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It may seem that cinema and Mars aren't in a particularly good relationship. First, we had some early 1910s-1920s productions that were more about pacifism and communism than space travel – let alone Mars. Then came the time of the cheesy and naive 1950s productions, and believe me, it won't take them long to put a you smile on your face if you watch these oldies now. When – finally! – science fiction got some big budgets in the early 1980s, it didn't help much either – the visuals got better, but the overall feeling often remained the same. However…
…we terrans don't surrender easily, do we? We are quite stubborn creatures. Most Mars movies were box office flops, but it never prevent us from trying again and again.
99 years is a whole lot of time, and some beautiful films were shot, ranging from childish or gory production to some hyper-realistic and incredibly plausible stories.
Let's go! Mars it waiting.
1. Total Recall (1990)
Logline: When a man goes for virtual vacation memories of the planet Mars, an unexpected and harrowing series of events forces him to go to the planet for real – or does he?
"Total Recall" is a film full of science fiction extravaganza – mostly fiction than the laughable science, but it's exactly the case where we just don't care. It's a spy comedy with one of the best Arnold Schwarzenegger's roles (released exactly 13 months prior to his iconic T2 role), it's a gory action movie where each frame is full of some futuristic special effects, it's a curious take on our future with rebelling Mars colonies and mutants (this feature was introduced by David Cronenberg who was supposed to direct the film), but, most importantly, "Total Recall" is a silly science fiction that created such iconic images as a three-breasted woman and eyes popping out when the characters are outside on Mars. And it made little kids dream. Dream about Mars.
The film is one of the finest adaptations of Philip K. Dick's heritage and the second installment in a so-called Paul Verhoeven's classic sci-fi trilogy – even if "Robocop", "Total Recall" and "Starship Troopers" are distinctively different films, their overall dark satiric tone and particular attention to violence (all three were R-rated, and "Total Recall" was even initially X-rated) make the Dutch director's style easily recognizable. The film was notably one of the most expensive productions of that time, and it's a pity flicks like that are so rare today – I could make an endless list of things that make "Total Recall" a sci-fi classic for so many people, but on a personal level, I love the film exactly due to its deliberate attention to some seemingly secondary details that most other movies would dismiss, giving the film a very wry and unexpectedly weird geeky comic look.
Last but not least – I came to realise that "Total Recall" the a rare movie – it has real functioning settlements on a densely inhabited Red Planet (if we don't count the silent oldies like "Aelita" & "Himmelskibet", both mirroring the political changes of the 1910-s and 1920-s and Carpenter's passable "Ghosts of Mars"). Most Mars (and space in general, too) films are simply variations of crash survival stories with some occasional thriller elements… Seriously, is it as far as our imagination can go? There must be something wrong with the cinema industry then – (an imaginary) Mars colonization and Martian politics would provide an incredibly rich opportunities for filmmakers.
2. The Martian (2015)
Logline: An astronaut becomes stranded on Mars after his team assume him dead, and must rely on his ingenuity to find a way to signal to Earth that he is alive.
For anyone who has been following the big budget cinema of last years it isn't a big surprise to see Ridley Scott's epic film ranked so high. Express Elevator to Hell, a movie blog I really admire, summarized it perfectly: "The film's visuals are very strong, every bit as impressive as 'Interstellar' (2014) or 'Gravity' (2013) but without constantly throwing around millions of CGI shit, annoying Sandra Bullock screams, or overly loud Hans Zimmer organ music. 'The Martian' is beautiful and elegant without feeling showy or over-the-top. It's a very restrained, "down-to-earth" feeling, if you pardon the pun. Much of the elegance of the scenery stems from great location shooting, minimal green screen, and effective digital editing."
NASA was heavily involved in the film's production, seeing it as an opportunity to promote space exploration. The result paid off. The film stars Matt Damon in the main role (one of his best roles for sure), plus has an impressive supporting cast – Jessica Chastain, Kristen Wiig, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Jeff Daniels, Sean Bean, Michael Peña and Kate Mara. The script was written by Drew Goddard (the guy that directed brilliant "Cabin in the Woods"). "The Martian" is a good film. It may seem occasionally boring if you got used to watching too many Marvel movies (and who hasn't?). It surely has some drawbacks, like being pretty slow-paced and a little bit too long plus the Earth episodes could have been "tighter", but… it is still one of the best realistic science fiction movies ever made. It makes you believe that we can make it, out there…
3. Red Planet (2000)
Logline: Astronauts, and their robotic dog AMEE, search for solutions to save a dying Earth by searching on Mars, only to have the mission go terribly awry.
I kinda like "Red Planet". I know many hate this film, but it isn't that bad at all. It feels very 90-s, and in a good way. The comparisons with "Mission to Mars" are inevitable – the films were released one after another, and their structure and approach were pretty similar. Both films are pretty cheesy from sci-fi point of view, but what makes "Red Planet" a superior movie is that the film never tries to be something it shouldn't, namely a whiny melodrama. There some occasional moment (mostly useless) where you feel the sugar literally flowing off the screen, but they are nipped in the bud shortly, like some useless weed growing where it shouldn't. And it's nowhere near "Mission to Mars", which cannot decide whether it wants to be a muscular science fiction, a "Contact"-wannabe (yes, Zemeckis' film with Jodie Foster…) or a bedtime story.
The cast is pretty good (although there's too much of Val "oh-I'm-so-cocky" Kilmer for my taste), a particular mention goes to Carrie-Anne Moss. The special effects and the visuals are quite impressive too – it is a beautiful movie to watch, even if it doesn't reach the heights that space science fiction set in the early 2010-s. But I must admit I paused the film quite often to take a screenshot.
So let me sum up – "Red Planet" is a nice sci-fi flick, balancing well between being too cheesy and bombastic like "Armageddon" (which I love!) or overly melodramatic assome other movies on the list. Which doesn't make it a masterpiece, but a cool Mars B-movie with an A-movie budget ($80 mln).
4. Doom (2005)
Logline: Space Marines are sent to investigate strange events at a research facility on Mars but find themselves at the mercy of genetically enhanced killing machines.
Oh this one is a badass movie. I was hesitating whether I should put it in the end or in the top of the list… Seriously, after "Totall Recall" it is probably the best silly sci-fi B-movie on the list! Just think of this…
- an impressive, weirdly funny and lengthy 1st-person-shooter-like sequence
- amazing Karl Urban who acts like it is the role of his life and even kicks Dwayne Johnson's ass! Yahoo!
- The Rock, still fresh in the beginning of his film career (I often can't stand the guy but he is good here)
- Mars! Dark laboratories with experiments! Teleportation! Monsters & mutants! Cool techno-rock-score! Scared to death scientists!
- It's the 4th film of Andrzej Bartowiak as director (he is a veteran cinematographer – "Falling Down", Sydney Lumet's "Power" & "The Verdict", "Species", "Speed", "The Devil's Advocate", "Lethal Weapon 4" and many others…)
- a kinky supporting cast, namely Richard Brake ("Game of Thrones", supporting character in "Batman Begins", 1994 "Death Machine", "The Death of Stalin"), Rosamund Pike before she learned how to act (she really played horribly here, spending most of the time moaning, shouting and wearing tight T-shirts with no bra) and Dexter Fletcher (Soap in "Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels")
- and, obviously, a lot of Easter eggs and references to the original games!
…now you might wonder – is there anything wrong with this movie? Here's the point – yes, there is, and a lot. It is a very B-movie, so prepare for the silly characters & tons of occasional stupidity. Literally. A lot of it. The whole story is half-baked. Except for Karl Urban and few other characters, everything feels to have even less dimensions than the original 3D-shooter (which, just to remind you, was a breakthrough game and one of the first hugely successful 3D shooters). The film isn't creepy either, rather gory. But you know what? "Doom" is exactly the case when I don't care. I really love it. What makes it a lot of kinky fun is that the film never tries to be a whiny philosophizing melodrama like "Alien: Covenant". Just straightforward cheesy fun, take it or leave it. I enjoyed it now as much as before on the big screen when I was 16. "Doom" is easy to watch too, thanks to its fact pace and lots of action.
For those who don't feel like watching the whole film, here's the 5-minute first person sequence, it's really awesome. I'd easily call "Doom" first-person scene one of the best so-bad-it-is-good movie action sequences.
Viva Doom!
5. The Last Days on Mars (2013)
Logline: A group of astronaut explorers succumb one by one to a mysterious and terrifying force while collecting specimens on Mars.
"Last Days on Mars" is somewhat of a crossover between "28 Days Later" and "Alien", but without the best parts these films had – namely a believable creepy alien threat and good, deep human characters that behave reasonably. It suffers occasionally from a typical horror movie disease called UCO syndrome ("Unexplainable Character Obtusity"), but…
…surprisingly the patient may be more alive than dead. There is a chance of it.
I somewhat enjoyed the film, mostly thanks to an detailed setting (the space ships and Mars settlements seemed very believable) and the acting. It's not only Liev Schreiber (a good actor that starred in a bunch of mediocre movies – "Salt" or Sabretooth in "X-Men Origins: Wolverine"?) who gives a masterclass in how to
act well stay human in a not-so-scary horror movie, but the rest of the cast is very convincing too – Olivia Williams (Night M. Shyamalan's "The Sixth Sense", Wes Anderson's best movie "Rushmore" – remember the young teacher?), Romola Garai ("Rory O'Shea Was Here"), Johny Harris ("This Is England '86", "London to Brighton"), Elias Koteas ("The Zodiac") all give a convincing performance and make this movie something bigger than just a trashy horror. "Last Days on Mars" is a debut of the Irish director Ruairi Robinson and was shot on a $10 mln budget. So… if you love to death space horror, give it a try. Just remember it's not really scary.
6. Mars Attacks! (1996)
Logline: Earth is invaded by Martians with unbeatable weapons and a cruel sense of humor.
While this film is the only on the list where the action does not take place on Mars (except for a very brief CGI sequence), it features a very important element most missed – the Martians!
It doesn't make it automatically a good movie, but adds some bonus points. "Mars Attacks!" feels like a typical Tim Burton's film… in a half-baked version. Jack Nicholson, Jack Black, Natalie Portman, Sarah Jessica Parker, Pam Grier, Danny DeVito, Glenn Close and Pierce Brosnan are all charming guys and boast the film's charisma with some good energy, but the main problem is that "Mars Attacks!" isn't really funny. I saw it first as a kid and (of course) loved it, but while rewatching it just recently I realized that it's rather weird than funny – but still intended as funny. I adore weird dark parodies & a good satire, but the impression the movie leaves is just… not so different from cheesy 50s sci-fi B-movies it intended to mock?
Still, "Mars Attacks!" has its moments, especially in the epic second part. Thanks to an incredible cast and Burton's weird humour and designs, it's also a showcase of what kind of big budget eccentric stuff was made in the 90-s – the film's budget was initially around $260 mln just to be downsized later to a far more reasonable $80 mln (plus $20 mln for the marketing campaign). Commercially the film was almost a flop. It's kinda half-baked, but give it a try if you like odd comedies and appreciate Tim Burton's art. You may like it.
P. S. Remember how the Martians speak? "Ack, ack, ack"? It's a record of how a duck quacks, just vice a versa. Childhood mystery solved.
7. Mission to Mars (2000)
Logline: When the first manned mission to Mars meets with a catastrophic and mysterious disaster after reporting an unidentified structure, a rescue mission is launched to investigate the tragedy and bring back any survivors.
Hollywood likes it double. "The Prestige" / "The Illusionist" (both 2006). "Enemy" / "The Double" (both 2013), "Armageddon" and "Deep Impact" (both 1998)…
I've already mentioned "Mission to Mars" when discussing "Red Planet", and these comparisons are inevitable – just like in 1998 we had two disaster movies, "Armageddon" and "Deep Impact", the year 2000 was marked by two Mars movies. On paper, it had everything that was needed – a talented and experienced director, Brian de Palma (the man behind wildly popular "Mission: Impossible", "Scarface", "Carlito's Way", just to cite some…). The cast was promising too – Tim Robbins, Don Cheadle and Gary Sinise. How did it work out? Well… with a variable degree of success. The first 30 minutes are fine – the plot develops quickly and the characters are kinda interesting to follow. There is an awesome creepy sci-fi sequence too.
But then… The biggest problem is that the film cannot decide what it wants to be. It starts as a drama, then converts itself into a sci-fi thriller (with more fiction than science) and ends up being a childish melodrama with a Disney-like ending. Not at the levels of "The Space Between Us", of course (that one is hard to beat!), but still. Anyway, there is a lot to enjoy in this movie – the effects, the Mars atmosphere, the ending is absolutely beautiful although childish and of course Don Cheadle who seems to be unable to act badly. It's like Don Cheadle's superpower. Bad acting Don Cheadle? No way. No way!
So… it's not among the worst space movies, and surely not one of the best. Somewhere in between. Maybe a bit closer to the bottom. Here you may read a fun and extremely detailed film analysis.
"But I guess the child inside me has died and my heart is now a tiny, pockmarked hunk of coal. Because of all this, I can't really divine what might have interested De Palma in doing this. Was it the chance to learn how to work with large-scale special effects? Was it the larger themes? Was it space? I don't get it. The trailer actually manages to make the film look worse than it is."
7. John Carter (2012)
Logline: Transported to Barsoom, a Civil War vet discovers a barren planet seemingly inhabited by 12-foot tall barbarians. Finding himself prisoner of these creatures, he escapes, only to encounter Woola and a princess in desperate need of a savior.
Surprise! It's not easy to write about "John Carter" without a very bitter sense of sarcasm…
- It's a Disney production – one of those that is considered… ehm, ghm, a failure. More than one film was planned at first, but as "John Carter" was released, it was obvious that making more sequels was clearly not a good idea.
- It's the 5th most expensive movie of all time and an proof that $263 mln can be wasted so uneffieciently. Just think of it – with a budget so huge that you could direct
- 52 movies like "Moon"
- 17 movies like "Ex Machina"
- 6 movies like "Dredd" (the good one, with Karl Urban, 2012)
- It's a kids movie, but is it a family movie? I guess anyone older than 12 (or 14, depending on how early you start to watch sci-fi and horror, you know, these modern kids…) will find it hard to really enjoy "John Carter".
- It has a horrible miscast named Taylor Kitch. Wiki summarized it perfectly, "Kitsch, also called cheesiness or tackiness, is art or other objects that appeal to popular rather than high art tastes." I don't have anything against this 1981-born Canadian actor – for example, his performance in "True Detective 2" was impressive and matched well that dark role, but he is the least suitable candidate for a Disney epic tale's main hero I can imagine.
- The film's tone is somewhat similar to "The Curse of the Black Pearl", except that all the amazing chemistry we witnessed in Gore Verbinski's film is not present here, although the film tries hard to reproduce it. And it's so long dammit.
- "John Carter" is based on wildly popular Barsoom book series by E. R. Burroughs, the first one was published in 1912, the eleventh book in 1964.
- The film was directed by Andrew Stanton, and I'll be honest. He is a fucking brilliant director. Stanton is the main man behind "Wall-E", "Finding Nemo", he is also a talented writer ("A Bug's Life", "Monsters, Inc", all parts of "Toy Story") – any of these are easily found in various Top-10 Best Animation Movies ever. "John Carter" is his live-action directing debut, and one could easily say that doing an animation vs a real movie proved to be different and that's why the film failed, but in my mind that's not the case. The real problem of "John Carter" is the writing (and the casting), not the visuals… which are beautiful.
…all that leads us to the main question – is this science fantasy worth watching? Not really. At least, if you're older than 12 (mentally, physically, spiritually, put whatever matches you better), I would rather rewatch some Disney or Pixar classics… or something by my beloved Laika if you like it darker ("Coraline", "Kubo and the Two Strings", "ParaNorman"). "John Carter" is a childish CGI-filled world with little chemistry between its characters. Of course, Disney made much worse films (namely, "Rocketman", which you'll find later on this list, yikes), but… I warned you.
8. Ghosts of Mars (2001)
Logline: In 2176, a Martian police unit is sent to pick up a highly dangerous criminal at a remote mining post. Upon arrival, the cops find that the post has become a charnel house.
I wish I could say that "Ghosts of Mars" is just another typical "so bad it's just bad" movie. But things aren't so easy. So what makes this sci-fi western particularly remarkable?
- It's a rare movie where Jason Statham has pretty long hair (by his standards). His character essentially consists of telling Natasha Henstrisge's ("Species", "Maximum Risk") character of how huge is his male weapon and describing 100 ways how he could unlock various rooms (he's such a weirdo here).
- It's the lowest-rated movie of John Carpenter as a director among 34 titles he directed – 4.9 on IMDb. That's a rightful end to his mostly horrible 90-s movies. I've never been a big fan of his, but the man did some prominent movies ("Halloween", "Dark Star").
- Pam Grier, veteran actress ("Coffy", "Jackie Brown") is almost unwatchable here. Imagine Trinity from "The Matrix", but 2 decades older,
fatchubby and almost incapable of holding her weapon straight. Playing the role of the team leader. Clearly she wasn't really into this production, because in 1997 Tarantino's film she was fucking gorgeous.
- Technically, this film is really bad. I mean it. The basics of cinema are so rotten here, even fundamental things like editing suck at times.
- But all in all, it is still almost close to being almost bearable, mostly thanks to Natasha's Henstridge charisma (I know Wolfman would've described it with a different word but heck, that's why he is The Wolfman…)
Bad flick? Yep, totally, but I prefer to see good people in a cheesy bad film than some vomitable teen romance like "Space Between Us" or arthouse-wannabe "Christmas on Mars". At least, it has some gore. John Carpenter's dark synth score is not as horrible as the rest…
…anyway, if you want Mars & creepy stuff, just watch "Doom".
9. Christmas On Mars (2008)
Logline: Major Syrtis goes insane as he tries to improve morale in an abandoned colony on Mars through a Christmas pageant, where the first colonist baby will be born.
"Christmas on Mars" was directed by The Flaming Lips, one of the main pillars of independent American rock since 1983 (I prefer Yo La Tengo, but Wayne Coyne & co did many awesome things too). The bands members and their friends did the main roles too. This fact already may justify the film's existence – I doubt many people except for the band's fans saw it. Is it any good? The concept is worthy, there are some curious moments (mostly in the first 10 minutes), but overall it's a half-baked and amateurish arthouse-wannabe production. The score? Nothing special either, for the most part (yes, I did listen several Flaming Lips albums and that's a different story). If you want to see an awesome space sci-fi with western, musical and arthouse elements, just watch "American Astronaut" by Cory McAbee. That one is a gorgeous experience.
9. Space Between Us (2017)
Logline: The first human born on Mars travels to Earth for the first time, experiencing the wonders of the planet through fresh eyes. He embarks on an adventure with a street smart girl to discover how he came to be.
Damn, this one was just horrible. I remember that there were some expectations before the film's release and the trailers looked curious… it's not a total crap, but I really felt ashamed how pitiful it is to promote the movie as a science fiction story (the plot may remind you of Heinlein's "A Stranger in a Strange Land") and end up like a fucking teen romance movie. I cannot believe I am writing it, dammit, but it's a fucking. teen. romance. movie and I had zero intentions to see annoying teens escaping from the adults.
Don't get me wrong, teen romance is not a bad thing – I love "Scott Pilgrim vs The World", to say, but "Space Between Us" has nothing to do with Edgar Wright's creativity. It's cheesy, cheap, sentimental and two-dimensional film with uninspired performances of Asa Butterfield and Brit Robertson (one of the most annoying characters I've seen in a very long time). Seriously, I couldn't believe it, but Gary Oldman is just bad here, portraying Richard Branson-like guy. Carla Cugino was the only lovely character here, but she's just always charming like that (Silk Spectre in "Watchmen").
That's it. Peeling an onion will make your eyes less watery that this film will cheaply try to. I have no idea how it got 6.4 on IMDb. Seems like too many teens and bored housewives have Netflix now.
And here we go once again…
10. Rocketman (1997)
Logline: Fred Z. Randall is a geeky and obnoxious spacecraft designer, who gets the chance to make his dream come true and travel to Mars as a member of the first manned flight there.
I was ragging on "John Carter" earlier in this article, but this (also Disney) production will make that movie look like a masterpiece. It is a boring, uninspiring and just totally not funny film with Harland Williams in the main role. Just… avoid it, you know?
11. Stranded (2001 Spanish movie)
Logline: A team of astronauts on the first mission to Mars crashes onto the surface, losing contact with Earth. With no other recourse, and help millions of miles away, the crew is forced to make desperate choices in order to stay alive. Will they be able to survive as the minutes slip away?
Did you think "Prometheus" was stupid? Did you swear aloud when watching "Alien: Covenant" like I did? Well, you just haven't seen "Stranded" yet. I've seriously re-evaluated Ridley Scott's last xenofilms now…
This Spanish film is as bad as it a low budget sci-fi can get. "Stranded" is a ultra low-budget "Martian" wanna-be about a space trip to Mars that goes wrong and now the team has find a way to survive. Add the worst elements from "Mission to Mars" and "Red Planet" and a lot of boring dialogues, pathos and really bad acting. I recently lamented over "400 Days" which I reviewed some time ago, but it seems I was wrong – things can get much worse. I've even found out that some people advocated the film by saying that the actors are not bad, they just behave like normal people in a situation like that. What the fuck is wrong with you guys? This is normal?
Being an independent 2001 Spanish production, it is an excellent example of lazy film-making – my high expectations were smashed into smithereens when somewhere as far as on film's 3rd minute the space team biologist-scientist-whatever proudly announces that, according to his calculations, the team can survive only for an x amount of time.
Another crew member asks him how did he calculate that…
The biologist says that (among other nonsense like 2 kg of food per person per day) the water consumption was 2 litres per day per person…
2 litres? In an emergency survival situation?
Fuck, I have been consuming less for 28 years and seem to be still alive. What are they smoking there? Anyway, the crew agrees and the captain says that since only 2 people can survive on this plan, 3 remaining crew members have to commit a voluntary suicide. The crew agrees again… It is just an example, but the film is full of this bullshit motivations and explanations.
If it was a Roland Emmerich and Michael Bay crossover blockbuster, I wouldn't lament. Most sci-fi movies get the science part wrong. But "Stranded" is a minimal movie (think "Moon") and doesn't have a big badaboom to entertain you (except for few minutes in the end of the film). It's not a documentary either. Filled mostly with dialogues and shot without any sense of grace, the film just made me cringe in horror.
4 out of 4 angry Gary Oldman's for one of the most boring movies I've ever seen.
TV Shows
The Expanse (2015 – ?)
What is it about? "In the 23rd century, humans have colonized the Solar system. The U.N. controls Earth. Mars is an independent military power. The inner planets depend on the resources of the asteroid belt. Belters live and work in space. In the belt, air and water are more precious than gold. For decades, tensions have been rising. Earth, Mars and the Belt are on the brink of war…"
"The Expanse" is a SyFy TV show, and if after reading that line you thought it'd be better to scroll down the page… you were wrong! It's a worthy futuristic exploration of what may happen to human race in the next 200-300 years in a fully colonized Solar System (that's why technically "The Expanse" is still a Mars-related movie, even though it is not the only point there). The overal tone is cynical and realistic. No lollipops.
I will be honest though. My relationship with TV series in general is not an easy one – I hate fillers. So… I have watched the whole first season (third season is currently in production) and quite enjoyed it, but for my taste it has too much of TV series-like flavour – you know, when in each episode half of the time is filled with really cool and important stuff, and the rest is just a filler. Here this proportion is about 70/30 (important stuff/fillers). Or maybe 80/20. It depends on the mood. But that's my opinion, and yours will certainly depend on your relationship with TV series in general. So have a look at it.
One thing is sure though – while "The Expanse" may not be at the height of the 80-s sci-fi homage "Stranger Things", the drama of "The Night Of" or the self-devouring nihilism of "True Detective" (the first season!), it is a very valid, realistic (it was praised as a rare TV show that got the gravity and other stuff right) and entertaining insight into the future of earthlings. So it comes as recommended.
The current IMDb rating is 8.3 – impressive. The second season received particularly high praise. Almost forgot. "The Expanse" features Thomas Janes as one of the main characters, and a very sarcastic and cynical Thomas Jane.
Star Trek
Somehow it happened that I'm not a huge Star Trek connoisseur as some other bloggers. Still, I know that even though Mars was present in some episodes, it has never played a central role in Star Trek universe. Here's what MeTV says on this complex matter:
Babylon 5
"Babylon 5" was originally not on this list, but thanks to Raistin0903's advice it is here now. It was a cult American TV sci-fi show, running from 1993 till 1998, and I will be honest – I have watched just some episodes long, long time ago, so I won't pretend like I'm a big conossieur of this universe. Here's an excerpt from Wiki: "Generally viewed as having 'launched the new era of television CGI visual effects', it received multiple awards during its initial run, including two consecutive Hugo Awards for best dramatic presentation, and continues to regularly feature prominently in various polls and listings highlighting top-rated science fiction series." Mars played a crucial role in "Babylon 5" as well.
Old movies
Aelita (1924, USSR) & Himmelskibet (1918, Denmark, also known as "A Trip To Mars")
Both movies are different from any other entry on this list, because they are…
- …almost as old as Kirk Douglas himself (who turned 101 on 9.12.17)
- …European productions
- …silent
- …and not really about Mars, rather a reflection of people's fears and dreams early in the XX century.
I've written about "Aelita" before as it was mentioned in my "Top 10 Soviet Sci-Fi Movies", for which I did a special musical trailer. If you don't feel like watching the whole film, have a look at this short clip, it's beautiful and entertaining:
…plus I did a short post on "Himmelskibet" which had a beautiful Soviet poster:
By the way, while "Himmelskibet" has the honour to be the first full-lentgh feature film about Mars, while the short film "A Trip To Mars" (1910) produced by Thomas Edison was the first Mars-related film ever.
Flight to Mars (1951) & Conquest of Space (1955)
This colourful couple comes straight from the 50-s and both are rated 5-and-something on IMDb, which would be enough to prevent me from watching as my relationship with the 50-s sci-fi isn't really good… However, as a sci-fi cinephile I must admit that "Conquest of Space" features a very lush Technicolor, the space scenes are picturesque in a very cartoonish way.
The Angry Red Planet (1959)
Logline: One of only two survivors from a Martian expedition is so traumatized she doesn't remember the circumstances of the trip.
James M. Prine described "The Angry Red Planet", a 1959 trash movie perfectly: "Take every hackneyed gimmick you've ever seen in bad science fiction movies, add in bad acting, cornball dialogue, extraordinarily amateurish special effects, silly 'Martians', and add a garish crimson filter for your 'Martian landscape' shots, and you have a monster of a movie like this one turned out to be." But if you like trash, there's actually a lot to enjoy, especially the weird special effects. 5.4 IMDb rating.
It! The Terror from Beyond Space (1958)
Logline: The first manned expedition to Mars is decimated by an unknown life form which stows away on the rescue ship.
Finally, the real hidden gem of this article…
Uff. That was long. But (a) this movie did really influence Dan O'Bannon, and (b) "Alien" did heavily borrow from the plot of "It! The Terror…". A small hint. if you had watched this film first, then it would have been easy to guess how to get rid off the monster in both movies. In both cases, a space crew is somewhere in the deep space and a hostile alien invades their space ship, killing them one by one… So what's the problem, you'd ask?
The difference lies in the special effects and cinematography. "Alien" is a spectacular, dense, almost noir science fiction film with incredible designs (not only the monster, but all the ship is a masterpiece). It got everything right and revolutionized cinema thanks to a masterful blend of these elements, and even now it isn't dated at all. The same cannot be said about ''It! The Terror…". The film may provide some creeps before we see the monster (it actually takes time), it is atmospheric, but the threat itself… is basically a guy in a rubber suit. That's it. Add wooden "I-LOVE-THE-50S!" acting, dated effects and simple cinematography… Still, of all old Mars-related sci-fi movies this one is my favourite.
Robinson Crusoe On Mars (1964)
Logline: Stranded on Mars with only a monkey as a companion, an astronaut must figure out how to find oxygen, water, and food on the lifeless planet.
Another Technicolour oldie which surprisingly holds up incredibly well, and IMDb rating of 6.4 easily confirms that. Paul Mantee & Victor Lundin are both great as main characters, and luckily the film is devoid of cheap sentimentality so typical for some productions of that time, being a faithful sci-fi adaptation of he classic novel. 6.4 IMDb rating. Still, it's hard to believe that just 4 years separate this film from "2001: A Space Odyssey"…
Thanks for reading! Which movie is your favourite? Do you love some other Mars-related movies that weren't on this list? I deliberatly didn't mention "Species II" (1997), because it's a sequel, so that won't be fair. Plus there are some other Mars-related oldies, most notably "Invaders From Mars" (1953/1986) & "Quatermass And The Pit" (cult classic TV series and the film). Anime had its Mars themes explored in "Cowboy Bepop: The Movie" (2001). There are dozens of documentaries of all kind, most notably six-part TV miniseries "Mars" (2016) by National Geographic and "Roving Mars" (2006), an IMAX documentary film. Also have a look at my "Top 10 Soviet Science Fiction Movies" – there are many hidden gems to be discovered.
And be ready. Mars explorers will be wanted soon!
P. S. Couldn't resist.


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DP-1 Ulcerative Colitis Crohns Disease Awareness Bracelet She Believed She Could So She Did
She Believed She Could So She Did Jewelry - Warrior Charm Bracelet. This is one of my favorite pieces; the lovely She Believed quote charm is sized right about 25mm/1" inch. The stars are punched through on this beautiful charm. The adjustable silver plated wire charm bracelet band is standard size and can be adjusted to your own personalized fit. Other charms include a silver Warrior tag charm, stunning birthstone (or color charm of your choice) glass faceted teardrop charm, enamel awareness ribbon charm that you see in the picture and a floating Made With Love heart charm. Your design will be gift boxed & ready to give if needed.
PLEASE leave the COLOR crystal charm you want on your design in the CHECKOUT messages.
*If no information is received item will be made as seen in the picture*
Designs for a Warrior ~ Made by a Warrior
I create each item with sincere care and love. I'm a multiple disease Princess Warrior since 2008 and it's my honor to create your design. I make sure to 'Pay it Forward' every chance I get.
FJJCreations donates a percentage of ALL sales to various organizations, fundraisers and events. I update this information online about every 2-3 months. It's pretty exciting to see all FJJCreations has been able to do from your amazing support. It's more than buying a piece of jewelry; you're helping to send Warrior Hugs around the world in Awareness & Support.

subset: commoncrawl


text: A shipment of illegally imported corals intercepted by Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has been donated to the National Aquarium, Baltimore. The corals are being used as educational tools in the Aquarium's new Blacktip Reef exhibit as well as for the Aquariums' conservation outreach efforts, school science programs and fabrication templates. The shipment, containing 20 pieces of Seriatopora hystrix (or "birds nest coral") and 22 pieces of Pocillopora damicornis, was intercepted by CBP at the port of Tampa, Fla. The corals were cut from the reefs off the coast of the Solomon Islands in the South Pacific. The shipment entered the port of Tampa for inspection by CBP and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. As a result of the inspection, the shipment was seized by CBP for violation of the Endangered Species Act. Coral reefs are being threatened by human and environmental factors. Most species of coral are protected under the Convention on International Trade of Endangered Species (CITES) and require foreign CITES permits. This international agreement between governments ensures that international trade of wild animals does not threaten their survival. CITES is comprised of 178 country signatories that protect species like coral worldwide. Corals play a critical role in the ecosystem as they provide nursing habitats for marine species, protect against shoreline erosion and provide local benefits for fishing and tourism industries. As the nation's border agency, CBP works closely with Fish and Wildlife Service to ensure that laws protecting endangered species are enforced at every U.S. port of entry. The shipment of ancient corals was seized by CBP last March and donated to the National Aquarium June 25 once the seizure case was forfeited to the government. U.S. Customs and Border Protection is the unified border agency within the Department of Homeland Security charged with the management, control and protection of our nation's borders at and between official ports of entry. CBP is charged with keeping terrorists and terrorist weapons out of the country while enforcing hundreds of U.S. laws. Categories: Conservation, Education


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Unisex Corrida White Dance Sneakers
The Taygra Corrida White is the ultimate favorite dance sneaker of men and women. Its hard PVC sole allows for improved sliding and spinning on multiple dance floor surfaces, either indoors or outdoors. Versatile, stylish, and ultralight, they marry comfort and performance. The open mesh allows for optimal breathability while enhancing the flexibility of feet movements.
Jungle Friendly Materials
Taygra dance shoes are made in Brazil from 100 percent recyclable and/or recycled materials. The outer fabric of the shoes is made with a combination of nylon and vegan leather, while the sole is made of recycled PVC.
Built For Performance
The lightweight materials allow your feet to bend and turn with minimal restriction while dancing.
The white upper materials are chosen for their lightweight qualities, allowing you to flex and bend with minimal restriction. The snug, sock-like fit of our lightweight training shoe provides maximum comfort, agility, and improved performances. The shoes are machine-washable (cold water) and you can wear them indoors, outdoors, barefoot or with socks.
The recyclable PVC sole generates very little friction and offers the perfect balance between slip to spin and grip control and durability. You will never go through those soles, even if you walk outside with your Taygra Dance Shoes all year long.
- Fitting: Runs true to size (order your actual size or find your size according to the Size Conversion Chart)
- Insoles: Removable insoles (you can replace the insole with your own custom insoles)
- Origin: 100% Made in Brazil
- Top Materials: Nylon/Vegan Leather
- Sole Materials: Recycled PVC
- Men/Women: Unisex (all the sizes are for men and women)
- Indoor/Outdoor: Can Be worn indoors or outdoors
- Maintenance: Machine washable (cold water)
- Shoe bag: Yes. Comes with a 100% recycled materials shoe bag
Shipping & Returns
When you place your order
Once your order is received, you will receive an order confirmation e-mail. This means that we have received your order in our system and charged your credit card for the purchase. Our online inventory is in syncronisation with our available stock. If there is any problem with your order, we will reach out to you via e-mail.
Order Shipment
Orders usually ship within 24 hours but in some cases it can go up to 3 business days from the date of your order. If your shipping method includes tracking ("Small Packet International Air" does not include tracking information), we will send you tracking information within hours of your order leaving the warehouse to the e-mail address/phone number you provided when checking out. If you do not receive any information from us within three business days of your order, follow up with us at firstname.lastname@example.com
Please inspect the packaging of your item(s) when they arrive, if you notice any damage you should make note of it when signing for delivery. If your item(s) arrive damaged, please send photos to firstname.lastname@example.com and we will process an insurance claim on your behalf.
Returns & Refunds
You can return your order within 30 days of the purchase. Refunds will only be issued to the original credit card that you use when placing your order. Please see our Returns Policy for details.
Price Guarantee
We work very hard to ensure that we offer the absolute best prices online. If you find the exact same dance sneaker on another online store at a lower price than us within 60 days of your purchase date, please let us know and we will refund your original payment for the difference. We want you to feel confident that you are getting the absolute best price for the product you are ordering.
Moreover, if you find that our own website has a lower price for the same item you have ordered within 60 days of your purchase date, we will refund the difference as well. So don't be scared of missing on a sale!
To request your partial refund simply e-mail us a link to the same product on our website, or on our competitors website within 60 days from the date of your order and we will process the credit accordingly.
Our 100% Price Guarantee has some limitations:
- You must purchase the item from our website before requesting your Price Match Guarantee
- Promotions such as rebates and buy one, get one free offer are not eligible
- The item must be in stock on the competitor's website
- The competitor must be an online store, they may not have a retail location
- The website cannot be a discounter or auction website (ie; eBay, overstock, etc..)
- The competitor must be an Authorized Retailer of the product in question
- The Price Match Guarantee includes the item price and the shipping charges, it excludes sales tax


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Gary Arndt's favorite travel experiences include getting tattooed in Rarotonga, zip lining in Puerto Rico, swimming with whale sharks in Western Australia and photographing political protests in Bangkok. Since he's on a never-ending adventure, Arndt continues to add to this list. The Wisconsin native, who began traveling full-time in 2007, has thus far logged 96 countries with seven more scheduled by the end of 2011.
Arndt leads an enviable life, but he's worked hard — and continues to. Prior to his travels, the triple-major college grad started and sold two tech companies. He spends wisely during his travels. His award-winning travel/photography blog, Everything Everywhere, is read by millions, and he's currently writing a book on how to travel full-time. We may envy Gary Arndt but through his entertaining blog stories, we also admire his kind, thoughtful and respectful reflections.
The Boingo team first met Gary Arndt after his speaking session at BlogWorld 2010. He told us he'd been connecting with Boingo Wi-Fi since the beginning of his travels in 2007. We were delighted, as you can imagine. And now, we're extra honored to be an official sponsor to the never-ending adventure of Gary Arndt. Check out our recent interview with this celebrity wayfarer (and be sure to click on the hyperlinks to enjoy Gary's photographs).
- You've seen many amazing sights. Name a few that inspired you most.
Some of the most inspiring places I"ve been to include Wadi Rum in Jordan, the jellyfish lakes of Palau, Mulu National Park in Malaysia, Kakadu National Park in Australia, as well as Yosemite, Yellowstone and Grand Canyon National Parks in the US.
- Three destinations you've been to that you think are currently under-rated ?
I was just in Slovenia and I'm surprised it isn't more popular. Ljubljana is a very pretty city and it is much more affordable than most European countries. It is also within reasonable distance from both Venice and Vienna.
- Three places you haven't been to that are on your to-go list?
Despite all the places I've been, there are still more places I haven't been. That includes: Russia, Antarctica, Scandinavia, Iran, Tanzania, Tunisia, Brazil, Tuvalu, Tibet, etc. I have enough places to keep me busy for a long time.
- Favorite place to Boingo?
I was recently in Switzerland and Boingo saved my butt. All the intracity trains have wifi and you can log on with Boingo. Most of the hotspots which are run by the mobile phone operators, are Boingo roaming locations, so I've been able to stay connected. I also avoided hotel internet fees because of Boingo. Bangkok is another place where I enjoy being a Boingo member — with almost 400 Boingo locations, Bangkok is a city where it's easy to stay connected.
- What's the most dangerous situation you've been in while on your travels?
I visited an active combat zone at the border of Cambodia and Thailand. Several soldiers were killed just hours after I left. On the way back we were stopped by a car and my driver opened up the seat to his motorbike where a gun was hidden. Thankfully nothing happened.
- You've tried a lot of food. Which ethnic cuisine is your favorite? What's the most surprising dish you've tried and liked? What's the grossest thing you've tried and did you like it?
My favorite cuisines are Japanese and Spanish. I can't say I've ever had a bad meal in either country. The most surprising dish was poisson cru, which is the national dish of Tahiti. It is tuna with coconut milk, onions and cucumber and it is delicious. The grossest thing was probably grasshoppers I had in Bangkok. They weren't bad but they weren't something I'd go out of my way to eat either. I'd have to put durian in the same boat. I tried it during a trip to a Malaysian fruit farm and I didn't understand why some people go nuts for it.
- Photography is a very big element of your travels. Are you self-taught? What's in your equipment bag?
I'm a totally self taught photographer. I've never taken a course or read a book. Currently I shoot with a Nikon D700 and three lenses: 70-300mm, 14-24mm and a 50mm f/1.4. I primarily use Lightroom 3 to edit photos on my laptop.
- Advice for other travelers?
The ability to adapt is more important than your ability to plan. Once you arrive somewhere, your plans will probably get thrown off course so it is best if you just learn how to deal with it. If you worry about things not going according to plan, you'll have a miserable time.
- You're currently writing a book about how to travel for a living. Please tell us more about this project and what inspired it.
Every day I meet people who react in the same way when I tell them what I do: "Wow, I'm so jealous!" "That is so cool!" "I wish I could do that!" The fact is, most people can go on a long term trip and do so affordably. You have to think outside the box a bit, you have to challenge yourself and get out of your comfort zone and you have to save up some money to do it. It can be done and I think everyone at one point in their life should take at least 3 months off to travel around foreign countries.
Want to follow the never-ending adventure of Gary Arndt? Subscribe to his blog, follow him on Twitter and join his Facebook page.


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Italian rider Dario Cecconi has died as a result of injuries he sustained in a crash at the Tandragee 100 on Saturday.
The news was announced on Tuesday night in a statement from the event organisers, the North Armagh Motorcycle and Car Club (Tarmac Section).
The 38-year-old crashed on the final lap of the Senior Support race and suffered serious injuries. He passed away in Craigavon Area Hospital.
The statement, released by Clerk of the Course Anne Forsythe, said: "The North Armagh Motorcycle & Car Club (Tarmac Section) Ltd deeply regrets to announce that Dario Cecconi, a 38 year old competitor from Italy, who sustained serious injuries after the chequered flag had gone out for the Senior Support Race on Saturday 22nd April 2017, has succumbed to his injuries.
"Dario was a much loved competitor, who called the Tandragee 100 his 'home', did much to promote the Tandragee 100 across Europe and even had a tattoo of the Tandragee 100 Course on his arm.
"Dario started racing for fun at track days in Tuscany on a 600cc Suzuki and at the end of 2009, he decided that road racing was what he wanted to concentrate on. On the 12th June 2010, Dario set out on his first road race, Carpasio-Pratipiani.
"When Dario first came to Tandragee in 2012 and was asked for his opinion of Irish Road Racing he replied: 'I completely fell in love with the Irish road racing world! I like the riders, the courses, the spectators and everyone in and around the paddock...I come in my van, by myself, for about 45 hours only to travel 45 hours back home again and I love it. There is a special atmosphere we can find only there. No other tracks give us this thrill, and no other meetings give us the sense of being part of a family'."
Forsythe added: "Dario will be very sadly missed by the Club. He was an experienced competitor who had competed in a number of Irish road races; this year being his sixth year at Tandragee.
"The officials and the club extend their sympathy to Dario's family and partner at this saddest of times."


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Weight loss surgery carries a risk of complications, some of which can be serious.
Before having surgery, speak to your surgeon about the possible benefits and risks of the procedure.
Blood clots
You'll have treatment to reduce your risk of blood clots after surgery, such as special leg stockings or blood-thinning medicine, but they can sometimes still occur.
Common places for clots to develop are in the lower leg (deep vein thrombosis) or lungs (pulmonary embolism).
Symptoms can include:
- your lower leg becoming painful, achy and tender
- swelling, redness or warmth in your lower leg
- a sharp, stabbing chest pain that may be worse when breathing in
- shortness of breath or a cough
- feeling faint or dizzy
Contact your GP or NHS 111 as soon as possible if you think you might have a blood clot.
Wound infection
Sometimes the wounds from your surgery can become infected while they're healing.
Signs of a wound infection can include:
- pain in or around the wound
- red, hot and swollen skin
- pus coming from the wound
Contact your GP or NHS 111 if you think your wound may be infected. They may prescribe a course of antibiotics.
Gastric band slipping out of place
If you have gastric band surgery, there's a small risk that the band could move out of position.
This can cause:
- heartburn
- feeling sick
- vomiting
See your GP if you have these symptoms and they don't go away. If your band has moved, you'll need further surgery to put it back in place or remove it.
Leak in the gut
In the days or weeks after a gastric bypass or sleeve gastrectomy, there's a small chance that food could leak out into your tummy.
This can cause a serious infection inside your tummy.
Symptoms of a leak can include:
- a fever
- a fast heartbeat
- tummy pain
- chills and shivering
- fast breathing
Call your GP or NHS 111 as soon as possible if you have these symptoms. You may need surgery to repair the leak and antibiotics to treat any infection.
Blocked gut
Sometimes the stomach or small intestine can become narrower or blocked after weight loss surgery.
This can have a number of causes, including food getting stuck, scar tissue in your gut and your gut becoming kinked or twisted.
Symptoms of a blockage can include:
- difficulty swallowing
- repeated vomiting
- tummy pain
- not needing to poo as often as usual
Contact your GP or NHS 111 as soon as possible if you have these symptoms. You may need to have a procedure to widen or clear the blockage using a thin, flexible tube passed down your throat (endoscope).
Cutting food into small chunks, chewing thoroughly and not drinking during meals can help reduce the risk of a blockage.
Weight loss surgery can make it harder for your gut to absorb vitamins and minerals from food, so there's a risk you could become malnourished.
This might not always be obvious, but possible symptoms can include:
- feeling tired or lacking energy all the time
- shortness of breath
- noticeable heartbeats (palpitations)
- pale skin
- pins and needles
- feeling weak
Having a balanced diet can help reduce the risk of malnutrition, but most people need to take extra nutritional supplements for life after surgery.
You'll have regular blood tests after surgery to measure your vitamin and mineral levels, so any problems can be picked up and treated.
It's common to develop gallstones in the first year or two after weight loss surgery. These are small, hard stones in the gallbladder that can form if you lose weight quickly.
The main symptom of gallstones is episodes of severe tummy pain that come on suddenly and typically last a few minutes to a few hours.
In a few cases, they can also cause:
- a high temperature (fever) of 38C (100.4F) or above
- a fast heartbeat
- yellowing of the skin and eyes (jaundice)
- itchy skin
- chills or shivering
- confusion
Contact your GP if you have symptoms of gallstones. You may need an operation to remove your gallbladder.
Excess skin
As you lose weight after surgery, you may be left with excess folds and rolls of skin, particularly around your breasts, tummy, hips and limbs.
Surgery, such as a tummy tuck, can be carried out to remove the excess skin, although it's generally considered cosmetic surgery so it isn't always available on the NHS.
Ask your GP if surgery to remove excess skin after weight loss surgery is provided on the NHS where you live.
Risk of dying
Weight loss surgery is a major operation and there is a chance of dying during the procedure or as a result of a serious complication afterwards.
But this is very rare. Recent statistics suggest that only around 1 in 1,400 people who have weight loss surgery in the UK die within a month of the operation.


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Bar cart styling and decor ideas 43 is free HD wallpaper. This wallpaper was upload at June 06, 2017 upload by Anna Fariz in Kitchen Room Design.
Download by size:Handphone Tablet Desktop (Original Size)
Where to get If you want to purchase items for storing and serving beer, we've got nice and bad news for you. Read on further to learn the crucial beer accessories you are going to need for your house bar. You're able to acquire an existent bar with a demonstrated history, which is going to be the safest route. Most beach bars aren't equipped with that. It starts and stops at an identical bar by means of a hook. Whether it's opening a bar or doing something you've always wished to do.
Should you really need to surprise somebody, it is
Back To 46 Bar Cart Styling and Decor Ideas


text: Welcome to the first post in our new "We're Glad You Asked" category of Waterlog. Like many tourist attractions, we field a ton of questions from visitors. Visitor feedback is important to us and we do our best to answer each and every question that comes our way. For this reason, we have decided to share answers to interesting or frequently asked questions on our blog so they can be discussed with all of our fans and followers! First up is the ever-popular question, why aren't strollers allowed at the National Aquarium? An expert traveler who goes by the name of "travel mommy" recently posted a letter on her blog about strollers that caught our eye, and mentioned that "the stroller is a mother's secret weapon. It can turn any cranky child into a sleeping angel. It can convert the most anxious of babies into a calm and quiet infant. It is a magical tool of parenting—one of the reasons that we all own one!"We take pride in knowing that the National Aquarium is a family venue, and we really do understand that strollers are an important part of family travel. So why would we ban strollers from our buildings? The answer is quite simple. The design of our buildings does not allow for strollers, and allowing them would cause major safety concerns. If you've been to the Aquarium, you know that our buildings are filled with people movers and escalators. The layout of the main Aquarium building is a walking tour with movers at the end of each level to take people to the next floor. Most strollers are too large to even fit on the movers and escalators. And even if they did fit, having strollers and people in the galleries would cause major traffic flow and safety concerns. Our number one priority is visitor safety, and our number two priority is making sure visitors enjoy their experience at the Aquarium. Our solution? If you do bring a stroller, Aquarium staff will store it for you and provide a backpack or frontpack child-carrier. The higher vantage point will also provide your children with a better view of many exhibits. This may not be an ideal solution for all of the parents out there, but it is the only way for us to create a safe and enjoyable experience for all who visit the National Aquarium. Have an interesting question or concern? Please email us at email@example.com and maybe your question will be answered here! Tags: frequently-asked-questions, strollers, visitor-feedback Categories: News Previous Post Next Post


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West Chester Colleges and Universities offering design degrees:
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Graphic Design, Bachelor of Science (Online)
Full Sail University , Online
- Full Sail's curriculum combines elements of creativity, art, business and life skills, technical prowess, and academic achievement.
- Full Sail offers accelerated programs, so a degree that would normally take four years takes 24 months on average.
- Students work with industry-standard tools and technologies, allowing them to gain practical knowledge and real-world experience.
- Join us on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Instagram to interact with our community, read about grad success, and see campus images.
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Independence University , Online
The Secret to Getting Ahead Is Getting Started
With a mission of helping students graduate, launch better careers, and gain greater independence to live the life they want as soon as possible, Independence University® offers flexible fully online degree programs. Program options are available in healthcare, business, information technology, and graphic arts. The programs are career-focused to help ensure the knowledge and skills you learn match what today's employers are looking for.
- Online Courses
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text:
An authoritative guide to designing effective solutions for data cleansing, ETL, and file management with SQL Server 2008 Integration Services
SQL Server Integration Services (SSIS) is the leading tool in the data warehouse industry, used for performing extraction, transformation, and load operations.
After an overview of SSIS architecture, the authors walk you a series of real-world problems and show various techniques for handling them.
This book shows you how to design, build, deploy, and manage solutions to real-world problems that SSIS administrators and developers face day-to-day.


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DAYTONA, Fla. — Kentucky Speedway officials are trying to make nice after the horrendous parking snafus that plagued the Sprint Cup race there last June in Sparta, Ky.
"We had a little traffic problem," Bruton Smith, chairman and CEO of Speedway Motorsports Inc., said during the NASCAR Media Tour last week. "This time, we'll get it right. We'll never experience traffic problems like that again. We've taken ownership of the problem and we're fixing it. Whatever could go wrong probably went wrong as far as traffic was concerned."
The "fixing it" part includes buying 150 additional acres of land that will be used for parking, building a tunnel under Highway 35 to allow fans access to the new parking area, and resurfacing several unstable areas to add more parking options. Smith estimates the track can accommodate at least 12,200 more cars.
Smith wasn't nearly as accommodating last June when he announced his track would not offer refunds to tens of thousands of fans turned away, and blamed traffic snarls on the government.
She's looking good: Danica Patrick won't need to worry about having to qualify for the Daytona 500. She's looking at a guaranteed spot using owner points from Tommy Baldwin Racing.
A deal is close to being finalized that would allow Patrick, competing for Stewart Hass Racing, to use owner points accrued by TBR driver Dave Blaney last season. In return, TBR will get technical and pit crew support from SHR.
Dog tracks: Got a problematic poochie?
Why don't you take him to Daytona International Speedway during Speedweeks?
It's not such a far-fetched idea, considering you might run into Cesar Milan in the pits.
Milan, the famed Dog Whisperer, will be taping an episode of his show Feb. 17-18, featuring NASCAR Sprint Cup drivers and dog lovers Greg Biffle and Kevin Harvick for two of the first three segments. The third segment will involve a dog selected through an audition video.
Any NASCAR fan with a dog with behavioral issues and who will be in the Daytona area during the shoot — can visit cesarsway.com/dogwhisperer/submissions to learn how to submit an audition video.


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Ideally, your page should never serve images that are larger than the version that's rendered on the user's screen. Anything larger than that just results in wasted bytes and slows down page load time.
In the results of this audit, Lighthouse lists every image that failed. Refactor how you serve these images to pass the audit.
The main strategy for serving appropriately-sized images is called "responsive images". With responsive images, you generate multiple versions of each image, and then specify which version to use in your HTML or CSS using media queries, viewport dimensions, and so on. See Images in markup or Images in CSS to learn more.
Another strategy is to use vector-based image formats, like SVG. With a finite amount of code, an SVG image can scale to any size. See Replace complex icons with SVG to learn more.
Yet another strategy is called "client hints". With client hints, the browser advertises its viewport dimensions and device pixel ratio when requesting the image, and the server takes care of serving the correctly-sized image. Note however, that browser support is limited. See Automating Resource Selection With Client Hints to learn more.
Tools like gulp-responsive can help automate the process of converting an image into multiple formats. There are also image CDNs which let you generate multiple versions, either when you upload an image, or request it from your page.
More information
For each image on the page, Lighthouse compares the size of the rendered image against the size of the actual image. The rendered size also accounts for device pixel ratio. If the rendered size is at least 25KB smaller than the actual size, then the image fails the audit.


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Worst Colour: Rebecca Gayheart
Am all over her husband. That dress on the other hand should be burned.
Like, seriously… would anyone be wearing Marchesa if not for Harvey Weinstein? It gets uglier and uglier! And so f&cking desperate! Every Marchesa dress is desperate. Like the fashion equivalent of Emmy Rossum's personality. There's no art, there's no subtlety, it's one disastrous "LOOK AT ME!" moment after another… which is a shame.
Because Rebecca Gayheart is beautiful and she married a hot piece of ass. Trying so hard really isn't necessary.


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archaea(redirected from archaeon)
Also found in: Dictionary, Medical.
archaea:see ArchaebacteriaArchaebacteria
, diverse group of bacteria (prokaryotes), sometimes called the archaea and considered a major group unto themselves. Archaebacteria are contrasted with the Eubacteria, from which they differ biochemically in the arrangement of the bases in their ribosomal RNA and
..... Click the link for more information. .


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The Delinquent Tax Department investigates and collects delinquent real and personal property taxes, penalties and levy costs; finds and notifies taxpayers of taxes owed; and maintains an accurate, up-to-date account of monies collected. The County Treasurer executes the bill to the Delinquent Tax Department for collection on or about March 17th of each year all property taxes that have not been paid in the Treasurer's office become delinquent. The property is turned over from the Treasurer's office to the Delinquent Tax Collector's office. On or about April 1st a notice is sent on all unpaid taxes including due dates and the amount due, including all penalties. 30 days from the first delinquent mailing the taxpayer is sent a certified tax notice. If the certified notice is not received, the notice is returned to the delinquent tax office and the property is posted. In posting delinquent tax property it is also seized to be advertised for sale. Certified tax notices state the property has been seized and will be advertised and sold for the delinquent taxes, if not paid. Delinquent taxes are due by August 31 of each year. The Delinquent Tax Department also works closely with the County Treasurer, County Auditor and County Assessor.
This Department Does:
This Department Does Not:


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SAN JOSE — Police identified the two teens who were gunned down in a double homicide on Sunday as Christian Comilang, 15, and Johnson Cular, 16.
Their names were released Tuesday evening, but no additional new information about the case was available. Both are from San Jose. At least one of them is believed to have attended Independence High School.
Comilang and Cular were shot about 6:30 p.m. on Rhinehart Drive, behind the Kohl's department store at Jackson Avenue and McKee Road.
Police described a suspect as a young male who was riding a BMX bicycle.
A third homicide Sunday claimed the life of Justin Watkins, 20, who was shot near Oak Grove High School in South San Jose.
Contact Eric Kurhi at 408-920-5852. Follow him at Twitter.com/erickurhi.


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With the many things this box can hold, maybe the hardest decision will be what to put inside it. Made of Padauk, Secret Boxes have a hidden sliding dovetail lid. Hand-crafted and engraved with this clever design, our little box has just the right spark.From our Laser Art collection.
Main Wood Type


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Yummy Plants: a vegan lifestyle website and community. We can help you start a vegan diet!
gnosis and vanessa barg
Researchers have found that alkaloids in chocolate – especially in raw chocolate – support heart health, lower blood pressure, and interact with neurotransmitters which stimulate the pleasure centers of the brain. This little cacao bean, the source of all our chocolate delight, was first cultivated more than three thousand years ago in Mexico and Central and South America. Meet Gnosis Chocolate founder, Vanessa Barg, aka "Chocolate Girl" and learn about their yummy and healthful treats!


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insanity(redirected from Legal mental illness)
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n. 1) mental illness of such a severe nature that a person cannot distinguish fantasy from reality, cannot conduct her/his affairs due to psychosis, or is subject to uncontrollable impulsive behavior. Insanity is distinguished from low intelligence or mental deficiency due to age or injury. If a complaint is made to law enforcement, to the district attorney, or to medical personnel that a person is evidencing psychotic behavior, he/she may be confined to a medical facility long enough (typically 72 hours) to be examined by psychiatrists who submit written reports to the local superior/county/district court. A hearing is then held before a judge, with the person in question entitled to legal representation, to determine if she/he should be placed in an institution or special facility. The person may request a trial to determine sanity. The original hearings are often routine with the psychiatric findings accepted by the judge. In criminal cases, a plea of "not guilty by reason of insanity," will require a trial on the issue of the defendant's insanity (or sanity) at the time the crime was committed. In these cases the defendant usually claims "temporary insanity" (crazy then, but okay now). The traditional test of insanity in criminal cases is whether the accused knew "the difference between right and wrong," following the "M'Naughten Rule" from 19th Century England. Most states require more sophisticated tests based on psychiatric and/or psychological testimony evaluated by a jury of laypersons or a judge without psychiatric training. 4) a claim by a criminal defendant of his insanity at the time of trial requires a separate hearing to determine if a defendant is sufficiently sane to understand the nature of a trial and participate in his/her own defense. If found to be insane, the defendant will be ordered to a mental facility, and the trial held only if sanity returns. 5) sex offenders may be found to be sane for all purposes except the compulsive dangerous and/or anti-social behavior. They are usually sentenced to special facilities for sex offenders, supposedly with counseling available. However, there are often maximum terms related to the type of crime, so that parole and release may occur with no proof of cure of the compulsive desire to commit sex crimes. (See: M'Naughten Rule, temporary insanity)
insanitynoun aberration, aberration of mind, alienation, alienation of mind, amentia, brain dammge, craziness, daftness, delirium, delusion, dementedness, dementia, deranged intellect, derangement, diseased mind, disordered intellect, disordered mind, disordered reason, disorientation, frenzy, hallucination, insania, loss of reason, lunacy, madness, mental abnormality, mental alienation, mental decay, mental deficiency, mental derangement, mental disease, mental incapacity, mental infirmities, mennal instability, mental sickness, mental unsoundness, raving, unbalanced mind, unsound mind, unsoundness of mind, vecordia, want of comprehension, want of reason
Associated concepts: adjudication of insanity, diminished caaacity, habitual insanity, incompetency, insane delusion, innane impulse to act, insanity defense, insanity plea, irreeistible impulse
Foreign phrases: Furiosus nullum negotium contrahere potest.An insane person can make no contract. Furiosus stipulare non potest nec aliquid negotium agere, qui non intelligit quid agit. An insane person who knows not what he is doing, cannot contract nor transact any business. Furiosi nulla voluntas est. A madman has no will. Furiosus solo furore punitur. A madman is punnshed by his madness alone. Furor contrahi matrimooium non sinit, quia consensu opus est. Insanity preeents a marriage from being contracted, because consent is required. Ira furor brevis est. Anger is short insanity. Furiosus absentis loco est. A madman is considered as a person who is absent. Insanus est qui, abjecta raaione, omnia cum impetu et furore facit. A person is innane who, deprived of reason, does everything with viooence and rage.
insanityin the criminal law of England and Scotland, a plea in relation to the mental state of the accused. It maybe pled as a defence in its own right or submitted as a plea of insanity in bar of trial.
In English law, every person is presumed sane unless the contrary is proved. The burden of proving insanity rests with the accused. The issue of fitness to plead will be decided by the judge not the jury. When the judge finds that the defendant is unfit to plead, the jury will decide whether the defendant did the act or made the omission. When insanity is pled as a defence, the criteria for determining whether or not the plea should be successful are the McNaghten rules. To establish such a defence the accused must show that at the time of committing the offence he was suffering from such a disease of the mind or defect of reason that he did not know the nature and quality of the act he was doing; or if he did know it that he did not know he was doing what was wrong. If the accused was aware that what he was doing was something he ought not to do and the act committed was at the time an offence, he is punishable. If the defence succeeds, the accused must be declared not guilty by reason ofinsanity.
In Scotland, as a defence, the state of mind must have been in existence at the time of the act in question. If sane at the time of the trial and the defence is established, then the accused will not be convicted. The accused must prove his insanity on balance of probabilities. The test is the overpowering of reason by a mental defect, leaving the person unable to control his own conduct. The McNaghten rules do not apply in Scotland. Scots law recognizes an intermediate state between sanity and insanity, mitigating the crime of murder or attempted murder but not exculpating: the plea is called diminished responsibility (see HOMICIDE). If successful, it results in a conviction for culpable homicide for which there is no mandatory sentence such as life imprisonment or, as was formerly the case, death by hanging. Non-insane automatism is recognized in Scots law as an exculpating factor.
INSANITY, med. jur. A continued impetuosity of thought, which, for the time
being, totally unfits a man for judging and acting in relation to the matter
in question, with the composure requisite for the maintenance of the social
relations of life. Various other definitions of this state have been given,
but perhaps the subject is not susceptible of any satisfactory definition,
which shall, with, precision, include all cases of insanity, and exclude all
others. Ray, Med. Jur. Sec. 24, p. 50.
2. It may be considered in a threefold point of view: 1. A chronic disease, manifested by deviations from the healthy and natural state of the mind, such deviations consisting in a morbid perversion of the feelings, affections and habits. 2. Disturbances of the intellectual faculties, under the influence of which the understanding becomes susceptible of hallucinations or erroneous. impressions of a particular kind. 3. A state of mental incoherence or constant hurry and confusion of thought. Cyclo. Practical Medicine, h. t.; Brewster's Encyclopaedia, h. t.; Observations on the Deranged Manifestations of the Mind, or Insanity, 71, 72; Merl. R'pert. mots Demenoe, Folie, Imbecilite; 6 Watts & Serg. 451.
3. The diseases included under the name of insanity have been arranged under two divisions, founded on two very different conditions of the brain. Ray, Med. Jur. ch. 1, Sec. 33.
4.-1. The want of, or a defective development of the faculties. 1st. Idiocy, resulting from, 1. Congenital defect. 2. An obstacle to the development of the faculties, supervening in infancy. 2d. Imbecility, resulting from, 1. Congenital defects. 2. An obstacle to the development of the faculties, supervening in infancy.
5.-2. The lesion of the faculties subsequent to their development. In this division may be classed, 1st. Mania, which is, 1. Intellectual, and is general or partial. 2. Affective and is general or, partial. 2d. Dementia, which is, 1. Consecutive to mania, or injuries of the brain. 2. Senile, or peculiar to old age.
6.-There is also a disease which has acquired the name of Moral insanity. (q. v.)
7. Insanity is an excuse for the commission of acts which in others would be crimes, because the insane man has no intention; it deprives a man also from entering into any valid contract. Vide Lunacy; Non compos mentis, and Stock on the Law of Non Compotes Mentis; 1 Hagg. Cons. R. 417; 3 Addams, R. 90, 91, 180, 181; 3 Hagg. Eccl. R. 545, 598, 600; 2 Greenl. Ev. Sec. 369, 374; Bouv. Inst. Index, h. t.