Latest news with #CarmenSandiego
Finextra
25-05-2025
- Business
- Finextra
Broderbund's Ghost Still Haunts Me: A Warning About Today's AI Revolution: By Erica Andersen
Don't destroy your career by ignoring AI "AI is the future, but we don't do that yet!" How many times have you heard that? How many times have you said it? Here's the uncomfortable truth: AI isn't just the future—it's already here. And if your company isn't adopting it, your competitors (especially in China) are. The Fear You Should Really Have Do you worry AI might replace your job? I call it Assistive Intelligence—because the best use of AI isn't to replace people, but to enhance them. AI should work with you, making you faster, smarter, and more efficient. But here's the real fear: AI isn't coming for your job—it's coming for your company. And if your company fails to adapt, you will be out of a job—not because AI took it, but because your business collapsed. A Cautionary Tale: Broderbund and the Cost of Ignoring Change In 1997, I was a senior executive at Broderbund, the largest consumer software company in the world. We made legendary products like Myst, PrintShop, and Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego? Yet, just a few years later, it was all gone. Why? The Internet. We owned franchises that could have thrived online: PrintShop could have been an early website builder. Family Tree Maker could have been the first But we hesitated. We missed the shift. And by the time we realized it, it was too late. Broderbund wasn't alone. History is littered with giants who ignored technological shifts: Kodak invented the digital camera but clung to film—bankrupt by 2012. invented the digital camera but clung to film—bankrupt by 2012. Nokia dominated mobile phones but dismissed smartphones—crushed by Apple and Android. dominated mobile phones but dismissed smartphones—crushed by Apple and Android. Sears was the Amazon of the 20th century but failed to embrace e-commerce—now a shadow of its former self. The AI Inflection Point Is Here—Will You Adapt or Die? AI is the next seismic shift. Companies that ignore it will: Lose to competitors (especially those in China aggressively investing in AI). (especially those in China aggressively investing in AI). Become irrelevant as AI-driven businesses outpace them. as AI-driven businesses outpace them. Leave their employees stranded when the company fails. But here's the good news: You don't have to be a victim. How to Protect Yourself (and Your Career) Start adopting AI now. Even small steps matter. Champion AI in your company. Be the person pushing for change. Gain experience. If your company fails, you'll be the one startups and forward-thinking firms want—because you understand AI and your industry. How to Get Started Build a business case for AI adoption . . Lead digital transformation with practical AI solutions. with practical AI solutions. Future-proof your business before it's too late. Remember, you don't have to do this alone, there are AI experts you can bring in to assist. All it takes is one call. One conversation. One decision to act. The question is: Will you wait until it's too late? Written by Oliver King-Smith, CEO of smartR AI.
The Herald Scotland
15-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Herald Scotland
Thanks to Netflix, you will never watch this Black Mirror ever again
Bandersnatch gave the viewer the choice of what story beats would play out through numerous choices. It was not just a simple forked path but innovatively tracked the viewer across multiple watches, contained secret scenes to unlock depending on what choices were made, and displayed alternate endings depending on the user's own Netflix history. It was, at once, active and reactive. A well-thought-out execution for such an overt gimmick. Read more: Netflix and the films no one is actually watching The deletion is prompted by the streaming giant removing its Branch Manager engine, tech built to host and contain the interactive elements from outside the capabilities of Netflix's usual interface. But the bespoke nature of this tech and the little care Netflix has towards preservation mean that experiencing these works as they were intended becomes impossible. Archivists can scrape scenes and approximate how the title should be viewed, but the genuine article now sits in a locked vault of code somewhere in the basement of Netflix HQ. It's not just Black Mirror: Bandersnatch that finds itself being erased from time and space altogether – it is any title on the platform that uses the interactivity features Netflix was once so gung ho on experimenting with. Also seeing the chop is Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt: Kimmy vs the Reverend, Minecraft: Story Mode, and Carmen Sandiego: To Steal or Not to Steal, among others. Whatever is available on Netflix comes and goes, dependent on ever-changing licensing rights and the tedious process of expiry and renewal, but these interactive titles are owned and distributed by Netflix. It has long been assumed that such in-house titles are a permanent addition to their library, yet the recent decision to completely remove them betrays such confidence and conventional wisdom. Read more: Trump film tariff proves Scottish film cannot afford to sell out to Hollywood This raises some questions about digital preservation in the streaming era. Unlike traditional films or television, which can be archived properly and redistributed without much fuss if available, these interactive titles rely on specialised software to function and, without it, are lost entirely. How do we preserve such things in an environment that is so ephemeral and so unconsidered by its own makers? The crux lies in the impermanent nature of digital media. Even titles produced and owned by major platforms are no longer guaranteed to remain accessible. For fans of Bandersnatch, this means that unless Netflix reverses course or releases the title in a different format, its unique narrative vanishes without a trace. The move may also signal a shift in Netflix's strategy. Interactive storytelling, once seen as an innovative experiment, appears to have been deprioritised. While Bandersnatch was a critical and commercial success, later interactive titles failed to generate the same buzz. By sunsetting the Branch Manager engine, Netflix is definitively closing the book on this chapter of its history. There is a stark difference between the Netflix that once greenlit Bandersnatch and what arose after. Bandersnatch was produced in a streaming environment where money was thrown at the wall to see what would stick, where experimentation was encouraged, where notable auteurs like Martin Scorsese and David Fincher were given endless pots of money to make what they wanted, and where the platform was eager to differentiate itself from traditional television. Mindhunter, David Fincher's psychological serial killer series, was cancelled by Netflix due to financial issues (Image: Netflix) Netflix has now peaked in popularity, and its user base has declined for the first time in recent years. Focus on proven hits like Stranger Things, and the illusion of an endless stream of content to retain subscribers, regardless of quality, is now a safer and more financially sound direction for the waning giant. Film preservationists have long worked to rescue decaying reels collecting dust in warehouses and obscure forgotten releases from the abyss of history. Digital media has fixed a lot of the traditional problems associated with archival practices, but as seen here, it also presents new and unaccounted-for challenges. Some argue that piracy becomes a form of preservation in these cases. If corporations won't maintain access to their own works, fans and archivists must take matters into their own hands. But do archivists have to break the law to do what is for the greater good? For now, viewers hoping to revisit Bandersnatch or similar titles are left with few options – unofficial recordings, fan archives, or the slim chance of a future re-release. Bandersnatch remains a ghost in Netflix's servers – a relic of a time when the future of entertainment had the door open to more possibilities. Its removal is a reminder that in the digital age, nothing is guaranteed to last. Here today, gone tomorrow.
Fox News
14-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Fox News
'Stranger Things' star, 22, still lives at home with parents despite Hollywood success
22-year-old Finn Wolfhard hasn't left the nest just yet. The "Stranger Things" star still lives with his parents, despite the huge success he's found with the mysterious science fiction show. Wolfhard resides in Vancouver, when he's not working — the TV star wrapped season five of "Stranger Things" in December. The hit Netflix series is expected to premiere sometime in 2025. "I rarely get to see my family. I think it's a nice home base to have, just because, if I'm going to be away for most of the year working, then I might as well have a place [to come back to] with my parents," Wolfhard told People magazine. Wolfhard has moved out on his own a few times, but has always found his way back to his family. "I lived alone for a few years, I guess two years, and then I moved back in with my family for a year. And then, last year, I was living alone in Atlanta for the year while shooting 'Stranger Things,' but I have since moved back in with my family," he told the outlet. "We have a place in Vancouver," Wolfhard said. "We all have our separate space, but we still live together, and it's great." Wolfhard began his acting career in the mid-2000s. He caught his big break in 2016 after being cast as Mike Wheeler in "Stranger Things." The actor was 13 years old while filming the first season. Since then, he has gone on to star in "It," "Ghostbusters: Afterlife," "Carmen Sandiego" and most recently, "The Legend of Ochi." Wolfhard isn't the only "Stranger Things" star to live with his parents. Millie Bobby Brown, who famously stars as Eleven in the Netflix show, lived with her parents in Georgia while filming the TV series until they told the actress she couldn't have any more animals. Brown promptly moved into a house next door, where she takes care of 60-plus animals with husband Jake Bongiovi. "I live next to my parents. I was living with them, then when I turned 18 I was like, 'I want another dog.' And they were like, 'No, you can't fit any more dogs in your room,'" the TV star said during an appearance on "The Drew Barrymore Show." "And I was like, 'Well, I want a rabbit and I want farm animals.' So I moved out, and I moved next door," Brown added.
Yahoo
25-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Off the Grid: Sally breaks down USA TODAY's daily crossword puzzle, Gene Splicing
There are spoilers ahead. You might want to solve today's puzzle before reading further! Gene Splicing Constructor: Jay Silverman Editor: Anna Gundlach Jay: I'm happy to be back in the USA TODAY with this little puzzle that I pitched to the team last year. I'm particularly happy to have the clue for 56-Across in this puzzle, as it's an essential (if imperfect) institution and working towards "peace, dignity, and equality on a healthy planet" always seems like a more noble goal than the alternative. A nice little reminder that we're all in it together and all owe each other the best we can muster. My thanks, as always, to the team for giving me the opportunity to share something fun with the world. Hope you all get a kick out of this one. MRS (12D: ___ Meyer's Clean Day) MRS. Meyer's Clean Day is a brand of cleaning products with "garden-inspired scents." The brand is named for a real-life MRS. Meyer – Thelma A. Meyer. SESAME (50D: Type of seed on binangkal) Binangkal is a dense, deep-fried, SESAME seed-covered donut in Filipino cuisine. ISSA (13A: "Barbie" actress Rae) ISSA Rae portrays President Barbie in the 2023 movie Barbie. OPERA (17A: "Turando" or "Aida") Turandot is an OPERA by Giacomo Puccini. When Puccini died in 1924, the Turandot was unfinished. Franco Alfano finished Turandot, and the OPERA premiered in 1926. Aida is an 1871 OPERA by Giuseppe Verdi. NAT (23A: Rebellion leader Turner) In 1831, NAT Turner led a rebellion of enslaved persons in Virginia. The rebellion resulted in the death of over 55 people, and NAT Turner lived in hiding for two months afterwards. In the aftermath of NAT Turner's rebellion, many Black people were killed and harsh(er) laws were enacted against enslaved people. TEA (32A: What 60-Across means in Hindi) and CHAI (60A: Spiced brewed beverage) This is a fun pairing. FELT (36A: Material many Muppets are made of) Nice to see a reference to the Muppets, the puppet characters created by Jim Henson in 1955. Many of the Muppets are hand puppets that have been molded out of foam and covered with FELT. TET (43A: Vietnamese New Year) TET, also known as the Vietnamese New Year, celebrates the arrival of spring based on the Vietnamese calendar. TET was celebrated this year on January 29. FDA (44A: Medication-approving org.) The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is a Federal agency of the Department of Health and Human Services. One of the FDA's responsibilities is to make sure medications are safe and effective. The abbreviation of organization as org. in the clue alerts solvers the answer will be an abbreviation. FEDORA (51A: Carmen Sandiego's hat) Carmen Sandiego is the title character in the Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego? video game franchise. Her signature look is a red FEDORA and trench coat. Carmen Sandiego and her organization of criminals – known as V.I.L.E. – steal such things as the island of Bali, the Cape of Good Hope, and the keys to the Tower of London. PIE (55A: Whole pizza) Pizza is one of my favorite foods. I'm never going to be sad to see it mentioned. UNITED NATIONS (56A: "Peace, dignity and equality on a healthy planet" organization) The UNITED NATIONS was established in 1945, after World War II. One of its aims is to prevent future world wars. It currently has 193 member states. One of the many things the UNITED NATIONS does is to designate observances in order to protect its objectives. The UNITED NATIONS has designated 2025 as the International Year of Peace and Trust, the International Year of Glacier's Preservation, the International Year of Cooperatives, and the International Year of Quantum Science and Technology. I agree with the sentiment Jay shared in his notes; working towards "peace, dignity, and equality on a healthy planet" certainly seems like a worthy goal. ALUM (66A: Former student, for short) and GRADUATE (37D: Receive a diploma) Once you GRADUATE, you become an ALUM. ABEL (6D: Cain's younger brother) In the Bible, Cain and ABEL are the sons of Adam and Eve. BIRD (7D: Basketball legend Larry or Sue) Larry BIRD and Sue BIRD are not related, but they are both retired professional basketball players. Larry BIRD played for the NBA's Boston Celtics from 1979-1992. During his time on the team, the Boston Celtics were NBA champions three times. Larry BIRD coached for the Indiana Pacers from 1997-2000. Sue BIRD played for the WNBA's Seattle Storm from 2002-2022. The Seattle Storm won four WNBA championships during SUE Bird's time on the team. SUE Bird also has five gold medals from her time playing on Team USA in the Olympics. GRIMM (9D: German fairy-tale surnames) The Brothers GRIMM – Jacob (1785-1863) and Wilhelm (1786-1859) – were German academics who collected folklore. The brothers published fairy tales such as "Cinderella," "Little Red Riding Hood," "Rapunzel," and others. AAA (11D: Highest Minor League Baseball level) Minor League Baseball underwent a reorganization in 2021. One thing that didn't change is that the highest level of the organization is still Triple-A (AAA). Some Minor League Baseball teams have fun and interesting names, such as the Albuquerque Isotopes (affiliated with the Colorado Rockies), the Sacramento River Cats (affiliated with the San Francisco Giants), and the Lehigh Valley IronPigs (affiliated with the Philadelphia Phillies). DOHA (14D: Qatar's capital) The country of Qatar occupies a peninsula with the Persian Gulf on one side, and the Gulf of Bahrain on the other. DOHA, its capital, is located on the coast of the Persian Gulf. LION (28D: Cowardly Oz resident) and CAT (60D: Tortie or tabby) My CAT, Willow – who is neither a tortie (tortoiseshell) or a tabby, but a calico – would tell you she is not cowardly like her big CAT cousin in the Wizard of Oz. Here she is looking out the window and perhaps thinking, "If you'd just let me out there, I'd tell those squirrels and birds whose yard this is!" (The reality is that she is a bit of a coward, and would be reluctant to venture outside, even if given the opportunity.) ARI (45D: Singer Grande, to fans) Ariana Grande, known as ARI to her fans, is known for her four-octave vocal range. She plays the role of Galinda "Glinda" in the 2024 movie Wicked and in the upcoming 2025 movie Wicked: For Good. A couple of other clues I especially enjoyed: DAMAGE (24A: "What's the ___?" ("How much does it cost?") FISHES (1D: ___ for compliments (seeks praise from others)) HOUSEHOLD NAME (19A: Person whom most people know) GOOD-NATURED (37A: Easygoing and cooperative) UNITED NATIONS (56A: "Peace, dignity and equality on a healthy planet" organization) GENE SPLICING: The letters DNA are found at the word split in each theme answer: HOUSEHOLD NAME, GOOD-NATURED, and UNITED NATIONS. At first I was looking for the word GENE to be split. There was a nice "Aha!" moment when I realized it was the genetic material DNA undergoing the SPLICING. It's always interesting to have another layer to uncover in order to recognize the theme. Thank you, Jay, for this enjoyable puzzle. USA TODAY's Daily Crossword Puzzles Sudoku & Crossword Puzzle Answers This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Crossword Blog & Answers for March 25, 2025 by Sally Hoelscher
