Good Morning! 🌞 

Did you know that the Great Pyramid was originally white?

The Great Pyramid of Giza, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, was originally covered in polished white limestone, reflecting the sun's light and making it shine like a jewel. Over the millennia, most of the limestone casing was removed, which is why it has the rugged appearance we see today.

Economy

Teen's Makes $34K a Month!

At 12, Bella Lin faced a problem: her guinea pigs kept disappearing in her parents' backyard. Unhappy with traditional cages, she started drawing prototypes to create a better enclosure.

When Lin was a senior in high school, she invested using $2,000 from her savings, she launched GuineaLoft on Amazon in November 2022. GuineaLoft took off, selling nearly 11,000 cages and generating over $410,000 in 2023 — an impressive average of $34,000 per month.

After taking a break from GuineaLoft for a while, Lin is back at it. Now juggling academics, extracurriculars, and college applications, Lin spends about 20 hours weekly on GuineaLoft. Her dad's connection to a Chinese factory helped bring her prototypes to life refining designs, opting for acrylic instead of glass and biodegradable bottoms.

Lin manages a six-person team in China, handling product design, pricing, marketing, and overall strategy. GuinneaLoft gained attention and earning Lin $10,000 in investment funds from BizWorld.

The businesses impressive 25% profit margins are all currently reinvested back into the company for growth.

Lin has also managed to find a lot of satisfaction from the endeavor. “Witnessing the tangible effects of [GuineaLoft cages] through customer reviews and emails is empowering,” says Lin. “As someone who once placed great emphasis on academic validation, the success ... of [my side hustle] has boosted my confidence in navigating life beyond high school.”

World News

British Schoolgirl Sends Time Capsule to Moon!

Elizabeth Norman, a 10-year-old space enthusiast from Leicester, England, secured a spot on the recent US commercial lunar launch by catching the attention of United Launch Alliance (ULA) with her backyard rocket launch. The Vulcan Centaur rocket, carrying the Peregrine lunar lander, successfully launched from Cape Canaveral, with Elizabeth and her family watching the live countdown.

The primary payload of the mission is the Peregrine lunar lander, developed by Astrobotic. Elizabeth's contribution, part of the first-ever lunar time capsule, includes a sticker with 'Astro Liz,' her blog and social media pages' name, and a message for her brother. However, an unexpected post-launch challenge may affect the lander's ability to land on the moon, and the team is investigating.

Elizabeth's passion for space ignited after watching NASA's Perseverance Rover's flight to Mars in July 2020. She immersed herself in space knowledge, started a science-themed YouTube channel, and created a model of the ULA's Vulcan Centaur rocket, impressing ULA's CEO Tory Bruno. His admiration led to Elizabeth becoming part of the real lunar launch.

The Norman family expresses gratitude to Astrobotic for making Elizabeth's space dream a reality, seeing it as an opportunity to inspire other young individuals to pursue space exploration. Elizabeth, known as Astro Liz, celebrates the mission's success and expresses her support for Peregrine from her hometown.

Entertainment

Country Music's New Golden Era

Country music had a standout year in 2023, with artists like Morgan Wallen, Zach Bryan, and Luke Combs breaking into mainstream success. Despite dominating the charts, the 2024 Grammy nominations largely overlooked the genre, sparking surprise from industry figures.

Noteworthy achievements include a historic moment in July when country acts claimed the top three spots on the Billboard Hot 100. Morgan Wallen's album "One Thing at a Time" spent 16 weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, contributing significantly to country music's streaming growth.

The genre's versatility is evident, with artists like Jelly Roll, Lainey Wilson, and Bailey Zimmerman finding success beyond traditional country boundaries. This aligns with the industry's shift towards a more genre-agnostic approach.

Country music's global reach is expanding, with notable growth in countries like the Philippines, Indonesia, India, Brazil, Mexico, Germany, and Vietnam. Veterans like Garth Brooks are leveraging this momentum, launching initiatives such as The Big 615 radio station to promote traditional country music and support female artists.

Despite Grammy oversights, country music's authenticity and relatable narratives continue to resonate, attracting a diverse audience. As the genre evolves, it remains a prominent force in the music industry.

Sports

Pico Lopes' Game-Changing LinkedIn Response

Roberto "Pico" Lopes, a Dublin-born soccer player, had abandoned hope of representing the Republic of Ireland at the senior international level. However, a surprising turn of events occurred when he received a message on LinkedIn, transforming not only his soccer career with Shamrock Rovers but also his life.

Lopes initially ignored a message from Cape Verde head coach Rui Águas, written in Portuguese, thinking it was a simple welcome message. Fortunately, Águas reached out again in English nine months later, asking if Lopes had considered the offer. With the help of Google Translate, Lopes discovered he had the chance to play for Cape Verde.

Since then, Lopes has become a key player for Cape Verde, participating in the Africa Cup of Nations and earning 18 caps.

Representing Cape Verde has been a transformative experience for Lopes, strengthening his connection to his Cape Verdean heritage. His father, Carlos "Caluccha" Lopes, who left Cape Verde at 16, is immensely proud, and Roberto plans to visit Cape Verde in the off season to spend time with family.

For now, Lopes is focused on the Africa Cup of Nations, eager to make an impact on the field.

Mind Stretchers

⁉️ 

What has one eye, but can’t see?

Answers to yesterday’s Mind Stretchers:
Eat (ate as past tense)

Albert Knox got this one correct, first!

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]

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.