Located about 30 miles east of the town of Truth or Consequences (great name) lies the "world's first purpose-built commercial spaceport"- Spaceport America (formerly known as the Southwest Regional Spaceport).

Yep, I used the word "spaceport". That's fun.

The spaceport was first purposed by a Stanford professor in 1990, and there were a number of politicians that secured funding and encouraged participation by outside commercial interests to solidify the prospects of this ambitious project (this was back when public servants still took pride in completing tasks).

The X Prize Cup was held here in 2003. In 2006, Virgin Galactic announced they would make their headquarters in New Mexico, and the spaceport's name was changed to Spaceport America (f**k yeah!).

While Virgin Galactic is the anchor tenant for the spaceport, the plan is for multiple space travel groups to use the facility. Current other tenants include the Rocket Racing League and Microgravity Enterprises, Inc.

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In 1957, Satellite Records was formed by Jim Stewart in his wife's uncle's garage in North Memphis, TN. By 1961, Stewart's sister had mortgaged her house to pay for recording equipment, and the name had changed to Stax Records.

The studio moved into the abandoned Capitol Theater on McLemore Ave, and a group of neighborhood kids began playing on records regularly, becoming Booker T. and the MGs (the house band at Stax for 8 years). In 1962, the same year they came out with "Green Onions," Otis Redding had joined Stax Records.

In 1965, Sam & Dave joined Stax and with the help of song-writer Isaac Hayes (theme from Shaft, South Park's Chef) put out a string of hits including "I Take What I Want," "Soul Man," and "Hold On, I'm Coming."

In 1967, tragedy struck the Stax family when Otis Redding and the Bar-Kays crashed into Lake Monona, WI.

Today, the Stax Museum is open to the public, supporting a number of music programs in the Memphis area.

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The Dakota also served for the sweeping exterior shots of the 1968 film Rosemary's Baby. In the film, the building is called "The Bramford" and has a troubled past associated with the occult, baby murders, and witchcraft.

The Dakota building was well known for its show business inhabitants. Director Roman Polanski initially thought the interiors to be to new and clean to be appropriate for the film, but that became a moot point once the building owners refused to allow interior shooting.

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In 1969, a group of four musicians known as "The Swampers" left nearby FAME Recording Studios to form their own studio. The Muscle Shoals Sound Studio created a number of legendary hits, and The Muscle Shoals Sound Rhythm Section (The Swampers changed their name) was the first rhythm section to own their own studio and, eventually, their own publishing and production companies.

Wilson Pickett, Aretha Franklin, Bob Seger, Cat Stevens, and more have all recorded at the facility. The Staple Singers recorded "I'll Take You There" at Muscle Shoals Sound. Paul Simon heard the song, loved it, and got the rhythm section to record with him for "Kodachrome" and "Loves Me Like a Rock."

The Rolling Stones were here from December 2-4, 1969, when they recorded "Brown Sugar" and "Wild Horses." According to legend, Keith Richards was doing coke in the bathroom while the engineers pleaded with him to get into the studio. Richards responded that wild horses couldn't get him to come out.

Bob Dylan recorded "Gotta Serve Somebody" here in 1979, which won him a Grammy for Best Male Vocalist in 1980.

Although the Muscle Shoals Sound Studio has since moved to an updated facility on Alabama Ave in Sheffield, AL, the original building is occasionally used. The Black Keys recorded their album Brothers here in 2009, which won a Grammy in 2011.

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Originally called the Bull and Finch Pub, this bar's exterior served as the establishing shots for the sitcom Cheers. When the owner of the Bull and Finch, Thomas Kershaw, was asked for shooting permission by the production company, he charged them $1.

In 2002, the bar changed it's name to Cheers Beacon Hill (named for the Beacon Hill neighborhood). There's another Cheers location (Faneuil Hall) in Boston that has a replica bar, and together the two restaurants pull in millions a year selling Cheers gear.

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