Entertainment
Experiencing the UFO Experience
There’s a new venue that just debuted at the Arizona Boardwalk, “The UFO Experience: The Truth is Out There.”
Last Updated on May 27, 2024 by Daily News Staff
Rebecca and I recently paid a visit to a new exhibit in the valley… 
Scottsdale, Arizona – Tuesday, December 13, 2022/ There’s a new venue that just debuted at the Arizona Boardwalk, “The UFO Experience: The Truth is Out There.” The museum is family-friendly with an immersive and interactive multi-room exhibit that focuses on the phenomenon historically and a peak inside how it has impacted pop-culture.
The UFO Experience replaces “The Science of Ripley’s Believe It or Not!” after its closing back in September of this year.
Rebecca and I found that the museum was fun, entertaining, educational, and yes, it was immersive, it also has a “Walk on the Moon,” bouncy house for the kids. “And Rebecca was informed that the bouncy house was for the kids…”
The self guided tour from the start was full of interactive displays, including a headphone station where you can listen to actual 911 calls from citizens and radio conversations between pilots and air traffic control regarding UFO sightings.
The exhibit covers the UFO topic from Ancient aliens, to modern sightings, abductions and has a historical timeline of the topic of aliens in cinema. There’s also a ton of UFO history in the gallery items and a few familiar aliens you’ll encounter during the tour.
The UFO Experience is for the believer, interested but not yet committed, and the skeptic alike. They give you a score sheet and tokens before entering to gauge if the exhibit had change your opinions either way, which you’ll express by the end of the tour.
The museum is the eighth attraction at the boardwalk joining Odysea Aquarium, Land of the Dinosaurs, and Butterfly Wonderland.
It’s hours of operations: 10am – 6pm everyday.
Located at Arizona Boardwalk
9500 E. Via de Ventura, Suite E250
Scottsdale, AZ 85256
Parking is free…
Links:
What Are UFOs?
An unidentified flying object (UFO), or unidentified anomalous phenomenon[^1] (UAP), is any perceived airborne, submerged, or transmedium phenomenon that cannot be immediately identified or explained.[^2] Upon investigation, most UAPs are identified as known objects or atmospheric phenomena, while a small number remain unexplained.
While unusual sightings have been reported in the sky throughout history, UFOs became culturally prominent after World War II, escalating during the Space Age. Studies and investigations into UFO reports conducted by governments (such as Project Blue Book in the United States and Project Condign in the United Kingdom), as well as by organisations and individuals, have occurred over the years without confirmation of the fantastical claims of believers. The U.S. government currently has two entities dedicated to UAP (or UFO) data collection and analysis: NASA’s UAP independent study team and the All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office.
Scientists and skeptic organizations such as the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry have provided prosaic explanations for UFOs. They assert that these phenomena are mostly caused by natural occurrences such as atmospheric anomalies, human technological activities, delusions, and even hoaxes. Despite these rational explanations, a small but vocal community of ufologists supports unconventional or pseudoscientific theories. These groups often claim that UFOs are evidence of extraterrestrial intelligence, technologically advanced cryptids, interdimensional contact, or future time travelers. However, even after decades of promoting such ideas by believers and through popular media, the kind of evidence required to solidly support such claims has not been forthcoming.
Beliefs surrounding UFOs have seeped into various aspects of culture and inspired parts of new religions. Social scientists have identified the ongoing interest and storytelling surrounding UFOs as a modern example of folklore and mythology, which can be understood through psychosocial explanations. There is a persistent recognition that the fascination with UFO phenomena serves as a lens through which societies express underlying anxieties and aspirations. This modern mythology continues to evolve, creating a complex tapestry of belief, skepticism, and cultural narrative that reflects broader human experiences and societal dynamics. (Wikipedia)
[^1]: Unidentified Flying Object
[^2]: Unidentified Anomalous Phenomenon
For more information and articles about UFOs and the unknown, then visit our Unknown Science section.
To access additional details and articles pertaining to unidentified flying objects (UFOs) and unexplored phenomena, please explore the Unknown Science category on our website.
https://stmdailynews.com/category/science/unknown
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Last Updated on December 17, 2025 by Rod Washington
Harkins Theatres Announces Rob Reiner Tribute Screening of The American President
Harkins Theatres has announced a special one-day tribute screening honoring acclaimed filmmaker Rob Reiner, celebrating his life’s work and cinematic legacy.
On December 17, select Harkins locations will screen Reiner’s 1995 political romance The American President, with all proceeds benefiting the Human Rights Campaign. Tickets are priced at $5, making the event both an accessible film experience and a charitable fundraiser.
The tribute was announced via Harkins’ official, verified social media accounts and is positioned as a legacy celebration, not a memorial.
🎥 Why The American President?
Released in 1995 and written by Aaron Sorkin, The American President stars Michael Douglas and Annette Bening and remains one of Rob Reiner’s most politically resonant films. The movie blends romance, idealism, and civic responsibility — themes that have consistently appeared throughout Reiner’s career.
The film later served as a creative blueprint for The West Wing, cementing its place in modern political storytelling.
📌 Event Details at a Glance
Event: Rob Reiner Tribute Screening
Film: The American President (1995)
Date: December 17
Price: $5
Where: Select Harkins Theatres
Beneficiary: Human Rights Campaign
Host: Harkins Theatres
🔗 Official Event Page:
https://www.harkins.com/movies/the-american-president-a-rob-reiner-tribute
🎞️ Rob Reiner’s Lasting Impact
Rob Reiner’s career spans more than five decades, including landmark films such as:
This Is Spinal Tap
Stand By Me
The Princess Bride
When Harry Met Sally…
Misery
A Few Good Men
His work is often praised for balancing entertainment, empathy, and social conscience, making tribute events like this especially meaningful to longtime audiences.
Hollywood vs. Reality: How LA’s Wilshire Subway Was Really Built
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actors & performers
Hollywood Legend Rob Reiner and Wife Found Dead; Son in Custody
Renowned filmmaker Rob Reiner and his wife, Michele Singer Reiner, were found dead in their Los Angeles home in a reported homicide. Police have arrested their son in connection with the case, and tributes are pouring in.
Last Updated on December 16, 2025 by Daily News Staff
Director Rob Reiner participates in a discussion following a screening of the film LBJ at the LBJ Presidential Library in Austin, Texas on Saturday October 22, 2016
On Saturday evening October 22, 2016, the LBJ Presidential Library held a sneak peek of Rob Reiner’s new filmÊLBJ, starring Woody Harrelson as the 36th president. The film, which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in September, chronicles the life and times of Lyndon Johnson who would inherit the presidency at one of the most fraught moments in American history.
Following the screening, director Rob Reiner, actor Woody Harrelson, and writer Joey Hartstone joined LBJ Library Director Mark Updegrove on stage for a conversation about the film.
LBJ Library photo by Jay Godwin
10/22/2016
Hollywood Legend Rob Reiner and Wife Found Dead; Son in Custody
December 15, 2025
Renowned filmmaker and actor Rob Reiner, 78, and his wife Michele Singer Reiner, 68, were found dead in their Brentwood, Los Angeles home on Sunday, authorities say. Emergency responders were called to the residence Sunday afternoon, where both were discovered with fatal wounds consistent with a stabbing. Police are treating the case as a double homicide.
Los Angeles police arrested the couple’s 32-year-old son, Nick Reiner, in connection with the deaths. He is being held in custody as investigators continue to piece together the circumstances surrounding the incident.
2016 SAMHSA Voice Awards
Reiner was one of Hollywood’s most influential figures, known for his work as a director, producer and actor. His career spanned decades, from early television fame to directing beloved films that shaped American cinema.
Friends, colleagues and public figures have begun sharing tributes and reactions to the news as the investigation is ongoing.
More details will be updated as they become available.
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Entertainment
Hollywood vs. Reality: How LA’s Wilshire Subway Was Really Built
Wilshire Subway: Did LA blast subway tunnels under Wilshire Boulevard? Hollywood says yes — engineers say no. Here’s how Metro safely tunneled beneath Miracle Mile.
When the 1997 disaster film Volcano depicted lava erupting along Wilshire Boulevard and referenced blasting during Red Line subway construction, it delivered gripping cinema — but not accurate engineering.
In reality, Los Angeles Metro did not rely on large-scale blasting to construct subway tunnels beneath Wilshire Boulevard and the Miracle Mile. Instead, engineers used tunnel boring machines (TBMs) specifically to avoid the very risks Hollywood dramatized.
Why Blasting Was Avoided
The Wilshire Corridor sits atop historic oil fields, making methane gas pockets a known and serious concern. A deadly methane explosion near Fairfax Avenue in 1985 led to heightened scrutiny of underground construction in the area. Blasting in such conditions could have caused unpredictable gas releases, ground instability, or damage to surface structures.
As a result, Metro engineers chose pressurized, closed-face tunnel boring machines, which allow for:
Controlled excavation in dense urban environments
Continuous ground support to prevent settlement
Integrated gas detection and ventilation systems
These machines grind slowly through soil and rock while installing precast concrete tunnel linings, creating a sealed, gas-resistant structure as they advance. 
The Real Engineering Feat
Although Volcano took creative liberties for dramatic effect, the true story of tunneling under Wilshire is no less impressive. Advances in TBM technology and methane mitigation ultimately allowed the Metro D Line (formerly the Red Line/Purple Line) to safely pass through one of Los Angeles’ most geologically complex corridors — without explosions, collapsing streets, or cinematic chaos.
Bottom Line
Volcano remains a memorable piece of 1990s disaster cinema, but its portrayal of subway construction is fiction. The real achievement lies in decades of careful planning, modern tunneling technology, and engineering solutions that quietly reshaped Los Angeles beneath its busiest boulevard.
Related Links:
- LA Metro – D Line (Purple Line) Extension Project
- Engineering News-Record: Tunneling Through Gas and Tar in LA
- Los Angeles Times Archive: Methane Risk and Subway Construction
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