Yes to making someone else's day fractionally better
Good News America
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Elections should have integrity!
Call your senators this week. Tell them to stay at their desks until the SAVE America Act is law!
Ask AI what numbers to call for your location
0:30
PRESIDENT TRUMP HAS SENT A MESSAGE TO ALL AMERICANS: "To ALL Americans, I ask you to pick up your phone, call your representatives in the House and Senate and DEMAND that they pass the SAVE AMERICA ACT without delay.
The SAVE America Act, also known as the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act, requires proof of U.S. citizenship for voter registration and photo ID at polls for federal elections, with limits on mail-in voting; it passed the House earlier in 2026 and faces Senate hurdles.
In July 2026, President Trump has publicly pressed Senate leadership to forgo August recess and advance the bill, framing it as essential for election integrity, prompting supporters to amplify calls for constituent pressure on lawmakers.
Question for Gemini.
I live in Glen Carbon IL what numbers should i call?
For Glen Carbon, IL (Illinois's 13th Congressional District):
U.S. House of Representatives (IL-13)
U.S. House of Representatives (IL-13)
Representative Nikki Budzinski
Washington, D.C. Office: (202) 225-2371
Nearby District Office (Collinsville/Belleville area): (618) 212-7333
Website & Contact Form: budzinski.house.gov
U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D): Washington, DC office (202) 224-2152.
durbin.senate.govWebsite / Contact Form: durbin.senate.gov
U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D): Washington, DC office (202) 224-2854. Chicago office (312) 886-3506.
congress.gov
Website / Contact Form: duckworth.senate.gov
Tips: Call the DC offices during business hours (typically 9 AM–5 PM ET) for legislative issues like the SAVE America Act. Be polite, state you're a constituent from Glen Carbon, and clearly express your position. Websites have contact forms if phones are busy.
3 web pages
Contact local Glen Carbon officials
Illinois state legislature representatives
Include county sheriff contact info
Give website links also please
For Glen Carbon, IL (Illinois's 15th Congressional District):
U.S. Representative Mary Miller (R, IL-15): Washington, DC office (202) 225-5271. Local Highland office: (217) 703-6100.
Website: marymiller.house.gov
Contact form: marymiller.house.gov/contactU.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D): Washington, DC office (202) 224-2152.
Website: durbin.senate.gov
Contact: durbin.senate.gov/contactU.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D): Washington, DC office (202) 224-2854. Chicago office: (312) 886-3506.
Website: duckworth.senate.gov
Contact: duckworth.senate.gov/content/contact-senator
Call DC offices during business hours for the SAVE America Act. Identify as a constituent and keep your message concise.
Track SAVE America Act Progress
Illinois Congressional District Maps
Calls from constituents can influence whether leadership keeps pressure on or compromises. Even if full passage this week is unlikely, volume of contact helps signal priority for future efforts.
If you support the bill, a quick polite call reinforcing that can still matter while the issue is live.
☀️ Good News America — Wednesday August 5 2026
☀️ Good News America — Wednesday August 5 2026
from https://x.com/i/grok
Here's an upbeat roundup of positive U.S. news for Wednesday, August 5, 2026! American markets are shining bright. The Dow Jones Industrial Average recently closed above the historic 54,000 mark for the first time, while the S&P 500 hit a fresh all-time high. Strong corporate earnings are fueling the rally—companies like Palantir reported “otherworldly” revenue growth (up dramatically year-over-year and raising full-year forecasts), and Caterpillar delivered better-than-expected profits and sales. Tech and manufacturing strength, plus solid U.S. data, have investors feeling optimistic, with Asian markets following the positive lead overnight.
finance.yahoo.com
Oil prices are easing for a third straight day amid growing hopes of a deal to reopen the vital Strait of Hormuz. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has signaled a possible agreement with Iran could come very soon (even as early as today or tomorrow in some comments), which would help normalize shipping and further ease energy costs for American families and businesses. Falling oil is a welcome boost for the broader economy and inflation outlook.
finance.yahoo.com
SpaceX, now a public company, reported its first earnings with revenue roughly doubling year-over-year (driven by Starlink and AI-related computing), and its net loss narrowed—showing continued momentum in American innovation and space leadership. On the sports side, Major League Soccer named LAFC co-owner Larry Berg as its next commissioner, a move seen as positive for the league’s future, and U.S. men’s national team coach Mauricio Pochettino extended his contract through the 2030 World Cup, giving American soccer stability and continuity. Something positive about President Trump: His administration’s diplomatic push toward a potential peace-oriented deal involving the Strait of Hormuz is contributing directly to these market highs and lower oil prices—demonstrating how leadership focused on resolving tensions can deliver tangible benefits for American consumers, businesses, and the broader economy right now. It’s a reminder of the positive ripple effects that can come from high-level engagement on the world stage.
Overall, it’s a day full of economic energy, innovation progress, and hopeful developments for the U.S. Here’s to more good momentum ahead!
1 web page
and from Perplexity.ai
US and Iran having 'very good discussions', Trump says
The mainstream media ignores anything that favors Trump | Opinion
U.S. pauses Iran strikes for second straight night as talks move in positive direction
US says deal on reopening Hormuz close as Iran, Oman hold ‘positive’ talks
Claude chimes in
☀️ Good News America — August 5 2026
☀️ Good News America — August 5 2026
Claude is taking to long to think today
2026 FIFA World cup soccer outcome --> Spain won.
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!
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 (astronomy/stargazing) forecast for the St. Louis, MO area, covering roughly August 2–16, 2026.
weather.com
This focuses on cloud cover/precipitation (key for visibility), moon phase (impacts sky darkness), general weather trends, and notable astronomical events. Forecasts beyond ~7–10 days have increasing uncertainty. Clear, dry nights with low moonlight offer the best stargazing; use apps like Stellarium or sites like ClearDarkSky.com for hourly details.
cleardarksky.com
Key Astronomical Context (August 2026)
Moon phases (Central Time): Last Quarter ~Aug 5 evening; New Moon Aug 12 (excellent dark skies); First Quarter ~Aug 19–20.
timeanddate.com +1
Visible planets (early August): Venus is prominent in the evening west after sunset. Saturn rises in the late evening/early morning. Mars in the pre-dawn east. Mercury, Jupiter, Uranus, and Neptune have varying visibility (some challenging without optics). Check timeanddate.com or similar for exact rise/set times.
timeanddate.comMajor event: Perseid meteor shower peaks ~Aug 12–13 under near-ideal New Moon conditions (potentially 50+ meteors/hour from dark sites).
amsmeteors.org
Day-by-Day Sky Forecast Summary
Early August (waning gibbous to Last Quarter Moon) — Moon bright in early nights, better after midnight. Mixed weather with some clear periods.
Aug 2–3 (Sun–Mon): Mostly sunny/clearer days, low precip chance (~5–20%). Good potential for evening stargazing once moon sets or later. Warm (highs ~82–86°F).
weather.comAug 4–5 (Tue–Wed): Mostly sunny to partly cloudy, very low rain chance. Favorable for planets and stars before/after moon interference. Last Quarter around Aug 5.
weather.comAug 6–7 (Thu–Fri): Increasing chance of scattered thunderstorms (40–50%+). Cloudier nights possible; check hourly forecasts. Humid and warm.
weather.comAug 8–9 (Sat–Sun): Continued thunderstorm risk early, then sunnier. Variable skies.
weather.com
Mid-August (waning crescent to New Moon) — Improving darkness as moon shrinks; excellent around Aug 11–13.
Aug 10–11 (Mon–Tue): Mostly clear/sunny, low precip (~20%). Building toward prime dark-sky window. Highs in the low 90s.
weather.comAug 12–13 (Wed–Thu): Peak Perseids + New Moon — Prime dark skies if clear. Isolated thunderstorm risk possible; monitor forecasts closely. This is one of the best nights of the period for meteors.
amsmeteors.orgAug 14–15 (Fri–Sat): Partly cloudy, lower rain chance. Good post-Perseid viewing with thin crescent moon.
weather.comAug 16+: Scattered showers possible; skies variable. Moon begins waxing, brightening evenings.
weather.com
Overall trends: Early period has decent clear windows but moonlight interference. Mid-month (around New Moon) is best for deep-sky/meterors if weather cooperates. Typical summer humidity and occasional pop-up storms are the main risks. Temperatures warm/humid (highs 85–93°F).
ksdk.com
Tips for St. Louis Area Stargazing
Best sites: Head away from city lights (e.g., nearby state parks or rural spots recommended by St. Louis Astronomical Society). Check SLAS events.
stlmag.comTools: Clear Sky Chart for St. Louis (hourly cloud/transparency/seeing).
cleardarksky.com
AccuWeather astronomy or similar for quick checks.Conditions: Even "clear" forecasts can have haze; transparency matters for faint objects. Avoid nights with high humidity or recent rain.
Safety: Warm nights mean insects; use red lights to preserve night vision.
For the most up-to-date hourly details, visit cleardarksky.com (St. Louis chart) or weather.com extended forecasts, as conditions can change. Enjoy the Perseids if skies allow!
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.
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
Short-Term (Warm & Mostly Pleasant)
Today (Sun, Aug 2): Partly sunny and beautiful. High ~82°F, low ~65°F. Low chance of rain (~25%). Nice day to be outside.
accuweather.comMon, Aug 3: Partly to mostly sunny. High ~83-85°F, low ~63-68°F. Low rain chance.
Tue, Aug 4: Mostly sunny and warm. High ~85-88°F, low ~65-72°F.
Wed, Aug 5: Sunny to mostly sunny, warmer. High ~88-90°F, low ~70-73°F.
Thu, Aug 6: Mostly sunny, hot. High ~90°F, low ~73-75°F. Slight chance of a shower.
Mid-Term (Hotter with Some Humidity)
Fri, Aug 7: Hot and mostly sunny. High ~92-93°F, low ~74-76°F. Low rain chance.
Sat, Aug 8: Very warm, possible isolated shower/storm. High ~93-94°F, low ~74-76°F.
Sun, Aug 9: Hot, mix of sun and clouds. High ~92-94°F, low ~72-74°F.
Mon, Aug 10: Warm and mostly sunny. High mid-90s°F possible, low ~70s°F.
Tue, Aug 11: Continued heat. High ~90-94°F, low ~70-74°F. Scattered storm chance possible.
Longer-Range (Warm with Increasing Storm Potential)
Wed, Aug 12: Mostly sunny to partly cloudy. High upper 80s to low 90s°F.
Thu, Aug 13: Partly cloudy, isolated thunderstorms possible. High ~86-90°F.
Fri, Aug 14: Mix of sun and clouds. High ~86-89°F, low ~70-72°F.
Sat, Aug 15: Partly cloudy with a chance of showers. High ~86°F.
Sun, Aug 16: Scattered showers possible. High ~86°F.
Overall Trend: Expect a warm to hot stretch with highs mostly in the mid-80s to mid-90s°F and lows in the mid-60s to mid-70s°F. Humidity will make it feel warmer at times. Rain chances are generally low early in the period but could increase mid-to-late week with typical summer thunderstorms.
accuweather.com +1
Stay hydrated during the hotter days, and enjoy the beautiful weather ahead!
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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