Republican vice presidential nominee Sen. JD Vance (R-OH) said during an interview over the weekend that Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump would veto a federal abortion ban if it came across his desk. Vance made the remarks during a Sunday interview on NBC News’ “Meet The Press” when asked about the issue of abortion, which Democrats have turned into one of their top issues heading into the November elections. Host Kristen Welker asked: “Can you commit, Senator, sitting right here with me today, that if you and Donald Trump are elected that you will not impose a federal ban on abortion?” “I can absolutely commit that, Kristen,” Vance said. “And Donald Trump has been as clear about that as possible. I think it’s important to step back and say, ‘What has Donald Trump actually said on the abortion question, and how is it different from what Kamala Harris and the Democrats have said?’ Donald Trump wants to end this culture war over this particular topic.” “Donald Trump’s view is that we want the individual states, and their individual cultures, and their unique political sensibilities to make these decisions because we don’t want to have a nonstop federal conflict over this issue,” he added. “The federal government ought to be focused on getting food prices down, getting housing prices down. Issues, of course, where Kamala Harris has been a total disaster. So I think Donald Trump is right. We want the federal government to focus on these big economic and immigration questions. Let the states figure out their own abortion policies.” When asked if he would veto a federal abortion ban, Vance said: “I think he would. He’s said that explicitly that he would.” WATCH: Kristen Welker: “Can you commit, Senator, sitting right here with me today, that if you and Donald Trump are elected, that you will not impose a federal ban on abortion?” JD Vance: “I can absolutely commit that.” pic.twitter.com/jli8s0y38T — The Post Millennial (@TPostMillennial) August 25, 2024

Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ) said during an interview over the weekend that it was time to “finally kill” the MAGA-wing of the Republican Party which comes a little over a month after a would be assassin tried to murder Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump at a political rally in Pennsylvania. Booker made the remarks during a Sunday interview on CNN’s “State of the Union” when asked by host Jake Tapper how Democrats can claim that Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris is a “new chapter” for the party considering that she is the incumbent in the race. “Democrats have controlled the White House for 12 of the last 16 years,” Tapper said. “How can Democrats talk about a new chapter, turning the page? You guys are the ones writing the book.” “Well, you know that that’s not true, Jake, because you know politics like I do,” Booker claimed. “Right now, we see the MAGA Republicans in Congress killing all kind of pragmatic policies that we need to get done.” Booker falsely claimed that Trump killed the border deal that was proposed in the U.S. Senate when, in reality, it received widespread pushback from across the political Right for being an insufficient response to the crisis that has unfolded under the Biden-Harris administration. “His influence is egregious and incredible, from his appointment of three people to the Supreme Court that are now rolling back the most fundamental of our rights and freedoms, like bodily autonomy and reproductive rights,” he claimed. “So, to say that the MAGA Republicans are not still undermining commonsense, pragmatic, sensible politics is just wrong. And what I know this election can do is finally kill that strain of the Republican Party in a way that I think helps the pragmatic Republicans come back.” Moments after claiming that it was time to “finally kill” MAGA, Booker said that he “can’t stand this tribalism” and the “us versus them” mindset. WATCH: Corey Booker: This election can “finally kill” the MAGA “strain of the Republican Party.” Trump was almost assass*nated weeks ago. A man was arrested last week for another assass*nation plot. Yet they are not going to stop with this kind of incendiary, inflammatory and… pic.twitter.com/3XiAn8a4Y0 — Western Lensman (@WesternLensman) August 25, 2024

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) slammed the Democratic National Convention (DNC) during an interview over the week for being a cesspool of “hate” while trying to sell their presidential nominee, Vice President Kamala Harris, as being the source of “joy.” Graham made the remarks during a Sunday interview on CNN’s “State of the Union” with host Jake Tapper when asked about the large fundraising numbers Democrats have secured over the last several weeks. “If you’re a Republican, you saw a hate fest. You saw a hate fest full of insults,” Graham said. “And Donald Trump said to Barack Obama, you’re a nice man after President Obama insulted and jabbed President Trump continuously. It was designed to draw him into an exchange of insults. It was light on policy, heavy on insults.” “So I told President Trump then and now, you’re going to win this thing if you focus on policy,” he continued. “Americans are not joyful when they go to the gas station and fill up their car. They’re not joyful when they make their mortgage payment. They’re not joyful when they go to the grocery store. People are hurting.” “And this whole joy lovefest doesn’t exist in the real world. Gas was $1.87 a gallon when President Trump left office. We had the most secure border in the last 40 years. Inflation was down, not up, and the world was not on fire,” he added. “So, 60 percent of Americans are not joyful. They believe their country is going in the wrong direction. And I think President Trump offers the best solution to change the trajectory of the country. And, finally, if you’re waiting on Kamala Harris to come up with new policies, you’re going to die of waiting, because she will continue what they have been doing for the last four years.” WATCH:

Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AR) skewered ABC News host Jonathan Karl during an interview on Sunday over false remarks that he made about Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris’ policy positions. The remarks on the network’s “This Week” happened when Cotton correctly pointed out the numerous ways that Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump is different from Harris, who has supported “decriminalizing illegal immigration or giving taxpayer-funded health insurance to illegal aliens or taking away health insurance on the job for 170 million Americans, banning gas cars, confiscating firearms.> “What do you mean taking away health insurance?” Karl snapped at Cotton. “What are you talking about?” “She said when she ran for president that she wants to eliminate private health insurance on the job of 170 million Americans, Jon,” Cotton correctly noted. Karl responded by claiming that that position was “not her position now.” “How do you know that’s not her position? How do you know that’s not her position?” Cotton pressed. Karl claimed that she no longer supports the position, which Harris has not indicated. “She has not said that. She has not said that. She has not said that,” Cotton fired back. “Maybe anonymous aides on a Friday night have said that, but the last thing that she said –” Karl cut off Cotton and claimed that Harris was “not taking the positions of the far left of her party.” “She’s clearly making an effort to move to the middle,” Karl claimed. Cotton noted that during Karl’s interview with Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) that Sanders was “very disappointed” that Harris was trying to “hide her positions.” “The American people are totally justified to conclude that Kamala Harris is a dangerous San Francisco liberal based on what she campaigned on the last time she ran for president and what this administration has done for the last four years,” he said. “Again, you would have thought watching the Democratic convention last week that the Democrats are not in office, that they’re not in power, that they’re campaigning against an incumbent Republican, when in reality she’s been part of the failures of the Biden-Harris administration for four years. And when she campaigned for president in her own right, she did in fact promise things like decriminalizing illegal immigration, taking away —” Karl again cut Cotton off, claiming that Harris has “clearly changed” her positions, which she has not. “No, no, she has not,” Cotton fired back. “Jon, she has not said.” WATCH: On #ThisWeek, @JonKarl unaware of Harris’s stance against private health insurance. When @SenTomCotton notes it, Karl: “What do you mean taking away health insurance? What are talking about?” Then: “That is not her position now….clearly making an effort to move to the middle.” pic.twitter.com/dLk3LEnuCp — Brent Baker ?? ?? (@BrentHBaker) August 25, 2024

Sunflowers are the embodiment of summer, with their towering stalks and bright, cheery blossoms. Aside from their uplifting beauty, sunflowers provide a late-season reward: an abundance of tasty seeds. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced green thumb, gathering sunflower seeds is simple and rewarding. Knowing when to harvest is critical to receiving the best-tasting seeds. Sunflower seeds are typically ready to harvest between late summer and early fall, depending on your growing region. When the vivid yellow petals fade and the flower heads begin to droop, it’s time to prepare. Sunflowers typically bloom and yield mature seeds 80 to 140 days after planting. If your sunflowers bloom in August, you can expect to harvest seeds by September. 5 signs your sunflowers are ready to harvest Timing is critical while gathering sunflower seeds. Harvest too soon, and the seeds will not store well; wait too long, and you risk losing them to other hungry critters or rot. Here are the top signs that your sunflowers are ready for harvest. 1. Yellowing flower heads: The back of the sunflower is the greatest sign. If it is still green, the seeds require additional time. A yellowish-brown tint indicates that they are ready to pluck. 2. Drooping blooms: As the season ends, sunflowers naturally begin to droop. This is a clear indication that the seeds are nearing maturity. 3. Brown leaves: As the plant expends its last energy to develop seeds, the leaves become yellow or brown, indicating the end of the growing season. 4. Wilted petals: As mature sunflowers dry, they begin to drop their petals. This makes it easier to observe how the seeds develop. 5. Well-formed seeds: When seeds are plump and have hard shells that are easy to remove from the flower head, they are ready for harvesting. Step-by-step: harvesting and drying sunflower seeds Harvesting sunflower seeds is a straightforward process, but it requires some patience. Here’s how to do it correctly: 1. Check for ripeness: Keep your sunflowers in the garden until the plant dries up, the petals fall off, and the back of the flower head turns yellow or brown. If birds are eyeing your seeds, cover the flower heads with cheesecloth or a loose paper bag. 2. Harvest the flowers: When the sunflowers begin to droop, use a sharp knife to remove the flower heads off the plant, leaving 6 to 12 inches of stalk attached. 3. Dry the seeds: Tie two or three blossom heads together with thread. Hang these bundles upside down in a cool, dry, dark location with enough air circulation. Let the blooms dry for a few weeks. 4. Collect the seeds: When the sunflowers’ backs turn golden brown and the seeds are easy to dislodge, it’s time to harvest. Place the dried flower heads in a bucket or large basin and remove the seeds with your fingers or a brush. If they’re still sticking, let them dry for a few more days. Enjoying your harvest: preparing sunflower seeds for snacking After you’ve collected your seeds, it’s time to enjoy them! While sunflower seeds are edible uncooked, toasting them improves their flavor and texture. Here’s how. – For plain roasted seeds: Place the seeds on a baking sheet and bake at 400°F for 5 to 7 minutes, until lightly toasted. – For salted seeds: Simmer the seeds in salted water for 15 minutes before baking at 400°F for 10 to 15 minutes until the shells are dry and crisp. Drying and saving seeds for next year If you intend to keep seeds for next year’s garden, allow them to dry completely on the plant or indoors in a cool, dry location. Once dried, remove the seeds from the flower head and keep them in labeled paper envelopes in a cool, dark location until spring. Harvesting sunflower seeds is a rewarding way to wrap up your summer garden. Whether you eat them straight away or save them for next year’s planting, these recommendations will help you get the most out of your sunflower harvest.  The post Harvesting sunflower seeds: a simple guide to enjoying this homegrown summer snack first appeared on The Optimist Daily: Making Solutions the News.

BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM According to the United States Energy Information Administration (EIA), wind and solar energy generated more electricity than coal for the first time in history during the first seven months of the year. This astounding feat, as reported in the EIA’s Monthly Energy Review for July 2024, highlights a substantial shift in the country’s energy environment, with renewables increasingly taking center stage. From January to July 2024, renewable energy outshined coal in terms of electricity output, setting an unprecedented trend. This is a watershed moment in the United States’ ongoing transition to cleaner energy sources, as coal, a long-time cornerstone of the country’s power grid, continues to dwindle. Rising influence of wind and solar Wind energy, in particular, has grown dramatically, exceeding coal in electricity output for two months in a row this year. In March, wind energy installations generated 45.9 gigawatt-hours (GWh) of power, beating coal’s 38.4 GWh. In April, wind energy reached a record high of 47.7 GWh, while coal produced 37.2 GWh. Ric O’Connell, GridLab’s executive director, stressed the significance of this move, saying, “I think it is an important milestone. I think you’re seeing a solar surge and a coal decline and hence the lines are crossing.” This spike in renewable energy is not an isolated event. The United States is on course to add an impressive 36.4 gigawatts of solar utility-scale electric generating capacity in 2024, nearly double the 18.4 gigawatts added the year before. Wind energy production is also on the rise, up about eight percent from 2023. By June 2024, a further 2.5 gigawatts of wind power had been constructed, with another 4.5 gigawatts expected by the end of the year. These initiatives demonstrate the tremendous acceleration of renewable energy infrastructure in the United States. Over the last 25 years, wind energy capacity has increased from 2.4 gigawatts in 2000 to more than 150 gigawatts by spring 2024. Similarly, solar energy capacity has increased by more than 99 gigawatts over the same period. Meanwhile, coal capacity has steadily fallen, reaching 177.1 gigawatts by April 2024, down from 315.1 gigawatts in 2000. Grid resilience under extreme conditions The growing dominance of renewables has also played an important role in improving grid resilience, particularly during severe weather occurrences. As summer temperatures rose in 2024, perhaps making it the hottest year on record, renewable energy sources such as wind and solar helped fulfill rising energy demand without causing substantial disruptions. O’Connell credited wind, solar, and battery storage with stabilizing Texas’ electricity infrastructure during this summer’s heat waves. In California, authorities with the California Independent System Operator (CAISO) praised renewable energy and battery storage for avoiding major power outages, despite the state experiencing the warmest month on record in July. This shift to renewables not only marks a watershed moment in US energy production but also represents a broader trend toward a more robust and sustainable energy future. As the country grapples with the effects of climate change, its reliance on wind, solar, and other renewable sources is expected to become an increasingly important part of its energy strategy.The post Wind and solar energy production in US surpasses coal for the first time in history first appeared on The Optimist Daily: Making Solutions the News.

Friends, when we look to him in our weakness, he certainly does show up. He may not necessarily resolve your own personal weakness by empowering you with strength in the way you are hoping, though he might. But, many times it will be through the aid of another of his children.

What a play

How on earth can you be this bad