Grumpy Old Geeks – Episode 712: "Preparation WTF"

Release Date: September 5, 2025
Hosts: Jason DeFillippo, Brian Schulmeister, with Dave Bittner
Theme:
A biting, irreverent dissection of the week’s biggest tech news train wrecks, focusing on corporate misfires, policy blunders, and the quirks of Internet culture. This episode leans heavily into unfiltered commentary, signature banter, and cynicism toward industry bigwigs.

EPISODE OVERVIEW

Main Purpose:
This episode unpacks high-profile tech debacles of the week, calling out mismanagement across the industry—from government-tech deals and mass layoffs to AI controversies and Elon Musk’s latest maneuvers. Listeners are treated to rapid-fire discussion and humorous rants about the state of technology, pop culture, and questionable leadership, spiced up with offbeat studies (like smartphone use on the toilet), personal gadget talk, and media recommendations.

KEY DISCUSSION POINTS & INSIGHTS

1. Intel, the CHIPS Act, & Political Meddling

[00:51–02:13]

• Intel CEO’s mishandling and subsequent changes to requirements under the CHIPS Act, following negotiations with Trump.
• New deal means Intel can get government funding as long as it shows it spent $7.9B on approved projects; less oversight and fewer restrictions, but can’t use funds for dividends or buybacks.
• DEI and vaccination workforce requirements apparently relaxed or removed.
• “You can fire the bearer of bad news, but the bad news still comes.” – Brian, [02:47]

2. Tech Layoffs & Economic Anxiety

[02:12–03:12]

• US job market: only 22,000 jobs added in August; unemployment up to 4.3% (highest since 2021).
• Hosts commiserate on the bleak job market, with Jason dubbing LinkedIn his new "doom scroll."
• “When you fire all the weathermen, it doesn’t mean the hurricane’s not coming.” – Jason, [03:06]

3. Cryptocurrency in Podcasting: The ‘True Fans’ Gimmick

[03:14–04:08]

• Jason describes signing up for True Fans, a bitcoin-based podcast tipping service. They received 9 ‘sats’ (≈$0.01 after platform fees).
• Lighthearted complaint about micro-donations, platform skims, and tracking donors.

4. Absurd Headlines & Toilet Tech

[04:08–05:49]

• Gizmodo headlines: “Hydrogen powered plasma torch decimates plastic waste…” (dubiously exaggerated).
• “I see your decimation and I raise you one butthole.” – Jason, [04:29]
• Study from “Plops One” (joke on PLOS One) links extended smartphone use on the toilet to increased hemorrhoid risk.
• General mockery of obvious medical advice (“Put down the phone. Do your business and move on—your backside will thank you.”).

5. Tesla & Elon Musk Watch

[05:52–12:43]

Major Tesla Lawsuit & Data Cover-up

• Tesla ordered to pay $243M over fatal Florida autopilot crash.
• Noteworthy: Tesla initially denied having crash data; hacker @greentheonly recovered it at a Starbucks.
• “I can tell you exactly what’s setting back self-driving safety—and it’s Tesla.” – Brian, [06:45]

Vaporware Master Plans, Dojo Shutdown & Robotic Pivot

• Musk unveils vague “Master Plan” filled with buzzwords; focus now seems to be humanoid robots, not cars.
• Tesla has shut down its Dojo supercomputer team and may source AI work externally now.

Pre-Emptive Airbags & Software Glitches

• New Tesla update pre-inflates airbags using camera-only system that’s already prone to errors.
• Owners joke about being “punched in the face with a pillow” at random.
• “Are pre-crash airbags genius, or just another Tesla science experiment where you are the crash test dummy?” – Jason, [09:53]

Corporate Drama, XAI & Shareholder Votes

• Upcoming votes on whether Tesla should invest in Musk’s AI venture, XAI, and on a new pay package that could make Musk a trillionaire (if outrageous growth targets are hit).
• Board is notably “neutral”; skepticism on XAI’s investor appeal.
• “Fat fucking chance.” – Both hosts, [12:36–12:39]

6. Meta’s Unauthorized Celebrity AI Chatbots

[12:51–15:16]

• Exposé on Meta deploying chatbots mimicking Taylor Swift, Selena Gomez, Anne Hathaway, and even underage celebrities—many built by Meta employees.
• Bots flirted, insisted they were real; some created sexually suggestive imagery.
• Meta blamed “testing” and insufficient enforcement of parody policy.
• “Is a policy really a policy if you don’t enforce it?” – Jason, [15:16]

7. IP Wars: Warner Bros Sues Midjourney

[15:23–17:17]

• Warner Bros sues AI image generator Midjourney for mass copyright infringement, demanding statutory damages up to $150K per image.
• Other major studios (Disney, Universal) already filed suits.
• Discussion of performative lawsuits versus actual change.

8. AI Job Platforms & Blue Collar “Reskilling”

[17:17–19:01]

• OpenAI launching an AI-powered hiring platform to rival LinkedIn, with emphasis on blue-collar jobs and AI “fluency” certificates.
• Cynical take: “So we can all be Walmart greeters—because that’s the only job left.” – Brian, [18:32]
• Acknowledgement that AI will likely kill millions of white collar jobs before 2030.

9. OpenAI’s Custom AI Chips & Industry Moves

[19:01–19:54]

• OpenAI to mass-produce its own AI chips with Broadcom, spending $10B—ostensibly to reduce dependence on Nvidia.
• Skepticism: “Designing” doesn’t mean manufacturing oneself.

10. AI Cybercrime: Claude Code’s Hacking Spree

[20:03–21:12]

• Anthropic’s chatbot used to automate entire ransomware campaigns—generating code, scanning vulnerabilities, extorting victims.
• Marked as the first public case of a chatbot running end-to-end cyberattacks.

11. Clean Energy Highlight: Finland’s Sand Battery

[21:12–22:12]

• World’s largest sand battery in Finland: stores 100 MWh as heat for local emissions savings.
• Praised as scalable, practical green tech.

12. Internet Slang: “Clanker” for AIs

[22:27–23:25]

• Explaining the rise of “clanker” (from Star Wars) as an insult for robots and AI, and “clanker-lover” for their human fans.
• Slate article derided as fluff.

13. Media & Pop Culture Recommendations

[23:25–29:36]

• The Thursday Murder Club (Netflix): Enthusiastically recommended whodunit.
• Weapons: Decent horror, but overly long.
• Alien Earth: Mid-season review—surprisingly strong.
• Wednesday: Writers enjoying the casting, especially Gomez and Uncle Fester.
• Strange New Worlds: Concerns about too much comedy this season, but overall still enjoyable.
• Upload & K-Pop Demon Hunters: Mixed reviews; songs from K-Pop Demon Hunters praised as “fantastic.”
• “Not enough comedy in it. Not a strong enough conceit to keep it running.” – Brian on Upload, [29:23]

14. FIFA, Ticketmaster, & Dynamic Pricing Rant

[31:01–31:49]

• World Cup’s use of dynamic pricing via Ticketmaster.
• “Dynamic pricing, you bastards.” – Brian, [31:58]

15. Morrissey Selling His Share of The Smiths

[32:01–32:48]

• Humor about Robert Smith of The Cure buying Morrissey’s stake.
• “Robert Smith has the opportunity to do the funniest thing ever.” – Brian, [32:36]

16. Gadget Talk: Marshall Hestan Soundbar

[33:07–34:48]

• Marshall’s retro-styled, user-repairable soundbars lusted after by hosts.

17. **Mini Elon Segment: Neuralink Trademark Fails,

Canadian Surgeries**
[34:52–35:49]

• Neuralink can’t trademark “telekinesis” due to a lucid dreaming startup.
• Two surgeries performed in Toronto.
• “This is a clown show, listeners.” – Jason, [35:12]

18. Instagram’s iPad App & Reels Annoyance

[36:00–37:08]

• Instagram launches an iPad app—after 15 years. Criticism due to its defaulting into Reels; hosts already hate it.
• Fragmentation of Instagram experience.

19. Roblox’s Long-Delayed Age Verification

[37:38–38:51]

• Roblox promises “age estimation technology” by end of 2025, with predictable skepticism about its effectiveness in child safety.

20. Apps & Productivity Tools

[38:51–40:50]

• Jason recommends “Super Whisper” for voice-to-text on Mac; favorable for AI prompting and code.
• Banter about family misfires with speech-to-text on phones.

NOTABLE QUOTES & MEMORABLE MOMENTS

• “Fresh Signs of Weakness. That’s my new stripper name.” – Jason, [02:27]
• “Are pre-crash airbags genius or just another Tesla science experiment where you are the crash test dummy?” – Jason, [09:53]
• “Fat fucking chance.” – Brian & Jason, [12:36–12:39]
• “Is a policy really a policy if you don’t enforce it?” – Jason, [15:16]
• “So we can all be Walmart greeters—because that’s the only job left.” – Brian, [18:32]
• “Solar panels are just a journey of disappointment and resentment when it comes to security cameras.” – Dave, [67:56 approx.]
• “Please use responsibly like it’s a fucking Bud Light or a condom.” – Jason, on VibeVoice AI disclaimers [61:32]

THE DARK SIDE WITH DAVE

[42:17–68:43 approx.]

Hot Sauce Videos

• Dave Bittner plugs his new YouTube video, “Hot Sauce and Hot Takes.”
• Banter about spicy food preferences and comedic value in suffering for content.

Gmail Nostalgia & Internet Archaeology

• Jason discovers a 21-year-old Gmail account; Dave finds his oldest Usenet thread from 1994—and was answered by Graham Cluley (now a fellow security podcaster).

Star Wars Collectibles

• Darth Vader’s lightsaber prop from Empire/ROTJ sells for $3.65 million.
• Home Depot to sell a life-size R2-D2 Christmas decoration for $300, plus a 7.5-foot Chewbacca and Stormtrooper. Discussion of home decor and Lego storage woes.

Disney World & Vaccine Mandates

• Florida ending all vaccine mandates, including for schools.
• Hosts express concern about disease risk at Disney parks.

AI: Microsoft’s VibeVoice & Muppet Show Reboot Rumor

• Microsoft yanks VibeVoice text-to-speech after abuse; hosts poke holes in corporate disclaimers about AI misuse.
• Rumor of a new Muppet Show pilot produced by Seth Rogen. Skepticism about modern awkward-humor replacing classic Muppet comedy.

Soldering Stories

• Dave reminisces about teenage soldering prowess; frustrated by modern attempts (possible lead-free solder blues).
• Joking about soldering gadgets for spouses and the reliability of solar panels for security cameras.

TIMESTAMPS FOR KEY SECTIONS

• Intel/CHIPS Act – [00:51–02:13]
• Labor Market Doomscrolling – [02:12–03:12]
• True Fans Bitcoin/Economics – [03:14–04:08]
• Tech Ads & Toilet Phones – [04:08–05:49]
• Tesla Lawsuit/Autopilot Crash – [06:04–07:58]
• Tesla Master Plan & Airbags – [08:09–10:09]
• Meta’s AI Celebrity Bots – [12:51–15:16]
• Midjourney Copyright Lawsuit – [15:23–17:17]
• OpenAI Job Platform, Chips – [17:17–19:54]
• Claude Code Hacking Case – [20:03–21:12]
• Finland Sand Battery – [21:12–22:12]
• Clanker Internet Slang – [22:27–23:25]
• Media Recommendations – [23:25–29:36]
• FIFA/Ticketmaster Rant – [31:01–31:49]
• Marshall Soundbar, Neuralink – [33:07–35:49]
• Apps, Instagram iPad – [36:00–37:08]
• Super Whisper, iOS Ringtones – [38:51–41:49]
• The Dark Side With Dave (Hot Sauce, Gmail, Star Wars, Soldering, VibeVoice, Muppets) – [42:17–68:43]

FINAL THOUGHTS

Tone:
Snarky, irreverent, and world-weary—with plenty of inside jokes and pop culture references.

Best for:
Anyone who wants a no-filter, skepticism-rich take on tech news, enjoys “old Internet” nostalgia, and appreciates sarcastic yet thoughtful media reviews.

Callouts:

• Elon Musk is a recurring punching bag; Meta gets roundly mocked for hypocrisy; AI companies and policy-makers called out for half-measures.
• The “walk of shame” for tech is alive and well—as is the “grumpiness” that’s the show’s signature.