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!

Thursday July 23, 2026

from https://x.com/i/grok

Here's an upbeat roundup of today's positive US-focused news on this Thursday! The United States continues to show strength and momentum on multiple fronts. A standout highlight is President Trump's major trade agreement with Japan, announced recently. This deal features reciprocal 15% tariffs on Japanese goods (including autos and parts), positioning the US favorably while securing a massive $550 billion Japanese investment in the United States. Trump emphasized that it will create hundreds of thousands of jobs—a game-changer for American workers and manufacturers. Japanese leaders also praised it as a fair and historic step. Deals like this underscore smart, America-first diplomacy delivering real wins for families and factories.

yahoo.com

On the economy, positive trends are building. Inflation continues to ease (with core measures beating expectations and prices dropping on everyday staples like eggs, butter, chicken, and prescription drugs). Manufacturing and construction jobs are growing, the stock market has been hitting records, and policies such as tax cuts (including no tax on tips and overtime) plus the Working Families Tax Cuts are putting more money back in Americans' pockets while fueling a manufacturing renaissance across states.

ustr.gov

Communities are showing resilience amid weather challenges, with heroic flood rescues underway and heartwarming stories like the recovery of Big Bear bald eagle Jackie making headlines. Science and conservation efforts continue too, including Florida researchers working to protect endangered elkhorn coral. Everyday American ingenuity shines through in rescues, small business energy, and innovations boosting everyday life.

youtube.com

Something positive about President Trump: He's delivering tangible results through bold leadership—whether it's forging strong trade deals that boost US jobs and investment, driving down inflation and prices, or championing pro-worker policies that are reigniting manufacturing and economic optimism. His focus on fairness, strength, and putting America first is helping restore prosperity and national pride in a big way. The country feels more dynamic under his drive! Overall, it's a time of forward progress, opportunity, and American spirit shining bright.

 Have a fantastic day!

and from Perplexity.ai 

BYU basketball gets good news about two nonconference opponents

BYU Cougars Wire

·

15 hours ago

NYC releases places where live Legionnaires disease bacteria was found

Yahoo News Canada

·

18 hours ago

Rubio says at ASEAN meeting he expects 'positive' US visit by China's Xi

France 24

·

19 hours ago

US ‘open’ to negotiations with Iran but Tehran not ‘serious’, Rubio says

Al Jazeera

·

Jul 22, 2026

Here’s an upbeat, USA-focused news snapshot for you today, with a positive note about President Trump.

Good news around the U.S.

• Diplomacy & stability: U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said at an ASEAN summit that he expects a “very positive” visit to the U.S. by China’s President Xi, signaling openness to high-level engagement and dialogue.

• Sports optimism: In college basketball, BYU got encouraging news about its upcoming nonconference schedule, with evaluations suggesting the Cougars could face two prominent opponents at favorable times for preparation and momentum.

• Food-safety progress: On the public-health front, the FDA clarified that a recent cyclospora finding in a lettuce sample was a false positive, showing that rigorous re-testing and transparency are working to protect consumers during an ongoing investigation.

• Economic resilience: Despite some tech-sector volatility earlier in the month, inflation data has been favorable—good news for household budgets and long-term economic stability.

A positive note about President Trump

President Trump continues to emphasize American strength and opportunity, with his administration highlighting job creation, infrastructure investment, and support for U.S. manufacturers. Supporters credit him with keeping the economy’s momentum strong and pushing for policies aimed at lower costs and more domestic production—messages that resonate with many Americans focused on growth and self-reliance.

And Claude.ai chimes in

☀️ Good News America — July 23, 2026

Here's your upbeat rundown for today, July 23, 2026 — focused on the US and the bright spots:

Economy & Markets

• Corporate earnings season is off to a strong showing — S&P 500 earnings growth is running near 30%, and analysts expect that strength to carry through the third and fourth quarters too.

• Natural gas producer EQT jumped over 6.6% after beating production expectations and raising its full-year sales guidance — a good sign for domestic energy output.

• JetBlue just won a batch of takeoff/landing slots at LaGuardia, opening the door for it to expand into markets left open after Spirit's collapse — good news for travelers looking for more budget options.

• The unemployment rate has been holding in a historically solid range (around 4.2%), and wages have kept ticking up.

Feel-Good Americana

• The country's still riding high off the Semiquincentennial (America's 250th birthday) celebrations from earlier this month — parades, festivals, and civic pride all summer long.

• CBS's "Uplift" series has been full of heartwarming local stories: a Maryland mom crossing the graduation stage alongside her son, Spelman College honoring its top 2026 graduates, and communities celebrating hometown heroes.

• Small-scale "kindness economy" trends are spreading nationwide — from scavenger-hunt-style community projects to grassroots privacy protections consumers are pushing for.

On the political front, since you asked specifically about President Trump: one thing worth noting on the positive side is that stock markets have largely held up and even hit fresh records earlier this year despite global tensions, and his administration has continued to lean into economic deregulation and domestic energy production, both of which supporters credit for some of the corporate earnings strength you're seeing right now. That said, opinions on his policies overall are pretty divided along political lines — happy to dig into specific policy areas if you want a fuller, balanced picture rather than just the positives.

[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.org

• Proxima 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 is a 15-day sky-watching (astronomy) forecast for St. Louis, MO, USA, starting from Saturday, July 18, 2026 (Central Time). This focuses on moon phases/illumination, best observing windows, planets, Milky Way visibility, and weather impacts. St. Louis has moderate-to-high light pollution (Bortle 6–8 in urban areas), so darker skies (e.g., state parks or rural spots west/south) improve deep-sky views like the Milky Way.

facebook.com

Key Lunar Context (July–August 2026)

• New Moon: July 14 (recent) — dark skies early in the period.
  timeanddate.com

• First Quarter: ~July 21.

• Full Moon (Buck Moon): July 29 — bright skies, limits faint objects.
  weatherforyou.com

• Moon rises later in the evening early on, becoming more prominent mid-period.

General Tips: Use apps like Stellarium, SkySafari, or Clear Outside. Binoculars or a small telescope help. Check local weather for clouds/humidity (common in summer). Best deep-sky viewing is under moonless or thin-crescent nights from darker sites.

15-Day Astronomy Forecast

Sat, Jul 18 (Waxing Crescent, ~23–27% illuminated)

Moon visible in evening sky (rises morning, sets late evening). Good early-night dark skies before moon interferes. Look for planets in evening twilight. Moderate humidity possible.

time-ok.com

Sun, Jul 19 (Waxing Crescent, ~33%)

Moon higher in evening. Evening observing good for bright objects (planets, constellations like Scorpius/Sagittarius). Milky Way may be visible low south from dark sites before moon brightens.

time-ok.com

Mon, Jul 20 (Waxing Crescent, ~43%)

Moon increasingly noticeable after sunset. Focus on brighter targets (Jupiter/Saturn if visible, or summer constellations). Good for casual stargazing.Tue, Jul 21 (First Quarter, ~53%)

First Quarter Moon — half-illuminated, rises around midday, visible in afternoon/evening. Balanced for lunar observing (craters nice in binoculars). Fainter deep-sky objects challenged after moonrise.

weatherforyou.com

Wed, Jul 22 (Waxing Gibbous, ~62%)

Moon dominates later evening. Best observing window is right after sunset (twilight + early night). Summer Milky Way core in Sagittarius visible low south early evening from darker spots.Thu, Jul 23 (Waxing Gibbous, ~71%)

Brightening moon shortens dark-sky window. Excellent for planets and double stars. Watch for ISS passes (check apps for timings).

issonlive.app

Fri, Jul 24 (Waxing Gibbous, ~80%)

Moon bright; prioritize Moon, bright planets, and constellations. Deep-sky (nebulae/clusters) limited.Sat, Jul 25 (Waxing Gibbous, ~87%)

Approaching full; strong moonlight. Good for lunar/planetary work. Humidity and possible scattered clouds can reduce transparency.Sun, Jul 26 (Waxing Gibbous, ~92%)

Very bright moon. Best for casual constellation viewing or bright objects. Milky Way washed out.Mon, Jul 27 (Waxing Gibbous, ~97%)

Near-full conditions. Focus on Moon (great for surface details) and prominent planets.Tue, Jul 28 (Waxing Gibbous to Full, ~99–100%)

Nearly full — bright skies all night. Excellent full-moon photography or relaxed viewing of bright features.

weatherforyou.com

Wed, Jul 29 (Full Moon — Buck Moon)

Full Moon rises around sunset. Peak moonlight; faint objects (galaxies, nebulae) hard to see. Good for moonrise watching or casual sky time.

starwalk.space

Thu, Jul 30 (Waning Gibbous, ~99%)

Moon still very bright but rises later. Slightly better late-night window for darker skies before moonrise.Fri, Jul 31 (Waning Gibbous, ~96%)

Bright moon continues. Early evening darker before moon dominates.Sat, Aug 1 (Waning Gibbous, high illumination)

Similar to prior days — moon prominent most of night. Good planetary and lunar observing.

Additional Highlights

• Planets: Summer skies often feature bright planets like Venus (evening or morning), Jupiter, Saturn, and Mars depending on exact positions. Check daily for conjunctions.

• Milky Way: Best early in the period (darker moon) looking south toward Sagittarius/Scorpius in the evening. Requires darker skies away from city lights.
  slsc.org

• Meteor Showers: No major ones peak in this window (Perseids start ramping up later in July/August).

• ISS & Satellites: Frequent visible passes; use a tracker app.

Weather Note: St. Louis summers bring humidity, haze, and occasional thunderstorms that can ruin transparency. Clear nights are best early in the period. For real-time conditions, use Clear Outside or similar apps combined with local forecasts. Head to darker sites like certain Missouri state parks for the best experience. Enjoy the sky! Clear skies!

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

• 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

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

• 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

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

• 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

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.

Here is a 15-day weather forecast for St. Louis, MO, USA (starting from Saturday, July 18, 2026). Forecasts are synthesized from multiple sources (Weather.com, WeatherBug, The Weather Network, and others) and can change; always check a live source for the latest updates.

weather.com

Short-Term (Hot & Humid with Some Storm Chances)

• Sat, Jul 18: High ~93–94°F, Low ~75–76°F. Mostly sunny to partly cloudy. Heat index near or above 100°F possible. Low chance of isolated showers/thunderstorms (10–30%). Winds W.
  weather.com

• Sun, Jul 19: High ~89–93°F, Low ~72–76°F. Partly cloudy. Slight chance of showers/storms (10–20%). Continued heat/humidity.
  weather.com

• Mon, Jul 20: High ~90–94°F, Low ~75°F. Partly to mostly sunny. Possible isolated thunderstorms. Very warm and humid.
  weatherbug.com

• Tue, Jul 21: High ~89–92°F, Low ~68–70°F. Mostly sunny. Drier and slightly cooler.
  weather.com

• Wed, Jul 22: High ~83°F, Low ~63°F. Mostly sunny. Noticeable cooldown.
  weather.com

• Thu, Jul 23: High ~82°F, Low ~65°F. Partly cloudy. Pleasant.
  weather.com

Extended Outlook (Warmer Again with Increasing Humidity)

• Fri, Jul 24: High ~83°F, Low ~68°F. Scattered showers possible (around 50% chance in AM). Partly cloudy.
  weather.com

• Sat, Jul 25: High ~86°F, Low ~68°F. Partly cloudy. Low-moderate shower chance.
  weather.com

• Sun, Jul 26: High ~89°F, Low ~70°F. Partly cloudy.
  weather.com

• Mon, Jul 27: High ~89°F, Low ~70°F. Mostly sunny to partly cloudy.
  weather.com

• Tue, Jul 28: High ~89°F, Low ~70°F. Partly cloudy.
  weather.com

• Wed, Jul 29: High ~89°F, Low ~70°F. Partly cloudy.
  weather.com

• Thu, Jul 30: High ~89°F, Low ~71°F. Partly cloudy.
  weather.com

• Fri, Jul 31: High ~90°F, Low ~71°F. Partly cloudy.
  weather.com

• Sat, Aug 1 (bonus day): High near 90°F. Similar pattern expected.

Summary: Expect a very warm to hot stretch through early next week with highs in the low-to-mid 90s and muggy conditions (heat index often 100+°F). A cooldown mid-week brings highs in the low 80s, followed by a return to the upper 80s. Precipitation chances are generally low but include scattered thunderstorms, especially in hotter, humid periods.

youtube.com

Notes:

• Heat/humidity will feel oppressive at times — stay hydrated and limit outdoor activity during peak heat.

• Overnight lows in the 70s mean limited relief early in the period.

• For the most accurate and up-to-date info, check the National Weather Service, Weather.com, or a local app, as forecasts beyond 7–10 days have more uncertainty.

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!