$90M in revenue

That’s what video game Baldur’s Gate 3 brought in for Hasbro last year. It’s based on Dungeons & Dragons. Old-school nerds, this one is for you!

Tags: revenue, school, video, video game


Their kids died in shootings. Now they’re voices of gun reform

When I read how some grieving parents are using AI to grab the emotions of lawmakers, I thought you’d want to know about it, too. I will warn you this is not one of my usual happy stories.

I’m sure you remember six years ago when a gunman opened fire on Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, killing 14 students and three staff members. One of the students who died that day was 17-year-old Joaquin Oliver. 

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Still shaking my head: Facebook and Instagram proudly announced this week they’ve closed the accounts of Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Just one question: Why, in heaven’s name, did the Ayatollah even have an Instagram and Facebook account to begin with?

Trivia

As you’d probably guess, New York City is the most expensive city for an Uber ride. Which city takes the No. 2 slot — Las Vegas, Washington, D.C., Seattle or Nashville?

Find the answer here

University of Nottingham research shows older generations often misread emojis … OK, not those kinds. Participants were shown six face emojis and had to identify the emotion. Less than half of folks could identify this one: 😖. (It’s disgust!)

🚨 Bad news for Facebook Marketplace: 200,000 users just had their personal deets leaked to a hacker forum — phone numbers, emails, Facebook IDs, the works. If you use it, change your password and be on the lookout for sketchy messages. Could be a phishing attempt.

A life in politics is full of parties: A study reveals many political sites collect personal data — everything from your photos, resume and political views to how you donate — without giving you a place to consent. And yes, they might pass or sell your info to other campaigns. You’ve been warned.

Seriously scary: The White House just dropped a major bombshell: Russia’s developing an anti-satellite weapon that has Congress and SpaceX sweating. It’s not yet a clear and present danger, but with Starlink helping Ukraine stay online, tensions are high. Rumors suggest the weapon could be nuclear-powered.

Meet Sora, OpenAI’s new tool that turns text into HD videos. It can animate stills and patch videos up to a minute long. I can’t help but wonder: Innovation or future deepfake enabler? See it in action here on my video podcast.

🤫 Fed up with chatty coworkers or family? Welcome to the world of fake Zoom meetings! You read that right. From GitLab sessions to city council debates, folks are using Zoom meeting recordings they find online as a “Do Not Disturb” sign. Pro tip: Remember to “talk back” occasionally to keep others’ suspicions at bay.

Electric dream: By 2030, Walmart plans to turn thousands of parking lots into EV charging havens — starting with 650 stores in 47 states. Sounds like an eco-friendly leap, but with 90% of Americans living near a Walmart … smart way to keep us shopping.