Former Presidents Barack Obama , George W. Bush , and Bill Clinton all lamented the death of former President Jimmy Carter on Sunday, who died at the age of 100. Carter’s death was confirmed by his son, Chip Carter, and the Carter Center on Sunday afternoon, with multiple messages on social media pouring in shortly after . By Sunday evening, all of the former U.S. presidents still alive had issued statements mourning the death of Carter, while also honoring his service to the country. President Carter taught all of us what it means to live a life of grace, dignity, justice, and service. Michelle and I send our thoughts and prayers to the Carter family, and everyone who loved and learned from this remarkable man. https://t.co/dZHL0Nu0Tj — Barack Obama (@BarackObama) “Elected in the shadow of Watergate, Jimmy Carter promised voters that he would always tell the truth,” Obama wrote in a statement on Medium . “And he did — advocating for the public good, consequences be damned. He believed some things were more important than reelection — things like integrity, respect, and compassion. Because Jimmy Carter believed, as deeply as he believed anything, that we are all created in God’s image.” Former President George W. Bush similarly noted how Carter was “a man of deeply held convictions,” and one who was loyal to both his family and his country. Bush also praised Carter for his work on both Habitat for Humanity and The Carter Center, as both “set an example of service that will inspire Americans for generations.” Statement by President George W. Bush. pic.twitter.com/nlooc1eg68 — CSPAN (@cspan) "We join our fellow citizens in giving thanks for Jimmy Carter and in prayer for his family,” Bush’s statement said. Clinton noted how he and his wife, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, met Carter in 1975 and became “proud, early supporters” of his 1976 presidential campaign, and that he will “always be proud” of giving him and Carter’s wife, former first lady Rosalynn Carter, the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1999. Hillary's and my statement on the passing of President Jimmy Carter: pic.twitter.com/SOgqTZUdi6 — Bill Clinton (@BillClinton) “From his commitment to civil rights as a state senator and governor of Georgia; to his efforts as President to protect our natural resources in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, make energy conservation a national priority, return the Panama Canal to Panama, and secure peace between Egypt and Israel at Camp David; to his post-Presidential efforts at the Carter Center supporting honest elections, advancing peace, combating disease, and promoting democracy; to his and Rosalynn’s devotion and hard work at Habitat for Humanity — he worked tirelessly for a better, fairer world,” the Clintons' statement said. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER President-elect Donald Trump commemorated Carter’s death with a statement of his own, noting how Carter did “everything in his power to improve the lives of all Americans” during his time as the 39th president. He added that the nation owes him “a debt of gratitude” for his service. Likewise, President Joe Biden , in a joint statement with his wife, first lady Jill Biden, wrote that Carter “saved, lifted, and changed the lives of people all across the globe.” The president also announced that an official state funeral will be held for Carter in Washington, D.C.Jimmy Carter, 39th US president, Nobel winner, dies at 100
Smart Phone, Mobile Phone, Telephone, Service, Repairing From Gemini: “De-Googling is the practice of intentionally reducing or eliminating the use of Google products and services in your life. This movement is driven by concerns about privacy, data collection, and the dominance of a single company in the tech industry.” De-Googling is more than a hobby for a lot of people worried about privacy, security, surveillance, freedom from advertising and even how dependent they are upon one or two vendors – especially for search and browsers. On the other hand, de-Googling can at times be painful, such as maintaining multiple accounts to access some services which may be difficult to replace, since Google is such a dominant technology platform. It’s the same for those who want to de-Apple their devices: freedom after some pain. The most important reason why de-Googling (and de-Appling) is more than a hobby is because of what Shoshana Zuboff calls “surveillance capitalism.” Everyone should know that Google collects lots of information from its “users” and then monetizes the information through advertising. What kind of information? Your purchases, location, search history, usage data, contact information – you name it. This information is then algorithmically leveraged to generate revenue for Google. But how bad is it really? Gemini tells is that in 2022, there were approximately 5.4 billion malware attacks, that ransomware attacks increased by 68% year-over-year in 2023, that phishing attacks are one of the most common cyber threats with millions of people falling victim each year, and data breaches are increasing with millions of records being compromised every year. De-Googling reduces the number and severity of these problems. Those who want to free themselves from Google and reduce cybersecurity problems can take several steps. The most obvious is to switch search engines. Another is to switch browsers. Yet another is to remove data from Google Drive with increasingly sophisticated encryption tools and services. You might stop using Google Calendar. Or you might just de-Google with a new OS. FBI Warns iPhone And Android Users—Stop Sending Texts Microsoft’s New Update—Bad News Confirmed For 400 Million Windows Users FBI Warns Smartphone Users—Hang Up And Create A Secret Word Now BlackDuck’s Mobile Operating Ecosystem Jamie Duffy, BlackDuck Founder Ironically, Google’s Gemini tells us why we should replace Google’s OS with open-source mobile operating systems: “There are several compelling reasons to consider replacing your Google OS with an open-source mobile operating system: enhanced privacy, reduced data collection, transparent code, greater security, community-driven security, regular updates, customization and control, flexibility, root access, ethical considerations, fairness and transparency, support for ethical values, future-proofing longevity and adaptability.” But with who? One of the contenders is BlackDuck which is a mobile operating system with a high level of cryptography to protect user security and anonymity. Like other de-Google rebels, BlackDuck’s mobile operating system and devices are designed to optimize security. BlackDuck is relatively unique in a growing – which means validated – space: “The BlackDuck innovative business model ... combines different synergic business segments including an Open-Source Operating System, an App Store, a VPN Server Market, Anonymous eSIM market, Secure Crypto Wallet, Referral Program, and all leveraged by its tokenomics model.” In fact, BlackDuck’s go-to-market process blends some common features of the de-Googlers along with some unique ones like the company’s referral system where users are incentivized to work together to develop the platform “to protect the DNA of the users.” By referring the platform, “users earn on purchased digital goods.” The company also offers an anonymous secure crypto wallet which can be used to participate on the virtual products market where clients can send and receive cryptocurrency. Users can even “buy a permanent mobile phone number for daily use and registration on any services, minimizing the leakage of personal data!” The company also enables the anonymous acquisition of a VPN key that integrates into the operating system. So what have we got? An open-source OS, a decentralized app store, a VPN server market, an anonymous eSIM market, a secure crypto wallet and a referral program – all leveraged by a tokenomics model “aimed at speeding up the business and creating a never-ending motivating circular economy that rewards active users and stackers.”Let’s also not forget that BlackDuck can also set Apple iOS users free who want to prioritize privacy and security and are willing to go the extra technical mile to protect themselves from big tech’s chokehold on the OS market. To De-Google or Not to De-Google Individuals and companies must decide if they really want to de-Google. But if they do, there are steps that can be taken to accomplish that goal, including installing BlackDuck or some other open-source mobile operating systems designed to set you free. Make no mistake, however, this is a commitment, a process and an outcome – there’s no Play Store, no Pixel-specific capabilities and no Play Services. De-Googling is also a kind of “political” statement against big tech. Obviously, the primary motivation is privacy and security. But de-Googling sends a message to Google, Apple and their big tech colleagues that there are limits to control. It also sends a complaint to the security and privacy industries about how porous mobile architectures have become. De-Googling is also a market test. How often does it happen, or is it like all of the Americans who threaten to leave the country but never do? All of that said, if you make the decision to de-Google, you should look at BlackDuck .
LUCERNE, Switzerland (AP) — Would you trust an “AI Jesus” with your innermost thoughts and troubles? Researchers and religious leaders on Wednesday released findings from a two-month experiment through art in a Catholic chapel in Switzerland, where an avatar of “Jesus” on a computer screen — tucked into a confessional — took questions by visitors on faith, morality and modern-day woes, and offered responses based on Scripture. The idea, said the chapel’s theological assistant, was to recognize the growing importance of artificial intelligence in human lives, even when it comes to religion, and explore the limits of human trust in a machine. After the two-month run of the “Deus in Machina” exhibit at Peter’s Chapel starting in late August, some 900 conversations from visitors –- some came more than once –- were transcribed anonymously. Those behind the project said it was largely a success: Visitors often came out moved or deep in thought, and found it easy to use. A small sign invited visitors to enter a confessional -– chosen for its intimacy –- and below a lattice screen across which penitent believers would usually speak with a priest, a green light signaled the visitor’s turn to speak, and a red one came on when “AI Jesus” on a computer screen on the other side was responding. Often, a lag time was needed to wait for the response – a testament to the technical complexities. After exiting, nearly 300 visitors filled out questionnaires that informed the report released Wednesday. Philipp Haslbauer, an IT specialist at the Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts who pulled together the technical side of the project, said the AI responsible for taking the role of “AI Jesus” and generating responses was GPT-4o by OpenAI, and an open-source version of the company’s Whisper was used for speech comprehension. An AI video generator from Heygen was used to produce voice and video from a real person, he said. Haslbauer said no specific safeguards were used “because we observed GPT-4o to respond fairly well to controversial topics.” Visitors broached many topics, including true love, the afterlife, feelings of solitude, war and suffering in the world, the existence of God, plus issues like sexual abuse cases in the Catholic Church or its position on homosexuality. Most visitors described themselves as Christians, though agnostics, atheists, Muslims, Buddhists and Taoists took part too, according to a recap of the project released by the Catholic parish of Lucerne. About one-third were German speakers, but “AI Jesus” — which is conversant in about 100 languages — also had conversations in languages like Chinese, English, French, Hungarian, Italian, Russian and Spanish. ‘ “What was really interesting (was) to see that the people really talked with him in a serious way. They didn’t come to make jokes,” said chapel theologian Marco Schmid, who spearheaded the project. Most visitors were aged 40 to 70, and more Catholics respondents found the experience stimulating than did Protestants, the report showed. Schmid was quick to point out that the “AI Jesus” – billed as a “Jesus-like” persona – was an artistic experiment to get people thinking about the intersection between the digital and the divine, not substitute for human interaction or sacramental confessions with a priest, nor was it intended to save pastoral resources. “For the people it was clear that it was a computer ... It was clear it was not a confession,” Schmid said. “He wasn’t programmed to give absolutions or prayers. At the end, it was more summary of the conversation.” The Catholic Church from the Vatican on down has been wrestling with the challenges –- and possible opportunities -– presented by the explosion in public interest in AI since generative artificial intelligence captured the world’s attention two years ago when OpenAI’s ChatGPT made its debut. The Vatican has appointed a friar from a medieval Franciscan order as its top expert on AI, and a Lutheran church in Bavaria served up sermons delivered by a chatbot last year. Pope Francis, in his annual peace message for this year, pushed for an international treaty to ensure the ethical use of AI technology. Chatbots like ChatGPT are powered by algorithmic models trained on vast pools of text and other data to mimic speech and generate seemingly unique and human-like responses. Haslbauer is sensitive to public reaction and has noted chatter on social media saying the project is “blasphemous” or the “work of the devil.” “If you read comments on the internet about it, some are very negative — which is scary,” Haslbauer, whose long-haired look featured as a basis for the image of the virtual Jesus. In a demonstration of the technology in the chapel, Haslbauer queried “AI Jesus” about its message for a troubled world, and about whether AI could be helpful as a way for people to find God. “All knowledge and wisdom ultimately come from God,” the chatbot said in a soothing voice, after a pause to respond, and the image briefly crackled. “If used wisely, AI can indeed be a tool to explore the wonders of creation, deepen our understanding of Scripture, and foster connections among people.” “Yet it remains essential to seek God with all your heart and soul beyond any technology,” it added. Kenneth Cukier, a journalist, author and expert with the U.S.-based nonprofit group called “AI and Faith,” said if “AI Jesus” helps people connect deeper to themselves and the world, it “has to be a good thing.” “It will lead to better individuals and a better world,” he said. “However — and there’s a big however — this does feel a little bit infantile, and pardon my pun, machine-like.” “The risk is that it pulls people, ultimately, farther away from that which is more meaningful, deeper and authentic in spirituality,” said Cukier, co-author of “Big Data: A Revolution that Will Transform How We Work, Live and Think.” For Schmid, the exhibit was a pilot project — and he doesn’t foresee a second coming of “AI Jesus” anytime soon. “For us, it was also clear it was just a limited time that we will expose this Jesus,” he said, adding that any return would need to be done after deeper thought. “We are discussing ... how we could revive him again,” he said, noting interest from parishes, schoolteachers, researchers and others as the project got media attention in Switzerland and beyond. “They all are interested and would like to have this ‘AI Jesus’. So we have now a little bit to reflect on how we want to continue.”It looked like a recipe for disaster. So, when his country's swimmers were being accused of doping earlier this year, one Chinese official cooked up something fast. He blamed it on contaminated noodles. In fact, he argued, it could have been a culinary conspiracy concocted by criminals, whose actions led to the cooking wine used to prepare the noodles being laced with a banned heart drug that found its way into an athlete's system. This theory was spelled out to international anti-doping officials during a meeting and, after weeks of wrangling, finally made it into the thousands of pages of data handed over to the lawyer who investigated the case involving 23 Chinese swimmers who had tested positive for that same drug. The attorney, appointed by the World Anti-Doping Agency, refused to consider that scenario as he sifted through the evidence. In spelling out his reasoning, lawyer Eric Cottier paid heed to the half-baked nature of the theory. "The Investigator considers this scenario, which he has described in the conditional tense, to be possible, no less, no more," Cottier wrote. Even without the contaminated-noodles theory, Cottier found problems with the way WADA and the Chinese handled the case but ultimately determined WADA had acted reasonably in not appealing China's conclusion that its athletes had been inadvertently contaminated. Critics of the way the China case was handled can't help but wonder if a wider exploration of the noodle theory, details of which were discovered by The Associated Press via notes and emails from after the meeting where it was delivered, might have lent a different flavor to Cottier's conclusions. "There are more story twists to the ways the Chinese explain the TMZ case than a James Bond movie," said Rob Koehler, the director general of the advocacy group Global Athlete. "And all of it is complete fiction." In April, reporting from the New York Times and the German broadcaster ARD revealed that the 23 Chinese swimmers had tested positive for the banned heart medication trimetazidine, also known as TMZ. China's anti-doping agency determined the athletes had been contaminated, and so, did not sanction them. WADA accepted that explanation, did not press the case further, and China was never made to deliver a public notice about the "no-fault findings," as is often seen in similar cases. The stock explanation for the contamination was that traces of TMZ were found in the kitchen of a hotel where the swimmers were staying. In his 58-page report, Cottier relayed some suspicions about the feasibility of that chain of events — noting that WADA's chief scientist "saw no other solution than to accept it, even if he continued to have doubts about the reality of contamination as described by the Chinese authorities." But without evidence to support pursuing the case, and with the chance of winning an appeal at almost nil, Cottier determined WADA's "decision not to appeal appears indisputably reasonable." A mystery remained: How did those traces of TMZ get into the kitchen? Shortly after the doping positives were revealed, the Institute of National Anti-Doping Organizations held a meeting on April 30 where it heard from the leader of China's agency, Li Zhiquan. Li's presentation was mostly filled with the same talking points that have been delivered throughout the saga — that the positive tests resulted from contamination from the kitchen. But he expanded on one way the kitchen might have become contaminated, harkening to another case in China involving a low-level TMZ positive. A pharmaceutical factory, he explained, had used industrial alcohol in the distillation process for producing TMZ. The industrial alcohol laced with the drug "then entered the market through illegal channels," he said. The alcohol "was re-used by the perpetrators to process and produce cooking wine, which is an important seasoning used locally to make beef noodles," Li said. "The contaminated beef noodles were consumed by that athlete, resulting in an extremely low concentration of TMZ in the positive sample. "The wrongdoers involved have been brought to justice." This new information raised eyebrows among the anti-doping leaders listening to Li's report. So much so that over the next month, several emails ensued to make sure the details about the noodles and wine made their way to WADA lawyers, who could then pass it onto Cottier. Eventually, Li did pass on the information to WADA general counsel Ross Wenzel and, just to be sure, one of the anti-doping leaders forwarded it, as well, according to the emails seen by the AP. All this came with Li's request that the noodles story be kept confidential. Turns out, it made it into Cottier's report, though he took the information with a grain of salt. "Indeed, giving it more attention would have required it to be documented, then scientifically verified and validated," he wrote. Neither Wenzel nor officials at the Chinese anti-doping agency returned messages from AP asking about the noodles conspiracy and the other athlete who Li suggested had been contaminated by them. Meanwhile, 11 of the swimmers who originally tested positive competed at the Paris Games earlier this year in a meet held under the cloud of the Chinese doping case. Though WADA considers the case closed, Koehler and others point to situations like this as one of many reasons that an investigation by someone other than Cottier, who was hired by WADA, is still needed. "It gives the appearance that people are just making things up as they go along on this, and hoping the story just goes away," Koehler said. "Which clearly it has not." Get local news delivered to your inbox!Stock market today: Tech stocks and AI pull Wall Street to more records
CLEVELAND (AP) — Chase Robinson had 16 points in Cleveland State's 78-64 victory over Wright State on Sunday night. Robinson shot 6 of 9 from the field, including 2 for 3 from 3-point range, and went 2 for 4 from the line for the Vikings (9-6, 3-1 Horizon League). Dylan Arnett added 14 points while shooting 6 of 9 from the field and also had seven rebounds. Tevin Smith had 12 points and shot 4 for 10 (2 for 6 from 3-point range) and 2 of 4 from the free-throw line. Brandon Noel finished with 20 points, six rebounds, two steals and two blocks for the Raiders (7-8, 1-3). Jack Doumbia added 19 points and three blocks for Wright State. Michael Imariagbe had nine points and seven rebounds. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .SentinelOne missed Wall Street estimates for third-quarter profit on Wednesday, as the cybersecurity firm grapples with stiff competition from larger peers, sending its shares down more than 12% in extended trading. The Mountain View, California-based company reported breakeven earnings on an adjusted basis, compared with analysts' average expectations of a 1 cent profit per share, according to data compiled by LSEG. Investors have come to expect strong results from cybersecurity companies as the growing threat of high-profile online hacks and data breaches has boosted the demand for digital protection services. SentinelOne has been trying to grab market share in the crowded cybersecurity industry, where larger rivals such as Palo Alto Networks and CrowdStrike are also investing to upgrade their infrastructure and attract clients. Both Palo Alto and CrowdStrike reported strong quarterly results last month. 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BOZEMAN — Myles Sansted’s excitement only grew as Montana was stopped on a fourth-and-3 with 25 seconds left in the first half. The turnover around midfield meant a field goal attempt was in play. Montana State quarterback Tommy Mellott orchestrated a quick drive to the UM 32-yard line with four seconds remaining. As Sansted set up on the right hash, the Grizzlies called a timeout. MSU reserve QB and holder Patrick Duchien cracked jokes to ease the tension. Sansted — who took UM’s aggressiveness as a lack of belief in MSU’s placekicking operation — was fired up. He trusted his process, relying on the personal affirmations he repeats on the sideline. He trusted Tommy Sullivan on the snap, Duchien on the hold and his blockers up front. Sansted didn’t go for “a bigger swing” on the 49-yard attempt, he said, instead making contact as he had all season. Not only was it a new personal best for Sansted, but the make put the Bobcats up three scores at the break en route to . Myles Sansted connects from 4⃣9⃣! 🎯 | Sansted remembered being on the sideline for the 2023 edition of the Brawl of the Wild, a 37-7 MSU loss in Missoula. All the Alexandria, Minnesota, native could do at the time was watch. In 2024, Sansted made his own impact. “To do it for all the Montana guys on the team (was great), but also we’re all Montanans now. We’re all Bobcats,” Sansted said. “It was really just a dream come true.” Just a week before, Sansted had come up inches short on a 47-yard FG attempt at UC Davis, with the ball bouncing off the crossbar. A week later, Sansted nailed a 49-yarder with room to spare. Maybe it was the elevation, the wind or extra “juice,” said MSU special teams quality control coach Marcus Monaco. Regardless of external factors, Sansted didn’t change his approach. “Being able to execute at halftime, two-minute drill, that was really impressive in a really big moment,” Monaco said. Consistency was an issue for MSU’s placekicking unit throughout the 2023 season, with the Bobcats missing a combined nine FGs and six point-after attempts between Brendan Hall and Casey Kautzman. The season ended on a blocked PAT in to North Dakota State. After , along with an injury to Kautzman, MSU turned to Sansted. The Bobcats found that stability they were looking for in Sansted, a walk-on in his second stint with the team. He's made 62 of 64 PATs and 12 of 16 FGs, good for the second-most points of any player in the Big Sky Conference (98), only behind UC Davis running back Lan Larison (122). “He’s filled a void from a consistency perspective that we didn’t have last year and we’ll continue to need as these games get bigger and bigger,” said MSU head coach Brent Vigen. “So I’m very pleased with what he’s been able to do and I don’t know if I would have seen this coming when he chose to come to Montana State a few years back.” Montana State kicker Myles Sansted kicks an extra point attempt during a game against Sacramento State on Nov. 9 at Bobcat Stadium in Bozeman. Sansted, who is also Vigen’s nephew, was a four-sport athlete at Alexandria High School, competing in basketball, soccer, track and field and as a kicker on the football team. He got a taste of playing in big games, such as the boys basketball Class 3A state championship game as a junior in 2021. Alexandria lost 80-29 to Minnehaha Academy, which was led by future Gonzaga and Oklahoma City Thunder forward Chet Holmgren. Sansted noted how tight-knit his team was, something he didn’t think he’d find again until he joined the Bobcats. Sansted didn’t make much of an effort to play sports at the next level. A few offers from Division III schools in Minnesota came in, but he narrowed it down to MSU and Kansas. He ultimately chose MSU after receiving some scholarship money and the chance to be close to family. Sansted — whose mother is the twin sister of Brent Vigen’s wife, Molly — said his family has been “super supportive” since day one in Bozeman. “(My cousins) Jake and Grant and Luke (Vigen), they’re also Bobcat fans and so they’re cheering for me,” Sansted added. “So it’s been super cool to kind of get to go through all that together.” Sansted also knew wherever he went to college he would try to walk on as a kicker. He first joined the Bobcats in spring 2023, shortly after then-starting kicker Blake Glessner transferred to UCLA. He worked through the summer and got two weeks in fall camp before being told he wouldn’t make that year’s roster. The Bobcats had added Hall through the transfer portal along with Kautzman as a walk-on. Sansted returned for one last shot in spring 2024. He injured his quad on the second day of spring ball, but got in three practices and appeared in the Sonny Holland Classic, making three PATs. He continued to compete for playing time alongside Kautzman, Hall and two kickers the Bobcats brought in during fall camp. Sansted said each kicker supported each other because “we all want what’s best for Montana State.” Monaco added that it was important to replicate game scenarios as much as possible and keep everyone healthy. Montana State’s Myles Sansted practices kicks on the sidelines during a game against Mercyhurst on Sept. 21 at Bobcat Stadium. “We needed to understand how we were going to be able to operate in stressful situations, knowing that we had a good shot to be pretty good this year and knowing that he’s going to be in some (high-pressure) situations,” Monaco said. Sansted got the starting job and Hall focused on punting and kickoffs. Duchien — who was also battling for reps at QB — was named the first-string holder. Sansted said Duchien has been “so money” all season and added that Sullivan, who has started 50-plus games at long snapper, has been a rock. “Tommy makes my job pretty easy,” Duchien added. “He gets to me every time, laces are usually already out by the time I’m catching the ball. It’s a pretty cool job and I enjoy working with those guys.” There was still a level of uncertainty heading into the season opener at New Mexico. Duchien remembered talking with Sansted on the sideline about a potential game-tying field goal and noticed how Sansted was “really nervous” about kicking in high winds. That didn’t come to pass, with MSU . In his first game, Sansted went 5 for 5 on PATs. That consistency carried throughout the regular season, with Sansted missing two PATs and four FGs. Monaco said those misses can partly be chalked up to Sansted being hyped up after a big play. One example was a blocked PAT after wide receiver Taco Dowler’s 79-yard punt return TD against Davis. “It could be a one-play drive,” Monaco said. “We’ve had multiple of those this year where it’s been a really big explosive, and we've got to be ready to go out there and (execute).” Sansted said he’s worked with counselor John Shirkey, as well as utilizing prayer and his personal affirmations to bounce back from a missed or blocked kick. He’s implemented a one kick-at-a-time mindset. “Also the guys are super supportive,” Sansted said, adding, “You know they got your back, and that’s a huge motivator to (be like), ‘Hey, I got the next one.’” Montana State kicker Myles Sansted lines up a field goal attempt in the second half against Idaho on Oct. 12 at Bobcat Stadium. Vigen said Sansted has only mis-hit a few balls this season and has otherwise been consistent in all 12 games. That’s been achieved through Sansted’s mentality and how the Bobcats approach practices. MSU hasn’t over-extended reps, Monaco said, because fatigue can play a role. The additions of the new scoreboard and the indoor practice facility have changed the direction of the wind in Bobcat Stadium. The group has also focused on executing in inclement weather and high-pressure situations. The most important thing, Monaco said, is sticking to the same process each time out. “That kick’s got no chance if we don’t give it a chance,” Monaco added. “So we got to be able to go out and give it the best opportunity to go that we can.” Sansted, who approaches each kick the same, has connected on long-range kicks several times. That includes a 44-yarder at Idaho State, a 45-yarder at Portland State and the 49-yarder at Cat-Griz. Since the season opener, Duchien has noticed Sansted growing in confidence. “Now I can kind of see on the sideline he’s ready to go,” Duchien said, adding, “He wants to go out there and kick these big kicks.” Montana State's Myles Sansted makes a 44-yard field goal in the first quarter against Idaho State on Sept. 28 at the ICCU Dome in Pocatello, Idaho. Around the time of the Eastern Washington game on Nov. 2, Sansted felt a shift in how much his coaches relied on him. He said the faith of Vigen, Monaco and special teams coordinator/WRs coach Justin Udy has propelled him in his first season. “That can’t just be built at one point,” Sansted added. “It’s built time over time again, rep over rep in practice and in games.” Monaco has seen Sansted mature all season, now “knowing that he belongs” on a national title contender. Vigen pointed to how MSU’s offense wants to be aggressive around midfield, but can rely on Sansted to come through in key situations as well. While it hasn’t been a linear journey, Sansted said he “wouldn’t trade it for the world.” “Not being on the team for two seasons and being able to do this with this group, I wouldn’t change anything,” Sansted said. “I think it made me stronger mentally, especially, and just going through it each and every day. It’s been super rewarding.” Braden Shaw can be reached at or 406-582-2690. 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LAKEPORT, Calif. — Maria Valadez would like everyone to chill out. Every election, the prickly Lake County registrar follows California’s litany of voting laws and certifies thousands of ballots by the time she is required to. And every year, people still complain. “The state gave us a deadline, we meet the deadline,” an exasperated Valadez said from her small office in Lakeport as a handful of staffers sat at computers verifying signatures more than two weeks after election day, when they had tallied fewer than half of the votes. “I just don’t understand, why do we need to rush?” In a state known for its slow processing of election results , Lake County, with only about 38,000 voters, is often the slowest of them all. For years, the rural Northern California county — known for local disputes over marijuana cultivation and several brutal wildfires — has been among the state’s last to announce votes after elections, often frustrating candidates and befuddling political pundits. The reason appears to be a combination of factors, including an under-resourced elections budget in one of California’s smaller, lower-income counties and a desire to keep a meticulous, steady process that was instilled by trusted staff decades ago, even as technology advances. “Elections are a lot of security, transparency and accountability. That’s what we do here. And it has been like this for all of the years I’ve worked here,” said Valadez, who was hired in 1995 and trained by the prior registrar, who was hired in 1977. “We have a lot of checks and balances. We do them as we go.” She repeated: “We have a deadline, we meet the deadline.” State law requires counties to finalize their official results 30 days after the election, this year by Dec. 5. Though Valadez is adamant that she’ll make it, the pace of progress is startling compared to most of the country. Shortly before midnight on election night, Lake County reported just 5,784 ballots. A few thousand more have been counted since. Yet by Thursday — 16 days after the election — Lake County still had more than 10,000 ballots left to count, according to the secretary of state. “I’m not unsympathetic to the challenges that come with unfunded top-down mandates from Sacramento, but there is a pattern of sheer awfulness with Lake County in particular going back at least a decade and they’ve earned all the scorn coming their way,” Rob Pyers, who operates the election guide California Target Book, said on social media last week. He said Lake County is “in the running for slowest election department worldwide.” This year, that may not matter much. Unlike some other counties in California, where daily ballot counts are still changing results in tight races for the House of Representatives that will determine the size of Republicans’ majority in Washington, Lake County did not have many hot contests on the ballot. Still, the slow count means residents are waiting to find out who will serve on local schools boards, the Clear Lake City Council and the county board of supervisors. Lake County’s lag has delayed statewide outcomes before. In the 2014 primary election , the race for state controller was razor thin. California voters had to wait a month to know who would compete in the general election as Lake County officials took their time with the final ballots even as they were barraged with phone calls from politicos feverishly refreshing their browsers for updates. It was Lake County that declared Betty Yee had edged out fellow Democrat John Perez by fewer than 500 votes and would advance. The county met its deadline. Democracy lived on. Now, it’s a different world than when Valadez first started working in elections 30 years ago, and her department’s speed — or lack thereof — has spurred conspiracy theories like those inflamed by Donald Trump when he lost the election in 2020. As Valadez and her staff calmly processed ballots Wednesday, an angry man from North Dakota called to inquire about what’s taking so long. Conservatives have singled out Lake County on social media as proof that deep blue California is aiming to rig elections. The man who lives 1,600 miles east and can’t vote in Lake County suggested something nefarious was going on. Valadez invited him to visit her office off the shore of Clear Lake, to her tightknit community where the security guard at the courthouse next door calls entrants “kiddo.” She has nothing to hide, she said. “We take our job very seriously,” Valadez said of her small staff. “The integrity of my work is very important to me.” California is among the slowest states to call elections not only because of its huge population, but also because of voting laws designed to increase voter participation, including sending all registered voters a ballot by mail, which can prolong when some races are called. “California deserves all the scorn it gets for holding up House election results,” screamed a headline last week in the New York Post. The article went on: “Hey, bud, what’s the rush? seems to be Golden State officials’ work ethic.” Derek Tisler, who focuses on elections as counsel for the Brennan Center for Justice, confirmed that Lake County is among the slowest to process ballots in the U.S. this year. But that’s OK, he said. “We get impatient, but I think everyone would agree that at the end of the day, we want things to be accurate,” Tisler said. “That is what election officials are going to prioritize. It makes sense they’re doing things in a way that they feel confident in.” As a wall of rain beat down this week on most of Lake County, a place that struggles with meth and opioid abuse, where 73% of public school students qualify for free and reduced-price meals, Valadez said she’s doing her best “within staffing and resource limitations.” The Lake County registrar’s office has five full time-employees, and one is currently on leave. A few retirees have been added as temporary help. The county — population: 67,000 — does not have a high-speed vote counting machine, instead verifying everything by hand. Kim Alexander, president of the nonpartisan California Voter Foundation, said places like Lake County don’t get the same resources as bigger tourism destinations with urban centers and higher property taxes. The state does not help counties pay for elections staff or voting equipment even as it issues more mandates, she said, making local officials’ jobs harder and uneven, depending on where they live. “I get really frustrated when I hear lawmakers complaining about how long it takes to count, because they could actually do something about it,” Alexander said. “If elections were not a chronically underfunded government service, we could have faster results.” Valadez also pointed to voting preferences as a potential reason for the timing of the county’s results. Unlike a growing number of counties, Lake County does not offer voting centers, a hybrid model that allows voters to drop off ballots several days before the election. Voters here prefer to vote in person at their neighborhood polling precincts and some are still getting used to receiving a ballot in the mail, Valadez said. But even if Lake County got a boost in funding, and more voters sent their ballots in by mail early, it’s unclear if elections officials would change much of their decades-old strategy. Wearing a bright red pixie cut and a Carhartt flanel, Diane Fridley, 71, worked to verify votes this week at a computer in the registrar’s office in Lakeport, scrolling her mouse across the screen to identify any issues with ballots. For more than 40 years, Fridley was the Lake County registrar. When she retired in 2019, she passed the torch to Valadez. But in between babysitting her grandchildren, Fridley comes in to help around election season. A Lake County native, Fridley remembers when voters had to bring their birth certificates to their polling stations. She has lived through the days of hanging chads. As someone who likes to have the same breakfast every morning — a slice of apple pie — and is hypervigilant about counting ballots, all the changes have been hard, but exciting. “Yeah, it takes us a little longer, but we dot our I’s and we cross our Ts,” she said. “We’re positive whatever totals we have are correct. I’m not saying other counties don’t do that, but we try to be perfect.” Fridley and Valadez exchanged a knowing look. “There’s a deadline for a reason,” Fridley said, echoing Valadez. “We always meet the deadline.”