NW_history_buff

I proposed a Featured Waymark for the Squirrel Bridge Crossing back in October and it still doesn't appear to have been selected so I'm proposing it again in hopes a Groundspeak admin (like wayfrog) may feature it as the first in the Man-Made Animal Bridges and Crossings category. Thank you.

As the leader of the new Man-made Animal Bridges and Crossings category I would like to submit the following Squirrel Bridge waymark as a Featured Waymark. This submission represents perfectly what this category's mission should encompass. Thanks to BK-Hunters for the waymark suggestion! NW_history_Buff

The Man-made Animal Bridges and Crossings category is now open for Peer Review. This potential category has had good discussion here in the forum with answers to questions and concerns by others. We officers feel we've addressed any issues as well as we can and have edited the category description to reflect this. Kudos to BK-Hunters for getting the ball rolling on this category and for their hard work and efforts in putting together a well-written and graphic-friendly category description! Hope it becomes the newest category addition to the Waymarking community. NW_history_buff *NOTE* After just reading the above questions regarding cattle underpasses, I don't see why they wouldn't be accepted into the category, although depending on their numbers, they may be one of those "Dozens of cattle underpasses exist in my neck of the woods and I think I'll waymark every one of them!" structures. I often use the term, "Just because it exists doesn't necessarily mean we need to waymark it." If you find pleasure in quantity of waymarks submitted (like a few in the community practice every day) over quality of waymarks, then knock yourself out. The category can always be tweaked to limit these later.

A good question but as much as I also appreciate all things historical, the intent of this potential category is to strictly focus on active man-made animal bridges and crossings with no human involvement (or very little human involvement). Former/historical animal bridges and crossings would not qualify. In addition, any man-made animal bridge or crossing needs to be created specifically for animals and cannot be a mixed-use structure that may include pedestrian or automobile traffic.

As the leader in this potential category, I acknowledge I've been distracted of late (summer vacations, family stuff, homeowner issues). When school is back in session for my kids, I'll have a little more time to focus on details/finetuning issues and put to a vote down the road, hopefully sooner than later.

BK-Hunters has been promoted to officer in the category and will be working on editing/fine-tuning details before sending to a general vote for another category addition to the Waymarking community in the coming days... Stay tuned.

Don.Morfe's Medal of Honor submissions are all legit. I've messaged him personally, since I'm an officer in the category. He stated it's been decades of picture-taking in the making. He took many before digital cameras came into being and has flatbed scanned many. Although some of his photos are of poor quality, I've been giving him the benefit of the doubt. It's good that we have Waymarking members looking out for each other!

There's STILL hope for Waymarking! I just now discovered the 'Search from Here' button works again!! It hasn't functioned in YEARS since Groundspeak replaced Google Maps with OpenStreetMap... I'm SOOOOOOOOOOOO HAPPY that it's functioning again! Thanks, Groundspeak!!!

This category is being tweaked and will soon be submitted to an officer vote in preparation for Peer Review since there is enough interest in the category to move forward. More to come...

CADS11 voted 'Nay' based off the contradiction in the naming convention requirement. Wow, I didn't even notice it but he/she is correct. This will be corrected to require the naming convention to reflect the name of the former brothel (what it was known as) and not the current name of the building. Just goes to show that just when you think the category's description is 'perfect' before a Peer Review.

I supported this idea two years ago when it was brought to the forum and still feel this would be a good category addition. There is in fact, an aircraft observation tower in my hometown near the airport and I waymarked a memorial that exists at the tower, the Tanker 61 Memorial. Aircraft spotting locations are interesting, many are informative (like the one in my hometown) and not overly prevalent (in fact, they're not prevalent at all). It would get my vote.

After spending this week fine-tuning the Former Brothels category, it just passed the officer vote portion and is now ready to go to Peer Review. We officers appreciate all those who contributed to this potential category, either as a member of the category group or here in the forum. Below is a blockquote from the category's description that in my opinion, explains the mission of the category: "*NOTE* This category's aim is NOT to glamorize the business of prostitution but to appreciate the historical aspects of the many sites that existed in many neighborhoods around the world. This category does NOT condone any information submitted of a vulgar or crude nature. Buildings which once served in the sex-trafficking business will NOT be allowed in this category. While we officers admit that prostitution was responsible for exploiting many women throughout history, we also understand that many communities have purposely preserved their own stories of the profession via historical markers and plaques as a way of sharing with visitors of how life 'used to be.'" We officers believe this category fulfills all requirements in the voting process: (interesting and informative; worldwide sites to waymark; non-repetitive with other existing categories). The category will only accept existing buildings which once housed the 'oldest profession in the world.' We also require tangible proof that a building once housed a brothel, via a plaque, marker, internet article, book or similar. We hope you all will agree that this category merits inclusion in the Waymarking community. NW_history_buff BK-Hunters pmaupin GeoMaulis

I had the honor of approving YoSam.'s 10,000th waymark: 103 West Fifth Street - Downtown Fulton Historic District - Fulton, MO Congrats, YoSam.! Well done. You do a great job with your various submissions into many of the categories I'm officer of. I look forward to seeing waymark #20,000 down the road... NW_history_buff

Congrats, Blasterz! As leader/officer of numerous categories, I've enjoyed approving the many waymarks you've submitted over the years. You and BK-Hunters always do a great job making each waymark submitted a personal experience in your long description. Keep up the good work, looking forward to seeing #20,000 down the road. NW_history_buff

Great take on it. I'm still interested in pursuing this potential category and am currently working on a good, well-written long description to convince potential naysayers. More to come.

I would highly object to the idea of creating a category for Roundabouts because they are in themselves uninteresting, potentially dangerous as well as being commonplace in many parts of the world. The pictures that I've seen posted in this forum topic are of sculptures and other artistic subject matter that may be submitted into existing art categories. In essence, this potential category would be cross-Waymarking into existing categories without adding anything new, different or interesting.

I knew this milestone was coming quickly (knowing how prolific this couple is, it would be sooner than later) and just wanted to give a SHOUT OUT to BK-Hunters for achieving 20,000+ waymarks! Well done! And I just want to add that in addition to the quantity of waymarks approved and achieved, this number is only surpassed by the QUALITY of waymarks that are represented. I only wish I had more time and patience to create such well-documented and well-designed waymarks as BK-Hunters has created over the years. Here's to 20,000 more!

A good take. I'll try working in these points in the long description.

Sex trafficking involves sex slaves and abuse and any building that once housed this abusive activity would be excluded. I can elaborate more in the description to point this out. Again, the focus is on the BUILDINGS that once housed prostitution and not the prostitutes or the clients who frequented them. It's a piece of history that most countries had tolerated, legal or illegal, and whether or not people agreed with the profession, the buildings themselves are a reminder of our past and shouldn't be ignored, but remembered. Good question. Other categories similar to this proposed category require 50 years or older for a building. That would be a good start, although I'm inclined to make it more like 75 years for a building to have last housed the oldest profession in the world.

I've created a category for Man-made Animal Bridges and Crossings and will be working on a description in the next few days. Stay tuned...

A Former Brothels category and description have been created and is ready to be viewed for content, suggestions and general input: Former Brothels Thanks!

I don't know about a 'fun' category for oddball encounters of sites seen but your pictures of the gigantic frame should qualify for inclusion in the Framed Views category and will probably be the largest framed view to be submitted to date.

I believe the challenge of this potential category is finding legitimate material as proof that a building was once home to a house of ill repute -- but I strongly believe that there is plenty of material out there, albeit in a marker/plaque, a newspaper article, historical database PDF document or something similar. I agree, it will add to the fun and encourage Waymarkers to do a little research, much like what happens in the aforementioned categories (Converted Bank Buildings, Converted Firehouses, Converted Factories, Retired Prisons and Former Schools). **UPDATE** I have given the random year of 1950 and earlier for Former Brothels to have been in business to qualify in the category. I've also decided that any Brothel after 1950 can be submitted on a case by case basis if the historical background warrants enough merit to justify inclusion in the category. (Why did I decide on the year 1950? It sounded like a good number. ).

Good question. Other categories similar to this proposed category require 50 years or older for a building. That would be a good start, although I'm inclined to make it more like 75 years for a building to have last housed the oldest profession in the world.

I've created a Group titled Former Brothels that is open for membership as I pursue a potential new category: http://www.Waymarking.com/groups/details.aspx?f=1&guid=2d2858c9-234f-4756-92a9-65bb6e7b09e5