MMN Editor

For the third time in WNBA history, a player has scored 53 points.Toronto Tempo star Marina Mabrey tied the single-game scoring record with 53 points in a dominant 125-94 victory over the Los Angeles Sparks on Thursday night. Only A’ja Wilson and Liz Cambage have reached that 53-point mark before Mabrey.Mabrey, who poured in nine three-pointers in the win, helped the Tempo set the highest point total scored in a regulation game in WNBA history. The Phoenix Mercury scored 127 points in a 2010 game, though it was double overtime.CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COMMabrey was clearly feeling it in this game, scoring 27 points by halftime. Then, she poured in 12 more by the end of the third quarter, giving herself an incredible 39 points.With the game seemingly out of reach, it was clear that the Tempo were feeding Mabrey in hopes that she could set a new WNBA record. Mabrey was launching three-pointers and drilling them, and she ultimately reached the 53-point mark as the crowd cheered her on throughout the flurry of points.TORONTO TEMPO LOOK TO USE HOME COURT EDGE AGAINST CHICAGO SKY IN BATTLE OF FLAWED WNBA ROSTERSMabrey had time to get the record all to herself, as there were about two minutes left on the clock to get the job done. However, her last two three-point attempts didn’t go through the hoop, and she checked out of the game with just over a minute left to play.The crowd gave her a loud roar of approval and a standing ovation, while Mabrey’s Tempo teammates congratulated the veteran on a historic night.It was also a special night thanks to Mabrey’s sister, Michaela, who starred alongside her at Notre Dame after the two rose through the New Jersey girls basketball ranks, being in attendance.Michaela ran right onto the floor after the final horn blew and hugged her sister in a heartfelt moment that will surely be remembered by the Mabrey family.Mabrey stated in a post-game interview that her sister doesn’t get to see her play too often, making this one that much more special.”None of this happens without my teammates. They really found me,” Marina said. “For a three-point shooter, you need your teammates to set screens and deliver the pass, and that’s what they did.”It’s the inaugural season for the Tempo, an expansion team that put together this squad through an expansion draft. Mabrey has been a key cog in their early season, totaling 37 points last week to set the franchise’s highest point total for a game. That’s obviously going to be much harder to break now.Mabrey’s final line read 17-of-28 and 9-of-18 from three-point territory for her 53-point total. She also tallied six rebounds and two assists in the victory.Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.

TheStreet aims to feature only the best products and services. If you buy something via one of our links, we may earn a commission.Why we love this dealUnlike indoor storage, wherever you store your tools, lawn care equipment, and other outdoor gear needs to be able to withstand the elements. A waterproof storage shed is a go-to option when your garage is overflowing and you need to protect valuable items like pool equipment and your kids’ ride-on toys. If you’re working with limited space outside, a compact outdoor shed that can fit on your patio or in the corner of your yard works wonders. For just $170 right now, you can snag the Lofka Plastic Storage Shed at Walmart, currently on sale for 43% off the usual $300 price. Replacing a lawnmower or bicycle that succumbs to rust isn’t cheap, but having a secure spot to store items outdoors can keep that from happening. This storage deal can save you $130 on a sturdy shed that keeps rain, snow, and sun from damaging your things. And the best part is it even includes a floor, so you don’t have to worry about building one ahead of time. Even with the $60 shipping fee, you can snag this shed for under $250.Lofka Plastic Storage Shed and Floor, $170 (was $300) at Walmart

Shop at WalmartWhy do shoppers love it?Although it’s on the smaller side for an outdoor shed, this 5-by-3-foot shed is spacious enough to serve as a versatile hub for storing tools or seasonal items, such as patio furniture, holiday decorations, or pool toys to keep them safe from moisture, insects, and weather damage. Its sloped roof sheds rain and snow effectively, preventing pooling that can lead to leaks or mold in flat-top models.Made from recyclable polypropylene resin plastic, it’s eco-friendly, UV-resistant, and waterproof, with a stable floor that prevents ground moisture from seeping in. Unlike metal storage sheds, the reinforced double-wall construction and impact-resistant flooring also resist dents and corrosion. The shed’s single door has a slide lock and opens wide for easy access. There’s also a small window that allows natural light inside, so you don’t need to add a light to the shed unless you plan to navigate the interior at night. Related: Amazon is selling a spacious $230 triple-door storage shed for $190This outdoor shed takes several hours to put together. While shoppers report that it’s not a difficult project, assembly can be time-consuming if you’re building it solo. Because the interior doesn’t have built-in shelves, some shoppers mention adding freestanding storage shelves inside this shed for better organization.Details to knowDimensions: This storage shed measures 75.98 inches high, 61.81 inches wide, and 38.97 inches deep.Material: Made of 100% recyclable polypropylene resin plastic.Capacity: This outdoor shed features 101.9 cubic feet of storage space.Are there built-in shelves?: No.Shoppers are highly impressed with the weatherproofing of this storage shed as well as the extra features you get within the compact structure. “The floor is sturdy, and it’s very weather-resistant,” wrote one reviewer, noting that “the lock feels secure, and the overall quality exceeds expectations.” Another shared that this “durable” shed is “perfect for small backyards.” Shop more dealsHomall 80-Gallon Plastic Storage Bench, $120 (was $210) at WalmartDevoko Outdoor Waterproof 100-Gallon Resin Deck Box, $95 at WalmartBifanuo 100-Gallon Resin Deck Box, $59 (was $160) at WalmartGreat for homeowners with small yards, apartment dwellers with patios, or families with tons of kids’ gear to store, the Lofka Plastic Storage Shed and Floor is a fantastic pick for year-round outdoor home storage. Check it out while it’s still available for just $170 at Walmart before the summertime rush.

The technology-dominant Nasdaq Composite and broad S&P 500 index are both on pace to end the trading week in the red.

Americans are routinely told that our nation is hopelessly divided, irredeemably flawed, and perhaps even in terminal decline. Public polling reflects this pervasive frustration, pessimism, and anomie. If someone halfway around the world only followed the polls, he might be forgiven for believing our republic is all but over.
But something remarkable is happening during the 2026 World Cup, which is jointly hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Fans from all across the world have arrived in America — and they are absolutely loving it. We too often take our way of life for granted, but many soccer tourists now here cannot stop marveling at what they see. (RELATED: Ghost of Alexis de Tocqueville Returns — What America Can Learn From Him)
The unlikely symbol of this phenomenon is “Freddy,” a young German soccer fan who has become an internet sensation while documenting his first road trip across the United States. Freddy’s viral social media posts have attracted tens of millions of impressions because they reflect something both rare and refreshing: genuine, boy-like wonder. As he has crisscrossed the American South, Freddy has gushed at everything from Waffle House and Taco Bell to Buc-ee’s, Bass Pro Shops, sprawling football stadiums, and the impressive size of regular, middle-class American homes. Americans, accustomed to taking all these things for granted, have watched with glee as a slack-jawed foreign visitor experiences it all for the first time. (RELATED: The Spectacle Ep. 432: Foreign FIFA Fans Are Teaching Americans To Be Patriotic)
But Freddy the German is hardly alone.
Scores of other World Cup visitors from Europe, Asia, and elsewhere have flooded social media with similar observations. They have wandered through Walmart and Costco as if they were touring cultural landmarks. They have posted videos about yellow school buses, small-town diners, Texas barbecue, oversize grocery stores, and the sheer abundance and variety that characterize everyday life in the most prosperous country on planet Earth. Elsa the Swede has fallen in love with ranch dressing. And even the Transportation Security Administration took notice, posting on social media: “If you’re visiting for a very large sporting event & you happen to discover RANCH while you’re here … please pack it in your CHECKED BAG on the way home.”
These reactions, bursting with youthful exuberance, are amusing. But they also point toward a profound insight: Sometimes it takes an outsider to recognize what insiders can no longer see.
The average American rarely pauses to consider how extraordinary our country remains today. We gripe about suburban sprawl while living in homes that would be considered luxurious by the standards of much of the world. We roll our eyes at chain restaurants that millions of foreign tourists eagerly seek out. We treat abundance as ordinary because abundance is all most of us have ever known.
That familiarity breeds a certain blindness.
But the World Cup tourists are not blind. They see an America that remains dynamic, entrepreneurial, and welcoming. They encounter strangers eager to offer travel advice. They find communities proud to share local traditions. They discover a country that is far friendlier than the caricatures would suggest. The America they are experiencing bears little resemblance to the negative stereotypes they had long imbibed back home.
America, like every country, has problems. The risk of prolonged decline is very real. Patriotism also does not require pretending that everything is perfect.
But it does require perspective — and, above all, gratitude.
As we approach our long-awaited America 250 celebration next weekend, Americans would do well to remember that ours remains the most successful experiment in republican self-governance in human history. The United States is still the world’s leading economic, military, and cultural power. And most importantly, as we prepare to celebrate the immortal words of 1776, it remains a nation founded upon timeless truths about human nature and human dignity.
That last point matters. Our republic was founded on the biblically rooted proposition that human beings possess God-given rights, and that legitimate government exists to secure those rights and advance the common good.
In other words, America is great because America is good. Not perfect. Not above reproach. But fundamentally good.
We see that goodness reflected in the generosity that has met so many awestruck foreigners visiting during the World Cup. It is reflected in the spirit that built the businesses, attractions, and communities now spellbinding them.
The foreign visitors who are spending this summer discovering America have unintentionally delivered an important message to those privileged enough to call this great land home. They have reminded us that our country remains worthy of admiration. They have reminded us that gratitude is often more appropriate — as it is here — than despair. As we prepare to celebrate America’s 250th birthday, that lesson could not be timelier.
There are plenty of reasons for concern. But there is also still reason to hope.
The world still sees something special in the land of the free and the home of the brave. We Americans should see it too.
READ MORE from Josh Hammer:
Trump Ties His Name and Credibility to Vance’s Dubious Iran Diplomacy
Belfast Is Burning, and the Media Won’t Say Why
CBS News’ Shakeup and the Future of the Mainstream Press
To find out more about Josh Hammer and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.
COPYRIGHT 2026 CREATORS.COM
Image licensed under Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International.

FTSE Russell is undertaking its semi-annual rebalancing — what the index provider calls its reconstitution — and the size of the undertaking could impact markets, say analysts.

The United States men’s national soccer team lost its final Group D match to Türkiye, 3-2, as Kaan Ayhan scored on the final shot of the game in a crushing blow to the home country. The only, and more important, caveat: this game never affected the United States’ chances of winning the FIFA World Cup in the first place.Yes, Team USA was trying to take momentum into the round of 32 next week, and even make history for the country as the first team to win three World Cup matches. Instead, it’s some slight heartbreak in Los Angeles.CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM Meanwhile, Türkiye, who has had a lackluster tournament, will go home on a high note as they celebrated their hard-fought win against a USMNT squad that saw nine changes to the starting XI from head coach Mauricio Pochettino to keep players fresh for next week. The crowd was shaking during the national anthem, but all of Inglewood, Calif. likely felt the moment Auston Trusty hammered in a corner kick from Sebastian Berhalter just three minutes into the match against Türkiye.Trusty hit a dead sprint to the U.S. bench, while the sold-out crowd at Los Angeles Stadium was in rapture.But Türkiye, despite having no chance of moving forward in the tournament, was not going out lightly with this match. Only seven minutes later, Arda Güler, the 21-year-old who stars for Real Madrid, took advantage of some soft U.S. coverage and buried a ball past Matt Turner, taking over for Matt Freese in net, to tie the game at one apiece. FIFA FACES PRESSURE TO DISCIPLINE 2026 WORLD CUP CO-HOST MEXICO AFTER ANTI-GAY CHANT RETURNS VS CZECHIAIt was a physical match moving forward, with the U.S. showing that this game still meant something, as they were searching for history as the only team to ever win three World Cup matches. Meanwhile, Türkiye was playing for pride, and it was written all over their faces. It was Türkiye breaking through the tie first, though, as Orkun Kökçü had a clean look right in front of the goal thanks to solid passing around the U.S. box. He tapped it in and the crowd quieted a bit. The first half ended with Türkiye out in front, but if there’s one way to get the crowd going in the second half, it’s seeing “Captain America” finally back on the pitch. Christian Pulisic played just 45 minutes in this World Cup due to a left calf injury, missing the entirety of the match against Australia. But Pulisic said he felt 100% prior to the match, and instead of letting him sit out until the round of 32, Pochettino thought it smart to give him time. He immediately made an impact, forcing Türkiye back into their defensive zone, and that ultimately led to a moment where a throw-in led to a pinball that landed at Berhalter’s foot. Berhalter hit a low strike, and through traffic, the ball scurried past the Türkiye keeper for the equalizer at two apiece. Once again, it was just three minutes into the half, and all the momentum fell back on the home country. Both teams tried their best to break the tie once more, with Pulisic having the best chance with a left-footed strike that just went outside the left post. However, Ayhan’s heroic slide to kick the ball in the back of the U.S. net is how this one ended just before the final whistle. The USMNT will play their round of 32 match on July 1 at 8 p.m. in the San Francisco Bay Area. Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.

Legal technology is facing a existential crisis even as it flourishes

California Assembly Bill 1967 requires social workers, when conducting a safety assessment or substitute care provider safety assessment, “to also assess the safety of the home of those who hold custodial rights of the minor.” Sounds good, but it’s not just about “safety.”
The bill’s author is Assemblyman Rick Chavez Zbur, former executive director of Equality California, “the nation’s largest statewide LGBTQ+ civil rights organization.” According to the Los Angeles Democrat, “This bill ensures that youth in foster care — who are disproportionately LGBTQ+, Black, Latino, and Native American— receive the timely support and crucial interventions required to care for them and keep them safe.” Under this legislation, the safety is tied to the “crucial interventions.”
As noted by Katy Grimes of the California Globe, the bill allows any minor residing in any residential facility to file a legal application against their parents without cause or evidence of harm. In effect, the bill would “allow children to ‘divorce’ their parents,” who might not approve of irreversible surgeries and treatments advertised as “gender affirming care.”
The evangelists of transgenderism portray the male-female biological reality as a construct, which is not the case. Bruce Bawer, author of A Place at the Table: The Gay Individual in American Society, notes that transgenderism and homosexuality are “two utterly different phenomena,” and queer “can mean anything.”
Zbur’s LGBTQ+ formulation is the true construct and, strictly speaking, there is no LGBTQ “community.” Should that be doubted, consider the prospect of a Lawyer, Gardner, Banker, Trucker, Quaker community. As AB1967 moves through the legislature, there’s more that parents and taxpayers should know.
The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) maintains a Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, or Transgender Business (LGBTBE) requirement in its supplier diversity program. LGBTBE sets up a 1.5 percent procurement goal for LGBT-owned business enterprises that routes millions in utility contracts toward firms certified on the basis of the owner’s sexual identity.
“The Equal Protection Clause doesn’t come with a carve-out for fashionable identities,” notes financial professional Jay Rogers. “The Fourteenth Amendment protects individuals, not groups,” contends the Northeastern and Harvard alum, and in California, there’s more to it.
In 1996, Californians passed the California Civil Rights Initiative (Proposition 209), which prohibits preferential treatment in government education, employment, and contracting based on race, sex, color, ethnicity, and national origin. In 2020, Californians rejected Proposition 16, which would have repealed CCRI.
“The LGBTBE program extends the same identity-preference architecture to a new category,” notes Rogers, “but the equal-protection principle the voters encoded in the state constitution is identical.”
Sexual orientation of any kind is not an achievement or claim for special treatment. No one who “identifies” as any part of the LGBTQ construct is denied the opportunity to bid on contracts or denied admission to state colleges and universities. Indeed, some state colleges offer LGBTQ “studies,” which is not exactly an academic discipline. Long after the passage of Proposition 209, California maintains a vast DEI bureaucracy that rewards identity over merit.
As Rogers notes, the CPUC’s LGBTBE program’s own compliance record – 0.44 percent, spent against a 1.5 percent goal at full compliance cost — “doesn’t justify its existence on any metric.” So California should “repeal it and build something that actually works.” That would require a system based on merit alone.
DEI and reality dysphoria are no basis for public policy, and parents should understand that AB 1967 is not a one-off. In 2022, California became a sanctuary state for “transgender youth seeking gender-affirming medical care.” In his signing message, Gov. Gavin Newsom said, “parents know what’s best for their kids, and they should be able to make decisions around the health of their children without fear. We must take a stand for parental choice.”
As parents might note, Newsom, with ties to the Brown, Pelosi, and Getty families, sends his own children to exclusive private schools. On the other hand, the wealthy governor opposes parental choice for low-income students in California’s underperforming government schools.
California also passed a law barring schools from notifying parents about their children’s gender issues. Assembly Bill 1955, from 2024, is known as the “Safety Act,” in the style of AB 1967. The Globe’s Katy Grimes believes these measures “erase parental rights,” and if parents agree, it would be hard to blame them.
READ MORE from Lloyd Billingsley:
Investigating the Newsoms
California Forces Venture Capitalists Into DEI Regime
Climate Change Superstition Still Rules California
Lloyd Billingsley is a policy fellow at the Independent Institute in Oakland, Calif.
Image licensed under Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International.

The United Kingdom is bidding farewell to Prime Minister Keir Starmer, and connections are being made that his resignation happened days after the rape gang reports were released. (READ MORE: The Unfathomable Horror of Britain’s Rape-Gang Holocaust) 
The Spectacle Podcast hosts Melissa Mackenzie and Scott McKay discuss Starmer’s resignation, Andy Burnham as the potential successor, and what it means for the U.K. going forward. Melissa and Scott go through the horrific report and its findings of over 250,000 victims of Pakistani/Muslim rape gangs, criticizing Starmer’s government for prosecuting minor offenses and ignoring bigger evils. (RELATED: On Belfast) 
Tune in to hear their discussion!

Listen to The Spectacle with Melissa Mackenzie and Scott McKay on Spotify.
Watch The Spectacle with Melissa Mackenzie and Scott McKay on Rumble.

And so. America awakens.
Anti-American socialist zealots have now managed to get the attention of the American people through, of all things, by damaging the iconic reflecting pool that stretches out in front of the Lincoln Memorial.
Fox News headlines with, “‘Deranged’ vandals fuel Mall sabotage trend, from blood writing to Reflecting Pool damage,” with the subtitle, “Razor-blade-like slashes damaged over 300 feet of the pool’s liner the same day it reopened after Trump-ordered repainting.”
The story reports:
FIRST ON FOX: Vandals have targeted the National Mall with multiple separate “8647” markings, a blood-written message on the Washington Monument and damage to the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, prompting federal officials to warn of a growing trend.
“Unfortunately, this summer has seen a significant increase in vandalism to the National Mall — for example, several 8647 markings, a person writing words in their own blood on the Washington Monument and the cutting of fuel lines around the Great American State Fair,” Interior Department communication director Katie Martin told Fox News Digital.
The pattern emerged after President Donald Trump ordered a restoration and repainting of the reflecting pool, which was met with protestors leaving multiple “razor-blade cuts” and removing fencing to then toss in water.
Got that? There is the president of the United States taking a moment from his, shall we say, “busy” job,  to make sure the nation’s capital is beautified. Pristine.
And for those who have been to Washington over the decades and seen the reflecting pool close up, not to mention know its history, it is a job more than worthy of being done. (RELATED: Five Quick Things: Drones From Dreamers?)
Periodically, there is a remembrance of Dr. Martin Luther King’s “I Have a Dream” speech. The speech is quite legendary, serious American history delivered on live television in 1963. I was (ahem!) a history-loving kid at the time, and watched it on Mom and Dad’s black and white TV. In fact, Dr. King’s speech was one of the first of the newly aborning television age events to be carried by live TV. So my young self sat in front of the TV on that hot August day and watched, never forgetting the “I Have a Dream” words that captured the televised attention of the nation.
And, yes, the crowds Dr. King was speaking to were easily seen crowded around the Reflecting Pool, beautiful even on black and white TV as the Pool sparkled in the sunlight.
The point here is decidedly simple. History is an ongoing event — whether the history sites it marks are good, bad, or indifferent. Or, sometimes, horrendous. They are to be remembered — not trashed.
A few years back, I had the opportunity to attend a conservative event in Dallas, Texas. I had some time to myself, and used it to visit one of the most horrendous, historical crime sites of my youth — the infamous Texas School Book Depository that overlooked a Dallas freeway that, on Nov. 22, 1963, had one Lee Harvey Oswald perched in a sixth floor widow with a rifle, ready to assassinate President John F. Kennedy as JFK’s open air limo passed below him.
What struck the most was the diligence Dallas and federal government officials had applied to ensuring the site of the assassination was preserved to its historical exactness. Making an obvious point not to damage it.
Which brings us back to the Reflecting Pool stretching out in front of the Lincoln Memorial, where, on a happier occasion, Dr. King stood looking out at the pool and crowd of thousands gathered around it to hear what became instantly recognized as a decidedly historic speech.
The Pool was not disturbed that day. Everyone was concentrated on the event at hand — hearing Dr. King’s words in the middle of the tumultuous drive for civil rights for all Americans.
Which brings to mind an obvious point. The Reflecting Pool that stretches out in front of Abe Lincoln’s famous memorial should be admired — not treated like a garbage dump — by protestors. No matter the cause of the protestors. Which appears to be, in this case, socialism.
In the nation’s capital, it should not need to be said, there needs to be a basic, fundamental respect for American history. An appreciation for what happened at various locations, as well as a real effort to preserve them for future generations.
Safe to say, the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool is one of those historic sites. And anyone who goes there with the intent of damaging or destroying one of those sites — no matter their political views — should pay the price.
Leave the Reflecting Pool alone.
READ MORE from Jeffrey Lord:
Jennifer Siebel Newsom vs. Conservative Women
Memo to the Atlantic League, York Revolution Baseball Team Owners
Trump — and America’s — Birthday Party
Image licensed under Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International.