(0:00) Pre-Show

(0:52) Open

(1:43) World Wildlife Day

(2:03) cj's week: A Carnival-Themed Birthday

(6:32) Jeff's Week: Deferred Maintenance

(8:35) Headline: The Claude Paradox: U.S. Missiles Fly Using AI the President Just Banned

(16:33) Headline: Paramount/Warner Discovery Deal Eyes $6 Billion in "Synergy" Savings

(23:02) Headline: Cable’s New King: Charter Buys Cox Surpassing Comcast

(29:05) LaCie Joule Modular Storage

The Pentagon is currently using an AI that it officially banned, which is likely the most "government" thing to ever happen. This week, we dive into the toxic love triangle between the Department of Defense, Anthropic, and OpenAI.

While Trump officially ghosted Anthropic with a federal ban, the military still employed Claude’s brain for "precision strikes" just hours later. Meanwhile, OpenAI caved to the Pentagon, effectively becoming the cognitive engine for autonomous drone swarms while ensuring the government a front-row seat to your search history. Is it national security, or is OpenAI just the world’s most expensive snitch?

Plus, we look at the inevitable merger of HBO Max and Paramount+, because apparently, we won't be happy until every TV show ever made is trapped inside one giant, expensive app. If you ever wanted to watch The Sopranos and Paw Patrol in the same place while the government monitors your viewing habits, 2026 is your year.

In "Bigger is Never Better" news, Charter is buying Cox to become the final boss of ISPs, and the FCC is pinky-promising it won't raise your bills (spoiler: it will).

It’s a world where one company provides your internet, one company provides your movies, and both of them are likely reporting your "ideological alignment" to the DoW.

How OpenAI caved to the Pentagon on AI surveillance | The Verge

Inside Anthropic’s Killer-Robot Dispute With the Pentagon - The Atlantic

Under a Paramount-WBD merger, two struggling media giants would unite - Ars Technica

Paramount to combine HBO Max and Paramount+ into one streaming service after WBD merger

HBO Max and Paramount+ to Combine Into One Streaming Platform, Paramount Says HBO Brand Will ‘Operate With Independence’

Charter gets FCC permission to buy Cox and become largest ISP in the US - Ars Technica

Google spinoff beams blazing-fast 25-Gbps internet around cities using light

LaCie Joule Modular Storage - Macworld June 1995