Swan Upping on the Thames

A quirky leftover from medieval times, the five-day Royal Census of the swans still happens each year on a special part of the Thames River. Each July, a handsome flotilla of Thames rowing skiffs, carrying a number of colourfully dressed ‘Swan Uppers’ from Vintners and Dyers livery companies leave the City of London for Abingdon in Oxfordshire. The Flotilla is led by the ceremonial King’s Swan Marker who can be easily identified by his red blazer, the white swan feather in his hat and the presence of flags and historical emblems that he has with him.

The Upping event, which attracts an accompanying collection of historical boats, draws school groups and curiosity seekers from around the world. The court was traditionally used as a way to count the King’s Swans—a valuable food source in years gone by. Now, the Thames River row is more of a conservation and education mission where Swan Uppers simply lift, weigh, measure and ring young cygnets according to their parentage which denotes ownership. The King, owns any unmarked mute swans in open waters but this right is mainly exercised on certain stretches of the river. 

Young cygnets are vulnerable at an early age so each swan is also checked for signs of injury—often caused by fishing hooks. The children who can attend to view and even touch the young cygnets, are encouraged to ask questions about the mute swans, the tradition itself and the way that ‘Uppers’ are appointed.
Source: royal.uk/swans

Bunkers for billionaires

Mark Zuckerberg and his wife, Priscilla Chan are constructing a gigantic compound known as Ko’olau Ranch on the Hawaiian island Kauai. Rumoured to cost over A$400 million to complete, the top-secret estate is patrolled
by armed security guards and surrounded by a two-metre wall. Plans also call for a ‘massive underground bunker’ on the compound. Perhaps, a result of COVID-19 or simply the
ultimate exit strategy that will leave the rest of us behind.

Luxurious Doomsday bunkers with military style security are being built by the super-rich who are planning to save themselves from “the Event”—a grey swan or predictable catastrophe or climate crisis Interesting articles point to companies setting up for safe haven farms funded by investors with sci-fi fantasies. Some will seeking safety by “simply hire one of several prepper construction companies to bury a prefab steel lined bunker somewhere on one of their existing properties. 

More whimsical perhaps is what author Douglas Rushkoff talks about in his book Survival of the Richest… a company selling Club Med style luxury underground shelters with apartments for individuals or families in fortified locations like munitions storage facilities, missile silos and interesting locations around the world. Another firm Oppidum from Czech Republic caters to those wanting a healthier option—one that pays more attention to the long-term mental health of residents with natural light, vertical gardens, simulated sunlit gardens and a wine vault.  
Source: Conversation/Guardian

Gendered Seat Maps

In a country where female-only train cars and train routes have been made available by transportation authorities since the early 2000s, an Indian airline, IndiGo, is now offering a similar option for its growing number of female travellers.

After the results of a marketing survey to find out what would make women’s flying time more comfortable, IndiGo Airlines, has established a new open seat map policy. The plan is to allow the company’s female ticket holders to have a peak at the gender of the passengers who will be sitting next to them on the aeroplane. There still aren’t separate rows for women but the airline’s policy is to show them who is beside them in advance. Then, if they do not wish to have a male passenger sitting beside them during their flight, and want to move their solo or family seats ahead of time, they’ll have that option prior to arriving at the airport.

In a statement to Travel and Leisure magazine, the Indian airline said that, starting in May of 2023, they’ll be introducing this unique web feature during the check-in process. Any solo female travellers and those women who are traveling with children will also qualify to access this service. Male passengers will not have the same ability to check the gender of their seat mates and fellow travellers.

The airline claims that this newly launched program is in line with its “#GirlPower ethos.”

40 per cent of IndiGo’s workforce are female, and it has the highest number of women pilots in the world.
Source: terravivos.com