Heard about a serious earthquake on the news? Never heard of the town that was affected? You need a globe. War broke out and you have no idea where? A hurricane has hit a town in a country and it sounds familiar but you're not exactly sure where it is. You need a world globe. There are a huge variety of globes available to choose from. They come in sizes from tiny that are almost a paperweight to huge sizes that barely fit in your front door. They are available desk size, which look wonderful in an office. Some of them are made like pieces of furniture and will be the focal point of your room. Decorators especially like the warm look a globe gives to a home office, den or living area. Some of the better globes have a raised relief, which shows mountain ranges. Areas of water will be a different color than landmasses. You'll see cities and countries you have never heard have and others that you've read about but had no idea where they were located. It's most interesting to see just how small and how large our world really is. You will also be surprised by the size of some of the countries that you thought were either much bigger or much smaller. When perusing a globe, you'll always learn something new and of interest. They even come in handy when doing crossword puzzles or playing trivia games. The globe will be sitting on a base that is available in many furniture styles and colors. You can choose wood in light colors such as oak and walnut, and darker colors like mahogany and redwood. Some of the standing globes also have wrought iron bases. These are quite heavy and popular in traditional homes. Lucite bases look best with more modern furniture. A very popular globe available now is with a brass or silvertone frame. The globe is made of semi-precious stones such as jade, mother-or-pearl, and turquoise. These globes are simply beautiful and very elegant. They are available from very small to large standing pieces. There are also antique globes, which show the world as it was thought to be in the fourteen or fifteen hundreds. Many of the larger sized globes are electric and can be lit up at night. Globes are also popular as bookends. These do not show the detailing that a larger globe would provide, but they are very good looking on a desk or bookshelf. A lot of these smaller globes are very popular as corporate gifts. They can be silk-screened with a company name or logo. Of course, the base of the globe can be individually monogrammed with a name or initials. This is very personal and makes a wonderful heirloom for a family. There are smaller globes that also light up at night. Some of these have different degrees of light and can be used as a nightlight. Children especially like looking at a globe. There's so much to see and explore and it is a real learning tool.When planning a trip it's always helpful to locate where you are traveling to on a globe. It's fun to look at the places you have visited, and plan where you would like to go. By checking out a globe, you may see countries, towns or cities that are located close enough for you to visit on the same trip. You may be tempted to throw a globe into your lightweight luggage, but that is not practical. However, it does give you some wonderful ideas on places to visit and see. By looking a globe, you understand the world a little better.brass ball valve brass fitting