The New Deal with Greenland, Launching the Largest Rocket Ever, and More

Tuesday, September 29th, 2026

Good morning! Welcome to The Tradesman, a 5-minute newsletter tailored just for America’s tradesmen.

To listen to this newsletter, click “Listen Online” in the top right corner of this email.

Congratulations to Carmin F. of Air Force One for winning our gas card giveaway!

Carmin, we have sent you an email. Make sure you check your inbox to find out how to claim your prize!

The U.S., Denmark, and Greenland have reached an agreement that could affect Americans for years to come.

During World War II, the U.S. operated several military bases in Greenland, a territory of the Kingdom of Denmark. After the Cold War, the U.S. scaled back to just one, Pituffik Space Base.

As tensions rise with Russia and China, the new deal updates the wartime agreement. The U.S. can keep building military bases there, while non-NATO countries, especially Russia and China, are barred from building military facilities or making investments in Greenland that could pose a security risk.

Here's why it matters to you: Greenland sits between North American and Chinese airspace, so a stronger U.S. presence there could help protect all of North America. China has already tried several times to establish a presence on the island but was blocked by the Danish government.

The deal could also open the door to future agreements on Greenland's natural resources. If the U.S. secures access to them, that could mean a boost to the economy, lower battery and gas prices, and more.

On Monday, SpaceX launched Starship, the heaviest, tallest, and most powerful rocket ever built, into orbit.

Despite losing one of its six engines early in the flight, Starship reached orbit for the first time. It deployed 26 Starlink satellites, then splashed down in the ocean off Hawaii about three hours after launch.

Beyond its size and power, Starship is designed to be reusable, which is what sets it apart.

If tests keep going well, NASA and SpaceX hope to use the rocket in the Artemis program, which aims to build a base at the moon's south pole within five years as a step toward eventually sending humans to Mars.

See photos and videos of the launch and reentry.

As tradesmen, we spend all day on our feet. Yet when it's time to buy gear, work boots are often what we neglect most, and we settle for the cheapest pair.

We get it. Shoe shopping is a hassle: thousands of options, endless scrolling to find "the best" one, and the whole try-on process to get the fit right.

But a proper pair of boots is worth it. They hold up longer, saving you money on replacements, and they can ease foot, leg, and even lower back pain.

If you need a new pair or just want an upgrade, here's our list of the best work boots, with prices, where to buy them, and the pros and cons of each.

A Massachusetts bar has gone viral for doing the unthinkable: lifting its mask mandate.

The Last Ditch, a lesbian bar in Greenfield, was founded by three people, reportedly in a polycule, who required N95 masks or better indoors from day one.

However, after two of the owners left, one to attend clown college, the bar began to struggle. Now the sole remaining owner says she's $50,000 in debt and desperate to save her livelihood.

Hoping to bring in more revenue, the owner decided to make Saturday nights "mask optional." The move instantly drew accusations from the bar's patrons that she was a "eugenicist" and was causing a "mass disabling event," among other charges.

But it gets crazier. The Boston Globe, which reportedly doubled its subscriber count after breaking the story, tells it beautifully. Reading the Globe's full article costs $1, but trust us, it's worth it. In the meantime, here's a free rundown of what happened.