Noah Gray

Defeated Brazilian presidential candidate Flávio Bolsonaro and his family have landed in Miami after fleeing his country. This comes a day after they were granted United States visas by the Trump administration.

America, more than any other nation in world history, was shaped by the Christian tradition of spreading the gospel unto all nations. Join us in celebrating International Religious Freedom Day.

The recent Starlink / Starshield incident in Ukraine has created a dangerous precedence for the US export industry, many haven't yet grasped. The sudden deactivation respectively curtailing of those systems without warning not only cost precious lives, but also equipment worth millions. Though the blame game between the White House (Trump) and SpaceX (Musk) is going on, ultimately it doesn't matter. It showed the world that the USA are not a reliable partner any more. Pointing at some obscure "violation of terms of services" without providing the exact passage are just increasing that notion that this was a political move. The explanation that Starlink must not be used for "offensive" means is nonsense, too. Starlink has never been turned on over Russia, and using it in Ukraine is by definition defensive in nature. You can even argue that hitting Russian targets in Russia is defensive, since you don't have to wait for an attack to be conducted. Even the intention is enough to warrant action and to eliminate the threat at the source. But this is a different topic. Furthermore, SpaceX has been fully aware that its Starlink terminals are being used by Ukrainian forces. Especially when considering that Ukraine only recently had to white-list their Starlink terminals for the Ukrainian military so that Russian forces, who have been abundantly using Starlink as well, were locked out. It has always been clear that those Starlink terminals are used for and by the Ukrainian military, and Ukraine has always been thankful for that. Coming up with this bogus story, now, three weeks before midterms is therefore as transparent as it is shameless. It is obvious for everyone that this was just figleaf statement so that a political agenda can be pushed, an agenda which runs counter to the strategic nationalist interests of the USA, both political and economic. And this is the real scandal. It is not new that the US had to lock out its technology or supplies to nations with which it had previously good and even cordial relation. Iran under the Shah, South-Vietnam and Cuba before Castro are just three to name it. But as you can see from them, it made perfectly sense back then. Those nations switched sides or disappeared altogether. Ukraine on the other hand didn't switch sides and even helped the US in the most recent and botched Iran war, despite being short on ammunition itself. The Ukrainian government accepted every possible compromise and offered an unconditional ceasefire from the start. Russia on the hand refused all of it and is demanding surrender. Yet, it gets this treatment? Unbelievable. This will be noted by all clients around the globe who purchase US weapons and technology. If agreements are not honored and can unilaterally and even clandestinely be altered based on the whims of a few, who only follow their own motives or election lies, then the all concept reliability falls apart. Whether it is Starlink, the F-35, Tomahawk missiles or HIMARS. All those systems run on software and in many cases can only properly operate with recent updates. You don't even need have a kill switch. You can only refuse to update and many of those systems lose more than 90% of their effectiveness within a short period, making worthless. This is why we see the blame game between Musk and Trump. I'm sure that people around those guys told them how absolutely shortsighted and stupid this step was. It will fall back on the entire US industry. Not even those two guys are worth that losses and backlash. A functional US Congress would immediately start subpoenas and hearings, asking questions in order to mitigate the damage, but here we are. Trump and Musk have given the best reason why not to buy American. Customers - governmental and private alike - around the globe will take note of this and act accordingly, and I wouldn't be surprised if this won't be limited to US military products only. An absolutely senseless and avoidable own goal.

Critics say this is a test case for privatizing public lands. buff.ly/iOq9nxV

Since January 2025, welfare and fraud schemes ripping off the federal government have cost taxpayers $260.7 billion. Makes you wonder what the bureaucracy is actually good for. If anything.

Republicans have bombarded Ohioans with ads with $19 million spent on competitive races through Oct. 12, intended to sell voters on the tax law that had been called the One Big Beautiful Bill. But the message is struggling to connect with voters. wapo.st/4z3oGvU

Fines for a first violation at a home doubled to $500 on Oct. 1, and one postcard to every customer replaced individual warnings, Denver Water said. 9news.com/article/money/cons…

Chiricahua National Monument has officially been redesignated as a national park, becoming America’s 64th national park. Known as the “Wonderland of Rocks,” this spectacular Arizona landscape was shaped by massive volcanic eruptions and years of erosion, creating the towering rock pinnacles that define Chiricahua today.

The National Park Service, together with its official nonprofit and philanthropic partner, @ynpforever, and @Blackstone Infrastructure portfolio company Tallgrass, announces the establishment of a $105 million Conservation and Stewardship Fund, creating a permanent source of support for the long-term stewardship of the world’s first national park. This is the largest single private gift in National Park Service history. The fund will direct resources toward three priorities essential to Yellowstone’s long-term stewardship: advancing conservation and research to extend the reach and impact of the park’s scientific work; enhancing access and visitor experience through investments in infrastructure; and expanding opportunities for Wyoming students and community members to experience Yellowstone. This latter effort will include the establishment of the Tallgrass WYld Yellowstone Initiative, named for the long-time Wyoming energy infrastructure operator with more than a decade of operations in the Cowboy State. The National Park Service will retain full authority over park management decisions, and projects supported through the fund will be consistent with applicable laws, policies and park priorities. Photo credit: Blackstone