a graphics card in your x16 slot, or you have M.2 cards sharing its bandwidth, they're basically useless.

You can also get more expensive four-slot (or even eight-slot) M.2 cards that will work even if you only have a single PCIe lane left over, because they have hardware onboard to split up whatever PCIe you have and divide it among the M.2 slots on the card. But those are full-height cards and the Hyte Y40 and Y60 cases only have full-height space for the graphics card.

But the QNAP QM2-4P-384 is a half-height card because it's built for smaller NAS devices - though it also works on PCs. It's PCIe 3.0 x8 which is not something my motherboard has, but with the onboard chip it will still work just fine.

So now I can have 28TB or even 32TB of internal SSD (if I use that fourth motherboard slot).

And then another 16TB of SSD in my external storage array. Oh, and four SATA SSDs in my PC. And four 3.5" hard drives (or again SATA SSDs) in the storage array.

So I'll probably run out of money before I run out of space to put drives.

Musical Interlude

Speaking of Hyte and Hoshimachi Suisei (she's the singer in the video above) there's now a Hyte Y70 Hoshimachi Suisei case.

It looks quite good, though I already have four of these Hololive limited edition cases and I'm not really looking to buy more.

Disclaimer: And definitely not paying $300 in international shipping. Again.

Posted by: Pixy Misa at 04:30 AM

Comments

(Jump to bottom of comments)

1 Good afternoon Pixy,

I want (don't need) a big storage unit. What are the best four slot ones? HDD probably.

Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at April 12, 2025 04:40 AM (6oiSq)

2 Good morning, good people, from the Adirondacks, a definitely much nicer place to live since Nov 5.

May all effort from you result in maximal benefit in all manners, with commensurate heartburn for the leftwit fungi in any effort from them.

Posted by: IRONGRAMPA at April 12, 2025 04:44 AM (hKoQL)

3 Mornin'

Posted by: Puddleglum at work at April 12, 2025 04:47 AM (rRMBj)

4 CBD - If you're looking for a NAS the best option is Synology, though they're pricey. I have a couple of very old ones that work was discarding (complete with drives) and somehow they worked fine after about eight years in service.

I also have a Terramaster USB storage array for the new office that takes four hard drives and four M.2 drives. It's not RAID though.

Posted by: Pixy Misa at April 12, 2025 04:52 AM (BLOW1)

5 Also, you suck. Just... Less than Bluesky. Like you're diptheria and they're anthrax.

Wow Pixy, that's harsh .... I like it specially at 4AM (CST).

Posted by: Ciampino - Bladder alarm clock at April 12, 2025 04:58 AM (sPQoU)

6 Good morning from the Carolinas.

Posted by: Going deep. Out. at April 12, 2025 05:00 AM (6t8M3)

7 >>>I could have told you that, Adobe.
Also, you suck. Just... Less than Bluesky. Like you're diptheria and they're anthrax.

Ooh! Did somebody get up on the wrong side of the bed today?

Posted by: m at April 12, 2025 05:02 AM (CQE5S)

8 SpaceX - Falcon 9 - Starlink 12-17
SLC-40 - Cape Canaveral SFS - Space Affairs
New T-Zero: April 12, 8:53 p.m. EDT, 0053 UTC, 02:53 CEST. Weather remains an issue.

https://www.youtube.com/li
ve/eYUntT7mX7I

_______
SpaceX - Falcon 9 - NROL-192
SLC-4E - Vandenberg SFB - Space Affairs Live
Launch Date: April 12, 2025
Launch Time: 5:17 a.m. PDT, 1217 UTC, 14:17 CEST

https://www.youtube.com/
live/ytpwrSjVUDA

Star light, star bright
First star I see tonight
I wish I may, I wish I might
Oh wait, it's just a satellite

https://youtu.be/yS0KKkVKPmU

Posted by: Ciampino - stochastic bladder alarm clock at April 12, 2025 05:04 AM (sPQoU)

9 Posted by: Pixy Misa at April 12, 2025 04:52 AM (BLOW1)

I was hoping you weren't going to say Synology. They are pretty expensive.

And RAID is mandatory. I have shit luck with hard drives.

Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at April 12, 2025 05:06 AM (6oiSq)

10 I wasn't particularly planning to spend any more money on my new PC but I accidentally bought ....

Oops! You did it again.

Posted by: m at April 12, 2025 05:07 AM (CQE5S)

11 Ciampino, go to your room.

Posted by: m at April 12, 2025 05:09 AM (CQE5S)

12 (Ciampino left BOLDNESS in the comments. Now fixed.)

Posted by: m at April 12, 2025 05:11 AM (CQE5S)

13
g'mornin', 'rons

Posted by: AltonJackson at April 12, 2025 05:13 AM (tljrc)

14 Panic in Alaska, the Daily Mail type.
Possibly, maybe there could be a volcanic eruption so let's stock up on TP.

https://tinyurl.com/yy4k25d9

Posted by: Ciampino - & bottled water? at April 12, 2025 05:14 AM (sPQoU)

15 9 I was hoping you weren't going to say Synology. They are pretty expensive.

And RAID is mandatory. I have shit luck with hard drives.
Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo

Yeah. For direct-attached storage you can set that up in Windows, but you can't do that with a NAS.

Asus / Asustor might be a good option for something a bit cheaper.

Posted by: Pixy Misa at April 12, 2025 05:28 AM (BLOW1)

16 A mother was dragged out of her car by ICE officers in front of her 18-year-old daughter for allegedly having links to organized crime group MS-13, seemingly without a warrant.

1. Her daughter is an adult so don't spin it to sound as she's a minor.
2. She's an illegal alien. No warrant necessary.
3. At a traffic stop anyone asked to exit a vehicle must do so, no reason needs to be given, though usually it's likely to be an arrest or a car search for drugs.

https://tinyurl.com/3h85ub2f

Posted by: Ciampino - She sounds like a SovCit at April 12, 2025 05:28 AM (sPQoU)

17 11
S O R R Y

So many edits to launch times, I was bound to do that eventually.

Posted by: Ciampino - is it worse than centered at April 12, 2025 05:33 AM (sPQoU)

18 Yes, do wash new clothes before wearing them as you don't know where they've been!! But what about coats, jackets, etc.?

https://tinyurl.com/4b567u6t

Posted by: Ciampino - is BOLD worse than centered? at April 12, 2025 05:38 AM (sPQoU)

19 G'Day everyone

Posted by: Skip at April 12, 2025 05:47 AM (ypFCm)

20 Morning, Tech Peeps

Posted by: fluffy at April 12, 2025 05:49 AM (AN2gy)

21 Rained all night here I think

Posted by: Skip at April 12, 2025 05:54 AM (ypFCm)

22 Twenty (20) comments in 90 minutes? The coffee must have been weak.

Posted by: Ciampino - is BOLD worser than centered? at April 12, 2025 05:55 AM (sPQoU)

23 This is so PDTish (in a good way!):

Executive Order 14252 of March 27, 2025
Making the District of Columbia Safe and Beautiful
As the Federal capital city, Washington, D.C., is the only city that belongs to all Americans and that all Americans can claim as theirs. As the capital city of the greatest Nation in the history of the world, it should showcase beautiful, clean, and safe public spaces.

Posted by: m at April 12, 2025 05:57 AM (CQE5S)

24 We have a heated birdbath. After the temperature dropped into the high 20s Thursday morning, I unplugged it as there is just one morning next week forecast for 30F. Mrs fluffy suggested I leave it plugged in until Easter. "It will be fine", I assured her.

When I took the feeders out this AM it was filled with slush. 34F and snowing here south of the border.

Posted by: fluffy at April 12, 2025 05:57 AM (AN2gy)

25
https://www.federalregister.gov/
presidential-documents/
executive-orders/donald-trump/2025

Posted by: m at April 12, 2025 05:58 AM (CQE5S)

26 Twenty (20) comments in 90 minutes? The coffee must have been weak.
Posted by: Ciampino - is BOLD worser than centered?

I'll add a comment. Good morning from Nashville land.

Posted by: Tuna at April 12, 2025 05:59 AM (lJ0H4)

27
https://nitter.net/charlescwcooke has a new avatar. Maybe he's moved? To Florida?

Posted by: m at April 12, 2025 06:00 AM (CQE5S)

28 Birdbath status?

Posted by: Just Wondering at April 12, 2025 06:05 AM (dg+HA)

29 heh

Bonchie
@bonchieredstate
13h
Hear me out.
What if Democrats just *triple down* on dudes in girls' sports?

Posted by: m at April 12, 2025 06:07 AM (CQE5S)

30 I don't understand why NASA was in the business of giving out grants in the first place but then to grantees such as this?

Oregon State University was awarded a commitment of more than $450,000 to study refugee farming decisions in Uganda.

The grant's description showed that the results of the project will 'directly support place-based information of refugee self-sufficiency that is called for in Uganda's refugee response plan.'

It's unclear how the findings would advance NASA's aims.

Posted by: Ciampino - is BOLD worsest than centered? at April 12, 2025 06:07 AM (sPQoU)

31 >>> Birdbath status?

Slushy, as noted above in comment 24.

Posted by: fluffy at April 12, 2025 06:08 AM (AN2gy)

32 That's too bad about South of Midnight! The trailer was gorgeous. I'm glad the reviewer at the link felt seen, and that the gamers did their research on southern black culture. But it sounds like the time spent researching came at the expense of a good game with fun gameplay. Kind of defeats the purpose!

Posted by: LizLem at April 12, 2025 06:08 AM (gWBY1)

33 29 heh

Bonchie
@bonchieredstate
13h
Hear me out.
What if Democrats just *triple down* on dudes in girls' sports?

Posted by: m at April 12, 2025 06:07 AM (CQE5S)
----
Von Vord: Nutcracker.

Posted by: Ciampino - New ballet at April 12, 2025 06:11 AM (sPQoU)

34 Got big pot of coffee on, still waiting

Posted by: Skip at April 12, 2025 06:13 AM (ypFCm)

35 >>> This is so PDTish (in a good way!):
Executive Order 14252 of March 27, 2025
Making the District of Columbia Safe and Beautiful
As the Federal capital city, Washington, D.C., is the only city that belongs to all Americans and that all Americans can claim as theirs. As the capital city of the greatest Nation in the history of the world, it should showcase beautiful, clean, and safe public spaces.

The DC Metro is one of the cleanest underground subway systems I,ve ever seen. And it has plenty of disability friendly spots with good elevators. It's horrible how NYC and LA's subways are just sketch.

Good luck cleaning up the rest of DC though!

Posted by: LizLem at April 12, 2025 06:14 AM (gWBY1)

36 Coffee is up, French Toast maybe later

Posted by: Skip at April 12, 2025 06:26 AM (ypFCm)

37 LOL

Jeff Blehar is *BOX OFFICE POISON*
@EsotericCD
12h
Hey, have you noticed how the "new" Gavin Newsom is every bit the grease-slicked watermelon as the old one? Because I have.

Posted by: m at April 12, 2025 06:26 AM (CQE5S)

38 hahahahaha

Who among us has not enjoyed observing the perpetually grasping career of Gavin Newsom as he doggedly shucks and slicks his way up to the top of California's greasy progressive pole?

@EsotericCD

Posted by: m at April 12, 2025 06:28 AM (CQE5S)

39 It is amazingly easy to find images of California's governor where he loos like the villain from every movie made between 1985-present.

@EsotericCD

Posted by: m at April 12, 2025 06:30 AM (CQE5S)

40 >>> French Toast maybe later

Mandatory with accumulating snow. I'll have to rush out in a panic to get bread.

Posted by: fluffy at April 12, 2025 06:32 AM (AN2gy)

41 *looks

Posted by: m at April 12, 2025 06:34 AM (CQE5S)

42 39
Notice how low key has his aunt, Nancy Pelosi, has become? Are we sure they sent back the original and not a stepford?

Posted by: Ciampino - Newsome's Fault at April 12, 2025 06:34 AM (sPQoU)

43 Morning peeps. We've got "freezing fog" here this morning. At least it's starting to dry out after all the flooding.. although there's still standing water around. Smells funky too.

Posted by: Martini Farmer at April 12, 2025 06:35 AM (Q4IgG)

44 This came from Artificial Intelligence, so it might be artificially true:

"Gavin Newsom and Nancy Pelosi are not directly related, but they were once distantly related by marriage. Newsom's aunt was married to Pelosi's brother-in-law, but that connection ended when they divorced in 1977."

Posted by: Quarter Twenty at April 12, 2025 06:40 AM (dg+HA)

45 Got my monthly email from my congressman (Democrat). The sky in falling, children will starve, old people will die, and Trump is heading or is already there with authoritarianism. So many will be hurt, how can we let this happen. (Just vote for me and it will all be over)??

Posted by: Colin at April 12, 2025 06:40 AM (wlQdF)

46 SCOTLAND: RAGING INFERNO Massive wildfire breaks out with flames and smoke seen for MILES with urgent warning for residents to stay away

https://tinyurl.com/5barpysh

Yea cann lift up the sporran and the kilt and warm the cockles.

Posted by: Ciampino - Newsom's Fault at April 12, 2025 06:41 AM (sPQoU)

47 33 Von Vord: Nutcracker.
Posted by: Ciampino - New ballet at April 12, 2025 06:11 AM (sPQoU)

?

Posted by: m at April 12, 2025 06:42 AM (CQE5S)

48 Modesty the Cat --
If you missed this earlier (ONT) - watch it to the end:

Wait for it.. 😂

https://x.com/i/status/
1910577245174849819

Posted by: Ciampino - Newsom Lubricating Oil at April 12, 2025 06:45 AM (sPQoU)

49 Martin Luther King Jr's family opposes release of assassination files

https://mol.im/a/14599517

Posted by: Ciampino - no airing of all the peccadillos? at April 12, 2025 06:47 AM (sPQoU)

50 "It's also apparently quite short, but I won't knock it for that. Not every game needs to last 80 hours. Gris is only a few hours long and it's a masterpiece."

Colorful. Pastel. Platformer.

Posted by: Aetius451AD at April 12, 2025 06:48 AM (bss/y)

51 Corrected Techspot link:

https://tinyurl.com/3k5j7vbj

Posted by: UnkleSteve at April 12, 2025 06:48 AM (f/KOq)

52 Good morning!

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

Posted by: NaCly Dog at April 12, 2025 06:48 AM (u82oZ)

53 First Blood director Ted Kotcheff dead at 94

https://mol.im/a/14600983

Posted by: Ciampino - TJM hardest hit at April 12, 2025 06:49 AM (sPQoU)

54 51 Corrected Techspot link:

https://tinyurl.com/3k5j7vbj
Posted by: UnkleSteve at April 12, 2025 06:48 AM (f/KOq)

"Ubisoft argues players don't own their games in wake of The Crew lawsuit"
Thanks!

Posted by: m at April 12, 2025 06:52 AM (CQE5S)

55 Spider solitaire is evil

Posted by: Skip at April 12, 2025 06:53 AM (ypFCm)

56 Late evening for Pixy, early morning for most of the rest of us! 'Tis Saturday of the blessed weekend. I slept until the alarm this morning, and my shoulders and arms are not sore from the polish and wax I gave the car yesterday; so I'm way ahead. Howz about you?

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at April 12, 2025 06:54 AM (omVj0)

57 Lots of evil in the world, but I am not in it. Maybe some indifference to stupid people, but not evil.

Posted by: NaCly Dog at April 12, 2025 06:54 AM (u82oZ)

58 Bahrain Grand Prix qualifying in 1/2 hour.
Better get making French Toast

Posted by: Skip at April 12, 2025 06:55 AM (ypFCm)

59 RFK Jr suggests ripping away government health insurance from people who indulge

https://mol.im/a/14599367

Posted by: Ciampino - Trigglypuffs hardest hit at April 12, 2025 06:56 AM (sPQoU)

60 Good morning everyone. Two inches of snow here in the MidHudson. Good excuse to do nothing

Posted by: Smell the Glove at April 12, 2025 06:57 AM (6TePA)

61 "Somebody That I Used to Know" is STILL earworming me, what, days and days after Pixy posted it. I need for "You Can't Hurry Love" to win this battle.

Posted by: m at April 12, 2025 06:59 AM (CQE5S)

62 Urgent recall for Marketside celery sticks sold in Walmarts across the US

https://mol.im/a/14600201

Movie scenes hardest hit.

Posted by: Ciampino - it's a plot at April 12, 2025 06:59 AM (sPQoU)

63 46 SCOTLAND: RAGING INFERNO Massive wildfire breaks out with flames and smoke seen for MILES with urgent warning for residents to stay away

https://tinyurl.com/5barpysh

Yea cann lift up the sporran and the kilt and warm the cockles.

Posted by: Ciampino

They are in drought conditions? Scotland? What, it didn't rain yesterday?

Posted by: Puddleglum, cheer up for the worst is yet to come at April 12, 2025 07:01 AM (sAmhv)

64 Posted by: Colin at April 12, 2025 06:40 AM (wlQdF

Except for Trump being in office isnt this what Democrats say everytime A Republican is President?

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at April 12, 2025 07:01 AM (11Po5)

65 >> Notice how low key has his aunt, Nancy Pelosi, has become? Are we sure they sent back the original and not a stepford?
--------
For one; she's senile.
For two; she's on Trump's shitlist.

If there's one thing that aggravates him to no end it's the entire J6 committee's actions... both during it's run and afterwards. He's specifically called the members out for destroying evidence, lying and then getting pardoned by the autopen.

But, I think he holds specific contempt for Pelosi. For a multitude of reasons. IMO she's keeping a low profile to remain 'unencumbered by what has been.'

Posted by: Martini Farmer at April 12, 2025 07:01 AM (Q4IgG)

66 ... but I accidentally bought a QNAP QM2-4P-384.

I read that in Marvin the Martian's voice, going on about his Illudium Q-36 Explosive Space Modulator.

Posted by: Grumpy and Recalcitrant at April 12, 2025 07:01 AM (O7YUW)

67 We are moving a lot of hardware to the Middle East. And a new CVBG, leaving Taiwan uncovered.

You don't move a Patriot battery to the Middle east unless you are serious. Takes about 73 V-17 flights.

Posted by: NaCly Dog at April 12, 2025 07:03 AM (u82oZ)

68 65 >> Notice how low key has his aunt, Nancy Pelosi, has become? Are we sure they sent back the original and not a stepford?
--------
For one; she's senile.
For two; she's on Trump's shitlist.

If there's one thing that aggravates him to no end it's the entire J6 committee's actions... both during it's run and afterwards. He's specifically called the members out for destroying evidence, lying and then getting pardoned by the autopen.

But, I think he holds specific contempt for Pelosi. For a multitude of reasons. IMO she's keeping a low profile to remain 'unencumbered by what has been.'
Posted by: Martini Farmer at April 12, 2025 07:01 AM (Q4IgG)

She's so awful.

Posted by: m at April 12, 2025 07:03 AM (CQE5S)

69 54
"Ubisoft argues players don't own their games in wake of The Crew lawsuit"
Thanks!

Posted by: m at April 12, 2025 06:52 AM (CQE5S)
----
We stopped owning software when it became copyrightable.

Posted by: Ciampino - it's the pink at April 12, 2025 07:04 AM (sPQoU)

70 JFK Jr wants to say you only have health insurance if you stay healthy.

He hated the alcohol industry and Big Doritos. And smoking / vaping.

But not sex.

Posted by: NaCly Dog at April 12, 2025 07:06 AM (u82oZ)

71 Good morning! Spent the last couple of hours reading technical stuff and my mind is just not focused so I'm gonna contemplate the tasks for this weekend. In no particular order: pick up the scooter from the shop and ride home by way of Dublin to get a soda (they don't bottle Dr. Pepper any more), hit a large bucket of balls at the range, rehab the flower bed in the front yard, find a suitable barn yard animal to grill for dinner.

Posted by: CrotchetyOldJarhead at April 12, 2025 07:06 AM (3Ope8)

72 C-17 cargo aircraft. Sheesh.

Posted by: NaCly Dog at April 12, 2025 07:07 AM (u82oZ)

73 Time for tasks.

Have a great day, everyone. May you have just enough bad stuff for a rebel's zest for life.

Posted by: NaCly Dog at April 12, 2025 07:08 AM (u82oZ)

74 Temp is 60 F. here, humidity way down for this place, high today 74. AS often on Saturdays, I have errands: haircut, gas up the car, and drop a lamp at the repair place, all in the same area. Since the weather is not hot, I might have time and inclination to stop at the pipe/cigar shop out there too for some supplies.

Maybe we'll go out for dinner tonight at our favorite grill. We'll see.

The Killer Kittenz From Outer Space are doing okay. We treated them for fleas with the topical Pet Armor stuff. Little gray Dagny is here, and she actually came out last evening and sat on the table, while big black Stirling (once the Evil Kitten of War and Pestilence, if you recall) curled on Linda's lap, then on mine. He's an equal-opportunity guy when it comes to showing humans affection.

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at April 12, 2025 07:11 AM (omVj0)

75 72 C-17 cargo aircraft. Sheesh.
Posted by: NaCly Dog at April 12, 2025 07:07 AM (u82oZ)

V-17, ready for vertical takeoff!

Posted by: m at April 12, 2025 07:11 AM (CQE5S)

76 61 "Somebody That I Used to Know" is STILL earworming me, what, days and days after Pixy posted it. I need for "You Can't Hurry Love" to win this battle.
Posted by: m at April 12, 2025 06:59 AM (CQE5S)

'Somebody you loved' is worse. There's a raw edge there.

One can argue a lot of lovelorn music is kind of whiny- but that goes all the way back to Faron Young.

'Happy Birthday to me' by him is one I cannot find on ewetub, but it is almost hilarious in it's... kind of pathetic nature that no matter how down you are, hey at least you're not THAT guy.

Posted by: Aetius451AD at April 12, 2025 07:11 AM (bss/y)

77 > We are moving a lot of hardware to the Middle East. And a new CVBG, leaving Taiwan uncovered.

You don't move a Patriot battery to the Middle east unless you are serious. Takes about 73 V-17 flights.
--------
I think there's a genuine fear of retaliation from Iran's ballistic missiles. We've seen the barrages they were able to light off at Israel and what it took to down those missiles and drones. A concentrated attack on one of our ME bases, or perhaps more likely, those tasty looking B-2 bombers on Diego Garcia would require not only the Patriot system, but probably a THADD too.

Lots and lots of C-17 and C-5 flights to make that happen.

Plus, all the munitions those land-based aircraft are going to need. And, then, all the kit that goes with them. The FO phase of FAFO is rolling.

Posted by: Martini Farmer at April 12, 2025 07:11 AM (Q4IgG)

78 Family sings mashup of "Down to the River to pray" and "To the River":

https://tinyurl.com/ff8z24h2

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at April 12, 2025 07:13 AM (11Po5)

79 Morning, 'rons and 'ettes.

It's 36 and clear. High 62 today.

Posted by: olddog in mo at April 12, 2025 07:17 AM (hoCmQ)

80 @7/m: "Ooh! Did somebody get up on the wrong side of the bed today?"

"Snarky Pixy" is like "Cruel Ace" - one of the main draws that keeps us coming back here.

Posted by: Grumpy and Recalcitrant at April 12, 2025 07:17 AM (O7YUW)

81 76 61 "Somebody That I Used to Know" is STILL earworming me, what, days and days after Pixy posted it. I need for "You Can't Hurry Love" to win this battle.
Posted by: m at April 12, 2025 06:59 AM (CQE5S)

'Somebody you loved' is worse. There's a raw edge there.

One can argue a lot of lovelorn music is kind of whiny- but that goes all the way back to Faron Young.

'Happy Birthday to me' by him is one I cannot find on ewetub, but it is almost hilarious in it's... kind of pathetic nature that no matter how down you are, hey at least you're not THAT guy.
Posted by: Aetius451AD at April 12, 2025 07:11 AM (bss/y)

Nice!
Lewis Capaldi - Someone You Loved
1,016,094,436 views

Posted by: m at April 12, 2025 07:18 AM (CQE5S)

82

I think Wolfus mentioned he drove a Mercury Parklane.

https://is.gd/vQe9Sb

Posted by: Soothsayer, son of Soothsayer, son of Soothsayer at April 12, 2025 07:18 AM (QSV32)

83 there's now a Hyte Y70 Hoshimachi Suisei case.

... and I'm not really looking to buy more ... definitely not paying $300 in international shipping. Again.

Next week: "My new Hyte Y70 Hoshimachi Suisei case has been ordered. Shut up."

Posted by: Grumpy and Recalcitrant at April 12, 2025 07:19 AM (O7YUW)

84 "Alone Again, Naturally" was the whiniest song ever.

Posted by: no one of any consequence at April 12, 2025 07:19 AM (ZmEVT)

85 I can understand yanking a live service or MMO game as the servers and developers don’t come cheap. If you’ve only got a few hundred players it’s not worth it.

But not offering a refund is ridiculous.
At least make it an online refund so customers have to fill out a form to get the refund back to their account which means a lot of people won’t do that just to avoid the hassle.

But offering nothing, after what is essentially a rug pull, is a really bad look for a company the size of UbiSoft.

I don’t know if a company has ever pulled a single player game but that’s an instant refund as there is really no excuse for pulling an offline game no matter how poorly it performed with sales.

Posted by: SpeakingOf at April 12, 2025 07:21 AM (6ydKt)

86 I suspect Nanzi is running out of energy at 97 or however old she is.

Posted by: Skip at April 12, 2025 07:22 AM (ypFCm)

87 84 "Alone Again, Naturally" was the whiniest song ever.
Posted by: no one of any consequence at April 12, 2025 07:19 AM (ZmEVT)

That's a bad one. Knew it as soon as I heard the music start up.

This one is rough:

Hole in My Soul.

https://tinyurl.com/yckfrana

Posted by: Aetius451AD at April 12, 2025 07:22 AM (bss/y)

88 I think Wolfus mentioned he drove a Mercury Parklane.

https://is.gd/vQe9Sb
Posted by: Soothsayer, son of Soothsayer, son of Soothsayer at April 12, 2025

***
Beautiful! I'd love one of those. Mine was a '65, with the Breezeway option, the power rear window that slanted inward and slid down behind the rear seat. White over dark red leather. Aluminum facings on the instrument panel, a front bench seat, and good power -- the 300 hp (?) Thunderbird engine. I always wished I could have had it repainted.

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at April 12, 2025 07:23 AM (omVj0)

89 82
I have a 1989 Buick Park Avenue. That was the top of the line for Buick, sort of. The Riviera may have been a branch ....

Posted by: Ciampino - it's another feast at April 12, 2025 07:24 AM (sPQoU)

90 "AS often on Saturdays, I have errands: haircut, gas up the car, and drop a lamp at the repair place, all in the same area. Since the weather is not hot..."

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at April 12, 2025 07:11 AM

I thought you just entered the season of life where every day is Saturday.

Posted by: Quarter Twenty at April 12, 2025 07:24 AM (dg+HA)

91 Martin Luther King Jr's family opposes release of assassination files
Posted by: Ciampino - no airing of all the peccadillos? at April 12, 2025 06:47 AM (sPQoU)

Supposedly, MLK liked underage girls. My bet would be that's the thing the family doesn't want released.

Posted by: I used to have a different nic at April 12, 2025 07:28 AM (ExV1e)

92 "AS often on Saturdays, I have errands: haircut, gas up the car, and drop a lamp at the repair place, all in the same area. Since the weather is not hot..."

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at April 12, 2025
*
I thought you just entered the season of life where every day is Saturday.
Posted by: Quarter Twenty at April 12, 2025

***
True, but an adult lifetime of "running errands on Saturday" is still in my wiring. I'll get out of it. This week I spent working on finances, setting up my iMac as my desktop machine, working out, and luxuriating in general.

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at April 12, 2025 07:29 AM (omVj0)

93 87 This one is rough:
Hole in My Soul.

https://tinyurl.com/yckfrana
Posted by: Aetius451AD at April 12, 2025 07:22 AM (bss/y)

Compare:

She Shot a Hole in My Soul
Clifford Curry
1969

Posted by: m at April 12, 2025 07:29 AM (CQE5S)

94 Always wanted an MGB or a Midget...

Posted by: CrotchetyOldJarhead at April 12, 2025 07:30 AM (3Ope8)

95
Funny. Driving a 1989 car today would be like driving around in a 1953 in 1989.

Posted by: Soothsayer, son of Soothsayer, son of Soothsayer at April 12, 2025 07:30 AM (QSV32)

96 Colorado gray wolf daily update:

A second collared transplanted reintroduced non-native gray wolf originally from B.C. has wandered off the CO plantation into Wyoming and has been found dead. Cause of death has not been released by Wyoming officials because "F you, Colorado"

https://is.gd/oj3E0N

Approximate time of death has not been determined despite the fact that the wolves' GPS collars are supposed to send every 4 hour location updates and you would think CPW might have noticed the wolf had stopped traveling. The collar, (but not the wolf) has been returned to Colorado because "F you again, Colorado"

Posted by: muldoon at April 12, 2025 07:31 AM (/iMjX)

97 No seeing Powerline week in pictures yet

Posted by: Skip at April 12, 2025 07:31 AM (ypFCm)

98 Alan Jackson is crazy about a Mercury...https://youtu.be/3T3MgIRUwj0

Posted by: Quarter Twenty at April 12, 2025 07:31 AM (dg+HA)

99 We are moving a lot of hardware to the Middle East. And a new CVBG, leaving Taiwan uncovered.

So apparently this time, we don't have a Peace Time Trump, but lets bomb-the-hell-out-of-everyone version.

Still beats Kamala

Posted by: Unknown Drip Under Pressure at April 12, 2025 07:32 AM (a4flb)

100 The kiddos and grand kiddos are at Great Wolf Lodge this weekend, it’s snowing and it’s a hubub of activity.

Posted by: Thomas Bender at April 12, 2025 07:32 AM (a3QNr)

101 No seeing Powerline week in pictures yet
Posted by: Skip at April 12, 2025 07:31 AM (ypFCm)

No doubt scouring the internet looking for memes mocking the tariffs.

Posted by: I used to have a different nic at April 12, 2025 07:33 AM (ExV1e)

102 Ubisoft link doesn't work

Posted by: Teresa in Fort Worth, Plucky Comic Relief, AoS Ladies Brigade - Eat the Cheesecake, Buy the Yarn. at April 12, 2025 07:34 AM (fjbk7)

103 "CPW became aware of the recently discovered dead wolf on April 9, but it is unsure how long before then the wolf had died."

Posted by: muldoon at April 12, 2025 07:34 AM (/iMjX)

104
Everything is white. 1/2" snow on the ground.

Posted by: Soothsayer, son of Soothsayer, son of Soothsayer at April 12, 2025 07:34 AM (QSV32)

105 G'mornin' everyone!

in & out, bbl ...

Posted by: sock_rat_eez at April 12, 2025 07:34 AM (/Ghsb)

106 Here are some memes for you.

https://tinyurl.com/549u98zf+

Posted by: I used to have a different nic at April 12, 2025 07:34 AM (ExV1e)

107 59 RFK Jr suggests ripping away government health insurance from people who indulge

https://mol.im/a/14599367
Posted by: Ciampino - Trigglypuffs hardest hit at April 12, 2025 06:56 AM (sPQoU)

uh-oh; donut-scarfers hardest hit

Health Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr has suggested that Americans who eat doughnuts, guzzle sodas or smoke should not be provided with free healthcare.

Posted by: m at April 12, 2025 07:35 AM (CQE5S)

108 South of Midnight sees me. It gets me. Its creators wanted to craft a love letter to a culture not often depicted in video games, and they did exactly that. At a time when my government is trying to do everything in its power to erase my people, their history, and their contributions to the US, I cannot overstate the power that lies in being seen — especially coming from a place like video games, which is often violently hostile if it bothers to acknowledge folks like me at all.

The developers are Canadian, man.
I’ve got nothing against Canadians, but I don’t look to another country to teach me about my own Southern history.

Considering the meltdown in the final part of your paragraph why aren’t you out there trying to find some Southern blacks to make a game like this instead of whining that your loud & proud “culture” is being erased?

Or are “your people” too busy playing sportsball, making rap videos and playing gangstas to actually sit down and make a game for you about this culture you all love so much?

Posted by: SpeakingOf at April 12, 2025 07:36 AM (6ydKt)

109 102 Ubisoft link doesn't work
Posted by: Teresa in Fort Worth, Plucky Comic Relief, AoS Ladies Brigade - Eat the Cheesecake, Buy the Yarn. at April 12, 2025 07:34 AM (fjbk7)

54 51 Corrected Techspot link:

https://tinyurl.com/3k5j7vbj
Posted by: UnkleSteve at April 12, 2025 06:48 AM (f/KOq)

"Ubisoft argues players don't own their games in wake of The Crew lawsuit"
Thanks!
Posted by: m at April 12, 2025 06:52 AM (CQE5S)

Posted by: m at April 12, 2025 07:37 AM (CQE5S)

110 I wonder what the uptick is in people requesting FAFO vanity license plates? FAFO4547 would be cool.

Posted by: bill in arkansas, not gonna comply with nuttin, waiting for the 0300 knock on the door at April 12, 2025 07:38 AM (gm9Sb)

111 Coffee / prayer nood

Posted by: Matthew Kant Cipher at April 12, 2025 07:42 AM (kOluj)

112 >>We are moving a lot of hardware to the Middle East. And a new CVBG, leaving Taiwan uncovered.

Let me know when the U.S., per signed agreement, notifies the Omani government that we plan to deploy aircraft to Masirah Island and spool up operations there.

That would be the time to pay attention.

Posted by: one hour sober at April 12, 2025 07:43 AM (Y1sOo)

113 > So apparently this time, we don't have a Peace Time Trump, but lets bomb-the-hell-out-of-everyone version.
--------
I've read that Trump proposed the US and Iran sit down and actually discuss Iran's nuclear ambitions and figure out how to deal with that... diplomatically. Iran basically said fuck off.

Plus, we've been swatting the Houthis around in an attempt to eliminate the threat they pose to commercial shipping in the Red Sea. Iran's been/is funneling arms to them and providing intelligence. Trump's told Iran to stop that shit... or else.

So the mullahs are about to 'find out' just what pissing off Trump means.

Posted by: Martini Farmer at April 12, 2025 07:44 AM (Q4IgG)

114 Setting aside the fact that California authorities allowed a known serial child rapist walk free to bugger at will, let's look at how this situation played out.

You've got a guy who's raping kids running a soccer team with an all-Spanish website where he recruits fresh meat on FaceTime.

That guy gets caught raping THREE other boys on that team before he finally murders one, and none of the parents even bothers to warn the others... the team just keeps going because that vaunted close-knit illegal immigrant community I always hear about just kicked up its collective heels and said "well I guess Mr. Garcia is the next boy's problem now, because I can't have the other mamacitas thinking little Beto is a maricon."

And then that close-knit illegal immigrant family put their thirteen year old boy on a train alone in one of the most crime ridden cities in the western world to go get murdered by a creepy pedo they met on FaceTime, because hey - the website is all in Spanish, for los hermanos. You can definitely trust the other shadow people.

Tell me again how these people are a benefit to the US?

Posted by: Yudhishthira's Dice at April 12, 2025 07:46 AM (BI5O2)

115 106 Here are some memes for you.

https://tinyurl.com/549u98zf+
Posted by: I used to have a different nic at April 12, 2025 07:34 AM (ExV1e)

Ha! The pizza meme cracked me up.

Posted by: m at April 12, 2025 07:47 AM (CQE5S)

116 Driving a 1989 car today would be like driving around in a 1953 in 1989.
Posted by: Soothsayer, son of Soothsayer, son of Soothsayer at April 12, 2025

***
Driving a 2009 car today would be like having my '65 in 1981. Which I could imagine doing easily with the right 2009 car. (Was Obongo's Reign of Error really only sixteen years ago?)

The '65 ran on regular gas, though I suppose premium would have been better. It was easy to change the oil on (good old 10W-40), and bias-ply tires were only about $100 a set then. My then-mechanic recommended me to avoid radials on that car, as he said it would make the beast ride harder.

I had to replace the muffler every two years; each one rusted out from moisture in the exhaust, I guess. Though even a muffler was not expensive to me then, compared to prices now.

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at April 12, 2025 07:48 AM (omVj0)

117 “… haircut, gas up the car, and drop a lamp at the repair place”

Say “Hey” to Floyd, Gomer, and Emmet for me, wouldja? I gotta run up to Mt. Pilot today.

Posted by: Andy at April 12, 2025 07:53 AM (psViZ)

118 from the same article:

"Kennedy did not explicitly suggest limiting Medicaid or any other health insurance benefits for those smoking, eating doughnuts and sodas."

107 59 RFK Jr suggests ripping away government health insurance from people who indulge

https://mol.im/a/14599367
Posted by: Ciampino - Trigglypuffs hardest hit at April 12, 2025 06:56 AM (sPQoU)

uh-oh; donut-scarfers hardest hit

Health Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr has suggested that Americans who eat doughnuts, guzzle sodas or smoke should not be provided with free healthcare.
Posted by: m at April 12, 2025 07:35 AM (CQE5S)

Posted by: m at April 12, 2025 07:56 AM (CQE5S)

119 117 “… haircut, gas up the car, and drop a lamp at the repair place”

Say “Hey” to Floyd, Gomer, and Emmet for me, wouldja? I gotta run up to Mt. Pilot today.
Posted by: Andy at April 12, 2025 07:53 AM (psViZ)

heh

Posted by: m at April 12, 2025 07:56 AM (CQE5S)

120 Pixy:
As a 71 y/o, untechnical American Male, I fully understand I am on the outside looking in when reading your posts. That having been said, I am a proud member of the OCD club from a family that put the hyphen in the term 'anal-retentive'.
Therefore, I believe I am well qualified to ask: how many cases do you really need?
Regards,

Posted by: BrianinTn at April 12, 2025 09:38 AM (dp/nd)

121 @120/BrianinTn:

Asking how many cases Pixy really needs is like asking Americans how many guns they really need.

The response is to reflexively buy more, and then laugh, a lot.

Posted by: Grumpy and Recalcitrant at April 12, 2025 10:36 AM (O7YUW)

122 Rather than insanity, that BlueSky thing is a good example of an area where Left and Right can find common ground: Adobe sucks.

Posted by: Paul B at April 12, 2025 11:19 AM (6NAmO)

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