​The Pittsburgh Penguins bolstered its forward depth on November 26, 2024, acquiring 23-year-old center Philip Tomasino from the Nashville Predators for a fourth-round selection in the 2027 National Hockey League (NHL) Draft. Pittsburgh had just two wins in its last 10 games before making the trade. The team reassigned Sam Poulin to its American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton to make roster space for Tomasino.

A first-round pick by the Predators in the 2019 NHL Draft, Tomasino had 71 points (23 goals, 48 assists) in 159 regular-season games in Nashville. He had his best season as a rookie in 2021-22, scoring 11 goals and adding 21 assists. Tomasino recorded 20 points (7 goals, 13 assists) in 41 games in 2023-24 and also helped Nashville's AHL affiliate the Milwaukee Admirals reach the Western Conference Finals of the Calder Cup Playoffs.

A pending restricted free agent, Tomasino is signed to a one-year, $825,000 contract. This was the second trade the Penguins made in November, having previously acquired a pair of future draft picks from the Washington Capitals for forward Lars Eller.

​Chicago’s real estate market is dynamic and showing signs of renewed activity. As reported in the Chicago Business Journal, the private investors who have dominated the market since the pandemic have given way to institutional investors. In the latter half of 2024, large deals in the $50 million to $200 million range were more frequent, with stronger bidding pools.

A major factor is the limited supply of new housing, with the urban area having the least new unit supply of any major market nationwide. This scarcity will remain a significant factor in demand and pricing for at least the next 18 months. This is drawing investor interest in existing multifamily housing stock, as well as planned developments.

Chicago features the nation's second-largest volume of retail inventory, with more than 95 percent of space occupied as of mid-2024. With few new retail properties under construction, demand for existing space will be high for the foreseeable future. Industrial properties are also witnessing an uptick as major companies such as data centers, third-party logistics providers, and EV battery manufacturers set up operations in Chicagoland.

​One compelling aspect of pickleball for enthusiasts of the sport is that it’s a social game often played in a doubles format. Basic doubles strategy includes player positioning. The court is broken up into four square sections, with the two team sides separated not only by the net, but also a no-volley zone (or “kitchen”) that extends seven feet in either direction from the net.

On the serve, the serving team stands just outside the baseline. Goth players typically remain there or shift just inside the baseline in preparation for the return. On the receiving end, the receiver stays back, typically at the baseline, while being ready to dash toward the net if the ball bounces soft in the forecourt. The receiver’s partner is already positioned up front, near the no-volley zone line, ready for the next sequence in the rally. After completing a return of serve, the receiver runs to the no-volley zone line to join their partner.

Holding this parallel position is important, and it is maintained as much as possible. The partners’ formation up front at the no-volley zone line may be broken up by lobs that go over them, or when the other team returns the ball with such force that it drives them back toward the baseline. In such cases, the players coordinate, with the player who doesn’t hit the ball backing up to match the teammate that does. This coordinated positional logic also applies when moving forward toward the net, with the partner hitting the ball deciding when and how the team shifts as a unit. When it comes to deciding who takes the ball, particularly when in the center of the court, phrases such as “Mine,” “Yours,” and “I Go” are essential.

​When visiting Venice, one of the most enjoyable experiences is getting around by water as a main form of transport. Built on a lagoon, the city has 150 canals, many of which are extremely narrow. The widest is the Grand Canal, which runs along landmarks such as the Basilica of St. Mary and the Doge’s Palace.

A majority of the canals are relatively shallow (around four to seven feet) and were initially constructed of tightly spaced alder wood stakes, which were driven through sand and silt into harder clay substrate beneath. Early builders placed wooden platforms on top of these stakes, and then stone, which served as building foundations. The sides of the canals were often reinforced by materials such as brick. Maintaining the canals is essential, and workers regularly dredge them and manually remove the debris that accumulates.

There are three basic ways of traveling the canals. Vaporetto are reasonably large motorized water busses operated by ACTV across 22 lines. The main line runs along the Grand Canal every 10 minutes. A Night Line operates 24-7, though with less frequency.

The second option is the water taxis, which are well-appointed motorboats offering spacious upholstered cabins. These are largely the province of tourists. The third option is a gondola, a traditional, flat-bottomed wood rowing boat little changed since the 11th century. Sleek, elegant, and steered using a traditional wood rudder, a gondola is ideal for those in search of a relaxed, unhurried passage through Venice.

​Condominium conversion is the process of converting rental apartment units into condo units. The difference between the two is that with rentals, tenants lease the property they live in, while with condos, residents own the property. As condo owners, they are also partial owners of common areas, gyms, pools, and other shared spaces, and must pay associated dues.

Converting a multifamily building to condos starts with consulting both a Realtor and a real estate attorney. The first helps define the competitive market landscape and whether such a process makes financial sense. The second assists in searching a specific property on a register and ascertaining just what legal obstacles, if any, stand in the way of the proposed conversion process.

If the decision is to move forward with the project, the owner now has an engineer draw up and certify drawings of the property’s interior and exterior spaces “as-built.” The real estate attorney uses these as a basis for further documentation, including master deed, condo association and fee creation, and rules and regulations defining the association. The association definition will include such things as permissions for using common area elements and pet restrictions. A master insurance policy is also required, and the property owner will need to coordinate public utilities metering per unit with municipal authorities for any utilities that were previous covered by the owner.

​A social game that attracts competitors of all ages, pickleball features rallies that begin with diagonal serves over a net, just like in tennis. With two players on a team, the team that makes the first serve gets only a single serve. Thereafter, each team gets two serve opportunities. Pickleball differs from doubles tennis in that each individual has one chance to serve, instead of the same player handling all serves throughout the entire game. Also different from tennis, only one serve attempt is allowed. The exception is when the ball hits the net and lands in the proper service court (a let in tennis).

All serves must be made with feet beyond the outside line and underhanded. The ball is either dropped by the non hitting hand and hit mid-air (before it hits the ground) or hit after bouncing on the court, as a drop serve.

The pickleball court is divided into four sections. Unlike tennis, the court also has a kitchen, or a 14-square-foot space intersected by the net. This is a no-volley zone, and players cannot hit the ball while standing in the kitchen. With the serve, the ball must also pass beyond the kitchen line (though it can hit any line beyond that around the service court and be considered in bounds).

With serving, the key is consistency, with successful servers aiming for depth, or placing the ball in the back four feet of the court. This makes it likely that the return player will have a weak or ineffective shot back. As with tennis, a serve that lacks depth sets the opponent up for close-range power off the paddle.

​A 24-time Grand Slam champion, Novak Djokovic achieved another career highlight at the 2024 Paris Olympics, beating 21-year-old Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz 7-6 (3), 7-6(2) to win his first Olympic gold medal. Djokovic had competed in four prior Olympic Games and was a bronze medalist in 2008.

The victory was extra special for Djokovic for a number of reasons. The 37-year-old became the oldest tennis player to make a singles final, and avenged a loss to Alcaraz, who beat him three weeks prior in the Wimbledon final. Alcaraz won both the French Open and Wimbledon this year and became the youngest male player to make the Olympic final since 1988. Djokovic and Alcaraz are also the two highest-paid players in the world.

Djokovic was the top seed in the event, held at Stade Roland Garros from July 27 to August 4, and was coming off minor surgery in June for a meniscus tear, but showed no signs of rust in the Olympics. He didn't lose a single set in the tournament and scored impressive wins over longtime rival Rafael Nadal and eighth seed Stefanos Tsitsipas. Alcaraz also didn't lose a set en route to the final.

Italian Lorenzo Musetti beat Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime 6-4, 1-6, 6-3 in the bronze medal match.

​Carlos Alcaraz, the 21-year-old Spaniard tennis sensation, made history at the 2024 French Open at Roland Garros with his 6-3, 2-6, 5-7, 6-1, 6-2 victory in the final over German Alexander Zverev. With the victory, Alcaraz won his third career grand slam and became the youngest male player to win a grand slam on all three surfaces: grass (Wimbledon), hard courts (US Open), and clay (French Open). He's 3-0 in grand slam finals, and also the youngest man to win the French Open since Rafael Nadal won his third of 14 titles at Roland Garros in 2007.

Zverev, who was playing in his first grand slam final since losing to Dominic Thiem in the 2020 US Open, appeared on the verge of victory after claiming a 2-1 set lead, but Alcaraz stormed back in the fourth set, showcasing his impressive forehand and drop shot capabilities. Zverev, likely feeling the pressure, made a series of unforced errors in the fourth set and couldn't keep up with Alcaraz in the fifth and deciding set.

Zverev had a tough path to the final, having to overcome a one-set deficit to beat Casper Ruud in a grueling five-set semi-final. He also played a tough five-set match against Tallon Griekspoor. Alcaraz, meanwhile, beat 2024 Australian Open winner Jannik Sinner in five sets in the semifinal, becoming the first male French Open champion in the Open Era to win his last two matches in five sets.

​Real estate capital markets play an important role in real estate transaction financing. They encompass the financial system and marketplaces where real estate-related financial products are traded. Real estate capital markets function like traditional markets, meaning the equilibrium of supply and demand determines the cost of capital. The cost of capital refers to the minimum rate of return on a particular investment to justify its incremental risk. Real estate capital markets have physical and digital aspects, since real estate transactions involve the transfer of physical properties and assets, but market processes and interactions mostly occur via digital platforms.

Four key participants operate in the real estate capital markets: investors, investment managers, lenders, and property developers and owners. Investors (individuals or institutions) provide the capital for real estate investments. Investment managers (professional individuals or firms) manage real estate investments on behalf of investors by analyzing market trends, identifying investment opportunities, and assessing investment risks. Lenders (private or financial institutions like banks and credit unions) grant real estate investment loans to finance property acquisitions and development. Finally, property developers and owners (individuals or legal entities) turn to investors and lenders to finance their property acquisition, development, or improvement projects.

Depending on what is sold and how many times it has traded hands, real estate capital markets fall into four main types: primary, secondary, debt, and equity. The first involves financing new property development projects and selling newly built properties. Secondary real estate capital markets deal with reselling existing properties and trading real estate securities. Debt markets are crucial for funding real estate acquisition and development projects via loans and mortgages. Finally, equity markets are where shares in real estate companies or investment vehicles are traded. An example would be real estate investment trusts (REITs). Resembling a mutual fund for real estate investing, an REIT owns or operates income-generating real estate and pools the capital of multiple investors.

​Preparing extra-crispy meals with a minimum amount of oil may sound too good to be true, but with an air fryer, it’s a piece of cake. Some common mistakes, however, can prevent chefs from achieving that coveted result. These include the wrong amount of oil, improper food selection, and overloading.

Reducing the amount of oil used is one of the main advantages of air fryers. However, many people fail to use the right amount, going to one of two extremes: too much or too little. Air fryers are not deep fryers or frying pans. Instead, they more closely resemble a mini-convention oven. Most air fryers require about a teaspoon or two of oil. Recipes typically include the right amount of oil for the specific dish. Professionals advise sticking to the recommended amount, but, if still unsure, chefs should quickly spritz the food with oil to add to its crispiness and achieve that appetizing golden-brown color.

Another common air fryer cooking mistake is not selecting the proper food. While deep fryers can remove moisture from battered foods, air fryers do not have that capability. Professionals advise avoiding cooking limp, wet, or lightweight foods, as they will not produce the desired results. Furthermore, lightweight vegetables like spinach can fly around and end up in the heating coil, burning and triggering the smoke alarm. Professionals recommend choosing already breaded, crunchy, and heavier foods like breaded cheese, breaded chicken tenders, Brussels sprouts, or broccoli.

Finally, people often overload the air fryer baskets. Air fryers constantly circulate high-temperature air, but overcrowding the basket will hamper that circulation and limit the food surface the heat reaches, resulting in soggy, unevenly cooked meals. The larger the food surface the hot air meets, the crispier the meal and the richer its flavor. A professional tip is to cook in smaller batches or opt for a larger air fryer (or one with dual baskets).