Former First Lady Rosalynn Carter Dead at 96

Sad news from Plains, Georgia, where former first lady Rosalynn Carter died Sunday at age 96. The announcement was made by the Carter Center:

"Former First Lady Rosalynn Carter, a passionate champion of mental health, caregiving, and women’s rights, passed away Sunday, Nov. 19, at 2:10 p.m. at her home in Plains, Georgia, at the age of 96. She died peacefully, with family by her side."

Mrs. Carter was diagnosed with dementia earlier this year and entered hospice care on Friday; the former president has himself been in hospice care since February…

Mrs. Carter is survived by her husband, four children, 11 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren. Her son, Chip, said of his mother: 

“Besides being a loving mother and extraordinary First Lady, my mother was a great humanitarian in her own right. Her life of service and compassion was an example for all Americans. She will be sorely missed not only by our family but by the many people who have better mental health care and access to resources for caregiving today.”

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Toyota and Redwood Materials Partner to Recycle EV Batteries

In the latest twist in the whole electric vehicle scheme, Toyota announced on Thursday that they are now partnering with the American recycling company Redwood Materials to recycle electric vehicle batteries. The recycling work is apparently to be carried out in Redwood Material's Nevada facility.

What's unclear is how much material is lost in each evolution; one would presume that there has to be some loss of nickel, lithium, and so on due to manufacturing losses and so forth. The battery industry is heavily reliant on imports for much of this material; much of the materials involved come from other parts of the world, some of which aren't too friendly to the United States...

It's likewise not at all clear if recycling can be scaled up enough to make a difference, at least in the short- to medium-term.

Electric vehicles, often touted as one of the major elements in a sustainable "green" energy plan, are no good unless connected to a reliable grid powered by electrical generation that is constant, day and night, windy and still, warm and cold.

Meanwhile, the same green energy plans call for the shuttering of coal and natural gas plants. That's just not sustainable; it's not even possible, given the number of internal combustion vehicles that would have to be replaced. There is an answer, of course: nuclear power...

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