Other actors get more credit for being transformational, but in his own understated way, Val Kilmer has put together one of the most versatile filmographies in Hollywood. He’s out-cowboyed John Wayne, brought gleeful camp to sci-fi and fantasy, and effortlessly shifted between seductive and silly. In every performance his velvety voice is recognizable yet ever-so-slightly different, as if he’s lending his windpipe to a different man. Now, that voice has been all but silenced; muted by a throat cancer that has threatened his career and life. But Kilmer has found new ways to express himself. In the upcoming documentary Val, his son Jack narrates his words, speaking about the illness with a frankness that he rarely mustered with his own mouth. “It’s difficult to talk and be… Source link

— The FAA’s plans to “lean forward” in regulating the expansion of commercial spaceflight. — Why the Commerce Department still hasn’t tackled its mission to manage space debris. — NASA does a deep dive on potential power sources for a moon base, including “cold fusion.” WELCOME TO POLITICO SPACE, our must-read briefing on the policies and personalities shaping the new space age in Washington and beyond. Email us at [email protected] with tips, pitches and feedback, and find us on Twitter at @bryandbender. And don’t forget to check out POLITICO’s astropolitics page for articles, Q&As and more. Programming note: POLITICO Space will be transitioning to Pro-only coverage for subscribers after July 30. Please head to POLITICO Pro for more. ‘LEANING FORWARD’: The… Source link

Stellantis presented 2 battery chemistries on EV day that don’t use cobalt in batteries This article says it better than I can: Researchers say they’ve cracked the code to a cobalt-free high-energy lithium-ion battery, eliminating the cobalt and opening the door to reducing the costs of producing batteries while boosting performance in some ways. www.sciencedaily.com “Cobalt is the least abundant and most expensive component in battery cathodes,” Not using cobalt and the cheaper (Fe-Mn-x) chemistry makes it possible that they can hit the 40% cheaper target. Using iron does have trade offs but we won’t know how significant until they make them. Thank you. That is absolutely right. Look at Ars Search | Ars Technica … Eternally five years away? No, batteries are… Source link

Jeff Bezos’s 10-minute trip to space has inspired a myriad of reactions, from boredom to anger to a surge of “space penis” memes making fun of the shape of his rocket. I am mortally certain this was not the reaction Bezos — the richest person on Earth — was hoping for. And I hope that the world’s unimpressed reaction is followed by greater scrutiny of Bezos’s wealth, why he has it, and why we live under a system that makes it possible for anyone to hold over $200 billion while paying virtually no taxes. By all reports, Bezos has been obsessed with space for 30 years, and spent a small fortune — a pittance to him, it is to be noted — almost but not quite getting there. After his billionaire rival, Richard Branson, pulled a similar stunt 10 days ago, you’d have… Source link

Japan aims to increase its clean energy use to nearly 40% by 2030, according to a new Basic Energy Plan draft released by the Japanese government today. The country also plans to reduce its use of fossil fuels. The Japanese government updates its energy plan every couple years. It will finalize the policy in October. The latest Basic Energy Plan states that clean energy, especially solar, will make up between 36-38% of overall power generation by 2030. That’s a boost from the previous target of 22-24%. Nuclear’s target was unchanged from the previous plan at 20-22%, and new fuels such as hydrogen and ammonia have a modest 1% target. Fossil fuel use is to be reduced from 56% to 41% by 2030. For comparison, in 2019, Japan’s energy breakdown consisted of clean energy at 18%,… Source link

WESTPORT — Though some storefronts still stand empty in Westport’s downtown, many in the town’s business community said things are looking up. Randy Herbertson, president of the Westport Downtown Association, said he didn’t know exactly how many vacancies there are in the downtown area, but it’s “many fewer than a year ago.” In fact, he said, roughly 30 new businesses have either opened since February or plan to soon. The newcomers include a specialty food shop, two gelato shops, boutiques and outposts of well-known brands, such as Barnes & Noble. “It’s very diverse,” in terms of business type, Herbertson said. Though there are still storefronts to fill in downtown, he said he’s optimistic about the… Source link

WESTPORT — Though some storefronts still stand empty in Westport’s downtown, many in the town’s business community said things are looking up. Randy Herbertson, president of the Westport Downtown Association, said he didn’t know exactly how many vacancies there are in the downtown area, but it’s “many fewer than a year ago.” In fact, he said, roughly 30 new businesses have either opened since February or plan to soon. The newcomers include a specialty food shop, two gelato shops, boutiques and outposts of well-known brands, such as Barnes & Noble. “It’s very diverse,” in terms of business type, Herbertson said. Though there are still storefronts to fill in downtown, he said he’s optimistic about the… Source link

(NewsUSA)

(NewsUSA)

Zaila Avant-garde, Phoebe Robinson, Bill MurrayScreenshot: Jimmy Kimmel Live If the world were truly a meritocracy, it would be people like Scripps National Spelling Bee champion Zaila Avant-garde calling the shots. Apart from becoming the first African-American to conquer the annual spelling competition, and having received at least two full rides to various esteemed colleges, the 14-year-old also happens to already hold three world records for her insane basketball handles, as the young woman demonstrated on Wednesday’s Jimmy Kimmel Live. (Avant-garde also has big plans to work at NASA, play in the WNBA, and coach men’s professional hoops, along with, one can only suspect, solving global warming and finally cracking that cold fusion puzzler.) With guest host and 1 Dope Queen Phoebe… Source link