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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 Lewes Shark Weather Vane in Lewes,...
Churches around the world are often adorned with representations of fish, owing to the Greek ikhthū́s (ichthys), appearing in the acrostic phrase ‘Iēsous CHristos THeou HYios Sōtēr’ meaning ‘Jesus Christ Son of God Savior’. But one church in Lewes, England, features a far larger sea creature. The tower of Trinity Church in Southover boasts a unique weather vane in the form of a large shark. Detailed with gills and a row of sharp teeth, the slightest change in wind direction...

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Dilmun Burial Mounds in Buri, Bahrain
The Dilmun Burial Mounds in Bahrain stand as poignant testaments to ancient civilizations and their reverence for the afterlife. Built between 2200 and 1750 B.C., these burial sites offer a glimpse into the beliefs and customs of the Dilmun civilization, which flourished in the region during the Bronze Age.  In total, there are 11,774 burial mounds clustered in 21 locations across the island. These structures were built using layers of limestone and earth, creating durable tombs that have withstood...

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Grave of 'Washed Ashore' in East Sussex,...
In the serene churchyard of St Mary the Virgin Parish Church, in the village of Friston on England’s south coast is a small but poignant wooden cross. Its unpretentious, unadorned, design is simple yet striking, for it’s boldly inscribed with the phrase “Washed Ashore,” an indicator of the tragic story of the grave’s occupant.  The story behind the cross is as heartbreaking as it is mysterious. A product of the church’s proximity to the sea, it’s said that the...

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Podcast: Beauly Priory Wych Elm
Listen and subscribe on Stitcher, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and all major podcast apps. In this episode of The Atlas Obscura Podcast, we learn about the Beauly Elm, a gnarly looking elm tree rumored to be older than Britain itself. The tree was the anchor in a community—until beetles got to it, and it was suddenly gone one day. Thanks to the magic of technology, you can see a 3D scan of the Beauly Elm here. Our podcast is an...

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Avoid These 3 Benchmarking Errors for Hotel...
As a revenue manager, you’re undoubtedly aware of the importance of gauging your hotel’s performance to maintain a competitive edge in your market. Yet, how can you be certain that you’re genuinely on par with, or preferably ahead of, your competitors? Enter benchmarking for hotel revenue management.Benchmarking for Hotel Revenue Management: 3 Cardinal ErrorsBenchmarking offers The post Avoid These 3 Benchmarking Errors for Hotel Revenue Success appeared first on Revfine.com.

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How Will You Celebrate Strawberry Season?
THIS ARTICLE IS ADAPTED FROM THE MAY 4, 2024, EDITION OF GASTRO OBSCURA’S FAVORITE THINGS NEWSLETTER. YOU CAN SIGN UP HERE. I’ve had strawberries on my mind lately. We just wrapped up “Rites of Spring,” a week where Atlas Obscura explores how people around the world celebrate the end of winter. I wrote about the custom of strawberry parties, a 19th-century festivity where people danced, played games, and gorged themselves on the fresh fruit before it could go out...

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Atlas Obscura’s Guide to Nebraska’s Wackiest and...
Nebraskans know how to throw a party, and the weirder and more wondrous, the better. After all, this is where locals utilize steel water tanks for river floating, and an automotive replica of England’s Stonehenge rises from the plains. In fact, Nebraska’s wide-open landscape invites innovation – perhaps that’s why there’s so much of it. Whether it’s a weekend perusing over repurposed relics on a farm reminiscent of Woodstock, or attending a family-friendly celebration devoted to bull testicles, there’s...

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Hairy-Nosed Otters, Fishing Cats, and Other Wonders...
This piece was originally published in The Guardian and appears here as part of our Climate Desk collaboration. One of the most comprehensive biodiversity surveys ever carried out in a mangrove forest has revealed that an astonishing array of wildlife makes its home in these key, threatened habitats. Hundreds of species—from bats to birds and fish to insects—were identified during the study of the Peam Krasop sanctuary and the adjacent Koh Kapik Ramsar reserve in Cambodia. Hairy-nosed otters, smooth-coated...

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Podcast: Sans Souci Palace
Listen and subscribe on Stitcher, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and all major podcast apps. In this episode of The Atlas Obscura Podcast, we go to Haiti to visit a royal residence once called the Versailles of the Caribbean. But though Sans-Souci Palace, once home to Haiti’s only king, is now ruins and rubble, it remains a large symbol—just as its creator intended. Our podcast is an audio guide to the world’s wondrous, awe-inspiring, strange places. In under 15 minutes, we’ll...

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The Atlas Obscura Crossword: May Themeless
Atlas Obscura’s weekly crossword comes to us from Natan Last, a writer who also helps develop policy and digital products for refugees and asylum seekers. His work can be found in The Atlantic, Los Angeles Review of Books, The New Yorker, and other publications, and he’s currently working on a nonfiction book about crosswords. You can solve the puzzle below, or download it in .pdf or .puz. Note that the links in the clues will take you to Atlas...

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Boost Hotel Revenue with CRM and Digital...
Your hotel CRM isn’t only the hub for your guest-facing operations. It can also supercharge your hotel’s digital marketing by leveraging real-time guest data to shape your strategy. However, hotels cannot rely on their CRM’s guest profiles alone – they need to utilize that data to enhance and personalize their digital marketing campaigns. Maximizing Hotel The post Boost Hotel Revenue with CRM and Digital Marketing Integration appeared first on Revfine.com.

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Mastering the Art of Multi-Property Management
This article explores the nuances of managing multiple hotel properties. It emphasizes the importance of creating a unified guest experience, utilizing advanced technology to enhance operational efficiency, and incorporating local cultures into service delivery. You find three topics that discuss increasing guest loyalty, optimizing revenue, and maintaining competitiveness in the hospitality industry. Introduction to the The post Mastering the Art of Multi-Property Management appeared first on Revfine.com.

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How to Attract Different Segments Through a...
With so many ways to reach potential guests, developing an effective distribution strategy is more important than ever. Leisure demand is slowing down after years of exponential growth post-pandemic, while other segments, namely international, corporate, and group travel, are starting to pick up again. For hotels seeking to increase their bookings and maximize their revenue, The post How to Attract Different Segments Through a Diverse Distribution Strategy appeared first on Revfine.com.

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The Most Dangerously Populated Latitudes in the...
Red and blue are a highly evocative color pairing. Put them together, and you can’t help but think hot or cold. Or left and right. A map of red and blue, but not politics Ironically, their political symbolism is reversed on either side of the Atlantic. In the U.S., red states are to the right (figuratively, of course) of blue ones. In Europe and other parts of the world, red is the color of the revolutionary left, blue of...

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What Can We Learn From the Ruins...
It’s hard to imagine how a building as grand as the City Methodist Church in Gary, Indiana, could ever become abandoned. Completed in 1926, the spectacular nine-story complex also included, at one time, a 1,000-seat theater, offices, a dining hall, and a gymnasium. Built at a cost of over $800,000—equivalent to over $14 million today—City Methodist served more than 3,000 congregants at its peak before dwindling attendance and lack of funds led to its closure in 1975. Today, ivy...

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