Good morning. On today’s docket:

• 🤔 What’s the best way to board an airplane?
• 🎤🏟️ Experiences > things, say US consumers
• 🏡 The average salary needed to afford a typical home is now in the six-figures

… and more.

🚀⏰ Ready, Set, Go: Today’s news should be about a 4.44-minute read.

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"It is good to have an end to journey towards; but it is the journey that matters, in the end."

–Ursula K. Le Guin (1929-2018)

United Airlines will begin implementing a new boarding process for some economy passengers later this month, according to a recent company memo.

Here’s the process: Boarding window seat passengers first, then those sitting in the middle and aisle seats. Known in the industry as the Wilma (Window-Middle-Aisle), the process is intended to prevent passengers from having to get up at the aisle or middle seat when a later-appearing passenger needs to go to their window or middle seat.

United says this change could shave two minutes off its boarding process. But some airlines (including United) have previously implemented – then abandoned – this method, because it split up families and was chaotic for people boarding late. Which may be why United is allowing people on the same reservation (aka families) to board at the same time, regardless of where their seats are.

Zoom out: Airlines have long been experimenting with different boarding schemes to try to speed up the process. But, much like a small friend group with two wannabe alphas making plans, there’s much debate as to the best way forward.

Some favor a process like Southwest’s, with no assigned seats. Others, like astrophysicist Jason Steffen, advocate for what’s known as the Steffen Method.

• This process involves boarding passengers in very specific groups, so as to minimize the bottlenecks of Joe Schmo blocking the aisle to put his luggage in the overhead while his shirt rides up to show his beer belly. But critics say the method is overly complicated to implement (take a look for yourself), and doesn’t account for the various human issues that could (and will) arise.

Bottom line: Research shows boarding bottlenecks are the biggest detriment to airplane turnaround times, the WSJ reports. But if airlines can recoup enough minutes in each “turn,” they can squeeze in more flights – while making flying more pleasant for passengers at the same time.

🇰🇭 Cambodia opened its newest and largest airport. The $1.1 billion project was financed by China’s Belt and Road Initiative, which aims to connect Asia, Africa, and Europe through land, air, and sea networks by 2049. The China-funded airport is now the main gateway to Cambodia’s main tourist attraction, the Angkor Wat temple, which officials hope will boost tourism after visitor numbers fell during the Covid pandemic.

💥 Israel-Hamas war update: Israel, the US government, and independent security experts say preliminary evidence from an explosion at a hospital compound in Gaza on Tuesday indicates a local Palestinian militant group was responsible, contrary to Hamas’ claim that Israel was behind the attack. Experts also say the damage from the blast doesn’t appear to back up the Hamas-controlled Gaza Health Ministry’s assertion that ~500 people were killed. Separately, Israel’s government yesterday said it would allow Egypt to deliver some humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip, anti-Israel and anti-US protests were held across the Middle East, and President Biden visited Tel Aviv in Israel.

🌎⚡ A majority of countries must replace or upgrade their electric grids in the near future, per a new report. The International Energy Agency (IEA) said nations worldwide need to build or upgrade about 50 million miles of power lines by 2040 to meet the world’s goals for transitioning to renewable power sources. The IEA called for countries to nearly double their annual investments in electricity infrastructure to reach this goal, which would require governments to reverse a decline in such funding over the past several years.

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The NBA season tips off next week, and tickets are selling faster than an Italian beef sandwich made by Carmy Berzatto. According to StubHub, NBA ticket sales are 60% higher compared to this time last year, marking the latest sign of US consumers’ increasing demand for live entertainment.

Some other examples:

• For the first time, the top five touring acts globally – Taylor Swift, Bruce Springsteen, Harry Styles, Elton John, and Ed Sheeran – each earned $100+ million in sold-ticket revenue over the first half of 2023, with most shows taking place in the US.
• In both the NFL and MLB, the average resale ticket price rose by 20+% over the past year. League officials and analysts attribute this to increased demand.
• A September report from Bank of America found US consumer behavior in recent months has shifted towards experiences (like concerts and live sports), with spending in that area remaining strong despite a slight economic downturn.

🎟️📈 Big picture: US spending on tickets to movies, concerts, and live sporting events is on track to reach $95 billion this year, per the US Bureau of Economic Analysis. That figure is 23% higher than last year, and 12.5% higher compared to pre-pandemic data from 2019.

💬 Quoted… “It’s the only way to fight bots without blocking real users.”

On Tuesday, X began testing a subscription method called Not a Bot, which includes a $1 annual fee for full access to new users who sign-up via its website in New Zealand or the Philippines. New accounts in those countries will also have to verify their phone number to create posts, like posts, reply to posts, and perform other key functions.

• It’s currently unclear whether Not a Bot, which is part of X owner Elon Musk’s wider crackdown on fake and spam accounts, will be expanded to other countries.

🏡💰 Stat of the Day: $114,627 = the average salary needed to afford the typical US home, the highest figure since Redfin first started tracking such data in 2012. It represents a 15% increase over last year, and a 50+% increase compared to the start of the pandemic – and may also be why 38% of recent US homebuyers under the age of 30 received family money to afford their down payment.

🤔 Did You Know?... The average human adult contains 60,000 miles worth of blood vessels, according to the Cleveland Clinic. For context, the circumference of the entire Earth is ~25,000 miles.

📰 Worth a Read: Unmasking Banksy – the street artist is not one man but a whole brand of people → (The Conversation)

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• ☝️ You’re looking at the Keys Margarita Snail, a newly-discovered species named in honor of the late Jimmy Buffet’s “Margaritaville.”

BUSINESS & MARKETS

in partnership with EnerHealth

• 💰 US markets closed down across the board (S&P: -1.3%; Dow: -1.0%; Nasdaq: -1.6%). | 💲 10-year Treasury yields hit 4.9% yesterday, a 16-year high.
• 📈 Netflix reported earnings and net-new subscribers that beat Wall Street expectations; the streaming giant also rolled out price increases in the US, the UK, and France yesterday. | 📉 Tesla missed Wall Street expectations on both revenue and earnings; Cybertruck deliveries are reportedly on track to begin the end of November.
• 🏡 The average rate on a 30-year fixed mortgage rate hit 8% yesterday morning, per Mortgage News Daily; that’s the highest level since mid-2000.

*From our partners: 🤤☕ Creamy, delicious hot cocoa to boost your immune system… Cocoa Mojo from EnerHealth contains a powerful blend of six medicinal mushrooms with Peruvian Cocoa. 100% organic and vegan. No mushroom taste. Save 25% on Cocoa Mojo with code DONUT25.

SPORTS, MEDIA & ENTERTAINMENT

• 🏎️ Travis Kelce, Patrick Mahomes, and Rory McIlroy are among a group of investors purchasing a 24% stake in the Alpine Formula One racing team for $211 million.
• ⚾ The Houston Astros beat the Texas Rangers 8-5 last night to cut their series deficit to 2-1 (best of seven).
• ⚖️🤖 Fugees rapper Tras is asking for a retrial after being convicted of federal foreign influence charges, alleging his lawyer “used an experimental AI program to write his closing argument."

SCIENCE, SPACE & EMERGING TECH

in partnership with Coop

• 🤖📦 Amazon is integrating a new AI-powered robotics system the company says will speed up order fulfillment by 25% at warehouses nationwide. | 🚁 The tech giant also began delivering prescription medications by drone in College Station, Texas.
• ⌚ Wearable devices are more accurate at tracking the progression of Parkinson’s disease than human clinical observation, per a new Oxford University study.
• 🇮🇳🚀 India’s space agency announced plans to establish a space station by 2035 and land astronauts on the Moon by 2040.

*From our partners: 🗝️😴 The key to a restful sleep… is the right pillow! “The Original” from Coop is made adjustable with the highest quality construction/materials to suit you perfectly. They even back it with a 100-night risk-free trial. Sleep better with “The Original” from Coop.

MISCELLANEOUS

• 🚫🏥 The Columbus City Council approved a deal to wipe out $335 million in medical debt for over 340,000 people; the plan is expected to benefit one in every three residents of Ohio’s largest city.
• 🧾 The IRS is planning to launch a free tax-filing pilot program in 13 states starting next year.
• 🏛️ Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH) failed to win a second consecutive election to become Speaker of the House yesterday, receiving two fewer votes than in the first round of voting on Tuesday; a third round of voting could happen today. (From the Left | From the Center | From the Right)

CLICKBAIT

• 🍫⛑️ M&M's will deploy a rescue team if you run out of candy this Halloween.

Yesterday, we covered how major US cities are struggling to accommodate an influx of migrants who initially entered via the southern border, then were sent on buses across the country.

❓ Our question to you (long-form): In your opinion, how should the US approach immigration?

• “The US should encourage qualified workers to immigrate legally after a process where their profile and background is carefully assessed. At the same time, it should shut down the border and prevent those whose background failed or wasn't checked from entering the country.”
• “America needs immigrants, and the day it ceases to see that is the day it should truly despair. But, it's obvious the current border crisis is a failure of leadership at all levels.”
• “The swell of people crossing now points to one thing. People, however terrible their circumstances, are taking advantage of the disarray. And that should be stopped. ASAP. The security and the integrity of America depends on it.”

Click here to read more of the best responses.

+Note on sample size: We received 427 longform responses.

We bring you the most unusual, off-the-wall and occasionally laugh-out-loud headlines from this week.

• Swans in Florida that date to Queen Elizabeth II gift are rounded up for their annual physicals → (Associated Press)
• German Couple Gets Hitched at McDonald’s Because They Wanted ‘The Ultimate United States Wedding’ → (The Messenger)
• New York sculpture pays tribute to sewer gator legend → (UPI)
• Bear caught on video crashing family barbecue, feasting on 10 burgers and Diet Coke → (NY Post)
• 'My cat purrs louder than the TV': Noisy Bella claims loudest purr record → (Guinness World Records)

"Age is just a number," announced 104-year-old Dorothy Hoffner to a group of cheering supporters after jumping out of a plane just outside of Chicago. 

The centenarian made her second tandem jump in her hundreds on October 1st, hoping to claim the world record for the oldest person to skydive in recorded history. 

🪂 Girl boss: Dorothy left her walker on the ground near the plane before she was helped into the aircraft by Skydive Chicago employees. "Let’s go, let’s go, Geronimo!” she exclaimed just before takeoff.

• Dorothy's dive lasted for seven minutes, and she shared "the whole thing was delightful, wonderful, couldn’t have been better."

👀 Looking ahead... She hopes to go for a hot air balloon ride next. 

Tweed Volcano, pictured above, is a dormant volcano located in the only continent with zero active volcanoes. What's the name of this continent?

(keep scrolling for the answer)

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