For anyone else that doesn't know this guy, here are the significant wiki bits:
Of the major candidates in the 2024 United States presidential election he said (before Joe Biden withdrew): "I think they're both too old. I think they're both incompetent. There's a good chance I won't vote for president." He later said he does intend to vote for one of the two major-party candidates.
Osborn has been registered as nonpartisan since registering to vote in 2004. Although Democrats chose not to run a candidate in the Senate election, Osborn declined their endorsement. The state Democratic Party considered running a write-in candidate, accusing Osborn of misleading them about his intentions, but Osborn said he had always been clear that he would not accept endorsements from any political party. Osborn wanted to form an independent caucus in the Senate rather than caucus with either party. He has called the current system a "two-party doom loop". The Reform Party of the United States endorsed him in September 2024. Senate Democrats did not engage with or help Osborn's campaign.
Osborn's policy positions included raising the national minimum wage; lowering the tax rate for small businesses and overtime work; increasing border security and building the Mexico–United States border wall to stop illegal immigration; reforming the immigration system and exploring ways to legalize some long-term undocumented workers; ensuring resources for law enforcement and first responders; legalizing and taxing marijuana; improving railroad safety; guaranteeing access to abortion within the limits set by Roe v. Wade and opposing a national abortion ban; facilitating union organizing; and protecting gun rights. Osborn supported a "libertarian approach" to hot-button issues and said that government should be kept out of private lives. He supported the right-to-repair of consumer goods such as cars and electronics, raising the cap on Social Security contributions for those with higher incomes and moving the full retirement age for Social Security benefits back to 65.
Osborn supported protecting gun rights and the Second Amendment, while also supporting gun safety education in schools.
Doesn't seem too bad, all considered. I'd take him over my senators (Fetterman (D) / McCormick (R)) in PA.
I like he specifically calls out fiscal support for small farms/ranches, not the conglomerates. I dislike his strong support of military/police funding and his vagueness about "border security" isn't reassuring. But for a strongly held Republican farming state, this guy is probably the best realistic type of candidate to bring in someone different.
This one is similar to Short Eared Owls, which are found in a lot of places, so you may be more familiar with them. There are so many great owls out there, but I'll share them all with you eventually!
I was just searching to see why Pratchett chose that as the name of his city, but everything I came across said he wasn't familiar with the bird at the time, and it was retconned into the crest later. Very interesting.
You guys keep making me feel guilty I've still actually gotten around to reading any Discworld. It will work someday, I swear! I have Guards, Guards on my tablet ready to go, and I watched the Hogfather movie and loved it.
They will tend to scrunch and elongate when they're trying to hide. Since their eyes are pretty big, closing them most of the way makes that feature stand out less.
They go big when they're standing their ground. They've already been spotted, so now they want to look like the biggest, toughest owl possible.
Here's the classic White Faced Scops video showing the little owl's reactions to an owl slightly larger than itself and one much larger.
Birds usually don't want to fight. There's too much chance for anyone involved to get hurt and be left unable to fly and be unable to get food or stay safe. They want to either stay hidden or have the other party back off before anyone actually gets too physical.
I wouldn't say there are a ton of famous owls in media, but the ones that are there all feel pretty memorable from their visual impact and they tend to be great helpers to our heroes.
The bay owls have what I feel is the most unnerving look, but they are pretty tiny, so that takes away some of their visual power if you have a sense of scale. 😁
Here is one with its typical expression, and also the scrunchy face like the owl in the main post.
Yes, indeed. White Faced Scops does not have sole rights to metowlmorphosis. With muscular control over their feathers, they can shrink or swell tremendous amount.
This one is taking it the other direction:
This is the same species of owl, just the American coloration instead of the European.
For anyone else that doesn't know this guy, here are the significant wiki bits:
Here's his current platform page where you can get more stances and details.
Doesn't seem too bad, all considered. I'd take him over my senators (Fetterman (D) / McCormick (R)) in PA.
I like he specifically calls out fiscal support for small farms/ranches, not the conglomerates. I dislike his strong support of military/police funding and his vagueness about "border security" isn't reassuring. But for a strongly held Republican farming state, this guy is probably the best realistic type of candidate to bring in someone different.