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84-768: The Society is based in Las Vegas, Nevada , along with the affiliated American Gem Society Laboratories (AGSL) (founded in 1996) and the American Gem Society Advanced Instruments Division (founded in 2004). The Society trains and certifies jewelers , gemologists, and jewelry appraisers . Diamond grading is a specialty of the American Gem Society Laboratories and the Society has developed its own cut , color , and clarity standards. The AGS

168-493: A Stepping-Stone to International Migration" anthropologist Denise Brennan cited an example of prostitutes in the Dominican Republic resort town of Sosúa , where some female prostitutes marry their customers in order to immigrate to other countries and seek a better life. The customers are, however, the ones that hold the power in this situation as they can withhold or revoke the sex worker's visa, either denying them

252-542: A child engages in sexual activities to have key needs fulfilled, such as food, shelter or access to education. It includes forms of transactional sex where the sexual abuse of children is not stopped or reported by household members, due to benefits derived by the household from the perpetrator. CSEC is prevalent in Asia and parts of Latin America . Thailand , Cambodia , India , Brazil , and Mexico have been identified as

336-579: A decrease in the level of sexual offending. The question of whether pornography consumption affects consumers' happiness was addressed by a 2017 meta-analysis. It concluded that men who consume pornography are less satisfied with some areas of their lives, but pornography consumption does not make a significant difference in other areas, or to the lives of women. Additionally, a sample of Americans revealed in 2017 that those who had viewed pornography were more likely to experience romantic relationship breakup than their non-pornography watching counterparts, and that

420-499: A female householder with no husband present, and 33.5% were non-families. 25.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.66 and the average family size was 3.20. In the city, the population age distribution was as follows: The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females, there were 103.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 102.5 males. The median income for

504-568: A global concern. As a result of Southeast Asia's lax policies regarding prostitution, the region has also become a hotbed for sex tourism, with a significant portion of this industry's clients being North American or European. Pornography is the explicit portrayal of explicit sexual subject matter for the purposes of sexual arousal and erotic satisfaction . A pornographic model poses for pornographic photographs. A pornographic film actor or porn star performs in pornographic films. In cases where only limited dramatic skills are involved,

588-455: A household in the city was $ 53,000 and the median income for a family was $ 58,465. Males had a median income of $ 35,511 versus $ 27,554 for females. The per capita income for the city was $ 22,060. About 6.6% of families and 8.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.4% of those under age 18 and 6.3% of those age 65 or over. According to a 2004 study, Las Vegas has one of the highest divorce rates. The city's high divorce rate

672-434: A line of research which has been critiqued in "The effects of Pornography: An International Perspective" on external validity grounds, while others claim there is a correlation between pornography and a decrease of sex crimes . Some customers see sex workers from other countries as exotic commodities that can be fetishized or exploited. Many producers and proponents of pornography featuring gay actors claim that this work

756-496: A movement to encourage xeriscapes . Another part of conservation efforts is scheduled watering days for residential landscaping. A U.S. Environmental Protection Agency grant in 2008 funded a program that analyzed and forecast growth and environmental effects through 2019. Las Vegas has a subtropical hot desert climate ( Köppen climate classification : BWh ), typical of the Mojave Desert in which it lies. This climate

840-527: A new breed of "certified" jewelers. These jewelers would form the foundation of the Gemological Institute of America (GIA), and later the AGS. In its history, the AGS has achieved significant accomplishments within the field of gemology and jewelry. Among these are the following: A big part of the AGS operation comes in the form of AGS Laboratories, which offers laboratory services to members of

924-406: A parked car, or on the street. Often this is arranged through a pimp or an escort agency . Prostitution involves a prostitute or sex worker providing commercial sexual services to a client. In some cases, the prostitute is at liberty to determine whether she or he will engage in a particular type of sexual activity, but forced prostitution and sexual slavery does exist in some places around

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1008-403: A performer in pornographic films may be called a pornographic model . Pornography can be provided to the consumer in a variety of media, ranging from books , magazines , postcards , photos , videos , sound recording , sculptures , drawing , painting , animation , films , or video games . However, when sexual acts are performed for a live audience, by definition it is not pornography, as

1092-515: A practice called sex tourism , and can have a variety of different socio-economic effects on the destinations. Male sex tourism can create or augment demand for sex services in the host countries, while female sex tourism tends not to use facilities that are specifically devoted to that purpose. Like tourism in general, sex tourism can make a significant contribution to local economies, especially in popular urban centers and places particularly known as sex tourism destinations. Sex tourism may arise as

1176-460: A price. She also makes the point that prostitution and many other sex industries reinforce the idea of male ownership of a woman. On the other hand, some other feminists see the sex industry as empowering women. They could be seen as simply jobs. The woman who is working them are breaking free from social norms that would previously keep their sexuality under wraps as immoral. Based on these arguments, Sweden , Norway and Iceland have criminalized

1260-576: A result of stringent anti-prostitution laws in a tourist's home country, and although it may contribute to the destination economy, it can create social problems in the host country. Prostitution is extremely prevalent in Asia, particularly in Southeast Asian nations such as Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, and Thailand. Due to the longstanding economic instability of many of these nations, increasing numbers of women have been forced to turn towards

1344-579: A small fishing community developed an advanced commercial sector and a correspondingly large sex industry. A large portion of China's sex workers are immigrants from other Asian nations, such as Korea and Japan . In spite of these circumstances, most Asian countries do not have strong policies regarding prostitution. Their governments are challenged in this regard because of the differing contexts that surround prostitution, from voluntary and financially beneficial labor to virtual slavery. The increasing economic prominence of China and Japan have made these issues

1428-473: A variety of harmful effects on society, such as encouragement of human trafficking , desensitization, pedophilia , dehumanization, exploitation, sexual dysfunction , and inability to maintain healthy sexual relationships. Feminism is divided on the issue of the sex industry. In her essay "What is wrong with prostitution", Carole Pateman makes the point that it is literally the objectification of woman. They are making their bodies an object that men can buy for

1512-591: Is 95 °F (35 °C) on July 19, 2005, and July 1, 2013. The official record cold daily maximum is 28 °F (−2 °C) on January 8 and 21, 1937. July 2024 was the hottest month ever recorded in Las Vegas, with its highest recorded mean daily average temperature over the month of 99.9 °F (38 °C), its highest recorded mean daily maximum temperature of 111.5 °F (44 °C), and its highest recorded mean nightly minimum temperature of 88.3 °F (31 °C). Due to concerns about climate change in

1596-581: Is abundant in all seasons. December is both the year's coolest and cloudiest month, with an average daytime high of 56.9 °F (13.8 °C) and sunshine occurring during 78% of its daylight hours. Winter evenings are defined by clear skies and swift drops in temperature after sunset, with overnight minima averaging around 40 °F (4.4 °C) in December and January. Owing to its elevation that ranges from 2,000 to 3,000 feet (610 to 910 m), Las Vegas experiences markedly cooler winters than other areas of

1680-518: Is approximately 2,030 ft (620 m) above sea level, though the surrounding peaks reach elevations of over 10,000 feet (3,000 m) and act as barriers to the strong flow of moisture from the surrounding area. According to the United States Census Bureau , the city has an area of 135.86 sq mi (351.9 km ), of which 135.81 sq mi (351.7 km ) is land and 0.05 sq mi (0.13 km ) (0.03%)

1764-423: Is complicit in violence against women, both in its production (where they charge that abuse and exploitation of women performing in pornography are rampant) and in its consumption (where they charge that pornography eroticizes the domination, humiliation, and coercion of women, and reinforces sexual and cultural attitudes that are complicit in rape and sexual harassment ). They charge that pornography contributes to

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1848-428: Is correlated with sexual aggression. However, it is unknown if pornography promotes, reduces or has no effect on sexual aggression at an individual level, because this correlation may not be causal. In fact, counter intuitively, pornography has been found to reduce sexual aggression at a societal level. A 2009 review stated that all scientific investigations of increases in the availability of pornography show no change or

1932-551: Is credited as the first non- Native American to encounter the valley, in 1829. Trader Antonio Armijo led a 60-man party along the Spanish Trail to Los Angeles , California, in 1829. In 1844, John C. Frémont arrived, and his writings helped lure pioneers to the area. Downtown Las Vegas's Fremont Street is named after him. Eleven years later, members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints chose Las Vegas as

2016-410: Is illegal nearly everywhere in the world. Commercial sexual exploitation of children (CSEC) is the "sexual abuse by the adult and remuneration in cash or kind to the child or a third person or persons. The child is treated as a sexual object and as a commercial object". CSEC includes the prostitution of children , child pornography , child sex tourism and other forms of transactional sex where

2100-435: Is marked by significant diurnal temperature variation . While less extreme than other parts of the state, nighttime lows in Las Vegas are often 30 °F (16.7 °C) or more lower than daytime highs. The average hottest night of the year is 90 °F (32 °C). The all-time record is at 95 °F (35 °C). Las Vegas winters are relatively short, with typically mild daytime temperatures and chilly nights. Sunshine

2184-471: Is not wholly due to Las Vegans themselves getting divorced. Since divorce is easier in Nevada than in most other states, many people come from across the country for the easier process. Similarly, Nevada marriages are notoriously easy to get. Las Vegas has one of the highest marriage rates of U.S. cities, with many licenses issued to people from outside the area (see Las Vegas weddings ). The primary drivers of

2268-399: Is typified by long, extremely hot summers; warm transitional seasons; and short winters with mild days and cool nights. There is abundant sunshine throughout the year, with an average of 310 sunny days and bright sunshine during 86% of all daylight hours. Rainfall is scarce, with an average of 4.2 in (110 mm) dispersed between roughly 26 total rainy days per year. Las Vegas is among

2352-506: Is water. After Alaska and California, Nevada is the third most seismically active state in the U.S. It has been estimated by the United States Geological Survey (USGS) that over the next 50 years, there is a 10–20% chance of an M6.0 or greater earthquake occurring within 50 km (31 mi) of Las Vegas. Within the city are many lawns, trees, and other greenery. Due to water resource issues, there has been

2436-640: The 2010 Census , the racial composition of Las Vegas was as follows: Source: The city's most populous ethnic group, non-Hispanic Whites, have proportionally declined from 72.1% of the population in 1990 to 47.9% in 2010, even as total numbers of all ethnicities have increased with the population. Hispanics or Latinos of any race make up 31.5% of the population. Of those 24.0% are of Mexican, 1.4% of Salvadoran, 0.9% of Puerto Rican, 0.9% of Cuban, 0.6% of Guatemalan, 0.2% of Peruvian, 0.2% of Colombian, 0.2% of Honduran and 0.2% of Nicaraguan descent. According to research by demographer William H. Frey using data from

2520-454: The 2010 United States Census , Las Vegas has the second-lowest level of black-white segregation of any of the 100 largest U.S. metropolitan areas after Tucson, Arizona . Of the city's Asian residents, according to the city's Asian Chamber of Commerce, Filipinos make up the largest ethnic population within Vegas with over 200,000 in the city. Native Hawaiians are also a major demographic in

2604-610: The Las Vegas Strip just outside city limits. The Las Vegas Valley as a whole serves as the leading financial, commercial, and cultural center for Nevada. According to the United States Census Bureau , the city had 641,903 residents in 2020, with a metropolitan population of 2,227,053, making it the 25th-most populous city in the United States. The city bills itself as the Entertainment Capital of

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2688-420: The Mojave Desert and the adjacent Sonoran Desert that are closer to sea level. The city records freezing temperatures an average of 10 nights per winter. It is exceptionally rare for temperatures to reach or fall below 25 °F (−4 °C). Most of the annual precipitation falls during the winter. February, the wettest month, averages only four days of measurable rain. The mountains immediately surrounding

2772-717: The Northern Club (now the La Bayou ) opened. The most notable of the early casinos may have been Binion's Horseshoe (now Binion's Gambling Hall and Hotel ) while it was run by Benny Binion . Boyd Gaming has a major presence downtown operating the California Hotel & Casino , the Fremont Hotel & Casino , and the Main Street Casino . The Four Queens also operates downtown along

2856-698: The Ontario Royal Commission on Violence in the Communications Industry ( LaMarsh Commission ) quoted author Peter McCabe as writing in Argosy : "Ten years ago the sex industry did not exist. When people talked of commercial sex they meant Playboy ." A 1976 article in The New York Times by columnist Russell Baker claimed that "[M]ost of the problems created by New York City 's booming sex industry result from

2940-506: The U.S. state of Nevada and the seat of Clark County . The Las Vegas Valley metropolitan area is the largest within the greater Mojave Desert , and second-largest in the Southwestern United States . Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city , known primarily for its gambling , shopping, fine dining, entertainment, and nightlife , with most venues centered on downtown Las Vegas and more to

3024-856: The lower caste Cheonmin who were trained to provide entertainment, conversation, and sexual services to men of the upper class. In South Asia, castes whose females are involved in prostitution by tradition, sometimes called Intergenerational prostitution , include the Bedias , the Perna caste , the Banchhada , the Nat caste and, in Nepal , the Badi people . Some researchers have claimed that sex workers can benefit from their profession in terms of immigration status. In her essay "Selling Sex for Visas: Sex Tourism as

3108-423: The old City Hall building. Las Vegas is the county seat of Clark County , in a basin on the floor of the Mojave Desert , and is surrounded by mountain ranges. Much of the landscape is rocky and arid, with desert vegetation and wildlife. It can be subjected to torrential flash floods, although much has been done to mitigate the effects of flash floods through improved drainage systems. The city's elevation

3192-669: The Fremont Street Experience, was granted variances to allow bars to be closer together, similar to the Gaslamp Quarter of San Diego, the goal being to attract a different demographic than the Strip attracts. The Golden Gate Hotel and Casino , downtown along the Fremont Street Experience, is the oldest continuously operating hotel and casino in Las Vegas; it opened in 1906 as the Hotel Nevada. In 1931,

3276-642: The Fremont Street Experience. Adult entertainment The sex industry (also called the sex trade ) consists of businesses that either directly or indirectly provide sex-related products and services or adult entertainment . The industry includes activities involving direct provision of sex-related services, such as prostitution , strip clubs , host and hostess clubs , and sex-related pastimes, such as pornography , sex-oriented men's magazines , women's magazines , sex movies , sex toys , and fetish or BDSM paraphernalia. Sex channels for television and pre-paid sex movies for video on demand , are part of

3360-597: The Las Vegas Valley accumulate snow every winter, but significant accumulation within the city is rare, although moderate accumulations occur every few years. The most recent accumulations occurred on February 18, 2019, when parts of the city received about 1 to 2 inches (2.5 to 5.1 cm) of snow and on February 20 when the city received almost 0.5 inches (1.3 cm). Other recent significant snow accumulations occurred on December 25, 2015, and December 17, 2008. Unofficially, Las Vegas's largest snowfall on record

3444-419: The Las Vegas economy are tourism, gaming , and conventions, which in turn feed the retail and restaurant industries. The major attractions in Las Vegas are the casinos and the hotels, although in recent years other new attractions have begun to emerge. Most casinos in the downtown area are on Fremont Street , with The STRAT Hotel, Casino & Skypod as one of the few exceptions. Fremont East , adjacent to

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3528-466: The Nordic model and attempts to criminalise those paying for sex, saying that it pushes the industry underground and makes work more dangerous for sex workers and increases violence against women , instead supporting the full decriminalisation or legalisation of sex work. Some feminists , such as Gail Dines , are opposed to pornography, arguing that it is an industry which exploits women and which

3612-401: The United States has been cited as a reason for the prevalence of sex workers who are Black or other people of color, as this leads to inequality and a lack of access to resources. The legality of prostitution and associated activities (soliciting, brothels, procuring) varies by jurisdiction. Yet even where it is illegal, a thriving underground business usually exists because of high demand and

3696-475: The World , and is famous for its luxurious and extremely large casino-hotels. With over 40.8 million visitors annually as of 2023, Las Vegas is one of the most visited cities in the United States . It is a top-three U.S. destination for business conventions and a global leader in the hospitality industry , claiming more AAA Five Diamond hotels than any other city in the world. Las Vegas annually ranks as one of

3780-519: The ability to immigrate or forcing them to return to their country of origin. Sex workers are also at risk of judgement from family members and relatives for having been associated with the sex tourism industry. Migrant sex work happens due to globalization. Globalization has produced growth both in sex tourism and in the migration of women to places where the sex industry thrives. Additionally, some researchers claim that pornography causes unequivocal harm to society by increasing rates of sexual assault ,

3864-550: The age may vary. Some countries prohibit particular sex acts. In some countries, brothels are subject to strict planning restrictions and in some cases are confined to designated red-light districts . Some countries prohibit or regulate how brothels advertise their services, or they may prohibit the sale or consumption of alcohol on the premises. In some countries where operating a brothel is legal, some brothel operators may choose to operate illegally. Some men and women may travel away from their home to engage with local prostitutes, in

3948-570: The areas on and near the Strip, which are actually in the unincorporated communities of Paradise and Winchester . The area was named Las Vegas , which is Spanish for "the meadows", as it featured abundant wild grasses, as well as the desert spring waters needed by westward travelers . The city is often simply called "Vegas". Nomadic Paleo-Indians traveled to the Las Vegas area 10,000 years ago, leaving behind petroglyphs. Ancient Puebloan and Paiute tribes followed at least 2,000 years ago. A young Mexican scout named Rafael Rivera

4032-403: The buying of sexual services, while decriminalizing the selling of sexual services. (In other words, clients and pimps can be prosecuted for moneyed sexual transactions, but not prostitutes). Supporter of this model of legislation claim reduced illegal prostitution and human trafficking in these countries. Opponents dispute these claims. Women's rights organisations and sex workers have opposed

4116-648: The city was nicknamed the "Atomic City" . Residents and visitors were able to witness the mushroom clouds (and were exposed to the fallout) until 1963 when the Partial Nuclear Test Ban Treaty required that nuclear tests be moved underground. In 1955, the Moulin Rouge Hotel opened and became the first racially integrated casino-hotel in Las Vegas. During the 1960s, corporations and business tycoons such as Howard Hughes were building and buying hotel-casino properties. Gambling

4200-410: The city's reluctance to treat it as an industry", arguing why sex shops constituted an "industry", and should be treated as such by concentrating them in a single neighborhood, suggesting the "sex industry" was not yet commonly recognized as such. Prostitution is a main component of the sex industry and may take place in a brothel , at a facility provided by the prostitute, at a client's hotel room, in

4284-620: The city, with some Hawaiians and Las Vegas residents calling the city the "ninth island of Hawaii " due to the major influx of Hawaiians to Vegas. There is an Ethiopian community in Las Vegas. The 2010 census showed the city contained 583,756 people, 211,689 households, and 117,538 families residing. The population density was 4,222.5/sq mi (1,630.3/km ). There were 190,724 housing units at an average density of 1,683.3/sq mi (649.9/km ). As of 2006, there were 176,750 households, of which 31.9% had children under age 18 living with them, 48.3% were married couples living together, 12.2% had

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4368-484: The demand for and consumption of pornography and erotica . Around 2009, the U.S. porn industry's revenue of $ 10–15 billion a year was more than the combined revenue of professional sports and live music combined and roughly on par or above Hollywood's box office revenue. There is mixed evidence on the social impact of pornography. Some insights come from meta-analyses synthesizing data from prior research. A 2015 meta-analysis indicated that pornography consumption

4452-510: The downtown area. In 1911, Las Vegas was incorporated as a city. The year 1931 was pivotal for Las Vegas. At that time, Nevada legalized casino gambling and reduced residency requirements for divorce to six weeks. This year also witnessed the beginning of construction on nearby Hoover Dam . The influx of construction workers and their families helped Las Vegas avoid economic calamity during the Great Depression . The construction work

4536-904: The effect was more pronounced with men. Adult entertainment is entertainment intended to be viewed by adults only, and distinguished from family entertainment. The style of adult entertainment may be ribaldry or bawdry. Any entertainment that normally includes sexual content qualifies as adult entertainment, including sex channels for television and pre-paid sex films for "on demand", as well as adult movie theaters , sex shops , and strip clubs . It also includes sex-oriented men's magazines , sex movies , sex toys and fetish and BDSM paraphernalia. Sex workers can be prostitutes, call girls , pornographic film actors , pornographic models , sex show performers, erotic dancers , striptease dancers, bikini baristas , telephone sex operators, cybersex operators, erotic massagers , or amateur porn stars for online sex sessions and videos. Other specialists in

4620-439: The fact that many of these hostesses are also prostitutes and make up a significant part of the sex industry. They do not want China's image in the rest of the world to become sullied. Hostesses are given a significant degree of freedom to choose whether or not they would like to service a client sexually, although a refusal does sometimes spark conflict. In addition, like any other industry, there are people who work in or service

4704-434: The high income that can be made by pimps, brothel owners, escort agencies, and traffickers. A brothel is a commercial establishment where people may engage in sexual activity with a prostitute, though for legal or cultural reasons they may describe themselves as massage parlors , bars , strip clubs or by some other description. Sex work in a brothel is considered safer than street prostitution . Prostitution and

4788-497: The jewelry industry. Primary among these are their diamond grading services. Jewelers are able to have their diamonds scientifically evaluated according to the Four Cs: Color, Clarity, Cut, and Carat Weight. They are then given a diamond grading report, which can be provided to a consumer in order to verify the quality of the diamond they are purchasing. Additionally, AGS Laboratories offers laser inscription services. Through

4872-473: The male-centered objectification of women and thus to sexism. However, other feminists are opposed to censorship, and have argued against the introduction of anti-porn legislation in the United States—among them Betty Friedan , Kate Millett , Karen DeCrow , Wendy Kaminer and Jamaica Kincaid . While the legality of adult sexual entertainment varies by country, the use of children in the sex industry

4956-480: The men who hire them. Although this is not done by every woman who works as a hostess in the bars of China, the hostesses are all generally labeled as "grey women". This means that while they are not seen as prostitutes, they are not considered suitable marriage partners for many men. Other woman who are included in the "grey women" category are the permanent mistresses or "second wives" that many Chinese businessmen have. The Chinese government makes efforts to keep secret

5040-453: The operation of brothels are legal in some countries, but illegal in others. For instance, there are legal brothels in Nevada, US , due to the legalization of prostitution in some areas of the state. In countries where prostitution and brothels are legal, brothels may be subject to many and varied restrictions. Forced prostitution is usually illegal as is prostitution by or with minors , though

5124-537: The peak intensity of summer, overnight lows frequently remain above 80 °F (27 °C), and occasionally above 85 °F (29 °C). While most summer days are consistently hot, dry, and cloudless, the North American Monsoon sporadically interrupts this pattern and brings more cloud cover, thunderstorms, lightning, increased humidity, and brief spells of heavy rain. Potential monsoons affect Las Vegas between July and August. Summer in Las Vegas

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5208-460: The primary countries where the commercial sexual exploitation of children takes place. Certain places around the world are recognized for child sex tourism. Castes are largely hereditary social classes often emerging around certain professions. Lower castes are associated with professions considered "unclean", which has often included prostitution. In pre-modern Korea, the Kisaeng were women from

5292-513: The profession at the time. Shipley lost his jewelry stores in a divorce and went to Europe, where he completed the Great Britain National Association of Goldsmiths gemological correspondence course. He brought his newfound expertise back to Los Angeles, where he founded his own preliminary course in gemology on September 16, 1930. For the next few years he worked to promote the need for gemological education and train

5376-467: The racial counts and placed in their own category) was 40.44% (259,561) White alone (non-Hispanic) , 12.33% (79,129) Black alone (non-Hispanic) , 0.36% (2,291) Native American alone (non-Hispanic) , 4.68% (22,411) Asian alone (non-Hispanic) , 0.40% (1,935) Pacific Islander alone (non-Hispanic) , 0.14% (650) Other Race alone (non-Hispanic) , 2.51% (11,987) Multiracial or Mixed Race (non-Hispanic) , and 23.61% (112,962) Hispanic or Latino . According to

5460-426: The racial makeup (including Hispanics in the racial counts) was 46.05% (295,594) White alone , 12.85% (82,485) Black alone , 1.14% (7,318) Native American alone , 7.23% (46,398) Asian alone , 0.73% (4,662) Pacific Islander alone , 16.99% (109,045) Other Race alone , and 15.02% (96,401) Multiracial or Mixed Race . According to the 2020 U.S. Census , the racial and ethnic makeup (where Hispanics are excluded from

5544-633: The sex industry as managers, film crews, photographers, website developers and webmasters , sales personnel, book and magazine writers and editors, etc. Some create business models, negotiate trade, make press releases, draw up contracts with other owners, buy and sell content, offer technical support, run servers, billing services, or payroll, organize trade shows and various events, do marketing and sales forecasts, provide human resources, or provide tax services and legal support. Usually, those in management or staff do not have direct dealings with sex workers, instead hiring photographers who have direct contact with

5628-483: The sex industry in China has been revived by the nation's recent economic success. The nation's liberal economic policies in the early 1980s have been credited with revitalizing the sex industry as rural communities rapidly expand into highly developed urban centers. A typical example of this can be found in the city of Dalian . The city was declared a special economic zone in 1984; by the twenty-first century what had been

5712-567: The sex industry there for work. According to Lin Lim, an International Labour Organization official who directed a study on prostitution in Southeast Asia, "it is very likely that women who lose their jobs in manufacturing and other service sectors and whose families rely on their remittances may be driven to enter the sex sector." The sex industry of some destinations has consequently grown to become their dominant commercial sector. Conversely,

5796-423: The sex industry, as are adult movie theaters , sex shops , peep shows , and strip clubs. The sex industry employs millions of people worldwide, mainly women. These range from the sex worker, also called adult service provider (ASP), who provides sexual services, to a multitude of support personnel. The origins of the term sex industry are uncertain, but it appears to have arisen in the 1970s. A 1977 report by

5880-420: The sex workers. The sex industry is controversial, and there are people, organizations and governments that have objections to it, and, as a result, pornography, prostitution, striptease and other similar occupations are illegal in many countries. This is typically the case in countries with strong religious traditions. The term anti-pornography movement is used to describe those who argue that pornography has

5964-527: The site to build a fort halfway between Salt Lake City and Los Angeles, where they would travel to gather supplies. The fort was abandoned several years afterward. The remainder of this Old Mormon Fort can still be seen at the intersection of Las Vegas Boulevard and Washington Avenue. Las Vegas was founded as a city in 1905, when 110 acres (45 ha) of land adjacent to the Union Pacific Railroad tracks were auctioned in what would become

6048-579: The sunniest, driest, and least humid locations in North America, with exceptionally low dew points and humidity that sometimes remains below 10%. The summer months of June through September are extremely hot, though moderated by the low humidity levels. July is the hottest month, with an average daytime high of 104.5 °F (40.3 °C). On average, 137 days per year reach or exceed 90 °F (32 °C), of which 78 days reach 100 °F (38 °C) and 10 days reach 110 °F (43 °C). During

6132-511: The term applies to the depiction of the act, rather than the act itself. Thus, portrayals such as sex shows and striptease are not classified as pornography. The first home- PCs capable of network communication prompted the arrival of online services for adults in the late 1980s and early 1990s. The wide-open early days of the World Wide Web quickly snowballed into the dot-com boom , in-part fueled by an incredible global increase in

6216-724: The top of each hour. Due to the realization of many revitalization efforts, 2012 was dubbed "The Year of Downtown". Projects worth hundreds of millions of dollars made their debut at this time, including the Smith Center for the Performing Arts , the DISCOVERY Children's Museum , the Mob Museum , the Neon Museum , a new City Hall complex, and renovations for a new Zappos.com corporate headquarters in

6300-401: The use of a microlaser beam, the laboratory can inscribe a diamond with a serial number, a company logo, or other text on the stone. This service does not affect the quality of the diamond, and is generally performed on the girdle where it can only be viewed with a magnification device. Las Vegas, Nevada Las Vegas , colloquially referred to as Vegas , is the most populous city in

6384-415: The wake of a 2002 drought, daily water consumption has been reduced from 314 US gallons (1,190 L) per resident in 2003 to around 205 US gallons (780 L) in 2015. See or edit raw graph data . The U.S. Census accounts for race by two methodologies. "Race alone" and "Race alone less Hispanics" where Hispanics are delineated separately as if a separate race. According to the 2020 U.S. Census ,

6468-550: The wider industry include courtesans and dominatrixes , some of whom may hope to earn more by specialising in these niche markets . Other members of the sex industry include the hostesses that work in many bars in China. These hostesses are women who are hired by men to sit with them and provide them with company, which entails drinking and making conversation, while the men flirt and make sexual comments. A number of these hostesses also offer sexual services at offsite locations to

6552-525: The world's most visited tourist destinations. The city's tolerance for numerous forms of adult entertainment has earned it the nickname " Sin City ", and has made Las Vegas a popular setting for literature, films , television programs , commercials and music videos. Las Vegas was settled in 1905 and officially incorporated in 1911. At the close of the 20th century, it was the most populated North American city founded within that century (a similar distinction

6636-453: The world. Reasons as to why an individual may enter into prostitution are varied. Socialist and radical feminists have cited poverty, oppressive capitalistic processes, and patriarchal societies that marginalizes people based on race and class as reasons for the continued presence of prostitution, as these aspects all work together to maintain oppression. Other reasons include displacement due to conflict and war. Institutionalized racism in

6720-625: Was completed in 1935. In late 1941, Las Vegas Army Airfield was established. Renamed Nellis Air Force Base in 1950, it is now home to the United States Air Force Thunderbirds aerobatic team. Following World War II, lavishly decorated hotels, gambling casinos, and big-name entertainment became synonymous with Las Vegas. In 1951, nuclear weapons testing began at the Nevada Test Site , 65 miles (105 km) northwest of Las Vegas. During this time,

6804-415: Was created by Robert M. Shipley. During the 1920s, Shipley was operating quite successfully as a jeweler. However, despite his years in the industry, his lack of expertise regarding gems and jewelry was revealed to him by a pair of his best customers. Humbled by this revelation, Shipley realized that this was a big problem among American jewelers, one which likely accounted for much of the public's distrust for

6888-409: Was earned by Chicago in the 19th century). Population growth has accelerated since the 1960s and into the 21st century, and between 1990 and 2000 the population nearly doubled, increasing by 85.2%. As with most major metropolitan areas, the name of the primary city ("Las Vegas" in this case) is often used to describe areas beyond official city limits. In the case of Las Vegas, this especially applies to

6972-571: Was referred to as "gaming", which transitioned it into a legitimate business. Learning from Las Vegas , published during this era, asked architects to take inspiration from the city's highly decorated buildings, helping to start the postmodern architecture movement. In 1995, the Fremont Street Experience opened in Las Vegas's downtown area. This canopied five-block area features 12.5 million LED lights and 550,000 watts of sound from dusk until midnight during shows held at

7056-519: Was the 12 inches (30 cm) that fell in 1909. In recent times, ice days have not occurred, although 29 °F (−2 °C) was measured in 1963. On average the coldest day is 44 °F (7 °C). The highest temperature officially observed for Las Vegas is 120 °F (48.9 °C), as measured at Harry Reid International Airport on July 7, 2024. The lowest temperature was 8 °F (−13 °C), recorded on two days: January 25, 1937, and January 13, 1963. The official record hot daily minimum

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