The World’s Longest Escalators

The escalator has come a long way since being patented in 1859. Hong Kong’s Central-Mid-Levels escalator system is one of the world’s most impressive, stretching about 2,600 feet (790 m). Colombia boasts a 1,260-foot (384-m) set of escalators that transformed a 35-minute foot climb into a six-minute ride. The longest single-span escalator in the Western Hemisphere can be found in the Wheaton Metro station in Washington, DC. How long does it take riders to ascend this 230-foot (70-m) escalator? More… Discuss

this day in the yesteryear: Cubana Flight 455 Bombed (1976)

Cubana Flight 455 Bombed (1976)

The bombing of Cubana Flight 455 killed all 78 people on board, including several Cuban government officials. At that time, it constituted the most deadly act of airline terrorism ever carried out in the Western Hemisphere. An investigation uncovered evidence implicating anti-Castro Cuban exiles and members of the Venezuelan secret police in the plot. Four men were arrested: two received 20-year prison terms, one was acquitted, and another fled. How were the CIA and FBI linked to the attack? More… Discuss