عربي English Türkçe اردو فارسى
Logo
Latest News
Varieties

Metallic Monolith Pops up Outside Pittsburgh Candy Store

A monolith stands on a Stadium Park hillside in Atascadero, Calif., Tuesday, Dec. 2, 2020. (AP)
A monolith stands on a Stadium Park hillside in Atascadero, Calif., Tuesday, Dec. 2, 2020. (AP)
TT
TT

Metallic Monolith Pops up Outside Pittsburgh Candy Store

A monolith stands on a Stadium Park hillside in Atascadero, Calif., Tuesday, Dec. 2, 2020. (AP)
A monolith stands on a Stadium Park hillside in Atascadero, Calif., Tuesday, Dec. 2, 2020. (AP)

Since mid-November, shining metal monoliths have suddenly appeared - and then vanished - in the strangest locations, from the Utah desert to a Romanian mountainside.

Now one has popped up outside a Pittsburgh candy store.

Capitalizing on the intrigue surrounding the other monoliths and hoping to provide a distraction from the daily drumbeat of COVID-19 news, the owner of Grandpa Joe's Candy Shop, Christopher Beers, commissioned a 10-foot tall, 24-inch wide triangle of plywood covered in sheet metal.

"There is a mystery behind it," said Beers, even though he stripped the whodunit angle from his monolith, which he freely admits was designed to drive up candy sales.

Beers said he was captivated by sculptures that made headlines starting in November, the first appearing in Utah's Red Rock Country, vaguely resembling the so-called monoliths in Stanley Kubrick's 1968 film "2001: A Space Odyssey."

He enlisted a colleague to erect a similar enigma outside his store. One Facebook post was all it took to generate a media buzz around the "mysterious" metallic creation.

"Hopefully, it's a reminder to support small, local businesses that have been so badly hit" by COVID-19, said Beers, owner of the independent chain of 10 candy stores in Pennsylvania and Ohio.

"And isn't it fun to have something to talk about beside the pandemic?!"

Since the monolith went up, business has been brisk at Grandpa Joe's. Customers eagerly take selfies with the monolith before heading inside to load up on Christmas sweets. The Facebook post is also driving candy sales online.

"Come see the Monolith before it mysteriously disappears," said a post on a Facebook page for Grandpa Joe's.

"Is it made out of chocolate?" commented one hopeful fan on the page.

Most Viewed

 
 
Varieties

The Year's First Meteor Shower and Supermoon Clash in January Skies

People look up to the sky from an observatory near the village of Avren, Bulgaria, Aug. 12, 2009. (AP Photo/Petar Petrov, File)
People look up to the sky from an observatory near the village of Avren, Bulgaria, Aug. 12, 2009. (AP Photo/Petar Petrov, File)
TT
TT

The Year's First Meteor Shower and Supermoon Clash in January Skies

People look up to the sky from an observatory near the village of Avren, Bulgaria, Aug. 12, 2009. (AP Photo/Petar Petrov, File)
People look up to the sky from an observatory near the village of Avren, Bulgaria, Aug. 12, 2009. (AP Photo/Petar Petrov, File)

The year's first supermoon and meteor shower will sync up in January skies, but the light from one may dim the other.

The Quadrantid meteor shower peaks Friday night into Saturday morning, according to the American Meteor Society. In dark skies during the peak, skygazers typically see around 25 meteors per hour, but this time they'll likely glimpse less than 10 per hour due to light from Saturday's supermoon, The AP news reported.

“The biggest enemy of enjoying a meteor shower is the full moon,” said Mike Shanahan, planetarium director at Liberty Science Center in New Jersey.

Meteor showers happen when speedy space rocks collide with Earth’s atmosphere, burning up and leaving fiery tails in their wake — the end of a “shooting star.” A handful of meteors are visible on any given night, but predictable showers appear annually when Earth passes through dense streams of cosmic debris.

Supermoons occur when a full moon is closer to Earth in its orbit. That makes it appear up to 14% bigger and 30% brighter than the faintest moon of the year, according to NASA. That difference can be tough to notice with the naked eye.

Supermoons, like all full moons, are visible in clear skies everywhere that it's night. The Quadrantids, on the other hand, can be seen mainly from the Northern Hemisphere. Both can be glimpsed without any special equipment.

To spot the Quadrantids, venture out in the early evening away from city lights and watch for fireballs before the moon crashes the party, said Jacque Benitez with the Morrison Planetarium at the California Academy of Sciences. Skygazers can also try looking during early dawn hours on Sunday.

Wait for your eyes to get used to the darkness, and don’t look at your phone. The space rocks will look like fast-moving white dots and appear over the whole sky.

Meteor showers are named for the constellation where the fireballs appear to come from. The Quadrantids — space debris from the asteroid 2003 EH1 — are named for a constellation that's no longer recognized.

The next major meteor shower, called the Lyrids, is slotted for April.

Supermoons happen a few times a year and come in groups, taking advantage of the sweet spot in the moon’s elliptical orbit. Saturday night’s event ends a four-month streak that started in October. There won't be another supermoon until the end of 2026.

Varieties

New Maritime Theater in Jazan to Host the City's Festival Opening

The site also includes various amenities, such as shopping zones, kiosks for dining, an art gallery - SPA
The site also includes various amenities, such as shopping zones, kiosks for dining, an art gallery - SPA
TT
TT

New Maritime Theater in Jazan to Host the City's Festival Opening

The site also includes various amenities, such as shopping zones, kiosks for dining, an art gallery - SPA
The site also includes various amenities, such as shopping zones, kiosks for dining, an art gallery - SPA

The Jazan city theater on the southern corniche will host the opening ceremony of the Jazan Festival 2026 on Friday. This event will take place at a 35-square-kilometer site that features the Kingdom's largest maritime theater, SPA reported.

The theater accommodates more than 10,000 spectators and features five VIP areas. To ensure a smooth experience, the venue offers parking for over 9,000 vehicles, providing easy access during peak times.

Built specifically for the festival, the stage meets stringent safety and technical standards, providing a high-quality audiovisual experience against the stunning backdrop of the Red Sea.

The site also includes various amenities, such as shopping zones, kiosks for dining, an art gallery, a play area for children, a bird garden, and a regional museum, showcasing the region's history and culture.

This temporary maritime theater aims to provide a cohesive experience, integrating entertainment, culture, shopping, and services in one location, further establishing Jazan as a year-round destination for tourism and entertainment.

Varieties

Saudi Post Issues Commemorative Stamp for Riyadh Air

Saudi Post Issues Commemorative Stamp for Riyadh Air
TT
TT

Saudi Post Issues Commemorative Stamp for Riyadh Air

Saudi Post Issues Commemorative Stamp for Riyadh Air

Saudi Post, in collaboration with Riyadh Air, has launched a commemorative stamp set priced at SAR3 to celebrate the airline’s inaugural flights on October 26, 2025, coinciding with the start of its operational phase.

This issuance marks the beginning of operational activities for Riyadh Air as a new national carrier, aiming to serve over 100 destinations worldwide, SPA reported.

Saudi Post's stamps commemorate major national and international events, preserving important moments in Saudi history and appealing to collectors and historians alike.