"This is a special vice president, " said Douglas Paal, a China expert at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.

WSJ: U.S. Mindful of Protocol During Xi's Visit

Many of the faithful carry offerings of milk in paal kudam (milk pots) often connected to their skin by hooks.

BBC: Malaysia's Thaipusam festival

Moreover, as former Ambassador Douglas Paal noted, its quick response and presence provided Secretary of State Clinton with a formidable platform from which to engage the Indonesian government.

FORBES: Where are the Carriers?

PAAL, a German company that specialises in packaging systems.

ECONOMIST: Robots: Nothing to lose but their chains | The

"It was more powerful than the famous March 6, 1989 flare which was related to the disruption of the power grids in Canada, " said Paal Brekke, a project scientist with the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory.

CNN: Sun lets loose monumental flare