Good Morning! 🌞 

I was recommended this video by YouTube randomly. Quite fascinating.

There have actually been a few times in my life that I have wondered how these work. Now I finally know.

Innovation

Microsoft Campus Goes Geothermal for Heating & Cooling

After four years of construction, the Microsoft's Redmond campus modernization nears completion. Spanning 72 acres, the project incorporates numerous environmentally-conscious designs and features, with the Geothermal Energy Center (TEC) standing out as a remarkable achievement.

To regulate the campus temperature, a 6.5-acre geothermal well field was established last year, comprising approximately 900 boreholes drilled up to 550 feet deep. This initiative aims to meet 50% of the heating and cooling demands without emitting carbon.

Despite challenges such as an unmapped subsurface environment and past construction debris, GLY Construction successfully completed the drilling within budget and on schedule. Their approach included virtual design and construction techniques, ensuring precision down to 256ths of an inch.

The closed-loop geothermal system utilizes the earth's energy to heat and cool water, with enough refrigeration capacity to cool 3,000 homes during summer. Recognized as Project of the Year by Engineering News Record, the TEC boasts a heating capacity of 28 million Btus per hour and nine chillers capable of providing 9,000 tons of refrigeration.

The well field area now hosts 2.5 miles of walking and biking trails, alongside sports facilities like softball fields, cricket pitches, and basketball courts. Enormous water tanks store exchanged water for heating and cooling purposes, all powered by renewable energy sources.

The broader Redmond East campus renovation encompasses 6.7 million square feet and incorporates various carbon-reducing measures, including an all-electric kitchen and rainwater collection cisterns. Throughout construction, Microsoft and its contractors diverted 95% of demolition waste from landfills and reduced embodied carbon in building materials by at least 30%.

Reflecting on this environmentally-focused endeavor, Michael Green building systems director of OAC, lauds it as unparalleled in his four-decade career in construction.

Entertainment

SHOGUN: The True History Behind the Story

FX’s new Japaneses period piece has been a resounding success with audiences so far. The show is a limited run mini series based on the well know 1975 novel, Shogun, by James Clavell.

One of the major points of praise has been the effort the show has put into its historical accuracy. This combined with the excellent characters, story, and atmosphere have created instant success.

The 7th episode of the 10 episode mini series will be dropping April 2nd.

If you are interested in show reviews, cultural analysis, or the real history behind Shogun, I would highly recommend this review and analysis. There are so many fascinating details to learn.

World News

Finland Remains Happiest Country for 7th Year

Finland consistently secures the top spot as the happiest country in the world, as per the annual United Nations World Happiness Report, a position it has maintained since 2018.

The Finnish people attribute their happiness to four fundamental factors: a strong bond with nature, a pragmatic lifestyle, emphasis on fresh and local food, and a commitment to sustainability.

They view happiness not as an enigmatic concept but rather as a set of attainable skills, cultivated through daily activities such as forest walks, sea dips post-sauna, and meals crafted from locally sourced ingredients.
To commemorate their happiness status and following the success of the 2023 Masterclass in Happiness, Finland's official tourism board and Helsinki Partners are inviting applicants worldwide to participate in a happiness hack-a-thon. This five-day curated experience will take place in Helsinki, the world's happiest capital.

Scheduled for June 2024, the Helsinki Happiness Hacks urban expedition offers selected participants an opportunity to learn from five Helsinki residents, each sharing their strategies for finding joy in the city.

The lineup includes Lena Salmi, a seventy-year-old skateboarder and avid swimmer, who will share insights on urban swimming; Luka Balac, a renowned chef focused on sustainability, who will discuss his approach to social gastronomy; Adela Pajunen, a well-being expert and biologist, who will shed light on Finland's natural remedies; designer Tero Kuitunen, who will demonstrate how Helsinki's urban and natural elements intersect; and Tapio Hakanen, also known as DJ Orkidea, who will introduce participants to the concept of a "sauna rave."

Heli Jimenez, Senior Director of International Marketing at Business Finland, expresses enthusiasm about sharing Finnish happiness practices with the world. She states, "As the world's happiest country, we believe in sharing our happiness. We are excited to welcome people from across the globe to discover the keys and hacks to Finnish happiness."

Sports

2024 Ford Championship Presented by KCC

The stage is set for the 2024 Ford Championship presented by KCC, taking place from March 28 to March 31 at Seville Golf and Country Club. Today, Gilbert welcomes a stellar lineup of the world's top female golfers as they gear up for the seventh event of the 2024 LPGA Tour season. Over the course of five days at Seville, fans have ample opportunities to witness these exceptional athletes in action, promising a family-friendly experience amidst the excitement.

The 2024 Ford Championship presented by KCC boasts the presence of the top five players in the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings: Lilia Vu at No. 1, followed by Nelly Korda, Celine Boutier, Ruoning Yin, and Minjee Lee. Notably, all five winners from the current 2024 season are among the participants, including Lydia Ko, who stands on the cusp of LPGA Hall of Fame induction pending her next victory. Additionally, viewers can anticipate thrilling performances from Korda, who triumphed over Ko in a playoff at the LPGA Drive On Championship, and Bailey Tardy, who clinched the Rolex First-Time Winner title at the Blue Bay LPGA.

Additionally, two slots are reserved for players not yet in the field who secure top-10 finishes at this week's FIR HILLS SERI PAK Championship. The final two spots for the Ford Championship presented by KCC will be determined by the top two finishers at Monday's Local Qualifying Round. For a comprehensive list of tournament entries, click here.

Mind Stretchers

⁉️ 

A small number of cards has been lost from a complete pack. If I deal among four people, three cards remain. If I deal among three people, two remain and if I deal among five people, two cards remain. How many cards are there?

Yesterday’s Answers to the Mind Stretchers:
He was a little chicken. 😆 

Chris Hostetler got the correct answer!

There were also some great guesses for this one that were not correct. My favorites were “Because he didn’t want to be spotted” and because “it was yellow inside” (as in cowardly).

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] or reply to 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.