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Olympic Facts and History Day 3:

Winter vs. Summer Medals: Norway, a country with a population of about 5 million, has won more Winter Olympic medals than any other nation, with over 368 medals. In contrast, they have won only 160 Summer Olympic medals, highlighting their dominance in winter sports.

Economy

Homebuyers and Angel Investors

A new startup, Ownify, is introducing a practical solution for first-time homebuyers in the challenging US housing market.

Using a method called 'fractional ownership,' it connects buyers with wealthy investors to quickly secure homes. Buyers pay an amount similar to a mortgage until they can buy the equity stake from the investors, who hold the property in trust.

Founded by Frank Rohde, Ownify aims to address what he calls a "broken system" in the housing market. He explains that rising home prices, high mortgage rates, ineffective tax deductions, and competition from cash buyers and institutional investors are making it harder than ever for first-time buyers.

Even financially stable buyers are struggling. Residential real estate, considered a reliable hedge against inflation, is now heavily targeted by fund managers. Meanwhile, high levels of student and credit card debt, coupled with low savings rates, make it difficult for the working class to build capital.

"The win rate for first-time buyers kept dropping, with some making over a dozen offers before succeeding," says Rohde.

Ownify requires a 2% down payment. Buyers choose a house, and Ownify works with investors to make a competitive all-cash offer. Once secured, buyers pay a down payment and then make monthly payments until they've paid off 10% of the principal. They can then either secure a traditional mortgage or sell their 10% stake back to the investors.

This model benefits both parties: investors earn interest and secure valuable real estate, while buyers have flexibility and lower initial payments. Ownify launched in Raleigh, North Carolina, and plans to expand to Denver, Nashville, and California.

Earth Sciences

The Most Active Meteor Shower of the Year

The Perseids meteor shower will peak tomorrow, August 12th, offering up to 150 meteors per hour in the Northern Hemisphere.

These meteors, which originate from the constellation Perseus, are currently appearing near Cassiopeia and Camelopardalis. This annual event occurs because Earth passes through debris from Comet 109P/Swift-Tuttle, despite the comet’s 133-year orbit.

On the night of the peak, a quarter Moon will be visible, which might make meteor viewing more challenging in areas with significant light pollution. However, if you’re in a location with minimal light pollution, the Moon's impact should be minimal and might even enhance the visibility of the meteors.

Additionally, on August 27th, the Moon and Mars will have a close approach, appearing just 5° apart in the constellation Taurus. This offers a great opportunity to spot Mars and explore the night sky. For tips on locating Taurus and its notable deep-space object, the Pleiades, check out the Learn the Sky YouTube channel.

Entertainment

‘Squid Game’ to End with Season 3

Fans of Netflix's Korean series "Squid Game" will be pleased to know that Season 2 is set to premiere on December 26. Netflix also announced that a third and final season will be released next year.

Set in Seoul, the series follows contestants playing deadly children's games to win a cash prize. It became Netflix's biggest show and won multiple awards, including Emmys for Best Drama and Best Director.

Hwang Dong-hyuk, the creator, mentioned that returning to the world of "Squid Game" for Season 2 felt surreal. The new season will focus on Player 456, Gi-hun (Lee Jung-Jae), who is determined to find those behind the game and end it. Using his winnings, he starts his search with a man in a sharp suit playing ddakji in the subway, but his mission proves more dangerous than expected, requiring him to re-enter the game.

"Squid Game" became a cultural phenomenon after its 2021 debut, earning 14 Emmy nominations. Jung-jae and Dong-hyuk became the first South Koreans to win in their respective categories.

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Mind Stretchers

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Answers to yesterday’s Mind Stretchers:
What has one eye but can’t see? - A needle

Chris Hostetler got the answer first! A lot of people also answer with “hurricane”, which is a very fitting answer also.

Chris Hostetler also gets the shout-out for the mind stretcher before it with the answer “Irregular heartbeat”. Sorry about not having the shout-out in the newsletter like usual.

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] or reply to the email.

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