APR 25 RAVEN CHICKS HATCH AT TOWER OF LONDON

APR 25  RAVEN CHICKS HATCH AT TOWER OF LONDON

With the Coronavirus pandemic dominating headlines, the DUBER BLOG searches the globe for uplifting stories. This week, we head to London. The Tower of London to be precise. Here, three raven chicks were hatched. Proud parents Huginn and Muninn will oversee the first month of their lives. Ravens grow quickly and quadruple in size in just weeks. Chris Skaife, Tower Ravenmaster, is thrilled: "We're pleased the bloodline is secure. Good news for the Kingdom!"

Are you confused? Let's review the legend. It's said that if the ravens ever leave the Tower of London, the Kingdom of England will fall. Apparently, the Welsh attribute ravens with the powers of protection. When the Northeast turret was built in 1078, the superstition was followed. Ravens roamed the White Tower to guard against another French invasion.

For centuries, the ravens thrived. They even survived the Great Fire. Then everything changed in the year 1675. That's when astronomer John Flansteed complained about the ravens the King Charles II. The birds were interfering with his observations and pooping on his telescopes. At first the King agreed, but then advisors warned him of the superstition. He changed his mind and wise King Charles II took it a step further: A Royal decree was issued demanding at least six ravens be kept in the tower at all times. It was also decided to move all astronomers to Greenwich.

Insuring a raven population in the tower wasn't an issue at the time. The native species were welcome scavengers in dirty Tudor London and flourished. Yet as the city urbanized, the large birds found less and less territory to habit. The last wild one was spotted in Hyde Park in 1826. To keep the raven tradition alive, a Ravenmaster was appointed to the Tower of London to tend to the flock. His biggest test came during WWII. German bombing raids scared the birds to death. Literally. Thankfully, one lived. Gripp survived and the Kingdom continued.

Nowadays, science has helped ensure that if England falls...it won't be raven's fault. In 1987, a captive breeding program was launched. Vets clip one of their wings. This painless process throws off their balance and they can't fly far. Even if they do, they are micro-chipped. Most ravens don't want to leave, because they eat so well. Their diet consists of six ounces of raw meat and biscuits soaked in blood. Once a month, they eat an entire rabbit: Fur helps a raven's digestion.

Over time, the ravens have become semi-domesticated pets. They'll pose surprisingly close to the six million annual visitors the Tower receives. Despite their perceived passivity, don't forget: Ravens are ravenous. In 2004, Thor took a peck at a visiting Vladimir Putin. In 1981, Grog flew to Rose & Punchbowl, an East End pub. Just remember: If you meet the ravens, stay calm and don't lose your head like Lady Jane Grey. After her execution in 1554, the birds picked the eyes out of her severed head.

APR 18 WILDLIFE MAKES A COMEBACK DURING QUARANTINE

APR 18  WILDLIFE MAKES A COMEBACK DURING QUARANTINE

The numerous 'shelter in place' mandates worldwide due to COVID19 have created silent cities and tranquil towns. Shocking images of a deserted Times Square and a car-less LA freeways are not being photo-shopped! All this peace and quiet has resulted in an unexpected scenario. Wild animals are reclaiming their turf! Let's check out five stunning instances:

Coyotes in San Francisco. The dry chaparral that once covered coastal California isn't hospitable to much wildlife. Atop this small food chain is the crafty coyote. Over the last fifty years, suburban sprawl has forced them to live in open land reserves, regional parks and drainage gullies. Yet they continue to survive. Californians...who already know to lock up those pets at night...take note: Coyotes were spotted at the corner of Greenwich and Powell Streets.

Bears in Yosemite. Duh! There's tons of bears in Yosemite. Anyone who has ever camped in the valley knows that it is imperative to place all food in a lock box. Bears have a spectacular sense of smell and they comb campsites day and night. Boy, the bears must be confused these days! Last April, 308,000 people visited the park. This April, the number is zero. Always curious, they are investigating the empty valley. "They are literally walking down the streets" quipped a ranger. "They are having a bear party!"

Deer in Nara. According to Shinto tradition, animals are given ample land in Japan and are never hunted. This has resulted in large deer populations. In the popular medieval capital, Sika deer roam the forests that surround the famed Nara castle. Over time, they have become semi-domesticated, as they are fed rice cakes by the tourists. With the city on lockdown, the hungry deer have ventured past the park and into the city. They're not just foraging in the streets, Sika deer have been spotted in the subway!

Wild Goats in Wales. Of all the urban-animal photos we examined, the one that generated the most questions came from Llandndno, a Welsh town. It shows a herd of enormous Great Orme Kashmiri goats owning the streets. Why are their wild goats from India in the mountains of Wales? They are escaped descendants from a gift from Queen Victoria. "They are mischievous" observed Andrew Stuart as the goats ate his hedges and roses.

Dolphins in Venice. If this sounds too fantastic to be true...that's because it's FAKE NEWS. While the pictures of the crystal-blue canals is true, the dolphins are NOT. However, residents were stunned at how quickly their famed waterways changed. Venice is one island in an enormous lagoon, most of which is protected reserves. With the constant cruise ships gone, schools of fish and clusters of crabs are invading a new island in the marshlands.

APR 11 THE HISTORY OF CORONA BEER

APR 11  THE HISTORY OF CORONA BEER

Beer lovers worldwide panicked on Wednesday when Grupo Modelo announced its suspending production of Corona Extra. See, both the beer and the virus are named after the Latin word Coronam, (Corona in Spanish and Italian), which means 'Crown.' While many people initially searched on "Beer Virus," just the opposite occurred. Sales of Corona beer are up 24% from a year ago. Nope, the reason for the closure is simple: the Mexican government shut down non-essential businesses (beer isn't essential?) until April 30. All of which has many people wondering about the history of this beloved beer, so here goes:

THE ORIGINS. Ellis Island was the top port of entry during the Great Second Migration from Europe to the Americas. Yet nearly a million immigrants also came to the New World through the Mexican port city of Veracruz. These included numerous German brew-masters. They introduced a Viennese lager in Monterrey in 1890 called Negro Modelo. It was a hit. Then, in 1925 they released another popular style back home: The Pale Lager. It was called Corona Extra.

THE BOTTLE. At first, the Corona brand used the same brown bottles as Negra Modelo. See, even today, most beer is placed in dark colored bottles. That's because sunlight...UV rays to be exact...damages the product. Tinted glass protects beer. Nonetheless, the brewers wanted to show off the beautiful golden color of their new lager. They bucked science in favor of marketing and the result was fabulous!

THE LIME. Even more iconic than the clear bottle is Corona beer's famous garnish: A green lime wedge inserted into the bottle's mouth. Millennial beer enthusiasts will tell you: 'The lime adds a citric zest to enhance a tart bouquet and finish.' But if you've ever drank a cerveza at a cantina in humid Jalisco, you know the real reason behind the tradition: Lime keeps flies from swimming in your beer!

THE PUSH: With government help, Grupo Modelo became the top brewer in Latin America. With breweries in the capital and Guadalajara, it looked to expand into other Mexican states. Rather than compete with popular regional brands like Victoria and Pacifico, Grupo Modelo instead just purchased the breweries. Then, in 1976, Corona Beer went viral. It crossed the border and was sold in California and Texas. It instantly became associated with surfers and nachos and was a hit.

THE MERGER. In the 45 years since, sales of Corona have never decreased. It's now available in all 50 states...and 180 countries as well. With $29 million in annual earnings, it's the ninth most popular beer on earth. In the US, it's fifth on the list. Sales for #5 Corona continue to rise, while sales for #1 Bud Light continue to slide. In response, Anheuser-Busch InBev decided: If you can't beat 'em, join 'em. They purchased Grupo Modelo in 2013...much in the same manner Modelo bought up Victoria and Pacifico decades earlier.

APR 4 SHENZHEN BANS SALE OF CAT AND DOG MEAT

APR 4  SHENZHEN BANS SALE OF CAT AND DOG MEAT

On Tuesday, the south Chinese city of Shenzhen announced an official ban on the manufacturing and sales of cat and dog meat. It became the first mainland city to do so. (Hong Kong and Taiwan already do.) Let's get to your questions!

Has the Chinese government done anything else? Sandra, Des Moines. Yes, in February the National People's Congress passed legislation banning the trade and consumption of wild animals throughout the country. Violators will be "severely punished" but no specifics are given. If you've never heard of the People's Congress, it's because it's an insignificant puppet organization for "President" Xi. Few believe this law will be enforced, as evidenced by the reopening of wet markets across China.

Where is Shenzhen? Jim, Dublin. Shenzhen is located just north of Hong Kong on the banks of the Pearl River. In 1980, it was designated a Special Economic Zone. This exempts the city from certain trade laws to make it easier to build factories for Western corporations. That's exactly what happened. Called the 'Silicon Valley of China,' Shenzhen produces a ton of cellphones, tablets and laptops. It's the third largest container port in the world.

How do the people of Shenzhen feel about it? Luis, Puebla. Let's face it, the 12 million people who live in Shenzhen are too busy to eat. Workers at the Huawei plant do the dreaded '9-9-6 Shift.' That's 9am - 9pm, six days a week. Do the math: It's a 72-hour work week. Yes, that's illegal in the People's Republic, but since Shenzhen is a Special Economic Zone, it's tolerated. After all, these tech companies are dominating the world's consumer market.

What impact will the law have? Anita, Gotenberg. Shenzhen has a population around 12 million. That sounds big...but in a country with 1.4 billion people...it's pretty tiny. Given the fact the media is state controlled, it's doubtful others in China will even hear about it. So, the law is mostly a move done by the PRC, hoping to get favorable articles in the foreign press and praise from random bloggers.

What does this mean for the future? Reinhard, Dresden. Recently, the world media has shown horrid photos of caged animals at Chinese markets. While these aren't representative of the vast majority of Chinese grocery stores, one thing is clear: Better regulation is needed. (We feel it's one's choice if they want to eat a bat...all that matters as the meat is virus-free!) And it's not just the wet markets. Better regulation is need in China's labor practices, copyright infringement, waste disposal, etc. Too often, the PRC gets a free pass to violate laws that the rest of the world already follows. Now everyone is paying the price.