Love Birds

Nature 3 Minutes

Lovebirds are one of the most popular pet parrot species, and for those who are familiar with them, it’s no surprise. Beautiful and intelligent, these little birds have been one of the most beloved types of African parrot for more than 100 years. However, there are a lot of myths out there about lovebirds, their behavior, and what it’s like to keep them as pets.

Although they are a type of parrot, and they do have the ability to mimic human speech, lovebirds are not among those species that most would consider talking birds. This is because they very rarely decide to speak, and if they do choose to mimic a sound, more often than not they repeat simple noises such as whistles or household sounds such as doorbells and microwaves.

It is not known why some lovebirds are more prone to mimicking speech than others, but it is widely believed that those who do learn to talk are taught from a very young age.

There Are Several Types of Lovebirds

There are many different types of lovebirds. There are nine separate sub-species of these little parrots, each carrying their distinct traits and characteristics. These include the masked lovebird, the black-cheeked lovebird, the Fischer’s lovebird, the Nyasa lovebird, the Swindern’s lovebird, the red-faced Lovebird, the Abyssinian lovebird, the Madagascar lovebird, and the beloved peach-faced lovebird.

The peach-faced lovebird, which is the most popular, can be identified by the rainbow of yellow, green, and blue on their bodies as well as their bright peachy-pink faces. While the different types of lovebirds have differences in looks and temperament, on average, all of the lovebirds will live for up to 20 years in captivity. 

Lovebirds Are One of the Smallest Parrot Species

While they are true parrots, lovebirds are one of the smallest members of the parrot family. On average, most lovebirds fall between 5 and 7 inches in length at maturity, when measured from the beak to the end of the tailfeathers. Their small size has worked to push their popularity among those who live in apartments and other small spaces. Many of these bird lovers have found it easier to house and care for these little birds instead of attempting to keep a larger parrot species such as a macaw or a cockatoo.

Lovebirds Are Not Always Best Kept in Pairs

It is a widely purported myth that you should never own a solitary lovebird and that if they are not kept in pairs, they will die of depression. While it is true that they are extremely social birds who thrive on interaction and must be socially stimulated, in many cases, bird owners should keep single lovebirds. This is because these birds breed readily in captivity, and most bird owners are not capable of caring for an entire family of parrots.

It is also worth noting that birds kept in pairs tend to bond with each other and shun human interaction. Those who would like their bird to be affectionate and open to being handled by human hands have found that it’s best to keep birds by themselves and devote as much time as possible to playing and socializing with them so that their needs are met.

Lovebirds Are Very Active

Like all parrots, lovebirds are extremely active birds that need quite a bit of exercise to stay in top physical condition. Those interested in adopting a lovebird must be willing and prepared to give their feathered friend a bird-safe place to play outside of its cage for several hours per day. This will allow the bird to exercise all of the muscle groups that it needs to stay healthy, as well as provide important mental stimulation that these very intelligent animals need.

Fast Facts

What do lovebirds eat?

Lovebirds eat seeds, grasses, fruits, and vegetables.

How do lovebirds sleep?

Lovebirds hang onto the sides of their cage when it’s time for some shut-eye.

Why are lovebirds called lovebirds?

Lovebirds got their name because of the strong bond they have with their monogamous mate.

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Published by pat frederick

Published

131 thoughts on “Love Birds”

    1. i do not like porkys. they ate our temporary steps when we first built here!
      then after the deck was put on and everything stained and sealed, they came back and CHEWED bits off the support posts.
      we tried to get traps from the game warden. he said just shoot them. they can be a menace.

      Liked by 2 people

    1. Morning, Pat! Well, it’s certainly not here! -13 when I got up, now up to -12! But we’ve got sunshine at least!!! The temps will start rising now, thankfully!

      Liked by 1 person

  17. Alison (@guest_1419701)

    Offline

    February 20, 2025 01:09

    🚨HERES THE KASH PLAN:

    At 11:00am, on Thursday, Feb 20th, the Senate will vote on the motion to invoke cloture on Kash Patel for @FBI.

    (Then, shortened debate for Director-level. Doesn’t require 30 hrs)

    At 1:45pm ET, we will proceed to a FINAL vote to CONFIRM @Kash_Patel 🇺🇸

    — Markwayne Mullin (@SenMullin) February 19, 2025

    Here’s the latest info on Patel’s confirmation vote tomorrow. Sen Mullin has been great about posting timelines & explaining the process for each Cabinet nomination. If Patel’s timeline changes, Mullin will update with a new tweet.

    Liked by 2 people

  18. Alex1689
    February 20, 2025 1:41 am

    NO cash or non cash benefits for illegal aliens.

    https://nypost.com/2025/02/20/us-news/trump-signs-executive-order-cutting-all-taxpayer-funded-benefits-for-illegal-immigrants/

    This may well mean a halt to federal funds going to any state educational system that has free or lowered tuition for illegal aliens – and there are several blue states that have adopted those programs.

    It may also mean the federal government forces all public schools participating in the free and reduced federal lunch program to verify citizenship status of any student to whom FARMS is being offered – thereby requiring a first ever true census of the numbers of illegal aliens receiving free schooling at American taxpayer expense.

    Expect wails.

    Liked by 1 person

  21. this woman argues the suspension undermines due process…due process of what exactly? (PDJT suspended legal representation for illegal alien children.)

    “The administration’s decision to suspend this program undermines due process, disproportionately impacts vulnerable children, and puts children who have already experienced severe trauma at risk for further harm or exploitation,” Aber wrote.

    “We stand ready to work with the Department of Health and Human Services to review and rapidly restore these essential services so that Acacia and our partners can continue supporting vulnerable children,” she continued.

    https://thehill.com/latino/5154471-trump-immigration-crackdown-legal-representation/amp/

    Liked by 1 person

  22. Stacey Abrams again…the “green energy” company made $100 in total revenue the year before they received a $2 Billion grant.

    FTA

    DOGE discovered $2 billion in taxpayer funds set aside for a fledgling nonprofit linked to perennial Georgia Democratic candidate Stacey Abrams.

    The Environmental Protection Agency under the Biden administration awarded Power Forward Communities the grant in April 2024 as part of the agency’s Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund program. Power Forward Communities received the green energy grant despite the fact that it was founded months earlier in late 2023 and never managed anywhere near the grant’s dollar figure—it reported just $100 in total revenue during its first three months in operation, according to its latest tax filings.

    Power Forward Communities’ grant was one of just eight Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund grants that the EPA doled out in April 2024 and that, altogether, totaled $20 billion. EPA administrator Lee Zeldin announced on Feb. 13 that his staff and Department of Government Efficiency officials discovered that the Biden administration parked that same $20 billion at an outside financial institution before leaving office, limiting the federal government’s oversight of the program.

    The revelation that Power Forward Communities is among the beneficiaries of the funds Zeldin’s team located raises ethics questions about how the Biden administration selected recipients of such massive grants and whether it played favorites when doling those grants out. Abrams was a vocal proponent of the Biden administration’s green energy agenda and campaigned for former vice president Kamala Harris.

    It also appears to validate concerns expressed for years by Republicans that Biden administration allies would prop up organizations that were specifically designed to receive federal funding under programs like the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund, which was created to operate as a “green bank” by Democrats’ behemoth Inflation Reduction Act of 2022.

    “I made a commitment to members of Congress and to the American people to be a good steward of tax dollars and I’ve wasted no time in keeping my word,” Zeldin told the Washington Free Beacon. “When we learned about the Biden Administration’s scheme to quickly park $20 billion outside the agency, we suspected that some organizations were created out of thin air just to take advantage of this.”

    “As we continue to learn more about where some of this money went, it is even more apparent how far-reaching and widely accepted this waste and abuse has been,” the EPA administrator continued. “It’s extremely concerning that an organization that reported just $100 in revenue in 2023 was chosen to receive $2 billion. That’s 20 million times the organization’s reported revenue.”

    Power Forward Communities and Abrams did not respond to requests for comment.

    Lee Zeldin finds $2 billion in EPA funds designated for climate group tied to Stacey Abrams.

    Liked by 1 person

  23. OurLastStand

    February 20, 2025 7:34 am

    File this in the More Government Corruption Folder:

    To Elon Musk and the DOGE team looking at Medicare:

    Pharmacist says

    – This medication is Pirfenidone
    – Medicare filled it 85,000 times in 2022 at an average cost of $8,000 per prescription
    – Normal cost without insurance ONLY $200 TO FILL
    – They spent $680 million on that one drug in just one year

    “However, at my pharmacy, which is a cost plus pharmacy, meaning we don’t take insurance, that same prescription would only cost $200”

    “If we filled all 85,000 prescriptions, it would cost $17 million total. That means Medicare is overpaying by $663 million every year.”

    WOW 🚨 To Elon Musk and the DOGE team looking at Medicare:

    Pharmacist says

    – This medication is Pirfenidone
    – Medicare filled it 85,000 times in 2022 at an average cost of $8,000 per prescription
    – Normal cost without insurance ONLY $200 TO FILL
    – They spent $680 million on… pic.twitter.com/oMYsseUN9a

    — Wall Street Apes (@WallStreetApes) February 20, 2025

    Liked by 1 person

  24. Just The News: “The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Wednesday night declined to reinstate President Donald Trump’s order that limits birthright citizenship, stating the Justice Department did not make a “strong showing” that it would win on appeal.

    Trump signed the executive order, which would end the constitutional birthright to citizenship regardless of parents’ immigration status, on Inauguration Day. The order was set to go into effect on Wednesday, but several lawsuits have blocked its implementation.

    The Justice Department asked the 9th Circuit court to grant an emergency stay of U.S. District Judge John Coughenour’s ruling, which blocked the order.

    The three-judge panel ruled that the Justice Department failed to make a “strong showing that they are likely to succeed on the merits of this appeal,” and one of the judges criticized the department’s characterization of an emergency in a concurring opinion, per NBC News.

    “It is routine for both executive and legislative policies to be challenged in court, particularly where a new policy is a significant shift from prior understanding and practice,” Trump-appointed Judge Danielle Forrest wrote. “Just because a district court grants preliminary relief halting a policy advanced by one of the political branches does not in and of itself an emergency make. A controversy, yes. Even an important controversy, yes. An emergency, not necessarily.”

    Other judges have argued that the executive order is in direct conflict with the Constitution’s 14th Amendment and Supreme Court precedent. 

    The Trump administration argues the 14th Amendment’s birthright citizenship provision applies to persons who are “subject to the jurisdiction” and owe allegiance to the United States, and does not apply to the children of noncitizens.”

    Liked by 1 person

  25. Just The News: “The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) on Wednesday released an updated guidance that only recognizes two sexes, male and female, and defines sex as a person’s “immutable biological classification.”

    The guidance comes after President Donald Trump signed an executive order that bans biologically male transgender women from competing against biological women, and after he promised the federal government would only recognize two sexes.

    The guidance defines female as a “person of the sex characterized by a reproductive system with the biological function of producing eggs (ova),” and male as a “person of the sex characterized by a reproductive system with the biological function of producing sperm.”

    The guidance also clarified that sex is determined “genetically” at conception, and it is defined as people with the biological function of either male or female, even if they can never actually have children due to other factors. 

    “This administration is bringing back common sense and restoring biological truth to the federal government,” HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said in a statement. “The prior administration’s policy of trying to engineer gender ideology into every aspect of public life is over.”

    The guidance additionally notes that transgender surgeries or the use of hormones does not change a person’s sex.”

    Liked by 1 person

  26. Just The News: “President Donald Trump on Wednesday night established his bipartisan council of governors, tapping Virginia GOP Gov. Glenn Youngkin and  North Carolina Democratic Gov. Josh Stein to lead it as co-chairs.

    The group of state leaders will be tasked with strengthening the relationship between state and federal leadership to improve coordination on national security, disaster response and military issues, the White House said.

    The other Republicans on the council are Ron DeSantis of Florida, Brian Kemp of Georgia, Jeff Landry of Louisiana and Henry McMaster of South Carolina. 

    The other Democrats are Wes Moore of Maryland, Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan, Kathy Hochul of New York and Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania.

    Noticeably absent from the list were governors from the West Coast, including California’s Gavin Newsom and Arizona’s Katie Hobbs, both Democrats. The exclusion of Newsom comes as his state grapples with strong fire seasons.”

    Liked by 1 person

  27. p-squared
    p-squared
    February 20, 2025 9:07 am

    Sen Josh Hawley has called for an independent IG to investigate every penny of money that went to Ukraine. This will ensure the DOGE effort becomes nontransparent because of “national security” and “ongoing investigation.” Eventually the final IG report will be inconclusive and redacted when it is released in 2028.

    Methinks the senator is starting to sweat since Zelenskyy sad he only got half of the loot. Perhaps some of the other half found it’s way into a certain senator’s pockets?

    Like

  28. Just The News: “President Donald Trump on Wednesday shared that he has a bipartisan meeting coming up next week with some Democrats, whom he will meet for lunch. 

    The meeting will be a rare moment of bipartisanship between two opposing parties that have strongly criticized each other. Pennsylvania Sen. John Fetterman is one of the few Democratic members of Congress who has openly engaged with Trump.

    The president made the revelation during an appearance in Miami, Florida, where he spoke to investors at the Future Investment Initiative Institute.

    “They’re the party of some really bad things. And I think they’ll change. I think they have to change,” he said of Democrats. “I’m going to be having lunch with some of the Democrats next week, and it would be wonderful if we could work together. I think working together would be great. But they have to change. You can’t get elected on the programs that they want.”

    Trump did not state which Democrats would be at the meeting, including whether Fetterman has been invited. But it comes after the senator voted to confirm certain members of Trump’s Cabinet, such as Attorney General Pam Bondi and Environmental Protection Agency head Lee Zeldin.

    Fetterman also met with Trump at his Mar-a-Lago resort before Inauguration Day, and shifted toward the right when it comes to supporting Israel in its war with Hamas. He additionally helped pass the Laken Riley Act, an immigration bill, last month.

    It is not clear what day the meeting will take place.”

    Liked by 1 person

  29. Senate Pushes Toward Confirmation of Kash Patel as FBI Director

    The Senate was set to vote Thursday on whether to confirm Kash Patel as FBI director, a decision that could place him atop the nation’s premier federal law enforcement agency despite concerns from Democrats over his qualifications and the prospect that he would do President Donald Trump’s bidding.

    Patel cleared the Senate Judiciary Committee last week by a 12-10, party-line vote and is set for consideration by the Republican-controlled Senate on Thursday afternoon.

    He is expected to be confirmed unless more than three Republican senators defy Trump’s will and vote against him, which is seen as unlikely. Trump has already secured approval for most of his nominees despite initial Republican skepticism to several of his choices.

    Patel, a Trump loyalist who has fiercely criticized the agency that he is poised to lead, would inherit an FBI gripped by turmoil. — AP News

    Our Take: The Swamp has pushed this off for as long as it, but today is the day. Judgement Day.

    “[Kash] is expected to be confirmed unless more than three Republican senators defy Trump’s will and vote against him, which is seen as unlikely.”

    Go ahead, GOP. Make my day. Vote against Kash and seal your fate. America is watching. — GhostofBasedPatrickHenry

    Like

  30. Zelensky Responds to Trump Calling for Elections in Ukraine

    Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky accused President Donald Trump of being influenced by Russian disinformation as a result of discussions the U.S. president was having with the Kremlin. On Tuesday, Trump—without citing evidence—told reporters that Zelensky’s approval rating was “down at 4 percent” and suggested Ukraine should hold elections, despite martial law preventing them under the country’s constitution. […]

    Why It Matters: Zelensky’s remarks come amid a rapid shift in U.S. foreign policy under Trump toward Russia as the war in Ukraine rages on. On Tuesday, the U.S. and Russia held talks in Saudi Arabia where the two countries agreed to strengthen diplomatic and economic ties, and start peace talks to end the war. No Ukrainian officials were invited and the sudden thaw in relations between Washington and Moscow has alarmed European allies.

    What To Know: In a Tuesday news conference, Trump suggested that Kyiv bore responsibility for the ongoing war, soon to enter its fourth year, and that Ukraine should hold elections. – Newsweek

    Our Take: Interesting thought here from my buddy, Matt Byram.

    The US and Russia are looking to force an election in Ukraine prior to any peace deal being signed.

    • Ceasefire
    • Ukrainian elections
    • Peace deal

    What if Putin were to run for President of Ukraine… and win? – Jon Herold

    ***

    Another Take: When Newsweek posted this article on X, their post was unintentionally hilarious:

    The American people have invested hundreds of billions of dollars in Ukraine’s “democracy,” but now there are concerns that elections might lead to an unacceptable outcome? If there aren’t consequences for the past 10 years of crimes in The Ukraine, we shame the sacrifice of our forefathers.

    Democracy demands accountability. Audit every penny that went to Ukraine, trace every kickback, and indict every co-conspirator.

    And give the people of Ukraine an election. – Ashe in America

    Liked by 1 person

          1. Oh, yeah! I didn’t either! She can’t handle the calves and goats any more so she switched to something more manageable.

            Like

  32. “Daniel Penny receives prestigious award from Marine Corps League at Iwo Jima event”

    New York Post, By Steve Janoski, Published Feb. 19, 2025

    ENTIRE ARTICLE: “Daniel Penny was honored Wednesday by the Marine Corps League at an Iwo Jima Day in Boston — where the former Devil Dog received the prestigious Semper Fidelis achievement award.

    Penny — who was acquitted last year of criminally negligent homicide in the May 2023 killing of Jordan Neely on a New York City subway — attended the event with defense attorneys Thomas Kenniff and Steve Raiser, who also took home appreciation plaques.

    Daniel Penny poses with lawyers Steven M. Raiser and Thomas Kenniff after receiving an award for the Marine Corps League on Wednesday.
    Daniel Penny poses with lawyers Steven M. Raiser and Thomas Kenniff after receiving an award for the Marine Corps League on Wednesday.courtesy of Thomas Kenniff

    The league “honored Danny for representing the Esprit De Corps of the Marines, defined by selfless service and sacrifice, when he risked his life by defending the people on that NYC train and we in turn successfully defended Danny from a prosecution that never should have been sought,” Raiser said in an emailed statement.

    “We were honored and humbled to be in the same room being honored alongside many veterans of prior wars, including an Iwo Jima veteran and a retired general who served as one of the Tuskegee Airmen,” he continued.

    Before the event, John M. MacGillivray of the Marine Corps League wrote in a letter that the Semper Fidelis award goes to “worthy and inspirational recipients.” “We believe Daniel Penny and attorneys Raiser and Kenniff deserve such recognition and hope that they will consent to accept these awards,” he wrote. The trio did, in fact, consent.

    Penny was acquitted in December of criminally negligent homicide for the 2023 death of Jordan Neely on a New York City subway.
    Penny was acquitted in December of criminally negligent homicide for the 2023 death of Jordan Neely on a New York City subway.Getty Images

    And they were photographed grinning — their awards in hand — after the Massachusetts State House ceremony.

    The annual event — which may be in its final year — is held to recognize the 1945 Battle of Iwo Jima, a five-week-long campaign that left 7,000 Marines dead and 20,000 wounded. Despite the battle’s length and brutality, American forces eventually seized the island from the Japanese Imperial Army, moving the Allies one step closer to finally ending World War II.

    But time — the undefeated killer — has left only a few veterans able to attend such commemorations.

    The former Marine poses next to legendary Tuskegee Airmen and retired Brigadier General Enoch “Woody” Woodhouse outside the Massachusetts State House.
    The former Marine poses next to legendary Tuskegee Airmen and retired Brigadier General Enoch “Woody” Woodhouse outside the Massachusetts State House.courtesy of Thomas Kenniff

    And just one veteran of the great Pacific Theater battle made it to the 80th anniversary: 99-year-old Joe Cappuccio, the State House News Service reported. “This may well be the last time that we conduct this ceremony,” MacGillivray wrote in his letter.

    Marine Corps Commandant and four-star Gen. Eric Smith also acknowledged Penny at the ceremony, Kenniff said. But afterward, Penny got an even more stunning commendation when legendary Tuskegee Airmen and retired Brigadier General Enoch “Woody” Woodhouse took his hand outside the State House, looked him in the eye and said, “I’m proud of you, son.”

    “That’s a moment I don’t think any of us will forget,” Kenniff said.”

    Liked by 1 person

  33. “The Real Scandal Behind the Latest DOJ DefectionThe resignation of a top official with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Washington appears to be more partisanship by a longtime DOJ apparatchik tied to Democrats and a cover-up of a major scandal.”

    Julie Kelly, Feb 20, 2025

    Share

    ENTIRE ARTICLE: “In what has become the latest trend in #Resistance fashion, another government lawyer made a splashy exit from the Department of Justice this week. Denise Cheung, chief of the criminal division for the U.S. Attorney’s office in Washington, sent a three-page letter to her boss explaining why she would have to quit rather than follow orders to pursue an investigation into potential wrongdoing tied to the Biden administration.

    In noting her 24-year career at the DOJ—she once worked as former Attorney General Eric Holder’s national security advisor—Cheung, like those before her, claimed the moral high ground as her excuse not to do her job. “I have always worked to enforce the rule of law, to vindicate the rights of victims. and to protect the security of the nation,” Cheung wrote to Ed Martin, the acting D.C. U.S. attorney and President Trump’s pick to permanently run the powerful office, on February 18. “I believe that the values the Department of Justice stands for, and the many people that work every day to fulfill them, are to be promoted and cherished.”

    Recent antics by DOJ employees indicate one “value” is the ability to defy superiors with a change of the political winds. In Cheung’s case, she challenged the veracity of evidence presented as the basis for a potential investigation into a Biden-era “climate” initiative with all the markings of a political slush fund ripe for fraud and corruption.

    Biden-Style Grift on His Way Out the Door

    The so-called Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund first got attention when Lee Zeldin, the new Environmental Protection Agency administrator, laid out details of the jaw-dropping arrangement in a video posted last week. “Roughly twenty billion of your tax dollars were parked at an outside financial institution by the Biden EPA,” Zeldin said on February 12. “This scheme was the first of its kind in EPA history and it was purposefully designed to obligate all the money in a rush job with reduced oversight.”

    Zeldin noted that the money, now understood to be “parked” at Citibank, was awarded to eight climate nonprofits who then “doled out your money to NGOs and others at their discretion with far less transparency.” He referred the matter to both the DOJ and EPA inspector general: (Video of Zeldin)

    There is no question about the political origins of the fund; the Biden White House touted the program with great fanfare months before the 2024 election. During a campaign stop last April, Kamala Harris announced the eight chosen winners of the $20 billion climate lottery. Harris also noted the unique nature of the arrangement, boasting that “for the first time in history, we are providing tens of billions of dollars directly to community lenders to finance local climate projects. This is a novel approach, it is actually the first time we have taken this approach.” (The list of recipients is here.) (Video clip of Harris)

    And far from being a single-minded mission to reduce carbon emissions, the pot primarily is reserved for “communities with environmental justice concerns, communities of color, low-income communities, rural communities, [and] Tribal communities.” Projects could involve something as basic as replacing insulation and installing solar panels to buying a fleet of electric trucks to start a delivery service, Harris said in her speech.

    What possibly could go wrong?

    A Ripe Target for Investigation—But Not So, Says Cheung

    One can only imagine how climate and social justice activists spending billions in free money with apparently no accountability might abuse the system. This is especially true of Joe Biden, who has a long history of leveraging his government power to enrich his family and friends. (Breaking news indicates one grantee is tied to Stacey Abrams. More on this in a follow up piece.)

    The unusual nature of the arrangement alone—a major bank rather than Congress handling a big chunk of tax dollars with no known oversight mechanism established just a few months before the election—should raise the Spidey senses of any federal prosecutor, especially one with a stellar DOJ resume that stretches back more than two decades.

    But not so with Cheung.

    Evidence? What Evidence?

    Apparently acting on information described by Zeldin, who is an attorney, and a separate video produced by Project Veritas that showed a Biden political appointee at the EPA admitting the administration was rushing to move the climate money before Trump got into office, acting deputy attorney general Emil Bove sought to initiate an investigation.

    “I was asked to review documentation supplied by [Bove] to open a criminal investigation into whether a contract had been unlawfully awarded by an executive agency before the change in Administration and to issue grand jury subpoenas pursuant to this investigation,” Cheung wrote in her resignation letter. “I was told that there was time sensitivity and action had to be taken that day because there was concern that contract awardees could continue to draw down on accounts handled by the bank handling the disbursements.”

    Cheung said she then conferred with DOJ employees who have “substantial white collar criminal prosecution experience.” They concluded, however, “the existing documents on their face did not seem to meet this threshold” for an investigation.

    Bove additionally sought a letter to Citibank ordering a “freeze” of funds related to the unidentified grant recipient. Cheung then contacted the famously corrupt Washington FBI field office for more guidance; she then concluded that enough evidence supported potential conspiracy and wire fraud charges.

    But the letter from the FBI only “recommended” a freeze of the funds.

    When confronted by Martin, who wanted to send a follow-up letter demanding, not recommending, the freeze, Cheung refused. “When I explained that the quantum of evidence did not support that action, you stated that you believed that there was sufficient evidence,” she told Martin. “I still do not believe that there is sufficient evidence to issue the letter you described, including sufficient evidence to tell the bank that there is probable cause to seize the particular accounts identified.”

    She then resigned per Martin’s request.

    Cheung’s sanctimony and sudden devotion to careful prosecutorial scrutiny is hard to swallow given her history. After years of helping the DOJ pursue clearly politically motivated investigations against Republicans, Cheung suddenly suffered an alleged attack of conscience when it came to investigating Democrats?

    This is, after all, the same Denise Cheung who was part of the DOJ team that initiated the dubious investigation into Donald Trump over Jan 6; brought federal charges against Trump advisors Steve Bannon and Peter Navarro for defying an illicit congressional committee; and helped manage the largest criminal prosecution in Justice Department history resulting in the arrest of nearly 1,600 Americans for the events of Jan 6.

    Cheung’s “moral, ethical, and legal obligations,” as she bragged in her resignation letter, never got in the way of her office’s unlawful use of a post-Enron obstruction statute to turn hundreds of J6 protesters into lifelong felons. Or when her office applied federal misdemeanors such as “parading” in the Capitol for the first time against political protesters. Or when her office added terror enhancements to sentencing recommendations in order to throw nonviolent J6ers in federal prison for years. Or when her office sent women in their 70s to jail for protesting outside of abortion clinics.

    The list of abuses by the DOJ tacitly endorsed by Cheung over the past decade or so is long and ignominious. Which is why her preachy indignation in the face of investigating Democrats rather than Republicans rings hollow.”

    Liked by 1 person

  36. Bessie2003
    Bessie2003
    February 20, 2025 10:02 am

    on X, “Ukrainian President Zelensky blocks Trump’s Truth Social platform in Ukraine”

    JUST IN: 🇺🇦 Ukrainian President Zelensky blocks Donald Trump’s Truth Social platform in Ukraine. pic.twitter.com/uun9rwSWPK

    — BRICS News (@BRICSinfo) February 20, 2025

    Liked by 1 person

  37. i am amazed at the bluejays. currently there are 3 that take turns…but here the thing that amazes me. they have yet to scare the other birds away, they sit on the railings or beams and watch the smaller birds feed, but do not fly to the feeder till the littler birds eave. it almost like they don’t quite get how to reach into the holes to grab a seed. they eat from the tray of the feeder and the tray that the feeder sits on.

    Liked by 1 person

      1. so far they just hop around on the deck waiting for them to be done, but the jays aren’t aggressive to them. the other day we saw the single male cardinal in a tree watching all the birds coming and going but he hasn’t ventured closer. they’re o fun to watch…thank you so much for getting me interested in more than hummers!

        Liked by 1 person

      1. My niece, Mandy, spent several months as an infant on the racetrack with my Sis. She would put her in the infant seat and place it at the front of the stall of one of the horses. They were very gentle and adored her! Of course some horses weren’t safe but most were. Needless to say, Mandy turned into quite the equestrian!

        Like

  41. Well, duh!!! SMDH – if he’s even still alive by then!!!

    Just The News: “GOP Sen. Mitch McConnell said Thursday will not be seeking reelection in 2026, ending his decade-long career in the Senate.

    “Seven times, my fellow Kentuckians have sent me to the Senate,” McConnell said in a statement to The Associated Press. “Every day in between I’ve been humbled by the trust they’ve placed in me to do their business here. Representing our commonwealth has been the honor of a lifetime. I will not seek this honor an eighth time. My current term in the Senate will be my last.”

    The 83-year-old senator will serve his remaining term until it ends in January 2027. McConnell was first elected to office in 1984 and he served as the Senate majority leader from 2015 to 2021.”

    Liked by 1 person

  43. “Undoing the damage of the Biden administration” — top U.S. and Hungarian ministers meet in DC — “Everything is in place for excellent Hungarian-American economic cooperation”

    Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Péter Szijjártó was the first foreign minister received by U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.

    “Now we are getting down to the nitty-gritty, undoing the damage of the Biden administration and putting Hungarian-American economic-financial cooperation on a new footing,” Szijjártó posted on Facebook.

    “Secretary Scott Bessent has also confirmed to me that President Trump and the U.S. government are making every effort to end the war in Ukraine. This is the best possible news for us because a return of peace to Central Europe would free us from enormous danger and pressure.

    “Scott Bessent spoke highly of the performance of the Hungarian economy, the investment of U.S. companies in Hungary, and we agreed on the need to take a strong stand against a global minimum tax,” Hungary’s minister noted.

    Secretary Bessent posted on X that he would not be at the G20 Summit “because of obligations in Washington DC,” reassuring Americans that a senior treasury official will be present and that he is continuously in contact with his “global counterparts working to advance Pres. Trump’s agenda.”

    https://x.com/RMXnews/status/1892468159258468723

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  48. ENTIRE ARTICLE @ NewYorkPost: “The latest liberal outrage over President Trump’s border policies is the fact that some migrant criminals have been handcuffed and shackled for their flights back home. India objected when a C-17 arrived in New Delhi with 104 restrained deportees. And Colombian President Gustavo Petro set off a brief diplomatic row by turning back the first US planeload of deportees because many wore leg restraints.

    “A migrant is not a criminal and must be treated with the dignity every human being is worthy of,” an indignant Petro posted on social media. “We will welcome back our fellow countrymen on civilian planes, without a criminal’s treatment.”

    Missing from this outcry is any explanation of why this is necessary. The best way for Americans to understand the case for cuffing and shackling is by retelling the recent true story that isn’t far from the minds of career Department of Homeland Security officials. It happened when President Joe Biden used mass air deportations to belatedly handle a massive camp of 15,000 mostly Haitian migrants that suddenly formed under the Del Rio, Texas, international bridge in September 2021.

    That camp drew international media attention, which made it a major political threat to the Biden administration as the US midterm election campaign season was getting underway. It had to go — and fast.

    On Sept. 20, a chartered commercial passenger plane left Laughlin Air Base with a group of male Haitians. Once they realized they weren’t going somewhere in the United States but back to Haiti, all hell broke loose. The men ripped every window sunshade from their moorings, bent most overhead luggage compartment doors off their hinges. They tore seat cushions off frames, then ripped out their stuffing. They destroyed anything destroyable as pilots cowered at the controls behind locked cabin doors.

    That was the beginning of a rampage of attempted hijackings, attacks on ICE agents and mutiny on the ground back in Texas, according to media reports. Once on the Port au Prince tarmac, dozens of the disembarked Haitians tried to storm back onto the plane, but a Haitian security officer blocked the stairwell.

    Then the mob stormed aboard and attempted to hijack the second recently arrived flight, this one carrying women and children from Del Rio. Some men assaulted the pilots and demanded to be flown back to the United States while others attacked and bit three resisting ICE agents on the plane. Haitian security eventually quelled the tarmac violence, but it wasn’t easy.

    Those first deportees on the Port-au-Prince tarmac sent cellphone video of the chaos back to their friends and family still in Texas who, blissfully ignorant of the deportations, were allowing themselves to be loaded onto white government buses bound for Laughlin Air Base. As one plane prepared to taxi onto the Texas airbase runway, two Haitian passengers bolted from their seats and attacked ICE agents, demanding the flight be aborted. This delayed the flight. Another insurrection broke out on a second flight.

    Haitians attacked their bus drivers, according to the Washington Examiner, forcing their drivers off, then drove some distance away and bailed out. In one event, detainees kicked out a window and 22 escaped. In another incident, the Haitian detainees revolted and seized control of a bus driving them to San Antonio, pulled it over and ran. ICE search parties eventually recaptured most.

    That was when DHS changed the procedure to what we see today. This isn’t a Trump innovation. The Biden DHS decided it would not only load all its flights from Texas with extra security officers and put protective cages around bus drivers but — most importantly of all — shackle some adult passengers.

    The moral of this broadly forgotten story is that cuffing and shackling adult deportees is a better-safe-than-sorry measure to prevent riots at 40,000 feet and guarantee the safety of accompanying ICE officers.”

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  50. “Days of Thunder: A Progress Report on the American Political Apocalypse”

    Ryan DeLarme, Feb 20, 2025

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    EXCERPT: “We’ve entered a new era where the improbable becomes reality, and Donald J. Trump, freshly returned to the Oval Office, is steering this ship with an audacity that’s nothing short of awe-inspiring. His first month has been a whirlwind of action, a testament to a man who doesn’t just talk about change, but implements it with the ferocity of a lion reclaiming its throne.

    He turned the Super Bowl into his stage, standing shoulder to shoulder with cops as a calculated move in the chess game of public perception. It was a spectacle, a moment where Trump wasn’t just president; he was the ringmaster, pulling at the strings of American sentiment with a grin.

    So here we are; it’s been roughly a month since Donald Trump took the oath of office and initiated what Steve Bannon has been calling “the days of thunder,” beginning the process of dismantling both the deep and administrative states, so, I think it’s time for a progress report, one that reaches outside of our echo chamber and includes criticisms coming from our weird cousins in the anti-establishment, anti-Trump crowd.

    I guarantee that you will not agree with some of the views included in this post—I certainly don’t—but remember, it’s imperative to venture outside our safe space to understand opposing opinions.The Good

    For all the meltdowns and catastrophizing from left-wing pundits and social media, Donald Trump 2.0 is enjoying a net approval rating stronger than he had at the outset of his first term.

    Approval Rating

    In 2020, during the initial stages of the coronavirus pandemic, Trump saw his approval rating reach 49% in some polls. This was seen as the high point of his first term.

    On February 9th, CBS News published polls showing Trumps popularity at an all time high.

    Source CBS News

    Even CNN has had to acknowledge the glaring truth of it.

    As of February 9th, his net approval is up nearly 10 points from where it was this time in 2017, including the CBS, IPSOS, Pew, and Gallup polls. Additionally, as of the 9th, Trump’s approval has been in the green for 20 days straight, whereas, in his first term, he was only in the positive 11 days total.

    Now, you can make arguments about the accuracy and integrity of the polls then and now, but regardless, optics are optics, and despite all of the drastic shake-ups driving left-wing politicians and social media to hysteria [USAID, Department of Education, etc.], this shows that the majority of the the country is actually in favor of these radical changes.

    Let’s get into some of those shake-ups…..”

    https://badlands.substack.com/p/days-of-thunder

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    1. “….So, here we are, back in Trump’s America, where the line between policy and performance art blurs. His first month back has been a whirlwind of action, each move a gamble in the high-stakes game of political poker. Whether this is the beginning of a revival or a descent into further madness, only time will tell. But one thing’s for sure, buckle up, because this ride’s just heating up.

      We’re all in the eye of the Trump storm, and it’s going to be a hell of a trip.

      As I write this, the sun is setting over D.C., and the city feels like it’s holding its breath. The old order is dying, and the new one is being born in blood and fire.”

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