Mukilteo, Washington

Mukilteo (/ˌmʌkəlˈtiːoʊ/ US dict: mŭk′·əl·tē′·ō), which means "good camping ground," is a city in Snohomish County, Washington, United States. The population was 20,254 at the 2010 census. It is on the shore of the Puget Sound, and is the site of a Washington State Ferries terminal linking it to Clinton, on Whidbey Island.

Mukilteo is one of the most affluent suburbs of Seattle. In 2007, the city had a median income of $83,569. Additionally, like the rest of the Seattle area, house prices have risen rapidly; the median value in 2007 was $567,000. Based on per capita income, Mukilteo ranks 29th of 522 areas in the state of Washington. The city is also home to one of the most expensive high schools ever built in America, Kamiak High School. In 2009, Mukilteo was ranked as number 10 of Money Magazine's top 100 small towns of America to live in. In 2011, Mukilteo rose one rank to number 9.

History

Though the word Mukilteo is widely believed to mean "good camping site," the HistoryLink.org site notes that in the Snohomish dialect Muk-wil-teo means "narrow passage," a reference to the sand spit that formed the original Mukilteo landing. Mukilteo was officially incorporated on May 8, 1947, but the city has a historic role in the development of the Puget Sound. It was at Mukilteo that the Point Elliott Treaty was signed between Governor Isaac Stevens and the chiefs of 22 Puget Sound tribes on January 22, 1855.

Fort Myers, Florida

Fort Myers is the county seat and commercial center of Lee County, Florida. Fort Myers is a gateway to the Southwest Florida region and a major tourist destination within Florida. The winter homes of Thomas Edison ("Seminole Lodge") and Henry Ford ("The Mangoes") are a primary tourist attraction in the region. The city is named after Colonel Abraham Myers. The geographic statistical area is serviced by Southwest Florida International Airport (RSW), located southeast of the city.

History

Fort Myers was one of the first forts built along the Caloosahatchee River as a base of operations against the Seminole Indians during the American Indian Wars. During the Seminole Wars, Fort Myers was a strategic location for its visibility and access to Atlantic waterways.

After the Wars, Confederate blockade runners and cattle ranchers called Fort Myers home. These settlers prospered through trading with Seminole Indians and Union Soldiers.

Settlement and founding

On February 21, 1866, Manuel A. Gonzalez and his five-year-old son, Manuel S. Gonzalez, became the first permanent settlers of Fort Myers after arriving from Key West, Florida. Three weeks later, Joseph Vivas and his wife, Christianna Stirrup Vivas, arrived with Gonzalez's wife, Evalina Gonzalez, and daughter, Mary Gonzalez.

Fort Myers Beach, Florida

Fort Myers Beach is a town located on Estero Island in Lee County, Florida, United States. The population was 6,277 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Cape Coral-Fort Myers, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area. It was officially incorporated on December 31, 1995.

Geography

Fort Myers Beach is located at 26°26′19″N 81°55′32″W / 26.43861°N 81.92556°W / 26.43861; -81.92556 (26.438676, -81.925620).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 6.2 square miles (16 km²), of which, 2.9 square miles (7.5 km²) of it is land and 3.3 square miles (8.5 km²) of it (53.41%) is water. The town is situated on the barrier island of Estero Island.

Demographics

As of the census of 2010, there were 6,277 people in 3,444 households residing in the town. The population density was 2,262.8 people per square mile (848.2/km²). There were 9,402 housing units at an average density of 3,248.3 per square mile (1,273.0/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 97.7% White, 0.3% African American, 0.2% Native American, 0.6% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.5% from other races, and 0.7% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.8% of the population.

Pointe technique

Pointe technique (French: [pwɛ̃t tɛknik]) is the part of classical ballet technique that concerns pointe work, in which a ballet dancer supports all body weight on the tips of fully extended feet. A dancer is said to be en pointe when the dancer's body is supported in this manner, and a fully extended vertical foot is said to be en pointe when touching the floor, even when not bearing weight. Pointe work is performed while wearing pointe shoes, which employ structural reinforcing to distribute the dancer's weight load throughout the foot, thus reducing the load on the toes enough to enable the dancer to support all body weight on fully vertical feet.

Pointe technique resulted from a desire for female dancers to appear weightless and sylph-like. Although both men and women are capable of pointe work, it is most often performed by women. Extensive training and practice are required to develop the strength and technique needed for pointe work.

Technique

Pointe technique encompasses both the mechanical and artistic aspects of pointe work. In particular, it is concerned with body alignment, placement of the feet, and the manner in which a dancer transitions to and from en pointe. A dancer is said to have "good" or "proper" technique when in conformance with the best practices of pointe technique, which in turn are generally referred to as proper technique.

Harbor

A harbor or harbour (see spelling differences), or haven, is a body of water where ships, boats and barges seek shelter from stormy weather, or are stored for future use. Harbors and ports are often confused with each other. A port is a facility for loading and unloading vessels; ports are often located in harbors.

Harbors can be natural or artificial. An artificial harbor can have deliberately constructed breakwaters, sea walls, or jettys, or they can be constructed by dredging, which requires maintenance by further periodic dredging. An example of an artificial harbor is Long Beach Harbor, California, which was an array of salt marshes and tidal flats too shallow for modern merchant ships before it was first dredged in the early 20th century.

In contrast, a natural harbor is surrounded on several sides by prominences of land. Examples of natural harbors include Sydney Harbour, Australia and San Francisco Bay, California.

Artificial harbors

Artificial harbors are frequently built for use as ports. The oldest artificial harbor known is the Ancient Egyptian site at Wadi al-Jarf, on the Red Sea coast, which is at least 4500 years old (ca. 2600-2550 BC, reign of King Khufu). The largest artificially created harbor is Jebel Ali in Dubai. Other large and busy artificial harbors include: