https haha777 Sunday, December 29, 2024 Hey there, travelers! If you’re dreaming of exploring the UK in 2025, here’s an important heads-up: starting January 8, 2025, you’ll need an Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) before you can set foot in the UK. Yes, that includes travelers from Chile, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Guyana, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, and Uruguay. But don’t worry—it’s a simple process, and I’ve got all the details to help you breeze through it. Think of the ETA as your ticket to smoother travel. It’s a quick and easy online authorization that lets you visit the UK for up to six months, whether you’re planning a holiday, a business trip, or visiting family. But here’s the catch: if you’re heading to the UK for work, study, or a stay longer than six months, you’ll need to apply for the appropriate visa instead. And trust me, you don’t want to show up at the airport without an approved ETA after January 8, 2025—entry will be denied, and that’s a travel nightmare we all want to avoid! It’s as easy as booking a flight (maybe even easier!). Here’s what to do: Once your ETA is sorted, it’s time to start daydreaming about your UK adventure. Will you stroll along the bustling streets of London, soak up the history of Edinburgh, or enjoy the lively cultural vibe in Liverpool? Whatever your plans, the UK has endless experiences waiting for you. The United Kingdom, comprising Great Britain and Northern Ireland, offers an incredible array of attractions for travelers. From vibrant cities to serene countryside landscapes, the UK is a destination steeped in history and charm. Location: Windsor & Eton, England, Europe As the world’s largest and oldest continuously occupied fortress, Windsor Castle is a stunning symbol of British heritage. Its battlements and towers exude majesty, serving as one of the monarch’s principal residences. Visitors may even glimpse the Royal Standard flying from the Round Tower when the Queen is in residence. The castle also hosts state occasions, adding to its regal allure. Location: The West End, London, England, Europe Westminster Abbey, a masterpiece of Early English Gothic architecture, is more than just a place of worship—it’s a living stage for historic events. Despite its grandeur, the Abbey is not a cathedral but a “royal peculiar,” directly administered by the Crown. Its intricate designs and storied history make it one of the most iconic landmarks in London. Location: Glasgow, Scotland, Europe Glasgow Cathedral stands as a rare testament to medieval times, with its imposing Gothic architecture and well-preserved structure. Unlike most of Scotland’s cathedrals, it survived the Reformation largely intact, thanks to being repurposed for Protestant worship. Dating back to the 15th century, its timeless ambiance evokes a sense of awe and history. Location: Kensington & Hyde Park, London, England, Europe Spanning 142 hectares, Hyde Park is one of London’s premier green spaces. Its mix of meticulously maintained gardens, wild grassy expanses, and towering trees offers a tranquil escape in the heart of the bustling city. The park also serves as a venue for live concerts and events throughout the year, making it a lively cultural hub. Location: Kensington & Hyde Park, London, England, Europe The Science Museum captivates visitors with its interactive exhibits covering early innovations, space exploration, and cutting-edge technology. Perfect for families, the museum ignites curiosity and inspires a love for learning. With its engaging displays and practical resources, it’s a must-visit destination for anyone intrigued by the marvels of science and the universe.Running back Jace Clarizio flipped his commitment from his local team, Michigan State, to Alabama. The decision, announced by Clarizio on social media Tuesday, comes after the East Lansing (Mich.) High standout visited head coach Kalen DeBoer's Crimson Tide on Nov. 16. "Great program," Clarizio told On3. "Playing on the biggest level. ... All the people and coaches I met and interacted with were all great people. The atmosphere was crazy." The 5-foot-11, 195-pounder is ranked as the No. 33 running back by On3 and tabbed No. 35 in their industry ranking. In May, he had verbally committed to the Spartans, where his father, Craig Johnson, was a running back and defensive back who was a member of the 1987 Rose Bowl-winning squad under coach George Perles. --Field Level Media

Marie Gluesenkamp Perez has a blunt message for fellow Democrats as they wail and wonder how they’ll make their way back from the political wilderness. It’s going to take time. And lots of work. “This is not like, ‘Oh, here’s one weird trick ... Use this word, not that word,’ “ said the 36-year-old congresswoman, fresh off reelection in a rural district Donald Trump just carried for the second time. Gluesenkamp Perez likened the Democrats’ mission to building a bicycle wheel, saying there is no universal blueprint. “Every spoke matters and needs to be in appropriate tension,” she said. “You can’t just make one cast-iron spoke and expect the wheel to hold up.” Gluesenkamp Perez, the mother of a toddler and owner of a family-run auto repair shop, became a political folk hero in 2022 by pulling off one of the biggest upsets in the country, coming from nowhere to win a Republican-held House seat representing the southwest corner of Washington state. The victory made her one of just five House Democrats representing districts that Trump carried in 2020. Two have been reelected. Republicans flipped a seat in Pennsylvania and the remaining contests — in Alaska and Ohio — remain too close to call. So when it comes to discussing how Democrats might address their hemorrhaging rural support, Gluesenkamp Perez speaks with some authority. But also some hesitation. “I am not a strategist. I am not a party operative,” she said from her Capitol Hill office. “It’s the wrong idea to take away from this that I’ve got some 10-point plan.” Still, Gluesenkamp Perez does have some pointed advice as her party seeks to woo and win back the working-class voters who, for decades, were foundational to Democratic success. To wit: Stop talking down to people, as if they’re too dumb to know what’s politically good for them. Treat those who work with their hands with the same respect and regard as people holding jobs with fancy degrees. And, perhaps above all, run more candidates who’ve gotten dirt under their fingernails, mud on the soles of their boots or grease stains on their coveralls. “The track record of success is not whether you went to an Ivy League institution,” Gluesenkamp Perez said, but rather “what that person has done with their life, how they’ve contributed to their community, beyond building a resume that’s traditionally credentialed.” Washington’s 3rd Congressional District runs north from the Columbia River, which forms the border with Oregon. The closest thing to a large city is Vancouver, with a population of roughly 200,000. Endless acres of farmland are edged by mountains and lush forest; when the trees blaze with autumn colors, it’s a heavenly sight. Swimming against the Trump tide, Gluesenkamp Perez won reelection this month by significantly outperforming Kamala Harris. She pulled more votes than her fellow Democrat not just in the blue bastions of Vancouver and its suburbs, but also in the rural reaches of the district. In fact, the redder the county, the more Gluesenkamp Perez topped the vice president’s showing. Part of that is her relatability, as someone who lives in the countryside in a home she and her husband built. Campaigning, the congresswoman spoke of the nearly four-hour round trip the couple drive to take their toddler to the one day care center in their county. She described the frustrations — head-scratching regulations, nit-picky bureaucrats — she’s dealt with while running her auto shop. Some of that, of course, is unique to her experience. But there’s a broader applicability. Her platform was all about practicality. Making farm loans more accessible. Using tax-preferred savings funds to pay not just for college but also tools used by loggers, plumbers, electricians and the like. Giving people the right to choose where to fix their broken appliances, rather than having to ship them back to the manufacturer. Gluesenkamp Perez doesn’t hesitate to break with fellow Democrats on issues like border security — she backed a resolution rebuking Harris for her role in the administration’s policies — and hasn’t waded into the culture wars that animate many in her party. “I think it’s important that we hold our cultural and moral precepts steady and with integrity,” said Gluesenkamp Perez, who called for codification of a national right to abortion rather than leaving decisions on women’s health to a bunch of “staff bros” in Washington. “But it’s also true that I don’t ... know any Mexican Americans or Latinos that asked us to use significant political capital to make ‘Latinx’ happen. You need to be useful to your community and not an ideology.” Most voters, she went on, aren’t wielding a clipboard and checking off issue boxes. What matters to them is whether a candidate reflects their values and seems “a good fit for the community ... In many ways, the message is the messenger.” That means sharing the lived experience of the people whom a lawmaker seeks to represent. “It’s important that I lose power when everyone else loses power in the ice storm,” said Gluesenkamp Perez. “That my home insurance rates go up, too. That fentanyl is impacting my [child’s] playgroups.” There is, as the congresswoman suggests, no one-size-fits-all solution for Democrats seeking to reclaim lost rural ground and working-class support. In Montana, Democratic Sen. Jon Tester is about as authentically rural as they come. A plain-spoken farmer and Montana native who famously lost three of his fingers in a childhood meat-grinding accident, his buzz cut and ample belly make him no one’s idea of a slick, poll-tested politician. Still, Tester lost his reelection bid to a Republican who moved to the state just a decade ago and revealed a shaky relationship with the truth. (Among the controversies was Tim Sheehy’s claim to have been shot while serving in Afghanistan.) That said, when you’re flat on your back you have to pick yourself up and start somewhere. Democrats could do worse than listening to someone who’s won a pair of tough races and speaks a language rural voters appreciate and understand.Stock market rises with Nvidia as bitcoin bursts above $99,000Myles Rice scores 18 to lead Indiana to 77-68 victory over Winthrop

No. 2 UConn falls again in Maui, losing 73-72 to Colorado on Jakimovski's off-balance layup LAHAINA, Hawaii (AP) — Andrej Jakimovski converted an off-balance layup with 8 seconds left, and Colorado handed No. 2 UConn its second loss in two days at the Maui Invitational, beating the two-time defending national champion 73-72. A day after a 99-97 overtime loss to Memphis that left Huskies coach Dan Hurley livid about the officiating, UConn couldn’t shake the unranked Buffaloes, who shot 62.5% in the second half. Elijah Malone and Julian Hammond III scored 16 points each for Colorado, and Jakimovski had 12 points and 10 rebounds. Liam McNeeley led UConn with 20 points. Rodgers says he's undecided about playing next season, but Jets are his 'first option' if he returns Aaron Rodgers is still contemplating whether he wants to play football next season. And if he does return, he said during his weekly appearance on “The Pat McAfee Show” on Tuesday that he prefers it to be with the New York Jets. The star quarterback, who turns 41 next Monday, denied a recent report that he wants to keep playing next year but not with the Jets. He said he needs to see how he feels physically and where the Jets stand with a new general manager and coach. He added that the Jets will also have to want him playing for them. That will all factor into his decision. Court rejects request to sideline San Jose State volleyball player on grounds she’s transgender A federal appeals court has upheld a ruling that allows a San Jose State women’s volleyball team member to play in the Mountain West Conference tournament after complaints said she should be ineligible on grounds that she’s transgender. The 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled Tuesday that a U.S. Magistrate in Denver was correct in allowing her to play. The magistrate and the appeals court said the players and others who sued should have filed their complaint earlier, rather than waiting until less than two weeks before the tournament was to begin to seek an emergency injunction. Lewandowski joins Ronaldo and Messi in Champions League 100-goal club. Haaland nets 2 but City draws ROME (AP) — Robert Lewandowski joined Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi as the only players in Champions League history with 100 or more goals. But Erling Haaland is on a faster pace than anyone after boosting his total to 46 goals at age 24. Lewandowski’s early penalty kick started Barcelona off to a 3-0 win over previously unbeaten Brest to move into second place in the new single-league format. Ronaldo leads the all-time scoring list with 140 goals and Messi is next with 129. Haaland scored a brace as City was held 3-3 by Feyenoord. Inter Milan beat Leipzig 1-0 to move atop the standings. Bayern Munich beat Paris Saint-Germain 1-0. Atalanta, Arsenal and Bayer Leverkusen also won. Traffic citations against Dolphins' Tyreek Hill dismissed after officers no-show at hearing MIAMI (AP) — Traffic citations issued to Miami Dolphins star wide receiver Tyreek Hill after a September altercation with police have been dismissed after the charging officers didn’t attend a court hearing. Hill’s tickets for careless driving and failing to wear a seat belt were dismissed after the Miami-Dade Police officers failed to show up for a Monday hearing. The tickets were issued after Hill was stopped outside Hard Rock Stadium for allegedly speeding before the Dolphins' season opener on Sept. 8. The stop escalated and an officer pulled Hill from the car, forced him to the ground and handcuffed him. North Carolina football coach Mack Brown won't return for 2025 season North Carolina coach Mack Brown won’t return for the 2025 season. The school announced the move Tuesday with a statement from athletic director Bubba Cunningham. The school said Cunningham informed the 73-year-old College Football Hall of Fame member that there would be a coaching change. Brown is set to coach the regular-season finale on Saturday against rival N.C. State, though a decision hasn’t been made about whether Brown will coach a bowl game. Brown is in his second stint with the program and won a national championship at Texas. Juan Soto could decide on his next team before or during baseball's winter meetings NEW YORK (AP) — Juan Soto appears on a timetable to decide on where to sign either before or during baseball’s winter meetings in Dallas, which run from Dec. 8-12. Soto met with the Yankees, Mets, Los Angeles Dodgers and Boston Red Sox, a person familiar with the negotiations said last week, speaking to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because details were not announced. Soto’s agent, Scott Boras, asked teams to submit initial offers by Thanksgiving, a second person familiar with the talks said, also on condition of anonymity because it was not announced. Dejounte Murray is rejoining the Pelicans vs. Toronto and drawing inspiration from his mother METAIRIE, La. (AP) — Dejounte Murray says he plans to return to the New Orleans Pelicans’ lineup on Wednesday night for the first time since fracturing his left hand in a season-opening victory over Chicago on Oct. 23. And Murray says his mother will be on his mind when he takes the court against the Toronto Raptors. Murray says his mother had a stroke in September and disclosed that her condition was the previously unspecified “personal matter” that took him away from the team during the final days of the preseason. Murray had 14 points, 10 assists and eight rebounds in his lone game with New Orleans. Lionel Messi has his new coach: Javier Mascherano's hiring by Inter Miami is now complete FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — Lionel Messi and Javier Mascherano are together again, this time with Inter Miami. The former Barcelona and Argentina teammates have reunited, with Inter Miami announcing Tuesday that Mascherano’s hiring as the club’s new coach is complete. The sides struck a deal late last week for Mascherano to replace Gerardo “Tata” Martino, who stepped aside for personal reasons. Mascherano most recently was Argentina’s under-20 team coach. Mascherano says he was “drawn to the organization’s undeniable ambition." Will Utah State or Boise State forfeit vs. San Jose State in the Mountain West semifinals? LAS VEGAS (AP) — A team that previously boycotted at least one match against the San Jose State women’s volleyball team will be faced with another decision whether to play the school, this time in the Mountain West Conference semifinals with a shot at the NCAA Tournament on the line. Five schools forfeited matches in the regular season against San Jose State, which carried a No. 2 seed into the conference tournament in Las Vegas. Among those schools: No. 3 Utah State and No. 6 Boise State, who will face off Wednesday with the winner scheduled to play the Spartans in the semifinals on Friday.None

Four-day work week a big hit with Regional District of Okanagan Similkameen staffers (Penticton)ATI Physical Therapy ( NYSE: ATIP ) said on Tuesday that it has received notification from the New York Stock Exchange indicating that the company's Class A common stock will be delisted, and trading of its Class A common stock on the