Last night, I watched the first part of PBS’s American Experience two-part series on Las Vegas. The episode covered the history of Vegas – the booze, the gambling, the gangsters, the growth – up until around the 6o’s, but also followed some personal stories of modern residents such as a gambling addict and a prosperous family woman brought here as a child by show business but finding success in real estate.

One of the most fascinating segments was when they covered the above-ground atomic bomb testing that took place 65 miles northeast of Vegas in the 50’s. I knew that this testing had taken place and that the bombs could be felt in Vegas, but what I didn’t know is that these tests actually became tourist attractions. Casinos and hotels would advertise testing times and offer chairs and drinks on their rooftops and the tourists would flock in to see the show. They had this old footage – and it might’ve been staged – of a group of gamblers over a craps table all turn their heads at the same time like at a tennis match to view the bright flash and then all turn back towards the table to get back to the game. Sure, the government misinformed the residents of Nevada of the dangers of being so near to a large radioactive explosion, but I would’ve loved to see a mushroom cloud myself. Part II is tonight.

And in other news, today I finally picked up my computer, outfitted with a new hard drive. My data is gone, but I’m relieved that I have a working laptop and because of Apple Care, it didn’t cost me a dime (although it cost quite a bit of time).