Fox Theatre - Detroit, MI (Photo by Sean Doerr) Thomas L. Tally opened the Electric Theatre in Los Angeles on April 2, 1902 -- the first movie theater in the United States. He couldn't possibly have imagined that a century later, the moviegoing experience would be a cacaphony of ads, cell phones, screaming babies, and talking patrons. He may have hoped that his small storefront theater would evolve into a movie palace, a grand temple where thousands could gather in lush and opulent surroundings to watch giant flickering images on the silver screen. The heyday of movie palaces was short, lasting only about 30 years, and while most of the grand theaters of yesteryear have vanished, many are still standing -- and thriving. From Jersey City to Hollywood, from Detroit to Abilene, there are still opportunities to get a good seat in the second balcony and lose yourself in a classic film or show with a couple thousand of your best friends. Suggested Sites... Cinema Treasures - photos and vital statistics for movie theaters and palaces throughout the world. Los Angeles' Broadway Theatre District - information about movie palaces built in downtown Los Angeles in the 1920s and 1930s. The Last Remaining Seats - annual festival in Los Angeles, showing classic films in cinemas in the historic Broadway Theatre District.

Directory categories: Movie Palaces, Movie Theaters, Performing Arts Centers

Archived under: Architecture, Arts, Entertainment, History, Movies

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Indiana Jones in Raiders of the Lost Ark Mr. Spielberg? We're big fans! We know you're working on Indiana Jones 4 and we have a script suggestion. Indy's already searched for the Ark of the Covenant and the Holy Grail, so why not the Dead Sea Scrolls? Picture this: it's the 1940s, before they were discovered in real life, and Indy single-handedly discovers an ancient city and caves on the Dead Sea. He deciphers fragments of 800 scrolls written in Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek, aided by a beautiful (and treacherous?) assistant. The bad guys -- they could be from one of the many conspiracy theories surrounding the scrolls -- are looking for a treasure map scroll, but it's a red herring. Only our hero can see that one of the most important artifacts is actually the Temple Scroll, the longest of all the scrolls... which, by the way, Steven, will be on display all summer at the Maltz Museum of Jewish Heritage in Cleveland, Ohio. Now don't forget to thank us in the credits. Suggested Sites... The Cradle of Christianity - exhibit guide from The Israel Museum, Jerusalem, curators of the touring exhibit that features the Temple Scroll. Library of Congress: Scrolls from the Dead Sea - an exhibition of selected scrolls, plus historical context and information on Qumran. Vendyl Jones and the Ark of the Covenant - an account of a real-life archaeologist studying Qumran and the Ark of the Covenant.

Directory categories: Dead Sea Scrolls, Indiana Jones Movies, Archaeology

Archived under: Archaeology, Conspiracies, History, Movies, Religion

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(photo by Delneshin Danaie) ¡Atención! 3, 8, 9, 5, 9... 6, 6... 3, 8, 9, 5, 9... 6, 6.... For decades, shortwave radio enthusiasts have been puzzled by coded transmissions broadcast from unknown "numbers stations." Transmitted in varied looping intervals, the messages consist of numeric groupings in a multitude of languages, but make little sense to most listeners. Conspiracy theorists and espionage experts widely believe them to be intended for international spies. The Lincolnshire Poacher (.mpg) station precedes each transmission with a tonal melody from the song of the same name, and some believe its transmissions come from Cyprus -- although most stations remain hidden. While no government will claim using stations for any purpose, testimony during the trial of a Cuban spy strengthens the link to espionage. Despite the lack of answers, the enigma of numbers stations persists by influencing music artists, television shows, and even prompting a compilation of recordings. On Wednesday nights, when "Lost" is a re-run, rest assured that an insurmountable puzzle is only as far away as the nearest CD player. End transmission. Suggested Sites... NPR: Music by the Numbers Stations - listen to a report on the CD compilation of numbers stations recordings that has become a cult hit. ClandestineRadio.com - monitors clandestine and subversive radio, revealing how politics, diplomacy, and espionage intersect in broadcast media. NASWA WWW Shortwave Listening Guide - find out what programs are being broadcast by the hour and learn how to tune in. Wikipedia: Numbers Stations - good overview, with lots of links.

Directory categories: Numbers Stations, Intelligence and Espionage, Cryptology

Archived under: Codes, Communication, Conspiracies, Fanatics, Hobbies, Weird Stuff

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(photo by Lee Maguire) With over 10,000 surveillance cameras in New York City alone, it's hard to imagine urban anonymity will last much longer. Still, law enforcement authorities promote technologies like Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) as the best protection against threats to public safety. In 2004, when the FBI was able to recognize Carlie Brucia's kidnapper from CCTV video, it was surveillance that helped to solve her murder case. And yet, despite demand for voyeuristic reality television, public video surveillance is consistently criticized for its Orwellian implications. "When public safety increases, individual freedom may decrease, and vice versa," explains Kenneth J. Novak, an assistant professor of criminal justice and criminology at UMKC. Increasingly, malls, convenience stores, and even workplaces are using CCTV to control social behavior. So regardless of where you stand on the issue, you may want to think twice about what you do when you think no one is looking. What if the whole world caught you sitting down on the job? Suggested Sites... New York Surveillance Camera Players - protesting the use of public surveillance cameras. Includes articles about privacy and maps of the city's CCTV coverage. Domestic Spying - audio program debating the uses and abuses of public video surveillance. NPR: Video Surveillance Debate - discussions of the implications of public video surveillance in the wake of 9/11. Surveillance and Control - features webcasts from a Tate Modern conference about the impact of electronic surveillance on new media art.

Directory categories: Privacy Policy, Surveillance Equipment, Carlie Brucia Case

Archived under: Civil Rights, Cyberculture, Eavesdropping, Government, Internet, Surveillance, Technology

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Solar eclipse in France, '99 We were the types of kids who looked at the sun rather than through those flimsy pinhole thingies. Well, that was a mistake. But we're not alone. Throughout history there have been plenty of misconceptions and mistakes surrounding eclipses. In 2134 B.C. a Chinese emperor beheaded his feckless astronomers for failing to predict an eclipse. So much for their headaches. Hucksters have also taken advantage of those unaware of solar events. In 1503 Christopher Columbus used old world knowledge to dupe native Jamaicans into believing he had God-like powers. Mark Twain also used eclipse trickery to dazzle onlookers -- in his novel "A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court." On a more peaceful note, an eclipse in 585 B.C. led two armies in the Middle East to end a war. Can we hope the March 29th total solar eclipse might have a similar effect? One thing that's not a myth -- whether or not you're in the path of totality -- never look directly at the sun. Suggested Sites... Eclipse in a Different Light - official NASA page for the March 29 total solar eclipse. Includes maps of the path of totality across Africa and southern Europe. Observing Eclipses - tips and information from Sky & Telescope magazine on watching and photographing an eclipse. How to View an Eclipse - how to make a groovy and useful pinhole projector. Solar Eclipse: Stories From the Path of Totality - if you can't get to the eclipse in person, check out a webcast of the event.

Directory categories: March 29 Total Eclipse, Solar Eclipses, Mythology and Folklore

Archived under: Astronomy, Science

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