Superb fairywrens are so cute. I first learned about them on QI. Sandy Toksvig said it was her favorite over the top cute name for a cute bird - not an exact quote.
We have a pair of house wrens that have taken up residence in one our bird houses. It's a couple feet from our window. They're in baby feeding mode and are gathering all kinds of bugs for their babies. Hopefully we get a chance to see the babies when they split the nest.
I was walking on the Cornell campus recently on a sunny morning after a rain, when I saw a robin on the ground followed by a spotted robin who was cheeping loudly. The first robin found a small caterpillar and shoved it into the spotted robin’s mouth. Ah, mommy and baby. (Maybe daddy and baby.) Did baby stop cheeping for food? No. It was adorable.
I don't think I had realized that the Alligator Alcatraz will involve detainees being "housed" in tents, and it is set to open in July. I thought it was some long term project that would take forever to build. And that James Uthmeier, what a card:
Florida officials say the Everglades camp, which has been criticized by the Democratic congressman Maxwell Frost as “a cruel spectacle”, will open in the first week of July – a month in which south Florida’s daily heat index regularly exceeds 100F (37.8C).
Initially, about 100 Florida national guard troops will provide “security” at the base, a spokesperson said on Thursday, a number likely to increase as its detainee population grows.
Paid for by Florida taxpayers and homeland security department funds, the project came about after the state seized the 39-square-mile site from its owners, Miami-Dade county, under emergency powers enacted by the Republican governor, Ron DeSantis. It now faces staunch opposition from an alliance of groups.
These groups say housing up to 5,000 detainees in tents in the heat and humidity of the Florida summer, at a site surrounded by marshes and wetlands containing alligators, Burmese pythons and swarms of mosquitoes, amounts to inhumane treatment.
James Uthmeier, the state’s hard-right attorney general, laughed off the criticism.
“We believe in the swamp down here in Florida. We are swamp creatures,” he told the conservative podcast host Benny Johnson in a reveal of the scheme on Monday that bordered on mockery.
“There’s no way in and no way out. The perimeter’s already set by Mother Nature. People get out, there’s not much waiting for them other than pythons and alligators.”
The airfield’s 11,000ft runway, he said, was perfect for large planes bringing in scores of undocumented persons detained by Ice from all over the US.
“There’s a lot of low-hanging fruit,” said Uthmeier, who was held in civil contempt by a federal judge this month for continuing to enforce a state immigration law she blocked.
Would it even be them or some kind of ICE type people. I saw DeSantis walking around giving a tour to FOX NEWS and congratulating himself but I don't know where they plan to put employees. I did read somewhere from a report of the protest there over the weekend that during the protest they saw LOTS of dump trucks coming in, to fill in the swamp I guess.
I did not even guess that Alligator Alcatraz would be f'n tents. Seeing FL AG James Uthmeier behind bars and blubbering about his misfortune added to my life goals list.
I couldn't decide whether to go with a "First, they came for the kitties" joke for this one, or something about an existential threat to social media (and maybe something about Jeff Bezos's wedding).
Defunding PP will also mean women will have less ability to access health care, exams, and get advice on things OTHER THAN ABORTION OF GENDER QUESTIONS.
Sorry. I am remembering my late daughter, being to happy to have a PP within walking distance since she had an issue, and no GYN. She also had problems with being examined, and they were wonderful. I also remember a grandson who got the HPV vaccine there, and nobody had to worry about how he or daughter would get to a doctor's office.
That PP is picketed quite often, even though there are NO abortions performed there, never were, and unless they seriously expanded, never would be. Because....Republican Jesus said so.
Should I place a bet that the worst of the ICE detention centers are part of the private for profit prison system that appears to be where many people are being sent for indefinite periods of time?
Private companies hosting ICE centers should have holy hellfire rained down on them by the cities. Send a Department of Health inspector to any location housing people overnight. Refused entry? How about being completely shut down?
Make it hurt to cooperate with the Chump administration.
Superb fairywren is superb! Your hed gif source info n' stuff: https://martiniambassador.substack.com/p/a-superb-fairywren
And the meme chat: https://open.substack.com/chat/posts/2c220688-938b-45b7-81b7-6ff606c70a69
I was expecting him to spread those tail feathers like a wee peacock
I love birb
Superb fairywrens are so cute. I first learned about them on QI. Sandy Toksvig said it was her favorite over the top cute name for a cute bird - not an exact quote.
Thanks! I love this gif.
Thanke uu for putting a birbe!
Thees budgie say hooray!!!
Nice birb Martini. They started chirping this morning at 3:45 am. Official sunrise didn't come until 5:13. Silly birbs.
Was it a mockingbird? Those guys are relentless noise-makers, no matter the time of day.
No, a LBB.
Love this tiny dino and its fierce floof!
Look at those tail feathers! LOOK AT 'EM!!
🎶 The wren the wren, the king of all birds 🎶
We have a pair of house wrens that have taken up residence in one our bird houses. It's a couple feet from our window. They're in baby feeding mode and are gathering all kinds of bugs for their babies. Hopefully we get a chance to see the babies when they split the nest.
Constantly glancing left and right reminds me of how I'm always looking out for traffic when on a walk.
I once went to The Fairy Wren! Had a smoked Turkey leg. There was a Dousing Booth and maidens and everything!
Proper maidens?
I havent't been a "maiden" for a very, VERY long time.
"...territorial family groups consisting of a breeding pair with up to seven helpers..."
Fairywrens are birds that clearly know what they're doing.
Lessons there for all of us!
I was walking on the Cornell campus recently on a sunny morning after a rain, when I saw a robin on the ground followed by a spotted robin who was cheeping loudly. The first robin found a small caterpillar and shoved it into the spotted robin’s mouth. Ah, mommy and baby. (Maybe daddy and baby.) Did baby stop cheeping for food? No. It was adorable.
Sigh, I still miss that campus. I've lost my Cornell calves.
Bluebirds will hatch two clutches a season and the older siblings help to care for the younger ones.
Their whole social/breeding dynamic is wild!
Birb for Tabs!
I'm reminded of the Women's Royal Naval Service, called Wrens who served during WW II.
A number of them worked as critically important code breakers, with Alan Turing, at Bletchley Park.
Next you'll tell me they were superb.
Makes me think of the dramatic hamster. With the quick turn, dun, dun, dunnnnn!
Scary dinosaur! Hide!
Thanks you for your timely and eloquent news recaps! I want a Wonkette is Great Hat! ;) From Texas Big Dave Mahalo with Aloha
Detroit. But wait till fall, K?
That scene in Casablanca always makes me cry. Especially when you know that many of the actors were refugees escaping Hitler.
I always appreciate a well placed BNL reference. :)
Hey Rebecca,
A nice time for Tabs:
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/jul/05/pure-joy-the-australian-pub-choirmaster-who-flipped-the-script-on-americas-got-talent
Wonderful!
Killer vicious Scottie puppy? My dog, when a puppy, used to chew on me like that;
I don't think I had realized that the Alligator Alcatraz will involve detainees being "housed" in tents, and it is set to open in July. I thought it was some long term project that would take forever to build. And that James Uthmeier, what a card:
Florida officials say the Everglades camp, which has been criticized by the Democratic congressman Maxwell Frost as “a cruel spectacle”, will open in the first week of July – a month in which south Florida’s daily heat index regularly exceeds 100F (37.8C).
Initially, about 100 Florida national guard troops will provide “security” at the base, a spokesperson said on Thursday, a number likely to increase as its detainee population grows.
Paid for by Florida taxpayers and homeland security department funds, the project came about after the state seized the 39-square-mile site from its owners, Miami-Dade county, under emergency powers enacted by the Republican governor, Ron DeSantis. It now faces staunch opposition from an alliance of groups.
These groups say housing up to 5,000 detainees in tents in the heat and humidity of the Florida summer, at a site surrounded by marshes and wetlands containing alligators, Burmese pythons and swarms of mosquitoes, amounts to inhumane treatment.
James Uthmeier, the state’s hard-right attorney general, laughed off the criticism.
“We believe in the swamp down here in Florida. We are swamp creatures,” he told the conservative podcast host Benny Johnson in a reveal of the scheme on Monday that bordered on mockery.
“There’s no way in and no way out. The perimeter’s already set by Mother Nature. People get out, there’s not much waiting for them other than pythons and alligators.”
The airfield’s 11,000ft runway, he said, was perfect for large planes bringing in scores of undocumented persons detained by Ice from all over the US.
“There’s a lot of low-hanging fruit,” said Uthmeier, who was held in civil contempt by a federal judge this month for continuing to enforce a state immigration law she blocked.
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/jun/27/florida-alligator-alcatraz-migrant-jail-outrage
What do you thing the attrition rate is going to be for the national guard troops assigned to this duty? I'm rooting for 100% in the first month.
Would it even be them or some kind of ICE type people. I saw DeSantis walking around giving a tour to FOX NEWS and congratulating himself but I don't know where they plan to put employees. I did read somewhere from a report of the protest there over the weekend that during the protest they saw LOTS of dump trucks coming in, to fill in the swamp I guess.
Good question. One pic I saw had a huge line up of porta potties. Can you imagine them in the summer heat? Gag.
He's not even swamp adjacent. Fuck that guy.
I did not even guess that Alligator Alcatraz would be f'n tents. Seeing FL AG James Uthmeier behind bars and blubbering about his misfortune added to my life goals list.
Somebody made a comment about tents yesterday and I assumed it was snark.
Guantanamo North.
If "This is Biden's stock market, not Trump's..."
Then "Thanks, President Biden!".
Else GTFO.
I couldn't decide whether to go with a "First, they came for the kitties" joke for this one, or something about an existential threat to social media (and maybe something about Jeff Bezos's wedding).
"Book bans are getting weirder, targeting cats"
https://www.salon.com/2025/06/26/book-bans-are-getting-weirder-targeting-cats-dogs-and-civic-minded-grandmas/
This is going to be a long long assed fucking summer... ;>(
Yes, it has been.
Wait, there's still 12 more weeks?
GAH!
I was completely ignorant of this cutie, a treat to learn. A bebe?
Defunding PP will also mean women will have less ability to access health care, exams, and get advice on things OTHER THAN ABORTION OF GENDER QUESTIONS.
Sorry. I am remembering my late daughter, being to happy to have a PP within walking distance since she had an issue, and no GYN. She also had problems with being examined, and they were wonderful. I also remember a grandson who got the HPV vaccine there, and nobody had to worry about how he or daughter would get to a doctor's office.
That PP is picketed quite often, even though there are NO abortions performed there, never were, and unless they seriously expanded, never would be. Because....Republican Jesus said so.
Make Gonorrhea Great Again! And cervical cancer. And misery.
Should I place a bet that the worst of the ICE detention centers are part of the private for profit prison system that appears to be where many people are being sent for indefinite periods of time?
Private companies hosting ICE centers should have holy hellfire rained down on them by the cities. Send a Department of Health inspector to any location housing people overnight. Refused entry? How about being completely shut down?
Make it hurt to cooperate with the Chump administration.
Absolutely should...but will it happen?
Mamdani has some real Obama energy ngl.
The two HUMMERS (MAE and BUTCH) are busily slurping the sweetwater. They make my day!