superace ultimate

The United States saw an 18.1% increase in homelessness this year, a dramatic rise driven mostly by a lack of affordable housing as well as devastating natural disasters and a surge of migrants in several parts of the country, federal officials said Friday. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development said federally required tallies taken across the country in January found more than 770,000 people were counted as homeless — a number that misses some people and does not include those staying with friends or family because they don't have a place of their own. That increase comes on top of a 12% increase in 2023, which HUD blamed on soaring rents and the end of COVID-19 pandemic assistance. The 2023 increase also was driven by people experiencing homelessness for the first time. The numbers overall represent 23 of every 10,000 people in the U.S., with Black people being overrepresented among the homeless population. A man walks past a homeless encampment Oct. 25, 2023, in downtown Los Angeles. "No American should face homelessness, and the Biden-Harris Administration is committed to ensuring every family has access to the affordable, safe, and quality housing they deserve," HUD Agency Head Adrianne Todman said in a statement, adding that the focus should remain on "evidence-based efforts to prevent and end homelessness." Among the most concerning trends was a nearly 40% rise in family homelessness — one of the areas that was most affected by the arrival of migrants in big cities. Family homelessness more than doubled in 13 communities impacted by migrants including Denver, Chicago and New York City, according to HUD, while it rose less than 8% in the remaining 373 communities. Almost 150,000 children experienced homelessness on a single night in 2024, reflecting a 33% jump from last year. Disasters also played a part in the rise in the count, especially last year's catastrophic Maui wildfire, the deadliest U.S. wildfire in more than a century. More than 5,200 people were in emergency shelters in Hawaii on the night of the count. Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries agents assist state police as they order people living in a homeless encampment to move to a different designated location during a sweep ahead of a Taylor Swift concert in New Orleans. "Increased homelessness is the tragic, yet predictable, consequence of underinvesting in the resources and protections that help people find and maintain safe, affordable housing," Renee Willis, incoming interim CEO of the National Low Income Housing Coalition, said in a statement. "As advocates, researchers, and people with lived experience have warned, the number of people experiencing homelessness continues to increase as more people struggle to afford sky-high housing costs." Robert Marbut Jr., the former executive director of the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness from 2019 to 2021, called the nearly 33% increase in homelessness over the past four years "disgraceful" and said the federal government needs to abandon efforts to prioritize permanent housing. "We need to focus on treatment of substance use and mental illness, and bring back program requirements, like job training," Marbut said in an email. The numbers also come as increasing numbers of communities are taking a hard line against homelessness. People living in a homeless encampment pick up belongings Oct. 23 after Louisiana State Police ordered them to move to a different designated location during a sweep ahead of a Taylor Swift concert in New Orleans. Angered by often dangerous and dirty tent camps, communities — especially in Western states — have enforced bans on camping. That follows a 6-3 ruling this summer by the Supreme Court that found outdoor sleeping bans don’t violate the Eighth Amendment. Homeless advocates argued that punishing people who need a place to sleep would criminalize homelessness. There was some positive news in the count, as homelessness among veterans continued to trend downward. Homelessness among veterans dropped 8% to 32,882 in 2024. It was an even larger decrease for unsheltered veterans, declining 11% to 13,851 in 2024. "The reduction in veteran homelessness offers us a clear roadmap for addressing homelessness on a larger scale," Ann Oliva, CEO of the National Alliance to End Homelessness, said in a statement. "With bipartisan support, adequate funding, and smart policy solutions, we can replicate this success and reduce homelessness nationwide. Federal investments are critical in tackling the country's housing affordability crisis and ensuring that every American has access to safe, stable housing." Several large cities had success bringing down their homeless numbers. Dallas, which worked to overhaul its homeless system, saw a 16% drop in its numbers between 2022 to 2024. Los Angeles, which increased housing for the homeless, saw a drop of 5% in unsheltered homelessness since 2023. A rat sniffs the hand of a sleeping man experiencing homelessness Dec. 18 in downtown Los Angeles. California, the most populous state in the U.S., continued to have the nation's largest homeless population, followed by New York, Washington, Florida and Massachusetts. The sharp increase in the homeless population over the past two years contrasts with success the U.S. had for more than a decade. Going back to the first 2007 survey, the U.S. made steady progress for about a decade in reducing the homeless population as the government focused particularly on increasing investments to get veterans into housing. The number of homeless people dropped from about 637,000 in 2010 to about 554,000 in 2017. The numbers ticked up to about 580,000 in the 2020 count and held relatively steady over the next two years as Congress responded to the COVID-19 pandemic with emergency rental assistance, stimulus payments, aid to states and local governments and a temporary eviction moratorium. Homelessness is intertwined with the cost of living, and the high cost of living is hitting older adults fairly hard. A Westat survey for the Department of Health and Human Services found that older adults are the fastest-growing cohort of the homeless population. Emergency housing for seniors can keep that number from climbing higher. Caring.com details how to access it. The number of homeless seniors isn't based solely on people remaining homeless as they age; it also includes those whose first experience with homelessness came after they turned 50. In 2023, The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) reported that 1 in 5 homeless people were over the age of 55. For seniors and other older adults, fixed incomes make it hard to battle the ever-increasing cost of expenses. Endhomelessness.org cites that 2.35 million older adults are paying over half of their limited income to rent. Based on Caring.com's July 2024 survey of seniors in the workforce , that's exactly why 1 in 15 retired seniors worry about losing their homes. Shelter use in homeless people older than 51 has gone up over 10% from 2007 to 2017, according to the HUD. But luckily, so has the number of shelters. Between 2022 and 2023, the HUD reports that emergency shelters added 28,760 more beds in emergency shelters, though this is a reduction in the amount of beds available during the thick of the COVID-19 pandemic. Emergency homeless assistance, or emergency housing, is a temporary solution. It's designed to provide shelter while those facing housing instability figure out their next step. Emergency housing for homeless seniors gives someone the immediate ability to remain housed and safely sheltered. Local nonprofits are often involved in placing people experiencing homelessness or housing instability into emergency shelters. Low-income seniors, seniors who are low on funds and might not make rent, or seniors who need to leave their homes for other reasons can use emergency housing. Many cities have their own emergency housing programs. There are also nationwide programs that provide emergency housing for seniors. The internet is the fastest tool for locating local emergency housing. Libraries have free internet access, for those who might not have a computer or Wi-Fi to begin their search. The list below leads to websites that include phone numbers for emergency homeless assistance. Seniors in need of immediate assistance and resources should call 2-1-1 or contact the United Way online . The 2-1-1 crisis hotline partners with United Way, which is committed to helping homeless seniors find local shelters or access transitional housing. The service can also connect seniors with other resources, including food, mental health support, or funding for health care expenses. Calling 2-1-1 is often required as a prerequisite before trying to get into a shelter or obtaining other assistance. Because 2-1-1 is for people in crisis, there are no eligibility requirements. However, some programs seniors may access through 2-1-1 do have eligibility requirements. Seniors can simply dial 2-1-1 from nearly anywhere in the U.S. to be put in touch with the programs and resources they need. Designed specifically for seniors, people with disabilities, and low-income families, the Housing Choice Voucher Program is a federal program offering low-income housing options and rent assistance. These vouchers are available through your local public housing agency (PHA). This program enables and encourages participants to choose their own housing. Housing options don't need to be a part of subsidized housing projects, but there are limits on unit size. Typically, participants must pay 30% of their monthly adjusted income towards their rent, and the voucher program pays the remainder. Applicant income and family size help the PHA determine eligibility. Citizenship and eligible immigration status also play a factor. The family's income cannot exceed 50% of the median income for the county or metropolitan area where they're applying to live. Of the vouchers, 75% must go to people whose income is at or less than 30% of their area's median income. Contact your local public housing agency . The Section 202 program helps expand the supply of affordable housing with supportive services for seniors. This program gives low-income seniors options that allow them to live independently, with support for cooking, cleaning, transportation, etc. This program is open to any very low-income household that has at least one person 62 years old or older. Applicants must submit an application in response to a Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) posted on Grants.gov . The HUD-VASH program was created as emergency homeless assistance for veterans. Its goal is to give homeless veterans access to permanent housing through public housing authorities. Veterans receive rental assistance through the HUD Housing Choice Voucher program and additional case management services through the VA. By December 2023, the HUD had allocated nearly 112,000 vouchers to help house veterans nationwide. To help veterans achieve stability and remain housed, VA case managers may connect veterans with support services such as health care, mental health treatment, and substance use counseling. If you or your loved one is a low-income senior with eligible military service, you may apply. Your local VA can tell you if your service qualifies you for HUD-VASH. Senior veterans may apply online or call (877) 424-3838. Click here to learn more about the emergency housing options for seniors available in your state. Low-income seniors who aren't in assisted living or independent living communities might find themselves facing housing instability. Emergency housing for seniors can help you or your loved one seek shelter. Crisis hotlines and public housing agencies can offer support. Finding emergency housing for seniors depends heavily on your area. The first step is to call the Crisis Hotline at 2-1-1. Finding a shelter takes less time than applying and getting approved for low-income housing voucher programs. The 2-1-1 hotline can direct you to local resources and locators. Yes and no. The duration depends on the type of housing. Shelters have limits that vary. Some shelters allow people to stay for up to six months, though that can vary based on demand. Seniors can remain in Section 202 supportive housing as long as they meet age and income requirements. Yes. Many counties have financial emergency programs that help seniors handle home repairs or short-term financial crises like utility shutoff. These programs allow the senior to focus their funds on their rent or mortgage. This story was produced by Caring.com and reviewed and distributed by Stacker Media. Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter.Not the best news coming out of the holidays for the Vancouver Canucks . When speaking to the media on Friday, head coach Rick Tocchet revealed that forward Elias Pettersson and captain Quinn Hughes are doubtful to play in the team’s first game coming out of the holiday break, a clash on Saturday against the Seattle Kraken . Tocchet says both Hughes and Pettersson are doubtful for tomorrow. Both being re-evaluated later today by #Canucks medical staff. Demko gets start in goal Tocchet stated that both players are going to be re-evaluated by the team’s medical staff on Friday before making a final decision. Pettersson was injured during the Canucks’ last game prior to the break. In a 4-3 win over the San Jose Sharks , he was reportedly banged up in the second period before leaving the game entirely after just one shift in the third. Tocchet stated, “I don’t think it’s too bad.” There have been no reports of what exactly Hughes hurt that could cause him to miss a game. The 25-year-old was a game-time decision for the game against the Sharks with an undisclosed injury. He ended up registering 24:45 of ice time in the victory, recording two assists to boot. Both players have been fairly healthy over the past couple of seasons. Each has appeared in all 34 of Vancouver’s games this season, with both playing the full 82-game schedule during the 2023-24 campaign, including each of the team’s 13 games in its run to the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Pettersson played 80 games in both the 2021-22 and 2022-23 seasons, while Hughes missed four games two years ago, playing 76 games the season before that. So far, Hughes leads the Canucks with 42 points, scoring eight goals and 34 assists. He ranks second in the NHL in scoring among defensemen, only trailing Colorado Avalanche star Cale Makar. Pettersson is second on the Vancouver roster behind Hughes with 10 goals and 18 assists for 28 points. The Canucks (17-10-7) hold the first Wild Card spot in the Western Conference and are fourth in the Pacific Division, eight points behind the first-place Vegas Golden Knights . This article first appeared on Daily Faceoff and was syndicated with permission.superace ultimate 。

Yukoner Gavin McKenna played for Canada in the World Junior Hockey Championship opener against Finland on Dec. 26, delivering the first period winning goal and helping to secure Canada’s 4-0 victory. McKenna credited goalie Carter George, who made 31 saves in his World Juniors debut, for the shutout against the Finns. McKenna, Easton Cowan and Luca Pinelli completed the scoring for Canada, who had a 41-31 shot advantage over the Finns. In the first period, Canada and Finland battled for dominance on the ice, with Canada taking control by out-shooting the Finns 17-6. Finnish goalie Petteri Rimpinen struggled to keep the net clear but was overcome as Canada scored the first goal with 52 seconds left in the period. In the second period, Finnish goalie Rimpinen stopped Ethan Gauthier's breakaway dash for the net but couldn’t prevent Cowan’s unassisted goal off a Finnish defensive turnover. Cowan, 19, one of four returning Canadian players, gained renown for his 56-game point streak with the Ontario Hockey League’s London Knights. Despite a shorthanded breakaway save by George, Canada failed to score on two power plays in the second half. The Finns improved in the third period, with George stopping Finland’s Benjamin Rautiainen’s power-play one-timer. However, Pinelli made it 3-0 with just under five minutes remaining, celebrating Caden Price's assist. During a late penalty kill, the Canadians preserved the shutout with strong shot blocks and effective goal-tending from George. Canada’s Matthew Schaefer added an empty-netter with 19 seconds left. Team Canada is scheduled to play Latvia on Dec. 27, Germany on Dec. 29 and the U.S.A. on Dec. 31 in the lead up to the quarter and semi-finals from Jan. 2 to 4.Stephen A. Smith Speaks on JuJu Watkins’ Potential: Deserves the Hype Caitlin Clark Received

I remember where I was when I first heard the term. It was early 1998 and I was in a McDonald's drive-thru. My friend was explaining to me why he and his family had decided to move to rural Arkansas next year. "Y2K," I said. "What's that?" ADVERTISEMENT Y2K. The "millenium bug" arriving in the year 2000. The new millennium. Some of you might well remember this time. For those under about age 30, let me catch you up. Many of the computers used in government and business in the late 20th century, including ones that powered the early internet, supposedly had something of a ticking time bomb inside of them. "It's very hard to tell how bad the situation will be. I'm sure things will break. It's very hard to dispel a nightmare scenario," Nathan Myhrvold, Microsoft's chief technology officer, was cited as saying in a January 1999 Forum column. "The dark-side scenario of airplanes falling out of the sky and bank computers crashing is possible. But it's fundamentally very, very hard to know whether the impact will be big or little." The problem was the two-digit-year date field (think "93" as in "1/1/93"). Theoretically, the arrival of the new millennium — the year 2000 — would reset all these computer clocks to "00" as in "1/1/00," wrecking anything that counted on dates to function properly. Theoretically, anyway. The list of public fears was a long one, illustrating how central computer technology had become in our lives, and mirroring larger uncertainty about the new millennium. And while company officials and local, state and federal officials sought to reassure the public, ongoing reporting indicated nobody was quite sure nothing would fail. So the fears remained up until the last minute. ADVERTISEMENT "Up against the deadline for fixing an unprecedented technological blunder, the world exhibited some jitters Thursday over the prospect of failures in the computers on which we depend," wrote the Associated Press, as printed by The Forum on New Year's Eve, 1999. "There was testing galore and a few confessions of Y2K-unreadiness." Some religious figures took the moment to insist the coming apocalypse was God's judgment on a wayward culture. "(God) may be preparing to confound our language, to jam our communications, scatter our efforts and judge us for our sin and rebellion against his lordship," evangelical Christian leader Jerry Falwell said in August 1998. "We are hearing from many sources that Jan. 1, 2000, will be a fateful day in the history of the world." As if to embody the looming fears, WWE wrestler Chris Jericho gave himself the moniker Y2J (for Jericho), playing off the Y2K term. His entrance to arenas was marked by a countdown video that, when it got to zero, included shutting off the venue lights, leaving people in noisy darkness before Jericho was revealed. As the year 2000 approached, the fears began to grow into something of a hysteria for some people, sparking drastic decisions, like my friend's family's decision to move to the woods. Others took money out of the bank. Some stocked up on supplies and guns and ammunition to survive the coming failure of civilization. The growing fears were in odd juxtaposition to the more joyful expressions by some about the year 2000. Big millennium parties were planned. Monopoly put out a millennium edition with fancy holographic cards. The boy band Backstreet Boys released their "Millennium" album, still iconic among my generation (OK, fine — I'm listening to it right now). Many people dismissed the fears and planned to go about their lives, expecting the furor was overblown. ADVERTISEMENT I moved from North Dakota to South Dakota in 1999, and as the new millennium approached, I was about 55% convinced Y2K was going to cause big problems. I remember counting down the last days of the 1900s and thinking everything was possibly about to change. It didn't, of course. While there were some hiccups among some computer systems, much of the billions of dollars in preparation worked. A concerted global effort to stave off disaster was effective. The apocalypse never arrived, civilization continued. In fact, my daughter was born later that year — one of many "millennium" babies who are now 24 years old. So what happened to my friend who moved to Arkansas? I don't know. I'd like to think he and his family went on to live their best life in a cabin in the Ozarks, ready for the end of the world that never arrived. Have a moment or person in history that you think is especially interesting? Contact me at jfugleberg@forumcomm.com and tell me why you think it would be a great subject for this column.

The 2025 CES in the United States is about to unveil a brand-new chapter in the future intelligent home gardening LAS VEGAS , Dec. 28, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- UBHOME, a sub-brand of UBTECH Robotics, announced an intelligent service robot in collaboration with Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. The Robotic Mower M10 is a revolutionary smart lawn mower announced at the 2025 International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in the United States . This product is powered by the Qualcomm® RB1 Robotics Platform, showcases UBHOME's rich experience in robot research and development, and focuses on solving the pain points of traditional lawn-mowing equipment, providing users with a worry-free and labor-saving smart gardening experience, and creates a new model of gardening intelligence. User-Oriented: The All-New Convenience Brought by the Smart Lawn Mower to Life The Robotic Mower M10 is not only a high performance tool but also an upgrade of the smart lifestyle. In response to the pain points of users when using traditional lawn-mowing equipment, this product offers a series of practical functions, bringing brand-new convenience to home gardening: Wireless and Borderless Mowing : There is no need for cumbersome boundary wire installation anymore. The device relies on accurate environmental perception and navigation technology to independently plan the work area, allowing users to use it right out of the box, saving installation time and energy. Automatic Mowing, Saving Time and Effort : The device can automatically complete the lawn mowing work according to the preset schedule or real-time instructions, enabling users to manage the lawn care through delegation to the mower. Wide Coverage and Stable Signal : It supports a large-scale signal connection of up to 130,000 square meters. Even for extremely large courtyards , stable operation can be ensured, and there is no need to worry about signal loss. Real-time Online, in-control Anytime : Through APP remote control and real-time monitoring, users can adjust the mowing plan or check the device status at any time, managing the courtyard work as they like. The combination of these functions not only greatly simplifies the complexity of mowing work but also liberates users from repetitive physical labor, allowing them to focus on enjoying the wonderful moments of life. UBHOME: In-depth Layout in Smart Home UBHOME is a brand under UBTECH Robotics that focuses on providing smart solutions for families. As a world-leading robot enterprise, UBTECH, with its strong R&D strength and technological accumulation, has successfully launched Walker, China's first commercial bipedal human-sized humanoid robot. The launch of the Robotic Mower M10 by UBHOME this time is an important step in its layout in the smart home field. Relying on UBTECH's technological accumulation in robots and its in-depth understanding of user needs, the Robotic Mower M10 achieves the best mowing effect through environmental recognition and dynamic adjustment. Whether it is complex terrain, steep slopes, or high requirements for fine mowing, it can perform perfectly, demonstrating its excellent technical capabilities and brand commitment. Powered by Qualcomm Technologies, Facilitating Intelligent Upgrading As a global leader in wireless technology and edge intelligence, Qualcomm Technologies provides cutting-edge technical support for the Robotic Mower M10, including intelligent edge computing platforms, dynamic path planning, and environmental perception technologies. These technologies ensure that the device can operate efficiently in various environments, providing users with a precise and efficient smart experience. The Robotic Mower M10 utilizes the Qualcomm RB1 Robotics Platform to ensure the superior operation of the Robotic Mower M10 in large-scale courtyards, laying a solid foundation for realizing smart life. Industry Significance and Trend: Promoting the Development of Gardening Intelligence With the continuous increase in the demand for home intelligence, the market for smart gardening equipment is in a period of rapid development. As a typical representative of this trend, the smart lawn mower not only meets consumers' pursuit of a convenient lifestyle but also provides a direction for the transformation of the gardening industry from tool manufacturing to smart services. The product released by UBHOME not only fills the gap in the high-performance lawn-mowing equipment market but also sets a new industry benchmark. Through the multiple advantages of wireless , real-time connection, and fully automated operation, it endows home gardening with new value, making users no longer regard mowing as a burden but feel the convenience and fun brought by technology. Innovation Hand in Hand, Co-creating Smart Life The collaboration between UBHOME and Qualcomm Technologies showcases a strong collaboration of technology and innovation. Both parties are committed to bringing more convenient and efficient life experiences to consumers through technological innovation. At the 2025 CES, UBHOME and Qualcomm Technologies will showcase the innovative functions and application scenarios of this Robotic Mower M10. About UBHOME UBHOME is a brand under UBTECH Robotics, focusing on providing smart solutions for families. UBTECH is a world-leading robot enterprise dedicated to the research and development and application of artificial intelligence and robot technology and has successfully served more than 900 enterprise-level customers in more than 50 countries around the world. Media Contact Information For more information, please contact: UBHOME Brand Team: mbu-sales@ubtrobot.com Qualcomm is a trademark or registered trademark of Qualcomm Incorporated. Qualcomm branded products are products of Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. and/or its subsidiaries. View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/ubhome-collaborates-with-qualcomm-to-release-the-smart-lawn-mower-co-creating-a-new-era-of-smart-life-302339211.html SOURCE UBTECH ROBOTICS CORP LTD

Should the U.S. increase immigration levels for highly skilled workers?ZEISS Industrial Quality Solutions Transforms its Go-to-Market-Strategy in Canada to Drive Customer Excellence

Cintas Corp. stock rises Friday, still underperforms market

A look at every Listed Building in St Helens

Supreme Court seems likely to uphold Tennessee's ban on treatments for transgender minors

US homelessness up 18% as affordable housing remains out of reach for many people

The Punjab and Haryana governments on Friday declared a seven-day state mourning till January 1 as a mark of respect to former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. Official spokespersons of both state governments said that as per the letter of the Union home ministry, during this mourning period, no official celebrations would be held in the offices of the Punjab government and the national flag would be flown at half-mast. India lost a visionary statesman: Punjab guv Punjab governor and UT administrator Gulab Chand Kataria expressed deep sorrow and grief over the passing of former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. ‘With profound grief and deepest reverence, I mourn the passing of Dr Manmohan Singh, who served as the 13th Prime Minister of India from 2004 to 2014 - a period that marked a transformative era in our nation’s journey. Dr Singh was not merely a political figure, but a visionary statesman who reshaped India’s economic and social landscape through his remarkable leadership and intellectual brilliance”, the governor said. CM Saini, Hooda express grief Haryana chief minister Nayab Saini said the former PM’s contribution to the development of the country will always be unforgettable. In a condolence message, Saini said, “The country has lost not only a visionary statesman but also a dedicated servant of the nation and a great economist.” Expressing grief, former Haryana chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda said, “Manmohan Singh was a great economist and pioneer of economic reforms who took the country forward on the path of progress. His death has caused an irreparable loss for the nation.”

SOMETHING odd happens if you do an internet search on what occurred in the sporting year. The first two things that came up for me were, 2024 in review: The sports business year in deals and Annual Review of Football Finance 2024. So when you ask Google a question about sport, the first thing on its mind is money . Unsettling, if you ask me, although it does point to something beautiful — that TV people have cottoned on to the fact sport is the only thing they can rely upon to bring the world together, watching the same thing at the same time, riding the same emotional rollercoaster. They love this because they can sell the advertising space around it. We love it because, well, we just love it. Year after year, sport delivers in ways we knew it would, and in ways we could never have imagined. Take Luke Littler . Who’d have thought 2024 would begin with an extraordinary teenager dominating the back, and front, pages. READ MORE ON PEP GUARDIOLA Think about it. How many times in your life does sport have you shaking your head in disbelief, muttering something to yourself like, “Wow. Incredible”? Littler’s story has been a sporting fairytale, except that’s not quite right. Referring to sports stories as fairytales is too much of a cliche. Also, it wasn’t quite a fairytale, was it? In a proper fairytale, the 16-year-old prodigy would have turned up, shocked every opponent winning every round, and gone on to win the title. Most read in Sport But no, this is sport, so there’s not necessarily a neat tying up of the tale. He finished second. Dose of defeat Still brilliant, incredible, inspiring and moving. But not quite a fairytale. It was like Cinderella finding the slipper fitted but also that she couldn’t immediately marry the prince , as he already had a girlfriend, and had to sort that out first. Her day would surely come, as Littler’s did in a triumphant year for him that is likely to end for him as dramatically as it started. It’s the kinks in the sporting stories which make the magic. While almost every film or TV series ends up with the good guys winning, in sport you can never be quite sure. And here lies the magic. There are those saying Pep is now a diminished figure. But I don’t see it like that I wouldn’t blame Manchester City fans for not much enjoying the mysterious magic of sport just now. This time last year they were enjoying another brisk stroll towards yet another Premier League title. And as recently as two months ago we all thought we were in for more of the same this season. But this is sport, and sport doesn’t work like that. It’s now one win in 13 games for City . Unthinkable. Two months ago, Manchester City failing to beat Everton at home would have been unthinkable in itself. Headline news . But tellingly, the morning after their draw on Boxing Day it barely merited mention in the sports bulletins. Just another bad day for struggling City. There are those saying Pep is now a diminished figure. But I don’t see it like that. He’s gone right up in my estimation. As a winner, I found him angry, irascible and generally hard to like. A serious dose of defeat has made him much more appealing. He’s been humble and intelligent . Rather than railing at the world blaming everyone else, he’s been almost alarmingly candid about the extent to which he blames himself and what he sees as his own shortcomings. After the draw against Everton, he said simply: “Life is not easy. Sport is not easy.” I loved that. He’s right. Sport, like life, can be beautiful and it can be terrible. It’s rarely a fairytale after all. In the heady days of summer we had the Euros and England’s not uneventful march to the final . It’s funny, but in my mind it’s all reduced down to a handful of key moments. Jude Bellingham’s overhead kick vs Slovakia ; the look on Ollie Watkins’ face after his winner against the Dutch . And then in the final, Spain’s winner which definitely looked offside but definitely wasn’t, and then the goalmouth scramble at the other end right at the death. If it had gone in, all might have been different. But it didn’t. Same old. And before long Gareth was on his way. Enough said. Next time. As for performance of the tournament, I’m going to have to give it to Ronaldo . And here I mean “performance” in the sense that a toddler having a tantrum might be said to be “putting in a performance”. No disrespect to the great man — he’s a hardworking genius who deserves every bit of success he’s had. But his man-child performance in Portugal’s round of 16 Euros knockout match against Slovenia will live long in the memory — taking every free kick, missing a penalty, the tears , the inevitable triumph. It was a one-man show for the ages. By the way, on VAR , is it just me or has it got a bit better? We’re certainly talking about it less, but that might be more to do with us getting bored of moaning and the fight draining out of us. The jury remains out. Let’s see what 2025 brings. In F1 , good things have been happening. It was great to see Lewis win again at Silverstone . Things get daft But also refreshing to see so many new young drivers making their way, and so many fans brought to the sport by the Netflix documentary , Drive To Survive . When TV captures the drama of sport so brilliantly, it’s a fabulous thing. But it has to be that way round — because if sport starts delivering drama for the purposes of television , it could devalue everything. I’m not saying this is what was behind, say, George Russell’s spat with Max Verstappen , but I did start to wonder. We can’t have these brilliant fly-on-the-wall series turning into sports versions of Keeping Up With The Kardashians . In sport we don’t need to confect drama. There’s plenty there already to be getting on with. Pick your 2024 golden moments. I’ll go for Keely Hodgkinson in the 800m and Bryony Page on the trampoline Sport must be king; the requirements of TV must come second. When TV starts calling all the shots, things get daft. Take the Olympics. An absolute triumph, sandwiched between the most absurdly overblown made-for-television opening and closing ceremonies. Good job that the sport which came in between was so unrelentingly brilliant. Pick your golden moments. I’ll go for Keely Hodgkinson in the 800m, Bryony Page on the trampoline and the GB women in the quadruple sculls. They trailed the Dutch for 1,950 metres but beat them to gold on the very final stroke . Awesome. In 2024 we saw some legends of their sports bow out. It’s always moving to see athletes we first saw as kids come to dominate their worlds before finally, tearfully — for us as well as them — bowing out. Rafa Nadal and Andy Murray left tennis . Jimmy Anderson played his last cricket for England . Mark Cavendish finished cycling in triumph. With their bodies in various states of disrepair, they called it a day. But what shone out from each of this quartet was something which years of elite competition often knocks out of sportsmen and women — their sheer love for their sports. This is rarer than you might think. With some athletes (see Ronaldo above) you get the feeling they’re in it as much for love of themselves as for the love of the game. And I’ve met many retired footballers who, while still fans of the game, can’t think of much worse than having to get out there and play again, week in, week out. But with Nadal, Murray, Anderson and Cavendish, you sensed that if their bodies allowed it, they’d carry on for ever. READ MORE SUN STORIES If only they could. But others will come to fill their shoes. More fairytales will (almost) be written. This next sporting year will, one way or another, put us through the mill all over again. Bring it on. Can’t wait.

How EVs can store energy for homes and power gridsI remember where I was when I first heard the term. It was early 1998 and I was in a McDonald's drive-thru. My friend was explaining to me why he and his family had decided to move to rural Arkansas next year. "Y2K," I said. "What's that?" ADVERTISEMENT Y2K. The "millenium bug" arriving in the year 2000. The new millennium. Some of you might well remember this time. For those under about age 30, let me catch you up. Many of the computers used in government and business in the late 20th century, including ones that powered the early internet, supposedly had something of a ticking time bomb inside of them. "It's very hard to tell how bad the situation will be. I'm sure things will break. It's very hard to dispel a nightmare scenario," Nathan Myhrvold, Microsoft's chief technology officer, was cited as saying in a January 1999 Forum column. "The dark-side scenario of airplanes falling out of the sky and bank computers crashing is possible. But it's fundamentally very, very hard to know whether the impact will be big or little." The problem was the two-digit-year date field (think "93" as in "1/1/93"). Theoretically, the arrival of the new millennium — the year 2000 — would reset all these computer clocks to "00" as in "1/1/00," wrecking anything that counted on dates to function properly. Theoretically, anyway. The list of public fears was a long one, illustrating how central computer technology had become in our lives, and mirroring larger uncertainty about the new millennium. And while company officials and local, state and federal officials sought to reassure the public, ongoing reporting indicated nobody was quite sure nothing would fail. So the fears remained up until the last minute. ADVERTISEMENT "Up against the deadline for fixing an unprecedented technological blunder, the world exhibited some jitters Thursday over the prospect of failures in the computers on which we depend," wrote the Associated Press, as printed by The Forum on New Year's Eve, 1999. "There was testing galore and a few confessions of Y2K-unreadiness." Some religious figures took the moment to insist the coming apocalypse was God's judgment on a wayward culture. "(God) may be preparing to confound our language, to jam our communications, scatter our efforts and judge us for our sin and rebellion against his lordship," evangelical Christian leader Jerry Falwell said in August 1998. "We are hearing from many sources that Jan. 1, 2000, will be a fateful day in the history of the world." As if to embody the looming fears, WWE wrestler Chris Jericho gave himself the moniker Y2J (for Jericho), playing off the Y2K term. His entrance to arenas was marked by a countdown video that, when it got to zero, included shutting off the venue lights, leaving people in noisy darkness before Jericho was revealed. As the year 2000 approached, the fears began to grow into something of a hysteria for some people, sparking drastic decisions, like my friend's family's decision to move to the woods. Others took money out of the bank. Some stocked up on supplies and guns and ammunition to survive the coming failure of civilization. The growing fears were in odd juxtaposition to the more joyful expressions by some about the year 2000. Big millennium parties were planned. Monopoly put out a millennium edition with fancy holographic cards. The boy band Backstreet Boys released their "Millennium" album, still iconic among my generation (OK, fine — I'm listening to it right now). Many people dismissed the fears and planned to go about their lives, expecting the furor was overblown. ADVERTISEMENT I moved from North Dakota to South Dakota in 1999, and as the new millennium approached, I was about 55% convinced Y2K was going to cause big problems. I remember counting down the last days of the 1900s and thinking everything was possibly about to change. It didn't, of course. While there were some hiccups among some computer systems, much of the billions of dollars in preparation worked. A concerted global effort to stave off disaster was effective. The apocalypse never arrived, civilization continued. In fact, my daughter was born later that year — one of many "millennium" babies who are now 24 years old. So what happened to my friend who moved to Arkansas? I don't know. I'd like to think he and his family went on to live their best life in a cabin in the Ozarks, ready for the end of the world that never arrived. Have a moment or person in history that you think is especially interesting? Contact me at jfugleberg@forumcomm.com and tell me why you think it would be a great subject for this column.