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Gary Barlow to Make Hollywood Debut in Star Wars: The Last Jedi

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Gary Barlow achieved fame as the lead singer in 90s boy band Take That. The band enjoyed fame between 1990 and 1996. This career peaked in 1995 when ‘Back for Good’ got to number 1 in no less than 30 countries. After 10 years apart the band reformed in 2006, much to the delight of fans. The guys have since gone from strength to strength. Gary Barlow has continued to do his bit to bring the music of Take That to the masses. Earlier this year he was a judge in the BBC series ‘Let It Shine’. This show saw budding singers audition for a role in the new Take That Musical.

But how is Gary Barlow going to make the leap from being the front man of a boy band, to staring in ‘Star Wars: The Last Jedi’? Well, as you may be surprised to hear, this won’t be his first foray into the World of acting. In 2000 he took up the role of Micky Shannon in the classic British weekend drama ‘Heartbeat’. Whether or not working in the rugged terrain of The North Yorkshire Moors will have prepared Gary for the bright lights of Hollywood is a different matter.

So, what can we expect from Gary Barlow?

As we all know, the secrecy around Star Wars gets fiercer with every new release. The producers are now doing everything in their power to stop spoilers getting to their fans before release date. As such Gary Barlow is unable to confirm what role he will be taking on in ‘Star Wars: The Last Jedi’. Talking to morning chat show host Lorraine Kelly on ‘Lorraine’, Gary was unable to confirm the details of his role. All he could confirm was ‘I’m not a Stormtrooper, but I am in it’. With the amount of costumes involved in the previous Star Wars shoots, who knows whether or not Gary will even be recognizable in the film. But he’s certainly one to look out for.

Proud geek since 1988. I'm never happier than when I am enjoying a good film. Of course, as a Brit, the film watching experience is always better with a nice cup of tea.

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Gaming

Gran Turismo 7 Update 1.46 introduces an exciting addition to the roster of exclusive cars available in the PS5 and PS4 racing game

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Gran Turismo 7 has just received an exciting update to version 1.46 on both PS5 and PS4. This latest update introduces a unique addition to the game: the Škoda Vision Gran Turismo, a car that you won’t come across in any other game. Škoda makes its debut in the franchise with a visionary study of a single-seater, all-electric racing concept car, designed exclusively for the Polyphony Digital racer.

Once you’ve downloaded update 1.46, you’ll have the opportunity to test drive not one but two additional cars: the AFEELA Prototype 2024 and the iconic Chevrolet Chevelle SS 454 Sport Coupe ’70. Get ready for an exhilarating ride! Watch as they take to the track in the video above.

Additionally, the update introduces a new menu for players to tackle in the GT Café. At Collector Level 38, players have the opportunity to delve into the fascinating world of Ferrari 12-cylinder engines, gaining knowledge and expanding their collection. In World Circuits, players can look forward to exciting new events such as the Japanese Clubman Cup 550, the American FR Challenge 550, and the Vision Gran Turismo Trophy. For all the avid fans of Photo Mode, there’s an exciting opportunity to explore the captivating city of San Diego in a brand new Scape.

What are your thoughts on the latest update for Gran Turismo 7? Feel free to leave your thoughts in the comments section.

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Gaming

ReFantazio Takes a Different Approach to Romance, Setting Itself Apart from the Persona Games

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Atlus’ highly anticipated RPG, Metaphor: ReFantazio, appears to incorporate familiar systems reminiscent of the developer’s acclaimed Persona series. The game features turn-based battles that heavily rely on exploiting enemy weaknesses. Additionally, players have the ability to summon warrior spirits during combat. However, the most significant aspect of this game, which will be discussed in this article, is the bonding system. Through this system, players can spend time with important characters and gain deeper insights into their personalities and stories.

In contrast to the Persona games, the bonding system ends at that point. Unfortunately, players will be unable to pursue romantic relationships with their beloved waifus, which may come as a disappointment to those who have developed strong feelings for Hulkenberg, the party’s charismatic red-haired elven knight.

According to Siliconera, the absence of romance came up during a recent question and answer session. Atlus emphasized the continued opportunity to develop meaningful relationships with your allies while also introducing additional narratives through substories. In addition, familiarizing yourself with the supporting characters will grant you access to new archetypes, which serve as the game’s character classes.

In the Persona games, romance is not obligatory; rather, it serves as a means to customize your playthrough. However, it is quite unexpected that Metaphor has chosen not to pursue such a venture, considering the significant amount of discussion it typically generates!

Were you anticipating any romantic elements in Metaphor? If you’re not satisfied with your pre-order, feel free to share your thoughts in the comments section below.

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Engineering

Solar power surpassed coal in Texas for a whole month, marking the first time this has occurred

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There is a significant shift taking place in the way we generate electricity, even in the areas where it faces strong opposition. Texas is a prime example of the remarkable progress in renewable power, with continuous record-breaking achievements despite facing opposition from influential individuals.

In February 2021, a severe cold snap placed immense strain on the Texas electricity grid, resulting in extensive blackouts that tragically resulted in the loss of life and brought the region perilously close to catastrophe. As expected, certain individuals quickly pointed fingers at wind power as the cause of the issues, despite the fact that the majority of the capacity loss occurred in gas-fired power stations. They were, however, accompanied by a large number of influential Texas politicians, including the governor, which strongly suggested that they would favor continuously operating energy sources.

Instead, there has been a remarkable increase in the installation of photovoltaic panels since then. In March, solar power surpassed coal as the leading source of electricity in Texas, marking a significant milestone.

According to the Institute for Energy Economic and Financial Analysis (IEEFA), the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT), the main power grid for most Texans, used a significant amount of solar-generated electricity in March. The total consumption reached 3.26 million megawatt hours (MWh). In comparison, 2.96 million MWh were generated from coal, making the difference approximately 10 percent.

In March, solar production experienced a significant increase of 56 percent compared to the previous year. This growth was three times higher than the March that occurred after the devastating freeze.

IEEFA highlights a series of significant achievements. In March, solar energy accounted for over 10 percent of ERCOT’s electricity generation, marking a significant milestone. At the same time, coal’s contribution fell below 10 percent for the first time.

Even in January, solar power played a crucial role in preventing a system meltdown during a cold snap by meeting nearly a quarter of the demand in the middle of the day.

The records will continue to be broken. By the end of the year, Texas is projected to add over 7 gigawatts (GW) of solar capacity to its grid, representing a nearly 30% increase from current levels. Despite potentially less favorable weather conditions, next March is expected to bring even more significant growth in solar energy. Exciting developments are in the works for additional enhancements in 2025. According to the Energy Information Administration, a government agency, solar power is projected to surpass coal as the primary source of electricity in Texas for the entire year.

The demand in Texas is not experiencing significant growth to accommodate the surplus production, especially when considering the slower growth of wind power. Consequently, there is a need to eliminate something from the market. Up until now, the primary source has been coal, not gas. In 2017, approximately 30% of the energy consumed in Texas came from coal. This year, it might exceed 10 percent for the year, even though it dipped below in March, but if it does, it won’t be by a significant margin.

Texans have been known for their tendency to go big in everything they do, including their use of coal. However, times are changing. Last year, it consumed twice as much coal for electricity compared to any other state. The decrease in coal usage in Texas has outpaced the national average, although other states are also making significant progress.

Critics of renewable energy often claim that solar power is ineffective when the sun is not shining. However, it is worth noting that Texas is currently at the forefront of battery installation in the United States. Actually, it’s going above and beyond. When it comes to solar, Texas and America as a whole lag significantly behind China in absolute terms and many countries on a per capita basis. However, when it comes to large-scale battery systems that can store surplus energy during the day and discharge it in the evening, Texas is at the forefront of global innovation.

In a recent report, it was stated that Texas currently has 5.2 GW of operational battery storage, with projections indicating that this number will increase to 10.9 GW by the end of the year. Solar power will ensure that the lights stay on long into the night.

Renewable energy has faced opposition for years from skeptics who doubted its viability, only to be proven wrong time and time again by its success in various locations.

One of the main factors driving the rapid growth of solar energy in Texas, despite the challenges posed by a government that is not particularly supportive of renewable power, is its significantly lower cost compared to other alternatives. If that’s true in Texas, the largest source of fossil gas in the United States, it’s likely that other places will soon follow suit with the energy revolution.

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