683: There IS a Spoon!

This week, Jason and Brian dive into the chaos surrounding Elon Musk’s growing influence in government tech, with young engineers playing key roles in his takeover. DOGE employees are being ordered off Slack, USAID is crumbling, and Musk’s war with U.S. officials rages on. Meanwhile, AI takes center stage with the EU banning high-risk systems, DeepSeek’s security concerns, and Amazon throwing down $100 billion on AI advancements. Big Tech moves are equally absurd—Google is now open to AI-powered weapons, Meta might scrap risky AI models, and Tesla is struggling in Europe thanks to Elon’s latest blunders. Meanwhile, states are rushing to pour taxpayer money into so-called “strategic cryptocurrency reserves.”In entertainment, The Devil May Cry anime’s ridiculous theme song is a standout, Mythic Quest returns, and Beast Games looks promising. AI controversially helped The Beatles score a Grammy, and Denis Villeneuve is making Dune 3 because, well, fans demanded it. Over in reboot land, Sarah Michelle Gellar may return for a Buffy revival on Hulu with Chloé Zhao at the helm, while Neil Gaiman finds himself in serious legal trouble. Gadget fans get a look at the Anker Zolo charger, a Google search trick to dodge AI summaries, and Apple’s latest social feature. Also, say goodbye to Apple’s AR glasses before they even had a chance to shine.Dave Bittner joins The Dark Side segment with updates on cybersecurity, including a wave of ransomware payment refusals and the Andersons’ infamous eviction from Disneyland’s most exclusive club. Pirates in China, Disney park music, and tracking yourself via in-app ads round out the discussion. Closing out the show, a shout-out to Snap’s CEO for supporting LA wildfire recovery and a nod to SoberOutfitters for keeping things clean. Buckle up—it’s another wild ride with the Grumpy Old Geeks!Sponsors:DeleteMe - Head over to JoinDeleteMe.com/GOG and use the code "GOG" for 20% off.Private Internet Access - Go to GOG.Show/vpn and sign up today. For a limited time only, you can get OUR favorite VPN for as little as $2.03 a month.SetApp - With a single monthly subscription you get 240+ apps for your Mac. Go to SetApp and get started today!!!1Password - Get a great deal on the only password manager recommended by Grumpy Old Geeks! gog.show/1passwordShow notes at https://gog.show/683IN THE NEWSThe Young, Inexperienced Engineers Aiding Elon Musk's Government TakeoverMusk, Trump Prosecutor Targeting People Who Divulge Identities of DOGE StaffOne of Elon Musk's DOGE Kids Just Had an Explosive Screaming TantrumDOGE Engineer Resigns After Being Linked to Extremely Racist TweetsGovernment Tech Workers Forced to Defend Projects to Random Elon Musk BrosU.S. government officials privately warn Musk’s blitz appears illegalDOGE Employees Ordered to Stop Using Slack While Agency Transitions to Records System That Is Not Subject to FOIAElon Musk’s Enemy, USAID, Was Investigating Starlink’s Contracts in UkraineUSAID Workforce Slashed From 10,000 to Under 300 as Elon Musk’s DOGE Decimates AgencyGovernment agency removes spoon emoji from work platform amid protestsDeadline for Trump's federal worker buyout proposal temporarily blocked by judgeUS judge blocks Trump buyout program as 60,000 sign up to quitStates Are Racing to Throw Taxpayers' Money Into "Strategic Cryptocurrency Reserves"Police Use of Facial Recognition Backfires Spectacularly When It Renders Them Unable to Convict Alleged MurdererAI systems with 'unacceptable risk' are now banned in the EUDeepSeek iOS app sends data unencrypted to ByteDance-controlled serversOmniHuman-1Researchers created an open rival to OpenAI’s o1 ‘reasoning’ model for under $50Amazon doubles down on AI with a massive $100B spending plan for 2025Workday lays off 1,750 employees, citing demand for AILyft uses Anthropic's Claude chatbot to handle user complaintsTesla Sales in Europe Plummet Amidst Elon’s Stupid MeddlingTesla sees German car sales plunge in JanuaryVolkswagen is unveiling a $21,000 entry-level EV in MarchVolkswagon - The 2025 ID. Buzz electric busOne of Big Tech’s Angriest Critics Explains the ProblemGoogle Lifts Self-Imposed Ban on Using AI for Weapons and SurveillanceMeta says it may stop development of AI systems it deems too riskySonos lays off 200 ahead of rumored set-top box releaseAndreessen Horowitz Defends Hiring Subway Vigilante Who Became Right-Wing HeroMEDIA CANDYThe Devil May Cry Show’s Intro Song Is So Stupidly GloriousMythic QuestBeast GamesAI won The Beatles a Grammy 55 years after they broke upDenis Villeneuve Is Making Dune 3 Next Because You Want It‘Buffy The Vampire Slayer’ Reboot Starring Sarah Michelle Gellar Nears Hulu Pilot Order With Chloé Zhao DirectingNeil Gaiman Hit With Rape & Human Trafficking Suits After Months Of Allegations; Estranged Spouse Amanda Palmer Also Named In Multi-State FilingsAPPS & DOODADSAnker Zolo Portable Charger, 10,000mAh 30W Power Bank with Built-in Lanyard USB-C Cable for Travel, Fast Charging Battery Pack for iPhone 16/15 Series, MacBook, Galaxy, iPad, and MoreAdd F*cking to Your Google Searches to Neutralize AI SummariesApple reportedly gives up on its AR video glasses projectApple Invites Is a New Way to Remind Friends to Celebrate You750 WordsTHE DARK SIDE WITH DAVEDave BittnerThe CyberWireHacking HumansCaveatControl LoopOnly Malware in the Building50 Mission CrushA Lot of People Just Refused to Make Ransomware Payments in 2024: ReportThe Andersons were kicked out of Disneyland’s most exclusive club. They would not go willingly.Pirates in ChinaDisney Plus: Behind the AttractionDIsneyland: Music Around the ParksDisneyland MusicDIsneyland Park MusicI Don't Have SpotifyEveryone knows your location: tracking myself down through in-app adsCLOSING SHOUT-OUTSSnap CEO helps launch LA wildfire recovery programSoberOutfittersSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.