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In both cities and the countryside, selection of sites with the best soil is an important engineering decision in the building process. Whether you live in a house, condo, or apartment, your home is connected to the soil. Your school, the building where you work, the stores you shop in—all of them are built on soil, and often with it.Building foundations need to be on stable and strong soils. Soils range in strength. Some soils are able to support a skyscraper, while other soils are not able to support the weight of a human. If the soil under a building is not stable, the foundation of the building could crack, sink, or worse–the building could fall!The strength and stability of soil depend on its physical properties. Soil with good structure is more stable. Clay textures are often more stable than sand textures because they have better structure. However, a mix of particle sizes (and pore sizes) is best for engineering (just as it is best for growing crops). It is also important that soil is stable through wetting and drying cycles, so that expanding soil does not crack roads or foundations. Some clay minerals, from a family called smectite, are more likely to shrink and expand during wetting and drying cycles than minerals from other families, such as kaolinite.Good soil should also have the ability to capture precipitation, so that runoff and erosion do not damage structures. Finally, good soils for infrastructure have balanced chemistry so no building material corrosion occurs.Buildings crack when not placed on soil with proper qualities. Credit: L. BaldwinHow does all this come together? Soil maps are a great tool to help engineers determine the best location for their design. Soil maps are created by soil scientists and present information such as:– the slope of the land surface– the soil’s biological, chemical, and physical properties– the potential for water runoff, drainage, or storage.Soil maps are also available for public access from the USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service at the Web Soil Survey site.Few building sites start with ideal conditions. Good engineering designs incorporate corrective measures and management practices. For example, drainage can be added or land surfaces reshaped to direct water away from the site. It is important to know what soil properties exist to avoid future problems.There are some well-known examples of structural failures that resulted from a lack of soil knowledge. One of the most famous is the Leaning Tower of Pisa. The land underneath seemed stable during the dry season when building began, but the soil became unstable during the wet season and sank under the weight of the building. Even worse, it sank unevenly, resulting in a leaning tower. In addition to managing drainage, compacting and stabilizing the soil before construction may have reduced settling problems.Credits: Larry F. Baldwin, CPSS / NCLSS, Land Management Group, Inc.

No, it is not true ... but for the time being, very few.The following is a copy-paste, AND an update from my answer to a related question … Steve Martin (Steven Martin)'s answer to How are the homeless people treated by the general population in Japan?As Hide Izumi correctly pointed out, the in-group/out-group dynamics are such that panhandlers can not expect to get anything from strangers — particularly from the de-individuated masses of an uber-competitive metropolitan area such as Tokyo.After living on the outskirts of Tokyo for over half my life, I have only been approached two or three times by beggars, usually near the kiosks or gates of train stations where loose change might be expected to change hands. I think that being a slightly smaller than average foreigner (173 cm), relatively baby-faced for a 60 year old, and still keeping my rural American habit of greeting strangers with a twinkle in my eye ... all have contributed to me being an easy mark ;-), but regarding this topic, one that I don't mind.This being said, I am going to take this opportunity to go beyond simply answering the question. While acknowledging a variety of causes behind the need for begging, I would like to suggest a more positive, pro-active alternative to a typical tour of Japan which also helps address the problem of some of Japan's most marginalized.I sometimes join up with a loose band-of-brothers-and-sisters, an NPO called 'Soup no Kai', which is a kind of mobile soup kitchen serving the homeless of Shinjuku (one of, if not 'the' busiest of downtown Tokyo's major stations). They meet every Saturday at 7:00 pm near the west exit of Shinjuku station, close to the Big Eye. Although there is a core leadership of about a half dozen members who come every week, the remainder of the 10 to 20 people that show up are different each week, as it is a purely volunteer collaboration. Although I would not count on finding any high profile politicians or TV idol-talents, among the many that DO show up are parents with elementary school aged kids, foreign exchange students, teachers, social workers, researchers, housewives, salarymen, journalists, video documentary makers — you name it.When I go, depending on the season, I will stop off at a ¥100 shop and pick up some mikan (mandarin oranges), disposable heating pads, gloves, clean underwear, ear muffs, etc.Most people are welcome just to lend a hand or an ear. One of the big problems of being homeless in such an in-group society as Japan is suicide. Just squatting down and chatting is enough for some of them to keep-on keeping-on. When hope is completely gone, the will to live is soon to follow.We meet at the Big Eye with the regulars bringing Miso Soup, hence the name 'Soup no Kai'. The goods are stacked into groups of 4 corresponding to the 4 different routes we cover.As people begin to gather, one to one introductions are made, greetings between long time friends are made, and information about other NPOs, events, or otherwise useful information for the homeless is distributed.One of those is Tokyo Spring now being facilitated by my multi-lingual buddy, Sulejman Brkic (on the right in the pic below) — who is also a long time and frequent Soup no Kai supporter. He now has his own group similar to Soup No Kai, making the rounds along the Yamanote loop … Tokyo spring homeless patrol.Some of you Quora readers might recognize the guy on the left. Yep. Noam Chomsky was in Japan to give a speech at Keio University and dropped by Tokyo Spring. Small world.Immediately below, is a pic of a Soup no Kai gathering from a couple of weeks ago. The two girls are exchange students from Taiwan (now new Facebook friends), and the guy in the suit is a recent immigrant from Myanmar. We all communicated in a mix of Japanese and English ... and had lots to talk about during the course of the evening.On this particular evening, about 20 people came, including a 5 year old boy with his mother. After circling up and giving a quick one-sentence introduction, we split into 4 groups and headed out into the night.Our routes typically take between 90 minutes to a couple of hours to cover. We stop and talk to each person along the route who appears to be homeless, and there are quite a few regulars who expect us and look forward to the weekly meeting. The regulars usually offer information regarding housing, medical clinics, and work opportunities ... but the main thing is just to listen to them, see if they have a particular problem that we can help, and just chat with them to let them know they are not forgotten discards of society.Almost all of the homeless I've met have been friendly, curious (especially to see foreigners), grateful, and polite ... certainly by American standards. It is heartbreaking to see some young men still in the prime of youth who fall between the cracks because of insufficient education, family problems, or bullying in the workplace. The single biggest cause of death last year for males between the age of 20 and 44 (presumably overlapping with the work force) was suicide. Occasionally, I have seen women among those homeless.With the demographic shift now in favor of youth in the job applicant-to-position ratio, an increasing percentage of the homeless are the aged, and so they are also less likely to find enough work to pay the rent. But addressing this problem does not seem to be a priority in the current neo-lib bid for a 'strong Japan'. Indeed, the government run NHK news broadcast recently announced that even the young are suffering. As many of 1/6 of Japanese school kids live at or below the poverty level ... a future generation of the homeless in the making.Although there may be a budget from local governments allocated to deal with the problem, the larger governmental hierarchies tend to hide this 'dirty secret' from potential tourists. The latest gleaming 'Sky Tree' Tower-of-Babel was constructed after first dispersing the homeless from the area — not helping them. But to be fair, this seems to be a universal phenomenon of scaled-up, business as usual.The same thing happens when Tokyo has one of its marathons or ekiden running events ... the homeless and/or cardboard box homes are dispersed and hidden from the public until after the event is over. These high-profile sporting events or area 'renewal' projects usually shifts the heaviest burden to those least able to bear it — the homeless and those who try to help them out. Bread and Circuses. (sigh).Here is a pic of some of the winter 'mansions' the tourist bureau would rather you not see.And though it would be unforgivably rude to show a face without permission, one man allowed me to take a photo of his technique for keeping warm at night — folding a vinyl sheet to keep the cold air out and clamping it with large paper clips. (Will have to remember to bring some along the next time I join.) Tokyo winters are particularly problematic for those who take a swig from the bottle before falling asleep outdoors. A combination of freezing temperature and alcohol takes a yearly toll on some of the homeless, changing a couple of winks into a permanent sleep.At the end of our rounds, we meet at another place not far from the Big Eye, circle up again, and each of us has an opportunity to make a remark about our impression, give specific information about a specific person, and so on.Then, the younger people ... or those who live more than an hour's train ride from home, typically head home — while I usually join the regulars and occasional new face for an 'attitude adjustment session' over beer and shochu at a local Myanmar pub near Shinjuku station.After about an hour or so of philosophizing from a beer mug, swapping tales, and lots of laughing ... I have to catch the last train home, or risk an expensive taxi ride.Now THIS is an experience I would suggest makes a vacation-tour to Japan worth remembering. Almost everyone speaks a little English ... and with a little alcohol, it is amazing how little Japanese OR English you need. :-) Virgin cocktails (non-alcoholic) are available for the alcohol averse. This is the same kind of fellowship that has drawn me to rural Cambodia as well for several trips with Japanese college students and social activists ... hmm, I should just say 'friends'.Since first joining up with Soup no Kai a few years ago, I have now conjured up the courage so that if I do see an obviously struggling homeless person in downtown Tokyo ... especially on a winter night ... and especially a woman or the elderly, I will make a quick judgement call, and sometimes mentally put on my 'Soup no Kai hat' and approach that person, asking if they've eaten tonight, and place a few coins or a ¥1000 bill in their hands. Not always. I'm not THAT rich ;-) And if I'm preoccupied with thinking about my own problems, or if I am with someone, I am not likely to notice the marginalized and let that perfect opportunity pass me by. But I'm still a beginner at this. Got lots to learn.As much as I like Steven Pinker, I have to disagree with his dismissive assessment of Chomsky as a social critic. Chomsky is an intellectual force of nature to be reckoned with, and a moral giant as a consequence. I'd say he's pretty much got the handle on the big picture … ‘think global, act local’. Me? A very, teeny, tiny part. But not insignificant.But back to the question of begging in Japan. Although there are several organizations such as Soup no Kai (Soup Kitchen - Chabad Tokyo Japan, Onigiri (Japanese Soup Kitchen) Companions of Yotsuya, Volunteering at the Second Harvest Food Bank, Buddhist volunteers reaching out to the homeless of Tokyo, etc.), that is not nearly enough good will or manpower to eliminate the problem of the homeless in Tokyo, or the community-less in Tohoku.Many victims of the earthquake/tsunami/meltdown of 2011 are still living in 'temporary' shelters, still depending on volunteers for mental health care issues, and soon enough, the physical effects of the Fukushima fall-out will be showing up ... the first most visible sign will probably be thyroid cancer clusters in the populations, but to tell the truth, even the experts do not know what to expect.TEPCO, on the other hand, climbed out of the red last year. And the zero-sum game of dog-eat-dog, laissez-faire, neo-lib capitalism in a Kabuki mask continues; 'nothing personal — it's just business' — as usual ... Road-paving firms raided over suspected bid-rigging for Tohoku repairs | The Japan Times.Chomsky nailed it ... institutions thriving at the expense of the marginalized individual may be the greatest threat to humanity as a sustainable species.Another tact that has had some success has been borrowed from England, putting the jobless and/or homeless to work by selling a magazine ... Big Issue and its Japanese version What is the Big Issue Japan? Here is my copy of the latest issue.Quora members certainly have above-average literacy and writing skills, and there is plenty of positive social meaning in simply contributing to distributed education through Quora alone — otherwise I would not be proud to be a member. But 'The Big Issue' is yet another excellent opportunity to contribute to something more than a vanity press.For those of you coming to Japan, for anything from a working holiday, to a family tour, to attending/participating in one of those high-profile events such as the Tokyo Olympics, if you veer from your itinerary just long enough to approach some guy near the train station selling The Big Issue, and buy one ... especially with a 'keep the change' remark (just say 'daijobu desu') ... that might be just enough to provide him with a warm meal f0r the night, help preserve what little is left of human dignity for the down and out without resorting to begging or worse, and may even give you a pleasant surprise at hearing an English 'Thank you' and seeing a genuine smile of gratitude.Feeling all warm and fuzzy now? If you are in Japan or plan on visiting — and would like to join Soup no Kai for a 'volun-tour' evening worth remembering, drop me a line in Quora's messaging service and I'll be glad to fill you in on the details.Cheers from Japan! — Steve—————————————————————Update Sunday, June 12, 2016Currently recollecting the events of Soup no Kai last night, I hope my thoughts and feelings are not coming across to the reader as too moralist or strident. But I do have an excuse if I am coming across that way. A few hours earlier tonight, I saw the new movie directed by Jodie Foster … Money Monster (2016) Highly recommended, and I suspect, not so fictional as I wish. I think Chomsky and Yanis would give it a thumbs up.Yesterday, I took a short trip from my apartment to Temple University, Japan Campus to attend a graduate seminar which I thought would be connected to the above post about the homeless in Japan. The seminar topic concerned the social/sociological components of 2nd language teaching, and I mistakenly assumed it would involve more social activism, or at the very least, curriculum-wide, collaborative events, such as a speech contest, or academic presentations in a foreign language. Wrong.The course material was restricted to what could be accomplished within the 4 walls of a classroom in a 50 minute time span … and was mainly geared towards accomplishing what could be tested, eg. easily formalized into quantifiable terms (grammatical correctness, speed of response, increase in vocabulary, etc.).This convinces me more than ever, that in most ‘developed’ countries in the world, formal education (not just language teaching) tends to conflate ‘socialization’ with ‘institutionalization’ … the former term having wider implications including the growth and development of humans as socially responsible members of society, and the goal of the 21st century to solve 21st century problems … the latter term restricted to the compartmentalized, gate-keeping of matching the skill-sets of individuals with ‘appropriate’ institutions (academic, business, political, etc.).I had also worked at Temple University as an adjunct Professor for about 10 years, teaching everything from biology labs, to freshman writing, to public speaking … even got sent to teach at one of the the pre-Fukushima-meltdown nuclear reactors in Ibaraki. I remember mentioning to the former Dean, that as an undergrad back at UNC-W, I was a member of Alpha Phi Omega, a co-ed service fraternity which developed leadership skills through service to the community. I have fond memories of our yearly haunted house — even had a Hollywood make-up artist help out, holding rocking-chair-athons and similar events in shopping center parking lots … and donating all the raised funds to heart disease research. Since APO is international, I approached the then current Dean of TUJ suggesting we should start a branch in Japan. His expert opinion was that volunteerism does not ‘fit’ Japanese society. After all, he was the Dean, so that was that.My, my. After a only a few tsunamis, earthquakes, volcanoes and a nuclear meltdown or two … how things have … uh … ‘changed’.But back to the here and now, after observing the first 3 hours of the seminar, I left the TUJ campus and joined up with my buddies at Soup no Kai in Shinjuku.I was pleasantly surprised to see a contingent of about a dozen students from Meiji Gakuin University had shown up. They were led by a 3rd year student., who I promptly struck up a conversation with … even filmed a short interview of him on my camera. He said that although the school has a volunteer ‘division’, as most colleges have in Japan, volunteerism is not a part of any curriculum, and is more or less a copy-paste, after-thought to ‘education’.As a veteran college teacher in Japan of about 35 years, I confirmed his opinion, and indeed, the group he was introducing to Soup no Kai, was a group emerging from those students’ own sense of social responsibility … not at the introduction or request of a teacher or in accordance with some curricular standards. That makes them ‘heroes’ in my book … at the very least, among the very few on the right track to becoming socially mature members of society.But come to think of it, volunteerism was not part of my undergraduate curriculum either. I had also been a volunteer, perhaps out of natural temperament … or just the happenstance of hanging around friends that had ‘the right stuff’. At any rate, I was happy to have found a like-minded brother, here in Japan, and a third my age. For the record, community out reach work is a required part of the South Korean curriculum. But because it is not optional, can not really call it the ‘volunteer’ spirit. I don’t know which is better in the long run … leaving community activism up the individual’s choice, or requiring it while in school. But one troubling article about Japan’s social problems seems to hint that something is not quite right with Japan’s current model … Older Japanese have fewer friends than overseas peers, survey finds | The Japan TimesBack to last night, and Soup no Kai, as usual, we circled up at the meeting place, gave a one name introduction, and divided up into 4 groups covering 4 routes. Although I usually take the Toyama Koen route (near Takadanobaba station and Waseda University), last night, I took the Chuo Koen route … maybe only my 3rd or 4th time to take that route.The homeless people along that route, in their make-shift cardboard homes (actually the same route as the photos above in the original post) seem to cover a wider variety of individuals … a couple of whom were really well educated, philosophical, and seemingly happy, some who were gregarious and loved to laugh and chat up the co-ed college volunteer who was with our group, one who had recently had surgery - and was angry that the city office is refusing to give him any more money for living allowance.One had an encyclopedic memory regarding the station names in Tokyo, and entertained us with a kind of quiz show format. Another was well versed in the current scandal involving the governor of Tokyo — and the the implications of the Mayor’s possible replacements regarding policy towards the homeless …… especially (as I mentioned above in the original post) with Japan Inc.’s repeated behavior of hiding or dispersing the homeless (rather than aiding them) when a tourist-attracting event such as the Tokyo Ekiden (long distance relay race), marathon, or upcoming Olympics … or when a new money making Tower of Babel such as TOKYO SKYTREE is erected.Another was a woman who spoke in a hoarse whisper, peeking out of her neat and well-kept cardboard room. She gently refused miso soup or a sandwich … saying she had eaten for the day. But just the same, she put her hands together in prayer and bowed her head in gratitude several times. Although there is some doubt, she claims to be from Fukushima, now more internationally known as the site of the nuclear meltdown (much data of which is now officially classified as a ‘state secret’) Japan : Don’t mess with “state secrets” | Reporters without borders.But the last person we tried to support on our route for the night, was paradoxically, the happiest, and yet the most problematic. He was barely conversant, had probably not had a bath in months — if not years, was happy to eat out of garbage cans, and was now on medication. In the past, he had actually run away from Soup no Kai. But now medicated, he was polite and shy by American standards of ‘homelessness’ … and probably by limited self/other-awareness, the most ‘happy’ … a thought that hit me hard, at the most fundamental level of what it means to live a life worth living.Later that evening while returning to our post-event collective reflection/report on the night’s proceedings … I was chatting with the group leader, and the route leader mentioned that in the past, that man was one of the few panhandlers to frequent Shinjuku station, approaching foreigners who were purchasing tickets at the station. Suddenly, I realized that years before I had learned of Soup no Kai, that unkept man may have been the same man (or is doppleganger) that had once approached me at Shinjuku station, and to whom I had given some loose change.I felt that old, familiar chill of synchronicity run up my spine.Worn out by having earlier attending the seminar at TUJ that day, I did not opt for the drink and dinner with the other guys last night, but instead, headed for the station to take an express train home. Turned out that the student leader lived on the same line (Odakyu), but about a 90 minute ride from Shinjuku (Hadano). Until I got to my station, we talked about Chomsky, Yanis Varoufakis, Dunbar’s Number, the constant corporate and political corruption, etc.I gave him the Quora address, my e-mail, phone number, etc., and he asked if I might help out with the student-volunteers in my capacity as a language teacher and social educator/activist. I was ecstatic. Not a paying gig, but just being asked to be a ‘teacher-collaborator’ by one of the best and brightest of Japan’s rising generation was an honor. I hope the next update I post regarding this topic will be one of hope.

How famous? Well let me put it this way. There was only one other person to walk this earth that is more famous than that little boy from Tupelo, Mississippi and he walked on water.There is no higher degree of fame than that which Elvis Presley has achieved. No artist today, tomorrow or in the future will receive such fame. No amount of YouTube views will get you the fame that Elvis has.He was/is/always will be a cultural phenomenon. You would be hard-pressed to walk anywhere on this planet and find someone that doesn’t know the name Elvis Presley.Michael Jackson fame is famous. But it isn’t Elvis fame.Want to understand why he is so famous? Just read below.ACHIEVEMENTSOver the course of Elvis' life, he achieved some of the highest accolades in music and film. It is estimated that more than one billion Elvis records have been sold worldwide, more than anyone in record industry history. Elvis starred in 31 feature films as an actor and two theatrically released concert documentary films, all of which enjoyed financial success. For a number of years he was one of Hollywood’s top box office draws and one of its highest-paid actors. In addition to his music and film career, his three network television specials–"Elvis" (1968), "Elvis: Aloha from Hawaii, via Satellite" (1973), and "Elvis in Concert" (1977)–stand among the most highly rated specials of their time. See a complete list of Elvis' achievements below.RECORD SALESIt is estimated that more than one billion Elvis Presley records have been sold worldwide. From his early sessions at Sun Records to the end of his career and beyond, Elvis albums and singles enjoyed strong sales across every format–vinyl, cassette, CD and digital. In America alone, Elvis has had 150 different albums and singles that have been certified gold, platinum or multi-platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), with more certifications expected as research into his past record sales continues and as current sales go on. It is estimated that 40% of Elvis Presley records have been sold outside the United States.INTERNATIONAL ACCLAIMWhen touring Graceland, you will see gold and platinum Elvis records and awards of all kinds from around the world. Some of the countries represented are: Norway, Yugoslavia, Japan, Australia, South Africa, England, Sweden, Germany, France, Canada, Belgium, and The Netherlands. It is interesting to note that, except for a handful of movie soundtrack songs, Elvis did not record in other languages, and, except for five shows in three Canadian cities in 1957, he did not perform concerts outside the United States. That never limited his success, though–his recordings and films enjoyed, and have continued to enjoy, popularity all over the globe, and he is known throughout the world by his first name.RECORD CHART STATISTICSElvis has had no less than 149 songs to appear on Billboard’s Hot 100 Pop Chart in America. Of these, 114 were in the top forty, 40 were in the top 10, and 18 went to number one. His number one singles spent a total of 80 weeks at number one. More than 90 Elvis Presley records reached the charts, with 10 of them reaching number one. These figures are only for the pop charts and only in America. He was also a leading artist in the American country, R&B, and gospel fields, and his chart success in other countries was substantial.HISTORIC TELEVISION GUEST APPEARANCESIn 1956, Elvis made his network television debut with the first of his six appearances on "Stage Show," a weekly variety program hosted by Tommy and Jimmy Dorsey. He followed these with two appearances on "The Milton Berle Show," the second of which included a classic performance of "Hound Dog" that was so provocative (for that time, anyway) that it caused a national scandal. Elvis next appeared on "The Steve Allen Show," with Allen mocking the sensation of the Berle appearance by having Elvis dress in a tuxedo, eliminate his usual physical gyrations, and sing "Hound Dog" to a basset hound.Ed Sullivan had once said he would never have the controversial singer on his top-rated show, but that was before the week that Elvis’ appearance on "Steve Allen" had surpassed Sullivan’s ratings. Sullivan paid Elvis $50,000 to make three appearances on his show, which was, at the time, more money than any performer had ever been paid to appear on a network variety program. When Elvis made his third Sullivan appearance in January of 1957, Ed Sullivan surprised Elvis by telling him on camera that his show had never had a better experience with a name act, and said “I wanted to say to Elvis and the country that this is a real decent, fine boy.” It was on this very same Sullivan appearance that Elvis was shown on camera from the waist up only, one of early television history’s most memorable moments.Elvis’ next network television appearance was in 1960, when Frank Sinatra gave his variety show a “Welcome Home, Elvis” theme to herald Elvis’ return from the Army. Elvis was paid $125,000 to appear - again, making history.THE SILVER SCREENElvis Presley starred in 31 feature films as an actor and two theatrically released concert documentary films, all of which enjoyed financial success. For a number of years he was one of Hollywood’s top box office draws and one of its highest-paid actors. His two most critically acclaimed films, "Jailhouse Rock" (1957) and "King Creole" (1958), have become classics of their era. His movies and concert films enjoy a healthy life today in television syndication. Some of his top-selling music came from his movies. Eleven of his motion picture soundtracks went to the top 10, and of those, four went to number one. The soundtrack for "G.I. Blues" (1960) was number one on the Billboard Top 100 album chart for 10 weeks and remained on the chart for 111 weeks. The album from "Blue Hawaii" was number one for 20 weeks and was on the chart for 79 weeks.ELVIS TV SPECIALSThe three Elvis specials on network television - "Elvis" (1968), "Elvis: Aloha from Hawaii, via Satellite" (1973), and "Elvis in Concert" (1977) - stand among the most highly rated specials of their time. His 1968 special, "Elvis," is one of the greatest and most critically acclaimed music specials of all time. His 1973 special, "Elvis - Aloha from Hawaii, via Satellite," was seen in 40 countries by more than 1 billion people and made television history. It was seen on television in more American homes than man’s first walk on the moon.THE CONCERT STAGEWhen Elvis returned to the live stage after the success of his 1968 television special and the wrap-up of his Hollywood movie contract obligations, he opened at the International Hotel in Las Vegas in the summer of 1969 for a four-week, 57-show engagement that broke all existing Las Vegas attendance records.He returned to the spotlight at the same site a few months later in early 1970, during the slow winter season in Vegas, and broke his own attendance record. Right after that came a record-breaking six-show engagement at the Astrodome in Houston, where Elvis played to a total of 207,494 people. Elvis took his elaborate live show on the road in the latter part of 1970 for his first concert tour since 1957.Throughout the 1970s, Elvis toured the U.S. where he broke box office records, while continuing to play an engagement or two per year in Las Vegas and Lake Tahoe. Among the outstanding highlights of this period was in 1972, when Elvis performed four sold-out shows at Madison Square Garden. During his “concert years” from 1969 to 1977, Elvis gave nearly 1,100 concert performances.GRAMMY AWARDSElvis received 14 Grammy nominations from the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (NARAS). His three wins were for gospel recordings - the album "How Great Thou Art" (1967), the album "He Touched Me" (1972) on the RCA Victor label and his live Memphis concert recording of the song "How Great Thou Art" (1974).In 1971, NARAS also recognized him with their Lifetime Achievement Award (known then as the Bing Crosby Award in honor of its first recipient). Elvis was 36 years old at the time. Six of Elvis' recordings, all of them his original studio masters, have been inducted into the NARAS Hall of Fame: "Hound Dog" (1956 recording, inducted 1988); "Heartbreak Hotel" (1956 recording, inducted 1995); "That's All Right" (1954 recording, inducted 1998); "Suspicious Minds" (1969 recording, inducted 1999); "Don't Be Cruel" (1956 recording, inducted 2002); and "Are You Lonesome Tonight" (1960 recording, inducted 2007).The Recording Academy's national trustees established the Grammy Hall Of Fame in 1973 to honor audio recordings of lasting qualitative or historical significance that are at least 25 years old. Many inductees are recordings that were created and released before the 1958 inception of NARAS and the Grammy Awards.ONE OF THE TEN OUTSTANDING YOUNG MEN OF THE NATIONThe United States Junior Chamber of Commerce (the Jaycees) named Elvis One of the Ten Outstanding Young Men of the Nation for 1970 in a ceremony on January 16, 1971, one of Elvis’ proudest moments. This award has been given since 1938 and has honored men of achievement in all areas of endeavor - sports, government, science, medicine, entertainment, etc. It recognizes outstanding personal achievement and the exemplification of the opportunities available in the free enterprise system, along with patriotism, humanitarianism, and community service. (In the 1980s, eligibility was opened to women as well as men, and the award has since been presented to the year's Ten Outstanding Young Americans.)CHARITABLE ENDEAVORSElvis Presley was famous for giving away cars, cash and jewelry, often on the spur of the moment. But, the true depth and breadth of his generosity and community involvement is not so widely known.In 1961, Elvis gave a benefit concert at Bloch Arena in Hawaii that raised over $65,000 toward the building of the U.S.S. Arizona Memorial at Pearl Harbor. The resulting publicity gave new life to the fund-raising effort, which had, by then, lost its momentum. The memorial opened a year later.Audience tickets for his 1973 "Aloha from Hawaii" television special and its pre-broadcast rehearsal show carried no price, as each audience member was asked to pay whatever he or she could. The performances and concert merchandise sales were a benefit raising $75,000 for the Kui Lee Cancer Fund in Hawaii. Each year, for many years, Elvis gave $1,000 or more to each of 50 Memphis-area charities, but also continually made many other charitable donations in Memphis and around the country.Elvis' legacy of generosity continues through the work of the Elvis Presley Charitable Foundation, which is the philanthropic branch of Elvis Presley Enterprises, Inc. and the creator of the Elvis Presley Endowed Scholarship Fund at the University of Memphis. The tradition of giving also continues through the work of the Elvis fan clubs worldwide, most of which are heavily involved in charitable endeavors in Elvis' memory.GRACELAND MANSIONGraceland, Elvis Presley’s home and refuge for 20 years, is one of the most visited homes in America today, now attracting over 600,000 visitors annually. In 1991, Graceland Mansion was placed on the National Register of Historic Places. In 2006, Graceland was designated a National Historic Landmark. Want to explore the king's home yourself?Learn more about the history of Graceland and experience the place Elvis called home.THE ELVIS STAMPIn 1993, the U.S. Postal Service announced that Elvis’ image would be used for a commemorative postage stamp. The Postal Service narrowed the artwork choices down to two images - 1950’s sizzling young rocker or concert superstar in his 1973 "Aloha from Hawaii" special. In an unprecedented move, the USPS put the decision to the American people and distributed ballots coast to coast. Over 1.2 million votes were cast and the image of the young rocker Elvis stamp won. The stamp was released on January 8, 1993, with extravagant first day of issue ceremonies at Graceland. The Elvis stamp is the most widely publicized stamp issue in the history of the U.S. Postal Service and it is the top selling commemorative postage stamp of all time. The USPS printed 500 million of them, three times the usual print run for a commemorative stamp. Several countries outside the U.S. also have issued Elvis stamps over the years and they have become an essential item for collectors of Elvis Presley memorabilia.SPECIAL POSTHUMOUS HONORSThe 1984, W.C. Handy Award from the Blues Foundation in Memphis recognized Elvis for "keeping the blues alive in his music - rock 'n' roll." The Academy of Country Music's first Golden Hat Award presented in 1984 recognized Elvis' influence on country music. In 1986, Elvis was among the first group of inductees into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. In 1987, Elvis was honored with the first posthumous presentation of the Award of Merit by the American Music Awards. In 1998, Elvis received the Country Music Association's highest honor, induction into the Country Music Hall of Fame. In 2001, Elvis was inducted into the Gospel Music Association's Gospel Music Hall of Fame. With that honor, Elvis was the first artist to become a member of all three of these halls of fame–Rock and Roll, Country and Gospel.A NEW CONCERT CAREEROn August 16, 1997, Elvis, via video, starred in an extravagant concert production entitled Elvis in Concert '97 at the Mid-South Coliseum in Memphis, Tennessee, accompanied live on stage by over 30 of his former bandmates and the Memphis Symphony Orchestra.The show played before a capacity crowd of fans who had come to Memphis from around the world to commemorate the 20th anniversary of Elvis' death. Elvis broke the Mid-South Coliseum's all-time record dollar figure for box office sales. This concert was the prototype for the 1998/99 touring production "Elvis - The Concert." By being the first performer ever to headline a live concert tour while no longer living, Elvis made history again.The March 1998 tour included a three-show smash engagement at Radio City Music Hall in New York. The August 1998 tour included the excitement of Elvis' "return" to the Las Vegas Hilton with an eight-show engagement. The January/ February 1999 European tour opened with a sell-out at London's Wembley Arena and, in effect, marked Elvis' first-ever concerts outside of North America. As of 2010, the show continues to tour worldwide–a testament to the international love of Elvis Presley and his music. Learn more about the latest concert "ELVIS PRESLEY - ON STAGE" that toured Europe in 2014.And that, is why Elvis Presley is the 2nd most famous person to ever walk this earth. Jesus has him beat because he had almost 2,000 years to build his reputation.