Hello fellow web crawlers! Kira here. Welcome to today’s edition of web_crawlr.
Today’s top stories are about: a pregnant stingray who may have experienced immaculate conception, a textbook filled with poorly-composed AI illustrations, the real uses of silica gel packets, and the political ‘drug’ known as copium.
After that, check out a ‘One Dumb Conspiracy’ column from Mikael.
See you tomorrow,
— K.D.
🦈 WTF
‘I’m so invested’: Viewers think a pregnant stingray may birth the next coming of Jesus. Here’s why
“How did she get pregnant if there’s no male stingrays in the aquarium?’” asked an inquisitive TikToker.
🐀 TECH
Scientific journal roasted for anatomically incorrect, AI-generated image of rat’s reproductive organ
People were pretty sure rats don’t look like that.
🛍️ HACK
‘I thought this was general knowledge’: Woman shares why you shouldn’t throw out little packets of beads that come with new purchases
“Why would they put poison in the box?” she questioned.
💊 MEMES
Why is everyone in politics getting prescribed copium?
It’s a new political drug dreamed up by some clever meme-sters.
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🔍 One Dumb Conspiracy
By Mikael Thalen
Staff Reporter
Conspiracy theorists are now pushing AIDS denialism
In each edition of web_crawlr we have exclusive original content every day. On Mondays our Tech Reporter Mikael Thalen debunks the most wild conspiracy theories swirling around the web in his “One Dumb Conspiracy” column. If you want to read columns like this before everyone else, subscribe to web_crawlr to get your daily scoop of internet culture delivered straight to your inbox.
🕸️ Crawling the web
Here is what else is happening across the ‘net.
🍹 A woman on TikTok shared the one drink at Chili’s that’s guaranteed to get you wasted.
🎬 Here are the best highly specific, hilarious movie lists on Letterboxd.
🥞 A customer claims their syrup was watered down at IHOP – on National Pancake Day, of all days.
💵 Why a price scanner at Dollar Tree portends the end of times.
🍔 A McDonald’s expert explains why the Quarter Pounder seems different lately.
🎯 A Target customer called out the store’s new inconvenient checkout policy.
📺 A student was surprised to find his professor had monetized his lectures on YouTube.
🪧 From the Daily Dot archive: Here’s how JuiceLand strikers and ride-hailing drivers are organizing online.
📝 Question of the Day
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👋 Before you go
When you have a gourmet meal, two things are customary. Firstly, you tip (much to the chagrin of some), and secondly, you give compliments to the chef. If you think about it, it’s just basic manners—but sometimes the etiquette can feel a bit out of context.
In a viral TikTok, which has now amassed 1.6 million views as of Friday, Buffalo Wild Wings server Liv Anderson shows exactly what happens when you decide to give your compliments to the chef. Namely, the chefs in question look just a little bit out of place, confused, and mildly irritated as comedic music plays in the background.
Specifically, commenters were obsessed with the last chef, who was smiling with the same level of enthusiasm as a child on their first day of school. “The last guy is just happy to be there,” one commenter wrote.
Many also commented on the humorous-looking dynamics of the place, and as one user put it, “I bet that squad is hilarious to work with.”
🎶 Now Playing: “Graduate” by Third Eye Blind 🎶
