All articles tagged with #irl
Kotaku reports a memo allegedly from Fort Stewart’s 9th Brigade Engineer Battalion offering a four‑day GTA 6 play pass to active‑duty soldiers who re‑enlist between Aug 1 and Nov 14, 2026, timed to the game’s launch; authenticity is unverified and it’s unclear if the perk would apply Army‑wide, with officials seeking clarification.
Kotaku reports, citing Bloomberg’s public records, that Yum Brands was told by Michigan health officials on July 2 about a Cyclospora outbreak linked to Taco Bell locations and discussed potential interventions to curb future cases; by July 7 signs outside stores indicated lettuce and other ingredients were being removed, and Taco Bell publicly confirmed the recall on July 14, followed by a company apology on July 18. The CDC says the outbreak has sickened more than 6,700 people across 45 states and contributed to at least two deaths, with investigators still examining other possible sources.
A UK pilot testing a Piper Tomahawk after a repair spent about 20 minutes at 11,000 feet skywriting the message “I’m bored” using precise aerobatics, a stunt captured by Flightradar24 and later going viral on TikTok; the airline says there will be no punishment and praised the pilot for skilled flying, even as the bore-outside-the-steward takes center stage.
Kotaku notes Spirit Halloween is selling a Rotta the Hutt inflatable costume for about $75, a playful Star Wars merch item, and jokes about design quirks (textured legs, exposed arm holes) while wondering if Rotta could be this year's breakout Halloween outfit.
A Beaverton, Oregon card shop suspended a Yu-Gi-Oh tournament for one week after multiple complaints of poor hygiene, posting a reminder to follow Konami’s cleanliness guidelines; the pause was announced on the shop’s Discord and highlights ongoing hygiene concerns at in-person card-game events.
After Rockstar revealed GTA 6’s cover, the White House posted an AI-generated spoof featuring Donald Trump and the MAGA slogan to mock the game, a move described as a distraction from the Reflecting Pool turning green with algae and paint issues; Rockstar declined to comment.
Video from Xinjiang, China shows a humanoid robot kicking a young boy at a public event; the child wasn’t seriously injured and staff reportedly reacted slowly. The clip went viral online, prompting discussion about robot safety and misbehavior as part of Kotaku’s ongoing coverage of robotics incidents.
Former Google CEO Eric Schmidt urged University of Arizona graduates to help shape AI’s future, cautioning that fear of job loss and environmental impact is rational but the work ahead will require their involvement and values; his pitch was met with sustained boos from the crowd, underscoring the friction between corporate AI optimism and students’ concerns at graduation ceremonies.
Dozens of Waymo self-driving cars reportedly circled a northwest Atlanta cul-de-sac, with roughly 50 vehicles entering the area and some becoming stuck as they tried to turn around, prompting safety concerns from residents; Waymo says routing issues have been addressed, and the piece notes the eerie parallel to Cyberpunk 2077’s Epistrophy quest and its Delamain cars in real life.
A six-year-old Daisy Scout in Pittsburgh, Pim Neill, sold over 100,000 Girl Scout cookies in a single season, breaking the national record through a viral social media push and traditional door-to-door sales, with a storefront open through March 22; her perseverance amid early troop rejections due to age and disability is inspiring other girls.
In 2025, while AI-powered dating tools gained popularity, there was a strong resurgence in traditional, in-person dating experiences as people sought genuine connections beyond digital algorithms, signaling a shift towards more authentic, offline interactions.
SoftBank is suing social app IRL for fraud, alleging $150 million in damages. SoftBank had invested in IRL based on the app's impressive user numbers, but an internal investigation revealed that 95% of the app's users were fake. SoftBank claims that IRL had manipulated its user data with bots and had paid a secret firm to cover up the scheme. IRL is also being investigated by the SEC for potential violations of security laws.
DCist has compiled a list of 11 virtual and in-person events happening in and around DC this week, including a virtual book talk with author Angie Thomas, a drive-in movie screening of "The Princess Bride," and a guided hike through Rock Creek Park.