Nais kong ikwento ng ang king buhay. Buod lamang at sinisipi ko ang bawat yugto na lumipas sa aking buhay.Kung ano lang naaalala ko, Ito lamang ang ibabahagi ko sa inyo. Malungkot,kasiyahan at kabiguan lamang ang mga naalala natin. kaya sit back ang relax...
Tawaging nyo na lang ako na "FEY" Milfe Dacula ang tunay kong pangalan. Siguro nagtataka kayo kung bakit Milfe ang name ko. Walang katulad at kakaiba pero simple. Kwento ng papa ko.Mula daw yan sa dati nyang mga kasintahan na si Glorife at Milba. Nais kase ng mom ko Irish ang nais nyang ipanangalan sa akin.Siguro dahil Irish spring ang sabong mabango ng mama ko. Pero dahil sa kahilingan ng papa ko. pumayag ang mom ko. Dahil remembrance daw. 17 years old ang mama ko ng pinagbubuntis nya ako. Ipinanganak ako sa Zambonga del sur. Nong bata daw ako sakang ako maglakad. Ginawa ng papa ko. Itinatali nya ang dalawang binti ko na magkadikit para di maging sakang ng tuluyan. Sabi din ng magulang kaliwete ako. Itinatali ng papa ko ang kaliwang kamay ko o kaya lagyan ng siling labuyo ang kaliwang kamay ko para maasanay na maging kanan ako. kase sabi ng papa ko mahirap daw maging kalewete kagaya nya.
6 years old gusto na ako papasuking ng ama ko sa grade one.kaya kahit ayaw akong tanggapin ng teacher napapayag ng magulang ko. Pero laking tuwa ng guro ko na ako ang pinaka madunong sa klase.Ang buhok ko noon at parang bunot ang gupit ayon din sa kagustuhan ng papa ko. Lumalalakad ako ng milya milya makarating lang sa school. Tuwing umaga hinahampas ako sa ulo ng unan ng papa ko .Para daw di maging matigas ang ulo ko. Minsan naman sang katirbang maning sariwa naman ang pianapakain sa akin.Para daw maging matalino ako. naalala ko na ang bahay namin ay kubo sa isang bundok na pinalilibutan ng maraming halamang gulay at mga puno. Pinakapaburito ko ay puno ng guyabano. lagi ko noon kinakakain ay bunga ng ipil ipil. pagkahapon namamasyal ako sa isang bundo pero patag ito. Nalalanghap ko ang sinoy ng hangin. Simpleng buhay pero nakakain naman ng maayos.Masipag ang mama ko magtanim kaya doon na din kami sa hardin nya kumukuha ng kakainin sa pang araw araw. Masipag ang papa ko bilang Karpintero.
Dumating ang di ko inaasahan isang araw nag away ang magulang ko. Pero di na bago ito pandinig dahil lagi naman sila nag aaway. pero nang oras na iyon di na maganda ang paga-away nila at nauwi na sa hamunang hiwalayan. dalawa pa lang kaming magkapatid. Si jr pangalawa kong kapatid. Pinamimili kami kung saan kami sasama kay papa o kay mama.Si jr si mama ko ang pinili nya at yon ang din ag nais ko. Per dahil panganay ako ang pinagbubutungan ng papa ko. Sa t'wing tatanungin nya ako kung kanino ako sasama.Isang malakas na hapas ng waling tingting ang lalatay sa katawan ko dahil si mama ang pinipili ko. Masaki man na iwan ang mama ko. Wala aong amgawa. Masakit ,malungkot at yon na ata ang unang kabiguan na naranasan ko bilang bata.
Sa barko impit ang hikbi ng pag-iyak. pero kailangan itago ang mga luha. Kailangan maipakita sa papa ko na masaya ako sa desisyon ko na sya ang pinili ko. Di ako makatulog.babangon at iiyak kapag alam ko na tulog na ang aking ama.Nasasaktan ako...kaya dapat akong umiyak. nangungulila ako sa aking inang mahal....Saan na kaya ang mama ko? kamusta na kaya sya? Yan ang paulit ulit na sambit ko sa aking isipan. Dahil unang beses pa lang ako nakasakay sa barko, nahihilo ako at sumsama ang sikmura ko mamaya sumusuka na ako.Umaga, nasa daraungan na kami ng iloilo. Hanggang narting na namin ang isang lugar.Di rin anman nalalayo sa Zamboang probinsya pa rin. Ngunit lahat ng matatanaw ko ay sakahan at matatanaw mo din ang matatas na bundok.
May matandang sumalubong sa amin ng papa at io pala'y lola ko. Tululoy kami sa malaki ng kubo kasama ng lolo ko. Pero di ko din naksama ang ama ko. Nagpaala sya na magtatrabaho daw sya sa Manila. lalong nalungkot ang musmos kamalayan. Bata pa lang ako para maranasan ko ang ganitong pait ng buhay.Di ko na makasama ang amma ko wala pa ang papa ko.Pangungulila araw at gabi. Natutunan ko na magtrabaho ng mga gawain bukid. Sa umaga nangunguha ako ng kangkong para ipakain sa baboy na alaga ng lola ko. Sa hapon naman bubuhusan mo ng tubig ang mga malalaking baboy pati na rin mga dumi nila ay malinisan. Minsan madalas walang ulam kaya ang nilalagay na lang sa kanin ay mantika o kaya asin na buo na ipahid sa mainit na kanin. Kung araw ng ani ng mais, mais na lang din ang bigas.Ang aming meryenda ay kamoteng kahoy. May panahon din na sasama ako sa pagtatanim ng mani sa tiyahin ko. Minsan naman sa isang tiyuhin ko ang magtanim ng mais o kaya mag ani ng tubo. Di ko naalintana ang sikat ng araw. kaya ang balat ko maitim. Kaya ang tuhod ko kaseng kulay na ng uling. Pero masaya sa bundok. kasama ang mga pinsan ko at mga trabahador.Sa pag-uwi namin nga bahay makikita namin ang ibang kamag-anak nagbibilad ng mais pagkagabi nagtitipon tipon kaming magkamag-anak para himayin ang mga mais o alisin ang mga butil.maraming mapagkakagamitan ng mais. maari itong maging popcorn,magsilbing biga,ipakain sa mamahaling tandang na panabong at marami pang iba.Inibenta it ng nakakatanda naming kamag-anak.
Palayan, ito talaga ang kinabubuhay ng pamilya namin. Kaya natutunan ko kung paano itinatanim ang palay. Sa simula na lumabas ang binhi sa butil ng palay at iknakalat ito sa putikan. Pag nabuhay na ang palay nagkakadikit dikit ito at dapat mong mapaghiwalay at itanim na magkakalayo ang bawat puno neto.Di ako nadidiri sa putikan. Ito na ang nagsisilbing playground ko. Di ko naranasan ang marangyang buhay na makapaglaro sa mga palaruan tulad ng sa Manila o mga nakikita ko sa mga libro.Masaya na ako na kasama ang mga pinsan ko na nag-uunahan kaming mag ani ng palay kung tag ani. May kanya kanya kaming karit. Lagi akong nangunguna kapag pabilisan at dami ng maaning palay. Dahil sa bilis ko ay nadisgrasyang ng karit ko halos ikaputol ng gitnang daliri ko. Ibinalik ko ang lumawit na dulo ng daliri ko at itinago ang sugatan kong daliri. Pero di rin lingid sa kaalaman ng lola ko nalaman din ito at napalo akodahil di mapigil ang dugo mula sa pagkakabalot ko ng damit sa daliri ko.
The City and County of San Francisco is the fourth most populous city in California and the 13th most populous city in the United States, with a 2007 estimated population of 799,183. The second[9] most densely populated major city in the U.S., it is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the larger San Francisco Bay Area, a region of more than 7 million people.The city is located at the northern end of the San Francisco Peninsula, with the Pacific Ocean to the west and San Francisco Bay to the east.
In 1776, the Spanish established a fort at the Golden Gate and a mission named for Francis of Assisi. The California Gold Rush in 1848 propelled the city into a period of rapid growth, transforming it into the largest city on the West Coast at the time. After being devastated by the 1906 earthquake and fire, San Francisco was quickly rebuilt, hosting the Panama-Pacific International Exposition nine years later. During World War II, San Francisco was the send-off point for many soldiers to the Pacific Theater. After the war, the confluence of returning servicemen, massive immigration, liberalizing attitudes, and other factors gave rise to the Summer of Love and the gay rights movement, cementing San Francisco as a liberal bastion in the United States.
San Francisco is a popular international tourist destination renowned for its chilly summer fog, steep rolling hills, eclectic mix of Victorian and modern architecture and its famous landmarks, including the Golden Gate Bridge, the cable cars, and Chinatown. The city is also known for its diverse, cosmopolitan population, including large and long-established Asian American and LGBT
Los Angeles (pronounced /lɒs ˈændʒələs/ los-AN-jə-ləs; Spanish pronunciation: [los ˈaŋxeles]) is the largest city in the state of California and the second largest in the United States.[1] Often abbreviated as L.A. and nicknamed The City of Angels, Los Angeles is rated as a beta world city,[2] has an estimated population of 3.8 million[3] and spans over 498.3 square miles (1,290.6 km2) in Southern California. Additionally, the Los Angeles metropolitan area is home to nearly 12.9 million residents,[4] who hail from all over the globe and speak 224 different languages. Los Angeles is the seat of Los Angeles County, the most populated and one of the most diverse counties[5] in the United States. Its inhabitants are known as "Angelenos" or "Angelinos" (/ændʒɨˈliːnoʊz/) when using the proper Spanish language spelling.
Los Angeles was founded September 4, 1781, by Spanish governor Felipe de Neve as El Pueblo de Nuestra Señora la Reina de los Ángeles de la Porciúncula (The Village of Our Lady, the Queen of the Angels of Porziuncola).[6] It became a part of Mexico in 1821, following its independence from Spain. In 1848, at the end of the Mexican-American War, Los Angeles and California were purchased as part of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, thereby becoming part of the United States; Mexico retained the territory of Baja California. Los Angeles was incorporated as a municipality on April 4, 1850, five months before California achieved statehood.
Los Angeles is one of the world's centers of business, international trade, entertainment, culture, media, fashion, science, technology, and education. It is home to renowned institutions covering a broad range of professional and cultural fields, and is one of the most substantial economic engines within the United States. As the home base of Hollywood, it is known as the "Entertainment Capital of the World," leading the world in the creation of motion pictures, television production and recorded music. The importance of the entertainment business to the city results in many celebrities calling Los Angeles and its surrounding suburbs home.
Las Vegas (Spanish for The Meadows) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada, the seat of Clark County, and an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and entertainment. Las Vegas, billed as The Entertainment Capital of the World, is famous for the number of casino resorts and associated entertainment. A growing retirement and family city, it is the 28th most populous city in the United States with an estimated population by the U.S. Census Bureau of 603,093 http://www.lvrj.com/news/12144671.html as of 2008.[1] The estimated population of the Las Vegas metropolitan area as of 2007, was 1,986,146.[2]
Established in 1905, Las Vegas officially became a city in 1911. With the growth that followed, at the close of the century Las Vegas was the most populous American city founded in the 20th century (a distinction held by Chicago in the 19th century). The city's tolerance for various forms of adult entertainment earned it the title of Sin City, and this image has made Las Vegas a popular setting for films and television programs. Outdoor lighting displays are everywhere on the Las Vegas Strip and are seen elsewhere in the city as well. As seen from space, the Las Vegas metropolitan area is the brightest on Earth.[3]
The name Las Vegas is often applied to unincorporated areas that surround the city, especially the resort areas on and near the Las Vegas Strip. This 4 mile (6.5-km) stretch of Las Vegas Boulevard is partly in the Las Vegas city limits, but mainly in the unincorporated communities of Paradise and Winchester, and continues partly into unincorporated Enterprise.
Water
Two riders become airborne after jumping the boat's wake.Tubing on water generally consists of two forms: towed and free-floating, also known as river tubing.
Towed tubing usually takes place on a large body of water such as a lake or river. One or more tube riders (often called "tubers") tether their tubes to a powered watercraft such as a motor boat or a personal watercraft. The riders are then towed through the water by the watercraft.
In free-floating tubing, the tube riders are untethered and often conveyed by the current of a waterway. Texas and much of the southern U.S.A. have adopted the spelling of 'toobing' and 'toobers'. People paddle with their hands to steer. Without steering, you generally float towards the bank of the river. Groups of tubers often rope their tubes together creating a large floating group. This generally slows down the float but allows the group to pass food, drink, and other party implements around the group. Because of this, free-floating tubing often takes place on rivers and streams (natural or artificial). Longer expeditions often include tubes mounted with coolers for food and beverages.
Popular riverside tube rentals normally warn against glass due to riverside dangers.[1] Some law enforcement offices have prohibited kegs which were popularly chilled in metal tubs harnessed within larger tubes.[2]
Major water parks often have specially designed courses for tubing. These may consist of a circular, artificial river on which riders are conveyed or a linear course such as a water slide.
[edit] Snow
The operator looks to ensure the people below clear the run safely before launching this family. On the left is the magic carpet used to deliver the tubers back up the run from the bottom.Tubing on snow is a wintertime activity that is similar to sledding. This kind of tubing is almost always performed on a hill or slope, using gravity to propel the rider to the bottom of the grade. The rider often returns to the top of the slope with the tube to repeat the process. The low amount of friction between most tubes and snow allows tubers to reach considerable speeds while riding, especially on steep slopes. Because of the circular shape of snow tubes, controlling the course and speed of a tube while riding on snow is extremely difficult. While a sled rider can drag their arms on the snow to brake or steer to a degree, attempting this on a tube will often cause the tube to spin. This lack of control has led to injuries, some serious, when riders have struck obstacles such as trees while tubing on snow.
Some ski resorts offer courses devoted solely to tubing.[3][4][5] Such courses often have slopes or barriers on the periphery to guide the tubes along a safe course. Motorized pulley towlines are often used to tow riders and their tube back to the top of the course after riding to the bottom.
It is also possible to tow a tube through the snow behind a snowmobile. This is similar to towed tubing on water, only the watercraft is replaced by a snowmobile and the water with snow-covered ground.
[edit] Kite tubing A variant of towed tubing dubbed "kite tubing" has begun to emerge.
When tubes being towed on water reach high speeds, they may take flight. This is because the body of the tube acts as an airfoil and creates lift. In this way, the tube becomes a kite. A tube's ability to achieve and maintain flight depends on a number of factors including the speed at which the tube is traveling, the shape and size of the tube, the weight of the rider, and how the tube itself is oriented. As most tubes are not designed for flight, the rider often has little or no control over a tube after it takes to the air. This can lead to a violent crash as the rider, with or without the tube, falls back to the surface of the water.
To address the poor flight characteristics of most tubes and to target thrill seekers, tubes specially designed for kite tubing have been introduced. These tubes may feature channels to allow air to flow through the tube's body, a transparent "window" for the rider to signal the boat operator, as well as more streamlined, aerodynamic designs.
As of July 2006, 39 injuries and two deaths from kite tubing have been reported. Injuries have included a broken neck, punctured lung, cracked ribs, a concussion and injuries to the chest, back and face. Some accidents have been linked to gusts of wind that unexpectedly altered the flight characteristics and ejected the riders.
In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Sportsstuff Inc.[6] voluntarily withdrew the Wego Kite Tube from the market on July 13th of 2006.[7]
Related to kite tubing is the kited inflated wing, a stiffened, flexible wing or gas-inflated bladder wing, where a control bar is affixed for the kited person to direct the inflated wing so the dangerous lock-out does not occur. The kited person can have a quick disconnect to release from a towing boat or car if a dangerous angle of tow begin.[8][9][10
Amsterdam (pronounced [ɑmstərˈdɑm] (help·info)) is the capital and largest city of the Netherlands, located in the province of North Holland in the west of the country. The city, which had a population of 747,290 on 1 January 2008, comprises the northern part of the Randstad, the 6th-largest metropolitan area in Europe, with a population of around 6.7 million.
Its name is derived from Amstel dam,[7] indicative of the city's origin: a dam in the river Amstel where the Dam Square is today. Settled as a small fishing village in the late 12th century, Amsterdam became one of the most important ports in the world during the Dutch Golden Age, a result of its innovative developments in trade. During that time, the city was the leading center for finance and diamonds.[8] In the 19th and 20th centuries, the city expanded and many new neighbourhoods and suburbs were formed.
The city is the financial and cultural[9] capital of the Netherlands. Many large Dutch institutions have their headquarters there, and 7 of the world's top 500 companies, including Philips and ING, are based in the city [10]. The Amsterdam Stock Exchange, part of Euronext, is located in the city centre. Amsterdam's main attractions, including its historic canals, the Rijksmuseum, the Van Gogh Museum, Anne Frank House, its red-light district and its many cannabis coffee shops, draw 4.2 million tourists annually.[11]
Paris (pronounced /ˈpærɪs/ in English; [paʁi] (help·info) in French) is the capital of France and the country's largest city. It is situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region (also known as the "Paris Region"; French: Région parisienne). The city of Paris, within its limits largely unchanged since 1860, has an estimated population of 2,167,994 (January 2006),[2] but the Paris aire urbaine (or metropolitan area) has a population of nearly 12 million,[3] and is one of the most populated metropolitan areas in Europe.[4]
An important settlement for more than two millennia, Paris is today one of the world's leading business and cultural centres, and its influence in politics, education, entertainment, media, fashion, science and the arts all contribute to its status as one of the world's major global cities.[5] According to 2005 estimates, the Paris urban area is Europe's biggest city economy,[6] and is fifth in the world's list of cities by GDP.[7]
Paris and the Paris Region, with €533.6 billion (US$731.3 billion) in 2007, produces more than a quarter of the gross domestic product (GDP) of France.[8] The Paris Region hosts 37 of the Fortune Global 500 companies[9] in several business districts, notably La Défense, the largest purpose-built business district in Europe.[10] Paris also hosts many international organizations such as UNESCO, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) and the informal Paris Club.
Paris is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world, with 45 million tourists every year in the Paris Region, 60% of whom are foreign visitors.[11] There are numerous iconic landmarks among its many attractions, along with world-famous institutions and popular parks.
Rome (pronounced /roʊm/; Italian: Roma, pronounced [ˈroma]; Latin: Roma) is the capital city of Italy and Lazio,[2] and is Italy's largest and most populous city, with 2,724,347[1] residents in an urban area of some 1,285.5 km2 (496.3 sq mi).[3] It is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber river.
Rome's history as a city spans over two and a half thousand years, as one of the founding cities of Western Civilisation. It was the centre of the Roman Empire, which dominated Europe, North Africa and the Middle East for four hundred years from the 1st Century BC till the 4th Century AD. Rome has a significant place in the story of Christianity up to the present day as the home of the Roman Catholic Church and the site of the Vatican City, an independent city-state run by the Catholic Church within as an enclave of Rome.
As one of the few major European cities that escaped World War II relatively unscathed, central Rome remains essentially Renaissance and Baroque in character. Rome is the third-most-visited tourist destination in the European Union,[4] and its historic centre is listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site.[5] As a modern city it has been capital of the unified Italy since 1870, and grew mainly in two periods either side of Word War II.
Vatican City /ˈvætɪkən ˈsɪti/ (help·info), officially the State of the Vatican City (Italian: Stato della Città del Vaticano),[8] is a landlocked sovereign city-state whose territory consists of a walled enclave within the city of Rome, the capital city of Italy. At approximately 44 hectares (110 acres), and with a population of around 900, it is the smallest country in the world by both population and area.[4][9][10]
The Vatican City is a city-state that came into existence in 1929 and is thus clearly distinct from the central authority of the Roman Catholic Church, known as the Holy See, which existed long before 1929. Ordinances of Vatican City are published in Italian. Official documents of the Holy See are issued mainly in Latin. The two entities even have distinct passports: the Holy See, not being a country, only issues diplomatic and service passports; the state of Vatican City issues normal passports. In both cases the passports issued are very few.
The Lateran Treaty in 1929, which brought the city-state into existence, spoke of it as a new creation (Preamble and Article III), not as a vestige of the much larger Papal States (756-1870) that had previously encompassed central Italy. Most of this territory was absorbed into the Kingdom of Italy in 1860, and the final portion, namely the city of Rome with a small area close to it, ten years later, in 1870.
Vatican City is an ecclesiastical[4] or sacerdotal-monarchical[5] state, ruled by the Bishop of Rome—the Pope. The highest state functionaries are all clergymen of the Catholic Church. It is the sovereign territory of the Holy See (Sancta Sedes) and the location of the Pope's residence, referred to as the Apostolic Palace.
The Popes have resided in the area that in 1929 became the Vatican City since the return from Avignon in 1377. Previously, they resided in the Lateran Palace on the Caelian Hill on the opposite side of Rome, which was out of repair in 1377. The signing of the agreements that established the new state took place in the latter building, giving rise to the name of Lateran Pacts, by which they are known.
Spain /ˈspeɪn/ (help·info) (Spanish: España?·i, Spanish pronunciation: [esˈpaɲa]) or the Kingdom of Spain (Spanish: Reino de España), is a country located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula.[note 6] Its mainland is bordered to the south and east by the Mediterranean Sea except for a small land boundary with Gibraltar; to the north by France, Andorra, and the Bay of Biscay; and to the west by the Atlantic Ocean and Portugal. Spanish territory also includes the Balearic Islands in the Mediterranean, the Canary Islands in the Atlantic Ocean off the African coast, and two autonomous cities in North Africa, Ceuta and Melilla, that border Morocco. With an area of 504,030 km², Spain is the second largest country in Western Europe after France.
Because of its location, the territory of Spain was subject to many external influences, often simultaneously, since prehistoric times and through the dawn of Spain as a country. On the other side, the country itself has been an important source of influence to other regions, chiefly during the Modern Era, when it became a global empire that has left a legacy of over 400 million Spanish speakers today.
Spain is a democracy organised in the form of a parliamentary government under a constitutional monarchy. It is a developed country with the eighth largest economy in the world based on nominal GDP.[note 7] It is a member of the European Union and NATO.
The name Spain was derived from the ancient Roman name for Iberia, Hispania
Lake Havasu is a large reservoir behind Parker Dam on the Colorado River, on the border between California and Arizona. Lake Havasu City sits on the lake's eastern shore. The lake has a capacity of 648,000 acre feet (799,000,000 m3). The concrete arch dam was built by the United States Bureau of Reclamation between 1934 and 1938. The lake's primary purpose is to store water for pumping into two aqueducts
Lake Havasu is well known for its recreational fishing and boating, which bring in 3.5 million visitors a year. Fishing tournaments are often held on the lake, where bass and stripers are the main catch. In addition, white sturgeon were stocked in Lake Havasu in 1967 and 1968 from stock obtained from San Pablo Bay, California. While some dead sturgeon were found downstream from Havasu (probably killed during passage over dams), living fish have not been recorded, but may still exist along the southern end of Lake Havasu near Parker Dam.[1] Sturgeon have been known to grow upwards of 20 feet (6.1 m) and can live in excess of 100 years and many in and around Lake Havasu continue in their efforts to catch a glimpse of the majestic animal.
Hollywood is a district in Los Angeles, California, situated west-northwest of Downtown Los Angeles.[1] Due to its fame and cultural identity as the historical center of movie studios and movie stars, the word "Hollywood" is often used as a metonym of cinema of the United States. The nickname Tinseltown refers to the glittering, superficial nature of Hollywood and the movie industry.[2] Today, much of the movie industry has dispersed into surrounding cities such as Burbank and the Los Angeles Westside,[3] but significant auxiliary industries, such as editing, effects, props, post-production and lighting companies, remain in Hollywood, as does the backlot of Paramount Pictures.
Many historic Hollywood theaters are used as venues and concert stages to premiere major theatrical releases and host the Academy Awards. It is a popular destination for nightlife and tourism and home to the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Although it is not the typical practice of the city of Los Angeles to establish specific boundaries for districts or neighborhoods, Hollywood is a recent exception. On February 16, 2005, Assembly Members Goldberg and Koretz introduced a bill to require California to keep specific records on Hollywood as though it were independent. For this to be done, the boundaries were defined. This bill was unanimously supported by the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce and the Los Angeles City Council. Assembly Bill 588 was approved by the Governor on August 28, 2006, and now the district of Hollywood has official borders. The border can be loosely described as the area east of Beverly Hills and West Hollywood, south of Mulholland Drive, Laurel Canyon, Cahuenga Boulevard, and Barham Boulevard, and the cities of Burbank and Glendale, north of Melrose Avenue and west of the Golden State Freeway and Hyperion Avenue. This includes all of Griffith Park and Los Feliz—two areas that were hitherto generally considered separate from Hollywood by most Angelenos. The population of the district, including Los Feliz, as of the 2000 census was 167,664 and the median household income was $33,409 in 1999.[4]
As a portion of the city of Los Angeles, Hollywood does not have its own municipal government, but does have an official, appointed by the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, who serves as "Honorary Mayor of Hollywood" for ceremonial purposes only. Johnny Grant held this position for decades, until his death on January 9, 2008..[5][6]
Sweden (pronounced /ˈswiːdən/ (help·info)), officially the Kingdom of Sweden (Swedish: Konungariket Sverige (help·info)), is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden has land borders with Norway to the west and Finland to the northeast, and it is connected to Denmark by the Öresund Bridge in the south.
At 450,000 km² (174,000 sq mi), Sweden is the third largest country in the European Union with a total population of over 9.2 million. Sweden has a low population density of 20 people per km² (52 per square mile), but is much higher in the southern half of the country. About 85% of the population live in urban areas.[7] Sweden's capital is Stockholm, which is also the largest city in the country (population of 1.3 million in the urban area and with 2 million in the metropolitan area). The second and third largest cities are Gothenburg and Malmö.
Sweden is a constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary system of government and a highly developed economy. It ranks first in the world in The Economist's Democracy Index and 7th in the United Nation's Human Development Index. Sweden has been a member of the European Union since 1 January 1995.
Sweden emerged as an independent and unified country during the Middle Ages. It received a modern centralized administration beginning with King Gustav Vasa in the 16th century. In the 17th century the country expanded its territories to form the Swedish empire. Most of the conquered territories outside the Scandinavian Peninsula were lost during the 18th and 19th centuries. The eastern half of Sweden, present-day Finland, was lost to Russia in 1809. The last war in which Sweden was directly involved was in 1814, when Sweden by military means forced Norway into a personal union with Sweden, a union which lasted until 1905.
Since 1814, Sweden has been at peace, adopting a non-aligned foreign policy in peacetime and neutrality in wartime.[8]
