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River Hawks' second-half rally falls shortGLENS FALLS, N.Y. — The Adirondack Thunder can watch football all day Thursday. Before and after they’ll be busy with a three-game Thanksgiving homestand, starting Wednesday against the Trois-Rivieres Lions before battling the Reading Royals on Friday and Saturday. When it’s over, the Thunder will have played 10 games in 16 days, one of the [...]WALTHAM, Mass. , Dec. 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Veralto (NYSE: VLTO), a global leader in essential water and product quality solutions dedicated to Safeguarding the World's Most Vital ResourcesTM , announced today that its board of directors has approved a 22% increase to its quarterly cash dividend, and accordingly approved a quarterly cash dividend of $0.11 per share of its common stock, payable on January 31, 2025 to holders of record as of the close of business on December 31, 2024 . About Veralto With annual sales of $5 billion , Veralto is a global leader in essential technology solutions with a proven track record of solving some of the most complex challenges we face as a society. Our industry-leading companies with globally recognized brands are building on a long-established legacy of innovation and customer trust to create a safer, cleaner, more vibrant future. Headquartered in Waltham, Massachusetts , our global team of 16,000 associates is committed to making an enduring positive impact on our world and united by a powerful purpose: Safeguarding the World's Most Vital ResourcesTM . View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/veralto-announces-increase-in-quarterly-dividend-302336275.html SOURCE Veralto
DETROIT — If Donald Trump makes good on his threat to slap 25% tariffs on everything imported from Mexico and Canada, the price increases that could follow will collide with his campaign promise to give American families a break from inflation. Economists say companies would have little choice but to pass along the added costs, dramatically raising prices for food, clothing, automobiles, booze and other goods. The Republican president-elect floated the tariff idea, including additional 10% taxes on goods from China, as a way to force the countries to halt the flow of illegal immigrants and drugs into the U.S. But his posts Monday on Truth Social threatening the tariffs on his first day in office could just be a negotiating ploy to get the countries to change behavior. High food prices were a major issue in voters picking Trump over Vice President Kamala Harris, but tariffs almost certainly would push those costs up even further. For instance, the Produce Distributors Association, a Washington trade group, said Tuesday that tariffs will raise prices for fresh fruit and vegetables and hurt U.S. farmers when other countries retaliate. Mexico and Canada are two of the biggest exporters of fresh fruit and vegetables to the U.S. In 2022, Mexico supplied 51% of fresh fruit and 69% of fresh vegetables imported by value into the U.S., while Canada supplied 2% of fresh fruit and 20% of fresh vegetables. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who talked with Trump after his call for tariffs, said they had a good conversation about how the countries can work together. “This is something that we can do, laying out the facts and moving forward in constructive ways. This is a relationship that we know takes a certain amount of working on and that’s what we’ll do,” Trudeau said. President Claudia Sheinbaum suggested Tuesday that Mexico could retaliate with tariffs of its own. Sheinbaum said she was willing to engage in talks on the issues, but said drugs were a U.S. problem. Get local news delivered to your inbox!Award-winning Northern healthcare leader hopes to inspire others
SALT LAKE CITY--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec 19, 2024-- Franklin Covey Co. (NYSE: FC), a leader in organizational performance improvement, announced today that the conference call to review the Company’s first quarter fiscal 2025 financial results will take place on Wednesday, January 8, 2025, at 5:00 p.m. ET (3:00 p.m. MT). The Company’s financial results are expected to be released after the close of the market on Wednesday, January 8, 2025. Interested persons may access a live webcast at https://edge.media-server.com/mmc/p/gk9ap76y or may participate via telephone by registering at https://register.vevent.com/register/BIe59413e64e764817b6ae5c75d8008324 . Once registered, participants will have the option of 1) dialing into the call from their phone (via a personalized PIN); or 2) clicking the “Call Me” option to receive an automated call directly to their phone. For either option, registration will be required to access the call. A replay of the conference call webcast will be archived on the Company’s website for at least 30 days. About Franklin Covey Co. Franklin Covey (NYSE: FC) is the most trusted leadership company in the world with operations in over 150 countries. We transform organizations by partnering with our clients to build leaders, teams, and cultures that get breakthrough results through collective action, which leads to a more engaging work experience for their people. Available through the Franklin Covey All Access Pass®, our best-in-class content and solutions, experts, technology, and metrics seamlessly integrate together to ensure lasting behavior change at scale. This approach to leadership and organizational change has been tested and refined by working with tens of thousands of teams and organizations over the past 30 years. View source version on businesswire.com : https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241219219776/en/ CONTACT: For Further Information: Stephen D. Young Chief Financial Officer 801-817-1776 KEYWORD: UTAH UNITED STATES NORTH AMERICA INDUSTRY KEYWORD: CONSULTING PROFESSIONAL SERVICES TRAINING HUMAN RESOURCES EDUCATION SOURCE: Franklin Covey Co. Copyright Business Wire 2024. PUB: 12/19/2024 04:03 PM/DISC: 12/19/2024 04:03 PM http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241219219776/enSuchir Balaji, a former OpenAI engineer and whistleblower who helped train the artificial intelligence systems behind ChatGPT and later said he believed those practices violated copyright law, has died, according to his parents and San Francisco officials. He was 26. Balaji worked at OpenAI for nearly four years before quitting in August. He was well-regarded by colleagues at the San Francisco company, where a co-founder this week called him one of OpenAI's strongest contributors who was essential to developing some of its products. “We are devastated to learn of this incredibly sad news and our hearts go out to Suchir’s loved ones during this difficult time,” said a statement from OpenAI. Balaji was found dead in his San Francisco apartment on Nov. 26 in what police said “appeared to be a suicide. No evidence of foul play was found during the initial investigation.” The city's chief medical examiner's office confirmed the manner of death to be suicide. His parents Poornima Ramarao and Balaji Ramamurthy said they are still seeking answers, describing their son as a “happy, smart and brave young man” who loved to hike and recently returned from a trip with friends. Balaji grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area and first arrived at the fledgling AI research lab for a 2018 summer internship while studying computer science at the University of California, Berkeley. He returned a few years later to work at OpenAI, where one of his first projects, called WebGPT, helped pave the way for ChatGPT. “Suchir’s contributions to this project were essential, and it wouldn’t have succeeded without him,” said OpenAI co-founder John Schulman in a social media post memorializing Balaji. Schulman, who recruited Balaji to his team, said what made him such an exceptional engineer and scientist was his attention to detail and ability to notice subtle bugs or logical errors. “He had a knack for finding simple solutions and writing elegant code that worked,” Schulman wrote. “He’d think through the details of things carefully and rigorously.” Balaji later shifted to organizing the huge datasets of online writings and other media used to train GPT-4, the fourth generation of OpenAI's flagship large language model and a basis for the company's famous chatbot. It was that work that eventually caused Balaji to question the technology he helped build, especially after newspapers, novelists and others began suing OpenAI and other AI companies for copyright infringement. He first raised his concerns with The New York Times, which reported them in an October profile of Balaji . He later told The Associated Press he would “try to testify” in the strongest copyright infringement cases and considered a lawsuit brought by The New York Times last year to be the “most serious.” Times lawyers named him in a Nov. 18 court filing as someone who might have “unique and relevant documents” supporting allegations of OpenAI's willful copyright infringement. His records were also sought by lawyers in a separate case brought by book authors including the comedian Sarah Silverman, according to a court filing. “It doesn’t feel right to be training on people’s data and then competing with them in the marketplace,” Balaji told the AP in late October. “I don’t think you should be able to do that. I don’t think you are able to do that legally.” He told the AP that he gradually grew more disillusioned with OpenAI, especially after the internal turmoil that led its board of directors to fire and then rehire CEO Sam Altman last year. Balaji said he was broadly concerned about how its commercial products were rolling out, including their propensity for spouting false information known as hallucinations. But of the “bag of issues” he was concerned about, he said he was focusing on copyright as the one it was “actually possible to do something about.” He acknowledged that it was an unpopular opinion within the AI research community, which is accustomed to pulling data from the internet, but said “they will have to change and it’s a matter of time.” He had not been deposed and it’s unclear to what extent his revelations will be admitted as evidence in any legal cases after his death. He also published a personal blog post with his opinions about the topic. Schulman, who resigned from OpenAI in August, said he and Balaji coincidentally left on the same day and celebrated with fellow colleagues that night with dinner and drinks at a San Francisco bar. Another of Balaji’s mentors, co-founder and chief scientist Ilya Sutskever, had left OpenAI several months earlier , which Balaji saw as another impetus to leave. Schulman said Balaji had told him earlier this year of his plans to leave OpenAI and that Balaji didn't think that better-than-human AI known as artificial general intelligence “was right around the corner, like the rest of the company seemed to believe.” The younger engineer expressed interest in getting a doctorate and exploring “some more off-the-beaten path ideas about how to build intelligence,” Schulman said. Balaji's family said a memorial is being planned for later this month at the India Community Center in Milpitas, California, not far from his hometown of Cupertino. —————- EDITOR’S NOTE — This story includes discussion of suicide. If you or someone you know needs help, the national suicide and crisis lifeline in the U.S. is available by calling or texting 988. —————-- The Associated Press and OpenAI have a licensing and technology agreement allowing OpenAI access to part of the AP’s text archives.
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. 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.
Stock market today: Wall Street hits more records following a just-right jobs reportMister Car Wash Announces Transfer of Stock Listing to NasdaqFlorida Real Estate Career Fair: A Beacon of Opportunity in Hurricane Recovery 11-26-2024 10:18 PM CET | Business, Economy, Finances, Banking & Insurance Press release from: Getnews / PR Agency: Brand Push As Florida continues to recover from the devastation of Hurricanes Helene and Milton, the real estate sector is stepping up as a pivotal force in the state's economic revival. The Florida Real Estate Career Fair [ https://go.tsre.us/career-fair ] presented by TSRE is scheduled for Saturday, November 23, 2024, from 12 pm to 2 pm in Palm Harbor. This is set to be a cornerstone event for those looking to enter or advance in the real estate industry. With the possibility of further interest rate reductions and a surge in demand, especially in the Tampa Bay Area, this career fair arrives at an opportune moment. It provides a comprehensive platform for attendees to explore the diverse opportunities within this dynamic field. Image: https://www.getnews.info/uploads/b1b74cf8509ab8c9fc24ee91c36e1eb9.jpg Expert Insights and Industry Opportunities The career fair will feature insights from prominent industry leaders. Jon Carissimo, a seasoned Florida Real Estate Instructor, emphasizes the strategic importance of the event: "Choosing the right broker is essential to a successful real estate career, and the career fair is the perfect way to explore your options." His words highlight the event as a crucial step for anyone keen on making informed decisions in the real estate landscape. Transformative Testimonials The impact of the fair extends beyond networking, offering life-changing experiences for many. Countless alumni from Tampa School of Real Estate [ https://tampaschoolofrealestate.com/ ] have shared how real estate has significantly influenced their careers. Ricardo V. reflects, "Two years later and never happier with my decision to become a Realtor. This school and this career has changed my life." Such testimonials underscore the profound effect of the fair on personal and professional trajectories. The Enduring Value of Personalized Service In an era dominated by digital solutions, real estate professionals continue to provide indispensable personalized services. These client-focused experiences are something that technology cannot replicate. By tailoring services to meet individual client needs, Realtors not only help achieve goals but often deliver creative and cost-effective solutions that digital platforms alone cannot match. Image: https://www.getnews.info/uploads/7d71c774578137b78b783e19ddf1c627.jpg Event Details and Registration The Florida Real Estate Career Fair is a must-attend event for aspiring and current real estate professionals seeking to expand their horizons. Prospective attendees are encouraged to register early to secure free admission by visiting FloridaRealEstateCareerFair.com [ https://go.tsre.us/career-fair ]. This is an opportunity to join a vibrant community of forward-thinking professionals eager to make their mark in the real estate industry. Key Takeaways As Florida rebuilds and reinvigorates, the Florida Real Estate Career Fair stands as a vital gateway to new beginnings and professional advancement. For those seeking stability, innovation, and a promising future, this event is a launchpad into the ever-evolving world of real estate. Media Contact Company Name: TSRE Palm Habor - Tampa School of Real Estate Contact Person: Jon Carissimo Email: Send Email [ http://www.universalpressrelease.com/?pr=florida-real-estate-career-fair-a-beacon-of-opportunity-in-hurricane-recovery ] Phone: (727) 777-4547 Address:32776 US Hwy 19 N City: Palm Harbor State: Florida 33684 Country: United States Website: http://floridarealestatecareerfair.com This release was published on openPR.
Award-winning Northern healthcare leader hopes to inspire others
The New England Patriots will have another starting combination on the offensive line going forward. The organization claimed guard Lester Cotton off waivers from the Miami Dolphins on Tuesday. To make room on the 53-man roster, an 11-game starting guard in Michael Jordan has been waived. Cotton, 28, entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent out of Alabama in 2019. The two-time Crimson Tide national champion began his career with the Las Vegas Raiders before heading to the AFC East as part of the practice squad late in the 2022 season. He has appeared in 43 games between work at left guard and right guard, making nine starts. The 6-foot-4, 330-pound blocker saw action on special teams against the Patriots last Sunday in Miami Gardens. Jordan, 26, played 87.7 percent of the offensive snaps in Foxborough this fall — a rate standing behind only right guard Mike Onwenu. After making the initial active roster only to be released, the vested veteran at left guard twice served as a standard elevation from the practice squad before rejoining the 53 midway through September. The 6-foot-6, 315-pound Ohio State product entered the NFL with the Cincinnati Bengals in the fourth round of the 2019 class at No. 136 overall. Additional stops were made with the Carolina Panthers and Green Bay Packers before he reached a futures contract in January. Jordan’s career spans 66 games and 40 starts. New England started the same five for three consecutive weeks and recently opened interior lineman Cole Strange’s 21-day window to return from the non-football injury list. The Indianapolis Colts visit Gillette Stadium on Sunday. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. ET.By BILL BARROW, Associated Press PLAINS, Ga. (AP) — Newly married and sworn as a Naval officer, Jimmy Carter left his tiny hometown in 1946 hoping to climb the ranks and see the world. Less than a decade later, the death of his father and namesake, a merchant farmer and local politician who went by “Mr. Earl,” prompted the submariner and his wife, Rosalynn, to return to the rural life of Plains, Georgia, they thought they’d escaped. The lieutenant never would be an admiral. Instead, he became commander in chief. Years after his presidency ended in humbling defeat, he would add a Nobel Peace Prize, awarded not for his White House accomplishments but “for his decades of untiring effort to find peaceful solutions to international conflicts, to advance democracy and human rights, and to promote economic and social development.” The life of James Earl Carter Jr., the 39th and longest-lived U.S. president, ended Sunday at the age of 100 where it began: Plains, the town of 600 that fueled his political rise, welcomed him after his fall and sustained him during 40 years of service that redefined what it means to be a former president. With the stubborn confidence of an engineer and an optimism rooted in his Baptist faith, Carter described his motivations in politics and beyond in the same way: an almost missionary zeal to solve problems and improve lives. Carter was raised amid racism, abject poverty and hard rural living — realities that shaped both his deliberate politics and emphasis on human rights. “He always felt a responsibility to help people,” said Jill Stuckey, a longtime friend of Carter’s in Plains. “And when he couldn’t make change wherever he was, he decided he had to go higher.” Carter’s path, a mix of happenstance and calculation , pitted moral imperatives against political pragmatism; and it defied typical labels of American politics, especially caricatures of one-term presidents as failures. “We shouldn’t judge presidents by how popular they are in their day. That’s a very narrow way of assessing them,” Carter biographer Jonathan Alter told the Associated Press. “We should judge them by how they changed the country and the world for the better. On that score, Jimmy Carter is not in the first rank of American presidents, but he stands up quite well.” Later in life, Carter conceded that many Americans, even those too young to remember his tenure, judged him ineffective for failing to contain inflation or interest rates, end the energy crisis or quickly bring home American hostages in Iran. He gained admirers instead for his work at The Carter Center — advocating globally for public health, human rights and democracy since 1982 — and the decades he and Rosalynn wore hardhats and swung hammers with Habitat for Humanity. Yet the common view that he was better after the Oval Office than in it annoyed Carter, and his allies relished him living long enough to see historians reassess his presidency. “He doesn’t quite fit in today’s terms” of a left-right, red-blue scoreboard, said U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, who visited the former president multiple times during his own White House bid. At various points in his political career, Carter labeled himself “progressive” or “conservative” — sometimes both at once. His most ambitious health care bill failed — perhaps one of his biggest legislative disappointments — because it didn’t go far enough to suit liberals. Republicans, especially after his 1980 defeat, cast him as a left-wing cartoon. It would be easiest to classify Carter as a centrist, Buttigieg said, “but there’s also something radical about the depth of his commitment to looking after those who are left out of society and out of the economy.” Indeed, Carter’s legacy is stitched with complexities, contradictions and evolutions — personal and political. The self-styled peacemaker was a war-trained Naval Academy graduate who promised Democratic challenger Ted Kennedy that he’d “kick his ass.” But he campaigned with a call to treat everyone with “respect and compassion and with love.” Carter vowed to restore America’s virtue after the shame of Vietnam and Watergate, and his technocratic, good-government approach didn’t suit Republicans who tagged government itself as the problem. It also sometimes put Carter at odds with fellow Democrats. The result still was a notable legislative record, with wins on the environment, education, and mental health care. He dramatically expanded federally protected lands, began deregulating air travel, railroads and trucking, and he put human rights at the center of U.S. foreign policy. As a fiscal hawk, Carter added a relative pittance to the national debt, unlike successors from both parties. Carter nonetheless struggled to make his achievements resonate with the electorate he charmed in 1976. Quoting Bob Dylan and grinning enthusiastically, he had promised voters he would “never tell a lie.” Once in Washington, though, he led like a joyless engineer, insisting his ideas would become reality and he’d be rewarded politically if only he could convince enough people with facts and logic. This served him well at Camp David, where he brokered peace between Israel’s Menachem Begin and Epypt’s Anwar Sadat, an experience that later sparked the idea of The Carter Center in Atlanta. Carter’s tenacity helped the center grow to a global force that monitored elections across five continents, enabled his freelance diplomacy and sent public health experts across the developing world. The center’s wins were personal for Carter, who hoped to outlive the last Guinea worm parasite, and nearly did. As president, though, the approach fell short when he urged consumers beleaguered by energy costs to turn down their thermostats. Or when he tried to be the nation’s cheerleader, beseeching Americans to overcome a collective “crisis of confidence.” Republican Ronald Reagan exploited Carter’s lecturing tone with a belittling quip in their lone 1980 debate. “There you go again,” the former Hollywood actor said in response to a wonky answer from the sitting president. “The Great Communicator” outpaced Carter in all but six states. Carter later suggested he “tried to do too much, too soon” and mused that he was incompatible with Washington culture: media figures, lobbyists and Georgetown social elites who looked down on the Georgians and their inner circle as “country come to town.” Carter carefully navigated divides on race and class on his way to the Oval Office. Born Oct. 1, 1924 , Carter was raised in the mostly Black community of Archery, just outside Plains, by a progressive mother and white supremacist father. Their home had no running water or electricity but the future president still grew up with the relative advantages of a locally prominent, land-owning family in a system of Jim Crow segregation. He wrote of President Franklin Roosevelt’s towering presence and his family’s Democratic Party roots, but his father soured on FDR, and Jimmy Carter never campaigned or governed as a New Deal liberal. He offered himself as a small-town peanut farmer with an understated style, carrying his own luggage, bunking with supporters during his first presidential campaign and always using his nickname. And he began his political career in a whites-only Democratic Party. As private citizens, he and Rosalynn supported integration as early as the 1950s and believed it inevitable. Carter refused to join the White Citizens Council in Plains and spoke out in his Baptist church against denying Black people access to worship services. “This is not my house; this is not your house,” he said in a churchwide meeting, reminding fellow parishioners their sanctuary belonged to God. Yet as the appointed chairman of Sumter County schools he never pushed to desegregate, thinking it impractical after the Supreme Court’s 1954 Brown v. Board decision. And while presidential candidate Carter would hail the 1965 Voting Rights Act, signed by fellow Democrat Lyndon Johnson when Carter was a state senator, there is no record of Carter publicly supporting it at the time. Carter overcame a ballot-stuffing opponent to win his legislative seat, then lost the 1966 governor’s race to an arch-segregationist. He won four years later by avoiding explicit mentions of race and campaigning to the right of his rival, who he mocked as “Cufflinks Carl” — the insult of an ascendant politician who never saw himself as part the establishment. Carter’s rural and small-town coalition in 1970 would match any victorious Republican electoral map in 2024. Once elected, though, Carter shocked his white conservative supporters — and landed on the cover of Time magazine — by declaring that “the time for racial discrimination is over.” Before making the jump to Washington, Carter befriended the family of slain civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr., whom he’d never sought out as he eyed the governor’s office. Carter lamented his foot-dragging on school integration as a “mistake.” But he also met, conspicuously, with Alabama’s segregationist Gov. George Wallace to accept his primary rival’s endorsement ahead of the 1976 Democratic convention. “He very shrewdly took advantage of his own Southerness,” said Amber Roessner, a University of Tennessee professor and expert on Carter’s campaigns. A coalition of Black voters and white moderate Democrats ultimately made Carter the last Democratic presidential nominee to sweep the Deep South. Then, just as he did in Georgia, he used his power in office to appoint more non-whites than all his predecessors had, combined. He once acknowledged “the secret shame” of white Americans who didn’t fight segregation. But he also told Alter that doing more would have sacrificed his political viability – and thus everything he accomplished in office and after. King’s daughter, Bernice King, described Carter as wisely “strategic” in winning higher offices to enact change. “He was a leader of conscience,” she said in an interview. Rosalynn Carter, who died on Nov. 19 at the age of 96, was identified by both husband and wife as the “more political” of the pair; she sat in on Cabinet meetings and urged him to postpone certain priorities, like pressing the Senate to relinquish control of the Panama Canal. “Let that go until the second term,” she would sometimes say. The president, recalled her former aide Kathy Cade, retorted that he was “going to do what’s right” even if “it might cut short the time I have.” Rosalynn held firm, Cade said: “She’d remind him you have to win to govern.” Carter also was the first president to appoint multiple women as Cabinet officers. Yet by his own telling, his career sprouted from chauvinism in the Carters’ early marriage: He did not consult Rosalynn when deciding to move back to Plains in 1953 or before launching his state Senate bid a decade later. Many years later, he called it “inconceivable” that he didn’t confer with the woman he described as his “full partner,” at home, in government and at The Carter Center. “We developed a partnership when we were working in the farm supply business, and it continued when Jimmy got involved in politics,” Rosalynn Carter told AP in 2021. So deep was their trust that when Carter remained tethered to the White House in 1980 as 52 Americans were held hostage in Tehran, it was Rosalynn who campaigned on her husband’s behalf. “I just loved it,” she said, despite the bitterness of defeat. Fair or not, the label of a disastrous presidency had leading Democrats keep their distance, at least publicly, for many years, but Carter managed to remain relevant, writing books and weighing in on societal challenges. He lamented widening wealth gaps and the influence of money in politics. He voted for democratic socialist Bernie Sanders over Hillary Clinton in 2016, and later declared that America had devolved from fully functioning democracy to “oligarchy.” Yet looking ahead to 2020, with Sanders running again, Carter warned Democrats not to “move to a very liberal program,” lest they help re-elect President Donald Trump. Carter scolded the Republican for his serial lies and threats to democracy, and chided the U.S. establishment for misunderstanding Trump’s populist appeal. He delighted in yearly convocations with Emory University freshmen, often asking them to guess how much he’d raised in his two general election campaigns. “Zero,” he’d gesture with a smile, explaining the public financing system candidates now avoid so they can raise billions. Carter still remained quite practical in partnering with wealthy corporations and foundations to advance Carter Center programs. Carter recognized that economic woes and the Iran crisis doomed his presidency, but offered no apologies for appointing Paul Volcker as the Federal Reserve chairman whose interest rate hikes would not curb inflation until Reagan’s presidency. He was proud of getting all the hostages home without starting a shooting war, even though Tehran would not free them until Reagan’s Inauguration Day. “Carter didn’t look at it” as a failure, Alter emphasized. “He said, ‘They came home safely.’ And that’s what he wanted.” Well into their 90s, the Carters greeted visitors at Plains’ Maranatha Baptist Church, where he taught Sunday School and where he will have his last funeral before being buried on family property alongside Rosalynn . Carter, who made the congregation’s collection plates in his woodworking shop, still garnered headlines there, calling for women’s rights within religious institutions, many of which, he said, “subjugate” women in church and society. Carter was not one to dwell on regrets. “I am at peace with the accomplishments, regret the unrealized goals and utilize my former political position to enhance everything we do,” he wrote around his 90th birthday. The politician who had supposedly hated Washington politics also enjoyed hosting Democratic presidential contenders as public pilgrimages to Plains became advantageous again. Carter sat with Buttigieg for the final time March 1, 2020, hours before the Indiana mayor ended his campaign and endorsed eventual winner Joe Biden. “He asked me how I thought the campaign was going,” Buttigieg said, recalling that Carter flashed his signature grin and nodded along as the young candidate, born a year after Carter left office, “put the best face” on the walloping he endured the day before in South Carolina. Never breaking his smile, the 95-year-old host fired back, “I think you ought to drop out.” “So matter of fact,” Buttigieg said with a laugh. “It was somehow encouraging.” Carter had lived enough, won plenty and lost enough to take the long view. “He talked a lot about coming from nowhere,” Buttigieg said, not just to attain the presidency but to leverage “all of the instruments you have in life” and “make the world more peaceful.” In his farewell address as president, Carter said as much to the country that had embraced and rejected him. “The struggle for human rights overrides all differences of color, nation or language,” he declared. “Those who hunger for freedom, who thirst for human dignity and who suffer for the sake of justice — they are the patriots of this cause.” Carter pledged to remain engaged with and for them as he returned “home to the South where I was born and raised,” home to Plains, where that young lieutenant had indeed become “a fellow citizen of the world.” —- Bill Barrow, based in Atlanta, has covered national politics including multiple presidential campaigns for the AP since 2012.
Ex-OpenAI engineer who raised legal concerns about the technology he helped build has diedShare Tweet Share Share Email The meme coin craze is showing no signs of slowing down, and December 2024 is proving to be an exciting month for anyone looking to cash in on the next big opportunity. The latest developments in the crypto world have sparked a new wave of excitement, as the presales of some meme coins are already making waves. One of the standout names in this space is BTFD Coin, which has experienced a meteoric rise during its presale. But BTFD is not alone in this race—projects like Memecoin and Sudeng are also gaining traction, each with its unique features and market potential. Meme coins have come a long way since the days of Dogecoin and Shiba Inu, with new projects offering innovative features that appeal to investors and gamers alike. As meme coins continue to evolve, it’s clear that their utility goes far beyond just hype. One of the most exciting new players in the meme coin world, BTFD Coin, is blending meme coin energy with the growing demand for Play-to-Earn (P2E) gaming, staking rewards, and community involvement. With its presale hitting new milestones, BTFD Coin is poised to take meme coins to the next level in 2024. The combination of real-world utility and a highly engaged community is setting BTFD apart from other meme coins, making it one of the best meme coin presales to buy in December 2024. But while BTFD is making headlines, other meme coins like Memecoin and Sudeng are also building momentum. Let’s take a closer look at why these projects are worth considering for your next investment. BTFD Coin: The Meme Coin for a New Era of Investors BTFD Coin isn’t just riding the wave of meme coin hype—it’s building an ecosystem that blends meme culture with the rapidly growing Play-to-Earn (P2E) gaming market. The coin, currently in its 12th presale stage, has already raised over $4.2 million, with more than 57 billion coins sold. This impressive presale success highlights BTFD’s growing popularity among investors and its potential for exponential returns. But BTFD is more than just a promising meme coin with explosive growth potential. The coin is actively developing a Play-to-Earn (P2E) game, which is currently in beta, offering gamers and crypto enthusiasts a way to earn rewards through gameplay. The game is expected to attract a lot of attention once it goes live, adding significant utility to the BTFD token and increasing its demand. Additionally, the 90% APY staking rewards make BTFD an attractive option for long-term holders, providing multiple avenues for growth. The community around BTFD is another key factor driving its success. With over 6,100 holders and the ever-growing Bulls Squad community, BTFD is creating a movement of like-minded investors who are all committed to making the most of the current dip in the market. It’s not just about buying and holding—it’s about being part of a bigger mission to reshape the meme coin space. Why did this coin make it to this list? Simple: BTFD Coin is offering something unique—a blend of meme coin culture, gaming, and real-world utility that few other projects can match. Sudeng: The Playful Rising Star While Sudeng might not yet carry the same level of fame as heavyweights like Dogecoin or Shiba Inu, don’t let that fool you—this coin is a serious contender. Sudeng is steadily making its mark in the meme coin world with a focus on community engagement and a fun, light-hearted branding that resonates with a wide range of investors. What sets Sudeng apart is its patient, steady approach to growth. Rather than rushing for quick fame, it’s focusing on nurturing a strong, loyal community that believes in its long-term vision. If you’re tired of the rollercoaster ride of high-risk, high-reward coins, Sudeng presents a refreshing alternative—a meme coin designed to grow alongside its investors, rather than leaving them hanging. With its playful branding and clear, strategic roadmap, Sudeng is shaping up to be one of the best new meme coins to buy for 2025, especially for those looking for a bit more stability in a typically unpredictable market. Memecoin: The Fun and Lucrative Contender in the Crypto Market Memecoin is a cryptocurrency that has managed to blend the world of internet memes with blockchain technology, creating a unique and engaging presence in the crypto space. Inspired by the success of coins like Dogecoin and Shiba Inu, Memecoin brings a sense of humour and fun to an otherwise serious market. While it may have started as a joke, Memecoin is rapidly gaining popularity, with its community-driven growth and playful branding making it one of the most talked-about meme coins in recent times. What makes Memecoin stand out is its community focus. Unlike traditional cryptocurrencies that often focus on technical utility, Memecoin thrives on viral moments, meme culture, and active engagement from its supporters. Its value largely depends on the collective enthusiasm of the community, who continue to create viral memes, challenges, and discussions surrounding the coin. This social media-driven approach has helped Memecoin establish a loyal following, turning what could be a passing trend into a long-term investment opportunity for those who believe in its potential. As it grows, Memecoin is laying the groundwork for continued success by maintaining its playful nature while also expanding its presence in the wider crypto market. With more people getting involved, Memecoin could become the next big thing, riding the wave of meme culture while also attracting serious investors who see the potential for substantial returns. Whether you’re a casual investor, a meme enthusiast, or someone looking to diversify your crypto portfolio, Memecoin is a contender worth watching in the meme coin race. Which Meme Coin Is the Right Investment for You? Based on our research and market trends, BTFD Coin stands out as one of the best meme coin presales to buy in December 2024. With its unique Play-to-Earn game, staking rewards, and strong community backing, BTFD is poised for long-term growth. The presale success, with over $4.2 million raised and a listing price of $0.0006, makes it an attractive opportunity for investors looking to capitalise on the dip and ride the wave to substantial profits. BTFD’s combination of gaming, staking, and community engagement makes it the clear leader in the race for the best meme coin presale of December 2024. Join the BTFD Coin presale today and secure your spot in the next big meme coin success story. The presale is nearing its final stages, so don’t miss your chance to be part of something truly special. Find Out More: Website: https://www.btfd.io/ X/Twitter: https://x.com/BTFD_COIN Telegram: https://t.me/btfd_coin Related Items: Blockchain , BTFD Share Tweet Share Share Email Recommended for you Blockchain Simplified: Qubetics’ IDE, Algorand’s Sustainability, and Arweave’s Permanent Storage – What Is Best Crypto To Buy Now Shiba Inu News: Shibaswap Fails to Save SHIB As Investors Switch For Viral $0.12 Altcoin Top Cryptos to Watch Now: Market Trends Suggest High-Growth Potential In 2025 Comments
The Ravens looked better defensively last week, but now Roquan Smith's injury is a concernDecember’s twinkling lights are here, a time of joy and togetherness. For some, however, the holiday season is overshadowed by loneliness. Has OpenAI timed its new companion feature to a week before Christmas? With tech companies offering an ever growing number of virtual companionships, ChatGPT released a new phone number for calls and messages this week. The tech ecosystem has long identified an overarching feeling of loneliness, responding in multiple virtual solutions broadly termed AI companions . These virtual connections come in different shapes and sizes, with a slightly different focus. Replika is a well-known AI-powered chatbot aiming to provide an ‘empathetic friend’, with over 10 million subscribers creating their personalized companion. Character.ai is a role-playing app enabling users to chat with fictional characters built by them or by others. This concept isn’t new, of course, with prior generations materializing in computer games such as The Sims and Second Life or the famous different Japanese versions of a robotic girlfriend . "Resilience", Kintsugi art, Naoko Fukumaru. // Being alone is not the same as feeling lonely. A true ... [+] relationship make the incomplete, complete, just like Kintsugi. | Each of my stories includes an original artwork. Clicking on them will take you to their websites. I am grateful for all the collaborators, sharing their work. Large Language Models and advanced AI capabilities have made virtual companions more realistic and much more personal. With no judgment or personal needs, AI companions mirror individuals’ self, substituting a relationship with an actual other – for a relationship with a projected self, trained on non-transparent content and value system. So far, however, it has not seemed to cure loneliness. Critics of these advanced innovations have argued that these chatbots hamper our ability to truly empathize with others, while they have been infamously linked to tragic incidences encouraging violence to self or others, especially in vulnerable young people. A loneliness epidemic A new article published in JAMA demonstrated that a third of 50- to 80-year-olds American felt a lack of companionship in 2024. The study compiled six years of data from the University of Michigan’s National Poll, demonstrating a return to pre-pandemic levels, after a notable increase in feelings loneliness and social isolations during COVID-19. Loneliness was more common among individuals who perceived their physical or mental health as fair or poor. Bitcoin Suddenly Surges Back To $100,000 On Huge $20 Trillion Price Prediction FBI Warns Gmail, Outlook, Apple Mail Users—Check 3 Things To Stop Attacks Usyk Vs. Fury 2 Results: Full Fight Card Results, Updates, Reactions This staggering number, a third of older adults, matches previous studies demonstrating a U -shaped curve of loneliness, peaking in young adulthood, dipping in midlife, and resurfacing in older years. Northwestern’s researchers recently showed this pattern is global. Rates are so high, in fact, that the US Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy coined ‘an epidemic of loneliness and isolation’, dedicating an advisory report to this public health concern. Indeed, loneliness has been linked not only to our mental health but to our physical one as well, with a 29% increased risk of heart disease, 32% higher risk for stroke, and 60% for premature death. The report, synthesizing multiple studies, also demonstrated that lack of social connections is as dangerous as smoking 15 cigarettes a day. The impact of loneliness extends to our cognitive health as well, as evidenced in studies such as a recent meta-analysis of data from over 600 thousand individuals, revealing a significant association between loneliness and dementia, even when other contributing factors were accounted for. Tackling the loneliness epidemic requires more than just advanced technology. Real-life social networks and social interactions are rapidly decreasing. Tracking almost two decades, studies showed the average time individuals spend with friends decreased from 30 hours a month in 2003 to just 10 hours 17 years later. In individuals 15- to 24-year-olds, time with friends has reduced by nearly 70%, with COVID-19 further exacerbating the trend. I find that relationships with AI-powered chatbots, at the end of the day, are only an extended relationship with oneself. A true relationship requires giving our attention to another living soul.
Two-time Super Bowl MVP Eli Manning, former Defensive Players of the Year Luke Kuechly and Terrell Suggs, and prolific tight end Antonio Gates are among the finalists for the 2025 Pro Football Hall of Fame class. New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning holds up the Vince Lombardi Trophy while celebrating his team's 21-17 win over the New England Patriots in the NFL Super Bowl XLVI football game, Feb. 5, 2012, in Indianapolis. The Hall on Saturday announced the names of the 15 modern-era finalists who advanced from a group of 25 to the final stage of voting. The group includes five players in their first year of eligibility, nine who were finalists last year and receiver Steve Smith Sr., who made it this far for the first time in his fourth year of eligibility. The selection committee will vote next month to pick the class of between three and five modern-era players that will be announced the week of the Super Bowl. Five others also are under consideration for enshrinement, with Maxie Baughan, Sterling Sharpe and Jim Tyrer finalists in the seniors category, Mike Holmgren in the coaches category and Ralph Hay as a contributor. Between one and three of those nominees will also get inducted into the Hall. Manning, Kuechly and Suggs are finalists in their first year of eligibility, along with postseason kicking star Adam Vinatieri and former Baltimore guard Marshal Yanda. Gates was a first-time finalist for the 2024 class and is back at this stage along with defensive end Jared Allen; receivers Torry Holt and Reggie Wayne; offensive linemen Willie Anderson and Jahri Evans; defensive backs Darren Woodson, Eric Allen and Rodney Harrison; and running back Fred Taylor also advancing. Manning will look to follow his brother Peyton into the Hall following a standout career with the New York Giants. Manning was picked first overall in the 2004 draft and spent his entire career in New York. He led the Giants to an upset win over the undefeated New England Patriots in the Super Bowl following the 2007 season, throwing a game-winning TD pass to Plaxico Burress in the final minute. He led another late TD drive to upset Tom Brady and the Patriots four years later. Manning is one of 13 QBs to win multiple Super Bowls, with eight of the nine who are eligible for the Hall getting inducted. Only Jim Plunkett has not been inducted, along with more recent players such as Brady, Ben Roethlisberger and Patrick Mahomes, who aren't yet eligible. Manning was a four-time Pro Bowler but never made All-Pro or led the league in a major statistical category in a season. He finished his career with 57,023 yards passing and 366 TDs. His best moments came during those two postseason runs. Manning joined Brady (five), Mahomes (three), Joe Montana (three), Bart Starr (two) and Terry Bradshaw (two) as the only multiple winners of Super Bowl MVP awards. Kuechly and Suggs were among the top defensive players of their era, with Kuechly selected as the top defensive player in 2013 and Suggs in 2011. Kuechly's career was brief but impactful. The first-round pick by Carolina in 2012 was an All-Pro five times, with seven Pro Bowl nods and a Defensive Rookie of the Year award. Over his eight-year career, Kuechly led all linebackers in the NFL in tackles (1,090), takeaways (26), interceptions (18) and passes defensed (66). Suggs was one of the top pass rushers in the league over his 17-year career, with his 139 sacks ranking eighth best since they became an official stat in 1982. Suggs had seven double-digit sack seasons in his 16 seasons with Baltimore, including 14 in 2011 when he was selected as the top defensive player in the league and led the NFL with seven forced fumbles. Gates played only basketball in college before turning into one of the NFL's top tight ends after being drafted by the Chargers. He became an All-Pro in just his second season in 2004. He was an All-Pro again the next two seasons and went on to have a 16-year career with the team. Gates finished with 955 catches for 11,841 yards and an NFL record for tight ends with 116 touchdown receptions. Vinatieri was one of the most clutch kickers in NFL history, making the game-winning field goals in the first two Super Bowl titles during New England's dynasty. He helped launch the run with one of the game's greatest kicks — a 45-yarder in the snow to force overtime in the "Tuck Rule" game against the Raiders in the 2001 divisional round. He made the game-winning kick in OT to win that game and then hit a 48-yarder on the final play of a 20-17 win in the Super Bowl against the Rams. Vinatieri is the NFL's career leader in points (2,673) and made field goals (599) over a 24-year career with New England and Indianapolis. He also leads all players with 56 field goals and 238 points in the postseason. Sent weekly directly to your inbox!