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Rucker's 27 lead Army past UTSA 78-75Last week I told you about finding two of my young calves injured by an unknown predatory animal. Once my animals had been treated, I needed to try to find what had caused the injuries. What kind of critter would perform an attack in this manner? Could other calves be at risk? Would this predator repeat the attack? Without more clues than we were able to gather, the best we can do is eliminate some of the more improbable culprits. Mountain lion or bear are both efficient and effective killers. Either of these predators would have made quick work out of dispatching the calf rather than inflicting a wound to leave it alive and injured. Either would take their kill back on the hill, somewhere out of sight, to consume it. I’m reasonably sure we would simply have had a calf missing from the herd rather than discovering injured animals. Coyote or bobcat are sufficiently large to be able to create a wound of this size, but both of these calves are at least as large as either predator. Even though nothing is impossible, for these animals to attack a 100 pound calf with the intent of creating a meal doesn't seem highly probable. A large dog, or even a pack of dogs, are certainly large enough and strong enough to create the same kind of wounds. However, a bite on the hip is definitely not their style or their preferred location of attack. Ears, lips, or eyes would be much more liable to be injured if the wounds were from dogs. I’ve been out of town for a few days. As soon as I returned to my hilltop, I jumped on the quad to check out my injured animals. I was gratified to find both calves lying down but looking reasonably good. As I drove closer, they both got up easily and seem to be on the mend. It appears the perpetrator of the trauma to the calves will have to remain unknown. After last week’s column several of you emailed comments to me on the problem with the calves, expressing concern for my animals. I appreciate your fear and worry. I'm as equally frustrated and apprehensive as you. Many years ago, Sharon and I started attracting hummingbirds by hanging sugar-water feeders. Even after her passing five years ago, I’ve continued filling the feeders and attracting the birds. When we first hung out the hummingbird welcome mat, we only had two one-quart feeders. One summer we had a few more birds and began adding feeders. During the late summer we had six going full blast. First thing in the early morning and last thing before dusk, the two heaviest feeding periods, every port at every feeder would be occupied sometimes with other impatient birds hovering behind them. That seemed to peak in late August, and by mid-September the big crowd of birds seemed to have migrated. At least by early October the number of birds showing up at our feeders had always dropped dramatically. This past summer the big crowd of birds began showing up in late July and got even busier by late September. I expected the large gatherings at my feeders would thin out by mid-October or the first of November at the latest. To some extent they did, but it didn’t last. One evening about a week ago I glanced out to find every feeding portal on every hanging feeder was crowded. I now have eight feeders hanging along my front porch. Every portal had one bird with their beak in the hole sipping sugar-water. There was another one impatiently dodging back and forth wanting their turn to eat. Accurately counting the number of dodging and ducking hummingbirds is nearly impossible. Since each one of my eight feeders has six portals, that’s 48 places to eat. With at least two birds at each feeding portal, I had close to 100 hummers feeding. I was amazed at the size of this crowd and wondered if a great many birds were gathering together in preparation for migration in the next few days. However, because I need to fill again this morning and it has been only three days since I last topped them off, it doesn’t appear the numbers have dropped much. Maybe when our night-time temperatures start consistently dropping below freezing, we will see the big numbers of hummingbirds evacuate our foothills. Rain hasn't been heavy yet and it looks as if there's little coming until after New Years. With a total of 2.54 inches in November, we did get the green grass growing on our hillsides. We got a little squirt – 0.11 inches – on December 12, and nothing more than a drop or two since then. We haven’t dried out entirely because the morning dew has been helping keep things moist. You might be surprised to learn we're ahead of last winter’s rainfall with 2.68 inches total so far. Last year we only received 1.38 inches until a few days after New Years. Bob and I started our irrigation system late last week thinking it might be a good idea to put a little water on the irrigated pasture grass. He came in a couple hours later telling me he’d shut it off again. The soil appeared to be wet enough. Most of the water from the sprinklers was running off rather than soaking in. When the ground stays this wet, we're definitely going to have a few foggy days. I always chuckle when I hear them reporting “thick fog” conditions with quarter-mile visibility. It reminds me of my “Tule Fog” tales, something a lot of us have many to tell. Merry Christmas to you all, and here’s hoping Santa runs out of coal before he gets to your stocking.
32 Pieces Of Home Decor That Are As Cute As They Are UsefulFamilies often discover during the holidays that loved ones are struggling with dementia and memory loss, and these cognitive issues are becoming yearlong concerns for employers, too, as they encounter an aging U.S. workforce. The Alzheimer’s Association collaborated this year on its first report on dementia in the workforce, calling it a “hidden but growing concern” now that seniors make up 19% of U.S. employees. That rate has doubled through four decades. “As our population and workforce ages, the possibility of having employees who experience cognitive impairment is real,” said Katie Evans, the association’s chief programs and mission engagement officer. Some workers conceal cognitive declines because they fear their employers demoting or firing them. Or they might adjust their workplace routines on their own to compensate. Others, such as surgeons and pilots, are obliged to disclose serious changes in cognition for safety reasons. Bank of America collaborated with the Alzheimer’s Association on the report to encourage “dementia-friendly workplaces,” where conversations about changes in workers’ cognition levels are nonthreatening. Companies that overlook this challenge risk costly mistakes and lawsuits, the report stated. “An empathetic company culture increases the chances that a worker will disclose cognitive concerns, allowing critical conversations to occur and employees to get support earlier,” said Cynthia Hutchins, a director of financial gerontology at Bank of America. Here is some expert advice for workers, employers and caregivers on how to manage an aging workforce: Occasional forgetfulness and confusion are normal signs of aging, but dementia is not, according to the Alzheimer’s Association. The condition typically emerges after injuries, infections or brain diseases — such as Alzheimer’s — and causes cognitive problems that significantly impair daily living. Someone who forgets words or names but recalls them later doesn’t necessarily have dementia. More concerning is someone who loses track of conversation midsentence, asks the same questions again and again or loses something and then can’t retrace steps to find it. People can gauge their level of impairment with the association’s list of 10 early signs and symptoms but should also bring their concerns to their doctors, partly to rule out other reversible causes of cognitive impairment before diagnosing dementia. Depression also can produce symptoms that mimic dementia, such as withdrawal from normal activities and mood changes. Healthy sleep, diet, exercise, social contact and daily cognitive challenges can slow the onset of dementia. Berries have offered the strongest dietary links in research so far to better brain health, but clinicians also encourage whole grains, nuts and fish. They discourage red meat, cheese, sweets and fried food. Dementia can hasten if early symptoms push people out of the workplace, and they don’t find other pursuits to stimulate their brains, said Jenna Fink, associate director of community services for the Minnesota chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association. ”The workplace absolutely challenges the brain,” she said. “So it would be important for someone who is exiting the workplace that has a diagnosis of dementia to continue with social activities, continue to challenge your brain, continue to do things that you enjoy to keep the brain and the body active.” While they don’t prevent symptoms, compensatory strategies in the office can help manage them, Fink said, including post-it notes to offer visible reminders of appointments and deadlines. The report encouraged employers to involve trusted family members or physicians in discussions about workplace modifications for employees experiencing dementia or to enlist “buddy” employees to help and monitor them. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is not a list of conditions included or excluded from federal protection against discrimination. ADA protections apply whenever a medical condition significantly limits major life activities, which can often be the case for people with Alzheimer’s and other causes of dementia. Nor does the ADA only apply to disabled people. Spouses or other caregivers also have protection from discrimination, such as bosses who think their employee’s caregiving role will result in too many absences. Employers under the ADA must make reasonable accommodations for workers when their disabilities affect their performance. Examples often involve specialized equipment, which in the case of someone with dementia could involve tools that increase organization or aid memory. But they can also involve changes to the daily work schedules or modified assignments. “There is always a point where someone can’t do a job that requires a certain level of cognitive skill. That’s understood,” said Joseph Gaugler, director of the Center for Healthy Aging and Innovation at the University of Minnesota School of Public Health. “But how can we accommodate people so that they can remain productive and, from a social perspective, people can live as high a quality of life as possible with necessary support?” Workers might need to press for their accommodations or offer suggestions. The Connecticut Supreme Court dismissed a lawsuit in December 2023 because a worker declined opportunities to suggest accommodations for her Alzheimer’s disease before her employer fired her. The woman had been an account manager for Sinclair Insurance Group for 26 years but lost accounts and had negative performance reviews before her termination. Employers can’t offer accommodations unless they know about worker disabilities, and yet many people with dementia don’t disclose their conditions for fear of retaliation. Gaugler said he is sympathetic but stressed workers in their silence need to plan on their own for the day when they can’t do their jobs anymore, at least not without support. “Dementia is a dirty word. People don’t want to use it. Its highly stigmatizing, and that certainly carries over to the workplace,” he said. The Alzheimer’s Association is trying to change that perception and make employers more responsive. Fink said the organization has conducted trainings at numerous workplaces across the Twin Cities to make them dementia-friendly. Workers should explore whether their employers have participated in this training. “The workplace is becoming more understanding and more accommodating,” she said, “but of course, there is still a fear, a worry.” Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minnesota, appeared publicly at a Minneapolis senior-living complex in November to celebrate the federal reauthorization of the BOLD program, which funds opportunities to prevent, detect, diagnose and care for dementia in addition to providing support for caregivers. Gaugler said he is excited about a new option under the federal program called GUIDE , which will pay participating clinics to coordinate medical care and nonmedical services for people with dementia and their unpaid caregivers. Under the program, caregivers can also find help so they take breaks and receive training on how to provide dementia care. Minnesota has one GUIDE clinic in Alexandria, but a locator map shows four more opening in July in Golden Valley, St. Louis Park, Stillwater and Moorhead. Gaugler’s center is one of three the BOLD program funds and works to spread awareness about the needs of caregivers and services available to them. Some companies offer more support than others, he said, and often it varies by whether executives have experienced Alzheimer’s or dementia among family. “We see that with policy, too, quite frankly,” Gaugler said. ©2024 The Minnesota Star Tribune. Visit at startribune.com . Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
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shares have underperformed benchmarks this year, and owners of the stock have had to endure some stomach-churning . , with those betting on a falling Pilbara Minerals stock price profiting handsomely. Whether lithium stocks return to strength remains up for debate. Lithium prices are heavily compressed from former highs amid a supply glut and weak demand for the batteries the metal is used in. But Pilbara's y gave investors plenty to digest, from updates on growth projects to insights into the company's evolving strategy. So, where does the company go from here, and what does it mean for Pilbara Minerals shares? Let's see. Key AGM points for Pilbara Minerals shares The AGM highlighted Pilbara Minerals' journey throughout the desolate lithium landscape these past 12 months. Chairman Dale Henderson detailed how the company has grown from an exploration venture into a lithium heavyweight, supplying 11% of the world's hard-rock lithium from its flagship Pilgangoora project. Henderson also commented on the bright future of the market despite its current slump. The agile nature of our operating model and ability to adapt to changing market conditions has placed us in a strong position. In 2015, around the same time the team of geologists were drilling the first holes at Pilgangoora, a total of 370,0002 electric vehicles were sold worldwide. Fast forward to 2024, and China alone now sells the same number of EVs every two weeks. Looking further ahead, long term demand for EVs and battery storage remains incredibly robust. We believe that no other lithium company is better placed to weather current conditions and capitalise when the market turns, than Pilbara Minerals. He also mentioned the P680 Project had already ramped up production and cut costs, while the P1000 Project was now 80% complete and set to deliver first ore by early 2025. Meanwhile, Pilbara Minerals is making moves beyond Australian shores. Its joint venture with POSCO in South Korea has achieved lithium hydroxide production. thium Project in Brazil. Tough lithium market, tougher strategy The lithium market has been a wild ride lately, with oversupply concerns pushing prices down. For Pilbara Minerals, this has meant navigating some challenging headwinds. Several mines have been mothballed this year as a result, and Pilbara decided to pause operations at its smaller Ngungaju plant until prices recover. Whilst Henderson is bullish on the market, according to Trading Economics, 190 tonnes of mine curtailments have occurred since 2023. Despite relatively high stocks from a historical standpoint, battery manufacturers also reportedly raised purchasing activity amid risks of a trade war after Trump assumes office next year in the US. In turn, the plunge in prices during the year drove multiple mines in Australia and China to close or cut costs... As such, lithium prices remain the elephant in the room. Until they stabilise — or ideally recover — Pilbara Minerals shares faces an uphill climb. Are brokers bullish on Pilbara Minerals shares? Analysts are which, on analysis, likely reflects the broader uncertainty in the lithium market. The different possibilities of outcomes are broad. However, three different brokers have three different opinions on the stock, which makes it simply fantastic for market observers. UBS is , assigning a $2.35 price target and raising concerns about global lithium oversupply. Bell Potter is neutral, valuing the stock at $2.95 and praising Pilbara's operational strength while acknowledging market volatility. Fair game. Morgans, however, is the one wearing the , rating the stock a buy with a $3.25 target. It reckons Pilbara Minerals is in a prime spot to scale production quickly when (or if) the market turns. Foolish takeaway Pilbara Minerals continues to churn the lithium engine despite a soft commodity market and weak demand for the metal. Like all miners, it is a price taker at the mercy of market pricing on the commodities it produces. The company's chair laid out a number of talking points in its AGM, which may or may not have some bearing on the stock price. Ultimately, it's up to management to execute and lithium prices to improve. In the last 12 months, Pilbara Minerals shares are down 31%.
November 22, 2024 This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlightedthe following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: fact-checked peer-reviewed publication trusted source proofread by Liu Jia, Chinese Academy of Sciences A research team led by Dr. Du Xuemin from the Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology (SIAT) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences has reported a living interface with unique functionalities of durable secretion of bioactive exosomes with tunable contents and miRNA cargoes, effectively promoting neurovascular remodeling. The study was published in Matter on Nov. 21. Neurovascular remodeling is crucial for restoring normal functions of regenerated tissues or engineered organs, which requires multi-target and phase-specific paracrine regulation. However, existing strategies still cannot mimic such dynamic and complicated paracrine regulation effects in the native physiological processes, hindering synergistic neurovascular remodeling. Exosomes, as key entities in the native paracrine process, show great promise for neurovascular remodeling yet still face challenges. Direct exosome administration is limited by its short lifetime (24–48 hours). In addition, exosome delivery systems struggle with preserving bioactivity and maintaining adaptable miRNA cargoes throughout the entire release period, limiting their effectiveness at different stages of neurovascular remodeling. The proposed living interface in this study for fine-tuned exosome secretion (LIFES) consists of two core elements, a poly(vinylidene fluoride-co-trifluoro ethylene)-based intelligent material layer with rationally designed topographical structures and superior electric properties for cell modulation, and a living cell layer with rat bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) for efficient biogenesis of exosomes. Through the synergistic interactions between the two core elements, LIFES can secrete bioactive exosomes in sustained (~192 hours) and phase-specific manners, with tunable contents (~8-fold increases) and programmable miRNA cargoes (initially pro-angiogenic and later pro-neurogenic). "The phase-specific exosome secretion of LIFES meets physiological requirements, which aligns with the native multi-target and multi-stage paracrine regulation effects observed in physiological neurovascular remodeling processes," said Dr. Du. By mimicking the natural paracrine regulation effects within the native physiological processes of neurovascular remodeling, LIFES effectively promotes the reconstituting of vascular neural networks, even in challenging diabetic wound models. The study will open new avenues for next-generation intelligent materials, revolutionizing biomedical devices, regenerative medicine , and brain-machine interfaces . More information: Mingxing Peng et al, A ferroelectric living interface for fine-tuned exosome secretion toward physiology-mimetic neurovascular remodeling, Matter (2024). DOI: 10.1016/j.matt.2024.10.019 Journal information: Matter Provided by Chinese Academy of SciencesA federal judge has refused to endorse the Jefferson County sheriff's request to immediately appeal a claim brought against her for a detainee's death, allegedly caused by the constitutional violations of the jail's private medical provider. Earlier this year, U.S. District Court Judge Charlotte N. Sweeney permitted a lawsuit to proceed against contractor Wellpath. She explained the company's own policies and its employees' failure to properly treat Abby Angelo's illness in the Jeffco jail amounted to violations of her constitutional rights, if proven true. Sweeney further concluded Sheriff Reggie Marinelli, as a stand-in for the county, could be held liable for Wellpath's constitutional violations under the theory that the sheriff could not delegate to a third party her ultimate obligation to provide adequate medical care. The principle that governments cannot contract out their responsibilities and avoid legal liability is known as the "non-delegable duty doctrine." Marinelli quickly moved to appeal Sweeney's conclusion to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit, arguing the appellate court has never adopted the doctrine and it should have the chance to clarify whether it is a valid legal theory. On Nov. 15 , Sweeney declined to give her blessing to Marinelli's request for a mid-case appeal. Sweeney acknowledged the 10th Circuit has not "formally ruled" on whether to accept the non-delegable duty doctrine, but there was seeming consensus elsewhere that local governments may be held liable when they delegate their authority to a contractor who acts unconstitutionally. "No circuit court has rejected the nondelegable duty doctrine as an acceptable avenue for municipal liability in the context of counties delegating their duty to provide adequate medical care to private prison health care providers," she wrote. Therefore, "there is no substantial ground for difference of opinion." Attorney {span}David Gartenberg applauds for U.S. District Court Judge Charlotte N. Sweeney at a legal event in Denver on July 21, 2023.{/span} In the underlying case, Angelo entered the Jeffco jail on June 19, 2021 following her arrest. Nine days later, deputies found her unresponsive. Her cause of death was allegedly tricuspid valve endocarditis, a heart infection that may not have been fatal had Angelo received antibiotics or even surgery. Angelo's surviving child and her mother sued Wellpath, as well as the five nurses who interacted with Angelo in the days leading up to her death. The plaintiffs alleged the defendants were liable for failing to provide medical care in violation of Angelo's constitutional rights, as well as negligence and wrongful death. Sweeney largely sided against the defendants in their attempt to dismiss the lawsuit. Among other things, she found the allegations sufficient that Jeffco contracted with Wellpath to provide medical care at the jail, subjecting Marinelli to liability for any unconstitutional policies and customs by the company. Marinelli then asked Sweeney to certify an immediate appeal to the 10th Circuit. She argued circuit courts around the country disagreed about the validity of the non-delegable duty doctrine and that an answer from the Denver-based appeals court would apply to at least 10 other cases currently pending in Colorado. Although federal judges in Colorado have predominantly backed the idea that local governments may be held liable for their contractors' unconstitutional practices, Marinelli cited the one judge who has separated himself from the pack. In a pair of orders in March and July, both involving a plaintiff who suffered illness or death in jail, U.S. District Court Judge Daniel D. Domenico rejected the idea that counties are "automatically liable for any unconstitutional actions that a contractor might take." Domenico, a rumored candidate for the 10th Circuit under a Republican administration, suggested instead that a government may be liable if it "knowingly takes on a risk that its contractor is likely to violate constitutional rights." colorado politics file The Byron White U.S. Courthouse in downtown Denver houses the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. The plaintiffs in Angelo's case responded that Domenico's beliefs aside, the "overwhelming body of law" in Colorado, plus other circuit courts' approval of the non-delegable duty doctrine, provided no basis to immediately ask for the 10th Circuit's intervention. Sweeney agreed that Marinelli's request did not meet the criteria for a detour to the appeals court. In addition to finding a consensus among other courts, Sweeney noted an immediate appeal would still mean the claims against Wellpath would move forward. And if the 10th Circuit ultimately agreed with her, she added, "litigation would be complicated by an appeals process with the same result as in the original order." The case is Estate of Angelo et al. v. The Board of County Commissioners et al.ATLANTA (AP) — Jimmy Carter, the peanut farmer who won the presidency in the wake of the Watergate scandal and Vietnam War, endured humbling defeat after one tumultuous term and then redefined life after the White House as a global humanitarian, has died. He was 100 years old. The longest-lived American president died on Sunday, more than a year after entering hospice care , at his home in the small town of Plains, Georgia, where he and his wife, Rosalynn, who died at 96 in November 2023 , spent most of their lives, The Carter Center said. “Our founder, former U.S. President Jimmy Carter, passed away this afternoon in Plains, Georgia,” the center said in posting about his death on the social media platform X. It added in a statement that he died peacefully, surrounded by his family. Businessman, Navy officer, evangelist, politician, negotiator, author, woodworker, citizen of the world — Carter forged a path that still challenges political assumptions and stands out among the 45 men who reached the nation’s highest office. The 39th president leveraged his ambition with a keen intellect, deep religious faith and prodigious work ethic, conducting diplomatic missions into his 80s and building houses for the poor well into his 90s. “My faith demands — this is not optional — my faith demands that I do whatever I can, wherever I am, whenever I can, for as long as I can, with whatever I have to try to make a difference,” Carter once said. As reaction poured in Sunday from around the world, former President Bill Clinton and his wife Hillary were among those praising Carter for a life devoted to helping others. “Hillary and I mourn the passing of President Jimmy Carter and give thanks for his long, good life. Guided by his faith, President Carter lived to serve others — until the very end,” Clinton said, praising Carter for a commitment to civil rights, protecting natural resources, securing peace between Egypt and Israel, and other accomplishments. The son of the late Martin Luther King Jr., meanwhile, called Carter a “fighter who punched above his weight.” In a statement, Martin Luther King III added that “while history may have been hard on President Carter at times, today, he is remembered as a global human rights leader.” A moderate Democrat, Carter entered the 1976 presidential race as a little-known Georgia governor with a broad smile, outspoken Baptist mores and technocratic plans reflecting his education as an engineer. His no-frills campaign depended on public financing, and his promise not to deceive the American people resonated after Richard Nixon’s disgrace and U.S. defeat in southeast Asia. “If I ever lie to you, if I ever make a misleading statement, don’t vote for me. I would not deserve to be your president,” Carter repeated before narrowly beating Republican incumbent Gerald Ford, who had lost popularity pardoning Nixon. Carter governed amid Cold War pressures, turbulent oil markets and social upheaval over racism, women’s rights and America’s global role. His most acclaimed achievement in office was a Mideast peace deal that he brokered by keeping Egyptian President Anwar Sadat and Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin at the bargaining table for 13 days in 1978. That Camp David experience inspired the post-presidential center where Carter would establish so much of his legacy. Yet Carter’s electoral coalition splintered under double-digit inflation, gasoline lines and the 444-day hostage crisis in Iran. His bleakest hour came when eight Americans died in a failed hostage rescue in April 1980, helping to ensure his landslide defeat to Republican Ronald Reagan. Carter acknowledged in his 2020 “White House Diary” that he could be “micromanaging” and “excessively autocratic,” complicating dealings with Congress and the federal bureaucracy. He also turned a cold shoulder to Washington’s news media and lobbyists, not fully appreciating their influence on his political fortunes. “It didn’t take us long to realize that the underestimation existed, but by that time we were not able to repair the mistake,” Carter told historians in 1982, suggesting that he had “an inherent incompatibility” with Washington insiders. Carter insisted his overall approach was sound and that he achieved his primary objectives — to “protect our nation’s security and interests peacefully” and “enhance human rights here and abroad” — even if he fell spectacularly short of a second term. Ignominious defeat, though, allowed for renewal. The Carters founded The Carter Center in 1982 as a first-of-its-kind base of operations, asserting themselves as international peacemakers and champions of democracy, public health and human rights. “I was not interested in just building a museum or storing my White House records and memorabilia,” Carter wrote in a memoir published after his 90th birthday. “I wanted a place where we could work.” That work included easing nuclear tensions in North and South Korea, helping to avert a U.S. invasion of Haiti and negotiating cease-fires in Bosnia and Sudan. By 2022, The Carter Center had declared at least 113 elections in Latin America, Asia and Africa to be free or fraudulent. Recently, the center began monitoring U.S. elections as well. Carter’s stubborn self-assuredness and even self-righteousness proved effective once he was unencumbered by the Washington order, sometimes to the point of frustrating his successors . He went “where others are not treading,” he said, to places like Ethiopia, Liberia and North Korea, where he secured the release of an American who had wandered across the border in 2010. “I can say what I like. I can meet whom I want. I can take on projects that please me and reject the ones that don’t,” Carter said. He announced an arms-reduction-for-aid deal with North Korea without clearing the details with Bill Clinton’s White House. He openly criticized President George W. Bush for the 2003 invasion of Iraq. He also criticized America’s approach to Israel with his 2006 book “Palestine: Peace Not Apartheid.” And he repeatedly countered U.S. administrations by insisting North Korea should be included in international affairs, a position that most aligned Carter with Republican President Donald Trump. Among the center’s many public health initiatives, Carter vowed to eradicate the guinea worm parasite during his lifetime, and nearly achieved it: Cases dropped from millions in the 1980s to nearly a handful. With hardhats and hammers, the Carters also built homes with Habitat for Humanity. The Nobel committee’s 2002 Peace Prize cites his “untiring effort to find peaceful solutions to international conflicts, to advance democracy and human rights, and to promote economic and social development.” Carter should have won it alongside Sadat and Begin in 1978, the chairman added. Carter accepted the recognition saying there was more work to be done. “The world is now, in many ways, a more dangerous place,” he said. “The greater ease of travel and communication has not been matched by equal understanding and mutual respect.” Carter’s globetrotting took him to remote villages where he met little “Jimmy Carters,” so named by admiring parents. But he spent most of his days in the same one-story Plains house — expanded and guarded by Secret Service agents — where they lived before he became governor. He regularly taught Sunday School lessons at Maranatha Baptist Church until his mobility declined and the coronavirus pandemic raged. Those sessions drew visitors from around the world to the small sanctuary where Carter will receive his final send-off after a state funeral at Washington’s National Cathedral. The common assessment that he was a better ex-president than president rankled Carter and his allies. His prolific post-presidency gave him a brand above politics, particularly for Americans too young to witness him in office. But Carter also lived long enough to see biographers and historians reassess his White House years more generously. His record includes the deregulation of key industries, reduction of U.S. dependence on foreign oil, cautious management of the national debt and notable legislation on the environment, education and mental health. He focused on human rights in foreign policy, pressuring dictators to release thousands of political prisoners . He acknowledged America’s historical imperialism, pardoned Vietnam War draft evaders and relinquished control of the Panama Canal. He normalized relations with China. “I am not nominating Jimmy Carter for a place on Mount Rushmore,” Stuart Eizenstat, Carter’s domestic policy director, wrote in a 2018 book. “He was not a great president” but also not the “hapless and weak” caricature voters rejected in 1980, Eizenstat said. Rather, Carter was “good and productive” and “delivered results, many of which were realized only after he left office.” Madeleine Albright, a national security staffer for Carter and Clinton’s secretary of state, wrote in Eizenstat’s forward that Carter was “consequential and successful” and expressed hope that “perceptions will continue to evolve” about his presidency. “Our country was lucky to have him as our leader,” said Albright, who died in 2022. Jonathan Alter, who penned a comprehensive Carter biography published in 2020, said in an interview that Carter should be remembered for “an epic American life” spanning from a humble start in a home with no electricity or indoor plumbing through decades on the world stage across two centuries. “He will likely go down as one of the most misunderstood and underestimated figures in American history,” Alter told The Associated Press. James Earl Carter Jr. was born Oct. 1, 1924, in Plains and spent his early years in nearby Archery. His family was a minority in the mostly Black community, decades before the civil rights movement played out at the dawn of Carter’s political career. Carter, who campaigned as a moderate on race relations but governed more progressively, talked often of the influence of his Black caregivers and playmates but also noted his advantages: His land-owning father sat atop Archery’s tenant-farming system and owned a main street grocery. His mother, Lillian , would become a staple of his political campaigns. Seeking to broaden his world beyond Plains and its population of fewer than 1,000 — then and now — Carter won an appointment to the U.S. Naval Academy, graduating in 1946. That same year he married Rosalynn Smith, another Plains native, a decision he considered more important than any he made as head of state. She shared his desire to see the world, sacrificing college to support his Navy career. Carter climbed in rank to lieutenant, but then his father was diagnosed with cancer, so the submarine officer set aside his ambitions of admiralty and moved the family back to Plains. His decision angered Rosalynn, even as she dived into the peanut business alongside her husband. Carter again failed to talk with his wife before his first run for office — he later called it “inconceivable” not to have consulted her on such major life decisions — but this time, she was on board. “My wife is much more political,” Carter told the AP in 2021. He won a state Senate seat in 1962 but wasn’t long for the General Assembly and its back-slapping, deal-cutting ways. He ran for governor in 1966 — losing to arch-segregationist Lester Maddox — and then immediately focused on the next campaign. Carter had spoken out against church segregation as a Baptist deacon and opposed racist “Dixiecrats” as a state senator. Yet as a local school board leader in the 1950s he had not pushed to end school segregation even after the Supreme Court's Brown v. Board of Education decision, despite his private support for integration. And in 1970, Carter ran for governor again as the more conservative Democrat against Carl Sanders, a wealthy businessman Carter mocked as “Cufflinks Carl.” Sanders never forgave him for anonymous, race-baiting flyers, which Carter disavowed. Ultimately, Carter won his races by attracting both Black voters and culturally conservative whites. Once in office, he was more direct. “I say to you quite frankly that the time for racial discrimination is over,” he declared in his 1971 inaugural address, setting a new standard for Southern governors that landed him on the cover of Time magazine. His statehouse initiatives included environmental protection, boosting rural education and overhauling antiquated executive branch structures. He proclaimed Martin Luther King Jr. Day in the slain civil rights leader’s home state. And he decided, as he received presidential candidates in 1972, that they were no more talented than he was. In 1974, he ran Democrats’ national campaign arm. Then he declared his own candidacy for 1976. An Atlanta newspaper responded with the headline: “Jimmy Who?” The Carters and a “Peanut Brigade” of family members and Georgia supporters camped out in Iowa and New Hampshire, establishing both states as presidential proving grounds. His first Senate endorsement: a young first-termer from Delaware named Joe Biden. Yet it was Carter’s ability to navigate America’s complex racial and rural politics that cemented the nomination. He swept the Deep South that November, the last Democrat to do so, as many white Southerners shifted to Republicans in response to civil rights initiatives. A self-declared “born-again Christian,” Carter drew snickers by referring to Scripture in a Playboy magazine interview, saying he “had looked on many women with lust. I’ve committed adultery in my heart many times.” The remarks gave Ford a new foothold and television comedians pounced — including NBC’s new “Saturday Night Live” show. But voters weary of cynicism in politics found it endearing. Carter chose Minnesota Sen. Walter “Fritz” Mondale as his running mate on a “Grits and Fritz” ticket. In office, he elevated the vice presidency and the first lady’s office. Mondale’s governing partnership was a model for influential successors Al Gore, Dick Cheney and Biden. Rosalynn Carter was one of the most involved presidential spouses in history, welcomed into Cabinet meetings and huddles with lawmakers and top aides. The Carters presided with uncommon informality: He used his nickname “Jimmy” even when taking the oath of office, carried his own luggage and tried to silence the Marine Band’s “Hail to the Chief.” They bought their clothes off the rack. Carter wore a cardigan for a White House address, urging Americans to conserve energy by turning down their thermostats. Amy, the youngest of four children, attended District of Columbia public school. Washington’s social and media elite scorned their style. But the larger concern was that “he hated politics,” according to Eizenstat, leaving him nowhere to turn politically once economic turmoil and foreign policy challenges took their toll. Carter partially deregulated the airline, railroad and trucking industries and established the departments of Education and Energy, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency. He designated millions of acres of Alaska as national parks or wildlife refuges. He appointed a then-record number of women and nonwhite people to federal posts. He never had a Supreme Court nomination, but he elevated civil rights attorney Ruth Bader Ginsburg to the nation’s second highest court, positioning her for a promotion in 1993. He appointed Paul Volker, the Federal Reserve chairman whose policies would help the economy boom in the 1980s — after Carter left office. He built on Nixon’s opening with China, and though he tolerated autocrats in Asia, pushed Latin America from dictatorships to democracy. But he couldn’t immediately tame inflation or the related energy crisis. And then came Iran. After he admitted the exiled Shah of Iran to the U.S. for medical treatment, the American Embassy in Tehran was overrun in 1979 by followers of the Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini. Negotiations to free the hostages broke down repeatedly ahead of the failed rescue attempt. The same year, Carter signed SALT II, the new strategic arms treaty with Leonid Brezhnev of the Soviet Union, only to pull it back, impose trade sanctions and order a U.S. boycott of the Moscow Olympics after the Soviets invaded Afghanistan. Hoping to instill optimism, he delivered what the media dubbed his “malaise” speech, although he didn’t use that word. He declared the nation was suffering “a crisis of confidence.” By then, many Americans had lost confidence in the president, not themselves. Carter campaigned sparingly for reelection because of the hostage crisis, instead sending Rosalynn as Sen. Edward M. Kennedy challenged him for the Democratic nomination. Carter famously said he’d “kick his ass,” but was hobbled by Kennedy as Reagan rallied a broad coalition with “make America great again” appeals and asking voters whether they were “better off than you were four years ago.” Reagan further capitalized on Carter’s lecturing tone, eviscerating him in their lone fall debate with the quip: “There you go again.” Carter lost all but six states and Republicans rolled to a new Senate majority. Carter successfully negotiated the hostages’ freedom after the election, but in one final, bitter turn of events, Tehran waited until hours after Carter left office to let them walk free. At 56, Carter returned to Georgia with “no idea what I would do with the rest of my life.” Four decades after launching The Carter Center, he still talked of unfinished business. “I thought when we got into politics we would have resolved everything,” Carter told the AP in 2021. “But it’s turned out to be much more long-lasting and insidious than I had thought it was. I think in general, the world itself is much more divided than in previous years.” Still, he affirmed what he said when he underwent treatment for a cancer diagnosis in his 10th decade of life. “I’m perfectly at ease with whatever comes,” he said in 2015 . “I’ve had a wonderful life. I’ve had thousands of friends, I’ve had an exciting, adventurous and gratifying existence.” Former Associated Press journalist Alex Sanz contributed to this report.
Syria govt loses control of key city DaraaCroatia's incumbent president gains most votes for re-election, but not enough to avoid a runoffJimmy Carter passes at 100
Lamenting the contretemps, International Chess Federation President Arkady Dvorkovich said in a statement Sunday that he'd let World Blitz Championship tournament officials consider allowing “appropriate jeans” with a jacket, and other “elegant minor deviations” from the dress code. He said Carlsen's stand — which culminated in his quitting the tournament Friday — highlighted a need for more discussion “to ensure that our rules and their application reflect the evolving nature of chess as a global and accessible sport.” Carlsen, meanwhile, said in a video posted Sunday on social media that he would play — and wear jeans — in the World Blitz Championship when it begins Monday. “I think the situation was badly mishandled on their side,” the 34-year-old Norwegian grandmaster said. But he added that he loves playing blitz — a fast-paced form of chess — and wanted fans to be able to watch, and that he was encouraged by his discussions with the federation after Friday's showdown. “I think we sort of all want the same thing,” he suggested in the video on his Take Take Take chess app’s YouTube channel. “We want the players to be comfortable, sure, but also relatively presentable.” The events began when Carlsen wore jeans and a sportcoat Friday to the Rapid World Championship, which is separate from but held in conjunction with the blitz event. The chess federation said Friday that longstanding rules prohibit jeans at those tournaments, and players are lodged nearby to make sartorial switch-ups easy if needed. An official fined Carlsen $200 and asked him to change pants, but he refused and wasn't paired for a ninth-round game, the federation said at the time. The organization noted that another grandmaster, Ian Nepomniachtchi, was fined earlier in the day for wearing sports shoes, changed and continued to play. Carlsen has said that he offered to wear something else the next day, but officials were unyielding. He said “it became a bit of a matter of principle,” so he quit the rapid and blitz championships. In the video posted Sunday, he questioned whether he had indeed broken a rule and said changing clothes would have needlessly interrupted his concentration between games. He called the punishment “unbelievably harsh.” “Of course, I could have changed. Obviously, I didn’t want to,” he said, and “I stand by that.”
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Britvic plc ( LON:BVIC – Get Free Report ) shares reached a new 52-week high on Friday . The company traded as high as GBX 1,307 ($16.45) and last traded at GBX 1,307.08 ($16.45), with a volume of 7237272 shares changing hands. The stock had previously closed at GBX 1,305 ($16.42). Britvic Stock Performance The business’s 50-day simple moving average is GBX 1,288.85 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is GBX 1,249.61. The company has a quick ratio of 0.73, a current ratio of 1.04 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 253.32. The firm has a market cap of £3.23 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 2,562.90, a P/E/G ratio of 1.90 and a beta of 0.60. Insider Buying and Selling In other Britvic news, insider Simon Litherland sold 18,862 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Thursday, December 12th. The shares were sold at an average price of GBX 1,292 ($16.26), for a total transaction of £243,697.04 ($306,652.88). In the last 90 days, insiders acquired 36 shares of company stock valued at $46,512. 9.20% of the stock is owned by company insiders. About Britvic Britvic plc, together with its subsidiaries, manufactures, markets, distributes, and sells soft drinks in the United Kingdom, the Republic of Ireland, France, Brazil, and internationally. It provides fruit juices, syrups, squash, mineral water, sodas, mixers, and energy and flavored drinks. The company supplies water-coolers and bottled water; offers pension funding and financing services; and designs, installs, as well as engages in maintenance of integrated tap related solutions. See Also Receive News & Ratings for Britvic Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Britvic and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .Excelsior Correspondent JAMMU, Dec 29: Aimed to address civic issues, social activist Jayesh Gupta met Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Kumar Choudhary here today and submitted a detailed memorandum of demands. The meeting focused on the deplorable condition of roads and the lack of basic recreational facilities for children in the Bahu Fort area. During the discussion, Jayesh emphasized the dire state of the roads in the Bahu Fort area, which have become a persistent inconvenience for residents. He pointed out that the lack of maintenance has not only caused daily hardships for commuters but also raised safety concerns. Gupta highlighted that the absence of a proper playground has forced children in the area to ply on the roads, further endangering their safety and contributing to traffic disruptions. He urged the Deputy Chief Minister to take immediate action to improve the basic infrastructure in the locality. Responding to the concerns raised, the Deputy Chief Minister assured swift action. He promised to direct the concerned departments to address them on a priority basis.