 Tennis provides a full-body workout and offers health benefits ranging from a decreased risk of heart disease to an extended lifespan. According to the United States Tennis Association, a record 25.7 million Americans played tennis. Individuals picking up the sport for the first time must learn how to develop an effective serve, arguably the most important shot in the game.
Players must master the serve for two reasons. Firstly, the serve represents the only time during a tennis match when the player has complete control of the ball. They can stand at the service line, take a deep breath, carefully consider what type of serve they want to hit, and then execute the shot. At all other times, players must respond to their opponent's shots and deal with some level of pressure. Second, the sport's scoring system places considerable importance on holding serve, or defending one's service games. In tennis, players expect to hold serve and can only win a match by breaking their opponent's serve at least once. A player who manages to hold all of their service games has an extremely high likelihood of winning the match. The serve involves multiple moving body parts and weight transfers. Amateur players should strongly consider taking tennis lessons or watching instructional videos to learn the basics of the service motion. That said, from a technical perspective, few aspects of the serve are as important as the ball toss. As with all shots in tennis, players develop a unique service motion, and their ball toss may differ from another player's. However, a player's ball toss should be consistent and look virtually identical from one point to the next, with slight variations depending on the type of serve they want to hit. To get a feel for an ideal ball toss, players should extend their arm overhead while holding their racket at the height at which they want to contact the ball, though they may hit it higher if they use a jump serve technique. Players should toss the ball slightly higher than their desired contact point. The serve a player wants to hit influences other aspects of the ball toss. To hit a flat serve, for example, players want to throw the ball slightly in front of them so they contact it inside the court. A flat serve, as the name suggests, lacks spin and exchanges margin of error for pace and power. Players typically reserve flat serves for their first serves, opting for a safer option when hitting a second serve. Players should practice a very similar ball toss for slice serves, though they may want to strike the ball even further into the court. Right-handed players usually toss the ball slightly more to their right when hitting slice serves, with left-handed players tossing the ball a bit more to the left. Players can use the slice serve to drag opponents off the court or to disguise serves along the center of the service box, making it an effective change-of-pace first serve, while the considerable side spin makes it a strong option for second serves. Finally, the ball toss for a top-spin serve, or kick serve, involves tossing the ball slightly farther back, though not behind the player's head. This position allows players to put top spin on the ball, causing the ball to jump off the court. The top spin serve is a highly effective option for second serves, though a kick serve directly into an opponent's body can work as an effective change-of-pace first serve.
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 Curb appeal is how a property looks from the outside. Improving it can be as simple as repainting the siding. It can also be a rigorous project, such as landscaping. Below are tips for enhancing your property’s curb appeal through landscaping.
Unlike other curb appeal improvements focusing solely on the building, landscaping transforms the visible surroundings to create a welcoming impression that can raise property value. Beyond aesthetics, it enhances sustainability—strategically placed plants can regulate temperature and reduce the need for air conditioning. The entrance to your home or business premises is the first thing your visitors will see. It should be warm and inviting. Make the walkway clear, spacious, and well-lit. A driveway or walkway flanked by scrubs or trees gives a welcoming impression and creates a natural pathway. If it's a business premise, consider adding clear signage. Align your landscape with your property's architectural design. Your property determines what to include in your landscape, and in what proportions. Ensure your landscape complements your property. For instance, a modern building with clean lines benefits from minimalist additions that emphasize its design rather than compete with it. Use materials that match your property’s construction to maintain cohesion. For example, a rustic home pairs well with natural stone walkways, patios, or outdoor fireplaces, while overly modern additions may clash with its character. When adding outdoor spaces, consider who will use them. If children are involved, prioritize safety and child-friendliness. Also, ensure that all outdoor structures are easily accessible from the main property. To make your landscape manageable, use durable and low-maintenance elements. Segmenting areas into portions helps, too. Divide the space into clear zones—such as the garden, yard, and flowerbeds—to simplify upkeep and maintain organization. Use defined borders to give each area structure and clarity. Landscape around a theme to enhance unity. Your theme can be as simple as using only modern or rustic elements. It serves as a guardrail, guiding your choice of decorations, plants, and structures. That way, even if you add elements in phases, the outcome will be uniform. Also, consider adding hardscaping elements. Hardscaping incorporates artificial structures, such as water features and sculptures. A thoughtfully designed, well-placed fountain or sculpture may make more sense for some properties but not others. An artful sculpture can be a source of attraction for customers, enhancing brand visibility through social media check-ins. Landscaping is both an art and a science. As an art, it requires creativity and design skills to create a focal point or to accentuate your property’s design. It’s a science that requires land-planning skills to maximize space and reduce the chances of flooding. A professional landscaper can help you balance both aspects and tailor your design to your goals. Have a goal when choosing a landscaper to ensure you work with a contractor who can help you reach it. If you need to overhaul your yard, pick a landscape contractor with the expertise and resources to pull it off. Talk to a potential contractor’s past clients to find out what it’s like to work with them. A well-designed landscape enhances your property's aesthetics and functionality. Luckily, you needn't overhaul your yard or embark on expensive upgrades. Sometimes, fixing up cracked driveways or weeding your garden or flowerbed is all it takes to improve your curb appeal.  Large infrastructural projects like highways, bridges, or airports often involve long timelines, several stakeholders, and millions of dollars to complete. While technical know-how is at the core of completing these projects, cash flow management can also determine whether the project succeeds financially. Poor liquidity, delayed payments, and uncontrolled expenses often affect the most technically sound projects. This means that engineering firms, project owners, and contractors need to understand cash flow management for the seamless completion of their projects.
To manage cash flow during large projects, it is important to develop a realistic and detailed financial plan. Cash flow management should begin even before the construction starts. Relevant stakeholders must create a comprehensive financial plan that outlines all the possible expected costs, funding sources, and revenues. This might include direct expenses like equipment, labor, and materials. It might also include indirect costs like insurance and permits. Breaking down projects by milestones also provides visibility into when cash flows and outflows are expected. Mapping these projections against projected schedules helps managers to anticipate when working capital will be most constrained. Most large infrastructure projects often encounter a mismatch between payment timing and expenses. This is because many contracts are structured such that payments are made after the milestones have been achieved or invoices have been approved. To correct this, construction companies should negotiate progress-based payment schedules that align with the project’s cash needs. For instance, to ensure liquidity, partial payment may be tied to the completion of specific deliverables, like foundation completion or design approval. Construction companies can also make use of cash-flow monitoring tools to achieve real-time monitoring because large infrastructure projects tend to generate a large volume of data; manually tracking is usually inefficient and is quite prone to error. Using project management software and modern cash flow forecasting tools can help automate the process, integrating data from project schedules, payroll management, and procurement to achieve real-time visibility. Vendors and subcontractors form the backbone of any large infrastructure project, and managing their payments effectively is essential to keeping the project on track. Paying suppliers too early can strain available funds, while paying too late can damage relationships or slow down work. A balanced approach involves setting clear payment priorities, ensuring that critical suppliers receive payments first while less urgent ones are scheduled later. Firms that communicate transparently about payment expectations and negotiate flexible terms, such as early payment discounts or deferred billing for specialized materials, build trust and cooperation. This balance helps sustain strong partnerships and keeps the project moving smoothly. Even with careful planning, unexpected disruptions can affect cash flow during long-term projects. To handle these challenges, companies should secure reliable financing and maintain contingency funds. Establishing access to credit lines, bridge loans, or project-based funding allows for a quick response to short-term financial needs. Partnering with banks experienced in construction financing ensures that lenders understand the unique payment cycles of infrastructure work. A dedicated contingency reserve, ideally between five and ten percent of the total project cost, provides an important cushion against unforeseen expenses and reduces the likelihood of emergency borrowing. Keeping cash flow healthy also requires continuous oversight and disciplined cost management. Regular financial reviews, budget monitoring, and approval procedures help prevent unnecessary spending and ensure resources are used efficiently. Coordination among project managers, engineers, and financial officers is key to maintaining alignment between financial and operational goals. Strategies such as value engineering, purchasing materials in bulk, and optimizing workforce allocation further help reduce costs. How To Explore the World Without Breaking the Bank 
With the right approach, exploring the world without overspending is possible. Travelers can visit low-cost destinations and adjust their travel dates. Travelers may stretch their budgets without compromising experiences by choosing low-cost places. Southeast Asia, Eastern Europe, and Central America provide various cultural and natural attractions at lower rates than usual tourist destinations. Your London or New York dollar may go further in Vietnam or Guatemala, where lodging, food, and activities are cheaper. Adjusting travel dates can also result in significant savings. In low-demand seasons, flights, hotels, and activities are cheaper. Visitors may enjoy nice weather and sights without the crowds by traveling before or after the busy season. Midweek flights are often cheaper than weekend flights. Flexibility in scheduling allows for better bargains, lowering expenses without compromising enjoyment. Accommodations represent a significant portion of any travel budget, but opting for alternatives to traditional hotels can free up funds for other experiences. Reliable bus and train networks in many cities make exploring new places inexpensive and authentic. Walking or renting a bike in walkable places improves the experience and saves money. Budget planes and sleeper buses can let tourists reach several locations without breaking the bank for lengthy distances. Prioritizing public transit and alternative travel methods minimizes transportation costs. Many street food and local markets offer authentic meals at a fraction of restaurant rates. Many cities have lively culinary scenes with affordable, high-quality meals beyond tourist zones. Buying groceries and cooking at home also helps stretch a budget. Local restaurants offer a more authentic experience and introduce tourists to area delights. Food costs can quickly add up, but dining like a local makes a noticeable difference. Many street food and local markets offer authentic meals at a fraction of restaurant rates. Many cities have lively culinary scenes with affordable, high-quality meals beyond tourist zones. Buying groceries and cooking at home also helps stretch a budget. Local restaurants offer a more authentic experience and introduce tourists to area delights. Entertainment and sightseeing do not have to be expensive. Many places offer museums with cheap entrance days, historical attractions, and public parks that exhibit a city's natural beauty. Locally guided walking tours provide free, enlightening experiences. Researching activities beforehand ensures a well-rounded, budget-friendly plan with meaningful experiences. Technology plays a crucial role in saving money while traveling. Many applications compare transportation and lodging rates, manage spending, and uncover attraction discounts. Travel bargain alert websites remind consumers of limited-time airfare and hotel discounts. Digital tools with offline maps and translation services let tourists traverse new places without roaming fees or costly blunders. Incorporating work opportunities helps extend travel by offsetting expenses. Teaching, freelancing, or volunteering through platforms like Workaway and WWOOF provide free lodging in exchange for work. Remote work enables many to travel indefinitely. Planning travel routes strategically can lower costs, particularly when visiting multiple locations. Choosing adjacent destinations with reduced transit times and clustering places within the same region lowers transportation costs. Open-jaw flights, which enter and leave one place, are cheaper than round-trip; indirect routes or blending means of transport like buses, railroads, and budget planes can save money and bring variety. Loyalty programs and travel rewards provide additional ways to cut costs. Points-based programs at many airlines and hotels reward regular passengers with free flights, upgrades, or rooms. Travel rewards credit cards earn points for flights and hotels. Strategically using these programs saves frequent travelers money over time. For occasional travelers, complimentary loyalty clubs might offer savings or rewards without much engagement. Budget travel means making informed choices that maximize value rather than cutting corners. Flexibility, thoughtful planning, and strategic use of resources make affordable travel possible. True richness in travel comes from immersion, curiosity, and embracing experiences within financial limits. Source: paulinmodi Travelers Can See King Tut and Relics at Grand Egyptian New Museum
Individuals traveling to Egypt can tour a popular attraction. Multiple news outlets worldwide have announced the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM) opening, located next to the Giza Pyramids. In addition to the Giza Pyramids, visitors can tour Pharaoh Tutankhamun's tomb and other ancient relics. The GEM construction project had a rough start. The concept stemmed from an international design competition in 2002, years after the country's president, Hosni Mubarak, announced plans to build a museum of this scale in 1992. Heneghan Peng Architects won the contest, and construction began in 2005. However, several setbacks related to political unrest and financial issues interrupted the project's progress. In 2014, the project received an infusion of funding and resumed construction. Much later, COVID-19, which shut down the world community, hampered construction. While the GEM announced its grand opening for July 2025, it provided limited access to some of the exhibits in February 2023. Since October 2024, the museum has given visitors access to 12 galleries that narrate the civilization's evolution across the millennia as part of opening the museum in phases. The museum measures 500,000 square meters, or two and a half times the size of Paris's Louvre Museum and twice that of the British Museum. The project accumulated a price tag of $1.2 billion, with $750 million financed. The Egyptian government paid the remaining balance. An architectural marvel, the GEM received the UNESCO Prix Versailles prize in 2024. Visitors can tour Tutankhamun Hall, which spans 7,500 square meters and displays the pharaoh's tomb. The museum also displays over 5,000 items from the tomb's collection, including sarcophagi, chariots, and jewelry. Representatives from the museum stated that it would display all items, including those that were off-limits. The museum will also display the embryos of the pharaoh's daughters. Museum curators have emphasized giving visitors a sense of royal life in antiquity. Visitors can view relics from Queen Hetephere's reign, including the Solar Boats of Khufu, which are on display for the first time. Professionals found one boat near the Giza Pyramid and transferred it to the museum, and the second one is undergoing restoration. Additionally, visitors will see a great statue of Ramses II upon entering the museum's Grand Hall. They will also encounter the Grand Staircase, decorated with 60 artifacts, and a reconstruction of Tomb Chapel Khnumhotep II, where visitors will learn about ancient burial practices. In addition to exhibiting ancient Egyptian royal life, curators will display approximately 15,000 artifacts from Cairo, Luxor, Delta, Alexandria, Fayoum, Suef, Beni, Assiut, Minya, and Sohag museums. In sum, visitors to the museum will see artifacts dating from Egypt's Old Kingdom through the Graeco-Roman period. The grand opening celebrates the decades of hard work of those involved in completing the project, with event planners hinting at festivities lasting several days, three days a week, and possibly several months. The United Media Services Company is in charge of organizing the Grand Opening celebration. This company also oversaw the 2021 Golden Pharaoh Parade in Cairo and the Avenue of Sphinxes opening ceremony in Luxor. According to a February 2025 MSN article, the GEM opening ceremony will reflect the importance of the museum being a global structure and the largest museum in the world. Source: paulinmodi  A September 2021 Fox 2 news article reported on the partial demolition of the Northland Center Mall, which closed its doors in 2015 after anchor stores left and customer traffic declined. In 2021, a property development firm purchased the property. Developers are currently transforming one of the nation's oldest shopping malls into the Northland City Center, a redevelopment plan that will transform the mall and create a city within a city.
Located in Detroit, the Northland Center Mall attracted visitors from all over the Detroit suburb of Southfield for nearly 60 years. The mall generated the most sales of any mall nationwide in its heyday. The mall's new construction marks a milestone because it will cater to regional residents. It also marks the end of an institution anchored by Hudson's, the big box department store that opened its doors at the latter end of the 19th century. Hudson's Department Store, founded by Joseph Lowthian Hudson, drew shoppers from all over Michigan to downtown Detroit to make purchases. The 2.15 million-square-foot department store was a major attraction at the time, being the third-largest department store worldwide. It became so prominent in retail construction that European retailers traveled to see it. The center had 25 stores and four basement shopping areas. With Hudson's success, the department store's owners wanted to expand. Some ideas included building another mall in a remote area and anchoring it with a strip mall, but that idea did not come to fruition. Famed architect Victor Gruen suggested building shopping centers instead, which created the Eastland, Southland, Northland, and Westland shopping centers. Northland Center Mall began as an open-air shopping center, which developers converted into a mall in the 1970s. The transition from open-air shopping centers to malls came at a critical intersection in many cities' suburbanization after WWII. After many successful decades the mall declined due to crime and shoppers going elsewhere, and closed a decade ago. The building and lots had remained vacant for six years when Contour Companies purchased it in 2021. Contour Companies architect Bruce Kopytek described the site as disrepair-vacant, bankrupt, vandalized, and derelict. The area had epitomized urban blight. Contour Companies’ plans for the former mall include investing $403 million in redeveloping the area and rebuilding the mall and residential living space. When first built, Northland Mall developers tried to recreate the European town market where people could shop and gather. The present development model will adhere to this plan, but include living space to create a self-contained community. The Hudson store will be the centerpiece of the market, housing big box retailers and restaurants. Retail giant Costco is constructing a 160,000-square-foot building in one corner of the lot. Apartment buildings will surround the renovated Hudson building and outdoor mall, creating walkable space. The residential space will include 14 five-story apartment buildings on land that the 7,500-car parking space once occupied. When completed, this area will comprise 1,500 apartments to accommodate 2,500 residents who will live close to shopping, dining, entertainment, parks, and walking trails. While the Northland Center Mall spent its last few years as a dying retail outlet, developers have realized the importance of capturing elements of its former character. Developers will use the aesthetics of Hudson's marketplace concept while expanding upon Gruen's concept of making the space the center of social, cultural, and service activity. This time, the concept embeds the idea of community. Presently, the Northland City Center project is still a work in progress, according to a September 2024 Detroit Free Press article. The project is a major undertaking, with it taking longer than many had initially hoped.  For decades, shopping centers and malls have been an undeniable part of people's social experience. However, in recent years, the traditional shopping mall has faced many challenges, and many are on the decline. E-commerce has dealt a heavy blow to these once thriving social hubs, with many experiencing a major anchor tenants’ exodus, leaving property developers with lots of unused space. Although some have closed permanently, developers have conceptualized many shopping malls.
Resuscitating a struggling or old shopping mall takes creativity to achieve cohesive development. Many of these shopping centers occupy huge tracts of land with multiple layers of entitlements, which makes it critical for developers to work with municipal and local authorities to ensure the process is streamlined and cohesive. Several considerations are worth taking into account when reviving old or struggling shopping malls. Innovation is key to attracting today’s customers. To reestablish malls as prime destinations for shoppers, integrate new retail concepts. Design the shopping mall as a full concierge experience or personalized service that draws consumers. For example, adding entertainment facilities like amusement parks, movie theaters, and family recreational areas can transform a mall into more than just a shopping venue as it enhances appeal. Also, malls need to move from the suburbs and town outskirts, where many are located, back to communities as centers of the local economy. A modern shopping mall needs a broad tenant mix to survive. For underperforming malls, developers may need to review their tenant mix and ensure they house different leading brands at strategic locations spread across the venue. This may, however, call for more in-depth market research to identify customer needs. As part of mall development, it may be worth considering incorporating housing units as they present an opportunity for both a shopping and an all-in-one living solution. Shopping malls should cater to the needs of both renters/leases and retailers. Retaining a box and four walls won’t appeal to either of these parties. Therefore, as part of the offerings, shopping malls should consider mixing the space with diverse marketplace footprints and other pop-up features like covered verandas and stalls to attract smaller tenants that need something different from the square or rectangular space or even shorter leases. Farmers' markets and food halls should reflect local tastes. For some communities, this could mean catering to the changing needs of millennials and Generation Z, such as working and playing spaces. In contrast, in others, it may require redesigning some elements and features to accommodate senior citizens. Yet for other communities, it simply could mean incorporating features and activities that help alleviate everyday pressures and time away from the all-pervading social media. Add greenspaces, local art exhibits, concert venues, and sporting activities. For kids, malls add park-like play areas and interactive video game spots. Malls should incorporate cutting-edge technology to create a unique shopping experience to appeal to the growing number of tech-savvy consumers. Leverage technology to improve the operational efficiency and functionality of malls. To make old malls more appealing, consider relevant architectural design and aesthetic upgrades to boost their visual appeal. To enhance the mall's appeal, consider integrating medical clinics, gyms, and spas. Shopping malls often have vast parking lots. Whereas they provide essential parking for mall workers and visitors, these expansive parking lots offer opportunities to transform them into valuable assets that can contribute to a revival. Instead of completely demolishing the parking structure, a key strategy should be repurposing the vast spaces and possibly integrating mixed-use developments or even multifamily housing. |
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