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Suborbital space tourism finally arrives | FCC prepares to run public C-band auction | The big four in the U.S. launch industry — United Launch Alliance, SpaceX, Blue Origin and Northrop Grumman — hope to be one of two providers that will receive five-year contracts later this year to launch national security payloads starting in 2022. | China’s launch rate stays high | The International Space Station is the largest ever crewed object in space.

 
The Role of Hotel Reception Staff on...
Your hotel can do everything right, but if your customers aren’t happy, that can lead to a loss of revenue. Why? Unhappy customers leave negative reviews, and that affects future bookings. The Importance of a Positive Hotel Reputation Recently, while browsing some online property reviews, one stood out. “… we were disappointed by the lack The post The Role of Hotel Reception Staff on Revenue Management appeared first on Revfine.com.

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Exploring Hotel Revenue Trends for 2024: Insights...
The year 2023 has brought about significant changes in the hotel industry, with revenue management practices and trends evolving rapidly. As these trends continue to take shape, their impact will undoubtedly shape strategies and operations well into 2024. This article provides valuable insights into the key factors influencing the financial landscape of the hotel industry, The post Exploring Hotel Revenue Trends for 2024: Insights & Real-World Examples appeared first on Revfine.com.

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Which States Have the Most Dead Presidents?
Presidents are not kings. Not only does this affect their powers in office, it also seems to influence their funerary habits—in particular, the distribution of presidential burial sites, as shown on this map. Why? Because dead royalty tends to agglomerate into dynastic clusters. Egypt’s Valley of the Kings has 63 royal tombs from the New Kingdom period alone, which lasted for five centuries until about 1000 BC. Presidential Gravesites: Accidental Egalitarianism The Basilica of Saint-Denis, north of Paris, held...

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Embassy of France in Belgrade in Belgrade,...
Art Deco in Belgrade has had many contributions in the form of panels on apartment buildings and as elements in Yugoslav experimental architecture. Much has been contributed by Russian and Ukrainian emigre architects in the formation of what can be considered a Serbian Art Deco scene, for example. Out of all that can be seen in the Serbian capital, the best example of Art Deco is arguably the Embassy of France, which is one of the only examples of...

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United Memorial Chapel for All Faiths in...
Driving along Causeway Street in Hudson, Massachusetts, you might go straight past a small white building along the side of the road. You’d be forgiven for thinking it was a shed in somebody’s yard, but this small structure is actually a chapel which is known locally as the “original smallest church.” The United Memorial Chapel for All Faiths was built in 1953 by Reverend Louis Winthrop West right next to his home. It measures just five feet (1.5 m) by...

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Cyclopean Wall of Ibros in Ibros, Spain
A legendary Iberian king gave his name to this village, which is located in the province of Jaen. The history of the Iberian people is strong in this region, and can be seen in many archaeological sites and museums. One of those sites is the Cyclopean Wall of Ibros, so-called because of the size of the stones with which it was built. It was said that only a cyclops (a mythological being with a single eye and enormous strength)...

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The Decadent Diet of Aleister Crowley
Controversial and colorful British occultist Aleister Crowley (1875–1947) was a man of many epithets, known variously as “The Wickedest Man in the World,” “The King of Depravity,” and even “The Beast 666.” He was praised as an accomplished mountaineer, poet, novelist, painter, chess master, and philosopher. He was also maligned as a drug addict, hedonist, and sex fiend. But another apt descriptor, though rarely mentioned, greatly shaped much of his life and writings: He was the ultimate gourmand. Since...

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Church of St. Spyridon in Corfu, Greece
The Holy Church of Saint Spyridon on the Greek island of Corfu is a captivating religious site that holds spiritual significance. Nestled in the heart of the charming Old Town, this 16th-century Orthodox church is a true gem of the island. With its striking Venetian bell tower and elegant domes, the church commands attention and draws visitors from across the world. However, what truly sets this church apart is the presence of the mummified body of St. Spyridon, the patron...

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The Magic Spells That Herded Medieval Bees
If you had a problem in Early Medieval Europe, chances were good that there was a spell for it. “Metrical charms” were sets of magical instructions for addressing dilemmas with spoken words and actions that combined herbal medicine, prayer, and ritual. Many dealt with the challenges of agriculture, with Old English examples having titles like “For Unfruitful Land,” “For Lost Cattle,” and Wiþ Ymbe, meaning “For a Swarm of Bees.” Although it was discovered copied into the margins of...

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Silver Towers Playground in New York, New...
Tom Otterness is one of America’s most famous—and controversial—artists. His sculptures have been featured at the Museum of Modern Art, the Whitney, and the Guggenheim. Some of them can be found scattered throughout the 14th Street/8th Avenue subway station in a series called Life Underground. This 2006 work in Hell’s Kitchen, however, has a much different distinction: it doubles as a fully functioning children’s playground. Playground by Tom Otterness is a 30-foot-long bronze sculpture of an elongated figure lounging in...

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Burgruine Waldenburg in Attendorn, Germany
Waldenburg Castle, also known as Schnellenberg Castle, is a fascinating castle ruin located near Attendorn, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. Its history dates back to the 12th century when it was first built. The castle changed hands several times over the centuries and played an important role in the history of the region. Originally, Waldenburg Castle was built as a fortress to protect the strategically important trade route in southern Westphalia. In the course of time, it became a residence for...

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Okuno Building Manual Elevator in Tokyo, Japan
Ginza is Tokyo’s flagship shopping district and is home to numerous boutiques, art galleries, and cafés, upmarket but with comfy historic charms. A little off its main street stands the Okuno Building, a relic of pre-war Japanese architecture. Built in 1932 and extended with an annex in 1934, it was designed as a high-income, earthquake-resistant apartment complex then-named the Ginza Apartment, and survived the Bombing of Tokyo into the current age. Old-fashioned to a fault, the Okuno Building is...

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Asur Ticaret Tableti in Kayseri, Turkey
One of Turkey’s many notable archaeological sites is Kültepe-Kanesh, which is located in the center of the country near the region of Kapedokya (Cappadocia). Founded around 2000 B.C., the site was the capital of the ancient Kingdom of Kanesh and was a key part of the Assyrian trade network in the Anatolian Peninsula. The nearby provincial capital of Kayseri, which itself is thousands of years old, likes to highlight its connections to the ancient Assyrians. In particular, the Kayseri...

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Does the New Zealand Fantail Connect the...
The animal world is full of harbingers of doom—at least, according to superstitions. From the Tower of London’s ravens (whose departure would signal the fall of an entire nation) to the average black cat crossing your unlucky path, plenty of critters warn of woe. In Ominous Animals, we explore the lore—and the science—behind these finned, furry, and feathered messengers of impending calamity. An agile gray bird with a chipper song flitters in and out of a hiker’s peripheral vision...

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Lennel Kirk in Lennel, Scotland
Lennel Kirk served the village of Lienhale, which once stood to the east of the graveyard but now no longer exists. The small Lennel Kirk was constructed in the 1120s. The building was dedicated to St, Mary in 1243 by the Bishop of Durham. The foundations of the church are probably of Anglo-Saxon origins with the nave being medieval. The small church was added to over time. Initially, the church held mass led by a priest, but after the Reformation,...

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