News and notes from around the interweb:

• Wynn Rewards is now status matching the person who uncovered this writes to me, “Never thought I would see this one. I am pretty certain it is because of their new neighbor (Resorts World) that is about to open “across” the street. A Wynn Status Match! But, then again, Wynn only recently went to a tier based casino loyalty program, so there is NOT a lot of history.”

• When Astronomers Chased a Total Eclipse in a Concorde (HT: Tommy L)

• Group opposed to turning an IHG hotel property in Austin into housing for the homeless proposes using the city-owned airport Hilton instead.

  Folks who don’t want the city to use the Candlewood Suites (because it’s in their neighborhood) get really get too clever by half and suggest status matches for the homeless so they’d get free breakfast at the Hilton (or since it’s a US property, a food and beverage credit only through end of year).

• Fully-vaccinated Canadians and permanent residents of Canada can soon skip hotel quarantine but not quite ready for tourists.

• The story of overwater bungalows (NYT, HT: @crucker)

  

• United Airlines has launched a new venture capital fund effectively putting to use some of the $10 billion in government subsidies received over the past 15 months.

  They aren’t permitted to pay dividends or buy back shares, but making speculative investments is permitted. United recached an agreement for $2.8 billion of its taxpayer payout just last month, as leisure travel fully recovered.