The thing that gives you shivers is the sound. Despite light being faster, it's the vibration of the rocket that makes you realize just what a big deal this is. You can see the light from the rocket in the sky, stunning without a doubt, but it’s in the following seconds as the soundwaves catch up with the view that you (the building, and the jungle of French Guiana) reverberate with the roar. Making that roar is Ariane 6, Europe’s new way to get to space. The inaugural launch of Ariane 6 – the European Space Agency's (ESA) big new rocket – was a great success, despite the full mission concluding slightly earlier due to a technical issue, and IFLScience was right there to witness it.                                 The rocket flew as expected, releasing the payload and coasting in space for almost two hours before a test in the demonstration phase did not fully succeed. ESA and partner ArianeGroup were hoping to demonstrate the ability to reignite the Vinci engine on the upper stage in space. This is helped by an “auxiliary propulsion unit" (APU). Unfortunately, it didn’t work as planned, starting as expected but then turning itself off, leaving the upper stage in orbit. The Vinci engine problem didn’t dampen the mood in the room at all though. The atmosphere was electric and celebrations were definitely warranted. "We don't know why it stopped," Martin Sion, CEO of ArianeGroup, said in the post-flight press conference, that we attended. Analysis over the coming weeks will hopefully provide an understanding of what happened and a solution for the next test of this new technology. Speaking with the engineering team earlier this week, they remarked on the uncertainties of this phase of the flight. You can’t simulate microgravity to test an engine on Earth. You need to get to space.  The Vinci engine problem didn’t dampen the mood in the room at all though. The atmosphere was electric and celebrations were definitely warranted. This heavy launcher and the upcoming flights of the medium launcher Vega-C bring Europe back to the forefront of orbital deliveries. “I mean this is incredible! With Ariane 6, we are regaining access to space,” Dr Josef Aschbacher, ESA Director General, told IFLScience in an exclusive interview after the launch. “Satellites are used for everyday life, for weather forecasting, navigation, telecommunications; many things where people depend daily on the data or information from the satellites. Ariane 6 is necessary to launch these satellites.”It’s Been A Long RoadThe rocket did take longer than expected to get here, with several delays over the years. Ahead of the inaugural launch, however, the mood was serene and confident. The day after the launch the vibe was that the delays gave them the time to get so much of it right. “We have done everything that could be done,” Toni Tolker-Nielsen, ESA Director of Space Transportation, told IFLScience, a sentiment immediately emphasized by Lucía Linares, ESA Head of Strategy and Institutional Launches, with an even stronger “Everything!”There is always a residual risk when it comes to space flight but the success of this historic inaugural launch is a testament to the hard work of the many people and organizations that worked on this rocket. Yesterday’s performance shows that Ariane 6 is a worthy successor to Ariane 5, the launcher that took to space some of the most groundbreaking astronomy missions of this century, including JWST. It was incredible to experience a launch in person.Image credit: Dr Alfredo Carpineti/IFLScienceThe new rocket goes above and beyond the enormous successes of its predecessor. Ariane 6 is bigger but lighter, which matters enormously in rocket science. Every gram you take up needs extra fuel to get to orbit. It's cheaper, it's more capable, and it is more environmentally friendly, although the full analysis of that also depends on yesterday’s data. There is going to be a second launch this year, likely in December, and then the launch schedule massively ramps up: six launches next year, eight in 2026, and then a regular of nine launches every year. ESA says it's staying booked and busy when it comes to Ariane 6.Geopolitics and competitionThat said, a spot just became available. Last week, the European Organisation for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites (EUMETSAT) decided to launch with SpaceX and not with Ariane 6, a decision described as “surprising” by Aschbacher. During the press conference, the mission team made clear that all the requirements for the launch of EUMETSAT were achieved within the first 18 minutes of the inaugural flight. The comparisons between this new rocket and SpaceX's Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy is a matter of intense debate online, in the sector, and in political halls across the member states of the European Space Agency. When Ariane 6 was conceived, SpaceX had not demonstrated that rockets can be reused on such a scale. A decade later, the Falcon fleet has that advantage compared to the latest Ariane, which gives them a financial edge in most configurations. This doesn’t mean that Ariane 6 is always a step behind SpaceX. In the Ariane 64 version (with four boosters), the European rocket has a payload edge. Not all SpaceX rocket launches are designed with recovery in mind, but in those where it is, Ariane 64 can bring more payload. This is because the reusable version needs to take into account the fuel to safely bring back the rockets and booster, and that eats at the payload capability. More payload can be taken on Falcon Heavy in its expendable variation, but it is more costly than Ariane 64.“We would like to make [Ariane 6] even cheaper and more versatile, to make sure we are ready for the future,” Dr Aschbacher told us in our discussion. He also mentioned the European Launcher Challenge bringing the commercial contract model that NASA has with SpaceX and Boeing to European launches. For that one, reusable rockets are seen as the logical step forward. Despite the comparison with what private industries Stateside are doing, Ariane 6 brought down costs by almost half compared to Ariane 5. Crucial to that has been taking lessons from the airways industry, such as horizontal assembly which allows for the mission engineers to speed up the testing, production, and assembly of each rocket.                                It is then moved to the Mobile Gantry building, a feat of engineering here at the Guiana Space Center. Unlike the launches at Florida's Kennedy Space Center where the rocket is brought to the launchpad from an assembly building, here it is the building that moves away from the launchpad. On the days of testing or launch its massive doors open (it's 90 meters high), freeing the rocket. It weighs more than 8,200 tons – “more than the metallic frame of the Eiffel Tower” an excited ESA engineer told me just before we saw it move.  Leaving The Earth… But In A Better StateIn the days and hours before the launch, the environmental considerations that went into the creation, transportation, and launch of Ariane 6 came up over and over again from different angles. Europe’s Spaceport is just on the outskirts of the city of Kourou, French Guaina but it is mostly tropical rainforest. Being just 5 degrees north from the equator – a very useful place for launch – and having a secure area of 690 square kilometers (266 square miles) with minimal presence of humans and buildings makes for a great nature reserve. Red deers, tapirs, and jaguars have been caught on camera traps here. There are also capybaras and a wide variety of birds, and of course sloths like Gérard who became famous for strolling into the livestream of ESA's JUICE launch on Ariane 5 last year. We have not seen a sloth but have seen monkeys and a stowawayfrog jumped on me on a bus. In terms of launch safety, Helene Escarguel, the Launch Range Mission Manager and Massimiliano Costantini, the Weather and Flight Safety Department Manager, made it crystal clear that if there was any danger for people or the environment due to an unexpected change in the trajectory of the rocket, they were ready to pull the plug. The possibility of having to blow up the rocket was there, but the risk to people was minimal as winds and weather conditions were monitored to the last second to make sure, nobody would be at risk. Those explanations felt very important in light of several environmental concerns raised after SpaceX's inaugural Starship launch. The spacecraft was detonated in flight and its pieces rained down on the Texas coast starting an official investigation. The launchpad was blown to pieces due to some features missing, the reason circulating being the launch was moved forward to allow CEO Elon Musk to make a weed joke (the test took place on April 20 eg 4/20).ESA is extremely clear that it wants to have minimal impact both on Earth and in space. The plan was to use the reignited engine to bring the upper stage down into Point Nemo in the Pacific. The space agency has a Zero Debris policy,  which is difficult to square with yesterday’s mishap. The engine failure meant it had to remain up there. However, the automatic system stopped the release of two payloads that were going to test the reentry. At least there is only one piece of space junk from this launch instead of multiple.                                 Ariane 6’s launchpad is designed to limit its carbon footprint and reuse the water in the deluge system over and over again. The rocket parts are built in Europe but they are delivered to French Guiana via a partially wind-powered cargo ship, and the hydrogen fuel is produced using solar power and water. This approach reduces the carbon emissions by 80 percent. A more detailed environmental impact analysis will be produced in the coming weeks, but the agency has big goals for the space center and its launches. “We work a lot on the greening of the site. We really invest a lot and by the end of this decade we will have a 90 percent reduction in the carbon footprint, which is quite enormous,” Dr Aschbacher told IFLScience. The future of Ariane 6 is not just green; several important scientific missions will reach space thanks to it. From delivering planet-hunting Plato to the first gravitational-wave observatory in space, LISA, this rocket will have a major impact on space and astronomy in the years to come. Experiencing the roar of the rocket launching was thrilling but it is the culmination of the work of so many people, the challenges, and even the politics that truly tell you that it was indeed a big deal. 

While not the barnburner for the ages that we saw on Monday, Tuesday’s White House press briefing was more staid as if someone (or some people) had a chat or talkin’ to, but they weren’t without hardballs for the ever-inept Karine Jean-Pierre on the Biden regime’s ever-shifting excuses and narratives on the President’s cognitive impairment. Fox’s Peter Doocy most notably was called on as Jean-Pierre was so tense with other reporters on Monday she avoided her chief sparring partner. Doocy started off with his trademark opening baseline that one might think is an easier question: “Does President Biden commit to serving a full second term if reelected?” After Jean-Pierre said “yes”, Doocy wanted to know what was up with Biden telling Democratic governors last week that while his health is fine, “it’s just his brain” that’s not working as well anymore and it best functions before 8:00 p.m.  Jean-Pierre tried to pass it off as a joke and no big deal, but Doocy used this to wonder who at the White House would decide to react if “the Pentagon at some point picked up an incoming nuke” at 11 p.m.  Doocy also tried to drill down on the curious journey of Hunter Biden into White House meetings as well as whether the White House isn’t testing Biden for dementia or Parkinson’s Disease because they’d recognize any diagnosis as an immediate death knell to the presidency:     Rewinding to the beginning, the AP’s Seung Min Kim led off with some touch questions of her own that, since the briefing, proved to be even more pertinent and exposed another White House lie as Jean-Pierre insisted neurologist Dr. Kevin Cannard’s White House visits weren’t additional stops concerning Biden’s health (when, in fact, one in January was) (click “expand”): KIM: [The letter from Dr. O’Connor] didn’t seem to explicitly describe in nature Dr. Cannard’s meeting with Dr. O’Connor. Can you say whether that one meeting was related to care for the President himself? JEAN-PIERRE: I can say that it was not. KIM: Okay. That’s great. And can I just ask why that information that was released last night — JEAN-PIERRE: Yeah. KIM: — just wasn’t said at the briefing yesterday. JEAN-PIERRE: Well, no, actually a lot of what is in the letter was said at the briefing, to be very, very clear. I said many of the things that were laid out in the letter — actually was repeated right here behind this lectern — at this podium yesterday. It was — KIM: The letter didn’t say that. JEAN-PIERRE: — wait — hold on — I said many of the things — many clarification. And we got cleric — cleric — clarification obviously from Dr. O’Connor but it was in line with what I said when I said only three visits — right — I said only three visits that this particular doctor had. I said a neurologist. What I was not able to confirm is the name and the reason why and the reason is because we do not share private information. That is something we respect and we wanted to make sure we protected our consultants here that work with the White House medical unit — their security as well. And so, that is the one thing I was not able to confirm. Obviously, Dr. O’Connor’s letter confirms that but we had to get permission from Dr. Cannard and also the President in order to put that information and it is not normal and that also states that in Dr. O’Connor — but many of the things that I said right here at this podium is in the letter. Kim also called out Jean-Pierre for having yet another instance “where the briefing had prompted a need for later clarification on questions about the President’s health.” Jean-Pierre interjected to claim she’s said “a lot of things” that were in the letter and those in the press “incorrectly assumed and insinuated that the president had seen Dr. Cannard more than three times.” Biden regime potted plant Mary Bruce of ABC stated her concern for her friend in the Oval Office: “[H]ow worried is the President that despite his best efforts, he’s not going to be able to close the book on these concerns?” Having taken a far tougher line in briefings since the debate, CNN’s M.J. Lee repeatedly grilled Jean-Pierre on whether she’d “reconsider any specific statements that you might have made” as of late (i.e. whether you want to apologize for lying): CNN’s @MJ_Lee: “The White House has obviously fielded a lot questions in recent days about the President's health, whether the White house has forthcoming or not about that issue. And I just wondered, have the last 12 days made you reconsider any specific statements that you… pic.twitter.com/zQ121IXT1A — Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) July 9, 2024 Lee specifically brought up how Jean-Pierre handled two signs of Biden’s mental decline with one being him calling out for a Republican congresswoman even though she had recently died and reports he skipped a dinner with world leaders because he needed to go to bed:     NBC’s Gabe Gutierrez came after Doocy and one of his questions was one that’s been batted around in the weeks since the debate: If Biden had a cold, why in the world was he shaking hands, taking pictures, and visiting a Waffle House afterwards? NBC’s @GabeGutierrez: “The White House and also the campaign has said that he had a cold that night. He then went to a watch party afterwards, which you have brought up. I was at that watch party. If he did have a cold, why then push him to another event where he spent some 45… pic.twitter.com/xwRG1N1zb9 — Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) July 9, 2024 CBS’s Ed O’Keefe was back at it following his explosive throwdown with Jean-Pierre a day earlier and, after someone clearly got to him, toned it down. That said, however, he had this important question concerning one of Biden’s many troubling answers in his ABC interview (click “expand”): O’KEEFE: One thing I don’t think we have gotten public clarification about yet. JEAN-PIERRE: Yeah? O’KEEFE: In the interview Friday night, he was asked, did you watch the debate and he said, ‘I don’t think I did, no.’ Did he watch the full debate — JEAN-PIERRE: You know — O’KEEFE: — or what of it has he watched? JEAN-PIERRE: — that’s a good question. I should — I didn’t — never followed up with him and I meant to. I have not asked him that question. I was there in the room when he was being asked the question. I just never followed up. You know, that is something that, you know, we could follow up with him on. I have not. O’KEEFE: Okay. JEAN-PIERRE: I’m sure he’s seen clips. I’m sure he’s seen clips. I just — I haven’t — I haven’t had — asked him that full question. O’KEEFE: Hard — hard to avoid them. So, I could — yeah. One other thing that’s come up just — JEAN-PIERRE: Yeah, it’s getting round — round the clock coverage — right — from all of you. In one comical moment, Jean-Pierre had this to say about Biden and access to the media: KJP to ABC's @KarenTravers earlier: “I know we say this and I know sometimes you guys don't believe us, but [President Biden] does want to engage with you all. He does want to talk more to the press, and so, now we're — we're certainly going to continue to create opportunities… pic.twitter.com/IrfRQLE96d — Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) July 9, 2024 The briefing ended with this eye-rolling bit from Jean-Pierre about Biden being a working class underdog in response to a question from AFP’s Aurelia End, who observed Biden’s been more combative and disgusted with critics: .@AureliaEndAFP : “So, we — we've seen the President like being on the ground more, but we've also heard a slightly new tone from him. He said he was frustrated with the elites of his party. He dismissed [inaudible]. He criticized media coverage, saying that journalists get… pic.twitter.com/JEknreWo8g — Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) July 9, 2024 To see the relevant transcript from the July 9 briefing (including even more quesitons), click here.

Who makes decisions after President Joe Biden goes to bed? That's the pressing question Fox News senior correspondent Peter Doocy confronted the White House with on Tuesday.Last week, Biden told a group of Democratic governors that he plans to stop working after 8 p.m. so that he can go to bed early. 'He has a team that lets him know of any news that is pertinent and important to the American people.'The comments raised eyebrows after Biden's debate preparation schedule was made public: He didn't begin preparations until 11 a.m., and his staff always scheduled him an afternoon nap. Biden, moreover, typically has a late start to his work day and has few evening events scheduled. He also has a history of missing evening meetings on international trips.At the White House press briefing, Doocy asked the natural follow-up question to Biden's schedule, which is much less robust than those his predecessors maintained."Say that the Pentagon at some point picks up an incoming nuke; it's 11:00 p.m. Who do you call? The first lady?" Doocy asked.White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre could have answered the question any number of ways. One might have expected her to say that in such a critical situation, staffers would awaken the president so that he could carry out his constitutional duty as commander in chief.But she didn't take that route."He has a team that lets him know of any news that is pertinent and important to the American people," she responded. "He has someone — or — that is decided, obviously, with his National Security Council on who gets to tell him that news."A team.Doocy presumably invoked first lady Jill Biden because former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R) revealed this week that he attended White House meetings at which she was present. This, of course, is highly unusual. Later in the briefing, Doocy asked Jean-Pierre about the first lady's presence at those meetings, and she denied that Jill makes any decisions for her husband.It is notable, however, that Jean-Pierre did not dispute McCarthy's claim that Jill attends Oval Office meetings. Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

A mob of illegal immigrants who allegedly assaulted New York Police Department officers while they were attempting to check in on unsupervised children were recently indicted, Fox News Digital reported Tuesday.According to prosecutors, six suspects — Juan Munoz, 25; Alejandro Munoz, 42; Karina Navarro-Chavez, 42; Miguel Chiluisa, 23; Cristian Taipe, 30; and Natali Iza, 27 — were charged with attempted assault in the first degree, attempted gang assault in the first and second degrees, and other crimes related to the attack.'My office will vigorously prosecute.'The New York Post previously reported that the group was outside a Queens hotel that was converted into a shelter for illegal aliens when the assault occurred around 4:20 a.m. on June 17. Two NYPD officers were attempting to check in on three unattended children riding bicycles outside the shelter when the suspects surrounded them and began punching, kicking, and throwing objects.Chiluisa was also charged with second- and third-degree escape. Both Chiluisa and Iza are facing two counts of fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon.Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz stated, "Two police officers, who were checking on the welfare of unattended children at 4:20 a.m., were allegedly surrounded and punched and kicked by a group of adults in an assault outside a Long Island City hotel.""My office will vigorously prosecute those who harm members of law enforcement, and we will hold these defendants responsible for their alleged actions," Katz added.Fox News Digital reported that Iza allegedly pushed and struck one of the officers who approached the children. Iza also reportedly hit an officer with a bicycle. Chiluisa was accused of throwing and striking an officer with a children's bike. Navarro-Chavez was accused of striking an officer with an unknown object.Chiluisa allegedly attempted to flee the scene after being handcuffed. He was apprehended a short time later. Law enforcement stated that one of the handcuffs had been broken.Both of the officers were treated at a nearby hospital for their injuries, which included shoulder pain and abrasions.A large mob of illegal alien males attacked two NYPD officers earlier this year outside a shelter in Times Square. The brutal scuffle was caught on video. Six of the illegal immigrants were offered plea deals by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg's office.Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

Los Angeles police said at least two suspects entered a home in the 11600 block of Addison Street in the neighborhood of Valley Village around 3 p.m. Monday.Police said when the resident noticed the suspects inside his home, he grabbed a semi-automatic handgun.The homeowner was not arrested and isn't facing any charges as of Tuesday, KTTV said.One suspect confronted the resident and "dispersed pepper spray," police said.Of course, one should never bring pepper spray to a gunfight.Police said the resident fired several rounds, striking one suspect, and the wounded suspect remained at the scene until police and paramedics arrived. Police said the second suspect fled the location and entered a waiting vehicle.The wounded suspect was taken to a local hospital and was in critical but stable condition, police said. KTTV-TV said the suspect was shot in the neck.Police said the resident was taken to a local hospital where he was treated for minor injuries; KTTV said the homeowner and the suspects were involved in a scuffle.Police said the suspect in custody has been identified as 35-year-old Chucks Chukwudi, who will be "booked for the appropriate criminal charges as the investigation continues and his medical condition allows."Chukwudi has an extensive criminal record for burglary, robbery, and firearm possession, KTTV said, adding that he was recently on probation.Police said North Hollywood detectives are working to identify all other suspects involved, and it's believed the suspects are connected with other burglaries in the North Hollywood community.KTTV, citing sources, reported that the wife of the 56-year-old homeowner had left the house, and police believe the suspects — assuming the home was unoccupied — broke in through a sliding glass door."Yeah, crazy, middle of the afternoon," one neighbor told KTTV. "Not the time you would expect it, you know, curious how it all unfolded and came to be. I hope it all goes as it should for him. Somebody protecting their property doesn't always go that way, you know, especially more so here, I think, than other places."The homeowner was not arrested and isn't facing any charges as of Tuesday, KTTV said.Detectives want those with information that could lead to the identification of additional suspects to contact LAPD North Hollywood Detectives at 818-754-8410. During nonbusiness hours or on weekends, calls should be directed to 1-877-LAPD-24-7 (877-527-3247). Anyone wishing to remain anonymous should call the L.A. Regional Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (800-222-8477) or go directly to www.lacrimestoppers.org. Tipsters may download the “P3 Tips” mobile application and select the L.A. Regional Crime Stoppers as their local program. Home invasion turns violent in San Fernando Valley youtu.be Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

The Tennessee-based retail chain Tractor Supply Co., established in 1938, fell captive to DEI and other systems ostensibly crafted to maximize corporate compliance with leftist ideology. As Carmel Richardson recently noted in Compact magazine, the company not only required its employees to undergo compulsory "LGBTQIA+ training" but funded sex-change mutilations through its health plan and sponsored so-called "family-friendly" transvestite performances. Having undoubtedly gleaned insights into corporations' low tolerance for consumer backlash from the Bud Light saga, conservative filmmaker Robby Starbuck and others campaigned to test Tractor Supply's commitment to race-obsessive policies, gender ideology, and an altogether alienating radical worldview. Realizing that such commitments were unpopular with its customer base, Tractor Supply quickly abandoned its woke posturing, announcing on June 27 that it had taken "this feedback to heart." The company revealed that it would no longer submit data to the mammoth LGBT activist group known as the Human Rights Campaign; would eliminate "DEI roles and retire [its] current DEI goals"; withdraw its carbon emission goals; and refocus its team member engagement groups on mentoring, networking, and supporting the business. While this singular battle against woke was won in short order, the broader war rages on. Starbuck shared a video to X on Tuesday, indicating that the next battle would be aimed at liberating John Deere. Deere & Company is listed on the New York Stock Exchange as DE — a stock that has taken a tumble in recent months. The conservative filmmaker noted that John Deere "has been one of the most beloved brands by conservative farmers but recently on CEO John May's watch, they've gone woke." Starbuck cited the company's sponsorship of pride events for children, its expectation that employees state their "preferred pronouns" -- "such as he/him/his, she/her/hers, they/them/theirs" -- in all communications, and its commitment to DEI policies as three of several signs of the company's ideological capture. According to the company's code of business conduct, employees are expected to support diversity, equity, and inclusion and complete "required diversity awareness training to better understand [their] responsibilities in this area." 'John Deere seems to have forgotten who their customers are.' Last year, Human Rights Campaign gave John Deere a score of 95 out of possible 100. According to the LGBT lobby group, Deere & Co. provides "four LGBTQ+ internal training elements (including an intersectionality training)"; provides at "least one LGBTQ+ inclusive data collection effort"; provides "Gender Transition Guidelines and ata least one additional transgender inclusive policy or practice for its employees"; has "either an LGBTQ+ Employee Resource Group or an LGBTQ+ Inclusive Diversity Council"; has at least five distinct "LGBTQ+ efforts of Outreach or Engagement to Broader LGBTQ+ Community"; follows "an LGBTQ+ Supplier Non-Discrimination policy ... and an LGBTQ+ inclusive philanthropic giving guideline"; and has an employment non-discrimination policy that "includes sexual orientation and gender identity for all operations." Besides the company's apparent efforts to pander to LGBT activists, Starbuck took issue with John Deere's apparent de-prioritization of American workers, noting that "Deere also just announced layoffs in the US and that they plan to shift large segments of production away from the US to Mexico." The company is planning to fire roughly 600 employees across three American factories amidst a shift of production to a facility in Ramos, Mexico, reported CNN. As of Aug. 30, around 310 American employees will lose their jobs at two Iowa-based John Deere plants in Dubuque and Davenport. Another 280 workers will be laid off from a factory in East Moline, Illinois. Extra to canning American workers and chasing after LGBT activists' approval, the company appears immune to the pleading of groups like the National Legal and Policy Center, which has criticized in recent months John Deere's pursuit of so-called "green" policies, which appear to be at odds with the very industries it serves. "To put it mildly," wrote Starbuck, "John Deere seems to have forgotten who their customers are. Having a farm myself, I'm disgusted that a once great American brand is now taking this turn to seemingly embrace leftist policies that are diametrically opposed to the values of most farmers." "What's unknown is whether CEO John May is knowingly forcing these policies or if it's gotten out of control and he's out of the loop on how bad it is," continued Starbuck. "His response to this story will be very revealing as to his culpability in the implementation of woke policies." In his video, Starbuck provided potential customers who might want to speak out with the company's email and corporate service number, noting that his intent is not destruction but rather to "inform consumers about the values major companies are adopting so they can make choices about what they're willing to support." "When we use our voices and wallets to vote our values, we can change the world and we can restore great American companies to a culture of sanity, meritocracy and culture war neutrality OR we can inspire competitors to step up to the plate to fight for our business," added Starbuck. As with his previous video criticizing Tractor Supply, Starbuck's latest critique appears to have gone viral, netting well over 4 million views just on X. Blaze News has reached out to John Deere for comment and will update this article in the event of a reply. Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

A radical leftist has now resigned his elected position as a state constable in Pennsylvania after he apparently took to social media to express ideas about assassinating former President Donald Trump and killing some of his supporters. Now, he claims that he has just been misunderstood.'Far-left whackadoodle': Meet Matt CroyleUntil a week or so ago, Matt Croyle was the first ward constable of Oil City, Pennsylvania, located about 90 miles north of Pittsburgh. He also apparently had accounts on X and Facebook using his actual name and alluding to his elected office, according to screenshots shared by Republican voter registration activist Scott Presler.'Get ready to die.'But just before the July 4th holiday, Croyle apparently used those social media accounts to lash out against Trump, his supporters, and even justices on the U.S. Supreme Court. The language he reportedly employed is both crass and violent:"Punch the f***ing bully right in the g**d*** f***ing mouth. Hard. No restraint. Lock [Trump] the f*** up immediately. If it's an official action, jail the f***ing Supreme Court. Save us from ourselves.""Remember when political assassinations used to happen a lot? I mean, I'm not saying one should happen here, but am saying one COULD happen here and most folks wouldn't cry about it.""If you have friends and family members who support Trump—if it comes down to it, you may literally have to kill them before they kill you. This is where this is headed. This is a fifty-alarm f***ing fire.""The only thing I can wish for, at this point, is for some p*ssed-off far-left whackadoodles to start taking potshots at Trump. I'll be over here drinking coffee.""Get ready to die."'Hypothetical situation': Croyle attempts to clarifyAfter Presler and Human Events senior editor Jack Posobiec shared images of those social media posts, Croyle's X account was temporarily suspended. Though defiant about the suspension, he later issued a lengthy statement to contextualize some of his violent rhetoric and to call out his critics for poor "reading comprehension."Croyle also admitted that he would not 'mourn' if Trump did not 'exist.' He then inexplicably claimed that his fascination with the death of his political opponents could unify the country."I did not and would not advocate for the killing of, or threaten, anyone. Period," he wrote in part. "Anyone who read the out-of-context screenshot [about killing loved ones who support Trump] needs to understand the situation I was wailing about was a hypothetical situation brought about by the fear that our nation could end up in a civil war again—something I hope never comes to fruition."In the statement, Croyle also admitted that he would not "mourn" if Trump did not "exist." He then inexplicably claimed that his fascination with the death of his political opponents could unify the country. "We're all human," he wrote in the same paragraph about Trump's hypothetical demise. "But we're also all Americans and we don't have to be enemies."Though apologizing for any "confusion" he may have caused, Croyle continued with more shallow references to American unity, claiming "we all want the same things," and we just simply "see different routes to get there." "I just hope we can start to find a way [sic] see in each other what we see in ourselves."Raging leftist calls out others for 'political extremism'The rambling quasi-mea culpa did little to assuage concerns, though, and Croyle soon afterward canceled his X and Facebook accounts, claiming that he had been doxxed and had subsequently received death threats. He also resigned his position as constable, even though he was just elected in November.Of note, he said he ran for office mainly to oversee elections, and he apparently brought a Kurt Vonnegut novel to his swearing-in ceremony to avoid placing his hand on the Bible. He also apparently simultaneously prefers both "he/him" and "they/them" pronouns.In an interview published on Tuesday, Croyle told Explore Venango that he regrets some of his social media posts. "That was a huge mistake on my part because I’m the least scary person in the world," he insisted. "I am not violent by any means. I don’t want anything to do with violence. If that hypothetical situation that I was talking about were to ever happen, I would literally leave the country."Even more, he regrets the over coarsening of political dialogue in the U.S. and on social media. "There is a real danger in letting political extremism, that is more prevalent now than ever, take over," he said."And sometimes we need to use language, staying within the perimeters of what is legal, to get people’s attention to the dangers that are happening."Croyle claimed he has reported all threats against him to local authorities and the FBI. Reports indicate that his alleged threats have been similarly reported, though American Greatness could not confirm that the Pennsylvania State Police or the Secret Service had opened an investigation into his case.Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

Since Joe Biden’s disastrous debate against Donald Trump in the first presidential debate, the first lady has been in the headlines perhaps more than ever. Recent footage shows Jill Biden giving speeches and hyping up her husband. She’s even on the cover of Vogue magazine’s August issue. Why the sudden keenness for the camera? Dave Rubin plays a clip of Megyn Kelly telling Piers Morgan her thoughts on the possible motivations behind Jill’s abrupt publicity. Piers Morgan Looks Visibly Shocked When Megyn Kelly Said This youtu.be “What do you think of Jill Biden’s role here and her responsibilities?” Morgan asked, setting the stage for Kelly’s brutal castigation. “I think she’s been exposed as a power-hungry aspirant herself to political power,” she responded frankly. “She is on the cover of Vogue magazine right now. Why? Because she wants to promote herself,” Kelly continued, adding that Jill also “tweeted out a photo of herself sitting in the president's chair not long ago when he was preparing for the G7 meeting.” Kelly also pointed out the first lady’s insistence on being referred to as “Dr. Jill Biden.” “She's got her Ph.D. ... in education,” she told Morgan. “I don't make fun of that degree; my own father had that degree, but my father would never have insisted somebody call him Dr. Kelly.” “He went by professor, and that was a title he'd earned. Why does she insist on [being called Dr.]? Because she's power hungry — because she has a small, fractured ego that she needs built up. She needs the affirmation of strangers to give her an honorarium,” Kelly criticized. “I do think it's tied to what we're seeing now — the big reveal about her. She's power hungry ... what did we see from her on debate night? We saw her take the stage and guide the president of the United States down the stairs like a mama would.” “And then after the debate that clip that was everywhere with her saying, ‘You did it! You answered all the questions’ — again speaking to him the way I speak to my dog when he sits on command. ... She knows how infirm he is. She wants a shadow presidency.” To hear Kelly’s epic rant, watch the clip above. Want more from Dave Rubin?To enjoy more honest conversations, free speech, and big ideas with Dave Rubin, subscribe to BlazeTV — the largest multi-platform network of voices who love America, defend the Constitution, and live the American dream.

Hunt: Showdown has been a mainstay in the multiplayer FPS space since it first came out back in 2019. Over the many years since then, the game's shown staying power greater or equal to other entries to the genre, like Escape From Tarkov, PUBG, and Destiny 2, by putting out a steady stream of updates and additions that keep the experience fresh. One of the largest of these updates is set for next month, five years on from Hunt: Showdown's launch, and will include an engine upgrade, new map, design tweaks, and more. It will also, we've just learned, be accompanied by a pricing rework that will see the base game made permanently cheaper. Continue reading Hunt Showdown is about to get cheaper forever, but there’s a catch MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Hunt: Showdown review

I absolutely adore the Golden Sun games. I played them for hours when I was little, holding my Game Boy Advance near the light that shone in through my bedroom window while I was supposed to be sleeping. Its music is iconic and the composer - Motoi Sakuraba - has lent his talents to Tako no Himitsu: Ocean of Secrets, a GBA-style action RPG that just got a new demo on Steam. Continue reading You can play this retro RPG with music by Golden Sun’s composer now MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best RPGs, Best old games, Best indie games