On Sunday night, NASA's latest robotic science lab, Curiosity, is scheduled to land inside Gale Crater. The wheeled buggy will build on discoveries from the Phoenix Mars Lander, which was run by the UA Lunar and Planetary Lab.

The UA has a smaller role with Curiosity, but local space science junkies will gather at Sky Bar, 536 N. Fourth Ave., to watch the touchdown. You can learn all about the mission here.

TW contributor Eric Swedlund sends the following bulletin:

Join your fellow Mars enthusiasts at Sky Bar on Sunday, Aug. 5 to view the historic landing of NASA’s most advanced planetary rover.

Sky Bar will broadcast the live feed from NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory on the bar’s three new high-definition Vivitek projectors and huge 120-inch screens. The festivities begin at 8:30 p.m., with the spacecraft’s entry, descent and landing scheduled to begin at 10:31 p.m.

The Mars Science Laboratory will carry instruments to analyze soil samples, rocks and the planet’s atmosphere. The ultimate goal is a further exploration of whether conditions on Mars could ever have sustained life.

The $2.5 billion MSL follows the successful mission of the University of Arizona’s Mars Phoenix Lander, NASA’s first exploratory mission led by a public university. Groundbreaking data returned from the 2008 lander suggested that liquid water has interacted with the Martian surface throughout the Red Planet’s history and into modern times.

Next time you find yourself arguing over border politics in the lunchroom with that coworker who swears they saw a headless body near Gates Pass, turn to the Washington Office on Latin America's Border Fact Check.

WOLA's border project monitors border issues and the impact of security policies on undocumented immigrants. What that translates into is when someone like Sheriff Joe Arpaio flaps his lips about DREAMERS, the Border Fact Check counters with something you don't hear much — the truth.

Their latest post took a look at the allegations made in the PBS Need to Know report, Crossing the Line, on abuses undocumented immigrants experience from some U.S. Border Patrol agents:

Are migrants routinely abused by Customs and Border Protection agents?

“We do not tolerate abuse within our ranks, and we fully cooperate with any criminal or administrative investigations of alleged misconduct by any of our personnel, on or off duty.”

— CBP spokeswoman Jenny Burke

The Facts:

As is highlighted in PBS’ new Need to Know report “Crossing the Line”, allegations of abuses by Border Patrol agents are widespread, and those responsible are seldom investigated and sanctioned. Border groups, human rights organizations and regional and international human rights bodies have documented multiple human rights violations committed by Border Patrol agents against migrants during the detention and deportation process.

From fall 2008 to spring 2011 the Arizona-based organization No More Deaths interviewed almost 13,000 migrants who had been in Border Patrol custody, in the Arizona border towns of Naco, Nogales, and Agua Prieta. Their report, A Culture of Cruelty, documents an alarming pattern of abuses including denial of or insufficient water and food; failure to provide medical treatment; verbal, physical and psychological abuse; separation of family members and dangerous repatriation practices.

The video above is the new single from the B-Side Players, which begs the question, what exactly is a spliff and why is life like that? Maybe I'll leave that answer to our Medical Marijuana columnist Mr. Smith.

However, while philosophizing on the B-Side Players, you should also ready yourself for their show at the Rialto Theatre, 318 E. Congress St., on Tuesday, July 31, with Tucson's American Android and The Jons — all to benefit the Save Ethnic Studies Raza Defense Fund. Doors open at 7 p.m. Cost is $10 and you can get your tickets now online here.

Former Tucson Unified School District Mexican American Studies director Sean Arce and educator Jose Gonzales are battling it out with former teacher John Ward, who continues his lawsuit against the teachers. Right now, Gonzales and Arce's legal team are in the middle of depositions and transcription costs — the need for donations is critical. On the other side, Ward's lawsuit is being funded by donations raised by Attorney General Tom Horne — making the lawsuit an extension of his anti-Mexican American studies agenda.

The $10 admission goes to a good cause, but you are also in for a great show. The B-Side Players are an amazing mix of Ozomatli, sprinkled with a little Bob Marley.

In a 2006 interview with the San Diego Reader, saxophonist Russell Gonzales explained Chicano life in San Diego and it sounds like these guys have a good understanding of what life is like right now in Tucson and Arizona:

“San Diego is an odd place to grow up if you are Chicano,” says B-Side Players saxophonist Russell Gonzales. “In my personal opinion, Chicano culture in San Diego is considered a novelty. It has been designated simply to a park in National City and similar areas were you can’t deny the overwhelming presence of the people who live there. These are the barrios of San Diego. They were designed to keep a culture and a race of people segregated from the rest of America; glass menageries to keep novelties like Mexican culture in.”

“There are other cultures in similar situations here, to be sure, but Mexico is in our blood, so this is who we represent. We are the Brown Side Players, and we are taking the culture out of glass cases and displaying it to the rest of the world.”

“People compare us to Ozomatli all the time,” says singer Karlos Paez. “But they used to come to see us play back before they became a band themselves.”

In July 2007, the band performed at LAMC in NYC, while their song “Nuestras Demandas” was number one on the Alternative Latino Singles Chart on iTunes and their new album Fire in the Youth was number ten on the Alternative Latino Album Chart. A new video for “Nuestras Demandas” was inspired by a May 2007 immigration protest scuffle with police.

Their 2009 record Radio Afro Mexica won Best World Album at that year’s San Diego Music Awards. The band won Best World Music at the 2011 SDMAs.

If drinking delicious beer and learning about making mead sounds like your idea of a good time you might consider carving out a little time for an event next Saturday.

Local chef and mead-maker Jerry Morgan is teaming up with the guys down at Borderlands Brewing Co. for a demonstration on mead at 12:30 p.m., Saturday, Aug. 4. That, by the way, also happens to be the American Homebrewers Association's Mead Day.

Morgan is an interesting guy who has a lot of knowledge about crafting this ancient honey wine - more about that here - and the demonstration should be a good one. Sadly, the brewery isn't able to allow Morgan to dish out any mead samples due to liquor laws, but you will walk away with enough information and inspiration to go home and brew a batch of your own.

The brewery is located at 119 E. Toole Ave., and it opens at noon on Saturdays.

Slideshow

Tucson Botanical Garden

Click to View 12 slides

While living in Tucson for the past three years I would say I have not taken full advantage of what the city has to offer. I had heard about Tucson’s Botanical Garden from a friend and thought I would take a trip and explore it myself.

I would suggest going early in the morning and bringing a water bottle along the way because with summer temperatures it can get pretty hot.

As I make my way through the trail, I am surprised by the massive amounts of green I see. The garden has various aspects that are entertaining for the entire family, including the tropical green house, Children’s Discovery Garden, birdhouse garden with birdhouses made by local artists, sensory patios, zen garden and much more.

At the end of the trail I decided to head back into the gift shop where the Porter Hall Gallery is located. Local artist Valerie Galloway is featured in this months exhibit.

Some great events they have featured this summer you should check out:
Twilight Third Thursdays: every third Thursday during the summer they host an evening filled with art, music, food and drinks. The next third Thursday is August 16 from 5 to 8 p.m.. Public: $9 adults, $4 children, members $8, $3 children
Hot Fridays: enjoy the intensity of the hot summer at the botanical garden. July 27 and August 24 from 5 to 8 p.m. Admission is $8 for adults, with members getting in for free.

There's no doubt that the folks at Batucaxe know how to throw a party, so their Monsoon Mania Summer Dance Jam sounds like a sure thing as far as fun and entertainment go this Saturday night. Tickets are $10, but basically that money allows the group to do all the great stuff they do all year long, including teaching kids and such. What else do you have going on, right?

The press release:

JOIN US for our 4th Annual MONSOON MANIA PARTY and FUNDRAISER!!!

For the fourth year in a row, Batucaxe, nominated by Critics and Readers in the World Music category for the 2012 Annual Tucson Weekly Tucson Area Music Awards (TAMMIES), will serve up some incredible family friendly summer fun at their MONSOON MANIA Summer Dance Jam! Each year the crowd has enjoyed dancing the evening away between Batucaxe performance sets, DJ sets by Batucaxe's co-director Cliff Berrien, and movement lead by dance director, Yarrow King!

When: Saturday, July 28, 7:00pm - 11:00pm
Where: Rhythm Industry Performance Factory, 1013 S. Tyndall Avenue (map)
Admission: **Only $10!**
What: Awesome MUSIC and DANCE sets by BATUCAXE! A rocking COMMUNITY DRUM JAM! Fabulous DJ SETS!

FANTASTIC FOOD available for sale! Get your Ayurvedic delights with Dish for Dosha (www.dishfordosha.com), and enjoy refreshing Mint Lemonade or cooling Cucumber Basil Juice along with Raw Summer Pad Thai bowl! We will welcome one of the Tucson Food Trucks, Foodie Fleet Mobile Eatery, for something completely different such as delicious pressed sandwiches, waffles, and fries (www.foodiefleet.com). And a steamy hot summer dance jam would be incomplete with Tucson's very own Eegee's! They will park the Eegee's truck serving up just those famous frozen delights unavailable anywhere else on the planet but Tucson!

We will also have raffle tickets available for a chance to win a TWO NIGHT fully upgraded stay at LOEW'S VENTANA CANYON RESORT, a full ONE YEAR MEMBERSHIP to BATUCAXE, and MORE! Raffle tickets will be $5 each and will be available at the door and throughout the evening.

• Courtesy of Raul Gonzalez

Tucson Freedom Summer, in collaboration with Raices Taller 222 Art Gallery and Workshop presents HUITZILOPOCHLI “the will to act, on Saturday, July 28, from 5 to 9 p.m. at 218 E. 6th St.

The fundraising event brings together performers and artists, and includes the work of Tucson artists David Tineo, Tanya Alvarez, Paco Velez, and others. Expect raffles, food, music and interactive art-making for the whole family, including a buffet courtesy of Las Cazuelitas. The event benefits the Save Ethnic Studies Raza Defense Fund.

From the press release:

On January 10th 2012, the Tucson Unified School District governing board voted to suspend the Mexican American Studies (MAS) department and classes. This was the culmination of a series of attacks by the state legislature dating back to 2006. As a response to this anti-intellectual, repressive act, a federal lawsuit has been filed. Nationally, a group of artists, activists, educators and scholars have converged in Tucson to support the local efforts to demand the reinstatement of MAS. This effort has been named Tucson Freedom Summer.

This convergence has been sparked by the national acknowledgement of the far reaching implications of this attack. Tucson Freedom Summer has manifested itself in a series of events to both educate the community and raise funds for the legal costs associated with the lawsuit. Events include community forums, educational “Encuentros”, Sunday Freedom School, demonstrations, political canvassing, poetry, and many artistic expressions of support. On July 28th, Tucson Freedom Summer, in collaboration with Raices Taller 222 Art Gallery and Workshop, will be hosting an event that will highlight the epic historic struggle for Chicano civil rights in Tucson.

You can expect another Freedom Summer action at the Tucson Unified School District special meeting, but this time with games, costumes and activities in front of the district's administration building at 1010 E. 10th St. at 5:30 p.m.

Freedom Summer and UNIDOS organizers are asking folks to come dressed as a favorite rebel fighter, past or present Chicana/o banned book author or character, and or social justice movement figure. There will be crafts, face paint and henna for kids and oldies, as well as a low-rider/bike pass, and a Mariachi performance. A hotdog carreta will be on the premises with $2 dogs.

About three years ago, I stood in front of Teatro Carmen heading toward the main stage at what was the first Festival en el Barrio. With the marvel called the Tucson Convention Center behind me, I rushed to the stage as Calexico started their set with Salvador Duran and Sergio Mendoza, and all the other Tucson music people we love.

Later that night, I wrote about the festival's success and how I hoped for one thing — that as Calexico's Joey Burns sang into the mic somehow a long-needed exorcism took place. I thought of the destruction that occurred downtown in the name of renewal more than 40 years ago. Despite neighborhood activists gathering 10,000 signatures, most of the old neighborhood — the stores, the Spanish-language movie theater, and homes of my mother's childhood — was knocked down to make way for TCC, the Pima County government complex and other buildings.

As a soon-to-be former resident of the old neighborhood turned to leave he or she obviously put a curse on downtown and Tucson. It worked. That's progress - a progress so successful, years later people are still pissed and we are still dealing with the problem of redevelopment and just about everyone in Tucson flinches when they hear or read the word consultant. Sorry about that.

But perhaps this Saturday's "An Evening in Celebration of Mario Suarez: Tucson's Original Chicano," is the real-deal exorcism I've wished for. Perhaps it's also another way to continue to reclaim Tucson's history — especially at a time we've watched the destruction of Tucson Unified School District's Mexican-American studies program and the ongoing fight to bring it back.

If you're in the mood for an outdoor movie tonight, Raiders of the Lost Ark is playing at Cinema La Placita. As summer popcorn fun goes, it doesn't get much better than that. It starts at 7:30 p.m. at downtown's La Placita complex and will only set you back $3. (And the popcorn is free!). Details here.