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Time machine: the year broadband arrived

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Digging through some old files recently, I came across a column I wrote for the Baltimore Business Journal 22 years ago. It described how our cable TV and internet provider had installed fiber-optic cable in the neighborhood. This new distribution channel transformed a clunky dialup internet service into a lightning fast information source. The hyperbole and enthusiasm expressed in the column are slightly embarrassing for someone who prides himself on skepticism. But some of it was right on target. From PeakOptical.com Versi�n en espa�ol It began, "Public libraries could be in danger." I described how I used this new service to research an advertising client before going to a meeting with the CEO. I was the publisher of the newspaper and thus ultimately responsible for sales. The column went on to contrast the internet with a library: Read more �

Renowned NASCAR artist Sam Bass dies following kidney illness

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DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- Sam Bass, whose images earned acclaim as the first officially licensed artist of NASCAR, died Saturday. He was 57. Denise Bass, his wife, confirmed the artist's passing. Bass had been battling kidney failure and was in search of a transplant. "It is with a sad heart that our family shares the [top world news reports] Renowned NASCAR artist Sam Bass dies following kidney illness DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Sam Bass, whose pictures earned acclaim as the first officially licensed artist of NASCAR, died Saturday. He was 57. Denise Bass, his wife, confirmed the artist’s passing. Bass had been struggling with kidney failure and was in search of a transplant. “It is with a sad heart that our family shares the news of our loss with the NASCAR community,” Denise Bass wrote. “Sam Bass, a loving husband, father, and inspiration to us all, passed away earlier today. Thank you for your prayers during this very difficult time.” The sanctioning body of NASCAR said of Bass in...

AREA 51 is The Strangest Places on Earth.

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AREA 51 Area 51 may be a military base about 80 miles northwest of Las Vegas, Nevada. With some exceptions, though, it's largely conspiracy theorists — and people who have been influenced by them through the countless TV, magazine, and website references — who decision it "Area 51." To the U.S. government, it's simply the NV check and training range, a part of Edwards (formerly Nellis) Air Force Base. workers can generally refer to it as simply "the site" or "the ranch." AREA 51 is The Strangest Places on Earth. Knowing wherever area 51 it won't assist you to get there; the base is restricted to the general public. On the ground, you will encounter stern signs and armed guards patrolling the fenced perimeters; within the airspace higher than, you will encounter threatening warnings from air traffic control towers. Either way, you will find a few answers on what goes on inside of the bottom close to the Groom Lake salt flats.  many believe that...

Bermuda Triangle: Where Facts Disappear

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BERMUDA TRIANGLE T he Bermuda Triangle (also recognized as the Devil's Triangle) is an area bounded through points in Bermuda, Florida and Puerto Rico the place ships and planes are said to mysteriously vanish into thin air — or deep water. Bermuda Triangle R ecently, some humans have wondered if there is a Bermuda Triangle connection in the disappearance of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370, even though the jet went lacking midway around the world. The term "Bermuda Triangle" was coined in 1964 by author Vincent Gaddis in the men's pulp journal Argosy. Though Gaddis first came up with the phrase, a great deal more famous name propelled it into global reputation a decade later. Charles Berlitz, whose family created the famous sequence of language training courses, also had a sturdy interest in the paranormal. He believed not only that Atlantis was once real, but added that it was linked to the triangle in some way, a theory he proposed in his bestselling 1974 book ...

Pyramids of Giza & the Sphinx

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PYRAMIDS OF GIZA Constructed between 2589 and 2504 B.C., the Egyptian pyramids of Khufu, Khafre and Menkaure, constructed in that order, are a testament to ancient planning and engineering. The Pyramids of Giza, built between 2589 and 2504 BC. How these pyramids have been built is a source of speculation and debate. Many researchers believe that a ramp system of some shape was once used to move the blocks into the location at some point of construction. When the pyramids had been performed they had been encased in white limestone, most of which is lost today. Recent research suggests that when the blocks were being moved across the desert, a small amount of water was put on the sand in the front of them, making them easier to move. Additionally, archaeologists have discovered new evidence that Giza had a bustling port, allowing goods to be shipped to the site from throughout Egypt and the eastern Mediterranean. Despite the variations among the three pyramids (Khufu’s pyramid, the ...

'Lost' City of Atlantis : Fact & Fable

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'LOST' CITY OF ATLANTIS T he idea of Atlantis — the "lost" island subcontinent often idealized as an advanced, utopian society holding wisdom that could bring world peace — has captivated dreamers, occultists and New Agers for generations. Thousands of books, magazines and websites are devoted to Atlantis, and it remains a popular topic. People have lost fortunes — and in some cases even their lives — looking for Atlantis. 'Lost' City of Atlantis -  Strangest Places on Earth The origins of Atlantis Unlike many legends whose origins are lost within the mists of time, we all know precisely once and wherever the story of Atlantis first appeared. The story was first told in two of Plato's dialogues, the "Timaeus" and also the "Critias," written about 360 B.C. Though these days Atlantis is commonly planned of as a peaceful utopia, the Atlantis that philosopher described in his fable was very completely different. In his book "Encycloped...

Nazca Lines: Mysterious Geoglyphs in Peru

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The animal mounds were found in a region famous for a series of ancient geolyphs, called the Nazca Lines, which are now considered a World Heritage Site in the Nazca Desert in southern Peru. Here, Nazca Lines resembling a humming bird, as viewed from a plane. The Nazca (also spelled Nasca) Lines are geoglyphs placed in an arid coastal place of Peru that cowl an estimated 170 square miles (450 square kilometers). Scratched on the ground, they number in the thousands and depict creatures from each the natural world and the human imagination. They include animals such as the spider, hummingbird, monkey, lizard, pelican and even a killer whale. Also depicted are plants, trees, flowers and oddly fashioned outstanding figures. Also illustrated are geometric motifs such as wavy lines, triangles, spirals and rectangles. How old are they? The large majority of the lines date from 200 BC to 500 AD, to a time when a people referred to as the Nazca inhabited the region. The earliest lines, created...