In the heart of Lower Manhattan, an unusual 29-story skyscraper, devoid of windows, stands tall and mysterious. Its code name is Titanpointe, and it is located at 33 Thomas Street. This building has baffled New Yorkers for years.
The building, constructed in 1974, was designed to withstand atomic blasts and was initially intended to house vital telecommunications equipment. It was envisioned as a communication nerve center, fortified against nuclear threats, by the architectural firm John Carl Warnecke & Associates.
This imposing structure, a gray tower of concrete and granite soaring 550 feet into the New York skyline, remains, unlike any other building in its vicinity. Unlike neighboring residential and office buildings, it does not have a single window and remains unilluminated. At night, it takes on an eerie presence, and by day it casts a giant shadow, its square vents emitting a faint hum, often drowned out by the city’s bustling sounds.
For decades, 33 Thomas Street, also nicknamed the “Long Lines Building,” has captured the imagination of New Yorkers as one of the city’s weirdest and most iconic skyscrapers. But the true purpose of this enigmatic structure has remained largely concealed, shrouded in secrecy.
The Secret Behind 33 Thomas Street
Beyond its enigmatic exterior, 33 Thomas Street conceals a deeper secret. This building appears to be more than just a telecommunications hub. Evidence from documents obtained by NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden, along with architectural plans and interviews with former AT&T employees, suggests that 33 Thomas Street served as an NSA surveillance site, code-named Titanpointe.
The NSA’s involvement goes beyond mere speculation. Inside the building, there’s a major international gateway switch that routes phone calls between the U.S. and countries worldwide. The NSA is believed to have tapped into these calls from a secure facility within the AT&T building. This covert surveillance program has targeted not only international organizations like the United Nations, the International Monetary Fund, and the World Bank but also numerous countries, including U.S. allies.
While AT&T has cooperated with the NSA on surveillance, few details have emerged about the specific role of facilities like 33 Thomas Street in carrying out top-secret programs. The Snowden documents, however, provide unprecedented insight into how NSA equipment has been integrated into AT&T’s network in New York City. This integration reveals the methods and technology employed by the agency to gather communications data from the company’s systems.
The NSA’s presence within this iconic skyscraper raises questions about the boundaries of surveillance in the modern world. As Elizabeth Goitein, co-director of the liberty and national security program at the Brennan Center for Justice, points out, “This is yet more proof that our communications service providers have become, whether willingly or unwillingly, an arm of the surveillance state.” The deep integration of the NSA within domestic communications infrastructure challenges the notion that such surveillance can be neatly confined to non-American targets.
Ron Howard Reveals Secret to 49-Year Marriage – You Won’t Believe His ‘Good Luck Charm’!
Ron Howard has been famous for almost all of his 70 years. He’s had a nonstop career in film and television, starting as a toddler.
Besides his impressive career, Ron has also had a long-lasting marriage. He has been married to his wife Cheryl for almost 50 years.
Keep reading to learn more about Ron Howard, his long career, and his long marriage!
Ronald Howard was born on March 1, 1954, in Duncan, Oklahoma. He would grow up to become a Hollywood legend.
Howard started acting when he was only 18 months old, appearing in his first film, Frontier Woman. By the time he was two, he was on stage in The Seven Year
After his early start in the entertainment world, Ron Howard became known for his role as Opie on The Andy Griffith Show from 1960 to 1968.
During this time, playing the son of Griffith’s character, Howard had the support of his parents, who were also in the entertainment business.
Ron remembers a conversation he had with his parents when he was younger. They said, “Remember how we always said, ‘You can do it if you want, but you don’t have to?’ Well if you start this, you can’t quit. You don’t have to do other parts on other shows if you don’t want, but you’d have to keep doing this one.”
Ron Howard understood the message his parents gave him. He says, “I think it was pretty clear at that point that I was enjoying it, and I was good at it.”
In fact, he was really good at it, and he was about to become a big star.
While he was on The Andy Griffith Show, Howard also acted in a movie called The Music Man in 1962. It was a musical and it did really well.
He was a natural talent. Then, in 1973, he starred in American Graffiti. It also had actors like Harrison Ford, Richard Dreyfuss, and Cindy Williams, who he would work with again in the future.
In 1974, Ron Howard got a big role as Richie Cunningham in a new show called Happy Days, created by Garry Marshall. The show was on TV from 1974 to 1984 and was watched by people all over the world.
Happy Days was so popular that it led to other shows, like Laverne & Shirley, which starred Cindy Williams and Garry Marshall’s sister Penny, and Mork & Mindy, with Robin Williams as the funny character Mork from Ork.
Before he won a Golden Globe for his role as the innocent teenager on Happy Days, Ron Howard met his high school sweetheart, Cheryl Alley, in 1970. They got married in 1975.
“I met her, and there was never anybody else,” Speaking with People, the director of the Da Vinci Code continued, “She’s unbelievably supportive and always has been. Our compatibility has endured through all kinds of experiences.”
After 50 years of shared experiences, Howard, who earned an Oscar for directing A Beautiful Mind, commemorated the 50th anniversary of his first date with Cheryl on
On November 1, 1970, Ron Howard and Cheryl went on their first date. Ron shared a photo of himself wearing socks with Cheryl’s face on them. He wrote, “We went to see a movie called It’s a Mad Mad Mad World and then got pizza at a place called Barnone’s in Toluca Lake. Quite a start, right?”
He also said they planned to drive the same 1970 VW Bug they drove on their first date. It still runs great, just like their relationship.
Cheryl appeared in some of Ron’s projects and even played herself on a TV show called Arrested Development, which Ron produced and narrated.
Ron calls Cheryl his “good luck charm.” That’s why she appears in every movie he makes. He told the Television Academy this in an interview.
“I got really superstitious about making sure she appears, at least a little bit, in every movie,” Ron said. “It doesn’t have to be a big part, but she’s gotta be in there.”
Besides bringing him luck, Cheryl is also a writer. She has a bachelor’s degree in psychology and a master’s degree in screenwriting.
The couple has four children: daughter Bryce, twins Paige and Jocelyn, and son Reed. They’re also grandparents to six children.
Bryce, a well-known actor, has been in movies like Jurassic World and The Help. Paige started her movie career in Adventureland in 2009. She’s also been in movies like The Employer and Collection.
Reed is a professional golfer. Jocelyn, Paige’s twin sister, keeps her life private.
Ron and Cheryl are about to celebrate their 49th anniversary on June 7th. Ron, who has won an Emmy Award, says that “communication” is the secret to their lasting love.
What’s your favorite movie or TV show featuring Ron Howard, the talented actor, director, and producer?
Share your thoughts with us, and then pass this story along so we can hear from others too!
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