One of the worlds largest and most valuable jewel collections, the Imperial Crown Jewels of Persia, or Crown Jewels of Iran, consists of a mind-boggling number of treasures On display at the Museum of The Treasury of National Iranian Jewels in Tehran, Iran, the collection ranges from breathtaking tiaras to jewel-studded swords to princely thrones, and much more

For many of us, casino gambling and cigar smoking go together like Frank and Bing Generations of first-time Vegas visitors have enhanced their experience via frequent applications of cigar smoke, just like those iconic Rat Packers of yesteryear with their impeccable suits, suave manner, and constantly-replenished supplies of alcohol and tobacco

The 1990s were the best of times—and the worst of times—for the premium cigar industry On the one hand, the previously near-moribund pastime suddenly experienced huge growth in profits, garnered new publicity, and racked up all sorts of hipness points as a stressed-out workforce turned to cigars for that little touch of luxury that makes a day complete

Newton’s third law puts it this way: For every action there's an equal and opposite reaction But the old '70s soul song says it all much more colorfully: You always have to pay for the fun you've had

Downhill skiing requires a combination of athleticism, leisure, privilege, and the devil-may-care attitude that allows participants to enjoy the thrill of, essentially, falling down a steep snow-covered mountain, over and over again It's not a sport for the faint at heart

Camping—it's a brute necessity, and one of the most refined and civilized of pleasures Our remote ancestors would never have survived and evolved without the ability to build strong and protective shelters in the wild—the wiliness and courage to gather or track down their food—and, perhaps most of all, the resourcefulness to entertain themselves and each other in the infinitely long evenings before civilization

Perhaps the movies are to blame All those scenes where the powerful businessman or politician says to the ingenuous hero, "May I offer you a cigar," then—without missing a beat—brandishes a gold-embossed cigar case

We hand them out during bachelor parties We give them to new fathers

To cigar smokers, Nicaragua is already legendary Through regime change, social upheaval, and revolution, this Latin American nation has produced some of the world's finest tobacco

We all know about the important role that guns play in American recreation Consider such facts as the profusion of hunting magazines available on any newsstand; the huge number of duck blinds that can be seen in any woods; the fact that every town and hamlet has its driving range; the size and power of the NRA (National Rifle Association); or the wide availability of gun-safety classes to American youth