Former President Donald Trump said on Monday evening that he would “love” for Elon Musk — the owner of X and CEO of Tesla, SpaceX, Neuralink, and The Boring Company — to work on a new government commission dedicated to eliminating wasteful government spending. Trump made the remark during a conversation with Musk on X Spaces while the two were discussing the root cause of inflation and how to solve the problem. “Inflation comes from government overspending, because the checks never bounce when it’s written by the government,” Musk said. “So if the government spends far more than it brings in, that increases the money supply, and if the money supply increases faster than the rate of goods and services, that’s inflation.” Musk, highlighting the need to reduce spending, then proposed a Government Efficiency Commission that would evaluate all of the government’s spending and cut out spending that was not sensible so that the government can get back to living within its means. “We’re currently adding, I think, a trillion dollars to the deficit every roughly every 100 days,” Musk said. “And you know, the interest payments on the national debt have now exceeded the defense budget.” A few minutes later, Musk asked Trump if he agreed that it was time to create a Government Efficiency Commission to eliminate wasteful spending, to which Trump responded, “yes.” “I think it would be great to just have a Government Efficiency Commission that takes a look at these things and just ensures that the taxpayer money, the taxpayer’s hard earned money, is spent in a good way,” Musk added a few moments later. “And I’d be happy to help out on such a commission if it were formed.” “I’d love it,” Trump responded. “You’re the greatest cutter.” WATCH: Elon Musk tells Trump that he would like to work on a Government Efficiency Commission to cut out wasteful government spending that is driving inflation. Trump responds by saying, “I’d love it” and calls Musk “the greatest cutter” of inefficiencies inside organizations. pic.twitter.com/wiGMy4PfFM — Ryan Saavedra (@RealSaavedra) August 13, 2024

God is right there in our grief. We are not alone. There is comfort in that.

Today as we pray about overcoming our doubts and embracing faith, may we remember that Christ cares about our every concern. He loves us and He is able to do more than we could ever ask or imagine by His power. 

'It's nice to have a forum like this'

Billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk had a long “conversation” Monday night with Donald Trump on his social media platform X, , including offering to help the former president rein in federal spending should he be elected to a second term. In an exchange ith Musk that stretched to two hours, Trump addressed illegal immigration and violent crime, dangerous foreign leaders, the toll of high inflation and taxes, and the need to cut government spending and regulations while encouraging domestic production of oil and natural gas. These topics and more all came up after Musk and Trump dwelled for over 20 minutes on Trump’s narrow escape a month ago from a would-be assassin’s bullets.  Trump did seem to have trouble focusing on Vice President Kamala Harris as his opponent in the Nov. 5 election, after Democrats pressured President Joe Biden to step aside and he endorsed Harris to replace him at the top of the ticket. “She’s a believer in the radical Left,” Trump said at one point,  “and he wasn’t.” The number of those who tuned in during the course of the interview wasn’t clear. Toward the end, X showed 30.6 million were tuned in. Musk has financially supported a pro-Trump political action committee during this race. Though he has not always been a Trump supporter.  Musk has said he was an enthusiastic supporter of Barack Obama, and noted that he reluctantly voted for Biden in 2020. During the Republican presidential primary, Musk supported Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who eventually bowed out. Here are seven key takeaways from the Trump-Musk discussion.  1. ‘Government Efficiency Commission’ “They want the American dream back,” Trump said of Americans at one point, talking about soaring prices for eggs, bacon, milk, and other staples in recent years. Musk focused a bit on something that hasn’t been considered a strong point for Trump on the Right—reining in government spending.  “Inflation is caused by government overspending,” Musk said, then asked: “Would you agree that we need to take a look at government spending, and have perhaps a government efficiency commission that tries to make the spending sensible so that the country lives within its means, just like a person does?”  Trump responded that the government doesn’t routinely negotiate prices the way businesses do, but that he negotiated $1.6 billion in savings on upgrades for Air Force One.  Now, he said, the “dopey suckers” aren’t negotiating government contracts.  Musk pressed again, and this time volunteered his help.  “I think it would be great to just have a government efficiency commission that takes a look at these things and ensures taxpayers’ hard-earned money is spent in a good way,” Musk said. “I’d be happy to help out on such a commission if it were formed.” Trump replied, “I’d love it.” “You, you’re the greatest cutter,” Trump said. “I look at what you do. You walk in, I won’t mention the name, they go on strike and you say, ‘That’s OK. You’re all gone.’ You would be very good. You would love it.” The Kamala Harris HQ responded in a post on X: “Trump praises billionaire Elon Musk for firing workers who were striking for better pay and working conditions.” Trump praises billionaire Elon Musk for firing workers who were striking for better pay and working conditions pic.twitter.com/4ZGWHV49Mw— Kamala HQ (@KamalaHQ) August 13, 2024 2. ‘Made Me More of a Believer’ Musk began the conversation by asking Trump about the attempted assassination at a July 13 campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. A bullet grazed his right ear, the former president recalled, as he turned slightly to talk about an oversize chart showing illegal immigration numbers during the Trump-Pence administration years with the much higher numbers of the Biden-Harris administration.  “It was a bigger miracle that I was looking directly at the shooter, so [the bullet] hit me at an angle that was far less destructive than any other miracle,” Trump told Musk in the audio interview on X.  One rallygoer was killed and two others wounded by the shooter, and Trump expressed sorrow that they were hit by bullets meant for him. “For those people that don’t believe in God, I think we’ve all got to start thinking about that,” Trump said. “I’m a believer, but it’s made me more of a believer, I think. A lot of great people have said that to me, actually. It was amazing that I happened to be turned at that perfect angle.” Musk, who endorsed Trump after the attempt to kill him, called him “courageous” Monday night for standing up and pumping his fist after being hit.  3. ‘Illegal Immigration Saved My Life’ The two talked about the shooting at some length, dwelling on the large chart depicting unlawful border crossings that led Trump to tilt his head in a certain direction.  “Illegal immigration saved my life,” Trump said at one point, prompting laughter from Musk.  Trump regularly campaigns on restoring border security and keeping criminal gangs and drug traffickers from entering the country. The former president also has promised the “largest deportation effort” in history to send home illegal aliens admitted by the Biden-Harris administration.  Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., had his staff create the original chart for use during a hearing.  “I’ll be sleeping with that chart. That chart was very important for a lot of reasons,” Trump said.  He mentioned several times that Harris had the unofficial title of “border czar” after Biden assigned her early in 2021 to determine the root causes of illegal immigration, a problem that then worsened.  “I saw an ad from Kamala talking about providing border security,” Trump said. “Where has she been for three and a half years?” “We’re already overwhelmed, Elon. We’re overwhelmed,” the former president said at another point, speaking of illegal aliens admitted by the Biden-Harris administration. 4. ‘Dragged Him Behind the Barn’ Later, Musk used the word “shot” in a figurative way in describing how Democrats forced Biden out of the 2024 race, using a metaphor for putting an injured farm animal out of its misery.  “This was a coup of the president of the United States,” Trump said of Biden, then referred to other top Democrats. “He didn’t want to leave and they said, ‘We can do this the nice way or do this hard way.’” Musk concurred, saying metaphorically that Biden was shot.  “They just took him out back behind the shed and basically shot him,” Musk said.  Trump began to say, “What they did to this guy … ,” before clarifying that he didn’t want to defend Biden too much.  “I’m not a fan of his, and he was a horrible president, the worst president in history,” Trump said, sounding a familiar theme.  5. ‘Defective Government’ Trump ridiculed the Biden-Harris administration as “defective.” “We have a defective government. These are defective people,” the 45th president said.  Later, Trump said that in some ways, the U.S. government has become worse than its enemies.  “We have some really bad people in our government,” Trump said. “I’d say they’re more dangerous than Russia or China. We need a smart president, a president that gets it. We are not in danger from those countries because they need us and they need our help.” Musk did most of the asking of questions during the exchange. However, at one point Trump asked Musk: “You think Biden could do this interview? You think that Kamala could do this interview?” Musk laughed and responded, “No. They could not.” Trump replied, “It’s pretty sad.” “Yes. Absolutely,” Musk agreed. 6. ‘Iron Dome’ for America Trump said Biden’s comments have made the world less safe, including the president’s talk of Ukraine joining the NATO alliance even as Russia dug in with its invasion of the former Soviet republic.  “Biden had a low IQ 30 years ago. He’s very low IQ now,” Trump said.  “It was so bad the words he was using,” Trump said of Biden. “The stupid threats coming from his stupid face. It could lead to World War III.” Musk asserted: “People underrate the risk of World War III,” and added, “It’s game over for humanity.” Trump argued that the biggest threat facing humanity isn’t climate change or global warming, but “nuclear warming.” Trump brought up an “Iron Dome” for America, using the name of the antimissile system Israel developed as a shield to foil the rocket attacks of its enemies. “Why shouldn’t we have an Iron Dome?” Trump said. “Israel has an Iron Dome.” 7. President’s ‘Vegetable Stage’ “Now Biden is close to vegetable stage, in my opinion,” Trump said bluntly at one point, perhaps alluding to those who argue that Harris should have succeeded Biden as president by now, rather than just replace him on the ballot.  “I looked at him on the beach [in photos over the weekend] and I thought why would anyone allow him—the guy could barely walk. Does he have a political adviser that thinks this looks good?” Trump said.  “He can’t lift the chair,” Trump added. “The chair weighs about three ounces! It’s meant for children and old people.” Musk replied, “It’s clearly like we don’t have a president right now.” Trump added of Harris and her record as vice president, senator, and California attorney general: “And she’s worse than him.” Ken McIntyre contributed to this report. The post 7 Takeaways From Trump’s ‘Conversation’ With Elon Musk appeared first on The Daily Signal.

These delicious Fried Apple Pies are made with a thick and perfectly spiced homemade apple pie filling encased in a crispy, flaky, golden brown crust! A HANDHELD APPLE PIE DESSERT Do you remember the old fried apple pies at McDonald’s? When they actually deep fried them? This recipe will take you back to those days! Everything you love about an apple pie all squished into a handheld easy to eat treat. If you’re feeling like a glazed piece of pie, that’s an option. Maybe you just want a sugar and cinnamon dusted pie (like they did at McDonald’s), that’s an option too! So many ways to make this treat. These Fried Apple Pies are just what every apple pie lover needs! FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:  Why did my pie filling leak out? Typically this happens if you overfill the hand pies with the pie filling. You really need to resist the urge to do that, otherwise, it makes it harder to seal them and that risks them overflowing. Be sure to double check the seal before you fry them to help prevent any spilling or burning. What do I do if my pie crust has started to warm up as I’m working with them? When the pie crust stops being cool to the touch, it can get harder to work with and tear easier as you handle them. Pop the filled pies on a plate and store them in the fridge while you are heating the oil.  What’s the best way to serve these? These pies are best eaten fresh. The cinnamon sugar dusted pies can be served warm. Store any leftovers in an airtight container for up to 2 days.  Can I make these in the Air Fryer? Yes, you can! Please see my recipe for Air Fryer Apple Hand Pies on instructions for how to do that. Can I make these Fried Apple Pies in the oven? Yes, it’s possible to make these in the oven. But, again, be warned that these won’t get as crispy as they would be if made frying in oil. They won’t look like the pictures below.Assemble your pies as normal, then place on a parchment lined baking sheet and bake at 400 F for 20 minutes. Start to check about 15 minutes into the baking process to ensure that they aren’t going to burn. If you need to, tent them with foil to prevent them from burning while still giving them some time to bake. You may need to flip while baking. Can I use canned pie filling? Yes, instead of making your own homemade Apple Pie Filling, you can use a canned version. Additionally, you can change the apple pie filling to other canned fruit fillings if desired. How should I serve Fried Apple Pies? You’ll see in my pictures below, I give a couple of options. You can dip them in cinnamon sugar as soon as they come out of the fryer (this will help the coating stick better if it is done immediately after) or you can coat them with a sweet glaze or even just dip them in some caramel sauce! What’s the best way to store leftovers? Store any leftovers in an airtight container for up to 2 days. You can freeze them in a freezer safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating in the oven or Air Fryer. INGREDIENTS NEEDED: (SEE RECIPE CARD BELOW FOR THE FULL RECIPE) Granny Smith apples– peeled, cored, and diced. If you prefer, other apple varieties can be used. brown sugar – for a richer flavor, you can use dark brown sugar. I just used light brown sugar here. water  butter  – you want real butter here – not margarine. cinnamon and nutmeg – I love the combination of both of these together. You could also substitute both of them for apple pie spice. cornstarch  vanilla extract  salt  ready-made pie crusts– you can also use homemade pie crust or other options discussed in the Frequently Asked Question section above. powdered sugar  milk  granulated sugar  HOW TO MAKE FRIED APPLE PIES In a medium saucepan, combine the diced apples, sugar, butter, cinnamon, nutmeg, and a pinch of salt. Cook over medium heat until the apples are tender, about 5-7 minutes. In a small bowl, create a slurry by mixing the cornstarch with the water until completely combined. Add the slurry to the apple mixture and cook until thickened about 2-3 minutes.  Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla extract. Set aside and let the filling cool. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the ready-made pie crusts. We used a 4-inch round glass but you can use a cookie cutter if you have one. If you would like larger pies use a 5-inch cutter. Cut out circles from the pie crusts. Re-roll the pie crust if necessary.  Place about 1 Tablespoon of the apple filling in the center of each dough circle. Fold the dough over to create a half-moon shape and press the edges with a fork to seal. Brush the edges with a little water before pressing with a fork to ensure the pies seal well. Heat about 2 inches of oil in a deep skillet or pot to 350°F (175°C). Carefully place about 2 pies at a time (if you have a larger skillet you can fry more. Fry until golden brown, about 2-3 minutes flipping at the halfway mark. Use a slotted spoon to remove the pies and drain them on paper towels. To glaze pies: In a small bowl, mix the powdered sugar with milk (and vanilla extract, if using) until smooth, and drizzle the glaze over the cooled pies. To dust the pies: In a small bowl, mix the granulated sugar and cinnamon.While the pies are still warm, sprinkle them with the cinnamon sugar mixture.  CRAVING MORE RECIPES?  Mini Cherry Cheesecake Pies Beef and Potato Hand Pies Air Fryer Apple Hand Pies Air Fryer Blueberry Hand Pies Christmas Tree Hand Pies Print Fried Apple Pies These delicious Fried Apple Pies are made with a thick and perfectly spiced homemade apple pie filling encased in a crispy, flaky, golden brown crust! Course DessertCuisine American Prep Time 20 minutes minutesCook Time 15 minutes minutesTotal Time 35 minutes minutes Servings 14 servings Calories 198kcal Author Brandie @ The Country Cook Ingredients2 medium Granny Smith apples peeled, cored, and diced¼ cup brown sugar1 ½ Tablespoons water1 Tablespoon butter½ teaspoon cinnamon¼ teaspoon nutmeg1 ½ teaspoons cornstarch1 Tablespoon water1 teaspoon vanilla extractpinch of saltFor the Pies:2 ready-made pie crusts (you can also use homemade pie crust)For Glazing:1 cup powdered sugar2-3 Tablespoons milk½ teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)For Cinnamon Sugar Dusting:¼ cup granulated sugar1 teaspoon ground cinnamonFor Frying:oil for frying (vegetable or canola oil work just fine) InstructionsIn a medium saucepan, combine the diced apples, sugar, butter, cinnamon, nutmeg, and a pinch of salt. Cook over medium heat until the apples are tender, about 5-7 minutes. In a small bowl, create a slurry by mixing the cornstarch with the water until completely combined.Add the slurry to the apple mixture and cook until thickened about 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla extract. Set aside and let the filling cool.On a lightly floured surface, roll out the ready-made pie crusts. We used a 4-inch round glass but you can use a cookie cutter if you have one. If you would like larger pies use a 5-inch cutter. Cut out circles from the pie crusts. Re-roll the pie crust if necessary. Place a 1 tablespoon of the apple filling in the center of each dough circle. Fold the dough over to create a half-moon shape and press the edges with a fork to seal. Brush the edges with a little water before pressing with a fork to ensure the pies seal well. Heat about 2 inches of oil in a deep skillet or pot to 350°F (175°C).Carefully place about 2 pies at a time (if you have a larger skillet you can fry more. Fry until golden brown, about 2-3 minutes flipping at the halfway mark.Use a slotted spoon to remove the pies and drain them on paper towels. To glaze pies: In a small bowl, mix the powdered sugar with milk (and vanilla extract, if using) until smooth, and drizzle the glaze over the cooled pies. To dust the pies: In a small bowl, mix the granulated sugar and cinnamon. While the pies are still warm,sprinkle them with the cinnamon sugar mixture. Notes Please refer to my FAQ’s (Frequently Asked Questions) and ingredient list above for other substitutions or for the answers to the most common questions. NutritionCalories: 198kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 7g | Sodium: 109mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 19g

ALBANY, N.Y. —  A judge ruled Monday that independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s name should not appear on New York's ballot, saying that he falsely claimed a New York residence…

✅ Introducing JudoNoah! JOIN US! Tap Here to see what it’s all about! As soon today’s highly-anticipated Donald Trump-Elon Musk interview went live, it crashed, preventing people from accessing…

✅ Introducing JudoNoah! JOIN US! Tap Here to see what it’s all about! Yesterday, we brought you a story about the British police chief threatening to extradite and arrest Elon Musk over things he…

✅ Introducing JudoNoah! JOIN US! Tap Here to see what it’s all about! Elon Musk response to a letter from the EU echoes how most of us Americans feel when it comes to their threats, telling us what…