Grumpy Old Geeks - Episode 672: Elon or Not?
Release Date: November 2, 2024
Hosts Jason DeFilippo and Brian Schulmeister, along with guest Dave Bittner, dive deep into the tumultuous world of tech in episode 672 of "Grumpy Old Geeks." True to their name, they offer unfiltered critiques, insightful analyses, and a hefty dose of humor as they navigate through the latest tech news and controversies. Below is a comprehensive summary of the key discussions, notable quotes, and insights from this episode.
1. Class Action Lawsuits: Cash App and Peacock [01:16 - 03:13]
Cash App Settlement: Brian opens the discussion by addressing a recent class action lawsuit against Cash App and its parent company, Block. The lawsuit alleges inadequate security measures leading to data breaches. The proposed settlement is $15 million, offering eligible users compensation for up to $24,500 in out-of-pocket costs and lost time.
- Notable Quote:
- Brian Schulmeister [02:12]: “If you've had an account between August 23, 2018, and August 20 of this year, you will be able to get some.”
Peacock Lawsuit: Jason mentions an additional class action lawsuit involving Peacock, advising listeners to check their emails for potential eligibility to claim damages.
- Notable Quote:
- Jason DeFilippo [02:44]: “...Peacock was definitely the weakest of all of the streaming services.”
2. Tesla's Full Self-Driving (FSD) Challenges [03:10 - 04:44]
The hosts shift focus to Tesla’s controversial approach to autonomous driving. Tesla has opted to rely solely on camera-based sensors, eliminating LiDAR, radar, and ultrasonic sensors. This decision has been met with criticism, especially after incidents where FSD-equipped vehicles failed to detect obstacles under challenging conditions like fog or glare.
- Notable Quote:
- Jason DeFilippo [04:44]: “...Tesla's FSD technology continues to lag behind competitors like Waymo.”
A specific incident is highlighted where a Tesla vehicle, operating under FSD, fatally struck a baby deer in low visibility conditions. This has prompted an investigation by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and potential recalls of 2.4 million vehicles.
- Notable Quote:
- Jason DeFilippo [04:15]: “Fucking Bambi.”
3. Trump Social's Stock Volatility [04:44 - 07:43]
Brian discusses the volatile stock performance of Trump Social, a platform associated with former President Donald Trump. Initially, Trump Social's valuation surged to over $10 billion, surpassing Elon Musk's X (formerly Twitter). However, the stock soon plummeted, resulting in a $1.3 billion loss in net worth for Trump.
- Notable Quotes:
- Brian Schulmeister [06:48]: “So there's the bigger headline...”
- Jason DeFilippo [07:37]: “They actually use a different term for it for True Social. It's small-handed.”
Brian emphasizes that Trump Social functions more as a political stock rather than a traditional meme stock, serving as a campaign contribution rather than a viable investment.
4. The Standing Desk Trend and Health Implications [07:43 - 09:36]
The episode delves into the growing popularity of standing desks and their purported health benefits. A study from Australia involving over 83,000 participants suggests that both prolonged standing and sitting are detrimental to health, advocating for regular movement instead.
- Notable Quotes:
- Brian Schulmeister [08:11]: “...you need a treadmill desk.”
- Jason DeFilippo [09:24]: “It's never been about always standing or always sitting.”
Both hosts share their personal practices for integrating movement into their work routines, highlighting the importance of not adhering strictly to either sitting or standing.
5. Facebook’s Use by Militia Groups Ahead of Elections [09:36 - 10:29]
Brian brings attention to the misuse of Facebook by anti-government militia groups to recruit and organize ahead of the US elections. Despite Meta’s efforts to ban such groups, over 260 Facebook groups and pages remain active, with some even being auto-generated by Facebook’s own algorithms.
- Notable Quote:
- Jason DeFilippo [10:29]: “I had no idea that that was actually happening.”
Brian expresses his frustration with Facebook’s inability to effectively curb the spread of extremist content on its platform.
6. Dropbox’s workforce Reduction [11:10 - 13:37]
The discussion moves to Dropbox’s recent decision to lay off 528 employees, equating to a 20% reduction in its global workforce. CEO Drew Houston cites softened demand and macroeconomic headwinds as primary reasons, alongside an overly complex organizational structure.
- Notable Quotes:
- Brian Schulmeister [12:24]: “...it's been trying to decommoditize themselves by adding on other commoditized features.”
- Jason DeFilippo [12:47]: “I just pay Dropbox, but I just pay them a little less than I used to.”
Brian and Jason reflect on their personal experiences with Dropbox, acknowledging the service’s strengths despite its recent struggles.
7. AI Segment: OpenAI’s Whisper and ChatGPT Developments [13:37 - 25:58]
A substantial portion of the episode is dedicated to advancements and controversies in AI technology.
OpenAI’s Whisper Issues: Brian and Jason critique OpenAI’s Whisper transcription tool, highlighting instances where it introduces false information, known as "hallucinations." Such inaccuracies are particularly concerning in sensitive fields like healthcare and banking.
- Notable Quotes:
- Brian Schulmeister [14:03]: “...humans are just ravines.”
- Jason DeFilippo [15:22]: “You should not do that.”
Jason shares personal experiences where Whisper inserted irrelevant URLs into transcripts, underscoring the tool’s unreliability for critical applications.
ChatGPT’s Enhanced Web Search: The hosts discuss ChatGPT’s new ability to search the web more effectively, providing timely answers with relevant sources. However, they note limitations, such as certain websites being inaccessible due to restrictions like robots.txt.
- Notable Quotes:
- Jason DeFilippo [17:10]: “...you can't just let it go.”
Compute Resource Challenges and AI Chips: Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, revealed that limited computing power is delaying the rollout of new AI products. To address this, OpenAI plans to collaborate with Broadcom to develop proprietary AI chips, expected by 2026.
- Notable Quotes:
- Jason DeFilippo [19:55]: “...there's only so many computers in the world.”
AI in Coding and Developer Impact: The discussion explores how AI tools are increasingly integrated into software development, potentially diminishing human expertise and complicating error detection in AI-generated code.
- Notable Quotes:
- Brian Schulmeister [25:33]: “...депозиторий In a sense, it's a no-brainer.”
- Jason DeFilippo [25:14]: “...how are you going to fact check anything?”
8. Open Source Initiative’s New Definition of Open AI [26:10 - 26:44]
The Open Source Initiative (OSI) has formalized a definition for "open AI," requiring all open AI systems to provide access to their training data, code, and model settings. This move has sparked debates, particularly with companies like Meta, accused of releasing "open source" models that don’t fully comply with the new standards.
- Notable Quotes:
- Brian Schulmeister [26:35]: “...they're not the boss of me.”
- Jason DeFilippo [26:58]: “...they're really not.”
9. Elon Musk Fans Falling for Crypto Scams [26:44 - 28:22]
The hosts highlight a concerning trend where crypto scams are proliferating, exploiting Elon Musk’s prominent status and using deepfake videos to promote dubious cryptocurrency investments. These scams have resulted in significant financial losses for many investors.
- Notable Quotes:
- Brian Schulmeister [27:43]: “A, people are fucking dumb and B, they're really, really, really losing a lot of money.”
- Jason DeFilippo [28:01]: “Yay.”
10. Media Updates: New Music Releases and Upcoming Shows [31:32 - 41:09]
Music Releases: Brian shares his excitement about new album releases from Underworld, titled "Strawberry Hotel," and The Cure, with their first album in over 16 years, "Songs of a Lost World." He reflects on the legacy and evolution of these bands, noting the contrasting reception from different audiences.
- Notable Quotes:
- Brian Schulmeister [31:32]: “...Predates the mourning song.”
- Jason DeFilippo [33:12]: “Deep, dark and depressing. Perfect for the election cycle.”
Upcoming TV Shows: The hosts discuss anticipated TV series, including Netflix’s "A Man on the Inside" starring Ted Danson, and express their thoughts on the changing landscape of television seasons and episode counts.
- Notable Quotes:
- Brian Schulmeister [34:15]: “...it was kind of like TV Armageddon.”
- Jason DeFilippo [35:16]: “I hate these small seasons. I understand. It makes the show better.”
11. Halloween Experiences [54:00 - 73:30]
As Halloween approaches, Jason and Brian share their personal experiences and traditions related to the holiday.
Jason’s Halloween: Jason recounts how his family manages Halloween with their Doberman, who scares children, and their experiences with candy distribution.
- Notable Quotes:
- Jason DeFilippo [55:18]: “...65 pieces go into the bucket, go on the fence last night, go out in the morning.”
- Jason DeFilippo [56:34]: “We have a Doberman who terrifies the children.”
Brian’s Halloween: Brian describes living in a highly decorated townhouse community where his street becomes a Halloween destination. They collaborate with neighbors to provide a centralized candy distribution table and even have an adult drink station.
- Notable Quotes:
- Brian Schulmeister [59:21]: “...Peter, who's about two houses over, who sets up an adult drink station for the parents.”
- Brian Schulmeister [61:32]: “...I have a 12-foot inflatable oogie boogie that we put on our front balcony.”
Both hosts express enthusiasm for the holiday, emphasizing community involvement and creative decorations.
12. AI Categorization and Food Identification [68:14 - 71:20]
Jason introduces a humorous take on the age-old debate: "Is a hot dog a sandwich?" referencing the "Cube Rule of Food Identification," which categorizes foods based on their structural components. The hosts humorously agree with the notion that, according to this rule, a hot dog is classified as a taco.
- Notable Quotes:
- Brian Schulmeister [69:14]: “...a hot dog is a taco.”
- Jason DeFilippo [71:11]: “...reassess all of your life's assumptions.”
13. Personal Stories and News Highlights [73:00 - 77:42]
Security Incident at Disney: Brian shares a story about a former Disney employee who maliciously altered menus at Disneyland to change allergy information and embed profanities, highlighting significant security oversights.
- Notable Quotes:
- Brian Schulmeister [73:27]: “...Michael Schuer was pretty pissed off at the mouse.”
- Jason DeFilippo [74:14]: “...Disney security is like, I mean it's insane.”
Personal Anecdotes: The hosts discuss personal experiences, such as Brian’s son overcoming a peanut allergy and the emotional impact it had on their family.
- Notable Quotes:
- Brian Schulmeister [75:07]: “...we have to pay for those robots.”
- Jason DeFilippo [75:30]: “...we have some new reviews.”
Conclusion
Episode 672 of "Grumpy Old Geeks" offers a comprehensive and candid exploration of pressing tech issues, from the reliability of autonomous driving systems and the ethics of AI transcription tools to the volatility of meme stocks and the misuse of social media platforms. Through their engaging dialogue and sharp insights, Jason and Brian provide listeners with a nuanced understanding of the complexities shaping the tech landscape today.
Notable Quotes Reference:
- All quotes are attributed to either Jason DeFilippo or Brian Schulmeister, with timestamps indicating their occurrence within the episode for easy reference.
For those who haven't tuned in, this summary encapsulates the essence of Episode 672, highlighting the critical discussions and entertaining exchanges that make "Grumpy Old Geeks" a must-listen for tech enthusiasts and casual listeners alike.