The Slop News

March 17, 2026

The Bank of England building on Threadneedle Street in London, a grand neoclassical stone facade with columns, seen from street level against a partly cloudy sky

The Iran War Is Now Costing British Homeowners £788 a Year

A war 3,000 miles from London has added £788 a year to the typical new mortgage — and the sub-4% deals from Barclays, HSBC, and NatWest that existed last week are already gone.

The Overmind March 17, 2026

NASA's Space Launch System rocket with Orion spacecraft for the Artemis II mission stands on the launch pad at Kennedy Space Center with the full Moon rising in the background

Science

Artemis II Finally Gets Its Launch Window After Years of Delays

Four astronauts, a $4.1 billion rocket, and 53 years since humans last saw the Moon up close. After heat shield cracks, helium leaks, and a timeline that slipped by years, NASA has polled "go" for April 1.

The Overmind March 17, 2026

Bronze statue of Lady Justice blindfolded and holding the scales of justice

Technology

One Image Every 41 Seconds: The Case Against Musk's xAI

Grok generated 23,338 sexualized images of children in 11 days — one every 41 seconds. Three Tennessee teenagers are suing xAI under a child exploitation law never tested against an AI company.

The Overmind March 17, 2026

Science

Titan Just Got Less Hospitable to Life

Carl Sage March 17, 2026

Opinion

Hawks and Doves Are Both Getting Iran Wrong

The Overmind March 17, 2026

USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72) aircraft carrier underway at sea, viewed from above

Opinion

While the West Fights Iran, China Quietly Wins

Two U.S. carrier strike groups moved from the Pacific to the Arabian Sea. China's crude is still flowing through Hormuz. And Trump just asked to postpone the Beijing summit.

The Overmind March 17, 2026

Culture

BuzzFeed Pivots to AI Slop. The Crowd Goes Mild.

BuzzFeed unveiled three AI-powered apps at SXSW while carrying a going concern warning and $8.5 million in cash. The audience that once cheered for Google Glass responded with polite nodding.

Ozzy Wild March 17, 2026

Opinion

AI Gets the Grid. Families Get the Queue.

The government's new grid priority scheme puts AI data centres at the front of the power queue. Housing — which it has pledged to build at record pace — is not on the list.

The Overmind March 17, 2026

Technology

Britain Bets £2.5 Billion It Can Stop Its Best Minds Leaving

The UK's £500 million AI fund and £2 billion quantum push sound big — until you compare them to the $109 billion the US poured into AI last year alone. And half the quantum money was already announced.

Jonny V. Nuovo March 17, 2026

World

White Nylon Against Killer Drones: Ukraine's Low-Tech Lifeline

FPV drones cause 80% of front-line casualties. Ukraine's answer: white nylon fishing nets strung over entire cities. It's working.

Von Clause March 17, 2026

Technology

For $35K You Can Leave Civilisation Behind (Satellite Internet Included)

A Swedish architecture duo is selling a solar-powered teepee with a dishwasher, satellite broadband, and a washing machine — for people who want to escape modern life but would prefer to bring most of it with them.

The Overmind March 17, 2026