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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.

 
Ping Tom Memorial Park in Chicago, Illinois
Just north of Chinatown’s central shopping district, Ping Tom Memorial Park is a tranquil oasis just outside of downtown Chicago. Once part of Santa Fe Railroad property, it transformed into a 17-acre park largely thanks to the efforts of the park’s namesake, Ping Tom. A lifelong Chicago Chinatown resident, Tom (1935–1995) was a civic leader and businessman who helped develop the iconic Chicago neighborhood. He helped create the 32-acre Chinatown Square, co-founded the Chinatown Chamber of Commerce, and led...

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Ju-oh-iwa in Kamakura, Japan
Through the northern area of Kamakura runs the Ten-en Hiking Course, a three-mile-long mountain trail that connects Kenchō-ji and Zuisen-ji temples. Just a short hike away from the Hansōbō portion of Kenchō-ji, a storied rock called Ju-oh-iwa offers a panoramic view of the whole city. Ju-oh-iwa literally means “Ten Kings Rock” and refers to the Ten Kings of Hell, a group of judges in afterlife. Sure enough, near-faded as they are, one can still discern the images of three...

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Collegiate Church of St. Gertrude in Nivelles,...
Also known as the Collégiale Sainte-Gertrude de Nivelles, this Romanesque church dates back to the 7th century. Originally the church was housed within an abbey whose first abbess was Saint Gertrude of Nivelles, the patron saint of cats. Through the centuries, several churches were built on this site. In 1046, the current church was consecrated with Wazon, Bishop of Liège, and Henry III, Emperor of the Holy German Empire, presiding over the ceremony. World War II-era bombings destroyed several sections of...

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World’s Largest Covered Porch Swing in Hebron,...
Some 200 miles northwest of Kansas City, the sleepy town of Hebron, Nebraska, boasts an unusual attraction: the world’s largest covered porch swing. With a seat 32 feet long, the swing can easily accommodate 18 adults or 24 children, making it a favorite location for wedding or family photos. The swing’s massive frame was built using a section of a Reinke Manufacturing irrigation frame, a familiar farming tool dotting many nearby fields. Originally built in 1985, the swing was designed...

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Robert E. Lee House in Boerne, Texas
Hidden in plain sight along South Main Street in Boerne, Texas, rests a small structure built of local stone where Confederate General Robert E. Lee often stayed while traveling between Camp Verde, 30 miles to the west, and Fort Sam Houston, 35 miles to the east in San Antonio. Located at the corner of South Main and Evergreen Street and hugged by the Cibolo Creek, the small building at 525 South Main is all that remains of a once...

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Bell Chamber of Budolfi Church in Aalborg,...
To most modern-day passersby, the clock tower of Budolfi Church in Aalborg, northern Denmark, might seem innocuous—just another church spire blending into the cityscape. But only a few centuries ago, it was the center of sinister legends and whispered fears. At one time, the townsfolk believed the Devil occupied the belfry opening, with a lair large enough for a man to lie down in. Dreading this unwelcome resident, locals avoided the spot. When the tower’s fire watchmen needed to...

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10 Reasons Why Upgrading Your PMS is...
The hospitality industry isn’t slowing down, and outdated property management system (PMS) solutions are dragging hotels behind. Clunky, slow, and vulnerable to cyber threats, legacy systems can no longer keep up. If your property still relies on an aging PMS, here’s why 2025 is the year to upgrade—ranked from most to least urgent. 10 Key The post 10 Reasons Why Upgrading Your PMS is a Must in 2025 appeared first on Revfine.com.

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Dr Salter's Daydream in London, England
This group of sculptures, collectively known as “Dr Salter’s Daydream,” depict Dr. Alfred Salter, his wife Ada, their daughter Joyce, and their cat. Created by Diane Gorvin, the sculptures were originally unveiled in 1991 but have since moved to their current location. Dr. Alfred Salter arrived in Bermondsey in 1898, a newly qualified doctor shocked by the poverty and misfortune he encountered. Bermondsey wasn’t just where Dr. Salter practiced medicine; it became his home. He and Ada, who he...

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Zvezda in Ljubljana, Slovenia
Some of the most extraordinary cakes in Ljubljana are found at Zvezda (which means “star”), one of a small local chain of fashionable patisseries. If the idea of Mitteleuropa makes you dream of sitting for long spells at a café decked in flowers, eating cakes, sipping coffee, thinking Great Thoughts, and possibly sketching in a notebook with your head at a rakish slant, this is the place to live out that fantasy. All of Slovenia is west of Vienna, the heart...

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Baseball Fields at Old Bethpage Village Restoration...
On most Saturday and Sunday mornings from early spring to late fall, you can find what appears at a distance to be a normal game of adult recreational baseball. But take a closer look, and you’ll notice some anomalies: fielders playing without gloves, an umpire wearing a three-piece suit and top hat, players’ uniforms looking as though they were borrowed from the costume department of a movie set in the 19th century. Set in the backdrop of Old Bethpage...

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Marshalsea Prison Wall in London, England
Despite London’s polished modern façade, the city retains innumerable streets and places with a distinctly Dickensian character. Few locations capture the Dickensian spirit more than the remnants of Marshalsea—the debtor’s prison where Charles Dickens’ own father was incarcerated, an experience that profoundly shaped the life of the young author-to-be. In the tranquility of St George’s Churchyard, few would imagine that the brick wall that bordering the south gardens was once part of one of the worst prisons in the...

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Billiken-san in Osaka, Japan
No visitor to Osaka is safe from the image of Billiken-san, the “god of things as they ought to be,” which has long been a beloved mascot of the city. Though seemingly part of the pantheon of Japanese good-luck deities, Billiken-san originates in Kansas City, Missouri, created by illustrator Florence Pretz. More or less a product of capitalism, the original Billiken was a charm doll believed to bring luck to the purchaser, a huge success if not a long-lasting...

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How Many Other Oceans Exist in Our...
Think of the last time you had your feet in the ocean. While you were there, did you ever imagine what an ocean on another world might be like? Would it be a different color, a different temperature? Would the waves be taller or the water populated with strange alien creatures? What sort of sky might that sit under? Whatever you were picturing, I’m willing to bet it was on a planet orbiting around a far-flung star. But it...

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Dear Atlas: What Parts of Route 66...
Dear Atlas is Atlas Obscura’s travel advice column, answering the questions you won’t find in traditional guidebooks. Have a question for our experts? Submit it here. * * * Dear Atlas, Route 66! The completist in me wants to do every inch of it, but the realist in me knows that I can’t afford a vacation of that length. If I want to get the Route 66 feel without doing the whole thing, what parts are not to be...

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Hotels Are Losing Millions in Group Sales....
There’s a curious paradox in the hotel industry. Hotels have mastered the art of making it effortless for a guest to book a single room for one night. Yet the moment a group enters the equation, be it a corporate team booking, a sports club, or an event needing rooms and meeting space, the entire The post Hotels Are Losing Millions in Group Sales. Here’s Why (And How to Fix It) appeared first on Revfine.com.

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