Notices by Ian Betteridge (ianbetteridge@social.vivaldi.net)

So basically five muppets with a couple of vans is enough to see the US withdraw bombers from Europe? If the USSR had known that, the Cold War might have turned out quite differently.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cmwyve191dlko

Is there ever a week where this doesn’t come in handy?

It’s the natural end state of capitalism, folks!

https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:4u3hwe3p7oy3hoy3amlw7rp2/post/3mwwitwbdoc24

So let me get this right... SpaceX's "successful" orbital launch of Starship lost an engine in flight, was cut from a planned six orbits to two (and SpaceX isn't saying why), neither part is reusable, and the top part blew up on splashdown.

Noooooooooo!

https://www.theguardian.com/music/2026/aug/25/dolly-parton-country-singer-dead

Of course he did.

https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2026/aug/19/meta-safety-trial-whistleblower-testimony

It's really fascinating looking at Elon Musk's X (formerly known as Twitter) feed (which I do via a thing which lets me see it through RSS). He is utterly, utterly obsessed with racist anti-immigrant propaganda. It is, if anything, worse than you probably imagine. He's insane.

My desktop picture makes me laugh every time I see it.

Curious person: "Hey Ian, you're a journalist! Your living has long been paid for by advertising. Why do you use an ad blocker?"

Me:

RE: https://mastodon.scot/@decembr14/116900950529910384

Accepted.

There is s special circle of hell for any publisher than has autoplaying video with sound on. Yes, I am talking about you, ZDNet.

That's it lads the robots are revolting

This has been a tricky week for me in a few ways. But nothing compared to what it's been for my trans brothers and sisters. Respect and love to all of you.

Is there a more Trumpian thing than to use the Peace Corps as a tool to promote “American AI”?

https://www.peacecorps.gov/about-the-agency/media-center/news/peace-corps-launches-tech-prosperity-corps-initiative/

Good news for the people of New Mexico!

https://www.theverge.com/policy/921557/meta-threatens-leaving-new-mexico

@jeffmcneill @klausfiend Ahem

https://jasoncosper.com/kill-yr-substack/

Soooo... you're complaining about the noise from a nightclub that's been open for forty years when you bought a flat opposite eight years ago?

Why am I unsurprised this guy is a property developer?

https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2026/apr/16/man-pleads-guilty-ai-false-statements-shut-down-london-nightclub-heaven

And the award for dumb comment of the day goes to...

No.

No.