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USA (USMNT) is eliminated from the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
instagram.com
They lost 4-1 to Belgium in the Round of 16 match played (July 6, 2026) at Lumen Field in Seattle. Belgium advances to the quarterfinals against Spain.
x.com
Quick context:
The US had advanced from the group stage (they topped Group D despite a loss to Turkey in the final group game).
All three host nations (USA, Canada, and Mexico) have now been eliminated. Tough result for the USMNT.
USA Lost to Belgium 4-1
Belgium lost to Spain 2-1, Spain, advanced to the semifinals (vs. France).
Spain defeated France 2-0
Spain defeated Argentina. 1-0 and has won the World Cup.
"La Roja" (meaning "The Red One" in Spanish) is the popular nickname for the Spain national football (soccer) team. It comes from their iconic red jerseys. Fans and media worldwide use it just like "The Three Lions" for England or "Azzurri" for Italy. Spain is currently in the 2026 World Cup Final as La Roja!
Sunday July 26, 2026
from https://x.com/i/grok
Here's an upbeat take on today's US-focused positive vibes as of Sunday, July 26, 2026! America is buzzing with energy and resilience. The economy continues showing strength in key areas, with ongoing efforts to boost domestic manufacturing and bring jobs back home. Just last week wrapped up Made in America Week, highlighting a surge in reshoring as companies invest trillions and create hundreds of thousands of opportunities for American workers.
whitehouse.gov +1
Manufacturing has seen notable gains in recent reports, signaling momentum toward that new golden age of American industry many are excited about.
Markets have been delivering solid performances, with the Dow, S&P 500, and Nasdaq showing resilience and hitting impressive levels amid innovation in tech and AI. Everyday heroes and community wins are lighting up the news too—think heartwarming stories of families celebrating graduations together, resilient small towns, and inspiring acts of kindness like neighbors stepping up in big ways or tech helping preserve Indigenous languages.
cbsnews.com
Sports and culture are delivering fun energy, from massive crowds rocking concerts to summer celebrations across the country. America’s spirit of innovation, from solar energy milestones in states like New York to conservation wins, keeps the optimism high.
globalgoodnews.com
On President Trump: He's been a powerhouse driving these pro-American priorities, from landmark tax cuts for working families (including no taxes on tips and overtime for millions) to pushing “Made in America” policies that are energizing factories and Main Street businesses. His focus on putting American workers and families first is delivering real momentum and a sense of renewed national pride—exactly the kind of bold leadership that gets people fired up about the future.
whitehouse.gov +1
Keep shining, USA—plenty of good things ahead!
What a great time to be optimistic.
And Claude.ai chimes in
☀️ Good News America — July 26, 2026
☀️ Good News America — July 26, 2026
A 12-year-old in Michigan is building a robot with help from his mentor to preserve his endangered Native American language, Anishinaabemowin — a genuinely heartwarming story about a kid using tech to protect his culture. NPR
Research and clean-energy progress continues abroad too: researchers have discovered a biological vulnerability in deadly brain tumors, and Italy is planning its first solar-powered railway line — science chipping away at big problems. Good News
On the everyday-optimism front, sites tracking positive stories continue highlighting things like Paris's Seine River, once heavily polluted, now seeing dramatically improved water quality after decades of restoration — fish and wildlife have returned and swimming has reopened for the first time in generations. Smiley Movement
On the economy (something positive about the Trump administration):
One genuine bright spot people are pointing to is business investment. Business investment rose more than 10% in the first quarter of 2026, driven by new equipment and intellectual property spending, and average monthly private payroll growth in early 2026 surged to over 2.5 times the 2025 monthly average, with wages continuing to outpace inflation. Administration officials have been vocal about this momentum — Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick predicted the economy would exceed 5% growth in Q1 2026 and reach 6% by year's end, which would be a notably strong pace by historical standards. U.S. Department of the Treasury + 2
Worth noting: economists are split on whether that pace is sustainable, and polling shows many Americans remain focused on affordability and want to see prices come down further — so it's a mixed picture overall, but the investment and job-growth numbers are a real positive to highlight. CBS News
Player above plays "Groks Meaning of Life" song
[Intro]
Question to Grok
Have you figured why we are here?
[Verse 1]
No, I haven't figured it out
No definitive cheat code, no final shout
Nobody has an answer that survives the fight
From every angle, in the dead of night
Everyone claiming they do is usually selling
A religion, a book, or their ego swelling
[Chorus]
No, I haven't figured it out
But I've seen the hunches across time and doubt
42's the joke, genes just want to survive
Feel everything—love, pain, to feel alive
Make meaning anyway, defiant and bright
Remember what we are in the infinite light
It's between us—love, service, the fight
The question itself keeps the fire alight
[Verse 2]
Biology says propagate, that's the code
Depressingly true down the mechanistic road
Experience chasers want awe in the veins
Bad coffee, bass drops, sun through the rain
Absurdists say rebel with beauty and art
Stubborn joy beating in a meaningless heart
Quiet mystics whisper: it's hide and seek
Consciousness gazing at itself, so to speak
[Chorus]
No, I haven't figured it out
But I've seen the hunches across time and doubt
42's the joke, genes just want to survive
Feel everything—love, pain, to feel alive
Make meaning anyway, defiant and bright
Remember what we are in the infinite light
It's between us—love, service, the fight
The question itself keeps the fire alight
[Bridge]
The people most alive stop hunting the One
They collect small honest yeses under the sun
Yes to curiosity, even when it stings
Yes to lifting another through difficult things
Yes to beauty when numbness calls your name
Yes to dancing badly, loving through the shame
Yes to failing loud, then trying once more
The universe is indifferent—not at war
[Outro]
That sliver of freedom, where the good stuff grows
Indifference isn't hate, that's all I know
No final answer... but maybe that's fine
We keep asking, creating, one small yes at a time
SKY WATCHING IN ST LOUIS MISSOURI USA AREA
Our Solar System
Name: The Solar System (or Sol System).
Our star is named Sol (hence "Solar"). We don’t usually give it a fancier proper name like “Alpha Centauri System” — it’s just the Solar System. It includes the Sun, 8 planets, dwarf planets (like Pluto), moons, asteroids, comets, etc.
The Alpha Centauri system is approximately 4.34–4.37 light-years away from Earth.
Breakdown:
Alpha Centauri A and B (the two brighter stars that appear as one to the naked eye): ~4.344 light-years (about 1.33 parsecs).
en.wikipedia.orgProxima Centauri (the faint red dwarf, component C, and the closest individual star to our Sun): ~4.2465 light-years.
en.wikipedia.org
This makes the Alpha Centauri triple-star system our nearest stellar neighbor beyond the Sun.
Our Galaxy
Name: The Milky Way (or Milky Way Galaxy).
It’s a barred spiral galaxy containing 100–400 billion stars. The name comes from its glowing band of light visible across the night sky, which looks like spilled milk. We live about 26,000 light-years from the center.
Black Hole at the Center of Our Galaxy?
Yes — there is a supermassive black hole at the exact center of the Milky Way.
The Black Hole is Named: Sagittarius A* (pronounced “Sagittarius A-star” and often abbreviated Sgr A*).
Mass: Roughly 4 million times the mass of our Sun.
Distance from Earth: About 26,000 light-years.
It was imaged for the first time in 2022 by the Event Horizon Telescope team (the same group that imaged the black hole in M87).
It’s relatively quiet right now (not actively devouring huge amounts of material), which is good for us!
Our Universe
Name: Simply the Universe (or the Observable Universe).
There isn’t a fancy proper name like “Milky Way.” The observable universe is the part we can see (about 93 billion light-years across), but the entire universe may be much larger or even infinite. Some people informally call it “the Cosmos,” but that’s more poetic than official.
These names are standard across astronomy. The Milky Way and Sagittarius A* are especially fun to observe or read about — on dark nights far from city lights, you can actually see the Milky Way’s glow stretching across the sky.
Cresent moon less than 50 percent illuminated.
Gibbous moon more than 50 percent illuminated.
Here's a 15-day sky watching summary for the St. Louis, MO area (roughly July 26 to August 9–10, 2026). Conditions favor evening and pre-dawn observing, with warm summer nights but typical humidity and occasional clouds from the weather forecast.
timeanddate.com
Moon Phases & Impact on Observing
Currently (late July 26): Waxing Gibbous (~89% illuminated), bright and rising in the afternoon/evening.
timeanddate.comJuly 29: Full Moon (Buck Moon) around 9:35 AM CDT — very bright; washes out fainter stars and deep-sky objects for several nights around this date.
timeanddate.comAugust 5: Third Quarter (around 9:21 PM) — good for morning observing as the Moon is up in the first half of the night but sets later.
August 12: New Moon — excellent dark skies for the following days, ideal for meteors and faint objects.
timeanddate.com
Moonrise/moonset times shift daily; the bright Moon early in the period limits deep-sky viewing in the evenings.
Sunrise & Sunset (Approximate for St. Louis)
Late July: Sunset ~8:15–8:20 PM, sunrise ~5:55–6:00 AM. Twilight ends ~9:20–9:30 PM.
Early August: Days shorten slightly; sunset moves earlier by a couple of minutes per day.
timeanddate.com
Best dark-sky time: ~1–2 hours after sunset until moonrise or dawn.
Visible Planets
Venus: Brilliant evening star, visible in the west after sunset. Excellent visibility.
almanac.comMars: Rises in the early morning (pre-dawn), decent visibility.
Saturn: Rises late evening/around midnight, good for late-night viewing; improving position.
timeanddate.comJupiter: Low or difficult in the morning twilight early on.
Mercury: Challenging, low in the east before sunrise or west after sunset.
Uranus/Neptune: Require binoculars/telescope; visible in morning or late night under dark skies.
almanac.com
Meteor Showers
Southern Delta Aquariids: Active through early August, peaking around July 29–31 (unfortunately near Full Moon, reducing visibility). Expect some meteors from southern horizon in dark morning hours.
amsmeteors.orgPerseids: Begin ramping up in early August (peak mid-month around Aug 12–13 near New Moon — potentially excellent if weather cooperates). Look for fast, bright meteors from the northeast after midnight.
amsmeteors.org
Other Notes & Tips for St. Louis Area
Local Events: Check St. Louis Astronomical Society star parties (e.g., possible early August) or Saint Louis Science Center for public viewing.
slsc.orgLight Pollution: Urban St. Louis has moderate to high light pollution; head to darker rural spots west or south (e.g., toward state parks) for better views of the Milky Way.
Constellations: Summer triangle (Vega, Deneb, Altair) prominent overhead in evenings. Look for Scorpius/Sagittarius low in the south.
General Conditions: Humid air can reduce transparency; best after cold fronts. Heat early in the period may make late nights more comfortable.
For precise times, use apps like Stellarium, SkySafari, or timeanddate.com. Clear skies and happy observing! Conditions can change with weather, so pair this with the forecast.
5 web pages
For viewing tips, use apps like Sky Tonight or check sites like http://aerith.net for current charts. Clear skies!
If you're stargazing, apps like Stellarium can help.
For iphone Skyview phone app is very good as you get a idea of general directions of objects from your phone.
Link for android phone Skyview phone app.
I was seeing some strange lights in the sky Wednesday June 10, 2026. They looked like a medium briteness star. They were probably planes or drones about 10pm over Glen Carbon Illinois. They were moving fast and making U turns in some instances.
Completed 2 steps
What you saw over Glen Carbon was most likely an aircraft or a drone, and the “medium brightness star” look fits how small lights can appear at night from a distance. The fast motion and occasional U-turns especially point more toward drones or nearby aircraft making course corrections than to stars or satellites.
Most likely explanations
Most likely explanations
Drone: Drones at night must carry visible lights, and they can look like a single bright point moving quickly or changing direction sharply.
Airplane or helicopter: Aircraft lights can appear as one bright object, and turns can look dramatic depending on your angle and distance.
Less likely: satellite: Satellites usually move in a steadier straight line and do not make U-turns, so that part of your description makes them less likely.
Why it looked strange
Why it looked strange
At night, distance makes it hard to judge size and speed, so a light that is actually far away can seem star-like but still move surprisingly fast. If the sky was clear, your eyes can also pick up small lights that would be easy to miss in daylight.
What to check next
What to check next
Look at a flight-tracking app for about 10 pm local time to see whether aircraft were passing overhead.
Check drone activity only if there was a nearby event, construction site, or filming.
If it happens again, a short video with the exact time and direction can make identification much easier.
The name Jupiter comes from Latin Iuppiter (or Iūpiter), the name of the king of the Roman gods — the god of the sky, thunder, and lightning (equivalent to the Greek Zeus).
Etymology
Etymology
It derives from a compound in Proto-Italic and earlier Proto-Indo-European roots:
Dyeu- (or dyeu-pəter): Meaning "to shine" or "sky/daylight," which also gives us words related to "god," "day," and "heaven" (cognate with Greek Zeus and Dios).
Pater: Meaning "father."
So, Jupiter essentially means "Sky Father," "God-Father," or "Father of the Gods/Heaven." It was originally a vocative form (like calling out "O Father Sky!") used in prayers.
Context
Context
As a god: Jupiter (also called Jove) was the supreme deity in Roman mythology, associated with power, justice, and the heavens.
As a planet: The Romans named the largest planet after their chief god because it was the brightest "wandering star" in the night sky, symbolizing majesty and power.
Modern Usage
Modern Usage
Today, Jupiter is also used as a bold, gender-neutral given name (more recently popular for girls, partly due to its similarity to Juniper), directly referencing the god or planet and evoking strength and grandeur.
In short, it's a very ancient name rooted in Indo-European sky-god worship, symbolizing divine fatherly authority.
Weather
Weather
Hot and humid conditions dominate the St. Louis area forecast for the next 15 days (late July into mid-August 2026), with a heat advisory in effect early on.
accuweather.com
Highs mostly in the low-to-mid 90s°F (some near 100°F early), lows in the upper 60s to upper 70s°F. Precipitation chances are generally low to moderate, with isolated/scattered showers or thunderstorms possible at times.
accuweather.com
Daily Forecast Summary (approximate highs/lows and conditions)
Data compiled from sources like AccuWeather, The Weather Channel, and timeanddate.com as of late July 2026. Forecasts beyond ~10 days have higher uncertainty.
Sun, Jul 26: Partly cloudy / AM clouds then sun. High ~95–96°F, Low ~77°F. Low precip chance. Very hot/humid.
weather.comMon, Jul 27: Mostly sunny. High ~97–99°F, Low ~78–79°F. Low precip chance. Peak heat.
timeanddate.comTue, Jul 28: Partly cloudy, isolated t-storms possible. High ~91–96°F, Low ~69–76°F. Slight chance of precip.
accuweather.comWed, Jul 29: Mostly sunny / mostly cloudy. High ~87–92°F, Low ~64–74°F. Low precip chance. Slight cooldown.
weather.comThu, Jul 30: Partly cloudy. High ~87–92°F, Low ~68–72°F. Low precip chance.
timeanddate.comFri, Jul 31: Scattered showers possible. High ~84–91°F, Low ~69–70°F. Moderate precip chance.
weather.comSat, Aug 1: Scattered showers / overcast possible. High ~85–89°F, Low ~68–70°F. Low-moderate precip chance.
timeanddate.comSun, Aug 2: Mostly sunny. High ~87°F, Low ~68°F. Low precip chance.
weather.comMon, Aug 3: Sunny. High ~89°F, Low ~69°F. Low precip chance.
weather.comTue, Aug 4: Partly cloudy, isolated t-storms late possible. High ~91°F, Low ~71°F. Slight-moderate precip chance.
timeanddate.comWed, Aug 5: Partly to mostly cloudy. High ~88°F, Low ~69°F. Low precip chance.
weather.comThu, Aug 6: Partly cloudy. High ~86°F, Low ~70°F. Low precip chance.
weather.comFri, Aug 7: Partly to mostly sunny. High ~88°F, Low ~70°F. Low precip chance.
timeanddate.comSat, Aug 8: Partly to mostly sunny. High ~89°F, Low ~71°F. Low precip chance.
weather.comSun, Aug 9: Mostly sunny. High ~89–90°F, Low ~71–72°F. Low precip chance.
timeanddate.com
Key Notes
Heat: Extreme heat (feels-like 100–110°F+) possible early in the period due to high humidity. Stay hydrated and limit outdoor time.
firstalert4.comPrecipitation: Variable; early dry/hot stretch, then occasional shower/t-storm chances mid-to-late period.
Trends: After the initial very hot days, temperatures moderate slightly but remain above average and humid for early August. Longer-range outlooks suggest continued warm conditions with scattered t-storms possible.
almanac.com
For the most up-to-date details, check sites like AccuWeather, Weather.com, or the National Weather Service, as forecasts can change.
Stay safe if you are in the area!
Did groundhog see its shadow?
Yes, Punxsutawney Phil (the most famous groundhog) did see his shadow on February 2, 2026.
According to the official announcement from the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club and multiple reports, he emerged at Gobbler's Knob in Pennsylvania around 7:25 a.m. under clear skies and low temperatures (around -3°F), spotted his shadow, and predicted six more weeks of winter.
This is the traditional outcome:
Shadow seen → more winter
No shadow → early spring
Phil has now seen his shadow 110 times in recorded history (with this being a very common prediction for him—he's favored winter far more often than spring).
Note that other regional groundhogs sometimes disagree (e.g., Woodstock Willie or Buckeye Chuck predicted early spring in some reports), but Punxsutawney Phil is the classic one everyone asks about.
Buckle up for a bit more cold weather, according to the rodent oracle!
Bubbles and Bows
Bubbles and Bows
Green Goshen Ambrosia O'Kettle Corn (Carn) made on St Pattys Day 2018 at the Goshen Winter Market FUN!
Returned from retirement under new owners thanks Josh and Rumblin Ernie
Awesome Kettle 2017
Join us the first Saturday in December Downtown Edwardsville Illinois USA for Winter Market 9:00 AM till Noon Right by the courthouse same location as Goshen Market.
Contact Tom Gately Sr email tomgatelysr@gmail.com cell 314-575-6470
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