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We’ve got these cool old photos that show us how people used to chat on the phone way back in the late 1800s and early 1900s. These photos show us how the telephone changed things. It wasn’t just about the tech; it was about how we connected. Friends chatting, business deals getting done—all through this new invention. The story begins with Alexander Graham Bell, often credited as the inventor of the telephone....

Before anyone ever heard the word “cowgirl,” there were women who ventured west. Most traveled with their families on covered wagons, beginning in the 1840s. They moved from crowded eastern cities to settle in western states such as Kansas, Nebraska, Colorado, Wyoming, Montana, New Mexico, Arizona, and Utah. Some wagon trains eventually went even farther, to California, Oregon, Idaho, and Washington. After the Civil War, more and more people sought new lives in the West....

Searchlights illuminated a city that a few years earlier had almost fallen to the Germans, cannon-fire and fireworks exploded over the Kremlin and relieved citizens crowded into Red Square to share their enormous collective relief. The large crowd on Red Square danced, kissed, sang and chatted excitedly. But Josef Stalin was not in celebratory mood and reportedly became annoyed when his then underling, Nikita Khrushchev, telephoned him to congratulate him on his victory....

Its collapse was hailed by the west as a victory for freedom, a triumph of democracy over totalitarianism, and evidence of the superiority of capitalism over socialism. The United States rejoiced as its formidable enemy was brought to its knees, thereby ending the Cold War which had hovered over these two superpowers since the end of World War II. Indeed, the breakup of the Soviet Union transformed the entire world’s political situation, leading to a complete reformulation of political, economic, and military alliances all over the globe....

The collapse of the roof at the Knickerbocker Theater, which took 98 lives (many of them children), was described by the Washington Post as the “greatest disaster in Washington history”. The storm itself was remarkable for its persevering intensity, generating snowfall rates of greater than one inch per hour over the 24-hour period from Friday afternoon January 27 to Saturday afternoon January 28. Twenty-five inches fell in that span, establishing a 24-hour snowfall record....

That all changed after 8:46 a.m. when hijackers crashed American Airlines flight 11 from Boston and crashed it into the North Tower of the World Trade Center in New York City. The first report Bush received about that crash came just before the president walked into a second-grade class and was initially said to have been a small propeller plane. White House Chief of Staff Andrew Card was informed right after the President went into the classroom that it was a commercial jetliner though; they still thought it was an accident until the second plane hit the other building....

Absurd, right? Yet, this whimsical scene aired on the BBC’s Panorama as a seemingly authentic report. Here’s the twist: spaghetti was a culinary mystery to many Brits back then. So, when they witnessed this “spaghetti harvest,” a light bulb went off—they could grow their own pasta! Soon after, the BBC found themselves inundated with queries from eager viewers wanting to cultivate their spaghetti trees. But as the laughter subsided, chaos erupted....

The German First Army had occupied Louvain without a fight on 19 August 1914 as part of the opening move og what would later become known as the First World War. Sometime around 8 PM on 25 August, however, sporadic rifle fire broke out on the city streets. What provoked the initial shots is still unknown. Subsequent German claims that Belgian franc-tireurs, or irregular militiamen, had opened fire on their soldiers are highly improbable, as no claims of organized guerrilla activity anywhere in 1914 Belgium have been successfully substantiated....

One of these daredevils was Jimmie Lynch who traveled with his troupe throughout the United States to perform spectacular stunts in flimsy cars. They jumped over cars and trucks, smashed through flaming walls, and sent their vehicles tipping over on two wheels. Lynch himself was famous for riding on the hood of a “horse car” which he steered with hydraulic cables. Though rollovers, crashes, and stunts were basic elements of daredevil thrill shows, Lynch also promoted automobile safety....

Members included songwriter and keyboard player Benny Andersson, songwriter and guitarist Björn Ulvaeus, and vocalists Agnetha Fältskog and Anni-Frid Lyngstad. The group’s name is an acronym of the first letters of their first names arranged as a palindrome. One of the most popular and successful musical groups of all time, they became one of the best-selling music acts in the history of popular music, topping the charts worldwide from 1974 to 1982....

And although the train was designed to accommodate the family of Emperor Nicholas II, already in 1896-97 it was supplemented with three more carriages produced at the Warsaw Railway Workshops. Subsequently, the make-up of the train was repeatedly altered, old carriages were replaced with new ones and their interior décor underwent changes. In 1902, the train consisted of ten carriages: a sleeping-car, a saloon car, carriages intended for children, the grand dukes, and the Emperor’s retinue, as well as carriages for railway servicemen, a kitchen, servants, luggage and workshops....

She was nicknamed Nonno to avoid confusion with the elder Madonna, who was of French Canadian descent. Tony was a first-generation Italian American whose parents immigrated from Pacentro, Italy. Her mother’s early and sudden death affected the young Madonna deeply. She has stated that is because of her mother’s death that she is how she is today. Specifically, she feels that she must have control over everything and can’t loosen up because of her sense of powerlessness over her mother’s death....

Despite being given orders by the East German government to let no one pass into East Berlin, the soldier helped the boy sneak through the barbwire. It was reported that the soldier was caught doing this benevolent deed by his superior officer, who removed the soldier from his unit. Hopefully, his punishment was minor and he wasn’t imprisoned or shot. Descriptions of this photo come with the caveat that “no one knows what became of him”....

These are the inspiring stories of dogs who have made a lasting impact on history. From an English Pointer honored for bravery in World War II to a loyal Newfoundland who joined the Lewis and Clark expedition, these canines have become legends in their own right. Balto, the sled dog who helped save Nome, Alaska, during a diphtheria outbreak, stands out among them. Zanjeer, an Indian bomb-sniffing dog, is also remembered for his heroic efforts during the 1993 Mumbai terrorist attacks....

Berlin after the War was a post-apocalyptic world. One of the largest and most modern cities in Europe was left a wasteland. There were vast piles of rubble everywhere. Other areas were rows of building walls with collapsed interiors — the skeletons of a destroyed city. The irreplaceable architectural gems of the Schlüter, Knobelsdorf, Schadow, and Schinkel were annihilated. Palaces, museums, churches, monuments, and cultural sites fell victim to the bombs....

The 1930s was a decade that produced some of the most iconic and beautiful cars in automotive history. These cars were built during a time when design was king and manufacturers were pushing the limits of engineering and creativity. From the sleek lines of the Bugatti Type 57SC Atlantic to the luxurious curves of the Cadillac V16, the cars of the 1930s were truly works of art. In this article, we’ll take a look back at some of the most beautiful cars of the 1930s....

Led by the dignified and unbreakable Jackie Kennedy following the family adage of “Kennedy’s don’t cry”, people ached for her as she and the Kennedy family refused to break down. The youngest member of the Kennedy family three-year-old, John F Kennedy Jr. or John-John was no exception. As the casket left St. Matthew’s Cathedral on its way to the President’s final resting place JFK Jr. stepped forward and raised his small hand in salute, an image that broke the hearts of millions....

Noise, drugs, and other social issues added to the city’s struggles, making the streets chaotic and unpredictable. Sidewalks were often littered with dog waste, waiting to catch both unsuspecting visitors and seasoned New Yorkers who happened to lose focus for a moment. It was a rough, gritty time, far from the image of a thriving metropolis. One of the more disruptive features of life during this period was the boombox....

They had never experienced anything even remotely like this, there were no rock concerts back then. It created a spiritual feeling of sublime and unity among people who were participating. When they were marching back to their tents in the night, they could still see the huge spotlights piercing the sky in the Buckeberg. They were totally pumped up and felt that things are really going to change better. The official purpose of the festival was the recognition of the achievements of the German farmers, whom the Nazis called the Reichsnährstand (the Reich’s Food Estate)....

Soviet propaganda against Finland saw a significant difference between the Winter War (1939-1940) and the Continuation War (1941-1944). During the Winter War Soviet propaganda centered around the notion of liberating the Finnish people from pro-German bourgeoisie and capitalist oppression. During the Continuation War Finns were invaders in the leash of Hitler. Propaganda became more aggressive, taunting and defamatory. Soviet propaganda didn’t try to convince Finns of communist ideals and liberty, but rather that Finnish soldiers should desert while they can before the Red Army inevitably destroys them....