1. President Clinton enters cyberspace when he conducts the first virtual town hall. According to an article published in SFGate)

2. Just in time for holiday shopping, Amazon announces that it will expand its offering beyond just books. They’ll be adding software, video games, home improvement products and gifts to their online offering.

3. Football hero Walter Payton (a.k.a. “Sweetness”) dies at age 45 from complications of a rare liver disease. (via EDN)

5. November 19, 1999 The Oddest Day – PGA Tour)

7. Woody and Buzz are restored to fame when Toy Story 2 debuts and becomes an even bigger success than the original. (via Legends of Hockey)

9. Pokemon: The First Movie hits the big screen raking in a whopping $31 million+ during its opening weekend.

10. Encyclopedia Britannica, which once lined the bookshelves of most US households, launches its website … and crashes after two weeks because too many people logged on to its free search. (Photo via Billboard.

1999 was a year of massive growth in the online world. The internet was here to stay, and it’s no surprise that this was the year that Pegasus Lighting took our business online. In November 1999 , the world’s greatest technology companies gathered in Las Vegas for the 20th Annual Computer Dealers Exhibition (COMDEX) to learn about the latest innovations in computing. Our last four November pop culture items were highlighted or debuted at this event.

12. Microsoft’s Bill Gates is the Keynote speaker at COMDEX and introduces Windows 2000, promising that it will be much more reliable than its predecessor, Windows 98.

13. The QBe (pronounced “Cube”) tablet is exhibited with plans to start shipping in Spring of 2000 at a price of $4,495. (via unveiled by Ericsson as a lightweight wireless headset that can work from “up to 10 metres away from phone.”

Every year, dozens of people are injured as a result of unsafe conditions created by faulty electrical panels. With winter fast approaching and more people plugging in space heaters and turning on heating systems, this is a perfect time to go over a few ways to make sure your electrical panel is working properly. Be on the lookout for the following signs that your panel is overloaded:

By this, we mean both full-on outages and things like tripped breakers and flickering lights. Your electrical panel is designed to handle only so much, and if your breakers trip frequently, this could be a sign that you’re overloaded. Storms with heavy rains, wind, and lightning can also cause panels to temporarily overload.

Sparks when you go to plug something in or coming directly from the panel are a sure sign that something is seriously wrong with your panel. As soon as you see one, turn on the power and examine your panel for burning smells or indications of smoke. Even if you don’t see any, call an electrician just to be on the safe side.

It’s natural for things like switch plates, wall outlet covers, cords, even plugs to get a little warm when current is flowing through them. If they get too hot to touch, however, this is a definite sign that something is wrong. Cut the power and contact an electrician as soon as possible.

If you can hear buzzing sounds coming from your electrical panel, there may be an overload or you may have worn parts in need of replacement. The buzzing can be a sign of mechanical vibration or electrical contacts arcing. It could also be coming from the bimetallic strip that trips the breaker.

If the insulation material on any of your wiring is cut, damaged, or cracked, this can be an indication of an electrical current overload. As soon as you notice this, replace the wiring—it can be a major fire hazard.

Electrical fires increase significantly during the winter, so now is a perfect time to take a look at your electrical panel and make sure it’s operating safely. And if you need electrical maintenance in Maryland, DC, or Virginia, call Kolb Electric today!

Kitchens are used more often, and are more versatile, than any other room in the home. In years past, they were used solely for meal preparation, typically illuminated by a single, inefficient ceiling fixture, but the kitchen of today is also used for entertaining, homework, dining, and making memories. With such an impressive resume, this hard working room deserves to shine a little brighter, with lighting that makes a statement, helps to get the job done, and creates a feeling of warmth.

There are a wide array of hidden problems that homeowners may discover in their first few weeks occupying a property. This is especially true in older houses, where the new buyer is hardly the first occupant. Many such older homes in Virginia, Maryland and Washington, D.C., are generally solid structures but have minor electrical or plumbing issues that aren't apparent when visiting an open house.

One of the more costly problems that you'll want to watch out for is "hot wiring" throughout the property. This is when, somewhere in your house, the electricity is causing a dangerous amount of heat. Whenever there is too much heat coming from one particular spot in the home, there is the potential for fire, which could end up costing you significantly in the long run - or worse, fatally harm members of the household.

The wall switch is one area where you should be especially worried about poor wiring. These switches are designed so that heat won't build up if correctly installed, so any rise in temperature is a sure sign something is amiss. It is relatively common for a dimming switch to build up heat over an extended period - they are, after all, powering at least 600 watts' worth of light bulbs. However, heat at a receptacle is another matter; a connection there needs immediate improvement to prevent a fire.