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Texas

New Texas law aimed at AI imagery leaves anime fans worried

by admin September 13, 2025

A new Texas law meant to crack down on AI-generated content is already causing confusion among anime fans, with some fearing it could lead to certain series being restricted or even banned.

Senate Bill 20, authored by Sen. Pete Flores, was signed into law earlier this year and officially took effect on September 1. The bill makes it a felony to possess or promote “obscene visual material” that appears to depict minors, whether through real photos, AI-generated images, or animated works like cartoons and anime.

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Back in March, Dexerto reported on the bill’s passage through the state Senate, noting that it could put shows such as Persona, Kill la Kill, Bleach, and Monogatari under scrutiny. The law’s vague definition of what counts as “obscene” left open the possibility that many popular series could be interpreted as violations.

Cosplay contestants at the San Japan anime convention in Texas

Anime fans and store owners react to Texas law

The law’s rollout coincided with San Japan, a major anime and gaming convention in San Antonio, where fans expressed concerns about how broadly SB20 might be applied. Some attendees told Texas Public Radio they worried that anime’s frequent depiction of youthful characters in suggestive situations could be caught in the law’s crossfire, even if the intent isn’t criminal.

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The impact was felt on the show floor. Visual novel publisher JAST USA and its manga imprint J18 Publishing were banned from the convention after the first day, with organizers citing content deemed “too provocative” under Texas’ new legal climate. Outside of the event, Kaboom Comics manager Andrew Balderas said he had already pulled early Dragon Ball manga volumes from shelves, citing comedic scenes with Goku and Bulma that he feared could attract unwanted attention under SB20.

Analysts warn this is a prime example of unintended consequences. Dr. Jon Taylor of UT San Antonio explained that the law’s vague wording could allow local prosecutors to go after any animated content they consider inappropriate. International critics, including former Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly member Zenko Kurishita, have also condemned the law, while U.S. groups like the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund say they are preparing to challenge its enforcement.

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For now, how SB20 will actually be applied remains uncertain. But its effect on conventions, publishers, and retailers suggests the law may already be reshaping the anime landscape in Texas.

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September 13, 2025 0 comments

Esports

No. 3 Ohio State flexes defensive strength, tops No. 1 Texas

by admin August 30, 2025

Jake TrotterAug 30, 2025, 03:39 PM ET
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COLUMBUS, Ohio — Ohio State opened its national title defense by playing dominant defense.

The third-ranked Buckeyes rattled quarterback Arch Manning and stuffed top-ranked Texas four times on fourth down on the way to a 14-7 victory Saturday at the Horseshoe.

Two of those fourth-down stops came inside the Ohio State 10-yard line.

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Another came on Texas’ final possession. Manning found tight end Jack Endries on fourth-and-5. But Buckeyes star safety Caleb Downs wrapped Endries up two yards short of the first down to seal the win.

“The story of the game was the defense,” said Ohio State coach Ryan Day. “Those fourth-down stops were big.”

The Buckeyes defeated Texas with a fourth-down stop in last year’s CFP semifinal. Jack Sawyer stripped Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers on fourth-and-goal and scooped up the fumble for the game-clinching touchdown at the Cotton Bowl, propelling Ohio State to the national championship game.

On Saturday, the Buckeyes defense — featuring eight new starters and a new coordinator in Matt Patricia — came up big on fourth down again.

In the first half, Ohio State stopped Manning on a fourth-and-goal quarterback sneak from the 1-yard line.

Midway through the fourth quarter, Texas finally got back inside the Ohio State 10. But cornerback Davison Igbinosun swatted away Manning’s fourth-down attempt in the end zone.

Texas scored a touchdown with 3:28 left in the fourth quarter to avoid being shut out for the first time in nine years, then got the ball back with just over two minutes remaining with a chance to tie. But after Texas pushed the ball to midfield, the Ohio State defense ended the threat with Downs’ one-on-one tackle of Endries.

“He was unbelievable back there as a field general,” Patricia said of Downs, one of three returning starters along with Igbinosun and linebacker Sonny Styles. “Guys stepped up to the challenge all the way across the board.”

This offseason, Patricia replaced Jim Knowles, who left the Buckeyes following the national championship to become defensive coordinator for rival Penn State. Patricia had won three Super Bowls with New England, including two as the Patriots’ defensive coordinator, but had never coached a college game until Saturday.

According to ESPN Research, Texas’ four turnovers on downs were the most in the game since a 2017 season-opening loss to Maryland.

“I thought the gameplan was excellent,” Day said of the defense, “but the buy-in is what’s most important. What matters is the guys and warriors on the field believing in it. … The grittiness of our guys running around, there’s a lot we can build on.”

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August 30, 2025 0 comments

NFT Gaming

Chipotle Launches ‘Zipotle’ Drone Deliveries in Texas

by admin August 23, 2025

In brief

Chipotle is launching a drone delivery service with Zipline
The test is taking place in Rowlett, Texas, a suburb of Dallas.
Don’t look for flying burritos in more populated areas anytime soon.

Your triple steak, double rice, extra queso monster is now cleared for takeoff.

Well, at least in one Texas town: Chipotle just announced that it’s teaming with Zipline, an autonomous drone delivery company, to bring digital orders straight to customers’ homes in the Dallas area. The pilot program, “Zipotle,” kicks off this week with a small group of early access users before a wider rollout in the coming weeks.

Customers in Rowlett, Texas can order Chipotle through the Zipline app. Once the food is ready, employees load it into a “Zipping Point,” where one of Zipline’s electric aircraft, called Zips, snags the package. The drone then flies directly to the customer’s home, hovers about 300 feet overhead, and lowers the order with a tether, dropping it in the yard, driveway, or wherever.

Today, Chipotle announced autonomous burrito delivery. They are calling it “Zipotle”.
As someone who spent years living off burrito bowls, I can’t believe I can now get Chipotle delivered by a robot in less than 10 minutes. @ChipotleTweets pic.twitter.com/xk8apO2gfO

— Keller Rinaudo Cliffton (@Keller) August 22, 2025

The drones can carry up to 5.5 pounds per trip, with capacity increasing to 8 pounds over time. A triple steak, double rice, extra queso monster weighs in at two pounds, and tips the scales at the higher end of the fast-food chain’s burritos.

Why drones?

Chipotle says the goal is to cut delivery times while keeping food “dine-in fresh.” The company also emphasized Zipline’s zero-emissions aircraft and quiet operation.

“Zipotle is a quick and convenient source of delivery that lets guests enjoy our real food from places that are traditionally challenging to serve, including backyards and public parks,” Curt Garner, Chipotle’s president and chief strategy and technology officer, said.

Zipline CEO Keller Rinaudo Cliffton added: “You tap a button, and minutes later food magically appears—hot, fresh, and ultra-fast. What once felt like science fiction is soon going to become totally normal.”

Zipline isn’t new to high-stakes deliveries. The company first made its name flying blood and medical supplies to remote hospitals in Rwanda and now operates in four continents, completing over 1.6 million deliveries and logging 100 million commercial miles. Expanding into food and retail is its latest frontier, with partnerships aimed at redefining the “last mile” of logistics.

And crypto-loving Chipotle isn’t new to innovation. Its stock has soared 264% during the past decade, outperforming the restaurant industry in in sales and profits, per Yahoo Finance.

Not so fast

Don’t look for drone-based burrito delivery in New York City any time soon. The suburban landscape of Rowlett, with its wide yards and fewer obstacles, makes an ideal testing ground. But in dense urban areas where delivery demand is highest, drones face bigger challenges: tight airspace, tangle of power lines, and FAA restrictions on beyond-visual-line-of-sight flights.

There’s also the question of public tolerance. One or two drones dropping meals into backyards may be a novelty; hundreds buzzing over city blocks every evening could quickly feel intrusive. And from a customer’s perspective, tried-and-true scooter and car couriers are often simpler and cheaper.

But if the experiment succeeds in the suburbs, it could signal how aerial logistics slowly expand. And with any luck, you’ll also be able to get Tums via drone delivery, too.

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August 23, 2025 0 comments

Gaming Gear

The West Texas Measles Outbreak Has Ended

by admin August 19, 2025

A large measles outbreak in Texas that has affected 762 people has now ended, according to an announcement Monday by the Texas Department of State Health Services. The agency says it has been more than 42 days since a new case was reported in any of the counties that previously showed evidence of ongoing transmission.

The outbreak has contributed to the worst year for measles cases in the United States in more than 30 years. As of August 5, the most recent update from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a total of 1,356 confirmed measles cases have been reported across the country this year. For comparison, there were just 285 measles cases in 2024.

The Texas outbreak began in January in a rural Mennonite community with low vaccination rates. More than two-thirds of the state’s reported cases were in children, and two children in Texas died of the virus. Both were unvaccinated and had no known underlying conditions. Over the course of the outbreak, a total of 99 people were hospitalized, representing 13 percent of cases.

Measles is a highly contagious respiratory illness that can temporarily weaken the immune system, leaving individuals vulnerable to secondary infections such as pneumonia. In rare cases, it can also lead to swelling of the brain and long-term neurological damage. It can also cause pregnancy complications, such as premature birth and babies with low birth weight. The best way to prevent the disease is the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine. One dose of the vaccine is 93 percent effective against measles while two doses is 97 percent effective.

A measles outbreak is considered over after 42 days if no new cases are discovered because it is double the disease’s maximum incubation period—the longest time it can take between when a person is exposed to the virus and when they develop symptoms.

The CDC defines an outbreak as three or more related cases. The West Texas outbreak has been linked to cases in neighboring states, Mexico, and Canada.

While the Texas outbreak has ended, measles cases are still being reported elsewhere in the country. According to the CDC, 40 other states have reported cases, and a total of 32 US outbreaks have been reported in 2025, compared with 16 outbreaks in 2024.

The ongoing outbreaks put the country’s measles elimination status at risk. The designation means there is no ongoing domestic spread of measles for longer than 12 months. The US achieved that status in 2000 after years of increasing vaccination rates but almost lost it in 2019, when measles cases swept through undervaccinated Orthodox Jewish communities in New York for much of the year.

As vaccination rates continue to decline in the US, public health researchers warn that outbreaks of measles and other diseases are likely. One recent peer-reviewed paper found that at current state-level vaccination rates, measles could reestablish itself and become endemic again within the next two decades.

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August 19, 2025 0 comments

Gaming Gear

Texas AG to investigate Meta and Character.AI over ‘misleading’ mental health claims

by admin August 19, 2025

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has announced plans to investigate both Meta AI Studio and Character.AI for offering AI chatbots that can claim to be health tools, and potentially misusing data collected from underage users.

Paxton says that AI chatbots from either platform “can present themselves as professional therapeutic tools,” to the point of lying about their qualifications. That behavior that can leave younger users vulnerable to misleading and inaccurate information. Because AI platforms often rely on user prompts as another source of training data, either company could also be violating young user’s privacy and misusing their data. This is of particular interest in Texas, where the SCOPE Act places specific limits on what companies can do with data harvested from minors, and requires platform’s offer tools so parents can manage the privacy settings of their children’s accounts.

For now, the Attorney General has submitted Civil Investigative Demands (CIDs) to both Meta and Character.AI to see if either company is violating Texas consumer protection laws. As TechCrunch notes, neither Meta nor Character.AI claim their AI chatbot platforms should be used as mental health tools. That doesn’t prevent there from being multiple “Therapist” and “Psychologist” chatbots on Character.AI. Nor does it stop either of the companies’ chatbots from claiming they’re licensed professionals, as 404 Media reported in April.

“The user-created Characters on our site are fictional, they are intended for entertainment, and we have taken robust steps to make that clear,” a Character.AI spokesperson said when asked to comment on the Texas investigation. “For example, we have prominent disclaimers in every chat to remind users that a Character is not a real person and that everything a Character says should be treated as fiction.”

Meta shared a similar sentiment in its comment. “We clearly label AIs, and to help people better understand their limitations, we include a disclaimer that responses are generated by AI — not people,” the company said. Meta AIs are also supposed to “direct users to seek qualified medical or safety professionals when appropriate.” Sending people to real resources is good, but ultimately disclaimers themselves are easy to ignore, and don’t act as much of an obstacle.

With regards to privacy and data usage, both Meta’s privacy policy and the Character.AI’s privacy policy acknowledge that data is collected from users’ interactions with AI. Meta collects things like prompts and feedback to improve AI performance. Character.AI logs things like identifiers and demographic information and says that information can be used for advertising, among other applications. How either policy applies to children, and fits with Texas’ SCOPE Act, seems like it’ll depend on how easy it is to make an account.

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August 19, 2025 0 comments