x spin From the season’s outset, Timberwolves coach Chris Finch said Minnesota would leave itself the flexibility to close games with whatever lineup the coaching staff felt was needed to secure a victory. Sometimes, he noted, he’d get the choice right. Surely, there would be other times when he wouldn’t. “Hopefully, I do way more than I don’t,” Finch said this week. Sunday evening, however, was a checkmark in the “not right” column, at least based off the result. The Timberwolves didn’t score in the final 4:47 of their loss to Golden State. Finch said this week that Mike Conley’s inclusion in the closing lineup would’ve added organization to the equation. But he was quick to add that, with the ill-advised shots Anthony Edwards was taking, may not have mattered. Finch also reiterated what he said after the game, that Nickeil Alexander-Walker was playing “so well,” so he was hesitant to take him off the floor. “Maybe the other thing I could’ve done was go small,” Finch said, “but we’ve not really done that a ton.” That was the cry of many Wolves’ followers on social media on Sunday. Minnesota has proven rather inept at late-game offense when Conley isn’t on the floor. But all recognized Alexander-Walker had also earned the opportunity to close. You certainly won’t take Edwards off the floor in those situations, and the Wolves wanted Jaden McDaniels on the floor to guard Steph Curry. That left Julius Randle and Rudy Gobert as the only options to take off the court in favor of Conley, and that would’ve left Minnesota small. And, as Finch noted, the Wolves simply haven’t gone small this season. Like, at all. None of Naz Reid, Randle or Gobert have played more than 17 minutes this season without another big man next to him. It’s not something the Wolves practice, either. McDaniels said he’s only repped minutes at the four in practice when one of the bigs have been unavailable. Still, Finch said it wasn’t that he was “uncomfortable” rolling out a small-ball look Sunday. “But I worry a lot about rebounding. We struggle to rebound with our bigger lineups, at times. So, I know our smaller lineups have really struggled,” Finch said. “That’s some of the reason not to go small is really rebounding issues. But I think our guys are comfortable playing in all different combinations. But I haven’t really thought about going small, necessarily.” Indeed, Minnesota is just 12th in the NBA this season in defensive rebounding rate, grabbing 71.3% of opposing missed shots. The glass was especially an issue Sunday, as Golden State grabbed 14 offensive rebounds that led to 19 second-chance points. But it’s worth noting many of those came by guards in situations in which size was no factor on the play. McDaniels said he’s comfortable playing any position, including the power forward slot. And Minnesota certainly has the wing depth to roll out more small ball lineups if the situation ever called for it. There could be a playoff matchup that does just that, though Finch noted it could also go the other direction where the Wolves’ advantage would be to lean bigger. Versatility rules come April and May. But the Wolves don’t seem overly urgent to trot out any small-ball looks just to see how they perform at this juncture in the campaign. “Usually, it’s better with Naz at the four (than me),” McDaniels said. There is, however, at least one proponent of doing a little experimenting: Conley. “I think (small ball) kind of promotes a different level of spacing and speed to the game. You’re going to have to rely on guard-guard situations, guard pick and rolls,” Conley said. “Maybe me setting the screen and roll, Just creating different advantages for ourselves, as opposed to our typical offense or typical flow of things. I would love to see it, maybe — see how it works.”

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New York Jets (3-10) at Jacksonville (3-10) Sunday, 1 p.m., FOX. BetMGM NFL Odds: Jets by 31⁄2. Against the spread: New York Jets 4-9; Jacksonville 7-5-1. Series record: Jaguars lead 9-8. Last meeting: Jaguars beat the Jets 19-3 in New Jersey on Dec. 22, 2022. Last week: Jets lost 32-26 in OT at Miami; Jaguars won 10-6 at Tennessee. Jets offense: overall (27), rush (31), pass (19T), scoring (25). Jets defense: overall (4), rush (16), pass (4), scoring (19). Jaguars offense: overall (28), rush (26), pass (24), scoring (26). Jaguars defense: overall (32), rush (24), pass (31), scoring (28). Turnover differential: Jets minus-3; Jaguars minus-11. QB Aaron Rodgers. The 41-year-old four-time MVP is coming off his best game with the Jets, throwing for 339 yards and ending a drought of 34 regular-season games without reaching 300 yards. Rodgers will be looking for his first consecutive 300-yard passing games since he did three straight weeks in 2021 with Green Bay. Story continues below video DE Josh Hines-Allen needs 3 1/2 sacks to break the franchise record (55) held by Tony Brackens. Hines-Allen has seven sacks this season, becoming the second in team history with at least seven in four consecutive years. Yannick Ngakoue is the other. Jaguars rookie WR Brian Thomas Jr. versus Jets CB Sauce Gardner. Thomas had eight catches for 86 yards last week and is 15 yards shy of breaking Justin Blackmon's franchise record (865) for receiving yards by a rookie. Gardner (hamstring) was inactive a week ago, but will play this week and is looking for his first interception of the season. Jets RB Breece Hall could return after missing last week because of an MCL injury and hyperextension in his left knee. Interim coach Jeff Ulbrich said it “looks promising” for Hall to play. ... CB D.J. Reed was doubtful with a groin injury. Backup Brandin Echols (shoulder) is out, so veteran Isaiah Oliver or rookie Qwan'tez Stiggers could start in Reed's place. ... Special teams ace Irvin Charles was placed on injured reserve this week with a torn ACL. ... KR Kene Nwangwu also landed on IR after breaking a hand during a return last week. ... The Jaguars are relatively healthy for Week 15, at least defensively. They are putting TE Evan Engram (shoulder) on injured reserve, where he will join three fellow starters: QB Trevor Lawrence and WRs Christian Kirk and Gabe Davis. The Jaguars have won three of the past four meetings, including two straight in Jacksonville. ... The Jets are one of just six NFL teams with a losing record against the Jags. The Jets were eliminated from playoff contention last week, extending their postseason drought to 14 consecutive years. It's the longest active skid in the NFL. ... New York has lost four in a row and nine of 10 but is 2-1 against the AFC South, with victories over Houston and Tennessee. ... Ulbrich is 1-7 since replacing the fired Robert Saleh on Oct. 8. ... The Jets have lost a franchise-worst five games in which they held a fourth-quarter lead, and they’ve done it in three straight games. ... Rodgers and Davante Adams have connected 79 times for touchdowns, including the playoffs, for the fourth most by a QB-WR duo in NFL history. Next on the list is Miami's Dan Marino and Mark Clayton, who had 82 TDs together. ... WR Garrett Wilson needs 123 yards receiving to become the fifth player in NFL history with 80 or more catches and 1,000 or more yards receiving in each of his first three seasons. ... Adams has 40 catches on 69 targets for 453 yards and three TDs in seven games since being acquired from Las Vegas. ... LB Jamien Sherwood had 18 tackles, including 13 solo, last week to become the first NFL player this season with multiple games of 17 or more tackles. ... The Jets failed to register a quarterback hit against Miami's Tua Tagovailoa, who passed 47 times last week. ... The Jaguars are 2-7 in one-score games this season and 1-4 at EverBank Stadium. ... QB Mac Jones is 5-0 against the Jets, throwing for 1,134 yards and four TDs in those starts. ... DE Travon Walker has 5 1/2 sacks in his past four home games. ... Rookie CB Jarrian Jones is coming off his best game. He has two pass breakups and a sack last week at Tennessee. Jets TE Tyler Conklin has at least one catch in 23 consecutive games and could be in for a big day against a defense that has struggled to cover tight ends all season. AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nflJean-Philippe Mateta struck in the second half with the only real piece of quality in a nervy encounter between two struggling teams. It is now two wins and three draws from the last six matches for Glasner’s side, whose winter revival is gathering pace nicely following a sticky start to the campaign. “I feel very happy, we’re all very pleased with the result, it was not the best performance but the result was more important,” said the Eagles boss. “Most of the time we controlled the game and we scored an amazing goal, a fantastic finish from JP. “We had more chances to decide the game but we couldn’t, but I think the win was well deserved. “We didn’t give them any chances from open play and with a clean sheet you can always take the win. “It’s a big win. Now it’s not time to sit back and relax but to keep going. In four days we face Manchester City. We stay humble. There are still many things to improve but we are on the right path.” Ipswich looked the likelier to score as a low-key first half drew to a close and were denied by a point-blank save by Dean Henderson from Harry Clarke’s near-post header. Shortly after the interval Wes Burns got clear down the right and lifted an inviting cross towards Liam Delap, whose header was straight at Henderson. However, from out of nowhere Palace conjured up a lightning counter-attack to go ahead on the hour. Eberechi Eze led the charge before feeding Mateta, who surged forward with a couple of stepovers before brushing off the attention of Jacob Greaves and finishing superbly past Arijanet Muric. It was the French forward’s sixth goal of the season, and his first away from Selhurst Park. Back came Ipswich with Leif Davis fizzing in another cross for Delap, who somehow mistimed his jump and completely missed the ball from six yards. As time ticked down Greaves looped a header against the far post, with the rebound just eluding substitute Ali-Al Hamadi. “Frustrating night,” said Town boss Kieran McKenna. “It was a tight first half, we weren’t fantastic in terms of the flow of the game and didn’t create as many opportunities as we wanted. But having said that neither did our opponents. “In the second half we conceded a really poor goal and that proved decisive. We can do better than we did tonight.”49ers claim running back after McCaffrey, Mason injuries

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Blockchain technology forms the core of the digital economy, transforming the management of data and transactions. Layer-0 blockchains act as the base, supporting interoperability and scalability among networks, while layer-1 blockchains emphasize decentralization and security for handling transactions directly. Polkadot Network, a notable layer-0 blockchain, has proven robust, with over 2,400 active developers enhancing its ecosystem in the third quarter of 2024. On the other hand, BlockDAG (BDAG), an emerging layer-1 blockchain, prioritizes unmatched scalability and strong security with its revolutionary DAG-based structure. The excitement around BlockDAG (BDAG) is evident—it has raised over $158 million in its current presale over 26 batches, and analysts believe it is poised to reach its $600 million target. Polkadot Network: Enhancing Interoperability Across Chains The Polkadot network is a layer-0 blockchain aimed at boosting interoperability between diverse blockchains. It facilitates this through its relay chain, which ensures seamless communication and secure data exchange. Recently, Polkadot saw more than 2,400 active developers monthly in Q3 2024. Its Decentralized Futures program, supported by $20 million, has funded initiatives such as AirLyft and DotPlay. However, it faces hurdles as daily XCM transfers decreased by 34% and active addresses by 26%, averaging 6,200. The market performance has been fluctuating, with DOT’s market cap rising to $13 billion in early 2024 but falling to $6.3 billion, marking a 27% quarterly decrease. Despite low transaction fees of $84,000, indicating affordability, they also reflect diminished activity. The decline in daily operations and market cap raises concerns about Polkadot’s capacity to maintain engagement. These issues suggest that Polkadot may find it challenging to reclaim its status in the competitive blockchain market. Record-Breaking Success for BlockDAG’s Early Presale Phase BlockDAG, a layer-1 blockchain project, has dramatically surpassed previous records by accumulating over $158 million in only 26 batches. Those who participated early in the crypto presale coin process saw a remarkable 2240% growth in value, with BDAG's price increasing from $0.001 to $0.0234. This rapid presale success in a short span has led market experts to predict that BDAG will achieve its $600 million target soon. With over 16.9 billion BDAG coins sold, the project has attracted more than 170,000 unique holders globally. This impressive presale performance is largely attributed to its distinctive technology. BlockDAG utilizes Directed Acyclic Graph (DAG) technology alongside Proof-of-Work consensus, enhancing scalability and security significantly. This architecture avoids the common bottlenecks seen in traditional blockchains, facilitating speedy and efficient transactions and positioning it as a top-tier layer-1 blockchain. These advancements make BDAG coins highly sought after in the crypto community, making this a prime time to engage with BDAG, anticipating future valuation akin to BTC and other major cryptocurrencies. Polkadot and BlockDAG's Technological Capabilities While Polkadot focuses on enhancing interoperability across its layer-0 blockchain using a relay chain, it faces challenges in scalability due to its shared resources. In contrast, BlockDAG's layer-1 blockchain, built on a DAG-based framework, completely removes scalability bottlenecks, resulting in faster and more efficient transactions. In assessing growth potential, Polkadot’s initiatives seem stable, but a declining market cap has tempered enthusiasm. Meanwhile, BlockDAG has impressively raised over $158 million in its ongoing presale, with a significant rise in BDAG prices. Additionally, Polkadot’s dwindling activity metrics have caused concern. On the other hand, BlockDAG’s strong base of over 170,000 holders, robust presale achievements, and advanced technology continue to attract attention, making it an appealing option for those looking for a robust and high-potential blockchain platform. Final Thoughts on Polkadot and BlockDAG's Market Positions As Polkadot strives to facilitate interoperability through its layer-0 structure, its decreasing daily activities and a 27% reduction in market cap signal potential challenges in maintaining momentum. Conversely, BlockDAG’s layer-1 blockchain has quickly advanced, raising $158 million thus far in its presale. With its DAG architecture delivering unmatched scalability and security, BlockDAG is expected to reach its $600 million presale goal ahead of schedule. For those evaluating the top crypto for 2024, BlockDAG stands out as the most promising option, offering cutting-edge technology and substantial growth prospects. Presale: https://purchase.blockdag.network Website: https://blockdag.network Telegram: https://t.me/blockDAGnetworkOfficial Discord: https://discord.gg/Q7BxghMVyu Join our WhatsApp Channel to get the latest news, exclusives and videos on WhatsApp _____________ Disclaimer: Analytics Insight does not provide financial advice or guidance. Also note that the cryptocurrencies mentioned/listed on the website could potentially be scams, i.e. designed to induce you to invest financial resources that may be lost forever and not be recoverable once investments are made. You are responsible for conducting your own research (DYOR) before making any investments. Read more here.How to break your food delivery habit in 2025

ABUJA – The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has issued a scathing rebuke of former Rivers State Governor, Dr. Peter Odili, accusing him of engaging in sycophancy and lacking the integrity expected of an elder statesman. Wike’s remarks came during a Special Thanksgiving Service organized by the Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Hon. Martin Chike Amaewhule, held at the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) in Port Harcourt on Sunday. The FCT Minister in a statement signed by his Media Aide Mr Lere Olayinka criticized Odili for his recent comments praising the current Rivers State Governor as having surpassed the achievements of all previous governors, including Wike himself. Wike dismissed the comments as insincere and politically motivated. “How can an elder statesman, someone who is supposed to be a father figure, reduce himself to a sycophant and a trader?” Wike asked. “Must you be a trader all the time? After serving as governor for eight years, what else are you looking for?” Wike claimed that Odili’s statements were inconsistent with his earlier positions, highlighting past instances where Odili praised Wike’s administration. “When I was governor, this same Odili praised me to high heaven,” Wike recalled. “He said all past governors combined did not achieve what I did. Now, barely a year into a new administration, he’s already saying this governor has done more than all past governors. What kind of elder talks like this?” Wike also detailed his contributions to Odili’s legacy, including state sponsorship of students at PAMO University, a private institution linked to Odili. “Rivers State sponsored 100 students per session, each paying nothing less than N5 million. People attacked me for it, but I stood firm because I believed in supporting him,” Wike explained. He added, “I personally called Julius Berger to build him a mansion. He was taking people around, saying, ‘Look at what Wike has done for me.’ Now, because of a Christmas Carol, he’s singing a different tune. Why reduce yourself to a laughing stock?” Wike further criticized Odili’s political inconsistencies, accusing him of neglecting his late elder brother’s son for a political appointment. “It was his nephew, his late senior brother’s son, that was recommended for commissioner. But what did he do? He took the slot and gave it to his own daughter. Is that the mark of an elder statesman?” He also accused Odili of sycophantic behavior towards the current Rivers State Governor. “When I was plotting who would be governor after me, was he there? Then, he said this governor couldn’t speak in public. Now, he’s organizing Christmas Carols for him,” Wike said. Wike questioned the values Odili was passing on to younger generations. “When your children ask you, ‘Is this not the same man you praised before?’ What will you tell them? An elder must be consistent and uphold integrity,” he stated. Wike concluded by urging Odili and others to focus on unity and sincerity in governance rather than divisive politics. “We have left the government. We are managing. You’ve taken the assembly money; they are not dying of hunger, and they will not die of hunger. But all these sycophancies will not elevate you to the level I have attained,” Wike said. The Minister’s remarks highlight ongoing tensions within the Rivers State political landscape, raising questions about the conduct and integrity of its key players.If you’ve hunted for apartments recently and felt like all the rents were equally high, you’re not crazy: Many landlords now use a single company’s software — which uses an algorithm based on proprietary lease information — to help set rent prices. Federal prosecutors say the practice amounts to “an unlawful information-sharing scheme,” and some lawmakers throughout California are moving to curb it. San Diego’s city council president is the latest to do so, proposing a ban that would prevent local apartment owners from using the pricing service, which he maintains is driving up housing costs. San Diego’s proposed ordinance, which is currently being drafted, comes after San Francisco enacted a first-in-the-nation ban on “the sale or use of algorithmic devices to set rents or manage occupancy levels” for residences in July. San Jose is considering a similar approach. Similar bans have passed or are being considered across the country. In September, The Philadelphia City Council passed a ban on algorithmic rental price-fixing with a veto-proof vote. New Jersey has been considering its own ban. In August, The Department of Justice and the attorney generals of eight states — California, North Carolina, Colorado, Connecticut, Minnesota, Oregon, Tennessee, and Washington — filed an antitrust lawsuit against RealPage, the leading rental pricing platform based in Texas. The complaint alleges that “RealPage is an algorithmic intermediary that collects, combines, and exploits landlords’ competitively sensitive information. And in so doing, it enriches itself and compliant landlords at the expense of renters who pay inflated prices...” RealPage has been a major impetus for all of the actions. Some officials accuse the company of thwarting competition that would otherwise drive rents down, exacerbating the state’s housing shortage and driving up rents in the process. “We are disappointed that, after multiple years of education and cooperation on the antitrust matters concerning RealPage, the (Justice Department) has chosen this moment to pursue a lawsuit that seeks to scapegoat pro-competitive technology that has been used responsibly for years,” the company’s statement read in part. “RealPage’s revenue management software is purposely built to be legally compliant, and we have a long history of working constructively with the (department) to show that.” “Every day, millions of Californians worry about keeping a roof over their head and RealPage has directly made it more difficult to do so,” said California Attorney General Rob Bonta in a written statement. A RealPage spokesperson, Jennifer Bowcock, told CalMatters that a lack of housing supply, not the company’s technology, is the real problem — and that its technology benefits residents, property managers, and others associated with the rental market. The spokesperson later wrote that a “ misplaced focus on nonpublic information is a distraction... that will only make San Francisco and San Diego’s historical problems worse.” As for the federal lawsuit, the company called the claims in it “devoid of merit” and said it plans to “vigorously defend ourselves against these accusations.” In 2020, a Markup and New York Times investigation found that RealPage, alongside other companies, used faulty computer algorithms to do automated background checks on tenants. As a result, tenants were associated with criminal charges they never faced and denied homes. Is it price fixing—or coaching landlords? According to federal prosecutors, RealPage controls 80% of the market for commercial revenue management software. Its product is called YieldStar, and its successor is AI Revenue Management, which uses much of the same codebase as YieldStar, but has more precise forecasting. RealPage told CalMatters it serves only 10% of the rental markets in both San Francisco and San Diego, across its three revenue management software products. Here’s how it works: In order to use YieldStar and AIRM, landlords have historically provided RealPage with their own private data from their rental applications, rent prices, executed new leases, renewal offers and acceptances, and estimates of future occupancy, although a recent change allows landlords to choose to share only public data. This information from all participating landlords in an area is then pooled and run through mathematical forecasting to generate pricing recommendations for the landlords and for their competitors. The San Diego council president, Sean Elo-Rivera, explained it like this: “In the simplest terms, what this platform is doing is providing what we think of as that dark, smoky room for big companies to get together and set prices,” he said. “The technology is being used as a way of keeping an arm’s length from one big company to the other. But that’s an illusion.” In the company’s own words, from company documents included in the lawsuit, RealPage “ensures that (landlords) are driving every possible opportunity to increase price even in the most downward trending or unexpected conditions.” The company also said in the documents that it “helps curb (landlords’) instincts to respond to down-market conditions by either dramatically lowering price or by holding price.” Impact on tenants Thirty-one-year-old Navy veteran Alan Pickens and his wife move nearly every year “because the rent goes up, it gets unaffordable, so we look for a new place to stay,” he said. The northeastern San Diego apartment complex where they just relocated has two-bedroom apartments advertised for between $2,995 and $3,215. They live in an area of San Diego where the U.S. Justice Department says information-sharing agreements between landlords and RealPage have harmed or are likely to harm renters. The department in August filed its antitrust lawsuit against RealPage, alleging the company, through its legacy YieldStar software, engaged in an “ unlawful scheme to decrease competition among landlords in apartment pricing ”. The complaint names specific areas where rents are artificially high. Beyond the part of San Diego where Pickens lives, those areas include South Orange County, Rancho Cucamonga, Temecula, and Murrieta and northeastern San Diego. In the second quarter of 2020, the average rent in San Diego County was $1,926, reflecting a 26% increase over three years, according to the San Diego Union-Tribune . Rents have since risen even more in the city of San Diego, to $2,336 per month as of November 2024 – up 21% from 2020, according to RentCafe and the Tribune. That’s 50% higher than the national average rent. The attorneys general of eight states, including California, joined the Justice Department’s antitrust suit, filed in U.S. District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina. The California Justice Department contends RealPage artificially inflated prices to keep them above a certain minimum level, said department spokesperson Elissa Perez. This was particularly harmful given the high cost of housing in the state, she added. “The illegally maintained profits that result from these price alignment schemes come out of the pockets of the people that can least afford it.” Renters make up a larger share of households in California than in the rest of the country — 44% here compared to 35% nationwide. The Golden State also has a higher percentage of renters than any state other than New York, according to the latest U.S. Census data . San Diego has the fourth-highest percentage of renters of any major city in the nation . The recent ranks of California legislators, however, have included few renters: As of 2019, CalMatters could find only one state lawmaker who did not own a home — and found that more than a quarter of legislators at the time were landlords. Studies show that low-income residents are more heavily impacted by rising rents. Nationally between 2000 and 2017, the percentage of income that Americans without a college degree spent on rent ballooned from 30% to 42%. For college graduates, that percentage increased from 26% to 34%. “In my estimation, the only winners in this situation are the richest companies who are either using this technology or creating this technology,” said Elo-Rivera. “There couldn’t be a more clear example of the rich getting richer while the rest of us are struggling to get by.” The state has invested in RealPage Private equity giant Thoma Bravo acquired RealPage in January 2021 through two funds that have hundreds of millions of dollars in investments from California public pension funds, including the California Public Employees’ Retirement System, the California State Teachers’ Retirement System, the Regents of the University of California and the Los Angeles police and fire pension funds, according to Private Equity Stakeholder Project. “They’re invested in things that are directly hurting their pensioners,” said K Agbebiyi, a senior housing campaign coordinator with the Private Equity Stakeholder Project, a nonprofit private equity watchdog that produced a report about corporate landlords ’ impact on rental hikes in San Diego. RealPage argues that landlords are free to reject the price recommendations generated by its software. But the U.S. Justice Department alleges that trying to do so requires a series of steps, including a conversation with a RealPage pricing adviser. The advisers try to “stop property managers from acting on emotions,” according to the department’s lawsuit. If a property manager disagrees with the price the algorithm suggests and wants to decrease rent rather than increase it, a pricing advisor will “escalate the dispute to the manager’s superior,” prosecutors allege in the suit. In San Diego, the Pickenses, who are expecting their first child, have given up their gym memberships and downsized their cars to remain in the area. They’ve considered moving to Denver. “All the extras pretty much have to go,” said Pickens. “I mean, we love San Diego, but it’s getting hard to live here.” “My wife is an attorney and I served in the Navy for 10 years and now work at Qualcomm,” he said. “Why are we struggling? Why are we struggling?” This article was originally published on The Markup and was republished under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives license.

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Croatia’s incumbent president wins most votes at polls but still faces runoffOne thing nearly all former presidents have in common is a love of sports. For Donald Trump, the game was golf. For Barack Obama, the sport was basketball. President George W. Bush owned Major League Baseball’s Texas Rangers. For Jimmy Carter, the sport was tennis. At the Jimmy Carter National Historical Park is a clay tennis court. The tennis court was installed during Carter’s childhood on the family farm. The farm and his childhood home later became the location for the park in Plains, Georgia. In his 1975 book “Why Not the Best?” Carter described how he would play against his father as a teenager. “My father ... was an excellent tennis player,” Carter wrote. “I could never beat my father. He had a wicked sliced ball which barely bounded at all on the relatively soft dirt court.” RELATED STORY | Former President Jimmy Carter dies at age 100 Carter was able to upgrade his court when he entered the White House in 1977. The complex had a court installed during President Theodore Roosevelt’s tenure. But during his time in the White House, the use of the tennis courts became political fodder. Staffer James Fallows wrote in The Atlantic that Carter would personally sign off on when the White House tennis court could be used, and by which staffers. “The in-house tennis enthusiasts, of whom I was perhaps the most shameless, dispatched brief notes through his secretary asking to use the court on Tuesday afternoons while he was at a congressional briefing, or a Saturday morning, while he was away,” Fallows wrote. “I always provided spaces where he could check Yes or No; Carter would make his decision and send the note back, initialed J.” Carter was asked by Bill Moyers about whether he personally signed off on the tennis court’s use. Carter told Moyers he delegated the task to a secretary. Carter’s love of tennis came home to Plains in 1977 during his first year in the White House. World Team Tennis staged a match in the small Georgia town, which was attended by Carter’s mother Lillian. The competition was between a team of Soviet Union stars against top Americans playing on the Phoenix Racquets.The holidays are supposed to be the most wonderful time of year, but they’re also one of the most expensive. And it’s not just gifts that we’re spending money on. It’s flights to visit family, ingredients to prepare a special dinner and a glittery new dress for our office’s holiday party. Of course, you want to enjoy the holidays, but you also don’t want to find yourself staring at your bank statement afterwards, wondering just where all that money went. There’s one way to seek solace: Find free activities for everyone to enjoy. Round up Grandma and Grandpa or your gaggle of nieces and nephews and take them to one of these complimentary happenings. You just might find a new side of your neighborhood to explore. The holidays often mean endless eating, binging movies on the couch and generally vegging out. But a holiday race — yes, we mean running — is a great way to jump start those fitness resolutions. Registration for these races is sometimes free, meaning you can take your whole family out to the event for no cost. Just expect to break a sweat. At The Penny Hoarder, free is our favorite word. These companies give you food and other products for free. If your idea of a fun holiday activity is something a little more passive, then a parade is the thing to do. Tune in on Jan. 1 to the Rose Parade to watch beautiful floats roll through Pasadena, California. And if you’d rather take your friends and family out to something in person, look for local holiday parades in your area. Make sure to bring a folding chair and a warm mug and you’re ready to go. This holiday activity requires a bit of work to get off the ground but will come with a big payoff, we promise. If you want to feel like a tourist in your own hometown, then devise a scavenger hunt with clues that will send your guests scrambling around the city. Consider clues that aren’t just object-based — like find the giant blue statue — but require your group to actually do something — for example, take a picture on someone’s porch. Who doesn’t love Bingo? But did you know that holiday Bingo exists? And better yet, it’s completely free. You can create your own version online and print out cards for the whole family to enjoy. Any day off from work or school is a good excuse to go to the library. And what better way to get in the holiday spirit than dusting off a favorite seasonal book? Make an activity of it by allowing each person in your group to choose their favorite book and take turns reading their favorite parts. Whether you live by the mountains or the sea, in the city or in the plains, we know your town has a beautiful place to park or spend a little time. As you feel the essence of the season wash over you, gather up your family or friends, unfurl a blanket and choose a scenic spot to discuss what you’re most grateful for this holiday time of year. If you want to exercise but intense cardio is not your thing, yoga is a low-impact activity that can have a big impact on your mental health. Free yoga courses abound across the country. And Youtube videos mean it’s easy to partake without spending a buck. The spirit of the holiday season is more than gifts and baked goods. It’s about giving back. Treat your neighbors to a treat and create a fun experience by organizing a neighborhood clean-up. Beautifying the place you live will energize you and make your life a little bit easier. Want more money-saving secrets like this? Here are eight more you should try. Twinkling lights are a visual reminder that the holiday season is here. And like snowflakes, each light display has its own unique beauty. Take a stroll around your neighborhood, drive by other lit-up streets or check out the streetscapes and decorated storefronts downtown. The weather may be chilly but that doesn’t mean it’s not a good time for a festival. Many cities host winter festivals to celebrate the holiday season. As long as you have enough willpower not to shop from the booths, attending a local festival can be a nice, no-cost weekend outing. Check your local newspaper or community social media pages to see what events will take place in your town or a nearby city. Gather up a merry band of friends and family and sing all your favorite holiday tunes. Some mugs of hot cocoa afterward make for an even better experience. Get your family together to write thank-you notes to relatives and friends who sent gifts. Amid the flurry of unwrapping, it’s particularly easy for kids to “forget” they even got a present. And this gives everyone a chance to send holiday wishes to those who may be far away. Capture the moment with an informal, seasonal photoshoot. Use your seasonal home decor as a nice backdrop — or select a beautiful snowy spot for outdoor photos. If you live in an area where it snows, take advantage of all the frozen fun. Make a snowman, have a snowball fight, go sledding and enjoy every snow day you get. You don’t have much longer to listen to the holiday hit parade. So put on some holiday music and rock out around the Christmas tree. Bring out all your arts and craft supplies and turn your Pinterest dreams into reality. Consider this holiday activity if you’re looking for something to do with the kids over winter break. A quick Google search will help you find craft projects to do with kids of all ages. Another life hack? Stop spending too much money on these five dumb things. Still need a gift for someone on your list? Presents don’t have to come from a store. A homemade gift can be just as special. Check out this list of 100 free gift ideas . ‘Tis the season for cookies and pies and cinnamon rolls! Bake up batches of your best holiday treats to give to loved ones or to munch on throughout the season. If you like taking on a project, try baking and assembling a gingerbread house from scratch. Perfect a new dish — or a passed-down recipe — to bring to the upcoming holiday get-together. Or experiment in the kitchen to put your own twist on a family favorite. The holidays aren’t cheap. Try one of these 50 ways to make extra money this month. Call up all your friends who love to bake and task them with whipping up a few dozen of their best cookies. Then gather everyone together to swap and taste each other’s culinary creations. If your kids have a bunch of toys they’ve grown out of or lost interest in, organize a toy exchange with other families in your social circle. Each kid can walk away with something “new” to them and you won’t have to pay a dime. Instead of cooking all the food for a holiday dinner — and spending a bunch of money at the grocery store — host a potluck-style meal. Each person can bring a dish (or drinks or even paper plates) so that no one person is stuck with the financial burden of feeding everyone. December is the time of year when many organizations have their holiday concerts. Even if you don’t know people in the band or chorus, you can come out to support your community. Many performances are free. You don’t have to be a talented singer to sing karaoke. You just have to be up for having a fun time. If you and your friends don’t have a karaoke machine at home, you can always play instrumental lyric videos on YouTube. We know you’re a saver. If you have more than $1,000 in your checking account, it’s time to make these eight moves. Break out the board games and decks of cards and invite your friends over for game night. Ask your pals to bring their favorite games so you have a nice selection to choose from. Winner gets bragging rights for the rest of the year. Make a list of your favorite holiday movies and organize a movie night. Or skip the holiday theme and select movies based on your favorite film genre. Don’t forget the popcorn and snacks! Get to know your loved ones better using conversation cards as discussion prompts. While you can purchase card decks online, you can also Google free printable conversation cards. Bring out the conversation cards when everyone’s together for the big holiday dinner. Give back during the holiday season by volunteering your time to a local charity. You could serve meals at a soup kitchen, deliver presents for kids in need or try another giving activity. With the new year approaching, it’s the perfect time to create your resolutions for the year ahead. Make your goals visual by creating a vision board using magazine clippings, stickers, photos and more. Gather friends and family for a vision board party where everyone can create their vision boards together. This was originally published on The Penny Hoarder , a personal finance website that empowers millions of readers nationwide to make smart decisions with their money through actionable and inspirational advice, and resources about how to make, save and manage money.

Watchdog finds FBI missteps before Jan. 6 riot, but no undercover agents were present