A Brief History On June 27, 2015, the Formosa Fun Coast waterpark in Bali, New Taipei, Taiwan, experienced a massive explosion that killed 15 people and injured an additional 497. Among the injured, 199 were in critical condition. The cause of the explosion was colored corn starch powder used in a “Color Play Asia” party, a ritual of the Hindu religious festival “Holi” (“Festival of Colors.”) A performance on a music stage observed by hundreds of park goers was the setting for the disaster. Digging Deeper The recreational waterpark had been open since 1989, and was closed after the explosion. …
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A Brief History On October 30, 1866, Fyodor Dostoevsky, one of the greatest writers in Russian literature, completed his novel The Gambler with help from his future wife, the then twenty-year-old Anna Grigoryevna Snitkina. A writers’ work can come from various sources of inspiration, whether they are sharing their knowledge on certain topics, reflecting on specific occurrences, connecting with deep emotions or letting their imagination run wild. Perhaps the most powerful messages are those influenced by real events paired with a strong need to spread what we have to say out in the world. Such is true for Dostoevsky, who undoubtedly put…
A Brief History On January 13, 2016, Powerball produced the largest lottery jackpot in history; the $1.586 billion jackpot was split by three tickets sold in Chino Hills, California, in Munford, Tennessee, and in Melbourne Beach, Florida. Nevertheless, the multi-billion dollar industry around gambling certainly is not a recent phenomenon. The origins of the word come from the Middle English word, gammlen, meaning “to play, jest, be merry,”, and if you look even further back, you will find it actually started in prehistoric times. Digging Deeper Prehistory and the ancient dynasties From the earliest cavemen calculating the odds of…
A Brief History On June 26, 2019, the third installment of the Annabelle haunted doll movie franchise opens across the United States. We had the opportunity to preview the film last week, and as fans of the first 2 films, we were anxiously awaiting this third movie in the Annabelle portion of the Conjuring movie universe. This time, instead of the doll itself being possessed by a malevolent spirit, the doll is a portal for other malevolent spirits. Digging Deeper The departure in the concept of how the evil works may bother some finicky “purists” that insist all prequels and…
A Brief History On February 1, 1941, the inaugural horse racing meet at Golden Gate Fields was held in Berkeley, California, United States. Although thoroughbred racing has remained a beloved sport throughout the centuries, what you may not know is just how old it really is. With origins dating all the way back to 4500 BC, it was a favorite pastime among the nomadic tribesmen of central Asia – which brings us to our roundup of the world’s most prestigious horse racing events. Saddle up! Digging Deeper The Dubai World Cup Founded in 1996, the Dubai World Cup may be the least…