Laotian Commie Tunnels Opened to Tourism

by Neil Woodburn on

One of the more fascinating places I visited while traveling though Vietnam were the underground tunnels. To escape the American bombing campaign during the war, the North Vietnamese built networks of tunnels that housed entire cities. Crawling through them 40 years later is a very sobering experience.

Neighboring Laos also saw its share of bombings. In fact, according to an article in USA Today, the bombing campaign in Laos–intended to root out rebels sympathetic to the communist cause–was more intensive than that experienced by Europe during World War II.

Naturally, the Laotians retreated underground as well to escape the bombing campaign. But, instead of digging tunnels, they took advantage of natural limestone caves in the Houaphanh province to house some 23,000 people during the nine years of aerial bombardment.

Today, thanks to a tourism development grant, the caves have been opened to curious tourists who can experience for themselves what life must have been like living underground for so many years. Who knows? Perhaps we’ll all be touring Iraqi bunkers in 40 years.

The New Yorker’s Spankin New Web Site

by Erik Olsen on

Look, I’m not going to take credit for this, but I do like to think that we here at Gadling had something to do with it.

You see, for years now, I have lamented how awful is the New Yorker Web site. The magazine is, IMHO, the best in the world. The articles, though slim on pictures or fancy graphics (which can actually be a good thing), manages every single month to serve up some of the best written, most interesting works that you will find in journalism. I defy you to try and pick up a single issue in the magazine’s history and to NOT find at least one article that satisfies your curiosity about the world.

Well, the magazine finally revealed its new look and I have this to say: VERY NICE. The redesign gets rid of the clunky, image-rollover menu and provides access to many, many more articles online. This is one thing that drove me nuts. I would read some excellent piece and try to send it to my friends only to discover that it was nowhere to be found online. I can’t tell at first blush if they’ve put EVERYTHING online, but it seems they’re close.

And not only that, they are also providing video and a great little cartoon feature that adds multimedia to the classic New Yorker toon and a video taste of the new Lawrence Wright one-man show, “My Trip to Al-Qaeda.” The latter is OK. It could have been done with better sound, but I’m eager to see what else the magazine features in this space.

And more, you can also check out and enter the always intriguing caption contest, whereby a cartoon is placed at the end of the issue and you make up your own caption. They are voted upon online and winners get placement in the magazine. This has been online for a while, but it was always rather hard to find, I think.

Anyway, KUDOS to Remnick and Company for a superb job. Took a while, but I suppose good things come to those who wait.

How-To: Go Over Niagra Falls…And Survive. Maybe. (But Probably Not.)

by Willy Volk on

First, a few facts about Niagara Falls:

  • The Falls are actually 3 Falls, Horseshoe Falls, American Falls, and Bridal Veil Falls. Only Horseshoe Falls is survive-able.
  • It’s 176 feet from the brink of Horseshoe Falls to the water below. However, because of the rock-lined base, the actual fall is only 70 feet.
  • Water rushes over the Falls at a rate of 150,000 gallons per second.
  • The first person to go over the Falls in a barrel and survive was a 63-year-old schoolteacher, Annie Edson Taylor (pictured). I don’t know if she was wearing her hat at the time.
  • Since then, 14 other daredevils have taken the plunge in barrels or other devices. One guy went in a kayak; another went over in a jet ski. Of those, 10 have survived.
  • Two people survived the plunge without any protection, including a 7-year-old boy wearing only a life preserver, and Kirk Jones, who jumped, sans preserver, in 2003.

In addition to being illegal (“stunting without a license” can cost you as much as $10,000), going over the Falls is not a “good” idea. Pretty much everything about riding in a wooden barrel over a raging waterfall is dangerous:

  • Being battered by the crushing flow of water inside a barrel can lead to a concussion — or worse.
  • Even if you survive the actual fall, the rocks below the Falls are huge, dangerous, and, um, rock-hard, capable of crushing the barrel (and a person) easily.
  • Then, of course, there’s always the water. Simply put, you could drown.

However, there are a few theories (not tested personally, mind you) about how to survive the world’s bitchin’-est flume:

  1. Find the “water cone.” Some people believe this protective cushion at the base of the Falls will soften the blow and allow you to live.
  2. Body surf. Other people believe riding the water like a body surfer allows you to slide down the Falls as opposed to splatting down it.
  3. Get close to the edge. Still other people think getting into the water as close to the brink as possible might be the key, as the water speed upstream could be lethal.
  4. Live right. This is my own personal theory. I can’t think of any other reason someone could survive.

Don’t think it sounds scary? Check out this trailer for IMAX’s The Falls, and I bet you change your mind.

[Photo: Cabinet Magazine]

The Wall Street District is Officially Historic

by Jamie Rhein on

Every day I pay a bit of attention, not much, to what Wall Street is doing. I generally have a vague notion of what it means when I hear the Dow is up or down. Up is good. Down is bad. I think. Regardless of my fuzziness about finances, Wall Street’s placement on the National Register of Historic Places is something I can understand.

Consider this. Wall Street, the street not the district, was once a cow path the Dutch used when they first showed up in the 17th century to make a settlement next to the East River. Sometime in the district’s history, slaves were used to build a wall to keep out the Indians who were creating a ruckus by raiding. Once that was settled, and it was determined America was here to stay, this is where the Bill of Rights was adopted and George Washington was sworn in as the first president. If you head to Wall Street, besides listening for the sounds of fortunes being made or broken, look for the statue of Washington at the spot of his inauguration. Nearby, at 23 Wall St., J.P. Morgan’s old digs where he sat in his counting house counting out his money, so to speak, you can see evidence of the bomb that exploded there on September 16, 1920. Some people must not have been too happy with J.P. Morgan since the explosion was large enough that it killed 38 people and injured folks in the hundreds. There several other buildings of various styles that helped put this part of NYC on the historic places map.

For some more Wall Street information and details of America’s financial path, check out “Wall Street and Stock Market History” in A to Z Investments. Considering the state of the market this past week, I kind of think this photo by Alexander Marc Eckert on Flickr is apropos.

Try Mount Independence State Historic Site for History and Hiking

by Kraig Becker on

Perhaps you are one of those people who makes lists of where you might like to go some day. I have my own list. Thanks to a gadling reader who left a comment on my post on Harriet Tubman and Underground Railroad tours, I have another place to add. “Wise-guy” made a recommendation for Vermont’s Mount Independence State Historic Site for a history lesson and hiking adventure. It does look like a perfect blend of natural beauty and Ameria’s past.

Mount Independence once bustled during the Revolutionary War as the most important military compound in Vermont. These days, you can hike on trails through the remnants that include blockhouses, the hospital and various buildings that tell the tale of what life was like when 12,000 soldiers lived here. The scenery overlooking Lake Champlain offers views and the Visitors Center Museum tells more of Mount Independence’s story through artifacts and displays.

Just to let you know, the historic site is open seasonally. You’ll need to wait until late May before you go, but put this on your list of places to see. While you’re in the area, stop at Fort Ticonderoga in nearby New York. Wise-guy also included a link to the website new-england-perfect-vacation-guide.com.