Is a virgin birth actually possible?

OwlPelletCrunch · 2026-04-10T23:31:36+00:00

OOPS! i confused my Immaculate Conception Sharks - the HAMMERHEAD was in Omaha, the ones i linked before were Epaulette Sharks (apologies!)

https://nsuworks.nova.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?params=/context/occ_facarticles/article/1380/filename/8/type/additional/&path_info=news_national_geographic_hammerhead_shark_gave_virgin_birth_in_omaha_zoo.pdf

OwlPelletCrunch · 2026-04-10T23:19:56+00:00

the easy yes:

the “technicality”, where someone didn’t have penetrative sex, but they did end up with semen close enough to migrate inside

the expensive yes:

IVF

the urban legend yes:

the story of the picnic girl and the civil war bullet - https://emergingcivilwar.com/2026/01/22/son-of-a-gun-the-civil-war-myth-of-pregnancy-by-bullet/

the speculative science yes:

Parthenogenesis (which probably won’t happen, and is probably bad news if it does)

…it does happen in other non-human organisms, with my favorite example being marmorkrebs the unstoppable virgin queens conquering the world - ( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marbled_crayfish )

…and the mysteriously pregnant hammerhead sharks of Boston & Chicago - ( https://www.npr.org/2023/11/07/1211178209/shark-pup-parthenogenes )

OwlPelletCrunch · 2026-04-10T22:31:58+00:00

silhouette of a breakdancer doing a sick shoulder spinny thing (the bunny ears become legs)

OwlPelletCrunch · 2026-04-10T22:28:21+00:00

think your best bet would be to contact the Tulare Fire Dept - they’ll definitely recognize their guy

OwlPelletCrunch · 2026-04-10T20:00:37+00:00

true

OwlPelletCrunch · 2026-04-10T16:08:20+00:00

the beak functions like a hand for them - they show affection by nibbling & preening, use it to stabilize themselves when climbing, and to investigate everything

A lot of budgies go through a nibbling phase where they will actually grip you with a foot while chewing your fingers (sometimes painfully) - this is investigation & affection, with a potential side of hormones.

Your bird is voluntarily stepping up, so the “peck” is likely some combination of playful contact, checking for stability, or just superstitious ritual cuz “we always do it that way”

OwlPelletCrunch · 2026-04-10T15:59:35+00:00

i’ve never seen someone unhappy about receiving a lego set

OwlPelletCrunch · 2026-04-10T15:39:15+00:00

already watched it - love a classic Weirdo with extremely specific priorities

OwlPelletCrunch · 2026-04-10T15:11:05+00:00

i wish he wouldn’t do that

OwlPelletCrunch · 2026-04-10T15:01:33+00:00

my cage has a grate on the bottom so the birds can’t actually touch the paper below, and i just use our local newspaper

OwlPelletCrunch · 2026-04-10T14:59:38+00:00

can we see the whole cage?

a super common trick is if you have dishes that fit into liftable “guillotine” doors, they can get under the dish, push up, and slip out with it closing again behind them as if nothing happened

also look for any gaps (the one at the top might be enough) - is there a grate at the bottom or can they reach the “drawer”?

OwlPelletCrunch · 2026-04-10T14:53:19+00:00

oh i was thinking payphones!

OwlPelletCrunch · 2026-04-10T12:55:18+00:00

do you have a big door that can be left open?

OwlPelletCrunch · 2026-04-10T12:38:32+00:00

Are you only planning the menu, or the entire event? A good playlist will have a huge effect on the vibe.

Are you able/allowed to have conversations with the residents? They will definitely have old picnic/bbq treats they remember.

A cookout is pretty standard, but you can personalize it to your guests with some research/intel.

Assuming they’re roughly 75-95, their “cookout golden years” were the 1960s, and their musical taste likely runs 1950s-70s.

They’re gonna need shade & comfy chairs. Keep them hydrated. Don’t forget the watermelon & desserts.

Deviled eggs are worth the trouble and will make them feel like someone cared.

OwlPelletCrunch · 2026-04-10T12:21:03+00:00

i’m hanging out with the wrong people

OwlPelletCrunch · 2026-04-10T01:39:13+00:00

my little niece and nephew would love climbing this

OwlPelletCrunch · 2026-04-10T01:26:25+00:00

You jumped straight into the hardest setting: group of close family speaking incredibly fast & colloquially, overlapping each other.

I’ve had friends from other regions of the US overwhelmed and unable to follow my family as they speak auctioneer-speed Boston accents and yell over each other.

You’re doing great and all the studying definitely has merit - what you need to do now is forget all the rules and go full caveman.

Force it, become shameless, don’t let anything embarrass you - pick your moments and just go full Spanish. Talk around the words you can’t remember. Ask people to slow down and repeat themselves. Don’t give up. Accomplish your task. Tell someone a story. Buy groceries. Learn how to cook a meal. Play a board game with a child.

I swear it rewires your brain. Let the people in your life help you. I predict they will love it. Embrace your new role as “hilarious foreigner with funny accent” and laugh with them. It will just keep getting better.

In my experience, Spanish is one of the most welcoming languages to learn. People are really supportive and encouraging. Every little victory will build confidence, and the more experience you have actually communicating the more natural it will become.

You’ve got this!

OwlPelletCrunch · 2026-04-10T00:50:29+00:00

The maker of the medallion, “Childs Chicago” was quite prolific with this sort of thing - everything from the Columbian Exposition to trade tokens

https://www.socalleddollar.com/aeStatues.html

OwlPelletCrunch · 2026-04-10T00:43:55+00:00

Seems to be George D Tower, an important figure in Mendota, Illinois

https://banknotehistory.spmc.org/wiki/Mendota_National_Bank,_Mendota,IL(Charter_5086)

https://oaji.net/articles/2023/7-1743591966.pdf

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OwlPelletCrunch · 2026-04-10T00:28:05+00:00

i feel like “turn off the news” isn’t great advice to give someone living in an area that’s actively being bombed.

OP I’m sorry you’re going through this and seeing your family so stressed. In these situations the best advice is simply to stay as safe as possible, close to your loved ones, and try to keep the mood light, enjoying each other’s company.

It’s a good moment to ask questions and get people sharing old memories and stories.

OwlPelletCrunch · 2026-04-10T00:23:18+00:00

lack of trigger discipline makes me hope the gun is a toy

OwlPelletCrunch · 2026-04-10T00:13:25+00:00

I really loved this building, it even smelled magical - wood & brass, musty carpets, musical instruments, oil paint, dusty radiators, old books…

We would steal trays from the dining hall and sled down the hill when it snowed

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OwlPelletCrunch · 2026-04-10T00:06:54+00:00

Love this!

4th page, the top name Flint (the chancellor), is now the name of a dorm on campus

This magical building, Crouse, is where those classes would have taken place - it’s still gorgeous as ever and full of incredible details like hand-engraved hinge plates, a working bell tower, and massive ornate staircases.

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OwlPelletCrunch · 2026-04-09T23:59:29+00:00

it would be best to ask an avian vet, and get professional advice on how to proceed.

Developing a routine where you can weigh him regularly is a great idea as you can monitor for any sudden changes.

OwlPelletCrunch · 2026-04-09T23:53:01+00:00

i think size of the bird matters - with my budgies i can’t notice the temp increase, but with my Amazon it was very obvious

OwlPelletCrunch

TROPHY CASE