Daily Tech News 30 April 2026

Top Story

OpenAI has largely abandoned its plan to spend half a trillion dollars of other people's money on its Stargate project, leaving it to other people to spend half a trillion dollars of other peoples money on its Stargate project. (Tom's Hardware)

The real question is, how did they get the thing inside a mountain in the first place?

Tech News

Vera is a programming language designed to make it easy for AI systems to write and verify code. (GitHub)

It's bad.
Yet another popular WordPress plugin hid a backdoor that allowed hackers to take over your website at any time. (Bleeping Computer)

Running unmodified WordPress is bad enough; adding plugins is asking for it.
With Samsung handing it's DDR4 business over to smaller competitors like China's CXMT and Taiwan's Nanya to chase high-marge HBM modules for AI, it is also handing it's MLC flash sales to Macronix, another company that's been in business for a while but is hardly a household name. (WCCFTech)

Macronix's NAND flash revenue grew by 382% in a single year as former Samsung customers sought new suppliers.
Meanwhile Apple's Vision Pro VR headset is mostly dead. (MacRumors)

Not cancelled but it might as well be.

The rumoured Vision Air - a lighter, cheaper model - is also believed deceased.

Max Headroom Video of the Day

Six foot twenty.

Musical Interlude

Disclaimer: Min-max headroom: 4'3".

Posted by: Pixy Misa at 04:36 AM

Comments

(Jump to bottom of comments)

1 w00t

Posted by: m at April 30, 2026 04:37 AM (8rTNG)

2 Grok!

Posted by: TheCatBitesMyToe at April 30, 2026 04:39 AM (jrgJz)

3 >>>The real question is, how did they get the thing inside a mountain in the first place?

First there is a mountain
Then there is no mountain
Then there is

... maybe?

Posted by: m at April 30, 2026 04:39 AM (8rTNG)

4 Ma-ma- muhma-ma MAX!!!! Headroom...

Posted by: JQ at April 30, 2026 04:40 AM (rdVOm)

5 BOING!

Maybe l8r.

Posted by: Biden's Dog sniffs a whole lotta malarkey, at April 30, 2026 04:40 AM (a1meb)

6 A JQ sighting! Yay!

Posted by: m at April 30, 2026 04:41 AM (8rTNG)

7 Boing. LOL.

youtu.be/dWvNYDA0hkU

Posted by: JQ at April 30, 2026 04:42 AM (rdVOm)

8 G'Day everyone

Posted by: Skip at April 30, 2026 04:42 AM (Ia/+0)

9 The longer you are close to a cat or dog, and interact with it daily as a close friend/family member and not as a possession (even well-treated), the more attuned you both become, mentally and emotionally, to each other. Then it's so hard to lose the "person" in that animal. With some people and their pets, the mental/emotional connection is equal and closer than any other person, especially single, childless women but sometimes with men too (and growing as more men choose to eschew relationships). This is my conclusion from litigating vet mal.

Posted by: Dark L at April 30, 2026 04:44 AM (W5mpo)

10 Had one of my cats for 19 years. She was my best buddy! Almost like a dog: she'd greet me when I came home from work, play 'games' with me, follow me around... snuggle...

Yeah. Good kitty!

Posted by: JQ at April 30, 2026 04:48 AM (rdVOm)

11 Mornin' m! Good to 'see' you too!

Posted by: JQ at April 30, 2026 04:52 AM (rdVOm)

12 Bedtime for me... g'night, horde!

Posted by: JQ at April 30, 2026 05:05 AM (rdVOm)

13 Mornin'

Posted by: Puddleglum at work at April 30, 2026 05:07 AM (ohOaC)

14 R. I. P. David Allen Coe
The Perfect Country & Western Song

🎶 Well, I've heard my name a few times in your phone book
And I've seen it on signs where I've played
But the only time, I know, I'll hear "David Allan Coe"
Is when Jesus has his final judgment day

I pray you heard David Allen Coe.

Posted by: rickb223 at April 30, 2026 05:08 AM (fuyWk)

15 MD former congresscritter, David Trone, who is a depraved sleazebucket, was just on TV again. Guess he's trying to win his old seat back. Thought he lost it a while back.

Posted by: Puddleglum at work at April 30, 2026 05:13 AM (ohOaC)

16
g'mornin', 'rons

Posted by: AltonJackson at April 30, 2026 05:14 AM (2/MrR)

17 Our cat sisters lived 17 and 18 years. Been a few now but still miss them

Posted by: Skip at April 30, 2026 05:19 AM (Ia/+0)

18 In spite of sleeping poorly last night, g'morning Horde.

Posted by: Grumpy and Recalcitrant at April 30, 2026 05:19 AM (O7YUW)

19 United we fall:

https://tinyurl.com/538jszms

Posted by: Biden's Dog sniffs a whole lotta malarkey, at April 30, 2026 05:21 AM (1o8D5)

20 One of my favourite "Art of Noise" songs/videos. Thanks Pixy.

Posted by: Grumpy and Recalcitrant at April 30, 2026 05:24 AM (O7YUW)

21 Thought he lost it a while back.
Posted by: Puddleglum at work

It's like a horror movie. You think the monster is dead and it keeps coming back.

Posted by: NR Pax at April 30, 2026 05:31 AM (99eI0)

22 Trone owns Total Wine (and More). He sunk something like $40M of his own money into his last campaign and lost by a handfull of votes. Ha Ha.

Posted by: actually inside the beltway at April 30, 2026 05:33 AM (hybOl)

23 News from one of the threads yesterday afternoon/evening:

"Perfessor" Squirrel had to take his 13 year old cat Jasmine to the vet yesterday due to her exhibiting signs of pain/distress. The diagnosis must have been serious. He had to make the choice to have her put down.

One of the worst days for a pet owner, especially when you've had them so long. Been there, done this, too many times.

Posted by: Grumpy and Recalcitrant at April 30, 2026 05:33 AM (O7YUW)

24 One of the worst days for a pet owner, especially when you've had them so long.

And even when it's the "right" time, it still hurts like hell.

Posted by: NR Pax at April 30, 2026 05:35 AM (99eI0)

25 Old time hymn with , "O God, our help in ages past" with lovely pictures and with the lyrics:

https://tinyurl.com/4jfdwbby

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at April 30, 2026 05:40 AM (Yl2Ob)

26 $3500 for a VR headset that has very little in the way of useful apps, and can't even play VR games was a ridiculous idea to begin with.

Probably the worst decision of Tim Cook's Apple CEO career.

They are supposedly working on a pair of Smart Glasses (similar to Meta's partnership with Ray-Ban) that will probably do better in the market as long as they don't cost over $1000.

Posted by: SpeakingOf at April 30, 2026 05:42 AM (6ydKt)

27 I don't know this song, but apparently it was written in 1920-"I bowed my knees" and this man does a nice job with it . From the "Faithpot" site:

https://tinyurl.com/4asrjt8x

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at April 30, 2026 05:46 AM (Yl2Ob)

28 Yesterday and this morning getting AoSHq time outs, don't think its me as go look up another site and pops right up

Posted by: Skip at April 30, 2026 06:00 AM (Ia/+0)

29 I'm stupid about tech things- obviously- but what's the point of "smart glasses" and why would I want to spend $1, 000 on a pair?

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at April 30, 2026 06:02 AM (2sfNr)

30 Morning, 'rons and 'ettes.

Posted by: olddog in mo at April 30, 2026 06:03 AM (YpHnX)

31 “ For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.”

Ephesians 2:8-9

Posted by: Marcus T at April 30, 2026 06:04 AM (i7wqn)

32 Same thing here, Skip. it took 5 tries over a 10 minutes span to get through.

& g'mornin' everyone!

Posted by: sock_rat_eez at April 30, 2026 06:07 AM (VyBeY)

33 @29/FenelonSpoke: The concept that was pushed on "smart glasses" is that you'd have a heads-up display that would feed you additional data on everything you were seeing.

Look at a business? The display would tell you open/closed, hours, and maybe a brief summary of what they do.

Look at a person? Facial recognition would tell you if you'd encountered this person before, what their name is, wife's name, kids' name, etc...

We'd end up training ourselves to lean on that crutch all the time, and our own memories would suffer. Also, who knows what the companies providing this "service" would do with all that interpersonal/connection information.

It starts like something out of science fiction.
It quickly transitions to dystopian reality.

Posted by: Grumpy and Recalcitrant at April 30, 2026 06:08 AM (O7YUW)

34 Posted by: Grumpy and Recalcitrant at April 30, 2026 06:08 AM (O7YUW

Thanks. Sounds awful.

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at April 30, 2026 06:11 AM (oT1li)

35 The real question is, how did they get the thing inside a mountain in the first place?

One tiny piece at a time? Maybe it was an IKEA stargate...

Posted by: jim (in Kalifornia) at April 30, 2026 06:12 AM (ynpvh)

36 We'd end up training ourselves to lean on that crutch all the time, and our own memories would suffer. Also, who knows what the companies providing this "service" would do with all that interpersonal/connection information.

It starts like something out of science fiction.
It quickly transitions to dystopian reality.

Posted by: Grumpy and Recalcitrant at April 30, 2026 06:08 AM (O7YUW)

In a way, it's already happening...I don't remember phone numbers, it's in my cell phone...
I look up all sorts of stuff online, so it's not necessarily in my brain anymore...

Posted by: jim (in Kalifornia) at April 30, 2026 06:13 AM (ynpvh)

37 Have a great day horde

Posted by: Skip at April 30, 2026 06:13 AM (Ia/+0)

38 28 Yesterday and this morning getting AoSHq time outs, don't think its me as go look up another site and pops right up

Posted by: Skip at April 30, 2026 06:00 AM (Ia/+0)

When you wrote time outs, I was thinking either time in The Barrel, or temporarily booted for upsetting CBD over use of maple syrup on french toast...even if you sous vided it...

Posted by: jim (in Kalifornia) at April 30, 2026 06:15 AM (ynpvh)

39 29 I'm stupid about tech things- obviously- but what's the point of "smart glasses" and why would I want to spend $1, 000 on a pair?

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at April 30, 2026 06:02 AM (2sfNr)

If you were wealthy, and wanted to show off...

Posted by: jim (in Kalifornia) at April 30, 2026 06:15 AM (ynpvh)

40 @28/Skip: "Yesterday and this morning getting AoSHq time outs, don't think its me as go look up another site and pops right up"

Might be something between you and the AoSHQ server, but it might be something going wonky at the server itself, or in the data center that serves it up.

Pixy? You seeing anything odd?

Posted by: Grumpy and Recalcitrant at April 30, 2026 06:16 AM (O7YUW)

41 33 @29/FenelonSpoke: The concept that was pushed on "smart glasses" is that you'd have a heads-up display that would feed you additional data on everything you were seeing.

Look at a business? The display would tell you open/closed, hours, and maybe a brief summary of what they do.

Look at a person? Facial recognition would tell you if you'd encountered this person before, what their name is, wife's name, kids' name, etc...

We'd end up training ourselves to lean on that crutch all the time, and our own memories would suffer. Also, who knows what the companies providing this "service" would do with all that interpersonal/connection information.

It starts like something out of science fiction.
It quickly transitions to dystopian reality.

Posted by: Grumpy and Recalcitrant at April 30, 2026 06:08 AM (O7YUW)

All of that, Fen, and it's basically for tech addicts and people always 'on-the-go' who would like to access information from their smartphone without having to look down at a phone to do it. They also have cameras so you can record your life like a permanent Go-Pro camera.

I doubt I'll ever own a pair, but I never say never if they present a good use case.

Posted by: SpeakingOf at April 30, 2026 06:16 AM (6ydKt)

42 Evening and morning to the late toilers and early risers on this Thor's Day! I managed to sleep almost seven hours, can ya believe it? Linda shifted the cats to a later feeding schedule, and I've continued it (sort of), six am and six pm instead of five. Stirling has not yet started leaping on me, and maybe, just maybe, he won't.

Anyway! Coffee now. It's 72 F. and sourly humid, rain expected this pm and supposedly cooler conditions starting Sunday. That's a long way off and a lot can happen -- "cold" fronts often seem to sheer off before they get here, as if frightened of a big monster in a cave.

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at April 30, 2026 06:17 AM (wzUl9)

43 If Perfssor Squirrel is here, my condolences on the passing of Jasmine. I've been there, and it's never easy.

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

44 43 If Perfssor Squirrel is here, my condolences on the passing of Jasmine. I've been there, and it's never easy.

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

Canadian vets are happy to help.

Posted by: jim (in Kalifornia) at April 30, 2026 06:21 AM (ynpvh)

45 If Perfssor Squirrel is here, my condolences on the passing of Jasmine. I've been there, and it's never easy.
Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at April 30, 2026 06:18 AM (wzUl9)
---
Thanks, Wolfus.

Posted by: "Perfessor" Squirrel at April 30, 2026 06:22 AM (gnNyN)

46 It quickly transitions to dystopian reality.
Posted by: Grumpy and Recalcitrant

And that's why I'm a Neo-Luddite.

Posted by: NR Pax at April 30, 2026 06:23 AM (99eI0)

47 Something is up with one of the DNS servers, happened to me just now. I can't log in it either.

Fortunately we have two, and I can adjust things to make the site run smoother while I sort it all out.

Posted by: Pixy Misa at April 30, 2026 06:25 AM (BLOW1)

48 Now to find my motivation to work out. I'm pretty sure I packed it when I traveled back from Kansas. . . .

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at April 30, 2026 06:26 AM (wzUl9)

49 Found the problem. Fixing it now.

Posted by: Pixy Misa at April 30, 2026 06:27 AM (BLOW1)

50 Actually two problems. One resolved - problem at the DNS hosting company, which they fixed. The other one is a problem with the DNS server itself, which I need to fix.

Posted by: Pixy Misa at April 30, 2026 06:29 AM (BLOW1)

51 The early Frank Sinatra movie Suddenly is on Movies! This is the one that was suppressed for a number of years, featuring Sinatra as an assassin planning to shoot the U.S. president in a small town in California. Come to think of it, he played the lead in another that was suppressed for a while, The Manchurian Candidate, which also features a plot to kill the president.

He is very effective in his best movies, like these two and The Man With the Golden Arm.

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

52 It's working fine for me now, Pixy.

Had a 'server not found' error for about ten minutes, then it popped back up.

Posted by: SpeakingOf at April 30, 2026 06:32 AM (6ydKt)

53 @49/Pixy: "Found the problem. Fixing it now."

Thanks for all you do, Pixy.

Posted by: Grumpy and Recalcitrant at April 30, 2026 06:32 AM (O7YUW)

54 Yep. I think the hosting company fixed their problem, but while I was looking I found another problem - we're down to one DNS server, and if that fails, we're offline completely. So I'm fixing that.

Posted by: Pixy Misa at April 30, 2026 06:33 AM (BLOW1)

55 Perfessor, send a picture of Jasmine to the pet thread for next Saturday.

Posted by: Dark Litigator at April 30, 2026 06:34 AM (W5mpo)

56 I've seen several Sinatra movies over the years.

Probably the most memorable were Ocean's Eleven and Robin and the 7 Hoods.

Sinatra was quite good at playing crooks and mobsters.

Posted by: SpeakingOf at April 30, 2026 06:35 AM (6ydKt)

57 Perfessor, send a picture of Jasmine to the pet thread for next Saturday.
Posted by: Dark Litigator at April 30, 2026 06:34 AM (W5mpo)
----
Already way ahead of you!

Posted by: "Perfessor" Squirrel at April 30, 2026 06:35 AM (gnNyN)

58 @54/Pixy: I'm glad you looked into it then.

Also: The SSL certificate for smilies.mee.nu expired on Dec 5, 2025. You said you were gonna fix that... Might want to jot that one down again as needing attention.

Posted by: Grumpy and Recalcitrant at April 30, 2026 06:36 AM (O7YUW)

59 46 It quickly transitions to dystopian reality.
Posted by: Grumpy and Recalcitrant

And that's why I'm a Neo-Luddite.

Posted by: NR Pax at April 30, 2026 06:23 AM (99eI0)

Same. I buy stupid TVs, because a smart TV will be smart enough to spy on me and kill itself if its manufacturer tells it to. I DON'T connect my TV to the internet at all...who wants to leave a backdoor for the Mfg or hackers? Who wants to give the Mfg a list of what I watch on TV?

Posted by: jim (in Kalifornia) at April 30, 2026 06:39 AM (ynpvh)

60 56 I've seen several Sinatra movies over the years.

Probably the most memorable were Ocean's Eleven and Robin and the 7 Hoods.

Sinatra was quite good at playing crooks and mobsters.

Posted by: SpeakingOf at April 30, 2026 06:35 AM (6ydKt)

He was a method actor, always in character 24/7...

Posted by: jim (in Kalifornia) at April 30, 2026 06:39 AM (ynpvh)

61 54 Yep. I think the hosting company fixed their problem, but while I was looking I found another problem - we're down to one DNS server, and if that fails, we're offline completely. So I'm fixing that.
Posted by: Pixy Misa at April 30, 2026 06:33 AM (BLOW1)

Yay!

Posted by: m at April 30, 2026 06:41 AM (8rTNG)

62 First assessment in a cyber security degree (subject: introduction to programming) was impossible to complete without an existing familiarity with copilot.
AI makes the code, you find the expressions you wanted cleaned up and feed that into the ai.
I didn't even get half way through the test questions.
It was worth 20%. Sigh.

Posted by: Nato at April 30, 2026 06:41 AM (74cob)

63 61 54 Yep. I think the hosting company fixed their problem, but while I was looking I found another problem - we're down to one DNS server, and if that fails, we're offline completely. So I'm fixing that.
Posted by: Pixy Misa at April 30, 2026 06:33 AM (BLOW1)

Yay!

Posted by: m at April 30, 2026 06:41 AM (8rTNG)

I misread that...was it Yay because we're down to 1 server, or Yay because Pixy is fixing it? LOL

Posted by: jim (in Kalifornia) at April 30, 2026 06:41 AM (ynpvh)

64 58 @54/Pixy: I'm glad you looked into it then.

Also: The SSL certificate for smilies.mee.nu expired on Dec 5, 2025. You said you were gonna fix that... Might want to jot that one down again as needing attention.
Posted by: Grumpy and Recalcitrant

Ah. I was trying to figure out why that was still broken. Found it now.

Posted by: Pixy Misa at April 30, 2026 06:42 AM (BLOW1)

65 63 I misread that...was it Yay because we're down to 1 server, or Yay because Pixy is fixing it? LOL
Posted by: jim (in Kalifornia) at April 30, 2026 06:41 AM (ynpvh)

Yay Two Fixes!

Posted by: m at April 30, 2026 06:43 AM (8rTNG)

66 62 First assessment in a cyber security degree (subject: introduction to programming) was impossible to complete without an existing familiarity with copilot.
AI makes the code, you find the expressions you wanted cleaned up and feed that into the ai.
I didn't even get half way through the test questions.
It was worth 20%. Sigh.

Posted by: Nato at April 30, 2026 06:41 AM (74cob)

The answer is: Copilot is MSFT's and a hacker's dream, so remove or firewall it completely...

Posted by: jim (in Kalifornia) at April 30, 2026 06:43 AM (ynpvh)

67 I buy stupid TVs, because a smart TV will be smart enough to spy on me and kill itself if its manufacturer tells it to.
Posted by: jim (in Kalifornia)

When we bought our current TV, the guy at Best Buy was really nice. I said "We just want a dumb TV. That's it." He immediately took us to where they were and warned us that we would not get 4K or any fancy features. I said that was acceptable and he rung me up.

His boss got an email from me to say thanks for having an employee who didn't try hard selling us.

Posted by: NR Pax at April 30, 2026 06:45 AM (99eI0)

68 67 I buy stupid TVs, because a smart TV will be smart enough to spy on me and kill itself if its manufacturer tells it to.
Posted by: jim (in Kalifornia)

When we bought our current TV, the guy at Best Buy was really nice. I said "We just want a dumb TV. That's it." He immediately took us to where they were and warned us that we would not get 4K or any fancy features. I said that was acceptable and he rung me up.

His boss got an email from me to say thanks for having an employee who didn't try hard selling us.

Posted by: NR Pax at April 30, 2026 06:45 AM (99eI0)

I worry that, even not connecting a smart TV to the internet or Wifi, it'll connect to neighbors' WiFi just to communicate back to the mothership. I doubt they even give you the option to turn off WiFi, thus leaving your Smart TV open to hacking. I definitely don't want a TV that has cameras built-in...those are frickin' scary...

Posted by: jim (in Kalifornia) at April 30, 2026 06:48 AM (ynpvh)

69 Smilies are fixed! I forgot that I had change the certificate name, so while the server had the new certificate I needed to make a couple of other updates for it to take effect everywhere.

Posted by: Pixy Misa at April 30, 2026 06:50 AM (BLOW1)

70 69 Smilies are fixed! I forgot that I had change the certificate name, so while the server had the new certificate I needed to make a couple of other updates for it to take effect everywhere.
Posted by: Pixy Misa at April 30, 2026 06:50 AM (BLOW1)

😀

Posted by: m at April 30, 2026 06:51 AM (8rTNG)

71 For those who are always online and wearing the 'smart glasses' to stream and make money, Neal Stephenson has a term for you.

From Snow Crash - gargoyle.

Posted by: Anna Puma at April 30, 2026 06:52 AM (2GVsD)

72 Years ago, the big, super smart and friendly neighborhood tabby tom came up to me on the sidewalk and made friends. He periodically visited over the next couple of years, running after me down the sidewalk when I got out of the car then he'd follow me in the house and we'd hang out. He loved coming over when I had parties - he loved people. He finally moved in and eventually developed really bad cancer. When I made *that call*, it felt like I had hired a hitman to kill my best friend. I was in tears and that was several days before it happened.

Posted by: Dark Litigator at April 30, 2026 06:52 AM (W5mpo)

73 mornin yall

👍!

Posted by: fd at April 30, 2026 06:53 AM (vFG9F)

74 I bought a ROKU Smart TV a while back. I like it a lot. It tells me to burn things from time to time but I ignore it.

Posted by: Puddleglum, cheer up for the worst is yet to come at April 30, 2026 06:53 AM (sAmhv)

75 72 Years ago, the big, super smart and friendly neighborhood tabby tom came up to me on the sidewalk and made friends. He periodically visited over the next couple of years, running after me down the sidewalk when I got out of the car then he'd follow me in the house and we'd hang out. He loved coming over when I had parties - he loved people. He finally moved in and eventually developed really bad cancer. When I made *that call*, it felt like I had hired a hitman to kill my best friend. I was in tears and that was several days before it happened.

Posted by: Dark Litigator at April 30, 2026 06:52 AM (W5mpo)

Yes, it's no fun. Out in the country, we took out a rifle to put down pets who were dying to put them out of their misery...

Posted by: jim (in Kalifornia) at April 30, 2026 06:54 AM (ynpvh)

76 Perfessor, I am sorry to hear about your kitty and offer my condolence.

Posted by: fd at April 30, 2026 06:55 AM (vFG9F)

77 74 I bought a ROKU Smart TV a while back. I like it a lot. It tells me to burn things from time to time but I ignore it.

Posted by: Puddleglum, cheer up for the worst is yet to come at April 30, 2026 06:53 AM (sAmhv)

So it's a liberal TV? Does it tell you to kill Trump too?

Posted by: jim (in Kalifornia) at April 30, 2026 06:55 AM (ynpvh)

78 Pixy Misa

Thank you!

Much appreciated.

Posted by: NaCly Dog at April 30, 2026 06:55 AM (u82oZ)

79 Work beckons, I must dash.

Later all.

Posted by: Grumpy and Recalcitrant at April 30, 2026 06:55 AM (O7YUW)

80 The first cat my wife and I took in was affectionately referred to as a "TabbyCaliTort" from her rather interesting coloration. She developed a nasal adenoma so she couldn't smell and eating was a struggle.

Took her to a specialist to remove the cancer which cost more than we could normally afford and she got three more months before it returned. The specialist told me that we could try radiation treatment but he admitted that this was just delaying the inevitable.

Posted by: NR Pax at April 30, 2026 06:57 AM (99eI0)

81 Anna Puma

Well spotted.

Snow Crash was such a good SF novel. As was The Diamond Age. I would like Nells book (Young Lady’s Illustrated Primer), suitably personalized, to replace all of Public education.

Posted by: NaCly Dog at April 30, 2026 07:00 AM (u82oZ)

82 How bad?

Vera, Vera bad!

Posted by: Whiskey Mike at April 30, 2026 07:00 AM (l5vxg)

83 Whiskey Mike

I authenticate Whiskey 2 Hotel.

Posted by: NaCly Dog at April 30, 2026 07:02 AM (u82oZ)

84 The bridge signs...rounding error. An inch (0.0254 meter) is higher resolution than a tenth of a meter (≈3.937 inches). Just add the extra decimal place to the meter dimension, you daft Britons.

Posted by: jim (in Kalifornia) at April 30, 2026 07:03 AM (ynpvh)

85 Omg.

The WHCD guy was dressed like John Wick

Posted by: MJ at April 30, 2026 07:03 AM (XOmY9)

86 Good morning! We had an infestation of Egrets in the neighborhood last year so we bought some toys to deal with them this year. A little pistol and with 6mm caps that shoots bird bangers and sirens. Very entertaining and very effective.

We shoot at 'em as they're passing over or if they circle or loiter. The neighborhood a few blocks away saw somewhere on the order of 700 or so last evening.

Posted by: CrotchetyOldJarhead at April 30, 2026 07:03 AM (3Ope8)

87 So it's a liberal TV? Does it tell you to kill Trump too?
Posted by: Jim

It does repeat redrum redrum from time to time. I just reboot it. Its fine.

Posted by: Puddleglum, cheer up for the worst is yet to come at April 30, 2026 07:04 AM (sAmhv)

88 Our cats when I was growing up were outside cats mostly, with a few exceptions of both inside and outside. So when the time came for them to die, we usually found their bodies hidden somewhere after they passed...

Posted by: jim (in Kalifornia) at April 30, 2026 07:04 AM (ynpvh)

89 Snow Crash was such a good SF novel. As was The Diamond Age. I would like Nells book (Young Lady’s Illustrated Primer), suitably personalized, to replace all of Public education.
Posted by: NaCly Dog at April 30, 2026 07:00 AM (u82oZ)
---
Snow Crash is hilariously dated now, but still a fun read.

Nell's book in The Diamond Age is what AI *could be* if it weren't for the fact it's infected with ideology.

Posted by: "Perfessor" Squirrel at April 30, 2026 07:06 AM (gnNyN)

90 Sinatra was quite good at playing crooks and mobsters.

Posted by: SpeakingOf at April 30, 2026 06:35 AM (6ydKt)

He was a method actor, always in character 24/7...
Posted by: jim (in Kalifornia) at April 30, 2026 06:39 AM (ynpvh)

Probably my favorite story about him is when he performed at the 1956 Democratic National Convention, the Speaker of the House put an arm on Sinatra's shoulder after his set and he snarled, "Hands off the threads, creep." Really put him in his place! Method actor, or actual made man?

Posted by: SciVo at April 30, 2026 07:06 AM (Sy6m/)

91 90 Sinatra was quite good at playing crooks and mobsters.

Posted by: SpeakingOf at April 30, 2026 06:35 AM (6ydKt)

He was a method actor, always in character 24/7...
Posted by: jim (in Kalifornia) at April 30, 2026 06:39 AM (ynpvh)

Probably my favorite story about him is when he performed at the 1956 Democratic National Convention, the Speaker of the House put an arm on Sinatra's shoulder after his set and he snarled, "Hands off the threads, creep." Really put him in his place! Method actor, or actual made man?

Posted by: SciVo at April 30, 2026 07:06 AM (Sy6m/)

The method actor comment was meant as a joke...he was a mobster 24/7.

Posted by: jim (in Kalifornia) at April 30, 2026 07:07 AM (ynpvh)

92 The bridge signs...rounding error. An inch (0.0254 meter) is higher resolution than a tenth of a meter (≈3.937 inches). Just add the extra decimal place to the meter dimension, you daft Britons.
Posted by: jim (in Kalifornia) at April 30, 2026 07:03 AM (ynpvh)
---
The regulations specifically prohibit that.

Posted by: "Perfessor" Squirrel at April 30, 2026 07:07 AM (gnNyN)

93
My historical project to chronicle the late, great Lacey's show career continues. Sometimes it's quite odd. She was in 378 shows as a special. Some judges I thought she had been under a great many times may have only been once or twice. She showed 8 times at Midwest Borzoi Club specialties and never won. She showed 8 times at the National Specialty and only won once, her very last show. And some of the results where she didn't win I shake my head; how could the judge put that one up?

Posted by: Hadrian the Seventh at April 30, 2026 07:08 AM (HdYcL)

94 Good morning Horde. Are we going to have as much winning today as we did yesterday? I sure hope so!

Posted by: Smell the Glove at April 30, 2026 07:09 AM (gu0hJ)

95 The Smart TV brands I've used, Samsung and LG, both have 'opt-outs' for the marketing spying and other creepy stuff that you have to do when first setting up the TV.

Like, for instance, they come up with their recommendations by keeping track of what you watch and serving up similar media to you.

Also, every time the software is updated you have to either run through the same list and check yourself out of the feature, or go into Settings and make sure they haven't opted you back in.

How well this really keeps the spying down is unknown to me, but the options are there.

They are really convenient if you watch YouTube or other streaming services, which is why I don't really mind them.
They aren't going to get much more info off of me than we normally get off of surfing the web.

That's also part of the reason Smart TVs are so cheap.
All of the pre-installed apps and Ads you see on the Home page, are paid for and bring down the cost, similar to pre-built PCs, and Android smartphones with their pre-installed junkware.

Posted by: SpeakingOf at April 30, 2026 07:10 AM (6ydKt)

96 "Perfessor" Squirrel

We should tattoo "Poor Impulse Control" on the forehead of a lot of convicted criminals and illegals that woke DA release to prey on Americans.

Posted by: NaCly Dog at April 30, 2026 07:11 AM (u82oZ)

97 92 The bridge signs...rounding error. An inch (0.0254 meter) is higher resolution than a tenth of a meter (≈3.937 inches). Just add the extra decimal place to the meter dimension, you daft Britons.
Posted by: jim (in Kalifornia) at April 30, 2026 07:03 AM (ynpvh)
---
The regulations specifically prohibit that.

Posted by: "Perfessor" Squirrel at April 30, 2026 07:07 AM (gnNyN)

That is something...I suppose if the metric is always less-than-or-equal-to the English measurement, it shouldn't be a problem...but if it's the other way around...

Posted by: jim (in Kalifornia) at April 30, 2026 07:12 AM (ynpvh)

98 @26

>> Probably the worst decision of Tim Cook's Apple CEO career.

The guy they’ve tapped to takeover for Cook is the guy that led the VR Development team as well as a couple of other failed ventures.

Anyone who spends 5 seconds wearing a VR headset would know of its limitations and utility.

I’m betting this guy never put one on for even a second.

Posted by: Thomas Bender at April 30, 2026 07:12 AM (XV/Pl)

99 That is something...I suppose if the metric is always less-than-or-equal-to the English measurement, it shouldn't be a problem...but if it's the other way around...
Posted by: jim (in Kalifornia) at April 30, 2026 07:12 AM (ynpvh)
---
For both systems, you go through a couple of rounds of measurement, adjustment, and rounding.

Imperial measurements are always rounded DOWN to the nearest 3". Metric measurements are always rounded DOWN to the nearest 0.1 m. In both cases, rounding DOWN ensures that the maximum allowable distance will be well within a margin of error.

Posted by: "Perfessor" Squirrel at April 30, 2026 07:14 AM (gnNyN)

100 haha

Posted by: m at April 30, 2026 07:14 AM (8rTNG)

101 We should tattoo "Poor Impulse Control" on the forehead of a lot of convicted criminals and illegals that woke DA release to prey on Americans.
Posted by: NaCly Dog at April 30, 2026 07:11 AM (u82oZ)
----
I'm not entirely opposed to the idea, though such tattoos would get lost among the plethora of facial tattoos among gangbangers in MS-13...

Posted by: "Perfessor" Squirrel at April 30, 2026 07:15 AM (gnNyN)

102 Morning peeps.

Looks like dry, but a bit cool weather for the Derby this weekend. IIRC the last few have been wet. Post time is 6:57PM Saturday.

Posted by: Martini Farmer at April 30, 2026 07:18 AM (jehhT)

103 Those bridge height signs help the muslim rape gangs so they know how high the bridges are so they can stay dry and out of the rain while raping.

Posted by: Joe Barrowweight, British Bridge Tender and Cuck at April 30, 2026 07:19 AM (QP+6w)

104 "We should tattoo "Poor Impulse Control" on the forehead of a lot of convicted criminals and illegals that woke DA release to prey on Americans.
Posted by: NaCly Dog"

Like this guy?

"Biden's decision to free Detroit drug dealer backfires horribly just 14 months later.

Biden commuted his sentence last January 17 as part of an initiative to free thousands of nonviolent drug offenders.

Buckner was described as a 'large–scale narcotics trafficker,' per a criminal complaint filed last Thursday in the US District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan."

He was charged with distribution and conspiracy to distribute more than five kilograms of cocaine.

Posted by: fd at April 30, 2026 07:19 AM (vFG9F)

105 Posted by: Hadrian the Seventh at April 30, 2026 07:08 AM (HdYcL)

And how did HM get interested in showing dogs?

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at April 30, 2026 07:19 AM (Yl2Ob)

106 it's always DNS

Posted by: sock_rat_eez at April 30, 2026 07:20 AM (VyBeY)

107 98 @26

>> Probably the worst decision of Tim Cook's Apple CEO career.

The guy they’ve tapped to takeover for Cook is the guy that led the VR Development team as well as a couple of other failed ventures.

Anyone who spends 5 seconds wearing a VR headset would know of its limitations and utility.

I’m betting this guy never put one on for even a second.
Posted by: Thomas Bender at April 30, 2026 07:12 AM (XV/Pl)

(John Ternus)
Haha! I'm not seeing photos of him wearing one!

Posted by: m at April 30, 2026 07:21 AM (8rTNG)

108 fd

Parts donor in Canada should be his fate.

Posted by: NaCly Dog at April 30, 2026 07:22 AM (u82oZ)

109
Dad was a great music fan, and listened to Perry Como a lot.

I asked him once why no Sinatra, he said

"He's a bum. Don't care for how he treated his wife."

Posted by: Auspex at April 30, 2026 07:22 AM (DECkL)

110 John Ternus looks a bit like Ben Sasse.

Posted by: m at April 30, 2026 07:23 AM (8rTNG)

111 fd

That request would also work for the DA. But not for Biden. You would have to be super desperate to use any Biden part in an attempt to save a person's life.

Posted by: NaCly Dog at April 30, 2026 07:24 AM (u82oZ)

112
And how did HM get interested in showing dogs?
Posted by: FenelonSpoke at April 30, 2026 07:19 AM (Yl2Ob)

She had always been interested in animals. She wanted to be a vet (and would have been a good one) but she came from a time and parents who said, no, you're going to get married.

She acquired her first Borzoi in 1971 (Soyara's Lanishka). Her lines were wiped out twice, once by PRA and once by Hashimoto's. She divorced in the early 90's and returned to Australia. She hated it and came back to the US.

In 1994, we were married. I don't do any showing myself, but I've given her the resources and support so that she could become an important person in the national breed club and show three dogs (Lacey, Dutch and Delilah) to #1 national breed rankings.

Posted by: Hadrian the Seventh at April 30, 2026 07:26 AM (HdYcL)

113 RIP
David Allen Coe

Posted by: r hennigantx at April 30, 2026 07:28 AM (/+uur)

114 it's always DNS
Posted by: sock_rat_eez at April 30, 2026 07:20 AM (VyBeY)

It's never DNS. It's always lupus.

Posted by: Dr. Home at April 30, 2026 07:29 AM (1Ff7Z)

115 AI Overview

SSL certificates for "smilies" (emoticons or custom forum emoji) usually refer to securing the image files, message board, or website that hosts them to prevent mixed content errors, where secure pages fail to load insecure images.

Securing Smilies and Images
If your smilies are not displaying, it is often due to an "ERR_SSL_VERSION_OR_CIPHER_MISMATCH" error, where the images are loaded via HTTP instead of HTTPS. To fix this, the server hosting the smiley images must have a valid SSL certificate.

Posted by: m at April 30, 2026 07:29 AM (8rTNG)

116 Posted by: Hadrian the Seventh at April 30, 2026 07:26 AM (HdYcL)

Thanks. Good for both of you! And best wishes on documentation for Lacey's career.

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at April 30, 2026 07:31 AM (9OpPK)

117 RIP
David Allen Coe
Posted by: r hennigantx at April 30, 2026 07:28 AM (/+uur)

Well, they say Texas music's in the making
And we been making music that is free
Doing one-night stands, playing with our bands
Willie, Waylon, and me, oh, mad dog...

Posted by: Zombie David Allen Coe at April 30, 2026 07:31 AM (QP+6w)

118 I’m betting this guy never put one on for even a second.

Posted by: Thomas Bender at April 30, 2026 07:12 AM (XV/Pl)

The hardware for it was top of the line, no doubt.
Reviewers raved about the display quality being the best they'd ever seen in a headset.

Problem was it was only useful for watching films, or hooking up a Mac and using the virtual desktop.

If they had lowered the price and concentrated more on gaming it could've been a minor hit.

Posted by: SpeakingOf at April 30, 2026 07:33 AM (6ydKt)

119 The longer you are close to a cat or dog, and interact with it daily as a close friend/family member and not as a possession (even well-treated), the more attuned you both become, mentally and emotionally, to each other. Then it's so hard to lose the "person" in that animal.
****

Well, I believe there's something to that. I work from home and had a German Shepherd who who was by my side 24/7 for 8 years. We could basically read each other's minds. Lost him last October. Still not quite over it.

Posted by: Biergood at April 30, 2026 07:34 AM (PwgSL)

120 Where'd da bish go?

Posted by: Billy Jeff at April 30, 2026 07:34 AM (1Ff7Z)

121 Finally! Alone.

Posted by: Archibald Beechcroft at April 30, 2026 07:38 AM (1Ff7Z)

122 *hic*

Posted by: Hillary Clinton at April 30, 2026 07:38 AM (DDJSl)

Crap, she's back.

Posted by: Billy Jeff at April 30, 2026 07:38 AM (1Ff7Z)

123 Crap, she's back.
Posted by: Billy Jeff at April 30, 2026 07:38 AM (1Ff7Z)

And gone!

Posted by: Josephus at April 30, 2026 07:39 AM (1Ff7Z)

124 Ok, something must be going on here. Comments appearing then disappearing, then coming back and going away again. I must be in... The Twilight Zone.

Posted by: OrangeEnt at April 30, 2026 07:40 AM (1Ff7Z)

125 OrangeEnt

J.J. is trying to post?

Posted by: NaCly Dog at April 30, 2026 07:41 AM (u82oZ)

126 J.J. is trying to post?
Posted by: NaCly Dog at April 30, 2026 07:41 AM (u82oZ)

Well, at least I'm not alone.

Not sure. Hillary posted, then I refreshed and she disappeared, then no one else posted but me. I thought JJ was up, but no. Don't know what's going on. I know he was fooling with server issues. Maybe everything just refreshed.

Posted by: OrangeEnt at April 30, 2026 07:43 AM (1Ff7Z)

127 Pixy was working issues, that is.

Posted by: OrangeEnt at April 30, 2026 07:43 AM (1Ff7Z)

128 And now... I'm alone again.

Posted by: OrangeEnt at April 30, 2026 07:45 AM (1Ff7Z)

129 I popped in.

Posted by: Nova Local at April 30, 2026 07:46 AM (tOcjL)

130 Willow is always lurking at the end of every thread

Posted by: San Franpsycho at April 30, 2026 07:47 AM (RIvkX)

131 JJ is up.

Posted by: Nazdar at April 30, 2026 07:48 AM (NcvvS)

132 I popped in.
Posted by: Nova Local at April 30, 2026 07:46 AM (tOcjL)

I see you floating in space.

It's the Tholians, isn't it?

Posted by: OrangeEnt at April 30, 2026 07:48 AM (1Ff7Z)

133 129 I popped in.
Posted by: Nova Local at April 30, 2026 07:46 AM (tOcjL)

"... just to see what condition your condition was in"?

Posted by: m at April 30, 2026 07:48 AM (8rTNG)

134 OK, J. J. Guess I'll never know what happened here. A mystery for the ages....

Posted by: OrangeEnt at April 30, 2026 07:48 AM (1Ff7Z)

135 134 OK, J. J. Guess I'll never know what happened here. A mystery for the ages....
Posted by: OrangeEnt at April 30, 2026 07:48 AM (1Ff7Z)

"That's what SHE said!"

Posted by: m at April 30, 2026 07:49 AM (8rTNG)

136 I look forward to AI so we dont have to listen to idiot millennials spew nonsense anymore. Millennials are the dumbest most dangerous generation in human history and its not close.

Posted by: Fisht at April 30, 2026 08:17 AM (Q3Jot)

137 Wordpress is shite, yes, but with all blogging more or less having moved to Substack and YouTube, are there any FOSS self-hostable blogging packages left that aren't written in a dynamically typed scripting language? And don't punt comment hosting to a third-party service?

Posted by: Daniel Ream at April 30, 2026 08:56 AM (LgYtf)

138 Set it on fire. It's the only way

Posted by: TheCatBitesMyToe at April 30, 2026 09:28 AM (LOZbR)

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