Five for Fighting 1/17/08
* Gates to NATO: You suck * Taser vs. dad * Flame gun, ’72 * U.S. fears Euro terrorists * "DIY Russian war robot plays nanny to inventor’s kid"
No, ICE (Probably) Didn’t Buy Guided Missile Warheads
A federal contracting database lists an ICE payment for $61,218 with the payment code for “guided missile warheads and explosive components.” But it appears ICE simply entered the wrong code.
Teachers Get Death Threats After MAGA Claims Their Halloween Costumes Mocked Charlie Kirk
A Turning Point USA official inaccurately claimed a high school's math department wore Halloween costumes that mocked Charlie Kirk. Those teachers are now facing a flood of online attacks and death threats.
DOJ Issued Seizure Warrant to Starlink Over Satellite Internet Systems Used at Scam Compound
A new US law enforcement initiative is aimed at crypto fraudsters targeting Americans—and now seeks to seize infrastructure it claims is crucial to notorious scam compounds.
Historians Don't Think a US Civil War Is Likely—but They're Still Nervous
“The fabric of what binds America together at this point is basically on its final thread,” one source tells WIRED.
How to Hack a Poker Game
This week on Uncanny Valley, we break down how one of the most common card shufflers could be altered to cheat, and why that matters—even for those who don’t frequent the poker table.
Valar Atomics Says It’s the First Nuclear Startup to Achieve Criticality
A Trump administration pilot program aims for three nuclear startups to reach a key milestone by July 4, 2026. Valar Atomics says it’s the first to do so—but it had some help.
Nancy Mace Curses, Berates Confused Cops in Airport Meltdown: Police Report
At an airport in South Carolina on Thursday, US representative Nancy Mace called police officers “fucking incompetent” and berated them repeatedly, according to an incident report.
Climate Change Made Hurricane Melissa 4 Times More Likely, Study Suggests
Unusually warm ocean temperatures fueled one of the worst hurricanes on record. New research finds climate change increased the storm’s likelihood.
FBI Warns of Criminals Posing as ICE, Urges Agents to ID Themselves
In a bulletin to law enforcement agencies, the FBI said criminal impersonators are exploiting ICE’s image and urged nationwide coordination to distinguish real operations from fakes.
OpenAI's Atlas Wants to Be the Web’s Tour Guide. I’m Not Convinced It Needs One
In OpenAI’s new Atlas browser, the Ask ChatGPT sidebar is moderately helpful at best. Sometimes, it’s confusingly wrong.
Unpicking How to Measure the Complexity of Knots
Two mathematicians have proved that a straightforward question—how hard is it to untie a knot?—has a complicated answer.
The 39 Best Shows on Apple TV Right Now
Pluribus, The Morning Show, and Slow Horses are among the best shows on Apple TV this month.