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Why is April 1 a day to celebrate foolishness?

0 World 3/31/2014

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Holidays are celebrated for all sorts of reasons. Some honor heroes, 
others commemorate religious events, but April 1 stands out as the only 
holiday that celebrates foolishness. April Fools' Day, or <strong>All Fools Day</strong>,
 is an odd celebration with a strange history. What other holiday asks 
us to play tricks and dupe our unsuspecting friends and acquaintances?<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWSdOY3gXizwnRfHLdxaS2qn91T9R6Eacw-hrg9SgNmvaXVr56OWirNHx2hGGd6MZDeMsF0Ej3jD1mZaIPtXEjzrVXIKvykzc-FZZAEbUV_-Bu1iMLQMjPSrFDA7ASBUGEPRslr28LX1M/s1600/april-fools-day-facts.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="305" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWSdOY3gXizwnRfHLdxaS2qn91T9R6Eacw-hrg9SgNmvaXVr56OWirNHx2hGGd6MZDeMsF0Ej3jD1mZaIPtXEjzrVXIKvykzc-FZZAEbUV_-Bu1iMLQMjPSrFDA7ASBUGEPRslr28LX1M/s1600/april-fools-day-facts.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
There's
 some uncertainty about when and where this bizarre tradition began, 
but the most accepted explanation traces April Fools' Day back to 16th 
century <a href="http://history.howstuffworks.com/european-history/history-of-france.htm">France</a>. Up until 1564, the accepted calendar was the <strong>Julian calendar</strong>, which observed the beginning of the New Year around April. According to "The Oxford Companion to the Year," <strong>King Charles IX</strong> then declared that France would begin using the <strong>Gregorian calendar</strong>, which shifted New Year's Day to January 1.<br />
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Not
 everyone accepted this shifting of dates at the same time. Some 
believed that the dates should not be shifted, and it was these people 
who became the butt of some April jokes and were mocked as fools. People
 sent gifts and invited them to bogus parties. Citizens in the rural 
parts of France were also victims of these jokes. In those days, news 
traveled slowly and they might not have known about the shifting of 
dates for months or years. These people also endured being made fun of 
for celebrating the new year on the wrong day.<br />
<br />
Today in France, people who are fooled on April 1 are called <strong>Poisson d'Avril</strong>,
 which literally means the "April Fish." One common joke is to hook a 
cardboard fish to the back of a person. What a fish has to do with April
 Fools' Day is not clear. Some believe that the fish is tied to Jesus 
Christ, who was often represented as a fish in early Christian times. 
Others say the fish is related to the <a href="http://entertainment.howstuffworks.com/horoscopes-astrology/question750.htm">zodiac</a>
 sign of Pisces, which is represented by a fish, and falls near April. 
It's interesting to point out that Napoleon earned the Poisson d'Avril 
monicker when he married Marie-Louise of <a href="http://maps.howstuffworks.com/maps-of-austria.htm">Austria</a> on April 1, 1810.<br />
<br />
It's
 probably no coincidence that April Fools' Day is celebrated at the same
 time that two other similar holidays are celebrated. In <a href="http://history.howstuffworks.com/ancient-rome/rome-and-the-roman-empire.htm">ancient Rome</a>, the festival of <strong>Hilaria</strong>
 was thrown to celebrate the resurrection of the god Attis. Hilaria is 
probably the base word for hilarity and hilarious, which mean great 
merriment. Today, Hilaria is also known as <strong>Roman Laughing Day</strong>. In India, the <a href="http://www.indiaexpress.com/rangoli/holi.html">Holi</a> festival celebrates the arrival of spring. As a part of that festival, people play jokes and smear colors on each other.<br />
<br />
There's
 no clear connection between the modern observance of April Fools' Day 
and these two ancient celebrations, which lends most historians to 
accept the French explanation for how April Fools' Day developed.</div>

Why is April 1 a day to celebrate foolishness?

Holidays are celebrated for all sorts of reasons. Some honor heroes, others commemorate religious events, but April 1 stands out as the on...

Famous monuments around the world

0 Featured, Travel, World 3/31/2014

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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-_z2BhXwi2mLFx6q7ICPRlAun5ofNZdh3jYPE52KFSNm_dUW-pVAb6eB8UMTUMGuuDiAZHRLdGsd2MJbCOxVOuDkNqvRN4HGDAzwDO2Eb9eDE5Uu6hZniV0bz3cqU-Bq7KxvQdBQ4a3I/s1600/famous-monuments.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-_z2BhXwi2mLFx6q7ICPRlAun5ofNZdh3jYPE52KFSNm_dUW-pVAb6eB8UMTUMGuuDiAZHRLdGsd2MJbCOxVOuDkNqvRN4HGDAzwDO2Eb9eDE5Uu6hZniV0bz3cqU-Bq7KxvQdBQ4a3I/s1600/famous-monuments.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
March 31 is the 125th anniversary of the opening of the Eiffel Tower in 
Paris. To mark that, we offer a brief history lesson on other iconic 
monuments around the world.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy6pF-ZDUraYuSp8mIshQAoHNS1vulLJGmLFJDreiLG7vj-L9Je1kTcTipCC3r2mNb6t0I4BPbIuiH4iZKNSipBqQ4-a_EFhYMTzsQu5dN3P5QAxi32SBp86gmPsSak8qwCLJoAP_AEGs/s1600/EiffelTower.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="476" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy6pF-ZDUraYuSp8mIshQAoHNS1vulLJGmLFJDreiLG7vj-L9Je1kTcTipCC3r2mNb6t0I4BPbIuiH4iZKNSipBqQ4-a_EFhYMTzsQu5dN3P5QAxi32SBp86gmPsSak8qwCLJoAP_AEGs/s1600/EiffelTower.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<b>Eiffel Tower</b><br />
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The Eiffel Tower in Paris, designed by Gustave Eiffel, was erected in 1889 as the entrance arch to the 1889 World's Fair. The 1,063-foot-tall tower — an antenna tacks on an additional 17 feet — is the most-visited paid monument in the world, receiving nearly 300 million visitors over 125 years.<br />
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<b> </b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO12kKbdvVFqYTogyjj7RcBGnyDGdNosMvh1YM_C8E3cuWqnjfvxuPi7wxUDJBlrhZnMLy5sHTYrIsF3rgMKBJ2PnAN7jUBnETzZLAkmg_6YUHTWMqu6rF2lbd1Nx7TN23iaRVPFANIMc/s1600/TajMahal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO12kKbdvVFqYTogyjj7RcBGnyDGdNosMvh1YM_C8E3cuWqnjfvxuPi7wxUDJBlrhZnMLy5sHTYrIsF3rgMKBJ2PnAN7jUBnETzZLAkmg_6YUHTWMqu6rF2lbd1Nx7TN23iaRVPFANIMc/s1600/TajMahal.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<b> Taj Mahal</b></div>
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The Taj Mahal in Agra, Uttar Pradesh, India, is considered one of the Seven Wonders of the World. The 240-foot-tall palace was built by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his wife, Mumtaz Mahal. It is recognized as "the jewel of Muslim art in India."  It welcomes some 2 to 3 million visitors every year.<br />
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<b> </b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPYFibdOuBX006uWEUaivhakKrhh1GhzuaImMJXR5LfDngn0oFFOUMLJOAZaG3F7JSMKmvBO90-ytPmB2u5-82SYE19vgVv45a4x-AcZmRAPFLKSGJLoug3Wcby0OfB-8mqEWtLqCUzy4/s1600/LeaningTower.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="479" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPYFibdOuBX006uWEUaivhakKrhh1GhzuaImMJXR5LfDngn0oFFOUMLJOAZaG3F7JSMKmvBO90-ytPmB2u5-82SYE19vgVv45a4x-AcZmRAPFLKSGJLoug3Wcby0OfB-8mqEWtLqCUzy4/s1600/LeaningTower.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<b>Leaning Tower of Pisa</b></div>
The Leaning Tower of Pisa is a 
freestanding bell tower in Pisa, Italy. The tower's unintended tilt 
began during construction, which occurred in three stages between 1173 
and 1372. The ground was too soft on one side to support the structure's
 weight, so it steadily began to lean. The tilt became gradually more 
prominent through the years, to a peak angle of 5.5 degrees, before the 
tower was stabilized in the late 20th and early 21st centuries. It now 
leans at 3.99 degrees.<br />
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<b> </b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7vl657u0LnFmab2scdNiU3mYdpkhOaeM7TIkn1eLBGu3q3-sP2FUM1yzOqVz65i6qgst3IIGHxyQzW73nBmIgLM9szYa0xLYdky5L6OfJJSv3vA7_vCod7pVmvEUVr0A5rmzJQnwgrsk/s1600/Mount+Rushmore.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="476" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7vl657u0LnFmab2scdNiU3mYdpkhOaeM7TIkn1eLBGu3q3-sP2FUM1yzOqVz65i6qgst3IIGHxyQzW73nBmIgLM9szYa0xLYdky5L6OfJJSv3vA7_vCod7pVmvEUVr0A5rmzJQnwgrsk/s1600/Mount+Rushmore.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<b>Mount Rushmore</b></div>
The Mount Rushmore National Memorial near Keystone, S.D., is one of the most iconic monuments in the world. The sculpture carved into the granite face of Mount Rushmore depicts 60-foot-tall images of U.S. presidents George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln. Sculptor Gutzon Borglum chose these four because of their roles in preserving the country and expanding its territory. Borglum and 400 workers spent 14 years (1927 to 1941) sculpting the images at a cost just south of $1 million.<br />
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<b> </b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGnzYJvThsDktbOkQSaZYigBOlo-udScBc_5yep5N3NByTBYMU_5itSI2hSpun-E6DxAmcCrtrvs_dlHISKpbwjK4Oir1qVtUv7GTl76q4Y8gEj9JYpNPywTpxubtdXjd37OcqS1jtKZ0/s1600/TheGreatSphinx.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="476" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGnzYJvThsDktbOkQSaZYigBOlo-udScBc_5yep5N3NByTBYMU_5itSI2hSpun-E6DxAmcCrtrvs_dlHISKpbwjK4Oir1qVtUv7GTl76q4Y8gEj9JYpNPywTpxubtdXjd37OcqS1jtKZ0/s1600/TheGreatSphinx.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<b>The Great Sphinx</b></div>
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The Great Sphinx of Giza is a limestone statue of a reclining sphinx, a mythical creature with a lion's body and human head, located on the west bank of the Nile River in Giza, Egypt. The Sphinx, 241 feet long by 66 feet high, is believed to have been built by ancient Egyptians during the reign of Pharoah Khafra (circa 2558-2532 BC). Other wild theories suggest that the Sphinx, and the nearby Great Pyramids, were built 10,000 years before the ancient Egyptians, possibly by aliens.<br />
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<b> </b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguOpUeFp2HUHt8AKffd-Yj2tYqXK0KzdWDcYsXEsixkAFzqLP9TpI1hqKp_gqXrbMwrX3jODxC7kawOWItjxOH7OTSAXSjtuKpsasBbUWcdhIoxv0TShEUa35HwwEumaXaWSXBQxuWVyg/s1600/Stonehenge.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="476" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguOpUeFp2HUHt8AKffd-Yj2tYqXK0KzdWDcYsXEsixkAFzqLP9TpI1hqKp_gqXrbMwrX3jODxC7kawOWItjxOH7OTSAXSjtuKpsasBbUWcdhIoxv0TShEUa35HwwEumaXaWSXBQxuWVyg/s1600/Stonehenge.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<b>Stonehenge</b></div>
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Stonehenge is a prehistoric monument in Wiltshire, England. Archaeologists believe the double ring of standing stones — 130 remain today — was built in various stages between 3100 BC and 1500 BC. It has been estimated that the three phases of construction required an astonishing 30 million hours of labor. Theories on the purpose of Stonehenge's existence range from human sacrifice to astronomy.<b><br /> </b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZhp0fDdChdcqISjfTuFOSuDHcwagcqCY97BHBcJnGMer-wHagaJp2n3NA1SyGVndqw3n_4R07I66b3ap-3Cd1xXihAXtSITnl22it5g5f_idLaC2ONcqn2hSK5TZ1N4VfnShzQgC0p7o/s1600/Colosseum.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="476" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZhp0fDdChdcqISjfTuFOSuDHcwagcqCY97BHBcJnGMer-wHagaJp2n3NA1SyGVndqw3n_4R07I66b3ap-3Cd1xXihAXtSITnl22it5g5f_idLaC2ONcqn2hSK5TZ1N4VfnShzQgC0p7o/s1600/Colosseum.jpg" width="640" /><b></b></a></div>
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<b>Colosseum</b></div>
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The Colosseum, or Coliseum, is an elliptical amphitheatre in the heart of Rome, used for gladiatorial contests, executions and other public spectacles. Dating to 80 AD, the Colosseum is considered one of the greatest works of Roman architecture and engineering. The partially ruined structure was damaged by earthquakes and stone-robbers over the years yet remains one of Rome's most popular tourist attractions.<br />
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<b>Christ the Redeemer</b></div>
Christ the Redeemer, standing on the peak of Corcovado mountain overlooking Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, was considered the largest Art Deco statue in the world until 2010, when it was topped by Christ the King in Poland. The statue of Jesus Christ measures 98 feet tall, not including the 26-foot pedestal, and its arms stretch 92 feet wide. The symbol of Brazilian Christianity was dedicated on Oct. 12, 1931.<br />
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<b>Sistine Chapel</b></div>
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The Sistine Chapel in Vatican City, completed in 1481, is renowned for the frescos that decorate the interior, with Michelangelo's paintings on the ceiling serving as the centerpiece. Besides being a major tourist attraction, one of the functions of the Sistine Chapel is as a venue for the election of each successive pope in a conclave of the College of Cardinals. If white smoke appears from a recently installed chimney, a new pope has been elected.<br />
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<b> </b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbT-TAhjZLccnXYELo9m_IxMVtVwrHk518u5OMGWNLZe3b_aXPemh4f-OtOt4Llh4i8XkcC9tTgtvl6EBfYk21nmEBAi2l7z8BlkdhMCykIFY4niZNDwN90Q7XwwZ0P6UU5HEwSUMpDAE/s1600/Statue-of-Liberty.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="476" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbT-TAhjZLccnXYELo9m_IxMVtVwrHk518u5OMGWNLZe3b_aXPemh4f-OtOt4Llh4i8XkcC9tTgtvl6EBfYk21nmEBAi2l7z8BlkdhMCykIFY4niZNDwN90Q7XwwZ0P6UU5HEwSUMpDAE/s1600/Statue-of-Liberty.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<b>Statue of Liberty</b></div>
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The Statue of Liberty (Liberty Enlightening the World) is a colossal neoclassical sculpture in New York City. The statue, designed by French sculptor Frederic Auguste Bartholdi and dedicated on Oct. 28, 1886, depicts a robed Libertas, the Roman goddess of freedom. With chains lying at her feet, a torch in her right hand and a tabula ansata (tablet evoking the law) in her left, Lady Liberty is an icon of freedom.<br />
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<b>Big Ben</b></div>
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Big Ben is the nickname for the bell inside the clock at the north end of the Palace of Westminster in London. The 315-foot tower, now officially called Elizabeth Tower after being renamed to celebrate the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II, contains the largest four-faced chiming clock in the world. The tower is often in the establishing shot of movies set in London.<br />
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<b>St. Basil's Cathedral</b></div>
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The Cathedral of Vasily the Blessed, more commonly known as St. Basil's Cathedral, is a former church in Red Square in Moscow. The building, constructed to resemble a flame of a bonfire rising into the sky, was built from 1555 to 1561 on orders from Ivan the Terrible. Now a museum, it commemorates the capture of Kazan, which signaled the end of the Russo-Kazan Wars, and Astrakhan.<br />
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<b>Arc de Triomphe</b></div>
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The Arc de Triomphe is a famous monument in Paris that honors soldiers who fought and died for France in the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars. The dense arch — 164 feet tall, 148 feet wide and 72 feet deep — at the center of Place Charles de Gaulle and along the path of Axe historique was designed by Jen Chalgrin and completed in 1836. Beneath the Arc is the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, which honors the dead from World Wars I and II.<br />
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<b>The Acropolis</b></div>
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The Acropolis of Athens is an ancient citadel, the best-known of several Acropolises spread all over Greece. An acropolis (meaning "The Sacred Rock, the high city") is a settlement constructed upon a piece of elevated ground for purposes of defense. The Acropolis of Athens, thought to have been inhabited as far back as the fourth millennium BC, contains the remains of several historically significant buildings, including the famous Parthenon. <br />
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<b>The Great Buddha (Kōtoku-in)</b></div>
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The Great Buddha of Kamakura is an outdoor bronze statue of Amitabha Buddha at the Kotoku-in Temple in Kamakura, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. The 44-foot-tall statue, weighing 267,000 pounds, was cast in 1252 and housed inside a wooden temple. But a tsunami washed away the structure, and the statue has sat out in nature since. The central teaching is that through devotion to Buddha, one will go to the Pure Land or "Western Paradise" after death.<br />
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<b>Washington Monument</b></div>
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The Washington Monument is the tallest true obelisk in the world, soaring 555 feet, 5 5/8 inches above the National Mall in Washington, D.C. The structure was built to commemorate the first president of the United States, George Washington. Approximately a quarter of the way up, there is a difference in the shading of the marble, showing where construction was halted in 1854. After 23 years of no activity, building resumed in 1877 and was finished in 1884.<br />
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<b>Kukulkan Pyramid at Chichen Itza</b></div>
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The Kukulkan Pyramid in Chichen Itza, known as "El Castillo" (the castle), is believed to have been built by the pre-Columbian Maya civilization sometime between the 6th and 9th centuries AD.  El Castillo served as a temple to the god Kukulkan. Each of the pyramid's four sides has 91 steps, which, when added together plus the temple platform as the final step, produces 365 total steps (the number of days of the Haab' year).<br />
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<b>Machu Picchu</b></div>
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Machu Picchu is an estate situated in the Andes mountains above the Sacred Valley in Peru. Built at the height of the Incan Empire around 1450, archaeologists believe that Machu Picchu was built for Inca emperor Pachacuti, who reigned from 1438 to 1472. The Incas abandoned the site about 100 years later, at the time of the Spanish Conquest. Centuries later, Machu Picchu is a tourist site, and restoration work continues to this day.<br />
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<b>Great Wall of China</b></div>
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The Great Wall of China is a series of fortifications originally designed to protect the Chinese Empire against various intrusions. Several walls were built as early as the 7th century BC, and bigger strongholds were built to complete the chain now collectively referred to as the Great Wall. Archaeological surveys have put the total distance of the Great Wall, stretching from Shanhaiguan in the east to Lop Lake in the west, at anywhere from 5,500 miles to 13,171 miles.<br />
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<b> </b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTwRVwhFFgZDKUe72fq-mDYYS2sVjn9bt57nNTV-5tu_7PLL0Dvfn4BsfwMyzcs4lQIrh5VvdYJnEOPCcn0BfzUZ-VKvsvKUBWNH1HCax0r2M0Qst4_A4HUhd8QfjQyHLIe49SBct6vbk/s1600/The+Sultan+Ahmed+Mosque.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="476" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTwRVwhFFgZDKUe72fq-mDYYS2sVjn9bt57nNTV-5tu_7PLL0Dvfn4BsfwMyzcs4lQIrh5VvdYJnEOPCcn0BfzUZ-VKvsvKUBWNH1HCax0r2M0Qst4_A4HUhd8QfjQyHLIe49SBct6vbk/s1600/The+Sultan+Ahmed+Mosque.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<b>The Sultan Ahmed Mosque</b></div>
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The Sultan Ahmed Mosque, commonly known as the Blue Mosque for the blue tiles on the inside walls, is a historic place of worship in Istanbul, Turkey. In the wake of a brutal war with Persia, Sultan Ahmet decided to build a big mosque to calm God. Completed in 1616, the Sultan Ahmed Mosque is still used as a mosque today.<br />
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<b>The Gateway Arch</b></div>
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At 630-feet high, the Gateway Arch in St. Louis is the tallest man-made monument in the United States and the world's tallest arch. Situated on the shore of the Mississippi River, the stainless-steel arch was built as a gateway to the westward expansion of the United States. The concept and early funding began three decades before the arch was completed in 1965. The arch is one of the most-visited tourist attractions in the world with more than 4 million annually.</div>

Famous monuments around the world

March 31 is the 125th anniversary of the opening of the Eiffel Tower in Paris. To mark that, we offer a brief history lesson on other i...

125 years of the Eiffel Tower

0 Travel, World 3/31/2014

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<br />
Paris’ Eiffel Tower marks the 125<sup>th</sup>
 anniversary of its inauguration on March 31, 2014. Unveiled at the 
Exposition Universelle World's Fair in 1889 to comemmorate the 100th 
anniversary of the French Revolution, the tower is 324 metres (1,063ft) 
tall - or 300 metres (986 feet) without its broadcast antenna.<br />
<br />
Although
 a controversial construction in its early years, the instantly 
recognizable landmark has gone on to become a global icon of Paris and 
France as a whole.<br />
</div>

125 years of the Eiffel Tower

Paris’ Eiffel Tower marks the 125 th anniversary of its inauguration on March 31, 2014. Unveiled at the Exposition Universelle Wo...

Disney's 'Frozen' becomes top-grossing animated film ever

0 Entertainment, Movies 3/31/2014

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NEW YORK (Reuters) - Disney's hit film "Frozen" has become the top-grossing animated film in 
box office history, the studio said on Sunday as the musical topped $1 
billion in global sales.<br />
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The film has sold $398.4 million worth of 
tickets at domestic (U.S. and Canadian) theaters since opening on 
November 27 on the eve of the Thanksgiving Holiday weekend. Foreign box 
offices have added another $674 million, for a global total of $1.072 
billion, Disney said.<br />
<br />
"Frozen," inspired by "The Snow Queen" 
fairytale, is the story of a Scandinavian princess who must reconnect 
with her sister, the Queen, who has the power of freezing anything into 
ice with her hands and accidentally sets off a long winter that is 
destroying their kingdom.<br />
<br />
The previous animated-film box office 
champion was 2010's "Toy Story 3," which racked up $1.063 billion in 
sales, according to Boxofficemojo.com. Both films were distributed by 
Walt Disney Pictures.<br />
<br />
"Frozen," which stayed in the top 10 films 
on domestic box office charts for more than three months, also has now 
become the 10th-largest grossing film in cinema history.</div>
</div>

Disney's 'Frozen' becomes top-grossing animated film ever

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Disney's hit film "Frozen" has become the top-grossing animated film in box office history, the studio...

Petroleum shortage after NOC fails to pay IOC

0 National 3/31/2014

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KATHMANDU, MAR 31 - 
  Nepal Oil Corporation  (NOC), the sole importer and dealer of petroleum products in Nepal, has said as it failed to pay the  Indian Oil Corporation
  regularly, the latter curtailed the supply of petroleum products by 25
 percent. It finally resulted in shortage of petroleum in Nepali market.<br />
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The NOC had to pay Rs 4 billion till today, March 31, but failed, thereby adding woes to customers. <br />
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Although the government was already informed about the problem, the 
Finance Ministry has not released the grants, said NOC Spokesperson 
Mukunda Ghimire adding, "We've committed to paying the IOC as early as 
possible."<br />
<br />
The NOC, for a day, is receiving only 800 kilo litre of petroleum 
products for past few days while the regular import is Rs 2,300 litre a 
day.<br />
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According to Spokesperson Ghimire, NOC was put pressure also because it
 is the final month of the fiscal year in India. However, the problem 
would not last longer, he added.</div>

Petroleum shortage after NOC fails to pay IOC

KATHMANDU, MAR 31 - Nepal Oil Corporation (NOC), the sole importer and dealer of petroleum products in Nepal, has said as it failed ...

Court slaps Rs 120m fine, 3-yr jail to Unity proprietors

0 National 3/31/2014

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KATHMANDU, MAR 31 -  The Lalitpur District Court has slapped a  fine  of Rs 120 million each on 12 proprietors of  Unity Life International  (ULI) along with three-year jail sentence.<span id="goog_533606748"></span><br />
<br />
District Judge Tek Narayan Kunwar pronounced the verdict on Monday on the fraud case of ULI--a network marketing business that duped hundreds of thousands of people. <br />
<br />
Earlier, police had filed fraud cases against 108 persons involved in Unity, including Chairman Kashi Ram Gurung, Managing Director Bishnu Chhetri, General Manager Shishir Yogi, Finance Director Bhim Gurng, Information Technology Director Netra Rajbanshhi, Department Store Director Indra BK, immediate Manager of Madhyamanchal Gramen Bikas Bank Ram Dev Yadav and agents taking huge commissions. They have been charged with committing fraud of Rs 3.79 billion and deceiving 366,000 people.</div>

Court slaps Rs 120m fine, 3-yr jail to Unity proprietors

KATHMANDU, MAR 31 - The Lalitpur District Court has slapped a fine of Rs 120 million each on 12 proprietors of Unity Life Internation...

North and South Korea exchange fire across western sea border

0 World 3/31/2014

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<a a="" class="fancybox" href="http://www.ekantipur.com/image.php?image=http://www.ekantipur.com/uploads/ekantipur/news/2014/gallery_03_31/1_20140331103022.jpg&width=300&height=188" rel="gallery1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="-" class="main-img img-responsive" src="http://www.ekantipur.com/image.php?image=http://www.ekantipur.com/uploads/ekantipur/news/2014/gallery_03_31/1_20140331103022.jpg&width=300&height=188" /></a>North and South Korea have exchanged fire across the disputed western maritime border, South Korea has said.<br />
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North Korea announced early on Monday that it would hold live-fire drills in seven parts of the border area.<br />
<br />
South Korea says it returned fire after North Korean shells landed in its territorial waters.<br />
<br />
The area has been a flashpoint between the two Koreas. In late 2010, four South Koreans were killed on a border island by North Korean artillery fire.<br />
<br />
Earlier that year, a South Korean warship sank near the disputed border with the loss of 46 lives.<br />
<br />
Seoul says Pyongyang torpedoed the vessel but North Korea denies any role in the incident.<br />
<br />
The UN drew the western border after the Korean War, but North Korea has never recognised it.<br />
Missile tests<br />
<br />
The live-fire exercises were announced by North Korea in a faxed message from its military to the South's navy.<br />
<br />
The exercises would take place in seven border areas, the message said.<br />
<br />
South Korean had warned of immediate retaliation if any ordinance crossed the border.<br />
<br />
In November 2010, North Korea fired shells at the border island of Yeonpyeong, killing two marines and two civilians.<br />
<br />
It said it was responded to South Korean military exercises in the area.<br />
<br />
The latest incident comes days after North Korea test-fired two medium-range Nodong missiles over the sea, its first such launch since 2009.<br />
<br />
Late last week, the UN Security Council condemned the launch and said it was considering an "appropriate response".<br />
<br />
That launch followed a series of short-range missile tests, seen as a response to the current US-South Korea annual military exercises.<br />
<br />
Over the weekend, North Korea also threatened to conduct a "new form" of nuclear test. </div>

North and South Korea exchange fire across western sea border

North and South Korea have exchanged fire across the disputed western maritime border, South Korea has said. North Korea announced early ...

15 Celebrities Who Are Also Amateur Porn Stars

0 Celebrity, Entertainment 3/30/2014

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
If these 15 celebrities ever need to find a side job, there's one we 
know they're capable of, if you know what we mean. We mean they are also
 amateur porn stars.<br />
<br />
<div class="featured_content">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9UI1_YH1YMlTgBDGjyGZwJyFwd1MPdq4eQvhS1jFnVOrfx_YyKV9P7OOVtosQ4o5hJxlNMg51oyAm1vYo5YsMLewDZCAjm0Vw8F9XrgyI7F9irbryFraS4wV0r-mZ8HH1fed4aDNDW3w/s1600/pamela-anderson.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9UI1_YH1YMlTgBDGjyGZwJyFwd1MPdq4eQvhS1jFnVOrfx_YyKV9P7OOVtosQ4o5hJxlNMg51oyAm1vYo5YsMLewDZCAjm0Vw8F9XrgyI7F9irbryFraS4wV0r-mZ8HH1fed4aDNDW3w/s1600/pamela-anderson.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
Some of these stars were famous well before they ventured into amateur porn.Others are famous simply because of amateur porn (Kim Kardshian). Others still try to front like their semi-pro porn is amateur (Farrah Abraham).<br />
<br />
All are members of an exclusive club, however. A very dirty, exclusive club.<br />
<br />
So whose celebrity sex tapes are totally hot? Whose are totally not? 
Which are all-time classics and which would you just as soon forget ever
 existed at all?<br />
<br />
Okay, don't answer that last one. But for the previous three questions,
 it all depends who, and what, you're into and on your personal 
definition of "hot".<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="slideshow" data-slug="15-celebrities-who-are-amateur-porn-stars" data-title="15 Celebrity Sex Tape Stars" data-total="15" itemscope="" itemtype="schema.org/ItemList">
<div class="slide" style="display: block;">
<div class="content" id="slide-5143">
<a href="http://www.thehollywoodgossip.com/gallery/kendra-wilkinson-sex-tape-image/" target="_blank"><img alt="Kendra Wilkinson" src="http://3-ps.googleusercontent.com/x/www.thehollywoodgossip.com/images.thehollywoodgossip.com/iu/t_slideshow/v1395706599/xkendra-wilkinson-sex-tape-image.jpg.pagespeed.ic.hiRbbuE6qz.jpg" /></a>
</div>
<h3>
1.
<span itemprop="itemListElement">Kendra Wilkinson</span>
</h3>
<div class="description">
Before Hugh Hefner and before Hank Baskett, 
Kendra Wilkinson got freaky on video with an old boyfriend. And she's 
got a real talent for rodeo.</div>
<hr />
</div>
<div class="slide" style="display: block;">
<div class="content" id="slide-5140">
<a href="http://www.thehollywoodgossip.com/gallery/kim-kardashian-and-ray-j-photo/" target="_blank"><img alt="Kim Kardashian" class="" src="http://2-ps.googleusercontent.com/x/www.thehollywoodgossip.com/images.thehollywoodgossip.com/iu/t_slideshow/v1368443977/xkim-kardashian-and-ray-j-photo.jpg.pagespeed.ic.7D0Kftl8ih.jpg" /></a>
</div>
<h3>
2.
<span itemprop="itemListElement">Kim Kardashian</span>
</h3>
<div class="description">
Need we say more? Ray J hit it first and made her a star.</div>
<hr />
</div>
<div class="slide" style="display: block;">
<div class="content" id="slide-5141">
<a href="http://www.thehollywoodgossip.com/gallery/paris-hilton-gets-clean-dirty/" target="_blank"><img alt="Paris Hilton" src="http://images.thehollywoodgossip.com/iu/t_slideshow/v1393589103/paris-hilton-gets-clean-dirty.jpg" /></a>
</div>
<h3>
3.
<span itemprop="itemListElement">Paris Hilton</span>
</h3>
<div class="description">
Paris Hilton was Kim Kardashian before Kim 
Kardashian was Kim Kardashian. In other words, she got famous from a guy
 doing her on camera. She and Kim were also friends once!</div>
<hr />
</div>
<div class="slide" style="display: block;">
<div class="content" id="slide-5142">
<a href="http://www.thehollywoodgossip.com/gallery/farrah-abraham-sex-tape-still/" target="_blank"><img alt="Farrah Abraham" class="" src="http://2-ps.googleusercontent.com/x/www.thehollywoodgossip.com/images.thehollywoodgossip.com/iu/t_slideshow/v1377020878/xfarrah-abraham-sex-tape-still.jpg.pagespeed.ic.oGFp362PDN.jpg" /></a>
</div>
<h3>
4.
<span itemprop="itemListElement">Farrah Abraham</span>
</h3>
<div class="description">
Okay, there's nothing amateur about getting paid 
by a porn company to shoot an X-rated video called Backdoor Teen Mom. 
But she's far from a pro when it comes to everything else.</div>
<hr />
</div>
<div class="slide" style="display: block;">
<div class="content" id="slide-5144">
<a href="http://www.thehollywoodgossip.com/gallery/pamela-anderson-vogue-pic/" target="_blank"><img alt="Pamela Anderson" class="" src="http://4-ps.googleusercontent.com/x/www.thehollywoodgossip.com/images.thehollywoodgossip.com/iu/t_slideshow/v1370521349/xpamela-anderson-vogue-pic.jpg.pagespeed.ic.pbKk5esFmO.jpg" /></a>
</div>
<h3>
5.
<span itemprop="itemListElement">Pamela Anderson</span>
</h3>
<div class="description">
Pamela Anderson's sex tape was one of the first, and most infamous. And hardest core.</div>
<hr />
</div>
<div class="slide" style="display: block;">
<div class="content" id="slide-5145">
<a href="http://www.thehollywoodgossip.com/gallery/octomom-home-alone-cover/" target="_blank"><img alt="Octomom" class="" src="http://3-ps.googleusercontent.com/x/www.thehollywoodgossip.com/images.thehollywoodgossip.com/iu/t_slideshow/v1364527204/xoctomom-home-alone-cover.jpg.pagespeed.ic.Dxexd2Eylq.jpg" /></a>
</div>
<h3>
6.
<span itemprop="itemListElement">Octomom</span>
</h3>
<div class="description">
Octomom: Home Alone was the self-pleasure hit of 
2012. It may be more pleasurable to hit yourself in the head with a 2x4,
 but so be it.</div>
<hr />
</div>
<div class="slide" style="display: block;">
<div class="content" id="slide-5146">
<a href="http://www.thehollywoodgossip.com/gallery/hulk-hogan-muscle-flex/" target="_blank"><img alt="Hulk Hogan" class="" src="http://2-ps.googleusercontent.com/x/www.thehollywoodgossip.com/images.thehollywoodgossip.com/iu/t_slideshow/v1364527498/xhulk-hogan-muscle-flex.jpg.pagespeed.ic.IA5gUpGWrR.jpg" /></a>
</div>
<h3>
7.
<span itemprop="itemListElement">Hulk Hogan</span>
</h3>
<div class="description">
The Hulk Hogan sex tape with Heather Clem 
supposedly left him feeling betrayed. He felt incredibly exposed ... 
literally and otherwise.</div>
<hr />
</div>
<div class="slide" style="display: block;">
<div class="content" id="slide-5147">
<a href="http://www.thehollywoodgossip.com/gallery/tila-tequila-on-all-fours/" target="_blank"><img alt="Tila Tequila" class="" src="http://1-ps.googleusercontent.com/x/www.thehollywoodgossip.com/images.thehollywoodgossip.com/iu/t_slideshow/v1389012070/xtila-tequila-on-all-fours.jpg.pagespeed.ic.hTB8K_vkSX.jpg" /></a>
</div>
<h3>
8.
<span itemprop="itemListElement">Tila Tequila</span>
</h3>
<div class="description">
Tila Tequila was uncorked on video. And also sort of uncomfortable to look at.</div>
<hr />
</div>
<div class="slide" style="display: block;">
<div class="content" id="slide-5148">
<a href="http://www.thehollywoodgossip.com/gallery/tami-erin-sex-tape-photo/" target="_blank"><img alt="Tami Erin" class="" src="http://4-ps.googleusercontent.com/x/www.thehollywoodgossip.com/images.thehollywoodgossip.com/iu/t_slideshow/v1383051538/xtami-erin-sex-tape-photo.jpg.pagespeed.ic.seG7O0oXI0.jpg" /></a>
</div>
<h3>
9.
<span itemprop="itemListElement">Tami Erin</span>
</h3>
<div class="description">
Tami Erin put the schlong in Pippi Longstocking. Wait, that doesn't make any sense. Whatever.</div>
<hr />
</div>
<div class="slide" style="display: block;">
<div class="content" id="slide-5149">
<a href="http://www.thehollywoodgossip.com/gallery/leighton-m-pic/" target="_blank"><img alt="Leighton Meester" src="http://images.thehollywoodgossip.com/iu/t_slideshow/v1364525325/leighton-m-pic.jpg" /></a>
</div>
<h3>
10.
<span itemprop="itemListElement">Leighton Meester</span>
</h3>
<div class="description">
An old Leighton Meester sex tape rocked the web a few years back. She has talented feet.</div>
<hr />
</div>
<div class="slide" style="display: block;">
<div class="content" id="slide-5151">
<a href="http://www.thehollywoodgossip.com/gallery/mindy-mccready-sex-tpe/" target="_blank"><img alt="Mindy McCready" class="" src="http://2-ps.googleusercontent.com/x/www.thehollywoodgossip.com/images.thehollywoodgossip.com/iu/t_slideshow/v1364525558/xmindy-mccready-sex-tpe.jpg.pagespeed.ic.JjVkVoW6mY.jpg" /></a>
</div>
<h3>
11.
<span itemprop="itemListElement">Mindy McCready</span>
</h3>
<div class="description">
Mindy McCready's sex tape was called Baseball 
Mistress because she had an affair with MLB star Roger Clemens, who was 
not on the sex tape at all. Some other dude hit it then. That's just 
funny.</div>
<hr />
</div>
<div class="slide" style="display: block;">
<div class="content" id="slide-5150">
<a href="http://www.thehollywoodgossip.com/gallery/johnny-carson-wife/" target="_blank"><img alt="Johnny Carson" class="" src="http://1-ps.googleusercontent.com/x/www.thehollywoodgossip.com/images.thehollywoodgossip.com/iu/t_slideshow/v1394542331/xjohnny-carson-wife.jpg.pagespeed.ic.bAKDwrK3VG.jpg" /></a>
</div>
<h3>
12.
<span itemprop="itemListElement">Johnny Carson</span>
</h3>
<div class="description">
Heeeeeere's Johnny's mono-LOG!</div>
<hr />
</div>
<div class="slide" style="display: block;">
<div class="content" id="slide-5152">
<a href="http://www.thehollywoodgossip.com/gallery/joe-francis-girls-gone-wild/" target="_blank"><img alt="Joe Francis" src="http://4-ps.googleusercontent.com/x/www.thehollywoodgossip.com/images.thehollywoodgossip.com/iu/t_slideshow/v1364527888/xjoe-francis-girls-gone-wild.jpg.pagespeed.ic.7RtP7eic62.jpg" /></a>
</div>
<h3>
13.
<span itemprop="itemListElement">Joe Francis</span>
</h3>
<div class="description">
Girls Gone Wild kingpin Joe Francis was also a 
sex tape star in his own right, although he kept it from the public ... 
thank goodness.</div>
<hr />
</div>
<div class="slide" style="display: block;">
<div class="content" id="slide-5153">
<a href="http://www.thehollywoodgossip.com/gallery/myla-sinanaj-sex-tape-cover/" target="_blank"><img alt="Myla Sinanaj" src="http://2-ps.googleusercontent.com/x/www.thehollywoodgossip.com/images.thehollywoodgossip.com/iu/t_slideshow/v1382573866/xmyla-sinanaj-sex-tape-cover.jpg.pagespeed.ic.CWus-N20gs.jpg" /></a>
</div>
<h3>
14.
<span itemprop="itemListElement">Myla Sinanaj</span>
</h3>
<div class="description">
Myla Sinanaj, the girl Kris Humphries dated after
 Kim Kardashian dumped him, billed herself as the anti-Kim K. Ironic, 
since she is kind of obsessed with Kim K.</div>
<hr />
</div>
<div class="slide" style="display: block;">
<div class="content" id="slide-5154">
<a href="http://www.thehollywoodgossip.com/gallery/john-edwards-indicted/" target="_blank"><img alt="John Edwards" src="http://1-ps.googleusercontent.com/x/www.thehollywoodgossip.com/images.thehollywoodgossip.com/iu/t_slideshow/v1364526293/xjohn-edwards-indicted.jpg.pagespeed.ic.GTiYoH7MU9.jpg" /></a>
</div>
<h3>
15.
<span itemprop="itemListElement">John Edwards</span>
</h3>
<div class="description">
A John Edwards-Rielle Hunter sex tape actually 
existed, a fun (we guess) side note to the sad, shocking sex scandal 
that torpedoed his career.</div>
<hr />
</div>
</div>
<small>
</small>
<br />
<div style="background-color: white; border: medium none; color: black; overflow: hidden; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;">
Read more <a href="http://www.thehollywoodgossip.com/" target="_blank">celebrity gossip</a> at: <a href="http://www.thehollywoodgossip.com/2014/03/15-celebrities-who-are-also-amateur-porn-stars/#ixzz2xShP1CWh" style="color: #003399;">http://www.thehollywoodgossip.com/2014/03/15-celebrities-who-are-also-amateur-porn-stars/#ixzz2xShP1CWh</a></div>
</div>
</div>

15 Celebrities Who Are Also Amateur Porn Stars

If these 15 celebrities ever need to find a side job, there's one we know they're capable of, if you know what we mean. We mean th...

Attacks kill 16 people in Iraq

0 World 3/30/2014

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTxYvKXKaQDHrCI55mF5shzuzh6F1FQsiE81EjZH5BKbo2NrxWsrBwaYsRP8i3AP-XpoUjsegjlVGij1XmiXTK7pVCbYxv6rWkCr0PCSmwBh4PphvrQjHwxTqT1zH760ASUmosJpkDJF4/s1600/Iraq-bombing.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTxYvKXKaQDHrCI55mF5shzuzh6F1FQsiE81EjZH5BKbo2NrxWsrBwaYsRP8i3AP-XpoUjsegjlVGij1XmiXTK7pVCbYxv6rWkCr0PCSmwBh4PphvrQjHwxTqT1zH760ASUmosJpkDJF4/s1600/Iraq-bombing.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
BAGHDAD, MAR 30 - 
  A  series of attacks  in  Iraq , including a shooting at a security checkpoint and a  suicide car bomb , killed 16 people and destroyed a bridge on Sunday, said officials.<br />
<br />
Police officials said the deadliest attack took place when attackers 
sprayed with bullets a group of troops manning a checkpoint early 
Sunday, near the city of Mosul, 360 kilometers (225 miles) northwest of 
Baghdad. Police said seven soldiers were killed in the attack.<br />
<br />
Hours later, a suicide bomber set off his explosive-laden car on the 
main al-Houz bridge near Ramadi city, killing five people and wounding 
seven. Police said parts of the bridge fell into the Euphrates river.<br />
<br />
Ramadi is 115 kilometers (70 miles) west of Baghdad.<br />
<br />
Fierce clashes pitting government security forces and allied Sunni 
tribal militias against a coalition of insurgents have been raging in 
Anbar province since late December.<br />
<br />
Also, a bomb explosion at the entrance of an out-door market killed 
four shoppers and wounded nine others in Baghdad's southern suburb of 
Youssifiyah, according to the police.<br />
<br />
Medics confirmed the casualties for both attacks. All officials spoke 
anonymously because they were not authorized to talk to the media.<br />
<br />
The  Iraq
  security forces have been a favorite target for Sunni insurgents who 
want to undermine the Shiite-led government in Baghdad. Violence has 
escalated in  Iraq
  over the past year, with 2013 seeing the country's highest death toll 
since the worst of the country's sectarian bloodletting began to subside
 in 2007, according to the United Nations figures.</div>

Attacks kill 16 people in Iraq

BAGHDAD, MAR 30 - A series of attacks in Iraq , including a shooting at a security checkpoint and a suicide car bomb , killed 16 p...

Microsoft Office for iPad Dominates Top of App Store

0 Apps, Technology 3/30/2014

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
The suite of Microsoft Office apps for iPad have only been in the Apple App Store for 24 hours and are already dominating the download charts.  <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAiq6hWmQwdzkY2m46R0W7LWfPcs_JMwnRcyFFXr7ww_OeXaeWVdpX76QHZrI2br5v2dqBrEo8eBu5tmb7c6sqc6rBGkMsIjS7lNlSndl3jjG90Ieoo6erlyu4qwTQPV11eHO1GC_sH-I/s1600/Microsoft-Office-for-iPad.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAiq6hWmQwdzkY2m46R0W7LWfPcs_JMwnRcyFFXr7ww_OeXaeWVdpX76QHZrI2br5v2dqBrEo8eBu5tmb7c6sqc6rBGkMsIjS7lNlSndl3jjG90Ieoo6erlyu4qwTQPV11eHO1GC_sH-I/s1600/Microsoft-Office-for-iPad.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
The three freemium apps — which are free to download but require a 
subscription ($99) to edit documents and perform other functions — are 
occupying the top consecutive spots of the App Store's free downloads. 
Microsoft OneNote, which doesn't require a subscription but has ties to 
Office, is in the No. 4 spot.<br />
<br />
Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella
 drew attention to the achievement with a tweet sent on Friday, noting 
it "looks like it's a productive Friday for #iPad owners!" He also 
included a screen shot of the apps at the top of the App Store.<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en">
looks like it's a productive Friday for <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23iPad&src=hash">#iPad</a> owners! <a href="http://t.co/hjoDxxbp7c">pic.twitter.com/hjoDxxbp7c</a><br />
— Satya Nadella (@satyanadella) <a href="https://twitter.com/satyanadella/statuses/449604995361411073">March 28, 2014</a></blockquote>
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>

<br />
<br />
The apps include <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/microsoft-word-for-ipad/id586447913?mt=8" target="_blank">Word for iPad</a> (No. 1), <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/microsoft-excel-for-ipad/id586683407?mt=8" target="_blank">Excel for iPad</a> (No. 2), <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/microsoft-powerpoint-for-ipad/id586449534?mt=8" target="_blank">PowerPoint for iPad</a> (No. 3) and <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/microsoft-onenote-for-ipad/id478105721?mt=8" target="_blank">OneNote for iPad</a> (No. 4). <br />
<br />
The apps offer a lot more than the versions already available on the 
iPhone, but you'll need to be an Office 365 subscriber to edit and 
create content. It's free to view documents via the apps.<br />
<b></b></div>

Microsoft Office for iPad Dominates Top of App Store

The suite of Microsoft Office apps for iPad have only been in the Apple App Store for 24 hours and are already dominating the download char...

The World's Best Airports 2014

0 Business, Featured, Technology, Travel, World 3/29/2014

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<strong>(CNN)</strong> -- Singapore Changi Airport has been crowned the best in the world for the second year in a row at the <a href="http://www.worldairportawards.com/" target="_blank">World Airport Awards</a>, announced Wednesday in Barcelona, Spain.<br />

<div class="cnn_storypgraphtxt cnn_storypgraph2">
<br /></div>
<div class="cnn_storypgraphtxt cnn_storypgraph2">
Changi, which also won 
the award for best airport leisure amenities, beat out second-place 
Incheon International Airport in South Korea and third-place Munich 
Airport in Germany.</div>
<div class="cnn_storypgraphtxt cnn_storypgraph3">
<br /></div>
<div class="cnn_storypgraphtxt cnn_storypgraph3">
The awards are based on 
surveys conducted by Skytrax, an international travel research and 
consultants firm, which polled 12.85 million passengers across 110 
nationalities about 395 airports worldwide.</div>
<div class="cnn_storypgraphtxt cnn_storypgraph3">
<br /></div>
<div class="cnn_storypgraphtxt cnn_storypgraph5">
"Changi Airport offers a 
travel experience in itself and continues to develop its quality 
standards to be named the world's favourite airport again," Edward 
Plaisted, CEO of Skytrax, said in a news release.</div>
<div class="cnn_storypgraphtxt cnn_storypgraph6">
<br /></div>
<div class="cnn_storypgraphtxt cnn_storypgraph6">
"Changi Airport is a 
well-known leader and innovator for the airport industry and genuinely 
delights and surprises travellers who are lucky enough to enjoy the 
airport facilities. Changi Airport demonstrates how to make the airport 
experience an enjoyable part of the journey that is so important in 
today's fast-moving world."</div>
<div class="cnn_storypgraphtxt cnn_storypgraph7">
<br /></div>
<div class="cnn_storypgraphtxt cnn_storypgraph7">
Changi served more than 
52 million passengers in 2012. No wonder it's popular: The airport has 
an on-site movie theater, swimming pool, gardens and trails.</div>
<div class="cnn_storypgraphtxt cnn_storypgraph3">
<br /></div>
<div class="cnn_storypgraphtxt cnn_storypgraph9">
Five of this year's top 
10 airports were based in East Asian cities, and four were in Europe, 
just like last year's award winners. Just one North American airport -- 
Vancouver -- cracked the top 10.</div>
<div class="cnn_storypgraphtxt cnn_storypgraph10">
<br /></div>
<div class="cnn_storypgraphtxt cnn_storypgraph10">
<strong>The World's Best Airports 2014</strong></div>
<div class="cnn_storypgraphtxt cnn_storypgraph11">
<br /></div>
<div class="cnn_storypgraphtxt cnn_storypgraph11">
1. Singapore Changi Airport</div>
<div class="cnn_storypgraphtxt cnn_storypgraph11">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUBFVaQTcqgU83vQRJxm-wxbZMido1d38KXVaT6QFTK8k2dmqs4-gDfGDJdVfeZDTGNpCZk6gIgY0Q7-dJK5z7-MHSjyaUF9_l4hyIzxEWaBedYasbK5ttSIzyOydCpnOz-yieK2QJ6to/s1600/Singapore+Changi+Airport.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUBFVaQTcqgU83vQRJxm-wxbZMido1d38KXVaT6QFTK8k2dmqs4-gDfGDJdVfeZDTGNpCZk6gIgY0Q7-dJK5z7-MHSjyaUF9_l4hyIzxEWaBedYasbK5ttSIzyOydCpnOz-yieK2QJ6to/s1600/Singapore+Changi+Airport.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<cite id="galleryCaption001" style="display: block;"></cite><cite id="galleryCaption001" style="display: block;">Singapore
 Changi Airport was named the world's best airport for the second year 
in a row at the World Airport Awards in Barcelona, Spain. Changi also 
won the award for best airport leisure amenities.</cite>

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2. Incheon International Airport (South Korea)</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj758NiZ3qJGzZYa2CTPrBgQ-BTbVQb-_27qWDmr8sIPRMxfQwJZeQEFUiK-Nndlq1IjwZqCGMybALiFm7vPkTK0zAEr-fRFdhDIsgGmh3aH0hrErbtrIXyA-5B2VgUpgV7ynhgSJWFcZI/s1600/incheon-airport.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj758NiZ3qJGzZYa2CTPrBgQ-BTbVQb-_27qWDmr8sIPRMxfQwJZeQEFUiK-Nndlq1IjwZqCGMybALiFm7vPkTK0zAEr-fRFdhDIsgGmh3aH0hrErbtrIXyA-5B2VgUpgV7ynhgSJWFcZI/s1600/incheon-airport.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<cite id="galleryCaption002" style="display: block;">South
 Korea's sprawling Incheon International Airport came in second place in
 the best airport category for the second year in a row. It also won for
 best immigration experience and best transit. </cite>

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3. Munich Airport (Germany)</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSiqgo-GVvfk4XlwYz_a99UMW5d8MBimPfC0o03bkgp023xk5QFOmwPwR6N7yHzWZqvZ43U3aoJkrRpYm3oELNTz96cEq_aTqKSaDJp4d6-gf5f6FfvZrbMHrNJM74pbidzblhKglJzNw/s1600/munich-airport.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSiqgo-GVvfk4XlwYz_a99UMW5d8MBimPfC0o03bkgp023xk5QFOmwPwR6N7yHzWZqvZ43U3aoJkrRpYm3oELNTz96cEq_aTqKSaDJp4d6-gf5f6FfvZrbMHrNJM74pbidzblhKglJzNw/s1600/munich-airport.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<cite id="galleryCaption003" style="display: block;">Munich
 Airport jumped three spots to come in third place in the best airport 
category this year, and no wonder: This airport has its own brewery and 
beer garden.</cite>

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4. Hong Kong International Airport</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjvGf3UYtqf32_AF-LefHgOuLxLaYqtd7_BAEkvzx-lUZD4ujbb0J_78OQDx1N3_ypSz7qTS9a1rT3C7u5DZLGjQPMAjbdTrNs_sMgkgqrQvwtCUSpxcNlo5qtwUmt18qHvezuWmtIMDU/s1600/hong-kong-airport.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjvGf3UYtqf32_AF-LefHgOuLxLaYqtd7_BAEkvzx-lUZD4ujbb0J_78OQDx1N3_ypSz7qTS9a1rT3C7u5DZLGjQPMAjbdTrNs_sMgkgqrQvwtCUSpxcNlo5qtwUmt18qHvezuWmtIMDU/s1600/hong-kong-airport.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<cite id="galleryCaption004" style="display: block;"> </cite><cite id="galleryCaption004" style="display: block;">Hong
 Kong International Airport kept its fourth-place spot in the best 
airport award category. It also won awards for best dining experience 
and best baggage delivery. </cite>

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5. Amsterdam Schiphol Airport</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmEQ2jYDWC-RW7yxD281gA67IsQOc7g5kQv0fC67oyp2bPdTZ79FgVKTGywGsQR_YiUyfyXVdfJWjlh2CoM3GhMgZGVfLXNaO71ZB2LTBXQfyARDI6AOBOzctBxHqBi0VFeR5Z2I7411E/s1600/schipol-airport.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmEQ2jYDWC-RW7yxD281gA67IsQOc7g5kQv0fC67oyp2bPdTZ79FgVKTGywGsQR_YiUyfyXVdfJWjlh2CoM3GhMgZGVfLXNaO71ZB2LTBXQfyARDI6AOBOzctBxHqBi0VFeR5Z2I7411E/s1600/schipol-airport.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<cite id="galleryCaption005" style="display: block;"> </cite><cite id="galleryCaption005" style="display: block;">Amsterdam Schiphol Airport came in fifth place in the best airport category this year, falling two spots. </cite>

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6. Tokyo International Airport (Haneda)</div>
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<cite id="galleryCaption006" style="display: block;">Tokyo's
 Haneda Airport moved up three spots in the best airport category to 
come in sixth place this year. It also topped the list for airport 
cleanliness.</cite>

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7. Beijing Capital International Airport</div>
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<cite id="galleryCaption007" style="display: block;">Beijing
 Capital International Airport dropped two spots from last year, still 
coming in a respectable seventh place in the best airport category.</cite>

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8. Zurich Airport (Switzerland)</div>
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<cite id="galleryCaption008" style="display: block;">Generating part of its energy requirements through a solar power system, Zurich Airport came in eighth place.</cite>

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9. Vancouver International Airport (Canada)</div>
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<cite id="galleryCaption009" style="display: block;">Still
 the only North American airport in the top 10, Vancouver International 
Airport sets a calm mood with a 114,000-liter aquarium and an indoor 
creek. It came in ninth place in the best airport category. </cite>

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10. London Heathrow Airport (England)</div>
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<cite id="galleryCaption0010" style="display: block;">London Heathrow Airport kept its 10th place spot for another year, also winning the award for best airport shopping. </cite>

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A full list of the winners and prize categories from the World Airport Awards can be found at <a href="http://www.worldairportawards.com/" target="_blank">www.worldairportawards.com</a>.</div>
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