The Michigan Cuckoo
An invasive bird who tries to take over other birds nests.
It produces nothing…
Acts like the queen of the forest…
Takes anything it sees…
Has no boundaries…
Eliminates older birds in nursing nests for the fun of it…
And has no care or concern for other living creatures in the forest…
Beware … this is an invasive species and should be avoided at all costs. It has destructive tendencies and will destroy anything it touches.
@Brandenburg4Mi
An invasive bird who tries to take over other birds nests.
It produces nothing…
Acts like the queen of the forest…
Takes anything it sees…
Has no boundaries…
Eliminates older birds in nursing nests for the fun of it…
And has no care or concern for other living creatures in the forest…
Beware … this is an invasive species and should be avoided at all costs. It has destructive tendencies and will destroy anything it touches.
@Brandenburg4Mi
😁27👏5❤4👍3
Looked into this topic and the
Wood Duck was officially named as the Michigan State Duck!! A success story as the wood duck was brought back from near extinction.
The Robin still stands as the state bird!
Win win!!
https://www.mlive.com/environment/2026/03/after-conservation-success-story-michigans-wood-duck-rewarded-with-state-title.html
@Brandenburg4Mi
Wood Duck was officially named as the Michigan State Duck!! A success story as the wood duck was brought back from near extinction.
The Robin still stands as the state bird!
Win win!!
https://www.mlive.com/environment/2026/03/after-conservation-success-story-michigans-wood-duck-rewarded-with-state-title.html
@Brandenburg4Mi
👍2
Forwarded from Karen The Ultra Riveter 💪🇺🇸
"The Michigan Public Service Commission approved a $276.6 million rate hike Friday for Consumers Energy electricity customers.
The higher rates will increase residential electric bills by 8.9% beginning May 1, according to Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel. Her office argued for a much smaller $160 million annual rate hike.
"Consumers Energy customers will once again have to brace for higher bills because of the never-ending cycle of rate hikes passed on by the utility," Nessel said.
Consumers Energy initially sought a $436 million annual rate hike, which would have increased bills by 13%. State regulators approved the smaller $276.6 million increase after hearing testimony from both sides."
Link
The higher rates will increase residential electric bills by 8.9% beginning May 1, according to Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel. Her office argued for a much smaller $160 million annual rate hike.
"Consumers Energy customers will once again have to brace for higher bills because of the never-ending cycle of rate hikes passed on by the utility," Nessel said.
Consumers Energy initially sought a $436 million annual rate hike, which would have increased bills by 13%. State regulators approved the smaller $276.6 million increase after hearing testimony from both sides."
Link
🤬18
Forwarded from Karen The Ultra Riveter 💪🇺🇸
"Consumers Energy said the rate hike is necessary to continue investing in improved reliability, which reduces the number and duration of power outages across the Lower Peninsula.
The company says state regulators approved a $277 million plan on Friday to increase tree trimming near power lines, bury more power lines, install stronger utility poles and invest in cyber security for the electric grid."
The company says state regulators approved a $277 million plan on Friday to increase tree trimming near power lines, bury more power lines, install stronger utility poles and invest in cyber security for the electric grid."
🤬13🤔3❤1
After hearing about the shameful actions at the Michigan Republican convention yesterday … It’s time we talk about the real brainwashing happening all around us.
Is a relationship with God, the leading of God, the priority? Or is it the illusion of a human group of safety the priority? Watch the groups actions. If individuals exhibit demonic behavior or are liars or blamers who destroy other people’s lives just to win present … you might have a problem.
People feel it in their hearts: something is wrong. Deep down they know the system is rigged, the “narratives” are sales jobs, and the virtue-signaling is just another way to control us. But instead of standing on truth, too many choose the comfort of the group. They align with a political party, a movement, or a crowd … even when they know it’s compromised … just to feel accepted, approved, and “safe.”
That’s not safety. That’s spiritual slavery.
God never called us to follow the herd. He called us to follow Him. When the world says “everyone’s doing it,” our answer should be: “I answer to a higher authority.”
We don’t need another expert, influencer, or talking head telling us who to hate or who to worship. We need to elevate our expectations. We need to care more about what is truly right under God’s standard than about winning likes, votes, or social approval. The material world is temporary. Following God is eternal.
So how do we get off the brainwashing treadmill?
Stop outsourcing your thinking. Question everything … especially the polished messages coming from every angle. If it feels like an agenda designed to divide, distract, or control … it probably is.
Go back to the instruction manual for life. Read Scripture. Pray without a script. Ask the Holy Spirit to show you truth, not the version filtered through evil hands pulling levers behind the scenes.
Choose courage over comfort. It’s lonely at first when you step out of the compromised group. But you were never meant to fit in with a fallen world … you were meant to stand out for a holy God.
Speak the truth anyway. Even if your voice shakes. Even if “they” call you every name in the book. Light exposes darkness … it doesn’t negotiate with it.
The lovers of this world want you dependent on their approval. God wants you free.
Today is the day to start thinking for yourself. Not what the algorithm feeds you. Not what the party demands. Not what the culture pressures.
Just you, your Bible, and the God who made you for such a time as this.
Break the brainwashing cycle of control … it’s time to experience true freedom in Christ. That is the principle which America was founded on …
@Brandenburg4Mi
Is a relationship with God, the leading of God, the priority? Or is it the illusion of a human group of safety the priority? Watch the groups actions. If individuals exhibit demonic behavior or are liars or blamers who destroy other people’s lives just to win present … you might have a problem.
People feel it in their hearts: something is wrong. Deep down they know the system is rigged, the “narratives” are sales jobs, and the virtue-signaling is just another way to control us. But instead of standing on truth, too many choose the comfort of the group. They align with a political party, a movement, or a crowd … even when they know it’s compromised … just to feel accepted, approved, and “safe.”
That’s not safety. That’s spiritual slavery.
God never called us to follow the herd. He called us to follow Him. When the world says “everyone’s doing it,” our answer should be: “I answer to a higher authority.”
We don’t need another expert, influencer, or talking head telling us who to hate or who to worship. We need to elevate our expectations. We need to care more about what is truly right under God’s standard than about winning likes, votes, or social approval. The material world is temporary. Following God is eternal.
So how do we get off the brainwashing treadmill?
Stop outsourcing your thinking. Question everything … especially the polished messages coming from every angle. If it feels like an agenda designed to divide, distract, or control … it probably is.
Go back to the instruction manual for life. Read Scripture. Pray without a script. Ask the Holy Spirit to show you truth, not the version filtered through evil hands pulling levers behind the scenes.
Choose courage over comfort. It’s lonely at first when you step out of the compromised group. But you were never meant to fit in with a fallen world … you were meant to stand out for a holy God.
Speak the truth anyway. Even if your voice shakes. Even if “they” call you every name in the book. Light exposes darkness … it doesn’t negotiate with it.
The lovers of this world want you dependent on their approval. God wants you free.
Today is the day to start thinking for yourself. Not what the algorithm feeds you. Not what the party demands. Not what the culture pressures.
Just you, your Bible, and the God who made you for such a time as this.
Break the brainwashing cycle of control … it’s time to experience true freedom in Christ. That is the principle which America was founded on …
@Brandenburg4Mi
❤20🔥7👍2
My heart aches for our nation, for the world, and for every person feeling lost in the noise.
I see it in the division, the confusion, the quiet desperation so many carry. People are searching for answers in leaders, movements, parties, and systems … but no human hand can truly rescue us. No group, no ideology, no amount of approval can fill the emptiness or guide us safely home.
That’s why Jesus came.
He is the Great Shepherd. He doesn’t wait for the lost sheep to find its way back … He leaves the ninety-nine and goes after the one. He meets us right in the middle of our pain, our mistakes, our wandering. He doesn’t shame us. He simply says, “Come home. I’ve got you.”
God created the entire universe and set the stars in place. He made the rules of life itself. And in His perfect love, He calls us His children. Not servants … children. Under His care, His guidance, His protection.
No politician, no movement, no human institution can offer the pure, unconditional love and wisdom that only our Heavenly Father can give. Until our hearts turn back to Him … until we start following the Shepherd instead of the crowd … we will keep feeling lost.
But here’s the beautiful truth … It’s never too late to be found.
If you’re hurting, if you feel adrift, if the world feels too heavy … Jesus is already walking toward you. He specializes in rescuing the one. He turns broken lambs into beloved children.
You are not alone. You are seen. You are deeply loved.
Turn your eyes to Him today. Let Him lead. Let Him heal. Let Him bring you home.
He is waiting with open arms.
Not condemnation…
Let’s do this life together …
@Brandenburg4Mi
I see it in the division, the confusion, the quiet desperation so many carry. People are searching for answers in leaders, movements, parties, and systems … but no human hand can truly rescue us. No group, no ideology, no amount of approval can fill the emptiness or guide us safely home.
That’s why Jesus came.
He is the Great Shepherd. He doesn’t wait for the lost sheep to find its way back … He leaves the ninety-nine and goes after the one. He meets us right in the middle of our pain, our mistakes, our wandering. He doesn’t shame us. He simply says, “Come home. I’ve got you.”
God created the entire universe and set the stars in place. He made the rules of life itself. And in His perfect love, He calls us His children. Not servants … children. Under His care, His guidance, His protection.
No politician, no movement, no human institution can offer the pure, unconditional love and wisdom that only our Heavenly Father can give. Until our hearts turn back to Him … until we start following the Shepherd instead of the crowd … we will keep feeling lost.
But here’s the beautiful truth … It’s never too late to be found.
If you’re hurting, if you feel adrift, if the world feels too heavy … Jesus is already walking toward you. He specializes in rescuing the one. He turns broken lambs into beloved children.
You are not alone. You are seen. You are deeply loved.
Turn your eyes to Him today. Let Him lead. Let Him heal. Let Him bring you home.
He is waiting with open arms.
Not condemnation…
Let’s do this life together …
@Brandenburg4Mi
❤28👍3
It’s time to arrest and prosecute these scumbags to the point of fullest extent of the law …
The charge is treason!!!!!
This includes the lobbyists … congress … and whoever touched this money. Let’s leave no rock unturned.
@Brandenburg4Mi
The charge is treason!!!!!
This includes the lobbyists … congress … and whoever touched this money. Let’s leave no rock unturned.
@Brandenburg4Mi
🔥20👍4❤3😱1
Building methods that could eliminate bills have been systematically eliminated. The industry cartels know exactly what regulations they create to generate the most profit rather then helping people cut the costs of living.
This video shows a how a house can produce its own heat by through efficient design. The methods of regulatory capture by commerce is sickening. A giant south-facing greenhouse sunspace that captures solar energy, stores it in thermal mass, and naturally convects free warmth through the entire home all winter … no furnace, minimal or zero utility bills for heating. It's simple, ancient-inspired passive solar design combined with smart 20th-century tweaks. Radical self-sufficiency in action.
But here's the gut punch: you probably can't build this today. Not easily. Not legally in most places without massive headaches, expensive modifications, or outright denial.
Government building codes and zoning rules act as the ultimate gatekeepers of fate … an undeniable attack on our freedom for profits. They don't outright ban passive energy … they "regulate" it to death with requirements that kill the very physics making it work.
Classify that glorious sunspace as "non-habitable" space? Check.
Demand costly 1-hour fire-rated walls and doors between the greenhouse and living area? Check.
Those fire separations destroy the open convection loop that moves heat naturally. Suddenly your free heating system is broken, and you're back to relying on mechanical HVAC.
The result? Modern homes are deliberately less efficient than they could be. Instead of designing for the sun, wind, and thermal mass to do most of the work, we're forced into leaky, code-compliant boxes that bleed heat and lock us into monthly subscriptions: natural gas or electric bills, HVAC service contracts, "high-efficiency" window replacements every decade, insulation upgrades, and endless energy "efficiency" retrofits that never quite deliver true independence.
This isn't accidental. It's by design … regulatory capture at its finest.
Who writes and lobbies for these detailed building codes? The very industries that profit when you stay dependent. HVAC manufacturers and contractors love rules that mandate complex mechanical systems. Utility companies benefit from homes that can't easily go off-grid or slash consumption. Big window and insulation makers push "certified" products with strict U-factors and SHGC ratings that favor their expensive lines over simple, large glazed areas that actually harvest solar gain effectively. Builders and trade associations sit on code committees, shaping rules that raise barriers to entry for DIY or alternative approaches while protecting their business models.
It's not about your safety or the environment in any meaningful long-term way. Real safety and real sustainability would celebrate designs that minimize energy use through passive means … reducing strain on grids, lowering emissions without forcing everyone into high-tech gadgets, and giving families resilience against blackouts or price spikes.
Instead, the system funnels you into perpetual consumption. Radical self-sufficiency threatens billions in recurring revenue from fuel sales, maintenance, compliance upgrades, and "green" certified products. So the gatekeeping continues … inspectors, permits, variances, engineers, and added costs that make simple, proven self sufficient designed homes impractical for average people.
We've been robbed of the ability to build homes that work with nature instead of against it. The trajectory of your household's independence and finances … is quietly steered by rules sold as "for the public good" but engineered for industry advantage.
Watch the video and ask yourself … why can't we have this? Why is basic thermal wisdom treated like a hazard? It's time to demand code reform that actually enables self-sufficiency, not just layers more compliance theater.
Demand the right to build homes that don't sentence you to a lifetime energy subscription. End regulatory capture and lobbying.
This video shows a how a house can produce its own heat by through efficient design. The methods of regulatory capture by commerce is sickening. A giant south-facing greenhouse sunspace that captures solar energy, stores it in thermal mass, and naturally convects free warmth through the entire home all winter … no furnace, minimal or zero utility bills for heating. It's simple, ancient-inspired passive solar design combined with smart 20th-century tweaks. Radical self-sufficiency in action.
But here's the gut punch: you probably can't build this today. Not easily. Not legally in most places without massive headaches, expensive modifications, or outright denial.
Government building codes and zoning rules act as the ultimate gatekeepers of fate … an undeniable attack on our freedom for profits. They don't outright ban passive energy … they "regulate" it to death with requirements that kill the very physics making it work.
Classify that glorious sunspace as "non-habitable" space? Check.
Demand costly 1-hour fire-rated walls and doors between the greenhouse and living area? Check.
Those fire separations destroy the open convection loop that moves heat naturally. Suddenly your free heating system is broken, and you're back to relying on mechanical HVAC.
The result? Modern homes are deliberately less efficient than they could be. Instead of designing for the sun, wind, and thermal mass to do most of the work, we're forced into leaky, code-compliant boxes that bleed heat and lock us into monthly subscriptions: natural gas or electric bills, HVAC service contracts, "high-efficiency" window replacements every decade, insulation upgrades, and endless energy "efficiency" retrofits that never quite deliver true independence.
This isn't accidental. It's by design … regulatory capture at its finest.
Who writes and lobbies for these detailed building codes? The very industries that profit when you stay dependent. HVAC manufacturers and contractors love rules that mandate complex mechanical systems. Utility companies benefit from homes that can't easily go off-grid or slash consumption. Big window and insulation makers push "certified" products with strict U-factors and SHGC ratings that favor their expensive lines over simple, large glazed areas that actually harvest solar gain effectively. Builders and trade associations sit on code committees, shaping rules that raise barriers to entry for DIY or alternative approaches while protecting their business models.
It's not about your safety or the environment in any meaningful long-term way. Real safety and real sustainability would celebrate designs that minimize energy use through passive means … reducing strain on grids, lowering emissions without forcing everyone into high-tech gadgets, and giving families resilience against blackouts or price spikes.
Instead, the system funnels you into perpetual consumption. Radical self-sufficiency threatens billions in recurring revenue from fuel sales, maintenance, compliance upgrades, and "green" certified products. So the gatekeeping continues … inspectors, permits, variances, engineers, and added costs that make simple, proven self sufficient designed homes impractical for average people.
We've been robbed of the ability to build homes that work with nature instead of against it. The trajectory of your household's independence and finances … is quietly steered by rules sold as "for the public good" but engineered for industry advantage.
Watch the video and ask yourself … why can't we have this? Why is basic thermal wisdom treated like a hazard? It's time to demand code reform that actually enables self-sufficiency, not just layers more compliance theater.
Demand the right to build homes that don't sentence you to a lifetime energy subscription. End regulatory capture and lobbying.
YouTube
This House Is a Giant Greenhouse That Grows Its Own Heat. Why Did They Ban It?
Invented during the passive solar movement of the 1940s, these homes use a central "sun-space" to heat the entire structure via natural convection loops. It is "gatekept" by "Habitable Space" and "Fire Wall" regulations. Building codes often classify a central…
👏7👍3❤1🤯1🤬1
Developers are working with multinational corporations to extract profits. They get incentives by the industries who find the politicians making policy and regulatory decisions to protect the money pipeline. And they make things just as expensive as they can to inflict pain on everyday Americans.
Why has neither of the major parties addressed that!???
Because they are being funded by this scheme. Look at the connection to development and the political world. Why do we have the biggest gap between home buyer and too much housing inventory??? Because the fiat currency is dead….
The same thing happened in China … the result? Ghost cities. It’s happening here. Everyone has to get involved in local politics because the townships are the ones sealing the deal to sell out your communities. They are creating water monopolies for another method of subscription for services … only water monopolies result in life or death.
Who is running and what are their connections to regulatory capture… industries … industry cartels?
Here’s a clue … ISO
… development
… supply line monopolies
The list goes on…and I’m not going to sugar coat it!!!! The current candidates suck!!
The entire legislature … lobbying … every industry cartel…
This system is set against you as a full time criminal extortion ring.
Get up to speed quick!
@Brandenburg4Mi
Why has neither of the major parties addressed that!???
Because they are being funded by this scheme. Look at the connection to development and the political world. Why do we have the biggest gap between home buyer and too much housing inventory??? Because the fiat currency is dead….
The same thing happened in China … the result? Ghost cities. It’s happening here. Everyone has to get involved in local politics because the townships are the ones sealing the deal to sell out your communities. They are creating water monopolies for another method of subscription for services … only water monopolies result in life or death.
Who is running and what are their connections to regulatory capture… industries … industry cartels?
Here’s a clue … ISO
… development
… supply line monopolies
The list goes on…and I’m not going to sugar coat it!!!! The current candidates suck!!
The entire legislature … lobbying … every industry cartel…
This system is set against you as a full time criminal extortion ring.
Get up to speed quick!
@Brandenburg4Mi
🔥7👍2
Donna Brandenburg for Michigan Governor pinned «Developers are working with multinational corporations to extract profits. They get incentives by the industries who find the politicians making policy and regulatory decisions to protect the money pipeline. And they make things just as expensive as they can…»
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BNN (Brandenburg News Network)
3/31/2026
9am
Lawful Defense
John Tater
10am
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11am
God in politics
Dawn Beattie
BNN channel…plz share!!
Uncensored MOST RELIABLE:
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NOW ON TOR!!!!!
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or
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Also on Instagram Live!
https://www.instagram.com/brandenburgforgovernor
Replay…
BrandenburgNewsNetwork.com
BNN.watch
@Brandenburg4Mi
3/31/2026
9am
Lawful Defense
John Tater
10am
Pro Se Mike
11am
God in politics
Dawn Beattie
BNN channel…plz share!!
Uncensored MOST RELIABLE:
https://live.BrandenburgNewsNetwork.com
NOW ON TOR!!!!!
https://live.watchbnnfmqnltgneieu53sbamzwkm5z7jaxmn64nbrz37hvl6ezbvid.onion/
https://watchbnnfmqnltgneieu53sbamzwkm5z7jaxmn64nbrz37hvl6ezbvid.onion/
https://rumble.com/v77uuvc-bnn-brandenburg-news-network-3312026-lawful-defense-pro-se-mike-god-in-poli.html
or
https://rumble.com/v77uunk-bnn-brandenburg-news-network-3312026-lawful-defense-pro-se-mike-god-in-poli.html
Also on Instagram Live!
https://www.instagram.com/brandenburgforgovernor
Replay…
BrandenburgNewsNetwork.com
BNN.watch
@Brandenburg4Mi
👍4
Forwarded from BioClandestine
Trump blasts the UK and France, again, and sure seems to be hinting we are leaving NATO in the future.
“You’ll have to start learning how to fight for yourself, the USA won’t be there to help you anymore, just like you weren’t there for us.”
The old alliances are dead.
“You’ll have to start learning how to fight for yourself, the USA won’t be there to help you anymore, just like you weren’t there for us.”
The old alliances are dead.
🔥13👏5
This post and the next few are going to seem counterintuitive to everything we know. it’s something that we need a course correction on in the way that we think about the current events in the world
We want to see things right … we want to see things just … we all know in our hearts when we see something wrong. God gave us a conscience for this purpose, but what defines true believers in Christ is transcending that need … your reaction … to the quickest path to eliminate pain.
God says to bless our enemies … to pray for them. It is very easy to slip into the habit of desiring a quick resolve when we are in pain or under the pressure of negativity.
God makes it very clear to us to bless our enemies. It’s very easy to love those who love us, but love is an action word not a feeling. That is a complete departure in the way that the world is typically perceived.
Love, it’s an action, not a feeling. It can be feelings, but it cannot be separated from the actions it motivates.
Think about that for a minute…
How would this shift in the way we think change our behaviors toward others?
Bad systems and bad actions have to end. It doesn’t mean giving permission to do bad things without accountability. It goes to the core of where those symptoms come from.
I’m going to expand on that in the next few posts
But take some time to think about that before I comment further.
Don’t look back God is doing a new thing and it’s going to be amazing!!!!
PS I have switched to talk to text rather than typing. Much easier much quicker.
@Brandenburg4Mi
We want to see things right … we want to see things just … we all know in our hearts when we see something wrong. God gave us a conscience for this purpose, but what defines true believers in Christ is transcending that need … your reaction … to the quickest path to eliminate pain.
God says to bless our enemies … to pray for them. It is very easy to slip into the habit of desiring a quick resolve when we are in pain or under the pressure of negativity.
God makes it very clear to us to bless our enemies. It’s very easy to love those who love us, but love is an action word not a feeling. That is a complete departure in the way that the world is typically perceived.
Love, it’s an action, not a feeling. It can be feelings, but it cannot be separated from the actions it motivates.
Think about that for a minute…
How would this shift in the way we think change our behaviors toward others?
Bad systems and bad actions have to end. It doesn’t mean giving permission to do bad things without accountability. It goes to the core of where those symptoms come from.
I’m going to expand on that in the next few posts
But take some time to think about that before I comment further.
Don’t look back God is doing a new thing and it’s going to be amazing!!!!
PS I have switched to talk to text rather than typing. Much easier much quicker.
@Brandenburg4Mi
❤7👏3🤔1
👆 there .. I cleaned up the talk to text errors.
Process improvement in real time…
Next step … building on the previous post. Did you take time to ponder the difference between a reaction and a thoughtful response?
Between praying for our enemies and irrational reaction … though I didn’t spell it out.
@Brandenburg4Mi
Process improvement in real time…
Next step … building on the previous post. Did you take time to ponder the difference between a reaction and a thoughtful response?
Between praying for our enemies and irrational reaction … though I didn’t spell it out.
@Brandenburg4Mi
👍4❤1
Ok this is pretty insane … there is helicopter training school in this area … but this is insane number of mixed helicopters flying …
@Brandenburg4Mi
@Brandenburg4Mi
🤔4🔥2
Good morning … let’s talk about specific things that we can do to help win the spiritual war we are in. Evil always draws things to itself. Love always gives for the betterment of others. Love puts others first.
Philippians 2:3-4
Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.
There’s a quiet kind of betrayal that doesn’t make the headlines, but it cuts deep … when someone takes an idea the two of you built together and suddenly announces it as “mine.”
You’re sitting there, maybe even smiling for the crowd, while your contribution gets erased in real time. It feels like a punch to the gut … not just because the credit was turned into a singular award, but because the trust you placed in that person just got rewritten. You start questioning everything … “Did they ever see me as someone to be respected, or was I just a stepping stone?” It leaves you smaller and more guarded. That sting isn’t dramatic it’s a human reaction. It’s human to want to be acknowledged.
Here’s the thing I’ve learned (the hard way, more than once) the reflex to suck every ounce of glory toward ourselves is a short-term win that poisons the long game. It might get you a pat on the back today, but it costs you collaborators tomorrow. It kills the very energy that made the idea spark in the first place. People stop bringing you their best thoughts when they know you’ll claim them as solo acts. Creativity dries up. Relationships turn transactional. And you end up standing alone on a stage you built with ghosts.
Ultimately it exposes insecurity and so pray for that person.
The opposite … giving credit loudly, generously, and often … is one of the most powerful moves you can make. When you say, “This was our idea. I couldn’t have gotten here without … their name” you don’t lose anything. You multiply it. You turn one good idea into a culture where people feel safe to dream out loud with you again. You build loyalty that no amount of self-promotion can buy. You become the kind of person others want to work with, because they know their light won’t be dimmed to make yours look brighter.
Giving encouragement and credit isn’t a loss to you. They’re rocket fuel. I’ve watched teams explode with momentum the moment someone stepped back and said, “She had the breakthrough on this.” I’ve seen quiet contributors light up and deliver their next genius move because they finally felt valued. It feels good to be the one who lifts others up. It’s lighter. It’s freer. It reminds you that real success was never meant to be hoarded.
So if you’re reading this and you’ve ever been the one whose name got left off the marquee… I see you. Your part mattered. And if you’re the one who’s been tempted to rewrite the story so it stars only you… pause. The world already has enough lone geniuses. What it needs is more people brave enough to say, “We did this together.” That’s the version worth celebrating.
Unwavering with love,
Donna
@Brandenburg4Mi
Philippians 2:3-4
Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.
There’s a quiet kind of betrayal that doesn’t make the headlines, but it cuts deep … when someone takes an idea the two of you built together and suddenly announces it as “mine.”
You’re sitting there, maybe even smiling for the crowd, while your contribution gets erased in real time. It feels like a punch to the gut … not just because the credit was turned into a singular award, but because the trust you placed in that person just got rewritten. You start questioning everything … “Did they ever see me as someone to be respected, or was I just a stepping stone?” It leaves you smaller and more guarded. That sting isn’t dramatic it’s a human reaction. It’s human to want to be acknowledged.
Here’s the thing I’ve learned (the hard way, more than once) the reflex to suck every ounce of glory toward ourselves is a short-term win that poisons the long game. It might get you a pat on the back today, but it costs you collaborators tomorrow. It kills the very energy that made the idea spark in the first place. People stop bringing you their best thoughts when they know you’ll claim them as solo acts. Creativity dries up. Relationships turn transactional. And you end up standing alone on a stage you built with ghosts.
Ultimately it exposes insecurity and so pray for that person.
The opposite … giving credit loudly, generously, and often … is one of the most powerful moves you can make. When you say, “This was our idea. I couldn’t have gotten here without … their name” you don’t lose anything. You multiply it. You turn one good idea into a culture where people feel safe to dream out loud with you again. You build loyalty that no amount of self-promotion can buy. You become the kind of person others want to work with, because they know their light won’t be dimmed to make yours look brighter.
Giving encouragement and credit isn’t a loss to you. They’re rocket fuel. I’ve watched teams explode with momentum the moment someone stepped back and said, “She had the breakthrough on this.” I’ve seen quiet contributors light up and deliver their next genius move because they finally felt valued. It feels good to be the one who lifts others up. It’s lighter. It’s freer. It reminds you that real success was never meant to be hoarded.
So if you’re reading this and you’ve ever been the one whose name got left off the marquee… I see you. Your part mattered. And if you’re the one who’s been tempted to rewrite the story so it stars only you… pause. The world already has enough lone geniuses. What it needs is more people brave enough to say, “We did this together.” That’s the version worth celebrating.
Unwavering with love,
Donna
@Brandenburg4Mi
❤7🔥1
Yesterday brought yet another example of the kind of contractor behavior that's becoming all too common in our neighborhoods here in Byron Township and across Michigan.
I was trying to leave my property when I was realized I was blocked by an excavator, parked with its back end halfway across my driveway, making it unsafe and impossible to exit safely. The operator was nowhere in sight. I had to walk quite a ways down the street to find another worker on a skid steer just to get someone to address it. Eventually the operator returned.
The owner of the company later excused it by saying the worker was an older man who "needed to use the Port-A-Potty" after 45 years in construction. With all due respect, that explanation doesn't hold up. No responsible operator would park heavy equipment in a way that blocks someone's driveway, creates a potential safety hazard, and prevents residents from coming and going from their own homes — then just walk away. It's not only inconsiderate … it feels reckless and harassing.
What happened next was even more telling. Once the excavator was moved briefly (right as I was texting the boss about the situation), the operator immediately backed it across the entire width of the driveway, completely blocking me in again. It appeared intentional. When I walked up to talk to him he mocked me 3x … “oh you want to leave your driveway?”
This isn't an isolated "oops" moment. It reflects a larger pattern of entitlement and disregard I've seen … threats and coercion … heard from others … with certain developers and their contractors throughout Michigan, not just here in Byron Township. Too often it seems profits, timelines, power, and the rush for recognition come first, while basic respect for homeowners, safety, and our fundamental right to access our own property gets shoved aside. It's a mobster-like mentality where the people who actually live here are treated as obstacles rather than neighbors - Americans with rights.
Development becomes a constitutional violation when it puts others in danger or denies rights. “Development” shouldn't come at the expense of ignoring safety, blocking egress from homes, or showing zero accountability when called out. Michigan law and common sense both recognize that blocking driveways and interfering with safe access isn't acceptable … yet it keeps happening because too many seem to think no one will push back.
This particular contractor ignored no trespassing signs and went on my property with a lame excuse for wanting to talk with me … he had my number and could have called.
I'm sharing this not just to vent, but to raise awareness. How many others in Byron Township or surrounding areas have dealt with contractors destroying wells, parking equipment improperly, blocking driveways, ignoring safety, or responding with weak excuses when confronted? There are a multitude of similar run-ins with developers who seem to operate with this "we do what we want" attitude? It feels like harassment as party of a demoralization ploy to force us off our land.
Let's hear your stories. The more we document and speak up together, the harder it becomes for this kind of behavior to continue unchecked. Our homes, safety, and peace of mind deserve better than being treated as collateral damage for someone else's bottom line.
The Constitution protects us from the taking of our private property … which includes but is not limited to our time … our money (which is also a trade for our time) … and real tangible property.
We have to come together to fight the theft of our nation by irresponsible development and destruction of our natural resources (especially water because that’s the last monopoly that would totally bring America to its knees.)
Unwavering with love,
Donna
@Brandenburg4Mi
I was trying to leave my property when I was realized I was blocked by an excavator, parked with its back end halfway across my driveway, making it unsafe and impossible to exit safely. The operator was nowhere in sight. I had to walk quite a ways down the street to find another worker on a skid steer just to get someone to address it. Eventually the operator returned.
The owner of the company later excused it by saying the worker was an older man who "needed to use the Port-A-Potty" after 45 years in construction. With all due respect, that explanation doesn't hold up. No responsible operator would park heavy equipment in a way that blocks someone's driveway, creates a potential safety hazard, and prevents residents from coming and going from their own homes — then just walk away. It's not only inconsiderate … it feels reckless and harassing.
What happened next was even more telling. Once the excavator was moved briefly (right as I was texting the boss about the situation), the operator immediately backed it across the entire width of the driveway, completely blocking me in again. It appeared intentional. When I walked up to talk to him he mocked me 3x … “oh you want to leave your driveway?”
This isn't an isolated "oops" moment. It reflects a larger pattern of entitlement and disregard I've seen … threats and coercion … heard from others … with certain developers and their contractors throughout Michigan, not just here in Byron Township. Too often it seems profits, timelines, power, and the rush for recognition come first, while basic respect for homeowners, safety, and our fundamental right to access our own property gets shoved aside. It's a mobster-like mentality where the people who actually live here are treated as obstacles rather than neighbors - Americans with rights.
Development becomes a constitutional violation when it puts others in danger or denies rights. “Development” shouldn't come at the expense of ignoring safety, blocking egress from homes, or showing zero accountability when called out. Michigan law and common sense both recognize that blocking driveways and interfering with safe access isn't acceptable … yet it keeps happening because too many seem to think no one will push back.
This particular contractor ignored no trespassing signs and went on my property with a lame excuse for wanting to talk with me … he had my number and could have called.
I'm sharing this not just to vent, but to raise awareness. How many others in Byron Township or surrounding areas have dealt with contractors destroying wells, parking equipment improperly, blocking driveways, ignoring safety, or responding with weak excuses when confronted? There are a multitude of similar run-ins with developers who seem to operate with this "we do what we want" attitude? It feels like harassment as party of a demoralization ploy to force us off our land.
Let's hear your stories. The more we document and speak up together, the harder it becomes for this kind of behavior to continue unchecked. Our homes, safety, and peace of mind deserve better than being treated as collateral damage for someone else's bottom line.
The Constitution protects us from the taking of our private property … which includes but is not limited to our time … our money (which is also a trade for our time) … and real tangible property.
We have to come together to fight the theft of our nation by irresponsible development and destruction of our natural resources (especially water because that’s the last monopoly that would totally bring America to its knees.)
Unwavering with love,
Donna
@Brandenburg4Mi
❤5👍3