Latest news with #Chewbacca
The Advertiser
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Advertiser
Lightsabers, ghostbusters turn up in Hunter for Lake Mac's POP BAM!
EVER wanted to be part of an epic sci-fi battle scene? Picking up a lightsaber and ready to go, lucky Hunter residents got to learn the art of Star Wars combat at the Lake Mac POP BAM! festival. The annual popular culture festival arrived at the Hunter Sports Centre in Glendale on Saturday, July 26. Cosplayers and popular culture fanatics immerse themselves in the worlds of their favourite movies, TV shows and comics. Organiser Cathy Shay said everyone had a great time, with between 1000 and 1500 people in attendance. "We had lots of great feedback about the new venue," Ms Shay said. "There was a real buzz in the foyer, some very popular stalls, plus activities and talks, LEGO and D&D." There were also some professional cosplayers, including a woman dressed as Chewbacca, who had many in awe due to her sheer size. "The very little kids get very excited to see in real life something they've only seen on TV, like Chewbacca, and because it's so large, it takes your breath away, and the kids were just mesmerised," Ms Shay said. EVER wanted to be part of an epic sci-fi battle scene? Picking up a lightsaber and ready to go, lucky Hunter residents got to learn the art of Star Wars combat at the Lake Mac POP BAM! festival. The annual popular culture festival arrived at the Hunter Sports Centre in Glendale on Saturday, July 26. Cosplayers and popular culture fanatics immerse themselves in the worlds of their favourite movies, TV shows and comics. Organiser Cathy Shay said everyone had a great time, with between 1000 and 1500 people in attendance. "We had lots of great feedback about the new venue," Ms Shay said. "There was a real buzz in the foyer, some very popular stalls, plus activities and talks, LEGO and D&D." There were also some professional cosplayers, including a woman dressed as Chewbacca, who had many in awe due to her sheer size. "The very little kids get very excited to see in real life something they've only seen on TV, like Chewbacca, and because it's so large, it takes your breath away, and the kids were just mesmerised," Ms Shay said. EVER wanted to be part of an epic sci-fi battle scene? Picking up a lightsaber and ready to go, lucky Hunter residents got to learn the art of Star Wars combat at the Lake Mac POP BAM! festival. The annual popular culture festival arrived at the Hunter Sports Centre in Glendale on Saturday, July 26. Cosplayers and popular culture fanatics immerse themselves in the worlds of their favourite movies, TV shows and comics. Organiser Cathy Shay said everyone had a great time, with between 1000 and 1500 people in attendance. "We had lots of great feedback about the new venue," Ms Shay said. "There was a real buzz in the foyer, some very popular stalls, plus activities and talks, LEGO and D&D." There were also some professional cosplayers, including a woman dressed as Chewbacca, who had many in awe due to her sheer size. "The very little kids get very excited to see in real life something they've only seen on TV, like Chewbacca, and because it's so large, it takes your breath away, and the kids were just mesmerised," Ms Shay said. EVER wanted to be part of an epic sci-fi battle scene? Picking up a lightsaber and ready to go, lucky Hunter residents got to learn the art of Star Wars combat at the Lake Mac POP BAM! festival. The annual popular culture festival arrived at the Hunter Sports Centre in Glendale on Saturday, July 26. Cosplayers and popular culture fanatics immerse themselves in the worlds of their favourite movies, TV shows and comics. Organiser Cathy Shay said everyone had a great time, with between 1000 and 1500 people in attendance. "We had lots of great feedback about the new venue," Ms Shay said. "There was a real buzz in the foyer, some very popular stalls, plus activities and talks, LEGO and D&D." There were also some professional cosplayers, including a woman dressed as Chewbacca, who had many in awe due to her sheer size. "The very little kids get very excited to see in real life something they've only seen on TV, like Chewbacca, and because it's so large, it takes your breath away, and the kids were just mesmerised," Ms Shay said.
NZ Herald
15-07-2025
- Entertainment
- NZ Herald
Listener weekly quiz: July 16
What kind of species is Chewbacca? Photo / Supplied Reminder, this is a Premium article and requires a subscription to read. Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech. Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen. What kind of species is Chewbacca? Photo / Supplied Can you score 10 out of 10? Test your general knowledge with the Listener's weekly quiz. Share your score with friends, family and colleagues, and find out who has the sharpest mind.
Business Insider
11-06-2025
- Business
- Business Insider
Disney says these images show how Midjourney steals its characters
Disney and NBCUniversal sued the AI company Midjourney, alleging copyright infringement. The lawsuit claims the tech creates unauthorized copies of works ranging from Star Wars to The Simpsons. Hollywood has been cautious about AI, fearing its misuse, but investors see cost-cutting potential. Hollywood is taking aim at the AI image generator Midjourney. On Wednesday, Disney and NBCUniversal's movie studios sued Midjourney, alleging its product ripped off their famous characters in properties ranging from Star Wars to The Simpsons. The media companies use colorful language in their 110-page copyright infringement lawsuit. They argue that Midjourney's tech amounts to a "virtual vending machine, generating endless unauthorized copies of Disney's and Universal's copyrighted works." They call Midjourney "the quintessential copyright free-rider and a bottomless pit of plagiarism." Midjourney didn't immediately respond to a request for comment. Many news media companies, including Business Insider's parent Axel Springer, have struck deals with AI companies to help train their models. The film and TV industry, however, has been slower to follow because of worries that the nascent tech will be used to replace their IP and talent. AI has also been a battleground between Hollywood companies and the industry's labor unions. Despite this, investors have poured money into AI companies that are aimed at Hollywood. These startups see the opportunity to use the tech to cut time and costs for making filmed entertainment. This new lawsuit could throw a wrench in some of those plans. Of particular note, Disney and Universal included examples of images created by Midjourney's tools in their suit, side by side with the original source material, to show how close Midjourney's versions are to their characters. The suit describes how when a user gave it a prompt like "Chewbacca, screenshot from movie," Midjourney generated images copying the movie companies' famous characters. According to the suit, a user doesn't have to request a specific Disney character for Midjourney to create one that copies its copyrighted work, giving the example of the prompt "Superhero fight scene" that produced an image that resembled Disney's Spider-Man. Below are some examples they share in the lawsuit. What do you think?
Buzz Feed
19-05-2025
- General
- Buzz Feed
30 Things Under $25 That Solve Gross Problems
A hairbrush cleaning tool here to effectively remove all those strands, fuzzies, and buildup from your bristles so that when you lend it to someone (or just leave it sitting out), it'll actually look like a styling tool and not a mini Chewbacca. *And* a FURemover rubber broom which acts as a magnet to pull out all that pet hair (or human hair) that's made itself at home in your carpet, giving your vacuum a well-deserved break — and you'll be shook at how much more vibrant your carpet will appear! It also works wonders on wood and linoleum; the built-in squeegee is fantastic for tackling any spills or messes your furry friend may leave behind. A fast-acting, refillable plug-in fly trap that not only catches house flies, fruit flies, moths, and gnats but does it all with a little light magic — luring those pesky bugs from up to 400 feet away so you don't have to waste time and money scattering traps all throughout your home. The sticky side is cleverly hidden on the back, so you won't have to face a gross bug graveyard every time you turn on the lights. And a garbage guard for when you just want to sit back, relax, and enjoy your all of a sudden, you hear this agitating, grating noise of flies buzzing around the garbage can. This little gizmo sticks inside your garbage can and releases an odorless vapor that keeps bugs at bay for a whopping four months. A post-sex sponge to pop in for a few seconds after doing the deed to soak up whatever is left so you can go on about your day (or night) without any surprise leaks messing up your undies. A flexible drain snake that can pull out enough hair to make a wig. You, my friend, just saved yourself a FAT plumbing bill. A pack of SweatBlock antiperspirant wipes if you're someone who finds themselves wiping away beads of sweat even when it's freezing outside. With these convenient bad boys, you can make it through the day feeling fresh and dry. A manual flossing toothbrush with special bristles to clean in between your teeth and get out all those popcorn kernels and sesame seeds from your everything bagel, leaving you feeling like you just left the dentist. And if you have sensitive teeth, no worries, because reviewers say these bristles are super soft. And a stainless-steel tongue scraper to ditch that awkward white, yellow, or brown tint on your tongue next time you're about to flash your signature tongue-out, peace-sign pose. This little doohickey is a game-changer, sweeping away all the gunk, and leaving your breath smelling fresh. Plus, an easy-to-use tonsil stone remover in case you've ever found yourself in a bit of a sticky situation with bad breath, despite being a brushing, flossing, and mouthwash-swishing superstar. This tool will help you remove those pesky tonsil stones hiding out and causing mischief. It's as simple to use as it is effective, complete with silicone-tipped attachments that sneak behind your tonsils like a ninja in the night. A pack of teeth-friendly silicone pouch lids, your sidekick in the battle against messy mealtimes. This little gizmo is equipped with a genius flow-control valve that ensures your eager little self-feeder can dive into their food without turning it into a playful yet messy art project on you, the table, the chair, and themselves. A gentle yet effective pumice cleaning stone that's tough enough to scrub away those stubborn stains, but gentle enough that it won't scratch your porcelain throne. Now you won't have to gasp in horror every time you lift open the toilet lid. A nonaerosol, benzene-free I Dew Care "Tap Secret" mattifying powder shampoo so you can toss your hair to the side without you (or the person next to you) getting a whiff of dirty hair. Just sprinkle a bit onto your roots, massage it in, and voilà! Your hair will look *and* smell fresh, and the added volume will give you a confidence boost to tackle the day ahead. A natural shoe deodorizer spray if your gym shoes are so funky, they could make a skunk run for cover. You just need a few sprays of this, and — thanks to the strong essential oils — your sneakers will smell like they just came out of a lemon grove. Some seamless bra liners for when boob sweat just won't allow your day to be great. This amazing invention absorbs sweat and provides a barrier that prevents the underwire from digging into your skin. Now you can wear that cute top without worrying about any discomfort or sweat stains. A sinus rinse bottle that'll have you completely shook but also satisfied at the amount of gunk it can flush out. The squeeze bottle design allows you to use just the right amount of flow and pressure of the water, so you won't feel like you're drowning in the process. Reviewers love that they're able to get instant relief from congestion caused by allergies or colds. A vacuum cleaner for cleaning up the crumbs from yesterday's on-the-go breakfast, dust from who knows when, and bits and pieces of everyday life that somehow found their way into every crevice of your car. It's lightweight and comes with three attachments to help reach all those hard-to-get-at spots making cleaning feel less like a chore. An easy-to-apply fungal nail renewal formula if you went to the nail salon for French tips, but a few days later, your big toe turned a whole different color. This fast-acting formula hydrates and exfoliates the damaged nail layer, showing visual improvements in as little as two days. A wart-removing gel you can apply right where it's needed without it dripping all over the place. Infused with salicylic acid, this powerful gel will get to work drying out the warts — and since life doesn't stop for anything, the kit even comes with some waterproof patches to keep them out of sight and prevent them from spreading. Easy-to-use retainer cleaner tablets if "funky" isn't a strong enough word to describe what your night guard tastes and/or smells like. These aren't just for grandma's dentures anymore — pop one of these in a glass of water to give your retainers, Invisalign, etc. a refreshing soak. A pair of detergent cap trays since the thought of accidentally touching (or God forbid stepping in) a cold puddle of goo should send a chill down your spine. (And if you've got little ones running around, you know that puddle could be anything, so let's keep the mystery to a minimum.) These'll hold the cups between loads and catch the drips, saving you from unwanted messes. A pack of earbud-cleaning putty, because all the caked-on earwax and sweat is actually what's making Taylor sound like she's singing underwater. Just gently press on your earbud and bask in the glory (or horror) of all the gunk and grime being peeled away. No more cringing when you have to hand your friend an earbud to share! A pack of oversized disposable wet wipes you'll be glad to have on hand after catching a whiff of some not-so-great B.O. It's infused with witch hazel to eliminate any stinky smells after crushing that gym sesh, during long-haul flights, or if you just need to freshen up during a busy day at work. Reviewers also pack a few wipes in their kid's backpack to use post-gym class at school. A before-you-go toilet spray so you can avoid that awkward walk out of the public bathroom stall after dropping a big one. The natural essential oils in the spray create a barrier on top of the water, trapping odors below so they don't escape into the air. It's like an invisible force field of freshness. An organic nipple butter cream in case you're a first-time mom feeling a little shy about asking for help with cracked or chapped nipples while breastfeeding. Made from safe, food-grade ingredients, this cream features soothing chamomile extract, moisturizing apricot, and healing calendula oil to provide instant relief from irritation and protect against future chafing. *And* it's not greasy, so no more shirt stains! A Litter Genie — the ultimate waste disposal system to combat lingering unpleasant smells. To use, simply scoop clumps from the litter box and drop them into the pail, then pull the handle to seal in the contents. The pail can hold up to two week's worth of liter from a single-cat household, making it perfect for when you rather not walk what feels like half a mile just to go to the trash chute. And an all-natural litter attractant powder that I can't help but visualize an invisible scent trail (like in cartoons) leading your fur baby straight to where they're actually supposed to do their business — the litter box. A rust-removing spray because you're tired of being greeted with sight every time you step into the shower before work. Just spray this on, let sit for a few minutes, and finally scrub away that brown stain that's been staring at you for weeks. A set of fast-acting cleaning K-Cups to flush out your coffee maker since that's the reason your lavender matcha latte has been tasting a bit... off lately. Just pop the pod in and brew like you're making a normal cup of coffee and watch all the gunk come out that you didn't know was in there. A bottle of Oh Yuk jetted tub cleaner here to break down and remove all the yuck from inside your jetted bathtub, leaving it looking and smelling fresh as a daisy in only 15 minutes.
Daily Mirror
16-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Is Fortnite down? Server downtime schedule and what's new in update 35.10
More Star Wars weapons and characters are set to come to Fortnite soon, but we're going to have to sit through a touch of downtime before they arrive. Fortnite is set to engage in some more downtime to ensure that the weekly rollouts of new Star Wars content goes uninterrupted. Fortnite has thrust players into the galaxy far, far away, and though it has tried to make the experience as streamlined and as focussed as possible, it's already a mixed bag for many. The stacked Fortnite Chapter 6 Season 3 Battle Pass offers a great collection of cosmetics for players to unlock, but the game resting so much on weapons that work with a cooldown system rather than with traditional ammunition has disappointed many players who have been engaged for years. Either way, change is coming fast, with Epic Games revealing in Fortnite early patch notes that new content waves are coming to the game weekly to celebrate the world of Star Wars with new NPCs, weapons and abilities. It's a great time to be stuck into the game if you're a fan of the huge entertainment franchise, especially as a new, albeit delayed Fortnite update is on its way to help usher in these content boosts. We do have to get through some Fortnite downtime to see this come to life, so it bears the question – is Fortnite down? Here's what you need to know. Is Fortnite down? Fortnite downtime begins at 1am PDT / 4am EDT / 9am BST on Friday, May 16, as confirmed via a new tweet from the @FortniteStatus Twitter account. This time matches previous update downtime timings, including the Chapter 6 Season 3 downtime that preceeded the season launching. We can expect a downtime of around two and a half hours t o come with the update based on recent downtimes, with matchmaking closing down thirty minutes ahead of time to ensure that players can finish their games first. The update was supposed to roll out on Thursday, but a hiccup in the ongoing saga to get Fortnite back on the App Store in time for the patch delayed it by a day. The Fortnite Status Twitter account confirmed the delay while Epic boss, Tim Sweeney, has been tweeting about the situation with Apple. It seems Epic isn't holding out for Apple users to join the fray, as the game's account hasn't mentioned any further delays. What's new in Fortnite update 35.10? Leakers haven't had the hold on content announcements in Fortnite Chapter 6 Season 3 in the same way they usually would, because Fortnite has already revealed what we can expect from the incoming updates across the shorter-than-usual season. Epic Games has revealed that the game will be rolling out more weekly content drops throughout the season introducing new NPCs and weapons, all held up by updates that load the game's backend with the content itself. With that in mind, the update will deliver one content drop, and another the following week. They are as follows: Friday, May 16 – Chewbacca arrives in the Item Shop and on the map, dishing out the Wookie Bowcaster. The CA-87 Jawa Scatter Blaster will appear in chests, too Thursday, May 22 – The Mandalorians arrive, offering players the chance to hire a Heavy, Scout, Supply or Medic teammate. The Mandalorian Jetpack will be unvaulted, and the Amban Sniper Rifle and Westar-34 Blaster Pistols will make it to the island too. There are more updates to come, like the appearance the Star Destroyer as a pilotable boss battle, but they will be introduced in the next update on Thursday, May 29. Until then, though, we've got some Fortnite downtime to wait through so we can get our hands on the Wookie Bowcasters.
