On paper, J.J. Abrams’ 2009 “Star Trek” is one of those movies that should have crashed and burned. A reboot of a beloved franchise with younger, lesser-known actors stepping into the shoes of an iconic cast of characters. The fact that Abrams went on record stating that he was never a huge “Star Trek” fan didn’t bode well either. Against all odds, though, Abrams not only produced a great “Star Trek” picture, but quite possibly the best “Star Trek” ever made. That’s right, even better than “Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan.” 

The Southern Arizona Chapter of the American Chemical Society recently honored Pollyanna Wikrent, a PCC full-time chemistry faculty member, with its College Educator Excellence in Teaching Award.

(NAPSI)—Your four-footed friends could benefit from your taking four important steps to keep your pets in peak condition.

(BPT) - It’s got all the hallmarks of a great home improvement – adds value, enhances livability and beauty, and creates a perfect gathering spot for family and friends. So why wouldn’t you add a swimming pool to your outdoor living space?

"Oblivion” is another movie that seems better suited for a video game than a motion picture. Watching the characters engage in endless shoot outs and explore vast, abandoned terrains, all you want to do is get your hands on a controller. Since a movie is unequipped with game play, though, you’re forced to sit back and merely observe the story. Then again, most modern video games have more three-dimensional characters and smarter plots than “Oblivion.” This science fiction mystery from director Joseph Kosinski isn’t completely without some good ideas, elevating it above “Transformers” schlock. It’s just unfortunate those ideas never meld into anything that intriguing.

As the first round of the NBA playoffs are coming to an end, the picture of who will play in the finals is becoming remarkably clearer. With a few teams dominantly prevailing in the preliminary round, there is no doubt which teams are on a mission and which teams are just fighting to play another day.

Although it’s not much, “G.I. Joe: Retaliation” really deserves credit where credit’s due. Its 2009 predecessor was one of the dumbest action movies of the past 10 years. In this sequel, director Jon M. Chu of those “Step Up” movies makes an attempt to incorporate some humor, creative action sequences, and impressive visuals. That doesn’t mean “G.I. Joe: Retaliation” is a good movie, but at least it’s an improvement. The film could have gone down the route of the “Transformers” series, which only got worse with every entry.

A new chemical process can transform waste sulfur into a lightweight plastic that may improve batteries for electric cars, reports a University of Arizona-led team. The new plastic has other potential uses, including optical uses.

(NAPSI)—For decades, debate has raged over whether fibromyalgia is a real medical disease. Despite the fact that fibromyalgia affects more than 12.3 million people in the United States—comparable to the number of people affected by cancer—some clinicians believe fibromyalgia is nothing more than a “syndrome.” When patients complain of chronic pain, diffuse muscle and joint tenderness, depression, mental fog, digestive troubles, severe fatigue, insomnia and other unbearable symptoms, they’ve often been told the problem is “in their heads.”

(NAPSI)—Parents and teachers can do their youngsters a good turn by helping them learn to love science. Fortunately, it can be both easy and enjoyable to do. Here are a few hints on how:

Rhiannon Miller, the daughter of military veterans, was watching her mother happily play with one of her Borzois when she came upon an idea to train psychiatric service dogs for veterans living with post-traumatic stress disorder.

Arizona's seniors are not thinking about the Pac-12 Conference tournament and the move from Los Angeles to Las Vegas.

Google, Inc. has granted a University of Arizona chemistry professor $50,000 to develop a free online course to teach chemistry to potentially hundreds of thousands of students.

(BPT) - Maintain equipment used to detect enemy planes and ships. Control steam generators. Operate nuclear propulsion plant machinery. These are just a few of the tasks Sailors aboard Navy aircraft carriers and submarines fulfill in both peace and wartime roles around the world. These Sailors are responsible for operating, controlling and maintaining state-of-the-art nuclear components that power the fleet; the core of the Navy’s ability to operate forward and maintain readiness.

The Tucson Festival of Books has been and remains deeply invested in improving literacy and promoting the love of learning.

After achieving a $35 million opening weekend, the Seth Gordon-directed "Identity Thief" has staked its claim on the pockets and purses of the public. The new release falls into the sub-genres of buddy films and road comedies such as "Planes, Trains, and Automobiles," "Dumb and Dumber," and "Tommy Boy".

“A Good Day to Die Hard” marks the fifth entry to the “Die Hard” franchise and the third film to come out in the last two months about an ass kicking senior citizen. The original “Die Hard” is a definitive action picture that can still make audiences cheer even after multiple viewings. Whether you love or hate “Die Hard 2” and “Die Hard with a Vengeance,” pretty much everyone can agree that John McClane made a welcome return in the sensational “Live Free or Die Hard” a few years ago. The previous “Die Hard” got just about everything right from the absurdly insane stunts, to the humorous dialog, to Bruce Willis’ committed performance. “A Good Day to Die Hard” has just enough fun moments for die-hard fans to take a gander. Regrettably, it remains the least impressive outing of this series.

After “A Walk to Remember,” “The Notebook,” “The Last Song,” “The Lucky One,” and “Dear John,” Nicholas Sparks is obviously running a campaign to become president of sappiness. His novels have inspired a number of hokey adaptations chock-full of one-dimensional archetypes and scenes ripped off from other romances. This guy loves seeing people get caught in the rain more than Michael Bay marvels at the sight of explosions. The latest picture from the novelist turned producer, “Safe Haven,” is every bit as cheesy and mushy as one would expect. It’s about as original as a Lifetime movie designed to brazenly manipulate our emotions. Maybe I’m becoming easier to manipulate, but this melodramatic cornball kept me completely invested from beginning to end.

Paul Blowers, PhD, originally took on the profession of chemical engineer as a personal challenge. Growing up in his home town in northern Michigan, he saw others bested by the field – and that only drove him harder.

Six years of playing on the court together, Mt. View High School senior guards Melody McLaughlin and Lauren Reece’s chemistry on the court has helped them lead their team to a 11-4 record.

Intensity was lacking on Thursday night from the Mountain View Mountain Lions, as it all seemed to emit from Amphitheater High School in a 77-51 loss to the Panthers.

Simplistically cartoonish and even pulpier than “Pulp Fiction,” “Gangster Squad” won’t be remembered as one of the crime genre’s great cinematic outings. In all fairness though, the film isn’t trying to be the next “L.A. Confidential.”