pop culture locations from movies, music, tv & more...
launch site of sputnik
from sputnik posted in technology by pete_nice
On October 4, 1957, the USSR kicked off the space race with the launch of the first satellite, the adorable Sputnik (aptly, Russian for "satellite").
The People's sphere was 22 inches (56 cm) in diameter, weighed 184 pounds (83 kg), and circled the Earth once every 96 minutes at 18,000 mph (29,000 kph). This little ball of Soviet sunshine transmitted a radio signal as its orbit fluctuated between 143 and 584 miles (230-940 km) above the earth. It continued to do so until its orbit degraded and burnt up in the proletariat flames of the atmosphere in January of 1958.
Located in the desert steppe of Kazakhstan, this facility was known as the Tyuratam launch base in the 50s (named after the nearby rail station). These days, the facility is rented from the Kazakhstan government by the Russians and is known as the Baikonur Cosmodrome.
All manned Russian spaceflights are currently launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome.
view full location details...la belle aurore
from looper posted in movies by chewing_the_scenery
Most of Looper was filmed in New Orleans and nearby Thibodaux, Louisiana (and some in not so nearby Shanghai China).
Rian Johnson has said that he stole Joe's character arc from Rick's arc in Casablanca, so it's fitting that he also borrows La Belle Aurore from Casablanca as well. It's the name of the café in Paris where Rick and Ilsa last see each other before the Nazis invade.
The exterior for the club La Belle Aurore where the loopers hang out in Looper was shot on Rampart St.
view full location details...jackie treehorn’s house
from the big lebowski posted in movies by donkeyoti
When the Dude finds himself face-to-face with the pornographer Jackie Treehorn, it's at this location.
The home, also known as the Sheats-Goldstein House, was designed and built from 1961-1963 by American architect John Lautner. Located in the hills of the Beverly Crest neighborhood, the home's use of the Organic Architecture style was built into the sandstone cliffs and meant to evoke a cave-like dwelling.
The home has appeared in the films The Big Lebowski (1998), Bandits (2001), and Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle (2003).
View a tour and interview with current owner James Goldstein here.
view full location details...nicole brown simpson’s condo
from oj simpson posted in history by prof_improbable
Located in the Brentwood neighborhood of Los Angeles is the former residence of Nicole Brown Simpson.
At 12:10 a.m. on June 13, 1994, Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald Goldman were found murdered outside this residence.
Simpson's lawyers convinced the LAPD to allow O.J. to turn himself in for a suspected double homicide. Instead of willfully going to jail, O.J hopped in a white Ford Bronco with Al Cowlings and had a slow-speed chase during Game 5 of the Knicks-Heat Finals (the game was shown in a tiny box in the corner while the helicopter footage filled the screen).
On October 3, 1995, after a 252-day trial, O.J. Simpson was acquitted of the murder charges.
Today, O.J. is in jail on 12 other charges, including armed robbery and kidnapping, and serving a 33-year prison sentence.
The four bedroom, 3,700 sq ft. condo had its address changed to 879 S. Bundy Drive, and the house sold in 2006 for just under $1.7 million.
the station nightclub
from great white posted in music by nevereatshreddedwheat
Former location of the Station nightclub in Rhode Island which went up in flames on February 20, 2003 during a Great White concert, killing 100 people (including Great White's guitarist at the time Ty Longley) and injuring over 200 after some pyrotechnics ignited sound insulation foam behind the stage.
There is a ten minute video of the incident online, but it's unnerving so I'll let you search for it yourself if you want to watch that sort of thing.