Buy Smarter: The Consumer Guide to Smart TVsYou’ve probably walked or driven past the large brick building at the corner of East Corydon and Congress streets many times. You might know it has something to do with telephones, but have you ever paused to think about its history? Now owned by Verizon, this building is a hub for call-switching — a critical facility that manages local cell towers; processes calls, texts and data; and routes customer interactions. It was originally built by Bell Telephone in 1930, nearly 96 years ago. But it almost wasn’t built. Today, with 98% of Americans owning a cell phone (yes, really!), it might be hard to imagine why Bradford City Council hesitated to allow Bell Telephone to construct the building. It all started in November 1929, when Thomas F. Connelly, a prominent Bradford oil producer, sold his impressive mansion at 30 E. Corydon St., on the corner of Congress and East Corydon streets, to “undisclosed buyers” and relocated to 117 Kennedy St. Connelly’s mansion stood on one corner of the intersection, while the other three were occupied by the Carnegie Public Library, a large Baptist church, and the Women’s Christian Temperance Union clubhouse. Word quickly got out that the “undisclosed buyers” were actually a Pittsburgh group representing Bell Telephone and that they intended to replace the mansion with a three-story commercial brick building. This would effectively change the character and charm of the old neighborhood. Local residents were outraged. The issue wasn’t that the new building would house a telephone company — Bradford already had one. Established in 1903 by William Hanley, the existing telephone company operated out of a building at 11 Chestnut St. That telephone company employed women as switchboard operators but in 1919 the invention of the dial telephone enabled people to dial numbers themselves. Within a decade, personal dial telephones became widespread, rendering Bradford's service outdated. To support this advanced technology and improve communication in Bradford and across the region, a new, larger building was needed to house modern expanded equipment. In 1929, Bradford had 5,678 telephone subscribers, and that number was increasing all the time. The Bell Telephone people promised that this relatively new dial system of telephone service would become a reality once the new building was constructed. The new building, three stories high and 80 feet by 60 feet would cost $786,000 (nearly $14.8 million in today’s money). Construction was planned for March, with completion by October 1930, and the new dial system would be in place by July 1931. But Congress Street residents protested that the new building would be too large for the proposed plot of land. Ironically, it wasn’t the height of the building that they objected to, but the length and width, because the building would be too close to the street and in violation of the city building line set-back restrictions. They threatened to get a restraining injunction against Bell Telephone if the building permit were granted. By the first week in February, arguments on both sides were heated. East Corydon and Congress Street residents were represented by attorney William Burdick. Burdick claimed that the telephone company should have been aware of the building restrictions before purchasing the land. The situation, he said, was through their own carelessness and “the burden of their mistake should not be allowed to be thrust upon the shoulders of either the council or the property owners.” The residents insisted that “Bell Telephone build the building taller but stay within the same property line restrictions that “other property owners must abide by and always have.” Burdick was also representing a secret client, and insisted “it isn’t fair to my client, a man who has built a fine home on Congress Street, who has established his interests here and who has always been active in the achievement of Bradford to have his property ruined by such a permit.” It is likely that his client was Earl Emery, who had built a brick mansion at 50 Congress St. in 1921. Emery objected to a huge brick building being placed just a short distance from his side porch. Bell Telephone remained resolute, vowing to "do whatever it took" to secure the city's approval for the building's footprint. The company’s representatives were unwavering in their stance on the proposed building size and their request for a property line restriction variance. Determined to move forward, they were fully prepared to begin construction, even if it meant facing potential injunctions and legal challenges. City engineer Henry Quirk, and city solicitor Francis Nash suggested that the Bell Co. buy 6 feet of the Emery property that bordered the old Connelly property. This additional land would solve the setback line restrictions. Positive that they had found a solution, they eagerly wired Lucretia Emery (Mrs. Earl Emery), who was wintering in Florida. She agreed to sell 6 feet along the property line but only at the same price that Bell Telephone had paid for the Connelly property in 1929, or $479 a foot. Total cost would be $2,800. Bell Telephone refused, stating that they had enough land already and only needed the building permit to proceed. They vowed to carry the fight forward and build at any cost. Bitter and lengthy negotiations between council members and the legal team representing Bell Telephone followed, but on March 17, 1930, a tentative solution was reached behind closed doors. City Council voted unanimously to grant the building permit. A compromise had been reached — the building would be built within 2 feet of the property line on the East Corydon Street side and at least 5 feet inside the line on the Congress Street side. Construction could begin. By June 1930, the old Connelly mansion was gone and “impressive ceremonies marked the laying of the cornerstone” of the new “Big Bell” building. A specially designed platform was decorated with red, white and blue bunting and a blue and white banner of the Bell system held city officials, prominent citizens and representatives of the Bell System. A lead box was placed inside the cornerstone, which included the June 25, 1930, Bradford Era newspaper, a copy of the building permit, the financial statement of the banks, a copy of the telephone directory, a number of local business cards, statements of the architect and contractor, a list of city officials, a list of the Rotary Club members, a photograph of Miss Phoebe Newell, the oldest living telephone subscriber in the city, and a list of Bell officials. In June 1931, it was announced that all of Bradford’s telephone subscribers were now on the dial system. Most of Bell Telephone customers had never used a dial telephone before and had to be instructed in how to use one. But the phone company had foreseen this problem. Each telephone subscriber was given complete instructions on how to use a dial phone. Telephone company representatives gave speeches to local organizations and even scheduled a movie “suitable for both adults and children” to be shown at local churches, demonstrating dial phoning. A telephone book, with new numbers, was published in the summer of 1931. The first phone call using the new dial system was made at midnight June 27, 1931. Two prominent civic leaders were selected to mark this historic occasion: William H. Dennis, owner of Tuna Manufacturing Co., and A. D. Burns, a local plumber and leader of the 1898 Bradford contingent of the Pennsylvania National Guard during the Spanish-American War. Dozens of people gathered on both ends of the line to witness the moment as Dennis called Burns, officially inaugurating the modern telephone system. “Hello Colonel Burns? It’s W. H. Dennis calling.” Today, with the widespread use of cell phones and smartphones, switchboard operators, rotary dialing and pay phones have become relics of the past. Bell Telephone, once known as "Ma Bell" by its critics, is also gone. The Bell System was broken up in 1982 for being a monopoly, leading to the creation of seven regional telephone companies known as "Baby Bells." One of these, Bell Atlantic, eventually became Verizon, which still manages the iconic "Big Bell" brick building on the corner of East Corydon and Congress streets.
Banque Cantonale Vaudoise Has $32,000 Stock Holdings in Hecla Mining (NYSE:HL)China in restructuring itself in the field of avionics and military infrastructure, with its 6th generation fighter program giving stiff competition to the US Air Force . The Asian country has now announced the new sixth-generation heavy stealth jet whose images have surfaced recently, showing this previously unseen aircraft conducting daytime flight tests alongside other combat aircrafts giving it due backup. ET Year-end Special Reads Two sectors that rose on India's business horizon in 2024 2025 outlook: Is it time for cautious optimism or rekindling animal spirits? 2024: Govt moves ahead with simultaneous polls plan; India holds largest democratic exercise Has China launched its new sixth-generation heavy stealth jet? Reports claim that these tests took initiation from the Chengdu Aircraft Corporation (CAC) factory airfield, and these videos of the unseen jet went viral within minutes of it circulating on social media. Meanwhile, this would mean that there is now increased pressure on America's sixth-gen program in the coming days as the details regarding the exact identity and specifications of the Chinese fighter jet will remain a mystery for now, making it a major security threat for US and China's enemy nations. What's so special about the new Chinese stealth jets? These sixth-gen Chinese jets are tailless, which is indeed a one-of-a-kind outlook, but it reportedly gives lesser air resistance to aircrafts, and provides better maneuvering, due to the avionics involved. Moreover, the broad nose of the stealth jet raises the possibility of accommodating one or two crew members side by side, making it easier to coordinate and fly, like like regular commercial aircrafts. FAQs: Are US and China allies? China's leadership perceives the US military as “hostile” and “threatening” towards the People's Liberation Army. Is China working on next-gen fighter aircrafts? Beijing's military expansion over the past two decades has focused on developing a formidable arsenal of missiles, ships, aircraft, including the latest sixth-generation heavy stealth jet. Artificial Intelligence(AI) Java Programming with ChatGPT: Learn using Generative AI By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Artificial Intelligence(AI) Basics of Generative AI: Unveiling Tomorrows Innovations By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Artificial Intelligence(AI) Generative AI for Dynamic Java Web Applications with ChatGPT By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Artificial Intelligence(AI) Mastering C++ Fundamentals with Generative AI: A Hands-On By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Artificial Intelligence(AI) Master in Python Language Quickly Using the ChatGPT Open AI By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Marketing Performance Marketing for eCommerce Brands By - Zafer Mukeri, Founder- Inara Marketers View Program Office Productivity Zero to Hero in Microsoft Excel: Complete Excel guide 2024 By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Finance A2Z Of Money By - elearnmarkets, Financial Education by StockEdge View Program Marketing Modern Marketing Masterclass by Seth Godin By - Seth Godin, Former dot com Business Executive and Best Selling Author View Program Astrology Vastu Shastra Course By - Sachenkumar Rai, Vastu Shashtri View Program Strategy Succession Planning Masterclass By - Nigel Penny, Global Strategy Advisor: NSP Strategy Facilitation Ltd. View Program Data Science SQL for Data Science along with Data Analytics and Data Visualization By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Artificial Intelligence(AI) AI and Analytics based Business Strategy By - Tanusree De, Managing Director- Accenture Technology Lead, Trustworthy AI Center of Excellence: ATCI View Program Web Development A Comprehensive ASP.NET Core MVC 6 Project Guide for 2024 By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Marketing Digital Marketing Masterclass by Pam Moore By - Pam Moore, Digital Transformation and Social Media Expert View Program Artificial Intelligence(AI) AI-Powered Python Mastery with Tabnine: Boost Your Coding Skills By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Office Productivity Mastering Microsoft Office: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and 365 By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Marketing Digital marketing - Wordpress Website Development By - Shraddha Somani, Digital Marketing Trainer, Consultant, Strategiest and Subject Matter expert View Program Office Productivity Mastering Google Sheets: Unleash the Power of Excel and Advance Analysis By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Web Development Mastering Full Stack Development: From Frontend to Backend Excellence By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Finance Financial Literacy i.e Lets Crack the Billionaire Code By - CA Rahul Gupta, CA with 10+ years of experience and Accounting Educator View Program Data Science SQL Server Bootcamp 2024: Transform from Beginner to Pro By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel )
Empowered Funds LLC Acquires 1,340 Shares of Hawthorn Bancshares, Inc. (NASDAQ:HWBK)The Bevo rule? AFL rethinks post-game media access
Professor25/iStock via Getty Images DBV Technologies ( NASDAQ: DBVT ) stock shot up 29% in post-market trading Wednesday after the company said it has aligned with the FDA on an accelerated approval pathway for its peanut allergy patch Viaskin for children aged one to three years. TheWith over 20 years of expertise, 76 clinics worldwide, and a team of more than 200 doctors, Thérapie Clinic is renowned for delivering exceptional results using state-of-the-art technology. Here’s a quick look at some of their most sought-after treatments now on offer during their biggest sale of the year. Laser Hair Removal Say goodbye to the hassle of shaving, waxing, and ingrown hairs. As Europe’s No.1 laser hair removal provider, Thérapie Clinic uses medical-grade technology to achieve up to 90% permanent hair reduction for all skin types. Even better, their cool-air system ensures treatments are virtually pain-free. This Black Friday, enjoy up to 70% off and get summer-ready early. Doctor-Led Cosmetic Injections From anti-wrinkle injections to dermal fillers and collagen-boosting Polynucleotides, Thérapie Clinic offers solutions tailored to enhance your natural beauty. These treatments, trusted by celebrities like Jennifer Aniston, are now available in a special 3-for-2 offer. Potenza RF Microneedling Dubbed the “non-surgical facelift,” Potenza combines microneedling with advanced radiofrequency to tighten and rejuvenate skin at a cellular level. Loved by A-listers, this transformative treatment is now up to 30% off. Don’t miss your chance to shine—shop Thérapie Clinic’s Black Friday Sale today! www.therapieclinic.com
Kitchens will lead Tar Heels in Fenway Bowl against UConn. Another ex-Browns coach is standing byNo. 25 UConn working on climbing back up poll, faces No. 15 Baylor
VICE President Sara Duterte’s claims that congressional hearings on the alleged misuse of P612.5 million in confidential funds were “politically motivated” were characterized as desperate lies by House of Representatives leaders on Sunday, as they urged her “to put an end to the drama and instead focus on answering issues on your million-peso disbursements.” House Majority Leader Manuel Jose Dalipe, House Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability chairman Joel Chua, and Quad Committee lead chairman Robert Ace Barbers denounced Duterte’s allegations, calling them an affront to Congress and the Filipino people. Dalipe branded Duterte’s accusations as “baseless, unhinged, and unbecoming of a public official,” insisting that the House hearings are rooted in its constitutional mandate to hold public officials accountable. “This isn’t about elections, fundraising, or petty politics. It’s about where the millions, if not billions, of pesos in taxpayers’ money went. Instead of explaining, the Vice President resorts to profanity and baseless accusations. Her tantrums won’t hide the truth,” said Dalipe, who represents Zamboanga City. The majority leader added that Duterte’s repeated refusal to cooperate only deepens the public’s suspicion. “She can lash out all she wants, but the question remains: Where did the money go? Until she answers that, her expletives are just noise meant to distract from her glaring lack of transparency,” Dalipe said. For his part, Chua, a primary target of Duterte’s attacks, said her statements aimed to intimidate lawmakers into silence. “The Vice President’s foul language cannot cover up her foul record. Her decision to hurl insults instead of providing answers reeks of desperation. Profanity won’t erase the stench of corruption,” Chua, who represents Manila, said. Pure fiction CHUA dismissed Duterte’s claims of off-camera apologies from lawmakers as “pure fiction.” “Let me be clear: No one in the House apologized to her, nor do we need to. If she truly has evidence, let her bring it forward. Otherwise, it’s just another pathetic attempt to discredit a legitimate investigation,” Chua added. Barbers emphasized that the investigations are necessary for legislative reforms and ensuring government transparency. He dismissed claims of political bias. “One of the campaign promises of the UNITEAM is to institute reforms in the government and its systems in order to ensure transparency and accountability for any malfeasance committed in office, whoever and whatever position you hold. All this investigation is necessary as a prelude to legislating reforms and guaranteeing accountability of public officers, including members of Congress,” Barbers, who represents Surigao del Norte, said. “Instead of facing the music, the Vice President has chosen to hide behind lies, theatrics, and name-calling. This is not the behavior of a leader—it’s the behavior of someone desperately dodging accountability,” Barbers said. Barbers also debunked Duterte’s assertion that the hearings are politically motivated. Not about 2028 “THIS isn’t about 2028 or her presidential ambitions. It’s about ensuring that every peso of taxpayer money is used properly. If she can’t answer simple questions about how confidential funds were spent, the public has every right to question her integrity,” Barbers said. The House leaders underscored that the investigation would continue, undeterred by Duterte’s attempts to discredit the process. “She can scream, curse, and cry foul all she wants, but at the end of the day, the Filipino people deserve answers. If the Vice President cannot lead by example, she has no right to cry victim when held accountable,” Chua said. Dalipe added, “Public office is a public trust. If the Vice President refuses to uphold that principle, she is unfit for her position.” Barbers vowed that the House would not back down. “This is not about her or her ambitions. It’s about the truth—and no amount of noise from the Vice President will stop us from uncovering it,” he said. Enough with the drama LA Union Rep. Paolo Ortega, a deputy majority leader, urged Duterte to channel her energy into addressing the inquiries instead of engaging in dramatic outbursts. “If she can release bold statements that barely make sense, she should also have the courage to explain how P612.5 million in confidential funds were spent,” Ortega said. “Enough with the drama and deception.” Duterte has faced backlash for recent outbursts, including threats against President Marcos, his wife Liza and Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez. “Such behavior is unbecoming of a vice president,” Ortega noted. “Instead of making threats, she should use that spunk to clarify the allegations against her.” Ortega criticized Duterte’s actions, including “camping out” in the House, as distractions. “While Filipinos struggle, every peso must be accounted for. Her theatrics aren’t helping rebuild public trust,” he said. Calling for accountability, Ortega highlighted the importance of Duterte cooperating with the Blue Ribbon Committee. “If she values honesty, integrity, and the rule of law, she’ll face the hearings. Theatrics won’t restore public confidence—it’s time to act like a leader and answer the nation’s questions.”
Flagship Harbor Advisors LLC Invests $34.41 Million in Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN)
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — An online spat between factions of Donald Trump's supporters over immigration and the tech industry has thrown internal divisions in his political movement into public display, previewing the fissures and contradictory views his coalition could bring to the White House. The rift laid bare the tensions between the newest flank of Trump's movement — wealthy members of the tech world including billionaire Elon Musk and fellow entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy and their call for more highly skilled workers in their industry — and people in Trump's Make America Great Again base who championed his hardline immigration policies. The debate touched off this week when Laura Loomer , a right-wing provocateur with a history of racist and conspiratorial comments, criticized Trump’s selection of Sriram Krishnan as an adviser on artificial intelligence policy in his coming administration. Krishnan favors the ability to bring more skilled immigrants into the U.S. Loomer declared the stance to be “not America First policy” and said the tech executives who have aligned themselves with Trump were doing so to enrich themselves. Much of the debate played out on the social media network X, which Musk owns. Loomer's comments sparked a back-and-forth with venture capitalist and former PayPal executive David Sacks , whom Trump has tapped to be the “White House A.I. & Crypto Czar." Musk and Ramaswamy, whom Trump has tasked with finding ways to cut the federal government , weighed in, defending the tech industry's need to bring in foreign workers. It bloomed into a larger debate with more figures from the hard-right weighing in about the need to hire U.S. workers, whether values in American culture can produce the best engineers, free speech on the internet, the newfound influence tech figures have in Trump's world and what his political movement stands for. Trump has not yet weighed in on the rift. His presidential transition team did not respond to questions about positions on visas for highly skilled workers or the debate between his supporters online. Instead, his team instead sent a link to a post on X by longtime adviser and immigration hard-liner Stephen Miller that was a transcript of a speech Trump gave in 2020 at Mount Rushmore in which he praised figures and moments from American history. Musk, the world's richest man who has grown remarkably close to the president-elect , was a central figure in the debate, not only for his stature in Trump's movement but his stance on the tech industry's hiring of foreign workers. Technology companies say H-1B visas for skilled workers, used by software engineers and others in the tech industry, are critical for hard-to-fill positions. But critics have said they undercut U.S. citizens who could take those jobs. Some on the right have called for the program to be eliminated, not expanded. Born in South Africa, Musk was once on an a H-1B visa himself and defended the industry's need to bring in foreign workers. “There is a permanent shortage of excellent engineering talent," he said in a post. “It is the fundamental limiting factor in Silicon Valley.” Trump's own positions over the years have reflected the divide in his movement. His tough immigration policies, including his pledge for a mass deportation, were central to his winning presidential campaign. He has focused on immigrants who come into the U.S. illegally but he has also sought curbs on legal immigration , including family-based visas. As a presidential candidate in 2016, Trump called the H-1B visa program “very bad” and “unfair” for U.S. workers. After he became president, Trump in 2017 issued a “Buy American and Hire American” executive order , which directed Cabinet members to suggest changes to ensure H-1B visas were awarded to the highest-paid or most-skilled applicants to protect American workers. Trump's businesses, however, have hired foreign workers, including waiters and cooks at his Mar-a-Lago club , and his social media company behind his Truth Social app has used the the H-1B program for highly skilled workers. During his 2024 campaign for president, as he made immigration his signature issue, Trump said immigrants in the country illegally are “poisoning the blood of our country" and promised to carry out the largest deportation operation in U.S. history. But in a sharp departure from his usual alarmist message around immigration generally, Trump told a podcast this year that he wants to give automatic green cards to foreign students who graduate from U.S. colleges. “I think you should get automatically, as part of your diploma, a green card to be able to stay in this country," he told the “All-In" podcast with people from the venture capital and technology world. Those comments came on the cusp of Trump's budding alliance with tech industry figures, but he did not make the idea a regular part of his campaign message or detail any plans to pursue such changes.
A late-game rally derailed by a missed field goal and Cowboys stun Commanders 34-26World Cup selection drives US sevens star Maher's move to BristolAn online debate over foreign workers in tech shows tensions in Trump's political coalition
Intuit and Amazon Expand Strategic PartnershipSpurs’ Chris Paul Suffers Thumb Injury vs Thunder
