Good morning!

Wow, I can’t believe we missed it, but yesterday was the 20th Anniversary of the release of The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King film.

It looks like the actors for the four hobbits had a fun little reunion to celebrate. Glad to see they are all still friends and get together on occasion.

Economy

Amazon Buys Rocket Launches from SpaceX

Amazon has recently announced its decision to purchase three rocket launches from SpaceX for its Project Kuiper, which aims to establish a network of broadband internet satellites.

This move comes as a surprise, considering Amazon's Kuiper is directly in competition to Elon Musk’s Starlink. Both Kuiper and Starlink are multi-billion-dollar ventures aiming to deploy thousands of satellites for a range of customers, from governments to individual consumers.

Earlier, Amazon had placed a significant order for launches with three competitors of SpaceX, including Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin. This decision was later scrutinized in a shareholder lawsuit against Amazon, alleging that Bezos' competition with Musk influenced the choice to bypass SpaceX.

SpaceX, known as the world's most active rocket operator, has consistently maintained its openness to launching satellites for competitors of Starlink. It has already orbited numerous broadband satellites for various companies and has plans for more such launches.

I’m sure Elon is quite happy about this 😃 

World News

Treasure for Miles

The Maravillas, a Spanish galleon that sank over three centuries ago, was considered salvaged and devoid of treasure.

However, after four years of underwater archaeology, Allen Exploration has uncovered a scattered trail of artifacts spanning over 5 kilometers. The ship sank in 1656 with a load of silver bars, coins, and salvaged treasure from a previous shipwreck. After multiple salvage attempts over the years, modern teams, licensed by the Bahamian government, have found a significant amount of artifacts, including lead musket balls, silver coins, emeralds, and gold jewelry, dispersed southeast of the original wreck site.

The scattered trail challenges the belief that centuries of hurricanes broke up the ship, and the findings suggest that valuable items were scattered before Spanish salvage operations in 1656. The research, published in Ocean Dispatches 4, highlights the importance of continued exploration, shedding light on the Maravillas' history.

Sports

Tiger Woods: Yet Another Comeback

Tiger Woods made a comeback to professional golf at the Hero World Challenge in the Bahamas after an eight-month break. He finished 18th out of 20 players. His average tee distance of 305 yards indicated that he still has a pretty strong long game.

At Albany Golf Club, Woods had a mixed performance, with five birdies and setbacks like a double bogey and three bogeys. Regardless, he expressed satisfaction with his progress in shaking off the rust.

Woods, hosting the Hero World Challenge, noted his positive physical recovery between rounds. He plans to participate in the PNC Championship on December 14, a father-son tournament with his son Charlie. In 2024 his plan involves playing once a month on the PGA Tour, potentially starting with the Genesis Invitational and the Players Championship.

Despite injuries, including recent ankle surgery, Woods remains committed to his return. Fellow golfer Scottie Scheffler, the Hero World Challenge winner, acknowledges Woods' dedication: “He could easily sail off into the sunset, never touch a club again, never do anything again – just go and live his life and enjoy the second half of his life, do whatever, hang out with his kids but he continues to come back and wants to compete and he continues to do what’s best for the players and the PGA Tour. It’s pretty inspirational for the rest of us involved in the game.”

Entertainment

KISS Says Goodbye on Stage, but Virtual Touring Lives On!

KISS concluded their farewell tour with a final show at Madison Square Garden, marking 50 years of touring.

After the live performance, the band introduced digital avatars through a partnership with Pophouse Entertainment Group, making KISS the first US band to adopt this technology. The avatars were created by Industrial Light & Magic, founded by George Lucas.

A video on the official YouTube channel shows the band in motion-capture suits and the avatars performing iconic songs. The collaboration aims to immortalize KISS and innovate rock performances, promising digital shows for decades. This move follows ABBA's use of digital avatars in their concerts.

If you have any uplifting stories and experience you might want to share, send those over to [email protected] for the chance to be featured.

Mind Stretchers

You measure my life in hours and I serve you by expiring. I’m quick when I’m thin and slow when I’m fat. The wind is my enemy

Answers to yesterday’s Mind Stretchers:
Tea

Be the first to send us the correct answer for today’s mind stretcher for a shout-out with the answer tomorrow. Just send us the answer and your name to [email protected]