Until today, I thought Donald Trump was a businessman blessed by God. A world-class bullshitter, certainly, but a businessman nonetheless. Elon Musk also seemed relatively sane, even after he and Vivek Ramaswamy supposedly “optimized” the US government — or, more accurately, paralyzed much of it. But this Starlink scandal? This is an entire bucket of shit dumped straight onto their own heads. Bravo, gentlemen! The late Russian Prime Minister Viktor Chernomyrdin once famously said: “We wanted the best, but it turned out as usual.” Apparently, his words have found some very enthusiastic admirers in Washington. Because two idiots are always worse than one. Especially when they're riding the same bicycle. And at this point, it hardly matters whether Musk suggested slowing down Starlink or Trump ordered him to do it. The political damage is done. First, these two geniuses have managed to alienate Europe. And they've done it so spectacularly that Washington now has to explain why it supposedly won't be selling weapons to Europe next year: America needs everything it can manufacture for itself. So, smiling politely at one another, the United States and Europe appear to be heading down increasingly separate paths. Second, who in their right mind would trust Musk's technology with their national security after this? Today, he can threaten Poland over its financing of Starlink services for Ukraine. Tomorrow, he might decide to punish another customer for some equally ridiculous reason. Buying strategically important technology from Musk increasingly looks like gambling on which side of the bed the billionaire wakes up on. Chinese electric vehicle manufacturers must be applauding. Well done, Elon! Good boy! And let's not forget that Musk has shareholders. Their arms must be getting tired from desperately trying to keep their visionary genius from pulling his own pants down in public. But there's an even bigger problem. If Trump personally ordered restrictions on Starlink, the consequences could extend far beyond Musk's companies. The reliability of American military technology itself would come under scrutiny. Imagine being a country spending billions on US weapons while wondering whether the American president might suddenly decide to interfere with their operation. Congratulations, Donald. You've just handed your own defense-industry supporters a magnificent headache. And that's only the beginning. Trump seems increasingly desperate, stumbling from one political disaster into another. His controversial diesel arrangements have raised questions about whose economic interests he is actually serving — including those of the oil industry, traditionally a powerful Republican financial constituency. Meanwhile, the MAGA movement appears to be developing cracks of its own. JD Vance has become entangled in controversy surrounding his political ally Vivek Ramaswamy, potentially damaging his ambitions for 2028. Marco Rubio, who once presented himself as the only adult in the room, increasingly looks like another politician forced to defend the indefensible actions of his boss. And Trump's family circle faces its own political and reputational questions as the November 3 elections approach. Then there's Melania. She appears increasingly interested in establishing a political identity independent of her husband's. Reports of humanitarian initiatives involving Ukraine, along with talk of a possible visit, have fueled speculation about her future ambitions. It almost reminds me of Hillary Clinton building her own political identity during Bill Clinton's scandals. History doesn't repeat itself exactly, but sometimes the similarities are delicious. The larger picture is becoming increasingly absurd. Trump seems determined to step on every rake lying in his path. Every single one. His supporters keep describing him as a political genius. At this point, I'm beginning to suspect that the genius exists primarily in their imagination.

“I NEVER THOUGHT I WOULD HAVE TO SAY THIS”: VIRGIN GROUP FOUNDER RICHARD BRANSON ISSUES A POWERFUL STATEMENT SUPPORTING UKRAINE 🇬🇧🇺🇦 British billionaire, philanthropist, and Virgin Group founder Sir Richard Branson has reportedly published an unusually forceful statement on LinkedIn. Branson, whose business empire includes Virgin Atlantic, Virgin Galactic, and hundreds of other companies, reportedly directed his message at international business leaders, investors, and European governments. FULL TEXT OF THE STATEMENT ATTRIBUTED TO RICHARD BRANSON: “I never thought I would have to say this in my lifetime, but it is 2026, and the Trump administration has become an appeaser of autocrats and dictators. What is it about Putin that makes President Trump so eager to please him? The slowing and restricting of Starlink/Starshield operations, along with the inexplicable failure to provide advance warnings of Russian missile launches, have already resulted in Ukrainian civilians dying needlessly. How much worse can this get? The one thing that has become absolutely clear is that European leaders must overcome their initial shock at Trump's actions and take the initiative themselves. Both Europe's freedom and Ukraine's sovereignty are at stake. Our responsibility is to ensure that the free world is not destroyed before our very eyes.” A WARNING FROM A GLOBAL BUSINESS LEADER As the founder of Virgin Group, Branson is sending a message to the international corporate community: remaining silent about the appeasement of autocrats is no longer acceptable when global stability and security are at risk. A DIRECT CALL FOR EUROPE TO TAKE THE LEAD The central message attributed to Branson is that European governments and business leaders must stop relying on the unpredictable policies of the White House. European countries must take greater responsibility for providing decisive military and financial assistance to Ukraine, investing in their own defense industries, and protecting democratic values. A LONG-STANDING SUPPORTER OF UKRAINE Sir Richard Branson was among the prominent international business figures who personally visited Ukraine after Russia launched its full-scale invasion. He is also an official ambassador of UNITED24, Ukraine's fundraising platform. If authenticated, this LinkedIn statement would represent another significant intervention by Branson in support of Ukraine and an appeal to the global business community to defend European security and Ukrainian sovereignty.

Beauteous Himark 24k gold rimmed plate with Chokin art, circa 1980s just added to the shoppy! RETWEET my sweets! vintagetrunkandart.etsy.com/…

I lost myself in this performance and felt transported to another dimension. One of the most beautiful performances I've ever seen ✨🎼

Have you voted yet? Turnout is the key. MAGA is NOT the majority. They never have been. We only need to remain united & vote in numbers too big to manipulate. Check your state's dates. Go tomorrow, if you can. If not, November 3. Make your plan. #VoteEarlyDay #USDemocracy

Midterms is the first step back to some sort of normalcy.

This is the last time we will ever vote to hold Trump accountable. He's lived without consequences his entire freakin life. He cheated on every wife, cheated on his taxes, cheated to get out of serving, cheated to get into school, screwed every contractor, employee, coworker, investor, bank, follower, and friend, spent years partying with the world's biggest pedophile, gave pentagon contracts to his sons, took a plane as a bribe, and made $2 billion as president by turning us into an ATM... He is a human crime factory.... He is what Al Capone and Bernie Madoff dreamt about... And yet... He's never stepped foot inside a prison cell. This is our last chance to shove justice in his fat face. Shit floats, but not above the law. Don't let him get away with it. Vote.

Imagine being a CEO of an US energy company and thinking that you work with close associates of the Trump family, only to find out that behind them is a sanctioned Russian company, really pulling the strings. This happened in Alaska. Polar Train LNG's CEO, Joel Riddle, stepped down after finding out that the Russian "Novatek" company, which is under US sanctions, has been involved in a $25 billion energy project in Alaska. The CEO thought that he was working with Gentry Beach, a close friend of Donald Trump Junior. Reportedly, that project was also discussed between Witkoff and Jared Kushner when they were with Putin. The White House admitted that the project was talked about "briefly". We are witnessing the greatest corruption scandal the USA has ever witnessed. It all leads to Trump, his family and the Russians, and apparently they were even ready to sell riches of Alaska to the Russians. The people in Alaska just need to look over to Russia, where the richest regions in terms of minerals and hydrocarbon resources have been stripped-mined, transferring all the wealth to Moscow and Saint Petersburg and leaving a scarred landscape in extreme poverty. That is the result of rampant corruption. We are starting to see more details why Trump and his friends are trying so strongly to bully Ukraine into surrender. This is most certainly only the tip of the iceberg.

POP-UP AUCTION! MANGO Genuine Suede Shoulder Bag – Rich Chocolate Brown A little luxury for your shoulder, and a little love for our rescue pups! This gorgeous MANGO Stitching Suede Shoulder Bag is the perfect combination of understated elegance and everyday style! Crafted from genuine suede in a beautiful, rich chocolate brown, this chic hobo-style bag features a softly structured silhouette, elegant stitched detailing, and a comfortable integrated shoulder strap. Details: Brand: MANGO Material: Genuine suede leather Color: Rich chocolate brown Style: Slouchy hobo/shoulder bag Silver-tone zippered closure Beautiful stitched detailing Condition: New with original tags attached! Perfect for fall and winter, but stylish enough to carry year-round! Estimated Retail Value: $125 Starting Bid: $50 TO BID: Comment your bid below! Auction ends Sunday at 9 PM EST.

“It is a happy talent to know how to play.” ~Ralph Waldo Emerson Tyler (and [less] fat Marigold) spam! Today we did a little prep for the winter. If we really do get El Niño we need to have more places for the goats to go to stay dry. Typically they hang out in the barn, but they do prefer to be out so I am giving them options. Goats hate rain. They also have a tendency to get sick if it’s super soggy. So today we reinforced the old water troughs (we flipped them over and cut a door in them, they play on them, too) with sand so if it rains the sand will reroute the water to go around and the goats can get in there and be dry. And of course Tyler (and Marigold) helped… Are they not so funny? The weather this morning was absolutely beautiful. We’ve been upper 80s in the afternoons, but cool at night. And we’ll be closer to mid-70s/80s next week with a little rain by Halloween. The horses love it, and I do too! #rescue #Texas #babyhorse #miniaturehorse #ForgottenToForever

"Friendship is unnecessary, like philosophy, like art. It has no survival value; rather it is one of those things which give value to survival." ~C.S. Lewis Amy (JC: Perfect Art) Beryl (JC: Vintage Beauty) Soul mates… It is incomprehensible what these two went through before they made it safely through our gates four months ago, emaciated and sick with precious time left to survive. I look at them now, both like 200 pounds heavier, and can’t believe they are the same horses. They are so healthy and their coats sparkle in the sun, even with the winter fuzzies setting in. We have bonded pairs, but these two are our most bonded, hands down. Beryl is the boss and she looks out for Amy. She was looking out for her BFF in the videos from the kill pen, too. She gets agitated when she can’t see Amy so we make sure to let them see each other at all times, even in the barn when they eat their meals. Beryl is the best auntie to baby Tyler. They two are truly are raising him together. Beryl loves him and looks out for him, he bugs her and she sets him straight just like his own mother. This morning as the sun started to rise, these sweet girls spent some quality time together grooming each other. And showing us what unconditional love is really all about… 🩵 #rescue #Texas #ottb #ForgottenToForever

I don't even know what to say anymore with all of the bold defiance of the rule of law that's going on in this administration. Trump was granted immunity...from almost EVERYTHING, and anyone without immunity that breaks the law on Trump's behalf will be pardoned.

It’s $5 Friday!!! A crazy busy overwhelming week. We saved puppy Inkie! Found alone & abandoned, weighing 3 lbs. We got her puppy vet care. If you’d like to help, we truly appreciate any support ♥️! rescuecoop.org/donate

It’s $5 Friday! We saw a post from Wilson Cty advocates for a 1 yo being euthanized after being neglected for months. Rylie weighed 53 lbs when he should weigh 90+. His teeth are messed up at 1 yo from eating trash. If you’d like to help us help this sweet boy, we truly thank you ♥️ rescuecoop.org/donate