#matheson adjacent

[shadowworldwanderers]

Soft And Sweet - Ellie Sutton/Jude Matheson

A/N: Part 3/4 for @jmathesonandsiblings ' prompts from the touch-starved prompt promptlist. Jude is (obviously) theirs, Ellie is my sweet girl.

“Your hands are so soft…” Jude’s voice is soft even as he lifts Ellie’s hands, soft skin caressed with gentle kisses before he pulls her a little closer, curling her into his arms and smiling at the soft laugh that escapes her at his lips pressed to her hairline, her hands curling into his jacket just a little. “You are so… gentle.” “You think so?” Ellie’s smile is soft, her voice low and sweet. “You are plenty gentle yourself…” “My hands aren’t so…” “Soft? No, maybe not… but they suit you, strong, gentle hands for a strong, gentle man.” He smiles then, leaning to kiss her gently, speechless for once.

[floridarevealed]

“A Trip Over the Transit Railroad”

by Joanna Grey Talbot

In 1883 journalist A. L. W. took a trip on the Transit Railroad in Florida, which connected Fernandina on the Atlantic to Cedar Key on the Gulf. They shared their experiences in an article published on the front page of the May 15, 1883, issue of the The Weekly Floridian in Tallahassee.

Let’s follow along as they visit 10 towns along the route.

“The majority of persons living in Middle Florida, whose business or pleasure has not railed them to the Eastern part of the State, have very little idea of the material progress, the great influx of immigration, I lie important industries, or the rapid development of the country along the line of the Transit Railroad, which connect Fernandina, the best harbor on our Atlantic coast, with the important port of Cedar Key on the Gulf of Mexico; nor is it possible in the short scope of one letter to convey more than a general view of this very important portion of the State. The traveller from Middle Florida, after a night spent in the comfortable sleepers of the Florida Central and Western Railroad, which is under the efficient management of Major W. M. Davidson, a Middle Florida man, strikes the Transit road at…”

Hotel Oliver, Baldwin, Florida, courtesy of the State Library and Archives of Florida

Baldwin

“…long a very important transfer point for freights for the line of the Transit road. Cedar Key and the Gulf coast, which formerly came from the North and West via Savannah and Live Oak, but which, since the completion o! the Waycross “Short Line," is now delivered to the Transit system at Callahan, twenty miles north of Baldwin. […] The lumber industry along this road is immense, as is attested by the long trains of heavily loaded flat cars which were passed at various points; in fact, the monotony of the pine forest was almost constantly broken by a panorama of saw mills, young orange groves and handsome residences seen from the car windows as we sped along, till proving the existence of an industrious and thrifty population, each contributing his quota to the prosperity of the road and the material progress of the State. The towns of Highland, Lawty and Temples were passed when the brakeman called out…”

Call Street, Starke, Florida, courtesy of the State Library & Archives of Florida

Starke

“twenty minutes for dinner and alighting from the train we proceeded to the “Railroad House," kept by Mr. Kleinsmidt, an industrious German, who owns a farm and orange grove near town, while his estimable wile and charming daughters vie with each other in serving the tired traveller with all the good things which go to make up a first-class dinner. […] There are several groves in the vicinity, some bearing, while most of them are young.— In the town new houses are going up on all sides and the song of the saw and hammer is the music which greets one at every turn. […] Speeding along we soon reached…”

Seaboard Depot, Waldo, Florida, courtesy of the Matheson History Museum

Waldo

“…the junction of the Transit with the Peninsular Railroad. Here we switched off the through coach which is run daily from Jacksonville to Wildwood, thus obviating the necessity of a change of cars between these points. Waldo has a fine hotel, a cigar factory, several stores and churches, and is the terminal point of the Santa Fe Canal, which brings the fine orange country of the lake region within easy access of the railroad. […] Our next stopping place…”

Arlington House advertisement in the “Eden of the South,” 1883, courtesy of the State Library & Archives of Florida

Gainesville

“…the metropolis of East Florida, is a city of about four thousand inhabitants and the county site of Alachua, one of the richest agricultural counties in the State. […] Besides its numerous stores and other business places Gainesville has a bank, a cotton seed mill, three ginning establishments, three livery and sale stables, two depots (the Transit and Florida Southern), two first-class hotels, the Arlington and Varnum House, (the former about the size of our Leon) and quite a number of boarding houses. I have not space in this letter to devote to the above business enterprises the attention which each deserves. […] Six miles further on we come to…”

A Giant Crop of Irish Potatoes in Florida, courtesy of the Matheson History Museum

Arredondo

“…the boss vegetable station of the Transit road. I have not spoken of this industry heretofore because I was at a loss how to convey to the minds of your readers a just idea of the magnitude of this business on the line of the Transit and Peninsular roads. All along we had observed at the different stations large lots of vegetables in crates waiting shipment but here we saw the entire platform covered with piles on piles of crates filled with, beans, cucumbers, peas, Irish potatoes and cabbage […]. Some idea of the extent of the business may be gleaned front the fact that twice a week, Mondays and Wednesdays, an extra train far vegetables only, is run from Bronson to Fernandina to connect with the steamships of the Mallory line, in addition to the daily freight train.

Church Street, Archer, Florida, courtesy of the Matheson History Museum

Archer

“…also in Alachua county, is a live little town with five or six stores, and contributes its quota to the vegetable business. Peach culture has here been brought into some imminence by the Rev. J. P DePass, well known to many in our section.”

A.H. Bateman and family in front of their home in Bronson, ca. 1910, courtesy of the State Library & Archives of Florida

Bronson

“…the county site of Levy County, is distant from Cedar Keys about thirty-five miles. It has four stores, and besides being the shipping point of a vast scope of country for miscellaneous exports such as cotton, hides, wax, etc., being situated in the midst of a fine grazing country, large numbers of beef cattle are annually shipped from here to the markets of Savannah and Charleston. After passing Otter Creek, a flag station, we next arrive at…”

Rosewood

“…the residence of C. B. Dibble, Esq., who, in addition to his orange grove, has developed an entirely new industry; you who are familiar with the lovely flower gardens of the Floral City, just think of eight or ten acres in Tube Roses. The flowers are sold in Gainesville, Cedar Keys and other places, while the bulbs are shipped North, and I am told the proprietor has found it profitable. Soon after leaving this station we pass through a spur of the far-famed…”

Gulf Hammock fiber factory, ca. 1890, courtesy of the State Library & Archives of Florida

Gulf Hammock

“…probably the largest and finest body of hammock land in the State, whose sylvan depths furnish alike wealth to the enterprising cedar cutter, and the fattest turkeys and juiciest venison which ever tickled the palates of tourist epicures at the Egmont and St. James. Swiftly skimming over the few remaining miles we soon alighted at…”

Bird’s Eye View of Cedar Key, 1884, courtesy of the University of Florida Digital Collections

Cedar Keys

“…the Venice of the Gulf, whose cool sea breeze, fresh from the “cradle of the deep," tanned our (very dusty) brows, and tossed the smoke-plumes of our locomotive in fantastic wreaths and curls, the same whose shrill whistle had in the early morn mingled with the hoarse roar of old ocean as he piled his white-capped waves high on the smooth beach at Fernandina. […] Cedar Keys has been so often written up, and is so well known by reason and its importance as a Gulf port, that any attempt of my weak pen to do it justice would be futile. […] The principal industries of Cedar Key are its lumber mills, of which there are four or five for the manufacture of pine lumber, and two cedar mills belonging respectively to the Faber and Eagle Pencil Companies. In addition to the above its export of fish and oysters is a source of great revenue, while its sponge trade is by no means an inconsiderable item of its business. […]

“I have already spun this letter out to more than double my original intention, and yet “the half remains untold,” for one could find material for many letters in the beautiful little city of Cedar Key, and its adjacent Islands, bays and rivers, which I left with regret, feeling that next to the breezy hills of Tallahassee I would rather live on the lovely Gulf Coast of Florida.”

The full article can be viewed here via the Library of Congress’s Chronicling America database: https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn82015289/1883-05-15/ed-1/seq-1/.

[wolfliving]

Road Tagger, or, AI from above

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Thursday, January 23, 2020

Contact: Abby Abazorius, MIT News Office abbya@mit.edu; 617.253.2709

Using artificial intelligence to enrich digital maps

Model tags road features based on satellite images, to improve GPS navigation in places with limited map data.

http://news.mit.edu/2020/artificial-intelligence-digital-maps-0123

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. -- A model invented by researchers at MIT and Qatar Computing Research Institute (QCRI) that uses satellite imagery to tag road features in digital maps could help improve GPS navigation.  

Showing drivers more details about their routes can often help them navigate in unfamiliar locations. Lane counts, for instance, can enable a GPS system to warn drivers of diverging or merging lanes. Incorporating information about parking spots can help drivers plan ahead, while mapping bicycle lanes can help cyclists negotiate busy city streets. Providing updated information on road conditions can also improve planning for disaster relief.

But creating detailed maps is an expensive, time-consuming process done mostly by big companies, such as Google, which sends vehicles around with cameras strapped to their hoods to capture video and images of an area’s roads. Combining that with other data can create accurate, up-to-date maps. Because this process is expensive, however, some parts of the world are ignored.

A solution is to unleash machine-learning models on satellite images — which are easier to obtain and updated fairly regularly — to automatically tag road features. But roads can be occluded by, say, trees and buildings, making it a challenging task. In a paper being presented at the Association for the Advancement of Artificial Intelligence conference, the MIT and QCRI researchers describe “RoadTagger,” which uses a combination of neural network architectures to automatically predict the number of lanes and road types (residential or highway) behind obstructions.

In testing RoadTagger on occluded roads from digital maps of 20 U.S. cities, the model counted lane numbers with 77 percent accuracy and inferred road types with 93 percent accuracy. The researchers are also planning to enable RoadTagger to predict other features, such as parking spots and bike lanes.

“Most updated digital maps are from places that big companies care the most about. If you’re in places they don’t care about much, you’re at a disadvantage with respect to the quality of map,” says co-author Sam Madden, a professor in the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (EECS) and a researcher in the Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (CSAIL). “Our goal is to automate the process of generating high-quality digital maps, so they can be available in any country.”

The paper’s co-authors are CSAIL graduate students Songtao He, Favyen Bastani, and Edward Park; EECS undergraduate student Satvat Jagwani; CSAIL professors Mohammad Alizadeh and Hari Balakrishnan; and QCRI researchers Sanjay Chawla, Sofiane Abbar, and Mohammad Amin Sadeghi.

Combining CNN and GNN

Qatar, where QCRI is based, is “not a priority for the large companies building digital maps,” Madden says. Yet, it’s constantly building new roads and improving old ones, especially in preparation for hosting the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

“While visiting Qatar, we’ve had experiences where our Uber driver can’t figure out how to get where he’s going, because the map is so off,” Madden says. “If navigation apps don’t have the right information, for things such as lane merging, this could be frustrating or worse.”

RoadTagger relies on a novel combination of a convolutional neural network (CNN) — commonly used for images-processing tasks — and a graph neural network (GNN). GNNs model relationships between connected nodes in a graph and have become popular for analyzing things like social networks and molecular dynamics. The model is “end-to-end,” meaning it’s fed only raw data and automatically produces output, without human intervention.

The CNN takes as input raw satellite images of target roads. The GNN breaks the road into roughly 20-meter segments, or “tiles.” Each tile is a separate graph node, connected by lines along the road. For each node, the CNN extracts road features and shares that information with its immediate neighbors. Road information propagates along the whole graph, with each node receiving some information about road attributes in every other node. If a certain tile is occluded in an image, RoadTagger uses information from all tiles along the road to predict what’s behind the occlusion.

This combined architecture represents a more human-like intuition, the researchers say. Say part of a four-lane road is occluded by trees, so certain tiles show only two lanes. Humans can easily surmise that a couple lanes are hidden behind the trees. Traditional machine-learning models — say, just a CNN — extract features only of individual tiles and most likely predict the occluded tile is a two-lane road.

“Humans can use information from adjacent tiles to guess the number of lanes in the occluded tiles, but networks can’t do that,” He says. “Our approach tries to mimic the natural behavior of humans, where we capture local information from the CNN and global information from the GNN to make better predictions.”

Learning weights    

To train and test RoadTagger, the researchers used a real-world map dataset, called OpenStreetMap, which lets users edit and curate digital maps around the globe. From that dataset, they collected confirmed road attributes from 688 square kilometers of maps of 20 U.S. cities — including Boston, Chicago, Washington, and Seattle. Then, they gathered the corresponding satellite images from a Google Maps dataset.

In training, RoadTagger learns weights — which assign varying degrees of importance to features and node connections — of the CNN and GNN. The CNN extracts features from pixel patterns of tiles and the GNN propagates the learned features along the graph. From randomly selected subgraphs of the road, the system learns to predict the road features at each tile. In doing so, it automatically learns which image features are useful and how to propagate those features along the graph. For instance, if a target tile has unclear lane markings, but its neighbor tile has four lanes with clear lane markings and shares the same road width, then the target tile is likely to also have four lanes. In this case, the model automatically learns that the road width is a useful image feature, so if two adjacent tiles share the same road width, they’re likely to have the same lane count.

Given a road not seen in training from OpenStreetMap, the model breaks the road into tiles and uses its learned weights to make predictions. Tasked with predicting a number of lanes in an occluded tile, the model notes that neighboring tiles have matching pixel patterns and, therefore, a high likelihood to share information. So, if those tiles have four lanes, the occluded tile must also have four.

In another result, RoadTagger accurately predicted lane numbers in a dataset of synthesized, highly challenging road disruptions. As one example, an overpass with two lanes covered a few tiles of a target road with four lanes. The model detected mismatched pixel patterns of the overpass, so it ignored the two lanes over the covered tiles, accurately predicting four lanes were underneath.

The researchers hope to use RoadTagger to help humans rapidly validate and approve continuous modifications to infrastructure in datasets such as OpenStreetMap, where many maps don’t contain lane counts or other details. A specific area of interest is Thailand, Bastani says, where roads are constantly changing, but there are few if any updates in the dataset.

“Roads that were once labeled as dirt roads have been paved over so are better to drive on, and some intersections have been completely built over. There are changes every year, but digital maps are out of date,” he says. “We want to constantly update such road attributes based on the most recent imagery.”

###

Written by Rob Matheson, MIT News Office

[love-mark-wilson-blog]

Which is the best beach in Miami?

From the world famous South Beach, the hidden gemstone nature reserves in Key Biscayne and the family sand lanes in Surf-side It's no secret that one of Miami's main attractions is the beach. Read our guide to the best beaches in Miami and choose the perfect place for you! So what are you waiting for hire an exotic car rental Miami and start your journey today.

1.     South Beach

It's hard to think of Miami without a vision. South Beach is spinning in my head. This legendary stretch of beach stretches from the southern tip of the island to 23rd Street. Turquoise blue sea circles on a white sandy beach, Art Deco hotels are located along the coastline, and the beach itself is a patchwork with sun loungers and umbrellas. The husky heart of the beach extends from 5th to 15th Street along Ocean Drive and you will find a more muted, residential atmosphere in the north and south. Down on First Street on prestige exotics you will spy if conditions are suitable.

2.     Haulover Beach

North of Bal Harbor, Haulover Beach Here is the only nudist beach in Miami. While topless sunbathing is common throughout Miami Beach, this is where to go if you want to bare everyone. Calm snow-white strand attracts other visitors. This is a great place for surfers, when the conditions are suitable due to the current in the Haulover Bay, and the adjacent park on the ocean is a popular place for families to fly kites and have picnics - there are tables and grills in the open air. There is also a marina full of fishing and diving charters facing the Intracoastal Waterway.

3.     Matheson Hammock Park Beach

630 acres Matheson Hammock Park south of Coral Gables opened in 1930 as a gift to the county from conservationist William J. Matheson "to preserve the wilderness and natural beauty" of Miami. Want to know what a hammock is? In Miami, this refers to a unique ecosystem with dense plantations of broad-leaved trees, sprawling just a few centimeters above sea level, surrounded by tropical wetlands. In the park you can walk along paths through a hammock, rent kayaks and canoes on the beach and take a dip in the calm, sheltered waters of an artificial atoll surrounded by a sandy beach.

4.     Sunny Isles Beach

This clean and non-crowded two-mile stretch of sand in the northernmost reaches of Miami Beach is lined with tall residential condominiums. Sunny Isles Beach is ideal for families who want to spend a day on the beach without noise. Park in the parking lot on 174th Street and head to the beach through Samson Park overlooking the ocean - next to the lifeguard tower and volleyball nets - this is a magnificent beach where you can enjoy with your partner. On 165th Street, Newport's fishing pier is 600 feet into the ocean, and it is a good place for a scenic walk or a bite to eat.

5.     Crandon Park Beach

Crandon Park at Key Biscayne is the place to go to be active. Vendors offer lessons and rents for kite boarding, kayaking and kayaking, while there are trails through the mangrove promenade to the petrified coral reef, as well as nature-guided tours provided by the Nature Center. The beach itself is a sandy, calm stretch of two miles along the barrier island with the famous sandbank, which is constantly changing due to wind and tides. The beach has picnic tables, gazebos and volleyball nets, while the park has a marina, golf course and tennis center.

[gracefuldisgrace]

complete gracefuldisgrace muse list  ---  muse page to be added as soon as i get the time to do so 

PRIMARY MUSES

alex krycek.  x files. canon adjacent.  carter blake.  deep blue sea. canon compliant. charlie matheson.  revolution. canon divergent. j daniel atlas.  now you see me. canon compliant. logan hale.  zoo. canon divergent.  nick lane.  fringe. canon divergent.  tessa williams.  zoo. canon compliant.  wyatt jessup.  fandomless musican oc. 

SECONDARY MUSES

abraham kenyatta ;  zoo. canon compliant. agent tequila ;  kingsman.  canon compliant. ella grace boone ;  fandomless schoolteacher oc. elle woods ;  legally blonde. film canon compliant. henrietta boone ;  fandomless socialite oc. jack wilder.  now you see me. canon compliant.  murphy macmanus.  boondock saints. canon compliant. rich goranski.  be more chill. canon compliant.  zephandriel.  fandomless angel oc.

PRIVATE / UPON REQUEST

connor rk800 ;  detroit become human. blue-run canon compliant. daisy johnson ;  agents of shield. canon divergent. orm marius.  aquaman. canon divergent.  samuel fuller.  now you see me. canon adjacent.  thaddeus bradley.  now you see me. canon compliant. 

[tsgcharlottesvillevirginia]

REAL ESTATE ROUNDUP: FEBRUARY 2019

Here are some of the properties popping up on our radar this month. 

Fair View – 9106 Fairview Farm Ln. // Somerset, VA // Murdoch Matheson, Frank Hardy’s Sotheby’s International Realty, 434.296.0134

The details: 5 bedrooms, 5 full bathrooms, 10,000 square feet, 60-acres

Features we love: Located in the heart of Somerset, VA, this  c. 1856 Georgian brick home encompasses four levels of living space with 10’ ceilings, heart pine floors and original moldings and woodwork throughout.  We love the English basement that’s ideal for entertaining with a large family room and pub room. Dependencies include a studio guest house, three bedroom manager’s cottage and full equestrian facilities. It’s the ideal location for equestrian pursuits and country living at its finest.  

Dividing Waters Farm – 5573 Mountain Tpke Monterey // Monterey, VA // Frank Hardy, Frank Hardy’s Sotheby’s International Realty, 434.296.0134

The details: 8 bedrooms, 2 full bathrooms, 5,930 square feet, 875+ acres

Features we love: This property is located in Highland County, Virginia’s Little Switzerland, rising as high as 3,800+ feet with plenty of crisp, pure mountain air. On the market for the first time in seven generations, the historic, sun-filled home was built in 1913 and has been well-maintained. We love the high ceilings, multitude of bay windows and large wraparound porch with stunning views in all directions.  

4105 Luxor Terrace Drive // Charlottesville, VA // Ann Hay Hardy, Frank Hardy’s Sotheby’s International Realty, 434.296.0134

The details: 5 bedrooms, 5.1 bathrooms, 7,795 square feet, 23 acres

Features we love: A mere 10 miles from Cville in Western Albemarle, this private manor home is the perfect locations — near wineries, parks and breweries — and boasts amazing mountain and water views. Two stocked ponds and two streams meander through the property. Inside, this custom home features a gourmet kitchen, cathedral ceilings and a dreamy master bedroom suite. 

Chapel Springs – 2437 Chapel Spring Ln. // Charlottesville, VA // Loring Woodriff, Loring Woodriff Real Estate, 434.466.2992

The details: 6 bedrooms, 5.1 bathrooms, 4,986 square feet, 23 acres

Features we love: The Charles Stick designed landscape, coupled with two large covered porches to take in the panoramic Blue Ridge views make this the perfect place to while away many a lovely day and evening. Add to that a tennis court and fire pit and you’ll be hard-pressed to retire inside. But once you inside the picture perfect Georgian you’re treated to the ideal floor plan for both family living and entertaining with a jaw-dropping family room.  

Hidden Springs – 3396 Fox Mountain Rd.  // Charlottesville, VA // Loring Woodriff, Loring Woodriff Real Estate, 434.466.2992

The details: 4 bedrooms, 5.1 bathrooms, 6,351 square feet, 157 acres

Features we love: Nestled in the idyllic rolling foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, this welcoming storybook house was reconstructed on the original home site in 1991 using reclaimed circa 1800 materials. The high ceilings, wide-plank pine floors, antique mantels and stunning wainscoting ooze charm. This is enhanced with guest suites, a remarkable barn and log guest cabin. 

Pont Rouge Farm– 5214 Pont Rouge Farm // Crozet, VA //  Loring Woodriff, Loring Woodriff Real Estate, 434.466.2992

The details: 5 bedrooms, 5.1 bathrooms, 5,426 square feet, 386 acres

Features we love: Entry to this idyllic residence is through a covered bridge, the only one in Albemarle County. The pristine main residence does not disappoint, but equally impressive is the log guest cottage adjacent to the main house, both enjoying staggering mountain views. Every inch of the 386 acres are in pristine condition, from the horse barn to the fenced fields, and of the highest quality. 

[lollipoplollipopoh]

🇮🇶 Deaths after rockets hit Iranian Kurdish offices in Iraq | Al Jazeera English by Al Jazeera English Rockets have struck the headquarters of two Iranian Kurdish opposition parties in Iraq's semi-autonomous Kurdish region, with reports saying at least 11 people have been killed and 50 others wounded. In a post on Twitter, the PDKI blamed Iran for the attack and said that an adjacent refugee camp was also hit, it also posted photos showing injured children and massive plumes of smoke in the sky. Al Jazeera could not verify the report independently. Iranian state media and its military have not commented on the reported attack. Al Jazeera’s Rob Matheson reports from Baghdad. - Subscribe to our channel: https://ift.tt/291RaQr - Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/AJEnglish - Find us on Facebook: https://ift.tt/1iHo6G4 - Check our website: https://ift.tt/2lOp4tL

[rebeccaroberts-photography]

Structure - My Chosen Structure

13/05/21

The National Museum of Scotland, Edinburgh

The building I have chosen to photograph for the Structure project brief is the National Museum of Scotland, which is located on Chambers Street in Edinburgh, just off the Royal Mile. The building has had multiple renovations and extensions added to it between 1861, originally designed by Captain Francis Fowke and Robert Matheson. Secondary renovations designed by Benson and Forsythe Architects in 1998, with the most recent developments by architect Gareth Hoskins in 2004 who reopened the museum in 2011.

I have chosen this particular building as the focal point for this project because of the contrast in architectural style and designs, the original architects were heavily influenced by the Italian Renaissance and the building was constructed during the Victorian Era. Whereas recent renovations by Benson and Forsyth drew inspiration from a modernist architect named Le Corbusier with influence from Scottish medieval turrets and towers. Visually, the modern half of the building is more geometric and made from Morayshire Sandstone which is beige colour, next to the original half of the building made from stone and brick with more intricate carving detail. The interior of the museum is like a labyrinth, with three floors full of exhibits and artifacts but the architecture includes metal balconies with vertical poles, there is also a 80x24 meter glass roof which supplies the space with streams of direct sun light. The basement level of the building has a completed different atmosphere as it is the cellar, with low lighting and arched ceilings that itself contrasts against the first to 4th floors of balconies and spiral staircases. There is also access to the roof with a view of the city.

Overall, I think this structure has so many features with strong Scottish influences for its form and functions that I will have to select specific areas to capture that portray the architecture’s vision successfully and enhances each detail. I have also spent a lot of time growing up visiting this museum as it is close by and there is so much to see and learn about. As for photography permissions, the exterior and interior of the structure can be photographed.

Architectural Background

The development of the museum from the Industrial Museum of Scotland to the National Museum of Scotland begins in 1697, where Roberts Sibbald presented the University of Edinburgh with a collection of historic natural artifacts along with Andrew Balfour. This lead to the University opening a museum residing on the campus that would soon lead to the development of a larger independent building being developed in 1854 as the collection of artifacts grew.

Between 1854 and 1859, Dr George Wilson was the first director of the museum when it was known as the Industrial Museum of Scotland and at the time he worked as a professor of technology at the University of Edinburgh. After his death, Tomas Croxen Archer took over as director alongside Captain Francis Fowke who was initially an inspector at the museum where it resided in the university, he was known for designing parts of the South Kensington Museum in 1858 which inspired his designs for the Industrial Museum.

Watercolour Sketch by Francis Fowke 1850s:

In 1861, construction bean on the architectural designs created by Fowke accompanied by Robert Matheson and the first foundation brick was placed by Prince Albert. Between 1861 and 1866, the two separate museum sectors of Natural History and the Industrial Arts were brought together into this new building, known to the public as the Edinburgh Museum of Science and Art that was officially opened in 1866 by Prince Alfred.  With further expansions of the great hall in 1871, the University and Museum severed ties and the bridge between the buildings was closed off. This expansion was to be completed by 1874 and reopened to the public in 1875 as an independent museum out-with the University.

Photograph captured on daguerreotype of interior in 1980s:

In 1904, the museum was renamed from the Edinburgh Museum of Science and Art to the Royal Scottish Museum then again after another extension it was renamed The Royal Museum of Scotland. In 1998, the Museum of Scotland opened adjacent to the Royal Museum of Scotland and it was at this time where Benson and Forsythe Architects created a master plan to redevelop the building and combine the two.  The new sectors of the building were inspired by Le Corbusier, an architect with a modernist take, as well as being heavily influenced of Scottish medieval structures and the form of turrets and spiraling staircases that were included throughout the design.

Benson and Forsythe Architects Design for Redevelopment, 1998:

In 2004, Gareth Hoskins Architects came forward with ideas for an interior renovation of the museum that opened back up in 2006, now known as the National Museum of Scotland now the two previous museums had been merged together. It was in 2008 that the building was closed for redevelopment and underwent the changes made by Hoskins to expand the museum to street level, meaning that the cellar or basement level became an access point to the public and now it is the main entrance. The basement level was designed with arched ceilings and pillars for support as there were concerns for the strength of the structure by working on lower levels. As of 2011, there have been no further exterior developments but exhibition spaces are being updated and changed to offer the public more insight into Scottish history.

basement redevelopments by Gareth Hoskins, 2011:

https://manchesterhistory.net/architecture/1990/museumscotland.html

Edinburgh Museum of Science and Art c.1900 | The Foundation … | Flickr

https://www.nms.ac.uk/explore-our-collections/resources/architecture-trail-of-the-national-museum-of-scotland/

[shadowworldwanderers]

Candy Corn Kisses - Ellie/Jude

A/N: So it's late but here's some more soft Ellie/Jude for @jmathesonandsiblings ' Spooky Season In The Barrens. Jude belongs to @jmathesonandsiblings.

“Are you still eating those?” Jude’s laugh is soft even as he watches Ellie scoop the handful of candy corn into her mouth, chewing happily. She’s been a little withdrawn lately but the gift of her favorite Halloween snack had clearly done a lot for her happiness. “Mhm…” She’s giggling as she empties the last handful into her hand before chewing each one before swallowing. He can’t help smiling, she’s adorable when she laughs. “You didn’t want any, right?” “No…. no, seeing you enjoy them is what I wanted.” She smiles again, standing to cross closer to him, her lips soft against his. “I love you, Jude Matheson.”

[smithdevin-blog1]

Medical Gas Equipment Market (2019-2026) | What Recent Study say about Top Companies

Market Size – USD 4.55 Billion in 2018, Market Growth - CAGR of 7.4%, Market Trends – Product launches and research for advanced equipments

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Growth predicts the increased number of individuals seeking treatment for respiratory disease in ambulatory surgical centers. Growing patient, coupled with cutting-edge equipment, will render a positive impact on business growth during the forecast.

To look at the PDF Sample Report and get 30 minutes of a free consultation@ https://www.reportsanddata.com/sample-enquiry-form/2168

Key players of the global Medical Gas Equipment market are profiled on the basis of various factors, which include recent developments, business strategies, financial strength, weaknesses, and main business. The Medical Gas Equipment report offers a special assessment of top strategic moves of leading players such as Medical gas equipment market are Air Liquide, Allied Healthcare Products Inc., Amico Corp., BeaconMedæs, Gentec Corp., Linde Gas, Matheson Tri-Gas Inc., Ohio Medical, Powerex and Praxair Inc.

With all the data gathered and analyzed using SWOT analysis, there was a clearer picture of the competitive landscape of the global Medical Gas Equipment market. Sources for the future market growth were uncovered and outlying competitive threats also surfaced. There was strategic direction eminent in the market and this shows in the key trends and developments studied. By getting market background and using current norms, policies, and trends of other leading markets for cross-references, market data was completed.

Product (Revenue, USD Million; 2016–2026)

·         Air Compressors

·         Masks

·         Vacuum Systems

·         Manifolds

·         Outlets

·         Valves and Hose Assemblies

·         Alarm Systems

End-Use (Revenue, USD Million; 2016–2026)

·         Clinics

·         Hospitals

·         Research Institutions

·         Home Healthcare

·         Pharmaceutical Industry

·         Biotechnology Industry

Do you have questions about the Report or want to inquire about a Discount? Ask our Expert@ https://www.reportsanddata.com/discount-enquiry-form/2168

Market Segment by Regions, regional analysis covers

•North America (United States, Canada and Mexico)

•Europe (Germany, France, UK, Russia and Italy)

•Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, Korea, India and Southeast Asia)

•South America (Brazil, Argentina, Colombia etc.)

•Middle East and Africa (Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt, Nigeria and South Africa)

Exploring growth rate over a period

Business owners looking to scale up their business can refer this report that contains data regarding the rise in sales within a given consumer base for the forecast period, 2019 to 2028. Product owners can use this information along with the driving factors such as demographics and revenue generated from other products discussed in the report to get a better analysis of their products and services. Besides, the research analysts have compared the market growth rate with the product sales to enable business owners to determine the success or failure of a specific product or service.

Why Choose “Reports And Data” Research Report?

1.  Regional demand estimation and forecast

2.  Pre-commodity pricing volatility

3.  Technological updates analysis

4.  Location Quotients Analysis

5.  Raw Material Sourcing Strategy

6.  Competitive Analysis

7.  Product Mix Matrix…Continued

Some of the major Chapters from TOC

Chapter 1 Medical Gas Equipment Market Overview

Chapter 2 Medical Gas Equipment Market Segment Analysis by Player

Chapter 3 Medical Gas Equipment Market Segment Analysis by Type

Chapter 4 Medical Gas Equipment Market Segment Analysis by Application

Chapter 5 Medical Gas Equipment Market Segment Analysis by Sales Channel

Chapter 6 Medical Gas Equipment Market Segment Analysis by Region

Chapter 7 Profile of Leading Medical Gas Equipment Players…Cont

Find the extensive Report Description, TOC and Table of Figure https://www.reportsanddata.com/press-release/global-Medical Gas Equipment-market      

The report concludes with the profiles of major players in the Medical Gas Equipment. The key market players are evaluated on various parameters such as company overview, product portfolio, Medical Gas Equipment developed by the companies and recent development trends of the Medical Gas Equipment. 

[samslater305]

How to Celebrate Halloween 2019 in Scottsdale

  Halloween is a big deal in Scottsdale – there are several fabulous events in town, ranging from fun and kid-friendly to downright scary. Check out this list of great ways to celebrate Halloween 2019 in Scottsdale… if you dare.

How to Celebrate Halloween 2019 in Scottsdale

Whether you’re looking for a kid-friendly festival or the scare of a lifetime (or something in-between – we’re not judging!), you’ll find it in Scottsdale. Here are some of the most-anticipated events coming up for the holiday:

Raven’s Halloween Bash

Halloween Block Party

Halloween Bash at OdySea in the Desert

Evil Enchantment

Scottsdale Zombie Crawl

Halloween Spooktacular Hot Air Balloon Festival

BS West Halloween Show and Block Party

Halloween Spook-Track-Ula at McCormick Stillman Railroad Park

Nightmare on Princess Drive

Check out the details for each to plan your celebration.

Raven’s Halloween Bash

Saturday, October 26, 8 p.m.

Talking Stick Resort

Raven’s Halloween Bash at Talking Stick Resort is a fabulous dance party featuring live music by Lane Change and DJ Brando, great decor and specialty cocktails. There’s also a must-see costume contest at midnight.

Halloween Block Party

Friday, October 25, 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.

The Promenade is hosting a family-friendly Halloween Block Party adjacent to Blaze Pizza and Modern Market. Kids can make their own slime at the Halloween-themed slime station, decorate pumpkins, have their faces painted and snag fabulous balloon animals – all in costume.

Browse Scottsdale Homes for Sale Here (Continue Reading Below)

$5,285,000

6508 E BAR Z Lane Paradise Valley, AZ 85253

5 Beds

5 | 1 Baths

7,479 SqFt

      #5879501 | Single Family Home

Seller's Rep: RE/MAX Fine Properties

$2,750,000

19946 N 103RD Street #1102 Scottsdale, AZ 85255

4 Beds

4 | 1 Baths

6,964 SqFt

      #5949868 | Single Family Home

Seller's Rep: RE/MAX Fine Properties

$1,244,000

12163 E CASITAS DEL RIO Drive Scottsdale, AZ 85255

4 Beds

4 | 1 Baths

4,383 SqFt

      #5979105 | Single Family Home

Seller's Rep: RE/MAX Fine Properties

$425,000

20801 N 90TH Place #203 Scottsdale, AZ 85255

3 Beds

2 Baths

1,785 SqFt

      #5936286 | Condo

Seller's Rep: RE/MAX Fine Properties

$350,000

4218 E CREOSOTE Drive Cave Creek, AZ 85331

3 Beds

2 | 1 Baths

2,001 SqFt

      #5980534 | Single Family Home

Seller's Rep: RE/MAX Fine Properties

$850,000

19 E WOODWARD Drive Phoenix, AZ 85004

0.28 Lot Acres

      #5903494 | Lots / Land

Seller's Rep: RE/MAX Fine Properties

$49,000

20400 W TOPAZ Boulevard Goodyear, AZ 85338

4.36 Lot Acres

      #5813681 | Lots / Land

Seller's Rep: RE/MAX Fine Properties

$480,000

4046 E DYNAMITE Boulevard Cave Creek, AZ 85331

3 Beds

2 Baths

1,457 SqFt

      #5947992 | Mobile Home

Seller's Rep: RE/MAX Fine Properties

$550,000 (Contract Contingent on Buyer Sale)

20704 N 90TH Place #1031 Scottsdale, AZ 85255

2 Beds

2 Baths

1,771 SqFt

      #5956446 | Condo

Seller's Rep: RE/MAX Fine Properties

$380,000 (Pending)

3011 E DORAL Drive Chandler, AZ 85249

4 Beds

3 Baths

2,511 SqFt

      #5966351 | Single Family Home

Seller's Rep: RE/MAX Fine Properties

$375,000 (Under Contract-Backups)

701 W WILSHIRE Drive Phoenix, AZ 85007

2 Beds

2 Baths

1,848 SqFt

      #5945043 | Single Family Home

Seller's Rep: RE/MAX Fine Properties

$205,000 (Under Contract-Backups)

45672 W TULIP Lane Maricopa, AZ 85139

4 Beds

2 Baths

1,927 SqFt

      #5968407 | Single Family Home

Seller's Rep: RE/MAX Fine Properties

$350,000 (Under Contract-Backups)

10617 E GREYTHORN Drive Scottsdale, AZ 85262

0.85 Lot Acres

      #5818656 | Lots / Land

Seller's Rep: RE/MAX Fine Properties

Halloween Bash at OdySea in the Desert

Sunday, October 27, 12 p.m. to 4 p.m.

This year’s Halloween Bash at OdySea in the Desert is a free, fun, family-oriented party where kids can win big prizes in the Halloween Costume Contest on Center Stage, trick-or-treat for candy from local vendors, and play in bounce houses and on inflatable slides. There’ll be face painting, live entertainment in family-friendly performances, shopping and prize giveaways, too.

Evil Enchantment

Saturday, October 26, 9 p.m. to 2 a.m.

Evil Enchantment at W Scottsdale Hotel is a huge bash featuring live entertainment, specialty cocktails and plenty of dancing for the 21-and-up set.

Scottsdale Zombie Crawl

Saturday, October 26, 7 p.m. to 2 a.m.

The Scottsdale Zombie Crawl in Old Town Scottsdale comes with your very own Zombie Survival Kit (with welcome shot tickets, drink discount coupons, nightclub entry passes and a big map with all the lounges, bars and clubs participating). Come in costume to have fun at more than 15 different locations throughout Old Town.

Halloween Spooktacular Hot Air Balloon Festival

Friday, October 25 and Saturday, October 26, 5 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. both days

The Halloween Spooktacular Hot Air Balloon Festival is a great place to bring kids for Halloween. With more than 20 hot air balloons on display passing out more than 4,000 pounds of candy to trick-or-treaters, this fabulous celebration also includes live music, food and drink vendors, and a kids’ zone. Try out tethered balloon rides, walk down the haunted trail and watch fireworks with family and friends.

BS West Halloween Show and Block Party

Saturday, October 26, 8 p.m. to 2 a.m.

The BS West Halloween Show and Block Party is a huge outdoor celebration. There are five bars, live performances and a costume contest – and there will be more than 2,500 people there, which makes it one of the largest Halloween parties in Arizona.

Halloween Spook-Track-Ula at McCormick Stillman Railroad Park

Daily from October 25 to October 31

The Halloween Spook-Track-Ula at McCormick Stillman Railroad Park is totally haunted – we think. The whole family-friendly event is perfect for little ones, though, and the whole family can hop on a spooky train ride designed with younger children in mind. On October 25, you can join family and friends for movie night, where they’re showing Hotel Transylvania starting at 6:30 p.m. Trick-or-treat stations will be set up on Halloween night from 4:30 p.m. to 9 p.m., as well.

Nightmare on Princess Drive

November 2 to November 3, 9 p.m. to 2 a.m.

After Halloween’s over, the party doesn’t have to stop. Check out Nightmare on Princess Drive: Area 51 at the Fairmont Scottdale Princess. This 10th-annual event is an alien-themed party that kind-of ties in with Halloween, so we wanted to include it as well.

Are You Buying or Selling a Home in Scottsdale?

If you’re selling a home in Scottsdale, your first step is to find out how much it’s worth. Call us at 602-899-5618 to talk to an experienced luxury real estate agent about how we can use cutting-edge marketing techniques to put your home in front of all the right buyers. If you’re also looking for a new home in Scottsdale, explore all our Scottsdale real estate listings or look in specific communities:

Bellasera homes for sale

Desert Highlands homes for sale

Gainey Ranch homes for sale

Hidden Hills homes for sale

Ironwood Village homes for sale

Legend Trail homes for sale

Pinnacle Peak homes for sale

Silverleaf homes for sale

Sincuidados homes for sale

South Scottsdale homes for sale

Stonegate homes for sale

SunRidge Canyon homes for sale

The Boulders homes for sale

Winfield homes for sale

Don Matheson REALTOR® | Founder The Matheson Team RE/MAX Fine Properties 21000 N. Pima Rd., #100, Scottsdale, AZ 85255 480-351-5359 don@scottsdalerealestate.com

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Don Matheson 21000 N Pima Rd #100 Scottsdale, AZ 85255 602-694-3200 Map Location

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Explore Homes for Sale in North Scottsdale Now

$5,285,000

6508 E BAR Z Lane Paradise Valley, AZ 85253

5 Beds

5 | 1 Baths

7,479 SqFt

      #5879501 | Single Family Home

Seller's Rep: RE/MAX Fine Properties

$2,750,000

19946 N 103RD Street #1102 Scottsdale, AZ 85255

4 Beds

4 | 1 Baths

6,964 SqFt

      #5949868 | Single Family Home

Seller's Rep: RE/MAX Fine Properties

$1,244,000

12163 E CASITAS DEL RIO Drive Scottsdale, AZ 85255

4 Beds

4 | 1 Baths

4,383 SqFt

      #5979105 | Single Family Home

Seller's Rep: RE/MAX Fine Properties

$850,000

19 E WOODWARD Drive Phoenix, AZ 85004

0.28 Lot Acres

      #5903494 | Lots / Land

Seller's Rep: RE/MAX Fine Properties

$550,000 (Contract Contingent on Buyer Sale)

20704 N 90TH Place #1031 Scottsdale, AZ 85255

2 Beds

2 Baths

1,771 SqFt

      #5956446 | Condo

Seller's Rep: RE/MAX Fine Properties

$480,000

4046 E DYNAMITE Boulevard Cave Creek, AZ 85331

3 Beds

2 Baths

1,457 SqFt

      #5947992 | Mobile Home

Seller's Rep: RE/MAX Fine Properties

$425,000

20801 N 90TH Place #203 Scottsdale, AZ 85255

3 Beds

2 Baths

1,785 SqFt

      #5936286 | Condo

Seller's Rep: RE/MAX Fine Properties

$380,000 (Pending)

3011 E DORAL Drive Chandler, AZ 85249

4 Beds

3 Baths

2,511 SqFt

      #5966351 | Single Family Home

Seller's Rep: RE/MAX Fine Properties

$375,000 (Under Contract-Backups)

701 W WILSHIRE Drive Phoenix, AZ 85007

2 Beds

2 Baths

1,848 SqFt

      #5945043 | Single Family Home

Seller's Rep: RE/MAX Fine Properties

$350,000 (Under Contract-Backups)

10617 E GREYTHORN Drive Scottsdale, AZ 85262

0.85 Lot Acres

      #5818656 | Lots / Land

Seller's Rep: RE/MAX Fine Properties

$350,000

4218 E CREOSOTE Drive Cave Creek, AZ 85331

3 Beds

2 | 1 Baths

2,001 SqFt

      #5980534 | Single Family Home

Seller's Rep: RE/MAX Fine Properties

$205,000 (Under Contract-Backups)

45672 W TULIP Lane Maricopa, AZ 85139

4 Beds

2 Baths

1,927 SqFt

      #5968407 | Single Family Home

Seller's Rep: RE/MAX Fine Properties

$49,000

20400 W TOPAZ Boulevard Goodyear, AZ 85338

4.36 Lot Acres

      #5813681 | Lots / Land

Seller's Rep: RE/MAX Fine Properties

      The post How to Celebrate Halloween 2019 in Scottsdale appeared first on Scottsdale Real Estate.

[ntrending]

Why these towns are trying to save an 'agricultural pest'

New Post has been published on https://nexcraft.co/why-these-towns-are-trying-to-save-an-agricultural-pest/

Why these towns are trying to save an 'agricultural pest'

Helen Taylor never considered herself an activist. But in 2015, she learned that an open plot of land in her city of Fort Collins, Colorado was slated for development. 700 prairie dogs called this patch of grass home. “I had been watching and enjoying this colony for many years,” says Taylor, a content manager at a marketing company. “I knew something terrible was going to happen.”

Without any intervention, the prairie dogs would likely have been poisoned or bulldozed, both common and legal practices. So Taylor wrote to the developer, talked to city officials, and started an organization—the Northern Colorado Prairie Dog Advocates—to push for relocating the rodents. She spent roughly a year searching for a suitable site within the city to move them, and wrestled with a complex permitting process. Taylor and a group of volunteers identified the family units within the colony, trapped the animals, and carried them to their new grounds, complete with artificial burrows constructed with plastic tubing. The volunteers made sure the families stayed together, and kept the same neighbors. “We basically are lifting up the colony and placing it intact in a new location,” Taylor says.

Extermination—by farmers, ranchers, developers, and government officials—and habitat loss have wiped prairie dogs from about 98 percent of their historic 368 million acre range. In 11 states from Texas to Montana, prairie dogs once lived in vast underground towns, some teeming with millions of the critters. Since the late 1800s, they’ve been largely treated as a nuisance and poisoned in large-scale eradication efforts. To this day, the U.S. Department of Agriculture considers prairie dogs an “agricultural pest.” In recent decades, whole colonies have perished after catching plague from fleas carrying Yersinia pestis, the same bacterium responsible for the Black Death pandemic, because the rodents have few defenses against the disease.

Saving small, isolated groups of these creatures, like Taylor’s advocacy group did, won’t restore the massive colonies that once thrived in the West. But these smaller patches of city-dwelling prairie dogs could play an important role in raising public consciousness and helping maintain resiliency of larger populations.

Prairie dog at Prairie Dog Town, Abilene, Kansas, 447 miles west of St. Louis, Mo.

After 150 years of poisoning and shooting them, humans are slowly recognizing prairie dogs as more than a pest. The public started to change its perspective in the 1990s, says Ana Davidson, a conservation scientist with Colorado State University in Fort Collins. Around the same time, biologists asserted their status as a “keystone” species that links plants and animals together in a vast grassland food web. Coyotes, badgers, raptors, and black-footed ferrets (a species at the brink of extinction) all eat prairie dogs. Digging burrows also moves the soil around, helping cycle nutrients, which has been linked to healthier, more nutritious grasses for grazers like bison and cattle. And their burrows create habitats for burrowing owls, tiger salamanders, spiders, and insects. All in all, ecologists estimate that more than 150 species interact with prairie dogs in some way. That means these little rodents and their burrows form the foundation of North America’s greater grassland ecosystem—one of the most endangered ecosystems in the world.

Now, in the growing cities of Colorado’s Front Range (an area east of the Rockies that includes Denver) officials are trying to balance the interests of farmers and ranchers with residents newly-enamored of the prairie dog. Since January in the City of Longmont, developers with more than 25 prairie dogs on their property must post the location and number of the animals on the city’s website when planning to build. That gives advocates, including nonprofits and informal volunteer groups, a chance to call around and see if there’s room on city or county public lands or a welcoming private tract to move the rodents. In October 2018, the nearby city of Lafayette enacted an emergency moratorium on killing prairie dogs to buy time as it comes up with a plan of its own. “As the urban population has grown and more people become familiar with prairie dogs, that message of them being a keystone species is something people talk about,” says David Bell, natural resources manager for Longmont’s public works and natural resources department. Prairie dogs have long been a polarizing force, but “on both sides, we’re seeing more interest in how we resolve these issues.” Advocates are increasingly vocal about protection, and those in agriculture tend to argue for pest removal.

In urban areas, where the rodents’ habitat is hemmed in, their numbers can become so dense that their burrowing leads to erosion and loss of native vegetation, says Therese Glowacki, resource management manager with Boulder County. It’s made having to do something to control populations adjacent to people inevitable, though what that something should be is fiercely argued at city and county meetings. “Prairie dogs are kind of a flash point in land use discussions in the West, in Colorado and other places where we have lost most of their habitat,” says Glowacki.

In more rural areas outside cities, the rodents aren’t welcomed either. Prairie dogs dig holes and feed on plants, and thus don’t share the land well with crops. Many ranchers think of them as a nuisance because they compete with cattle by grazing grass. Ranchers also claim the rodent’s burrows can pose a leg-breaking hazard to animals hoofing it around the prairie.

Scientists think that the ranchers’ concerns are exaggerated. Prairie dogs do compete with cows for forage, according to John Hoogland, a University of Maryland behavioral ecologist who has studied prairie dogs for 45 years. “But it’s been vastly overrated, and there are some circumstances where cows prefer to feed on [the land occupied by] prairie dog colonies because the vegetation there is more nutritious.” As for leg-breaking, Hoogland says it’s probably happened at some point, but remains rare. Despite this, beliefs around prairie dogs are deeply ingrained and continue to hold sway with management: In South Dakota, for example, government officials are required to poison a one-mile buffer zone of burrows on public lands adjacent to a property if the landowner complains about the rodents.

The mayor of Prairie Dog Town.

To try to strike a compromise, since 1999 Boulder County has managed prairie dogs under a plan that affirms their unique role in the ecosystem—but also recognizes that, sometimes, they’re simply incompatible with humans. It designates areas for habitat conservation, where it actively protects prairie dogs by doing things like spraying burrows with insecticide to kill plague-spreading fleas. When the rodents do begin to creep onto agricultural lands, officials usually trap them and take them to wildlife recovery centers, where they’re fed to ferrets and hawks. Sending them off to get eaten seems like something straight out of a dark comedy, but black-tailed ferrets are the most endangered mammal in North America, and prairie dogs are their main food source, making the county’s facility a grassland trophic chart in miniature.

Glowacki estimates the acres and location of prairie dog towns in the county each year to see if they’re living where intended—the large, contiguous grassland areas they’ve historically called home. Indeed, their numbers are growing in these natural areas, but there’s also many smaller colonies scattered throughout the county. Managing these habitats is challenging because the animals tend to move into nearby properties, Glowacki says, where they tear up landscaping and gardens. Still, protecting even the small populations is important, because they can help repopulate larger habitats devastated by plague.

Lindsey Sterling Krank, director of the Humane Society’s Prairie Dog Coalition, agrees. “Because these [smaller] colonies are fragmented, maybe they aren’t as susceptible to disease.” The urban colonies are physically isolated from the larger habitats hopping with plague-carrying fleas. These prairie dog islands could also help humans. Even a few acres of open land creates an urban wildlife hotspot. Coyotes, hawks, and badgers move in to prey on the prairie dogs. Having a natural food source also diverts these predators from chasing down neighborhood cats and dogs, Krank says.

The Humane Society and WildEarth Guardians recently released a guide for citizens and local governments looking to create their own conservation plans. Krank gets a lot of calls from Front Range residents worried about impending development on their local prairie dog town, and she hopes the guide will help provide tools for people to assess what options are available. Relocation is an option, but if it’s possible to conserve them in place that might actually be ideal. “There’s not an endless supply of receiving sites,” Krank says.

Prairie dog in hole at Prairie Dog Town.

As cities continue to grow and fill in once-vacant lands, relocations may become more difficult. The City of Boulder is struggling with that now. For years, the city has required that developers try to find relocation sites. Since 2013, they’ve relocated a few hundred animals every year. But now, the city has more prairie dogs than it has room for on the “receiving sites,” says Valerie Matheson, Boulder’s urban wildlife conservation coordinator. Prairie dog towns are covering up to 50 percent of some ranching properties in the city, in what was recently deemed a “crisis” that might require killing them on agricultural lands. When a site goes over 30 percent occupation by prairie dogs, the animals start eating more plants and digging up more soil than the area can sustain, Glowacki says. Even the larger county conservation areas that Glowacki manages are close to capacity, with the highest density of prairie dogs seen in 20 years.

In an ideal scenario, prairie dogs are moved from where they conflict with humans to grasslands where they can play their crucial role in those ecosystems, Davidson says. In New Mexico, she helped efforts to capture prairie dogs around Santa Fe and Albuquerque and move them to the Sevilleta National Wildlife Refuge. But in Colorado, it’s illegal to move prairie dogs across county lines without approval from county agricultural officials, impeding large-scale recovery. “Not being able to do relocation across county lines is political and not based on an ecological reason,” Davidson says.

Hoogland thinks that officials need to focus on creating more large sanctuaries. “I love these animals dearly,” he says. “But I don’t want to see anybody get so obsessed with saving these urban prairie dogs that we miss the bigger picture.”

An urban prairie dog’s value goes beyond its ecological role or potential ability to seed larger populations. “In another sense,” Hoogland says, the animals are “extremely important because this is the only way some people see prairie dogs.” There’s a lot to said for the fuzzy feeling of watching the round, animated creatures stand atop their burrows and call out to each other. Their characteristic yipping—which is why they’re called prairie dogs—is part of one of the most sophisticated animal languages out there. In one analysis, they could even tell their family and neighbors if a tall human wearing blue, or a short human in yellow, was approaching. And, Glowacki adds, “They’re cute!”

Ultimately, advocates believe prairie dogs are worth saving no matter their value to humans or to the grassland food web. Helen Taylor, who started Northern Colorado Prairie Dog Advocates to protect the animals in her own backyard, says, “They still have their own inherent value as communal, smart, interesting animals.” And protecting even small colonies could be an important tool in changing their public image. “Every time we do a relocation we have this amazing opportunity to educate the public and help chip away at these myths that have played such a huge role in people feeling like they can say [prairie dogs] don’t matter.”

Written By Ula Chrobak

[alfredrserrano]

Judge upholds Miami referendum on land lease negotiations for soccer stadium project

From left: Jorge Mas and David Beckham, with a rendering of Miami Freedom Park (Credit: Getty Images)

A judge upheld the result of a Miami referendum authorizing the city to negotiate a lease for a stadium where David Beckham’s Major League Soccer team would play.

The ruling by Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Mavel Ruiz preserved the outcome of the referendum in November, when 60 percent of Miami voters authorized the negotiation of a 99-year lease for the development of a stadium and commercial complex.

A 25,000-seat stadium and a hotel, office park and commercial campus would be built at a cost of $1 billion on the city-owned Melreese golf course, which spans 73 acres. Beckham’s MLS team, Club Internacional de Futbol (Inter Miami) also would build a public park on an adjacent site.

The referendum result also would allow the city to amend its charter to waive competitive bidding to lease the Melreese golf course.

Bruce Matheson, descendant of a pioneering Miami family, filed a lawsuit against the city to invalidate the referendum before the November vote, contending the ballot question lacked adequate details, partly because a lease had not been negotiated.

But Judge Ruiz wrote in her decision Thursday that the ballot question was valid and provided “the essential details of the proposed changes to the City’s Charter within the 75-word limit.”

Matheson told the Miami Herald that he will appeal the judge’s ruling.

Miami city commissioners recently set a Sept. 12 deadline to reach a lease agreement for the planned stadium and commercial complex, which would be called Miami Freedom Park.

Led locally by MasTec chairman Jorge Mas, the Beckham group also is pursuing another project in Fort Lauderdale, where the owners would spend more than $60 million to redevelop now-closed Lockhart Stadium.

Inter Miami would play its first two seasons at Lockhart Stadium while a stadium is built in Miami. After the team’s second season, Lockhart Stadium would serve solely as an 18,000-seat exhibition and training facility.

Fort Lauderdale city commissioners agreed Tuesday to start negotiating a Lockhart Stadium deal with the Beckham Group. [Miami Herald] – Mike Seemuth

from The Real Deal Miami https://therealdeal.com/miami/2019/03/23/judge-upholds-miami-referendum-on-land-lease-talks-for-soccer-stadium-project/ via IFTTT

[tsgcharlottesvillevirginia]

Real Estate Roundup: June 2019

The market is brimming over with tempting properties, from a picturesque cottage to a stunning downtown condo that puts city living at your feet. After reading this, your summer daydreams might need to become a reality. 

Black Cat Cabin – 2417 Palmer Drive // Keswick, VA // Loring Woodriff Real Estate, 434.466.2992

The details: 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, 2,176 square feet, 4.18 acres

Features we love: This charming c. 1930 cottage has endless charms, privacy and history. The owner's wonderful aesthetic sense and light touch on the renovation front have only enhanced Black Cat Cabin's appeal. The vaulted living room is light and airy, even as it is framed by a massive stone fireplace. Soapstone counters in the kitchen complement exposed beams. The untouched cabin walls in the dining room, w/ another stone fireplace, provide the perfect counter point to the white washed living room. Screen porches on both floors bring the outside in. Massive hardwoods shade expansive, level lawns. 

16201 MONROVIA RD // Orange, VA // Frank Hardy’s Sotheby’s International Realty, Patricia O’Grady Filer, 540-672-0419

The details: 3 bedrooms, 2.1 bathrooms, 2,684 square feet, 7.6 acres

Features we love: Stately home set back on a picturesque elevated knoll, surrounded by a large farm that’s in conservation easement, yet close to town and schools. Gorgeous 10' ceilings are on the first floor, spacious formal rooms, split staircase, and amazing closet space for a house this age. 

3104 RAGGED RIDGE LN // Charlottesville, VA // Loring Woodriff Real Estate, 434.466.2992

The details: 3 bedrooms, 2.1 bathrooms, 3,384 square feet, 17.86 acres

Features we love: This Light-filled home features classical French architecture by Dalgliesh, Gilpin, Paxton and built by Shelter Associates with the finest materials and craftsmanship. Details include 10'8" ceilings, triple crown moldings, beautiful millwork bookcases, stunning hanging staircase, 19th c. mantel, recessed windows and French doors to patios from the living room and dining room. The chef's kitchen is swoon-worthy with a farm sink, Sub-Zero Cabinet Refrigerator, Dacor Gas Stove, custom pantry and cabinets.

4007 CEDAR GROVE LN // Charlottesville, VA // Frank Hardy’s Sotheby’s International Realty, Ronda Pearl, 434-760-1718

The details: 3 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, 1,424 square feet, 83.61 acres

Features we love: Opportunity abounds on 83+/- acres of gently rolling land surrounded by some of Albemarle County's most prestigious estates in the Carters Bridge area, just south of Charlottesville. Mainly wooded with beautiful evergreens, this property offers privacy on several potential homesites. An existing well-maintained 3BR/3BA cabin with open yard could be an income-producing rental or a dependency for a larger to-be-built home. Bordered by Murphy Creek and several adjacent parcels that are in conservation easements. Conveniently located 10 miles or 15 minutes to Charlottesville. Also being offered with two cabins on approximately 90 acres.

550 Water Street // Charlottesville, VA // Loring Woodriff Real Estate, 434.466.2992

The details: 4 bedrooms, 3.1 bathrooms, 3,420 square feet

Features we love: The 550 is an ultra-premium, boutique-scale condo building located one block off the Downtown Mall. This dramatic, glass & brick structure designed by Formwork & constructed by Martin Horn, was awarded the most influential residential construction project of 2018 by the Urban Land Institute. This 3rd floor unit offers direct access from elevator into the unit, private covered terrace (427 sf) & huge private rooftop deck (1,750sf) with views of the vibrant downtown scene & mountains beyond, large windows, open floor plan, secure garage parking (2 spaces) & storage unit. 

3037 HEBRON VALLEY RD // Madison, VA // Frank Hardy’s Sotheby’s International Realty, Murdoch Matheson, 434-296-0134

The details: 4 bedrooms, 4 bathrooms, 9,429 square feet, 155 acres

Features we love: Arguably one of the most beautiful roads in Virginia just north of Madison. This lovely farm rests against the Robinson River with a backdrop of the Blue Ridge Mountains too dramatic to believe. The brick house is well situated to take in all of the views in every direction, showcasing privacy in a breathtaking setting. A small, recently improved farm managers cottage/guest house and equipment barn make up the accessory buildings.

680 Ivy Lane // Charlottesville, VA //  Loring Woodriff Real Estate, 434.466.2992

The details: 3 bedrooms, 3.1 bathrooms, 4,032 square feet, 1.88 acres

Features we love: This refined one level Farmington residence combines dramatic entertaining spaces with intimate, luxurious casual living spaces. No expense was spared when this home was custom built in 1998, from custom- milled siding to 14-foot coffered ceilings in the living room, to oversized mahogany doors & antique marble fireplaces. The stunning, private meticulously designed acreage is spotted with extraordinary specimens and expansive outdoor living spaces, like the herringbone brick rear terrace. Above the two car garage is a wonderful apartment constructed and finished to the same uncompromising standards as the main residence. 

445 HOUNDSTOOTH CT // Charlottesville, VA // Frank Hardy’s Sotheby’s International Realty, Yates McCallum, 434-296-0134

The details: 5 bedrooms, 7.1 bathrooms, 6,811 square feet, 2.37 acres

Features we love: Remarkable custom home in Ivy. Built in 2018 this home is sited on a gorgeous 2+ acre lot on a private cul-de-sac in Western Albemarle less than a mile north of Foxfield/Hunt Country store. The generous open floor plan is perfect for family or entertaining. An elegant master wing features vaulted ceilings, a fireplace, walk-in closet with washer/dryer and a spacious bathroom with soaking tub and steam shower. Gourmet center island kitchen opens to an expansive living room with vaulted ceilings and wood burning fireplace. 

[darlenelaure]

Matheson family sells industrial property near Coral Gables

3898 Shipping Avenue (Credit: Google Maps)

UPDATED, March 14, 5:30 p.m.: Members of the Matheson family sold an industrial property near Coral Gables for $13 million.

Brooks and Joan Matheson, whose family was once one of the largest property owners in Key Biscayne, sold the 43,785-square-foot property with a small building at 3898 Shipping Avenue for $296 per square foot for the land. The buyer, 3898 Shipping Ave LLC, is tied to Maira and Hector Castellon.

The lot totals about 1 acre and sits in an industrial area close to some auto shops and new apartment developments adjacent to Coral Gables and north of Coconut Grove. The 13,431-square-foot building was built in 1953.

Joey Canero of the Canero Group represented the buyer and seller in the deal.

One member of the Matheson family, Bruce Matheson, has become known as an activist opposing development on publicly owned land. Matheson helped move the Miami Open tennis tournament out of Key Biscayne to the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens. He was also a vocal opponent against Beckham’s MLS soccer team’s previous proposal to place the stadium in Overtown.

Shipping Avenue is seeing more apartment development proposals. Mast Capital is proposing to build a 20-story multifamily project at 3811 Shipping Avenue near the Douglas Road Metrorail Station in Miami. Plans are for project to include 254 apartments, an eight-story parking garage covered in murals and about 10,000 square feet of amenities.

from The Real Deal Miami https://therealdeal.com/miami/2019/03/14/matheson-family-sells-industrial-property-near-coral-gables/ via IFTTT

[ramialkarmi]

This is how MoviePass plans to make money with a $10-a-month unlimited plan that seems too good to be true

When MoviePass announced this week that it would be lowering the rates for its unlimited movie buffet to only $10 a month it immediately became a trending topic. With the average movie ticket in the US about $9, and a ticket in a city like New York costing more than $16, the deal was impossible to ignore.

MoviePass makes it all really easy. Select the theater and film you want to see on its app, and the cost for the ticket at that location magically appears on a special debit card they provide  you with. 

But for many people I spoke to, excitement about the deal is mixed with a good dose of suspicion. What's the catch? If you're only paying $10 a month, and MoviePass is paying the full price for each movie ticket you buy, how could it possibly stay in business?

As someone who has been a MoviePass subscriber for the better part of the past two years, I understood the gym membership model that they employed. Each month, I would pay MoviePass $50 and they would bank on me not using the service enough times to make it worthwhile. 

At $10 a month though, that model seems less viable. Even if I only see one movie during the entire month, there's not much left over from my monthly fee for MoviePass to keep. Indeed, since I first wrote about the new plan, I've received a flood of questions from people who are intrigued by the service, but simply don't understand how it could really work. 

The following is my best attempt at explaining how MoviePass' $10-a-month model works:

So how does it make money? 

The short answer is, it's not clear if the company actually does make money. AMC Theatres has complained about the $9.95 pricepoint and called it unsustainable, but MoviePass CEO Mitch Lowe told Variety that they simply don't understand the business model. 

"We need to offset costs in Manhattan and L.A. by getting a lot of people in Kansas City and Omaha, and places where the average ticket price is five or six bucks to sign up," he explained. 

MoviePass settled on the $9.95 price point in an effort to rope in as many consumers as possible. Because the company is after something much more valuable than your monthly fee: your data. 

MoviePass is playing the long game

The same day it announced the $10-a-month plan, MoviePass raised cash by selling a majority stake to the data firm Helios and Matheson Analytics Inc.. With a new price-point designed to attract as many subscribers as possible, MoviePass is hoping to attract a large enough user base so as to be able to monetize it. 

In an interview with Wired, Helios and Matheson CEO Ted Farnsworth explained how MoviePass hopes to turn its user base into a cash cow. 

“If you get a trailer right now for Spiderman on Facebook, Facebook can’t tell if you ever actually go to the movie. We can,” he told Wired. “We can tell if you look at 'Spider-Man' and look at 'Wonder Woman' and 'Mission: Impossible,' we can tell you exactly what movie you went to out of all three trailers.”

Farnsworth envisions movie studios using MoviePass' valuable data to do targeted marketing for their films. Once MoviePass has millions of subscribers, its ability fill seats can make the difference between a hit movie or a flop, he explained. MoviePass plans to hold an IPO in March, he noted. 

AMC's big worry about the new MoviePass model

When MoviePass still had a gym-style membership and was flying under-the-radar with only 20,000 subscribers, AMC Theatres tolerated the partnership. But when the subscription service announced its dirt-cheap rate on Tuesday, the theater chain spoke out. 

"AMC believes that holding out to consumers that first-run movies can be watched in theaters at great quantities for a monthly price of $9.95 isn't doing moviegoers any favors," AMC said in a statement. "In AMC's view, that price level is unsustainable and only sets up consumers for ultimate disappointment down the road if or when the product can no longer be fulfilled."

In short, the theater giant is worried that MoviePass will go bankrupt before it is able to turn a profit, and that when it's gone, its subscribers will have developed an expectation that a visit to the theater should cost next-to-nothing. 

AMC's nightmare is that in a post-MoviePass world, theatergoers will view even a $9 movie ticket as a ripoff, and will stop going altogether. 

MoviePass envisions a future where a single subscription can take care of your entire night out

One thing that MoviePass CEO Lowe thinks could win over movie theaters is the fact that his company's subscribers spend an average of 123% more on snacks than the regular moviegoer. And with customers able to see more movies due to the unlimited service, it means more money in theaters' coffers. 

Taking it one step further, Farnsworth told Wired that businesses such as restaurants and parking services will want to get in on the action once they see the data Helios and Matheson is able to provide.

“Helios’s mapping of the area around the theater, and all the different things you might encounter in that area, will allow us to do much more than we currently do," he explained. “You’re going to be able to pay for your concessions, pick your seats, and probably be able to pay for things at adjacent businesses and get one monthly bill.”

Whether or not this cheap, utopian future comes to fruition remains to be seen. But for now, you may as well see some movies.  

You can read more about MoviePass on Wired and Variety.  

SEE ALSO: Everything you ever wanted to know about MoviePass, the $10-a-month service that lets you see one movie per day in theaters

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