Daily Tech News 29 October 2026

Top Story

Microsoft has hit ten quarters in a row of record-breaking revenues. (Tech Crunch)

That's good, right?
Microsoft is offering buyouts to 60,000 employees. (Tech Crunch)

Right?

Tech News

SpaceX has told the FAA it is planning for 10,000 launches per year. (WCCFTech)

That's... A lot.
Ford's new Fathom electric truck - which is expected to start below $30,000 - doubles as a 10kW whole-home UPS. (CNET)

Honestly, pretty useful. Usefuller if it were a plug-in hybrid, but still useful.
Amazon is planning to judge engineers by how much they achieve, rather than how much they cost the company. (Tom's Hardware)

Just now figured this out, apparently.
AI execs may be total dipshits. (Tech Crunch)

May be?

Musical Interlude

Disclaimer: Beep beep beep beep beep.

Posted by: Pixy Misa at 04:00 AM

Comments

(Jump to bottom of comments)

1 w00t

Posted by: m at October 29, 2026 04:01 AM (odBC9)

2 Morgen.

Posted by: Additional Blond Agent at October 29, 2026 04:01 AM (iIyc0)

3 G'Day everyone

Posted by: Skip at October 29, 2026 04:02 AM (Ia/+0)

4 Guten morgen, horde.

Posted by: clarence at October 29, 2026 04:05 AM (WZjs1)

5 Mornin'

Posted by: Puddleglum, cheer up for the worst is yet to come at October 29, 2026 04:06 AM (sAmhv)

6 G'day.
(which I think is "good morning" in 'stralian)

Posted by: m at October 29, 2026 04:07 AM (odBC9)

7 G'day means g'day.

Posted by: Pixy Misa at October 29, 2026 04:09 AM (BLOW1)

8 >>>Disclaimer: Beep beep beep beep beep.

The "ready!" sound made by the fries machine where let-go Microsoft employees are going to be working?

Posted by: m at October 29, 2026 04:09 AM (odBC9)

9 7 G'day means g'day.
Posted by: Pixy Misa at October 29, 2026 04:09 AM (BLOW1)

Good morning!

Posted by: m at October 29, 2026 04:10 AM (odBC9)

10 "Can we be total dipshits?"

"I don't know.... cannnn you?"

"*sigh*. MAY we be total dipshits?"

"Yes, go ahead. And wash your hands when you're done."

Posted by: Warai-otoko at October 29, 2026 04:10 AM (aKiSo)

11 SpaceX has told the FAA it is planning for 10,000 launches per year.
****

I wonder if that would include launches for fueling tankers for starship missions to the moon.

Posted by: clarence at October 29, 2026 04:12 AM (WZjs1)

12 I wonder if that would include launches for fueling tankers for starship missions to the moon.

Posted by: clarence at October 29, 2026 04:12 AM (WZjs1)

Imagine the future where the kitchen-table political issues include bitching about the price of gas in space.

Posted by: Warai-otoko at October 29, 2026 04:13 AM (aKiSo)

13 Top of the Melb'n to you!

Posted by: m at October 29, 2026 04:15 AM (odBC9)

14
It's gonna get kind of cluttered out there, all that orbiting junk.

Posted by: Blonde Morticia at October 29, 2026 04:18 AM (mmrXZ)

15 It's gonna get kind of cluttered out there, all that orbiting junk.
Posted by: Blonde Morticia at October 29, 2026 04:18 AM (mmrXZ)

You could build little space stations that collect all the junk, then bring it all to an orbital recycling station, and refine it back into components that could be used to build and repair other orbital vehicles without needing to bring new material up from Earth.

Eh, who am I kidding. They'd just pretend they're recycling it and then throw it out anyway.

Posted by: Warai-otoko at October 29, 2026 04:20 AM (aKiSo)

16 Beep beep beep beep beep.

Joke Punchline: "Watch out! She's backing up!"

Posted by: jim (in Kalifornia) at October 29, 2026 04:24 AM (l3cgK)

17 Imagine the future where the kitchen-table political issues include bitching about the price of gas in space.
****

Starship uses methane and liquid oxygen. The plan is to have tankers in orbit to fuel trips to the moon. If water (ice deposits) is found to be abundant, production of liquid oxygen will be much easier than shipping it to the moon. Half of the production of fuel for missions to Mars would be solved.

Posted by: clarence at October 29, 2026 04:28 AM (WZjs1)

18 15 You could build little space stations that collect all the junk, then bring it all to an orbital recycling station, and refine it back into components that could be used to build and repair other orbital vehicles without needing to bring new material up from Earth.

Posted by: Warai-otoko at October 29, 2026 04:20 AM (aKiSo)

Sure, Jan.

Posted by: m at October 29, 2026 04:30 AM (odBC9)

19 Good Morning pixel people. going back to sleeep, 0 dark 30 is way to early for me.

MS is still a total CF, always has been.

Posted by: Gmac-WTF did you think was going to happen at October 29, 2026 04:31 AM (Q/FnY)

20 Posted by: Warai-otoko at October 29, 2026 04:20 AM (aKiSo)

(aKiSo) sounds like it might be from one of those languages that was being discussed on the ONT.

Posted by: m at October 29, 2026 04:32 AM (odBC9)

21 Bacon, toast and cheese omelet
Getting up early has its privileges

Posted by: Skip at October 29, 2026 04:38 AM (Ia/+0)

22 Starship uses methane and liquid oxygen. The plan is to have tankers in orbit to fuel trips to the moon. If water (ice deposits) is found to be abundant, production of liquid oxygen will be much easier than shipping it to the moon. Half of the production of fuel for missions to Mars would be solved.
Posted by: clarence at October 29, 2026 04:28 AM (WZjs1)

"Congressman Schmoopydoop voted to allow trillionaires like Elon Musk to use our precious oxygen to fuel his greed rockets to Occupied Mars. Our Children need that oxygen to breathe. Can you vote for someone who doesn't want Our Children to breathe?"

Posted by: Warai-otoko at October 29, 2026 04:39 AM (aKiSo)

23 19 Good Morning pixel people. going back to sleeep
Posted by: Gmac-WTF did you think was going to happen at October 29, 2026 04:31 AM (Q/FnY)

... perchance to dream.

Posted by: m at October 29, 2026 04:42 AM (odBC9)

24 Re space junk. See the Kessler Effect. It's a potential problem. We're not near the threshold yet, and we want to make sure we never get there. The damned Chicoms don't give a shit and may be a problem.

Posted by: Publius on Stupid Phone at October 29, 2026 04:46 AM (w6EFb)

25
That's good, right?
Right?
That's... A lot.
Honestly, pretty useful. Usefuller if it were a plug-in hybrid, but still useful.
Just now figured this out, apparently.
May be?
Disclaimer: Beep beep beep beep beep.

A Pixy of few words.

Posted by: m at October 29, 2026 04:46 AM (odBC9)

26 Microsoft is offering buyouts to around 60,000 employees
****

When the AI (funding) bubble pops, having a much reduced payroll may allow the company to surf the downward lurch.

Posted by: clarence at October 29, 2026 04:50 AM (WZjs1)

27
Eh, who am I kidding. They'd just pretend they're recycling it and then throw it out anyway.
Posted by: Warai-otoko

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

And there's Jane Jetson sorting her trash as if it mattered a damn.

Posted by: Blonde Morticia's Phone at October 29, 2026 04:51 AM (mmrXZ)

28 BBC

Flávio Bolsonaro denies fleeing Brazil after landing in Miami

The defeated Brazilian candidate claims to be the victim of a coup d’état and political persecution, recycling unsubstantiated allegations of “electoral fraud”.

"unsubstantiated"
Does that belong in a headline?

Posted by: m at October 29, 2026 04:51 AM (odBC9)

29 I don't forsee China continuing to exist as a unified state much longer.

Yes, yes, thousands of years, blah de blah, but as a State they've only existed for a few generations. They can't continue on the trajectory they're on, and their perverse lazy idiot version of smash and grab authoritarianism, which frankly is infecting the entire world again these days, has proven time and time again to be less than helpful for a nation's longevity. The State can't change without ceding the fragile, fake, fear-based pseudo-legitimacy it still has, so it can't adapt. Which means, it will inevitably die.

So hopefully we only have to deal with the crooked little bastards shitting up our orbit for a few more generations.

Posted by: Warai-otoko at October 29, 2026 04:51 AM (aKiSo)

30 28 BBC

Flávio Bolsonaro denies fleeing Brazil after landing in Miami

The defeated Brazilian candidate claims to be the victim of a coup d’état and political persecution, recycling unsubstantiated allegations of “electoral fraud”.

"unsubstantiated"
Does that belong in a headline?
Posted by: m at October 29, 2026 04:51 AM (odBC9)

Forget about the propriety of opinion based terms in news headlines. It's simply false. It doesn't belong anywhere.

Posted by: Warai-otoko at October 29, 2026 04:53 AM (aKiSo)

31 30 28 BBC

Flávio Bolsonaro denies fleeing Brazil after landing in Miami

The defeated Brazilian candidate claims to be the victim of a coup d’état and political persecution, recycling unsubstantiated allegations of “electoral fraud”.

"unsubstantiated"
Does that belong in a headline?
Posted by: m at October 29, 2026 04:51 AM (odBC9)

Forget about the propriety of opinion based terms in news headlines. It's simply false. It doesn't belong anywhere.
Posted by: Warai-otoko at October 29, 2026 04:53 AM (aKiSo)

Maybe they'll have to retract it.

Posted by: m at October 29, 2026 04:54 AM (odBC9)

32 I would like to see an America led coalition of South American nations band together and curb-stomp this Lula shithead.

And don't look at me like that. I was never all that upset about Iraq or Afghanistan, either.

Posted by: Warai-otoko at October 29, 2026 04:55 AM (aKiSo)

33 Maybe they'll have to retract it.
Posted by: m at October 29, 2026 04:54 AM (odBC9)

Maybe someone should jam a gun in their mouth and take their passports away from them.

Posted by: Warai-otoko at October 29, 2026 04:56 AM (aKiSo)

34 BBC ... Maybe they'll have to retract it.
****

Hahahahahahahahahahahahahaha*cough, cough*hahahahahahhahahahahahaha(thud)

Posted by: clarence at October 29, 2026 04:57 AM (WZjs1)

35 That headline is rage inducing.

How the fuck does the guy who is literally making the accusation of the election being stolen *from him* get described as "recycling" the allegation?

Did that crazy orange man whisper into his ear, huh? Did he destroy his own passport and un-ass his country toot-sweet as part of some bizarre stunt?

And did the BBC take their payment from The Party in good old USD, or in whatever the fuck trinkets and beads Brazil is scraping together for a currency these days?

So many questions....

Posted by: Warai-otoko at October 29, 2026 05:00 AM (aKiSo)

36 I keep trying to leave
Have a great day horde

Posted by: Skip at October 29, 2026 05:03 AM (Ia/+0)

37 Also maybe don't brag that your buddy's opponent had to flee the country after losing an election. "LOL he says he didn't flee but he totally did hurr durr what a loser".

Are these people actually retarded?

Posted by: Warai-otoko at October 29, 2026 05:04 AM (aKiSo)

38
The damned Chicoms don't give a shit and may be a problem.
Posted by: Publius on Stupid Phone

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

Typical. I hope we can knock their junk sculptures out of orbit and send them zinging into space. But first, we should slap a label on it: "Dear Extraterrestrials, if you find this, it came from the shit country of China on planet Earth. If you ever reach us, consider them hostile and tasty."

Posted by: Blonde Morticia's Phone at October 29, 2026 05:06 AM (mmrXZ)

39 Are these people actually retarded?
****

To ask is to answer.

Posted by: clarence at October 29, 2026 05:06 AM (WZjs1)

40 Ball up all the space junk on a regular schedule and huck it straight at Beijing.

Hopefully the explosion helps burn out at least some of the stink.

Posted by: Warai-otoko at October 29, 2026 05:09 AM (aKiSo)

41 I read the contemporary historical debates of the “cold war”, the Soviets were straight up SOBs, but they oftentimes had a point in their official responses. The BBC just sounds like an 5th grader. Very sad.

Posted by: Common Tater at October 29, 2026 05:12 AM (X3owK)

42 The writer of that fluff piece for Ford did not mention the tremendous amounts of money wasted on electric vehicle fantasies. Vaporware.

Posted by: clarence at October 29, 2026 05:12 AM (WZjs1)

43 Morning, 'rons and 'ettes.

Posted by: olddog in mo at October 29, 2026 05:13 AM (Hbeqj)

44 Fathom. That is a term of measurement for water....under water.

Posted by: clarence at October 29, 2026 05:13 AM (WZjs1)

45 The new almost built high speed rail in California is going to use the latest in tech to control their trains. Signal flags like the navy uses between ships, they can't afford to use the European tech as its to expensive. But it works so well in Spain, the best high speed network in Europe. Single track for the California high speed trains, what could go wrong.

Posted by: colin at October 29, 2026 05:14 AM (CiQE7)

46 Some bacteria thrive in these conditions. Some in those. People are the same way. Very Darwinian.

Posted by: Accomack at October 29, 2026 05:16 AM (4qMiv)

47 G'mornin' everyone!

Posted by: sock_rat_eezo at October 29, 2026 05:19 AM (VyBeY)

48 They focus grouped the idea of calling it the "Ford ToasterInABathtub", but it didn't score quite as high.

Posted by: Warai-otoko at October 29, 2026 05:22 AM (aKiSo)

49 41 I read the contemporary historical debates of the “cold war”, the Soviets were straight up SOBs, but they oftentimes had a point in their official responses. The BBC just sounds like an 5th grader. Very sad.
Posted by: Common Tater at October 29, 2026 05:12 AM (X3owK)

The key to good propaganda is that it has some kernel of truth to it, and it's the skillful sleight of hand that bends that truth into a lie that's perceived as truth. (Heck, in some cases the point of propaganda is to replace an easy lie with a difficult truth... but that's not my point here)

Propaganda is not merely lying your face off. That's just called "Lying Your Face Off".

Posted by: Warai-otoko at October 29, 2026 05:25 AM (aKiSo)

50 It's become very easy for "legacy" media outlets to tell bald faced lies and get no pushback. It's as if the Gell-Mann Amnesia effect has been short circuited, because that effect relies upon people having some level of expertise in at least one topic to use as their standard to perceive when a previously trusted source has just told them a naked lie.

If you don't know anything about anything, then you'll never be able to use that handy mechanism to escape the hamster-wheel of shiny idiots in business wear shouting nonsense at you as if it were holy writ, never to be questioned.

Posted by: Warai-otoko at October 29, 2026 05:30 AM (aKiSo)

51
Hmm, a 22kW standby generator installed costs maybe $20k, as long as the state of California hasn't banned it. Ford Fathom supplies 10kW, costs $30k, doubles as transportation in case of emergency, and probably gets you a rebate in California. Nope, still not a good deal.

Posted by: Blonde Morticia's Phone at October 29, 2026 05:36 AM (mmrXZ)

52 Old time hymn- from the 1770's, "Rock of Ages":

https://tinyurl.com/5eduxj87

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at October 29, 2026 05:36 AM (JrHfD)

53 Maybe there's some new variant of Gell-Mann Amnesia that I'm falling prey to, here.

Your receptors can become too finely tuned to picking out even the trivial, inconsequential lies and errors in the daily fire hose of news-slop we're all subjected to against our will. (Why is there "news" on my damned refrigerator?!?!)

Then, when they drop a real top-shelf cutting-edge doozy of a clanking lie in your lap, it pegs your meter and flings you into the kind of tantrum that makes you look like a nutjob to any sane person with a life....

Call it the "Waraiotoko Bullshit Effect", I guess.

Posted by: Warai-otoko at October 29, 2026 05:37 AM (aKiSo)

54 Radio Havana wasn’t too objectionable at all, at least during their top of the hour news roundup. It seemed to be relatively even handed and authoritative recounting world news. Their editorial stance was lunatic insane, but there was a clear and obvious demarcation.

This is modern “journalism” now for decades in the West. Puff piece, left wing twaddle, amateurish opinion pieces passed off as straight “news”.

Posted by: Common Tater at October 29, 2026 05:38 AM (X3owK)

55 God answers when we call . Devotional on Psalm 145:14-21

https://tinyurl.com/4n2kw5k2

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at October 29, 2026 05:39 AM (JrHfD)

56 Cow can't stop listening to 80's rock music:

https://tinyurl.com/44rdzw43

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at October 29, 2026 05:43 AM (JrHfD)

57 It's become very easy for "legacy" media outlets to tell bald faced lies and get no pushback.
———

Except, they are now loss leaders, nobody under 55 years watches, and nobody believes anything they say. I use them, if at all, as a contrary indicator.

Merely by the headline, I know instantly the Brazil election is hinky. They are like the North Star of contrary indicators now. Whatever they say is bullshit. Count on it.

Hell of a “legacy”.

Posted by: Common Tater at October 29, 2026 05:43 AM (X3owK)

58 Hell of a “legacy”.
Posted by: Common Tater at October 29, 2026 05:43 AM (X3owK)

Heh. Great point.

Posted by: Warai-otoko at October 29, 2026 05:44 AM (aKiSo)

59 That's right. I just invented "yelling at the news".

....

Maybe i really am a millennial, after all.

Posted by: Warai-otoko at October 29, 2026 05:46 AM (aKiSo)

60 Merely by the headline, I know instantly the Brazil election is hinky. They are like the North Star of contrary indicators now. Whatever they say is bullshit. Count on it.

Hell of a “legacy”.

Posted by: Common Tater at October 29, 2026 05:43 AM (X3owK)

exactly right.

Posted by: sock_rat_eezo at October 29, 2026 05:48 AM (VyBeY)

61 Microsoft is offering buyouts to 60,000 employees.

27% of their workforce. That's kind of a lot. They're in trouble.

Posted by: Grumpy and Recalcitrant, a Moron behind enemy lines at October 29, 2026 05:50 AM (O7YUW)

62
California high speed trains, what could go wrong.
Posted by: colin

===========

When that never-to-be-finished boondoggle's death certificate is finally signed, its scattered components should be left in place and stamped or painted, "This is your brain on democrat governance. "

Posted by: Blonde Morticia's Phone at October 29, 2026 05:52 AM (mmrXZ)

63 "Hope in a hero". God with us in difficult times and when things seem hopeless . "Our daily bread" devotional . 1st Chronicles 16:12-27

https://tinyurl.com/yx5b3nbj

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at October 29, 2026 05:52 AM (JrHfD)

64 A good evening and morning for a Thor's Day. satellites and satraps!

Microsoft is offering buyouts? I remember when my old employer did that back in about 2016. If I'd been prepared to retire then, I'd have grabbed it. They told us the package included assistance in finding a new job. I was the only one who asked, "What about if you want to relocate?" The people running the seminar looked at me as if I had two heads -- as if nobody would ever consider leaving Da Swamp.

Anyway! Whassup?

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at October 29, 2026 05:53 AM (wzUl9)

65 "AI, can you fire 60,000 people for me?"

"OK. You're fired. 59,999 to go."

Posted by: Warai-otoko at October 29, 2026 05:55 AM (aKiSo)

66 They'll happily consider letting go sixty thousand people to try to make ends meet.

But they'll never consider axing the hundred odd people who created the situation where sixty thousand people had to be let go.

Posted by: Warai-otoko at October 29, 2026 05:59 AM (aKiSo)

67 Happy Thursday, everyone. Time to share a nice story.

Dad got his disabled veteran plates and he and mom were having a tough time installing the front one. They finally ended up at the local AAA office. The kid working at the repair department asked if he could help. Once mom explained what was going on, he and brought out Allen Wrenches and put on the new plate in the front. Mom asked him what she owed and he said no charge.

Posted by: NR Pax at October 29, 2026 06:03 AM (BpO1e)

68 Oh, my problem with time.gov vanished on its own. I checked my laptop at the coffee shop; still the same problem. The site worked fine on a library computer. Then, on my third refresh of the site (Command + R on a Mac), the actual times came back; same for my desktop. And so they have remained. Odd.

I did call up Spectrum and got their 1 Gb speed package, 2x my current setup, for $40/month less than I'm paying now. They're shipping me the modem/router; should be easy to hook up. Then I'll bring the old unit to one of their local offices. The lady I spoke with was in Kansas and was very sharp. A major improvement over customer "service" with the old firm, Cox.

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at October 29, 2026 06:03 AM (wzUl9)

69 But they'll never consider axing the hundred odd people who created the situation where sixty thousand people had to be let go.
Posted by: Warai-otoko

Sort of like "We'll do everything in our power to hold onto good people except give them more money."

Posted by: NR Pax at October 29, 2026 06:04 AM (BpO1e)

70 Temp is 64-68 F. depending who you ask, humidity up but little wind. Good workout conditions. Of course, the motivation has to be found and wrestled into compliance. Maybe I need a trap like those "spay and release" devices you use on feral cats.

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at October 29, 2026 06:12 AM (wzUl9)

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