The inspiration for The Hunger Games, Fortnite, and Squid Game is now streaming
I can’t imagine what dog L. Ron Hubbard’s religion has in this fight.
Experts say the petition covers Scientology’s “E-Meter,” a “religious artifact” and electronic that is core to Scientology.
(If you’re not subscribed to 404 Media, the new, independent publication from former Motherboard heavyweights, now’s a good time!)
WSJ reports on declining usage numbers for ChatGPT, Midjourney, and Jasper, leading to a cooling on venture capital’s unbridled optimism for AI startups. They’re not going anywhere, but maybe our expectations of their value should be tapered. That’s what the people with the money are saying, at least.
[The Wall Street Journal]
Ambient legend Brian McBride, one half of Stars of the Lid, passed away this week. Pitchfork has a great primer on his work — a perfect soundtrack if you want your workday to sound a little bit more sublime.
One of the year’s most beautiful and gutting movies, Felix Van Groeningen and Charlotte Vandermeersch’s The Eight Mountains, is streaming on the Criterion Channel today. It’ll make you cherish your childhood friendships, and also, want to build a house in the Italian Alps.
Andrew first hyped the gorgeous Iceland landscapes of Godland after its premiere at TIFF last year. Nine months and one limited theatrical run later, this excellent climate-aware psychological drama is now streaming on The Criterion Channel.
Earlier this month, Chinese officials drafted rules enforcing AI that “should reflect the core values of socialism.” As The New York Times reports today, the country’s attempts to spin up its own generative AI creates a dilemma for the CCP, pitting its desire to control information against its ability to be a technological leader.
[The New York Times]
Speaking of which, Yoshi is also Asian. A working-class king.
[Vulture]
In Texas, the overpopulation of wild pigs causes over a hundred million dollars of damage a year. There are many proposed solutions, including the most cost-effective method: sniping hogs from a helicopter.
[Texas Monthly]