Ubuntu Server shorten motd message

Ubuntu MOTD gets more lengthly every time a new release comes around with all kind of 'usefull' information and even 'newsflashes'. To disable bits remove executable permissions from parts you do not care about in file:/etc/update-motd.d/

For example to disable the introduction links, motd 'news' and livepatch 'spam':

$ sudo chmod 0666 /etc/update-motd.d/10-help-text
$ sudo chmod 0666 /etc/update-motd.d/50-motd-news
$ sudo chmod 0666 /etc/update-motd.d/80-livepatch

You can check the result using:

$ sudo run-parts /etc/update-motd.d/