Stories from Mercury One and the Day of Hope

Over the weekend, Mercury One partnered with the nonprofit organizations 'Somebody Cares' and 'Crisis Relief International' to provide relief to those in need following Hurricane Sandy. Yesterday, the largest event took place as well over 200 hundred members of the Lindenhurst, NY community joined volunteers to enjoy a hot meal, pray, and stock up on items they were desperately in need of.

Not knowing what to expect, I, along with a few of my Mercury co-workers, made the trek out to Linderhurst on Sunday morning to help. As we got closer and closer to the impacted community, much of Sandy's toll was easy to see: massive trees were missing half of their branches, there were signs at the end of each street warning looters of their inevitable fate, tarps covered roofs and broken windows were borded…But, as we heard stories from the residents of the neighborhood, we began to realize that the damage went much deeper than what we could see.

The Day of Hope took place in a big field between rows a houses that reminded me of small beach community. After setting up for The Day of Hope, Kelly [a colleague from Mercury] and I took a walk to the shoreline that was just a a couple hundred yards in front of the park. The closer we got, the more evident the storm damage was: piles of wood, gutters, roofing, even a sink that had been ripped out of a home, were in piles along the side of the road.

As we came across residents, the stories we heard were shocking. One man, who lived further up the street, told us about how he and his family had stayed during the storm. He described how fast the water flooded their home and how his fourteen-year-old son had gotten his wife and dog out of the house to safety. Pointing to Kelly, who is maybe 5'5", he said, "my wife's about your size, the water was up past her check, but my son was able to hold on to her and our dog and get out of there." He chuckled, mostly to hold back tears, and looked over at an empty lot.

"Every time I start to feel bad for myself, I remember that there use to be two homes there," he told us before heading back down the street to his home.

I noticed how deserted the town seemed. Aside from the Day of Hope volunteers, there were hardly any cars driving by or residents outside of their homes. It was as if the storm had taken place just last week, but the sad truth is, it's been close to a month since the residents of Lindenhurst have even had electricity.

Everyone we met at the Day of Hope had a story of their own, stories no one is telling you on the news. Stories of looters, denied FEMA claims, and terrifying storm experiences.

One woman explained to us that looters were coming up to the shore on Jet Skis and breaking into homes — something I had never heard of in my life. Many of the men we spoke to had been sleeping in their garages with a shotgun and a dog to protect what was left from thieves.

Living just thirty miles away in Manhattan, it was hard to wrap my head around what was happening so close by, and was frustrated to know how few people even know this is happening while we carry on like Sandy never happened.

Kenton, another Mercury colleague, helped met an older veteran with bad knees. He couldn't stand in the line where we were handing out food and supplies, so Kenton walked along with him, helping him collect the items that he needed. While they walked, he shared with Kenton that earlier this year he had lost his wife and soon after, had contemplated suicide, but his son and his daughter kept him going. During the hurricane, his house was under seven feet of water, and now his son and his grandson are staying with him. He told Kenton, "well I suppose I'm gonna have to learn how to cook now, you know my wife always did the cooking." As they were loading the things into his car, he was choked up that this many volunteers came to help out, was grateful for the hope they had given the neighborhood.

Despite the heartbreaking stories we heard throughout the day, the real stories were the ones of charity and love.

Two volunteers, Brian and Tommy, who heard about what Mercury One and the other organizations were doing this weekend, went to Costco and bought around $37,000 worth of supplies on their own dime. They dropped up a box trucked loaded with paper towels, cereal, diapers and granola bars first. Then, when they realized we were short on cleaning supplies, they went to Lowes and Costco again, and came back with pallets of mold cleaners, bleach, cleaning gloves, hand warmers, and thick socks. These were the same men who brought supplies to help Mercury One's efforts in Coney Island last month.

It was because of the volunteers who showed up to help and people like Brian and Tommy, that we were able to give the residents of Lindenhurst a little hope.

For those of us who aren't from this area, it's easy to think that the people hit by Hurricane Sandy have a place to go and get the help they need. Being from Georgia, I grew up in an area where there is a mega church in every town — if a disaster hit, they were first on the seen. There would be a place to sleep, get a warm mean, shower and find support. That infrastructure isn't strong in this area, and it makes a world of difference. But, as people made their the line of supplies yesterday and enjoyed a warm meal, you could see the look in their eyes begin to shift, even if it was just a little bit. So many, who came through the park gate looking exhausted, on edge, and distraught, now had a small light of hope in their eyes.

They would look at our vests and ask, "Mercury One? Is that who is helping us today? Who is that?" As I would tell them, they almost all had the same reaction: "Thank you for helping us and not forgetting about us."

All of the volunteers who came out to help yesterday were some of the nicest, most generous people who I have ever met. There were volunteers from Chicago, Texas, and more from right here in Manhattan. Despite the exhaustion, the tears, and the trials the people we met yesterday were experiencing, it's safe to say we brought them a light of hope.

I'm proud to work for one of, if not the only, media company with a charity.

POLL: What DARK government secrets will Trump uncover?

Mark Wilson / Staff | Getty Images

Will the dark secrets of the Deep State finally see the light of day? Or will they slip back into darkness, as they have many times before?

The Trump administration is gearing up to fulfill one of Trump's most anticipated campaign promises: to make the contents of the JFK files, along with other Deep State secrets, available to the public. Kash Patel, who has promised to publicize the highly anticipated files, is expected to be confirmed next week as Trump's director of the FBI. Moreover, the House Oversight Committee created a new task force headed by Rep. Anna Paulina Luna called "Task Force on Declassification of Federal Secrets," which is tasked with investigating and declassifying information on the JFK, RFK, and MLK assassinations, UFOs, the Epstein list, COVID's origins, and 9/11. This all comes after the FBI found 2,400 "new" records relating to the assassination of President Kennedy following Trump's executive order to release the files.

Glenn discussed this topic with the cast of the Patrick Bet David podcast. Glenn expressed his confidence in Trump's radical transparency—on the condition that Kash Patel is confirmed. The cast was not as optimistic, expressing some doubt about whether Trump will actually unveil all that he has promised. But what do you think? What files are likely to see the light of day? And what files will continue to linger in the dark? Let us know in the poll below

Do you think the JFK, RFK, and MLK files will be unveiled?

Do you think the 9/11 files will be unveiled?

Do you think the COVID files will be unveiled?

Do you think the UFO files will be unveiled?

Do you think the Epstein list will be unveiled?

Transgender opera in Colombia? 10 SHOCKING ways USAID spent your tax dollars.

MANDEL NGAN / Contributor | Getty Images

The government has been doing what with our tax money!?

Under the determined eye of Elon Musk, DOGE has rooted out the corruption that permeates USAID, and it turns out that it's worse than we thought. Glenn recently read a list of atrocious causes that were funded by USAID, and the list was as long as it was shocking.

Since the January consumer index report was published today, one thing is clear: eggs are bearing the brunt of inflation. That's why we illustrated the extent of USAID's wasteful spending of YOUR taxpayer dollars by comparing it to the price of eggs. How many eggs could the American people have bought with their tax dollars that were given to a "transgender opera" in Colombia or indoctrinating Sri Lankans with woke gender ideology? The truth will shock you:

1. A “transgender opera” in Colombia

USAID spent $47,000 on a transgender opera in Colombia. That's over 135,000 eggs.

2. Sex changes and "LGBT activism" in Guatemala

$2 million was spent funding sex changes along with whatever "LGBT activism" means. That equates to over 5.7 million eggs!

3. Teaching Sri Lankan journalists how to avoid binary-gendered language

USAID forked over $7.9 million to combat the "gender binary" in Sri Lankan journalism. That could have bought nearly 23 million eggs.

4. Tourism in Egypt

$6 million (or just over 17 million eggs) was spent to fund tourism in Egypt. If only someone had thought to build some impressive landmarks...

5. A new "Sesame Street" show in Iraq

USAID spent $20 million to create a new Sesame Street show in Iraq. That's just short of 58 million eggs...

6. Helping the BBC value the diversity of Libyan society

$2.1 million was sent to the BBC (the British Broadcasting Corporation) to help them value the diversity of Libyan society (whatever that means). That could have bought over 6 million eggs.

7. Meals for a terrorist group linked to Al-Qaeda

$10 million worth of USAID-funded meals went to an Al-Qaeda linked terrorist group. That comes up to be just shy of 29 million eggs.

8. Promoting inclusion in Vietnam 

A combined $19.3 million was sent to two separate inclusion groups in Vietnam inclusion groups in Vietnam (why where they separated? Not very inclusive of them). That's over 55 million eggs.

9. Promoting DEI in Serbia's workplaces

USAID sent $1.5 million (4.3 million eggs) to “advance diversity equity and inclusion in Serbia’s workplaces and business communities.”

10. Funding EcoHealth Alliance, tied to the Wuhan Institute of Virology's "bat research"

EcoHealth Alliance, one of the key NGOs that funded the Wuhan lab's bat virus research, received $5 million from USAID, which is equivalent to 14.5 million eggs.

The bottom line...

So, how much damage was done?

In total, approximately $73.8 million was wasted on the items on this list. That comes out to be 213 million eggs. Keep in mind that these are just the items on this list, there are many, many more that DOGE has uncovered and will uncover in the coming days. Case in point: that's a lot of eggs.

POLL: Should Trump stop producing pennies?

SAUL LOEB / Contributor, Chip Somodevilla / Staff | Getty Images

On Sunday, February 9th, President Trump ordered the U.S. Mint to halt the production of pennies. It costs the mint three cents to produce every penny, which Trump deemed wasteful. However, critics argue that axing the pennies will be compensated by ramping up nickel production, which costs 13 cents per coin.

In other news, President Trump promised on Truth Social that he would be reversing a Biden-era policy that mandated the use of paper straws throughout the federal government. From potentially slashing entire agencies to saying farewell to pennies and paper straws, Trump is hounding after wasteful spending of taxpayer dollars.

But what do you think? Was Trump right to put an end to pennies? And should plastic straws make a comeback? Let us know in the poll below:

Should Trump stop the production of pennies? 

Do you agree with Trump's reversal of the plastic straw ban?

Was this the most PATRIOTIC Super Bowl yet?

CHANDAN KHANNA / Contributor | Getty Images

The 2025 Super Bowl demonstrated Trump’s vision of a new America.

On Sunday, February 9th, the Philadelphia Eagles defeated the Kansas City Chiefs in the biggest sporting event of the year. But this wasn't just a victory for Eagles fans. For those watching, it became apparent that American culture has changed, the zeitgeist has shifted, and America has become cool again. While remnants of woke culture lingered, they felt out of step next to the parade of American Flags and patriotic messaging that dominated the national event. The message was clear: America is back.

Everybody knows that the commercials are the best part of any Super Bowl, and last night's game was no exception. As Glenn has pointed out, while some of the ads still carried woke messages (like Nike's), many more captured the newly kindled patriotism felt nationwide. Here are four of the best commercials from last Sunday that make this the most patriotic Super Bowl yet:

1. Rocket: "Own the Dream"

This touching commercial by the financial services company, Rocket, states "Everyone deserves a shot at the American dream," while showing images of people returning home and building families. The ad included a cover of John Denver's iconic song "Take Me Home, Country Roads" and featured an in-stadium sing-along, live from the Super Bowl.

2. Secret Service: "A History of Protection"

Donald Trump made history by being the first sitting president to attend a Super Bowl, which required the efforts of hundreds of Secret Service agents to ensure his safety. The Secret Service boasted of this feat during their minute-long commercial, which lauded American values and achievements and featured iconic American imagery.

3. Brad Pitt: "Huddle Up"

The Super Bowl introduction celebrated snapshots of American achievement accompanied with a powerful commentary about unity narrated by Brad Pitt. The message is clear: Americans can achieve great things when we work together. The ad conjures up American ideals such as hard work, ingenuity, self-sacrifice, and teamwork.

4. Jeep: "Big Game"

Movie star Harrison Ford appeared in Jeep's Super Bowl commercial to promote freedom and to remind us that "freedom isn't free." Ford treks through the mountains while ruminating on what freedom means in America and the opportunities and responsibilities that come with it.