One day, humans suddenly develop this insatiable, irrational urge to destroy absolutely everything that isn’t themselves, they basically become the Daleks.
Their goal: exterminating absolutely everything on earth, regardless of their own survival, but they are dead set on doing that and cease all their conflicts and cooperate to achieve this.
However, all animals realize this and decide to wage war with the humans to defeat them. They gain strategic intelligence, not quite on the level of humans’, but enough to make up moderately complex plans to fight against humans. The animal team includes all insects, fish, mammals, birds, reptiles, etc… but no microscopic organisms such as bacteria and viruses and no plants.
Let’s say all nukes are destroyed and there are none left to be used, however it is still possible to produce them. Can all the animals on Earth, with relatively high levels of intelligence cooperating with each other defeat the human civilization and their technology? Humans win if all animals on the planet are killed, regardless if they all survive or not. Animals win if all humans are dead while even a few species survive for now.
Bonus round: the nukes don’t disappear.

So I, like many others, predict that the LP will make a formal alliance with the Marcos Admin from here on out to help stop the Dutertes.
With 2025, the LP has an opportunity to win back some seats with the support of the Marcos admin. But they have a very thin tightrope to walk to cater to Loyalists, Kakampinks, and non-aligned voters without alienating the other.
That's where the venn diagram theory comes in. I think that the LP itself, the mainstream opposition, ie. Where most Kakampinks would look to on who to vote for, will announce a full slate. Kiko, Bam, and Chel are the first ones confirmed. But this is just one part of the puzzle:
The Marcos Admin will of course, announce their own slate as well, comprised of trapos, and loyalist stalwarts. BUT, they will include guest candidates from the LP slate.
Based on chika I've been reading, the Opposition is actually gonna divide into two groups: Yellow and Pink. Yellow will be in charge of trapo moves, and will be the ones to align with the Admin. Kiko, Mar, Leila, and Trillanes could easily be part of this group.
Pink meanwhile will be the grassroots movement started by Leni. Her, Bam, Chel, and other progressives would be part of this.
So think of it like a venn diagram with one circle red, the other circle pink, and the intersection being yellow.
I actually predict the following different slates fielded in 2025:
Admin slate, consisted of Loyalists, allies, trapos, and LP guest candidates
LP slate, the mainstream opposition consisting of LP (who are also part of the Admin slate) as well as "pink" personalities who are detached from trapo politics, or who chose to not be endorsed by the admin out of principle.
Pink slate, a more progressive coalition that would most likely be the LP slate, plus more obscure names in the socdem space that are gonna use it more as a platform than anything
Tibak slate, the usual far-left activists of Makabayan and Ka Leody that would actively denounce both Marcos and Duterte, while also criticizing the yellow and pink opposition for their compromise and (perceived) elitism
And of course, the Duterte slate allied with Sara consisting of their allies. Bato, Go, Tolentino, and Phillip Salvador are shoo-ins.

Howdy! I recently got a pair of Zara jeans and I absolutely loved how they looked and felt. However, within a month they developed multiple holes around the pockets, leading me to return them. Thus, I have started a quest to find a pair of black jeans/denim-cargos of similar baggy-ness, fade, color, heaviness, and wash. I have come to find in my research that the Venn diagram of in-style looking and quality has a very small intersection. There are brands like Bershka and Zara to have jeans like this and this, but the quality is iffy. Then there are the high quality denim brands, that are stuck in the 1900s. Any suggestions for good quality, fashionable jeans? Thanks!

The Pipe of Time: A Unified Framework for Temporal Dynamics in Cognitive Systems and Social Networks
Abstract
This paper introduces the "Pipe of Time," a novel conceptual framework designed to elucidate the temporal dynamics underlying cognitive systems and social networks. The "Pipe of Time" integrates principles from thermodynamics, information theory, fluid dynamics, and cognitive science to provide a comprehensive model for understanding how temporal processes influence the flow of information, energy, and entropy within intelligent systems and social structures. This framework examines the impact of information quality and density, contrasting low-density, low-efficiency systems with high-density, high-efficiency systems. By conceptualizing time as a continuous flow and incorporating concepts such as cavitation, pressure calculations, and the dynamic membership of social networks, the "Pipe of Time" offers insights into the evolution of cognitive states, the emergence of intelligence, and the nature of social interactions and decision-making.
I. Introduction
The nature of time and its role in cognitive processes and social networks has long been a subject of interest across multiple disciplines. Understanding how cognitive systems and social networks navigate and interpret the temporal dimension is crucial for advancing theories of intelligence, consciousness, and social dynamics. This paper introduces the "Pipe of Time," a conceptual framework that integrates temporal dynamics with cognitive processes and social networks, providing a unified model for examining the evolution of states within intelligent systems and social groups.
II. Theoretical Foundations
The "Pipe of Time" framework is built upon four key theoretical foundations: thermodynamics, information theory, fluid dynamics, and cognitive science. These foundations provide the conceptual and mathematical basis for understanding how temporal dynamics influence cognitive systems and social networks.
A. Thermodynamics
Thermodynamics provides a framework for understanding the flow of energy and entropy within a system. Key principles include:

1. Energy Utilization: Cognitive systems and social networks require energy to function and maintain order.
2. Entropy Reduction: Intelligent behavior and cohesive social dynamics are associated with reducing internal entropy, increasing complexity and organization.

B. Information Theory
Information theory offers tools for quantifying information flow and processing within cognitive systems and social networks. Key principles include:

1. Information Flow: Cognitive systems and social networks process and transmit information, which is subject to noise and distortion.
2. Entropy and Information: The entropy of a system can be related to the amount of uncertainty or information within that system.
3. Information Density: The concentration of useful information within a given volume of data, influencing the efficiency of cognitive and social processes.

C. Fluid Dynamics
Fluid dynamics provides a useful analogy for understanding the continuous flow of time and the dynamic processes within cognitive systems and social networks. Key principles include:

1. Flow and Pressure: Just as fluids flow through pipes, information and energy flow through cognitive systems and social networks, driven by gradients in pressure and potential.
2. Cavitation and Pressure Dynamics: Sudden changes in pressure, analogous to cavitation in fluids, can represent abrupt shifts in cognitive states or social dynamics.

D. Cognitive Science and Social Network Theory
Cognitive science and social network theory provide insights into the mechanisms underlying perception, learning, decision-making, and social interactions. Key principles include:

1. Perception and Action: Cognitive systems perceive their environment and take actions to achieve specific goals. Social networks exhibit collective behavior and decision-making.
2. Prediction and Learning: Systems learn from past experiences to improve future predictions and actions. Social networks evolve based on shared information and collective experiences.
3. Flocking Behavior: Social networks exhibit flocking behavior, where groups align their actions and decisions, creating probability clusters and influencing group dynamics.
4. Neural Network Analogy: Each social network can be considered a neural network, where group decision-making and entropy reduction parallel cognitive processes.

III. The Pipe of Time Conceptual Framework
The "Pipe of Time" conceptualizes time as a continuous flow through which cognitive systems and social networks navigate. This framework integrates thermodynamic principles with information processing and fluid dynamics to model the evolution of cognitive and social states over time.
A. Temporal Flow

1. Continuous Time: Time is represented as a continuous flow, with cognitive and social states evolving smoothly over time.
2. Temporal Prediction: Cognitive systems and social networks generate predictions about future states based on past and present information.

B. Energy and Entropy Dynamics

1. Energy Flow: Cognitive systems and social networks consume and allocate energy to maintain order and perform tasks.
2. Entropy Management: Systems actively manage entropy to reduce uncertainty and increase efficiency.

C. Information Processing

1. Information Flow: Cognitive systems and social networks process information continuously, adjusting their internal states based on new data.
2. Error Correction: Systems use feedback mechanisms to correct errors and improve future predictions.

D. Information Density and Quality

1. Information Density: High-density information systems and social networks concentrate more useful data within a given volume, leading to more efficient processing.
2. Quality of Information: High-quality information reduces contradictions and improves system performance. Contradictions cause token and rule bloat, leading to inefficiencies.

IV. Cavitation and Pressure Dynamics
Sudden changes in pressure, or cavitation events, are modeled by:
[ \Delta P = \mu \left( \frac{\partial² \mathbf{X}(t)}{\partial t^2} \right) ]
where ( \mu ) is a constant representing the susceptibility of the system to rapid changes in pressure, leading to potential discontinuities or abrupt shifts in state.
V. Information Density and System Efficiency
This section explores the impact of information density on system efficiency, contrasting low-density, low-efficiency systems with high-density, high-efficiency systems.
A. Low-Density, Low-Efficiency Systems

1. Contradictions and Bloat: Low-density systems often store redundant or contradictory information, leading to token and rule bloat.
2. Energy Waste: Such systems require more energy to process and resolve contradictions, resulting in lower efficiency.
3. Poor Performance: The increased computational load reduces the system's overall performance and responsiveness.

B. High-Density, High-Efficiency Systems

1. Optimized Information Storage: High-density systems store information in a more compact and optimized manner, reducing redundancies.
2. Enhanced Efficiency: By minimizing contradictions and bloat, these systems achieve higher efficiency and faster processing speeds.
3. Smaller Hardware Requirements: High-density information systems can perform well even in smaller hardware environments, making them suitable for resource-constrained applications.

C. Role of Reduced Ordered Binary Decision Diagrams (ROBDDs)

1. Value Inference and Prediction: In high-density systems, values inferred from actions are used to predict future actions. ROBDDs provide an efficient method for representing and manipulating Boolean functions, aiding in value inference and decision-making.
2. Comparative Analysis: High-density systems using ROBDDs can be compared to low-density systems to predict and quantify information waste and inefficiencies.

VI. Social Networks as Neural Networks
Each slice of the "Pipe of Time" represents a distinct social network, with each group exhibiting flocking behavior and forming probability clusters. These social networks function as neural networks, with group decision-making processes and entropy management analogous to cognitive processes. Additionally, the dynamic nature of social networks includes the joining and leaving of members, analogous to the dynamic synaptic connections in a neural network.
A. Flocking Behavior and Probability Clusters

1. Group Dynamics: Social networks exhibit flocking behavior, where individuals align their actions and decisions based on shared information and group influence.
2. Probability Clusters: Flocking behavior leads to the formation of probability clusters, where certain outcomes or behaviors become more likely due to group dynamics.

B. Social Networks as Neural Networks

1. Analogous Processes: Social networks can be modeled as neural networks, with nodes representing individuals and connections representing social interactions and information flow.
2. Group Decision-Making: Collective decision-making processes in social networks parallel neural network processing, where the network evolves based on shared information and collective experiences.
3. Entropy Management: Social networks, like cognitive systems, actively manage entropy to reduce uncertainty and increase efficiency.

C. Dynamic Membership

1. Member Lifespan: The membership of a social network is dynamic, with individuals joining and leaving over time. This can be modeled as a time-dependent variable affecting the structure and function of the network.
2. Venn Diagram Representation: Each slice of the "Pipe of Time" can be represented as a Venn diagram, illustrating the overlapping memberships and the temporal dynamics of group composition.

VII. Mathematical Formalism
The "Pipe of Time" framework is formalized using mathematical equations that describe the flow of energy, entropy, and information within cognitive systems and social networks over time, incorporating concepts from fluid dynamics and dynamic membership.
A. State Evolution
The state of a cognitive system or social network at any time ( t ) is represented by a vector ( \mathbf{X}(t) ), which evolves according to the following differential equation:
[ \frac{d\mathbf{X}(t)}{dt} = \mathbf{F}(\mathbf{X}(t), t) ]
where ( \mathbf{F} ) is a function that captures the dynamics of the system, including energy utilization, entropy reduction, and information processing.
B. Energy and Entropy Equations
The energy ( E ) and entropy ( S ) of the system are governed by the following equations:
[ \frac{dE(t)}{dt} = -\alpha E(t) + \beta I(t) ] [ \frac{dS(t)}{dt} = \gamma S(t) - \delta I(t)
]
where ( \alpha ), ( \beta ), ( \gamma ), and ( \delta ) are constants, and ( I(t) ) represents the information processed by the system at time ( t ).
C. Information Flow and Pressure
The flow of information ( I(t) ) within the system is described by:
[ I(t) = \eta \left( \frac{d\mathbf{X}(t)}{dt} \right) ]
where ( \eta ) is a constant that relates the rate of change of the system's state to the amount of information processed.
D. Dynamic Membership

1. Membership Evolution: The membership of a social network evolves over time, affecting the overall structure and function of the network. This can be represented by a time-dependent membership function ( M(t) ), which influences the state vector ( \mathbf{X}(t) ).
2. Venn Diagram Dynamics: The dynamic membership can be visualized using Venn diagrams, where each slice of the "Pipe of Time" represents a different temporal state of the network, showing the overlap and interactions of different subgroups.

VIII. Conclusion
The "Pipe of Time" framework provides a comprehensive model for understanding the temporal dynamics of cognitive systems and social networks. By integrating principles from thermodynamics, information theory, fluid dynamics, and cognitive science, this framework offers a unified approach to studying the evolution of states within intelligent systems and social structures. The incorporation of dynamic membership and the comparison of information density and quality further enhance our understanding of system efficiency and performance. This model has potential applications in various fields, including artificial intelligence, sociology, and organizational theory, offering new insights into the nature of time, intelligence, and social dynamics.

News Link: https://www.newmediawire.com/news/us-nuclear-helps-america-navigate-the-pfas-ingestion-crisis-7075097
LOS ANGELES, CA - (NewMediaWire) - May 20, 2024 - With toxic PFAS contaminants being found and ingested across the nation in everything from household products to soil, drinking water, air, and even throughout the food chain, US Nuclear (OTC-QB: UCLE) has launched a groundbreaking solution to help address this pervasive crisis. US Nuclear leveraged its new, cutting-edge technology to develop a rapid, highly sensitive PFAS monitor that can measure PFAS contamination down to an amazing 1 part per trillion in less than a few minutes, which is well below the EPA’s strict new limit of 4ppt.
Less than a month ago, the EPA issued the first ever standard for targeting PFAS contamination, requiring companies to reduce and monitor PFAS levels down to the lowest limit possible which is 4ppt. With the new rules in effect and with public concern about PFAS spreading, there is a drastic need for more testing, especially as PFAS contamination continues to be found in new sites across the nation. Alarmingly, high-levels of PFAS chemicals are being found across the entire food chain, including in mammals, birds, fish, vegetables, as well as in popular processed foods.
US Nuclear’s innovative PFAS monitor can be used by water utilities, private well, home, or farm owners, and water quality testing organizations to identify trace amounts of PFAS contamination in water or in air, onsite, enabling continuous monitoring and swift, targeted remediation without having to wait days or weeks for laboratory a report. In addition, US Nuclear’s monitors can measure and identify other common drinking water contaminants, such as arsenic and uranium, offering a comprehensive analysis to ensure safety.
“We are proud to introduce a PFAS monitoring system which can measure trace levels of PFAS on-the-spot within minutes, instead of relying on the time-consuming process of taking a sample and sending it to a lab for analysis,” commented Bob Goldstein, CEO of US Nuclear Corp. “Our technology represents a significant advancement for monitoring and tracking PFAS contamination, providing Americans with the tools they need to safeguard their health and resources.”

Hi all, I am planning on building a sub zero chilled PC for the upcoming next gen hardware, which uses a modified laser cooling chiller (I am just removing the temperature probe which is how the chiller knows the temperature of the liquid inside, I am to control the temperature manually) I will be using 3M Novec 7200 engineered fluid as it is :
- non conductive
- non flammable
- freezing point and pour point below -128C
- good specific heat capacity and specific latent heat
- viscosity lower than water
- density similar to that of water
As 7200 is bought in about 10.5L pails and
my chiller only uses 7L, I will be using the remaining fluid to submerge the PC in sa this kills two birds with one stone, it is used as the coolant, and as it is slightly more dense than water, and that it has a super low freezing point as well as it not being conductive, means that I will have no issues with the insulation aspect to prevent condensation.
As the stuff has a rather low boiling point, I am here to ask whether or not it will boil in the case, as it has a boiling point of around 76C, and so I am hoping that it does as if it does, I plan to take advantage of this and use phase change cooling to my advantage.
I have added a rough sketch of a diagram which shows my idea.
Please tell me whether or not the phase change part would occur
(PS: Reason for me making this abomination of a machiene is to see if it is A) even possible and B) can I daily drive it and also it is just a passion/interest project of mine, and so I feel that cost is not an issue for this rather silly experiment)
many kind regards,

Hi! So I’ve just booked tickets to visit from July 6th to 12th (I know, not long enough for me either, but it was either this or nothing, so I’d rather this!) and I’m in the process of booking a 4x4 camper van to explore as much as I can in these 6 and a half days.
My main questions and concerns are, I’m an avid wildlife photographer, mostly birds but mammals when I can, and I’d love to get some opinions on which route is best in my limited time. I know the first full day will be spent on the westman islands for puffins, but I’m not sure if I should go the beautiful southern coast towards the east, with the hope of turning back around after seeing some reindeer, whilst stopping at the gorgeous beaches, OR if I should head north along the west coast with the hope of seeing arctic foxes in Hornstrandir.
Does anyone have any recommendations or opinions? Or even spots that they personally recommend?
Thank you in advance!!

The Zoo - A NoSleep story
***
Full job description:
Immediate Opening!
Night shift zoo managesecurity. All-weather foot patrol opportunity for a “night-owl”, who enjoys working outdoors and with minimal supervision.
Under general direction of the manager of the zoo, the Security Guard patrols the zoo grounds on a regular basis throughout the shift. Responds in a timely and professional manner to a wide variety of routine and emergency situations.
Requirements: BA in wildlife, biology, etc, which provides the required knowledge, skills, and background for this position. Valid Florida Driver’s License with good driving record is desirable. First Aid and CPR certification preferred.
The qualified candidate has the ability to use independent judgment in handling routine as well as the capacity to perform under stress when confronted with an emergency, unusual, or dangerous situation. Ability to oversee animals’ well-being, monitor conditions, create enrichment activities, and exercise safety precautions.
The Security Guard must be able to walk and remain on feet a full shift (up to 8 hours), and potentially up to 12 hours at a time. Must be able to exert a minimum of 50 pounds of force and able to lift, push or pull, or otherwise move objects that may exceed 50 lbs. Ability to negotiate all areas of the zoo in all weather conditions.
Note: Zoo is haunted.
***
I’ll start with the job posting, I guess. I spotted it on Indeed while making my daily check for anything and everything that would hire someone with my biology degree, and it seemed on the up and up. Their website looked decent, the guy on the phone sounded nice, and I was looking for anything even slightly related to working with wildlife. Being a night shift guard at a zoo was fine, especially when I took the incredibly generous rate of $25/hr. into account. That’s eleven bucks more than my dad makes at the local grocer, and he’s been working there for thirteen years. Then again, from the P.S. on the posting, I thought there might be good reason for the rate.
It said at the end, almost as an afterthought, ‘Zoo is haunted.’
When it comes to ghosts, they’ve never made much sense to me. Considering how badly our brains function from just getting jostled around on a football field, I’m not sure how ghosts could exist without a brain at all. I’d be excited as the next person to find proof, but YouTube videos are always fishy and the people on TV are essentially actors who only focus on the entertainment factor for their ratings. So, since I’d never seen anything that vaguely resembled a ghost, I’d say binge-watching Supernatural on Netflix last year was the extent of my experience in that department.
It seemed that the zoo hadn’t been here for long since it wasn’t even on Google Maps yet. There was a bit of a commute, it was half an hour away, but since I’d worked local jobs while I attended college online for the past four years, I’d saved up the money to buy a car. It wasn’t anything fancy, just an old Nissan sedan that I’d bought from someone in the next town over, with faded red paint and a mismatched back right door painted blue. It accomplished the job of transportation, though, which let me search the job market further away, a good thing considering how small a town I lived in. I really didn’t want to leave home yet, so moving for a job in a city or another state wasn’t an appealing option.
The website said very little. It had yet to fill in drop down menus that would excitedly describe their attractions. So far it only had some small sections about conservation and education, though that was intriguing because it mentioned that all the animals they had were endangered. I read that notation and wondered what the animals were. Mammals were always favorites of mine, which I know is a bit of a cliché, loving the furry ones. But when it comes down to it, I’ll take any animal over a person.
The employee entrance to the zoo was a door in the large steel gate that surrounded the property, a few yards down from the sliding gate that presumably opened to let visitors in. I pressed the button on a panel beside it, glancing up at the camera, and I was buzzed in. There was a short path that led to the building near the front and I knocked politely before going inside.
The interviewer, a plain metal nameplate on his desk describing him as Director of Security for the zoo, welcomed me in and sat on the other side of his desk, lounging back in his desk chair. His name was Andrew Higgs, and he had a British accent, which I thought was cool. I sat in one of the two loveseats in front of the desk.
Andrew was dressed business casual, with a blue Polo shirt, a thin black jacket, and I saw he was wearing slacks when he stood up to shake my hand. He was black, with dreadlocks that stopped just short of his shoulders, and a closely trimmed mustache. There was a tattoo, an artistic rendition of a hippo, on the right side of his neck, which bode well in my opinion. So many places hiring these days were overly uptight about their employees’ appearance, but it seemed that wouldn’t be the case here.
We went over the basics before he picked up the piece of paper off his desk, my resume, which he’d printed out. “Well, I spoke to all three of your references,” Andrew noted. “They had some good things to say. You were a great employee on the farm you worked last summer, your boss said. Punctual, hard-working, took instructions well…”
That was nice to hear. I’d spent this past summer working at a dairy farm, mostly assigned to the goats and cows they kept for milk. Aside from the staggering muscle pain that tapered from agony to merely miserable by the end of the summer, it wasn’t a bad job. I did have an old shoulder injury that I always had to work around, but it was my left shoulder and I was a righty, so it wasn’t that difficult to manage.
If anything, the muscle pain in my back and legs from being on my feet all day distracted from the typical issue I dealt with. My standard exercising day-to-day was typically either riding my bike or yoga, although yoga is mind-numbingly boring, so I need to listen to a podcast to pass the time. So, in fact, through the job, I was sort of grateful that my brain was focusing on a different area of my body that was in pain. Yeah, chronic pain is weird.
“He also said you don’t work well with others,” Andrew added, glancing up to me. “You kept submitting complaints about incompetent coworkers?”
I pursed my lips and let out a long breath through my nose, considering the most delicate way I was capable of replying to that before saying, “I dislike stupid people.”
Andrew gave me a half-smile and sighed, replying, “Well, I must confess I’m not fond of them either.” He looked back down to the paper. “This job will be a great fit for you.”
The job interview seemed like a formality, and I don’t know why. I was twenty-three and the ink had barely dried on my degree from the online college I’d attended. I’d been applying to jobs for months and had been thrilled when I’d gotten a call for an interview for this one, but also surprised. Call me a cynic, but I expected more invasive questions about any past work I’d done for a job in security, since I was a woman.
It's not like I was petite. Actually, the most common word I’d heard to describe me is ‘built’, and I fall short of being labeled overweight only because of muscle mass. One comment I recall from high school was being teased for being shaped like a rectangle. Even so, there was no good reason to look a gift horse in the mouth, but of course, me being me, that meant I examined its teeth closely.
“So, you’re hiring me? Just like that? Why?”
Andrew, chuckled. “Look, you’ve got BA in wildlife biology, and specializing in animal behavior is just the cherry on the sundae. That tells me you know animals are not people, and even if you feel like you know them, they can still be unpredictable. They can hurt you. But also, it makes me know you care.”
I suppose that did make sense, and it was true, so I’m glad he knew that. Most of my job on the night shift would be watching cameras and then walking around the place to make sure all the animals were as they should be, but it was more than that. Working at a zoo meant knowing where the line was, and sometimes it wasn’t exactly at the fence, but sometimes just putting a single finger through that fence meant losing that finger. As a whole, humans are generally idiots. Looking at you, anyone who really, honestly thinks that a bobcat would sense your boundless love enough to let you pat it.
“The website didn’t have much about the animals,” I said. “I know this place is new, so you might not have info on them up on the site yet. Do you have a map for me?”
“Oh, we’ll cross that bridge when we come to it,” Andrew said with a wave of his hand. At that point, it had seemed to be a reasonable thing for him to say, but I will tell you, the reason was not what I thought. “Just to confirm, you’re not an early bird, Miss Mason? This schedule isn’t a concern?”
I shook my head. “Nah, I’m pretty talented at sleeping in, actually. I never really got past that teenage talent of staying up until five and sleeping in until three. And you can just call me Ripley.”
That made him smile. “Good. Then I won’t worry about you falling asleep on the job, Ripley.”
“Oh, no way.”
“All right. So. You saw the note at the end of the job posting?”
He just stared at me and I was forced to answer, “That the zoo is haunted.”
“Right. What are your thoughts on that?”
There was no easy answer to that question, especially depending on how seriously he took it. “Do you know the best word the Brits gave to us?”
“What’s that?”
“Bollocks.”
Andrew slowly smiled and pointed at me with the end of the pen in his hand. “I think I’m going to like you,” he remarked. “Look…this is the part of the interview where we switch gears. If this was a regular zoo, you’d be a shoo-in for the job. But we’ve got other boxes to check. This outfit is…basically a preservation society. As you saw on the site, all the species are endangered, but what it didn’t say online is that the only people who came to visit are private parties.”
“So, that means…what?” I asked. “You bring in super-rich people who feel special when they get to see the animals you’re rehabilitating and taking care of? Then they donate oodles of money so they can brag to their rich friends about their charity contributions and having seen the animals here?”
Andrew raised his eyebrows. “Pretty much got it in one. It’s just more preservation and less rehabilitation. And a lot of our patrons really do care about the animals, or else they would just donate and not visit. You’ll see tourists a couple times a week, but we decided not to have anyone until we’re settled in here, and that means a person who’s on during the night shift that I can count on. And I don’t know if I can count on you yet.”
“Wait, I’ll see the tourists?” I asked. “They visit at night?”
“Everything we have is nocturnal,” he told me. That struck me as odd, but he continued before I could question it. “Listen up, and I’ll start with the basics. Have you ever seen anything weird? Possibly supernatural?”
“Nope,” I said with a shrug.
The fact is, I got along with my classmates, but I never did have any close friends. So, I thought maybe that’s why I missed out on all those reckless teen moments that started every horror movie. Maybe it left me without a bunch of exciting stories to tell. But hey, at least I didn’t break my leg falling through the floor of an abandoned building in eleventh grade.
Yes, that happened. It was a classmate of mine by the name of Brent. And yes, he’s just as much of a moron as you would imagine.
“If you see the ghost here,” he said, his tone emphatic, “will you freak out?”
I paused. “You’ve seen the ghost?”
“All the time,” Andrew told me. “It’s a young woman in a blue shirt and tan slacks, looks like she just walked out of a lake.”
“Do you have a picture?”
“No, and absolutely no photos or video are to be taken of her,” he said, his tone abruptly turning stern. “It’s cause for immediate dismissal. We have video cameras for security, but they all record off-site in a secure location, and Suzanne Cooper, the owner, manages it herself. Firstly, the ghost deserves privacy rather than exploitation, she’s not to be displayed like one of our animals, but secondly, people believe in ghosts. One leaked photo of her connecting it to us means we get overrun by ghost hunters, and if we trace it back to you, you’re done.”
Andrew seemed next-level serious about that, so I nodded. “Understood. That makes sense.”
The animals were the priority after all, I knew. I preferred them over people anyway, and that included dead people. Even if I could get a video of this ghost doing cartwheels back and forth through a wall, I would never post it and spread word of where I’d taken it. Andrew was right; the zoo would never get the paranormally-obsessed to stay away and would definitely have to relocate.
He continued, “If you’re curious, she’s never so much as tried to hurt anyone. But the zoo has moved before, and she moved with us.”
“She moved with you?” I asked, my eyebrows rising. “Is it like one of those stories where she’s attached to something in the zoo rather than a place?”
“More complicated than that,” he said. Then he grimaced. “She died because she was too ambitious with one of our animals. It never should have happened, but she… She was foolish, you’d say. Attempted to interact with one of the animals, got too close, and honestly, she should have known better. I thought she did.”
“Holy shit,” I whispered. “What killed her?”
He stared at his hands and shook his head. “It was before my time.”
It was clear Andrew was a true believer, but I still really wasn’t sure at that point. How was I supposed to react, though? Zoos have fences and tall barriers for a good reason. Not just to keep the animals away from us, but also the other way around, and ‘death by stupidity’ is not uncommon amongst humans. So, the story wasn’t outrageous, but still, I’d never so much as experienced something unexplainable. But if I saw a ghost, I suppose that’d be that.
“I just need to know, plain and simple, if you’re the kind of person who can handle things that are terrifying,” Andrew told me, splaying his hands. “Our last night shift bloke there was with us for years and years, but we spent months going through other employees. There were six we tried before we found him.”
“Six?” I exclaimed.
He snorted. “Yes, six. Let’s see…” Andrew counted off each one on his fingers. “The first two, the first night they saw the ghost, they lost it. One called me in a panic, babbling, and I had to get out of bed and drive to the zoo to send him home, and the second quit, although at least she made it to the next morning and didn’t drag me out here,” he said, his voice thoughtful. “They just thought I was blowing smoke up their bums with the whole thing.”
He shrugged. “Then, the third one was a bloke who was asleep when I got there in the morning, so I had to fire him. Then another ghost freak-out. The fifth bloke was someone who couldn’t deal with the animals, and then the sixth was so scared of the ghost that when I got here, he was already outside the zoo, pacing, waiting for my car. Apparently he’d said some stuff, rude or mean or whatnot, to try to get her to leave him alone and she had followed him back into the security room, so he fled. I need the opposite of those folks. Alright?”
At this point, I was starting to take it more seriously. Sure, this could just be Andrew’s thing, that he believed in ghosts and then made up these sightings to ensure I believed him. But if I saw her? What would I do?
Well, this would be my job, so I would have to take it seriously. Maybe that was why the pay was so good, to make employees think twice before ditching it. From Andrew’s perspective, if it really was haunted, he was the one who had to deal with applicant after applicant quitting as soon as they laid eyes on the guest who would never leave.
“So…honestly, I can’t say I won’t freak out, considering how next level this is,” I told him, feeling compelled to go with honesty, “but yeah. I think I can handle it, mostly because it’s important for someone to look after this place, look after the animals, so I’d do my best to work around anything that freaks me out. I mean, I have to say that I’ll believe it when I see it. But if ghosts really exist, as long as it isn’t some serial killer who stuck around to keep gutting people, I’ve always thought it’d be cool to find out we can exist after we die.”
The thing is, I think I did believe him. I thought there might really be a ghost there, because otherwise, why take it so seriously? It could’ve been that Andrew had only glimpsed her out of the corner of his eye a few times and could ascribe it to lack of sleep, but he was literally worried about word getting out. I thought that being halfway to believing him would give me the mental preparation I needed if I saw her. At least, I’d hoped so.
It turned out that most of my time would be spent at the security desk in the main building, near the entrance. Real-time footage played through thirty-five cameras around the zoo, all on a large screen that was five cameras across and seven cameras top to bottom. The cameras were impressive. I would mention the resolution, say something about them being 4K, but Andrew explained some stuff about how it’s actually the lens that is the biggest selling point. Looking at these cameras on the giant screen, I could see practically every corner of the place, and if I brought up one camera in particular to encompass 2/3 of the screen, I could zoom in so far that it felt like I could use it to check if one of the animals had fleas.
The zoo was well lit, not surprising considering nighttime was apparently the zoo’s business hours, and all of the tall lamps had red bulbs. For those of you who know why, A+ to you. For those who don’t, fun fact, it’s because red is closest to the dark and your eyes don’t need to strain to adjust to it. That meant I didn’t need my flashlight all that often, and even that was red, a solid name-brand one that had been on my desk when I arrived. I kept the white lights on back in the security room, though, because I didn’t want to make my brain think it was time to get tired.
When I headed out for my first sweep on that first night, I had the folded map in my pocket, but I already knew my way around. The layout of the zoo wasn’t that difficult to memorize, since there were only eleven expansive enclosures, and after the interview I walked around for half an hour to start training my memory. I’ll admit, working in a dark environment was creepier than I thought it would be.
I do want to mention the high quality of the zoo. The size of each enclosure was considerable, and the greenery was natural, hinting that they’d hired a pricey professional just to do landscaping toward the front of the enclosures after buying the land. The backs of the enclosures backed up into forestry, and from the estimate I got from Andrew, it seemed each of the animals had plenty of roaming space, including the small lake at the northwest corner and a manmade lake for one of the animals in particular. When I considered all of that, the thought passed through my head about how horrible it would be if word got out about the zoo having a ghost and needing to relocate, because it’d be devastatingly expensive.
My orders were to walk the zoo once every hour. This was my first security gig, so I’m not sure if that’s more or less than typical, but I had my comfy hiking boots on, the ones I’d saved up for and invested in a couple years earlier and were perfect for a job where I had to do laps around an area. This job was one that I didn’t have to worry about my shoulder pain worsening, since it was mostly about being on my feet. I take one or two Vicodin a day, depending on how bad my pain is. It came in handy in high school, actually. With a flexible ‘take as needed’ prescription, I occasionally sold pills for extra cash.
There wasn’t much to step in and there weren’t even any dips in the concrete sidewalks that I followed around in a route that easily led me back and forth until I made my way back to the office. The first three nights were actually boring. I would have thought Andrew had been pranking me about the ghost, but like I said, it hadn’t felt like that. And he hadn’t been specific about when she showed up for new people, or even for him.
To keep myself busy, I’d brought my e-reader with me, and I got into a cycle of looking over each of the cameras every time I hit the end of a chapter. I’m a pretty fast reader, so it was a good system. Also, every once in a while, I looked up if something moving caught my eye, like an owl flying close enough for the camera to catch it, but that’s about it.
Then, every hour on the hour, I did a walk through. The fourth night, I was passing by the small lake at the back left corner of the property when I saw her.
People say that you can tell if someone’s staring at you, that there’s some sixth sense humans have. It’s not true; they’ve done experiments. But the thing is, all those experiments were of someone human looking at them. After this last shift, I would guess that the sixth sense that sends goosebumps down your arms, the one that makes you feel an intangible pressure, that slides your body toward fight or flight mode, might be true of…other things.
Slowly coming to a stop at the disturbing feeling, I hesitantly looked around, through the trees. Then my heart skipped a beat and my breath hitched. It was startling because she wasn’t moving. Just standing among the trees, staring at me. I broke out in a cold sweat as I stared back at her, unsure what to do. I didn’t run. I didn’t try to talk to her. I just stood there. So, there’s my answer to Andrew: I didn’t freak out. I just froze.
The woman was Latina, her skin tone pallid from death, and was dressed as he’d described her, in slacks and a silky blue blouse. And she was soaked, as if she’d just walked out of the lake. Beyond that, her shirt was drenched in blood from what looked like claw marks across her abdomen. Her eyes were dark and penetrating, boring holes into me, as if she were able to get any and all knowledge that she wanted about me simply by glaring. The fabric of her shirtsleeves clung to her skin and was dripping, as was her long black hair. Speaking of her hair, it appeared to have seaweed woven into it, or maybe she also grew seaweed along with hair. Not my area of expertise.
The look on her face was indescribable. There was something deep in her eyes, behind her closed-off expression, that made my heart beat rapidly. Maybe I would’ve projected some emotion into her face if I’d had any idea of what she was capable of, whether she could move objects, or possess me, or if all she did was hang around. As things stood, I was left just projecting my fears, which gave me the impression that she was cross with me simply for being present. It felt like I was trespassing, even though I was a dozen feet back from the fence that encircled the enclosure. And also, this was my job so I was explicitly allowed to be here.
She was disturbingly close, and remained unnaturally still. If she had attacked me, I wasn’t sure what I would’ve done. Ran, probably, but considering ghosts probably don’t follow the laws of physics, maybe she could’ve chased me at Usain Bolt speed. For all I knew, she could teleport.
After an amount of time that felt awkwardly long, I finally spoke up.
“Hi,” I croaked.
The woman slowly tilted her head but didn’t otherwise move. I’d forgotten to ask Andrew for her name, I realized, but he had mentioned her death had been before his time, so maybe he didn’t know.
Swallowing hard, I tried to take a slow, deep breath, even though it felt like there was a cinder block on my chest. “So, I, uh…I work here now,” I said slowly. “I’m night shift security.” Pausing, I kept trying to gather information from her demeanor but failed. “Is that okay?”
At that, I saw a hint of curiosity flash across her face. “Why would it not be?” Her voice sounded completely normal, which was an off-putting contrast to her appearance.
Good question. Hell if I know the answer. “I don’t know. I mean…you were here first. I don’t know if you feel like I’m…intruding…or something.”
“You’re just doing your job,” she said, her tone softening a smidge.
I waited to see if she wanted to say anything else before saying, “Right.” Can I get you anything? A towel? Some bandages? “I’ll be going now.”
The woman made no movement to come after me as I gradually took one step, then another, keeping her in my sights as I walked off. I finally had to turn to face forward, unable or unwilling to be seen by her foolishly walking away backwards. Instead of continuing my sweep, I took the path that would lead me back to the security room. I kept looking behind me and felt her eyes on me all the way back, though I didn’t see her following me. At that point, even if she hadn’t moved an inch, my brain was on red alert when it came to self-preservation and figured I would continue to feel like a wet hand might grab me from behind at any moment.
Finally, I returned to the security room, swiping my card across the panel at the back door with a beep. Opening the door, darting inside, and slamming it behind me, I walked to the far side of the room and turned around, putting my back to the wall. Until I’d gotten back, I hadn’t noticed how fast I’d been walking, how quickly I’d been gasping for air. Leaning back against the wall, my legs turned to jelly and I slowly slid to the floor.
And that was it. My first sighting of the ghost. I’d thought that if I had seen her, there would be some part of me that was skeptical, that would reason my way out of it, convinced it was a prank. But I knew. She wasn’t a person. At least, not anymore.

Principal approved for us to watch The Lightning Thief movie in class to compare and contrast with the book. They say they need an assignment to go with it. All right cool. I have my kids make a Venn diagram and tell them they need a certain number in each circle. Not the most thought-provoking assignment but we have literally 2 and a half days of school left and I just want something easy to grade.
The kids have been enjoying pointing out the differences during the movie, both on their diagrams and aloud to each other. They’ve been very attentive to it and I’ve had few discipline issues in any of my classes.
We have grade-level principals. So why did the principal from 7th grade come to my classroom this morning and try to question what I was doing with my kids?? I teach 6th grade. It’s not even her hallway to monitor?!
When she tried saying that the kids needed to be doing work to watch a movie, I just held up some completed Venn diagrams I got so far from them.
2 and a half more days. 2 and a half!!!!
EDIT: Thank you guys for all the kind words. Really wasn’t expecting this to get traction. Made me feel a ton better! I talked to my 6th grade principal about it & he said it was totally fine that we were doing a movie.
Also, thank you guys for the CCSS! I actually am in a state that doesn’t utilize common core and we use the TEKS. I feel like I could swing it from the 6.12F or 6.6A angle, but I wasn’t outright seeing a comparison TEK. Maybe I just overlooked it?

Page 65.
Panel:
Nine years later.
(Visual: Naivi walking towards his familiar snowy hometown.)
Naivi, 22 years old: Yes. I’m ready to go!
-Thoughts: Hope, I’ll find some company before the train sets off tho…
-Hmm?
Panel:
Naivi: Fire’s loose??! Is that woman stuck on the roof!?
…Wait
-What?
That “thing” is moving fast towards me!?
Panel:
Madame on the roof: Stop moving Mama! Wind is only making the flames stronger! Calm down!
Mama moving saloon: I’m burning alive here kid!!!
Panel:
Madame: YOU! MY MOTHER IS ON FIRE! CAN YOU HELP US PLEASE!?
NAIVI: Huuh?? That thing is your mother??
Panel:
MADAME: AGGHH! ARE YOU SLOW OR SUM?! DO YOURSELF A FAVOR AND TURN THE OTHER WAY AROUND!
NAVI: What’s happening in the town?
Page 66.
Panel:
Madame: !
(Saloon’s eyes lit up from the windows, screams and spits out a stream of fire. The fire comes out of the third floor balcony door, that looks like a mouth)
MAMA MOVING SALOON: EL DIABLO IS HEREEE!!!
Chapter 3: When it's Time to Go - Get on the Right Train
Page 67.
Panel:
EARLIER IN THE TOWN, Location: TRAIN STATION.
Paperboy:
-BREAKING NEWS! THE LONG-AWAITED ARMOUR TRAIN 2.0 HAS FINALLY BEEN REVEALED TO THE PUBLIC!
Panel:
(VISUAL: A MASSIVE TRAIN SURROUNDED BY RANGERS AND THE PUBLIC. The air is full of confetti, celebration and shouts of hurray rumble throughout the station.)

• TODAY MARKS A HISTORICAL DAY! THE BRAND NEW TRAIN WILL TRAVEL FOR THE FIRST TIME ITS TRACKS TO THE WILD WORLD!

• FIRST STOP BEING THE NEW CORK COLONY!!
  
• TOO LATE TO JOIN THIS MAGICAL MYSTERY TOUR, BECAUSE ALL OF THE TICKETS HAVE BEEN SOLD OUT!
  
• NOT THAT ANY OF YOU REGULAR POOR CITIZENS WOULD HAVE AFFORDED TO GET THEM, EVEN IF THERE WAS A SEAT STILL LEFT!
  
• Huh? Stay with the script? Sorry. Sorry.
  

Page 68.
Panel:
Paperboy:
-FRONTIER'S CREME DA LA CREME HAVE THEIR SEATS RESERVED FOR A THRILLING TRIP OF A LIFETIME. THE LIST OF CELEBRITIES BARKIN ON THE JOURNEY IS ALMOST AS LONG AS THE MASSIVE TRAIN ITSELF. OH, HERE COMES THE TWO OF THE FRONTIERS MOST INFLUENTIAL MEN.
-THE 5* STAR STATE'S “DIVINE CONSULTANTS” ARE HERE TO FOLLOW UP ON TRAIN’S SUCCESS STORY!
( visual: train’s opening ceremony is being live televised on strange looking S.N.A.K.E-camera )
(VISUAL: We get to see THE big names. A pair of old men dressed in black suits - DIVINE consultants ( Whispers) from the 5-star state, with their bodyguards boarding the train. One of the bodyguards is tall and wears a Zorro-like costume/mask with his mouth sewn shut. The other one is a beautiful young lady with a fashionable outfit and her pupils are shaped like stars)
Panel:
5* State Whispers:
Whisper 1: -Mayor shouldn't have made this into a spectacle.
Whisper 2: -Yes, it only invites unpleasant surprises…
Panel:
PAPERBOY: - CONSULTANTS ARE UNDER THE PROTECTION OF THE FAMOUS Members from the 5* State Ranger Squad!
Madame Star Eyes: No need to worry, whispers. We got you covered. Am I right, Porro?
Pedro Porro: ...
Madame Star Eyes: Tihihii! I loVE THIS MORE SILENT AND STOIC SIDE OF YOU Hihihihi…
Page 69.
(VISUAL: ( TWO-11 ft, 9 ft and 7 ft TALL FIGURES COVERED IN LONG EXPENSIVE LOOKING CLOTH. COVERED IN GEMS HIDING THEIR FACES IN TOTEM POLE MASKS AND BODY COMPLETELY))
PAPERBOY: ( Who might these be… Lets see if I can sneak in a little interview with them)TRULY A BEAUTIFUL COSTUME! MAY I ASK YOU SIR HOW MUCH DID IT COST?
SFX: SMACK!
THE SMALLEST FIGURE WITH FEMININE VOICE ( the wendigo princess ): I AM A FEMALE YOU FEEBLE DIRTY SWINE!!
PAPERBOY: …IT SEEMS LIKE SOME OF THE CELEBRITIES WANT TO STAY ANONYMOUS DURING THEIR TRAVEL. Perhaps for a distinctive physical reason…
THE SMALLEST FIGURE WITH FEMININE VOICE ( the wendigo princess ): I HATE HOW THEY STARE AT US… CARVE THEIR EYES OUT FOR ME!!!
TALL FIGURE WITH A LONG STAFF ( fallen prince of the wendigos ): IM SORRY MY LOVE… IN THE TRAIN WE SHALL FIND YOU SOME SOLACE. ROYAL GUARDS MAKE SURE NONE OF THESE MAMMALS GET TOO CLOSE OR FRIENDLY WITH THE FUTURE QUEEN.
Random kid in the crowd: They look funny, like walking talking totem poles!
Random kid’s mother: What have I told you about commenting on other peoples looks!
Page 70.
PAPERBOY: AND HERE COMES THE MAIN MAN OF THE EVENT! AN ICON WHO MADE THIS ALL POSSIBLE. THE MAN IN CHARGE OF OUR PROUD REZILIENT 0* STAR STATE. THE MAYOR HIMSELF! SIR, RED DEVID INVINICIUS!!!
(Visual: Lastly, The mayor with his HUGE right-hand man and an endless number of rangers marching behind them. )
SFX: ROOAR CLAP CLAP CLAP
Mayor: Oh, how do they love me here!?
(Visual: waving to the crowd. After he says this, a bird poops on his shoulder.)
Charlie Chamberlane: Boss, you got bird shit on your shoulder… Umm… Want me to go teach a lesson…

• to that bird…?

Mayor: Heh heh…Heeh. No need for that. In the 5-star state, they say it's a sign of good luck to come.
(Mayor whispers to Charlie): - Shoot that shitty bird down.
Charlie: Okay boss. SFX:BLAM!! Mayor: -When the cameras are looking away. Bird: Kraah!
…
Charlie: Should have said that earlier…
Mayor: Hmph… Well, no one actually cares about birds, am I right?
Crowd: BOO!
(Visual: animals right activists protesting)
Mayor: God damn animal rights activists, always there to stain my reputation!! I should have taken care of you lot long time ago!!! Charlie: I gotcha boss…
Page 71.
PAPERBOY: The whole world is intrigued by how this event unfolds!
Random person in the crowd: That ungrateful bastard... I was there in the trenches, building the train tracks for the new cork colony, risking my life while at it... Where is my WELL deserved seat on that train!? That woman in the saloon gave me a simple but a perfect idea… I will end this bastard's unjust rule right now...
Mayor: What are the chances of bird defecating on me during my spotlight?!
Charlie Chamber: I dunno? Ask one of the whispers they good with predictions.
Mayor: ON LIVE TELEVISION AS WELL! I hate when improbabilities come to life…
Random person:
Visual: Taking aim with his revolver.
SFX: Klik
Reck Lesley: Oh man, here we go… Exhales
Page 72.
Random person: -End to the power-mongering mayor!!! (Shoots at mayor)
SFX: BANG! —— SWISH!
(Visual: Reck Lesley swings his sword from a distance. The bullet vanishes from existence.)
Random person: What??
Mayor: - Quality work! Captain Lesley! -
Reck Lesley: Sir.
Charlie Chamberlane: Cut the s.n.a.k.e-vision-casters, go film something else!
Page 73.
Random person: Where did the bullet… - It just vanished from the air?!
Mayor: It was you… Wasn’t it?
-They say fear kills you faster than a speeding bullet.
(Visual: Mayor points at the person who shot at him)
Mayor: So don’t get too scared now. Because my friend over here likes to savor a moment…
(Visual: Random man gets cold shivers throughout his body. ) -What is this creepy sensation? It feels as if an enormous kodiak bear full of blood lust was standing right behind me?!!!
Mayor: Hmm… That bird shit still troubles my mind. Perhaps I remembered it wrong. Maybe it was a sign of someone else's bad luck.
( Visual: Mayors fingers shaped in a choking position)
Random person: !!! Khh…!Khh…!! ( I CAN’T BREATHE!)
MAYOR: EITHER WAY…
( Visual: evil glance of the mayor )
Page 74.
Panel:
Others bad luck is mine to take advantage of! That’s how one climbs up to higher pedestals in this disportioncate world. The differences in power between the top players have become so marginally small, that a little bit of bad luck is all it takes to lose it all!
AHHHH!!
( Person shoots into air, high above everybody into the clouds, we can barely see him anymore)
-Begone filth. RED RAIN!
( visual: mayor clinches his hand into a fist )
( visual: rain of blood starts falling down slowly from the red cloud)
Page 75.
Panel:
SFX:“GASP”
(Visual: CROWD SHOCKED AND TERRIFIED OF WHAT JUST HAPPENED)
Mayor: Captain Lesley! Find out where EL Diablo is.

• He was assigned to keep firearms away from the train's opening ceremony.

Charlie Chamberlane: I had it covered… Mr. Reckless.
Reck Lesley: Sure thing, bossman… Didn’t want to make you sweat for nothing.
Charlie Chamberlane: Hmph! What is this false act of bravado I’m sensing here? I bet you’re terrified to go face that thing! Have you thought about an excuse already for evading El Diablo…
Reck Lesley: …
Charlie Chamberlane: KUHUHUHUUH! I CAN SEE YOU SHIVERING IN YOUR BOOTS JUST HEARING HIS NAME ALONE! I GOT ONE WORD FOR YOU!

• Your pathetic!

Page 76.
Reck Lesley: I care not what your twisted mouth spews out of it… I have been patiently waiting for a chance like this to come… Unlike you, I left the place where the apocalypse nearly began with my dignity! You left with a rat's tail between your legs!
Charlie Chamberlane: Who do you think you’re talking to!? Need a reminder of your place from your superior!?
Mayor: Now now gentlemen. Easy now… Save your quarrels for later.
Visual: intensive stare-down between Charlie and Reck
Mayor: Complete your task with haste captain. The train is bound to set off!
PAPERBOY: Uhh… We’re still live? Are we allowed to air this to the public? I guess conflict creates attention and views are the most important thing these days… Huh? The mics on too? Krhm!Krhm!
THANKS TO DR. EXTRAPENZAS GROUND BREAKING GENIUS THE TRAIN HAS BEEN REVOLUTIONISED WITH NEW TECHNOLOGY! WITH ITS IMPENETRABLE STEEL ARMOR AND FRONTIERS LATEST FIREPOWER. THE TRAVELERS CAN REST ASSURED KNOWING ANY OBSTACLE IN THE TRAINS PATH…
-WILL BE DISPOSED!!!
Visual: Mayor with a wide grin on his face.

I know for me personally I had to strive to be any kind of extroverted, but at this point when I am with other nerdy people, I get really loud...
It just makes me think about the other readers I know and most of the introverts I know as well, and in a Venn diagram hey are practically an exact circle!

Not sure how much overlap a Venn diagram would show of the two online spots that are my favorites - I've been following Leo's work since the '90s, and oh I should mention Paul Thurott who with pal Brad Sams does a fun little morning duo-video podcast. Any Kim fans relate?

I have recently decided to become vegan and have been doing a bit of research on how it would benefit humanity on a large scale, not only to help reinforce my decision but also to provide information for anyone I know asking me about it.
So obviously, vegan is the best choice we have available to us (such as an Oxford University article that says global veganism would require 76% less farmland for our diets https://www.ox.ac.uk/news/2018-06-01-new-estimates-environmental-cost-food) but can it be THE PERFECT choice? Is perfect even possible?
The World Wildlife Foundation’s latest report https://files.worldwildlife.org/wwfcmsprod/files/Publication/file/6wlbsmxokc_PlowprintReport_2023_final.pdf?_ga=2.94664216.569166089.1699454468-1491340674.1698673236 that follows the US “plowprint” states that since 2012, 32 million acres have been plowed - not grazed, plowed - for row crops: wheat, corn and soy.
This is habitat loss for all animals that call the grasslands home. Aubudon states that since 1966, total grassland bird populations have declined 40%. Pollinators and rodents/small mammals suffer decline and displacement too, thanks to humans destroying natural habitats to plant food.
Thinking about it, the best I can come up with for a diet that does not harm a single animal is gathering. Collecting natural berries and veggies. But that’s not fit for large scale. Farmland is too harmful.
So vegan is the best we can do so far, but can a society eat without habitat destruction and harm to animals? With this WWF research, I would hate to tell people I tried so hard to change my diet and yet, as a vegan I STILL contribute to animal suffering.