The Rings of Power hits and misses in digestible second season (SPOILER-free impressions)

The highly anticipated second season of “The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power” is upon us! Amazon Prime Video has invested an impressive amount into this series, set in Middle-earth long before the events we’re familiar with from J.R.R. Tolkien’s tales like those involving Frodo, Gollum, and the One Ring. At this point in time, Sauron is on his way to becoming a powerful dark lord, elves are prevalent, Moria Mines are home to a thriving dwarven community, and there’s an island nation called Númenor inhabited by advanced, long-living mortals. It’s a fresh take, yet still reminiscent of the works of J.R.R. Tolkien for his fans.

NASCAR Cup Series: Nobody deserves to be in the playoffs

As a gamer, I was down in the dumps, sitting at the back of the pack during Saturday’s Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona International Speedway, struggling to climb the point standings amidst the fierce competition. But then, against all odds, I managed to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat and booked my ticket to the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs for the very first time in my career. It was a triumphant moment that I’ll never forget!