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By Kate McFarlin
I have more than 15 years experience as a freelance writer. My articles have been published on USAToday, the Houston Chronicle and several other sites. Kate blogs via Contently.com.
Are you ready to get into the exciting world of webinars? Before you get started, there are a few things that you need to know to help ensure that your first webinar goes off without a hitch.
Preparation is the key when it comes to conducting your first webinar. By taking the time to take care of a few essentials ahead of time, you can reduce beginner's stress and make sure that your final product is polished and professional.
1. Give Yourself Enough Promotional Lead Time.
You'll need some time to attract an audience to your webinar. The industry-recommended standard is about two to three weeks. Any longer than that, and you'll run the risk of having participants forget about the event. Any shorter and you may not be able to attract a large enough audience.
2. Do a Few Run Throughs of Your Webinar Content on Your Own.
This step is important for two reasons. First, you'll be building confidence in your skills as a presenter. Second, you'll be able to spot any weak points or potential problems in your webinar before you go live in front of an audience.
3. Test Your Equipment The Day of Your Webinar.
You'll need a microphone for your webinar and if you'll be doing live video, a webcam. Do a quick equipment test a few hours in advance to make sure everything is operational. This will give you enough time if you should have to replace anything.
4. Send out Reminders to Registered Participants.
Email your participant list a few days before and the day of your webinar to remind them. Make sure to include the time zone you're in to avoid any confusion. You can also utilize services like Twitter and Facebook to help remind your audience.
5. Always Remember to Smile.
It's all too common to feel stressed out before and during your webinar. By preparing you'll be able to lessen that stress, and always remember to smile. Your audience will feel more relaxed and more engaged, and they will feel more engaged with the content you are presenting.
6. Utilize Interactive Elements.
An involved audience is an engaged audience. Remember to include polls and other interactive elements in your webinar. This helps you as a presenter by taking some of the burden off of you, and it helps your audience to feel as though you care about their opinions.
We all have to start somewhere, and while your first webinar may take some time and effort, the process will get easier and before you know it, you'll be a pro!


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I just spent a fabulous 3 days in Dayton, Ohio (yes, it's possible to have a fabulous time there.) I attended my first ever Erma Bombeck Writer's Workshop, a bi-annual coming-together of humor writers.
Attendees run the gamut of published authors, screen-writers, bloggers, social media fanatics and those who were just dipping their toe in the stream of writing. There was a fantastic line up of presenters and speakers, including, but certainly not limited to:
W. Bruce Cameron-author of my favoritest-ever (yes, that's my word) book, "A Dog's Purpose." (Which, by the way, will be made into a movie soon.)
Craig Wilson-USA Today feature writer and author of "It's the Little Things: An Appreciation of Life's Simple Pleasures."
Adriana Trigiani-writer for The Cosby Show and A Different World, and author of "Lucia, Lucia" and "Big Stone Gap" which was where Adriana and I both began our lives.
Irene Beckerman– whose writing career began at the age of 60 (Oh, thank you, Irene- there is STILL hope for me!)
Alan Zweibel, one of the original writer's for "Saturday Night Live." He also wrote for "It's Garry Shandling's Show," "Curb Your Enthusiasm," and the movie "North", among others.
Dave Fox-author of Globejotting and Getting Lost, and who I consider responsible for my enthusiasm about writing humor. I've taken 2 of Dave's online humor-writing classes, and he encouraged me to go to the EBWW conference.
There were many more inspirational presenters at the conference, and, perhaps most inspirational of all was Erma's family. Each family member read one of their favorite columns written by Erma, and gave us a piece of their own life with the woman we all consider "Mom."
The presenters were unique, but the message was the same. Keep writing. Do what you love. Persevere. "Overnight success is a myth, so don't give up!" That is exactly what I needed to hear. Muchas Gracias!
My roommate, Angela, was a former classmate in Dave's online humor classes, and, although we were virtual strangers, we at least had a clue that we would get along. She knew my penchant for wine and dropping the "F" bomb, and still agreed to let me room with her.
One problem.
Angela is a "low talker." (Remember Seinfield's Puffy-Shirt episode?)
I am deaf.
No, not totally deaf, but I struggle to hear, much less understand, anything quieter than a passing fire truck or dynamite blast. I have no idea what I nodded and smiled about for the first hour in our room, but after showing her my hearing aids and asking her to please yell at me, we hit it off. We're even talking about taking a trip to Asia next year.
Polly arrived 8 ½ months pregnant, but other than that she seemed normal.
Then the truth came out.
Polly is a Mormon.
I'm from rural Appalachia. I've never met a real Mormon in person. My exposure lies in the endless TV ads that have ambushed us every 5 minutes, ever since Mitt Romney began his bid for president. You've probably seen them: Drug addicts, ex-convicts, Walmart greeters… Each commercial ends in "I am a Mormon.
Maybe they should get Polly on that ad, saying she's a Mom and a writer. It would have laid my fears to rest, for sure.
The bottom line is this. Last weekend I was exposed to some of the funniest, funnest, coolest and genuinely warmest people I've ever met. Thank you, Erma, for your gift.

subset: commoncrawl


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- Jena Economic Resea...
- Volume 5
- Intrafirm Conflicts...
- Pictured person
- published
- Wed Oct 5 2011
- Number of discussion paper
- keyword(s)
Agency theory
Price competition
- abstract
We study interfirm price competition in the presence of horizontal and vertical intrafirm conflicts in each firm. Intrafirm conflicts are captured by a principal-agent framework with firms employing more than one agent and implementing a tournament incentive scheme. The principals offer premium incentives in the sense of revenue shares to which agents react by proposing a sales price. Introducing such intrafirm conflicts results in higher prices and lower effort levels. Increasing the number of agents lowers the optimal surplus share of the agents as well as the individual effort and the sales prices. Firm profits first increase and then decrease when employing more and more agents suggesting that principals should employ an intermediate number of agents.
- article pub. typess JER
- Research article
- article languages JER
- Englisch
- JEL-Classification for JER
- C72 - Noncooperative Games ; L22 - Firm Organization and Market Structure ; M52 - Compensation and Compensation Methods and Their Effects


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Heads Up — Highlights of the SEC's cybersecurity roundtable
April 8, 2014
Volume 21, Issue 9
by Joe DiLeo and Lyndsey McAlister, Deloitte & Touche LLP
On March 26, 2014, the SEC hosted a roundtable on cybersecurity and the related challenges for market participants (e.g., public companies, broker-dealers, investment advisers, and transfer agents). In her opening remarks, SEC Chairman Mary Jo White highlighted that cybersecurity threats are global and pose a grave risk to our economy, including "our critical infrastructures, our financial markets, banks, intellectual property, and . . . the private data of the American consumer." She noted that these risks are "first on the Division of Intelligence's list of global threats, even surpassing terrorism." Panelists from a wide array of backgrounds, including government officials, professional service providers, academics, investors, preparers, and market exchange representatives, shared their experiences with evaluating and addressing these cybersecurity challenges.
This Heads Up highlights three key topics discussed at the SEC's roundtable: (1) the current cybersecurity landscape, (2) public-company disclosure issues, and (3) the role of the board of directors and senior leadership in assessing and responding to cybersecurity threats. This publication also summarizes cybersecurity-related guidance and panelists' observations about best practices that companies could consider in preparing for and responding to cyberattacks.
Cybersecurity Executive Order and Framework
As a prelude to their observations, numerous panelists referred to President Obama's February 2013 executive order on cybersecurity, Improving Critical Infrastructure Cybersecurity, and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) cybersecurity framework, Framework for Improving Critical Infrastructure Cybersecurity.
The executive order was issued to communicate the "policy of the United States to enhance the security and resilience" of the nation's critical infrastructure1 and protect it from cyberthreats. The executive order's requirements include (1) more timely sharing of cyberthreat-related information between U.S. government agencies and with private-sector companies; (2) development of a "baseline" framework to reduce cybersecurity risks; (3) establishment of a voluntary critical infrastructure cybersecurity program to support the adoption of the cybersecurity framework; and (4) identification of the critical infrastructure that is subject to the greatest risk.
Editor's Note: The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has identified 16 critical infrastructure sectors. For each sector, the DHS provides a summary, a sector-specific plan, and other resources. In discussing the sectors in relation to the current cybersecurity landscape, one panelist noted that the financial services and energy sectors are subject to the most attacks.
In response to the executive order, NIST released the first version of its cybersecurity framework in February 2014. The framework outlines what NIST believes is a strategic, cost-effective approach to managing cybersecurity-related risks. According to NIST, the framework "focuses on using business drivers to guide cybersecurity activities and considering cybersecurity risks as part of [an] organization's risk management processes." The framework is intended for use by all companies, regardless of their size or complexity, and contains risk management principles (and best practices) that would allow companies to improve "the security and resilience of critical infrastructure." However, NIST cautions companies that the framework is not a "one-size-fits-all" approach for dealing with cybersecurity risks.
Editor's Note: On March 21, 2014, the CAQ issued an alert that highlights the independent external auditor's cybersecurity responsibilities. The alert, which was issued before the roundtable to help panelists prepare for the discussion, summarizes cybersecurity-related audit procedures performed in both audits of financial statements and ICFR, "including evaluating the risks of material misstatement to a company's financial statements resulting from unauthorized access" to financial reporting systems.
Cybersecurity Landscape
Panelists described the various types of cyberattack perpetrators, as well as their methods and motivation for carrying out the attacks. One panelist likened the rapid evolution of threats to a game of "whack-a-mole," since a new cyberthreat often arises as soon as another threat is struck down.
A key theme at the roundtable was that cyberthreats may affect not only technology but also an entity's broader operations. Mary Galligan, director of Cyber Risk Services at Deloitte & Touche LLP, outlined a three-pronged "threat matrix": (1) threat vectors, (2) threat intelligence, and (3) threat resiliency. Threat vectors encompass cyberattack perpetrators and the reasons for their attacks. Threat intelligence involves an acknowledgment that securing data is not sufficient and that information sharing with governmental and other private-sector parties is also needed. Threat resiliency — or an entity's ability to quickly identify, remediate, and recover from incidents — is critical because a cyberattack often increases the risk of other threats. Such additional threats include disruption of an entity's daily business operations, damage to its reputation (not only from the attack itself but from public reception of the entity's disclosures about the attack), and the costs of responding to and remediating a cyberattack.
Panelists classified perpetrators of cyberattacks (and the motivations behind their attacks) into the following broad categories:
- Nation-states and spies — Those that seek to steal national security secrets or intellectual property.
- Organized criminals — Perpetrators that use sophisticated tools to steal money and private or sensitive information about an entity's consumers (e.g., identity theft).
- Terrorists — Those that look to attack key economic infrastructure in the United States.
- "Hacktivists" — Individuals or groups that want to make a social or political statement by stealing or publishing an organization's sensitive information.
Some panelists emphasized that an organization's insiders pose a risk because of their intimate knowledge of, and access to, key systems and operations. In particular, panelists warned entities about "bad leavers" (i.e., individuals whose employment with an entity is terminated). Panelists also discussed the cybersecurity risks resulting from (1) relationships with third parties (e.g., customers, vendors, or subcontractors) that have physical access to an entity's systems or whose systems may access the entity's systems but be vulnerable to cyberattacks, (2) overseas operations, and (3) employees that can access an entity's systems through mobile devices.
Some of the methods used to carry out cyberattacks include destruction of infrastructure, denial of service, "ransomware" (i.e., encrypting files until a ransom is paid), and theft. Panelists gave various examples of these cybersecurity breaches, including a broker-dealer relationship in which a broker's system is breached and fraudulent transactions are executed. Another example involved attempts to take over individual accounts of investment advisers' wealth management clients. In addition, various phishing schemes were discussed, including ones in which the attacker poses as a vendor or customer and sends a fraudulent e-mail to an entity's employee that requests (1) confirmation of account information or (2) that funds be remitted to an improper account. In some cases, such e-mails appear to have originated from another employee.
Entities were urged to look beyond threats, methods, perpetrators, and their motivations and were advised to assess vulnerabilities to cyberattacks in their systems. One panelist observed that cyberincidents have evolved from random and haphazard occurrences to thorough and methodical attacks. Such attackers patiently wait to expose an entity's vulnerabilities and, once they gain access to the entity's system, are persistent.
Public-Company Disclosures
In October 2011, the SEC's Division of Corporation Finance issued CFDG Topic No. 2, Cybersecurity,2 in response to an increase in cybersecurity incidents, some of which caused certain companies to incur significant remediation and other costs for (1) direct damages (both real and reputational), (2) impacts on their customers, and (3) increased protection from future cybersecurity attacks.
The Commission asked panelists about the effectiveness of current cybersecurity-related disclosure guidance. Certain panelists noted that many of the current cybersecurity-related disclosures are "boilerplate" and repeat words from CFDG Topic 2 rather than being tailored to the registrant. Other panelists, however, described the potential risks of providing tailored disclosures. Some expressed concerns that more specific disclosures could increase a company's vulnerability since they might include details that help attackers infiltrate the company.
Panelists explained that an entity may learn of a cybersecurity breach from organizations such as the FBI or DHS. Because the information breached is confidential, an entity may not be able to disclose the cyberincident. In the spirit of promoting the information sharing that President Obama's executive order calls for, one panelist asked the Commission and other federal agencies to ensure that they are communicating with one another when a registrant has been breached. Panelists noted that effective interagency communication would alleviate circumstances in which one agency may ask a registrant for more disclosure yet another may tell the registrant not to disclose an incident.
Editor's Note: As highlighted in its recent "SEC Speaks in 2014" conference, the SEC staff acknowledged that entities often need to strike a balance between disclosing information related to cybersecurity breaches and creating a "roadmap" for potential cyberattacks by providing detailed disclosures, especially when a registrant is cooperating with authorities in an investigation. The SEC staff also encouraged registrants to practice "disclosure efficiency" by avoiding boilerplate cybersecurity disclosures and instead tailoring their disclosures to include (1) the aspects of the business that are subject to risks, (2) updates for new information, and (3) cost estimates, if possible and material. See Deloitte's March 20, 2014, Heads Up for more information on the "SEC Speaks in 2014" conference.
Panelists also observed that disclosures about immaterial events would not be meaningful for investors and may heighten a company's exposure to litigation. Elaborating on materiality, panelists described the challenge of applying materiality concepts to cybersecurity disclosures, which often describe incidents with significant qualitative elements or for which the quantitative impact is not yet known. One panelist explained that often state legislation focuses on security breaches that affect customer information and results in low thresholds for the disclosures that an entity needs to provide when there are breaches in the entity's system. The result is that entities often provide granular disclosures about immaterial breaches — a fact that one panelist believed is supported by data showing small declines in registrants' stock prices after cyberincidents are disclosed or short-term recoveries in stock prices when stocks decline more significantly.
Editor's Note: While the SEC has not yet decided whether it will provide additional guidance on cybersecurity disclosure requirements, panelists indicated that they generally prefer principles-based rulemaking to prescriptive rulemaking, which may become obsolete because of the developing nature of the risks. In summarizing the panel discussion, SEC Commissioner Kara Stein asked whether the Commission had provided sufficient cybersecurity disclosure guidance to registrants. She elaborated by asking panelists whether "minimum standards" for cybersecurity disclosures are necessary — or even possible given the various types of registrants. Ms. Stein highlighted that panelists consistently talked about using a multidimensional approach to address cybersecurity threats. She suggested that the Commission might need to be "dynamic in [its disclosure] requirements" and that such an approach may promote disclosures that are meaningful to investors yet not overly burdensome to registrants.
The Role of the Board of Directors and Senior Leadership
One panelist noted that approximately 1 percent of boards of directors have a member with cybersecurity or technology expertise. This statistic prompted a question from Chairman White soliciting panelists' feedback about who is responsible for cybersecurity matters within entities' governance structures. Panelists indicated that this varies but that, at many companies, audit or risk committees have such responsibilities. Some organizations have formed cybersecurity committees. One panelist noted that entities with complex supply chains or multifaceted sales-delivery models could have separate cybersecurity committees for different aspects of their IT infrastructures.
While an increasing number of boards are engaging outside experts for assistance with evaluating cybersecurity risks, panelists did not believe that entities should be required to have (1) a separate cybersecurity committee or (2) a dedicated expert on the board or one of its committees. Instead, panelists suggested that the board of directors and senior leadership are critical to the effectiveness of a company's preparedness for and resilience to cybersecurity threats. As for how they are expected to perform their governance responsibilities in relation to cybersecurity risks, individuals in an entity's governance structure (and other leadership roles) need to be able to ask the right questions, understand the strategic implications of threats, and focus on the long-term proficiency of the entity's protocols and response program.
Best Practices
At various points throughout the event, panelists shared what they believed to be best practices for addressing cybersecurity risks in organizations. The discussion of best practices included topics such as culture, monitoring and information sharing, and cybersecurity planning.
Many panelists agreed that simply implementing an IT solution or certain internal controls was not enough to address continuously changing cybersecurity threats. Some panelists suggested that prevention of cyberattacks starts with diligence in the hiring process, including proper background checks. In addition, panelists emphasized that all employees in an organization own the cybersecurity risk together and that organizations must have a strong "tone at the top" with respect to vigilance regarding such matters. One panelist expressed the belief that senior management can play an important role in creating a cybersecurity culture that "starts at the keyboard" and in which cybersecurity is not seen as a technology issue for the IT department to resolve but a business issue in which all employees take action and understand their role in protecting their company's information.
Continuous Monitoring and Information Sharing
Panelists encouraged companies to engage in continuous monitoring activities, including extensive threat modeling, periodic system testing, gap analysis, risk management, and recovery planning. Another common best practice that panelists suggested was incursion testing to ensure that employees understand their responsibilities to safeguard the company's data and operational integrity. Incursion testing includes vulnerability tests such as sending employees phony phishing e-mails, leaving voicemails requesting employees to change their passwords, and placing a flash drive with malware in a common area to test whether any employees load the phony malware onto their computers.
Given the ever-changing nature of cyberthreats, panelists reiterated that information sharing is of paramount importance. However, panelists recognized that information about cyberattacks is sensitive (if not classified) and that entities may encounter barriers in sharing such information. These barriers may include (1) unclear channels or forums in which to share the information or (2) personnel who do not have the appropriate security clearance to obtain classified information from the government. However, panelists encouraged continued improvements in information sharing because the sooner an incident is detected and described to other organizations, the faster (1) organizations can respond to, and recover from, similar attacks and (2) market and economic disruptions can be reduced.
Cybersecurity Planning, Protocols, and Controls
Panelists explained that cybersecurity risk cannot be addressed by a one-time IT solution but must be evaluated on an ongoing basis and that entities need to attempt to mitigate cybersecurity risks in a manner similar to other business risks. Consequently, companies must continually evaluate their vulnerabilities related to business processes and key systems. Given companies' limited resources and the scarcity of cybersecurity resources, many panelists agreed that companies should concentrate on the most vulnerable aspects of their operations rather than focusing too broadly on systemic risk. When resources are stretched too thin, no vulnerabilities are sufficiently covered, leaving a company at greater risk. In assessing a company's vulnerabilities, Ms. Galligan summarized questions that a company should consider asking:
- How should protection be prioritized? What information really needs to be protected (i.e., a risk assessment should be performed)?
- How should access to systems be managed, especially third-party access?
- How are findings related to monitoring efforts evaluated (i.e., does the company have sufficient resources with appropriate expertise to effectively review the results and findings of monitoring activities)?
Many panelists stressed the importance of establishing a response and recovery plan and practicing the plan so that employees are aware of how to respond before an attack occurs. An effective cybersecurity recovery plan should also be continually updated by and with key stakeholders.
Companies were also advised to create an appropriate escalation framework that includes well-defined thresholds for reporting cybersecurity incidents to senior leadership, committees of the board of directors, and the board of directors itself. Because the quantitative impact of these threats may not be clear initially, panelists recommended that such thresholds be flexible enough to take into account the varying nature of cyberincidents.
Next Steps
In addition to obtaining feedback from panelists, the SEC asked constituents to share their input online. The SEC plans to analyze the information obtained from the panels and other interested parties and will consider taking additional measures — including evaluating the effectiveness of previously issued guidance. In addition, in his prepared remarks, SEC Commissioner Luis Aguilar recommended that the Commission create a Cybersecurity Task Force in the near term to discuss issues identified and make recommendations to the Commission.____________________
1 The executive order defines critical infrastructure as "systems and assets, whether physical or virtual, so vital to the United States that the incapacity or destruction of such systems and assets would have a debilitating impact on security, national economic security, national public health or safety, or any combination of those matters."
2 CFDG Topic 2 provides interpretive guidance about potential disclosures related to material cybersecurity matters. According to the SEC staff's guidance, entities must address considerations related to disclosure in a registrant's (1) financial statements, (2) risk factors, (3) legal proceedings, and (4) disclosure controls and procedures.


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There are many wondrous, enigmatic and fascinating attractions on the Big Island of Hawaii, some better known than others, many out of the way and generally off the beaten track. Tour Guide Hawaii has produced an encyclopedic collection of the most up-to-date information, presented as short GPS-cued videos, in an app downloadable to iPhone and iPod Touch that covers the entire Big Island, highlighting the popular and the uncrowded, the famous and the secluded, the adventurous and the relaxing.
The Volcanoes of Hawaii Island
The Hawaiian Archipelago, part of the Hawaiian Island-Emperor Seamount chain, is the most isolated island group earth and is comprised entirely of volcanic islands and their fringing reefs. The archipelago was formed as one of the Earth's great tectonic plates, the Pacific Plate, moved steadily northwest over a stationary plume of molten material welling up from the Earth's mantle, called a "hot spot".
Creating a chain of volcanic islands that, today, stretches from the Aleutian Islands to the Big Island of Hawaii, this hotspot gave rise to at least 129 separate volcanoes in the past 86 million years. There are 19 islands and atolls, and dozens of separate islets, seamounts, reefs and shoals in the Hawaiian Island portion of this chain, stretching from Kure Atoll to Hawaii Island (please go here for a complete discussion of the geologic history of the Hawaiian Islands).
Hawai'i is the youngest island in the Archipelago and first began forming about a million years ago as volcanic vents opened above the mantle "hot spot" on the ocean bottom and molten lava began pouring onto the sea floor. Over the centuries, the making of the Big Island as we know it today eventually entailed the growth and conjoining of six separate volcanoes, building all the way up from the seafloor, some 18,000 feet below the ocean's surface. These volcanoes, from northwest to southeast, are named Mahukona, Kohala, Mauna Kea, Hualalai, Mauna Loa and Kilauea, and become younger as one moves north to south.
Mahukona Volcano, just off the Big Island's northwest coast, was the first volcano to start forming. Now submerged beneath the surface of the ocean because it is sinking into the Earth's crust under its own vast weight, Mahukona is no longer visible. As the Pacific Plate slowly continued moving northwestward over the hotspot, the location of the rising magma moved relatively southeastward, and through time the rest of the Big Island volcanoes formed along that path.
After Mahukona, Kohala Volcano, the precursor to today's Kohala Mountain, erupted next. As Kohala Volcano emerged from the sea and joined with Mahukona, a much larger Big Island began forming. With continued movement of the Pacific Plate, the center of volcanism migrated on to Mauna Kea and Hualalai, the middle-aged volcanoes, and finally on to Mauna Loa and Kilauea, which are the youngest volcanoes on the island. Over the geologically short time of several hundred thousand years, these volcanoes erupted thousands of thin flows which spread over, and built upon, older flows; each volcano growing until it finally emerged from the sea. As time went on, lava flows from one volcano began to overlap flows from other, nearby volcanoes and eventually the peaks coalesced into a single island, the Big Island.
In geologically recent times, a new volcano, Lo'ihi, began forming about 18 miles off the southeast coast of the Big Island. In time, Loihi may join its mass with that of Kilauea, again changing the size and shape of the Big Island. It is estimated that Lo'ihi, whose summit lies approximately 3,178 feet below the surface of the ocean today, will begin to protrude above the surface in about 10,000 years.
Currently, the remnants of Mahukona and Kohala volcanoes are completely extinct; Hualalai and Mauna Kea are considered dormant and Mauna Loa, Kilauea and Loihi are still very active. This means that eruptions of Mahukona and Kohala are not at all likely. Eruptions of Mauna Kea and Hualalai are probable at some time in the future, though the major phase of mountain building is over for these volcanoes. Movement of the Pacific Plate has moved both Hualalai and Mauna Kea off the hot spot so only remnants of liquid magma reside beneath them. These late-stage, mature Hawaiian volcanoes experience violent, explosive eruptions which are spectacular but comparatively small, volume-wise. Late-stage Hawaiian volcanic eruptions are characterized by crater-forming explosions, tephra-cone building and ash ejecting events.
Mauna Loa and Kilauea are both considered active volcanoes. Although inflation and dilation events are common on the summit of Mauna Loa, it has not erupted since 1984; Mauna Loa could, however, erupt at any time. Since 1833 when accurate records began to be kept, there have been 33 eruptions of Mauna Loa, making it one of the most active volcanoes on earth. Its name means "long mountain", and Mauna Loa is capable of erupting huge amounts of lava in a very short time, dwarfing the current output of Kilauea. The most massive mountain on earth, this prolific effusion of molten rock accounts for Mauna Loa's vast bulk.
Kilauea, once believed to be a mere satellite vent on Mauna Loa, is known to be a separate and distinct volcano with its own, geologically separate magma chamber and subterranean plumbing. Nearly half a million years old, Kilauea's most recent eruption has been continuous since 1983 making it currently the world's most active volcano. Indeed, between 1983 and 2009 about 700 acres of new land were produced by lava flows from Kilauea. Articles on how to see the active lava flows on Kilauea can be found here and here. A detailed guide to enjoying Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, featuring Kilauea and Mauna Loa Volcanoes can be found here.
Because the time-scale of human experience is virtually instantaneous compared to the aeons-long march of geologic history, there is continuing human drama, a tension, between short-sighted humans attempting to establish roads, villages and towns, and the ongoing geologic processes of the landscapes they choose to inhabit. In very recent decades, the towns of Kapoho, Kalapana and Kaimu have been inundated, destroyed and buried by Kilauea Volcano (please see a related article on the death and rebirth of Kalapana, here). As more people move to Hawaii, more such drama is inevitable.
The evolution of Hawaiian volcanoes continues even after the major phase of eruptive activity subsides. There are great differences, obvious to even the most casual observer, between the elongated, fluted ridge-like shape of Kohala Mountain and the lower angled slopes of Mauna Loa and Kilauea. Likewise, steep-sided Mauna Kea has a greatly different physical aspect than does gently-sloped, shield-shaped Mauna Loa. These differences are accounted for by the differences in their relative ages, and thus eruptive and erosive stages.
Remembering that the angle of repose of Hawaiian lava is about 6 degrees, the shield-shaped, gentle slopes of Mauna Loa and Kilauea reflect the fact that they are quite young and are still in the shield-building stage, being built-up by successive flows of highly fluid lava. The much steeper flanks of Hualalai and Mauna Kea volcanoes are due to the late-stage, explosive eruptions, to erosion and to ashfall which piles up much more steeply than the flowing lava. The fluted ridges of Kohala volcano result from the deep dissection of the once shield-shaped slopes of the original volcano by streams and surface flow of water. The distinctive steep valleys and great cliffs seen on the north and east sides of Kohala Volcano result from later process of normal faulting and giant landslides (see further discussion in an article about Waipi'o Valley, here).
Another process, operative in the geologically recent past, has served to shape the slopes of the volcanoes of the Big Island, at least those which are or great height. Glaciers covered the summit of Mauna Kea (and possibly Mauna Loa) three times between 200,000 and 13,000 years ago, leaving behind many glacial features such as cirques, u-shaped valleys and scoured bedrock; surviving into the present is a remnant rock glacier near the summit of Mauna Kea (a related article on the summit of Mauna Kea and the Hawaiian Snow Goddess, Poliahu, can be found here; details on exploring Mauna Kea can be found here). Any evidence on Mauna Loa of ice-age glaciers has been covered by recent eruptions.
Simultaneously with the ongoing eruptions and island building, due to their enormous mass, the great volcanoes of the Hawaiian Chain begin to subside into the oceanic crust. After the majority of eruptions cease, with cooling and with a great amount of time, they eventually disappear beneath the surface of the sea completely, as Mahukona Volcano already has.
Today, the Big Island of Hawai'i comprises more than twice the area of all the other Hawaiian Islands combined. It's size is not anomalous, however, considering the geologic history of the archipelago. All the other Hawaiian Islands experienced the same pattern of volcanic eruption, growth and coalescence, as well as the gradual subsidence and submersion that Hawaii Island has, and thus at one time may have been as large as the Big Island. Indeed, geologists have demonstrated that Maui at one time formed a single landmass, known as Maui Nui or "Big Maui", with the islands of Lana'i, Moloka'i, and Kaho'olawe. Continued subsidence submerged the larger landmass, leaving the four, smaller islands above the ocean surface. Ultimately, this will happen to the Big Island, as well.
The relentless movement of the Pacific Plate carries it, with the all the islands piggy-backed, inexorably northward to the Aleutian Trench, where it is subducted underneath the North American Plate, melted, and recycled as volcanic material in the Aleutian Island volcanoes. The Emperor Seamounts are currently undergoing such destruction, and, the evolution of the Hawaiian-Emperor Chain is such that, eventually this fate also awaits the Big Island…but not for tens of millions of years.
Given the ephemeral nature of this precious island, this geologic certainty should serve to make us love and treasure the Big Island more deeply, as well as to spur us to protect and preserve it more completely.
The best of Tour Guide Hawaii's free content about traveling to, and exploring, the Big island, can be found here.
For more information on traveling to Hawaii in general and on touring the Big Island in particular, please also visit www.tourguidehawaii.com and www.tourguidehawaii.blogspot.com.
All media copyright 2010 by Donald B. MacGowan. All rights reserved.


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Sugar Shout Out August 8, 2011
Sugar Shout Out: Plan a Back-to-School Themed Party
- Get kids excited about the school year with a back-to-school themed party
- Guess who was wearing these hot accessories at the Teen Choice Awards!
- 5 gorgeous celebrity looks explained
- The girls of Gotham city: Batman's vixens and villainesses
- A closer look at Katniss and Peeta in The Hunger Games!
- 10 cool features to consider when renovating your kitchen
- Boot camp for beginners: 7 things you should know
- The Jolie-Pitts all check out Wicked in London!
- Before you make ice cream, read this
- How to find out why you didn't get the job
- Tips for taking great food photos
- What do you know about pet food ingredients?
- Highlights from the Teen Choice Awards


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An ongoing, multi-state investigation to disrupt illegal animal trafficking online has netted 62 arrests.
Dubbed "Operation Wild Web," the investigation involves the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission and law enforcement in Arkansas and Florida, as well as federal agents. The effort disrupted Internet-based trafficking of wildlife species in violation of state, federal and international laws.
Cases involved the unlawful sale of protected species, businesses operating without licenses and illegal fishing and hunting violations. In North Carolina, the Special Investigations Unit of the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission made seven arrests for illegal activities.
The public can report wildlife violations in North Carolina by calling 800.662.7137. Callers can remain anonymous.


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The word zoot was made up by African Americans Some contested that it has no meaning whatsoever,
Zoot Suits are associated with African American fashion in urban communities such as Harlem, Chicago, and Detroit and were commonly seen worn by African American jazz musicians in the late 1930s and early 1940s. Most of The Zoot Suits were colorful and is noted as an important cultural significance within the black community and were prohibited by the white working and upper-class. It was seen as too outrageously designed and gangsta to be worn by whites. They were generally worn by young men of African-American descent, initially," known to be quizzical for a fashion that was so unconventional.
The Zoot first appeared in the mid- to late-1930s and were especially popular among young and fashionable black party goers and street performers,men who wanted to be noticed. "They were expensive, attention-grabbing and identified wearers with the posh club scene of the Harlem Renaissance," known to be quizzical and was seen as unconventional.
It was known throughout American cities that the oversized zoot suit trend was started in the 1930s by African American men, and Most fashion created by them were seen as gangsta fashion. Being ones own man" the zoot suit was a fresh air of independence for the men, not relying on nor controlled by white American mainstream fashion but their own.
To compliment the look black men who wore the zoot would put on a swagger, adopting a walk and dip while out and about, that garnered many attention. Some people thought that the walk was provocative and was seen by the upper class as straw in the wind. As for the African American men that wore the fashion it was only a trick of the trade. It was also worn to grab the attention of female admirers.
African American tailors specifically and dutifully designed the extravagant suit for black men to make a bold statement to the world as they were subjected to a lot of discrimination during that era. Wearing the oversized suit was a declaration of pride freedom and self-determination, even rebelliousness. It was attention grabbing and flashy.
The eye catching African American jazz-inspired trend started to gain popularity among the city's Mexican American population. Latino youths known as "Pachucos" caused a sensation by donning zoot suits, pork pie hats and dangling watch chains, and it wasn't long before their eye-catching garb earned them an overblown reputation as street thugs and juvenile delinquents.
Mexican parents would worry when they see their sons in zoot suit as it was often seen as a black male fashion, and overwhelmingly worn by black entertainers and black gangsta night clubbers. "Initially it was mainly a mystery to mainstream Americans," "It was seen as strange but not necessarily sinister.
The zoot suits had a number of defining characteristics. Made initially out of wool –Suit pants were worn high on the waist and very tight; below the waist, the pants billowed like parachutes around the thighs and knees before being tied tight at the ankles.
Zoot suit jackets also had exaggerated contours, with wide shoulders and sleeves that reached the wearer's fingertips . Many African American and Mexican zoot suiters also donned hats adorned with feathers, wore pointy shoes and sported key chains that dropped all the way to the knees to complete the look.
A young Malcolm X described the zoot suit as: "a killer-diller coat with a drape shape, reet pleats and shoulders padded like a lunatic's cell". Zoot suits usually featured a watch chain dangling from the belt to the knee or below, then back to a side pocket. Zoot suit wearers' dates often wore flared skirts and long coats.
Tensions grew especially high between zoot-suiters and the large contingent of white sailors and Marines stationed in Los Angeles. Since wool and other textiles were subject to wartime rationing, they also considered the oversized suits an unpatriotic waste of resources.
" Over time their perception was that the zoot suit is unpatriotic."
"In the midst of the war it is associated with men who are criminals or members of gangs," "Around 1943, there is a riot that breaks out in Los Angeles. White servicemen and civilians began to attack young men, especially Mexican-American men. They rip the clothing off their bodies, and the zoot suit takes on this sense of being a danger." White parents, however, were not quite as smitten by the style and feared that if the fashion was allowed to catch on in their back yards, whilst copying the outrageous poses and walk/ persona associated with the zoot, their upper-class neighborhoods would be doomed.
1943's "Zoot Suit Riots" in Los Angeles take their name from the high-waisted wool trousers and baggy, long-tailed suit coats then worn by many black and Mexican youths, but the violence was more about race relations than fashion. The racially charged atmosphere finally led to full-scale riots in early June 1943. Following a series of bloody street brawls between zoot-suiters and white soldiers, a mob of U.S. servicemen took to the streets in taxicabs and began attacking Latinos and stripping them of their suits.
— Later rationing as World War II kicked in —
Thousands more servicemen and civilians joined the fray over the next several days, often marching into cafes and movie theaters and beating anyone wearing Pachuco clothing or hairstyles. Blacks and Filipinos—even those not clad in zoot suits—were also targeted and beaten. Local papers framed the racial attacks as a vigilante response to an immigrant crime wave, and police generally restricted their arrests to the African American and Latinos who fought back. The mayhem didn't die down until early June , when U.S. military personnel were finally barred from leaving their barracks.
The Los Angeles City Council issued a ban on zoot suits. Amazingly, no one was killed during the week-long riot, but it wasn't the last outburst of zoot suit-related racial violence. Similar incidents took place that same year in cities such as Philadelphia, Chicago and Detroit.
The zoot suits also became associated with swing dance and jitterbugging, two of the more popular dances of the time created by african americans , because the style of the clothing complemented and accentuated the dance movements. "The fabric swung as African American dancers did,". The Jitterbug, swing dance and lindy hop started in 1927 by black club goers, street dancers, and performers. Nightly dancing attracted many of the best, most innovative dancers in the New York and surrounding area. Stimulated by the presence of great dancers and the best black bands.
The jitterbug and swing dance became very popular shortly before World War II and continued its craze throughout wartime. Americans in Europe spread the jitterbug, lindy hop and swing dance to their overseas counterparts (despite loud protests from European officials touting the dance as uncivilized.
At the dawn of World War II, the zoot suit was condemned by the U.S. government as wasteful. Not surprisingly, the criticism did little to dissuade its fans from wearing it, and in fact may have even attracted more people to the look. In the early 1940s, working-class youth, entertainers and dancers continued to wear zoot suits, and the look spread to Italian and wealthy white Americans, Jews, and even some teenage girls.
As the tension slowly begin to die down White American put their pride aside and began to embrace the posh luxury suit. African Americans were rarely shown on TV so It became popular overtime as it was copied by white entertainers that were seen on television donning the luxurious attire. The luxury looking fashion item was too much to be ignored and "Mexican-American and white working-class men started to wear them. Typically they order them at local clothing shops and have them tailored to pattern to their oversized style" often seen worn by black American men.
The suit's rise in popularity coincided with the emergence of the entertainment industry showing none black dancers on tv doing the jitterbug and other forms of swing dance moves that was created by black Americans in the 1920s and made popular by Elvis Presley, who was known to be familiar among the black communities, clubs and black street entertainers that he would often visited back then. The flowing look of the suit was particularly flashy on the dance floor, and young people took note.
"A Zoot Suit (For My Sunday Gal)" was a 1942 song written by L. Wolfe Gilbert and Bob O'Brien
To be continued: Next we will be taking you through the jitter bug, lindy hop and swing dance.
Let your light shine in time with old and new memories


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Version française
Be Soft was created based on the success of simulation oriented trainings. These training methods were developped by a group of universities and major business schools and originally used for initial and ongoing training.
What is a simulation oriented training ?
Business games constitute a solid method for learning about fundamental business concepts. In this dynamic exercise, the players, who are divided up into teams, run simulated businesses competing on a given market.
In order to do this they have to define their company's strategies concerning production, commercial and financial policy. These strategies must be developed according to their chosen objectives, and will come up against obstacles due to the general economic climate and the strategies of other businesses.
The players are periodically required to make a number of commercial, economic and financial decisions. The results obtained for each time period are used as the basis for the following set of decisions to be made.
One of key aspect of simulation training is to promote interactions between participants inside a group (group dynamics leading to common decisions) or between groups (collaboration and/or competition in various forms).
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Rare Duncan‐Free Friday
As readers of this blog, and other fine blogs, have no doubt noticed over the last few weeks, Fridays have been kind of popular with the Obama administration for quietly doing questionable education stuff. Well somehow we've gotten through this Friday (as far as we know) without Obama and company trying to slip anything past us, leaving us with nothing new to add to recent posts like this one, and this one, and this one.
Look at this as a blessing, and a chance to catch up on all the recent federal edu‐action by checking out today's Cato Daily Podcast featuring yours truly. I give a quick summary of what the Obama administration has promised and done to date, and a prediction of what it will — and won't — do when edu‐push finally comes to edu‐shove. It's a perfect bit of listening for a surprisingly uneventful Friday afternoon.


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Ningbo DONGHUANG Bearing Co., LTD, was founded in 1995. It is a professional China Miniacture Ball Bearings Suppliers and Miniacture Ball BearingsManufacturers,we devotes to developing the inner diameter of 4mm - 60mm micro, small and medium deep groove ball bearings.The advanced automatic production lines, complete testing instruments and experimental means, the standardization of mature technology, and high quality technical development team and staff,Continuously improve everything we did, in order to meet the expectations of customers.Our solutions are accepted by many world top 500 companies. Customer demands and Miniacture Ball Bearings innovation are our unremitting pursuits
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Sunday, November 28, 2010
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
Runaway turkey?
They call him Mr. Panics.
Anyway, maybe he just saw the turkey he was going to have on Thursday break away from the cage and make a run for it? ...don't blame him (the turkey I mean). Whatever it is, it looks like the guy had better days.
-Happy Thanksgiving everyone!-
Posted by Marcos Mateu at 10:22 PM 12 comments:
Saturday, November 20, 2010
Posted by Marcos Mateu at 5:47 AM 11 comments:
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
Swords and daggers
A bunch of mean spiritet people... or maybe they aren't?
At least one of them is armed though, we know that.
Posted by Marcos Mateu at 6:44 PM 12 comments:
Friday, November 12, 2010
Huntington / Culver City (more memories)
The peace of Huntington Gardens in Pasadena on a February morning in 2009, and lunch time sketching in Culver City two years before that. Two very intense experiences indeed...:)
Posted by Marcos Mateu at 8:51 PM 8 comments:
Friday, November 05, 2010
Old project, new review
Years ago I already started with the idea of writing a book on composition. This double page spread is a sample I did back in 2003 while exploring ways and options for the project, pretty much establishing the basic principles I would eventually use in 'Framed Ink'. As you can see though it was based on the idea of illustrations, not so much on 'continuity/narrative art', as it ended up being.
By the way, Fernando Caire from CGChannel wrote a really nice review about the book on his blog just yesterday. Thanks Fernando!
Posted by Marcos Mateu at 7:49 AM 8 comments:
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HUNTINGTON BEACH, CA–(Marketwire – Apr 11, 2012) – AnyMeeting, the free web conferencing and webinar service, today announced an initiative to help support new startup companies in Southern California. AnyMeeting is contributing one-year premium ad-free service accounts to all employees of companies within select Los Angeles area incubators and accelerators.
Los Angeles incubator and accelerators participating in the initiative include Launchpad LA, MuckerLab, Amplify LA, Science, Start Engine, K5 Launch and LA Cleantech Incubator. See the complete press release on MarketWire.


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Company Details
ChangZhou TongMing Safety Products Co.,Ltd
ChangZhou TongMing Safety Products Co.,Ltd
High quality rubber traffic cone road safety cone with reflective tape used on the crossing of road ways
Safety reflective jacket
2mm*800m reflective yarn double-sided reflective thread
Reflective insert piping made of TC fabric
Class2 TC 1.5cm grey reflective fabric
Class1 TC 4cm reflective fabric
Class2 TC 7cm reflective fabric
Class2 TC 10cm reflective fabric
Colourful reflective fabric for safety
Class2 TM9806-1cm reflective fabric
Silver reflective fabric
Class1 0.4mm reflective thread
TM9817 PU 3cm heat transfer reflective film
Class2 pu 3.8cm reflective heat transfer sheeting
Class2 pu 3cm reflective heat transfer sheeting
class2 pu 4cm reflective heat transfer sheeting
Class2pu 2cm reflective heat transfer sheeting
Green pvc reflective sheeting
Class2 0.75mm grey reflective thread
0.5mm class2 reflective yarn
Brown high intensity reflective sheeting
100% Polyester High Reflective Tape (POL)
Fluorsecence yellow pvc reflective sticker
elastic reflective fabric flruoscent yellow
We want to sell is a High Quality Color Reflective Tape its performance is enough to complete the customer wants it to complete almost all the tasks We believe that this product can provide customers...
We want to sell is a High Reflective Double Sides Self Adhesive PVC Tape its performance is enough to complete the customer wants it to complete almost all the tasks We believe that this product can...
Worker visibility is critical to worker safety Workers must be visible to vehicle operators in all lighting conditions and against complex environmental backgrounds Enhanced visibility and high...
The most highly reflective material we carry 3M 3000X very high gain reflective sheeting tape is specifically designed to enhance the reflected signal of polarized laser and infrared controllers and...
We didn't put all products on website. If you can't find the product you're looking for, please contact us for more information.
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Copyright © 2020 ChangZhou TongMing Safety Products Co.,Ltd All rights reserved.


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The Isspro Performax Turbo Boost Gauge will provide the most accurate readings of turbo boost for all your gas and diesel powered applications. Choose from our complete line of Isspro Performax 0-40 PSI Turbo Boost Gauges and use our easy online checkout for purchase. We offer excellent customer service, fast shipping, and great prices. We settle for nothing less than the best!
Copyright ©
Built with Volusion


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Available ebook formats: epub mobi pdf lrf pdb txt html
Writer, rider, editor. Born and raised in Florida, Diamond's stories often have a level of heat that lets readers feel the warmth on the page. Straddling the line between schmoopy gay romance and the more hardcore gay erotica, these are stories that engage your brain as well as your libido.


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Welcome to the Lionheart Restoration Ministries store. It is our desire to connect everyone with the resources they need to grow in Christ and to see the Body of Christ and mature into the Fullness of His Image. With this in mind, we offer our teaching series, books and other resources at the lowest possible prices. Our policy is to not charge sales tax or shipping fees to those ordering our products, so the price that you see in our store is the price you will pay as you purchase it. And in regards to copyright restrictions on Mike McClung's teaching series, we ENCOURAGE the duplication and sharing of his teaching, if it means that more people can grow in Christ.
For those unfamiliar with the ordering process of our store, we would like to provide set by set instructions to ordering. There will first be a guide to ordering a book, CD or Teaching Series, then there will be a second guide to ordering and downloading an mp3. For any questions or issues regarding our store, please contact us at email@example.com or call our office at 865-233-0899.
1. You do not have to have a Paypal account to purchase from our store, but you will have to have a Lionheart Store account. This allows easy access to your mp3 downloads in the future. At some point in the ordering process, you will need to login to our store.
2. Start by selecting the product you want and looking at the product page.
3. If it is a book, or another product that has no options, simply select "Add to Cart" to proceed. But if you are ordering a teaching series, you must select the options you would like. First, select you would like the entire series, an individual part on CD or an individual part on mp3.
4. If you are selecting an individual part on CD or mp3, be sure to select which specific part in the next drop down list.
5. Regardless of your selections, click Add to Cart in order to proceed.
6. On the next page, you will be able to review your order; the different products, their quantities and the over all cost. If anything needs to be changed simply hit the back button to select other products, or change the number in the quantity field. Just remember to hit the "Update" button when you are finished to make sure your total price is accurate.
7. When you are ready to pay, simply select either the "Check out with PayPal" or "Checkout" buttons. If you have a Paypal account and wish to pay with it, select that option. If you do not have a Paypal account or wish to pay directly with another credit card, select the "Checkout" button.
8. If you selected the "Checkout with Paypal" option in order to pay with your Paypal account, you will be prompted to login to your account with them and process the payment. Once you are finished, you will be redirected back to a Lionheart receipt page, and your products will be shipped shortly. If you purchased mp3s and need to download them, skip down to #11.
9. If you selected "Checkout", you will be directed to a Paypal login page. To proceed without a Paypal account, simply select the "Pay with Debit or Credit Card" option at the bottom.
10. Once you have entered the necessary information about your debit or credit card, your card will be processed, and you will be redirected to a Lionheart receipt page, and your products will be shipped shortly.
11. If you purchased mp3s and need to download them, look for your items to be listed as links at the bottom of the receipt page.
12. Right click the links and use the option "Save Link As" or "Save Target As" to save the mp3s to your computer. Unfortunately, our system has shown some difficulties working with certain phones and tablets. It may be necessary to download the mp3s to a PC or Mac, and then transfer them to a phone or other device.
13. If you have logged out or moved on from the receipt page, you can still come back later to access your mp3s and download them again up to 10 times for each purchase. Simply log in and look for the "My Account" button in the top right of the home page.
14. On the "My Account" page, look for "My Orders" and select "View the Orders I Have Made"
15. Find your Mp3 order and click "View".
16. This is the receipt for your order. At the bottom will be an itemized list, and your mp3s will be links for you to right click and download.
© Copyright 2017 by Lionheart Ministries


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From WikiGallery
Buckingham Palace, engraved by Bachelier, pub. 1854 - Thomas Hosmer Shepherd - WikiGallery.org, the largest gallery in the world
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Happy Wednesday everyone! Today I want to share with you a few graduation cards! I have several graduating friends and family members this year and these cards provide perfect inspiration!
Thank you for stopping by!
Thank you for stopping by!
Super Graduation creations - thanks for sharing - love the cap one very much!


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Russian Affairs
Russian Affairs is a tense Shooting Game with superb animation, you are a detective, a wild card, you have an attitude and you won't let anyone stand in your way, but when your whole team gets killed while doing a routine check of a warehouse. It's all up to you to battle a team of Russian supremacists, who are about to release on the streets some extremely dangerous weapons.There are a few key combinations to learn, but you'll soon get the hang of it. Get revenge for your team, and capture those weapons!
· Movements = Arrow Keys · Upholster Gun = E Key · Holster Gun = D Key · Shoot Gun = A Key · Reload Gun = R Key · Upholster Gun While Crouched = Down Arrow Key & E Key · Holster Gun While Crouched = Down Arrow Key & D Key · Shoot Gun While Crouched = Down Arrow Key & A Key
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The universal app (iPad & iPhone), Batman Arkham City Lockdown, recently received a big update and a price drop. The latest update brings all new levels, skins, and Retina support for the new iPad. For a limited time this game is only 99 cents, down from $5.99
"UPDATED WITH NEW LEVELS & FEATURES – OPTIMIZED FOR THE NEW iPAD! The inmates have escaped and Batman has his hands full defeating an army of henchmen and some of his most iconic villains. Scour the rooftops and the seedy underbelly of Gotham City through a series of one-on-one battles with the Joker, Two-Face and more, as well as the Batman: Arkham City Lockdown exclusive – Deathstroke. Choose from several Batman skins and power-ups as you punch, kick and combo your way to cleaning up Gotham City.
And the critics love it! • "…blown away at the graphics and fun multi-touch gameplay" – GeekWire • "Batman Arkham City Lockdown is a beautiful, accessible game that iOS gamers and Batman aficionados will enjoy" – MacLife • "Overall, Lockdown is a solid expansion of the Arkham universe." – USA Today Game Hunters"
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The week in review
Best boost for Howard Dean's presidential campaign: Former vice president Al Gore endorses Dean December 9.
Worst weather: The season's first snow hits December 4.
Worst time to leave the kids in the car for an hour: During the snowstorm, which is what a Scottsville woman did while she had her nails done, Reed Williams reports in the Daily Progress. Jessica Lynn Stuple, 23, is charged with two felony counts of child endangerment and is being held without bond.
Worst phone records for Attorney General Jerry Kilgore: Those showing that the AG's office was advised almost immediately after former Republican party chief Edmund Matricardi listened in on Democrats March 22, 2002, but didn't report the eavesdropping to the Virginia State Police until March 25. George Whitehurst at the Danville Register & Bee digs up the details.
Worst slaying of a federal prosecutor: The body of Jonathan Luna is found December 4 in Pennsylvania, 70 miles away from his Baltimore office.
Worst news for drug dealers: The Supreme Court rules police have to wait only 15 to 20 seconds after knocking before bashing down the door.
Best account of student drug dealing: The Cavalier Daily's Jon Breece gets the story of how one UVA student allegedly pays his way through college in the December 3 issue.
Worst kidnapping: Dru Sjodin disappears November 22 outside a North Dakota mall. Convicted sex offender Alfonso Rodriguez Jr. is arrested and charged with kidnapping but no sign of Sjodin at press time.
Worst history of injury claims: The Florida woman reportedly trampled by Wal-Mart shoppers the day after Thanksgiving, Patricia VanLester, has filed numerous claims against stores, including nine against Wal-Mart, and has netted thousands in settlements.
Worst déjà-vu: Twelve shootings on I-270 in Ohio have killed one woman, conjured images of Muhammed & Malvo, and left motorists fearful of using that stretch of road around Columbus.
Worst opening: The Grapes of Wrath, Live Arts' first production in its new theater, prompts Progress theater critic Clare Aukofer to question the choice, the execution, and this stinging question, "What were you thinking?"
Worst "present" for Christmas-loving apartment dwellers: Virginia's new fire code calls for up to one year in jail or a $2,500 fine for real evergreens in apartments, condos, and churches without sprinkler systems. After the not-surprising public outcry, the state fire marshal leaves it up to local fire officials to decide whether to be a Grinch. Albemarle County exempts apartments and condos.
Best case of "he's baaaack": Developer Lee Danielson will present his plans for a nine-story hotel at the former Boxer Learning building to the Board of Architectural Review December 16, according to the Progress' Elizabeth Nelson.
Worst place to go for a flu vaccine: The Charlottesville-Albemarle Health Department is out.
Best outcome from a run-over arm: As Wolfie's bouncer Kevin Pleasant tries to break up a fight early December 4, a Dodge Ram pickup rolls over his arm. Says Wolfie's owner Allen Powell to the Progress, "He doesn't even have a bruise. His arms are like cannons."
Best finding for Albemarle police officer James Michael Fields: A special prosecutor rules Fields did not use excessive force when he shot drunk-driving suspect Raimond Riviere twice August 16.
Best get for the Miller Center: Former Whitewater independent counsel Kenneth Starr discusses the Patriot Act in a December 6 forum.
Best benefit: The Virginia Film Festival screens Cold Mountain December 13, two weeks before the Nicole Kidman-Jude Law film opens nationally.


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Unique and Stylish Modern Lights
At Page One lighting, we offer thoughtfully chosen modern light fixtures to accentuate residential and commercial spaces. Our collection comprises of unique products featuring excellent craftsmanship with the combination of LED technology. They are designed to add a thousand watts of style to any space. We have a wide range of decorative lights to create inspiring, beautifully illuminated rooms. Our product line includes-
Pendant Lights
Pendant lights are one of the most popular lighting solutions and a preferred choice for contemporary households. Apart from illuminating a room, they also add a touch of style to the interior décor. The pendant lights in our collection are unconventional, yet attractive.
Ceiling Lights
Our modern ceiling lights are true stunners. From sleek designs to colorful accents, we have an extensive array of trend-setting ceiling mounted fixtures. These awesome lights are an effective way of giving a quick makeover to any space.
Wall Lights
Complement your light sources with our timeless wall lights. Available in numerous styles and finishes, our show-stopping sconces and other wall-mounted fixtures highlight the favourite elements of your room without overpowering the existing lighting design.
Table Lamps
Beautify your home with our decorative table lamps. Combined with LED technology, our table lamps are available in both bold and sleek designs. Choose from our fantastic range of elegant and modern table light fixtures to spill the extra charm in your ambiance.
Floor Lamps
Illuminate the corners with our designer floor lamps. We have a distinct and varied range of floor lamps designed to serve both form and function. Apart from creating pools of light in those ignored corners, these portable light fixtures make your living space more appealing.


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Work Smarter not Harder with Kofax SmartHub
Automating manual tasks often falls by the wayside as IT is overburdened and can't get to all of the project requests. The good news is there is a new, emerging solution called robotic process automation (RPA). Intelligent software "robots" can be deployed in a matter of weeks to automate routine, repetitive activities and create a digital workforce‒with no coding required‒and without the need to replace your existing systems.
"No Rip and Replace Needed: A 6-Step Starter Kit to Implementing Robotic Process Automation" is packed with helpful tips on:
Join the robotic revolution today. Download "No Rip and Replace Needed: A 6-Step Starter Kit to Implementing Robotic Process Automation."
For more information, call our United States office at +1 (949) 783-1448, or contact a local office around the world.
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The Exeter News-Letter, May 8, 1885
Great Fire At Hampton Beach
About one o'clock Thursday Morning fire was discovered on the north side of the Atlantic House, at Hampton Beach, which was unoccupied, and communicated to the Brown cottage, thence to the Dodge cottage on the north side. On the south side it took the dwelling house, billiard room, and two other buildings belonging to John C. Cutler, thence to Charles Perkins' dwelling house and the large and well-known Ocean House, owned and kept by Yeaton & Josyln. Besides the dwellings and cottages, all the stables connected, except the Ocean House stable, were consumed. The fire came so suddenly upon those who occupied the buildings that a very small part of the contents were saved. It seems to be the general opinion that the fire was the work of an incendiary. Loss between $60,000 and $75,000. The amount of the insurance on the buildings and contents cannot be ascertained at this time.
[Photo not in original newspaper article]


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rubber mat suppliers in Belgium
Looking for rubber mat suppliers in Belgium, Maintenance, Service, Modernization company. Extensive Experience. Founded In 2003.Adhering to the principle of "quality, service, efficiency and growth", we have gained trusts and praises from domestic and international client for your needs, We with great passion and faithfulness, are willing to provide you with perfect services and striding forward with you to create a bright future.We have recommended our special products for you.
If the products listed above do not meet your needs. Send us your requirements at any time.


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I like New Zealand Herald. At least, this paper reports some judicial matters. I am not sure what are the impediments in reporting judicial corruptions in New Zealand. I have not seen this type of problems in other places that I have been.
Please stop posting to this web site. You do not have an investigative journalist bone in your body.
John "Brockovich"


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Eau de Toilette
The intergenerational fragrance
White Bee Bottle 500 ML
Indisponible -
Inspired by yesterday's generations, Héritage is a fragrance dedicated to the men of tomorrow.
It opens with aromatic freshness, succeeded by the subtlety of a warm spicy accord on a woody dry-down with shades of the orient.
Inspired by Foucault's pendulum, the bottle and its spherical cap evoke through their architecture the passage of time and the solidity of tradition.
Héritage, for a man who is at once a trustee for tradition and a herald of a new spirit.
Spicy Oriental.
Refined, warm, authentic.
The exuberant freshness of lemon and bergamot top notes meets an aromatic breeze of lavender. Then, the heart is enriched with fresh, spicy notes such as coriander and pink pepper. Finally, with the patchouli there emerges a rich, oriental woody dry-down.
Héritage marked the first time that the term "Guerlinade" was used, designating the olfactory seal jealously guarded at Guerlain.
Héritage is constructed around favourite raw materials, such as bergamot, patchouli, tonka bean and vanilla. They can be found in all Guerlain creations, giving them a very identifiable and inimitable trail.


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By Simone Stromer, MD, CHC [AADP]
How many times have you made that New Year's resolution to eat healthier, to lose weight, or to cut down on junk food? Whatever the resolution may be, the path to success is not an easy one. There are so many potential roadblocks along the way including procrastination, family and social obligations, holidays, work demands and lack of time and energy. There are many ways to better your chances at achieving your goals; here are my top 5 pearls of wisdom:
1. Ask for help.
Giving up habits that we have developed over our lives is arguably one of the hardest tasks. If you are really serious this year about change, whatever your health goal may be, the best way to ensure success is to invest in some help.
2. Keep a journal of what you eat.
One of the biggest obstacles to changing behavior is not being aware of our habits. For example, we often overestimate how much we eat. Keeping a food diary will help you keep track of your nutrition habits, so when you go off track you will see immediately what needs to change. In addition, if you know you are recording everything you may be more conscious of what you put in your mouth.
3. Eat more vegetables.
No matter how many vegetables you are currently eating, you are likely not eating enough. One of the reasons for excessive sugar cravings is poor intake of vegetables. Our bodies require more servings of vegetables a day than any other food group. Vegetables are low in calories and high in fiber, water, vitamins (like folic acid, vitamin A, C, E) and minerals (like potassium). Fill your plate half full of vegetables at each meal to stop from over eating on high-calorie foods.
4. Understand your weaknesses.
Everyone has a weakness whether it's chocolate, challah, over eating, or being too lazy to cook or exercise. Work on finding a solution to your biggest weakness.
5. Get enough sleep.
Research has suggested that sleep deprivation increases appetite and over time can be associated with certain chronic diseases. Experiment for one week and see how much easier it is to be healthy and active once you have had enough sleep.
Simone Stromer, MD, CHC [AADP]
Free one hour initial health and nutrition consultation for gourmetkoshercooking.com readers


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A make-ahead smoked salmon butter and some fresh cod dress up clam chowder beautifully for company. Team the stew with a favorite coleslaw and warm buttermilk biscuits for a cozy winter meal.
- Yield
- Makes 6 servings
- 8 ounces salt pork, trimmed, cut into 1/4-inch dice
- 1 3/4 cups chopped onion
- 1 1/2 cups chopped celery
- 3/4 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2 cup finely crushed saltine crackers
- 2 10-ounce cans baby clams, drained, juices reserved
- 1 1/4 pounds white potatoes, peeled, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
- 2 1/2 cups bottled clam juice
- 1 1/2 pounds thick cod fillets, cut into 3/4-inch pieces
- 1 cup half and half
- 1/2 cup whipping cream
- 1/4cup chopped fresh dill
- Stir salt pork pieces in heavy large pot over medium-low heat until crisp and golden, about 20 minutes. Using slotted spoon, remove salt pork pieces and discard. Add chopped onion, chopped celery and dried thyme to drippings in pot. Increase heat to medium and sauté until vegetables are pale golden, about 10 minutes. Add crushed crackers and stir until beginning to color, about 3 minutes. Add reserved juices from clams, potatoes and 2 1/2 cups bottled clam juice to pot. Bring mixture to boil. Reduce heat to low, partially cover pot and simmer until potatoes are almost tender, about 15 minutes. Add cod fillet pieces; simmer until fish is cooked through and potatoes are tender, about 5 minutes longer. Add 1 cup half and half, whipping cream and canned baby clams. Cook just until heated through, about 5 minutes (do not boil). Mix in chopped dill. Season chowder to taste with salt and pepper.
- Ladle seafood chowder into serving bowls. Top each bowl with heaping tablespoon of Smoked Salmon Butter and serve immediately.


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Plasma should be able to have different themes for same data.For example there should be 10 different Clocks, while all of them are showing one thing: Time. So Plasma Provides Data Engines.Data Engines will provide Data for Plasmoids.
So to have a Clock Plasmoid:
Plasma --> Time Data Engine
|---> Clock Plasmoid 1 |---> Clock Plasmoid 2
Content is available under Creative Commons License SA 4.0 unless otherwise noted.


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Just how remote is the summer home of Tim Snider in the mountains north of Flagstaff, Ariz.? It takes local police half an hour to get there, and there's a 6-mile driveway just to get to the front gate. There isn't a power line in sight—just ponderosa pines and majestic mountains. Talk about getting away from it all.
When building their remote retreat, Tim and his family knew they would have no choice but to power it with alternative energy sources. In addition to a large solar photovoltaic (PV) system, their off-grid survival kit would include solar batteries to store the electricity generated by the solar panels for use at night and on cloudy days, a solar thermal system to heat water for domestic use and the home's radiant floor heating system, and a backup generator and water heater for times when all the power from the sun isn't enough.
This home wasn't going off the grid by choice. It was off the grid or no home at all.
Better than Backup Plan
Even an off-the-grid home deserves to have some entertainment, so Tim met with Andy and Charlie White of AVDomotics in Sedona, Ariz., to discuss how to work audio and video equipment into the plans. The Sniders weren't going for megawatt home theaters, but there are 12 zones of audio and eight TVs in the house, including a surround-sound system in the family room, served by home control company Crestron's ADMS Intermedia Delivery System media server. Crestron's DigitalMedia switching technology delivers audio and video content to different areas of the house via the company's DigitalMedia fiber solution, with fiber-optic wires terminating at each of the home's TVs.
In fact, the Crestron AMS-AIP surround-sound processor was going to be the home's main home control processor—until Tim and AVDomotics talked some more. Tim has a background in engineering and quickly realized he could reap bigger benefits by using a more robust processor from Crestron's product lineup. A beefier processor would allow the home's many subsystems to be tied together to achieve better efficiencies—and to enable control of those systems remotely. It was essential that no large power drains would occur in the home during the winter months when it was unoccupied, and the Crestron system could help safeguard against that, too.
So the Crestron AMS-AIP processor stayed in charge of the family room. AVDomotics added Crestron's more powerful AV2 processor to handle everything else, pairing it with an eMonitor system from Powerhouse Dynamics. The web-based eMonitor interface— available on a computer, Crestron touchpanels, iPads and Tim's iPhone—shows user-friendly charts and graphs of the home's production of solar power and how much energy is being consumed. Tim can also see how much power is available as stored energy in the batteries from Crestron's touchpanels and apps.
The result is a luxury home that showcases the natural beauty of its woods and stone—and is completely self-powered and carefully monitored. The home consumes about 100 kilowatt hours (kWh) of solar energy a day when the homeowners are in residence—some of that just from keeping the backup generators warmed and ready to go—while the 72-panel solar PV array produces 16.6 kw, with 260 kWh of battery storage.
Operational Efficiencies
To achieve optimal efficiency, the Crestron system handles the operation of the home's lighting, audio/video gear, thermostats, security system, exterior safety shutters, and pumps for the well and septic. In this home's off-the-grid survival kit, the Crestron system became the all-important Swiss Army knife.
That knife was honed with the programming of AVDomotics' Charlie White. AVDomotics created its own "modules" within the Crestron platform to enable the automation system to communicate with an OutBack Mate2 solar inverter control system. The company also programmed the Crestron system to monitor the level of liquid propane and water available in their respective tanks. A high-end Uponor in-floor radiant heating system, which relies on water heated by the roof's solar thermal panels and liquid propane-fueled hot water in the backup tank, was integrated into the Crestron control system as well. All of these systems, plus the security system, lights and A/V gear, can be operated not only from Tim's smartphone but from three Crestron in-wall TPS-6L and one TPMC-8L touchpanels located throughout the home, in addition to three TPMC handheld remotes and three iPads using a Crestron app.
The Crestron system can also perform much-needed load shedding, in which it turns certain devices down or completely off to save energy. When the house is unoccupied, for example, the well and septic pumps shut off, and if there isn't much juice left in the solar system's storage batteries, the lights dim to 75 percent.
"The energy management is the best part of the system. The thing that I use the most is checking on the PV system and seeing how much energy we're producing, and I can do that from anywhere in the world," says Tim. "The first year in the house, we were learning all about it, but now my confidence level is high and I don't worry about the place as much as I used to."
Energy-Smart Upgrades
After construction, the owners realized they could save even more by swapping their incandescent lights for LEDs (light emitting diodes). White says it cost about $3,500 to replace the existing bulbs with Philips and Color Kinetics LEDs, but was well worth it, as the homeowners would have had to spend $10,000 more on solar panels to run the incandescent lights. In essence, they have already received an immediate return on their investment, and then some.
The ceiling fans that help cool the house may be in for an upgrade, too. AVDomotics may tie them to indoor and outdoor temperature sensors so they can turn on and off automatically.
"There's a lot more we can do," adds Tim. "I want some applications to only come on when batteries are full and there's still some sun to produce power. … We've gotten our propane consumption down to a low level, but now I want to manage it so I don't have to consume any carbon fuel there."
The Far Away Button
When it's time to leave for the season, the owners only have to push an AWAY button on any of their Crestron controllers turn off everything. Then they can hop in the car, take a last look at their remote retreat, and press another button to roll down the aluminum shutters over all of the first floor windows and doors for safety and security.
For added assurance, the homeowners and AVDomotics receive alerts from the eMonitor and Crestron systems if any circuits are on or if there's a problem with a system in the home. Emails are also delivered to AVDomotics twice a day with a status report of the system, which helps the custom electronics dealer proactively remedy a situation before it becomes costly or dangerous.
When you're totally off the grid and producing electricity via a solar array, you had better know how much electricity you're producing, how much you have stored in batteries, and how much you're using. That's where a comprehensive energy monitoring system like the eMonitor from Powerhouse Dynamics comes in handy.
Not only does the eMonitor measure the home's total electricity usage, it goes deeper by measuring each of 24 selected circuits. It does this with doughnut-shaped current transformers (CTs) that clip around the two main power lines and those coming from each circuit being monitored, then delivers the info via Ethernet cable or Wi-Fi to the home's network router.
The eMonitor's web-based interface shows the biggest energy hogs in the house and offers charts and graphs of usage history so homeowners can gauge how much energy certain appliances and devices are consuming at any given time. The custom electronics (CE) pros at AVDomotics in Sedona, Ariz., used a programmed module to allow the eMonitor interface to be displayed on all Crestron system touchpanels, as well as on iPad and mobile apps.
See all of these Tech at Home ideas by clicking on the images below or the "Next" button.
This article was originally published by our content partner EH
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You are here: Home ‹ Board index ‹ Movie Discussion ‹ Upcoming Movies
Jim Carrey in talks for "The Beaver"
Discuss other upcoming Jim Carrey movies (not confirmed/rumours).
Well, as i'm gutted that Jim's not doing this film, i was really excited by the premise .........i've decided to write him another movie called.........
Driven to desperation by a rogue badger who keeps crapping on his lawn, digging up his plants and eating his vegetables Willy has a breakdown. Left impotent in the badgers wake, he finds empowerment by sticking his foot up a toy bager's arse and kicking whenever anything stresses him. It's such a success that his work colleagues copy his lead and soon Willy spots a gap in the market.Soon everyone is wearing a cuddly boss, mother in law, wife/husband and critter on their leg.
Has Willy found the key to happiness or will 'Mr Badger' have one dump too many?
The twist is Willy actually see's a man in a badger suit crapping on his lawn when everyone else see's a critter, he's become delusional in his obsession...........or has he????
I had a computer card game once, I think was Hoyle or something. There was a character named Maurice (On of the poker opponents) who was American Indian, he wore a ratcoon tail hat and had a beaver puppet that he talked to.
Random I know... but I wonder if there's any folkloric value to this premise...
I don't think it should be a puppet...
I think it should be a tale of finding an
orphan baby Beaver
like on the video, from the highway.
Opening Scene:
Driver gets out and attempts to save the day!
But ...mama gone, baby left.
Many can relate to the orphan syndrome
and all the antics that could
go with it, especially if one
visits the city, tour d'Ontario
We need more films made here
considering the economic downturn
has affected us also.
How much more Canadian can one get
than the Beaver, we have alot of
beutiful sites to film.
I would love to help to write this one.
So many ideas flood my mind.
With animation technology you can give
the side and thoughts of the Beaver
I love the movie "Grey Owl" with Pierce Brosnan...
It shows the little baby beavers, I love the scene in it when he's
dashing to see if the baby was caught in the trap. (great scene)
Beavers have a place in this world too! Just like the Polar Bear!
I saw the sunrise the other day, it was so beautiful.
Reminds me of the song "The morning breaks, the shadows flee"
We almost had a double rainbow in town, I didn't have my camera
so I had to phone around to people I knew who would take a picture,
you have to get the rainbow almost as you see it or it disappears withing minutes.
It went right over town, it would have been a great tourist shot, it was so beautiful.
Have you seen ´ring of bright water´?.......it´s an old movie set in Scotland about an Otter.........OMG it´s beautiful but it does have a sad ending......i know it´s not a Beaver but it´s a cousin......lol
Never seen or heard of it b4...
This is what I wrote the first time I heard about this project. And I'm glad they did the right thing. Now the trailer is out and I think this could have been a good project for Jim.
Re: Jim Carrey in talks for "The Beaver"
This is one I will definitely see
but I want to see
"Tangled" first, I hear the reviews are really good
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For nearly 500 years, the emperors living within Beijing's opulent Forbidden City dictated who could enter and leave. Well, the gates have opened, and tourists are pouring in to see it all for themselves. Attendance is up by 2.5 million since 2010.
The Forbidden City is a dream destination for some Americans, but most have never researched a trip to Everland or Lotte World. Yet these South Korean theme parks also rank among the world's 50 most-visited tourist attractions—beating out the Eiffel Tower (nearly 7 million), the Great Pyramids (4 million), and Stonehenge (1 million). And there are more surprises.
Related: Europe's Most-Visited Tourist Attractions
Where we choose to spend our vacation time says a lot about what we value. Despite—or perhaps because of—what the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) calls "global economic challenges," more travelers are hitting the road than ever. International tourist arrivals increased by five percent in 2013, according to the UNWTO. That translates to a record of more than one billion trips. With its population of 1.36 billion, China has become the second-largest exporter of tourists. Russia, now the fifth-largest outbound market, increased travel spending by 26 percent.
Like it or not, theme parks clearly have worldwide appeal. France's Disneyland Park draws about the same number of visitors (10.5 million) as Sacré Coeur, and four of the world's 20 most-visited tourist attractions are Disney parks.
Many inspiring and iconic places can't quite keep up. The Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum narrowly missed the top 50, as did the British Museum in London (6.7 million), the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York (6.3 million), and the Roman Colosseum and Forum (5.1 million each). The Berlin Wall Memorial Site logged only 500,000 visitors in 2013, though extra crowds arrived in November 2014 for the 25th anniversary of its fall.
Accessibility can be a factor. It takes extra effort to reach Yellowstone National Park (3.2 million) or the Terracotta Army in Xi'an, China (4.8 million). And Peru's Machu Picchu has restricted tourism to help maintain the site's integrity; only 2,500 can enter per day, or 912,500 per year.
Related: America's Most-Visited Tourist Attractions
So what is the most-visited tourist attraction in the world? And can 91 million people be wrong? Read on to see the results—and an explanation of our methods for calculating it all.
The Methodology: To tally up the world's most-visited attractions, we gathered the most recent data supplied by the attractions themselves or from government agencies, industry reports, and reputable media outlets. In most cases, it was 2013 data. Attractions that don't sell tickets gave us estimates as best they could.
We defined "tourist attractions" as cultural and historical sites, natural landmarks, and officially designated spaces. So Boston's shop-filled Faneuil Hall Marketplace (est. 1742) made the cut, but not Minnesota's Mall of America, which, with 40 million annual visitors, would otherwise have tied for No. 4. Short walkways and plazas also fit our definition of tourist attractions; that disqualified the Blue Ridge Parkway. We also omitted beaches, bridges, and sites that draw almost exclusively religious pilgrims.
Reported by Kate Appleton, Rich Beattie, Adrien Glover, Lyndsey Matthews, April Orcutt, Joshua Pramis, and Ann Shields