Excellent, Karen.

I was an architectural student in New Zealand when Jimmy Carter was president.

I recall my astonishment at Jimmy Carter's astonishment of the Soviet Union's advance into Afghanistan. To my adolescent mind, It was predictable that events in Iran called for the USSR to get out the fire brigade.

Jimmy Carter had his stupendous moments, including getting Israel and Egypt to call a truce that has lasted to this day. He also deregulated the airlines, allowing millions who had never seen the inside of an airliner to fly.

Unfortunately, Carter linked human rights to trade and other communication between nations, resulting in progress on neither.

Jimmy Carter believed in service, which sustains our excellence in our military capability and, for the most part, our business sector. If we were all Jimmy Carter's in this mentality, we would all have better lives.

Best for 2025, and many thanks for your enjoyable and intelligent reading throughout the year.