Retired NFL player Michael Oher says the popular movie and book about his adoption by a white couple when he was a teenager in need of a stable home are based on a recently discovered lie, according to a court filing that accuses Sean and Leigh Anne Tuohy of never adopting him and cheating him out of millions of dollars.

Oher alleges that the Tuohys, portrayed by Sandra Bullock and Tim McGraw in the film, had him sign conservatorship papers soon after his 18th birthday that he believed made him a member of their family, ESPN reported. Instead, Oher’s lawsuit claims his lawyer uncovered the documents in February and learned that they merely gave the couple the rights to make business deals in his name.

According to Oher’s court filing…

• He was paid nothing for The Blind Side film. Sean and Leigh Anne Tuohy negotiated a deal that made them and their two biological kids $225,000 each, plus 2.5% of net proceeds from the film, which grossed more than $300 million.
• A contract that Oher does not remember having explained to him gave 20th Century Fox Studios the rights to his life story with no compensation. Oher’s agent on the deal was a good friend of the Tuohys who also filed the conservatorship petition.

Sean Tuohy responded to the allegations, telling The Daily Memphian, “It’s upsetting to think we would make money off any of our children.” He says he is “of course” willing to end the conservatorship and claims Oher got a share of the movie’s profits equal to other family members’.

Oher has never been a fan of the film. He has said it made people think that he was unintelligent and hurt his football career. “The story has also been a large source of some of my deepest hurt and pain over the past 14 years,” he wrote in a new book, released last week.—ML

When it comes to “clean” fuel, battery-powered cars may be the current rage. But the father–son founder duo at LiquidPiston is driving another future alternative you should know about: hydrogen.

Some of the biggest carmakers in the world, like Toyota and BMW, are pushing hydrogen-powered engines as a clean energy alternative.

And LiquidPiston is working to make hydrogen-capable engines that are 10x more powerful (with near-zero carbon emissions) a reality.

This could unlock a 100% green energy solution for the combustion engine market. No wonder LiquidPiston has secured $30m in contracts from the US Army, the Air Force, and more.

And due to the acceleration in funding, this could be your last chance to lock in shares at this price. Invest in LiquidPiston today.

New Illinois law protects child influencers. Children who work in Hollywood have long benefited from a California law requiring that a percentage of their money be put aside for them, and now a new state law in Illinois intends to offer protection for young social media stars. The law, which was signed last week and will take effect in July 2024, requires that a portion of the money anyone under 16 makes on monetized online platforms (including in their parents’ content) be put into a trust for them until they turn 18. The law is the first of its kind in the US, but other states may follow: Washington is already considering a similar measure.

Hollywood reportedly offers concessions on AI, streaming data to striking writers. Last week, studios resumed negotiations with the Writers Guild of America, whose members walked off the job in May. And insiders told Bloomberg that the latest counterproposal from the Alliance of Motion Picture & Television Producers promises the writers that humans, not artificial intelligence, will be credited for screenplays and that writers will get access to data on how many hours viewers spend streaming so they can gauge the popularity of their work (the offer also includes a pay bump). The two sides are expected to continue discussions this week.

Elon Musk and Zuck are still fighting (with words). Only one day after Mark Zuckerberg declared it “time to move on” from the cage match he and fellow Big Tech CEO Musk have been needling each other over on their respective platforms, Musk revealed he wasn’t ready to let it go. Musk tweeted that he’d be test-driving a Tesla to his rival’s house to knock on the door and fight—and livestream the action. But a Meta spokesperson said he wouldn’t find much there since Zuck is out of town and “takes this sport seriously and isn’t going to fight someone who randomly shows up at his house.”

In a huge dub for youths, yesterday a Montana state court ruled in favor of young people who claimed the state violated their right to a clean environment by allowing the proliferation of fossil fuels without checking their impact on climate change.

The case was the first of its kind to go to trial, but similar suits are pending throughout the US.

The lawsuit hinged on two things:

• Part of the Montana Environmental Policy Act (MEPA) that made it illegal for regulators to consider how new mining projects would contribute to climate change.
• A clause in Montana’s state constitution saying the state will “maintain and improve a clean and healthful environment in Montana for present and future generations.”

The judge determined that the MEPA provision violated Montana’s environmental guarantee because the state’s fossil fuel emissions contributed to climate change, causing injury to the plaintiffs—including heightened respiratory complications from wildfire smoke and other natural disasters caused by climate change.

Big picture: Our Children’s Trust, the nonprofit law firm representing the plaintiffs, called the decision a “sweeping” victory, though the state is likely to appeal. Experts believe this could set a precedent for future climate litigation, including a pending federal case, but it’s unclear how the issue would ultimately fare before the Supreme Court.—CC

“Senior AI engineer” is joining “doctor” and “lawyer” on the list of job titles that can get the nod from your demanding parents.

AI pros are commanding eye-popping salaries as companies race to lure qualified talent to help them adopt the tech. Freelancing platform Upwork saw a 9x increase in AI-related postings last quarter compared to the same period in 2022, according to CNBC.

Experienced specialists are in particularly short supply, making them an extra-hot commodity, per the Wall Street Journal. An AI whiz can expect an annual salary of….

• Up to $900,000 as a product manager on the Machine Learning Platform team at Netflix, according to a recent job posting (which went online as unionized actors and writers strike over disputes about pay and AI use in the entertainment industry…).
• Between $210,000 and $358,000 as an engineering leader of efforts to develop generative AI models for content monetization at TikTok, according to an active Indeed listing.
• From $285,000 to $427,000 as a principal engineer of the AI platform at software company HubSpot, based on an opening posted on Linkedin.

Zoom out: While the AI frenzy means fat paychecks and employer-provided massage chairs for some, Goldman Sachs thinks ChatGPT-like tech could partially or fully automate 300 million full-time jobs worldwide.—SK

Stat: If you’ve ever rolled your eyes when that friend who always seems to be posting pics from a White Lotus-type resort referred to their financial situation as “comfortable,” you were probably justified. Bloomberg surveyed ~1,000 Americans who make at least $175k a year (the amount that puts you in the richest 10% of US taxpayers), and half described themselves that way. Plus, a quarter reported they felt “very poor,” “poor,” or “getting by but things are tight.” In case you were wondering whether you’re that friend, Bloomberg also created a handy tool to tell you how your income stacks up in your area and where you could move to feel richer.

Quote: “The technology is very sophisticated. You don’t feel like you have a layer of sunscreen on, and it kind of just feels like you’re putting on a moisturizer in that sense, which makes it easier to use.”

You can count Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez among the fans of cult favorite Bioré sunblock, which includes ingredients not approved for US use. That’s not unusual for an anti-sun cream since the US has only approved 14 sunscreen filters, while the EU allows more than 30. The EU and several Asian countries (including Japan, where Bioré comes from) regulate sun protection as cosmetics, while the US FDA considers it an OTC drug—and hasn’t approved new active ingredients for sunblock in over 20 years. But AOC isn’t just incorporating foreign brands into her skincare routine: She says Congress has also taken preliminary steps to address improving the approval process.

Read: The “world’s happiest man” shares his three rules for life. (New York Times)

It’s Butter Cow szn: Watch the livestream from the Illinois State Fair.

Up in the air: This video explains how airplanes actually fly.

Navel gazing: Here’s everything science has to say about bellybutton lint.

PSA for San Francisco couples: Robotaxis are not private.

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Brew Mini: There is something unique about today’s fill, so once you solve the puzzle, try to figure out the Easter egg Mary included. Play it here.

Woodstock trivia

On this day in 1969, the Woodstock Music and Art Fair began and, over the next three days, etched itself in music history.

For today’s trivia, we’ll give you a song performed at the festival, and you have to name the musical artist/band that played it. If the Phish fans out there have any remaining brain cells after their recent MSG stint, we expect a 7/7 from you.

1. “Piece of My Heart”
2. “Turn on Your Lovelight”
3. “Everyday People”
4. “Raga Manj Kmahaj”
5. “The Star-Spangled Banner”
6. “The Weight”
7. “We Shall Overcome”